1:13 delivered us. This language recalls God’s rescue of Israel first from slavery in Egypt and then from captivity in Babylon. Paul envisions humanity outside of Christ as being helplessly under the “domain of darkness,” the evil rule of Satan (cf. Eph. 2:1–3; 6:11). Believers are rescued from this world order (Gal. 1:4) and brought under the dominion and protection of God’s Son. The image of light is appropriate here, for elsewhere Paul speaks of the light of the gospel shining in the darkness and penetrating the blindness of those who are perishing (2 Cor. 3:15; 4:4–6; 6:14; Eph. 5:8–14; Phil. 2:15; 1 Thess. 5:5).

his beloved Son. Note the portrayal of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels as God’s beloved son (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22), and the rich Old Testament background out of which the designation arises (Deut. 18:15; Ps. 2:7; Is. 42:1).