1. Brethren. See on 1 Johnii. 9. An expression of affect- ionate interest and indicating emotion.
My heart’s desire (1) evdoxia rhs éuhs xapdias). More liter- ally, the good will of my heart. See on Luke ii. 14. Compare Philip. i. 15; ii. 18; Eph. i. 5, 9; 2 Thess. i. 11.
Prayer (dénous). See on Luke v. 33.
To God (pes). Implying communion. See on with God, John i. 1.
For Israel. The best texts substitute avtav for them ; those described in the last three verses of ch. ix. Bengel remarks that Paul would not have prayed had they been utterly repro- bate.
That they may be saved (eis cwrnplav). Lit., wnto (their) salwation.
2. | bear them record (uaptupa). Rev., witness. “He seems to be alluding to his conduct of former days, and to say, ‘J know something of it, of that zeal’” (Godet).
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Zeal of God (fjAov Oeod). Rev., zeal for God. Like tha phrase “faith of Christ” for “ faith ¢m Christ ” (Philip. iii. 9}; compare Col. ii. 12; Eph. iii, 12; John ii. 17, “the zeal of thine house,” i.e., “for thy house.”
Knowledge (ériyywow). Full or correct and vital knowl- edge.’ See on ch-1. 28; i, 20),
3. God’s righteousness. That mentioned in ix. 30. Com- pare Philip. 1.9; Rom. i. 16,17; ii. 20-22.
To establish (orjcas). Or se¢ up, indicating their pride in their endeavor. They would erect a righteousness of their own as a monument to their own glory and not to God’s.
4. The end of the law (rédos vduov). First in the sentence as the emphatic point of thought. Expositors differ as to the sense. 1. Zhe aim. Kither that the intent of the law was to make men righteous, which was accomplished in Christ, or that the law led to Him as a paedagogue (Gal. iii. 24). 2. The Sul- jilment, as Matt. v. 17. 3. The termination. To believers in Christ the law has no longer legislative authority to say, “Do this and live; do this or die” (Morison). The last is prefer- able. Paul is discussing two materially exclusive systems, the one based on doing, the other on believing. The system of faith, represented by Christ, brings to an end and excludes the system of law; and the Jews, in holding by the system of law, fail of the righteousness which is by faith. Compare Gal. ii. 16; iii. 2-14.
5. Describeth the righteousness—that (ypader tHv Sux- avocvvnv—ért). The best texts transfer 8rz that, and read ypaget drt, etc. Moses writeth that the man, ete. See Lev. xviii. 5.
Those things—by them (aira—éev avrois). Omit those thongs, and read for éyv adrots by them, év auTn by it, ie., the righteousness which is of the law. The whole, as Rev., Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which és of the law shall live thereby.
6. The righteousness which is of faith (7 €« mlotews Stxatoovvn). The of-faith righteousness, Righteousness is
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personified. Paul makes the righteousness of faith describe itself. Of faith, é« from. Marking the source.
Speaketh on this wise (odtws Aéye). The quotation in 6-8 is a free citation from Deut. xxx. 11-14. Paul recognizes a secondary meaning in Moses’ words, and thus changes the original expressions so as to apply them to the Christian faith- system. His object in the change is indicated by the explana- tory words which he adds. He does not formally declare that Moses describes the righteousness of faith in these words, but appropriates the words of Moses, putting them into the mouth of the personified faith-righteousness.
Say notin thy heart. Jn thy heart is added by Paul. The phrase say in the heart is a Hebraism for think, compare Ps. xiv. 1; xxxvi.1; x.11. Usually of an evil thought. Compare Matt. iii. 9; xxiv. 48; Apoe. xviii. 7.