And the way of peace have they not known.
] This is a citation front ( Isaiah 59:8 ) , and
expresses the ignorance of mankind, with regard to true peace,
and the way unto it: men are naturally ignorant of the way of
peace with God; of the first step which God took towards it; of
the council and covenant of peace, in which the scheme of it was
drawn, and the method fixed; of Christ the peacemaker, and of the
way in which he has made it; and of the Gospel, which reveals and
publishes it. They are ignorant of the true way of enjoying peace
of conscience; they have no true peace of mind, their consciences
are often tortured; and though they may have a stupid and secure
peace, yet nothing that is true, real, and solid; for they are
without the Spirit, whose fruit is peace; and without faith in
Christ, by which true peace only is enjoyed; nor are they
spiritually minded, which is life and peace; nor have they any
knowledge of the way to have it; they are ready to think it must
be had by doing something of their own, and not that it is to be
had only in Christ, in his blood and righteousness. They are
ignorant of the paths of wisdom, which are peace; peace is
enjoyed in them, they lead unto it, and issue in it: they know
not the way to eternal peace; they imagine something done by the
creature is the way; and are ignorant that Christ is the only way
of salvation, the true way to eternal life, everlasting peace and
happiness: yea, they know not the way of peace among men, and one
another; nor will they do that which is just and right, in order
to support and maintain it, but are unjust, deceitful, and
quarrelsome; they do not study peace, but rather contention,
which they like and approve of. The Jews talk F24 much
of their good nature, affability, and condescension, and of their
doing this and that, and the other thing, (Mwlv ykrd ynpm) , "because of the ways of peace".