The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 286

their c,mntry, t~c sac~ifice would be re,,oarded as greater on the part of the king than on the r-'lrt_ of his subject, There may be the _same patriotism; but there is something to}>_, r,:t_ c.own to the _rank. So all that Christ was and did is enhanced in proportion to the lmght from which he descended. It was not simply love to man in a human 1x,sit-ion, but lo.e that made infinite descent to bum in the human soul of Christ. We must also take into account the public capacity in which he acted. He was not ren- ,irring such help as we personally may render to one another. But he was the Christ the appointed Representative of all mankind. He had all our interests on his hands'. liis character comes out in the whole of his life. He evinced a universal benevolence: " Him thnt cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." He was called the Friend of sinners. He loved men apart from their outward surroundings and natural capacities, he loved them as sinners in need of salvation. Especially does his character come out at the last. He went (in suffering the desert of sin) under that which is called the hiding of the Father's countenance. And it was not only dauntless trust in God, but unquenchable love to men, that maintained him there. He went down to the lowest depths for us (in experience the most terrible), that be might ca1Ty us with him to the heights. (2) .An indispensable element is pointed to in our love to Christ. "In uncorrupt- ness.." There is a spnrious love to Christ, which is founded on his sufferings withont reference to tbeir spiritnal me.ar;ing. "I wept when the waters went over his soul." Snch love, as it is not well founded, so also is it transient. The closing climactic thought hi this geat catholic Epistle is that our love to Christ is to have an immor- tafay, 8!! i~C-'c.!:iptibiliiy. M there was a deathless principle in his love to ns, so there i5 ro he a ceatb.less principle in onr lore tc him. It will have of this, according as it is fo=dai on the real excellence of Christ. The purer and clearer onr conception of ti.5 tran.scencient benevolence and beneficence, the more will our love have of undying ::na. erer-unfclding beanty.-R F. Vers. 1---4.-CAildnm and their parents. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first command- ment with prvmise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath : but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." In the preceding paragraph the apostle had treated of the relative duties of husbands and wives; here he directs attention to the relative duties of parents and chi"ldren. L 'l'HE DUTY OF CHILDREN. The words lead us to consider the nature and reason of the obligation which children owe to their parents. 1. The nature. The duty is: (1) "Obedience." "Children., obey your parents." This duty has its limitation. When, for example, the command is impracticable, it is not binding. When the parent makes demands surpassing the child's capacity, he is a tyrant, and the child is free from the obligation. Or when the command is morally wrong, when it clashes with the rights of conscience and the claiws of God, obedience to it is no duty, bnt would be a sin. The duty is obedience rendered in a Christian spirit. "In the Lord." Any conduct towards parents, man.kind in general, or to the great God, that is not inspired with lo.e to Christ, has T<O ffirtue in it. All acts to be acceptable to God must be dono io the name and spirit of his blessed Son. (2) "Honour." "Honour thy father and mother." That is, reverence them. This implies, of course, that they are hooour- " orthg. It is, alas! often the duty of children to abhor aud despise the character of their parents, because of its falsehood, intemperance, profligacy, and crime. Paul supposes parents to be what their relation to their children and God demands-pure, generous, and noble. Such pa.rents are to be honoured. Not to honour them is to dishonour God. 2. The reason. What is the reason for this obedience and reverence? (1) Because it is right. "For this is right." Nature teaches the rectitude of it. There is implanted in (;Very child's mind the feeling that he is bound to obey and reverence his parents. 'l'his feeling of obligation in some form or other is universal. 'l'hc Bible teaches the rectitude of it. It was ongraven by the finger of God on tho tables of stone; it was inculcated in the teaching and exemplified in the life of Jesus Chri.bt. (2) llecauro it is expedient. "That it may be well with thee, nnd thou may,ast live long on the earth." A hafJPY and a long lifo'depends·upon it. Children who are regardless of their filial duties wil be regardless of all others, and rendered liablo CII, VI, 1-24,] THE EPISTLE TO Tm~ EPHESIANS. 287