262 1 Timothy Iii. 15.

[iv. 6] agrees with merle, [ver. 9], xaXrjs [ver. 6], with «5/o£ [ver. 9]. He expresses that formula, consisting of two members, in this by far the most magnificent passage, through the medium of loftier words, which are to be met with in the writings of the Hebrews ; for example, R. Levi of Barcelona gives this reason, why so many memorial signs of the deliver ance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage are appointed in the fifteen precepts bearing upon the Passover, because that is the great foundation and strong pillar of the law, as well as of the Jewish religion. And Maimonides says, This is the foundation of the foundation, and the pillar of wisdom, that we may know, etc. Therefore Paul says : <rruXos KUI efyaiufAa, rye, aXqfefag, KU) o/AoXoyovpsvug ft'eya iffri rb rr}g evffefisiag /AUffrripiov : i.e. This mystery of godliness is the pillar and groundwork of the truth (equivalent to <riffrbv), and is something confessedly great (equivalent to d-ro- dtxrov). Let us examine the words one by one. These two terms, cruXog xai sdpafupa, are equivalent to one word, expressing something very solid, by which is denoted the mystery, exceed ingly high (whence tfruXog, from ffrdu) and exceedingly deep (whence sfyau'capa, from e£«), Iren. i. 3, c. 11. The Gospel is the pillar and ground of the Church. In Hebrew, nDtf, truth, and }£&O, xnfrbv, faithful, are conjugates. In like manner, quoXoy/a (whence o/^oXoyou/Agi/wg) and a<7rodo^r,, each referring to the heart and the lips, are equivalent ; comp. 2 Tim. ii. 19 ; Heb. in. 1 ; John xx. 28. Hence also Tao^g anodo%iis &%iov and o/AoXoyoti/Asvws ftsya are equivalent ; /uts's-ya is not an epithet which is to be construed with l^a/w/xa, or with ^nor^/ov, but is put absolutely, ft'tya, a great thing, as in 1 Cor. ix. 11 ; 2 Cor. xi. 15 ; in the same way as a/acnjrog, our beloved, Philem. ver. 1, is used absolutely. The mystery is a thing great in itself; a thing to be with the greatest earnestness confessed, and embraced with all the force of confession ; is a thing, the magnitude of which, in regard to the great salvation, all the sons of truth experimentally know and confess. Paul did not mention rb atfodsxrbv without rb irtfrbv in this passage, but he praised both ; just as rb mffrbv *«/ rb naXbv are commended together. The mystery of godliness is the subject ; the remain ing words are the predicate. And godliness is joined with truth, as in Tit. i. 1. The Gentiles also had their mysteries, but they