For all the promises of God in him
[are] yea
This is a reason or argument proving what is before said, that
"in" Christ "was yea", since "all the promises of God in him are
yea"; and shows, that God has made many promises to his people:
mention is here made of "promises", and of "all" the promises;
or, as the words may be rendered, "as many promises of God".
There are some which concern the temporal good of the saints; as
that they shall not want any good thing; and though they shall be
attended with afflictions, these shall work for their good, and
they shall be supported under them. Others concern their
spiritual good; some of which relate to God himself, that he will
be their God, which includes his everlasting love, his gracious
presence, and divine protection. Others relate to Christ as their
surety and Saviour, by whom they are, and shall be justified and
pardoned, in whom they are adopted, and by whom they shall be
saved with an everlasting salvation: and others relate to the
Spirit of God, as a spirit of illumination, faith, comfort,
strength, and assistance, and to supplies of grace by him from
Christ: and others concern everlasting life and happiness, and
are all of them very ancient, which God, that cannot lie,
promised before the world began; are exceeding great and
precious, suited to the various cases of God's people; are free
and unconditional, immutable and irrevocable, and will all of
them have their certain accomplishment. These promises are all
"in" Christ; with and in whom could they be but in him, since he
only existed when they were made, which was from everlasting?
with and in whom should they be of right, but in him with whom
the covenant, which contains these promises, were made, and who
undertook the accomplishment of them? where could they be safe
and secure but in him, in whose hands are the persons, grace, and
glory of his people? not in Adam, nor in angels, nor in
themselves, only in him. Moreover, these promises are "in him
yea",
and in him amen;
they are like the Gospel which exhibits them, consistent, and all
of a piece; like the covenant which contains them, and is ordered
in all things, and sure; and like the author of them, whose
faithfulness and lovingkindness to his in Christ shall never
fail; and like Christ himself, in whom they are, who is "the
amen, the true and faithful witness, the same today, yesterday,
and for ever"; by whose blood, the covenant, and all the promises
of it, are ratified and confirmed, and in whom, who is the truth
of them, they are all fulfilled. And these are
unto the glory of God by us;
these serve to illustrate and advance the glory of God, when they
are preached by us, and held forth by us in the Gospel, just as
they are in Christ, free, absolute, and unconditional; and when
they are received "by us" as believers in Christ; for the
stronger we are in the faith of the promises, the more glory we
give to God; faith by laying hold on, and embracing the promises,
glorifies the veracity, faithfulness, power, and grace of God.
The Syriac version puts the "Amen" into this last clause, and
reads it thus, "therefore by him we give Amen to the glory of
God".