(Matt. 28:19). The use of the formula implies the acceptance of it. Both tw'/ l. and ejn rJhvmati are connected with kaqarivsa" , the different relations of the effect to the material act and the spiritual accompaniment being indicated by the change from the instrumental dative to the preposition. The omission of the article is intelligible on the ground that St Paul wishes to insist on the fact of a personal response in the administration of the sacrament and not on the contents of it. For ejn compare Eph. 6:2 ejn ejpaggeliva/ .
The two phrases tw'/ loutrw'/ (or dia; loutrou' ) and ejn rJhvmati mark what was afterwards known technically as the matter and form of the sacrament.
Compare Aug.
in Joh.
80.3 (on John 15:3): Quare non ait, Mundi estis propter Baptismum quo loti estis, sed ait
Propter verbum quod locutus sum vobis
, nisi quia et in aqua verbum mundat? Detrahe verbum et quid est aqua nisi aqua? Accedit verbum ad elementum et fit sacramentum, etiam ipsum tanquam visibile verbum....
Unde ista tanta virtus aquae ut corpus tangat et cor abluat, nisi faciente verbo, non quia dicitur sed quia creditur? Nam et in ipso verbo aliud est sonus transiens, aliud virtus manens.
27.
i{na paras. aujto;" eJ
....] In this case it is the work of the Bridegroom to
prepare and to present (
aujto;" eJautw'/
) the bride. Her fitness and her beauty are alike due to His sacrifice of Himself.
parast....e[nd. th;n ejkkl
....] present the Churchthe one Churchto Himself
in glorious majesty, without one trace of defilement or one mark of age.
parasthvsh/
] So 2 Cor. 11:2
parqevnon aJgnh;n parasth'sai tw'/ cristw'/
. Comp. Rom. 6:13; 12:1; Col. 1:22, 28.
ajllj i{na h\/
]
and not only without spot or wrinkle
for the marriage;
but that it should be
abidingly
holy and blameless.
For
aJgiva kai; a[mwmo"
see Eph. 1:4 note.
28-30. The love of Christ for the Church is the pattern and measure of the husband's love for his wife. He loved the Church not because it was holy, but in order to make it holy by union with Himself. The husband's love must bear the same test, and overcome all failings in the wife. She is part of him, as Christians are of Christ, and claims the same tender affection which Christ bestows on the Church.
28.
ou{tw"
...]
Even so ought husbands also
.... For
ojfeivlousin
see Heb. 2:17
note.
ta;" eJaut. gun
.] answering to
toi'" ijdivoi" ajndravsin
in Eph. 5:22. Notice the repetition:
ta;" eJautw'n g., ta; eJautw'n s., th;n eJautou' g., th;n eJautou' s.
wJ" ta; eJ. swvm
.]
as being their own bodies
, not as they love their own bodies. As the Church is Christ's body, so in a true sense the wife is the husband's body. Through her he extends his life.
29.
oujdei;" gavr
...] The conclusion which follows from the last verse is assumed but not expressed: The husband therefore must love his wife,
for no one ever
....
th;n eJautou' s.
] The words quoted in vs. 31 are already in the Apostle's mind.
ejkt. kai; q.
] The words answer to the elementary needs of food and raiment.
jEktrevfein
occurs again in Eph. 6:4; and
qavlpein
in 1 Thess. 2:7.
oJ cristov"
] as in Eph. 5:23, 25, 32.
30.
o{ti mevlh ejsmevn
...] The change of form is most significant. St Paul does not say simply, following the language of the preceding sentence, because the Church is His body, but he appeals to the personal experience of Christians, because we are members of His body and know the power of His love.
The words that follow in the common text are an unintelligent gloss, in which an unsuccessful endeavour is made to give greater distinctness to the Apostle's