No.4. Love that exceeds Knowledge.


We pass from “grace abounding” the beginning of our salvation, to meditate upon another superlative that is associated with its goal and end.

For this we turn to Eph. iii. where the apostle balances the great chapters of doctrine (i.-iii.) with the corresponding chapters of practice (iv.-vi.), and bridges the interval by a prayer, a prayer which leads on and up until the believer reaches the very goal of the ages.

“That ye might be filled with (“up to” in the sense of measure or capacity) all the fullness of God” (iii. 19).

To be able to follow intelligently, or in faith, the apostle in this prayer of Eph. iii. 14-21 demands at the very least a fairly comprehensive understanding of the revelation contained in the first three chapters, a revelation that can never be appreciated apart from what is known as “Dispensational Truth”. The mystery in its uniqueness must be perceived, the entirely new ministry of Paul as the prisoner of Christ Jesus for us Gentiles must be accepted, and the new and high calling that seats the believer at the very right hand of God where Christ sitteth, must be believed and entered, before this great climax prayer can be endorsed or uttered. The reader to whom such things are strange, or but dimly seen, may feel tempted to turn away from such apparent spiritual pride, such high sounding claims, such Pharisaic separation; but there awaits us in this prayer a rebuke to any such overbearing presumption, for the very foundation upon which all our hopes ultimately rest is declared to be beyond our knowledge.

“That ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge” (iii. 18, 19).

We have “the root of the matter”, we have been rooted and grounded in love, but the basis of it all, “the love of Christ” may for ever be beyond our full comprehension. Indeed, the intervening clause “comprehend with all saints” suggests that only as a company, a body, a complete fellowship, will any such “comprehension” be possible. We are seeking to know something, which we are already warned “passeth knowledge”. This however, is an incentive not a deterrent. In human affairs, as we draw near to the close of an investigation, as our knowledge attains a measure of completeness, the early zest and eagerness of pursuit is likely to give place to slackness. The poet had seen this when he said:

“If what stone afar so grand,
Turn to nothing in thine hand.
On again, the virtue lies,
In the struggle, not the prize.”

Our quotation is from memory and is possibly faulty, but it will suffice. We are however confident that the quest before the believer will never cloy, there will never be “satiation” although there will always be blessed “satisfaction”.

“THE LOVE OF CHRIST WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE.”

It is this word “passeth” that leads us to include this subject among the superlatives of grace. In the original the word translated “passeth” is hyperballo. To speak in “hyperbolic” language is to use exaggerated terms. If these terms are justified, we have a strong and useful figure of speech, but if they are not, we are conscious of a careless untruthful exaggeration. A polite way of calling a man a liar is to say he is using hyperbolical language.

There is however in this third chapter nothing but sober truth. Those who know the love of Christ most are those who are the most ready to subscribe to the statement, “it exceeds knowledge”. For this reason, it may be that I Cor. xiii. says:

“Then shall we know, even as we are known . . . . . the greatest of these is love.”

We are, however, concerned at the moment, not so much with the occupation or capacity of the saints IN GLORY, but with their encouragement to endure IN TROUBLE, and the consciousness that grace superabounds and that love exceeds all human knowledge will surely minister to those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and sustain them in their hour of trial.

“My cup runneth over.”

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(From The Berean Expositor volume 37, page 123).

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No.4. Love that exceeds Knowledge.