Comprehending the Breadth, Length, Depth, and Height of God’s Wisdom

Ephesians 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

Here in verse 18, Paul makes what seems like an incomplete thought. After reading this verse, you’re left wondering, “The ‘breadth, and length, and depth, and height’ of what?”.

Some say he means the love of Christ that he’s getting ready to talk about, but that can’t be the case because he says in Ephesians 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. The use of the word “And” indicates that this thought is an addition and therefore he must be referring to something else.

It seems likely that Paul is referring back to what he says in Ephesians 3:10  …might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Paul is simply stating that he desires that the church (the body of believers in Christ) would know the manifold (multi-faceted) wisdom of God. I say this because there seems to be an interjection of multiple thoughts between verses 10 & 18.

In verse 10 Paul mentioned the manifold wisdom of God and then from verses 11 – 17 he shares 10 insights about the wisdom of God just to show how multi-faceted it really is:

1. God’s purpose for saving mankind is in Christ (Vs. 11)
2. In Christ we have boldness (Vs. 12)
3. In Christ we have access (Vs. 12)
4. In Christ we have confidence (Vs. 12)
5. In Christ we have faith (Vs. 12)
6. We have power to not faint (quit) (Vs. 13)
7. The family of God is in both heaven and earth (Vs. 15)
8. The whole family of God is named after the Father (Vs. 15)
9. We are strengthened with God’s might (Vs. 16)
10.  By God’s Spirit we are strengthened in the inner man (Vs. 16)

After this, Paul seems to come back to where he left off in verse 10, by declaring in verse 18 that he wishes the church understood the breadth, length, depth, and height of God’s wisdom. After presenting this list to the reader, it’s as if he declares, “I wish you understood how multi-faceted the wisdom of God really is!”

Notice in verse 18 the order given to us by Paul. Many people want to go straight to the height of God’s wisdom before understanding the breadth, length, and depth of God’s wisdom.

1. The breadth of God’s wisdom speaks of God’s wisdom being wider than our limited scope of thinking and therefore taking more into account than we do.
2. The length of God’s wisdom speaks of God’s wisdom being more patient and longsuffering than we give it credit for being.
3. The depth of God’s wisdom speaks of God’s wisdom being more complex than we understand. Often people seem to dismiss the idea of pursuing the depths of God’s wisdom simply because they feel that they already know enough. Knowing “enough” brings death to learning.
4. The height of God’s wisdom speaks of God’s wisdom operating at a higher level, being able to see more and therefore it accomplishes more than we can currently see or understand.

God says through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 55:8-9  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  (9)  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

All of this is what Paul and God want us to understand today; that God’s wisdom does not always work according to the understanding of people. One act of grace is that God is willing to give understanding to those who seek Him for it.

Are you seeking to operate in the grace of God’s wisdom?

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