Cov. Test., ‘ sincerely” ; ν. Cran., ‘‘unfeignedly’’. This would be expressed by ἀφθορία or some similar term (cf. Tit. ii. 7). Nor can it be simply identified with all imperishable being in this life or in the other (Bleek, Olsh., Matthies, etc.); nor yet again with ἐν ἀφθάρτοις on the analogy of ἐν ᾿πονρανίοις, as if it described the sphere of the ἀγάπη. There remains the qualitative sense of “‘imperishableness’’ (Mey., Ell., Alf., Abb., and most), which best suits lin- guistic use, the sense of the adj. ἄφθαρ- τος (cf. Rom. i. 23; 1 Cor. ix. 25, xv. 52; 1 Tim. i. 17; 1 Pet. i. 4, 23, iii. 4), and the application here in connection with the grace of love. The ἐν, therefore, is not to be loosely dealt with, as if = «ls (Beza, as if it meant the same as els τὸν αἰῶνα), or διά (Theophy.), or ὑπέρ (Chrys.), or even μετά (Theodor.); but has its proper force of the element Οἱ
23—24.
manney in which the love is cherished. Further, the simplest and most obvious connection is with the ἀγαπώντων, as it is taken by most, including Chrys., Theod., and the other Greek comment- ators. Some, however, connect the phrase with ἡ χάρις, as = “grace be with all in eternity” (Bez., Beng., Matthies), or, ‘‘in all imperishable being” (Harl.), or as a short way of saying ‘‘grace be with all that they may have eternal [π᾿ (Olsh.). This construction, though strongly advo- cated recently by Von Soden, fails to give a clear and satisfactory sense, or one wholly accordant with the use of ἀφθαρ- σία; while there is against it also the fact that the defined noun and the defining phrase would be further apart than is usual in benedictions. Still less reason is there to connect the phrase immediately with τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν as if it described Christ as zmmortal (Wetst., etc.)—a construction both linguistically and grammatically (in the absence of τὸν before ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ) questionable. The phrase, therefore, defines the way