that you may be filled with all the fulness of God

[Monna]

Ephesians 3: 14-19 reads as follows (RSV - but not significantly different from KJV)
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God."

Speaking of Christ, Paul wrote to the Colossians (2:9) "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily"

Three questions about these passages:
1. does Paul mean the same thing with "the fullness of God/the Godhead" in these two passages? By adding "bodily" in the letter to the Colossians, Paul definitely indicates that Jesus as Son of Man can host the fullness of God. By implication, there is nothing in our physical nature that limits this possibility for us (as per Eph. 3:19)

2. If so, is Paul really telling the Ephesians that they can be filled with the fulness of God in the same way that Jesus is filled/indwellt with the fullness of the Godhead?

3 (and maybe most importantly) what does Paul really mean by this phrase "the fullness of God?" At face value it is truly awesome...

Any thoughts?

 

[Daniel_]

does Paul mean the same thing with "the fullness of God/the Godhead" in these two passages? By adding "bodily" in the letter to the Colossians, Paul definitely indicates that Jesus as Son of Man can host the fullness of God. By implication, there is nothing in our physical nature that limits this possibility for us (as per Eph. 3:19)

I think it is slightly different because 'the fullness of God' referring to Christians seems to refer to the filling of the Holy Spirit, while 'the fullness of the Godhead' certainly is a declaration of the divinity of Jesus Christ which appeared to us in bodily form. He is the visible image of the invisible God also in Colossians 1:15.

2. If so, is Paul really telling the Ephesians that they can be filled with the fulness of God in the same way that Jesus is filled/indwellt with the fullness of the Godhead?

Whilst Paul identifies Christ as divine in himself, he too was filled with the Spirit. The fullness (πλήρωμα - plArOma) in both of the verses you mentioned does carry the same meaning since the sense of the clause is passive in both: 'that which has been completed, compliment, plentitude, fullness'. In union with Christ and through his empowering Spirit we are complete.

3 (and maybe most importantly) what does Paul really mean by this phrase "the fullness of God?" At face value it is truly awesome...

We have all the fullness of the life and power and love of God available to us through the Spirit. But we must appropriate that fullness through faith and through prayer as we daily live for him. It is by having a greater knowledge of Christ and his love that help us to go deeper with God and be filled each day with the Spirit. Like a teapot we need to continually be filled up as the Spirit is poured out in daily lives, that's where daily prayer and meditation on the Scriptures helps us and stops us become dried up in our faith.

God bless you.