Paul’s Ephesian Doxology

The Doxology

Text Ephesians 3:20-21 

When we think upon the love of God for sinners, when we marvel at its magnitude, does it make our hearts overflow with praise, or does that love still leave us cold and unresponsive? Let’s see how Paul concludes his prayer in praise, and in doing so learn some more about the nature of God:-

1 God is All Powerful. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,

In verse 14, Paul had begun a prayer for the church, and he concludes that prayer in verse 20-21. The verses are an expression of praise, what we call a ‘doxology.’ See:-

• Nothing is too hard for God! Paul has asked for a lot in this prayer, but with God no prayer is too demanding, too ambitious, too big for God! What are you asking God for? He can do anything that you might ask, in fact he can do more than we can ask, – his power is so great that he is capable of doing more than we can even think! Perhaps it is our vision that is too small! Jeremiah 33:3  Sometimes God surprises us in prayer when he knows what we need, and supplies it, even when our request has not fully appreciated our need! Psalm 50:15 

• What is this ‘power that worketh in us?’ according to the power that worketh in us, Paul adds that the ability of God to achieve his will and purpose can be appreciated by us, to some extent, by the greatest miracle of all, the miracle of the new birth. Think and consider what God has done in my life and yours, the wonderful achievements that Paul has outlined in V16-19, . If God can do all of that in me, a rebellious sinner, then surely there is nothing that he cannot do. My ransomed, redeemed, forgiven life is a walking visual aid to the mighty power of God.

So God is all powerful, he can do great and wonderful things, and the greatest personal evidence of that is how he has brought salvation to sinners, changed lives and brought us into his kingdom.

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2. God Is Highly Exalted! 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus,

Just because God can do the impossible for us does not mean that he will. God will only do what brings glory to his name! He answers prayers, but not selfish prayers, or prayers with a wrong motive. Paul adds in 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, cf 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. See:-

* The PLACE where His glory is manifested. The Church! All of God’s majestic attributes have been demonstrated in his relationship with his elect people. His power, his wisdom, his mercy, his love, his grace,

* The PERSON who brings that glory to God. The Christ! … all these glorious attributes manifest in Christ, the Head of the church, and all demonstrated in his body on earth. John 14:13-14  

This doxology is a song of praise, to the God whose very nature is glorious.

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3. God is Eternally Praised. throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

God has been glorified and praised and worshiped and adored as our heavenly father, in every age, in the OT period, in the NT, in the Apostolic Age, even in the Dark Ages, – in the Reformation, in the Puritan age, in the Great Awakenings and Revivals, in 1859, in the early 20th Century, even in modern days, his glorious name is still being praised; praised by the men and women in Islamic states, in communist states, in China and Russia, in decadent, spoilt western nations, true believers are joining in the praise of our wonderful redeemer and God. In eternity… Two considerations arise:

A) The end of the world. Why does Paul add, ‘world without end’ when we know that ‘the end of the world is near?’ The biblical teaching is that this world will come to a crashing end, and it won’t be due to climate change. 2 Peter 3:10, The world WILL end, and that leaves us with one of these delicious Biblical mysteries, that will stir our minds and in its solution, turn our hearts to praise. The so called ‘gloria-patria,’ “Glory be to the father, and to the son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen,” was included in the Anglican liturgy by Archbishop Cranmer, and I think that its inclusion influenced to some extent the translators of the KJV Bible. I say this because the phrase is NOT part of the Greek Text, – not in the TR, which forms the basis of the AV. The TR simply reads, του αιωνος (ionos) των αιωνων (ionoon) – αμην. So a literal translation would be, “throughout all generations (γενεά genea) for ever and ever’ Amen. In Greek, Paul is not in any way disagreeing with Peter, or with his own writings, for example in 1 Thess 5:2-3 John agrees, in Rev 21:11. Paul, Peter, John, and the Lord Jesus Himself, taught that this world will come to an end. So then, why does ‘world without end’ appear here in AV? Perhaps in the intervening century between Cranmer and the AV translators, the phrase ‘world without end’ had become a colloquialism, a common saying among Christians, and they knew that it meant that endless ages would roll forward, and it was simply included because everyone knew what it meant, that God will be lifted in his church for ever and ever, not just in this world but in the world to come. Again there is a very important personal application to this fact. Are you ready for that great day?

B) The endless ages of eternity. Eternity is described here as ‘ages’ – or as ‘generations’ – generations are periods of time, are they not? But is there time in eternity? Are there discernible ages? Sometimes, our doctrine, our beliefs are shaped more by hymn writers than by scripture. After all, “When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, … time shall be no more…” Some sincere Christians will suppose that in eternity, linear time, such as we know it now will have ceased. (Not that we become eternal in the sense that God is eternal, we are mortals who have a beginning, but somehow we assume that in heaven lapsing time has ceased.) But Paul speaks here of us praising God throughout all ages, forever and ever! Ages, going on forever and ever, time unfolding, moving forwards in God’s plan, taking in the gathering in of the elect, the end of this age, the general resurrection of the dead, the establishment of the new heavens and earth, wherein the saints shall dwell in righteousness… there’s plenty of other evidence. In Revelation there is silence in heaven for about half an hour (Rev 8:1) and in Rev 6:10-11 martyrs are told to wait a little longer, and that waiting implies that time will elapse, and it takes time for trumpets to blow, and bowls of wrath to be poured out; and those events must happen in a linear sequence. You can make up your own mind!

If you want a better song to describe eternity with the Lord, perhaps John Newton was more accurate when he wrote, “When we’ve been there ten thousand years, … we’ve no less days to sing his praise than when we first begun!” Ephesians 2:7 We have more to learn, and in eternity, as endless ages roll, more and more of God will be revealed to us.

© Bob McEvoy 2023