Fathers

Ephesians 3

Tap a verse to read the Fathers. Press and hold, then drag, to make a card.

For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you, how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words, by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News, of which I was made a servant according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ, to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory. For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

About · Privacy · Credits · Support VRSZ

What the Fathers say

Ephesians 3:15

Eastern Fathers

Theophylact of Ohrid

From the supreme Father, he says, "every family": "on earth" — he calls tribes families, having received this name from the names of their fathers; "in heaven," however — since there no one is born from anyone — by families he designates the individual hosts, that is, both the heavenly and the earthly orders He created, and from Him came those who are called fathers.

Commentary on Ephesians ↗

Theodoret of Cyrus

God is fully and truly Father; for he was not first a father and later became son but is always Father and Father by nature. The other fathers, whether bodily or spiritual, have received this name from above.… Paul is saying here that he is petitioning the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is truly Father. He has his fatherhood not by receiving from another but himself has conferred fathering upon others.

Interpretation of the Epistle to the Ephesians 3.14-15 ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

Before any discussion we must note that he did not say "from whom every fatherhood in heaven and earth is born" but "from whom every fatherhood in heaven and earth is named." For it is one thing to merit the name of father, another to have a natural relation [as eternal Father to all creatures].… I have searched about in Scripture asking whether the word fatherhood is ever applied to the Gentiles. …

Commentary on Ephesians 3:14 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

We are confirmed in the hope of obtaining what we ask for with confidence by his authority since from him all paternity in heaven and earth is named. At this point the question arises if there is any paternity in heaven. A quick answer would be that in heaven means that paternity is present in God and in Divinity, and that this is the source of all fatherhood. But this is not questioned here, it is known to all the faithful. It is asked whether in heaven, that is, in the angels, there is any paternity. …

Commentary on Ephesians ↗

Bonaventure

For the origin is not through human investigation, but through divine revelation, which flows from the Father of lights, from whom all paternity in heaven and on earth is named, from whom through his Son, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit flows into us, and through the Holy Spirit, dividing and distributing gifts to each one as he wills, faith is given, and through faith Christ dwells in our hearts.

Breviloquium, Prologue ↗