The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Epistle Reading for the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, Ephesians 3:13–21 as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.
II. A prayer of Paul to the Ephesians, that they ought not be scandalized at the state of Paul, but rather for that reason that they let themselves be strengthened all the more in the faith. (v. 13–21)
Notes
13. Therefore, I pray, that you do not become (or let yourself become) weary (and fall away from the truth of the Gospel) for the sake of my tribulations (persecution and bonds), which I suffer * for you (because the devil and the world hate and persecute me for this reason, because I have preached the Gospel to you), which are honor for you (because it redounds to your honor that you remain steadfast in the same doctrine, on account of which I suffer so many things. Indeed, my tribulations redound for the promotion of your eternal honor and salvation, because you are thereby strengthened in your faith when you see that I endure everything with patience for the sake of the Gospel to confirm its truth).
(Ephesians 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:3; Philippians 1:14)
* Greek: “for your sake”
14. Therefore (to come back again to my former point) I bow (daily in my prayers) my knees (of the body and the heart) to the * Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
* Ephesians 1:3
15. who is the true Father over all those called * children on heaven and earth (who is not only the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as His only-begotten Son, but rather also of all believers, whom He has adopted as children from grace, who are found partly in the Church Militant here on earth and partly in the Church Triumphant in heaven. Luther: “All angels, all Christians, indeed even all children of men are God’s children, for He has created them all.”),
(Ephesians 4:6; Psalm 27:10)
* Greek: “from whom (and from His grace) the enter race (of His children of grace) has the name (source and honor) of the sonship (of God).
16. that He give you according * to the riches of His glory (according to His great and glorious mercifulness), ** to be strengthened through His (Holy) Spirit in the inner man (to grow and increase in faith and in all godliness),
* Ephesians 1:7; 2:7
** Ephesians 6:10 (Romans 7:22; 2 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:1)
17. and that Christ * dwell (so that Christ may dwell according to His gracious presence) by faith (as the blessèd means of union with Him) in your hearts, and that by being rooted and grounded in love (that you may also become so strong in love toward God and the neighbor that no trial or persecution may overpower you),
* John 14:23 (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:7)
18. so that you may * grasp (understand and consider by faith) with all the saints (true believers, the Christians reborn and sanctified through the Holy Spirit), what is the ** breadth, and the length, and the depth, and the height, * (how exceedingly great the grace of God is toward us men, which He has proven to us in Christ, that its breadth cannot be circumscribed, but extends from morning to evening throughout the entire world, that its length stretches from eternity to eternity, that its depth can be fathomed by no one, and that its height reaches far beyond the understanding of all angels and men. Luther: “Love proves that faith is upright; it then comprehends that there is nothing so broad, , long, ,deep, or high where Christ did not have the power and could not be able to help, and it does not fear sin, death, or hell, however broad, long, deep, etc. they may be, as Psalm 139:7 also says, “Where shall I go from Your Spirit?”)
* Greek: Alternatively, “so that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have sufficient capability to grasp”
** Job 11:8–9 (Psalm 103:12; Psalm 57:11)
*** Namely, the dwelling of God in the Spirit, v. 17. See also Ephesians 2:19–22.
19. Also (that you may likewise) know, that * Christ has love, which is much better than all wisdom (all other knowledge, and again, that the love of Christ is so great that no one can completely understand it in this life. Luther: “It is a much great thing to have love for Christ than to be able to preach much, 1 Corinthians 8:1–3, ‘Knowledge puffs up; love builds up.’ Likewise, if anyone loves God, he is known by Him”), so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (all divine riches in heavenly goods, with every kind of gift that God bestows out of grace. Luther “that God alone rule and work in you, and you be full of Him.”).
(Ephesians 2:4ff.; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Romans 5:5; Philippians 1:9; Romans 14:17, 15:14)
* or, “the love of Christ, which nevertheless surpasses all understanding”
20. Now to Him, who can do (for the promotion of our salvation) exceedingly more (much more) than all that we pray or understanding, * according to the power (according to His divine power) that works in us (all good gifts in the regenerate),
* Romans 16:25
21. to Him (the same one true God) * be honor (to Him be praise) in the congregation which is in Christ Jesus (which Christ has called and preserves against all the gates of hell), for all time, from eternity to eternity (always and eternally)! Amen (that it happens in this way, and also will certainly happen in this way).
* Romans 11:36, 16:27; 1 Timothy 1:17 (Jude 24)
Useful Applications
II. CORRECTION/IMPROVEMENT: That together with Paul we ought to bend the knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and pray that He may allow us be strengthened through His Spirit in the inner man, to grow in faith and godliness (v. 14, 16). DOCTRINE and COMFORT: Because indeed no greater grace can befall us than that we are equipped and adorned with heavenly and eternally goods through the love of Christ toward us (v. 19ff.).
PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS 