expect. Let, therefore, what will become of me and of my reputation for veracity, Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.
20. Por all the promises of God in liim are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us.
This verse is the confirmation of what precedes. Christ was, and is, not yea and nay, not uncertam and inconsistent, for in him all the promises of God were fuliilled. All that God had promised relative to the salvation of man met its full accomplishment in him. Instead of, all the promises^ the Greek is, as many promises. That is, as many promises as had from the beginning been made as to what the Messiah was to be and to do. In him toetx the yea. That is, in him they found their affirmation or accomplishment. The article (to vat), the yea, has reference to the promises. Christ, as re- gards the promises of God, was the yea, i. e. their affirmation and accomplishment. A?id in him the Ame?i. This is say- ing in Hebrew what had just been said in Greek; Amen be- ing equivalent to yea. It is not unusual with the sacred writers to give solemn or impressive formulas m both lan- guages. The promises of God are amen in Christ, because he is the sum and substance of them. He says in a sense which includes the idea here expressed, "I am the truth," John 14, 6 ; and in Rev. 3, 1 he is designated as " He that is true ; " and in Rev. 3, 14 he is called, "The Amen, the faithful and true witness." The common text, Avhich is expressed in our version, has the support of the manuscripts D, E, I, K, which read koX iv aurw, a7id in him. A, B, C, F, G have Sl6 koL 8t avTov, loherefore also through Mm the Amen. This reading, which most recent editions adopt, was preferred by Calvin, who renders the passage, quare et per ipsmn sit Amen. Tlie Vulgate has the same reading, ideo et p>er ipsvm Ame?i. The sense thus expressed is certainly better and fuller. The verse then teaches not only that the promises of God receive their confirmation in Christ, but also that we experience and assent to tlieir truth. We say Amen, it is even so, to all God had promised, wlien we come to know Christ. To the glory of God by us. As these words are commonly 2)ointed the natu- ral interpretation is, that by us, i. e. by the preaching of the apostles, men are brought thus to say Amen to the divine promises, to the glory of God. God is glorified by the faith