The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 171

• Bell. Jud.,' v. 9, 4), Josephus speaks of the be their God, e.nd that they should recognize e.ffliction in Egypt as lasting "four hundred him as such. yenrs; " probe.bly following in this compu- Ver. 18.-For if the inherite.noe be of the tation lhe period mentioned in the Divine Le.w, it is no more of promise ( ,I -yil.p l,c v&µou communication recorded in Gen. xv. 13, and ~ rc7'.71povoµla., o/,,c/n[or,o/,,c r.,.,] I( l,rll')"Ye7'.(as); oited by St. Stephen (Acts vii. 6) in his for if from a Law th6 inheritance accrue,, defence. It ii unnecessary here to attempt it accrues oo 1.onger from a promiffe, The to determine the chronologiool question, two nouns " Law " and " promise " have no which is one not free from difficulty. Our article, being regarded here in their severe.I readers a.re referred to some valuable obser- characteristic principles, whioh were not ve.tions of Canon Cook's, in his note on only diverse, but contrary. The Le.w says, Exod, xii. 40; who on apparently strong " The me.n that doeth these things she.11 gronnds considers that a longer period than live by them;" and this while enforoing a two hundred and fifteen years must be al- great ve.riety of minute positive principles lowed for the sojourn in Egypt ( see, however, by severe three.ls and pene.lties. The pro- Mr. Regine.Id S. Poole's article, "Chrono- mise bestows of free gra.ce without works. logy," in • Dictionary of the Bible,' vol. i. The promised bestowment is here styled pp. 321, 322). If the Hebrew text of Ei:od. "inheritance," because received by Abra- xii. 40 ns we have it is correct, and if the ham's seed as his heirs (see ver. 29 e.nd Septneginlal version of it errs in including eh. iv. 1). In the Old Testament it is the sojourn of the patriarchs in Canaan in e. favourite designe.tion of tbe land of Ca- the there mentioned period of four hundred naan; e.s e.g. in Ps. cv. 11. Here it relates to and thirty years, then the number of e. spiritue.l possession. Ob,cl.,.. seems pre- yea.re which the apostle here specifies, ferred by editors of the text, when used counting apparently from Abraham's arrival logically, e.s if it were, It no longer appears in Canan.n when he received the first of the to be (so Rom. vii. 17; xi. 6); wheree.s promises cited above in tbe note on ver. 16, 061< fr, might be referred to e. cbe.nge which is less than he would have been juijtified in took place e.t the time when the Le.w was stating by the interval between Abraham's given. But God ge.ve it to Abraham by arrival in Canaan e.nd Jecob's going down promise ( .,.,,, ll~ 'A{3paaµ Iii' bra.-y-ye7'.la.s ,cex&- into Egypt. But, however, even if the l'"na.1 I, 0eos); but God hath freely gi-oen it apostle's mind e.dverted to this particular to Abraham by promise. The verb xapl(nµa., point at e.11, which me.y or may not have emphatically marks a gift e.s freely a.nd been the case, it plainly would not have le.vishly bestowed ( compare its use in been worth his while to surprise e.nd perplex Rom. viii. 32; 1 Cor. ii. 12). The perfect his readers by specifying e. number of years tense points to the now and evermore en- diHerent from that which they fonnd in the during effect of the promise. The position Greek Bible, which both he and they were of 6 ®eos is emphatic-God, no less than accustomed to use, even though the greater he I (comp. Rom. viii. 31). The march of number would have in a slight degree added this sentence, with which the apostle closes to the force of his arg-ument. Cannot dis- up this para.graph of the discussion, gives, annul ( o~,c d,cvpoi) ; doth not disannul. The e.s it stands in the Greek, the reader to feel present tense is used, because the apostle is tbe apostle's soul dilating with wonder and describing the present position. Ths.t it delight e.s he gives expression to the two ahould make the promise of none effect (eis notions-the gracious freeness of the gift, .,.1, ,ca.Ta.pyi/ua.i T¾I" .1..-a.rrell.la.v). The " cove- and the Divine personality of the Giver. nant " is here to e. certain degree distin- The mention here of Abraham alone, guished from " the promise." The latter, without " his seed," is perhaps due to the being the fundamental and characteristic apostle's sense of the long priority of this portion of the former, is brought promi- guaranteed bestowment to the giving of nently forwa.rd, for the purpose of illUBtrat- the Law. In appreciating the tone of the ing the character of the Christian economy passage, we must not lose sight of the as being above e.ll things one of grace and venerableness of this personage, the pri- gratuitous bestowment. The feeling also, mordial father, not only of the Hebrew race, perhaps, underlies the words that with but of e.11 believers in Christ to the end of one of generoUB spirit-and who so large- the world. hearted and munificent as God ?-in pro- Ver. 19.-Wherefore then serveth the portion e.s a promise which he has given is Le.wt (TI oiv 6 voµos ;) ; what then (or, why large e.nd spontaneous, and the expectation then) is the Lawf The apostle is wont thus mised by it eager e.nd joyous, in that pro- to introduce the statement of some objection portion is it impossible for him to baulk the or some question rele.tive to the point in promisee of his hope. The " promise" was hand which requires consideration (of. "To thee and to thy seed will I give this Rom. iii. 1; iv. I). He wishes now to show land;" the "covenant," that Jehovah would that, while the Luw was CL Divine ordinunce,  TM .mPIS'rLE TO THE GALATIANS. 137