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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eph_1:15-23
15For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Eph_1:15-23 This is Paul's prayer of thanksgiving and intercession for the recipients (i.e., churches of Asia Minor). It is one long sentence in Greek, as is Eph_1:3-14 (i.e., Paul's prayer of praise to God the Father for His gracious gift of Christ and the Spirit). These long sentences are characteristic of Paul's literary style only in Ephesians (cf. Eph_1:3-23; Eph_2:1-10; Eph_2:14-22; Eph_3:1-12; Eph_3:14-19; Eph_4:11-16; Eph_6:13-20).
Also notice Paul's prayer for himself in Eph_6:19-20! Paul was a man of prayer and praise (i.e., Eph_3:20-21).
Eph_1:15
NASB "the faith. . .among you"
NKJV, NRSV,
TEV, NJB "your faith"
Ephesians, being a circular letter, shows that Paul is referring to several churches, not just the church at Ephesus. He had heard of the problems of the churches in the Lycus Valley (Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colossae) through Epaphras (cf. Col_1:6-8).
The term "faith" can refer to
1. initial, personal trust in Christ (cf. Eph_1:19 "toward us who believe")
2. ongoing faithful Christian living (i.e., OT sense, of Col_1:9-10)
3. Christian doctrine "the faith," with the definite article, (cf. Act_6:7; Act_13:8; Act_14:22; Gal_1:23; Gal_6:10; Jud_1:3; Jud_1:20)
Here it has the article and probably option #3 is best.
▣ "your love" This is not in the ancient Greek manuscripts P46, à , A, or B, nor the Greek text used by Origen, Jerome, or Augustine, but it is present in the Colossians parallel (cf. Eph_1:4) and Phm_1:5. It is obviously a scribal addition here in Ephesians. They tended to standardize Paul's phrasing.
▣ "saints" See Special Topic: Saints at Col_1:2.
Eph_1:16 This verse reveals two aspects of Paul's prayer life: (1) thankfulness and (2) persistence. Paul continually prayed for all of Christ's churches (cf. Rom_1:9; 2Co_11:28; Php_1:3-4; Col_1:3; Col_1:9 ; 1Th_1:2-3; 2Ti_1:3, Phm_1:4).
This is a good theological balance between trusting in God and intercessory prayer. The proclamation of the gospel and the development of churches was God's will. Yet Paul sensed a need to continue to pray for them. Somehow believers' prayers unleash the power of God in fresh, new ways. The sovereign God has chosen to limit Himself to the prayers of His people (cf. Jas_4:2)! Intercessory prayer is a mystery of God's power linked to believers' volitional requests. See Special Topic on Thanksgiving at Col_4:2. See Special Topic: Intercessory Prayer at Col_4:3.
Eph_1:17
NASB, NRSV,
NJB "Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of"
NKJV "Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of"
TEV "Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit"
Notice the emphasis on the Trinity seen in TEV translation of (1) Eph_1:3-14; (2) Eph_1:17; (3) Eph_2:18; (4) Eph_3:14-17; and (5) Eph_4:4-6. See Special Topic: The Trinity at Eph_1:3.
▣ "the Father of glory" This was an OT title for God (cf. Psa_24:7; Psa_29:3; Act_7:2). The genitive modifier (of glory) is also used of Jesus in 1Co_2:8 and Jas_2:1. Paul's prayer is that YHWH will give these new believers a full and complete understanding of true wisdom which is Jesus Christ, not the intellectual false wisdom of the Gnostic teachers. There is no human secret wisdom. Jesus is the wisdom of God who fully reveals Him! See fuller note on "Glory" at Eph_1:6.
▣ "may give to you a spirit" The term " spirit" is anarthrous (no definite article), but really serves the double purpose of referring to the human spirit energized by the Holy Spirit. Isa_11:2 describes God's gifts of the Spirit as "a spirit of wisdom," and "understanding," "a spirit of counsel," and "strength," "a spirit of knowledge," and "fear of the Lord."
In the NT there is a series of passages which describe what the Spirit produces in the lives of believers.
1. "a spirit of holiness," Rom_1:4
2. "a spirit of adoption as sons," Rom_8:15
3. "a spirit of gentleness," 1Co_4:21
4. "a spirit of faith," 2Co_4:13
5. "a spirit of wisdom and revelation," Eph_1:17
6. "the spirit of truth," vs. "the spirit of error," 1Jn_4:6
▣ "of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him" The pronouns in the paragraph refer to God the Father, as most do in Eph_1:3-14. This wisdom and revelation was not just for some, but for all believers (cf. Eph_4:13). This was used to refute the intellectual and exclusivistic emphases of the false teachers. Gospel knowledge is God-given and Jesus-focused (cf. Col_1:9). He is the truth (cf. Joh_8:32; Joh_14:6)!
Eph_1:18-19 Knowledge of God the Father's provisions in Christ involves three aspects.
1. the believers' predestined hope
2. the believers' glorious inheritance
3. the believers' understanding of God's surpassingly great power, manifested in Christ
Eph_1:18 "the eyes of your heart may be enlightened" This is a metaphor of the gospel bringing understanding to fallen humanity (cf. Act_26:18; 2Co_4:4-6). This has always been God's will. See Special Topic: Heart at Col_2:2.
▣ "hope of His calling" For a full note on "hope" see Special Topic at Col_1:5.
The term "calling" (kaleô) is used in several theological senses in the NT.
1. sinners are called by God through Christ to salvation
2. sinners call on the name of the Lord to be saved
3. believers are called on to live Christlike lives
4. believers are called to ministry tasks
The thrust of this text is #1. For "calling" see Special Topic at Eph_4:1.
▣ "the riches of the glory" Paul often speaks of gospel truths as "riches" (cf. Eph_1:7; Eph_1:18; Eph_2:4; Eph_2:7; Eph_3:8; Eph_3:16). See note at Eph_1:7.
▣ "inheritance" See full note at Eph_1:11.
Eph_1:19
NASB "surpassing greatness"
NKJV "exceeding greatness"
NRSV "immeasurable greatness"
TEV "how very great"
NJB "how extraordinarily great"
This term huperballô is used only by Paul in the NT. It expresses his overwhelming emotion of what God in Christ has done for rebellious mankind in redemption (cf. 2Co_3:10; 2Co_9:14; Eph_1:19; Eph_2:7; Eph_3:19).
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▣ "toward us who believe" This phrase shows the falsehood of the doctrine of "universalism" which asserts that eventually all people will be saved. This universalism is usually based on proof-texting isolated passages like Rom_5:18. God has chosen to allow humans to participate (conditional covenant) in their own spiritual salvation and pilgrimage. Christians must repent and believe (cf. Mar_1:15; Act_3:16; Act_3:19; Act_20:21).
The gospel's inclusivism (cf. Joh_1:12; Joh_3:16; 1Ti_2:4-6; Tit_2:11; 1Pe_3:9) was in contrast to the exclusivism of the false teachers. The gospel is universal in its invitation (cf. 1Ti_2:4; Tit_2:11; 2Pe_3:9) to all who will call on the name of the Lord (cf. Rom_10:9-13).
▣ "the working of the strength of His might" This may be another allusion to Isa_11:2 (cf. Eph_1:17). This phrase is made up of three Greek words (energas, kratos, and ischus) which indicate God's power. A fourth term for power (dunamis) is used earlier in the verse. The focus of salvation is God's powerful actions through Christ, not individual human actions or intellectual concepts.
Eph_1:20 The next three phrases describe what God the Father's tremendous, mighty power has done for Jesus.
1. It "raised Him from the dead" Eph_1:20. This was the sign of His accepted sacrifice (cf. 1 Corinthians 15).
2. It "seated Him on His right hand," Eph_1:20. This was the place of exaltation and preeminence (cf. Col_3:1). This represented Christ's ongoing intercessory ministry (cf. Rom_8:34; Heb_7:25; Heb_9:24; 1Jn_2:1 and was fulfillment of OT prophecy, cf. Psa_110:1; Act_7:56).
3. It "made Him supreme Head of the church," Eph_1:22. This use of the term church refers to the unique new people of God, which includes all who believe, both Jew and Gentile (cf. Eph_2:11 to Eph_3:13; Gal_3:27-29).
The things that the Father has done for Christ, Christ has done for His followers (cf. Eph_2:5-6). All three terms in Eph_2:5-6 are compounds with the preposition syn which means "joint participation with."
▣ "in the heavenly places" This locative (of sphere) neuter plural adjective (epouranious) is only used in Ephesians (cf. Eph_1:3; Eph_1:20; Eph_2:6; Eph_3:10; Eph_6:12). From the context of all of its usages, it must mean the spiritual realm in which believers live here and now, not heaven by and by.
Eph_1:21 "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion" This phrase may refer to ranks or orders of spiritual powers or angelic levels that are hostile to humanity (cf. Eph_2:2; Eph_3:10; Eph_6:12; Col_1:16; Col_2:10; Col_2:15; Rom_8:38-39; 1Co_15:24). Jesus is superior to all angelic ranks (cf. Hebrews 1-2). This refuted the Gnostic false teachers' emphasis on angelic levels (aeons). These ranks may also refer to impersonal structures in our world which allow humans to function apart from God. Examples are philosophy, education, government, medicine, religion, etc. (cf. Hendrik Berkhof's Christ and the Powers, Herald Press).
See Special Topic: Angels in Paul's Writings at Eph_6:12.
Further, for "far above" see Special Topic: Paul's Use of Huper Compounds at Eph_1:19.
For "authority" see Special Topic: Archç at Col_1:16.
▣ "and every name that is named" This may refer to the false teachers' secret passwords or names used to pass through the angelic spheres. They were trusting in their secret knowledge of magical names to bring salvation. Paul asserts that salvation or union with God is found only in Jesus' name (cf. Php_2:9-11). In the OT a person's name represented his character. The Father's character is fully revealed in the Son (cf. Joh_14:8-14; Joh_17:11).
▣ "not only in this age but also in the one to come" The Jews believed in two ages, the current evil age and the new righteous age which would come through the Messiah. This new righteous age of the Spirit came at Pentecost! (cf. Joe_2:28-32; Mat_12:32, Mar_10:30; Luk_16:8; Luk_18:30; Luk_20:34; 1Ti_6:17; 2Ti_4:10; Tit_2:12, Heb_6:5).
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Eph_1:22 "He has put all things in subjection under His feet" "Subjection" is a military term for a chain of command (cf. Psa_110:1; Psa_8:6). The Father has given the Son first place in all things (cf. Col_1:18-19). In the end, the Son will turn all things back to the Father (cf. 1Co_15:27-28).
Jesus' submission to the Father does not imply, in any sense, inequality, but an administrative, functional division of labor within the Trinity. See fuller note on "submission" at Eph_5:21.
▣ "gave Him as head over all things" The extended metaphor of Jesus as the Head of His body, the church, is only found in Ephesians and Colossians (cf. Eph_4:15; Eph_5:23; Col_1:18-19; Col_2:19). The people of the ancient Mediterranean world believed the head gave life to the body.
▣ "church" In secular Greek, this term meant an assembly (cf. Act_19:32). Ekklesia was used in the Septuagint (LXX) to translate the Hebrew term "assembly (qahal) of Israel" (cf. Exo_16:3; Exo_12:6; Lev_4:13; Num_20:4). This is the first of several uses of this term in Ephesians (cf. Eph_1:22; Eph_3:10; Eph_3:21; Eph_5:23-25; Eph_5:27; Eph_5:29; Eph_5:32). Both in Eph. (Eph_1:22-23) and in Col. (Col_1:24) Paul calls the church the body of Christ. The early church saw themselves as the fulfilled people of God with Christ Jesus, the Messiah, as their Head.
One of the unusual literary relationships between Ephesians and Colossians is that in Ephesians this term refers to the church universal (cf. 1Co_10:32; 1Co_12:28; 1Co_15:9; Gal_1:13; Php_3:6), while in Colossians it usually refers to the local church. This points toward Ephesians as a circular letter.
See Special Topic at Col_1:18.
Eph_1:23
NASB, NKJV,
NRSV "the fullness of Him who fills all in all"
TEV "The completion of Him who Himself completes all things everywhere"
(footnote ". . .who is Himself completely filled with God's fullness")
NJB "The fullness of Him who is filled, all in all"
Grammatically this is a present middle participle. Here are some possible interpretations of this phrase:
1. Christ is filling the church
2. the church is filling Christ (cf. Col_1:24)
3. the church is being filled to the full number of believers (numerical aspect, cf. Rom_11:25)
This terminology was meant to attack the incipient Gnostic false teachers' theological system of aeons, emanations or angelic ranks. The terms "fulness" and "filled" are forms of the Greek term plçrôma, which later in the second century became the technical Gnostic term for the total number of angelic levels (cf. Eph_1:21) between the high, holy, spiritual god and the lesser god who fashioned evil matter. See notes on Gnosticism in the Introduction to Ephesians.
This is a powerful definition of the church. She is meant to fully reflect her head, Jesus. As Jesus revealed the Father, so too, the church is to reveal the Father.
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