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their inheritance, but they can have, and thank God they do have what answers to the
Holy of holies--even Heaven itself. There, `in THE Light', in the presence of what
answers to the Shechina of the tabernacle and temple, even the light of the glory of God
they find their inheritance."
As the believer "acknowledges" this most wondrous aspect of the high calling of the
Mystery, the second petition of the Apostle's prayer in Eph. 1: 18 will be answered:
"Hope", "Riches", "Power". These three items are the basis of the threefold prayer of
Eph. 1: 15-19. We now give attention to the third petition found in verse nineteen.
"And what the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe."
If the preceding petitions are associated with the two subdivisions of Eph. 1: 13, 14
"The Will of the Father" and "The Work of the Son" this third petition is definitely linked
with the third division "The Witness of the Spirit", for it is in this section alone that we
find any reference to "believing". Note too that it is HIS calling, HIS inheritance and
HIS power, with which we are concerned, and only as we know these shall we be ready
and able to understand what is OUR calling, OUR inheritance, and OUR power; they
will then be held in their right relationship.
The word "exceeding" is the first of three occurrences of the Greek word so translated,
namely huperballo "to throw beyond", and a figure of speech called hyperbole is so
named because it often over-shoots or exaggerates to heighten the sense, as the spies
heightened their report, saying that cities of the giants were "walled up to heaven"
(Deut. 9: 1). When Paul compared the Old and the New Covenant, he used the word
huperballo when he spoke of the "glory that excelleth" (II Cor. 3: 10). The three
occurrences in Ephesians are:
The exceeding greatness of His power (1: 19).
The exceeding riches of His grace (2: 7).
The love of Christ which passeth knowledge (3: 19).
We are called upon in Eph. 1: 19 to consider the surpassing "greatness" of His power.
Greatness is the Greek megethos from megas "great". This word enters into the make up
of the word translated "majesty" (Heb. 1: 3); it is used in Eph. 5: 32, I Tim. 3: 16 and
Rev. 17: 5 of a "great" mystery. It is to be noted that the first occurrence of megethos
"greatness" is in the triumphant song of Moses, at the overthrow of Pharaoh and the safe
transit of Israel across the Red Sea (Exod. 15: 16). Here in Ephesians, it refers to a
greater overthrow of a greater enemy, followed by a greater translation (Col. 1: 13). This
exceeding great power is "to usward who believe". The "believing" is not the
consequence of this mighty power, rather it is the essential condition for its reception.
The occurrences of dunamis "power" in Ephesians are interlinked and this relationship
can be most readily seen if we print the occurrences in structure form.