Ephesians 4:32

γίνεσθε δὲ εἰς ἀλλήλους χρηστοί : but become ye kind one to another. The δέ is omitted by [478], k, 177, Clem., etc., while οὖν is substituted for it in [479] 1 [480], 114. It is bracketed by WH and by Tr marg., and is omitted by [481]. But it is quite in place, having its combined connecting and opposing force; cf. on Ephesians 4:15 above. γίνεσθε (not ἐστέ), = “become ye,” or “show yourselves,” rather than “be ye”. The idea is that they had to abandon one mental condition and make their way, beginning there and then, into its opposite. χρηστοί, = kind, benignant, used of God (Luke 6:35; Romans 2:4; 1 Peter 2:3), but here (its only occurrence in the Epistles) of ηνη εὔσπλαγχνοι : tender-hearted. There could be no better rendering. In Colossians 3:12 the same disposition is expressed by σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ. It is only in Scripture and in eccles. Greek that the adject. conveys the idea of compassion (Pray. of Manass., 7; Test. XII. Patr., Test. Zab., § 9). χαριζόμενοι ἑαυτοῖς : forgiving each other. Partic. co-ordinate with the χρηστοί, εὔσπλαγχνοι, denoting one special form in which the kindness and tender-heartedness were to show themselves. χαρίζομαι means either to give graciously (Luke 7:21; Romans 8:32; Philippians 2:9, etc.), or to forgive (Luke 7:42; 2Co 2:7; 2 Corinthians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 2:13; Colossians 3:13). Some adopt the former sense here (Vulg., donantes; Eras., largientes). But the second is more in harmony with the context. For the use of ἑαυτοῖς as = ἀλλήλοις in classical Greek (e.g., Soph., Antig., 145) see Kühner, Greek Gram., ii., p. 497; Jelf, Greek Gram., § 54, 2. In the NT the same use prevails (1 Corinthians 6:7; Colossians 3:13; Colossians 3:16, etc.). The two forms are often conjoined in the same paragraph or sentence, both in classical Greek (Xen., Mem., ii., 7, iii., 5, 16, etc.) and in the NT (as here, Colossians 3:13; 1 Peter 4:8, etc.). If there is any distinction between them, it is that the idea of fellowship or corporate unity is more prominent in ἑαυτοῖς; cf. Blass, Gram. of N. T. Greek, pp. 169, 170; Light. and Ell. on Colossians 3:13. καθὼς καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐν χριστῷ ἐχάρισατο ὑμῖν : even as also God in Christ forgave you. καθὼς points to the Divine example; καὶ places the two instances, the Divine and the human, over against each other; the reference and the comparison indicate the supreme reason or motive for our fulfilment of the injunction. ἐν χριστῷ is not “for Christ's sake” (AV) or per Christum (Calv.), but “ in Christ” as in 2 Corinthians 5:19; the God who forgives being the God who manifests Himself and acts in the suffering, reconciling Christ. The aor. should be rendered did forgive with Wicl., Tynd., Gen., Bish., RV (not “hath forgiven” as in AV, etc.), the point being the forgiveness effected when Christ died. The reading ὑμῖν, supported by [482] [483] [484] [485], 37, Sah., Boh., Vulg., Goth., Eth., etc. is to be preferred on the whole to ἡμῖν which appears in [486] [487] [488], 17, 47, Syr., Arm., etc., L gives ἡμῖν in text; TrWHRV give it in margin.

[478] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[479] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[480] Codex Augiensis (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Trinity College, Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its Greek text is almost identical with that of G, and it is therefore not cited save where it differs from that MS. Its Latin version, f, presents the Vulgate text with some modifications.

[481] Codex Angelicus (sæc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[482] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[483] Codex Alexandrinus (sæc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

[484] Codex Boernerianus (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Dresden, edited by Matthæi in 1791. Written by an Irish scribe, it once formed part of the same volume as Codex Sangallensis (δ) of the Gospels. The Latin text, g, is based on the O.L. translation.

[485] Codex Porphyrianus (sæc. ix.), at St. Petersburg, collated by Tischendorf. Its text is deficient for chap. Ephesians 2:13-16.

[486] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[487] Codex Mosquensis (sæc. ix.), edited by Matthæi in 1782.

[488] Codex Angelicus (sæc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.