Γ 8 See vii. 15. Heb. vii. 23; Acts xix. 32, xxvii. 12; Lk. vii. 43; Exod. xxiii. 2.
853
p See vii.31.
se q See vii. 37. NT. hi.
With azo, Rom. vi.
18, 22, vii. 3, Viii. 2,
t x. 5,xv.6; 2 Cor. ii. 6, iv. 15, ix. 2; Phil.
ut Pet. iii. r and Mt.
with a view to self-abnegation: “ For, being free from all, to all I enslaved myself, that I might gain the πποτε”'.-- πάντων is masc., like the antithetical πᾶσιν (cf, τ. πᾶσιν, 22); ἐλεύθερος éx—a rare con- struction (commonly dawdé)—implies ex- trication, escape from danger (cf. Luke i. 71,2 Tim. ii. 26). In ver. 1 ἐλεύθερος signified freedom from needless and bur- densome scruple, here freedom from en- tangling dependence. Paul freed himselt from everybody, just that he might be everybody’s servant; had he been bound as a Salaried minister to any particular Church, his services would in that degree have been limited. For the motive of this δουλεία, cf. Gal. v. 13; and for Paul’s aim, in its widest bearing, Rom. i. 14, xv. 1; also John xiii. 12 ff., Luke xxii. 24 Π.-- τοὺς πλείονας, ‘the more” —not “the greater part” (as in x. 5; so Mr. and others), nor quam plurimos (Bg.), but ““so much more”’ than could otherwise have been gained (cf. 2 Cor. iv. 15, Luke vil. 43; so Ed.). The ex- pression κερδήσω is used for σώσω (22), in allusion to the charge of gain-seeking to which P. was exposed (2 Cor. xi. 12, sie οτε “a Thess μοι Mita. η τπτ)” “‘ gain I did seek,’”’ he says, ‘and greedily —the gain of winning all sorts of men for Christ’? (cf. Matt. iv. 1ο).
Vv. 20-22. This gain of his calling P. sought (1) among the Fews, and those who with them were under law (20); (2) amongst the body of the Gentiles, without law (21); (3) amongst the weak believers, who were imperilled by the inconsiderate use of liberty on the part of the stronger (22a). Each of these classes the Ap. saves by identifying himself with it in turn; and this plan he could only follow by keeping clear of sectional obligations (19). Ed., coupling vy. 20b and 21, dis- tinguishes three points of view—‘‘race, religion, conscience ’’.—‘‘ I became to the Jews asa Jew,” for Paul was no longer such in the common acceptation: see note on ἐλεύθερος (1), also Gal. ii. 4, iv. 12; for evidence of his Jewish conformity, see Acts xvi. 3, xviii. 18, xxi. 23 ff.; also the speeches in Acts xiii. 16 Π., xxii. 1 ff., xxvi. 2 ff.; anc Rom. i. 16, ix. 1 ff., xi. 1, xv. 8, for his warm patriotism.—rois ὑπὸ
854
v Rom. vi.
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iv. 4 στ 21. τοὺς τή
w In this