336
oCh.i.22 ὅς ἐστιν ἡ “κεφαλὴ, χριστὸς, 16. ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα "συναρμολο- reff. ᾿ 9 r o a. 8 δ
p Ch ἢ. 2x γούμενον καὶ «συμβιβαζόμενον διὰ πάσης ᾿ ἁφῆς τῆς " ἐπιχορηγίας on
'y. q Col. ii. 19 only; Isa. xl. 14 al.
r Col. ii. 19 only.
s Phil. i. 19 only
1ο Xp. DG, etc. ; omit ο ABC 17, 673, 73, Bas., Cyr., Did., Dam.
we can grow. But while it is true that the growth which is set before us as our aim depends wholly on our remaining in living relation to Christ, the phrase els αὐτόν can scarcely bear this out, but, as restricted by Meyer, would mean only “as regards him”. The εἰς αὐτόν must have a more definite sense. It might mean “into him” (AV, RV, EIL., etc.), in the sense of becoming wholly incor- porated in Him, or made one with Him, or in the sense of growing till our life has “its centre in Him,” as Ell. would put it. But this is an idea difficult to grasp, and not quite in harmony with the conception of Christ as Head. For the members to grow into the head is not a congruous idea. It is best, therefore, to give els the sense of “‘unto,” Christ the Head being the end and object of the growth of the members. This means more than that we are to grow into re- semblance to Him, or that our growth is be according to His example. It means that as He is the source from which (ἐξ οὗ, ver. 16) the grace or power comes that makes it possible for us to grow, He is also the object and goal to which our growth in its every stage must look and is to be directed. This is more in harmony with the previous εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον and els μέτρον ἡλικίας, κ.τ.λ. The extent or scope of this growing into Christ is expressed by τὰ πάντα (the acc. of def. or acc. of quantitative object. ; cf. Kriiger, Sprachl., ὃ 46, 5, 4), = in all that belongs to our growth; in all the power and circumstances of our growth. The simple πάντα is so used in 1 Cor. ix. 25, X. 33, xi. 2. Here τὰ πάντα is in place, the idea being, as Meyer rightly observes, the definite idea of all the points in which we grow.—bs ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, ὁ Χριστός: who is the head even Christ. With DGKL, Chrys., etc., the TR reads ὁ Χριστός. Thearticle is rightly omitted, however, by LTTrWHRV on the author- ity of the oldest and best MSS., BRAC, with Bas., Cyr., etc. Instead of the or- dinary form of direct apposition els αὐτὸν, Χριστόν, the relative form is adopted, probably with a view both to emphasis, and to definiteness in the connection with ἐξ οὗ, κ.τ.λ. Such constructions were usual in Greek of all periods; οὕ.
Win.-Moult., p. 665; also 2 Cor. x. 13; Plato, Afol., p. 41 A; Eur., Hec., 764. Ver. 16. ἐξ οὗ wav σῶμα: from whom the whole body. Statement of the relation of the whole, following that already made regarding the several mem- bers. πᾶν τὸ σῶμα looks back on the οἱ πάντες. The ἐξ has its proper force of origin (cf. 1 Cor. viii. 6; 2 ΝΣ ἃ xiii. 4, and especially the precise parallel in Col. ii, το), and cannot be reduced to mean per quem (Morus.,etc.). All growth in the body has its source in Christ, the
Head.—ovvappodoyovpevoy καὶ bla βαζόμενον: ae fitly framed together and compacted. Or, as RV, “ fitly framed and knit together". The participles are presents, as expressing a process that is going on. For the former see on chap. ii. 21 above. The latter, to which TWH give the form συνβιβαζόμενον, expresses the general idea of putting together, but with various shades of meaning, ¢.g., reconciling one to another (Herod., i., 74); considering or concluding (Acts xvi. 10) ; demonstrating (Acts ix. 22) ; instruc- ting (1 Cor. ii. 16) ; and (as here and in Col. ii. το) compacting or knitting together into one whole. Distinctions have been drawn between the two terms; ¢.g., by Bengel, who took the