Jews which have some better bond of connexion with him than circum- cision merely. But, according to another interpretation, this verse includes both classes of his spiritual seed. ' He is the father of the cir- cumcision, and not of the circumcision only, but of those also who follow his faith which he had, being yet uncircumcised.' The^onstruction in the Greek is in favour of the former method. The expression is, 'To those who are not of the circumcision only, but, &c.' instead of being, ' Not to those only who are,' &c., as the latter interpretation would require; compare v. 16.
Verses 13 — 16 contain two additional arguments in favour of the apostle's doctrine. The first, vs. 13, 14, is the same as that presented more at length in Gal. 3 : 18, &c., and is founded on the nature of a covenant. The promise, having been made to Abraham (and his seed) on the condition of faith, cannot now, consistently with fidelity, be made to depend on obedience to the law. The second argument, vs. 15, 16, is from the nature of the law itself.
(13) For the promise thai he should he heir of the world was not to Mraham or to his seed, &c. The word for does not connect this verse with the one immediately preceding, as a proof of the insufficientjy of circumcision. It rather marks the introduction of a new argument in favour of the general proposition which the chapter is designed to esta- blish. As Abraham was not justified for his circumcision, so neither was it on account of his obedience to the law. The promise here spoken of is, that Abraham and his seed should be the heirs of the world. The word heir in Scripture frequently means secure possessor, Heb. 1 : 2. 6: 17. 11 : 7, &c. This use of the term probably arose from the fact, that among the Jews, possession by inheritance was much more secure and permanent than that obtained by purchase. As no such promise as that mentioned in this verse is contained, in so many words, in the Old Testament, the apostle must have designed to express what he knew to be the purport of those actually given. The expression, however, has been variously explained. 1. Some understand the world to mean the land of Canaan merely. But in the first place, this is a very unusual, if not an entirely unexampled use of the word. And, in the second place, this explanation is inconsistent with the context ; for Paul has reference to a promise of which, as appears from v. 16, believing Gentiles were to partake. 2. Others understand the apostle to refer to the promise that Abraham should be the father of many nations. Gen. 17 : 5, and his pos- terity be as numerous as the stars of heaven. Gen. 15:5; promises which they limit to his natural descendants, who, being widely scattered, may be said, in a limited sense, to possess the world. But this interpreta- tion is irreconcilable with v. 16. 3. Besides the promises already referred to, it was also said, that in him all the nations of the earth should be blessed. Gen. 12: 3. This, as Paul explains it. Gal. 3: 16, &c., had direct reference to the blessings of redemption through Jesus Christ, who was the seed of Abraham. And here, too, he speaks of blessings of which