Ephesians 3:14-18

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

 

As we continue Paul’s prayer for the believers at Ephesus, I’m going to bore you today with a rule of Greek interpretation.  According to what’s called the Granville Sharp rule (named after Granville Sharp, an English anti-slavery advocate and Greek scholar), when you have one definite article (the word the, or TO in the Greek), then words connected by and (the Greek word KAI), each of the different words share the same subject, or it’s one thing with a different emphasis.  Therefore, the breadth and length and height and depth refer to 4 different aspects or characteristics of one thing; in this case, the plan of God for your life.  So what do these four aspects mean?

 

  1. Breadth – PLATOS – means the great extent or width of something.  In God’s plan, there is no problem that can “get around” the provision that God has made for you.

 

  1. Length – MEKOS – means length, or greatness or magnitude.  God’s plan for you stretches from eternity past, through time here on earth, and all the way to eternity future!  There has never been, and never will be, a time in your life that God has not planned for!

 

  1. Height – HUPOS – means height.  How high can you grow?  Where are we supposed to focus our attention? 

Colossians 3:1-3

1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, (and the first class conditional says that you have!) keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

 

  1. Depth – BATHOS – means depth.  This refers to the depth of the resources that God has provided to you inside His plan for your life.

Romans 11:33

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

 

 

Notice that Paul’s prayer is not for material things, relief from suffering, or any of the things that we usually pray for! Instead, he prays for the one thing that will do them the most good in any and every circumstance.  Paul’s prayer for these believers was that they would grow to understand all the aspects of God’s plan for their lives.  My prayer for you, {{name}}, is exactly the same!