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The self-sufficiency and

A.M.cir. 4062. A. D. oir. 58.

cir. CCIX. 2.

a

CHAP. II.

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unrighteousness of the Jews.

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, ledge and of the truth in the
andrestest in the law, and makest law.

A.U.C.cir.811. thy boast of God,

18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

19 Andart confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness.

20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of know

M. cir. 4062.

A. D. cir. 58. An. Olymp. cir. CCIX.2.

21 Thou therefore which teach- A.U.C.cir.811. est another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law,

a Matt. 3. 9. John 8. 33. ch. 9. 6, 7. 2 Cor. 11. 22. ch. 9. 4. Isai. 45. 25. & 48. 2. John 8. 41. 19, 20.- Or, triest the things that differ.—

b Mic. 3. 11.1 Deut. 4. 8. Ps. 147. Phil. 1. 10.

Matt. 15. 14. & 23. 16, 17, 19, 24. John 9. 34, 40, 41.2 Tim. 1. 13. & 3. 5. Ps. 50. 16, &c. Matt. 23. 3, &c.ver. 17.

ch. 6. 17. Mal. 3. 8.

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These are the laws, Nouuz, which the Spirit of God wrote originally on their hearts; and which, in different forms, they had committed to writing.

Verse 17. Behold, thou art called a Jew] What the apostle had said in the preceding verses, being sufficient to enforce conviction on the conscience of the Jew, he now throws off the cover, and openly argues with him in the most plain and nervous manner; asserting that his superior knowledge, privileges and profession, served only to aggravate his condemnation. And that, in fact, he who under all his greater advantages transgressed the law of God, stood condemned by the honest Gentile, who, to the best of his knowledge, obeyed it. Dr. Taylor.

in God as the object of your hope and dependance; you praise and magnify him; you account it your greatest honour that HE is your God; and that you worship him. See Taylor.

Verse 18. Knowest his will] Have been favoured with a revelation of his own will, immediately from himself.

The things that are more excellent] Ta diapecorta, the things that differ; that revelation which God has given of himself, makes the nicest distinctions between right and wrong; between vice and virtue; shewing how you should walk so as to please God; and, consequently, acquire the most excellent portion that human spirits can have on this side heaven for all these blessings ye acknowledge to receive from your law, being instructed xarxouμEvos, being catechised from your infancy in the knowledge of divine things.

Verse 19. And art confident, &c.] In consequence of all these religious advantages, ye believe that ye are able to teach others, and to be guides and lights to the bewildered, darkened Gentiles, who may become proselytes to your religion.

Verse 20. An instructor of the foolish, &c.] Ye believe the Gentiles to be babes and fools, when compared with your

And restest in the law] Thou trustest in it for thy end-selves: that ye alone possess the only true knowledge; that less salvation. The word Eravanauŋ, implies the strongest confidence of safety and security. Thou reposest thy whole trust and confidence in this law.

And makest thy boast of God] That thou knowest his nature and attributes, which are not known to the Gentiles. The word xauxaca, implies the idea of exulting in any thing, as being a proper object of hope and dependance: and, when referred to God, it points out that HE is the sure cause of hope, dependance, joy, and happiness. And that it is the Highest honour to be called to know his name, and be employed in his service. As if the apostle had said, you rejoice

ye are the only favourites of heaven; and that all nations must look up to you as possessing the only form of knowledge, μορφωσιν της γνωσεως, the grand scheme and draught of all true science; of every thing that is worthy to be learned: the system of eternal truth, derived from the law. If, therefore, ye act not as becomes those who have such eminent advantages, it must be to your endless disgrace and infamy.

Verse 21. Thou therefore] Dr. Taylor has paraphrased this, and the three following verses, thus-" What signify your pretensions to knowledge, and the office of teaching

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others; if you have no regard to your own doctrine? What || them; and that, of all their abominations, the temple was are you the better for preaching against theft, if you are a the receptacle. In his Antiquities of the Jews, b. xx. c. 8. thief yourself? Or for declaring adultery unlawful, if you he says, The servants of the high-priests took away, by live in the practice of it? Or for representing idolatry || violence, the tythes of the priests, so that many of them abominable, if you are guilty of sacrilege? What honours,|| perished for want of food. Even their own writers acknowor singular favours, do you deserve, if, while you glory in the ledge that there were great irregularities and abominations law and your religious privileges, you dishonour God, and among the rabbins. discredit his religion by transgressing his law, and living in So Bereshith rabba, sect. 55. fol. 54.-" Rabbi Abun open contradiction to your profession? And this is more proposed a parable concerning a master, who taught his disthan supposition; notorious instances might be produced of ciple not to pervert justice, and yet did it himself; not to the fore-mentioned crimes, whereby the Jews of the present || shew respect of persons, and yet did it himself; not to reage have brought a reproach upon religion among the Gen-ceive bribes, and yet received them himself; not to take tiles; as well as those Jews of former times, of whom the prophet Ezekiel speaks, chap. xxxvi. 23, And I will sanctify my great name, which was PROFANED among the HEATHEN; which ye have PROFANED in the midst of them."

usury, and yet took it himself: the disciple replied— Rabbi, thou teachest me not to take usury, and yet thou takest it thyself! Can that be lawful to thee which is forbidden to me?"

Verse 24. For the name of God is blasphemed, &c.] In Debarim rabba, sect. 2. fol. 251. it is said, "The rulers destroy the influence of their own words among the people; and this is done, when a rabbin, sitting and teaching in the academy, says-do not take usury, and himself takes it; do not commit rapine, and himself commits it; do not steal, and himself steals." That they were exceedingly lax in their morals, the following fact proves: "Rabbi Ilai said, if a man see that his evil propensities are likely to prevail against him, let him go to some place where he is not known, and let him put on black clothes, and cover his head with a black veil; and then let him do whatsoever he pleases, lest the name of God should be publicly profaned.” Moed katon,

That the Jewish priesthood was exceedingly corrupt in the time of the apostle, and that they were so, long be- || fore, is fully evident from the Sacred Writings, and from Josephus. The high-priesthood was a matter of commerce; and was bought and sold like other commodities. Of this, Josephus gives many instances. The rapine of Eli's sons descended to several generations. Dr. Whitby well observes, that of all these things mentioned by the apostle, the Jewish doctors were notoriously guilty; and of most of them they were accused by our Lord. 1. They said and did not; and laid heavy burthens upon others, which they would not touch with their own fingers. Matt. xxiii. 3, 4.2. They made the house of God a den of thieves, Matt. xxi. 13. John ii. 16. 3. They were guilty of adultery,|| fol. 17. 1. In Sohar levit. fol. 31. col. 122. it is said, by unjust divorces, Matt. xix. 9. 4. Their polygamy was "On three accounts the Jews are obliged to remain in capscandalous even their rabbins, when they came to any tivity-1. Because they openly reproach the Shechinahplace, would proclaim Who will be my wife for a day? As 2. Because they profane themselves before the Shechinahto idolatry, they were perfectly saved from it, ever since the 3. Because they turn away their faces from the Shechinah." Babylonish captivity: but to this succeeded sacrilege, as is most evident in the profanation of the temple, by their commerce transacted even within its courts. And their teaching the people that even their aged parents might be left to starve, provided the children made a present to the temple, of that which should have gone for their support. According to Josephus, Bell. Jud. 1. vi. c. 26. they were guilty of theft, treachery, adultery, sacrilege, rapine, and murder, And he adds, that new ways of wickedness were invented by

But it would be endless to collect from their history, the proofs of the charges brought here against them by the apostle. See Whitby, Schoettgen and others.

Verse 25. For circumcision verily profiteth] It is a blessing to belong to the church of God, and wear the sign of the covenant; provided the terms of the covenant are complied with. But if thou be a breaker of the law] If thou do not observe the conditions of the covenant; the outward sign is both without meaning and without effect. This was a max.

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because he has entered into the spirit and design of the co

im of the Rabbins themselves; for they allowed that an apostate or ungodly Israelite must go to hell, notwithstand-venant made with Abraham; and has got the end of his faith, ing his circumcision.

Verse 26. Therefore, if the uncircumcision, &c.] If the Gentiles be found to act according to the spirit and design of the law; his acting thus uprightly, according to the light which God has afforded him, will be reckoned to him as if he were circumcised, and walked agreeably to the law.

Verse 27. And shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature] And shall not the Gentile, who is ex quoews, according to the custom of his country; who is by birth not obliged to be circumcised.

If it fulfil the law] If such a person act according to the spirit and design of the law; judge, xpive, condemn thee,|| who, whilst thou dost enjoy the letter, the written law; and bearest in thy body the proof of the circumcision which it requires, dost transgress that law?

the salvation of his soul. Sentiments like these, on the
same subject, may be found in the ancient Jewish writers.
Rabbi Lipman gives the opinion of their most ancient and
pure writers in these words: "A certain Christian mocked
us, saying, 'Women, who cannot be circumcised, cannot be
reckoned among Jews.' Such persons are ignorant that
faith does not consist in circumcision, but in the heart. He,
who has not genuine faith, is not a partaker of the Jewish
circumcision; but he who has genuine faith, is a Jew, al-
though not circumcised." NIZZACHON Num. 21. p. 19. It
is a curious maxim of the Talmudists, That the Jews sit in the
inmost recesses of the heart. NIDDA fol. 20. 2.
This is ex-
actly the sentiment of St. Paul, circumcision is of the heart,
in the spirit. In short, common sense, as well as their
law and their prophets, taught every considerate man among
them that God could be pleased with their rites and exter-
nal performances, no further than they led to holiness of

Verse 28. For he is not a Jew] A genuine member of
the church of God, who has only an outward profession.
Neither is that circumcision] Circumcision is a rite which || heart and righteousness of life,
represents a spiritual thing, viz. the change and purification
of the heart, as may be seen Jer. iv. 4, 6, 10. ix. 26.

xliv. 7, 9.

Verse 29. of God.

Ezek.

1. What the apostle says in the preceding chapter concerning the Gentiles doing by nature the things contained in

But he is a Jew] A true member of the church the law, if properly considered, would lead certain persons

Which is one inwardly] Who has his heart purified, according to what God has uniformly prescribed by his prophets, see above; for circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit EV TEUμATI, by the Spirit of God, who is the author of all spiritual affections and holy purposes: or every thing here is to be understood spiritually and not literally; for without holiness none can please God, and without holiness none can see him.

Whose praise is not of men] It has, with great probability, been conjectured, that the apostle may here refer to the signification of the name Jew, or Judah, Yehudah, PRAISE, from Yadah, he praised. Such a one is a true Israelite, who walks in a conformity to the spirit of his religion; his countrymen may praise him because he is a steady professor of the Jewish faith; but GoD praises him,

from forming erroneous judgments concerning the divine dispensations. We are not to suppose that God is not to be found, where his written word does not appear; nor, that the salvation of the nations yet unblessed with the light of the Gospel, is impossible. God has never confined himself to any one particular way, of communicating his salvation; no more than he has confined his saving grace to one people. His word is an indescribable blessing; but that word becomes effectual to salvation, when accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was that Spirit which gave the word originally; and that same Spirit can speak without this word. It is through his influence alone, that the Gentiles do the things contained in his own law; and it is not to be wondered at, that the work is the same, both in the law and in the heart, when it has proceeded from the same Spirit.

2. God therefore will judge all nations according to the

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use and abuse they have made of this word, whether it was written in the heart, or written on tables of stone.

3. As he is no respecter of persons, all nations are equally dear to him; and he hus granted and will grant to them such discoveries of himself, as have been, and will be sufficient for their salvation.

4. His WORD is an infinite blessing; and he has given it to one people that they may be the means of conveying it to another. Europe, and especially Christian Europe, has got the BIBLE; and God requires Europe to send the Bible throughout the earth. If this be not done through their

of the Jewish people.

neglect, the Gentile nations will not be destroyed by a metciful God; yet the Europeans will have a most solemn and awful account to render to their judge, that they have hidden the heavenly light under their own bushel. BRITAIN is shaking herself from the dust, and by means of the BRITISH and FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY is sending the holy Scriptures to every kingdom, and nation, and people and tongue. The Gentiles are now learning from the written law more fully and savingly what the Spirit of God had before written on their hearts; and it seems as if the kingdom of God were now about to come, with all conquering power.

CHAPTER III.

The apostle points out the peculiar privileges of the Jews, 1-8. but shews that they also, as well as the Gentiles, had sinned, and forfeited all right and title to God's especial favour, 9. The corrupt state of all mankind, 10

-18. All the world is guilty before God, and none can be justified by the works of the law, 19, 20. God's MERCY in providing redemption for a lost world, by Jesus Christ, 21-26. This excludes boasting on the part, both of Jew and Gentile; provides salvation through faith for both, and does not set aside, but establishes the law, 27-31.

A. M. cir. 4062.

A. D. cir. 58. An. Olymp. cir. CCIX. 2.

A.M. 4062

WHAT 'advantage then haththe|| 2. Much every way: chiefly, because A. Decr.

Jew? or what profit is there that 'unto them were committed the

A.U.C.cir. 811. of circumcision?

oracles of God.

58.

An. Olymp. cir. CCIX. 2. A.U.C.cir.811.

a Ch. 2. 25, 26, 28, 29. Ps. 30. 9.

+ Deut. 4.7, 8. Ps. 147. 19, 20. ch. 2. 18. & 9.4.

NOTES ON CHAP. III.

Dr. Taylor observes, "In the preceding chapter, the apostle has carried his argument to the utmost length: what remains is to keep the Jew in temper, to fix his convictions, and to draw the grand conclusion.

"He has shewn that the Jews were more wicked than the Gentiles; that their possession of the law, circumcision and outward profession of relation to God, were no ground of acceptance with him. This was, in effect, to say, that the Jews had forfeited their right to the privileges of God's peculiar people; and that they were as unworthy to be continued in the church, as the Gentiles were to be taken into it; and consequently, in order to their enjoying the privileges of the church under the Messiah, they stood in need of a fresh display of grace, which, if they rejected, God would cast them out of the vineyard. The apostle was sensible that the Jew would understand what he said in this sense; and that it must be very irritating to him to hear that his law, circumcision, and all his external advantages, were utterly insufficient to procure him the favour of God. This

at once stripped him of all his peculiar honours and privileges; and the apostle, who had often argued with his countrymen on these points, knew what they would be ready to say on this subject; and, therefore, introduces a dialogue between himself and a Jew, in which he gives him leave to answer and defend himself. In this dialogue the apostle, undoubtedly, refers to the rejection of the Jews, which he considers at large in the ix. x. and xi. chapters. After the dialogue is finished, he resumes his argument, and proves by their own Scriptures, that the Jews were guilty as well as other men; and that no part of mankind could have any right to the blessings of God's kingdom by any works which they had performed; but merely through the propitiatory sacrifice offered by Christ: and that this, far from destroying the law, was just the thing that the law required, and by which its claims were established.

"The sum and force of the apostle's argument is this, all sorts of men, Jews as well as Gentiles, have sinned; therefore, none of them can lay claim to the blessings of his kingdom on the ground of obedience. The Jew, therefore, stands

The faithfulness and righteousness

A.M. cir. 4062.
A. D. cir. 58.
An. Olymp.
eir. CCIX. 2.

b

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3 For, what if some did not believe? righteousness of God, what shall we A. M. cir.4062.
say? Is God unrighteous who taketh
vengeance? (I speak as a man.)

shall their unbelief make the faith A.U.C.cir.811. of God without effect?

4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but *every man a liar; as it is written. 'That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

A. D. cir. 58. An. Olymp. eir. CCIX. 2. A.U.C.cir.811,

6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

7 For, if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I

5 But, if our unrighteousness commend the also judged as a sinner?

Ch. 10. 16. Hebr. 4. 2.- Numb. 23. 19.

2. 13.

ch.9. 6. & 11. 29. 2 Tim.
Le Job 40. 8.-
- John 3. 33.

ch 6. 19. Gal. 3.15. Gen. 18.

e Ps. 62. 9. & 116. 11. Ps. 51. 4.
25. Job 8. 3. & 34. 17.

as much in need of God's grace to give him a title to those blessings, as the Gentile; and, consequently, the Gentile has as good a title as the Jew. And when all are in the same circumstances, it is perfectly absurd for any to pretend to engross it to themselves exclusively of others, who are only as bad as they.

"Thus the apostle solidly proves, that we Gentiles, through faith alone, have a good and firm title to all the blessings of the gospel covenant, election, adoption, pardon, privileges, ordinances, the Holy Spirit, and the hope of eternal life." Taylor's Notes p. 259, 260.

As the nine first verses are a dialogue between the Apostle and a Jew, I shall prefix the speakers to their respective questions and answers, to make the whole the more intelligible to the Reader.

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nant, be a God to him, and to his seed after him. Gen. xvii. 7. Shall God, therefore, by stripping the Jews of their peculiar honour, as you intimate he will, falsify his promise to the nation, because some of the Jews are bad men? Verse 4. APOSTLE. God forbid] Mr yevoiro, let it not be, far from it, by no means. Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar, &c. We must ever maintain that God is true, and that if in any case, his promise appear to fail, it is because the condition on which it was given has not been complied with; which is the sense of what is written, Psal. li. 4, E acknowledge my sin, and condemn myself that the truth of thy promise, (2 Sam. vii. 15, 16.) to establish my house and throne for ever, may be vindicated when thou shalt execute that dreadful threatening (2 Sam. xii. 10.) that the sword shall never depart from my house, which I own I have brought upon myself by my own iniquity. Should any man say, that Verse 1. JEW. What advantage then hath the Jew? or the promise of God had failed toward him; let him examine what profit is there of circumcision] As if he had said, you his heart and his ways, and he will find, that he has delately allowed (chap. ii. 25.) that circumcision verily pro-parted out of that way in which alone God could, confited; but if circumcision, or our being in covenant with sistently with his holiness and truth, fulfil the promise. God, raises us no higher in the divine favour than the Gen- Verse 5. JEw. But if our unrighteousness commend the tiles; if the virtuous among them are as acceptable as any righteousness of God] May we not suppose that our uniof us, nay, and condemn our nation too, as no longer de-righteousness may serve to commend and illustrate the mercy serving, the divine regards; pray tell me, wherein lies the of God, in keeping and fulfilling to us the promise which superior honour of the Jew; and what benefit can arise to he made to our forefathers? The more wicked we are, the him from his circumcision, and being vested in the privileges more his faithfulness to his ancient promise is to be admired. of God's peculiar people? And if so, would not God appear unjust in taking vengeance Verse 2. APOSTLE. Much every way] The Jews, in refer-and casting us off? ence to the means and motives of obedience, enjoy many advantages beyond the Gentiles, and principally, because to them were committed the oracles of God; that revelation of his will to Moses and the prophets, containing a treasure of excellencies, with which no other part of the world has been favoured; though they have most grievously abused these privileges.

Verse 3. JEW. For what] Ti yap, what then? if some did not believe, &c. If some of the Jewish nation have abused their privileges, and acted contrary to their obligations, shall their wickedness annul the PROMISE which God made to Abraham, that he would, by an everlasting cove

I speak as a man] I feel for the situation both of myself and my countrymen; and it is natural for one to speak as I do. Verse 6. APOSTLE. God forbid] My yɛvoiro, by no means. God cannot be unjust; were he unjust, he could not be qualified to judge the world, nor inflict that punishment on the unfaithful Jews, to which I refer.

Verse 7. JEW. For if the truth of God, &c.] But to resume my reasoning, (see verse 5.) If the faithfulness of God in keeping his promise made to our fathers, is, through our unfaithfulness, made far more glorious than it otherwise would have been; why should we then be blamed for that which must redound so much to the honour of God?

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