Ephesians 3.14b-The Protocol, Posture and Perseverance of Paul's Intercessory Prayer on Behalf of the Recipients of the Epistle
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday August 8, 2024
Ephesians Series: Ephesians 3:14b-The Protocol, Posture and Perseverance of Paul’s Intercessory Prayer on Behalf of the Recipients of the Epistle
Lesson # 168
Ephesians 3:14 For this reason, I make it my habit of bending my knees in the presence of the Father. (Lecturer’s translation)
Now, as we noted in our study of Ephesians 3:1, Paul emphasizes with the recipients of this epistle that he was a prisoner owned by and under the authority of the one and only Christ who is Jesus for the benefit of each and every one of them as a corporate unit, who are Gentiles.
On the other hand, here in Ephesians 3:14, he resumes this thought by asserting that he made it his habit of bending his knees in the presence of the Father.
The referent of the articular accusative masculine singular form of the noun patēr (πατήρ) is of course the first member of the Trinity.
The articular construction of this word indicates that the Father is “in a class by himself” indicating the extreme of a particular class.
Thus, it indicates the extreme of those who are fathers.
Thus, this construction indicates that there is only one Father worth mentioning as far as Jewish and Gentile Christians are concerned.
Also, this word is the object of the preposition pros (πρός), which functions as a marker of close personal association with the implication of personal intimacy with someone and of an interrelationship or reciprocal relation.
Therefore, this prepositional phrase pros ton patera (πρὸς τὸν πατέρα) indicates that the apostle Paul was in “the personal presence of the Father” when he made this intercessory prayer for the recipients of this epistle, who we noted were Gentile Christians living throughout the Roman province of Asia.
This word patēr (πατήρ) forms a word play with the noun patria (πατριά), “family,” which appears in Ephesians 3:15.
James Parks writes “The initial sounds of “Father” (πατέρα patera) are the same as ‘family’ (πατριὰ patria). The similarity between the initial sounds of these words creates the wordplay.”
Lewis R. Donelson writes “There is a connection in the Greek between father (patēr) and family (patria) that cannot be rendered in English. We also lack an adequate word in English for patria, which means the entire line of relatives descended from a given father. The image is, in any case, clear; we belong to God’s family, no matter what our race, clan, or tribe. This sense of belonging was the main point of 2:11–22, where we become ‘members of God’s household.’ Thus the prayer begins by calling upon one of the great assurances of the gospel: We belong to God; it is as though we were members of God’s own household.”
Now, Paul’s assertion here in Ephesians 3:14 that he bent his knees in the presence of the Father reveals that he was appropriating by faith his union and identification with Jesus Christ and specifically, his identification with Him in His present session at the right hand of the Father.
He did this by considering himself as seated at the right hand of the Father (cf. Rom. 6:1-12; Col. 3:1-5; Eph. 2:6).
In other words, he adopted the Father’s view of himself.
Interestingly, the present tense of the verb kamptō (κάμπτω) is a customary present, which would indicate that Paul “made it his habit of” or “regularly” bending his knees in the presence of the Father.
The purpose of which was to intercede in prayer for these Gentile Christians who lived throughout the various cities and towns in the Roman province of Asia in the first century A.D.
Therefore, the present tense of this verb brings out one of the characteristics of an effective and productive prayer life, namely, perseverance (Matt. 26:39-44; Luke 11:9-10; 18:1-8; 21:36; Rom. 12:12; 15:30; Acts 1:14; 6:4; 12:5; Eph. 6:18; 1 Thess. 5:17; 1 Tim. 5:5; 2 Tim. 1:3; Col. 1:9; 4:2, 12; Heb. 10:22).
Matthew 7:7 Ask repeatedly, and it will be given to you; seek repeatedly, and you will find; knock continuously, and it will be opened to you. (Lecturer’s translation)
We saw this use of the present tense in Ephesians 1:17 indicating again that Paul persevered in offering intercessory prayer on behalf of the recipients of this 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 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. 18 Namely, that the eyes of your heart are enlightened in order that each and every one of you would possess the conviction of what constitutes being the confident expectation of blessing produced by His effectual call, what constitutes His inheritance, which is characterized by glorious wealth, residing in the person of the saints. 19 Also, what constitutes being His incomparable, great power on behalf of each one of us who believe which is equivalent to the exertion of His sovereign, omnipotent power to overcome. 20 This He caused to enter into the state of being exerted on behalf of the incomparable Christ. Specifically, by causing Him to be raised out from the dead ones. Then, by causing Him to be seated at His right hand in the heavenlies 21 above each and every sovereign ruler, authority, power exercised, dominion as well as each and every designated rank, by no means only during this age but in fact also during the one certain to come. 22 In other words, He caused each and every animate and inanimate object to be placed in subjection under His feet. Correspondingly, He gave Him as a gift as head over each and every animate and inanimate object for the benefit of the church. (Lecturer’s translation)
The apostle Paul’s assertion here in Ephesians 3:14 that he bowed his knees to worship the Father in prayer and to intercede on behalf of the recipients of the Ephesian epistle expresses the solemn nature of the introduction to this prayer.
So therefore, in Ephesians 3:14-21, the apostle Paul prays a second time for the recipients of this epistle who we noted were Gentile Christians living throughout the various cities and towns in the Roman province of Asia in the first century A.D.
His first intercessory prayer for them is contained in Ephesians 1:15-22.
In both prayers, we have the “protocol” of prayer.
Notice that in both prayers, Paul addresses his prayers to the Father and not to the Lord Jesus.
All prayer made by the believer-priest in the church age must be addressed to God the Father (John 14:13-14; 16:23-27; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 2:18; 3:14; 5:20; Col. 1:3, 12; 3:17; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 1:6).
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).
The apostle Peter also stated that prayer was to be addressed to the Father.
1 Peter 1:17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth. (NASB95)
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)
Finally, prayer must be made by the power of the Spirit or by means of the Filling of the Spirit (Jude 20).
Ephesians 3:14 also reveals the “posture” of Paul’s prayer meaning he states that he bends his knees to the Father.
The Scriptures do not command a particular posture in prayer (position of the physical body as a whole) since it is the posture or attitude of the heart, which is important to God, thus it can be accomplished sitting, standing, kneeling down or on one’s face.
Although bodily posture is secondary to the attitude of the soul, it is instructive to note that at times the Lord Jesus Christ prayed while standing, wherever He happened to be at the moment (Mt. 14:19).
J. B. Bond writes “There are many postures in which to pray. The important thing, however, is not the position but the attitude.”
Merkle writes “Although the normal posture in Jewish and early Christian prayer was standing (1 Sam 1:26; 1 Kgs 8:22; Matt 6:5; Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11, 13), bowing or kneeling was not uncommon (1 Chr 29:20; 2 Chr 29:29; Ps 95:6; Ezra 9:5; Dan 6:10; Luke 5:8; 22:41; Acts 7:60; 20:36; 21:5). The posture of kneeling communicated humble submission and worship and was often used in prayers of utter desperation.”
Darrell Bock writes “Bowing the knee is a sign not only of prayer but also of reverence (bowing is used negatively in Rom. 11:4, in the context of bowing to idols). Often Jews prayed standing (Matt. 6:5; Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11, 13), so the bowing is an extra act of regard for God. There are other examples of kneeling to pray in the New Testament (Acts 7:60; 9:40; 20:36), as well as some in the Old Testament (1 Kgs 8:54; Dan. 6:10–11 LXX Theodotion). In 1 Chronicles 29:20 and Psalm 95:6 kneeling is seen as part of the worship of God to honour him. One day, every knee will bow before God (Rom. 14:11, citing Isa. 45:23) and before Christ (Phil. 2:10–11).”
