118
meee of. τὴν ὑμῶν * κατάρτισιν.
10. διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα ἀπὼν γράφω, ἵνα
Ἐρδ. ἵν, παρὼν ph ᾿ ἀποτόμως χρήσωμαι 3 κατὰ τὴν ἢ ἐξουσίαν ἣν ἔδωκέ ὃ
14, 1
Thess. iii. μοι ὁ Κύριος εἰς ” οἰκοδομὴν, καὶ οὐκ εἰς 7 καθαίρεσιν.
x Tit. i. 13
11. "Λοιπὸν, ἀδελφοὶ, χαίρετε, "καταρτίζεσθε, παρακαλεῖσθε, " τὸ "
ly; ‘ > Wisd. ν. αὐτὸ "φρονεῖτε, “ εἰρηνεύετε : καὶ ὁ “Θεὸς τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ “ εἰρήνης
22 only.
y Ref. x.8. ἔσται μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν. 12. “᾿Ασπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν " ἁγίῳ ® * φιλήματι.
z Phil. iii. 1, iv. 8; 1 Thess. iv. 1. 16, xv. 5; Phil. ii. 2, iv. 2.
ο Rom. xvi. 16; 1 Cor. xvi. 20; 1 Thess. v. 27; cf. 1 Pet. ν. 14.
1 DEG and the Latins give py παρων.
a Rom. ix. 22; 1 Cor. i. 10; Gal. vi. 1; 1 Thess. iii. το, b Rom. xii. c Mark ix. 50; Rom. xii. 18; 1 Thess. v. 13. d Rom. xv. 33 2 DEGP have χρησομαι-
3 KL and the Syriac support the order εδ. μοι ο Kvp. (from x. 8) ; better ο Κυρ. εδ.
μοι with RABDEGP, the *A om. το αντο φρονειτε.
atin and Bohairic vss.
°G 17, 73, 6 give της ειρήνης for της ay. και ειρ.; DEL give της ειρ. και της
αγαπης. ® AGL, f, 6, vg. give εν φιλημ- αγιω.
xii. το, and cf. 1 Cor. iv. 10).---τοῦτο δὲ καὶ κιτ.λ. : this we also pray for (and not merely rejoice in), vis., your perfecting (cf. ver. 11).
Ver. 10. διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα κ.τ.λ. : for this cause I write these things, {κει this letter, while absent that I may not when present (cf. ii. 3) deal sharply (we must understand ὑμῖν after χρήσωμαι, as at Esth. i. το, ix. 27) according to the author- ity which the Lord gave me for building up and not for casting down. The last clause is repeated verbatim from x. 8.
CONCLUSION.—VV. 11-13, FINAL Ex- HORTATIONS, SALUTATIONS AND BENEDIC- TION.—Ver. 11. λοιπὸν, ἀδελφοὶ κ.τ.λ. : finally, brethren (λοιπόν strictly = “from henceforth,” but is used vaguely, as in reff. for“ finally". ‘‘ Well, then,” is its nearest equivalent as used in Modern Greek) rejoice (as at Phil iii. 1, iv. 4, 1 Thess. v. 16 and everywhere in the Paul- ine Epp. where the word occurs; the ring ror of the A.V. “ farewell” cannot be justified. ‘‘ Farewell” would be ἔρρωσθε), be perfected (see reff. and cf. Lightfoot on 1 Thess. iii. 10), be com- forted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and then the God of Love (this phrase is only found here in N.T., but cf. 1 John iv. 8) and Peace shall be with you. In these exhortations we have a summary of the whole letter: (1) Rejoice in the grace you have received (i. 24, ii. 3) even as I do on your behalf (vii. 7, 9, 16, xiii. 9). (2) Be perfected, go on to perfection (vi. I, 13, Vii. 1, 11, ix. 8, xii. το, xiii. 9), the word καταρτίζεσθαι being used as at Gal. vi. 1 of gradual amendment after a grave fault. (3) Be comforted, the keynote of
the early part of the Epistle (see on i. 4 and cf. especially i. 4, 6, vii. 7). (4) Be of the same mind, live in peace (xii. 20). With the whole may be compared 1 Cor. i, 10, παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς... αὐτὸ λέγητε πάντες καὶ μὴ σχίσματα, ἦτε δὲ κατηρτ οι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ νοῖ καὶ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ.
Ver, 12. ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλ. κ.τ.λ. : salute one another with a holy kiss. This common form of Eastern salutation became at an early date part of the ritual of Christian worship, as indicating the brotherhood of the faithful in the family of God. So early as Justin (Afol., i., 65) we read of the ‘kiss of peace” in the service of the Eucharist.—éomd{. tp. κ.τ.λ.; all the saints, sc., all from Mace- donia where the Apostle was, salute you (cf. Phil. iv. 22).