A. D. 60. ROM. 11. 22-24. A. D. 60. after a sign: and there shall no said unto him, Why callest thou me sign be given to it, but the sign of good? There is none good but one, the prophet Jonas, Matt. xii. 39. A that is God: but if thou wilt enter into wicked and adulterous generation life, keep the commandments. He seeketh after a sign; and there shall saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, no sign be given unto it but the sign Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt of the prophet Jonas. And he left not commit adultery, Thou shalt not them, and departed, xvi. 4. Ye steal, Thou shalt not bear false witadulterers and adultresses, know ye ness, Honour thy father and thy monot that the friendship of the world is ther: and, Thou shalt love thy neighenmity with God? whosoever there-bour as thyself. The young man saith fore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God, Jam. iv. 4. b And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts, Mal. i. 8. But cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen, 14. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings, iii. 8. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves, Mark xi. 17. VER. 23. “Ος ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι, διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν Θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις; Thou a that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? a Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, ver. 17. Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God, iii. 2. Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, ix. 4. How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made. he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? Jer. viii. 8, 9. And he unto him, All these things have I kept 2 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth? All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it, Lam. ii. 15, 16. And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes, Ez. xxxvi. 20-23. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Matt. xviii. 7. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully, 1 Tim. v. 14. Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed, vi. 1. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed, Tit. ii. 5. Sound speech, that cannot be condemned: that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you, 8. b Howbeit, because of this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die, 2 Sam. xii. 14. VER. 25. Περιτομὴ μὲν γὰρ ὠφελεῖ, ἐὰν νόμον πράσσῃς· ἐὰν δὲ παραβάτης νόμου ἧς, ἡ περιτομή σου ἀκροβυστία γέγονεν. For a circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. a For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God, ver. 28, 29 What ad A. D. 60. vantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God, iii. 1, 2. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised: that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised, iv. 11, 12. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul that thou mayest live, Deut. xxx. 8. Circumcise yourselves unto the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings, Jer. iv. 4. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law: ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love, Gal. v. 3-6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but a new creature, vi. 15. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covewithout God in the world, Eph. ii. 12. nants of promise, having no hope, and b Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? ver. 23. Behold the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the Καὶ κρινεῖ ἡ ἐκ φύσεως ἀκροβίστια τὴν νόμον τελοῦσα, σὲ τὸν διὰ γράμματος καὶ περιτομῆς παραβάτην νόμου; And shall not uncircumcision which is c by nature, a if it fulfil the law, bjudge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? aThat the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. viii. 4. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law, xiii. 10. And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him, Matt. iii. 15. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of beaven. For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the - Also the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burntofferings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people, Isa. Ivi. 6, 7. And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Matt. viii. 11, 12. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour, xv. 28. A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cor-righteousness of the Scribes and Phanelius. And when he had looked on him he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God, Acts x. 2-4. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, 34. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is risees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven, v. 17-20. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will, Acts xiii. 22. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, Gal. v. 14. bAs I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done thou and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom; pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more | than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. Thou also which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters, Ez. xvi. 48-52. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here, Matt. xii. 41, 42. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith, Heb. xi. 7. c An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law, ver. 20. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God, 29. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the A. D. 60. law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead, vii. 6—8. Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life, 2 Cor. iii. 6. VER. 28. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἐν τῷ φανερῶ, Ἰουδαῖός ἐστιν· οὐδὲ ἡ ἐν τῷ φανερῶ, ἐν σαρκί, περιτομή For a he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh : a Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God, 1 Cor. vii. 19. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new, 2 Cor. v. 17. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love, Gal. v. 6. b Not as though the word of God had taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed, Rom. ix. 6-8. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart, Psal. Ixxiii. 1. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom, give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons, and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood, Isa. i. 9-15. Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah; which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; the LORD of hosts is his name, xlviii. 1, 2. And she conceived again, and bare a daughter And God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bare a son. Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God, Hos. i. 69. And think not to say within vourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham, Matt. iii. 9. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! John i. 47. I know that ye are Abraham's seed, but ye seek to kill me; because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham, viii. 37-39. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, Gal. vi. 15. I know thy : A. D. 60. works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich;) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan, Rev. ii. 9. Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart, Jer. ix. 26. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised: that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised, Rom. iv. 10-12. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. iii. 21. VER. 29. ̓Αλλ ̓ ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, Ἰουδαῖος· καὶ πε ριτομὴ καρδίας, ἐν πνεύματι, οὐ γράμματι· οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ ̓ in To εOÜ. But he is a Jew, a which is one inwardly; band circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter: whose praise is not of men, but of God. a But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him; for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart, 1 Sam. xvi. 7. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee, |