What is the meaning of Ephesians 3:14? For this reason • Paul is reaching back to everything he has just celebrated—the unveiling of the “mystery” that Gentiles are now “fellow heirs” in Christ (Ephesians 3:6). • He is remembering the “immeasurable riches of His grace” (Ephesians 2:7) and the truth that believers are “being built together into a dwelling place for God” (Ephesians 2:22). • The phrase echoes other moments when a great work of God triggers worship—think of Romans 11:33, where Paul pauses mid-argument to exclaim, “Oh, the depth of the riches…!” • In light of such grace, prayer is the only fitting response, just as Psalm 116:12 asks, “How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me?” I bow my knees • Bowing signals humility and submission; Paul is not bargaining with God but yielding to Him. Psalm 95:6 invites, “Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” • This posture also shows earnestness. Daniel knelt three times a day (Daniel 6:10), and Jesus Himself “knelt down and prayed” in Gethsemane (Luke 22:41). • The act reminds us that access to God is a privilege secured by Christ’s blood (Hebrews 10:19). We kneel because the throne of grace is open (Hebrews 4:16). • Kneeling expresses dependency: “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). before the Father • Prayer is personal. Jesus taught us to begin, “Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). • “Father” underscores adoption. We have “received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Romans 8:15; see also Galatians 4:6). • Coming “before” Him stresses nearness. Ephesians 2:18 says, “For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” • The Father’s heart is generous—James 1:17 calls Him “the Father of lights” from whom “every good and perfect gift” comes. This encourages bold, faith-filled petitions (Matthew 7:11). summary Ephesians 3:14 shows Paul overwhelmed by the gospel’s grandeur. Because God has revealed His eternal plan and adopted us into His family, Paul instinctively drops to his knees. Humility, gratitude, and confidence converge as he approaches the loving Father who gladly hears His children. The verse invites us to do the same: remember the grace that saved us, bow in reverent dependence, and draw near to the Father who delights to answer. |
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