particle, n. 30, 10, 15, 19, 22. Generally, it implies as to [as regards, in relation to] ; so ro/g, 1 John v. 16 ; Luke i. 50, 55. LXX. 1 Chron. xiii. 1 : (terd, ruv dpyfvrm xrX. Travrl jjyou/Agi/w, add to these passages 2 Chron. xxxi. 2, 16 ; Num. xxix. 4. — obx — fiovov) Abraham, therefore, is not the father of circumcision to such as are merely of the circumcision, and do not also follow the faith of Abraham. — ex <7repiro/xrjc, of the circumcision) ex, of means something more weighty than ev, in. Circumcision was at least a sign, uncircumcision was not even a sign.1 — dXXa xai roTg ) so in ver. 16. — *xvs<fb in the traces [steps]) The traces of faith are opposed to the traces of outward circumcision ; the path is not trodden by many, but there are foot-traces found in it ; it is, however, an open way.
13. Ov yap did vo/JjOv t) e<iruyye\ia, for the promise was not through
the law ) This is evident in the very terms ; and the promise was given before the law. Through the law , that is, through the righteousness of the law , but Paul did not wish in his statement to connect righteousness and the law. — 5j rw or to his
seed ) This constitutes the foundation of the consequence de- rived from Abraham to all believers. — rdv xoffpov, of the world) and therefore of all persons and things . Comp. 1 Cor. iii. 21. Heir of the world , is the same as father of all the nations , who accept the blessing. The whole world was promised to Abraham and to his seed conjointly throughout the whole world. The land of Canaan fell to the lot of Abraham, and so one part was allotted to one, and another to another. So also corporeal things are a specimen of things spiritual. Christ is heir of the wrorld, and of all things, Heb. i. 2, ii. 5, x. 5 ; Rev. xi. 15 ; and so also are they who believe in Him according to the example of Abraham, Matt. v. 5, notes.
14. E /, if) The promise and faith complete the whole : and we ought not to add the law, as if it were something homogeneous. — o/ ex vofiov, those who are of the law ) This phrase recurs in a milder sense in ver. 16. — xex'evurai — xarripyrircu — made void — and of no effect), words synonymous but not interchangeable. Comp. Gal. iii. 17, 15 ; the word antithetic to these is sure [/Sg/Scc/ai/], ver. 16. Faith receives [ver. 11] blessings in all their
1 Therefore U is used with %e ptrofiijs, ev with ccKpofivariu. — Ed.