Tim. i. 8; 1 Pet. i. 5. fChap. xi.21,etc. g Here only. 2, 3). And itis true that νηστεία (see reff.) and νηστεύω are always (outside this Epistle) used of fasting as a devotional observance. But in the parallel passage xi. 27 νηστεῖαι is clearly used of involun- tary abstinences from food; and this meaning seems better to suit the context here also (cf. τ Cor. iv. 11, Phil. iv. 12) (§ 23). The triplet (c), then, means “ in toil, in sleeplessness, in hunger nin
Vv. 6, 7. (ii.) The inward gifts and qualities by the display of which the Christian minister commends himself are now enumerated. (a) We have, first, four graces, each described by a single word: ἐν ἁγνότητι, ἐν γνώσει, ἐν paxpo- θυμίᾳ, ἐν χρηστότητι: in pureness, Sc., not only chastity, but purity of intention and thought in general (cf. chap. vii. 11, Jas. iii. 17, 1 John iii. 3), in knowledge, sc., of Divine things (the λόγος γνώσεως is one of the gifts of the Spirit, 1 Cor. xii. 8), in long-suffering (a grace specially needful for a Christian missionary; in Rom. ii. 4, ix. 22, 1 Tim. i. 16, St. Paul speaks of God's paxpoOvp(a, but generally he applies it to man; see Prov. xxv. 15), in kindness (see reff.; it is a Divine attri- bute in Rom. ii. 4, xi. 22, Eph. ii. 7, Tit. iii. 4; of. Matt. xi. 30).—(b) We have next four qualifications, each described in two words: év πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ μμ. ἐν λόγῳ ἀληθείας, ἐν δυνάμει Θεοῦ: im the Holy Spirit (this ought to stand at the head of the list, but the order in which the various graces are mentioned is determined rather by sound and rhythm than by strictly logical con- siderations), in love unfeigned, sc., love to man, not love to God (see note on chap. v. 14 and cf. ἡ ἀγάπη ἀννπόκριτος, Rom. xii. ο), in the Word of Truth, sc., the message of the Gospel (see reff. and cf. chap. ii. 17, iv. 2), in the Power of God, which (Rom. i. 16, 1 Cor, i. 18) he declares the Gospel itself to be. This, of course, is not the force of the phrase here; nor are we to think solely of ‘‘miraculous” powers (Acts viii. το, I Cor. ii. 5), which were “signs of an Apostle’ (Rom. xv. 19, chap. xii. 12), but of the Divine grace given him for his special work (see τεβ.). “In verbo
d Rom. vi. 13; cf. Rom. xiii. 12; chap. x. hi Tim. iv.1; cf. 2 Tim. iii. 13.
e 1 Chr. xii. 4. κ Reff. i. 13.
ύσει. ies. veritatis, in virtute Dei” may still stand for the watchword of Christian preaching. —(iii.) We have now three clauses be- ginning with διά; the preposition in the
rst of them being instrumental, in the other two expressing a state or condition. —(a) διὰ τῶν ὅπλων τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ ἀριστερῶν: by the weapons of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left, sc., both offensive and defensive armour—the sword on the right and the shield on the left. See Eph. vi. 11, 1 Thess. v. 8 for St. Paul’s more detailed description of “the panoply of God”’; the idea being apparently taken from Wisd. v. 18 ff. ; cf. for ὅπλα δικαιοσύνης Rom. vi. 13.
Ver. 8. (δ) διὰ δόξης καὶ ἀτιμίας, διὰ δυσφημίας καὶ εὐφημίας: by glory (cf. John v. 41) and dishonour, by evil report and good report. To misrepresentation and slander St. Paul was much ar Sc and he evidently felt it deeply (cf. 1 Cor. iv. 12).—(iv.) Finally, he proceeds to specify the charges made against him by his op- ponents; he can afford to neglect them, inasmuch as in each case they are quite opposed to the real facts. Towards the close he adds one or two antitheses to the list, which may not have been directly suggested by the current calumnies about him, but which are yet quite in keeping with the rest. There are seven antitheses in all.—ads πλάνοι καὶ ἀληθεῖς: as de- ceivers (so his opponents said of him, as it was formerly said of his Master, John vii. 12; cf. chap. ii. 17, iv. 2) and yet true. In the Clementines St. Paul is expressly described by his adversaries as πλάνος and as disseminating deceit (πλάνην).