Prayer: Father, Surely you are so good to provide us with a knowledge of who we are and what our lives should become in you.  The ultimate reason we exist is because you have ordained it to be so…. to give you praise and worship

Key Word “Glory”

Ephesians

            Authority … 8-12

            The Prayer…..………. 13-21

 Eph 3:8-12

8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Paul states here that he is the lowest saint of all. How can a man feel that way considering what direction his life had taken? Paul still remembers at this time the damage he produced before his conversion in Acts nine and it is obviously weighing upon his mind.

The persecution of the saints at his hand was severe; yet he gives God all the glory for his jail time experience. It would appear that he has replaced the saints whose lives he stole. His whole life now seems to supercede the lives of the saints he cast into prison. It seems ironic that he now suffers the same fate as they once did.

It is his duty to take their place preaching the Gospel.

The word “grace” is used to describe the ministry he now is consumed with; yet his patient trust in God is obvious. He realizes the position he is in and the need to minister by the written word, yet how can he explain the unsearchable riches of Christ verbally?

“Unsearchable” according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance means: past finding out, or untraceable. We must dig deep for the nuggets of truth within the Scriptures.

9 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:

While studying the phrase “all men see” we came upon a grand definition of this phrase. It is “photidzo” it actually means to “shed light upon” or to “brighten” we get our word photo from this Greek word. With the mystery hidden before, yet now revealed it is a marvelous choice of words this word for enlighten.

The Greek word for fellowship here should be interpreted …stewardship. Paul has been given the stewardship or the responsibility to shed light upon the mystery of God to mankind; the mystery that has been hidden in God since the beginning.

10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

The term principalities and powers in heavenly places is difficult in this portion of the text.

Does it mean the angels of God who seek to have more to praise their Creator about or does it mean to counteract what the demonic angels think is their control upon the minds of men. The third alternative is that the church after Paul is most invigorated to proceed with its mission of proclaiming salvation for all mankind by the death of Christ upon the cross, and the resurrection from the grave.

After looking at all the different reference works we have come to the conclusion that it is defined by what the mystery really is; that Jesus Christ was to be all men’s salvation, Jew and Gentile alike.  Paul feels we must shout it to the mountain tops, and let all spirits know, by means of our mouths the glorious mystery of Christ’s salvation for ALL MANKIND… not just the Jew.

Throughout history men have wanted power over others to make their lives easier. This power provides an elitist form of mental bias that is denounced everywhere in Scripture, yet seemingly standard in people’s minds world wide. The next two verses seem to support this view.

11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

We have an eternal purpose which has been installed within us by receiving Christ as our Lord and Savior We must not lose sight of that purpose because we then will lose our position in Christ

12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

We have all boldness and confidence because our faith in Christ gives us access to the Father. At the start of this portion of our Bible study the glue that kept these verses together was hidden from us. Taking the time to look at our text has brought us closer to the truth. We should never try to hurry. We must not punch a time clock when studying the Scriptures. It should be like an onion, the more we peel it… the greater the fragrance.

13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Verse 13 starts the prayer for the brothers and sisters in Ephesus . There is an indication here that Paul’s friends have been worried about him. He states categorically that his trials and tribulations {affliction} are for the glory of the Ephesians. Intercessory prayer on their behalf is hard work, as all prayer warriors soon discover.  Just what is glory?

GLORY

We tried to describe or define the word “glory” one time. It is a difficult word to describe indeed. It seemed to be a challenge that needed to be conquered. Looking at the Hebrew Lexicon or dictionary in the back of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance we found this definition:  fog, heaviness, cloud, and the Greek Lexicon of Strong’s uses this phrase: presence. We placed the two definitions together to form this phrase: The heaviness of His presence. It was a treasure.

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

First Paul describes the fact that he is praying then he describes his position of  bowing or bending his knees. This may seem to be the best position to intercede for others, yet we feel it is not the position we pray with, but it is the desire of the heart combined with sincerity that is preferable for one’s prayer life.

15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

Every human being on this earth is a child of God; we all name Him to be our Father. It is not within the scope of this study to define this term at this time, yet it will be greatly rewarding to study this concept at a later date.

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Notice where Paul wants us to be strengthened invigorated… in our inner man. God looks upon the heart or the inner man to communicate with us.

This word for strengthened means invigorated …not built up like muscle body enlargement, it is the Spirit’s job to convict of sin and to lead us into all knowledge and truth.  The word might used here is dunamis; our root word for dynamite.  Invigorated with spiritual power like a swarm of hungry working bees in a hive doing miraculous things for God.  Oh what a picture!

There is no limit to what we can do with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. For He uses the entire treasury of the triune Godhead; it is inexhaustible.

17 That Christ may dwell [reside permanently] in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded [rooted and firmly implanted or given a strong foundation] in love, when the inner man is strengthened we become more like Christ inwardly and we become rooted, strengthened and grounded.

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

That we might be able to grab eagerly, seize, possess with all the saints the breadth, and length, and dignity [translated greek word for depth] and height or altitude

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Knowing fully the love of Christ, which supercedes knowledge, that ye might be filled crammed with the fullness or multitude of opportunities for our Father

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Paul here expresses the desire to see the Ephesians benefit from our Father who is able to do anything with every bit of dunamis power at his command, and more importantly He exists within the saints or believers themselves.

21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Paul prays for every generation of followers who would ever believe, to feel this power of our glorious Savior and Lord within every part of eternity. Age to age should be the translation for the term world without end.