< Ephesians 1:3-14 | Ephesians 2:1-10 >
Note: This article is a study through this passage of scripture using the SIDL model. If you are unfamiliar with this, please read this summary, or this more in-depth walk through to understand what's being done here.
Ephesians 1:15-23 The Student
Paul's prayer for his audience continues. 1:15 picks up with the phrase "for this reason." Paul is a trained logical thinker and as such this sort of connecting phrase is always important to pay attention to. Paul says, "for this reason, I have not stopped giving thanks for you..." The reason that motivates him to pray for his readers is everything he has laid out in 1:1-14: that God has chosen these people, set them apart to be holy and blameless, for the purpose of fulfilling the mystery of his will, bringing all things together under Christ. Paul is so thrilled that his readers have chosen to become a part of God's unfolding plan, that he can't stop praying for them. He has been praying for his readers "ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints." Two things stand out in this passage.
First, this is another spot that seems to indicate that Paul was not writing to people he knew well and was emotionally attached to--which means he very likely wasn't writing to the church in Ephesus. (for more on this, see the intro to Ephesians) Second, he was encouraged when he heard two things about his readers--their faith in Jesus and their love for the saints. These to things will always go hand in hand.
For all these reasons (the two things he had heard and all the things he is excited about from 1:1-14), Paul has been praying for these people. The word translated as "remembering" in 1:16 literally means "making mention." So, Paul has not been able to stop mentioning these people in his prayers. At this point Paul's prayer moves from worship toward intercession as he begins to pray for his readers. (1:17)
His first prayer for these people is that "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."(1:17) This verse is all centered around God revealing himself so that these people could come to know him more.
First, He's identified as the God of Jesus Christ--that means He can be known by learning what Jesus had to say about Him. Second, He's the "glorious Father." This is another place where the Greek is a little unclear. It could either mean "the Father who is glorious" or "the Father of glories." This is opened up a little when we understand that the word "glory" in the Bible most often refers to "that which makes God or His activity visible." So in either case, the emphasis is again on God revealing himself. So the phrase could mean "the Father who is showing Himself" or "the Father of that which revealed Himself" This second reading could actually be a reference to Jesus, since Jesus is the highest revelation of God, and as such could be the "glory" that Paul is referring to.
Third, Paul prays that his readers would be given wisdom and revelation by the Holy Spirit. Wisdom is insight. Revelation is the uncovering of something that is hidden--in this case, God's character and will. All this comes together,"so that you may know him better." Paul continues in this vein, wanting to emphasize the deep internal nature of this knowledge of God. (1:18) "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, in the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."
"The eyes of your heart" is a unique phrase, emphasizing the truth that this knowledge of God is something visible often only internally and that a certain spiritual eyesight is necessary to see it at all. Paul says that this opening of the spiritual eyes is for the purpose of giving us hope. Faith, hope and love are a common package in the New Testament and in the first chapter of Ephesians we find all three together. Hope is the future-oriented aspect of our faith. Paul indicates that the reason for this hope is that his readers have been called by God into "the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" This is another complicated phrase of Paul's that is unclear in its specific meaning. Clearly, it is a good thing and it's something that Paul says inspires hope. There are two primary understandings of Paul's words:
- The inheritance mentioned is what Paul has already been describing through chapter one to this point, that we have been "predestined to be adopted" so that we can become holy and blameless for the purpose of participating in God's revealed will to bring everything rightly under the headship of Jesus. This would include all the blessings that Paul enumerates in the first 15 verse of the chapter. Certainly that is enough to inspire hope. A very great inheritance, indeed. Basically the text could be paraphrased like this: "in order that you may know the hope to which you've been called, to receive as saints this incredibly valuable inheritance" This reading seems in line with what Paul has already said in the chapter.
- The other reading is more complicated. It seems more accurate to the actual words Paul uses, but it is slightly different from what the rest of the chapter has said so far. In this reading the inheritance is not what the saints receive, but in fact what God receives. The complicated Greek is found in this phrase: "the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." Literally that says: "the wealth of the glory of his inheritance in the ones set apart" Wealth means something of great value. Glory, once again, means the visible manifestation of God's action. The Greek clearly says "His inheritance" That could either be "the inheritance He is giving to us," but it could equally be "the inheritace He receives."
It all turns on the last three words "in the saints." These words make it sound almost like the inheritance actually is the saints Thus, the passage could be saying something like: "...the incomparibly great value of seeing God's action expressed when He receives the people He has set aside for Himself." That would mean that when God inherits His own people, fully brought back to Him, then His glory will be clearly seen. Either of these readings can equally be supported from the Greek. But the discussion is not really too significant, since in either case the end result is a good one and essentially the same--God chose His people and He ultimately receives them to Himself. Whether that is our inheritance (it certainly is) or His inheritance (could be as well), doesn't really matter much. Either case is good and inspires hope--what Paul was getting at.
Paul wants his readers to know God more and to have their spiritual eyes opened so that they would know God and in knowing God, have hope. In addition to the hope, Paul wants them to know God's power. (1:19-20) "...and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raise him from the dead..."
"Incomparably great" is the Greek work hyperballon which is where we get the word hyperbole So Paul is saying that God's power is abosolutely over the top and beyond anything we know. And all that power is "for us who believe." This implies two things. First, that it is for the benefit of those who believe. Second,that it is only truly available to those who believe.
Then Paul talks about the depth of that power by pointing his readers to the most significant and visible manifestation of it: the resurrection of Jesus. 1:19-20 "That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms..." Whenever Paul comes up against a question of whether or not God is able to accomplish something, he always reverts to this proof: He raised Christ from the dead.
Interesting grammatial point: the Greek here is "raised Christ from among the dead." So, the focus is not simply that Christ was dead and now through the power of God he is dead no longer, although that is very good news. The focus is that through God's power Christ was raised out from all those who are dead. That means that His resurrection is not an isolated event, but the first resurrection among many. So the hope made available to us is not simply that Christ is risen, but that we will be risen as well. "His resurrection is an inauguration of the final resurrection."
But that "incomparably great" power extends even beyond this amazing event. For God not only raised Christ from among the dead, but also gave Him complete and universal authority. (1:20-22) "...which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the age to come. And God placed all things under his feet..."
This passage simply reiterates over and over the power and authority that Christ has. He is seated "at the right hand" of God. The "right hand" of a ruler was the place of effective authority and strength. Jesus sits in that place. He is seated in heavenly realms. (See the note under the Interpreter section of 1:3-14 regarding heavenly realms.) His authority is so high, so absolute that it is "far above" all other rule, authority, power, dominion and title, now and
forever.
(1:22-23) "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Once again, God has placed everything under Christ's authority (under His feet) and made Him head over everything. This has been done, Paul says, "for the church" which means for the benefit of the church.
This is the first place Paul uses the word church (ekklesia means "the ones who have been called out") in Ephesians. Paul is clearly referring to the universal church and not to some specific local body of believers. Paul identifies the church as Christ's body, a major image he uses over and over again. Here the body image emphasized the essential unity and connection between the saints and Christ. The saints are called out (chosen) and the church is made up of all those who have been called out ("the called out ones"). We've been called into adoption (1:5) and thus are included "in Christ" (1:13) So now, we are intimately a part of Him.
Ephesians 1:15-23 The Interpreter
Faith and love together
"Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints." Paul commends these two things in his readers and they are to be commended in us as well. They are twin characteristics and will always be found together. A growing love for Jesus will always be seen in a growing love for His people. This makes sense, considering Paul's theology, for if we are all adopted into Christ, then all the saints are "in Christ" as well and our love for Christ will naturally include His entire body.
God is Knowable.
One of the major implications of this passage (of all of Ephesians so far) is that God is knowable. Even though He is the infinite creator and we are finite creatures it is His desire that we would know Him and His will for us (1:8-9). Paul says several things about knowing God in this passage:
- (1:9) It is God's "good pleasure" to reveal His will to us.
- (1:17) God is the God of Jesus Christ. So the starting point for knowing the character and intentions of God would be getting to know Jesus and what He said about His God.
- (1:17) God is the "glorious Father" which means, as indicated above, that He is one who reveals himself.
- (1:18 ) God gives through His Holy Spirit wisdom and revelation. When the Bible uses the word "wisdom" it always means practical insight for right living. Revelation means the "uncovering" of something that has been hidden. So, the Holy Spirit is giving us insight to help us live and revealing to us things about God that we could not see on our own.
- (1:18 ) Knowing God requires spiritual eyesight. At some point the "eyes of our heart" have to be opened to see spiritual reality, but this is something God can and does do.
Knowing God leads to Hope.
All of this discussion about knowing God is for a specific reason, Paul says "That you may know the hope to which He has called you." Our chosen-ness opens us up to hope because of the end result that we know we are due for. Our future is forever changed and for the better. That hope inspires and changes our present. While we live fully in the present, that present is informed by looking toward a positive future. "An essential characteristic of Christianity is its tilt toward the future."
God is Powerful.
We live in a world where many people believe in a God who is essentially powerless. Some see God as an impersonal force, unable to be known. Others see God as an absentee landlord who perhaps created, but is not available practically to His creation in any meaningful way. Others suggest that whatever God is, He is so far removed from us that we cannot know Him or interact with Him. But Paul sees God in a powerful yet paradoxical way.
On the one hand, God is knowable and even intimate. We can be 'in Him." On the other hand, God is absolutely powerful, the complete ruler of all that is. This passage of Ephesians portrays God's power and authority in an amazing way. It raised Christ from among the dead. It set Him above every power and authority. It guarantees our adoption and restoration under Christ. There is nothing which ultimately can stand opposed to the completion of His will.
What about the "rulers and authories?
This is the passage in the King James Version where we get the phrase "powers and principalities." In 1:21 (NIV, KJV) God sets Christ in authority and Paul gives a list of five things He is in authority over: rule (or rulers, the Greek is arche), authority (exousia), power (dynamis), dominion (kyriotetos, Lordship) and title (name).
Some scholars read this as a list of different human authorities that the early believers might have run up against. Many others read this as a list of spiritual powers or spiritual beings (angels, evil angels, demons, etc.) that can oppress believers. There is some support for this idea, since the Jews of Paul's day had a highly developed angelology, believing that angels and other spiritual beings controlled or influenced much of life. Very much has been made of this list and there are whole groups of Christians that focus nearly entirely on naming and rebuking evil spiritual beings. The Bible itself certainly makes no apologies about its belief in the existance of evil spiritual beings and there are plenty of examples in scripture of those beings being "cast out" or rebuked.
This passage however doesn't really take us in that direction. Paul doesn't give us enough clues to be able to completely identify who he is talking about. He uses all five of these terms in other places in other ways. He certainly could be referring to spiritual beings and powers, as he does in other places in Ephesians or he may be referring to human authorities or structures of power. He could be referring to some combination of the two. But, this is one more place where the precise details don't actually matter, because the intent and final outcome is the same. The NIV Application commentary puts it well: "Whatever powers exist--real or imaginary, human or nonhuman--they are all subject to Christ. In fact, the New Testament shows little interest in the powers other than to say they have been defeated, as a variety of texts affirm...the powers are not in control. He is. The powers are not equal combatants on the stage of life. They are subjects, and the only one in control is Jesus Christ.
It's clear that Paul thought about evil spiritual beings, but their existance was no threat to him and they didn't matter to him one bit. He does not mention them to us in this passage to encourage us or teach us to "take them on" but simply to show clearly that they were (and are) completely subjugated and overpowered by Jesus. Paul's focus is not on the power and influence of these evil beings, but on the power and authority of Christ, who has already completely overcome these powers. Our emphasis ought to be in the same place.
The church is God working out His plan.
Jesus has been given all authority and power over all the above-mentioned powers and all the blessings of the first 15 verses have been given for the same reason: so that we could be chosen, predestined to be adopted into Christ, to become holy and blameless, for the purpose of being used by God to fulfill His ultimate goal of restoring everything that exists under the headship of Christ. Once we are adopted, we are "included in Him." (1:13) Now that we are "in Him" we are a part of His body. Because we were chosen for this, we are called "the chosen ones" (hints at the idea of "the remnant" from the Old Testament) or in the Greek, "the ones called out." (ekklesia) This is why we are called the church. We were called out. Called out of our old lives into a new one. Called out of our natural inheritance "in Adam"into a new inheritance "in Christ". Called out because God in His will chose us for His purposes.
This means that the chuch is not theologically a gathering of people who believe similarly. The church certainly isn't an institution that exists for the propagation of a certain religious culture. The church is a metaphysical being. It is the name God chose for those whom He called into adoption into His Son. It is the identification of Jesus' body on this earth. That means that we don't belong to a church. We are members (mela means "body parts") of Christ's body.
Jesus' Authority
How has Jesus been "given all authority" and yet God's plan is to return everything under Jesus' headship? This is another issue that can take a very long explanation. It basically refers to a very prevalent tension that we find throughout the Bible that theologians have called the "Now and the Not Yet." Many of the blessings and promises of scripture are worded in ways that indicate that we have them already. But our experience in life tells us that while we might have them in part, we certainly don't have them completely to the point where our lives or our world are made new.
Here in the first chapter of Ephesians this tension is seen in Jesus. God's plan is to return "all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." (1:10) This implies something yet to happen. It's in the future. But 1:19-23 indicate that all things have already been put under the authority and control of Jesus. It's written as if it has already happened in the past. This creates tension. Has it happened already or will it happen in the future?
The answer in short is BOTH. We are already in Christ. But we will be finally brought into union with Him at the second coming. God's new Kingdom is already present. But it will come in completion at the second coming. Christ is making us into new creations, but we will be made new at the second coming.
Ephesians 1:1-2 The Disciple
Note: The Disciple role looks at the passage for what it says about how to live, and can only be done with a personal application. As I look at this passage, some of what I reflect on may be subjectively directed at me--since I'm looking at the issue of how to live my life. Hopefully much of this is transferrable to you, but please remember that this is an example of one follower of Jesus applying this passage to his own life. --Marc Schelske
Does my "love for the saints" match my "faith in Jesus?" It's very easy to feel like my faith in Jesus is growing, but not see that growth mirrored in a changed heart for people. It's easy to justify, I should say. But in reality if my faith is truly growing, my heart for people will be as well. This is especially true, Paul says, of my love for God's people. Loving the church isn't an option for Christians. The church is in one image "the bride of Christ." In another image it's His body. If I love Jesus, how can I not love His bride or even His body? This statement is a reminder to me to be open in my dealings with people and to intentionally seek to grow in my expression of love for them--especially my expression of love for "the saints."
"I have not stopped giving thanks for you..." Paul's grateful prayer is a challenge to me in two ways. First, I tend to be very inconsistant and generally not persistant in my prayers. Paul is speaking as one who prays and doesn't stop or give up. Second, this prayer of his is a prayer of thanks and of intercession. The prayers I am the most consistant with tend to be prayers for my own needs, almost as if God doesn't know what my needs are. So Paul's example to me is to be more consistant and persistant in my prayers, especially in my prayers of thanks and my prayers for others.
What Am I Doing to Know God More? If the implication that God is knowable is a part of this passage, then the ramification of that is that I ought to pursue that knowledge. Paul is saying in the first chapter of Ephesians that God has a huge plan for the universe that I can be a part of. But I won't know what role to play if I am not growing in my knowledge of God. Am I taking advantage of every avenue to know God more?
In this passage Paul mentions two major avenues for knowing God more. First, he prays for his readers that the "eyes of their hearts would be opened." This is the avenue of the Holy Spirit doing his revealing work in my heart. I can pray for this as well--for me or for others. Am I doing this regularly? Second, he reminds us that this Almighty Creator God is also "the God of Jesus." That means He's the God Jesus worshiped and prayed to. He's the God Jesus spoke about. He's the God Jesus knew. So, getting to know everything I can about Jesus--how He worshipped, how He prayed, what He taught, and even the nature of His character--will open up to me new ways of knowing God.
Do I Live With Hope? Paul suggests that all of this amazing stuff he's talking about comes together in one place: "That you may know the hope to which he has called you." How much hope I live with reflects on how much I have taken hold of God and what He has done for me. Faith is believing that God is trustworthy to take care of my life. Hope is projecting that belief into what feels like an uncertain future. Both of these are built on knowing the truth about God's love. If I really know God's love for me, then I will have faith. If I really believe that God is trustworthy to take care of me, then I will have hope. If I don't have hope right now in my life, that is a warning flag that perhaps I have not truly come to understand God's love for me or perhaps haven't really come to believe that He is trustworthy.
As I living as if God is powerful? Paul says that there is simply nothing that can compete with God's power and that that power is available to those who believe. Am I living as if this were true? It's so easy for me to live as if I am the only god that matters. What would it mean for me to live as if I believed that God was as powerful as Paul portrays Him? It would impact my level of trust. It would strengthen my faith. It would empower me to make decisions that I know are right but don't seem like the best thing for me given my circumstances--because I know that God is more powerful than my circumstances. It would let me live with greater peace. it would help me surrender my future, my reputation, my insecurities and fears into God's hands instead of letting them control me. (Or me trying to control them...)
Why am I a part of the church? It's a good question and my answer to it will determine in large part my feelings toward the church and my behavior as a member. I'm part because I joined--that's true. (As long as we remember the distinction between a local congregation and becoming included in the body of Christ.) I responded in belief to God's call in my life--that makes me a part of the church, not as a member of an organization or institution, but as a member (remember that the Greek here is mela which means "body part" like an arm or foot.) of Christ's body.
At the highest level, I am a member (mela) because God chose me (1:4). He chose me because it pleased Him to include me in His plan to restore everything in the universe under the headship of Christ. His avenue to that end is to make me holy and blameless. That's it--the whole purpose of the church. God is going to restore everything (everything in me, every one around me, the environment, the earth, the universe) rightly ordered under Christ and I have a chance to participate in that. Will I? Everything I do to know God more takes me further in that direction, making me a more effective partner in His plan. Everything I do to cooperate with His desire to make me holy and blameless takes my deeper into His will, both for me as an individual and for the universe.
God's definition of the church is this: the people He has chosen to be adopted into His Son for His purpose of restoring the universe. That's a much cooler definition for church than any I've experience for much of my life. And it's something I'm thrilled to be a part of.
Ephesians 1:15-23 The Lover
Note: The Lover role looks at the passage for what God is saying to the reader directly, and like the Disciple role, can only be done from a personal perspective. In this role, the reader is listening and responding to what God is saying about Himself, about the reader and about the relationshi between them. As such, I will just reflect on my own experience in this area. Remember that this is only the example of one follower of Jesus trying to her God's voice in the passage. --Marc Schelske
Father, once again I am amazed at the perspective of life that You communicated through Paul. It's so astounding and such an elevated of a view of You, of the church, even of me. I never really thought these kinds of big thoughts about the church growing up. It never even occurred to me that I was a part of something so monumental, so impacting, so crucial to the future of the world.
As I come to understand what the church means to You, help my love for the church (the people really, since that's what the church is) to grow and deepen. Don't let me fall into the trap of seeing the people as an obstacle, but knowing that they are the glorious inheritance You're preparing for Yourself, that You love above all else. Grow that kind of love in me. Grow that love to the point where I too can say with Paul that I never stop giving thanks for Your people.
I want to thank you for this amazing fact: I can know You. It doesn't make sense to me sometimes. How could I know anything about You? But the answer really is simple--because You have revealed Yourself to me. Thank you so much for this unexpected and undeserved gift. Grow my desire to know You more. Help me to drink fully and deeply of every opportunity I have to grow in knowing You. Teach me about Yourself through what I'm learning about Jesus. Teach me through Your Holy Spirit. Father, open the eyes of my heart so I can truly see You and the things that matter.
Thank You for the purpose and hope You give my life. As I get to know You more and understand Your intentions towards me, it fills me with hope. Help me to live daily out of the center of that hope. I want know that You are trustworthy to take care of my life and to surrender everything about me into Your hands--my future, my reputation, my insecurities, my view of myself, my definition of success, everything. Help me trust you with myself. Thank You for your gracious patience with me as I learn to trust.
As I'm learning, continue to help me know and understand Your power. You know that I live all too often out of my own bases of power. Help me to surrender those "fortresses" to You and lean on Your power and understanding. Thank You that the power that raised Jesus from among the dead, raises me today from my spiritual death and will raise me from physical death. Help me to live my life in the shadow of that power, trusting You for my circumstances.
You've already done so much for me. Thank You for choosing me and including me in Your body. Thank You for making me into a intimately connected part of Your body. Give me insight into what this means and how to live it out daily.
Thank You for being everything that I need. You nourish me. You sustain me. You lift me up. You open my eyes and give me hope. You've called me and You're changing me. Thank You so much! I love You.
This text is (C) 2003 Marc Schelske. All Rights Reserved, and is reprinted here with permission. This material can be printed or copied for personal use and may be distributed for use in study groups, but it cannot be reproduced for any other reason without permission.
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