Lecture 5 — Know the charity of Christ

^3:18^ You may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, [n. 174]

^3:19^ To know also the charity of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge: that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. [n. 178]

^3:20^ Now to him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we desire or understand, according to the power that works in us: [n. 183]

^3:21^ To him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus, unto all generations, world without end. Amen. [n. 186]

173. Previously the Apostle revealed the object of his petition or prayer in behalf of the Ephesians, a strengthening of spirit in faith and charity. Consequently, he here shows the fruit of this strengthening through faith and charity; it is a certain type of knowledge. He sets forth:

first, the knowledge itself;

second, the effective power of this awareness or knowledge, at that you may be filled.

174. He says: you ought to be so rooted and founded in charity (Eph 3:17), dearly beloved, that you may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth. This can be read in two ways. In the first way we are more in accord with the Apostle’s thought.

The knowledge of God is necessary for us both in the future life and in the present. For in the future we shall rejoice in our knowledge of God and in our perception of the humanity he assumed. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3). Men will go in by the contemplation of the divinity, and will go out by the contemplation of the humanity, and shall find pastures (John 10:9). Faith inaugurates that future knowledge; it is the substance of things hoped for (Heb 11:1), already making the realities we desire exist within us in an inchoate manner. For this reason our faith consists in the divinity and humanity of Christ. For I did not judge myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ; and him crucified (1 Cor 2:2).

In accord with this he discusses:

first, the knowledge of divinity;

second, the knowledge of the mysteries of the humanity, at to know also the charity of Christ.

175. He reveals the knowledge of the divinity to them with the words: that you may be able to comprehend, with all the saints. As though he said: be strong in faith and charity for if you are, you will gain life eternal where you will enjoy God’s presence and perfectly know him.

It is evident that God reveals himself to one who loves: he that loves me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him and will manifest myself to him (John 14:21). It is also clear that he shows himself to one who believes, as a variant reading puts it: unless you believe, you will not understand (Isa 7:9). You must be fortified by faith and charity in order that you might be able to comprehend.

176. It should be noted that sometimes to comprehend means ‘to enclose,’ and then it is necessary that the comprehending totally contains within itself what is comprehended. At other times it means ‘to apprehend,’ and then it affirms a remoteness or distance and yet implies proximity. No created intellect can comprehend God in the first manner. Perhaps you will comprehend the steps of God, and will find out the Almighty perfectly? (Job 11:7) The answer implied is, no. For this would be to know him perfectly insofar as he is knowable. And this type of knowledge is not referred to in that you may be able to comprehend, but rather the second kind. This latter is one of the three dowries, and it is of it that the Apostle speaks here when he says that you may be able to comprehend, meaning, that you may enjoy the presence of God and know him face to face. Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect; but I follow after, if I may by any means comprehend, wherein I am also comprehended by Christ Jesus (Phil 3:12).

Such comprehension is common to all his saints; so he adds **with all the saints. This glory is to all his saints (Ps 149:9). So run that you may comprehend (1 Cor 9:24).

177. Note that the words what is the breadth and length and height and depth seem to owe their origin to the passage: perhaps, he says, you will comprehend the steps of God? (Job 11:7–9), as if he stated that God is incomprehensible. Then he gives the reason for this incomprehensibility by saying: he is higher than the heaven, and what will you do? He is deeper than hell, and how will you know? The measure of him is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. Yet from this it appears that Job, in attributing the four different dimensions to him, shows that he is comprehensible. Alluding to these words the Apostle asserts that you may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length and height and depth, as though he said: may you possess sufficient faith and charity that you might comprehend him to the extent that he is able to be comprehended. Dionysius explains the text in this way.

Under no pretext should these dimensions be conceived as physically applicable to God, since God is spirit (John 4:24). They are in God metaphorically. Breadth designates the dimension or extension of his power and divine wisdom over all being. And he poured her out, namely wisdom, upon all his works (Sir 1:10). By length his eternal duration is signified: but you, O Lord, endures forever (Ps 102:12), and holiness becomes your house, O Lord, unto length of days (Ps 93:5). Height or loftiness denotes the perfection and nobility of his nature which infinitely exceeds all creation: the Lord is high above all nations: and his glory above the heavens (Ps 113:4). In depth the incomprehensibility of his wisdom is intimated: it is a great depth, this divine wisdom, who shall find it out? (Eccl 7:25).

Clearly, therefore, the fulfillment of our faith and charity is to arrive at a perfect knowledge of the faith, by it we shall know, to the degree we can attain to it, the infinite extension of his power, the unbounded eternity of his duration, the loftiness of his most perfect nature, and the incomprehensibility and depth of his wisdom.

178. 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 became incarnate out of charity: for his exceeding charity with which he loved us even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together in Christ (Eph 2:4–5). That he died also sprang from charity: greater love than this no man has, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). And Christ also has loved us and has delivered himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God (Eph 5:2). On this account St. Gregory exclaimed: O the incalculable love of your charity! To redeem slaves you delivered up your Son. It follows that to know Christ’s love is to know all the mysteries of Christ’s Incarnation and our redemption. These have poured out from the immense charity of God; a charity exceeding every created intelligence and the knowledge of all of them because it cannot be grasped in thought. Thus he says which surpasses all natural knowledge and every created intellect: the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7). For the charity of Christ is what God the Father has accomplished through Christ: God indeed was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor 5:19).

179. The other manner in which this passage can be read is in reference to the perfection of our charity, as though he stated: be strong, rooted and founded in charity (Eph 3:17), that you may be able to comprehend—and not merely know—with all the saints; this gift of charity is common to all, no one can be holy without charity, as the third chapter of Ephesians indicates. May you, I say, comprehend what is the breadth of charity, extending, as it does, even to one’s enemies: your commandment is exceeding broad (Ps 119:96). For charity is broad in its diffusion: and the Lord brought me forth into a broad place (Ps 18:19). Its length is seen in its durability since, never stopping, it begins in this life and is perfected in glory: charity never falls away (1 Cor 13:8), and many waters cannot quench charity (Song 8:7). Its height is perceived in its motivation which is heavenly; God is not loved to obtain temporal advantages—which love would be feeble—but he is loved for his own sake alone. Set yourself up on high and be glorious (Job 40:5). Depth signifies the source of charity itself. For our love of God does not spring from ourselves, but from the Holy Spirit: the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit who is given to us (Rom 5:5). Hence, for one person to possess a love which is lasting, extensive, sublime and deep, while another person does not, arises out of the depth of divine predestination. Who has measured the depth of the abyss? (Sir 1:2)

Thus you may be able to comprehend, in the sense of perfectly attaining to, with all the saints, what is the breadth with which your charity should extend even to enemies, and what is the length during which it never ceases, and its height in loving God for his own sake, and the depth of its predestination.

180. At this point it should be realized that it was within Christ’s power to choose what type of death he wanted. And since he underwent death out of charity, he chose the death of the cross in which the aforesaid four dimensions are present. The cross-beam has breadth and to it his hands were nailed because through charity our good works ought to stretch out even to adversaries: the Lord brought me forth into a broad place (Ps 18:19). The trunk of the cross has length against which the whole body leans since charity ought to be enduring, thus sustaining and saving man: he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved (Matt 10:22). The upper portion of wood, against which the head is thrown back, has height since our hope must rise toward the eternal and the divine: the head of every man is Christ (1 Cor 11:3). The cross is braced by its depth which lies concealed beneath the ground; it is not seen because the depth of the divine love which sustains us is not visible insofar as the plans of predestination, as was said above, are beyond our intelligence.

In this manner we should comprehend the power of our love, and of Christ’s, realizing that his surpasses human understanding. For no one can know how much Christ has loved us; nor can one know the charity of the knowledge of Christ, which is possessed with knowledge of Christ. I hold that such a charity is one that surpasses a charity that is without knowledge.

181. Is it not correct that a charity with knowledge is more eminent than a charity without knowledge? It seems that it is not, for then a wicked theologian would have a charity of greater dignity than a holy old woman.

I reply that what is discussed here is an influential kind of knowledge. For the force of the knowledge stimulates one to love more since the more God is known, so much the more is he loved. For this reason Augustine used to ask: that I may know you and know myself. Or, this is stated here on account of some who possess zeal for God but not according to knowledge (Rom 10:2). A charity coupled with the above mentioned knowledge of Christ surpasses the love of such people.

182. Next he speaks of the efficacy of a knowledge of the divine. That you may be filled unto all the fullness of God, that is, that you might enjoy a perfect participation in all God’s gifts. In other words, that you might possess the fullness of the virtues here, and beatitude in the next life; and charity accomplishes just that. Come over to me, all that desire me, and be filled with my fruits (Sir 24–26).

183. After this, the Apostle gives thanks to God for hearing his prayer, at to him who is able.

In reference to this he does three things:

first, he mentions the power of God with which he grants petitions;

second, he gives an example of that power, at according to the power that works in us;

third, he mentions what prompts his thanksgiving, at to him be glory.

184. He describes the infinite power of God, saying now to him, meaning to Christ as God and to God the Father, who is able to do all things: almighty is his name (Exod 15:3). Now, to him that is able to establish you, according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ (Rom 16:25). He effects this within us more abundantly than we either would know how to ask for through desire, or understand with our intelligence.

185. He gives an example of this abundance within us, saying according to the power that works in us. As if he had stated: it becomes apparent once we consider what he has wrought in us men. For the human mind and will could never imagine, understand or ask that God become man, and that man become God and a sharer in the divine nature. But he has done this in us by his power, and it was accomplished in the Incarnation of his Son, that through this you may be made partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4). Concerning these matters it is written: who is able to declare his works? For who shall search out his glorious acts? And who shall show forth the power of his majesty? Or, who shall be able to declare his mercy? (Sir 18:2–4)

Or, that works in us apostles, to whom he gave the grace of proclaiming the good news of the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which has been hidden from eternity in God (Eph 3:8).

186. The subject matter of the thanksgiving is the twofold blessing God has bestowed upon us. The first is the institution of the Church, and the second the Incarnation of his Son.

Hence he says to him, God the Father, be glory in the Church for all he has done in the Church he established, and in Christ, that is, through Christ; or for Christ whom he gave to us.

To him, I repeat, be glory that his glory might shine forth, not only now, but unto all generations world without end, meaning in the age which embraces all things. Now, to the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Tim 1:17).