declared has, in this case, that meaning-, maybe argued, 1. From its ety- molog-y. It comes from a word signifying- a limit or boundary^ and lite- rally means to set limits to, to define, and such, in usage, is its frequent signification. To define is nearly related both to appointing, and to nam- ing, declaring, exhibiting a person or thing in its true nature. In the New- Testament, indeed the word, as in common Greek, is used generally to express the former idea, viz. that of constituting, or appointing ; but the sense which our version gives it is in many cases involved in the other, Acts 10: 43. 17: 31. 2. The Greek commentators, Chrysostom and Theodoret, both so exphain the word. So does the Syriac version.
3. This explanation supposes the word to be used in a popular and gene- ral sense, but does not assign to it a new meaning. 3. Reference may be made to that familiar biblical usage, according to which words are used declaratively. Thus, to make guilty, is to pronounce to be guilty ; to make just, is to pronounce to be just ; to make unclean, is to declare to be unclean. Hence, admitting that the words literally mean, ' made the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead,' they may, with the strict- est regard to usage, be interpreted, exhibited as made, declared to be. ,
4. The necessity of the place requires this interpretation; because it is not true that Christ was made the Son of God by his resurrection, since he was such before that event. 5. The passage, unless thus explained, is inconsistent with other declarations of the sacred writers. Acts 1 : 22, &c., which speak of Christ's resurrection as the evidence of what he was, but not as making him either Son or King.
The words with power may either be connected adjectively with the preceding phrase, and the meaning be ' the powerful Son of God ;' or, which is preferable, adverbially with the word declared, '■ he was power- fully, i. e. clearly declared to be the Son of God.' As when the sun shines out in his power, he is seen and felt in all his glory, so Christ, when he arose from the dead, was recognised at once as the Son of God.
According to the spirit of holiness ; that is, as to his divine nature. That this is the correct interpretation of this phrase appears, 1. Because the term spirit is obviously applicable to the nature of God, and the word holiness, which here qualifies it adjectively, expresses every thing in God which is the foundation of reverence. It therefore exalts the idea expressed by spirit. ' According to that spiritual essence in Christ, which is worthy of the highest reverence.' 2. The divine nature in Christ is elsewhere called Spirit, Heb. 9 : 14, " If the blood of bulls and of goats sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh ; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, with an eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot unto God." That is, 'if the blood of animals was of any avail, how much more efficacious must be the sacrifice of Christ, who was pos- sessed of a divine nature.' ' In our version this passage is rendered through, instead of with an eternal Spirit; but this does not so well suit the context, nor give so good a sense. In 1 Tim. 3 : 16, " God was ma- nifest in the flesh ; justified in the Spirit," the meaning probably is, th'i