ποι we-and others, or the rest, the Jews and all other nations. He must, therefore, here refer to a natural state which is common alike to all men. Nature [φυσις] is here equivalent to flesh [σαρξ]1 in the beginning of the verse ($56. Ill. 1); the apostle is therefore speaking of a depraved natural condition, in which the Jews, on account of their wicked lusts, had sinned, as well as the other nations, inasmuch as they had gratified the sinful lusts of their hearts, and had abandoned themselves to the depraved propensities of their nature so that their hearts had become fleshly [σαρκικος Rom. 7:14], and they fulfilled the will of the flesh [θεληματα] 3 in their life and conduct. Now the Ephesians had indeed rendered themselves culpable and obnoxious to punishment ("children of wrath"), by voluntarily yielding to these sinful propensities [ταις επιθυμίαις της σαρκος] and planning their purposes and actions in obedience to them [εποιουν τα θεληματα της σαρκος και των διανοιων]. But the fact, that their voluntary obedience to the dictates of their sinful nature, and their living in accordance with them, exposed them to the punishment of the divine law, shows that they became subjects of the divine wrath through their depraved nature and the lusts of it. 4 Now, although we must first consent to the sinful dis 1εν επιθυμίαις της σαρκος-εν i. e. secundum, comp. 4:17. Heb. 10: 10, and other passages, thus the Heb. ב Gen. 1:26. בְּצַלְמֵנוּ ,see Schleusner's Lex. art. εν Νο 26. 2 εν παραπτωμασιν ανεστραφησαν-εν οἱς ν. 3, refers to παραπτωμασι ν. 1 ; just as εν αἷς ν. 2, does to ἁμαρτίαις ν. 1. See Comment. on Heb. 9: 10, Note c. 3 τα θεληματα της σαρκος και των διανοιων i. e. των σαρκι κων διανοιων.- This is a hendiadys of which various other examples are given in the Dissert. de sensu vocis πληρωμα, no. 60. In the LXX, διανοιαι answers to לב) לבב( Num. 15:39. Διανοιαι και σαρξ, therefore, here means "animos, qui tales sunt, quales natura esse solent." 4 This may serve as a refutation of Koppe's remark on Ephes. 2: 3 (Nov. Test. Vol. I. p. 392), that φυσις does not mean innate depravity, because an abandoned life and conduct are spoken of in the context, i. e. voluntary acts of transgression, which are alone deserving of punishment. positions of our nature, before we can be culpable, although the guilt with which the punishment (death) is connected, is only a consequence of our own consent (James 1: 15,); still we may with propriety say that the sinful propensity, which invites us to voluntary obedience, and which, though through our own fault, actually succeeds in every case in which we do not avail ourselves of the divine assistance to resist it, is the source of the evil which results from obedience to its dictates. It may, therefore, be said of the natural depravity of our nature, not that it is the exclusive cause, but, in general, that it is the cause of sin, and of the punishment consequent on sin; or to use the language of the apostle Paul, (Rom. 8: 2), that it is νομος της ἁμαρτιας και του θανατου, i. e. the law of sin and death, or, a law which is the cause of sin and of the punishment which follows it. 1 VI. In the work on the Object of the death of Christ, (p. 578, 586,) we have unfolded and dwelt upon, the idea, "that, according to the strict principles of the divine justice, even those who have repented and reformed, could not expect a state of happiness in the future world, but a condition approximating nearly to this life, being mingled with pleasure and pain." VII. See the Dissertation on the death of Christ (p. 584, 504, 688), where is this remark: "The fact that little children, even in their most tender infancy, have a depravity in them which renders them unfit for the society of uncorrupted, holy spirits in heaven, is a consequence of that act by which Adam ruined not only his own sinful nature but also that of his descendants." 2 1 On the Object of the death of Jesus, p. 644. [2 Upon the important subject of the natural depravity of man, its imputation, and consequences, the intelligent reader will be pleased to see the language of other high ecclesiastical authorities. In the venerable Augustan Confession, the mother symbol of Protestantism (Art. II. de pec§ 58. The nature of future punishment. The magnitude of that misery, which those who abandon themselves to the propensities of their sinful nature, entail upon themselves, is evident from the description of the lot which awaits the wicked in the future world. We are told that severe punishments await them (1); punishments which consist partly in the consequences that naturally and necessarily follow (2) a life of servitude to sin, and partly in such external evils as the God and Judge of the human family shall see fit, voluntarily (3) and by his omnipotence, to inflict (4). The latter (positive) punishments include the separation from all holy beings and a union with wicked spirits (5), being situated in a mournful and unhappy place (6), a constitution of our body adapted to suffer pain (7), the body being either raised (8) from the dead, or (in the case of those then yet living) transformed by the divine omnipotence (§ 61, 65. Ill. 7) (9). The final punishment of the wicked will, indeed, not begin until the awful (10) day of judgment; but their punishment, in general, begins immediately at their departure from this life (11), and will never terminate through all eternity (12). cati origine), we read, " Idem docent, quod post lapsum Adae omnes homines secundum naturam propagati nascantur cum peccato, hoc est, sine metu Dei, sine fiducia erga Deum, et cum concupiscentia, quodque hic morbus, seu vitium originis vere sit peccatum, damnans et afferens nunc quoque aeternam mortem his qui non renascantur per Baptismum et Spiritum Sanctum." i. e. We teach that after the fall of Adam, all men who are naturally bora, are born in sin, that is, born with evil desires, and without the fear of God, and without faith in him &c. See also Dr Lochman's History &c. of Lutheran church, printed at Harrisburg, 1818. Dr Mosheim (Elementa Theol. Dog. Vol. I. p. 540) says "Haec corruptio naturae nostrae, tametsi involuntaria sit, et a parentibus nostris in nos derivata, nobis tamen in foro divino, tanquam peccatum imputatur. Quare si nullum aliud accederet peccatum, propter hanc ipsam corruptionem nos poenis divinis obnoxii essemus, i. e. this depravity of our nature, although it is involuntary in us, and derived from our first parents, is nevertheless imputed to us as sin in the chancery of heaven. Wherefore, if no other sin were added, we should be exposed to divine punishments on account of this depravity itself." The sentiments of the divines of New England may be seen in the following extract from Dr Woods's Letters to Unitarians &c. (p. 44, 45). "On this particular point our opinions have often been misrepresented. We are said to hold that God dooms a whole race of innocent creatures to destruction, or considers them all as deserving destruction, for the sin of one man. Now, when I examine the respectable writings of the earlier Calvinists generally, on the subject of original sin, I find nothing that resembles such a statement as this. It is true, exceptionable language has in some instances been used; and opinions which I should think erroneous, have sometimes been entertained on this subject. But the Orthodox in New England, at the present day, are not chargeable with the same fault. The imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity, in any sense which those words naturally and properly convey, is a doctrine which we do not believe. If any shall say, that "for God to give Adam a posterity like himself, and to impute his sin to them, is one and the same thing, I should not object to such an imputation-But the word imputation has, in my view, been improperly used in relation to this subject, and has occasioned unnecessary perplexity." S.] ILLUSTRATIONS. I. The punishment of the wicked. -Luke 16:23, ὁ πλουσιος ὑπαρχων εν βασανοις the rich man being in torments. Matth. 25 : 46, απελευσονται εις κολασιν αιωνιον they shall depart into everlasting punishment. 2 Cor. 5:10. 2 Thess. 1: 6, 8. Rom. 2:5, 6, 8, 9, τοις πειθομενοις τη αδικια θυμος και οργη· θλιψις και στενοχωρια επι πασαν ψυχην ανθρωπου του κατεργαζομενου το κακον to them that obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath; tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil. Heb. 10: 27, πυρος ζηλος, εσθίειν μελλοντος τους ὑπεναντιους a fiery zeal that shall devour the adversaries. Comp. v. 29, 31. 6:2. The expressions "zeal " " and wrath of God,” ζηλος, ζυμος οργη, signify nothing else but the just punishments of God, which he inflicts upon the wicked (§ 24). Thus, in Rom. 2: 5, "wrath" is used in connexion with "righteous judgment of God," οργη-δικαιοκρισια θεου; and in Heb. 10:29, the expression "fiery zeal" is explained by the word "punishment,” τιμωριας, and by the phrase "hands of the living God," χειρες του θεου ζωντος, “the punitive omnipotence of God."1 As death is the prominent and most evident punishment which befalls depraved man in this world, this word is used to designate the whole punishment to which he is subjected in the present world, as well as that which awaits the impenitent in the world to come. Thus it is called death, and by other names equivalent to it. Matth 10: 28, απωλεια destruction, "to be destroyed in hell." John 3: 15, 17, that he (the believer) should not be destroyed, but have eternal life. Phil. 3: 19, whose end is destruction. 2 Thess. 1:9, ολεθρος, ruin, "everlasting ruin." 1 Thess. 5: 3, "sudden ruin cometh upon them." 1 Tim. 6:9. Gal. 6 : 8, φθορα, from the flesh shall reap corruption. John 8:51, θανατος, death, "shall never see death." John 11:26, shall never die. 6:50. That part of the future punishment which the wicked shall suffer after the resurrection and transformation of their bodies and the awful judgment of the world, is designated by the peculiar name of "the second death," δευτερος θανατος. Thus the expression is used in Rev. 20:14, (where, accordingly, are also mentioned the judgment of the world (v. 12, 13) and the general resurrection), and in 21: 8. 20:6.2:11. The origin of this last name seems to be derived from this circumstance: at the time of the general resurrection and final judgment, a new life will indeed begin, which is opposed to death in as far as that consists in a separation of soul and body. But this new existence will not, in the case of the wicked, deserve the name of life, for the reunion of soul and body in them is a new death, a death of soul and body, και ψυχης και σωματος απωλεια. Matth. 10:28. |