The gospel of grace

Taking leave of the Ephesian elders, Paul knew that chains and afflictions were waiting for him in Jerusalem, and in his farewell he named what his whole ministry had been for.

The word here is the noun euangelion, and what follows it says whose news this is and what it is about: it is God’s, and it is grace. Charis is favour shown to someone who has no claim on it. The King James Version has "the gospel of the grace of God", the BSB "the good news of God’s grace": the same Greek in the older word and the plainer one. The KJV also has Paul finish his course "with joy"; in this verse those words stand only in the Received Text, and the BSB does not have them. In Greek, grace (charis) and joy (chara) come from one root.

Paul’s indifference to his own life was no philosopher’s pose. Matthew Henry, reading the whole farewell, says that Paul was "in full expectation of trouble, yet resolved to go on, well assured that it was by Divine direction" Matthew Henry.

Ephesians shows how this news reaches a person. "Having heard and believed the word of truth — the gospel of your salvation — you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13). The news has to be heard before it can be believed, and on those who believe it God sets his Spirit as a seal.

"You have been saved" renders este sesōsmenoi, a perfect passive participle with the verb to be. It is a salvation received, not achieved, already accomplished and still standing in its result. Grace is the source; faith is the hand that receives it. Wesley puts it in a sentence: "Faith, with an empty hand, and without any pretence to personal desert, receives the heavenly blessing" Wesley. Matthew Henry: "The grace that saves is the free, undeserved goodness and favour of God" Matthew Henry.

This grace does not stop at a border. Through the gospel, Ephesians says, the Gentiles are "fellow heirs" (Ephesians 3:6), and the same news is "the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15).