Ephesians 3:14-15 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named
‘Bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Some willingly do this now, but all will be forced to do it in due time (Isa. 45:23; Php. 2:10). Examples of those kneeling in prayer: Solomon (1Kin. 8:54; 2Chron. 6:13); Elijah (1Kin. 18:42); Ezra (Ezra 9:5); Daniel (Dan. 6:10); Jesus (Luke 22:41); Stephen (Acts 7:60); Peter (Acts 9:40) and Paul (Acts 20:36; 21:5; Eph. 3:14). Not something that is a commandment, more a preference. Not a standard of holiness, for Solomon, fell away from God (1Kin. 11:4-11).
‘Family’ [Greek: patria] is used here and in Luke 2:4 and Acts 3:25. The whole family of God: The word “family” applies to all the free moral offspring of God – whether by direct creation, begetting, or adoption – past, present, and future. It includes all principalities, powers, and dominions, both earthly and heavenly, human and angelic, flesh and spirit, and unfallen and fallen redeemed (Eph. 1:21-23; 3:10; 1Pet. 3:22). To limit the family to believers only, as many do, and to interpret the passage in connection with New Testament Christians is unscriptural. In the spirit world, there are cherubim, seraphim, archangels, common angels, redeemed human spirits (Heb. 12:23), and living creatures of various kinds. In the flesh world, there are Jews and Gentiles, some in heaven and some on earth who, with the spirit beings and the spirits of redeemed men in heaven, make up the whole family of God in heaven and on earth.
Living the Word 