17.

and w. See above v. 36 and iv. 2. This change affords a proof, among others, that the best MSS. are not to be implicitly relied on without reference to other considerations, such as those afforded by the study of Palæography, and a knowledge of ancient Pronunciation.

50. σὰρξ καὶ αἷματοὐ δύνανται] Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. On the error derived by some from these words, as if they were at variance with a belief in the Resurrection of the Flesh, see Irenæus, v. 9, where he shows that the Apostle's meaning is, that flesh, as flesh, cannot inherit the kingdom of God; and that fleshly lusts exclude from that kingdom; and that the Flesh needs the regenerating, renewing, and sanctifying influence of the Spirit, in order to qualify it for heaven.

S. Irenæus thence draws this practical lesson: Since we cannot be saved without the Spirit of God, the Apostle exhorts us carefully to keep and cherish (σvvrnpeîv) the Spirit, by a sound faith and holy life, in order that we may not be bereft of the Spirit, and so forfeit the kingdom of God (v. 9. 3).

See also ibid. v. 10, where he says, St. Paul teaches us that they who live in the flesh cannot please God (Rom. viii. 8), and that flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The Apostle does not reject the substance of the flesh, but invites the infusion of the Spirit.

And again (c. 11), We were cleansed in Baptism, not from the substance of our bodies and from the image of the creature, but from our former vain conversation; and in the same body as that in which we were dying, when we did the works of corruption, in that body are we made alive, when we do the works of the Spirit.

See also ibid. v. 13, 14. Indeed these chapters of the great work of Irenæus form one of the most interesting early Comments on this portion of St. Paul's Epistle. Compare also Tertullian, c. Marcion. v. 10, "Operibus carnis, non substantiæ carnis, denegatur regnum Dei," and de Resurrect. Carnis, c. 50.

See also S. Jerome in his eloquent Epistle ad Pammachium, Vol. iv. p. 319-3:9, where he comments on this passage of St. Paul, and shows the necessity of confessing the Resurrection of the Body, "Nos post resurrectionem eadem habebimus membra, quibus nunc utimur, easdem carnes et sanguinem et ossa; quorum in Scripturis opera, non natura, damnantur. Hæc est vera Resurrectionis confessio, quæ sic gloriam carni tribuit, ut non auferat veritatem."

The Resurrection of the Flesh is not due to the Flesh, but to the Spirit dwelling in the Flesh. See on Rom. viii. 11.

οὐδὲ ἡ φθορὰ τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν κληρονομεί] Nor does Corruption inherit Incorruption. Will then the flesh be raised again? Yes; certainly. St. Paul does not say that flesh and blood will not arise from the grave, but that they will not inherit the kingdom of God. "Tamdiu regnum Dei non possidebunt, quamdiu caro tantum sanguisque permanserint. Quum autem corruptivum induerit incorruptionem, quæ prius gravi pondere premebatur in terram, acceptis spiritús pennis, et immutationis non abolitionis nová gloriâ, volabit ad cœlum" (Jerome, ad Pammach. Vol. iv. p. 329). See Rom. viii. 11, and the homily of Methodius, de Resurrectione, in Amphilochii Opera, p. 283-336.

51. πάντες μὲν—ἀλλαγησόμεθα] We shall not indeed all die, but we shall be changed. Lachmann has adopted the reading of some ancient MSS. and Fathers, especially Wetstein, návTES [μὲν] κοιμησόμεθα οὐ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα, the evidence for which is given by Wetstein, p. 173, and Dean Alford in his valuable collection of Various Readings. But the received reading is supported by B, D**, E, by the Syriac, Coptic, Arabic, and Gothic Versions, and many Cursives and Fathers, and, above all, by the context. And so Tisch., Alford, Meyer, with the omission of μέν.

Isa.

Hos. 13. 14.

n Rom. 5. 12. & 3. 20. & 7. 5.

The objection which was made by some in ancient times to the received reading was, that the wicked would not be changed, namely, glorified; but St. Paul is here speaking only of the Resurrection of the Just. See vv. 42-49. 53.

See note above on 1 Thess. iv. 17, and the excellent remarks on the various readings of this passage in Bp. Pearson on the Creed, Art. vii. p. 564, where, after summing up the evidence on the subject, he says, "we have no reason to doubt or question the received reading."

52. oxáτy σáλwiyyi] S. Jerome (ibid.) connects this Trumpet with the seventh Trumpet in the Apocalypse (viii. and ix.), “ In Apocalypsi Joannis septem describuntur Angeli cum tubis; Novissimo, i. e. septimo claro tubæ strepitu, mortui suscitantur.” And so Theodor. Mopsuest. and Severian, who observe that the Apostle speaks of the last trumpet, with some reference to the other trumpets.

54. KATETÓN 8 Oávaros els vikos] The word in Isa. xxv. 8 for vikos, victory, is : (netsah), eternity, as prevailing over time, and conquering all things, and sometimes used to signify victory (I Chron. xxix. 11); and therefore the representation of the word by vikos, victory, was natural and easy. See Surenhusius, καταλλ. p. 552.

55. Ποῦ σοῦ, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον;] Where, Ο Death, is thy sting? The sting of Death, which is sin (v. 56), has been taken away by the obedience and passion of Christ. The sting of the old Serpent of fire has been healed by the lifting up of the Serpent of brass, looked at with the eye of Faith. See on John iii. 14.

aon] B, C, D, E, F, G have @ávate repeated here, which has been received by some Editors, who suppose that adn is a correction of the copyists to suit the Septuagint Version of the passage here cited of Hosea xiii. 14.

But copyists might have been inclined to alter on also, as appearing to give countenance to the heathen notion of a personal Deity bearing the name of Hades. The Latin Fathers, such as Tertullian, who repeated the word Mors (c. Marcion. v. 10), would have shrunk from the use of Orcus, or Dis. And the form of this eloquent appeal and magnificent pæan of victory seems to be weakened by the repetition of the word Oάvate. And an assertion of victory over the Grave, "Aidns, bix (Sheol), seems specially appropriate in this divine plea for the Resurrection of the Flesh.

We find a similar combination in the Apocalypse, xx. 13, d θάνατος καὶ ὁ ᾅδης. And again, xx. 14.

And an is found here in A**, J, K, and in most of the Cursive MSS., and as early as Origen, and also in the Syriac, Gothic, and Arabic Versions. It is, therefore, retained in the text.

56. ἡ δὲ δύναμις τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὁ νόμος] The strength of sin is the Law. For, where no Law is, there is no sin, for sin is the transgression of Law (see on Rom. iv. 15; vii. 7. 1 John iii. 4), and the nature of Law is to impose and exact a penalty for disobedience to it. Law does not make sin, but declares it; and no child of Adam is without some Law (see on Rom. i. 18; ii. 9), and no one lives up to the Law under which he lives. Every one, therefore, is by nature subject to condemnation, and under a curse. But Christ by His perfect obedience to the requirements, and by His submission to the penalties of Law in our Nature, has delivered us from the curse of the Law (Gal. iii. 13), has given us new powers of obedience, and has promised us infinite rewards for it. See below, Introduction to the Epistle to the Romans.

But why was mention made in this place by St. Paul of the Law, as the strength of sin? What is its connexion with his subject?

He is arguing against those who denied the Resurrection

o 1 John 5. 5. Rom. 7. 25. & 8. 37.

a Acts 11. 29.

Rom. 12. 13.

2 Cor. δ. 4.

& 9. 1.

b Acts 20. 7. Rev. 1. 10.

a

C

d Acts 19. 21. 2 Cor. 1. 16.

e 2 Cor. 1. 15. Rom. 15. 24.

f Acts 18. 21.

ch. 4. 19. James 4. 15.

g Acts 14. 27.

h ch. 4. 17.

1 Thess. 3. 2.

i 1 Tim. 4. 12. 3 John 6.

d'

χομαι

6 €

h

g

of the Body, and he had already said that if dead bodies cannot rise again, neither is Christ risen (v. 16), Christ's Body is still in the grave. And if that is so, then ye are still in your sins (ν. 17). And why? Because the Resurrection of Christ is the proof that His sacrifice for your sins has been accepted by God. His Resurrection is the evidence of your Justification. (See on v. 16, and below on Rom. iv. 25.)

If then there is no such thing as a Resurrection of the body, then your sins yet live and prevail; then the Law, which is the strength of sin, rises up against you with all its curses for disobedience.

But, God be praised, there is a Resurrection. Christ is risen. Ye have been justified. Thanks be to God Who giveth us the Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord!

This argument of the Apostle is a proof of the Resurrection. For, if Sin was the cause of Death, and if Christ loosed the bonds of Sin, and delivered us from it in our Baptism, and has taken away the curse of the Law, in the transgression of which is the essence of Sin, why should we doubt of the Resurrection? How can Death have any power over us? From the Law? No; Christ has destroyed its curse. From Sin? No; Christ bas taken it away. Chrys.

57. Τῷ δὲ Θεῷ χάρις τῷ διδόντι ἡμῖν τὸ νίκος διὰ τοῦ Κ. ἡ. 'I. X.] Christ has conquered Death, and enables us to conquer it. S. Athanasius argues for the triumph of Christ over death, from the joy with which Christian Martyrs, even young women and boys, have welcomed the most agonizing deaths for Christ, as contrasted with the fear with which men recoiled from Death before the Incarnation and Passion of Christ. See his Treatise de Incarnat. § 27-30, p. 56, and cp. Clem. Rom. § 6, where for γυναῖκες, δαναΐδες, καὶ δίρκαι we may read γυναῖκες, νεανίδες, παιδίσκαι, so Athanas. 1. c. οἱ ἐν Χριστῷ παῖδες καὶ νέαι κόραι παρορῶσι τὸν ἐνταῦθα βίον, καὶ θανεῖν μελετῶσι, and Aug. Serm. 143, p. 999.

58. ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ] The practical result of the Doctrine of the Resurrection, and of God's Grace in Christ, is the duty of abounding in the work of the Lord.

CH. XVI. 1. Περὶ δὲ τῆς λογίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους] Concerning the collection of alms for the poor Christians at Jerusalem, suffering then under special privations (cp. on Acts ii. 44) from the hatred of the Jews and the distresses of that age of afflictions which preceded the Fall of Jerusalem. See Gal. ii. 10. 2 Cor. ix. 1, 2. 12.

After St. Paul had written his two Epistles to the Corinthians, he came through Macedonia to Corinth, whence he wrote to the Church of Rome on the same subject, when he was on the point of setting out to Jerusalem through Macedonia, and by Philippi and Troas, and so along the coast of Asia to Jerusalem (Acts xx. 4—xxi. 17) with the contribution. See Rom. xv. 25, where he says I am now going unto Jerusalem to minister

unto the Saints; for it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor Saints at Jerusalem.

On the occasion of that visit he was arrested by some of the Asiatic Jews in the Temple, and so eventually came to Rome. See Acts xxiv. 17, 18.

ὥσπερ διέταξα-Γαλατίας] probably in a recent visit to the Galatian Churches.

ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Γαλατίας] to the Churches of Galatia -who had therefore now been retrieved from their disaffection to the Apostle. See above, Introduction to the Epistle to the Galatians.

2. σαββάτου] So A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Elz. has σαββάτων. For the use of the singular σάββατον, in the sense of week, see Mark xvi. 9. Luke xviii. 12.

As to the primitive observance of the First Day of the week, see on Acts xx. 7.

And on this text, as regarded in primitive times as an authority for the Weekly Offertory on the Lord's Day, see Joseph Mede's Works, p. 273. Cp. Justin Martyr, Apol. i. 88, where he says, "Each of those who are willing, gives according as he is minded, and offers what is contributed to the Minister; and he succours therewith the orphan and widow, and those who are sick and in prison, and strangers, and in a word, is the guardian of those who are in need."

3, 4. οὓς ἐὰν δοκιμάσητε] whom ye may have approved. St. Paul himself was desired by the Churches of Achaia and Macedonia to go with their alms to Jerusalem (see on v. 1). A practical proof of their confidence and affection; the more honourable to him and to the Corinthians, after the stern rebukes of his two Epistles to them.

-

δι ̓ ἐπιστολῶν] by your letters to the Church at Jerusalem. The Corinthians were to certify their own sanction of the parties sent with the alms, in order that those parties might not seem to have taken the office upon themselves, and in order that their mission might have proper credentials and due authority.

5. Μακεδονίαν γὰρ διέρχομαι] I am now intending to pass through Macedonia. He had not yet left Ephesus, nor would do so before the ensuing Pentecost (v. 8).

As to the Chronology of this time, see the " Table," and the Introduction to this Epistle.

Chronological

7. οὐ θέλω] it is not my will. On St. Paul's desires and designs in regard to a visit to Corinth, see on 2 Cor. i. 16-23. γὰρ ἐπιτρέψῃ] Elz. has δὲ and So the best MSS. ἐπιτρέπῃ.

8. Πεντηκοστῆς] Pentecost-mentioned as a Christian Festival by Tertullian, together with the Lord's Day (De Idol. c. 14).

11. μή τις οὖν αὐτὸν ἐξουθενήση] on account of his youth, 1 Tim. iv. 12. (Theodoret, Paley.)