Ephesians 1 is a great introduction of the book as it deals with the scheme of redemption and the product of God’s design being the ekklesia, the called-out people of God. Also, it describes the role of the Holy Spirit. The longest single sentence in our English translations is Ephesians 1:3-15. It is significant to recognize the focus on the personal pronouns in this section. We see “us” through verse 11 that describes the Jewish Christian, i.e., those who “first trusted in Christ” (Eph. 1:12). When the text reads, “He predestinated ‘us’, he’s not referring to the “us Christians“, but to “us, Jewish Christians.” Paul explains this in Romans 9 to his Israelite kinsmen, according to the flesh, who “belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the promises” (Rom. 9:4), and “from their race is the Christ” (9:5). Even though the children of God through Christ are no longer identified according to the flesh but through promise, the Jews were the “natural branches”, while the Gentiles were the wild olive shoot that was grafted into the tree (Romans 11:13-21). The Jews were the first to receive the gospel (Romans 1:16-17), redemption (cf. Isa. 62:11-12), and all the blessings under it. In Acts 13:46, Paul explains that it was “necessary to preach to you (Jews) first” but they had thrust the message aside as unimportant and Paul gives his attention to the Gentiles, who were receptive to his preaching. Then, Paul quotes Isaiah 49:6 that this switch was according to God’s plan. It reads,
I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
This switch brought much tension between Jews and Gentiles. A casual reading of the New Testament leaves the reader impressed with this strain. So, when Paul speaks of “we,” who were the first to hope in Christ, might be the praise of His glory, he is referring to the purpose of God to use the Jews to bring salvation to the Gentiles. This is done not only through the physical line through which the Christ would be born but also through the Jew’s rejection of the gospel and the Messiah. It seems when salvation is offered to Gentiles as in the case of Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13), the Jews harden themselves against the will of God in the same way that Pharoah hardened his heart. This repeats itself throughout the New Testament. A good example is a case of Paul in Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 21. The Jews think he took Trophimus, a Gentile, into the temple. When Roman soldiers intervene and Paul is given a brief defense for his actions, he tells them that God had called him to the Gentiles. At that point there was pandemonium, as they shout out, “he is not worthy of living.” In writing to Rome, Paul describes the hardening of the Jewish heart and explains, “through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous” (Romans 11:11, cf. 14-16). Of course, whether Jew or Gentile, you can be a part of the “olive tree.” You can be natural branches that remain or you can be grafted in, like the Gentiles. If they are broken off because of unbelief, the same can be grafted in, again (v. 23). According to the letter to the Ephesians, this mystery of God reveals His absolute wisdom and glory (cf. Eph. 3:10-11). Similarly, he writes to Rome that “a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-26). Speaking to the Gentiles in Ephesians 1:13, Paul writes, “In Him, YOU ALSO, when you heard the word of truth…”
As stated elsewhere, the task of bringing Jews and Gentiles into one body could only be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. We will begin to see more of this in the next chapters.