O that they were wise
These are not the words of God, and so no instances of mere
velleities, and unsuccessful wishes in him, and as arguing a
power in man to make himself wise if he would; but of Moses,
under a spirit of prophecy, foreseeing the ignorance and
stupidity of the above persons; or as representing a true
believer in Christ, in the times in which such men should live;
for the person speaking is one that had faith in Christ, the rock
of salvation, and built upon him alone for it; and who had
enemies on that account, as appears from ( Deuteronomy
32:31-33 ) : and these words are spoken not of the Jews, with
whom this song has no more concern, unless it be in what
respects, their conversion in the latter day; but of false
Christians, Pelagians, Arians whose language and character are
expressed in ( Deuteronomy
32:28 Deuteronomy
32:29 ) : and contain a pathetic wish that they might have
wisdom to see their follies, errors, and mistakes, and renounce
them: or, "if they were wise" F11; as they are not, and their
tenets show it:
[that] they would understand this;
namely what follows:
[that] they would consider their latter end;
either the latter end of the Jews; had they wisdom, they would
understand and observe that the displeasure of God against them,
and his destruction of them, was for their lightly esteeming the
rock of salvation, as Arians do; and for setting up their own
righteousness, in opposition to the righteousness of Christ, as
do Pelagians and Arminians; and were they wise, they would be
hereby cautioned against such notions; and though imbibed by
them, would relinquish them; as they may justly fear some such
like end will be theirs: for if God does not give them repentance
to the acknowledging of the truth their end must be miserable;
since the errors they embrace and profess are what the apostle
calls "damnable heresies"; who, denying the Lord that bought
them, bring on themselves swift destruction; and whose judgment,
he says, lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not, (
2 Peter 2:1
2 Peter 2:3 )
.
F11 (wmkx wl) "o si sapcrent", Tigurine version; "si sapuissent", Vatablus; "si saperent", Cocceius.