Ephesians 6:19

καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ : and for me. καί has here its adjunctive force, in the special form of appending the particular to the general (Win.-Moult., p. 544), = “and for me in particular”. Paul passes from the requirement of intercession for all to that of intercession for himself, and that with a view to a special gift from God, to wit, freedom of utterance in preaching. The περί of the former clause becomes ὑπέρ in the present. This suggests the existence of some distinction between the two preps., and some have attempted to show that ὑπέρ alone expresses the idea of care for one, while περί denotes a more distant relation (Harl., etc.). But it is impracticable to establish either that or any other tangible distinction. ὑπέρ may be, generally speaking, more applicable to persons, and περί to things. But here both are used of persons. Even in classical Greek they were often used as if interchangeable (e.g., Demosth., Phil., ii., p. 74, 35), and in later Greek, both biblical and non-biblical, they seem to have lost any distinction they once may have had. ἵνα μοι δοθείῃ [δοθῇ] λόγος : that to me may be given utterance. The δοθείῃ of the TR rests on very slender cursive evidence; δοθῇ is read by [854] [855] [856] [857] [858] [859] [860] [861] [862] [863], etc., and must be substituted. A few authorities place μοι after δοθῇ ([864] [865], d, e, f, vg, Victor., etc.); but in most it is inserted before it. δοθῇ has the position of emphasis the utterance for which they were to pray in Paul's behalf is regarded as a gift from God. For this use of λόγος cf. 1Co 1:5; 2 Corinthians 11:2. ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός μου : in opening my mouth. Not “ that I may open my mouth” (AV), but “ when I open my mouth”. The ἐν marks the occasion of the action, and the action itself is that in which the gift (δοθῇ) of Divine help is sought. The phrase ἀνοίγειν τὸ στόμα does not of itself denote any special kind of utterance, whether unreserved (Calv., De Wette, etc.), unpremeditated (Oec.), or other. If it conveys in any case the idea of a certain quality of speech, that is due to the context; as in 2 Corinthians 6:11, where it is conjoined with the phrase ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν πεπλάτυνται. It means simply the opening of the mouth to speak, or the act of speaking; but both in the OT and in the NT it appears to have a certain pathetic (Mey.), or rather solemn force (Ell.), being used of grave and important utterances on which much depended (Job 3:1; Daniel 10:16; Matthew 5:2; Acts 8:33; Acts 18:14). ἐν παρρησίᾳ : with boldness. Statement of the thing specially sought, and recognised as to be obtained only by the gift of God, to wit, fearless, confident freedom whenever occasion came to preach the Gospel. παρρησία primarily = freedom in speaking (Acts 4:13; 2 Corinthians 3:12); then frankness, unreserve, or plainness in speaking (Mark 8:32; John 10:24; John 11:14; John 16:25, etc.); and boldness, assurance, as opposed, e.g., to αἰσχύνεσθαι (Philippians 1:20; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 5:14); and with the fundamental idea of freedom or confidence in speaking again suggesting itself (1 John 2:28; 1 John 4:17; see also under Ephesians 3:12 above). γνωρίσαι τὸ μυστήριον [τοῦ εὐαγγελίου]: to make known the mystery [of the Gospel]. The τοῦ εὐαγγελίου of the TR has large support ([866] [867] [868] [869] [870] [871] [872], Vulg., Syr., Copt., etc.). It is omitted by [873] [874] gr [875], Victor., etc., and is deleted by LWH. The gen. is probably that of contents, or one of the various forms of the gen. possess., = the mystery contained in the Gospel or belonging to it. On μυστήριον see under Ephesians 1:9 above. The connection of the several clauses in this verse is variously understood. Some connect ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός μου with the following ἐν παρρησίᾳ. So Grotius, who explains it thus “ut ab hac custodia militari liber per omnem urbem perferre possem sermonem”; but παρρησία does not apply to freedom of movement, and here it has a sense in harmony with the following παῤῥησιάσωμαι. Others attach the ἐν ἀνοίξει closely with the λόγος as a definition of it, = “that utterance may be given me by the opening of my mouth” (Cornel. à Lap., Harl., Olsh., Von Soden, Abb., etc.). This makes the “opening of the mouth” the act of God; in support of which interpretation appeal is made to the terms in Ezekiel 3:27; Ezekiel 29:21; Ezekiel 32:22; Psalms 51:15. The absence of the article, and the analogous passage in Colossians 4:3 are also thought to favour this. But the terms in Colossians 4:3 are different ἵνα Θεὸς ἀνοίξῃ ἡμῖν θύραν τοῦ λόγου, and the construction makes the δοθῇ and the ἄνοιξις τοῦ στόματος practically one and the same thing. The simplest constructions are these two (1) to connect ἐν παρρησίᾳ with what precedes, and with the λόγος not the ἄνοιξις, = “that utterance, and that with boldness, may be given to me when I undertake to open my mouth with a view to make known the mystery of the Gospel”; and (2) to connect ἐν παρρησίᾳ with what follows, to wit, the γνωρίσαι, = “that to me utterance may be given when I open my mouth, that with boldness I may make known the mystery of the Gospel”. The latter is preferred by Meyer, Ell., WH, etc. It is followed by the RV text, “in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness,” etc.; while the RV margin gives “in opening my mouth with boldness, to make known the mystery,” etc. The former construction gives a good sense for each particular term and a simple connection, if the ἐν παρρησίᾳ is taken to define not the opening of the mouth, but the utterance, the λόγος, which is the main thought. On the whole the latter is perhaps to be preferred, the need of utterance, power of speech, when occasion offers itself to preach, being first mentioned, and this gift of utterance being next defined in respect of its object, viz., to give fearless confidence in making the Gospel known.

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

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

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

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

[858] Codex Sangermanensis (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., now at St. Petersburg, formerly belonging to the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Its text is largely dependent upon that of D. The Latin version, e (a corrected copy of d), has been printed, but with incomplete accuracy, by Belsheim (18 5).

[859] 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.

[860] 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.

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

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

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

[864] Autograph of the original scribe of א.

[865] Autograph of the original scribe of א.

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

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

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

[869] Codex Sangermanensis (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., now at St. Petersburg, formerly belonging to the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Its text is largely dependent upon that of D. The Latin version, e (a corrected copy of d), has been printed, but with incomplete accuracy, by Belsheim (18 5).

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

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

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

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

[874] 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.

[875] 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.