"Fullness" refers to the state of being completely filled or having nothing missing. It is a common translation of the Greek word pleroma. In the Bible, "fullness" often refers to something being complete or filled completely. The exact meaning depends on the context in which the word appears.
In the Old Testament, one of the Hebrew words that corresponds to "fullness" is melo. This word appears in various passages and has meanings similar to the Greek term pleroma. It often describes the contents that fill something. For example, the phrase "the earth and its fullness" in Psalm 24:1 refers to everything in creation being part of God's ownership.
To understand what "fullness" means in a specific verse, we need to look at the surrounding words and the overall message of that passage.
General Usage
In ancient Greek writings outside the New Testament, the word means pleroma means "that which fills."
People used this word to talk about:
The cargo or crew that fills a ship
The people that form a crowd
The years that fill a person's life
The Greek philosopher Aristotle used the term to describe the population that fills a city. Both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark use this sense to describe a patch that fills a hole in an old garment (Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21). In Mark, it describes pieces of fish that fill a basket (Mark 6:43; 8:20).
The Earth and Everything in It
The Greek word pleroma appears several times in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament). It is used to translate the Hebrew word for "fullness" (melo) in the phrase "the earth and its fullness" in Psalms 24:1, 50:12, and 89:11. This concept is later quoted in 1 Corinthians 10:26. A similar phrase is “the sea and its fullness” (1 Chronicles 16:32; Psalm 96:11–12). These expressions suggests more than just quantity (how much the earth or sea contain). They also suggest quality. The contents of the earth and sea are good and valuable because they come from God.
The Hebrew way of thinking considered the created world as a reflection of the Creator (Psalms 8:5–6; 19:1–6; Jeremiah 23:24). When people connected with anything God created (through work, meals, or relationships with others) they were also connecting with God himself, who provided these things. This is why the Jewish people were deeply afraid when prophets announced God's plan to destroy “the land and everything in it” (Jeremiah 8:16; 47:2; Ezekiel 12:19; 19:7; 30:12).
The Apostle Paul's Usage
People have debated where the apostle Paul got his idea of "fullness" as an important religious or theological term. Some believe the Gnostics used it to describe a realm of spiritual beings located between the true God and an "evil" earth. False teachers then saw Christ as just one of many gods in that "fullness." To correct this, Paul used the term to describe Christ. Paul taught that Jesus is not just one being located between God and humanity. He is everything ("the fullness") between God and humanity (Colossians 1:15–20).
Some argue against that perspective, saying Paul used the term in contexts where that interpretation does not fit (Romans 13:10; Ephesians 1:22–23). Additionally, Paul, having a background as a Jewish Pharisee, probably understood the term based on its Old Testament usage. Therefore, Paul may not have borrowed the use of the term from his opponents.
Paul used the term four times in the book of Romans. It can mean "full inclusion," referring to the total number of Jews or "Gentiles" (non-Jews) who will come to God (Romans 11:12, 25). In verse 12, the term contrasts with the "failure" and "trespass" of the Jews, who believe righteousness comes from their Jewish heritage rather than faith in Christ.
Paul might have used the term to mean "complete obedience to God's will." Essentially, Paul was saying, "If their disobedience brings good to the world, imagine what their obedience will bring." Romans 13:10 uses "fullness" in this active sense. Love fulfills all that the law intended. Similarly, Paul wants his life to fully express the gospel of Christ (15:29).
The book of Ephesians calls the church "the fullness of Him" and "the fullness of God" (Ephesians 1:22–23; 4:13; 3:19).
People interpret this in different ways:
The church is how Christ does his work. The church is full of Christ because it fully shows his words and actions (see Colossians 2:10).
In the book of Colossians, Paul uses the term to describe Christ. In him lives the "fullness of the Deity" (1:19; 2:9). These passages often suggest that Christ is equal to God. Christ contains all of God's qualities. Everything God is, Christ is.
The Apostle John's Usage
The introduction to John’s Gospel says that all Christians receive the “His fullness” (1:16). Verse 14 explains this fullness: “And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us … full of grace and truth.” Here, the Greek word for “full” means complete and whole. The Gnostics used this word to describe all gods together. John, like Paul, used it to describe Christ as the fullness of God. "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form" (see Colossians 2:9; 1:19).
Since all of God's fullness is in Christ, every spiritual reality exists in him. In Christ, Christians lack nothing. No single Christian can receive all that Christ is. It takes the body of Christ to fully express his fullness (Ephesians 1:23). However, each Christian receives a portion of that fullness. Christ is always full, he never becomes empty. No matter how much Christians receive from him, he continues to give. Christians do not need to seek any other source but Christ.