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In this passage a different word is used for forgiveness. Instead of aphiemi the word is
charizomai, to deal graciously to be gracious. It is this word that comes in Eph. 4: 32,
"tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,"
although the A.V. would lead the reader to think it was the same as in 1: 7. In Eph. 1: 7
the fundamental thought is not so much "forgiveness" as "deliverance from," which is
even deeper.
The fulness of this blessing appears augmented when we read that it is "according to
the riches of His grace which He cause to abound towards us." Here we have the first of
a series of riches such as never entered the mind of man, many of them never coming
within the ken even of the inspired writers of Scripture. Here we have riches of grace
abounding in the forgiveness of trespasses; in 1: 18 we read of "the riches of the glory
of His inheritance in the saints"; in 2: 7 we are taken to the future where `in the ages to
come, He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in kindness upon us in Christ
Jesus."
In 3: 8, in conjunction with the mystery, the Apostle preaches among the Gentiles
the "unsearchable riches of Christ," and finally in 3: 16 the Apostle prays that the saints
may be strengthened "according to the riches of His glory."
The riches of His grace have overflowed towards us. The word translated "abound"
indicates entire absence of restraint or barrier. We find the word in another form in
Eph. 3: 20, "exceeding abundantly." The thought has already been expressed by the
continual use of "riches." Chapter 2: 8 calls our attention to the fact that the
"grace-by-faith-salvation" is God's gift. He makes all the overtures, He provides, He
gives, He overflows in His grace towards us. In 1: 8 we must make a stop. To read on
as in the A.V. and the R.V. is to confuse things that differ. The passage needs to be
re-cast. The first part of verse 8 belongs to verse 7.
While we are sure that there is no prodigality in the liberal grace and overflowing love
of God, yet that does not appear to be the first thought here. Place a full stop after the
words "abounded towards us." Then commence a new sentence thus: "In all wisdom and
prudence having made known unto us the mystery." Here we are viewing two distinct
spheres of the Lord's gracious operations. While He lavishes His grace with unstinting
hand, He makes known the mystery "in all wisdom and prudence," revealing as much as
we can bear at a time. It is for us to earnestly seek an answer to the Apostle's prayer,
"that He may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."
It is our desire that these pages may, under God's blessing, help us forward in this
direction.