It was peculiarly pertinent to the apostle's object to state, that the gospel which he taught was not a new doctrine, much less in consistent with writings which his readers knew to be of divine authority. This idea he therefore frequently repeats in reference to the method of salvation, ch. 3 : 21. 10 : 11, &c. ; the rejection of the Jews, ch. 9 : 27, 33. 10 : 20. 21 ; and the calling of the Gentiles, ch. 9 : 25. 10 : 19, &c. see Luke 24 . 44. John 12 : 16. Acts 10 : 43.
(3, 4) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, &c. This verse is to be connected with the last clause of the first, and states the grand subject of that gospel which Paul was appointed to preach. That subject which includes all others, is the Son of God. Having mentioned the name, Paul immediately declares the nature of this exalted personage. The passage which follows is therefore peculiarly interesting, as giving a clear exhibition of the apostle's view of the character of Christ, and the import of the phrase Son of God.
There are three leading interpretations of this passage. According to the first, the meaning is, ' Jesus Christ was, as to his human nature, the Son of David ; but he was clearly demonstrated to be, as to his divine nature, the Son of God, by the resurrection from the dead.' According to the second, the passage means, ' Christ was, in his state of humiliation, the Son of David, but was constituted the Son of God in his state of exal* tation, by the resurrection from the dead ; or, after his resurrection.' Ac- cording to the third, ' Christ was the Son of David, as to his human nature, but was declared to be the Son of God, agreeably to the scriptures, by the resurrection from the dead.'
The first of these interpretations is recommended by the following con- siderations. 1. The sense which it assigns to the several clauses may be justified by usage, and is required by the context. This will appear from the examination of each, as they occur. Which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. Was made, i. e. was born, see the same sense of the word here used. Gal. 4 : 4. John 8 : 41. 1 Pet. 3 : 6. The phrase according to the flesh means as to his human nature, as far as he was a man. The word flesh is often used for men as in the expression *•' all flesh," and very frequently for human nature considered as corrupt, as in the expressions " to be in the flesh," — " to live after the flesh," &c. But when used in reference to Christ the accessory ideas of weak- ness and corruption are of course excluded, as in the phrases " became liesh," John 1: 14; "was manifested in the flesh," 1 Tim. 3 : 16; " has come in the flesh," 1 John 4:2. In all these cases it stands for human nature, as such, not merely for the body or visible part of man, nor for his external circumstances and condition, but for all that Christ had in common with other men. That such is its meaning in this pas- sage is also obvious from the connexion. In what sense is Christ of the family of David but as he was a man % Compare the analogous passage, Rom. 9 : 5.
And declared to be the Son of God with power. That the word rendered