D

Highly favoured in the Beloved.

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Eph. 1:11,12.

A

Predestinated as to Inheritance.

B

According to purpose ... will.

C

To praise of His glory.

D

Who forehoped in Christ.

Pro in composition indicates either place, time, or preference.

Instances of the third meaning are found in Romans 3:9 and 12:10: 'are we

better than they?' and 'in honour preferring one another'.  And this meaning

harmonizes with the parallel, 'highly favoured', of verse 6.  The hope of

Ephesians is 'prior' not only and not so much in the sense of time, although

this is undoubtedly true, but rather in the sense of high favour and dignity

-- indeed, it is to be enjoyed 'far above all principality'.  'The exceeding

riches of His grace' follow closely upon the statement of our being 'made to

sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus' (Eph. 2:6,7).

It must be acknowledged that positive teaching concerning the Second

Coming of the Lord does not enter into the revelation of the Mystery in this

epistle.  If, however, we believe that 'the hope of Israel' was entertained

by the apostle up to the time of his visit to Rome and his all -day

conference with the leaders of the Jews there, then we are faced with two

alternatives: either we must believe that the one hope concerning which the

apostle prayed so deeply in Ephesians 1 was a hope known to all familiar with

those Old Testament passages considered in this series, or we must believe

that with the revelation of the Mystery was made known a new and

corresponding hope.  If the latter of these alternatives is not true, then

the character of our hope is not, after all, distinctive or unique, and our

calling, associated with a Mystery hitherto unrevealed (Eph. 3) and a sphere

and period hitherto unknown (Eph. 1:3,4) has no corresponding hope.  But such

is not the case; our hope and our calling are in harmony.

It will be remembered that in writing to both the Thessalonians and the

Corinthians, the apostle brings together in very vital connection 'faith,

hope and love'.  This blessed trio is found both in Ephesians and Colossians.

In Ephesians we read:

'That we should be to the praise of His glory, who had a prior hope in

Christ ... after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto

all the saints' (Eph. 1:12 -15 author's translation).

The passage in Colossians is somewhat similar, the order, however,

being reversed and hope mentioned last:

'We give thanks ... since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and

of the love which ye have unto all the saints, on account of the hope

which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word

of the truth of the gospel ... in all the world' (Col. 1:3 -6 author's