ff.; 6:5) Christ is dominantly, if not exclusively, the title of the office and not simply a proper name. Creation was brought under the consequences of sin through man (Gal. 3:22) and so redemption came to creation through man. Comp. 1 Cor. 15:28; Rom. 8:19.
ta; ejpi; toi'" oujr
....]
the things in the heavens
.... This sublime revelation of the
extent of redemption as commensurate with the whole creation is brought out especially in the Epistles of the Roman Captivity: Phil. 2:9, 10; Col. 1:20; vs. 21. The solitary prisoner could see farthest into the glory of the Divine counsels, even as the martyr saw the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of GOD (Acts 7:56). At the same time the outward unity of the Empire furnished an image of the Divine reality.
It is altogether arbitrary to introduce any limitation into the interpretation of ta; pavnta . The truth transcends our comprehension, but we can see that it answers to the fact and purpose of creation (Apoc. 4:11 h\san ; Rom. 11:36).
The slight difference of construction between ejpi; toi'" oujr . and ejpi; th'" g . will be noticed. With the dat. ejpiv denotes simple position, with the gen. extension over. jEpi; toi'" oujr . is a unique phrase; elsewhere in corresponding connexions ejn is undisturbed: Matt. 6:10; 28:18; 1 Cor. 8:5; Col. 1:16, 20; Apoc. 5:13; Eph. 3:15.
11, 12. For which consummation a preparation had been made by the discipline of Israel.
11.
ejn auj. ejn w|/
....]
in Him
, I say,
in Whom we were also made
GOD'S
portion.... Christians are a new Israel (comp. Deut. 32:9): Gal. 6:16; comp. Gal. 4:28;
Matt. 3:9. It is through the Church in the New Dispensation, as through Israel in old time, that the counsel of GOD is wrought out for the world.
The sense of
ejklhrwvqhmen
is difficult to determine. The word is not found elsewhere in the N. T. The nearest parallel is in Acts 17:4
proseklhrwvqhsan tw'/ Pauvlw/
were assigned
by GOD
to Paul
.... So here it may be we were assigned, that
is, to GOD; while the conception of Israel as GOD'S
klh'ro"
served to define the idea (Deut. 9:29). Compare Pind.
Ol.
8.19
u[mme dj ejklavrwse povtmo" Zhniv
. It has also been taken to mean we were made partakers of the Divine in heritance. This is in harmony with Col. 1:12; but it is difficult to obtain the meaning from the form. The parallels quoted are not to the point. Early writers take the simple sense we were appointed (Vg.
sorte vocati sumus
; Ambr.
sorte constituti
; Aug.
sortem consecuti
; Ambrst.
sortiti
)... to the end that.... This is perfectly legitimate, but the context seems
to require a reference to the Divine
klh'ro"
(Acts 26:18; Col. 1:12). Comp. Eph. 1:18.
proorisqevnte"
...]
having been foreordained
(vs. 5
proorivsa"
) to occupy this position...to the end that we should be....
kata; provqesin
] Comp. Eph. 3:11
kata; provqesin tw'n aijwvnwn
; Rom. 8:28; 2 Tim. 1:9; Rom. 9:11.
The word provqesi" is used of purpose generally: Acts 11:23; 27:13; 2 Tim. 3:10.
tou' ta; pavnta ejnerg
....]
of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His
will.
The language which describes the action of GOD must of necessity be figurative. The phrase
boulh; tou' qelhvmato"
, which occurs here only in the N. T., expresses that His will is not arbitrary, but, if presented in terms of human experience, guided by a settled counsel.
Boulhv
(only in the Pauline group of Epistles) expresses counsel with reference to action:
qevlhma
(in all groups) will generally. Comp. Acts 2:23
th'/ wJrismevnh/ boulh'/ kai; prognwvsei tou' qeou' e[kdoton
; 4:28
o{sa hJ ceivr sou kai; hJ boulh; prowvrisen genevsqai
; 20:27
pa'san th;n boulh;n tou'