Where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free. But Christ is all, and in all.

“They moreover affirm that the Saviour is shown to be derived from all the Aeons, and to be in Himself everything by the following passage: "Every male that openeth the womb." For He, being everything, opened the womb of the enthymesis of the suffering Aeon, when it had been expelled from the Pleroma. This they also style the second Ogdoad, of which we shall speak presently. And they state that it was clearly on this account that Paul said, "And He Himself is all things;" and again, "All things are to Him, and of Him are all things;" and further, "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead;" and yet again, "All things are gathered together by God in Christ." Thus do they interpret these and any like passages to be found in Scripture.”

“"Masters, render to your servants justice and equity; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond, free: but Christ is all, and in all." And the earthly Church is the image of the heavenly, as we pray also "that the will of God may be done upon the earth as in heaven." "Putting on, therefore, bowels of mercy, gentleness, humbleness, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if one have a quarrel against any man; as also Christ hath forgiven us, so also let us. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which ye are called in one body; and be thankful." For there is no obstacle to adducing frequently the same Scripture in order to put Marcion to the blush, if perchance he be persuaded and converted; by learning that the faithful ought to be grateful to God the Creator, who hath called us, and who preached the Gospel in the body. From these considerations the unity of the faith is clear, and it is shown who is the perfect man; so that though some are reluctant, and offer as much resistance as they can, though menaced with punishments at the hand of husband or master, both the domestic and the wife will philosophize. Moreover, the free, though threatened with death at a tyrant's hands, and brought before the tribunals, and all his substances imperilled, will by no means abandon piety; nor will the wife who dwells with a wicked husband, or the son if he has a bad father, or the domestic if he has a bad master, ever fail in holding nobly to virtue. But as it is noble for a man to die for virtue, and for liberty, and for himself, so also is it for a woman. For this is not peculiar to the nature of males, but to the nature of the good. Accordingly, both the old man, the young, and the servant will live faithfully, and if need be die; which will be to be made alive by death. So we know that both children, and women, and servants have often, against their fathers', and masters', and husbands' will, reached the highest degree of excellence.”

“Now, if we all have one Master, with whom is no respect of persons, since Christ is all and in all, in barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, they ought to consider what they have done, wishing to preserve their own lives. They have drawn their fellow-servants to idolatry who would have been able to escape, had they given to them that which is just and equal, as again says the apostle.”

“But God will be all in all in the time of restitution; not in the sense that the Father alone will Be; and the Son be wholly resolved into Him, like a torch into a great pyre, from which it was reft away for a little space, and then put back (for I would not have even the Sabellians injured by such an expression); but the entire Godhead, when we shall be no longer divided (as we now are by movements and passions), and containing nothing at all of God, or very little, but shall be entirely like.”

“"Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman: but Christ is all, and in all." Lo! here is a third encomium of this "man." With him, there is no difference admitted either of nation, or of rank, or of ancestry, seeing he hath nothing of externals, nor needeth them; for all external things are such as these, "circumcision, and uncircumcision, bondman, freeman, Greek," that is, proselyte, "and Jew," from his ancestors. If thou have only this "man," thou wilt obtain the same things with the others that have him. "But Christ," he saith, "is all, and in all": Christ will be all things to you, both rank, and descent, "and" Himself "in you all." Or he says another thing, to wit, that ye all are become one Christ, being His body.”

“Above, the Apostle admonished the faithful against carnal vices; here he admonishes them against spiritual vices. And first he sets down a universal admonition; second he distinguishes them part by part. He says therefore: "at one time you walked in these," but now "put off," you also, all things — not only carnal things, but all things. 1 Peter 2:1: "putting away all malice, and all guile, and dissimulations, and envies, and detractions," etc. Now he distinguishes the spiritual vices into two: first into sin of the heart; second, of the mouth, there "blasphemy," etc. And first he sets down wrath. For "the wrath of man does not work the justice of God" (James 1:20), and this is to be put off. Second, indignation, which arises from wrath, which is when someone considers another unworthy of the things he has, or unworthy to be compared to another. Isaiah 27:4: "indignation is not mine." Malice, which follows upon these two, namely when someone contrives to bring evil upon his neighbor. James 1:21: "casting away all uncleanness, and abundance of malice, in meekness," etc. Then he sets down the sins pertaining to the sin of the mouth, and there are three kinds of sins of the mouth. For by this sin the disorder of the mind is designated: first in relation to God, and this is blasphemy. Leviticus 24:14: "bring forth the blasphemer outside the camp, and let all who heard lay their hands upon his head, and let the whole people stone him." And thus any blasphemy whatsoever is a mortal sin. But what if it is sudden? I answer: it must be said that if it is sudden, in such a way that he does not perceive that he is blaspheming, he does not sin mortally. But I believe that, however sudden it may be, if nevertheless he perceives that he is uttering words of blasphemy, he sins mortally. Second, he designates the disorder concerning concupiscence, saying "filthy speech out of your mouth." Ephesians 4:29: "let no evil speech proceed out of your mouth," etc. Third, the disorder against one's neighbor, and this is lying. Proverbs 19:5: "he who speaks a lie shall not escape." Then, when he says "stripping off," etc., he shows the reason why the aforesaid vices are to be avoided — namely, because once the old state has been put off, newness ought to be put on. Matthew 9:16: "no one puts a patch of rough cloth on an old garment," etc. And first he sets down the putting off of the old state; second, the taking on of newness, there "and putting on." He says therefore: "put off" — that is, "stripping off," etc. For this grows old through sin. Hebrews 8:13: "but what grows old and decays is near to destruction." This old state draws near to corruption, because sin is the way to corruption. Likewise, through sin virtue and spiritual beauty are lost — and this old state was indeed introduced through the sin of the first parent. Romans 5:12: "for as through one man sin entered into this world, and through sin death, so also death passed through into all men, in whom all sinned." This, then, is "the old man" — that is, the old state of sin. Romans 6:6: "our old man has been crucified together, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we may no longer serve sin," etc. "Put off, with its deeds." Ephesians 4:22: "put off, as regards your former way of life, the old man, who is corrupted according to the desires of error," etc. The new man is the mind renewed within, because man, before grace, has his interior mind subject to sin, and when he is restored through grace, he has newness. Psalm 102:5: "your youth shall be renewed like the eagle's." Galatians, last chapter, 15: "in Christ Jesus neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creature." The new creature is renewing grace, but still the old state remains in the flesh. But if you follow the judgment of the new man, then you put on the new man; but if you desire according to the desires of the flesh, you put on the old state. Ephesians 4:24: "put on the new man, who is created according to God in justice, and holiness of truth." Then, when he says "and putting on," etc., he describes the new man. And first he shows the manner of the renewal; second, where it is renewed; third, according to what it is renewed. He shows therefore that the interior man, old through ignorance of God, is renewed through faith and the knowledge of God. 2 Corinthians 3:18: "we are transformed into the same image from brightness into brightness, as by the Spirit of the Lord." But where is this renewal? There, namely, where the image of God is — which is not in the powers of the sensitive part, but in the mind. Hence he says "according to the image," that is, the very image of God, which is renewed in us — and this "according to the image of him," namely of God, "who created him." Now he is said to be "newly created," because the rational soul is not by transmission, but created by God. Then, when he says "where there is not," etc., he shows that this renewal is common to all — otherwise it would not pertain to man insofar as he is man. And this is because it is made according to something that belongs to all. Now a fivefold distinction among men falls here: one according to bodily sex, and this he excludes, saying "where there is not male and female," because they do not differ in mind, but according to bodily sex. Second, by nations, and this he excludes, there "Gentile and Jew." For these are of the faithful, those of the unfaithful, and yet both are rational in mind. Romans 3:29: "is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles?" Third, according to a fixed and proper rite, because some had the profession of the law, and some did not have this same rite. Romans 10:12: "the same Lord of all," etc. Another, according to language, there "barbarian and Scythian." The Scythian is toward the North, but barbarism denotes strangeness; hence barbarians are as it were strangers. And he is simply a barbarian who is a stranger from man insofar as man, and this is insofar as rational. And therefore those are barbarians who are not ruled by reason and by laws, and therefore barbarians are naturally slaves — and in Christ they do not differ, because even if they do not have civil law, they nevertheless have the law of Christ. Another according to conditions, because some are slaves, some free: but in Christ all are alike. Job 3:19: "small and great are there," etc. Therefore these differences are not in Christ, but "Christ is all, and in all." For there is no circumcision except through Christ, and freedom through Christ; if you are not free, your freedom is Christ. If you are not circumcised, your circumcision is Christ, and so of the others. And "in all," because he gives his benefits to all.”

“Where there is neither Greek nor Jew,.... That is, either in Christ, after whose image the new man is created; see Gal 5:6 or in the new man, and with respect to regeneration; or in the whole business of salvation: it matters not of what nation a man is; this has no influence on his new birth, either to forward or hinder it; for he is never the more a new creature, a regenerate man, and interested in salvation, because he is a Jew, which he may be outwardly, and not inwardly; and he may be born again, though he is a Greek or Gentile, as the Syriac version reads; for God of his own will, and abundant mercy, and not out of respect to nations and persons, begets souls again to a lively hope of the heavenly inheritance: circumcision or uncircumcision; a man's being circumcised in the flesh signifies nothing; this he may be, and not a new creature; for that is not true circumcision, but that which is of the heart, and in the spirit: and, on the other hand, it is no objection to a man's being born again, that he is uncircumcised in the flesh; this may be his case, and yet may be circumcised with the circumcision made without hands; neither one nor the other is of any account with God, nor makes the man either better or worse. Barbarian, Scythian; all such were Barbarians to the Romans, that did not speak their language; and as were such also to the Greeks, who were not of their nation, and therefore Greeks and Barbarians are opposed to each other, see Rom 1:14 and so they are here in the Syriac version, which reads "Greek" and "Barbarian". The Arabic version, instead of "Barbarian", reads "Persian", because it may be, a Persian is so accounted by the Arabians; and because the Scythians were, of all people, the most barbarous and unpolished (z), and were had in great disdain by others, therefore the apostle mentions them, as being within the reach of the powerful and efficacious grace of God; nor were the fierceness of their dispositions, and the impoliteness of their manners, any bar unto it. Remarkable is the saying of Anacharsis the Scythian, who being reproached by a Grecian, because he was a Scythian, replied (a), "my country is a reproach to me, but thou art a reproach to thy country.'' It matters not of what nation a man is, so be it he is but a good man; especially in Christianity, all distinctions of this kind cease. It is added, bond or free; the grace of God in regeneration is not bestowed upon a man because he is a free man, or withheld from another because he is a bond servant. Onesimus, a fugitive servant, was converted by the Apostle Paul in prison; and whoever is called by grace, if he is a free man in a civil sense, he is Christ's servant in a religious one; and if he is a servant of men, he is, in a spiritual sense, the Lord's free man. It is not nation, nor outward privileges, nor the civil state and condition of men, which are regarded by God, or are any motive to him, or have any influence upon the salvation of men: but Christ is all, and in all; he is "all" efficiently; he is the first cause of all things, the beginning of the creation of God, the author of the old, and of the new creation, of the regeneration of his people, and of their whole salvation: he is all comprehensively; has all the fulness of the Godhead, all the perfections of deity in him; he is possessed of all spiritual blessings for his people; and has all the promises of the covenant of grace in his hands for them; yea, all fulness of grace dwells in him, in order to be communicated to them: and he is all communicatively; he is their light and life, their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, their food and clothing, their strength and riches, their joy, peace, and comfort, who gives them grace here, and glory hereafter, So, with the Jews, the Shekinah is called "all" (b): and this likewise, with the Cabalists (c), is one of the names of the living God, and well agrees with Christ, who has all things in him; and is the reason they give for this divine appellation: and Christ is "in all"; in all places, being infinite, immense, and incomprehensible, as God, and so is everywhere by his power, upholding all things by it; and in all his churches, by his gracious presence, and in the hearts of all his regenerate ones, of whatsoever nation, state, and condition they be: he is revealed in them, formed within them, and dwells in their hearts by faith; and is all in all to them, exceeding precious, altogether lovely, the chiefest among ten thousands, and whom they esteem above all creatures and things. The Arabic version reads, "Christ is above all, and in all". (z) Vid. Justin. l. 2. c. 1, 2, 3. Plin. l. 4. c. 12. & 6. 17. Herodot. l. 4. c. 46. (a) Laertius in Vita Anacharsis. (b) Tzeror Hammot, fol. 28. 2. (c) Shaare Ora, fol. 6. 1. & 22. 2. & 25. 3.”

“Where there is neither Greek nor Jew - In which new creation no inquiry is made what nation the persons belonged to, or from what ancestry they had sprung, whether in Judea or Greece. Circumcision nor uncircumcision - Nor is their peculiar form of religion of any consideration, whether circumcised like the Jews, or uncircumcised like the heathens. Barbarian, Scythian - Nor whether of the more or less tractable of the nations of the world; for although knowledge, and the most refined and sublime knowledge, is the object to be attained, yet, under the teaching and influence of the blessed Spirit, the most dull and least informed are perfectly capable of comprehending this Divine science, and becoming wise unto salvation. Bond nor free - Nor does the particular state or circumstances in which a man may be found, either help him to or exclude him from the benefit of this religion; the slave having as good a title to salvation by grace as the freeman. But Christ is all, and in all - All mankind are his creatures, all conditions are disposed and regulated by his providence, and all human beings are equally purchased by his blood. He alone is the source whence all have proceeded, and to him alone all must return. He is the Maker, Preserver, Savior, and Judge of all men.”

“Where, or in which state, when we put on the new man by sanctity and grace, God makes no distinction betwixt Jew and Gentile, &c. (Witham) — In the Church of Christ God makes no exception of persons; all are called to the marriage feast, whether Jews (formerly the most favoured people of God) or Greeks, (who were reckoned the most polite, or learned) or Barbarians, or Scythians: (who are esteemed the most cruel and ferocious of men) still these are called; Christ died for all. (Calmet) — In St. Paul’s epistles, by the Greeks are usually designated the Gentiles. (Bible de Vence)”

“Where--Translate, "Wherein," namely, in the sphere of the renewed man. neither . . . nor . . . nor . . . nor--Translate as Greek, "There is no such thing as Greek and Jew (the difference of privilege between those born of the natural seed of Abraham and those not, is abolished), circumcision and uncircumcision (the difference of legal standing between the circumcised and uncircumcised is done away, Gal 6:15) --bondman, freeman." The present Church is one called out of the flesh, and the present world-course (Eph 2:2), wherein such distinctions exist, to life in the Spirit, and to the future first resurrection: and this because Satan has such power now over the flesh and the world. At Christ's coming when Satan shall no longer rule the flesh and the world, the nations in the flesh, and the word in millennial felicity, shall be the willing subjects of Christ and His glorified saints (Dan 7:14, Dan 7:22, Dan 7:27; Luk 19:17, Luk 19:19; Rev 20:1-6; Rev 3:21). Israel in Canaan was a type of that future state when the Jews, so miraculously preserved distinct now in their dispersion, shall be the central Church of the Christianized world. As expressly as Scripture abolishes the distinction of Jew and Greek now as to religious privileges, so does it expressly foretell that in the coming new order of things, Israel shall be first of the Christian nations, not for her own selfish aggrandizement, but for their good, as the medium of blessing to them. Finally, after the millennium, the life that is in Christ becomes the power which transfigures nature, in the time of the new heaven and the new earth; as, before, it first transfigured the spiritual, then the political and social world. Scythian--heretofore regarded as more barbarian than the barbarians. Though the relation of bond and free actually existed, yet in relation to Christ, all alike were free in one aspect, and servants of Christ in another (Co1 7:22; Gal 3:28). Christ is all--Christ absorbs in Himself all distinctions, being to all alike, everything that they need for justification, sanctification, and glorification (Co1 1:30; Co1 3:21-23; Gal 2:20). in all--who believe and are renewed, without distinction of person; the sole distinction now is, how much each draws from Christ. The unity of the divine life shared in by all believers, counterbalances all differences, even as great as that between the polished "Greek" and the rude "Scythian." Christianity imparts to the most uncivilized the only spring of sound, social and moral culture.”