Ephesians 1:15–23 Bible Study Notes
(avg. read time: 7–14 mins.)
Translation
Eph 1:15 For this reason also, after hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and the love [you have] for all the saints, 16 I do not cease giving thanks because of you, while making mention on the occasion of my prayers, 17 in order that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in recognition of him, 18 in order that with eyes of your heart having been enlightened you should know what is the hope of his calling, what is the richness of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable magnitude of his power toward us who have faith according to the working of the strength of his might. 20 Such he worked out in Christ when he raised him from out of the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms 21 far above all rule/principality, authority, power, lordship/dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but in the age to come. 22 And all things he subjected under his feet and assigned him as head over all the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills the all in all.
Observations
Previously, we talked about how the first part of ch. 1 set up the framework for the rest of the letter. The rest of ch. 1 carries on in the same fashion as we see more themes set up for the rest of the letter. In this case, Paul writes about faith and love, which are clearly rather important in Paul’s work in general. He also introduces themes focused on God’s revelation through Jesus and the wisdom God gives to receive that revelation and to live in light of it. Furthermore, he writes of the kingdom of God and the other powers of this world. Finally, this is where Paul introduces the important theme of the Church being one body of Christ. He also continues themes that were briefly introduced in the previous section, such as the language of inheritance promised to us (cf. 1:10–11), and the Lordship of Jesus Christ established by God through the gospel narrative.
One of those themes about revelation and wisdom is presented here in interesting language. First, wisdom’s source is identified as the “Spirit of Wisdom.” This language resonates with precedents in the OT (Exod 31:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 11:2), Second Temple literature (Wis 1:4–10; 9:17–18; 1 En. 49:3; 1QS IV, 3–4; 11Psa/11Q5 XIX, 14), and Paul’s own works (1 Cor 2:6–16). Second, the “eyes of the heart” is an intriguing phrase, but this is hardly the first time that the heart is presented as what God must renew and enlighten for people to be transformed (Ps 10:11, 13; Prov 2:2; 22:17; 23:12; Matt 12:34; 15:19; 22:37; John 14:1; Rom 10:10). Third, the language of “enlightenment” is a common feature of apocalyptic and eschatologically oriented texts, as befits Paul’s apocalyptic and eschatologically oriented theology. As we see especially among the Dead Sea Scrolls, the language of enlightenment describes the audience/assembly or the people of God in general as having—or as ones who will have—particular knowledge, wisdom, or insight revealed to them by virtue of their faithfulness to the God who reveals (1 En. 17–18; 37:2–4; 61:13; 82; 105:1 4 Ezra 13:52–56; 2 Bar. 38; 44:14; 48:24; T.Lev. 13:2, 7–9; 14:4; 1QS II, 3; III, 1–2; IV, 4, 6, 22; V, 11–12, 23; VII, 1–4; VIII, 9, 16; IX, 13, 17–19; XI, 15–19; 1QHa V, 2–3, 6; VI, 25–26; VII, 8, 24; X, 9–10, 13–14, 18; XI, 22–23; XII, 27; XIII, 11–12, 26; XVI, 23–24; XVIII, 28–30; XIX, 16–17; XX, 11–13, 32–33; XXI (top), 4–5, 8; XXIV (bottom), 5; XXVI (top), 14–15; CD-A II, 3–4, 14–16; III, 13–16; VI, 2–3; XV, 13–15; XIII, 7–8; CD-B XX, 4–5; 4QBera/4Q286 Frag. 1 II, 6–7; Frag. 2, 5–6; 4QMystb/4Q300 Frag. 1 II, 2–5; Frag. 3, 2–3; Frag. 5; Frag. 8, 6; 4QMystc?/4Q301 Frags. 1—2; 4; 4QMMT C 28–29; MasShirShabb/Mas1k I, 2, 5–6; MasShirShaba/4Q400 Frag. 1 I, 4–6, 11; Frag. 2, 8–9; 4QShirShabbd/4Q403 Frag. 1 I, 36–37, 39, 42; II, 2, 19–20, 27; 4QShirShabbf/4Q405 Frag. 13, 5; Frag. 17, 3; Frag. 19, 4; Frags. 20 II—22, 4, 7; Frag. 23 I, 8; II, 12–13; 4QComposition concerning Divine Providence/4Q413 Frags. 1–2, 1–2, 4; 4QInstructionb/4Q416 Frag. 2 III, 12–14; 4QInstructionc/4Q417 Frag. 1; Frag. 2 I, 8, 10–14, 18, 20, 25; 4QInstructiond/4Q418 Frag. 55, 5–6, 9; 69 II, 2, 10–12; Frag. 81, 15, 17, 20; Frag. 88, 6; Frag. 102, 3; Frags. 122 II + 126 II, 5; Frag. 123 II, 4–5; 4QIncantation/4Q444 Frag. 1, 1, 3; 4QShirb/4Q511 Frag. 1, 7; Frag. 2 I, 7; Frag. 10, 2–3; Frag. 18 II, 6, 8; Frags. 28+29, 3; Frags. 48, 49+51, 1; 4QBéat/4Q525 Frag. 1; Frags. 2 II+3; Frag. 2 III; Frag. 5, 9–13; Frag. 6 II, 2–3; Frag. 14 II, 18–19; Frag. 16, 3; Frag. 23, 4–6; 4QNoah ar/4Q534 I, 6–8; 11Psa/11Q5 Ps 154:5–8, 14–17/Syriac Psalm II, 3–6, 12–15). The content of this enlightenment is understood as being shared with the audience, and in general it seems to refer to the knowledge of God uniquely available to those who are committed to the new covenant, who are faithful to God by means of Jesus Christ. It is not so much knowledge that is the initiation of relationship, as what comes with knowing God more and more deeply as the relationship grows. Fourth, the ultimate outcome of this knowledge is to reach the goal of knowing the “hope of his calling.” As “calling” is elsewhere associated with the summons of the gospel (4:1, 4; Rom 11:28–33; 1 Cor 1:21–31; Phil 3:10–16; 2 Thess 1:9–12; 2 Tim 1:8–11; Heb 2:14–3:1; 2 Pet 1:3–11; cf. 1 Cor 7:20), this hope is the consummation of the gospel narrative that has yet to be realized, as it is the kingdom of God in its fullness.
The list Paul makes in v. 21 of what Christ has been exalted over fits with patterns we see elsewhere in his letters. “Rule” or “principality” appears in his list of what God overcomes in Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10, 15; and Titus 3:1. “Authority” appears slightly more often in similar contexts in 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 2:2; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:13, 16; 2:10, 15; and Titus 3:1 (cf. Rom 13:1–3). “Power” is not as common, as it only appears elsewhere in such Pauline lists in Rom 8:38 and 1 Cor 15:24. The term “lordship/dominion” is not common at all and it only appears elsewhere in Paul in the similar list in Col 1:16. Paul also invokes “names” as what Christ is exalted over in Phil 2:9–10, and this point about the name is similarly stressed in Acts 19:11–20.
This particular section also shows us how Paul is consistent with what he says elsewhere and what other NT writers declare in linking Jesus’s resurrection and exaltation, which is in some cases extended to connecting our resurrection with our exaltation (Matt 28:18; Acts 1:3–11; 2:31–36; 5:28–32; 7:55–56; 13:30–39; 17:31–32; Rom 1:1–4; 8:34; 1 Cor 15:20–28; Phil 3:18–21; Col 1:18–20; 2:11–15; Heb 2:5–12; 7:23–27; 12:2; 1 Pet 1:18–21; 3:18–22; Rev 1:5; 3:21; 5:5–12; 17:14; cf. 20:4–6; 22:3–5). Paul summarizes the gospel in 1:19–23, where he describes God’s power to raise the dead, by which he resurrected Christ and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, once again alluding to Ps 110. But this time he further accentuates the exaltation, as Paul also makes a point in this letter of noting the enemy powers arrayed against Christ and his followers. Thus, he says that Christ was exalted far above every principality, authority, power, dominion, and name, and that this exaltation is permanent, lasting from now into the everlasting age to come (1:21). To put an even finer point on the exaltation, he says that all things have been placed under his feet, a statement which echoes both Ps 8:6 and 110:1, as in 1 Cor 15, and that he is the head of the body that is the Church (1:22–23). He also notes how this gospel pattern is the narrative pattern for Christ’s followers, who are made alive with Christ and are exalted with him (2:4–10).
I have noted before that the texts collocated in 1:20–23—namely, Pss 8 and 110—are also collocated in 1 Cor 15:25–27; Heb 1:3, 13; 2:6–9; and 1 Pet 3:21b–22. I have discussed Ps 110 elsewhere, but it would also help to explore Ps 8 here. This text is originally about “the human”, as it is singular in the Hebrew as it is in the LXX, but not in many English translations today, which tend to use “humanity” or “humans” as the referents. This is about the abstract human, particularized to signify what all heirs of Adam were supposed to be in ideal according to the purpose of God, beings created a little lower than the angels, yet crowned with glory and honor, set over all the other works of creation with all things placed under their feet to be ruled as God willed. But the singular is also conducive to a prophetic reading as it opens the door to a particular fulfillment of this general ideal, a perfect representative of humanity that fulfills what the human vocation was always purposed to be. While Adam and other humans were types that could never fulfill this creative purpose of God because of their sinfulness and concomitant weakness, Jesus is the anti-type who fulfills what humanity was supposed to be, being the perfect image-bearer of God incarnate. But in order to achieve God’s purpose for humanity and to save others so that they too could fulfill this purpose, Christ—the one already shown to be higher than all the angels—had to be made lower than the angels and become flesh. And in his capacity as God and human in flesh, God the Father has put all things under his feet. However, this text that originally applied to the initial creation now becomes also appropriate to speak of new creation because at the present time we do not yet see the consummate reality of the kingdom in which all of creation abides by the reality of his kingship—and the consequent vice-regency of humans—by being subject to him. But what we do see is Jesus, the perfect human, who suffered through death and became crowned with glory and honor because of his resurrection and conquest of death. He thus becomes the way of salvation and everyone who follows him participates in this way by participating in the story of his life, death, resurrection, and consequent exaltation.
Although Ps 8 is concerned more with protology and Ps 110 with kingdom theology and eschatology (as Christians have tied it to the reign of Christ: Matt 22:43–45 // Mark 12:35–37 // Luke 20:41–44; Matt 26:64 // Mark 14:62 // Luke 22:69; Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33–36; Rom 8:34; Col 3:1; Heb 8:1; 10:12–13; 12:2), these texts are linked through the common theme of the subject’s rule illustrated through the common imagery of subjection of the ruled under the subject’s feet. Likewise, the former text presents an implicit eschatology through an idealized picture of human function in creation that one can hope becomes actualized again. The figure in Ps 110 is an ideal ruler taking the place of the ideal human in Ps 8, except the former context indicates clear hostility that is absent from the latter text. This connection receives further support from the explanation of the “image” concept in Ps 8 in terms of rule, as in Gen 1:26–30 (a text with which it has many other links), meaning that the ideal ruler is also the ideal image-bearer. These collocated texts thus became useful for describing the current role and rule of Christ as one who fulfills the position of Adam as the image-bearer of God who rules over creation in the midst of continuing opposition.
As for the reference to “all in all,” as it appears in the context of a passage where Paul has been speaking about the kingdom, this phrase most likely refers to God’s universal kingship in the eschatological kingdom. It is further appropriate to refer to “all in all” in this context because of the connection made between resurrection and exaltation. If death, alongside sin (1 Cor 15:16–17, 56–57), is an enemy opposing the purpose of God regarding God’s people and God’s creation, then God’s inexorable, faithful love dictates that God will defeat death with resurrection. If death is the last enemy destroyed, then the general resurrection brings in the unopposed reign of God, much as Jesus’s resurrection inaugurated the eschatological kingdom of God.
As the logic Paul has laid out elsewhere in 1 Cor 15:23–28 makes clear, the goal of resurrection is the eschatological kingdom of God, in which God will be all in all. I have already noted the kingdom significance of this notion of God being “all in all” and it reflects other Pauline statements about the universality of God’s kingdom, which also appear in the contexts of statements about resurrection (Rom 8:9–23; Eph 1:7–14; Col 1:15–20). The consummation of God’s kingdom will only be made possible when the executor of God’s will in heaven and on earth unifies creation in accordance with God’s will and nullifies all opposition to that will. A cosmos in which God is all in all can only come to be when God’s image-bearers are conformed to Christ rather than to Adam, to the death-conquering life that is of God rather than to the death that separates from God. Our conformation to his crucifixion also leads to our conformation to his resurrection and his exaltation. After all, if all things are under his feet, they will also be under his body, the Church.
Reflection Questions
What does this text say about God the Father?
He is the Father of glory, worthy of all praise and worship. God enlightens us with wisdom and revelation so that we may know him personally. He gives us hope in his calling. He has given us an inheritance. God has boundless power. God has brought about his purposes in Christ. God raised Christ from out of the dead. God exalted Christ. God is subjecting all things to Christ. God is the universal king, the “all in all.”
What does this text say about God the Son?
He is Lord. He is the executor of God’s will and rule. God raised him form out of the dead. God seated him at his right hand. He is exalted forever above all other rule, author, power, dominion, and name. All things are subjected under his feet. He is the head of the Church, as the Church is his body. He is the fullness of God.
What does this text say about God the Holy Spirit?
He is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. God enlightens us about him and about how to live through him.
What does this text say to or about the people of God?
We are saints. We are to be defined by characteristics of faith and love. God has given us access to enlightenment that we may know him. We find our hope in God. God has given us an inheritance for which we hope. We serve the King of all in all above all. We are the body of Christ, linked to the head by our bond of love, faith, and hope. We are to be exalted with Christ even as we are to be raised with him.