is not present) In the estimation of God and of believers there is present neither Jew, etc. — "EXXjjv xal 'lovdaTbg, Greek and Jew) The concrete for the abstract, as afterwards also Christ is used : for circumcision and uncircumcision, which occur presently, are abstract nouns. — a%f>oj8utfr/a, uncircumcision) Even the Greek might have been circumcised. Therefore the mention of uncir- cumcision renders the expression more distinct. — Bdpfiapog, ^-/M^c,, Barbarian, Scythian) These two words, put by Asyndeton with out a conjunction, make equally a pair ((rvfyyiav) as bond, free. The Greeks were on the west, the Jews on the east ; the Bar barians on the south (for Scaliger shows that the term Barbarians is an Arabic word properly applied to the Numidians), the Scy thians on the north, more barbarous than the barbarians (properly so-called). And with this impression Anacharsis, as Galen relates, was reproached by, I know not whom, on (Sapfiapoc, efy xai ^x,v6yjg, that he was a barbarian, and [what is tantamount to] bar barous, a Scythian. Every nation, as it prefers some one other nation to itself, so again, under whatever pretext, prefers itself to all the rest. Therefore the Barbarian, as occupying the middle place between the Greeks and Scythians, gave the palm to the Greek, but at the same time considered himself superior to the Scythian. Faith takes away this distinction. Perhaps at Colosse there were one or twTo Scythian Christians. — ra ^dvra KUI ev wan Xptffrbs, Christ is all and in all) The apposition is Xpt<rrb$ (wv) ra vdvra xai sv <rraGt. A Scythian is not a Scythian, but Christ's. A barbarian is not a barbarian, but Christ's. Christ is all, and that too in all, who believe. The new creature is in Christ, ver. 10 ; Gal. vi. 15.
12. 'ExXexro/, elect) This is equivalent to a substantive ; its epithets are, holy and beloved. He calls them the elect of God, as Rom. viii. 33. The order of the words admirably corresponds to the order of the things [< elect' before ' holy,' and < holy' before 1 beloved'] : eternal election precedes sanctification in time. The i sanctified' feel the love of God, and then in consequence after wards imitate it. — ff<7rXd<y%va, bowels) Eph. iv. 32. —
humility of feeling, humbleness of mind) ib. iv. 2
"with all lowliness"]. These virtues are kept in exercise by
( forbearing' and ' forgiving.' [See next ver.]
13. ' Avs^o/^svoi, forbearing) in regard to present offences.—