<- Previous   First   Next ->

the atonement and the issue of the atonement:

( i{na ) ajpokatallavxh/ tou;" ajmfotevrou" ejn eJni; swvmati tw'/ qew'/ . e[comen th;n prosagwgh;n oiJ ajmfovteroi ejn eJni; pneuvmati pro;" to;n patevra .

dij aujtou' ] For order compare vs. 10 note. e[comen th;n prosag .] Compare Eph. 1:7 e[comen th;n ajpoluvtrwsin . For th;n prosag . see Eph. 3:12; Rom. 5:2 dij ou| kai; th;n prosagwgh;n ejschvkamen . The word emphasises the work of the Lord in ‘bringing us to GOD’ (1 Pet. 3:18). Our ‘access’ is gained only through Him. Compare John 14:6; Heb. 4:14 ff.
ejn eJni; pn .] Comp. 1 Cor. 12:13 ejn eJni; pneuvmati...ejbaptivsqhmen , Phil. 1:27 sthvkete ejn eJni; pneuvmati . The Spirit is, as it were, the surrounding, sustaining, power, as in the corresponding phrase Heb. 10:19 e[conte" parrhsivan eij" th;n ei[sodon tw'n aJg. ejn tw'/ ai{mati jIhsou' . The difference from dia; tou' pn . (Eph. 3:16) is obvious.

We might have been inclined to transpose diav and ejn : ‘ in Him (as Eph. 3:12)... through one Spirit...’ But St Paul here is thinking of the work of Christ (vs. 17). The encompassing energy of the Spirit makes this effective for us. Compare Eph. 3:5 note.
pro;" to;n patevra ] The use of this title emphasises the effect of the atonement, which restores to its true character the relation of GOD to men. The absolute use of oJ pathvr is very rare in the Epistles except in the Epistles of St John. Comp. Eph. 3:14; Col. 1:12.

St Paul, without any definite purpose, bases the doctrine of the Holy Trinity upon facts of Christian experience. Comp. 1 Cor. 12:4 ff. See also 1 Pet. 1:2.

19-22. After the description of the results of Christ's work bringing peace to men as men, St Paul returns to the blessings which it had brought to the Gentiles, and shews in detail how completely it removed the spiritual disadvantages which they had suffered. No longer aliens and strangers they were ‘fellow-citizens of the saints and of the household of GOD.’ Without hope before, they were now included in the solid future of the Church resting on Christ Himself. No longer without GOD, they were made, in fellowship with all believers, a dwelling-place for Him.

The rhythmical structure, which characterises the Epistle is seen with remarkable distinctness in this section:

[Ara ou\n oujkevti ejste; xevnoi kai; pavroikoi ajlla; ejste; sumpoli'tai tw'n aJgivwn kai; oijkei'oi tou' qeou' , ejpoikodomhqevnte" ejpi; tw'/ qemelivw/ tw'n ajpostovlwn kai; profhtw'n , o[nto" ajkrogwniaivou aujtou' Cristou' jIhsou' , ejn w|/ pa'sa oijkodomh; sunarmologoumevnh au[xei eij" nao;n a{gion ejn kurivw/ , ejn w|/ kai; uJmei'" sunoikodomei'sqe eij" katoikhthvrion tou' qeou' ejn pneuv- mati .

19. a[ra ou\n...tou' qeou' ] So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners but fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of GOD. This conclusion follows directly from the equal privilege of all sons in Christ in regard to their heavenly Father.
a[ra ou\n ] Comp. Rom. 5:18; 7:3, 25; 8:12; 9:16, 18; 14:12, 19; Gal. 6:10; 1 Thess. 5:6; 2 Thess. 2:15. This combination is, in the N.T., if not absolutely, peculiar to St Paul.
xevnoi kai; pavroikoi ] Destitute of all privileges in the state or only enjoying a provisional toleration. For xevnoi see vs. 12; and for pavroiko" 1 Pet. 2:11 pavroikoi


<- Previous   First   Next ->