, Syr., Arm., Goth., Cop., Bas.
made known to him, viz., the way of revelation.—Ka0as προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ: as I wrote afore in few words. The ἐν ὀλίγῳ is wrongly taken by some as = πρὸ ὀλίγου, “a short time before”. It is equivalent to the δι ὀλίγων or the ἐν βραχεῖ, ἐν βραχέσι of classical Greek, and means briefly (cf. Acts xxvi. 28 and the συντόμως in Acts xxiv. 4). But what is the writing referred to? It might be a previous letter now lost (Chrys., Calv., etc.). The aor. might so far favour this, and the ἀναγινώσκοντες of ver. 4, which Meyer thinks excludes it, is not neces- sarily inconsistent with it. The δύνασθε ἀναγινώσκοντες νοῆσαι need not be lim- ited to the reading of the present Epistle, but might equally well apply to the act of reading any other letter, and the terms might suggest indeed a fuller statement of the ‘‘ mystery ” in question than is given anywhere in the first part of this Epistle. The reference, however, might also be to something already said in the present letter, in which case the προέγραψο would have the force of “I have written already above”. This is the generally accepted interpretation, the particular statement in view being that in chap. i. 9, 10, or rather (so Mey., etc.) that in chap. ii. 11-22, in which the inclusion of e Gentiles is the special topic.
Ver. 42 πρὸς ὃ δύνασθε ἀναγινώσ-
γοῆσαι τὴν σύνεσίν µου ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ: in accordance with which, when ye read, ye can per- ceive my understanding in the mystery of the Christ. The ὅ refers to the προγε- γραμμένον indicated in the προέγραψα, the mpés with acc. expressing here, as often, the idea of the standard or measure of the νοῆσαι (Win.-Moult., p. 505 ; Bern- hardy, Synt., p. 205). Wicl. gives “as”; Cov., ‘like as”; Rhem., ‘according as’; Tynd., Gen., AV and RV, “ where- by”. Theaor. νοῆσαι follows the present ἀναγινώσκοντες, the perception being re-
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