Sunday 2021.08.22
This morning's NT reading brought me through Ephesians chapters three and four.
In this portion of scripture, I revisited the Apostle Paul's prayer for the Ephesian assembly in Ephesians 3:14 - 21. During the reading, it occurred to me that whenever "Lord Jesus Christ" is mentioned in the text, the original meaning was "Lord Jesus the Anointed One". The word "Christ" (or Christos in Greek)is a descriptive title rather than a part of the Lord's name.
I thought that if I replace the term "Christ" with the title "the Anointed", the prayer of Paul for the Ephesians would come across more powerfully and meaningfully. In the passage below, I have copied Eph 3:14 - 21 from the King James Version and replaced the word "Christ" with "the Anointed":
Ephesians 3:14 - 21 KJV
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That the Anointed may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of the Anointed, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by the Anointed Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
I have also written a post about this prayer in my devotional blog, as shown below:
