Section 75
162In the Synoptic Gospels πλήϱωμα is used of the patch put on to “fill up” the rent in an old garment (Matt. 9:16 par. Mark 2:21) and of the leftover fragments which “filled” several baskets after the miraculous feedings (Mark 6:43; 8:20). In Rom. 11:12, 25 it is used of the final sum-total of believing Jews and Gentiles respectively. In Rom. 13:10 it is used of love as the “fulfilling” of the law; in Rom. 15:29 of the “fullness” of Christ’s blessing with which Paul hopes to visit Rome. In 1 Cor. 10:26 it appears in a quotation from Ps. 24:1 (LXX 23:1) of that which fills the earth. In Gal. 4:4 and Eph. 1:10 it denotes the completion of an appointed period of time (and consequently the arrival of an epoch; cf. Acts 2:1, συμπληϱοῦσθαι). There remain those occurrences which have theological or christological significance. In John 1:16 it is used of the “fullness” of Christ (his inexhaustible resources of grace) from which his people receive supplies to meet their spiritual need. In addition to the “fullness” of deity mentioned in our present text and in Col. 2:9, Eph. 3:19 speaks of the “fullness” of God and Eph. 4:13 of the “fullness” of Christ (in the sense of the Christian maturity which believers are to attain as members of his body). On the disputed force of the word in Eph. 1:23 (where it seems to refer to the church in its relation to Christ) see comment and notes ad loc. (pp. 275-77). Cf. J. Ernst, Pleroma und Pleroma Christi (Regens-burg, 1970).
163Cf. Irenaeus, Haer. 1.1.1, etc.; translation in R. M. Grant, Gnosticism: An Anthology (London, 1961), pp. 163-81. E. Percy doubts whether πλήϱωμα was a technical term in the Colossian heresy as is commonly supposed; he suggests that Paul may have chosen the word independently, to emphasize the supremacy of Christ in face of the false teaching (Die Probleme, pp. 76-77).