E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ephesians 3:19
And = Even. know . App-132 . knowledge . App-132 . might = may. filled . See Ephesians 1:23 . App-125 . fulness . Greek. pleroma. See Ephesians 1:23 . read more
And = Even. know . App-132 . knowledge . App-132 . might = may. filled . See Ephesians 1:23 . App-125 . fulness . Greek. pleroma. See Ephesians 1:23 . read more
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.Christ dwelling in Christian hearts is one and the same thing as the Spirit's dwelling in them. The first fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:23); and here the great result of the "indwelling Christ" is that of the Christian's being "rooted and grounded in love." Again reference is made to the comment on this under Galatians 5:23.Significantly, in Ephesians 3:14-17 there are references... read more
May be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth.Breadth, length, ... etc., of what .... ?" Beare thought it was "truth.[36] Lipscomb believed it was the love of Christ;[37] Adam Clarke considered it to be the "church of God";[38] MacKnight saw in this a comparison of the church with the dimensions of the temple of Diana;[39] the early "church fathers referred these words to the cross.[40] From all this, it is perfectly evident that "Since Paul... read more
And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of God."The love of Christ" being made here the object of the verb "know" indicates quite clearly that "the love of Christ" is not primarily the thing under consideration in the previous verse, despite the fact of the vast majority of scholars taking exactly that position. As Blaikie said:When "the love of Christ" is made the subject of a separate part of the prayer, and is not in the genitive,... read more
Ephesians 3:18. The breadth, and length, and depth, and height;— It has often been observed, that this text is extremely emphatical. —Bodies are well known to have only three dimensions, length and breadth, and thickness; but the Apostle divides this last into its depth downwards, and its height upwards, measuring from the middle point; and so makes use of it to express the depth of misery, from which the love of God delivers us; as well as the height of glory, to which it exalts the faithful. read more
Ephesians 3:19. And to know the love of Christ,— There seems to be no reason why we should confine the interpretation of this text merely to the love of Christ in calling the Gentiles. Well may we recollect, on this occasion, all that love which Christ has displayed in redeeming his faithful saints, out of every nation and kingdom under heaven, Gentiles as well as Jews, from final misery, and exalting them to eternal glory: and this is so remarkable and admirable, that the most extensive... read more
17. That—So that. dwell—abidingly make His abode (John 14:23). Where the Spirit is there Christ is (John 14:16; John 14:18). by faith—Greek, "through faith," which opens the door of the heart to Jesus (John 3:20). It is not enough that He be on the tongue, or flit through the brain: the heart is His proper seat [CALVIN]. "You being rooted and grounded in love" (compare John 3:20- :), is in the Greek connected with this clause, not with the clause, "that ye may be able to comprehend." "Rooted"... read more
18. May be able—even still further. Greek, "May be fully able." breadth . . . length . . . depth . . . height—namely, the full dimensions of the spiritual temple, answering to "the fulness of God" ( :-), to which the Church, according to its capacity, ought to correspond (compare Ephesians 4:10; Ephesians 4:13) as to "the fulness of Christ." The "breadth" implies Christ's world-wide love, embracing all men: the "length," its being extended through all ages (Ephesians 4:13- :); the "depth," its... read more
19. passeth—surpasseth, exceeds. The paradox "to know . . . which passeth knowledge," implies that when he says "know," he does not mean that we can adequately know; all we know is, that His love exceeds far our knowledge of it, and with even our fresh accessions of knowledge hereafter, will still exceed them. Even as God's power exceeds our thoughts (Ephesians 3:20). filled with—rather, as Greek, "filled even unto all the fulness of God" (this is the grand goal), that is, filled, each... read more
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ephesians 3:18
able = fully able. Greek. exischuo. Only here. Compare App-172 . saints = the saints. See Ephesians 3:8 . what . . . height . Omit "is". After "height" read "of love is", i.e. God's love in Christ. In breadth, boundless : in length, endless : in depth, fathomless, exhaustless: in height, measureless. read more