Christians are in Christ, living in Him and He in them and so far only do they livethey are holy and blameless (Gal. 2:20; 1 John 4:16). In capite omnia membra benedixit et elegit, ut nos faceret sanctos et immaculatos; non quia futuri eramus sed ut essemus (Primas.).
katenwvpion aujtou'
]
before Him, in His sight
before Whom every fault is patent (Heb. 4:13). There appears to be a reference to the appointed inspector of victims, the
mwmoskovpo"
: comp. Philo 1.320; Clem. Alex.
Strom.
4.18 § 117.
ejn ajgavph/
] These words may be taken either with what follows or with what precedes. But the connexion with
proorivsa"
,
having in love foreordained us
, is against the rhythm; and the qualification of the participle generally follows (Eph. 4:2, 15, 16; 3:17 is doubtful, see note; Col. 2:2; cf. Eph. 5:2; 1 Thess. 5:13). If then they are joined with what precedes (so Vg.
in caritate qua praed.
), as seems on the whole to be best, they complete the description of the Christian character. As Christians are holy and blameless towards GOD, so do they bear themselves one toward another in love (1 Cor. 16:14) which they have appropriated as GOD'S great gift: 1 John 3:1. Compare
cc.
Eph. 3:17; 4:15 f.;5:2.
A special reference to the love of GOD, which is indeed the spring of human love (1 John 4:10 f.) does not appear to be called for here. The actions described are a manifestation of it.
5. proorivsa"...eij" aujtovn ] For proorivzein compare Eph. 1:11; Acts 4:28; 1 Cor. 2:7; Rom. 8:29 f. The choice of GOD (vs. 4) rested on the fact that He had foreordained us unto adoption as sons. For uiJoqesiva compare Gal. 4:5; Rom. 8:15, 23; 9:4. This new relation expresses the special position of Christians. UiJov" , as distinguished from tevknon (Eph. 5:1), suggests the idea of privilege and not of nature. Comp. note on 1 John 3:1. That which was in type the privilege of Israel was prepared in spiritual fulness for believers. GOD not only chose us in ChristHe might have chosen us as His servantsbut He also destined for us through Christ the right of sonship, bringing us into fellowship with Himself ( eij" aujtovn ); and this not in regard to our merits, but according to the good pleasure of His will , which is absolute and yet not arbitrary. His will is directed (as we apprehend it) to the accomplishment of the highest good (Rom. 12:2; Heb. 10:7 ff.; Apoc. 4:11 h\san ).
Out of the privilege of sons grows the character of sons. In the fullest sense therefore the realization of the adoption is still future: Rom. 8:23.
The use of dia; jIhsou' Cristou' (as contrasted with ejn Cristw'/ ) is significant. The many sons (Heb. 2:10) are regarded in their personality and not as incorporated in their Lord. Under this aspect their life comes through Him, and they are brought personally to GOD ( eij" aujtovn ). The phrase does not occur again in the Epistle (Eph. 3:9 is a false reading).
For
eij" aujtovn
in a wider sense compare Rom. 11:36; Col. 1:20; and, as applied to the Son, Col. 1:16.
kata; th;n eujdok. t. q. auj
.] Vg.
secundum propositum
(
placitum:
Hier.
beneplacitum
)
voluntatis suae.
Compare Eph. 1:9
to; musthvrion tou' qel. aujtou'
and vs. 11
th;n boulh;n tou' qel. aujtou'
. These phrases stand by themselves, and encourage us to see GOD'S will as the expression of His gracious purpose, disclosed to us in the Incarnation, and carried to its issue
polumerw'" kai; polutrovpw"
in what we with our limited faculties regard as a plan.
Origen notices that eujdokiva is strange to classical Greek. It occurs not unfrequently in the LXX. (Pss., Ecclus.).
6. eij" e[p. d. t. c. auj .] The adoption of men as sons of GOD leads to the praise