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#62.
The Love that Passeth Knowledge (Eph. 3: 18, 19).
pp. 147 149
A study of the text is needful before we attempt an explanation. As the passage stands
in the A.V. we have two subjects before us.
1. To comprehend.--The breadth, length, depth, height.
2. To know.--The love of Christ which passeth knowledge.
The Emphatic Diaglott renders verse 19, "To know even that which surpasses
knowledge". Perhaps "even" is not a strictly literal rendering of the Greek te, yet it
seems to catch the thought. Booomfield suggests that the sense of the passage is, "And
(in short) to know the immense love of Christ . . . . . though, indeed to completely know it
surpasses the powers of all finite beings". The sense is well expressed by using "even" as
above. We translate the verses therefore:--
"In order that you may mighty enough to grasp together with all saints, what (is) the
breadth and length and depth and height, to know even that which surpasses knowledge
the love of Christ" (Eph. 3: 18, 19).
As one meditates upon this passage, the necessity for such a term as "mighty enough"
becomes more evident. "The heaven for height, and the earth for depth" is the teaching
of Prov. 25: 3. Breadth and depth are connected with the earth and the sea in
Job 38: In the triumphant conclusion of Rom. 8: the apostle includes "height and
depth" among those things which are unable to separate us from the love of God. The
subject is confessedly too vast for human knowledge, but what little we do see in the
Word of that great love only makes us long to know more.
THE BREADTH.--"All saints." "Far off made nigh." "Gentiles."
THE LENGTH.--"Before the overthrow of the world." "The ages to come."
"The generations of the age of the ages."
THE DEPTH.--"The lowest parts of the earth." "Children of wrath."
THE HEIGHT.--"Far above all principality and power." "Far above all heavens."
The above is limited to the testimony of Ephesians, but as we extend our view and see
this mighty love at work in other dispensations we shall with the apostle exclaim, "Oh the
depth!" (Rom. 11: 33).
In the prayer of Eph. 1: resurrection power is spoken of as the exceeding greatness of
His power. In this prayer the love of Christ exceeds knowledge. This does not mean that
we are not to seek to know, any more than the fact that the peace of God passes
understanding prevents its enjoyment. In the new life, the "life that is life indeed"
(I Tim. 6: 19) where love will be recognized as the greatest of all gifts (I Cor. 13:),
when we shall know even as we are known, this theme, the love of Christ, may well
exercise our ransomed powers. Will there ever come a time when we shall have
fathomed its deepest depths, or scaled its highest heights? We think not. Like God