he has previously stated this difference, in the way of npofcpa- 'ireta [see Appendix ; Anticipatory , precaution against misunder- standing], he introduces and follows up by protasis and apodosis the comparison itself, viewed in the relation of effect, ver. 18, and in the relation of cause, ver. 19. — r'o 'ituparrr&iLu — rbyapnsp agc, the offence — the gift ) The antitheses in this passage are to be observed with the utmost care, from which the proper significa- tion of the words of the apostle is best gathered. Presently after, in this verse, and then in ver. 17, the gift is expressed by synonymous terms. — u <roXXo/, the many) this includes in its signification all , for the article has a meaning relative to all , ver. 12, comp. 1 Cor. x. 17. — i] grace ) Grace and the
gift differ, ver. 17 ; Eph. iii. 7. Grace is opposed to the offence; the gift is opposed to the words, they are dead . and it is the gift of life. The Papists hold that as grace, which is a gift, and what follows grace, as they define it, they do not consider as a gift, but as merit. But all is without money or price of ours [the whole, from first to last, is of grace, not of debt or merit of ours]. — h yffpin Xpnrrov, in the grace of Christ) see Matt. iii. 17 ; Luke ii. 14, 40, 52 ; John i. 14, 16, 17 ; Gal. i. 6 ; Eph. i. 5, 6, 7. The grace of God is the grace of Christ, conferred by the Father upon Christ, that it may flow from Him to us. — rfj rov) Articles most forcible, Col. i. 19 : rfj especially, is very pro- vidently [to guard against mistake] added ; for if it were want- ing, any one, in my opinion, might suppose that the words of one , depended on the word gift , rather than on grace. As it is, [the rfj being used] it is evident that the grace of God, and the grace of Jesus Christ, are the things predicated ; comp, similarly, viii. 35, 39, concerning love [the attribution of it, both to God and to Christ, as here]. — hog avQpunov, of one man) Paul (more than the other apostles, who had seen Him before His passion) gladly and purposely calls Jesus man , in this His work, as man for man, 1 Cor. xv. 21 ; 1 Tim. ii. 5. Can the human nature of Christ be excluded from the office of Mediator ? When Paul in this verse calls Christ man , he does not give that appel- lation to Adam ; and ver. 19, where he gives it to Adam, he does not bestow it upon Christ (comp. Heb. xii. 18, note). The reason is, doubtless, this, both Adam and Christ do not sustain our manhood at the same time ; and either Adam ren-