Ver. 7. Duty of husbands to their wives. Application of principle πάντας τιµήσατε.- κατὰ γνῶσιν, for the
, lol - παν ὁμοίως συνοι κοῦντες κατὰ γνῶσι
τῶ γυναικείω dao
χάριτος ζωῆς εἰς τὸ τὸ δὲ τέλος, πάντες ὁ
εὔσπλαγ Ἅνοι ταπεινόφρονες :
ἢ λοιδορί αν ἀντὶ λοιδορίας: τοῦ
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woman is the weaker vessel—the pot— which the stronger—the cauldron—may easily smash (Sir. xiii. 2). @s, κ.τ.λ. point with comma after γνῶσιν and τιμήν. σκεύει. The comparison of Creator and creature to potter and clay is found first in Isa. xxix. 16, but is latent in the
description of the creation (4 5) of Adam from the dust of the earth (Gen. ii. 7 f.). In the prophets it is developed and applied variously (Isa. xlv. 9 f., Ixiv. 8; Jer. xviii. 6). In Sap. xv. 7, there is an elaborate description of the maker of clay images, in which σκεΌος replaces πλάσμα and vessels which serve clean uses are distinguished from the contrary sort. Thence St. Paul adopts the figure and employs it to illustrate the absolute sovereignty of the Creator, as Isaiah had done (see Rom. ix. 21), distinguishing vessels intended for honour from those in- tended for dishonour. Lastly 2 Tim. ii. 20 exemplifies the particular application of the figure, on which Peter’s use of okevos τεςίς---ἐν µεγάλῃ δὲ οἰκίᾳ (x Peter li. 5, iv. 17). . « κ.τ.λ. The comparative ἀσθενεστέρῳ proves that both husband and wife are vessels and assists to exclude the notion that St. Paul could mean to calla wife the vessel of her husband in t Thess. iv. 4.-ὡς .. . ζωῆς, inasmuch as they are also heirs with you of the grace (i. 10, 13) of life (ii. 24): the heavenly inheritance is not distributed ac- cording to earthly custom, which gave the wife no rights of her own.—ets... ὑμῶν. If the prayers are those of all (ver. 8) compare 1 Cor. vii. (τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἀποδιδότω . . . ἵνα σχολάσητε τῇ προ- σευχᾖῃ). Peter teaches that married life need not—if the wife be properly hon- oured—hinder religious duties, as St. Paul feared (ib. 32 ff.). If ἡμῶν = you husbands (as v.1, συγκληρονόµοι requires) cf. Jas. v. 4.
Vy. 8 f. Sweeping clause addressed to all, inculcating detailed φιλαδελφία after Rom. xii. 10, 15-17.
Ver. δ. τὸ . . . τέλος, finally. Oecumenius brings out the possible con- notations of the word goal and also the