Day: Mar 24, 2021

Lesson 8

Ephesians 3: 14-21, Paul’s prayer

Paul prayed for his audience, the Christians at Ephesus and the surrounding region in Asia Minor (Turkey).

V 14, For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Paul bowed his knees in reverence to the Father in prayer. Bowing our knees is a sign of reverence and submission to the Lord. We should always bow our knees before God in prayer unless we have medical reasons like degenerative knee joint disease, knee joint replacement, and others.

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

The whole family of God on earth, “the one new man in Christ” or “the body of Christ”, and in heaven is named after Jesus Christ.

VV 16-19, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Paul prayed for his audience to be strengthened spiritually, by the Holy Spirit, experience the presence of Christ through faith, be grounded in love, understand the unfailing, unsearchable, and abundant love of God, and be filled with the fullness of God.

VV 20-21, 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3: 20-21 is a doxology. Jesus Christ is omnipotent and is able to do exceedingly more than what we could ever ask or imagine. Christ’s omnipotent power works in us through the Holy Spirit. Paul prayed for Jesus Christ’s name to be glorified in the Church throughout all generations forever and ever.