Are the things said in Ephesians 1:18 prayer requests or statements?
Ephesians 1:18 contains prayer requests, not statements. The Apostle Paul petitions that the eyes of the believers' understanding be enlightened, so they may know the hope of His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
Les teaches that Ephesians 1 is more or less a prayer Paul is praying on behalf of the Ephesian believers, taking us into a deeper realm of teaching concerning the Body of Christ. In verse 17 he prays that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Then in verse 18 he emphasizes, "now remember these are prayer requests, don't lose that." These are prayer requests the Apostle is petitioning, that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know the hope of His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. Les notes this is the opposite of the normal nomenclature of Christ as our inheritance and believers as co-heirs, and that this truth is past human understanding.
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
More Questions
What does Paul pray about the eyes of our understanding in Ephesians 1?
Among Paul's prayer requests in Ephesians 1 is that the eyes of the believers' understanding would be enlightened.