Of the flesh. Sensual appetite. The desire which resides in the flesh, not the desire for the flesh. For this subjective usage of the genitive with Just, see John viii. 44; Rom. i. 24; Apoe. xviii. 14. Compare 1 Pet. ii. 11; Titus ii.12. The lust of the flesh involves the appropriation of the desired object. On the flesh, see on John i. 14.
The lust of the eyes. This is included in the lust of the flesh, as a specific manifestation. All merely sensual desires be- long to the economy which “ is not of the Father.” The desire of the eyes does not involve appropriation. It is satisfied with contemplating. It represents a higher type of desire than the desize of the flesh, in that it seeks mental pleasure where the other seeks physical gratification. There is thus a significant hint in this passage that even high artistic gratification may have no fellowship with God.
The pride of life ( ddatovela tod Biov). Rev., vainglory. The word occurs only here and Jas. iv. 16, on which see note. It means, originally, empty, braggart talk or display ; swagger ; and thence an insolent and vain assurance in one’s own re- sources, or in the stability of earthly things, which issues in a contempt of divine laws. The vainglory of life is the vain- glory which belongs to the present life. On Bios life, as dis- tinguished from fw7 life, see on John i. 4.
Of the Father (é« tod watpds). Do not spring forth from the Father. On the expression elvau é« to be of, see on Johni. 46. “ He, therefore, who is always occupied with the cravings of desire and ambition, and is eagerly striving after them, must have all his opinions mortal, and, as far as man can be, must be all of him mortal, because he has cherished his mortal part. But he who has been earnest in the love of knowledge and true wisdom, and has been trained to think that these are the im- mortal and divine things of a man, if he attain truth, must of necessity, as far as human nature is capable of attaining immor- tality, be all immortal, for he is ever attending on the divine power, and having the divinity within him in perfect order, he has a life perfect and divine” (Plato, “Timeus,” 90).