LESSON 4- Ephesians
Chapter 3
The Mystery- Revelation
Our Inheritance in Christ Cont.’
Chapter 3:1-21
Ephesians 3:18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- (of His love)
3:18 This is your reservoir of superhuman strength which causes you as saints to collectively grasp (come to terms with, make one’s own) the limitless extent of His love in breadth, in length, in height (rank), and the extremities of its depths. Mirror Translation
Eph.3:19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
3:19 I desire for you to become intimately acquainted with the love of Christ on the deepest possible level, far beyond the reach of a mere academic, intellectual grasp. Within the scope of this equation God finds the ultimate expression of Himself in you (so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God). Mirror Translation
“And to know the love of Christ” The experience of knowing Christ and the love that comes from Him is the edification, and it is what Paul desires for the Ephesians. As you learn Bible truth and apply faith to it, you grow in grace and in your knowledge of the Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.”which passes knowledge”
The verb “passes” is HUPERBALLO,”to surpass; to throw beyond”. Also translated as surpass, excel, exceed, transcend.
Knowledge” is GNOSIS, “mental understanding in the human mind. Knowledge of the love of Christ (EPIGNOSIS) is produced by edification of the spirit man and surpasses any purely human mental knowledge.
Application
- When there is something that surpasses, be aware that there is still something you need; there is still a distance to go.
- The word for knowledge (GNOSIS) refers to knowledge in the mind of the soul.
- To know something which surpasses GNOSIS means to have wisdom in the “heart, the spirit man.” (EPIGNOSIS).
- This surpassing knowledge is the spiritual IQ of the believer, how large the spirit man is and it’s based on the quantity and quality of the applied knowledge in the heart.
- The greater the spiritual IQ, the greater the knowledge of the love of Christ.
- There is a surpassing experience available to every person – to have a real, object, experiential the greater the knowledge of the love of Christ.
“that ye might be filled”
“Filled” is the aorist active subjunctive of PLERMO, which has several related meanings in the Greek New Testament.
- “To fill up a deficiency” – The deficiency is in the believer’s soul, namely a lack of spiritual IQ. The “fullness of God” is not there, so it must be provided.
- “To fully possess” – Word truth in the spirit is knowledge that is fully possessed by the human spirit. Since Jesus Christ is the Word, this is a reference to “Christ at home in your hearts by faith.” Eph. 3:17
Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Paul also prayed in Eph.1:17-19 that the :God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your [a]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the power of His mighty power.
Be Filled to the Measure of All the Full Fullness of God.
3. “To fully influence” – Edification fully influences the life of a believer.
4. “To fill with a certain quality” – The believer’s spiritual quality, his spiritual IQ and level of edification, are available to be used to provide a quality life. A quality life is characterized by: Faith-
Rest, Joy, Peace, a relaxed mental attitude, occupation with/in Christ, divine production of gold, silver, precious stones.
1 Cor. 3:11-13 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
Symbols:
- Gold- kingship, glory -Rev. 14:4; SS 5:11; Dan. 3:1; Matt. 2:11; Acts 17:29; Rev. 4:4; 9:7, 18:9-12 ,Mal. 3:3; Hag. 2:8.
- Silver -Redemption-Lev. 5:15; Ps. 68:13;1Pet. 1:18- 20;
Matt. 27:3-9
- Precious stones-Brilliant- In New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ.Wood- human endeavor
- Hay-little worth
- Straw- useless, worthless
The verb “filled” is in the subjunctive mood. This means that edification is not a given, it is potential. The tragedy here is that there are those who fade out rapidly.
Example: Matt. 13;18, Mark 4:1-20, Luke 8:4-15-the parable of the sower, in which:
- The unbeliever by the wayside rejects the gospel.
- The person on rock soil has knowledge pushed out by suffering.
- Thorns refer to slavery to the details of life, resulting in no edification.
- But knowledge (GNOSIS) plus good soil.
(FAITH) produce wisdom (EPIGNOSIS), and the production of divine good.
“with all the fulness of God” – the complete package – length, breadth, depth, height. As mentioned in the previous lesson this means:
- Width- language used in shadowing forth the greatness, extent, and number of the blessings received from Christ,Length – of number and quantity, equivalent to numerous, large: ἀγέλη, Mark 5:11; abundant
- Depth- thickness- fathomless-broad place- same word as used in Ps. 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
- Height- tank-your position in Christ.
FULLNESS. (Eph. 3:19) pleroma (play-row-mah); Strong’s #4138: Full number, full complement, full measure, copiousness, plenitude, that which has been completed. The word describes a ship with a full cargo and crew, and a town with no empty houses. Pleroma, strongly emphasizes fullness and completion.
Spiritual Leaders: Pray as Well as Teach (Eph. 3:14-21).
Spiritual leaders must pray for their people as well as teach them. Paul prayed that his fellow believers might know the strength of the Spirit’s reinforcement in the inner person, just as a storm-tossed ship on which he once sailed was strengthened inside by bracings and undergirded outside by cables (Acts 27:17).
Acts 27:17 When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the [a]Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven.
Knowing that the strength of Christianity is not outward laws but inward character, Paul prayed that Christ might enter through the open door of faith, dwell in their hearts, and imprint His nature upon their minds, wills, and emotions. Christ brings His life—the very soil in which we take root and blossom, the ground in which our lives are founded. Prayers/Declarations beget prayer, for the believer in whom Christ’s love is bringing the fullness of God will learn to ask and expect great things from Him because everything has already been given us that pertain to life and godliness.
2 Peter 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
We have not been called, chosen, redeemed and accepted because of our own merit – but by His glory, His goodness, His virtue and His grace and we are called to share in His glory and be clothed in His righteousness as children of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
Let us never forget that our heavenly position and privileges are ours in Christ Jesus Who, by His divine power has given us everything that is needed for life and godliness. And let us never forget that all that we are and all that we have is because of His glory, His goodness and His grace – Who laid aside His glory so that He could call us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Again, knowledge (EPIGNOSIS)means to have wisdom in the “heart, the spirit man.” EPIGNOSIS (is a Greek word meaning precise and correct knowledge. It is used in the New Testament twenty times: fifteen times by the Apostle Paul, one time in Hebrews and four times by the Apostle Peter.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (Eph. 1:17 KJV).
Epignosis produces practical results in our knowledge of God. For example, we may have an understanding (gnosis) of healing, but still be sick in our body. When you have epignosis of healing, you get healed! Get epignosis of the Father.
MEDITATE
What happens when epignosis is received? Declare that “I am growing in the epignosis of God, and coming into the fullness of the knowledge of my rights, privileges, and blessings in Christ”.
APPLY THE WORD
Epignosis is your key to unlock the treasures of grace in your life. Go for it. It is in the Scriptures, if you will allow the Spirit to give it to you!
PRAY/DECLARE- this knowledge with the Word of God
We will continue with Lesson 4 next week. The blessings of the Lord are upon you whether by blood, adoption/sonship or assignment. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22