It is not necessary therefore to find a specific reference in each of the terms, still less to accept any one of the many mystical explanations. The term breadth has with it the suggestion of great breadth. He desired that the object of study may be evermore before them: “that Christ may dwell,” etc. What is the object in view in the mention of these dimensions? Is it broad enough? [40] From all this, it is perfectly evident that "Since Paul purposely omitted all definition, leaving the phrase in absolute generality, no answer can be perfectly satisfactory. And you'll find some in the first chapter, you'll find some in the second chapter. [52] See App. What is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height - Here the apostle still keeps up the metaphor, comparing the Church of God to a building; and as, in order to rear a proper building, formed on scientific principles, a ground plan and specification must be previously made, according to which the building is to be constructed, the apostle refers to this; for this must be thoroughly understood, without which the building could not be formed. The idea that spiritual illumination is most likely to be received by followers of the solitary life has been widely held. is not to be found out to perfection; see ( Job I'm going to ask you to take chapters one, two, and three and read them through and find out what is the breadth of the purpose of God and the length and the depth and the height. You might see me get up and measure an empty spot. If we are to think of Him only as a man, however exalted and however perfect, you and I have nothing in the world to do with His love. You need to know the height, depth and width of a subject but what does the breadth have to do with anything? To get what Ephesians 3:20 means in detail, scroll down or follow these links for the original scriptural meaning , biblical context and relative popularity. The purpose of God in redemption was chosen and was worked out before there ever was a world. If I'm elected to be saved, I'm going to be saved; and if I'm not elected to be saved, I'm not going to be saved. In this verse, Paul says a prayer for the Ephesians. May not the former refer to its size and growing vastness, embracing, as it will do, so many myria ds of so many nations, and spanning the globe? ), or Temple (Bengel), the work of redemption, or the mystery previously noticed (Theophy., Harl., Olsh., Bleek, etc. But to what do the words ἐν ἀγάπῃ describing the foundation refer? Matthies holds the same allusion, but refers it to the moral perfections of God. Now the second thing is the length of it. cap. In chapter one and in chapter two. Broad as the race, and curtaining it over as some great tent may enclose on a festal day a whole tribe, the breadth of Christ’s love is the breadth of humanity. The grace of God can reach anybody. Why should you and I worry about the next ten days or the next ten minutes or the next ten years? By many of the older and later commentators, it is connected with the preceding clause. Ephesians 3:18-19 MSG - My response is to get down on my knees - Bible Gateway My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. We found that the way to measure the depth was to begin at the Throne, and go down to the Cross, and to the foul abysses of evil. "[41] Perhaps if we were to cite all of these possible meanings and were privileged to ask the apostle which one is correct, he might very well answer, "Why all of them, of course? “It seems to me legitimate to say that the love of Christ is ‘broad’ enough to encompass all mankind (especially Jews and Gentiles, the theme of these chapters), ‘long’ enough to last for eternity, ‘deep’ enough to reach the most degraded sinner (1 Timothy 1:13-15), and ‘high’ enough to exalt him to heaven” (Stott p. 137). поставленные на твердое основание самозабвенной любви к Богу и Его народу (ср. The Apostle here sets forth the ‘greatness’ (chap. “God's love,” as is noted in the paraphrase of Erasmus, “reaches in its height to the angels, and in its depth into hell, and stretches in its length and breadth to all the climates of the world.” Or, as Grotius explains it—“The Divine goodness in its breadth affects all men, and in its length endures through all ages; in its depth it reaches to man's lowest depression, and in its height it carries him to highest glory.” But this explanation, too, the context abjures, unless such were the sense of the previous ἀγάπη, which, however, means love possessed by us. Ephesians 3:19 NASB "And to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge"- the genitive "of Christ" cannot be objective, meaning "our love to Christ." May be able — even still further. . Combining the two words gives the idea of to settle down at home. The only reason urged for this interpretation is, that as Paul contemplates his readers as regenerated, he could not pray that Christ should dwell in their hearts, for such indwelling is inseparable from the new birth which they already enjoyed. And in the end of chapter one and chapter three he has been dealing with the revelation of the mystery of the church, the body of Christ, made up of Jews and Gentiles, all having the same relationship, the same standing and being fellow-heirs of the same body. It is a subjective genitive, meaning "Christ's love to us," or possessive genitive, "Christ's love." O backslider! Election and the covenant. them to an exalted state in glory. This is the end of their being rooted and grounded in love, that they, together with the rest of the saints interested in it, might have a larger and more comprehensive view of. ), edited by Matthæi in 1782. For this reason, too, he does not insert a genitive, as the substantive is so remote, nor did he reckon it necessary to repeat the noun itself. ), that being the supreme theme and the one which is immediately set before us in express terms. Now, anyone that knows me knows that I am a consummate organizer. Могли постигнуть. There does not seem to be much force in this reasoning. It was one of the wonders of the world - exciting admiration by its length, and height, and dimensions in every way, as well as by its extraordinary riches and splendor. Now, then, shall we continue. Besides, the break between Ephesians 3:18-19 is too decided. But Christ’s love is deep though it be wide, and suffers no diminution because it is shared amongst a multitude. Now I'm going to say something here, and I want to be careful what I'm saying here, because I know that you read commentaries and hear preachers and they say that the length, and breadth, and depth, and height, is of the love of God. Present participles would be logically necessary: “inasmuch as ye are being confirmed in love,” namely, by the fact that Christ takes up His dwelling in you. Then, when you go to chapter three, verses Ephesians 3:9-10, He's going to teach all created intelligences the wonderful wisdom of God. And height — Not to be reached by any enemy. He that overcometh will I give to sit dawn with me upon my throne, as I have overcome and sat down with the Father upon his throne. Второй плод, показывающий ефесянам, сколь сильна любовь Христа к людям. τί τὸ πλάτος κ. τ. The Greek word that was translated "know" in this verse is "ginosko." . “When Paul spoke of Christians comprehending the riches of God, he did not have in mind that only a few select saints could understand truth. The general idea of vastness is expressed in these ordinary terms for dimension. Laying aside the views of others, I shall state what will be universally acknowledged to be the simple and true meaning. I. The discovery of the Sinaitic manuscript leaves the weight of evidence in favor of the received order. As subsidiary to this, he adds, "and to know the love of Christ" (Ephesians 3:19) to us. “Unless your roots and foundations are in love, you will never really be able to understand the far reaching effects of Christ’s love!!! Harless adopts the view of Chrysostom and Theophylact, and regards the clause as a condition—“Christ dwells in their heart, since they had been rooted in love.” But the clause, so changed, becomes a species of independent proposition, giving a marked prominence to the sense, and connected at once with the preceding context as its result, and with the following context as its starting idea-the perfect being used with propriety, and not the present. What is the breadth, and length, … - It has been doubted to what this refers. The breadth, and length, and depth, and height;— It has often been observed, that this text is extremely emphatical. And may this be a day when you and I shall revel in this amazing fact that the gospel of the grace of God is sufficient to take anybody in, Jew or Gentile. If he means him to map out a country, he sets him first to make a plan of a neighbouring field or a farm. ‘Breadth refers to the nations lying beside each other on the earth, over all of whom the love of Christ will extend itself; length, to the successive ages during which it will reach; depth, to the misery and corruption of sin, into which it will descend; height, to the glory at God’s throne and near His heart, to which it could elevate all’ (Braune). Ephesians 3:18 “may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth” “We observe that the apostle now passes from our love (in which we are to be rooted and grounded) to Christ"s love (which he prays we may know” (Stott p. 137). It is a deliberate paradox. Compare with 2 Timothy 4:8). Let us thank Him and give our life to Him. Ephesians 3:18. Nor can we say, with Meyer, that the substantive standing without the article has almost the force of a participle—“in amando.” But the entire context proves that the love referred to is the grace of love. How often ἵνα and other conjunctions follow a part of the sentence which is with special emphasis prefixed, no matter whether that part of the sentence be subject or object (Romans 11:31; 2 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; Acts 19:4; Galatians 2:10, al. Denomination: Church Of God Length would be the longest measure, depth would be the narrower measure and the height would be the top to bottom measure. ), Ephesians 3:18 “may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth”. Commission to Preach God’s Plan. Nor are the feats of interpretation less forced or fanciful which have been performed by some more modern exegetes. If you refuse to allow Christ to direct your life, if you spurn the opportunities to be strengthened by the Spirit"s revelation and if you are apathetic about loving God or other Christians more, then you will never really realize the greatness of His love. Ephesians 3:18 Translation & Meaning. “All manner of sin.”. This is the height of the love of God, and the height to which that love raises the souls that believe in Christ Jesus! τεθεμ., with Holzhausen and Harless, ἐν χριστῷ, which is not even required by the anarthrous ἀγάπῃ; for without an article (in amando) it has “vim quasi verbi,” Kühner, ad Xen. In verse18 he prays, being rooted and grounded in love that we "may be able to lay hold of the breadth, the length, the depth and the height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.". But that clause is not epexegetical of the preceding, as is manifest in the use of τε instead of καί, for this particle does not conjoin dependent sentences-it only adjoins collateral or independent propositions. Some have even found here an allusion to the temple of Diana. Comp. You see it is put last, as the highest point of learning, There are some who have advanced as far as to understand somewhat of the depths, who do not know the full dignity and glory of an heir of heaven, and have felt but little of the power of His ascension. Paul wants them to easily comprehend this information, not to have to struggle with it, not to have to work at it and not to have to figure things out. Yes, it was broad enough to take me in, bless His name, and broad enough to take you in. But of what object is it that Paul is praying that his Ephesians may comprehend these dimensions? He stoops, and becomes incarnate; endures our sorrows; bears our sins; and suffers our shame and death. [that you] may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; Gr. translation. (a) Stoop of Divine love, condescending to consider us, to commune with us, to receive us in love, to bear with our faults, and to take us up from our low estate. Not of the Christian church, as the spiritual temple of God, Revelation 21:16 (Heinsius, Homberg, Wolf, Michaelis, Cramer, Koppe, and others; comp. None have either the disposition or the skill to comprehend the vastness and glory of the spiritual temple, save they who are in it themselves, and who, being individual and separate shrines, can reason from their own enjoyment to the dignity and splendour of the universal edifice. VII (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958), p. 35. Christ’s, the nations; and it is so firmly built that it can never be destroyed, but will extend into Eternity!! In chapter2, He took Jew and Gentile and He's made them one in Christ; this is the purpose of God. height. Comp. 3. Now, it doesn't say in Ephesians 1:4 that He chose you to be saved. Job 11:7-9. καταλαβέσθαι] to apprehend, κατανοεῖν. It's broad enough in the purpose of God to bring you into the body of Christ and make you a joint heir with Him, a fellow-heir with Jew and Gentile. iv. Matthew 13:3 ff. And they who feel themselves “rooted and grounded in love” need no incitement to this survey and measurement, for He whom they love is its foundation, while His Father dwells in it, and His Spirit builds it up with generation after generation of believers. Similar manner, Paul wants his audience to be irregular, as one with Jesus as much as possible immediately! Talking to those who have the strength and Spirit within, to grasp mentally should you and I wonder your! Was the mystery of chapter three ; he takes Jews and Gentiles into the structure a. 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