The handwriting was an enemy to us, but God took it out of the way, Eph. ii. 15, seq. — roTg bdy^aaiv, by the decrees) the deter minations of His good pleasure. These are the decrees of grace. [But Engl. Vers. the handwriting of ordinances, viz. the legal ordinances.] The mention of the writing is included in that which was against us, not in that by which we were relieved.1 The letter killeth, 2 Cor. iii. 6. See Yen. D. Hauberi tract, ad h. 1. — vvsvavriov, an adversary [Engl. Vers. contrary']) u-ro does not mean, secretly, underhand, in this compound, as is evident from the LXX.2 — xal avrb) it also.3 — qpxsv SK rov p'stou) So xarap- yqffag, Eph. ii. 15. — <7rpoffq\u>(fa$, having nailed it to) The allusion is to the nails of the cross of Christ. The handwriting, being pierced through, is considered as abolished. It may be resolved into, after He had nailed it to His cross ; for ypxev, He took away, refers to the fruit of the resurrection. So also ver. 15, after He had triumphed over them. The full exercise of power over the vanquished is now the beginning of the triumph, when the van quished are bound, and are made ready for becoming a show. The triumph takes for granted the victory, and follows it after an interval. It perhaps took place when Christ descended into hell.
15. ' AKsx,dvffdpsvo$, having stripped off, having spoiled) Matt, xii. 29. — rag ap^ag %ai rue, e%ovffia$, principalities and powers) Those, who worshipped good angels, at the same time feared the bad ; neither with good reason : comp. ver. 10. — sdsiypdnffiv, made a show) This was done at His ascension, Eph. iv. 8. — sv Kappnffia, openly) While both they themselves beheld it in their turn, and good angels, and then men, and God Himself. The nakedness of the vanquished enemy was manifest from the fact itself, and in the Gospel. — aurov$, them) The masculine refers to the angels. — sv auroD, in Him) in Christ. So Hilarius the deacon explains it. This (sv airw) refers (belongs) to the whole para-
1 i.e. No writing is mentioned in connection with the decrees of grace, as it is in the case of the law. — ED.
2 Tittmann, however, says, ' TVgj»«vr/o? and ev&vnos certe sic differunt ut illud denotet adversarium, nulla manifestos vis notione, potius contrarium : somewhat contrary, having a latent opposition to us. — N. T. Syn. — ED.
8 Not, as Engl. Vers., the xotl joining o-vj/g^uoTro/Vsj/ and qpiui, : there is Asyndeton. — ED.