us,” and here the same idea is expressed by saying, ‘His grace wherein he favoured us, or which he has exercised towards us.’ 4. The whole context demands this interpretation. The apostle is speaking of the love or grace of God as manifested in our redemption. He has predestinated us to the adoption of sons to the praise of the glory of his grace; which grace he has exercised towards us, in the remission of sins. The same idea is expressed 2, 7, where it is said, God hath quickened us, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us, through Jesus Christ. “ΤῸ make ac- cepted,” therefore, here means, to accept, to treat with favour; or rather, such is the meaning of the apostle’s language ; gratia amplexus est, as the word is rendered by Bengel. To which agrees the explanation of Beza: gratis nos sibi acceptos effecit.
This grace is exercised towards us 7m the Beloved. Tn ourselves we are unworthy. All kindness towards us is of the nature of grace. Christ is the beloved for his own sake; and it is to us only as in him and for his sake that the grace of God is manifested. This is a truth which the apostle keeps constantly in view, 9, 5. 6. 1.
V. 7. Ln whom we have redemption. In whom, i. 6. not in ourselves. We are not self-redeemed. Christ is our Redeemer. The word redemption, ἀπο- λύτρωσις, sometimes means deliverance in the general, without reference to the mode in which it is accom- plished. When used of the work of Christ it is always