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greatly rejoice, that in this solemn description Christ is so plainly called God. The apostles, who wrote before John, take for granted the deity of Christ, as a thing acknowledged ; whence it is that they do not directly treat of it, but yet when it comes in their way, they mark it in a most glorious manner. Paul, ch. v. 15, had called Jesus Christ man ; but he now calls Him God ; so also 1 Tim. ii. 5, iii. 16. The one appellation supports the other. — svXoyrjrbg, blessed ) nnpn. By this epithet we unite in giving all praise to God, 2 Cor. xi. 31. — s/g roug a/u\>ag, for ever) [He] Who is above all — for ever , is the first and the last , liev. i. 17.
6. Ov% 0/bv,) This is not of that kind [ not as though ] The Jews were of opinion, that, if all the Jews were not saved, the word of God becomes of none effect. Paul refutes this opinion, and at the same time intimates, that the apostacy of the Jews had been foretold, rather than otherwise, by the word of God. — di) but ; namely, although I profess great sorrow for Israel, who continue without Christ. — hnetfrux sv, hath taken none effect ) A suitable expression, 1 Cor. xiii. 8, note. If all Israel had failed, the word of God would have failed ; but the latter cannot occur, so neither can the former : for even now there are some, [Israel- ites believers], and in future times there will be all. For this sentence comprehends all the statements in Chapters ix. x. xi., and is most aptly expressed. It is closely connected with what goes before in ver. 2, and yet in respect of what follows, where the word \6yog occurs again, there is a studied gentleness of ex- pression and anticipatory caution1 that whatever is said of a disagreeable description may be softened before it is expressed ; as in 1 Cor. x. 13. — 6 \6yog, the word) of promise, which had been given to Israel. — oh yap vavreg, for not all) yap , for begins the discussion, not ally is mildly said instead of, there are not many. This was what the Jews held : We all and we alone are the people of God. Wherefore the all is refuted here ; and the alone at ver. 24, etc. The Jews were Particularists (‘ Particu- laristse’) ; therefore Paul directly refutes them. His wdiole dis- cussion will not only be considered as tolerable, but will even be much admired by those, and those alone, who have gone
1 See on ‘Euphemia’ and 'K^h^oL'Kucx, the Appendix.
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