of David, and in Acts 3, 25, of all the families of the earth. The most important question here is, whether πᾶσα πατριά is to be rendered every family, or, the whole family. In favour of the latter are the consid- erations that the omission of the article, which usage doubtless demands, is not unfrequent where either the substantive has acquired the character of a proper name, or where the context is so clear as to prevent mistake. (See Winer’s Gram. p.131.) And secondly, the sense is better suited to the whole context. If Paul intended to refer to the various orders of angels, and the various classes of men, as must be his meaning if πᾶσα πατριά is rendered every family, then he contem- plates God as the universal Father, and all rational creatures as his children. But the whole drift of the passage shows that it is not God in his relation as crea- tor, but God in his relation as a spiritual father—who is here contemplated. He is addressed as the “ Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and therefore our Father. It is plain therefore that those who are here contem- plated as children, are those who are by Jesus Christ brought into this relation to God. Consequently the word πατριά cannot include any but the subjects of redemption. The whole family in heaven therefore cannot mean the angels, but the redeemed already saved, and the family on earth, the company of be- lievers still living. As children derive their name from their father and their relation to him is thereby determined, so the apostle says, the whole family of God derive their
CHAP. Il. VER. 16. 181
name from him and are known and recognized as his ~ children.
V.16. This verse contains the apostle’s prayer in behalf of the Ephesians. He prays that God, accord- ing to the riches of his glory, would strengthen them with might by his Spirit in the inner man.
The riches of his glory, πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης, means the plenitude of divine perfection. It is not his power to the exclusion of his mercy, nor his mercy to the ex- clusion of his power, but it is every thing in God that renders him glorious, the proper object of adoration. The apostle prays that God would deal with his people according to that plenitude of grace and power, which constitutes his glory and makes him to his creatures the source of all good.
δυνάμει κραταιωθῆναι. MAvvawer may be rendered adverbially, “powerfully strengthened,” or it may be rendered as to power, indicating the principle which was to be confirmed or strengthened; or, “wth power,” as expressing the gift to be communicated. They were to receive power communicated through the Holy Spirit. This is to be preferred, because the subject of this invigorating influence is not any one principle, but the whole “inner man.”
There are two interpretations of the phrase κραταίω- θῆναι εἰς τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον, to be strengthened as to the immer man, the choice between which must depend on the analogy of Scripture. According to one theory of human nature, the higher powers of the soul, the reason, the mind, the spirit, the inner man, retain their