62 Ephesians I. 1.

rr^v olffav sxxhqffiav, in the church that was at Antioch ; and Rom. xiii. 1, a/ <5« oucra/ sgoutf/a/, ancZ the powers that be [the existing powers]. Paul, when writing to the churches planted by himself, generally mentions many circumstances concerning present and former events, having reference to himself or the churches ; but he had been at Ephesus, and that too for a long time, not many years before, Acts xx. 31. Why then does he write as a person unknown, ver. 1 5, ch. iii. 2,4? and why does he descend less to particulars in this epistle, than in any other ? Why, at ch. vi. 23, 24, does he conclude in the third, arid not in the second person, as he always does on other occasions'? Why does he add no salutations, which, however, he does not omit even in the case of the Colossians ? Why does he not mention Timothy, whom, however, he joins with himself, Col. i. 1 ? For, the close resemblance of the style of writing [the texture of composition] in both, the same mention in both of their bearer, Tychicus, and many other circumstances, confirm the fact, that each of these epistles, this and the one to the Co lossians, was sent at one time. Why does he only call them brethren at ch. vi. 10? Ans. All these things are indeed proofs, that Paul so drew up the whole letter, that it might be publicly read, or privately perused, both at Ephesus and in many of the churches of Asia, to which, as having been perhaps pointed out to him by name, Tychicus would go, and that all might receive it as if it had been addressed to themselves ; comp. Col. iv. 16 ; 1 Thess. v. 27. So far as this matter was concerned, full liberty (a carta bianca) was granted. " We must observe," says Usher, at A. M. 4068, " that, in some ancient copies, this epistle was inscribed in general terms, as was usually done in writing evangelical letters, to the saints who are . . . and to the faithful in Christ Jesus : as if it had been sent first to Ephesus, as the principal metropolis of Asia, and was thence to be transmitted to the other churches of the same province, with the insertion of the name of each, etc." It may be said : Paul wrote this epistle before he had seen the Ephesians. Ans. He had formerly [previous to his visit to Ephesus, Acts xix., xx.] suffered no bonds so well known and so long, Acts xvi. 35, xviii. 10; but these, which he mentions [in this epistle], were remarkable and distinguished, Eph. iii. 13,