^2τὰ ἄνω φρονεῖτε, μὴ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. ^3ἀπεθάνετε γάρ, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν
κέκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ·
2. τὰ ἄνω] The same expression repeated for emphasis; ‘You must not only
_seek_ heaven; you must also _think_ heaven.’ For the opposition of τὰ
ἄνω and τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς in connexion with φρονεῖν, comp. Phil. iii. 19,
20 οἱ τὰ _ἐπίγεια φρονοῦντες_, ἡμῶν γὰρ τὸ πολίτευμα _ἐν οὐρανοῖς
ὑπάρχει_; see also Theoph. _ad Autol._ ii. 17. Extremes meet. Here
the Apostle points the antithesis to controvert a Gnostic asceticism: in
the Philippian letter he uses the same contrast to denounce an Epicurean
sensualism. Both alike are guilty of the same fundamental error; both
alike concentrate their thoughts on material, mundane things.
3. ἀπεθάνετε] ‘_ye died_’ in baptism. The aorist ἀπεθάνετε denotes the
past act; the perfect κέκρυπται the permanent effects. For ἀπεθάνετε see
the notes on ii. 12, 20.
κέκρυπται] ‘_is hidden_, is buried out of sight, to the world’. The
Apostle’s argument is this: ‘When you sank under the baptismal water,
you disappeared for ever to the world. You rose again, it is true, but
you rose only to God. The world henceforth knows nothing of your new
life, and (as a consequence) your new life must know nothing of the
world.’ ‘Neque Christum’, says Bengel, ‘neque Christianos novit mundus;
ac ne Christiani quidem plane seipsos’; comp. Joh. xiv. 17–19 τὸ πνεῦμα
τῆς ἀληθείας ὃ ὁ κόσμος οὐ δύναται λαβεῖν, ὅτι _οὐ θεωρεῖ αὐτὸ οὐδὲ
γινώσκει_ αὐτὸ, ὑμεῖς [δὲ] γινώσκετε αὐτό ... ὁ κόσμος με οὐκ ἔτι
θεωρεῖ ὑμεῖς δὲ θεωρεῖτέ με· _ὅτι ἐγὼ ζῶ, καὶ ὑμεῖς ζήσετε_.
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