Ver. 22. _The Church the Habitation of God._--1. Jesus Christ differs from the foundation of other buildings in this, that every particular believer is not only laid upon Him and supported by Him as in material buildings, but they are also indented in Him, and hid, as it were, in the clefts of the rock by saving faith. 2. As all believers, however far soever removed by distance, are yet more strictly tied and joined together, so by taking band with Christ the foundation, they are fastened one to another as the stones of a building. 3. So inseparable is the union among the persons of the Trinity that the presence and indwelling of One is sufficient to prove the indwelling of all; for believers are a habitation to God the Father and Son, because the Spirit dwells in and sanctifies them.--_Ibid._ * * * * * * * * +CHAPTER III.+ _CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES._ Ver. 1. +The prisoner of Jesus Christ+ may be regarded as "the prisoner whom the Lord has bound" (so Winer and Meyer), or as "a prisoner belonging to Christ," or again as "the prisoner for Christ's sake." The indignity of an ambassador being "thrown into irons" is lost in the feeling of being, even though bound, the representative of such a Lord. Ver. 2. +If ye have heard.+--We have the same form of expression at ch. iv. 21--"assuming that is, that ye heard" (cf. Col. i. 23). +Of the grace.+--The favour which God conferred on me in appointing me your apostle. The Divine "Taskmaster" (to use Milton's expression) confers honour upon us when He sets us to work. "He is not served by men's hands as though He needed anything" (Acts xvii. 25). Ver. 3. +How that by revelation.+--The familiar disavowal of any other source than the will of God (cf. Gal. i. 12). Ver. 4. +Ye may understand my knowledge.+--You may, as the public reader proceeds to read my letter, discern my insights of the mystery. Ver. 5. +Which in other ages.+--R.V. "other generations." Might possibly refer to those dim ages of the past national history when the Gentiles were thought of only as left to "unconvenanted mercies." We must note the word for "other"--it means a "different kind." +Was not made known . . . as it is now revealed.+--If any distinction is to be observed, we may say the "revelation" is one of the ways of "making known" (see ver. 3) the intuitional. +Unto His holy apostles and prophets.+--"If all saints were holy _à fortiori_ the apostles" (_Bishop Alexander_).