The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 11

merely lumen siccum, but lu~li madiilum achievements, in order to elevate onr con- (t.o borrow terms of Lord Do.con), not merely ceptions of what it is capahle of effecting intellcotunl clenmeee, but more.I suscep- in m. In the prophets we find a similar tibility e.nd warmth-a movement of the enconragement for God's people, in sublime hoart as well e.s,the head (compare the oppo- descriptions of the almighty power of him Hite sto.te, "blindness of the heart," eh. iv. who was working in them and for them 18)1 ·' Ye may lnlow what is the hope of his (Isa. xl. 21, etc.; xlv. 7, etc.). oolling ; the -hope which he c11lle you to Ver. 20.-Which he wrought in Christ, ohorieh. The g1ory'wbich he Invitee yon to when he raised him trom the dead. The look forward to, when Ohriet shall come same power that produced the marvellous again,· how eure • it is and how excellent ! miracle of Christ's resurrection now works How infinitely it eutpo.sees all earthly glory! in the hearts of believers. To appreciate How it at onoe ravishes •and satisfies the this, we mnat bear in mind the e.poetle's heart I, And what the riohee of.the glory of full doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus, his inherite.noe in the ee.inte. If the saints embracing not only the revivifying of his form God's heritage (eeo ver. 11), it me.y be dead body, but the transformation of that a.eked-Where are the riches of God's glory body into a spiritual body, and the consti- in them P But it· is not neceeee.ry to take tuting of Jesus a second Adam, who should the iv To'is a-yfo,s so literally. It may transmit or communicate to his spiritual be rendered, " in reference to the saints." seed both a renewed soul and a glorified The riches of the rriory of his inheritance body, e.s the fl.ret Adam transmitted a sinful in reference to the saints is the riches of the nature and a corruptible body to his natural glory of their privileges as the Lord's ·heri- seed. 'fhe power that accomplished e.11 this tage, or people ; •that is, their privileges a.re now works in believers, and can surely work glorious. But this glory is not limp, limited in them all needed transformation. And -it is wonderfully rich, full, abundant. set him at his owu right hand in the heavenly God gives libere.lly-:-giv"s as e. King, gives places, effecting on him a change a.like glory to 1111 Christ's people. "When Christ, sudden and ma.rvellons : from the cross and who is our life, shall appear, then sh11ll yo the tomb to the throne of glory, from being also appear with him in glory" (Col. iii. 4); ae a worm and no man, to be higher than "Tho glory which thou gavest me I h11vo the kings of the earth-King of kings, and given them." The difference between this Lord of lords. It is frequently represented glory and other glory ie, hum11n glory is often in Scripture that Jesus in heuven is at the unjustly accorded, it passes away with won- right hand of God. There mnst be a spot derful quickness; but this glory is real and in the heavens where his glorified body everlasting. "When the chief Shepherd exists, in immediate contact witli somu sh111l nppear, yo sh11l\ receive a crown of manifestation of the glory of the Fa.ther. glory that fadeth not away.'' There Stephen saw him ; thence he came to Ver. 19.-And what the exoeeding 'great- meet So.nl on the we.y to Damascus; tmd ness of his power toward us who ,believe. A his promise to his people is Where I am, new object of knowledge is hero brought there shall ye be nlso (John xiv. 3). forward-know ledge of a power which works Ver. 21.-Far above all rnle, and puwer, in• 11S-a great power, a Divine power, a and might, and dominion. Separate shades power surpassingly great. The whole of meaning may doubtless be found for energy of, the Divine Being ie turned on to these expressions, bnt the main effect of the our feeble, langnid nature, vivifying, pmify- 11.ccumulation is to expand and deepen the ing, and transforming it, making it wonder- idea of Christ's nniverso.l lorclship. Hnrdly fully e.ctivo where all was feebleness before, anything ie reveo.Ied to us on the various as the turning on of steo.m suddenly wo.kens orders oHhe spiritual powers, unfallen and up a' whole mass of inert··machinery. When fallen; 11.nd the specul11tions on them in we think of the glory otr the inheritance, we which the Fathers used to indulge are of no feel unfit for •it : oui' narrtiw hea.?te, cold value; but whntever mny be true of them, tempera.ments,feebleund dislocntecl faculties, Christ is exulted far 11.bove them oll-far how can they ever be right? Our fenr is above every creature in earth, heaven, or removed when we think of the grentne.ss of hell (comp. Ps. ii.; lxxii.; ex.; Do.n. vii. the Divine power that works in us-God's 18, H, cto.). And every namethe.t is named, power to transform us so tlmt, " though we not only in this world, but also in that ho.ve lien 11.mong the pots, we shall be as the whioh is to oome. The pre-eminence of his wings of a dove covered with silver, nud her Nome is to be eternal. It shall never be fe11thers with yellow gold." According to the eclipsed by any other name, nor shall there working of his mighty power. \Ye ore now ever be a nnme worthy to be coupled with furnished with a. stando.rd and sample of his No.me. In humnn histUl'y we find no the mighty power which energizes in be- name tho.t co.n be fitly coupled with Christ'~. lievers-nro refoned to one of its grandest In the world to come, it shn.11 ever shim~  8 THE EPISTLE 'l'O THE EPHESIANS. [on. L 1-23.