SSL 2 - Eph. 1:15-23
LAST WEEK: In Eph. 1:3-14, following a two-verse introduction, Paul gave us a condensed version of his Christian theology. Here are five of the main principles: (1) When God "chose us" in Him before the foundation of the world, it literally means we were elected. That he chose us "before the foundation of the world," means not only before our conception but before creation when there was only God. (2) God's ultimate purpose is not to redeem us by election and adoption but to glorify himself. God does all things for His own glory. This includes His advance planning of those who will become His children. (3) Redemption involves freeing a captive through the payment of a price. In our case, the shed blood of Jesus on the cross was the price paid for "forgiveness of our trespasses" in order to release us from both the eternal penalty and the earthly power of our sins. (4) A "mystery" in the Biblical context, is something that can only be known through revelation because God chooses to reveal it. For example, the Gospel-salvation by faith alone in Christ alone-was a mystery unknown until Christ came. This mystery in now known by me, you, and all others who have accepted Jesus as Lord but not by the rest of the world. (5) While a "pledge" (down payment) isn't necessary to secure God's promised inheritance, the Holy Spirit is the first installment of our inheritance and the guarantee we will receive it. The payment of the pledge was made for us by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as a "ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45).
THIS WEEK: In Eph. 1:15-23, Paul celebrates the value of our salvation in Jesus Christ with a prayer of thanksgiving. This section, like vv. 3-14, it is a single sentence in the Greek. One of the chief points of personal application we should learn from Paul's prayer is that, besides all of the personal things we usually pray for, we should pray that God would grant that His people will know him more deeply. It has often been said that Christianity is not a religion but a personal relationship with the living God. Personal relationships don't run on autopilot. It's easy to have an exciting relationship when you first fall in love, but it takes deliberate effort to keep your marriage strong as the years go on. Likewise, when you first come to Christ, it's new and exciting, but it's easy to lose that first love for Christ and to grow distant in your relationship with Him. To keep growing spiritually and know Christ more and more intimately, we need to pray like Paul for ourselves and other believers that God will give us "a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him (v. 17).
Read Eph. 1:15-16 - I DO NOT CEASE GIVING THANKS FOR YOU
15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;
v. 15: "For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints" - In the initial phrase, "For this reason," Paul is referring back to all the blessings enumerated in vv. 4-14 last week. Next, Paul gives thanks for the "faith" which "exists among you," meaning the Ephesian church. Then he praises them for "your love for all the saints." The word used for "love" (Gk. agapē) is unconditional, sacrificial love and "saints" (Gk. hagios) means holy ones, a reference to the followers of Christ at Ephesus. In the context of this verse, Paul is celebrating the love of these Ephesian Christians for each other and for other Christian brothers and sisters wherever they be.
v. 16: "do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers" - Using the term [I] do not "cease" (Gk. pauó) lit. not to hold back, means that Paul's prayers for the believers at Ephesus were virtually unending. Though his prayer is similar to those in other letters, this prayer includes an extended reference about God spiritual blessings in vv. 4-14 toward them and believers in general. This seems to imply that the Ephesian church is more mature than other congregations, which allows him to focus more on theology rather than problems in the church.
TRUTH 1: We should follow Paul's example and continually pray that God would grant that His people would know him more deeply. Paul's prayer in this entire lesson (vv. 15-23) is a great example of his love not only for the Ephesian church but for Christian believers everywhere. Like Paul we should not cease giving thanks for our brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere. These are the people with whom we be spending eternity.
Read Eph. 1:17-19 - THAT GOD MAY GIVE YOU A SPIRIT OF WISDOM
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
v. 17a: "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory" - In the Bible, the word "glory" Gk. doxa) is used to express various wondrous things but, as used here, speaks specifically of God's glory, his infinite magnificence. Likewise, Christ shares God's glory (Jn. 1:14) and indeed, the cross was necessary so that Jesus "might enter His glory: (Lk. 24:26).
v. 17b: "may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him" - The word "spirit" (Gk. pneuma) refers to the Holy Spirit's working in the life of believers to give us insight into understanding God's revelation, i.e., His Word, to be understood in the saving knowledge of Him, that is, Jesus Christ. This Spirit-led level of understanding leads directly to Godly wisdom, and it won't come from casual reading of the Bible but from serious meditation and contemplation of it.
v. 18: "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints" - The "eyes of the heart" refers to your inner-self-the character, personality, and intellect that makes who you are-what David calls your inmost parts in Ps. 139:13. The word "enlightened" (Gk. phōtizō) lit. means to shed light upon. To summarize, Paul prays that God will open our spiritual eyes so we can be transformed by the spiritual insight that God alone can provide. With the the "hope (Gk. elpis = expectation of something certain) of His calling," Paul is praying that we see and fully appreciate that the certainty of that "hope" is central to God's invitation to be part of His family. In short, we need to be sure that we're saved, so we can compellingly share that promise with those who are lost. In the last phrase, "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints," refers to God's inheritance, not ours. We-His "saints" (Gk. hohagios), the holy ones-are God's cherished possession. He owns us.
v. 19: "and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might" - This verse is packed with interesting words: (1) "surpassing greatness" (Gk. huperballó) to cast over or beyond, like hitting a home run; (2) "greatness of His power" (Gk. dunamis) inbuilt, infinite power; (3) "working of the strength" (Gk. kratos) power that is revealed, i.e., the creation, universe; and (4) "His might" (Gk. ischys) physical and moral power-righteous power. Paul point in using these words to make sure we "get it"-that we fully comprehend the awesome magnitude of God's powers. Imagine the power that went into the creation of the universe. Now stop and imagine all of that power being directed "toward those who believe," making possible the salvation we desperately needed. Can you just imagine it?
TRUTH 2: Like Paul, to keep growing spiritually and know Christ more and more intimately, we need to pray for ourselves and other believers that God will give us "a spirit of wisdom of the revelation in the knowledge of Him" (v. 17). The word "spirit" (Gk. pneuma) refers to the Holy Spirit's working in the life of believers to give us insight into understanding God's revelation, i.e., His Word, to be understood in the saving knowledge of Him, that is, Jesus Christ. This Spirit-led level of understanding leads directly to Godly wisdom, and it won't come from casual reading of the Bible but from serious meditation and contemplation of it.
Read Eph. 1:20-23 - FAR ABOVE ALL
20 which He brought about in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church. 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
v. 20: "which He brought about in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" - Using the conjunction "which," Paul connects the four power words of v. 19- huperballó, dunamis, kratos, and ischys-to describe the power God "brought about in Christ when He raised Him from the dead," the same power God uses to effect our salvation. In the phrase, "seated Him at His right hand," the "right hand" signifies not only power but a place of highest honor. It alludes to Ps. 110:1, The LORD says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for Your feet.' It was originally seen as a royal psalm, celebrating the king of Israel but since had been interpreted as a messianic psalm. The phrase, "in the heavenly places," the second of five appearances of it, mean that Jesus Christ is literally and bodily in heaven.
v. 21a-b: "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named," - Paul now adds five more power words to describe another kind of power: (1) "all rule" (Gk. archē) over arching principalities and places; (2) "authority" (Gk. exousia) the right to exercise power; (3) "power" (Gk. dunamis) over all power in context; (4) "dominion" (Gk. krātos) means force, strength and might in context; and (5) "every name" (Gk. onoma) power over every name or title. The powers here refer to earthly and spiritual powers often hostile to God. These powers aren't inherently hostile to God-He created all things-however, power in human hands especially, tends to turn rotten. 19th Century British historian John Dalberg-Acton said, "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely." In past history, we've seen this not only in the political arena, but in business, academia, and the church. The supremacy of Jesus' power is not limited to earthly powers but includes angels and demons and everything else-nothing can escape it. Read Rev. 6:16: and they [earthy rulers] said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb"; and 20:10: And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Does this leave you with any doubt about Jesus' power to achieve God's plans?
v. 21c: "not only in this age but also in the one to come," - Here, Paul refers to two ages: (1) the present age under Satan's rule; and (2) the age to come under God's rule. Thus, given Christ's position at the right hand of the Father, all of the powers ascribed to Him in first part of the verse apply not only to the age to come-the perfected new heaven and new earth in which saved Christians will spend eternity-but in the present age, right now. This is vitally important for us to keep in mind so we won't become discouraged in the midst of the godless powers that seem to control this world today. The day is coming when Jesus will right all wrongs-count on it.
v. 22a: "And He put all things in subjection under His feet" - This statement alludes to Ps. 8:6: You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. This pictures a king sitting on an elevated throne with his subjects at his feet.
v. 22b: "and gave Him as head over all things to the church" - The word for "church" (Gk. ekklésia) lit. means to be called out and describes an assembly or gathering of people for a purpose. In reading this, we need to remember that Jesus Christ in not only the "head" (Gk. kephalé) lit. the cornerstone, of the church, but has all authority, power, and dominion over everything else, both in this age and the age to come. It is through this ekklésia that the universal wisdom of God is revealed to the principalities and the powers, and it's been there for all to see for nearly 2,000 years.
v. 23a: "which is His body," - Christ is not only the "head" (cornerstone) of the church but the church is His "body" (Gk. sōma) lit. the organic body of a person or animal. This is a very insightful metaphor for the church, because we understand our head controls our bodies. Think about the analogy: our heads not only have the capacity for complex thought and expression but also gener-ates billions of signals that control every function of our bodies-our life. And because Christ is the head of the church, He controls the entire life of the church.
v. 23b: "the fullness of Him who fills all in all" - This can be a puzzling verse. There is a parallel to it in Col. 2:9-10: For in Him all the fullness of Deity [Godhead] dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority [powers and principalities]; If we accept that these verses are similar in meaning (as many scholars do), then it tells us that (1) the fullness of God dwells in Christ and (2) Christ fills us and makes us full of the presence of God.
TRUTH 3: Because Christ is the head of the church, He controls the entire life of the church. Christ is not only the "head" (cornerstone) of the church but the church is His "body" (Gk. sōma) lit. the organic body of a person or animal. This is a very insightful metaphor for the church, because we understand our head controls our bodies. Think about the analogy: our heads not only have the capacity for complex thought and expression but also gener-ates billions of signals that control every function of our bodies-our life.
