#DailyDevotion Paul Prays You Receive Godly Wisdom And Revelation In Christ
Tuesday Easter 7
Eph. 1:15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
For this reason. What reason? Well what just immediately preceded this, their faith in the Lord the Jesus Christ and what immediately followed, their faith and their love towards all the saints. The Ephesians received the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a result they believed on Jesus Christ and his love for them went out towards one another. For this reason Paul says he prays for them and continually gives thanks for them.
Now what does Paul pray for? Who does he pray to? Well he prays to God of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now why does he say it that way? Isn’t Jesus God? Yes Jesus is God. According to his divine nature he is equal to the Father. So why is the Father God to Jesus? Because Jesus became like us in every way excepting sin. In the flesh, Jesus had to learn obedience and trust. The Creator became a Creature and so according to his flesh, Jesus looks to the Father for every good thing, just as we are supposed to do. Jesus prayed just like we’re supposed to do, trusting in the Father for all worldly and spiritual things. So although Jesus is God, according to his human nature, the Father is God to Jesus as he is our God also.
What does he pray for? That the Father of glory may give you a spirit of wisdom-in the knowledge of him. What is this wisdom that Paul speaks of? Not worldly wisdom. Worldly wisdom has the appearance of wisdom and may do fine in dealing with one another. But the wisdom that Paul speaks of is Christ Jesus. Christ became man and as man suffered on the cross. God would use sinful men to make a sacrifice of the Author of Life, the Lord of Glory that we might be reconciled to God. Worldly wisdom thinks this is utter foolishness. But God’s folly is wiser than human wisdom. The Word of God, who is God, becomes one us to redeem us. Everything that is necessary to be truly human the Word of God becomes so that the whole human is redeemed and saved, for God made Adam and Eve good. In Jesus he now restores that goodness and furthermore exalts that goodness in his own flesh, seating it at the right hand of God in power and glory.
Paul prays for a spirit of revelation-in the knowledge of him. No human heart or mind can comprehend what God the Father in Christ Jesus has done for it. It is revealed to us through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit must open our minds that we may see and believe it. It is a miracle of God that we believe that Jesus is Word of God, who is God, who became one flesh with us to save us. Ordinary knowledge of the facts cannot do this. Plenty of miscreants have memorized the bible better than you, yet they don’t know what it means. They have either shut out the light from the Spirit or it has not yet been given to them to understand. But you know and understand the great sacrifice Jesus and the Father has made for you and continually makes know to you, his great love for you and all people in Jesus.
Heavenly Father, fulfill in us what Paul prays for the Ephesians that we may be given a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of your son Jesus Christ that our faith may continually grow and be strengthened in him. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.