EPHESIANS

W. J. Franklin

Chapter 3:17-21

THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love"—V. 17. This "Dwelling" means that Christ may have an abode there, and this implies not only the privilege of making Himself at home there, but being at home there, to actually make His home there. Weymouth translates, "That Christ may make His home in your hearts." Williams has, "Permanent home." This is in harmony with earlier teaching in this book and also in Corinthians, that we are the temple of God, and Corinthians teaches that we are individually so. However, it seems to me that the word "Home" has a warmer thought than temple.

"Rooted and grounded in love." Paul uses a double figure of speech, similar to that in 2:21 of this book. One figure is that from agriculture and the other from architecture. As plants, they were to be deeply rooted in the rich soil of love from whence they grew. Then as a building, they were to have their foundations deep in the same element. They were builded in, and grew in love. As a plant, the Christian grows in love. As a building, we rest in love.

"May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height"—V. 18. The words "may be able" really should be, "May be fully able." Weymouth has, "That you may become mighty to grasp the idea." While Rotherham gives the following, "That you may be mighty enough to grasp firmly." Marshal translates, "That ye may have strength to apprehend." These together give the idea of the Greek.

The Word "Comprehend" means, to lay hold of, to grasp, to take possession, to understand or perceive. Paul had been speaking of mystery and of things of God for them. Now he prays that they may fully comprehend or have a full understanding of God's thoughts for them.

In the breadth, length, depth and height, we cannot help but think of the cross with its breadth of arms wide enough to grasp the whole world and long enough for the eternities. It is deeper in its works than mere human mind can understand, and reaches high enough to bring us to God and heaven.

"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God"—V. 19. I would translate the first part of this verse, "Even to know," or as Weymouth translates, "Yes, to know the love of Christ" or as Williams has it, "Yes, to come at last to know the love of Christ." Another version makes us to know the depths and heights by knowing the love of Christ. We feel these give the thought of the Spirit of God in this part of the prayer.

The love of Christ goes beyond human comprehension. It is knowledge surpassing. It is beyond the human mind to analyze or define. It does not exist in the human realm except as God places it there, and makes it known. God's gift of Christ measures His love to us. So all that Christ has done for us from birth, cross, priestly work and crown, are the measurements of His love to us. Though we can see the works of love, we still do not understand it fully.

By knowing the breadth, length, depth and height, we know the love of Christ. By knowing the love of Christ, we are filled with all the fulness of God. Note that we can be filled with God, with the fulness of God, but this verse says, with all the fulness of God. What a marvel. There is nothing beyond this for us in the New Testament. This shows us what a depth there is to the work of Christ, and how far it reaches.

There seems to be a paradox in the statement that ye may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. But we feel that the thought is, that though we cannot know exhaustively, we can know it experimentally and enjoy the great benefits of it, even as a child with its father. We do not so grasp the love of Christ intellectually, so as to define it or fully describe it.

SUPERABOUNDANTLY ABLE

"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"—V. 20. The rest of this chapter is praise or worship. Paul's statement is translated thus by Marshal, "To the one being able beyond all things to do superaboundantly of which we ask or think." One outstanding scholar states that it is impossible to translate these words into English with their full force. One translation gives it, "Superabundantly above the greatest abundance." Language is feeble to have to carry such thoughts, and we have to trust the Spirit of God to speak them into our spirits. We can ask all we know to ask, all we have heard or think and all God has promised, and He is able far beyond these. God can and does go beyond what we can name and describe. God has all power and wisdom, and has eternity in which to work. This is according to the energy of His operation in us.

As thought many times outreaches prayer, so God's ability and willingness outreaches both prayer and thought.

In Paul's first prayer in this book, there was much about power toward us and power that brought us to our great position. Here, it is power also, but power that works in us.

"Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."—V. 21. "Glory in the church," Continual praise to Him from His beloved people. Note how long this is to be, all ages, world without end. The R. V. Margin gives, "All the generations of the age of the ages." This is about as near the Greek as it is possible to get. However, Clark translates, "Throughout the eternity of the eternities." Our song of praise, began in time, will fill heaven and eternity. "Amen." God is true. His Word is firm. And all that has been said will come to pass.