APRIL 20, 2014
PAUL’S PRAYER ON BEHALF OF THE EPHESIANS
INTRODUCTION:
1. We have thus far in our study of the book of Ephesians considered the Apostle’s inscription and opening benediction (Verses 1, 2), and also his great eulogy in which he blesses God for having blessed these believers with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. (Verses 3-14) These glorious blessings include the following: Their election in Christ from all eternity; their predestination unto adoption into God’s family as sons; their acceptance of God; their redemption from sin by the blood of Christ; their illumination to understand the gospel mystery; their union in and with Christ and with all who are holy in heaven and earth; their eternal inheritance; their receiving of the Holy Spirit of promise who is the earnest and seal of their faith.
2. We shall now consider the Apostle’s prayer on their behalf. (Verses 15-23) This great Apostle seemed to always abound in prayer and thanksgiving to God. His prayers were generally so ordered that in the exercise of them he was at the same time conveying great and important doctrines of the Christian faith, along with the most weighty instructions to all who seriously consider them.
I. PAUL’S PRAYER ON THEIR BEHALF CONSISTED FIRST OF THANKSGIVING AND THEN PETITION. (VERSES 15-17)
A. THAT WHICH MOVED HIM TO PRAYER WAS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE OPERATION OF GOD’S GRACE IN THEM. (VERSE 15)
1. Paul, in writing form Rome, reminded the Ephesians of wonderful blessedness that belongs to all who are true believers in Christ. (Verses 3-14) Notice, to Paul God’s abounding goodness toward them was motivation to ask for yet more blessings on their behalf. The Lord is pleased and honored by such praying.
2. This prayer was also inspired by the favorable reports that Paul was receiving regarding the Ephesian church. “After I heard of your faith…and love to the saints.”
a) It had been about four years since Paul had labored at Ephesus, so as visitors would come to his prison house with good reports it was most encouraging and inspiring.
b) Notice, true faith is proven by love. It was not merely their profession of faith that he heard about, but the demonstration of it.
B. HIS PRAYER CONSISTS OF THANKSGIVING FOLLOWED BY PETITIONS. (VERSE 16)
1. The Apostle taught us both by word and example to follow this form and order in our prayers. (Phil. 4:6)
2. Matthew Henry notes that we should pray for the persons for whom we give thanks.
3. He gives thanks for their spiritual blessings, and then prays for the further supplies of them.
4. This was a ceaseless exercise on the part of the Apostle. “I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.”
5. While he ceased not giving thanks to God for giving them the Holy Spirit, neither did he cease in praying that He would give unto them the Spirit. (Verse 17) Paul here is speaking of the Holy Spirit (not spirit) for He is the Spirit of Wisdom and the Spirit of Revelation.
6. Our great need as Christians is ever that we should have the Holy Spirit in greater measure. May this always be our foremost desire in prayer.
C. HE PETITIONS GOD, TO BEGIN WITH, FOR A GREATER MEASURE OF THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING. (VERSES 17, 18a)
1. This blessing is needful if they are to receive the more particular blessings for which he prays in the verses following. We must always have “grace for grace.”
2. Notice, the great desire that Paul has for them is not freedom from persecution, or that they might have the richer and honors and pleasure of the world, but rather, that they might have illumination of their understandings, so that their knowledge of the Lord might increase and abound.
3. This knowledge must come from one source, namely, “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,” the same source from which our Lord Himself received the Holy spirit without measure. (John 3:34) The same is called “The Father of Glory.” God is infinitely glorious, and thus the Author of all that glory with which His saints are to be invested.
a) He gives true knowledge by giving the Spirit of knowledge.
b) The Holy Spirit is the teacher of the saints, for He is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.
4. In this initial petition, which is the blessing that is essential for all the rest, he prays that the eyes of their understanding may be enlightened. (Verse 18a)
a) The purpose of the letter, as before noted, was that they should know and appreciate the wondrous mysteries of God’s great plan of redemption. This can only happen as the Spirit opens the eyes of the understanding.
b) Those who have their eyes opened, and have some understanding in the things of God, have need to be more and more enlightened.
II. PAUL NOW BECOMES MUCH MORE SPECIFIC IN HIS PETITIONS WHICH HE PRAYS FOR ON THEIR BEHALF. (VERSES 18b-23) It was his prayer that they should be given the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the Lord; that the Spirit would open the eyes of their understanding so that they might increase in that knowledge. Now he mentions some particular areas in which he desires that their knowledge should increase.
A. HE WOULD HAVE THEM TO KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE OF GOD’S CALLING. (VERSE 18b)
1. Christianity is a calling. God has called us to it, and on that account Paul refers to it as His calling.
2. It is a very desirable thing to know about the hope of our calling.
3. The hope of this calling is that which we have by promise, and hold to by faith. (Rom. 8:24, 25)
4. We ought to acquaint ourselves with the immense privileges of God’s people, and the expectations they have from God. (I Cor. 2:9)
5. The more we acquaint ourselves with heavenly things the less will be our attachment with this world and things temporal. (II Cor. 4:18)
B. HE WOULD HAVE THEM TO KNOW MORE OF THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF GOD’S INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS. (VERSE 18c)
1. Paul here speaks of that glorious inheritance of the saints of which God is the Author.
2. He does not imagine that the Ephesians are able to fully know the glories of this inheritance for it is inconceivably glorious.
3. However this is an inheritance of which believers already have the earnest (Verse 14) and it is desirable to know this experimentally, to be well acquainted with the principles, pleasures, and powers of the spiritual and divine life.
4. The more we can enter into the delights of our heavenly inheritance through reading, contemplation, and prayer, the more shall we experience a little heaven as we are on our way to heaven.
C. HE WOULD HAVE THEM KNOW THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF GOD’S POWER TOWARD THOSE WHO ARE BELIEVERS. (VERSES 19, 20)
1. It is a mighty power that grace has wrought in producing and carrying on the work of faith in our souls. It is nothing less than an almighty power that will bring souls to believe in Christ, and to trust in His righteousness, and upon the hope of eternal life.
2. It is no less power than that which God wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and by which Christ ascended to the right hand of God in the heavenly places.
3. Our regeneration is called a quickening from the dead, a passing from death to life. (Ch. 2:1; I Pet. 1:3) Believers are also said to be now seated with Christ in heavenly places. (Ch. 2:6)
4. That God raised up Christ from the dead is indeed the great proof of the truth of the Gospel to the world, but the transcript of that in ourselves is our experimental proof as we have risen with Him to walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:4)
D. HAVING INTRODUCED THE RESURRECTION AND EXALTATION OF CHRIST, THE APOSTLE SUFFERS HIMSELF TO DIGRESS FOR A MOMENT TO DWELL ON THE NATURE OF CHRIST’S EXALTATION, AND ON HIS RELATION TO THE CHURCH FROM THE FATHER’S RIGHT HAND. (VERSES 21-23) He will, at the beginning of the next chapter revert back to his main topic.
1. He sits at the Father’s right hand in the heavenly places. (Verses 20, 21) At the Father’s right hand, our Lord, the God-man is set in authority over all. All of the power of both heaven and earth are His. (Matt. 28:18)
2. The Father has put all things under His feet, according to the promise. (Verse 22; Psa. 110:1) All creatures are in subjection to Him. They must either yield him sincere obedience, or fall under the weight of His scepter.
3. God gave him to be head over all things to the church.
a) It was a gift to Christ to, as Mediator, be advanced to such dominion and headship.
b) It was a great gift to the church to be provided with a Head endued with so much power and authority.
4. All power and authority are given Him to exercise for His body the church which He loves. (Verse 25)
5. The church is called the fullness of Christ, as He is the Head of the church. The head is incomplete without the body. So Christ in His relative capacity as the Head would not be complete without His mystical body, the church.
6. Lest any should think that Christ is somehow dependent on the church it is added, “that filleth all in all.” The church herself is filled with Christ. Christ fills all His body, and all the members of it with gifts and graces of the Spirit. (Ch. 4:10)
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