Is Paul praying for the Ephesian believers that the “eyes of their hearts” would be opened for the purpose that might be able to understand OR is he praying confidently for something, knowing that the eyes of their hearts have already been enlightened?

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, NIV

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,  ESV

Is Paul praying for the Ephesian believers that the “eyes of their hearts” would be opened for the purpose that might be able to understand OR is he praying confidently for something, knowing that the eyes of their hearts have already been enlightened?  Let us consider…

Greek Grammar:

In Ephesians 1:18, the Greek verb photizo (to enlighten or to give light) is a perfect, passive, participle.  This tells us a number of things:

1.  the verb being “perfect” in tense means that the action took place in the past and that the impact or effect of the action is continuing.
2. The verb being a participle, becomes a verbal adjective.  It might have an object and it might qualify a noun.
3. The verb is passive.  The subject of the verb was not acting, it was acted upon.

Context:

Ephesians 1:18 is not a full sentence.  It is part of a much longer sentence.  (Paul does like long sentences!)  The sentence starts in verse 15 and ends in verse 21.  Wow – that is long!

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