Watch out for things that are getting legs around presbytery!

This is simply a collection of most of the verses containing the root-word “fill” in Paul. Just for those of you interested in seeing how Paul does stuff like this.

Romans 1:29 – They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness…

Romans 8:4 – … in order that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us…

Romans 11:12 – Now if [the Jews’] trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their [fullness] mean?

Romans 11:25 – Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Romans 13:8 – Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the Law.

Romans 13:10 – Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.

Romans 15:14 – I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

Romans 15:19 – …from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ…

Romans 15:29 – I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

2 Corinthians 7:4 – I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

2 Corinthians 10:6 – …being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is [fulfilled/filled].

Galatians 4:4 – But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son…

Galatians 5:14 – For the whole of the Law is fulfilled in one word: “You should love your neighbor as yourself.”

Ephesians 1:10 – … as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth.

Ephesians 1:23 – … which is [Christ’s] body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all.

Ephesians 3:19 – … and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 4:10 – He who descended is the One Who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

Ephesians 4:13 – … until we all attain to the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of  the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…

Ephesians 5:18 – And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit…

Philippians 1:11 – … filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 2:2 – [fulfill/fill] my joy by being of the same mind, have the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Colossians 1:9 – And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding…

Colossians 1:19 – For in [Christ] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…

Colossians 1:25 – … of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known…

Colossians 2:9 – For in [Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

Colossians 2:10 – and you have been filled in [Christ], Who is the Head of all rule and authority.

Colossians 4:17 – And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

A few initial thoughts. Paul’s use of the phrase “fullness of God” seems to indicate that what He means by that is “The Holy Spirit”. We are “filled with the fullness of God” seems to indicate to me that the Holy Spirit is that Fullness as it seems to mirror well with Spirit passages in Paul as well. The idea of love “fulfilling” the Law then seems to be also a referent to the Holy Spirit as the Romans 8 passage implies. We fulfill the Law when we walk in the Spirit, who fills us with the love of God in Christ. The structure seems to be that the Father loves the Son by giving Him the fullness of the Spirit, by Whom He accomplishes His word and ascends to the right hand of the Father in turn, pouring out into our hearts (analogous to the initial act of the Father to his Son, thus the logic of Ephesians 1). This makes me think that the fulfilling of the Law’s righteous demands is accomplished by a Spirit-filled Christ, Who then pours His Spirit out to make us similarly Spirit-filled that we might walk in love, which fulfills the Law. I say this not as an instrument of justification, necessarily, but as a “fruit” or “ministry” given to us which is another place where “filled” is used often.

Any thoughts?