Deepening Understanding of Christ as Ultimate Example of God's Love
Christ's love stands as the supreme revelation of God's character, described in Scripture as "knowledge-surpassing" [1] and "too great to understand fully" [5]. Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:19 asks believers to "get to know" this love that exceeds comprehension [1], establishing a paradox: we are called to experientially know what cannot be fully grasped intellectually. This love is not merely an attribute among others but defines God's very nature, as "God himself" is love [2].
The Biblical Foundation
Scripture presents Christ as "the especial object" of God's love [2], and simultaneously as the one through whom God's loving-kindness flows to humanity [3]. John 3:16 anchors this understanding: "God so loved the world" that he gave his Son [2, 10]. The incarnation and crucifixion measure both divine and Christological love—"the gift of Christ to man is the measure of God's love; the death of Christ for man is the measure of Christ's love" [7]. This sacrificial dimension appears repeatedly: Christ "gave himself" for the church [11], demonstrating that "real love involves self-sacrifice" [9].
The Character of Christ's Love
The tradition describes Christ's love as "special and peculiar; free and sovereign" [6], possessing qualities that distinguish it from human affection. It is "matchless and unparalleled," "exceeding strong and affectionate," and "wonderful and surprising" [6]. Torrey's compilation emphasizes its everlasting, unfailing, and unalienable nature [2], while noting it operates "irrespective of merit" [2]. This love extends specifically to "perishing sinners" [2], making Christ's example not merely admirable but redemptive.
Knowing the Unknowable
Chrysostom acknowledged the difficulty: "it is extremely difficult" to understand that God loves us, and even harder to grasp its extent [8]. Yet Paul does not seek to "measure it" but "only to understand" it experientially [8]. The whole Christian life rests on this "experience and personal knowledge of God's grace and love in Jesus Christ" [5], leading believers to be "filled with all the fullness of life and power" [5] and conformed to Christ's image [5]. Love for Christ becomes the believer's response, manifested in obedience, ministry, and preferring him above all others [4].
Sources
- Ephesians “Ephesians 3:19 (Rotherham) — To get to know, also, the knowledge-surpassing, love of the Christ,—in order that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God:”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of God, The — Is a part of his character -- 2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8. Christ, the especial object of -- Joh 15:9; 17:26. Christ abides in -- Joh 15:10. Described as Sovereign. -- De 7:8; 10:15. Great. -- Eph 2:4. Abiding. -- Zep 3:17. Unfailing. -- Isa 49:15,16. Unalienable. -- Ro 8:39. Constraining. -- Ho 11:4. Everlasting. -- Jer 31:3. Irrespective of merit -- De 7:7; Job 7:17. Manifested towards Perishing sinners. -- Joh 3:16; Tit 3:4. His saints. -- Joh 16:27; 17:23; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:16. The destitute. -- De 10:18. The cheerful giver. -- 2Co 9:7. Exhibited in The g”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to Christ — Exhibited by God -- Mt 17:5; Joh 5:20. Exhibited by saints -- 1Pe 1:8. His personal excellence is deserving of -- Song 5:9-16. His love to us a motive to -- 2Co 5:14. Manifested in Seeking him. -- Song 3:2. Obeying him. -- Joh 14:15,21,23. Ministering to him. -- Mt 27:55; 25:40. Preferring him to all others. -- Mt 10:37. Taking up the cross for Him. -- Mt 10:38. A characteristic of saints -- Song 1:4. An evidence of adoption -- Joh 8:42. Should be Sincere. -- Eph 6:24. With the soul. -- Song 1:7. In proportion to our mercies. -- Lu 7:47. Supreme. -- ”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 3:19: 3:19 May you experience (literally know) the love of Christ: The whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ (see Rom 12:1). • it is too great to understand fully: Christ’s love is much greater than ordinary human love (see Rom 5:6-8). • The believer’s life is made complete when it is filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within (see Eph 1:23; Gal 2:20; Col 1:27). The believer then is conformed to his image and reflects God (see Eph 4:14, 24; 5:1-2; Rom 8:29; 2”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 3:18: And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,.... The love of Christ to his own, to his church and people, is special and peculiar; free and Sovereign; as early as his Father's love, and is durable and unchangeable; the greatest love that ever was heard of; it is matchless and unparalleled; it is exceeding strong and affectionate, and is wonderful and surprising: the instances of it are, his engaging as a surety for them; his espousing both their persons and their cause; his assumption of their nature; his dying in their room and stead; his payment of th”
- Ephesians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ephesians 3:19: To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge - It is only by the love of Christ that we can know the love of God: the love of God to man induced him to give Christ for his redemption; Christ's love to man induced him to give his life's blood for his salvation. The gift of Christ to man is the measure of God's love; the death of Christ for man is the measure of Christ's love. God so loved the world, etc. Christ loved us, and gave himself for us. But how can the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, be known? Many have labored to reconcile this seeming co”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: the love of God, it was necessary for Paul to pray, and there was need of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who by following mere reasonings shall understand the nature of Christ? And why is it a difficult thing to learn that God loveth us? Beloved, it is extremely difficult. For some know not even this; wherefore, they even say, numberless evils come to be in the world; and others know not the extent of this love. Nor, indeed, is Paul seeking to know its extent, nor with any view to measure it; for how could he? but only to und”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 3:16: 3:16-18 Christ’s example shows that real love involves self-sacrifice. We do this by becoming truly concerned about the needs of others and by unselfishly giving time, effort, prayer, possessions, and even our lives to supply those needs.”
- 1 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 John 4:9: In this was manifested the love of God - The mission of Jesus Christ was the fullest proof that God could give, or that man could receive, of his infinite love to the world. That we might live through him - The whole world was sentenced to death because of sin; and every individual was dead in trespasses and sins; and Jesus came to die in the stead of the world, and to quicken every believer, that all might live to him who died for them and rose again. This is another strong allusion to Joh 3:16 : God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoso”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 6:24: Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ,.... Christ is the object of love, and a lovely object he is: he is to be loved because of the loveliness of his person, and the transcendent excellencies that are in him; because of his suitableness and fulness as a Saviour; and because of his great love shown to his church and people; and because of the relations he stands in to them, and the communion they have with him: love to Christ is a grace of the Spirit, and is in all believers; and though it is imperfect, and sometimes cold, it will abide for ever; i”