Ephesians 3

Ephesians 3:1

For this cause] He maintaineth his Apostleship against the offence of the Crosse, from whence also he taketh an argument to conforme his ministerie, affirming, that he was not onely appointed an Apostle by the mercy of God; but was also particularly appointed an Apostle of the Gentiles to call them to salvation, because God had so determined it from the beginning, although he deferred a great while the manifestation of that his counsell.

the prisoner of Jesus Christ] Not imprisoned by him, but for him: as likewise in Philemon, he styleth himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ, vers. 9. cast in prison for the Gospels sake, and in particular a prisoner for the Gentiles; not onely because he was their speciall Apostle, but because the ground of his sufferings at this time was the hatred of the Jews his countrey-men, who by their accusation procured him to be imprisoned at Rome: and the greatest cause why the Jewes his countrey-men thus maliced and persecuted him was, for that he made the Gentiles equall unto them, and thereby, as they conceived, impeached the priviledges and prerogatives of the Jewes above the Gentiles.

Ephesians 3:2

the grace of God] Gr. Tec. of his grace.

Ephesians 3:3

he made known] Gr. Tec. was made.

afore] Or, a little before.

Ephesians 3:5

Which in other ages was not made known] He meaneth not that none knew the calling of the Gentiles before, but because very few in comparison knew of it: and they that did know it had it revealed unto them darkly, and for hte most part under figures in generall and confusedly. The mysterie of the calling of the Gentiles was revealed in former ages, but not so distinctly and particularly as now it is.

by the Spirit] Gr. in

Ephesians 3:7

according to the gift of] Gr. according to the efficacie of.

Ephesians 3:8

lesse then the least] Or, farre the least.

the least of all saints] The word in the Originall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is as is were a double diminutive, and signifieth lesser then the least, if lesser might be; whereby we may learn that this eminent AposTle had descended to the lowest of those three degrees of humilitie above mentioned. See Rom. Chap. 12.

is this grace] Gr. was.

I should preach] See Galatians 1:16.

unsearchable] Gr. not to be traced out, or found.

Ephesians 3:9

make all men see] Gr. to make clear, or lightsome to all men.

which from the beginning of the world hath] Gr. from the worlds, or ages hath.

Ephesians 3:10

unto the principalities and powers] That is, the blessed Angels, Romans 8:38. Ephesians 1:21. Colos. 1. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 22. They are thus called by reason that God doth often make use of their miniterie in the governing of Countreys, and Kingdomes, Daniel 4:13. and Daniel 10:12. And these Angels themselves are very desirous also to look into, and contemplate the manifold wisdome of God in the governing of his Church, and the dispensing of his gifts and graces in Christ to the faithfull. 1 Pet. 1. 12.

known by the church the manifold wisdome of God] That in this glorious renovation of the world by Christ, not onely we, but even the Angels themselves also, may have a new proof and document of the wisdome of God in a different effect from what he demonstrated at other times by the different estate and condition of the Church under the Old and New Testament.

Ephesians 3:11

eternall purpose] Eternall, as the Schooles rightly distinguish, is said in a threefold sense; a parte ante onely, and so is that which had no beginning, but shall have an end: so are the Decrees of God even of such things as are accomplished in time, and have their period, eternall: and so is that purpose of God eternall, of which the Apostle here speaketh concerning the calling and incorporating of the Gentiles into the mysticall body of Christ and true Church of God. Secondly, eternall a parte post onely, that had beginning, but shall have no end; and so are Angels and the souls of men eternall. Thirdly, eternall a parte ante, et a parte post, that which never had beginning, nor shall have end; and so God onely is eternall.

Ephesians 3:12

with confidence] Gr. in.

Ephesians 3:13

faint not] Gr. shrink not back.

at my tribulations] Gr. in.

Ephesians 3:14

For this cause I bow my knees] He teacheth by his own example that the efficacie of the doctrine dependeth upon the grace of God, and therefore we ought to joyn prayers to the preahing and hearing of the Word; which are needfull, not onely to them who are novices in Religion, and babes in Christ; but even to those of ripest yeers and understanding in heavenly mysteries; that they growing up more and more by faith in Christ, being confirmed with all spirituall gifts, may be grounded and rooted in the knowledge of that unmeasurable love, wherewith God the Father hath loved us in Christ, seeing that the whole family, whereof part is already received into heaven, and part is yet here upon earth, dependeth upon that adoption of the heavenly Father in his onely Sonne.

Ephesians 3:15

whole family in heaven and earth] Or, father-hood, or whole stock. Nyssen in Psal. c. 8. defineth this family to be the whole number of all that are written in the Book of life:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so the meaning is, That God who is the Father of Christ by nature, is also by adoption the Father of all the Church, which is as it were his family, and the whole congregation of his children as well of those that are already glorified in heaven, as of the rest that yet do live by faith here on earth. See Ephesians 1:10.

Ephesians 3:16

grant] Gr. give.

in the inner man] See 2 Corinthians 4:16.

Ephesians 3:17

rooted and grounded in love] Gr. founded. Either rooted and grounded in that love wherewith God loved us, which is the root and very foundation of our election: or the meaning is, that our love, wherewith we love God who dwelleth in us by his Spirit, may be firme and constant. Ficta omnia sicut flosculi celeriter decidunt, vera gloria radices agit: the like may be said of charitie, fained affections and inconstant desires, like blossomes are blown away with every winde of temptation; true love takes deep root.

Ephesians 3:18

what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height] Many wits runne riot in their Geometricall and Morall discourses upon these dimensions: some conceive that the Apostle alludeth to the dimensions of the Crosse, and by height understand the wisdome of Christ; by depth his humilitie; by length his longanimitie; by breadth his charitie. Others place the breadth in the extent of charitie; the length in perseverance; the height in the hope of celestiall rewards; and the depth in the inscrutable judgements of God, Romans 11:33. See August. Ep. 112. Et de doct. Chris. l. 2. c. 41.

Others thus reckon these dimensions: He (say they) comprehendeth the length of the Crosse who hath learned from the beginning of the world to the end, no man was ever justified or saved but by the Crosse: he comprehendeth the breadth who conceiveth the Catholike Church scattered over the face of the whole earth to have issued out of Christs side: he comprehendreth the height who considereth with himself what is the height of the glory to which Christs humilitie raiseth us: he comprehendeth the depth, who sounds the bottome, so farre as by Scripture he may, of Gods election, and separating some from the masse of corruption and perdition wherein he leaveth others. The Glosse upon the New Testament resolveth all these dimensions into the immonsitie of Gods love, saying Quae sit latitudo, longitudo, sublimitas, profunditas hoc significat ut sicut in sphaera tanta longitudo quanta latitudo, & tanta latitudo quantum profundum; ita in Domino omnia aequalia sint immensae infinitatis. It is certain that the speech is figurative clothed with a metaphor taken from the Geometricians, who if they will perfectly know any building or structure, exactly measure it according to all these dimensions; and hereby the Apostle would have uas to labour as exactly to measure the spirituall temple of God, as the Prophets were exact in describing the dimensions of the materiall, (Ezek. 40.) that so they may understand how perfect it is in every part.

Ephesians 3:19

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge] Gr. Tec. the exceeding love of the knowledge of Christ. If it passeth knowledge, how may we know it? The answer is, either it passeth all other knowledge, or that it passeth all the capacitie of our wit, to comprehend it fully in our minde. For otherwise, who so hath the Spirit of God perceiveth so much, according to the measure that God hath given him, as is sufficient to salvation, 1 Corinthians 2:15.

filled with al lthe fulnesse of God] Gr. unto. That you may have abundantly in you, whatsoever things are requisite to make you perfect with God, that you may be replenished with all spirituall graces.

Ephesians 3:20

Now unto him that is able] He breaketh forth into a thanksgiving, whereby the Ephesians may be confirmed in hope of obtaining any thing they aske of him: for he that is able to give us above all that we aske, is more bountifull then we can imagine; will certainly freely give us whatsoever we aske according to his will.

in us] Gr. Tec. in you.

Ephesians 3:21

by] Gr. in.

ages, world without end] Gr. generations of a world of worlds.