The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 135

a family thl're enters the idea of n hMd with a certain subordination to the head. There also eate.rs the idea of a srecial affection existing between tho members of the same family. X,,w, t!,e whole of this conceptfon hns its oridnation in Godhead. It is fn,m G,-.i that ..m~r:· family in heaven and on earth is nam~d. \Vo find Father nnd Son exi~ting from eternity. "I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or e~er the earth wa.s. •.• \,hen he appointed the foundations of the earth, then I wns by him, as one brought up with him: and I wns daily his delight, rejoicing nlwnys beforo him." And angels and men have been constituted aft.er this pattern, in order that they may be familiarized with the truth of God's fatherhood, and in order that they may know in what close relationship he would have them stand to him. And where the family is thus "named" after God, how becoming to worship him as the God of families, and specially as the God of our family ! Ill. Tmc MEASURE ACCORDING TO wmcH BLESSING IS ASKED, "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory." There is n certain expectation of favours and donations from people according to their rank and wealth. There is a style of giving which is known a.s pr-incel,y. The apostle supposes that the glory of God, which infinitely transcends all human glory, which is infinitely dch in the meeting of all perfections,-that all this glory m,ea11,S infinite power to bless, to. which his creatures may look. His conception of God is sublime, that he grants according to the riches of his ~Jory. He grants, not like a being of limited powers, but like himself. He is glor;neJ in bestowin?; large blessings upon his people. He who came forth from God and knew the glory of God, said," Hitherto have ye asked nothing. .. Thou art coming to a King; Large petitions with thee bring; For his grace and power ere such, None am ever a.sk too much." IV. Tim PB.AYER IN FIVE PETITIONS. These petitions follow each other in natural order, and we are carried forward from the point where our need begins to the point where it is ail filled up. It is a suitable prayer for Christians, to be used often, even as the Lord's Prayer. First petition-" That ye may be strengthened with power through his Spfritin the inward man." The destination of the strength is the inward man. As it were, it goes past the outward man, and reaches to the inward man. The outward man "decays;" the inward man needs to be "renewed day by day.'' The apostle touches where our need begins, viz. in an inertness in the inward man. We are not disposed to exert ourselves spiritually. The outward has too much influence in our life, and works to our inward weakening. We need strength to counteract our inert- ness, arid to deliver us from too outward a life. Now, there is all strength in God. This is part of the riches of his glory. And his Spirit is the mediating agent between his strength and our weakness. And what we have to ask God to do for us is, that, through his Spirit, he would infuse strength into our weak inner nature. Second petuion-'" Ti.rzt (Jhrist may dwell in your hearts through faith." The supplies of strength whi6 we get from God through the Spirit find their way into our faith to its great.er actinty. This faith is an exc:rcise of the mind specially directed toward. Chmt for w-Christ in wha.t he was and still is as our Surety. The result is the indwellfr1gof Cl,rist in 01J.r hearts. We dwell within (as is suggested by "inward man"); bnt within us (far in as we are) dwells Christ. He dwells in our hearts (the inward man viewed from the side of the aUections), where he receives our love and adoration As dwelling within, we a.re present in every outward motion; and so Christ, as dwelling within us, is at the very centre of our being, and becomes so interlaced with it as to be present in all our life, to think in our thoughts, to speak in our words, to act in our actions. "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.'' And we ask from God new sup- pli~ of strength that, with new ~aith, w~ may ha!e new ~~peri~~ce of Christ'~ indwell- ing m our hearts, and presence. lll our l_1fe. Third pet~ti~n- '.J?w,t ye, b~mf! rooted and gro,1:rid,ed in love.'' If love 18 "creation's final law," 1t 1s also its first pnnc1ple. If it is the end for which all things exist, it is als_o the principle from ":'hich all t~ings nave sprung. Love may be defined as the <ksire to bestow. It was lll the desire to bestow that we were created, with all our capacity for enjoyment. If, then, our being is thus to be traced hack to love, it is clearly necessary that we should be rooted and OH, III, 1-21.] THE EPISTLE TO THE EPRE8IANS. 133