Ephesians 1:15-20 (WEL) Therefore, when I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all the saints, 16 I haven’t stopped giving thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers, 17 So that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 That the eyes of your heart would be enlightened, so that you may know what the hope of his calling is, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe. Which is the same working of the strength of his might 20 Which he did through Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.
V15 Therefore, when I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all the saints,
Paul heard from others that many in Ephesus had believed in the Lord Jesus resulting in love for other believers.
Saints are not especially holy people; they are believers, all believers in Jesus Christ.
This love is family love for our brothers and sisters in the local assembly and worldwide.
V16 I haven’t stopped giving thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers,
The Bible informs us that the angels rejoice when anyone believes in the Lord Jesus (Luke 15:10), and other believers feel the same. We should always rejoice when someone believes. If not, then we must ask why. This is also good pastoral desire. Paul lists 3 things in verses 17-19 regarding the believers: 1) increased knowledge about God and His ways, 2) the hope we have in God and His riches of spiritual blessings, and 3) God’s great power available to all believers to help us to live the faith we have received.
V17 So that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,
The Lord Jesus in His 33+ years on earth worshipped God. The Father of glory signifies the one and only in heaven (glory). Paul prays that the believers will be given wisdom, which is knowledge plus understanding equals wisdom plus experience. Once we have knowledge and understanding, we have wisdom, but wisdom is increased by experience. How do we gain the knowledge of God? It is only by God’s revelation of Himself, because without it humans only know just a little (Romans 1:18-21). Compare 1 Corinthians 2:10-12. Since the Bible is the only source of 100% truth especially about the worldview, character traits, rules, plans, etc. concerning God, we must read, study, and teach the Bible in its plain, normal sense.
V18 That the eyes of your heart would be enlightened, so that you may know what the hope of his calling is, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
The eyes of our heart refers to seeing knowledge of the truth in our pure soul which was recreated by the Holy Spirit. Having knowledge plus understanding results in wisdom and increasing confidence in God, His promises, His calling of all of us, and the wonderful blessings He provides and will provide. Knowledge about God as revealed in the Bible will lead to understanding. God needs to reveal these things. The Holy Spirit continually teaches us, but we must read the Bible and study it. Having such understanding is enlightenment.
Wuest Word Studies: “That is, Paul is praying that a permanent work of the Holy Spirit be done in the human spirits of these saints, that their inner spiritual capacities for understanding the truth may be the recipients of a lasting benefit, and this with a view to their knowing three things.”
Got Questions: “Throughout the Bible, the “heart” often represents the center of a person’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual life—the whole inner person, encompassing the mind, will, and emotions. Thus, “the eyes of your heart” refers to our inner perception. Our “inner eyes” are “enlightened” when they open and light is cast on them, allowing them to see and understand the things of the Spirit.” [Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/eyes-heart-enlightened.html]
V19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe. Which is the same working of the strength of his might
Paul prays for believers to not only have more understanding about our hope in God and His rich inheritance planned for us but also to know and understand His great power to help believers.
Pulpit Commentary: “The whole energy of the Divine Being is turned on to our feeble, languid nature, vivifying, purifying, and transforming it, making it wonderfully active where all was feebleness before, as the turning on of steam suddenly wakens up a whole mass of inert machinery. When we think of the glory of the inheritance, we feel unfit for it; our narrow hearts, cold temperaments, feeble and dislocated faculties, how can they ever be right? Our fear is removed when we think of the greatness of the Divine power that works in us—God’s power to transform us so that, “though we have lieu among the pots, we shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.” According to the working of His mighty power. We are now furnished with a standard and sample of the mighty power which energizes in believers are referred to one of its grandest achievements, in order to elevate our conceptions of what it is capable of effecting in us. In the prophets we find a similar encouragement for God’s people, in sublime descriptions of the almighty power of Him who was working in them and for them (Isa 40:21, etc.; Isa 45:7, etc.).”
V20 Which he did through Christ when he raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places.
God’s power is so great that Paul compares it to the resurrection power of God.
We learn:
- About pastoral care to edify believers in the knowledge about God and His ways, our hope and blessings, and the power of God to assist us.
- About God’s care for us to provide such blessings.
Questions:
- How much and long do you read and study the Bible?
- How do you apply what you have learned?