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Eph_4:1. See on Eph_4:1-6, Winzer, Commentat., Lips. 1839.
παρακαλῶ ] “Parte doctrinae absoluta venit, ut solet, ad adhortationes,” Grotius. No doubt, there presently begins again at Eph_4:4 a doctrinal exposition as far as Eph_4:16, but it is subservient to the paraenesis, and is itself pervaded by the paraenetic element (Eph_4:14-15).
οὖν ] deduces the exhortation from the immediately preceding Eph_3:21. For a walk in keeping with the vocation, through which one belongs to the church, is what is practically in keeping with the praise of God in the church. The suitableness of this nearest reference gives it the preference over the more vague ordinary view, that οὖν draws its inference from the whole contents of the first three chapters. Comp. on Rom_12:1.
ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρ .] gives to the παρακαλῶ οὖν a touching force “ad excitandum affectum, quo sit efficacior exhortatio,” Estius; comp. Calvin. Similarly Ignat. Trall. 12: παρακαλεῖ ὑμᾶς τὰ δεσμά μου , ἃ ἕνεκεν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ περιφέρω . But all that has been said about exciting sympathetic feeling (Koppe and older expositors), cheering obedience,[197] and the like, is quite inappropriate, since it was just in his sufferings that Paul was conscious of all his dignity with holy pride (comp. Eph_3:13 and on Gal_6:17). So here, too, in the ΠΑΡΑΚΑΛῶ , the reader was to be affected by the consciousness of the dignity and greatness of the martyr who utters it.[198] According to others, Paul wishes to present himself as an example (Harless, Olshausen; comp. also Koppe). In that case he must at least have written: παρακαλῶ οὖν ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμ . ἐν κυρ . καὶ ὑμᾶς ἀξίως περιπ . κ . τ . λ .
ἐν κυρίῳ ] does not belong to παρακαλῶ (Semler, Koppe with hesitation; Zanchius already suggested, but did not approve it), but to ὁ δέσμιος , beside which it stands, and which alone needs its significant reference; comp. Eph_3:1; Php_1:13. Paul was the prisoner in the Lord (the article as Eph_3:1), for he did not endure a captivity having its ground apart from Christ,—such as one suffers who for any other reason is placed in bonds,—but in Christ his being bound had its causal basis, just because he was bearing the chains for Christ’s sake; without, however, ἐν κυρίῳ signifying “for Christ’s sake” (comp. on Gal_1:24), as Chrysostom, Theophylact, and many would have it. Comp. rather, συνεργὸς ἐν Χριστῷ , ἀγαπητὸς ἐν κυρίῳ , δόκιμος ἐν Χριστῷ , ἐκλεκτὸς ἐν κυρίῳ , Rom_16:3; Rom_16:8-10; Rom_16:13, al. It gives to the δέσμιος its specific character, by which therefore the captivity was essentially distinguished from any other.
ἐν κυρίῳ ] is annexed without an article, because it is blended with ὁ δέσμιος into a unity of conception. The genitive designation, Eph_3:1, expresses the same thing, but otherwise conceived of.
ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι κ . τ . λ .] i.e. to lead such a life-walk as is appropriate to the call to the Messianic kingdom issued to you (at your conversion), “ne sint tanta gratia indigni,” Calvin. Comp. Php_1:27; Col_1:10; 1Th_2:12; 2Th_1:11; Mat_3:8; Rom_16:2; Bernhardy, p. 140. The future possession of the kingdom, forsooth, is destined only for those whose ethical frame is renewed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. See Eph_4:21 ff., Eph_4:30; Rom_8:4 ff; Rom_14:17; Gal_5:21 f.; 1Co_6:9 f., al.
ἧς ] as at Eph_1:6; and see on 2Co_1:4. Attracted instead of ἥν . Yet Paul might have written ᾗ , 2Ti_1:9; 1Co_7:20.
[197] “Ut Paulum obsequio exhilararent,” Bengel.
[198] Theodoret aptly remarks: τοῖς διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν δεσμοῖς ἐναβρύνεται μᾶλλον ἢ βασιλεὺς διαδήματι .