Ephesians 1:17
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Paul isn't just asking for God to give the Spirit, but for the Father of glory to grant a spirit of wisdom and revelation within the context of knowing Him. This highlights that true spiritual insight isn't just a general endowment but specifically grows from a deeper, experiential knowledge of God Himself. It suggests that our ability to grasp divine truths is directly tied to our relationship with God, not just an intellectual exercise.
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is praying for the believers in Ephesus, offering thanks for their faith and love. He's specifically asking God to grant them a deeper understanding of Him. This request follows his explanation of God's eternal plan to unite all things in Christ and how believers have been chosen and blessed in Him.
Why does Paul refer to God this way? It's more than just a title; it reveals a profound truth about Jesus' humanity and His unique relationship with the Father.
Paul begins by calling God "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ." This isn't just a way to identify God. It points to the reality of Jesus' humanity, acknowledging Him as the one through whom we know God. As Jesus Himself said, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). This phrase emphasizes that the God revealed through Jesus is the same God who is our God, the God we can approach because of Jesus' mediation.
Furthermore, this title highlights Jesus' own dependence on the Father, even in His exalted state. As the commentaries note, Jesus Himself called the Father "my God" (John 20:17). This doesn't diminish His deity but underscores the unique relationship between the Father and the Son, a relationship we are invited into through our adoption as God's children.
What does it mean for God to be the 'Father of glory'? And why does Paul pray for Him to give something believers already have?
Paul calls God "the Father of glory." This title signifies that God is the ultimate source and possessor of all glory. It's not just that He is glorious, but that glory originates from Him and belongs to Him in an infinite degree. This glorious Father, in His abundant goodness, desires to bestow gifts upon His children.
The prayer is that this Father "may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation." It might seem like believers, having received the Holy Spirit at conversion, wouldn't need more. However, the text points to a continuous impartation and deepening of the Spirit's work. It's not about receiving the Spirit for the first time, but about the Father actively granting of His Spirit's enabling power for specific divine insights. This gift is crucial for growing in our understanding of God.
Ask a follow-up
What's the difference between 'wisdom' and 'revelation'? And how does 'knowledge of Him' fit into the picture?
Paul asks for a "Spirit of wisdom and of revelation." These aren't separate entities but are closely linked aspects of the Holy Spirit's work.
These gifts are granted "in the knowledge of him" (or "in the deeper knowledge of Him"). The Greek word used here, 'epignosis,' implies a more profound, experiential, and penetrating knowledge than simply knowing about God. It's about a deep, personal acquaintance with God Himself. The Spirit's work of wisdom and revelation flourishes in the soil of this deep, intimate knowledge of God.
Understand the original words
epignōsis · Greek Noun
Spiritual and intellectual grasp of God's truth, character, and will. It goes beyond mere information, implying an intimate, relational acquaintance with God.
apokalypsis · Greek Noun
Divine communication where God makes known mysteries or truths that would otherwise be unknowable to human reason alone. It is the unveiling of God's character and purposes.
Jesus himself refers to God as 'my God' after his resurrection, highlighting the unique relationship between the Father and the Son, even in glory.
1 Corinthians 2:10This passage directly states that the Spirit searches all things, revealing God's deep truths, which echoes the idea of the Spirit of revelation in Ephesians 1:17.
Colossians 1:9Paul prays for believers to be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, paralleling the desire for wisdom and revelation in knowing God.
Isaiah 11:2This Old Testament prophecy describes the Spirit of the Lord resting upon the Messiah with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, a foundational concept for the Spirit's work in believers.
Matthew 11:27Jesus states that no one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him, underscoring that true knowledge of God comes through divine revelation.
cambridgeEphesians 1:17: "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:"
17 . the God of our Lord Jesus Christ ] Cp. the Saviour’s own words on the Cross, “Eli, Eli” ( Matthew 27:46 ); and after Resurrection ( John 20:17 ), “I ascend unto … my God.” See also John 4:22 .—The Father is the God of the Son Incarnate, in a sense which, however partially, we may be said to understand. Hence in the two passages just qu…
bengelEphesians 1:17: "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:"
Ephesians 1:17 . Ἵνα , that ) A subject of prayer for true Christians.— ὁ πατὴρ τῆς δόξης , the Father of glory ) That infinite glory, which shines in the face of Christ; nay, more, [the Father] of the glory, which is the Son of God Himself; by whom also the glorious inheritance will become ours, Ephesians 1:18 .— Πνεῦμα σοφίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψ…
Paul isn't just asking for God to give the Spirit, but for the Father of glory to grant a spirit of wisdom and revelation within the context of knowing Him. This highlights that true spiritual insight isn't just a general endowment but specifically grows from a deeper, experiential knowledge of God Himself. It suggests that our ability to grasp divine truths is directly tied to our relationship with God, not just an intellectual exercise.
Paul is praying for the believers in Ephesus, offering thanks for their faith and love. He's specifically asking God to grant them a deeper understanding of Him. This request follows his explanation of God's eternal plan to unite all things in Christ and how believers have been chosen and blessed in Him.
Paul is praying for the believers in Ephesus, offering thanks for their faith and love. He's specifically asking God to grant them a deeper understanding of Him. This request follows his explanation of God's eternal plan to unite all things in Christ and how believers have been chosen and blessed in Him.
"that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him," — Paul isn't just asking for God to give the Spirit, but for the Father of glory to grant a spirit of wisdom and revelation within the context of knowing Him. This highlights that true spiritual in…
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Last reviewed October 2026
