Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians.

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 12
Eph. 3:14-2114For 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).EPH 3:14-2114For 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)
"FOR this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family (πασαπατρια) in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; 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, that ye might be filled IN all the fullness of God (εις παυ το πληρςμα του θεου). Now unto him [the Father] that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask 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.”
NOTE ON THE ABOVE PASSAGE.
That which is symbolically shown in Rev. 21, where the angel measures the heavenly city, or New Jerusalem, is doctrinally found in Eph. 4:1313Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:13), namely, the "perfect man," "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," that which the apostle refers to when in the above prayer he prays, that the Ephesians "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." (Eph. 3) Observe what light is thrown on this passage by simply treating the words "and to know the love" as a parenthesis; showing that it is not Christ Himself personally, but the MYSTICAL CHRIST, THE CHURCH OF GOD, which is here meant. This we, by faith, are to measure, knowing at the same time "the love" which, flowing from the Head to the members, fills the whole body.