(1) J say the truth in Christ, I lie not, &c. There are three ways in which the words in Christ, or hy Christ, may here be understood. 1. They may be considered as part of the formula of an oath, / say the truth, by Christ. The preposition rendered in is so used in Matt. 5 : 34, &c. Rev. 10 : 6. But in these and similar cases it is always in con- nexion with a verb of swearing. In addition to this objection, it may be urged that no instance occurs of Paul's appealing to Christ in the form of an oath. This interpretation, therefore, is not to be approved. 2. The words in Christ maybe connected with the pronoun /. ' I in Christ,^ i. e. as a Christian, or, ' In the consciousness of my union with Christ, I declare,' &c. 1 Cor. 1 ; 30. 3 : 1. Rom. 16 : 3. 7. 3. The words may be used adverbially, and be translated after a Christian manner. This also is a frequent use of this and analogous phrases. See 1 Cor. 7 : 39, " Only in the Lord," i. e. only after a religious manner. Rom. 16 : 22. Eph. 6: 1. Col. 3: 18. The sense of the passage is much the same whether we adopt the one or the other of the last two modes of explana- tion. Paul means to say that he speaks in a solemn and religious man- ner, as a Christian, conscious of his intimate relation to Christ.
/ say the truth, I lie not. This mode of assertion, first affirmatively and then negatively, is common in the Scriptures. " Thou shalt die, and not live," Isa. 38 : 1 ; " He confessed and denied not," John 1 : 20. My conscience also hearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. There are also three ways in which the words in the Holy Ghost may be connected and explained. 1. They are often considered as belonging to the first clause and standing in a parallelism with the words in Christ, and being also an oath. But in this way the construction is unnatural, and the sense not only unusual but revolting. 3. They may be connected with the words bearing me witness. The sense would then be, ' My conscience beareth me witness together with the Holy Ghost.' That is, not only my own conscience, but the Holy Spirit assures me of my sincerity. 3. They may be connected with the word conscience. ' My conscience under the influence of the Holy Ghost;' my sanctified conscience. There seems little ground of preference between the last two ; either gives a good sense.
(2) That I have great heaviness, &;c. This it is which Paul so solemnly asserts. He was not an indifferent spectator of the sorrow, temporal and spiritual, which was about to come on his countrymen. All their peculiar national advantages, and the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom which they had wickedly rejected, were to be taken away ; they were, therefore, left without hope either for this world or the next. The consideration of Iheir condition filled the apostle with great and constant heaviness. The