15, "Turn from these vanities unto tlie living (continued)
TJie Grace that was Giren to Paul. EPHESIANS III. JTts Prayer for l\e Ephesiam,
Jews and Gentiles in Christ) which w.is now to be humbly traced and acknowledged in tlie fact of its liaving secretly existed in the counsel of God, and now having been revealed to the heavenly powers by means of the Church, from tlie beginning of the irorlcl Greek, " from (the beginning of ) the ages." Cf. ch. 1. 4 ; Romans 16. 25; 1 Corinthians 2.7. The "ages" are the vast successive periods of time, marked by successive stages of creation and orders of beings. In Gotl—" hidden in" His counsels (cli.
families or compatemities," Is nowhere else in Scripture referred to. And Acts 2.36, where the article is sla;iilarly omitted, and yet the translation is, "All the house of Israel," shows that in New Testanjent Greek the translation is justifiable, "all the family," or "the whole family:" which accords with Stripture views, that angels and men, the saints militant and those with God, are one holy family joined under the one Father in Christ, the mediator between heaven and earth (ch. 1. 10; Philipplans 2. 10). Hence angels are termed our "brethren" (Revelation 19.
1. 9). created all things by Jesng Christ—God's creation of the world and all things therein is the lonndation of the rest of the "economy," which is freely dispensed according to the nniversal power of God. [Benokl.] As God created "the whole range of things" (so the Greek), physical and spiritual alike, He must have an absolute right to adjust all things as He will. Hence, we may see His right to keep the mystery of world-wide salvation in Christ " hidden in Himself," till his own good time for revealing it. The oldest MSS., Ac, omit "by Jesus Christ." 10. The design of God in giving St. Paul gi-ace to proclaim to the Gentiles the mystery of salvation heretofore hidden, now — first: opposed t« "hidden from the beginning of the world" (r. 5). unto the principalities and [Greek adds "the"] powers—unto the various orders of good angels primarily, as these dwell "in the heaveniy places" in the highest sense; "known" to their adoring joy (1 Timothy 3.16; 1 Peter 1.12). Secondarily, God s wisdom in redemption is made known to evil angels, who dwell "in heavenly places" in a lower sense, viz., the air
10), and "sons of God" by creation, as we are by adoption (Job 38. 7). The Church is part of the grand family, or kingdom, which comprehends, besides men, the higher spiritual world, where the archetype, to the realization of which redeemed man Is now tending. Is already realized. This nniversal idea of the "kingdom" of God as one Divine community, is presented to us in the Lord's Prayer. By sin men were estranged, not only from God, but from that higher spiritual world In which the kingdom of God Is already realized. As Christ when He reconciled men to God, united them to one another in a Divine community (joined to Himself, the one Head), breaking down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile (ch. 2. 14), 80 also He joins them In communion with all those who have already attained that perfection in the kingdom of God, to which the Church on earth is aspiring (Colossians 1. 20). [Neandek.] Is named—derives Ita origin and its name as sons of God. To be named, and to be, are one with God. To bear God's name Is to belong to God as JTis oum peculiar people (Numbers G. 27; Isaiah 43.
(cf. ch. 2. 2 with 6. 12); "known" to their dismay (1 Corinthians 15.24; Colossians 2. 15). might be Unovm—trans-
7 ; 44. 5 ; Romans 9. 25, 2G). IG. according to—i. e., in abundance consonant to the riches of His glory; not "according to" the narrowness of our hearts. Colossians 1 11, "Strengthened with all might according to His glorious power." by Greek, "through :" " by means of His Spirit." In—The Greek Implies "infused into." the Inner man —(Ch. 4. 22, 24; 1 Peter 3. 4)—"the hidden man of the heart." Not predicated of unbelievers, whose inward and outward man alike are carnal. But In believers, the "Inner (new) man," their true self, stands in contrast to their old man, which Is attached to them as a body of death daily being mortified, but not their true self, 17. That—So that, dwell -abidingly make His abode (John 14.23). Where the Spirit is there Christ is ( John late, "may be known." by the Church—" by means of," or " through the Church," which is the " theatre" for the display of God"s manifold wisdom (Luke 15.10; 1 Corinthians 4. 9): "a spectacle (Greek, 'theatre') to angels." Hence, angels are but our "fellow-servants" (Revelation 19.
10). manifold wisdom—though essentially one, as Christ
Is one, yet varying the economy in respect to places, times, and persons (Isaiah 55. 8, 9; Hebrews 1. 1). Cf.
1 Peter 4.10, "stewards of the manifold grace of God." Man cannot understand aright its single acts, till he can survey them as a connected whole (1 Corinthians 13. 12). The call of the Church is no haphazard remedy, or afterthought, but part of the eternal scheme, which, amidst manifold varieties of dispensation, is one in its end. 11. which he purposed— Greefc, " made." Ellicott tram-
14. 16, 18). by faith— Greek, "through faith," which opens the door of the heart to Jesus (John 3. 20). It is not enough that He be on the tongue, or flit through the brain: the heart Is His proper seat. [Calvin.] "Yon being rooted and grounded in love" (cf. v. 19), is in the Greek connected with this clause, not with the clause, "that ye may be able to comprehend.'' "Rooted" is an Image from a tree; "grounded" (Greek, "founded," "having your foundations resting on"), from a building
UUes, " wrought." Vi. Translate, " Our boldness and our access (ch. 2. 18) in confidence throvgh our faith in Him." Alford quotes as an instance, Romans 8. 3S, &c. "The access" (GrteA;) implies the formal Introduction into the presence of a monarch. 13, " I entreat you not to be dispirited." for you—in your belinlf. which Is— rather, "which are your glory," viz.. Inasmuch as showing that God loved you so much, as botli to give His Son for yon, and to permit His apostles to sut Ter " tril)ulations" for you [CiiKYsosTOM] in preaching the Gospel to the Gen-
(cf. Note, ch. 2. 20, 21 ; Colossians 1. 23; 2. 7). Contrast Matthew 13. 6, 21. " Love," the first fruit of the Spirit, flowing from Christ's love realized in the soul, was to be the basis on which should rest their further comprehension of all the vastness of Christ's love. 18. May be able—even tiles. Note, V. 1, " prisoner for you Gentiles." My tribulations are your spiritual "glory," as your faith is furth-'red thereby (1 Corinthians 4. 10). 14. For this cause Resuming the thread of v. 1, "For this cause." Because ye have such a standing in God's Church. [Alford.] bow my knees—the proper attitude in humble prayer. Posture affects the mind, and is not therefore unimportant. See Paul's practice, Acts 20. 36; and that of the Lo-d Himstill further. Greek, "May be full}/ able." breadth . . . length . . . depth . . . height viz., the full dimensions of the spiritual temple, answering to "the fulness of God" (v. 19), to which the Church, according to Its capacity, bught to correspond (cf. ch. 4. 10, 13) as to " the fulness of Christ." The "breadth" implies Christ's worldwide love, embracing all men; the "length," Its being extended through all ages (r. 21); the "depth," Its profound wisdom which no creature can fathom (Romans 11.
self on earth (Luke 22.41). unto the Father—Te oldest MSS. omit "of our Lord Jesus Christ." But Vutpnte and ome very old authorities retain them: v. 15, "From whotn," in either case, refers to "the Father" (Patera), as "family" (patria, a^\u in sound and etymology) plainly
33); the "height," its being beyond the reach of any foe to deprive US of (ch. 4. 8). [Bknoei..] I prefer to understand " the breadth," Ac, to refer to the whole of the vast m,i/sterp refers to Him. Still the foundation of all .sonship Is In Jesus Christ. 15. the whole family-Alkokd, MiddleTON, fiC, translate, "every family:" alluding to the sevof free salvation in Christ for all. Gentile and Jew alike, of which he had been speaking (ti. 3-9), and of which he now prays they may have a fuller comprehension. As subsidiary to this, and the most essential part of it, he adds, "and to know the love of Christ" (v. 19). Grotius understands depth and height of God's goodness raising us from the lowest depression to the greatest height. 19. passcth —Burpnsscth, exceeds. The paradox " to know . . . which eral /amines in heaven and in earth supposed to exist (THKOIMIYI.ACT, CECUMENIUS, &C., in SUICKK, 2. e.'ii), the apostle thus being supposed to imply that God, in his relation of Father to us His adopted children, is the great prototype of the paternal relation wherever found. But the idea that "the holy angels are bound up in spiritual