Lose that religious mindset

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…

Ephesians 3.20, NIV

Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν…

Ephesians 3.20, SBL Greek NT

Always a shock when a favourite verse is not quite what it seems. Ephesians 3.20 has got me through many a situation (and prayer meeting), but I think there is something better here than the NIV and other familiar translations allow.

Let me start with a literal rendering.

To the one able [strong enough] in Himself [middle voice participle] over [or concerning] all things to do super-abundantly that which we ask or imagine, according to the power enacted [or actualised] in us…

What is the difference, and what does this signify?

Let’s start with the NIV. Where is the “more” coming from? I think it is a religious mindset which is horrified by the idea that God might simply do what we ask or imagine, and so turns the verse on its head to make God the one who is able to do immeasurably more than the little that we are able to ask or imagine; and He does this by His power at work within us.

Which is perfectly reasonable if you don’t understand how the Kingdom operates. Unfortunately the effect is to underline the notion that we can’t really know anything compared to God, but at least can live and die in the hope that God will eventually come over the hill, like the Seventh Cavalry.

But here is what this verse appears to me to be saying, based on that plain reading of the Greek:

Power has been enacted in us. (How? We know that: by the indwelling Holy Spirit.)

As a result of this power, we are able to ask or imagine things that are beyond our ability to execute or even to know where we would start; but that is not what we think about (because if we meditate on our own inability, we have missed the point and the mark.)

Instead, we know that God has the ability and the strength over everything in order to execute those things we asked and imagined ( which we did by the power enacted in us ) – super-abundantly.

So, to summarise the difference. The NIV suggests that God is able to do much better than the little things we ask or imagine, and He does those things by His power at work in us.

The Greek is saying that the power God has released in us enables us to ask or imagine things only God is able to do: which is fine, because that is exactly what He does, super-abundantly.

Which means that it is really important that we have that power enacted in us, because otherwise we will be asking things we haven’t really thought through, which fall short of God’s intention for us, and will be imagining things which may well be to our harm, instead of agreeing with God’s purpose and assignment for us.

Framed another way, we can say that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Having God’s power ruling in our hearts is pretty important if we don’t want to be speaking things that pull us down, instead of things that God can do for us – yes, I know you are sick of the word already – super-abundantly!

So Ephesians 3.20 is not quite what I thought. But it looks like it is a whole lot better news for us.