Ephesians 1:15-23
15 Wherefore *I* also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is in you, and the love which ye have towards all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you at my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him, 18 being enlightened in the eyes of your heart, so that ye should know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 and what the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of the might of his strength, 20 in which he wrought in the Christ in raising him from among the dead, and he set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies, 21 above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come; 22 and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the assembly, 23 which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all: (Darby)
15 δια τουτο καγω ακουσας την καθ υμας πιστιν εν τω κυριω ιησου και την εις παντας τους αγιους 16 ου παυομαι ευχαριστων υπερ υμων μνειαν ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου 17 ινα ο θεος του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου ο πατηρ της δοξης δωη υμιν πνευμα σοφιας και αποκαλυψεως εν επιγνωσει αυτου 18 πεφωτισμενους τους οφθαλμους της καρδιας [υμων] εις το ειδεναι υμας τις εστιν η ελπις της κλησεως αυτου τις ο πλουτος της δοξης της κληρονομιας αυτου εν τοις αγιοις 19 και τι το υπερβαλλον μεγεθος της δυναμεως αυτου εις ημας τους πιστευοντας κατα την ενεργειαν του κρατους της ισχυος αυτου 20 ην ενηργηκεν εν τω χριστω εγειρας αυτον εκ νεκρων και καθισας εν δεξια αυτου εν τοις επουρανιοις 21 υπερανω πασης αρχης και εξουσιας και δυναμεως και κυριοτητος και παντος ονοματος ονομαζομενου ου μονον εν τω αιωνι τουτω αλλα και εν τω μελλοντι 22 και παντα υπεταξεν υπο τους ποδας αυτου και αυτον εδωκεν κεφαλην υπερ παντα τη εκκλησια 23 ητις εστιν το σωμα αυτου το πληρωμα του τα παντα εν πασιν πληρουμενου
In Ephesians chapter 1, beginning in verse 15 and following to the end of the chapter, we have Paul's prayer for the Ephesians. It is interesting that we take note of this prayer, and how different it is to the prayers we usually hear among ourselves as a community of believers, that we hear corporately, and even some of the naysaying about such prayers that we encounter among ourselves.
Paul opens this section by commending the Ephesians for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the faith they have demonstrated toward all the saints.
15 Wherefore *I* also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is in you, and the love which ye have towards all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you at my prayers
15 δια τουτο καγω ακουσας την καθ υμας πιστιν εν τω κυριω ιησου και την εις παντας τους αγιους 16 ου παυομαι ευχαριστων υπερ υμων μνειαν ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου
Darby translates "faith in the Lord Jesus", and adds his own interpretation with "and the LOVE which ye have..." (the all caps are mine). In fact, in the Greek text there is no noun to go with the article την in the oldest manuscripts (but there were in later ones, which Darby referenced), which means the noun is implied by a grammatical tool called "ellipsis", a Greek word for 'omission' and representing in our language by three dots: '... ' To illustrate with a quote that will be familiar to some, "We hold these truths to be self-evident...life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The ellipsis means something has been omitted. In composition as we have here, the article typically references the most recent befitting noun, in this case, 'faith'. 'Faith' is the same noun gender as the the article requires, and it is closest to the obvious ellipsis. Paul is citing the faithfulness of the Ephesians toward all believers.
He says that because of their faith, he is motivated to give thanks without ceasing in always making mention of them in his prayers. It is not as though he would not pray for them had they not demonstrated such faithfulness, but that he is encouraged all the more to pray for them because he sees the Lord's fruit bearing out in their lives. Our human side wants to neglect or put away negativity in our lives, even the negativity of those close to us will lead us to push them away, to distance ourselves from them. But when there is positive workings in our relationship with others, our concern for them is heightened and energizes us. It does impact our motivation, and to work with them is restorative to us. So do not find Paul's words to be cause and effect, that the Ephesians had earned his constant vigil of prayer on their behalf, but rather, in seeing the Lord's work among them, Paul was reminded and energized all the more to pray for them. It was the Lord's way of encouraging is faith, by him seeing the faith of the Ephesians (remember, this epistle was written from a Roman prison). We should of course pray for all our brothers and sisters, those who are flourishing in the faith, and those who are struggling in the faith.
We must keep in mind that these people experienced the same maladies that we experience. I know this because my travels to Third World countries, I see a common thread among the people I meet. They are concerned for their families, that the children will have a better future; they're concerned about jobs, crops, provisions. They are concerned for their health, and the wellness of those they love, and they deal with injuries, some of which are debilitating. It is doubtful that the pressures of life were any different in the day of Paul's writings. Yes, they have different manifestations in many places of the world, such as the United States and Europe, but the same source of these pressures remain the same. Yet, as we are about to discover, Paul's prayer for the Ephesians covers none of these topics.
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him
17 ινα ο θεος του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου ο πατηρ της δοξης δωη υμιν πνευμα σοφιας και αποκαλυψεως εν επιγνωσει αυτου
Paul writes that the first thing for which he prays for them is that God of our Lord Jesus Christ. the Father of glory give to them spiritual wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The word for knowledge is επιγνωσει (dative form), meaning, due to the compounding with the preposition επι, to "move toward deeper knowledge" of God. When was the last time we heard such a prayer offered on our behalf, or that we offered such a prayer on behalf of someone else? Yet, Paul considers this prayer for them to be preeminent. One could argue that offering such a prayer ignores the realities of the conditions these people were facing; that Paul is being so heavenly minded he is of no earthly good. I have encountered such challenges even from within the body of believers. I was told that I should not be teaching so much on spiritual things, like the spiritual nature of our relationship to God, and His to us, that I needed to be more practical in my teaching. I guess this means that I should have been teaching more topically than exegetically. The problem with such limited focus is that our study of the Word becomes a how-to session, a group therapy session, rather than a session where we open the word of God and find Him in it. It is impossible for us to know the wide variety of topics we might encounter in our day-to-day lives, but to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, enables us to face anything that this life throws at us. Therefore, having spiritual wisdom in the revelation of the knowledge of God, our Christ, should be preeminent in our study of the Word, in our time in prayer, and in the execution of our ministry.
18 being enlightened in the eyes of your heart, so that ye should know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 and what the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of the might of his strength,
18 πεφωτισμενους τους οφθαλμους της καρδιας [υμων] εις το ειδεναι υμας τις εστιν η ελπις της κλησεως αυτου τις ο πλουτος της δοξης της κληρονομιας αυτου εν τοις αγιοις 19 και τι το υπερβαλλον μεγεθος της δυναμεως αυτου εις ημας τους πιστευοντας κατα την ενεργειαν του κρατους της ισχυος αυτου
Continuing in verse 18, now my brothers and sisters, I ask you, what is practical about the purpose and Paul's prayers for them? The "hope of his calling", what is the practical about this? And what is the practical about knowing "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints"? And how useful is it, day to day, to know "the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe"? Is not Paul ignoring the humanity of the Ephesians, and their obvious day-to-day sufferings? Is Paul being "so very heavenly minded, that he is of no earthly good at all"? We know that we can bring any concern or need to the throne of grace in which Jesus Christ Himself sits. Yet, if we treat this as a model prayer, and pray daily for these things that Paul desires for the Ephesians, would we find it to be enough? Have we become so "practical" in our Christianity that we are of no heavenly good? That we are so focused on what is happening to us, around us, and among us, that we no longer see the practicality of seeking spiritual wisdom and revelation?
20 in which he wrought in the Christ in raising him from among the dead, and he set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies,
20 ην ενηργηκεν εν τω χριστω εγειρας αυτον εκ νεκρων και καθισας εν δεξια αυτου εν τοις επουρανιοις
In verse 20, Paul's referencing the power that is working within all believers, saying that this is the same power, the exact same power, that was at work in raising Jesus from the dead and seating Him (Jesus) at His (God's) right hand in the heavenly realms. In the Greek, this verb is ενεργω, the noun form being from which we get our word "energy". The verb means to be "in-working, operative from within". We see this verb at the end of verse 19 and referenced again in verse 20. We see the Koine advancement of reinforcing the effect of a word by using its compounding preposition: ην ενηργηκεν εν τω χριστω εγειρας αυτον εκ νεκρων, "...which He inwardly worked in Christ Jesus when raising Him out of a dead (state)..." We marvel at the resurrection, we are amazed by the resurrection, we understand it's significance for the Christian, but do we also appreciate that the power, the exact same power that raised Jesus from the dead, is at work within us as believers? It is the same power. It is a power to be marveled, in which to be amazed, and a power for us to exhibit confidence in God and His plan, His path for our lives (more on this in chapter 2).
21 above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come; 22 and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the assembly, 23 which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all:
21 υπερανω πασης αρχης και εξουσιας και δυναμεως και κυριοτητος και παντος ονοματος ονομαζομενου ου μονον εν τω αιωνι τουτω αλλα και εν τω μελλοντι 22 και παντα υπεταξεν υπο τους ποδας αυτου και αυτον εδωκεν κεφαλην υπερ παντα τη εκκλησια 23 ητις εστιν το σωμα αυτου το πληρωμα του τα παντα εν πασιν πληρουμενου
Continuing, Paul writes that this power also gave Jesus all authority over every authority in every realm, and over all names, but also that this power is transcendent, not for a temporal season nor a spatial domain, but ου μονον εν τω αιωνι τουτω αλλα και εν τω μελλοντι ",,,not only in this age, but also in the one about to come..." This power is already given to Jesus, and all domains are subject to Him. In verse 22, και παντα υπεταξεν υπο τους ποδας αυτου "...and all things He subjected (be under the command of) under His feet...", again seeing the reinforced preposition υπο in υπεταξεν (1st aorist of υποτασσω), adding greater emphasis to the depth of Jesus' authority. Further, God made Jesus the head of the "called out ones", αυτον εδωκεν κεφαλην υπερ παντα τη εκκλησια. We, those who have been born-again into the New Life, are collectively referred to as η εκκλησια, which means "the ones assembled, the called out ones". It is always singular, just like the word "the possession" from verse 14, and refers to all believers throughout all time. It never references an organization, but each of us as a part of His Body. The power that did all these things for Christ is also at work within us as we are part of Him, the Body of Christ.
In this prayer, Paul does not address any physical needs whatsoever the Ephesians were experiencing. He does not even mention their daily bread. But what he did desire for them, was for them to understand who they are in Jesus Christ, and who He is in them and in relation to them. Armed with such understanding and intimate knowledge, Paul knew that whatever this fallen world, whatever Satan and his enemies, whatever God had in mind for their lives, all of these things could best be handled with spiritual wisdom and the revelation of intimate, growing knowledge of Jesus Christ.
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