heard about Christ. To hear, in this connection, im- plies intelligence and obedience, as in the frequently oc- ewrring phrase, “He that hath ears to hear, let him
” and “To-day if ye will hear his voice, &e.,”
hear ; and in a multitude of other cases. To hear the voice of God or of Christ, therefore, is not merely to perceive with the outward ear but to receive with the under- standing and the heart. The particle εἴγε, ¢f indeed, does not express doubt; but ‘if, as I take for granted.’ The apostle assumes that they were obedient to the truth. ‘Ye have not so learned Christ as to allow of your living as do the Gentiles, if, as I take for granted, you have really heard his voice and have been taught by him. ’Ev αὐτῷ, however, does not properly mean by him, but ‘in communion with him.’ ‘ Ye have been taught in him, inasmuch as truth is in Jesus, to put off the old man.’ The knowledge of Christ, hearing him, union with him, his inward teaching, are necessarily connected with the mortification of sin.
The clause καθώς ἐστιν ἀλήθεια ἐν τῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ, rendered in our version as the truth is in Jesus, is variously ex- plained. The interpretation intimated above supposes καθώς to have its frequent causal sense; since, inas- much as ; and truth to mean moral truth, or excellence. This sense it very often has. It frequently means true religion, and is used antithetically to unrighteousness, as in Rom. 2,8. The principle here involved is, that knowledge of God is inconsistent with a life of sin, be- cause knowledge implies love, and God is holy. To know him, therefore, is to love holiness. The apostle’s
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