intrudes, are not in themselves utterly xsva, vain, but only not seen by him) ; but he lays down something even more weighty, since the e/&(3anvsiv rather expresses the haughti ness of the xaraftpaSevtav. On the opposite side, the xparety to hold the Head, corresponds, which is not done in vain, but tends to increase. — pvaovpevos, puffed up) The antithesis is, humility of sentiment (racrg/voppotfuvTj) ; and yet these two are joined together.
19. O5 Kparuv, not holding) He who does not hold Christ solely and above all others, does not hold Him at all. — r^v MVOL- \7iv, the Head) Here faith has a foundation whereon it may be fixed. The opposite is, a w eupaxsv, s^/SarsiW, he who flies be yond things placed in the middle (within reach), and tries to catch those that escape his grasp. — e% ov, from which) [not from which Head, but from which hold] from holding the head ; or else, from whom, viz. Christ, the Head. — dia ruv a<puv) by the joints (ties),1 viz. of faith, Eph. iv. 16. It is to this word that 6<7ri%opi)yov/Atvov refers. — xai ffwd'stpuv) and bonds (bands) of { love' and ( peace/ Eph. iv. 3. It is to this that tvpfiilSafyfAevov refers ; comp. ver 2. — i<r%opriyov(Aswv) receiving s^i^op^yiav, ministration to it (being ministered to) ; so 3 Mace. vi. 38, fl-avtf' u-ro rov (3a<n\'sug %o^- yovpsvof, supplied with all things by the king.
20. Ei, if) The inference, begun at ver. 16, is continued ; and at ch. iii. 1, a new inference follows. — atfeQdvsre avb, ye are dead from) An abbreviated expression, i.e. dead, and. so set free from the elements, etc. — a-r& r%v 0roi%eiuv9 from the elements) ver. 8. — 8«7/tar/£e<r0s) in the Middle voice, you receive (take up) dogmas, ordinances.
21. M^, not) Thus the dogmatists commonly spoke. — a-^/j, touch) The genus ; the species are, to taste (ytvcf) with the tongue, and to handle (My '(is) with the hand.
22. "A JOTI, which are) Those things, namely, which are touched, tasted, etc. — els pQopav, [are to end in destruction] to perish) and which therefore do not defile; 1 Cor. vi. 13; the middle of Matt. xv. 17. — rJj airoxpriffei) in the using up (entire consump tion), not strictly so called [not the abuse~], but so far as it de notes the use, which is natural, civil, external, truly indifferent,
1 Beng. here translates &<pavt nexus; but see the somewhat different expla nation in Gnom., Eph. iv. 16.— ED.