ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία· ^{25}ἧς
ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος κατὰ τὴν
τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ An antithesis of the Apostle’s own flesh and Christ’s
body. This antithetical form of expression obliges St Paul to explain
what he means by the body of Christ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία; comp. ver. 18.
Contrast the explanation in ver. 22 ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, and
see the note there.
25. τὴν οἰκονομίαν κ.τ.λ.] ‘_stewardship in the house of God_.’ The word
οἰκονομία seems to have two senses: (1) ‘The actual administration of a
household’; (2) ‘The office of the administrator.’ For the former
meaning see the note on Ephes. i. 10; for the latter sense, which it has
here, compare 1 Cor. ix. 17 οἰκονομίαν πεπίστευμαι, Luke xvi. 2–4,
Isaiah xxii. 19, 21. So the Apostles and ministers of the Church are
called οἰκονόμοι, 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2, Tit. i. 7: comp. 1 Pet. iv. 10.
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