idea of life corrupted or lost: Matt. 7:17 f.; 12:33; 13:48.
ajllj ei[ ti"
...]
but whatever is
.... Matt. 18:28
jApovdo" ei[ ti ojfeivlei"
: 2 Cor.
2:10.
pro;" oijkod. t. cr
.] Latt.
ad aedificationem fidei
, Hier.
ad aedif. opportunitatis
, to supply that which is needed in each case. The need represents a gap in the life which the wise word builds up, fills up solidly and surely. Of the Latin text Jerome says: propter euphoniam mutavit interpres.
dw'/ cavrin t. ajk
.] That which is elsewhere a Divine prerogative (Acts 7:10; 1 Cor. 1:4; Rom. 12:3; 15:15; Eph. 3:8; 4:7; 2 Tim. 1:9; James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5) is here attributed to human speech. Words can, by GOD'S appointment, convey spiritual benefit to those who hear them. Their influence reaches beyond those to whom they are addressed.
30.
mh; lupei'te
...] cf. Is. 63:10
to; pneu'ma t. a{g
....] the indwelling Spirit.
ejn w|/ ejsfrag
.] Comp. Matt. 3:11
aujto;" uJma'" baptivsei ejn pn. aJgivw/ kai; puriv
. For
ejsfragivsqhte
see Eph. 1:13. Compare Apoc. 7:3 ff.
ajpolutrwvsew"
] See note on Eph. 1:14. Comp. Rom. 8:21. 31 f. From sins in word St Paul passes on to sins in temper which often find expression in word. All these must be taken away from among Christians, who must strive to shew to their fellows the tender love which they had received in Christ.
31.
pikriva
...] There is a natural progress: bitterness, passion, anger, loud complaint, railing accusation. All these must be utterly removed. In Eph. 4:26 St Paul had spoken of anger just in itself but requiring control. Here he speaks of that which is itself wrong. For
ajrqhvtw
see Col. 2:14; 1 John 3:5.
qumov"...ojrghv
...] Comp. Rom. 2:8; Col. 3:8; Apoc. 19:15.
Qumov"
is the special, transient excitement:
ojrghv
the settled feeling; see Lk. 4:28; Acts 19:28; Heb. 11:27; Matt. 2:16.
ajrqhvtw
] Comp. Matt. 13:12; 21:21 c 1 Cor. 5:2. The difference in thought from
ajpoqevsqai, ajpoqevmenoi
(Eph. 4:22, 25) will be noticed.
su;n p. kakiva/
] 1 Pet. 2:1. Ill-feeling is the spring of the faults which have been enumerated.
32.
crhstoiv
] a Divine trait: see Lk. 6:35; 1 Pet. 2:3.
eu[splagcnoi
] 1 Pet. 3:8.
carizovmenoi...ejcar
....] V.
donantes invicem
(V.L.
vobis
)
sicut et Deus in
Christo donavit vobis.
Perhaps more than forgiving, though this is specially brought out in Col. 3:13 (comp. Lk. 7:42 f.; 2 Cor. 2:7, 10; Col. 2:13),dealing graciously with.
For the thought comp. Lk. 6:36; Matt. 18:33; 1 John 4:11. eJautoi'" ] V. The pronoun suggests the thought of their corporate union in Christ: Orig. dia; to; susswvmou" hJma'" ei\nai .
Comp. Col. 3:12 (and Lightfoot's note); 1 Pet. 4:8-10. ejn Cristw'/ ] Compare 2 Cor. 5:19 qeo;" h\n ejn Cristw'/ kovsmon katallavsswn eJautw'/ . So in Col. 3:13 oJ kuvrio" ejcarivsato uJmi'n .
Eph. 5:1-6. The thought of the lovingkindness of GOD in Christ leads St Paul to speak of the self-sacrifice of Christ which is our pattern (5:1, 2), as contrasted with the life of selfish indulgence (3, 4), which is exposed to the wrath of GOD (5, 6).
1. givnesqe ou\n ...] Shew yourselves therefore , touched by the love of GOD... 1 John 4:10 f.; 3:1. Givnesqe is emphatic: Eph. 4:32; James 1:22; Apoc. 2:10; 3:2. Contrast 1 Cor. 4:16 mimhtaiv mou givnesqe ; 15:58; Phil. 3:17; Col. 3:15; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:16. The attainment of the Divine character is a process of life and growth. It