As we have said, there is one request in this prayer, that God would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The word for knowledge actually has a prefix that indicates a “full” knowledge.
What is to be accomplished by the fulfillment of this prayer?
First, therefore, this spirit deals with
knowing God. A deep, personal knowledge
of God is fundamental to the New Covenant.
As Jeremiah put it, No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and
every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall
know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord
(Jer. 31:34). Paul said it this way: But
when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through
His grace, to reveal His Son in me (Gal.
1:15-16). In Christ we know God in a
personal way. This requires that God
reveal Himself. What Paul is concerned
with, again, is the personal experience of God’s revelation. He desires that believers grow in the
knowledge of God, coming to a full knowledge of Him. It is knowledge (gnosis) that is
tested, gained by experience as we walk with God through life.
Second, there is the fulfillment of the
phrase, the eyes of your understanding/hearts being enlightened. This is what happens when God gives the
spirit of wisdom and revelation. In
effect, the light is turned on for the believer. This turning on of the light is intended to
bring knowledge of the spiritual blessings God bestows on the believer: the
hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and the greatness of His power. What is
interesting is that the word “know” in v18 (oida) refers to ideal
knowledge. These things are facts, truth
that does not need to be tested or experienced for us to know they are
true. It fits with I Cor. 2:12, speaking
of the Spirit by whom we “know” the things freely given to us by God. That is the same Greek term.
The application of this to the believer’s life
is essential. We can and should know
(oida) many things about God. We learn
these things in the Bible as the Holy Spirit turns the light on for us. So, for example, we can know absolutely that
God is what Exodus 34:6 says: The Lord, the Lord God,
merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness
and truth. But to truly know
God, as the merciful and gracious, longsuffering, good and true God, takes a
lifetime of experiencing His perfections in my life personally. I know about God, that He is merciful. But after going through a deep trial of my
own making, and coming out the other side, having been helped by God, I can say
I know the God of all mercy.
Thus, in this prayer, Paul desires that believers
grow in the knowledge of God. For this
to happen he wants them to be armed with God’s daily provision for faith, hope
and love. This is a great prayer!
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