though it is declared, that it cannot justify, is yet established by faith ; for, truly the ceremonial law is entirely abolished : [2 Cor. iii. 13] ; Rom. iii. 31. But Sinai, Gal. iv. 24, is much more celebrated for the Decalogue than for the ceremonial law. Nor was the ceremonial law a yoke intolerable in itself, but it derived its strength from the moral law, Acts xv. Therefore the moral law is, so to speak, more legal than the ceremonial, which was at the same time, as it were, an elementary and preliminary Gospel. See also Rom. iii. 20, note. — lav ^ [but by] if not] a particle to be resolved into aX/.a, but, though with greater force. Man is not justified by the works of the law, and therefore in no other way save by faith. We find the same meaning attached to the particles, and not, which occur presently after. — dia, by) by is used concerning the Gentiles ; from \}K — eg] presently after, concerning the Jews, Rom. iii. 30, note. — 'lyffov Xp/tfrou, of Jesus Christ) i.e. in Christ Jesus, as the expression follows presently after with the names transposed.1 The name Jesus was the name that became known first to the Gentiles ; the name Christ to the Jews. Wherefore the order is not always indiscriminate, where both names are used as here ; Rom. xv. 5, 6 ; 1 Tim. i. 15, 16, ii. 5, vi. 13, 14 ; 2 Tim. i. 9, 10, notes : and generally in more solemn discourse Christ Jesus is used ; in that which is more ordinary, Jesus Christ. — xai Jiptfi) we ourselves also ; how much more the Gentiles. — Itfufrsvea/Aev, we have believed) i.e. we began to believe long ago. — dion, because that) The consequence is proved in reference to the Jews.
17. E/ ds, but if) When Peter withdrew himself, and refused to hold any longer that communion in living [food] with the Gentiles, which he had begun ; it was the same thing as if he had said, that he had lived a heathen sinner, by the fact of and during the continuance of that communion. But Christ had formed a close relationship with the Gentiles, on account of which he had very properly eaten with them. Wherefore if Peter committed sin in eating with them, the consequence will be that Christ was the minister of that sin. Paul so shrinks
1 Engl. Vers. has We have Relieved in Jesus Christ. But ACD(A)(ty Vulg. have the order Xpurrov ' IWQVV. B/ Memph. and later Syr. support the order 'Iwr. ~X.pt/7T. — ED