Author: Will

Ephesians 1:18 – Two Great Truths

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Ephesians 1:18 – Two Great Truths

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Truth to Learn

There are two great truths here. The first is that the Holy Spirit reveals spiritual truth to us. The other is that you are highly valued by God and will be cherished for all eternity.

Behind the Words

The word “understanding” is translated from dianoia. This is made up of dia, meaning “through” or indicating division, and a form of the verb noeō, meaning “to exercise the mind.” Therefore, we see that dianoia indicates something that has been thoroughly thought through, thus “understanding.” This word does not appear in most Greek manuscripts; instead, kardia (heart) is used. So, “heart” is the preferred reading.

“Enlightened” is the translation of phōtidzō, which is derived from phōs, meaning “light.” Phōtidzō means “to shine the light on something” or “to make something visible.”

“Hope” is from the Greek word elpis, meaning “that which is hoped for.” The meaning of this word, however, is not simply something wished for; it includes a full expectation of it actually happening.

The word “calling” is translated from klēsis, a shortened form of the verb kaleō, meaning “to call.” Thus, klēsis refers to “a calling” or “an invitation.”

“Riches” is from ploutos, which refers to “wealth made up of things of value.”

Meaning Explained

This verse contains the continuation of Paul’s prayer for all saints. In the previous verse he asked that God the Father might give us wisdom and revelation through the Holy Spirit. Now he tells us about some of the effects of that revelation provided by the Holy Spirit.

He tells us here that it will produce enlightenment. As we said earlier, the word “understanding” should probably be replaced by “heart.” The Greeks believed that the heart was not just the seat of the emotions, but of understanding and determination as well. So, Paul is saying that the eyes of our heart should receive light. We all know that in the darkness we cannot see or recognize things very well; however, when something is illuminated we can see with both our vision and our perception. That’s exactly what the Holy Spirit does for us. He shines the light of truth on things that we see and hear. Because of this illumination, we can understand spiritual truths which we otherwise would not have understood.

There are three particular spiritual truths which we can know as a result of the Spirit’s illumination. Two are in this verse and the third is in the next verse. Here he tells us about the hope and assurance we have of eternal life as a result of God’s invitation. He also tells us how great the glory of His inheritance is. This is not a reference to our inheritance, which we talked about in verse fourteen. This is a reference to the rich inheritance that Jesus Christ will receive in heaven: all the saints, who will spend eternity with Him.

Application

You may not think or yourself as being worth very much, but God sees each one of us as extremely valuable. We, the bride of Christ, will be the Father’s gift to the Son for all eternity.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:17 – Seekers of Revelation

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Ephesians 1:17 – Seekers of Revelation

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,

Truth to Learn

Christians should actively seek greater knowledge of God.

Behind the Words

The word “God” is translated from the Greek word theos. It was originally used by the Greeks to refer to any of their gods. In the New Testament, however, it is used in reference to the one true God. The word theos is probably derived from the Greek theteres (a placer of things) because the Greeks believed that their gods were the placers and disposers of things (thus, they had a god of fire, a god of wind, etc.).

The word “wisdom” is translated from sophia, which refers to “the ability to think and act, utilizing knowledge, insight, understanding,  and experience.”

“Revelation” is from apokalupsis, which is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and a form of kaluptō, meaning “to cover” or “to conceal.” Therefore, apokalupsis refers to “the result of removing a cover.”

Meaning Explained

In the current verse Paul is expressing some of his prayers for the members of the church in Ephesus. By extension, these are his prayers for all saints. The first thing that he petitions God for is that they (and we) might receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Now, we have to stop here for a moment and ask ourselves whether or not this spirit that Paul is talking about is the Holy Spirit or not. The Greek text does not include the definite article the here. Therefore, some would say that Paul is not specifically referring to “the” spirit; that is, the Holy Spirit.

If we look at some of the attributes of the Holy Spirit, however, we may come to a different conclusion. In Isaiah 11:2, as the prophet is describing the Messiah, he says, “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding.” This, clearly, is a reference to the Holy Spirit. And in 1Corinthians 2:10 where Paul is talking about the mystery of the wisdom of God, he says, “God has revealed them to us through His Spirit,” which is another clear reference to the Holy Spirit. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that Paul is referring to the Holy Spirit in this verse.

But, if that is so, why does Paul not refer to Him as “the” Spirit in the Greek text? Perhaps, the answer is that Paul just finished teaching that all Christians have been given the Holy Spirit as a seal and a guarantee at the time of salvation and did not want to introduce confusion on that point. In referring to “a spirit of wisdom and revelation” he is implying that these are characteristics which the Holy Spirit imparts. Therefore, Paul is asking God the Father to have the Holy Spirit give wisdom and revelation to all saints. The wisdom and revelation he is referring to are in reference to Jesus Christ our Lord. In other words, Paul is asking that we, through the Holy Spirit, might know and understand more about our Lord Jesus Christ.

Application

Do you know all there is to know about Jesus Christ? Of course not, none of us does. Do you want to know more about your Lord and Savior? Of course, all Christians do. Be assured that Paul also wants you to, but it doesn’t happen without actively seeking it from God’s Word. As you seek to know Christ better, the Holy Spirit will reveal Him to you.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:16 – Giving Thanks

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Ephesians 1:16  – Giving Thanks

do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

Truth to Learn

Thanksgiving is an important part of the Christian life.

Behind the Words

“Cease” is from the Greek word pauō, meaning “to stop” or “to pause.” It is expressed here in the middle voice (action done by the subject to the subject), so the meaning is “to stop myself.”

The words “give thanks” are translated from the Greek verb eucharisteō, which is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of charidzomai, meaning “to grant a favor.” Eucharisteō carries the meaning “to be thankful or grateful.” It is expressed as a participle; thus it means “giving thanks.”

“Making” is from the verb poieō, which means “to make” or “to do.” It is expressed here as a present participle in the middle voice. So, it literally means “making myself.”

The word “mention” is from the noun mneia, which is from the verb mnaomai, meaning “to remember.” Thus, mneia refers to “a remembrance” or “a recollection.”

“Prayers” is from proseuchē, which is made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and a form of euchomai, meaning “to make a wish.” Proseuchē, therefore, is a wish or a desire expressed toward God.

Meaning Explained

In order to get the full impact from today’s verse we must combine it with the previous verse:

Therefore I also, having heard of the faith of those among you in the Lord Jesus, which you show toward all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making remembrance of you in my prayers.

As we saw in the previous verse, the church in Ephesus continued to grow, demonstrating their faith to all Christians. This so pleased the Apostle Paul that he continually gave thanks to God for the believers in the Ephesian church.

Paul here demonstrates that he practices what he preaches. He told the church at Thessalonica:

pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1Thessalonians 5:17-18)

Prayer is a critically important part of our relationship with God. In the New Testament alone, prayer is mentioned more than 130 times. Jesus mentions it more than fifty times and Paul mentions it more than forty times. Jesus is said to be praying about fifteen times and Paul mentions himself praying about fifteen times as well. If it was that important to them, it should be just as important to us.

Application

Many Christians think of prayer as asking God for something. Indeed, we are told to make our requests known to God, but we are also told to thank Him. In fact, giving thanks is mentioned about fifty times in the New Testament. It is far more important than asking for something. Giving thanks demonstrates your recognition that God has already done something for you. It is an active indication of the strength of your faith. How many times have you prayed to God for something and then forgot to thank Him when He answered your prayer? Let’s take some time right now to thank God for what He has already done!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:15 – Noteworthy Faith

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Ephesians 1:15  – Noteworthy Faith

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

Truth to Learn

Some people show their faith in everything they do.

Behind the Words

The words “after I heard” are translated from the verb akouō, meaning “to hear.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it literally says, “having heard.”

The expression “of your faith” is translated from tēn kath humas pistin. The word tēn is the definite article (the). The word kath (from kata), meaning “down” or “among.” Humas is the second person plural pronoun (you-plural). And pistin is from pistis, meaning “faith” or “moral conviction.” So, literally this phrase reads “the among you faith.”

“Saints” is from the Greek word hagios, which is derived from hagos, meaning “something which inspires awe.” Hagios refers to something which has been set apart from common usage to be used for God’s glory. It is often translated as “holy, sanctified, or consecrated.” Here it refers to someone who has become a Christian. As a result of our salvation, we are set-apart by God and are, therefore, referred to as saints. Therefore, all Christians are saints, not just those who have been declared so by a church organization.

The word “love” does not appear in some of the best Greek texts and probably should be omitted.

Meaning Explained

This verse has been used by some to try to prove that Paul did not write this letter specifically to the Christians in Ephesus. As we discussed in verse one of this chapter, the words “who are in Ephesus” are omitted from verse one in two key Greek manuscripts. Some scholars try to use that fact and Paul’s comments in this verse to prove that this letter was written as a general epistle for a number of different churches, not specifically for the Ephesians. Their contention is, since Paul spent three years in Ephesus, he certainly knew of their faith in the Lord and would not have said, “after I heard of your faith in the Lord.”

On the other side of the argument, however, there is overwhelming manuscript evidence that the words “who are in Ephesus” were originally included in the opening verse of this letter. Therefore, there must be a different reason why Paul says that he “heard of” the faith of the Ephesians. As we saw in “Behind the Words,” a literal translation of this expression is “the among you faith.” In other words, Paul has heard of the faith among the people in the Ephesian church. Now that shouldn’t be too surprising since this letter was written about five years after he left Ephesus and there had been many others come to faith in the church during that period of time. And, since the word “love” does not appear to be part of this verse as Paul originally wrote it, it should read

Therefore I also, having heard of the faith of those among you in the Lord Jesus, which you show toward all the saints,

It’s because of that faith, demonstrated by the Ephesian Christians and visible to others, that Paul is thankful.

Application

Do you know Christians like that? People whose faith is so strong and obvious in everything they do? Have you thanked God for them? Have you thanked them for their example?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:14 – Our Eternal Guarantee

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Ephesians 1:14  – Our Eternal Guarantee

who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Truth to Learn

If you are saved, you are permanently saved.

Behind the Words

“Guarantee” is translated from the Greek word arrabōn, which is actually transliterated from the Hebrew word. The Hebrew word refers to “a deposit given as evidence and proof that some act will be done and the deposit is not returned until the act is completed.”

The word “inheritance” is from klēronomia, which is derived from klēronomos. This is made up of klēros, which refers to “a lot” or “a portion” and nemō, meaning “to hold or have in one’s possession.” Thus, klēronomos refers to “having a right to receive a portion of an inheritance,” that is “an heir,” and klēronomia refers to the substance of the inheritance.

“Purchased possession” is the translation of the Greek word peripoiēsis, which is made up of peri, indicating acquisition of something and poieō, meaning “to make.” So, we see that peripoiēsis means “that which was acquired or purchased.”

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse Paul taught us that when we first believed the gospel message, the truth that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, we were sealed, or branded, with the Holy Spirit. In the current verse he tells us that the Holy Spirit, with whom we have been branded, is our guarantee. This is very much like earnest money in a real estate transaction. When an offer is made on a house or other property, it is accompanied with earnest money. If for some reason the purchasing party backs out of the deal, the earnest money is forfeited.

An Old Testament example of this earnest, or pledge, is given to us in Genesis 38:17-18 where Judah promised Tamar that he would pay her for her services with a young goat on the following day. She kept his seal and staff until the transaction was completed. Since Judah never sent the payment, Tamar kept the seal and staff.

Too many people read over today’s verse and completely miss what Paul is telling us. Since we have been given the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of our salvation, God has promised that He will complete the transaction or forfeit the guarantee. In other words, if we were to get “unsaved” then we would get to keep the Holy Spirit, God couldn’t take it back. There are those who would say, “Yes, but if I cancel the transaction myself, I would have to return the earnest.” However Christ said:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  (John 10:27-28)

In other words, you can’t cancel salvation’s transaction because even you can’t take yourself out of His hand!

Application

If you are saved, you are securely, eternally saved, period! There is nothing that you or anyone else can do to unsave you because you possess God’s irrevocable guarantee!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:13 – Seal of Approval

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Ephesians 1:13  – Seal of Approval

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Truth to Learn

God has branded us as His property and His children.

Behind the Words

The word “trusted” does not actually appear here in the Greek text. It is borrowed from the previous verse as a parallel expression.

“Heard” is from akouō, which refers to hearing in general. It is also used to refer to listening with attention. It is expressed as a participle, so it could be expressed as “having heard.”

The word “truth” is translated from the Greek word alētheia, which refers to that which is truth or reality.

The word “salvation” is translated from soteria, which is derived from the noun soter, meaning “one who rescues or saves.” Thus, soteria refers to “deliverance from danger or destruction.”

“Having believed” is from the Greek verb pisteuō, meaning “to be firmly persuaded regarding some truth” or “to believe.”

The word “sealed” is translated from sphragidzō, which means “to stamp or to set a seal or mark upon something as a token of its authenticity or of ownership.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul talked about how the Jews had previously had their hope in the Messiah, the Christ, as the one who was to come and redeem them from their bondage. Notice that Paul used the pronoun “we” in the previous verse, since he also was a Jew who had previously had his hope in the Messiah.

In the current verse he uses the pronoun “you” to refer to the readers of his letter. In other words, Paul is now talking about Christians. He is telling us that we also hope in the same Redeemer, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Also remember that the word hope refers to more than just a fanciful desire; it refers to something that we fully expect to come to pass. Paul tells us that we have this hope because we listened attentively to the gospel (good news) about salvation. But, Paul says that we did more than just listen attentively to the gospel, we believed it as the word of truth. That’s the thing which makes us Christians. We’re not Christians because we live in a Christian country. We’re not Christians because we belong to a Christian church. We’re not Christians because we obey God’s commandments. We’re Christians because we believed the good news that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins.

Like Abraham in Genesis 15:6, the moment we believed the gospel message, God declared us to be as righteous as Christ. But, that’s not the best part of what Paul is telling us now. Once we believed and were declared righteous, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit. This seal is very much like a brand on a head of cattle. It identifies who the owner is. In our case, the seal of the Holy Spirit identifies us as belonging to God; we now belong to Him because He has purchased us.

Application

We don’t know how God sealed us with the Holy Spirit, but we do know that He indelibly and undeniably identifies us as His property. Not only do we belong to God, He has adopted us as His children! He’s our God, our owner, and our Father!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:12 – Hopeful Expectation

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Ephesians 1:12  – Hopeful Expectation

that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

Truth to Learn

The hope of all Christians is Jesus the Christ, the Messiah.

Behind the Words

“Christ” is transliterated from the Greek word christos, which is based on the verb chriō, meaning “to anoint.” So, christos refers to “an anointed one.” It is written here with the definite article (the), so it could be translated as “the Christ.” This word is the Greek translation of the Hebrew mashiach, or Messiah.

The words “first trusted” are translated from the Greek verb proelpidzō. This is made up of pro, meaning “before in time or position” and elpidzō which means “to hope.” This hope, however, is not simply wishful desire. It carries the meaning of hoping for something with full expectation of having it come to pass. A better translation of the opening part of this verse would be “that we who hoped in Christ before.”

As we saw back in verse six, “the praise of His glory” is a Hebrew expression that, in this case, focuses on the magnificence of His glory. “Glory” is the word doxa, which refers to “recognition, honor, or splendor.”

Meaning Explained

Throughout the centuries there has been much debate about what Paul means by “we who first trusted in Christ.” Some claim that Paul is referring to Jewish believers in Christ (including the apostles) who believed before the gospel message was delivered to the Gentiles. If we accept the translation “first trusted” or “first hoped” then this might make sense.

Others claim that this is a reference to the Jewish people who had placed their hope in the coming Messiah. It is this sense of the phrase that Paul claimed when he stated his case before King Agrippa:

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. (Acts 26:6-7)

From the time God told Abraham that the Messiah would be one of his descendants, the Jews have looked forward with hope to the day that their Redeemer would come.

Another reason for believing this to be Paul’s meaning is that he later talks about Christ uniting Jews and Gentiles:

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, (Ephesians 2:13-15)

Thus, it appears that Paul’s reference to “we who first hoped in the Christ” is a reference to the Jewish people.

Application

Where is your hope today? Is it in the things of this world, or is it in the blood of the spotless Lamb of God?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:11 – His Free Will

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Ephesians 1:11  – His Free Will

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

Truth to Learn

All of the aspects of our salvation have come about because God determined them of His own free will.

Behind the Words

The word translated “we have obtained an inheritance” is klēroō. Literally, it means “to cast lots.”  By application it means “to allot” or “to assign something.” It is expressed here in the aorist tense (a completed action in the past) and the passive voice (something done to the subject). Thus, it refers to something that was allotted to us; that is, an inheritance which was assigned to us at a point in time in the past.

“Being predestined” is from the Greek word prooridzō, which we saw back in verse five. There we learned that it means “to establish or determine something beforehand.”

“The purpose” is from protithēmi, meaning “something put in place beforehand.”

The word “works” is from energeō, which means “to be active, to make something happen, to do something, or to work.”

The phrase “the counsel of His will” is from tēn boulēn tou thelēmatos autou. The two key words are boulēn, meaning “a wish or a desire” and thelēmatos, meaning “a determination.” Thus, this expression indicates something that God determined to do simply because He wanted to do it.

Meaning Explained

Back in verse two we noted that the content and meaning of these verses is sort of like drinking from a fire hose. Paul has packed a lot of doctrine (teaching) into each of these verses.

Here he tells us that “In Him,” that is, in Christ, we obtained (past completed action) an inheritance from God. This is not something that we earned, but something that is freely given to us simply because we have been adopted into God’s family (see verse five). Paul also tells us that this inheritance, our adoption, our redemption, and the forgiveness of our sins were all put in place beforehand. All of this goes back to His choosing us before He created anything. This is the point in time (actually before time) when God determined the plan of salvation and set it in place.

The last phrase of this verse is a powerful statement of how our God operates. It says that God does everything He does simply because He wants to. He is not constrained to do anything. Nobody can force or even entice God to do anything. So what Paul is telling us here is that the entire plan of salvation, from His choosing us, to His adopting us, to His paying the ransom for our sins, to His casting our sins far, far away, to granting us an inheritance, is all done simply because He wanted to do it. In other words, God did not do all these things because we chose to believe the gospel message and get saved. That would be us telling God what to do. The entire plan of salvation is all His doing and only His doing.

Application

As hard as it is for many of us to believe, our salvation is all God’s doing. That shouldn’t make us complacent, it should make us eternally grateful and humbled before Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will! Praise God!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:10 – His Eternal Plan

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Ephesians 1:10  – His Eternal Plan

that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

Truth to Learn

God has a plan for time and eternity.

Behind the Words

“Dispensation” is translated from oikonomia, which is made up of oikos, meaning “a dwelling place, a house” and a form of nemō, meaning “to apportion” or “to distribute.” Thus, oikonomia literally refers to the period of the administration of a household. Metaphorically, it refers to a period of time in which certain events happen. The “dispensation of the fullness of times” refers to that period when time will come to an end.

The expression “He might gather together in one” is translated from a single Greek word, anakephalaioō. This word is made up of ana, meaning “again,” perhaps used here as an emphatic and kephalaioō, which literally means “to strike a blow to the head.” Metaphorically, kephalaioō means “to finish, as with a blow to the head,” that is, to finalize or to sum up. Therefore, anakephalaioō means “to bring things to a final conclusion by bringing all things together again.”

Meaning Explained

In the opening of this letter to the Ephesians, Paul has declared how God has blessed us with all possible spiritual blessings. He also told us how God chose us before He formed all of creation so that we will one day be holy and blameless in His presence. Paul then informs us how God determined in the past that we whom He chose should be adopted into His family as His rightful children. All these things He did simply because He wanted to and because He knew that all this would showcase His wonderful grace toward undeserving mankind. In doing so, He has made us accepted in Christ, with whose blood our ransom has been paid, and our sins have been cast far, far away. Also, God has made known to us the mystery of His will, that one day Christians and Jews will be joined together as God’s rightful heirs.

Now, Paul tells us one reason why God did all this. Not only does God have a plan for the events of time, but He has a plan for eternity. That plan is to reunite all things in Himself once again. At the conclusion of time (at the end of the Millennial reign of Christ), when heaven and earth have passed away and there is a new heaven and a new earth, all that is good and all who have been declared righteous will be brought back together in God. And, this includes not just earthly things, but all holy things which are in heaven as well.

What will things be like when He does this? Well, we have a couple of glimpses into what it will be like. The first is described in Genesis chapter two. It is a description of the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve lived in perfect fellowship with God. The other glimpse is given to us in Revelation chapters twenty-one and twenty-two where our eternal dwelling place, New Jerusalem, is described.

Application

God has a plan for you and for me, a plan that includes our service to Him while we are on this earth and our presence with Him in heaven. Knowing what He has prepared for us, His children, should cause each one of us to fall to our knees in recognition of our unworthiness and of His Supremacy!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 1:9 – Lord Over All

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Ephesians 1:9  – Lord Over All

having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

Truth to Learn

God is completely sovereign. He does according to His own will.

Behind the Words

The words “having made known” are from gnoridzō, which means “to make known” or “to certify.” It is expressed here as an explanatory participle tied to the phrase “which He made to abound toward us.”

“Mystery” is a transliteration (a word from one language spelled with the letters of another) of the Greek word mustērion. There are two trains of thoughts on the derivation of this word. Some believe that it is based on the verb muō, meaning “to shut the mouth.” Thus, it is something kept secret. Others believe that it is based on the verb mueō, meaning “to initiate;” that is, “to learn a secret.” Therefore, both schools of thought see mustērion as meaning “something kept secret.” In the New Testament it always refers to a truth which has previously been kept secret but that is now revealed.

“Will” is from the Greek word thelēma, which we learned back in verse five means “a determination” as opposed to “a desire.”

The Greek word translated “purposed” is protithēmi, which is made up of pro, meaning “before, in position or time” and tithēmi, meaning “to place.” It is expressed here in the middle voice (action done by the subject to itself.) So, protithēmi literally means “to set before oneself.” By application it means “to purpose” or “to determine for oneself.”

Meaning Explained

In the opening verses of this letter Paul proclaimed a blessing on God because He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, He chose us before He created anything, and He predestined us to be adopted into His family. All this, we learned, was done to showcase God’s marvelous grace, through which we have redemption and forgiveness. Now he tells us that through this grace God makes known to us a truth about His will (His determined plan). He calls this truth a mystery.

The Apostle Paul talks about mysteries no fewer than seventeen times in his New Testament letters. These mysteries include: the mystery of the rapture (1Corinthians 15:51), the mystery of Israel’s spiritual blindness (Romans 11:25), the mystery of the gospel message (Romans 16:25, Ephesians 6:19, Colossians 4:3), the mystery of the church being the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:32), the mystery of Christ indwelling presence (Colossians 1:26, 27), the mystery of lawlessness in the end times (2Thessalonians 2:7), the mystery of the faith (1Timothy 3:9), and the mystery spoken of here. So what is this mystery of God’s will? Paul tells us more completely in Ephesians 3:3-6 where he says: “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.”

Why has He revealed the truth of this mystery to us? Paul says it is simply because God thought it was a good thing to do; therefore, He decided to do it.

Application

This is yet another example of God’s sovereignty. God is not constrained to do or not do anything. He acts as He wants to and is answerable to no one. He is Lord over all!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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