“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us” (Joh 14:8).How many today might likewise petition the Lord, in as much as Scripture does not always partition the Triune God distinctly, i.e., as Father, Son, and Spirit?
John Wesley “inappropriately” said “Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can comprehend the triune God!”
Apparently, Wesley failed to understand that Christ came to “reveal” the Father and that Scripture is meant to be understood!
“Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (Mat 11:27).
“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father. … I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (Joh_20:17).
“Through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph 2:18).
“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature” (Col 1:15).
“That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ” (Col_2:2).Paul, in the book of Ephesians, reveals the Father in ways He has never been revealed before: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3).
We all fail at times to discern signature of the Father when it is imbedded in a plethora of insidious pronouns. However, it is critical to anticipate the Son’s intent to “reveal” the Father even when so imbedded, or our words will ring hollow when we pray “Our Father which art in heaven!”
Replacing the pronouns that shroud the “God and Father” with the same, we have the following illuminated paraphrase of the first chapter of Ephesians:
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he [the Father] hath chosen us in Lord Jesus before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him [the Father] in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself [the Father], according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his [the Father’s] grace, wherein he [the Father] hath made us accepted in the beloved [Jesus].
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his [the Father’s] grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he [the Father] hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he [the Father] hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he[the Father] might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him [the Father]:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him [the Father] who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his [the Father’s] glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his [the Father’s] glory.
Eph 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Eph 1:17 That the God [the Father] of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his [the Father’s] calling, and what the riches of the glory of his [the Father’s] inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 mighty And what is the exceeding greatness of his [the Father’s] power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of hispower,
Eph 1:20 Which he [the Father] wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
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