Ephesians:3:14-21
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rwp @
Ephesians:3:14 @{
I bow my knees } (\
kampt
ta gonata mou \).
He now prays whether he had at first intended to do so at strkjv @
3:1 |
or not .
Calvin supposes that Paul knelt as he dictated this prayer ,
but this is not necessary .
This was a common attitude in prayer (
Luke:22:41 ;
strkjv @
Acts:7:40 ;
strkjv @
20:36 ;
strkjv @
21:5 |),
though standing is also frequent (
Mark:11:25 ;
strkjv @
Luke:18:11 ,
13 |).
rwp @
Ephesians:3:15 @{
Every family } (\
p
sa patria \).
Old word (\
patra \
is the usual form )
from \
pat
r \,
descent from a common ancestor as a tribe or race .
Some take it here as = \
patrot
s \,
fatherhood ,
but that is most unlikely .
Paul seems to mean that all the various classes of men on earth and of angels in heaven get the name of family from God the Father of all .
rwp @
Ephesians:3:16 @{
That he would grant you } (\
hina d
i humin \).
Sub-final clause with \
hina \
and the second aorist active subjunctive of \
did
mi \,
to give .
There are really five petitions in this greatest of all Paul '
s prayers (
one already in strkjv @
1:16-23 |),
two by the infinitives after \
hina d
i \ (\
kratai
th
nai ,
katoik
sai \),
two infinitives after \
hina exischus
te \ (\
katalabesthai ,
gn
nai \),
and the last clause \
hina pl
r
th
te \.
Nowhere does Paul sound such depths of spiritual emotion or rise to such heights of spiritual passion as here .
The whole seems to be coloured with "
the riches of His glory ." {
That ye may be strengthened } (\
kratai
th
nai \).
First aorist passive infinitive of \
krataio \,
late and rare (
LXX ,
N .
T .)
from \
krataios \,
late form from \
kratos \ (
strength ).
See strkjv @
Luke:1:80 |.
Paul adds \
dunamei \ (
with the Spirit ).
Instrumental case . {
In the inward man } (\
eis ton es
anthr
pon \).
Same expression in strkjv @
2Corinthians:4:16 | (
in contrast with the outward \
ex \,
man )
and in strkjv @
Romans:7:22 |.
rwp @
Ephesians:3:17 @{
That Christ may dwell } (\
katoik
sai ton Christon \).
Another infinitive (
first aorist active )
after \
hina d
i \. \
Katoike \
is an old verb to make one '
s home ,
to be at home .
Christ (\
Christon \
accusative of general reference )
is asked to make his home in our hearts .
This is the ideal ,
but a deal of fixing would have to be done in our hearts for Christ . {
Being rooted and grounded in love } (\
en agap
i erriz
menoi kai tethemeli
menoi \).
But it is not certain whether \
en agap
i \
should go with these participles or with the preceding infinitive \
katoik
sai \ (
dwell ).
Besides ,
these two perfect passive participles (
from \
rizo \,
old verb ,
in N .
T .
only here and strkjv @
Colossians:2:7 |,
and from \
themelio \,
see also strkjv @
Colossians:1:23 |)
are in the nominative case and are to be taken with \
hina exischus
te \
and are proleptically placed before \
hina \.
Verse 18 |
should really begin with these participles .
Paul piles up metaphors (
dwelling ,
rooted ,
grounded ).
rwp @
Ephesians:3:18 @{
That ye may be strong } (\
hina exischus
te \).
Sub-final clause again with \
hina \
and the first aorist active subjunctive of \
exischu \,
a late and rare compound (
from \
ex ,
ischu \)
to have full strength .
Here only in N .
T . {
To apprehend } (\
katalabesthai \).
Second aorist middle infinitive of \
katalamban \,
old and common verb ,
to lay hold of effectively (\
kata -\),
here with the mind ,
to grasp (
Acts:25:25 |). {
With all the saints } (\
sun pasin tois hagiois \).
No isolated privilege .
Fellowship open to all .
Paul gives a rectangular (
four dimension )
measure of love (
breadth \
platos \,
length \
m
kos \,
height \
hupsos \,
depth \
bathos \,
all common enough words ).
rwp @
Ephesians:3:19 @{
And to know } (\
gn
nai te \).
Second aorist active infinitive with \
exischus
te \. {
Which passeth knowledge } (\
t
n huperballousan t
s gn
se
s \).
Ablative case \
gn
se
s \
after \
huperballousan \ (
from \
huperball \).
All the same Paul dares to scale this peak . {
That ye may be filled with all the fulness of God } (\
hina pl
r
th
te eis p
n to pl
r
ma tou theou \).
Final clause again (
third use of \
hina \
in the sentence )
with first aorist passive subjunctive of \
pl
ro \
and the use of \
eis \
after it .
One hesitates to comment on this sublime climax in Paul '
s prayer ,
the ultimate goal for followers of Christ in harmony with the injunction in strkjv @
Matthew:5:48 |
to be perfect (\
teleioi \)
as our heavenly Father is perfect .
There is nothing that any one can add to these words .
One can turn to strkjv @
Romans:8:29 |
again for our final likeness to God in Christ .
rwp @
Ephesians:3:20 @{
That is able to do } (\
t
i dunamen
i poi
sai \).
Dative case of the articular participle (
present middle of \
dunamai \).
Paul is fully aware of the greatness of the blessings asked for ,
but the Doxology ascribes to God the power to do them for us . {
Above all } (\
huper panta \).
Not simply \
panta \,
but \
huper \
beyond and above all . {
Exceedingly abundantly } (\
huperekperissou \).
Late and rare double compound (\
huper ,
ek ,
perissou \)
adverb (
LXX ,
strkjv @
1Thessalonians:3:10 ;
strkjv @
5:13 ;
strkjv @
Ephesians:3:20 |).
It suits well Paul '
s effort to pile Pelion on Ossa . {
That we ask } (\
h
n aitoumetha \).
Ablative of the relative pronoun attracted from the accusative \
ha \
to the case of the unexpressed antecedent \
tout
n \.
Middle voice (\
aitoumetha \) "
we ask for ourselves ." {
Or think } (\
nooumen \).
The highest aspiration is not beyond God '
s "
power " (\
dunamin \)
to bestow .
rwp @
Ephesians:3:21 @{
In the church } (\
en t
i ekkl
si
i \).
The general church ,
the body of Christ . {
And in Christ Jesus } (\
kai en Christ
i I
sou \).
The Head of the glorious church .