Corinthians 6:16; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:5 and 14.  The word used in

Ephesians 3:17 is katoikeo and is found also in Colossians 1:19 and 2:9, `In Him

shall all fulness dwell', `In Him dwelleth all the fulness', and is employed

nowhere else by the apostle, except in Hebrews 11:9.  Kata, prefixed, gives

intensity, and katoikeo implies something more than the mere occupation of a

house, it implies something of the deeper meaning that attaches to the English

concept of `home'.  The fact that katoikeo is used by Paul (apart from Heb.

11:9) only of the Church which is the fulness of Him that filleth all in all, or

of Christ in Whom all fulness dwells, indicates something of its intended

richness of meaning.  Peter looking forward to the New Heaven and the New Earth

sees that at last Righteousness will have a `Home' (2 Pet. 3:13); and so rooted

is the attachment of the rebels to the earth and its ways in the day of the

Lord, this word is used thirteen times (significant number) of those who `dwell

on the earth' as of a special class.  We have already observed that this prayer

flows out of Ephesians 2:19-22, and have already noted the way in which

derivatives of oikos are employed in that passage.  We present them to the

reader afresh in order that the use of katoikeo by the apostle in his prayer may

be appreciated.

(2:19), paroikos

Alongside the house.

(2:19), oikeios

The family side

of the house.

(2:20), epoikodomeo

To build upon as

on a foundation.

(2:21), oikodome

To build as a house.

(2:22), sunoikodomeomai

To build together

as a house.

(2:22), katoiketerion

A certain or

durable dwelling.

It will be seen that the last word is katoiketerion and it is this word in

its verbal form that is carried over into the prayer of chapter 3.  It is the

purpose of God to make a `habitation', a katoiketerion in this assembly likened

to the innermost shrine of the temple.  It is the prayer of the apostle, that

those believers who form that assembly shall have some experimental acquaintance

with this blessed fact, that Christ should `inhabit' katoikeo their hearts.

This he prepares them for by praying for the needed power and strength to

receive such a guest, and points the one link whereby this power can be received

and used, namely `by faith'.  This central tower, the figure which we have used

to symbolize the structure of this section of Ephesians, has three stages marked

by the use of hina `in order that':

The 1st

`in order that' prays for strength, that Christ may dwell in

the heart by faith.