A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

Bengel, Johann Albrecht, 1687-1752 • SECTION 156

Romans Xi. 33, 34.

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gave over. — eig amiktav, in [ unto ] disbelief) Eph. ii. 2. Those who have experienced the power of disbelief at length betake themselves with the greater sincerity and simplicity to faith. — 'im) that. The thing itself will be accomplished. — rovg rravrag) them all without exception , [less accurately, all, in Engl. Vers.] all together; comp. ver. 30, 31. — might have mercy) His mercy being acknowledged by them, ver. 6, when faith is given to them by Himself.

33. (3dQog , 0 the depth ) Paul in ch. ix. had been sailing, as it were, on a narrow sea ; he is now embarked on the ocean. The depth of the riches is described in ver. 35, and has respect to ch. ix. 23, x. 12. (wherefore it (of the riches ) ought not to be resolved into a mere epithet) ; the depth of wisdom is described in ver. 34 ; the depth of the knowledge , in ver. 34. Comp, con- cerning riches and wisdom, Eph. iii. 8, note, and Rev. v. 12. The different meanings of biblical terms are worthy of being well noticed and collected. Wisdom directs all things to the best end ; knowledge knows that end and issue. — ug, how) No one examines, no one searches out, but He Himself. Here and in ver. 34, there is a Chiasmus as is seen by comparing the antecedents and consequents together. The depth is described in the second part of ver. 33 [How unsearchable , etc., answering to the deptK\. Knowledge itself, as we have said, is described in ver. 34, for who [hath known , etc.] — wisdom itself is described in the words or who [hath been His counsellor ] : riches themselves, in ver. 35 [who hath first given to Him, etc.] — rd xpfaara, His judgments) respecting unbelievers. — at odoi, His ways) re- specting believers. A gradation. His ways are as it were on the surface, His judgments more profound; we do not even search out His ways [much less His judgments].

34. Tig yap — iysvero) Isa. xl. 13, LXX., rig syvu — xai rig avrov <r{j/u,(3ov'kog. Who ? i.e. none : but He Himself. — yap, for. The more express quotation of Scripture follows. In proving doctrines the phrase is used, it is written , in other places, it is often omitted, ch. xii. 20. — vouv Kvpiov, the mind of the Lord) Isaiah has niPP rrn ns, the Spirit of Jehovah. Paul uses the version of the lxx. Otherwise nn and vovg are not synonymous ; but the conclusion arrived at is very good ; no one apprehends

1 See Appendix.

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Public domain historical edition (1859); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.

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