Dear Sir,
I would renew my attempt to clear the interpretation of the New Testament by some very simple criticisms.
I would here first take notice of the difference of its and in, the use of either of which distinctly, is intimately connected with the question of God’s love to the world, and the absolute salvation of the Church. To which, important as it is, I refer here only in connection with the texts I take notice of (Rom. 3:22.) “The righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that believe;” not unto and upon all them that believe, but the righteousness of God unto all, and upon all them that believe; δικαιοσυνη θες εις παντας, και επι παντας τες πιςευοντας. The Jews had been convinced of sin; the Gentiles had been convinced of sin; they had no righteousness in which to stand with God. Whether Jew or Gentile, they had no hope in themselves; but the righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ, was not towards Jew or Gentile, but towards all, εις παντας. Moreover it was upon all (επι τες πιςευοντας) those that believe; they stood in that righteousness.
We have another most important instance in the 18th verse of the 5th chapter. “Therefore as by one offense towards (εις) all men, to (εις) condemnation.” This was the aspect of the result of the offense, (intercepted as regards them that believe, by the death of Christ,) so by one righteousness towards (εις) all men, to (εις) justification of life; if as in the English translation, it had had been upon, for which the scriptures use επι, all would have been justified, We know it is not so, nor does the scripture say so. The aspect of the act is as wide as the aspect of the act of the first Adam; the effect is quite another and a distinct question, We have in the former passage, seen it to be pronounced upon them that believe. These remarks make, I believe, quite clear what the English translation renders very difficult toe apprehend. The word translated Rom. 5:18 upon all, is the same as unto all, in Rom. 3:22. not as upon all them that believe. It shows that the free gift was unto, i.e. towards all in its aspect; but that its effect, and the acceptance of people under it, is quite a distinct question. The accuracy and perfectness of scripture, is additionally illustrated—as seems to exhibit the natural consequence, the effect of anything looked at in itself: it may or may not involve the coming to the result; taken in itself it has the effect, for the tendency of anything, is that which per se, or left to itself, it would produce or arrive at. The word may be seen in many passages of the 6th chap. so used.
I would add a few words on the 7th of Romans.—
The expression γενηται ανδρι ετερω, is translated “married to,” which seems to be more than its force; as in the third verse, “if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man.” It seems a more general phrase, though in an honest sense, it may of course have this force. But while it may be said in a certain way, that the soul is married to the risen Christ: the Church I believe, as such, is never said to be married to Christ. It is said, as to a particular body, that I have espoused you as a chaste virgin unto Christ. In the 19th chap. of Revelation we have the joyful celebration, “Hallelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth; let us be glad and rejoice, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and Hits wife hath made herself ready.” This is after the judgment of Babylon, and again in chap. xxi. 9, “I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Here we have then the Church confessedly not married to the Lamb; and I believe this to be a most important difference; error as to which has produced as much mistake as any other at all concerning scripture. It may be said to be espoused or destined for Him, but the marriage is not yet come; this takes place on being united to Him in that day when He shall appeal in His glory, when He calls them up into the air, then shall “He present it to Himself a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” The Jewish body was so married, “for I am married unto you saith the Lord.” (Jer. 3:14; Isa. 54:4-6.) “Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed, neither be thou confounded, for thou shah not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shall not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more, for thy Maker is thine husband; for the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth when thou watt refused, saith thy God.” And we shall find this remarkably maintained throughout. Thus the Jewish body is ever called, an adulteress, as in Hosea chap. iii. the Church as corrupt, but not breaking covenant. “Thou hast judged the great whore,” and fornication is the sin of the Church. Now this difference affects the whole position we are set in. The Church has never yet been brought into the position with God, in which the whole argument of the great body of comments on scripture suppose it to be placed, (and this is another instance of the evil of applying Old Testament statements to New Testament subjects, as if they belonged to them,) though faith, by the spirit, sees that place to belong to it, and therefore keeps itself for it. It is the part of Babylon to corrupt itself with all the kings of the earth; but we, though with long protracted affections, know the faithfulness of the Redeemer’s’ love; and remain in solitude till He who has loved us shall appear. For we are “espoused to one husband,” and this shall be in the resurrection, for the second Adam is known to us in the resurrection; we were taken out of Him in death; He is dead to all but faith now, and the Church is therefore still taken out of Him; and in resurrection we shall be one with Him, married into Him. We are indeed one spirit with Him now, and therefore know the blessing; but the whole body of the Church, shall be finally united to Him in the joy of its Lord. I think it will be found, that all the scriptures will bear out this difference, and clearly it strongly affects our position, while we learn distinctly the aspect of faithfulness, which the Church should present, its utter separation from the world, and all secular help in its character, a chaste virgin unto Christ; γενομενη ανδρι έτερω, it has lost all its character as well as relationship. When the spirit of the risen Savior is in me, I am so far united unto Him, and so ought I to keep myself, I am vitally and everlastingly one with Him; but the Church corporate is not so married unto Him, for indeed it is not yet formed. To assume the privileges of a wife, does not become her position, not to have more than the modesty of one in her deportment, as ill suits her state; she shall reign queen over all her lord’s goods, and rule in his house with him; fidelity of hope to one long absent from his pledged love, as a stranger therefore in the midst of all that knows him not—her present portion. Whether receiving the tokens of his love to her from on high or not, faithfulness to him is her clear part; the world may count her case foolish and hopeless, but she knows in whom she has believed, and she may be content to abide the jest of them who know it not, because she has the secret of his love by his spirit dwelling in her, and will rejoice in that day when he makes good his faithfulness and celebrates hers, before them that have despised her. (Comp. Rev. 3:8,9.) I am daily more and more convinced that this is the real, the only position of the Church; it may have the desolateness of widowhood, but the keenness and poignancy of affection of one a widow before she was a wife. Babylon has no need to be sorrowfully and separately waiting, she has wasted her affections upon ten thousand lovers who shall hate her in the end; but the true hearted believer as partaker of the spirit of the Church, will as separate from the world, wait for Him in whom his hope is, in the spirit of holy separation. I would also add, that we find I think a remarkably beautiful association of the act of God and of man, in the person of the Lord, in the connection of Gen. 2:22 and Eph. 5:27. Let me add a suggestion —first; the force of δωσει τοις or ταις in the Revelation, appears to me to have the force of making effectual the thing spoken of, making them to be what they are as, but could not be effectually without this interference. We have instances of this in chap. 8:3. and chap. 9:3.
I would desire to make some use of the remarks I made on the Greek Article in your last number, as they intimately open out the proper deity of our Lord, connected both with His relationship as the incarnate Son with the Father, and with us therein; points which, with that presence of the Spirit by which they are known, form the great scope of Christianity; and it is of great importance in the present day, to give the full scope of Christianity. For occupation in the fullness of that, is that which preserves the mind under grace, and meets that wandering into things not taught of God—questions of no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers, to which the mere reasoning of the mind is the complete slave, the creatures of intellectual reasonings or imaginings; things which if not our hands, our intellects have made. No one not acquainted with the extent to which the Gnostic heretics went, could imagine how far the subtle creations of the human intellect misled, could go, and from which it can find no retreat, but utter humbling. May we be led of the Spirit, and kept fast by the word. There is intellectual idolatry as well as physical, quite as subtle, quite as dangerous, and if the imagination be less vivid in our days or regions, in external or mental objects, there is not the less departure in its duller movements from God, wherever anything but Himself, as taught by the Spirit, is the object of our minds, instead of our being subject to Him thus known in Christ. But to turn to my Criticisms. Substantially they made the Article the person of the sentence; and the words without it, the character of or what that person was when it is used. This often gives much blessed instruction; thus we have in Gal. 1:4. Του θες και πατρος ημων, He who is God and our Father.
Phil. 4:20. Τω δε θεω και πατρι ημων. To Him who is God and our Father.
Col. 3:17. Τω θεω και πατρι who is God and Father: showing here Father to be a distinct characteristic, just as Son might be.
1 Thess. 1;2. τω θεω και πατρος ῆμων, both again denominations of τe. 1 Thess. 3:11. Αυτος δε ο θεος και παρηο ημων, that very one who is God and Father.
James 1:27. Τω θεω και πατρι, Him who is God and Father.
We have a remarkable instance of this construction, in which it was possible to give this in English, from. an ordinary participle intervening.
Jude 24. Τωδε δυναμενω, &c. μονω σοφω θεω &c. The structure is just the same as the former, it is translated as the others ought, in sense, if the English could bear it. To him who is able, &e. the only wise God; the particle to in verse 25, alone mars the English.
We have another remarkable instance in which it is not rightly given in English.
1 Tim. 1:17. Τωδε βασιλει των ὰφθαρτω, αορατω, μονω σοφω θεω, to Him who is the king eternal, the incorruptible, invisible, only wise God, honor and glory, &c.
I would now mention some others which have been noticed before, but I bring them in juxtaposition with those previously mentioned, as showing the usage of the language; passages in which our Lord is spoken of as God, in the same way, adding some other characteristic than Father.
Titus 2:13. Του μεγαλ, θες και σωιηρος ημων Ιησε Χριστου, Him who is the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, compare τε θες και πατρός ημων.
Jude 4. Του μονον δεσποτην θεον και κύριον ημων I. X. The structure here is the same, He who is the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ: I will not adduce other passages to this point, as I stated, it as been already done. These show the identity of construction of both, while God is the common or one name of both and the other titles distinctive to each, or common as Savior; we have another instance in l Tim. v. 21 of distinctive title annexed.
I now advert to some other passages, which further illustrate the principle and show this unity with us, so as to magnify our blessing, by the same uniform construction. There is an intermediate form in (Rev. 1:7.) kings and priests τω θεω και πατρι αυτε —to Him who is God and His Father. This is the person to whom he has made us priests.
In (Eph. 1:2.) God is called our Father. Then because all fullness dwelt in Him, fullness of relationship as the incarnate object of love, in ver. 3, we have this blessed association. Ο θεος και πατηρ τε κυριε ημων Ιησε Χρισε. He who is God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The great object of this epistle specially here, is to show the identity in Sonship given us in Jesus. So precisely in (Col. 1:2,3.) we have first our Father ver. 2, then ο Θεος και πατηρ τε κυρις κ τ λ.
In 1 Peter 1:3, we have the same title given to the holy One ο θεος και πατηρ τε κυρις κ τ λ X. Thus we have on one hand the use of it as to the Father, identifying that name with God. Then with the Lord identifying His name with God: and then identifying Him with us, so as to give us all the blessing which he held with God as man, His God and our God, His Father and our Father. Ο θεος και πατηρ. Θεος και σωτηρ. Θεος και πατηρ τε Κυρις ὴμων. Θεος και πατηρ ημων, kings and priests, τω θεω και Πατρι αυτε. What a blessed chain. It is extremely sweet to see the blessed truths, in which our whole hope stands, shining out in all their gracious beauty combined into their places by the same hand which has given the same link of assurance (wonderful mystery) to one and the other, and the closest criticism, as it appears to me, alike establishing both on the same ground instead of invalidating them, which superficial assertion would sometimes say that it did.
There are two other passages the force of which is opened out by these remarks. “This is the true God and eternal life.”— Ουτος He; i.e. υιος αυτε I. X—is the true God, ο αληθινος θεος και η ζων αιωνίος. Now this, placed as an affirmation concerning ουτος, is affirming the identity of predicate and subject in extent. Now if we compare ver. 3rd of John 17th, we shall see the amazing force of that expression and the meaning of this, “This is life eternal, that they should know thee, the only true God, (that is the Father) and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” That they may know thee τον—that one, or Him, who is the only true God, contrasted with gods many and false gods, and Him whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. How does He give them this eternal life —this knowledge? I answer by their being planted in Himself; “he that hath the Son hath life:” but they are in Him that is true, thus, and consequently being in Him that is true—that is, in His Son, they dwell in God and God in them. They know the Father, who Himself is the only true God; and they know Jesus Christ whom the Father hath sent, and none else can know Him. Being in Christ and knowing His love, we are in the true God, and so know the Father as being in the Son, and we know Jesus Christ. I would remark that this passage (John 17:3.) seems to me to embrace true religion as referable to Jews and Gentiles. Unless known as the Father, there was no knowing Him at all; and this by knowing Him in the Son; if they know not Jesus Christ whom He had sent, they knew nothing of that ministration in which, as Messiah, He had fulfilled the purposes of God, and manifested eternal life in Sonship. This was eternal life, for He was the living God. Therefore He says “power over all flesh” in the epistle written, as the Gospel was written, to show them what eternal life was, to prove to them that they had it already. He sums up all from first to last, against all the ramifications of intellectual imaginations, in which, men, creating trouble for their own minds, were apt to wander, in the person of Jesus Christ, putting everything in its place in and round that center.. Whoever studies the three closing “οιδαμεν” of John’s epistle, will at once see the amazing arid stern comprehensiveness of the passages, and in the last especially; the closing of all cavil in the person of Jesus Christ— “Him that is true” — “the true God and eternal life.” If the object of the two books, as stated John 20:31, and 1 John 5:13, be observed, the meaning and combined power of these passages will be most apparent. Simplicity of faith is the real secret—the kernel of all knowledge.
I would make further a few remarks on 1 Cor. 15:24. et seq. I do not think it is sufficiently observed, that there are two very distinct, though closely connected passages, referred to there; and I think a little attention will make it plain, The two distinct things are His “putting His enemies,” and putting “all things under His feet.” There is also a direct distinction between putting them under Him and His subjecting them. I would first remark that the supremacy of man is the point in question, man in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ; as a little further on, “the second Adam is the Lord from heaven.” The whole chapter is the power of the resurrection; the progressive steps of this resurrection occupy the apostle’s attention. The putting all things under man’s feet, is the express subject on which the apostle dwells from the 8th Psalm. The union of the other with it, being Lord as well as Son of David, is that which must always puzzle the unbeliever, as the Lord did the Jews with it; it is the strength and comfort of faith. It is the same Jesus who was made Lord and Christ, whose coming to take His kingdom is here celebrated. The whole subject then, is the kingdom of man (in resurrection) as a given kingdom, contrasted with God. Hence the Father never becoming incarnate, and remaining in office (I speak after the manner of men) Supreme Deity; the kingdom is delivered up to Him; to God, even the Father τω θεω και πατρι. —that God as contrasted with man may be all in all, instead of Christ the man being all in all. This is clearly the subject; the contrast of God and the given kingdom of (the risen) man, the head of the new world. With this personal supremacy of Christ, the Lord from heaven, there are two things connected; “the putting His enemies” and “putting all things under His feet;” being quotations from the 110th and 8th Psalms. Now under the risen man, as entitled in every sense thereto, by glorifying God, by purchase, at His life’s cost, back again, by overcoming all His enemies personally, God on His resurrection and glorifying, put all things under Him, not in actual subjugation, but title of subjection; they were His by victory; by purchase, by worth in the purpose of the divine glory. Quite otherwise as to the other. There Jehovah says “sit thou at my right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool.” He is to sit there till it is done. Ruling “in His enemies” and “over all,” are quite distinct things; as to both, the gift of dominion, by the Father, is distinct from subjugation by the Son. In this latter, i.e. subjugation by the Son, the two become coincident. The reign of the 25th verse, I take to be the direct assertion of what is consequent upon His receiving the power (of rule among his enemies) till the time when He delivers it up; the last enemy being destroyed, which is death. Further, “sit thou at my right hand till I make” Here is the Father making His enemies His footstool, consequent on which He rules in the midst of His enemies. Now this act of the Father’s, the Apostle does not speak of; because after speaking of the resurrection of Christ’s people at His coming, the time of this kingdom, he goes on to the end when he delivers up the kingdom; “for,” says the Apostle, “He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet.” This is the Son’s, by His actings in power, as the risen Man. The Father having put His enemies under His feet, or made them His footstool when He came, having till then sat at God’s right hand; “for He hath put all things under His feet.” This is another great truth; and here the general act of the Father is spoken of, viz. putting all things under Christ’s feet; but as a thing already done—God hath put all things under His feet. This is His enjoyed power: a power the results of which we by no means see accomplished. When they are, when all things are subjected, then He, the man, will deliver up the kingdom, that God may be all in all. The same truth, as to all things being not subjected by Christ, when all things are put under His feet by the Father, is stated Heb. 2 where quoting the same, 8th Psalm, the Spirit of God adds for us, “Howbeit we see not yet all things put under Him, but we see Jesus exalted.” Here then we find the title of all in inheritance (in Christ determined the Son of God with power) in the resurrection. He waits for the time when the subjugation of His enemies shall make all things His; His enemies not yet being made His footstool. The saints are gathered out, meanwhile, to reign with Him; He acting by His Spirit, and controlling also thereby through the world, they are raised at His coming. For His enemies are now put under His feet, and He takes the inheritance, subjecting His enemies; and, they having been destroying the inheritance, as well as injuring the heirs in it, vindicates the inheritance, and we see all things put under Him. For the putting His enemies, and all things under His feet, are two distinct acts; yet the subjugation of the one is the vindication of the other. But we (by faith) must own that all things are put under Him, Glory, and honor, power and title His, though we do not see it here; for He sits at God’s right hand till His enemies are made His footstool—we being tried therefore meanwhile. We believe, therefore, that His enemies are not made His footstool, for He yet sits; we waiting, longingly delighting in His glory at the right hand of Jehovah. When He comes, His enemies being made His footstool, we coming with Him or meeting Him, shall know this also; and see all things put under His feet. All things are put under Him because of His title there. His enemies are made His footstool, when He leaves it and comes here into these lower regions of Earth and Heaven, where His enemies are. There He has none; all adore Him. Oh for the time when it shall be so; and the Father’s will done on earth as it is in heaven, all men honoring Him as they honor the Father. We see the same thing taught us in Rev. 11:17, 18; but I here dwell upon the passage rather than teach or interpret the doctrine. The distinction between the Father’s act in putting, and the fact of their subjection, by the Lord Christ, is manifest in ver. 27, 28, as it is also Heb. 2.
The end of Christ’s given kingdom, is stated ver. 24. The way in which the subjection of His enemies by Him is connected with His power in ver. 23; in ver. 27, the extent and character of the dominion is given, but not the state of things under it, because resurrection is the subject, and they, though under it in blessing, are not in it; so neither the intermediate state of Psa. 110:1; for it is of the exhibited resurrection state that the Apostle is speaking in Christ and in us, and this in full, consequent upon his leaving the right hand of the Majesty on high; his enemies now made his footstool.