title.  But, no such feeling is aroused when we read `the God of all comfort'.

Comfort is not worshipped, but is the possession or attribute of God, `Who

comforteth us' as the apostle goes on to say.  So in Ephesians `the Father of

glory', like `the Father of mercies', is the author and dispenser of both

`mercies' and `glory'.  What that term `glory' implies here must be gathered

from the context.  It is no more introduced suddenly and with no association

with the theme of Ephesians 1, than are the parallel titles of 2 Corinthians 1:3

introduced without reference to the `comfort' and `consolation' with which the

chapter abounds.  If we know what aspect of `glory' appears in the context of

Ephesians 1:17, we shall be able to appreciate the use of the title here in this

The threefold charter (Eph. 1:3-14) already examined, is divided into its

parts by the recurrence of the word `glory' in a note of praise.  Thus:

The Will of the Father

Unto the praise of the glory of His grace.

The Work of the Son

Unto the praise of His glory.

The Witness of the Spirit

Unto the praise of His glory.

Grace appears but once, and that at the close of the will of the Father,

where the blessings of His will and choice are summed up as `accepted in the

Beloved'.  Here, in this word `accepted', the word `grace' is buried from sight

in the English translation, but appears when the two Greek words are placed side

by side.  Grace -- charis, accepted -- charitoo.  It is the glory of this grace

that is first spoken of.  Following the redemption and liberating of the heirs

of God, comes the next reference to glory, with the extraordinary feature which

we have already noted, that the believer has been taken by God as His

inheritance, and finally, in view of the completion of the whole purpose in the

redemption of the purchase at the last, once more His glory is uppermost.  Then

in the prayer that follows, comes the petition `that ye may know ... what the

riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints' (Eph. 1:18).  It is in the

capacity of `the Father of the glory' (tes doxes) that God grants the spirit of

wisdom and revelation.  Neither wisdom nor revelation are sought after here for

their own sakes, but as a means to an end, `that ye may know'.  These

introductory steps must be distinguished from the actual goal.  They are:

The grant of wisdom and revelation.

In the acknowledging of Him.

Taking for granted that the eyes of your heart having been

It will help us if we pause here, to examine these three essential steps

to the attainment of the three items of knowledge that constitute the mode of

the apostle's prayer.  These three items are:

1.What is the Hope of His calling.

The Hope contemplates the goal

before it is reached.

2.What the riches of the Glory

The Glory reveals what the goal

of His inheritance in the saints.

will be when it is reached.

3.What the exceeding greatness of

The Power guarantees that the goal

His Power to usward.

shall be reached.