LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

PRINCETON, N. J.

PRESENTED BY

MRS. 3. H. SMITH MORRISTOWN, N.J.

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COMMENTARY

EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.

CHAELES HODGE, D. D.,

PBOFESSOB IK THE THEOLOGICAL BEMmAST, PEIHCBTON, V, J.

NEW YORK : ROBEET CARTER AND BROTHERS,

BKOADWAT. 1858.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866,

By KOBEET carter & BROTHERS,

In tlie Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United' States for the Southern District of New York.

John F. Thow,

Printer, Stereotj-per, and Electrotyper,

S77 & 379 Broadway,

Cor. White Street, New York.

7

INTEODUCTION.

^ I. The City of Ejphesus.

The city of Ephesus, under the Romans, the capital of Proconsular Asia, was situated on a plain near the mouth of the river Cayster. It was originally a Greek colony, but be- came in no small degree orientalized by the influences which sxuTOunded it. Being a free city, it enjoyed under the Romans to a great extent the right of self-government. Its constitu- tion was essentially democratic. The municipal authority was vested in a Senate, and in the Assembly of the people. The ypafxixaTevs, " Town Clerk," or, Recorder, was an officer in charge of the archives of the city, the promulgator of the laws, and was clothed with great authority. It was by his remon- strance the tumultuous assembly of which mention is made in Acts 19, 24-40, was induced to disperse.

The city was principally celebrated for its temple of Diana. From the earliest period of its history, Ephesus was regarded as sacred to that goddess. The attributes belonging to the Grecian Diana, however, seem to have been combined with those which belonged to the Phoenician Astarte. Her image, as revered in Ephesus, was not a product of Grecian Art, but a many-breasted, mummy-like figure of oriental symbolism. Her famous Temple was, however, a Greek building of the Ionic order. It had become so celebrated, that its destruction three hundred and fifty-six years before the birth of Christ has

VI mTEODUCTION.

conferred immortality on the author of the deed. All Greece and Western Asia contributed to its restoration, which was a work of centuries. Its vast dimensions, its costly materials, its extended colonnades, the numerous statues and paintings with which it was adorned, its long accumulated wealth, the sacred effigies of the goddess, made it one of the wonders of the world. It was this temple which gave unity to the city, and to the character of its inhabitants. Oxford in England is not more Oxford on account of its University, than Ephesus was Ephesus on account of the Temple of Diana. The highest title the city could have assumed, and that which was impressed on its coins, was NewKopos, Temple-siveeper, — servant of the great goddess. One of the most lucrative occupations of the people was the manufacture of miniature representations of the temple, wrought in silver, which being carried about by travellers, or reverenced at home, found an extensive sale, both foreign and domestic.

With the worship of Diana the practice of sorcery was from the earliest times connected. The " Ephesian letters," mysti- cal monograms, used as charms or amulets, are spoken of fre- quently by heathen writers. Ephesus was, therefore, the chief seat of necromancy, exorcism, and all forms of magic arts for all Asia. The site of this once famous city is now occupied by an inconsiderable village called Ajaloluk, supposed by some to be a corruption of dyios ^eoAoyos, (pronounced Seologos by the Greeks), the title of the apostle John, as the great teacher of the divinity of Christ. If this is so, it is a singular con- firmation of the tradition which makes Ephesus the seat of St. John's labours. Others explain the name from the Turkish, in which language the word is said to mean. City of the Moon ; and then the connection is with Ephesus as the worshipper of Diana.

§ II. PauVs labours in Ephesus.

In this city, the capital of Asia, renowned through the world for the temple of Diana, and for skill in sorc'ery and

INTRODUCTION. Vll

magic, the place of concourse for people from all tlie surround- ing countries, Paul laboured for nearly three years.

After remaining eighteen months in Corinth, at the con- clusion of his second missionary tour, he sailed thence to Eph- esus in company with Priscilla and Ac^uila. He left his companions there, but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. When they desired him to tarry longer with them he consented not : but bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem ; but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus. After his departure, Apollos, " an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Eph- esus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord ; and being fervent in the Spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue; whom, when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly." Acts 18, 18-26.

Paul, agreeably to his promise, returned to Ephesus, pro- bably in the fall of the year 54. Here he found certain disciples who had received only John's baptism, to whom Paul said : " John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied." Acts 19, 3-6.

It seems from the narrative that there was in the apostolic period a class of persons who had renounced Judaism, and professed their faith in the person and doctrines of Christ, (for Apollos, it is said, was instructed in the way of the Lord,) and yet passed for John's disciples, in distinction from the other followers of Christ. They were Christians, for they are called " disciples," and yet had not received Christian Baptism. That is, they had been baptized with water, but not with the Holy

Vlll INTRODUCTION.

Ghost. They may have received the inward saving influences of the Spirit, but they had not been made partakers of those extraordinary gifts, the power of speaking with tongues and of prophesying, which those converted and baptized by the apos- tles had received. They were Christians through the instruc- tions and testimony of John the Baptist, as distinguished from those made Christians by the preaching of the apostles. Their knowledge of the Gospel was, therefore, necessarily imperfect. This, at least, is one answer to the question concerning the disciples of John spoken of in Acts.

After this the apostle continued for three months to attend the synagogue, " disputing and persuading the things concern- ing the kingdom of God." Meeting with opposition from the Jews, he withdrew *' and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years, so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul. , So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs, or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." Acts 19, 8-12.

It appears from this, and from the subsequent account given by the sacred historian, that the effects of Paul's preach- ing in Ephesus, were : 1. The conversion of a great number of the Jews and Greeks. 2. The diffusion of the knowledge of the Gospel throughout proconsular Asia. 3. Such an in- fluence on the popular mind, that certain exorcists attempted to work miracles in the name of that Jesus, whom Paul's preaching had proved to be so powerful ; and that other magi- cians, convinced of the folly and wickedness of their arts, made public confession, and burnt their books of divination and mys- tic charms. 4. Such a marked diminution of the zeal and numbers of the worshippers of Diana, as to excite general alarm that her temple would be despised. 5. A large and flourishing church was there established. This is proved from the facts recorded in the twentieth chapter of the Acts of ihe Apostles. Having spent a few months in visiting the

INTKODUCTION. IX

churches in Macedonia and Greece, Paul, when he arrived at Miletus on his way to Jerusalem, sent for the elders of Ephe- sus, and addressed them in terms which show that they had an important church committed to their care. In this address the apostle predicted that false teachers would soon rise up among them, not sparing the flock. From the epistle to this church, in the Book of Revelation, it appears that this predic- tion was soon fulfilled. The church is there commended for its faith and patience, and especially for its resistance to the inroads of heresy.

§ III. The date of this Epistle and the place ivhence it was

sent.

As the apostle speaks of himself in this epistle as being id bonds, it is plain it was written either during his imprison- ment at w)m^ or at ^£esai-ea>> Every thing conspires to favour the assumption that it was written at Rome, which until a recent period has been the universally received opinion. In the first place, it is clear that the Epistles to the Ephesians, to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the PhiliiDpiaus, all be- long to the same period. As to the first three, it is expressly stated that they were sent together by Tychicus and Onesimus. Comp. Eph. 6, 21. Col. 4, 7-9. Philem. v. 12. And that the fourth belongs to the same period is plain, 1. Because Timothy is mentioned as being with Paul when he wrote to the Phi- lippiaus, and he was with him when he wrote to the Colossians and to Philemon. 2. Because he enjoyed great liberty of preaching at the time when the Epistle to the Philippians was written, PhU. 1, 13 ; and so he did when that to the Ephesians was written. Eph. 6, 20. 3. Because he expresses both to the Philippians and to Philemon the expectation of being soon set at liberty. Phil. 2, 11. Philem. v. 22. If, therefore, one of these letters was written from Rome, they all were. But it is almost certain that the Epistle to the Philippians at least, was written during his imprisonment at Rome. In ch. 1, 12, 13, be says, " The things which happened unto me have fallen out

1*

X INTKODIICTIOJSr.

rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds are manifest in all the palace and in all other places." Even admit- ting tiiat the word TrpatTojptov here used, does not necessarily re- fer either to the well known pretorian camp at Rome, or to the imperial palace, yet, when taken in connection with what is said in ch. 4, 22, there is little doubt that the reference is to the place of abode of the pretorian guard in immediate attend- ance on the Emperor. The phrase ol Ik t>)s Katcrapos oiKtas, can only mean, those of Gcesarh household; and as they sent their salutations to the Philippians, there is no reasonable doubt that the Epistle to the church in Philippi was written at Rome. If, therefore, it was during the same imprisonment that he wrote the four epistles above mentioned, then it follows that the Epistle to the Ephesians was written from Rome.

In the second place, every thing contained in the Epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, and to Philemon, which are admitted to belong to the same period, agrees with this assumption. 1. The persons mentioned in these epistles are known to have been with the apostle at Rome, but are not known to have been with him at Cassarea. 2. Paul, according to Acts 28, 30, 31, enjoyed liberty to preach the gospel at Rome, but it is not known that he had that liberty in Caesarea. 3. He had at Rome the prospect of being soon set at liberty, which he did not enjoy during his imprisonment under Felix and Festus. 4. The reasons assigned by the few modern critics who refer these epistles to the time of his confinement at Caesarea, have very little weight. It is said that Onesimus, a fugitive slave, would more probably seek refuge in Ccesarea than in a place so distant as Rome ; that it is to be inferred from Eph. 6, 21, that Paul expected the Epis- tle to the Colossians to reach its destination before the letter to the Ephesians came into their hands. This would be the case if Tychicus travelled from Csesarea, not if Rome was his point of departure. Besides, it is said, that Paul cherished the purpose to visit Spain as soon as he obtained his liberty at Rome ; whereas he wrote to Philemon that he hoped to see him soon at Colosse ; whence it is inferred that he could not have been in Rome when he wrote that letter. The two formei

INTKODUCTION. XI

of these reasons have no force. If the third proves any thing with regard to the date of the Epistle to Philemon, it proves the same respecting that to the Philippians, because in that also he expresses the hope of being soon at Philippi. These expressions only prove that the apostle had been led to postpone the execu- tion of the purpose which he had formed long before of visiting Spain. There soems, therefore, to be no reason to depart from the commonly received opinion that the Epistle to the Ephe- siaus was written from Kome.

§ IV. The persons to loliom this Epistle was addressed.

As to this point there are three opinions. 1. That it was addressed to the Ephesiaus. 2. That it was addressed to the Laodiceans. 3. That it was a circular letter designed for all the churches in that part of Asia Minor.

In favour of the first of these opinions it is urged, 1. That the epistle is directed rots ova-iv Iv Etfiea-w to those who are in Ephesus. If this is the true reading, it settles the question, at least so far as this, that whatever may have been its further destination, it was primarily designed for the church in Ephe- sus. That the reading above given is the true one, is proved because it is found in all extant MSS., in all the ancient ver- sions, and in all the Fathers. This array of external evidence is decisive. No critic would venture to alter the text against these authorities. The only opposing evidence of a critical nature is, that it appears from the comment of Basil that the words £v E^e'o-o) were not in the copy which he used, and that in the MS. B. they stand in the margin and not in the text, and in MS. 67, they are inserted as a correction. This is alto- gether insufficient to outweigh the concurrent testimony above mentioned. On all critical principles, therefore, the reading e'v Ee^e'crw must be pronounced genuine.

2. That this epistle was addressed to the Ephesians is proved by the concurrent testimony of the ancient church. This Basil does not question ; he only explains toIs ova-iv in such a way as to show that they were not followed in his copy by the words Iv 'Ec^iaw. These two considerations would seem to

Xll INTEODrCTION.

be decisive. How came the epistle to be addressed to the Ephesians, if not designed for them ? How came the whole ancient church to regard it as addressed to the church in Eph- osus, if such were not the fact ? It is a fundamental principle in historical criticism to allow greater weight to historical testi- mony than to conjectures drawn from circumstantial evidence.

The objections to this view are : 1. That there is evidence that in some of the ancient MSS. no longer extant, the words ii' E(pi(Tw were not in the text. 2. That although Paul was personally so well acquainted with the Ephesian Christians, he speaks as though he were a stranger to them and they to him. The passages, however, cited in proof of this point, admit of an interpretation perfectly consistent with the common hypo- thesis. When Paul speaks in ch. 1, 15, of having heard of their faith and love, he may refer to the intelligence which had reached him at Rome. And the expression in ch. 3, 2, ctye aKovaare does not necessarily express doubt of their knowledge of him or of his being an apostle. 3. It is objected that the epistle contains no reference to the peculiar circimistances of the Ephesians. It is so general, that it might as well be ad- dressed to one church as another. 4. It contains no salutations from Paul or from his companions to any one in Ephesus. 5, It contemplates exclusively heathen Christians, whereas the church in Ephesus was composed of both Jewish and Grentile converts. The facts on which these last three arguments are founded are undoubtedly true and very remarkable, and cer- tainly distinguish this epistle from all others addressed by Paul to particular churches. They prove, however, nothing more than that the apostle's object in writing this epistle was peculiar. They cannot be allowed to outweigh the direct criti- cal and historical testimony in support of the fact that it was addressed to the Ephesians.

In favour of the hypothesis that this epistle was written to the church in Laodieea, it is urged : 1. That Marcion so en- titled it. But Marcion was a notorious falsifier of Scripture. 2. That in Col. 4, 16, it is said, " When this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the

JNTEODUCTION. Xlll

Laodiceans, and that ye also read ihe epistle from Laodicea." It cannot, however, be inferred that " the epistle from Laodi- cea" was an epistle which Paul wrote to Laodicea ; much lesd that the epistle intended was the one addressed to the Ephe- sians. Paul may have written to the Laodiceans a letter which is no longer extant. 3. It is urged that on this hypothesis all the peculiarities of the epistle can be readily explained. But those peculiarities can be explained without resorting to a hy- pothesis destitute of all historical foundation.

The assumption that this epistle was not designed specially for any one church, but intended equally for all the churches in that part of Asia Minor, has met with more favour. This view, first suggested by Archbishop Usher, has been adopted, variously modified, by Bengel, Benson, Mich^elis, Eichhorn, Koppe, Hug, Flatt, Guericke, Neander, Olshausen and many others. The great objection to it is the overwhelming authority in favour of the reading iv E^eo-w in the salutation, and the unanimous testimony of the early church. Perhaps the most probable solution of the problem is, that the epistle was written to the Ephesians and addressed to them, but being intended specially for the Gentile Christians as a class, rather than for the Ephe- sians as a church, it was designedly thrown into such a form as to suit it to all such Christians in the neighbouring churches, to whom no doubt the apostle wished it to be communicated. This would account for the absence of any reference to the peculiar circumstances of the saints in Ephesus. This seems to have been substantially the opinion of Beza, who says : Suspicor non tarn ad Ephesios ipsos proprie missam epistolam, quam ad Ephesum, ut ad cseteras Asiaticas eeclesias transmitteretur.

§ V. The relation between this Epistle and that to the Colossians.

This relation is, in the first place, one of remarkable simi- larity. This similarity is observable, 1. In the occurrence in both epistles of the same words and forms of expressions. 2. In passages which are identical in thought and language. 3.

XIV INTRODUCTION.

In passages in wtich the thought is the same and the expression is varied. 4. In others where the same topic is more fully handled in the one epistle than in the other. 5. In passages in which different topics follow each other in the same order.

In the second place, although there are these striking points of resemblance between the two epistles?, there are no less striking points of difference. 1. While the Epistle to the Colossians has every indication of having been written to a particular congregation and in reference to their peculiar circumstances, the absence of these features is the most marked characteristic of the Epistle to the Ephesians. 2. In the Epistle to the Ephe- sians the doctrinal element prevails over the practical ; in the Epistle to the Colossians it is just the reverse. 3. The main object of the Epistle to the Colossians is to warn the church against " philosophy falsely so called." Of this there is no indication in Vne Epistle to the Ephesians ; the great design of which is to unfold the glories of the plan of redemption as em- bracing both Jews and Gentiles, and designed to be the great medium for the manifestation of the grace and wisdom of God to all intelligent creatures. 4. There are, therefore, topics discussed in the one epistle, to which there is nothing to cor- respond in the other. 5. The order of sequence, or the con- catenation of subjects, except in the case of some particular exhortations, is entirely different in the two epistles. 6. The Epistle to the Ephesians has much greater unity than that to the Colossians. This evidently arose from the different pur- poses with which they are written.

In the third place, the two epistles are evidently indepen- dent the one of the other. Each is a complete whole. In each one topic flows naturally from another, the association of ideas in every case being clearly indicated. Neither is a patchwork, but both are a closely woven web.

All these characteristics of similarity, dissimilarity, and mutual independence, are naturally accounted for on the as- sumption that the two epistles were written at the same time, the one for a particular congregation, the other for a particu- lar class of readers.

INTEODUCTION. XV

^ VI. The Genuineness of the Ejpisile.

1. The epistle announces itself as written by Paul the Apostle. 2. There is nothing in its contents inconsistent with the assumption of his being its author. 3. All the incidental references which it contains to the office, character and circum- stances of the writer, agree with what is known to be true con- cerning Paul. The writer was an apostle, an apostle of the Gentiles, a prisoner, one to whom Tychicus stood in the rela- tion of a companion and fellow-labourer. 4. The style, the doctrines, the sentiments, the spirit, the character revealed, are those of Paul. 5. The whole ancient church received it as genuine. As to this point the judgment of the early ages is unanimous. Even Marcion, though he dissented from the common opinion as to its destination, admitted its Pauline origin. 6. Finally and mainly, the epistle reveals itself as the work of the Holy Ghost, as clearly as the stars declare their maker to be God. In no portion of the Sacred Scriptures are the self-evidencing light and power of divine truth more con- centrated than they are here. Had it been first discovered in the nineteenth century, in a forsaken monastery, it would com- mand the faith of the whole church.

The genuineness of this epistle, therefore, has never been doubted, except by a few modern critics to whom nothing is sacred. These critics object : 1. That Paul was familiarly acquainted with the Ephesians, whereas the writer of this epis- tle had only heard of their conversion and of their faith and love. This objection is fully met by showing that the ex- pressions referred to, may be understood of information received by Paul, during his long imprisonment, first at Cassarea, and afterwards at Rome; or, on the assumption that the epistle, though addressed to the Ephesians, was designed for a large class of readers, with many of whom Paul had no personal acquaintance. 2. They object that this epistle is merely a verbose imitation of the Epistle to the Colossians. Nothing can be more inconsistent with the fact. The relation between the two epistles, instead of being a ground of objection

XVI INTEODUCTIOI^.

against either, is a strong proof of the genuineness of both. Of this any reader may satisfy himself by a careful compari- son of the two. 3. It is objected that the epistle contains no reference to the peculiar circumstances of the Ephesians, so that the address and contents are irreconcilable. This ab- sence of specific reference, as before remarked, is accounted for from the design of the epistle as addressed to Gentile believers, as Christians, not as Ephesians. Reuss remarks in reference to such objections, " If Paul wrote friendly letters, these critics say they are spurious, because they are not doctrinal ; and if he wrote doctrinal epistles, they say they are spurious, because not friendly." 4. It is objected that the style is not that of Paul. The very reverse, in the judgment of the vast majority of competent readers, is the fact. There is the same fervour and force of expression, the same length and complication in his sentences, clause linked with clause, till he is forced to stop, and begin the sentence anew. Idem in epistola, says Erasmus, Pauli fervor, eadem profunditas, idem omni?io spiritus ac pectus. De Wette, the originator of these and similar ob- jections, admits that they do not justify the rejection of the epistle, which, he says, contains much that is worthy of the apostle, and which all antiquity acknowledged as genuine. Unfortunately, however, he afterwards retracted this admission. It is to the honour of the German critics, for whom in general, novelty is every thing, the last opinion always being the best, that with the exception of the destructive school of Tubingen, few, if any, of their number attach any weight to the arguments against the apostolic origin of this epistle. 5. The principal objection urged by Baur of Tubingen, in addition to those sug- gested by De Wette, is that the Epistle to the Ephesians con- tains allusions to Gnostic opinions, which did not prevail until after the apostolic age. But, in the first place, the great ma- jority of scholars deny that this epistle contains any reference to Gnostic sentiments ; and, in the second place, even if it did, the Epistle to the Colossiaus afi"ords abundant evidence that principles afterwards developed into Gnosticism, had manifest- ed themselves in the age of the apostles. If it be said that the

ENTKODUCTION. XVli

allusions in the Epistle to the Colossians to those principles proved that it also is spurious ; that would be only a dictum in the face of all evidence, and utterly subversive of all history. There is no portion of the New Testament the genuineness of which the church has from the beginning, with more cordial unanimity, acknowledged, than that of this epistle.

§ VII. Contents of the Epistle.

The apostle addresses himself principally to Gentile Chris- tians. His object was, 1. To bring them to a just apprecia- tion of the plan of redemption, as a scheme devised from eter nity by God, for the manifestation of the glory of his grace. 2. To make them sensible of the greatness of the blessing which they enjoyed in being partakers of its benefits. 3. To lead them to enter into the spirit of the gospel as a system which ignored the distinction between Jews and Gentiles, and united all the members of the church in one living body des- tined to be brought into full conformity to the image of Christ. 4. To induce them to live as it became a religion which had delivered them from the degradation of their condition as heathen, and exalted them to the dignity of the sons of God.

He begins, therefore, with the primal fountain of all spirit- ual blessings. He refers them to their predestination to son- ship, and their consequent election to holiness, before the foun- dation of the world. From this flowed their actual redemption by the blood of Christ ; and the revelation of the divine pur- pose to unite all the subjects of redemption in one body in Christ ; in whom first the Jews, and then the Gentiles, had been made the heirs of eternal life. Cb. 1, 1-14.

He next earnestly prays that God would enable them to appreciate the hope which they were thus entitled to cherish ; the glory of the inheritance in reserve for them; and the ex- ceeding greatness of that power which had already wrought in them a change analogous to that efi"ected in the resurrection and exaltation of Christ. For as Christ was dead and deposited in the tomb, so they were spiritually dead; and as Christ waa

2

XVlll INTKODTJCTION.

raised and exalted above all creatures, so they also were quick- ened and exalted to a heavenly state in Him. Ch. 1, 15. 2, 10.

He therefore calls upon them to contrast their former con- dition as heathen, with their present state. Formerly they were without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, without God, and without hope. But by the blood of Christ a two-fold reconciliation had been effected. The Jews and G-entiles are united as one body, and both are reconciled to God, and have equally free access to his presence. The Gen- tiles, therefore, are now fellow-citizens of the saints, members of the family of God, and living stones in that temple in which God dwells by his Spirit. Ch. 2, 11-22.

This great mystery of the union of Jews and Gentiles, had been partially revealed under the Old Dispensation, but it was not then made known so clearly as it had since been re- vealed to the apostles and prophets of the New Dispensation; whose great vocation it was to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men understand the plan of redemp- tion, hid for ages in God, but now revealed, that through the church might be made known to principalities and powers the manifold wisdom of God. Ch. 3, 1-13.

The apostle, therefore, bows his knees before the common Father of the redeemed, and prays that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith ; that they being rooted and grounded in love, might be able to apprehend the infinite love of Christ, and be filled with the fulness of God, who is able to do for us far more than we are able either to ask or to think. Ch. 3, 14- 21.

The Gentiles, therefore, are bound to enter into the spirit of this great scheme — to remember that the church, composed of Jews and Gentiles, bond and free, wise and imwise, is one body, filled by one Spirit, subject to the same Lord, having one faith, one hope, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is in, through, and over all. They should also bear in mind that diversity in gifts and ofiice was not inconsistent with this unity of the church, but essential to its edification. For the ascended Saviour had constituted some apostles, some prophets,

INTKODrCTION. XIX

some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the very pur- pose of building up the church, and through them as the chan- nels of the truth and grace of Christ, the church was to be brought to the end of its high calling. Ch. 4, 1-16.

They should not, therefore, live as did the other Gentiles, who, being in a state of darkness and alienation from God, gave themselves up to uncleanness and avarice. On the contrary, having been taught by Christ, they should put off the old man, and be renewed after the image of God. Avoiding all false- hood, all undue anger, all dishonesty, all improper language, all malice, all impurity and covetousness, they should walk as children of the light, reproving evil, striving to do good, and expressing their joy by singing hymns to Christ, and giving thanks to God. Ch. 4, 17. 5, 20.

He impresses upon his readers reverence for the Lord Jesus Christ as the great principle of Christian obedience. He applies this principle especially to the domestic obligations of men. The marriage relation is illustrated by a reference to the union between Christ and the church. The former is an obscure adumbration of the latter. Marriage is shown to be not merely a civil contract, not simply a voluntary compact between the parties, but a vital union producing a sacred iden- tity. The violation of the marriage relation is, therefore, pre- sented as one of the greatest of crimes and one of the greatest of evils. Parents and children are bound together not only by natural ties, but also by spiritual bands ; and, therefore, the obedience on the part of the child, and nurture on the part of the parent, should be religious. Masters and slaves, however different their condition before men, stand on the same level before God; a consideration which exalts the slave, and hum- bles and restrains the master. ^Finally, the apostle teaches hia readers the nature of that great spiritual conflict on which they have entered ; a conflict, not with men but with the powers of darkness. He tells them what armour they need, how it is to be used, and whence strength is to be obtained to bring them off victorious. Ch. 5, 21. 6, 1-20.

y

XX INTRODUCTION.

§ VIII. Commentaries.

The most important modern commentaries on this epistle are the following : Koppe, in the sixth vol. of his Annotations on the epistles of the N. T. Flatt, in a distinct volume. J A. Holzhausen, 1833, pp. 195. L. J. Ruchert, 1833, pp. 306. This is a valuable work, though the author prides himself on his independence not only of theological system, but also of the Scriptures, and writes with a certain air of supe- riority over the apostle. F. H. Meier, 1834, pp. 231, less im- portant. G. C. A. Harless, 1834, pp. 674. This is the most elaborate commentary on this epistle which has yet been pub- lished. It is orthodox and devout, but is wearisome from its diffuseness and lack of force. De Wette, in the second volume of his Exegetisches Handbuch — very condensed, but evinces little regard to the authority of the sacred writers. Olshau- sen, in the fourth volume of his Commentar uber das N. T., devout, able, and mystical. H. A. W. Meyer, Achte Abthei- lung of his Kritisch Exegetischer Commentar liber das N. T. Meyer is, perhaps, the ablest commentator on the New Testa- ment of modern times. His theological stand-point is that of high Arianism. He evinces deference to authority of Scrip- ture, but does not hesitate to impute error or false reason- ing to the apostles. Joh7i Eadie, D.D., Professor of Bib. Literature to the United Presbyterian Church, 1854, pp. 466. This is a work of great research, and contains a full exhibition of the views of all preceding commentators. It is an impor- tant and valuable addition to our exegetical literature.

EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIMS.

CHAPTER I.

THE SALCTATIOX, VS. 1. 2. THANKSGIVING FOB THE BLESSINGS OF BK-

DEMPTION, VS. 3-14. PRAYER THAT THE EPHESIANS MIGHT INCREASB

IN THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF THOSE BLESSINGS, VS. 15—

21.

THE SALUTATION.

1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesns, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus :

2. grace 5e to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

COMMENTARY.

Y. 1. An wpostle of Jesus Christ. — ^The word apostle is used in three senses in tlie l!Tew Testament. 1. In

its primary sense of messeno-er. Jolin 13, 16 (the mes- senger), lie tliat is sent is not greater than he that sent him. Phil. 2, 25, your messenger. 2 Cor. 8, 23, mes- sengers of the churches. ^AirocnoKoL iKKXrjaiatv ; tov- recTTiv, says Chrysostom, vtto eKKkrjaLoiv 7r€/j,(f)0ePT€ii. Theophylact adds /cat ■xetporovrjOivTe'i. 2. In the sense

22 EPHESIANS,

of missionaries, men sent by the clmrcli to preach the Gospel. — In this sense Paul and Barnabas are called apostles. Acts 14, 4. 14 ; and probably Andronicus and Junias, Rom. 16, Y. 3. In the sense of plenipotentia- ries of Christ ; men whom he personally selected and sent forth invested with full authority to teach and rule in his name. In this sense it is always used when " the apostles." " tjie twelv^." or " the apostles of the Lord," are spoken of as a well-known, definite class. i They were appointed as witnesses of Christ's miracles, f doctrines, resurrection : and therefore it was necessary that they should not only have seen him after his resur- rection, but that their knowledge of the Gospel should be immediately from Christ, John 15, 26. Acts 1, 22. 2, 32. 3, 15. 13, 31. 26, 16. 1 Cor. 9, 1. Gal. 1, 12. They were not confined to any one field but had a general jurisdiction over the churches, as is manifest from their epistles. — ^To qualify them for this office of authoritatively teaching, organizing, and governing the church, they were rendered infallible by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and their divine mission was con- firmed by miraculous powers. — ^Their authority there- fore rested first on their commission, and secondly on their inspiration. Hence it is evident that none can have the authority of an apostle who has not apostolic gifts. In this respect Eomanists are consistent, for they claim infallibility for those whom they regard as the official successors of the apostles. They are, how- ever, inconsistent with their own theory, and at vari- ance with the Scripture, in making this infallibility the

CHAP. I. VEK. 1. 23

prerogative of tlie prelates in tlieir collective capacity, instead of claiming it for each individual bishop.

Alo, ^eXrujbaTo^ Geov, hy the will of God. There are two ideas included in this phrase. 1. That the apostleship was a gift, or grace from God^ Rom. 1, 5. Eph. 3, 7. 8. 2. That the commission or authority of the apostles was immediately from God. Paul in Gal. 1, 1, as well as in other passages, asserts that apostle- ship was neither derived from men nor conveyed throua:h the instrumentality of men, but conferred directly by God through Christ.

To the smnts which a/re at Ephesus. The Israelites. under the old dispensation, were called saints, because separated from other nations and consecrated to God, j In the Kew Testament the word is applied to believers, not merely as externally consecrated, but as reconciled I to God and inwardly pm'ified. Tlie word ayid^eiv sig- nifies to cleanse, either from guilt by a propitiatory sacrifice, as in Heb. 2, 11. 10, 10. 14, or from inward pollution, and also to consecrate. Hence the a<yLOi, saints, are those who are cleansed by the blood pi Chi'ist, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost^ apd thus separated from the world and consecrated to God. On the words, iphich are at EyhesuSy see the Intro- duction.

And to the faithful in Christ Jesus, The word TTtcTTo?, faithful, may mean preserving faith, worthy of faith, or exercising faith. In the last sense, which is its meaning here, it is equivalent to believing. The faithful, therefore, are believers. In Christ, belongs

24 EPHESIANS,

equally to the two preceding clauses : rot? a^ioL<i — Koi nrtaroU iv Xptarw, ' To the saints and faithful whc are in Christ Jesus.' .Those whom he calls saintfi lie

I also 0,2^^ faithful • Ergo, says Calvin, nemo fidelis, nisi qiii etiam sanctus : et nemo rursum oanctus, nisi qui fidelis. No one is a 'believer who is not Jioly ; and no one is holy who is not a believer.

Y. 2. Contains the usual apostolic benediction. Paul prays that grace and peace may be granted to his readers. Grace is unmerited faYour ; and the p;race_or favour of Grod is the source of all good. Peace, accord- ing to the usage of the corresponding Hebrew word, means well-being in general! it comprehends all bless- ings flowing from the goodness of God. The apostle prays to Christ, and seeks from him blessings which God only can bestow. Christ therefore was to him the object of habitual worship. He lived in communion with Christ as a divine person, the ground of his con- fidence and the source of all good.

God is our Father : 1. As He is the author of our being ; 2. As we were formed in his likeness. He as a spirit is the Father of spirits. 3. As we are born again by his Spirit and adopted into his family. It is in reference to the last-mentioned relationship that the expression is almost always used in the ISTew Testament. Those who are the children of God are such by regen eration and adoption.

Jesus Christ is our supreme and absolute Lord and proprietor. The word /cuoto? is indeed used n Scrip- ture in the sense of master, and as a mere honorary title

CHAP. I, VS. 3-14. 25

as in Englisli Master or Sir. But, on tlie other hand, it is the translation of Adonai, supreme Lord, an in- communicable name of God, and the substitute for Jehovah, a name the Jews would not pronounce. It is in this sense that Christ is, The Lord, The Lord of Lords, The Lord God ; Lord in that sense in which God alone can be Lord — having a dominion of which divine perfection is the only adequate or possible foun- dation. This is the reason why no one can call him Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 12, 3. It is a confession which implies the apprehension of the

(glory of God as it shines in Him. It is an acknow- ledgment that he is God manifested in the flesh. Blessed are all they who make this acknowledgment with sincerity ; for flesh and blood cannot reveal the truth therein confessed, but the Father who is in heaven.

SECTION II.— Vs. 3-14.

3. Blessed te the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly

4. places in Christ : according as he hath chosen us in him be- fore the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and

5. without blame before him in love : having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, ac-

6. cording to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made ug accepted in the

7. beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace ;

8. wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and pru-

9. dence ; having made known unto us the mystery of his will,

26 EPHESIAN8,

according to Ms good pleasure which he hath purposed in

10. himself; that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, hoth which are in

11. heaven, and which are on earth ; even in him : in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated accord- ing to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the

12. counsel of his own will ; that we should be to the praise of his

13. gloiy, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salva- tion : in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with

14. that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inherit- ance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

ANALYSIS.

Tlie apostle blesses God for the spiritual gifts be- stowed upon his people, v. 3. Of these the first in order and the source of all the others, is election, v. 4. This election is, 1st. Of individuals. 2d. In Christ ; 3d. It is from eternity. 4th. It is to holiness, and to the dignity of sons of God. 5th. It is founded on the sovereign pleasure of God, vs. 4. 6. 6th. Its final object is the glory of God, or the manifestation of his grace, v. 6.

Tlie second blessing here mentioned is actual re- demption through the blood of Christ ; the free remis- sion of sins according to the riches of his grace, vs. 7. 8.

The third blessing is the revelation of the divine purpose in relation to the economy of redemption ; which has for its object the reduction of all things to a harmonious whole imder Jesus Christ, vs. 9. 10.

CHAP. I. VEK. 3. 27

Through, this Redeemer, the Jewish Christians who had long looked for the Messiah are, agreeably to the divine purpose, made the heirs of God, vs. 11. 12.

The Gentile converts are partakers of the same inheritance ; because, having believed in Christ, they are assured of their redemption by the possession of the Holy Spirit, the pledge of the inheritance until its actual and complete enjoyment, vs. 13. 14.

COMMENTAET.

Y. 3. Ev\oyr)To<i 6 @e6<i, Blessed ie God. The word evXoyeiv, like its English equivalent, to Uess, signifies to praise, as when we bless God ; to pray for blessings, as when we bless others ; and to bestow blessings, as when God blesses us. Blessed be God who hath blessed us, is then the expression of thanksgiving and praise to God on account of those peculiar benefits which we receive from him through Christ.

God is here designated as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is, he is at once God and ! Father, sustaining both these relations to Christ. Our Saviour used a similar form of expression, when he said, ' I ascend unto my Father and your Father ; and to my God and your God.' John 20, 17. Tlie God in whom the Israelites trusted was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; their covenant God. This designa- tion served to remind the ancient people of God of his promise to their fathers, and of their peculiar conse- quent relationship to him. Tlie God in whom we are

28 EPHESIAJTS,

called upon to trust, and to wliom we are to look as the source of all good, is not the absolute Jehovah, nor the God who stood in a special relation to the Israel- ites ; but the God of redemption ; the God whom the Lord Jesus revealed, whose will he came to accom- plish, and who was his Father. It is this relationship which is the ground of our confidence. It is because God has sent the Lord Jesus into the world, because He spared not his own Son, that he is our God and Father, or that we have access to him as such.

It is this reconciled God, the God of the covenant of grace, 6 ev\oy/]cra<i }]fx,d<; ev Trdarj evXoyla "jrvev/xarcKfj, who hath Uessed its with all sjpiritual hlessings. The past tense, hath Messed, is used because the apostle contemplates his readers as actually redeemed, and in present possession of the unspeakable blessings which Christ has procured. These blessings are spiritual not merely because they pertain to the soul, but because derived from the Holy Spirit, whose presence and in- fluence are the great blessing ]3urchased by Christ.

" In heavenly places.''^ The words iv Toh iirov- pavioa may be rendered either (m) oj\wit^ heavenly things, or in heavetily places,_i. e. in heaven. If the former method be adopted the sense is, ' Hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, i. e. with heavenly things.' The words however occur five times in this epistle and always elsewhere in a local sense. See V. 20. 2, 6. 3, 10. 6, 12, which therefore should be preferred Jiere. They are to be connected witli^e immediately preceding word, ' Blessings in heaven.'

CHAP. I. TEE. 4. 29

The meaning is that these blessinpis pertain to that heavenly state into which the "l-'^li^ypT \f\ introflnnpfl. tHere on earth he is, as the apostle says, in ch. 2, 6, jin heavenly places.' He is a citizen of heaven, Phil. ^3, 10. The word heaven, m kjcripture, is not connned in its application to the place or state of futnre blessed- ness, bnt sometimes is nearly equivalent to ^ kingdom of heaven.' The old writers, therefore, were accus- tomed to distinguish between the caelum glorias, the heaven of glory ; coelum naturae, the visible heavens, and coelum gratiae, the heaven of grace here on earth. These blessings connected with this heavenly state, are conferred upon believers m Christ. It is as they are in him, and in virtue ^f ^"l^a^ imiAn fVio^- ^->ipy f^yo pov- takers of these benejits.

Y. 4. All these blessings have their source in the electing love of God. EvXoy^cra'i — Kad(o<i e^eXe^aro rjixas, he Messed us — because he chose us. Ka6(o<;, ac- cording as, or, inasmuch as, lecause, see John 17, 2. Rom. 1, 28. 1 Cor. 1, 6. Election is the_cause or source of aUjubsequent benefits.

He hath chosen us. By us is not meant the apostle alone, because there is nothing in the context to indi- cate or justify this restriction. The blessings conse- quent on the election here spoken of, are in no sense peculiar to the apostle. Neither does the word refer to any external community or society as such. It is not us Ephesians, as Ephesians, nor us Corinthians, nor us Eomans, as formerly the Jews were chosen by a national election. But it is us believers, scattered here

30 EPHESIAJSfS,

and there. It is those who are the actual recipients of the blessings spoken of, viz. holiness, sonship, remission of sins, and eternal life.

We are said to be chosen^ m Ilim^ an expression which is variously explained. Some refer the pronoun to God, ' chosen us in himself ; ' which is contrary not only to the context but to the signification of the words iv avTU), which is the received text. Others say the meaning is, ' He hath chosen jis because we are in him.' The foresight of our faith or union with Christ, being the ground of this election. This however can- not be admitted. 1. Because faith, or a living union ^ with Christ, is the very blessing to_jwhich we are chosen. 2. Because it introduces into the passage more than the words express. 3. Because in this im- mediate connection, as well as elsewhere, the ground of this election is declared to be the good plea- sure of God. — A third interpretation also supposes an ellipsis. The full expression would be : ek to ehai rjficL'i iv avrw, Chosen us to he in Him ; in ij^so^ vide- licet adoptandos, as Beza explains it. The objection to this is that it introduces more than the words con- tain, and that the end to which we are chosen is ex- pressed in the following clause, elvai T^/Lta? ajiov'^. It is best therefore to take the words as they stand, and to inquire in what sense our election is in Christ. Tlie purpose of election is very comprehensive. It is jhe purpose of God to bring his people to holiness, sonship, and eternal gloi^- He never intended to do this irre- sj3ectiye of Christ. On thejcontrary it was his purpose,

CHAP. I. VEK. 4. 31

J as revealed in Scripture, to bring liis people to these l\ej£alted privileges througli a Kedeemer; It was in Christ as tlieir head and representative they were chosen to holiness and eternal life, and therefore in virtue of what he was to do in their behalf. There is \ a federal jmion with Christ which is antecedent to all actual union, and is the som-ce of it. God gave _a people to his Son in the covenant of redemption. Those included in that covenant, and because they are included in it — in other words, because they are in Christ as their head and representative — receive in time the gift of the Holy Spirit and all other benefits of redemption. Their_v^untarj^ union with Christ by faith, is not the gi'ound of their federal union, but, on the contrary, their federal union is the ground of their voluntary union. It is, therefore, in Christ, i. e. as united to him in the covenant of redemption, that the people of God are elected to eternal life and to all the blessings therewith connected. Much in the same sense the Israelites are said to have been chosen in Abraham. Their relation to Abraham and God's cov- enant with him, were the ground and reason of all the peculiar blessings they enjoyed. So our covenant union with Christ is the^^round of all the benefits which we as the people of God possess or hope for. J We were chosen in Christ, as the Jews were chosen in AbrahamT^ The sameTruth is expressed in 3, 11, where it is said that the carrying out or application of the plan of redemption is " according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

32 EPHESIAlfS,

God purposed to save men in Christ, He elected them in him to salvation.

Again, this election is from eternity. He chose us

tirpb KaTa^o\r}<i Koa/jiov, hefore the foimdation of the world. Comp. 2 lliess. 2, 13. Matt. 25, 34. As our idea of time arises from the perception of motion or consciousness of succession, the natural expression for eternity is ' before time,' before the existence of crea- tures who exist in time. Hence what has been from eternity is said in Scriptures to have been before the world was, John lY, 24. 1 Pet. 1, 20 ; or before the ages, 1 Cor. 2, 7. 2 Tim. 1, 9. " The grace given us in Christ Jesus irpo xp^vcov alwviwv, before tlie world began." — There seem to be two things intended by this reference to the eternity of the divine purpose. {'} jThe one is, to represent Cod as doing every thing in time according to a preconceived plan ; or as working all things after the counsel of his own will. From eternity the whole scheme of redemption with all its details and in all its results lay matured in the divine mind. Hence every thing is certain. There is no possibility either of failure or of any change of pur- pose. The eternity of God's purpose is^jfcherefore, a strong ground of confidence and comfoWu^Zhe other is, to express the sovereignty of the divine purpose. The grace was given to us before we existed, before the world began, and of course before we had done any good or evil. It was, therefore, not for works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. If the one aspect of the truth

CHAP. I. VEK. 4. 33

that God chose us before the foimdation of the world.

is adapted to produce confidence ; the other aspect is no less adapted to produce humility.

This election is to^^^Uaess. "We are chosen ehai, ayiov^ koL a/ico/ioi'? KarevcoTrtov avrov, to 1)6 holy and without Mame hefore him. These words admit of two interpretations. They may be understood to refer to our justification, or to our sanctification. They express either that freedom from guilt and blame in the sight of God, which is the proximate effect of the death of Christ ^^^^hat subjective purification of the soul which is its indirect, but certain effect produced by the Holy Spirit which his death secures for his people. The words admit of either interpretation ; because aym^e^y, as remarked above on v. 1, often means to cleanse from guilt, to atone for ; and a'yto'i means clean from guilty atoned for / and d/xcofio^ may mean free from amy ground of hlame / unstraflich (not deserving of pun- ishment), as Luther renders it. In favour of this inter- pretation it is m-ged, first, that it is unscriptural as well as contrary to experience, to make perfect purity and freedom from all blemish, the end of election. There is little force in this argument, because the end of election is not fully attained in this life. It might as well be said that the vlodeuia {the adoption of sons), to which in v. 5 we are said to be predestinated, includes nothing more than what is experienced in this world. Besides, in 5, 27, it is said, Christ gave himself for the church, " That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing,

3

34 EPHESIAJNS,

but (Jva y aryia kol d/jbco/xo<;) that it sliould be lioly and without blemish." This certainly is descriptive of a aegree of inward pui-ity not attained by the chui-ch militant. Comj). Col. 1, 22. Secondly, it is urged that the whole context treats of the effect of the ikaarrjpLov or propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, and therefore these words must be understood of justification, because sanc- tification is not the effect of a sacrifice. But the Scrip- tures often speak of the remote, as well as of the imme- diate end of Christ's death. We are reconciled to God by the death of his Son in order that we should be holy. Propitiation is in order to holiness. Therefore, it is said, " He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us unto himself a people zealous of good works." Titus 2, 14. In many othei passages sanctification is said to be the end for which Christ died. There is nothing in the context, therefore, which requires us to depart from the ordinary inter- pretation of this passage. If the words iv^ajaTrr} {in ^love) SiVQ to be connected with the preceding clause, ; it is decisive as to its meaning ' We are chosen to be I holy and without blame in love.' It is a state of moral excellence which consists in love. That is, it is no mere external consecration to God, as was the case with the Jews, nor any mere ceremonial freedom from blemish, to which we are elected. This is alto- gether the most natural connection of the words, from which no one would have thought of departing, had it not been assumed that the words " holy and without blame" refer to sacrificial purification. To connect

CHAP. I. VER. 5. 35

eV dyaTrrj with i^eke^aro, would give tlie sense, ' Hath chosen us in love ; ' but this the position of the words forbids. To connect them with Trpoopio-a?, which fol- lows, would give the sense, ' In love having predes- tinated us.' But this also is unnatural ; and besides, the y^QX^ predestinated has its limitation or explanation in the following clause, " according to the good plea- sure of his will.' It would be tautological to say : ' He hath predestinated us in love according to the good pleasure of his will." The majority of commen- tators, therefore, adopt the construction followed by our translators.

If election is to holiness as the apostle here teaches, it follows, first, that indiyiduals, and not communities or nations, are the objects of election ; secondly, that holiness in no form can be the ground of election. If men are chosen to be holy, they cannot be chosen because they are holy. And, thirdly, it follows that holiness is the only evidence of election. For one who lives in sin to claim to be elected unto holiness, is a conjradiction.

Y. 5. The apostle says, God hath chosen us to holiness, having j)rede8tinated us to sonship ; that is, because he has thus predestinated us. Holiness, there- fore, must be a necessary condition or^prerequisite for • the sonship here spoken of. Sonship in reference to God includes — 1. Participation of his nature, or con- formity to his image. 2. The-enjoyment of his-fayour, or being the special objects of his love. 3. Heirshijj, or a participation of the glory and blessedness of God.

36 EPHESIANS,

Sometimes ojie and sometimes another of these ideas is the most prominent. In the present case it is the second and third. God having predestinated his people to the high dignity and glory of sons of Grod, elected them to holiness, without which that dignity conld neither be possessed nor enjoyed. It is tJv/'oujgh Jesus Christy that we are made the sons of God. As many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God. John 1, 12. For we are all the children of God by faith of Jesns Christ. Gal. 3, 26. Christ has ]3urchased this dignity for his people. He died for them on condition that they should be the sons of God, restored to their Father's family and reinstated in all the privileges of this divine relation- ship.

The words eh avrov, to himself, in the clause, ' Predestinated us to sonship by Jesus Christ to him- self,' are somewhat difficult. The text, in the first place, is uncertain. Some editors read ek avTov, unto himself, and others et? avrov, unto him. In either case, however, the reference is to God. They admit of three explanations. 1. They may limit or explain the word sonship. ' Sonship unto himself,' i. e. sonsin relation to God. 2. They may express the design of this adoption. ' Sonship for himself,' i. e. for his bene- fit or glory. This assumes that eh is here equivalent to the dative. 3. They may be connected immediately with the words Jesus Christ. ' Through Jesus Christ to himself,' i. e. to be brought to him by Jesus Christ. The first is generally preferred, because it

CHAP. I. VER. 5. 37

gives a good sense, and is consistent with the force of

the preposition.

The ground of this predestination and of the elec- tion founded upon it, is expressed by the clause, Kara rrjv evhoKLav rov ^6\7]/iaTo<; avrov, according to the good pleasure of his will. The wordC^ySo^TEt, means either denevolence, favour, as in Luke 2, 14 ; or good jpleasure, free or sovereign ^^urpose, as in Matt. 11, 26 ; and Luke 10, 21. Phil. 2, 13. Tlie meaning therefore may be either : ' according to his benevolent will,' or ' according to his sovereign will,' i. e. his good plea- sure. The latter is to be preferred. 1. Because it agrees better with the usage of the word in the J^. T. In Matt. 11, 26, otl outoj? i<ye.veTo evSoKia e^irpoadev aov means, ' Because thus it seemed good in thy sight.' In Luke 10, 21, the same words occur in the same sense. In Phil. 2, 13, vwep t?}?. evSoxia^ means, ' Of good pleasure.' 2. The words evSoKia rov ^eXi]- fiaTo<; naturally mean voluntas Uberrima, heneplacitum, ' sovereign puj'pose / to make them mean benevolent will, is contrary to scriptural usage. 3. In this connection it is not the predestinated that are the objects of evSoKia, but the act of predestination itself. God chose to have that purpose. It seemed good to him. 4. The expressions, " purpose of his will,", " counsel of his will," V. 11, are used interchangeably with that in the text, and determine its meaning. 5. The analogy of Scripture is in favour of this interpretation, because the ground of election is always said to be the good pleasure of God.

88 EPHE8IANS,

Y. 6. Tlicfinjil end of election is the glory of God. He has predestinated ns to sonsliip, ek e-rraivov h6^r}<i T^9 %a/9tT09 avrov, to the jpraise of the glory of his grace. That is, in order that in the exaltation and blessedness of his j^coplo, matter for celebrating his grace might be abundantly afforded. It is worthy of remark that here, as in 2, 7. 1 Cor. 1, 27-29, and elsewhere, the specific design of redemption and of the mode in which its blessings are dispensed, is declared to bo the manifestation of the grace or unmerited favour of God. Nothing thei-efore can be more foreign to the natnre of the Gospel than the doctrine of merit in any form. It is uncongenial with that great scheme of mercy whose principal design is to exhibit tlie grace of God.

It is to weaken the langnago of the apostle to make 86f?79 a mere qualification either of liraivov (praise), or of x^ipiTo^ (grace). It is neither glorious praise, nor glorious grace, but to tit e praise of the glory of his grace. The glory of grace, is the divine excellence of that attribute manifested as an object of admiration. Tlie glory of God is the manifested excellence of God, and the glory of any one of his attributes, is tlu^ mani- festation of that attribute as an object of pi-aise. Tlie design of redemption, therefore, is to exhibit the grace of God in such a conspicuous manner as to fill all hearts with wonder and all lips with praise.

Wherein he hath made vs accented. Tlie Text in this clause is uncertain. Some MRS. have iv y which is the common text; and others 7J<;. Mill, Griesbach,

CHAT. I. VER. 6. 39

Laclinianii, Rlickcrt adopt the latter ; Kiuipp, Scliok, Ilarless, Do AVctto tlic former. If tlie genitive be preferred, ^9 is for 'ijp, and the phrase %a/3ty 'xapirovv wouhl he analogous to others of frequent occurrence, as K\?]aLi> KoXelv, djdTrrjv dyaTrdv. This clause admits of two interpretations. The word "xapirow, agreeably to the analogy of words of the same formation, signifies to impart %a/jt9 grace. Tlie literal rendering therefore of the words iv y (^dpiri) i'xapiTwaep yfA.d'i would be, with which grace he has graced us, or conferred grace upon us. But as grace sometimes means a disposition and sometimes a gift, the sense may be either, 'Wherein (i. e. in the exercise of which) he has been gracious to- wards us ; ' or, ' With which he has made us gracious or well pleasing.' In the former case, grace refers to the goodness or unmerited favour of God exercised towards us ; in the latter, to the sanctifying effect produced on us. It is the grace by which he has sanctified or rendered us gracious (in the subjective sense of that word) in his sight. The Greek and llomish interpreters prefer tlie latter interpretation ; the great body of Protestant com- mentators the former. The reasons in favour of the former are, 1. Tlie word grace in the context is used in the sense of Jdnd dis])osition on the part of God, and not in the sense of a gift. 2. The verb in the only oilier case where it occurs in the New Testament, is used in the sense of showing favour. Luke 1, 28 : " Hail, thou favoured one ! " 3. Tlio j^arallel passage and analogous expression 2, 4 is in favour of this interpretation. Tliere it is said, " His great love wliercwith he hath loved

40 EPHESIANS,

US," and here tlie same idea is expressed by saying, ' His grace wherein lie favoured us, or which he has exercised towards us.' 4. The whole context demands this interpretation. The apostle is speaking of the love or grace of God as manifested in our redemption. He has predestinated us to the adoption of sons to the praise of the glory of his grace ; which grace he has exercised towards us, in the remission of sins. The same idea is expressed 2, Y, where it is said, God hath quickened us, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us, through Jesus Christ. " To make ac- cepted," therefore, here means, to accept, to treat with favour ; or rather, such is the meaning of the apostle's language ; gratia am])lexus est, as the word is rendered by Bengel. To which agrees the explanation of Beza : gratis nos sibi acceptos effeciL

This grace is exercised towards us in the Beloved. In ourselves we are unworthy. All kindness towards us is of the nature of grace. Christ is the beloved for' his own sake ; and it is to us only as in him and for \ his sake that the grace of God is manifested. This is a truth which the apostle keeps constantly in view, 2, 5. 6. Y.

Y. Y. In whom we have redenvption. In whom, i, e. not in ourselves. We are not self-redeemed. Christ is our Redeemer. The word redemption, utto- \vTp(oai,<;, sometimes means deliverance in the general, without reference to the mode in which it is accom- plished. When used of the work of Christ it is always

CHAP. I. VEK. 7. 41

to be understood in its strict sense, viz. deliverance by ransom ; because tbis particular mode of redemption is always either expressed or implied. We are re- deemed neither by power, nor truth, but by blood ; that is, by the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus. A sacrifice is a ransom, as to its efiect. It delivers those for whom it is offered and accepted. The words Sia Tov aifxdTo<i avrov, Ijy Ms lAood., are explanatory of the words in whom. In whom, i, e. by means of his blood. They serve to explain the method in which Christ redeems.

The redemption of which the apostle here speaks is not the inward deliverance from sin, but it is an outward work, viz. the forgiveness of sins, as the words rrjv cicjieaLv roiv TrapaTTTco/jbdrcov necessarily mean. It is true this is not the whole of redemption, but it is all the sacred writer here brings into view, because for- giveness is the immediate end of expiation. Though this clause is in apposition with the preceding, it is by no means coextensive with it. So in Rom. 8, 23, where believers are said to be waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body, the two clauses are not coextensive in meaning. The redemption of the body does not exhaust the idea of adoption. 'Nei- ther in this passage does the forgiveness of sin exhaust the idea of redemption. This passage is often quoted in controversy to prove that justification is merely pardon.

This redemption is not only gratuitous, but it is, in all its circumstances, an exhibition and therefore a

42 EPHESIANS,

\ proof of the riches of his grace. The word TrXoOro? ricJies in sucli connections is a favorite one with tlie apostle, wlio sj^eaks of the riches of glory, the riches of wisdom, and the exceeding riches of grace It is the overflowing abundance of immerited love, inexhaustible in God and freely accessible throngt Christ. Tliere is, therefore, nothing incompatible be tween redemption, i. e. deliverance on the ground of i ransom (or a complete satisfaction to justice), and grace Tlie grace consists — 1. In providing this satisfactioii and in accepting it in behalf of sinners. 2. In accept iug those who are entirely destitute of merit. 3. In bestowing this redemption and all its benefits without regard to the comparative goodness of men. It is not because one is wiser, better, or more noble than others, that he is made a j^artaker of this grace ; but God chooses the foolish, the ignorant, and those who are of no account, that they who glory may glory only in the Lord.

Y. 8. Wherein he hath abounded towa/rds lis, ^9 eTrepicraevaev ek rjjxa^. As the word Treptaaevco is both transitive and intransitive, the clause may be rendered as above, rj<; being for § ; or, which he has caused to abound towards us, rj^ being for ijv. The sense is the same ; but as the attraction of the dative is yevj rare, the latter explanation is to be preferred. "We are re- deemed according to the riches of that grace, which God has so freely exercised towards us.

In all toisdo7n and ^^rudence, iv Trdar) aocfiia /cal ^pov^crei. These words admit of a threefold connection

CHAP. I. VEK. 8. 43

and explanation. 1. They may be connected with the preceding verb and qualify the action of Ood therein expressed. God, in the exercise of wisdom and pru- dence, has abounded in grace towards us. 2. Tliey may be connected with the following clause : ' In all wisdom and prudence making known, &c.' 3. They\ may be connected with the preceding relative jDronoun. 1 ' Which (grace) in connection with, or together with, | all wisdom and prudence he has caused to abound.' « That is, the grace manifested by God and received by us, is received in connection with the divine wisdom or knowledge of which the subsequent clause goes on to speak. This last explanation seems decidedly prefer- able because the terms here used, particularly the word <f)p6vr}cn<i prude7iGe, is not in its ordinary sense properly referable to God. Cicero de Off. 1. 43. Prudentia enim, quam Graeci <f>p6vr)(nv dicunt, est rerum expetendarum fugiendarumque scientia. And because the sense af- forded by the third mentioned intei-pretation is so appro- priate to the context and so agreeable to other passages of Scripture. The apostle often celebrates the good- ness of God in communicating to men the true wisdom ; not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, but the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to our glory. See 1 Cor. 1, 17 to the end, and the whole second chapter of that epistle. — Similar modes of ex- pression are common with the apostle. As here he speaks of grace being given (eV) m connection toith. wisdom, so in v. 17 he j)rays that the Ephesians may

44 EPHESIANS,

receive wisdom (eV) in connection with the knowledge of himself.

The wisdom then which the apostle says God has communicated to us, is the divine wisdom in the Gos- pel, the mystery of redemption, which had been hid for ages in God, but which he has now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Sj)irit. See the glorious doxology for this revelation contained in Rom. 16, 25-2Y. Indeed this whole Epistle to the Ephesians is a thanksgiving to God for the communication of this mysterious wisdom. Mysterious, not so much in the sense of incomprehensible, as in that of undiscoverable by human reason, and a matter of divine revelation. With wisdom the apostle connects <f>p6vT)ai<;, which is here used much in the same sense as crvve(n<i in Col. 1,9,' Tliat ye may be tilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.'' The verb (fypoveo) is used for any mental exercise or state whether of the understanding or of the feelings. In the ISTew Testament it is commonly employed to express a state of the affections, or rather, of the whole soul, as in Mark 8, 33, " Thou savourest not the things which be of God." Rom. 8, 5, " To mind the things of the flesh." Col. 3, 2, " Set your affections on things above," &c. &c. Hence its derivative ^povqjxa is used not only for thought, but more generally for a state of mind, what is in the mind or soul, including the affections as well as the understanding. Hence we have such expres- sions as ^povrjfia Trjf a-apK6<; a carnal state of mind ,' and (f)p6v'}]p,a rod Trvevparo'i a state of mind produced

CHAP. I. VER. 9. 45

hy the Spirit. The word <^p6vr]a-L<i is equally compre- hensive. It is not confined to strictly intellectual exercises, but expresses also those of the affections. In other words, when used in reference to spiritual tilings, it includes all that is meant by spiritual dis- cernment. It is the apprehension of the spiritual excellence of the things of God, and the answering affection towards them. It is not therefore a mere outward revelation of which the apostle here speaks. The wisdom and understanding which God has so abundantly communicated, includes both the objective revelation and the subjective apprehension of it. This is the third great blessing of which the context treats. The first is election ; the second redemption ; the third is this revelation both outward and inward. The first i is the work of God, the everlasting Father ; the second 1 the work of the Son ; and the third the work of the i Holy Spirit, who thus applies to believers the redemp- / tion purchased by Christ.

Y. 9. God has caused this wisdom to abound, or has communicated it, homing made hnown unto us the m/ystery of his will^ yvcopi(7a<i rjfiiv to fj,vaTr]piov_rov ^eX77/AaTo<? avTov. ^ In other words, by the revelation of the Gospel. Tlie word /jbvarTjpiov, 7nystery, means a secret, something into which we must be initiated ; something, which being undiscoverable by us, can be known only as it is revealed. In this sense the Gospel is a mystery ; and any fact or truth, however simple in itself, in the New Testament sense of the word, is a mys- tery, if it lies beyond the reach of our powers. Comp.

46 EPHESIAJSrS,

Eom. 16, 25. 1 Cor. 2, Y-10. Epli. 3, 9. Col. 1, 26. For the same reason any doctrine imperfectly revealed is a mystery. It remains 'in a measm-e secret. Thus in the fifth chapter of this epistle Paul calls the union of Christ and believers a great mystery ; and in 1 Tim. 3, 16 he calls the manifestation of God in the flesh, the great mystery of godliness.

In the present case the mystery of his will means

I his secret j^urpose ', that purpose of redemption, which having been hid for ages, he has now graciously re- vealed.

Acc(yrdi/ng to his good pleasure, Kara rrjv evSoKiav avTov, rjv irpoedero iv avTw. There are three interpre- tations of this clause. The first is to make it qualify the word will. ' His will which was according to his good pleasure ; ' i. e. his kind and sovereign will. But this is forbidden by the absence of the connecting arti- cle in the Greek, and also by the following clause.

. The second interpretation connects this clause with the beginning of the verse, ' Having, according to his good pleasure, made known the mystery of his will.' The sense in this case is good, but this interj)retation sup- poses the relative which, in the following clause, to refer to the mystery of his will, which its grammatical form in the Greek forbids. Which {fjv) must refer to good pleasure (evSoKia). Tlie third explanation, which alone seems consistent with the context, supposes €v8o- Kia to mean here not l)enevolence, but hind intention,

I or, sovereign purjpose. The sense then is : ' Having made known the mystery of his will, according to his

CHAP. I. VEE. 10. 47

kind intention or pui'pose (viz. of redemption) wliicli \ he liad purposed in himself.' Instead of in himself^ many commentators read in him^ referring to Christ. But this would introduce tautology into the passage. The aj)Ostle would then say : ' Which he pm-posed in Christ, to bring together in Christ.'

Y. 10. This verse is beset with difficulties. The general sense seems to be this : The pui'pose spoken of in the preceding verse had reference to the scheme of redemption ; the design of which is to unite all the Bubjects of redemption, as one harmonious body, under Jesus Christ.

El<i oiKovofiiav Toil irXrjpoiixaro'i roiv Kacpcov, ava- Ke^obkamcraaOai^ ktX. The first question relates to the connection with what precedes. This is indicated by the preposition et?, which does not here mean iii, as though the sense were, He purposed in, or during, the dispensation, &c. ; much less until • but as to, in refer- ence to. The j)m*pose which God has revealed relates to the economy here spoken of. The second question is, what is here the meaning of the word olKovofila ? The word has two general senses in the N^ew Testament. When used in reference to one in authority, it means plan, scheme, or economy. When spoken of one un- der authority, it means an office, stewardship, or ad- ministration of such office. In this latter sense Paul speaks of an otKovofita as having been committed unto him. As the business of a steward is to administer, or dispense, so the apostle was a steward of the mysteries of God. It was his office to dispense to others the

48 EPHESIANS,

truths wMcli God liad revealed to liim. Many take the word in tlie latter sense here. The meaning would then be : 'In reference to the administration of the fulness of times, i. e. the last times, or Messianic period ; the times which yet remain.' The former sense of the word however is much better suited to the context. The apostle is speaking of God's purpose, of what He intended to do. It was a purpose having reference to a plan or economy of his own ; an economy here desig- nated as that of ih^ fulness of times. This phrase does, not indicate a protracted period — the times which re-] main — ^but the termination of the times ; the end of the i preceding and commencement of the new dispensation. The prophets being ignorant of the time of the Mes- siah's advent, predicted his coming when the time determined by God should be accomplished. Hence tlie expressions, " end of the ages," 1 Cor. 10, 11 ; " end of days," Heb. 1,1; " fulness of the time," Gal. 4, 4 ; and here, " the fulness of times," are all used to designate the time of Christ's advent. By the economy of the fulness of times is therefore to be understood, that economy which was to be clearly revealed and carried out when the fulness of time had come.

The infinitive avaKe^aXaiwaaaOav^ to hring together in one^ may be referred either to the immediately pre- ceding clause : ' The plan of the fulness of times to bring together in one ; ' or to the preceding verse : ' The purpose which he purposed (in reference to the economy of the fulness of times), to gather together in one.' The sense is substantially the same. The verb

CHAP. I. VER. 10. 49

Ke^aXaioo) means summatim oolligere^ avaKe<f>a\ai6(o, summatim recolUgere. In tlie I^^ew Testament it means either : 1. To rednce to one sum, i. e. to sum up, to recapitulate. Kom. 13, 9 : ' All the commands are summed up in, or under, one precept.' 2. To unite under one head ; or, 3. To renew. Many of the Fa- thers adopt the last signification in this ]3lace, and con- sider this passage as parallel with Eom. 8, 19-22. Through Christ God purposes to restore or renovate all things ; to effect a iraXtyyevea-ia or regeneration of the universe, i. e. of the whole creation which now groans under the burden of corruption. This sense of the word however is remote. The first and second mean- ings just mentioned differ but little. Tliej both include the idea expressed in our version, that of regathering together in one, the force of avd, iterum, being retained. Beza explains the word : partes disjectas et divulsas in unum corpus conjungere. — ^Tlie purpose of God, which he has been pleased to reveal, and which was hidden , for ages, is his intention to reunite all things as one harmonious whole under Jesus Christ.

Tlie words ra Trdvra, all things, are explained by the following clause : rd iv rot? ovpavoU koI to, errl T77<? 77}?, hoth which are in heaven and which a/re on ea/rth. The totality here referred to includes every thing in heaven and on earth, which the nature of the subject spoken of admits of being comprehended. There is nothing to limit these comprehensive terms, but the nature of the union to which the apostle refers. As, therefore, the Scriptures speak of the whole uni-

4

60 EPHESIAJSrS,

verse, material and rational, as being placed under Jesus Christ ; as they speak especially of all orders of intelligent creatures being subject to him ; as they teach the union of the long disjected members of the human family, the Jews and Gentiles, in one body in Christ, of which union this epistle says so much and in such exalted strains ; and as finally they speak of the union of the saints of all ages and nations, of those now in heaven and of those now on earth, in one great family above ; the words, all things, are very various- ly explained. 1. Some understand them to include the whole creation, material and spiritual, and apply the passage to the final restoration of all things ; or to that redemption of the creature from the bondage of corrup- tion of which the apostle speaks in Rom. 8, 19-22. 2. Others restrict the " all things " to all intelligent creatures — good and bad, angels and men — fallen spirits and the finally impenitent. In this view the reduction to unity, here spoken of, is imderstood by the advocates of the restoration of all things to the favour of God, to refer to the destruction of all sin and the banishment of all misery from the universe. But those who believe that the Scriptures teach that the fallen angels and the finally impenitent among men, are not to be restored to holiness and happiness, and who give the phrase " all tilings" the wide sense just mentioned, understand the apostle to refer to the final triumph of Christ over all his enemies, of which he speaks in 1 Cor. 15, 23-28. All things in heaven above, in the earth beneath, and in the waters under the earth, are to be made subject

CHAP. I. VEE. 10. 51

to Clirist ; but tliis subjection will be either voluntary or coerced. The good will joyfully acknowledge bis supremacy ; the evil lie will restrain and confine, that they no longer trouble or pervert his people. 3. Others again understand the words under consideration, of all good angels and men. The inhabitants of heaven, or the angels, and the inhabitants of the earth, or the saints, are to be united as a harmonious whole under Jesus Christ. 4. The words are restricted to the mem- bers of the human family ; and the distinction between those in heaven and those on earth, is supposed to refer to the Jews and Gentiles, who, having been so long separated, are under the Gospel and by the redemption of Christ, united in one body in him. The Jews are said to be in heaven because in the kingdom of heaven, or the theocracy ; and the Gentiles are said to be on earth, or in the world as distinguished from the church. 5. The words may be confined to the people of God, the redeemed from among men, some of whom are now in heaven and others are still on earth. The whole body of the redeemed are to be gathered toge- ther in one, so that there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Tlie form of expression is analogous to Eph. 3, 15, where the apostle speaks of the whole family in heaven and earth.

The decision which of these several interpretations is to be adopted, depends mainly on the nature of the union here spoken of, and on the means by which it is accomplished. If the union is merely a union under a triumphant king, effected by his power converting

62 EPHESIAJlfS,

some and coercing others, then of course we must un' derstand the passage as referring to all intelligent creatures. But if the union spoken of be a union with God, involving conformity to his image and the enjoy- ment of his favour, and effected by the redemption of Christ, then the terms here employed must be restricted to the subjects of redemption. And then if the Scrip- tures teach that all men and even fallen angels are redeemed by Christ, and restored to the favour of God, they must be included in the all things in heaven and earth here spoken of. If the Scriptures teach that good angels are the subjects of redemption, then they must be comprehended in tlie scope of this passage.* But if the doctrine of the Bible be, that only a certain jjortion of the human family are redeemed and saved by the blood of Christ, then to them alone can the passage be understood to refer. In order therefore to establish the correctness of the fifth interpretation mentioned above, all that is necessary is to prove, first, that the passage

* Calvin thiuks there is a sense in which good angels may be said to be redeemed by Christ. On this passage, he says : Nihil tamen impedit, quominus angelos quoque dicaraus recoUectos fuisse, non ex dissipatione, sed primum. ut perfecte et solide adhereant Deo ; deinde ut perpetuum statum retineant .... Quis neget, tarn angelos quam homines, in firmum ordinem Christo gratia fuisse redactos ? homines enim perditi erant, an- geli vero non erant extra periculum. Again, on the parallel passage in Colossians, he says : Duabus de causis angelos quoque oportuit cum Deo pacificari, nam quum creaturae sint extra lapsus periculum non erant, non nisi Christi gratia fuissent confirmati .... Deinde in hac ipsa obedientia, quam prsestant Deo, non est tam exquisita perfectio, ut Deo omui ex parte et extra veniam satisfaciat.

CHAP. I. VEK. 10. 53

speaks of that miion wliicli is effected by the redemp- tion of Christ ; and secondly, that the chnrch alone is the subject of redemption.

That the passage does speak of that union which is effected by redemption, may be argued — 1. From the context. Paul, as we have seen, gives thanks first for the election of God's people ; secondly, for their actual redemption ; thirdly, for the revelation of the gracious purpose of God relative to their redemption. It is of the redemption of the elect, therefore, that the whole context treats. 2. Secondly, the union here spoken of is an union in Christ. God has purposed " to ga- ther together all things in Christ." The things in heaven and the things on earth are to be united in Him. But believers alone, the members of his body, are ever said to be in Christ. It is not true that angels good or bad, or the whole mass of mankind are in Him in any scriptm'al sense of that expression. 3. The word here used expresses directly or indirectly the idea of the union of all things under Christ as their head. Christ is not the head of angels, nor of the material universe in the sense in which the context here de- mands. He is the head of his body, i. e. his church. It is therefore only of the redemption of the chm'ch of which this passage can be understood. 4. The obviously parallel passage in Colossians 1, 20 seems decisive on this point. It is there said : " It pleased the Father .... having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or

54 EPHESIANS,

things in heaven." From this passage it is plain that the union to be effected is a reconciliation, which im- plies previous alienation, and a reconciliation effected by the blood of the cross. It is, therefore, not a union of subjection merely to the same Lord, but it is one effected by the blood of Christ, and consecpiently the passage can be understood only of the subjects of redemption.

That the church or people of God, excluding angels good or bad, and the finally impenitent among men, are alone the subjects of redemption, is proved, as to evil angels and impenitent men, by the numerous pas- sages of Scripture which speak of their final destruc- tion ; and as to good angels, by the entire silence of Scripture as to their being redeemed by Christ, and by the nature of the work itself. Redemption, in the scriptural sense, is deliverance from sin and misery, and therefore cannot be predicated of those angels who kept their first estate.

These considerations exclude all the interpretations above enumerated except the fourth and fifth. The fourth, which supposes the passage to refer to the union of the Jews and Gentiles, is excluded by its opposition to the uniform language of Scripture. The Jews are never designated as ' inhabitants of heaven.' It is in violation of all usage, therefore, to suppose they are here indicated by that phrase. Nothing therefore remains but the assumption that the apostle refers to the union of all the people of God, i. e. of all the redeemed, in one body under Jesus Cln-ist their head.

CHAP. I. VER. 11. 55

Thej are to be constituted an everlasting kingdom ; or, according to another symbol — a living temple, of which Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone.

Y. 11. God having formed and revealed the pur- pose of gathering the redeemed as one body in Christ, it is in the execution of this purpose, the apostle says : iv o§ Kol eKXrjpoodrjfjbev, in whom we also have obtained am, inheritance. By we^ in this clause, is to be under- stood neither the apostle individually, nor believers indiscriminately, but '^^f^^^^ho fii'st hoped in Christ ; we as contrasted with you also in v. 13 ; you who were formerly Gentiles in the flesh, 2, 11. It is, therefore, the Jewish Christians to whom this clause refers.

Save obtained an inheritance. The word Kkr^poo).^ means to cast lots, to distribute hy lot, to choose by lot, and in the middle voice, to obtain by lot or inheritance, or simply, to obtain. There are three interpretations of the word iKkr^pwOrjtiev in this passage, all consistent with its signification and usage. 1. Some prefer the sense to choose : ' In whom we also were chosen, as it were, by lot, i. e. freely.' The Yulgate translates the passage : Sorte vocati sumus ; and Erasmus : Sorte electi sumus. 2. As in the Old Testament the people of God are called his inheritance, many suppose the apostle has reference to that usage and meant to say : ' In whom we have become the inheritance of God.' 3. The majority of commentators prefer the interi^re- tation adopted in oui* version : ' In whom we have obtained an inheritance.' This view is sustained by the following considerations. 1. Though the verb is in the

56 EPHESIANS,

passive, tlie above rendering may be justified eitlier by the remark of Grotius : as tlie active form signifies to give a possession, the passive may signify to accept it ;* or by a reference to tliat usage of tlie passive voice illustrated in such passages as Rom. 3, 2. Gal. 2, 7. With verbs, which in the active have the accusative and dative, in the passive construction what was in the dative, becomes the nominative. Hence eKk'qpwOi^fiev is the same as iKktjpwae rjfiiv Kkripovofiiav ; just as TreTTiaTev/jbab to euayyeXLov is equivalent to iTrlarevcre fxot, TO evayyektov. 2. The inheritance of which the i apostle speaks in the context, as in vs. 14 and 18, is ) that which believers enjoy. They are not themselves the inheritance, they are the heirs. Therefore in this place it is more natural to understand him as referring to what believers attain in Christ, than to their becom- ing the inheritance of God. As the Israelites of old obtained an inheritance in the promised land, so those in Christ become partakers of that heavenly inheritance which he has secured for them. To this analogy such frequent reference is made in Scripture as to leave little doubt as to the meaning of this j)assage. 3. The j^aral- lel passage in Col. 1, 12, also serves to determine the sense of the clause under consideration. What is there expressed by saying : ' Hath made us partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light ; ' is here ex^^ressed by saying : ' We have obtained an inheritance.' Kal,

* His words are : KX-r\povv dicitur, qui alteri dat possessionem, K\ripov~ tBui, qui earn accipit.

CHAP. I. VEE. 11. 57

also, belongs to the verb and not to tne pronoun im- plied in tlie form of tlie verb. The sense is not we also, i. e. we as well as other ; but, ' we have also obtained an inheritance.' We have not only been made par- takers of the knowledge of redemption, but are actually heirs of its blessings.

There are two sentiments with which the mind of the apostle was thoroughly imbued. The one is, a sense of the absolute supremacy of God, and the other a corresponding sense of the dependence of man and the consequent conviction of the entirely gratuitous nature of all the benefits of redemption. To these sentiments he seldom fails to give expression on any fit occasion. In the present instance having said we have in Christ obtained a glorious inheritance, the question suggests itself, "Why ? His answer is : Having heen predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worTceth all things after the counsel of his own will. It is neither by chance nor by our own desert or efforts, that we, and not others, have been thus highly favoured. It has been brought about according to the purpose and by the efiiciency of God. What has happened He predetermined should occur ; and to his " working " the event is to be exclusively referred. "We are said to be predestinated, Kara irpodeaLv, according to the purpose of God. In v. 5 the same thing is expressed by saying : ' We were predestinated according to the good pleasure of his will ; ' and in Eom. 8, 28, by say- ing : ' We are called according to his purpose.' Two iiings are included in these forms of expression.

58 EPHESiAjsrs,

1st. That wliat occurs was foreseen and foreordained. The plan of God embraced and ordered the events here referred to. 2d. That the ground or reason of these occurrences is to be sought in God, in the determination of his will. This however is not a singular case. The bringing certain persons to the enjoyment of the inher- itance purchased by Christ, is not the only thing foreordained by God and brought about by his effi- ciency, and, therefore, the apostle generalizes the truth here expressed, by saying : ' "We are predestinated ac- cording to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.' Every thing is comprehended in his purpose, and every thing is or- dered by his efficient control. That control, however, is exercised in accordance with the nature of his crea- tures, so that no violence is done to the constitution which he has given them. He is glorified, and his purposes are accomplished without any injustice or violence.

The counsel of his will, Kara ttjv /3ovX7]v tov ^eXtj- /jiaro'i auTov, means the counsel which has its origin in his will ; neither suggested by others, nor deter- mined by any thing out of himself. It is therefore equivalent to his sovereign will.

Y. 12. That we should he to the praise of his glory, el's TO elvai ri/id^, et? eiraivov Trj<; S6^r}<i avTOV, that is, that we should be the means of causing his divine I majesty or excellence to be praised. Here, as in v. 6, the glory of God is declared to be the design of the plan of redemption and of every thing connected with

CHAP. I. VEE. 12. 59

its administration. Tlie persons here spoken of are described as roix; irpoTfK.'mKOTa'i iv tcS XpLaTay, those who first hojped in Christ. That is, who hoped in him of old, or before his advent ; or, who hoped in him before others, mentioned in v. 13, had heard of him. In either case it designates not the first converts to Christianity, but the Jews who, before the Gentiles, had the Messiah as the object of their hopes. The form of expression here nsed {ekirl^eiv iv), does not mean simply to expect, but to place one's hope or con- fidence in any one. Comp. 1 Cor. 15, 19. It is not, therefore, the Jews as such, but the believing Jews, who are here spoken of as in Christ the partakers of the inheritance which he has pm*chased.

The construction of these several clauses adopted in the foregoing exposition is that which takes them in their natural order, and gives a sense consistent with the usage of the words and agreeable to the analogy of Scripture. The first clause of this verse is made to depend upon the last clause of v. 11 : ' Having pre- destinated us to be the praise of his glory ; ' and the last clause, ' Who first hoped in Christ,' is merely explanatory of the class of persons spoken of. The whole then hangs naturally together : ' We have ob- tained an inheritance, having been predestinated to be the praise of his glory, we, who first hoped in Christ.' There are, however, two other modes of construction possible. The one connects the begimiing of v, 12 with the first clause of v. 11, and renders eKkiqpaiOr^iiev, we have attained. The sense would then be, ' We have

60 EPHESIAN8,

attained, or, it lias happened unto ns to be to the praise of his glory.' This however not only nnnaturally dis- severs contiguons clauses, but assigns to €K\7]p(o6r]fji,ev a weakened sense inconsistent with the Scripture usage of that and its cognate words. A second method con- nects the last clause of the 12th verse with the second clause of the 11th. — ' Having predestinated us to be the first who hoped in Christ.' But this also rends the clauses apart, and does not express a sense so suitable to the context. It is saying much more, and much more in the way of an explanation of the fact affirmed in the first clause of v. 11, to say, ' We were predes- tinated to be the praise of God's glory ; ' than to say, ' We were predestinated to be the first who hoped in Christ.' The majority of commentators therefore take the clauses as they stand, and as they are concatenated in our version.

Y. 13. The apostle having in v. 10 declared that the purpose of God is to bring all the subjects of re- demption into one harmonious body, says in v. 11 that j this purpose is realized in the conversion of the Jewish [Christians, and he here adds that another class, viz. the jGentile Christians, to whom his epistle is specially (addressed, are comprehended in the same purjDOse. The first clause, eV m koX vfxel<i, ktK., is clli^^tical,^ In li'Jiom ye also, after that ye heard, &c There are there- fore several modes- of construction possible. 1.0m- translators borrow the verb rfKiriKaTe from the imme- diately preceding clause. — ' We, who fii'st trusted in Christ, in whom ye also trusted.^ But the preceding

CHAP. I. VEE. 13. 61

clause is merely subordinate and explanatory, and does not express the main idea of the context. This con- struction also overlooks the obvious antithesis between the we of the 11th verse and the you of this clause. 2. Others supply simply the verb are. ' In whom you also are.'' This is better, but it is liable to the latter objection just mentioned. 3. Others make you the nominative to the verb were sealed in the following clause. — ' In whom you also (having heard, &c.) were sealed.' But this requires the clauses to be broken by a parenthesis. It supposes also the construction to be irregular, for the words in whom also are repeated before the verb ye were sealed. The passage according to this construction would read, ' In whom ye also — , in whom also ye were sealed.' Besides, the sealing is not the first benefit the Gentile Christians received. They were first brought into union with Christ and made partakers of his inheritance and then sealed. 4. It is therefore more consistent not only with the drift of the whole passage, and with the relation be- tween this verse and verse 11, but also with the con- struction of this and the following verse to supply the word eKkrjpdidrjTe, have obtained an inheritance. Every thing is thus natural. In v. 11, the apostle says, 'In whom we have obtained an inheritance ; ' and here, ' In whom ye also have obtained an inheritance.' Both Jews and Gentiles are by the mediation of Christ, and in union with him, brought to be partakers of the benefits of that plan of mercy which God had purposed in himselfj and which he has now revealed for the salvation of men.

62 , EPHESIANS,

Tlie clause that follows expresses the means by which the Gentile Christians were brought to be par- takers of this inheritance. — ' In whom ye also have obtained an inheritance, aKovaavre'i top \6yov rrj^i akrjdeia'i, to euajy. rrj<i aaTTjpla^ v/xcov, having heard tJie word of truth, the gospel of your sal/uation.'' The latter of these expressions is explanatory of the former. By the word of truth, is to be understood, the Gospel. The word of truth does not mean simply true doctrine ; but that word which is truth, or in which divine or saving truth is. Col. 1, 5. 2 Cor. 6, 7. The gospel of your salvation, is the gospel concerning your salvation ; or rather, the gospeljpdiich^sayes you. It is that gos- pel which is, as is said liom. 1, 16, the power of God unto salvation. As it was by hearing this gospel the Gentiles in the days of the apostle were brought to be partakers of the inheritance of God, so it is by the same means men are to be saved now and in all coming ages until the consummation. It is by the word of truth, and not truth in general, but by that truth which con- stitutes the glad news of salvation.

Tn whom also, after that ye Relieved, ye were sealed. Tliis is more than a translation, it is an exposition of the original, eV c5 KaX irLo-Tevaavre'i ia^payiadrjre. There are three interpretations of this clause possible, of which our translators have chosen the best. Tlie relative (eV c§) may be referred to the word gospel. ' Iti which having believed ; ' or it may be referred to Christ and connected with the following participle, * In whom having believed ; ' or it may be taken as in

CHAP. I. VEE. 13. 63

our version, by itself, ' In wj^m, i.- e/united to whom, after tliat ye believed, ye were'^ealed.' This is to be preferred not only because the other construction is unusual (i. e. it is rare that Trca-Teveiv is followed by eV), but because the words, m whom, occur so frequently in tlie context in the same sense with that here given to them. In Christ, the Gentile Christians had ob- tained an inheritance, and in him also, they were sealed — after having believed. Whatever is meant by sealing, it is something which follows faith.

There are several purposes for which a seal is used.

\ 1. To authenticate or confirm as genuine and true.

! 2. To mark as one's property. 3. To render secure.

I In all these senses believers are sealed. They are

I authenticated as the true childi*en of God ; they have the witness within themselves, 1 John 5, 10. Rom. 8, 16. 5, 5. They are thus assured of their reconciliation and acceptance. They are moreover marked as be-

i longing to God, Rev. T, 3 ; that is, they are indicated to others, by the seal impressed upon them, as his chosen ones. And thirdly, they are sealed unto salva- tion ; i. e. they are rendered certain of being saved.\ The sealing of God secures their safety. Thus believ- ers are said Eph. 4, 30, " to be sealed unto the day of redemption ;" and in 2 Cor. 1, 21, the apostle says : " Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God ; who also hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." The sealing then of which this passage speaks answers all these ends. It assures of the favour

64: EPHESIAN8,

/ of God ; it indicates tliose wlio belong to him ; and it

' renders their salvation certain.

This sealing is hy the Holy Sjnrit of promise. That is, by the Spirit who was promised ; or who comes in virtue of the promise. This promise was given fre- quently through the ancient prophets, who j)redicted that when the Messiah came and in virtue of his medi- ation, God would pour his Spirit on all flesh. Christ when on earth frequently repeated this promise ; as- suring his disciples that when he had gone to the Father, he would send them the Comforter, even the Spirit of truth, to abide with them for ever. After his resurrection he commanded the apostles to abide in Jerusalem until they had received " the promise of the Father," Acts 1, 4 ; meaning thereby the gift of the Holy Ghost. In Gal. 3, 14, it is said to be the end for which Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, that we should receive the jDromise of the Spirit. This then is the great gift which Christ secures for his people ; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, as the som'ce of truth, holiness, consolation, and eternal life.

\. 14. This Spirit is 6 dppaj3cov Trj<; Kkr]povofiia<; rjfiwv, the earnest of our inheritojice. It is at once the

i foretaste and the pledge of all that is laid up for the believer in heaven. The word dppajSoiv is a Hebrew term which passed first into the Greek and then into the Latin vocabulary, retaining its original sense. It means first, a part of the j)rice of any thing purchased, paid, as a security for the full payment, and then more generally a pledge. It occurs three times in reference

CHAP. I. VEE. 14. 65

to the Holy Spirit in the 'Nqw Testament, 2 Cor. 1, 22. 5, 5 ; and in the passage before us. In the same sense the Scriptures sj)eak of " the first fruits of the Spirit," Rom. 8, 23. Those influences of the Spirit which be- lievers now enjoy are at once a prelibation or antepast of future blessedness, the same in kind though immea- surably less in degree ; and a pledge of the certain enjoyment of that blessedness. Just as the first fruits were a part of the harvest, and an earnest of its in- gathering. It is because the Spirit is an earnest of our inheritance, that his indwelling is a seal. It assures those in whom he dwells of their salvation, and renders that salvation certain. Hence it is a most precious gift to be most religiously cherished.

Until the redernption of the purchased possession^ ek aTToXvrpcoaiv tt)? irepnToirjaew';. It is doubtful whe- ther these words should be comiected with the j)reced- _, ^ ing clause or with the words were sealed in the 13th v^-^/'^.*^'''^ verse. Our translators have adopted the former me- thod. ' The Spirit is an earnest until the redemption,' &c. The latter, however, is perhaps on the whole preferable. ' Te were sealed until, or in reference to, the redemption,' &c. This view is sustained by a com- parison with 4, 30, where it is said : ' Ye were sealed } unto the day of redemption.'

The word redemption, in its Christian sense, some- times means that deliverance from the curse of the law and restoration to the favour of God, of which believers are in this life the subjects. Sometimes it refers to that final deliverance from all evil, which is ~ 5

66 EPHESIAKS,

to take a place at the second advent of Clirist. Thus in Luke 21, 28, " They shall see the Son of man com- ing in a cloud with power and great glory ; . . , . then lift u]3 your heads ; for your redemption draweth nigh," Kom. 8, 23. Eph. 4, 30. There can be no doubt that it here refers to this final deliverance.

The word rendered jpuTchased possession, is irepi- TToirja-Lf; ; which means either the act of acquiring, or, the thing acquired. If the former signification be adopted here, the word can only be taken as a partici- pial qualification of the preceding word. ' Tlie redemp- tion of acquisition,' for ' acquired or purchased re- demption.' But this is unnatural. Redemption in it- self includes the idea of purchased deliverance. ' Pur- chased redemption' is therefore tautological. If the word be taken for ' the thing acquired,' then it may refer to heaven, or the inheritance here spoken of. But heaven is never said to be redeemed. It is there- fore most naturally understood of God's people. They are his possession, his peculium. They are in 1 Pet. 2, 9 called Xao? eh irepiTTolija-iv^ a peculiar people. And in Mai. 3, 17 it is said. They shall be to me for a possession, eaovral fxoc eh Trepi.Trolrjcriv. Comp. Acts 20, 28, eKK\r](TLa rjv irepieiroi'tjaaTo. This interpretation is, therefore, peculiarly suited to the scriptural usage, and the sense is perfectly appropriate. Ye are sealed, says the apostle, until the redemption of God's peculiar people ; i. e. unto the great day of redemption spoken of in 4, 30.

Unto the praise of his glory, i. e. that his glory or

CHAP. I. VS. 15-23. 67

1 excellence should be praised. Comp. vs. 6 and 12. This is the end both of the final redemption and of the present acceptance of believers. This clause, there- ■ fore, is to be referred to the whole of the j)receding .' passage. Ye have received an inheritance, have been sealed, and have received the Holy Spirit as an earnest, in order that God may be glorified. This is the last and highest end of redemption.

SECTION m.— Vs. 15-23.

15. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord

16. Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for

17. you, making mention of you in my prayers ; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him :

18. the eyes of your understanding heing enlightened ; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches

19. of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us- ward who believe, ac-

20. cording to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at

21. his own right hand in the heavejilj places, far above all princi- pality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which

22. is to come : and hath put all things under his feet, and gave

23. him to ie the head over all things to his church : which is hia body, the fulness of him that fiUeth aU in all.

AJSfALTSIS.

Having in the preceding Section unfolded the natm^e of those blessings of which the Ephesians had

68 EPHESIAiq-8,

become partakers, the apostle gives thanks to God for their conversion, and assures them of their interest in his prayers, vs. 15. 16. He prays that God wonld give them that wisdom and knowledge of himself of which the Spirit is the author, v. 17 ,\ that their eyes might be enlightened properly to apprenend the nature and value of that hope which is founded in the call of God ; and the glory of the inheritance to be enjoyed among the saints, v. ly; and the greatness of that power which had been already exercised in their conversion, v. 19. The power which effected their spiritual resurrection, was the same as that which raised Christ from the dead, and exalted him above all created beings and associated him in the glory and dominion of God, vs. 20. 21. To him all things are made subject, and he is constituted the supreme head of the church, which is his body, the fulness or complement of the mystical person of him who fills the universe with his presence and power, vs. 22. 23.

COMMENTAHT.

Y. 15. Wherefore. Tliis word is to be referred either to the whole preceding paragraph, or specially to V. 13. ' Because you Ephesians, you Gentile Chris- tians, have obtained a portion in this inheritance, and, after having believed, have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, &c.' — ' Talso, i. e. as well as others, and especially yourselves.' Tlie Ephesians might well be expected to be filled with gratitude for their con-

CHAP. I. VEK. 15. 69

version. The apostle assui'es them he joins them in their pei*petual thanksgiving over this glorious event.

Having heard of your faitli in the Lord Jesus. As Paul was the founder of the church in Ephesus. and had laboured long: in that city, it has always ex- cited remark that he should speak of having heard of their faith, as though he had no personal acquaintance with them. This form of expression is one of the rea- sons why many have adopted the opinion, as mentioned in the Introduction, that this epistle was addressed not to the Ephesians alone or principally, but to all the churches in the western part of Asia Minor. It is, however, not unnatural that the apostle should speak thus of sg large and constantly changing a congregation, after having been for a time absent from them. Be- sides, the exjDression need mean nothing more than that he continued to hear of their good estate. The two leading graces of the Christian character are faith and love — faith in Christ and love to the brethren. Of these, therefore, the apostle here speaks. Your faith y T-qv fcaO' vfid<i ttlcttiv, which either means the faith which is with you j or as our version renders the words, your faith. Comp. in the Greek Acts 17, 28. 18, 15. Faith in the Lord Jesus, i. e. faith or trust \ which has its ground in him. For examples of the construction of irlarL'i with eV, see Gal. 3, 26. Col. 1, 4. 1 Tim. 1,14. 3,13. 2 Tim. 1,13. 3,15. Comp. Mark 1, 15, and in the Septuagint Jer. 12, 6. Ps. 78, 22. This construction, though comparatively rare, is not to be denied, nor are forced interpretations of pas-

70 EPHESIANS,

sages where it occurs to be justified, in order to gel rid of it.

In the Old Testament the phrases, the Lord said, the Lord did, our Lord, and the like, are of constant occurrence ; and are used onlj, in this general way, of the Supreme God. We never hear of the Lord, nor our Lord, wlien reference is had to Moses or any other of the prophets. In the ISTew Testament, however, what is so common in the Old Testament in reference to God, is no less common in reference to Christ. He is the Lord ; the Lord Jesus ; our Lord, &c. &c. It is this constant mode of speaking, together with the exhi- bition of his divine excellence, and holding him up as the object of faith and love, even more than any partic- ular declaration, which conveys to the Christian reader the conviction of his true divinity. His being the ob- ject of faith and the ground of trust to immortal beings, is irreconcilable with any other assumption than that he is the true God and eternal life.

And love towards all the saints, i. e. towards those who are saints ; those who have been cleansed, separa- ted from the world, and consecrated to God. This love is founded upon the character and relations of its ob- jects as the people of God, and therefore it embraces all the saints.

Y. 16. I cease not giving tha/nks for you, making mention of you, &c. This does not mean, ' praying I give thanks ; ' but twojthings are mentioned — constant

iksgiving on their account, and intercession.

Y. lY. The burden of his prayer is contained in this

CHAP. I. TEE. 17. 71

and the verses following. The object of his prayer, or the j)erson to whom it is addressed, is designated, first, as the God of our Lord Jesus Clirist^ i. e. the God whose work Christ came to do, bj whom he was sent, of whom he testified and to whom he has gone ; — and secondly, 6 Trarr/p t% Sof???, tlie Father of glory. This designation is varionsly explained. By glory many of the Fathers understood the divine nature of Christ, and remarked that Paul here calls God, the God of Christ as a man, but his Father as God.'^ This interpretation of the phrase ' Father of glory,' is with-, out the least suj)j)ort from the analogy of Scripture. It means ^khej*, the source or_author of glory ; or the possessor of glory, i. e. who is glorious. Comp. Acts 7, 1. 1 Cor. 2, 8, " Lord of glory." James 2, 1, and in Ps. 2-i, 7, " the king of glory."

There are three leading petitions expressed in the prayer here recorded. Firstfor adequate knowleclge of divine truth. Secc)nd, for due appreciation of the future blessedness of the saints. Third, for a proper understanding of what they themselves had already experienced in their conversion.

His first prayer is thus expressed : Tliat lie may give unto you the Spirit of wisd^oon and revelation^ in the hiowledge of him. By irvevfj.a ao(^ia<;^ the /Spirit of wisdo7n, is to be understood the E^oljgig^it, the author of wisdom, and not merely a state of mind,

* So Bengel, who explains the expression thus : Pater gloriae, iiifinitae illius, quae refiJget in facie Christi ; immo gloriae quae est ipse filius Dei.

T2 EPHESIANS,

whicli consists in wisdom. It is true the word spirit ie sometimes used in periphrases expressive of mental acts or states. As in 1 Cor. 4, 21, " spirit of meek- ness ; " and 2 Cor. 4, 13, " The same spirit of faith," i. e. the same confidence. But in the present case the former interpretation is to be p^p.fprrprl i kpAusp the Holy Spirit is so constantly recognized as the source of all right knowledge ; and 2. Because the analogy of Scripture is in favour of this view of the passage. In such passages as the following the word spirit evidently is to be understood of the Holy Spirit. John 15, 26, "Spirit of truth;" Eom. 8, 15, " Si^irit of adoption ; " comp. Gal. 4, 6, " God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Fa- ther." ITliess.l, 6, " Joy of the Holy Spirit." Eom. 15, 30, " Love of the Spirit." GaL 5, 5, " We by the Spirit wait," &c. The Holy Spirit is the author of that wisdom of which the apostle S])eaks so fully in 1 Cor. 2, 6-10 ; and which he describes, first negatively as not of this world, and then affirmatively, as the hidden wisdom of God, which he had revealed, by the Spirit, for our glory. It is the whole system of divine truth, \ which constitutes the Gospel. Those who have this wisdom are the wise. There is a twofold revelation of this wisdom, the one outward, by inspiration, or through inspired men ; the other inward, by spiritual illumination. Of both these the apostle speaks in 1 Cor. 2, 10-16, and both are here brought into view. Comp. Phil. 3, 15. By a7roKd\v\ln<i, revelation, therefore, in this passage is not to be understood, the

CHAP. I. VEE. 17. 73

knowledge of future events, nor the proplietic gift, nor inspiration. It is sometliing wliicli all believers need and for wliicli they should pray, t-t-jsjliat jnanifesta- tion of the nature or excellence of the things of^dd', which the Spirit makes to all who are spiritually en- 1ig-h<"P^Tpd^ nnrl of which our Saviour spoke, when he said in reference to believers, Tliey shall all be taught of God. ' '

In tJie 'knowledge of him. The pronoun him refers not to Christ, but to Qod the immediate subject in this context. The word eTTLyvcoa-a here rendered know- ledge means accurate and certain, and especially, ex-1 perimentaL-JvflDwled^e ; as in Rom. 3, 20, " By the law is the knowledge (the conviction) of sin." Eph. 4, 13. Phil. 1, 9. 1 Tim. 2, 4. The word exT3resses ade- quate and proper knowledge, the precise nature of which depends on the object known. Tlie j^hrase is iv eTTLyvoicet, which some render as though eZ? with tlie accusative were used — unto knowledge, i. e. so as to know. Others connect these words with those which precede, and translate, ' wisdom in knowledge,' i. e. wisdom consisting in knowledge. Others again connect them with the following clause, ' Thi-ough knowledge your eyes being enlightened.' The simplest method is to refer them to what precedes. ' May give you wisdom together with the knowledge of himself.' Comp. V. 8, and Phil. 1, 9, " That yom- love may abound in, i. e. together with, knowledge." Tlie apos- tle's prayer is for the Holy Spii-it to dwell in them, as the author of divine wisdom, and as the revealer of the

74 EPHESIAITS,

tilings of God, wliicli insiglit into the things of the Spirit, is connected with that knowledge of God in which eternal life essentially consists.

7

Y. 18. The eyes of your understanding heing en- lightened. Instead of SLavola^; understa/nding, the great majority of ancient manuscripts and versions read Kap- Blwi head, which is no doubt the true reading. The

tord heart in Scripture is often used as we use the ord soul, to designate the whole spiritual natm^e in man. Eom. 1, 21. 2 Cor. 4, 6.

This clause irecj^MTLafjbevov'i Tov<i 6(j)da\./Jbov'; tt)? Kap- 8/a? v/xcov, may either be taken absolutely as our trans- lators have understood it — or considered as in apj)Osi- tion and explanatory of what precedes. ' That he may give you the spirit of wisdom, &c., eyes enlightened, &c.' This latter mode of explanation is the one com- monly adopted!.- The effect of the gift of the spirit of wisdom is this illumination, not of the speculative un- derstanding merely, but of the whole soul. For light and knowledge in Scripture often include the ideas of holiness and happiness, as well as that of intellectual apprehension. Comp. such passages as John 8, 12, "Light of life." Acts 26, 18, "To turn from darkness to light." Eph. 6, 8, "Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord." Believers, there- fore, are called "children of the light." Luke 16, 8. 1 Thess. 5, 5.

The residue of this verse elq to elhevai v/xd'^, kt\. contains a second petition. Having prayed that the Ephesians might be enlightened in the knowledge of

CHAP. I, VEK. 18. 75

(rod and of divine things, the apostle here prays, as the effect of that jLlhimination, that they may have a projoer flppreeiatio^-- ^f t^^° ^'"hpn'tanoe to which they

That ye '»nay Jcnow what is the hope of his calling, i. e. the hope of which his calling is the source ; or to which he has called yon. The vocation here spoken of is not merely the external call of the Gospel, but the effectual call of God by the Spirit, to which the word KXrjcn<i in the epistles of Paul always refers. The word hojpe is by many here understood objectively for ^'' >■ ^'^ the things hoped for ; as in Horn. 8, 24, and Col. 1, 5, "The hope laid up for you in heaven." It is then identical with the inheritance mentioned in the latter part of the verse. This, however, is a reason against that interpretation. Tliere are two things which the apostle mentions and which he desires they may know. First, the nature and value of the hope which they are now, on the call of God, authorized to indulge ; and secondly, the glory of the inheritance in reserve for them. It is better, therefore, to take the word in its ordinary subjective sense. It is a great thing to know, or estimate aright the value of a well founded hope of salvation.

And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance^

KoX TL<i 6 ttXovto^ rrj'i 86^7}^ T?}? Kkrjpovofj^ia? avrov, i. e.

. what is the abundance and greatness of the excellence

1 of that inheritance of which God is the author. The

apostle labom*s here, and still more in the following

vrerses, for language to express the greatness of his cou-

f-^e^^^Tt

(S)

76 EPHESlAJSrS, •■

ceptions. This inheritance is not only divine as having God for its author; but it is a glorious inheritance; and not simply glorious, but the glory of it is incon- ceivably great.

In the saints, iv roU ajloc^;. These words admit of different constructions, but the most natural is to refer them to the immediately preceding clause, His inher- ita/nce in the saints^ i. e. which is to be enjoyed among ithem. Comp. Acts 20, 32, and 26, 18, "An inher- itance among them that are sanctified." Col. 1, 12, "Partakers of the inheritance of the saints in l.'ght." It was one part of the peculiar blessedness of the Gen- tile Christians, who had been strangers and foreigners, that they were become fellow-citizens of the saints. It was therefore an exaltation of the inheritance, now set before them, to call it the inheritance prepared for the saints, or peculiar people of God.

Y. 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-wa/i'd who helieve. Tliis is the third pe- tition in (.he apostle's prayer. He prays that his read- ers may have right apprehensions of the greatness of the change which they had experienced. It was no mere moral reformation effected by rational considera- tions ; nor was it a self- wrought change, but one due to the almighty power of God. Grotius indeed, and com- mentators of that class, understand the passage to refer to the exertion of the power of God in the future resm'- rection and salvation of believers. But 1. It evidently refers to the past and not to the futm'e. It is some-j thing which believers, as believers, had already expe-

CHAP. I. VEK. 19. 7Y

rienced that he wished them to understand. 2. Tlie apostle never compares the salvation of believers with the resurrection of Christ, whereas the analogy between his natural resurrection and the spiritual resurrection of his people, is one to which he often refers. 3. This is the analogy which he insists upon in this immediate connection. As God raised Christ from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places ; so you, that were dead in sins, hath he quickened and raised you up together in him. This analogy is the very thing he would have them understand. They had undergone a great change ; they had been brought to life ; they had been raised from the dead by the same almighty power which wrought in Christ. There was as great a difference between their present and their former condition, as between Christ in the tomb and Christ at the right hand of God. This was something which they ought to know. 4. The parallel passage in Col. 2, 12, seems decisive of this interpretation. "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through faith of the operation of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." In this passage it cannot be doubted that the apostle compares the spiritual resurrection of believers with the resurrection of Christ, and refers both events to the operation of God, or to the divine power. Such also is doubtless the meaning of the j^as- sage before us; and in this interpretation there has

78 EPHESIAJSrS,

been a remarkable coincidence of judgment among commentators. Chrysostom says : "The conversion of souls is more wonderful than the resurrection of the dead.'' Oecumenius remarks on this passage: "To raise us from spiritual death is an exercise of the same power that raised Christ from natural death." Calvin says, " Some (i. e. Stulti homines) regard the language of the apostle in this passage as frigid hyperbole, but those who are properly exercised find nothing here beyond the truth." He adds: "Lest believers should be cast down under a sense of their unworthiness, the apostle recalls them to a consideration of the power of God; as though he had said, their regeneration is a work of God, and no common work, but one in which his almighty power is wonderfully disj)layed." Luther, in reference to the parallel passage in Colossians, uses the following language: "Faith is no such easy matter as our opposers imagine, when they say, 'Believe, Be- lieve, how easy is it to believe.' ISTeither is it a mere human work, which I can perform for myself, but it is a divine power in the heart, by which we are new born, and whereby we are able to overcome the mighty power of the Devil and of death ; as Paul says to the Colossians, ' In whom ye are raised up again through the faith which God works.' "

It is then a great truth which the apostle here teaches. He prays that his readers may properly un- derstand Tt TO vTrep^dWov /xejedo^; t^? hvvd^ew<i avrov. The conversion of the soul is not a small matter ; nor is it a work effected by any human power. It is a re-

CHAP. I. VEK. 19. 79

smrection due to the exceeding greatness of tlie power of God.

According to tJie worhing oj his migJity poioer^

Kara rrjv ivipjecav rov Kpdrov<i t?}9 1(t^uo<; avTov. The

original here offers a remarkable accumulation of

words. — 'According to the energy of the might of his

power.' . 'la-^iKi, KpdTo<;, ivepyeia ; Hohtir, Potentia,

\ Efficacia. The first is inherent strength; the second

power; the third the exercise or efiiciencj of that

strength. Or, as Calvin sajs, The first is the root, tjie

second the tree, the third the fruit. Whatever be the

t precise distinction in the signification of the words,

1 their accumulation expresses the highest form of power.

It was nothing short of the omnipotence of God to which

the effect here spoken of is due. [ No created power

can raise the dead, or quicken those dead in trespasses

and sins. I

The connection of this clause is somewhat doubtful. It may be referred to the words exceeding greatness of his power ^ i. e. KaTa ivep'yeiav may be referred to ro virep- ^dXKov f/,eye6o9, kt\. The sense would then be — ' Tliat ye may know the exceeding greatness of his power, to us-ward that believe, which was, according to, or like, the working of his mighty power which wrought in Christ.' Or, irca-Tevovra'i Kara ivipyetav may be con- nected, ' Who believe in virtue of the working of his 'i mighty power.' In the one case this clause is a mere illustration or amplification of the idea of the divine power of which believers are the subject. In the other, ;'t expresses more definitely the reason why the power

80 EPHESIAilS,

wliich tliey had experienced was to be considered bo I great, viz., because tlieir faith, was due to the same en- sergy that raised Christ from the dead. In either case the doctrinal import of the passage is the same. The considerations in favour of the latter mode of construc- tion are : 1. The position of the clauses. According to this intei*pretation they are taken just as they stand. 'Us who believe in virtue of {Kara) the working, &c.' 2. The ' frequency with which the apostle uses the pre- position KaTo, in the sense thus given to it. Li ch. 3, Y, he says, 'his conversion and vocation were {Kara) in virtue of the working of God's power.' See also 3, 20. 1 Cor. 12, 8. Phil. 3, 21. Christ will fashion our bodies {Kara) 'in virtue of the energy whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.' Col. 1, 29. 2 Thess. 2, 9. To say, therefore, ' we believe in virtue of, &c.,' is in accordance with a usage familiar to this apostle. 3. The parallel passage in Col. 2, 12, ex- presses the same idea. There the phrase is Tr/o-rt? rrj'j €V€pyeia<;, faith of the operation of God, i. e. which he operates; here it is Trt'o-rt? Kara rrjv ivepyetav, faith in virtue of the operation. The analogy between the ex- pressions is so striking, that the one explains and au- thenticates the other.

■— The prayer recorded in these verses is a very com- prehensive one. In praying that the Ephesians might be enlightened with spiritual apprehensions of the truth, the apostle prays for their sanctification. In praying that they might have just conceptions of the inheritance to which they were called, he prayed that

CHAP. I. VEK. 20. 81

they might be elevated above tlie world. And in pray- ing that they might know the exceeding greatness of the power exercised in their conversion, he prayed that they might be at once humble and confident ; humble, in view of the death of sin from which they had been raised; and confident, in view of the omnipotence of that God who had begun their salvation.

V. 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, rjv iv^pyrja-ev, kt'\ . There are two things evidently intended in these words. First, that the power which raises the believer from spiritual death, is the same as that which raised Christ from the grave. And secondly, that there is a striking analogy between these events and an intimate connection be- tween them. The one was not only the symbol, but the pledge and procuring cause of the other. The re- surrection of Christ is both the typ£ and the cause of tlie spiritual resurrection of his people, as well "of their future rising from the grave in his glorious likeness. On this analogy and connection the apostle speaks at large in Eom. 6^ 1-10, and also in the following chap- ters of this epistle. (| As often therefore as the believer contemplates Christ as risen and seated at the right hand of God, he has at once an illustration of the change which has been effected in his own spiritual state, and a pledge that the work commenced in regen- eration shall be consummated in glory. /|

And caused him to sit at his own right hanfid in the heamenly places. Kings place at their right hand those whom they design to honour, or whom they associate

6

82 EPHESLOrS,

with, themselves in dominion. Ko creature can be thus associated in honour and authority with God, and there- fore to none of the angels hath he ever said : Sit thou at my right hand. Heb^^l^lS. That divine honour and authority are expressed by sitting at the right hand of God, is further evident from those passages which speak of the extent of that dominion and of the nature of that honour to which the exalted Redeemer is .en- titled. It is an universal dominion. Matt. 28, 18. Phil. 2, 9. 1 Pet. 3, 22 ; and it is such honour as is due to God alone. John 5, 23.

V. 21. .Tlie immediate subject of discourse in this chapter is the blessingsof redemption conferred oiiEe- lievers. The resurrection and exaltation of Chiist are introduced incidentally by way of illustration. The apostle dwells for f\. moment mi fhp nntm-P nf fin's ^-' altation.^_and on_the_relation of Christ, at the right hand of God, to his church, and then, at the beginning of

The subject of the exaltation here spoken of is not the Logos, but Christ; the Tlieanthropos, or God-man. The possession of divine perfections was the necessary condition of this exaltation because, as just remarked, the nature and extent of the dominion granted to him, demand such perfections. It is a dominion not only absolutely universal, but it extends over the heart and conscience, and requires the obedience not only of the outward conduct but of the inward life, which is due to God alone. We therefore find the divine nature^of Christ presented in the Scriptures as the reason of his

CHAP. I. VEE. 21. 83

being invested with this peculiar dominion. Thus in the second Psalm, it is said, "Thou art my Son; ask of me, I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. &c." That is, because thou art my son, ask and I will give thee this dominion. And in the first chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, it is said. The Son, being the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding a., things by the word of his power, is set down at the right hand of the majesty on high. That is, because he is of the same natm-e with the Father and possesses the same almighty power, he is associated with him in his dominion. While the divine nature of Christ is the necessary condition of his exaltation, his mediatorial work is the immediate ground of the Theanthropos, God manifested in the flesh, being invested with this universal dominion. This is expressly asserted, as in Phil. 2, 9. Though equal with God, he humbled himself to become obedi- ent unto death, wherefore also God hath highly exalted him.

In illustration of the exaltation of Christ mentioned in V. 20, the apostle here says. He is seated vTrep dvco, v/p dbove^ high above all principality, and power, and might, a/nd dominion. That these terms refer to an^ls is plain from the co^jitest, and from such passages as Rom. 8, 38. Col. 1, 16. Eph. 3, 10. 6, 12. Where angslS'are either expressly named, or the powers spoken of are said to be in heaven, or they are opposed to "flesh and blood," i. e. man, as a difierent order of beings. The origin of the application of these terms

84r EPHESIANS,

to angels cannot be historically traced. The names themselves suggest the reason of their use. Angels are called principalities, powers and dominions, either he- cause of their exalted nature ; or because through them \ God exercises his power and dominion ; or because of their relation to each other. It is possible indeed that Paul had a polemic object in the use of these terms. This epistle and especially that to the Colossians, con- tain many intimations that the emanation theory, which afterwards assumed the form of Gnosticism, had already made its appearance in Asia Minor. And as the advo- cates of that theory used these terms to designate the different effluxes from the central Being, Paul may have borrowed their phraseology in order to r#iite their doctrine. Be this as it may, the obvious meaning of the passage is that Christ is exalted above all created beings.

Ajid every name, i. e., as the connection shows, every If name of excellence or honour, that is named. That is, above every creature bearing such name as prince, potentate, ruler, or whatever other title there may be.

JVot only in this world, hut also in that which is to come, iv T« alcove tovtm, aXXa Kal ev rS fj,eWovTC. That is, not only in this age, but in the age to come. The words may have the general sense of, here or hereafter ^^ as in Matt. 12, 32. According to Jewish usage, they de- signate the period before and the period after the advent of the Messiah. To this, however, there is no refer- ence in the context. As in Matthew these words are used to express in the strongest terms that the sin

CHAP. I. VER. 22. 85

against the Holy Ghost can never be forgiven ; so here they are intended to add universality to the preceding negation. There is no name here or hereafter, in this world or in the next, over which Christ is not highly- exalted.

Y. 22. And hath ^ut all things under his feet. Christ is not only exalted above all creatui'es, but he has dominion over them; all are placed in absolute subjection to him. They are under his feet. This pas- sage is a quotation from Ps. 8, 7^ It is applied to Christ by this same apostle in 1 Coi\_15^_^7^ and jleb^2, 8. . In both of these passages the word all is pressed to the full extent of its meaning. It is made to include all cirSsrcures, all capable of subjection; all beings save God alone, are made subject to man in the person of Jesus Christ, the Lord of lords, and King of kings.

There are two principles on which the aj^plica- tion of this passage of Ps. 8_ to Christ may be ex- plained. The one is that the Psalm is a prophetic ex- hibition of the goodness of God to Christ, and of the dominion to be given to him. There is nothing, how- ever, in the contents of the Psalm to favour the as- sumption of its having special reference to the Messiah. The other principle admits the reference of the Psalm ' to men generally, but assumes its full meaning to be what the apostle here declares it to be, viz., that the dominion which belongs to man is nothing less than universal. But this dominion is realized only in the Man Christ Jesus, and in those who are associated with him in his kingdom. This latter mode of explanation

86 EPHESIAJ^S,

satisfies all the exigencies both of the original Psalm and of the passages where it is quoted in the 'New Testament.

And gave him to 1)6 head over all things to the church, KoX avrov eScoKe Ke<paX.r]v virep irdvTa rfj eKKXi]- aia. Tliis may mean either, he^ave him to the church as her head ; or, he constituted him head for the church. The former is more consistent with the mean- ing of the verb SlSoifit,. It may, however, also signify to constitute ; see 4, 11, and compare 1 Cor. 12, 28. In either case, Christ is declared to be head not of the universe, but of the church. This being admitted,

IvTrep Trdvra may be taken in immediate ^connection with Ke^oKrjv, head over all, i. e. supreme head. Tliis does not mean head over all the members of the church, as the Yulgate translates : cajnit super omnem eccle- siaiUf' for irdvra and iKKXrja-ia are not grammatically connected ; but simply supreme head. Or we may adopt the interpretation of Chrysostom : rov ovra virep iravra to, opcofieva Kol ra voovfieva Xpicrrov, " Him, who is over all things visible and invisible, he gave to the church as her head." This gives a good sense, but supposes an unnatural trajection of the words. Luther also transposes the words : Und hat ihn gesetzt zum Haupt der Gemeinde liber alles. So does De Wette : Und ihn gesetzet iiber alles zum Haupte der Glemeinde, And placed him over all as head of the church. In all these interpretations the main idea is retained ; viz. that Christ is the head of the church. As in Col. 2, 10, it is said Christ is r] K6(pa\r] Trdat]^ dpx^<i koI e^ovala^.

CHAP. I. VER. 23. 87

the head of all principality and power ^ in tlie sense of supreme ruler ; and as liere in the immediately pre- ceding context he is said to be exalted over all princi- pality and power, and in the following context he is said to be the head of the church, which is his body, the two ideas may be here combined. ' Him he gave as head over all things, as head to his chm'ch.' — ^This is Meyer's interpretation. He, the exalted Saviour, the incarnate Son of God, seated as head of the universe, is made head of his church. This view of the passage has the advantage of giving iravra the same reference here that it has in the preceding verse. All things are placed under his feet, and he head over all things, is head of the church.

The sense in which Christ is the head of the church, is that he is the soiirce of its life, its supreme ruler, ever present with it, sympathizing with it, aiTjj lovi'no; it as aTman loves Ins own Hesli.^ee 4, 15. 16. 5, 23. 29. Rom. 12. 5. 1 Cor. 12, 27. Intimate union, depend- ence, and community of life, are the main ideas ex- pressed by this figure.

Y. 23. Which is his dody. This is the radical, or

I formative idea of the church. From this idea are to be developed its nature, its attributes, and its preroga- tives. It is the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ, that constitutes the church his body. And, therefore, those only in whom the Spirit dwells are constituent mem- bers of the true church. But the Spirit does not dwell in church officers, nor especially in prelates, as such ; nor in the baptized, as such ; nor in the mere external

Ob EPHESIANb,

professors of the true religion ; but in true believers, who therefore constitute that church which is the body of Christ, and to which its attributes and prerogatives belong.

The main question which this verse presents for consideration is : In what sense is the church the ful- ness of Christ ? There are, however, two other points which must be previously determined. In the first place, it is the churchy and not Christ to whom the word fulness here refers! Borne commentators adopt the following interpretation of the passage : ' Christ, the supreme head to the church (which is his body), the fulness, i. e. Christ is the fulness, of him that fiUeth all in all.' But 1. This interpretation violates the grammatical construction of the passage. 2. It rends the clauses very unnaturally asunder. 3. It assumes that the last clause of the verse, viz. 'who fills all in I all,' refers to God, whereas it refers to Christ. 4. The sense thus obtained is unscriptural. The fulness of the Godhead is said to be in Christ ; but Christ is never said to be the fulness of God.

In the second place, the church is here declared to be the fulness of Christ, and not the fuhiess of God. — •

Some commentators understand the passage thus : ' The church, which is the body of Christ, is the fulness of him who fills all in all, i. e. of God.' But to this it is objected, 1. That the construction of the passage requires that the last clause in the verse be referred to Christ ; and 2. This intei-pretation supposes the word rfkrjpwixa fulness^ to mean multitude. ' The multitude

CHAP. I. VEK. 23. 89

belonging to liim wlio fills all in all.' But this is a signification whicli the word never has in itself, but only in virtue of the word with which it is at times connected. The expression irXijpco/xa rrj^ iroXeco^; may be freely rendered, the multitude af the city, because that which fills a city is a multitude. But this does not prove that the word ifkrjpoofia itself signifies a mul- titude. There is no good reason then for departing from the ordinary interpretation, according to which, the church is declared to be the fulness of Christ.

There are two opinions as to the meaning of this

phrase, between which commentators are principally

divided. JFirst, the church may be called the fulness

|(_of Christ, because it is filled by him. As the body is

filled, or pervaded by the soul, so the church is filled by the Spirit of Christ. Or, as God of old dwelt in the temple, and filled it with his glory, so Christ now dwells in his church and fills it with his presence. The sense is then good and scriptural. ' The church is filled by him, who fills all in all.' Or secondly, the church is the fulness of Christ, because it tills hhn, i. e. com-

pletes hismysIicaTperson. He is the head, the church is the bo3y; Irts^the complement, or that which com- pletes, or renders whole. As both these interpretations give a sense that is scriptural and consistent with the context, the choice between them paust be decided principally by the Kew Testament usage of the word 7r\t]po)fjia. The former interpretation supposes the word to have a passive signification — that which is filled. But in every other case in which it occurs in the New

Cu-Xtt

90 EPHESIANS,

Testament, it is used actively — that which does fill. Matt. 9, 16, The piece put into an old garment is called its fulness, i. e. ' that which is put in to fill it up.' Mark 6, 43, The fragments which filled the bas- kets, are called their fulness. John 1, 16, 'Of his ful- ness,' means the plenitude of grace and truth that is in him. Gral. 4, 4, The fulness of the time, is that which renders full the specified time. Col. 2, 9, The fulness of the Godhead, is all that is in the Godhead. Ej)h. 3, 19, The fulness of God, is that of which God is full — the plenitude of divine perfections. 1 Cor. 10, 26, The fulness of the earth, is that which fills the earth. The common usage of the word in the Kew Testament is therefore clearly in favour of its being taken in an ac- tive sense here. The church is the fulness of Christ — in that it is the complement of his mystic j)erson. He is the head, the church is his body.

In favour of the other interpretation it may be urged, — 1. That TrXrjpcofia has in the Classics, in Philo, in the writings of the Gnostics, at times, a passive sense. 2. The meaning thus afforded is preferable. It is a more scriptural and more intelligible statement, to say that Christ fills his church, as the soul pervades the body — or as the glory of the Lord filled the tem- ple, than to say that the church in any sense fills Christ. 3. nXijpcofxa must be taken in a sense which suits the participle TrXTjpovfievov ; ' the church is filled by him who fills all things.' The second and third of these reasons are so strong as to give this interpretation the preference in the minds of those to whom the usus

CHAP. I. VEK. 23. 91

loquendi of the New Testament is not an insuperable objection.

That filleth all in all, rov ra iravra iv nraa-i. ttXt]- pov/jbivov. This clause, as before remarked, refers to^ Christ, as the construction obviously demands. The participle ifk'qpov^evov is by almost all commentators assumed to have in this case an active signification. This assumption is justified by the exigency of the place, and by the fact that in common Greek the pas- sive forms of this verb are at times used in an active sense. That there is no such case in the JSTew Testa- ment, is not therefore a sufficient reason for departing from the ordinary interpretation.

The expression, ra iravra iv Tracri,, all in all, or, all with all, does not mean all the church in all its mem- bers, or with all grace, but the universe in all its parts. Tliere is nothing in the context to restrict or limit to, irdvra. The words must have the latitude here which belongs to them in the preceding verses. The analogy of Scripture is in favour of this interpretation. God's relation to the world, or totality of things external to himself, is elsewhere expressed in the same terms. Jer. 23, 24, " Do not I fill heaven and earth ? saith the Lord." Comp. 1 Kings 8, 27. Ps. 139, T. In the New Testament Christ is set forth as creating, sustain- ing, and pervading the universe. Col. 1, 16. 17. Heb. 1, 3. Eph. 4, 10. This, therefore, determines the sense in which he is here said to fill all things. It is not that he replenishes all his peoj)le with his grace ; but that he fills heaven and earth with his presence.

92 EPHESIANS,

There is no place wliere lie is not. There is no crea- ture from which he is absent. By him all things con- sist ; they are upheld by his presence in them and with them. The union, therefore, which the church sustains, and which is the source of its life and blessed- ness, is not with a mere creature, but with Christ, God manifested in the flesh, who pervades and governs all things by his omnipresent power. The source of life, therefore, to the church is inexhaustible and im- mortal.

CHAPTEE II.

THE APOSTLE CONTRASTS THE SPIEITTJAL STATE OF THE EPHESIANS BEFORE THEIR CONVERSION, WITH THAT INTO WHICH THET HAD BEEN INTEO- DUOED BT THE GRACE OF GOD, VS. 1-10. HE CONTRASTS THEIR PRE- VIOUS CONDITION AS ALIENS, WITH THAT OF FELLOW-CITIZENS OF THE SAINTS AND MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY OF GOD, VS. 11-22.

SECTION I.— Vs. 1-10.

And yon hath he quickened^ who were dead in trespasses

2. and sins ; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of dis-

3. obedience : among whom also we all had our conversation in times past iu the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind ; and were by nature the children of

4. wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for 6. his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were

dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace

6. ye are saved ;) and hath raised its up together, and made ^«

7. sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus : that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace

8. in his kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves :

9. it is the gift of God : not of works, lest any man should boast.

''f^R » 1935 )

94 EPHESIANS,

10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus untcfc' good works, which God hath before ordained that we should" walk in them.

ANALYSIS.

There are tliree principal topics treated of in tliis Section. First, the spiritual state of tlie Ephesians before their conversion. ^%^Q3i§., the change which God had wrought in them. Third, the design for which that change had been effected.

I. The state of the Ephesians before their conver- sion, and the natural state of men universally, is one of spiritual death, which includes — 1. A state of sin. 2. A state of subjection to Satan and to our own cor- rupt affections. 3. A state of condemnation, vs. 1-3.

II. The change which they had experienced was a spiritual resurrection ; concerning which the apostle teaches — 1. That God is its author. 2. That it is a work of love and grace. 3. That it was through Christ, or in virtue of union with him. 4. That it involves great exaltation, even an association with Christ in his glory, vs. 4-6.

ni. The design of this dispensation is the manifes- tation through all coming ages of the grace of God. It is a manifestation of grace — 1. Because salvation in general is of grace. 2. Because the fact that the Ephe- sian Christians believed or accepted of this salvation was due not to themselves but to God. Faith is his gift. 3. Because good works are the fruits not of nature, but of grace. We are created unto good works.

CHAP. n. VEK. 1. 95

COMMENTAKY.

Y. 1. And you liatli he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. There is an intimate connection between this clause and the j)i'eceding paragraph. In V. 19 of the first chapter the apostle prays that the Ephesians might duly appreciate the greatness of that power which had been exercised in their conversion. It was to be known from its effects. It was that power which was exercised in the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, and which had wrought an analogous change in them. The same power which quickened Christ has quickened you. The conjunction ku'l therefore is not to be rendered also, " you also," you as well as others. It serves to connect this clause with what precedes. ' God raised Christ from the dead, and he tias given life to you dead in trespasses and sins.'

The grammatical construction of these words is doubtful. Some connect them immediately with the last clause of the first chapter.—' Who fills all in all and you also,' i. e. v/^a? is made to depend on ttX?;- povfjbivov. This, however, to make any tolerable sense, supposes the preceding clause to have a meaning which the words will not bear. Others refer the beginning of this verse to the 20th ver. of the preceding chapter — or at least borrow from that verse the verb required to complete the sense in this. ' God raised Christ, and he has raised you,' iyeipa^ rov Xpiarov, koI vfia^ ^yecpe. There is indeed this association of ideas, but the two passages are not grammatically thus related. The first

96 EPHESIANS,

seven verses of this chapter form one sentence, which is so long and complicated that the apostle is forced, before getting to the end of it, slightly to vary the con- struction ; a thing of very freqnent occurrence in his writings. He dwells so long in vs. 2, 3, 4, on the natural state of the Ephesians, that he is obliged in v. 5, to repeat substantially the beginning of v. 1, in order to complete the sentence there commenced. ' You dead on account of sin, — wherein ye walked according to the com'se of the world, subject to Satan, associated with the children of disobedience, among whom we also had our conversation, and were the children of wrath even as others — ^us, dead on account of trespasses hath God quickened.' This is the way the passage stands. It is plain, therefore, that the sentence begun in the first verse, is resumed with slight variation in the fifth. This is the view taken by our translators, who boiTOW from the fifth verse the verb e^woirol'qae neces- sary to complete the sense of the first.

Paul describes his readers before their conversion as dead. In Scriptm-e the word life is the term commonly used to express a state of union with God, and death a state of alienation from him. Life, therefore, includes

1 holiness, happiness and activity ; and death, corruption, misery and helplessness. All the higher forms of life are wanting in those spiritually dead ; they are secluded from all the sources of true blessedness, and they are beyond the reach of any help from creatures. They are dead.

The English version renders the clause, rot? irapa-

CHAP. n. VER. 2. 97

TTTcofiaai Kol rai<i a/juapTlaL<;, ' dead in trespasses and sins.' But tliere is no preposition in the original text, and therefore, the great majority of commentator? consider the apostle as assigning the ca^se, and not 1 describing the nature of this death, ' Dead on account ' of trespasses and sins.' * The former of these words is , generally considered as referring to outward transgres- i sions, the latter is more indefinite, and includes all sin- ful manifestations of d/xapTta, i. e. of sin considered as 1 an inherent principle.f

Y. 2. WTierein in titnejpast ye walked. Their former^ condition, briefly described in the first verse, as a state of spiritual death, is in this and the verses following more particularly characterized. They walked in sin. They were daily conversant with it, and devoted to it. They were surrounded by it, and clothed with it. They lived aGcm'ding to the course of this world. In this clause we have not only the character of their life stated, but; the governing principle which controlled their con-1 duct. They lived according to, and under the control / of, the spirit of the world. The expression rov alwva rov Koa-fMov does not elsewhere occur, and is variously ex-

* Dicit mortuos fuisse : et simul exprimit mortis cansam ; nempe pec- cata. — Calvin.

t " The word afiaprlai" says Haeless, "has, according to the metony- mical use of the plurals of abstract nouns, a different sense from the singu- lar ; viz. manifestations of sin, tmdetermined however, whether by word or deed or some other way. The assertion of David Schulz that a/xaprla never expresses a condition, but always an act, deserves no refutation, as such refutation may be found in any grammar."

7

98 EPHESIANS,

plained. The most common interpretation assiimea that the word aloov is here used in its classical, rather than its Jewish sense. It is referred to the old verb aco, to hreathe, and hence means, hreath, vital principle, life, life-time, and then duration indefinitely. According to the life of this world, therefore, means ' according to the ruling principle, or spirit of the world.' This is substantially the sense expressed in our version, and is much to be preferred to any other interpretation. In all such forms of speech the depravity of men is taken for granted. To live after the manner of men, or ac- cording to the spirit of the world, is to live wickedly, which of course implies that men are wicked; that such is the character of the race in the sight of God.

Others, adhering to the New Testament sense of the aloov, translate this clause thus : according to the age of this world, i. e. in a way suited to the present age of the world, as it is now, compared to what it is to be when Christ comes. Others again give amv a Gnostic sense— according to the Eon of this world, i. e. the devil. To this Meyer objects: 1. That it is more than doubtful whether any distinct reference to nascent Gnosticism is to be found in this epistle ; and 2. That such a de- signation of Satan would have been unintelligible to all classes of readers.

This subjection to sin is, at the same time, a subjec-

|tion to Satan, and therefore the apostle adds, Kara rbv

apx^vra rrjf; i^ovcria<i rov depo^, according to the prince

of the power of the air. In 2 Cor. 4, 4, Satan is called

the god, and in John 12, 31, the prince, of this world.

CHAP. n. VEE. 2. 99

He is said to be tlie prince of the demons. Matt. 9, 34. A kingdom is ascribed to him, which is called the kingdom of darkness. All wicked men and evil spirits are his subjects, and are led captive by him at his will. It is according to this ruler of the darkness of this world, agreeably to his will and under his control, that the Ephesians lived before their conversion. Though there is perfect unanimity among commentators, that the phrase top ap')(ovTa t^9 i^ovaia^; is a designation of Satan, there is much difference of opinion as to the precise import of the terms. First, the genitive, e'fou- crta?, may be taken as qualifying the preceding noun — ' Prince of the power,' for ' powerful prince,' or, ' prince to whom power belongs.' Or, secondly, i^ova-ia may be taken metonymically for those over whom power is ex- ercised, i. e. kingdom., as it is used in Col. 1, 13. Or, thirdly, it may designate those to whom power belongs, | as in the preceding ch. v. 21. ' All principality and power ' there means, all those who have dominion and power. This last mentioned explanation is the one generally preferred, because most in accordance with Paul's use of the word, and because the sense thus ob- tained is so suited to the context and the analogy of Scripture. Satan is the prince of the powers of the air, i. e. of those evil sj^irits, who are elsewhere spoken of as subject to his dominion.

Of the air. The word a7]p signifies either the at- mosphere, or darkness. The whole phrase, therefore, may mean either, the powers who dwell in the air, or the powers of darkness. In favour of the former ex-

100 EPHESIAJ^fS,

planation is tlie common meaning of the word, and the undoubted fact that both among the Greeks and Jews it was the current opinion of that age that our atmosphere was the special abode of spirits. In favour of the lat- ter, it may be urged that the Scriptures nowhere else recognize or sanction the doctrine that the air is the dwelling place of spirits. That opinion, therefore, in the negative sense at least, is unscriptural, i. e. has no scriptural basis, unless in this place. And secondly, the word <TK6ro<;, darkness^ is so often used just as ar\p is here employed, as to create a strong presumption that the latter was meant to convey the same meaning as the former. Thus, " the power of darkness," Luke 22, 53 ; " the rulers of darkness," Eph. 6, 12 ; " the kingdom of darkness," Col. 1, 13, are all scriptural ex- pressions, and are all used to designate the kingdom of Satan. Tliirdly, this signification of the word is not without the authority of usage. The word properly, especially in the earlier writers, means the lower, ob- scure, misty atmos]3here, as opposed to aWyjp, the pure air. Hence it means obscurity, darkness, whatever hides from sight.

There is a thirii interpretation of this phrase, which retains the common meaning of the word, but makes it express the nature and not the abode of the powers spoken of. ' Of the earth ' may mean earthy / so ' of the air ■ may mean aerial. These demons do not belong to our earth, they have not a corporeal nature ; they belong to a different and higher order of beings. They are aerial or spiritual. This passage is thus brought

CHAI', n. TEK. 2. 101

into accordance with wliat is said in Eph. 6, 12. Evil spii-its are tliere said to be ' in heavenly places,' i. e. in heaven. That is, they do not belong to this earth; they are heavenly in their nature, as spii'its without the trammels of flesh and blood. Such at least is one inter- pretation of Eph. 6, 12. By powers of the air, accord- ing to this view, we are to understand, unearthly, superhuman, incorporeal, spiritual beings over whom Satan reigns. This interpretation seems to have been the one generally adopted in the early church.

T/i6 spirit that now worlcetli in the children of dis- obedience, rov 7rveu/j,aTo<; rov vvv ivepjovvro';, ktX. This again is a difficult clause. Our version assumes that the word irvev/jiaTo^, sjpirit, is in apposition with the word dpxovTa, prince. ' The jyrince of the power of the air, i. e. the sj^irit, who now works in the childi-en of disobedience.' The objection to this is that irv&v- fiaTo<; is in the genitive and ap)(ovTa in the accusative. This interpretation therefore cannot be adopted without assuming an unusual grammatical irregularity. Others prefer taking Trz/eu/xaTo? as in apposition to e^ovaia'i. The sense is then either : ' Prince of the power of the, air, i. e. prince of the spirit, i. e.-^rite, ^wb^ now work ; ' or, ' Prince of the spirit, which controls the children of disobedience.' The former of these exposi- tions gives a good sense. Satan is the prince of those spirits who are represented in Scripture as constantly engaged in leading men into sin. But it does violence to the text, as there is no other case where the singular TTvev/ia is thus used collectively for the plural. To the

102 EPHESIAI^S,

latter interpretation it may be objected tbat tbe sense thus obtained is feeble and obscure, if the word sjpiHt is made to mean ' disposition of men ; ' which, to say the least, is a very vague and indefinite expression, and furnishes no proper parallelism to the preceding clause " powers of the air." But by spi/rit may be meant the evH ju'inciple which works in mankind. Compare 1 Cor. 2, 12. Luther and Calvin both give the same in- terpretation that is adopted by our translators. Beza, Bengel, and most of the moderns make sjdrit mean the spirit of the world as opposed to the Spirit of God.

The phrase children of disobedience (ev rot? vtot? t% direidela';) does not mean disobedient children — ^for that would imply that those thus designated were repre- sented as the children of God, or children of men, who were disobedient. The word children expresses their! relation, so to speak, to disobedience, which is the| source of their distinctive character. The word son is often itfeed in Scripture to express the idea of deriva- tion or dependence in any form. Thus the ' sons of famine ' are the famished ; the ' sons of Belial ' are the worthless ; the ' sons of disobedience ' are the disobe- dient. The word aireldeia means, unwillingness to be persuaded, and is expressive either of disobedience in general, or of unbelief which is only one form of dis- obedience. In this case the general sense is to be pre- ferred, for the persons spoken of are not characterized as unbelievers, or as obstinately rejecting the gospel, but as disobedient or wicked. Tlie fact asserted in this clause, viz., that Satan and evil spirits work in men,

I

CHAP. II. VEE. 3. 103

or iniluence tlieir o23iiiions, feelings and conduct, is often elsewhere taught in Scrij3ture. Matt. 13, 38. John 12, 31 ; 8, 44. Acts 26, 18. 2 Cor. 4, 4. The fact is all that concerns us, we need not understand how they exert this influence. We do not know how the intercourse of disembodied spirits is conducted, and therefore cannot tell how such spirits have access to our minds to control their oj)erations. The influence, whatever it is, and however efiectual it may be, does not destroy our freedom of action, any more than the influence of one man over his fellows. Still it is an influence greatly to be dreaded. These spirits of wick- edness are represented as far more formidable adver- saries than those who are clothed in flesh and blood. Blessed are those for whom Christ prays, as he did for Peter, when he sees them surrounded by the wiles of the devil.

Y. 3. Among whom also we all had our conversa- tion in thnes jpast. It appears not only from ch. 1 : 11, 13, and from the connection in this place, but still more clearly from v. 11 and those following, in this chapter, that by you in this whole epistle, the apostle \ means Gentiles ; and by we^ wdien the pronouns are '■ contrasted as here, the Jews. The spiritual condition of the Ephesians before their conversion was not pecu- liar to them as Ephesians or as heathen. All men, Jews and Gentiles, are by nature in the same state. Whatever difierences of individual character, what- ever superiority of one age or nation over another may exist, these are but subordinate diversities. There is

104 EPHESIANS,

as to tlie main point, as tliis apostle elsewhere teaches, no difference ; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is also no essential difference as to the way in which different communities or indi- yidnals manifest the depravity common to them all. There is very great difference as to the degree and the grossness of such manifestations, hut in all the two comprehensive forms under which the corruption of our nature reveals itself, " the desires of the flesh and of the mind," are clearly exhibited. The apostle therefore does not hesitate to associate his countrymen with the G-entiles in this description of their moral con- dition, although the former were in many respects so superior to the latter. 'Naj, he does not hesitate to in- clude himself, though he was before his conversion as ' touching the righteousness which is of the law blame- less.' All men, whatever their outward conduct may be, in their natural state have " a carnal mind " as op- posed to " a spiritual mind." See Rom. 8, 5-7. They are all governed by the things which are seen and tem- poral, instead of those which are not seen and eternal. Paul therefore says of himself and fellow Jews that they all had their conversation among the children of disobedience. They were not separated from them as a distinct and superior class, but were associated with them, congenial in character and life.

Wherein this congeniality consisted is stated in the following clauses. As the Gentiles so also the Jews had their conversation, i. e. they lived m the lusts of the flesh. The word eiriOvixia, lust, means strong de-

CHAP. II. VEK. 3. 105

sire, whether good or bad. Iii Scripture most com- monly it is taken in a bad sense, and means inordinate desii-e of any kind. The ' lusts of the flesh ' are those irregular desires which have their origin in the flesh. By the flesh, however, is not to be imderstood merely our sensuous nature, but our whole nature considered as corrupt. The scriptural usage of the word adp^ is very extensive. It means the material flesh, then that which is external, then that which is governed by what is material, and in so far sinful ; then that which is sin- ful without that limitation ; whatever is opposed to the Spirit, and in view of all these senses it means man- kind. See Phil. 3, -i, where the apostle includes under the word flesh, his descent from the Hebrews, his cir- cumcision, and his legal righteousness. Gal. 3, 3. 5, 19-21. In this latter passage, envy, hatred, heresy, are included among the works of the flesh, as well as revel- lings and di'unkenness. It depends on the immediate context whether the word, in any given place, is to be understood of our whole nature considered as corrupt, or only of the sensuous or animal part of that nature. When it stands opposed to what is divine, it means what is human and corrupt ; when used in opposition to what is intellectual or spiritual in our nature, it means what is sensupj^ In the present case it is to be taken in its wide sens^^Jbecause there is nothing to limit it, and because in the following clause it is de- fined as including both, — " the desires of the flesh (in the restricted sense of the word) and of the mind." The word ^e/Vj^/^ara rendered desires^ means rather

106 EPHESIAIT8,

hehests, commands. The tilings done were those wliicliV tlie flesli and the mind willed to be done. They were the p;overning principles to whose will obedience was rendered. Acavola, ^nind, is used here for the whole thinking and sentient principle, so far as distinguished from the animal j)rinciple. Frequently it means the intellect, here it refers more to the affections. Comp. Col. 1, 21, " Enemies in your mind." Lev. 19, 7, " Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy mind." Num- bers 15, 39, " Follow not after your own minds." Jews and Gentiles, all men, therefore, are represented in their natural state as under the control of evil. They fulfil the commands of the flesh and of the mind.

Atid were hy nature the children of wrath even as others^ Koi rjfxev reKva <pva€i op'yfj'i. The expression " children of wrath," agreeably to a Hebrew idiom above referred to, means ' the objects of wrath,' ob- noxious to punishment. Compare Deut. 25, 2, ' son of stripes,' one to be beaten. 1 Sam. 20, 31. 2 Sam, 12, 5, ' son of death,' one certainly to die. The idea of worthiness is not included in the expression, though often implied in the context. The phrase ' son of death,' means one who is to die, whether justly or unjustly. So ' children of wrath,' means simply ' the objects of wrath.' But as the wrath spoken of is the displeasure of God, of course the idea of ill-desert is necessarily implied.

The word ^yo-i? in signification and usage corre- sponds very nearly to our word nature. When used, as in this case, to indicate the source or origin of any

CHAP. n. VEK. 3. 107

thing in the character or condition, it always expresses what is natural or innate, as opposed to what is made, taught, superinduced, or in any way incidental or ac- quired. This general idea is of course variously modi- fied by the natm-e of the thing spoken of. Thus when the apostle says, Gal. 2, 15, rjuet<i (pvaet, 'lovSaloi, we dy nature Jeios, he means Jews by bu-th, in opposition to profession. In Gal. 4, 8, it is said of the heathen dei- ties that they are not by nature gods, they are such only by aj)pointment, or in virtue of the opinions of men. In Horn. 2, 13, men are said to do hy nature the things of the law, i. e. the source of these moral acts is to be sought in their natural constitution, not in the instruction or example of others. In Eom. 2, 27, un- circumcision is said to be hy nature, i. e. natural, not acquired. This usage is common in the classic writers. Thus Plato, de Legibus, lib. 10, says, ' Some teach that the gods are ov (f)va€c, dWa nal vofxoi'i,^ i. e. that they owe their divinity not to nature but to certain laws. Afterwards he says, ' Some things are right by nature, others by law.' In another place, he says, of certain persons, 'They were (})va€i barbarians, vo/jbw Greeks ; ' by bii-th barbarians, but by law Greeks. In these writers the expressions, 'by nature selfish,' ' by nature swift to anger,' ' by nature avaricious,' &c., are of very frequent occurrence. In all such cases the general sense is the same. The thing predicated is affirmed to be natural. It is referred to the natural constitution or condition as opposed to what is acqiiired. According to this uniform usage the expression, ' We

108 EPHESLOrS,

were by nature the children of wrath,' can only mean, y We were born in that condition.' It was something natm-al. We did not become the children of wrath, but were already such as we were born.* The sim- ple fact is asserted, not the reason of it. It is hy I nature, not oti account of nature that we are here de- clared to be the children of wrath. The Scriptures do indeed teach the doctrine of inherent, hereditary de- pravity, and that that depravity is of the nature of sin, and therefore justly exposes us to the divine displea- sure. And this doctrine may be fairly implied in the text, but it is not asserted. In other words, (^uo-t? does not mean natural depravity, and the dative {(pvaei) does

I not here mean on account of. The assertion is that men are born in a state of condemnation, and not that theii" nature is the ground of that condemnation. Tliis is, indeed, an old and widely extended interpretation ;

* In this interpretation commentators of all classes agree. Rueckert, one of tlie ablest and most untrammelled of the recent German commenta- tors, says : " It is perfectly evident from Eom. 5, 12-20, that Paul was far from being opposed to the \'iew expressed in Ps. 51, 7, that men are horn sinners ; and as we interpret for no system, so we will not attempt to deny that the thought, ' we were born children of wrath,' i. e. such as we were from our birth we were exposed to the divine wrath, is the true sense of the words."

Haeless, a commentator of higher order, says : " Unless we choose to explain the word (pvcrei in a senseless and inconsistent manner, we can account for its use only by admitting that Paul proceeds on the assumption of an enmity to God at present natiiral and indwelling. And since such a native condition is not a fatuity, we can properly acknowledge no other explanation of the fact here incidentally mentioned, than that which in perfect consistency with the whole apostolic system of doctrine, is given in Rom. 5th."

CHAP. II. VEE. 3. 109

but it does violence to the force of the word ^uo-t?, whicli means simply nature, and not either holy or corrupt nature. The idea of moral character may be implied in the context, but is not expressed by the word. When we say, ' a man is by natm'e kind,' it is indeed implied that his nature is benevolent, but na- ture does not signify ' natural benevolence.' Thus when it is said, men are ' by nature corrupt,' or, ' by nature the childi-en of wi"ath,' all that is asserted is that they are born in that condition.

Others take ^ucrt? to mean in this place simply dis- position, character, inward state of mind ; very much as we often use the word heart. According to this view, the word means not quod nascenU inest, sed quod consuetude in naturam vertit. The sense then is : ' We, as well as others are, as to our inward disposition or state of mind, children of wi'ath.' All the expressions quoted by Clericus and other advocates of this inter- pretation, are really proofs that the word ^ucrt? has not the signification which they assign to it. When it is said that Barbarians are by nature rapacious, the Sy- rians by nature fickle, the Lacedemonians taciturn, more is meant than that such is the actual character of these people. The characteristic trait asserted of them is referred to what is innate or natural. In other words ^ycrt9 does not mean, in such cases, simply dis- position, but innate disposition.

Still more remote from the proper meaning of the terms is the interpretation which renders <^v<j€l truly, really. This is substituting an idea implied in the

110 EPHESIAIfS,

context for the signification of the word. When Paul says, the heathen deities are not hy nature gods, he does indeed say thej are not really gods ; but this does not prove that l)y nature means truly.

Another exposition of this passage is, that the apostle here refers to the incidental cause of our being the children of wrath. Our exposure to the divine displeasure is due to our nature, because that nature being what it is, filled with various active principles innocent or indififerent, leads us into sin, and we thus become children of wrath. It is not by nature, but durch Entwiokelung nat'drlicher Disposition, ' through the development of natural disposition,' as Meyer expresses this idea. This is a theological hypothesis rather than an interpretation. When it is said men are by nature desirous of truth, by nature honest, by nature cruel, more is affirmed than that they become such, under the influence of natural principles of which these characteristics cannot be predicated. The very reverse is the thing asserted. It is affirmed that love of truth, honesty, or cruelty are attributes of the nature of those spoken of. In like manner when it is said, ' We are by nature the children of wrath,' the very thing denied is, that we become such by a process of development. The assertion is that we are such by nature, as we were born. The truth here taught, there- fore, is that which is so clearly presented in other parts of Scripture, and so fully confirmed by the history of the world and faith of the church, viz, that mankind as a race are fallen ; they had their probation in Adam,

CHAP. II. VER. 4. Ill

and therefore are born in a state of condemnation. Tliey need redemption from the moment of their birth ; and therefore the seal of redemption is applied to them in baptism, which otherwise would be a senseless ceremony.

Y. 4. The apostle having thus described the natural \ state of men, in this and the following verses, unfolds 1 the manner in which those to whom he wrote had been | delivered from that dreadful condition. It was by a spiritual resurrection. God, and not themselves, was I the author of the change. It was not to be referred to any goodness in them, but to the abounding love of God, The objects of this love were not Jews in dis- tinction from the Gentiles, nor the Gentiles as such, nor men in general, but tis, i. e. Christians, the actual subjects of the life-giving power here spoken of. All this is included in this verse.

'O Se 0609, hut God, i. e. notwithstanding our guilt and corruption, God, heing rich in mercy, 7r\ovcno<i wv iv eXeet, i. e. because he is rich in mercy. "EXeo^ is, ipsum miseris succurrendi studium, ' the desire to suc- cour the miserable ; ' oiKrLpix6<i is pity. Love is more than either. It was not merely tnercy which has all the miserable for its object ; but love which has defi- nite individual persons for its objects, which constrained this intervention of God for our salvation. Therefore the apostle adds, hia rrjv iroXKr^v aydiTrjv avTOv. Aia is not to be rendered through, but on aGCOVMt of. It was to satisfy his love, that he raised us from the death of sin.

112 EPHE8IAN8,

V. 5. Kal 6vTa<i r)/jba'i. The conjunction kuI does not serve merely to resume the connection ; nor is it to be referred to 77/u.a?, us also, us as well as others ; but it belongs to the participle. — ' And being,' i. e. even when we were dead in trespasses. ITotwithstand- ing our low, and apparently helpless condition, God interfered for our recovery.

^vve^oDOTTolrjae tm Xpia-TO), he quickened us together with Christ. Zwoiroietv means, to make alive, to im-l part life. In the New Testament it is almost always used of the communication of the life of which Christ is the author. It either comprehends every^^hing which is included in salvation, the communication of life in its widest scriptural sense ; or it expresses some one point or moment in this general life-giving process. As the death from which the Christian is delivered includes condemnation (judicial death), pollution, and misery ; so the life which he receives comprehends forgiveness (justification), regeneration, and blessed- ness. Thus in 2 Cor. 2, 12. 13, the apostle says, " And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." As, however, in the passage before us, the words " hath raised us up," and " hath made us to sit in heavenly places," are con- nected with the word " he hath quickened," the latter must be limited to the commencement of this work of restoration. That is, it here expresses deliverance T from death and the imparting of life, and not the whole | work of salvation.

CHAP. n. VEK. 5. 113

We are said to be ' quickened together with Christ' This does not mean merely that we are quickened cls he was, that there is an analogy between his resurrec- tion from the grave, and our spiritual resurrection ; but the truth here taught is that which is presented in Kom. 6, 6. 8. Gal. 2, 19. 20. 2 Cor. 5, 14. 1 Cor. 15, 22. 23, and in many other passages, viz. that in virtue of the union, covenant and vital, between Christ and his people, his death was their death, his life is their life, and his exaltation is theirs. Hence all the verbs used in this connection, awe^cooTrolTja-e, avvi]yeLp€, avpeKcWtae, are in the past tense. They express what has already taken place, not what is future ; not what is merely in prospect. The resurrection, the quicken- ing and raising up of Christ's people were in an im- portant sense accomplished, when he rose from the dead and sat down at the right hand of God. El yap ■f] cLTrapxv ?7; «^^^ '^Atet?, is the pregnant comment of Chrysostom. The life of the whole body is in the head, and therefore when the head rose, the body rose. Each in his order however ; first Christ, and then they that are Christ's.

The apostle says, by way of parenthesis, hy grace are ye sowed. The gratuitous nature of salvation is one of the most prominent ideas of the context and of the epistle. The state of men was one of helplessnes and ill-desert. Their deliverance from that state is due to the power and the unmerited love of God. They nei- ther deserved to be saved, nor could they redeem themselves. This ti'uth is so important and enters so

8

114 EPHESIAN8,

deeply into the very nature of the Gospel, that Paul brings it forward on every fit occasion. And if the mode in which he speaks of our deliverance, does not of itself show it to be gratuitous, he introduces the de- claration parenthetically, lest it should be for a moment forgotten.

V. 6. And hath raised us up and caused us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This is an amplification of what precedes. In its widest sense the life, which in v. 5 is said to be given to us, includes the exaltation exj)ressed in this verse. It is, therefore, only by way of amplification that the apostle, after saying we are made partakers of the life of Christ, adds that we are raised up and enthroned with him in heaven. To understand this we must know what is here meant by "heavenly places," and in what sense believers are now the subjects of the exaltation here spoken of. Throughout this epistle the expression " heavenly places " means heaven. But the latter phrase has in Scripture a wide application. It means not only the atmospheric heavens in which the clouds have their habitation ; and the stellar heavens in which the sun, moon and stars dwell ; and the third heavens, i. e. the place where God specially manifests his presence and where the glorified body of Christ now is, but also the] state into which believers are introduced by their re-j generation. In this last sense it coincides with one of the meanings of the phrase " kingdom of heaven." It is that state of purity, exaltation and favour with God, into which his children are even in this world intro-

CHAP. II. VEB. 6. 115

diiced. Tlie opposite state is called " the kingdom of Satan ; " and hence men are said to be translated from " the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son." It is in this sense of the word that we are said, Phil. 3, 20, to be the citizens of heaven. We, if Christians, belong not to the earth, bnt heaven ; we ar within the pale of God's kingdom ; we are under its laws ; we have in Christ a title to its privileges and blessings, and possess, alas ! in what humble measure, its spirit. Though we occupy the lowest place of this kingdom, the mere suburbs of the heavenly city, still we are in it. The language of the apostle in the con- text will appear the less strange, if we apprehend aright the greatness of the change which believers, even in this life, experience. Tliey are freed from the con- demnation of the law, from the dominion of Satan, from the lethargy and pollution of spiritual death ; they are reconciled to God, made partakers of his Spirit, as the principle of everlasting life ; they are adopted into his family and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God both in this life and in that which is to come. This is a change worthy of being expressed by saying : "He hath quickened us, and raised us up, and made us to sit together with Christ in heavenly places." — All this is ill Clirist. It is in virtue of their union with Christ that believers are partakers of his life and exaltation. They are to reign with him. Tlie blessings then of which the apostle here speaks, are represented as already conferred for two reasons : first, because they are in a measure already enjoyed; and secondly, be-

116 EPHESIAN8,

cause the continuance and consummation of these blessings are rendered certain by the nature of the union between Christ and his people. In him they are already raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God.

Y. 7. Why has God done all this ? Why from eternity has he chosen us to be holy before him in love ? Why has he made us accepted in the Beloved ? Wliy when dead in trespasses and sins hath he quickened us, raised us up and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ ? The answer to these questions is given in this \ verse. It was, in order that, in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toiDO/rds us, through Christ Jesus, ha ivSei^r)- TUL — Tov irXovTOV rrj<i ■^dpCTo<; — iv '^(^prjcrTOTTjTt icfi r]fiat> The manifestation of the grace of God, i. e. of his un- merited love, is declared to be the specific object of redemption. From this it follows that whatever clouds the grace of God, or clashes with the gratuitous nature of the blessings promised in the gospel, must be incon- sistent with its nature and design. If the salvation of | sinners be intended as an exhibition of the grace of I God, it must of necessity be gratuitous.

The words, in the ages to come, iv tol<; alSxri rot? i7r€p^ofievoc<;, are by many understood to refer to the future generations in this world ; secula, aetates seu tempora inde ab apostolicis illis ad finem mundi secu- turas, as Wolf expresses it. Calvin, who understands the apostle to refer specially to the calling of the Gen- tiles in the preceding verses, gives the same explana-

CHAP. n. vs. 7, 8, 9. 117

fcion. Gentium vocatio mirabile est divinae bonitatis opus, quod filiis parentes et avi nepotibus tradere per manus. debent, ut nunquam ex liominum auimis silentio deleatur. As however tliere is notbing in tbe context to restrict tbe language of tbe apostle to tbe Gentiles, so tbere is notbing to limit tbe general expression ages to come to tbe present life. Otbers, restricting verse 6tb to tbe resurrection of tbe body, wbicb is to take place at tbe second advent of Cbrist, understand tbe pbrase in question to mean tbe ' world to come,' or tbe period subsequent to Cbrist's second coming. Tben, wben tbe saints are raised up in glory, and not before, will tbe kindness of God towards tbem be revealed. But tbe preceding verse does not refer exclusively to tbe final resuj'rection of tbe dead, and tberefore tbis pbrase does not designate tbe period subsequent to tbat event. It is better tberefore to take it witbout limitation, for all futm'e time.

Tbe simplest construction of tbe passage supposes tbat ev 'x^prjaTOTTjTc is to be connected witb ivSei^rjTat ; e'^' riixa<i witb '^prja-Torrjri,, and ev XpiarS witb tbe words immediately preceding. God's grace is mani- fested tbrougb bis kindness towards us, and tbat kindness is exercised tbrougb Cbrist and for bis sake. Tbe ground of tbis goodness is not in us but in Cbi'ist, and bence its character as grace, or unmerited favour.

Ys. 8, 9. Tbese verses c^onfirm tbe preceding de- claration. Tbe manifestation of tbe grace of God is tbe great end of redemption. This is plain, for salva-

118 EPHESIAJS^S,

tion is entirely of grace. Ye are saved bj grace ; ye are saved by faith and not by works ; and even faitb is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. We have then here a manifold assertion, affirmative and negative, of the gratuitous nature of salvation. It is not only said in general, ' ye are saved by grace,' but furthe]* that salvation is by faith, i. e. by Bimj)ly receiving or appre- hending the offered blessing. From the very nature of faith, as an act of assent and trust, it excludes the idea of merit. If by faith, it is of grace ; if of works, it is of debt ; as the apostle argues in Rom. 4, 4. 5. Faith, therefore, is the mere causa apjprehendens^ the simple act of accepting, and not the ground on which salvation is bestowed. Not of works. The apostle says works^ without qualification or limitation. It is not, therefore, ceremonial, as distinguished from good works ; or legal, as distinguished from evangelical or gracious works ; but works of all kinds as distinguished from faith, which are excluded. Salvation is in no sense, and in no degree, of works ; for to him that worketh the reward is a matter of debt. But salvation is of grace and therefore not of works lest any man should boast. That the guilty should stand before God with self-comj)lacency, and refer his salvation in any measure to his own merit, is so abhorrent to all right feeling that Paul assumes it (Rom. 4, 2) as an intuitive truth, that no man can boast before God. And to all who have any proper sense of the holiness of God and of the evil of sin, it is an intuition ; and therefore a gratuitous salvation, a salvation which excludes with

CHAP. II. VS. 8, 9. 119

works all ground of boasting, is the only salvation suited to the relation of guilty men to God.

The only point in the interpretation of these verses of any doubt, relates to the second clause. What is said to be the gift of God? Is it salvation, or faith? The words koI tovto only serve to render more promi- nent the matter referred to. Compare Rom. 13, 11. 1 Cor. 6, 6. Phil. 1, 28. Heb. 11, 12. They may relate to faith {to TncxTevecv), or to the salvation spoken of {aeacoa/jbevovi elvac). Beza, following the fathers, pre- fers the former reference ; Calvin, with most of the modern commentators, the l^ter. The reasons in favour of the former interpretation are, 1. It best suits the design of the passage. The object of the apostle is to show the gratuitous nature of salvation. This is most effectually done by saying, ' Ye are not only saved by faith in opposition to works, but your very faith is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.' 2. The other interpretation makes the passage tautological. To say : ' Ye are saved by faith ; not of yourselves ; your salva- tion is the gift of God ; it is not of works,' is saying the same thing over and over without any j^rogress. Whereas to say : ' Ye are saved through faith (and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God), not of works,' is not repetitious ; the parenthetical clause instead of being redundant does good service and greatly in- creases the force of the passage. 3. According to this interpretation the antithesis between faith and works, BO common in Paul's writings, is preserved. ' Ye are saved by faith, not by works, lest any man should

120 EPHESIAJI8,

boast.' The middle clause of the verse is therefore parenthetical, and refers not to the main idea ye a/re mved, but to the subordinate one through faith, and is designed to show how entirely salvation is of grace, since even faith by which we a^rehend the offered mercy, is the gift of God, 4. The analogy of Scrip- ture is in favor of this view of the passage, in so far that elsewhere faith is represented as the gift of God. 1 Cor. 1, 26-31. Eph. 1, 19. . Col. 2, 12, et passim.

Y. 10. That salvation is thus entirely the work of God, and that good works cannot be the ground of our acceptance with him, is proved in this verse — 1st. By showing that we are God's workmanship. He, and not ourselves, has made us what we are. And 2d, By the consideration that we are created unto good works. As I the fact that men are elected unto holiness, proves that holiness is not the ground of their election ; so their being created unto good works shows that good works are not the ground on which they are made the subjects of this new creation, which is itself incipient salvation.

Avjov fydp icrfiev Trolrjfia. The position of the pro- noun at the beginning of the sentence renders it em- phatic. Sis workmanship are we. He has made us Christians. Our faith is not of ourselves. It is of God that we are in Christ Jesus. Tlie sense in which wej are the workmanship of God is explained in the follow- ing clause, ci'eated in Christ Jesus / for if any man is in Christ he is a new creature. Union with him is a source of a new life, and a life unto holiness ; and. therefore it is said created ^mto good worlds. Holiness

\

CHAP. n. VEE. 10. 121

is the end of redemption, for Christ gave himself for ns that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and pm-ify nnto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. Titus 2, 14. Those therefore who live in sin are not the subjects of this redemption.

Oh TrporjTOLfj^aae, is variously interpreted. The verb signifies properly tojprepare heforehmid. As this pre- vious preparation may be in the mind, in the form of a pm-pose, the word is often used in the sense of pre- oixlaining, or appointing. Compare Gen. 24, 14, Matt 25, 34. 1 Cor. 2, 9. Eom. 9, 23. This however is rather the idea expressed in the context than the proper signification of the word. The relative is by Bengel and others connected, agreeably to a common Hebrew idiom, with the following pronoun, oh iv avToi<;, in which, and the verb taken absolutely. The sense then is, ' In which God has preordained that we should walk.' By the gi-eat majority of commentators oh is taken for a, by the common attraction, 'which God had pre- pared beforehand, in order that we should walk in them.' Before our new creation these works were in the pm-pose of God prepared to be our attendants', in the midst of which we should walk. A third interpretation supposes ols to be used as a proper dative, and supposes jj/ia? as the object of the verb. ' To which God has pre- destined -ws, that we should walk in them.' The second of these explanations is obviously the most natm-al.

Thus has the apostle in this paragi-aph clearly taught that the natural state of man is one of con- demnation and spiritual death ; that from that condition

122 ErHESIAJ^^S,

believers are delivered by the grace of God in Christ Jesus ; and the design of tbis deliverance is flie mani- festation, tbrongb all coming ages, of tbe exceeding riches of his grace.

SECTION II.— Vs. 11-22.

11. "Wherefore remember, that ye Icing in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are caUed Uncircumcision by that which is called

12. the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands ; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having

13. no hope, and without God in the world ; but now, in Christ Jesus, ye, who sometimes were far oflT, are made nigh by the

14. blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition

15. hetween us ; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances : for to make

16. in himself of twain one new man, so making peace ; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,

17. having slain the enmity thereby : and came and preached peace to you which were afar ofi", and to them that were nigh.

18. For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the

19. Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreign- ers, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of

20. God ; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone ;

21. in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto

22. a holy temple in the Lord : in whom ye also are builded toge- ther, for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

ANALYSIS.

In» the preceding paragraph the apostle had set forth — 1. The moral and spiritual condition of the

CHAP. n. vs. 11-22. 123

Ephesians by nature. 2. The spiritual renovation and exaltation which they had experienced. 3. Tlie design of God in this dispensation. In this paragraph he exhibits the corresponding change in their relations. In doing this he sets forth : —

I. Their former relation — 1st. To the chiu'ch as for- eigners and aliens. 2d. To God as those who were far off, without any saving knowledge of him, or interest in his promises, vs. 11. 12.

II. The means by which this alienation from God and the chmxh had been removed, viz. by the blood of Christ. His death had a twofold effect. — 1. By satisfying the demands of justice, it secured reconcilia- tion with God. 2. By abolishing the law in the form of the Mosaic institutions, it removed the wall of parti- tion between the Jews and Gentiles. A twofold recon- ciliation was thus effected ; the Jews and Gentiles are united in one body, and both are reconciled to God, vs. 13-18.

III. In consequence of this twofold reconciliation, the Ephesians were intimately united with God and his people. Tliis idea is set forth under a threefold figure. — 1. They are represented as fellow-citizens of the saints. 2. They are members of the family of God. 3. They are constituent portions of that temple in which God dwells by his Spirit, vs. 19-22.

The idea of the church which underlies this para- graph, is that which is every where presented in the Kew Testament. The church is the body of Clirist. tt consists of those in whom he dwells by his Spirit.

124 EPHESIAJSrS,

To be alien from the churcli, therefore, is to be an alien from God. It is to be witliont Christ and without hope. The church of which this is said is not the nominal, external, visible church as such, but the true people of God. As, however, the Scriptures always speak of men according to their profession, calling those who profess faith, believers, and those who confess Christ, Christians ; so they speak of the visible church as the true church, and predicate of the former what is true only of the latter. The Gentiles while aliens from the church were without Christ, without God, and without hope ; when amalgamated with the church they be- came the habitation of God through the Spirit. Such many of them truly were, such they all professed to be, and they are therefore addressed in that character. But union with the visible church no more made them real partakers of the Spirit of Christ, than the profes- sion of faith made them living believers.

COMMENTARY.

Y. 11. Wherefore remeiriber, i. e. since God has I done such great things for you, call to mind your former condition, as a motive both for humility and gratitude. That ye heing in time^ast Gentiles in the flesh, eOvrj iv a-apKi, i. e. uncircumcised heathen. This gives in a , word the description of their former state. All that follows, in this and the succeeding verse, is but ampli- fication of this idea. Tlie words in the flesh, do not mean origine carnali, natalibus, hy hirth ; nor as to

CHAP. II. VER. 11. 125

&dernal condition, wMcli would imply that spiritually, or as to their internal state, tliey were not heathen. The context shows that it refers to circumcision, which \ being a sign in the flesh, is designated with suf- ficient clearness by the expression in the text. As circumcision was a rite of divine appointment, and the seal of God's covenant with his people, to be uncircum-t cised was a great misfortune. It showed that those in( that condition were without God and without hope. The apostle therefore adds, as explanatory of the pre- ceding phrase, ol Xeyofievot aKpo^varia, who a/re called TJncircumcision. This imj^lied that they did not be- long to the covenant peojple of God ; and in the lips of the Jews it was expressive of a self-righteous abhor- rence of the Gentiles as unclean and profane. This feeling on their part arose from their supposing that the mere outward rite of circumcision conveyed holi- ness and secured the favour of God. As the apostle knew that the circumcision of the flesh was in itself of no avail, and as he was far from sympathizing in the contemptuous feeling which the Jews entertained for the Gentiles, he tacitly reproves this spirit by designat- ing the former as the so called circumcision in the flesh, made with hands. This is a description of the Israel Kara adpKa, the external people of God, who were Jews ou^twardly, but who were destitute of the true circum- cision which was of the heart. They were the conci- sion, as the apostle elsewhere says, we are the circum- cision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, Phil.

126 EPHESIANS,

3, 3. Tlie Jews were a striking illustration of tlie effect of ascribing to external rites objective power, and regarding them as conveying grace and securing the favour of God, irrespective of the subjective state of the recipient. This doctrine rendered them proud, self-righteous, malignant, and contemptuous, and led them to regard religion as an external service com- patible with unholiness of heart and life. This doctrine the apostle every where repudiates and denounces as fatal. And therefore in this connection, while speaking of the real advantage of circumcision, and of the cov- enant union with God of which it was the seal, he was careful to indicate clearly that it was not the circum- cision in the flesh, made with hands, which secured the blessings of which he speaks. Compare Rom. 2, 25-29. 1 Cor. 7, 19. Phil. 3, 3-6. Col. 2, 11.

V. 12. Tlie sentence begun in verse 11 is here resumed. Kemember, on rjre iv tm Kaipw eKeivu) %&)/ot<? XpicTTov, that at