《The Expositor’s Bible - Ephesians》(William R. Nicoll)
Editor
Sir William Robertson Nicoll CH (October 10, 1851 - May 4, 1923) was a Scottish Free Church minister, journalist, editor, and man of letters.
Nicoll was born in Lumsden, Aberdeenshire, the son of a Free Church minister. He was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and graduated MA at the University of Aberdeen in 1870, and studied for the ministry at the Free Church Divinity Hall there until 1874, when he was ordained minister of the Free Church at Dufftown, Banffshire. Three years later he moved to Kelso, and in 1884 became editor of The Expositor for Hodder & Stoughton, a position he held until his death.
In 1885 Nicoll was forced to retire from pastoral ministry after an attack of typhoid had badly damaged his lung. In 1886 he moved south to London, which became the base for the rest of his life. With the support of Hodder and Stoughton he founded the British Weekly, a Nonconformist newspaper, which also gained great influence over opinion in the churches in Scotland.
Nicoll secured many writers of exceptional talent for his paper (including Marcus Dods, J. M. Barrie, Ian Maclaren, Alexander Whyte, Alexander Maclaren, and James Denney), to which he added his own considerable talents as a contributor. He began a highly popular feature, "Correspondence of Claudius Clear", which enabled him to share his interests and his reading with his readers. He was also the founding editor of The Bookman from 1891, and acted as chief literary adviser to the publishing firm of Hodder & Stoughton.
Among his other enterprises were The Expositor's Bible and The Theological Educator. He edited The Expositor's Greek Testament (from 1897), and a series of Contemporary Writers (from 1894), and of Literary Lives (from 1904).
He projected but never wrote a history of The Victorian Era in English Literature, and edited, with T. J. Wise, two volumes of Literary Anecdotes of the Nineteenth Century. He was knighted in 1909, ostensibly for his literrary work, but in reality probably more for his long-term support for the Liberal Party. He was appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in the 1921 Birthday Honours.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction. Chapter 1:1, 2.Chapter 1 - The Writer and Readers.
Contrast of Galatians and Ephesians - Pauline qualities of Ephesians: intellectual, historical, theological, spiritual, ethical - The Idea of the Church - The Person of Christ Ephesians and Colossians - Style of Ephesians Circular Hypothesis - Epistle from Laodicea - Designation of the Readers - Faithful Brethren
Praise and Prayer. Chapter 1:3-19.
Chapter 2 - The Eternal Purpose.
The Apostle’s Hymn of Praise - Blessed be God! – Blessing spiritual, heavenly, Christian - In the Beginning the Election of Grace - The World and its Founder - Redemption embedded in Creation - God’s prescient Choice - Our Holiness His Purpose Divine Adoption -Who are the Elect
Chapter 3 - The Bestowment of Grace.
Structure of the Paragraph - Grace an Experience – Christ the Beloved - Forgiveness and its Price - The Value f Forgiveness - Wisdom a Gift of Grace - The Gospel as an intellectual Force - God’s Will the Goal of human Thought - Sonship and Heritage - The Fulness of the Times - The Christian Inventory of the Universe - Reconciliation and Reconstitution - Gathering in and Gathering out
Chapter 4 - The Final Redemption.
Mutual Inheritance - Jewish and Gentile Heirs - Uses of the Seal - The Stamp of Sanctity - Promise fulfilled and to be fulfilled - Hearing and Believing - Salvation by the Truth - Salvation for the Gentiles - Faith and the Holy Spirit - The two Redemptions - The encumbered Property - The Earnest of our consummate Life
Chapter 5 - For the Eyes of the Heart.
Thanksgiving for the Readers - The God of Christ, the Father of Glory - Christian Enlightenment - Seeing with the Heart - What is our Hope ? – God’s Wealth in Men - The true Standard of Value - The Power of Christ’s Resurrection
The Doctrine. Chapter 2:20 – 3:13.
Chapter 6 - What God Wrought in the Christ.
Prayer and Teaching - Historical Effect of Christ’s Resurrection - The Stages of His Exaltation - Christianity with out Miracles - The efficient Cause of Christianity – The perfect Resurrection - The First-begotten out of the Dead - The Risen One, the Holy One – Resurrection and Ascension - Ascension to Rule - Christ and the Angels Christ glorified God’s Gift to the Church - Christ the Fulness of God
Chapter 7 - From Death to Life.
Raised with Christ - Sin is Death - Jesus Christ in a dead World - Alive in Body, dead in Spirit - Religious Difficulties - Antipathy to God - The Power of the Air - God’s Anger against Sinners - The Soul’s Awaking - Consciousness of God - Fellowship in Salvation
Chapter 8 - Saved for an End.
Beginning and End of God’s Plan - Mercy, Love, Kindness, Grace and Gift - Not of Works - Boasting excluded - Evangelical Assurance - In the heavenly Places – Grace a Task-master - Creation and Redemption - The apostolic Church and the coming Times
Chapter 9 - The Far and Near.
Wherefore remember! - Sudden and gradual Conversion - The Gentile World: Godless, hopeless, Christless - Away with the Atheists! - The double Pessimism – The Uncircumcision - Nigh in the Blood of Christ – Reunion in Guilt and in Pardon
Chapter 10 - The Double Reconciliation.
The Jewish War - The two Parties in the Church – The Jewish Enmity typical - The new Christian Humanity - The Church in the first Century and the nineteenth - Hindrances to Unity : external, internal - The Ground of Reconciliation - Enemies of God - The Atonement of the Cross - Moral Communism - Personal Faith - The Fraternization of Mankind
Chapter 11 - God’s Temple in Humanity.
The Divine Occupant - The Service of Man and of God - One Temple and many Buildings - The Variety of the apostolic Church - The primitive Catholicism – Church and Dissent - Union by Approximation - Our Lord’s Prayer for Unity - The apostolic Basis - The Builder Spirit - The sure Foundation Stone
Chapter 12 - The Secret of the Ages.
St Paul’s Style of Composition - Christ the Mystery of God - Christ in the Old Testament - The Exploration of Christ - The Portion of the Gentiles in Israel – The Organs of the new Revelation - The unique Office and Influence of the Apostle Paul
Chapter 13 - Earth Teaching Heaven.
Christ the Bond of Angels and Men - Our Lord and theirs - Jesus of Nazareth the Lord of the Ages - The Reality of the Angels - Their Interest in the Church – The Peculiarity of the human Problem - The Docility of the heavenly Potentates - The angelic Standpoint – The Grandeur of Christianity inspires Courage
Prayer And Praise. Chapter 3:14-21.
Chapter 14 - The Comprehension of Christ.
Contents of St Paul’s Prayer - The Father of Angels and of Men - Strength of Spirit and of the Spirit – Christ abiding in the Heart - Christ and the Christ - Christ’s Claim on the Intellect - Neglect of Theology - Dimensions of God’s Building - Strength to grasp the Magnitude of Christianity - The true Broad Churchman
Chapter 15 - Knowing the Unknowable.
Knowledge in the Growth - Paul’s Study of the Love of Christ - Christ’s manifested Love - God’s Fulness our final Aim - The Fulness more than Love - Praise outsoaring Prayer - God’s Gifts beyond our Requests – The Divine Power immanent in Men - The Inspirer of Prayer its Fulfiller - The Union of the Church and Christ in God’s Praise - The eternal Glory
The Exhortation On Church Life. Chapter 4:1-16.
Chapter 16 - The Fundamental Unities.
The Prisoner in the Lord - The Foes of Church Peace: Low-mindedness, Ambition, Resentfulness - The Basis of Unity: sevenfold, threefold - One Body despite Divisions - One Spirit makes one Body - Unity of Life and Hope - One Lord in all Churches - Baptism a Sign of Christ’s Rule, the Seal of a corporate Life - The one God, and the Many
Chapter 17 - The Measure of the Gift of Christ.
Unity in Diversities - Christ the Administrator - The Ascension of David and of David’s Son - Height and Breadth - The Giving of Jesus - Christ’s Descent and Ascent - The Warfare of Christ - The Spoils of His Victory - The Enlistment of His Prisoners - Apostles and Prophets, Evangelists and Pastors - Paul, Augustine, Luther, Knox, Wesley - The Demands of the Future – Individual Responsibility
Chapter 18 - The Growth of the Church.
The Aim of the Christian Ministry - A perfect Manhood - Sleight or Sport? - Junctures of Supply - Reunion in the Knowledge of the Son of God - The Stature of Christ our Standard - The Dangers of Childishness - Speculative Error - Gnosticism and Agnosticism - Conditions of Safety - Church Organization - The Framework of the Body of Christ - Its Continuity of Tissue
On Christian Morals. Chapter 4:17 – 5:21.
Chapter 19 - The Walk of the Gentiles.
The old World and the old Man - Impotence of Gentile Reason - Science and Pessimism - Loss of the Life of God - Ignorance the Mother of Indevotion – Induration of Heart - Impudicity of Paganism
Chapter 20 - The Two Human Types.
Defective Views of Christ amongst Paul’s Readers – The historical Jesus the true Christ - Paul and the Tradition of Jesus - Jesus the human Model - Nero a Type of the Pagan Order - The Fraud of Sin - The Growth and the Birth of the new Man - Righteousness and Holiness
Chapter 21 - Discarded Vices.
The seven Gentile Sins - Truthfulness and the Truth – The Perils of Anger - The Antidote to Theft - Sinfulness of vain Speech - Malice and its Brood - Imitation of the Divine Love - Filthiness and Jesting - The golden Leprosy
Chapter 22 - Doctrine and Ethics.
The Intrinsic and Experimental in Morals - Originality of Christian Ethics - Ethical Art and Science - Four Principles of Pauline Ethics Personality and Morals - Ethical Character of Christ’s Forgiveness – Auguste Comte and the Gospel - The moral Import of the Resurrection - And of the Atonement
Chapter 23 - The Children of the Light.
Right the Fruit of Light - All Virtue from one Source - Unbelief and Immorality - Christian Goodness - The Way of Righteousness - Truth the Hall-mark of Sanctity - Verity and Veracity - Specialists in Virtue - Reproof of open and of hidden Sins Manifestation and Transformation
Chapter 24 - The New Wine of the Spirit.
Soberness and Excitement - The heedful Look - Evil Days for the Asian Christians - Wisdom to know God’s Will - Wine and social Pleasure - The Craving for Excitement - Fulness of the Spirit - The Rise of Christian Psalmody - The Music of the Heart - Enthusiasm and Order
On Family Life. Chapter 5: 22 – 6: 9.
Chapter 25 - Christian Marriage.
The Divine Character of Marriage - Religious Equality of the Sexes - The Glory of the Man - Women’s Rights - Christ’s undivided Headship - Masculine Selfishness - Greek Terms for Love - The Husband and the Priest - The double Self - Indelibility of Wedlock
Chapter 26 - Christ and His Bride.
Marriage and the Doctrine of the Church - The Individual and the Church - The Glory of the vicarious Death Christ the Sanctifier of His Church - The Signification of Baptism - The Water and the Word The Bride made ready - The Church a Christocracy – Adam’s Wedding-song - The Church inherent in Christ
Chapter 27 - The Christian Household.
Children in the Church - The initial Form of Duty - Commandment and Promise - Gentleness of fatherly Rule - Spoilt Children - The Lord’s Nurture - Greek and Roman Slaves - The Church and the Slaves - Christ a Pattern for Slaves - Servants of Society - Care, Honesty, Heartiness in Work - The heavenly Master’s Reward - Responsibility of the earthly Master
On The Approaching Conflict. Chapter 6:10-18.
Chapter 28 - The Foes of the Church.
Henceforth be strong! - The two Panoplies - The Personality of Satan - The Devil and his Angels - Paul’s Demonology - The spiritual Combat - Interior Temptations - Persecution and Heresy - The Region of the Struggle - The Siege of the heavenly City
Chapter 29 - The Divine Panoply.
The coming evil Day - Comparison with Revelation 2, 3 - The Girdle of Truth - The Breastplate of Righteousness - Shoes of Gospel Readiness - The great Shield of Faith - Fire-tipped Darts - The Helmet of Salvation - The Spirit’s Sword - The Weapon of All-prayer
The Conclusion. Chapter 6:19-24.
Chapter 30 - Request: Commendation: Benediction.
Paul’s Need of the Church’s Prayers - Christ’s Ambassador before the Emperor - Speaking the Word given – Good News for the Asian Churches - Character and Services of Tychicus - Peace to the Brethren - Love with Faith - Love toward Christ and Grace from God The Love incorruptible
01 Chapter 1
THE INTRODUCTION.
THE WRITER AND READERS.
Eph 1:1,2
IN passing from the Galatian to the Ephesian epistle we are conscious of entering a different atmosphere. We leave the region of controversy for that of meditation. From the battle-field we step into the hush and stillness of the temple. Verses 3-14 of this chapter constitute the most sustained and perfect act of praise that is found in the apostle’s letters. It is as though a door were suddenly opened in heaven; it shuts behind us, and earthly tumult dies away. The contrast between these two writings, following each other in the established order of the epistles, is singular and in some ways extreme. They are, respectively, the most combative and peaceful, the most impassioned and unimpassioned, the most concrete and abstract, the most human and divine amongst the great apostle’s writings.
Yet there is a fundamental resemblance and identity of character. The two letters are not the expression of different minds, but of different phases of the same mind. In the Paul of Galatians the Paul of Ephesians is latent; the contemplative thinker, the devout mystic, behind the ardent missionary and the masterly debater. Those critics who recognise the genuine apostle only in the four previous epistles and reject whatever does not conform strictly to their type, do not perceive how much is needed to make up a man like the apostle Paul. Without the inwardness, the brooding faculty, the power of abstract and metaphysical thinking displayed in the epistles of this group, he could never have wrought out the system of doctrine contained in those earlier writings, nor grasped the principles which he there applies with such vigour and effect. That so many serious and able scholars doubt, or even deny, St. Paul’s authorship of this epistle on internal grounds and because of the contrast to which we have referred, is one of those phenomena which in future histories of religious thought will be quoted as the curiosities of a hypercritical age.
Let us observe some of the Pauline qualities that are stamped upon the face of this document. There is, in the first place, the apostle’s intellectual note, what has been well called his "passion for the absolute." St. Paul’s was one of those minds, so discomposing to superficial and merely practical thinkers, which cannot be content with half-way conclusions. For every principle he seeks its ultimate basis; every line of thought he pushes to its furthest limits. His gospel, if he is to rest in it, must supply a principle of unity that will bind together all the elements of his mental world.
Hence, in contesting the Jewish claim to religious superiority on the ground of circumcision and the Abrahamic covenant, St. Paul developed in the epistle to the Galatians a religious philosophy of history; he arrived at a view of the function of the law in the education of mankind which disposed not only of the question at issue, but of all such questions. He established for ever the principle of salvation by faith and of spiritual sonship to God. What that former argument effects for the history of revelation, is done here for the gospel in its relations to society and universal life. The principle of Christ’s headship is carried to its largest results. The centre of the Church becomes the centre of the universe. God’s plan of the ages is disclosed, ranging through eternity and embracing every form of being, and "gathering into one all things in the Christ." In Galatians and Romans the thought of salvation by Christ breaks through Jewish limits and spreads itself over the field of history; in Colossians and Ephesians the idea of life in Christ overleaps the barriers of time and human existence, and brings "things in heaven and things in earth and things beneath the earth" under its sway.
The second, historical note of original Paulinism we recognise in the writer’s "attitude towards Judaism." We should be prepared to stake the genuineness of the epistle on this consideration alone. The position and point of view of the Jewish apostle to the Gentiles are unique in history. It is difficult to conceive how any one but Paul himself, at any other juncture, could have represented the relation of Jew and Gentile to each other as it is put before us here. The writer is a Jew, a man nourished on the hope of Israel, {Eph 1:12} who had looked at his fellow-men across "the middle wall of partition". {Eph 2:14} In his view, the covenant and the Christ belong, in the first instance and as by birthright, to the men of Israel. They are "the near," who live hard by the city and house of God. The blessedness of the Gentile readers consists in the revelation that they are "fellow-heirs and of the same body and joint-partakers with us of the promise in Christ Jesus". {Eph 3:6} What is this but to say, as the apostle had done before, that the branches "of the naturally wild olive tree" were "against nature grafted into the good olive tree" and allowed to "partake of its root and fatness," along with "the natural branches," the children of the stock of Abraham who claimed it for "their own"; that "the men of faith are sons of Abraham" and "Abraham’s blessing has come on the Gentiles through faith"? {Ro 11:16-24 Ac 13:26 Ga 3:7,14}