Ephesians (TNTC) by Francis Foulkes

Author:Francis Foulkes [Foulkes, Francis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christian Books & Bibles, Bible Study & Reference, Bible Study, New Testament, Commentaries, Religion & Spirituality, New Testament Study
ISBN: 9781783593279
Amazon: B00V8DX2K8
Publisher: IVP
Published: 2008-01-15T16:00:00+00:00

d. Renewed prayer (3:14–21)

14. Now Paul takes up again the words with which he began in 3:1, For this reason, and this time he utters his prayer. It has an added force now in the light of what he has just said. Not only is he led to prayer by the thought of the greatness of the grace of Christ raising to life those who were dead in sin, and by the realization of the unity into which Jew and Gentile have been brought in the one household, but also by the contemplation of the whole wonderful purpose of God which he has been led now to express more deeply and more personally. In the light of these things and, we have to add, the temptation of his readers to lose heart, he prays now as he does. It is a prayer like that of 1:15–23, but it has an even greater intensity, as is implied in the words I bow my knees before the Father. Among the Jews it was usual to stand to pray (see Matt. 6:5 and Luke 18:11, 13). Kneeling for prayer, though it has become a regular Christian attitude, was formerly an expression of deep emotion or earnestness, and on that basis we must understand Paul’s words here. Solomon knelt at the dedication of the temple (1 Kgs 8:54); Stephen at the time of his martyrdom (Acts 7:60); Peter at the death-bed of Dorcas (Acts 9:40); Paul at the time of his farewells on his last journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20:36; 21:5); our Lord himself in his agony in Gethsemane (Luke 22:41).

15. The words ‘of our Lord Jesus Christ’ at the end of verse 14 in the AV were not in the oldest MSS and so are omitted in recent translations, but as is so often the case, the name of the one to whom Paul prays is qualified to bring out the depth of the meaning and significance of his prayer (cf. 1:17). God is not only Father, but he is also the one from whom alone all the fatherhood that there is derives its meaning and inspiration. This verse has been variously translated. The Greek words pasa patria cannot be taken as ‘the whole family’ (AV)—the article would be required for this. The meaning therefore is not simply that all in heaven and earth have him as Father. Every family (RSV and also NEB) is closer. The word cannot quite be translated ‘fatherhood’ (RV mg.). It means strictly ‘lineage’ or ‘pedigree’ (on the father’s side) or more often a ‘tribe’ or even ‘nation’, but by the context and the derivation of the word (‘father’ is pater in the Gk.), the idea of fatherhood is there. In effect the apostle is saying, think of any ‘father-headed group’ (Allan) in heaven and on earth. Each one is named from him. From him it derives its existence and its concept and experience of fatherhood. As Severian (quoted by Robinson) puts it, ‘The name of father did not go up from us, but from above it came to us.

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