therly love. These blessings are sought ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πατρὸς καὶ Κυρίου ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, from God the Fa- ther and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Father and Son are united as objects of worship and the source of spir- itual and saving blessing. He from whom Paul sought these blessings, is he to whom those who need them must look in order to obtain them.
V. 24. True to the last, as a needle to the pole, the apostle turns to Christ, and implores the divine favour on all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. The words ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ rendered in sincerity, are so understood by Erasmus and Calvin, and by many others. There is however great diversity of opinion as to their true meaning. “Ag@apcia signifies incor- ruption, as in 1 Cor. 15, 53. 54, δεῖ yap τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν, for this corruptible must put on incorruption. Hence it means immortality as in Rom. 2,7; 2Tim.1,10. Some connect these words with ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν, Christ in immortality, i. 6. Christ glorified. Others connect them with χάρις and give ἐν the force of eis ; ‘grace unto immortality, or to eternity ; everlasting grace.’ Others adopting the same construction, render the passage, ‘ grace with immortality, i. 6. eternal life.” The only natural con- struction is with ἀγαπώντων ; then the meaning is either that expressed in our Version, “ Who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity ;” or, ‘with constancy ;’ that is, with a deathless or immortal love. In either case, the general idea is the same. The divine favour rests on those to whom the Lord Jesus is the supreme