Ver. 7. +In whom we have redemption.+--Release in consideration of a ransom paid--"deliverance effected through the death of Christ from the retributive wrath of a holy God and the merited penalty of sin" (_Grimm_). +Through His blood.+--St. Paul quite agrees with the author of Hebrews (Heb. ix. 22) that apart from the pouring out of blood, the putting away of sin cannot be brought about. +The forgiveness of our trespasses.+--Another way of stating in what the redemption consists. Notice the "forgiveness" as compared with the "passing over" (Rom. iii. 25, R.V.). The one is the remission of punishment; the other the omission to punish sin that has been observed, "leaving it open in the future either entirely to _remit_ or else adequately to punish them as may seem good to Him" (_Trench_). Ver. 8. +In all wisdom and prudence.+--"Wisdom embraces the collective activity of the mind as directed to Divine aims to be achieved by moral means. Prudence is the insight of practical reason regulating the dispositions" (_Meyer_). Ver. 9. +The mystery of His will.+--"Mystery" is here to be taken not so much as a thing which baffles the intellect as the slow utterance of a long-kept secret, which "the fulness of time" brings to birth. Ver. 10. +The fulness of times.+--The word for "times" denotes "time as brings forth its several births." It is the "flood" in the "tide of affairs." +To sum up all things.+--"To bring together again for Himself all things and all beings (hitherto disunited by sin) into one combined state of fellowship in Christ, the universal bond" (_Grimm_). "It is the mystery of God's will to gather all together for Himself in Christ, to bring all to a unity, to put an end to the world's discord wrought by sin, and to re-establish the original state of mutual dependence in fellowship with God" (_Cremer_). +The things which are in heaven and which are on earth.+ "The blood that did for us atone Conferred on them some gift unknown." Ver. 11. +In whom also we have obtained an inheritance.+--R.V. _"were made a heritage."_ "The Lord's portion is His people, Jacob is the lot of His inheritance," sang dying Moses (Deut. xxxii. 9). The verbal paradox between A.V. and R.V. is reconciled in fact. "All are yours, and ye are Christ's" (1 Cor. iii. 22, 23). "Before the _Parousia_ an ideal possession, therefore a real one" (_Meyer_). +After the counsel of His own will.+--"The 'counsel' preceding the resolve, the 'will' urging on to action" (_Cremer_). Ver. 12. +That we should be to the praise.+--R.V. _"to the end that we should be."_ "_Causa finalis_ of the predestination to the Messianic lot" (_Meyer_). "We" in antithesis to "you" in ver. 13--We Jewish--you Gentile Christians.