The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 10

w h"l!e finRl glnry ie llO often presented to prevalenoa1i1Uitm, of n bright,.Joyous state olll' thoughts in this Epistle. To the praise of mind;. and..-tending to incroase ond per- of his glory. For the third tim& in tbill pctui1te the, same. Constantly to recognil!:e paragraph, these or simile.r words Rre intro- God's good'neas in, the pl\St begets a larger daM<i. , In this place the precise meaning expectation· ,of, it in the futlll'e. l!la.ldng is that the consammntion of redemption mention of :you in my prayers, 'rhis seems will be the highest tribute to God's glorv- additiona.l to his giving thanks. "Brol·ers" his infinite excellence will be wonderfully (-rpou,vxwv) refers more to supplicn.tion,and manifested tht-reby. Neither men nor entreaty, While thankful for them,• ·his angels are qualified to apprehend the glori- heart was not satisfied regarding them : ha ous excellence of God in an abstract way; wished them to· forget the tbinge behind. it needs to be revealed, exhibited in acts ond and reach forth to. those before. The apostle's operations. The teaching of this verse is prayers for his spiritual obarge are a,lways thnt it will be manifested with triampl1ant remarkable. They .are. very short, b.ut- brigh lness in the final redemption of the wonderfully deep and comprehensive; very. Chlll'ch, when the ~ans of nntnre shall rich and sublime in aspiration ; powerful in: come to e.n end, and the creation shall be their pleas, whether expressed or 'implied; delfrered from the bondage of corruption e.nd exhaustive in the range of bleBBings into" the glorious liberty of the SOil!l of God n which they implore. ' (Rom . .-iii 21). Ver. 17.-That the God of our Lord J'esns. Yers. 15-23.-I'BAYEB FOR THEIR SPI- Christ, the Father of glory. The invoce.tions BITCAL GBOWTEL c:K. Panl-tbe terms by which he ce.lls on ,er. 15.-Wh.erdora I also, havmg heard God-are always significant, invGlving 11 of the :fai1h among yon in the Lord Jesus, plea for the blessings sought. God, as "the and yom- love which extends to all the saints. God of onr Lord JeBUB Christ," ge.ve to him The " '1rherefore " has reference to their tbe Holy Spirit without measure, and might present standing- in grace, described. in the well. therefore. be asked and expected to. give verses preced.ir.g : since ye have beard, be- the gifts of the ea.me Spirit to those who we:r:e lieved, been sealed, and thereby shown to be "in him "-one with him as members of his in the right line,, I apply myself towards body. Being also the "Father of glory;" promoting yolll' progress. wwuds advancing and having• glorified Jesas, even after his yon t.G the higher stages of the Cluistian suffering, with the glory which he had with life. Speci.e.l mention is made of their faith him before the world began, he .might well and love, as cardinal Cbristia.n graces, to be asked and· expected to glorify his people which elsewhere the apostle adds hope (1 too. May give to yon the Spirit of wisdom ()or. xiii. 13; I Thess. i. 3; 2 Tiless. i. 3). and revelation in the full knowledge of him; The literal expression, •• faith among yon" "Spirit" here is neither exclusively the (-,cr,JJ' vµ.as), indicates that it was a marked Holy Spirit nor the spirit of man, but the social feature, bnt perhaps not universal ; complex idea of the spirit of man dwelt in while their love we.snot mere general amia- and moved by the Spirit of God (Alford). bility, but e. love that embraced tile saints Wisdom seems to denote the general gift oC os such, haviug e. special complacency in spiritual illumination ; revelation, capacity them, and being directed to them all. U of apprehending the revealed-of perceiving it be asked-Dould this knowledge of the the drift and meaning of what God makes condition of his correspondents have been known, so that it me.y be a real revelation to derived from heariay (" having heard") if ns ( comp. Matt. xiii. II). 'E,r11v•fo·., is some; the letter was addressed. to the Ephesians, tbiug more than mere ")'J'c.lu..-full know- among whom l'aul had lived so long, and ledge of Christ, implying that it is in beQom. whose condition he mnst have known by ing better acquainted with Obrist that we J:iersonal intercourse (Acts xi.x. 10; xx. 31)? get the spirit of wisdom and revelation. In we reply that, thougil be derh-ed his first seeking to know Christ more, we are in the e.cquaintance from personal intercourse, it true way to get more insight into all tbat is was some years since he had been a.t Epilesus, Divine (comp. John xiv. 9). The importance and the wcovuas refers to what Le had heard of seeking more knowledge, even after we in the interval (see Introduction). have believed and been sealed by the. Holy Ver. 16.--Cease not to give tha.nb for 8pirit, is here apparent; a growing .know- you. This clause expreBBCs the continuation ledge is a most healthful feature of Christian of a forrner action-the giving tl,anka for !if,,. "Grow in grace, and in the kno.wledge tliem he.d begun before the bearing of their of our Lord and Saviour JesUB Oh11ist (2 faith and love-from the de.ye, iu short, of Pet. iii. 18). . Lis personal intercourse. We notice as a Ver. 18.-That having the• eyes of your remarkable feature of Paal'e personal rcli• hta::"t enlightened. "'l'he eyes of your heart'.' r;ion, as well as his pastoral care, the fre- is an unusual expression, but it denotes that q ne:ur,y of Lio thank;,giying, indicating tho to ,see thinga clearly there is nP.e<le<l, nos CII, I, 1-23.] THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 7