Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all, Col. iii. 11. So then there will be neither Greek nor Jew, etc., r\ov princi- pality [rule : ver. 24], power , etc., but God will be all in all. God is esteemed as nothing in the world by ungodly men, Ps. x. 4, xiv. 1 : and with the saints many things prevent Him from being alone all to them ; but then He will be all in all.
29. E mi r/ no/ijaouffiv oi fianr 1(6^01 vn'sp ruv vexpuv', si oXoog vexpoi oux sysipovraij ri xa / fiunr/^ovrai bmp abruv ; rt xa/ x/v-
duvsvofisv vaffav upav ;) We shall first say something on the point- ing of this versed Many rightly connect, and have long been in the habit of connecting this clause, si oXug vexpoi obx eyeipovrcu , with what follows ; for the particle In si alone exhausts the force of the same clause in the first part of the verse. E/ begins the sentence, as in ver. 32, it does so twice ; and often in ver. 12, and those that follow. Hence the pronoun abruv is to be re- ferred to vexpoi.1 2 Furthermore, of the baptism for (over) the dead , the variety of interpretations is so great, that he who would collect, I shall not say, those different opinions, but a catalogue of the different opinions, would have to write a dis- sertation. At that time, as yet, there were neither martyrdoms nor baptisms over sepulchres, etc., especially at Corinth ; but baptism over sepulchres, and baptism for the advantage of the dead came into use from a wrong interpretation of this very passage ; as fire was used among the Egyptians and Abyssinians in the case of the baptized, from Matt. iii. 11. Often, when the true interpretation is nearer and easier than we think, we fetch it from a distance. We must mark — I. The paraphrase: Otherwise what will they do who are baptized for (super) the dead f If the dead rise not at all , why are they also baptized for the dead ? and why also are we in danger every hour ? II. The sense of
1 Lachm. and Tischend. punctuate as Bengel. Rec. Text puts the ques- tion not after vexpZv, but after lyeipoi/Toit ; thus connecting this clause with what precedes, instead of with what follows. — Ed.
2 The Germ. Yer. repeats the noun rau vexpav, instead of the pronoun at the end of the verse, and differs from the margin of both editions. — E. B.
Avtuv is the reading of ABD corrected later, G fg Yulg. Memph., later Syr. Origen. Tuv vixpuv of Rec. Text is only found in later Uncial MSS. and Syr. Version alone, of the oldest versions. — Ed.