Rich Prayer

Context

Notice in verse 15 that Paul says he has heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and you love towards the saints.

Paul had ministered in Ephesus for more than two years, but the time of this writing may be as much as five years later.

The church had grown since then, and the people in the church gained a reputation.

Specifically their reputation regarding the faith in Christ and their love for the church. This is the mark of Christians… of the church.

Consider what John says in his epistle:

1 John 3:23 ESV

23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

God’s commandment. It’s interesting, the word commandment is singular but notice what the command is: believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another.

Two facets of one command. This is what it is to be Christian. Faith in Christ and love for the brethren.

Being faithful to this command what the church in Ephesus is known for.

Now, back to Ephesians 1:15, Paul says for this reason. Paul could be shooting us back to what he said on the opening benediction that we spent several weeks working through: In light of all I said, I now say this to you.. OR Paul is saying I now say this to you because I have heard of your faith… pointing us forward. I think that’s what he is doing. He is saying something to them because of their reputation.

And what Paul has to say to this church is that he is praying for them. The fact that the church is known for something good is not a reason to become lax in prayer for them. Paul informs them that he is praying for them. What does he pray for?

Paul’s Prayer

Ephesians 1:16 ESV

16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

So, it’s clear that Paul is sharing his prayer with them.

The first part of his prayer is in verse 17:

Ephesians 1:17 ESV

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

The question quickly becomes is the spirit in verse 17 the big S Spirit or small s spirit. In other words, is Paul referring to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit in verse 17.

Notice in verse 17, Paul begins sharing his prayer by referring to the God or our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of glory. Both those descriptions are similar to how Paul described God earlier in the chapter.

And what does Paul pray God would grant to the Ephesians? the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him [Christ].

Small “s” Sense

If Paul is praying that God would give the Ephesians a spirit of wisdom and revelation in a small s sense, then he is praying that God would grant them a disposition of wisdom and understanding.

Paul has used the word spirit in the sense

1 Corinthians 4:21 ESV

21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

Romans 8:15 ESV

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

or even in Ephesians

Ephesians 4:22–23 ESV

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

It seems to me that in all these references, Paul uses the word spirit in a small s sense. So, it’s not unprecedented. Paul could be doing that here.

Big “S” Sense

What prevents me from reading this verse that way is largely connected to the word translated revelation in verse 17. Some translations translate this word to say understanding, but the Greek word is apakolupsis which really is best to understand as revelation.

What does Paul mean by the phrase Spirit of revelation? God is the one who gives people to revelation, so it does not stand that Paul is praying for the people’s spirits.

Also, there’s only one place in Ephesians where the terms Spirit and revelation are used together.

Ephesians 3:4–5 ESV

4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

God’s Spirit reveals the mystery of Christ to the apostles and prophets.

So, these facts weigh heavily in favor of Paul referencing the Holy Spirit in verse 17.

BUT! What’s the problem? What theological difficulty do we run into if we conclude that Paul is referencing the Holy Spirit? Paul is addressing Christians, and Christians already have the Spirit. Don’t forget what Paul said in verses 13 & 14:

Ephesians 1:13–14 ESV

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Paul declares to the Ephesians that they were sealed by the Holy Spirt.

Now, there is no question this is an interpretive difficulty.

If it is correct that Paul is referring to the Holy Spirit in verse 17, then in what meaningful sense is he praying that the church would receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation?

I suggest that Paul is not referring to the reception of the Spirit for the first time. He is not praying that the Ephesians receive the Spirit because they do not have it already. He is praying that they would be clear on the Spirit’s role of revealing and granting wisdom and revelation to them. Now, I need to quickly clarify that the Spirit is not granting new revelation, but He does grant wisdom to understand revelation.

What came to mind was Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians later in the epistle.

Ephesians 5:18–20 ESV

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Paul is exhorting Christians to be filled by the Spirit in that the Spirit would grant them spiritual nourishment. Getting drunk will not deliver this kind of satisfaction. Only the Spirit can.

Only the Spirit can grant the wisdom and understanding into the revelation of God.

So, Paul’s prayer is that the Ephesians will understand the Spirit’s role in providing wisdom and insight and therefore seek after it by means of the power of the Spirit.

And remember the last phrase in verse 17: in the knowledge of Him. The Him refers back to Christ mentioned earlier in the same verse. The Ephesian’s reception of wisdom and insight from the Sprit is grounded in the knowledge of Christ.

So this is the first part of Paul’s prayer, that the Ephesians would understand where the wisdom and insight necessary to understand the truth comes from is from the Spirit of God. He prays, I suggest, that they would be filled with the Spirit.

Paul continues the description of his prayer in verse 18 by saying he prays the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened. The way I read what Paul is saying here is that Paul is saying what will happen as the Holy Spirit works in them as described in verse 17. And this enlightening work of the Spirit they are able to understand what the Sprit grants to His people. That they might know

1. the hope to which they have been called (18b)

Hope is the firm conviction of something. It is based upon the sovereignty of God who calls His people to Himself. What do we know about the calling God issues His people? That God will be gracious to His people because of what He has already accomplished for them in Christ.

Ephesians 1:12 ESV

12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 2:12–13 ESV

12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

So the prayer is that the people of God will see, that is, be illumined to the hope they possess in Christ. We have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ.

Also, Paul prays that they will understand that

They are God’s glorious inheritance (18c)

Paul prays that God would grant them an understanding of their status as God’s inheritance.

Verse 14 referred to our inheritance:

Ephesians 1:14 ESV

14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Now, we learn that God too, has an inheritance, and it is His people. Believers are precious to God.

Paul also prays that the Ephesians will understand the

immeasurable greatness of His power towards them (19)

In other words, God power is superior to all power and He has purposed His power for the advantage of all believers.

God’s power is immeasurable. It is surpassing, excelling.

And again, God’s power is for us who believe. For the advantage of believers.

Notice the subtle shift. Paul went from talking in the second person (you) to the first person (us). Just to be clear, Paul is saying that the power of God is for the advantage of Paul, the Ephesian believers and all believers in all time.

Conclusion

So Paul prays that the Ephesian church will, by the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit, understand certain hope to which they have been called, that they are God’s priceless treasure (His inheritance) and that God has purposed His superior, limitless, unmatched power to the advantage of His people.