The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 43

in Rom. viii. ~2, "He that spared not [i.e. Thel!s. i. 2, "We g{vo thanks to God for you •kept not baok '] his own Son, but ge.ve him all ; " Rom. i. S, "I thank my God for (Be, 11p('"'1''6"'1m• aurov) for us all." 'l'he addi- eeptus, v1r~p] you all," The ·use of 1repl in tion, in Matt. xxvi. 45, of the words, " into the verse before us, and in the similrir .prie. tho !11\Ilds of sinners," and our Lord's utter- sages above cited, no doubt followed its use ance in Luke xxii. 53, " 'I'his is your hour, in the phrase 1repl aµaporla,,whioh iuthoLX.X. aud the power of dnrkness," help to illus- so commonly describes the "sin offerin:;" of trnto the exceedin11:ly pregnant expression the Levitical institute. This phra~e ~orne- now before us. For our sins ( v1rlp .,.;;,., times represents who.tin the Hebrew text is auo.pnow 71µ.wv). This is the reading of the the simple noun (chattath) "sin," put for" sin Tcxtus Receptus, retained by the Revisers. offering; " as e.g. Lev. vii. 37, "This is the On the other hand, L. T. Tr., for v1rlp, substi- law of the burnt offering,ofthe ment offering, tute r.,pi. These two prepositions 01r,p and and of the. sin offering ( chattath)," etc. ( oi.,o, ..-,pl ara, in this relation as well as in some <I 11&µ.os -rmv ,l/\;o,cav-rwµ.cf:row, ,cal. 8vcrla,, ,cal others, used indifferently. If we follow the ,r,pl a.µ.apTlas, etc.). Sometimes it represents rea.ding of Ree. L. T. Tr. Rev. (for very often the same Hebrew noun preceded by tbe pre- the m:;nuscripts oscillate between the two), position. 'aJ, for: "For the sin of such or we have lnrl,p in l Cor. xv. 3, " Died for our such a one (..-epl -r,j, aµ.11.pTlas Tov ae,va);" sins;" Heh. vii 27, "To offer up sacrifices, ll:! e.g. Lev. v. 85, where the LXX. hall, '' The first for his own sins, and then for the sins priest shall make atonement for him.for. the of the people;" Heh. ix. 7, "Blood,. which sin which he hnth sinned (.!~1>.dcr,.,a, ..-epl be offercth for himself, and for the ignorances avTov ,I lepeos 1repl T;js l,.µ.aporlas ~" ;\µ.apTE )." of the people." On the other hand, we find The precise force of ,r,pl in this• phrase was in the same authorities ,,.,,, in Rom. viii. 3, probably "on account of sin," or "having •• Sending his own Son in the likeness of reference to sin; " senses of ,repl which, o.s sinful flesh and for sin ; " Heh. v. 3, " As for has been seen, are borne by {J.,,J p as well. the people, so also for himself, to offer for This view of the force of these two preposi- sins" (where, however, theReceptus bas {nr•p tions, as employed in this relation, seems to in the last clause, "for sins") ; Heb. x. 6, the present writer more satisfactory than " Whole burnt offerings, and sacrifices for that wbich refers it to the notion of proteo 0 sin;" Heb.x. 18, "No more offering for sin;" tion, "on behalf of" or "for the good of" 1 John ii. 2, 10, "Propitiation for our sins;" I some one; though it must unquestionably Pet. iii. 18, "Died [ or, •suffered'] for ( 1repi) be allowed that this is a notion which they sins, the righteousfor(w~p)the unrighteous." both of them frequently convey. To this The last passage (1 Pet. iii I 8) suggests the latter notion, indeed, we must in all proba- remark that {rrr•p is the more appropriate bility refer the use of {nrJp in eh. ii. 20, word before persons, and ,r,pl before" sius." " Gave himself up for me," as well as in We find, however, that, in the Septuagint, in I Pet. iii. 18, "for the unrighteous;" Luke the Pentateuch ..-,pl is used also before persons :xxii. 19, 20, •• Given for you," "Poured out aB it is in Heh. v. 3; thus: Lev. v. 18, "The for you," and the like ; and also that of1rep l priest shall make atonement for (..-,pi) him in Matt. xxvi. 28, "Shed for me.ny;" John concerniug ( ..-epl) his ignorance ; " in both xvii. 9, "I pray for them;" Col. iv. 3, ''Pray- eases rendering the Hebrew 'al. So Lev. iv. ing for us." The result of this inquiry into 10, 26, 31, 35; Numb. viii 12. On the other the 'UIIUB loquendi with reference to these hancl, in Exod. llxii. 30 we have "I will go prepositions appears to be this: in what up unto the Lord, that I may make atone- manner the death of Christ affected our ment for (..-,pi, b'ad) your sin." The truth condition in those respects in which that con- ~eems to be that wep, which is more properly dition was antecedently qualified by our "on behalf ol;''oftendenotes"for," equivalent sins, neither v1r<p nor ..-,pi as prefixed to the to·• on account of;,. as e.g. Pa. xxxix.11, Sep- noun" sins" enables us pmciijely. to deter- tuagin t, "rebukes for sin ; " Eph. v. 20, " Gi v- mine, further than a.a it recalls for illustra- ing thanks al ways for all things;" Rom. xv. tion the" sin offering" of the Law. For the l:J, ·'Glorify God for hismercy1'.' And this sense more complete development of the idea in- passes into "concerning," "with reference tended to be conveyed, we must look to other tu;" as 2 Cor. i. 8, "I would not have you references ma.de in Scripture to the subject, ignorant concerning our affliction;" 2 Uor. sucb as e.g. 2 Cor. v. 21 ; eh. iii. 13; l Pet. viii. 23, "Whether any inq_uire about Titus." i. 19. Thus much, however, we may confi- On the other hand, ..-,pi, which more properly dently assume: both {n,~p and 1repl as so dcuotes "coucerniug," " with reference.~•" applied do alike warrant us in concluding, passes into the sense of "on account of; e.s not only that it was because of our sins tho.t Luke xix. 37, "!'raise God for all the mighty Christ behoved to die, but also that his death works;" John x. 33, "For a. good work we is efficacious for the complete removal of stone thee not, but for blasphemy;" l Car. those evils which aecrue to us from our sins. i. 4, "I thank my God ... ooncerning you ; " l Th&t he might deliver us from this present Cll, I. 1-24.] THE EPIS'l'LE TO THE GALATIANS. 7