eyes of many. The unveiling that is prayed for is "in the knowledge of Him". Epignosis

means "full of knowledge", used much, though not exclusively, in reference to the

mystery. It would not only be failure of perception, but disloyalty not to point out that

the word "knowledge" does not stand alone, it is in the full knowledge of HIM. A

loveless, Christless knowledge "puffeth up", but "this is aionian life, that they might

know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent" (John 17: 3).

The second prayer in Ephesians (3: 14-21), has in it the petition "to know even that

which surpasses knowledge--the love of Christ". The apostle, in the height of his

faithful ministry, and even after he had received so many revelations of inspired truth,

tells us that his heart's prayer still was, "that I may know Him" (Phil. 3: 10). The unity

of the faith is given as "the full knowledge of the Son of God" (Eph. 4: 13). The

somewhat parallel prayer in Col. 1: prays that we may be "filled with a full knowledge of

His will" and increase "in the full knowledge of God". In this full knowledge the

believer is "renewed after the image of Him Who created Him" (Col. 3: 10). It is

important to "know" the original language of inspired truth, it is helpful to "know" the

many branches of learning that go to comprise "Divinity", but to "know Him" glorifies

such lower attainments, and to fail to "know Him" writes across such scholarship

Ichabod. Said the apostle, "though I understand all mysteries, and all knowledge. . . .

and have not love I am nothing." He could have said instead, "and know not Christ",

with equal truth.

There is a difference of opinion as to whether the pronoun "Him" in this verse refers

to the Father of glory, or to Christ.  Tracing the sustained reference through the

succeeding verses ("His calling"; "His inheritance"; "His power"; "He wrought in

Christ when He raised Him from the dead"), we feel sure that the reference is to the

This is the beginning, the unity of the faith culminates in "the knowledge of the Son of

God", and "the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge". Here in this introduction our

eyes are directed to the Father of glory, what He has done, what riches and glory and

power He has, and how He has exalted the Lord Jesus Christ to His own right hand. But

eyes must be enlightened before they can see. Verse 18 should not read as though the

apostle was praying for the eyes of these believers to be enlightened, but because they

had been enlightened, "The eyes of your heart having been enlightened."

The A.V. reads, "the eyes of your understanding", but the critical Greek text,

supported by the Numeric text, reads "heart" instead. The reference to the heart goes

deeper than the understanding. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart"

comes before loving Him with "soul" and "mind". The apostle assumes that the eyes of

the heart of those for whom he prays this mighty prayer have been enlightened; he heard

of their faith in the Lord Jesus, and so he can unreservedly pray that this faith may grow,

and that those enlightened eyes may see Him and His glory, which are invisible.

This, then, is the threefold preparation. There immediately follows the threefold

petition, with which we hope to deal in the next paper.