to superabound (in quantity or quality) · verb — aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular
toward
εἰςeis
G1519
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
us
ἡμᾶςhēmâs
G2248
us
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
all
πάσῃpasē
G3956
all · adjective — dative singular feminine
wisdom
σοφίᾳsophia
G4678
wisdom (higher or lower · noun — dative singular feminine
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
prudence
φρονήσειphronēsei
G5428
mental action or activity · noun — dative singular feminine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Revelation 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, a…
Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift b…
Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Colossians 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Psalms 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
Proverbs 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
Isaiah 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
Daniel 2:20-21 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Ephesians 1:3-14
He begins with thanksgivings and praise, and enlarges with a great deal of fluency and copiousness of affection upon the exceedingly great and precious benefits which we enjoy by Jesus Christ. For the great privileges of our religion are very aptly recounted and enlarged upon in our praises to God.
I. In general he blesses God for spiritual blessings, Eph 1:3, where he styles him the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; for, as Mediator, the Father was his God; as God, and the second person in the blessed Trinity, God was his Father. It bespeaks the mystical union between Christ and believers, that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is their God and Father, and that in and throu…
Rather, "which He made to abound towards us."
all wisdom and prudence--"wisdom" in devising the plan of redeeming mankind; "prudence" in executing it by the means, and in making all the necessary arrangements of Providence for that purpose. Paul attributes to the Gospel of God's grace "all" possible "wisdom and prudence," in opposition to the boasts of wisdom and prudence which the unbelieving Jews and heathen philosophers and false apostles arrogated for their teachings. Christ crucified, though esteemed "foolishness" by the world, is "the wisdom of God" (Co1 1:18-30). Compare Eph 3:10, "the manifold wisdom of God."
Adam Clarke on Ephesians 1:8
Wherein he hath abounded - That is, in the dispensation of mercy and goodness by Christ Jesus.
In all wisdom and prudence - Giving us apostles the most complete instructions in heavenly things by the inspiration of his Spirit; and at the same time prudence, that we might know when and where to preach the Gospel so that it might be effectual to the salvation of those who heard it. Nothing less than the Spirit of God could teach the apostles that wisdom by which they were to instruct a dark and sinful world; and nothing less than the same Spirit could inspire them with that prudence which was necessary to be exercised in every step of their life and ministry. Every wise man is not a prudent ma…
The riches of God are heaped upon us in that he makes us something better than we were at the beginning of our existence.
In all wisdom and prudence, he says, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, as if one should say: he made known to us the things in his heart. For this is the mystery which is full of all wisdom and prudence. For what seekest thou that is greater than this wisdom? Those who were nothing worth—even those He found out, that He might lead them to great riches. What is there that can compare with this inventive skill? He that was an enemy, He that was hated: this very man has on a sudden been raised on high, and not only so, but at this particular time, and this was done in wisdom also. And that this was done by the Cross, it would require a long discussion to show. What a matter of wisdom this was, and how it has made us wise!
That is to say, Making us wise and prudent, in that which is true wisdom, and that which is true prudence. Strange! what friendship! For He telleth us His secrets; the mysteries, saith he, of His will, as if one should say, He hath made known to us the things that are in His heart. For here is indeed the mystery which is full of all wisdom and prudence. For what will you mention equal to this wisdom! Those that were worth nothing, it hath discovered a way of raising them to wealth and abundance. What can equal this wise contrivance? He that was an enemy, he that was hated, he is in a moment lifted up on high. And not this only,-but, yet more, that it should be done at this particular time, this again was the work of wisdom; and that it should be done by means of the Cross. It were matter of long discourse here to point out, how all this was the work of wisdom, and how He had made us wise. And therefore he repeats again the words, "According to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him." That is to say, this He desired, this He travailed for, as one might say, that He might be able to reveal to us the mystery. What mystery? That He would have man seated up on high. And this hath come to pass.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Grace Of God · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Prudence · Exhibited in the manifestation of God’s grace — Exhibited in the manifestation of God’s grace
Wisdom Of God, The · Exhibited in: Redemption — Exhibited in: Redemption
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
John Gill on Ephesians 1:8
Wherein he hath abounded toward us,.... That is, in the grace which is so abundantly displayed in redemption and forgiveness of sin, through the blood of Christ:
in all wisdom and prudence; this may be understood, either of the aboundings of grace in the Gospel; which may be called all wisdom and prudence, because it is the wisdom of God; it is the product of his wisdom, and a display of it; the doctrines it contains are full of wisdom, and are the means of communicating it to men, and of making them wise unto salvation; and it may be so called, to set forth the excellency and perfection of it, as greatly transcending all human wisdom; and in this the grace of God has much abounded, for the…
Ephesians 1:7-12
7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
7. In quo habemus redemptionem per sangiunem ejus, remissionem peccatorum, secundum divitias gratiae ejus;
8. Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
8. Qua exundavit in nos in omni sapientia et prudentia;
9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself:
9. Patefacto nobis arcano voluntatis suae, secundum beneplacitum suum, quod in seipso proposuerat.
10. That, in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both…
Wisdom and understanding come from the revelation of God’s mysterious will regarding Christ. In Paul’s writings, mysterious will (traditionally mystery) often refers to a divine truth formerly hidden but now revealed in the Good News (see 3:9). Here it refers to how God will bring everything together under the authority of Christ, so that he may be universally recognized and respected as Lord (see Phil 2:9-11; Col 1:16-20, 26-27; 2:2, 19; 4:3). Ephesians focuses specifically on the inclusion of Gentiles as well as Jews in God’s redeemed people (see Eph 3:3-6; 6:19; cp. Rom 16:25-26).
