and, secondly, by avoiding all exaggeration in the statement of their case. He had no pleasure in contemplating the evils which impended over them, his earnest desire and prayer was that they might he saved ; literally to salvation, as expressing the end or object towards which his wishes and prayers tend ; see ch. 6 : 22. Gal. 3 : 17, and frequent examples else- where of this use of the preposition here used.
(2) For I hear them record that they have a zeal of God. So far from desiring to exaggerate the evil of their conduct, the apostle, as was his uniform manner, endeavoured to bring every thing commendable and ex- culpatory fully into view. The word for has here its appropriate force, as it introduces the ground or reason of the preceding declaration. 'I desire their salvation, /or they themselves are far from being unconcerned as to divine things.' Zeal of God may mean very great zeal, as cedars of God mean great cedars, according to a common Hebrew idiom ; or zeal of which God is the object ; the latter explanation is to be preferred. John 2:17," The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up." Acts 21 : 20, " Zealous of the law." Acts 22 : 3, " Zealous of God," Gal. 1 : 14, &c. &c. The Jews had great zeal about God, but it was wrong as to its object, and of consequence wrong in its moral qualities. Zeal when rightly directed, however ardent, is humble and amiable. When its object is evil, it is proud, censorious, and cruel. But not according to knowledge. Neither enlightened nor wise ; neither right as to its objects, nor correct in its character. The former idea is here principally intended. The Jews were zealous about their law, the traditions of their fathers, and the establishment of their own merit. How naturally would a zeal for such objects make men place religion in the observance of exter- nal rites ; and be connected with pride, censoriousness, and a persecuting spirit. In so far, however, as this zeal was a zeal about God, it was pre- ferable to indifference, and is, therefore, mentioned by the apostle with qualified commendation.
(3) For they heing ignorant of God^s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not, &c. The grand mistake of the Jews was about the method of justification. Ignorance on this point implied ignorance of the character of God, of the requirements of the law, and of themselves. It was, therefore, and is, and must continue ever to be a vital point. Those who err essentially here, err fatally ; and those who are right here, cannot be wrong as to other necessary truths. The phrase righteousness of God admits here, as in other parts of the epistle, of various interpretations. See remarks on ch. 1 : 17. The interpretation which best suits this and other similar passages is, that righteousness of which God is the author ; that which he approves and accepts. The meaning then is, ' Being ignorant of that righteousness which God has provided, and endeavouring to establish their own, they have not submitted to his.' The cause of the rejection of the Jews was their rejection of the method of salvation through a crucified Redeemer