27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and with out blemish.74 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and with the participle having cleansed it. If the former, the lesson would be that Christ cleanses first by baptism and then sanctifies by the effect of the Word of the Gospel on the heart. If the latter, their intent would be to shew that it is not a mere material washing with water that cleanses but a mystical washing with water combined with belief in the Gospel. Cf. the parenthetical addition in 1 Pet. iii. 21 "The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth even now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but an interrogatory of a good conscience towards God)." (See note ad loc.) The older commentators consider the form of words used in baptism to be meant. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church] That he might himself present to himself the Church glorious. Christ is not only bridegroom, but He bestows on Himself the bride, His purpose in giving Himself for His future Church being (1) to cleanse it, (2) to sanctify it, (3) to present it to Himself, thus glorious and holy, as a spotless bride (Cant. iv. 7). Viewed according to the Divine intention, the Church is even in this world glorious, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish; but that divine intention will not be perfectly realized as long as man's will conflicts with God's will, that is, not in the Church Militant but only in the Church Triumphant. 28. So] That is, as Christ loves the Church which is the body of which He is the head, so husbands should love their wives as being the bodies of which they are the heads. The subject of comparison is the love of Christ not the love of a man's self, as would appear from the A.V. A comma should be inserted after "' wives." cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery but immediate reference to Gen. ii. 23, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." The expression indicates that Christians, forming at once the mystical body and the spouse of Christ, are as closely identified with Christ, their Head and Lord, as was Eve with Adam from whose side she issued and whose wife she became. 31. For this cause, &c.] St Paul having alluded to Gen. ii. 23 in the words "of his flesh and of his bones," proceeds to quote the doctrine of the affection which ought to exist next verse, Gen. ii. 24, which confirms his between man and wife. Part of the same verse of Genesis is quoted in 1 Cor. vi, 16. 32. This is a great mystery] This mystery is great. The mystery is the analogy between the marriage-state and the spiritual union betwixt Christ and the Church. This had hitherto been a secret unrevealed thing, which was now first made clear (that is, it was "a mystery ") and therefore the holiness of unknown, and the full force of the statement marriage was up to this time comparatively in Genesis, "they two shall be one flesh," had been unperceived. "But," continues the Apostle, "I" (the pronoun is emphatic) "refer this and to the Church," and he thus explains what statement in its ultimate application to Christ was before mysterious in Moses' words. In consequence of the Vulgate using the word "sacramentum" here for "mystery," this passage is referred to by modern writers in the Latin Church as proving Marriage to be one of the supposed Seven Sacraments (see Conc. Trident. sess. XXIV. c. 1). The argument rests upon a mere equivoke. The term Sacrament in its restricted sense was not applied to marriage until the days of the Schoolmen, though St Augustine applies it wider acceptation. But though no support freely to marriage and many other rites in its can be derived from the passage for the theory that marriage was instituted by Christ as one of the sacraments of His Church (a theory which history plainly contradicts) yet the holiness of the estate is evidenced by it. Marriage is no mere contract, but a religious rite: it is no mere remedy to prevent incontinence, but a mystical representation of the union of God I speak concerning Christ and the church. 20-1547 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband./7 CHAPTER VI. The duty of children towards their parents, 5 of servants towards their masters. 10 Our life is a warfare, 12 not only against flesh and blood, but also spiritual enemies. 13 The complete armour of a Christian, 18 and how it ought to be used. 21 Tychicus is commended. 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice, as menHILDREN, obey your parents pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; Cin the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; with the soul, of Christ with the Church: it is not a thing to be tolerated as a concession to human weakness, or to be regarded as inferior to the estate of celibacy. For any "present distress" celibacy may be superior to marriage, but not as the normal condition of the Christian, though he were the highest Christian saint. (See Bishop Taylor's Sermons on "The Marriage Ring,' Serm. XVII., XVIII.) 33. Nevertheless] "Apart from the mystical analogy that I have indicated." let every one of you in particular] "See that you all in your individual capacities (whatever may be your corporate duties as forming the body of Christ)-see that each man of you, I say, love his wife as himself, and the woman that she fear her husband." Fear or reverence is a necessary condition of the submission already inculcated. CHAP. VI. 1. in the Lord] As ye are Christian children. On the mutual duties of Christian parents and children see Taylor, 'Ductor Dubitantium,' III. 5. for this is right] St Paul here appeals to the principles of natural morality, as (in the next verse) to positive injunction. 2. which is the first commandment with promise] "which is the first of the Ten Commandments that has a promise attached to it." St Paul does not pause to consider or state whether or no there be any subsequent Commandment with promise; that the fifth is the first that occurs with it is sufficient for his purpose. Cf. the use of the word "Firstborn" in Matt. i. 25. The Second Commandment contains a declaration, not a promise: the Third, a threat. 3. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth] upon the 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men : land. St Paul quotes so much of Exod. XX. 12 as is sufficient for his purpose, and omits the last clause, “which the Lord thy God giveth thee." His purpose is simply to recal to his hearers' memory the promise originally attached to the Fifth Commandment, not to suggest that the same temporal blessing there promised or any analogous spiritual blessing is now attached to filial obedience. That good promise shewed the great import ance of the Fifth Commandment in God's eyes; and this is all that St Paul cites it for. 6 4. the nurture and admonition of the Lord] "the nurture, or rather discipline (see Trench, Synonyms of the N. T.'), and admonition which the Lord (i.e. Christ) directs should be used." Discipline or training comes first, and it passes as the boy grows to manhood, into admonition, consisting of encouragemer.t, remonstrance, and sharp reproof, as each is needed. Eli did not "admonish" ("restrain " A. V.) his sons (1 Sam. iii. 13), though he remonstrated with them (ii. 24). Their case required sharper reproof. 5. Servants] Slaves, such as Onesimus, who was at this time being sent back to his master Philemon by St Paul. masters according to the flesh] Earthly masters, whose dominion does not extend beyond the things of this world. with fear and trembling] the tender timidity of love which fears to mistake in any way the will of the beloved one (Olshausen). 6. eyeservice, as menpleasers] This was the principle of the Greek and Roman slaves, and is naturally the motive on which subordinates act who have been brought up in the fear of man or of the law instead of God. servants of Christ] His slaves. 7. With good will] The Christian slave was to contrast in this with his fellow-slaves, of whom it was proverbially said that a man had as many enemies as he had slaves (Seneca, 'Ep.' 47). as to the Lord, and not to men] Cf. George Herbert: "A servant with this clause Makes drudgery divine: Who sweeps a room, as for thy laws, 8. the same shall be receive] The good deed that the slave does is represented as coming back upon him, and bringing its reward from the Lord if not from the master, the law of requital at the last being the rule for slave and freeman alike. The slave's reward is defined in the Epistle to the Colossians as being a participation in the spiritual inheritance, though in the eye of the Roman law he was a chattel incapable of inheriting or possessing. 9. do the same things] Act on the same principles. knowing that your Master also is in heaven] knowing that both their and your Master is in heaven. In these words is the handful of leaven which, spreading through the whole lump, has made slavery impossible among Christian nations. of persons] Of worldly condition. 10-18. I THE CHRISTIAN PANOPLY. Cf. 1 Thess. v. 8; Col. iv. 2. 10. my brethren] These words must be omitted, though they have some MS. authority. be strong] Rather, "be strengthened." The pieces of armour enumerated below will be useless unless a Divine strength be imparted to wear and use them. 11. the whole armour of God] The panoply (the technical word used to describe the heavyarmed soldier's full suit of armour) which is supplied by God. I Or, overcome all. The same terms being employed to distinguish different classes of fallen angels as had been previously applied to the angelic hosts (iii. 10), suggests that the same ranks and gradations exist among them as had existed before their fall. Cf. Col. ii. 15. against the rulers of the darkness of this world] against the world-wide rulers of this darkness. Two statements are made or implied here; the first that evil spirits have a dominion co-extensive with the world or universe, whence the designation of their chief as "the ruler of this world "(John xii. 31, xiv. 30, xvi. 11) and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. iv. 4); the second, that their dominion is over "this darkness." This expression has probably the same signification as "the air" in ii. 2, where Satan is called "the prince of the power of the air.” "The air" seems there to be contrasted with the higher, brighter, and serene heaven, and the "darkness" to be used here in contradistinction to light. Milton's idea that the evil spirits derive their name of "the power of the air" from their having passed from the darkness of hell to the light of the sun (Par. Reg.' 1. 115), has no scriptural warrant. spiritual wickedness] Lit. spiritual things of wickedness, i.e. the hosts of wickedness, or, as given in the margin, wicked spirits. in high places] This expression must be translated, as in the four other verses where it occurs, in heavenly places; and it probably means, as there, the spiritual world. By some it is taken to bear the same meaning as "the air" in ii. 2, and “this darkness" in the verse above. St Jerome says, "Not that the evil spirits reside in heaven, but the air above our heads has received this appellation." 13. take unto you] This was the technical word of command for arming, which St Paul must have been in the constant habit of hearing in its Latin form at the time that he wrote. in the evil day] In the day of peril. having done all] This rendering is preferable 12. against principalities, against powers] to that of the margin, "having overcome all." 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteous ness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield 14. Stand therefore, &c.] The soldier's panoply consists first of the body-armournamely, the girdle, the breastplate and the shoes; next the defensive arms-the shield and the helmet; and lastly the offensive weaponthe sword. This was the accoutrement which St Paul had constantly before his eyes during his two years' imprisonment. The Christian panoply, answering to that of the soldier and serving for defensive and offensive arms, is truth, righteousness, preparation, faith, salvation, the Word of God, to which is added prayer. Cf. Ignatius' Epistle to Polycarp, C. VI. girt about] The girdle encircled the body below the breastplate, keeping the armour in its place and supporting the sword. truth] Truthfulness--the honest uprightness that will not lie or deceive is the girdle. St Paul begins (as in iv. 25) with this quality because it is essential to the Christian character, and without it there can be no virtue, piety, religion, or righteousness. Cf. Isai. xi. 5, where the word is translated in the A.V. by "faithfulness "-"and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." the breastplate of righteousness] The breastplate, covering the chest, was sometimes, though not always, formed of two portions. In the Epistle to the Thessalonians, written some ten years ago, St Paul had likened these two portions to faith and love (1 Thess. v. 8). Now he reserves faith for the signification of the shield, and looking on the breastplate as a single piece of armour, he finds its correlative in "righteousness," that is, the quality which, whether inwrought or imputed, or both, belongs to the man who is justified and sanctified. The idea of the breastplate being righteousness is taken from Isai. lix. 17, "He put on righteousness as a breastplate." 15. the preparation of the gospel of peace] Readiness or preparedness, which is derived from the gospel. St Paul specifies the gospel or good tidings as being the gospel "of peace," in allusion to, and partial citation of, Isai. lii. 7, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace." Olshausen happily paraphrases "preparation" by "a vigorous spiritual freedom of movement," caused, as he conceives, by the gospel of peace, because the latter removes all obstruction to the spiritual of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:43 18 Praying always with all prayer life. There may be a reference to Exod. xii. II, xiii. 18. 16. Above all That is, over and above all the body-armour specified. the shield] There were two shields. This is the large shield which Polybius describes as four feet long and two and a half feet broad, covering therefore the whole person: it typifies the loving trust in God which protects the Christian believer from doubts and from any excessive distress. the fiery darts] Military weapons known by the name of malleoli; they are specified because they were the most dangerous of missiles at that time invented. The image "He put an Already the 17. the helmet of salvation] is again taken from Isai. lix. 17, helmet of salvation on his head." Apostle had adopted and enlarged the idea in the Epistle to the Thessalonians, "putting on for a helmet the hope of salvation" (1 Thess. v. 8). Here he not only designates the helmet "the hope of salvation," but calls it "the helmet of salvation," salvation being to the Christian not only a hope, but in its degree a present possession. We are already in "a state of salvation." the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God] The word of God (an expression used nine times in the Pauline Epistles, and not identical with the theological term "the Word," made familiar to us by the opening verses of St John's Gospel) means an utterance proceeding from God, and specially the Gospel, written or preached. It is the sword of the Spirit, both because Revelation is the work of the Spirit, and because the Word does not serve as a sword except the Spirit teach its use. To the carnal mind the written Word is a collection of ancient histories, laws, and thoughts of men, useful in their day but now suitable for the museum; it is only in the hands of the man who is enlightened by the Spirit of God that it becomes "quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. iv. 12). Our Lord, in His temptation, has given us an example how the Word of God may be used as a weapon of offence as well as defence. 18. Praying always] The sword of the Spirit cannot be rightly wielded except by a man who is in constant communion with the Spirit by prayer. St Paul therefore cannot but refer to prayer in connexion with the word of God, though he does not name the javelin or pilum (as we might have expected) as its counterpart. in the Spirit] "as Spiritual men," just as "in Christ" frequently means "as Christians." thereunto] Unto prayer, which is to include intercessions for all their brother Christians. 19, 20. PERSONAL APPLICATION OF THE LAST PRECEPT. Cf. Col. iv. 3, 4. 19. And for me] Rather, And in my behalf, the preposition being different from that used immediately before. St Paul is not content with a general precept of intercessory prayer, but asks specially for their intercessions in behalf of himself in his present circum stances. that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known] that when I open my mouth, I may boldly make known. the mystery of the gospel] St Paul returns with his last words to the main subject of his Epistle the mystery that down to the present time the whole world except the Jews had been excluded from the knowledge of the good news and from the participation of the blessings of the covenant, while now that knowledge and participation were thrown open to all nations. 20. For which I am an ambassador in bonds] St Paul was the Ambassador Extraordinary sent with the message of Adoption and Reconciliation to the Gentiles, but he was at the present moment an ambassador in bonds, and it was his known attachment to Gentiles which had led to his being made a prisoner. It is thought that the expression "in bonds," more literally rendered in the margin by "in a chain," refers to the single chain by which his right arm was fastened to the soldier's left arm. that therein] That is, in the matter of the Gospel mystery. New Test.-VOL. III. 21. that ye also] The word "also" ad1. St Paul may mits of four explanations. mean by the "ye also " each several church to which Tychicus came in his journey as he carried the circular letter-not only Ephesians and Laodiceans, but "ye also " as well as they. 2. The "also" may have slipped from his pen in tacit reference to what he had just written in the Epistle to the Colossians. In Col. iv. 7 he tells the Colossians that Tychicus should make known to them the state that he was in: if he wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians immediately afterwards, he might very naturally have told them and the other Asiatic Christians that Tychicus should "also" inform them as he would inform the Colossians. 3. St Paul may mean that as he had been anxious to know of their welfare, so they "also" must be informed of his. 4. He may refer to the Roman Christians-" that ye, as well as those here, may know my affairs." Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord] We first hear of Tychicus in Acts xx. 4 as accompanying St Paul as he returned from his third missionary journey, possibly in the character of a delegate of the Church of Ephesus (1 Cor. xvi. 3, 4) to carry alms to Jerusalem. He was with St Paul in his first imprisonment in Rome until sent by him with the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians (Col. iv. 7), and again he is with him when he wrote the Epistle to Titus (Tit. iii. 12) and during the early part of his second imprisonment (2 Tim. iv. 12). For about ten years therefore he appears to have "faithfully ministered in the Lord" to St Paul as "a beloved brother." The word "minister" is used generally not technically (cf. Acts xix. 22). 22. Whom I have sent] Probably, "Whom I send." comfort your hearts] Rather, encourage and strengthen your hearts." See iii. 13. 23. to the brethren] Note the absence of 20 |