ACC ~ Ephesians 6 v18 - 24

OVERVIEW:

We are at war (THEODORET). We call for the king himself to attend the battle (CHRYSOSTOM). We enter the battle with fervent prayer (MARIUS VICTORINUS) that issues from a pure conscience (AMBROSIASTER). All pray for all. Let the inner man pray in the spirit, whether he prays aloud or not (MARIUS VICTORINUS). Paul asks the Ephesians to pray for him that he may have both insight and boldness (AMBROSIASTER). Though he has a new revelation to preach (JEROME), he is suffering novel indignities (AMBROSIASTER) and therefore needs encouragement (MARIUS VICTORINUS). The commendation of Tychicus will endear him to the Ephesians (AMBROSIASTER, JEROME). It illustrates Paul’s humility and solicitude. Hoping to quell the discords of the Ephesians (MARIUS VICTORINUS), Paul prays for the peace that comes with faith and love (AMBROSIASTER, JEROME). He blesses those who have true love for Christ (THEODORET), warning them against unseemly associations (CHRYSOSTOM) and promising them an eternal reward (MARIUS VICTORINUS).

6:18a | Pray at All Times

THE INNER MAN IS PRAYING IN SPIRIT EVEN WHEN NOT PRAYING ALOUD. MARIUS VICTORINUS: This means that we should not say or utter particular words or recite them in our prayers as though they were premeditated or written down. We are to pray “in the spirit” and “at all times.” Let your deep affections enter into your praying. The inner spirit, that is, the inner man, is making his prayer with intense desire. He is praying all the time, so that even when he is not praying aloud he is still praying in the spirit. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.18.

DISTINGUISHING PRAYER AND PETITION. MARIUS VICTORINUS: When he says “through every prayer and petition,” I think he has this distinction in mind: It is a prayer when we speak the praises of God and recount his great works and when we give thanks and worship him. It is a petition when we pray to God either to pardon our sins or to offer his grace to us. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.18.

WITH A CLEAN CONSCIENCE. AMBROSIASTER: Insofar as our conduct is right we are rightly prepared for the Holy Spirit to abide in us. Hence we are more ready to obtain what we request. This therefore is what it means to pray in the Spirit at all times. We are directing our prayer to God with a clean conscience and sincere faith. One who prays with a polluted mind prays only in the flesh, not in the spirit. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 6.20.1.

CALLING UPON THE KING. CHRYSOSTOM: See how clever this blessed author is. He has armed them with the utmost protection. So now what remains? Only to call on the king and urge him to extend his hand. HOMILY ON EPHESIANS 24.6.18-20.

6:18b | Making Supplication for the Saints

WITH ALL PERSEVERANCE. MARIUS VICTORINUS: Some might think that the phrase at all times means only the daytime. But, so that he could amplify the force of “at all times,” what does he say? “With all perseverance.” This calls us to a certain persistent disposition of the mind. We do not pray as if we were asleep. This is what some sound like who pray by reciting or reading familiar phrases or uttering them routinely from memory. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.18.

SUPPLICATION FOR ALL THE SAINTS. MARIUS VICTORINUS: The saints themselves, with the bishops and apostles and elders, are called to pray on behalf of the faithful and the catechumens and all the other members of the body. It is typical of Paul to make mention of the whole people of God in prayer. He also calls upon the whole people of God to pray on behalf of their leaders, bishops and saints, and then he adds: “Pray for me too.” EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.18-19.

KEEP ALERT. THEODORET: Those who have wars continually pressing on them do not even sleep. Therefore the holy apostle tells them under conditions of battle to keep awake and pray constantly, not giving in to the pains of the body but to bear them with the utmost fortitude. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 6.18.

6:19a | Praying for Paul

THOSE WHOM HE ADMONISHED HE NOW ASKS FOR PRAYERS. MARIUS VICTORINUS: Isn’t this wonderful? From those whom he himself has just now admonished, those whom he has instructed, to whom he has preached the gospel, he now asks for help. He is asking them for their prayers. He goes on to explain what he is asking them to pray for: “that utterance may be given to me.” His prayer is definite and specific, that a particular profit may accrue. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.18-19.

HE REQUESTS PRAYER FOR FULL AND BOLD UTTERANCE. AMBROSIASTER: He exhorts them to pray for him in two ways: first that his thoughts may be filled by the Spirit for the full declaration of the mystery, and second that he may be given a faculty of bold utterance in proclaiming it. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 6.20.2.

6:19b | Boldly Proclaiming the Mysteries of the Gospel

ONLY WITH PURITY OF HEART IS THE MOUTH OPENED BOLDLY. ORIGEN: Boldness of speech is a possibility only and always for those who have a heart that does not condemn them … and therefore the one who boldly makes known the mysteries is rare, because those who have boldness before God are rare. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.

LET THE TREASURIES BE OPENED. JEROME: This is to be understood as if he said, “Let the treasuries be opened. Let the promises hidden from ages be revealed. Let the Spirit enter to bring forth those things that have been concealed.” That this is indeed the meaning of this passage … is clarified by what follows: “in confidence,” he says, “to make known the mystery of the gospel.” EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 3.6.20.

6:20a | An Ambassador in Chains

AMBASSADOR IN CHAINS. AMBROSIASTER: This prayer God hears gladly. The apostle is being despised. God’s own mission is under challenge. So God will certainly not withhold his gifts from one who is upholding God’s own cause. Custom and law forbid the infliction of harm on human ambassadors. So would it not be presumptuous and rash to bring on the ambassadors of God not only harm but death? EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 6.20.3.

6:20b | Asking for Boldness to Speak

PETITION FOR BOLDNESS. MARIUS VICTORINUS: Boldly means “so that I may not fail to accomplish it fully and that my chains may not so work on my mind as to prevent my accomplishing it, the task of expounding the mystery, as I ought.” PISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.20.

6:21a | Making Known Who Paul Is and What He Is Doing

THAT YOU MAY KNOW. AMBROSIASTER: Through Tychicus the Ephesians would learn how the apostle is faring, and he would ascertain how things are going in Ephesus. There was no doubt in their minds that the apostle’s actions were godly. But the people at Ephesus needed to know more detail about how he was acting in response to idolatrous charges and ploys. And from the Ephesians Paul needed to know whether or not they were growing. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 6.22.

WHY TYCHICUS WAS SENT TO EPHESUS. JEROME: This might be understood in two ways: Either Tychicus was sent to Ephesus to announce to them that Paul’s chains had become famous in the whole praetorium and his imprisonment had been profitable to the faith of the gospel … or Tychicus was sent to tell them more about Paul’s life and daily work, of which they were not aware, so as to give them a clearer pattern of how to live. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 3.6.21-22.

6:21b | Tychicus Will Tell Everything

THE BELOVED BROTHER. AMBROSIASTER: So that they might be happy to obey and listen to Tychicus Paul calls him a most beloved brother and a useful servant of God. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 6.22.

MINISTER IN THE LORD. MARIUS VICTORINUS: Note that Tychicus is described not as a minister to Paul but as a minister in the Lord with regard to the gospel and the mystery. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.21.

6:22 | Sent for This Purpose

SENT FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE. MARIUS VICTORINUS: Tychicus is sent to give the Ephesians instructions not on his own accord. Rather he was sent by Paul for this purpose. Such was Paul’s concern for them and his desire that they should be well informed. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.22.

6:23 | Peace and Love with Faith

TO OVERCOME DISCORD. MARIUS VICTORINUS: The last part of the letter is a petition. His prayer and desire is for peace to the brethren, also love and then faith. For above he has already noted that there was discord among them. Now he adds thanks to those who display faith and who love our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus all is concluded with peace against discord, love eliciting concord and faith in God. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.23-24.

HOW PEACE, LOVE AND FAITH ARE INTERCONNECTED. AMBROSIASTER: He prays for peace, which is the door of love, to be with the family of God. Having come into this family through the peacemaking of God, he prays that they may abide in the love that comes from faith. For this faith is the gift of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 6.23.

WITH FAITH. CHRYSOSTOM: In saying “peace be to the brethren and love with faith,” he speaks comprehensively. He does not speak simply of love as such or faith as such but love with faith. He means either this or that they are to have a faith that will make them confident about good things to come. The peace is toward God and so is the love. For where there is peace there also will be love. This love is always “with faith,” for there is no good in love without faith. Love cannot even exist without faith. HOMILY ON EPHESIANS 24.6.23.

HOW PEACE ENCOURAGES FAITHFUL LOVE. JEROME: There are many gifts bestowed by God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, but of all these peace has a crucial place. This peace passes all understanding. It preserves the body and mind of the saints. It is a certain serenity and tranquillity of a mind at rest. It is protected from the universal storm and maelstrom of perturbations. So also is “love with faith,” which at the same time is given to us by God the Father and the Holy Spirit, so that we may love God from the whole heart and our neighbor as ourselves. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 3.6.23.

6:24 | Grace Be with All Who Love Our Lord Jesus Christ

WITH LOVE UNDYING. MARIUS VICTORINUS: He adds “with love undying,” or in imperishability. For his prayers are not only for the present life but for the coming one as well, which is contained in the hope and promise of Christ. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.6.23-24.

GRACE BE WITH ALL WHO LOVE. THEODORET: Grace is not simply bestowed indiscriminately upon all but on those who love the Lord and especially upon those who, as well as loving, keep his life-giving laws. Let us keep them also. By keeping them our love for him will be confirmed. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 6.24.

FROM ROME. THEODORET: The letter to the Ephesians was written from Rome by the hand of Tychicus. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 6.24.

THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS

THE GREETING

OVERVIEW: Paul describes himself as a servant of Christ without mentioning his special place as an apostle (CHRYSOSTOM, AMBROSIASTER). He calls all true believers saints (THEODORET, AMBROSIASTER). He blesses the bishops and deacons at Philippi who have assisted him (CHRYSOSTOM, THEODORET), affirming the harmony between God the Father and Christ the Lord (AMBROSIASTER).