Four-Dimensional Love
That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ.
Ephesians 3:17-19
Three-dimensional geometry says that when we want to describe the volume of a square or rectangular box, we multiply its three dimensions: height, length, and width. In 1754, a French mathematician added a fourth dimension—time.
The apostle Paul was not a mathematician, but he mentioned four measures, or dimensions, when describing the love of God: width, length, depth, and height (Ephesians 3:18). “Depth” is the extra dimension, not usually described by 3-D geometry, and we don’t know exactly what Paul had in mind with this term. He used the word “deep” to describe the Mediterranean Sea, a metaphor, no doubt, for its unfathomable reaches (2 Corinthians 11:25). He also referred to his “deep concern” for the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28), and “the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). Perhaps immeasurable would be a way to describe the “depth” of God’s love. Paul’s prayer was that the Ephesians could comprehend the immeasurable dimensions of God’s love.
If you ever feel you have exhausted the limits of God’s love, remember that His love is wider, longer, deeper, and higher than any need you will ever have.
The true measure of God’s love is that He loves without measure.
Unknown
Turning Point Ministries
That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ.
Ephesians 3:17-19
Three-dimensional geometry says that when we want to describe the volume of a square or rectangular box, we multiply its three dimensions: height, length, and width. In 1754, a French mathematician added a fourth dimension—time.
The apostle Paul was not a mathematician, but he mentioned four measures, or dimensions, when describing the love of God: width, length, depth, and height (Ephesians 3:18). “Depth” is the extra dimension, not usually described by 3-D geometry, and we don’t know exactly what Paul had in mind with this term. He used the word “deep” to describe the Mediterranean Sea, a metaphor, no doubt, for its unfathomable reaches (2 Corinthians 11:25). He also referred to his “deep concern” for the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28), and “the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). Perhaps immeasurable would be a way to describe the “depth” of God’s love. Paul’s prayer was that the Ephesians could comprehend the immeasurable dimensions of God’s love.
If you ever feel you have exhausted the limits of God’s love, remember that His love is wider, longer, deeper, and higher than any need you will ever have.
The true measure of God’s love is that He loves without measure.
Unknown
Turning Point Ministries
Comment