Ephesians 3:17 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

That - so that.

Dwell, х katoikeesai (G2730)] - abidingly (John 14:16; John 14:18; John 14:23). Where the Spirit is, there Christ is.

By faith - Greek, 'through faith,' which opens the door of the heart to Jesus (Rev. 3:26). It is not enough that He be on the tongue or flit through the brain: the heart is His proper seat-the seat of the soul х psuchee (G5590)] in respect to the affections (Calvin). 'You having been rooted and grounded in love' (the state resulting from Christ's dwelling in the heart) (cf. Ephesians 3:19), is in the Greek connected with this clause. "Rooted" is an image from a tree; "grounded" (Greek, 'founded'), from a building (cf. note, Ephesians 2:20-21; Colossians 1:23; Colossians 2:7). Contrast Matthew 13:6; Matthew 13:21. "Love" (Colossians 3:14; 1 John 4:7-8), the first-fruit of the Spirit, flowing from Christ's love realized in the soul, is the basis on which should rest the further comprehension of all the vastness of Christ's love.

Ephesians 3:17

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,