These infinite blessings suppose an infinite source ; and as they are sought no less from Christ than from God the Father, Christ must be a divine person. It is to be remarked that God is called our Father^ and Christ our Lord. God as God has not only created us, but renewed and adopted us. God in Christ has redeemed us. He is our owner and sovereign, to whom our allegiance is immediately due; who reigns in and rules over us, defending us from all his and our enemies. This is the peculiar form which piety assumes under the gos- pel. All Christians regard God as their Father and Christ as their Lord. His person they love, his voice they obey, and in his protection they trust.
4. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ.
Paul expresses his gratitude for the grace of God given to the Corinthians. The word grace^ as just remarked, means favour, and then the blessings of which that favour is the source ; just as we use the word favour sometimes for a dis- position of the mind, and sometimes for gifts ; as when we speak of receiving favours. The latter is the sense of the word in this place.
JBy Christ Jesus., or rather, in Christ Jesus. This limits and explains the kind of favours to which the apostle refers. He renders thanks for those gifts which God had bestowed upon them in virtue of their union with Christ. The fruits of the Spirit are the blessings referred to. These inw^ard spiritual benefits are as much gifts as health or prosperity, and are, therefore, as properly the grounds of gratitude. All virtues are graces, gifts of the grace of God.
5. That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and (in) all knowledge.
This verse is explanatory of the preceding. Paul gives thanks for the, grace which they had received, i. e. that in every thing they were enriched. In every thing {kv Tran-t), in every respect they were richly endowed with the gifts of the Spirit^ In all utterance and in all knowledge ; that is, with all the gifts of utterance and knowledge. Some were prophets, some were teachers, some had the gift of tongues. These were different forms of the gift of utterance. In all know-