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point is taken up at ver. 2. — wpeXs/a rr\g mpiro^rig, the profit of circumcision) See on this subject ch. ii. 25.
2. n o\v, much) In the neuter gender; supply KspiMov. It rather refers to the concrete, concerning the Jew, than to the abstract, concerning circumcision, ver. 1 ; this will be treated of at ch. iv. 1, 9, etc. So, ch. ii. 29, ol, viz. ’louda iov, the Jew [instead of tjg, though rrspiro^ii had preceded]. — npurov) i.e. first, and therefore chiefly ; the -word signifying in the next place , does not always follow [after npurov]. One privilege of the Jews, admirably adapted to Paul’s object, is set forth in this passage (the others will follow, ch. ix. 4, 5) ; and by this very one, he is about, by and by, after he has ended this prefatory address of conciliation, so much the more to convict them.1 — eKitrsvOriffuv, they were intrusted with) He, to whom a treasure is intrusted, may manage it either faithfully and skilfully, or otherwise ; and the J ews treated the Old Testament Scriptures in very different ways. But Paul says, that the oracles of God were intrusted to the Jews in such a manner [under this condition], that the good about to come , ver. 8, which they [the oracles] described, would belong to the Jews, if they would receive it by frith; — ideas extremely suggestive : God is true, faithful, intrusting His revelation to men, righteous ; man is mendacious, perfidious, distrustful, unrighteous. — \6yia), a diminutive. The Divine answers were often brief, as in the Urim and Thummim : Xoyiov is also [God’s] saying [ver. 4], concerning circumcision, and the other privileges of the Israelites.
3. T / yap, for what ?), viz. shall we say , ver. 5, where likewise /iri, interrogative, follows ; so, ri ydp, lxx., Job xxi. 4. — si, if) Thus might the Gentile rival easily object. — rirt'wrriaa v) The words derived from a common root are, smarsb^av, r^'wrrisav, amaria, mffnv. — nng, some) [for many, most of the Jews], a form of expression to avoid what is disagreeable [euphemy]. Moreover, unbelievers, though numerous, are considered as some indefinitely, because they do not very much come under enumeration, ch. xi. 17 ; 1 Cor. x. 7 ; 1 Tim. iv. 1. — re'nsnv), the faithfulness , by which promises will be performed, and good will come [ver. 8]. This faithfulness remains, though all men should be wifaithful
1 On the '7cpo6ipa'7ctiot, i.e., precautionary address to disarm prejudices, wnen about to speak unwelcome truths. See Appendix. — Ed.
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