to the Gentiles, who are ignorant of God : ret crapcwrrw^ara, trespasses, to the Jews, who have the law,1 and yet revolt from the light ; ver. 5. Moreover the latter obeyed the flesh ; the former, the prince of the power of the air ; see following verses.
2. Kardt rbv aJ£>va rov xotffAov rovrov) Atuv and MfftAoc, differ ;2 1 Cor. ii. 6, 12, iii. 18, 1 9. The former regulates the latter, and in a manner gives it form : K6<t/j,og is something more external ; uiuv something more subtle and internal in its character. Time is spoken of not only physically, but also morally, there being included in its signification [in the notion of it] the character of the men who live in it ; and so atuv applies to a long series of times, in which one bad age follows another bad age ; comp. Acts xiv. 16; 1 Pet. i. 18. — Kara rbv ap^ovra, according to the prince) Thus the fact becomes more expressly represented and realized. All men are sensible of the existence of the world ; but they are not aware that this prince lurks beneath it ; ch. vi. 11, 12 : comp. John xii. 31. — rfo e%ov<r/a$ rotf aepog, of the power of the air) This power is widely diffused and penetrating : comp. Job i. 15, etc. ; but yet it does not reach [it is beneath] the sphere of believers, ver. 6 ; 1 John v. 18. See Buxt. Diet. Rabb., col. 1495. Even the celestial orbs themselves are various. Christ however is superior to Satan, although the latter also holds himself [keeps a position] in heavenly places ; Eph. vi. 12 [kv roTg knovpavhig, in the heavenlies, Engl. Vers., in high places'}. — roD arw6/wxr*c, the spirit) In apposition to r^c, i£ou<r/<x£, ro\j vvev- parog. Here the prince himself is not called a spirit ; but the spirit in this passage is that internal principle, from which the actions of unbelievers flow, and is opposed to the spirit of the believing sons of God : comp. Luke iv. 33. — v\Jv, now) in the present day ; or rather, [that] now most of all ; for he does not say, still, or as yet, but now. Those who despise the Gospel through disbelief, remain the slaves of that spirit, and are more and more captivated by him. Express mention of Satan is principally made in the description of the state of the Gentiles ;
1 KetpotTrrapot, from vapour fora, I fall away from the law, I transgress. For " sin is the transgression of the law." — ED.
2 See note, Eph. vi. 12. KoV,c«o? is the world, mundus, in its wide exten sion ; Ala* the age, sceculum, the present world, in its distinguishing cha racter, its course, and the estimate to be formed of it.— ED.