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Lord's (viz. Christ’s, ver. 14) Spirit . This refers to ver. 17, but where the Spirit of the Lord , etc. If there were an apposition Paul would have said, dnb K upiou rou nvivuctroc. Elsewhere the Spirit of the Lord is the mode of expression ; but here the Lords Spirit , emphatically. ’Aero is used as in i. 2, and often in other places.
1. T f)v diuxoviav raunji/, this ministry') of which iii. 6, etc. — xa6ug r;Xsyi6rifi£v, as we have received mercy) The mercy of God, by which the ministry is received, makes men active and sincere. Even Moses obtained mercy , and hence he was permitted to ap- proach so near, Exod. xxxiii. 19. — ovx — aXX’, not — but ) A double proposition ; the second part is immediately brought under our consideration by chiasmus j1 the former from ver. 1 6. Where- fore ovx sxxaxov/jjiVj we faint not , is there repeated ; we admit of no serious falling off in speaking, in acting, in suffering.
2. ’ Atfsirtuf/jsOu) Hesy chius : aerg/^a^g^a, dneppi'^d/xeQu' dtfsitfcivro, 'ralprirri<rot,vro, d<7Tsrd%avro [bid farewell to], we have renounced , and wish them to be renounced. — rd xpvffrd ri ]g a/ff^vvrig, the hidden things of shame [ dishonesty ]) shame , having no regard to the glory of the Lord, acts in a hidden way : we bid farewell to such a mode of acting (to be discontinued), Rom. i. 16. The antithesis is by manifestation , which presently follows, and we speak , v. 13. — iv Kavoupy/a , in craftiness) This is opposed to sincerity ; crafti- ness seeks hiding-places ; we do not practise it. — grid's doXovvreg, not corrupting [ not handling deceitfully ]) — rr\ puvepuxrsi, by mani- festation) comp. iii. 3. — rrjg d'kriQsiag, of the truth) according to the Gospel. — savrovg , ourselves) as sincere. — rrp'og) to. — <7raffav) all , every , concerning all things. — gvvsidriffiv, conscience) ch. v. 11 ; not to carnal judgments ; iii. 1, where the carnal commendation of some is by implication referred to and stigmatised.
3. E / de, but if) precisely the same as in the time of Moses. — xai ten, even is) even strengthens the force of the present tense
1 See App.