Fathers

Ephesians 3

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For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; 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, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

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What the Fathers say

Ephesians 3:19

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"That ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God." What he means is this. Although the love of Christ lies above the reach of all human knowledge, yet shall ye know it, if ye shall have Christ dwelling in you, yea, not only shall know from Him this, but shall even "be filled unto all the fulness of God;" meaning by the "fulness of God," either the knowledge how God is worshipped in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, or else urging them thus to use every effort, in order to be filled with all virtue, of which God is full.

Homily on Ephesians 7 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

And may you be able, he says, to know the love of Christ, which surpasses all understanding. How then shall we know it, when it surpasses all comprehension? First, he said that the love surpasses comprehension, of course, human comprehension; but you will know it not by human thought, but by the Spirit. Then, he did not say that you will know its exact measure, but precisely this, that it is great and surpasses all comprehension. This I pray that you may know by the Spirit. And who, he says, does not know this? …

Commentary on Ephesians ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Next, since further knowledge is also necessary—a knowledge of the mysteries of the humanity—he goes on to know also the charity of Christ. For whatever occurred in the mystery of human redemption and Christ's incarnation was the work of love. He was born out of charity: "For his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ" (Eph. 2:4-5). That he died also sprang from charity: "Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn. 15:13). …

Commentary on Ephesians ↗

Bonaventure

The end-state, however, or fruit of Sacred Scripture is not just anything, but the fullness of eternal happiness. For this is the Scripture in which are the words of eternal life, which was therefore written not only that we might believe, but also that we might possess eternal life, in which indeed we shall see, we shall love, and our desires shall be universally fulfilled; and when these are fulfilled, we shall then truly know the charity that surpasses knowledge, and thus we shall be filled unto all the fullness of God. …

Breviloquium, Prologue ↗