Ephesians 5:20 20giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The fourth participle expresses a further result of the Spirit’s leading and also shows one of the outcomes of the worship through music. Giving thanks is not dependent upon music but can be helped by music. The word eucharistountes is the one used for when Jesus shared the cup with his disciples during the last supper in Matthew 26:27. The word “eucharist” is used today for participating in the Lord’s Supper or communion. Paul may not be referring to the specific event of the Lord’s Supper but more to the general idea of giving thanks, like 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
He adds two important qualifiers to this word. Always shows how often to give thanks. Praising God should simply be part of the lifestyle of believers. It is something we do all the time. Thanksgiving should become part of our daily habits until it becomes second nature. Praise should always be on our lips. For everything shows the extent of our thanks. This means we give thanks for both the good and the bad, during times of peace and trial. Living in this way takes our eyes off of the world around us, which has many temptations, and refocuses our thinking to God. Praise is the best remedy for avoiding sin.
The last part of verse 20 contains a significant thought for Trinitarian theology. This thanksgiving is given to God the Father. For Paul, the Father represents God in God’s holiness who is all sufficient and all powerful one who is the source of our salvation. God’s love is experienced through Jesus and by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The thanks should be given in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the name above all other names (Philippians 2:9). To invoke a person’s name is to appeal to that person’s power and position. In this case, Jesus’ power is seen in the description Lord and his position is in the word Christ (“Messiah”). To give thanks in Jesus’ name is to acknowledge that he is the one by whom the Father created and sustains the universe and the one who can help us through any challenges we face in this world.
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