Ephesians Series

by Athol Walter

Part 29 - Ephesians 3:9-21

Paul's Prayer For His Readers

We are still in ch. 3 of Ephesians and have spent quite some time on vv. 1- 13 so far, for which I make no apology. It is a crucial part of the epistle, and we need to be very clear about what the Apostle to the Gentiles is saying here. And before we proceed to the next section of the chapter, I want to make one last point about this parenthetical portion. I am aware that even with this one last point, there is much that I am leaving unsaid, and I am also sure that there is much left unsaid of which I am totally unaware. Who amongst us has plumbed all the depths of God's Word?

The Church and God's Wisdom.

Ch. 3:9, 10 say this: "And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (and we should add v. 11) according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Paul wanted to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery (v. 9) for the purpose that to the principalities and powers in the above heavens might be made known the manifold wisdom of God (the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects-Amplified Version).

Apart from 1 Peter 3:22, Paul is the only NT writer who speaks about the ruling classes of Heaven, whom he calls principalities, powers, mights and dominions. In 1 Pet. 1: 12, we are told that the angels were vitally interested in the unfolding of the prophetic plan of salvation in Christ Jesus. But these other heavenly beings of whom we know so little, are also, according to Ephesians, very interested in what God is doing through the unique company called the Church Which Is His Body.

Why would they be interested in the members of the Body? Because the sphere of blessing for the members of the Body is the super heavenlies, where Christ sits at God's right hand. And the super heavenlies is the realm of these mighty ones.

If the things said of the King of Tyre in Ezekiel 28 speak of Satan and his downfall, as I believe they do, and coupling that with several other references throughout Scripture, we should understand that when Satan sinned he was thrown out of that lofty and sacred position he had. We are told that a third of the angels went with him.

I can well imagine that all that caused quite a stir amongst the dwellers of that heavenly realm. And before ever God started His work of redemption by preparing the world and then creating Adam, He had purposed in Himself that there would be a company of redeemed people who would dwell with Him in those highest realms. Can you see why those who are already there would be just a little interested in any newcomers? And note too, that Col. 2: 10 says: "And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power."

Notice that in v. 10 of Eph. 3 it is not the love of God which is shown, nor His grace, but His manifold or many sided wisdom.

How does God's choice of you and me as members of the Church, His Body, demonstrate His manifold wisdom? I really can't give an answer. For what it is worth, Mrs Daisy Collier, a stalwart of this witness for many years, said on this point: "I think that when the principalities and powers see that God has chosen us, so weak, faltering and unworthy, they will shake their heads in wonderment and say, "God must be infinitely wise."

Paul Bows His Knees.

"For this cause ..." (Authorised Version);
"By reason of this ..." (Interlinear Greek);
"With this in mind..." (New English Bible);
"For this reason..." (New International Version);
"Because of this ..." (Ferrar Fenton).

These are the various translations of Paul's start to what we call ch. 3 of Ephesians. And to drive home the point I wish to make, let me quote one other translation: "For this reason [because I preached that you are thus builded together] This quote is from the Amplified version, and they added the words in brackets because they obviously felt a need to remind readers that Paul was continuing and developing what he had just written in ch. 2.

Well, that's obvious, you might say, but I know from my own experience as well as observing others, that the chapter breaks sometimes cause us to break the flow of thought. At the risk of being tedious, please keep in mind that ch. 3 flows straight on from ch. 2. More on that a little further down.

As mentioned in earlier studies, after turning aside to explain his term "the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles" and something of what that entailed, he says in v. 14 what he was going say at v. 1, and again I use the Amplified Version:

"For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ] I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for whom every family in heaven and earth is named …” Again the translators have inserted a reminder
that Paul is still expanding what he said in ch. 2.

“I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" is a lovely way of saying that he is praying for his readers. This is the second of Paul's prayers in Ephesians, and it sits in the centre of the epistle (Eph. 3:14- 21).

An overview first of all.

“In Order That.”

The Greek word HINA comes three times in this prayer, and it is translated by the word THAT. If you stop and think about it for a moment, you will realise that our word THAT has many meanings. We understand these different meanings quite unconsciously from the context in which we use the word. Greek, however, is a little more exact than that. There are a number of different Greek words that are translated as THAT, and it pays the Bible student to take a little time to understand the differences.

The word HINA is one of those words, of course, and it means IN ORDER THAT You will see where HINA occurs in the outline below, and I have shown the translation "In order that" consistently. Notice the correspondence between the Prayer to the Father, and Every family in heaven and earth at the beginning, and then, Glory to Him and All the generations of the age of the ages at the end.
V 14. Prayer to the Father.
V 15. Every family in heaven and earth
V. 16, 17. In order that (hina) He may grant
V 18. In order that (hina) you may comprehend
V 19. In order that (hina) you may be filled
V 2 1. Glory to Him

“All the generations of the age of the ages.”

Let me remind you of the link between ch. 2 and this prayer. Again a little outline:
2:22. A dwelling place for God in Spirit.
3:14. For this cause I pray.
3:17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.

I have changed the AV's "habitation" to "dwelling place", which some translations use, to emphasise the connection between the believer corporately as God's dwelling place and the believer individually as Christ's dwelling place by faith. In the Greek, the words for dwelling place and dwell are related, the one being the noun and the other the verb.

What is being spoken of in ch. 2 is the theoretical side, or the situation as God sees it. Each member of the Body is already seen in place as part of the building where God dwells, i.e. the Temple. Paul's prayer, however, deals with the practical or the experimental side of it, dealing with what we are as we struggle along our pilgrim roads. By faith we are the dwelling places of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Concentrating on the major items in the prayer, note that Paul says: I pray to the Father: IN ORDER THAT you, his readers, ourselves included, would be given through the Holy Spirit strength in the inner man, Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith, you being rooted and grounded in love; IN ORDER THAT you may be strong enough to apprehend or grasp with all saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and height (of that love), to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge; IN ORDER THAT you might be filled with all the fulness of God.

After all that, it is no wonder that Paul breaks out into a doxology praising God. And just in case you are wondering just how any of the above points in his prayer can become realities in your life, note that he gives praise to the God who can do, not just abundantly, but EXCEEDING abundantly above all that we can possibly ask or think; to this One, he says, be glory in the church, and in Christ Jesus unto all the generations of the age of the ages: Amen.

Now some details.

Where the AV speaks in v. 15 of the whole family in heaven and earth, the correct translation is every family. And it is interesting to note that the word translated as family is not the Latin famulus but the Greek patria (hence pater father). This shows up the connection between the Father and the Fatherhood involved in establishing a family. The Amplified Version puts the verse like this: "For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named - [that Father] from Whom all Fatherhood takes its title and derives its name."

Notice how love is prominent throughout the prayer. v. 17, that ye may be rooted and grounded in love; v. 19, and to know the love of Christ which is beyond knowing.

I find it quite thought-provoking that v. 16 calls for strength and power so that we can grasp and apprehend every possible dimension (length, breadth, depth, height) of this wondrous love of Christ for His people (v. 18). It is not intelligence or wisdom that is needed, but strength.

Many are the explanations put forward as to what these four dimensions refer to, but none of them seem to really get to grips with it for me. I am reminded of Rom 8:38, 39: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

It may be a very simple approach, but it is a great inspiration to me to think that no power or being, whether high or low, and no circumstance today or in the future can separate me from this wonderful love of Christ, for His love is higher and longer and deeper and broader than them all.

Perhaps the only thing left to do now is to echo Paul's doxology and pray that our lives, as believers indwelt by Christ, will bring unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ glory and honour both this day and throughout all ages.

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