Ephesians 1:15-23

2. Exhortation springing out of the Apostle’s supplication for the Church as the body of Christ, who is the Head

(Ephesians 1:15-23.)

15Wherefore [For this cause] I also, after I [having] heard of your faith [or the faith which is among you] in the Lord Jesus, and love [the love which ye have]66 unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you67 in my prayers; 17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge [in full knowledge] of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; [Having the eyes of your heart68 enlightened,] that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and 19[omit and]69 what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is [omit is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according 20to the working of his mighty power [the might of his strength],70 Which he [hath]71 wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him [in raising him from the dead and making him sit]72 at his own right hand in the heavenly places,73 21Far [over]74 above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion [lordship], and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put [And subjected] all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that [who] filleth all75 in all.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Summary.—After the praise of God on account of His grace towards Christendom, to which the readers of this letter belong (Ephesians 1:13) has been expressed (Ephesians 1:3-14), there follows on account of this very grace the Apostle’s thanksgiving for the readers’ faith and love in his prayers (Ephesians 1:15-16), out of which he gives prominence to the petition, united with his thanksgiving, that God would make them know the glory of their calling and inheritance as well as of His power (Ephesians 1:17-19), which He has shown and will show in the Redemption through Christ, the Head of the church (Ephesians 1:20-23).

It is not proper to find here, as Olshausen does, after an “effusion of love,” only a “thanksgiving for the faith of the readers,” as far as Ephesians 2:10, without perceiving the profound, rich instruction contained in these verses. But it is not precisely a prayer for the readers which follows, as Harless says; he only mentions what he does when thinking of the church. This prayer and supplication to God about and for souls is the apostolic ministry in faith, care and joy; and the whole Church should know it and should infer from this petition, how weak and needy she is in and of herself, even though born a heavenly seed for heaven; and how necessary earnest, persevering prayer and supplication on her part always is, for her preservation and prosperity.

[After praise comes prayer (Eadie). Ellicott: “I ever give thanks, and pray that you may be enlightened to know the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the greatness of His power, which was especially displayed in the Resurrection and supreme exaltation of Christ.”—Alford, following the Trinitarian division of Stier: “The idea of the Church carried forward, in the form of a prayer for the Ephesians, in which the fulfilment of the Father’s counsel through the Son and by the Spirit, in His people, is set forth, as consisting in the knowledge of the hope of His calling, of the riches of His promise, and the power which He exercises on His saints as first wrought by Him in Christ, whom He has made Head over all to the Church.”—R.]

The Apostle’s Thanksgiving (Ephesians 1:15-16).

Ephesians 1:15. For this cause, διὰ τοῦ το, refers to what precedes, and on account of the close connection of the individual parts with each other, to Ephesians 1:3-14. So most ancient and modern commentators (Œcumenius: διὰ τὰ ); it is not merely an appendage to Ephesians 1:13-14, because the thanksgiving and petition apply to the readers only (Meyer, Rueckert), nor to the last clause (Ephesians 1:14 : “to the praise of His glory”), as Grotius thinks. But it treats of more than thanksgiving, of petition, supplication, not merely of the readers, but also of all Christendom (εἰς ἡμᾶς, Ephesians 1:19; comp. Ephesians 1:20-23).

[The reference to the whole preceding paragraph is defended by Harless (so Chrysostom, Winzer, Schenkel and many others). It accords best with Braune’s exegesis of Ephesians 1:13-14, to accept this view, but Eadie, Ellicott, Hodge follow Theophylact, in referring it to Ephesians 1:13-14. Alford: “On account of what has gone before, since Ephesians 1:3; but especially of what has been said since Ephesians 1:13, where καὶ ὑμεῖς first came in.” The more restricted view seems preferable, but we must then accept an expanded reference in Ephesians 1:19.—R.]

I also, καὶ ἐγώ.—The unexpressed fellowship in which Paul thus marks himself, as Ephesians 1:13 (καὶ ὑμεῖς), is to be inferred from the context, from the clause ἀκούσας—οὐ παύομαι εὐχαριστῶν. He thinks of the Christians, who have spoken of the readers’ Christian state with joy and thanksgiving, and “expects, that all Christians, especially they themselves to whom he writes, would do the same” (Harless). Hence it is not=even I also, a believing Israelite (Baumgarten); such arrogance he would have opposed, not possessed. Nor is it=also I, your Apostle (Stier) [Eadie]; He places himself as a member of the body of Christ, who is the Head, in the Church, not above it. [De Wette unwarrantably joins καί with the preceding διὰ τοῦτο. Alford objects to the view of Meyer (“Paul knows that he co-operates with the readers in his prayerful activity”), preferring to take καί as marking the resumption of the first person after the second. Ellicott thus expresses Braune’s view: “Κἀγὼ is thus faintly corresponsive with καὶ ὑμεῖς, and hints at the union in prayer and praise which subsisted between the Apostle and his converts.”—R.]

Having heard, ἀκούσας.—This marks nothing further than that he had heard, and accordingly indicates only, that what has been heard has been spoken of, hence that the Apostle was not in Ephesus, when he heard. Grotius is therefore correct: loquitur apostolus de profectu evangelii apud Ephesios, ex quo ipse ab illis discesserat. So Theodoret, Harless, Meyer and others. Nothing is said respecting acquaintance or non-acquaintance (against Olshausen [who thinks the larger part were probably unknown to him—R.]); it is used in the former case, Philemon 1:5, in the latter, Colossians 1:4; Romans 1:8. Bengel: Hoc referri potest non solum ad ignotos facie, sed etiam ad familiarissimos, pro statu eorum præsenti. It is therefore not=scire, comperire (Hammond), as though it described personal observation, since it is the very opposite; but at the same time nothing can be inferred from this against the composition of this Epistle for the Ephesians, nor that he wrote the letter before his personal acquaintance, nor yet that he had other churches in his mind at the same time (Stier).76

Of the faith which is among you in the Lord Jesus, τὴν καθ̓ ὑμᾶς πίστιν ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ.—To this Colossians 1:4 is parallel: “your faith in Christ Jesus,” etc. Accordingly τὴν καθ̓ ὑμᾶς πίστιν here seems to be equivalent to τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν there [so E. V.]. But “faith among you” differs somewhat from “your faith;” the relation of the faith to the subjects is different: in the first case, in accordance with the notion of the preposition (κατὰ τῆν πόλιν, Luke 8:39, κατʼ οἶκον not=ἐν οἴκῳ, see Winer, p. 374), which is distributive, the faith is merely to be found there, within the church, even though each one does not have it, and believers and unbelievers dwell side by side, in the other case, however, the faith is the possession of the individuals; Winer, p. 146, fides, quæ ad vos pertinet, apud vos (in vobis?) est.77 Such circumlocutions have their special shadings of thought, as τὴν (Acts 23:21), τῇ ἐξ ὑμῶν (1 Corinthians 8:7), promissio a te profecta, amor qui a vobis proficiscitur, are not exactly equivalent to tua promissio, amor vester. Comp. Winer, p. 181. Stier is excellent: A hint that a gracious treasure of faith and love is indeed present within the church, yet not certainly active in every member of it. [So Alford.] The notion of the substantive is not, however, thereby modified, as though the objective nature of faith were to be understood here, and the individual quality of faith in the particular persons, in Colossians 1:4 (Harless) [Ellicott]; with the Apostle the faith in Ephesus as among the Colossians remains the subject of thanksgiving; and the genitive indicates nothing about individual quality, only the possession of the individuals, still less any thing about purity or impurity (Matthies); nor is any hint given respecting fides qua or fides quæ creditur.

It is indeed here as there more closely defined as the faith “in the Lord Jesus,” as Galatians 3:26. The preposition marks the foundation of the faith: founded in the Lord Jesus, or its life-sphere, without placing any other aim of the faith. There is no reason for understanding here εἰς θεόν from 1 Peter 1:21 : “who by him do believe in God” (Bengel: fidem erga Deum in domino Jesu; Grotius: fidem in Deum fundatam in Christo); “in the Lord” is not=“through Him,” nor ἐν εἰς (Koppe, Flatt). The article τἠν is wanting before ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ, because the qualifying phrase adds an integral element to πίστις, which as anticipated is joined immediately (Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 7:7). [“Christ-centred faith” (Ellicott).—R.] Comp. Winer, p. 128. The position of the words does not permit our connecting ἐντῳ κυρίῳ with ὑμας (Winzer); besides πίστις requires further definition more than ὑμᾶς.

And the love which ye have unto all the saints, καὶ τὴν .—[See Textual Note1.—R.] This sets forth the first and immediate manifestation of the faith. Chrysostom aptly says: πανταχοῦ συνάπτει καὶ συκολλᾷ τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὴν , θαυμαστήν τινα ξυνωρίδα. Quisquis fidem et amorem habet, particeps est totius benefactionis (Bengel). This love is, however, more closely defined as “unto all the saints.” On the article [which here specializes love.—R.] see Winer, p. 126. “Paul had here first the idea of love in itself and then added in his thought τὴν είς πάντας” (Meyer). Ἅγιοι are Christians. Hence: “all saints” (Ephesians 3:8; Ephesians 3:18; Ephesians 6:18; Ephesians 6:24) points to brotherly love as character Christianismi, John 13:34 f.; 1 John 5:1. As little as this notion is to be enlarged here into universal philanthropy, as Calvin would do, and as is the case in 1 Corinthians 13:0; Galatians 5:6; 1 Timothy 2:1; Titus 3:2, also in 2 Peter 1:7 (ἐν τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ τὴν ), so little and still less is brotherly love to be narrowed down, with Theodoret, to liberality. At the same time we should not overlook the emphasis resting on the word “all,” permitting no distinction as respects condition, rank, possessions or internal endowment, either mental or spiritual.

Ephesians 1:16. Cease not to give thanks for you, οὐ παύομαι εὐχαριστῶν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν.—Thus or εὐχαριστῶ πάντοτε, 1 Corinthians 1:4; Philippians 1:3; Col 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; Philippians 4:0; comp. Winer, p. 323. Paul never ceases to be a giver of thanks. [The participle points to a state supposed to be already in existence. Eadie: “As one giving thanks for you I cease not.” Ulphilus: non cessans gratias dico.—R.] The phrase ὑπὲρὑμῶν, as in Ephesians 1:2; 1 Timothy 2:1, marks the protection of prayer, like that of a shield over the assailed (Winer, p. 359) while περὶ πάντων ὑμῶν (Romans 1:8) denotes the position of the protector around the protected.

Making mention of you, μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιούμενος, adds a limitation; he thanks constantly whenever he thinks of them; but that happens daily.—In my prayers, ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου.—This indicates that Paul has and takes occasion to think of them from his prayers.78 Comp. Winer, p. Eph 352: 1 Thessalonians 1:2; Romans 1:10. Praying is the Apostle’s daily doing, and therewith arises the thought about his church, changing his prayer into intercession. The subject of his thought and petition is not, therefore, precisely the faith and love of the Ephesians (Meyer [Alford] who rejects ὑμῶν), but themselves, with their necessities indeed, which determine the purport of the petition.—“No thanksgiving without petition, so long as perfection and completion are not yet there” (Stier).

The Apostle’s petition as to its purport. Ephesians 1:17-19

Ephesians 1:17. That, ἵνα, has its parallel in ὅπως, Phil. 6 and must retain, as in Ephesians 3:16, the signification of the purpose, design, Comp. Winer, pp. 418 f., 428 f. The Apostle’s will, in the very thought of his prayer, is directed to this, that God should give (Meyer, Schenkel). Hence there is no reason for weakening the force of ἴνα here into: that He may give (Winer, p. 273), as if it introduced only the object, the purport of the petition (Harless, Stier); for although Paul did not regard his request “as causa of Divine favors,” nor purpose “thereby” to bestow upon others the gift of grace, yet still in his petitions offered in the name of Jesus (John 14:13; John 15:16; John 6:23) he has the design as well as the hope, that they should take place.79 Bengel: Argumentum precum pro veris Christianis.

The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, ὁθεὸς τοῦ κυρίουἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.—Here we must hold (see Ephesians 1:3 f.), that he is speaking of the Incarnate One, the God-man, to whom God is God, worshipped by Him also (Stier). It does not suffice to say, that the meaning is, God sent Him, He bore witness of God and returned to God (Harless) [apparently Hodge also].

The Father of glory, ὁπατὴρ τῆςδόξης. This parallel clause is far more difficult than the last. First of all, πατήρ, corresponding to θεός, is to be retained in its established meaning, “Father,” hence not to be taken in the sense of causa (Grotius), auctor (ὁ μεγάλα ὑμῖν δεδωκώς , Chrysostom and others), source, origin (Matthies, Schenkel). The genitive, τῆςδόξης, designates the possession, the character of the Father, to whom the glory belongs, which is=כָּבוֹד, the Divine glory and majesty; it is like “the God of glory” (Acts 7:2; Psalms 29:3), “the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8), “the King of glory” (Psalms 24:7); comp. also “the Father of mercies” (2 Corinthians 1:3). Hence: the Father full of glory. As parallel to the genitive: “of our Lord Jesus Christ,” we must also in connection with “glory,” think of Him, in whom it was manifested. Bengel: Pater gloriæ, infinitæ illius, quæ refulget in facie Christi; imo gloriæ, quæ est ipse filius Dei, unde etiam nobis hereditas gloriosa obtinget (Ephesians 1:18). Harless: Father of glory, because the glory presses upon the Apostle, which God has revealed to men in His Son.

Though the Greek Fathers go too far (δόξαν γὰρ τὴν θείαν φύσιν ὠνόμασεν), yet “the Father full of glory,” following “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,” is evidently not without a reference to Christ and of such a kind, that the Apostle’s first phrase conceives rather of the God-man;80 the second of the God-man. This explanation accordingly is not a curiosity (Rueckert), needing no contradiction (Olshausen), nor is it obscurius et remotius (A-Lapide). It is much more of a curiosity, to wish to connect thus: Deus qui est domini nostri Jesu Christi pater, gloriæ; since then ὁθεός and τῆςδόξης must be taken together, while τοῦ κυρίου—ὁ πατήρ is inserted between them (Vatable). The conjecture of Piscator, that πατήρ and θεός were first written in interchanged positions, is very bold. Still it cannot be said that our phrase is=pater gloriosus (Calvin and others), or cui debetur honor, venerandus, or præstantissimus (Wahl and others), or the Almighty Father (Koppe).—Œcumenius aptly remarks: πρὸς τὸ προσκείμενον ὀνομάζει θεόν. The designation of God in this passage corresponds entirely with the fervor and confidence of the Apostle’s petition respecting the affairs of the kingdom of Christ.

May give unto you, δῴηὑμῖν.—Δᾠη the optative; John 15:16 : δώῃ the conjunctive; the Ionic conjunctive form is not sufficiently attested in the New Testament, and δῴ is preferred [in that passage, B. giving it here also.—R.] The optative as modus optandi is here, especially in oratio obliqua (Matthies), used in the place of the conjunctive (Winer, p. 273). In 2 Timothy 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:18 we find a similar usage. [Meyer and Ellicott regard the optative as chosen to follow the present here, because the answer belongs to what is hoped for, etc., the latter finding in its use a support for his view of the sub-final force of ἵνα. But the view of Alford (and Eadie) is preferable: The optative “is used when the purpose is not that of the writer as he is writing, but is described as that of himself or some one else at another time,” thus falling in effect under the rule of the oratio obliqua.—R.]

The spirit of wisdom and revelation, πνεῦμασοφίας καὶἀ ποκαλύψεως, is the object of the preceding verb. The omission of the article before the genitives points to the close connection with the governing substantive, to which also the article may be wanting, without its becoming indefinite, as the genitives contain the closer definition; Luke 23:46 : εἰς χεῖράςσου παρατίθεμαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου (Winer, p. 118 f.). God gives as a Father to His children, who have become such through Christ, of His Spirit; hence the reference may well be to the Holy Ghost; but since they have already been sealed with this (Ephesians 1:13), this efficient, personal, power recedes rather, and we are to understand the spirit wrought or to be wrought by the same in Christians. So Galatians 6:1; 2 Timothy 1:7. So Olshausen, Stier: Something of God, yet manifesting itself as in man. Hence we are not to understand the human spirit of itself, or the human heart (Rueckert: God give you a wise heart, open to His revelation), nor yet precisely the Person of the Holy Ghost (Bengel: idem Spiritus, qui est promissionis, in progressu fidelium est etiam sapientiæ et revelationis; sapientia in nobis operatur sapientiam, Revelatio cognitionem; Matthies, Meyer).81 Evidently Paul is speaking of a gift for all Christians; hence Charisms are not meant, as 1 Corinthians 12:8; 1 Corinthians 14:12; 1 Corinthians 1:0 Cor. 6:26 (Olshausen).

Both “wisdom” and “revelation” point to universal gifts to Christians, and to what is or comes to pass in them, hence to something subjective. By “wisdom” we understand a continued condition, by “revelation” the single glances afforded us, into the truths of Christianity, into the will of God in special circumstances and situations of life, into the human heart, into the course of time, into eternal life. The former includes the φρόνησις, “understanding,” joined with it in Ephesians 1:8; the latter is “the very necessary private revelation for every Christian” (Stier), as 1 Corinthians 2:10. Paul adds the special to the general in the same way (Romans 1:5; Romans 5:15; Romans 11:29). Accordingly we are not to consider the second an objective medium for the first (Harless); in that case, the position would be reversed (Meyer).82 Comp. Colossians 1:9.

In the full knowledge of him [ἐνἐ πιγνώ σειαὐτοῦ].—First the meaning of the words. In ἐπίγνωσις the preposition, which “renders prominent the intension of the verbal notion to its object” (Harless), must not be overlooked, and the distinction from γνῶσις must be maintained. It is major exactiorque cognitio (Grotius,) plena et accurata cognitio (Wahl). 1 Corinthians 13:12 is instructive: “Now I know (γιγνώσκω) in part; but then shall I know (ἐπι γνώσομαι) even as also I am known” (ἐπεγνώσθην).83 Hence it is not=agnitio (Calovius and others), nor can it be of any force here, that γνῶσις designates the higher, the charismatic form of knowledge, 1 Corinthians 12:8; 1 Corinthians 13:8 (Olshausen), since this technical term designates the character, not the degree (Meyer). The context, Ephesians 1:18-19, evidently determines that the knowledge of God is here referred to, and does not permit αὐτοῦ to be referred to Christ (Beza, Erasmus, Luther and others); nor can it remain undetermined (Calvin). Finally ἐν, “in,” designates the sphere within which that is accomplished, which has been spoken of: it cannot possibly be taken as=εἰς (Vulgate, Luther and others), or=per (Erasmus and others), or=una cum (Flatt). [Hodge most unwarrantably renders the preposition ἐν, “together with.”—R.]

The connection with the verb “give” is clear then: The knowledge of God is a status or circle of life, wrought already by the Spirit and word of God, in which he should and must be, who will and shall receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation, since this does not take place without means, Colossians 1:9-10. Advance is made from truth to truth, from knowledge to knowledge. The connection with what follows: πεφωτισμένους ὀφθαλμούς (Chrysostom and others), is impossible, both grammatically and logically, on account of the appended εἰς τὸ εἰδέναι ὑμᾶς, which is joined at the close of Ephesians 1:18, just as ἐνἐ πιγνώ σειαὐτοῦ here in Ephesians 1:17; the two phrases correspond to each other. But the connection with ὖμῖν is quite as impossible, as with ἀποκαλύψεως (a suggestion of Koppe’s); it is contrary to the usus loquendi and introduces erroneous thoughts: for it is not to those, who have known, who are real worshippers, that He gives such a spirit, as He does not give the spirit through knowledge, but rather knowledge through the Spirit, nor does revelation consist only in the knowledge of God, although this is the beginning, centre and main point to which all comes and returns. [Eadie follows Koppe, the result being a confusion respecting these phrases, which is very uncommon with him.—R.]

Ephesians 1:18. Having the eyes of your heart enlightened [πεφωτισμένουςτοὺςὀφθαλμοὺςτῆςκαρδίαςὑμῶν],—This is added without a conjunction, seeming to be in apposition, with the emphasis on the participle; the being enlightened is, what God should give. Τοῦς ὀφθαλ μούς, eyes, He need not first give; Bengel: articulus præsupponit oculos jam præsentes. But the Apostle wishes that the eyes may be given in a new quality (Harless). Accordingly we should not render: enlightened eyes (Luther); in that case we should find, τοῦς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦς πεφωτισμένους. It is arbitrary to correct the reading into πεφωτισμένοις (Piscator and others), as though it belonged to ὑμῖν. It is untenable to accept an accusative absolute (Beza, Koppe, Meyer [E. V., Eadie), and to refer the participle to ὑμῖν, so that the accusative of the noun is made to contain the closer definition; for then the recipients would have been, which is contrary to Scripture and to fact, enlightened before they received the Spirit of wisdom and revelation; the reference to the effect: so that you are illuminated as respects your eyes—is grammatically impossible. Nor should εἶναι be interpolated (Flatt).

[The interpretation: so that you are illuminated as respects your eyes, is that of Meyer, who does not defend the accusative absolute. Ellicott and Alford, whose rendering is given in the English text, refer the participle to ὐμῖν, as a lax construction, taking the noun as an accusative of limiting reference. Notwithstanding Dr. Braune’s objection, this seems the best solution. The clause “serves to define the result of the gift of the Spirit, and owing to the subsequent infinitive, which expresses the purpose of the illumination, not unnaturally lapses into the accusative” (Ellicott). See Alford for similar constructions. The accusative absolute which also expresses a result, is a very doubtful construction, see Meyer in loco, and on Romans 8:3. The appositional construction, which makes our clause the object of δώη, is open to fewer grammatical than logical objections. The enlightenment as regards the eyes of the heart ought not to be put as correlative or co-ordinate with the gift of the Spirit of wisdom, etc. This objection holds, however, the meaning of our clause may be enlarged, as is done below, and by Harless and others. Braune’s view, it should be added, is supported by Rueckert, Matthies, Meier, Holzhausen, Harless, Olshausen, De Wette and others; apparently by Hodge, who does not notice the construction preferred in this note.—R.]

The value of the gift is well described by Gregory Nazian.: εἰ γὰρ σκότος ἡ ἄγνοια καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία, φῶς ἄν εἴη ἡ γνῶσις καὶ ὀ βίος ἔνθεος. According to Ephesians 5:8, compared with Eph 4:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 6:4, the light of life is meant, that illumination which is already connected with sanctification and rooted in experience (Harless, Stier), so that it cannot be referred to merely intellectual insight (Rueckert and others). [Yet “the eyes of the heart” are spoken of, giving prominence to the perceptive side.—R.]

The eyes are τῆς καρδίας ὑμῶν, “of your heart,” and this is the centre of life (Harless), the core of the personality (Olshausen), and not merely mind or soul, without disposition. Matthew 23:15 : τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσι. Comp. Ephesians 4:22; Romans 1:21; 2 Corinthians 4:6. Cor est, quo tantas res percipimus (Bengel).84 It is thus marked by this qualifying phrase, that we, in spite of our old nature, are renewed and made susceptible of that wisdom and revelation, that is the light for which the eyes of our heart are prepared; our heart should become secure and full of the Spirit. Thus this apposition is defended from Meyer’s objections.

That ye may know, εἰς τὸ ἐιδέναιὑμᾶς.—This sets forth the aim of the enlightening, toward which progress is made “in the knowledge of Him;” the latter is to be developed. Thus to the ground and outgoing there corresponds the aim, in which the beginning now appears in its extent; the deeper insight after the hearing of the proclamation, after the first faith and knowledge and understanding, is here treated of.85

What is the hope of his calling, τίςἐστιν ἡ ἐλπίς τῆς κλήσεως αὐτοῦ.—The first object of this insight is “the hope of His calling.” “His,” αὐτοῦ, according to the context, is to be understood of God; Romans 11:29 : the “calling of God.” He calls; this call is not without effect; and this is the hope, the cause of which is the call. The re-echo in us of this call of God on us is hope, hoping; the Christian’s hope lies, not in the eternal “election,” but in the temporal “calling.” So “joy of the Holy Ghost” (1 Thessalonians 1:6), “trial of affliction” (2 Corinthians 8:2). Hope is the Christian’s advantage (Ephesians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; Romans 5:2), and a hope that “maketh not ashamed” (Romans 5:5; Romans 8:24). To know the character of such hope is not a small matter (against Stier). Τίς points then to the character, the quality of this hope. Passow sub voce. It is therefore not=πόση, ποταπή, quanta (Stier, Olshausen, Schenkel), but qualis, cujusnam naturæ (Harless, Meyer and others). Nor is ἐλπίς=res sperata (Olshausen, Stier [Eadie] and many others), although it can mean this (Colossians 1:5 : “laid up;” Hebrews 6:18 : “set before us;” Galatians 5:5 : “wait for the hope of righteousness”), which Meyer [with Ellicott] denies. It is inconceivable that κλῆσις should be=those called (Schuetze). Luther renders: “your calling,” putting the effect for the cause: “his calling.” [With Alford, Eadie, and Ellicott it is better to take τίς in the simple meaning “what,” quæ (Vulgate), without referring either to quality or quantity. As regards “hope,” the objective sense must be admitted in the N. T., but the bald res sperata does not express the signification here. Alford thinks the controversy mere trifling: “If I know what the hope is, I know both its essence and its accidents.” Even Ellicott admits an objective aspect: “the grounds, the state of the hope.” Hodge supports the subjective sense. On κλῆσις, see Romans, pp. 280, 281.—R.]

What the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints [τίς ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ].—The second object of the insight is the object of the Christian hope, the inheritance, to which “the calling of God” helps us, hence “His:” He gives it, it is from His own. As Divine, eternal life, participation in the kingdom of God, heirship with Christ (God Himself is our portion), it has a “glory” and this glory has “riches,” so that it is an important object for our more profound observation. So Colossians 1:27 : “the riches of the glory of this mystery.” It is a weakening of the ideas, to resolve these substantives into objectives: what is the riches of the glorious inheritance (Luther), or: what is the glorious riches of His inheritance (Stier). [As Meyer well says: “What a rich, sublime cumulation, setting forth in like terms the weightiness of the matters described;—and not to be diluted by any resolving of the genitives into adjectives.”—R.]

“In the saints” is added after “His inheritance,” without the article (τῆς ἐν τοῖς ἁγιόις), and hence conceived of as most closely connected with his inheritance, which is to be found in (Luther: an) and among the saints, the called Christians not outside of them. So Romans 9:3 : “my kinsmen according to the flesh;” 2 Corinthians 7:7 : τὸν ὑμῶν ζῆλον ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ Comp. Colossians 1:12 (εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν φωτί); Acts 20:32 (δοῦναι τὴν κληρονομίαν ἐν τοῖς ἡλιασμέουοις πᾶσιν); Acts 26:18. The Apostle does not say “in you,” “us,” but states it altogether objectively in humility and wisdom. He speaks indeed of the inheritance of God in Christians, but not of the glory of the portion, nor its riches in the saints, so that we must understand here chiefly the children of God, who are partakers of the inheritance (Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 1:14), even though only in its incipient stages; “the riches of the glory” become indeed perceptible even here, but unfold themselves fully only in eternity, which is the more to be included, since here and hereafter are less divided than light and darkness. Accordingly we are not to consider the object of the inheritance to be principally and solely the present kingdom of God on earth (Harless), or on the other hand the future kingdom of God to be established at the second Advent (Meyer); nor is the connection of ἐν τοῖς άγίοις with an ἐστιν to be supplied (Koppe and others) possible, since not ὁ πλοῦτος, but only κληρονομία, is in, on and among the saints.86 To join αὐτοῦ with ἐντοῖςἁγίοις (Stier) is inadmissible, because far-fetched. The reference is not to the totality of morally good beings in the other world (Rueckert), or in the holiest of all (Calovius), as Hebrews 9:12; nor should prominence be given to the thought, as inhering in the text: God inherits the saints (Meyer, Œttinger, Stier), although they belong to Him, and He to them. This is the carrying out, extension and expansion of the thought, but not an exegesis of the words set before us.

Ephesians 1:19. And what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe [καὶ τί τὸ ὑπερβάλλον μέγεθος τῆς δυνάμεως αὑτοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς τοὺς πιστεύοντας.]—The third object of the insight is the power of God, which leads from the calling to the inheritance. The “exceeding greatness” of this power is a worthy object of profound insight (2 Corinthians 4:7 : ὐπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως); it must and can also be experienced, since it makes itself felt “to us-ward,” to those “who believe” in the present, hence, without limiting the circle of those who believe, or passing beyond it, not to all in general, but only to those who admit and consent to this condition appointed by God. Since the preposition designates the direction towards the believers, and the present participle the present time, and the article before the participle marks that word as the ground, condition of the activity (Ephesians 1:13; 1 John 3:23), and since only experiences of the power of God are spoken of, from which “the exceeding greatness” is to be inferred, we must here hold fast to the proofs in this earthly life (Chrysostom or to Harless, Stier), and not apply it to the future (Meyer, Schenkel, who however adds, that the beginning of the consummation manifests itself in this life).87

According to the working of the might Of his Strength,88 κατά τὴν ἐνέργειαν τοῦ κράτους τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ.—In this collocation of words the proper subject is ἰσχύς, as δύναμις just before, giving prominence to a characteristic, the strength (ἰσχύς from ἵς =seat of elasticity, sinew, muscle, nape of the neck, stem of a tree, hence vis); δύναμις is brachium divinum, ἰσχύς its muscles; κράτος is the power manifesting itself, the ἐξουσία, which rules (κρατεῖ); ἐνέργεια (ἐν ἔργῳ), efficacia (Erasmus), the actual efficiency (Harless). So Bengel, Calvin: robur est quasi radix, potentia autem arbor, efficacia fructus. There is no chance throwing together of words, but an order corresponding to the thought: regard is to be paid chiefly to the efficacy, the effects, in which the power of God’s strength allows itself to be perceived and felt. [The language is intended to exalt our ideas of God’s power in connection with this “eminent act of His omnipotency.”—R.]

Κατά with the accusative juxta, secundum, according to, thus designating the norm and standard as well as the motive and occasion (Winer, p. 375 f.). Comp. Ephesians 4:7; Ephesians 1:5, and κατὰνομον (Luke 2:22), κατὰ χάριν (Romans 4:4). The two notions, “according to” and “by virtue of” are related (1 Corinthians 12:8-9). The simplest connection and that most readily understood by the hearer, is that with “us who believe.” We believe only by virtue of the efficacy of the power of God in Christ and upon our souls. [The meaning of the preposition is something less than propter and something more than according to. On the connection see below.—R.]

So Chrysostom, who truly and beautifully says: τοῦ . Just on this account, because we believe only by virtue of the efficacy of God’s power, which has enough obstacles to faith to overcome in us, we can understand, how great the power of God is. Since believing is not a momentary affair, but a status, preserved by the same power, which produced it, the aorist participle πιστεύσαντες is not necessary (Bleek), and no room is given for the monstrous thought, that faith according to the power of God is spoken of. It is inadmissible to connect, either with the verb ἐστι which is understood, or with “the exceeding greatness” (Schenkel), or with all the points introduced by “what” (Harless), or with “may know” (Meyer). [Dr. Hodge also defends the connection of this clause with πιστεύοντας, but it is doubtful whether this is correct. For though undoubtedly expressing a truth, yet it places the rest of the chapter in grammatical dependence on an incidental idea. It has also a suspicion of polemical purpose (against Pelagianism) attached to it, besides pressing too strongly on κατά the sense of “in virtue of.” It is better then with De Wette, Eadie, Ellicott, Alford and others, to accept a reference which Braune does not mention, viz.: to the whole preceding clause: “not however as an explanation (Chrys.) or an amplification (Calv.) of this power, but in accordance with the full ethical force of κατά, as a definition of its mode of operation (Eadie), a mighty measure, a stupendous exemplar by which its infinite powers towards the believing, in its future, yea, and its present manifestations, might be felt, acknowledged, estimated and realized” (Ellicott).—R.]

The Apostle’s petition as to its ground. Ephesians 1:20-23.

Ephesians 1:20. Which he hath wrought in Christ—Ἠνἐνέργησεν,89 analogous to ἀγάπην , Ephesians 2:4, is to be referred to ἐνέργειαν. Winer, p. 210. [The cognate accusative]. Nor is ἐντῷ Χριστῷ, without a reference to εἰςἡμας, Ephesians 1:19 : in Christ is accomplished that efficacy of God, which is powerful toward us. [“In Him” as our spiritual Head (Ellicott and others).—R.]

In raising him from the dead, ἐγείραςαὐτὸν ἐκνεκρῶν, marks a fact of his working. [The aorist indicates that the act is contemporaneous with that of the preceding verb. Alford justly warns against the danger of regarding, “with the shallower expositors, Christ’s resurrection as merely a pledge of our bodily resurrection, or as a mere figure representing our spiritual resurrection,—not as involving the resurrection of the church in both senses.” Both Hodge and Eadie fall somewhat short of the full conception thus expressed.—R.]

And making him sit at his own right hand in the heavenly places [καὶ καθίσας ἐν δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις].—Thus the exaltation, beginning with the resurrection, was completed (1 Peter 3:21 ff.). Instead of the better supported participle, ἐκάθισεν has been generally substituted, because the Greeks disliked the spinning out of long relative and participial sentences, and easily passed over into the finite verb (Winer, p. 533, b.).90 Ἐνδεξιᾷαὑτοῦ denotes the participation in dominion, the σύνθρονος of the Father (Mark 16:19.; Romans 8:34; Acts 7:55; Philippians 3:20 f.; Matthew 20:21; Mark 10:37). Comp. also 1 Samuel 10:25; 1 Kings 2:19, in the earthly relations, which are transferred to Christ, Psalms 110:1. The phrase ἐν τοῖςἐ πουρανίοις (see on Ephesians 1:3), which is the antithesis of ἐκ νεκρῶν, designates space, or as Hofmann [Schriftbeweis, II. 1, p. 334) intimates, the relation to the world; ἐν δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ distinguishes Him from spirits, ἐν ἐπουρανίοις locates Him and them alike. We may with as little right understand here the status cœlestis (Harless and others) as the central place of Divine glory and revelation, the highest, inmost heaven (Stier, Schenkel), since the word is used of Satan also (Ephesians 6:11-12).

[The various local expressions used in the context seem decisive as to the meaning of ἐπουρανίοις. It refers to heavenly places, is more indefinite than ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, but was chosen here probably on account of the details in Ephesians 1:21 (Ellicott).—Alford reminds us, that “the fact of the universal idea of God’s dwelling being in heaven, being only a symbolism common to all men, must, not for a moment induce us to let go the verity of Christ’s bodily existence, or to explain away the glories of His resurrection into mere spiritualities. As Stephen saw Him, so He veritably is: in human form, locally existent, over above,” etc.—R.]

Ephesians 1:21. Over above all principality, and power, and might, and lordship, and every name that is named [ὑπεράνω πάσης ].—The word ὑπεράνω (Ephesians 4:10 : πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν; Hebrews 9:5), the opposite of ὑποκάτω (κλίνης, Luke 8:16; τῆς συκῆς, John 1:51; τῶν ποδῶν, Mark 6:11; Matthew 22:44; Revelation 12:1), can only mean “over, above” [so Ellicott, Alford] without marking any particular eminence, Greek Fathers, Beza, Estius [Eadie] or dominion (Bengel), although the latter inheres in the nature of the case (Meyer). It is to be connected with “setting,” and with its genitives (“all principality,” etc.) forms the detailed description and explanation of the phrase, “at his right hand in the heavenly places;” the two belong together, the first being more closely defined by the second.

Of these four names the first three occur in the same order in 1 Corinthians 15:24, the first two occur in our Epistle, Ephesians 3:10, and in Colossians 1:16, after εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες, joined with εἴτε also and in the same order, in 1 Peter 3:22 : ὑποταγέντων αὐτῷ . On the other hand in Romans 8:33 : ἄγγελοι and ἀρχαί, like ζωή and θάνατος, δύναμις, ὕψωμα and βάθος, are contrasted with each other by οὔτε—οὔτε; so that we can infer nothing thence respecting our passage.91 A certain consistency is noticeable in the use of these words. Besides the reference to angels is quite obvious, being required here by the context, especially ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. Calvin. Cur non simpliciter nominavit angelos? Respondeo, amplificandæ Christi gloriæ causa Paulum exaggerasse hos titulos, ac si diceret; nihil est tam sublime aut excelsum, quocunque nomine censeatur, quod non subjectum sit Christi majestati. According to Hofmann (Schriftbeweis; I. p. 34)92 we cannot understand here a climax descendens (Meyer, Stier). These designations for the world of angels were given through the higher position of the angels as the messengers of God (Psalms 103:20 f.; Hebrews 1:6 f., Hebrews 1:13 f.), as holy (Psalms 89:5; Daniel 8:13). Since the context points to the resurrection of Christ, the Crucified, and His exaltation to a participation in the government of the world, as a fact, in which we see the efficiency of God, according to which He works on us also, in order to make us His children and heirs of His glory, we may well apply these terms to good as well as bad angels, aye, we can scarcely limit the reference to the angels, who reach also into this world, the αἰὼν οὗτος, especially as both πάσης and the concluding phrase “every name that is named,” which corresponds entirely with “nor any other creature” (Romans 8:38), warrant an unbounded extension, limited only to power and might. Harless only concedes this, preferring however the reference to good angels alone, as does Meyer, who then refers “name” to every thing created. In such universality is the passage understood by Erasmus, Rueckert, Stier [Alford] and others. With Stier we must understand under the first four designations, personalities, not merely principles, forces, factors, recognizing them in “every name that is named,” the transition to the impersonal (τὰ πάντα). Accordingly the following views are to be rejected: the reference to devils alone (Scholz), to Jewish hierarchs (Schöttgen), to heathen (Van Till) human potentates (Morus); the affirmation of a polemical purpose, not at all indicated, against angel-worship (Bucer, Estius, Hug), or a preservative purpose against possible infection through false gnosis (Olshausen [Hodge, though not decidedly]); also every attempt to define the different grades of these groups of angels, and the explanation of “name” as a summing up of a nomen dignitatis potentiæve (Erasmus and others); it is not even to be limited to names of “such a character” (Harless).

[It is on some accounts safest to take the four terms here introduced in the widest, most indefinite sense. Still it would seem best, if any limitation is made to refer the words to good angels alone, including of course under that term all created heavenly intelligences. The prevailing reference in these words is to angelic powers, to good (Ephesians 3:10; Colossians 1:16; Colossians 2:10) and bad (Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 15:24; comp. Romans 8:38) alike. The preceding local definition would not exclude the latter, as Christ is placed “over above” all these (besides ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις is apparently applicable to bad angels also, Ephesians 6:12). But the “verse relates to Christ’s exaltation in heaven rather than His victory over the powers of hell.” Then without; attempting any closer definition of these classes, we may still admit a descensive order throughout: First the Exalted One, then the various gradations of heavenly Intelligence, then “every name that is named,” a view which is favored by the apparent regularity in the order (comp. Colossians 1:16). “Every name that is named” includes more than persons, in this view, more than titles of honor: Every thing which can bear a name. No less comprehensive sense seems admissible.—Alford accepts the most universal reference for the four terms under discussion, but adopts rather too abstract a sense.—Ellicott refers to the list of authors in Hagenbach, History of Doctrine, § 131.—R.]

Not only in this world, but also in that which is to come [οὐ μόνον ἐν τῶ αἰῶνι τούτω ].—This qualifies “named,” establishing the pre-eminence of Christ above all that is ever named in both this world and that to come. Beza: præstantiam non esse temporariam, sed æternam. We find a parallel in “things present,” “things to come” (Romans 8:38). Yet the expression here is not purely=now and hereafter [Hodge], but designates the present time as the first age, disappearing in the transition to the future glory, the future as the eternal glory beginning with the return of Christ. Paul takes the reference to time from the system of the world ruling in each period, thinking at once of pre-messianic and post-messianic, terrestrial and celestial worlds. Excellent, but rather abrupt is Bengel’s remark: αῖών denotat hic non tempus, sed systema rerum et operum suo tempore revelatum et permanens. It is then=always (Harless) with respect to this institution of the history of salvation (Stier).93 Comp. my remarks on αἰὼν οῦ̓τος and μέλλων, Biblework, 1 John 2:18, p. 73 f. The connection with καθίσας (Calvin and others) is incorrect and also the remark of Bengel, following Chrysostom: “Imperia, potestas, etc., sunt in futuro, sed tamen nominantur etiam in seculo hoc; at ea quoque, quæ in præsenti ne nominantur quidem, sed in futuro demum nobis nomine et re patefient, Christo subjecta sunt,”

Ephesians 1:22. And subjected all things under his feet [καὶ πάντα ὑπέταξεν ὑπὸ τοῦς ποδας αὐτοῦ]—Even if we retain the participle in Ephesians 1:20, we must here accept the transition from the participle to the finite verb. The words themselves are not difficult. Evidently, and in this the advance of thought consists, πάντα, “all things,” is to be applied to all that is created, and ὑπέταξεν, “subjected,” with its closer definition, refers of itself as well as on account of Psalms 8:6 (comp. Ephesians 3:6) to conflict and opposition, which was suggested already by the passage (Psalms 110:1) evidently in mind in Ephesians 1:20 : “set him at his own right hand.” The Lord Himself had quoted Psalms 8:3. The same Psalm (Ephesians 1:6) is used with special emphasis in 1 Corinthians 15:27; Hebrews 2:6-8. Should the Psalm refer to the glory of the first Adam (Genesis 1:26-28) and its restoration, as is definitely indicated in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Ephesians 2:6-8), then we must suppose here, that Paul is led by such thoughts to the use of this passage, especially as the context requires it, treating as it does of what shall occur to us, in accordance with what has occurred to Christ. Dominium nunc illi uni (Christo) tribui potest, quandoquidem per Adamum primum potestatem dignitatemque a Deo concessam nostrum genus amisit (Peter Martyr). There is therefore no tautological repetition here, but from above descensively the Apostle marks, after a sketch of the dignity of Christ (Schenkel), the sovereignty, which subjects all things, even the unconscious creation (Olshausen). This representation is not merely emphatic, or only a reminiscence (Meyer), but καὶ τὴν προφητικὴν ἐπήγαγε μαρτυρίαν (Theodoret). So Harless and Stier in the main.

[The notion of opposition should not be too “strongly pressed, though it is undoubtedly implied. As regards the allusion or citation from Psalms 8:6, if it be regarded as a mere allusion the difficulty disappears; if it be a veritable citation, then we must adopt one of two conclusions: either the Psalm is in a certain sense Messianic, or Paul quotes in the accommodating manner which virtually destroys any specific meaning the Scriptures have. I prefer to adopt the former alternative, little fearing that too many Psalms will be accepted as Messianic. Paul’s allusion is due “to a direct reference under the guidance of the Spirit to a passage in the O. T. which in its primary application to man involves a secondary and more profound application to Christ. In the grant of terrestrial sovereignty the Psalmist saw and felt the antitypical mystery of man’s future exaltation in Christ” (Ellicott).—R.]

And gave him to be the head over all things to the church [καὶ αὐτὸν ἔδωκεν κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ πάντα τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ].—Thus is set forth the office (Schenkel) of Christ, and the sphere of His efficiency. Αὐτὸν is in emphatic position, Him. Such an one, thus placed [thus exalted, thus glorified]. We must regard Him too as a gift, a present. Διδόναι is not=τιθέναι. the Apostle might otherwise have said ἔθηκεν or κατέστησεν; it is quite different in 1 Corinthians 12:28 : “And God hath set (ἔθετο) some in the church.” He gave Him to be “Head over all things-to the church.” We say with equal exactness: He gave Him to be Head, or as Head for the Church. As Head! not as καρδιά, but as κεφαλή. In the head lies the organizing power. Schubert (Geschichte der Seele, p. 163) describes the relation of head and body “as a figure of a love, descending from above to beneath, grasping and moving the corporeal, and of a longing rising from below to above, the work of which it is, to constantly transform the lower nature of that which longs into the higher nature of that which is longed for.” Martin Boos boldly says: “Christ dwelling in our humanity is as active as in that which He assumed from Mary.” Gerlach beautifully says: “At once Ruler and Member of His Body.” “Head” designates elsewhere superiority also (1 Corinthians 11:3).

The qualifying phrase “over all” is governed by “gave him to be head,” and marks the might (ὑπὲρ) of this Head; πάντα is all without limitation, He is Head over all—to the church, to Christendom; “Head” is not to be supplied again (Meyer). The presence κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ πάντα between ἔδωκεν and τῆἐκκλησίᾳ does not at all alter the construction (against Hofmann, Schriftbeweis, II. 2, p. 117). The sense is precisely this: “Christ is such a Head of the Church, that He is for all that the Lord over all, over devils, world, etc.” (Luther). The whole economy of Creation stands at His disposal as the basis and sphere of activity for the economy of redemption (Beck). Accordingly ὑπὲρ πάντα is not to be joined per trajectionem to αὐτόν (Syriac, Greek fathers, Erasmus and others), nor is ὑπὲρπάντα to be taken as meaning: above all the good which God has given stands this that He gave Christ as Head of the Church (Chrysostom), nor is it=præcipue, μάλιστα πάντων (Baumgarten), nor=ὑπερέχουσα πάντων, caput summum (Beza, Rueckert: Oberhaupt, Olsh.: the prophets also were heads); nor are we to understand it of bona virtutum (Anselm), or dona gratiæ, nor is “the natural limitation to be found in τῇ ἐκκλησία” and this dative taken as in commodum ecclesiæ, for the Church (Harless). It is altogether unwarrantable to take the neuter for the masculine (Jerome, Wahl).

[The view of Braune is in the main that of modern English commentators. We must reject any sense of the verb but the simple one of “give,” since the dative follows. Christ is given to the church—and given as Head, for the next clause renders this view imperative. The only trouble then is with “over all things;” what is His relation to them? Evidently that of Head also. No other view is admissible exegetically; the question becoming thus a purely grammatical one: Shall we accept a brachyology and understand a second κεφαλήν before τῇ ἐκκλησία (Meyer, Stier, Hodge approvingly): “gave Him the Head over all things (to be the Head) to the church,” or take κεφαλήν as a species of tertiary predicate (Alford, Eadie, Ellicott): “gave Him as Head over all things to the Church.” The latter seems to be Braune’s view, and is certainly the simpler grammatically. Nor does it throw out of view the grand thought that Christ is Head of the Church. Alford: “Christ is Head over all things: the Church is the Body of Christ, and as such is the fulness of Him who fills all with all: the Head of such a Body, is Head over all things; therefore when God gives Christ as Head to the Church, He gives Him as Head over all things to the Church, from the necessity of the case.”—R.]

The choice of the word ἐκκλησία for the Christian Church (Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 3:21; Ephesians 5:23; Ephesians 5:25; Ephesians 5:27; Ephesians 5:29; Ephesians 5:32; Philippians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 6:4; 1 Corinthians 12:28) is very apt. Gerhard (Loc. ed, Cotta. x. 3, 20): Chemnitius notat σύγκλησιν de primoribus, magnatibus, consulibus et eorum conventu, διάκλησιν de colluvie promiscuæ multitudinis quando fit congregatio ab agris, ἐκκλησίαν vero de civibus, quando σύνοδος τῶν κατὰ τὴν πόλιν celebratur, eorum scilicet, qui certis legibus sibi devincti unius reipublicæ cives sunt. Appellatio igitur ecclesiæ ad populum Dei translata ostendit, ecclesiam Dei non esse colluviem promiscuæ multitudinis, sed eorum, qui certis legibus a Deo vocati et sibi invicem sunt obstricti. Athenis erant usitati duplices conventus, ἐκκλησίαι et ἀγοραί vel ἀγοραίαι. Illæ significabant conventus ordinatos, quando universitas civium, eorum scilicet, qui jus civitatis habebant, ordine, justo, a magistratu convocati congregabantur; hæ vero significabant congregationes promiscuas et inordinatas, quando promiscua multitudo hominum in civitatibus et oppidis sine observatione ordinis in unum coibat.—Appellationi igitur ecclesiæ ad populum Dei translatæ inest significatio εὐταξίας καὶ εὐνουίας, qualis est in aristocratia civili, cui opponitur δημοκρατία, ἀκαταστασίας καὶ plenissima.—Ut civitas non consistit ex medico et medico, aut ex rustico et rustico, sed ex medico et rustico, sicut Aristoteles in ethicis loquitur, ita quoque ecclesia non constat ex pastore et pastore seu ex auditore et auditore, sed ex docentibus et discentibus, atque inter ipsos auditores sunt varii vitæ status atque ordines.

Accordingly the ἐκκλησία has two main features in it, one the ordained unity and the other the calling, which includes in itself a separating out (ἐκλέγεσθαι) from the world not yet called or rejecting the call, and which is consummated through intellectual means. See further under Doctr. Note 5.

Ephesians 1:23. Which is his body, ῆτις ἐστὶν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ—The pronoun ὅστις has an “explanatory element,” introducing the statement of a reason, and is=the old German als welcher, “as which.” So Romans 2:15 : οἵτινες=ut qui (Beza), qui quidem ostendant (Castalio); Luther renders it quite well: damit dass sie beweisen, and here: welche da ist. [Alford: which same; Eadie, Ellicott: which indeed. Meyer: “ut quæ, defining the attribute as belonging to the being of the church”—is perhaps too strong—though true enough.—R.] He is the Head of the church, since it is His Body, τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ (Ephesians 2:16; Ephesians 4:4; Ephesians 4:12; Ephesians 4:16; Ephesians 5:23; Ephesians 5:30; Colossians 1:18; Colossians 1:24; Colossians 2:19; Colossians 3:15; Rom 12:5; 1 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 1 Corinthians 12:27). From this citation of passages, in all of which this view of the Apostle is contained, the frequency of the figure, especially in this Epistle, may be seen. The membership making up the whole, the indispensableness of Christ and the vital fellowship with Him are marked. We must also remember, that here, on account of the ἥτις, only that is treated of, which the church is and has in Christ, and not what He has in it; this is only an inference, though a correct one, and remains in the background, should it enter at all.

[The questions, what constitutes the church? who are true members of the true church? do not enter here; but that Paul here teaches a mystical union, above and beyond any federal or representative union, or ethical union of thought and feeling, seems perfectly clear. We call this a figure, but is it not the reality, and the organic unity of the body the figure? Really and truly the church is the body of Christ, and out of this truth spring many lessons respecting our personal union with Christ. Alford: “It is veritably His body: not that which in our glorified humanity He personally bears, but that in which He, as the Christ of God, is manifested and glorified by spiritual organization. He is its Head; from Him comes its life; in Him, it is exalted; in it, He is lived forth and witnessed to; He possesses nothing for Himself,—neither His communion with the Father, nor His fulness of the Spirit, nor His glorified humanity,—but all for His Church, which is in the innermost reality, Himself.” Comp. Colossians 1:24, which admits of no satisfactory explanation, unless we accept the fact that the Apostle was conscious of such a union as this.—R.]

The fulness of him who filleth all in all [τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν πληρουμένου.]—As respects syntax, this is the intrusion of an apposition, forming a parallel clause, in order to express without a figure, what has just been figuratively explained: “fullness” corresponds to “body,” “of Him filling all in all” to “His.”

On πλήρωμα, comp. Ephesians 1:10 and Passow sub voce. Words ending in—μός as a rule represent the abstract action of the verb, those in—μα the concrete effect, so “that they are for the most part equivalent to the perfect participle passive” (Buttmann), like πρᾶγμα, σπέρμα, κήρυγμα, especially here σῶμα (id quod σώζεται). The word is not=πλήρωσις, the act of filling, but is to be taken in the passive sense: all that, or with which any thing is filled, the fulness. So here. [This simple passive sense is adopted by Fritzsche, De Wette, Olshausen, Stier, Meyer, and by Alford, Eadie, Ellicott (“that which is filled, the filled-up receptacle).” As the word was a favorite among the Gnostics (in after times however), so it has been a favorite plaything with commentators since, who have thrown not a little confusion upon its meaning. The simple passive sense is the most natural one; though perhaps not the most usual one, it is certainly allowable. The active sense, the filling up is adopted by Harless, who says there is no other sense used in the New Testament, in which view Hodge seems to acquiesce. But what is meant by the active sense: implendi actionem, or id quod res impletur? Ellicott speaks of the latter as passive, while Hodge evidently regards it as active (so Braune apparently under 2 below). Alford deems it a transition from the abstract sense, denying any active sense to such nouns, but saying that what is thus termed is “a logical transference from the effect to that which exemplifies the effect.” From this it is evident how impossible it is to speak intelligibly about the word in its active and passive senses, until this meaning: that by which any thing is filled, is properly labelled. That is the work of the grammarian, yet it is evident that it is active or passive, according to the point of view: “whether one thinks first of the container, and then of the contained, or the reverse.” Harless and Hodge are not justified in saying that the word is always used actively in the New Testament, though this sense is a common one.94 It would give here the meaning complement, or supplement, which seems appropriate in view of the figure of Head and Body. But, on the other hand, this gives a sense which is so remarkable as to raise doubts; for how can Christ be filled by the church? Then again, we are almost forced by this interpretation to take the following participle in a passive sense, which is objectionable grammatically and logically. These reasons are strong enough to lead us to adopt the passive sense, which may be done without any fear of running counter to the usus loquendi of the New Testament.—R.]

Nor does the difficulty lie in the genitive: τοῦ πληρουμ ένου, which refers to Christ. The participle is middle, and, as usage requires in the case of such

correlated words, is used in the same sense as the preceding noun: of Him who fills from out Himself, through Himself (Winer, p. 242), or fills for Himself (Fritzsche: qui sibi complet). [The latter sense is adopted by Meyer (in 4th edition, Braune quotes him as accepting a deponent sense), Ellicott, Eadie. This reciprocal sense seems to have escaped the notice of Dr. Hodge, who agrees with Alford in accepting the active sense, though he admits it is favored only by classical usage. Certainly the active meaning of the participle is not so justifliable as the passive sense of the noun πλήρωμα.—R.] The present tense must also be taken into the account: He is conceived of in the process of filling; whether He succeeds, the result will show; the process is now going on.

The real difficulty lies in τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν, “all in all.” The object τὰπαντα is of course, in accordance with what precedes, to be referred to the entire world of creatures, which Christ fills, naturally as a soul the body, the former however working out beyond the latter, not exclusively in and upon it, and not only working, but being actively present, hence not as blood fills the heart, or water a vessel. “All” is filled by Christ, as is the Church, His Body, hence not mechanically, chemically, or the like. The most difficult point still remains: ἐνπ ᾶσιν “in all.” The preposition ἐν joined with πληροῦσθαι and πλήρωμα must designate that in which He fills; if this is inconceivable, then the Apostle must and would have expressed himself otherwise. Accordingly the neuter cannot be accepted here, since then idem per idem would be asserted, or an exaggeration occur: Alles in Allem [all things in all things, see below under (7)—R.] Following the rule, that those cases which belong to both genders (πάντων, πᾶσι) are to be taken as masculine, unless the context absolutely requires the neuter, we render: in Allen, “in all persons” (so Luther originally, but “in Allem” afterwards crept in); it thus marks His filling efficiency in persons, in heavenly spirits and human souls, of which also His relation as Head of the Church obliges us to think. He is the central Personality, working through all things, working in all. Such a Head has the Church, the central sphere of the world which is to be perfected (Stier).95 This explanation is in no particular without supporters, but there is also no incorrect explanation possible which has not been made here.

(1) The connection is viewed incorrectly, by joining the parallel clause “the fulness,” etc., with “him” (Ephesians 1:22), and taking “which is his body” as parenthetical (Erasmus), when it is too important to admit of this. Bengel, too, following Semler, is incorrect: “Hoc neque de ecclesia prædicatur, ut plerique censent, neque, ut aliis visum, cum dedit construitur, sed absolute ponitur accusativo casu, uti τὸ μαρτύριος, 1 Timothy 2:6. Est enim epiphonema eorum, quæ a Ephesians 1:20 dicuntur, innuitque apostolus, in Christo esse plenitudnem patris omnia implentis in omnibus.”

(2) Πλήρωμα is taken in the active sense as supplementum. So the Greek Fathers, Estius, Calvin, Beza (“ut sciamus Christum per se non indigere hoc supplemento, ut qui efficiat omnia in omnibus revera,” even Harless, who holds with Baehr as the undoubted result of investigation, that πλήρωμα is used in the New Testament only in its active sense, says: “She is the fulness of Christ, not as though she were the glory which dwells in Him, but because He permits His glory, as in all, so to dwell in her; she is the glory, not of one who would be in want without her, but of Him who fills all in all parts,” so Hofmann (Schniftbeweis, II. 2, p. 118–120). Even Stier points to this, bringing it over out of the middle form; yet this is not se implere, se supplere, but sibi. It is quite as incorrect to take it as=πλῆθος (Hesychius, Wahl: copia cultorum Dei sive Christi, Schöttgen: multitudo, cui Christus præest).—Rueckert, too, who is helpless here, is in error, in taking the Church, πλήρωμα, as the means of filling for Christ’s executive efficiency, since the Church can do nothing without Him.—The explanation of Cameron is a curiosity: full bodily mass.96

(3) The participle τοῦ πληρουένου is taken as passive (Chrysostom, Vulgate); ἀντὶτοῦ πληροῦντος (Theodoret, Œkumenius, Olshausen, Harless); as deponent (Meyer). Bengel remarks: “i.e., πληροῦτος; sed major via mediæ vocis, in denotanda relations ejus, qui implet et eorum, qui implentur”—quite correct!

(4) The meaning of the verb is certainly not: to make complete (Vulgate, Estius: adimpletur).

(5) As regards the subject of the verb, Harless, referring to Theodoret: τοῦ μὲν Χριστοῦ σῶμα, τοῦ δὲ παπρὸς πλήρωμα—οἰκεῖ ἐν αὐτῆ τῆ (ἐκκλησίᾳ) καὶ ἐμπεριπατέῖ κατὰ τὴν προφητικὴν φωνήν says: it must be referred to Christ, while Stier, who founds his proof less on the passage in question than on the organism of the Epistle, says: God must be considered the subject. [So Alford, but the great majority of commentators adopt the other reference.—R.]

(6) Τὰ πάντα has been limited to the members of the Church, to members of the body of Christ (Estius, Stier), to the spiritual results wrought by Christ, or the Christian’s faculties of soul (Grotius: Christus in omnibus (credentibus) implet omnia, mentem luce, voluntatem piis affectibus, corpus ipsum obsequendi facultate), to different peoples, nations (Flatt, Morus).

(7) The preposition ἐν is taken as instrumental (Meyer). [Alford: “The thing with, or by, or in which as an element, the filling takes place. So that the expression will mean, with all, not only gifts, not only blessings, but things.” So Ellicott, who thus explains the whole verse: “The Church is the veritable mystical Body of Christ, yea the recipient of the plenitudes of Him who filleth all things, whether in heaven or in earth, with all the things, elements, and entities, of which they are composed.” This view accepts πᾶσιν as neuter, and is on the whole preferable to every other interpretation, unless that of Braune be an exception. See above.—R.]

(8) Πᾶσιν is taken as neuter and rendered: in all parts (Harless and others), or in all places, everywhere (Flatt). Bengel, (neutrum, masculini potestatem) does not belong here, nor does he waver; he refers it to μέλεσι τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, to persons. It is also taken adverbially: ἐν παντί (Jerome: sicut adimpletur imperator, si quotidie ejus augetur exercitus—ita et—Christus—sic tamen, ut omnia adimpleantur in omnibus, i.e., ut qui in eum credunt, cunctis virtutibus pleni sint). Indeed, πάνταἐνπᾶσιν has been taken adverbially (Schöttgen: omnia omnino), or referred to the eternal (Holzhausen).

(9) It is entirely groundless to find a polemic purpose here, especially an account of the word πλήρωμα used afterwards by the Gnostics also (Meier, Baehr).

(10) Quite as groundless is the assumption that the ubiquity of the glorified Body is taught here (Calovius).

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. God, whose power and glory is so exceeding great (Ephesians 1:19), at whose command and disposal are all things, even Christ, whom He raised and exalted above all heavenly and earthly, personal and unpersonal powers (Ephesians 1:20-22), works freely, but without arbitrariness, conditioning Himself, upon men—not without faith (Ephesians 1:19), not without Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23), so that the prayer also (Ephesians 1:16-17 : ἵνα), which is offered believingly in the name of Christ, has a prospect of being granted. Precisely in the work of Redemption is manifested the worshipful glory of God, who in self-conditioning love moderates Himself, lowers and limits Himself, in order to employ and to show His unbounded love, to impart of His nature and to make blessed. His whole power, strength, might and efficacy stand in the service of His love.

2. Christ, who as to His human nature has in His Father His God (Ephesians 1:17), is our Lord, the Head of His Church, at the right hand of God in glory, of unlimited power over angels and men, ministering and hostile spirits, as well as over the economy of the creation and of salvation. He cannot be put down to the level of Divine humanity and God likeness. Yet our section says nothing of His state of humiliation, speaks only of His state of exaltation, beginning with the resurrection from the dead, refers to the humanity, which He assumed, appropriated, and did not afterwards relinquish,97 only that in what the Father did in Him, we might have a standard for what the Almighty God, who through Him is our Father, will and shall do and work in us (Ephesians 1:19-20 : εἰς ἡμᾶς—κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν—ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ). He is the Head, to whom there will not be wanting a body, which He will prepare for Himself; He cannot be a “mere Head.” But he has also no vicar, such as the Pope. Sancta enim Christiana sive Catholica ecclesia consistere absque isto capite optime potest et constitisset certe rectius, ac melius cum eo ageretur, nisi diabolus illud caput in medium projecisset et exaltasset (Articles of Smalkald).

3. The connection between creation and redemption is presupposed here; the two spheres do not fall asunder; Christ, the acme in both, holds them together; the former must serve the latter (Ephesians 1:21-23).

4. Respecting the angels, who are included in Ephesians 1:21. “over above all principality, and power, and might, and lordship,” it is only indicated that they are personalities, and affirmed that they have power and might. From the series of these designations, which can scarcely be taken as a descending climax [though this is the most plausible hypothesis—R.], nothing can be inferred as to the ranks or groups of angels.98 [“On the nature of angels, consult the able treatise by Twesten, Dogmatik, Vol. II. especially § 1, 4, the essay by Stuart, Bibliotheca Sacra for 1843, p. 88–154, Ebrard, Dogmatik, § 228 sq., Vol. I. p. 276, and the remarks of Lange, Leben Jesu, Part II. p. 41 f.” (Ellicott).—All that is expressed is well set forth by Wesley: “We know that the king is above all, though we cannot name all the officers of his court. So we know that Christ is above all, though we are not able to name all His subjects.”—R.]

5. The Church. On this subject our section teaches more. As regards its origin the name ἐκκλησία (Ephesians 1:22), “the calling of God” (Ephesians 1:18) show what is indicated by “Head” or “gave Him to be Head” (Ephesians 1:22) viz.: The Church results not from a physical or purely world-historical process without the creative power and fatherly love of God; it is His work, His gracious gift, and indeed His Word is efficient therein, Christ, also, as the Eternal Word, as the power organizing the whole (τὸ σῶμα), through the word, as the intellectual means of the ingathering. The extent of the Church is also pointed out in two directions:

a) On earth: “the faith which is among you in the Lord Jesus” (Ephesians 1:15) and “to us-ward who believe” (Ephesians 1:19)—the faith in Jesus, wrought in men through the word, describes the domain of the Church: where (καθʼ ὐμᾶς) faith is there is the Church, the congregation, even if it is wanting in particular persons or in many. The extent is not to be limited by Donatist or Anabaptist notions of the Church; she has, according to the purity of the word, the power of the preaching, the vitality of the faith, her degrees, quo purior et sincerior est verbi prœdicatio, eo etiam purior est ecclesiæ status (John Gerhard, Loc. XI. p. 195). But it should not be said, that there is no Church where sinners are and are tolerated (Anabaptists, Schwenkfeld and others).

b) On earth and in heaven: “the fulness of Him who filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:23); she is not merely a temporal institution, within the visible world, she embraces men after as well as before death. “Of all the names which the Church can and does bear, not one is so immeasurably deep and yet so transparently clear, so sharply defined and yet so inexhaustibly rich, at once so real and spiritual, external and internal, obvious and mysterious as this one: she is the Body of Christ. It is this name and no other, which the New Testament Church has not in common with the Old Testament Church, and in which all her superiority over the latter is included; time and eternity, suffering and glory, blessing and curse, for all over whom the name of Christ is named, lie in its lap, and itself a riddle, to be first solved hereafter, yet all the riddles proposed to us by the present life find in it their solution” (Delitzsch).

The completion of the Church is an object of the Divine government of the world, and has begun here in Christendom by the path of faith, to which the inheritance in the saints is certain (Ephesians 1:18-19; Ephesians 1:23).

6. Faith has its ground “in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 1:15), its place of manifestation in the Church (καθʼ ὑμᾶς Ephesians 1:5), its worth and its position before love (Ephesians 1:15), its importance and value for God, who requires it as the condition of salvation (Ephesians 1:19 : “to us-ward who believe”), from which may be inferred at the same time, that it has different degrees, since the Apostle joins together himself and others, also since the participle is present, that it is not to be conceived of as an act once for all, but as “a continuing life-movement to be constantly renewed.”

7. Beside faith stands love, which is germinally included in the former, since this “is an act of self-emptying and surrender to a gracious God,” who is Love. But it is not to be regarded as a virtue, by means of which we become well-pleasing to the beloved Love; it comes into existence with faith, which lays hold of the righteousness of Christ, and thus attains to righteousness before God, and is the mother of all virtues.—In the phrase “unto all the saints” no limitation can be perceived, since he who loves all the members of the Church, the orthodox and the erring too, will imitate his Lord Jesus, the Good Samaritan of the world in Samaritan love (Luke 10:37 : “Go thou and do likewise”). The context leads only to this emphasizing of love.

8. The ground of hope is the calling of God and its goal the “inheritance” of God. It comes from above, points and looks upward; it lifts us out of the natural ego and above the visible world about us.99

9. Knowledge is both path (ἐν ἐπιγώσει, Ephesians 1:17) and goal (εἰς τὸ εἰδέςαι, Ephesians 1:18); it is a matter capable of growth, for it has but to ponder the thoughts of the eternal, creative God. Man’s knowledge is not perfect within the domain of creation, still less can he know the things of the invisible world. Only by living in a sphere does he gather knowledge of what is found there; knowledge comes from experience of occurrences. Without a disposition of the heart the sense of the understanding is not enlarged and sharpened. Sensible, mental, spiritual knowledge refers to life-spheres, in which he who knows must move. Only the believing, loving, longing one knows and grows in knowledge unto knowledge.

10. The prayer of the Apostle has it starting-point in what God has given, and its goal in what God should give. From thankful acknowledgment, he proceeds to requests, petitions; with the faith and love of the church before his eyes, he rises to supplication for the spirit of wisdom and revelation, for wider knowledge of what God is, on behalf of their inner life. This occurs daily. Thus have we all, ministers and members of the church, especially the former, to learn, in order to practise it, what furthers the Kingdom of God in general and in particular: such prayer is a means of grace full of blessing for those who offer it, as well as for those for whom it is offered.

11. The consummation in the case of individuals is conditioned by the church and conditions its consummation. Hence “His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18). Outside the church we do not advance, nor salvation become ours, whatever we may be, or accrue to us, wherever we stand; it is a gift, for which we must be prepared. The fulness of the gift and our perfection finally coincide.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

It is a joy, when in social circles one hears from another, just as of city and state events, so especially of the kingdom of God, the church of Christ, of the faith and love of Christians.—We should not judge the faith of particular persons in a church, but rejoice in the faith within the church, though it be only among the minority; so long as there is believing preaching, supplication for all that concerns the church, order in the administration of the sacraments, grace at table and family worship, use of the best hymns, since we have so many poor ones, and many another sign of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in the church, a stranger who does not know the individuals at all, may and ought to rejoice therein and speak thereof.—Love to all Christians! As we must pray every Sunday for love toward all men, so love to all Christians is not so easily brought about. The orthodox, pietists, and those who deal earnestly with God’s word and the confessions of the church, are least likely to encounter love from those, who regard themselves as precisely the liberal Christians; such fall in much more readily with those who are against the Church of Christ than with these. Always reckon among “all Christians” those first, who are to you the most unpleasant, thus you will best perceive the weight of this injunction and your own weakness.—Who of us always begins his prayers with thanksgiving, as did the Apostle? We rather pray for what we lack, than thank for what we have received. This should not be.

Men rejoice much, if they are thought of at a distance; they part well-nigh always with the request: Remember me! It is something beyond this, when such remembrance rises into intercession, and one remembers the absent, not merely pleasantly or listlessly, in conversation with men, but devoutly in prayer to God.—Without knowledge we do not attain to knowledge; only in the light do we see light. The Apostle does not indeed preach the Word of learning or science, but still it is spoken against ignorance, indiscretion, narrowness. Only that the centre of man, the heart and temper with the will be open to the light, to knowledge!—As the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Psalms 111:10), so the starting point for this is insight into our misery and poverty; poor human beings generally swell out with their own worth, and just in this way fritter away what they have of God’s gifts. We must in the end seek our worth above, if we would find it; else we get into a pitiful satisfaction.

The three most important objects of our knowledge: 1. God’s call—in our need; 2. God’s heritage—in our heart; 3. God’s strength—in our longing and striving.—As the world needs revelation beside the wisdom from experience, so a man also needs besides wisdom and prudence the private revelation to teach what and how he should act and suffer and bear.—Our hope rests on Christ in God. What the Father, to whom Christ in His holy humanity prayed, praying as to His God, has done to Him, in and upon Him, when He exalted Him from the dead to His right hand, that shall occur to thee, since He works upon thee, yet only in proportion to thy faith in thy Saviour.—Be, become and remain a member of the Church which is His Body! Those are beheaded rather, who deny the Lord to save their heads, than those who in holy martyrdom lost their heads, to remain with their Head.

Starke:—Faith has to do with the gospel, love with the law. Faith takes, love gives; the former has the benefits, the latter the duties.—We must not seek the saints only in heaven, for they are certainly already on the earth. The imperfection of sanctification and holiness does not deny the truth of these things.—See here, how a preacher should remember his congregation before God in prayer!—As it is one of the signs and duties of a faithful teacher, now to thank and now to pray to God for his congregation, so it is not less the characteristic of a good hearer, to give the teacher, whose intercession he will confidently expect as a blessing to himself, great cause for thanksgiving.—The possessions of our glorious inheritance are so great and excellent, that no man can understand them without the illumination of the Holy Ghost.—The mere science of the letter in Divine things, obtained by the natural powers of godless people is no real enlightenment nor proper knowledge of Jesus Christ.—The call to the kingdom of God must stand at the basis of every external calling which we have in our sphere of life, that we may master it.—Conversion is a great and almighty work of God, hence not the power of man, nor consisting in a mere thought of the brain, but is a great change of soul, since all its powers are turned away from sin and the world to heaven and God.—Lazarus was awakened by Christ with a word, but how many sermons did He use to awaken the spiritually dead Jews, and yet they would not let themselves be awakened. God’s power and grace for the conversion of man is in itself infinite, yet He will force no man, but leaves him the freedom to resist.—The Christian Church is the Body of Christ and hence closely united with Him. She receives all her fulness from Him; from Him, the Head, flows all strength into the members. Although she here finds herself surrounded with much weakness and misery, yet is she still glorious in her Head, who already reigns in glory.

A. H. Francke:—This then is also wisdom, to know that we cannot be wise unless there be a God and we can receive it from Him in answer to prayer. The Apostle does not say, he wishes that a university might be established in the city of Ephesus, in which many professors would take, positions, that by this means the people might be made wise,—but: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom.

Rieger:—Beside the glances into the distance and the hope of our calling in the invisible and eternal, beside the insight into the economy of God, without us, we must not disregard the insight into the necessary truths learned by experience of God’s work of grace within us, that each do their part in making the heart steadfast and full of confidence and love. If a man thinks of the depth of his fall, the throng and deceit of his foes, the powerful hindrances to his salvation, then he may well desire to look into the greatness of the power of God, which is employed in his calling and preservation unto blessedness.—In faith we can most precisely notice, how God applies His transcendent might and yet how man is not overcome by it in a violent manner, but is so disposed, that he can maintain his convictions, his love for light, his obedience under its influence.—Believing is opposed by the love of our own life so deeply inherent in us, by so many offences occurring to us in the world’s ways; therefore it requires the working of His mighty strength. This power of God and its effect is indeed still concealed in us, covered up by our weaknesses, and behind the curtain of the flesh not yet fully to be judged; but in Jesus Christ it has already attained to victory.—The Head and the Body together make a whole; in the church is seen the fulness of Him who filleth all in all; Christ applies the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in Him to the completing and perfecting of this His church; He does not leave her until He has also fulfilled all that is well-pleasing to God, and presented her, blameless, filled with all the fruits of righteousness.—He who stands in vital fellowship with Him, has all things.—All that is not yet disclosed to you, remains yours still in this fulness.

Passavant:—Do you detect no result of this Divine power in you, no new life from God, or no hunger and thirst after deliverance out of the old nature into the new nature of the friends of the Lord; oh, do not trust yourself, do not trust thy best thoughts, thy most beautiful feelings, thy noblest strivings, thy best beliefs, for there is also a vain, a false, self-made, fancied faith, a faith leading to God as little as coming from God.—Are they holy and good, those powers, Jesus is still more holy and glorious above them; and have they on God’s account, as is the case, as angels of light an influence upon the worlds of God, upon the earth upon us, they receive from Christ their power and strength, they stand under His supreme influence; He directs them, He equips them. Are they unholy and evil, those powers, even hero Jesus will have power and maintain authority; will punish their evil nature, will restrain their corrupting influence and destroy their power, aye, has already, as the Dying and Crucified One, broken and destroyed their power.—All in all: In the angels of His power, in the glorified righteous, in His saints, and all the Blessed, their only clear and heavenly radiance, their Divine joy, their eternal peace, their blessedness, their glory. All in all: Among the angels of disobedience, about the unrighteous, the ungodly and the damned, for all the Light shining with eternal rays of anxiety and terror through their darkness; the eye, that with a flame of fire searches forever through their inmost nature; the power, that always from without and from within tends them with a rod of iron; the word, the eternal word, judging and condemning them in their own hearts, ever anew, ever more penetratingly, more irrevocably, more awfully. All in all: In all His worlds, from the lowest to the highest degrees, in all powers and glories, from the smallest to the most exalted of constellations, of suns, which excel all others in clearness and glory. He is the Divine, infinite fulness of light, of life, from out which they gladly rise in His heavens.

Heubner:—Thanksgiving and prayer are the inward emotions of a holy mind, the inward holy choir.—Only what proceeds from God’s revelation, which is attested to man by the illumination of the Holy Ghost, is true wisdom. Every one must have his own revelation of Christianity, for he should not believe on the testimony of a stranger.—The Christian knows not only his misery, but also his blessedness, how rich and glorious is the inheritance ordained by God for the saints, and from the greatness of his blessedness he knows the greatness of Divine grace. All this can be known and valued only by an enlightened eye, because it has not the dazzling glitter of earthly things. The evil spirit blinds man, so that he does not perceive how great is the blessedness won by Christ, so that he in his blindness thinks this disturbs his happiness and lays a yoke upon him.—God’s mental power shows itself in what He has made out of man, in the transformation of the single sinner as well as of the heathen world. What philosopher could have suspected this? What did Apollonius accomplish? Nothing, save that the next generation held him to be what he was, a charlatan.—The resurrection of Christ is a token of spiritual life, of the regeneration of humanity, to take place through the Risen and Exalted Christ.—Christ is the Lord of the whole world of spirits, visible and invisible; He has authority over all ruling powers in heaven and on earth. Paul’s words are an amplification of Matthew 28:18.—This heavenly King is given to the Church as Head; she is committed to Him in specie; over her He has immediate oversight and care; she is to Him the dearest of all, because He has bought her with His own blood.—The Church is the Body of Christ, she is a communion, entirely permeated by His Spirit, the members being animated and controlled by His Spirit; she is the very centre of His efficiency.

Stier:—The most powerful and yet most humble way of exhorting is with this introduction: I pray for thee!—No thanksgiving without petition, so long as perfection and completeness are not yet there.—Our state of grace does not indeed begin with this deeper insight, but only through this does it indeed advance: may all preachers then learn from the Apostles, to work properly in their sermons and in their congregations for this end.—The Spirit of God cannot begin entirely without knowledge, nor work through dim feeling toward new will and life.—Illumination is not itself as yet sanctification, but is the immediately vital transition thereto from faith, which is at first, in and before experience, a matter of knowledge.—To know God—the highest aim of all wisdom of the spirit.—In the heart is all decided, faith, insight, desire, will.—The Apostle unfolds and portrays the supremacy of the Exalted One in the domain of power, especially in the kingdom of grace, of the Spirit, making alive again the dead in sin on the earth, in the church.—In this world there are many names before God and Christ, that we do not know or name, but hereafter we shall learn them.—Church is the assembly or unity of those called to the fellowship of salvation in Christ; it is the growing, developing body of Christ.

Leupold (Sermons for Whitsunday on Ephesians 1:15-19): The heavenly gifts, in which the children of God rejoice with praise to-day. 1) The grace of God, enriching us in the knowledge of salvation; 2) The power of God, causing this knowledge to become a might; 3) The faithfulness of God, carrying forward the good work already begun to the blessed goal.—How do we prove ourselves thankful for the outpouring of the Holy Ghost and His gifts? 1) By our knowing His gifts better; 2) ever imploring them more faithfully for ourselves and others; 3) by letting ourselves be filled by them and their power become more perceptible and precious in us.—What are the Christian’s festival petitions? 1) That he may grow in the knowledge of salvation; 2) that he may grow in fellowship with the Saviour and all saints; 3) that he may not forget to give thanks for the unmerited favors of God.—The high significance of the Pentecostal gift: 1) It comes from the Lord; prayer is its condition; 2) In it the Lord comes to us; knowledge of God and His plan of salvation, of Christ and His saving work, is its proof; 3) Through it we come to the Lord; living faith, working in love is its crown.—The fellowship of believers, holy and glorious: 1) The spirit of revelation endows it; 2) faith in the Lord Jesus founds it; 3) Love to all saints strengthens it; 4) Fraternal intercession crowns it.

Winter (Ephesians 1:20-23):—The ascension of Christ His exaltation to the right hand of God in heaven: 1. Let us so consider it. 2. Let us perceive the transcendent consolation therein inherent for us: a) now is He properly attested as our Saviour and Deliverer; b) now we know, not only that He still lives, but has power to defend us and His kingdom; c) now we may cheerfully go there too. 3. The high and holy duties proceeding from this: a) that we obey Him in all things; b) commit to Him ourselves and our whole life; c) seek not what is below, but what is above, and have our conversation in heaven.—Christ all in all! 1) The Lord of all in heaven; 2) the Almighty Head of His Church on earth.

[Hodge:—In praying that the Ephesians might be enlightened with spiritual apprehensions of the truth, the Apostle prays for their sanctification. In praying that they might have just conceptions of the inheritance to which they were called, he prayed that they might be elevated above the world. And in praying that they might know the exceeding greatness of the power exercised in their conversion, he prayed that they might be at once humble and confident,—humble, in view of the death of sin from which they had been raised; and confident, in view of the omnipotence of that God who had begun their salvation.

[Eadie:

Ephesians 1:15. Community of faith begets community of feeling, and this brother-love is an instinctive emotion, as well as an earnest obligation. In that spiritual temple which the Spirit is rearing in the sanctified bosom, faith and love are the Jachin and Boaz, the twin pillars that grace and support the structure.

Ephesians 1:16. The Apostle, though he had visited them, does not felicitate himself on his pastoral success among them, but gives thanks on this account to God.—The Apostle gave thanks, and his thanks ended in prayer.

Ephesians 1:17. It is only when the prayerful study of the Bible is blessed by spiritual influence that wisdom is acquired.—This knowledge of God concerns not the works of His creation, which is but the “time-vesture” of the Eternal, but the grace and the purposes of His heart, His possession and exhibition of love and power.

Ephesians 1:18. If the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God be conferred, then the scales fall from the moral vision, and the cloudy haze that hovers round it melts away.—Not only had they been the objects of God’s affection—but also, and especially, of God’s power. Infinite love prompted into operation omnipotent strength.

Ephesians 1:19. If the resurrection of Jesus be the normal exhibition of Divine power, other similar exhibitions are pledged to Christ’s people.

Ephesians 1:20. The specimen and pledge of that power displayed in quickening us, is Christ’s resurrection. 1. It is transcendent power. 2. It is power already experienced by belieEph Ephesians 1:3. It is resurrectionary power, displayed in restoring life. 4. The resurrection of Jesus is in this respect not merely a specimen or illustration—it is also a pledge. Present spiritual life and future resurrection are both involved.—Jesus was placed at the Father’s “right hand.” 1. It is the place of honor. 2. It is the place of power. 3. It is the place of happiness—happiness possessed, and happiness communicated.

Ephesians 1:22. The brow once crowned with thorns now wears the diadem of universal sovereignty; and that hand, once nailed to the cross, now holds in it the sceptre of unlimited dominion. He who lay in the tomb has ascended the throne of unbounded empire. Jesus, the brother-man, is Lord of all: He has had all things put under His feet—the true apotheosis of humanity.—The history of the church is a proof extending through eighteen centuries; a proof so often tested, and by such opposite processes, as to gather irresistible strength with its age; a proof varied, ramified, prolonged, and unique, that the exalted Jesus is Head over all things to the church.

Ephesians 1:23. Head and body are correlative, and are organically connected. There is first a connection of life—at the same time a connection of power,—and, in fine, a connection of sympathy.—The Head of the Church is at the same time Lord of the Universe. While He fills the Church fully with those blessings which have been won for it and are adapted to it, He also fills the universe with all such gifts as are appropriate to its welfare—gifts which it is now His exalted prerogative to bestow.—R.]

Footnotes:

[66] Ephesians 1:15.—א.1 A. B. and some other authorities omit τὴν ; א.3 adds it. The omission is an evident error of the transcriber. [K. L., nearly all versions, most fathers support the longer reading, which is adopted by Tischendorf, Meyer, Ellicott and the great majority of editors and commentators. The repetition of τήν readily accounts for the omission, while there is little reason for accepting an insertion from Colossians 1:4.—In the above emendations Ellicott has been followed. For this cause is adopted in preference to wherefore (the rendering for διό) and on this account (which is more modern). The more indefinite participial construction, having heard, is necessary here; the faith which is among you is more exact than your faith (see Exeg. Notes), while the love which ye have brings out the force of the second τήν.—R.]

[67] Ephesians 1:16.—[The Rec. reads: μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιούμενος, on the authority of D.3 E. K. L. (F. G. transposing: ποιούμενος ὑμῶν), most cursives. Vulgate, Syriac versions, Coptic, most fathers; accepted by Tischendorf (but not in all editions), Griesbach, Ellicott. Wordsworth (De Wette and Braune tacitly). In א. A. B. D.,1 and about 10 cursives, ὑμῶν is omitted; accepted by Rückert, Lachmann, Meyer, Alford. The question is a delicate one: Was the word inserted where the meaning is so obvious, or was it omitted because occurring so immediately before? The variation in position favors the former theory, but a similar omission by nearly the same authorities in 1 Thessalonians 1:2 is almost decisive for the latter. See Exeg. Notes for the interpretation of Meyer and Alford, resulting from the acceptance of the briefer reading.—R.]

[68] Ephesians 1:18.—Instead of καρδίας (א. A. B. D. F. E. G. K. L. and others) a few [Rec., fathers, no uncials] have διανοίας, an evident gloss from Ephesians 4:18. [There should be merely a comma after enlightened in the English text.—On the reasons for rejecting the absolute construction followed in the E. V., see Exeg. Notes.—R.]

[69] Ephesians 1:18.—καί is omitted in א.1 A. B. [D.1 F.; by Lachmann, Rückert, Alford, Braune. It is found in א.3 D.3 E. K. L., nearly all cursives, retained by Tischendorf, Meyer, Ellicott, Eadie. The probability is against its genuineness, yet it may have been omitted because καί follows in Ephesians 1:10.—R.]—A very few authorities substitute τί for τίς.

[70] Ephesians 1:19.—[On this choice of words, see Exeg. Notes.—R.]

[71] Ephesians 1:20.—[Braune apparently accepts the reading ἐνέργησεν, which is sustained by א. D. F. K. L. (So Rec.), accepted by Ellicott among other careful critics. The perfect ἐνήργηκεν (A. B.) is adopted by Lachmann, Tischendorf, Meyer, Alford, mainly for the sufficient reason that the more usual aorist would scarcely have been altered to the perfect, while the succeeding aorists might readily occasion the alteration from the perfect.—Hence we render: “hath wrought.”—R.]

[72] Ephesians 1:20.—א. A. B. and others read: καθίσας [adopted by Rückert, Lachmann, Alford. Tischendorf varies. The Rec. reads ἐκάθισεν, with D. F. K. L. and most cursives. So Eadie, Ellicott, and Meyer (apparently); but the change to the finite verb looks more like the attempted relief of the construction.—R.]

[73] Ephesians 1:20.—Instead of ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις in א.1 and most authorities, ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς [an evident gloss] is found in B. with a few minor authorities.

[74] Ephesians 1:21.—[Far above (E. V.) involves more than is expressed by the Greek word ὑπεράνω, according to the most exact commentators.—R.]

[75] Ephesians 1:23.—[The Rec. omits τά before πάντα, but on altogether insufficient authority. No important alterations have been made in the rendering of this clause, because it is almost impossible to change the literal rendering of the E. V., without substituting an explanation for the translation: Braune’s view would require: all things in all (persons), but the difference of gender he accepts cannot be expressed in an English rendering.—R.]

[76][On the other hand, the aorist must not be taken as frequentative, so as to show from such a sense, that he had frequent communication with them as a well-known church. Even Eadie, who at first adopted this view, citing Kühner and Buttmann in support of it, is disposed to defer to the judgment which Winer (p. 260) pronounces against it. Hodge seems to have been led into the same error.—R.]

[77][Meyer admits no distinction between the two passages, while Eadie, finding this form singular in the New Testament (though frequently used for the possessive genitive in later classical Greek), makes it denote more characteristic possession, differing thus from nearly all the commentators.—R.]

[78] [“In ἐπί with a genitive, the apparent temporal reference partakes somewhat of the local reference of juxtaposition,” Bernhardy. So Alford, Ellicott, and now Eadie who formerly omitted the sub-local reference. The preposition “serves to express the concurrent circumstances and relations, in which and under which an event took place.”—R.]

[79][On the force of ἵνα comp. Tittmann, Syn. N. T., II., p. 35, ff., who is perhaps the ablest defender of the frequency of its ecbatic signification. But many of the instances he cites are very doubtful. The eventual or ecbatic sense (indicative of result) is not defensible here. The very best explanation of the force of ἵνα after verbs of praying, etc., is given by Alford (on 1 Corinthians 14:3): “The idea of purpose is inseparably bound up in this particle, and can be traced wherever it is used. At the same time, prayer being a direct seeking of the fulfilment of the purpose on account of which we pray—not like many other actions, indirectly connected with it,—the purport and purpose become compounded in the expression.” This sub-final force is accepted by Ellicott, denied by Eadie and by Meyer, who rejects everything short of the strict final sense. The ecbatic sense is rare, it must be admitted, and due to “Hebrew teleology,” which reverently accepted a prophecy as fulfilled—R.]

[80][It is perhaps unwise to press any Christological reference upon this phrase upon the ground of its parallelism with the preceding one, though this is preferable to the many distorted views, which have been adopted through fear of an Arian interpretation.—R.]

[81][Eadie and Hodge defend the formal reference to the Holy Spirit here, but it seems better with Alford and Braune to accept πνεῦμα as “the complex idea, of the spirit of man indwelt by the Spirit of God, so that as such, it is His special gift.” This intermediate or complex sense is that suggested in my Excursus, Romans, p. 235, B., but too often overlooked.—R.]

[82] [These genitives are also characterizing genitives, it would seem. Eadie takes the latter as indicating the mode by which the wisdom is imparted, which appears illogical. Dr. Hodge does not clearly indicate what view he adopts, but apparently inclines toward that accepted above.—R.]

[83] [The use of the verb in this passage, applying it in the second instance to God, contradicts the position taken by Eadie, that ἐπί has in our word an additive force, referring to the successive increments of knowledge, for in that case it could not be applied to God, as indeed he affirms ἐπίγνωστς never is.—R.]

[84][Ellicott says of the phrase, “the eyes of your heart:” “A somewhat unusual and figurative expression, denoting the inward intelligence of that portion of our immaterial nature (the ψυχή) of which the καρδία is the imaginary seat.” Comp. Meyer, Alford, Harless and Stier.—R.]

[85] [Dr. Hodge divides the prayer of the Apostle into three leading petitions: 1. For adequate knowledge of Divine truth; 2. For due appreciation of the future blessedness of the saints; 3. For a proper understanding of what they themselves had already experienced in their conversion. This is well enough for homiletical purposes, but it is very unsatisfactory as an exegesis of the passage, since it places as co-ordinate three clauses, which hold very different relations to each other, destroying altogether the proper final force of εἰς, besides being open to other objections. Alford rightly takes εἰς τὸ εἰδέναι as setting forth the purpose of the πεφωτισμένους, not of the πνεῦμα σοφίας. What is now described is involved in the latter, not its object, but that of the former.—R.]

[86] [This interpretation should not be lightly passed over, since it is sustained by Winer (in earlier editions, not in 6th and 7th), De Wette, Meyer and Ellicott. The reason for adopting it is the assumption that the article should precede our phrase, were it joined directly with κληρονομίας αῦτοῦ, since that expression is so complete in itself as to admit of no qualification forming one conception with it (which is the condition of the omission of the article). Our phrase would then, according to Ellicott, define the sphere in which the riches, etc., are peculiarly found, felt and realized. To this view, however, there are grave objections. It is awkward to begin with; it disturbs the grammatical parallelism of the clauses, and logically it represents Paul as praying that they might know what great things are already among Christians, This last objection Meyer, who on all possible occasions adopts a reference to the future kingdom of God at the second Advent, avoids by saying that Paul conceives of it as present (vergegenwärtiges). Nor does the absence of the article interfere with the other interpretation. Comp. Harless and Alford for a clear statement of the case. We give the paraphrase of the latter: “His inheritance in, whose example and fulness, and embodying is in the saints.” Eadie and Hodge apparently restrict “inheritance” to the future blessing, the former expanding this idea with his usual felicity as a practical expositor.—R.]

[87][Ellicott agrees with Schenkel in taking the primary reference to be to the future, but admits a secondary present reference, which Meyer denies. See the beautiful climax Ellicott gives in his note. But the other view is preferable, on the grammatical grounds urged by Braune, and because of the comparison with the resurrection of Christ. See Hodge, who quotes Calvin’s remarks against the notion that this language would be frigid hyperbole if applied to our experience in this life. Dr. Hodge, however, incorrectly takes our clause as a third petition. Ellicott and Meyer again supply ἐστί, with which they connect εἰς ἡμᾶς. It is better, with most, to join it with δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ.—Alford retains “to us-ward” as better indicating the prominence which belongs to “us” in the fact of its direction. “But it is not the power which works faith in us, except in so far indeed as faith is a portion of its whole work: here the πιστεύοντες are the material on which the power works.”—R.]

[88][Alford and Ellicott prefer “strength of his might;” the former says: “The latter (ἰσχύς) is the attribute subjectively considered; the former (κρώτος) the weight of that attribute, objectively esteemed.” Most commentators accept this distinction; the question is only, whether the inherent strength (ἰσχύς) is best expressed in English by the word strength or might. The former seems preferable.—R.].

[89] [See Textual Note 6, where the reading ἐνήργηκεν is accepted. Meyer notes its distinctive sense here in referring to an act completed, as viewed by the writer.—R.]

[90][Ellicott adopting the reading ἐκαθίσεν, says the change to the finite verb, is especially designed to enhance the importance of the truth conveyed by the participle, referring to the same page in Winer. The main thought at first is that of the resurrection, but the Apostle is speedily absorbed with the other, which accords so well with the ground-tone of the Epistle.—R.]

[91] [The variation in the text of Romans 8:38 indicates certainly that the early transcribers referred δυνάμεις to angels, since there is no other motive for the change in its position; the correct reading however seems to justify a reference to earthly powers, so that as remarked above we gain nothing decisive from that passage.—R.]

[92][Hofmann denies any reference to gradations in rank, admitting only a designation of various relations to God and the world, but this distinction does not seem to be tenable.—R.]

[93] [Alford remarks: “Not only time present and to come, but the present earthly condition of things, and the future heavenly one.” Ellicott: “With regard to the meaning of αἰὼν it may he observed that in all passages where it occurs, a temporal notion is more or less apparent. To this in the majority, an ethical idea is limited. In a few passages like the present a semi-local meaning seems also superadded, causing αἰὼν to approach in meaning to κόσμος, though it still may be always distinguished from it by the temporal and (commonly) ethical notions which ever form its background” Comp. Ephesians 2:2; Galatians 1:4.—R.]

[94][In many of the instances specified by Hodge, the passive sense is equally allowable. For example, Ephesians 1:10, “the fulness of the times” may as well be taken as meaning the state of being full on the part of the appointed periods of time, as that which fills up those periods, and so in Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 3:19 : “the fulness of God” affords a much better sense if taken passively (see in loco), while Mark 8:20 : “the fulnesses of how many baskets,” refers not to what fills up the baskets, but “the state of fulness as respects the baskets.”—R.]

[95] [This interpretation is very plausible, and commends itself especially on account of the view it takes of the preposition ἐν. As τὰ πάντα immediately precedes, too much stress should not be laid on the rule mentioned above respecting the choice of the masculine. But I fully share in Dr. Braune’s dislike for the instrumental sense of ἐν (taking it as=per). One who has been puzzled by the E. V., which accepts this as one of its most usual significations, and seen how often commentators pass over it without notice, must feel that for so small a word, it has suffered more at the hands of its friends than any other in the Greek Testament. It is a good rule: never render ἐν, by if any other possible meaning accords with the context. Alford and Ellicott refer to Ephesians 5:18, in support of the instrumental sense, but it is very doubtful even there. If we take ἐν=in here, then the πᾶσιν must be accepted as masculine, for the neuter would not allow of any intelligible meaning, especially in view of the well-known phrase τὰ πάντα, the universe. See under (7) however.—R.]

[96] [Harless takes πλήρωμα as expressing the Divine glory=Shekinah, but that is objectionable for reasons both lexical and logical.—Eadie refers to the view of Michaelis and Bretschneider (=quasi templum in quo habitat, quod occupat et regit, ut anima corpus), but this and kindred interpretations are all either too limited or too specific. Just here it becomes us to be cautious.—R.]

[97] [We must hold fast, especially in view of the local reference in Ephesians 1:20 to the truth of Christ’s actual bodily presence in heaven, over against the Lutheran doctrine of the ubiquity of His humanity (Form. Conc. ii. 8). Comp the implied opposition to this dogma in the Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 47, 48, 80 (apparently inserted afterwards). The Eucharistic controversies of the 16th century made of this a battle-field.—R.]

[98] [The so-called revelations of modern “spiritualism” do not seem to have shed much light on the few passages of Scripture which treat of angels. Nor do they attempt to do so. One might infer something from this fact, as to the question whether these revelations, granting them a supernatural origin, have the same origin as the statements of Scripture.—R.]

[99] [Meyer: “Notice here, too, the three fundamental elements of subjective Christianity: Faith and Love and Hope (Ephesians 1:15; Ephesians 1:18); in faith and love the illumination through the Holy Ghost should ever bring more and more to our knowledge the glory of our hope; for the Christians’ πολίτευμα is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), whither their entire “minding” and “seeking” is directed. The centre of Christianity is still faith with its love, in connection with which, however, hope ever, encouragingly and inspiritingly, holds up the constant goal.” He adduces this against Weiss, who seeks to discover here special prominence given to hope “entirely after the Petrine mode,” which as that author thinks makes “hope” the centre.—R.]