“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of his grace — redemption (apolutrōsis, 'ransomed release') through blood (dia tou haimatos) directly echoes Temple sacrifice, particularly the Yom Kippur motif; forgiveness (aphesis) is not merely pardon but release from bondage, proportionate to the immeasurable riches (ploutei) of God's grace.
Church Fathers on Ephesians 1:7
“The forgiveness,” says he, “of our trespasses.” Again he descends from high to low: first speaking of adoption, and sanctification, and blamelessness, and then of the Passion, and in this not lowering his discourse and bringing it down from greater things to lesser, no rather, he was heightening it, and raising it from the lesser to the greater. For nothing is so great as that the blood of this Son should be shed for us. Greater this than both the adoption, and all the…
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