Ephesians Series: Ephesians 1:17a-Paul Addresses the Father When Interceding on Behalf of the Recipients of the Ephesian Epistle

Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, after I myself heard about the faith among each and every one of you in the one and only Lord Jesus as well as you are practicing divine-love, which is on behalf of each and every one of the saints, 16 I never permit myself to cease regularly expressing thanks to the one and only God because of each and every one of you. I do this while disciplining myself to make it my practice of remembering each and every one of you during my prayers. 17 I make it a habit of occupying myself with praying that the God, that is, the glorious Father of the one and only Lord ruling over each and every one of us as a corporate unit, who is Jesus Christ, would cause each and every one of you to receive divine wisdom, specifically, divine revelatory wisdom provided by the one and only Spirit with respect to an experiential knowledge of Himself. (Lecturer’s translation)

Ephesians 1:17 continues Paul’s thought from Ephesians 1:15-16 in that it provides for the reader the content of what Paul asked the Father when interceding in prayer for the recipients of the Ephesian epistle.

He asserts that he prayed that the Father would cause them to receive divine wisdom, specifically, divine revelatory wisdom provided by the one and only Spirit with respect to an experiential knowledge of the Father.

The apostle Paul employs the figuring of ellipsis because he is deliberately omitting the first person singular present middle indicative conjugation of the verb proseuchomai (προσεύχομαι), though it is implied from the context.

It refers to the intercessory prayer of the apostle Paul offered up to the Father on behalf of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle but without reference to the fact that it is intercessory.

Thus it simply refers to prayer in its general sense or the simple act of making a prayer to the Father without reference to its content.

The context indicates it refers to Paul’s intercessory prayer on behalf of the recipients of the Ephesian letter because the contents of verses 17-23 makes this clear.

The present tense of the verb proseuchomai is a customary present indicating that Paul “made it his habit of” or “regularly” interceding in prayer to the Father on behalf of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle.

Furthermore, the middle voice of the verb is an intensive middle, which indicates that Paul made it his habit of “occupying himself” with interceding in prayer to the Father on behalf of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle.

The first person plural aorist active subjunctive conjugation of the verb didōmi (δίδωμι) means “to give” since the word pertains to causing someone to have something in an abstract or physical sense.

The active voice of this verb is a causative active which would indicate that the Father is not the direct cause of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle receiving wisdom, specifically, divine revelatory wisdom but rather the Holy Spirit is.

Therefore, the causative active voice is expressing the idea of the Father causing the recipients of the Ephesian epistle to receive divine wisdom, wisdom, specifically, divine revelatory wisdom provided by the Holy Spirit.

The conjunction hina (ἵνα), “that” is employed with the subjunctive mood of the third person singular aorist active subjunctive conjugation of the verb didōmi (δίδωμι), “may give” and together, they form a direct object clause which presents the content to the main verb proseuchomai.

The direct object clause answers the question “what?” rather than “why?”

Thus, this hina direct object clause presents to the reader the content of the apostle Paul’s intercessory prayer he regularly presented to the Father on behalf of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle.

As was the case in Ephesians 1:2-3, the noun theos, “God” here in Ephesians 1:17 refers to the Father which is indicated in both passages by the fact that it is modified by the noun patēr, “Father.”

This title emphasizes the absolute authority that the First Person of the Trinity has over all creation and the church (1 Cor. 8:6; Ephesians 4:6).

God the Father is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In relation to Paul and the recipients of this epistle, God is their Father through regeneration by the Holy Spirit as the direct result of exercising faith alone in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, this word is clarifying for the recipients of this epistle who God is in relation to Paul and the recipients of this epistle.

The noun patēr (πατήρ), “Father” is modified by the noun doxa (δόξα), “glorious,” which is picking up the theme which appeared in the doxology in Ephesians 1:3-14 because the word appears in this doxology in Ephesians 1:6 where it also means “glorious.”

Now, as was the case in Ephesians 1:6, the word is used again in Ephesians 1:17 as an attributive adjective and means “glorious” but this time it is used to describe the Father and not His grace policy towards the church age believers as was the case in Ephesians 1:6.

Here in Ephesians 1:17, the noun doxa describes the Father as possessing a glory, which is marked by great beauty and splendor, which is also notably or brilliantly outstanding because of His great dignity and achievements or actions.

The noun doxa functioned as an attributive genitive in Ephesians 1:6 and this is the case here in Ephesians 1:17.

This type of genitive specifies an attribute or innate quality of the head substantive.

However, in Ephesians 1:17, the head noun is the articular nominative masculine singular form of the noun patēr (πατήρ), “Father.”

Therefore, the noun doxa is expressing the idea that the Father possesses glory, which is marked by great beauty and splendor, which is also notably or brilliantly outstanding because of His great dignity and achievements or actions.

Notice that in Ephesians 1:17 Paul addressed the Father when interceding in prayer on behalf of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle and not the Son or the Spirit.

In fact, the Scriptures teach there is a protocol to prayer.

They teach that the Christian is to pray to the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit.

Just as there is only one way for salvation, which is through faith in Jesus Christ, so also there is only one way to pray.

Protocol is a rigid, long established code and procedure, which prescribes complete deference to superior rank and authority, and which deals with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette.

In eternity past, God established a code and procedure for prayer, which prescribed complete deference to His authority and followed a strict adherence to formality, precedence, and etiquette.

First and foremost, in God’s protocol for prayer, the believer-priest must address God the Father in prayer (John 14:13-14; 16:23-27; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 2:18; 3:14; 5:20; Col 1:3, 12; 3:17; 1 Peter 1:17; Revelation 1:6).

Even the Lord Jesus Christ taught to address the Father in prayer.

When His disciples asked Him how to pray, His response was, “pray to your Father” (Mat 6:6).

While many Christians today may argue otherwise, Scriptures clearly dictate God’s protocol for prayer.

Prayer that is not addressed to the Father in the name of the Son by the power of the Spirit is not heard because it is not done according to God’s protocol.

The apostle Paul taught the churches, throughout the Roman Empire, to address the Father in prayer (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18; 3:14; Col 1:3; 1:12).

In 1 Peter 1:17, the apostle Peter also stated that prayer was to be addressed to the Father.

The Lord Jesus Christ taught that prayer must be made in His name or His person, since He is the intermediary to the Father (Eph 5:20; Col 3:17).

John 14:13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (NASB95)

Christ taught His disciples in the Upper Room Discourse to pray in His name.

John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” (NASB95)

John 16:23 “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.” (NASB95)

John 16:26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. (NASB95)

It is through the merits of Christ’s impeccable person and work on the cross that gives the believer the privilege to boldly approach the throne of God in prayer.

To pray in His name is equivalent to praying in union with Christ and thus, to pray in His name is, essentially, to pray from the vantage point of the believer’s new and exalted position in Christ and the believer occupies this position because of Christ’s so great salvation.

Finally, prayer must be made by the power of the Spirit or by means of the Filling of the Spirit (Jude 20), which is accomplished by praying in accordance to the Word of God.

Upon confessing our sins and regaining fellowship with the Father, the Holy Spirit is free to inspire and guide us in prayer.

Apart from the Filling of the Spirit, we pray to serve our own agenda and with the power of the Spirit, we pray to obey God’s agenda.