Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1869 edition. Excerpt: ... the plural, in connection with sanctifying and saving effects: the ra ispd ypd/i/iara, the sacred letters, or writings, he says to Timothy--meaning the Scriptures of the Old Testament--' are able to make thee wise unto salvation.'1 And as letters are but the component parts of words, we may apply here what our Lord Himself affirmed of His words or sayings (fa/iara), ' The words which I have spoken to you are spirit and life.'* Hence, without pointing to any contrast between old and new, or outward and inward, we find Justin Martyr, or the author of ' Expositio Fidei, ' denoting by the term a passage of Scripture, saying, in proof of the essential divinity of the Son and Spirit, ' Hear the passage' (axoui roD ypd/i/iaro;, sec. 6); and Cyrill Alex, applies it specifically to the Scriptures of the New Testament, speaking of what is fitting ' according to the scope of the New Scripture (xarA Ht roD v'eou ypa/i/iaros ffxoTJn) and ecclesiastical usage.'8 Paul might, therefore, in perfect accordance with Greek usage, have spoken of himself as a minister of letter or word, if he had so qualified and used the expression as to shew that he merely meant by it the oral or written testimony of God in Christ, which he elsewhere characterizes as ' the sword of the Spirit, ' and as ' quick and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword.'4 But putting, as he here does, letter in contrast with spirit, it is quite clear that the apostle had respect to the written testimony or law of God, considered by itself, and taken apart from all the spiritual influences with which, as given by Him, it was meant to be associated. And he was naturally led to this use of the term, with reference especially to Old Testament Scripture, by the undue, and, in many cases,
