hope. Then the change resulting on the body, which corresponds to the earthly humiliation, into the shining form of the glorified body of Christ (§ 97, b), forms also the correlative, Phil. iii. 21, to the expected salvation, ver. 20. As § 99, b, so Paul (Phil. iii. 11) also knows only of a resurrection of those believers kept in living union with Christ (ver. 9), a resurrection which is based on Christ, the apxń (namely, Tv ἐγερθέντων) or the πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν (Col. i. 18; comp. Acts xxvi. 23). As § 97, c, so here the inheritance of believers stands (Eph. i. 14, 18) related to their adoption (vv. 5, 17); yet, Col. iii. 24 (comp. Acts xx. 32, xxvi. 18), Kλnpovoμía appears to occur in the more general sense of the possession of salvation promised to the Christians, a possession which is realized in the perfected kingdom of God (iv. 11; Eph. v. 5). Here also, as § 98, b, the day of Christ brings (Phil. i. 6, 10, ii. 16) the decision which of the Christians is found approved, and, Eph. v. 21, Christ is evidently regarded as the judge whom Christians have to fear. Here also the retribution (åvτaπódoσis) which they will then receive from the Lord is spoken of (Col. iii. 24); the exactness of this retribution is expressed in the sharpest terms, Eph. vi. 8,

To be sure, here also the apostle hopes, in the event of his suffering a martyr's death (Phil. i. 20, ii. 17), directly after death (but certainly not by a resurrection, as Schenkel, p. 294 ff., thinks) to go to Christ, as only on this supposition the immediate departure from life can be to him gain (i. 21, 23; comp. § 96, d); and the opinion, that this was regarded only as a prerogative of martyrs (Zeller in the Theol. Jahrbüchern, 1847, 3, pp. 402-407), is altogether arbitrary (comp. Köstlin, p. 286). Yet here also this σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι is not the highest goal of Christian hope. If, moreover, the more particular dealing with eschatological proceedings is reserved in the four principal Epistles, to a yet greater extent is this the case in our Epistles, without its being possible to show any essential change on the supposition on these points.

7 Not only do heathenish sins exclude from the kingdom of God (Eph. v. 5), but there is required even an uninterrupted approval in the fulfilment of the special Christian calling, by which Christ is glorified (Phil. i. 20), if the end of the Christian life is to be the salvation (ver. 19); as also, according to iv. 3, the names of true fellow-workers in the gospel stand in the book of life. Here also, in particular, it is the stedfastness, which does not permit one to be intimidated even in any point by opponents, which avails to the true contenders as the Godappointed indications of their sure deliverance (i. 28; comp. ver. 20), as they thereby experience the highest proof of their living union with Christ in their fellowship in His sufferings, which makes them conformed to His death (iii. 10), and on that account opens up to them the prospect of the experience of the resurrection from the dead (ver. 11).

Col. iii. 25, in this way, that one receives what one has done (comp. Phil. iv. 18 : πεπλήρωμαι . . . ; ver. 19: ὁ Θεός μου Tλnρwσe), and, Eph. vi. 3, an Old Testament retributive prophecy referring to the earthly life is reproduced. Here also the reward appears under the image of fruit, which is produced, and produces at the same time blessing (Phil. iv. 17); or under that of the praise of victory, which God has set forth in the end for the runners of the Christian race (iii. 14); and the reward which Paul specially expects for his work is the glory he will share on the day of Christ (ii. 16, iv. 1; comp. § 98, d, footnote 6).

(d) The Epistle to the Ephesians begins with thanksgiving for the election of Christians (i. 4), and shows that the object of this election is here also the realization of holiness, and of the salvation of Christians given with sonship (vv. 4, 5; comp. Col. iii. 12: ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἅγιοι καὶ ἠγαπημένοι; comp. § 100, d), a salvation God has predestinated for them in love. The names of those so elected stand, according to Phil. iv. 3, in the book of life, to which they are appointed. Here also election follows according to the free good pleasure of God's will (Eph. i. 5) by His grace (ver. 6). Here also are Christians, as § 88, d, called of God (Phil. iii. 14: ý ǎvw Kλñσis Toû Oeoû), and so called, to be sure, that by the calling they are united into one body (Col. iii. 15; Eph. iv. 4). The calling is therefore here also the introduction to the Christian Church, and involves equally the determination to a holy walk (iv. 1) as the hope of complete salvation (i. 18, iv. 4; comp. Phil. iii. 14). The calling is here also effected by the gospel (Eph. iii. 6) or the word of God, which, as the sword of the Spirit, i.e. as the instrument by which the Spirit of God works (vi. 17), produces faith. For this (Phil. i. 29) is expressly designated a xápioμa, and God is thanked for the faith of the readers (Col. i. 3, 4; Eph. i. 15, 16). Here also, as § 89, is Paul called by the will of God (Col. i. 1; Eph. i. 1) the

• Hence it is also called the word simply (Col. iv. 3; Phil. i. 14), or the word of the truth (Col. i. 5; Eph. i. 13), which is preached by human instrumentality (xnpúrruv: Col. i. 23; Phil. i. 15). Its content is Christ (Col. iii. 16: i λóyos Toũ XpioToù; Phil. i. 27: sayy. r. Xp.; comp. i. 15, 17, 18; Col. i. 28), or the salvation given in Him (Eph. i. 13: sayy. 7. owenpías; vi. 15: cñs ipvns; comp. ii. 17, iii. 8; Phil. ii. 16: λóyos (wñs), and the divine grace (Acts xx. 24, 32).

apostle of Jesus Christ (Eph. iii. 5; comp. Acts. xx. 24), and that specially for the heathen (ver. 1; comp. Col. i. 23–28; Acts xxvi. 17), wherein he sees grace given specially to him as the least of all saints (Eph. iii. 2, 8). This calling was a direct laying hold of him by the Lord (Phil. iii. 12). Finally, the mystery of salvation was made known to the apostle by revelation through the Spirit (Eph. iii. 3: κaτà ȧπоkáλvi èyνæpioon; comp. ver. 5), so that he could himself announce again this mystery (vi. 19, i. 9; Col. i. 27). With the manner in which this mystery is conceived of in our Epistles, is connected specially their peculiarity.

§ 102. The Doctrine of Wisdom.

The message of salvation of the apostle is, to be sure, in the earlier Epistles, in the first place, the contrast to all human wisdom; but it contains yet the true wisdom, so far as it alone shows the way of salvation given in Christ (a). Connected with this there is also in Christianity a higher wisdom and knowledge; but, to be sure, in this life these remain ever imperfect (b). In opposition to a false doctrine of wisdom in the Epistles of the imprisonment, the gospel is with special emphasis conceived of as the true wisdom, and advancement in the right knowledge is put as task of the normal development of Christian life (c). But this true wisdom and knowledge are here also, at the same time, directed to the practical task of the moral life, whose proper solution appears as a second principal task of our Epistles, with their predominant hortative character (d).

(a) The message of salvation was to the apostle primarily the most complete contrast to all the wisdom of this world, whether this latter now comes forward as Jewish learning in the Scriptures, or as Gentile argumentative skill (1 Cor. i. 20). God has turned this wisdom into folly in this way, that He exhibited its complete inadequacy to find out a way of salva

Here also Paul calls himself a douλos of Christ (Phil. i. 1), and this together with one of his fellow-labourers (ovvipyós: Col. iv. 11; Philem. 1, 24; Phil. ii. 25, iv. 3), whom he also calls douλo (Col. iv. 12) or diάxova (Col. i. 7, iv. 7) of Christ. If the destination of salvation for the heathen is, according to Eph. iii. 5, made known to other apostles also, Gal. ii. 7, 8 shows that this cannot be un-Pauline, as Pfleiderer, p. 446 [E. T. ii. 177], supposes.

tion (comp. § 69, c), and determined, on the contrary, to deliver believers by a preaching which took nothing from this wisdom, and from its standpoint was folly (ver. 21: Sià Tŷs μwрías тоû êηрúyμaτos; comp. ver. 18), which even, according to § 89, a, on principle rejected, and must reject, all mingling with human wisdom (iv. 10: μopol dià Xpioτóv; comp. iii. 18). But yet this saving message need not be ashamed in the presence of the wise of this world (Rom. i. 16; comp. ver. 14); for it can, what yet every form of wisdom strove ultimately to do, and no human wisdom could achieve (1 Cor. ii. 8), show to men the way of salvation. From this point of view the gospel is not only the power of God, but also the wisdom of God (i. 24); because it announces Him to us who is made wisdom to us by God (ver. 30), and so much so, that even in the simplest form of its proclamation it is always yet wiser (ver. 25) than men, as they strive after (ver. 22) wisdom in vain. But this wisdom brings no theoretical knowledge of God's nature and of divine things, but the knowledge of salvation given in Christ.1 The truth which the gospel makes known (2 Cor. vi. 7, iv. 2; comp. 2 Thess. ii. 10, 12, 13) is, in contrast to Jewish errors (Gal. ii. 5, 14; comp. v. 7), the true way of salvation; and the Jews, who do not receive it, because they imagine they receive in the law the satisfying μόρφωσις τῆς γνώσεως κ. τ. ἀληθείας (Rom. ii. 20), are zealous for God ἀλλ ̓ οὐ κατ ̓ ἐπίγνωσιν (x. 2). The true knowledge of God, which casts down all human thoughts, leads to obedience to Christ (2 Cor. x. 5; comp. § 82, d), as also to an ever more glorious form of spiritual life (iii. 18; comp. § 86, c,

1 In opposition to heathenism, Christianity has, at any rate, the knowledge of God (Gal. iv. 9), and it is thereby light in opposition to darkness (2 Cor. vi. 14; comp. 1 Thess. v. 4, 5: oùx isrì iv oxóru = viòì Qwrós iors), as in a certain sense the Jews wished to be in opposition to the Gentiles (Rom. ii. 19). But if the apostle describes his preaching as a making known a savour of the knowledge of God (2 Cor. ii. 14), he adds, that the bearer of this sweet smell is a savour of Christ (ver. 15), i.e. that it deals with the knowledge of God in the way it is given in Christ. For to refer this passage to the giving up of Himself on the part of Christ in the fire of sacrifice (Ritschl, ii. p. 183) is quite contrary to the whole context. And if (2 Cor. iv. 6) the activity of God, by which He causes the true knowledge to shine into the heart, is compared to the creation of light (Gen. i. 3), then the object of this knowledge is expressly said to be the glory of God, revealed in the face of Jesus Christ, whom the gospel proclaims as the image of God in His glory (ver. 4).

footnote 7), and fits them to show each other practically the right way (Rom. xv. 14). If the apostle wishes that his readers may be σοφοὶ εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν (xvi. 19), this from the context refers chiefly to their keeping hold of right doctrine (ver. 17), which of itself serves to turn away the erroneous demands of Judaizers. True wisdom, hence, consists in the knowledge of the right way of salvation, and is thoroughout of a practical character.

(b) From the simple message of salvation Paul, 1 Cor. ii. 6, distinguishes the copía, which he proclaimed among mature Christians (ev Tois Teλelous), while he presented food suitable for children (iii. 2), namely milk, and not strong food, to the immature (the vnious). But even this had nothing in common with the wisdom of the world, but is a deeper insight into the hidden saving purpose of God (ver. 7: eoû σopíav ἐν μυστηρίῳ τὴν ἀποκεκρυμμένην), as God has revealed it by His Spirit to the apostles (ver. 10), and as it can on that account be understood and judged of by the spiritual (vv. 14, 15). To this belongs, e.g., insight into the depths of God's wisdom (Rom. xi. 33; comp. 1 Cor. ii. 10), which were opened up to the apostle by meditation on the wonderful ways of God by which salvation has come, and must come, to its universal realization. More especially insight into the eschatological mysteries belongs to this, which, according to § 92, b, footnote 8, are revealed by the gift of prophecy (óyos oopías: 1 Cor. xii. 8). There also we saw that along with this there is also a gift of deeper knowledge of the truths of salvation (oyos yvwσews: xii. 8; comp. xiii. 2, xiv. 6), in which the Corinthians were specially rich (i. 5, iv. 10; 2 Cor. viii. 7), even as Paul himself was (vi. 6, xi. 6). But there are also generally different grades of knowledge in the churches, such as that which is shown, e.g., in judging indifferent things (1 Cor. viii. 7, 10, 11). But all knowledge without love is worthless (xiii. 2); it may even, if it puffs up, become dangerous (viii. 1, 2); like all gifts, it is transitory (xiii. 8), and remains ever partial (vv. 9-11), till it gives place at the Parousia to perfect knowledge (éπiyvwois: ver. 12). Comp. § 93, a.

(c) Although even in the earlier Epistles the gospel is from one point of view a philosophy, and also offers to the more