The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 431

Ver. 4.-l'or whatlloever thingl were rnns through the whole pRSenge (of. vere. written aforetime were written for onr 6, 9, 11). learning (in the old eemie of teaehing, or Vers. 8, 9.-For (tho reAding ,-dp le muol, in.lli:nl<"tion). that we through patienoe and better supported thAn 3t The eeeentio.l comfort of the Soriptnrea (or, as the form meaning, however, of >-.I-yo, 'YQp is the eo.mo of the Greek mther euggesta. and 11.S ie as of >..I-yo, 3~) I eay (i.e. what I mean to ronfirmed by the repetition of the worde gay i8 this; cf. l Cor. i. 12; Gal. iv. 1; v. ronjoined in ver. 5, lhrot1f1h tAe :patienc~ and 16) that J'eene Christ wae (rather, has been the Ollffl_forl of the ScriJ)l:,hg) might have mad6, "Y""Y•lfii<rBa, being the more probable hope. This vel'l!8, introo.uoed by "Ydf', gi"l"es reading than ')'•11l<r8a1) a. minister of the the 1"!'ftEOn whv the words of the ancient ci.roumoieion (4.e. of the Jowe) for the truth :i-,lmist are ftdduced for the instruction of of God, to oonirm the promiees made unto Christians. Chriet, it is Mid, exemplified the fa.there (literally, the promises of the the principle of it, a.nd it is for ue to do eo fathff"B) : and that the Gentiles might too. By bearing the infinnities of the weak, glorify God for his meroy. Observe the 11.nd submitting, if need be, to reproach, we expressions, ~tp ll.>-718.Cas 0•oii, eto., and exhibit Christ-like endurance (,',,ro!"'v¾), such b7r~p i>..Jous, with referenoo respectively to as Scripture inonlcat.es ; and therewith will the Jews end Gentiles. Christ's primary oome roinjort. such as Scripture oont.ains and mini.stry was to " the house of Israel " (cf. gives, and so a strengthening of our hope Matt. xv. 24), in vindication of God's truth, beyond these present troubles. The psalm or faithfnlness to his promises made through quoted was peculiarly one of endurance and the patriarchs to the chosen race : hie tak- comfort under "l"exations and reproaches, and ing in of the Gentiles was an extension of of hope beyond them. It was written afore- the Divine mercy, to his greater glory. The time for onr instruction, that BO it may be infinitive 3oEcla-a,, in ver. 9, eeeme beet with as, as it wae with Christ. In the next ta.ken in the same construction with fJefJa1• "l"erse the apostle returns defiD.itely to the ii,,ra, in ver. 8, both being dopendent on ei, snbiect in hand. .,.11. Ae it ie written, For thie ea.nee I will "Vers. 5--7.-liow the Oodofpatienoe and oonfeee to thee among the Gentiles, and Bing IIOmfort (the same word ae before, though unto thy Na.me. This quotation from Pe. here in the Authorized Version rendered xviii. 49 or 2 Sam. xxii. 50, with those cmwJ.atum) grant you to be like-minded (see that follow, a.re for scriptnral confirmation on eh.. m 16), one with BJ10ther according of God'e purpose, which has just beeu to Chmt. 1esus : that ye may with one spoken of, to include the Gentiles in his acoord with one mouth glorify the God and covenanted mercies to Israel, so that they l'athsr of our Lord 1esue Chriet (so cer- too might glorify him. St. Paul, after a lBinly, rather than. as in the Authorized manner usual with him, follows out e. Vereion, "God. even the Father of," etc-). thought enggeeted in the course of his Wherefore receive ye one BJ10ther (of. oh. argument, eo as to interrupt the latter for xiv. l, and note), even a.s Christ a.Iso re- a while, but to return to it in ver. 13. oerved ue (or yoo., which is better eupported, All, in fact, from the beginning of ver. 8 and, for a rea.eon to be given below, more to the end of ver. 12, is parenthetical, sug- likely) io the glory of God. Ae in ver. 3, gested by "even as Christ received you," the example of Christ is a.gain adduced. at the end of ver. 7. All this, it may he The connection of thought becomes plB.in observed, is confirmatory of Pauline author- ir we take the admonition, "Receive ye one ship. The first quotation introduces David, anotht:r," to be mainly addressed to "the the theocratic king, confessing and praising etrong," and theee to consist principally of God, not apart from the Gentiles, but o.mong Gentile believers, the "weak brethren" them. The second, from Dent. ixxii. 43, Leing (111! above supposed) prejudiced Jew- calls on the Gentiles themeel vee to join in ish Christiana. To the former the apostle Israel's rejoicing; the third, from Pe. ex vii. aays, "Rcceirn to yourselvee with full eym• 1, does the same; the lOBt, from Isa. xi. 10, pathy th011e Jewish weak ones, even ae foretells definitely the reign of the Messiah Chri.l!t, though aent primarily to fulfil the over Gentilee ae well as Jews, and the hope ancient promisM u, the hOUlle of Iarael only e.leo of the Gentiles in him. (-, ver. 8), embraced you Gentiles (l,p.as) Vere. 10-13.-And again he aa.ith, Re- alao within the llJ'Dll! of mercy." Thllil the joice, ye Gentiles, with hie people. And eeqn,.,nre of thought in ver. 8, ,eq., appear& a.gain, Pra.iee the Lord, a.11 ye Gentiles; and "Unto the glory of God" meam "so 88 to laud him, all ye people■. And again, Eeaiu uc:dound 1.-0 his glory." . Christ's recei!}n_g ■a.ith, There ■hall be a root of J'e■ae, and he the Gentiles wu unto hill glory; and 1t 18 that 1ha.ll rile to reign over the Gentilea , implied that the mutual receiving of eaeh in him sha.11 the Gentile& tru■t (ro.ther, oti"" by helievere would be 80 too. The hope-/>..,r1oii<r1-which ill tho word in the ku,i,. af God's glory being the end of all LXX. ; thus bringing ho.ck the thought of on. xv. 1-33.] 'l'HE EPISTLE Olt' PAUL 'l'O THE ROMANS. 429