{"author":null,"canonical_references":[],"database_sha256":"8cfbe7284c6936871d57c02dc6aa63ebbdfd4722422d539dd9f716e46e91112e","date_end":null,"date_start":null,"edition_year":null,"id":"sermonindex-ecf-4280","native_reference":{"book_number":560,"chapter_from":3,"chapter_to":3,"system":"MyBible module coordinates (mapping unverified)","verse_from":20,"verse_to":20},"public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"verse-keyed-module-record","review_required":["English edition and exact text","author/work attribution","dating","verse mapping and citation kind","reuse and attribution","split author quotations and deduplicate"],"review_status":"unreviewed","source_html":"<p><b>Ambrosiaster</b>: He is praying to God the Father that we might know better what is expedient for us, and what had better not be asked for, and when something should be given, and how much of it and exactly what we really need. He prays that God himself might fittingly govern those who believe in him by his own providence and power.<br/><i>— EPISTLE TO THE Ephesians 3.21</i></p><p><b>Gaius Marius Victorinus</b>: He says in effect: \"I pray that you will do these things and understand these things. If, however, anyone is able to do more and more abundantly and go beyond these things—that is, beyond what I ask or understand—praise be to him. Yet whoever does more abundantly will receive this ability through the same power that works within us all, namely, through the power of God and Christ our Lord.\"<br/><i>— EPISTLE TO THE Ephesians 1.3.20-21</i></p><p><b>John Chrysostom</b>: \"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.\"</p><p>That God hath done \"abundantly above all that we ask or think,\" is evident from what the Apostle himself hath written. For I indeed, saith he, pray, but He of Himself, even without any prayer of mine, will do works greater than all we ask, not simply \"greater,\" nor \"abundantly greater,\" but \"exceeding abundantly.\" And this is evident from \"the power, that worketh in us:\" for neither did we ever ask these things, nor did we expect them.</p><p>However, what is higher than the being \"strengthened with might,\" in order to have Christ within? Vast are the things we ask, saith he, yet is He able to do above even them, so that not only doth He love us, but doth so intensely. Be it our care therefore, beloved, to understand the love of God. A great thing indeed is this; nothing is so beneficial to us, nothing so deeply touches us: more availing this to convince our souls than the fear of hell itself. Whence then shall we understand it? Both from the sources now mentioned, and from the things which happen every day. For from what motive have these things been done for us? from what necessity on His part? None whatever. Over and over again he lays down love as the cause. But the highest degree of love is that where men receive a benefit, without any prior service on their part to call for it.<br/><i>— Homily on Ephesians 7</i></p>","source_html_sha256":"4d0b5500f7add94302d5e95bfdd71edac41381c48e745d0f7c8148a5e99f5108","source_module":"ECF","source_row_id":4280,"source_url":"https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/ecf/","text_sha256":"97a1b5bedf2f07f3b0d170701568d951baa2b2b6d46b547416ef12a0202ccb47","translator":null,"work":null}