(Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-2115Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:15‑23)
14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14‑21).)
But still higher thoughts of His love are revealed in what the apostle further desires for the saints.
“That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” Herein, Ο my soul, is a wonderful thing. It falls with the effect of surprise on the mind. It fills the soul with wonder and adoration. But if thou wouldst understand it, thou must dwell upon it with thine eye upwards to Himself. The question is this: What is to enable thee to comprehend that which is measureless? True, it is a paradox; but the answer is: The love of Christ. It is not what may be called knowledge merely, or, intelligence, generally, or great capacity of mind; but being rooted and grounded in the love of Christ. Surely a more blessed thing has never occupied thy thoughts. Linger then in thy meditations over this remarkable truth. Being rooted and grounded in love, mark, is thy intelligence and power in the things of Christ. What a thought! Is it new to thee? See and master it, make it thine own. It is thy wisdom and strength for time and eternity.
Yes! the sweetest thing that ever was, or is, or can be, is that which gives strength to thy heart for the contemplation of His glory. It is thy fitness for association with Himself, both now and forever. But mark another thing, and a blessed thing too. This is the portion of all the saints. Christ is the Center of all the counsels, the ways, and the glory of God; and as the saints are associated with Him, they will form the first or innermost circle of the many concentric circles of His universal glory. Thus strengthened in His love, all the saints will then “be able to comprehend” that which the apostle now leaves in its undefined glory—the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, but he does not say of what. He leaves the sentence unfinished.
Many have thought that the apostle is here speaking of the breadth, length, depth, and height, of the love of Christ; and it is often so quoted. But we think this a mistake. The apostle does speak of the love of Christ passing knowledge, but we believe that to be an additional thought. By reading the whole passage closely, it appears quite evident that he introduces a fresh subject, or at least a new thought, in the beginning of verse 19: “And to know the love of Christ.” At the same time, it is blessedly true, that the love of Christ is without limits—it passeth knowledge. The apostle is lost, as it were, amidst the grandeur and the glory of the scenes, into which the Holy Ghost is leading him.
Some who have studied this passage long and closely, have suggested that the “mystery” is before the mind of the Spirit in verse 18. The mystery, or Church, is the grand theme of the epistle. It includes Christ in His heavenly and earthly glory, and the Church associated with Him. She will then be, as His associate, high above all others—above every family in heaven and earth. That which God kept a secret so long in His own mind, may still be left in part so. And there we happily leave it. Who could define the glory that is due unto the Son—the Son whom the Father delights to honor? But that which is the foundation of the mystery, as well as its joy and glory, has been fully revealed. “And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.” We can never know His love perfectly, but we shall know it more and more. It has been fully revealed, and yet it must remain forever unrevealed. The apostle is dealing with infinitudes, which, to us now, are divine paradoxes. It is of His love he speaks. That precious love is the spring of all blessing.
It fills all, “all saints’—characterizes all—strengthens all—perfects all. The sons of God, as morning stars, shall shine forever, to the delight of His eye and His heart, in the eternal heavens of His love and glory. They will be the unfading luster of His throne—the immediate companions of His joys, and the perfect delight of His heart.
O Thy glory, Lord, is mine—the light
That beams upon Thy lustrous brow;
For changed into its image bright
I yet shall be, as Thou art now!
Thy rich inheritance is mine;
Joint heir with Thee of worlds above,
Lord, in Thy kingdom I shall shine,
And reign with Thee in endless love.
Thy fullness, Lord, is mine—for oh!
That fullness is a fount as free
As it is inexhaustible!
Jehovah’s boundless gift to me!
My Christ! O sing, ye heaven of heavens.
Let every angel lift his voice;
Sound with ten thousand harps His praise;
With me, ye heavenly host, rejoice!
With tears, with songs, with holy psalms,
With daily love, with odors sweet,
With broken heart, with outstretched arms,
I’ll pour my praises at thy feet.”
It is one of the most plausible snares of Satan, to keep us occupied with the good we receive from the work of Christ, in place of being occupied with Christ Himself, and with His delight and interest in us. We enter too little into the divine side of redemption. Hence the great absence of joy and strength. Of Israel His earthly people it was said, “If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.” (Num. 14:88If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. (Numbers 14:8)) Faith could see that all their blessing rested, not on what they were, but on the Lord delighting in them: and this will yet be fully manifested, both in the heavenly and earthly people. “We have the same thought in Pro. 8:3131Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. (Proverbs 8:31): “And my delights were with the sons of man.” He rests in His love, and so should we.
There is still another remarkable word in verse 19, “That ye might be filed with all the fullness of God.” Again we are launched on a sea without a shore, but it is a sea of love. More than this the apostle could not ask—further than this he could not go. The Church is Christ’s fullness—“the fullness of him that filleth all in all.” And He who fills ah things, fills our hearts with the fullness of God. “There is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Again, “In that day [the Spirit’s day] ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (John 14:2020At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (John 14:20).) It is only by the power of an ungrieved Spirit, that we enter practically into these great and blessed truths. If the world or the flesh be allowed, the Spirit is grieved, our minds are darkened, and we become confused, so that nothing is seen in its absolute, distinctive character. We must ever remember, that it is not by dint of study or learning that Christ is known or His truths seen; but by the light and teaching of the Holy Spirit. Hence the importance of the condition of the heart and the practical ways. This is the main object of the apostle’s prayer in this chapter. It is for the saints now that he prays—that their affections and all their practical ways may answer to their position in Christ as risen and glorified. Now we have an entrance into these things by faith, through the power of the Holy Ghost. By and by we shall be with Him, and like Him, and know even as we are known. But till then, our one desire should be, that we might grow up into Him in all things who is the Head, even Christ. The apostle now closes with a doxology of great fullness and beauty.
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ash or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” The great thought, in the first prayer, is the power that wrought for us. Here, it is the power that works in us. There, it was a power that wrought in Christ and raised Him from the dead, and which wrought in us and raised us up with Him. Here, it is the same power, but now it is put forth in a practical way. “According to the power that worketh in us.” It is also said in the second chapter, that we are “an habitation of God through the Spirit.” He would have us to enter now, by the power of the Spirit, into the blessed revelations of the love of Christ and the fullness of God.
Let this further and higher truth, then, greatly encourage thee, Ο my soul. What mayst thou not count upon, seeing the power of God works in thee? How wonderful, that such an energy should be at work in such poor, weak, good for nothing ones! But do I really believe it? I admit it, but do I believe it? or do I count upon it? Should I be so soon cast down? would a little thing so soon discourage me? should I be so subject to the power of circumstances? should I have so little faith, if I really believed that the power of God works in me? or, on the other hand, should I enter so little into my Savior’s love, and the fullness of my God and Father? Ah no! there is nothing I forget so much, or know so little about, as the power that worketh in me: Ο wondrous, marvelous, blessed word! “According to the power that worketh in us.” And yet well we know, and surely believe, that Thou art “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Lord, give us to know more of this power, that we may think less of difficulties—less of ourselves—less of circumstances, and more of thee, and of thy power which worketh in us.
Dependence, we own, is our truest position—our highest service—our richest blessing, while here below. And prayer is its very life-breath. But though everything is now characterized by feebleness and failure, the day is coming when God will be fully glorified in the Church. Blessed, happy thought! Christ, and the Church which is His body, shall be the blessed center of the manifestation of God Himself, as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in all His glory. What a place this gives the Church; and what a place forever! “Throughout all ages, world without end.” Ο what a privilege—what an honor—to be the dwelling place of God forever! What separation from the world—what lifting above it—what strength for service—what nearness in worship, should the knowledge of this truth give! Blessed prospect—blessed future! for the Church of God, the bride of the Lamb. “Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”