Ver. 15. The special circumstances which called for forbearance (ver. 14) were likely to develop a disposition to retaliate upon those who displayed an ungenerous and insubordinate spirit (e.g., the ara- κτοι); but the injunction has a wider range (eis πάντας, including their fellow- countrymen, ii. 14).
Ver. 16. Tocomment adequately upon these diamond drops (16-18) would be to outline a history ot the Christian experi- ence in its higher levels. π. χαίρετε, cf. Epict., i. 16 (‘‘ Had we understanding, ought we to do anything but sing hymns and bless the Deity and tell of His bene- fits? ... What else can I do, a lame
42
᾿ς ο) lol e Cf.on2 λείπτως προσεύχεσθε, 18. “ἐν παντὶ ᾿ εὐχαριστεῖτε" "τοῦτο γὰρ
Cor. iv. 8.
E aang r A > mos A 2Cor.vi. © θέλημα Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ Ἐσβέννυτε, 20. προφητείας μὴ ἐξουθενεῖτε - 21. πάντα 1 δὲ δοκιμάζετε,
το: Phil.
Ὁ εἰς ὑμᾶς. 19. τὸ πνεῦμα ‘ph
ιν. 6: Clem. \ m Ἂς , χε 5 Ν x ο 15 ~ap2 / θ Rom TO καλὸν KOTEXETE * 22. ἄπο παντος ειθους πονηρου aTTEX ECVE. ΧΧΧ.- ε = ο. ~ viii 4. 23. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης ἁγιάσαι ὑμᾶς “"ὁλοτελεῖς ᾿ καὶ £ Iv. 3. h For ab- ΔῊ ἿΣ sence of article in this constr. see Field, 59-60 on the similar usage in Lk. vii. 30. i ‘ Give over”: μὴ with pres. imper. implies action already begun Moult. i. 122 f. k Contrast 2 Tim. i. 5, and cf. 1 Cor. xiv. 1. πας τῇο ἵνα. m 2 Cor. xiii. 7; Phil. i. το. n Like Job
(Job i. 1, 8, ii. 3). u AN ατα, 16.
ο =‘form” or “sort” (so Jos. Ant. x. 3). r Only here (N.T.), = ὅλους (through and through).
piv. ασ ef. Did; un τὸ
1 After παντα edd. add the disjunctive δε (with almost all MSS. and vss., also Clem., Alex., Paed. iii. 12, 95, exc. ΝΑ, cop., sy™.sch), which became absorbed by
the first syllable of the following word.
old man, than sing hymns toGod?... I exhort you to join in this same song.”’) There is a thread of connection with the foregoing counsel. The unswerving aim οί being good and doing good to all men, is bound up with that faith in God’s un- failing goodness to men which enables the Christian cheerfully to accept the disappointments and sufferings of social life. This faith can only be held by prayer, 7.e., a constant reference of all life’s course to God, and such prayer must be more than mere resignation; it im- plies a spirit of unfailing gratitude to God, instead of any suspicious or rebel- lious attitude.
Ver. 17. ‘‘ Pray always, says the Apostle; that is, have the habit of prayer, turning your thoughts into acts by con- necting them with the idea of the redeem- ing God” (Coleridge, Notes on the Book of Common Prayer), cp. iii. 11, ν. 23.
Ver. 18. Chrysostom, who wrote : τὸ ἀεὶ δηλονότι εὐχαριστεῖν, τοῦτο φιλοσό- gov ψυχῆς, gave a practical illustration of this heroic temper by repeating, as he died in the extreme hardships of an en- forced and painful exile, δόξα τῷ θεῷ πάντων ἕνεκα. For thanksgiving even in bereavement, cf. Aug., Conf., ix. 12; and further, ibid., ix. 7 (tunc hymni et psalmi ut canerentur, secundum morem Orientalium partium, ne populus maeroris taedio contabesceret, institutum est).
Ver. 19. τοῦτο κ.τ.λ. The primary reference is to εὐχαριστεῖτε, but the pre- ceding imperatives are so closely bound up with this, that it is needless to exclude them from the scope of the θέλημα..---ἐν Χ.Ἰ. This glad acceptance of life’s rain and sunshine alike as from the hand of God, Jesus not only exemplified (cf. con- text of μιμηταὶ. . . τοῦ Κυρίου, i. 6) but also enabled all who keep in touch with him to realise. The basis of it
Blass (after K, min., etc.) δοκιμαζοντες.