Eph 6:24 — Grace to All Who Love Christ in Incorruption

Paul concludes Ephesians with a benediction that includes an imperative: “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption” (6:24). The last phrase, “in incorruption” could go with the verb “love.” The NAS takes this approach and translates it: “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.” In Greek, however, this prepositional phrase is fairly distant from the verb to love, and seems to modify the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, it is should be translated, “Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in his incorruptible state.” This fits in with Paul’s usage of incorruption elsewhere. For example, incorruption is used in 1 Cor. 15 to refer to the resurrection body. Paul speaks of the resurrection of our body as the moment “when the dead will be raised incorruptible … and this corruptible will put on incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:52-54).

This makes sense in the context of Ephesians as well, because one of the themes of Ephesians is Paul’s concern to highlight the present resurrection state of Christ exalted at God’s right hand over all creation. And remember, it is not just Christ who is in that state of incorruption. The church has been raised with Christ as well, and is even now partaking of Christ’s incorruptible, resurrection life. Thus, to love Christ in incorruption is to be heavenly-minded, to have your heart set on that heavenly realm that is ours corporately by virtue of our corporate union with Christ. In other words, if you love Jesus, you love his church. For the church and Christ are inseparable realities, united together as one new man for the grand demonstration of God’s glory and wisdom and eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ before the creation of the world.

Thus, the benediction is also an imperative. We are called upon to love Christ and his church in the incorruption of the age to come which is a present reality in the heavenly realms, and which will be made visible when Christ returns. Thus, there is an eschatological dimension to this love. We love Christ and his church now. But we are longing with an even greater love for the final manifestation of that incorruptible life when Christ presents the bride to himself in all his glory at the end of history.