There is one lawgiver
The Alexandrian copy, and others, and the Syriac, Ethiopic, and
Vulgate Latin versions, add, "and judge". Who is the one only
Lord God, ( Isaiah 33:22
) . This is a character that may be applied to God the Father,
who gave the law to the people of Israel, both the judicial and
ceremonial law, and also the moral law; from his right hand went
a fiery law, and to him belongs the giving of it; and also to the
Son of God, the Lord Jesus who is King of saints, and lawgiver in
his house; who has given out commandments to be observed, and
laws of discipline for the right ordering of his house, and
kingdom, to be regarded; and particularly the new commandment of
love, which is eminently called the law of Christ; and which is
most apparently broke, by detraction and speaking evil one of
another: now there may be inferior and subordinate lawgivers, as
Judah is said to be God's lawgiver, and Moses is said to command
the Jews a law; yet there is but one supreme, universal, and
perfect lawgiver, who is God; and though there may be many
lawgivers in things political, whose legislative power is to be
obeyed, both for the Lord's sake, and for conscience sake; yet in
things religious, and relating to conscience, God is the only
lawgiver, who is to be hearkened unto:
who is able to save,
and to destroy; this is true of God the Father, who is able to
save, and does save by his Son Jesus Christ, and even persons
that have broken the law he has given, and are liable to the
curse and condemnation of it; and he is able to save them
according to that law, in perfect consistence with it, and with
his justice and holiness, since Christ, by whom he saves, was
made under it, and has fulfilled it; and that Christ is mighty to
save, able to save to the uttermost, is certain from the
Scripture, and all experience; and God, the lawgiver, is able to
destroy both body and soul in hell, for the transgressions of his
law; and even Christ the Lamb is also the lion of the tribe of
Judah, who will break his enemies in pieces, as a potter's
vessel, and punish the contemners of his Gospel with everlasting
destruction, from his presence and glory: in a word, God, the
lawgiver, is sovereign, and can destroy, or save, whom he
pleases; he is able to save the brother that is spoken against,
and to destroy him that speaks against him:
who art thou that judgest another?
another man's servant, as in ( Romans 14:4 ) or "thy
neighbour", as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read; or "the
neighbour", as the Alexandrian copy, and the Vulgate Latin
version; that is, any brother, friend, or neighbour, in the
manner as before observed in the preceding verse.