Rosscup J E 2008 EPHESIANS an Exposition on Prayer in the Bible Igniting the Fuel to Flame Our Communication With God

7/30/2019 Rosscup J E 2008 EPHESIANS an Exposition on Prayer in the Bible Igniting the Fuel to Flame Our Communication

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RosscupJE2008AnExpositiononPrayerintheBibleIgnitingtheFueltoFlameOurCommunicationwithGod

Prayer in EphesiansThis letter recognizes a strategic role for prayer. Speaking to God looms in at least 35 verses or sets of ve

es. Chapter 1 devotes every verse except its opening one to prayer, and access to God in prayer is at the heartEph. 2 (cf. v. 18) and repeated in the next chapter (3:12). Pauls intercession for believers fills the latter ver

of Eph. 1 and 3. After this, two passages of Eph. 5 (vv. 4, 1920) put thanksgiving right at the crucial hear

the Christian walk which chapters 46 develop as the consistent outflow of blessings in chapters 13. Thenthe last chapter, prayer has a saturating connection with Christian warfare, and even with all things at all time

Ephesians has three somewhat extended prayers of Paul (1:214; 1:1523; 3:1421). In these, more de

appears on his intercession than in any of his letters. He devotes more space here to commenting on his prayfor Christians development in Gods love and power than anything that has survived of his writings.

[p 2195]Before examining the prayer passages, some remarks are pertinent to set them in their orientatio

Introduction

Author and DateAbundant evidence points to the author. He twice calls himself Paul (1:1; 3:1). This is similar to Col

sians where Paul is widely credited as the author. There, about 78 of 155 verses of Ephesians reappear in va

ing degrees of identity. Several respected early church fathers refer to Ephesians as coming from Paul, for

amples Polycarp, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian and Irenaeus.Four NT books are often viewed as Prison Epistles, namely this letter, Philippians, Colossians and Ph

mon. Three are to churches in Asia, and Philippians to a church in Philippi of Europe, inland from the northshore of the Aegean Sea. All were penned during Pauls first imprisonment at Rome, ca. A. D. 60/61 to 62/

Acts 28:30 says that while awaiting trial Paul was permitted to live two years in his own hired quarters. P

describes himself as an ambassador in chains, urgent to have the prayers of the recipients (Eph. 6:20), andis a prisoner (3:1; 4:1). Reference to Tychicus in 6:21 just as in Col. 4:7 seems to date the two epistles, oth

wise so similar, at a time Tychicus was with Paul.

Background and OccasionMagnificent Ephesus was the chief city of Asia Minor and perhaps of the Roman Empires eastern sector

sprawled on a fertile plain forty miles from Smyrna, also was near Pergamos (Rev. 2:13), and was a center

commerce both of the eastern Aegean area and traffic flowing through Ephesus from the east (Mesopotam

Pliny a notable Latin writer, called Ephesus the light of Asia.

[p 2196]One wonder of the ancient world was the Temple of Artemis, the Greek name but Diana in Latin

the Romans, in mythology the daughter of Jupiter and Latona. Diana was imagined to be goddess of the mo

and hunting, and some felt she had fallen from the sky (Acts 19:35). The temple was the largest Greek dwellof a god in ancient times, having a hundred large columns 60 feet high surrounding an area 425 by 220 fe

larger than a football field. The temple, like a magnet, drew devotees to the enchantments of Ephesus. A Dia

cult attracted heavy religious traffic and trade as worshipers of the goddess carried away little figurines of

ana, and other souvenirs. A silversmith guild which made the shrines thrived on the business (Acts 19:2425)Today the ruins of ancient harbor works at Ephesus are cut off from the Aegean 20 miles away by ree

marshlands where a waterway gave access in NT times.

After Jerusalem of Acts 18 and Antioch of Syria (Acts 11, 13), Ephesus became the third center of Christian cause in Acts 1820. On his second journey Paul led Jews in a synagogue to Christ, then left Prisc

and Aquila to minister, and Apollos preached powerfully. This beginning, at the end of Acts 18, had its l

follow-up in Pauls third trip when he built up a young fellowship. He taught for two years and people throuout Asia heard the word (19:10). Many believed at Ephesus and their new lives began (19:1820). Even la

still on his extended third journey, Paul met the Ephesian elders for a spiritual life conference at Miletus the Aegean (Acts 20:17ff.).

The occasion of the epistle is to follow-up further on the believers riches in Christ and their realization

these now in a practical walk. Paul wants to encourage them by his prayers for them, and exhort them. He peals to them to live in unity, holiness as in speech, love, light, Spirit-filled lives, taking a firm stand aga

enemies, and praying about all things.

Theme and Outline


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[p 2197]In general the theme is the church, its calling and conduct in Christ. The phrase in Christ or

equivalent occurs about 27 times in Ephesians. One who reads through the letter can see the obvious focusbeing in Christblessed with all blessings in Him (1:3), even chosen, purchased and sealed in Him (1:41

realizing this and having riches, hope and power in Him (1:1523). Believers are in Him the Beloved One (1

7; 2:110), in a spiritual temple in Him (2:1121), in one spiritual body in Him (3:113). and belonging to H

as His bride (5:2327, 29). Prayer asks that they realize the bounties of this in the Spirit'sstrengtheningChrists love, and in Gods fullness (3:1421). Then the developing flow in Chaps. 46 is on a walk (alrea

seen in 2:2, 10), mentioned seven times in the letter, in unity (4:116), holiness (4:1732), love (5:17), li

(5:814), wisdom (5:1517), in the Spirit, with His fruit (5:186:9), and in spiritual warfare (6:1020). Athis are Pauls concluding remarks.

Now it is time to concentrate on passages where we listen in on prayer or Paul mentions it.

Eph. 1:2

The Cry of Intercessory HabitAs he does explicitly in most of his NT letters, Paul yearns to engage with God, asking grace and peace

believers. He seeks these from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.This is part of the introduction (vv. 12). It is already clear in the opening verse that Paul is an apostle

Christ, he is this by Gods will, and the epistle is to saints, Christians, those set apart for Gods pleasure

Ephesus. They are the faithful, that is, the ones who believe in 1:15, 19. Living by many acts of faith, they gr

even in being faithful, living out (cf. Phil. 2:1213) the reality of being saints, people of faith. In accord w

what they are in Christ, Paul prays for Gods grace and peace to bless them in practical matters.[p 2198]That the believers profit from having Gods yes answer to a prayer for grace is quite relevanliving the life the letter goes on to mention. Grace is favor, sufficiency, and a sense of Gods presence in H

toning quality of life. A reader can see the need for grace to receive the good that each successive part of

letter is putting under the searchlight. It takes grace to realize with the right response Gods work of redemptin His plan, purchase and sealing (1:414). It requires grace for believers to experience the privileges Paul pr

in 1:1523 and 3:1421 will make a difference in their lives. Only in the supply of grace can they utilize th

own access to God in 2:18 and 3:12, and worship Him as a part of His spiritual temple at the end of chap. 2His spiritual body in the earlier verses of chap. 3, or His bride late in chap. 5. In the God-given supply of gr

they can walk as in the last three chapters, living in unity, holiness, wholesome words, love, purity, lig

wisdom, doing Gods will, and being filled with the Spirit, for examples.

Peace also is strategic as an answer of prayer to help them. Grace focuses on spiritual capital to live pracal lives of godliness that accord with Gods riches. Peace compliments this as a composure that confidence

Gods adequacy gives. In each aspect of the letter in which believers experience His grace they also can

braced by His peace. This peace centers in Christ, for Paul says three things about Him and peace. Christ is believers peace, He has established peace, and has preached peace (2:1417), and so they can rest in the prac

cal soothing this gives. They can experience the unity of heart in the Spirit in the bond that peace makes po

ble (4:3). Peace as a privilege and one boon among the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) can be known in any uation of life.

[p 2199]In most of his letters, Paul traces grace and peace to the Father and Christ as here. In Col. 1:2

mentions only the Father, but the other instances reflect his reliance on both. He depended on the Spirit, as wfor practical spiritual supply (cf. 2 Cor. 13:14; Phil. 1:19). Every spiritual quality, he saw, was fruit from

source, the Spirit, and in Ephesians he recognizes the dynamic role of the Spirit in prayers access (2:18; 6:1

lifes empowering (3:16), unity (4:3), fullness with its flow in fruit (5:1821), and being victors in spiritual w

fare with the Word as the Spirits sword (6:17). In Eph. 3:1618 Paul assumes a very close harmony betwebelievers having the Spirits strengthening and having Christs practical dwelling within them in His love. T

is fitting since the Spirit glorifies Christ (Jn. 16:14), and love that is the love of Christ is a fruit that the Sp

lives in the saints (Gal. 5:22). Such a life, Paul elsewhere says in other words, is when Christ lives in me (G2:20).

Interceding for grace and peace points out principles of prayer at this point. First, Paul puts this intercess

concern up front in the majority of his epistles, and makes it the first thing he mentions about prayer. We, alcan fittingly think of it promptly in our own alert interest to help other-believers. Gods people stand in urg

practical need for new supplies of grace and peace at all times. Second, cultivate a keen tuning with the me

bers of the Godhead that keeps an open door for calling to the Lord in prayer for His help to spiritual broth


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and sisters. Paul is just living in the good of the access he will write of in 2:18 and 3:12. Third, coach

heart in a wake up call that relates grace and peace to specific facets of living for God that the epistles mentverse by verse. Then these verses near the outset of letters will not be what many reduce them to, hum-dr

good wishes that one can rush past to get to key matters. Praying for grace and peace is highly relevant to be

victors in the very facets of life the letters all go on later to describe.

Eph. 1:314

Praising the God of Blessing[p 2200]All of verses 314 form one continuous sentence. Paul prays in the intercessory focus (v. 2), th

in the praise aspect (3) at the outset, and after this goes on with prayer in affirmations of blessings that stir sutribute to God. His praise/affirmation prayer surges in four phases, all parts of glorifying God for redempti

He begins with the praise itself (v. 3), then develops it as praise for the Father who planned the redemption

6), the Son who purchased the beneficiaries (712), and the Spirit who preserves them securely (1314). climaxes the work that each Person of the Godhead contributes to this blessing by offering praise to Gods gl

(6, 12, 14).

The Praise Itself

Here is celebration to God that ascribes blessedness to Him. Blessed is the word eulogetos as in 2 Cor.

and 1 Pet. 1:3. Such verbal adjectives, as they are called, with the tos ending do not refer to one to whom

praying person is giving blessing. The believer is not the source of blessing conferring it. The emphasis, rathis on recognizing One who in Himself akready has the perfect fullness and is worthy of this honor. A

blessed refers to the Father as blessed in His very character in a ceaseless continuance. The form if the w

in the NT is used only of God.The God who Himself has and gives blessing has blessed those He saves with all spiritual blessings. T

includes absolutely all such benefits, and the letter goes on to mention blessings that could make a long l

Right away, vv. 414 sum up many. In his eight volume work on theology, Lewis Sperry Chafer has listed

main blessings, and some have even added other privileges since the NT has so many facets. The rest of Scrture gives a great number that apply to the wealth of believers in any day.

[p 2201]Pauls praise to God recognizes that the blessings are in the heavenlies. This phrase that occ

five times in the letter might refer to heavenly places or possessions, i.e. privileges, assets, or bounties. The.iof sphere/realm is in view, in the sphere of the heavenlies. The concept can refer to the realm of true riche

sphere into which God exalts people when they are born from above (Jn. 3:17). It finally can be localized

a place where the riches center, heavenly in contrast to earth (v. 10; 2:6; cf. 1 Pet. 1:5). Yet it also refers to quality of blessed life (cf. Jas. 3:17), of realities in terms of privileges or possessions in spiritual wealth ope

tive for living on earth now. This is reasonably the exhilaration in privileges that believers will enjoy more fu

in the life of eternity, in a place, the New Jerusalem, as overcomers, sons, heirs (Rev. 21:122:5; cf. esp21:7).

The prayer of Eph. 1:3 mentions that all the blessings are in Christ. A reader can go through the 27 ref

ences to this phrase or an equivalent one in Ephesians and celebrate the privileges the redeemed have in Him

the Savior, for example, they are beloved to God as Christ Himself is (1:6; 2:6), dear to God (1:45), and nto Him (2:13).

The PlanningGoing on to affirmations in prayer that should incite praise, Paul sees the Father as the One who ch

(elected) the people He would save. He planned everything from before the foundation of the world with

purpose that the redeemed should be holy (set apart) and blameless (without a mark against them) before HHe predestined them, that is, marked out beforehand the destiny He would give them. This was the privilege

being adopted as His sons (v. 5). Verse 11 will mention that He assigned an inheritance to them. That is, He h

given them, as His sons, the privilege to inherit the incredible riches of 3:8.Even as Paul is still affirming what elicits praises as in v. 3, Paul concludes this phase of Gods work on

note that all of this privilege is to the praise of His glory of His grace (v. 6). Praise is to be a permeating re

ty as believers honor the Father now and forever for His eternal purpose (3:11), and for Himself.

The Purchasing

[p 2202]Now the apostle pours forth honor to the Beloved Son. In Him is the very sphere of the grace

stowed as in v. 6. To enlarge on His part, it is in Him that believers have redemption, being bought from


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market place of sin through means of His blood (v. 7). This involves, for them, the forgiveness of their trespa

es according to the riches of His grace. According to is a phrase emphasizing the norm, standard or measuthe level on which something is true. Here it is on this very high plane of Gods riches in grace. A very weal

person might give out of his riches as in donating a hundred dollars to a cause, but to give according to

wealth he might contribute millions.

Still in a spirit of prayer as his pen forms the words expressing it, Paul adds that the redemption in Chwas Gods plan, His will realized, true to His kind intent. Gods aim carried right through to a time when

would head and sum up all things in Christ. To the Philippians Paul will say that to Christ every knee will b

and every tongue acknowledge that He is Lord (2:1011). And later in Eph. 1 another prayer by Paul emphaes that God has put all things in subjection under Christs feet (1:22). He will eventually take the full possess

given to Him as in the OT (Ps. 2:68; Dan. 7:1314) and NT (Rev. 11:15; 21:2426).

In this, Gods Beloved Son, the redeemed have been assigned an inheritance (v. 11; cf. 14), its ultimblessedness for them to realize in the eternal New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:7).

All this purchasing work of Christ and the Fathers arrangement to give Him lordship over all, with the

deemed as heirs, is aimed to a good end. It is that believers, having first hoped in Christ, should go on to bethe praise of His glory. This is now and for all eternity.

The PreservingVerses 1314 show the Holy Spirits role relating to redemption, which again is to the praise of Gods glo

This speaks of.glory ascribed to Him in prayer now and for all eternity.

[p 2203]In Christ, as Paul continues his praise, these believers in particular are among those who hoped. you also are part of the drama. The time sequence of blessing is this: you also, having heard [i.e., when yheard] the message of truth, having [or when you] also believed, you were [at that time] sealed. The hear

and the believing logically were necessary for the sealing, and in timing they occurred together. The w

sealed was used to signify the authority of the one whose seal it was, as well as ownership, and a guaranteesafe-keeping. In the Greek Septuagint of the OT, Darius sealed the lions den opening with Daniel inside (D

6:17). Jesus tomb was sealed by Roman authority to be intact against tampering (Matt. 27:66). Here, the se

ing is with the Holy Spirit of promise. He is the Spirit that the OT promised (Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 36:2527). Jepledged to send Him to comfort and enable believers (Lk. 24:49; Jn. 14:1617, 26).

Prayers affirmation, directed toward praise, is that the Spirit is the pledge, meaning guarantee or first

stallment of the inheritance God assigned the redeemed in v. 11. He guarantees that Gods bringing them i

the ultimate blessing He intends to confer on heirs is certain to be carried out. Like a foretaste now, the Spirithe earnest assuring the total completion of the redemptive plan to be carried out. This work of the Spirit

preservation, as the role of Father in planning and the Son in purchasing, is to the praise of His [Gods] glory

This praise for the threefold work of redemption suggests principles relevant to impact prayer today. Fiwe too can give high tribute to the Father for the blessedness He has in Himself in his own glories. Out of H

the great Fountainhead, has issued a vast flow of blessings as His gifts. Second, praise to the Father can, amo

other things, dwell on His wondrous love and grace in picking us and prearranging a destiny for us. Salvatfrom start to completion is in His kind design, not in our deserving.

[p 2204]Third, people who are part of a plan to Gods praise that reaches into ages to come (2:7) ough

be making much of prayer now that praises and affirms God. Fourth, we can never exhaust the lavish grace tgave us redemption and its reasons to return praise. Fifth, we can always be primed to give Christ glory wh

we think of His dying for us and opening forgiveness to us. Why should we ever come to prayer wonder

what to say? Sixth, another prompt to lift Gods name on high is having the very pledge of an all-the-way se

rity withinthe Holy Spirit. Gods authority, ownership, and guarantee give us certainty. and can inspire fresh tributes.

Eph. 1:1523

An Intercessor in the ActPraise has ascended from Paul as he writes. Now prayer goes on in new aspects, thanksgiving for these

lievers, and pleading for God to enable them. The apostle is motivated that they know the hope, grasp the ri

es, and live by the power. Here and in the latter part of Chap. 3 readers; look in on the kind of intercessor wgoes to a great God to ask for great things.

Five steps follow Pauls vigil in prayer. It is actually continuing prayer since he has been praying from v

all the way up to here.


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The PromptFor this reason is Pauls signal. He gets his motivation for further prayer from the great redemption

Father has planned, the Son purchased, and the Spirit preserves. Within v. 15 also is another incitement to pr

having heard of the faith among you, and your love to all the saints. News received about these beli

ers ignite a prayer fire in Paul, based on high spiritual values, their faith in Christ and their love to others

also has redeemed.

The PersistenceThe apostle does not cease. He uses the word for ceasing that he employs in tongues shall cease

Cor. 13:12). Indeed it means to stop, yet is not the same word he uses in challenging Christians to pray withceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). As in other cases he has variety in words he can seize to express one basic idea.

The Permeation[p 2205]He does not cease giving thanks for you. He has already given clues of why he is so motiva

in prayertheir part in Gods redemptive purpose, and their faith and love that respond to His will. Pauls

ters refer much to his own thanksgiving saturating prayer. Observe a few examples. He thanks God for beli

ers faith as here, which is a testimony others talk about (Rom. 1:9). He thanks God for His enriching gracethe redeemed (1 Cor. 1:4). He is grateful for Gods indescribable gift, Christ and His salvation (2 Cor. 9:1

And he thanks God for all he remembers of the Philippians in their share in the gospel (1:3, 5).

And so Paul can frequently urge others to mingle the fragrance of thanks in their prayers. They can foll

the example of one who practices what he preaches (Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:17).

The PetitionIn a nutshell, he prays that God will give the believers one thing. It is a spirit of wisdom and revelationthe knowledge of Him. The Spirit is reasonably the Holy Spirit mentioned in vv. 1314. If so He is the O

who in the prayer of 3:16 strengthens believers within to grasp the things of God, an idea similar to this one.

is the One so strategic for their access to God in prayer (2:18), their unity (4:3), their filling and fruit (5:182and their use of the Word (6:17). The Spirit was predicted to give wisdom to the Messiah (Isa. 11:2), and co

naturally be the provision for His people. And often to believers in churches of Rev. 23 Jesus urges hear

what the Spirit says. This is as Paul regards the Spirit as revealing the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2:6ff.).It is also possible to see this as a spirit, i.e. a disposition of wisdom and revelation in the sense of spirit

perception to grasp Gods truth and act on it. An example would be a spirit of meekness, which is a fruit

the Spirit (Gal. 6:1). If so, even this is really a result of the Spirit of truth teaching believers, which Jesus h

promised (Jn. 14:26). In either explanation the Holy Spirit is involved, but the first view seems to have moreits favor.

[p 2206]Paul goes on to explain how God can answer this petition for perception (v. 18a). It can be re

ized, he says, when the eyes of the believers heart has been enlightened. The word photizo means to

lighten. God must give this lighting; the lighting expands on the Spirit, i.e., it is dependent on the grant

via the Spirit. By the light He sheds within the perception, believers are enabled to grasp truth.

The PurposePaul finally states a purpose he prays might be realized as God answers the petition for perception, giv

enlightenment for it. The purpose is conspicuous in a specific phrase, that you may know (v. 18b), imme

ately divided into three facets. These particulars are clear-cut in three straight clauses of vv. 18c-19a that spefy what (Gr. tis, tis, ti) the three parts of the purpose are.

The three facets express the end (goal), enrichment, and enablement related to Gods redemptive purpfor believers. Paul prays that they might know in the sense of grasping in a vital, life-shaping significanceof these three.

The endthe hope of Gods calling. By the hope, the intercessor does not mean the disposition of hope

in Rom. 8:25 and Eph. 1:12, but the destiny Christians hope to see realized, as in Gal. 5:5. It is, as the aposdefines in another letter so similar to Ephesians, the hope laid up for you in heaven (Col. 1:5). In Titus 2

he calls it the blessed hope of being conformed to Christ as in other passages (Rom. 8:2930; Phil. 3:21; 1

3:2). The writer to the Hebrews phrases it the hope set before us (6:18).

This hope is at its essence Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 1:1), for to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil. 1:21) igreater realization of Christ as our very life, all that gives meaning and fulfillment (cf. Col. 3:4). God purpo

to bring believers to the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13). From the standpoint of the message that articulates

specifics of this destiny, the hope is the gospel (Col. 1:5).


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[p 2207]Sometimes Paul conceives of this hope to be realized under the word end (Gr. telos), a term t

means the final outcome or goal (Rom. 6:22). And there he calls it eternal life, life in its ultimate fullnas in Rom. 2:7, 10.

This hope, Paul says in prayer, is the hope of His calling. By this he means the hope which the calling

issued guarantees to us. Gods promises, as above, assure believers about the nature of their destiny. The Spits seal in Eph. 1:1314 is an immediate example.

Of course to grasp what this goal is brings profound life-shaping impact to bear on the values believ

choose as their focus now. Paul will mention in 2:10 the good works God designs for those saved by gr

through faith, and in 4:1 will begin to expand on a walk that is committed to His will.The enrichmentthe riches of the glory of the inheritance. Knowing what the riches of Gods inheritan

are is knowing the ministry of the Spirit urging us to cry Abba, Father to realize we are children of God, he

even joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:1617). The riches belong to the glory which pertains to the inheritanThe inheritance is the one God assigned believers in v. 11, which He certifies by the Spirits pledge in v. 14.

It is inevitable for some to think that the wording His inheritance suggests that the saints are Gods p

session of v. 14, or His workmanship in 2:10, and His inheritance. They link the thought with OT passagwhere His people are His inheritance (Deut. 4:20; 9:26, 29; Ps. 28:9). They feel that in [among] the sain

means His inheritance is in them.

[p 2208]But the evidence seems more probable that His inheritance in v. 18 is the same one the conthas in view. It is the one which God has given the saints (vv. 11, 14), in which they are fellow heirs (3:6). I

also the one that the NT often mentions, and the one Paul refers to in Romans, I Corinthians, Galatians, Epsians and Colossians.

The NT represents the saved as called to an eternal inheritance (Heb. 9:15). They are heirs of the kingd(Matt. 25:34; 1 Cor. 6:9), eternal life (Matt. 19:29) or imperishable life (1 Pet. 1:4), the earth (Matt. 5:5), sal

tion (Heb. 1:14; cf. Rev. 7:10), light (Col. 1:12), righteousness (Heb. 11:7). Other terms for what they inh

are reward (Col. 3:24), the promises, i.e. in their fulfillment (Heb. 6:12), a blessing (1 Pet. 3:9), and the NJerusalem (Rev. 21:7).

Riches in Eph. 1:18 suggest inheritance for believers, for the word elsewhere in this letter always rela

to wealth God gives, not to believers themselves (1:7; 2:7; 3:8, 16). Colossians also reflects this (1:27; cf. 23). Gods inheritance is said to be in or among the saints, in the sphere of them. This quite naturally

with this being Gods inheritance, the one He gives, in the sense that He planned it, purchased heirs for it,

preserves them to reach it. It is in their midst as involving all of them (cf. Acts 20:32; 26:18), for He has mthem all co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).

Prayer is relevant when pleading Gods enlightenment to believers that they will grasp the riches of the gry of such an inheritance. Paul says that eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither has entered into the hear

man the things God had prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). He also says that the Spirit unveils t

to believers in connection with Gods Word, and prayer asks for inner help to grasp the treasure in the right

sponse. Believers need to live now like inheriting sons.

[p 2209]The enablementthe power of God. Paul clusters four words for power in one verse (19) to hi

light the sufficiency with which God supports people He purposes for such a destiny and inheritance claim. T

longing is for saints to grasp what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe in accwith the working of the strength of His might. He will explain this power more in the letter as by the Sp

(3:16), by His control (5:18), available for the saved to put on as the full armor of God that can cause themstand for Him against the enemy (6:1011, 13).

In the prayer, Paul immediately describes this power as displayed in God doing four things for Christ (1:2

23). He raised Him from the dead, seated Him in the heavenlies, subjected all under His feet, and gave H

headship over the church. Quickly in the next verses, the intercessor relates that in a spiritual sense God excised this power in making believers co-participants with Christ. He raised them from death with Christ

seated them with Him in the heavenlies. He acted in power so that He might be successful to show eternally

riches of grace in what He had done for them (2:17).

In review, the prayer calls for God to enlighten the redeemed so that they grasp Gods goal set before thethe value of the inheritance He gave them to this, and His power that will take them all the way.

Principles of prayer abound for us here. First, we might well follow Pauls example in letting our pra

flow as we are saturated by great things God has done. The roles of Father, Son and Spirit in redemption el


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prayer for grasping the implications of His goal, the inheritance He has given, and the power that can enable

How different from so much prayer that is a muddled rambling in a fog of our own jumbled thinking.

[p 2210]Second, watchful caring about how believers liveby faith and lovecan prompt our interced

for them to reach even greater dimensions God has for them. We can be like Paul here as well. Third, ke

prayer going, and spice it with plenty of thanks for others that God is crafting for His glory. Fourth, ask for o

ers that the Father would Himself give them the Spirits ministry in terms of His wise teaching and His williness to turn light on to grasp it. We can back this prayer with alert efforts to get truth into peoples hearts a

homes, truth the Spirit can illumine to build lives. This might be by personal preaching or sharing even if ove

meal, giving out Bibles, booklets, web sites, showing videos, or so many other ways.Fifth, prayer for God helping believers fathom the wonder of the destiny God assures can bring dividends

their transformed walk. The last three chapters of Ephesians will develop the walk that is consistent with

wealth as 2:10 signals and as I Jn. 3:3 expresses. John says that every person who has this hope of being lChrist finally purifies himself even as Christ is pure. Ephesians 5:9 is on this heartbeat, urging that those w

are of Gods light live as people of the light. Sixth, changed lives can also result as we intercede for Christi

to grasp the wealth of the glory of the inheritance God has guaranteed them.A seventh principle is strategic. Pray, as Paul, that Gods heirs will live finding out what His power can

complish to carry them the whole way. Isaiah saw the power by the picture of being carried as on eagles wi

(40:2931), neither fainting nor growing weary. Paul points to it in terms of what it did for Gods Son, and w

it can do in taking His joint-heir sons clear into the ages to come. We can pray alertly for a realization of t

power, and believe in the God who has such ability for His saints.Eph. 2:18

Access to the FatherHis own prayer in all but one verse of Chap. 1 has shown Pauls access to God. He has gone into Go

presence interceding for other believers. Now he emphasizes that they all have this access, as he will do again3:12, where he even adds further details. Seven steps sum up this access in 2:18.

The Preparation For It[p 2211]This approach to God, chiefly expressed in prayer, fits within the progressing flow of reasoni

All of Chaps. 13 develop the high calling of the church, the redeemed. Paul greets the saints and intercedes

their grace and peace (1:12), praises God for their redemption featuring the work of Father, Son and Spirit

14), then prays further for their realizing the implications of their destiny, inheritance, and power from G

(1523). After this he shows that the same power that God expressed in exalting Christ He displayed in exaltbelievers in His Beloved Son (2:110). Not only are they in the Beloved, they even form Gods spiritual temp

In this they have access before His very face.

Gentile believers, who in their unsaved state (cf. 2:1) were without spiritual privileges, now have the mintimate privilege. They were before separate from Christ, now are in Him; before, excluded from benefits

Gods people Israel, now included with Jewish believers in one new worship group; before, strangers to

covenants God promised, now fellow-citizens with the saints; before, without hope, now people with hopeGod (cf. 1:18); before, without God, now members of His very household; before, far off from God, n

brought near by Christs blood. In place of alienation from God and His people, they now have Christ who

their peace, established peace by the work of His cross, and preached peace both to them who were far off to Jews who were near (2:417; cf. Acts 2:39).

This prepares for what v. 18 itself says of access.

The Peace In ItPauls first word for (Gr. hoti) connects with peace Christ preached in this way. The access of believ

Gentiles and Jews both is the ground of the peace they share with one another and with God.

The peace is between Gentiles and Jews who have Christ as their peace (v. 14), and also in being reconci

to God (v. 16), having access to the Father (v. 18).

The Provider of ItChrist has effected this peace He preached to the far and the near in v. 17. Verse 18 says Christ preach

peace to these because through means of Him we both have our access. He preached peace because

opened the way of access through means of (Gr. dia) offering His body on the cross (vv. 1516; Heb. 10:

20).

The Participants in It


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[p 2212]We both identifies these. Paul includes himself in the we, and means we, Gentiles who w

far away, and Jews (as I am) who were near. In the same passage, he has referred to the Gentile believersyou (1:13; 2:1113, 17a), and continues to (19, 22; 3:1 etc.). He also refers to both groups who avail the

selves of Christs blood when He says For He Himself is our peace (14).

The Privilege of ItThis is the access itself. Paul writes of both Gentiles and Jews, we are having access, an ongoing privile

as shown by the present tense. Since Gods redemptive benefit to all believers is part of His eternal purp

(3:11) reaching on into the age to come (2:7) and glory accrues to God in the church and in Christ to all the

of the ages, i.e. eternity (3:21), the access is never to end.What is the access? The word itself can mean introduction or approach, a cordial welcome into ano

ers presence. It appears in the NT only three times, for access as those accepted in Gods presence (Rom. 5

here and 3:12). Some point to the word being used in the Persian court for a visitors admittance for an audiewith the king, and a form of it for an official who ushered guests into the kings presence. That idea is a v

fitting illustration of this kind of access. But the word for access even appears in the LXX (Gr.) translation

the OT Hebrew for the reception of worshipers before God when they brought offerings (Lev. 1:3; 3:3; 4:1This acceptable approach to God in His dwelling place, the tabernacle, is analogous to believers now hav

entry to God as parts of His spiritual temple (Eph. 2:2122). Only now the privilege is greater as believers

viewed as the very dwelling place itself, and also as a holy priesthood offering up spiritual sacrifices (1 P

2:5).

[p 2213]The access has its best present realization in prayer. To see prayer here is consistent with (1) main objective of entering into Gods presence, to commune with Him; (2) the medium, in one Spirit, whom believers pray to God (Eph. 6:18; Jude 20), and who helps them pray according to His will (Rom. 8:2

27); (3) what is meant in coming to God, i.e. the Greek pros, lit., toward, before, face to face with; and

examples in Scripture. Believers came prayerfully to God in His dwelling place (2 Chr. 30:27; Ps. 88:2, 13; nah 2:7). There God received the prayer (Ps. 6:9), and He did not turn away an acceptable persons prayer (

66:20) as He shuts out the prayer of some (Ps. 66:18; Lam. 3:8).

The Presentation of ItIt is in one Spirit. He is the go-between or the agent, as an official was in presenting a Persian into

kings presence. By His escort, believers can draw near to God, as in 6:18. As in Rom. 8:2627, He helps th

weakness, even interceding to God for them so that their prayer can be according to His will.

The Presence of ItAccess is to the Father. As above, the word pros does not just mean to, but in personal encounters f

to face with. Hebrews 4:16 urges believers to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain grace and he

There the word is to, not face to face with.Eph. 2:18 applies the work of all three members of the Godhead to the access. This is as the letter elsewh

refers to the Trinity (1:314; probably 1:17; 3:1417; 4:46; 5:1820).

More is said about the access in 3:12. It is fitting to reserve principles of prayer until after glimpsing ottruths of the access there.

Eph. 3:12

Boldness to PrayThis supplements the privilege of access in 2:18 with a strong emphasis on the optimism believers can ha

in drawing near to God. A summary in six phases elucidates it.

The Flow of Thought[p 2214]Chapter 3 has developed further the high calling of believers, their riches in Christ that contrib

to the life they can live. It adds to the second chapters focus on their position in the Beloved Son (2:110) a

in the spiritual temple (2:1122). Paul portrays the position of saved Jews and Gentiles as being in a spirit

body as fellow-heirs of Gods riches, co-members as Gods people, and co-participants of what His gospromises (3:6). Gods work in them is consistent with His eternal purpose, which He enacted in Christ Jes

Lord of all these believers (11).

The Sphere of ItThe words in whom at the outset of v. 12 refer to the sphere in the preceding verse, in Christ. It is

Christ who is such a key to Gods eternal purpose that believers have their access. He is the very ground,

basis making possible the approach to God.


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The Boldness of ItIn Christ we have boldness. The we include believing Gentiles as well as Jews (v. 6), heirs togeth

the church (v. 10). Three distinct words express emphatically the forthright courage with which the redeem

can approach very near to God. These are boldness, access and confidence. It is difficult to know how

distinguish their meaning and translate them to show this. At any rate, believers are having these privile

continually as the present tense shows (v. 12).

Boldness is the term parresia, which means freedom of speech, forthrightness, openness uninhibited

shame or fear. The noun as here appears in the NT for speaking Gods Word with boldness (Acts 4:13; 29, 3

and Paul uses it for this as well (2 Cor. 3:12; Eph. 6:19). As a noun it also occurs in living boldly for Ch(Phil. 1:20). And it can convey entering boldly into the holy place (Heb. 10:19), boldness in the faith (1 T

3:13; Heb. 3:6; 10:35), acting with boldness in Christ (Phile. 1:8), and facing Christ at the future judgment w

bold readiness (1 Jn. 2:28; 4:17).

[p 2215]A quite frequent use of the word is for bold prayer. The Greek OT has it for approaching God

certainty (LXX, Job 22:26; 27:9). The Jewish historian Josephus writing in the first century also employs it

optimistic prayer (Antiq.2:4:4; 5:1, 3). In this sense the noun appears in NT verses (Eph. 3:12; Heb. 4:16; 15:14). Paul puts the noun in Eph. 6:19 for proclaiming the gospel with boldness, then uses the verb for the sa

thing in v. 20, both of these in answer to believers prayers.

The Access of ItPaul writes in Eph. 3:12 that we, Gods people, continue having such a sense of spiritual forwardness a

access (the same word as in 2:18). Since he uses the definite article before boldness but not before access,may intend the two to merge in a combined idea, bold access, or access with real spiritual nerve. Or,

boldness may be the distinct attitude of optimism in coming to God, and the access focusing on the blessingentrance, the session engaged in special communion, the time itself spent with Him.

Either makes good sense, the first a shortened way of expressing the same essential reality. In the seco

idea, access fits quite naturally with the words after it, an access with confidence through faith in H[Christ]. Since boldness in itself is strong confidence, Paul may not intend a redundancy if the word con

dence (Gr. pepoithesis) means something like confident reliance a tone of thinking that encourages boldn

in the access. Such reliant poise itself is possible through means of faith in Christ.

The Confidence of ItThe term for confidence means trust, confidence in its NT connections. It is reliance in ones stand

Christ, or in others due to a prior dependence on His faithfulness (2 Cor. 1:15; 3:4; 8:22). It is reliance in Chor His sure Word (Eph. 3:12). So it is dependence not on things of the flesh (Phil. 3:4), but banking on the po

tion that God has given, as Paul on his certified apostleship (2 Cor. 10:2).

The Means of It[p 2216]Coming back to our verse, the access fed by boldness, experienced with confident poise, is throu

means of faith placed in Christ, not faith of Christ, as some see it. The of Christ form is an objective ge

tive, meaning faith directed to Christ the object. Faith in Ephesians is consistently the believers own fa

whether before 3:12 (2:13, 15, 19; 2:8) or after it (3:17; 6:16).Access of this nature for Gentile worshipers of God is itself an answer to prayer. Solomon had prayed fo

and the God who answers is faithful (1 Kin. 8:4143). The prophets had foreseen foreigners coming to Gotemple, His house of prayer, to seek His favor (Isa. 56:68; cf. Zech. 8:2023). Whether today or in a fut

earthly kingdom, the principle can be essentially the same.

The Spirits role in this access of Ephesians (2:18) suggests His ministry of giving an awareness of the retion with the Father He nourishes in the saved. By Him, they cry Abba, Father (Rom. 8:1617; Gal. 4:6).

the Romans passage, Paul says the Spirit bears witness with the believers spirit that they are Gods childr

heirs, and co-heirs with Christ. He also helps their weaknesses, enabling them to pray according to Gods w(Rom. 8:2627).

Some key principles for prayer appear in the Ephesian access passages (2:18; 3:12). First, we should n

er get over thanking Christ that we have this access through His faithfulness. Both verses show this. Secothat people of another racial strain, indeed of all racial lines can have this access ought to sweeten our spirit

ward them. If God invites them into His inner chamber as part of the countless blessings that flow from Hi


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we should think of them as He doesdear and near. This can infuse fervency in our own caring for them in

tercessory vigils.

[p 2217]Third, keep in sensitive tuning with the Spirit in whom this access is conducted. This relates

obeying the Word that is His precious revelation (cf. 3:5) and very sword (6:17), living in His strength (3:

and by His control (5:18), and being in His will in prayer (6:18; cf. Rom. 8:2627). Fourth, reference to all th

members of the Godhead can remind us to express our accord with each.Fifth, realizing the close clasp between Gods eternal purpose in Christ and our venue of welcome

quicken the heartbeat to make more of this access in prayer. Sixth, feeling limp in our prayer ability can have

strong remedy in getting confidence through further faith in Christ. And faith comes by hearing the WordGod (Rom. 10:17). Our whole Christian life is to be a close coordination of abiding in Christ and in His Word

life which flows out in answered prayer and other fruit (15:8). Seventh, using our access in real prayer is a gr

secret of standing and not fainting, as we compare access (3:12) with losing heart (v. 13). Other Scripture shothis as well (Lk. 18:1; Phil. 4:67).

Eighth, since we have this access that we can be so bold and confident to enjoy, what might happen if

took the privilege to heart? How blessed might be the way that opens into the great things of Eph. 3:20? Tpossibilities beckon to us. Go after them! Take them up! Live in the riches of them!

Eph. 3:1421

Intercession at its BestThis is Pauls fourth prayer in Ephesians. He interceded by asking for grace and peace (1:2), praised Fath

Son, and Spirit for redemption (1:314), and pleaded in advocacy for the believers to know their destined horiches of the inheritance they are to God, and the power (1:1523). He has interwoven his prayers up to tpoint with breath-taking descriptions of great blessings in Christ. Even this latest prayer follows his meditati

on what the saved are and have in the Savior

Here is his most current intercessory request.

[p 2218]The Reason for It (1415)His prompt to pray is clear in v. 14. For this reason, I bow my knees. The reason picks up the thou

and carries it on from the same phrase For this reason in 3:1, after he has brought 3:213 in as a parenthbut also as a closely relevant flow of blessing.

Paul prays because of Gods grace in Chap. 2. God raised the recipients up from death to put them in

heavenlies in His Beloved Son that they might walk on earth in His will (2:110; cf. espec. 10). And He fit

his people into His spiritual temple in which He dwells, giving them close up access for audience with H(2:1122). Paul yearns for them to know their status in Christ as those who are to glorify God eternally (3:

cf. 11). And, with this great prospect, he will entreat them to "walk now (cf. 2:10; in a manner worthy of [c

sistently appropriate to] the high calling (4:16:20).

[p 2219]Not only the riches of Chap. 2, and those of Chap. 1 that these supplement, but thirdly Pauls m

flashes away for a moment to recount in 3:213 the spiritual assets that prime his thoughts for the prayer. T

principle is that Scripture should permeate and kindle prayer. Building on Chaps. 12, he emphasizes in 3:2Gods placing the recipients, believing Gentiles and Jews, into one body. He enlarges on this analogy he

ready had mentioned in 1:2223, imaging the church, that is the members, as Christs spiritual body (c

Cor. 12). This is according to Gods eternal purpose (3:11; cf. 1:910), and gives those of His templebody a venue for bold, confident access to Him, as in prayer (2:18; 3:12). Paul himself will soon exempl

for in one exhibit key spiritual matters for which to pray (3:1421).

On this basis, Paul asks the believers not to lose heart due to the tribulations he bears for their sake (3:1

They might look at his ordeals, and feel like losers, pessimistic that his gospel only attracts suffering. High timism, rather, is what they ought to feel, for the sufferings have a bright outlook; they are for their glory. P

is willing to face all the hardships to get out Gods message that guarantees its believing recipients present a

ultimate glory (cf. Rom. 8:1825; 2 Cor. 3:418; 4:17f.). He is ever an example.For this reason, then, Paul prays in Chap. 3 as he pursued his vigil in 1:15ff. that the believers will real

in a transforming way the assets of the phenomenally rich spiritual bank account they can draw upon

Christ.The bowing of his knees follows one of the many postures Scripture shows are acceptable in praye

standing, sitting, bowing, lying down prostrating, and others. Elijah had knelt (1 Kin. 18:42), Jesus had d

this in Gethsemane (Lk. 22:41), and Paul with others in a prayer huddle at Miletus (Acts 20:36). The praye


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before the Father, who is much celebrated in the Ephesian epistle. A reader can review the many things that

prime the redeemed with fresh confidence to bow before Him to enjoy access in prayer.

[p 2220]The Father is the One from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. It is

ficult to decide which of two meanings, both true, Paul is driving at. One is that God is sovereign Father o

every family grouping of the many in His creation of 3:9 (cf. 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:1517). The other is that He

over all the [one] family just of the godly, believing people and good and evil angels, whether in heaven orearth. The letters main emphases suggest how naturally either view can fit the flow.

The Father is the redeemer of believers, sons, heirs, saints, the church, those in Christ, the ones God rai

up with Christ, His new creation (2:10), the temple, the body, etc. In this epistle, God is Father of believers (14:6). On the other hand, the letter recognizes Gods majisterial control over all in heaven and on earth (1:1

His creation of all (3:9), and has a high saturation with thoughts about Gods greatness that Paul also writes

Colossians. The latter is quite clear about God being creator of all, the different orders of beings, and closrelating with this that He is the God of redemption (1:16, 1820). So Paul the intercessor may well intend

more absolute outreach of meaning in Eph. 3:15. The Father from whom every family grouping in creation h

its name (significance and distinctives) is the God the apostle counts on to be absolutely sufficient as he preshis appeal.

The Requests of ItNow the actual petitions begin to pour from Pauls lips, and become transmitted by his busy pen. In

structure a pattern of three clauses distinctly marks out three requests, as there also were three in the prayer

1:1523. All three here are expressed by that which appears with a verb in a tense (aorist) that denotes actcarried out with decisiveness (vv. 16a, 18a, 19b). The first two of these requests both then have two infinitphrases that supply details about the good which Paul prays to God to work in the believers.

[p 2221]That you might be strengthened (16a). Paul has already in his prayer of 1:1523 illustrated Go

power in the case of Christ. This power raised Him from the dead, seated Him in the heavenlies, subjected alHis authority, and gave Him headship over the church. It also raised believers and seated them with Him in sp

itual privilege. Now Paul pleads that God the Father will give to you (the main verb), i.e. to grant to each

these believers, to be strengthened with power.(1) The conferral. This is articulated in the words that He would give to you. A practical gift in a stre

of grace benefits from the Father is the quest that is on the intercessors heart, and recorded by his pen.

(2) The content. The extra word strengthened with the boon of power, is not a literary tautology, a

dundancy. The strengthening focuses on believers being infused with sufficiency, and the power expresses essence or quality of adequacy that will alone supply what they need. This assetmust come out of Gods gen

ous bounty. A reader can be reminded of Pauls fourfold heaping up of words to convey power in his earl

prayer (1:19).(3) The channel. Paul is aware that such a conferral that grants such sufficiency that means power

through means of (Gr. dia), that is, by the agency of His Spirit. The Fathers Spirit is the member of

Godhead that Jesus said He would pray the Father to send to believers (Jn. 14:16), the Person whom He wassured the Father would send (v. 26). He is the Spirit the Father sent according to His own promise (J

2:28ff.; Acts 2:33), the Spirit of promise in Eph. 1:13. He is a Person, One who can be grieved by sin (4:30).

He empowered believers in Acts 1:8, 2:4, 4:8 and 4:2931, Paul has known His supply of power (Rom. 15:1He also knows Him as the Spirit who produces the aspects of His fruit in believers (Gal. 5:2223; Eph. 5:9,

21).[p 2222](4) The center. The Spirits strengthening energizes in the inner person of the saints. The phr

refers to the inward moral, rational faculty which in the saved can be in accord with Gods will in contrast to

unsaved persons domination by sin (Rom. 7:22; 8:78; Eph. 2:13; 4:1719). This inner person is referred

again in 2 Cor. 4:16, where it needs to be renewed in day by day refreshment. The inner person apparenmeans, in other words, the heart (2 Cor. 4:6; 5:12). In Eph. 3, the Spirits enabling work in each of the sain

inner person (v. 16) has its benefit in Christ dwelling in believers hearts (v. 17), suggesting a very intim

relation of, even the equation of the terms. The inner person or the heart will realize the prospering impe

of spiritual might.(5) The classification. Before Paul voices what he wants the Father to give (the strengthening), qualifies

wealth with which God is able to do this. He classifies it on a very high level. It is according to the riches


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His glory. The word according (Gr. kata) with riches is a frequent NT phrase that puts the focus on

norm, standard, level, or measure in which something is true. The praying apostle rates Gods abilitystrengthen as on His exalted scale, the riches of His glory. And the glory can refer to the Fathers excell

cy, as in His magnificent power to raise Jesus from the dead Christ (Rom. 6:4), power that Paul has used f

words to describe in Eph. 1:19. Glory also pertains to Gods marvelous perfection (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14) and Hsplendid excellence to be worshiped in adoring awe (Isa. 6:1; Jn. 12:41). Paul asks in prayer, classifying Go

resouce to strengthen as being at the peak of exalted wealth.

[p 2223](6) The Christ essence. Paul has prayed for the Father to give believers to be strengthened, phr

ing this in the infinitive form. Now, under the same main request to give, he urges a second infinitive, prayfor Christ to dwell. This coordinates with and is a further definition of what a God-strengthened life will

like another side of the same coin. The Spirits strengthening in its essence will be for Christ to dwell in sain

hearts through faith, for Christ to live in them (Gal. 2:20; Phil. 1:1920; Col. 3:4). In one sense Christ alreindwells all believers from the time they first received Him (cf. Rom. 8:9; Col. 1:29). But a practical, functio

realizing of what that can mean is in view in Eph. 3:17. The word for dwell, katoikeo, fusess two wor

dwell as in a house, and the prefix kata, down, deep. It evidently here signifies to dwell in an intens

effectiveness, or really live as one at home, or have the mastery of the house. Christ is vitally living wit

(Gal. 2:20), in the reality that His indwelling prepares Him to be in control. This is analogous to being sons

God and then really living as sons (Matt. 5:46), being sons of light and acting like sons of light (Eph. 5:8

and being Gods sons and daughters and being separated from worldly things to live for godly values in family in the practical fulfillment of this (2 Cor. 6:1418).

This essence of the Christ-life is actively and authentically engaged when believers let the Word of Ch

dwell richly in you (Col. 3:16). There, dwell is not the same word as in Eph. 3:17, but related, enoikeo,

dwell in. The prefix is en, not kata. Gods Word is already in the life since first being sown in the heart soil

in a fourth category of hearers Jesus illustrated (Matt. 13:1823). But believers who do the Lords will real

the Word dwelling in them in practical ways as they respond to God obediently (Col. 3:1223). To experien

Christ in experiential practicality is to interact with the Word in personal, life-changing, godly ways (Jn. 15

So, a life filled with a vital knowledge of and doing ofGods will (Col. 1:9) is a life worthy of the Lord Him(v. 10; Eph. 4:1). Worthy means consistently fitting to Him, and what He has made believers to be and

(2:10; 5:9).Paul contemplates in prayer that Christs practical dwelling at home can be operative, in Eph. 3:16

through means of faith (Gr. dia). Christians are to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). This means t

they vitally rely on the Lord and sincerely engage with Him to carry out His will in lifes priorities, standar

and directions (cf. Prov. 3:56). This is what Paul is praying will be what is going on in and through them.

[p 2224](7) The contribution in the second request. At the end of the first request is a statement that tran

tions on to the second petition that comes in v. 18. For Christ to dwell in this life-shaping fashion is for His lo

to etch out a profound influence on the life. So Paul says, fusing the first and second request into an intimblend, in love having been rooted and grounded.

This is all done in the sphere of (Gr. en) love. When the Spirit strengthens, producing His fruit in which l

is a prominent element (Gal. 5:22), Christ is vividly real, and His love is an active dynamic that gives todepth, warmth, and firmness to convictions. In this, two descriptions merge in perfect tense particip

thatexpress the cause, because you have been rooted and grounded in the past and have this in an ongo

sense. These two images use the agricultural figure of a tree being made firm by thrusting out far-reachroots and the architectural picture of a building that has solid and immoveable stability (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58) b

base that does not budge, literally, given a foundation.

This profound contribution of love flows into Pauls second request. It puts believers in a position to gra

it qualifies them to comprehend something of the vastness in Christs love. Love contributes to knowing more love, as Christian growth goes forward So we read the following.

[p 2225]That you might be suited to grasp. Pauls word, exischuo, means to be able, or qualified

put in a situation to do something. Here, with the infinitive that follows it, the idea the apostle prays for is


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be made able,or suited. It fits with he latter term, katalambano, which means to seize, win, lay hold

take possession as ones own, grasp, and so it has the idea here, comprehend. Only when the Spirit strengens and Christ lives at home in the life can believers have the ability to perceive the vastness of Gods lo

What Paul prays for will set them free from the effect of selfish living that dulls, dims, deadens, and darkens

life to things of the Spirit and Christ, and set them up really to live the godly life positively.What Paul pleads believers will be enhanced with is the divine sharpening ability to grasp the love. Thi

in terms of what is the breadth and length and height and depth of it. That the four descriptions point to lo

is natural since love is what the prayer is emphasizing right before and after. This idea is also suggested by

words that the love of Christ surpasses knowledge.Different possibilities may suggest how the praying Paul expects such vital love to do this. First, Gods

swer by in-worked love inspires believers to do things beyond what knowledge alone would prompt. For in

20 our expression of love while guided and guarded on the right tracks by knowledge need not be limitedknowledge but only by Gods power as it energizes in us. The Lords love is a force that ignites people

warms their hearts as living fire.

A second explanation is that the right kind of love, while including knowledge, is even a more ultimate e(cf. 1 Cor. 13:813). A third way to view it is that while love is not more important than knowledge, no mat

how our capacity of knowledge is filled, there is always yet more love to experience than we already kno

Love is, then, like the peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7), though a different Greek word surpassing occurs there. This may well be what Paul means in Eph. 3.

[p 2226]What is Paul appealing for in his four descriptions of love? He asks God to help believers reach in loves breadth, for example to persons, to embrace all who will receive, Jews and Gentiles (2:11ff.; 3:1

Rev. 7:9, all nations). And he beseeches the Lord to grow their love to respond to all blessings and live in good of them in Christlike living (1:3). The length he intercedes for has an enduring quality as in 1 Cor. 13:8

persisting on and on into the age of the ages, i.e. eternity (Eph. 3:21; cf. 1:21; 2:7; 3:11). He wants them

realize love that nothing can wrench them away from (Rom. 8:3539), and be willing to go to any valid lenthey can to share this love. As to height, Pauls quest is that this love will lift believers into the heavenlies (2

6), where Christ ascended (4:810), into deep and continual access with God (2:18; 3:12). And he entreats

Lord for a love that will leap over any obstacle, such as racial barriers (2:1218), different mores, customs, rages of hideous disease such as leprosy, even habits and grudges that can divide, and unfaithfulness as wh

God loved sinners and led Hosea to love Gomer. The depth of love from God is another detail for which P

pleads. The depth can show the resource love has, even riches that cannot run out as in experiencing and shoing forgiveness (1:7), going on to realize the inheritance (1:18), and reflecting kindness (2:7).

John Eadie on Ephesians cites Grotius long ago. This love in its depth reaches to mans lowest depressand in its height it carries him to highest glory (p. 253).

That you may be supplied to all the fullness. All three requests of Eph. 3 contribute to each other and int

mingle at the same time, just as do the three facets in Pauls prayer of 1:15ff. All are expressing what Paul pr

the Father will give you (v. 16a). A life strengthened by the Spirit, coordinated with Christ cordially madefeel at home, a life in Christs love, is a life filled with the Spirit (5:18). So it has the fruit of light (5:9), t

is fruit of the Spirit such as love (Gal. 5:2223). It is life filled with relation to (Gr. eis) all the fullness

God in Eph. 3:19.The word for fullness (pleroma) is a noun form related to the verb for being filled with the Spirit

5:18, pleroo. The noun does mean fullness, and in Eph. 1:23 both noun and verb appear close together. T

church is the fullness of the One who fills all things [in the universe, cf. Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3] with all suffici

cy. In Eph. 4:10 Christ Himself ascended that He might fill all things. And in 5:18 believers are to be filwith the Spirit. In every other instance in the letter, a member of the Godhead does the filling. The same

probably true in 3:19, and to be filled with all the fullness of God is reasonably to be filled with God,

strengthening Spirit (v. 16), and God, the indwelling Christ (1718).More is reserved for comments at 5:18.

[p 2227]Pauls prayer does not say that believers are filled with all of Gods fullness, i.e. to Gods capaty. They do not become co-equal with God, a multiplicity of Gods. What he does pray is that they will be fil

with relation to all of His fullness. Of course this is to their capacity, not all the way out to Gods infinite


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pacity. God alone is God. As Paul says, believers can keep growing, so their own capacity for fellowship w

God and usefulness to Him expands (2 Thess. 1:3).

Even in Eph. 4:13, growth of the Christian body with relation to [eis again] the fullness of Christ,

eventual complete development of the universal body of true believers is to their capacity, or the capacity t

Christ intends. It does not make filled believers co-equal with Christ in capacity, or even mean that they all hthe same capacity. The fullness is not an infinite one that turns each of us into a God, but the fullness God

tends for each to reach at any given time, allowing for growth, in His eternal purpose (3:11). It is to conform

each in our God-given but ever-expanding capacity, and with our different gifts (4:1116) and varied leading

be like His Son (Rom. 8:29; Phil. 3:21; 1 Jn.3:2).The Resource for It

Nearing the end of this intercessory labor, Paul in Eph. 3: 20 transitions into the praise aspect of prayer.

will complete this in v. 21. He says Now to Him and finishes out the tribute to God in the next verse whis to Him.

God is the resource to answer the intercession. He is able to do. Paul stresses Gods sufficiency in a s

enfold heaping up of thoughts that exalt Him. He is able to do (1) what we ask; (2) think; (3) all; (4) even abothis; (5) abundantly above it; (6) exceeding abundantly above; (7) according to the power that works in us.

[p 2228] The power that energizes in us is that of God (6:10). It is clarified close by in chap. 3 a

strengthening worked by the Spirit (v. 16), and the potency of love in Christ as He dwells at home (1718)also, evidently, is the power of the Father answering prayer. Paul distinguishes the Father from Christ as

2:18, in this instance of chap. 3 offering the Father praise (v. 21). In view of the close cooperation betwmembers of the Godhead it is probably unwise not to include all three here. Jesus had spoken of the Father a

Himself making their abode in believers (Jn. 14:2123), and the Spirit as well (14:17). And in Ephesians, Fathers power not only raised and seated Christ, but raised and seated all those in Christ (1:192:7). As

Phil. 2:13, God energizes in you, a statement very similar to Eph. 3:20. In that context God may refer

the Father who is distinguished from Christ (vv. 9, 11; cf. 15a), and Christ is seen distinctly (1, 5, 7, 10).

The Referral of the GloryThe apostles praise had begun in v. 20, but he devoted most of the verse was devoted to extolling Go

power that is able to answer such great requests. In v. 21 the accent is directly on praise to His glory. Two facsum this up.

The sphere of it. Praise is in the church and in Christ Jesus. Such prayer ought to flood the church in view

God granting answers to such prayerfor power, the sense of Christ and His love, and filling with all that saints need. Believers can also think of Gods faithfulness earlier in the letter, His choosing and marking

their destiny in advance, His answers to the prayer of 1:15ff. relating to their hope, inheritance and power, the privilege of being in the spiritual temple and spiritual body. They even can meditate on their free access i

His very presence in 2:18 and 3:12.

The praise is in Christ Jesus as well. Saints can remember before God, as Paul points them to do, that

of their blessings are in Christ (1:3; 3:11) and through His work for them (1:7).

[p 2229]The span of it. A great volume of praise can appropriately pour forth to God to all generation

i.e. all the generations that the saved of all time will come from, whose destiny will be with God. This dest

will be, literally, to the age of the ages. The last expression seems to be a picturesque Hebraism to descreternity. Its literal idea might denote the future eternal age as the age that is superlative among all the ages,

capstone, eternal. Or it may simply refer to the one unending age which includes all ages to come (2:7; 3:1Human minds think of ages as a help to grasp what far exceeds their imaginations. In either case the praiseGod is fitting to extend in utterances for all eternity.

Now that Paul ends his prayer (amen), other people of prayer can review principles they glean from

model. First, when we speak of admittance into the presence of God we ought to practice it as Paul does. cond, when we do not want fellow-believers to lose heart, we like Paul can intercede. We too can plead

Gods power, for Christ being at home, and for Gods fullness.

Third, the reason that was a magnet drawing Paul to his knees can teach us to put our focus on great spirit

benefits and not become preoccupied just with provision to cover daily needs. However, it can be urgent, aglorify God, if we ask aright that He give us such a gift as our daily bread too (Matt. 6:11). Fourth, it is possi

to pray vitally even when we bring thoughts of Gods sovereignty over all creation into the experience.

Fifth, it is good to think of whatever we ask of God as a benefit He will give in grace.


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[p 2230]How many labor under the burden of false schemes they fancy will stock them with merits as l

erage to get whatever they desire in prayer. Sixth, when we pray for the Spirits strength we should be very ssitive to prize the things He counts as precious, as things that promote Christs love (cf. 5:17) , matters of li

(Eph. 5:814) and values that wisdom supplies (5:1517). If we throw up spiritual roadblocks to thwart G

from having His way in our lives, how will He think it fitting to grant us His strength? He wants to empower

to do His will (v. 17)l, not to sidestep it to indulge in our own wasteful living as in 5:18a. We can also integrsuch denials of His will as a lack of the love in v. 2, impurity and unwholesome speech as in 37, and whate

is of darkness in 814, and things of the sinful side of life in chaps. 4 and 6.

Seventh, we may have to pray a lot of junk out of peoples lives as we pray the positive things Paul bedown on here. Eighth, as we are earnestly sensitive to Gods Word and in serving His people we will see m

and more of His love in its breadth, length, height and depth. Paul was an example in this, and he moves qu

freely from this example to entreaty at the throne. Ninth, we may soon discover that no matter how much know of God, what often reaches beyond this and touches people most is how we love them. As Paul shows

here, this is even in love that gets on its knees in prayer. Tenth, a good reminder in our prayers for others is t

what Gods people need most is to be filled in relation to all the fullness that God intends for them.Still other principles call our attention. One is to pray believing as Paul does that God is able to answer. W

often need to sweep aside all the clutter of doubt, and celebrate the God who can work things out better than

even ask. A final keynote is that we will be praising God through all eternity, and now it is high time to

much about this high Christian occupation.

Eph. 5:4Thanksa Pure Kind of TalkPrayer occurs twice in Chap. 5, both a focus on the aspect of thanksgiving (vv. 4, 20). Words speaking

preciation to God are set in a context of love, light, wisdom and the Spirit filled life. They hit sharply again

life of lust, of darkness, of foolishness, and of being controlled by wine which is sheer loss.Giving thanks becomes clear in three steps.

The Context for It[p 2231]First, the general flow of the passage helps to fit thanks in. Paul devotes three chapters to the C

ing of the Church to lofty privileges, and to his prayer for their realizing the benefits. Then in 4:1 he begins

focus on the Conduct of the Church in a walk that is consistent with the wealth. He exhorts believers to let th

walk have equal weight with (i.e. be a worthy expression of) their riches in 4:1. The word walk had appea

in 2:2 for their unsaved conduct and in 2:10 for the life God called them to. Having reintroduced it in 4:1,uses it four more times for a total of seven (4:17; 5:2, 8, 15). They are to walk in unity (4:116), holiness (4:1

32), love (5:17), light (5:814), wisdom (5:1517), the Spirit (5:186:9), and in the armor for spiritual w

fare (6:1020).Paul, having thoroughly established the pattern on the word walk, does not use the word itself again,

carries on the emphasis related to their practical lives.

In the specific context, thanksgiving (5:4) is consistent with the walk in love (5:2), and the opposite of a capitulating to lust. Christ is the supreme example of a walk in love (v. 2). His model is a sterling picture to

people of love that offers up the life sacrificially to God (cf. Rom. 6:13; 12:1) as a fragrant aroma to Him. B

lievers are not to tolerate immorality, or any kind of impurity or greed; they are to keep it from working witor breaking out among them, as is the fitting life of decency among Gods saints. They are to be on gu

against filthiness, talk that is insipid or suggestive of taking advantage of others to satisfy lust, or any cou

jesting that discolors ideals, for example in sexual relations. Such attitudes are not appropriate, whereas giv

of thanks is.

The Call to It[p 2232]Prayer does fit the case. It sees things as Gods gifts to be used according to His purposes, and

fers gratitude to Him. The word is eucharistia. It often appears for giving thanks (Acts 24:3; 2 Cor. 4:15; 9

Phil. 4:6). The verb form is Pauls choice in the famous call to give thanks in everything (I Thess. 5:17), a

Eph. 5:20 where giving thanks for all things is a fruit issuing from a Spirit-filled life two verses earlier. C

lossians 1:12 urges thanksgiving in association with strengthening by Gods power, steadfastness, patience ajoy. And 4:2 commands being devoted to prayer, keeping up alertness with gratitude. This aspect in prayer

saturating element of the Christian life in all the passages.

The Contrast in It


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How is offering of thanks a meaningful contrast to a life that caters slavishly to filth, foolish talk and lo

life remarks, in a context focusing heavily on sexually immoral values? For Paul speaks of the immorality, ththe people who become characterized by it, and finally their destiny (wrath) in contrast to the destiny of

saved (inheriting the kingdom). The sharp contrast of thanking God to indulging in the impure is along lin

that follow.

Indulging in the Impure Thanking GodDissatisfaction and the craving to Satisfaction with Gods sufficiency gratify it

Selfish focus on things that please Sterling focus on things that please God the flesh, apart from Gods w

(things are fitting) (things are unfitting)Illusion that things satisfy Reality that only God can satisfy (gaze on pleasures) (gaze on His presence, pr

leges in Him)

Grasping to glorify oneself Gratitude that glorifies GodGiving thanks is an outflow, basically, of faith that believes God alone can fill the life with real conte

ment. It also expresses faiths submission that says He, not sinful desires or exploiting other people, is the w

thy object with which the life should be absorbed.

[p 2233]Which principles impact us here? First, a habit of thanks always fits the opportunities God gi

us, but impurity always runs askew from Him. Prayer can be a powerful positive force where promiscuity mi

become rampant. Second, a life lived in love is a life lived in gratitude to God. For He knows the meaning

true love. shown in His eternal plan (1:45; 2:4), His ideal for us (4:16), His Sons sacrifice for us (5:2), and H

blueprint for the attitude a husband is to show his wife (5:25). One good gauge for how we are doing in a win love is how we are doing in prayer. A prime example is in thanksgiving, realizing the victory over sin.

Eph. 5:20

Filled and Thanking GodThis second instance of prayer thanking the Lord in Chap. 5 accompanies lives that are filled with the Sp

(vv. 18, 20). That is true in 5:4 as well, but Paul keeps integrating into the picture key elements that occur

gether in the healthy Christian walk. The context is vivid with this, and the other facets of the thanksgiving p

sage have their place in this developing onrush of thought.

The ContextPauls first three chapters highlight the calling of the church to eternal riches, the last three the conduct t

is consistent with such wealth. Beginning in 4:1, the focus turns to expanding on the Christians walk of 2:

which is so different from the old walk when unsaved (v. 2). The new life of Gods people is variously scribed as what it should bea worthy walk in unity (4:116), the same life one of holiness (4:1732), lo

(5:17), and light (5:814). Then in 5:1517 the walk at the same time is in wisdom, in the value system

Gods Word and will rather than in a fools standards and choices. It is, here, a behavior that is alertly carelit. one that is looking around deliberately to move in the right ways (v. 15). It is a conduct of redeeming

time (16), lit., buying up the opportunities to use time to wise, spiritual value and not squander it on sin

when unsaved (2:13; 4:1719; 5:14). And it is a deportment based on grasping and obeying what Gods wil(17). His will is also profiled as fruit of light (9), and what is pleasing to the Lord (10).

[p 2234]A pattern in which the word walk keeps flagging new descriptions of the genuine Christian

which has many splendors (4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15) has reached into our present passage. But the emphasis from forward is like the surge of a river, marking the course even ahead. Paul continues to summon Christians t

practical realization of the lives their status in Christ shows is fitting (5:3). So, another way to describe how

walk is being filled with the Spirit, and living this out in fruit as in v. 9. Paul shows expressions of the fill

in the fellowship with God and one another (5:1921), in husbands loving their wives and their wives beingsubmission to them (5:22ff.), in parent-child harmony (6:14), in values of bosses and their workers (6:59)

the features of armor (1017), and in committed prayer (1820).

The CommandsVerse 18 features a contrast of two commands, between what not to do and what to do. It follows Pauls

quent pattern of negative/positive contrasts (4:1415, 1617, 2223, 25, 28, 29, 3132; 5:23; 911, 15, 17; 6

57, etc.). The point in 5:18 is on not getting drunk with wine but being filled with the Spirit. The focus on fing is not completed at the end of the verse as even the English translation shows the ongoing thought by

comma. Paul leaps right on, at least into verses 1921, to relate the life-style there with what Spirit filled beli

ers do. So the commands of v. 18 fit in as parts of a pattern giving commands on what not to do and what to


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The nearest ones, in vv. 15 and 17, distinguish an alert walk and knowing what Gods will is. The reader

penetrate even farther back to a rhythm of commands that mark out the life-style God wants His people to avand assert, as often in 4:15:14.

[p 2235]Both the negative and positive commands of v. 18 are in a form that can have either of two ide

They can have the sense of the middle voice, focusing on the believers own responsibility and their own int

est in not getting drunk but responsibly seeing to it that they get themselves filled with the Spirit. Or they chave the passive idea, still one of responsibility, do not be being made drunk with wine, the emphasis fall

on the effect wine will work, but see that you are filled by the Spirit, bearing the fruit (9) that He can fulfil

you. Either the middle or the passive is very fitting, and preferably with the passive meaning (filled by Spirit) they themselves are accountable. For throughout chaps. 46, the commands call them to obey. Since

much wine acts within drinkers to cause drunkenness but believers are filled by the Spirit, the contrast in p

sives is quite natural.

The ContinuationBoth ideas, get drunk and be filled, are in the present tense. So the commands set forth this differen

do not be habitually drunk, but to be filled as a continuing all-the-time life-style. And so in v. 20 the prayerthanksgiving that is an outflow of the filling is to be always for all things. The picture of v. 14 is co

sistent. The pictures of awaking from sleep and its darkness (5:14) and arising from among the dead (cf. 2

5:14) give way to a new description. Christ can shine as a spiritual sun on those who have awaked and risen

new life. Gods people are to walk in this light as in vv. 814, or in this wisdom in 1517. Another way to

scribe the same life is to speak of people filled with the Spirit, in any of the depictions for all the time, now,contrast to formerly when they were in darkness (v. 8).Believers can truly be redeeming the time (16), every bit of it, using it as wise people (15) carrying

Gods will (17).

The Content

[p 2236]What fills the life? In the case of drinking and becoming drunk with wine, the wine fills. But in

ing filled with the Spirit, the Spirit evidently provides the content. This meaningfully is Christ. For in 3:16

the Spirit strengthened life is that in which Christ dwells in His abode. He has the run of the house, what is (cf. Jn. 14:2123; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 1:21; Col. 3:4). On both sides of the Eph. 5:18 contrast, the element, wine

Spirit, is preceded by the Greek preposition, en, meaning in, with, or by. It is more natural to see being dru

as with or by the imbibed wine that induced this, and not wading or lying in a pool of wine. Be

filled is meaningfully with or by the Spirit, though certainly in the sphere of His great resource. Alas Paul could see Christ as the content of his life, to me to live is Christ (Phil. 1:21), he could also see

Spirit as the content. God the Fatherdwells in His temple, the church, and can fill it with Himself too (cf. 2:2Jesus had said that He and the Father would make their abode in believers (John 14:2123), and as the Spiri

there, strengthening, Christ can live as quite at home in them (Eph. 3:1617). The Spirit glorifies Christ (

16:14), and the Spirit and Christ live in harmony.

This can be analogous to God filling His ancient tabernacle and later the temple with the glory cloud refleing His presence (Exod. 40:3435; 1 Kin. 8:11). At the same time the redeemed are described as capable of

ing filled with the knowledge of Gods will (Col. 1:9; cf. Eph. 1:17; 3:1819a; 5:15, 17), and with the fruit t

springs from righteousness (Phil. 1:11; cp. Gal. 5:2223; Eph. 5:9). So when the members of the Godhead pvade the lives of the saved, the content is God and the quality of life He generates. The fruit is not only outw

as shown in speaking to one another, singing together, giving thanks, and submitting to one another (Eph. 5:21), but first within.

The Concepts

[p 2237]To be filled (Gr. pleroo) seems to have the same connotations the word reflects in other pass

es. When Mary put precious perfume on Jesus feet, the entire house was filled with the fragrance (Jo12:3). Obviously the fragrance was conspicuous in the atmosphere, permeating, defining, and controlling it.

be filled with the knowledge of Gods will (Col. 1:9) is to be characterized by it, being effectively in the g

of its vital, mastering influence. To be filled with the fruit that is in the sphere of righteousness (Eph. 5:9) ahas its source in righteousness from God (Phil. 1:11) is to be characterized by the kind of fruit the prayer in C

1:912 mentions. This is love, alert discernment that approves values that are excellent, and a life pure a


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blameless. It is appropriate t that being filled means being gripped by the dominating influence of, controll

conspicuous in properties that are true of whatever fills.Where the word appears in Acts, it has such ideas. In Acts 2:4, the Spirit filled the human participant

Pentecost. It made them conspicuous with power He gave to speak in tongues praising God. In 4:8 Peter wh

filled with or by the Spirit was empowered and controlled to speak what God wanted. Later, 4:31 shows t

believers while praying together were filled, infused by great power to speak Gods Word with boldnesswitness, to be unified, and show compassion in helping others. In 13:52, the disciples were filled with joy a

the Holy Spirit, the verb emphasizing the continuous, pervasive ongoing of this. They were characterized by j

and the Spirit, evidently conspicuous in manifesting good cheer and the Spirits presence in other ways as weA meaning of this nature for filled in Eph. 5:18 fits well the contrast between influences, that of wine a

that of the Spirit. Paul commands not to be drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, or waste. The w

asotia literally refers to what is of a non-saving nature, of sheer loss, of no benefit at all. This explanation

drunkenness shows what characterizes it. A person out of control staggers in pathetic recklessness, or speak

a slur that makes no sense, or explodes in a blind rage, or sprawls in filth in a gutter. He do

Documents

Rosscup J E 2008 EPHESIANS an Exposition on Prayer in the Bible Igniting the Fuel to Flame Our Communication With God