connection therefore of the prayer of chapter 3: is really with the close of chapter 2:,

the closing section of which reveals the church as a temple fitly framed together, "builded

together for an habitation of God in spirit". "For the sake of this" is the prayer of the

apostle. This habitation being "in spirit" he first prays for the strengthening of spirit in

the inner man, with this object "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith". "Dwell"

is katoikeo, "habitation" is katoiketerion.

Here we may see one of the purposes of prayer. Collectively and dispensationally we

are a temple, a dwelling place for God in Spirit. This is revelation; prayer leads to

realization. The Scripture reveals the glorious calling of the whole church; prayer makes

it an individual appropriation. Prayer desires that what is true of me as one of a great

company, shall in some measure be experienced by me as an individual believer. We are

however warned against a selfish isolation in this quest for experimental realization, for

the prayer indicates that the mightiest realization of all can only be as we "comprehend

with all saints". So also the earlier preparation of the prayer. "The whole family in

heaven and earth" is placed prominently before us. This prayer really ranges the whole

revelation already given in the first three chapters of Ephesians, turning revelation into

realization.

The comprehension of breadth, length, depth and height, takes account of the four

great distinguishing features of the revelation of the mystery. Breadth is mentioned first,

in 3: 6, where the threefold equality of the new calling is indicated. Such breadth had

never before been known. Such being our blessed privilege, the prayer is that we may

enter into its fullness. The length is found in 2: 7 and 1: 4, where in the working out of

this great purpose the ages to come are linked with the period before the overthrow of the

world. Depth and height are both indicated by the revelation of 2: 6, "raised us up" and

"made us sit together in heavenly places", Eph. 2: 11, 12, revealing the abject character

of those thus raised up, aliens, strangers, Christless, hopeless, godless. While "exceeding

power" is the climax of the first prayer, "knowledge-exceeding love" is the heart and

centre of the second. We have not yet reached the goal of this second prayer, however,

for spiritual strength, experimental realization of the "temple" character of our calling,

the mighty comprehension of breadth, length, depth and height, and the even mightier

attempt "to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge", are but steps to that goal.

"The fullness" is the goal of the ages. In its first occurrence in Matt. 9: 16 the word

so translated is used to indicate the opposite of a "rent" or "schism". This "rent" was in

mind when "The whole family in heaven and earth" was named. It was in mind when the

heading up of all things in heaven and earth was revealed, in Eph. 1: 10. The purpose of

this prayer is nothing less than the believer should be led so to acknowledge Christ as His

Head, so to take his place in the mighty scheme, so to anticipate that day when every

knee shall bow, so to anticipate that day when God shall be all in all, that, as expressed in

the language of the poet, he may be able to say: "I feel now the future on the instant."

Prayer links us to the revealed purpose. Prayer enables us most earnestly to desire the

accomplishment of that purpose, and prayer creates the desire in the heart that what shall