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Hagios, which is the word translated "saints", occurs fifteen times in Ephesians, nine
occurrences being translated "saints" and four passages using the expression "all saints".
Love to all saints is the basis of the prayer of Eph. 1: Comprehension with all saints is a
requisite in the prayer of Eph. 3:, and indicates one of the outgoings of that love. There
is an extraordinary forcefulness in the opening words of this second section:--
"With the object that you may be mighty enough 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: 18, 19).
Strength for the indwelling Christ, might for the understanding of His love, such terms
are not usual, and emphasize the profound nature of the subject the more. The word
which the A.V. translates "may be able", and which we render "may be mighty enough",
is exischuo, and occurs nowhere else in the N.T. A lesser and more usual word is ischuo.
The substantive ischus is used in Eph. 1: 19--"according to energy of the strength of His
might", and in 6: 10--"finally, strengthen yourselves in the Lord and in the power of
His might". Now while the word ischuo has a variety of rendering in the A.V. such as
"avail", "be able", etc., it seems impossible to ignore the evident connection of the two
prayers of Eph. 1: & 3:, and not see the allusion to "the strength of His might" in the
opening of verse 18. The R.V. recognizes the need for a fuller translation and gives "may
be strong". Once again we have resurrection power indicated, here for understanding
something of the love of Christ, in chapter 6: for the conflict with spiritual foes.
The meaning of the word "comprehend" is better understood when we see how the
apostle uses it in I Cor. 9: 24, and Phil. 3: 12, 13--"So run, that ye may obtain"; "If
indeed I may apprehend". In both of these passages a race with a prize is the
context. In Acts 4: 13 the word is rightly translated "perceived", in the sense of "laying
hold" of a fact. Peter's admission in Acts 10: 34, "I perceive that God is not a respecter
of persons", suggests the idea that this "perception" was something forced upon him
rather than a process of reasoning. So in Eph. 3: 18. The might is necessary if we are to
"lay hold" together with all saints what is the breadth, etc.
From the inner shrine of the temple, where Christ dwells in the heart by faith, we go
forth in the strength of the risen One to survey the whole glorious fabric. The figure of
the building is maintained in the terms breadth, length, depth, height.