1 The Germ. Vers. exhibits on the marg. this periphrasis of the pas sage : — " May your Spirit, i.e. you yourselves be most fully preserved ac cording to your spiritual state, which you have attained in respect both of soul and body." In accordance with this view, I may observe, is the fact, that Kvivpot is a heavenly principle — the life from above — linking us to a higher order of beings, and imparted by " the second Adam," who, in 1 Cor. xv. 47, is called £uo7rotouv MM pot,, " a quickening Spirit." Hence wivpa, is seldom if ever found associated with unbelievers. Passages are found where this word is used of good and bad alike " yielding up the Ghost." But these mean rather «' breathed their last," nvtvpa being used simply of the breath. Yvxvj, anima, on the other hand, is the inferior prin ciple, common to bad and good, linking us to the first Adam, the ^ua» ^vyM, living soul ; from which we derive the aupa, •^V^IK.OU , the natural or animal body — a body animated by the -fyvxAt as contrasted with the au^ot, vi/tvftotTixov, body animated with the Spirit, spiritual, which shall be given to the believer hereafter, 1 Cor. xv. 44-47. Comp. Rom. viii. 11 ; Jude 19, ij/v%txoi. — ED.
2 Kiarog, faithful) In this short clause the whole summary of consolation is included. If you will enjoy your calling, rejoice in the faithfulness of Him who will do it.— V. g.
in passing, in the second epistle to the Corinthians, as well as to the Philippians. He does not make this request in the epistle to Timothy and Titus, because he either addressed them, as sons or was sure of their spontaneous intercessions. He did not indeed ask this of the Corinthians in his first epistle, nor of the Gala- tians ; for he required to rebuke them in the exercise of his pater nal authority. — V. g.]
27. 'Of/t/£w vtuag, I adjure you) In the Old Testament Moses and the prophets were publicly read. In the New Testament this epistle, as being the first of all that Paul wrote, is, as a sample of what they should do in the case of the others, recom mended to be publicly read, as afterward the Apocalypse, ch. i. 3. This was the very important reason, why Paul so adjured the Thessalonians [and these too so greatly beloved by him. — V. g.] ; and there had been seme danger, lest they should think, that the epistle should be concealed on account of the praises given to themselves. — rbv Kvpiov, the Lord) Christ. The divine worship of invocation is presented to Him, Ps. Ixiii. 12 (11). — fl-acv, to all) at Thessalonica, or even in the whole of Macedonia. — ddt\<po?$, the brethren) The dative, in the strict force of it. The epistle was to be read, whilst all gave ear to it [in the hearing of all], especially those, who could not read it them selves ; women and children not being excluded. Comp. Deut. xxxi. 12 ; Josh. viii. 33, 34. What Paid commands with an adjuration, Rome forbids under a curse. [Those who stealthily take away the Scripture, and render the reading of the word of God so difficult to the common people, beyond all doubt deal un fairly in their own treatment of it (they must themselves in their mode of handling it evade its meaning by subterfuges and per versions) ; they therefore are shunners of the light. But how sadly will they be struck dumb, when the Judge shall inquire, Why have you so violently forbidden others to read My word ? Why did you take it from those, who would have used it better than your selves ? " It would be desirable (and this is the remark of a Wittemberg divine of high character) that in many places, and those too of a more exalted condition, instead of the sacred prayers, which seem to be often more numerous than was suit able, the reading of certain chapters of sacred Scripture should be appointed in the Church, and should be a solemn and regular