Ver. 6. μείζονα δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν: these words further emphasise the developed doctrine of the Spirit re- ferred to above; they point to the nature of divine grace, which is almost illimitable. These verses, 5, 6, witness in a striking way to the Christian doctrine of grace, and herein breathe a different spirit from that found in most of the Epistle.—é Geass): yapuve ο Sir x. 7. 12; 18; Pss. of Sol. ii. 25, iv. 28; the quota- tion is also found in 1 Pet. v. 5; taken with the preceding it teaches the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Ephrem Syrus quotes this as a saying of Christ’s (OPP. 11. 93 E., ed. Assemani; quoted by Resch, of. cit., p. 199).
Ver. 7. ὑποτάγητε οὖν τῷ Θεῷ: Cf. Heb. xii. 9, οὐ πολὺ μᾶλλον ὑποταγησόμεθα τῷ πατρὶ τῶν πνευμά- των καὶ ζήσομεν. It is not a question of subjection either to God or the devil, but rather one of the choice between self-will and God’s will; it is the proud spirit that has to be ουτρεά..-ἀἀντίστητε δὲ τῷ διαβόλῳ, καὶ φεύξεται ad’ ὑμῶν: the two ideas contained in these words are very Jewish; in the first place, the withstanding of the devil is repre- sented as being within the competence of man ; the more specifically Christian way of putting the matter is best seen by comparing the words before us with the two following passages: Luke x. 17, Ὑπέστρεψαν δὲ . . . λέγοντες κύριε, καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια ὑποτάσσεται ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου. And the passage in 1 Pet. ν. 6 ff. which is parallel to the one before us, is prefaced by the words, ‘‘Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He careth for you,” and followed by the words, “And the God of all grace shall Himself per- fect, stablish, strengthen you”. The