You are joking right? @Presby02?!
Ephesians 1:4-5 - Greek Analysis
The Greek text of Ephesians 1:4-5 reads as follows:
καθὼς
ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃ, προορίσας ἡμᾶς εἰς υἱοθεσίαν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς αὐτόν, κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ
ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ (exelexato hēmas en autō) – “He chose us in Him”
ἐξελέξατο (exelexato): This is an aorist middle indicative verb from ἐκλέγομαι (eklegomai), meaning “to choose” or “to select.”
ἡμᾶς (hēmas): This is the accusative plural of the pronoun for "us," the object of "chose."
ἐν αὐτῷ (en autō): The preposition ἐν ("in") is used with the dative pronoun αὐτῷ ("Him"), emphasizing location or sphere, indicating that this choosing occurs "in Him" (referring to Christ). This phrase suggests that the election is effective only within the relational context of being in Christ.
πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου (pro katabolēs kosmou) – “before the foundation of the world”
πρὸ (pro): This preposition means "before," used here to indicate time.
καταβολῆς κόσμου (katabolēs kosmou): Literally, "foundation of the world." This temporal phrase specifies that God’s choice was made before the world's foundation, setting an eternal context for the election that would take place in Christ.
εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους (einai hēmas hagious kai amōmous) – “that we should be holy and blameless”
εἶναι (einai): This is the present infinitive of εἰμί (eimi), meaning "to be." It expresses purpose or result for the election.
ἁγίους (hagious) and ἀμώμους (amōmous): These are adjectives in the accusative case describing “us,” indicating that the purpose of God’s choice is that we would be holy and blameless.
προορίσας ἡμᾶς εἰς υἱοθεσίαν (proorisas hēmas eis huiothesian) – “having predestined us for adoption”
προορίσας (proorisas): This is the aorist participle of προορίζω (proorizō), meaning "to predestine." As a participle, it indicates an action associated with or preceding the main verb "chose" (exelexato), clarifying that predestination follows from the act of choosing.
εἰς υἱοθεσίαν (eis huiothesian): The preposition εἰς ("for" or "to") combined with υἱοθεσίαν ("adoption") specifies the purpose of predestination: that believers are destined for adoption as sons and daughters.
διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (dia Iēsou Christou) – “through Jesus Christ”
διὰ (dia): This preposition means “through” and is followed by a genitive case ("Jesus Christ"), indicating that the means or agency of adoption (and of predestination) is specifically through Jesus Christ.
Summary of Greek Syntax and Structure
ἐν αὐτῷ (in Him): This prepositional phrase suggests that God's choosing happens within the realm of being "in Christ," not independently of Christ or arbitrarily.
προορίσας ἡμᾶς εἰς υἱοθεσίαν: The purpose of predestination is directed at adoption (υἱοθεσίαν) rather than initial belief. This adoption and election are only accessible “through Jesus Christ.”
Implication
The Greek structure in Ephesians 1:4-5 supports the idea that election is connected to being "in Christ," and those who are in Christ are predestined to adoption. The syntax and prepositional usage clarify that the status of "in Him" is crucial to the election process and that predestination is not directed toward belief itself but rather to the adoption and transformation for those already united in Christ.
ἐκλέγω
eklégō; fut. ekléxō, from ek (G1537), out, and légō (G3004), to select, choose. To choose, select, choose for oneself, not necessarily implying the rejection of what is not chosen, but giving favor to the chosen subject, keeping in view a relationship to be established between the one choosing and the object chosen. It involves preference and selection from among many choices. In the NT found only in the mid. eklégomai.
(I) Generally of things (Luk_10:42; Luk_14:7). Followed by hína (G2443), so that, of purpose (1Co_1:27-28; Sept.: Gen_13:11); of persons followed by the acc. simply (Joh_6:70; Joh_15:16; Act_1:2, Act_1:24; Act_6:5; Act_15:22, Act_15:25; Sept.: 1Sa_8:18; 1Sa_10:24); followed by ek (G1537), from, with the gen. (Joh_15:19); followed by apó (G575) with a gen. (Luk_6:13). With an inf. implied (Jas_2:5 where the implied inf. is eínai [G1511], to be). Followed by en (G1722), among (Act_15:7, "God chose among us . . . that through my mouth" [a.t.]).
(II) By implication, to choose out, with the accessory idea of kindness, favor, love (Mar_13:20; Joh_13:18; Act_13:17; Eph_1:4; Sept.: Deu_4:37; Psa_65:4; Zec_3:2). In some MSS, Luk_9:35 (TR) has eklelegménos, chosen, instead of agapētós (G27), beloved.
Deriv.: eklektós (G1588), chosen, elect.
Syn.: hairéomai (G138), to prefer; hairetízō (G140), to prefer, choose; epilégomai (G1951), to select, choose for oneself.
Ant.: apobállō (G577), to throw off, cast away; aporríptō (G641), to reject, cast off; periphronéō (G4065), to despise.
Word Studies.
"He chose us" This is
an aorist middle indicative which emphasized the subject's decisive choice. This focused on the Father's choice before time.
God's choice must not be understood in the Islamic sense of determinism nor in the ultra Calvinistic sense of "God chooses some versus God did not choose others," but in a covenantal sense.
God promised to redeem fallen mankind (cf. Gen_3:15). God called and chose Abraham to choose all humans (cf. Gen_12:3; Exo_19:5-6). See Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan. God calls all in Christ (cf. Joh_3:16; 1Ti_2:4; 2Pe_3:9; 1Jn_2:2; 1Jn_4:14. God Himself elected all persons who would exercise faith in Christ.
The believers' choice of trusting in Christ confirms, not determines, God's choice of them.
God always takes the initiative in salvation (cf. Joh_6:44; Joh_6:65). This text and Rom_8:28-30; Rom_9:1-33 are the main NT texts for the doctrine of predestination emphasized by Augustine and Calvin.
God chose believers not only to salvation (justification) but also to sanctification (cf. Col_1:12)!
This could relate to
1. our position in Christ (cf. 2Co_5:21)
2. God's desire to reproduce His character in His children (cf. Eph_2:10; Rom_8:28-29; Gal_4:19; 1Th_4:3)
God's will for His children is both heaven one day and Christlikeness now!
The pronouns in this passage are ambiguous. Most refer to God the Father. This whole passage speaks of His love, purpose and plan to redeem fallen mankind. However, in context it is obvious that the pronouns in Eph_1:7; Eph_1:9; Eph_1:13-14 refer to Jesus.
▣ "in Him" This is a key concept. The Father's blessings, grace and salvation flow only through Christ (cf. Joh_10:7-18; Joh_14:6). Notice the repetition of this grammatical form (locative of sphere) in Eph_1:3, "in Christ"; Eph_1:4, "in Him"; Eph_1:7, "in Him"; Eph_1:9, "in Him"; Eph_1:10, "in Christ," "in Him"; Eph_1:12, "in Christ" and Eph_1:13, "in Him" (twice). These are parallel to "in the Beloved" of Eph_1:6. Jesus is God's "yes" to fallen mankind (Karl Barth).
Jesus is the elect man and all are potentially elect in Him (cf. Joh_3:16). All of God the Father's blessings flow through Christ.
Utley.
J.
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