6. Gentleness and forgiveness : based on God's forgiveness o< us (431 32).
«. Love : based on Christ's love and self-sacriflce (61. •).
7. Avoidance of all impurity and covetousnees as unworthy of our consecration (63), and of all foolish Jesting and talk, as ex- cluding from the kingdom of Christ and of God (ft-K), as sure to incur God's wrath (6^, as Inconsistent with the Christian life, which is one of light (68-14). ^^
8. Wise use of opportunities : based upon th* arU « tba liin* (5U.i«>.
EPHESIAN8, EPISTLE TO
EPHESIANS, EPISTLE TO 715
9. An Intelligent understanding of Ood's will (S^O-
10. Temper&nce in wine — perhaps especially at the Love-feastA
11. PuloeM of spiritual joy and thankful praise of Qod — perhaps especially at the meetings for common worship (S't*--').
This leads back through the thoujfht of the common worship of the Church to the ideal of umty and subjection, and ao fomia a transition to
B. &23.^. An ajipeal to various classes in the Church. H'lr*"* exhort^-'l to sutmiission to their husbands (5*.^)
Because of the relation of man to woman (5'^), And the analog}' of the Church's submission to Christ (59*). HwsitaniU exhorted to love their wives (d^) Because of the analogy of Christ's love for Hifl Church (5*5-27
And the closeness of the union between man and wife (628. »). Children exnorted to obey their parents Because of the natural sense of right (0^^ And God's commandment and promise (6^^. Parents exhorted to train their children patiently
Because of the analogy of God's traininjf of His sons (6^ Slates exhorted to loyal obedience to their mosters (6^0
Because of the impartiality of God's judgment (6^). Matters to avoid threatening
Because of the thought of their own Master In heaven (69). {N.B, — This is no accidental digression, nor is it mert-ly an attempt to lay down a new decalogue or moral code for Gentile Christians (Ewald), which should draw them nearer to the Jewish Christians by removing one of the great stumhling- blocks (Ac 1&-^) ; but tlie writer takes a Christian household with aU it« members, and treats it as a type of the Church, in which the duties of subjection, love, obedience, forbearance, which are needled for the unity of the Church, may be first laarned. Cf. 6»*. »5-w 61- »• ?• », 1 Ti 8'. The thought of Sis r£r> wmr^m is the link between the two.
C. Addressed to the whole Church.
An exhortation to be true soldiers, to put on the full armour of God, that they may realize Ujs strength and fight His battles (610. ii, cf. lis -Ifi).
Description of the seriousness of the conflict (613).
Description of the armour, as complete (i^), as consisting of truth an<i righteou.sness (cf. 4^), of peace (cf. 21.''), and faith (of. 113), 01 Ood's saving grace (cf. 1'^ 2*), of God's word of truth (cf. 421 sai), of jjrayer and watchfulness (8i»-i«). The choice of the weapons is partly motived by the descrijition of J"'s armour in Is.iiah (.'i9, etc.), partly by the virtues already emphasized in this Kpistle, partly perhaps by the armour of the soldier to whom the writer is chained ('.^).
A request for their prayer for himself (Gil*. 20).
An (I'-coimt of the purpose of the mission of Tychicns (fi^>.'3)
Final snlntntion, with prsyer for peace, love, and faith, to those who have love for the Lord (B'^^-^*).
The Ep. is thus marked by extraordinary unity )f structure and interlacing of para^jrajili witli (laragraph, and the analysis shows that there is no sense of controversy on the surface of it ; 2" liints at the controversial nicknames of tlie Jewish and Gentile stru^jgle (ol \ey6iicyoi anpo^varia iiirb ttj^ \fyofLii>ris TTtfiiTo/xij!) ; 4" and perliajis 4'''i point to the danger of false teaching, but the allusions are vague. The purpose is to emphasize the moral and K|>iritual fulness of the Chris-tian life (cf. irXripovf and wXjipuixa, li''-2»3i»4io. iS5i«)_ a,„l ^i,„ closeness of the union which binds Christiana to (jlirist and to each other: cf, ip Kvplip or iy Xpiartp (Kjih .'iU times, Col 11) ; imrrfi (4'" here only) ; dydwri an<l dYajraf (19 times in EjjIi as comp.-ircd with 16 in Ito and 1 Co); tlpi/ivri (8 times Eidi, 11 Ro, in no other Ep. oftener than 3) ; and the many compounds of <ri'/i', eiiipliasizing the ' with -riess of Christians with Chri.st cvyKaBl^tiv (2" only), aviw<rwoiiXv (2' and Col "2"), awiytlpeiv (2", Col 2'* 3') ; or with each other, avyKX-nponoiiot (3\ Ro 7'), <ri/M|8i^df«c (4'«, Col 2^- ■»), ctumm^toxos (3" 5' only), 9vnTo\lrr)s (2" only), avvappLoKoyttv (2'-" 4" only), <riySeapu>t (4', Col 2'" 3"), avvoiKoSoixuv (2^'' only), aviraup.0% (3" only). The purnose of all this, too, lies beyond itself. The Churcn must he one, ln'cau.so a great conllict lies before it ; the s]iii itual forces of evil are gulhering, and it must be on its giiaril.
A conipiirisDii with (Jolossians will partly con- firm, partly supplement this result. Wlioever may be the author of lliis Kp., it is clear that there is a
clii>e relation between it and that. The salulations are almost identical : the structure of the Epistles is the same ; the Hiihjt'cts are mainly the same, the n(!cd of knowled;;e is empliasi>;eil, and the relation of Christ to the universe and to the ('hiiich ; the same moral virtues are inculcated ; the laws of