CHAP. VI.

THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.

TH

No. I.

HIS epiftle, and the epiftle to the Coloffians, appear to have been tranfmitted to their respective churches by the fame meffenger: "But that ye alfo may "know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, "a beloved brother and faithful minifter in "the Lord, fhall make known to you all

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things; whom I have fent unto you for "the fame purpose, that ye might know ❝our affairs, and that he might comfort "your hearts" (Eph. chap. vi. ver. 21, 22). This text, if it do not exprefsly declare, clearly I think intimates, that the letter was fent by Tychicus. The words made ufe of in the epiftle to the Coloffians are very fimilar to these, and afford the fame implication that Tychicus, in conjunction with Onefimus, was the bearer of the letter

to

to that church: "All my ftate fhall Tychicus, "declare unto you, who is a beloved bro"ther, and a faithful minifter, and fellow "fervant in the Lord, whom I have sent "unto you for the fame purpose, that he "might know your eftate, and comfort your "hearts; with Onefimus, a faithful and ❝ beloved brother, who is one of you: they "shall make known unto you all things "which are done here" (Colof. chap. iv. ver. 7-9). Both epiftles represent the writer as under imprisonment for the gofpel; and both treat of the fame general fubject. The epiftle therefore to the Ephefians, and the epiftle to the Coloffians, import to be two letters written by the fame person, at, or nearly at, the fame time, and upon the fame subject, and to have been sent by the fame meffenger. Now, every thing in the fentiments, order, and diction of the two writings correfponds with what might be expected from this circumftance of identity or cognation in their original. The leading doctrine of both epiftles is the union of Jews and Gentiles under the Christian dispensation ; and that doctrine in both is established by P

the

the fame arguments, or, more properly speaking, illuftrated by the fame fimilitudes * : "one head," " one body," "one new "man,' ""one temple," are in both epiftles the figures, under which the fociety of believers in Chrift, and their common relation to him as fuch, is reprefented +. The ancient, and, as had been thought, the indelible diftinction between Jew and Gentile, in both epistles, is declared to be "now abolished by his crofs." Befide this confent in the

ge-,

**St. Paul, I am apt to believe, has been fometimes accused of inconclufive reafoning, by our mistaking that for reafoning which was only intended for illuftration He is not to be read as a man, whose own persuasion of the truth of what he taught always or folely depended upon the views under which he reprefents it in his writings. Taking for granted the certainty of his doctrine, as refting upon the revelation that had been imparted to him, he exhibits it frequently to the conception of his readers under images and allegories, in which if an analogy may be perceived, or even fometimes a poetic resemblance be found, it is all perhaps that is required.

neral tenor of the two epiftles, and in the run alfo and warmth of thought with which they are compofed, we may naturally expect, in letters produced under the circumftances, in which thefe appear to have been written, a closer resemblance of ftyle and diction, than between other letters of the fame perfon, but of diftant dates, or between letters adapted to different occafions. In particular we may look for many of the fame expreffions, and fometimes for whole fentences being alike; fince fuch expreffions and fentences would be repeated in the fecond letter (whichever that was) as yet fresh in the author's mind from the writing of the firft. This repetition occurs in the following examples *;

Ephef. ch. i. ver. 7. "In whom we “have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of fins +.”

* When verbal comparifons are relied upon, it becomes neceffary to ftate the original; but that the English reader may be interrupted as little as may be, I shall in general do this in the note.

+ Epher, ch, i. ver. 7. Εν 4 εχομεν την απολύθρωσιν δια το αιμαίος αυτέ, την αφεσιν των παραπλωμάτων.

Colof. ch. i. ver. 14.

"In whom we

"have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of fins *."

Befide the fameness of the words, it is farther remarkable that the sentence is, in both places, preceded by the fame introductory idea. In the Epistle to the Ephe fians it is the beloved" (nyanμevw); in that to the Coloffians it is " his dear Son" (υι8 της αγάπης αυτε), “ in whom we have redemption." The fentence appears to have deen fuggefted to the mind of the writer by the idea which had accompanied

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it before.

Ephef. ch. i. ver. 10. "All things both "which are in heaven and which are in "earth, even in him +.

"All things by

Colof. ch. i. vèr. 20. "him, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven ‡.

* Col. ch. i. ver. 14. Ev w xoμer any amòλutgworn dies τα αίματος αυτό, την αφεσιν των αμαρτιων.-However it muft be obferved, that in this latter text many copies have not Για το αίματος ωυτ8.

Ephef. ch. i. ver. 10. Ta Te Tois Seavors Hat ETI TUS γῆς, ἐν αὐτῷ.

Colof. ch. i, ver, 20. Δί αυτή είτε τα επί της γης είτε τας εν τοις ερανοίς.