Ephesians 3:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Eph 3:16-17). See with what insatiable longing he asks blessings for them, so that they may not waver. And how is this accomplished? "Through His Spirit in your inner man," and "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." In what manner? "That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge." What the Apostle prayed for at the beginning, he asks for now also. What did he say at the beginning? "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, and enlighten the eyes of your heart, that you may know what is the hope of His calling. What are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty strength" (Eph 1:17-19).

That is, we may understand the Cross of the Lord. Its breadth is the transverse wood on which the hands are stretched out. Its length is the wood rising from the earth to the breadth of the crosspiece, on which the whole body is nailed, beginning from the hands and below them. Its height is the wood extending upward from the crosspiece to the top, where the head is fastened. Its depth is the lower end planted in the earth and hidden there.

By this sign of the Cross the whole activity of the Christian is described. It is the duty to act piously in Christ and abide constantly in Him, to hope for heavenly things, and not to reveal the mysteries of the faith idly before the uninitiated.

Therefore, he says, I bow my knees before the Father, after whose likeness every fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named. I ask and beseech Him to grant you the power of His glory, that is, the power to receive the lot of His majesty. I ask Him to strengthen and establish you through the Holy Spirit, because without the Holy Spirit there is no strength.

He strengthens and establishes according to the inner man, because we seek not bodily powers, but the powers of the spirit. We wish to strengthen not the outer man, but the inner man. After Christ lives in the inner man, He dwells in the chief inward part of man, that is, in your hearts.

He does not spread Himself through all his members, but lives in his rational part and establishes there His dwelling and throne. All this happens through faith, when we believe in Him. Therefore the Apostle also says that Christ dwells in your hearts through faith.

This indwelling, arising through faith, has its roots and its foundation in love. Thus all things grow and are built upon love, because we are God's planting and God's building (1 Cor 3). Since we are rooted and grounded in love, we know with full confidence of mind that Christ dwells in the inner man.

Then, together with the other saints, we begin to strive to comprehend with a receptive mind what breadth, length, depth, and height are. Not only this, but we shall desire to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. When all this exists in us reasonably and harmoniously, we shall be filled in all things with the fullness of God.

First let us consider the meaning of breadth, length, depth, and height in a bodily sense, so that through this we may pass to the spiritual. Let the breadth of this heaven and earth, that is, of the whole world, be from east to west. Let the length be from south to north, the depth in the abysses and Hades, and the height what rises above the heavens.

Some, on the basis of the words of Ecclesiastes, assert that heaven is round and moves like a sphere. But what is spherical has neither breadth, nor length, nor depth, nor height. It is equal, coaequalis, in all its parts. Necessity therefore compels us to understand by height the Angels and higher powers, and by depth Hades and what lies below it.

By length and breadth we understand the middle region between the higher and the lower. Since from this it follows that one may be near either to the higher or to the lower, those who begin to move toward what is better and heavenly, and to ascend toward the high, are called length.

What is very near the lower part and inclines toward vices is given the name breadth: "For broad and spacious is the way that leads to death" (Mt 7:13). All this can be understood perfectly in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ascending on high, He led captivity captive (Ps 67:19), and He descended into the lower parts of the earth. After height and depth, the preaching of the Cross went out into all the earth. Thus it embraces height, depth, breadth, and length.

It is no wonder if the Cross of Christ possesses all things without exception, because even he who is crucified with Christ has the same authority. Indeed, let him first know breadth, beginning from the lower and knowing the lesser. Then let him know length, that is, those who are set upon the earth and hasten toward what is exalted and higher.

After this, let him know depth, that is, the opposing and hostile powers that wage war against us in this world. Finally, let him know height. We shall be able to ascend to the higher things only when, having knowledge of those powers, we compel them to be under our feet.

We must not think that this is the end of our labor. It is not enough that, grounded and rooted in love, we are able, possimus, to understand with all the saints what breadth, length, height, and depth are. We must also desire with all diligence to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. Then not only the simple love of Christ, but His surpassing love, will be known to us.

The end is still not attained by merely having knowledge of the surpassing love of Christ, unless we add another thing: to follow the love that surpasses knowledge. Therefore it must be noted that Christ has a great and surpassing love for knowledge, that is, for those who desire to know themselves.

These are those who meditate on His law day and night, who turn words into deeds, and who fulfill in action, manu, what they think. Whoever is such as to be worthy of possessing, through his knowledge, the surpassing love of Christ, must think of nothing except knowledge.

Thus he will be filled with every fullness of God, not only in the present age, but also in the age to come. Whoever now begins to be full in diligence through reading will afterward be more perfectly filled by God, who, by filling Himself, is the fullness of all.

According to Saint John Chrysostom, "What the holy Apostle prayed for at the beginning, he asks for now also. At the beginning he prayed, 'May God the Father give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.' And now he says the same: 'that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints.' He said. 'I bow my knees,' and not simply, 'I prayed.' By this he expressed his intense supplication for them and showed that he asks blessings for them with persistence."

According to blessed Theodoret, "God is Father in the proper and true sense. He was not first Son and then became Father. Rather, He is always Father, and Father by nature. Other fathers, both bodily and spiritual, have borrowed this name from above. He did not borrow fatherhood from another, but Himself imparted it to others."

"When the Apostle prays that God would grant the Ephesians to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in the inner man, he desires their spirit to become so strong that the assaults of its former influencers would be to it like a speck of dust against a granite wall. He desires the spirit to abide within itself without departing, standing before God and ruling itself by God's power with unshaken firmness" (Bishop Theophan).

According to blessed Theophylact, "The Apostle desires two blessings for the Ephesians: that they be strengthened by the Spirit, and that Christ dwell in their hearts. Or he desires them to be strengthened so that they may become capable of having Christ dwell in their inner man." For "Christ the Lord dwells only in the hearts of believers who are established and do not waver in love for Him" (John Chrysostom).

He has cleaned everything, sanctified everything, perfumed it with fragrances, and awaits the guest. It is pleasing for the Lord to come to such a one, and joyful and fitting for the host to meet and receive the Lord.

For one strengthened inwardly is one who has gained mastery over himself, overcome and expelled the passions, and been established in every virtue.

Of such a man the Lord Himself says: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him" (Jn 14:21).

A little below He says: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him."

"From these words understand," says Chrysostom, "how Christ dwells in hearts."

Blessed Theophylact writes: "He desires for them not only to be strengthened, but also what is greater and higher than this: that Christ should dwell in their inner man, that is, in their hearts.

He desires that He dwell not superficially, but in the depth of the heart. He desires two blessings for them: to be strengthened by the Spirit, and that Christ should dwell in their hearts.

Or he desires that they be strengthened, so that they may become able for Christ to dwell in their inner man." "So that they may be the temple of God," Oecumenius adds.

The words "in the inner man" and "in your hearts" show a deep indwelling, as if a grafting together. The Lord Himself likens His communion with believers to the grafting of branches into vine trees.

From this comparison He draws the conclusion that no one can truly live or bear true fruit unless he is united with Him in this way. Therefore He adds: "Abide in Me, and I in you" (Jn 15:1-8).

This is the law of life in Christ Jesus. As soon as someone is baptized, he has already put on Christ (Gal 3:27). In baptism the grace of the Holy Spirit regenerates to new life.

Yet this new life exists only on this condition: "if anyone is in Christ" (2 Cor 5:17). While the grace of the Spirit raises up our spirit, its union with Christ and Christ’s union with it take place.

The indwelling of Christ is the strengthening in the inner man. Our spirit is made alive by Christ. It lives and breathes by Christ.

Let us look a little higher and we shall see that the Apostle prays that the Father may be pleased to strengthen the Ephesians by the Holy Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ also may dwell in them.

The three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity act indivisibly for the salvation of all and of each. The Apostle expressed his good wishes to the Corinthians also from the Most Holy Trinity.

He said: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Cor 13:13).

We see the same in the Apostle Peter. To the Jews scattered everywhere he wishes that grace and peace may be multiplied in them "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet 1:2).

Spiritual life in all exists according to the good pleasure of the Father. Its norm is Christ the Lord. Its producer is the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, when we pray, "Our Father," or "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God," or "Spirit of truth, come and dwell in us," let us not divide in our spirit the single action of the Godhead.

Rather, let us ascribe the one work of salvation to the One God in three Persons. Not divided in nature, He indivisibly accomplishes our salvation by the threefoldness of the one saving grace.

Christ the Lord dwells in hearts by faith when they are rooted and grounded in love. He says: "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, being rooted and grounded in love."

"I pray," he says, "that you also may attain this, so that your souls, by the goodness of the Spirit, may become the dwelling of Christ who saved you.

At the same time he shows what they must bring from themselves for the building of this temple. Faith and love are needed, he says, so that you may flourish in them, having immovability as in a foundation and root" (Theodoret).

For "Christ the Lord dwells only in the hearts of believers who are established and do not waver in love for Him" (Chrysostom), and "are not dragged about and carried now here, now there" (Theophylact).

It should be noted that all our interpreters place the words "rooted and grounded in love" alongside faith as a condition for Christ’s dwelling in hearts.

Thus, in the following words, "that you may be able to understand," this understanding proceeds from the indwelling of Christ, not from being rooted in love.

Some arrange the discourse otherwise: "that, being rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to understand." By this the grammatical structure of the speech is restored, but the manifestations of spiritual life are disturbed.

They are then presented outside their proper order. The holy Fathers did not attend to this grammatical structure. They interpreted these words as though the text read: "that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts, rooted and grounded in love."

So Chrysostom also paraphrased it. Christ dwells because of faith in those who are rooted in love.

This is the indispensable condition of salvation proclaimed by St. Paul in all his epistles: faith working together with love. Faith is the beginning. Love is the end or summit.

Faith means such conviction in the truths of the Gospel as we have in our own existence. Only such faith is firm and solid, and gives a firm support for life.

Without such faith, living is the same as walking through a marsh or being storm-tossed by waves. In everything there is confusion, disorder, and fear.

How can one do anything good in such a condition, much less become established in a good life? Faith does not at once become so strong. From weak beginnings it grows to a perfect man.

Yet even from its first beginnings it illumines the whole path of life and shows what is required of man and how he can attain it.

In the beginning all this may be seen as one sees things by a light of which we say, "it is barely dawning." Yet still it is seen and understood.

The poverty of nature and the ruin of sinfulness are seen. The riches of Christ are seen, and that no one is forbidden to take possession of them.

This calls forth the decision to turn and cleave to Christ. Christ the Lord loves communion. As soon as anyone takes a step toward Him, He is there and gives all Himself to the one who approaches.

In the Mystery of Baptism or repentance, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, the union of Christ the Lord with the spirit of man is effected.

From that moment the human spirit becomes living and active, and self-governing. From the grace of Christ it receives strength to gain mastery over itself and over all that is in man and around him.

Having made a covenant, in union with Christ, to walk in His commandments and to do the will of the heavenly Father in all things, the spirit strengthened within begins to direct everything there.

It sovereignly subjects to this yoke all the actions of the soul, all the needs of the body, and all the arrangements of outward life. It rejects everything wrong and compels itself toward what alone is right.

It does this through struggle with every opposition arising within from the passions, which at their root have already been struck by self-denial. This whole labor is a toilsome walking in works of love.

Thus they are ordered within according to the principle and spirit of faith. Yet the spirit of life in Christ Jesus does not fill the heart all at once.

The believer, or the penitent, goes straight, but in the beginning only through self-compulsion and self-resistance. The life that wells up from the heart comes later.

Active love leads to love as feeling. This is already love rooted and grounded. Human nature, as Godlike, is inclined to love. Egoism, which entered through the fall, cooled it.

In the initial self-denial, egoism is cast away. The subsequent labor of battle with the passions that sprang from egoism, and the simultaneous labor of doing good, establish goodness in the heart.

They evaporate egoism together with the passions. The degrees of this evaporation are the degrees by which the heart is warmed with the warmth of love.

At the end of this stands the burning of the heart with all-embracing love, such as divine love is. This is love rooted and grounded.

Through a life that does not fall away from Christ, both faith grows and love grows. Together with their growth, communion with Christ, or the indwelling of Christ in the heart, deepens.

The maturity of faith and love, and the fullness of Christ’s indwelling in the heart, are simultaneous. Yet the communion of the soul with Christ, and of Christ with the soul, begins from the first moments.

It begins in the act of sanctification by the Mysteries. Having begun, it also remains. But it is hidden both from others and from the believer himself, though at times it is manifested.

After the purification of the heart, however, it becomes manifest to all. Then the gifts of grace are also revealed.

This is precisely what St. Paul desires for the Ephesians. You have, he says as it were, the good pleasure of the Father, the grace of the Holy Spirit, and the indwelling of Christ.

Add your own faith and the labor of love. When you bring love into feeling, or when love becomes rooted in you, then the fullness of the indwelling of Christ will be manifested in you.

He will fill you as fire fills iron. And all will see Christ living in you. This I desire for you. For this, bending my knees, I pray to the heavenly Father.