Acts 28:16, 31
The Praetorian and the Apostle(TOC)
Acts 28:16, 31
"Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.... preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ."
(THE SOLDIER loquitur)
Father, the dawn is near! the shield
Of Luna sinks remote and pale
O'er Tiber and the Martial field;
The breeze awakes; the cressets fail:
This livelong night from set of sun
Here have we talk'd: thy task is done.
But yesterday I smil'd or frown'd
To watch thy audience, soon and late,
With scroll and style embattl'd round
In barbarous accents ply debate;
While this would chide, and that would start
Sudden, as sword-struck in the heart.
I laugh'd aside, or, tir'd, withdrew
From the strange sound in waking dreams
To Umbrian hills—the home I knew—
The cottage by Mevania's streams:
'Twas hush'd at length: the guests were flown,
And thou wast left and I alone.
Thou hast forgiven (I know thee now)
The insults of this heathen tongue;
The taunting questions why and how;
The songs (oh madness!) that I sung:
Thou hast forgiv'n the hateful strain
Of dull defiance and disdain.
Thy gaze, thy silence, they compell'd
My own responsive: aw'd I stood
Before thee; soften'd, search'd, and quell'd;
The evil captive to the good:
Half conscious, half entranc'd, I heard
(While the stars mov'd) thy conquering word.
These ears were dull to Grecian speech,
This heart more dull to aught but sin;
Yet the great Spirit bade thee reach,
Wake, change, exalt, the soul within:
I've heard; I know; thy Lord, ev'n He,
JESUS, hath look'd from heaven on me.
Thou saw'st me shake, and (spite of pride)
Weep on thy hand: so stern thy truth:
I own'd the terrors that abide
Dread sequel to a rebel's youth:
But soon I pour'd a happier shower
To learn thy Saviour's dying power.
Ah, speechless, rapt, I bent, to know
Each wonder of that fateful day
When midst thy zeal's terrific glow
He met thee on the Syrian way:
I saw, I felt, the scene: my soul
Drank the new bliss, the new control.
Father, the dawn is risen! the hour
Is near, too near, when from this hand
Thy chain must fall—from yonder tower
Another guard must take my stand:
The City stirs: I go, to meet
The foe, the world, in camp and street;
A Christian—yes, for ever now
A Christian: so our Leader keep
My faltering heart: to Him I bow,
His, whether now I wake or sleep:
In peace, in battle, His—the day
Breaks in the east: oh, once more pray!
1869.
[1] Preserved by Eusebius, Hist. Ecclesiastes 2.
[2] Written early in 1896.
[3] Cowper, Conversation.
[4] Philippians (ed. i), p. 30, note.
[5] Sun episcopois kai diakonois. I render the words as literally as possible, not to discredit the distinctive functions of the Christian ministry, but to remind the reader of the natural origin of the titles by which Christian ministers are designated. And it is important here to remember that our word bishop, while derived from episkopos, cannot properly translate it as it is used in the New Testament. For episkopos is not used there as the special title of a superintendent pastor set over other pastors. Such superintendents, however the office originated, are found in the New Testament, and early in the second century are called distinctively episkopoi: but the term so used is later, on any theory, than the origin of the office. But I do not purpose in these devotional chapters to discuss at length such a question as that raised here. The reader should by all means consult Bishop Lightfoot's Excursus in his Commentary on this Epistle, The Christian Ministry. The views advanced in that essay were, as I personally know, held by the writer to the last.
[6] The middle suggests a certain fulness of action.
[7] I think the definite article should be supplied in English; the reference is to the work of works.
[8] I give both the possible renderings of huper. Both would certainly be in place, as he thought of them and prayed and gave thanks for them.
[9] The derivation is doubtful, but the idea of the word in usage is clearness, freedom from complication.
[10] With some hesitation I assign to dikaiosune here the meaning of the righteousness of justification, as in 3:9.
[11] F. R. Havergal.
[12] Cowper, Conversation.
[13] See note at the end of this chapter.
[14] The A.V. rendering "in all other places" is obviously due to the belief that praitôrion signified a place, not a body of men.
[15] I thus convey the force of hoste, across the break we have made in the original sentence.
[16] Literally perhaps, "relying on my bonds," as a new ground for their assurance of the goodness of the cause—It is possible to render here, "the brethren, having in the Lord confidence, are, in view of my bonds, much more bold," etc. But the rhythm of the Greek is in favour of our rendering (which is essentially that of A.V. and R.V).
[17] I adopt here the order of the Greek clauses which is best attested.
[18] See note at the end of this chapter.
[19] I venture to refer to my book, Bishop Ridley on the Lord's Supper (Seeley), pp. 54, 55, 72.
[20] See the close of the volume.
[21] Observe the aorist infinitive, to apothanein, of the crisis, dying, contrasted with the present infinitive, to zên, of the process, living—It may be noticed that the renderings of Luther, Christus ist mein Leben, and Tindale, Christ is to me lyfe, are untenable, though expressing as a fact a deep and precious truth. The Apostle is obviously dealing with the characteristics, not the source, of "living."
[22] Sunechomai: literally, "I am confined, restricted from the two (sides)"; as if to say, "I am hindered as to my choice, whichever side you view me from."
[23] Literally, "having the desire"; not "a desire," which misses the point of the words. He means that his epithymia lies in one direction, his conviction of call and duty in the other. The desire, the element of personal longing in him, is for "departing."
[24] The Vulgate renders here, cupio dissolvi, as if analysai meant, so to speak, to "analyse" myself into my elements, to separate my soul from my body. But the usage of the verb, in the Greek of the Apocrypha, is for the sense given in our Versions, and above; to "break up," in the sense of "setting out."
[25] Literally, "your progress and joy of the faith." The Greek suggests the connexion of both "progress" and "joy" with "faith." And St Paul's general use of the word pistis favours its reference here not to the objective creed but to the subjective reliance of the holder of the creed.
[26] Politeuesthe: literally, "live your citizen-life." But in its usage the verb drops all explicit reference to the politês, and means little more than "live"; in the sense however not of mere existence, or even of experience, but of a course of principle and order. See Acts 23:1, the only other N.T. passage where it occurs; and 2 Macc. 6:1, 11:25.
[27] The words suggest to us that the Apostle might have written, more fully and exactly, hina idô, ean elthô, kai hina akousô, ean apô. But it is best to retain in translation the somewhat lax grammatical form of the Greek.
[28] The parallels, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 2:18, strongly favour the reference of pneuma here to the Holy Spirit of God.
[29] It is of course possible to translate synathlountes tê piotei, "wrestling side by side with the faith," as if "the faith" was the Comrade of the believers. But the context is not favourable to this; the emphasis seems to lie throughout on the believers' fellowship with one another.
[30] Echaristhê: the English perfect best represents here the Greek aorist.
[31] The Greek may be explained as if the Apostle had meant to write, echaristhn to uper Christou paschein, and then freely inserted the antecedent fact of to pioieuein.
[32] Echontes: the nominative participle takes us back grammatically to the construction previous to the sentences beginning hêtis eotin k.t.a.; which sentences may be treated as a parenthesis. I have attempted to convey this in a paraphrase.
[33] Adieux, ed. 1857, pp. 10-12.
[34] From the writer's volume of verse, In the House of the Pilgrimage.
[35] Koinûnia pneumatos: "participation in the Spirit"; sharing and sharing alike in the grace and power of the Holy Ghost. I venture to render pneumatos as if it were tou Pneumatos, having regard to the great parallel passage, 2 Corinthians 13:14, he koinônia tou hagiou Pneumatos. With a word so great and conspicuous as pneuma it is impossible to decide by the mere absence of the article that the reference is not to the (personal) Spirit. Kurios, Theos, Christos, are continually given without the article where the reference is definite; because they are words whose greatness tends of itself to define the reference, unless context withstands. Pneuma in the N. T. is to some extent a parallel case with these.
[36] Ina... phronute: my English is obviously a mere paraphrase here. More exactly we may render, "make full my joy, so as to be," etc.; words which come to much the same effect, but are less true to our common idioms.
[37] To en phronountes: a difficult phrase to render quite adequately. We may paraphrase it either as above, or, "possessed with the idea, or sentiment, of unity." But the paraphrase above seems most satisfactory in view of the similar phrase just before, to auto phronête. This phrase seems to echo that, only in a stronger and less usual form. The thought thus will be not so much of unity as the object of thought or feeling as of unity as (so to speak) the substance or spirit of it.
[38] Kata eritheian: my long paraphrase attempts to give the suggestion that the eritheia might be either purely individual self-assertion or the animus of a clique.
[39] Hêgoumenoi: the participle practically does the work of an imperative. See Romans xii. for a striking chain of examples of this powerful and intelligible idiom.
[40] Hekastoi, not hekastos, should probably be read in the first clause here, and certainly in the second. By Greek idiom, the plural gives the thought of a collective unity under "each."
[41] The Greek gives no verb. I have written "was, and is," in the paraphrase, because the limitation of the reference of our blessed Lord's phronêma to the pre-incarnate past is not expressed in the Greek.
[42] En morphê: morphê is imperfectly represented by our common use of the word "form," which stands often even in contrast to "reality." Morphê is reality in manifestation.
[43] Uparchôn: R.V. margin, "originally being." The word lends itself to such a reference, but not so invariably as to allow us to press it here.
[44] Arpagmon: the word is extremely rare, found here only in the Greek Scriptures, and once only in secular Greek. Strictly, by form (-mon), it should mean, "a process of plunder" rather than "an object of plunder" (-ma). But parallel cases forbid us to press this. The A.V. rendering here suggests the thought that our Lord "thought it no usurpation to be equal with God, and yet made Himself void," etc. But surely the thought is rather, "and so made Himself void." So sure was His claim that, so to speak, with a sublime un-anxiety, while with an infinite sacrifice, He made Himself void.
[45] Isa Theô: the neuter plural calls attention rather to the Characteristics than to the Personality—Through this whole passage we cannot too distinctly remember that it occurs in the Scriptures, and in the writings of one who was trained in the strictest school of Pharisaic Monotheism. St Paul was not the man to use such terms of his Saviour and Master had he not seen in Him nothing less than the very "Fellow of JEHOVAH" (Zechariah 13:7).
[46] Eauton ekeôse: Heauton is slightly emphatic by position; I attempt to convey this by the words "by His own act."
[47] See further below, pp. 98, etc. [Transcriber's note: page 98 is indicated in this text with "{98}".]
[48] Labôn: the aorist participle, in Greek idiom, unites itself closely in thought with the aorist verb ekenôse just previous. The resulting idea is not "He made Himself void, and then took," but "He made Himself void by taking." The "Exinanition" was, in fact, just this—the taking the form of the doulos: neither less nor more.
[49] Note again the aorist verb and aorist participle: etapeinôse... genomenos.
[50] The Greek, mechri thanatou, makes it plain that the Lord did not obey death but obeyed the Father so utterly as even to die.
[51] Cicero, pro Rabirio, c. 5.
[52] Bishop Lightfoot has well vindicated this reference of the onoma here. I venture to refer the reader also to my commentary on Philippians, in The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges.
[53] Not "the Name Jesus," but "the Name of, belonging to, Jesus." The grammar admits either rendering, but the context, if I explain it aright, is decisive. "The Name" is still the Supreme Name, JEHOVAH, as just above—" In the Name" should be explained, in view of the context, not of worship through but worship yielded to the Name. See Lightfoot for examples of this usage.
[54] Chrysostom brings this great truth nobly out in his homiletic comments here (Hom. vii. on Philippians, chapter 4): "A mighty proof it is of the Father's power, and goodness, and wisdom, that He hath begotten such a Son, a Son nowise inferior in goodness and wisdom... like Him in all things, Fatherhood alone excepted." Nothing but the orthodox Creed, with its harmonious truths of the proper Godhead and proper Filiation of the Lord Christ, can possibly satisfy the whole of the apostolic language about His infinite glory on the one hand and His relation to the Father on the other.
[55] In my Veni Creator and To my Younger Brethren, and more recently in a University Sermon quoted at the close of a little book published Easter, 1896, by Seeley: Prayers and Promises.
[56] Upêkousate: the aorist. It gathers into one thought the whole recollection of his work at Philippi.
[57] "There is not the slightest contradiction here to the profound truth of the Justification by Faith only; that is to say, only for the merit's sake of the Redeemer, appropriated by submissive trust; that justification whose sure issue is glorification (Romans 8:30). It is an instance of independent lines converging on one goal. From one point of view, that of justifying merit, man is glorified because of Christ's work alone, applied to his case through faith alone. From another point, that of qualifying capacity, and of preparation for the Lord's individual welcome (Matthew 25:21; Romans 2:7), man is glorified as the issue of a process of work and training, in which in a true sense he is himself operant, though grace lies below the whole operation." (Note on this verse in The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges).
[58] It is possible to render logon xôeê epechontes, "serving as life (to the world)." But it is unlikely. See Philippians in The Cambridge Greek Testament, Appendix.
[59] The aorists obviously are anticipatory; giving the review of the past as he will then make it. Cp. e.g. kathôs epegnôsthên, 1 Corinthians 13:12.
[60] "He views the Philippians, in their character of consecrated believers (cp. Romans 12:1), as a holocaust to God; and upon that sacrifice the drink-offering, the outpoured wine, is his own life-blood, his martyrdom for the Gospel which he has preached to them. Cp. Numbers 15:5 for the Mosaic libation, oinon eis spondên... poisête epi tês holokautôseôs. Lightfoot thinks that a reference to pagan libations is more likely in a letter to a Gentile mission. But surely St Paul familiarized all his converts with Old Testament symbolism. And his own mind was of course full of it (Note here in The Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools)—This and Romans 15:16 are the only two passages where St Paul connects the language of "sacerdotalism" with the distinctive work of the Christian ministry; and both passages speak obviously in the tone of figure and, so to say, poetry.
[61] Chairete: sugchairete. The form leaves us free to render either indicative or imperative. But the latter is most likely in the context.
[62] Sôtêria must here include not only final glory but the whole blessing possessed now and always in the Sôtêr.
[63] "Observe the holy paradox of the thought here. The fulness of divine power in the saints is to result primarily not in 'doing some great thing' but in enduring and forbearing, with heavenly joy of heart. The paradox points to one deep characteristic of the Gospel, which prepares the Christian for service by the way of a true abnegation of himself as his own strength and his own aim." (Note on Colossians 1:11 in The Cambridge Bible).
[64] A. Vinet, Hymn on the Crucifixion, translated by C. W. Moule.
[65] Timotheon is slightly emphatic by its place in the Greek; as if to say, "ThoughImust still be absent, he will soon be with you."
[66] Not "equal-souled with myself "; which would demand rather, in the Greek, oudena allon echô isopsychon.
[67] Possibly, "entered on bondservice," "took up the slave's life," with a reference to Timothy's earliest connexion with St Paul (Acts 16:1-3). But the reference to the memories of Philippi is much more likely. The aorist, edouleusen, will in this case gather up into one the whole recollection.
[68] The touton is slightly emphatic by position, for St Paul is about to speak of other persons also, himself and Epaphroditus.
[69] êgêsamên: I render the epistolary past by a present tense, which is the English idiom.
[70] So I render apostolon, to represent something of the sacredness attaching by usage to the word. If I read aright, we have here an instance of gentle pleasantry, quite in harmony with the gravity of the Epistle at large. He takes the Philippians' message of love and gift of bounty as a sort of gospel to himself, and so regards their messenger as a missionary to him. So also with the word leitourgos: its usual associations in New Testament Greek are sacred, or at least solemn; and so St Paul seems to employ it here. Epaphroditus was no mere agent; he was a "ministrant," commissioned from a high quarter—the Philippians' love.
[71] epeidê epidothôn ên: the epistolary past (ên) is rendered in accordance with English idiom. Epipothôn is perhaps too heavily rendered above; but the phrase is certainly a little stronger than epepothei would have been.
[72] Perhaps it was an attack of Roman fever.
[73] Ina mê... schô: lit., "that I may not." But the English idiom asks for "might." The Greek puts the past intention into what was its present aspect.
[74] Epempsa auton: the epistolary aorist.
[75] Quite literally, "up to death he drew near." It is as if St Paul had been about to write, mechri thanatou êsthense, and then varied the expression by writing êggise.
[76] Paraboleusamenos tê psychê: so read, not paraboleusamenos (which would mean, "taking evil counsel for his life," neglecting its interests). Paraboleusamenos is a well-attested reading; the verb is not found elsewhere, but the form is abundantly likely. It would be developed from the adjective parabolos, "reckless," connected with the verb paraballesthai, "to cast a die."
[77] Thoughts for Heart and Life, by John Ker, D.D. (1888), p. 92.
[78] See Ephesians. 1. ad. Cor., § 47: "Take up the Epistle of the blessed Paul, the Apostle.... He wrote to you in the Spirit (pneumatikôs) about himself, and Cephas, and Apollos."
[79] The reader may be aware that Bishop Lightfoot's theory of the connexion of thought at the beginning of chapter 3. is different from that advocated here. He thinks that St Paul dictated on continuously till the close of 3.1, and was interrupted there, and then began de novo with 3:2, entirely on another line. In this view, the words about "writing the same things unto you" refer still to Christian unity, on which St Paul was going to dilate further, but a sudden pause occurred, and the theme was dropped. With reverence for the great expositor, I cannot but think this unlikely. It assumes that St Paul was curiously indifferent to the sequence of thought in an important apostolic message, which assuredly he would read over again before it was actually sent. A theory which fairly explains the passage, and meanwhile avoids the thought of such indifference, seems to me far preferable.
[80] The words obviously may be rendered, "Farewell in the Lord"; and so some take them, explaining that St Paul was intending to close immediately, and so wrote his "Adieu" here; but then changed his plan. This is very unlikely however. See below, iv. 4: Chairete en Kuriô pantote. The "always" there scarcely suits a formula of farewell, while it perfectly suits an injunction to be glad. And that passage is the obvious echo of this—A.V. and R.V. both render "rejoice," though R.V. writes "or, farewell" in the margin. St Chrysostom in his comments here explains the passage as referring to the Christian's joy (chara). The ancient Latin versions render Gaudete (not valete) in Domino.
[81] I thus render rhythmically the rhythmical Greek (it is an iambic trimeter): emoi men ouk oknêron, humin d asphales. It is probable that the words are a quotation from a Greek poet, perhaps a "comic" poet; the "comedies" being full of neatly expressed reflexions. For such a quotation, probably from the "comedian" Menander, see 1 Corinthians 15:33: phtheirousin êthê chrêsth homiliai kakai: "Ill converse cankers fair morality. "
[82] The reading pneumati Theou (not Theô) latreuontes is to be preferred.
[83] Datreuien means first to do servants' work, then to do religious "service" (so almost always in LXX. and N.T) and sometimes specially priestly duty (see e.g. Hebrews 13:10). This latter may be in view here: we Christians, born anew of the Spirit, are the true priests, and we little need to be made Jewish proselytes first.
[84] The sarx in St Paul is very fairly represented by the word "self" as used popularly in religious language. It is man taken as apart from God, and so man versus God; then by transition it may mean, as here, the products of such a source, the labours of the self-life to construct a self-righteousness. It is hardly necessary to say that, in such contexts as this, where it stands more or less distinguished from the pneuma, it is not a synonym for "the body." Sins of "the flesh" may be sins purely of the mind, as e.g. "emulation" (Galatians 5:20).
[85] I thus attempt to convey the emphasis of the words ouk en sarki pepoithotes, which is not precisely as if he had written en sarki.
[86] Peritouê: a dative of reference, a frequent construction with St Paul. See Romans 12:10-12 for several examples together.
[87] See Trench, Synonyms, § xxxix., for the special meanings of Israêlitês, the member of the Covenant-people; Ebraios, the Jew who was true to his inmost national traditions; and Ioudaios, the Jew merely as other than the Gentile.
[88] The article is absent; but context leaves no doubt of the special reference here.
[89] In solemn contrast but with perfect consistency, from another point of view—that not of the Pharisee but of GOD—he can point out elsewhere that "no flesh" can possibly claim "righteousness" on the ground of fulfilment of code and precept. See especially Romans 3:19, 20. But his business here is to meet the legalist on the legalist's own ground.
[90] Notice the plural; as if, miser-like, he had counted his bags of treasure. And then see the contrasted singular, Xêmian: he finds them all one mass of loss.
[91] Skubala: the Greek etymologists derived the word from kusi balein, "to cast to dogs." Otherwise it is traced to a connexion with skôr, "excrement."
[92] Practically, he means "that I might gain," in the past transaction of conversion and surrender. He thinks the past over again.
[93] Lit., "faith of," pisteôs Christou. This use of the genitive with pistis, to denote its object, is frequent. Cp. e.g. Mark 11:22; Galatians 2:16, 20.
[94] Even as the benefit of food is conditioned to us by our (not buying but) eating it.
[95] See the whole hymn (rendered from Lavater's O Jesu Christe, wachs in mir) in Hymns of Consecration, 295.
[96] Dr H. Bonar.
[97] Heth ô katelêphthên: grammatically we may render, "inasmuch as I was seized"; cp. the Greek of Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 5:4. But the connexion of thought seems to be best met by the above rendering, which is practically that of A.V. and R.V.
[98] Stephanos, as in 1 Corinthians 9:25, Revelation 3:11, and often. Stephanos is properly the victor's wreath, diadêma the king's crown (Revelation 19:12)—For a short essay on St Paul's use of athletic metaphors see this Epistle in The Cambridge Greek Testament, Appendix.
[99] Klêsis, kalein, klêtoi, in the Epistles will be found regularly to refer not to the general invitations of the Gospel, but to the actually prevailing power of God over the wills of His people. See particularly 1 Corinthians 1:23, 24, where the "call" is clearly distinguished from the general proclamation, which alas so many "Greeks" and "Jews" heard, but only to reject it.
[100] Hephthasamen: the verb seems always to indicate not merely reaching, but reaching with some difficulty. I attempt to express this in the translation.
[101] There is good evidence for omitting the words kanoni, to auto phronein—Stoichein is more in detail than peripatein: "to step," not only "to walk." See the Greek of Romans 4:12.
[102] skopeite: skopein usually has reference to the attention which results in avoidance; so Romans 16:17: parakalô skopein tous ta skandala poiountas kai ekklinate k.t.l. But here obviously the "looking" is for imitation—The Philippians knew St Paul's teaching, and in his attached leading disciples among them they could see it embodied.
[103] Cp. Matthew 7:13; Romans 6:21; 2 Corinthians 11:15; Hebrews 6:8; 1 Peter 4:17.
[104] I thus attempt to give the meaning of politeuma, so far as I understand it. The R.V. renders it "citizenship," and "commonwealth" in the margin. The usage of the word in Greek literature amply justifies either, and either well suits the general context. The Apostle means that Christians are citizens of the heavenly City as to their status, and are therefore "obliged by their nobility" to live, however far from their home, as those who belong to it, and represent it. What seems lacking however in the rendering of the R.V. is the idea of locality, which (to me) was clearly present to St Paul's mind in his use of politeuma here. The proof of this lies in the words ex ou just below; not ex ôn (ouranôn) but ex ou (politeumatos): I can find no proof of the assertion (Moulton's Winer, p. 177) that ex ou is a mere equivalent for hothen, and so may refer to the plural ouranoi. The rendering "seat of citizenship" seems fairly to represent politeuma thus—The A.V. "conversation" (Lat. conversatio, "intercourse of life") probably represents an impression of the translators that the Apostle is as it were echoing 1:27, axiôs tu euaggeliou politeuesthe. But the imagery here is different, and definite.
[105] See note just above on ex ou.
[106] Perhaps read auta. But the translation must remain the same.
[107] F. R. Havergal.
[108] So certainly read, not Euodias, which would be a man's name, a contraction of Euodianus. Euodias as a fact is not found in inscriptions. Euodia on the other hand is a known feminine name; and the words just following ("help these women") make it practically certain that the two persons just named were both female converts. (Euodian of course may be the accusative of either Euodias or Euodia)
[109] Cor Dei in verbis Dei; Gregory the Great's noble description of the Bible, in a letter to the courtier Theodoras, begging him to study daily "the Letter of the heavenly Emperor."
[110] "I exhort," R.V. A slightly tenderer word seems better to represent parakalein in this personal connexion. "I beseech" (A.V) is perhaps rather too tender.
[111] "As a curiosity of interpretation, Ellicott (see also Lightfoot, p. 170) mentions the conjecture of Schwegler, that Euodia and Syntyche are really designations of Church-parties [the imagined Petrine and Pauline parties], the names being devised and significant [Euodia='Good-way,' Orthodoxy; Syntyche='Combination,' of Gentiles and Jews on equal terms]. This theory of course regards our Epistle as a fabrication of a later generation, intended as an eirenicon. 'What will not men affirm?'" (Note on Verse 2 in The Cambridge Bible for Schools).
[112] We know nothing for certain of this person. Lightfoot suggests that it was Epaphroditus, whom St Paul would thus commission not only orally but in writing, as a sort of credential. One curious and most improbable conjecture is that it was St Paul's wife. Renan (Saint Paul, p. 148) renders here ma chère épouse.
[113] Perhaps the bishop of Rome of a later day. So Origen and Eusebius. But we cannot be certain of the identity.
[114] "Cp. Revelation 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 15, 21:27; and Luke 10:20. And see Exodus 32:32, 33; Psalm 69:28, 87:6; Isaiah 4:3; Ezekiel 13:9; Daniel 12:1. The result of the comparison of these passages with this seems to be that St Paul here refers to the Lord's 'knowledge of them that are His' (2 Timothy 2:19: cp. John 10:27, 28), for time and eternity. All the passages in the Revelation, save 3:5, are clearly in favour of a reference of the phrase to the certainty of the ultimate salvation of all true saints... so too Daniel 12:1 and Luke 10:20. Revelation 3:5 appears to point in another direction (see Trench on that passage). But in view of the other mentions of the 'Book' in the Revelation the language of 3:5 may well be only a vivid assertion that the name in question shall be found in an indelible register.... Practically, the Apostle here speaks of Clement and the rest as having given illustrious proof of their part and lot in that 'life eternal' which is 'to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent' (John 17:3)—The word ' names ' powerfully suggests the individuality and speciality of divine love." (Note in The Cambridge Bible for Schools)
[115] I think the Apostle has in mind Psalm 119:151, where the Septuagint version has su eggus ei, Kurie. He is thinking of "the secret of the Presence" (Psalm 31:20). We need not shut out the calming thought of the Lord's approaching Return; but it does not seem to be the leading thought here.
[116] Bishop Ken.
[117] G. M. Taylor, in Hymns of Consecration, 349.
[118] In the House of the Pilgrimage.
[119] Anethalete to huper emou phronein. Literally, "you shot forth (as a branch) thought in my behalf." (The English perfect best represents this aorist) The phrase is unmistakably pictorial, poetical. If I read it aright, it is touched with a smile of gentle pleasantry; the warm heart comes out in a not undesigned quaintness of expression.
[120] tapeinousthai is used in classical Greek of the falling of a river in drought. Perhaps such an image is present in the language here.
[121] Memuêmai: the verb whose root is that of mysterion, mysterium, "mystery." In the Greek world "mysteries" were systems of religious belief and practice derived, perhaps, from pre-Hellenic times, and jealously guarded from common knowledge by their votaries. Admission into their secrets, as into those of Freemasonry now, was sought by people of all kinds, from Roman consuls and emperors downwards; with the special hope of freedom from evil in this life and the next. St Paul's use of this phenomenon to supply language for Christian experience is beautifully suggestive. The knowledge of the peace of God is indeed an open secret, open to "whosoever will" "learn of Him." But it is a secret, a mystery, none the less.
[122] The word Christô should be omitted from the reading, though perfectly right as a note or explanation—The iochus is the forth-putting of the dunamis—the action of the faculty. He is ready to act (or to bear) in a power always latent, always present, through his union with his Lord. The "all things" so met are, of course, the all things of the will of God, the choice of the Master for the servant in the way of circumstance and trial; not the all things of the mere wish or ambition of the servant.
[123] Philippêsioi: the Greek form represents a Latin Philippenses, by which the residents in the Roman "colony" would call themselves. So Corinthiensis means not a born Corinthian but a settler at Corinth—Greek tends to represent a Latin syllable—ens by—ês: so Klêmês, Clemens.
[124] See Acts 17:1-15.
[125] On the Egnatian road. He made three stages of the distance; Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica.
[126] Ton karpon ton pleonazonta eis logon hymôn. I venture to render these words as above, as a monetary phrase, relating to principal and interest. It is true that karpos is not found used in the sense of interest, for which the regular word is tokos. But it would easily fit into the language of the money-market. And St Chrysostom's comment here seems to show that he, a Greek, understood it thus: horas hoti ekeinois ho karpos tiktetai (tokos).
[127] For osmê euôdias see Ephesians 5:2. The phrase is common in the Septuagint to render the Hebrew "savour of rest," the fume of the altar pictorially represented as smelt by the Deity.
[128] This reference of doxa seems better than that which would connect it only with the eternal future, the glory of heaven, and make the sentence mean that He would hereafter requite them there. He would indeed do so. But the phrase plêroun pasan chreian hardly suggests that thought here.
[129] "Bishop Lightfoot... (Philippians, pp. 171-178) has shewn with great fulness of proof that 'the household of Caesar' was a term embracing a vast number of persons, not only in Rome but in the provinces, all of whom were either actual or former slaves of the Emperor, filling every possible description of office more or less domestic. The Bishop illustrates his statements from the... burial inscriptions of members of the 'Household' found... near Rome.... These inscriptions afford a curiously large number of coincidences with the list in Romans xvi.... Amplias, Urbanus, Apelles, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Patrobas, Philologus.... Bishop Lightfoot infers from this whole evidence the great probability that the 'saints' greeted in Romans 16. were, on the whole, the same 'saints' who here send greeting from Rome.... Their associations and functions, not only in the age of Nero but in the precincts of his court, and probably (for many of them) within the chambers of his palace, give a noble view in passing of the power of grace to triumph over circumstances, and to transfigure life where it seems most impossible" (Note in The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges). See also the writer's commentary on the Ep. to the Romans (Expositor's Bible), pp. 423-425.
[130] Read meta tou pneumatos huôn, not m. pantôn humôn.