Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Co-heirs with Christ

Verse by Verse Commentary of the Letter to the Ephesians

Our Position in Christ

Paul desired, then, that we might enjoy a full experience of our position in Christ. We have a new identity now – we are “saints” and we experienced ‘His incomparably great power for us who believe’. And it is His power: the power of a Jesus who is now raised from the dead, seated at the Father’s right hand (the ancient place of authority), far above every competing natural or supernatural authority. Perhaps most significantly, Jesus is Head “over everything for the church, which is His body.” This theme, that we are members of a living organism over which Christ is the living Head, is a theme Paul picked up in later chapters of this powerful little book. (Bob Damon’s Ephesians Commentary, pg 4).

¹⁵Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

¹⁶do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 

¹⁷that 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,

• The Holy Spirit is our teacher. The only way we can truly understand the scriptures is by the Spirit. (head vs heart).

¹⁸the 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,

• We are Christ’s inheritance – God wants us to know this.
• Who will snatch Christ’s inheritance from Him? 
• John 10:28-29: And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

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

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

²¹far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

• Christ is all powerful, enthroned with God. A man is on the throne of heaven!

²²And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

• The church, His body, will share in His rule.
• Mankind still resists Him, but He will wield His scepter of universal dominion, and “every knee shall bow 
• Romans 14:11 For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” (quoting Isaiah 45:23)

Application Questions

Prayer

• Do we pray for the Church? Do we thank God for the church?
• Do we pray for Enlightenment and wisdom? Who is the source of this? Why should we pray for enlightenment?
• Why don’t we pray enough for other saints, and prayers of thanksgiving?

The Lordship of Christ

• How can you know Christ’s power is sufficient for all parts of your life? Is there a part of your life you haven’t surrendered?
• Does the knowledge that Christ has authority over all the universe make you more secure?

The Glory of the Church

• What does the church inherit at the end of the age?
• Does it give you comfort to realize that Christ’s inheritance is the church? How would this affect your attitude toward the local congregation? Other “denominations”? The church worldwide?

We, the Church, are co-heirs with Christ

What is God like? See Christ, Jesus, of Nazareth. Christ was the ideal and full measure of God in man. To understand the attributes of Christ is to grasp the fullness of God. And Christ is head of the Church – His body is the church, a mystery hard to grasp, and even harder to appreciate when we ponder how we, as sinful men and women, yet faithful to His promise, make up that body.

Christ is currently has dominion over all principality, power, might and dominion. These are terms for spiritual powers. When He comes for “His own”, the church, we will inherit what He has inherited; a place of honor, privilege, distinction, and glory. This has been communicated to us so that “the eyes our understanding being enlightened…we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”, that is; “we” are part of His inheritance as well! As co-heirs, we must remember there is nothing you can do to “earn” an inheritance – it is based on your relationship, our “sonship” with the Father, that makes us eligible for this glorious inheritance with Christ.

Romans 8:14-17: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ….

As the church, we now share the glory of Christ! 

 

John 17:20-22 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.  And the glory which You gave Me I have given them…”

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Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.