But what saith it
The Scripture; so some copies, and the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic
version read, "what saith the Scripture?" the Arabic version,
"what dost thou say?" or "what saith he", Moses? for what follow
are manifestly his words, in ( Deuteronomy
30:14 ) ,
the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy
heart;
which is to be understood not of the law, for Moses himself is
not speaking of the law only, but either of the whole word of
God, both law and Gospel; or particularly of the Gospel, which
holds forth those special blessings and promises of grace, pardon
of sin, and circumcision of the heart, which are mentioned in the
context, as what should be bestowed upon the people of the Jews
in the latter days; and so is rightly applied by the apostle to
the then dispensation, and is to be understood of the Gospel;
which was nigh both in the ministration of it, by the apostles,
to Jews and Gentiles, and in the application and experience of
it; it was not only "in the mouth" of the preachers, but also of
the hearers of it, by a hearty and sincere confession; and "in
[their] hearts", being attended with the power of God, and
received in the love of it, was truly believed in, and cordially
embraced;
that is, the word of faith.
This phrase, (atwnmyhmd
hlm) , "the word of faith", may be seen in the Jewish
writings F26; and this shows what word is here
meant, even the Gospel so called, because it contains doctrines
which are to be believed upon the testimony of God, and
particularly the doctrine of justification by the righteousness
of Christ received by faith; and because it proposes Christ as
the object of faith, and encourages souls to believe in him for
life and salvation; and is also the means of begetting and
implanting faith in the heart, and without it the preaching of it
is of no avail: and it is further described by the ministration
of it,
which we preach;
being sent, commissioned, qualified, and assisted by Christ
thereunto; which shows the agreement between Moses and the
apostles of Christ; for the word which he spoke of, they
preached, and indeed said no other things than what the prophets
and Moses said should come, that Christ should suffer in the
stead of his people, and rise again for their justification; the
sum of which is delivered in ( Romans 10:9 ) .