319
ΤΥ τ: ος οὖν aa ἐγὼ ὃ arf ἐν κυρίῳ," cee Matt.
4 περιπατῆσαι 3
b Ch. iii, 1 reff. only, exc. 3 John 6. i. 26; ch. i. 18; Paul only, exc. 2 Pet. i. 1Ο. 1 Chron. xxix. 22 al. fr. I Pet. v. 5; see Ps. cxxx. 2.
τῆς
lev Χριστω SQ Eth.
which the mind of man working with the ideas of time labours to convey the idea of the eternal. The formula may be, as was suggested by Grotius, a combination of two distinct phrases of similar meaning, one in which continuance, endless con- tinuance, is expressed in terms of yeved, γενεαί (cf. eg., Luke i. 50; εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν, or εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς with LTTrWHRYV) ; and another in which the same idea is expressed in terms of αἰών, αἰῶνες (cf. εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων, Rev. xiv. II ; εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, Gal. i. 5, etc.) The peculiarity here is the conjunction of the two formule and the use of the sing. αἰών in the latter; cf. eis TOV αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, 3 Esdr. iv. 38; ἕως αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων, Dan. vii. 18; εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα [τοῦ αἰῶνος], Heb. 1. δ; εἰς ἡμέραν αἰῶνος, 2 Pet. iii. 18. The precise idea underlying the phrase is not quite clear. It may be that the everlasting future is thought of as one long ‘‘ age”’ embracing in it an unnumbered succession of ‘‘ gen- erations’ and making the sum and crown of all possible ‘‘ages”. Or the “age of the ages” may have the force of a super- lative, ‘‘ the age par excellence,” the “age beside which there is none other to be named,” and that regarded as containing in itself all conceivable “' generations ”
More precisely, the idea of the Parousia may be behind all, the age (6 αἰών) being the Messianic age which opens with the Parousia, brings all other ‘‘ages” with the “‘ generations’ belonging to them to an end, and is itself to endure for ever. Thus, as Meyer puts it, the idea is that the glory to’ be given to God in the Church and in Christ its Head is to
‘endure not only up to the Parousia,
but then also ever onward from genera- tion to generation in the Messianic zon —consequently to last not merely eis τὸ παρόν, but also εἰς τὸ ἀΐδιον. The ἀμήν, which occurs so frequently in our Lord’s discourses at the beginning of an affirmation, is used here, as so often in the OT, at the close of the sentence in the sense of so be it (LXX, γένοιτο ; cf. Num. v. 22, εἴο.). It was the people’s assent in OT times to de-
*kdjoews *Hs ἐκλήθητε, 2.
ς Term and constr., Rom. xvi. 2; Phil. i. 27; Col, i. 10; 1 d=Acts xxi. 21 al. fr.; princ. Paul and John.
viii. 5 al. fr.; Rom. Xi. x. Thess. ii. 12; Paul Rom. xi. 29; 1 Cor. Z=Matt. xxviii. 8;
* μετὰ πάσης ‘Ta-
f Attr., ch. i. 7 reff.
h Acts xx. 19 (Paul); Phil. ii. 3; Col. ii. 18, 23, iii. 12; Paul only, exc,
2 περιπατησατε 17.
clarations made at solemn assemblies (Deut. xxvii. 15; Neh. v. 13, viii. 6, εἰς.). It was also their response to the prayers offered in the synagogue, and from 1 Cor. xiv. 16 we gather that this use of the word was continued in the Christian Church.
CHAPTER IV. Vv. 1-16. With the fourth chapter begins the second main di- vision of the Epistle. As in others of Paul’s Epistles the doctrinal statement is followed by the practical enforcement of duty. Doctrinal considerations are at the same time introduced again from point to point in support of the duties enjoined. The hortatory section commences with the earnest recommendation of a life in conformity with the Christian vocation, with special reference to the need οἱ humility, loving consideration and unity.