14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Commentary
Vs. 14-15 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Because of all that God the Father has accomplished, and is accomplishing for us all through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul bows his knees to Him, meaning Paul in all reverence and thankfulness gives homage to God, for all who God is, has done, and is doing. Notice too that it is only our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family and earth is named, "for there is no other Name given under heaven amongst men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 As well notice how Paul calls all believers everywhere, whether in heaven or on earth, a family, just as the Apostle Paul refers to us all here on earth as, "the household of faith" (Gal 6:10).
Vs. 16 "that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,"
The Apostle Paul in bowing His knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ also makes prayer to Him on our behalf. Now Paul's prayer is that God the Father would according to the riches of His glory, strengthen us all through His Spirit in our inner man, (that is our inner person which is being is being renewed day by day, 2 Cor 4:16, so that we are being conformed to the image of Christ), so that our relationship with Christ and love for Him will not only grow, but our persons renewal and transformation will become even more effective as we open our hearts and lives to Him, and He Himself finds within ourselves a welcomed dwelling place. For the Apostle Paul wants us all to be not only encouraged and strengthened in our faith and lives, but He also prays that we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to be and do all that we as Christians should be and do.
Vs. 17 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
At the heart of this is Christ, dwelling in our hearts through faith, that we being rooted and grounded in love (1 Cor 13), will not only grow in our love for Him, and for all, but we will also become all that He intends for us to be. For our having faith In Christ and being rooted and grounded in love is critical to experiencing all that truly is Christian.
Vs. 18-19 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
The Apostle Paul wants every believer everywhere to not only be rooted and grounded in love, but also to comprehend with all the saints, what is the width and depth and height, (and thus the boundlessness) of the love of Christ for us which passes all knowledge, so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. For there can be no greater experience then to have and experience the love of God not only now, but also for all eternity. I pray then that we all, by the grace and mercies of God, both grow individually, as well as collectively in our understanding and experience of it.
Vs. 20-21 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
The Apostle Paul now in full confidence of God our Father's abilities to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us; now encourages us all to be likewise confident in Him. For having confidence in God is the beginning to being used by God for His purposes in the church. For that is the ongoing reality and testimony of countless saints in every generation who likewise had their faith and confidence in God through Christ, who then enabled them to go on to do many mighty works and deeds by which He was glorified and the church edified.
And so to Him who alone is all wise and and all powerful "be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
Commentary
Vs. 14-15 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Because of all that God the Father has accomplished, and is accomplishing for us all through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul bows his knees to Him, meaning Paul in all reverence and thankfulness gives homage to God, for all who God is, has done, and is doing. Notice too that it is only our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family and earth is named, "for there is no other Name given under heaven amongst men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 As well notice how Paul calls all believers everywhere, whether in heaven or on earth, a family, just as the Apostle Paul refers to us all here on earth as, "the household of faith" (Gal 6:10).
Vs. 16 "that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,"
The Apostle Paul in bowing His knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ also makes prayer to Him on our behalf. Now Paul's prayer is that God the Father would according to the riches of His glory, strengthen us all through His Spirit in our inner man, (that is our inner person which is being is being renewed day by day, 2 Cor 4:16, so that we are being conformed to the image of Christ), so that our relationship with Christ and love for Him will not only grow, but our persons renewal and transformation will become even more effective as we open our hearts and lives to Him, and He Himself finds within ourselves a welcomed dwelling place. For the Apostle Paul wants us all to be not only encouraged and strengthened in our faith and lives, but He also prays that we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to be and do all that we as Christians should be and do.
Vs. 17 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
At the heart of this is Christ, dwelling in our hearts through faith, that we being rooted and grounded in love (1 Cor 13), will not only grow in our love for Him, and for all, but we will also become all that He intends for us to be. For our having faith In Christ and being rooted and grounded in love is critical to experiencing all that truly is Christian.
Vs. 18-19 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
The Apostle Paul wants every believer everywhere to not only be rooted and grounded in love, but also to comprehend with all the saints, what is the width and depth and height, (and thus the boundlessness) of the love of Christ for us which passes all knowledge, so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. For there can be no greater experience then to have and experience the love of God not only now, but also for all eternity. I pray then that we all, by the grace and mercies of God, both grow individually, as well as collectively in our understanding and experience of it.
Vs. 20-21 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
The Apostle Paul now in full confidence of God our Father's abilities to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us; now encourages us all to be likewise confident in Him. For having confidence in God is the beginning to being used by God for His purposes in the church. For that is the ongoing reality and testimony of countless saints in every generation who likewise had their faith and confidence in God through Christ, who then enabled them to go on to do many mighty works and deeds by which He was glorified and the church edified.
And so to Him who alone is all wise and and all powerful "be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
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