Ephesians 1:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

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

NASB: who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

CSB: The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

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.

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

NKJV: who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

The final verse of this first major section calls the Holy Spirit "the guarantee" of those parts of the inheritance which we do not yet have. In verse 13, the Holy Spirit was called a "seal;" here He is also called a guarantee. The ideas are virtually identical. Both are symbolic of a promise, or a validation, made by someone in authority. Here, it invokes the idea of a financial backing for an investment. The believer's yet-to-be-received inheritance—eternity in heaven with the Lord—is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit.

Again, as in verse 12, verse 14 refers to "the praise of [God's] glory." This repeated theme marks the end of this section, and highlights the goal of the Holy Spirit's work in a believer's life: God's glory. The same glory mentioned regarding Jesus is also associated with the Holy Spirit. This again indicates Paul's view of God as triune, with Father, Son, and Spirit each part of the divine Godhead, each eternal, equal, and perfect (Matthew 28:19–20).

Ephesians 1:3–14 praises God for the blessings He has provided. Paul ties together the ideas of predestination, God's glory, the salvation of His people, and the rights we have as children of God. In particular, believers are blessed because God chose, before creation, to save us. That salvation came at a great cost: the death of Jesus Christ. As children of God, we can be confident that God will give us what He has promised: namely, an eternity with Him in heaven.

The first chapter of Ephesians contains two main passages. The first describes the blessings Christians have been given as a result of our salvation through Christ. Paul explains these through praises directed to God the Father. The second section both commends the Ephesians for their reputation, and prays that Christ would bring them into an even fuller and more aware faith.

The first three chapters of Ephesians are doctrinal, while the last three are practical. Chapter 1 establishes Paul's view on the value of our salvation in Christ, and the blessings we obtain from it. He does this in the form of praise, directed at God, and describing in detail what it means to have an inheritance in heaven. Later chapters will build on these ideas as Paul connects who we are in Christ to how we should live as Christians.

Ephesians follows a theme common in Paul's writings: connecting theory with practice. In this book, however, he goes into greater depth before making the transition. As a letter meant to be read by more than just the believers at Ephesus, this is an important look at how Christian belief should translate into Christian action. The first three chapters lay out spiritual ideas, the last three chapters show how these truths should be applied in the life of a mature believer. Paul focuses heavily on love, the unity of the Christian church, and the incredible value of our salvation through Christ.

Accessed 12/3/2024 12:10:02 PM