Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace] doxhv thv caritov autou? The glory of his grace, for cariv endoxov, his glorious or illustrious grace, according to the Hebrew idiom. But the grace or mercy of God is peculiarly illustrated and glorified in the plan of redemption by Christ Jesus. By the giving of the LAW, God's justice and holiness were rendered most glorious; by the giving of the GOSPEL, his grace and mercy are made equally conspicuous.
Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved] This translation of en h ecaritwsen hmav en tw hgaphmenw) is not clear; with which he has graciously favoured us through the Beloved, is at once more literal and more intelligible. Whitby, Macknight, and Wakefield translate the passage in nearly the same way.
In the Beloved must certainly mean in Christ, who is termed God's beloved Son, Matt. iii. 17; but several excellent MSS., such as D*EFG, the later Syriac, the AEthiopic, Vulgate, Itala, with several of the fathers, add, uiw autou, his beloved Son. This is the meaning, whether the reading be received or rejected.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-8 - Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings; with which we cannot be miserable, and without which we cannot but be so. This wa from the choice of them in Christ, before the foundation of the world that they should be made holy by separation from sin, being set apar to God, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. All who are chosen to happiness as the end, ar chosen to holiness as the means. In love they were predestinated, or fore-ordained, to be adopted as children of God by faith in Chris Jesus, and to be openly admitted to the privileges of that hig relation to himself. The reconciled and adopted believer, the pardone sinner, gives all the praise of his salvation to his gracious Father His love appointed this method of redemption, spared not his own Son and brought believers to hear and embrace this salvation. It was ric grace to provide such a surety as his own Son, and freely to delive him up. This method of grace gives no encouragement to evil, but show sin in all its hatefulness, and how it deserves vengeance. The believer's actions, as well as his words, declare the praises of Divin mercy.
Greek Textus Receptus
εις 1519 PREP επαινον 1868 N-ASM δοξης 1391 N-GSF της 3588 T-GSF χαριτος 5485 N-GSF αυτου 846 P-GSM εν 1722 PREP η 3739 R-DSF εχαριτωσεν 5487 5656 V-AAI-3S ημας 2248 P-1AP εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSM ηγαπημενω 25 5772 V-RPP-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
6. To the praise of the glory of His grace. The ultimate aim of foreordained. Glory is an attribute of grace: that in which grace grandly and resplendently displays itself. Praise is called forth from the children of God by this divine glory which thus appears in grace. The grace is not merely favor, gift, but it reveals also the divine character. In praising God for what He does, we learn to praise Him for what He is. Glory is another of the ruling words of the epistle, falling into the same category with riches and fullness. The apostle is thrilled with a sense of the plenitude and splendor of the mystery of redemption.Wherein He hath made us accepted (en h ecaritwsen hmav). The correct reading is h=v which, referring to grace. The meaning is not endued us with grace, nor made us worthy of love, but, as Rev., grace - which he freely bestowed. Grace is an act of God, not a state into which He brings us.
The beloved. Christ. Beloved par excellence. Compare the Son of His love, Col. i. 13; also Matt. iii. 17; xvii. 5.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:6 {To the praise} (eis epainon). Note the prepositions in this sentence. {Which} (hes). Genitive case of the relative hen (cognate accusative with ecaritwsen (he freely bestowed), late verb caritow (from caris, grace), in N.T. attracted to case of antecedent caritos only here and #Lu 1:28. {In the Beloved} (en twi egapemenwi). Perfect passive participle of agapaw. this phrase nowhere else in the N.T. though in the Apostolic Fathers.
