Systematic Bible Study

[PaulThomson]

Thanks PT. It is really helpful to have your comments on the Greek.
Now, because this is a systematic study, before moving on we need to open a can or two of worms or chase a couple of rabbits or address questions begged by this passage, including:

1. Who is included in the term "saints/believers in CJ"? (EPH 1:1)
a. OT believers?
b. All who sought salvation on the basis of GenRev?
c. Other. [This option is for all 12 Qs]

c. Whoever is a believer who reads this letter.

2. Does being predestined or chosen before the creation mean God determines/forces the elect to be saved against their will? (v.2-4)
a. Yes, souls have no MFW; TULIP is true.
b. No, what is predetermined is God's plan to save all who freely choose to seek Him and believe in Jesus as Christ.

c. What was predetermined is that those who put their faith in Christ to become saved, would also walk holy and without blame before God so that at the resurrection/adoption they would stand before Him holy and without blame.

3. Is belief/faith/grace/peace forced withheld from the nonelect? (v.4-7)
a. Yes, the non-elect be damned; God hates them.
b. No, God loves everyone and gives all morally accountable souls the opportunity to seek Him and be saved or not.

b.

4. What are spiritual blessings and when are they bestowed? (v.3-8)
a. Christ's holiness, moral perfection, adoption as God's children, acceptance/redemption/forgiveness in Christ.
b. Other?

b. Everything that is in Christ we have access to through faith.

5. What is signified by "in love"? (v.5)
a. Fellowship with God.
b. The possibility of hate.

c. God's plans for us are motivated by His love for us.

6. What is meant by "so praise"? (v.6&14)
a. God is worthy of praise because He did not have to love.
b. God's grace deserves/motivates sinners' gratitude.

Our adoption as sons and daughters, namely our resurrection in bodies like His glorious body, will inspire us to acknowledge His excellency.

7. What is the mystery? (v.9)
a. V.10.
b. TBE -to be explained later in EPH.

v. 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.

i.e. at the end of God's agenda for this present world He will separate that which serves willingly under Christ's rule from that which refuses to have Him rule over it/them, and all that which serves willing under Christ's rule will be gathered together to form a new heaven and a new earth.

8. What is the fate of those to whom the mystery was not revealed? (v.9)
a. They were SOL.
b. They were judged as indicated by the Parable of the Talents.

Will there be anyone to whom the mystery will not be revealed ?

9. How does God work out His will? (v.11)
a. By determining every detail.
b. By guiding the direction of history.

By using persuasion to convince creatures to do what will move things toward His ultimate goals, (calling Abraham) and when necessary using His omnipotence to block or redirect actions of creatures that would veer history too far off course (the flood and the plan to murder Joseph).

10. Why "hope" instead of "have"? (v.12-14)
a. Because this life is not yet heaven.
b. Because we walk by faith, not proof.

c. I don't see hope mentioned in those verses.

11. What is truth? (v.13-14)
a. The Gospel.
b. Him, the HS.

The gospel of your salvation is "the truth" mentioned in v. 13-14

12. What is God's glory?
a. His Being/Transcendence.
b. His Light/Word.

c. Whatever of him that justifies His having a good reputation - doxa, from dokeO to seem, consider. be of repute.

 

[GWH]

1c. Whoever is a believer who reads this letter. GWH - So no one is a believer who does not read EPH?

2.c. What was predetermined is that those who put their faith in Christ to become saved, would also walk holy and without blame before God so that at the resurrection/adoption they would stand before Him holy and without blame. GWH - ...both those who believe and that those who believe would walk/grow toward moral perfection

3.b. GWH - Yes, God loves everyone and gives all morally accountable souls the opportunity to seek Him and be saved or not.

4.b. Everything that is in Christ we have access to through faith. GWH - Yes, and that includes: Christ's holiness,
moral perfection, adoption as God's children, acceptance/redemption/forgiveness in Christ.

5.c. God's plans for us are motivated by His love for us. GWH - Yes.

6. Our adoption as sons and daughters, namely our resurrection in bodies like His glorious body,
will inspire us to acknowledge His excellency. GWH - Yes, praise means that, and He is excellent
because He did not have to love, so God's grace rightly deserves/motivates sinners' gratitude.

7. v. 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. GWH - Yes, the mystery is mentioned in v.10 and
will be explained later in EPH.

8. Yes, at the end God will separate those who cooperate with God's agenda in heaven from those who refuse His Lordship in hell,
which is revealed in some way to all morally accountable souls as indicated by the Parable of the Talents.

9. Yes, God works out His will via persuasion so that souls may be convinced to do what will move/guide history toward His ultimate goals, (calling Abraham) and when necessary using His omnipotence to block or redirect actions of creatures that would veer history too far off course (the flood and the plan to murder Joseph).

10c. I don't see hope mentioned in those verses. GWH - v. 12 in the NIV.

11. The gospel of your salvation is "the truth" mentioned in v. 13-14 GWH - Yes, which Gospel is about salvation in Christ,
and Truth is taught by the HS.

12. c. Whatever of him that justifies His having a good reputation - doxa, from dokeO to seem, consider. be of repute.
GWH - God's glory is rather vague in Scripture, but it seems to be identified with His Being/Transcendence as perceived
by His Light/Word.

Okay, onward soon.

 

[GWH]

Literal translation -
Eph 1:15 Through-into this (Διὰ τοῦτο) I also (κἀγώ), after hearing (ἀκούσας, aorist active participle) the faith down onto you (τὴν καθ᾽ ὑμᾶς πίστιν) in the Lord Jesus, (ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ) and the love (καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην), the unto-all-the-saints love (τὴν εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους),
Eph 1:16 I am not ceasing (οὐ παύομαι, present middle indicative) giving thanks (εὐχαριστῶν, present active participle) over-from-you (ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν), making mention of you (μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιούμενος ) upon-from my prayers (ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου).

Sense paraphrase -
Through all this becoming now true for me, and after hearing of the faith in the Lord Jesus being added to you since you believed. and after hearing of the indiscriminate love you have for saints everywhere, I am incessantly giving thanks over you because of this, not only praying for you but also mentioning you to everyone.
;

My collation:

EPH 1:15-16, “Because of this and after hearing your faith is growing in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all saints, I am continually giving thanks for you, mentioning you in my prayers.

My presentation of EPH 1:17, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord JC, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

"I keep asking" - Paul exemplifies what he teaches in 1THS 5:17: Pray continually.
"that the God of our Lord JC" - Paul prays to the Father as Jesus taught in MT 6:9.
"the glorious Father" - glory was been mentioned in v.12&14--sort of a mini-theme.
"may give you the Spirit" - the Holy Spirit was given at the moment of saving faith, so this is something additional.
"of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better" - "And" functions as = here, and the additional revelation
must refer to didachaic doctrines or teachings that build upon the foundational Gospel kerygma (EPH 2:20).

 

[PaulThomson]

My collation:

EPH 1:15-16, “Because of this and after hearing your faith is growing in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all saints, I am continually giving thanks for you, mentioning you in my prayers.

My presentation of EPH 1:17, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord JC, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

"I keep asking" - Paul exemplifies what he teaches in 1THS 5:17: Pray continually.
"that the God of our Lord JC" - Paul prays to the Father as Jesus taught in MT 6:9.
"the glorious Father" - glory was been mentioned in v.12&14--sort of a mini-theme.
"may give you the Spirit" - the Holy Spirit was given at the moment of saving faith, so this is something additional.
"of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better" - "And" functions as = here, and the additional revelation
must refer to didachaic doctrines or teachings that build upon the foundational Gospel kerygma (EPH 2:20).

Literally the Greek words say - Eph 1:17
so that (ἵνα) the God (ὁ θεὸς) of our Lord Jesus Christ (τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ) , the Father (ὁ πατὴρ) of the glory, (τῆς δόξης) might give (δώῃ, aorist subjunctive) to you (ὑμῖν) a spirit (πνεῦμα) of wisdom (σοφίας) and a revelation (καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως) in upon-knowledge (ἐν ἐπιγνώσει) of him (αὐτοῦ):

My English paraphrase of the sense of the Greek sentence is -

with the intention that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the glorious Father, might give you a spirit of wisdom and a revelation comprised of an accumulating/growing knowledge of Him.

 

[GWH]

EPH 1:18-19a, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” – “heart” must mean “mind”
“enlightened in order that you may know” – as opposed to remaining darkened or ignorant
“the hope” – the hope of salvation or resurrection to heaven
“to which he has called you” – Jesus said he came to call sinners (MT 9:13), that many are invited but few are chosen (MT 22:14),
and that few find the narrow gate (MT 7:14). In EPH 4:1 Paul will exhort those who are called to be worthy of it.
“the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” – the riches saints will inherit are not described
“and his incomparably great power for us who believe” – the power for believers is not specified

 

[PaulThomson]

EPH 1:18-19a, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” – “heart” must mean “mind”
“enlightened in order that you may know” – as opposed to remaining darkened or ignorant
“the hope” – the hope of salvation or resurrection to heaven
“to which he has called you” – Jesus said he came to call sinners (MT 9:13), that many are invited but few are chosen (MT 22:14),
and that few find the narrow gate (MT 7:14). In EPH 4:1 Paul will exhort those who are called to be worthy of it.
“the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” – the riches saints will inherit are not described
“and his incomparably great power for us who believe” – the power for believers is not specified

Eph 1:16
I am not ceasing (οὐ παύομαι) giving thanks (οὐ παύομαι) over you (ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν), mention of you (μνείαν ὑμῶν) making (ποιούμενος) from-upon my prayers (ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου);

Eph 1:17
so that (ἵνα) the God (ὁ θεὸς) of the Lord of us (τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν) Jesus Christ (Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ), the Father (ὁ πατὴρ) of the glory, (τῆς δόξης) might give ( δώῃ , aorist subjunctive) you (ὑμῖν) a spirit (πνεῦμα, anarthrous) of wisdom (σοφίας, anarthrous) and of revelation (καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως, anarthrous) in knowledge (ἐν ἐπιγνώσει, anarthrous) of Him (αὐτοῦ)

Eph 1:18
Having been enlightened (πεφωτισμένους, perfect passive participle) the eyes (τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ) of the understanding/reason (τῆς διανοίας) of you (ὑμῶν) into ( εἰς ) the to perceive (τὸ εἰδέναι, perfect active infinitive) you (ὑμᾶς) what is (τίς ἐστιν) the hope (ἡ ἐλπὶς) of the calling (τῆς κλήσεως) of him (αὐτοῦ), and what (καὶ τίς) the fulness (ὁ πλοῦτος) of the glory (τῆς δόξης) of the inheritance (τῆς κληρονομίας) of him (αὐτοῦ) in the saints,
(ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις)

Eph 1:19
And what (καὶ τί) is the overcasting (τὸ ὑπερβάλλον) greatness (μέγεθος) of the power (τῆς δυνάμεως) of him (αὐτοῦ) into us (εἰς ἡμᾶς) the ones believing (τοὺς πιστεύοντας), down onto (κατὰ) the working (τὴν ἐνέργειαν) of the power (τοῦ κράτους) of the might (τῆς ἰσχύος) of him (αὐτοῦ).

16. I am continually giving thanks over you while I am making mention of you because of my prayers...
17. my prayers that are with the intent that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all glory, might give you a spirit of sophia, (understanding why everything works the way it does; as opposed to a spirit of phronesis, understanding how everything works). And that He might also give you a spirit of discovery in matters that are characteristic of knowing Him.
18. This spirit of sophia and discovery will come after the eyes of your reason have been enlightened and remain so, so that you will have perceived, and continue to do so, what is the hope of His calling, and what is the full glorious extent of His inheritance latent within the saints.
19. And so that you will have perceived also what is the excessive greatness of His power placed into us, who are believing Him in accordance with the working of that same mighty power, and and are believing for things that are in accordance with the working of that same mighty power.

https://howtobeastoic.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/sophia-vs-phronesis-two-conceptions-of-wisdom/

Paul is praying for the readers of this letter, and while praying He is seeing the immense potential in them to manifest the glory of God. This revelation concerning them in prayer drives him to mention these believers and His hopeful expectations regarding them to the believers around Him.

Paul wants these saints to understand why things work they way they do in the world and in the Kingdom, not just how they work. Understanding only how they work can produce a "pull this lever to get this result" mentality, where we think we can manipulate this knowledge for our gain. Understanding why things work the way they do in the world and the Kingdom motivates us to take actions for the good purpose God has for those around us, rather than for the convenient outcome the actions will produce for us.

Paul lays before the saints motivations based on an ever-increasing understanding of God, what God has already done, and what God intends and is able to do in the future.

 

[GWH]

Eph 1:16
I am not ceasing (οὐ παύομαι) giving thanks (οὐ παύομαι) over you (ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν), mention of you (μνείαν ὑμῶν) making (ποιούμενος) from-upon my prayers (ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου);

Eph 1:17
so that (ἵνα) the God (ὁ θεὸς) of the Lord of us (τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν) Jesus Christ (Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ), the Father (ὁ πατὴρ) of the glory, (τῆς δόξης) might give ( δώῃ , aorist subjunctive) you (ὑμῖν) a spirit (πνεῦμα, anarthrous) of wisdom (σοφίας, anarthrous) and of revelation (καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως, anarthrous) in knowledge (ἐν ἐπιγνώσει, anarthrous) of Him (αὐτοῦ)

Eph 1:18
Having been enlightened (πεφωτισμένους, perfect passive participle) the eyes (τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ) of the understanding/reason (τῆς διανοίας) of you (ὑμῶν) into ( εἰς ) the to perceive (τὸ εἰδέναι, perfect active infinitive) you (ὑμᾶς) what is (τίς ἐστιν) the hope (ἡ ἐλπὶς) of the calling (τῆς κλήσεως) of him (αὐτοῦ), and what (καὶ τίς) the fulness (ὁ πλοῦτος) of the glory (τῆς δόξης) of the inheritance (τῆς κληρονομίας) of him (αὐτοῦ) in the saints,
(ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις)

Eph 1:19
And what (καὶ τί) is the overcasting (τὸ ὑπερβάλλον) greatness (μέγεθος) of the power (τῆς δυνάμεως) of him (αὐτοῦ) into us (εἰς ἡμᾶς) the ones believing (τοὺς πιστεύοντας), down onto (κατὰ) the working (τὴν ἐνέργειαν) of the power (τοῦ κράτους) of the might (τῆς ἰσχύος) of him (αὐτοῦ).

16. I am continually giving thanks over you while I am making mention of you because of my prayers...
17. my prayers that are with the intent that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all glory, might give you a spirit of sophia, (understanding why everything works the way it does; as opposed to a spirit of phronesis, understanding how everything works). And that He might also give you a spirit of discovery in matters that are characteristic of knowing Him.
18. This spirit of sophia and discovery will come after the eyes of your reason have been enlightened and remain so, so that you will have perceived, and continue to do so, what is the hope of His calling, and what is the full glorious extent of His inheritance latent within the saints.
19. And so that you will have perceived also what is the excessive greatness of His power placed into us, who are believing Him in accordance with the working of that same mighty power, and and are believing for things that are in accordance with the working of that same mighty power.

https://howtobeastoic.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/sophia-vs-phronesis-two-conceptions-of-wisdom/

Paul is praying for the readers of this letter, and while praying He is seeing the immense potential in them to manifest the glory of God. This revelation concerning them in prayer drives him to mention these believers and His hopeful expectations regarding them to the believers around Him.

Paul wants these saints to understand why things work they way they do in the world and in the Kingdom, not just how they work. Understanding only how they work can produce a "pull this lever to get this result" mentality, where we think we can manipulate this knowledge for our gain. Understanding why things work the way they do in the world and the Kingdom motivates us to take actions for the good purpose God has for those around us, rather than for the convenient outcome the actions will produce for us.

Paul lays before the saints motivations based on an ever-increasing understanding of God, what God has already done, and what God intends and is able to do in the future.

Collated: EPH 1:18-19a, “Your eyes of your understanding having been enlightened to perceive the hope of his calling and the fullness of the glory of his inheritance for the saints and the overwhelming greatness of his power for us the believing, like his mighty power…”

New: EPH 19b-21 – “That power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ when he reaised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

“That power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ” – God’s power for believers is the same as His power in Christ
“ when he reaised him from the dead” – when God resurrected Jesus from the grave
“and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms” – and placed Christ in charge of heaven
“far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given” – over everything
“not only in this age but also in the one to come” – forever on earth and in eternity in heaven