gnoía, as used in Scripture, is not merely "free-spokenness,” nor yet simple "frankness," but "fearlessness," freedom from apprehension of rejection or of evil. It is this Christ has procured for us. Even the vilest may, in Christ, approach the Infinitely Holy, who is a consuming fire, with fearlessness. Nothing short of an infinite Saviour could effect such a redemption. The accumulation of substantives in this sentence -"boldness, access, confidence"-shows that there was no word which could express what Paul felt in view of the complete reconciliation of men to God through Jesus Christ.

We have this free access to God, with full confidence of acceptance, through faith of him,-i.e., by faith in Christ. This is explanatory of the first clause of the verse, v w-diù Tñs Tíorɛws aircũ, in whom,-i.e., by faith of him; faith of which he is the object. Comp. chap. ii. 13. It is the discovery of the dignity of his person, confidence in the efficacy of his blood, and assurance of his love, all of which are included, more or less consciously, in faith, that enables us joyfully to draw near to God. This is the great question which every sinner needs to have answered,-How may I come to God with the assurance of acceptance? The answer given by the apostle, and confirmed by the experience of the saints of all ages, is, 'By faith in Jesus Christ.' It is because men rely on some other means of access, either bringing some worthless bribe in their hands, or trusting to some other mediator, priestly or saintly, that so many fail who seek to enter God's presence.

Ver. 13. Wherefore,―i.e., because we have this access to God, the sum of all good, we ought to be superior to all the afflictions of this life, and maintain habitually a joyful spirit. Being the subjects of such a redemption, and having this liberty of access to God, believers ought not to be discouraged by all the apparently adverse circumstances attending the propagation of the gospel. As neither the object of the verb αἰτοῦμαι, nor the subject of the verb ἐκκακεῖ, is expressed, this

verse admits of different explanations. It may mean, I pray you that you faint not; or, I pray God that I faint not;' or, 'I pray God that ye faint not.' Whether the object of the verb be "God" or "you," it is hard to decide; as it would be alike appropriate and agreeable to usage to say, 'I pray God,' or, I pray you,'-i.e., 'I beseech you not to be discouraged.' The latter is, on the whole, to be preferred, as there is nothing in the context to suggest God as the object of address, and as the verb air, though properly signifying simply "to ask," whether of God or man, is often used in a stronger sense, "to require," or demand," Luke xxiii. 23; Acts xxv. 3, 15. Paul might well require of the Ephesians, in view of the glories of the redemption of which they had become partakers, not to be discouraged. As to the second point, viz., the subject of the verb ixxaxe, there is less room to doubt. It is far more in keeping with the whole tone of the passage that Paul should refer to their fainting than to his own. There was far more danger of the former than of the latter. And what follows ("which is your glory") is a motive by which his exhortation to them is enforced.

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The relatives, in the next clause, admits of a twofold reference. It may relate to 9, "afflictions;" or to un έxxɑxɛî, “not fainting." In the one case the sense would be: "The afflictions which I suffer for you, instead of being a ground of discouragement, are a glory to you.' In the other: 'Not fainting is an honour to you.' The latter is flat,-it amounts to nothing in such a context. It is perfectly in keeping with the heroic character of the apostle, who himself gloried in his afflictions, and with the elevated tone of feeling pervading the context, that he should represent the afflictions which he endured for the Gentiles as an honour, and not as a disgrace and a cause of despondency.

14.

SECTION II.-VER. 14-21.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord

15. Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is 16. named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his

glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner 17. man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, 18. being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend

with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and 19. height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, 20. that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto

him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask 21. or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

ANALYSIS.

The prayer of the apostle is addressed to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is also in him our Father. He offers but one petition,-viz., that his readers might be strengthened by the Holy Ghost in the inner man; or that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith. The consequence of this would be, that they would be confirmed in love, and thus enabled, in some measure, to comprehend the infinite love of Christ, which would enlarge their capacity unto the fulness of God; that is, ultimately render them, in their measure, as full of holiness and blessedness as God is in his.

COMMENTARY.

Ver. 14. This verse resumes the connection interrupted in ver. 1. The prayer which the apostle there commenced, he here begins anew. For this cause, roúrou zág, repeated from ver. 1, and therefore the connection is the same here as there, i.e., Because you Ephesians are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ.' I bow my knees. The posture of prayer, for prayer itself. Unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.* The peculiar Christian designation of God, as ex

*The MSS. A, B, C, 17, 67, the Coptic-Ethiopic, and Vulgate versions, and many of the Fathers, omit the words τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ

pressing the covenant relation in which he stands to believers. It is because he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our incarnate God and Saviour, that he is our Father, and accessible to us in prayer. We can approach him acceptably in no other character than as the God who sent the Lord Jesus to be our propitiation and mediator. It is therefore by faith in him as reconciled, that we address him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ver. 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. The word margiά is a collective term for the descendants of the same father, immediate or remote. In Luke ii. 4, we read of the house and family of David, and in Acts iii. 25, of all the families of the earth. The most important question here is, whether Tãoα Targiá is to be rendered " every family," or, "the whole family." In favour of the latter are the considerations that the omission of the article, which usage doubtless demands, is not unfrequent where either the substantive has acquired the character of a proper name, or where the context is so clear as to prevent mistake. (See Winer's Gram. p. 131.) And, secondly, the sense is better suited to the whole context. If Paul intended to refer to the various orders of angels, and the various classes of men, as must be his meaning if ãoa argiá is rendered "every family," then he contemplates God as the universal Father, and all rational creatures as his children. But the whole drift of the passage shows that it is not God in his relation as Creator, but God in his relation as a spiritual Father, who is here contemplated. He is addressed as the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," and therefore our Father. It is plain, therefore, that those who are here contemplated as children, are those who are by Jesus Christ brought into this relation to God. Consequently, the Xgiro. As, however, important external authorities and the context are in their favour, the majority of recent editions and commentators retain them.

word margiά cannot include any but the subjects of redemption. The whole family in heaven, therefore, cannot mean the angels, but the redeemed already saved, and the family on earth, the company of believers still living.

As children derive their name from their father, and their relation to him is thereby determined, so the apostle says, the whole family of God derive their name from him and are known and recognised as his children.

Ver. 16. This verse contains the apostle's prayer in behalf of the Ephesians. He prays that God, according to the riches of his glory, would strengthen them with might by his Spirit in the inner man.

The riches of his glory, πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης, means the plenitude of divine perfection. It is not his power to the exclusion of his mercy, nor his mercy to the exclusion of his power, but it is every thing in God that renders him glorious, the proper object of adoration. The apostle prays that God would deal with his people according to that plenitude of grace and power which constitutes his glory, and makes him to his creatures the source of all good.

Δυνάμει κραταιωθῆναι.—Δυνάμει may be rendered adverbially, "powerfully strengthened;" or it may be rendered "as to power," indicating the principle which was to be confirmed or strengthened; or "with power," as expressing the gift to be communicated. They were to receive power communicated through the Holy Spirit. This is to be preferred, because the subject of this invigorating influence is not any one principle, but the whole "inner man."

There are two interpretations of the phrase κραταιωθῆναι εἰς Tov How av@gwTov, to be strengthened as to the inner man, the choice between which must depend on the analogy of Scripture. According to one theory of human nature, the higher powers of the soul, the reason, the mind, the spirit, the inner man, retain their integrity since the fall, but in themselves are