A fuller analj-sia will l>ear out these oatliDM, 1-3 Doctrinal. 11.2 greeting. (o) 1H<. ThankBgivlng to God for the blesrings given to the whole Chr. Church. Tlieae blessings are represented as corre- ■ponding in spiritual form to the material blessings granted to
♦ We reg»rd the Beian and Syr. reading as founded on a good tradition (cf. 2 Ti «H; Ramsay, Church in Ram. Emp.
E. 164) : while Butii uid others consider it to originate from SL uke himself.
the Jewish nation, especially as summed up in the year ol .Uibilee, and they are described in what may be called a hymo of three stanzas, ending with the same refrain ; the three stanzas expressing the work of Father, Son, and Uoly Spirit. For these blessirgs were (1) predestined by the Father, who chose us to be sons, holy and without blemish, before the foundation of the world, for Ote praite <tf the glory of Bit grac*
(I*-').
(2) Communicated in Christ at the right moment, conveymg redemption, forgiveness, knowledge of God's universal purpose for all creation, and inheritance among the saints — to the praiM of Uis glory (lo-H).
(3) Sealed first to the Jews (*/*«(), then to the Gentiles {xaU itfutt), ijy the Holy Spirit, as an earnest of the complete re- demption which lies in the future— -/or the praise of Uis glory
(112.13).
(6) 115-II>. Thanksgiving to God for the spiritual state of the readers, and a prayer to the Father of this ^lory that tliey may have a yet fuller knowledge of their privileges and of ths power of God.
(c) 120- .>2i. A dogmatic statement of this power of God, which has shown itself in a threefold way.
(1) As exerted upon Christ Himself, granting Him
Resurrection from death (^). Ascension to God's right hand (^). Supremacy over the whole universe and Headship over the Church (22. 23).
(2) As exerted upon individuals, whether Gentile (2>. •) Of Jew (23), granting them a similar threefold gift, viz. Resurrec- tion from spiritual death (2^).
Ascension mth Christ to a spiritual sphere above the
world (2J). The power to do good works and manifest God's grace
through the coming ages (2*>-10).
(3) As exerted upon the whole of Humanity.
The Gentiles who formerly were alienated from God have been brought nigh by the Cross ; so that both Gentile and Jew have peace with' God and peace with each other : they form one city, one family, one temple, built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, and the Gentiles are now being built into that (211-2'i).
(rf) 3'1». Personal relations iMtween the writer and his retiders.
The writer, who emphasizes his authority to preach this great truth of God's choice of a universal Church intended to e.\liibit his richly-variegat^d wisdom to the universe (3112), begs his readers not to be faint-hearted owing to his imprisonment (31^), and once more prays for them to the Father, that they may have spiritual strength so that Christ may dwell in them in love and knowledge to understand the greatness of their privileges, so that the fulness of the Divine liie may tie exhibited tlirough them (3'-n»).
(e) 3»-2l. This section of the Ep. ends with a doxology, emphasizing the power of God manifested in man, ond the eternal duty of praise to Him both in heaven and OD earth.
4-<i Hortatory.
A. An appeal to the whole Church
(1) To live a life worthy of the members of a Society whose essential characteristic is unity (4ll«). (This is hosed on l'*- " 211-22 ; cf. also 4«-52.)
An appeal for the moral qualities which preserve unity (41') is followed by a fuller description of the unity, as one of both form and spirit, and resting upon the unity of God (4*-6) ;
and a recognition of the variety of gifts, especially the ministrj', given to the Church by the Risen Christ, the Ixird of the whole universe, in order to produce unity and spiritual perfection and steadfastness in truth ; so that the body may ever grow into closer union with its Head (4"-i'0.
(2) To live a life different from the old evil Gentile life (41' -■'). (This is based on 1" » 2110, cf. 63-21 .^
A description of the old Gentile life as one of aimlessness, ignorance, impurity (4i'-li') is contrasted with
A description of" the Christian life as implying renewal of intellect, ntrhteousness, and holiness in confonnity with God's standard (4»24).
(3) To cultivate certain particular virtues and avoid porticulor vices (425-521). The choice of these rises out of the two pre- ceding paragraphs ; they are either such virtues as make for unity and such vices as destrov it (so mainly 42-^-62, cf. the motives appealed to in 25- 2^- 28. 29. 82), or such virtues as form the antithesis to the old Gentile life, either on the side of morality or of knowledge (so mainly 6*22 ; cf. the motives in 4*> 63 ««*«
These virtues are— 1. Truthfnlnees : based upon our dose uoloa with each other (425).
2. A right use of anger : based upon the harm which the devil may do (4-'-).
8. Honest toll : based on the duty of helping others (f\
4. Pure conversation : based on the duty of helping thoee who hear (42a), and the danger of grieving the indwelling Spirit (42s).