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(6:23).

Cf. Phil. 4:7 ‘the peace of God,’ Col. 3:15 ‘the peace of Christ.’ The Divine gift of peace which (John 14:27) the Lord in departing left behind as His bequest to His disciples ( eijrhvnhn ajfivhmi uJmi'n, eijrhvnhn th;n ejmh;n divdwmi uJmi'n )—the realised confidence of faith and fellowship with God—attends the Church during the period of gradual revelation.

‘For He’—He Himself and no other—‘is our Peace’ reconciling Jews and Gentiles in Himself—and both thus united in one body—to God (Eph. 2:14). Thus ‘making peace’ (vs. 15) He (vs. 17) proclaimed ‘Peace to all.’

‘In preparedness of’ this ‘Gospel of Peace’ Christian warriors will stand. (6:15.)

‘To keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.’ (4:3.)

Righteousness ( dikaiosuvnh ).

The fulfilment of duties to others. ‘The new man which has been created after God in righteousness and holiness of the truth.’ (4:24.)

‘For the fruit of light is—is shewn—in all goodness and righteousness and truth.’ (Eph. 5:9.) Cf. Is. 11:5, 32:17.

‘The breastplate of righteousness’ (Eph. 6:14)—righteousness, which guards the heart.

So Isaiah 59:17 ‘And he put on righteousness as a breastplate’ and Wisd. 5:19 ‘He shall put on righteousness (as) a breastplate’ ( ejnduvsetai qwvraka dikaiosuvnhn ).

Truth ( ajlhvqeia ).

( a ) ‘The word—the message—of the truth —the Gospel of your salvation.’ (Eph. 1:13.)

For to;n lovgon th'" ajlhqeiva" cf. 2 Tim. 2:15. ( b ) ‘The new man, which hath been created after God in righteousness and holiness of the truth. ’ (Eph. 4:24.)

( c ) ‘Wherefore putting away falsehood ( to; yeu'do" ) speak ye truth each one with his neighbour.’ (4:25.)

From Zech. 8:16 sq. lalei'te ajlhvqeian e{kasto" pro;" to;n plhsivon aujtou', ajlhvqeian kai; krivma eijrhniko;n krivnate ejn tai'" puvlai" uJmw'n, kai; e{kasto" th;n kakivan tou' plhsivon aujtou' mh; logivzesqe ejn tai'" kardivai" uJmw'n, kai; o{rkon yeudh' mh; ajgapa'te .

( d ) ‘For the fruit of light is—is shewn—in all—in every form of—goodness and righteousness and truth. ’ (Eph. 5:9.)

In Phil. 1:11 karpo;n dikaiosuvnh" (cf. Amos 6:12, Prov. 11:30, Jas. 3:18 karpo;" de; dikaiosuvnh" ejn eijrhvnh/ speivretai toi'" poiou'sin eijrhvnhn ), ‘righteousness in Christ [is regarded as] in its very nature fruitful: it is indeed the condition of bearing fruit’ (Lightfoot ad loc. )

( e ) ‘Stand ye therefore,—having girded your loins with truth ’ (Eph. 6:14): truth—sincerity—the stay of the Christian character.

Revelation ( ajpokavluyi" ).


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