forgiving) past offences. On these depends the clause, so also ye [i.e. the vptfs is construed with Ave^o^evoi]. — o XpHtrbg, Christ) who had the greatest cause of complaint against us.
14. 'ET/, above) Here the climax reaches its highest point ; love, superior to all things, 1 Pet. iv. 8. — -rr\v aydnriv, love) viz. put on. — ovvdsffpos, the bond) Love comprehends the whole range of the virtues (graces), 2 Pet. i. 7. — rsXsior^rog, of perfection) DD, rsXeiorqs, Judg. ix. 16 ; Prov. xi. 3. He who has love, wants nothing : he is not kept bound by the elements of the world. Particular duties are also derived from this source, ver. 19, 21.
15. Kai) and) so. The connection may be inferred from Eph. iv. 3.1 — 57 e/pqvii TOV 0goD, the peace of God) Phil. iv. 7. — j
a remarkable word. Hesychius has, ppafav'eru Aqvvt&ru, iQvv'sfQu, Wisd. x. 12 : Wisdom [gave Jacob the victory, Eng Vers.] was the guide and director of Jacob in a sore conflict : therefore /3pa/3?ug/v, is to regulate or direct a person run ning, until he reaches the goal. Keep in safety (ppou^tfi/), Phil. iv. 7, is nearly akin to it. Give yourselves up to the peace of God, that directs and regulates all things. An imperative after an imperative involves the signification of a future indicative.2 Antithetical to ppafaveiv here, is /caroc/3pa/3gug/v, ch. ii. 18 (where see the note), having in it the notion of excess. — IpcX^rs, you have been called) Eph. iv. 4. — gu^a^/oro/, thankful) for that call ing. This stands as a statement of subject (Propositio) in relation to what follows. The same duty is commanded, Eph. v. 4.
16. 'o 7.070?, the ivord) by which ye have been called. — svoi- xeiru, have its indwelling in you) as in a temple, for ever. — sv v/u/v, in you) in your inner man ; comp. full, Rom. xv. 14. —
richly) The distribution follows : in all wisdom* — one
1 Where " forbearing one another in love " is followed by " endeavour ing to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," as the consequence. —ED.
2 " Put on charity, and let the peace of God regulate :" equivalent to, " put on charity, and then the peace of God shall regulate" or, be the regu lator, — ED.
3 Engl. Vers. loses this 'distribution' of the rich indwelling of the word of Christ, by putting a semicolon after wisdom, " Let the word of Christ
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another [savrovg, admonishing yourselves] : ivith grace — in lyour heart, i.e. mutually and apart. In ivisdom, with grace., occur again, ch. iv. 5, 6. — sv trd<f/i <rop/a diddaxovrzc, teaching in all ivis- clom) So it must be construed, comp. ch. i. 28. The nominative, by Syllepsis,2 depends on evoiKsfru, " let the peace dwell in you" i.e. have ye it dwelling in you [and therefore diddff-/.wrt$, agreeing with vest's, is put] ; and this construction is the more suitable on this account, that yiveafa, be ye, which occurs a little before, has possession of the readers mind. — iauroC?, yourselves) one another. There are parallel expressions at ver. 13. — fj,o?s, in Psalms) Eph. v. 19. — sv y^dpin, with grace) %ap/?? |H, Ps. xlv. 3.
17. rio/Sjre, ye do) The word is used in a wide sense, so as also to include the act of speaking. — wavra, all things) viz. do ye. — Iv ovopan, in the name) so that it may be just the same as if Christ were doing it, ver. 11 ; or at least that you may be able to prove all things to Christ [to do all things so as to gain His approval]. The man who can say, 0 Jesus Christ, I have done this in Thy name, certainly proves his conduct to Christ. In the name of Christ, i.e. for the sake of Christ : comp. the following verses. — Bi ad-roD, by Him) not by angels. — Theodo- ritus.