an epistle specially addressed to it. If we must leave out the words tv 'E^fcr^^j in chap, i, 1, what are we to put in their place.' for if we take the passage as it stands without them, it will follow that the epistle was addressed to all Christians everywhere, which is more than the advocates of the hypottiesis now under notice contend for. The supposition that the title was left blank is equally gratuitous, unreasonable, and unnec- essar}'. (4.) In chap, vi, 21, 22, Paul mentions that he had sent to those for whom this epistle was destined Tychicus, who should make known to them all things, that they might know his affairs, and that he might comfort their hearts. From this it appears that Tych- icus was not onlj' the bearer of this letter, hut that he was personally to visit, converse with, and comfort those to whom it was addressed. On the supposition that tliis was a circular letter, this could hardly have been practicable.
3. We return, then, to the cjuestion of the genuine- ness of the suspected words "at Ephesus," tv'E(pec<i). At first sight the doubts against them seem plausible ; but when Me oppose to tliese (a) the preponderating weight of diplomatic evidence for tlie insertion of the words, (b) the testimony of all the versions, (c) the universal designation of this epistle by the ancient Church (Marcion standing alone in his assertion that it was written to the Laodiceans) as an epistle to the Eph(sians,(d) the extreme difficulty in giving any satis- factory meaning to the isolated participle (role oiwi, to those that arc — ), and the absence of any parallel usage in the apostle's writings, we can scarcely feel any doubt as to the propriety of removing the brackets in which these words are enclosed in the 2d and later editions of Tischendorf, and of considering them an integral part of the original text. If called upon to supyily an an- swer to, or an explanation of the internal olijections, we must record the opinion that none on the whole seems so free from objection as that which regards the epistle as also designed for the benefit of churches either conterminous to, or dependent on that of Ephe- sus. The counter-arguments of Mej'er, though ably urged, are not convincing. Nor can an appeal to the silence of vrriters of tlie ancient Church on this further destination be conceived to be of much weight, as their references are to the usual and titular designation of the epistle, but do not and are not intended to affect the question of its wider or narrower destination. It is not unnatural to suppose that the special greetings here omitted might have been separately intrusted to the bearer Tychicus, possiblj' himself an Ephesian, and certainly commissioned by the apostle (vi, 22) to inform the Ephesians of his state and circumstances.
III. Occasion of irriting this Episile. — It docs not seem to have been called out by any spscial circum- stances, nor even to have involved any distinctlj^ pre- cautionary teaching (compare Schneckenburger, Bei- trdye, p. 135 sq.), whether against Oriental or Judaistic theosoph}', but to have been suggested by the deep love which the apostle felt for his converts at Ephesus, and which the mission of Tychicus, with an epistle to the Church of Colossa?, afforded him a convenient oppor- tunity of evincing in written teaching and exhortation. The epistle thus contains many thoughts that had per- vaded the nearly contemporaneous epistle to the Co- lossians, reiterates many of the same practical warn- ings and exliortations, bears even the tinge of the same diction, but at the same time enlarges upon such profound mysteries of tlie divine counsels, displays so fully the oriffin and developments of the Church in Christ, its union, communion, and aggregation in him, that this majestic epistle can never be rightly deemed oth- erwise than one of tlie most sublime and consolatory outpourings of the Spirit of God to the children of men. To the Christians at Ephesus dwelling under the shadow of the great temple of Diana, daily seeing its outward grandeur, and almost dail}' hearing of its pompous ritualism, the allusions in this epistle to tha':
EPHESIANS
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EPHESIANS
mystic buildinc; of -which Clirist was the comer-stone, the apostles tlie fouii<lations, and himt^elf and his fel- low-Christians portions of the august superstructure (ii, 19-22), must liavc spolcen with a force, an appro- priateness, and a reassuring deptli of teaching that cannot be overestimated.
IV. Contents. — These easily' admit of being divided into two portions, the first mainly doctrinal (i-iii), the second hortatorrj and practical.
1. Tlie doctrinal portion opens with a brief address to the saints in Epliesus, and rapidly passes into a sub- lime ascription of praise to God the Father, who has predestinated us to the adoption of sons, blessed and redeemed us in Chrijt, and made known to us his eter- nal purpose of uniting all in liim (i, 3-14). This not unnaturally evolves a praj^er from the apostle that his converts may be enlightened to know the hope of God's calling, the riches of his grace, and the magnitude of that power which was displayed in the resurrection and transcendent exaltation of Christ — the head of his body, the Church (i, 15-23). Then, with a more im- mediate address to his converts, the apostle reminds them how, dead as they had been in sin, God had quickened them, raised them, and even enthroned them with Christ ; and how all was by grace, not bj' works (ii, 1-10). They were to remember, too, how they had once been alienated and yet were now brought nigh in the blood of Christ ; how he was their Peace, how by him both they and the Jews had access to the Father, and how on him as the corner-stone they had been built into a spiritual temple to God (ii, 11-22). On this account, having heard, as they must have done, how to the apostle was revealed the profound mystery of this call of the Gentile M'orld, they were not to faint at his troubles (iii, 1-13) : na^', he prayed to the greit Father of all to give them inward strength, to teach them the love of Christ, and fill them with the fulness of God (iii, 13-19). The prayer is concluded by a sublime doxologj^ (iii, 20, 21), which serves to usher in the more divcctly practical portion.