as force, mastery, power as shown in_
action: ἰσχύς is power as inherent,
as possessed, but passive. The phrase, therefore, means “the efficiency of the active power which expresses inherent might". This again is best understood as defining the whole preceding state- ment, not as belonging simply to the πιστεύοντας. For, while the idea that our faith is the result of God’s power, is clearly expressed elsewhere {ε.β., Col.
a
190-21,
277
τοῦ "κράτους τῆς "ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ, 20. "ἣν "ἐνήργησεν]1 ἐν τῷ χριστῷ, t Ch. vi. το
3 , τς a! νά ἐγείρας αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν,
Υ ἐπουρανίοις ὃ 21. “ὑπεράνω πάσης
“δυνάμεως καὶ ἆ κυριότητος καὶ παντὸς “ ὀνόματος ὀνομαζομένου
u Ver. 11 reff. intrans., see 2 Thess. ii. 4 reff. ix. 5 only; Deut. xxvi. 19. Tit. iii. 1. Rev. iii. 5. 2 Tim. ii. 19 only.
καὶ ἢ ἐκάθισεν 2 * ἐν δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς
ἀρχῆς καὶ Ὁ ἐξουσίας ὁ καὶ
ν Constr., Col. i. 21, 26; Heb. viii. 10; 2 John 2. x=Rom. viii. 34 reff. abc=Luke xii. 11; Rom. viii. 38; 1 Cor. xv. 24; Col. i. 16, ii. 15; ἃ Col. i. 16; 2 Pet. ii. το; Jude 8 only 1. f Luke vi. 13, 14; Acts xix. 13; Rom. xv. 20; 1 Cor. v. 1,11; ch. fii. 15, v. 13;
only ; Isa. χ]. 26 Dan. iv, 27; see Col. i. rz; 2 Thess. i. 9.
w Trans,, 1 Cor. vi. 4 only; y Ver. 3 reff. z Ch. iv. 10; Heb,
- > t
e=Acts iv. 12; Phil. ii.g; Heb. i. 4;
1ενηργηκεν AB, Euth., Cyr., Procop.; text }DEFGKLP, MSS. appy. (Vss. and Lat. Fathers ambiguous), Eus., Cyr., Chr., Thdrt., Dam., al. :
* For εκαθισεν, καθισας SAB το, 17, 23, 57, 80, al.jo, Eus., Cyr., Procop., Tert., Jer., Ambr., Pel. ; text rest of MSS., Mss,, it., Copt., Goth., Chr., Thdrt., Dam., Thl.,
Oec., al. Lat. Fathers.
3 For επουρ., ουρανοις B, 71, 213, Hil.
ii, 12), that is not what is in view here: The κατά is best taken here in its proper sense of measure, standard or proportion. What the clause sets before us, therefore, is that the measure of that surpassing power of God which is the guarantee of our hope, is the operation of the exertion of the might that dwells in God as seen in the historical case instanced in the following sentence, viz., the resurrection and exaltation of Christ.
Ver. 20. ἣν ἐνήργησεν ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐγείρας αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν; which He wrought in the Christ when He raised Him from the dead. The ἣν refers to the preceding ἐνέργειαν. The documentary authorities vary between the ἐνήργησεν of the TR (after ΝΡΕΚΙ,, etc.) and ἐνήργηκεν which is the reading of BA, etc., and is preferred by LTTr (marg.) WH (with the other in margin). The aorist is more in keeping with the definite historical event referred to; the succeed- ing aorists on the other hand favour the perfect, making it the more difficult reading to account for. Here again the article with the Χριστῷ may give it the official sense “πε Christ”. This is the more probable in view of the use of the év as well as the relation of the statement to the hope and the inheritance. The surpassing power of God was not only manifested in the case of our Lord, but was wrought in Him, and in Him not as an individual member of the race, but as ‘‘the Christ,’ the Anointed of God, in whom we are represented and have our Head. The result of that working of God’s energy in Him was His resurrection from the dead—an event which, as Paul uniformly teaches, had a power not for Himself only but for us. The ἐγείρας
After καθισας insert αυτον $A 17, 23, 57, 80, al., Copt., al., Eus., Procop.,
4 efovoias και αρχης Β.
may have the force (coincidence in time) given it by the AV and the RV, etc., ‘‘when he raised Him”; or it may be better taken as the defining, explan- atory aor. (as in γνωρίσας; ver. 9), “in that He raised Him”.—kai ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ: and seated Him on His right hand. The ἐκάθισεν of the TR, supported by such MSS. as DFKL, the Copt. and Goth. Versions, etc., must give place to καθίσας, the reading of BWA 17, etc., adopted by LTTrWHRV. A few authorities (ΝΑ 17, etc.) insert αὐτόν before ἐν δεξιᾷς The exaltation to the place of honour and authority following the resurrection is a further witness to what the ἐνέργεια of God can effect.—év τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις: in the heavenlies. That the phrase has the local sense here (cf. on ver. 3 above) is made abundantly clear by the terms ἐγείρας, καθίσας, ἐν δεξιᾷ --- 41] terms with a local reference. The phrase οὐρανοῖς indeed is found instead of ἐπουρανίοις in a few ancient authorities (B, Hil., Vict.).