D; Jos. Antt. 8.3, 9; and for polutrovpw" Philo, 2.512 M.; Max. Tyr. 7.2. Polumerhv" is used of Wisdom in Wisd. 7:22. The two corresponding adjectives occur together in Max. Tyr. 17.7: There are, he says, two instruments for understanding, tou' me;n aJplou' o}n kalou'men nou'n, tou' de; poikivlou kai; polumerou'" kai; polutrovpou a}" aijsqhvsei" kalou'men . For similar combinations see Philo de vit. Mos. i. § 20 (2:99 M.) ( polutrovpw/ kai; poluscidei' ); de decal. § 17 (2.194 M.) ( poluvtropoi kai; polueidei'" ); quis rer. div. haer. § 58 (1.514 M.) ( pollou;" kai; polutrovpou" ).
Clement of Alexandria in a remarkable passage (
Strom.
6.7, § 58, p.
769) uses the phrase of the action of the Word, Wisdom, the firstborn Son:
ou|tov" ejstin oJ tw'n genhtw'n aJpavntwn didavskalo", oJ suvmboulo" tou' qeou' tou' ta; pavnta proegnwkovto"
:
oJ de; a[nwqen ejk prwvth" katabolh'" kovsmou polutrovpw" kai; polumerw'" pepaivdeukevn te kai; teleioi'
. Comp.
Strom.
1.4, 27, p. 331
eijkovtw" toivnun oJ ajpovstolo" polupoivkilon ei[rhken th;n sofivan tou' qeou', polumerw'" kai; polutrovpw", dia; tevcnh", dia; ejpisthvmh", dia; pivstew", dia; profhteiva", th;n eJauth'" ejndeiknumevnhn duvnamin eij" th;n hJmetevran eujergesivan
...
pavlai
]
of old time
(Vulg.
olim
) and not simply
formerly
(
provteron
Heb. 4:6; 10:32). The word is rare in N.T. and always describes something completed in the past. Here the thought is of the ancient teachings now long since sealed.
oJ qeo;" lalhvsa"
...
ejlavlhsen
...] There is but one final Source of all Truth. The unity of the Revealer is the pledge and ground of the unity of the Revelation, however it may be communicated; and His revelation of Himself is spontaneous. He speaks in familiar intercourse. The word
lalei'n
is frequently used in the Epistle of divine communications: 2:2, 3; 3:5; 4:8; 5:5; 11:18; 12:25. Compare John 9:29; 16:13. This usage is not found in St Paul (yet see Rom. 3:19; 2 Cor. 13:3), but it is common in St Luke (Acts).
The
Vulgate
rendering
loquens
(Old Lat.
locutus
)...
locutus est
exhibits a characteristic defect of the version in the rendering of participles (compare
v. 3
purgationem faciens;
v. 14
missi
).
toi'" patravsin
] This absolute title
the fathers
occurs again John 7:22; Rom. 9:5; 15:8 (in Acts 3:22 it is a false reading). Compare Ecclus. 44
Patevrwn u{mno"
.
More commonly we find
our (your) fathers
: Acts 3:13, 25; 5:30; 7:11 c 1 Cor. 10:1. The absolute term marks the relation of the fathers to the whole Church.
ejn toi'" pr
.]
in the prophets
(Vulg.
in prophetis
), not simply
through them
using them as His instruments (Heb. 2:2, 3), but
in them
(Heb. 4:7) as the quickening power of their life. In whatever way God made Himself known to them, they were His messengers, inspired by His Spirit, not in their words only but as men; and however the divine will was communicated to them they interpreted it to the people: compare Matt. 10:20; 2 Cor. 13:3. (Ipse in cordibus eorum dixit quidquid illi foras vel dictis vel factis locuti sunt hominibus.
Herv.
) Conversely the prophet speaks in Christ as united vitally with Him: 2 Cor. 2:17; 12:19.
Cf. Philo de praem. et poen. 9 (2.417 M.) eJrmhneu;" gavr ejstin oJ profhvth" e[ndoqen uJphcou'nto" ta; lekteva tou' qeou' .
The title prophet is used in the widest sense as it is applied to