Verse of the Day Ephesians 1:15-16 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. Spurgeon comments on Ephesians 1:15-23... How Paul glows as he writes on this great theme! He waxes warm, and rises to an enthusiasm of eloquence. We could not stop to explain his words; that were to spoil their mystic poetry. Oh, to have a heart that can glorify Christ as Paul did! Truly, if we know ourselves to be one with Christ, and know the privileges which come to us through that blessed gate, we may indeed extol him with all our heart and soul. For this reason (term of conclusion) - Should always prompt a prayerful pause to ponder What reason? It is good to Be still, to allow the Spirit to teach us, not mystically, but nevertheless supernaturally, as we make the choice to slow down and in a sense be still before the Lord. For this reason (1223) (dia = actually dia + touto) means “on this account”. In view of the amazing blessings believers are heir to in Christ in Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul then begins to pray that the Gentile readers of this letter (including us today) would come to experientially and intuitively know their resources in Christ so that we might live in His power to the praise of the glory of Gods grace. Moule says for this reason (wherefore in KJV) - because such is the greatness of Redemption Jamieson on says for this reason- because ye are in Christ and sealed by His Spirit (Eph 1:13, 14). Salmond says for this reason - might cover the contents of the entire preceding paragraph, pointing back to Eph 1:3 and indicating that in his thanksgiving to God, in behalf of these Ephesians, the Apostle had in his mind the whole counsel and eternal choice of God of which he first made mention, and the whole operation of grace in the lives of the Ephesians in the several particulars afterwards instanced. In view, however, of the transition from the more general “us” to the more definite “ye also” in Eph 1:13 it is probably more accordant with the tenor of thought to take the διὰ τοῦτο to refer to the signal manifestation of God’s grace in the sealing of these believers, who had been taken from the dark pagan world, with the Spirit which was both assurance and foretaste of an inheritance undreamt of in their heathenism. Alford says for this reason - on account of what has gone before since Eph 1:3: but especially of what has been said since Eph 1:13. (because ye are in Christ, and in Him were sealed, etc.) MacDonald agrees writing that... In the preceding passage, extending from verse 3 through verse 14 (a single sentence in Greek!), the apostle has traced the thrilling sweep of God’s program from eternity past to eternity future. He has ranged over some of the most awe-inspiring thoughts that can occupy our minds, thoughts so exalted that Paul now shares with his readers his deep prayer burden for their spiritual enlightenment in such concepts. His great desire for them is that they might appreciate their glorious privileges in Christ and the tremendous power which was required to give Christ to the church as Head over all creation. The introductory Therefore looks back to all that God has done and will yet do for those who are members of the body of Christ, as described in verses 3-14. (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believers Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson) Think of it this way -- every spiritual blessings in heavenly places was their promised possession. What Paul desires is that the saints actually possess their possessions (see Obadiah 1:17 for this phrase). The idea is similar to that in Joshua 1:3 where God says to Joshua... Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. (Joshua 1:3) God had already given Israel the land (thats in part why its called the promised land), but it was still their responsibility to put one foot in front of the other and begin to possess their possessions, stepping out in faith, trusting Gods enablement and laying hold of what was theirs by divine decree. There is an important lesson for us today in all of this. God has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ, and yet we must step out by faith (which equates with obedience) and lay hold of Gods precious and magnificent promises. And part of the secret of this process of laying hold is the prayers of the saints, interceding that they be enabled to do so. A LAND was given to the people of Israel, just as LIFE in Christ is made available to believers, not based on any merit of our own but solely on Gods sovereign pleasure. Note that just as the land that had been given needed to be possessed, so too, believers today must lay hold of Gods precious & magnificent promises by faith. Title to it is the gift of God; possession of it is the result of an obedient walk. The idea is, you can have all that you will take. You can have every bit of the spiritual life that you want. You will never get any more. God will never give you more than you are ready to take. So if you are not satisfied with the degree of your real experience of victory, it is because you havent really wanted any more. You can have all that you want. Every place where the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you. I too - Paul places himself alongside the Gentile believes, as one who is interested in their welfare Having heard (191) (akouo) means to not just to hear verbal sounds, but to understand or perceive the sense of what is said. Some interpreters have inferred from the fact that Paul says he had heard of their faith... that he had no personal acquaintance with them. That conclusion however is not necessarily valid, for Paul made a similar statement to Philemon, who he knew quite well, writing... I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints; 6 and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christs sake. (Philemon 1:4-6) It was when Paul received this information about their faith and love that he was assured his readers were genuine possessors of the spiritual blessings he had just described, and as a result he was driven to pray for them that they might begin to possess their possessions, to experience them in their everyday life. Although he had not seen the Ephesians face to face for about 8-10 years, Paul had heard about their faith and love, attitudes (and actions) which indicated the genuineness of their salvation for these are two of the cardinal marks of a true Christian...faith in Christ and love for other Christians. How had Paul heard? Others must have told him about their changed life! In short, they were witnessing with their Spirit empowered transformed lives! Are you? Do others witness the transformation? If not why not? Cp Col 1:3-4, Philemon 1:5 Faith (4102) (pistis) means a firm persuasion, conviction, belief in the truth. Refers not only to their initial act of saving faith, but the day by day exercise of their faith in the Lord Jesus for daily living. The same faith that saved is the faith needed to live daily. Wuest - “Your faith” is tēn kath’ humas pistin, literally, “the down among you faith.” The preposition, kata, “down,” when used with the accusative case as it is here, means “down along.” It has a distributive sense. Paul referred to the faith existent among the Ephesian saints, not the initial act of appropriating faith when they were saved, but the day by day faith exercised in the Lord Jesus for daily living. This faith resulted in love exhibited toward all the saints. Spurgeon writes that... You have eyes; Gods grace has given them to you; but they are capable of additional power and force; and there is the telescope of faith, which you are allowed to use, which will enable you to see much more than you have ever seen as yet. Faith is the expression of the believer’s trust in God (vertical relationship) whereas love is the evidence of ones proper relationship with others (horizontal relationship). In the Lord Jesus - Reposed on and in Him, as an anchor in the ground. (Moule) Lord (2962) (kurios) means lord, master, owner or the one who has absolute ownership power. Jesus is referred to some ten times as Savior and some seven hundred times as Lord. Supreme in Authority. Kurios translates Jehovah (LORD in OT) in Septuagint (LXX) 7000 times. Martin Luther puts Lord in an interesting perspective noting that... The life of Christianity consists of possessive pronouns. It is one thing to say, Christ is a Saviour; it is quite another thing to say, He is my Saviour and my Lord. The devil can say the first; the true Christian alone can say the second. Jesus (2424) (Iesous from the Hebrew Yeshua = Jehovah will save or Yahweh is salvation) is the Hellenized as Jesus. In this Name is His deity, humanity vicarious atonement. God incarnate died for sinners to satisfy the just demands of His law AND YOUR LOVE FOR ALL THE SAINTS: kai ten agaphen ten eis pantas tous hagious: (Psalms 16:3; Colossians 1:4; 1Thessalonians 4:9; Hebrews 6:10; 1Peter 1:22; 1John 3:17; 4:21) Your love for all the saints (Col 1:4) - Their love was spiritual fruit (Gal 5:22) testifying to the authenticity of the tree, i.e., that they were genuine fruit bearing trees, genuine followers of Christ (Luke 8:15). The love of the Body of Christ is a powerful witnessing tool for Jesus said By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (Jn 13:35) Disciples Study Bible -Love does more than it feels. Gods people love one another (1Peter 1:22; 1John 3:17; 4:21). Others come to know about this love through the deeds of love we do for each other. Such loving action brings joy and thanksgiving to Gods people. Love (26) (agape) is unconditional, sacrificial love. The love God Himself is. Not sentimental or emotional but obedient as act of will desiring anothers highest good. Love for other believers evidences saving faith. In other words faith leads to love, specifically in the context of the NT love in the truth, love in harmony with the word of God. As J Vernon McGee once quipped Im tired of sloppy agape!. Love in truth is sacrificial not sentimental and since it is supernatural reflects a love produced in the heart of the yielded believer by the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:23). Wiersbe - The Christian life has two dimensions: faith toward God and love toward men, and you cannot separate the two. Wood - Faith finds its focus in Christ and expresses itself in love to others. Such outgoing love is the evidence of genuine faith (Gal 5:6). (The Expositors Bible Commentary) All ( 3956) (pas) means every and has the idea of “whole” as well as the idea of oneness or a totality. They did not just love the ones they liked! How about my love? Is it for ALL the saints? Unconditional? Saints (40) (hagios) means set apart ones. Set apart for specific purpose. One set apart from the world and unto God for His use. It describes those separated from sin and consecrated or dedicated to service of God. Paul identifies the readers as saints nine times (Ep 1:1, 15, 18, 2:19, 3:8, 18, 4:12, 5:3, 6:18 - see notes Ephesians 1:1, 1:15, 1:18; 2:19; 3:8, 3:18; 4:12; 5:3; 6:18). Ephesians 1:16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers (NASB: Lockman) Greek: ou pauomai (1SPMI) euchariston (PAPMSN) huper humon mneian poioumenos (PMPMSN) epi ton proseuchon mou, Amplified: I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) NLT: I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, (NLT - Tyndale House) Phillips: I thank God continually for you and I never give up praying for you; and this is my prayer. (Phillips: Touchstone) Wuest: do not cease giving thanks for you as I constantly make mention of you in my prayers, (Eerdmans) Youngs Literal: do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, DO NOT CEASE GIVING THANKS FOR YOU: ou pauomai (1SPAI) euchariston (PAPMSN) huper humon: (Romans 1:8,9; 1Samuel 7:8; 12:23; Philippians 1:3,4; Colossians 1:3; 1Thessalonians 5:17; 2Thessalonians 1:3) Disciples Study Bible - Intercession reaches its highest authority and power when it is for spiritual purposes. Paul prayed the Ephesians would know God better and experience His strength. Pauls deep concern for his churches is shown by his frequent prayers for them (2 Co 13:7; Php 1:4; Col 1:3; 2:1; 1 Th 1:2; 2 Th 1:11). Paul modeled praying without ceasing (see note 1Thess 5:17)... Romans 1:8 (note) First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 1:9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you Philippians 1:3 (note) I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 1:4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, Colossians 1:3 (note) We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 1Thessalonians 1:2 (note) We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; Not (not) (ou) conveys absolute negation of what follows. Cease (3973) (pauo) means to cease (middle voice = oneself) from an activity in which one is engaged. Pauo in the active sense means to cause something or someone to cease from some activity or state. To make stop. To stop, restrain, refrain, quit, desist. To come to an end. The idea is to stop or restrain from an activity in which one is engaged. Pauo is preceded by the absolute negative (ou) indicating that Paul did take a respite from his thanksgiving filled prayers for these beloved saints at Ephesus. Stated in the positive, he continually (present tense) prayed for the saints at Ephesus. Spurgeon comments that... Where there was much good, the apostle prayed for more. We all need still further to advance in divine things. To stand still is impossible. Robert Murray McCheyne remarks that here we see... the mark of a true shepherd. But a hireling cares not for the sheep, he does not and cannot weep for the sheep, he has no anguish of heart for them. Pray that we may so love Christ that we may care for the sheep. (Ed: Lord raise up shepherds like this in America. Amen) Compare Pauls pattern of praying to the pattern which he later exhorts these prayed for saints to pray in the context of spiritual warfare... With all prayer and petition pray (present tense = continually, as ones lifestyle) at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert (present tense) with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak (See notes Ephesians 6:18; 19; 20). The IVP Bible Background Commentary has an interesting note... Like pious Jews, pious Christians apparently had a time set aside for prayer each day. Many pious Jews prayed several hours a day, and if Paul continued such a custom we can understand how he could pray for all his churches. Giving thanks (2168) (eucharisteo from eu = well + charizomai = to grant, give) means to express appreciation for benefits or blessings. To be grateful or feel thankful. Paul continually (present tense) was grateful to God for what He had done in the life of the saints at Ephesus and he thanked God for how they had responded. Thankfulness is a good attitude in prayer. Barnes writes that although... Paul was far distant from them, and expected to see them no more. But he had faith in prayer, and he sought that they might advance in knowledge and in grace. For (5228) (huper) means in behalf of, for the sake of. In other words he was interceding on behalf of others. Do we underestimate our holy privilege of functioning as priests interceding with the Most High God on behalf of others! Lord raise up intercessors who pray scriptural prayers like the apostle Paul! Adam Clarke comments that... The apostle intimates, so fully satisfied was he of the genuineness of their conversion, and of their steadiness since their conversion, that it was to him a continual cause of thanksgiving to God, who had brought them into that state of salvation; and of prayer, that they might be preserved blameless to the end. Jon Courson asks... Who do you pray for? I have a tendency to pray for those who are hurting, for those who are going through tragedies and difficulties, for those who are backsliding and failing—and that’s fine. But here Paul is saying something very different when he says, “When I heard how well you’re doing, I was moved to pray for you.” (Courson, J. Jon Coursons Application Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson) Graham Scroggie has a nice explanation of thanksgiving and intercession writing that... Thanksgiving is for the foundation already laid, but intercession is for the superstructure going up. Thanksgiving is for past attainments, but intercession is for future advancements. Thanksgiving is for the actual in their experience, but intercession is for the possible in God’s purpose for them. WHILE MAKING MENTION OF YOU IN MY PRAYERS: mneian poioumenos (PMPMSN) epi ton proseuchon mou: (Genesis 40:14; Isaiah 62:6; 1Thessalonians 1:2) Making (4160) (poieo) make, do, expressing action continued (present tense). In context of this verse making mention conveys the idea of mentioning someone in prayer, even naming them one by one! Paul labored earnestly for others in his prayers. Do I? Mention (3417) (mneia) is a recalling to mind memory, recollection, remembrance. It is used in the NT predominantly of remembering others in prayer and thus making mention of them. Clearly the apostle Paul did not regard prayer as something vague and indefinite, but remembered his readers and their needs specifically before the throne of God - a very convicting pattern! My (3450) (ego in the genitive = possessive) - These prayers were his own personal prayers on behalf of the saints, praying for realization of the truths he has just taught about their blessings by virtue of their position in Christ. Prayers (4335) (proseuche [word study] from pros = toward or immediately before + euchomai = to pray or vow) is the more general word for prayer and is used only of prayer to God. The prefix pros would convey the sense of being immediately before Him and hence the ideas of adoration, devotion, and worship. The basic idea is to bring something, and in prayer this pertains to bringing up prayer requests. In early Greek culture an offering was brought with a prayer that it be accepted. Later the idea was changed slightly, so that the thing brought to God was a prayer. In later Greek, prayers appealed to God for His presence. Proseuche stresses fervency and includes the idea of devotion to God for Who He is. Sometimes we forget that we should pray as earnestly for people after they are saved, as we do for their salvation. Illustration - On January 6, 1822, the wife of a poor German pastor had a son, never dreaming that he would one day achieve world renown and great wealth. When Heinrich Schliemann was seven years old, a picture of ancient Troy in flames captured his imagination. Contrary to what many people believed, Heinrich argued that Homer’s great poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, were based on historic facts and he set out to prove it. In 1873, he uncovered the ancient site of Troy, along with some fabulous treasure which he smuggled out of the country, much to the anger of the Turkish government. Schliemann became a famous, wealthy man because he dared to believe an ancient record and act on his faith. We discovered that we were “born rich” when we trusted Christ. But this is not enough, for we must grow in our understanding of our riches if we are ever going to use them to the glory of God. Too many Christians have never “read the bank book” to find out the vast spiritual wealth that God has put to their account through Jesus Christ. They are like the late newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst, who invested a fortune collecting art treasures from around the world. One day Mr. Hearst found a description of some valuable items that he felt he must own, so he sent his agent abroad to find them. After months of searching, the agent reported that he had finally found the treasures. They were in Mr. Hearst’s warehouse. Hearst had been searching frantically for treasures he already owned! Had he read the catalog of his treasures, he would have saved himself a great deal of money and trouble. Paul desired the Ephesian Christians to understand what great wealth they had in Christ. (Wiersbe)
Posted on: Sun, 23 Nov 2014 11:58:23 +0000
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