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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Ephesians 1:18 - 1:18
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Having the eyes of your heart enlightened (pephōtismenous tous ophthalmous tēs kardias humōn). A beautiful figure, the heart regarded as having eyes looking out toward Christ. But the grammar is difficult. There are three possible interpretations. One is an anacoluthon, the case of pephōtismenous being changed from the dative humin (to you) to the accusative because of the following infinitive like eklexamenous (Act 15:22) after apostolois. Another way of explaining it is to regard it as a tertiary predicate of dōiē, a loose expansion of pneuma. The third way is to regard the construction as the accusative absolute, a rare idiom possible in Act 26:3; 1Co 16:3; 1Ti 2:6. In this case, the participle merely agrees with tous ophthalmous, not with humin, “the eyes of your heart having been enlightened.” Otherwise tous ophthalmous is the accusative retained after the passive participle.
That ye may know (eis to eidenai). Final use of eis to and the infinitive (second perfect of oida) as in Eph 1:12. Note three indirect questions after eidenai (what the hope tis hē elpis, what the riches tis ho ploutos, and what the surpassing greatness kai ti to huperballon megethos). When the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of the heart, one will be able to see all these great truths.
In the saints (en tois hagiois). Our riches is in God, God’s is in his saints.