> ” ή > , a OUK εγνω αυτον. 2, αγαπήητοι, γυν
᾿ἐφανερώθη τί ἐσόμεθα: οἴδαμεν δὲ 1 ὅτι ἐὰν φανερωθῇ, ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα, ὅτι ὀψόμεθα αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστι.
> ’ Pa a i , ἐλπίδα ταύτην ‘ew αὐτῷ, * ἁγνίζει ἑαυτόν, καθὼς ἐκεῖνος ' ἁγνός ἐστι.
iii. 21; Exod. xxxiv. 29.
183
τέκνα Θεοῦ ἐσμεν, καὶ οὕπω ον 26, 3
XVii. 25.
d Rom. viii. 16, 17:
e Col. iii. 4; 2 Cor. ΠΠ. 18; Phil.
3. Καὶ πᾶς 6 ἔχων τὴν
Ετ Tim. iv. 10; Acts xxiv. 15; Col. iv. 27; Ps. Ixxviii. 7, cxlvi. 5. g John xi. 55; Acts xxi. 24; James iv. 8; 1 Peter i. 22.
h 2 Cor. xi. 2; 1 Tim. v. 22.
1 $e om. ΝΔΒΟΡ, Syrph, Vg., Sah., Arm., edd.
gift; a wise, holy love, concerned for our highest good; not simply that we may be saved from suffering and loss but ‘in order that we may be styled ‘children of God’”. And wehave not only the name but the character: ‘‘so we are”. Vulg. and Aug. give simus, as though reading ὦμεν for ἐσμὲν : ‘ that we should be styled and be”. Cf. Aug. : ‘“‘Nam qui vocantur et non sunt, quid illis prodest nomen ubi res non est? Quam multi vocantur medici, qui curare non norunt? quam multi vocantur vigiles, qui tota nocte dormiunt?’’ διὰ τοῦτο, not anticipative, of ὅτι, but retrospective: ‘‘ for this rea- son,” viz., because we are children of God. ὅτι explains the inference: ‘ (and no wonder) because it did not recognise Him,” z.e. the Father as revealed in His Son (cf. note on ii. 29). We must accept ‘what our high dignity as children of God involves in a world alienated from God. On 6 κόσμος see note on ii, 15. Cf. Aug. : “Jam cum auditis mundum in mala significatione, non intelligatis nisi dilectores mundi, . . . Ambulabat et ipse Dominus Jesus (Christus, in carne erat Deus, latebat in infirmitate. Et unde non est cognitus ? Quia omnia peccata arguebat in hominibus. Illi amando de- lectationes peccatorum non agnoscebant Deum: amando quod febris suadebat, injuriam medico faciebant.”
Ver. 2. Having spoken of our present dignity, the Apostle goes on to speak of our future destiny. The Incarnation manifested our standing as children of God, but ‘it was not yet manifested what we shall be”. The aorist éda- νερώθη (cf. ἔγνω in previous verse) refers to the historic manifestation in Jesus Christ. The N.T. says nothing definite about the nature of our future glory. With our present faculties we cannot conceive it. It must be experienced to be understood. Jesus simply assures us of the felicity of the Father’s House, and bids us take His word for it (cf. John xiv. 2). ἐὰν φανερωθῇῃ, ‘if (cf. note on ii. 28) it may be manifested,” taking up οὕπω ἐφανερώθη. This obvious connection 1s decisive against the rendering ‘if He shall be manifested” (cf. 11. 28 ; Col. iii. 4).
ὅτι, κ.τ.λ.: What we shall be was not manifested, but this we know that we shall be like Him. And how do we know it? From His promise that “we shall see Him even as He is” (cf. John xvii. 24). The argument is two-fold: (1) Vision of God implies likeness to Him in character and affection (cf. Matt. v. 8); (2) the vision of God transfigures (cf.
_2 Cor. iii. 18), even in this life.
‘“* Ah! the Master is so fair,
His smile so sweet to banished men, That they who meet it unaware
Can never rest on earth again.”
And how will it be when we ‘‘see Him facentoniace | (x (Con. η. τον δε. Augustine expresses much of the Apostle’s thought in a beautiful sentence: ‘‘ Tota vita Christiani boni sanctum desiderium este
Ver.3. The duty which our destiny im- poses. ἐπ) αὐτῷ, ‘resting on Him,” #.e., on Godas Father. Cf. Luke v.5: ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματί σου, “relying on Thy word”. ἐκεῖνος, Christ; see note on ii. 6. ἄγνός also proves that the reference is to Christ. As distinguished from ἅγιος, which im- plies absolute and essential purity, it de- notes purity maintained with effort and fearfulness amid defilements and allure- ments, especially carnal. Cf. Plat. Def.: ayveia εὐλάβεια τῶν πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς ἁμαρτημάτων ' τῆς θεοῦ Tins κατὰ φύσιν θεραπεία. Suid.: ἐπίτασις σωφρο- σύνης. God is called ἅγιος but never Gyvos. Christ is ayvés because of His human experience. The duty of every one in view of his appearing before God, his presentation to the King, is ἁγνίζειν ἑαντόν, like the worshippers before the Feast (John xi. 55), like the people before the Lord’s manifestation at Sinai (Exod. xix. 10-11, LXX). It is his own work, not God’s, or rather it is his and God’s. ΕΙ ΙΙ ποτο. «Απ Videte quemadmodum non abstulit liberum arbi- trium, ut diceret, castificat semetipsum. Quis nos castificat nisi Deus? Sed Deus te nolentem non castificat. Ergo quod adjungis voluntatem tuam Deo, castificas teipsum.”