In the church by Christ Jesus.* The original is, ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, which Luther ren. ders, in the church which is in Christ, i. e. the Christian church. This interpretation is adopted by several modern commentators. But in that case the article Tŷ before èv Xploτ ought not to be omitted. Besides, "as the Christian church is the only church which could be thought of, the addition of the words in Christ would be unnecessary. The ordinary interpretation, therefore, is to be preferred. Glory is to be rendered to God in the church, and in and through Christ Jesus, as her head and representative. The church is the company of the redeemed here and in heaven; which constitutes one body through which God is to manifest his manifold wisdom, and which is through all ages to ascribe unto him glory, honour, and dominion. The idea of eternity or of endless duration is variously expressed in Scripture. conceived of as one, and the sometimes as an endless succession and then the plural αἰῶνες is used. to eternity, and εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, οι alávov, to the ages indefinitely, i. e. endless ages, alike mean, for ever. Το βασιλεὺς τοῦ αἰῶνος, king of eter nity, and Baoiλevs Tŵv alwvwv, king of endless ages,

Sometimes eternity is singular alov is used; of periods or ages, Thus εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν

The Text here varies considerably. The Uncial MSS., A and C, several of the later ones, the Coptic and Vulgate, Jerome and Pelagius read, ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ; D, F, G invert the order and read, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. The majority of editors retain the common Text.

al

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he

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both mean the king eternal. The peculiarity of the case before us is, that the apostle combines these two forms: εἰς πάσας τὰς γενεὰς τοῦ αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων, to all the generations of an eternity of ages. This is in keeping with the cumulative character of the whole context. Finding no ordinary forms of expression suited to his demands, the apostle heaps together terms of the largest import to give some vent to thoughts and aspirations which he felt to be unutterable. These things belong to the στεναγμοὶ ἀλαλήτοι of which he peaks in Rom. 8, 26.

CHAPTER IV.

AN EXHORTATION TO UNITY, vs. 1-16.- -AN EXHORTATION TC HOLINES AND TO SPECIFIC VIRTUES, vs. 17–32.

1.

SECTION I.-Vs. 1-16.

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye 2. walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one 3. another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit 4. in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even 5. as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one 6. faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above 7. all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led cap9. tivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascend

ed, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower 10. parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended. up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. 11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, 12. evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfect

ing of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying 13. of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the

faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect

man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14. that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and

carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to de15. ceive but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him 16. in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

ANALYSIS.

The apostle exhorts his readers to walk worthy of their vocation. Such a walk should be characterized by humility, meekness, long-suffering, and zeal to promote spiritual unity and peace, vs. 1-3. The church is one because it is one body, has one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father who is over, through, and in all its members, vs. 4-6.

This unity, however, is consistent with great diversity of gifts, which Christ distributes according to his own will, v. 7. This is confirmed by a passage from the Psalms which speaks of the Messiah as giving gifts to men; which passage it is shown must refer to Christ, since it speaks of a divine person ascending to heaven, which necessarily implies a preceding descent to the earth, vs. 9-10. The gifts which Christ bestows on his church are the various classes of ministers, apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors who are teachers,

v. 11. The design of the ministry is the edification of the church, and to bring all its members to unity of faith and knowledge, and to the full stature of Christ; that they should no longer have the instability of children, but be a firm, compact, and growing body in living union with Christ its head, vs. 12–16.

COMMENTARY.

V. 1. Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν Κυρίῳ. The exhortation is a general one; it flows from the preceding doctrines, and is enforced by the authority, and the sufferings of him who gave it. As you are partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, “I therefore beseech you." I the prisoner, not of, but in the Lord, év Kupiw. He was a prisoner because he was in the Lord and for his sake. It was as a Christian and in the cause of Christ he suffered bonds. Compare the frequently occurring expressions, ovvepyòs év Xpiστῷ, ἀγαπητὸς ἐν Κυρίῳ, δόκιμος ἐν Χριστῷ, ἐκλεκτὸς ev Kupiw. He speaks as a prisoner not to excite sympathy, not merely to add weight to his exhortation, but rather as exulting that he was counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. This is in accordance with the beauti ful remark of Theodoret: τοῖς διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν δεσμοῖς ἐναβρύνεται μᾶλλον ἢ βασιλεὺς διαδήματι, he glories in his chains more than a king in his diadem. 'I, the martyr Paul, the crowned apostle, exhort you,' &c. All is thus in keeping with the elevated tone of feeling which marks the preceding passage.