The eyes of your understanding

This is an interesting phrase. We sometimes use figurative language e.g. "I can see it in my mind's eye." In other words we can picture a concept or a proposal mentally; even though it may not exist physically. We then use our understanding to see if the concept or proposal is feasible. Will it work or won't it work? All our education, training, schooling and life skills should help us to arrive at either a positive or a negative answer.

Let's have a look at this phrase 'the eyes of your understanding', in its setting in the Book of Ephesians in the Holy Scriptures.

Ephesians 1:17-20:

"(17) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
(18) the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

(19) and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

(20) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,"

Collins Concise Dictionary defines the word understanding as:

1. The ability to learn, judge, make decisions, etc.

2. Personal opinion or interpretation of a subject: my understanding of your predicament.

3. A mutual agreement or compact, esp. an informal or private one.

In verse 18 the apostle Paul in his prayers is praying for the Ephesian believers; that "the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints," The Holy Spirit through the apostle is opening up to us the Triune God's desire that we should understand more and know more of the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory.

His desire is that our understanding would be enlightened. In other words, that our understanding would be illuminated to such an extent, "that you may know what is the hope of His calling” what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. This is not our inheritance! It is God the Father's inheritance in the saints!

In Colossians 1:27 we read these words:

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

The English word enlightened is translated from the Greek word phōtizō: which means to shed rays, i.e. to shine or (transitive) to brighten up (literal or figurative) :- enlighten, illuminate, (bring to, give) light, make to see.—(Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary). The word enlighten conveys the sense of a subject, or a matter, being opened up in a clearer way; so that we understand it more fully.

Surely this is Paul's intention, that our understanding is so enlightened that we will have an enhanced appreciation of our God. How are we equipped for this? Verse 17 gives us the answer. "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him" Wisdom to me is the sound, or wholesome, application of knowledge. Not all knowledgeable people are wise in the use of their knowledge. God the Father will give us the spiritual discernment to gain wisdom in the knowledge of Himself. Concurrent with that is the revealing of Himself to us, to increase our knowledge of Him.

Verse 19 and 20

"(19) and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

(20) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,"

In these verses God the Father wants us to grasp the enormity of His power towards us. The proof of that power was shown when He raised Christ from the dead and then seated Christ at His right hand in the heavens!

In John chapter 4 when the Lord Jesus Christ was talking to the woman at Sychar's well; He revealed to her a tremendous truth.

 John 4:23-24:

"(23) But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
(24) God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

God the Father is seeking true worshippers to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The more we get to know Him the more we will want to worship Him. Jesus the Son of God came to reveal God the Father. On Jesus' resurrection morning He revealed a great truth to Mary Magdalene.

John 20:17:

"Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' "

We can call Jesus' Father our Father. We can call Jesus' God our God. If we are truly saved this is our privilege as a child of God.

John 1:11-13:

"(11) He [Christ] came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

(12) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

(13) who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

These are the true worshippers!

The apostle Paul in verses 16-23 has a great desire that we should really get to know God the Father and increase our knowledge of Him. May it be that the eyes of our understanding will be enlightened in the knowledge of God the Father.

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com

Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted. Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted for clarity. Words in bold type emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]

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