Eph 1:15–23 — Prayer for Spiritual Illumination

This section contains a Pauline intercessory prayer for the Ephesian Christians Echoes themes in the preceding section (vv. 3-14). The God of our Lord Jesus Christ -> (v. 3) Spirit of wisdom and revelation -> the mystery made known to us the mystery (v. 9). The riches of his inheritance in the saints -> inheritance/possession (v. 14) Christ as head over all spiritual powers -> sum up all things (v. 10). Thus, Paul’s prayer is that believers might comprehend the spiritual blessings that were the focus of his doxology in the preceding section. Although we already possess these blessings in Christ our spiritual perception and enjoyment of them is not what it should be Paul does not pray for fresh spiritual blessings, or for a further work of grace, but for a fuller appreciation of the blessings that are already ours in Christ.

Verses 18-19

Why does Paul pray that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened, that we might be granted spiritual illumination?

So that we would know three things. What is the hope of His calling. The hope of his calling Focus on the future goal of it all When we were called in time through the preaching of the gospel we were called to an everlasting and heavenly hope Col. 1:5 “the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you” Not “the hope of your calling” Paul places the accent where it belongs - the hope of God’s calling. This calling originated in the Father’s electing love when he chose his people in Christ before the foundation of the world. This calling has then become effective in our lives through the preaching of the gospel Paul next goes on to define what this hope of God’s calling is …

What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. The riches of the glory Glory is a key term in Paul’s theology. It isn’t a reference merely to God’s honor or praise - though this is certainly included. Rather, glory has an OT reference In Hebrew it is the word kabod which was used in reference to the Shekinah the Glory-cloud that dwelled in the sanctuary. The term glory in Paul also has reference to the resurrection body. The luminous, glorified bodies that will be given to all believers in union with the glorified body of Jesus himself. The glory of the resurrection state far surpasses the sufferings of this present time - Rom. 8:18. How do we tie these two meanings together?

Shekinah and resurrection?

The link is to understand the corporate nature of the resurrection. It isn’t just individuals receiving resurrected bodies but a corporate raising of the church, as the body of Christ, into union with the glorious state of the exalted Christ himself. The result will be the erection of a mighty temple, made of living stones - that is resurrected believers, as a place for the Shekinah of God to dwell - Eph. 2:21-22. The accent here, as with the previous point, is theocentric. We have been called to be God’s inheritance Paul wants us to have spiritual illumination that we might perceive how glorious it is that God would take us - this glorified temple - to be his own possession and that we would be his inheritance. This, then, is the hope to which God elected, predestined, and called us, that we would be the glorious body of Christ, indwelt by the Shekinah glory of God, thus becoming the eternal inheritance of God himself his treasured possession and object of enjoyment. But how is this going to be accomplished?

Not by us, but by God’s power …

What is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. The wonderful thing is that this power is operative NOW not merely in the future eschatology of the day of judgment but presently in the realized eschatology of the resurrection and exaltation of Christ. Notice how Paul piles up synonyms (the working of the strength of his might). He does so in order to convince us that God’s power at work on our behalf is incomparable and totally sufficient.

Verses 20-23

The decisive demonstration of God’s power available to believers occurred once for all in the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, in the subjugation of the demonic powers to him and in his being given as head over all things to the church.

Verse 20

Consider the note of finality and completion implied in the word “seated” Christ finished the work the Father gave him to do His earthly mission as the Messiah appointed to save his people from their sins has been accomplished. Therefore, he now sits at the right hand of God Heb. 1:3b “When he had made purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high” Heb. 10:11-14 “Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.

For by one offering. He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”

The language here of being seated at God’s right hand is taken from Psalm 110:1. This is royal, Messianic language. It refers to the Messiah’s enthronement Christ is now reigning on the throne of David not a literal chair made of marble and gold but the far-surpassing throne of heaven itself. The Davidic covenant has been fulfilled in the exaltation of Christ. There is no need for a future earthly fulfillment in a so-called millennial reign of Christ on the earth.

Verse 21

The victory of Christ over Satan and his hosts is taught clearly elsewhere in the NT Luke 10:18 I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

John 12:31. Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

Colossians 2:15. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

1 Peter 3:22 Jesus Christ … is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

“Not only in this age but also in the one to come” Here we see the two-age construct of NT eschatology. This distinction was drawn from Jewish apocalyptic History is divided into two ages. The present age is the time of suffering. The age to come is the time of glory ushered in by the day of judgment. But the NT adds a revolutionary twist to the eschatological perspective of Jewish apocalyptic. The first coming of Christ inaugurates the age to come. Although there still remains a future consummation of Christ’s victory, the new age has already broken in upon the present. There is thus an overlapping of the two ages Jesus’ victory is comprehensive. He will not merely have victory in the future. He has victory now over all hostile forces. This is the inaugurated or realized eschatology of the NT The victory of the age to come is a present reality achieved in principle by the ascension and exaltation of Christ Christ’s victory in the age to come will simply be the unveiling to our eyes of his current spiritual victory in heaven.

Verses 22-23

Paul has quoted from Psalm 110 in v. 20. He now quotes from Psalm 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 4. What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6. You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, 7. All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, 8. The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

The NT interprets this Psalm Christologically. Although King David is the original speaker he is speaking in terms reminiscent of the dominion that God gave to Adam in the garden In a sense King David views himself as a second Adam whom God gave royal authority and dominion over all creation. However, King David was unable to fulfill his dominion mandate. He was only a type of the greater King, who is the true second Adam. Thus, Paul rightly appreciates the location of Psalm 8 in the flow of redemptive history as it points beyond itself from the typological age of the Old Covenant to the anti-typological age of fulfillment in Christ. The author of Hebrews points out something interesting about this text as well Heb. 2:8-9 “YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him.

But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. 9. But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God. He might taste death for everyone.

So in vv. 20-21, Paul elaborates on Christ’s supremacy over the universe, particularly the powers of the demonic realm. Here in vv. 22-23 Paul ties this cosmic scope of Christ’s victory in relation to the church God’s cosmic purposes achieved in Christ are for the advantage and benefit of the church of Christ “He gave him to be head over all things to the church” This was something Paul had already alluded to in v. 19 “toward us who believe” Now what does Paul mean here by “the church”?

We might be tempted to think in terms of the church on earth Christ is in heaven exalted over all creation for the benefit of the church on earth. But if we consider the flow of Paul’s argument as it continues on into the next chapter it becomes clear that the church is here conceived of as being in heaven with Christ Read Eph. 1:22–2:7 Congregations of believers on earth are earthly manifestations of the heavenly congregation gathered around the risen Christ “The fullness of him who fills all in all” The term “fullness” echoes the OT language of the Shekinah glory that filled the earthly sanctuary Exodus 40:34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle Paul mentions this theme again in Eph. 2:21-22. The church is not what fills all in all but the church is that which is filled. The church is the temple, the receptacle of the fullness of the Shekinah Return to the heart of the prayer:

that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened so that we might know this great reality of Christ’s Lordship as Second Adam over all creation.