Paul’s Prayer for Greater Sanctification (1:15-23)
Ephesians 1:15-16
Paul begins this section with a reference back to all that he has just expounded upon in stating “for this reason.” Let’s briefly review the spiritual blessings from 1:1-14.
1. We are saints- 1:1 (also 2:19)
2. Blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies- 1:3
3. Chosen in Christ- 1:4
4. Chosen to be holy and blameless before Him in love- 1:4
5. Predestined to the adoption as sons- 1:5
6. Predestined according to the kind intention of His will- 1:5
7. Predestined to the praise of the glory of His grace- 1:5-6, 12
8. Recipients of His “freely bestowed” grace- 1:6
9. Redeemed through His blood- 1:7
10. Forgiven of our trespasses- 1:7
11. Forgiven according to the riches of His grace- 1:7
12. His grace has been lavished on us- 1:8
13. The mystery of His will in the dispensation of the fullness of times in which all things will culminate in Christ Jesus. It is the kind intention of His will to give us wisdom and insight into this matter- 1:9-10
14. We have a portion/lot given to us in Christ’s future administration/dispensation that was predestined for us 1:11
15. Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise- 1:13
16. We are God’s possession, awaiting future redemption- 1:14
Each one of these blessings are now true of the one who has believed in Jesus because they are now located “in Christ.” This list is the substance in mind when the apostle writes “for this reason…” But we find that this is not the only motivation that pushes him to his next point in the letter, which is that of prayer. We also see that Paul has been made aware of both their faith in Jesus and their love for the saints. Their “faith” and “love” were famous, for they were the characteristics that this Body was known for! Therefore, it is important to look closely at each of these qualities.
“Faith” is the first characteristic here, which from the context, seems to point to something other than the fact that they have believed in Jesus Christ and now have eternal life. Paul’s use of the word does not pertain to their justification (which has already been mentioned in Eph 1:13), but rather to the exercising of their faith in their daily lives. It is not a forensic use, but a relational one. This local body was known for exemplifying faith and others have taken notice. This would be a trust “in the Lord Jesus” (for that is the object of faith) that stretches beyond normal, fleshly sensibilities. This was a mentality that announced their relationship with Christ was beyond that of superficial or even an infantile state. It was a trusting fellowship that had sprung out of their initial relationship with the Father. It was something that was developed and understood; a stalwart characteristic that even Paul (who was as far away as Rome) saw as something of great value among this congregation.
The second characteristic that had defined the reputation of his initial readers is that of “love.” This word has been excluded from some of the ancient manuscripts. However, in examining some of the formal equivalence translations, the NASB95, ESV, NKJV, HCSB, KJV, and NET Bible all contain the “love for all the saints” (NASB95) or something similar. “Love” is the Greek word agapē which has been previously mentioned at the end of 1:4. The fact that Paul mentions that he has “heard” of their love “for all the saints” (1:15) gives further reinforcement to the expressed understanding that being “holy and blameless before Him in love” (1:4) is a sanctification issue that is now able to be attained, and not something that was already presently abiding in the Ephesians (See notes on 1:4). While the recipients of this epistle were already attaining to faith and agapē in 1:15, the already-blessing in 1:4 is a statement of potential that existed for these believers. We may understand this better as the apostle recognizing an existing quality that was being well-cultivated in the Body of Christ, but his exhortation to them would not the call to taper off their affection or to keep the ship slow and steady, but to press on “all the more” (Phil 1:9; 1 Thess 4:1, 10).
The concept of agapē is understood as “affection, good-will, love, benevolence,” and is further mentioned as “especially of that love of Christians towards Christians which is enjoined and prompted by their religion, whether the love be viewed as in the soul or as expressed.” As with their “faith in the Lord Jesus,” their love also has direction in that it is being expressed “toward all the saints,” being their fellow believers in Jesus Christ, regardless of the church that they attend. Hoehner eloquently describes this when he writes that, “Paul heard of the Ephesians’ faith in Christ, their vertical relationship, and their love for all the saints, their horizontal relationship (cf. Col. 1:4; 2 Thes. 1:3). A proper relationship with God should lead to a proper relationship with other Christians.” Does not 1 John 1:6-7 come to mind?
If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The mark of walking in the Light (vertical) is evidenced in our interpersonal fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the Lord (horizontal). This is a solid lesson considering the first command that Jesus hands down in the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17). In it, He says:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. –John 13:34-35
Agapē is the exact kind of love that Jesus had for His disciples and it is the kind of love that His disciples should seek to demonstrate to one another.
While both faith and love are characteristics that should mark those of the body of Christ, it must be stated that the mention of these qualities were not given so as to verify the authenticity of Paul’s audiences’ genuine conversion. This is not something that Paul in inquiring about, nor is he questioning. He believes that his recipients are “in Christ,” having already encouraged them as such (1:3-14). Such would be the same case in Colossians 1:3-4 where their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for all the saints is of identical mention. This is not surprising with both epistles being written at the same time of Paul’s house arrest (Acts 28:11-31). We would do better to view Paul’s hearing of his recipients reputation as a mark of spiritual growth rather than an evidence of spiritual birth.
Moving into 1:16, we see that does not cease to give thanks for the saints. In reading any portion of the apostle’s work, one is guaranteed to come across a praise of thanksgiving unto God the Father. This concept is absent only in Galatians and the Pastoral Epistles. Paul was simply thankful for the saints that he had heard so much about. Their reputation preceded them, being one of faith and love, and such news caused our brother Paul to approach God often with gratitude for them. The word for “giving thanks” is the verb eucharisteō meaning “to show that one is under obligation,” and “to express appreciation for benefits or blessings,” with a third definition ascribed to it as simply “pray.” However, this third entry does not have any passages ascribed to it as a way that the word is possibly used in the New Testament. Other extant Greek sources have employed the word in this way, but Scripture does not. An explanation for this will be offered, but a continued examination of the word is necessary.
Eucharisteō will immediately catch the attention of those with a Catholic background, relating it to the familiar “eucharist,” which resulted from the word’s use in Luke 22:17, 19 in connection with the Last Supper, with the 2nd century leading to the adoption of the term for the practice. One who is familiar with Greek may notice the charis included within this word, commonly translated as “grace.” Robertson notes, “It is a common verb for giving thanks and was used also for ‘saying grace’ as we call it.” This observation sees “giving thanks” as prayer, but the text of Luke 22:17 (where his quote is from), does not state this explicitly. It is most certainly expressed gratitude to the Father over the subject at hand.
Do we respond like Paul when hearing of the abounding qualities of our brothers and sisters? Have we ever thought about giving thanks to God for believers in other local churches? There are many times in the life of a local Body that we find missionaries or other believers who are doing great things for the Lord in some part of the world. What about those churches that we have formed partnerships with or that we have been able to participate in ministry with in reaching people for Christ? What greater response could we possibly give for their involvement in our ministries than to give thanks for them before the Father? Those who seek to be obedient are guaranteed to suffer in the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:12-13). What greater encouragement could there be than to hear of their faithfulness (or in this situation, their love and faith) and to respond by giving thanks to God for their faithfulness? Giving thanks for faithful brethren should be a practice in every assembly because it is embedded in the fibers of every believer.
Paul’s coupling of the concepts of “giving thanks” and “prayer” are not uncommon in Scripture (2 Cor 1:11; Phil 4:6; Col 4:2; 1 Thess 1:2; 1 Tim 2:1; 2 Tim 1:3; Phlm 1:4). However, these are not one and the same thing, as examining each example will show. The subject of prayer is a conglomeration of many facets that would include the giving of thanks to God, confession of personal known sin, and adoration for His Person and provision. But each of these are things affixed to prayer, and not prayer itself. The same is true here in Ephesians 1:16. Hodge notes, “This does not mean, ‘praying I give thanks;’ but two things are mentioned—constant thanksgiving on their account, and intercession.” One is worship, while the other is our asking of God. This would explain why the third definition of eucharisteō had no biblical support in the New Testament for the its meaning being “pray.”
At this point in the text, it would be appropriate to pause and expound on the nature and substance of prayer. In Greek, it is the word proseuche which is understood as a “petition addressed to deity.” Prayer has simply been put as talking to God but the emphasis should concern the subject being address before the Lord. As John R. Rice has so perfectly stated it, “Praying is asking.” He writes:
There are two principle words in the Greek New Testament translated ask. One is the word eperotao, which means to ask, to inquire, as asking questions. But the word used about prayer is aiteo, which means to ask, to crave, to desire, to call for, always meaning asking for something. I have just counted about thirty times that this word is used about prayer in the New Testament. And it is properly translated ask.
Praying is the asking of something particular from God. It is coming to Him with our concerns, but always with the desire to see Him become actively involved in providing the solution. No doubt, God is always working, but it is our petitioning of Him for our own needs, or interceding for the needs of others that stand as true prayer. In those moments, we are asking. A familiar passage like Philippians 4:6 even shows us that “thanksgiving” is something that is to accompany the “prayer” (“asking”) to the Lord and “supplication” (urgency of the need) in regards to anxiety, petitioning (requesting) Him. Praying is asking. Looking to the Lord’s teaching on prayer and instructing the disciples on how to pray, Matthew 6:9-13 show us an address to the Father (v.9) and then a series of asking: 1. For the kingdom to come (v.10a), 2. For God’s will to be done on the Earth (v.10b), 3. Daily provision (v.11), 4. Forgiving the sin that we have incurred daily against God because we are forgiving those who have sinned against us (v.12), 5. That we would no be led into temptation, but rather delivered from the evil one (v.13a). He then closes with a doxology of praise to the Lord (v.13b). This instruction on prayer is centered upon asking. Praying is asking.
While there are many more examples (Jas 5:16-18 comes to mind), the Lord Jesus gives a pointed teaching in the Sermon on the Mount to His disciples in Matthew 7:7-11. The call is to ask, seek, and knock (v.7). On the surface, our English translations may have regulated this to what seems to be a one-time event. But this was not Jesus’ intention. Lenski explains, “The imperatives are present tenses, hence iterative: ‘go on again and again asking, seeking, knocking.’ The use of three verbs indicates intensity; and to seek is more fervent than just to ask, and to knock is still more fervent.” Each verb is durative. Continual asking, seeking, and knocking are the keys. Jesus proceeds in noting that when prayer is approached in this way there should be a sound and firm expectation of receiving that which was asked for. Jesus then provides two examples of asking from an earthly perspective between a father and a son (v.9-10). Jesus then concludes in stating that if those who are “evil” (base, worthless, degenerate) like the disciples are prone to give good gifts to their sons when they ask, the benevolent and merciful God of all glory will answer their repetitious requests with good and wonderful answers (v.11). Praying is asking, and repeated prayer that petitions the Father’s involvement should be equally met with an expectation of blessed results. He is good, and He will answer.
What is amazing in Ephesians, as well as the rest of Paul’s corpus, is the content of Paul’s prayers. Beal and Radmacher write that this prayer “expresses the most basic things a Christian ought to ask in prayer when interceding for other Christians.” Again, praying is asking. And we are encouraged to ask great things of a great God who can do all things (1 Kings 3:5; Matt 7:11; 21:22; Luke 11:13; Jas 4:2). Once we have read the next section, we will probably conclude that we simply do not pray like Paul. But we should also conclude that it would be to our benefit to examine the nature of Paul’s concern, seeking to incorporate his concepts in our personal prayer lives (also see Eph 3:14-21). We all have much to learn, and equally as much to correct in the contents of what we ask of the Father when we pray.