who is a pledge given in advance [adjectival relative clause relating to the Spirit]
of our inheritance [the first of a series of linked phrases describing the inheritance mentioned before]
to the redemption [second in the series]
of the purchased possession [third in the series. Ah but do they all mean when strung together]
to the praise of His glory. [bringing the whole one sentence statement to its resultant end point, which notice brings us back to (parallels) the opening statement]
Ephesians 1:14
Remember yesterday? Sealed in the Holy Spirit of promise – what does it mean? I have decided to keep going with the analysis. A number of you have commented on the fact that I am letting myself be rushed. Ok I will take up the challenge. As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.
Paul uses “Spirit of promise” just once, here in Ephesians. He uses the promise of the Spirit in Galatians:
that the blessing of Abraham might be to the nations in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:14
in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also believing you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:13
It would be safe to conclude they are different expressions. Paul is not meaning to focus on the promised Holy Spirit here in Ephesians. Although that is one interpretation that could be, and often is, applied. But it is very different from the construction in Gal 3:14. This one is quite unique. Literally it is “the spirit of promise the Holy one”. This is a compound construction where the “promise is wrapped up in the sandwich. It is more the aspect or quality of ‘promise in Spirit’ that is being meant here. The concept of promise is mentioned in the context of the pledge in advance. It is hard to escape the fact that embodied in the Holy Spirit is this aspect of “a pledge in advance”, a “down payment” of the inheritance to come. Surely that is the reason Paul has used this unique construction. He is highlighting the fact that the Holy Spirit is a foretaste of things to come.
We were sealed in Him. Our salvation for the age to come is wrapped up in Him. He is the promise of what is to come. Thus Paul uses a unique construction to highlighted the fact that Holy Spirit is a PROMISE of what is to come.
Arrhabo’n, a Hebrew term which means a pledge, or part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest. Wow! Put that together with what Paul says to follow up. We are sealed in the Spirit of promise, the Holy One, who is a pledge given in advance related to our inheritance, to redeem the purchased possession. There you have the concept of a promisory note or pledge held over a purchased item waiting it’s redemption mentioned or alluded to THREE times.
The Spirit of PROMISE – whose very nature is a promisory quality, a PLEDGE given in advance of our inheritance To the REDEMPTION of the PURCHASED REDEMPTION.
You, who have put your trust in Christ, He has entrusted His Spirit to you, as a guarantee of that which is to come. He has purchase you with His blood, as a redemption at Calvary, on the cross, and the fact that you have His Spirit living within you, guiding you, speaking to you, prompting your behaviour is a deposit, a guarantee that He will complete what He started and bring you through to your ultimate redemption, when God will claim permanently that which He has placed a down payment on. WOW. A strong way of saying it, using a unique construction which emphasizes over and over the surety of what is to come. This is just the start people. A glimpse of what is to come. As long as you have the Spirit of God within you; convincing, cajoling, encouraging, challenging you to be all you can be, you can be assured of your entry point into the family of God in the age to come when He wraps up everything according to His ultimate plan. Wow, Wow, WOW.
As Paul says, “He who began a good work in you will see it through to the day of Jesus Christ – when He comes again”.
Philippians 1:6
It’s a sure thing. He has paid the deposit on you; He will come back to claim what is His own.
No wonder all of this is to the praise of His glory.
Don’t look up, look down. You are seated with Him in heavenly places.
David Foris
Jesus paid the price. You get to keep the change.
Ian Vail
The privilege of a life time is being who you are, assured that your future is secure, knowing whose you are.
Ian Vail