Word Play - Paul begins his prayer with an intriguing play on the word Father: For this reason, I bow my knees before t?? pat??a (the Father), from whom every pat??? ("family," "clan," "race,") derives its name. Well, literally we see that in the Greek; Paul probably refers to God as Father, or Creator of all the created order. Everything belongs to the one clan because everything has been created by the one Father-creator. [1]

Comment on the Text - Paul is not proclaiming a triumphalist Christianity that has conquered the world, as many people imagine when they read this prayer. He is providing prayers for the witnesses, prisoners, martyrs for the gospel and their friends-everyone whose life is somehow fragmented and in need of sorting. The Christian virtues of faith, hope, and love can latch on to the fullness of God and find completion in that experience. [2]

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow - Doxologies praise a person or deity esteemed infinitely greater than the one offering the praise, but in a formula that usually includes the word d??a or "glory." We have in this prayer one of the most inspiring and magnificent doxologies in Scripture (v. 20). Paul gathers up the content of the first three chapters about God’s power and salvation and blessings in spiritual places and sums them up in the realm of imagination that exceeds human ability to even articulate.

Describe the portrait that this prayer paints of God-Creator. How close does it square with your image of God at this time in your life? How would it resemble/look very different from the views that others outside the Christian community might have of God?

What does it mean to have God’s Spirit in your inner being (v. 16)? When have you felt overwhelmed by the love of God?

You might want to begin a homily with a brief observation of prayer-what people think about prayer, a personal experience of prayer; Richard Foster’s book on Prayer might provide grist for the mill. [3]

Spend time unpacking the meaning of the prayer-that could take weeks! But at least your listeners will better understand what it is that Paul is praying for.

Adopt this prayer for your community; make needed adjustments, but invite people to begin praying this same prayer for people, committees, and the congregation.

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[1] The New Interpreter’s Bible XI (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000), page 414.
[2] Ibid, page 418.
[3] Richard Foster, Prayer (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1992), pp. 179-202.