A PRAYER OF PAUL FOR THE EPHESIANS AND THEIR CHANGED STATUS
Because of constraints of time and space, it was necessary to divide the first chapter of Ephesians into two lessons. But in reality, the third sentence of Chapter One follows right along with the first two sentences. Therein we saw that Paul first talked of the special blessings of those he called "us" (i.e., believing Israel); then of the blessings for the Gentile Ephesians who also believed. And all of this is "in Jesus" as Paul so repeatedly reiterates. Now, immediaely thereafter, Paul is moved to tell how he is led to pray for them all. This constitutes the third sentence, verses 15 to 23.
This close connection with verses 15ff with what has preceded is shown by Paul's words with which he starts his prayer.
"For this cause," he says, as he goes on to speak to the Ephesians of their "faith inthe Lord Jesus" and then of their "love .... toward all the saints." Their faith and love so thrilled the Apostle as to give wings to his prayer for them which immediately follows. We little know how much our simple expressions of our faith in Jesus, and of the evidence of our mutual love for other Christians, may be of inspiration to others far away and in deep trouble. Paul was hundeds of miles away from Ephesus, a prisoner languishing in Rome, when he wrote these words. Yet see how enthusiastic he became, as he told of his unceasing thanks to God for them. Paul himself greatly needed the encouragement of their simple faith and love. There may be Christians, unknown to you, hundreds of miles away, being blessed by your faithfulness.
The prayer: a five-fold petition. Paul prays for the Ephesians: (1) that they may have "a spirit of wisdom and revelation"; (2) that "the eyes of" their "heart" be "enlightened"; (3) to know what is "the hope of the calling" of God; (4) that they might know "the riches of the glory of His inheritance"; and (5) that they might know "the exceeding greatness of His power toward" those who believe.
This is the substance of Paul's prayer. It is only a summary: the actual prayer-words of Paul are not given. Undoubtedly in his private intercessory prayers Paul must have greatly enlarged upon each of these five points. These represent the perceived needs of the Ephesians. They are spelled out here to make the Ephesians aware of their spiritual shortcomings.
As was pointed out in the beginning of Lesson Two, if you are among those who are "saints" (called out by God) and "faithful," then these words are not addressed to the Ephesians alone, but are addressed to you. What are your spiritual shortcomings? What are mine? To make others rejoice because of our "faith" and "love" (vs. 15) is not enough. We need to have our shortcomings (as per the five topics of this prayer) addressed by us. As we meditate upon each of these, be asking yourself how these apply to you.
It would seem, also, that whereas Paul here lists (and declares he is praying for) the needs of his readers, in the remainder of his Epistle he expands upon and teaches the significance of these five points. And as he said that they (we) need a "revelation in the knowledge of Him" so his Apostleship is manifested in his divinely-authorized exposition of plans of God beyond the mere recital of the steps of our salvation (as per verses 13-14). We need to know and understand more of God's great purposes as we come to study them in this Epistle. This is the great value of the Epistle to the Ephesians.
ANALYZING THE PETITION.
First of all, we mus note that we cannot learn, we cannot understand, we cannot comprehend these great truths by ourselves. God must teach them to us. God must Himself enable us to understand. Paul begins by asking that "the God of our Lord JesusChrist," further described as "the Father of glory" may Himself "give untoyou." (vs. 17). The action and the motivation comes from God. We cannot strive for it ourselves. It is God's gift. As His gift, it is His will that we should have it. It is a free gift. But it comes by answer to prayer. It was part of the "prayers" of Paul. (vs. 16) Therefore this gift must be sought by prayer. Do you want this five-fold blessing? If so, then you must make it the major focus of your personal prayers.
(A) Now it is, first of all, "a spirit of wisdom and revelation." The writer does not think that this word "spirit" refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given at the time of conversion. The Ephesians already had the Holy Spirit. (See vs. 13.) Rather we need an attitude of seeking to know more - to experience a "full knowledge" - thus to know by experience God Himself. In this sense, "spirit" means an attitude of fellowship, of communion. This attitude of desire is a gift of God; but we must seek it, pray for it, receive it, cultivate it, and appropriate it. And as we seek to know Him, He will endow us with revelation and the wisdom to interpret that revelaion. We are not to be seeking wisdom and revelation of truth for itself, but rather seek the more full knowledge of God Himself; whereupon He will give us both wisdom and revelation of His plans and purposes.
(B) Secondly, there is the need to have "the eyes of the heart enlightened." Whereas the mind is the seat of our intelligence, learning, and will, the heart is the seat of our feelings and our emotions. Love is such an emotion. Whereas in verse 15 Paul had commended the Ephesians for their love toward all the saints, he now suggests that their love needed instructions, it needed knowledge, it needed direction. Love by itself was not enough: it needed eyes to see - eyes to see the needs, the real needs, of others, and to be made aware of those needs. This is a spiritual gift. It is a gift of God. And as Paul suggested by his own prayers for the Ephesians, it is a gift that must be sought for, must be prayed for.
There are other emotions as well: hurt, pain, sorrow, hate, pleasure, loneliness, and so on. These too need enlightened eyes. We need enlightened eyes to perceive our own shortcomings in these regards, and to share more effectively in the needs of others around us. Realizing this will enable us to expand our prayers that they may become more effective as God gives us this enlighgtenment.
(C) In the third place, the desire and prayer of Paul is that the Ephesians may "know .... the hope of His (God's) calling." First of all, the knowledge here set forth is not the knowledge (by experience) of God Himself (as set forth in verse 17.) This knowledge (of the hope) is taught by insruction.
Again, "hope" always suggests a forward look. It looks beyond: to something yet to be, something more. Our salvation does not consist merely in a sense of release from guilt, from emptiness and futility, to the sense of peace, joy, and contentment that we have. We are challenged to look beyond, to look for more, to look up. There is implanted in us the hope of better things to come. Our great danger is that with the passing of the years our hopes tend to becomc dim, we succumb to spiritual lethargy, our attention is attracted to material affairs, and our hope is laid on the shelf.
We need instrucion as to what God had in mind by saving us. There is more than just "salvation." We need for God to teach us. Paul prayed that his readers be given this instruction. And in so praying, and in explaining to his readers that for which he was praying, Paul was expressing the wish that they ready themselves to learn that which they were being taught.
Paul will go on to teach some of this "hope" in the pages of this Epistle. He will teach; but we must learn.
To learn more of the meaning of this "hope" will thus fortify us to withstand the subtle temptations around us, to strengthen us spiritually, and to give us confidence to walk with God more closely.
(D) Fourthly, his prayer is for the Ephesians to know by instruction "what the riches ofthe glory of His inheritance in the saints."
In another place Paul had written, "Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love Him," (I Corinthians 2:9: a general reference to Isaiah 64:4 and 65:17.) The glories of eternity are so great, so vast, and so many that we cannot conceive of them. It may be that God will need all the years of eternity for time enough to show them all to us.
But Paul had gone on to say (in I Corinthians 2:10): "But unto us God revealed themthrough the Spirit." Now to Ephesians Paul is saying, "I want you to learn, I pray that you may learn, something of what these things are." Paul will go on to speak of some, the Holy Spirit is ready to teach us: are we ready, willing, eager to learn?
(E) Fifth and finally, Paul desired, prayed, that the Ephesians know, be taught, learn "what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe," which power is "according to," equal to "that working of the strength of His might which He wrought in Christ."
We think of the strength of the might of God as best exemplified in His great creation of the universe. (Genesis 1:1.) But that was not even His handiwork - the work of His hands. That was only tiny fingerwork for Him! (See Psalm 8:3.) The real exhibition of His strength, His power, His might, was manifested in Messiah. (1) God "raised Himfrom the dead." (The implication would seem to be that it took the totality of Divine power to do this!) (2) He placed Jesus "at His own right hand in the heavenly places" (again this took power!); (3) He conferred on Jesus full authority "over all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name, both in this life, and in eternity to come" (strength again); (4) "put all else in subjection under His feet" (might!); and (5) "gave" Jesus total responsibility "for His church."
Now, says Paul, all that power, all that strength, all that might, which was totally used in the resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Jesus: all that is made available by God for our use, should we have need of it.
We are told this. Do we learn it? Do we grasp its significance? Paul says it is his desire, his prayer, that we do apprehend it. We are expected to lay hold upon it, to claim its reality, to use it.
What a magnificant prayer! What a challenge to us! We have not begun to appropriate it. It should stretch our spiritual minds to their capacity: yes, and beyond. We have not begun to use our Christian privileges.
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THE CHANGED STATUS OF THE EPHESIANS (2:1-9).
Paul now begins his exposition of the inspired teaching given him to set forth. He begins by reviewing the former sorry sate of the Gentile Ephesians to whom he was writing. Coupled with this sad picture he shows that the Jews were no better.
He says the Ephesians were "dead through your trespasses and sins"; that their manner of life was "according to the course of this world"; and that you were led by Satan and his powers: "according to the prince of the powers of the air."
But Paul does not omit to condemn his own race, the Jews, including himself. In Verse Three he says, "Among whom we also" (that is, "we Jews also"), "all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" ("the rest" being the Gentiles.)
Next Paul sets forth the mercy and grace of God. Because of His "rich""mercy" and "His great love," God did the following: (1) "made us alive together with Messiah" (a reference to His resurrection?); (2) "raised us up together with Him" (a reference to the ascension?); (3) "made us to sit with Him" (i.e., with God the Father) "in theheavenly places in Messiah Jesus"; and (4) in eternity to come will demonstrate "theexceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Messiah Jesus."
And Paul will lay stress that there is nothing for us to boast about, for none of this is our doing. It is entirely God's gift to us. It is entirely by God's grace that this salvation is a free gift. "For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory."
Thus Paul briefly but precisely reviews our former sorry state and the free salvation God has provided us. This is the floor, the platform, upon which Paul will now begin to develop new concepts. But that is for the next lesson, and so we stop here at the end of verse 9, and in the middle of a sentence. Already there is much here for us to digest.
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW, STUDY, AND DISCUSSION.
1. Can you share with others some new blessing you have received from reading the lesson material and the Scripture text?
2. In verses 2:10 and 2:15 Paul speaks of a new "creation." Can you compare this new creation with Genesis 1:27: similarities? differences?
3. In verse 2:9 we are told "not of works," and in verse 10 we read "unto good works." Is this a contradiction? Why, or why not?
4. In 2:10 we are old to "walk in" the good works which God had "previouslyprepared." What does this mean? Why does it not say that we are to perform, or do, the good works?
5. Compare 2:11-12 with 2:1-2. List all the ways in which Gentiles, apart from Messiah, fail to have the blessings promised to Israel.
6. What do you understand to be the meaning of the expression "broke down the middlewall of partition"? What is the connection between this and the teaching about the new creation in Messiah?
7. Does the reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles by the new creation mean that distinctions between the two are abolished? Why, or why not? Does the illustration of a building (vss. 19 - 22) contribute to this understanding?