invitation (as here and Eph. 4:4; Rom. 11:29 ajmetamevlhto" hJ klh'si" tou' qeou' ; Phil. 3:14 hJ a[nw klh'si" tou' qeou' ), a holy calling (2 Tim. 1:9), a heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1 klhvsew" ejpouranivou mevtocoi note), which carries with it great obligations (Eph. 4:1 ajxivw" peripath'sai th'" klhvsew" ) calling for responsible effort on the part of those who had received it (2 Pet. 1:10 spoudavsate bebaivan uJmw'n th;n klh'sin... poiei'sqai ), and corresponding with a unity of corporate life (Eph. 4:4).
Comp. 2 Thess. 1:11 proseucovmeqa ...i{na uJma'" ajxiwvsh/ th'" klhvsew" oJ qeo;" hJmw'n ....
The verb
kalei'n
is used characteristically of GOD (yet see Gal. 1:6;5:8) and the call, as His act, is treated as effectual (1 Cor. 1:9; Rom. 8:30; 1 Pet. 2:9;5:10). At the same time the call is continuous (1 Thess. 2:12
tou' kalou'nto"
;5:24
oJ kalw'n
). Under the human aspect it needs effort (1 Pet. 1:15; 1 Thess. 4:7; 1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Thess. 2:14). In 1 Cor. 7:17 ff. the call appears to be to the outward society only.
oJ plou'to" t. dovxh"
...] Men are not only called by GOD and so assured that it is His will that they should come to His Presence (Ps. 16:11; 17:15), but the nature of their inheritance is already known to them in the saints. Every unfulfilled aspiration is a prophecy of that which shall be. Already in the Christian fellowship there is a beginning and a promise. The future consummation grows out of that which is. Christ in us expresses shortly what is the wealth of the glory prepared for men (Col. 1:27), the fulness of their inheritance (Acts 20:32). On the idea of inheritance see Heb. 9:15; 11:7 ff.
The phrase oJ plou'to" th'" dovxh" occurs in three other places: Rom. 9:23 i{na gnwrivsh/ to;n plou'ton th'" dovxh" aujtou' ejpi; skeuvh ejlevou" a} prohtoivmasen eij" dovxan ; Eph. 3:16 i{na dw'/ uJ. kata; to; plou'to" th'" dovxh" aujtou'...krataiwqh'nai...eij" to;n e[sw a[nqrwpon, katoikh'sai to;n cristo;n...ejn tai'" kardivai" ...; Col. 1:27 hjqevlhsen oJ qeo;" gnwrivsai tiv to; plou'to" th'" dovxh" tou' musthrivou touvtou ...o{ ejstin Cristo;" ejn uJmi'n, hJ ejlpi;" th'" dovxh" .
In each case union with the Incarnate Word is the spring and the measure of the glory. All is summed up in 1 Cor. 3:23 pavnta uJmw'n, uJmei'" de; Cristou', Cristo;" de; qeou' .
19. tiv to; uJperbavllon ...] The attainment of this transcendent glory is seen to be possible when we consider what GOD has done in the Christ. The Resurrection and the Ascension furnish the type of his working on behalf of believers, who are members of His body.
Mevgeqo"
occurs here only in N.T. For
uJperbavllon
comp. Eph. 2:7; 2 Cor. 3:10; 9:14; and 2 Cor. 4:7.
kata; th;n ejnevrgeian...th'" ijsc. aujtou'
] Compare for
katj ejnevrgeian
Eph. 3:7
kata; th;n ejnevrgeian th'" dunavmew" aujtou'
, Eph. 4:16
katj ejnevrgeian ejn mevtrw/ eJno;" eJkavstou mevrou"
. Col. 1:29
kopiw' ajgwnizovmeno" kata; th;n ejnevrgeian aujtou'
. Phil. 3:21
metaschmativsei...kata; th;n ejnevrgeian tou' duvnasqai aujto;n kai; uJpotavxai auJtw'/ ta; pavnta
. 2 Thess. 2:9
ou| ejsti;n hJ parousiva katj ejnevrgeian tou' Satana'
. The active exercise of the power of GOD in the case of the Messiah, the Son of man, supplied a standard of the help which He would bring to His people.
The combination kravto" th'" ijscuvo" occurs again Eph. 6:10. A corresponding phrase is found in Col. 1:11 to; kravto" th'" dovxh". Kravto" is might , strength regarded as abundantly effective in relation to an end to be gained or dominion to be exercised: ijscuv" is strength absolutely. For kravto" see Heb. 2:14; and (in doxologies) 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Pet. 4:11;5:11; Jude 25; Apoc. 1:6;5:13; and for ijscuv" 2 Thess. 1:9; 1 Pet. 4:11; 2 Pet. 2:11.