TRV
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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ephesians 1:15–23. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have come to the last part of this chapter, which consists of Paul's earnest prayer to God in behalf of these Ephesians. We should pray for the persons for whom we give thanks. Our apostle blesses God for what he had done for them, and then he prays that he would do more for them. He gives thanks for spiritual blessings, and prays for further supplies of them; for God will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. He has laid up these spiritual blessings for us in the hands of his Son, the Lord Jesus; but then he has appointed us to draw them out, and fetch them in, by prayer. We have no part nor lot in the matter, any further than we claim it by faith and prayer. One inducement to pray for them was the good account he had of them, of their faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints, Eph 1:15. Faith in Christ, and love to the saints, will be attended with all other graces. Love to the saints, as such, and because they are such, must include love to God. Those who love saints, as such, love all saints, how weak in grace, how mean in the world, how fretful and peevish soever, some of them may be. Another inducement to pray for them was because they had received the earnest of the inheritance: this we may observe from the words being connected with the preceding ones by the particle wherefore. "Perhaps you will think that, having received the earnest, it should follow, therefore you are happy enough, and need take no further care: you need not pray for yourselves, nor I for you." No, quite the contrary. Wherefore - I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, Eph 1:16. While he blesses God for giving them the Spirit, he ceases not to pray that he would give unto them the Spirit (Eph 1:17), that he would give greater measures of the Spirit. Observe, Even the best of Christians need to be prayed for: and, while we hear well of our Christian friends, we should think ourselves obliged to intercede with God for them, that they may abound and increase yet more and more. Now what is it that Paul prays for in behalf of the Ephesians? Not that they might be freed from persecution; nor that they might possess the riches, honours, or pleasures of the world; but the great thing he prays for is the illumination of their understandings, and that their knowledge might increase and abound: he means it of a practical and experimental knowledge. The graces and comforts of the Spirit are communicated to the soul by the enlightening of the understanding. In this way he gains and keeps possession. Satan takes a contrary way: he gets possession by the senses and passions, Christ by the understanding. Observe,
I.Whence this knowledge must come from the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph 1:17.
The Lord is a God of knowledge, and there is no sound saving knowledge but what comes from him; and therefore to him we must look for it, who is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ (see Eph 1:3) and the Father of glory. It is a Hebraism. God is infinitely glorious in himself all glory is due to him from his creatures, and he is the author of all that glory with which his saints are or shall be invested. Now he gives knowledge by giving the Spirit of knowledge; for the Spirit of God is the teacher of the saints, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. We have the revelation of the Spirit in the word: but will that avail us, if we have not the wisdom of the Spirit in the heart? If the same Spirit who indited the sacred scriptures do not take the veil from off our hearts, and enable us to understand and improve them, we shall be never the better. - In the knowledge of him, or for the acknowledgment of him; not only a speculative knowledge of Christ, and of what relates to him, but an acknowledgment of Christ's authority by an obedient conformity to him, which must be by the help of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. This knowledge is first in the understanding. He prays that the eyes of their understanding may be enlightened, Eph 1:18. Observe, Those who have their eyes opened, and have some understanding in the things of God, have need to be more and more enlightened, and to have their knowledge more clear, and distinct, and experimental. Christians should not think it enough to have warm affections, but they should labour to have clear understandings; they should be ambitious of being knowing Christians, and judicious Christians.
II.What it is that he more particularly desire they should grow in the knowledge of.
1.The hope of his calling, Eph 1:18. Christianity is our calling. God has called us to it, and on that account it is said to be his calling. There is a hope in this calling; for those who deal with God deal upon trust. And it is a desirable thing to know what this hope of our calling is, to have such an acquaintance with the immense privileges of God's people, and the expectations they have from God, and with respect to the heavenly world, as to be quickened thereby to the utmost diligence and patience in the Christian course. We ought to labour after, and pray earnestly for, a clearer insight into, and a fuller acquaintance with, the great objects of a Christian's hopes.
2.The riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Besides the heavenly inheritance prepared for the saints, there is a present inheritance in the saints; for grace is glory begun, and holiness is happiness in the bud. There is a glory in this inheritance, riches of glory, rendering the Christian more excellent and more truly honourable than all about him: and it is desirable to know this experimentally, to be acquainted with the principles, pleasures, and powers, of the spiritual and divine life. It may be understood of the glorious inheritance in or among the saints in heaven, where God does, as it were, lay forth all his riches, to make them happy and glorious, and where all that the saints are in possession of is transcendently glorious, as the knowledge that can be attained of this upon earth is very desirable, and must be exceedingly entertaining and delightful. Let us endeavour then, by reading, contemplation, and prayer, to know as much of heaven as we can, that we may be desiring and longing to be there.
3.The exceeding greatness of God's power towards those who believe, Eph 1:19. The practical belief of the all-sufficiency of God, and of the omnipotence of divine grace, is absolutely necessary to a close and steady walking with him. It is a desirable thing to know experimentally the mighty power of that grace beginning and carrying on the work of faith in our souls. It is a difficult thing to bring a soul to believe in Christ, and to venture its all upon his righteousness, and upon the hope of eternal life. It is nothing less than an almighty power that will work this in us. The apostle speaks here with a mighty fluency and copiousness of expression, and yet, at the same time, as if he wanted words to express the exceeding greatness of God's almighty power, that power which God exerts towards his people, and by which he raised Christ from the dead, Eph 1:20. That indeed was the great proof of the truth of the gospel to the world: but the transcript of that in ourselves (our sanctification, and rising from the death of sin, in conformity to Christ's resurrection) is the great proof to us. Though this cannot prove the truth of the gospel to another who knows nothing of the matter (there the resurrection of Christ is the proof), yet to be able to speak experimentally, as the Samaritans, "We have heard him ourselves, we have felt a mighty change in our hearts," will make us able to say, with the fullest satisfaction, Now we believe, and are sure, that this is the Christ, the Son of God. Many understand the apostle here as speaking of that exceeding greatness of power which God will exert for raising the bodies of believers to eternal life, even the same mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him, etc. And how desirable a thing must it be to become at length acquainted with that power, by being raised out of the grave thereby unto eternal life!
Having said something of Christ and his resurrection, the apostle digresses a little from the subject he is upon to make some further honourable mention of the Lord Jesus and his exaltation. He sits at the Father's right hand in the heavenly places, etc., Eph 1:20, Eph 1:21. Jesus Christ is advanced above all, and he is set in authority over all, they being made subject to him. All the glory of the upper world, and all the powers of both worlds, are entirely devoted to him. The Father hath put all things under his feet (Eph 1:22), according to the promise, Psa 110:1. All creatures whatsoever are in subjection to him; they must either yield him sincere obedience or fall under the weight of his sceptre, and receive their doom from him. God GAVE him to be head over all things. It was a gift to Christ, considered as a Mediator, to be advanced to such dominion and headship, and to have such a mystical body prepared for him: and it was a gift to the church, to be provided with a head endued with so much power and authority. God gave him to be the head over all things. He gave him all power both in heaven and in earth. The Father loves the Son, and hath given ALL things into his hands. But that which completes the comfort of this is that he is the head over all things to the church; he is entrusted with all power, that is, that he may dispose of all the affairs of the providential kingdom in subserviency to the designs of his grace concerning his church. With this therefore we may answer the messengers of the nations, that the Lord hath founded Zion. The same power that supports the world support the church; and we are sure he loves his church, for it is his body (Eph 1:23), his mystical body, and he will care for it. It is the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Jesus Christ filleth all in all; he supplies all defects in all his members, filling them with his Spirit, and even with the fulness of God, Eph 3:19. And yet the church is said to be his fulness, because Christ as Mediator would not be complete if he had not a church. How could he be a king if he had not a kingdom? This therefore comes in to the honour of Christ, as Mediator, that the church is his fulness.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
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Therefore, if he bids us "be made dead to the law through the body of Christ," (which is the Church, which consists in the spirit of newness,) not "through the letter of oldness," (that is, of the law,)-taking you away from the law, which does not keep a wife, when her husband is dead, from becoming (wife) to another husband-he reduces you to (subjection to) the contrary condition, that you are not to marry when you have lost your husband; and in as far as you would not be accounted an adulteress if you became (wife) to a second husband after the death of your (first) husband, if you were still bound to act in (subjection to) the law, in so far as a result of the diversity of (your) condition, he does prejudge you (guilty) of adultery if, after the death of your husband, you do marry another: inasmuch as you have now been made dead to the law, it cannot be lawful for you, now that you have withdrawn from that (law) in the eye of which it was lawful for you.
Accordingly, ourselves "who were sometime alienated and enemies in our mind by wicked works" does He reconcile to the Creator, against whom we had committed offence-worshipping the creature to the prejudice of the Creator. As, however, he says elsewhere, that the Church is the body of Christ, so here also (the apostle) declares that he "fills up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh for His body's sake, which is the Church.
The church is called the body of Christ. We inquire whether as the body is distinguished from the head so we should think of [the church] here as an organ of its Head. Or should we rather think of the head as an aspect of the body of a person, so the whole church of Christ is Christ’s body in that he ensouls it with his Godhead and fills it with his Spirit. Or perhaps it should be interpreted in another way. But even if the second is true, the more human part of it is by itself a subservient aspect of the whole body, while the divinity that gives life to the whole church is, as it were, the divine power that enlivens it.
All these statements about the magnificence and power of Christ have this purpose: To prove that nothing further is to be received, no other thought required to complete the revelation. The Ephesians are therefore in error if they add anything further and introduce anything from the teaching of the Jews or of the world.
Christ is the fullness of the church. This entire fullness is in process of being filled up. At one stage everything which is being filled is made empty. So Christ was emptied or emptied himself. Having recovered all things again through the mystery of salvation and saved the full number of souls, Christ is filling all in all.
So, then, brethren, if we do the will of our Father God, we shall be members of the first church, the spiritual, — that which was created before sun and moon; but if we shall not do the will of the Lord, we shall come under the Scripture which says, "My house became a den of robbers." [Jeremiah 7:11] So, then, let us elect to belong to the church of life, that we may be saved. I think not that you are ignorant that the living church is the body of Christ (for the Scripture, says, "God created man male and female;" [Genesis 1:27; cf. Ephesians 5:22-23] the male is Christ, the female the church,) and that the Books and the Apostles teach that the church is not of the present, but from the beginning. For it was spiritual, as was also our Jesus, and was made manifest at the end of the days in order to save you. [1 Peter 1:20]
"Which is His body."
In order then that when you hear of the Head you may not conceive the notion of supremacy only, but also of consolidation, and that you may behold Him not as supreme Ruler only, but as Head of a body.
"The fulness of Him that filleth all in all" he says.
As though this were not sufficient to show the close connection and relationship, what does he add? "The fullness of Christ is the Church." And rightly, for the complement of the head is the body, and the complement of the body is the head. Mark what great arrangement Paul observes, how he spares not a single word, that he may represent the glory of God. "The, complement," he says, i.e., the head is, as it were, filled up by the body, because the body is composed and made up of all its several parts, and he introduces Him as having need of each single one and not only of all in common and together; for unless we be many, and one be the hand, and another the foot, and another some other member, the whole body is not filled up. It is by all then that His body is filled up. Then is the head filled up, then is the body rendered perfect, when we are all knit together and united. Perceivest thou then the "riches of the glory of His inheritance? the exceeding greatness of His power towards them that believe? he hope of your calling?"
Moral. Let us reverence our Head, let us reflect of what a Head we are the body,-a Head, to whom all things are put in subjection. According to this representation we ought to be better, yea, than the very angels, and greater than the Archangels, in that we have been honored above them all. God "took not hold of Angels," as he says in writing to the Hebrews, "but He took hold of the seed of Abraham." He took hold of neither principality nor power, nor dominion, nor any other authority, but He took up our nature, and made it to sit on His right hand. And why do I say, hath made it sit? He hath made it His garment, and not only so, but hath put all things in subjection under His feet. How many sorts of death supposest thou? How many souls? ten thousand? yea, and ten thousand times told, but nothing equal to it wilt thou mention. Two things He hath done, the greatest things. He hath both Himself descended to the lowest depth of humiliation, and hath raised up man to the height of exaltation. He saved him by His blood. He spoke of the former first, how that He so greatly humbled Himself. He speaks now of what is stronger than that-a great thing, the crown of all. Surely, even had we been counted worthy of nothing, it were enough. Or, had we been counted worthy even of this honor, it were enough, without the slaying of the Son. But where there are the two, what power of language must it not transcend and surpass? The very resurrection is not great, when I reflect on these things. It is of Him that he says, "The God of our Lord Jesus Christ," not of God the Word.
Let us feel awed at the closeness of our relation, let us dread lest any one should be cut off from this body, lest any one should fall from it, lest any one should appear unworthy of it. If any one were to place a diadem about our head, a crown of gold, should we not do every thing that we might seem worthy of the lifeless jewels? But now it is not a diadem that is about our head, but, what is far greater, Christ is made our very Head, and yet we pay no regard to it. Yet Angels reverence that Head, and Archangels, and all those powers above. And shall we, which are His body, be awed neither on the one account nor the other? And what then shall be our hope of salvation? Conceive to yourself the royal throne, conceive the excess of the honor. This, at least if we chose, might more avail to startle us, yea, even than hell itself. For, even though hell were not, that we having been honored with such an honor, should be found base and unworthy of it, what punishment, what vengeance must not this carry with it? Think near whom thy Head is seated, (this single consideration is amply sufficient for any purpose whatever,) on whose right hand He is placed, far above all principality, and power, and might. Yet is the body of this Head trampled on by the very devils. Nay, God forbid it should be thus; for were it thus, such a body could be His body no longer. Thy own head the more respectable of thy servants reverence, and dost thou subject thy body to be the sport of them that insult it? How sore punishment then shall thou not deserve? If a man should bind the feet of the emperor with bonds and fetters, will he not be liable to the extremity of punishment? Dost thou expose the whole body to fierce monsters, and not shudder?
However, since our discourse is concerning the Lord's body, come, and let us turn our thoughts to it, even that which was crucified, which was nailed, which is sacrificed. If thou art the body of Christ, bear the Cross, for He bore it: bear spitting, bear buffetings, bear nails. Such was that Body; that Body "did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth." His hands did every thing for the benefit of them that needed, His mouth uttered not a word of those things which are not convenient. He heard them say, "Thou hast a devil," and He answered nothing.
In the same way as a hand has many members subject to it, of which some are diseased and weak, so too our Lord Jesus Christ, being the head of the church, has as his members the whole congregation of the church, the saints and also the sinners. But the saints are in voluntary subjection to him, while the sinners are under compulsion.
By the church he means the whole community of the faithful. This he calls the body of Christ and the fullness of the Father. This body he has filled with all gifts. He “lives in it and goes about in it,” as the voice of prophecy says. But this will be more strictly so in the future life.… In the present life God is in all, since his nature is uncircumscribed; but he is not “all in all,” since some are impious and some lawless. Yet he lives in those who fear him and who put hope in his mercy. In the next life at any rate, when mortality has ceased and immortality is conferred and sin has no place any longer, he will be all in all.
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Summary
Ephesians 1:23 climactically defines the Church as the very body of Christ, serving as the complete manifestation and recipient of His divine fullness. This verse underscores the intimate, organic union between the exalted Christ and His redeemed people, portraying the Church as the vehicle through which His universal sovereignty, pervasive presence, and redemptive purposes are made visible and effective throughout creation. It reveals the Church not merely as an organization, but as the living extension of Christ's cosmic reign.
Context
Literary Context
Ephesians 1:23 concludes Paul's opening doxology and prayer, which began in Ephesians 1:3 and built to a crescendo of Christ's supreme exaltation. Having described God's eternal plan for salvation and the believer's inheritance, Paul then prayed for the Ephesian believers to grasp the "surpassing greatness of His power" (Ephesians 1:19). This power was demonstrated in Christ's resurrection and ascension, placing Him "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion" (Ephesians 1:21). Ephesians 1:22 explicitly states that God "put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church." Verse 23 then immediately clarifies what this church is in relation to this exalted Christ, providing the crucial identity of the Church as His body and fullness.
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul wrote Ephesians from prison, likely in Rome, around AD 60-62. The letter addresses a diverse Christian community in Ephesus, a prominent city in Asia Minor known for its temple of Artemis (Diana) and a center of various pagan cults and philosophical schools. The concept of a "body" was familiar in both Greek philosophical thought (e.g., Plato's "body politic") and Roman societal structures, but Paul uniquely applies it to the Church in relation to Christ. The idea of "fullness" (pleroma) was also present in Gnostic thought, which would later emerge more fully, suggesting a series of divine emanations. Paul's use of pleroma here likely preempts or counters such ideas, asserting that Christ Himself is the source of all fullness, and the Church is the recipient and expression of His complete divine reality, not a missing piece that completes Him.
Key Themes
This verse is central to several major themes in Ephesians and Pauline theology. Foremost is The Church as Christ's Body, emphasizing the organic, intimate, and unified relationship between Christ and His redeemed people. This metaphor highlights the Church's function as the visible, tangible manifestation of Christ's ongoing work in the world, carrying out His will under His headship. Another critical theme is The Church as Christ's Fulness, which conveys that the Church is the sphere or vessel through which Christ's divine perfections, power, and presence are made manifest and brought to completion in the world. It is the recipient of His divine abundance and, in turn, displays Him to creation. Finally, it powerfully underscores Christ's Universal Sovereignty, building on the preceding verses. The phrase "him that filleth all in all" asserts Christ's omnipresence and omnipotence, positioning Him not merely as the Head of the Church, but as the sovereign Lord who permeates and controls all things, everywhere, in every way, as also articulated in Colossians 1:17.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This pronoun serves to connect the preceding thought to the current statement, specifically identifying "the church" from Ephesians 1:22 with what follows. It functions as an explanatory link, clarifying the nature and identity of the Church as "his body."
Derived from a word meaning "to save" or "to make sound," sōma here refers to a living, integrated organism. In this context, it signifies the Church as a unified, living entity, not merely a collection of individuals. It emphasizes the organic union between Christ (the Head) and believers (the members), highlighting mutual dependence, coordinated function, and shared life, all directed by Christ.
This term denotes "repletion or completion," referring to what fills something up or what is filled. Here, it describes the Church as the "fullness" of Christ. This does not imply that Christ is incomplete without the Church, but rather that the Church is the sphere, the complement, or the manifestation through which Christ's divine perfections, power, and presence are expressed and brought to their full realization in the world. It is the vessel that is filled by Him and, in turn, displays His complete reality.
Meaning "to make replete, to cram, to furnish, satisfy, or complete," this verb emphasizes Christ's active role. He is the one who continually fills the universe ("all in all") with His presence and power, and He specifically fills the Church with His spiritual life, gifts, and divine essence, making it complete in Him and enabling it to fulfill its purpose.
Appearing twice in the phrase "filleth all in all," this word means "all, any, every, the whole." Its repetition underscores the comprehensive and absolute nature of Christ's filling. He fills everything (the cosmos) in every way (comprehensively, universally, completely). This highlights His cosmic authority and pervasive influence, extending His sovereign power and presence throughout all creation.
This preposition denotes "fixed position (in place, time or state)" or "instrumentality." In "all in all," it emphasizes the sphere or manner of Christ's filling. He fills all things within all things, or in every respect, signifying the pervasive nature of His divine activity and presence throughout the entirety of creation.
Verse Breakdown
"Which is his body"
This clause directly identifies the Church (mentioned in the preceding verse) as the "body" of Christ. It establishes a profound, organic, and intimate relationship, portraying the Church as the living extension of Christ's person and work in the world, just as a physical body gives expression to the will of its head.
"the fulness of him"
This phrase further defines the Church's identity, describing it as the "fullness" of Christ. It implies that the Church is the sphere or vessel through which Christ's divine perfections, power, and presence are made manifest and brought to completion in the world. It is the recipient of His divine abundance and, in turn, displays Him to creation.
"that filleth all in all"
This final clause describes Christ's cosmic nature and activity. He is the one who actively and continually "fills" the entire universe ("all") in every conceivable way ("in all"). This emphasizes His omnipresence, omnipotence, and universal sovereignty, demonstrating that His influence and power permeate all aspects of creation, and He actively works through His Church to accomplish His purposes.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Metaphor is central, with the Church being explicitly identified as Christ's "body." This is not merely a simile ("like a body") but a direct identification, emphasizing an organic, living, and inseparable union between Christ and His people. The Church functions as the physical manifestation of Christ's spiritual reality and authority on Earth. The concept of Personification is subtly present as the Church, though composed of individuals, is treated as a unified entity that embodies and expresses Christ's "fullness." Furthermore, the phrase "filleth all in all" utilizes Hyperbole or Totalizing Language to convey the absolute and comprehensive nature of Christ's pervasive power and presence throughout the entire cosmos, leaving no sphere untouched by His divine influence. This also functions as a form of Merism, where "all in all" encompasses every possible aspect and dimension, indicating totality.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ephesians 1:23 is a cornerstone for understanding the nature and purpose of the Church. It reveals the Church not as a human institution, but as a divine organism, intimately united with its exalted Head, Jesus Christ. This union means that the Church is the primary means by which Christ's cosmic authority and redemptive work are made manifest in the world. As His body, the Church is called to embody His character, carry out His mission, and display His glory. As His fullness, it is filled with His divine life and power, enabling it to be a complete and adequate representation of His presence to a watching world. This verse elevates the Church's identity, moving beyond mere membership to a profound participation in Christ's ongoing cosmic reign.
Reflection and Application
Ephesians 1:23 offers a breathtaking vision of the Church's identity and significance. To grasp that the Church is Christ's body and His fullness means that our collective life as believers is not merely a social gathering or a religious organization, but the very tangible expression of the risen Christ in the world today. This understanding should profoundly shape our perspective on Christian unity, our individual roles within the community, and our mission. As members of His body, we are intimately connected to Christ and to one another, called to function in harmony under His headship. As His fullness, we are recipients of His inexhaustible grace and power, enabling us to reflect His character and carry out His purposes. This truth should inspire awe, humility, and a deep sense of purpose, knowing that we are privileged to participate in Christ's ongoing work of filling all things with His presence and glory. It challenges us to live in a way that truly reflects the One whose body we are, demonstrating His love, power, and truth to a world desperately in need.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "the fulness of him" imply that Christ is incomplete without the Church?
No, the phrase "the fulness of him" in Ephesians 1:23 does not suggest that Christ is in any way incomplete without the Church. The Greek word pleroma (fulness) can refer to that which fills something or that which is filled. In this context, it signifies that the Church is the recipient and expression of Christ's complete divine reality. Christ, as the God-man, is inherently full in Himself, possessing all the divine attributes and perfections (Colossians 2:9). The Church, therefore, is the vessel or sphere through which His divine perfections, power, and pervasive presence are made manifest and brought to completion in the world. It is the means by which His cosmic reign is visibly demonstrated and extended throughout creation, not a necessary component for His personal completeness.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Ephesians 1:23 finds its Christ-centered fulfillment in the ongoing reality of Christ's exalted headship and the Church's inseparable union with Him. Having accomplished redemption through His atoning death and glorious resurrection, Christ ascended to the highest place of authority, being "seated at the right hand in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:20). This verse reveals that His cosmic reign is not abstract but concretely expressed through His Church. The Church, as His body, is the continuation of His incarnate presence on earth, the tangible means by which His life, love, and power are mediated to the world. Just as the physical body expresses the will of the head, so the Church, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, carries out the will of its Head, Jesus Christ. This organic union foreshadows the ultimate consummation when Christ will indeed "fill all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28) in the new heavens and new earth, where His glory will fully permeate all creation. The Church, therefore, is not merely a spiritual community, but the earthly manifestation of the heavenly Christ, demonstrating His sovereignty and preparing the world for His final glorious appearing (Colossians 3:4).