Author: Will

Ephesians 4:4 – Only One

Posted on by Will

There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling;

Truth to Learn

All Christians are to work toward unity within the church.

 

Behind the Words

“One” is translated from the Greek word heis (pronounced hice). This is the masculine form of the word. The feminine form of this word is mia and the neuter form is hen. All three of these forms refer to the first cardinal numeral, one.

The word “body” is translated from sōma, meaning “an organized whole made up of parts and members.” It is the word commonly used to refer to a physical body or a representative body. In today’s verse it is a reference to the body made up of all Christians around the world, whether past, present, or future. Paul refers to us as “the body of Christ.”

“Spirit” is from pneuma, which is based on the verb pneō, meaning “to breathe” or “to blow.” Thus, pneuma literally refers to “a current of air.” Figuratively, it refers to “a spirit” or “a ghost.”

Elpis, is the word translated “hope.” This word is based on the verb elpō, which means “to anticipate” or “to welcome.” Whereas the English word “hope” implies a wish or a desire for something to occur, elpis expresses “an expectation of what is sure.” We can define elpis as “a hope for something, with the full expectation that it will happen.”

 

Meaning Explained

In this fourth chapter of his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul is instructing us regarding how we are to behave as Christians. This is in contrast to the first three chapters where he taught us what to believe. In the first verse of this chapter we were told to “walk worthy” of our calling. That is, we should behave in a manner consistent with God’s character and the job that He has given us to perform.

In yesterday’s verse Paul instructed us to be fast, that is, eager or diligent to guard the unity of the Spirit within the church. In other words, he is exhorting us to work hard at avoiding division. In today’s verse and the following two, he reinforces his argument by showing numerous examples of the unity that exists within the church.

He starts off reminding us that there is only one body of Christ. Sadly, throughout the centuries since the original formation of the church on the day of Pentecost (see Acts chapter 2), there have been divisions within the church. On the human level, the church is made up of Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions. There are even divisions within each of these, most notably the Protestants of which there are numerous denominations. From God’s perspective, however, there is only one body, united by one Holy Spirit and infused with the same hope in our calling. That common hope is the assurance, or expectation, that we will exist eternally in God’s presence.

 

Application

Are you walking worthy of the calling with which you have been called? Are you diligent in performing your given responsibility in a manner that promotes unity within the body of Christ? If so, Paul would be proud of you!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:3 – Peaceful Unity

Posted on by Will

being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Truth to Learn

Our service within the church should promote unity and peace.

 

Behind the Words

“Being diligent” is translated from spoudadzō. This word is derived from the noun spoudē, meaning “speed.” However, by implication and common usage, spoudē refers to eagerness or diligence. Thus, spoudadzō (expressed here as a participle) means “being eager,” “making haste,” or “being diligent.”

The verb “keep” is from tereō, which means “to watch” or “to guard from loss or injury.” It is the word used of a soldier keeping guard over a prisoner.

“Unity” is translated from henotēs, which is derived from heis, referring to the number “one.” Therefore, we can see that henotēs literally refers to “oneness” or “unity.”

“Bond” is from the Greek word sundesmos. This is a compound word made up of sun, meaning “together” and a form of desmon, (this word literally refers to a ligament, which binds muscle to bone) meaning “a binding.” Thus, sundesmos refers to that which binds things together.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul is in the midst of teaching us how to behave as we perform the function to which we have been called within the church. Throughout his writings, the Apostle repeatedly uses two analogies when referring to the church. One is “the body of Christ” and the other is “the temple of God.” At the end of chapter two of this letter, he referred to us (both Jews and Gentiles) as being building materials in the temple, the dwelling place of God. Later in this chapter he will refer to us as part of the body in which “every part does its share.”

In yesterday’s verse we were instructed about our attitudes while fulfilling our calling: we are to have an attitude of humbleness about ourselves, and we are to have an attitude of gentleness and long-suffering toward others as we work to build up other members of the body. Now Paul tells us why those attitudes are of such importance. As the body of Christ, we are one body. We are no longer separated from the Jews and from God’s covenants. And, even though there are numerous denominations and designations by which we refer to ourselves, we are one body, the body of Christ.

Therefore, through our attitudes of humility, gentleness, and longsuffering, we are to be eagerly diligent in maintaining the unity of the body of Christ. But this is not to be done through human effort and strength; it is to be done through the power of the Holy Spirit. When this unity is accomplished by the Holy Spirit within us, peace will be the bond that holds us all together.

Before we leave this subject, let me present this word of caution. Keeping peace within the church does not mean allowing each of us to believe whatever we want. Remember, Paul taught us doctrine before he taught us duty. What we believe is just as important as how we behave. Although God hates division within the body, He hates heresy even more.

 

Application

As you perform your calling within the body of Christ, your goals should be to serve God with humility, to build up others with gentleness, and to build a bond of peace with others.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:2 – Humble, Gentle, Patience

Posted on by Will

with all humility and meekness, with longsuffering, holding up one another in love,

Truth to Learn

As we serve God and others within the church, we need to keep in mind how He treats us.

 

Behind the Words

The word “humility” is translated from the Greek noun tapeinophrosunē. This is made up of tapeinos, meaning “lowly attitude or low social position” and a form of phrēn, which refers to “a person’s feelings.” Tapeinophrosunē refers to “an attitude of humility” or “humbleness.” This word implies an attitude about self (humble, not proud).

“Meekness” is translated from praotēs, which refers to “meekness, mildness, or gentleness.” This word implies an attitude toward others (not harsh, demanding, or judgmental) and how we feel about what others do to us.

The word “longsuffering” is from makrothumia, which is a compound word made up of makros, meaning “long” and thumos, which refers to “fierceness” or “wrath.” It refers to the ability to patiently endure adversity or unfair treatment without getting angry.

Anechomai is the Greek verb translated here as “holding up.” It is composed of ana, meaning “up” and a form of echo, meaning “to hold.” So, it means “to hold oneself up;” that is, “to restrain oneself.” When referring to our actions towards others, it means “to bear up, to hold up (support), or to patiently endure.”

 

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse Paul urged us to live our lives in a manner that is consistent with our calling from God. In our discussion of that verse we talked about the fact that every Christian has a calling, that is, an area of service within the church. In today’s verse he tells us how we are to perform that calling. Whether your function involves a lot of responsibility or a little, you are to perform it with a humble spirit. This is especially true of a position that requires a lot of talent and/or training, or one of leadership. Let us take Moses as our example here. In spite of the stubbornness and rebellion of the Israelites even to the point of questioning his leadership, we are told this about him:

And the man Moses was very humble, more than any of the men who were on the face of the earth.) (Numbers 12:3)

In addition to having a humble attitude about ourselves, we are to perform our calling with meekness and gentleness towards others. Since every function within the church involves others, it is easy for some of us to get impatient or judgmental with those who don’t respond to us the way we want them to. Nonetheless, Paul tells us to be gentle with others. And this leads us to the third thing Paul teaches us about performing our calling. We are to do it with patient endurance. We are not to be easily angered or frustrated by what others do or don’t do. Instead, we are to restrain ourselves and patiently endure so that we can strengthen each other with our acts of love.

 

Application

This is a tall order that Paul gives us as we serve God within the church. None of us will do it perfectly. Nonetheless, if we keep in mind how gentle and patient God is with us, it will be easier for us to treat others the same way. Let us serve Him as humble, gentle, patient, supportive servants.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 4:1 – Serve One, Serve All

Posted on by Will

Therefore, I, the prisoner of the Lord, encourage you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

Truth to Learn

We are all called to serve in God’s church.

 

Behind the Words

“Prisoner” is from desmios, which is derived from the verb desmeō, meaning “to bind.” Thus, desmios means “someone in bonds” or “a prisoner.”

The word “encourage” is translated from the Greek verb parakaleō, which is made up of para, meaning “to the side of” or “near” and kaleō, meaning “to call.” Therefore, we can see that literally this word means “to call near.” In usage, the basic meaning is “to comfort,” “to encourage,” or “to challenge.”

“Walk” is from peripateō. This is made up of peri, meaning “around,” “through,” or “with respect to” and pateō, meaning “to walk.” This Greek word means “to walk around.” It is used as a metaphor of how a person lives his or her life.

The word “calling” is klēsis, which is derived from kaleō, “to call.” It refers to “an invitation.”

“You were called” is translated from the verb kaleō, “to call.” It is expressed in the aorist tense indicating past completed action which occurred at a point in time (not a process).

 

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul starts off this verse reminding his readers that he is a prisoner of the Lord. This is very similar to the way he started off the previous chapter. There, he did so to introduce his ministry to the Gentiles and the mystery regarding the church. Here, he reminds them that he is a prisoner, because he is about to challenge his readers to live a life that is characterized by service to others rather than serving self. As a prisoner, he is a supreme example of this.

Most of the first three chapters of this letter were focused on teaching doctrine. In the remainder of the letter, Paul focuses on duty. Another way to say this is, previously he taught us what to believe; now he will teach us how to behave.

As you can see from Behind the Words, in this verse Paul uses several forms of the word kaleō (to call). This is typical Pauline style. He likes to play on words like this as a device to drive home his message. He is in prison because God called him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, thus angering religious Jews who thought he was perverting Judaism. He was more concerned with serving God than he was with protecting himself. In fact, before his final trip to Jerusalem, where he was arrested, he was told by a prophet that he would end up in chains:

And [the prophet Agabus] coming to us and taking Paul's belt and binding his hands and feet, said, "The Holy Spirit says this, In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " (Acts 21:11)

Paul was totally dedicated to the ministry to which he had been called, in spite of the warning from other mature spiritual people. Now he will be challenging us to be just as dedicated to the ministry to which each of us has been called.

 

Application

Every Christian has been called by God to serve within the body of Christ. Each of us has a function to perform for which God has specifically gifted us. There is no excuse for any of us not to be serving. Are you performing the ministry to which you have been called by God?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:21 – Praise God!

Posted on by Will

to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Truth to Learn

God deserves all our praise!

 

Behind the Words

The word “glory” is translated from doxa, from which we get our English word doxology. It is derived from the verb dokeō, meaning “thought or opinion, especially favorable human opinion.” The word doxa refers to “honor, praise, glory, splendor, excellence, or renown.”

“Church” is from the Greek word ekklēsia, a compound word made up of ek, meaning “out” or “out of” and a form of kaleō, meaning “to call someone.” Therefore, ekklēsia refers to “a called out group of people.” In the first century, it was a common term referring to a church congregation or to “citizens who were called out to assemble for a public meeting.”

The word “generations” is translated from genea, which is derived from the verb ginomai, meaning “to come into being.” Initially this word simply meant “a generation,” but later it came to refer to “a space of time” or “a circle of time.” As it is used in this verse, it clearly refers to “generations.”

“Forever and ever” is an interesting expression. The Greek words are tou aiōnos tōn aiōnōn, which literally translate to “of the age of the ages.” So technically, “forever and ever” is a paraphrase, but it is probably the closest English expression to expressing the idea of the Greek words.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul is now closing the prayer for the members of the church in Ephesus (and by extension for all Christians). This prayer, which began in verse fourteen, contains four petitions:

  1. That the Father would strengthen us internally by the Holy Spirit
  2. That Christ would settle in and dwell in our hearts through faith
  3. That we might experientially know the love of Christ
  4. That we would be filled with all the fullness of God

Take a minute to recognize how effective Paul’s prayer is. All of us who are committed Christians experience all four of those things that Paul prayed for. Thank you, Paul!

In closing his prayer, the Apostle first proclaimed that God has more than enough power to do far more than we could ever ask or think, indicating how mighty He is. Now he proclaims a statement of the recognition that God deserves.

Notice that Paul proclaims the renown, the honor, and the praise that God is due (and which He receives) within the church. Outside the church, however, we see that God receives very little recognition for who He is or for what He has done. Outside the church, God is. Outside the church God’s name is not glorified, it is used as a curse word. For the most part, those outside the church simply want to ignore God and pretend that He doesn’t exist. Like ostriches, they think that if they hide their head in the sand by denying their own sinfulness or God’s sovereignty, they won’t have to face the consequences of their sins. How wrong they are, and how horrified they will be when they finally discover the truth and their fate. However, by then it will be too late!

 

Application

Like Paul, let us give God the recognition, honor, and praise that He is due. He deserves it all, and we owe Him all that we can possibly give to Him.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:20 – Mighty Prayer Power

Posted on by Will

Now to Him being able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power working in us,

Truth to Learn

God is able to answer the prayers of our greatest and most overpowering needs.

 

Behind the Words

“Now” is translated from the connective particle de, which usually serves to introduce a new thought or idea. It is variously translated as “and, but, now, or moreover.”

“Being able” is translated from the Greek verb dunamai, meaning “to have the ability or power to do something.”

The words “exceedingly abundantly” are translated from the Greek word huperekperissou. This is a double compound word made up of huper (hyper) meaning “above” or “beyond,” ek, used as an intensifier, and a form of perissoteros, meaning “abundantly more.” Thus, you can see that this word expresses the idea of “more than a huge amount.”

“Ask” is from aiteō, which we saw back in verse thirteen, meaning “to ask” or “to beg.” It is expressed here in the middle voice, so it could be interpreted as “ask for ourselves.”

The word “working” is from the verb energeō, which means “to be actively at work.” It is expressed as a participle.

 

Meaning Explained

Before we get to today’s verse, let’s look at something we left out of yesterday’s verse. The second half of that verse contained the fourth in a series of petitions in Paul’s prayer to God the Father. He prayed that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. But, what does he mean by “the fullness of God?” The best way to answer this question is by Scripture itself. In Colossians 2:9 Paul said, “For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” So, when Paul prayed that we might be filled with all the fullness of God he was asking that we be completely filled with Christ.

Paul now closes his prayer with a doxology. Translating this doxology is a little tricky, let’s see why. The words “above all” are part of an independent clause associated with the verb translated “do.” The next clause in the Greek text begins with “exceedingly above” and is associated with “all that we ask or think.” Therefore, the first part of this verse should probably be translated as, “Now to Him who has the power to do beyond all, exceedingly above all that we ask for ourselves or think …”

This doxology proclaims the power that the Father has to answer our prayers. Since the word translated “working” is a participle, it indicates a continual working, not an off- and-on thing. Also, God’s power (His ability) is greater than that possessed by any created thing. It is so great, according to Paul, that it exceeds that which is necessary to satisfy anything we could ask for and above all that we could even think of asking.

Paul’s expression “the power working in us” is probably a reference to the Holy Spirit of God, for it is the Holy Spirit that manifests God’s power to mankind.

 

Application

When we pray to God the Father, we should not pray selfishly. Neither should we pray sheepishly; that is, we should not be afraid to ask God to do great and marvelous things. Rather, we should pray boldly, so that when our prayers are answered the credit can go to no one other than our great and powerful God. Answered prayers bring praise to God alone!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:19 – Knowledge by Experience

Posted on by Will

and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.

Truth to Learn

You can only really know God’s love by experience.

 

Behind the Words

“And” is translated from the word te, which is a particle of connection meaning “and, also, or even.”

The word translated “to know” is the infinitive form of ginōskō, which refers to “knowing something completely, usually by experience.” So, we could say “to fully know.”

“Surpasses” is from huperballō, which is made up of huper (or hyper), meaning “above” or “beyond” and ballō, meaning “to throw.” Thus, we see that huperballō literally means “to throw beyond.” In general usage the meaning is “to exceed” or “to go beyond.” It is expressed here as a participle (being beyond).

“Knowledge” is from gnōsis. This is derived from ginōskō, which we just looked at.

Putting all this together we see that the opening part of this verse could be translated, “and to know by experience the love of Christ which is beyond knowing …”

 

Meaning Explained

We are in the middle of a worshipful prayer of the Apostle Paul which he is praying for his beloved friends in the church at Ephesus. By extension, this prayer is presented on behalf of all Christians. The first two of the four petitions in this prayer were that God the Father would strengthen our inner man by means of God the Holy Spirit and Christ might finally settle down and feel completely at home through faith.

The third petition began in verse seventeen and ends in today’s verse; it is “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.”

The crux of all this is in today’s verse: “for us to fully experience the love of Christ which is beyond intellectual knowledge”. Not only does Paul pray that we might understand how huge and all-encompassing (width, length, depth, and height) God’s love is, he also prays that we, through experience might know that which is unknowable.

There are many people (saved and unsaved) who talk about the love of God but who don’t really know God’s love. According to Paul, it is not something that you can study and learn about by reading books and listening to others talk about. Sure, you can recognize God’s love at work, but you can’t gain a full understanding of it that way. Only those who have experienced God’s love through His mercy, His grace, His miraculous provision, and His comfort in times of need can really know what it’s like.

 

Application

If you’ve never gone through times of difficulty in your Christian walk, if you’ve never felt helpless and had to rely completely on Him, if you’ve never felt trapped by your own sinfulness, begging for His mercy, if you’ve never fallen before God with a completely broken spirit, then you don’t really understand His love. If you have, then you know by experience the kind of love that only God can show! Praise be to God!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:18 – Foundational Understanding

Posted on by Will

may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—

Truth to Learn

Christian lives must be based on and rooted in Jesus Christ.

 

Behind the Words

“May be able” is translated from the verb exischuō, a compound word made up of ex, used as an intensifier and ischuō, meaning “to have strength.” Exischuō means “to be in full strength” or “to be abundantly able.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood, indicating the possibility or probability of this happening.

The word “comprehend” is from the Greek verb katalambanō. This word is made up of kata, used as an intensifier and lambanō, meaning “to take.” Thus, katalambanō means “to completely take” or “to firmly take hold of.” The context indicates that it is a “taking to one’s mind,” that is, “completely understanding” or “fully comprehending.”

“Saints” is from the Greek word hagios, which is based on hagos, meaning “that which inspires awe.” The basic meaning of hagios is “that which is set apart from common use to be used in the service of God.” Therefore, hagios is sometimes translated “holy” or “sanctified.” All Christians have been set-apart from the world and set-apart to God, which is precisely the meaning of the word “saint.” In the Bible this term does not refer to someone who has been declared to be a saint by the church, but someone who has been declared righteous by God.

The word translated “width” is platos, which refers to the breadth or width of something.

“Length” is from the Greek word mēkos, which refers to the length of an object.

Hupsos, which is derived from hupsi (meaning “high”), refers to the height of something.

Finally, the Greek word translated “depth” is bathos, from bathus (meaning “deep”).

 

Meaning Explained

In our discussion of yesterday’s verse, we mentioned that the end of that verse belongs with this verse. When we put them together we read:

that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—

So, what does it mean to be rooted and grounded in love? This could be taken to mean that as Christians all of our actions and deeds spring forth from the ideal of perfect love. Or, it could be taken to mean that all of our deeds and actions spring forth from God who is love according to the Apostle John:

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8)

Paul uses two separate metaphors to express the source of our knowledge of His love. The first is a botanical metaphor: the source of our understanding is that into which our roots are sunk for nourishment. The second is an architectural metaphor: the base on which we build our understanding is the foundation of our lives – Christ.

Now Paul tells us that as we derive our spiritual nourishment from Him and as we build our life and service on Him, we will understand the width, length, depth, and height of … We will find out “of what” in tomorrow’s verse.

 

Application

Is your life built upon the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ? Are your roots daily getting nourishment from God? Are your deeds based on the foundation that has been laid for us by Jesus, the Apostles, and Prophets? If not, you won’t really understand what God is doing with and to you, and your trials and tribulations will seem difficult. You may even doubt God’s love for you. If so, you will more fully understand God, His love for you, and how He is working in you to make you more like Jesus Christ.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:17 – Indwelling Christ

Posted on by Will

that through faith Christ may dwell in your hearts; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Truth to Learn

Christ dwells in the heart of every Christian.

 

Behind the Words

“Dwell” is from the Greek verb katoikeō, which is made up of kata, meaning “down” used here as an intensifier, and oikeō, meaning “to dwell” or “to reside.” Thus, katoikeō means to dwell permanently or to settle down in one place. In Greek it represents a distinct difference from paroikeō, meaning “to dwell temporarily.”

The Greek word translated “hearts” is kardia, from which we get the medical term “cardiac” referring to the heart.

The word “rooted” is from the Greek verb rhidzoō, which is based on the noun rhidza (from which we get the botanical term rhizome, meaning “a root”). It is expressed here in the perfect tense indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the effect.

“Grounded” is translated from themelioō, which is indirectly based on the verb tithemi, meaning “to put in place.” Themelioō means “to put a foundation in place.” Thus, themelioō means “to have a solid foundation.” This word is also expressed in the prefect tense.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul is in the midst of worshipping God through prayer. It is a prayer specifically for the Christians in the church at Ephesus, but in general it is intended for all Christians. As we noted in yesterday’s verse, there are five specific petitions contained in this prayer. The first, which we looked at yesterday, was that God the Father would strengthen our inner man; this is to be done by God the Holy Spirit.

The second petition of Paul’s prayer is for Christ to dwell in our hearts through faith. There is some disagreement among Biblical scholars regarding this particular petition. On the surface, it appears that Paul is asking that the Ephesians might be saved (for Christ to dwell in their hearts). However, back in Ephesians 1:1, Paul referred to the Ephesians as “saints.” In other words, they were already saved (a saint is a person who has been set-apart by God because of his or her salvation). According to Greek scholar Dr. Kenneth Wuest,

The personal presence of the Lord Jesus in the heart of the believer is not in view here. That is taken for granted. The word “dwell” is katoikēsai, made up of oikeō, “to live in as a home,” and kata, “down, thus “to settle down and be at home.” The tense is aorist, showing finality. The expanded translation is; “that Christ might finally settle down and feel completely at home in your hearts.”

Notice, also, that from verses fourteen through seventeen Paul is praying to the Father to strengthen by the Holy Spirit and that Christ (the Son) might settle down and feel at home through faith. All three persons of the Godhead are at work together here in the lives of believers. It is particularly important to note that throughout this prayer Paul is asking that the Ephesian Christians (and, by extension, all Christians) might have a deeper commitment and closer fellowship with God.

Based on the Greek grammatical structure of this and the following verse, the second half of this verse is actually part of the next verse, so we will look at it tomorrow.

 

Application

Are you truly saved? Does Christ dwell in your heart? Are you part of God’s family? I hope that is true, but it mustn’t stop there. God wants to have a close personal relationship with you. You are not simply a member of God’s team; you are a member of His family. And, like any loving father or mother, He wants to settle in and get personal with you. Too many Christians today believe that since they have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, they have “punched their ticket into heaven,” and that’s all there is to Christianity. How sad! Even though life as a Christian will have plenty of tribulations and trials, we can walk through this life with peace and joy if we have a close personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. In other words, it’s more than just a saving faith, it’s a living faith! Is that what you have?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 3:16 – Prayer of Strength

Posted on by Will

that He might give you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

Truth to Learn

The Apostle Paul prayed for strength for us in our time of need.

 

Behind the Words

“He might give” is from the verb didōmi, meaning “to give.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood, indicating the possibility or probability of this occurring.

The expression “riches of His glory” is a reference to the wealth of goodness that God possesses.

The words “to be strengthened” are translated from the verb krataioō, which means “to increase in strength and power.”

“With might” is from dunamis (from which we get our English word “dynamite”), meaning “power” or “might.”

“Inner” is translated from esō, meaning “inside” or “that which is within.”

 

Meaning Explained

We mentioned in verse fourteen that Paul is bowing in worship to the Father. The particular form of worship here is a prayer for his friends in the church in Ephesus (and by application, for all believers).

This prayer of Paul’s contains four petitions, the first of which is identified here. He prays that we might be strengthened with might. On the surface that appears to be a redundant statement. How else would we be strengthened but with strength or might? It appears that what Paul is asking is that God would strengthen us “with His might.” After all, we have very little strength within ourselves. By ourselves we are no more than sinners on a downhill road to Hell. But – through God’s power and the abundance of His glorious riches, He can strengthen us with His mighty strength.

That this is Paul’s intention is borne out by the next phrase, “through His Spirit.” The way that God gives us some of His strength is through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s channel of blessing to us.

In the previous two verses we talked about the “ranking” of the three persons of the Godhead. This is not to say that any one of the three is more important than either of the other two. It’s just that for the purpose of dealing with the finite minds of fallen mankind, they have established a hierarchy. Each one of the three persons performs a necessary function. The Holy Spirit, as mentioned in this verse, is the one who enables God-given abilities within us. He is, in a sense, the conduit through which the power and enabling of God is “fed” to us. Thus, the “gifts of the Spirit” referred to in 1 Corinthians and Hebrews, are really gifts of God, but they are given to us through the Holy Spirit.

In today’s verse Paul makes it clear that the strengthening power is not a physical or muscular strengthening. It is an inner strength. It is the inner strength which has allowed Christians throughout history to endure incredible hardships, and it reflects all the glory of God back on Him.

 

Application

Do you need inner strength to get you through a difficult situation? Rest assured that the Apostle Paul has already asked the Father to give you that strength. He prayed for you!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved