救赎线 · 要节

I will put enmity. I interpret this simply to mean that there should always be the hostile strife between the human race and serpents, which is now apparent; for, by a secret feeling of nature, man abhors them. It is regarded, as among prodigies, that some men take pleasure in them; and as often as the sight of a serpent inspires us with horrors the memory of our fall is renewed. With this I combine in one continued discourse what immediately follows: It shall wound thy head, and thou shalt wound its heel.' For he declares that there shall be such hatred that on both sides they shall be troublesome to each other; the serpent shall be vexatious towards men, and men shall be intent on the destruction of serpents. Meanwhile, we see that the Lord acts mercifully in chastising man, whom he does not suffer Satan to touch except in the heel ; while he subjects the head of the serpent to be wounded by him. For in the terms head and heel there is a distinction between the superior and the inferior. And thus God leaves some remains of dominion to man; because he so places the mutual disposition to injure each other, that yet their condition should not be equal, but man should be superior in the conflict. Jerome, in turning the first member of the sentence, Thou shalt bruise the head;' [192] and the second, "Thou shalt be ensnared in the heel", [193] does it without reason, for the same v

Calvin, Commentary on Genesis vol.1, tr. Rev. John King M.A., Calvin T

The prisoners being found guilty by their own confession, beside the personal and infallible knowledE:e of the Judge, and nothing material being offered in arrest of judgment, God imme- diately proceeds to pass sentence; and, in these verses, he begins (where the sin began) with the serpent. God did not examine the serpent, nor ask him what he had done, or why he did it; but immediately sentenced him, 1. Because he was al- ready convicted ('f rebellion against God, and his malice and wickedness were notoiious, not found by secret search, but openly avowed and declared as Sodom’x. 2. Because he was to be for ever ex- cluded from all hope of pardon; and why should any thing be said to convince and humble him, who was to find no jdace for repentance? His wound was not searched, because it was net to be cured. Some think the tondition of the fallen migels w:is GENESIS, III. not declared desperate and helpless, until now that they had seduced man into the rebellion. The sentence passed upon the tempter may be c-onsidei’ed, I. As lighting upon the serpent, the binite-crea- ture which Satan made use of, which was, as the lest, made for the service of man, but was now abused to his hurt; therefore, to testify a displeasure against sin, and a Jealousy for the injured honour of Adam and Eve, God fastens a curse and reproach upon the serpent, and makes it to groan, being burthened, 2 Cor.

An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, vol.1

in ? it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel— [kih is a personal pronoun in the masculine gender, agree- ing with £i'5<i "^pi^i*!, shall watch or lie in wait, so as to attack ; to fail upon suddenly (cf. Job ix. 17 ; Ps. cxxxix. 2; cf. Rom. xvi. 20), and the clause is thus rendered by Gesenius, 'He shall seek to crush thy head, and thou shalt seek to bite his heel']. The leading idea is founded on the habit of the insidious serpent to bite its victim in the heel or behind, and that of mankind striking or dashing at a serpent's head with a club. The same verb is used to describe the attack upon the head and the heel, to show that destruction is aimed at in both. But though the bite of a serpent on the heel of a man, when the poison infects the blood, is dangerous, it is not incurable. The crushing of the serpent's head, however, is destruction. With the exception of Pax)ists, who, contrary alike to sense and grammar, render the words 'iAe shall bruise,' this clause is considered universally as referring to a Redeemer, who, iu human nature, and a son of wonian born, should, after partial suffering from a wicked malignant i)Ower, obtain a complete vic- tory, and deprive it of all further means or oppor- tunity of doing evih The seed of the woman who was to bruise the serpent's head is connected with a singular verb and jjronoun, and, denoting there- fore an indiva

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

Make thee an ark of gopher wood. Here follows the command to build the ark, in which God wonderfully proved the faith and obedience of his servant. Concerning its structure, there is no reason why we should anxiously inquire, except so far as our own edification is concerned. First, the Jews are not agreed among themselves respecting the kind of wood of which it was made. Some explain the word gopher to be the cedar; others, the fir-tree; others, the pine. They differ also respecting the stories; because many think that the sink was in the fourth place, which might receive the refuse and other impurities. Others make five chambers in a triple floor, of which they assign the highest to the birds. There are those who suppose that it was only three stories in height; but that these were separated by intermediate divisions. Besides, they do not agree about the window: to some it appears that there was not one window only, but many. Some say they were open to receive air; but others contend that they were only made for the sake of light, and therefore were covered over with crystal, and lined with pitch. To me it seems more probable, that there was only one, not cut out for the sake of giving light; but to remain shut, unless occasion required it to be opened, as we shall see afterwards. Further, that there was a triple story, and rooms separated in a manner to us unknown. The quest

Calvin, Commentary on Genesis vol.1, tr. Rev. John King M.A., Calvin T

Here it appears indeed, that Noah found grace in the eyes o f the I.ord; God’s favour to him was plain- ly intimated in what he said to him, 'j'. 8. . 10, where his name is mentioned five times in five lines, when i once might have served to make the sense clear, as if the Holy Ghost took a pleasure in perpetuating his memory: but it appears much more in what he says to him in these verses — the informations an l instructions here given him. I. Gcd here makes Noah the man of his counsel; communicating to him his pui-pose to destroy this wicked world by water, as, afterwai’d, he told Abra- ham his resolution concerning Sodom, ch. 18. 17, Shall I hide from Abraham? So here. Shall I hide from Noah, the thing that I do, seeing that he shall become a great nation? Note, The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Ps. 25. 14; it was with his serx'ants the /irophets, Amos 3. 7, by a spirit of revcLhion, informing them particularly of his pur- poses ; it is with all believers, by a spirit of wisdom and faith, enabling to understand and apply the ge- nenil declarations of the wi'itten word, and the w arn- ings there given. Is'ow, 1. Gt;d told Noah, in general, that he w’ould destroy the world, v. 13, 77ie end of all flesh ii come before me; I will destroy them, that is. The ruin of this wicked world is decreed and determin- ed; it is come-, that is, it will come surely, and come

An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, vol.1

14. Make thee an ark of gopher wood— ark [nnn— old Hebrew or Chaldaic, Gesenius], a hol- low chest or boat (cf. Exod. xi. 3). Bunsen traces the word to an Egyptian root, while Dietrich thinks it is a contraction for n^Ki, from a word signifying 'reeds,' used in Job ix. 26 for the Nile boats. The Seijtuagiut use Kiliwro's. It was to be made of '''' gopher wood." Our translators have retained the original term. The Septuagint ren- der it CK ^'v'Kiov TCTpaycovwu, of woou squared or smoothed with the plane. But this interpretation is generally rejected by modern scholars, who con- sider the timber referred to was either a species of resinous tree, as Gesenius, the pine, fir, cedar; or, as Bochart and others, the cypress, a wood re- markable for its durability, and abounding on the Armenian mountains, while other kinds of wood are scarce in all that region. Arrian relates that Alexander the Great built a fleet at Babylon in The form GENESIS VI. of the arh ^ rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt ^pitch it within and without 15 with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of -. The length of the ark shall he ""three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty 16 cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A 'Vindow shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above ; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, an

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

So they went both of them together. Here we perceive both the constancy of Abraham, and the modesty of his son. For Abraham is not rendered more remiss by this obstacle and the son does not persist in replying to his father's answer. For he might easily have objected, Wherefore have we brought wood and the knife without a lamb, if God has commanded sacrifices to be made to him? But because he supposes that the victim has been omitted, for some valid reason, and not through his father's forgetfulness, he acquiesces, and is silent.

Calvin, Commentary on Genesis vol.1, tr. Rev. John King M.A., Calvin T

Observe, I. 'I'he difficulties which he brake through in this act of obedience; much might have been objected j against it. As, ; 1. It Seemed directly against an antecedent law j of God, tvhich forbids murder, under a severe pen- n aky, ch. 9. 5, 6. Now can the unchangeable God ij contradivt himself ^ He that hates robbery for burnt- ji c^ering, (Isa. 61. 8.) cannot delight in murder for it. n 2. How would it consist with natural affection to j' his own son i It would be not only murder, but the i worst of murders. Cannot Abraham be obedient, jj but he must be unnatural ? If God insist upon ahu- ( man s icrifice, is there none but Isaac to be the offer- ing; and none but Abraham to be the offerer } Must ! the f .ther of the faithful be the monster cf all fa- !' thers ? || 3. (iod gave him no reason for it. When Ishmael || was to be cast out, a just cause was assigned, which Satisfied Abraham; but here Isaac must die, and Abraham must kill him, and neither the one nor the other must know on what account. If Isaac had been to die a martyr for the truth, or his life had been the ransom of some other life more precious, it li ad been another matter; or if he had died as a ci'iminal, a rebel against God or his parents, as in the case of the idolater, (Deut. 13. 8, 9.) or thestub- boni son, (Deut. 21. 18, 19.) it might have passed as a sacrifice to justice; but the case is not so: h

An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, vol.1

8. Abraham took the wood, &c. Leaving the ser- vants at the foot of the hill, the father and son ascended the height, the one bearing the knife and the fire— not brought, as some have con- jectured, all the way from his stated place of worship, on the ground tliat none but sacred fire ! was allowable on an altar, but kindled at the last GENESIS XXII. Ahraham stayed 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and ^ bound Isaac his 10 son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched 11 forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham : and 12 he said. Here am 1. And he said, 'Lay not thine hand upon the lad, hy an angel. B. C. l>^72. " Ps. 118. 27. John 10.17. 18. Heb. 11. IT. h Isa. 53.G-12. t 1 Sa. 15. 22. stage of the journey, and, from the imperfect means of ignition, carried in a small brazier, as is commonly done in the East, sometimes for a whole day,— and the other bearing the wood for con- suming the sacrifice. But there was no victim; and to the question so naturally put by Isaac, Abraham contented himself with replying, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." It is likely that these words were spoken evasively — in ignorance of the issue ; yet in unbounded confidence t

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

The sprinkling of the blood was typical. ( 1. ) It was not enough that the blood of the lamb was shed, but it mu.st be sprinkled, denoting the application of the merits of Christ’s death to our s; uls; we must recewe the atonement, Rom. 5. 11. (2.) It waste ' be sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop, (n. 22.) dipt in the basin. The everlasting co\ enant, like the basin, is the conservatory of this blood, the benefits and privileges purchased by it are laid up for us there; faith is the bunch of hyssop by which we apply the promises to ourselves, ancl the benefits of the blood of Christ laid up in them. (3.) It was to be sprinkled upon \.\\q door-ptosts, denoting the open profession we are to make r f faith in Christ, and obedience to him, as those that are not ashamed to own our dependence upon him. The mark of the Beast may be received in the forehead, or in the right-hand, but the seal of the Lamb is always in the forehead. Rev. 7. 3. There is a back-way to hell, but no back-way to heaven; no, that is a highway. Isa. 35. 8. (4.) It was to be sprinkled upon the lintel and the side-posts, but not upon the threshold; {y. 7. ) which cautions us to take heed of trampling under foot the blood of the covenant, Heb. 10. 29. It is precic-us blood, and must be precious to us. (5. ) 1 he blood, thus sprinkled, was a means of the preservation of the Israelites from the destroying angel, who h

An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, vol.1

11-14. The rite of the Passover. 11. thus shall ye eat it ; with your loins girded, &c. This description applies to people prepared for a .jour- ney. The girding of tbe loins was done by the skirts of the loose outer cloth being drawn up and fastened in the girdle, so as to leave the leg and knee free for motion. As to the shoes on their feet, the Orientals never wear shoes indoors ; and the ancient Egyptians, as appears from the monu- ments, did not usually wear either shoes or san- dals. The staff in hand was invariably carried by pedestrian travellers (ch. xxi. 19; Gen. xxxii. 10; xxxviii. 18; Num. xiii. 23; xxii. 27; 1 Sam. xvii. 40; Mark vi. 8). These injunctions seem to have applied chiefly to the first celebration of the rite. The modern Samaritans go up to Mount Gerizim, and keep the passover still, with these ceremonies, it is the Lord's passover [np-j ^ pas.mir; over; Septuagint, irac-xa] — called by tliis name owing to the immunity of the Israelites from the figurative sword of the destroying angel. 12. I will pass through the land of Egypt this night [np n'^t^l The English demonstrative, "this," denotes the present, as 'this day,' ex- presses a period of time not yet elapsed. But the Hebrew equivalent signifies the thing referred to in the context, whether past, present, or future. Hence it is often rendered ' the same ' (Gen. vii. 11, 1.3; xvii. 26; Lev. xxiii. 6,

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

Here we have, 1. Furtlier directions conceniing the dedicating of their first-born to God. (1.) The firstlings of their cattle were to be dedicated to God, as part of their possessions. Those of clean beasts, calves, lambs, and kids, if males, were to be sacrificed, Exod. 22. 30. Numb. 18. 17, 18. Those of unclean beasts, as colts, were to be I’edeemed with a lamb, or knocked on the head. For whatsoever is un- clean, (as we all are by nature,) if it be not redeem- ed, will be destroyed, x^. 11 . . 13. (2.) The first- born of their children were to be redeemed, and by no means sacrificed, as the Gentiles saci ificed their children to Moloch. The price of the redemption of the first-bom was fixed by the law, (Numb. 18. 16.) Jive shekels: we were all obnoxious to tlie wrath and curse of God; by the blood of Christ we are redeemed, that we may be joined to the church o f the Jirst-born. They were to redeem their chil- dren, as well as the firstlings of the unclean beasts, for our children are by nature polluted; ir/io can bring a clean thing out o f an unclean? 2. Further directions concerning the catechising of their children, and all those of the rising genera- tion, from time to time in this matter. It is sup- posed that when they saw all the firstlings thus de- voted, they would ask the meaning of it, and their parents and teachers must tell them the meaning of it; {v. 14. . 16

An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, vol.1

13. every firstling, &c. The injunction respecting the consecration of the first-born is here repeated with some additional circumstances. The firstlings of clean beasts, such as lambs, kids, and calves, if males, were to be devoted to God and employed in sacrifice. Unclean beasts, such as the ass's colt, Y The Israelites go EXODUS XIIL out of Egypt. 14 And '''it shall be when thy vson asketh thee *in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him. By strength of hand the 15 Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast : therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix, being males ; but all the first-born of my children I redeem. 16 And it shall be for 'a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes : for by strength of hand the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt. 17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that teas near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent "^when they 18 see war, and ''they return to Egypt: but God ^led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea. And the children of Israel went up ^harnessed out of

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

Here is, 1. The day appointed for this solemnity. It must be observed yearly on the tenth day of the seventh month, v. 29. The seventh had been reckoned the first month, till God appointed that the month in which the children of Israel came out 'f Egypt, should from thenceforward be accounted ■ nd called the first month. Some have fancied that •^his tenth day of the seventh month was the day of I he year on which our first parents fell, and that it A IS kept as a fast in remembrance of that. Dr. Lightfoot computes that this was the day on which Moses came the last time down from the mount. when he brought with him the reneAved tables, and the assur.ances of God’s being reconciled to Isr, el, and his face shcr.e: that day must be a day of atone- ment throughout their generations; for the remem- brance of God’s forgiving them their sin about the golden calf might encourage them to hope that, up- on their repentance, he would forgive them all trespasses. 2. The duty of the people on this day. (1.) They must rest from all their labours; It shall he a sabbath of rest, v. 31. The work of the day was itself enough, and a good day’s work if it Avas I done Avell, therefore they must do no other Avork at : all. The Avoik of hum liation for sin requires such a close application of mind, and such a fixed engage- I ment of the Avhole man, as Avill not,alloAv us to tu n j aside to any other

An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, vol.1

29-34. this shall be a statute for ever unto you The words "for ever "are to be understood in a general and indefinite sense, as denoting tho 2 I Blood of beasts LEVITICUS XVII. to he offered. month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, tchether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that 30 sojourneth among you : for on that day shall the j^riest make an atone- ment for you, to ^cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your 31 sins before the Lord. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye 32 shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. And the priest whom he shall anoint, and whom he \shall ^consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on 33 the linen clothes, even the holy garnients. And he shall make an atone- ment for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. 34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atone- ment for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once ^ a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses. 17, AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak unto Aaron, and unto 2 his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them. This is the 3 thing

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

The Jews look upon this as a very weighty precept, and appoint that the blood should be co- \ ered with these words. Blessed be he that hath sanctified us by his precepts, and commanded us to cover blood. (2.) They must not eat that which! died of itself, or was torn of beasts, {v. 15.) for the blood was either not at all, or not regularly drawn ' out of them. God would have them to be curious in their diet, not with the curiosity that gratifies the sensual appetite, but with that which checks and restrains it. God would not allow his children to eat everv thing that came in their way with greedi- ness, l)ut to consider diligently what was before themi that they migltt learn in other things to ask ijuestions for conscience-sake. They that Jii nv up- on the spoil, s-nned, 1 Sam. 14. 32, 33. If a man did, through ignorance or inconsideration, eat the Hesh of any beast not duly slain, he must wash him- S’-lf and his clothes, else he bore his iniquity, v. 15, I'i. The pollution was ceremonial, so was the puri- fic .tion from it; l3ut if a man slighted the prescrib- t 1 method of cleansing, or would not submit to it, he thereby contracted moral guilt. See the nature r f a remedial law ; he that obeys it, has the benefit of it; he that docs not, not only remains under his former guilt, but adds to that the guilt of contemn- ing the ])rovisions made by divine grace for his re- | lief,

An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, vol.1

11. For the life of the flesh is in the blood [^'Q]]. The vital principle, as existing in the bodj'', resides in the blood, and lience is distin- guished from breath of life (Gen. ii. 7). I have given it to you upon the altar. God, as the sovereign Author and Proprietor of nature, re- served the blood to Himself, and allowed men only one use of it — in the way of sacrifices. 'As the eating of the sacrifice w'as to be an image of the complete dedication of the sacrifice, and of the propitiation effected by it, and as the expia- tion was especially the eflFect of the blood, so the eating of the blood was absolutely prohibited, in order to indicate that, with all their offerings, a real expiation for their sins had not been made' {Michaelis, ' Paraphrase and Observations on the Epistle to the Galatians,' iii., 19). 13, 14. whatsoever man . . . hunteth. It was customary with heathen sportsmen, when they killed any game or venison, to pour out the blood as a libation to the God of the chase. The Is- raelites, on the contrary, were enjoined, instead of leaving it exposed, to cover it with dust, and by this meiiHS were effectually debarred from all the superstitious uses to which the heathen ap- plied it. 14. For it is the life of all flesh ; the blood of it is for the life thereof. Here are two sentences; but Dr, Benisch (in the ' Jewish' School and Family Bible,' newly translated un

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

Here is, I. A law concerning the real estates of the Israel- ites in the land of Canaan, and the transferring of them. 1. That no land should be sold for ever from the family to whose lot it fell in the division of the land. And the reason given is, The land is mine, and ye are strangers and sojourners with me, -v. 23 (1.) God having a particular propriety in this land, he would by this restraint keep them sensible of it. The possessions of good people, who, having given up themselves to God, have therewith given up all they have to him, are in a particular manner at his disposal, and his disposal of them must be submitted to. (2.) They being strangers and sojourners with him in that land, and having his tabernacle among them, to alienate their part of that land would be in effect to put themselves off from their fellowship and communion with God, which that was a token and symbol of. For which reason, Naboth would i-ather incur the wrath of a king, than part with the inheritance of his fathers, 1 Kings 21. 3. 2. That if a man was constrained through po^•erty to sell his land for the subsistence of his family, yet, if afterward he was able, he might redeem it before the year of jubilee, (ly. 24, 26, 27. ) and the price must be settled according to the number of years since the sale, and before the jubilee. 3. That if the person himself was not able to re- deem it, his next kins

An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, vol.1

23-28. The land shall not be sold for ever— or. ' be (juite cut off,' as the margin better renders it. The land was God's, who had dispossessed the former inhabitants, and, in prosecution of an important design, gave it to the x)eoy)le of His choice, dividing it amongst their tribes and families. They, how- ever, held it of Him merely as tenants at will, and had no right or power of disposing of it to strangers. In necessitous circumstances individuals might effect a temporary sale. But they possessed the right of redeeming it, at any time, on payment of an adequate comijcusation to the present holder ; 503 and by the enactments of the Jubilee they re- covered it free— so that the land was rendered inalienable. (See an exception to this law, ch. xxvii. 20). 29-31. if a man sell a dwelling house. All sales of houses were subject to the same condition. But there was a difference between the houses in villages, which, being connected with agriculture, were treated as parts of the laud, and houses possessed by trading people or foreigners in walled towns, which could only be redeemed within the year after the sale ; if not then redeemed, these did not revert to the former owner at the Jubilee. 'This circumstance,' says Graves, 'must have given property in the country a decided preference above property in cities, and have tended to induce every Jew to reside on and improve his land

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

had prayed that this pious proselyte might receive a full reward of her courage and constancy from the God of Israel, under whose wings she was come to trust; and now he became an instrument of that kindness, which vvas an answer to his prayer, and helped to make his own words good. Now she had the command of those servants with whom she had associated, and of those fields in which she had gleaned. Thus sometimes, God raised up. the poor out of the dust to set them with princes, Ps. 113. 7, 8. 2. Ruth a mother; the Lord gave her conception, for the fruit of the womb is his reward, Ps. 127. 3. It is one of the keys he hath in his hand; and he sometimes makes the barren wcm?Ji that had been 224 RUTH, IV. long so, to be a joyful mother of children, Ps. 113. 9. Isa. 54. 1. 3. Ruth still a daughter-in-law, and the same that she always was, to Naomi, who was so far froip being forgotten, that she was a principal sharer in these new joys. The good women that were at the labour when this child was born, congratulated Naomi upon it, more than either Boaz or Ruth, because she was the match-maker; and it was the family of her husband that was hereby built up. See here, as before, what an air of devotion there was then attending the common expressions of civility among the Israelites; prayer to God attended the marriage, (t>. 11.) and praise to him attended the birth of the child. What pit

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He believes the glory of the Redeemer, and his own interest in him; (i'. 25.) / know that my Redeemer liveth; that he is in being, and is my Life, and that he shall stand at last, or stand the last, or at the latter day, upon (or above) the earth. He shall be raised up, or. He shall be (at the latter day, that is, in the fulness of time; the gospel-dav is called the last time, because that is the last dispensation) upon the earth : so it points at his incar nation; or. He shall be lifted up from the earth; (so it points at his crucifixion;) or, raised up out of the earth; so it is applicable to his resurrection; or, as we commonly understand it. At the end of time, he shall appear over the earth, for he shall come in the clouds, and every eye shall see liim, so close stall he come to this earth. He shall stand upon the dust, so the word is; upon all his enemies, which shall be put as dust under his feet; and he shall tread upon them and triumph over them. Observe here, (1. ) That there is a Redeemer provided for fallen man, and Jesus Christ is that Redeemer. The word is Goel, which is used for thf next of kin, to whom, by the law of Moses, the right of redeeming a mortgaged estate did belong. Lev. XXV. 25. Our heavenly inheritance was mortgaged by sin, we are ourselves utterly unable to redeem it,' Christ is near of kin to us, the next Kinsman that is able to redeem; he has pai

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know,' if you do not. The / is emphatical. Redeemer. Umbreit, &c., iinderstand this and V. 26 of God appearing as Job's Avenger before his death, wlien liis body would be wasted to a skeleton. But .fob uniformly despairs of restoration and vindication of his cause in this life (ch. xvii. 1.5, 1(3). One hope alone was left, which the Spirit revealed— a vindication in a future life: it would be no full vindication if his soul alone were 47 to be happy witfiout the body ; as some explain (v. 26) 'out of the flesh.' It was his body that had chiefly suffered: the resurrection of his body, therefore, alone could vindicate his cause: to see God with /a'.y own eyes, and in a renovated body (". 27), would disprove the imputation of guilt cast on him because of the sufferings of his present body. That this truth is not further dwelt on by Job, or noticed by his friends, only shows that it was with him a bright passing glimpse of Old Testament hope, rather than the steady light of Gospel assurance; xmlh us this passage has a definite clearness which it had not in his mind (see note, ch. xxi. 30). The idea in "Redeemer" [v'Ki] with Job is Vindicator (ch. xvi. 19; Num. xxxv. 27), redressing his wrongs ; also including, at least with us, for whom (and not merely for Job) the Spirit designed this Scripture (Pvoni. xv. 4), and probably with him, the idea of the predicted Bruiser of the Serpent

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

it is plenteous redemption; there is an all sufficient fulness of merit and grace in the Redeemer enough for all, enough for each; enough for me, says the believer. Redemption from sin includes redemption from all other evils, and there is ?l plenteous redemption. [3.] The persons to whom the benefits of this redemption belong; He shall redeem Israel; Israel according to the spirit; all those who are in covenant with God, as Israel was, and who are Israelites indeed, in whom, is no guile. PSALM CXXXI. This psalm is David's profession of humility; humbly made, with thankfulness to God for his grace, and not in vain-glory. It is probable enough that (as most interpreters suggest) David made this protestation in answer to the calumnies of Saul and his courtiers, who represented David as an ambitious aspiring man, who, under pretence of a divine appointment, sought the kingdom, in the pride of his heart. But he appeals to God, that, on the contrary, I. He aimed at nothing high or great, v. 1. II. He was very easy in every condition which God allotted him; (v. 2.) and therefore, III. He encourages all good people to trust in God as he did, v. 3. Some have made it an objection against singing David's psalms, that there are many who cannot say. My heart is not hmighly, 4-c. It is true there are; but we may sing it for the same purpose that we read it, to teach and admonish ourselves,

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7. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord (there is) mercy, and with him (is) plen- teous redemption— (Ps. Ixxxvi. 5, 15.) Israel, who in t'l'. 1-6 addressed the Lord, and described herself as waiting eagerly for Him, here addresses herself with encoui-agements to persevere hoping in Him, since with Him there is plenteous redemp- tion for His jieoiile (note, Ps. xxv. 22; cxi. 9). Be- demption implies that the "forgiveness" (v. 4) is not one given at the cost of God's justice, and by His conniving at ."^in, but one effected by a ransom, even the price of Messiah's blood, about to be shed in due time (1 Pet. i. 18, 19). 8. And he shall re- deem Israel from all his iniquities. He first redeems from ' iniquity ' the cause, and then from punishment, the co/iseowejice (Ps. ciii. 3, 4; Matt, i. 21). PSALM CXXXL 1-3.— Jehovah's people should not he ambitious of high things, but quieted as a iveaned child, and in this spirit hope in Him alone and for ever. Childlike humility and faith accord with David the author's character. He taught Solomon the same (1 Ki. iii. 7; 1 Chr. xxii. 5; xxix. 1). 1. Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty— cf. the parallels in David's psalms, xviii. 27; ci. 5. The invocation of Jehovah im- I)lies, Thou art one who, though so "high" thyself, "yet hast respect unto the lowly; but the proud thou knowest afar off" (Ps. cxxxviii. 6). I do not

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

In these verses, we have, I. A further account of the sufferings of Christ: much was said before, but more is said here, of the very low condition to which he abased and humbled himself, to which he became obedient, even to the death of the cross. 1. He had griefs and sorrows; being acquainted with them, he kept up the acquaintance, and did not grow shy, no, not of such melancholy acquaint¬ ance. Were griefs and sorrows allotted him ? He bore them, and blamed not his lot; he carried them, and did neither shrink from them, nor sink under them. The load was heavy, and the way long, and yet he did not tire, but persevered to the end, till he said, It is finished. 2. He had blows and bruises; he was stricken, smitten, and afflicted. His sorrows bruised him, and he felt pain and smart from them, they touched him in the most tender part, especially when God was dishonoured, and when he forsook him upon the cross. All along, he was smitten with the tongue, when he was cavilled at and contradicted, put under the worst of characters, and had all manner of evil said against him; at last, he was smitten with the hand, with blow after blow. 3. He had wounds and stripes; he was scourged, not under the merciful restriction of the Jewish law, which allowed not above forty stripes to be given to the worst of malefactors, but according to the usage of the Romans. And his scourging, doubtless, w

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ard suf- fering (note, v. 10). the chastisement of our peace [Hebrew, mnisar; the LXX., TraiSeia] — lit., the correction inflicted by a parent on children for their good (Heb. xii. 5-8, 10, 11). Not punishment strictly, so far as He individually was concerned ; for this can have place only where there is guilt, which He had not ; but, He took on Hiinself the chastisement whereby the peace (reconciliation with our Father; Rom. v. 1; Eph. ii. 14, 15, 17) o/ those who were already in the Divine purpose the children of God was to be effected (Heb. ii. 14). was upon him— as a burden: parallel to " hath iiorne " and " carried." with his stripes— minutely prophetical of His being scourged (Matt, xxvii. 26; 1 Pet. ii. 24). we are healed— spiritually (Ps. xii. 4 ; Jer. viii. 22). As "griefs," the term for mental ail- ments, is used of bodily ailments, v. 4, so conversely, " healed," the term for bodily cure, is here used of the cure of the soul. 6. The extent of our malady, and our urgent need of cure, are next set forth. The words following are the penitent confession of believers, and of Israel in the last days (Zech. xii. 10). All we like sheep have gone astray— (Ps. cxix. 176; 1 Pet. ii. 25). The antithesis is, 'la ourselves we were scattered ; in Christ we are collected together: by nature we wander, driven headlong to destruction; in Christ we find the way to the gate of life ' (C

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

He submitted to the frowns of Heaven; (u. 10. ) Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; to put him to pain, or torment, or grief. The scripture no where says, that Christ in his sufferings underwent tlie wrath of God; but it says here, (1.) That the Lord bruised him, not only permitted men to bruise him, but awakened his own sword against him, Zecli. xiii. 7. They esteemed him smitten of God for some very great sin of his own; ( v . 4.) now it was true that he was smitten of God, but it was for our sin; the Lord bruised him, fi r he did not spare him, but delivered him up for us all, Horn. viii. 32. He it was that put the bitter cup into his hand, and obliged him to drink it, (John xviii. 11.) having laid upon him our iniquity. He it was that made him Sin and a Curse for us, and turned to ashes all Ins burnt-offering, in token of the acceptance of it, Ps. xx. 3. (2.) That he bruised him so as to put him to grief. Christ accommodated himself to this dispensation, and received the impressions of grief from his Father’s delivering him up; and he was tr< ublcd to that degree, that it put him into an agony, and he began to be amazed and very heavy. (3.) It pleased the Lord to do this; he determined to do it, it was the result of an eternal counsel; and he delighted in it, as it was an effectual method for the salvation of men, and the securing and advancing ot the honour of God. 2. H

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Observe, I. Why God wrought salvation for this provoking people, notwithstanding their provocations; it was purely for his own name’s sake; because there was nothing in them either to bring it about, or to induce him to bring it about for them, no merit to deserve it, no might to effect it, he would do it himself, would bo exalted in his own strength, for his own glorv. 1. He took notice of their weakness and wickedness; He sail) that there was no man that would do any thing for the support of the bleeding cause of religion and virtue among men, not a man that would execute judgment, (Jer. v. 1.) that would 278 ISAIAH, L1X. I(e stir himself in a work of reformation; those that complained of the badness of the times, had not zeal and courage enough to appear and act against it; there was a universal corruption of manners, and nothing done to stem the tide; most were wicked, and these that were not so, were yet weak, and durst not attempt any thing in opposition to the wicked¬ ness of the wicked. There was no intercessor; either none to intercede with God, to stand in the gap, by prayer to turn away his wrath; (it would have pleased him to be thus met, and he wondered that he was not;) or, rather, none to interpose for the support of justice and truth, which were trampled upon, and run down, {v. 14.) no advocate to speak a good word for those who were made a prey of be¬ cause the

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20. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion. Rom. xi. '2(5 quotes it, "out 0, Zion." Thus St. Paul, liy inspiration, supple- ments the sense from Ps. xiv. 7. He was, ana is to come to Zion, first with redemption, being sprung as man out of Zion. The LXX. trans- late, '■for the sake of [iveKev] Zion.' So the He- brew [?] may mean. Paul applies this verse to the coming restoration of Israel spiritually, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob— (Rom. xi. 26.) So the LXX. [a-n-ocrT^i^lrei acrefieiai otto 'laKuip] and Arabic, and virtually the Chaldaic. Paul herein gives the full sense under inspiration. They turn from transgression, be- cause He first turns them from it, and it from them (Ps. cxxx. 4 ; Lam. v. 21). 21. As for me, this (is) my covenant with them, saith the Lord ; 748 My Spirit that (is) upon thee. The covenant is with Christ, and with them only as united to Him (Heb. iL 13). Jehovah addresses Messiah, the re- presentative and ideal Israel. The literal and spiritual Israel are His seed, to whom the promise is to be fulfilled (Ps. xxii. 30). My Spirit . . . shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed ... for ever— (Jer. xxxi. 31-;i7 ; Matt, xxviii. 20). Remarks.— Hha reason why calamities are per- mitted to overtake the people of God is not want of power in 'the Lord's naud to save,' nor want of the will to give "ear " to their prayers

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

Their deliverance shall be by ransom; and we know who it was that paid their ransom, and what the ransom was, for it was the Son of man, that gave his life a ransom for many, Matth. xx. 28. It is he that thus redeemed them. Those who, upon their repenting and believing, are, for the sake of Christ’s righteousness, acquitted from the guilt of sin, and saved from death and hell, which are the wages of sin, are those ransomed of the Lord, that shall, in the great day, be brought out of the grave in triumph, and it shall be as impossible for the bands of death to hold them as it was to hold their Master. (2. ) That the conqueror shall be destroyed; 0 death, I will be thy plague. Jesus Christ was the Plague and Destruction of death and the grave, when by death he destroyed him that had the power of death, and when in his own resurrection lie triumphed over the grave; but the complete destruction of them will be in the resurrection of believers at the great day, when death shall for ever be swallowed up in victory, and it is the last enemy that shall be destroyed. But the word which we translate, I will, may as well be rendered, Ubi nunc — Where now are thy plagues ? And so the apostle took it; “ O death, where is thy plague, or sting, with which thou hast so long pestered the world? O grave, where is thy victory, or thy destruction, wherewith thou hast destroyed mankind?” Christ has

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14. I will ransom them from the power of the grave ; I will redeem them from death: 0 death, I will be thy plagues ; O grave, I will be thy destruction — "from the power" — lit., from the hand, i.e., from the grasp of the grave. Applying primarily to God's restoration of Israel from Assyria par- tially, and in times yet future, fully, from all the lands of their present long-continued dispei-sion and political death (cf. ch. vi. 2, " After two days will he revive us : in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight;" Isa. xxv. 8; xxvi. 19; Ezek. xxxvii. 12, "0 my people (Israel primarily), I will open your graves, aud cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel"). God's power aud gi-ace are magnitied in quickening what to the eye of tiesh seems dead and hopeless (Rom. iv. 17, 19, "God quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as though they were," as in the case of Sarah's womb and Abraham's body, seemingly dead, and incapable of being parents. [Q^?l^J], "/ will ransom," means, I will redeem tom,yself, setting free by paying a price. So the Lord Jesus, as our nearest kinsman, became our Goel or Redeemer, ransoming us at the price of His precious blood (1 Pet. i. 18, 19). As Israel's history, past and future, has a representative character in relation to the Church, this verse is exi^ressed in language re-

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

Here is, I. Christ's prediction of his own sufferings ; this string he harped much upon, though in the ears of his disciples it sounded veiy harsh and unpleasing. 1. See here how bold he was; when they were going up to Jerusalem, Jesus went before them, as the Captain of our salvation, that was now to be made perfect through sufferings, v. 32. Thus he shewed hmisclf forward to go on with his undertak- ing, even wlien he came to the hardest part of it Now that the time was at hand, he said, I,o, I come; so far was he from drawing back, that now, more than e\'er, he pressed forw'ard. .fesus went before them, and t/iey were amazed. Thc\' began now to consider what imminent danger they ran themselves into, when they went to Jenjsalem ; how very mali- cious the Sanhedrim, which sat there, was against their Master and them ; and they were ready to tremble at the thought of it. To hearten them, therefore, Christ went before them. " Come," saith he, "surely vou will venture where youi- Master ventures." Note, When we see ourselves entering upon sufferings, it is encouraging to see our Master go I)efore us. Or, He went before them, and there- fore thev were amazed, they admired to see with what cheerfulness and alacrity he went on, though he knew he was going to suffer and die. Note, C1i!-ist's courage and constancy in going on with his undertaking for our salvation, are, and will be, t

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45. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, tout to minister, and to give his life a ransom for — or, 'instead of — many {Xinpov dun -noWiov]: — q. d., ' In the kingdom about to be set up this princii^le shall have no i)lace. All my servants shall there be equal; and the only "greatness" known to it shall be the greatness of humility and devotedness to the service of others. He that goes down the deepest in these services of self-denying hu- mility shall rise the highest and hold the " chief- est " place in that kingdom ; even as the Son of man, whose abasement and self-sacrifice for others, transcending all, gives Him of right a place above all! As "the Word in the beginning with God," He was ministered unto; and as the risen Redeemer in our nature He now is ministered unto, "angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him" (I Pet. iii. 22); but not for this came He hither. The Served of all came to be the Servant of all ; and His last act was the grandest Service ever beheld by the universe of God — "He gave His Life a Ransom for Many!" "Many" is here to be taken, not in contrast with fcvj or with all, but in opjiosition to one — the one Son of man for the many sinners. Hemar/is.—l. When we read of Jesus, on His last journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, going before the Twelve, with a courage which amazed and Blind Bartimeus MARK XL healed. 48 49 4

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

Observe, I. How he was qualified for this ; Nc 7vas filled with the Holy Ghost, was endued with moi-e than ordinary measures and degrees of it, for this ]5urposc ; he was divinely inspired. God not only forgave him his unbelief and distnist, (which was signified by discharging of him from the punishment of it,) but as a specimen of the abounding of grace toward believers, he filled him with the Holij Chosl, and put this honour upon him, to employ him for his ho- nour. II. \\'hat the matter of his song was. Here is nothing said of the private concems of his own fa- mily, the rolling away of the renroach from it, and putting of a reputation upon it, by the birth of this child, though, no doubt, he found a time to give thanks to God for this, with his family ; but in this song he is wholly taken up vrith the kingdom of the Messiah, and the public blessings to be introduced bv it. He could have little pleasure in iUhfruitfui- ness of his vine, and the hopefulness of his o/nr- filant, if herein he had not foreseen the^-oorf of Je- rusalem, fieace ufwn Israel, and blessings on both out of Zion, Ps. 128. 3, 5, 6. The Old-Testament propliecies are often expressed in praises and new songs, so is this beginning of New-Testament pi-o- phecv ; Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. The God 'of the whole earth shall he be cal'led ; yet Zacha- rias, speaking of the work of redemption, called him

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68. Blessed. There is not a word in this noble burst of divine song about his own relationship to this child, nor about the child at all, till it has expended itself upon Christ. Like rapt Elisabeth, Zacharias loses sight entirely of self in the glory of a Greater than both, be the Lord God of Israel— the ancient covenant-God of the peculiar people; for he hath visited and redeemed— that is, visited in order to redeem his people — returning to His own after long absence, and now for the first time breaking the silence of centuries. In the Old Tes- tament God is said to "visit" chiei\y ior judgment, in the New Testament for mercy. Zacharias — looking from the Israelitish point of view — would as yet have but imperfect apprehensions of the design of this "visit" and the nature of this "redemption." But though, when he sang of "salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hated us," the lower and more outward sense would naturally occur first to Zacharias as a devout Jew, his words are equally adapted, when viewed in the light of a loftier and more compre- hensive kingdom of God, to convey the most spiritual concejitions of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (But see on v. 77.) 69. And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us — that is, a 'strength of salvation ' or 'a mighty salvation;' meaning the Saviour Himself, whom Simeon in his song calls "Thy Salvation"

Jamieson·Fausset·Brown, A Commentary Critical, Experimental and Practical

Now there are two things from which the apostle here argues — the guiltiness of man, to prove that we cannot be justified by the works of the law ; and the glory of God, to prove that we must be justified by faith. I. He argues from man's guiltiness, to shew the follv of expecting justification by the works of the law. The argument is very plain ; we can never be justified and saved by the law that we have broken. A convicted traitor can never come off by pleading the statute of 25 Edward III. for that law discovers his crime, and condemns him: indeed if he had never broken it, he might have been justified by it ; but now it is past that he hath broken it, and there is no way of coming off but by pleading the act of in¬ demnity, upon which he hath surrendered and sub¬ mitted himself, and humbly and penitently claiming the benefit of it, and casting himself upon it. Now'concerning the guiltiness of man, 1. He fastens it particularly upon the Jews ; for they were the men that made their boast of the law, and set up for justification by it. He had quoted se¬ veral scriptures out of the Old Testament to shew this corruption ; Now, says he, ( v . 19.) this that the law says, it says to them who are under the law ; this conviction belongs to the Jews as well as others, for it is written in their law. The Jews boasted of their being under the law, and placed a great deal of con¬ fiden

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This is the material, -- Christ by his obedience satisfied the Father's justice, (judicium -- judgment,) and by undertaking our cause he liberated us from the tyranny of death, by which we were held captive; as on account of the sacrifice which he offered is our guilt removed. Here again is fully confuted the gloss of those who make righteousness a quality; for if we are counted righteous before God, because we are redeemed by a price, we certainly derive from another what is not in us. And Paul immediately explains more clearly what this redemption is, and what is its object, which is to reconcile us to God; for he calls Christ a propitiation, (or, if we prefer an allusion to an ancient type,) a propitiatory. But what he means is, that we are not otherwise just than through Christ propitiating the Father for us. But it is necessary for us to examine the words. [119] 25. Whom God hath set forth, etc. The Greek verb, protithenai, means sometimes to determine beforehand, and sometimes to set forth. If the first meaning be taken, Paul refers to the gratuitous mercy of God, in having appointed Christ as our Mediator, that he might appease the Father by the sacrifice of his death: nor is it a small commendation of God's grace that he, of his own good will, sought out a way by which he might remove our curse. According to this view, the passage fully harmonizes with that in John 3:16

Commentary on Romans

Now then after raising his hearers expectations by saying that what had taken place was a declaring of the righteousness of God, he next by fear urges him on that is tardy and remissful about coming; by speaking as follows: "On account of the relaxing [1279] of sins that were before." Do you see how often he keeps reminding them of their transgressions? Before, he did it by saying, "through the Law is the knowledge of sin;" and after by saying, "that all have sinned," but here in yet stronger language. For he does not say for the sins, but, "for the relaxing," that is, the deadness. For there was no longer any hope of recovering health, but as the paralyzed body needed the hand from above, so doth the soul which hath been deadened. And what is indeed worse, a thing which he sets down as a charge, and points out that it is a greater accusation. Now what is this? That the last state was incurred in the forbearance of God. For you cannot plead, he means, that you have not enjoyed much forbearance and goodness. But the words "at this time" are those of one who is pointing out the greatness of the power (Sav. forbearance) and love toward man. For after we had given all over, (he would say,) and it were time to sentence us, and the evils were waxed great and the sins were in their full, then He displayed His own power, that thou mightest learn how great is the abundancy of righteousn

Homilies on Romans

This is the third characteristic of the method of justification which is by the righteousness of God. Though it is so entirely gratuitous as regards the sinner, yet it is in a way perfectly consistent with the justice of God. It is through "the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," that is, of which he is the anther. The word d.~ohjzpa)ac^, redemption, has two senses in the New Testament. 1. It means properly ' a deliverance efi"ected by the payment of a ransom.' This is its primary etymological meaning. 2. It means deliverance simply, without any refer- ence to the mode of its accomplishment, whether by power or wisdom. Luke xxi. 28, " The day of redemption (i. e. of deli- verance) draweth nigh;" Heb. xi. 25, and perhaps Rom. viii. 23; compare Isa. 1. 2, "Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem?" &c. When applied to the work of Christ, as aifect- ing our deliverance from the punishment of sin, it is always taken in its proper sense, deliverance effected hy the payment of a ransom. This is evident, 1. Because in no case where it is thus used, is anything said of the precepts, doctrines, or power of Christ, as the means by which the deliverance is efi"ected; but uniformly his sufferings are mentioned as the ground of deliverance. Eph. i. 7, " In whom we have redemp- tion through his blood;" Heb. ix. 15, "By means of death, for the redemption of transgressions," Col. i.

Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans

The apostle having reproved the Galatians for their not obeying the truth, and endeavoured to im¬ press them with a sense of their folly herein ; in these verses he largely proves the doctrine which he had reproved them for the rejecting of; namely, that of justification by faith without the works of the law. This he does several ways. I. From the example of Abraham’s justification. This argument the apostle uses, Rom. 4. Abraham believed God, and that was accounted to him for righteousness ; (y. 6.) his faith fastened upon the word and promise of God, and upon his believing he was owned and accepted of God as a righteous man y as on this account he is represented as the Father of the faithful, so the apostle would have us to know, that they who are of faith, are the children of Abra¬ ham, ( v . 7.) not according to the flesh, but accord¬ ing to the promise ; and, consequently, that they are justified in the same way that he was. Abraham was justified by faith, and so are they. To confirm this, the apostle acquaints us that the promise made to Abraham, (Gen. 12. 3.) In thee shall all nations be blessed, had a reference hereunto, v. 8. The scripture is said to foresee, because he that indited the scripture, did foresee, that God would justify the heathen world in the way of faith ; and there¬ fore in Abraham, that is, in the Seed of Abraham, which is Christ, not the Jews only, b

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Here is the summary of the doctrine of the gospel concerning the great work of our redemption bv Christ. It comes in here not as the matter of a ser¬ mon, but as the matter of a thanksgiving : for our salvation by Christ furnishes us with abundant mat¬ ter of thanksgiving in every view of it ; Giving thanks unto the Father, v. 12. He does not dis¬ course of the work of redemption in the natural . order of it ; for then he should speak of the purchase ! of it first, and afterward of the application of it. 1 But here he inverts the order; because, in our sense COLOSSI A NS, I. 591 and feeling of it, the application goes before the pur¬ chase. We first find th.e benefits of redemption in our own hearts, and then are led by those streams to the Original and Fountain-head. The order and connexion of the apostle’s discourse may be consi¬ dered in the following manner. I. He speaks concerning the operations of the Spirit of grace upon us. We must give thanks for them, because by these we are qualified for an in¬ terest in the mediation of the Son ; Giving thanks to the Father , &c. v. 12, 13. It is spoken of as the work of the Father, because the Spirit of grace is the Spirit of the Father, and the Father works in us by his Spirit. They in whom the work of grace is wrought, must give thanks unto the Father. If we have the comfort of it, he must have the glory of it. Now what is it whi

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We are not self-redeemed. Christ is our Redeemer. Tlie word redemption, anro\vTpai<n<;, sometimes means deliverance in the general, without reference to the mode in which it is accomplished. When used of the work of Christ it is always CHAP. I. VEK. 7. 41 to be imdcrstood in its strict sense, viz. deliverance by ransom ; because this particular mode of redemption is always either expressed or implied. We are redeemed neither by power, nor truth, but by blood ; that is, by the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus. A sacrifice is a ransom, as to its effect. It delivers those for whom it is offered and accepted. The words 8ia Tov ai/j,aTo<i avTov, hy his hlood, are explanatory of the words in whom. In whom, i. e. by means of his blood. Tliey serve to explain the method in which Christ redeems. Tlie redemption of which the apostle here speaks is not the inward deliverance from sin, but it is an outward work, viz. the forgiveness of sins ^ as the words Trjv a(^e(7iv tmv TTapaTrrco/j.drwv necessarily mean. It is true this is not the whole of redemption, but it is all the sacred writer here brings into view, because forgiveness is the immediate end of expiation. Though this clause is in apposition with the preceding, it is by no means coextensive with it. So in Rom. 8, 23, where believers are said to be waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body, the two clauses are n

同系列

In these verses the apostle undertakes to deliver to us the mind and meaning of the Holy Ghost in all the ordinances of the tabernacle and legal economy, comprehending both place and worship. The scrip¬ tures of the Old Testament were given by inspira¬ tion of God ; holy men of old spake and wrote as the Holy Ghost directed them. And these Old Testa¬ ment records are of great use and significancy, not only to those who first received them, but even to Christians, who ought not to satisfy themselves with reading the institutes of the Levitical law, but should leam what the Holy Ghost signifies and suggests to them thereby. Now here are several things men¬ tioned, as the things that the Holy Ghost signified and certified to his people hereby. I. That the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while the first tabernacle was stand¬ ing, v. 8. This was one lesson the Holy Ghost would teach us by these types ; the way to heaven was not so clear and plain, nor so much frequented, under the Old Testament as under the New. It is the ho¬ nour of Christ and the gospel, and the happiness of those who live under it, that now life and immor¬ tality are brought to light. There was not that free access to God then that there is now ; God has now opened a wider door, and there is room for more, yea even for as many as are truly willing to return unto him by Christ. II. That the

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The apostle having exhorted to pass the time of our life in the fear of God, from this consideration, that we call on the Father, he adds, in these words, a second argument, because, or forasmuch as we are redeemed by the Son, ficc. Herein he puts them in mind, 1. That they were redeemed, or brought back again, by a ransom paid to the Father. 2. What the price paid for their redemption was ; nor with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. 3. They knew this ; Forasmuch as ye know, and cannot pretend igno¬ rance of this great affair. 4. From what they were redeemed; from a vain conversation received by tradition. Learn, (1.) The consideration of our redemption ought to be a constant and powerful inducement to holiness, and the fear of God. (2.) God expects that a Christian should live answerably to what he knows, and therefore we have great need to be put in mind of what we al¬ ready know, Ps. 39. 4. (3.) Neither silver nor gold, nor any of the cor¬ ruptible things of this world, can redeem so much as one soul ; they are often snares, temptations, and hinderances to man’s salvation, but they can by no means purchase or procure it ; they are corruptible, and therefore cannot redeem an incorruptible and immortal soul. (4.) The blood of Jesus Christ is the only price of man’s redemption ; the redemption of man is real, not metaphorical ; we ar

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The apostle beholds this book taken into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to its being opened and executed by him. Whei’e Christ is de¬ scribed, 1. By his place and station ; in the midst of the throne , and of the four beasts, and of the elders. He was on the same thi-one with the Father; he was nearer to him than either the elders or ministers of the churches. Christ, as Man and Mediator, is subordinate to God the Father, but is nearer to him than all the creatures, for in him all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily. The ministers stand between God and the people. Christ stands as Me¬ diator between God and both ministers and people. 2. The form in which he appeared. Before, he is called a Lion ; here, he appears as a Lamb slain. He is a Lion, to conquer Satan ; a Lamb, to satisfy the justice of God. He appeai-s with the marks of I his sufferings upon him, to shew that he intercedes 8‘J8 REVELATION, VI. in heaven, in the virtue of his satisfaction. He ap¬ pears as a Lamb , having seven horns and seven eyes ; perfect power to execute all the will of God, and perfect wisdom to understand it all, and to do it in the most effectual manner ; for he hath the seven Spirits of God, he has received the Holy Spirit with¬ out measure, in all perfection of light, and life, and power, by which he is able to teach and rule all parts of the earth. 3. He is described by his

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