Ephesians 1:14

Ephesians 1:14

Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

a. NLT: The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

b. NIV: Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

c. YLT: Which is an earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the acquired possession, to the praise of His glory.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it—to the praise of His glory.

e. Worrell Translation: Which is an earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of His glory.

f. Wuest Translation: Who is the token payment of our inheritance guaranteeing the full payment of all, looking forward to the redemption of the possession which is preserved with a view to the praise of His glory.

1. “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession…”

a. Which [Strong: 3739 hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

b. is [Strong: 2076 esti es-tee' third person singular present indicative of 1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are:--are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, X dure for a while, + follow, X have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, X must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.]

c. the [Strong: 3588 * ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

d. earnest [728  arrhabon ar-hrab-ohn' of Hebrew origin (6162); a pledge, i.e. part of the purchase-money or property given in advance as security for the rest:--earnest.] [Thayer: an earnest, money which in purchases is given as a pledge or down payment that the full amount will subsequently be paid.]

1). Wikipedia: An earnest payment (sometimes called earnest money or simply earnest, or alternatively a good-faith deposit) is a deposit towards the purchase of real estate or publicly tendered government contract made by a buyer or registered contractor to demonstrate that he/she is serious (earnest) about wanting to complete the purchase.

2). Almighty God, demonstrating that He is serious about our redemption gives the earnest of the Holy Ghost.

e. of our [Strong: 2257 hemon hay-mone' genitive case plural of 1473; of (or from) us:--our (company), us, we.]

f. inheritance [2817 kleronomia klay-ron-om-ee'-ah from 2818; heirship, i.e. (concretely) a patrimony or (genitive case) a possession:--inheritance.] [Thayer: an inheritance, property received (or to be received) by inheritance, what is given to one as a possession, the eternal blessedness of the consummated kingdom of God which is to be expected after the visible return of Christ, the share which an individual will have in that eternal blessedness.]

1). Three times in Ephesians 1 the Apostle Paul declares we have been given an inheritance in Christ. Here in verse 14, but also in Ephesians 1:11 and Ephesians 1:18. Our inheritance in Christ is everything the New Testament says we have. It is an inheritance we have to receive by faith after we receive a revelation and Paul prayed that we would get a revelation of our inheritance.

a). Ephesians 1:15-18 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

2). The “revelation” Paul is referring to is the rhema word of faith we initially get, and on which we stand, and build on to receive our inheritance, what the New Testament says is ours.

a). Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

b). word [4487 * rhema] [Thayer: that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word.] [Vine: The signifigance of rhema is exampliphied in the injunction to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Ephesians 6:17; here the reference is not to the whole Bible as such, but to the individual Scripture which the Spirit brings to our remembrance for use in time of need, a prerequisite being the regular storing of the mind with Scripture.]

c). This Spirit is the Third Person of the Godhead, who has also been given as the down payment in our redemption to show us God is serious about our redemption. Hallelujah!

3). The Gospel and the inheritance included is what Paul was called to preach by Christ on the road to Damascus.

a). Acts 26:15-18 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

26:17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

g. until [Strong: 1519 eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

h. the redemption [Strong: 629 apolutrosis ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis from a compound of 575 and 3083; (the act) ransom in full, i.e. (figuratively) riddance, or (specially) Christian salvation:--deliverance, redemption.]

i. of the [Strong: 3588 * ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

j. purchased possession [Strong: 4047 peripoiesis per-ee-poy'-ay-sis from 4046; acquisition (the act or the thing); by extension, preservation:--obtain(-ing), peculiar, purchased, possession, saving.]

2. “…unto the praise of his glory.”

a. unto [Strong: 1519 eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

b. the praise [Strong: 1868 epainos ep'-ahee-nos from 1909 and the base of 134; laudation; concretely, a commendable thing:--praise.]

c. of his [Strong: 846 * autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

d. glory [Strong: 1391 doxa dox'-ah from the base of 1380; glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or subjective):--dignity, glory(-ious), honour, praise, worship.]