Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
All Commentaries on Ephesians 4:13 Go To Ephesians 4
John Chrysostom
AD 407
By stature here he means perfect knowledge; for as a man will stand firmly, whereas children are carried about and waver in mind, so is it also with believers.
To the unity, says he, of the faith.
That is, until we shall be shown to have all one faith: for this is unity of faith, when we all are one, when we shall all alike acknowledge the common bond. Till then you must labor to this end. If for this you have received a gift, that you might edify others, look well that thou overturn not yourself, by envying another. God has honored you, and ordained you, that you should build up another. Yea, for about this was the Apostle also engaged; and for this was the prophet prophesying and persuading, and the Evangelist preaching the Gospel, and for this was the pastor and teacher; all had undertaken one common work. For tell me not of the difference of the spiritual gifts; but that all had one work. Now when we shall all believe alike then shall there be unity; for that this is what he calls a perfect man, is plain. And yet he elsewhere calls us babes 1 Corinthians 13:11, even when we are of mature age; but he is there looking to another comparison, for there it is in comparison with our future knowledge that he there calls us babes. For having said, We know in part 1 Corinthians 13:9-12, he adds also the word darkly, and the like: whereas here he speaks with reference to another thing, with reference to changeableness, as he says also elsewhere, But solid food is for full-grown men. Hebrews 5:14 Do you see then also in what sense he there calls them full-grown? Observe also in what sense he calls men perfect here, by the words next added, where he says, that we may be no longer children. That we keep, he means to say, that little measure, which we may have received, with all diligence, with firmness and steadfastness.
