evident, that (Bairriff/Auv and dida%ri$ must not be separated. Baieriff/toi dida^/is1 were baptisms which were received by those who devoted themselves to the sacred doctrine of the Jews ; therefore, by the addition of d^a^g, they are distinguished from the other Levitical washings ; ch. ix. 10. — Kpf/tarog aiuviov) of eternal judgment. See Mark iii. 29, note.
3. ToCro, this) The reference is to <pepups6a, let us go on. — sav <7rsp, if indeed) For, in the following verse, refers to this. Without the Divine blessing, the cultivation of the ground does not succeed; ver. 7.
4. 'Advvarov) it is impossible for men, however qualified. — aVag, once for all) The adverb does not extenuate the matter, but renders the expression precise. — pwr/<rdei/ras, enlightened) Christianity is the Whole, into which men get an entrance through the Gospel received by faith, and through baptism. There follow here the three parts in respect of the three principal benefits in the New Testament, proceeding from the Son of God, from the Holy Spirit, from GOD. So, enlightened (illuminated), ch. x. 32. Whence the use of this word is very frequent in the writings of the Fathers concerning baptism. Life and light are often mentioned conjointly ; the one is often observed to be included in the notion of the other. Therefore, as regeneration is said to take place in baptism, so also enlightening. And this phrase is particularly suited to the Israelites, who had not been without life by faith, according to the Old Testament, when they abstained from dead works, ver. 1 ; but yet afterwards they were bathed in the new light of the New Testament. — yivtfa/AgvovC rs rqg dwpzag rijg svovpaviov, who have tasted the heavenly gift) The enjoyment of light is in vision : now to vision is added taste, by which believers, being allured, ought to be always re tained. *H dupsa YI sKovpdviog, the heavenly gift, is the Son of GOD, as it is expressed, ver. 6, — Christ, who is tasted by faith, and also in His own sacred Supper ; 1 Pet. ii. 3 ; and this taste in volves more than repentance from dead works, and faith toward GOD. The participle, ygutfa^svous, although the genitive [ver. 4] and accusative [ver. 5] are often used promiscuously, seems, however, in this passage to carry with it a difference in the
1 Bengel evidently understands these words, baptisms of or into doctrine, not as Engl. Vers., the doctrine of baptisms. — ED.
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cases. The one (Genitive) denotes a part ; for we do not ex haust the tasting [enjoy the whole fulness, but only a part] of Christ, the heavenly gift, in this life : the other (Accusative) ex presses more, inasmuch as the ichole tasting of the Word of GOD preached belongs to this life, although the powers of the world to come are joined to this Word. — ^ro^ovg, partakers) This partaking, as we have observed at ver. 1, involves more than the doctrines of baptism and the imposition of hands. In this clause the word taste is not used, because the Holy Spirit here is considered as rather producing the taste, than as its ob ject. — Hvzv.uarog ' Ayfov, of the Holy Ghost) He is often mentioned in connection with Christ ; Acts ii. 38.
5. rsutra/xbous, who have tasted} A new taste, likewise involv ing more than the knowledge of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. — xaXoi/ pr^a, the good word) Jer. xxxiii. 14, niDn ITin nx, the Gospel. — dwd^eic, powers) of the most exquisite taste. The plural is highly significant. The same word occurs, ch. ii. 4 ; comp. xi. 34. Both passages show the emphasis of the word, 8wd/jMi$. — /xsXXoi-ros aiuvoc, of the world to come) Eternal glory is principally intended ; comp. ver. 2, at the end ; as the city to come is spoken ofj ch. xiii. 14 ; but the present time is not excluded under the New Testament, for in this sense things to come are also mentioned, ch. ix. 11, x. 1,