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This study is a little deeper, a little more detailed. You’ll probably have to read it more than once to get a hold of it. Patience.
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That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give (deliver, supply) unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. (Ephesians 1:17)
This verse has puzzled me for over 40 years. I thought a word of wisdom was revelation. Why would would it say “wisdom” and “revelation” as if they were separate things? “Revelation” is the Greek word apokalupsis (from which we get the word apocalypse), and means an unveiling, uncovering, or an appearing. The word “apocalypse” has come to mean a terrifying ending or conclusion, but that is an erroneous understanding. The reason for this misunderstanding is that in the Book of Revelation, there is a terrifying ending, but the reason it is called “Revelation” is that all the terrifying events described in the book culminate in the appearing of Jesus Christ on the earth. The Book of Revelation is the Book of the Revelation (or Appearing) of Jesus Christ.
I believe that there are three different “revelation” manifestations, as set forth in I Corinthians 12:
But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man for profit really. For for one (profit) is given by the spirit the word of wisdom; for another the word of knowledge by the same spirit … for another, discerning of spirits … (I Corinthians 12:7, 8a)
What I understand is that these three manifestations are grouped in the category of revelation; that is, God via His spirit within us, makes known something to our minds that we did not or could not know previously.
The word “knowledge” is gnosis, meaning an experiential knowing. I know Beijing is the capital of China, but I’ve never experienced it, so I have no gnosis of Beijing, no experience. If I were to get “a word (logos) of knowledge” concerning Beijing, that would mean that the spirit of God caused me to have an experience of Beijing. I would literally have a knowing by experience of Beijing by the spirit! This word of knowledge is how all knowing of the Christ within comes to our minds, how Christ is revealed to us.
The word “wisdom” is sophia and comes from the word which means “clear” (sophes). Wisdom means to see clearly how what you know applies in any situation, not only specifically, but also generally. If my word of knowledge regarding Beijing involved knowing what it was like to live in Beijing and be a part of a small home church, living under the threat of persecution, then a word of wisdom might be knowing what not to talk about when I’m on the phone (or internet chat) with my friend who lives there and is a part of a home church there.
Discerning of spirits – “discern” is diakrisis, meaning the result of a dividing or separating. By the spirit, a spirit (whether the devil’s or the true God’s) is recognized as a distinct presence in the flesh/mind of a person. If a devil spirit, that recognition is an exposure, leading to its weakened hold on the mind/body of its subject. It becomes recognized as a lie. If the true God is discerned, that recognition leads to an energizing/activation in the mind/body of its subject. It becomes recognized as the truth.
In Ephesians 1:17, the word “knowledge” is the word epignosis (epi + gnosis), meaning an intimate or thorough experiential knowing. This epignosis comes with receiving an abundance of various gnosis. I have an epignosis of my wife and children. The spirit of wisdom and revelation we are to get from God, spoken of in Ephesians 1:17, is entrained with us, simply by being or dwelling in the intimate experiential relationship we have with Christ.
But I guarantee you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not resourced from man, For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatains 1:11, 12)
The gospel which Paul preached and taught was learned by the revealing of the Christ within.
But when it please God … To reveal His son in me, that I might preach him (the revealed Christ within) among the heathen; … (Galatians 1:15a, 16a)
What happened to and in Paul, how he experienced the gospel of Jesus Christ, is exactly how we are to learn, experience it.
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern (hupotupos – a subtype) to them who should hereafter believe unto him unto life everlasting.
(I Timothy 1:16)
Paul’s life was to be the example of a life in Christ, which begins with the revealing of the Christ within (which happens when you believe unto Jesus Christ). He was a sub-type, because Christ is THE type. We become like Christ as we desire, seek, find (by having him revealed within) and gaze upon him. And Paul is our example of the life of a man doing that very thing.
But we all, with open face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from (one) glory to (another) glory (glory after glory just keeps coming), even as by the spirit of the Lord.
(II Corinthians 3:18)
Within this intimate experiential knowing of Christ, we are believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and we are loving the brethren (love God, love those born of God), for in loving God, Who is spirit, you (super)naturally love His spirit within others. God’s love flows into us, fills us, and then flows out of us toward others. We become fountains of the spirit.
He that believes unto (eis) me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38)
But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. (John 4:14)
This everyday reality in the believer’s life is the context of Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1.
Wherefore I also, when I heard of your believing in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; (Ephesians 1:15, 16)
Now we know the precipitating motivation for Paul praying this prayer in Ephesians 1, the first sequitur of which is that from within this intimate experiential knowing of Christ, God would give each believer spiritual wisdom and revelation.
Here “revelation” includes any and all unveilings of the spirit which happen in a man’s being.
The eyes of your understanding (kardias – heart) being enlightened … (Ephesians 1:18a)
The purpose and result of any and all spiritual gnosis is to enlighten the heart of man, so that in the innermost part of his being he becomes more and more like Christ.
But speaking (literally, living out the expression of) the truth in love, (we) may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, Christ;
(Ephesians 4:15)
And the ultimate purpose of this growing up to be(com)ing more and more like Christ is that we walk in our Father’s presence and creation in the full reward of our eternal inheritance, which lies in the practical day-by-day realization of what being His child truly means. This is what “may give unto you the spirit of wisdom” means, that we walk in the confident clarity of what to do with everything which has and is being revealed within us of the Christ within.
The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God; And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we endure with him, (in this life), that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:16, 17)
Now if only I could grasp why God put wisdom before revelation in that verse!!!
(Perhaps because you need God’s wisdom to know that it’s revelation you’re receiving).
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Related Studies
If you enjoyed how this study challenged your thinking and opened up your understanding of Christ, click on one of the related studies below:
The Role of Bible Research
Learning to Recognize the Voice of God
The Form of our Doctrine
How Do We Get Faith? ….. God GIVES It To Us
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The book, Give Me Christ … Revelations of the Glorified Christ is now available on Amazon
