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qeou' . Heb. 6:17 to; ajmetavqeton th'" boulh'" aujtou' . Lk. 7:30 th;n boulh;n tou' qeou' hjqevthsan eij" eJautouv" . Acts 13:36. Comp. Matt. 1:19.
ta; p. ejnergou'nto" ] Comp. 1 Cor. 12:6 oJ ejnergw'n ta; pavnta ejn pa'sin ; vs. 11 pavnta de; tau'ta ejnergei' to; e}n kai; to; aujto; pneu'ma . Gal. 3:5 oJ...ejnergw'n dunavmei" ejn uJmi'n ; 2:8 ejnerghvsa" Pevtrw/ . Phil. 2:13 qeov" ejstin oJ ejnergw'n ejn uJmi'n kai; to; qevlein kai; to; ejnergei'n . The verb ejnergei'n brings out the idea of the personal power which is operative rather than the result produced ( ejrgavzesqai Eph. 4:28). It has reference always to action in the human sphere.

12 f. The general statement that Christians as Christians were made GOD'S portion through their incorporation in Christ ( ejklhrwvqhmen without hJmei'" ) is now defined. The new Israel included both Jews and Gentiles. The Jews with whom St Paul identifies himself ( eij" to; ei\nai hJma'" ...) who had fixed their hopes on the promises of the Deliverer, were in a peculiar sense ‘for a praise of GOD'S glory’ now that their expectations had found fulfilment, witnessing to the accomplishment of His purpose prepared through their national discipline (comp. 1 Pet. 1:12). At the same time the Gentiles also, of whom the Ephesians were representatives ( kai; uJmei'" ), had found a place in the same Divine fellowship, when they accepted the message of the truth which was brought to them and the larger hope of the prophets was fulfilled.

12. eij" to; ei\nai hJma'" ] Contrast Eph. 1:4 ei\nai . See note ad loc. The hJma'" is emphatic: ‘we Jews who through all delays and disappointments clung to the teaching of the prophets.’
eij" e[painon dovxh" aujtou' ] see vs. 14. The note of Primasius is worth quoting: Ut per signa quae facimus laudetur gloria Dei.
tou;" prohlp. ejn tw'/ cr .] Comp. 1 Cor. 15:19 hjlpikovte" ejsme;n ejn Cristw'/ (not Matt. 12:21; Phil. 2:19 is different); 2 Cor. 1:10 eij" o}n hjlpivkamen . 1 Tim. 4:10 hjlp. ejpi; qew'/ zw'nti ; 6:17 hjlp. ejpi; plouvtou ajdhlovthti ;5:5 hjlp. ejpi; to;n qeovn . 1 Pet. 3:5 ejlp. eij" .

Proelpivzein occurs here only in the N. T. The prov is limited not by the belief of the Ephesian Gentiles (‘believed before you’) but by the Advent (‘believed before Christ actually came’). The perf. indicates that the spirit of this faith still remained.

13, 14. And with Israel the Gentiles were now associated by faith, having received the Holy Spirit, the pledge of the victory of GOD.

13. ejn w|/ ...] in Whom ye also are — as members of His Body,— having heard. It appears to be simplest to take the first ejn w|/ as parallel to the second and not as resumed by it. Two thoughts are marked, the first that the Gentiles are included in the new Israel, and the second that being included they have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. These two blessings correspond with the quickening of the Church with the Divine Life on the Day of the Resurrection (John 20:22 f.) and the endowing of the Church on the day of Pentecost; and in the experience of the individual with Baptism and the Laying on of hands.
kai; uJmei'" ] Comp. Acts 11:18 a[ra kai; toi'" e[qnesin oJ qeo;" th;n metavnoian eij" zwh;n e[dwken .
to;n lovgon th'" ajl .] the word , the message, of the truth. Comp. 2 Tim. 2:15 ojrqotomou'nta to;n lovgon th'" ajl . James 1:18 lovgo" ajl . Christianity, as a message, is essentially ‘the truth’: John 1:17 (note); 2 Thess. 2:12; 2 Cor. 4:2; 1 John 3:19 (note). It presents the right view of the ultimate relations of man, the world, and GOD. Comp. Eph. 5:9 note.

The substance of Christ's message is Christ Himself, Who is the Truth (John 14:6).


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