to the praise of the glory [more stacked phrases one on top of the other which need unpacking]
of His Grace [the final phrase here is the focus of the series that went before it]
which He graced to us [a relative clause referring back to the grace just mentioned; note the verbal use of “grace”]
in the Beloved [all of this activity of grace and gracing was in the Beloved Son, what does that mean exactly?]
Ephesians 1:6
Sometimes we have a habit of using words, Christian words, without meaning or purpose. They can be just gap fillers. It is like that is what you say without thinking. There is one that catches my attention when it is used. “Lord, be with [so and so].” Now that is an interesting prayer. “Lord, be with Ian”. I had a thought one day a long time ago, before the hills got dusty, in thinking about this prayer from God’s point of view. “My child you pray and ask me to be with Ian today. Do you think I am not with him when I have promised to never leave him nor forsake him? When I have promised to be with him always, even to the end of the age when he is about my business? My child what do you really want to ask? Don’t just use religious words. I have told you before about using lots of words with Me just for the sake of being heard or saying something. Don’t do it. Just tell me specifically what you want to ask for. Asking me ‘to be with Ian’ when I have promised never to leave him is superfluous. You can do better than that.”
Just to clarify – these words of God above are not words He “spoke” to me. [Whatever that might mean]. I made them up; imagining what God would say to us when we use Christian jargon. Interesting isn’t it?. Check the words you use. Don’t just pour out the Christian jargon. Make your words meaningful!
Is that what Paul is doing here? I mean, come on Paul . . . “To the praise of the glory of His grace”. Is Paul just trotting out the jargon? NO NO NO. Paul doesn’t do that. Note the number of times Paul uses “to the praise of his glory”, or “to praise and glorify” in this long sentence.
- Praise (the) God . . . who blesses us with every spiritual blessing
- according to the pleasure of His will to the praise of the glory of His Grace
- according to His good pleasure (kindness)
- so that we should be to the praise of His glory
- to the praise of His glory.
It seems he often uses the phrase “the praise of His glory”. In this case he adds a rather interesting “of His grace”. “To the praise and glory of His grace!” Just Christian words or deep meaning? I should leave you to think about it and come back to it again. But maybe you are getting tired of me doing that, giving you things to do. This long sentence is effectively a list of all the glorious things that we should praise God for. All the spiritual blessings He has heaped on us. To the praise of His glory . . . To the praise of His glory . . . Paul says it often. Wow may this spiritual blessing end up to the praise and glory of His name. May all praise go back to Him. May He get the glory for what He has done for us.
To the praise and glory of His grace means “may God get the praise and the glory for all of this grace that He is pouring out. It is a objective genitive phrase. All those big words mean that the grace is the object, the focus, of all the praise and glory going on. We praise Him because of His grace to us and give him all glory and praise because of it. Words, words, words . . . don’t let them smoke screen you. Work out what the words mean.
Resolved first: that all men should live for the praise and glory of God. Resolved second: that whether others do or not, I will.
Jonathan Edwards
Lord, give me grace to feel my need of grace, grace to ask for grace, grace to receive grace and, when grace is given, grace to use it.
Max Lucado.