Verse 16
Who only hath immortality - All beings that are not eternal must be mutable; but there can be only one eternal Being, that is God; and he only can have immortality.
Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto - All this is said by the apostle in three words φως οικων απροσιτον , inhabiting unapproachable light. Such is the excessive glory of God, that neither angel nor man can approach it. It is indeed equally unapproachable to all created beings.
Whom no man hath seen, nor can see - Moses himself could only see the symbol of the Divine presence; but the face of God no man could ever see. Because he is infinite and eternal, therefore he is incomprehensible; and if incomprehensible to the mind, consequently invisible to the eye.
To whom - As the author of being, and the dispenser of all good, be ascribed honor and power - the sole authority of all-pervading, all-superintending, all-preserving, and everlasting might.
The words of St. Paul are inimitably sublime. It is a doubt whether human language can be carried much higher, even under the influence of inspiration, in a description of the supreme Being. It is well known that St. Paul had read the Greek poets. He quotes Aratus, Epimenides, and Menander; this is allowed on all hands. But does he not quote, or refer to, Aeschylus and Sophocles too? Scarcely any person suspects this; and yet there is such a complete similarity between the following quotations from the above poets and the apostle's words, that we are almost persuaded he had them in his eye. But if so, he extends the thought infinitely higher, by language incomparably more exalted. I shall introduce and compare with the text the passages I refer to.
Ὁ μακαριος και μονος Δυναστης, ὁ Βασιλευς των βασιλευοντων, και Κυριος των κυριευοντων .
The supreme Being is also styled the King of kings, and the Blessed, by Aeschylus in his tragedy of the Supplicants: -
Αναξ ανακτων, μακαρων <-144 Μακαρτατε, και τελεων Τελειοτατον κρατος .
Ver 520. Ed. Porson.
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