Finally, my brethren
This is the conclusion of the apostle's exhortations, in which he
addresses the saints as his brethren; which appellation he uses,
not merely as a familiar way of speaking among the Jews, but in
regard to them as regenerate persons, and of the same family and
household of God with himself; and he calls them so, to show his
humility, and as a proof of his affection to them, and with a
design to encourage them to their duty, as follows:
be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might;
which is directed to, partly on account of the things before
exhorted to, which could not be performed in their own strength;
and partly with respect to their many and potent enemies
hereafter mentioned, against whom they had no might nor power of
their own; and therefore the apostle points out the Lord Jesus
Christ unto them, in whom are strength, power, and might, even
everlasting strength, to enable them to perform their duty, and
to fight against every enemy, sin, Satan, and the world; for
though they are weak, and strength in themselves, and can do
nothing of themselves, and without Christ; yet since there is
strength in him, which is communicable to them, they may expect
it from him, and depend upon it; and they may come at, or
strengthen themselves in it, and by it, by meditation on it, by
prayer for it, by waiting on Christ in his own ways, by
exercising faith upon him, and through the Spirit, who
strengthens them from him with might in the inward man.