His parting word.
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen." The Epistle began with a salutation of grace and peace; it ends with grace.
I. THE BLESSING. "Grace," which is at once the beginning, middle, and end of Paul's theology; and the beginning, middle, and end of Christian life.
II. THE TOKEN OF PARTING TENDERNESS. "Brethren." It comes last in the sentence, as if, after all his grave censures, he would remember they were still brethren in Christ. His spirit softens as his pen traces the closing words of the Epistle, and the sweet "Amen" seals everything with the token of his deep sincerity and his tender interest in their welfare.
HOMILIES BY R.M. EDGAR