Ephesians 1:18

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Result of the gift of the Spirit. UNDERSTANDING. 'Aleph (') A B Delta G f g, Vulgate, read 'heart.' Compare the contrary state of the unbelieving, the heart being in fault (Ephesians 4:18; Matthew 13:15). Translate, 'Having the eyes of your heart enlightened' (Matthew 4:16; Ephesians 3:9, Greek; Ephesians 5:14): the first...

18._The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. The eyes of your heart _is the rendering of the Vulgate, which is supported by some Greek manuscripts. The difference is immaterial, for the Hebrews frequently employ it to denote the rational powers of the soul, though more strictly, being the seat of the affections, it means the will or desire; but I have preferred the ordinary translation. _And what the riches. _A comparison, suggested by its excellence, reminds us how unfit we are to receive this elevated knowledge; for the power of God is no small matter. This great power, he tells us, had been exerted, and in a very extraordinary manner, towards the Ephesians, who were thus laid under constant obligations to follow his calling. By thus extolling the grace of God toward themselves, he intended to check every tendency to despise or dislike the duties of the Christian life. But the...

15-23 God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but requires us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. Even the best Christians need to be prayed for: and while we hear of the welfare of Christian friends, we should pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly wisdom. Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God's yoke, though there is no other way to find rest for the soul? Do we not for a little pleasure often part with our peace? And if we dispute less, and prayed more with and for each other, we should daily see more and more what is the hope of our calling, and the riches of the Divine glory in this inheritance. It is desirable to feel the mighty power of Divine grace, beginning and carrying on the work of faith in our souls. But it is difficult to bring a soul to believe fully in Christ, and to venture its all, and the hope of e...

Verse 18. _THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED_] The _understanding_ is that _power_ or _faculty_ in the soul by which _knowledge_ or _information_ is _received_, and the recipient power is here termed the EYES of the understanding; and we learn from this that ὁπερ ὁ οφθαλμος εν τῳ σωματι, τουτο ὁ νους εν τῃ ψυχη, as _Philo_ expresses it: _What the eye_ is to the _body_, the _understanding_ is to the _soul_; and that as the eye is not light in itself, and can discern nothing but by the means of _light_ shining, not only on the objects to be viewed, but into the eye itself; so the understanding of man can discern no sacred thing of or by itself, but sees by the influence of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation; for without the influence of God's _Holy Spirit_ no man ever became wise unto salvation, no more than a man ever discerned an _object_, (no matter how perfect soe...

THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED - The construction here in the Greek is, probably, “that he may give you (δώη dōē, Ephesians 1:17) the Spirit of wisdom, etc. - eyes of the understanding enlightened,” etc. Or the phrase, “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened,” may be in the accusative absolute, which Koppe and Bloomfield prefer. The phrase, “the eyes of the understanding,” is a figure that is common in all languages. Thus, Philo says, “What the eye is to the body, that is the mind to the soul;” compare Matthew 6:22. The eye is the instrument by which we see; and in like manner the understanding is that by which we perceive truth. The idea here is, that Paul not only wished their “hearts” to

EXPOSITION EPHESIANS 1:1, EPHESIANS 1:2 ADDRESS AND SALUTATION. EPHESIANS 1:1 PAUL AN APOSTLE OF CHRIST JESUS. Paul's one but all-sufficient claim on the Ephesians is his relation to Christ: he is Christ's apostle, not only as sent forth by him, but also as belonging to him; elsewhere his servant or bondman. He makes no claim to their attention on the ground of his great experience in the gospel, his profound study of it, or even his gifts, but rests simply on his being Christ's apostle; thus recognizing Christ as the only Head of the Church, and source

THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED,.... By the Spirit of God already, to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin; the insufficiency of their own righteousness; the beauty, glory, fulness, and suitableness of Christ, as a Saviour; the excellency, truth, and usefulness of the doctrines of the Gospel; in which their understandings were before dark, but now had light into them: wherefore these words are not to be considered as part of the apostle's petitions, but rather as what was taken for granted by him; and are to be put into a parenthesis, and the following words to be joined in connection with the preceding verse; unless it should be thought, that the apostle prays for greater illuminations, and for more spiritual light, and that the eyes of their understandings might be more and more enlightened; the phrase, עין השכל, ομμα της διανοιας, "the eye of the understanding", is Rab...

In this chapter, we see what Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has to say about the possessions and privileges of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:1. _Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ._ Brethren and sisters in Christ, this is a benediction for you as well as for the saints at Ephesus; it is for all «the faithful in Christ Jesus.» May you all have grace without measure, and may you all have «the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,» to «keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus»! Grace and peace are both to be had by believing in Jesus. Ephesians 1:3

EPHESIANS 1:18 @u`mw/n# {C} Because of the weight of Greek and versional witnesses that support u`mw/n, the Committee decided that the word should be included in the text, but, in view of its absence from î46 B 33 1739 and other significant witnesses, that it should be enclosed within square brackets....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE MASTERWORK OF GOD (1-3) 1. The Godhead at Work CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The introduction (Ephesians 1:1)_ 2. The great doxology (Ephesians 1:3) 3. The work of the Father (Ephesians 1:4) 4. The work of the Son (Ephesians 1:7) 5. The work of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) 6. The parenthetical prayer to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory (Ephesians 1:15)