We have seen the threefold basis of the prayer in the work of the Father, the Son, and

the Holy Spirit in 3-14; we have seen the threefold preparation for this prayer in the

spirit of wisdom and revelation, and in the enlightened eyes. We now consider the

threefold petition of the prayer itself.

The first petition is "that ye may know what is the hope of His calling". The second

concerns "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints", and the third "the

exceeding greatness of His power". Let us consider these petitions in their order.

WHAT IS THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING? Chapter 2: 12 makes it clear that "in that

season" [which is set in contrast to "the dispensation of the fulness of the seasons" (1: 10),

which we believe to be "the dispensation of the mystery" (3: 10)], the Gentiles, being

aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,

and, moreover, being without Christ, had no hope. The hope that we find the apostle Paul

entertained in the last chapter of the Acts is "the hope of Israel", and to have no part then

with the hope of Israel was to be without hope at all. "But now" a change has taken

place. Access independently of Israel or covenants is made known: "Now, therefore,"

believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are no more strangers and foreigners (see verse 12), but

are blessed as members of His body, having received a new calling, and therefore a new

hope. Should the reader question this connection between "hope" and "calling", we

would point out that where the believer's hope is mentioned in Ephesians, his calling is

mentioned too. In chapter 4: we read, "There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are

called in one hope of your calling." "His calling" and "your calling" are alike linked

with one hope. What is hope? Is it not the realization and entry into those things that we

have now by faith? If we settle in our minds our calling, we shall also settle the question

of our hope. Our calling, according to II Tim. 1: 9, is a holy calling, and is connected

with a purpose that goes back "before age-times", parallel in fact to the statement of

Eph. 1: 4 which places God's choice of the members of the one body "before the

foundation (or overthrow) of the world". His calling places us "in heavenly places",

"where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God." Where our calling places us we enter

now by faith, and hope looks forward to the day of realization. The apostle, therefore, by

linking the hope with the calling, seems to indicate that there is this close relation

between them, and therefore it follows that the more clearly we see what our calling is,

the more clearly we shall see what our hope is.

A passage which has a bearing upon this petition is Col. 1: 27, "Christ among you

(Gentiles) the hope of glory". Without Christ, and outside the commonwealth of Israel,

the Gentile was without hope. The middle wall has, however, been broken down. Christ

is preached among the Gentiles with no reference to Israel, or Israel's covenants. This

constitutes a new calling, and the apostle definitely says so in the verses of Col. 1: which

immediately precede the verse quoted. He speaks of it as a mystery hidden from the ages