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having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the holy ones, (Ephesians 1:18)

Having the eyes of your heart enlightened. “God is spirit,” so invisible to human eyes. (John 4:24) Although we are not able to see God with our physical eyes, we can use “the eyes of your heart” to see him, which means either intellectual or spiritual insight. The apostle Paul tells us, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:20) So God can be clearly seen from the creation of the world. Jesus has made him known. “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God[1] who is in the bosom of the Father,[2] that one has made him fully known.” A few things that Jesus revealed to us are God works tirelessly (John 5:17), he knows our needs (Matt. 6:8) He lovingly provides for us (Matt. 5:45) God respects and values each of us personally (Matt. 10:29-31). Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (John 14:8-9) Clearly, the eyes of our hearts are also enlightened by the inspired, inerrant Word of God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:21) Someone says, “Oh, I see,” meaning he has understood what you said. This is hearing and sight, in a figurative sense, can be more important than the literal. The eyes of your heart enlightened are even superior to figurative sight, for it is really talking of spiritual enlightenment. But how are we to understand the “eyes of your heart”?

We can better understand when we consider the bad heart attitude of the Jews, which Jesus quoted and the apostles quote: “Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isa. 6:10; Matt. 13:15; Acts 28:27) The Jewish religious leaders caused the common Jews to harden their hearts in rejection of Jesus Christ and a lack of faith. (Heb. 4:6-7) Self-centeredness, arrogance and prejudice stopped these Jewish religious leaders from seeing and the Son of God. Their eye, their perception as controlled by their heart attitude, was not “healthy,” so they were mentally blind, in darkness mentally” (Matt. 6:22-23) They were heartless and reluctant to give of themselves in earnest, wholehearted godly devotion, which is a key necessity for ears and eyes of those who are blessed.

Jesus went on to say: “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” And Jesus had said to them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” On the other hand, as many as received him, he gave authority to them to become children of God, to the ones believing in his name – Matt. 13:16-17, 11; Luke 10:21; John 1:12.

That you may know what is the hope to which he has called you. It was an immeasurable opportunity to be made completely familiar with the advantages of the Christian hope and to be allowed to know fully what Christians are to expect in the world of glory. On this Max Anders writes, “Our hope is built on the promises which are ours in Christ. We need to know our spiritual future is based on the promises of God and find strength and courage in that hope to live in the present. To understand and embrace that hope in present living requires spiritual progress.”[3]

What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance. Paul wishes for them to understand their future riches and set aside any needs that may be plaguing them. The riches can refer to the spiritual riches in Christ, these holy ones being freed from sin. Spirit-anointed followers of Jesus Christ could look forward to “the riches of the glory of [their heavenly] inheritance” (Eph 1:18), and for the duration of their time on earth, they would be rich or abound in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and other godlike qualities. – Cp. Gal. 5:22, 23; Jas 2:5; 1Pe 2:11, 12; 2Pe 1:5-8.

In the holy ones. Holy Ones, Saints: (Heb. קָדוֹשׁ qadosh; Gr. ἅγιος hagios) Persons who are dedicated to God physically, mentally, spiritually, and morally. These ones are God’s people, who have been accredited a righteous standing before God based on the ransom sacrifice of Christ (Matt. 20:28), who are declared holy, pure, and clean in God’s eyes. Those who are clean mentally, but especially spiritually or morally. Hagios also denotes persons who are set apart for service of God, in heaven or on earth. Holy Ones are persons who have been brought into a relationship with God through the new covenant and they are sanctified, cleansed, and set apart for God’s service by “the blood of the covenant,” that is, the blood of Jesus Christ. (Heb 10:29; 13:20) As a result of that, they are marked out as “holy ones.” Hence, they do not become “holy ones” by the proclamation of a man but by God. Only God can bring them into a covenant relationship through the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. – Mark 6:20; 1 Cor. 6:2; Php 1:1; 4:22; Rev 18:20; Rev 22:21.

[1] The original words were μονογενὴς θεός or ο μονογενης θεος “only-begotten God” or “the only-begotten God” (P⁶⁶ P⁷⁵ א B C* L 33 syr^hmp33 cop^bo) A variant reading is ο μονογενης υιος “the only begotten Son” A C³ (W^s) Θ Ψ f^1, Maj syr^c).

[2] Or at the Father’s side

[3] Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 94.