proskartevrhsi"
is found here only.
Proskarterei'n
is used in connexion with prayer: Acts 1:14; 6:4; Rom. 12:12; Col. 4:2.
peri; p. t. aJg
.] in close connexion with
proseucovmenoi
. The words between define the nature of the prayer as constant, spiritual, resolute, manifold.
The combatant even in the stress of personal conflict thinks of all with whom he is united ( aJgivwn ); and in this wayto regard the truth from the other side the weakest and simplest Christian can take part in the efforts of the strongest. There is now no difference of Jew and Gentile. Comp. Eph. 6:24; Eph. 1:15; 3:18.
19, 20. Specially the Apostle asks for prayer on his own behalf, that he may declare his message boldly.
19.
kai; uJpe;r ejmou'
]
and on my behalf
.... More direct and definite than
for
, Eph.
6:18 (
periv
).
i{na moi doqh'/
...] The one thing which St Paul asks is, not success, not deliverance, but simply boldness to deliver the Gospel which had been revealed to him. The first was an encouragement but not a ground for self-confidence. Day by day he looked for a new gift through the prayers of Christians. For
lovgo"
see 1 Cor. 12:8
w|/ me;n ga;r dia; tou' pneuvmato" divdotai lovgo" sofiva", a[llw/ de; lovgo" gnwvsew" kata; to; aujto; pneu'ma
.
ejn ajnoivxei t. st. m.
]
in opening my mouth
, that is probably when I open my mouth to speak; or the words may be closely connected with
doqh'/ lovgo"
in the sense that utterance may be given me by GOD when He opens my mouth. This interpretation is suggested by Col. 4:3 (
i{na oJ qeo;" ajnoivxh/ hJmi'n quvran tou' lovgou, lalh'sai to; musthvrion tou' cristou'
), though the image there is different. In either case
ajnoivgein to; stovma
marks some weighty deliverance: Matt. 5:2; Acts 8:32, 35.
ejn parr. gn
.] The structure of the sentence no less than the sense favours the connexion of
ejn parrhsiva/
with
gnwrivsai
and not with the preceding words. That which was before spoken in proverbs is now spoken plainly (John 16:25).
to; must. tou' eujagg
.]
the revelation of the gospel
, the revelation contained in the gospel. The phrase is unique.
20. presb. ejn aJl .] Latt. legatione fungor in catena. The words are an oxymoron. The dignity of the ambassador of the great king remains, though he is a prisoner and bearing the marks of bondage. Compare the language of Philemon 9 toiou'to" w]n wJ" Pau'lo" presbuvth" nuni; de; kai; devsmio" Cristou' jIhsou' , and Lightfoot's note.
For
a{lusi"
see Acts 21:33; 28:20; 2 Tim. 1:16.
i{na ejn auj. parrh"
.] This clause is parallel with
i{na moi doqh'/ lovgo"
(compare Gal. 3:14). For
parrhsiavswmai
see Acts 9:27 f.; 13:46
parrhsiasavmenoiv te oJ Pau'lo" kai; oJ Barnavba" ei\pan k.t.l.
; 19:8
ejparrhsiavzeto ejpi; mh'na" trei'" dialegovmeno" kai; peivqwn peri; th'" basileiva" tou' qeou'
; 1 Thess. 2:2
ejparrhsiasavmeqa ejn tw'/ qew'/
; and for
ejn aujtw'/
compare Col. 4:2; 1 Tim. 4:15
ejn touvtoi" i[sqi
.
wJ" dei' me lal
.] So Col. 4:4
i{na fanerwvsw aujto; wJ" dei' me lalh'sai
.
dei'
] cf. Heb. 2:1
dia; tou'to dei' perissotevrw" prosevcein hJma'" toi'" ajkousqei'sin
.
Epilogue.
Personal message (Eph. 6:21, 22).