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Eph_6:23 f. Twofold wish of blessing at the close, in which, however, Paul does not, as in the closing formulae of the other Epistles, directly address the readers ( μεθʼ ὑμῶν , μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν , μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν ). This variation is to be regarded as merely accidental, and the more so, seeing that he has in fact been just addressing his readers directly, and seeing that a μεθʼ ὑμῶν or the like would simply address the readers, as has so often been done in the Epistle itself, leaving, we may add, the question, who these readers are, in itself wholly undetermined. For what is asserted by Grotius on Eph_6:24 : “Now, Ephesios tantum salutat, sed et omnes in Asia Christianos,” is not implied in τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς —which, on the contrary, represents quite the simple ὑμῖν , inasmuch as Paul conceives of the recipients of the Epistle in the third person. According to Wieseler, p. 444 f., the apostle in Eph_6:23 salutes the Jewish Christians ( ἀδελφ .), and in Eph_6:24 the Gentile Christians ( πάντων ) in Ephesus. Improbable in itself, more particularly in this Epistle, which so carefully brings into prominence the unity of the two; and the alleged distinguishing reference would neither be recognisable, nor in keeping with the apostolic wisdom.
εἰρήνη ] not concordia, as recommended by Calvin (“quia mox fit dilectionis mentio;” comp. also Theodoret and Oecumenius), but, as Calvin himself explains: welfare, blessing, ùÑÈìåÉí , without more precise definition, because it takes the place of the valete ( ἔῤῥωσθε , Act_15:29) at the close of our Epistle,[319] and because that special sense is not at all suggested from the contents of the Epistle (comp. on the other hand, 2Co_13:11).
ἀγάπη μετὰ πίστεως ] is one object of the wish for blessing, not two. After the general fare well! namely, Paul singles out further the highest moral element, which he wishes for his readers. He does not, however, write καὶ ἀγάπη καὶ πίστις , because with good reason he presupposes faith (in the atonement achieved by Christ) as already present, but has doubtless to wish for them that which, as the constant life of faith, is to be combined with it (1 Corinthians 13; Gal_5:6), Christian brotherly love, consequently love with faith ( ἀγάπη has the emphasis, not μετὰ πίστ .). Comp. Plato, Phaed. p. 253 E: κάλλος μετὰ ὑγιείας λαμβάνειν . Bengel and Meier understand the divine love, to which, however, μετὰ πίστ . is unsuitable, although Meier explains it: in conformity with their own faith, partly at variance with linguistic usage,[320] partly importing a thought (their own). The reading ἔλεος (instead of ἈΓΆΠΗ ) is to be regarded simply as a glossematic consequence of the explaining it of the divine love, and yet, though found only in codex A, it is held by Rückert to be the true one (comp. Gal_6:16); Paul, he says, wishes to the readers εἰρήνη κ . ἔλεος for the reward (?) of faith.
ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πατρὸς κ . κυρ . Ἰ . Χ .] See on Rom_1:7. Grotius, we may add, rightly observes: “conjungit causam principem cum causa secunda.”[321] For Christ is exalted on the part of God to the government of the world, and particularly to the Lordship of the church (Eph_1:22; Php_2:9); and His dominion has in God, the Head of Christ (1Co_11:3), not merely its ground (comp. also Eph_1:17), but also its goal (1Co_3:23; 1Co_15:28).
[319] Hence also not to be explained of the peace of reconciliation (Bengel, Matthies, Schenkel, and others), any more here than in the opening salutations of the Epistle, where it takes the place of the epistolary salutem, εὖ πράττειν .
[320] μετά may, it is true, sometimes be approximately as to sense rendered by conformably to, but the analysis in those cases is such as does not suit our passage. See e.g. Dem. Lept. p. 490; Plato, Phaed. p. 66 B, where μετὰ τῶν νόμων and μετὰ τοῦ λόγου is to be explained, in connection with the laws, etc., i.e. with the aid of the same. Comp. also Thucyd. iii. 82. 5, and Krüger in loc. See in general, Bernhardy, p. 255.
[321] The order in the combination of the two causes is inverted in Gal. l.c.: διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χρ . καὶ Θεοῦ πατρός .