A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

Bengel, Johann Albrecht, 1687-1752 • SECTION 158

Chapter Xii.

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1 . UotpaxaXu, I exhort) Moses commands : the apostle exhorts. Paul commonly gives exhortations consonant to the doctrines, which had been previously discussed, Eph. iv. with which comp, ch. iii. So in this passage the general application drawn from the whole discussion is contained in ver. 1, 2, as the allegations which immediately follow prove. We have shown at i. 16 the special applications from ver. 3 up to the conclusion of the epistle. — diet ruv ohrip/juuv, by the mercies ) The whole sentiment is derived from Chapters i.— v. ; the word has its origin in the antithesis to wrath , ch. i. 18 : for the whole economy of grace or mercy, ex- empting us from wrath, and rousing the Gentiles especially to the discharge of duty, is indicated in this passage, ch. xv. 9. He who is rightly affected by the mercy of God, enters into the whole will of God. [But the soul exposed to wrath scarcely de- rives any benefit from exhortations. You are Ci pouring oil on a stone” — V. g.] — ‘Ta^amjo'a/, that ye present) In so large a list of duties, Paul has none of those things, which in the present day among the followers of the Church of Rome, generally make up both sides of the account. crapagr^goti is repeated from ch. vi. 13, 16, 19, to yield , to present. The oblation is presented alive , not sacrificed. — <rw/Aara, bodies) antithetic to the abominable abuse of their bodies among the Gentiles, ch. i. 24. For more antitheses presently follow in respect of this same topic. The body is generally an impediment to the soul : present the body to God, and the soul will not be wanting, ch. vi. 12. See also ch. vii. 4 ; Heb. x. 5. Vice versa , the soul , when subject to the magistrate, will be obedient with the body also, ch. xiii. 1. — (Tw/xara, Xarpelccv, bodies , [worship~\ service) We have here the apposition of these two words by metonymy,1 indicating body and soul. — 6wri av, sacrifice ) Sin having become dead : comp, on this sacrifice, ch. xv. 16. — £w<ray, living) That life, which is men-

1 Antecedent for consequent, or vice versa, as "here : service , for, the soul which serves. — Appendix.

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

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