The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 141

the Fat.her." In the New Testament the fatherhood of God is revealed, Christ Bfeaks of him as the Father, and in his ideal prayer he is addressed as "Our Father.' In this ch~racter Paul her~ nd~n:sses him. \ye see good reason for this. (1) It makes the Object of prayer intelligible to the rumd. Infinite Creator universal Sovereicrn nb~olu te Propriet-0r, and Disposer; what finite mind can underst~nd these characte;s? B,1t a Father all know; paternity engaged the first attention excited the first fcelinrrs ~tarted the first thoughts. A child understands what .,a fath.er is. (2) It makes tl1~ ~bJect of prayer attractive to the mind. Creator, Sovereign, Judge; are these attractive? 1:-':,1;0_ means. The~ o,erawe, confound, repel. But fatherhood is attrncti.e. The ~b.E-i. Joronsly leaps mt-0 the arms of its father. Instead of cringing fear, there is filial 1,-,n =a oorrndles;; confidence. (3) It makes the object of prayer transformative to the ~::aJ.. \\ho has such a transformative power as the parent? Fatherhood moulds all c,u,.-acters, fushlons history. Children naturally imitate the father they love. Are not tlic._<e good reasons why we should look to God as a Father, and address him as such? :2. ]!e i.s the Father of all holy inte7ligences. "Of whom the whole family." Or every family, every race in heaven or on earth. The expression must be limited to the intelligent creation, for he could not with propriety be called the Father of the irra- tional ; we must go further, and say ths.t the expression must be limited to the holy races of his intelligent creation, for he would not be the Father of the rebellious and the profane. A family relationship exists between .all the holy intellicrences, and God is t:ie Father of all-Father of all unfnllen angels and redeemed ~en. And although "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" may be out of its place in this passage, still it expresses a fact everywhere else revealed, that God is the Father of man's Redeemer as 1 well as of all other holy ones in the universe. What a family is God's !-loving, immense, ever-multiplying, harmonious, and ever-blest. 3. He is the Father possessing hnundle..•s bountihood. Paul speaks of the "riches of his glory." What is the glory of God? Not his power, not his wisdom, not his wealth, not his dominion, but his goocl- 1'1;!;S. 'When Moses prayed, "I beseech thee show me thy glory," what was the answer? "I ml! cause all my goodness to pass before thee," as if he had said, "My goodness is n::;-- flory." And this goodness of his is inexhaustible. "The riches." It is hlgher ti:.:-.:i all hea,ens; it is deeper than all hells. Its majestic billows roll under all Gch EilllaS. II. THE GOOD Th"TOKED. What blessings did he seek? 1. Divine strength of soul. "Ta be stren,,,athened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." (1) Every men has a'l. "inner man ''-the moral ego of his being. It is this inner man that interests humanity in God, duty, immortality. (2) This inner man wants moral strength. lt is enfeebled, it is crushed by sin. It is the slave of the appetite; it is" carnally sold • unto sin." It wants strength to rise to its true lordship over the body, and to its right-. fnl relation to God and his universe. How morally- weak is the ',' inner man ''.-the very stamina of humanity! (3) This moral strength must come from God. _He who quickeneth all things must quicken this inner man, now dead in trespasses and sin. It can find help in no other way; its cry is, "0 wretched man that I am I who can deliver from this bondage and death ? " 2. The indwelling· of Ohrist. "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith." '!'here is no mystery .about the indwelling of Christ. The heart that loves him supremely holds him as its constant Guest. As the author lives in the loving student, as the parent lives in the loving child, so in the same way, but in a higher degree, Christ lives in his loving disciples. His thoughts are their thonghts, his Spirit is their inspiration, his character is the very sun that quickens, lightens, and beautifies their being. 3. Stability of love. "That ye, being rooted and grounded in love." There is a love for Christ whlch is not rooted nor grounded; it is a passing sentiment, whlch, like a bubble, is thrown up on the stream of circumstances. The love of genuine Christianity is a rooted love. Rooted, not in 60mething that can change and decay, but in the immutable excellence of God. Oh, to ha.e all th~ fibres of the inner man struck int.o the Divine character, and rooted in God ! '!'hen, and not till then, will the soul be as the tree "planted by the rivers of watt,r," etc. A religion whose love is not rooted is without (1) life, (2) growth, (3)/ruit, (4) permanenu. 4. The comprehending of love. "That ye may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Chri.st, which pas~eth knowledge." Christ's love is intellectually OH, Ill, 1-21.] THE EPIS'l'LE 'l'O 'fHE EPHESIANS.