to that forgiving love of God, a love only bestowed on the soul united to Christ by
faith (see esp. Pfleid., Ραμηι., i., p. 175; Hitzm., N.T. Th., ii., pp. 127-129, 138-139; Haring, Δικ. Θεοῦ bet Pazlus, Tubingen, 1896; Kélbing, SK., 1895, 7 ff.; Denney, Expfos., vi., 3, p. 433 ff., 4, Ῥ. 299 ff., Holst., Paulin. Th., pp. 65-66). Vv. 10-11,—CONFORMITY TO CHRIST’S DEATH AND RESURRECTION. — Ver. το. τοῦ γνῶναι. This infinitive οί purpose or motive is frequent in N.T. and later Greek. Among classical authors it is chiefly found in Thucyd., who favours it (see Goodwin, MT., p. 319; Viteau, Le Verbe, p. 169 ff.). It is perhaps connected with the use of the genitive after verbs of aiming, hitting, etc. Paul has already spoken in ver. 8 of the γνῶσις of Christ. This thought again appeals to him, but now as being the natural development of winning Christ and being found in Him. For with Paul this Christian Gnosis is the highest reach of Christian experience. Cf. Wordsworth, Excursion, Bk. iv. :—
For knowledge is delight, and such delight Breeds love : yet suited as it rather is
To thought and to the climbing intellect, It teaches less to love than to adore;
If that be not indeed the highest love.
γνῶσις is the necessary result of intimate communion with Christ. No better com- ment on the thought can be found than Eph. i. 11-20. Cf., as a most instructive parallel, John xvii. 3. The precise force of γνῶναι as opposed to εἰδέναι κ.τ.λ. is admirably brought out by Lft. on Gal. iv. 9, where he shows that yv. (1) has in view “an earlier state of ignorance” or ‘fsome prior facts on which the know- ledge is based,” and (2) contains ‘the ideas of thoroughness, familiarity, or of approbation’. yv. emphasises ‘‘ the pro- cess of redemption”.—rhv δύναμιν τ. ἄνασ. . κοινωνίαν παθημ. . . . συμμορφ. . . . τῷ θανάτῳ. As to read- ings, τήν must be omitted (with the best authorities) before κοιν., because the latter forms one idea with the preceding clause. In the case of τῶν it is more difficult to decide. But the evidence, both external and internal, is, on the whole, against it. συμμορφιζόμενος is clearly right, having unassailable attestation.—In this passage we have the deepestsecrets ofthe Apostle’s Christian experience unveiled. Qui εκ- pertus non fuerit, non intelliget (Anselm). Two experiences are described which can- not be separated: the experimental know- ledge of the believer embraces (1) the power of Christ’s resurrection, (2) the fellowship of His sufferings, conformity to His death, Paul putstheresurrection first,