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Comprehending the Sublimity

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 15, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 30.

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Comprehending the Sublimity

By F. D. Starr

F. D. STARR
The book of Ephesians abounds in superlative expressions, which, if the language were of human origin, might almost be considered extravagant. “Blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places;” “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;” “according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will;” “what is the exceeding greatness of his power;” “according to the working of his mighty power;” “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” These are some of the strenuous or ardent expressions to be found in this epistle. But perhaps as noteworthy an instance as any of this kind is found in Eph. 3:17–19:—
“Ye . . . may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
The Latin version gives an additional luster to this remarkable text: “Able to comprehend with all saints what is the latitude and longitude, and sublimity, and profundity, and to know even the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge.” What an expansion of conception this gives to the mind! When we speak of latitude, our minds take a geographical sweep, past continents and over oceans, to the north pole, or to the equally frigid regions of earth’s southern extremity. Longitude takes our thoughts over thousands of leagues of sea and land to the uttermost part of the earth. And think, if you can, of the profundity! “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” Rom. 11:33. “As high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.” Job 11:8, 9. And then the sublimity—the height, the lofty conception!
“O the height of Jesus’ love! Higher than the heaven above, Deeper than the deepest sea, Lasting as eternity.”
Such is the nature of the sublime theme to which attention is called in this epistle. We are to know the unknowable, to think the unthinkable, to see the invisible, to do the impossible. This is not a flight of fancy, this is not a flight of feeling, but a flight of spirituality for those who will soar aloft to the sublime heights where we may “sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Turning the attention in another direction and giving the language an unfathomable profundity of intenseness in the line of self-abnegation, the apostle thus refers to himself: “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Eph. 3:8. How one can be less than the least of anything is difficult to comprehend, and to be fully understood by Him to whom all nations are counted as “less than nothing, and vanity.” Isa. 40:17. This estimate of himself may be fittingly joined with Paul’s statement in 1 Tim. 1:15: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” What then is the rating that Paul gives himself?—Chief of sinners, least of saints. What was the rating that the proud Pharisee, who thanked God he was not like other men, gave himself, as so many of his modern disciples give themselves?—Least of sinners, chief of saints. The divine rating in either case will be better understood when we remember that “every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:14.
“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, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Eph. 3:20, 21.
Forest, Idaho.