have reached Spain. A holy purpose often exists in the minds of godly men, which, although it is not fulfilled, is nevertheless precious [in God’s eyes], 2 Sain. vii. 2, 4.
29. n Xripufijuri) in the fulness ) comp. ver. 19. There is a real parallelism in the fulness of the Gospel, both intensive and extensive.1 2 — evX oy/ag, of the blessing) which is conspicuous [such fulness of blessing as it is conspicuously seen to possess] both at Jerusalem and Rome. — rov ivayyiXiov) Some have omitted this wrord : The cause of the omission is easy to be perceived, viz. from the recurrence of rov?
30. K vpiouj Lord) He exhorts them by the name of the Lord ; comp, by [for ] the love , immediately after. — uydrrri^ love) The love of the Spirit is most widely extended ; it brings home [it makes a matter of interest] to thee, even what might seem to belong to another. — avmycdvi^ ee3a/ got, to strive with me) He him- self must pray, who wishes others to pray with him, Acts viii. 24, 22. Prayer is a striving , or contest , especially when men resist. Paul is the only one of the apostles, who asks for him- self the prayers of believers. He does this moreover generally at the conclusion of his epistles, but not indiscriminately so in all. For he does not so write to those, whom he treats as sons, with the dignity of a father, or even with severity, for example, Timothy, Titus, the Corinthians, the Galatians, as he d’oes to those, whom he treats as his equals with the deferential regard of a brother, for example, the Thessalonians, Ephesians, Colos- sians (with whom he had not been), and therefore so also the Romans and likewise the Hebrews. It [the request for their
1 That is, the internal fulness, and the expansive capabilities of the Gospel externally, have a real correspondence. — Ed.
2 Either S. R. D. Foertschius in Progr. to this passage, or S. R. D. Ernesti in his review of the Program, affirms, that Bengel was satisfied with the omission of this word, see Bibl. th. T. Y. p. 474, but this is a mistake. The margin of both editions (where the sign d had marked an omission instead of a reading less certain) may be compared, s. pi., also the German Version which expresses the words des Evangelii without a parenthesis. — (E. B.)
The rov alluded to by Beng. as recurring refers to Rec. Text rov evxyye- 'klov rov, which reading is supported by both Syr. Versions and Vulg. (later MSS.) But ABCD(A)G Cod. Amiat. (the oldest MS.) of Vulg. Memph./^r Versions omit the three words. — Ed.