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the other view. In effect Paul says, “You are worshipping angels who were degraded when Christ was crucified”. We may therefore take apy. κ. ἐξ, as in the rest of the Epistle, as angelic powers, identical with στοιχεῖα τ. κόσμου, and holding a special relation to the Law. The next question is as to the meaning of ἀπεκδ. Thetranslation “having put off His body ’’ may be safely set aside, for Paul must have said this if he had meant it. The Greek commentators, followed by Ellicott and Lightfoot, interpret “' having put off from Himself”. The word is used in this sense in iii. 9. They explain that Christ divested Himself ofthe powers of evil that gathered about Him, since He assumed our humanity with all its temptations. But (apart from the change of subject) the change of metaphor is very awkward from stripping off adversaries, like clothes, to exhibiting and triumphing over them. Morecogentis the objection caused by the strangeness of the idea. Christ wore our human nature with its liability totemptation. But that He wore evil spirits is a different and indeed most objectionable idea. The same transla- tion is adopted by some who take the other view of ἄρχ. κ. ἐξ.» and the expla- nation given is that God in the death of Christ divested Himself of angelic media- tors. This is free from the impropriety of the other view, but shares its incon- gruity of metaphor. The more usual translation is ‘spoiled’. The middle can mean ‘‘ stripped for Himself,” and this again suits either view of apy. κ. ἐξ. If evil spirits, they are stripped of their dominion; but if angels of the Law, they are despoiled of the dominion they exer- cise. This view, though stigmatised by Zahn as ‘an inexcusable caprice,” is probably best. They are fallen poten- tates. There is no need to worship them, or to fear their vengeance, if their com- mands are disobeyed. With the true interpretation of this passage, every reason disappears for assuming that Christ is the subject.—éSerypatioev ἐν παρρησίᾳ. “' He made a show of them openly.” No exhibition in disgrace is necessarily implied. The principalities and powers are exhibited in their true position of inferiority, as mediators of an abolished Law and rulers of elements to which Christians have died. ἐν παρ. is not to be translated ‘‘ boldly,” for courage is not needed to exhibit those who are spoiled. The word is contrasted with ‘‘reserve,” and indicates the frank, open exhibition of the angels in their true posi- tion when the bond was cancelled and
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5 Only here and Rom. xiv. 17; John vi.