Son, sealed by the Spirit. A
prayer for the readers (i.).

Their new state as saved by grace through faith; reconciliation of Jews
and Gentiles in Christ (ii.). Paul was made a minister to dispense the
grace of God to the Gentiles. He prays for their spiritual progress
(iii.).

The unity of Christians in the Church combined with diversity of gifts
and offices, a warning against heathen vices, and advice as to duty
towards one's neighbour (iv.). Christian love, heathen uncleanness,
light and darkness, walking circumspectly, sobriety and song (v. 1-21).

The union of husbands and wives like that of Christ and His Church (v.
22, 23). Duties of children and parents, servants and masters (vi.
1-9).

Wrestling against evil powers with the whole armour of God (vi. 10-18).

Personal conclusion and benediction (vi. 19-24).

[1] See Baur's _Paul_, vol. ii. p. 177 (English translation).

[2] Eph. i. 23. The Church is said to be "the fulness of Him that
filleth all in all." The word "fulness" is derived from philosophy,
and means that the Church is, or rather is the realization of, the sum
of the sacred attributes of Christ, who fills the whole universe with
all kinds of gifts. Some commentators translate "fulness" as if it
meant the receptacle of Christ's attributes, and others as if it meant
the completion of Christ. But the word is used in a philosophical and
not in a literal sense. See Lightfoot, _Colossians_, p. 259.

{188}

CHAPTER XVI

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS

[Sidenote: The Author.]

The genuineness of this Epistle is now admitted by critics of very
different schools of thought, including some extreme rationalists.
About A.D. 110 St. Polycarp, in his letter to the Philippians, speaks
of the letters which they had received from "the blessed and glorious
Paul." Although he seems to refer to a number of letters, we may be
sure that this letter was among that number. Otherwise it would not
have been so universally regarded as genuine during the 2nd century.
It is in Marcion's canon, in the _Muratorian Fragment_, the Peshitta
Syriac and Old Latin versions. It is also quoted in the letter of the
Churches of Lyons and Vienne, in the Epistle of Diognetus, and by
Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria. It was rejected by Baur and others
on various grounds. It was urged (1) that the doctrine of Christ's
self-surrender or "self-emptying" in Phil. ii. 7 is derived from the