Ephesians 3:19 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And to know the love of Christ,— There seems to be no reason why we should confine the interpretation of this text merely to the love of Christ in calling the Gentiles. Well may we recollect, on this occasion, all that love which Christ has displayed in redeeming his faithful saints, out of every nation and kingdom under heaven, Gentiles as well as Jews, from final misery, and exalting them to eternal glory: and this is so remarkable and admirable, that the most extensive explication of this text must certainly be the most proper. Nor can the phrase of its surpassing knowledge, merely signify its exceeding the Jewish dispensation, which is seldom, if ever, called knowledge; but its exceeding our most elevated conceptions. By knowing is meant, our experiencing, or knowing experimentally; and to know what passeth knowledge, is a figure called catachresis, which greatly enhances the beauty of the expression. It has been observed, that there is in this verse an allusion to the temple; expressing the Apostle's wish that the foundation might be so extensively and deeply laid, that a superstructure may be raised, extending itself to such a magnificent length and breadth, and height, as to be fitted to receive and lodge the sacred guest, that he might dwell, as it were, uncrowded in their hearts; and in this view the train of thought appears truly noble. The phrase, fulness of God, means, "such fulness as God is wont to bestow;" that is to say, wherein there is nothing wanting to any one, but every one is filled to the utmost of his capacity;—a fulness of all those gifts and graces which any one shall need, and which may be useful to him or the church.