Even as Christ forgave you. — The MS. authority is in favour of the word “Lord” instead of Christ; but since the name “Lord” is specially applied to Christ in these Epistles (see, for example, Ephesians 4:5) there is no real difference. In Ephesians 4:31 we have “God in Christ forgave you,” because there the example of Christ, as Son of Man, is afterwards to be set forth emphatically as an example of self-sacrifice (Colossians 3:2), and hence the free mercy of forgiveness is naturally attributed to “God in Christ.” Here, in accordance with the emphatic exaltation of Christ, as all in all, the simpler phrase “Christ (or, the Lord) forgave you” is employed.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising