understand it here (1 Cor. xii. 28), as designating the office of a ruler in the church. But how can such an office be placed the seventh in rank, (for the apostle here seems to make an enumeration according to the order of precedence,) and have but one or two offices reckoned below it? This seems to be exceedingly incongruous. The governor and guide of a Christian church would seem, in the order of nature, to stand at its head.

I ask, in the next place, how it should happen, that κußepvýσels stands here in such a position, having in order before it avriλnvas, opitulatores, curatores, (i. q. diákovo), and after it yévŋ yλwooor? Why does it not stand next before or after προφήτας or διδασκάλους, where we should almost of necessity expect to find it, if it mean presidents or governors of the church?

Moved by such difficulties, I feel constrained to seek another than a classical meaning for kuẞepoets. But as, in the New Test., the word is not elsewhere to be found, we must resort to the Septuagint; and here the word is uniformly employed, as the rendering of the Hebrew inn, skilful dexterity, wise foresight, power of prudent or skilful management. In this very sense kußépvŋσις is plainly employed in Prov. i. 5. xi. 14. xxiv. 6, μετὰ κυβερνήσεως γίνεται λepos and these are all the instances in which the word occurs in the Septuagint. In accordance with this meaning is the Lex. Cyrilli: Kußépvŋois, φρόνησις. So the Glossæ ineditæ in Prov. Salom. : κυβέρνησις, ἐπιστήμη τῶν πραττομένων. So also Hesychius: κυβερνήσεις, προνοετικαὶ ἐπιστῆμαι καὶ Opovýσeis, considerate knowledge and understanding.

In view of all this, we may now venture to translate kvßepvýσeis, skilful discernment or insight. But in what respect? To answer this, we must let the apostle explain himself. Let us go back, then, to 1 Cor. xii. 8-10, and there we shall find nearly if not quite the same reckoning of spiritual gifts as in vs. 28-30. But there, before γένη γλωσσῶν, stands διακρίσεις τῶν πνευμάτων which does not at all appear in vs. 28-30, unless it be designated by κußepσels. That it should not in fact be included in this latter passage, distinguished as such a gift must be, and important as it was in the then state of the church, would be singular. Now as in 1 Cor. xii. 28, yévŋ ydwooŵy comes immediately after κυβερνήσεις, and in ver. 10, immediately after διακρίσεις πνευμάτων, so it is natural to conclude, that the apostle means to designate the same thing by κυβερνήσεις as he does by διακρίσεις πνευμάτων. For as peculiar skill and in sight would be appropriate and necessary to the discerning of spirits, so the qualifications for such a duty may be used to designate the persons who are to perform it. Philology allows this; but above all, the order, concinnity, and consistency of the apostle's discourse here, seem to render it necessary, or at least quite probable. This being conceded, it would follow that no argument from κυβερνήσεις can be adduced, in order to shew that ὁ προϊστάμενος in Rom. xii. 8 means a ruler in the Christian church.

I am the more satisfied with this view of the subject, as I find it was fully embraced by Lightfoot and Vitringa, "quos [in re criticâ] facile principes nominarem." See Vitringa, De Vet. Synag. II. 3. p. 507, seq.

It remains only that I notice one objection more, to the meaning which I have assigned to ó проïσтáμevos. This is, that in 1 Thess. v. 12 and 1 Tim. iii.

4, 12, it means governors, overseers of the church; and consequently that this is the most probable meaning in Rom. xii. 8.

On this allegation I must be very brief, as I have already put the patience of the reader to a trial. In 1 Thess. v. 12, the apostle says to the church: 'Affectionately regard τοὺς κοπιῶντας ἐν ὑμῖν, καὶ προϊσταμένους ὑμῶν ἐν κυρίῳ, καὶ VoVÕETOûvTas vμâs. The question is, whether he means here different classes of officers; or one and the same class, in the exercise of divers gifts. I know of no way in which this question can be definitely and certainly decided. The insertion of the article before кожvras (the first participial noun in the series), and the omission of it before the other like nouns προϊσταμένους and νουθετοῦντας, will not prove, as has sometimes been assumed, that all belong to one class; nor will it prove the contrary; for (1) The article is usually omitted, even where the meaning of the nouns employed is plainly diverse, provided they are of the same gender and case; e. g. Mark xv. 1, μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ γραμματέων (the latter without Tŵv); and so Col. ii. 8, 19. 2 Thess. iii. 2. Rom. i. 20. Phil. ii. 17, et sæpe alibi; see Winer's N. Test. Gramm. § xviii. 3—5. (2) The article is often inserted, where each noun indicates a separate subject; e. g. Mark ii. 16, oi ypaμμareîs kaì oi papiσaîoi' so Luke viii. 24. xi. 39. 1 Thess. iii. 11. Phil. iii. 10, et alibi sæpe; comp. Winer ut. sup. Of course, as usage is both ways, the omission of the article here can prove nothing.

Nor will the context enable us to decide the point under consideration; as there seems to be nothing in it which has a direct bearing on this point. We are left, therefore, to the simple nature of the case. What can be gathered from this? I answer, (a) That Tovs komɩôvτas is evidently a generic (not a specific) term, and may indicate any kind of labour performed in behalf of the church. (b) The words προϊσταμένους and νουθετοῦντας appear to be specific here, i. e. to designate particular (and probably different) classes of persons. The most probable interpretation then is, that poïorapévous and voveroûvras designate the specific classes, comprehended under the genus KOTTIVтas. This being admitted, (and certainly no one will say this is an improbable exegesis), it would seem altogether probable, that mрoïoraμévovs here has the like sense as in Rom. xii. 8, viz. those who applied themselves to the external temporal business or concerns of the church, while voveroûvras designates all the various kinds of teachers. The exhortation of the apostle then is, to regard with kindly feelings, those who laboured in any respect, whether temporal or spiritual, for the good of the church. This determines nothing, therefore, against our interpretation of ὁ προϊστάμενος in Rom. xii. 8.

From what has now been said, it is easy to explain 1 Tim. v. 17, “ Let the elders kaλs роeotŵtes, managing well [the concerns of the church], be accounted worthy of double honour [i. e. of ample maintenance], specially those who labour in word and doctrine." There were then two kinds of elders, or (to speak more accurately) there were two departments in which the πрeσẞúreро might labour; they might be pocotŵtes, i. e. standing over, taking care of, serving the temporal concerns and business, &c., of the church; or they might be specially devoted to preaching and teaching, λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ or perhaps this latter means, that they might perform the duties of a πроeστws, and

also teach and preach in addition to this. That the government of the church, in the ordinary sense of presiding over and making rules for the church, is not here meant, at least that it is not necessarily meant, seems to me quite plain, from comparing πроîσтημ and its derivates in other places. E. g. in this same epistle, iii. 13, deacons are spoken of who τέκνων καλῶς προϊστάμενοι καὶ τῶν idlov oikov, manage their own children and households well, i. e. take good care of them ; for so ver. 13 explains it, οἱ γὰρ καλῶς διακονήσαντες=καλῶς προϊστάμεν I cannot refrain from adding, that this last passage throws great light on what has been before said about & πpoïσráμevos, and serves very much to confirm it.

ναι.

So then, рoïστáμevoι and πрoeσtŵres may mean, the performers of any service or services which pertain to the external welfare and management of the church. That the Tрeoßúreрo sometimes did such services, is clear from 1 Tim. v. 17. But that others might perform them, is equally clear from Rom. xii. 8. 1 Cor. xii. 28. Rom. xvi. 2, &c.

We can now account for it, that the apostle says, in Rom. xii. 8, 'Let о "poiorάuevos do his duty év σπovdy, with diligence, i. e. with active, watchful attention and effort.' But how ev σrovdy can be applied to ruling, in the common sense of this word, has been a difficulty which has perplexed not a few, who have undertaken to expound this passage. We might exhort a ruler to perform the duties of his office with impartiality, with a due regard to justice and equity, &c.; but to exhort him to govern év σñoνdy, seems hardly congruous.

On the whole, I am brought by a kind of philological necessity to the conclusion, that church offices, in the appropriate sense of this word, are not designated by ὁ μεταδιδούς, ὁ προϊστάμενος, and ὁ ἐλεῶν in Rom. xii. 8, but that the apostle refers to individuals in the church, conspicuous for their attention to the duties respectively indicated by these words; which duties were, the giving of money or sustenance, the management of the external temporal affairs and business and interests of the church, and the succouring of the sick and unfortunate by personal attention and effort.

I render

(9) Ἡ ἀγάπη, ἀνυπόκριτος, let benevolence be sincere. ȧyáŋ benevolence here, because it seems to indicate kind feeling toward men in general. The love of the brethren is specified in ver. 10. The apostle here enjoins on Christians, to cherish a sincere and real, and not merely a pretended and apparent, feeling of kindness toward

all men.

make the Imper.; and this So κολλώμενοι, sc. ἔστε. In rộ ảyal here stand, the So πονηρόν means, even in

'Atoσtuyoũvtes, i. e. σre, which would the nature of the case evidently demands. the connexion in which rò Tornpóv and meaning is limited to malice and kindness. the classics, malicious, mischievous; and ȧyalóc is the converse of this, kind, benevolent. These two phrases, therefore, are merely an epexegesis of yarn in the preceding clause.

(10) Τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ, εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι, in respect to brotherly

love, kindly affectionate one toward another. Τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ is the Dative of relation; i. e. in connexion with adjectives or verbs, the Dative is used where the question arises, wherein, or in respect to what? which for convenience' sake may be called the Dative of relation. So often in the New Testament; e. g. vw poì raiç áкoaiç, Heb. v. 11; ȧуνооÚμεvos T роowy, Gal. i. 22; so Matt. xi. 29. Heb. xii. 3. Eph. iv. 18, et sæpe alibi. Þóσropyoɩ means affectionate, in such a manner as one is toward his own near relatives; σropyn meaning natural affection.

Τῇ τιμῇ, ἀλλήλους προηγούμενοι, in respect to honour, anticipating each other; i. e. let each one, in paying the proper tribute of respect to others, strive to anticipate his Christian brother. Προηγέομαι means, to take the lead, to go before, to set the example. The meaning is, that so far from being averse to pay that respect which is due to others, each should strive to excel the other in the performance of this duty. Christianity, therefore, is so far from banishing all civility and good manners from society, that it enjoins the greatest attention to this subject.

(11) Τῇ σπουδῇ, μὴ ὀκνηροί, as to diligence, not remiss. Τῇ σπουδῇ is evidently the same Dative of relation as before. Σπουδή here seems to be taken in the general sense; and so the passage accords with Ecc. ix. 10: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." So the next phrase explains the whole expression, by presenting the antithesis of it, viz. TO VEUμATI GEOVTES, ferventes animo, warmly engaged (as we say), fervid, active in serious earnest; comp. Acts xviii. 25, where the same expression is used to designate the fervid spirit of Apollos.-Some apply τ vεúpart here to the Divine Spirit; but I think without any good reason.

Τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες, (which Griesbach reads τῷ καιρῷ δουλεύοντες), is supported by the more important testimony of external witnesses. Griesbach has rejected it on the ground, that the less usual reading is to be preferred;' a ground which, to say the least, has many slippery places. Knapp, Morus, Bengel, and Beza, preserve kupių, and I think with good reason. I take the whole expression to mean, that all our diligence is to be consecrated to God, to be made subservient to the cause of Christ. That kupig here means the Lord Christ, the usus loquendi of Paul leaves no good room to doubt. Inasmuch as covλeuw governs the Dative, we need not insist here on the Dative of relation. But in fact, all of the Datives in this whole paragraph are of this nature; so that exactly rendered it would be, as to the Lord, obedient, engaged in his service.

(12) Ty iλñídı, xaipovτes, as to hope, joyful; i. e. rejoicing in the blessed hope of glory which the gospel inspires; and this, amid all the troubles and sorrows of life.—Τῇ θλίψει, ὑπομένοντες, ας 10 affliction, patiently enduring; i. e. since you are animated with a joyful hope, you may well be called upon to endure the troubles and sorrows of life with patience. Bretschneider, not adverting to the fact that all the Datives here are those of relation, has noticed that Vπоμέν here governs the Dative, " quod prorsus insolens est," Lex. sub ὑπομένω. It is indeed prorsus insolens; or rather, it is not at all; for θλίψει is not governed by υπομένοντες, and should be separated from it by a comma, like the example above, τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ, . . . . φιλόστοργοι. This example of τῇ θλίψει ὑπομένοντες, I may add, sufficiently confirms what is said above, respecting the Dative of relation in this whole paragraph.

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TρоσEXT TOоσкαртEроŪνтεs, as to prayer, be persevering; i.e. the way to maintain a joyful hope, and to be patient under afflictions, is to cherish the spirit of prayer and to live near to God.

(13) Taïç.... kolvwvoūvtes, in respect to the wants of the saints, be communicative; i. e. be ready to impart, be liberal, be free to give. With all these participles, ore is implied. While Christians were to

be kind towards all others, they were to be specially so towards their brethren of the church.—Τὴν φιλοξενίαν διώκοντες, readily practising hospitality. Here the construction is changed, and the Accusative after dкOVTEC is employed. Comp. 1 Tim. v. 10. Heb. xiii. 2. 1 Pet. iv. 9. 3 John, vs. 5-8. In a particular manner was this virtue necessary, in the primitive times, when Christian teachers had no regular support, and when the missionaries of the cross were labouring to diffuse the knowledge of salvation.

(14) Εὐλογεῖτε . . . . καταρᾶσθε, bless those who persecute you, bless and curse not. Comp. Matt. v. 44. Luke vi. 28.

(15) Xaípeır . . . . kλaιóvτwv, rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep; i. e. sympathize with your fellow Christians, both in joy and grief; shew that you enter with feeling into the consideration of their joys and sorrows, so as to be glad when they are glad, and sorrowful when they are in heaviness. The Infinitive Xaipei, Kλαiew, stands (as frequently in the Greek classics) for the Imperative. Strictly speaking, dei is understood in such cases, q. you must rejoice-weep, &c.

(16) Τὸ αὐτὸ εἰς ἀλλήλους φρονοῦντες, sc. ἔστε, mutually think the same thing, i. e. be agreed in your opinions and views. Whether this relates to matters that concerned spiritual or temporal affairs,