428
f Gal. ii. 20; ry pero τὸ ἀποθανεῖν,
κέρϑος.
Rom. viii. © ἔργου 1 - καὶ τί αἱρήσομαι 3 οὐ ἢ γνωρίζω.
22. εἰ δὲ τὸ ζῆν ἐν ' σαρκί, τοῦτό μοι καρπὸς
23. ᾿συνέχοµαι γὰρ ὃ ἐκ
Β See note τῶν δύο, Thy "ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχων εἰς * τὸ ' ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι,
k Appar. the only N.T. ex. of this
h 1 Cor. xii. 3, xv. 1; Gal. i. rx al. i Luke xii. 50; cf.2Cor.v. 14. constrn. 1 Also in Luke xii. 36 =return. Noun in2 Tim. iv. 6.
1 FG, O.L. vg., Irenint., Victorin., Ambrst., al. add εστιν. W.H. read epyov,—.
2 Batpnowpa. Blass τι αιρησοµαι; so W.H. mg. 8 So some minn., Thdrt. Edd. δε with NABDEFGKLP, O.L, vg. go. Βγτρ. zth.
sah., Chr., Euth.cod., Victorin., Ambrst. * DEFG om. εἰς.
of thought, inclined to admit. To the Jewish mind non-existence was certainly one of the most terrible ideas conceiv- able.] If life meant for Paul wealth, power, self-gratification and the like, then death would loom in front of him with terror. But life for Aim means Christ. He is one with his Lord. And he knows that death itself cannot break
that union, it can only make it more com-"
plete (because death is σὺν X. εἶναι, ver. 23). Thus it must be actual gain, a definite addition to his joy. Contrast the thought of Apoc. of Bar., xiy., 12, in some degree similar: “τῆς righteous justly hope for the end, and without fear depart from this habitation, because they have with thee a store of works preserved in treasuries ".--κέρδος. Cf. Wisd. iii. 2, ἔδοξαν ἐν is ἀφρόνων τεθνάναι, καὶ ἐλογίσθη κάκωσις ἡ ἔξοδος αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν πορεία σύντριμμα" οἱ δέ εἰσιν ἐν εἰρήνῃ. In sharp contrast to Paul's statement, cf. Libanius, Orat., Xxvi., Ῥ. 595 A (quoted by Wetstein) : πάντως ols βαρὺ τὸ ζῇν κέρδος ὁ θάνατος. See numerous apt illustrations in Wet- stein.
Ver. 22. To show the diversities of interpretation to which this verse has πον rise, it is enough to note that in the
rst clause Hpt. would supply ζῇν ἐστιν, while Ws, suggests κέρδος. Others regard the first two clauses as protasis (τοῦτο summing up the words preceding), making the apodosis begin with καί. The con- text suggests an explanation more simple and more natural. Paul has sought to convince them that death has no terror for him; that, on the contrary, it is pure gain. Yet he will not have them suppose that therefore life on earth (ἐν σαρκί, life with the encumbrance of sinful flesh) is a burden anda trouble. In the circum- stances, as he points out immediately, it is probably best for him and them. And
Trg. yap in mg.
he will give a preliminary hint of this. Must we not supply μοί ἐστι, in thought, in the first clause? This is suggested both by ἐμοί preceding and by the μοι which follows. ἐστί has to be supplied, admittedly, in both clauses of ver. 21. There is no greater difficulty in doing so here. ‘ But if life in the flesh be my portion, this means (so we must also translate the ἐστί supplied in first clause of ver. 21) for me fruit of (i.¢., springing from) labour.” τὸ ζῇν is qualified by ἐν σ., because the Apostle felt that he could not regard physical death as quenching his life. Death only meant fuller life, therefore he must define when he wishes to speak of life on this earth.—c ἔργον. For the phrase see Ps. ciii. (civ.) 13, ἀπὸ καρποῦ τῶν ἔργων σον χο - σεται ἡ γῆ; Wisd. iil. 15, ἀγαθῶ ρ πόνων ὁ καρπὸς εὐκλεής. Aptly Thphyl., καὶ τὸ ζῇν ἐν σαρκὶ οὐκ ἄκαρπόν μοί ἐστιν" καρποφορῶ γὰρ διδάσκων καὶ φωτίζων πάντας. -- τί αἱρήσ. τί has practically ousted πότερον from N.T. It is quite natural to have the fut. indicat. in a deliberative sentence.—yvwpifw. Its invariable meaning in Ν.Τ, = ‘make known". This sense suits almost every instance in LXX. So here, “I do not make known,” “1 cannot tell”.