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Love and Prayers Lay the Foundation in Ephesians 15 – 16
15 – 16: Paul will set out some key themes for this epistle. But first, he acknowledges the reader’s foundation of “trust” (often translated as faith – πίστιν is persistent trust, faithfulness or as N.T Write translates it: believing loyalty) and love (agape ἀγάπην) and lets them know of his care and concern in his prayers.
Key Themes and Ideas in Ephesians 1:17-23
17: Growing awareness of the future (hope)to which God has called his people, to manifest the divine glory by ruling creation in the love and power of God.
18: Growing awareness of the future “inheritance”. The glory of the new creation ruled by God’s holy people.
19: Awareness of God’s life-creating power available to those of believing loyalty.
20-23: An exposition on the divine power of resurrection life
20: The resurrection and exaltation of Jesus as cosmic ruler was the inauguration of God’s Kingdom, the new creation (“heaven”) which now rules over our current age [Psalm 110 and Daniel 7 see below].
21-22a: Jesus is exalted as the true divine-human ruler of the cosmos, dethroning the “rulers, authorities, powers, and dominion.”
22b-23: Jesus’ cosmic lordship is focused on one particular place in the present overlap of the ages, the ekklesia (“the called out ones”), over which his authority is acknowledged and manifested in their worship and corporate life which is “filled up” by the one who “fills all things.”
Kingdom Power
This Power Trumps All Other Power Including Ephesus And The Temple of Artemis
Paul surely has in the forefront of his mind, the great temple of Artemis in Ephesus (Acts 19). This was the place where they rioted, insisting that their pagan god of that temple was supreme.
Ephesus is a centre of power. Spiritual, cultural and political power [Psalm 8]. The power is concentrated because so many are drawn to this pagan temple of Artemis (Diana in one translation).
Paul declares that Jesus is the true authority to which all rulers are accountable, the power available to us. The ultimate power. This power is above all power. It is The power of The creator God. Such power trumps all other power, forces and systems in the universe. This power is now available to us if we would understand it.
This Power and Wisdom Come From Understanding Not Emotion
It is possible to live as a Christian, for a time, on emotions. For example: hearing a great sermon; having a wonderful spiritual experience or a charismatic gift bestowed on us. At those times it is easy to think that power is available to us. But we cannot maintain such an experience.
To live a Christian life long-term, we need kingdom power. We obtain such power by deepening our understanding. This only happens through wisdom and God’s revelation (apocalypse) of himself.
A Prayer For The Church Verses 17 – 19
As part of his love and prayers, Paul prays for the body. That, as a body and each person that is part of that body (you), the church (see Eph.1:22), would be given a gift of wisdom and come to have insights and understand things that they (you) have not understood before (that has an ongoing Apocalypse – mind-blowing epiphany) in their (your) spirit. “To see and know him as he really is… May your minds be enlightened (literally: “the eyes of your hearts having been enlightened” – πεφωτισμένους τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῆς καρδίας)” as a result of and in the process of coming to know King Jesus (The) Christ, Messiah better.
This is not a one-time thing. Paul is expecting this to be an ongoing thing where you are constantly experiencing new wisdom as an ongoing Apocalypse of God in your spirit.
Never Stop Meditating
The body and all of its parts (you), His church, is called to meditate continually on:
- What our hope is: “that we who were the first to hope in Christ could praise his glory” (verse 12) and the hope he’s called you to“ (verse 18).
- How much the glorious riches he promises as an inheritance to his holy people (Literally: “riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints” – τίς ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις) implying, not just the riches available to us but that we are His riches.
And
- “God’s amazing power ”
Key Hebrew Scripture Texts of verses 1: 20 – 22
Paul models his description of the crucified Lord’s exaltation and enthronement in Ephesians 1:20-21 after several key texts in the Hebrew Scriptures.
“God has made everything subject (under His feet) to the authority of Christ” – EPHESIANS 1:22
“What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that you care for him?
Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And you crown him with glory and majesty!
You make him to rule over the works of your hands;
You have put all things under his feet”
PSALM 8:4-6
‘Yahweh said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
Yahweh will stretch forth your strong sceptre from Zion, saying,
“Rule in the midst of your enemies.”‘
PSALM 110:1-2
“raising Christ … God seated Christ (The Messiah) at his right hand in heaven, far above any other” – EPHESIANS 1:20-21
“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And he came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and languages,
Might serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion”
DANIEL 7: 13-14.
God’s Son
People misunderstand the term God’s Son and, frankly, always have. This is not a term of the paternity of God. Jesus and the Father are and always have been one. It is a declaration of the inheritance that always belonged to Jesus, confirmed through His death and resurrection.
The firstborn inherited full authority over the father’s estate by birthright, but the father had to confirm it. Typically, a rite of passage or ceremony marked this confirmation. Someone could steal the birthright before its confirmation. As was the case of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 27.
Jesus is the Son by both birthright and confirmation.
Something To Ponder
Why were so many chosen to carry forward the biblical story that led to the blessing that led to Jesus, not firstborn?
Did Jesus’ status as firstborn affect this choice?
Question:
What form should this wisdom and Apocalypse take?
How do you express your love and prayers for His church
Is this a prayer (verse 17 ff) that we all should be praying when we pray for God’s church, our congregation?
If the church is to receive wisdom and Apocalypse in spirit, how does it guard against apostasy?
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