they had heard concerning Paul (comp. note on i. I1) were a testimony that he, ver. 1, spoke the truth concerning himself.
3. Kara «vro?ca7.i-\j/;v, by revelation) Gal. i. 12 ; Acts ix. 3, 4. — tyvupuf's pot) made known to me) God, by His grace. —
the mystery) of Christ ; see the following verses.
l\'ij w) / wrote before, in a few words. He refers to i. 9, 10, and
he repeats the words from that passage here.
4. Upbg 6, whereby) This expression is not exclusively to be referred to in a few words, but to the whole thought ; and "rpbg marks the analogy, according to [" from which ye may under stand"] : as in the common saying, the size of the lion may be inferred from the size of his claw.2 From what I have written above, you may, etc. — 8vva60e9 you may) The word is modestly and ingenuously used. — dvayivuffxovTsg, when you read) This book is very sublime, and yet it is put into the hands of all to be read. — voyffai rr,v cwsffiv ftov, understand my knowledge [perceive my understanding in]) and therefore profit by me. Paul wrote with greater plainness and sublimity in this epistle, than he had for merly done in any other.
5. "o, which) This refers to ver. 3, as the repetition of the verb yvupi^u, I make known, indicates. — srspais ywaTc, in other ages) Time in the ablative, as Acts xiii. 36. — ovx eyvup'usQq, was not made known) He does not say ovx airsxahvp&r)) was not revealed. Making known by revelation (ver. 3) is the source of making known by preaching. Revelation is somewhat more special; making known, is done in the hearing of others also : revelation is only made to the prophets. — roTg u)o?g ruv avOpuwv, to the sons of men) A very wide appellation, expressing the cause of ignorance, natural descent, to which the Spirit is opposed ; comp. Matt, xvi. 17. He speaks of their former state in the idiom of the Hebrew language. Moreover, the antithesis of the apostles and prophets of the New Testament to the sons of men leads to the conclusion, that by this appellation the ancient prophets are prin-
1 Viz. They had heard of his bonds, and of his being persecuted by the Jews for his preaching to the Gentiles. This hearing was not restricted to the Ephesians ; but applies to all, to whom, in the different churches, this ency clical letter was to be carried by Tychicus. — ED.
2 Joh. Michaelis quotes a similar phrase from Thucydides : vpos rdt$
they suspected him by reason of his letters. — E. B.