SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:19
y conocer la caridad del Cristo, que excede a todo conocimiento, para que seis llenos de toda la plenitud de Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ephesians 3:19
Verse 19. To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge] It is only by the love of Christ that we can know the love of God: the love of God to man induced him to give Christ for his redemption; Christ's love to man induced him to give his life's blood for his salvation. The gift of Christ to man is the measure of God's love; the death of Christ for man is the measure of Christ's love. God so loved the world, &c. Christ loved us, and gave himself for us. But how can the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, be known? Many have laboured to reconcile this seeming contradiction. If we take the verb gnwnai in a sense in which it is frequently used in the New Testament, to approve, acknowledge, or acknowledge with approbation, and gnwsiv to signify comprehension, then the difficulty will be partly removed: "That ye may acknowledge, approve, and publicly acknowledge, that love of God which surpasseth knowledge." We can acknowledge and approve of that which surpasses our comprehension. We cannot comprehend GOD; yet we can know that he is; approve of, love, adore, and serve him. In like manner, though we cannot comprehend, the immensity of the love of Christ, yet we know that he has loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; and we approve of, and acknowledge, him as our only Lord and saviour. In this sense we may be said to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge.
But it is more likely that the word gnwsiv, which we translate knowledge, signifies here science in general, and particularly that science of which the rabbins boasted, and that in which the Greeks greatly exulted. The former professed to have the key of knowledge; the secret of all Divine mysteries; the latter considered their philosophers, and their systems of philosophy, superior to every thing that had ever been known among men, and reputed on this account all other nations as barbarians. When the apostle prays that they may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, he may refer to all the boasted knowledge of the Jewish doctors, and to all the greatly extolled science of the Greek philosophers. To know the love of Christ, infinitely surpasseth all other science. This gives a clear and satisfactory sense.
That ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.] Among all the great sayings in this prayer, this is the greatest. To be FILLED with God is a great thing; to be filled with the FULNESS of God is still greater; but to be filled with ALL the fullness of God, pan to plhrwma tou qeou, utterly bewilders the sense and confounds the understanding.
Most people, in quoting these words, endeavour to correct or explain the apostle, by adding the word communicable; but this is as idle as it is useless and impertinent. The apostle means what he says, and would be understood in his own meaning. By the fullness of God, we are to understand all those gifts and graces which he has promised to bestow on man, and which he dispenses to the Church. To be filled with all the fullness of God, is to have the whole soul filled with meekness, gentleness, goodness, love, justice, holiness, mercy, and truth. And as what God fills, neither sin nor Satan can fill; consequently, it implies that the soul shall be emptied of sin, that sin shall neither have dominion over it, nor a being in it. It is impossible for us to understand these words in a lower sense than this. But how much more they imply, (for more they do imply,) I cannot tell. As there is no end to the merits of Christ, no bounds to the mercy and love of God, no limits to the improvability of the human soul, so there can be no bounds set to the saving influence which God will dispense to the heart of every believer. We may ask, and we shall receive, and our joy shall be full.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge , &c.] The love of Christ to his own, to his church and people, is special and peculiar; free and Sovereign; as early as his Father's love, and is durable and unchangeable; the greatest love that ever was heard of; it is matchless and unparalleled; it is exceeding strong and affectionate, and is wonderful and surprising: the instances of it are, his engaging as a surety for them; his espousing both their persons and their cause; his assumption of their nature; his dying in their room and stead; his payment of their debts, atoning for their sins, and bringing in for them an everlasting righteousness; his going to prepare a place for them in heaven; his intercession for them there; his constant supply of all their wants, and the freedom and familiarity he uses them with. The saints have some knowledge of this love, some tastes of it; their knowledge is a feeling and experimental one, fiducial and appropriating, and what influences their faith, and love, and cheerful obedience, but it is but imperfect; though the knowledge they have of it is supereminent, it exceeds all other knowledge, yet this love passes knowledge; not only the knowledge of natural men, who know nothing of it, but the perfect knowledge of saints themselves, in the present life, and of angels also, who desire to look into it, and the mysteries of it; and especially it is so as to some instances of it, such as the incarnation of Christ, his becoming poor who was Lord of all, being made sin, and a curse, and suffering, the just for the unjust. Now the apostle prays, that these saints might know more of this love; that their knowledge, which was imperfect, might be progressive. That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God ; this is the last petition, and is to be understood, not of a full comprehension of the divine Being, nor of a communication of his divine perfections, nor of having in them the fulness of grace, which it has pleased God should dwell in Christ; but either of that fulness of good things, which they may receive from God in this life; as to be filled with a sense of the love and grace of God; with satisfying views of interest in the righteousness of Christ; with the Spirit, and the gifts and graces thereof; with full provisions of food for their souls; with spiritual peace, joy, and comfort; with knowledge of divine things, of God in Christ, of Christ, of the Gospel, and of the will of God; and with all the fruits or righteousness, or good works springing from grace; or else of that fulness which they shall receive hereafter, even complete holiness, perfection of knowledge, fulness of joy and peace, entire conformity to God and Christ, and everlasting communion with them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-19 - The apostle seems to be more anxious lest the believers should be discouraged and faint upon his tribulations, than for what he himsel had to bear. He asks for spiritual blessings, which are the bes blessings. Strength from the Spirit of God in the inner man; strengt in the soul; the strength of faith, to serve God, and to do our duty If the law of Christ is written in our hearts, and the love of Chris is shed abroad there, then Christ dwells there. Where his Spiri dwells, there he dwells. We should desire that good affections may be fixed in us. And how desirable to have a fixed sense of the love of God in Christ to our souls! How powerfully the apostle speaks of the love of Christ! The breadth shows its extent to all nations and ranks; the length, that it continues from everlasting to everlasting; the depth its saving those who are sunk into the depths of sin and misery; the height, its raising them up to heavenly happiness and glory. Those wh receive grace for grace from Christ's fulness, may be said to be fille with the fulness of God. Should not this satisfy man? Must he need fill himself with a thousand trifles, fancying thereby to complete his happiness?
Greek Textus Receptus
γνωναι 1097 5629 τε 5037 την 3588 υπερβαλλουσαν 5235 5723 της 3588 γνωσεως 1108 αγαπην 26 του 3588 χριστου 5547 ινα 2443 πληρωθητε 4137 5686 εις 1519 παν 3956 το 3588 πληρωμα 4138 του 3588 θεου 2316
Vincent's NT Word Studies
19. To know (gnwnai). Practically, through experience; while apprehend marks the knowledge as conception.
Love of Christ. Christ's love to us. Human love to Christ could not be described in these terms.
Which passeth knowledge (thn uperballousan thv gnwsewv).
Which surpasses mere knowledge without the experience of love. Note the play on the words know and knowledge.
That ye might be filled with all the fullness of God (ina plhrwqhte eiv pan to plhrwma tou qeou). Note the recurrence of that; that He would grant you; that ye may be strong; that ye may be filled. With is better rendered unto, to the measure or standard of. Fullness of God is the fullness which God imparts through the dwelling of Christ in the heart; Christ, in whom the Father was pleased that all the fullness should dwell (Col. i. 19), and in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead (Col. ii. 9).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:19 {And to know} (gnwnai te). Second aorist active infinitive with exiscusete. {Which passeth knowledge} (ten huperballousan tes gnwsews). Ablative case gnwsews after huperballousan (from huperballw). All the same Paul dares to scale this peak. {That ye may be filled with all the fulness of God} (hina plerwqete eis pan to plerwma tou qeou). Final clause again (third use of hina in the sentence) with first aorist passive subjunctive of plerow and the use of eis after it. One hesitates to comment on this sublime climax in Paul's prayer, the ultimate goal for followers of Christ in harmony with the injunction in #Mt 5:48 to be perfect (teleioi) as our heavenly Father is perfect. There is nothing that any one can add to these words. One can turn to #Ro 8:29 again for our final likeness to God in Christ.
