Ephesians 3:14

τούτου χάριν : for this cause. The sentence begun at Ephesians 3:1 and interrupted at Ephesians 3:2 is now taken up again. The τούτου χάριν, therefore, refers to the great statement of privilege in the latter part of the previous chapter. The ideas which came to expression in the digression in Ephesians 3:2-13, are also no doubt in view in some measure. The thought of the new relations into which the Ephesians had been brought by grace toward God and toward the Jews the reconciliation of the Cross, peace effected where once there was only enmity, the place given them in the household of God gave Paul cause for prayer in their behalf. κάμπτω τὰ γόνατά μου : I bow my knees. A simple, natural figure for prayer; earnest prayer (Calv.) not as if Paul actually knelt as he wrote (Calov.). The standing posture in prayer and the kneeling are both mentioned in the NT (e.g., Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11; Luke 18:13, for the former, and Luke 22:41; Acts 7:60; Acts 20:36; Acts 21:5, for the latter). For kneeling in the OT see 1 Kings 8:54; Daniel 6:10; cf. also 1 Kings 19:18. πρὸς τὸν πατέρα : to the Father. The πρὸς takes the place of the simple dat. which usually follows the phrase κάμπτω γόνυ (Romans 11:4; Romans 14:11), the idea here being that of prayer, and of God as the Hearer to whom it was directed. The TR, following [318] 3 [319] [320] [321] [322], Lat., Syr., Goth., etc., adds τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. This is an addition which might very readily find a place in the text, the designation being a familiar one, occurring already indeed in this Epistle (Ephesians 1:3). It does not appear, however, in [323] [324] [325] [326], 17, Copt., Eth., etc., and it is omitted by the best critics (LTTrWHRV).

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

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

[320] 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.

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

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

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

[324] Autograph of the original scribe of א.

[325] Autograph of the original scribe of א.

[326] Codex Ephraemi (sæc. v.), the Paris palimpsest, edited by Tischendorf in 1843.