EPHESIANS - Chapter 4 - Verse 13

Verse 13. Till we all come. Till all Christians arrive at a state of complete unity, and to entire perfection.

In the unity of the faith, marg. into. The meaning is, till we all hold the same truths, and the same confidence in the Son of God. See Barnes "Joh 17:21-23".

And of the knowledge of the Son of God. That they might attain to the same practical acquaintance with the Son of God, and might thus come to the maturity of Christian piety. See Barnes "Eph 3:19".

Unto a perfect man. Unto a complete man. This figure is obvious. The apostle compares their condition then to a state of childhood. The perfect man here refers to the man grown up—the man of mature life. He says that Christ had appointed pastors and teachers that the infant church might be conducted to maturity, or become strong—like a man. He does not refer to the doctrine of sinless perfection, but to the state of manhood as compared with that of childhood—-a state of strength, vigour, wisdom, when the full growth should be attained. See 1 Co 14:20.

Unto the measure of the stature. Marg., or, age. The word stature expresses the idea. It refers to the growth of a man. The stature to be attained to was that of Christ. He was the standard—not in size, not in age, but in moral character. The measure to be reached was Christ; or we are to grow till we become like him.

Of the fulness of Christ. See Barnes "Eph 1:23".

The phrase, "the measure of the fulness," means, probably, the "full measure "—by a form of construction that is common in the Hebrew writings, where two nouns are so used that one is to be rendered as an adjective— as trees of greatness—meaning great trees. Here it means, that they should so advance in piety and knowledge as to become wholly like him.

{1} "in the unity" "into" {a} "of the faith" Col 2:2 {b} "perfect man" Jas 1:6 {2} "stature" "age" {+} "Christ" "Full stature of Christ"