Ephesians 3:16

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; ACCORDING TO - i:e., in abundance, consonant to the riches of His glory; not "according to" the narrowness of our hearts (Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:7). Colossians 1:11, "strengthened with all might according to His glorious power." BY - Greek, 'through His Spirit.' IN, [ eis (G1519)] - 'infused into.' THE INNER MAN ...

16._That he would give to you. _Paul wishes that the Ephesians should be _strengthened; _and yet he had already bestowed on their piety no mean commendation. But believers have never advanced so far as not to need farther growth. The highest perfection of the godly in this life is an earnest desire to make progress. This _strengthening, _he tells us, is the work of the _Spirit; _so that it does not proceed from man’s own ability. The increase, as well as the commencement, of everything good in us, comes from the Holy Spirit. That it is the gift of Divine grace, is evident from the expression used, _that he would give to you _This the Papists utterly deny. They maintain that the _second _grace is bestowed upon us, according as we have individually deserved it, by making a proper use of the _first _grace. But let us unite with Paul in acknowledging that it is the “gift” of the grace of God...

13-19 The apostle seems to be more anxious lest the believers should be discouraged and faint upon his tribulations, than for what he himself had to bear. He asks for spiritual blessings, which are the best blessings. Strength from the Spirit of God in the inner man; strength in the soul; the strength of faith, to serve God, and to do our duty. If the law of Christ is written in our hearts, and the love of Christ is shed abroad there, then Christ dwells there. Where his Spirit dwells, there he dwells. We should desire that good affections may be fixed in us. And how desirable to have a fixed sense of the love of God in Christ to our souls! How powerfully the apostle speaks of the love of Christ! The breadth shows its extent to all nations and ranks; the length, that it continues from everlasting to everlasting; the depth, its saving those who are sunk into the depths of sin and misery;...

Verse 16. _THAT HE WOULD GRANT YOU_] This prayer of the apostle is one of the most grand and sublime in the whole oracles of God. The riches of the grace of the Gospel, and the extent to which the soul of man may be saved here below, are most emphatically pointed out here. Every word seems to have come immediately from heaven; labouring to convey ideas of infinite importance to mankind. No paraphrase can do it justice, and few commentators seem to have entered into its spirit; perhaps deterred by its unparalleled sublimity. I shall only attempt a few observations upon the _terms_, to show their force and meaning; and leave all the rest to that Spirit by which these most important words were dictated. In the mean time referring the reader to the discourse lately published on this prayer of the apostle, entitled, _The Family of_ _God and its Privileges_. _That he would grant you_-You can...

ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY - According to the glorious abundance of his mercy; see Philippians 4:19. Out of those stores of rich grace which can never be exhausted. The word “riches,” so often used by Paul, denotes “abundance,” and the idea here is, that his grace was inexhaustible and ample for all their needs. TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT - To be powerfully strengthened. That is, to give you abundant strength to bear trials; to perform your duties; to glorify his name. IN THE INNER MAN - In the heart, the mind, the soul; see the notes on Romans 7:22. The “body” needs to be strengthened every day. In like manner the soul needs constant supplies of grace. Piety needs to be con

EXPOSITION EPHESIANS 3:1 DIGRESSION ON THE ADMISSION OF THE GENTILES TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. EPHESIANS 3:1 FOR THIS CAUSE. The reference is not merely to the last statement or illustration, but to the whole view of the purpose of God toward the Gentiles unfolded in Ephesians it. The apodosis does not come in till verse 14, at the beginning of which this conjunctive clause is repeated. I PAUL, THE PRISONER OF CHRIST JESUS FOR YOU GENTILES. He introduces himself in order to make known the feelings which w

THAT HE WOULD GRANT YOU ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY,.... Or according to, and out of that rich, plenteous, and glorious fulness of grace and strength in Christ Jesus. TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT BY HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN; this is the petition which the apostle puts up on his bended knees to the Father of Christ, that he would strengthen these saints, that so they might not faint at the tribulations which either he or they endured. Believers in Christ need fresh supplies of strength to enable them to exercise grace, to perform duties, to resist Satan and his temptations, to oppose their corruptions, and to bear the cross, and undergo afflictions cheerfully, and to hold on and out to the end: this is a blessing that comes from God, and is a gift of his free grace; a "grant" from him who is the strength of the lives of his people, of their salvation, of their hearts, and of...

3. THE MYSTERY MADE KNOWN Chapter S 2:11-3:21 _ 1. The condition of the Gentiles (Ephesians 2:11)_ 2. But now in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:13) 3. The new and great relationship (Ephesians 2:19) 4. The Mystery made known and Paul's ministry (Ephesians 3:1) 5. The prayer (Ephesians 3:14) 6. The doxology (Ephesians 3:20) With the eleventh verse of the second chapter we reach a new divisio

THE WRITER'S PRAYER FOR HIS READERS. Kneeling, in a very ecstasy of prayer, before the Father who is the source and prototype of all fatherly relationship whether on earth or in heaven, the writer prays that, in a degree commensurate with the wealth of the Divine glory, his readers may be granted power and strength through the Spirit unto inner spiritual growth; that the indwelling of Christ in their hearts may through faith be realised; that Christian love may come to be the very root and foundation of their being; and that so they may be given strength to share with all God's holy people the comprehension of the length and breadth and height and depth (of God's glorious purpose) and the knowledge of that love of Christ which is beyond all knowledge, and be made spiritually full unto the measure of the fulness of God Himself (Ephesians 3:14). God can do that and more: His power the po

PRISON AND PRIVILEGES (Ephesians 3:1-13) To understand the connection of thought in this passage it has to be noted that Ephesians 3:2-13 are one long parenthesis. The for this cause of Ephesians 3:14 takes up again and resumes the for this cause of Ephesians 3:1. Someone has spoken of Paul's habit of "going off at a word." A single word or idea can send his thoughts off at a tangent. When he speaks of himself as "the prisoner of Christ," it makes him think of the universal love of God and of his part in bringing that love to the Gentiles. In...