Quick Version Notes and Questions for June 15, 2008
Knowledge and Fullness
Read Ephesians 3:14-21
What are the main points you see of these verses?
The third chapter of Ephesians started with a single verse in which Paul begins to explain why he is in prison. In verse 2 he extends into a specific discussion on grace and apostleship. In verse 14 he picks up where he left off in verse 1. Some refer to this section as “Paul’s enraptured supplication” (See Simpson, p 78). Paul continues his prayer in verse 14 with 3 major petitions, the first two of which lead into the next with the last preparing for the closing doxology. There is a Trinitarian outline of this prayer, in which the apostle asked us to possess the strength of the Spirit (v16), the indwelling of Christ (v17), and the fullness of God (v19).
Re-read Verse 1 in light of verses 14-21–
What is Paul doing in verse 1? What is the general (not specific) reason why Paul is in prison?
Read Verse 14 –
What is the reason you see?
Why is it significant to kneel?
Read Verse 15 –
Who is Paul kneeling to? What is the significance of this verse?
Read Verse 16 –
Where does power come from? Who does the strengthening?
Read verse 17 –
If you have the power in your inner being from the Spirit what are you supposed to do with it?
Where is your heart? What does it mean to be rooted and established in love?
Read verse 18 –
Now that we have power of the spirit, we are rooted in love, what comes next? What does Paul wish for us to have?
Who is it that he wishes to have it? Be specific on inclusion and exclusion here.
What does it mean to grasp how wide and long and deep is the love of Christ?
Read verse 19 –
What surpasses knowledge? – If you have this what is it that Paul would like to have?
This knowing and having God and the fullness should not be confused with actually becoming God like which is where some of the Gnostic gospels and other writings get their stem (this verse). This is the mere fact that you can actually experience the unknowable or know something of the unknowable God. Paul is attempting to explain the immeasurable and so paradoxically prays that the Ephesian Christians may in fact come to know a love that is ultimately knowable. It “surpasses (hyperballousan) knowledge” (Eph 1:19, 2:7, 1 Cor 8:1; Phil 4:7). Paul is building toward Eph 4:13 here.
Read verse 20 –
Where is the power at work? Whose power is it? Can we ask or imagine something he can’t do?
Read verse 21 –
Who are we to give the glory to? Where is the glory shown (remember the reflection from last week)?
What is the relation between verses 15-21 and the reason why Paul kneels in verse 14?
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