of the aeons (ages) — be glory, throughout the aeons of aeons"]. But if there be any doubt, whether those who taught another doctrine used the word ceons already at that time, the wisdom of God [" the only wise God," ver. 17] should be the more ad mired, which confutes (by anticipation) words not yet framed ; comp. note to Matt. xxvi. 27. ysvta and a/av are kindred words. The more inquisitive Jews had at that time very much mixed themselves up with the Gentiles. Paul casts no reproach on civil genealogies : he puts fables before this word ; a fact quite inconsistent with his meaning the genealogies of families, which were evidently uotfalulous. At least Paul would not have cared whether they were true or false. There was on the part of those men a certain degree of boasting, that they can search more deeply than others into the mysteries contained in the law — a circumstance which greatly impeded the power of the Gos pel, especially around Ephesus. — ^njtfg/g, questions) Questions to be terminated by no decision, nothing at all desirable ; pure truth is profitable. Coinp. on these, and on " strifes about words," ch. vi. 4 ; 2 Tim. ii. 14, 23, 24 ; and presently after, ver. 6, 7 ; Tit. iii. 9. — olxovo^iav 0goD) [godly edifying]. OJKOVO- fiia, in this passage, implies the act, not the state ; moreover, the constant act [* edifying']. Where time is wasted in useless questions) there the necessary and salutary functions in the house1 of God are neglected.
5. To r&og, the end) to which all things tend. The article denotes the subject. Whoever rightly looks to the end, cannot suffer his energies to be diffused on other things. Paul does not, even to Timothy, write about profound mysteries in parti cular, in order that he may the rather rebuke the Gentiles ; the governor of a church ought to look to the things which are ne cessary, not to such as are sublime (too high-flown), in discharg ing the duties of his office. — rr^ Kupayys/Jag, of the command ment) which you ought to urge upon men at Ephesus, ver. 3, 18. — ayd<7rv, love) The foundation is faith, ver. 4 : the end is love, ver. 14; Tit. iii. 15. Contentions are unfavourable to this love. — zadapag, pure) 2 Tim. ii. 22 ; Tit. i. 15. — tfui/g/^tfewg aya<%, a good conscience) clj. iii. 9 ; 2 Tim. i. 3 ; 1 John iii.
1 In allusion to the derivation of oix,ovof*,i» from ofxoj- and vtpu. So sedi- ficatio, edification, from sedes facere. —ED.