Eph. 1: 15-18 Open the Eyes

15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,

16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

 

 

15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,

every commentary I looked at included the following idea in breaking down verse 15

“faith and love come together in the same package”

if you have faith, you have love but you cannot have one without the other.

sequentially faith in Jesus Christ, who then equips us with love through the Holy Spirit

that is to say “outgoing love is the single greatest evidence of saving faith”

1Cor. 13:1 f I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

3 And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.

love is described: (and it is described using relational terms)

1Cor. 13:4 ¶ Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.

1Cor. 13:5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,

1Cor. 13:6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

1Cor. 13:7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Gal. 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”

1John 2:9 The one who says that he is in the Light and yet hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now.

1John 4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

1John 4:21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.

16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

wisdom (216x)  G4678 (51x)

[NIV Greek]

5053   [4678]   σοφία, sophia, n.  [5055]. wisdom (either secular or divine). Christ is called “the wisdom of God” in 1Co 1:24, 30. On the basis of the OT, wisdom can be personified

in the OT, wisdom is used as “approach to life”  (how to live a godly life)

wisdom is seen as combining knowledge with experience to correctly handle ethical and moral challenges encountered in daily life

in the NT, wisdom is used the same way “ approach to life” 

“living the life” and “walking the walk” are expressions meant to imply a successful application of wisdom to respond to ethical and moral challenges to make decisions and choices that are pleasing to God.

OT — 1. The Hebrew words. The basic word group expressing the idea of wisdom includes hakam and its cognates hokmah and hakam. Together they occur in the OT over three hundred times. The closest other words in meaning to this group are cognates of bin, which means “understanding.”

The hakam stem expresses a person’s approach to life. Wisdom to master life’s challenges can be found only in one’s relationship with God. The Hebrew view is practical in focus. Wisdom is expressed in godly living, “for the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. . . . You will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse” (Pr 2:6,9-10,12).

The wise person, then, is one who is sensitive to God and who willingly subjects himself to him. The wise person is one who goes on to apply divine guidelines in everyday situations and, guided by God’s will, makes daily choices. It is only in wedding the Lord’s words to experience that wisdom can be found or demonstrated.

The wedding of knowledge and experience so that one gains skill and becomes wise is seen in other uses of hakam. A person can be wise (skilled) in arts (Ex 36:1-4), in government (Pr 8:15), in making money (v. 18). Combining knowledge and experience to successfully meet moral or other challenges in daily life is what demonstrates the possession of wisdom.

While “wisdom” and “wise” are usually expressed by hakam  or its cognates in the Hebrew text, we infrequently find other words so translated in the NIV and the NASB. Tusiyah is a term meaning “sound judgment” that leads to success. It occurs only twelve times in the OT (Job 5:12; 6:13; 11:6; 12:16; 26:3; 30:22; Pr 2:7; 3:21; 8:14; 18:1; Isa 28:29; Mic 6:9). At times sekel, “understanding,” is also translated “wisdom.” This word also focuses on the success that comes through the application of wisdom.

2. OT wisdom literature. Wisdom literature in the OT includes Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, and several psalms (Ps 19, 37, 104, 107, 147, 148). Wisdom literature does not express itself in terms of prescriptive law, nor even in exposition of the Mosaic Law. Rather, wisdom literature describes a lifestyle, contrasting the wise and foolish choices that individuals make. Only one who approaches life with a deep awe and fear of the Lord will discover and apply wisdom. (See FEAR)

3. Wisdom personified in Proverbs. One section of the Book of Proverbs uses a distinctive literary device; it presents wisdom as a woman. The use of this device in Pr 1-9 is partly explained by the fact that the noun “wisdom” is feminine. Yet the image is powerful, leading some scholars to speculate that the wisdom mentioned in Proverbs is the Logos of the NT. Most, however, doubt such an identification.

NT — 4. The Greek word. The concept of wisdom is expressed in the Greek NT by sophia. In Greek culture, “wisdom” represents an unusual ability, an attribute. By NT times the subject of “wisdom” was philosophic or speculative knowledge.

Words in this group appear seldom in the Gospels, but when they do appear, they are used in the OT sense. The greatest number of uses of “wise” and “wisdom” are clustered in 1 Cor 1-3 (see below). In the rest of the NT, “wisdom” focuses on that same practice of the godly life that is the concern of the OT.

5. Wisdom in 1 Co 1-3. First Corinthians is a book of problems. Paul focuses on issue after issue that tore at the unity of the church in Corinth. Again and again he guided his readers to an understanding of how to deal effectively with each.

The first problem Paul touched in this Epistle was the divisions that developed at Corinth as little groups formed, claiming allegiance to this or that leader. Paul invited the Corinthians to think about the nature of wisdom, for he believed their division was caused by the application of a merely human wisdom to spiritual issues.

In 1:18-31, Paul notes that the world’s sophia did not bring it to a knowledge of God. This is because the Jews (who demanded miracles) and the Greeks (who look for “wisdom” in the sense of a philosophical system) approached God on their own terms. Their basic orientation to life left no room to recognize Christ as the power and wisdom of God (1 Co 1:24). Here Christ is presented as God’s practical solution to the problem of man’s alienation from God—the one who himself is “our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (v. 30).

Human wisdom—i.e, man’s approach to the problem of relationship with God—is thus demonstrated to be foolishness, though God’s approach is viewed as foolishness by the world. Paul shows that for a correct perspective, one must gain access to the very thought processes of God (1 Co 2). These thought processes have been revealed to us in words taught by the Holy Spirit (vv. 13-16; cf. 2 Ti 3:15; 2 Pe 3:15).

In 1 Cor 3, Paul returns to the problem of divisions. The Corinthians had been acting and thinking as mere human beings, not applying the revealed words of God nor seeking to discern their implications.

Paul then applies several basic truths to show the error in the debate over leaders (1 Co 4).

In this extended passage “wisdom” represents the perspective or orientation that one brings to dealing with the issues of life. Human beings are foolish, because they fail to recognize the fact that their notions must be subject to divine evaluation. Only when one abandons what seems wise by human standards to accept without hesitation the divine viewpoint as revealed in Scripture can he claim true wisdom.

6. Wisdom in practice in the NT. This theme—that Christ is God’s wisdom, applied to resolve the problems caused by human sin (1 Co 1-3)—is picked up in Eph 3:10, which expresses God’s intention to make known to spiritual (angelic) powers “the manifold wisdom of God” as his purpose is worked out in history “through the church.”

In most places, however, “wisdom” is the divine perspective available to and applied by believers to the issues of their lives. Thus, Paul prayed that God would fill the Ephesians with “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation” so they might grasp and experience the power available in Christ (Eph 1:17). The same theme is addressed in a prayer in Col 1. Paul yearned for these believers to be filled with a knowledge of “what God has willed” (tou thelematos autou, v. 9). He qualified his prayer by adding that the knowledge must be treated with spiritual wisdom and insight, so that the believers might “live a life worthy of the Lord and … please him in every way” (v. 10). It is wisdom that guides the application of what is known.

Paul turned again to human notions in Col 2:23, speaking of religious approaches that “have an appearance of wisdom,” that is, approaches that seem to be practical, effective ways to spiritual growth. But again Paul turned his readers to Jesus. The word of Christ, dwelling in us, alone enables us to teach and admonish each other in wisdom (3:16).

James, reflecting the OT’s convictions, said that one who lacks wisdom should appeal to God and expect God to provide it (1:5-7). Later (3:13-18) he carefully defined the characteristics of the wisdom that comes from above. It is “pure, . . . peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (v. 18). A character that displays envy, selfish ambition, and similar destructive traits is not from God.

Wisdom, then, is a critical concept in both Testaments: wisdom is concerned with how one lives his or her life. Both the OT and the NT make it clear that only when our life is oriented to God and his revealed viewpoint is applied to our daily experience can we become wise.

revelation (17x)  G0602 (18x)

[NIV Greek]

637   [602]   ἀποκάλυψις, apokalypsis, n.  [608 + 2821]. revelation, what is revealed, disclosure, to make information known with an implication that the information can be understood. This refers in the NT to God making information known, especially to his close associates

we hear this word “apocalype” used in our culture as if it means a great war that destroys almost everything in the process.

while there is a war in the heavens described in Rev 12, most refer to Rev 19 war, the armageddon. named such only once

Rev. 16:14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the entire world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.

Rev. 16:15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and people will not see his shame.”)

Rev. 16:16 And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

imagine a movie of the future is being played on a big screen, but there is a curtain in front of it blocking your view …

then the curtain is pulled away so that you can see the screen.

that is apocalypse (the unveiling)

knowledge (157x)  G1922 (25x)

[NIV Greek]

2106   [1922]   ἐπίγνωσις, epignōsis, n.  [2093 + 1182]. knowledge, understanding, insight

so Paul is praying that they receive an ever deepening understanding our Father and that the Spirit would give us a practical, Godly, approach to life (combination of knowledge and experience).

or put more simply, 

the more you learn about God, the more you walk the walk
(which means deeper faith in Christ and deeper love for one another

in typical Pauline fashion, statement is followed by expansion (which sometimes includes bunny trails and expansions of the bunny trails) which is why this book is so rich.

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

19 and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. 

Here, Paul uses an unusual figure of speech “eyes of your heart”

bearing in mind that in scripture, which often uses culturally relevant figures of speech for communication,

the “heart” is meant as the seat of our feelings, thoughts, moral judgement

Proverbs 4:23 guard your heart, for from it flows the wellsprings of life

Proverbs 23:7 as a man thinks in his heart, so he is

Luke 6:45 “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

there is heart and there is mind 

heart=convictions, feelings, ethical choices

Matt. 22:37 And He said to him, “‘^aYOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’

mind (140x)  G1271 (12x)

[NIV Greek]

1379   [1271]   διάνοια, dianoia, n.  [1328 + 3808]. part of the inner person that thinks and processes information into understanding, including the making of choices, the seat of which is the heart

the mind is described or treated as an “input” area or tool

the heart would be closer to the output area

• noticia
  • information, data
• assensus
  • intellectual acceptance of the data as valid, true
• fiducia
  • trust the data enough to change thinking and actions to align with this new data

mind is the noticia stage and large part of assensus

heart takes the hand-off at the end of assensus and handles fiducia

this idea of first perceiving rightly, so that we may conclude rightly

in order to live rightly ties us back to Paul’s phrase in 1:18

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

19 and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. 

eyes of your heart be enlightened 

enlightened (4x)  G5461 (15x)

[NIV Greek]

5894   [5461]   φωτίζω, phōtizō, v.  [5743]. to give light, shine; (pass.)  illuminated

what’s the big deal about light ? what is illumination ?

Gen. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Gen. 1:2 And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Gen. 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

God has not yet created the stars (Natural light) or even our own star, sun (fourth day)

this is a different light. (and while there may certainly be physical illumination quality to it, there was no need for physical illumination yet since there was nothing to reflect such physical light)

Maybe we can call it the glory of God being revealed

maybe we can call it the “God at work” sign

you see, the same exact work for light (used in verse 3) occurs times in the old testament associated with the face of God Himself

Num. 6:25 ¶ The LORD cause His face to shine on you, And be gracious to you;

Psa. 31:16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your faithfulness.

Psa. 67:1 ¶ God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us— Selah

Psa. 80:3 God, restore us And make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved.

Psa. 80:7 God of armies, restore us And make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved.

Psa. 80:19 LORD God of armies, restore us; Make Your face shine upon us, and we will be saved.

Psa. 119:135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes.

Dan. 9:17 “So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his pleas, and for Your sake, Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary.

shine (26x)  H0215 (62x)

[NIV Hebrew]

239   [215]   אוֹר, ʾor, v.   [root of: 240, 241, 244, 245, 246, 247, 251?, 797, 4401, 4402? [also used with compound proper names]]. [Q] to shine, be bright; [H] to give light, make shine, brighten; [N] to be resplendent with light, shine on; the fig. extension “to make the face shine” is to establish favorable circumstance, peace and relief from trouble

but it does not have to mean physical brightness

Ex. 34:29 ¶ And it came about, when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him.

Ex. 34:30 So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him.

Ex. 34:35 the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Him.

here, an entirely different word is used  

shone (13x)  H7160 (3x)

[NIV Hebrew]

7966   [7160]   קָרַן, qāran, v.den.   [7967]. [Q] to be radiant

so if Gen 1:3 and the numeral OT verses meant shine to be physical radiance, it would use qāran rather than ʾor

Paul is praying for God to shine in the hearts of these ephesian christians.

in their beginning day of faith, God said “let there be light”

and set about to divide light from dark, water from land, and began to do His forming work

Paul is praying to God saying “turn up the light !  help them see more spiritual truth, more kingdom reality”

His prison epistles all contain the same prayer

Phil. 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

Phil. 1:10 so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ;

Phil. 1:11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

Col. 1:8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

Col. 1:9 ¶ For this reason we also, since the day we heard about it, have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Col. 1:10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Col. 1:11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all perseverance and patience; joyously

Col. 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Phil. 1:3 ¶ I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

Phil. 1:4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,

Phil. 1:5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.

Phil. 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.

Phil. 1:7 For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.

Phil. 1:8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Phil. 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

Phil. 1:10 so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ;

Phil. 1:11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s focus of prayer seems to be spiritual awareness resulting in Spiritual depth.

He does not pray much for God to give them what they do not have.

He prays for believers to clearly understand what they have already been given (and what to do with all that)

close to the end of this letter to the Ephesians he writes

Eph. 6:18 With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,

Eph. 6:19 and pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,

Eph. 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

again, “Father, help us to take what you have given us and be bold with it”

We already have been given everything we need to do what God has called us to do this day

we need God to open the eyes of our heart to clearly see what He has provided 

We need to pray “father, shine your light in my heart so that I can see all you have done and are doing”

Do you believe God has provided what you need to walk with Him today ?

Do you understand He has given you everything you need to fulfill today’s calling from Him ?

are you prepared to live a life of gratefulness for what He has already given

(compared to a life of wanting what you do not have) ?