Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
That ye may be filled with (ina plhrwqhte). First aorist (effective) passive subjunctive of plhrow, to fill full.
The knowledge of his will (thn epignwsin tou qelhmatov autou). The accusative case is retained with this passive verb. Epignwsiv is a Koin‚ word (Polybius, Plutarch, etc.) for additional (epi) or full knowledge. The word is the keynote of Paul's reply to the conceit of Gnosticism. The cure for these intellectual upstarts is not ignorance, not obscurantism, but more knowledge of the will of God.
In all spiritual wisdom and understanding (en pash sofiai kai sunesei pneumatikh). Both pasei (all) and pneumatikh (spiritual) are to be taken with both sofiai and sunesei. In Ephesians 1:8 Paul uses fronhsei (from frhn, intellect) rather than sunesei (grasp, from sunihmi, to send together). Sunesiv is the faculty of deciding in particular cases while sofia gives the general principles (Abbott). Paul faces Gnosticism with full front and wishes the freest use of all one's intellectual powers in interpreting Christianity. The preacher ought to be the greatest man in the world for he has to deal with the greatest problems of life and death.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Ephesians 1:7
Ephesians 1:16
Ephesians 1:17
Ephesians 3:4
2 Timothy 2:7
2 Timothy 2:25
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