Explanation:

There are a couple of ways to translate ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις (in the heavenly places). For one, based on the spelling, the adjective could be either masculine or neuter. If it is masculine, it likely refers to heavenly beings, and if it is neuter, it refers to heavenly places.³ Unfortunately, since the spelling is the same for both the masculine and neuter dative plural, the spelling alone does not help us decide in this case. To further complicate matters, the preposition ἐν (in/with/among), which modifies the adjective τό ἐπουράνιος (heavenly), can have a spatial, temporal, logical or other meaning.⁴ If the adjective τό ἐπουράνιος (heavenly) is masculine plural, then it makes the most sense to take the preposition in a logical sense. The phrase could then be translated, with the heavenly beings.

Based on the context, and Paul’s overall use of the phrase ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις (in the heavenly places), this is not preferred. That is because in every other instance in Ephesians where Paul uses the phrase ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις, he seems to use it in a local sense, that is, to refer to a location.⁵ In Ephesians 1:20 Paul uses it to describe where Jesus is seated, and in Ephesians 2:6, Paul explains that God raises us to the same location. In Ephesians 3:10 and Ephesians 6:12, Paul places the authorities, including the evil ones, in that location.⁶ Since Paul in Ephesians has used ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις consistently to refer to a location, this is a strong indicator for helping us understand our passage. And if we take the heavenly places in Ephesians 1:3 to be a location, this makes good sense for our passage.

Counterargument:

Whether ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις (in the heavenly places) should be taken as masculine or neuter, that is, referring to beings or places, is determined by what Paul means by spiritual blessings. If Paul is using spiritual blessings to refer to the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit such as patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23), then he is describing spiritual blessings that the Holy Spirit produces in beings, not places. While it is true that the beings in whom the Holy Spirit produces these fruits dwell in places, the point is that the work is accomplished in beings. Taken this way, we might translate Ephesians 1:3b as, who has blessed us in Christ in every spiritual blessing, along with the heavenly beings.

Response to counterargument:

To take ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις (in the heavenly places) as referring to beings is to overlook how Paul uses this phrase in the rest of this letter. While it is important to consider the immediate context of the terms surrounding a phrase to understand its meaning, we should also consider the literary whole. In four other cases, Paul clearly intends for ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις to refer to a location. This implies strongly that Paul is using the phrase similarly in Ephesians 1:3. If Paul wanted to indicate that God blesses us with the heavenly beings, it would make sense for him to use a different preposition to make his point (with), in order to clearly distinguish this use from the uses that follow.

Explanation:

Paul is praising God with a familiar Hebrew formula called a berakah.⁷ Paul praises God, and then describes the reason for his praise, which in this case is spiritual blessing. But Paul does not stop there; he goes on to describe the nature of these blessings in Ephesians 1:4–14.⁸ These blessings include being chosen by God to holiness, being called God’s sons and daughters, obtaining redemption and forgiveness, and so on. The point is, Paul is articulating a list of spiritual blessings that are not earthly but spiritual. As such, these blessings have a spiritual source, the triune God, and he is located in another dimension.⁹ The spiritual blessings originate from the heavenlies, the location where God governs all things.

Counterargument:

Even if we take spiritual blessing in this broad sense, this does not imply that Paul is using ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις (in the heavenly places) in a local sense. In fact, when the preposition ἐν is used with the dative, it can also be translated among.¹⁰ In other words, Paul is praising God because God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing among the heavenly beings. For whatever spiritual blessings there are among the heavenly beings, God has blessed us with all of them.

Response to counterargument:

Just because it is possible to interpret the preposition ἐν as among when it is used with the dative, does not mean that we should. Instead, we should look to the context and Paul’s broader correspondence for clues that might inform his intention. When we do this, we see that Paul uses ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις on four occasions in this short epistle, and four of those instances are best taken in a local sense. This means that if there is ambiguity with the phrase elsewhere, we should be confident that Paul means it to be taken this way, unless the local sense does damage to the meaning. Of course, in Ephesians 1:3 we have even more reason to believe that Paul is using the phrase in a local sense. This is because not only do we have strong evidence that Paul only uses the phrase in a local sense in other instances, but applying this meaning also makes most sense out of the text. It is not easy to see what it means to be blessed with every spiritual blessing among the heavenly beings. Nowhere does the Bible talk about God offering spiritual blessings to heavenly beings (not that God does not do this, but the Bible is not explicit in this area). On the other hand, we know that spiritual blessings have God as their source, and he dwells in a spiritual location.

The Greek preposition ἐν is highly flexible, which can lead to a variety of meanings.¹¹ Interestingly, there are three ἐν prepositions in Ephesians 1:3, which muddies that water even further. Two of the έν prepositions are used to modify the dative singular πάσῃ (every) and Χριστῷ (Christ), while in the third case it is used with the dative plural τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις (the heavenly places). Some authors argue that the dative plural can alter the meaning of ἐν, often translated among. Added to this, ἐπουρανίοις is used in a variety of ways throughout the New Testament. It can refer to gifts (Hebrews 6:4), bodies (1 Corinthians 15:40), vocation (Hebrews 3:1), objects (Hebrews 9:3), and locations (Ephesians 2:6). Given the complexity of the Greek, and the variety of uses of ἐπουρανίοις across the New Testament, it is possible that Paul has something other than location in mind.

Explanation:

When we apply Aristotle’s four causes to this passage, we see that God is the efficient cause of the spiritual blessings, because he is the one who offers them. The material cause is the blessings we receive. The formal cause is the characteristics of the blessings, in that, they are spiritual blessings. The final cause, or purpose of God, is that he blesses us in the heavenly places. In other words, when we reach heaven, we will be blessed by God with every spiritual blessing.¹²

Counterargument:

We have no reason to think that Paul wrote Ephesians with Aristotle’s four causes in mind, so we should be careful when applying them as an exegetical tool for determining Paul’s intention. Further, it is not obvious how to apply Aristotle's principles in this case, nor why we should apply them in the way that Thomas Aquinas does. In fact, we have good reason not to follow Aquinas’s lead. Elsewhere Paul indicates that those who place their faith in Christ participate in the spiritual blessings already now (Ephesians 3:17; Romans 8:10; Galatians 2:20). Even though humans have a future destiny in heaven, by placing our faith in Christ now, we become united with him, and share in his benefits (Galatians 2:20).¹³ This implies that we do not wait until we reach heaven before we participate in the spiritual blessings that Christ has acquired for us. Rather, we have access to these blessings now, through faith.

Response to counterargument:

While we might participate in some spiritual blessings now, we will not participate in every spiritual blessing until we reach heaven. Paul does explain that we participate in some spiritual blessings by placing our faith in Jesus Christ in other passages, but still we continue to groan in our earthly bodies until we reach our adoption as sons (Romans 8:18–25). When we are finally united with Christ in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17), we will partake of every spiritual blessing.

No contemporary author holds to this view, and in fact, there is essentially unanimity that the heavenly places is to be taken as the location where Christ resides. While there is insight in Aquinas’ notion that believers will not partake in every spiritual blessing until we finally meet the Lord in heaven, this interpretation is a minority. Further, only a few short verses later Paul will reveal that already now, even while we were dead in our sins, God has raised us with Christ to the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5–6). This seems to rule out Aquinas’ noble effort.