Ephesians 4:13

Till we all attain (mecri katanthswmen oi pante). Temporal clause with purpose idea with mecri and the first aorist active subjunctive of katantaw, late verb, to come down to the goal ( Philippians 3:11 ). "The whole" including every individual. Hence the need of so many gifts. Unto the unity of the faith (ei thn enothta th pistew). "Unto oneness of faith" (of trust) in Christ (verse Philippians 3 ) which the Gnostics were disturbing. And of the knowledge of the Son of God (kai th epignwsew tou uiou tou qeou). Three genitives in a chain dependent also on thn enothta, "the oneness of full (epi-) knowledge of the Son of God," in opposition to the Gnostic vagaries. Unto a full-grown man (ei andra teleion). Same figure as in Philippians 2:15 and teleio in sense of adult as opposed to nhpioi (infants) in Philippians 4:14 . Unto the measure of the stature (ei metron hlikia). So apparently hlikia here as in Luke 2:52 , not age ( John 9:21 ). Boys rejoice in gaining the height of a man. But Paul adds to this idea "the fulness of Christ" (tou plhrwmato tou Cristou), like "the fulness of God" in John 3:19 . And yet some actually profess to be "perfect" with a standard like this to measure by! No pastor has finished his work when the sheep fall so far short of the goal.