condemnation to them, if, from that time, even assisted by prayers, they had not amended
themselves. “And making request,” he says, with much earnestness, for this the expression
“ye knew”712 shows. But it is necessary still to know somewhat besides. “To walk worthily,”
he says, “of the Lord.” Here he speaks of life and its works, for so he doth also everywhere:
with faith he always couples conduct. “Unto all pleasing.” And how, “all pleasing”? “Bearing
fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Seeing, saith he, He hath
fully revealed Himself unto you, and seeing ye have received knowledge so great; do ye then
show forth a conduct worthy of the faith; for this needeth elevated conduct, greater far than
the old dispensation. For, he that hath known God, and been counted worthy to be God’s
servant, yea, rather, even His Son, see how great virtue he needeth. “Strengthened with all
power.” He is here speaking of trials and persecutions. We pray that ye might be filled with
strength, that ye faint not for sorrow, nor despair. “According to the might of His glory.”
But that ye may take up again such forwardness as it becometh the power of His glory to
give. “Unto all patience and long-suffering.” What he saith is of this sort. Summarily, he
saith, we pray that ye may lead a life of virtue, and worthy of your citizenship, and may stand
firmly, being strengthened as it is reasonable to be strengthened by God. For this cause he
doth not as yet touch upon doctrines, but dwells upon life, wherein he had nothing to charge
them with, and having praised them where praise was due, he then comes down to accusation.
And this he does everywhere: when he is about writing to any with somewhat to blame them
for, and somewhat to praise, he first praises them, and then comes down to his charges. For
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he first conciliates the hearer, and frees his accusation from all suspicion, and shows that
for his own part he could have been glad to praise them throughout; but by the necessity of
the case is forced into saying what he does. And so he doth in the first713 Epistle to the
Corinthians. For after having exceedingly praised them as loving him, even from the case
of the fornicator, he comes down to accuse them. But in that to the Galatians not so, but
the reverse. Yea, rather, if one should look close into it, even there the accusation follows
upon praise. For seeing he had no good deeds of theirs then to speak of, and the charge was
an exceeding grave one, and they were every one of them corrupted; and were able to bear
it because they were strong, he begins with accusation, saying, “I marvel.”714 (Gal. i. 6.) So
that this also is praise. But afterwards he praises them, not for what they were, but what they
had been, saying, “If possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and given them to me.”
(Gal. v. 15.).
712 ἔγνωτε. This is implied in his wishing them “more” knowledge.
713 Perhaps it should be “second.” [All documents read “first,” and there is really no occasion for the conjec-
tural alteration, for the statement applies to the first, as well as the second, Epistle.—J.A.B.]
714 Vid. St. Chrys. in loc.
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Colossians 1:9,10