μον πρὶ. OA Oot (κι EAI BO tr Nak δος ἀν de Amina rod 
 sy pena eae a 
 > 
 
 ραν ΧΨψῷ ᾧ a nll ie natin tata 
 Pint tt Sg tin 
 
 PA RP 
 Lana Satta forte 
 PN Bl Pl wn nee 
 
 Pte toate toed 
 
 PM ABD HM, nm ον 
 
 ania 
 
 Pi in A aati te tr 
 emit at » 
 
 αἴξ λον, ον STE aS σα τος 
 POT Ae ae 
 
 ia Riel Aw COM ith, dm t-te 
 Nt i Aan ein A a 
 th diet in tee : 
 
 τοῖν 
 reas κα τὰ tera δ τα ὑφ rer ire? 
 88 ἐν ον SNE δῶν τῳ ὺν, 
 
 Mm 
 er a he 
 ΟΣ 
 
 λοις a dae τον Rage eae weep τ π 
 Reaeied 
 
 betta 
 
 A OP be Be Peat wn δὲ BDO LA By eRe 
 
 a 
 RAO She ὅν oh φορῇ κυσν να 
 
 eeu Aria Ae δοΜρνρν Ν κΑς, ang moe δ᾿ ΩΝ 
 δ ον Me Maite i Ren na 
 
 πο ΧῪ Benn Ma tren 
 ΨΥ 
 a ee yn 
 nt nen, 
 OP PRON oe Rowe 
 OAM ee 
 
 Speedie dade mete ψ ἡ ψαμήμνῳ 
 AO A Ae ttt a at 
 A ly tl 28M tate ot A, on 
 ROLDAN ee ὦ 
 
 ha te eee aoe Coes 
 πο Re Ree συν We 
 
 A Ak. 
 ee ae 
 ipbmaetieen amen ete th ee eee ee 
 
 Ae Ate eB ts oe 
 eee δ. ἀὐνας δοολ Δ ΘΡΩΝ Ρ eran ny 6 
 
 IO AIL 
 <A PAA Hi AR LY OD Oe ee Mate oe 
 RON Cee were ne 
 
 meee me ae Are mk Heng in, 
 IN ion athe ome 
 
 rete ee reer ΑΘ ᾧΑΝ 
 A AN Al σον MeannSnt- 
 
 δὰ συν ee 
 
 ΩΝ tes a Bt Be τὰ 
 
 av 
 Se eh Ree Re ἣν κοι 
 ened antes Δ. 4»..ὦ.. 
 
 oh Oe He 
 BAAR ὍΝ 
 eT ον, ἦν, κῆρ αϑ τήν “ε, My 
 eee ΝΟ τὸ» 
 Renn em See ee 
 ee Pt eam Rn eM tag! 
 > me ¥ ee rae 
 
 eRe νοι, mete: 
 
 5 tot ον. ἐξ, aw ofthe ὃς, Be am Rew 
 
 - CARP RAAT 
 et heh 
 
 80 NL oe at we 
 
 Pa tata allie Ria le eam 
 ΡΣ ΨΚ ΟΝ ee 
 
 on ate 
 AE RE he τ σὰ 
 Pee oe 
 
 Ν . . -ς 
 πο οαννον, μάγων waa μ Α ᾿ - ον νιν 
 SS rw: en ao νυ» ονῷι 
 ¢ om Ts oes ee po ας έν de ὅσων, 
 intend Pact an-tih sham an on »- - Ἢ τδιάναν βνορας Αι τα, ας τ σάν σας. mn σος low ὅς, ἃν ας eth. helio Talay ore 
 συν σον ete 
 ee 
 
 COS 
 
 Nn int tt 
 re 
 
 her 
 at ~- 
 
 eee) 
 φησ Sal) rating nn alan 
 - PP een ehh oe een 
 ᾿ »-" “ - eer 
 ee a nen ΝΜ a » ‘ 
 PO ei lt i te 
 τον ng 
 
 ee ἀγψιναμανν. 
 “ον ath aetna τ Φ. 
 ποῦν Aenion. thee. ἀνα, : 
 men - --- Porat Soe ata 
 ποτ δου ιν ὁ τ παν eae 
 
 “ΟΝ, πο ἀρ πὩὋΠόΨεᾳψἔρο > 
 
 a etree lowe wh ote Neraen! 
 
 ne weal 
 
 PLD FORE 
 
 eee 
 
 SOC t ete pees Meee F 
 -ϑραν ὦ ὦ. 4. Δι 
 2%. » ν»»ν ~ 
 > ek -- os 
 ure 
 
 ἔν νυ ASS 
 
 ann 
 intent ent ett Ate me 
 ne Pn 
 
 neat ee αν «ῖ. 
 Mia Ae te me ten 
 
 Ὡς es 
 Seaindeeaete τα ere 
 ee κλοοσου : 
 
 CSc EN ER TOURS AS Se Seine diosnes 
 
 
 
 Se pe po 
 
 DA A Bh AS PD 
 
 <0 ADO amy me! 
 Me 
 
 on 
 le ae ene Res 
 
 ATT οἰ τὰς 
 πλιὰ δ τήνας ee Meth a a ie 
 Bata heath chee Tas ἐν eee 
 

 
 LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 PRINCETON, N.J. 
 Bequeathed by 
 The Reverend Professor 
 
 Benjamin Breckenridge Warfield 
 188 - 1921 
 

 
i 
 a) 
 
 Ν ie ΡΥ 
 Ps aot Νὰ 
 
 
 
ἀν ke wie 
 | ra ὟΝ 
 
 ἊΝ 
 a 
 
 
 
grate 
 
 i 
 th 
 
 
 
“,». 
 Ee 
 
 THE 
 
 BPISTLES OF ST. ; PAUL 
 
 TO 
 
 THE EPHESIANS, THE COLOSSIANS, AND PHILEMON. 
 
até 
 
 
 
THE 
 
 EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL 
 [SeutlBlUcu eed « 
 
 Ἧ Dov 6 £783 
 THE BPHESIANS, THE COLOSSIANS, 
 AND PHILEMON : 
 
 WITH INTRODUCTIONS AND NOTES, 
 
 AND AN ESSAY ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS IN THE 
 THEOLOGY OF THESE EPISTLES. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. J. LLEWELYN DAVIES, M.A. 
 
 RECTOR OF CHRIST CHURCH, ST. MARYLEBONE; 
 
 LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. 
 
 Hondon! 
 MACMILLAN AND CO. 
 
 1800. 
 
i ΠΕΡῚ Σ . 
 ᾿ ν : 
 ὧν aa a ἵν A 
 ΠΟ ΝΝ ie) ᾿ i, 
 yin ee rt i 
 ΜᾺ 
 ῳ 
 LONDON - 
 R. CLAY, SON, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS, 
 BREAD STREFT HILL. 
 ‘ 
 bal he =2 ᾿ 
 . 
 * 
 i] 
 » . 
 i 
 , 
 
 
 
Ses Gt i awa Od wip 
 
 TE chief object which I have had in view in preparing 
 this volume has been to draw attention to the subject- 
 matter of the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians. 
 The theology of St. Paul is here stated with a largeness 
 which adapts it, I conceive, in a special manner to the 
 inquiries of the present time. Whether Creation has 
 any centre and ground; whether human life has any 
 key and pattern,—are questions which belong peculiarly to 
 the speculations of this age, and to which these Epistles 
 offer a common answer by setting forth CuRisT in universal 
 as the Word who is the 
 
 law and life of the universal creation, and as the Son 
 
 relations of a twofold. kind, 
 
 
 
 who is the head of universal humanity. This edition 
 seeks to further in some humble measure the study of 
 that answer. I have doubted myself, and therefore I 
 cannot be surprised if others should doubt, whether what 
 I have been able to contribute towards this object is 
 sufficient to justify the publication of an independent 
 
 edition of these Epistles. But [ hope there may be some 
 
V1 PREFACE. 
 
 students to whom an edition offering the kind of illus- 
 tration which I have attempted to supply, and omitting 
 what I have left to works of higher pretensions, may 
 not be unacceptable. I have endeavoured to avoid the 
 appearance of entering into rivalry with editions in which 
 the true text of the Epistles is discussed, the opinions 
 of previous interpreters recorded, and questions arising 
 out of the text investigated. At the same time I have 
 done my best to explain the letter of the Epistles, not 
 treating them technically, but endeavouring to regard 
 them simply as documents of the highest value which 
 it is by no means easy to understand. When we are 
 desirous of obtaining a conception of a document as a 
 whole, there is a certain advantage in putting aside dis- 
 cussions which, however valuable for their special purposes, 
 may have the effect of expanding details into inconvenient 
 magnitude. 
 
 I have printed the text of Tischendorf, as having on 
 the whole the best claim at the present moment to the 
 character of a received text. 
 
 The translations have been made with an eye to the 
 object of this edition, and are imtended simply to aid 
 the modern reader in arriving at the substantial sense 
 of ‘the writer. They therefore do not challenge close 
 
 verbal criticism as revised translations. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGES 
 
 : 
 
 REM TRODUCTION <0. ys wa we a OR ς 1 
 INTRODUCTION To THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS .... . 9 
 emcmeteenipa ΝΥ ΠΗ IVORY So 1.7 ooo? goo ee Reig tin ee ee 
 το ΠΟ or oy rn a ak ek, Whi Merit tA at ΚΟ 
 
 ESTRODUCTION TO THE EPIsTLE tO THE COLOSSIANS (He 
 mem rexy Witt INOTES 0°. 60 ὅς ςς ᾿ Αγ τ νι 
 [SETAC ον ΕΝ ΘΕ ἈΚ  Υ rn cert Sy  τν τ Oe 
 
 INTRODUCTION TO THE EpistLE ΤῸ PHmeMoN ....... 112] 
 ee Puxr wink NOTE. .. 0. sso ee a 
 ΠΝ ΤΟΝ“... <i Jcz.s ἰπῦῦ is 440+ eee 2 ae ον 
 
 On THE Tracers oF ForEIGN ELEMENTS IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE 
 EPIsTLEs ; AND ESPECIALLY ON THE GNOSTICAL TERMS OCCURRING 
 
 ROMS (rN ΩΣ ΡΝ νυ α 
 

 
 ΕΙΣ ΔΝ 
 
GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Four of St. Paul’s extant letters—those to the Ephesians, 
 the Colossians, Philemon, and the Philippians — were 
 written, according to the general belief, at nearly the same 
 time of his life, and when he was in nearly the same 
 circumstances. Three of them were to be carried by the 
 same hands. Tychicus is the messenger sent to the Church 
 at Ephesus (Eph. vi. 21, 22); Tychicus and Onesimus are 
 sent to Colossze (Col. iv. 7—9) ; Onesimus is sent with the 
 letter to his master Philemon. These three profess to be 
 written by a prisoner (Eph. vi. 20 ; Col. iv. 18; Philemon, 1); 
 and the imprisonment is shared by Aristarchus (Col. iv. 10). 
 We learn from Acts xxvii. 2, that Aristarchus had accom- 
 panied St. Paul on his voyage to Rome. The imprison- 
 ment, therefore, to which reference is made in these letters 
 is apparently that which continued for two years at Rome. 
 The letter to the Church at Philippi was also written by 
 one who was in bonds, and contains allusions to the 
 imperial court and household (Phil. i. 13, iv. 22), which 
 prove that it was written during the same imprisonment. 
 
 This imprisonment is thus described in the concluding 
 words of the Acts:—“And Paul dwelt two whole years 
 (διετίαν ὅλην) in his own hired house, and received all that 
 came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God and 
 teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ 
 with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” It is certainly 
 the natural inference from this statement that the imprison- 
 ment terminated in some way at the end of the two years. 
 ἡ Β 
 
δ GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 
 
 If the writer had meant only that the imprisonment had 
 continued for two years up to the time of his writing the 
 conclusion of his history, he would in all probability have 
 expressed himself differently. He would not have rounded 
 the period of time by calling it διετία ὅλη. We have 
 therefore a space of two years within which to place the 
 writing of these four letters. The date of St. Paul’s arrival 
 at Rome can be fixed with great certainty. It is proved, 
 by Wieseler* and others, that Felix was recalled from 
 Judea and succeeded by Festus in Α.Ὁ. 60. St. Paul left 
 Czesarea in the autumn of that year. In the spring there- 
 fore of A.D. 61 he arrived at Rome, and his sojourn there 
 must have lasted till the spring of a.p. 63. There are 
 reasons for believing that the Epistle to the Philippians 
 was written towards the end of this period. We have no 
 materials for fixing more precisely the common date of the 
 other three. 
 
 The condition of St. Paul as a prisoner at Rome was in 
 one point extremely galling, but in other respects he was 
 treated with special indulgence and consideration. In 
 accordance with the Roman method of guarding prisoners, 
 he was bound by a chain to a soldier, from whom it would 
 seem that he could never be separated by night or by day. 
 The chain was fastened to the right wrist of the prisoner 
 and to the left wrist of the soldier. When St. Paul was first 
 taken into custody at Jerusalem, he was bound with two 
 such chains, one to each hand (Acts xxi. 33). The hand 
 which he stretched forth when he spoke before Agrippa was 
 loaded with a chain—“ except these bonds” (Acts xxvi. 29). 
 At Rome, “ Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with the 
 soldier that kept him” (Acts xxviii. 16). In the Epistle to 
 the Ephesians he says that he discharged his office of 
 ambassador in behalf of the gospel “in a chain” (ἐν 
 
 - * Chronologie des Apostolischen Zeitalters, pp. 66 and foll. 
 
GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 3 
 
 ἁλύσει). If, as seems probable, St. Paul was never released 
 for an hour during those two years from so oppressive an 
 imcubus, he might well insist upon his bonds as a kind of 
 martyrdom in the cause of Christ, which entitled him to 
 the more affectionate deference on the part of his fellow- 
 believers. But the imevitable annoyance of such custody 
 was mitigated by a greater degree of liberty than would 
 have been compatible, without such an expedient, with any 
 confinement at all. From the first, the evident nobleness 
 of the Apostle’s character had won him considerate and 
 courteous treatment at the hands of the Roman officials. 
 At Ceesarea he had liberty to see his friends without 
 restriction (Acts xxiv. 23). On the voyage to Rome Julius, 
 the centurion in command, began by using him kindly 
 (φιλανθρώπως yxpnoawevos—Acts xxvil. 3), and must have 
 ended by regarding him with profound respect and grati- 
 tude. After he had arrived at Rome, he was almost as free 
 for his work of preaching Christ and directing the Churches 
 as if he had been his own master. 
 
 During the two years of this imprisonment at Rome, 
 then, we are to think of St. Paul as never enjoying complete 
 privacy, but as continually occupied at his will in pro- 
 claiming the kingdom of God to all who would come to 
 him, in expounding the doctrine of Christ to Jews and 
 Gentiles, in receiving envoys from Churches in Greece and 
 in Asia, in sending messages and writing letters to all who 
 needed his counsel.* This was by no means an inactive or 
 
 * It has been asked why the group of kindred Epistles to the Ephesians, the 
 Colossians, and Philemon, might not have been written whilst St. Paul was kept 
 bound at Czsarea, before he was conveyed to Rome. During that earlier part of 
 his imprisonment, he was not prevented from communicating with his friends, 
 and we cannot say that Aristarchus was zo¢ with him at Czsarea, as well as at 
 Rome. But we gather from these Epistles that whilst he was writing them 
 St. Paul was labouring freely and actively in his apostolic work, and that others 
 were co-operating with him in that work (Eph. vi. 19, 20; Col. iv. 11). Now 
 we have seen that the conclusion of the Acts describes him as enjoying this 
 freedom at Rome, and the Epistle to the Philippians, which is evidently written 
 
 B 2 
 
4 GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 
 
 unfruitful portion of his apostolic life. The Apostle of the 
 Gentiles had long wished earnestly to visit Rome, the 
 metropolis of the Gentile world; probably his “appeal to 
 Ceesar” was dictated in part by this desire. He came as a 
 prisoner, but it was so ordered that his bonds, instead of 
 hindering the work for which he lived, turned out “rather 
 unto the furtherance of the gospel” (Phil. 1.12). A very 
 few out of the many letters which it is reasonable to sup- 
 pose that he wrote, have been preserved for the permanent 
 instruction of the Church; these, like the rest, the writer 
 would have us remember, were written with his right hand 
 “in a chain.” 
 
 We find little necessity in the writings of St. Paul for 
 dwelling on contemporary secular history. His letters do 
 not. happen to contain allusions to historical persons or 
 events. But it is certain that he was not indifferent to what 
 was going on in the world around him. Whilst he was at 
 Rome, Nero was the Czesar for whose judgment he was 
 waiting; and Nero at that time was advancing rapidly 
 from bad to worse. In a.p. 59 he had put his mother 
 Agrippina to death. He then plunged into unseemly riot, 
 degrading his rank by appearing as a musical performer on 
 the stage, and corrupting all about him with shameful and 
 brutal excesses. In the year 62, Burrus, the commander of 
 that pretorium to which St. Paul alludes (Phil. i. 13), 
 died (“incertum valetudine an veneno,’—Tacitus, Annals, 
 xiv. 51); and one of the few honest men in high place 
 was succeeded by one of the most infamous, Tigellinus 
 being raised to the vacant command. In the same year 
 
 from Rome, speaks of the great success which had attended his efforts and those 
 of his fellow-labourers (Phil. i. 12—14). On the other hand, there is no mention 
 of his having been allowed so large a liberty at Caesarea, The verse in the Acts 
 only says (ἢ προσέρχεσθαι being omitted in the truer text) that the centurion was 
 to keep him and show him indulgence, and forbid none of his connexions to do 
 him services. The scenery of these Epistles therefore agrees much better with 
 the imprisonment at Rome than with that at Cwsarea. 
 
GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 Seneca sought and obtained permission to retire from the 
 court. It was the misfortune of Seneca to live in a fear- 
 fully corrupt age and to have a Nero for his pupil. His 
 admirable ethical philosophy is: tacked on like a purpureus 
 pannus to the life of Nero, as if to exhibit the weakness 
 and failure of the very best Pagan sentiment in that age, 
 and to serve as a contrast to the message which, though 
 foolishness to the Greeks, proved itself to be the power of 
 God. Seneca was in all probability the brother of the 
 Gallio who protected St. Paul in Achaia; and he may have 
 heard of the Apostle himself. If he did, it is scarcely 
 possible that the courtier-philosopher could have regarded 
 the Jewish prisoner with other feelings than those of serene 
 indifference. His writings, however, have so much that 
 resembles the language of Christian morality as to have 
 given rise to the report that he was acquainted with St. 
 Paul. This supposition has found a record in. some spurious 
 letters of Seneca to Paul. When Seneca withdrew into 
 retirement, Nero probably felt one more restraint taken off. 
 He proceeded immediately to divorce and put to death his 
 innocent wife Octavia. The great conflagration at Rome, 
 attributed to Nero himself, and famous in Christian annals 
 because the blame of it was laid by Nero upon the 
 Christians, took place in the year which followed the 
 termination of St. Paul’s imprisonment. The revelations 
 of Tacitus and Juvenal, though they do not illustrate de- 
 tails (except indeed the names of vices) in the writings of 
 St. Paul, are most important as enabling us to realize in 
 the midst of what kind of surrounding element he taught 
 and wrote and did his apostolic work. 
 
 The history in the Acts tells us that even at Rome his own 
 countrymen were St. Paul’s first care, and that he followed 
 there his old plan of giving them the first offer of his 
 Gospel. There was a great multitude of Jews at Rome, 
 and the Apostle invited the chief of them to come and 
 
0 GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 
 
 hear him. The answer made by the Jews is one of the 
 principal difficulties in the Acts, professing as it does a 
 degree of ignorance on their part both of St. Paul himself 
 and of the faith of the Christians, which seems hardly con- 
 sistent with the status of the Church at Rome as we learn 
 it from the Epistle to the Romans. No doubt can reason- 
 ably be thrown upon the existence of a recognised Church 
 at Rome. But it may have been comparatively insignificant 
 in so vast a place. It may have consisted almost entirely 
 of persons who had received the Gospel first elsewhere ; 
 and there may have been no attempt, previous to St. Paul’s 
 arrival, to proclaim Jesus as the Christ amongst the Jews 
 settled at Rome. These suppositions may in part explain 
 the answer of the Jews, “We neither received letters out 
 of Judzea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that 
 came shewed or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to 
 hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this 
 sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.” There 
 will still linger perhaps in our minds some surprise that the 
 name of Paul should not have been better known amongst 
 the chief of his countrymen at Rome. But he unquestion- 
 ably had many friends there, already worshipping the same 
 Saviour with himself; some of whom had come to meet 
 him “as far as Appi Forum and the Three Taverns,” 
 causing Paul to “thank God and take courage.” 
 
 We observe that the historian of the Acts describes the 
 teaching of St. Paul at Rome in the oldest and simplest 
 terms of the Christian creed. ΤῸ proclaim the kingdom of 
 God, and to tell men concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, this 
 was still the main work of St. Paul (Acts xxviii. 23, 31). 
 But it is an interesting question, whether he was now con- 
 templating the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ 
 in exactly the same way as he had done in Greece or Asia 
 Minor or Palestine. For the answering of this question 
 our only materials are the four letters written during this 
 
GENERAL INTRODUCTION, 7 
 
 imprisonment. The Epistle to Philemon, though most 
 valuable on other grounds, has no special theological signi- 
 ficance. The Epistle to the Philippians is rich in practical 
 theology, and has its own marked features. If we compare 
 this with those to the Ephesians and Colossians, we may 
 find many resemblances between them. But these would 
 be chiefly in points which all the letters of St. Paul have in 
 common. Indeed, the general theological aspect of the 
 Epistle to the Philippians is at least as similar to that of the 
 Epistles to the Corinthians as to that of its more contem- 
 poraneous Epistles. But when we compare together the 
 Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians, we not only 
 perceive them to be strikingly alike externally and in details, 
 but they seem to have in common a certain type of doctrine 
 distinguishable from that of the other writings of St. Paul. 
 It is difficult indeed to say, considering the patent coinci- 
 dences of expression in the two Epistles, whether the points 
 of likeness or of unlikeness between them are the more re- 
 markable. No one can doubt that either one Epistle was an 
 intentional copy of the other, or else both were written at 
 very nearly the same time by the same author. It is when 
 we are considering the doctrinal substance of the Epistles 
 that the latter conclusion forces itself upon us most irresis- 
 tibly as the true one. These two letters are twins, singularly 
 like one another in face, like also in character, but not so 
 identical as to exclude a strongly marked individuality. 
 The scheme of construction is the same in the two 
 Epistles. Each of them is divisible into two parts, of 
 which the former declares how God has revealed himself— 
 especially in relation to men—in Christ; the latter appeals 
 to us to live in conformity with what has been thus mani- 
 fested. The author, in preparing to write, has set distinctly 
 before his mind the image of Cuarist, the Son of God, the 
 Head of men. Whatever can be read in the person of 
 Christ, that he affirms without reserve both concerning the 
 
8 GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Father and concerning men. All the qualities and acts 
 and experiences of Christ assume an infinite importance 
 when interpreted in this twofold relation. St. Paul con- 
 templates in Christ the full mind of the Father ; he sees in 
 his filial nature owr sonship to God, in his death our 
 death to the old natural state, in his resurrection ovr rising 
 again to a new life, in his ascension owr exaltation to a 
 heavenly sphere of existence, in his reign the pledge of a 
 perfect triumph of order over disorder, of good over evil. 
 The Son, making God the Father known to men ; the Son, 
 explaining men to themselves, and restoring them to a right 
 relation towards God and one another,—is the centre of 
 thought in these Epistles. Nothing can be more orderly, 
 nothing, in the higher sense, more systematic, than the 
 reference of everything in heaven and earth, of all divinity 
 and all morality, of the perfect ideal of God and the 
 lamentable aberrations of men, to the one nature and life 
 of Christ,—which we may trace throughout these writings. 
 St. Paul had always, from the time of his conversion, 
 worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and 
 the Lord of men; but at the time when he wrote these 
 letters, the conception of Christ as gathering up in himself 
 all that has ever come forth from the creative mind of the 
 one God and Father seems to have been most distinct to 
 his thoughts, and to have filled the whole capacity of his 
 intellect most completely. There is such a vastness, how- 
 ever, in this conception, that it is susceptible of very various 
 applications ; and the clear differences between the pro-’ 
 found and magnificent ideas of the one and the other of 
 these Epistles make it almost impossible for an earnest 
 student to look upon either as a copyist’s imitation of the 
 other. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE TO THE 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 Tuts Epistle professes to be written by St. Paul. It not 
 only begins with a salutation given in his name, but it con- 
 tains a long and remarkable passage (iii. 1—13) in which he 
 describes the commission he had received as the Apostle of 
 the Gentiles, and appeals to the sufferings of his imprison- 
 ment as adding weight to his exhortations and reflecting 
 dignity upon the common cause. No other Epistle bears 
 a more distinct profession of being St. Paul’s than this does. 
 It has been maintained, nevertheless, by distinguished 
 eritics (including De Wette and Ewald) that this is not 
 a genuine work of St. Paul. 
 
 Those who cannot read the Epistle to the Ephesians with- 
 out being awed by the peculiar loftiness, by the grandeur 
 of conception, by the profound insight, by the eucharistic 
 inspiration, which they recognise in it, will require strong 
 evidence to persuade them that it was written by some 
 other man who wished it to pass as St. Paul’s. Apart from 
 the question of the morality of the act, imitators do not 
 pour out their thoughts in the free and fervid style of this 
 Epistle. Nor can we easily imagine how such an imitation 
 could have been successful either near the time of St. Paul, 
 or at any subsequent period. It is not conceivable that it 
 should have made its appearance without exciting wonder 
 and inquiry. In the lifetime of St. Paul the pious fraud 
 would not have been attempted. Within a few years after 
 his death, the difficulty of deceiving his friends and the 
 
10 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 Church in such a matter must have been very great. Ata 
 later time, the estimation in which St. Paul’s writings were 
 held would have ensured the careful scrutiny of any pre- 
 viously unknown work put forward in his name. And there 
 are no sions that the genuineness of the Epistle to the 
 Ephesians was ever doubted in the Church. The external 
 testimonies to it are neither inadequate nor obscure. Not 
 to lay stress on the apparent allusions in Polycarp and 
 Tonatius, there are formal quotations from this Epistle, as 
 St. Paul’s to the Ephesians, in Irenzeus* and Clement of 
 Alexandria,t which prove that in their time, that is, in the 
 latter part of the second century, this work was universally 
 received as genuine. Some recent critics are the only per- 
 sons who have ever suspected it to be spurious. These con- 
 siderations then,—the profession of being St. Paul’s wrought 
 into the texture of the Epistle, its wonderfully genuine air, 
 the difficulty of imposing a spurious Epistle of St. Paul 
 upon the Church, the positive external testimony of ancient 
 writers, and the absence of any doubt in the Church,—are 
 in favour of the genuineness of this Epistle. 
 
 The arguments on the other side may be reduced to three. 
 (1) We miss the characteristics which we should expect in 
 any letter of St. Paul’s, and especially in a letter to the 
 Christians of Ephesus. (2) There are differences between the 
 thoughts and the style of this work and those of St. Paul’s 
 other writings. (3) There is a suspicious resemblance 
 between this and the Epistle to the Colossians. 
 
 (1) It is certainly very strange that in writing to the 
 Ephesians St. Paul should have omitted all references to 
 
 * Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος λέγει πᾶν yap τὸ φανερούμενον φῶς ἐστίν (Eph. v. 13). 
 Treneeus adv. Her. i. 8. 5. Καθῶς ὁ μακάριος Παῦλός φησιν, ἐν τῇ πρὸς '᾽Ἔφε- 
 σίους ἐπιστολῇ" ὅτι μέλη ἐσμὲν τοῦ σώματος, ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν 
 ὀστέων αὐτοῦ (Eph. ν. 30.) Ibid. v. 2, 3. 
 
 + After quoting a passage from the 2d Epistle to the Corinthians, Clement 
 adds, σαφέστατα δὲ ᾿Εφεσίοις γράφων ἀπεκάλυψε τὸ ζητούμενον ὧδέ πως λέγων" 
 
 μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες κιτιλ. (Eph. iv. 13—15), Peed. i. 18, See also 
 Strom, iv. 65. . 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. wi 
 
 particular members of the Church at Ephesus, and to par- 
 ticular circumstancés affecting it. If there was one Church 
 with which St. Paul was personally intimate, we might say 
 it was the Church at Ephesus. Labours, dangers, and suc- 
 cesses had united their threefold influence in endearing to 
 him the body of believers in that city. We should read 
 two chapters in the Acts, the 19th and 20th, to revive the 
 recollection of the character of St. Paul’s connexion with 
 Ephesus. It was quite impossible for him, whose memory 
 of all fellowship in trial and affection was so strong and 
 enduring, to forget those for whom he had suffered and 
 striven so much, and who had loved him in return so 
 heartily. In writing to the Corinthians, when he wants an 
 example of the worst things he has endured, he refers to his 
 “fight with wild beasts” at Ephesus. In that most touch- 
 ing address which he made to the Ephesian elders at Miletus, 
 he says himself, “Remember that by the space of three 
 years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with 
 tears.” And his parting from them is thus described, “ When 
 he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with 
 them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, 
 and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which 
 he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they 
 accompanied him to the ship.” Can it be, we ask, that in 
 writing to the Christians of a place where there had been 
 so much to stir his speculative intellect, his moral energies, 
 his affectionate sympathy, so much to raise his office and 
 his endowments in his own eyes, he should show a forget- 
 fulness which is so singularly unlike him, and should never 
 once refer to any particular person or to any local cir- 
 cumstance ? 
 
 The closest scrutiny of the Epistle has discovered little 
 to modify the impression of strangeness thus made upon us. 
 It is true that the history in the Acts exhibits a prevalence 
 at Ephesus of magical delusions, an activity of superstition, 
 
12 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 which some of the special doctrine in the Epistle to the 
 Ephesians is well calculated to meet. The thought of evil 
 spiritual powers working in the invisible world (Eph. ii. 2, 
 vi. 12) might be suggested by the exorcising of evil spirits 
 and the use of magical formulas of which we read in the 
 Acts (xix. 13, 19). Some coincidences also may be found 
 between the language of the address to the elders at Miletus 
 and that of the Epistle. But these correspondences are 
 shght in themselves, and do not at all fill up the place of 
 the personal allusions which might have been expected and 
 are wanting. 
 
 One important hint which the text of the Epistle supplies 
 for a solution of this difficulty, is to be found in the absence 
 from some MSS. of the words ἐν ᾿Εφέσῳ in the salutation. 
 If these are removed, there remains no evidence that this 
 Epistle was written to the Ephesians at all. It still pro- 
 fesses to be written by St. Paul; but, for anything we 
 know, it might have been addressed to Christians who had 
 never seen him. Now St. Basil* says that there was a 
 tradition that these two words should be omitted, and that 
 he had so read the passage in ancient MSS. There are more 
 doubtful intimations to the same effect in Jerome and Ter- 
 tullian. In accordance with this evidence, these words are 
 omitted in the original writing in two of the most impor- 
 tant MSS.—the Vatican and the Sinaitic. An attempt was 
 made, as we find in St. Basil and St. Jerome, to read the 
 passage as if it were complete without ἐν ᾿Εφέσῳ or any 
 substitute for these words, by laying an emphasis on τοῖς 
 οὖσιν. But no one will suppose that the author intended 
 this. The question suggested by the partial omission of 
 ev ᾿Εφέσῳ has been whether the Epistle might not have been 
 written for other communities besides the Church at Ephesus. 
 If it was to be sent even to one other church, as that of 
 Laodicea ; and still more, if it was to be read to several of 
 
 * Cont. Eunom, ii. 19. 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 13 
 
 the churches in the neighbourhood of Ephesus, both the 
 absence of special allusions and the MS. uncertainty about 
 ev ᾿Εφέσῳ would be sufficiently accounted for. 
 
 The expression in ii. 3, 4, “As I wrote before in few 
 words, whereby when ye read ye may understand my 
 knowledge in the mystery of Christ,’ is generally taken to 
 refer to what St. Paul had just written, chiefly in the first 
 chapter ; and no doubt this is quite possible. But the first 
 impression of the ordinary reader would be, I think, that 
 St. Paul was referrmg to some other document. Is it 
 allowable to conjecture that St. Paul had quite recently 
 written a more special letter to the Ephesians, and that he 
 had said in that whatever of a special nature he wished to 
 communicate to them? It is true that in that case we 
 cannot say why he should have sent another epistle to them ; 
 but supposing him to have been led by any unknown 
 circumstance to do so, it was needless to repeat what he 
 had said before, and he was at liberty to pour out a more 
 unbroken stream of doctrine. 
 
 (2) A second argument against the genuineness of this 
 Epistle is founded upon the differences between the 
 thoughts and the language of this and those of St. Paul’s 
 acknowledged writings. It is assumed in this argument 
 that the Epistle to the Colossians is not taken into account. 
 The Epistle to the Ephesians, it is urged, is too like this, too 
 unlike the rest. 
 
 The differences which are appealed to are real, and such 
 as no one need wish to deny; but conclusions drawn from 
 the critical observation of likenesses and unlikenesses are 
 extremely unstable. Lists of words not used elsewhere by 
 the same writer are almost contemptible as evidence of 
 spuriousness. If these ἅπαξ λεγόμενα were used obtru- 
 sively, they might be an indication of a writer so attached 
 to particular words that he could write nothing without 
 bringing them in ; but if they fitly express the thoughts 
 
14 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 of the writer, is he to be debarred from entertaining 
 the new idea, or from using the terms appropriate to it? 
 The feeling of a critic who is thoroughly familiar with 
 the writings in question is of far more weight. But 
 we have had abundant cautions not to defer too easily in 
 such matters to personal authority. The conclusion of the 
 critic depends not only upon his learning, taste, and 
 honesty, but also upon his antecedent bias and upon 
 assumptions which may be very questionable. : 
 
 When we survey the whole body of the letters profess- 
 ing to be written by St. Paul, we cannot but be struck by 
 the varieties of style to be observed amongst them ; and the 
 impression is deepened when we consider within how short 
 a time they are all supposed to have been written. St. Paul 
 was past middle life,—he may have been fifty years of age,— 
 when the first of his Epistles was written ; he had then been 
 a Christian for not less than fourteen years; and all the 
 Epistles were written within a space of perhaps seventeen 
 years. That in a collection of writings composed under 
 these conditions there should be such varieties of thought 
 and style as there are in the Pauline Epistles, is a pheno- 
 menon to which we could hardly find a parallel in litera- 
 ture.* But these writings differ amongst themselves in such 
 a way as to make it very difficult to draw a line which 
 shall place all the letters which have a clear stamp of 
 common authorship on one side, and the rest on the other. 
 For example, if we suppose the Epistle to the Ephesians to 
 be rejected on the evidence of its style and ideas, what is 
 to be done with that to the Colossians? It would be no 
 easy matter to decide which of these two Epistles is the 
 more unlike those to the Romans and Corinthians. If we 
 advance with modern criticism to its farthest point, and 
 
 * M. Renan, who only rejects the Pastoral Epistles, speaks of St. Paul’s 
 
 Epistles as written within a space of eleven years, between A.D. 53 and A.D. 62. 
 Les Apitres, p. v. 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 15 
 
 pronounce all the Epistles to be spurious except the four to 
 the Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians, we may find it 
 difficult to maintain that the Epistle to the Philippians is 
 manifestly further removed than that to the Galatians in tone 
 and style from the Second to the Corinthians. And however 
 decided the differences we may be able to perceive between 
 the four groups of Pauline Letters (1 and 2 Thessalonians, 
 —Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians,—Ephesians, 
 Colossians, Philemon, Philippians,—1 and 2 Timothy, Titus), 
 we can hardly fail to recognise their mutual likeness when 
 we compare them with any other writings, whether with the 
 other Epistles of the New Testament Canon, or with any 
 compositions outside of the Canon. If we took any two 
 of the Pauline Epistles, as Romans and 2 Timothy; 
 and compared them together, we should have less diffi- 
 culty in ascribing them both to the same author, than in 
 ascribing either of them to any other author whom we 
 know. 
 
 Let us suppose that the reader feels the alleged diversities 
 to be real and surprising, and yet that the evidence for the 
 Pauline authorship of all these letters appears to him almost 
 irresistible,—may he not reasonably reckon this variety as 
 one amongst the wonderful phenomena which the history 
 of St. Paul presents? There are many things in the 
 character and life of St. Paul which would be incredible, 
 if we had not good evidence that they are true: and the 
 versatility of his mind, its quick and pliant response to 
 every new demand made upon his attention or his sympathy, 
 has always seemed one of the most wonderful of his 
 qualities. The undoubted tenacity and constancy of his 
 nature makes this versatility the more remarkable. We 
 ought to expect, therefore, that he would write very 
 differently under different circumstances. Let us take into 
 consideration also what the due effect of his imspiration 
 would be. Such an influence would naturally make a man 
 
16 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 less of a machine, less uniform and same in his thoughts 
 and utterances. Under each new impression, in each new 
 situation, he would be more thoroughly possessed and 
 moulded by his conviction than an uninspired man. There 
 would be stronger marks of personality, and yet the man 
 would be so moved by the conditions surrounding him that 
 he might appear to be one person at one time and another 
 person at another time. These considerations may help us 
 to admit to the full the diversities which critics have 
 observed in the Pauline Epistles, and yet not to draw the 
 inference that any of them are spurious. 
 
 (3) We need to bear the same reflections in mind whilst 
 we consider the third argument brought against the genuine- 
 ness of the Epistle to the Ephesians,—its suspicious rela- 
 tion to the Epistle to the Colossians. The resemblances 
 between the two Epistles do not need to be poited out ; 
 they are obvious on the surface. The two compositions 
 are constructed upon the same lines, and to a great extent 
 the same material is worked up in them. But these 
 resemblances seem to agree far less with the hypothesis 
 that one is a copy of the other than with that of their 
 being written at very nearly the same time by the same 
 person. Nothing is more frequent than for letters written 
 at the same time to different correspondents to have a great 
 deal both of thought and language in common. The 
 leading ideas in each Epistle are sufficiently distinguishable 
 from one another, and in each the thoughts and phrases 
 which are common to both are in perfect harmony with the 
 subject. Itis more dithcult to account for the difference 
 in style, which appears to be considerable. (See the Intro- 
 duction to Colossians.) St. Paul, we shall be obliged to 
 say, was a man who would write on one day as he does to 
 the Colossians, and on the next day as he does to the 
 Ephesians. 
 
 As to the relative priority of the two Epistles, the 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 17 
 
 presumptions on either side are scarcely strong enough to. 
 warrant a confident conclusion. That a very short interval 
 separated them will be doubted by no one who believes that 
 St. Paul wrote both, and we may be content to leave it 
 undecided which was written first. 
 
 It is to be remembered that in writing to Ephesus 
 St. Paul was in effect writing to the province of which 
 Ephesus was the leading city. Its importance in this 
 character was manifestly the reason why St. Paul spent so 
 long a time teaching there. We read in the account of his 
 stay at Ephesus (Acts xix. 10), “This continued by the 
 space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia 
 heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” 
 And the same circumstance is mentioned in the speech of 
 Demetrius, “Ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, 
 but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded 
 and turned away much people” (Ibid. ver. 26). It may be 
 supposed therefore that St. Paul, when remembering the 
 Ephesian Church, was led to consider the state of mind 
 prevailing throughout that part of Asia Minor, and the 
 dangers which beset the believers dwelling in that country. 
 An ancient Asiatic goddess, called Artemis by the Greeks 
 and Diana by the Romans, but whose clumsy image, shaped 
 like a mummy, and adorned with many breasts and the 
 figures of various animals, symbolized the productive and 
 nutritive powers of Nature, was highly honoured at Ephesus, 
 and also “throughout all Asia.” But neither in this 
 Epistle, nor in the two to Timothy, is there any unmistake- 
 able allusion to the worship of this local divinity. The 
 believers whom St. Paul was addressing had either never 
 paid homage to the Ephesian idol, or were emancipated 
 from its fascination. Perhaps, however, the superstition to 
 which they had been accustomed might make them more 
 ready to accept such schemes of opposed hierarchies of good 
 and evil spirits as were attracting the Jewish mind in that 
 
 ὃ 
 
18 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 age. So far as we can gather from the Epistles to Timothy, 
 written to him as presiding over the Church at Ephesus, 
 and from this Epistle, the dangerous speculations which 
 occurred to the writer’s mind were those of Orientalized 
 Judaism. “I besought thee,” says St. Paul, “to abide at 
 Ephesus, that thou mightest charge some not to give heed 
 to fables and endless genealogies, (μύθοις καὶ yeveadoyias 
 ἀπεράντοις,) which minister questions” (1 Tim. 1. 3, 4). 
 Compare “Jewish fables” in Titus 1. 14. Again in 
 1 Tim. vi. 4 and 20, we have allusions to a morbid love of 
 “questions and strifes of words” (ζητήσεις καὶ Aoyomaxias, 
 see also 2 Tim. 11. 23), and to “the profane babblings and 
 oppositions of the falsely-named knowledge or Gnosis,” 
 (ἀντιθέσεις τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως.) Speculative theories 
 about emanations, one series being opposed to another, 
 having their ultimate origin in Oriental, probably Persie, 
 theosophy, but coming through Jewish channels, would 
 best answer to these descriptions. 
 
 The Apocalypse, the Epistles of St. John, and the Gospel 
 of St. John, are all associated with Ephesus, but they do 
 not happen to supply any special illustrations to the 
 Epistle to the Ephesians. The Apocalypse was probably 
 written a very few years after this Epistle. Hphesus stands 
 first in the list of the Seven Churches in Asia to which 
 special messages are given. But the message to the angel 
 of the Church of Ephesus contains nothing to remind us of 
 St. Paul’s Epistle. In the Laodicean message, the titles 
 assumed by the Son of Man, “the Amen, the faithful and 
 true Witness, the beginning (ἀρχή) of the Creation of God,” 
 resemble the doctrine of this Epistle, but are more directly 
 parallel to the language of the Epistle to the Colossians. 
 The Epistles and the Gospel of St. John were written at 
 a much later period. It is most interesting to compare 
 their theology with that of the letters of St. Paul which 
 we are now considering, but the aged St. John is dealing 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. bo 
 
 with the speculations of a later date in the history of the 
 Church, and his teaching is intended to convey develop- 
 ments of the truth, and to correct errors, which had more 
 than a local character. 
 
 It iz implied in what has been already said, that we find 
 no clear intimation in this Epistle of any special questions 
 to be settled, or of any peculiar faults or dangers against 
 which the writer desired to warn his readers. It is remark- 
 able as a free spontaneous utterance of Christian thought, 
 exercised upon the great topics of God’s purposes and man’s 
 duty. It is possible that his subject, or rather his manner 
 of treating it, may have been partly suggested to the 
 Apostle by the modes of thought prevalent in the Church 
 of Asia Minor. Perhaps what he knew of the mind of that 
 Church gave him at least greater freedom in pouring forth, 
 as into sympathising ears, the thoughts of which his own 
 heart was full. But there are very slight grounds for 
 connecting the substance of this Epistle with any decided 
 peculiarity of the Ephesian Christians. And in reading it 
 we are scarcely led to look for any other motive than the 
 fervour of a devout spirit delighting to give expression to 
 the impulses of faith and love. Indeed it would be hardly 
 extravagant to regard this work as a Hymn. Though the 
 form of the composition is that of a letter, the mood of the 
 writer is lyrical rather than hortatory. From time to time 
 the eucharistic strain which pervades the whole Epistle 
 rises into rhythmic solemnity; and the diction is throughout 
 somewhat more poetical than in the other writings of 
 St. Paul. 
 
 The key to the Epistle may be found in the opening 
 sentence. After the salutation, St. Paul begins his psalm 
 with the words, “Blessed be God and the Father of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual 
 blessing in heavenly things in Christ.” Fixing his eyes on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, he opens his mind to the blessings 
 
 erg, 
 
20 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 which radiate forth from him, and from the Father through 
 him, upon the whole world. The mind of God towards 
 men unveiled in Christ, the relation of men towards God 
 exhibited in Christ, the present spiritual connexion of men 
 with Christ, the hopes of which Christ is the ground and assur- 
 ance, the laws imposed by the life of Christ upon human 
 life,—these are the blessings for which he gives thanks. 
 Christ embracing humanity in himself is the subject of the 
 Epistle. The difficulties which it presents to the reader 
 reside in the mystery of these relations of Christ to man- 
 kind. The Sonship of Christ to the Father is assumed 
 but not dwelt upon; we have here to do with what may 
 be read in the Person of Christ concerning the nature 
 and destiny of man, when Christ is received as the eternal 
 Son of God. 
 
 St. Paul tells us with strict faithfulness what he has thus 
 read in Christ. He draws his inferences rationally from 
 what he believes he has seen. There is not the slightest 
 appearance of anything composite in his system of doctrine. 
 Christ, with the effects which radiate from him, fills the 
 whole sphere of his mind. The relations of which he speaks 
 are indeed, as he continually reminds us, spiritual, heavenly, 
 or mystical. But they form in his conception a living 
 organic unity. If we recognise this, although it may be 
 profoundly interesting to observe points of connexion in 
 ideas or phrases with the speculations of Philo or the 
 Gnostics, it is impossible to father the doctrine of St. Paul 
 upon Alexandrian or Persian theosophy. As it is also 
 inconceivable that any writer should have either felt or 
 feigned such a joyful and absorbing thankfulness as 
 St. Paul expresses for what had been revealed to him 
 through Christ, if he had borrowed this notion and that 
 from the philosophies current in his age. If ever any 
 theory of human nature was original, St. Paul’s in this 
 Epistle has a right to be called so. 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 21 
 
 A summary statement of this doctrine, however bald and 
 inadequate, may serve the useful purpose of keeping the 
 main features of it before the mind. It may be presented 
 in the following form :— 
 
 God sent his Son into the world in our flesh and blood. 
 Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived, died, rose from the 
 dead, was exalted to the right hand of the Father, and then 
 came again, in the outpouring of the promised Spirit, and 
 accompanying the word of his heralds. 
 
 1. We infer from these facts a fatherly mind in God 
 towards human nature, and therefore that men are God’s 
 children. 
 
 2. We infer that God intended men to be spiritually 
 on the footing of sons towards himself, knowing him and 
 loving him. 
 
 3. Men have evidently been estranged from God, but by 
 sending his Son into the world and giving him up to die, 
 God has shewn a purpose to bring them out of estrangement 
 into the true filial state. 
 
 4. In raising Christ from the dead, and lifting him above 
 the visible world, God has set Christ supreme above death 
 and the world. The will and power which thus wrought, 
 must, in virtue of God’s eternal purpose and the connexion 
 between Christ and the human race, go on to confer a new 
 life and a heavenly exaltation on men, Christ's brethren 
 and members. 
 
 5. This raising and exalting of men is already, in the 
 creative idea of God, done in Christ. It is realized in 
 successive generations through men’s conscious acceptance 
 of this grace, or through faith. 
 
 6. The true conception of mankind is that of a family 
 bound by invisible links of creation to Christ and sharing 
 his life, and therefore calling God Father. The duty of 
 men is to act in harmony with these relations. 
 
 7. The Will of God manifested in Christ, though it has 
 
22 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 signally triumphed and must prevail, is now contending 
 against rebellious wills. Every man who is called to the 
 knowledge of God is also enlisted in a warfare against 
 evil. 
 
 These propositions, I believe, express the leading ideas of 
 St. Paul’s teaching in this Epistle. Lest the reader should 
 be disposed to pass by what might be called the mystical 
 element in the propositions numbered (4) and (5), it is 
 important to observe that this idea,—whatever difficulty 
 we may find in apprehending it, and however fanciful it 
 may seem to a modern philosopher,—is absolutely central 
 to St. Paul’s system. An Eternal Will, entering creatively 
 into time, unfolding itself through opposition, holding fast 
 its aim; this Will adequately manifested in Christ; Christ 
 the Divine Man, whose perfectly loyal nature is the key to 
 the mysteries of men’s disordered nature ;—St. Paul held 
 these to be the invisible realities out of which all visible 
 phenomena had their growth, and from which the history 
 of the future was to be inferred. 
 
 The chief natural division of the Epistle, and one which 
 was probably designed by the writer, is at the end of the 
 3d chapter. In the former half St. Paul describes the 
 vocation or calling of Christians, in the latter he appeals to 
 his readers to walk worthily of it. Some such division is 
 very common in St. Paul’s writings. It is his invariable 
 principle to lay down first the relations which God has 
 established, and then to deduce from these the conduct 
 appropriate to them. But the division is more strict in this 
 Kpistle than in any other. The latter half may be further 
 subdivided for convenience, and each repetition of the 
 injunction, “Walk therefore,”:.(iv. 1; iv. 17; v. 1, 2; 
 v. 15,) may be taken as commencing a fresh appeal, down 
 to the concluding paragraph (vi. 10). The subdivisions of 
 the former half are more important to notice. The distinct 
 paragraphs end as follows: at i. 14, at 1. 28, at 11. 10, at 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 23 
 
 ii. 22, and at 111. 21: the division at the end of the first 
 chapter being less strongly marked than the others. 
 
 In the first paragraph, St. Paul sets forth in comprehen- 
 sive words the blessings, in the past, the present, and the 
 future, which belong to men in Christ. He gives thanks 
 for God’s election of men from eternity to be his children,— 
 an election of which it is to be observed that, as the fact and 
 character of it are seen wholly in Christ and not in men, 
 it cannot be restricted by any limits which are not to be 
 discerned in Christ, and that therefore it must be under- 
 stood as going forth from the inherently gracious Will of 
 God towards mankind generally; for the deliverance of 
 men through forgiveness from that bondage of sin which 
 separates them from God ; for the revelation of God’s grand 
 purpose, to make Christ the one Head of an obedient 
 creation ; for the special inheritance of sonship promised 
 to faithful men, of which the filial Spirit already given was 
 the earnest. 
 
 In the second paragraph, the thanksgiving changes to a 
 prayer, that the readers of the Epistle may have their eyes 
 opened to the blessings for which thanks had been given ; 
 and especially, that they might know that power, which 
 had wrought in the raising and exaltation of Christ, and 
 which, as the putting forth of one and the same will, was 
 working upon all believers. 
 
 Yes, the Apostle goes on to say, the resurrection and 
 exaltation of Christ were the quickening from the death of 
 sin, and the exalting to a heavenly sphere of existence, of 
 his members with him. Those who believed in Christ were 
 actually inspired with a new life and raised above the 
 world and the dark powers of the world. This was God’s 
 act, a part, it might be said, of the same act which wrought 
 in Christ. Man could only receive and submit; the only 
 good deeds which he could do were such as were prepared 
 for him beforehand by the design and power of his Maker. 
 
24 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 The next paragraph (ii. 11—22) presents a new aspect 
 of what had been done for mankind in Christ. To a Jewish 
 eye the world had been divided by the exclusive call of the 
 seed of Abraham into two separate sections. When the 
 Son of God appeared, taking the flesh and blood of humanity 
 upon him, representing the human race in the sight of the 
 Father, offering himself a sacrifice for all, entering into the 
 death of all, fulfilling the promise that in the seed of 
 Abraham all the nations of the earth should be blessed, 
 the separation was done away. The human race became 
 one body, united in one Head, reconciled to one Father, 
 animated by one filial and brotherly Spirit. The Gentiles, 
 having been formerly destitute of the peculiar Jewish 
 privileges, were now made partakers with the Jews of 
 blessings which the old Jewish privileges had but faintly 
 foreshadowed. 
 
 The Apostle’s heart now swells with the contemplation of 
 these spiritual glories (c. iii). A touching humility and 
 tenderness take possession of him as he thinks how un- 
 speakably he has himself been honoured in being made the 
 herald of this union of all men in the family of God. What 
 a revelation of hidden things had that age received! O that 
 all might be spiritually wrought upon to fulfil through 
 faith and love the grand idea of the Maker, to the glory of 
 the Father through Christ! 
 
 The eucharistic declaration of Christian privileges being 
 thus closed, St. Paul begins the Second Part of the Epistle, 
 which contains lessons of duty founded on those privileges. 
 But the eucharistic feeling does not at once subside; the 
 more level movement of practical exhortation is still lifted, 
 as it were, by a kind of ground-swell of spiritual emotion. 
 The first paragraph (iv. 1—16) is rather declaratory than 
 hortatory. It speaks of unity,—the unity which God has 
 ordained in Christ, and which men may keep by modesty 
 and forbearance, and by the abiding of each in his own 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 25 
 
 place. We are reminded that there is an organization 
 of the Christian Society on earth which represents and 
 ministers to the higher heavenly unity. The ideal unity of 
 the Church (set forth under the favourite Pauline image 
 of a full-grown Man, with Christ as the Head) is to be 
 realized through truth and love. In the succeeding para- 
 graph (ii. 17—32) the new Divinely-given life is placed in 
 contrast with the old corrupt life. The Apostle conjures 
 his Christian readers to put away practically the evil which 
 in profession they had renounced, and to clothe themselves 
 with all the virtues which belonged to their calling in 
 Christ. 
 
 It is the strict dependence of all that is commended as 
 practical duty upon the calling or status of men in Christ, 
 that is to be specially noticed in the exhortations which 
 follow (v., vi. 1—9). God is to be imitated as a Father, 
 by those whom he has made his children. The new king- 
 dom must have obedient subjects. Light must bring forth 
 its fruits in those who have become children of light. The 
 Spirit must manifest his presence in the body by the tokens 
 of inspiration. The relations of husband and wife, parents 
 and children, masters and servants, are sacred, and are to 
 be mutually fulfilled in obedience to Christ. 
 
 The concluding appeal or peroration (vi. 10—20), breath- 
 ing a very lofty and eloquent tone, contains a carefully- 
 wrought account of the warfare between the Church and 
 the powers of darkness and evil which brood over the world. 
 It is to be observed that here, as generally throughout the 
 Apostolic writings, the imagery is borrowed from the 
 poetical books of the Old Testament. Most of it may be 
 found in the book of Isaiah. The warfare described is not 
 the battle of the individual Christian for his own salvation, 
 but the greater conflict in which Christ leads his forces 
 against the enemy, the war of the Gospel against the powers 
 which keep mankind in slavery. But individual Christians 
 
26 . INTRODUCTION TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 are the soldiers in this war, and the armour mentioned is 
 such as individual Christians must put on. 
 
 The sentences with which the Epistle closes,—the mention 
 and commendation of the messenger who was to carry it, 
 and the usual benedictory prayer,—remind us that this 
 was a bond fide pastoral letter, addressed to Christians who 
 looked up to St. Paul as their teacher. 
 
I. 
 
 I 
 
 2 ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ. 
 
 ΠΡΟΣ. ΦΕΣΙΟΎΥΣ. 
 
 Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ διὰ θελήματος 
 
 a a c 7 a το > > , a 
 θεοῦ τοῖς αγίοις τοῖς οὖσιν [ἐν Ἐφέσῳ] καὶ πιστοῖς 
 
 / L ceo) ‘ " / > \ “ 
 χάρις υμῖν καὶ εἰρηνη amo Geov 
 
 \ ε val \ ͵ > a a 
 TaTpos ἡμῶν Kat κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. 
 
 > \ ε \ \ ΄“ ΄σ 
 Ἐύλογητος ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν 
 
 1. ἐν ᾿Ἑφέσῳ. There is sufii- 
 cient evidence to throw a doubt 
 upon the genuineness of these 
 words. St. Basil and St. Jerome 
 speak of their being omitted in 
 some ancient MSS.; and two of 
 the most important MSS. which 
 have come down to us, the Sinai- 
 tic and the Vatican, do not con- 
 tain them in the writing of the 
 first hand. It is impossible to 
 believe that the sentence was in- 
 tended to be complete without 
 the mention of any place after 
 The suggestion that 
 τοῖς ἁγίοις τοῖς οὖσιν may be ren- 
 dered “the saints who are,” with 
 an allusion to their partaking of 
 the substantial existence of “ Him 
 who is,” does not call for serious 
 consideration. The omission of 
 ev Ἐφέσῳ in some ancient MSS. 
 must be understood to point, 
 either to an early doubt as to the 
 readers to whom the Epistle was 
 
 τοῖς οὖσιν. 
 
 addressed, or, it may be, to an 
 original blank filled up variously 
 in different copies, which were 
 
 sent to different Churches. See 
 the Introduction, p. 12. 
 ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Christ is 
 
 named as the bond of the be- 
 “the holy and faithful 
 community in Christ Jesus.” 
 Compare the salutations to the 
 Philippians and Colossians. 
 
 3. For the subject of this 
 paragraph, see the Introduction, 
 p. 23. 
 
 6 θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ K. . 
 ‘* Blessed be God and the Father 
 of ...” That is, “He who is 
 God and the Father of...” 
 This seems to be a more natural 
 rendering, whilst it is not less 
 accurate, than that of our Version, 
 “the God and Father of our 
 Lord.” The latter, however, has 
 the support of the similar expres- 
 sion in verse 17. 4 
 
 levers ; 
 
28 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [I. 4—9. 
 
 > a a ε » ’ « “ » ’ > 7 
 Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, o εὐλογῆσας ἡμᾶς ev πάσῃ εὐλογίᾳ 
 “ > “ > / > “-“ \ 
 πνευματικῇ εν τοῖς επουρανίοις εν Χριστῷ, καθως 
 > λέ τ a > > “ ᾿ xn , 3 
 ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ προ καταβολῆς κόσμου, εἶναι 
 «ε a ε > / / > “ 3 > U 
 ἡμᾶς aylovs καὶ ἀμώμους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ 
 
 ε a > 
 προορίσας μας Els 
 
 Weta \ 
 εἰς αὐτὸν, κατὰ 
 
 e A 
 υἱοθεσίαν δια 
 
 Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ 
 
 \ » 7 a / > “ 
 τὴν εὐδοκίαν του θελήματα αὐτοῦ 
 
 εἰς ἔπαινον δόξης τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἣ ἐχαρί- 
 
 τωσεν ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ, 
 
 - 
 
 ἐν φ ἔχομεν τὴν 
 
 ἀπολύτρωσιν διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν 
 
 / a \ bia a 4 » "- 
 παραπτωμάτων, κατα TO πλθυσας TNS χάριτος αὕτου, 
 
 ἧς ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐ 
 νήσει γνωρίσας ἡμῖν τὸ 
 
 ἐν τοὶς ἐπουρανίοις, ‘in the 
 heavenly world or sphere,” ‘ in 
 spiritual relations.” There is no 
 reference to place or to a future 
 time. 
 
 4, As to the scope of this elec- 
 tion, see the remark in the Intro- 
 duction, p. 23. 
 
 ἐν ἀγάπῃ. I have not thought 
 it worth while to alter in the 
 translation the received connexion 
 of the words “in love.” By 
 placing the comma before them, 
 Lachmann and Tischendorf con- 
 nect them with God’s act of fore- 
 ordaining, and in making the 
 former clause end with αὐτοῦ they 
 have the support of the clause in 
 Col. i. 22, παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους 
 καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους. Either 
 arrangement is so satisfactory, that 
 the one cannot be very decidedly 
 preferred to the other. 
 
 ἡ [or ἧς, 
 
 Most 
 
 6. τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, ἐν 
 Lach.] ἐχαρίτωσεν ἡμᾶς. 
 
 ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ φρο- 
 μυστήριον τοῦ θελήματος 
 
 literally, “the grace with which 
 he has graced us;” “the grace 
 which he has freely bestowed upon 
 us.” The uncommon verb ἐχαρί- 
 τωσεν is used in order to repeat 
 the idea of χάρις. 
 
 7. The redemption of men, or 
 their deliverance from bondage by 
 the payment of a price, is ex- 
 plained as consisting in the re- 
 mission or forgiveness of sins. He 
 who really receives the forgiveness 
 of sins is thereby made spiritually 
 free. The blood of Christ was 
 the cost of the deliverance, be- 
 cause Christ gave his life in order 
 that men might be reconciled to 
 God. 
 
 9. γνωρίσας should be closely 
 connected with ἐπερίσσευσεν. God 
 abounded. . . when he made known 
 
 . The abounding of God to- 
 wards us in wisdom and prudence 
 wasexhibited in his making known 
 to us the mystery of his will, The. 
 
Io 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 I, 10—13.] EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 29 
 
 > = \ \ ᾽ 7ἷ » re & 
 αὐτου, κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν αὐτου nV προέθετο ἐν 
 
 αὐτῷ εἰς οἰκονομίαν τοῦ πληρώματος τῶν καιρῶν, 
 ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι τὰ πάντα ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ, τὰ ἐν 
 τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς; ἐν αὐτῷ ἐν ᾧ καὶ 
 ἐκληρώθημεν προορισθέντες κατὰ πρόθεσιν τοῦ τὰ 
 πάντα ἐνεργοῦντος κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θελήματος 
 αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι ἡμᾶς εἰς ἔπαινον δόξης αὐτοῦ, 
 τοὺς προηλπικότας ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ" ὑμεῖς, 
 
 ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον 
 
 ἐν ῷ καὶ 
 
 Apostle affirms here, as he does 
 elsewhere, that the whole purpose 
 of God revealed in Christ was a 
 subject of inexhaustible study for 
 the intellect. 
 
 10. εἰς οἰκονομίαν τοῦ πληρώ- 
 ματος τῶν καιρῶν. The word οἶκο- 
 νομία, a favourite one with St. 
 Paul, is used by him in three 
 distinct senses. (1) It is God’s 
 plan or arrangement, the Divine 
 order to be accomplished in Christ. 
 We may render it “ dispensation” 
 in this sense, or use it in its 
 English form economy. This is its 
 meaning here, and probably in iii. 
 9. (2) It represents an appoint- 
 ment or commission given by the 
 Lord to his servant Paul, in Eph. 
 dii, 2, and in Col. i. 25. 
 is used in Eph. iii. 7, as nearly an 
 
 Awpea 
 
 equivalent to this sense of oixovo- 
 
 pla,—the most frequent word 
 however for this commission being 
 χάρις. In these two cases the 
 οἰκόνομος is God or Christ. (3) It 
 represents a stewardship. So, 
 perhaps, in iii. 9. In 1 Cor. iv. 
 
 1, 2, St. Paul describes himself as 
 an οἰκόνομος, having the duty of 
 dispensing, or giving out to others, 
 the mysteries entrusted to him. 
 
 God’s purpose in Christ had 
 reference “to the dispensation of 
 [belonging to] the fulness of the 
 times.”’ Compare Gal. iv. 4, “When 
 the fulness of the time was come, 
 God sent forth his Son.” This 
 economy, or dispensation, or system 
 of things, which the purpose of 
 God contemplated from eternity, 
 is “the bringing of all things 
 under one head in Christ.” dyaxe- 
 φαλαιώσασθαι, to sum up, to gather 
 under a head. 
 
 11. ἐκληρώθημεν, “obtained a 
 lot, or inheritance.” Another 
 reading, ἐκλήθημεν, is strongly 
 supported by MS. authority, and 
 is introduced into the text by 
 Lachmann. 
 
 12. τοὺς προηλπικότας. The only 
 sense which can here be given to 
 apo-in this word seems to be that 
 of our Version, ‘‘ who were first 
 or forward to hope in Christ.” 
 
14 
 
 15 
 
 30 EPISTLE TO 
 
 THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 [I. 14, 15. 
 
 τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν, ἐν ᾧ Kal πιστεύσαντες ἐσῴφρα- 
 γίσθητε τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ ἁγίῳ, ὅς 
 ἐστιν ἀῤῥαβὼν τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν εἰς ἀπολύτρω- 
 σιν τῆς περιποιήσεως, εἰς ἔπαινον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ. 
 Διὰ τοῦτο κἀγώ, ἀκούσας τὴν καθ᾽ ὑμᾶς πίστιν 
 
 - 3 - 
 13. ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς, .. . ἐν ᾧ καὶ 
 πιστεύσαντες. The words ἐν ᾧ 
 
 appear to be repeated for the sake 
 of perspicuity before πιστεύσαντες. 
 If we omit these words, the sen- 
 tence proceeds with grammatical 
 smoothness: “in whom you also, 
 when you had heard the word of 
 truth, the gospel of your salvation, 
 and had believed, or become be- 
 lievers, were sealed.” The “ hear- 
 ing” and “believing” are con- 
 nected : “faith cometh by hearing.” 
 
 The Spirit of promise is the 
 promised Spirit. Compare Acts 
 i. 4, “ wait for the promise of the 
 Father which you heard from me.” 
 The sealing with the Spirit means 
 the actual outpouring of the Spirit, 
 such as took place when converts 
 were introduced into the Church, 
 which answered to sealing, be- 
 cause it was a recognizable stamp 
 of Divine ownership. Compare 
 iv. 30, and 2 Cor. i. 22, “God 
 hath also sealed us, and given us 
 the earnest of the Spirit in our 
 hearts.” 
 
 14. The gift of the Spirit, be- 
 sides being a seal which marked 
 those who received it as belonging 
 to God, was also, as a seal of son- 
 ship, an earnest or pledge of a 
 future inheritance. “If children, 
 
 then heirs.” In time the believers 
 in Christ shall come into the full 
 possession of the inheritance of 
 sons of God. At present, the per- 
 fect blessedness of sonship is given 
 them in prospect rather than in 
 possession. But they hold already, 
 in the pouring out of the Spirit 
 of sonship, an earnest εἰς ἀπολύ- 
 τρωσιν τῆς περιποιήσεως, a pledge 
 pointing to the complete acquisi- 
 tion of the property. The “ pro- 
 perty” is whatever belongs to the 
 nature and functions of sons of 
 God. The ‘ redemption” here is 
 that of the property; and the 
 figure must not be pressed too 
 closely. On the other hand, in iv. 
 30, “unto the day of redemption,” 
 we should naturally take it as re- 
 ferring to the setting free of the 
 
 ‘human nature; especially as in 
 
 Romans viii. 16—23, an impor- 
 tant passage to compare with 
 these, the filial adoption is said to 
 be accomplished in the ‘ redemp- 
 tion of our body.” But, as the use 
 of οἰκονομία, of πλήρωμα, and other 
 words, shews us, St. Paul varies 
 much in the application even of 
 favourite and highly significant 
 terms. 
 
 15. For the subject of this para- 
 graph see the Introduction, p. 23. 
 
16 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 I. 16—20.] EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 31 
 
 > -“ , >’ “ \ \ > / \ ᾽ a 
 εν τῷ κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην τὴν εἰς πᾶντας 
 \ ε > a € a 
 τοὺς aylovs, οὐ παύομαι εὐχαριστῶν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, 
 € “ / ae ” a ~ 
 μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιούμενος ἐπὶ TOV προσευχῶν μου, iva 
 «ε A a 7 € a 3 “ na « A 
 Ο θεὸς τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Inoov Χριστοῦ, ὁ πατὴρ 
 “ , , con a , 4, > if 
 τῆς δόξης, δῴη ὑμῖν πνεῦμα σοφίας καὶ ἀποκαλύ- 
 > > , > a / \ ᾽ 
 eas ἐν ἐπιγνώσει αὐτοῦ, πεφωτισμένους τοὺς ὀφ- 
 \ “ 7, ee a Ἂ ’ ον ΄ 
 θαλμους τῆς καρδίας υμῶν, εἰς τὸ εἰδεναι ὑμᾶς τίς 
 » “ ’ > a Q 7 ε a 
 ἐστιν ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς κλήσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ τίς ὁ πλοῦτος 
 ol , o e , > ἌΣ 5 rat ue 
 τῆς δόξης τῆς κλήρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις, καὶ 
 / x «ε ’ / a“ ὃ 7 > an >. 
 τί TO ὑπερβάλλον μέγεθος τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ εἰς 
 « ΄ A , \ \ a LF a , 
 ἡμᾶς τοὺς πιστεύοντας κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τοῦ κρά- 
 - , > “ ἃ 3 , > a a 
 τους τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ, ἣν ἐνήργησεν ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ 
 
 15, 16. Compare Col. i. 3,4, more obvious one, and agrees better 
 
 and Phil. 4, 5. 
 
 17. ἵνα, “to the effect that ;” 
 what follows being the purport of 
 the prayer, and not merely its aim 
 or end. 
 
 πνεῦμα ἀποκαλύψεως, “a spirit 
 of revelation,”—the spirit whose 
 influences may remove the veil 
 which hides invisible realities from 
 the soul. 
 
 18, πεφωτισμένους ὀφθαλμούς. 
 The accusative is owing to the 
 influence of δῴη. For the sense, 
 compare 1 Cor. ii. 9—12. 
 
 ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς κλήσεως αὐτοῦ, “ the 
 hope held out in his calling,” the 
 whole promise set before believers 
 in Christ. 
 
 τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς 
 ἁγίοις. What is “ God’s inherit- 
 ance” here? It might mean either 
 the inheritance of which he him- 
 self takes possession, or that which 
 he gives. The latter sense is the 
 
 with the expressions concerning 
 inheritance so frequent in St. 
 Paul’s writings. But the words ἐν 
 τοῖς ἁγίοις almost demand the 
 former sense. God (in Christ) has 
 an inheritance in the body of the 
 saints. Those whose eyes are 
 opened may see how rich is the 
 glory of the redeemed community, 
 how bright is that perfect creation 
 of which Christ is the inheritor. 
 
 19. rove πιστεύοντας, ‘towards 
 us believers,’—not to be construed 
 with κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν. 
 
 20. ἣν ἐνήργησεν, “ with which 
 he wrought,” ἣν being in the ac- 
 cusative to agree with τὴν ἐνέρ- 
 γειαν. ἐκάθισεν is to be coupled, 
 somewhat irregularly, with ἐνήρ- 
 ynoev. If καθίσας, for which 
 there is good authority, be read, 
 it is coupled with ἐγείρας. Ob- 
 serve particularly the identifica- 
 tion of that energy of God which 
 
21 
 
 32 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 [T. 21. 
 
 ᾽ , 3) VN > “ Si ee Ud > an 
 eyelpas QUTOV εκ νεκρῶν, και εκαθισεν ‘€V δεξιᾷ 
 ἐ 
 > in 3 at > 7, e / / > cr 
 αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ὑπεράνω πάσης ἀρχῆς Kal 
 > 7, Ν , Ἄς ΄ 
 ἐξουσίας Και δυνάμεως και ΚυριοτΤΉΤΟς καὶ παντὸς 
 a κ᾿ > , » , > “ 9“ , 
 ονοματος ὀνομαζομένου ου μονον εν Τῷ αἰῶνι TOUT® 
 
 wrought in the raising and exalt- 
 ing of Christ with the energy that 
 works continuously on the body 
 of which he was raised to be the 
 Head. (Compare “the power 
 that works in us,” iii. 20.) Christ 
 is not apart from the Church in 
 the Divine idea, any more than 
 the Church is apart from Christ. 
 
 21. We need not define or dis- 
 tinguish what is meant by these 
 terms. They are accumulated so 
 as to be allembracing and ex- 
 haustive. Compare the quotations 
 from Philo and the Avesta in the 
 Essay. 
 
 ob μόνον ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ ἀλλὰ 
 καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι. The right in- 
 terpretation of these terms forms 
 one of the principal difficulties of 
 the New Testament. The same 
 expressions occur in Matt. xii. 32, 
 “ Whosoever shall speak against 
 the Holy Ghost, it shall not be 
 forgiven him, either in this age 
 or in that which is to come.” In 
 Matt. xiii. 39, 40, Jesus refers to 
 “the end or conclusion (συντέλεια) 
 of the age.” The discourse of 
 Matt. xxiv. and xxv. is introduced 
 by the question, “ What shall be 
 the sign of thy coming and of the 
 end or conclusion of the age?” 
 In Heb. vi. 5, we have the re- 
 markable expression “ have tasted 
 
 the good word of God and the 
 powers of the coming age.” Appa- 
 rently the word οἰκουμένη, world, 
 is used as equivalent to αἰών in 
 Heb. ii. 5, “It is not to angels 
 that he has subjected the world 
 to come, of which we speak.” In 
 1 Cor. x. 11, the age which is 
 closing becomes plural, “the ends 
 of the ages,” ἡμῶν εἰς ove τὰ τέλη 
 τῶν αἰώνων κατήντηκεν. In Eph. 
 1. 7, the future age becomes 
 plural, ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσιν τοῖς ἐπερ- 
 χομένοις. And in Eph. iii. 21, 
 we have the redoubled phrase, 
 “unto all the generations of the 
 age of ages.” 
 
 Thus much may be said with 
 confidence as to the meaning of 
 this New Testament language. 
 The Apostles believed, after the 
 teaching of their Lord, that in 
 their day a great αἰών or Age was 
 drawing to a close; and that in 
 a short time, by a crisis in the 
 Divine administration of the 
 world, described as a Coming of 
 the Son of Man, a new Age or 
 succession of ages would be in- 
 augurated. Were they mistaken ? 
 It is usual to say that they were ; 
 —naturally and even advantage- 
 ously mistaken. But before using 
 so strong a word as ‘ mistaken,’ 
 we should be sure both that we 
 
22 
 
 23 
 
 I. 22, 23. 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 33 
 
 > A , “ Ν Selif \ 
 ἀλλὰ Kai Ev τῷ μελλοντι, καὶ πάντα ὑπέταξεν ὑπὸ 
 
 A / > n \ a LS 37 A e \ 
 τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, Kal αὐτὸν εἐδωκεν κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ 
 
 , a“ 3 Χ / σ > \ \ na ᾽ “ A 
 σαντα ΤῊ EKK OLA, TLS ἐστι» TO σῶμα αὐτου, TO 
 
 , a \ , » ca ; 4 
 πλήρωμα TOV TH πᾶντα EV πᾶασιν πληρουμένου. 
 
 rightly understand the intention 
 of their language, and also that 
 we adequately estimate the mag- 
 nitude, from a Christian point of 
 view, of the revolution which 
 took place at the epoch of the 
 destruction of Jerusalem. 
 
 22. πάντα ὑπέταξεν. Compare 
 Psa. viii. 6, Heb. ii. 8, and 1 Cor, 
 xv. 27. We see not yet all things 
 put under Christ’s feet, because 
 the appointed order is not yet 
 victorious over disobedience. But 
 in the mind of God all things are 
 even now put under the feet of 
 Christ. 
 
 23. τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ τὰ πάντα 
 ἐν πᾶσιν mAnpoupevov. Ἰλήρωμα 
 here means complement. In iil. 
 19, and iv. 13, it rather means 
 completeness. In the Epistle to 
 the Colossians (i. 19, 11. 9) it is 
 used absolutely for the Infinite 
 Fulness, as a title of God. The 
 Church is here called the πλήρωμα 
 of Christ, because he would not 
 be “full” or complete without it. 
 The rest of the clause is difficult 
 to render with precision. The 
 reduplicative phrases, fold over 
 fold, in which St. Paul delights, 
 are not only not easy to translate, 
 but they are often somewhat ob- 
 secure and ambiguous in meaning. 
 
 » Does St. Paul mean anything more 
 
 here than if he had written τοῦ 
 ra πάντα πληροῦντος (as in iv. 10, 
 ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα) 1--- ΑΒ re- 
 gards the use of the middle form 
 ληρουμένου, we may perhaps say, 
 from the analogy of πληροῦσθαι 
 ναῦν, “to man one’s ship,” that 
 it suggests the idea of Christ’s 
 filling what belongs to him. Ἔν 
 πᾶσιν is coupled with τὰ πώντα in 
 Col. iii. 11, τὰ πάντα καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν 
 Χριστόο, and in 1 Cor. xii. 6, 
 ὁ αὐτὸς θεὸς ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα 
 In these places πᾶσιν 
 refers not to things, but to men. 
 The hint thus given, that ἐν πᾶσιν 
 may have the same reference here, 
 derives some support from the 
 consideration that the subject of 
 the sentence is Christ’s body the 
 Church, and from the expressions 
 
 ἐν πᾶσιν. 
 
 ἵνα πληρωθῆτε εἰς πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα 
 τοῦ θεοῦ (iii. 19), πληροῦσθε ἐν 
 πνεύματι (γ. 18), and ἐστε ἐν αὐτῷ 
 πεπληρωμένοι (Col. 11, 10). Τῇ ἐν 
 πᾶσιν is “in all (men),” we must 
 understand St. Paul as blending 
 the thoughts that Christ is in all 
 and that he fills all things. The 
 Church is ‘‘the fulness of him 
 who in all is the filler of all 
 things.” Possibly however it may 
 be only meant that Christ fills all 
 things everywhere. 
 
 Passages from Philo concerning 
 
 Dd 
 
ἯΙ 
 
 Ι 
 
 94 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 (Il ine 
 
 a , A lad / Ν 
 Καὶ ὑμᾶς ὄντας νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτωμασιν καὶ 
 
 an ε > - \ / \ \ 
 ταις ἁμαρτίαις, εν Als ΤΟΤΕ TEPLETTATNHO ATE κατα TOV 
 
 a a / , N \ oy a 
 αἰωνα του κοσμου τούτου. KATH TOV αρχοντα ΤῊΝ 
 
 3 “ 9} “ / an a > 
 ἐξουσίας TOV GEpPOS, του TWVEVLATOS τοῦ νυν ενερ- 
 
 ἴω 5 lad Ca “ 3 rg > - ἃς ε cad 
 γουντος εν τοις VLOLS Τὴς ἀπειθείας, εν Olg Καὶ MELS 
 
 4 5 / / > a 5 , cr 
 πάντες ἀνεστράφημεν ποτε ev ταῖς επιθυμίαις τῆς 
 
 ᾿ αὖ τς a A , A \ = 
 σαρκὸς ἡμῶν, TOLOVYTES τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ 
 
 val a Ses / / > “ ε ᾿ ᾿Ξ 
 τῶν διανοιῶν, καὶ NMEV TEKVA φύσει opyns ὡς καὶ OL 
 
 God as filling all things are given 
 in the Hssay. 
 
 II. 1. The quickening of the 
 Ephesian Christians was an ex- 
 ample of that power of life which 
 wrought in raising Christ from 
 the dead. Ὑμᾶς was evidently to 
 be governed by some word mean- 
 ing “he has raised to life.” Zuve- 
 ζωοποίησεν does occur further on, 
 after the construction has been 
 broken. 
 
 2. κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα. We can 
 hardly do better than render αἰών 
 as in our E. V., “the course.” 
 Moral or historical features are 
 implied in the term αἰών. 
 
 κατὰ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας 
 τοῦ ἀέρος, τοῦ πνεύματος . - - τῆς 
 ἀπειθείας. Compare vi. 12, πρὸς 
 τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους 
 τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πυευματικὰ τῆς 
 πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. These 
 remarkable terms appear to be 
 carefully chosen. They aim at 
 describing a certain mysterious 
 power, diffused in the air, ruling 
 in, and by means of, spiritual 
 darkness brooding over the earth. 
 
 There is no reason to doubt that 
 St. Paul would have used the 
 names Σατανᾶς and διάβολος, 
 Enemy and Divider, to denote 
 the same power. But in choosing 
 such words as the above, and in 
 using the singular and the plural. 
 alternately (τὸν ἄρχοντα, τοὺς κὸσ-’ 
 μοκράτορας), it is probable that’ 
 the Apostle was seeking to por- 
 tray a less defined and more subtle 
 agency than a personal name is 
 apt to suggest. As tothe genitive 
 τοῦ πνεύματος, it is just possible 
 to take rov πνεύματος as in appo- 
 sition to either ἐξουσίας or ἀέρος 
 and governed by ἄρχοντα, but it 
 is simpler and more natural to 
 believe that the Apostle would 
 
 have written *xg πνεῦμα in the ac- T 
 
 cusative but for the “attraction” 
 of the preceding genitives, and 
 that the “ruler” ἐ5, rather than 
 governs, “the spirit.” Compare 
 the language of the Avesta con- 
 cerning Angro-mainyus and the 
 Daevas, quoted in the Zssay. 
 
 3. τῶν διανοιῶν, the thoughts, 
 or the mind. 
 
 ἦμεν τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς, “ were 
 
II. 4—9.] EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 395 
 
 ΄ € \ \ , Ἂ » , , \ \ 
 Aowrot’ ὁ δὲ Geos πλούσιος ὧν εν ἐλέει, διὰ τὴν 
 \ > , ᾽ “ ἃ > / Sees Νὰ 
 5 πολλὴν ἀγάπην αὐτοῦ ἣν ἠγάπησεν ηἡμᾶς, καὶ ovTas 
 ε a 4 nt / = 
 ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ 
 a , > / / 
 Χριστῷ, χαριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι, καὶ συνήγειρεν Kal 
 , > vad > > Aas ad 
 συνεκάθισεν ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ev Χριστῷ Inaov, 
 ov > ͵ » a - a > / \ 
 ἵνα ἐνδείξηται ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσιν τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις TO 
 ε , a - / > a? ’ 
 υὑπερβαλλον πλοῦτος τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ EV χρηστοτήητι 
 » 3 ε rat > al > a ΄“ ἣν , 7 > 
 ed ἡμᾶς ἐν Χριστῷ Inoov. τῇ yap χαριτί εστε 
 a , a 3 » εἰ ὧν 
 σεσωσμενοι διὰ τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, 
 an \ a > 5 57 ov , / 
 θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον" οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, iva μή τις καυχήσηται" 
 
 children, by nature, of wrath.” 
 It is a tempting interpretation, on 
 account of its great suitableness 
 to the context, to take ὀργή in its 
 original sense, of “passion” or 
 animal impulse, and τέκνα ὀργῆς 
 as “children of ungoverned im- 
 pulse.” But St. Paul’s habitual 
 use of ὀργή, and the closely 
 parallel passage in this Epistle 
 (v. 6), “On account of these 
 things comes the wrath (ὀργή) of 
 God on the sons of disobedience,” 
 compel us to take this phrase in 
 the commonly received sense,— 
 that of ‘children of Divine wrath,” 
 
 persons, who through submission to. 
 
 the flesh, which is enmity against 
 God, lie under God’s anger. 
 
 5, 6. If it is asked when these 
 Divine acts were done, the answer 
 must be, that they were done when 
 Christ himself was raised and 
 exalted, and that they were then 
 done because of the necessary and 
 indissoluble connexion between 
 the Head and his members,—the 
 
 Divine power which wrought in 
 him descending also (i. 19—23) 
 upon them. (Compare Col. ii. 
 12, 13; iii, 1—5.) But the living 
 fellowship in a new and heavenly 
 existence between Christ and men, 
 which was then originally and 
 ideally organized, is practically 
 and gradually carried out through 
 the faith of Christ’s members in 
 him, and in proportion to their 
 faith. This takes place ἐν τοῖς 
 αἰῶσιν τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις (ver. 7). 
 
 5, 8. χἀριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι. 
 St. Paul assumes that his readers 
 had already been raised to that 
 fellowship with Christ risen and 
 exalted, to be in which is to be 
 “saved.” This salvation was due 
 to God’s grace, and wrought out 
 by faith. 
 
 καὶ τοῦτο. Additional emphasis 
 is laid upon the Divine origin of 
 salvation. St. Paul was afraid 
 that even salvation by grace 
 through faith might be referred 
 to some primary source in human 
 
 D2 
 
ΙΟ 
 
 36 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 (II. 10—12. 
 
 ’ a , > , / > an? a 
 αὐτοῦ yap ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθεντες Ev Χριστῷ Inaov 
 
 ͵ > cal - 7ὔ ε \ a > 
 ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς ἵνα εν 
 
 > a / 
 QUTOLS TEPLTTATHO OED. 
 
 \ / “ \ δ vad A 20 > , 
 Διὸ μνημονεύετε OTL ποτε ὑμεῖς TA EOVN EV σαρκί, 
 € / > 7 € \ a , 
 ot λεγόμενοι ἀακροβυστία ὑπὸ τῆς λεγομενῆς περι- 
 a / ad 9 co “ 
 τομῆς ἐν σαρκὶ χειροποιήτου, OTL TE τῷ καιρῷ 
 > / ον cae > / “~ / 
 ἐκείνῳ χωρὶς Χριστου απηλλοτριωμεένοι τῆς πολιτείας 
 
 nature; so he adds, “ And that 
 not of, or from, yourselves,—the 
 gift is God’s,—not of works,” that 
 is, not. primarily from any human 
 devices. 
 
 10. ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς. 
 though ποὺ ἐξ ἔργων, yet ἐπὶ 
 
 
 
 ép youc,— an unusual but significant 
 use of ἐπί followed by a dative. 
 It implies a certain basis or con- 
 dition. We are created in Christ 
 Jesus upon a certain hypothesis, 
 as it were, or plan, of good works 
 to be done by us. Does this act 
 of creation~belong to the com- 
 mencement of our natural exist- 
 ence, or to that of our Christian 
 life ?—Not exactly to either, but 
 to the Divine mind or purpose, 
 in the fiat of which each kind 
 of existence originates. 
 iv. 24; Col. iii. 10. 
 
 11. For the subject of this 
 paragraph, see the Introduction, 
 p. 23. 
 
 12. In reminding the Gentiles 
 of what they had formerly been, 
 the Apostle intends to contrast 
 their condition, point by point, 
 with that of the Jews. Each 
 negative statement as to the Gen- 
 
 Compare 
 
 eg 
 
 tiles implies a corresponding privi- 
 lege which had belonged to the 
 Jews. Thus the Jews had had 
 their national existence associated 
 with that of a Messiah; they had 
 been constituted into a Common- 
 wealth founded upon covenants of 
 promise ; they had had a distinct 
 hope held out before them; a God 
 had revealed himself to them in 
 their world. In all these respects 
 the Gentiles had been formerly at 
 a disadvantage compared with the 
 Jews. They had been χωρὶς 
 Xptcrov,—not, unvisited by the 
 Light which enlightens every 
 man, but without a Christ, un- 
 associated with the Messiah of 
 whom the Jewish prophets bore 
 witness. Whatever advantages 
 of unity and life the Jews had 
 possessed in their Divinely-organ- 
 ized Commonwealth and in the 
 covenanted Promise on which they 
 depended, were wanting to the 
 Gentiles. ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες καὶ 
 ἄθεοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, “not having 
 a Hope (as the Jews had), and 
 without a God (revealed like Je- 
 hovah) in the world.” The world 
 had indeed been full of gods (gods 
 
13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 Il. 13—15.] EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS, 37 
 aA \ / “ lal a 
 
 tov Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ξένοι τῶν διαθηκῶν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, 
 
 > AG at 5 > a 
 
 ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες καὶ ἄθεοι ἐν τῷ KOT HO" δὲ 
 
 > “ ἴω o δ ϑ 
 
 ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ ὑμεῖς οἵ ποτε ὄντες μακρὰν ἐγγὺς 
 
 » / > “-“ “ o a 
 ἐγενήθητε ev τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 
 
 \ 
 VUVL 
 
 ae, | / 
 auTos yap 
 > ε > , ε “ ε / \ > , ἃ ἈΝ 
 iad ἢ. εἰρηνὴ bea, Oo ποιησᾶς τὰ ἀμφότερα εν και 
 τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τὴν ἔχθραν, ἐν 
 τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ τὸν “νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν 
 καταργήσας, ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαυτῷ εἰς ἕνα 
 
 many and lords many, in heaven 
 and in earth) to the Gentile. But 
 the Apostle could not take these 
 into account by the side of Je- 
 hovah the God of his fathers ; 
 and, such as they were, they had 
 almost disappeared in that age. 
 
 ‘‘The intelligible forms of 
 
 poets, . 
 
 The fair humanities of old religion, 
 
 The Power, the Beauty, and the 
 Majesty, 
 
 That had their haunts in dale, or 
 piny mountain, 
 
 Or forest by slow stream, or pebbly 
 spring, 
 
 Or chasms, and watery depths; all 
 these ad vanished.” 
 
 ancient 
 
 The world was not the world of a 
 Living God to the Gentile races. 
 
 13. Νυνὶ δέ. But now this is 
 all changed. The separation has 
 given place to union in the same 
 privileges infinitely enhanced. 
 
 ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ. The 
 blood, the flesh, the sacrifice, the 
 person, of Christ, are become the 
 means of uniting together the 
 divided parts of humanity, be- 
 cause in him humanity as a whole 
 is reconciled and united to God. 
 
 14. τὸ μεσύτοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ, 
 
 “the dividing-wall or fence of the 
 enclosure,” within which the Jews 
 were kept apart from the Gentiles. 
 
 14,15. τὴν ἔχθραν. The comma 
 afteré yOparis betteromitted. In ac- 
 cordance with the general thought 
 of this passage, “the enmity” like 
 the “peace” is twofold, between 
 man aud God, and between Jews 
 and Gentiles. And the enmity is 
 represented by the Law, “ the law 
 of commandments in decrees.” 
 Similarly in Col. ii, 14, “ the 
 handwriting in decrees” is said 
 to have been ‘adverse to us ;” 
 τὸ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον τοῖς δόγ- 
 μασιν ὃ ἦν ὑπενάντιον ἡμῖν. The 
 Jewish Law was only an example 
 of the general principle of Law, 
 of which it is the nature, accord- 
 ing to St. Paul, to enjoin with 
 absolute authority all that is right, 
 without giving to the weak and 
 perverse will any power to do it. 
 The effect of Law therefore, as 
 embodied in δόγματα or decrees, 
 was to condemn, and so to drive 
 away from God. Both Jews and 
 Gentiles were subject to this in- 
 fluence of Law, and being thereby 
 
16 
 
 20 
 
 38 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [II. 16—21. 
 
 Ν + “ 9 , \ 3 / 
 καινὸν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην, Kal ἀποκαταλλαάξῃ 
 \ 5 , > Coy , a rs A o 
 τοὺς ἀμφοτερους ev evi σώματι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ 
 lal > / \ 37 > > a \ 5 A 
 σταυροῦ, ἀποκτείνας THY ExXOpay Ev αὐτῷ. Kal. ἐλθὼν 
 > 7 ’ (Sits A A ἣν [4 
 εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην υμῖν τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ εἰρηνὴν 
 a > , σ > > i ΒΥ \ x 
 τοῖς ἐγγὺς, ort δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐχομεν THY προσαγωγὴν οἱ 
 > > ε ἥ \ \ U 37 
 ἀμφότεροι ev evi πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατερα. ᾿Αρα 
 3 tet 3 \ , Ν / > 5. Ὁ" Ἁ 
 οὖν οὐκέτι ἐστὲ ἕένοι καὶ πάροικοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐστε συμπο- 
 nr a Cres A a a 3 
 λῖται τῶν αγίων καὶ οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐποικοδομη- 
 , ett o , la > / Q a 
 Oevres ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, 
 5, > 7 » “ “3 lal > - 5 
 Ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Χριστοῦ ἴησοῦυ, ev ᾧ πᾶσα 
 
 separated from God were also ne- 
 cessarily kept from peace amongst 
 themselves ; whilst the Jewish 
 Law was further a symbol and 
 agent of separation between Jews 
 and Gentiles. For the Law, as 
 seen in decrees only, Jesus Christ 
 substituted himself, dying a sacri- 
 fice to God for men, and thus 
 established a bond of love and 
 life between the Father and the 
 hearts of men. 
 
 17. ἐλθὼν εὐηγγελίσατο. The 
 coming and the proclaiming of 
 glad tidings might be taken as 
 referring in general to the whole 
 advent of the Son of God in the 
 flesh. But the Apostles were ac- 
 customed to speak of their Lord 
 as having “come” on the Day of 
 Pentecost and as preaching glad 
 tidings and peace by the mouth 
 of his ambassadors. ‘“‘ Unto you 
 first God, having raised up his 
 Son Jesus, sent him to bless you” 
 (Acts iii, 26). “I will not leave 
 you comfortless; I will come to 
 
 you. Yet a little while, and the 
 world seeth me no more; but ye 
 see me” (St. John xiv. 18, 19). 
 
 19. What the Gentiles are now, 
 in contrast with what they were 
 (verse 12). 
 
 οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ, “ members of 
 God’s household.” Compare rove 
 οἰκείους τῆς πίστεως, Gal. vi. 10. 
 God’s house is large enough for 
 many inmates; Christ has pre- 
 pared places in it for all believers 
 (St. John xiv. 2, 3). 
 
 20. ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστό- 
 The apostles 
 and prophets are the foundation 
 of the Church, as being the first 
 stones laid upon the common 
 foundation of all, and as drawing 
 by their testimony other believers 
 who were laid as stones upon 
 them. St. Peter was the first 
 stone, (Πέτρος, Κηφᾶς,) through his 
 first confession of Jesus as the 
 Son of the Living God. Compare 
 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5; Rev. xxi. 14. The 
 prophets are not those of the Old 
 
 λων καὶ προφητῶν. 
 
22 
 
 ΠῚ 1 
 
 11.29;111.1--4.1 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 39 
 
 > \ / 3) ey ‘ σ > 
 οἰκοδομὴ συναρμολογουμεένη αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον ἐν 
 / e VW Of lad Pa pat) 
 κυρίῳ, EV ᾧ καὶ υμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον 
 ἴω a Ἐ] / 
 του θεοῦ ev πνευματι. 
 / / > \ a « “ val 
 Τούτου χάριν eyo Ilavdos ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ 
 > o ε \ «ε o a > “ > 7 \ 
 Ijyoov ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τῶν εθνῶν εἴ ye ἠκούσατε τὴν 
 ; a ͵ a ΓΒΕ - 
 οἰκονομίαν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι εἰς 
 (ss σ \ > / > / \ / 
 ὑμᾶς, OTL κατὰ amoKahuWw ἐγνωρίσθη μοι TO μυστή- 
 \ / > > 7] \ a / 
 ριον, καθως προέγραψα ev ὀλίγῳ, πρὸς ὃ δύνασθε 
 
 Covenant, but the teachers asso- 
 ciated with the Apostles of Christ, 
 ΠΕ ΤῊ τι ραν, 115°) Cor, xu. 
 28. 
 
 ἀκρογωνιαίου. 
 iG; ΡῈ; exviil. 
 42. 
 
 See Isa. xxviii. 
 90). Ὁ Matte: ΣΙ: 
 
 aa 5 
 
 UL. 1. Τούτου χάριν. The refer- 
 ence is tothe whole preceding state- 
 meut of the Christian calling and 
 condition, which serves as a reason 
 
 ' for the vows and _ exhortations 
 
 which are now to be poured forth. 
 The sentence is interrupted after 
 verse 1, and resumed at verse 14. 
 
 ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὑπὲρ 
 ὑμῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν. St. Paul che- 
 rished his imprisonment as a mark 
 of honourable service under his 
 Master. His whole life was “on 
 behalf of the Gentiles ;” but the 
 imprisonment was expressly due 
 to his faithfulness in maintaining 
 their right to all the privileges of 
 the Gospel. Compare Acts xxi, 
 XXii. especially xxii. 21, 22. 
 
 2. τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς χάριτος, 
 “the dispensation of the grace.” 
 οἰκονομία is a system of manage- 
 
 ment. The meaning of the phrase 
 here is nearly this: “If you have 
 heard of the grace, which, wader 
 God’s providence, has been given 
 me towards you.” χάρις, a grace 
 or favour, is habitually used by 
 St. Paul to denote his Apostolic 
 vocation. See verses 7, 8; Gal. 
 τι 9: ἘΠ; Rom). 1 4s 
 mai, 3; xv. 19: Cor. τι 10: 
 xv. 10. οἰκονομία is used by 
 itself in Col. 1. 25, κατὰ τὴν οἶκο- 
 νομίαν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν por 
 εἰς ὑμᾶς. 
 
 3. τὸ μυστήριον. The secret re- 
 vealed to him is that stated in 
 verse 6, 
 
 καθὼς προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ. It 
 is generally supposed that the 
 writing here mentioned is to be 
 found in the first chapter of this 
 Epistle (especially in 1, 9—14) ; 
 but may it not refer to a previous 
 letter? The hypothesis of such 
 a letter having been written not 
 long before would help to explain 
 the absence of personal and other 
 special details in this letter. 
 
 4, πρὸς 6, “by reference to 
 which,” namely, what I wrote. 
 
10 
 
 1 
 
 12 
 
 40 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [III. 5—12, 
 
 > / a ‘ ,ὔ 7 3 o 
 ἀναγινώσκοντες νοῆσαι τὴν συνεσίν μου ἐν TH μυσ- 
 7 a a ἃ ε a > 3 7] 
 τηρίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ ετέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη 
 a er oRKR a > Ἢ e a > 7 las 
 τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ws vuv ἀπεκαλυφθὴ τοῖς 
 
 ε > , 9 a x ’ 3 , 
 ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις εν πνεύματι; 
 3 \ a ’ Ν / 
 εἶναι τὰ EOvN συγκληρονομα καὶ σύσσωμα καὶ συμ- 
 / “ > 7 > a > “- \ “-“ 
 μέτοχα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ev Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ dia τοῦ 
 5 » @ > / , \ \ Ἁ 
 εὐαγγελίου, ov ἐγενηθην διάκονος κατὰ τὴν δωρεᾶν 
 a , a lo A ao ’ ἣν \ 
 τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσαν μοι κατὰ τὴν 
 5 a 7 > val > \ A > 
 ἐνεργειαν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ. εμοὶ τῷ ελαχισ- 
 / , δ ἐν» 3 Ul € , 7 > rn 
 TOTEP® πάντων ἀγίων εδοθὴ ἢ χάρις αὑτὴ; εν τοῖς 
 3 > , \ > , δὲ 
 εθνεσιν Sy Pe TO ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος 
 τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ φωτίσαι πάντας τίς ἡ οἰκονομία 
 τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων 
 ἐν τῷ θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι; ἵνα γνωρισθὴ νῦν 
 A 9 a τς a 7, > ἘΞ > 7 
 ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις 
 \ o > 7 ε / / = a 
 dua τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία Tov θεοῦ, 
 A if a , A > 7 > rad 
 κατὰ πρόθεσιν Tov αἰώνων ἣν εποίησεν ev Χριστῷ 
 3 an a , ε lal > @ oy \ 5. δ / 
 Inoov τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ἐν @ ἐχομεν THY παῤῥησίαν 
 
 6. That the Gentiles should be giving it out to men. Compare 
 associated with the Jews in all οἰκονόμους μυστηρίων θεοῦ, 1 Cor. 
 their privileges and expecta- iv. 1. In the latter, “the dispen- 
 tions. 
 
 sation of the mystery” would be 
 the system or Divine economy 
 introduced by the unfolding of 
 God’s hidden purpose. Perhaps 
 this latter sense suits the context 
 best. 
 
 10. ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξου- 
 
 9. φωτίσαι πάντας τίς ἡ οἶκο- 
 νομία τοῦ μυστηρίου. The en- 
 lightening is the same as that 
 spoken of in 2 Cor. iv. 4, 6. εἰς 
 TO μὴ αὐγάσαι τὸν φωτισμὸν τοῦ 
 εὐαγγελίου τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 
 
 πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς 
 δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν προσώπῳ ᾿Ιησυῦ 
 Χριστοῦ. It seems doubtful whether 
 οἰκονομία here is to be taken as in 
 this chapter, verse 2, or as in i. 
 10. In the former case, “the dis- 
 pensation of the mystery” would 
 mean the distribution of it, the 
 
 σίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις, the fre- 
 quent expression in these two 
 Epistles for the powers of the in- 
 visible world. Here no distinction 
 of good or bad is implied; but an 
 intellectual personality is ascribed 
 to them. 
 
 12. τὴν παῤῥησίαν καὶ τὴν προσ- 
 
ΡΟΣ 
 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 
 Β΄ 17 
 
 18 
 
 III. 13—18.] EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 41 
 
 καὶ THY προσαγωγὴν ἐν πεποιθήσει διὰ τῆς πίστεως 
 αὐτοῦ. 
 
 Διὸ αἰτοῦμαι μὴ ἐγκακεῖν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσίν μου 
 ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἥτις ἐστὶν δόξα ὑμῶν. τούτου χάριν 
 κάμπτω τὰ γόνατά μου πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, ἐξ οὗ πᾶσα 
 πατριὰ ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀνομάζεται, ὃ ἵνα δῴη 
 ὑμῖν κατὰ τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ δυνάμει κρα- 
 ταιωθῆναι διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν ἔσω 
 ἄνθρωπον, κατοικῆσαι τὸν Χριστὸν διὰ τῆς πίστεως 
 
 > a 7 « ad > > / Se / \ 
 εν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, Ev ἀγάπῃ ἐῤῥιζωμένοι καὶ 
 
 αγωγήν. Compare li. 18; Heb. 
 m, 19. 
 
 13, Compare the striking words 
 in Col. 1. 24. “Tribulations” were 
 necessary for the building up of the 
 Church. By this use they were 
 made sacred, and might be a source 
 of rejoicing to him who suffered 
 and to them for whom they were 
 endured. 
 
 14. The sentence, interrupted 
 after verse 1, is now taken up 
 and proceeds. The omission of 
 the words τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ 
 Χριστοῦ after τὸν. πατέρα, on un- 
 doubted MS. authority, should 
 be observed. The Vulgate, whilst 
 retaining these words, exhibited 
 the connexion of the next clause 
 with τὸν πατέρα by rendering 
 πᾶσα πατριά omnis paternitas, 
 
 15. πατριά is evidently used 
 with reference to the preceding 
 πατήρ. The Name of the Father, 
 according to Scriptural concep- 
 tions, is real and vital; and to say 
 that every πατριά ts namedafter the 
 
 Father means that the Fatherhood 
 of God is the source and ground 
 of every such association. Every 
 family, every clan (πατριά), has 
 its bond in a common father; and 
 an earthly father is an image and 
 representative of the heavenly. All 
 family unions, all fellowships which 
 acknowledge a πατήρ, are based 
 upon the Name of the one Father. 
 
 It is not obvious why St. Paul 
 introduced here this unfolding of 
 what is contained in the Name of 
 the Father. It is enough to say 
 that it helps to make the whole 
 grand image of the filial fellow- 
 ship of men with God in the Son 
 a more living one. 
 
 16, εἰς τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον. Is this 
 merely “‘in the inner man,” in the 
 inward spiritual nature? or is 10 
 “unto the inner man,” so as to 
 mature the true man, the image 
 of God, the Christ in each man ? 
 In the latter case the “inner man” 
 corresponds with the “ new man” 
 of iv. 24. 
 
19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 42 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [III. 19—21. 
 
 / « 5 A 
 τεθεμελιωμένοι, ἵνα ἐξισχύσητε καταλαβέσθαι σὺν 
 a nan (ry) aN / “ / 
 πᾶσιν τοῖς ἁγίοις τί TO πλάτος Kal μῆκος καὶ βαθος 
 
 ar ὦ “ Z \ Ὁ / a 7 
 καὶ ὑψος, γνωναί τε τὴν ὑπερβαλλουσαν τῆς γνώσεως 
 5 / na Qed a nm \ i 
 ἀγάπην τοῦ Χριστοῦ, iva πληρωθῆτε εἰς πᾶν TO πλη- 
 
 ρωμα τοῦ θεοῦ. 
 a \ / ΓΟ 
 To δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπερ 
 
 / lay ¢ 
 TAVTA ποιῆσαι VUTEPEKTTE- 
 
 a Ὁ 7 A a \ \ / 
 ρισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν δυναμιν 
 
 ‘i > Ui > ἘΠ ae > a 6 ὦ > a 3 
 Τὴν ενεργουμενὴν εν μιν, αὐτῷ ἢ δοξα εν Ti eke 
 
 / > lal > ΄“- 
 κλησίᾳ ev Χριστῷ Inoov 
 
 rn “ / 5 > , 
 αἰῶνος TOV αἰωνων" apn. 
 
 18. ἐξισχύσητε, “may have 
 strength to...” Spiritual force 
 and stability, a root and founda- 
 tion of love, are necessary to 
 enable the weak heart of a man 
 to enter into the infinity of the 
 Divine Love. 
 
 ri τὸ πλάτος, K.T-A., “the breadth, 
 and length, and depth, and height,” 
 —of what? Ifany definite word 
 is understood, it must be Love, 
 the Love of Christ. But it is 
 possible that St. Paul did not 
 intend anything definite to be 
 understood, but referred generally 
 to the Divine nature and purposes. 
 “That you may know what is the 
 breadth, and length, and depth, 
 and height,”—of the Immeasur- 
 able. 
 
 19. “The love of Christ,” ὁ. 6. 
 Christ’s love, which transcends 
 knowledge, which no human 
 knowledge can compass. <A geni- 
 tive after ὑπερβάλλειν, though rare, 
 is not without precedent. 
 
 4 \ \ an 
 εἰς πάσας Tas γενεᾶς τοῦ 
 
 εἰς πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ θεοῦ, 
 “unto (or up to) all God’s fulness ;” 
 that ye may be filled to the perfect 
 fulness,—that which is according 
 to God’s design. 
 
 20. κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν évep- 
 γουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν. It is to be 
 noticed how repeatedly St. Paul 
 connects the most supreme opera- 
 tions of God’s power with his 
 operations zz ws. The power of 
 God is one,—an essentially vital, 
 restorative, and fatherly power. 
 That which wrought in raising 
 Christ up from the dead is the 
 same which works in quickening 
 the humblest soul. 
 
 21. The terms used here to 
 express an indefinite duration 
 may be thus explained. Time 
 was conceived of as a succession 
 of ages, αἰῶνες. An age of ages 
 was a greater cycle comprising 
 many lesser cycles. “ Unto all 
 the generations of the age of 
 ages.” 
 
 
 
Ss A οι 
 
 IV. 1—7.] EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 45 
 
 a 5 ε ΄ > \ 4 ’ » / > sr 
 Παρακαλώ οὖν ὑμᾶς eyo ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ, ἀξίως 
 
 a a - 5 / X / 
 περιπατῆσαι τῆς κλησεως ἧς EKANONTE, μετὰ TATNS 
 
 7 A \ / 
 ταπεινοφροσυνης Kal πραύτητος, μετὰ μακροθυμίας, 
 > , > / > > / £ a 
 ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων ἐν ἀγάπῃ; σπουδάζοντες τηρεῖν 
 \ Cael “ , > “ / ω 
 τὴν εἐνότητα TOV πνεύματος ἐν τῷ συνδεσμῳ τῆς 
 
 ᾽ / ἃ o κἃ ἴω \ ea ’ 
 εἰρηνης. εν σώμα καὶ εν πνεῦμα, καθὼς καὶ ExANOnTE 
 
 > lad > 7 “ ’ « (osager - 7, ͵7 
 εν μιᾷ ελπίδι τῆς κλήσεως ὑμῶν εἷς κύριος, μία 
 / a , K - \ N \ , 
 πίστις, ἐν βαπτισμα᾽ εἷς θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ πάντων, 
 e ie ,ὔ Ὁ Ἁ / ἣν > “ δ ν \ 
 ὁ ἐπὶ TavTwY Kal διὰ TavT@Y καὶ Ev πᾶσιν. ενὶ δε 
 
 ε / ε lal ὃ 50 ε / \ \ / “ 
 ExaoT@ ἡμῶν εδοθὴ ἢ χάρις κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς 
 
 a. eal " 
 
 or wrt A... Ss & 
 
 1a 
 ae τ᾿ 
 
 IV. 
 p. 24. 
 2. ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων, “ en- 
 during at one another’s hands.” 
 
 1. See the Introduction, 
 
 Compare “Ewe πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν: 
 St. Matt. xvi. 17. A 
 
 3. τηρεῖν, “to keep by giving 
 heed to...” ἐν τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς 
 εἰρήνης. ἐν is “within.” Peace 
 is regarded as a bond holding all 
 in harmony together where the 
 unity of the Spirit is heeded. In 
 Col. iii. 14, love is called “the 
 bond of perfectness” in a similar 
 sense. 
 On the whole 
 the ordinary punctuation seems 
 to be the best. “There is one 
 en 
 
 καθὼς καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν μιᾷ ἐλπίδι. 
 The calling was made by means 
 of the holding forth of a hope. 
 This hope was one and the same 
 for all who received the Gospel. 
 It was the hope of filial adoption 
 orsonship. This being the nature 
 of the calling, it was in harmony 
 with it (καθὼς καὶ ἐκλήθητε) that 
 
 4, “Ev σῶμα. 
 
 there should be one body and 
 one spirit for those who were 
 called. 
 
 6. The first πάντων refers to 
 those who are exhorted to unity : 
 “you all have one God and 
 Father.” In the second clause 
 the reference is more general, pro- 
 bably to all things, as well as all 
 persons. 
 
 7. Unity is not incompatible 
 with variety. Each member of 
 the one body has his particular 
 duties and gifts. 
 
 ἡ χάρις. Hardly “ grace,” in the 
 sense of spiritual influence ; but 
 rather “his special grace or privi- 
 lege.” We have seen that St. 
 Paul habitually regarded his own 
 life-work as his χάρις (iii. 7). He 
 might apply the same language to 
 others. ‘‘Each one amongst us 
 has had his grace given him,” has 
 been favoured with his own ap- 
 pointment, has had his office be- 
 stowed upon him. Compare Rom. 
 ΧΙ]. 6, ἔχοντες χαρίσματα κατὰ τὴν 
 χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν διάφορα. 
 
44 EPISTLE TO 
 
 δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 
 
 THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 [IV. 8, 9. 
 
 διὸ λέγει “AvaBas eis ὕψος 
 
 > Us » 7 3, ’ a > 
 ἠχμαλωτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἐδωκεν δόματα τοῖς av- 
 
 θρώποις. 
 8. διὸ λέγει, 5011. ἡ γραφή. “It 
 says,” 1.6. the Scripture. What 
 
 follows is a free quotation of an 
 originally obscure passage, Psalm 
 Ixvili, 18. If we say that St. 
 Paul simply adduced words which 
 struck upon his memory from the 
 sacred books, for the sake of ex- 
 pressing more pointedly what he 
 wanted to teach, and did not 
 necessarily concern himself about 
 the sense of the passage in the 
 original nor about exact accuracy 
 in quotation, we must bear in 
 mind also that St. Paul was not 
 really resting any conclusion upon 
 the dogmatic authority of the pas- 
 sage he quotes. Here, for example, 
 it would be absurd to suppose that 
 he is proving the fact of the Divine 
 distribution of offices and gifts by 
 an appeal to the Hebrew Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 It is singular, however, that he 
 should have altered the passage 
 he quotes so much as he appears 
 to have done. The Psalm speaks 
 of the going up of the ark of 
 Jehovah to the summit of Zion. 
 The second clause of the verse 
 quoted is thus given by the Sep- 
 tuagint, which is said to agree 
 with the Hebrew original: ἔλαβες 
 δόματα ἐν ἀνθρώποις, (or ἐν ἀν- 
 θρώπῳ,) ---Ὑ Β10 1}. is interpreted to 
 mean, “thou hast received gifts 
 
 \ \ > / “τ > \ oe ἈΝ / 
 To δὲ ἀνεβὴ Ti ἐστιν εἰ μὴ OTL καὶ KaTEBN 
 
 in men,’ that is, “thou hast 
 received men as gifts.” This is 
 very different from “thou hast 
 given gifts to men;” and we do 
 not know whether to attribute the 
 variation to a mistake of memory, 
 to extreme freedom in using re- 
 semblances of sound rather than 
 of meaning, or to a feeling that in 
 the change made he is developing 
 the meaning of the original words. 
 This passage reminds us of what 
 St. Peter said (Acts 1. 33), “ Being 
 therefore exalted by the right hand 
 of God and having received from 
 the Father the promise of the 
 Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this 
 which you see and hear.” It is just 
 possible that St. Paul’s thoughts 
 ran thus : “ When he ascended up 
 on high he took a multitude of 
 captives, and received gifts in men, 
 and then gave the gifts (namely, 
 human offices) which he had re- 
 ceived,” and that he omitted, as 
 not necessary for his purpose, the 
 middle part of the sentence. But 
 neither this, nor any other explana- 
 tion which has been suggested, can 
 be said to be satisfactory. 
 
 9. τὸ δὲ ἀνέβη. ‘But when 
 we say that he ascended, what is 
 implied but that he also descended 
 first to the lower parts of the 
 earth?” There is little to enable 
 us to decide whether by “the 
 
Io 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 IV. 10 16] 
 
 x ἐν cad - 
 εἰς τὰ KATWTEPA τῆς γῆς: 
 δ. .9 \ € / / 
 
 ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων 
 \ / 
 τὰ πάντα. 
 A x / \ 
 τοὺς δὲ προῴφητας, τοὺς 
 / a rf 
 ποιμένας καὶ διδασκαλους, 
 
 lower parts of the earth” we are 
 to understand parts below the 
 surface of the earth, or simply 
 the parts of this earth, which are 
 low down in relation to the heaven 
 above. 
 
 Why should St. Paul insist 
 here upon the identification of 
 him who went up with him who 
 came down ?—In order, it would 
 seem, to bring to his readers’ 
 minds the recollection of the his- 
 torical Jesus who had died and 
 been raised again. 
 
 11. καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν. “ And he 
 it is who has given.” Then follow 
 examples of various χάριτες given 
 to members of the one body. We 
 are not to suppose that each of 
 the functions here named had a 
 formal office answering to it in 
 the Christian Church. Compare 
 1 Cor. xii. 28. The title ἀπόστολος 
 itself was not always confined to 
 the Twelve and St. Paul. See 
 2 Cor. viii. 23 ; Phil. ii. 25. 
 
 προφήτας. Expounders, declar- 
 ing the will of God with authority. 
 See especially 1 Cor. xiv. The 
 recognised προφήται were accus- 
 tomed also to deliver predictions. 
 mes ai. 27, 28: xxi. 10, 11. 
 
 εὐαγγελιστάς, persons employed 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 45 
 
 ε \ + a ἢ > ἈΝ 
 
 Ο καταβας avTos εστιν καὶ 
 a 3 al ! / 
 
 τῶν οὐρανῶν, iva πληρώσῃ 
 
 N a 5 \ \ > , 
 Kal αὑτὸς εδωκεν τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, 
 
 \ > 7 \ \ 
 δὲ εὐαγγελιστας, τοὺς δὲ 
 \ \ \ a 
 πρὸς TOV καταρτισμὸν τῶν 
 
 in proclaiming the glad tidings. 
 Philip, one of the Seven, is called 
 (Acts xxi. 8) an evangelist, as if 
 this title described a distinct office ; 
 but, on the other hand, Timothy 
 is charged (2 Tim. iv. 5) to “do 
 the work of an evangelist.” 
 
 The 
 term shepherd implies the func- 
 tions of ruling, almost more than 
 that of supplying spiritual food. 
 Here, the same persons are repre- 
 sented as doing the work both of 
 shepherds and teachers. 
 
 ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους. 
 
 12, πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν 
 ἁγίων, “for the organizing of the 
 saints, unto the work of minister- 
 ing, unto the building of the body 
 of Christ.” The clause εἰς ἔργον 
 διακονίας, without being strictly 
 governed in one sentence by καταρ- 
 τισμόν (with the meaning, “to 
 qualify the saints for the work of 
 ministering”) may be rather de- 
 pendent on, than in apposition 
 with, the preceding clause. The 
 organizing of the Church is the 
 purpose of the functions just 
 described, and the result of this 
 organization is practical activity 
 in ministering, and a building up 
 of the body of Christ. 
 
 τὸν κατ. τῶν ἁγίων might mean 
 
13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 46 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. (IV. 13—15. 
 
 ἁγίων εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος 
 τοῦ Χριστοῦ, μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες εἰς τὴν 
 ἑνότητα τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ 
 θεοῦ, εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πλη- 
 ρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, | ἵνα μηκέτι ὦμεν νήπιοι; κλυδωνι- 
 ζύμενοι καὶ περιφερόμενοι παντὶ ἀνέμῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας 
 ἐν τῇ κυβείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐν πανουργίᾳ πρὸς τὴν 
 
 μεθοδείαν τῆς πλάνης, 
 
 the perfecting of individual cha- 
 racter, but it seems most suitable 
 to the general use of καταρτίζω 
 and to the context to take τῶν 
 ἁγίων as the aggregate of believers, 
 and the work upon them as that of 
 adjusting them in their mutual 
 relations to one another. 
 
 13. “ Until we all (arrive at) 
 attain to the unity of the faith 
 
 and of the knowledge of the Son - 
 
 of God.” 
 
 οἱ πάντες. Observe the article. 
 St. Paul is throughout speaking of 
 the members of the Church as 
 forming a body, and not as indi- 
 viduals. “ Until the whole body 
 arrives at...” 
 
 τὴν ἑνότητα, the unity which 
 depends on believing in and know- 
 ing the Son of God. 
 
 εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον. ‘ Unto a full- 
 grown Man.” ‘The Man is the 
 body of believers. 
 
 εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας. The image 
 is carried on. “ Unto the measure 
 of growth of the fulness of Christ.” 
 ἡλικία is age, or time of life ; and 
 by an easy transition it represents 
 a stage of growth or maturity. 
 
 ἀληθεύοντες 
 
 δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ 
 
 “The fulness of Christ” stands 
 for the perfection of Humanity, 
 the stage when Christ is com- 
 plete in his body and all its 
 members. 
 
 14, Placing a comma after za- 
 voupyia, and none after διδασκαλίας 
 or ἀνθρώπων, we may translate, 
 “carried about by every wind of 
 teaching in the craft of men in 
 knavery ;”—the changes of teach- 
 ing having the craft of men for 
 their element, and that craft 
 having knavery for tts element. 
 
 πρὸς τὴν μεθοδείαν τῆς πλάνης, 
 “to the following out of error.” 
 This seems to be the meaning of 
 the rare word μεθοδεέία. μεθοδεύω 
 s “to pursue, to track, to treat 
 a subject by rule or method ;” 
 and so comes to mean “to pur- 
 sue by craft, to outwit:” but 
 this latter sense hardly suits the 
 present passage. St. Paul refers 
 to the effect of such teaching as 
 he describes, in methodical and 
 systematic false doctrine. 
 
 15. ἀληθεύοντες, not speaking 
 the truth, merely, but “ observing, 
 
 or being loyal to, truth,” in con- 
 
16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 IV. 16---18.] EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 47 
 
 > , > sy \ , σ > ε ’, 
 αὐξησωμεν εἰς αὑτὸν τὰ πάντα, ὃς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, 
 / > e a \ a / 
 
 Ἄριστος, ἐξ ov πᾶν τὸ σώμα ted ae 
 καὶ συμβιβαζόμενον διὰ πάσης ans τῆς ἐπιχορηγίας 
 κατ᾽ ἐνέργειαν ἐν μέτρῳ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου μέρους τὴν 
 a 
 αὔξησιν τοῦ σώματος ποιεῖται εἰς οἰκοδομὴν ἑαυτοῦ 
 » > / 
 εν aya. 
 
 th “ 3 Wee st ’ > 7ὔ / 
 
 oUvTO οὖν λέγω καὶ μαρτύρομαι EV κυρίῳ, μηκετι 
 
 δι᾿. δι a \ Ν \ ἡ ΕΣ . ad 
 ὑμᾶς περιπατεῖν καθως καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ eOvyn περιπατεῖ 
 5 / a % > “ > 7 σ΄ 7 
 εν ματαιότητι του VOOS αὐτῶν, εσκοτίσμεένοι τῇ διανοίᾳ 
 3 > , “ ἮΝ n A \ \ 
 ὄντες, ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ θεοῦ, διὰ THY 
 
 trast with the indifference to truth 
 just described. 
 
 ἐν ἀγάπῃ may be said to belong 
 to both ἀληθεύοντες ἃπα αὐξήσωμεν, 
 rather than to either exclusively: 
 “but being loyal to truth may in 
 love grow up...” 
 
 i6. See the translation. The 
 terms in this description of the 
 growth of the body are crowded 
 together, as is not uncommon in 
 St. Paul, and in the end the sen- 
 tence states that “the body... 
 effects the growth of the body.” 
 But the sense of the passage is 
 plain enough. The aim of the 
 Apostle is to express the vital 
 action of every part in its place, 
 and at the same time the depend- 
 ence of all the parts on the head. 
 
 ἐξ ov, from whom, depending on 
 whom. διὰ πάσης done τῆς ἐπι- 
 χορηγίας. 
 
 There is some doubt as to the 
 meaning of the word ἐπιχορηγία 
 in this clause. We cannot render, 
 as in E. V., “the supply of every 
 joint.” We must keep the order 
 
 of the words and read, “‘ by means 
 of every joint (or ligature) of the 
 supply ;” nearly equivalent to 
 “every joining supplied,” “the 
 supply ” being the whole amount 
 or material supplied. The agai 
 of the body of Christ are the 
 relations of the members one to 
 another. 
 
 as well as ἐν 
 μέτρῳ, goes with ἑνὸς ἑκάστου 
 μέρους. 
 
 18, τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ θεοῦ. St. Paul 
 has spoken before in this Epistle, 
 as elsewhere, of that quickening 
 power with which God raises and 
 renews the soul. Compare, in the 
 way of contrast, 1. 18—ii. 5 ; the 
 enlightenment and knowledge 
 there spoken of with the dark- 
 ness and ignorance here ; the life, 
 shared with Christ, with the es- 
 trangement from that life. 
 
 With this description of the 
 state of the Gentile world, com- 
 pare that in Romans i. 21 to the 
 end. The elements of the descrip- 
 tion, and many of the terms, are 
 
 3 3 
 κατ΄ ἐνέργειαν, 
 
19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 24 
 
 48 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [IV. 19—24. 
 
 5, \ 4 > > ae \ A ‘ a 
 ἄγνοιαν τὴν οὖσαν ἐν αὐτοῖς, διὰ THY πώρωσιν τῆς 
 7 » ral a > / ε A ὔ 
 καρδίας αὐτῶν, οἵτινες ἀπηλγήῆκοτες εαυτοὺς παρεδωκαν 
 
 a > > / > ᾽ὔ / “) 
 τῇ ἀσελγείᾳ εἰς ἐργασίαν ἀκαθαρσίας πάσης εν πλεο- 
 ξί - a de > 7 > 0 MN % £ 
 νεξίᾳ. ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐχ οὕτως ἐμάθετε τὸν Χριστὸν, 
 3} 3. “Δ > / Ἂν 8, se > , 7 
 εἴ γε αὐτὸν ἠκούσατε καὶ εν αὐτῷ εδιδαχθητε καθὼς 
 > > / > ce > a > / : c a \ 
 ἐστιν ἀληθεια ev τῷ Inoov, ἀποθεσθὰι ὑμᾶς Kara 
 \ / > \ \ \ 3 \ 
 THY προτέραν ἀναστροφὴν τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον Tov 
 / \ \ > / cae > / > 
 
 φθειρόμενον κατὰ Tas ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης, avave- 
 r A a i a \ ε “ 3 ’ 
 οὔσθαι δὲ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ νοὺς ὑμῶν καὶ ἐνδύσασθαι 
 
 the same in both passages. The the subject or element of know- 
 
 emptiness, the darkness, the igno- 
 rance, the callousness, the un- 
 governed sensuality, which cha- 
 ‘acterised the Gentile mind, are 
 (ἢ both places set forth. 
 
 20. οὐχ οὕτως, “not so,” not 
 that you should be or remain in 
 such a state. 
 
 ἐμάθετε τὸν Χριστόν. Christ 
 himself was the object of learning 
 and study to the believers ; his 
 nature, his character, his work 
 and power, the purpose of God 
 manifested in him. Compare He- 
 brews iit. 1. κατανοήσατε τὸν ἀπό- 
 στολον kal ἀρχιερέα τῆς ὁμολογίας 
 ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦν. 
 
 21. εἴ γε αὐτὸν ἠκούσατε, “ if 
 you have heard him,” his voice 
 
 ‘calling you, 
 
 ἐν αὐτῷ, certainly not “ by him” 
 as in E. V., but “in him,” either 
 with the usual sense of ἐν κυρίῳ 
 or ἐν Χριστῷ, when this expression 
 is used to denote the whole state 
 or conditions of being of the 
 Christian,—or with the more 
 special meaning, that Christ is 
 
 ledge. This latter meaning appears 
 the most suitable to the passage, 
 especially when we take into con- 
 sideration the words immediately 
 following. 
 
 καθώς ἐστιν ἀλήθεια ἐν τῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ, 
 ‘as truth is, or as there is truth, 
 in Jesus.” Truth is the matter of 
 the teaching. “ If you have learnt 
 that truth which is to be found in 
 Jesus.” Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, Εγώ 
 εἶμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια. (St. John 
 xiv. 6.) 
 
 22. ἀποθέσθαι, “namely, that 
 you should put off...” This 
 was the purport of what they had 
 been taught. 
 
 τὸν φθειρόμενον. Observe the 
 tense. ‘‘Which is being cor- 
 rupted, or brought to destruction.” 
 κατὰ τὰς ἐπ-, “ according to,” under 
 the influence of .. . τὰς ἐπιθυμίας 
 τῆς ἀπάτης, the lusts which are 
 the instruments or servants of 
 deceit. 
 
 24. The “new man” is the 
 ideal existing in God’s mind. As 
 such, it is already “created.” 
 
29 
 
 IV. 25—30.] EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 49 
 
 \ \ 37 A \ \ / > 
 Tov καινὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν κατὰ θεὸν κτισθενταὰ ev 
 / € / a 3 7 
 δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ὁσιότητι τῆς ἀληθείας. 
 ἣν Ὁ / \ “ a rh “ 
 Διὸ ἀποθεμενοι τὸ ψεῦδος λαλεῖτε αλήθειαν ἐκαστος 
 \ a 7 > a “ » \ > / / 
 μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον avTOV, OTL ἐσμεν aAANAwWY μελη. 
 > ’ \ \ s / = ¢ “ \ > / 
 ὀργίζεσθε Kal μὴ ἁμαρτανετε ὁ ἥλιος μὴ επιδυέτω 
 LGA a ; ἴω c a \ / / 5 
 re ταροργισμῷ ὑμῶν, μηδε δίδοτε τόπον τῷ 
 Ε / “ \ 
 διαβόλῳ. ὁ κλέπτων pnKETL κλεπτέτω, μᾶλλον δὲ 
 / > / \ > \ a / e 3 
 κοπιάτω ἐργαζόμενος τὸ ἀγαθὸν ταῖς χερσὶν; ἵνα ᾿ἐχῃ 
 a , ϑ3) “ » 
 μεταδιδόναι τῷ χρείαν ἐχοντι. πᾶς λογος σαπρος εκ 
 “ / € a \ 3 / > > 7 
 τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν μὴ εκπορευεσθω, αλλ εἰ τις 
 > \ x ’ A o 7 ec a / r 
 ἀγαθὸς προς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς χρείας, ἵνα δῷ χάριν τοῖς 
 > 5 \ lad ο lal 
 ἀκούουσιν. Kal μὴ λυπεῖτε TO πνεῦμα TO ἀγίον τοῦ 
 θ ΄σ > Ὁ » 7 6 > € / > Χ / 
 cov, Ev ᾧ εσφραγίσθητε εἰς ἡμέραν ἀπολυτρώσεως. 
 
 κατὰ θεόν is not. quite “in ‘the 
 likeness of God.” It means “in 
 accordance with God’s will and 
 nature.” ‘The righteousness and 
 holiness of truth” answer to “the 
 lusts of deceit.” Truth is repre- 
 sented as a power presiding over 
 righteousness and holiness. 
 
 26. ὀργίζεσθε καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε. 
 Quoted from Ps. iv. ὅ (or 4) Sept. 
 Anger or resentment is not neces- 
 sarily and intrinsically evil, but it 
 ought not to be cherished, so as 
 to become enmity. “If you are 
 made angry by anything, let not 
 your irritation last over the day.” 
 
 27. τῷ διαβόλῳ. Διάβολος = 
 ὃς διαβάλλει, the evil spirit which 
 sets man against man and man 
 against God. Luther's Version 
 has “dem Liasterer,” ‘‘to the 
 slanderer,” probably meaning the 
 human slanderer. In translating 
 
 διάβολος by “ the devil,” the moral 
 significance of the term ought 
 never to be lost sight of, as it is 
 never neglected when the word is 
 used in the New Testament. In 
 the present case St. Paul implies 
 that the cherishing of anger would 
 be giving room for the spirit of 
 misunderstanding and enmity to 
 come in. 
 
 29. σαπρός, literally ‘‘ decayed 
 or rotten.” πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς 
 χρείας, “for edification suggested 
 by the need, or the occasion.” 
 
 iva δῷ χάριν. After δῷ, χάρις 
 can hardly be taken in the general 
 sense of Grace. ‘“‘That it may 
 give a grace,” or impart a benefit. 
 
 30. Corrupting communications 
 are an especial outrage upon the 
 Spirit which makes the Church 
 holy. 
 
 ἐν ᾧ ἐσφραγίσθητε. See the note 
 
 " 
 
Vi 
 
 Nv 
 
 50 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [IV.31,32. V.1—5. 
 2, / ON Ate \ > A \ \ ‘ 
 πάσα πικρία καὶ θυμος Kal opyn Kal κραυγὴ Kal 
 ͵΄ » / 3) gee \ U / / : 
 βλασφημία ἀρθήτω ab ὑμῶν σὺν πάσῃ κακίᾳ. γίνεσθε 
 AY > » / 7 57 f 
 δὲ εἰς ἀλλήλους χρηστοί, εὔσπλαγχνοι, χαριζόμενοι 
 «ε a \ a. ae \ > n°? con 
 εαυτοῖς καθως καὶ ὁ Geos ev Χριστῷ ἐχαρίσατο ὑμῖν. 
 , > a a ε / > / 
 Γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ws τέκνα ayamyta, 
 ‘ a > > / \ ε \ 
 καὶ περιπατεῖτε εν ἀγάπῃ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστος 
 > ‘ ca / € \ Lea, € - 
 ηγάπησεν ὑμᾶς καὶ παρέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν 
 προσφορὰν καὶ θυσί Ὁ θεῷ εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδί 
 pecpapan Ke σὐᾷν TONED Εἰ OG igH εὐθο τ α ι 
 Ν , ga 3 / 
 ΠΟορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα ἢ πλεονεξία μηδὲ 
 > / 3 ἘΠ ex \ / ἘΠ / 
 ovomacerOw ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις, καὶ aicypo- 
 / Ἂ > \ > 2 ΝῊ 
 της καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία, τὰ οὐκ ἀνήκοντα, 
 5 \ a 3 7 ἴω \ 5, / 
 ἄλλα μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία. τοῦτο ‘yap ἴστε γινω- 
 
 on i. 19, and compare again 2 Cor. 
 1. 22, “who has also sealed us 
 and given us the earnest of the 
 Spirit in our hearts.” 
 
 32. St. Paul urges the Gospel 
 doctrine, that God’s forgiveness, 
 if truly received, must work in us 
 forgiveness towards our brother. 
 
 V. 1. &c rékva. It is the na- 
 ture of a child to imitate his 
 father. 
 
 2. παρέξωκεν, ‘“ gave himself 
 up,” not exactly in the sense of 
 ‘‘ presenting,” but rather of “ sur- 
 rendering.” The idea of presen- 
 tation to God is contained in the 
 following words προσφορὰν καὶ 
 θυσίαν τῷ θεῷ. Of these terms 
 it may be said that, although they 
 are frequently used as synonymous, 
 θυσία is a more special term than 
 προσφορά and denotes a sacrifice 
 slain and burnt on the altar. It 
 
 was an ancient and wide-spread 
 piece of symbolism, to regard the 
 smoke of the burning victim as 
 sweet to the nostrils of the divinity 
 to whom it was offered (Gen. viii. 
 21, &c.). Here the selfsurrender 
 of the Son of God is represented 
 as most pleasing to the Father, in 
 accordance with whose will it 
 was made. In Philip. iv. 18, the 
 Apostle calls the gift sent him 
 from Philippi, ὀσμὴ" εὐωδίας, θυ- 
 σίαν δεκτήν, εὐάρεστον τῷ θεῷ, 
 where the sweet smell appears to 
 refer, in part at least, to him- 
 self. 
 
 5, τοῦτο γὰρ ἴστε γινώσκοντες. 
 It is not easy to explain why this 
 peculiar form of expression should 
 have been used here. ‘ This you 
 are aware of, knowing it,” or “ This 
 you know and are aware of.” The 
 reading of the received text, ἐστέ, 
 would not be easier. 
 
V. 6-:67 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 51 
 
 “ “ / Ἂ 3 / Ἃ / 
 
 TKOVTES OTL πᾶς πόρνος ἢ ἀκάθαρτος ἢ mMAEOvEKTNS, 
 “ > > / 5 ΕΝ / > a 
 ὃς ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης, οὐκ EXEL κληρονομίαν ἐν TH 
 if iC fal \ r 
 βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ. 
 a : / \ a \ 327 ς > \ ca 
 κενοῖς λογοις᾽ διὰ ταῦτα yap EpyeTar ἢ ὀργὴ τοῦ 
 
 ὃ Ν ε “ » / 
 μηδεὶς υμας ἁπατάτω 
 
 ὌΠ κι \ ma ° > / 
 Geov emi τοὺς viovs τῆς απειθείας. 
 a / / “ \ 
 NTE yap ποτε σκότος, νῦν δὲ 
 
 , > a 
 συμμέτοχοι AUTOV. 
 
 πλεονέκτης: ὃς ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης. 
 So in Col. iii, ὅ, Compare Job 
 xxxi. 24, “If I have made gold 
 my hope, or have said to the fine 
 vold, Thou art my confidence... ;” 
 © Tim. vi. 17. 
 
 6. κενοῖς Adyouc,—as if God were 
 not caring for men’s sins, or as if 
 these sins were necessary elements 
 in human life. God is really an- 
 vry on account of them ; and the 
 calamities of the world, both or- 
 dinary and extraordinary, are his 
 judgments to punish men for 
 them. 
 
 8—14. This should be studied 
 as a great passage concerning 
 Light, in its spiritual sense. It 
 is vigorously conceived and ex- 
 pressed, like one of the thoughts 
 which has been most thoroughly 
 matured in St. Paul’s mind. 
 
 “You were once darkness,”— 
 not merely darkened, as above, or 
 in darkness. Similarly he says, 
 in 2 Cor. v. 21, that God has 
 made Christ siz, that we might 
 be made righteousness, St. Paul 
 means to express more by such 
 language than the ordinary mode 
 of speaking could have conveyed. 
 Yet it is not a superlative degree 
 
 \ 5 / 
 μὴ οὖν γίνεσθε 
 
 of moral darkness or enlighten- 
 ment which he seeks to describe. 
 As it is so often necessary to 
 remind ourselves, St. Paul is not 
 thinking of the stage to which 
 the individual character had fallen 
 or risen, but of the condition to 
 which the individual character 
 was subject and obedient. That 
 condition was, in the old case, 
 Darkness ; in the new case, Light. 
 And in his present affirmations, 
 St. Paul is expressing his sense of 
 the law by which the condition,— 
 the Light or the Darkness,— 
 appropriates and assimilates the 
 souls subject to it. Souls subject 
 to the darkness become a part of 
 the darkness: souls subject to the 
 Light become a part of the Light. 
 
 There is therefore here a special 
 significance in the phrase “ chil- 
 dren of light.” You are adopted 
 into Light; your new nature is 
 the nature of Light; therefore 
 walk as beings born anew in that 
 nature. And the exhortation to 
 “walk as children of light” is 
 manifestly more in place after the 
 expression of such an idea as that 
 of the dominating and absorbing 
 power of light, than if St. Paul 
 
 EZ 
 
52, EPISTLE TO 
 
 THE 
 
 EPHESIANS. [V. 9s 
 
 a > 3 e / \ rn - ε A 
 φῶς ev κυρίῳ ws τέκνα ῴωτος περιπατεῖτε, ὁ yap 
 
 \ a \ > / > f \ / 
 καρπὸς Tov φωτὸς εν πάσῃ ἀγαθωσύνῃ καὶ δικαιοσυνῃ 
 
 καὶ ἀληθεί, δοκι ἄζοντε ee 0 5 
 ηθείᾳ, κιμ ς τί ἐστιν εὐάρεστον τῷ 
 
 / Ἂς \ ΄- a 3 an 5 
 κυριῳ, και μὴ συγκοινώνειτε τοις epyols τοις ακαρήτοις 
 
 a , “ \ > / 
 2 τοῦ σκότους, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ελέγχετε. 
 
 τὰ γὰρ κρυφὴ 
 
 / (Boat > a 9 / > ἂν / A \ \ 
 YLVOMEVa υἵ αὐτῶν alo KX Pov EOTLY και Aeyelv Ta δε 
 
 / 3 , Ὁ x a A a nan 
 TAVTQA ἐλεγχόμενα U7TO TOU φωτὸς φανερουται" παν 
 
 had said, ‘ You are all extremely 
 enlightened persons.” It would 
 not have been inconsistent for 
 him to say, “ You are light in the 
 Lord: why will you still love 
 darkness and walk in it ?” 
 
 9. “The fruit of the light.” The 
 substitution of “the Spirit” for 
 “licht ” is one of the most lament- 
 able errors in our Received Ver- 
 sion. It grievously spoils this 
 noble passage. 
 
 10. The “ proof” intended is 
 that of trial and experience. The 
 idea here expressed was a favourite 
 one with St. Paul. Compare Rom. 
 xii. 2, “‘that you may prove what 
 is the will of God ;” Phil. i. 10; 
 1 Thess. v. 21, 22. The children 
 of light are not supplied with a 
 complete literal directory of con- 
 duct, either in the Scriptures or 
 in any other form. They must 
 act in obedience to principle and 
 according to their light, and so 
 they will jind out, by means of 
 mistakes as well as of success, 
 what God’s will is. 
 
 11. The works of light are fruit: 
 the works of darkness are barren. 
 Compare Rom. vi. 21, 22, “ What 
 
 fruit had you then...? but now 
 you have your fruit unto holiness.” 
 
 μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐλέγχετε. “ But 
 rather even (καί) convict them.” 
 Be not content with not having 
 fellowship with them: so bring 
 your light to bear upon them 
 as to expose and convict them. 
 Reproof, spoken reproof, might 
 come in as ὦ part of this work 
 of convicting: but the whole 
 effect of a life of light upon deeds 
 of darkness seems to be in the 
 Apostle’s mind, The idea agrees 
 exactly with that of St. John i. 
 20, 21, ‘‘ Every one that doeth 
 evil hateth the light, and cometh 
 not to the light, lest his deeds 
 should be reproved (ἐλεγχθῇ): but 
 he that doeth truth cometh to 
 the light, that his deeds may be 
 made manifest, that they are 
 wrought in God.” 
 
 13. It isa grammatical error in 
 the Received Version to translate 
 ἐλεγχόμενα as if it were τὰ ἐλεγ- 
 xopeva. But it makes little dif 
 ference in the sense. ὑπὸ τοῦ 
 φωτός probably goes with φανεροῦ- 
 ται, and the common derivation of 
 φῶς and φανερός (pa-) is evidently 
 
14 
 
 15 
 16 
 
 V. 14—16.] 
 
 γὰρ τὸ φανερούμενον φώς ἐστίν. 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 ey 
 
 διὸ λέγει Ἔγειρε 
 
 0 καθεύδων καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει 
 
 σοι ὃ Χριστός. 
 
 Br / 3 “ ἀκ β lal a \ e 5 
 
 ἐπετε OVY πως ἀκριβως περιπατεῖτε, μὴ ὡς ἀσοῷῴοι 
 > > € , > , \ / σ « 
 ἀλλ᾽ ὡς σοφοί, ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρόν, ὅτι αἱ 
 
 brought into view. “But all 
 deeds, when convicted, are made 
 manifest by light; for all that is 
 made manifest is light.” It can- 
 not be doubted that φαγερούμενον 
 is passive. As regards the sense 
 of this verse, we must remember 
 the first words of the passage, 
 * You are now light in the Lord.” 
 It is physically true that whatever 
 is brought out into a blaze of 
 light becomes itself by reflection 
 a source of light. And, in the 
 sphere of moral or spiritual action, 
 there is a remarkable affinity be- 
 tween the openness of broad day- 
 light and purity or innocence. 
 Dark deeds are done in secret 
 (κρυφῆ) : drag them into the light, 
 and they cannot stand it. Thus a 
 debased soul brought into open 
 daylight, and not rushing from it, 
 is naturally purified ; that which 
 was darkness, whilst in the dark, 
 becomes light in the daylight. 
 There is something of this feel- 
 ing expressed in two sayings of 
 Luther’s: “1 have often need, in 
 my tribulations, to talk even with 
 a child, in order to expel such 
 thoughts as the devil possesses me 
 with.” “When I assailed 
 with heavy tribulations, I rush 
 
 ain 
 
 out among my pigs, rather than 
 remain alone by myself.” 
 is one of the influences by which 
 the light conquers a soul from 
 darkness, 
 
 14. A good example of the 
 freedom with which St. Paul 
 quotes from the Old Testament. 
 His manner is entirely alien from 
 that of one who is adducing a 
 dogmatic proof: he is borrowing 
 illustrative expressions, and has 
 no sense of being debarred from 
 modifying them to suit his pur- 
 pose. The nearest words to these 
 in St. Paul, introduced by “ where- 
 fore it says,” 1.6. the Scripture, 
 are to be found in Isa. lx. 1, 2 
 His thought is that of the change 
 from darkness to light,—a change 
 produced by the opening of the 
 eyes to the light shining in the 
 face of Jesus Christ, he upon 
 whom that light shines being 
 thereby illuminated, and himself 
 turned into light. 
 
 15. Literally, ‘“‘ Look therefore 
 how you walk exactly, or accu- 
 rately.” 
 
 10, ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρόν, 
 “buying up opportunity, or the 
 right moment,” like a merchant 
 secking some valuable but scarce 
 
 Shame 
 
17 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 δά EPISTLE 
 
 Ce 
 ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσιν. 
 
 TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 [V. 17—21. 
 
 N . \ lesa’ 3 
 δια τοῦτο μὴ γίνεσθε adpoves, 
 > \ / if \ / fe / 
 ἄλλα συνιέντες Ti TO θελημα τοῦ κυρίου. 
 
 καὶ μὴ 
 
 , 3) > ee Ν 3 / > \ “ 
 μεθυσκεσθε οἴνῳ, εν ᾧ ἐστὶν ἀσωτία, ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε 
 > / o ε 5 a a 
 εν πνεύματι, λαλοῦντες εαυτοῖς ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις 
 
 \ 3 “ ΄ 
 Kal ὠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς, 
 ὔ be ἴω lal ͵7 
 καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν τῷ κυρίῳ, 
 
 , > Δ ΠΡ a 
 TAVT@VY ἐν OVOMATL TOU 
 
 37 ’ 3 cas 
 ἄδοντες καὶ ψάλλοντες ἐν TH 
 ε Α εἰ : Ξ ἦν 
 εὐχαριστοῦντες πάντοτε ὑπὲρ 
 
 i, € ἴω 3 a lal 
 κυρίου ἡμῶν ἴησου Χριστοῦ 
 
 ro a \ 7 ε Us > , > , 
 τῷ Oem καὶ πατρί, ὑποτασσόμενοι ἀλλήλοις Ev φοβῳ 
 
 product. Amongst other points 
 of prudence for those who would 
 “walk warily in dangerous times” 
 must be the observing of the fit 
 season for each act. ‘The follow- 
 ing passage from Plato’s Republic 
 illustrates this idea: ‘“ Again, it 
 is quite clear, I imagine, that if 
 a person lets the right moment 
 for any work go by, (ἐαν τίς τινος 
 παρῇ ἔργου καιρον,) it never re- 
 turns. It is quite clear. For the 
 thing to be done does not choose, 
 I imagine, to tarry the leisure of 
 the doer” (p. 370). But there is 
 a sentence in Kcclesiasticus so 
 similar to this of St. Paul’s, that 
 one could almost suppose that the 
 echo of it was in his mind: Συν- 
 τήρησον καιρὸν καὶ φύλαξαι ἀπὸ 
 πονηροῦ (Icclus. iv. 20). Perhaps 
 its full force is to be given to 
 ἐξαγοραζόμενοι, “ buying out of, 
 or away from,” by regarding fit 
 moments as won at the cost of 
 some pains out of evil days. 
 
 18. πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύματι. The 
 contrast is between the “ fulness” 
 produced by wine, and another 
 kind of fulness (also agreeable) 
 
 produced by spiritual emotion, 
 “ Be filled—not with the intoxi- 
 cation of wine, but—in spirit.” 
 “Let the fulness you seek be 
 spiritual fulness.” We are natu- 
 rally reminded of the remarks 
 made on the Day of Pentecost 
 (Acts ii. 13—16). It is clear that 
 the Apostle was encouraging a 
 state of mind marked by more 
 than ordinary excitement. Meeting 
 together and music and singing 
 were to be the chief stimulants and 
 indulgences of this excitement. 
 20, 21. What remarkable safe- 
 guards to such spiritual excite- 
 ment are here subjoined!—Thanks- 
 giving, intelligent and orderly, to 
 the Father in the name of Christ; 
 and mutual submission in the fear 
 of God. No spiritual excitement, 
 however highly wrought, could be 
 injurious, that flowed between 
 these banks. 
 ὑπὲρ πάντων. The preposition 
 
 ὑπέρ might at first sight suggest 
 that the thanks are to be given 
 “on behalf of” all persons, espe- 
 cially as we find ἐπί used else- 
 where to denote that for which 
 
22 
 
 Ψ. 22, 23.] 
 
 “ΕΣ € “ a 57 > / « 
 Χριστοῦ. Αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἰδίοις avdpacw ὡς 
 “ > / > \ “ \ ε 
 
 κυρίῳ, ὃτι ἀνὴρ ἐστιν κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικὸς ὡς 
 
 thanks are given. But we have 
 in 1 Cor. x. 30, τέ βλασφημοῦμαι 
 ὑπὲρ ov ἐγὼ εὐχαριστῶ ; and it is 
 better to keep the simpler mean- 
 ing “ for all things.” The spiritual 
 joy which was to have its root in 
 thankfulness was also to be con- 
 trolled by mutual respect and sub- 
 mission, experience having shewn 
 (1Cor.xiv.)the dangerofrivalryand 
 disorder amongst those who were 
 yielding to spiritual excitement. 
 
 22. With Tischendorf’s text, 
 ὑποτάσσεσθε 
 must be understood from the pre- 
 ceding ὑποτασσόμενοι (verse .21). 
 But many MSS. have one or the 
 other of these words. Lachmann 
 inserts the latter, and is sup- 
 ported by the Sinaitic MS. 
 
 ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ. It is obvious that 
 the first apparent sense of this 
 injunction, —that a wife should 
 obey her husband without reserve 
 as if he were the Lord,—cannot 
 be the true one. St. Paul is not 
 speaking of an individual case, 
 but of the general law of married 
 life. This law is based upon the 
 facts, that the relation of husband 
 and wife is Divinely ordained, and 
 that it is an image of the relation 
 between Christ and the Church. 
 Now it is only in its ideal or 
 perfect form that these statements 
 can be absolutely true of the 
 marriage-union ; and St. Paul is 
 speaking accordinely of the ideal 
 
 , 
 or ὑποτάσσεσθωσαν 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 55 
 τῷ 
 
 L 
 
 Ν 
 
 καὶ 
 
 husband and the ideal wife. The 
 
 Christian wife is to discharge her 
 duty to her husband as seeing the 
 Lord, so to speak, in the back- 
 ground ; the Christian husband 
 is to discharge his to his wife 
 as seeing the Church in the back- 
 ground. Such a law of conjugal 
 duty is not made void by the 
 imperfections attaching to actual 
 married life. The wife of a bad 
 husband has her submission often 
 turned into opposition; she is 
 often absolutely debarred from 
 looking up to him. But still her 
 feelings and her conduct will be 
 affected by the presence in her 
 mind of the ideal law of duty, 
 which will struggle to assert itself 
 so far as it is allowed. In the 
 corresponding place in Col. we 
 have the modified phrase ὡς ἀνῆ- 
 κεν ἐν Κυρίῳ (111. 18). 
 
 23. In both the volumes of 
 Holy Scripture the relation of 
 husband and wife frequently sup 
 plies the terms in which the union 
 between the Divine Ruler and the 
 human society is described. In 
 the Old Testament, Jehovah is 
 the husband, the race of Israel 
 the wife. The unfaithfulness of 
 the people of Israel to Jehovah is 
 denounced as the sin of adultery. 
 In Jer. iii. “ backsliding Israel” 
 and “her treacherous sister Judah” 
 are two wives of Jehovah. Israel 
 had heen divoreed on aecount of 
 
24 
 
 26 
 
 26 EPISTLE TO 
 
 THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 [V. 2426. 
 
 ε \ \ o > 7 9) AN A “ 
 o Χριστὸς κεφαλὴ τῆς εκκλησίας, αὐτὸς σωτὴρ τοῦ 
 
 / 
 σωματος. 
 
 > > € € > 7 ε ,ὔ a 
 αλλ ὡς ἢ εκκλησία υποτασσεται τῷ 
 
 ἴω “ Ν ΄ lal o > / > 
 Χριστῷ, OUT@S καὶ ἂν YVUVALKES TALS ἀνδράσιν εν 
 
 , 
 TTQVTL. 
 
 ΄ 3 > o \ a \ 
 Oi avdpes, ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκας, Kalas καὶ 
 
 ε \ > ri A 5 , x Oe \ , 
 ὁ Χριστὸς ἡγάπησεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ EavTOY παρε- 
 
 ἘῸΝ Sim “ an ε a , cm 
 δωκεν UTEP QAUT)Ss Wa αὐτὴν aylacy καθαρίσας T@ 
 
 her adulteries, and yet Judah 
 feared not to be false also, Per- 
 haps the most beautiful passage 
 upon the union between Jehovah 
 and the people of Israel is the 
 prophetical outburst in Isa. liv. 
 containing the words “ For thy 
 Maker is thine husband; the 
 Lord of hosts is his name; and 
 thy Redeemer, the Holy One of 
 Israel; the God of the whole 
 earth shall he be called” (verse 5). 
 In the New Testament, the most 
 striking presentations of this image 
 are in the Apocalypse, where the 
 Church, or the Heavenly Jeru- 
 salem, is spoken of as the Lamh’s 
 wife (Rev. xix. 7—9; xxi. 2, 3, 
 9, 10). What is peculiar to St. 
 Paul here is the complication 
 caused by the introduction of 
 that other image, of a head and 
 members, which he has made so 
 specially his own. 
 
 The 
 difficulty felt in understanding 
 these words, together with the 
 ἀλλά which follows, was early 
 shewn by variations of reading. 
 This clause appears to indicate a 
 difference between the relation of 
 Christ to the Church and that of 
 Te 
 
 αὐτὸς σωτὴρ τοῦ σώματος. 
 
 the husband to the wife. 
 
 it 1s true, is more than the head, 
 he is the ‘“‘ Saviour of the body” — 
 with a play on σωτήρ and σώματος. 
 This the husband has no preten- 
 sions to be: “ nevertheless” (ἀλλα) 
 let the headship of the husband 
 be acknowledged and acted upon. 
 
 24, ἐν ravri—not in certain de- 
 partments of life, but universally 
 or generally. Compare κατὰ πάντα, 
 Col. iii. 20. 
 
 25—27. In translating this pas- 
 sage, we are placed at a disad- 
 vantage by having to choose be- 
 tween “her” and “it” for the 
 rendering of the feminine pro- 
 noun. Neither is quite satisfactory. 
 If we take “it,” it is desirable to 
 introduce into the passage some 
 such word as ‘ bride,” to keep up 
 the sense of the image. 
 
 There is a reference in these 
 verses to the bath which it was 
 the custom for the bride to take 
 as one of the ceremonies preceding 
 marriage. The Church was the 
 Bride of Christ. What was her 
 bath of purification ? 
 
 The Church in every place was 
 formed by the preaching of the 
 Word. The Word was the mes- 
 sage of forgiveness and reconcilia- 
 
 tion through Christ. Those who 
 
27 
 
 28 
 
 V. 27—31.] EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 57 
 
 ΄“ ΄- cd > rae a / > \ 
 λουτρῷ τοῦ ὑδατος EV ρήματι, ἵνα παραστήσῃ avTos 
 ε ὅν ὃ \ 3 ἮΝ / Ay ar Χ Ἃ 
 EAUT@ εν o€ov THV EKKANOLAV, μὴ εχουσαν σπιλον Uj] 
 e 7, ay, a / > > ., Fe we , - {8 
 ῥυτίδα ἡ τι τῶν TOLOUTMY, AAA ἵνα ἢ αγία καὶ ἁμωμος. 
 σ Ν ε 3 > 7 . 5 al \ « a 
 οὕτως καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες ὀφείλουσιν ἀγαπᾶν τὰς εαὐυτῶν 
 
 Ῥ a ε \ ε ω ε > a A ΄ er 
 γυναικᾶς ως τὰ EAVUTOV σωμαᾶτα. 0 αἀγατῶν Τὴν εαὐυτοῦυ 
 κι ε \ > Lek > Ἂς / Ἁ « a 
 γηναικα E€AUTOV ayaa ovoels yep TOTE Τὴν EAVUTOU 
 , ae ΧΑ \ 5 7 N θ a ΝΥ, 
 σαρκα εμισὴησεν, AAAG ἐκτρέφει καὶ θάλπει avTny, 
 
 \ Ν ε \ \ > ͵ὕ “ ᾽ὔ, > \ 
 
 καθως καὶ ὁ Χριστος τὴν εκκλησίαν, oTL MEAN ἐσμέν 
 “ , > a > Ν / if 5 
 
 τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ. ἀντὶ τουτου καταλείψει ἀνθρω- 
 
 / Ν ῇ Ν / \ 
 MOS πατέρα καὶ PNTEpa καὶ προσκολληθήσεται προς 
 
 received this message and yielded 
 to the call, came out from the 
 world, were baptized, and became 
 members of a holy or consecrated 
 community. Christ, then, gave 
 himself up, in order that he might 
 proclaim peace effectually to men 
 and so might fashion for himself 
 a pure Church. 
 
 It is the Word therefore (τὸ 
 ῥῆμα, as in vi. 17), which is the 
 great instrument of purification. 
 And we are reminded of our 
 Lord’s words, St. John xv. 3 and 
 xvii. 17: ‘‘ You already are clean 
 by reason of the word which I 
 have spoken unto you;” “ Sanctify 
 them by thy truth: thy word is 
 truth.” The Word however had 
 the ordinance of Baptism as its 
 own instrument for effecting the 
 separation of the Church from the 
 world ; and, although we might 
 explain this passage without being 
 compelled to introduce the bap- 
 tismal washing, it is reasonable to 
 suppose that in mentioning a laver 
 or bath of water St. Paul had in 
 
 his eye that actual external wash- 
 ing by means of which the Word 
 symbolized and executed its work. 
 It makes little difference whether 
 we say that St. Paul was using 
 the words τὸ λουτρὸν τοῦ ὕδατος 
 himself in a figurative sense, or 
 was naming that outward cere- 
 mony which was a visible figure 
 for the same reality. The Lord’s 
 parting injunction to his Apostles 
 included both the word and the 
 outward washing. ‘Preach the 
 Gospel, teach all nations; and 
 baptize them in the Name of the 
 Father, the Son, and the Holy 
 Ghost.” 
 
 27. αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ. Emphasis is 
 laid upon the fact that Christ is 
 himself the doer of the whole 
 work in the creation and cleansing 
 of the Church. 
 
 50. The words ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς 
 αὐτοῦ Kal ἐκ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ are 
 added in good MSS. though not 
 in the best. “ We are members 
 of his body, being made from his 
 flesh and from his bones.” 
 
VI. 
 
 32 
 33 
 
 I 
 
 ww 
 
 58 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [V.32,33.VI.1—5. 
 
 X. n 5 - Ἀ 3 , , 
 THY γυναικα αὐτου. Καὶ εσόονται οἱ δυο εἰς σαρκα 
 
 / \ , = , > / > \ \ / 
 μίαν. TO μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα εστίν, ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω 
 c lal 
 υμεις 
 
 e id ad \ «ς a ΄ a > / 
 OL καθ EVA εκαστος Τὴν εαυτοῦυ γυναικα οὕτως αἀγατατω 
 
 > \ ᾿ς > \ bd / \ \ 
 εἰς Χριστον Kat εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. πλὴν Kal 
 « ε , ε \ NY icy “ \ 3 
 ὡς eauTov, ἢ δὲ γυνὴ wa φοβῆται τὸν avdpa. 
 \ ͵ ε , = a ΜΑΙ ΤῸ > Paes 
 Ta τεκνα, vTaKOVETE τοῖς γονεῦσιν ὑμῶν εν κυρίῳ 
 - t > Ie / \ f \ 
 τοῦτο yap ἐστιν δίκαιον. τίμα τὸν πατέρα σοὺ Kal 
 a , a > \ » \ / 3 > i 
 THY μητερα, ἡτις ἐστὶν EvTOAN πρωτὴ εν επαγγελίᾳ, 
 oe 3 / \ 3 If ie ce 
 ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται καὶ EON μακροχρόνιος επὶ τῆς 
 wis. 
 
 Ones 3 4. > SNe , 
 ὑμῶν, ἀλλὰ εκτρέφετε αὑτὰ εν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ 
 
 e ei \ 77 \ / 
 Καὶ οἱ πατέρες, μὴ παροργίζετε τὰ τέκνα 
 
 κυρίου. 
 
 - lal € / a , \ , \ 
 Οἱ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε τοῖς κυρίοις κατὰ σάρκα μετα 
 
 31. Quoted literally from Gen. 
 ii. 24, Sept. version. 
 
 32, 33. “ Jy chief interest in 
 this mystery” (ἐγώ is emphatic) 
 “is as it relates to Christ and to 
 the Church. But let all the mar- 
 ried among you apply the mystery 
 to their own case, so that the hus- 
 band may love the wife and the 
 wife fear the husband.” 
 
 Supply, 
 “Let the wife see 
 
 ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἵνα φοβ. 
 as in E. V. 
 thats.” 
 
 Obey your 
 parents, as an obligation of your 
 Christian calling. 
 
 Wil alee ex, κυρίῳ. 
 
 τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν δίκαιον. By 
 “righteous” St. Paul probably 
 means here “in accordance with 
 natural justice,” or with the ab- 
 solute laws and relations of human 
 existence. 
 
 2. πρώτη. If the word “ first” 
 is understood as implying other 
 commandments ‘with promise,” 
 they must be those which are not 
 contained in the Decalogue. The 
 “promise” refers rather to national 
 than to individual prosperity and 
 continuance, 
 
 4. μὴ παροργίζετε τὰ τέκνα, “ do 
 not try your children’s tempers,” 
 especially by alternate indulgence 
 and sharpness. 
 
 ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ Κυρίου, 
 “the discipline and instruction 
 of the Lord,” 2.6. such as the 
 Lord would approve, or such as 
 befit those who belong to the 
 Lord. 
 
 5. οἱ δοῦλοι, ““ bond-servants,” 
 slaves, not freemen serving for 
 hire. There is considerable re- 
 iteration of the terms expressing 
 The 
 
 servitude in this passage, 
 
10 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 ΥἹ. 6---12.} EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. og 
 
 / τ R 3 « , a , ¢ “- ε 
 φόβου καὶ τρόμου ev ἀπλοότητι τῆς καρδίας ὑμών ὡς 
 “ “ Ν > 2 7 ¢ > 
 τῷ Χριστῷ, μὴ Kat οφθαλμοδουλείαν ws ἀνθρω- 
 7 > > ε a A A \ 
 πᾶάρεσκοι αλλ ὡς δοῦλοι Χριστοῦ ποιοῦντες Τὸ 
 , a lal > a > > 7 / 
 θελημα Tov θεοῦ εκ Wuyns, per εὐνοίας δουλεύοντες 
 € a 7 Ν > >: / / “ See SF 
 ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ Kal οὐκ ἀνθρώποις, εἰδότες OTL ὃ EaY 
 “ / 3 , val \ 
 τι €xaoTos ποιήσῃ ἀγαθὸν, τοῦτο κομίσεται Tapa 
 
 "ἷ “ BY > 7 
 κυρίου, εἴτε δοῦλος εἴτε ελευθερος. 
 
 Ν ε / 
 Kat ot κυριοι, 
 
 \ we Ἃ ro 4 > / > 7 \ > ! 
 TQ αὐτὸ ἼἼΟΙΕΙΤΕ 7 pos QUTOVS, AVLEVTES TYV ἀπειλὴν, 
 
 > / “ \ - A NY € 
 ELOOTES OTL Καὶ αὐτῶν καὶ υμῶν O 
 
 “ «ς 
 
 / / > > 
 κυριος εστιν EV 
 
 3 rn Ν 7 τι 37 » > an 
 οὐρανοῖς καὶ προσωπολημψία οὐκ ἐστιν παρ αὐτῷ. 
 mt / > “- » , N > a 
 To λοιπὸν, εἐνδυναμοῦσθε ev κυρίῳ καὶ ἐν τῷ 
 
 / a , 5 a 
 κράτει τῆς toXVOS αὑτοῦ. 
 
 > / \ 
 ἐνδύσασθε τὴν πανοπλίαν 
 
 lad lal \ \ 7 ε cr a \ \ 
 τοῦ θεοῦ πρὸς τὸ δύνασθαι ὑμᾶς στῆναι προς Tas 
 
 7 ca) / “ > 37 Ε εἶσι € U 
 μεθοδείας τοῦ διαβολου, οτι οὐκ ἐστιν ἡμῖν ἡ παλὴη 
 
 a 
 
 bond-servants were bond-servants, 
 and must accept their condition. 
 Their consolation and inward free- 
 dom were to be in the conscious- 
 ness that they were serving Christ, 
 when they loyally and cheerfully 
 obeyed their masters : and he was 
 a perfectly just master, whatever 
 their masters according to the flesh 
 might be. 
 
 9, rd αὐτὰ ποιεῖτε, “do the 
 same things,” act in the same 
 conscientious and Christ-serving 
 spirit. 
 
 προσωπολημψία, “ respect or ac- 
 ceptance of the person” τοῦ mpo- 
 cwrov, that is, of the outside 
 appearance, show, or profession, 
 as distinguished from the inward 
 reality. Compare Gal. ii. 6; 2 Cor. 
 a ae 
 
 10, This concluding passage, 
 
 describing the Christian warfare, 
 is not suggested by anything going 
 before, but is evidently the free 
 working-out of a familiar thought. 
 
 11. πρὸς τὰς μεθοδείας. AS we 
 might say, “ the tactics” of the 
 devil. 
 
 τοῦ διαβόλου. Let it be remem- 
 bered that “the devil” (ὁ da- 
 βάλλων) is the false accuser, the 
 divider. In this passage his pecu- 
 liar work, as setting men against 
 God and against one another, is 
 by no means to be left out of 
 sight. ς 
 
 12, ἡ πάλη. The struggle is 
 not 50 much that of the individual 
 Christian, seeking his own sal- 
 vation; but that of Christians 
 united in a body and “striving 
 together for the faith of the Gos- 
 pel” (Phil. i. 27), The Church is 
 
 Ὗ 
 
13 
 
 14 
 
 60 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [VI. 13, 14. 
 
 mpos αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς 
 τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους 
 τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς 
 
 > / \ “ > / \ / 
 ἘΠΒΌΡΕΜΝΟΙΣ: δια τοῦτο ἀναλάβετε i rl 
 
 τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα δυνηθῆτε ἀντιστῆναι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ 
 πονηρᾷ καὶ ἅπαντα “κατεργασάμενοι 
 
 στῆναι. στῆτε 
 
 ov ITE ιἰζωσά ενοι ΤὴΨΡν ὀσφὺν ὑ Ov ἐν aN θεία καὶ 
 ν περ μ ὴ μ ηθείᾳ, 
 
 brought into conflict with spiritual 
 enemies, the powers of darkness, 
 by its task of spreading and estab- 
 lishing the kingdom of Light. 
 
 πρὸς αἷμα kat σάρκα. The Church 
 was tempted to regard hostile men 
 as its ultimate enemies ; but behind 
 these, and using external human 
 agencies as their instruments, were 
 invisible powers of evil. 
 
 ἀρχάς, ἐξουσίας, i. 21; i. 10; 
 
 Col. i. 16; ii. 10, 15. Compare 
 Rom. viii. 38, οὔτε ἄγγελοι οὔτε 
 ἀρχαὶ οὔτε δυνάμεις. Generally 
 
 these terms are used in a neutral 
 sense, not connoting either good- 
 ness or badness, 
 of such terms, so far as questions 
 of nature and personality are con- 
 cerned, appears to be intentional 
 on St. Paul’s part. It is quite 
 probable that he meant by “ prin- 
 cipalities and powers” distinct 
 beings with a personal conscious- 
 ness and will; but it is also true 
 that he used by preference, for 
 the inhabitants of the invisible 
 world, such abstract titles as left 
 their personal nature, though not 
 their power or tendency, shrouded 
 
 The vagueness 
 
 in some mystery. 
 
 τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους 
 In ii. 2, “according to 
 the course of this world, according 
 to the ruler of the power of the 
 air, the spirit now working in the 
 the 
 instead of the 
 
 , 
 TOUTOUV. 
 
 children of disobedience,” 
 singular is used, 
 plural as here, 
 
 πρὸς Ta πνευματικά, “the spi- 
 ritualities, the spiritual forces or 
 activities.” 
 
 13. ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πονηρᾷ, “the 
 evil day,” whenever it may come. 
 might mean 
 “having put down ;” but Pauline 
 usage sufficiently determines it to 
 mean ‘‘ having accomplished.” 
 Observe the fre- 
 quent repetition of the idea of 
 standing in this passage, στῆναι 
 (verse 11), 
 (verse 13), and here again in verse 
 14. 
 στήκετε. 
 
 The images are mostly borrowed 
 from the book of Isaiah, 
 
 For “the girdle of truth and 
 the breastplate of righteousness ” 
 
 ΄ 
 κατεργασάμενοι 
 
 14. στῆτε. 
 
 ἀντιστῆναι, στῆναι 
 
 So in Philippians le ὅτι 
 
 Φ »" 
 see Isa. xi. ὅ, καὶ ἔστιι δικαιοσύνῃ 
 " a ~ ~ 
 ἐζωσμένος τὴν οσφῦν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀλη- 
 
 θείᾳ εἱλημένος τὰς πλευράς, and 
 
15 
 
 τό 
 
 ᾿ sense. 
 
 VI. 15, 16.] EPISTLE 
 
 TO THE EPHESIANS. 61 
 
 > / \ If “- , ἈΝ € 
 ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν θωρακα τῆς δικαιοσύνης, καὶ ὑποδη- 
 
 , \ / ᾽ - 7 a > 7 a 
 σάμενοι TOVS jTooas εν ετοιμαάασιᾳ TOU ευαγγελίου TNS 
 
 > Ἑ πὰς a > / \ \ “ 
 elpnvns, emt πασιν ἀναλαβόντες τὸν θυρεὸν τῆς πισ- 
 
 lix. 17, καὶ ἐνεδύσατο δικαιοσύνην 
 ὡς θώρακα. It is plain from a 
 comparison of these passages, (in 
 the former “ righteousness ” is the 
 girdle,) that no substantial differ- 
 ence is intended between “right- 
 eousness”” and “truth.” And if 
 the context in Isaiah be read, we 
 see that these words are obviously 
 used in their broad and simple 
 They denote equity, in- 
 tegrity, sincerity. These then are 
 to be the great defensive weapons 
 of Christ’s soldiers. Without 
 these their most vital parts—the 
 affections, the will, the conscience 
 —would be exposed to the assaults 
 of the enemy. To withstand the 
 spirit of falsehood, a man must be 
 primarily true and just. 
 
 Compare τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός 
 (Rom. xiii. 12), and διὰ τῶν ὅπλων 
 τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ 
 ἀριστερῶν (2 Cor. vi. 7). 
 
 Two passages illustrative of 
 moralarmourare quoted in Bleeck’s 
 Translation of Spiegel’s Zend 
 Avesta. One is from the Mino- 
 khired, a Parsee book: “ One can 
 escape from hell if one uses 
 heavenly wisdom as a covering 
 for the back, heavenly content- 
 ment as armour, heavenly truth 
 for a shield, heavenly gratitude 
 for a club, heavenly wisdom as a 
 bow.” ‘The other is from a Bud- 
 
 dhist work, which says of Sakya- 
 muni: ‘“ And converting δία 
 (Virtue) into a cloak, and Jhanam 
 (Thought) into a breastplate, he 
 covered mankind with the armour 
 of Dhammo (Law), and provided 
 them with the most perfect pano- 
 ply.” - (Bleeck, p. 90.) 
 
 15. In Isa. v. 27, “the latchet 
 of the shoes” follows after “the 
 girdle of the loins.” 
 
 ἑτοιμασίᾳ, “preparedness,” ‘rea- 
 diness.” But what is the pre- 
 paredness of the glad tidings of 
 peace —In Rom. x. 15 we read, 
 “How shall they preach, except 
 
 ‘they be sent? as it is written, 
 
 ‘How beautiful are the feet of 
 them that bring glad tidings of 
 peace, of them that bring glad 
 tidings of good things!’” The 
 quotation is from Isa. lii. 7. The 
 same expression occurs in Nahum 
 1. 15, “Behold upon the moun- 
 tains the feet of him that bringeth 
 glad tidings and publisheth peace.” 
 The “feet” then, we infer from 
 these passages, are to be “ready ” 
 in the work of spreading “the 
 glad tidings of peace.” St. Paul 
 has said above (ii. 17) of Christ, 
 ἐλθὼν εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην. A 
 willing zeal in this task is to 
 be as shoes to the feet of the 
 Christian. 
 
 10, ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, “in addition to 
 
 - 
 
17 
 
 62 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 [VI 17. 
 
 > - f ; Ν ’ - n 
 Tews, εν ᾧ δυνήσεσθε TavTa τὰ βελῃ τοῦ πονηροῦ 
 
 \ t f 
 TA TETUPWMLEVA σβεσαι. 
 
 \ \ / = 
 καὶ τὴν περικεφαλαίαν τοῦ 
 
 \ ’ ΄“ i 
 σωτηρίου δέξασθε, Kal THY μαχαιραν τοῦ πνεύματος; 
 
 all.” This sense is more in ac- 
 cordance with usage than “over 
 all,” and much more than “above 
 all.” See Col. 111. 14. 
 
 In the Wisdom of Solomon 
 vy. 17—20, there is a description 
 of a πανοπλία, which not man, 
 but the Lord, is to take to him. 
 “He shall put on righteousness 
 as a breastplate, and true judg- 
 He 
 shall take holiness for an invin- 
 cible shield. His severe wrath 
 shall he sharpen for a sword.” 
 For man, the shield, instead of 
 being inherent holiness, is faith 
 or trust. In the language of the 
 Old Testament, the Lord himself 
 is the shield of those who fear 
 him, defending them from all evil. 
 Here the shield of faith is for use 
 especially against the fire-bearing 
 darts of the evil one. Those darts 
 are suspicions and doubts, which 
 it is the business of the evil spirit 
 to infuse into men’s hearts,—sus- 
 picions of God and of one another. 
 Faith, trust in God, is the exact 
 way to meet these. He who 
 thoroughly believes and trusts in 
 God will be safe against the de- 
 siructive effects of the doubts 
 which the devil inspires. 
 
 τὰ πεπυρωμένα. The only “ fiery 
 dart” in use amongst the ancients 
 appears to have been a certain 
 
 ment instead of. an helmet. 
 
 heavy missile called in Latin mal- 
 leolus ; ‘‘a hammer, the transverse 
 head of which was formed for 
 holding pitch and tow; which, 
 having been set on fire, was pro- 
 jected slowly, so that it might not 
 be extinguished during its flight, 
 upon houses and other buildings 
 in order to set them on fire.” 
 (Smith’s Dictionary of Antiqui- 
 ties, Malleus.) But perhaps the 
 fire with which St. Paul’s βέλη 
 were armed was rather drawn from 
 imagination than from reality. 
 
 17. τὴν περικεφαλαίαν τοῦ σωτη- 
 ρίου. From Isa. lix. 17, καὶ περι- 
 έθετο περικεφαλαίαν σωτηρίου ἐπὶ 
 τὴς κεφαλῆς. But there it is the 
 Lord who assumes the helmet of 
 salvation, as also the breastplate 
 of righteousness and the garment 
 of vengeance. So far as is pos- 
 sible, St. Paul transfers to the 
 Christian the identical arms which 
 the prophet attributes to the Lord ; 
 —and, regarded in this light, the 
 πανοπλία τοῦ θεοῦ may mean rather 
 more than the armour which God 
 gives. But man is not God, and 
 man’s “ helmet of salvation” must 
 be different from God’s. In 1 Thess. 
 v. 8, St. Paul has already given 
 his own interpretation of this 
 helmet: “and, for a helmet, the 
 hope of salvation.” As illustrating 
 this figure, we may quote Ps. iii. 3, 
 
18 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 VI. 18—20. | EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 63 
 
 0 ἐστιν ῥῆμα θεοῦ, διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως 
 
 προσευχόμενοι ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἐν πνεύματι; καὶ εἰς 
 αὐτὸ ἀγρυπνοῦντες ἐν πάσῃ προσκαρτερήσει καὶ δεήσει 
 
 / A c 7 « \ > Oo “ ΄σ 
 περὶ πάντων τῶν αγίων, καὶ ὑπερ ἐμοῦ, ἵνα μοι δοθῇ 
 
 ie > > ξ Ss ΄σ / , > aes / 
 oyos εν AVOLCEL® TOV στοματος μου, εν παρρήησιρ 
 
 γνωρίσαι 
 
 “Thou, O Lord, art a shield for 
 me; my glory, and the lifter up 
 of mine head ;” especially as 
 coupled with the Sept. form of 
 the preceding verse, Πολλοὶ λέγουσι 
 τῇ ψυχῇ pov Οὐκ ἔστι σωτηρία αὐτῷ 
 ἐν τῷ θεῷ αὐτοῦ. The expression 
 “to lift up the head” is very 
 common in the Old Testament. 
 δέξασθε, ‘‘receive, as a gift from 
 God.” τὴν μάχαιραν τοῦ πνεύματος, 
 ὅ ἐστιν ῥῆμα θεοῦ. For the image 
 compare Isa. xlix. 2, ἔθηκε τὸ στόμα 
 μου we μάχαιραν ὀξεῖαν, Rev. 1. 16, 
 ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ῥομφαία δί- 
 στομος ὀξεῖα ἐκπορευομένη, ΧΙΧ. 15, 
 ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἐκπορεύεται 
 ῥομφαία ὀξεῖα, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῇ πατάσσῃ 
 τὰ ἔϑνη, and Heb. iv. 12 
 
 e , ~ ~ A enact Ζ \ 
 ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργῆς, Kal 
 
 , Ζῶν γὰρ 
 
 τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν 
 δίστομον. ‘The difficulty is to 
 attach the same meaning to the 
 word or the sword in these dif- 
 ferent passages. Let it be re- 
 membered, 1. That the Word is 
 to be understood as the living 
 voice of God, instinct with mind 
 and purpose, and having all the 
 power of God’s will. 2. That the 
 Voice may have varying tones, and 
 may either threaten wrath, or offer 
 
 \ 7 κ 
 TO μυστήριον TOV 
 
 ᾽ 7, ae Gi 
 ευαγγελίου, ὑπὲρ ov 
 love. 3. That, in the habitual use 
 of St. Paul, “the word of God” 
 is almost equivalent to the Gospel, 
 or God’s voice proclaiming recon- 
 ciliation and inviting men to peace. 
 4, That the image of a sharp sword 
 represents the penetrating effect of 
 God’s word on the conscience, and 
 its power to assail and destroy such 
 spiritual enemies as darkness, dis- 
 trust, and all moral evil. 
 
 Christians then, according to 
 St. Paul’s exhortation, are to use 
 God’s voice, his truth or light, 
 as their weapon of offence. The 
 mode of using or wielding God’s 
 word which he had chiefly in view 
 was that of bearing witness to the 
 truth, and especially to the most 
 life-giving of all truths, the Gospel 
 of Christ. » 
 
 18—20. The urgent exhortation 
 to prayer in behalf of the Church 
 and for the diffusion of the Gospel 
 proves how distinctly St. Paul had 
 in his mind the warfare of Chris- 
 tians as that of a body fighting 
 the battle of Christ in the world, 
 rather than the warfare of the 
 individual fighting for his own 
 salvation. 
 
 20. ὑπὲρ ov πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει, 
 
21 
 
 22 
 
 64 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [ 21—24. 
 
 ) / > sv “ > DN x¢ , « 
 πρεσβείω ἐν ἁλύσει, ἵνα εν αὐτῷ παῤῥησιάσωμαι ὡς 
 δεῖ με λαλῆσαι. 
 
 “ \ 2Ar x ε - \ > Wed / / 
 
 Iva δὲ εἰδῆτε καὶ υμεῖς τὰ KAT EME, TL πράσσω, 
 
 / ε΄ δὶ 7 jd ε » \ > A N 
 πάντα ὑμῖν γνωρίσει Τύχικος ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἀδελῴος Kat 
 
 A / 3 7 Pee ate SA \ € a 
 πιστὸς διάκονος ἐν κυρίῳ, ὃν ἔπεμψα πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰς 
 
 5 Ἅ al ad a \ ἢ ε ἴω 7 
 αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν καὶ παρακαλεσῃ 
 \ ¢ a 
 Tas καρδίας ὑμῶν. 
 ᾽ f a > vad Ν » / \ / > x 
 Eipynvyn τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς Kal ἀγάπη μετὰ πίστεως ἀπὸ 
 a A 7 » a an « / 
 θεοῦ πατρὸς καὶ κυρίου Inoov Χριστοῦ. ἢ χάρις 
 A / ω > lA 4 , ε ω > “ 
 μετὰ παντων τῶν ayaTa@VTMY τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Inoovy 
 
 A > » 7 
 
 Χριστον ev αφθαρσίᾳ. 
 
 “the cause of which I advocate διάκονος, “a minister,” 2.¢. one 
 in a chain.” Compare Col. iv. who ministered to St. Paul. Com- 
 2—4, pare ἔστιν γάρ μοι εὔχρηστος εἰς 
 9]: Τύχικος, called ᾿Ασιανός in διακονίαν» (2 Tim. iv. 11. 
 
 Acts xx. 4. He was a trusted 24. ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳἄᾳ <A difficult 
 helper and agent of St. Paul, and expression. “In a spirit which 
 was to carry both this letter and corruption cannot touch,” “in- 
 that to the Colossians, See Col. iv. corruptibly.” 
 
 7—9. 
 
TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 PavL, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, 
 to the saints that are at Ephesus and the faithful in 
 Christ Jesus. Grace to you and peace from God our 
 Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessing 
 in heavenly things in Christ, according as he chose us 
 in him before the foundation of the world, that we 
 should be holy and blameless before him in love, 
 having fore-ordained us to filial adoption through 
 Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good 
 pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his 
 erace, with which he has favoured us in the beloved 
 one, in whom we have redemption through his blood, 
 the remission of our trespasses, according to the riches 
 of his grace,—in which he has abounded towards us 
 in all wisdom and prudence, making known to us the 
 mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure 
 which he purposed in him unto the dispensation of 
 the fulness of the times, to bring all things under one 
 head in Christ, things in the heavens and things on 
 earth, even in him, in whom also we have had an in- 
 heritance given us, having been fore-ordained according 
 
 F 
 
 — 
 
12 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 60 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 to the purpose of him who works all things according 
 to the counsel of his will, so that we should be to the 
 praise of his glory, [we] who first hoped in Christ ; in 
 whom you also, having heard the word of truth, the 
 gospel of your salvation, in whom (I say) having be- 
 lieved you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 
 who is the earnest of our inheritance unto the redemp- 
 
 tion of the possession, to the praise of his glory. 
 
 On this account I also, having heard of the faith 
 among you in the Lord Jesus, and the love to all the 
 saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making 
 mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you 
 the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge 
 of him, the eyes of your heart being enlightened, so 
 that you may know what is the hope of his calling, 
 and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in 
 the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of his 
 power towards us who believe, according to the working 
 of the might of his strength, with which he wrought 
 in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated 
 him at his right hand in the heavenly world, far above 
 all rule and authority and power and lordship and 
 every name that is named, not only in this age but 
 also in that which is to come, and put all things under 
 his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to 
 the Church, which is his body, the fulness of him who 
 fills all things in all. And you, being dead in tres- 
 passes and sins, in which you once walked according 
 to the course of this world, according to the ruler of 
 the power of the air, the spirit which now works in 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 67 
 
 the sons of disobedience, amongst whom we also all 11. 3 
 once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of 
 
 the flesh and of the thoughts, and were bynature children 
 
 of wrath like the rest,—but God, being rich in mercy, 4 
 on account of his great love with which he loved us, 
 even when we were dead in trespasses made us alive 5 
 with Christ (by grace have you been saved) and with 6 
 -him raised us and seated us in the heavenly world in 
 Christ Jesus, that he might shew forth in the ages to 
 come the exceeding riches of his grace in goodness 
 towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have ὃ 
 been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, 
 the gift is God’s,—not of works that no one may 9 
 boast : for we are his workmanship, created in Christ τὸ 
 Jesus for good works, which God before prepared that 
 we should walk in them. : 
 
 Wherefore remember, that at one time you Gentiles 1 
 in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called 
 the circumcision in the flesh, made by hands,—that 12 
 you were at that time apart from Christ, aliens from 
 the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the cove- 
 nants of the promise, not having a hope, and without 
 God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus you who 13 
 were once afar off have been made nigh in the blood 
 of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both one 14 
 and broke down the dividing-wall of the fence, having 15 
 done away the enmity in his flesh, the law of com- 
 mandments in decrees, that he might create the two in 
 himself into one new man, making peace, and might 16 
 reconcile both in one body to God by means of the 
 cross, having slain on it the enmity. And he came 
 with glad tidings of peace to you who were far 
 
 F 2 
 
 7 
 
 ". 
 
 7 
 
II. 18 
 
 20 
 
 2 
 
 ~_ 
 
 2 
 
 nN 
 
 LU ESS 
 
 Nd 
 
 WwW 
 
 un 
 
 oO 
 
 ἊΣ 
 
 1ο 
 
 68 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 off and peace to them who were near, inasmuch as by 
 him we both have our access in one Spirit to the 
 Father. So then you are no longer strangers and 
 foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of 
 God’s household, being built up upon the foundation 
 of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus bemg him- 
 self the corner-stone, in whom all the building fitly 
 framed together is growing into a holy temple in the 
 Lord, in whom you also are being built up together 
 into a dwelling-place of God in the Spirit. 
 
 On this account I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ 
 in behalf of you Gentiles,—if you have heard of the 
 dispensation of the grace of God which was given me 
 towards you ; how that by revelation was made known 
 to me the mystery, (as I wrote before in brief words, 
 from which as you read them you may understand my 
 knowledge in the mystery of Christ,) which in other 
 generations was not made known to the sons of men, 
 as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and 
 prophets in the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be 
 joint-heirs and of the same body and sharers in the 
 promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I was 
 made a minister according to the gift of the grace of 
 Ged which was given to me according to the working 
 of his power. ‘To me who am less than the least of all 
 the saints was this grace given, to bear to the Gentiles 
 the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of Christ, 
 and to enlighten all men as to the dispensation 
 of the mystery which from the ages had been kept 
 hidden in God the Creator of all things, in order that 
 now to the principalities and powers in the heavenly 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 69 
 
 world might be made known through the Church the 
 manifold wisdom of God, according to the purpose of 
 the ages, which he formed in Christ Jesus our Lord, 
 in whom we have our freedom of speech and access 
 in confidence through faith in him. Wherefore I pray 
 you not to despond in my afflictions in your behalf, 
 which are your glory.— 
 —On this account I bend my knees unto the Father, 
 from whom every stock owning a common father in 
 heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant to 
 you according to the riches of his glory to be 
 strengthened with power by his Spirit unto the imner 
 man, that Christ may dwell by means of faith -in 
 your hearts, so that beg rooted and grounded in love 
 you may be enabled to comprehend with all saints what 
 is the breadth and length and depth and height, and 
 to know that love of Christ which transcends know- 
 ledge, that you may be filled up to all God’s fulness. 
 Now to him who is able to do superabundantly in 
 excess of anything that we ask or think according to 
 the power that works in us, to him be glory in the 
 Church in Christ Jesus unto all the generations of the 
 age of the ages, Amen. 
 
 I exhort you therefore, I the prisoner in the Lord, to 
 walk worthily of the calling with which you have 
 been called, with all humility and meekness, with long- 
 suffering, bearing from one another in love, endeavouring 
 to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 
 There is one body and one Spirit, even as you were 
 called in one hope of your calling ; one Lord, one faith, 
 one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over 
 
 III. ro 
 
 8 
 
 _ 
 
 μ4 
 
 9 
 
 ΕΝ 
 
 no wm 
 
ΤΥ. 7 
 
 oo 
 
 14 
 
 70 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 all and through all and in all. But to each of us 
 severally has his own grace been given according to 
 the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore it says, 
 “Having gone up on high he made captive captivity, 
 and gave gifts unto men.” But that he went 
 up, what is it but that he also came down to the 
 lower parts of the earth? He who came down is the 
 same who also went up far above all the heavens, that 
 he might fill all things. And he has given some to 
 be apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, 
 and some shepherds and teachers, for the organizing of 
 the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the 
 building of the body of Christ ; until we all attam to 
 the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son 
 of God, unto the full-grown Man, unto the measure of 
 growth of the fulness of Christ; that we should no 
 longer be childish, tossed and carried about by every 
 wind of teaching in the craft of men in knavery, to the 
 pursuing of error; but cleaving to truth may in love 
 erow up unto him in all things, who is the head, 
 namely Christ ; from whom all the body, fitly framed 
 together and compacted by means of every joimt of 
 the whole supply, according to the working in its 
 measure of each several part effects the growth of the 
 body to the building up of itself in love. 
 
 This I say therefore and urge upon you in the Lord, 
 that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles 
 walk in vanity of their understanding, being darkened 
 in their mind, estranged from the life of God, through 
 the ignorance that is in them, through the hardening of 
 their heart, who being past feeling have given them- 
 selves up to wantonness, unto the working of all unclean- 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 71 
 
 ness with greediness. But you have not so learned 
 Christ : if indeed you have heard him and have been 
 taught in him as there is truth in Jesus, that you 
 should put off as concerns your former manner of life 
 the old man going to ruin according to the lusts of 
 deceit, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and 
 put on the new man created according to God in 
 righteousness and holiness of truth. 
 
 Wherefore putting off falsehood speak the truth 
 every one with his neighbour, inasmuch as we are 
 members of one another. “ Be angry and sin not ;” 
 let not the sun go down upon your anger, and give 
 not room to the devil. Let the stealer steal no more, 
 but rather let him labour, working with his hands at 
 that which is good, that he may have somewhat to 
 impart to him that is in need. Let no unwholesome 
 speech proceed out of your mouth, but whatever is 
 good for edification according to the need, that it may 
 confer a benefit on those who hear it. And grieve not 
 the holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed unto 
 the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath 
 and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away 
 from among you, with all malice. Shew yourselves 
 kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one 
 another even as God in Christ has forgiven you. 
 
 Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children, 
 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave him- 
 self up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a 
 smell of sweet savour. But fornication and all unclean- 
 ness, or covetousness, let it not be so much as named 
 amongst you, as becomes a holy community, or lewd- 
 ness or foolish talking or jesting, which are not seemly, 
 
 23, 24 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 32 
 
 Ver 
 
V. 5 
 
 1 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 72 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS, 
 
 but rather thanksgiving. For this you have learnt 
 and know, that every fornicator or unclean person, or 
 covetous man, who is an idolater, has no inheritance 
 in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive 
 you with vain words: for on account of these things 
 comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. 
 Be not therefore partakers with them. Tor you were 
 once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord,— 
 walk as children of light, (for the fruit of light is in 
 all goodness and righteousness and truth,) proving 
 what 15 acceptable to the Lord; and have no partner- 
 ship with the barren works of darkness, but rather 
 
 2 convict them. For the things done in secret by them 
 
 it is a shame even to speak of. But all things when 
 convicted are made manifest by light; for all that is 
 made manifest is ight. Wherefore it says, “ Awake, O 
 sleeper, and rise from the dead, and the Christ shall’ 
 shed light upon thee.” 
 
 See then that you walk carefully, not as fools but 
 as wise men, buying up the right time, because the 
 days are evil. On this account be not unwise, but 
 understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be 
 not drunk with wine, in which is excess, but make 
 yourselves full with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves 
 in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and 
 making music in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks 
 always forall things in the name of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ_to God and the Father, submitting yourselves 
 one to another in the fear of Christ. 
 
 Let wives submit to their own husbands as to the 
 Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 73 
 
 Christ is the head of the Church—he being the 
 Saviour of the Body. Nevertheless, as the Church is 
 subject to Christ, so let wives be to their husbands in 
 everything. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also 
 loved the Church and gave himself up for it, that he 
 might sanctify it through a purification in the laver of 
 water by the word, that he might himself present the 
 Church to himself a glorious bride, not having spot or 
 wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy 
 and without blemish. In like manner husbands also 
 ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. 
 He that loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever 
 yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, 
 even as Christ does the Church, inasmuch as we are 
 members of his body. For this reason shall a man 
 leave father and mother and be joined to his wife, and 
 the two shall make one flesh. This mystery is a great 
 
 one, but I, nm what I am saying, refer to Christ and 
 the Church. Only do you individually each man love 
 his wife even as himself, and let the wife see that she 
 fear her husband. , 
 
 Children, obey your parents in the Lord ; for this is 
 right. ‘‘ Honour thy father and thy mother,” which is 
 the first commandment with a promise, that it may be 
 well with thee and thou mayest be long-lived upon the 
 earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children, 
 but bring them up in the discipline and instruction 
 of the Lord. 
 
 Bond-servants, obey your masters according to the 
 flesh with fear and trembling, in singleness of your 
 heart, as obeying Christ, not with eye-service, as men- 
 pleasers, but as bond-servants of Christ, doing the will 
 
 27 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 VI. 
 
 4 
 
 wn 
 
VL 7 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 74 EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
 of God from the heart, rendering service with good- 
 will as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that 
 whatever good a man do, that he shall receive from 
 the Lord, whether he be bondsman or free. And ye 
 masters, do the same things to them, sparing threats, 
 knowing that both they and you have a Master in’ 
 heaven, and there is no accepting of the person 
 with him. 
 
 For the rest, be strong in the Lord, and in the power 
 of his might. Put on the complete armour of God, 
 that you may be able to stand against the devices of 
 the devil; inasmuch as our wrestling is not against 
 flesh and blood, but against principalities, against 
 powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, 
 against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly 
 sphere. Therefore take to yourselves the complete 
 armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in 
 the evil day, and having accomplished all to stand. 
 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, 
 and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 
 and having shod your feet with the preparedness of 
 the glad tidings of peace ; taking, in addition to all 
 else, the shield of faith, with which you shall be able 
 to quench all the fire-tipt darts of the evil one: and 
 receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the 
 Spirit, which is the word of God; praying with all 
 prayer and entreaty at all times in the Spirit, and 
 watching unto this with all perseverance and entreaty 
 for all the saints, and for me, that utterance may be 
 given me, by the opening of my mouth, with confidence 
 to make known the mystery of the Gospel, in behalf 
 
EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 75 
 
 of which I am an ambassador in a chain, that I may V- 20 
 be bold in proclaiming it, as I ought to speak. 
 
 But that you also may know about me, how [ a1 
 am faring, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful 
 minister in the Lord will inform you of everything, 
 whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that 22 
 you may know about us, and that he may comfort 
 your hearts. 
 
 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from 23 
 God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace 24 
 be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ 
 incorruptibly. 
 

 
INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE TO THE 
 COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Ir we read the Epistle to the Colossians immediately 
 after the Epistle to the Ephesians, a difference of style 
 undoubtedly makes itself felt. I do not think, indeed, 
 that the feeling of any reader will be that he is returning 
 to a Pauline style from a style unlike St. Paul’s. On the 
 contrary, if we had to judge by style only, the Epistle to 
 the Ephesians is rather more similar to those writings of 
 St. Paul which are universally acknowledged as genuine 
 than the Epistle to the Colossians. The change is from 
 comparative freedom and fluency to a stiffer and more 
 broken style. From some cause about which we can only 
 make guesses, the Epistle to the Colossians is distinguished 
 not only by a want of freedom in its composition, but also 
 by an apparent want of finish. It reads in some places as 
 if we had not a sound text. Two or three sentences can 
 hardly be made to give a reasonable sense. The MSS. 
 shew a greater than usual variety of readings, arising either 
 out of some original uncertainty of the text, or out of the 
 difficulty of understanding what the author meant. I refer 
 especially to the latter half of the first chapter, and to the 
 second chapter from the 8th verse to the end. 
 
 The two Epistles profess to have been written for thé 
 same messenger to carry (Hph. vi. 21; Col. iv. 7), and they 
 agree so closely both in ideas and in particular expressions 
 that, if one is not an imitation of the other, they are 
 manifestly twin productions. It is difficult to explain 
 
78 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 therefore why the thoughts of the writer should have run 
 more smoothly in the one Epistle than in the other. We 
 must be content to say that some unknown circumstance 
 affecting the composition and dictation of the Epistle to 
 the Colossians has caused the style of this Epistle to appear 
 laboured, rough, and unfinished. Whatever it may have 
 been that had this effect, it certainly did not weaken the 
 substance of the letter. That is emmently genuime and 
 strong. The personal allusions here are full of feeling and 
 force. The theology is more far-reaching, both as regards 
 the nature and manifestation of God, and the relations of 
 man to God, than in almost any other work of the 
 Apostle. 
 
 The leading idea of the Epistle is the presentation of 
 Christ as the Mediator between God and men, who perfectly 
 reveals God and perfectly embodies humanity, leaving no 
 gap to be filled up between God and the world, binding 
 the human race to God in a spiritual fellowship such as no 
 gradation of intermediate orders of beings, nor any efforts 
 of religious discipline, could possibly create. 
 
 {t is evident that this subject was chosen with express 
 reference to certain needs or dangers of the Colossian 
 Church. The Epistle contains warnings against particular 
 forms of teaching by which the Christians of Colossze were 
 being misled. It was in consequence of information to this 
 effect that the letter was written. The circumstances which 
 gave birth to the Epistle may be described as follows. 
 
 Epaphras was a member of the Church at Colossze, hold- 
 ing some office, apparently that of the chief pastor and 
 teacher, in the Christian society (i. 7; iv. 12, 18). He 
 had come to Rome, and had made a report to St. Paul 
 of the state of his Church. It is clear that St. Paul, who 
 had not founded, and was not personally known to, the 
 Churches in which Epaphras was interested (ii. 1; iv. 13), 
 was acknowledged as the general overseer of the Gentile 
 
EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 79 
 
 Churches, at least in those countries in which he had been 
 the first to publish the Gospel. Long before this time, the 
 eare of all the Churches had been mentioned by him as 
 the daily burden added to his many sufferings in the cause 
 of Christ, (ἡ ἐπίστασίς μοι ἡ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν, ἡ μέριμνα πασῶν 
 τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, 2 Cor. xi, 28.) Such reports as this οἵ 
 Epaphras we must suppose him to have been constantly 
 receiving ; and a part of his daily work must have con- 
 sisted in communicating, either by messages or by letters, 
 with the Churches whose affairs were thus brought before 
 him. EHpaphras was able to give in part a very favourable 
 account of the Christian body at Colosse, “Our brethren 
 there,” he said, “have received the Gospel with a very 
 thorough acceptance ; they are earnest in their faith, and 
 feel themselves strongly bound in love to all their fellow- 
 believers. Their belief is bearimg good practical fruit. But 
 certain doctrines are being disseminated with much urgency 
 and plausibility, which, to me and those of us who are 
 carrying on the teaching of the Apostles of Christ, do not 
 seem to accord with the spirit of the Gospel which you 
 proclaimed. We are uneasy about these new doctrines, and 
 desire that our Churches should receive some instruction 
 from you concerning them. ‘The teachers who are intro- 
 ducing these novelties begin by speaking of a Knowledge 
 (Gnosis) which can only be imparted to those who are 
 specially initiated into its mysteries. They speak of ‘the 
 Fulness’ (Pleroma), a kind of ultimate abyss of Divinity, 
 from which more knowable forms, including that of the 
 Christ, have emanated. They name ‘principalities and 
 powers,’ which fill up the interval between the unapproach- 
 able Fulness and the human race. They prescribe rules by 
 which a man may raise himself higher and higher towards 
 the mysterious unseen world. Those who seek after this 
 elevation are required to separate themselves as much as 
 possible from the common multitude. They must adopt 
 
8ὃ0 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 rigorously the exclusive principle of the Jewish Law, must 
 make much of Circumcision and all that it involves, must 
 observe times and seasons, must practise fasting and other 
 kinds of mortification, and must seek by prayer and worship 
 the aid of the heavenly mediators.” In some such way, 
 we infer from the Epistle, did the excellent Epaphras 
 describe the condition of his Church. 
 
 These notions occur with more or less of variation in the 
 Gnostical systems of the second century. But it gives an 
 artificial air to the subject, to call them by the formal name 
 of Gnosticism, and then to inquire whether Gnosticism had 
 yet arisen in the Christian world. The most probable answer 
 to such an inquiry would be that Gnosticism was not 
 known in the Church till a later period than the date of 
 the Epistle to the Colossians. But it would not be a 
 legitimate inference that the teaching just described could 
 not have existed at that date in Colosse. And when we 
 think of the notions themselves, apart from the name of 
 Gnosticism, it is much less difficult to believe that they 
 were then in circulation. Positive external evidence on 
 the question is almost entirely wanting. But we have the 
 demonstrable fact, that the systems of Gnosticism sprang 
 from a mixture of the Christian faith with religious doc- 
 trines which prevailed before the Christian era. Not only 
 were schemes of a Pleroma and Emanations in existence 
 in Asia before the Christian Church was founded, but they 
 must have been carried down by tradition in the religious 
 or intellectual world until they were developed into the 
 full-blown systems of the Gnostics. There is therefore no 
 presumption against the belief that in the peculiarly fertile 
 soil of that age the seeds of future Gnostical theories were 
 already germinating and producing a first growth. For 
 indeed the decay and mixture.of old creeds in the Asiatic 
 intellect had created a soil of “loose fertility,—a footfall 
 there Sufficing to upturn to the warm air Half-germinating ” 
 
EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 81 
 
 theosophies. Nor is there anything unreasonable in _ be- 
 lieving that the power of Apostolic teaching and of Apostolic 
 authority, whilst the Churches were still subject to the 
 direct influence of that power, availed to check these mis- 
 growths, and to postpone their day. The origin of what 
 by anticipation we may call Gnostical doctrines is discussed 
 more fully in the Essay at the end of this volume ; here it 
 may be sufficient to say that a meeting of the Persic or 
 Zoroastrian religion with Judaism was sufficient to account 
 for all the dangerous teaching referred to in the Epistle to 
 the Colossians, and that traces of such a meeting are to be 
 found in the Jewish literature antecedent to the .time of 
 Christ. 
 
 St. Paul was profoundly interested by the report of 
 Epaphras, agreeing as it did with much that he was probably 
 hearing at the same time from other sources. By the 
 stimulus thus given to his thoughts, he became aware, may 
 we not believe? of depths in the Gospel of Christ and of 
 aspects of the Person of Christ which he had not so clearly 
 apprehended before. As he heard of the Christian zeal and 
 excellence of the believers at Colossee and Laodicea and 
 Hierapolis, and meditated on the errors which threatened to 
 undermine so fair an edifice, and on the truths by which 
 those errors might most effectually be dispelled, his concern 
 for the Colossian brethren grew into as strong an affection 
 as if he had known them by face, and the letter which took 
 shape in his mind was warmed by intense personal sympathy. 
 It is a genuine letter, whilst it is also an exposition of those 
 Christian ideas which were the proper antidote to such 
 teaching as was infesting some of the Churches of Asia 
 Minor. 
 
 The Epistle to the Colossians may be divided, like that 
 to the Ephesians, into two parts, the former consisting of 
 “pure” theology, or the declaration of God’s nature and 
 acts; the latter of “applied” theology, or the drawing out 
 
 G 
 
82 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 of duty from the relations of men to God. This division 
 is best made at the end of the second chapter. It is in 
 the latter half that the resemblances between this and the 
 sister Epistle are most abundant. From the fifth verse of 
 the third chapter to the ninth of the fourth, there is 
 scarcely a sentence which does not also occur, either im so 
 many words or with some variety of expression, in the 
 Epistle to the Ephesians. In the former half the obvious 
 coincidences are chiefly in two or three passages relating 
 to redemption by the death of Christ, in the utterances of 
 thanksgiving and praise on the behalf of those who are 
 addressed, and in the mention of the mystery long hidden 
 but now revealed, and of the rising of Christians to a new 
 life in the resurrection of Christ. 
 
 The special theology of this Epistle is to be found in the 
 part between 1. 15 and 11. 4; out of which however we 
 may conveniently abstract the passage 1.23... iL 5, im 
 which St. Paul speaks of himself. The Son of God who 
 came in the flesh is declared to be the Image of the 
 invisible God, and the Head of all creation, but especially 
 of redeemed humanity. Let those who talk of “the 
 Fulness” know that the Fulness dwelt in Christ. In itself 
 the Divine nature is unfathomable, unapproachable ; but 
 Christ enables us to behold God as the Father. And as 
 God does not approach ws by a gradation of principalities 
 and powers, but has come near to us at once in the Son; 
 so we, in our weak and corrupt humanity, have not to 
 climb up laboriously by means of observances and _self- 
 discipline to God, but are made one with Christ, if we will 
 accept the fellowship; and have in him through faith and 
 submission a complete human perfection. We shall know 
 God by contemplating Christ: we shall rise to him and 
 have our true life by consenting to be simply members of 
 Christ. 
 
 The theology which thus dwells on the Son of God as 
 
EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS, 89 
 
 the head of creation and the living force by which its 
 order is maintained, and as the fulness and perfection οἵ. 
 humanity, may justly be represented as specially character- 
 istic of this Epistle ; but at the same time recollections will 
 oceur to every careful student of St. Paul’s writings, of 
 places in his other Epistles in which the same doctrine 
 is plainly, though less fully and prominently, stated or 
 implied. St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Colossians, is not 
 inconsistent with himself, but he approaches more nearly 
 than elsewhere to the theology which we associate with the 
 name of St. John. The most decided Scriptural parallel to 
 the passages just referred to is to be found at the beginning 
 of St. John’s Gospel. From the third verse of St. John i. 
 to the eighteenth, almost every line contains some illustra- 
 tion of the doctrine of the Epistle to the Colossians. It is 
 somewhat surprising that St. Paul does not expressly apply 
 the title of the Word (Λόγος) to the Sqn of God. Philo 
 had written his books, and St. Paul, certainly through 
 Apollos and probably through others, had come into direct 
 contact with the ideas of the Alexandrian school; and it 
 was apparently as open to him, as it was afterwards to 
 St. John, to adopt a name which had so much congruity 
 with the views he was expressing. With the exception 
 however of the use of this name, the doctrine of the first 
 chapter of St. John is in close agreement with that of 
 St. Paul in this Epistle. In another book bearing the 
 name of St. John there is a sentence of similar import. 
 “To the angel of the Church in Laodicea write, These 
 things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the 
 beginning of the creation of God” (Rev. iii. 14). The 
 close connexion of the Church at Laodicea with that of 
 Colossee, and the probability that the Apocalypse was 
 written a very few years after our Epistle, render the 
 coincidence the more interesting. ΤῸ these parallel pas- 
 sages we may add the striking words at the beginning of 
 G 2 
 
s4 INTRODUCTION TO THE 
 
 the Epistle to the Hebrews, “the Son ... by whom he 
 made the worlds (or ages, τοὺς aidvas) . . . the brightness 
 of his glory and the express image of his person, (ἀπαύ- 
 yaopa τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ,) Uup- 
 holding all things by the word of his power” (Heb. i. 2, 3). 
 
 It may be worth while to remind the reader, that 
 St. Paul looks at the mystery of the universe, not from 
 the point of view of natural science, but from that of 
 theology. He is concerned professedly about God and 
 man, not about the laws of nature. But the phenomena 
 of the outer world insist upon bemg recognised and 
 demand to be accounted for. Man’s life is involved in- 
 extricably in perplexing relations with outward things. 
 All systems which attempted to set forth the nature of God 
 and to explain the life of man had offered some theory of 
 the connexion of the natural world with God and with 
 man. The peculiarity of St. Paul’s teaching, as addressed 
 to disciples of the school of Philo or to students of Oriental 
 theosophy, was not so much that it suggested any new 
 theory of the universe, but that it firmly comprehended in 
 the Person of the Son of God all that had been imagined 
 of creative action in the world, and of the possibilities of 
 a human ideal. The Father, the Son, the created universe ; 
 the Father, the Son, the human family : and in each series 
 the terms livingly united by the Spirit. This was the 
 doctrine which St. Paul opposed to the multiplication of 
 intermediate beings, and to schemes of spiritual  self- 
 exaltation. And, so far as it was possible, St. Paul desired 
 his doctrine to be rigorously tested by experience. He 
 bade his disciples dive on the understanding that they were 
 united to Christ and through Christ to the Father, and 
 that all things were subject to Christ. No man ever more 
 thoroughly intended that his highest principles should be 
 made the ground of common life. He included the whole 
 range of human activity within the laws of man’s relation 
 
EPISTLE ΤῸ THE COLOSSIANS. 85 
 
 to God in Christ. He claimed all men as Christ’s, and all 
 their actions as to be done for Christ. 
 
 The investigations of natural science have started from 
 a different point, and have had a different aim, from 
 St. Paul’s. Inquiries into the causes or connexions of 
 phenomena have been successful in finding out laws, which 
 it was their business to seek. They have never found God 
 in phenomena, but it was not to be expected that they 
 should. But after the laws have been discovered, and 
 when lower laws have been seen to resolve themselves into 
 higher and more comprehensive laws, the question arises, 
 What are these laws? Whence do they come? Why do 
 they exist “—and to this question the New Testament sup- 
 plies the answer, that they are utterances of the mind of 
 the Creator, forms which the Word of God has impressed 
 upon things. This answer leaves natural science free to 
 do its own work: far from assailing that work, it puts a 
 high honour upon it. But it professes to give the human 
 mind light and satisfaction upon poimts concerning which 
 natural science has nothing to say. 
 
 Similarly with regard to ethics, or the whole theory of 
 human life. Systems of duty may be built up by ascer- 
 taming through experience what promotes the well-being 
 of society. Their deductions may be right; their method 
 the New Testament, at least, will not deny to be sound. 
 But if we ask further, What is the object of society and 
 its well-being? What is the relation between man’s work 
 and his Maker? St. Paul is ready with a definite answer, 
 when he teaches that the ideal of manhood is in Christ, 
 that the Sonship of the Son is the chief law of humanity, 
 and that God as a Father is seeking the perfection through 
 love of mankind and of every man. 
 
 It is not easy to break up the Epistle into parts further 
 than has been done above. Its style is marked by continuity 
 
86 INTRODUCTION TO EPISTLE TO COLOSSIANS. 
 
 as well as closeness and vigour, and the two great theo- 
 logical passages in the first and second chapters are wrought 
 into the texture of a genuine letter. It begins with thanks- 
 givings and prayers on behalf of the Colossians, which lead 
 on naturally to the work and kingdom of Christ, and so to 
 his nature and his relation to the Father and to the world and 
 to men. At the end of the twenty-third verse of the first 
 chapter St. Paul pauses to speak of his own apostolical task 
 and of his interest in the spiritual condition of his readers. 
 He returns in 11. 9, with a tone of warning, to a setting 
 forth of the nature of Christ and of the meaning and 
 power of his death and resurrection and ascension. In the 
 third chapter he appeals to his readers to live as members 
 of a Head who was in heaven, and proceeds to give 
 warnings and practical exhortations in detail. The latter 
 part of the fourth chapter, from verse seven to the end, 
 - contains various personal allusions. 
 
is 
 
 I 
 
 3 
 
 HPO *‘RKOAASZ ARIS. 
 
 a > / ee, a \ , 
 IlavAos ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ διὰ θελήματος 
 “ - / ees \ a > a 
 2 θεοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ adeAdos τοῖς ev Κολασσαῖς ἁγίοις 
 καὶ πιστοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Χ 5 4 ἡμῖ ὶ 
 : τοῖς ἀδελῴοίς ἐν Χριστῷ. χάρις υμῖν καὶ 
 ᾽ > a A ε lal 
 εἰρηνὴ amo θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν. 
 5 ~~ OC ΄ ao cal 
 Evyapicrovupev τῷ θεῷ πατρὶ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν 
 » a fal / ἃς ε lal , 
 Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι, 
 » / \ € a > Zs a 
 4 ἀκούσαντες τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ 
 \ > , ἃ ἢ “ / \ c \ 
 5 τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν exETE εἰς TavTas τοὺς ayiovs δια 
 A > 7 \ » / | > ΄- 5 a 
 τὴν ελπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμενὴν υμῖν EV τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, 
 a 7 > - / a > vo 3 
 ἣν προηκούσατε εν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας τοῦ εὐαγγε- 
 
 1. Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφός. Timothy 
 is similarly associated with St. 
 Paul in both the Epistles to the 
 Thessalonians, in the Second to 
 
 _ the Corinthians, and in those to 
 
 Philemon and the Philippians. 
 If he did not accompany the 
 Apostle in the voyage from Cesarea 
 to Rome, he must have joined 
 him soon after his arrival. Of all 
 his converts and friends there does 
 not seem to have been one on 
 whom St. Paul leaned so much 
 for sympathy and assistance as on 
 his “own son” Timothy. His 
 habit of associating others with 
 himself in the writing of his 
 
 letters is a noticeable and cha- 
 racteristic one. 
 
 3, 4. Compare Eph. i. 15, 16. 
 
 5. διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα. The faith 
 and the love are represented as 
 stirred up by the hope, or the 
 thing hoped for. The Gospel 
 came with an offer of blessing ; 
 and the hope awakened by this 
 offer was the very beginning of 
 the Christian life. Compare τῇ 
 ἐλπίδι ἐσώθημεν, Rom. vii. 24 ; 
 and, for “‘the hope laid up in the 
 heavens,” Eph. 1. 11—14, 18. 
 
 τῷ λόγῳ τῆς aX., “the word of 
 truth,” as in Eph.i. 13 ; the word 
 of truth proclaimed by the Gospel. 
 
10 
 
 Il 
 
 12 
 
 88 [I. 6—12. 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 / “ Ψ > ε a A Q 3 \ rn 
 λίου τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς καθὼς καὶ EV παντὶ τῷ 
 , Ν 3 / ‘ > , 
 κόσμῳ, Kal ἔστιν καρποφορούμενον καὶ αὐξανόμενον 
 \ ᾿ > hel > 7? Ὁ ΓΝ ἢ > , Ὁ 
 καθως καὶ εν υμῖν, ab ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσατε καὶ 
 > , \ , a a > > | see \ 
 ἐπέγνωτε THY χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ εν αληθείᾳ' Kalas 
 > 7 3 Anes lay a > , € a 
 ἐμάθετε ἀπὸ Enadhpa τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ συνδούλου ἡμῶν, 
 oe > \ e \ ε a ἥ a ΄-“ 
 ὃς ἐστιν πιστὸς ὕπερ ὑμῶν διάκονος Tov Χριστοῦ, 
 ε / ς κα \ ε a > / > Id 
 ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν THY ὑμῶν ἀγάπην εν πνεύματι. 
 Δ \ a Rie at os 3. 25) Le «or ; > , > 
 la τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς, ah NS ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν, OV 
 id ed, | ε al 7 Ν > , 
 παυόμεθα ὑπερ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι 
 A ἴω \ > , lad , 3 a 
 iva πληρωθῆτε τὴν επίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ 
 bd Ψ , \ , - a 
 ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ, περιπατῆσαι 
 ε val » 7 ἴω 7 lad ον ἢ 3 
 ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρέσκειαν, EV παντὶ 
 ΕἾ » ΄σ ΄σ κ᾿ » ’ ε 
 ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες καὶ αὐξανόμενοι εἰς τὴν 
 » 7 a o > , , 4 
 ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι 
 Ἁ ‘ ᾽ὔ lol / > r 3 ΄“ ε A 
 κατὰ TO κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν 
 XA , \ lal > a a XQ 
 Kal μακροθυμίαν, μετὰ χαρᾶς εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ πατρὶ 
 
 6. τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς. The called by him his “fellow-prisoner” 
 
 two notions of coming ¢o you, 
 and being present, are combined. 
 “Which (the Gospel) has come 
 amongst you.” 
 
 καθώς. The repetition of καθώς 
 causes a part of the awkwardness 
 of this roughly-constructed sen- 
 tence. If καί is prefixed to ἔστιν 
 καρπ΄.,) we must supply πάρεστιν to 
 ἐν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ. But Lach- 
 mann, with some of the best MSS., 
 reads καθὼς καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ 
 ἐστὶν καρποφορούμενον, kK. τ. λ, 
 
 7. ἀπὸ Ἐπαφρᾶ. Epaphras was 
 evidently one of the chief teachers, 
 if he was not the founder, of the 
 Church at Colosse, He was now 
 with St. Paul at Rome and is 
 
 (Philemon 23), but probably this 
 refers only to a voluntary com- 
 panionship in St. Paul’s imprison- 
 ment. 
 
 9, ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν, 
 “that you may be made full as to 
 the knowledge of his will,’—that 
 you may gain a complete know- 
 ledge. . 
 
 10, περιπατῆσαι, “so that you 
 may walk,” 
 
 ἀρέσκεια is generally “ com- 
 plaisance” in an unfavourable 
 sense ; but here it expresses ami- 
 ability, favour with God and men, 
 
 12, “Giving thanks to the 
 Father who has called us effectu- 
 ally to our portion of the inherit- 
 
13 
 
 14 
 
 T, 13, 14.] 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 89 
 
 Se / ε a ria: \ / a ᾿ an 
 τῷ ιἱκανωσαντι EES: εἰς Tae μερίδα τοῦ κληρου τῶν 
 ἘΠ, 5 a , ἃ ᾿ς ΔῈ. ε lal > τεὴν > 7 
 aylov εν τῷ φωτί, ὃς εῤῥύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ THs ἐξουσίας 
 
 a / % U > \ a 
 τοῦ OKOTOUVS καὶ μετεστῆσεν εἰς THY βασιλείαν τοῦ 
 
 ee a > / > a > φΦ SF \ > £ 
 υἱοῦ τῆς AYATNS αὐτου, EV @ EXOMEY τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, 
 
 ance of the saints in light.”” There 
 is some doubt about the right 
 reading in this clause. καλέσαντι 
 is in some MSS. substituted for 
 
 ἱκανώσαντι, in others added (with. 
 
 καί) before it, in others omitted. 
 We can easily suppose that the 
 Apostle, having written καλέσαντι, 
 felt that a stronger word was 
 needed to express his meaning, 
 **_who has called us, and enabled 
 us,” with an emphasis on the 
 second word. This would account 
 for the irregular phrase ἱκανώσαντι 
 εἰς τὴν μερίδα. Or, on the other 
 hand, if ἑκανώσαντε only was 
 written, it was very natural that 
 καλέσαντι should be given as a 
 gloss, and so come into the text. 
 The Apostle is not speaking of 
 the preparation of Christians on 
 earth for a future inheritance, 
 “ The inheritance of the saints ἐγ 
 light” is represented as already 
 entered upon, being contrasted 
 with that “power or dominion of 
 darkness,’ from which the be- 
 lievers in Christ had been de- 
 livered. ‘‘ The portion,” ἡ μερίς, 
 is the share of each in the general 
 inheritance. Men could not have 
 taken possession of this in their 
 ownstrength. Their “sufficiency ” 
 was of God. For this use of 
 ἱκανῶσαι, compare 2 Cor, iii. 6, 
 
 ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους 
 καινῆς διαθήκης, The construction 
 of the two passages would be 
 identical, if we substituted pero- 
 χους for εἰς τὴν μερίδα, “ who has 
 enabled us as partakers,” or made 
 us competent to be partakers. 
 Observe that it is “the Father” 
 who has given this sufficiency. 
 The inheritance is in fact that of 
 sonship to God, with all its privi- 
 leges. 
 
 13, There are two opposing 
 dominions, the one that of the 
 powers of darkness, the other that 
 of the kingdom of light and peace 
 in which the Son of God reigns 
 over his brethren. The Christians, 
 in obeying the call of the Gospel, 
 had been brought out of the one 
 into the other. Compare Eph. v. 
 5, 8, “has no inheritance in the 
 kingdom of Christ and of God ;” 
 ... “you were once darkness, but 
 now you are light in the Lord ;” 
 and Eph. vi. 12. Passages from 
 the Zend Avesta relating to the 
 opposition of Angro- mainyus 
 (Ahriman) to Ahura-mazda (Or- 
 muzd) are given in the Lssay on 
 Joreign Elements in the Theology of 
 these Epistles. 
 
 14. Identical with Eph. i. 7, 
 except that there διὰ τοῦ αἵματος 
 αὐτοῦ is added after ἀπολύτρωσιν, 
 
15 
 16 
 
 90 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 [I. 15, 16. 
 
 τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ 
 
 τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ 
 
 ἐκτίσθη τὰ πᾶντα τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ 
 
 and παραπτωμάτων occupies the 
 place of ἁμαρτιῶν. Here, we must 
 connect the ἀπολύτρωσις with the 
 deliverance just mentioned. Those 
 who were now free subjects and 
 citizens of Christ’s kingdom had 
 found their deliverance from the 
 dominion of darkness in receiving 
 that forgiveness of sins which was 
 embodied, so to speak, in Christ 
 and his blood. 
 
 15. εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, 
 “the visible image of the invisible 
 God.” The word εἰκών here seems 
 to refer to the bodily person of 
 Christ. In Heb. i. 3, on the other 
 hand, the terms ἀπαύγασμα τῆς 
 δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως 
 αὐτοῦ may probably be understood 
 without reference to the Incar- 
 nation, as expressing the rela- 
 tion of the Son to the Father 
 in the mystery of the Divine 
 nature. 
 
 πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως. The 
 only exact translation of these 
 words is “firstborn of all creation ;” 
 and from this title it might with- 
 out doubt’ be logically inferred that 
 the Son was a part of creation. 
 But this phrase belongs to a 
 class of expressions in which the 
 strictest grammatical sense is by 
 no means always what is meant. 
 We do not infer from the phrase 
 “fairest of her daughters, Eve,” 
 
 that Eve was one of her own 
 daughters. And πρωτότοκος πάσης 
 κτίσεως might be written by one 
 who meant to convey that the Son 
 was begotten before any part of 
 creation. It would scarcely be 
 maintained that St. Paul would 
 have applied the term κτισθείς to 
 the Son. It is a fair and natural 
 way of explaining the words to 
 say, that the Son, with reference 
 to “all creation,” occupied the 
 place of “ first-born.” He is prior 
 to, and at the head of, all existence. 
 The next sentence is sufficient to 
 correct any false impression that 
 St. Paul was speaking of the Son 
 as a created being. 
 
 16. ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα. 
 ΤῸ is confessedly difficult to explain 
 the meaning of statements like 
 this, and it may seem wise to pass 
 them by as expressing mysteries 
 which we cannot pretend to fathom. 
 Any attempt to describe by a 
 definition that relation to God, or 
 the Lord, or Christ, which St. Paul 
 so often affirms in the phrase “7 
 him,” must necessarily be a failure. 
 We must be content to deny our- 
 selves a precise answer to the 
 question, what St. Paul meant 
 when he said, “‘ All things were 
 created in the Son of God,” or 
 when he said, “In God we live 
 and move and are.” But we ought 
 
17 
 18 
 
 1. 17, 18.) 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 ot 
 
 - a \ ε ‘ N \ x7 53, 6 / + 
 TNS YS; Ta OpaTa καὶ Ta aopaTa, ΕἶΤῈ βονοι ELTE 
 
 ’ + 3 Ν Sy > , 
 KUPLOTYTES ELTE αρχαᾶι E€LTE ἐξουσίαι. 
 
 \ / > 
 τὰ πάντα δι 
 
 » a 9 oA 3, \ | Le Ἁ > \ 
 αὐτοῦ Kal εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται, Kal αὐτὸς ἐστιν πρὸ 
 
 c N A , 3 x oA 7 κ᾿ ἢ 
 TTQVT@V KAL Τὰ TAVTA EV αὐτῷ OUVEOTIKEV, και QUTOS 
 
 to go with the mind of the Apostle 
 when he uses such language as far 
 as any reflections we can make 
 will enable us to go. And with 
 that view we should probably be 
 right in pursuing such considera- 
 tions as these : 
 
 (1.) The Son of God is a living 
 power sustaining and embracing 
 all things. The life, the coherence, 
 the movement, of the universe, 
 are due to his presence. 
 
 (2.) The order of the universe is 
 a reflection of the mind of God. 
 * All things ” not only depend on 
 
 the Son of God, but they also 
 
 manifest him. The invisible law 
 of the universe, the κόσμος vonrée, 
 is a thought of God. The rela- 
 tions and processes of the whole 
 creation will be better understood 
 by regarding them in the light of 
 the Divine nature, and of that 
 nature in its Filial aspect. 
 
 These doctrines are not amongst 
 the discoveries of modern physical 
 science. It does not belong to 
 science either to affirm or to con- 
 tradict them. But it might be 
 possible to trace analogies and 
 reciprocal illustrations between 
 this theology of creation and the 
 principles which science holds to 
 be most certain. 
 
 εἴτε θρόνοι, κ. τ. X.. an amplifi- 
 cation of the more frequent ἀρχαὶ 
 καὶ ἐξουσίαι. But no distinction 
 is to be looked for between these 
 terms. St. Paul seems to wish to 
 leave open the question of the 
 real existence of such entities as 
 formed the mythology of Oriental 
 systems. His object is to aftirm 
 that all existences whatsoever, let 
 them be what they might, were 
 necessarily created by and in and 
 for the Son of God, Compare 
 Eph. i. 21. 
 
 τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν 
 ἔκτισται. Compare Rom. xi. 36, 
 ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ Ov αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν 
 τὰ mavra,—said, without restric- 
 tion to the Son, of God or the 
 Lord. 
 
 17. ra πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν. 
 As in the English Version, “all 
 things in him consist, or are held 
 together.” Compare Ecclus. xliii. 
 26, ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ 
 πάντα. 
 
 18, That relation of Christ to 
 humanity which is implied in his 
 being the Head of the Church is 
 always closely associated in St. 
 Paul’s mind with the action or 
 relation of the Son of God as the 
 fountain and support of creation. 
 Compare Eph. 1. 29. 
 
 συγκεῖται 
 
19 
 
 20 
 
 92 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 {I. 19, 20. 
 
 > ¢ \ = / a > ly Ν᾿ σ 
 ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ του σώματος, τῆς εκκλησίας᾽ ὃς 
 
 5 5 / ἡ » lal a “ ͵7 
 εστιν ἀρχῇ; 7 P@TOTOKOS εκ τῶν νεκρῶν, Wa YEVHNTAL 
 
 » “ ἌΓΕ, / 7 9 > ἴω > / 
 εν TAOCLW αὕὔὕτος πρρώτευῶν, OTL εν αὐτῷ εὐδοκησεν 
 
 lad A / a > 5 Lad > 
 πᾶν TO πλήρωμα κατοικησαι Kal OL αὐτοῦ ἀποκα- 
 
 / \ / ᾽ 
 ταλλαξαι τὰ WavTa εἰς 
 
 ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχή. It would seem 
 that in this place the Son of God 
 is called ἀρχή in his character as 
 the Head of the Church rather 
 than in his character as the Crea- 
 tive Word. He is the Origin from 
 which the Church, the redeemed 
 Body, has its derivation. 
 
 πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν. Here 
 also it is the Head of the Church, 
 the risen Saviour, who is πρωτό- 
 rokoc in this second sense. Above, 
 the Son, the Image of the Father, 
 is the Firstborn of all creation. 
 Now he is the Firstborn, by his 
 resurrection from the dead, of the 
 new creation of redeemed and 
 reconciled spirits. 
 
 iva γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρω- 
 τεύων. “That he might gain the 
 first place for himself in all things.” 
 Christ descended in order that he 
 might vise to the highest place, 
 and so might manifestly originate 
 a new order. 
 
 19. There are two constructions 
 for this sentence, according as τὸ 
 πλήρωμα is taken for an accusative 
 or a nominative. In the former 
 ease, the rendering of the English 
 Version is the right one, “ it 
 pleased [God or the Father],” or 
 more exactly, “God was pleased, 
 that in him all the Fulness should 
 
 5. ἢ > / \ 
 αὐτὸν, εἰρηνοποιῆσας δια 
 
 dwell.” The objection to this con- 
 struction is that the omission of 
 the name of “ God” as the subject 
 is not a natural one. In the latter 
 case πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα is a name for 
 the Divine Being. 
 all the Fulness was pleased to 
 dwell, and by him to reconcile all 
 things to himself.” In an ordinary 
 passage of St. Paul we should not 
 willingly admit such an expression. 
 But when we consider how largely 
 the Apostle has been using the 
 language of “theosophy” in the 
 preceding sentences, there seems 
 to be no incongruity, as there is 
 certainly much force, in using a 
 term which expresses the infinity 
 of the Divine nature in place of 
 any personal name of God. The 
 more lengthened phrase in ii. 9, 
 πᾶν TO πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος, does 
 not tell directly in favour of either 
 construction ; but it shows us still 
 further how much St. Paul’s mind 
 was dwelling on these “‘ mystical ” 
 ideas of God’s nature, and so 
 helps to make the unusual form 
 of expression more probable. ἡ 
 
 In either 
 case, it is God who has made peace 
 through the blood of the cross of 
 Christ. Compare Eph. ii. 16, 17, 
 and see the note on that passage, 
 
 “ For in him 
 
 20. εἰρηνοποιήσας. 
 
21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 I, 21--93.} EPISTLE ΤῸ THE COLOSSIANS. 93 
 
 va 3 \ 
 τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, Ot αὐτου, εἴτε τὰ 
 > ΄ 
 ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. καὶ ὑμᾶς 
 
 ποτὲ ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ 
 ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροίς, νυνὶ δὲ ἀποκατήλλαξεν 
 ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου, 
 παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους 
 κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ, εἴ γε ἐπιμένετε τῇ πίστει τεθεμελιω- 
 μένοι καὶ ἑδραῖοι καὶ μὴ μετακινούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπί- 
 dos τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὗ ἠκούσατε, τοῦ κηρυχθέντος ἐν 
 πάσῃ κτίσει τῇ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν, οὗ ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ 
 
 Παῦλος διάκονος. 
 
 δ αὐτοῦ, “through him,” em- 
 phatic. The blood of the cross 
 meant Him who shed his blood, 
 Christ dying as a self-oblation. 
 Observe in this verse how the 
 Apostle insists on the wniversality 
 of the reconciliation, and on Christ 
 being the one medium of it. 
 
 Dil’. ὑμᾶς. A direct and 
 particular application is given to 
 the universal statement, just as 
 in Eph. u. 1. 
 
 Ἂν Ἂς 
 Kael 
 
 ἀπηλλοτριωμένους. Comp. Eph. 
 aye 18, 19. 
 
 ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς. The 
 estrangement and enmity had its 
 seat and manifestation and nourish- 
 ment in evil acts. 
 
 ἀποκατήλλαξεν. “ΗΔ (that is, 
 God, as hbefore,) has reconciled 
 you in the body of Christ’s flesh.” 
 The sentence does not run very 
 smoothly, and transcribers appear 
 to have stumbled at the δέ added 
 for emphasis to yuri. Lachmann 
 gives preference to the almost im- 
 
 possible reading εἰποκατηλλάγητε. 
 There are other various readings, of 
 which ἀποκαταλλαγέντες (also im- 
 possible) holds next place. 
 
 The doctrine is still the same, 
 —that in the living person of 
 Christ, who gave himself up to 
 man’s death and was raised again 
 by the Father, men, as men, are 
 reconciled to God. 
 
 22. παραστῆσαι. It is God, 
 again, who presents his reconciled 
 children before himself. Compare 
 Eph. i, 4. 
 
 23. εἰ ye ἐπιμένετε, “if you 
 abide in the faith,’—not rejecting 
 that filial condition to which God 
 has called you, 
 
 ἐν πάσῃ κτίσει. We can hardly 
 suppose this to have been an un- 
 meaning exaggeration. It is to 
 be remembered, (1) that the wide 
 diffusion of the Gospel was a point 
 of great importance to St. Paul, 
 as expressing so fitly that opening 
 of God’s favour to all men uni- 
 
24 
 
 25 
 
 94 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. [I. 24, 25. 
 
 Noy χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ 
 ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ 
 ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ᾿ 
 ἐκκλησία, ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος κατὰ τὴν οἰκονο- 
 
 / aA “ \ a / 3 ΞΕ ἴω a 
 μίαν tov θεοῦ την δοθεῖσαν μοι εἰς vas πληρῶσαι 
 
 versally in which he gloried; and 
 (2) that the Gospel had been pub- 
 lished over a very remarkably wide 
 area for that age. St. Paul’s own 
 work in this preaching had been 
 wonderful in its geographical ex- 
 tension, as well as in other charac- 
 teristics. | Nevertheless the ex- 
 pression cannot be made out to 
 be a strictly accurate one, nor is 
 it necessary that it should be. 
 St. Paul was speaking from the 
 point of view of theology, not of 
 
 statistics. Compare verses 5, 6, 
 of this chapter. 
 24, viv χαίρω. MS. authority 
 
 is in favour of the omission of ὃς 
 before νῦν, but this may partly be 
 accounted for by the similar end- 
 ing of διάκονος. The sentence is 
 considerably injured by the ex- 
 cision of this copula. 
 
 The feeling here expressed of 
 joy and pride in his sufferings 
 was habitual to St. Paul. Whilst 
 he held it to be a general Christian 
 privilege to “glory in tribulations,” 
 he regarded his own peculiar af- 
 flictions as a seal of his Apostle- 
 ship. But the language of this 
 verse is the most remarkable that 
 he anywhere uses in speaking of 
 his sufferings. 
 
 καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ, k.7.A. There is 
 something startling in the words, 
 “the shortcomings of the afflic- 
 tions of Christ,” and in St. Paul’s 
 pretensions to supply in his person 
 what had been left wanting by 
 Christ. But we must bring to 
 the reading of this passage St. 
 Paul’s idea of the Head and the 
 members. The Body was the 
 πλήρωμα or complement of Christ 
 (Eph. 1. 23); without it he was 
 not complete. The Church was 
 to be built up out of sufferings,— 
 the sufferings of Christ first, and 
 the sufferings of his members in 
 their turn and place; and each 
 member, in doing his part, was 
 supplying that which was left 
 vacant, so to say, for him to 
 supply. St. Paul, who knew his 
 part in the building up of the 
 Church to be a great one, might 
 honestly speak of his sufferings 
 as contributing an important com- 
 plement to the total sum of the 
 afflictions of Christ and his mem- 
 bers. 
 
 The ἀντί in ἀνταναπληρῶ pro- 
 bably implies.a kind of response 
 on the part of the members, 
 echoing the action of the Head. 
 
 25. In 
 
 Kara τὴν οἰκονομίαν. 
 
26 
 
 27 
 
 I. 96, 27.] 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS, 
 
 95 
 
 \ / a a Ν ’ \ > / 
 Tov λόγον Tov θεοῦ, TO μυστήριον TO ἀποκεκρυμμένον 
 
 3 \ -“ ΓᾺΡ A XV > \ r a ν \ > 
 
 ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶών, νυνὶ δὲ εἐφανε- 
 / ad ε / > na - > / ε δὴ / 
 
 ρωθὴ τοῖς αγίοις αὐτοῦ, οἷς ἡθελησεν ὁ θεὸς γνωρίσαι 
 , \ a “ f “ 7 , 3 ca 
 
 τί TO πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς 
 
 3 “ 5 Be \ > δ πὶ ες ε > is lad So 
 
 εθνεσιν, os ἐστιν Χριστος ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς Sons, 
 
 Eph. iii. 7, the same place is filled 
 by the words κατὰ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς 
 χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι. 
 And in the second verse of the 
 same chapter the equivalent phrase 
 is τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ 
 θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης po. On the 
 word οἰκονομία see the note on 
 Eph. i. 10. It is here used in 
 the second of the senses there 
 given, and represents an appoint- 
 ment or commission given by the 
 Lord to his servant Paul. It 
 answers to δωρεά in Eph. iii. 7,— 
 
 the word most commonly used 
 
 to denote this commission being 
 χάρις. This is also the sense of 
 οἰκονομία in Eph, 111. 2. 
 
 πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ. 
 It would seem as if St. Paul, 
 when a word became strongly 
 impressed on his mind, had a 
 pleasure in using it in various 
 senses. Πληροῦν and πλήρωμα are 
 among the special words of these 
 Epistles. Here, to “fill” or 
 “fulfil” the word of God, must 
 mean to proclaim it to the full; 
 to fill the appointed measure in 
 the bearing or making known of 
 God’s word. 
 
 26. Compare Eph. iii. 9. 
 
 ἐφανερώθη, written as if ὃ aze- 
 
 κρύφθη had gone before, instead of 
 its equivalent, τὸ ἀποκεκρύμμενον. 
 
 27. τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ 
 μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. 
 It is instructive to compare this 
 with the parallel phrase in Eph. 
 1. 18, τίς ὃ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τῆς 
 κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις. 
 There is just the same kind of 
 recurrence and variation of words 
 which we observe as characteristic 
 of St. Paul not only in different 
 compositions, but in the same 
 letter. The variation of gender 
 in the use of πλοῦτος may be 
 regarded as purely casual. The 
 different expressions in either 
 sentence are in obvious harmony 
 with the line of thought in each 
 passage respectively. ἐν τοῖς ἔθνε- 
 σιν, “among the Gentiles,” should 
 be referred to the whole subject,— 
 “the wealth of the glory of this 
 mystery ;” it implies that the 
 Gentile world was the element, 
 in and through which this glory 
 was realized, 
 
 ὅς [or 6] ἐστιν Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν. 
 The mystery, once hidden but now 
 manifested, is “Christ in you.” 
 In the next verse, St. Paul speaks 
 of presenting every man τέλειον 
 ἐν Χριστῷ, Christ in you,—you 
 
28 
 
 29 
 
 I 
 
 96 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS.  [I. 28,29, IT.1, 2. 
 
 ἃ € a , a U 3 
 ὃν ἡμεῖς καταγγελλομεν νουθετοῦντες πάντα ἀνθρωπον 
 
 Ν id ’ oy 5 / , od 
 καὶ διδάσκοντες TavTa avOpwrov ev πασῃ σοφίᾳ, ἵνα 
 
 / if 37 / > ΤΣ 
 παραστήσωμεν TavTa ἀνθρωπον τέλειον εν Χριστῷ 
 
 a a a > Υ \ \ > ὦ 3 a 
 εἰς O και KOTTLW ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ Τὴν EVEPYELAV QUTOU 
 
 \ » / > > ΓΝ > , 
 THY ενεργουμενὴν εν ἐμοι EV δυναμει. 
 
 , \ eon 507 Ἐν 3 a 3, Ν 
 Θελω yap ὑμᾶς εἰδεναι ἡλίκον αγῶνα εἐχὼω περὶ 
 
 ε a Q a > y \ (4 > ¢ ¥ 
 υμῶν καὶ τῶν EV Λαοδικείᾳ καὶ οσοι ουχ εῶρακᾶν 
 
 \ , / 3 / ” € 
 TO TPOOWTTOV μου εν OapKl, LVa παρακληθῶώσιν αι 
 
 7, rs / 2 > ᾿ Ν > 
 καρδίαι αὐτῶν, συμβιβασθεντες Ev ἀγάπῃ καὶ εἰς 
 
 la A a lod y “ / > 
 πᾶν τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς πληροφορίας τῆς συνεσεως, εἰς 
 
 in Christ. We are reminded of 
 
 our Lord’s own saying (St. John 
 
 xv. 4) μείνατε ἐν ἐμοί, κἀγὼ ἐν 
 ὑμῖν. Such ἃ spiritual relation to 
 Christ is implied as may be ex- 
 pressed by either phrase, Christ 
 dwells in us, or, We dwell in 
 Christ ; or best by both these 
 phrases. ‘“ We are one with 
 Christ and Christ with us.” This 
 close fellowship with Christ is 
 the revealed mystery of God’s 
 eternal purpose, and it constitutes 
 the hope of glory yet to be mani- 
 fested. 
 
 28. The repetition of πάντα 
 ἄνθρωπον in this verse is what 
 chiefly attracts attention. We 
 may trace it to that thought of 
 universality and completeness which 
 has become a passion in the Apos- 
 tle’s mind. He saw everything on 
 the largest scale, but yet felt that 
 no individual part was insignifi- 
 cant or to be neglected. The 
 mystery of Christ was for the 
 whole universe, for mankind uni- 
 
 versally ; but each individual 
 person needed to receive the mys- 
 tery, to be instructed, to be in- 
 formed, to be brought to a con- 
 dition of personal perfection 
 
 29. And the effort to do his 
 part in this work called for all 
 the energetic labour which St. 
 Paul, or the power of God in 
 him, could put forth. 
 
 IL. 1. ἡλίκον ἀγῶνα ἔχω. Re- 
 ferring to ἀγωνιζόμενος in the 
 preceding verse. Compare iv. 13. 
 The fact of not being known by 
 face to the believers at Colossze 
 and Laodicea adds a kind of 
 hungry yearning to the Apostle’s 
 desire for their spiritual welfare. 
 From iv. 16 it appears that there 
 was familiar intercourse between 
 the Churches here mentioned. 
 
 2. συμβιβασθέντες. In con- 
 struction, this word agrees with 
 the supposed subject of the pre- 
 ceding clause ;—it is expressed as 
 if “ that they might be comforted ” 
 
ΤΙ. 3--6.] EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 97 
 
 9 an / an an ᾿ φ , 
 
 ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐν ᾧ εἰσὶν πάντες 
 
 a / Ν a / > / 
 οἱ θησαυροὶ τῆς σοφίας καὶ τῆς γνώσεως ἀπόκρυφοι. 
 a \ t 7 Ν oS / ? 
 τοῦτο δὲ λέγω ἵνα μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς παραλογίζηται ἐν 
 θ x / > \ A es % a ὐλλὰ “ 
 πιθανολογίᾳ. εἰ yap καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄπειμι, ἀλλὰ τῷ 
 \ rE Ὺν 7 / Ν ε a 
 πνεύματι συν υμῖν εἰμί, χαίρων καὶ βλέπων ὑμῶν 
 
 \ / \ / - \ / 
 τὴν τάξιν καὶ TO στερέωμα THs εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως 
 
 e lal 
 υμων. 
 
 had gone before. For the idea, 
 compare Eph. iv. 13—16. Ad- 
 vance in knowledge is made depen- 
 dent upon growth in Christian 
 life.—that is, in the love and 
 fellowship which bind the mem- 
 bers of a true Body together. 
 
 τοῦ θεοῦ. There is a great con- 
 fusion in the MSS. as to the read- 
 ing here. The words θεοῦ, πατρός, 
 and Χριστοῦ, are variously con- 
 nected or omitted. The readings 
 of the best MSS. are as follows : 
 tov θεοῦ Χριστοῦ, B, received by 
 Lachmann ; τοῦ θεοῦ πατρὸς Χρισ- 
 τοῦ, the Sinaitic; τοῦ θεοῦ πατρὸς 
 τοῦ Χριστοῦ, A.C. These readings 
 do not differ in sense from one 
 another, if Χριστοῦ be taken as in 
 apposition to τοῦ μυστηρίου. The 
 mystery ts Christ, as in 1. 27, 
 “unto the knowledge of the 
 mystery of God (or, of God the 
 Father), namely, Christ.” 
 
 3. The words σοφία, γνῶσις, 
 θησαυροὶ ἀπόκρυφοι, have a strongly 
 Gnostical stamp, like other terms 
 which follow in this chapter ; and 
 we cannot but conclude that St. 
 Paulis quoting or borrowing them 
 
 τὶ / \ x ον 
 ‘Os οὖν παρελαβετε τὸν Χριστὸν ᾿Ϊησοῦν 
 
 from theosophical speculations by 
 which, in his judgment, the Colos- 
 sian brethren were in danger of 
 being misled. Yet the thought 
 is almost identical with what we 
 find in other Epistles, as for ex- 
 ample in 1 Cor. i. 24, 30; ii. 
 2, 7; in the last of which places 
 we have λαλοῦμεν θεοῦ σοφίαν ἐν 
 μυστηρίῳ τὴν ἀποκεκρυμμένην. 
 
 4. St. Paul’s earnest protest, 
 by which he hoped to guard the 
 Colossians against plausible false 
 teachers, was this,—that all the 
 γνῶσις of which they spoke, in- 
 cluding whatever was most hidden 
 or mystical, was in Christ, and 
 was to be learnt through the study 
 of him. 
 
 5. This assurance, interposed in 
 the midst of an anxious exhor- 
 tation, is highly characteristic of 
 St. Paul, and shows the teacher 
 not afraid to use his personal 
 authority, wishing to commend 
 rather than to censure, and bring- 
 ing forward the good points in 
 his readers which he sought to 
 strengthen against the dangers 
 besetting them. 
 
 H 
 
10 
 
 98 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. [II. 7—10. 
 
 TOV κύριον, ἐν αὐτῷ περιπατεῖτε, ἐῤῥιζωμένοι καὶ ἐποικο- 
 δομούμενοι ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ βεβαιούμενοι τῇ πίστει καθὼς 
 ἐδιδάχθητε, περισσεύοντες ἐν αὐτῇ ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ. βλέ- 
 πετε μή τις ἔσται ὑμᾶς ὁ συλαγωγῶν διὰ τῆς φιλο- 
 σοφίας καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν 
 ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου καὶ οὐ κατὰ 
 Χριστόν, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ κατοικεῖ πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς 
 θεότητος σωματικῶς καί ἐστε ἐν αὐτῷ πεπληρωμένοι, ὃς 
 
 7. ἐποικυδομούμενοι. The pre- “gnostical” doctrine (to use a 
 
 sent tense ought to be noticed,— 
 “in process of being built up,’— 
 as συνοικοδομεῖσθε in Eph. ii. 22. 
 
 8. κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀν- 
 St. Paul’s language seems 
 to imply that there was no absolute 
 novelty in the speculations offered 
 to the Colossians. They were 
 probably in the main traditions, 
 and commended by their sup- 
 porters as having the authority of 
 tradition. 
 
 θρώπων. 
 
 τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου, also in 
 verse 20. Compare the “ weak and 
 beggarly rudiments ” of Gal. iv. 9. 
 
 9. The passage which follows 
 is one of the most difficult in the 
 New Testament, partly on account 
 of the want of finish in the 
 construction,—the connexion of 
 clauses being especially imperfect 
 and uncertain,—and partly on ac- 
 count of the mystical character 
 of the ideas expressed. It may 
 safely be inferred that St. Paul 
 has in his mind Judaistic doctrine 
 relating to circumcision, festivals, 
 abstinence, and the like, and also 
 
 later term) concerning the πλήρωμα 
 and the heavenly orders. And 
 most probably both kinds of doc- 
 trine were combined in the specu- 
 lations of the same teachers. The 
 Apostle subjects all such theories 
 to the doctrine of Christ ;—of 
 Christ fully Divine, truly human, 
 manifested by death and resurrec- 
 tion, uniting all mankind directly 
 to God. 
 
 κατοικεῖ, “* dwells,” not “ dwelt.” 
 
 10. καί ἐστε ἐν αὐτῷ πεπληρω- 
 A parenthetic clause, due 
 to the impression made on St. 
 Paul’s mind by the word and 
 thought of “ fulness.” “The ful- 
 ness of the Godhead is in Christ, 
 —and your fulness also (in a true 
 but not quite the same sense) is 
 in him.” The perfection of God 
 and the perfection of man meet 
 in Christ. In Christ men have 
 their complete ideal ; in proportion 
 as they dwell in him they become 
 perfect. 
 
 μένοι. 
 
 ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξι ΑΒ in verse 15, 
 i, 16; Eph, ii. 10, 
 
Il 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 II. 11—13.] 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 99 
 
 > ε \ / ’ a ah ), > z Ν 
 εστιν n κεφαλὴ πασὴς ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας, εν ᾧ καὶ 
 
 , a > / > “ > Le 
 περιετμηθητε περιτομῇ AXELPOTOLNT@, EV TH ἀπεκδυσει 
 a / ἴω , > lal 5 lad ἴω 
 του σώματος TNS DAPKOS, ἐν Τῇ ΤΠΕεριίΤΟμῇὴ TOU Χριστοῦ, 
 
 ͵ὔ ΕῚ tal > a 7 5 νυ 
 συνταῴεντες αὐτῷ εν τῷ βαπτίσματι, εν ᾧ καὶ συνη- 
 
 / \ a / ω > 5 a a 
 yepOnre διὰ τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐνεργείας τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ 
 
 » 7 ὌΨΑ > o an ¢€ lod 4 
 EVELPAVTOS AUTOV EK τῶν νεκρῶν" καὶ ὑμᾶς VEKPCUS 
 
 11. In all probability, as has 
 
 been said above, some Judaistic 
 
 enforcement of circumcision gave 
 occasion to what St. Paul says 
 here. 
 
 It is to be borne in mind that, 
 to St. Paul, the essential reality 
 of all spiritual relations was that 
 mystical order, that Divine or- 
 ganization, which subsisted in 
 Christ. All sacramental symbols 
 derived their meaning and worth 
 from the reality which they repre- 
 sented,—a reality on which they 
 were dependent, but which was 
 not dependent upon them. The 
 streneth of this feeling in St. 
 Paul’s mind enabled him to use 
 sacred symbols for the purpose of 
 illustration with greater freedom 
 than is natural to us. In this 
 passage, the circumcision of Christ 
 and the baptism of the Christian 
 are both appealed to as external 
 facts which give expression and 
 body to the great mystical laws of 
 spiritual fellowship with Christ. 
 
 ἐν ᾧ καὶ περιετμήθητε. “ In 
 Christ you were circumcised.” 
 When ?—* When fhe was circum- 
 cised.” ‘In his circumcision, be- 
 lieve that youhad the sins of your 
 
 flesh stripped off.” Again, “ You 
 have been buried with Christ.” 
 When? ‘In your baptism.” 
 “ Believe that you then died with 
 Christ and rose again with Christ.” 
 It would have been equally Pauline 
 to say, “‘ You were buried when 
 Christ was buried, and you rose 
 again when Christ rose again,” as 
 to say, “You went down into 
 death with Christ when you went 
 under the water, and rose up alive 
 with him when you came out of 
 the water.” The historical facts 
 of Christ’s life, and the sacred 
 symbols of the Christian life, are 
 equally, though not in an identical 
 manner, expressions of the Divine 
 law or will which governs the 
 higher existence of man. 
 
 12. διὰ τῆς πίστεως... The 
 rising to life only becomes actual 
 through faith. ‘‘ Believe in that 
 putting forth of Divine Will 
 which wrought when God raised 
 Christ from the dead, and you 
 also are raised again.” Compare 
 Eph. i. 19, 20, and the notes on 
 that passage. 
 
 13. The clauses which follow 
 resemble very closely Eph. ii. 1, 
 5, 14, 15, 16. 
 
 H 2 
 
14 
 
 15 
 
 100 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. (II. 14, 15. 
 
 ὄντας ἐν τοῖς παραπτώμασιν καὶ τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ τῆς 
 σαρκὸς ὑμῶν, συνεζωοποίησεν ὑμᾶς σὺν αὐτῷ, Xone 
 σάμενος, ἡμῖν πάντα τὰ παραπτώματα, ἐξαλείψας τὸ 
 καθ᾽ ἡ ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον τοῖς δόγμασιν ὃ ὃ nV ὑπεναντίον 
 ἡμῖν, καὶ αὐτὸ ἤρκεν ἐκ TOU μέσου, προσηλώσας αὐτὸ 
 τῷ σταυρῷ, ἀπεκδυσάμενος τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας 
 
 3 / > de , 
 εἐδειγμάατισεν EV παρρησίᾳ, 
 
 a> a 
 αὐτῷ. 
 
 14. Τὴ the parallel passage Eph. 
 ii. 15, the written law, the system 
 of decrees, is represented primarily 
 as a barrier between Jews and 
 Gentiles: here it is primarily a 
 barrier between men and God. 
 By its power to condemn it repels 
 men from God. Christ by the re- 
 conciliation displayed in him has 
 effaced all the separative power 
 of the Law. 
 
 ἐκ τοῦ μέσου, “from the midst,” 
 i.e. from intervening between us 
 and God. 
 
 15. The difficulty of connecting 
 this verse with what goes before, 
 through the absence of a copula, 
 is trifling compared with the diffi- 
 culty of translating and under- 
 standing the words themselves. 
 
 What is the sense of ἀπεκὲυ- 
 σάμενος Ἷ 
 
 What were the ἀρχαί and ἐξου- 
 ciac to be triumphed over in 
 Christ’s work of redemption 
 through sacrifice ? 
 
 It is almost better to give up 
 the word ἀπεκδυσάμενος in despair, 
 than to render it ‘‘ having spoiled.” 
 It is not that St. Paul was in- 
 
 / > \ 
 θριαμβεύσας αὐτοὺς ἐν 
 
 capable of bad grammar; but 
 that there is no conceivable reason 
 for his using a common word in a 
 totally false sense. His use of 
 ἀπέκδυσις, a very few lines above, 
 in its right sense, makes such a 
 false application of ἀπεκδυσάμενος 
 still more incredible. To render 
 it “ having spoiled” is not simply 
 to assume that the middle is 
 wrongly used for the active voice. 
 In the active ἀὠπέκδυσαι would be 
 to strip off clothes, not to strip the 
 body of clothes. The ἀρχαί and 
 ἐξουσίαι would still be stripped 
 off, not spoiled. 
 
 Then, what are these dpyaé and 
 ἐξουσίαι It is said, evd powers, 
 devils. And this interpretation is 
 supported by Eph. vi. 12. But 
 just above, Christ is spoken of as 
 the head of all principalities and 
 powers. And itis certainly usual 
 in these Epistles to find dpyaé and 
 ἐξουσίαι used in a neutral or com- 
 prehensive sense. 
 
 The most prudent course would 
 perhaps be to leave the passage 
 uninterpreted, as apparently un- 
 finished and therefore obscure. 
 
16 
 17 
 
 II. 16, 17. 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 101 
 
 \ 53, Chain / > / ax , aA 
 
 Μη οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω ev βρώσει Kal εν πόσει ἢ 
 
 ᾽ / € a x 7ὔ x / ὮΝ \ 
 εν μέρει EOPTNS ἢ νουμηνίας ἢ σαββατων, a ἐστιν OKLA 
 
 The literal rendering is to say 
 that “ God in Christ” stripped off 
 from himself the principalities 
 and powers, and made a show of 
 them. May some such thought 
 as this be indicated ? — “ False 
 teachers are enveloping and smo- 
 thering the person of Christ with 
 a cloud of ethereal beings. But 
 I say that Christ, in the glory of 
 his cross, stripped himself clear 
 of all that cloud. He rose up 
 into a higher sphere, and placed 
 himself distinctly above all powers 
 of the invisible world.” So it is 
 said in Eph. iv. 10 that Christ 
 rose ‘far above all heavens,” and 
 in Eph. i. 21 that God “placed 
 him far above all ἀρχαί and ἐξου- 
 cia.” 
 
 There is an idea of hostility, it 
 is true, expressed in the words 
 ἐδειγμάτισεν and θριαμβεύσας. Ἵ ἢ 
 the ἀρχαί and ἐξουσίαι be regarded 
 as in some way connected with 
 the administration of the Law, 
 (compare what is said of “ angels” 
 in Gal. iti. 19, Acts vii. 53, and 
 Hebrews ii. 2,) a victory over 
 them wight be spoken of in con- 
 nexion with a victory over the 
 Law. Or, if they are simply re- 
 
 Ἢ garded as powers which hid Christ 
 
 from men, Christ in clearing him- 
 self from them might be said to 
 vanquish them as rivals. 
 
 ἐν αὐτῷ. Probably “in him ;” 
 
 not “in it,” viz. the cross. All 
 through the sentence God in Christ 
 is the subject. 
 
 16—23. This passage carries on 
 the warning begun in the 8th 
 verse. The believers were in 
 danger of being robbed of their 
 freedom and life given to them in 
 Christ by being brought under 
 a complicated system of obser- 
 vances. The Apostle exhorts them 
 to refuse to be thus degraded. 
 The language of this paragraph 
 presents to us a succession of diffi- 
 culties, including some uncertain- 
 ties of text; which strengthen 
 that impression of crudeness in 
 the composition which is con- 
 veyed by some preceding passages. 
 It may be supposed, perhaps, that 
 St. Paul’s dictation did not always 
 take place under equally favourable 
 circumstances. 
 
 16. Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω. 
 You are made alive and exalted 
 with Christ: therefore do not sub- 
 mit to be treated as subjects of a 
 lower dispensation, bound by an 
 external religion. 
 
 ἐν μέρει, “with reference to,” 
 “in the matter of.” 
 used for ““ what concerns,” as τοὺ- 
 μὸν μέρος, So far as relates to me. 
 
 σαββάτων, though plural, may 
 mean a single Sabbath. Compare 
 St. Matthew xxviii. 1, &. 
 
 17. Ceremonial institutions were: 
 
 μέρος was 
 
18 
 
 20 
 
 102 EPISTLE TO 
 
 na / \ \ 
 τῶν peAAOVTMY, TO δε 
 
 THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 σώμα Χριστοῦ. 
 
 - [11.18--.90. 
 
 μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς 
 
 , / 3 , 
 karaBpaBeveror θέλων εν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ θρησκείᾳ 
 τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἃ μὴ ἑώρακεν ἐμβατεύων, εἰκῆ φυσιού- 
 μενος ὑπὸ τοῦ voos τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ κρατῶν 
 
 τὴν κεφαλήν, ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα διὰ τῶν apev καὶ 
 , > / ἃς , 3] 
 συνδεσμων επιχορηγουμενον και συμβιβαζύμενον αὐξει 
 
 A 37 “ lal 
 τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ θεοῦ. 
 
 but a shadow of the substance 
 signified by them. As Christ, the 
 substance of the Jewish institu- 
 tions, had come, τὰ μέλλοντα is 
 probably to be understood of things 
 which had been “future” when 
 the ceremonies were instituted. 
 
 τὸ σῶμα. ‘The body is [the 
 body] of Christ.” Σῶμα is used 
 in a twofold sense. The Person of 
 Christ is the body or substance 
 
 of which these institutions are 
 shadows. 
 caraBpaBevérw. This word 
 
 means properly to decide against 
 a person’s claim to a prize. It is 
 difficult to say whether the idea 
 of defrauding is here to take pre- 
 cedence of that of condemning. If 
 so, the βραβεῖον might be fellow- 
 ship with Christ. Compare Phi- 
 lippians iii. 14, εἰς τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς 
 ἄνω κλήσεως τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ 
 Ἰησοῦ. 
 
 θέλων, “at his will” or pleasure. 
 ἐν ram., preaching humility, ὅσο. 
 
 θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων», “ wor- 
 ship paid to angels ;” not, as some 
 have understood it, “‘angelical de- 
 votion.” Such devotion does not 
 appear to have been one of the 
 
 > / | 5 \ 
 Ei ἀπεθανετε συν Χριστῷ ἀπὸ 
 
 dangers which St. Paul was con- 
 templating, nor would it have been 
 well expressed by θρησκεία. Wor- 
 ship of angels is contrasted with 
 holding the Head. 
 
 ἃ μὴ ἑώρακεν ἐμβατεύων, “en- 
 tering upon, or going into, things 
 which he has not seen,’—such as, 
 by his theories, he might be sup- 
 posed to have seen, but has not. 
 The other reading ἃ édp., which 
 has almost better MS. authority, 
 cannot be made to give any tole- 
 rable meaning. Compare the fol- 
 lowing expressions in Philo: Ti, 
 φησιν, ὦ θαυμάσιοι, τοσοῦτον αἰφνί- 
 διον ἀρθέντες ἀπὸ γῆς εἰς ὕψος 
 ἐπινήχεσθε καὶ τὸν ἀέρα ὑπερκύψαν- 
 τες αἰθεροβατεῖτε ; (i. 465.) 
 
 19. Compare Eph. iv. 16, and 
 note. τὴν avénow τοῦ θεοῦ, “the 
 growth which God designs and 
 grants.” 
 
 20. στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου. Asin 
 verse 8, “ Christ”’ and ‘the ele- 
 ments of the world” are put in 
 opposition to one another. The 
 elements of the world are here, as 
 in Galatians iv. 9, chiefly rules of 
 an external and superticial nature 
 relating to observances. 
 
21 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 II. 21—93.] EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 103 
 
 an 7 tal / / ε la L é 
 TOV στοιχειῶν του κοσμου, TL @S ζῶντες ἐν κοσμῷ 
 
 Μὴ ἅψῃ μηδὲ γεύσῃ μηδὲ 
 ἐστιν πάντα εἰς φθορὰν τῇ ἀποχρήσει, κατὰ 
 
 “ 
 
 / 
 Oiyns, α 
 aS / 
 τα ενταλ- 
 
 nN 8 U o > / “ / > 
 ματα καὶ διδασκαλίας τῶν ἀνθρωπων; ἁτινὰ ἐστιν 
 
 δογματίζεσθε 
 
 / \ 3 7 3 > 7 τ 
 λόγον μὲν exovTa σοφίας ev εθελοθρησκείᾳ καὶ τα- 
 
 / Ν > / ἢ > > a i 
 
 πεινοφροσυνῃ Kal αφειδίᾳ σώματος, οὐκ ἐν τιμῇ τινὶ 
 \ \ ” / 
 προς πλησμονὴν THS σαρκος. 
 
 22. d ἐστιν εἰς φϑοράν. The 
 objects to which the rules Touch 
 not, &c. refer are those creatures of 
 God which are made to be used 
 and done with. Some have thought 
 that it is of these rules themselves 
 that St. Paul says that they are 
 meant to perish in the using ; 
 which would be an instructive 
 observation, but seems less natural 
 than the commonly re- 
 ceived. 
 
 23. This verse, though not per- 
 fectly symmetrical in construction, 
 would have no great difficulty 
 except for the apparently unsuit- 
 able meaning of πλησμονήν. Those 
 rules of abstinence, says St. Paul, 
 have a pretension of. wisdom in 
 the voluntary devotion and humi- 
 lity and unsparing usage of the 
 body which they prescribe, but 
 are not in any honour, or of any 
 value, to the satiating of the flesh. 
 But they were never intended to 
 satiate the flesh ; and why should 
 that object be thought desirable ? 
 ΤΠ λησμονή so certainly denotes more 
 than legitimate satisfaction, that 
 1 confess I cannot conceive it to 
 have been used by St. Paul in a 
 
 sense 
 
 good sense. We seem to want 
 some word meaning “effectual con- 
 quest” rather than “repletion.” 
 The flesh was to be subjugated, 
 according to the doctrine of St. 
 Paul as well as of the Gnostical or 
 Judaizing teachers: the question 
 was whether ἔργον went with 
 λόγος, whether formal rules of 
 abstinence really subdued the flesh. 
 “Those rules are plausible,” says 
 St. Paul; we expect him to go on 
 to say that they are delusive. The 
 nearest approach to such a sense 
 would be by putting some force 
 upon πρός, and understanding it 
 to mean “ with reference to,” 1.6. 
 “so as to withstand or overcome.” 
 Another solution is to leave the 
 sentence without any apodosis 
 answering to μέν, and to make 
 οὐκ ἐν τιμῇ κιτιλ. a development 
 of ἀφειδείᾳ σώματος, “not giving 
 any honour to the flesh to the 
 satisfying of it.” A third expla- 
 nation is to separate πρὸς 7X. from 
 έν τιμῇ τινί, and render it “ tend~ 
 ing (but really tend) to the sa- 
 tiating of the flesh.” But there 
 is something very forced in all 
 these interpretations. 
 
ΠῚ 
 
 104 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 (Ill. 1-4. 
 
 > , a “ A 5 lal 
 EL οὖν συνηγέερθητε TO Χριστῷ, TA ava TELTE 
 NY t t? 9 
 
 ~ lad a “ / \ 
 οὗ ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ καθήμενος" Ta 
 
 3 a \ Nip ee Ἐν (9 > / / 
 ἄνω φρονεῖτε, μὴ Ta ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. αἀπεθάνετε yap, 
 
 x fe AP Ee a / \ “- a) a ες 
 καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν κεκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ev τῷ θεῷ 
 “ ε \ o ς \ « “ / 5 oe a 
 ὅταν ὁ Χριστὸς φανερωθῇῃ; ἢ ζωὴ ἡμῶν, τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς 
 
 Ἁ ΕῚ ΄ θ 7 θ > ὃ "ἕξ 
 σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθησεσθε εν δοξῃ. 
 
 In this difficulty, it may be ex- 
 cusable to mention a conjectural 
 emendation, although conjectural 
 emendations are rightly excluded 
 from the text of Scripture. If 
 we were to read ἐπιλησμονήν, “ for- 
 getfulness,” for πλησμονήν, we 
 should get, I think, a very good 
 sense. It is just the failure of 
 ascetic rules, that they do not 
 tend to a forgetting of the flesh. 
 ᾿Επιλησμονή is a Hellenistic word, 
 being used by St. James (i. 25) 
 and in the LXX. St. Paul, in a 
 passage which has some resem- 
 blance to what we are now read- 
 ing, uses the expression τὰ μὲν 
 ὀπίσω ἐπιλανθάνομενος (Phil. 111. 
 13), A change from ἐπιλ. to πλ., 
 not very violent for the copyist, 
 would be easier to one writing 
 from dictation, and the word σαρκός 
 might half suggest to the ear the 
 congenial πλησμονή. 
 
 TIT. 1. St. Paul assumes that the 
 believers had risen with Christ. 
 Compare ii. 12, συνταφέντες αὐτῷ 
 ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι, ἐν ᾧ καὶ συνη- 
 γέρθητε. This co-rising with Christ 
 was involved in his being the 
 Head. When the Head rose, the 
 
 members also rose. But the rising 
 was expressed, and wrought into 
 the life of the individual, in 
 Baptism. 
 
 The passage beginning with this 
 verse is a very striking exposition 
 of the highest Pauline doctrine of 
 fellowship with Christ. We are 
 again reminded of Philippians iil., 
 where we have the expressions ra 
 ἐπίγεια φρονοῦντες ἡμῶν yap τὸ 
 πολίτευμα ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὑπάρχει, VV. 
 19, 20. St. Paul would carry out 
 to the utmost his principle, that 
 in the descending and ascending 
 of Christ was laid the true basis 
 for each man of his regenerate 
 life. ‘‘ Consider yourselves to have 
 died, risen, and ascended to heaven, 
 with Christ; and live now the life 
 of those who are properly living, 
 not on the earth, but with Christ — 
 in heaven.” 
 
 3, 4. φανερωθῇ. 
 “ Now, this heavenly life must be 
 content to be, in its inward con- 
 sciousness, hidden from the world, 
 as Christ is hidden from the world. 
 When the veil is withdrawn from 
 Christ, it will also be withdrawn 
 from your membership with 
 him, 
 
 κέκρυπται. 
 
 ” 
 
IIT. 5—9.] EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 105 
 
 ’ 53 \ / Nees ς a a 
 
 Nexpwoare οὖν τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. πορνείαν, 
 » / / > 7 / \ \ 
 ἀκαθαρσίαν, eas ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν, καὶ τὴν πλεο- 
 νεξίαν ἡ ἥτις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρεία, δὲ ἃ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ 
 τοῦ θεοῦ. ἐν οἷς καὶ ὑμεῖς περιεπατήσατέ. ποτε ὅτε 
 ἐζῆτε ἐν τούτοις" νυνὶ δὲ ἀπόθεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ πάντα, 
 » \ \ , / > / 3 “ 
 ὀργὴν θυμὸν κακίαν βλασφημίαν αἰσχρολογίαν εκ του 
 
 a x > / 
 στόματος ὑμῶν, μὴ ψεύδεσθε εἰς ἀλλήλους, ἀπεκδυ- 
 
 io, Ore 
 
 5. ra μέλη ὑμῶν. These “ mem- 
 bers” are explained to be evil 
 affections and habits. Habits form 
 parts of a body, with which the 
 inward life clothes itself. Compare 
 bre ἐζῆτε ἐν τούτοις, ver. 7. 
 
 Compare verses 5 and 6 with 
 Eph. v. 5, 6. 
 
 6. The received text, which 
 adds the words “ upon the children 
 of disobedience,” is supported by 
 the Sinai MS. 
 
 7. ἐν οἷς καὶ ὑμεῖς περιεπατήσατέ 
 ποτε ὅτε ἐζῆτε The 
 “walking” refers rather to the 
 outward conduct, the “living” to 
 inward habits and relations. Com- 
 
 > 
 ἐν τούτοις. 
 
 pare Gal. v. 25, εἰ ζῶμεν πνεύματι, 
 πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμε». 
 
 8, καὶ ὑμεῖς. In verse 7 “you 
 also” meant “you, like the rest 
 of the heathen or children of dis- 
 obedience.” Here it should mean 
 “you, as others have done.” But, 
 as there has been no recent refer- 
 ence to Christian converts, καὶ 
 ὑμεῖς in this verse may be only an 
 echo of καὶ ὑμεῖς in the preceding 
 verse. 
 
 ra πάντα, ‘ the whole of them,” 
 summary expression 
 
 (without ταῦτα) for “all those 
 habits.” 
 
 βλασφημίαν, not limited, like 
 our word “blasphemy,” to re- 
 proaches against God, but, gene- 
 rally, all abusive language. 
 
 9. μὴ wWevcecbe. Lying was 
 natural to a condition in which 
 every man was supposed to be set 
 against his neighbour, but un- 
 natural to one in which unity and 
 not division was the law. 
 
 It is interesting to compare this 
 passage with the parallel one in 
 Ephesians (iv. 22—25). The ideas 
 of “the old man” and “the new 
 
 man,” of “ putting off” and “ put- 
 ting on” are the same in both 
 passages. But here the putting 
 
 off and putting on are presented 
 as already done ; there, as rather 
 to be done, beeause involved in the 
 knowing of Christ. In Ephesians, 
 the present participle φθειρόμενον, 
 on the one side, answers to the 
 present participle ἀνακαινούμενον 
 on the opposite side in this Epistle. 
 The old man is being destroyed, 
 the new man is being renewed. 
 In Ephesians, knowledge is made 
 the cause or beginning of the 
 
10 
 
 12 
 
 106 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. { 111. 10—12. 
 
 7 \ \ 5 \ a {a 
 σάμενοι τὸν παλαιὸν ἀνθρωπὸν σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν 
 9 n > , \ / \ > , 
 αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν VEOY τὸν ἀνακαινούυμενον 
 > 7 5 ’ a , ΟἹ / a 
 εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν KAT εἰκόνα TOU κτίσαντος αὐτὸν, που 
 5 ay, a ye - \ DN aad , 
 οὐκ ev EXAny καὶ Ἰουδαῖος, περιτομὴ καὶ ἀκροβυστία, 
 / / lal 3 / > \ \ / 
 βάρβαρος, Σκύθης, δοῦλος, ἐλεύθερος, ἀλλα τὰ πᾶντα 
 
 ae ἘΝ / 
 Kal ἐν πᾶσιν Χριστος. 
 
 > if. 3 ε > a a ag 
 Ἐνδύσασθε οὖν ὡς ἐκλεκτοὶ Tov θεοῦ aytor καὶ 
 
 > , , ’ “- / 
 ῃγαπήμενοι σπλαγχνα OLKTLPLOV, χρηστοτητα; ταπεινο- 
 
 change ; here, it is made the end 
 of it (εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν). 
 
 The antecedent to 
 ὅπου is the dispensation or con- 
 stitution implied in the preceding 
 sentence. “In the society of the 
 new creation there is no distinc- 
 tion between Greek and Jew.” 
 Compare Romans x. 12, οὐ ydp 
 
 11. ὅπου. 
 
 ἐστιν Σιαστολὴ Ἰουδαίου τε καὶ “Ἐλ- 
 Anvoc’ 6 γὰρ αὐτὸς κύριος πιίντων. 
 ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν 
 Χριστός. The corresponding phrase 
 just quoted, ὁ αὐτὸς κύριος πάντων, 
 has not the Pauline depth of this. 
 The new socicty is the Body of 
 Christ. In and to his Body Christ 
 is everything. Distinctions of race 
 and condition are absorbed in the 
 new relation. In more ordinary 
 languege we might have said, 
 “We no longer call this man a 
 Gentile, that man a Jew, this man 
 barbarian, that man civilized ; all 
 are Christians, and all our signifi- 
 cant characteristics are Christian.” 
 For “ Christian” St. Paul more 
 forcibly says “Christ.” ‘ Every- 
 thing, In the new creation, is 
 Christ : Christ is in all.” Com- 
 
 pare τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου, ὅς ἐστιν 
 Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης 
 (i. 27); and ἄχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ 
 Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, Gal. iv. 19. 
 
 12. ὡς ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ἅγιοι 
 καὶ ἠγαπημένοι. There can be no 
 question that ἅγιοι καὶ ἦγ. are not 
 in the vocative case. But it may 
 be doubted whether ἐκλεκτοί is to 
 be taken by itself, or characterizes 
 ἅγιοι or both it and ἠγαπημένοι. 
 In any case ἠγαπημένοι will be 
 “loved” not by St. Paul, but by 
 God. It is perhaps most in ac- 
 cordance with Pauline usage to 
 understand ἅγιοι only as depend- 
 ent upon ἐκλεκτοί. The meaning 
 will thus be, ‘‘ as those whom God 
 has chosen to be holy and has 
 loved ;” “‘as God’s chosen saints, 
 and beloved of God.” ‘The ex- 
 pressions are then very similar to 
 those in Romansi. 9, τοῖς ἐν Ῥώμῃ 
 ἀγαπητοῖς θεοῦ, κλητοῖς ἁγίοις. 
 
 σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ. The word 
 σπλάγχνα in its literal sense hardly 
 means bowels. It was used to 
 describe such inward parts as the 
 heart, the lungs, and the liver. 
 These parts in sacrificial victims 
 
“13 
 
 14 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 ii. 13—16.] 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 107 
 
 , + ,ὔ 5 / > / 
 φροσυνην, πραύτητα, μακροθυμίαν, ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλη- 
 , ε la ar ἢ / ΕΝ 
 λων καὶ χαριζόμενοι ἑαυτοῖς ἐὰν τις πρός τινα ἔχη 
 / \ % ε A > / (ere “ 
 μομῴφην, καθως καὶ o Χριστὸς ἐχαρίσατο υὑμῖν οὕτως 
 ᾧ ie a > “ \ / \ > / 5.8 
 καὶ ὑμεῖς, ἐπὶ πᾶσιν δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην, ὁ ἐστιν 
 / - / ε / lal a 
 συνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος. Kal ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ 
 / » - 7, Ἐκ δὶ » A Nims? , 
 βραβευετω ev ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, εἰς ἣν καὶ exAnOnTe 
 
 > εκ I 2 \ > , 7 
 εν EVL σώματι Καὶ εὐχᾶριστο!ι γίνεσθε. 
 
 were distinguished from the bowels, 
 —the viscera thoracis from the 
 viscera abdominis. See Liddell and 
 Scott’s Lexicon. The word “heart” 
 therefore more nearly corresponds 
 to σπλάγχνα than “bowels.” It 
 denotes the seat of tender natural 
 feeling. The affections enumerated 
 in this verse are the mutual duties 
 incumbent on true members of the 
 Body of Christ, the discharge of 
 which will preserve the proper 
 unity of the Body. 
 
 13. ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων. See 
 note on Eph. iv. 2,in which verse 
 some of the expressions of this 
 passage are found. But the place 
 in Ephesians which most nearly 
 corresponds to this is iv. 24—32. 
 
 ὁ Χριστός. It is doubtful whether 
 this, or ὁ Κύριος,. be the right 
 reading. 
 
 14. ἐπὶ πᾶσιν δὲ τοῦτοις, In this 
 place, as in Eph. vi. 16, ἐπὶ πᾶσιν 
 εἰναλαβόντες τὸν θυρεὸν τῆς πίσ- 
 τεως, there is some inducement to 
 take ἐπί in the sense -*“ over,” ‘ to 
 cover.” But it means more pro- 
 perly “in addition to.” ‘Add to 
 all these love.” 
 
 6 ἐστιν σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος, 
 “which is the binding together 
 
 e / a 
 O λογος τοῦ 
 
 of perfectness.” The less precise 
 reference of 6 (instead of ἢ) to 
 ἀγάπην ought to be marked. We 
 may take “the putting on of 
 love” as the antecedent to 6. 
 
 15. ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ βρα- 
 Pevérw. Compare Philip. iv. 7, 
 ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ θεοῦ φρουρήσει rac 
 καρδίας vor. * The peace of 
 Christ” recalls the saying of our 
 Lord, “‘Jfy peace I give you” 
 (St. John xiv. 27). Both here and 
 in the passage quoted from Philip- 
 plans St, Paul uses an uncommon 
 expression to describe the do- 
 minion of peace. “Ἅ Let the peace 
 of Christ decide differences, exer- 
 cise authority, in your hearts.” 
 “The peace of God shall garrison 
 your hearts.” We may more easily 
 realize this active power of Christ’s 
 peace by thinking of Christ him- 
 self as shedding abroad his peace 
 in the heart, and making it pre- 
 vail over all.dissension. Verses 
 14, 15, have great similarity of 
 expression to Eph. iv. 3, 4. ἐν 
 τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης. ἕν σῶμα 
 καὶ ἕν πνεῦμα, καθὼς καὶ ἐκλήθητε 
 ἐν μίᾳ ἐλπίδι τῆς κλήσεως ὑμῶν. 
 
 16. ὁ λόγος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. “ The 
 word of Christ,” the uttered mind 
 
17 
 
 18 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 108 [III. 17—20. 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS, 
 
 a > 7 > eer) / > , 7 
 Χριστοῦ ἐνοικείτω ἐν ὑμῖν πλουσίως, ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ 
 / \ o ε 4 an ad 
 διδάσκοντες καὶ νουθετοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς, ψαλμοῖς ὕμνοις 
 » a a > a / 7 > lal 7 
 ῳᾧδαῖς πνευματικαῖς εν τῇ χάριτι ἄδοντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ 
 
 «ε a na a \ a “ 5Ν ral > / 
 ὑμῶν τῷ θεῷ, καὶ πᾶν ὁ τι ἐᾶν ποιῆτε ev λόγῳ 
 9 3, 3 3 7, ᾽ a ᾽ 
 
 ἢ ἐν Epy@, TavTa εν ονόματι κυρίου ᾿Ιησοῦ, εὐχαρι- 
 
 lal “ lal Ἂς > > “-“ 
 στουντες T@ dew TAT pl Ou QUTOU. 
 
 e a «ε ‘A lol > , ε 7, A 
 Al VVUVGLKES, ὑποτασσεσθε TOls avopacty, ως ἀνῆκεν 
 
 > , 
 
 εν κυρίῳ. 
 / \ > / 
 
 πικραίνεσθε πρὸς auras. 
 
 e + > a Ἁ rn \ \ 
 οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε Tas γυναῖκας καὶ μὴ 
 \ ͵ «ε / “ 
 Ta Texva, ὑπάκουετε τοῖς 
 
 a \ / - a / > 3. » 
 γίνευσιν κατὰ TAVTH τοῦτο Yap ἐστιν EVAPEDTOV EV 
 
 of Christ, nearly equivalent to 
 ‘the inspiration of Christ.” 
 
 It seems almost certain that the 
 division of this sixteenth verse 
 given in the English version is 
 the right one. It is singular to 
 find “ psalms, hymns, and spiritual 
 songs” represented as the media 
 of instruction and admonition. 
 But the parallel passage in Ephe- 
 sians (v. 19, 20), λαλοῦντες ἑαυτοῖς 
 ψαλμοῖς x.7.A., makes it more than 
 probable that this is what St. 
 Paul meant. Divine inspiration 
 will most naturally utter itself, we 
 must suppose the Apostle to say, 
 in adoration and thanksgiving: 
 let these, rather than direct ex- 
 hortations, be your modes of 
 teaching and admonishing one 
 another. 
 
 ἐν τῇ χάριτι, “with thankful- 
 ness.” Compare 1 Cor. x. 30, εἰ 
 ἐγὼ χάριτι μετέχω, τί βλασφημοῦμαι 
 ὑπὲρ οὗ ἐγὼ εὐχαριστῶ ; 
 
 17. With this comprehensive 
 requirement compare, not only 
 the parallel passage in Ephesians 
 (v. 20), but the more exactly 
 
 similar language in 1 St. Peter 
 iv. 11, εἴ τις λαλεῖ, ὡς λόγια θεοῦ, 
 εἴ τις διακονεῖ, ὡς ἐξ ἰσχύος ἧς 
 χορηγεῖ ὁ θεός, ἵνα ἐν πᾶσιν δοξά- 
 ζηται ὁ θεὸς διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, 
 (in which the reference is not 
 only to sacerdotal speaking and 
 ministering, but to all speaking 
 and serving whatsoever ;) and also 
 1 Cor, x. 31, εἴτε οὖν ἐσθίετε εἴτε 
 πίνετε εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς 
 δόξαν θεοῦ ποιεῖτε. 
 
 18, ὡς ἀνῆκεν ἐν κυρίῳ. The 
 mutual relations of the family 
 and household belong to a Divine 
 order, and are to be fulfilled in 
 accordance with that order. 
 
 19. μὴ πικραίνεσθε, “ do not 
 indulge ill - temper towards 
 them.” 
 
 20. κατὰ πάντα. Compare ἐν 
 παντί, Eph. ν. 34. The obedience 
 is to be general and comprehensive, 
 not qualified by such exceptions 
 as those by which the Pharisees 
 “made the commandment of none 
 effect” (St. Matthew xv. 3—6). 
 But the duty of complete obe- 
 dience may be crossed by other 
 
21 
 
 22 
 
 ᾿ μυστήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι 
 
 111.91-95;17.1-4.] ἘΡΙΒΤΙΙΒ TO THE COLOSSIANS. 109 
 
 \ > / \ / ε lod “ 
 μὴ ἐρεθίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, ἵνα 
 « a ε \ , a 
 Οἱ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε κατα πᾶντα τοῖς 
 \ / fs A > > 7 ε 
 κατα σάρκα κυρίοις, μὴ ἐν οφθαλμοδουλείαις ὡς 
 » / > > > ε ’ὔ / 
 ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι; — εν ἀπ λότητί καρδίας φοβούμενοι 
 \ / 
 τὸν κύριον. ὃ ἐὰν ποιῆτε, ἐκ ψυχῆς ἐργάζεσθε ὡς 
 “ 
 τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις, εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπὸ κυρίου 
 ee τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν τῆς κληρονομίας. 
 nm J 
 κυρίῳ Χριστῷ Sovdevere’ 
 
 / 
 κυρίῳ. οἱ πατέρες, 
 
 \ > a 
 μὴ αθυμωσιν. 
 
 τῷ 
 { 
 ε \ 5 lal 7 ἃ 
 Ο yap ἀδικῶν κομίσεται ὃ 
 >Q/ Ν > 3 7, « , 
 ἠδίκησεν, καὶ οὐκ ἐστιν προσωπολημψία. οἱ κύριοι, 
 τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα τοῖς δούλοις παρέχεσθε, 
 εἰδότες ὅτι καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔχετε κύριον ἐν οὐρανῷ. 
 » 3 ἴω 
 
 Τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτερεῖτε γρηγοροῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ 
 > > / a ε a 
 ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ, προσευχόμενοι ἅμα καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν, ἵνα 
 ὁ θεὸς ἀνοίξῃ ἡμῖν game τοῦ λόγου λαλῆσαι τὸ 
 καὶ δέδεμαι, ἵνα φανε- 
 
 of δουλεύετε. But on the whole 
 the sense “ye serve” appears to 
 
 duties if the parents do not com- 
 mand reasonably. 
 
 21. The immediate effect of an 
 irritating use of parental authority 
 would be to arouse resentment ; 
 but in the end the effect of such 
 treatment, as St. Paul well teaches, 
 must be to break the spirit and 
 produce a servile temper. 
 
 24. τῆς κληρονομίας, “the in- 
 heritance” promised to all God’s 
 children. ‘Ye shall receive the 
 requital of the inheritance,” 
 “ the inheritance as a requital.” 
 
 {ς ye 
 are bond-servants to the Lord 
 Christ.” yap being omitted on 
 the authority of the better MSS., 
 there is a doubt whether dov- 
 λεύετε is in the indicative or the 
 imperative. The next clause, ὁ 
 yap ἀδικῶν, «7.A. would follow 
 better upon an imperative sense 
 
 1. 6. 
 
 τῷ κυρίῳ Χριστῷ δουλεύετε. 
 
 agree better with the context; the 
 punctuation of the received text 
 being retained. ‘ Do your service 
 as to the Lord; the Lord whom 
 you serve is Christ. For he that 
 does a wrong shall receive for the 
 wrong he has done.” In the 
 parallel passage in Ephesians (vi. 
 8), doing good stands in the place 
 of doing wrong. 
 
 25. προσωπολημψία. See note 
 on Eph. vi. 9. 
 
 IV. 1. τὴν ἰσότητα, “ fairness,” 
 —ceither actual equality as between 
 one slave and another, or, more 
 generally, that treatment which is 
 commonly called “equal,” equitable 
 treatment. 
 
 3. θύραν τοῦ λόγου, “a door of 
 the word,” ἡ. 6. of the word in the 
 
/ e na a 
 5 ρώσω αὐτὸ ws δεῖ με λαλῆσαι. 
 
 Io 
 
 [IV. 5—10. 
 
 110 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 > 7 an 
 Ev σοφίᾳ περιπατεῖτε 
 \ \ ΕΝ \ \ > ἮΝ ε / 
 πρὸς τοὺς ἔξω, τὸν καιρὸν ἐξαγοραζόμενοι. ὁ λόγος 
 «ε cad / > / “ > , / “ 
 ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἄλατι NPTUMEVOS, εἰδεναι πῶς 
 nm ¢ lad «ες c i/ > / 
 δεῖ ὑμᾶς ενὶ εκαστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι. 
 \ δ δ. aN / Τὰ Ἐς μας / e > 
 Ta Kar ἐμὲ TavTa γνωρίσει υμῖν Ἴυχικος ὁ aya- 
 \ > Ἂ Ν \ μ Ν t > 
 πητὸς ἀδελῴος καὶ πιστὸς διάκονος καὶ συνδουλος εν. 
 7 ἃ 57 Ἂ € ΄-“ > \ ΄“ 7] a 
 κυρίῳ, ὃν ἔπεμψα πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἵνα γνῷ 
 \ ἜΑ ἢ \ , εὐ \ 
 τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν Kal παρακαλεσῃ Tas καρδίας υμῶν, συν 
 {9 7 a Ξ a Q > 5 δ ri es “ > > 
 νησίμῳ᾽ τῷ πιστῷ Kal ayamrnr@ ae po, os ἐστιν ἐξ 
 
 ὑμῶν" πάντα ὑμῖν γνωριοῦσιν τὰ ὧδε. 
 ᾿Ασπάζεται ὑμᾶς ᾿Αρίσταρχος 0 συναιχμάλωτός μου, 
 
 sense of the Gospel. Compare 1. 
 25, 26, τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ 
 μυστήριον . . 
 
 5. τὸν καιρὸν ἐξαγοραζόμενοι. 
 Here, as in Ephesians (v. 16), 
 this remarkable phrase occurs in 
 connexion with exhortations to 
 careful and discreet behaviour. 
 The Christians, being placed in 
 circumstances of great difficulty 
 and delicacy, needed to watch for 
 the fit times of action, to “buy 
 up the right moment.” 
 
 6. It is again interesting to 
 observe the likeness and the dif- 
 ferences between this verse and 
 its parallel in Ephesians (iv. 29). 
 Speech “seasoned with salt” is 
 opposed to λόγος σαπρός. Salt is 
 the purifying and preserving prin- 
 ciple, and speech thus seasoned 
 answers to that which is ‘ good 
 for edification.” “ΤῸ know how 
 you ought to answer each several 
 person,” is to know how you may 
 do him the most good (iva δῷ 
 χάριν). The word χάρις, Which 
 
 . ἐφανερώθη. 
 
 has so many shades of meaning, 
 appears not to be used in exactly 
 the same sense in the two pas- 
 sages. In Ephesians, δοῦναι χάριν 
 appears to be “to impart a benefit.” 
 Here ἐν χάριτι is “ with grace,” 
 or, as we might say, “ gracious.” 
 Kindness, not that of mere good 
 nature, but that of a thoughtful 
 and spiritual disposition, is ex- 
 pressed by χάρις. 
 
 7, 8. So in Eph. vi. 21, 22. 
 
 διάκονος, “a helper,” as in that 
 passage. 
 
 9. σὺν ᾿Ονησίμῳ. See the whole 
 letter of St. Paul to Philemon. 
 It is implied in that letter by the 
 mention of Archippus, (compare 
 
 Philemon 2 with Col. iv. 17,) that 
 
 Philemon, and therefore Onesi- 
 mus, belonged to Colosse. 
 
 10. Aristarchus, a Macedonian 
 of Thessalonica, had been a com- 
 panion of St. Paul for some time. 
 He is at Ephesus at the time of 
 the great tumult there (Acts xix. 
 29), travels with St. Paul from 
 
II 
 
 12 
 
 IV. 11, 12.] EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 111 
 
 καὶ Μάρκος ὁ ἀνεψιὸς Βαρνάβα, περὶ οὗ ἐλάβετε ἐν- 
 τολάς, (ἐὰν ἔλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, δέξασθε αὐτὸν), καὶ Ἰησοῦς 
 ὁ “λεγόμενος ᾿Ιοῦστος, οἱ ὄντες ἐκ περιτομῆς" οὗτοι 
 μόνοι συνεργοὶ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ, οἵτινες 
 ἐγενήθησάν μοι παρηγορία. 
 φρᾶς ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν, δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, πάντοτε 
 
 > / € a 5 
 ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Ἕπα- 
 
 “ 
 
 ἀγωνιζόμενος ὑ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν ταῖς EPI IKES iva στῆτε 
 τέλειοι καὶ πεπληροφορημένοι ἐν παντὶ θελήματι τοῦ 
 
 Greece to Jerusalem (Acts xx. 4), 
 and is with him on the voyage 
 from Cesarea to Italy (Acts xxvil. 
 2). He is now sharing St. Paul’s 
 imprisonment at Rome. 
 
 Mapxoc. The naming of Mark 
 (here and in Philemon 24, see also 
 2 Tim. iv. 11) as a companion of 
 St. Paul has the peculiar interest 
 of proving that the breach de- 
 
 seribed in Acts xiii. 13 and xv. 
 
 36— 40, had not been a permanent 
 one. John, who had once de- 
 parted from Paul and Barnabas, 
 and Barnabas with whom Paul 
 had so sharp a contention because 
 he wished afterwards to have his 
 kinsman John with him that a 
 temporary separation was the re- 
 sult, are now mentioned in terms 
 of friendship; and “John sur- 
 named Mark” appears to be an 
 object of St. Paul’s special soli- 
 citude. 
 
 11. If the clause ot évrec.. . . 
 τοῦ θεοῦ be read (as it is by Lach- 
 mann) without any pause after 
 περιτομῆς, the meaning will be, 
 “who, alone of the circumcision, 
 
 are my fellow-workers unto the 
 
 kingdom of God.” But I should 
 prefer placing a comma after περι- 
 τομῆς, and taking οὗτοι μόνοι συ- 
 vepyot In apposition to the pre- 
 ceding names; “— who are of 
 the circumcision, these only being 
 my fellow-workers unto the king- 
 dom of God, men who have been 
 a comfort to me.” With a colon 
 after περιτομῆς; οὗτοι μόνοι συνεργοί 
 will be, “these alone are my fel- 
 low-workers.” 
 
 12. It seems probable that the 
 anxiety of the good Epaphras on 
 behalf of his - friends, and- his 
 report to St. Paul both of the 
 Christian virtues of the Colossian 
 Christians and of the dangers to 
 which they were exposed, had 
 much to do with the writing of 
 this Epistle. 
 
 ἐν παντὶ θελήματι τοῦ θεοῦ, “in 
 all God’s will.” The more regular 
 rendering would be “in every will 
 of God;” but the usage of θέλημα, 
 corresponding to that of “will,” 
 makes the former rendering the 
 more eligible. 
 
17 
 
 18 
 
 112 
 
 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 [IV. 1318. 
 
 θ Le) “ \\ Bey ety, 3 Xo έ ee 
 εοῦ. μαρτυρῶ yap αὑτῷ OTL EXEL TOAVY πόνον ὑπερ 
 “3 ra Q a > , \ a > c , 
 
 ὑμών καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ καὶ τῶν εν ἱεραπολει. 
 
 3 / e a “ «ε > \ ε > \ 
 ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Λουκᾶς o ἰατρὸς ὁ ayamnros 
 > / \ > 7 » \ 
 ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ev Λαοδικείᾳ ἀδελῴφους 
 a A > 5 > Ae, 3 , 
 Νυμφαν καὶ τὴν κατ οἶκον αὑτοῦ εκκλησίαν. 
 “ » a > Ὁ ε > / / 
 ὅταν ἀναγνωσθῇ Tap υμῖν ἡ επιστολὴ, ποιήσατε i 
 XQ > a / > / > “ Ἂ 
 καὶ ἐν τῇ Λαοδικεων ἐκκλησίᾳ αναγνωσθῃ, καὶ 
 ι c ι 
 
 Anpas. 
 
 3 / “ Q ᾿ an > a 
 ex Λαοδικείας ἵνα Kal υμεῖς αἀναγνῶωτε. 
 
 Ν 53 
 και €lLTTATE 
 
 > i , \ 7 ἃ , > / 
 Αρχίππῳ Βλεπε την διακονίαν nv παρέλαβες εν κυρίῳ, 
 
 “ FAN na 
 ἵνα αὑτὴν πληροῖς. 
 
 Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου. 
 n χάρις μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν. 
 
 μου τῶν δεσμῶν. 
 
 19. πολὺν πόνον. Probably to 
 be explained by reference to dyw- 
 νιζόμενος in the preceding verse : 
 “much labouring of mind.” Com- 
 pare 11. 1. 
 
 14. Λουκᾶς καὶ Δημᾶς. Both 
 are named again in Phil. 24. In 
 2 Tim. iv. 10, 11, Demas is said 
 to have forsaken St. Paul, Luke 
 to be still with him. 
 
 15, Lachmann reads, with some 
 MS. authorities, “‘Nympha and 
 the church in her house.” 
 
 16. Laodicea, Hierapolis, and 
 Colossze were within a few miles 
 of each other. Attempts have 
 been made to identify the letter 
 
 to the Laodiceans with that to. 
 
 Philemon or with that to the 
 Ephesians. These attempts have 
 no doubt been prompted by the 
 hypothesis that no Epistles were 
 written by St. Paul except those 
 which have been preserved. But 
 this is a most untenable theory. 
 The greater probability is that a 
 
 , / 
 μνημονεύετε 
 
 very large number of letters were 
 written by him upon whom came 
 daily the care of all the Churches. 
 And it is most reasonable to as- 
 sume that the letter referred to 
 was one of those which have not 
 been preserved. 
 
 17. It may fairly be assumed 
 that the διακονία to which Archip- 
 pus was to take heed was the office 
 of superintending the Church at 
 Colosse. Compare Phil. 2. 
 
 18. The only part written by 
 St. Paul, the rest of the Letter 
 being dictated by him. 
 
 It is remarkable to observe how 
 frequently St. Paul refers to his 
 imprisonment as giving hima kind 
 of authority, or a better right to 
 be heard, amongst his fellow-be- 
 lievers. Compare, amongst many 
 other passages, Philip. 1. 12—14. 
 Here, the only appeal made in his 
 own handwriting is ‘“ Remember 
 my bonds.” 
 
TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 Pavt an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, τι. 
 and Timotheus the brother, to the holy and faithful , 
 brethren in Christ at Colossee. Grace be to you and 
 peace from God our Father. 
 
 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ always in prayers on your behalf, having 
 heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love 
 which you have towards all the saints, on account of , 
 the- hope laid up for you in the heavens, of which 
 you heard before in the word of truth of the Gospel, 
 which has come amongst you, as also in all the world ¢ 
 it is bearing fruit and increasing even as it does 
 amongst you, from the day you heard it and came 
 to know the grace of God in truth, even as you , 
 learnt it from Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, 
 who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 
 who also made known to us your love in the spirit. ¢ 
 On this account we also, since the day we heard of it, 
 do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may 
 have the full knowledge of his will in all wisdom 
 and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk 1 
 worthily of the Lord unto all acceptableness, in every _ 
 good work bearing fruit and increasing in the know- 
 
 I 
 
ie 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 2 
 
 _ 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 114 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 
 
 ledge of God, strengthened with all power according 
 to the might of his glory unto all patience and long- 
 suffering, with joy giving thanks to the Father who 
 has enabled us to take our portion of the inheritance 
 of the saimts in the light, who has delivered us from 
 the power of darkness and transferred us into the 
 kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have our 
 redemption, the remission of our sins,—who is the 
 image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation, 
 inasmuch as in him were created all things in the 
 heavens and on the earth, things visible and invisible, 
 whether thrones or dominions or principalities or 
 powers, all things have been created through him 
 and unto him, and he is before all, and all things 
 are held together m him, and he is the head of the 
 body, the Church,—who is the beginning, the firstborn 
 from the dead, that he in all things might have 
 priority, inasmuch as in him all the Fulness was 
 pleased to dwell, and by him to reconcile all things 
 unto himself, having made peace through the blood of 
 his cross, by him, whether things on earth or things 
 in the heavens; and you who were once alienated and 
 enemies in mind in wicked works, now he has re- 
 conciled in the body of his flesh through his death, 
 to present you holy and blameless and without re- 
 proach before him, if you abide in the faith grounded 
 and settled and not moved away from the hope of the 
 Gospel which you heard, which has been preached 
 in all the creation under heaven, of which I Paul 
 was made a minister. 
 
 Who now rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf, 
 and fill up in my turn that which was lacking of the 
 
EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 1158 
 
 afflictions of Christ in my flesh on behalf of his 
 body, which is the Church, of which I was made a 
 minister according to the dispensation of God given 
 to me towards you, to fulfil the word of God, the 
 mystery which from the ages and from the generations 
 has been hidden, but now has been made manifest to 
 his saints, to whom God has willed to make known 
 what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among 
 the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, 
 whom we proclaim instructing every man and teaching 
 every man in all wisdom, that we may present every 
 man perfect m Christ; unto which also 1 labour 
 striving according to his energy which works in me 
 with power. 
 
 For I wish you to know, what a conflict I have on 
 your behalf, and for them at Laodicea, and for all 
 who have not seen my face in the flesh, that they may 
 be comforted in their hearts, bemg knit together in 
 love and unto all the riches of the fulness of under- 
 standing, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God, 
 even Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom 
 and knowledge hidden. This I say, that no one may 
 mislead you with plausible words. For if im the flesh 
 I am absent, yet in the spirit I am with you, rejoicing 
 and beholding your order and the firm foundation of 
 your faith in Christ. As therefore you have received 
 Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted and being 
 built up in him, and becoming established in [the] 
 faith as you have been taught, abounding in it with 
 thanksgiving. Beware lest there shall be any one who 
 shall make a prey of you through philosophy and vain 
 deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to 
 
 I 2 
 
 25 
 
 27 
 
 6 
 7 
 
 oe 
 
13 
 
 τό 
 
 17 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 116 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS, 
 
 the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ ; 
 because in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead 
 bodily, and you are in him fulfilled, who is the head 
 of all principality and power, in whom also you have 
 been circumcised with a circumcision not done by 
 hands, in the stripping off of the body of the flesh 
 in the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with 
 him in your baptism, in which also you were raised 
 with him through the faith of the working of God 
 who raised him from the dead. And you being dead 
 in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your 
 flesh, he has made alive with him, having forgiven 
 us all our trespasses, wiping out the handwriting 
 against us in decrees, which was contrary to us, and 
 has taken it out of the midst, nailing it to the cross; 
 
 having stripped off principalities and powers he made 
 
 a show of them confidently, triumphing over them 
 in him. 
 
 Let no one therefore judge you in eating or in 
 drinking, or in respect of feast or new moon or 
 sabbath, which are the shadow of future things, but 
 the body is that of Christ. Let no one take your 
 pre from you at his will by preaching humility 
 and the veneration of angels, going into things which 
 he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of 
 his flesh, and not holding fast the Head, from whom 
 all the body being through the joints and ligaments 
 supplied and knit together grows with the growth of 
 God. If you have died with Christ from the rudi- 
 ments of the world, why, as if you were living in 
 the world, have you rules laid down for you, ‘‘ Handle 
 not, taste not, touch not,” (things which are all 
 
EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 117 
 
 meant to perish in using,) according to the pre- IL 22 
 scriptions and teachings of men ?—Which rules have 23 
 indeed a show of wisdom in voluntary religion and 
 humility and unsparing usage of the body, but are 
 not of any value to the satisfying of the flesh. 
 
 If then you have risen together with Christ, seek 11. 1 
 the things above, where Christ is sitting at the nght 
 hand of God; mind things above, not things on the 2 
 earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden 3 
 with Christ in God : when Christ shall be manifested, 4 
 who is our life, then shall you also with him be 
 manifested in glory. 
 
 Mortify therefore your members which are upon ς 
 the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, 
 and covetousness, which is idolatry, on account of © 
 which the anger of God comes upon the children of 
 disobedience. In which things you also walked once, 7 
 when you lived in them. But now, you also, put off 8 
 all these things, anger, wrath, malice, evil speaking, 
 filthy language out of your mouth; he not one to 9 
 another, having put off the old man with his deeds, 
 and having put on the new man, which is. being 
 renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that 
 created him, where there is not Greek and Jew, 
 circumcision and uncireumceision, barbarian, Scythian, 
 bond and free, but Christ is all things and im all. 
 Put on therefore, as God’s chosen saints and loved ones, 
 a heart of pity, kindness, humility, meekness, long- 
 suffering, bearing from one another and forgiving one 
 another if any have a complaint against any, even as 
 Christ has forgiven you, so do you; and in addition 
 to all these put on love, which is the bond of perfect- 
 
 _ 
 
 ο 
 
 μ- 
 " 
 
 _ 
 
 2 
 
 "» 
 
 3 
 
 foal 
 
 4 
 
10: 
 
 rv. 
 
 15 
 
 - 
 ~ 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 — 
 
 ιὸ 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 118 EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS, 
 
 ness. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, 
 unto which you have also been called in one body ; 
 and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in 
 you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing 
 one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 
 with gratitude singing in your hearts to God, And 
 whatsoever you do in word or in deed, do all in the 
 name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the 
 Father through him. 
 
 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is becoming 
 in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not 
 irritable towards them. Children, obey your parents 
 in all things: for this is well-pleasmg in the Lord. 
 Fathers, provoke not your children, lest they be dis- 
 couraged. Bond-servants, obey in all things your 
 masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service 
 as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart fearing 
 the Lord. Whatsoever you do, work from the heart 
 as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the 
 Lord you shall receive the recompense of the in- 
 heritance ; the Lord whom you serve is Christ. For 
 he that does a wrong shall receive what he has — 
 done wrong, and there is no respect of the person. 
 Masters, afford to your bond-servants justice and 
 equality, knowing that you also have a Master in 
 heaven. 
 
 Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanks- 
 giving, praying at the same time for us also, that God 
 may open to us a door of the word, to speak the 
 mystery of Christ, for the sake of which I am also 
 bound, that I may make it manifest as I ought to 
 speak. Walk in wisdom towards them that are with- 
 
EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 119 
 
 out, buying up the right time. Let your speech be 
 always with grace, seasoned with salt, to know how 
 you ought to answer every one. 
 
 All about me Tychicus will make known to you, 
 who is a beloved brother and faithful minister and 
 fellow-servant in the Lord, whom I have sent unto 
 you for this very purpose, that he may know about 
 you and may comfort your hearts; with Onesimus, 
 the faithful and beloved brother, who is of you. They 
 will inform you of everything here. 
 
 Avistarchus my fellow-prisoner salutes you, and 
 Marcus cousin to Barnabas, concerning whom you 
 have received injunctions, (if he come to you, receive 
 him,) and Jesus called Justus, who are of the circum- 
 cision, these alone being fellow-workers unto the king- 
 dom of God, who have been a comfort to me. Epapbras 
 your fellow-townsman salutes you, a servant of Christ 
 Jesus, always striving in your behalf in prayers, that 
 you may stand perfect and fulfilled in all God’s will. 
 For I bear him witness that he has much labour for 
 you and those at Laodicea and those at Hierapolis. 
 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. 
 Greet the brethren at Laodicea and Nymphas and 
 the church in his house. And when this letter has 
 been read amongst you, cause that it also be read in 
 the Church of the Laodiceans and that you also read 
 that from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, Look to 
 the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, 
 that thou fulfil it. 
 
 The salutation of me Paul with my own hand. 
 Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. 
 
 _ 
 
 ο 
 
 »ι 
 
 Ι 
 
 iz 
 
 18 
 

 
INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE TO 
 PHILEMON. 
 
 THE chief interest of the short Letter to Philemon is in 
 the light it throws on the social operation of the Gospel. 
 The word preached by the Apostles, whilst it was unfolding 
 the various relations which constitute Christian theology, 
 was also working rapidly towards a social revolution 
 through its personal and domestic influences. The Epistles 
 to the Ephesians and the Colossians contain exhortations 
 addressed both to masters and to slaves. Here in the 
 Epistle to Philemon we have a living picture of the Gospel 
 actually at work upon the institution of slavery. The 
 picture includes the figures of Philemon the master, One- 
 siumus the slave, and Paul the spiritual father of both. — If 
 we perceive in Ephesians some resemblance to a hymn, 
 we may see in Philemon an zdyll of the progress of 
 Christianity. 
 
 The Epistle to Philemon was evidently written at the 
 same time and sent by the same messenger as the Epistle 
 to the Colossians. Philemon was a Christian of Colossz. 
 and the head of a considerable household, which may have 
 included many slaves. He had received the Gospel either 
 directly from the mouth of Paul himself, or by such a 
 channel that he might virtually attribute his conversion to 
 the Apostle (verse 19). Onesimus was a slave of his who 
 had deserted him and made his way to Rome. There he 
 was brought into contact with St. Paul, and became a 
 
122 INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE ΤῸ PHILEMON. 
 
 believer in Christ. It seems probable that he was a 
 person of spirit, not corrupted by the baseness natural to 
 the servile condition, and that he had rebelled against the 
 restraints of slavery. Such a person was more likely to 
 yield to the trying demand now made on him by the 
 Apostle. His father in Christ bade him go back again and 
 surrender himself to his master; and Onesimus, whatever 
 struggles it may have cost him, was prepared to obey. 
 The Apostle, having gained this submission from the slave, 
 feels that he may count upon a corresponding advance from 
 the master. He begs him to. receive Onesimus no longer 
 as a slave, but as a beloved brother, or fellow-Christian. 
 
 We do not feel, as readers of the Epistle, any doubt 
 that Philemon would act according to the Apostle’s wish 
 Apart from his sense of what he owed to Christ and to 
 St. Paul, he would be greatly moved by such an act as his 
 slave's voluntary return to him. But St. Paul pleads 
 earnestly with him, acknowledging that he had been 
 wronged by the desertion of his slave, and making the 
 kindness for which he asked altogether an act of favour on 
 Philemon’s part. And he appeals to the claims which he, 
 the veteran Apostle, the sufferer, the prisoner, had on the 
 allegiance of Philemon, with that tender personal exacting- 
 ness which would have been egotism if it had not been 
 guarded by such pure disinterestedness. 
 
 The history of the work of Christianity in suppressing 
 slavery could not have been begun more nobly than by 
 this proof that the new relations created by the Gospel 
 were incompatible with the natural relations of slavery, 
 and that, if slaves were taught by the Christian doctrine 
 to submit to the law of the land without murmuring, 
 masters were taught to acknowledge themselves as bound 
 by a higher law which would compel them to renounce 
 the legal rights of owners of their fellow-men. 
 
ΠΡῸΣ ΦΙΛΗΜΟΝΑ. 
 
 a / “- a 
 Παῦλος δέσμιος Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ 
 
 ε 
 
 0 λ Ν Φ Ν , a 3 n Q Rs € “ Ν 
 2 ἀδελῴος Φιλημονι τῷ αγαπητῷ καὶ συνεργῷ ἡμῶν καὶ 
 3 7, las > “ 3 la / 
 
 Απῴφίᾳ τῇ ayanntn καὶ Αρχίππῳ τῷ συνστρατιωτῃ 
 
 ε an ἈΝ a > Sie 3 / 
 3 μων Kal τῇ κατ οἰκὸν σου ἐκκλησίᾳ. 
 
 4 
 
 f n 
 χάρις ὑμῖν 
 
 Ν > / > \ > A ε a Q , > rad 
 kat eipnvn amo θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ 
 
 Χριστοῦ. 
 
 ᾽ a a a 7, / , 
 Ευχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ μου πάντοτε μνείαν σου ποιού- 
 
 εν lal - 3 ᾽ὔ \ > ’ὔ 
 
 5 μένος ἔπι τῶν πτροσεύχων μου, αἀκουὼν σοῦ τὴν αγα- 
 Ν \ / a 37 Ἁ Ἁ , > la 
 
 πὴν καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἣν ExELs προς τον κύριον Ἰησοῦν 
 
 1. Φιλήμονι. Nothing is known 
 of Philemon beyond what may be 
 gathered from this Letter. See the 
 Introduction. 
 
 2. τῇ ἀγαπητῇ. Another reading 
 of high authority, preferred by 
 Lachmann, is τῇ ἀδελφῇ. 
 
 ᾿Αρχίππῳ τῷ συνστρατιώτῃ. Men- 
 tioned in Col. iv.17: “And say 
 to Archippus, Take heed unto the 
 ministry which thou hast received 
 in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.” 
 The title “ fellow-soldier” is given 
 to Epaphroditus in Philip. 11. 25, 
 The warfare implied is no doubt 
 active warfare in the cause of the 
 Gospel. 
 
 = af FR ᾿᾿ , 
 τῇ Kar οἶκόν gov ἐκκλησίᾳ. 
 
 As 
 
 in Rom. xvi. 5, where the Church 
 in the house of Aquila and Pris- 
 cilla is mentioned. The phrase is 
 purposely indefinite, and would 
 include all believers who were in 
 any way attached to the house- 
 hold. Archippus seems to have 
 been a member of Philemon’s 
 household, whether as a near rela- 
 tion or in some other connexion, 
 we have no means of knowing. 
 
 4, The Apostle’s thanksgivings 
 and prayers are blended together 
 in his phrase as well as in reality, 
 
 5. It is possible that only the 
 “love,” and not the “faith,” is to 
 be considered as referring to “ all 
 the saints.” But we may under- 
 
124 EPISTLE 
 
 TO PHILEMON. 
 
 [6—9. 
 
 > U \ ε σ΄ Ξ an 
 καὶ εἰς TAVTAS τοὺς AYLOUS, OTWS ἢ κοινωνία ΤῊ» πι- 
 , > \ ld > > , \ > 5 
 στεῶς σου ἐνεργῆς γένηται ἐν ἐπιγνώσει παντὸς ἀγαθοὺ 
 
 “ > ς ακ > \ > a 
 fila haat Χριστὸν Lee 
 
 χάριν γὰρ ἔχομεν 
 
 πολλὴν καὶ παράκλησιν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀγάπῃ σου, ὅτι τά 
 
 σπλάγχνα τῶν ἁγίων ἀναπέπαυται διὰ σοῦ, ἀδελφέ. 
 Δ \ λλὴ ᾽ X Cad xe / 3 ᾽ , 
 
 to πολλὴν ev Χριστῷ παῤρησίαν εἐχων επιτασσειν 
 
 \ 5. “δι \ \ > Lf “ rn 
 
 σοι TO ἀνῆκον, διὰ THY ἀγάπην μᾶλλον παρακαλῶ. 
 ω Ἂ ε “ UA \ \ ν / 
 
 τοιοῦτος ὧν ὡς Παῦλος πρεσβύτης, νυνὶ de καὶ δεσμιος. 
 
 “faith towards all the 
 ,” in the light of the phrase 
 which follows, ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πι- 
 στεώς σου, as meaning a readiness 
 to acknowledge the community of 
 faith with all other believers. 
 
 6. This is the purport of the 
 Apostle’s prayer. It is somewhat 
 obscurely expressed. ‘The uncer- 
 tainty arises in part out of what 
 is a frequent cause of ambiguity 
 in St. Paul’s language, his use of 
 It is not 
 impossible that ἐν ἡμῖν here means 
 “in me.” The Apostle’s desire is 
 that Philemon may feel entirely 
 with him as to what is “good ” in 
 the matter about which he writes. 
 He himself loved Onesimus, and 
 rejoiced to own him as a brother 
 in Christ. He had been com- 
 mending the sense of brotherhood 
 shewn by Philemon towards his 
 fellow-believers. A common Chris- 
 tian consciousness wil manifest 
 its activity ina common apprecia- 
 tion of the same things as good. 
 St. Paul prays, therefore, that 
 Philemon’s fellow-feeling as a 
 Christian may be operative in the 
 recognition of every good thing 
 
 stand 
 saints 
 
 the first person plural. 
 
 which there was in Paul himself. 
 The same sense may be retained 
 in a more generalized form, if we 
 take ἐν ἡμῖν to refer to Christians 
 in general, Other interpretations 
 seem to leave the words ἐν ἐπι- 
 γνώσει παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν 
 rather pointless. Compare the 
 phrases τὸ ὠγαθόν σον (verse 14) 
 and εἰ οὖν με ἔχεις Kourwvor (verse 
 17). Was Christian brotherhood 
 to be a real power of goodness or 
 not? was the question St. Paul 
 was putting. εἰς Χριστὸν ᾿[ησοῦν. 
 Christ is named as the end to 
 which all such activity of the 
 common Christian consciousness 
 should have reference. 
 
 7. Χάριν γὰρ ἔχομεν πολλήν. 
 We need not hesitate to adopt the 
 easier reading, χαρὰν yap πολλὴν 
 ἔσχον, Which is found in almost 
 all the more important MSS. 
 
 9. τοιοῦτος ὧν ὡς Παῦλος, ‘such 
 aone as Paul is,” namely, an elder, 
 and now a prisoner. It seems 
 better to place a comma, as Lach- 
 mann does, after Παῦλος. The 
 Apostle lays great stress, as he 
 does so often, upon the sufferings 
 of his imprisonment as giving him 
 
10 
 
 II 
 
 17 
 18 
 
 10—18.] EPISTLE TO PHILEMON, 125 
 
 ‘ 
 
 an nr an Q Lal 3 an / J 
 Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ, παρακαλῶ oe περὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ τέκνου, 
 δ - See eae , , 
 ov ἐγέννησα ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς, Ovnoipov, τὸν ποτέ σοι 
 5, \ Ν \ > Ν 32 ἃ δδν 
 ἄχρηστον, νυνὶ δὲ σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ εὔχρηστον, ὃν ave- 
 πεμψα. 
 aA > ἌΝ / \ 3 \ / “ ὌεΩΝ a 
 ov. ἐγὼ ἐβουλοόμὴν πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν κατέχειν, ἵνα UTEP σοῦ 
 
 \ \ > / FO Ἁ ἐν. 4 , 
 συ δὲ αὑτον, TOUT ἐστιν τὰ ἐμὰ σπλαγχνα, 
 
 a > a a ἴω > , XQ \ 
 μοι διακονῇ ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, χωρὶς δὲ 
 cr a , xa > , a a \ ε 
 τῆς σῆς γνώμης οὐδὲν ἡθελησα ποιῆσαι, ἵνα μὴ ὡς 
 A eed é \ > / 5, > \ δεν / Ἔ 
 κατα ἀναγκὴν τὸ ἀγαθὸν σου ἢ adda κατα εκούσιον 
 x \ o > 7 ~ “ fod / 
 Taxa yap διὰ τοῦτο ἐχωρίσθη πρὸς wpav ἵνα αἰώνιον 
 ΓΛ 3.) 3 27 « “ » 34. εἶ κὰ a 
 αὐτὸν amexns, οὐκ ETL ὡς δοῦλον αλλ ὑπέρ δοῦλον, 
 \ > lA / > ͵ / \ -“ ἈΝ 
 ἀδελφὸν ἀγαπητὸν, μάλιστα ἐμοί, πόσῳ δὲ μᾶλλον σοὶ 
 
 Ay, (3 Ν Ἄ 7 oe j dais 
 καὶ εν σαρκὶ καὶ EV κυρίῳ 
 n > \ « 3 / 
 προσλαβου αὑτὸν ws εμε. 
 
 a title to be heard with the more 
 respect and affection. 
 
 10. Ο »ἡσιμον. This word, mean- 
 ing “ profitable” or “useful,’ was 
 probably a common slave’s name. 
 Its signification is referred to in 
 the words which follow, ἄχρηστον, 
 εὔχρηστον, 
 αὐτόν. The word 
 προσλαβοῦ after these is omitted 
 by Tischendorf; but it has con- 
 siderable MS. authority in its 
 favour, and we are _ obliged 
 to supply some such word in 
 
 Nr NA 
 12. σὺ δὲ 
 
 translation. Lachmann omits σὺ 
 δέ also, reading ὃν ἀνέπεμψά 
 σοι, αὐτὸν, τουτέστιν τὰ ἐμὰ 
 σπλάγχνα. 
 
 13. The nature of the “ minis- 
 try” implied in the words διάκονος 
 and διακονεῖν is often somewhat 
 doubtful. We may take it here 
 as including whatever help could 
 be rendered to St. Paul, remem- 
 
 Loy 37 / 
 εἰ οὖν με EXELS κοινωνόν, 
 5 / as / x 
 εἰ δὲ τι ηδίκησεν σε ἢ 
 
 bering that all his occupation 
 and interest lay in preaching the 
 Gospel. 
 
 14. τὸ ἀγαθόν, Compare this 
 with πάντος ἀγαθοῦ in verse 6, 
 If St. Paul had retained Onesimus, 
 presuming on Philemon’s willing- 
 ness to give up his claim to his 
 services, the goodness, or good act, 
 would have been this sacrifice, 
 rendered without choice being 
 given him. As Onesimus was re- 
 turning to his master, Philemon’s 
 goodness must take another form, 
 that of forgiving Onesimus and 
 treating him as a brother. For it 
 does not appear that St. Paul 
 wished Philemon to part with 
 Onesimus. See the next verse, 
 ἵνα αἰώνιον αὐτὸν ἀπέχῃς. 
 
 15, The running away of One- 
 simus may have been permitted, 
 with a view to its being overruled 
 for good. 
 
20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 126 
 
 > a 3 3 / 
 ὀφείλει, τοῦτο ἐμοὶ ἐλλογα. 
 
 + Men] , > \ > / τ᾿ 
 εμῃ χέίρι, eyo aTTOTLO@ 
 
 fe / 
 σεαυτὸν μοι προσοφείλεις. 
 
 » > 
 ὀναίμην ev Kupio’ 
 Χριστῷ. 
 
 EPISTLE TO PHILEMON. 
 
 [19—25. 
 
 ἐγὼ Παῦλος ἔγραψα τῇ 
 ἵνα μὴ λέγω σοι ὅτι καὶ 
 ναί, ἀδελφέ, ἐγώ σου 
 
 ΠΕ , A ’ > 
 QVaTTAVGOV μου TA σπλαγχνα εν 
 
 \ nan ε a ΕΝ / > \ a Ν 
 Πεποιθως τῇ ὑπακοῇ cov ἐγραψα σοι, εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ 
 
 A 
 
 joe / / 
 ὑπὲρ ὁ λέγω ποιήσεις. 
 ξενίαν" 
 δ᾿ ὅς τὸν 
 χαρισθήησομαι υμῖν. 
 
 ᾿Ασπάζεταί σε ᾿Ἐπαφρᾶς 
 
 σ“ \ N e ὥ / 
 
 apa δὲ καὶ ἑτοίμαζέ μοι 
 » / \ σ \ a a ε fat 
 ἐλπίζω yap oT. διὰ τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν 
 
 « 
 
 / / > 
 O συναιχμάλωτος μοὺυ εν 
 
 Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, Μάρκος, ᾿Αρίσταρχος, Δημᾶς, Λουκᾶς, 
 
 ol συνεργοί ee 
 
 Ἢ χάρις τοὺ κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ 
 
 πνεύματος ὑμῶν. 
 
 19. Τῦ 15 possible that St. Paul’s 
 autograph begins here, the pre- 
 vious part of the Epistle having 
 been dictated ; but thisis doubtful. 
 
 σεαυτὸν προσοφείλεις. Philemon 
 had apparently owed his conver- 
 sion to St. Paul; but this may 
 have taken place at Ephesus or 
 elsewhere, and it is not necessary 
 to assume that St. Paul had been 
 at Colossze. 
 
 20. ὀναίμην. The word is al- 
 most certainly suggested by the 
 name Ὀνήσιμος. 
 
 22. It is not safe to infer from 
 the hope expressed here, that it 
 was realized. There was no in- 
 fallibility attaching to St. Paul’s 
 anticipations. He had said to the 
 Ephesians (Acts xx. 25), “I know 
 that ye all, among whom I have 
 gone preaching the kingdom of 
 God, shall see my face no more.” 
 
 Yet, if he went to Colosse, he was 
 sure to go to Ephesus also. And 
 in 1 Tim. iv. 13, he says, “ Till I 
 come [to Ephesus], give attendance 
 to reading, to exhortation, to 
 doctrine.” 
 
 23. Ἐπαφρᾶς. See Col. 1. 7; 
 iv. 12, 13. He must have beena 
 personal friend of Philemon. 
 
 24. Μάρκος. Col. iv. 10; Acts 
 xv. 37—39. ᾿Αρίσταρχος. Col. 
 iv. 10; Acts xxvii. 2. Δημᾶς, 
 Λουκᾶς. Col. iv. 14; 2 Tim. iv. 
 LO Saks 
 
 25. μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν. 
 So at the end of the Epistle to the 
 Galatians ; and of the second to 
 Timothy, except that σοῦ stands 
 there instead of ὑμῶν. Here St. 
 Paul is probably referring to the 
 household of Philemon. He as- 
 sumes, as in Gal., that there is 
 one spirit of many members. 
 
TO PHILEMON. 
 
 es 
 
 PavL a prisoner of Christ Jesus and Timotheus the 
 brother, to Philemon our beloved friend and fellow- 
 worker, and to Apphia the beloved, and to Archippus 
 our fellow-soldier, and to the Church in thy house: 
 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 I thank my God, always making mention of thee 
 in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith which 
 thou hast towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the 
 saints, that the fellowship of thy faith may be made 
 effectual in the acknowledging of every good thing 
 in us unto Christ Jesus. For I have had much joy 
 and consolation in thy love, because the hearts of the 
 saints have been refreshed by thee, brother. Where- 
 fore, having much confidence in Christ to enjoin thee 
 what is becoming, for love’s sake I rather beseech 
 thee ; being such a one as Paul, an elder, and now 
 also a prisoner of Christ Jesus, I beseech thee con- 
 cerning my own child, whom 1 have begotten in my 
 bonds, Onesimus, who was once useless to thee, but 
 is now useful to thee and to me, whom I have sent 
 back; do thou receive him, that is, my own heart. 
 
 Pol 
 ο 
 
 -_ 
 -_ 
 
 _ 
 Nv 
 
 Whom I wished to retain with me, that in thy behalf 13 
 
 he might minister to thee in the bonds of the Gospel : 
 
16 
 
 20 
 
 2 
 
 -_ 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 24 
 25 
 
 128 EPISTLE TO PHILEMON. 
 
 but without thy mind I would not do anything, 
 that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, 
 but willingly. For perhaps on this account he was 
 separated for a time, that thou mightest receive him 
 for ever, no longer as a slave, but beyond a slave, 
 a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much 
 more to thee both in the flesh and in the Lord, If 
 then thou holdest me as a partner, receive him as 
 myself ; and if he has injured thee or owes thee any- 
 thing, put it to my account. I Paul have written it 
 
 with my own hand, 1 will repay it ;—that I may not 
 
 tell thee that thou owest even thyself to me. Yes, 
 brother, let me have profit of thee in the Lord ; 
 refresh my heart in Christ. 
 
 Trusting in thy obedience I have written to thee, 
 knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say. 
 And at the same time prepare me a lodging; for 
 I hope that through your prayers I shall be given to 
 you. There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-prisoner 
 in Christ Jesus, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, 
 my fellow-workers. The grace of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ be with your spirit. 
 
ΟΝ THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS IN THE 
 DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES; AND ESPE- 
 CIALLY ON THEGNOSTICAL TERMS OCCURRING 
 IN THEM. 
 
 THERE are certain terms occurring in important passages of 
 these Epistles, especially in that to the Colossians, which 
 became prominent afterwards in the phraseology of the 
 Gnostical systems of the second century. The presence of 
 such terms in the New Testament has been made one of the 
 strongest arguments for the later date and spurious compo- 
 sition of some of its books. It has been contended, espe- 
 cially by Baur and the school of Tiibingen, that the books 
 in which the Gnostical terms occur must be contempora- 
 neous with the great Gnostical systems, and therefore can- 
 not be the writings of St. Paul or St. John. It is a very 
 arbitrary assertion that those terms could not have been 
 used before the Gnostical theories were developed ; but the 
 questions raised by the occurrence of these terms are of 
 great interest and importance. Was there a Gnostical 
 element in the teaching of the Apostles? Were the 
 Apostles protesting against rival systems of religion? Did 
 the leading Gnostics appropriate to their own use language 
 which properly belonged to the Apostles? What are we to 
 say as to the phrases “ the Pleroma or Fulness,” “ principali- 
 ties and powers,” “the prince of the power of the air,” 
 ‘the world-rulers of this darkness,” “the image of the in- 
 visible God,” “the first-born of all creation,” which belong 
 to Gnostical systems as much as to these Epistles 4 
 K 
 
190 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 Little as we know of the Church history of the latter 
 half of the first century, we are not without materials for 
 giving a general answer to such questions. It is true that 
 the great and prolific development of matured Gnostical 
 systems took place in the course of the second century. 
 It may be admitted as very probable that no sect of 
 Gnostics existed in Asia Minor at the time when we sup- 
 pose St. Paul to have been writing to the Ephesians and the 
 Colossians. But the Gnosis was not an original creed or 
 philosophy. Some of its leading sects may well have arisen 
 quite independently of one another. They took up 
 elements already existing in the speculative traditions of 
 the age, and combined them in various forms. Any one 
 describing Gnosticism must say that it mixed some of the 
 notions of Oriental theosophy with some of the tenets of 
 the Christian Church. It belongs to its very essence to be 
 composite. And when any one of the Gnostical systems is 
 analysed, the largest portion of it will always be referred to 
 more ancient mystical speculations. The only question will 
 generally be, to which of the older theosophies it should be 
 affliated. The Zend Avesta, Buddhism, Hinduism, the reli- 
 gions of Heypt and of Phcenicia, the Greeco-Judaism of 
 Philo, all put in claims which are entitled to consideration.* 
 
 It is a most important fact for the early history of the 
 Christian Faith, that m the age of Christ and of the 
 Apostles there was a general intermingling, especially in 
 Egypt, Syria, and Asia Minor, of almost all the speculations 
 of the ancient world. This was brought about partly by 
 the movements of the Jews, partly by the conquests of 
 Alexander. The long Captivity of the Jews in Babylon, 
 and the dispersion which continued after their return, had 
 made them familiar with the Oriental ways of thinking 
 concerning the invisible world. The expeditions of Alex- 
 
 * A very lucid analysis of Gnosticism may be found in the work of M. Matter, 
 “ Histoire du Gnosticisme.” 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. Fat 
 
 ander had brought the West and the far East into contact. 
 Alexandria, under his successors, became the point of con- 
 fluence of all religions and all philosophies. ‘The extension 
 of the Roman empire still further increased the locomotion 
 of old ideas. All the notions which had ever been sys- 
 tematized in the East may be said to have been floating 
 loosely together in the intellectual heaven at the beginning 
 of the Christian era. Almost anywhere a thinking and in- 
 quiring mind had access to some variety of Oriental lore. 
 
 Another fact which concerns us is, that Jews were more 
 disposed than men of other nations to assimilate foreign 
 religion and philosophy. From whatever cause, the most 
 actively eclectic minds in those ages were Jewish minds. 
 This is something of a paradox. For undoubtedly the Jews 
 by their law and worship -were in a peculiar degree sepa- 
 rated from other nations. But the depth and the truth of 
 their own faith appear to have given them an interest in 
 whatever had laid hold strongly of the convictions of other 
 races. The Jewish intellect was accordingly more fertile 
 than any other in new theosophic combinations. The 
 nascent Christian Church received all its influences of 
 foreign thought through Jewish channels. Simon Magus, 
 the earliest teacher to whom a Gnostical school referred 
 itself, being a Samaritan, is hardly to be regarded as an 
 exception. It is important, when we observe the mixture 
 of Jewish with Oriental or Platonizing ideas implied in the 
 Apostolical writings, to remember that all the rival teachers 
 in the Church, whatever they taught, began with Judaism, 
 and spoke to the believers in Christ as inheritors with them 
 of the common Jewish traditions. 
 
 The principal terms or ideas in these Epistles which 
 remind us of the subsequent Gnostical systems, and of 
 which we are to seek illustrations in writings anterior to 
 the age of St. Paul, may be stated as follows :— 
 
 1. The Pleroma, or Fulness. This word occurs’ as an 
 
 K 2 
 
132 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 equivalent to the infinite Divine Nature, in Col. 1. 19, “all 
 the Fulness was pleased to dwell in him,” and in Col. 11. 9, 
 “Tn him dwells all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily.” It 
 is used to denote Divine perfection in Eph. 11. 19, “that ye 
 may be filled unto all the fulness of God;” and in Eph. 
 iv. 13, “until we all attain to the measure of stature of 
 the fulness of Christ.” In Eph. i. 23, the Church, the Body 
 of Christ, is called “ the Fulness of him who fills all things 
 in all.” As this last passage reminds us, cognate forms of 
 the word “full” are frequent in these Epistles, and produce 
 phrases which are at least embarrassing to translate, if the 
 ~meaning of them is not also somewhat indefinite. It is 
 evident that terms expressive of the idea of fulness were 
 welcome to the writer’s mind. 
 
 2. The Son, the Image of the invisible God, the First- 
 born of all creation, the Head of the Universe, the ideal 
 Man. It is a matter of surprise that the title of the Logos 
 or Word does not occur in these Epistles. It would be a 
 mistake, [ imagine, to draw any inference from its absence, 
 or to regard the non-occurrence of it otherwise than as an 
 aceident. 
 
 3. The Prince of the power of the air, and the power or 
 kingdom of darkness (Eph. 11. 2; Col. 1. 13). 
 
 4. The principalities and powers, good and evil (Eph. 
 111. 10, &c.) ; the world-rulers of this darkness. 
 
 5. The use of special religious and ascetical practices m 
 order to rise from the earthly to the heavenly (Col. 1]. 
 16—23). 
 
 These ideas, whether as adopted or rejected by St. Paul, 
 would serve as points of contact between his teaching in 
 these Epistles, and the various systems of Gnosticism which 
 sprang up in the next century : but our present object is to 
 see whether they are not equally to be found in books or 
 traditions to which St. Paul and his contemporaries had 
 access. The writings of the Neo-Platonists are therefore 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 133 
 
 beyond our scope ; and, although in the opinion of some 
 eritics the distinctive speculations of the Kabbalah are to be 
 traced back to a date before the coming of Christ, the 
 books of the Kabbalah are themselves so much more 
 modern, and its earlier traditions,—supposing them to exist 
 independently,—are so similar to the doctrines of Philo and 
 of the Zend Avesta, that we may conveniently put the 
 Kabbalah also aside. 
 
 The lore which may really have influenced the mind of 
 St. Paul is to be found in the Apocrypha, in Philo, and in 
 the Zend Avesta. 
 
 Two books of the Apocrypha, ‘‘ Ecclesiasticus ” and the 
 * Wisdom of Solomon,” are remarkable for their doctrine 
 concerning Wisdom. In the canonical book of Proverbs 
 Wisdom is represented as speaking to men, and there is 
 much praise of knowledge and understanding ; but the lan- 
 euage used there is not to be identified with that of the two 
 Apocryphal books. In these Wisdom is not merely personi- 
 fied, but treated as a second Divine person. What else- 
 where would be the Divine Word is here the Divine Wis- 
 dom. Kcclesiasticus is the older book of the two, and is 
 considered to be more exclusively Jewish. The Wisdom of 
 Solomon bears marks of a later origin,—its date however 
 being still anterior to the age of Philo,—and of being 
 affected by Grecian thought. The followmg passages are 
 from Ecclesiasticus xxiv.: “I [Wisdom] came out of thé 
 mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth as a cloud 
 (v. 3).” ‘He created me from the beginning before the 
 world, and I shall never fail. In the holy tabernacle I 
 served before him: and so was I established in Sion. Like- 
 wise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem 
 was my power. And I took root in an honourable people, 
 even in the portion of the Lord’s inheritance” (vv. 9—12). 
 “Tam the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, 
 and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all 
 
 
 
 
 
194 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 my children which are named of him” (v. 18). The style 
 of the ‘‘ Wisdom of Solomon ” is more rhetorical and ornate, 
 and its language is hardly to be taken as plain prose; but 
 it exhibits an evidently increased tendency to regard Wis- 
 dom as a distinct Divine emanation. ‘ Wisdom was with 
 thee: which knoweth thy works, and was present when 
 thou madest the world, and knew what was acceptable in 
 thy sight, and right in thy commandments” (ix. 9). “ For 
 Wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me: for 
 in her is an understanding spirit, holy, one only, manifold, 
 subtil, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not subject to hurt, 
 loving the thing that is good, quick, which cannot be letted, 
 ready to do good, kind to man, steadfast, sure, free from 
 care, having all power, overseeing all things, and going 
 through all understanding pure and most subtil spirits. 
 For Wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passeth 
 and goeth through all things by reason of her pureness. For 
 she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence 
 flowing from the glory of the Almighty : therefore can no 
 defiled thing fall into her. For she is the brightness of the 
 everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, 
 and the image of his goodness. And being but one, she 
 can do all things : and remaining in herself, she maketh all 
 things new: and in all ages entering into holy souls, she 
 maketh men friends of God, and prophets” (vi. 22—27), 
 The fine passage describing God’s judgment in the destruc- 
 tion of the firstborn in Egypt shews that the writer of this 
 book used the expression “the Word” rather in the manner 
 of St. Paul than of the Targums or Philo or St. John. 
 “ For while all things were in quiet silence, and that night 
 was in the midst of her swift course, thine Almighty word 
 leaped down from heaven out of thy royal throne, as a 
 fierce man of war into the midst of a land of destruction, 
 and brought thine unfeigned commandment as a sharp 
 sword, and standing up filled all things with death ; and it 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 135 
 
 touched the heaven, but it stood upon the earth” (xviii. 
 14—16). 
 
 With the Apocrypha we may connect such indications 
 of the tendencies of Jewish thought as may be found in 
 the Septuagint Version and in the paraphrases called the 
 Targums. 
 
 The Septuagint shews traces of a repugnance to use ex- 
 pressions which speak of God as being in any way visible. The 
 Hebrew text says that when Moses and Aaron, Nadab and 
 Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, went up, “ they 
 saw the God of Israel” (Ex. xxiv. 10); but the Greek 
 Version has “they saw the place where the God of Israel 
 stood :” and in the next verse, for “they saw God,” “ they 
 were seen in the place of God” is substituted. In Num- 
 bers xu. 8, for “ the similitude of the Lord shall he behold,” 
 the Septuagint has “he saw the glory of the Lord.” In 
 Isaiah xxxvil. 11, for “I shall not see the Lord, even the 
 Lord, in the land of the living,” we have in the Greek “I 
 shall no longer see the salvation of God in the land of the 
 living.” The word “ powers,” δυνάμεις, which is a significant 
 word both in Philo and in St. Paul, is the rendering of the 
 LXX. for Sabaoth or tsebaoth in the phrase “the Lord of 
 hosts.” J’sebaoth means the army or fighting men of the 
 children of Israel. But the Greek translators preferred to 
 think of God as the Lord of the armies of heaven. In 
 Gen. i. 27, we have another variation. The Hebrew has 
 “male and female created he them.” The Greek, ‘ male and 
 female created he him” (ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτόν), im- 
 plying the creation of the ideal Man with a twofold nature. 
 
 The Targums are a kind of paraphrase in Chaldee or 
 Aramaic of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. After 
 the Captivity the Hebrew had become an unfamiliar dialect 
 to the Jews, and it was necessary to translate the Scrip- 
 tures when they were read on the Sabbath days into the 
 popular language. This was done orally by persons called 
 
136 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 interpreters, and for many generations it was strictly for- 
 bidden to write down and embody in a book the traditional 
 explanatory version. About the end of the second century 
 after Christ the Targum is said to have been first committed 
 to writing; but what was then written had been handed 
 down from earlier times. The Targum on the Pentateuch, 
 called the Targum of Onkelos, embodies the earliest tradi- 
 tional version of the Hebrew text. In this Targum is 
 observed “ an aversion to anthropopathies and anthropomor- 
 phisms ; in fact to any term which could in the eyes of the 
 multitude lower the idea of the Highest Being. . . . a repug- 
 nance to bring the Divine Being into too close contact, as 
 it were, with man. It erects a kind of reverential barrier, 
 a sort of invisible medium of awful reverence, between the 
 Creator and the creature.” To this Targum belongs especially 
 the use of the term ‘‘ Memra,” the Word or Logos, and 
 also of “ Shekinah,” the holy presence or glory of God. 
 Thus, for “The voice of the Lord God was heard” (Gen. 
 ili. 8), the Targum has “The voice of the Word.” For 
 “He will dwell in the tents of Shem,’—‘“‘the Shekinah 
 will dwell.” For “the Lord went up from Abraham,”— 
 “the glory of God went up.” For “God came to Abimelech,” 
 —“the Word from God came.” [See Mr. Deutsch’s Article 
 on Targums in the Dictionary of the Bible. ] 
 
 Philo. That peculiar form of Judaism, of which the 
 Book of Wisdom is an early representative, found its home 
 in Alexandria. A great number of Jews settled in Egypt, 
 and there became thoroughly imbued with Greek philo- 
 sophy and literature, without abandoning their ancient 
 faith. Continuing to accept their sacred books as of Divine 
 authority, they studied them through a Greek medium, 
 A habit grew up of treating the Biblieal narrative as alle- 
 gory, and of attaching a more or less arbitrary spiritual 
 significance to its names and incidents and phrases. The 
 school of Grecian Judaism was fortunate enough to find a 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 137 
 
 first-rate literary representative in Philo. Not an original 
 philosopher himself, he had a very quick and fertile mind, 
 and was eminently ingenious in maturing and expounding 
 the method of interpretation which prevailed in his time at 
 Alexandria. He was born about 20 B.c., and went on an 
 embassy to the Emperor Caius Caligula in a.p. 40. His 
 works consist chiefly of a series of commentaries on the 
 books of Moses, his language being that of the Platonic school 
 of his day. Philo becomes a most interesting study when 
 considered as a contemporary of our Lord and of the 
 Apostles. What we have for our present purpose to ob- 
 serve is that Philo evidently did not stand alone, but repre- 
 sented the Judaism of Eeypt; that St. Paul must have 
 had many opportunities of reading the works of Philo, and 
 that the Alexandrian mode of interpreting Scripture could 
 not possibly have escaped his knowledge. One of the 
 Apostle’s most powerful coadjutors at Hphesus and in 
 Achaia was Apollos, “born at Alexandria, an eloquent man 
 and mighty in the Scriptures” (Acts xvi. 24—28). It 
 can hardly be an error therefore to assume in St. Paul an 
 acquaintance with any doctrines which are to be found in 
 Philo. 
 
 The passages which I proceed to quote are chiefly 
 intended to illustrate the views then prevailing amongst 
 an important section of the Jews as to the development 
 of the Divine nature in Creation and in the government 
 of the world. For those who desire to know more of 
 Philo, his writings are not at all difficult to read and are 
 easily accessible. 
 
 Upon the saying “the Lord came down to see the city 
 and the tower,” (Gen. xi. 5,) Philo observes that motion can 
 only be predicated of God figuratively or in the way of accom- 
 modation. ‘ Butall things are filled by God, who embraces 
 and 4s not embraced, to whom alone it belongs to 
 be both everywhere and nowhere :—nowhere, because he 
 
138 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 has himself begotten both room and space together with 
 material objects, and it is not legitimate to speak of that 
 which made it as beg embraced in anything that has 
 been made; and everywhere, because having extended his 
 powers through earth and water and air and heaven he 
 has left no part of the world desert, but having drawn 
 together all things through all he has bound them tight 
 with invisible chains, that they should never be loosed.” 
 (De confusione linguarum, i. 426.) Similarly he says (i. 88), 
 “God has filled all things and has gone through all, and 
 has left nothing empty or desert of himself.” 
 
 Concerning the Word of God, the language of Philo may 
 be conveniently learnt from the various titles given under 
 the heading Verbum Divinum in the index of the edition 
 of Mangey. “The Divine Word, the ideal locus or place 
 of the world, the idea of ideas, the image of God, the 
 exemplar of light, God’s elder, eldest, firstborn, Son, maker 
 of the world, ruler of things, most ancient of all things, 
 eternal, pillar and bond, seal of things, divider (ropeds), 
 mediator, chief pontiff of God, sees through all things, 
 nourishment of souls, God of imperfect things, waters the 
 virtues like a stream, fountain of delight, vicegerent of 
 God, contains and fills all things, second God.” The 
 passage referred to under the word “divider” is one of 
 the most curious. On the words “he divided them in 
 the midst,’ (Gen. xv. 10,) Philo comments as follows: 
 “Understand that God cuts the natures of bodies and 
 things which seem most firmly united, by his Word, the 
 cutter of all things,—which, sharpened to the finest edge, 
 divides without ceasing all perceptible things; and when 
 it has penetrated to the elements which are said to be 
 indivisible and without parts, this cutter begins, from these, 
 to divide the things contemplated in thought into unnamed 
 and uncircumscribed portions, and ‘cuts the leaves of gold 
 into hairs, (Exod. xxxix. 3,) as Moses says, length without 
 
 - 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 199 
 
 breadth, like imaginary lines.” Philo then mentions various 
 divisions, as into light and heavy, rational and irrational, 
 &c. ; and concludes, “ Thus God having sharpened his word 
 the cutter of all things divides the shapeless and unqualified 
 substance of things in general, and the four elements of the 
 world which are separated out of it, and the animals and 
 plants which are constituted of these.” (Quis divinarum 
 heres, 1. 491.) 
 
 God sees all things by his own light. “ For the Eye of 
 absolute Being needs no other light in order to perceive, 
 but being itself the archetypal brightness it sends out a 
 thousand rays, none of them perceptible by sense, but all 
 by intellect.” (De Cherubim, i. 156.) 
 
 Moses having asked to be permitted to see God himself, 
 is told that this is impossible. He acquiesces, but goes on 
 to plead,—“ But I entreat that I may behold at least the 
 glory that surrounds thee; and thy glory I deem to be 
 the powers which form thy body-guard, which not having 
 yet perceived I earnestly desire to behold. God answered 
 and said, The powers which thou seekest after are altogether 
 invisible and to be apprehended by the understanding, as I 
 am. I do not say that they are already being apprehended 
 by the understanding, but that, if they could be appre- 
 hended, it would not be by sense, but by the purest intelli- 
 gence. But being naturally inapprehensible in their essence 
 they yet exhibit a kind of impress and likeness of their 
 activity. Just as seals, when applied to wax or any similar 
 material, stamp off any number of impressions, without 
 losing any part of themselves, but remaining as they were, 
 —so you must conceive of the powers which surround me 
 as communicating qualities to things unqualified and forms 
 to formless things, and neither changing nor losing any- 
 thing of their eternal nature. Those among you who name 
 them ‘ideas’ [ forms] are not far from the mark, since 
 they give form to all existing things, ordering things 
 
140 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 disordered, and imparting limits and definition and shape 
 to things without boundaries, undefined, and shapeless, and 
 generally altering the worse into the better. Do not hope 
 therefore that you will ever be able to apprehend either me 
 or any of my powers in essence. But things attainable, as 
 I said, I readily and gladly communicate.” (De monarchia, 
 ii. 219.) 
 
 Angels are ministers of the All-ruler. “These are called 
 by the other philosophers demons, but the sacred word is 
 wont to call them angels | messengers |, using a more appro- 
 priate name, because they convey the commands of the 
 father to his offspring, and the wants of the offspring to 
 their father; wherefore they are introduced as ‘ascending 
 and descending,’ not because God who knows all belies 
 hand needs messengers to inform him, but because it was 
 expedient for us mortal creatures to have ‘words’ [ἃ name 
 for angels] as intervening mediators, on account of the 
 dread and amazement with which the All-ruler and the 
 mighty strength of his sovereignty would strike us... 
 For, not to say punishments, but even surpassing and 
 untempered benefits would be more than we could bear, 
 if he should himself put them forth to us by himself, with- 
 out using others as his ministers.” (De somniis, 1. 642.) 
 
 There is a high strain in Philo’s doctrine with regard to 
 the ascent of the soul towards God. “The mind,” he says, 
 “when it purely worships God, is not human, but divine.” 
 (i. 485.) In the following passage he is explaining that 
 the soul must “ go out of itself” if it would inherit Divine 
 things. The soul is represented as saying that it has “ gone 
 out,” not only from the body and from sense or perception, 
 but also from reason. “1 removed from reason also, when 
 I became aware of its great unreasonableness, although it 
 lifted up and inflated itself. For it ventured on no trifling 
 enterprise, to shew me objects by means of shadows, things 
 by means of words, which was impracticable. Therefore it 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 141 
 
 poured itself around unstable things, and babbled about 
 them, being unable to set forth with distinct presentation 
 the peculiarities of things by the community of names. 
 But being taught by experience like a foolish child, I learnt 
 that it was better to go out from all these,.and to offer up 
 the powers of each to God, who gives its bodily frame to 
 the body, and causes the perception to perceive, and enables 
 the reason to speak.” The soul is then addressed: “In the 
 same way in which thou hast gone out from those other 
 things, withdraw and remove from thyself also. And what 
 is this ?—Do not deal out thought and reflection and appre- 
 hension to thyself, but carry these also and offer them up 
 to him who enables thee to understand accurately, and to 
 apprehend without mistake.” (Quis rerum divinarum heres, 
 i. 483.) 
 
 Faith, and Grace, are both made much of by Philo. 
 There is a somewhat rhetorical eulogy of Faith in De 
 Abrahamo, 11. 39, where it is called “the queen of virtues,” 
 “the only infallible and certain good, . . . the bettering in 
 all things of the soul which has cast itself for support upon 
 the Author of all things, who can do all, and who desires 
 what is best.” “The covenant is a symbol of grace, which 
 God has set between himself who bestows and man who 
 receives. This is a surpassing benefit, that nothing should 
 intervene between God and the soul except maiden grace.” 
 (De mutatione nominum, i. 586.) | 
 
 The Zoroastrian Religion. 
 
 It is a disputed question, whether the elements which 
 Philo has blended with the doctrine of the Hebrew Scrip- 
 tures were drawn exclusively from Grecian philosophy, or 
 in part from Oriental traditions. On the one hand, it is 
 quite conceivable that the mingling of the Platonic theory 
 of ἰδέαι with the Jewish faith might have produced all that 
 
142 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 we find in Philo. But on the other hand, Philo, living and 
 studying at Alexandria, can hardly have failed to be influ- 
 enced by Eastern systems of theosophy ; and the very faith 
 which he inherited from his fathers had certainly been 
 affected by its contact with one great Eastern religion, and 
 that the one of which Philo’s language most reminds us. 
 This was the Zoroastrian, the religion of the Persians. 
 
 Before the termination of the Jewish Captivity, Babylon 
 was conquered by Cyrus the Persian. This took place in 
 the year 538 B.c. The return of the Jews began in the 
 year 536 B.c. and was continued during the reign of Darius 
 the son of Hystaspes, who came to the throne in 8.0. 521. 
 The favourable expressions in the book of Isaiah with regard 
 to Cyrus (the Lord’s shepherd, the Lord’s anointed) are well 
 known (xliv. 28, xlv. 1). The religion of the Persians, 
 which had no worship of idols, was received with sympathy 
 by the Jews, and exercised an undoubted influence upon 
 the Jewish mind. Concurrently with other causes, it led to 
 a greater development of liturgical prayer, and to a more 
 definite belief in a heavenly hierarchy, including both good 
 and evil angels. 
 
 The religion of Cyrus and Darius is known to have been 
 the worship of Or-muzd, or Ahura-Mazda. The Inscriptions 
 recently deciphered at Behistun and Persepolis bear abundant 
 testimony to this fact. The worship of Or-muzd is called 
 Zoroastrian, because its traditions name Zoroaster, or Zer- 
 duscht, or Zarathustra, as the teacher and legislator from 
 whom it is derived. The Zoroastrian religion is peculiarly 
 interesting because of its great antiquity, and because its 
 ancient books are only now beginnning to be thoroughly 
 known. The doctrinal resemblances of the Zoroastrian 
 system to the language of St. Paul and St. John, as well as 
 to the later Gnostical systems, make it especially important 
 for the study of the development of Christian doctrine. 
 
 The ancient books of this system are contained in the 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 143 
 
 collection called the Zend Avesta. These are the only books 
 now existing in the language called the Zend, which has 
 been found by comparison to be a sister dialect to Sanskrit. 
 The books have been preserved in the hands of the Parsees 
 in India, the modern remnant of the Zoroastrians, and were 
 brought to Europe towards the close of the last century by 
 M. Anquetil du Perron. The aids for deciphering and inter- 
 preting the Zend MSS. have been a Sanskrit version 
 (Neriosengh’s), a more ancient version into a language called 
 Pehlevi, and the traditional renderings of the Parsees. M. 
 Anquetil made an imperfect translation into French by 
 means of Parsee assistance in Bombay ; but since his time, 
 the study of scholars versed in the languages of the same 
 stock (including that of the Cuneiform Inscriptions) has 
 done much to fix the meaning of the Zend, and to enable 
 the learned to discriminate between dialectic varieties in 
 the Zend books themselves. The use of the words Zend 
 and Avesta is conventional, Avesta beg supposed to mean 
 “Scriptures,” and Zend “oral tradition.” The English 
 reader has an opportunity of studying the whole of the 
 Avesta in a work published at the cost of a Parsee gentle- 
 man—Spiegel’s German translation of the Avesta rendered 
 into English by Mr. Bleeck. ‘Translations of parts of the 
 Avesta may also be found in a volume of Essays by Haug. 
 Unfortunately, the renderings of these two scholars exhibit 
 considerable differences ; but they agree sufficiently to shew 
 that for general purposes the language is now fairly under- 
 stood. I shall take the extracts which follow from Mr. 
 Bleeck’s translation, which seems to be done with care in a 
 closely literal style. 
 There are no available data for fixing even approximately 
 the age of Zoroaster or of the books of the Avesta. These 
 books are almost without a history. The only existing 
 MSS. of them are said to be comparatively modern. It is 
 believed that their contents were not committed to writing 
 
144 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 till the time of the Sassanian dynasty (third century), having 
 been handed down through long centuries by oral tradition. 
 But there is sufficient proof from internal evidence of their 
 great antiquity. A comparison of the Zend Avesta with 
 the Vedas shews that the Zoroastrian religion and that of 
 the earliest Vedas were branches of one stock; and there 
 are allusions in the Avesta which point to an original home 
 of the Aryan race in Bactria, from which one section of the 
 race migrated to India, whilst the Iranian section moved 
 westwards. It is conjectured that the separation of these 
 two branches of the race was caused by a religious schism ; 
 and Mr. Ernest de Bunsen has seen in the story of Cain and 
 Abel a mythical representation of this conflict. (See his 
 book on The Hidden Wisdom, ὁ, 1.) The principal division 
 of the Zend Avesta is into the Vendidad, the Yasna 
 together with the Vispered, and the Khordah Avesta (or 
 little Avesta). The Vendidad is the Zoroastrian Law-book. 
 The Vispered and the Yasna form the liturgy for the 
 priests. The Gathas, or hymns, in this part, are the most 
 ancient compositions in the Avesta. The Khordah Avesta 
 contains various prayers, intended for general use, and 
 especially a series of Yashts, or invocations, addressed to the 
 good Genii. 
 
 The special characteristic of this religion is the worship 
 of Ahura-Mazda. ‘True believers are called Mazdayasnians, 
 (the word Yasna meaning sacrifice or worship,) and the law 
 is called the good Mazdayasnian law. With Ahura-Mazda, 
 but strictly subordinate to him, are associated a number of 
 divinities, called Ameshaspentas, or Amshaspands. An evil 
 power, named Angra-mainyus, (afterwards Ahrimanes,) 
 works in opposition to Ahura-Mazda and the good creation, 
 and he is aided by innumerable daevas, (devas, divs,) 
 against which good Mazdayasmians are to wage war. The 
 chief quality of Ahura-Mazda is purity, symbolized by 
 light, and the counter-quality is pollution, symbolized by 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 145 
 
 darkness. The ideas of light and darkness, purity and im- 
 purity, are perpetually recurring in the Avestan books ; and 
 the object of the worshipper is always to keep himself 
 morally and ceremonially pure. Praise of all pure beings, 
 and defiance of all impure, are the chief religious agencies 
 - for the elevation of the soul. Words, especially prayers and 
 invocations, are the potent weapons for driving away evil. 
 The great formative ideas of this religion are high and 
 noble, and they are expressed with a striking simplicity, 
 Indeed the reiteration of simple formulas conveys an im- 
 pression of baldness and sterility : for good. and for evil, 
 speculation seems to have stopped short with the Zoroas- 
 trians at certain elementary conceptions with regard to the 
 creation. 
 
 In the received accounts of the Zoroastrian religion, the 
 most conspicuous feature of it is the Dualism represented by 
 the names Ormuzd and Ahriman. These two powers are 
 described as being co-eternal. But this does not appear to 
 be stated in the Avesta. There Angro-mainyus, the Spirit 
 of darkness, occupies much the same position as that occu- 
 pied by the Devil in the Christian theology of most of the 
 centuries of the Christian era. The good Creator and the 
 good creation come first: afterwards the evil spirit seeks 
 pertinaciously to spoil the good creation by introducing 
 evil. But there is no vestige of any worship of the dark 
 spirit: he is always to be overcome. ‘There are two pas- 
 sages in the Gathds in which the two Powers, the good and 
 the evil, are spoken of as more co-ordinate than they seem 
 to be in the greater part of the Avesta (Yasna xxx. 3—6, 
 and xliv. or xlv. 2), but in these very same hymns Ahura- 
 Mazda is spoken of as primary and dominant.* Some 
 
 * Professor Rawlinson speaks of the older part of the Avestaas comparatively 
 free from the Dualism which characterises the later part ; and he refers to these 
 passages in the Yasna as containing only the germ of the system subsequently 
 developed. But I think there are no other passages in the Avesta so dualistic as 
 these. (See Rawlinson’s Ancient Monarchies, III. p. 105.) 
 
 L 
 
146 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 allusions to the Infinite Time (zrvane akerane), or Eternity, 
 appear to have been also systematized too rigidly into the 
 conception of a Divine Abyss, answering to the En Soph of 
 the Kabbalah, out of which Ahura-Mazda had birth. 
 Ahura-Mazda is the Creator, and there seems to be no 
 speculation as to his origin. 
 
 The first of the Yasnas, or liturgical invocations, begins 
 thus : 
 
 1. “1 invoke*: the Creator Ahura-Mazda, the Brilliant, 
 Majestic, Greatest, Best, Most Beautiful, 
 
 2. The strongest, most intellectual, of the best body, the 
 Highest through holiness ; 
 
 3. Who is very wise, who rejoices afar, 
 
 4. Who created us, who formed us, who keeps us, the 
 Holiest among the heavenly. 
 
 5. I invoke: Vohu-mano, Asha-vahista, Kshathra-vairya, 
 Spenta-armaiti, Haurvat, and Ameretat.” 
 
 These are the six Amesha-spentas, who have different 
 provinces of creation under their care. I take the following 
 account of them from Spiegel’s note on this passage. 
 1. Vohu-mano (otherwise Bahman), the protector of all 
 living creatures. [The name is said to mean Good Con- 
 science, or Good Mind.| 2. Asha-vahista (Ardi-behist), the 
 genius of fire. [The name = high piety, or best truth. ] 
 3. Khshathra-vairya (Shahrevar) is the lord or protector of 
 metals. The care of the poor is also entrusted to him. 
 4. Spenta-armaiti is a female genius, the goddess of the 
 earth. In the older writings she is especially the goddess 
 of wisdom ; in the later, she bestows a good way of life, 
 fluency of speech, &c. 5 and 6, Haurvat and Ameretat 
 are almost always named together. The former is the lord 
 of the waters, the latter of the trees. 
 
 In the later mythology, Ahura-Mazda is not reckoned 
 
 * I have substituted this simpler expression for “I invite and announce to” 
 into which Bleeck has translated Spiegel’s German rendering. 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 147 
 
 amongst the Amesha-spentas, and the number seven is 
 completed by Sraosha or Serosh. His duty was to watch 
 over the world, and especially to protect it in the night- 
 time. The night is an especial development of the power 
 of Angro-mainyus, and the Daevas work their deeds in 
 darkness. Hence morning and evening prayers were 
 offered to Sraosha. The cock also was sacred to him. 
 
 The following passage, relating to the Amesha-spentas, is 
 from the Khordah-Avesta. “The strong Kingly Majesty 
 praise we, 
 
 Which belongs to the Amesha-spentas, the shining, having 
 efficacious eyes, great, helpful, strong, Ahurian, who are 
 imperishable and pure. 
 
 Which are all seven of like mind, like speech, all seven 
 doing alike, like is their-mind, like their word, like is their 
 action, like their Father and Ruler, namely, the Creator 
 Ahura-Mazda. 
 
 * * * * * * 
 
 They it is who further the world at will so that it does 
 not grow old and die, does not become corrupt and stinking, 
 but ever-living, ever-profiting, a kingdom as one wishes it, 
 that the dead-may arise, and immortality for the living may 
 come, which gives according to wish furtherance for the 
 world. 
 
 The worlds which teach purity will be immortal, the 
 Drukhs [the genius of Pollution] will disappear at the 
 time. So soon as it comes to the pure to slay him and his 
 hundred-fold seed, then is it (ripe) for dying and fleeing 
 away.” (Zamyad-Yasht, 14—20.) 
 
 Illustrations of the nature of Angro-mainyus, and of the 
 power of words, or invocations, to overcome all evil spirits, 
 may be found in the 19th Fargard, or Section, of the 
 Vendidad. | 
 
 “1. From the north region, from the north regions, 
 
148 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 rushed forth Angro-mainyus, he who is full of death, the 
 Daeva of the Daevas. 
 
 2. Thus spake this evil-witting Angro-mainyus, who is 
 full of death : 
 
 3. ‘Drukhs! [Pollution,] run up, slay the pure Zara- 
 thustra.’ 
 
 4, The Drukhs ran round him, the perishable, the 
 deceiver of mortals. 
 
 5. Zarathustra recited the prayer Ahuna-vairya.* .. . 
 
 6. The Drukhs ran away from him grieved. .. . 
 
 7. The Drukhs answered him (Angro-mainyus) : Tor- 
 mentor, Angro-mainyus ! 
 
 8. I do not see death in him, in the holy Zarathustra. 
 
 9. Full of brightness is the pure Zarathustra. 
 
 * * * * * * 
 
 16. Zarathustra informed Angro-mainyus : ‘ Evil-witting 
 Angro-mainyus ! 
 
 17. I will smite the creation which was created by the 
 Daevas, I will smite the Nasus [genii of Pollution] which 
 the Daevas have created, 
 
 18. I will smite thee . . ., until Saoshyans [more com- 
 monly Sosiosch] is born, the victorious, out of the water 
 Kansaoya, 
 
 19. From the East region, from the Eastern regions. 
 
 [Sosiosch is the Messiah of the Zoroastrian traditions. 
 The name means “ He that will profit or help.” Compare 
 Jesus, Je-hoshua, Help of Jehovah. “It is the name,” 
 says Prof. Spiegel in his Commentary on the Vendidad, 
 p- 421 (Leipsic, 1865,) “of the future Deliverer, who is to 
 appear at the time of the Resurrection and establish the 
 complete dominion of Ahura-Mazda on, the Earth.” As the 
 
 * A short formula of prayer, somewhat obscure, to be found at the beginning 
 of the Khordah Avesta. The name appears under the form Honover, or Honwar. 
 Great efficacy was ascribed to this Word. Manthra-spenta is the more general 
 name for the Holy Word. 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 149 
 
 North is the quarter of the spirits of darkness, so whatever 
 comes from Ahura-Mazda comes from the East. | 
 
 20. Him answered Angro-mainyus who has created the 
 wicked creatures, 
 
 21. Do not slay my creatures, O pure Zarathustra! 
 
 22. Thou art the son of Pourashaspa, and hast life from 
 a (mortal) mother ! 
 _ 23. Curse the good Mazdayasnian law, . 
 
 94, Him answered the holy Zarathustra : 
 
 25. I will not curse the good Mazdayasnian law-; 
 
 26. Not if bones, soul, and vital power, were to separate 
 themselves asunder. 
 
 27. Him answered Angro-mainyus who has created the 
 evil creatures : 
 
 28. By whose word wilt thou smite, by whose word wilt 
 thou annihilate, by what well-made arms (smite) my crea- 
 tures, Angro-mainyus’ ? 
 
 29. Him answered the holy Zarathustra : 
 
 30. Mortar, cup, Haoma * [liturgical symbols, used in in- 
 vocations, | and the words which Ahura-Mazda has spoken ; 
 
 * The Hom, or Soma, juice, frequently mentioned in the Vedas. It is the 
 juice of a plant called Asclepias acida, and in the Hindoo religion was drunk 
 fermented. But there is no hint of intoxication by the drinking of the Hom 
 juice in the Zoroastrian books ; and it seems to me to be in accordance with the 
 rest of this religion to regard this ceremony as a simple recognition of one of the 
 benefits of creation, that, namely, conferred in the juice of wholesome plants. 
 In a passage to be presently quoted, fire, water, cattle, trees, are enumerated 
 together with the earth, the pure man, the stars, &c. as amongst the good things 
 of Ahura’s creation. All these are represented in the Zoroastrian worship. 
 Fire is well known as a principal symbol of that worship. Water is represented 
 by holy water, called Zaothra. Perhaps the Draonas, which were little round 
 cakes, on which pieces of cooked flesh were placed, and which after certain 
 prayers were eaten by the priests, may have had something to do with earth. In 
 the praises and invocations, we read continually of the mythical Bull, or Cow, 
 which represented cattle in general; and the use of cow’s urine in purifications is 
 (to this day) one of the chief features of the Mazdayasnian ritual. T'rees are 
 remembered in the consecration of the Baresma or Barsom, a bundle of twigs. 
 Similarly, the consecration and drinking of the Hom may be an act of thanks- 
 giving for the juices of all plants. 
 
150 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 31. These are my best weapons ; 
 
 32. By this word will I smite, by this word will I anni- 
 hilate, by these well-formed weapons (smite), O evil Angro- 
 mainyus ; | 
 
 33. Which Spenta-mainyus [the Good Spirit] created ; 
 he created in the infinite time ; * 
 
 34. Which the Amesha-spentas created, the good Rulers, 
 the wise.” 
 
 The 11th Fargard gives rules as to the use of various 
 prayers, especially the frequent repetition of the Ahuna- 
 vairya, by which the evil spirit was to be driven away. 
 The following passage enumerates the principal representa- 
 tives of the pure creation. “I combat thee, Ὁ evil Angro- 
 mainyus, (away) from the dwelling, from the fire, from the 
 water, from the earth, from the cattle, from the trees, from 
 the pure man, from the pure woman, from the stars, from 
 the moon, from the sun, from the lights without beginning, 
 from all the good things which Ahura has made which have 
 a pure origin.” (Vendidad, Fargard x1. 32.) 
 
 The name Daeva or Deva is that which in the Indo-Aryan 
 family of languages signified a divine being. From the 
 same root come Zevs and deus. But in the Zend Avesta, it 
 always stands for an evil spirit. The Daevas are innume- 
 rable ; they haunt darkness and corruption ; their home is 
 in the pit of darkness. They flock together in the places, 
 called Dakhmas, where dead bodies are exposed : 
 
 “ For that is the joy of the Daevas, 
 
 All to which stench cleaves. 
 
 For in these Dakhmas there are together dissolution, 
 sickness, fever, uncleanness, cold fever, shivering, and old 
 remains of hair.” (Vendidad, Fargard vii. 143—145.) 
 
 * This is the zrvane-akerane, Time without bounds, mentioned above. It 
 occurs again in this Fargard: “55. I praise the heaven, the self-created, the 
 never-ending time, the air which works ahove.” 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. Ist 
 
 Human beings who admit defilement are liable to be 
 possessed by Drujas, (dzemons,) in this life, and will go to 
 the abode of the Daevas in the next. 
 
 “They are not pure in life, and after death they take no 
 share in Paradise. 
 
 They fill the place which is appointed for the wicked, 
 
 The dark, which comes from darkness, 
 
 Darkness. 
 
 This place ye make, ye are who are wicked, through 
 your own deeds and your own law, the worst of places.” 
 (Fargard v. 173—177, vii. 54—57.) 
 
 Next to prayer, the cultivation of the ground was the 
 best means of promoting purity. 
 
 “87. He who cultivates, this earth, O holy Zarathustra, 
 with the left arm and the right, with the right arm and 
 the left ; 
 
 88. Then this earth speaks to him: Man, thou who culti- 
 vatest me with the left arm and the right, with the right 
 arm and the left, 
 
 89. Always will I come hither and bear. 
 
 - 90. All food will I bear, together with the fruits of the 
 field. 
 
 91. He who does not cultivate this earth, O holy Zara- 
 thustra, with the left arm and the right, with the right 
 arm and the left, 
 
 92. Then this earth speaks to him : Man, thou who dost 
 not cultivate me with the left arm and right, with the right 
 arm and left, 
 
 93. Always thou standest there, going to the doors of 
 others to beg for food : 
 
 94. Always they bring food to thee, thou who beggest 
 lazily out of doors : 
 
 95. They bring to you out of their superfluity of good 
 things. 
 
 96. Creator of the corporeal world, Pure One! 
 
152 ON THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS 
 
 97. What is the increase of the Mazdayasnian law? 
 
 98. Then answered Ahura-Mazda: When one diligently 
 cultivates corn, O holy Zarathustra. 
 
 99. He who cultivates the fruits of the field cultivates 
 purity. 
 
 100. He promotes the Mazdayasnian law. 
 
 105. When there are crops then the Daevas hiss, 
 
 106. When there are shoots then the Daevas cough, 
 
 107. When there are stalks then the Daevas weep, 
 
 108. When there are thick ears of corn then the Daevas 
 fly. 
 
 109. There are the Daevas most smitten in the dwelling- 
 places where the ears of corn are found. 
 
 110. To hell they go, melting like glowing ice. 
 
 111. After that let this Manthra [word] be recited : 
 
 112. No one, if he eats nothing, has any strength ; 
 
 113. He is not able to be of pure conduct, 
 
 114. Νοῦ 8016 to be employed in cultivation : 
 
 115. Since with food lives the whole corporeal world, 
 and without food it dies.” (Vendidad, Fargard iii.) 
 
 I will only add to these extracts a prayer, or rather laud, 
 which is one of the favourite Mazdayasnian formule. 
 
 “1. I praise the well-thought, well-spoken, well-per- 
 formed, thoughts, words, and works. 
 
 2. I lay hold on all good thoughts, words, and works. 
 
 3. I abandon all evil thoughts, words, and works. 
 
 4. I bring to you, O Amesha-spentas, 
 
 5. Praise and adoration, 
 
 6. With thoughts, words, and works, with heavenly mind, 
 the vital strength of my own body.” (Yasna xii.) 
 
 We have no evidence that St. Paul ever came in contact 
 with worshippers of Ahura-Mazda. But we know that 
 there was a considerable population of Jews settled in 
 
IN THE DOCTRINE OF THESE EPISTLES. 155 
 
 Babylonia, and spreading into Persia and Media, and that 
 these for many generations had had opportunities of 
 becoming acquainted with the Zoroastrian traditions: we 
 know also that the systems of Gnosticism in the second 
 and third centuries bore so strong a resemblance to the 
 Persic mythology that it is impossible not to believe in 
 some kind of connexion between them. The Epistle to 
 the Colossians shews distinctly that speculations were pre- 
 valent amongst the Jews of Asia Minor, professing to be 
 a higher Γνῶσις or knowledge to be attained by the more 
 learned and more religious, which remind us of the Gnos- 
 tical and the Zoroastrian systems. Without, therefore, 
 laying down any definite propositions as to the filiation 
 of ideas which it is impossible to cireumscribe within the 
 limits of any one race or religion, we may imagine St. 
 Paul to be confronted with the doctrines of Philo and of 
 the Avesta, and we may conceive with certainty how he 
 would deal with them. When he hears of various attempts 
 to solve the mystery of creation ; when he learns how men 
 have travelled back from the definite to an Indefinite out 
 of which the actual creation has grown; when he is told 
 of a primal Fulness, of a development of the Divine nature 
 in the process of creation, of a formative Word or words, 
 of powers emanating from the supreme Divinity and ruling 
 over different departments of the universe, of evil powers 
 loving darkness and disorder which thwart the good pur- 
 poses of the Creator and his instruments, of manifestations 
 in which the good Creator reveals himself or some part of 
 himself in order that he may drive out evil and establish 
 the reign of harmony and happiness, of modes of approach 
 to the heavenly powers by which men may rise above the 
 general condition of sinful mortals ;—St. Paul brings all 
 such speculations to the test of his own theology, the 
 theology of his Conversion. So far as they agree with the 
 doctrine of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, he 
 M 
 
124 ΟΝ THE TRACES OF FOREIGN ELEMENTS, ETC. 
 
 will gladly accept any expansion of view which they may 
 suggest, he will use their phraseology. But they will not 
 tempt him to give up his faith in Christ. He sees in Christ 
 the true representation of the Eternal Fulness, the organ of 
 creation, the head of all the powers which may be engaged 
 in the evolution of nature, the prince of the kingdom of 
 light, the one mediator between God and men, the cone 
 deliverer of the universe from all that troubles it. The 
 way for men to come to God is to accept fellowship with 
 Christ and to exercise the trust in God as a Father to 
 which this fellowship with the Son entitles them. In being 
 called to believe in Christ, they are called out of darkness 
 into light, finding in him both peace with God and the 
 true law of their life. They are bound to fight with Christ 
 against all the powers of darkness; and in his triumph 
 over these powers when he rose from the grave, they have 
 the pledge of a final and complete victory. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 R. CLAY, SON, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS. 
 
BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 
 
 ST. PAUL AND MODERN THOUGHT: 
 
 temarks omsome of the Views advanced in Professor Jowett’s Commentary on 
 St. Paul. 
 
 8vo. 2s. 6d. 
 
 SERMONS ON THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SON 
 OF GOD. 
 With a Preface addressed to Laymen on the Present Position of the Clergy of the 
 Church of England ; and an Appendix on the Testimony of Scripture and the 
 
 Church as to the possibility of Pardon in the Future State. 
 
 Feap. ὅνο, 6s. 6d. 
 
 THE WORK OF CHRIST; 
 OR, 
 
 La WORLD BRECON CILED TO € OD: 
 With a Preface on the Atonement Controversy. 
 
 Feap. 8vo, 69. 
 
 BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION, AND THE LORD’S SUPPER, 
 AS INTERPRETED BY THEIR OUTWARD SIGNS. 
 
 Three Expository Addresses for Parochial Use. 
 
 Limp cloth, 1s, 6d. 
 
 MACMILLAN AND CO. LONDON. 
 
ECCE HOMO: A SURVEY OF THE LIFE AND WORK 
 
 OF JESUS CHRIST. Ninth Thousand. 8vo. cloth, price 10s. 6d. 
 
 THE HULSEAN LECTURES FOR 1865. 
 
 OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE SUBJECT OF GROWTH 
 IN WISDOM. Four Sermons (being Hulsean Lectures for 1865) preached 
 before the University of Cambridge. To which are added, Three Sermons 
 preached before the University of Cambridge in February, 1864. ΒΥ the 
 Rey. J. MOORHOUSE, M.A. St, John’s College. Crown 8vo, cloth, price 5s, 
 
 DISCOURSES. By Atexanper J. Scorr, M.A. Professor of Logie 
 
 in Owen’s College, Manchester. Crown 8vo, cloth, price 7s. δα. 
 
 SERMONS, By the Rev. Henry Woopwarp, M.A. formerly of 
 
 Corpus Christi College, Oxford, Rector of Fethard, in the Diocese of Cashel. 
 The Fifth Edition. Crown 8vo. cloth, price 10s. 6d, 
 
 THE HEAVENLY FATHER: LECTURES ON MODERN 
 
 ATHEISM, By ERNEST NAVILLE, Corresponding Member of the Institute 
 of France, and formerly Professor of Philosophy in the University of Geneva. 
 Translated by Henry Downroy, M,A. English Chaplain at Geneva. Extra 
 feap. 8vo. price 7s. 6d. 
 
 NOTES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. A Selection of Sermons 
 by HENRY ROBERT REYNOLDS, B.A. President of Cheshunt College, and 
 Fellow of University College, London. Crown 8vo. cloth, price 7s. 6d. 
 
 SERMONS PREACHED IN MANCHESTER. By ALEXANDER 
 MACLAREN. New and Cheaper Edition. F cap. 8vo. 45, 6d. 
 
 VILLAGE SERMONS. By 6. F. Dr TEISSIER, B.D. Rector of 
 Brampton, near Northampton, late Fellow and Tutor of Corpus Christi College, 
 Oxford. Second Series, crown 8vo. cloth, 8s. θα. Also First Series, crown 8yo, 9s . 
 
 MACMILLAN AND CO, LONDON. 
 
 ae 
 

 
 dim? ὙΠῸ 
 
 eae T's af 
 se ied ay a 
 
 ye ae 
 
 Bi 
 
 i 
 ΤῊ 
 ΤΩ 
 
 
 
Ψ 
 
 LS yu i Te 
 
 
 
πὴ 
 ΩΝ" 
 
 ake 
 
 
 
BS2650 .D256 
 The Epistles of St. Paul to the 
 rinc 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary—Speer Library 
 
 1 1012 00073 8833 
 
 al 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ὅν 
 
 we 
 
 i “ 
 ΤῸ} 
 
 ᾿ 
 
 - {eae Ss 
 
 —— Ἂν 
 
 
 
 " Ν » a ‘i @ 
 ΑΗ Με δι 
 ἮΝ, 
 
Ne ree ee 
 
 
 
 
 
 ee. 
 
 
 
 Se 
 
 
 
 pert pees Se ry see 
 
 SOLS CESS CS δι ὐνώ Bam σον 
 
 ON EE OF Om νων 
 
 OR ARO nate At NR ey 
 Se gener ony 
 ee ne 
 “τ σ'τὴστὸ νον ν. 
 
 ST yt ἐκ ere terre tenn gee 
 RE GN a RNY τω we 
 σατο στ υθαδα νον τοόονησωσωςς. οἷος τς 
 PN σις, 
 ae 8 Re NS A ON eng 
 σατο en in ert te tare ey 
 ica bisdathdieridemeiet ce ee eee aed 
 
 Serene 
 δ χψεν τος ἀσυστον τ υσων φιλο πο τον πετασε τότηρτας το τως ΣΝ, 
 
 pee 
 
 oe IANS YP OG τ ποασον 
 
 ONE Ut ene 
 
 SSeS SS Ses rh 
 
 
 
 
 
 aneey. Myote te War arose weynaaennar ces 
 ἜΣ τα κεν φησταν ὁ ere rete ries 
 GStT ah emia 
 
 Re ene 
 rrp me Re 
 
 Py wrap woes σαν 
 WP IAD Sr 
 τ Pe Ne np we 
 
 ONES EE et re 
 LOA AID EE TRE 
 A of ee eran Steen 
 
 OMe PPL TONEY 
 bh aad Chek Lek kent 
 on WE LFS ὧν ὧν ον ὧν gets WA όταν ν NSP nny 
 ΤῊΝ 
 τον αρα κἀρερα  κο ανλῳ 
 Ἰρπρκρολῷ ἐ συ κριὸν 
 
 
 
 pao ee ee 
 
 δ υρτ συρ ρενν Ὁ dee γέκ 
 
 
 
 
 ahd kde 
 DEN OBI 0 
 
 
 
 : ee 
 ἀπ oda .υ. 
 αν, οΕέυ a ee ee ae 
 
 ee ee eee ee 
 Ἢ 
 
 Ree 
 PN BN CO 6 nique te meee 
 Ie OL pany grepee eps τ 
 PP I PEL NTE Oe WO mie ge 
 tettet Mibtuddadth de ta ieaninimedin en 
 
 ον, ὦ 
 
 δ μεετνο φόσισι κιν πν ακσεασα κόγηνη eae σον στους 
 
 EEG OL Ed Hee 
 CL Fe pen UF WTI 
 
 ποτ  σοφο 
 POF OPT ARPS WORT Pe 
 2 pda τ τρρρήρε ροῦν, δε φεφωσ στὰ σὰ dara τα ὦν 
 
 FOE ME PBA SIMA OR NE gem 
 eee need 
 
 pid aati dant kala oe tio 
 be PP EEE ERAT IE κ μν» 
 ΕΣ ΩΣ