Blessed instructions for the Believers!
Paul was praying that we would get a revelation of the power that we already have!
1) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
2) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
3) He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,
4) according to the good pleasure of His will,
5) to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Ephesians
Ephesians 1
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Introduction to EphesiansPaul’s letter to the Ephesian church is full of some of the most wonderful revelations about the believer’s union with Christ found anywhere in Scripture. Paul said that the truths he was presented in this letter were mysteries, previously unknown (Ephesians 3:3-6). For this reason, Paul included two prayers (Ephesians 1:15-23 and 3:14-21) in this letter, asking the Lord to grant the readers wisdom.
In contrast to Paul’s letter to the Romans, which masterfully expounds the method of salvation (see Life for Today Study Bible Notes, Introduction to Romans), this letter reveals the benefits of salvation by grace through faith. The letter to the Galatians was harsh (see Life for Today Study Bible Notes, Introduction to Galatians); this letter is uplifting. The two letters to the Corinthian church were personal, addressing specific problems and questions; this letter is impersonal, advancing doctrine in much the same way a book would do.
The impersonal nature of this letter might be explained if Paul intended this letter to be circulated among other churches. He clearly stated that this was to be done with the letter to the Colossians (Colossians 4:16) and the letter to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 5:27). Therefore, there is some reason that this letter is nonspecific, with Ephesus being mentioned because it was the principal city from which Paul spent three years evangelizing. This could possibly make this letter the unknown letter to the Laodiceans mentioned in Colossians 4:16.
The letter to the Colossians and this letter are remarkably similar. Just a few of the many similarities are Ephesians 1:1-2 and Colossians 1:1-2; Ephesians 1:7 and Colossians 1:14; Ephesians 1:9 and Colossians 1:26; Ephesians 1:10 and Colossians 1:20 and 25; Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:22-6:4 and Colossians 3:18-21; and Ephesians 6:5-9 and Colossians 3:22-4:1.
The overall messages of Ephesians and Colossians are basically the same with some differences. This provides Paul with a good reason to have the Colossians and Ephesians share their letters with each other. The same message with different emphases would help them understand the points even better. This would further strengthen the argument for this letter to the Ephesians being the same letter that Paul referred to in Colossians 4:16 as the letter to the Laodiceans.
The first three chapters of Ephesians deal with our position and calling in Christ. The last three chapters (Ephesians 4-6) are practical and speak of our life in this world that demands a conduct inspired by this new calling of grace. It has been said that on the practical side, the book of Ephesians is “the Gospel walked out in shoe leather,” for it talks of relationships between husbands and wives, masters and servants, parents and children, etc.
On the doctrinal side (Ephesians 1-3), we find that everything has been done and is complete in Him. A true understanding of Christianity does not begin by doing but begins with what has been done. We are invited to sit down and enjoy all that God has done for us in Christ. We are to rest in Him. It’s only from this revelation that true works of faith spring; otherwise practical Christianity can turn to the works of the Law–a danger that Paul himself warned us about (Ephesians 2:15 and Galatians 3:3).
Background
Paul briefly visited Ephesus on his second missionary journey as he purposed to go to Jerusalem (Acts 18:19-21). According to Acts 20:31, during his third missionary journey, he remained in Ephesus for three years. The book of Acts mentions several things that happened to Paul in Ephesus: Twelve disciples of John the Baptist were baptized in the Holy Spirit and with Christian water baptism (Acts 19:1-7). Paul preached boldly in the synagogues and taught disciples in the school of Tyrannus (Acts 19:8-10). Many special miracles were done by God through the hands of Paul (Acts 19:11-12). Evil spirits spoke of knowing Paul (Acts 19:13-17). Many practicing magic repented and burned their books and charms (Acts 19:18-20). Paul’s message caused a riot to break out because of the worship of the goddess Diana was being forsaken (Acts 19:21-41). Paul spoke to the Ephesian elders and encouraged them to guard, oversee, and feed the church as he visited them for the last time (Acts 20:17-38). Later, in John’s letter to the seven churches of Asia, the Lord rebukes the pastor of the church in Ephesus for leaving his first love (Revelation 2:1-4).
Authorship
Ephesians was indisputably accepted in the history of the early church to have been penned by the Apostle Paul. Two times in this letter, Paul claimed to have been its author (Ephesians 1:1 and 3:1).
Recipients of Paul’s Epistle “Ephesians”
Ephesus was a leading seaport city on the Aegean Sea. It was famous in the ancient world for its worship of the goddess Diana, the goddess of fertility. It was in this setting of Greek culture that Paul was able to build a strong, Christ-honoring church. Some extra-biblical sources estimate that as many as 100,000 Christians may have been in the Ephesian church, of which Timothy became the first bishop (subscript at 2 Timothy 4:22 [found in some Bibles]). See note 3 at Acts 18:19 for more background on the city of Ephesus.
Date and Place of Writing
Paul stated three times in this letter that he was a prisoner (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1, and 6:20). Most scholars believe that it was during his imprisonment in Rome that Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. For this reason, these letters are referred to as the Prison Letters.
Following the dating for Paul’s second and third missionary trips given in note 1 at Acts 18:22 and note 2 at Acts 18:23, Paul could not have been arrested in Jerusalem before A.D. 58. Then he spent two years imprisoned by Felix (Acts 24:27) before beginning a sailing voyage to Rome, which was lengthened by a shipwreck. Therefore, the earliest date that could be attributed to this Roman prison epistle would probably be A.D. 61. Some scholars have thought it could have been written as late as A.D. 64. Acts 28:30 says Paul was imprisoned two whole years in Rome.
About the Author
Some facts about Paul’s persecution of the church, his conversion, and the intervening time until the beginning of his ministry are dealt with in note 4 at Acts 7:58, note 1 at Acts 9:1, and note 1 at Acts 9:26. Information about Paul’s life after the close of the book of Acts is included in note 1 at Acts 28:30. Many notes about Paul’s exploits, character, and hardships are found throughout the book of Acts.
Ephesians 1:1
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 1 at Ephesians 1:1: Paul made special mention of the fact that he was an apostle “by the will of God.” People appoint themselves to positions and sometimes gain the recognition of others, but only those whom God appoints carry His authority and anointing. If believers know that they are in God’s will, it makes whatever hardships that come their way bearable. It’s not good enough for people to become ministers just because their mothers always wanted a preacher in the family (see note 1 at 1 Corinthians 1:1).Note 2 at Ephesians 1:1: Paul first preached at Ephesus on his second missionary journey. Later he returned there on his third missionary journey and spent more time there than with any other congregation, a total of three years (Acts 20:31).
Ephesus was the chief city of the Roman province of Asia, in what is now known as Turkey (see note 3 at Acts 16:6). It was the site of the temple of Diana, also known as the many-breasted goddess, Artemis, who was worshiped through the act of prostitution. Through this chief city, Paul was able to evangelize almost all of Asia.
His letter to the Ephesians was possibly a circular letter reaching to all churches in this Roman province (see Life for Today Study Bible Notes, Introduction to Ephesians). See note 3 at Acts 18:19, note 1 at Acts 20:18, and note 12 at Acts 20:31 for more details about Ephesus and Paul’s ministry there.
Note 3 at Ephesians 1:1: Paul made a distinction between the saints that were in Ephesus and the faithful in Christ Jesus. It is possible that the phrase “and to the faithful in Christ Jesus” broadened the audience beyond the Ephesian church, showing that Paul intended this epistle to be circulated (see Life for Today Study Bible Notes, Introduction to Ephesians). It is also possible that “the faithful” was designating a group within the saints in Ephesus.
It is true that in every church, there is a core group who carry the load. They are always present, always give, and are the ones who propagate the faith. While we are all one in the Lord, not all of us live up to our potential. We need to strive to be among the faithful (see note 19 at 1 Corinthians 15:10).
Note 4 at Ephesians 1:1: “In Christ Jesus” was a descriptive phrase used forty times in the New Testament, sometimes meaning “through Christ.” Generally speaking, this phrase implied a vital union with Christ. Just as the life of a root is found in the soil, or a branch in the vine, or a fish in the sea, so the believer’s true life is found to be in union with Christ.
For every verse that speaks of Christ being in the believer, there are at least ten that speak of the believer being in Christ. Ephesians 1:6 states that our acceptance with God the Father is not ours through some merit of our own, but because we are “in the beloved.” It is God’s acceptance of Christ that has become ours because of our vital union with Christ through salvation.
Ephesians 1:2
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 5 at Ephesians 1:2: Grace and peace are gifts to be received by faith. But Peter revealed that grace and peace can be multiplied through the knowledge of God (2 Peter 1:2). God’s gifts are available to everyone, but only those who know and understand will reap the full effects.Ephesians 1:3
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 1 at Ephesians 1:3: After a short greeting, Paul got right to the point. He started praising God for the great spiritual blessings that we already have in Christ.This is his theme throughout Ephesians 3.
Note 2 at Ephesians 1:3: The phrase “who hath blessed us” is in the aorist tense in the Greek; this means that there was a point in the past when all these blessings were obtained and given to us. Paul was describing what is already ours. These are not blessings to be sought after but rather blessings to be discovered and enjoyed. We who have put our faith in Christ are not headed to a victory; we are coming from a victory that is already accomplished.
Note 3 at Ephesians 1:3: “In heavenly places” carries the idea of in the spiritual realm (see note 25 at 1 Corinthians 14:37). “In Christ” we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings. These things are now spiritual realities. Our spiritual selves are already complete (see note 3 at Matthew 26:41). As we believe and act in faith, these spiritual blessings become physical realities (see note 50 at Matthew 7:8).
The phrase “in heavenly places” is used four times in this letter to the Ephesians (this verse, 1:20; 2:6; and 3:10). In the other three references, it is clear that Paul was speaking about real places that are beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.
Here is a partial list of some of the blessings that Paul mentioned in the first two chapters of this letter: We have been adopted as God’s children (Ephesians 1:5), we have redemption through Jesus’ blood and the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1:7), we have obtained an inheritance (Ephesians 1:11), have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), have been given the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20), have been made the one new man (Ephesians 2:15), have been made fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19), have become a holy temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:21) and a habitation of God (Ephesians 2:22), etc.
Ephesians 1:4
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 4 at Ephesians 1:4: The phrase “according to” means “corresponding to the way in which” (American Heritage Dictionary). Paul was explaining to what degree we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3). It goes beyond our ability to conceive.We were chosen in Christ before the world began. We are holy and without blame, because God sees us through, Christ. We have had it predetermined that we will be God’s children (Ephesians 1:5). We have been accepted by God (Ephesians 1:6). We are redeemed and forgiven (Ephesians 1:7). We have all of God’s wisdom and prudence (Ephesians 1:8). The mysteries of God have been revealed to us (Ephesians 1:9). We are truly blessed!
Note 5 at Ephesians 1:4: The Lord did not choose us on our merit, but solely on our acceptance of Christ. His foreknowledge (see note 1 at Romans 8:29) allowed Him to make before that choice the foundation of the world. In the strictest sense, we were not personally chosen; Christ was chosen, and all those who are “in Christ” partake of His being chosen by His Father. Just as we are the beneficiaries of the covenant between God the Father and His Son, Jesus (see note 4 at Galatians 3:29), so are we chosen because we chose God’s chosen; i.e., Christ. The Father would no more reject us than He would reject Jesus because we are accepted by the Father through Christ (Ephesians 1:6).
Note 6 at Ephesians 1:4: This verse reveals that God the Father had the plan of salvation worked out before He even created the world. Most of us would not have created the world and man if we knew the heartache and terrible sacrifice that act would cost. God is not a man, and in His judgment (which is the correct judgment), the prize was worth all the cost.
Note 7 at Ephesians 1:4: None of us can claim that we are without blame in the sight of man, because man looks on the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7) and all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23). The Lord looks on our born-again spirits, which have been regenerated in Christ, and He sees us holy and without blame.
If you look through a red glass, everything becomes red. The same thing would happen if you looked through a green glass; everything would become green. In a similar way, God looks at us through Christ, and everything in our lives becomes covered by the blood of Jesus. We are holy and without blame before Him because of His love expressed through His Son.
Ephesians 1:5
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 8 at Ephesians 1:5: The Greek word that was translated “predestinated” here was used twice in Ephesians (this verse and Ephesians 1:11) and twice in Romans (Romans 8:29-30). Predestination and foreknowledge go hand-in-hand, and there are detailed notes on these words in my note at Romans 8:29. A misunderstanding of predestination is based on God’s foreknowledge has led some people to believe God predestines some to damnation. That is not so (see note 3 at Romans 9:11). See note 11 at John 12:39 and note 1 at Luke 22:22 for more information on predestination.Note 9 at Ephesians 1:5: “Adoption” was a term used only by the Apostle Paul in Scripture. It found its roots in Roman culture rather than Jewish. Through adoption, old ties were severed, and the new father became full owner of the child with all legal rights. In Rome, a slave could have full rights as that of a Roman citizen through adoption. Through adoption, believers now have had all ties severed from their old master and have now become the property of their heavenly Father as heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
Note 10 at Ephesians 1:5: The Lord didn’t just save us out of pity or a sense of obligation as our Creator. He saved us because He loved us (John 3:16). It was the “good pleasure of his will” for us to become adopted sons. We are wanted and accepted (Ephesians 1:6) by our Father!
Ephesians 1:6
Note on Ephesians 1:6
The Greek word CHARITOO that was translated “made accepted” in this verse was only used one other time in the N.T. That was in Luke 1:28, which says, “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored [CHARITOO], the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” So, “being accepted” in Ephesians 1:6 is equivalent to being “highly favored” in Luke 1:28. Mary had nothing on a born-again child of God.Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 12 at Ephesians 1:6: What a wonderful thing this is! It would have been more than any of us deserve to be forgiven by God, but then to be given certain rights and privileges would have been more than we could have expected. The Lord went further than that–He has actually accepted us.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines “accept” as “2. To receive (something offered), especially with gladness or approval. 3. To admit to a group, organization, or place.” The Lord does not just tolerate us. He actually loves us. He even likes us. He rejoices over us with joy (Zephaniah 3:17).
Most religions share the belief in a supreme being and the possibility of our being reconciled to him (see note 3 at John 6:28), but only Christianity presents the truth that God can actually be pleased with us (Hebrews 11:5-6).
Ephesians 1:7
Note on Ephesians 1:7
This verse very clearly reveals that redemption is the forgiveness of sins. There is no way to receive redemption apart from the blood of Jesus Christ. There is no salvation in any other (Acts 4:12).Notice that this redemption is already an accomplished fact. Our sins are already forgiven (see my notes at Hebrews 9:12, 15; 10:10, and 14). Yet Ephesians 1:14 speaks of waiting for the redemption of the purchased possession. How do we reconcile these two passages?
First, it is obvious that there is no contradiction since Paul was the author of both of these statements, which are in back-to-back sentences. More than one part of us needed to be redeemed. We are each a spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Our spirits have already been redeemed, forgiven of all sin through the blood of Jesus. But our bodies and souls have yet to be redeemed. They have been purchased, but we are waiting on the redemption of those purchased possessions (1 Corinthians 13:10-12 and 15:53-54).
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 13 at Ephesians 1:7: The Greek word used here for “redemption” is “APOLUTROSIS,” and it was used ten times in the New Testament (Luke 21:28; Romans 3:24, 8:23; 1 Corinthians 1:30; this verse, Ephesians 1:14, 4:30; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:15, and 11:35). This word literally means “a releasing effected by payment of ransom...liberation procured by the payment of a ransom” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon).
Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 make it clear that the price paid for our redemption was the life of Jesus; that is, Jesus’ blood (Colossians 1:14). This redemption, according to Hebrews 9:12, was eternal and intended to purify us from all iniquity (Titus 2:14) and bring us to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14).
Note 14 at Ephesians 1:7: Paul was saying that it is through the riches of God’s grace that we have received forgiveness for our sins. There is nothing we can do to obtain forgiveness, except humble ourselves and receive forgiveness as a gift through faith in Christ (see note 21 at Ephesians 2:8).
Ephesians 1:8
Note on Ephesians 1:8
The English word “abounded” in this verse was translated from the Greek word “PERISSEUO,” which means “to superabound (in quantity or quality), be in excess, be superfluous; also (transitively) to cause to superabound or excel” (Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary). This is speaking of much more than having just enough grace to barely get by. This is infinitely more grace than any of us need. The supply is greater than the need.Life For Today Study Bible Notes
In this scripture, we see God abounding toward us in wisdom and insight to reveal to us the mystery and will of His eternal purpose. In other words, God has not “left us in the dark” concerning His eternal purposes for our lives.
Ephesians 1:9
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 16 at Ephesians 1:9: The Greek scholar A.T. Robinson said the Greek word “MUSTERION,” translated “mystery” here, means “something that could not be known by men except by divine revelation, but that, though once hidden, has now been revealed in Christ and is to be proclaimed so that all who have ears may hear it” (Handbook to Ephesians, p. 19).The specific mystery that Paul was speaking about is explained in the next verse (Ephesians 1:10). The truths of God are mysterious only to those who do not soften their hearts (see note 3 at Mark 8:17) by seeking God with their whole hearts. As Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
The truths of God are hidden for His children, not from them (see note 1 at Matthew 13:11). The Holy Spirit has been instructed to teach us all things (John 14:26) and has given us an unction so that we know all things (1 John 2:20). We only have to appropriate what is ours (see note 6 at 1 Corinthians 2:16).
Ephesians 1:10
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 17 at Ephesians 1:10: A dispensation is simply a period of time during which God deals with mankind in a certain way. Some scholars have designated seven different dispensations of God’s dealings with mankind (see note 4 at 1 Corinthians 9:17). The two dominant dispensations in Scripture are the dispensation of Law and the dispensation of grace, or as some call it, the “church age,” in which we now live (see note 1 at Luke 16:16).Here, Paul was speaking about the end of this dispensation of grace, or the Millennium, when Christ will rule supreme overall.
Note 18 at Ephesians 1:10: The New International Reader’s Version translates Ephesians 1:9-10 as “He showed us the mystery of his plan. It was in keeping with what he wanted to do. It was what he had planned through Christ. It will all come about when history has been completed. God will then bring together all things in heaven and on earth under one ruler. The ruler is Christ.” Today’s English Version translates the end of Ephesians 1:10 as “to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as the head.”
These translations are in keeping with what Paul was saying because the phrase “gather together in one” comes from one compound Greek word that means “to sum up” (Strong’s Concordance). The last part of this Greek word “ANAKEPHALAIOMAI,” “KEPHALAIOMAI,” is derived from the word “KEPHALE.” KEPHALE means “the head” (Strong’s Concordance). The thought is that God is bringing everything together under the headship or Lordship of Jesus. That has always been God’s purpose and plan, and it will be accomplished. Those who do not make Jesus Christ preeminent and Lord over their lives are entirely out of focus with the eternal purpose of God.
Note 19 at Ephesians 1:10: The things that God will bring together and subjugate under Christ are not spelled out for us, but certainly, they include angels and man, as well as the government of heaven and the government of earth. All of these will be ruled by Christ from one throne. We will live together with all of God’s creation (angels included) on the new earth (see note 2 at Mark 12:25).
Ephesians 1:11
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 20 at Ephesians 1:11: This inheritance is one of the blessings Paul mentioned earlier in Ephesians 1:3. This inheritance is ours now. It includes everything that belongs to Christ, because we are joint-heirs with Him (Romans 8:17). Although we won’t see the fullness of this inheritance until Christ personally takes the reins of government (Revelation 11:15), we can pray for things to be done here on earth as they are in heaven (Matthew 6:10). As much as we can release our faith, we can enjoy our inheritance now.Ephesians 1:12
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 21 at Ephesians 1:12: God is working all things together so the end result will bring praise to His glory. Anytime we are in doubt about what the Lord is leading us to do, all we have to decide is whether or not this will bring praise to His glory. If our motive is to bring praise to ourselves, we can scratch that off the list. If we are truly seeking to glorify God, then we’ve passed the first hurdle in discerning the Lord’s will.Ephesians 1:13
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 22 at Ephesians 1:13: The word “gospel” literally means “the good news” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary). News is not something that is yet to happen. News is something that has already taken place. Salvation is news. Christ paid everyone’s debt thousands of years ago. There is nothing that has to happen on God’s part. That’s the good news. All we have to do is believe and receive what God has already provided.Note 23 at Ephesians 1:13: The Greek word “SPHRAGIZO,” translated “sealed” here, means “to stamp (with a signet or private mark) for security or preservation” (Strong’s Concordance). The meaning clearly relates to the Holy Spirit protecting our salvation (see note 16 at 2 Corinthians 1:22).
This verse requires two actions that must occur before the Spirit’s sealing can take place: (1) The Gospel must be heard (“And how shall they hear without a preacher?” [Romans 10:14]), and (2) they must believe and trust the message of the Gospel; that is, Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31 and Romans 10:9-10).
At salvation, we each receive a brand-new spirit (see note 9 at 2 Corinthians 5:17). It is free from sin and totally pure. Then we are immediately sealed by the Holy Spirit (this verse). That’s like vacuum-sealing or canning food for the purpose of preservation. A barrier is formed to keep sin out and retain the purity of our born-again spirits. When we Christians sin, it is in the soulish and physical realm. The born-again spirit (see note 2 at John 3:3) doesn’t participate. It cannot sin (1 John 3:9).
Ephesians 1:14
Note on Ephesians 1:14
Notice that Ephesians 1:7 says we already have redemption; i.e., the forgiveness of our sins. But this verse says there is a future redemption of “the purchased possession.” It’s certain this isn’t a contradiction or inconsistency. This is the same author. These sentences are back to back.The key to understanding this is that verse 7 is speaking of the redemption that is already a reality in our born-again spirits (see my note at John 3:3). All of our sins, past, present, and future (see my notes at Hebrews 9:12, 15; 10:10, 14; and 12:23), have already been forgiven. This spiritual redemption is already complete.
Our souls and bodies have also been purchased through the atonement of Christ. And there will be a future redemption of those purchased possessions. That’s what this verse is speaking of. Our mortal and corruptible bodies will be changed into immortal and incorruptible bodies (1 Corinthians 15:51-55).
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 25 at Ephesians 1:14: Our glorified bodies have been purchased through the sacrificial payment of Jesus, but they are not yet redeemed. That may shock some people who equate redemption with salvation. However, there is a difference between the two. Redemption is salvation completed (see note 11 at Romans 8:23).
Salvation begins with the born-again experience (see note 2 at John 3:3), but it will not be completed until we receive our glorified bodies and assume our position in eternity with Christ. Paul was saying that until we see these bodies glorified, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is our guarantee that the rest of our salvation is secure and coming.
Ephesians 1:15
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 1 at Ephesians 1:15: Paul was not praying for these Ephesians because they were in terrible shape. He commended them for their faith in Jesus and love unto all the saints, yet there was more that Paul wanted them to receive.There is more to being saved than just having our sins forgiven. The new birth ushers us into the kingdom of God, which is infinitely greater in wonder and benefits than our finite minds can comprehend. But to the degree that we do begin to understand how God’s kingdom works and apply our lives to it, we can experience heaven here on earth (see note 32 at Matthew 6:10).
This doesn’t happen automatically, and it doesn’t happen all at once. We are progressively changed as we renew our minds (see notes 6-9 at Romans 12:2). All of us Christians are the same in our born-again spirits (see note 3 at Matthew 26:41), but there are many different levels of understanding and accompanying victories that we manifest in our lives.
Therefore, Paul prayed that the Ephesians would come to experience in their flesh what was already theirs in their spirits. This prayer is still valid for every believer today. You can personalize this prayer and receive the same wisdom and revelation that Paul was praying for the Ephesians to receive.
Ephesians 1:16
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 2 at Ephesians 1:16: Paul’s giving of thanks for the Ephesians as part of his prayers for them. Thanksgiving to God is prayer, and it is a very important part of prayer. Psalms 100:4 says, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” Paul said in Philippians 4:6, “Be careful about nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” According to Jesus’ teaching on prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, we are to start and end our prayers with thanksgiving and praise.It is easy to take our burdens to the Lord in prayer and actually spend our time complaining instead of praying. Making thanksgiving an integral part of every prayer will prevent this. If we start our prayer with praise and thanksgiving, we will have to remind ourselves that God is bigger than our problems. And if we close with praise and thanksgiving, we will have to move beyond the problem to the answer. Faith always focuses on the answer, not on the problem (see note 25 at Colossians 2:7).
Note 3 at Ephesians 1:16: Paul prayed two prayers for the Ephesians in this letter (Ephesians 1:15-23 and 3:14-21). They are both similar in content. Paul was praying that they would receive the revelation of the mystery that he was sharing with them (see note 16 at Ephesians 1:9).
Ephesians 1:17
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 4 at Ephesians 1:17: Just a few verses earlier (Ephesians 1:8), Paul said God had already abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence and had made known unto us the mystery of His will. Here, Paul was praying that we would receive the “spirit of wisdom and revelation.” Isn’t that contradictory? Not at all.The word “spirit” is used in different ways in Scripture. The dominant usage is to refer to either the Spirit of God or the spirit of man. In that context, it denotes the person of the Holy Spirit or identifies a part of our three-part being (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The word “spirit” can also describe a “mental disposition” (Strong’s Concordance). This is the same thing that we mean when we refer to “team spirit” or “school spirit.” That is the way Paul was using “spirit” here and also in Ephesians 4:23.
We already have wisdom and prudence in our born-again spirits. These things came as part of the “package deal” of salvation. We have to draw these things out of our spirits and get them into our minds and bodies to receive any of the benefits in this life. Therefore, Paul was praying that what is already true in our spirits will become our mental disposition. He was praying for a release into the physical of what is already present in our spiritual being.
Note 5 at Ephesians 1:17: You cannot get a revelation of something that doesn’t already exist. The Greek word “APOKALUPSIS,” translated “revelation” here, means “disclosure” (Strong’s Concordance). It is derived from the Greek word that means “to take off the cover” (Strong’s Concordance). Paul wasn’t praying for the Lord to give us anything new. He was praying for us to receive a revelation of what is already ours (see note 6 at this verse).
Note 6 at Ephesians 1:17: Notice that Paul didn’t pray that God would give them more and more things, but rather that they would get a revelation (see note 5 at this verse) of what had already been freely given to them in Christ.
The Christian life is not an attempt to get more faith, more anointing, or to get closer to the Lord. We already have these things in their fullness (see note 16 at Romans 12:3). We just need a revelation of what is already ours.
Understanding this takes a lot of frustration and doubt away. It’s much easier to release something we already have than to try to get something that we don’t have. And why would any of us doubt that we would receive what we already have?
Through Christ, we are already blessed with all spiritual blessings (see note 2 at Ephesians 1:3). All we have to do is appropriate what is already ours, through the renewing of our minds (see notes 6-9 at Romans 12:2). That’s exactly what Paul was praying for these Ephesians. Insert your name in this prayer and get ready to receive.
Ephesians 1:18
Note on Ephesians 1:18
This is similar to what happened to Elisha’s servant in 2 Kings 6:17. In that instance, Elisha’s servant saw into the spiritual realm and saw the horses and chariots of God surrounding them. Here Paul was praying that the eyes of our understanding would be opened, so we could see what we already have in our born-again spirits (see my note at John 3:3).The Greek word “DIANOIA,” which was translated “understanding” in this verse, means “deep thought” (Strong’s Concordance). This same Greek word was translated “imagination” in Luke 1:51. Therefore, I think it is accurate to say Paul was praying that our imaginations would be enlightened. According to my explanation in my note at Romans 8:24, I believe a positive, or godly, imagination is what the Bible calls hope. And notice Paul was praying that our understanding (or imaginations) would see the HOPE of His calling. There is definitely a relationship between hope and our imaginations. See my notes at Ephesians 2:3 and 4:18.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 8 at Ephesians 1:18: Wisdom and revelation can only be received as the eyes of our hearts are enlightened. Several modern translations have rendered the English word “understanding” in this verse as “heart” (see New International Version and Revised Standard Version). The actual Greek word for “understanding” is “DIANOIA,” and it was translated in the King James Version as “mind,” “understanding,” and “imagination.” Our way of thinking has to be illuminated in order to come to a more accurate and thorough knowledge of God. In fact, spiritual mindedness is the only way to true life and peace (Romans 8:5-6 and Isaiah 26:3), and the renewing of the mind is the way to knowing the perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).
Note 9 at Ephesians 1:18: The end result of this wisdom and revelation was that the Ephesians might know (1) “the hope of his calling,” (2) “the riches of the glory of his inheritance,” and (3) “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward.” Without a revelation from God, no one can realize these blessings.
Someone might ask, “Didn’t the Ephesians already know these things?” There are several Greek words in the New Testament for the word “knowledge.” The particular Greek word used in this passage is “EPIGNOSIS” (Ephesians 1:17). Its verb counterpart, “EPIGINOSKO,” carries the idea of full, accurate, expert knowledge (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon). It’s one thing to know about car engines; it’s quite another to have the expert knowledge of a mechanic. Paul’s prayer was that through a spirit of wisdom and revelation, the Ephesians would come to know the Father in a deeper, more perfect way than they had before.
Note 10 at Ephesians 1:18: Notice that Paul said “the hope of His calling” (emphasis mine), not our calling. Through our faith in Christ, we have become partakers of everything that Christ deserves (see note 4 at Galatians 3:29). It takes a divine revelation to understand this, and that is exactly what Paul was praying for in this verse.
Note 11 at Ephesians 1:18: Once again, it is important to notice that the inheritance that is within us is His inheritance. Everything we have is all through Christ. It came through His holiness, not ours, and it remains because of His faithfulness, not ours. That’s good news!
Note 12 at Ephesians 1:18: Notice that “the riches of the glory of his inheritance” are in the saints. Most people picture the streets of gold and the wonders of heaven when they think of the glories of God’s riches. The treasures that are within every believer right now would bankrupt heaven (see note 1 at Romans 8:18).
Ephesians 1:19
Note on Ephesians 1:19
Paul was praying that we would get a revelation of the power that we already have. It’s the same power that raised Christ from the dead. That’s all we need. We have raising-from-the-dead power on the inside of us. We just need to realize it’s there and learn how to use it.Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 14 at Ephesians 1:19: This exceeding greatness of God’s power is toward us. That means that it is for us and our benefit. Some people get glimpses of God’s power, but very few have the revelation that it is for us and at our disposal. It doesn’t do us any good to believe that God has power if we don’t believe that it will work for us.
Note 15 at Ephesians 1:19: This great power of God is effectual only for those who believe. We must believe to receive, and if we doubt, we’ll do without.
Note 16 at Ephesians 1:19: The phrase “according to” means “in keeping with; in agreement with” (American Heritage Dictionary) (see note 4 at Ephesians 1:4). The point being made is that the power that we believers in Christ now have is the same power that God the Father used to raise Christ from the dead. We don’t just have a little bit of power from God. We have the same power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead. It is more than enough power to accomplish God’s will in our lives.
Ephesians 1:21
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 17 at Ephesians 1:21: The power that is now working in us as believers is the same power that worked in Christ to raise Him from the dead (see note 16 at Ephesians 1:19). Everything we have as believers in Christ comes from our union with Him. Therefore, what is true of Him is true of us too. So, in the same way, that Jesus is now “above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion,” so are we.This is one of the greatest passages in the New Testament on the authority of the believer. In this passage, we see that we have come to share in Christ’s throne, to partake in the authority that throne represents, and to exercise divine power and dominion. There is no place in the N.T. where we are told to ask God to do something about the devil; rather, the church is told to do something about the devil. This is because the delegated authority has been given to the church over the works of the Enemy. Paul’s prayer is that the church may be enlightened to this fact.
Ephesians 1:22
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 18 at Ephesians 1:22: Paul also used this analogy of the church being the body of Christ in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:12-27 and 15:25-28). Here, Paul expounded on this by placing Christ as the head and the church as the body. This is emphasizing the Lordship of Christ over the church, just as the head dictates and controls the physical body.When anything is placed under the feet of a person, then every single part of that person’s body is positioned above it. This illustrates that resurrection power is not just a reality for Christ, our Head, but that every member of Christ’s body has “raising-from-the-dead” power and authority within them too.
Ephesians 1:23
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 19 at Ephesians 1:23: What an amazing statement we find here of our union with Christ Jesus. Paul stated, “The church is Christ’s body, the completion of him” (Today’s English Version). Just as a ship is not complete without its crew, just as a king is not complete without his kingdom, Jesus Christ has chosen to be incomplete without His church, “his body, filled with himself” (The Living Bible).Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary.
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