Hebrew ΓΝ (“truth”), while in xlv.
4, xlvi. 15 it corresponds to ΓΔ ; in the sense of “ reliability”. In ἘΝ
xxxvil. 26 the Greek is obviously corrupt, . πίστις stands there for the Hebrew
“TV (“glory”), which is clearly more correct. But the most interesting pas- sage on the subject in Sir. from our present point of view is xv. 15 : ἐὰν θέλῃς;. συντηρήσεις ἐντολάς, καὶ πίστιν ποίη-- σαι εὐδοκίας ; of which the Hebrew
is: TAR WON yEnn oN a) mawys mvs (i it
5 be thy will thou dost observe the:
443
ἔργα δὲ μὴ !ἔχη; μὴ δύναται ἡ πίστις 1 σῶσαι αὐτόν; 15. ἐὰν 31 i. 23;
Matt. vii. 21; δῇς XXi. 29.
1 Add sola, 97; add sine aperibus, Sah. 2 Add 8 ACDKL, curss., Vulg., rec.
eeammandment, and it is faithfulness to do His good pleasure”; the context shows that it is a question here of man’s tree-will). Here πίστις is used in a dis- tinctly higher sense than in the passage of our Epistle under consideration. In so far, therefore, as πίστις is used in the restricted sense, as something which de- mons as well as men possess, it is clear that the subject is different from that treated by St. Paul in Romans; and therefore the comparison so often made between the two Epistles on this point is not ἃ propos. (2) That which gave the occasion for this section seems to have been the fact that, in the mind of the writer, some of the Jewish converts had gone from one extreme to another on the subject of works. Too much stress had been laid upon the efficacy of works in their Jewish belief; when they became Christians they were in danger of losing some of the excellences of their earlier faith by a mistaken sup- position that works, not being efficacious per se (which so far was right) were there- fore altogether unnecessary, and that the mere fact of believing in the unity of God was sufficient. Regarded from this point of view, there can, again, be no question of a conflict with Pauline teach- ing as such. The point of controversy was one which must have agitated every centre in which Jews and Jewish-Chris- tians were found. In this connection it is important to remember that the “ faith of Abraham” was a subject which was one of the commonplaces of theological discussion both in Rabbinical circles as well as in the Hellenistic School of Alexandria; regarding the former, see the interesting passage from the Midrashic work, Mechilta, quoted by Box in Hast- ings’ D.C.G., ii. 5686. The error of run- ning from one extreme into another, in matters of doctrine, is one of those things too common to human nature for the similarity of language between this Epistle and St. Paul’s writings in deal- ing with the subject of faith and works to denote antagonism between the two writers. (3) The passage as a whole betrays a very strong Jewish standpoint ; while it would be too much to say that it could not have been written by a Chris- tian, it is certainly difficult to understand
how, ¢.g., ver. 25 could have come from the pen of a Christian. (4) It is neces- sary to emphasise the fact that this pas- sage cannot be properly understood with- out some idea of the subject of the Jewish doctrine of works which has always played a supremely important part in Judaism ; for this, reference must be made to IV., § 2 of the Introduction, where various authorities are quoted.
Ver. 14. τί τὸ ὄφελος: B stands almost alone in omitting τό here; in τ Cor. xv. 32, the only other place in the N.T. where the phrase occurs τό is in- serted. A somewhat similar phrase oc- curs in Sir. ΧΙΙ. 14, ... τίς ὠφελία ἐν ἀμφοτέροις; the abruptness of the words betrays the preacher.—_aSeAgol pov: a characteristic mode of address in this Epistle. With ἀδελφός cf. A] in Rabbinical literature. — ἔργα : = the Hebrew YYW (literally “ command, ments,” 2.6., fulfilling of commandments) : see Introduction IV., 8 2—mtotts. i.€., as expressed in the Shema‘ (Deut. v1, 4 ff.): “ Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One...” ; this was the fundamental tenet of the Jewish faith, and that it is this to which reference is made, and not the Christian faith, is obvious from νετ. 190 which contains the essence of the Shema'.—c@oaavt: the belief in the efficacy of works among the Jews has always been very strong; the following quotations express the traditional teaching of Judaism on the subject: “He that does a good work in this world, in the world to come his good work goes before him;” Sota, 3b, in Kethuboth, 670 we have the following : “’ When Mar Ukba lay a-dying, he asked for his account; it amounted to 7000: Zuzim (i.e., this was the sum-total of his almsgiving). Then he cried out: ‘The way is far, and the provision is small’ (1.ε., he did not think that this sum would be sufficient to ensure his justification in the sight of God, and thus gain him salva- tion) ; so he gave away halt of his fortune, in order to make himself quite secure.” Again, concerning a righteous man who died in the odour of sanctity, it is said, in Tanchuma, Wayyakel, 1. : “‘ How much alms did he give, how much did he study the Torah, how many Mitzvoth (i.e.,