Last updated 2/15/17

Ro. 4.13-25 explains what God meant when he said that Abraham would be the father of many nations: “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.  Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” [Bold emphasis mine]

Ge. 25:1-4 “Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.”

Several nations came through Ismael. See Ge. 25.12-18. Ge. 25:16: “These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.”

Ge. 25:23 “And the LORD said unto her (Rebekah), Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” N1 to Ge. 32.28, p48: “Both names are applied to the nation descended from Jacob. When used characteristically “Jacob” is the name for the natural posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; “Israel” for the spiritual part of the nation. See Isa 9:8. The “word” was sent to all the people, “Jacob,” but it “lighted upon Israel,” i.e. was comprehended by the spiritual part of the people. See “Israel” Ge 12:2-3; Cmt. on Ro 11:26..” Ge. 35.11-12: “And God said unto him [Jacob], I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.”

N2 to He. 8.8, p1297 “I. The Eight Covenants Summary: [This is all copied in The New Covenant file.] “I. The Eight Covenants, Summary: (1) The Edenic Covenant Cmt. on Ge 1:26 conditioned the life of man in innocency. (2) The Adamic Covenant Cmt. on Ge 3:14 conditions the life of fallen man and gives promise of a Redeemer. (3) The Noahic Covenant Cmt. on Ge 9:1. establishes the principle of human government. (4) The Abrahamic Covenant Cmt. on Ge 15:18 founds the nation of Israel, and confirms, with specific additions, the Adamic promise of redemption. (5) The Mosaic Covenant Cmt. on Ex 19:25. condemns all men, ‘for that all have sinned.’ (6) The Palestinian Covenant Cmt. on De 30:3 secures the final restoration and conversion of Israel. (7) The Davidic Covenant Cmt. on 2Sa 7:16 establishes the perpetuity of the Davidic family (fulfilled in Christ, Mt 1:1; Lu 1:31-33; Ro 1:3 and of the Davidic kingdom, over Israel, and over the whole earth; to be fulfilled in and by Christ 2Sa 7:8-17; Zec 12:8; Lu 1:31-33; Ac 15:14-17; 1Co 15:24. (8) The New covenant rests upon the sacrifice of Christ, and secures the eternal blessedness, under the Abrahamic Covenant Ga 3:13-29 of all who believe. It is absolutely unconditional, and, since no responsibility is by it committed to man, it is final and irreversible.
“II. The relation of Christ to the eight covenants is as follows: (1) To the Edenic Covenant, Christ, as the ‘second Man,’ the ‘last Adam’ 1Co 15:45-47 takes the place over all things which the first Adam lost Col 2:10; Heb 2:7-8. (2) He is the ‘Seed of the woman’ of the Adamic Covenant Ge 3:15; Joh 12:31; 1Jo 3:8; Ga 4:4; Re 20:10 and fulfilled its conditions of toil Mr 6:3 and obedience. (3) As the greatest son of Shem, in Him was fulfilled supremely the promise to Shem in the Noahic Covenant. Col 2:9. (4) He is the “Seed to whom the promises were made” in the Abrahamic Covenant; the son of Abraham obedient unto death Ge 22:18; Ga 3:16; Php 2:8. (5) He lived sinlessly under the Mosaic covenant and bore for us its curse. Ga 3:10-13. (6) He lived obediently as a Jew in the land under the Palestinian Covenant, and will yet perform it gracious promises De 28:1-30:9. (7) He is the ‘Seed,’ ‘Heir,’ and ‘King’ under the Davidic Covenant Mt 1:1; Lu 1:31-33. (8) His sacrifice is the foundation of the New Covenant Mt 26:28; 1Co 11:25.”

Gen. 12.1-3; 13; 14-18.

N3 to Gen. 15.18-21, p24 (“18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: * * *”) “The Abrahamic Covenant as formed (Gen 12.1-4) and confirmed (Gen. 13.14-17; 15.1-7; 17.1-8) is in seven distinct parts:

(1) “I will make of thee a great nation.” Fulfilled in a threefold way: (a) In a natural posterity—“as the dust of the earth” (Gen. 13.16; John 8.37), viz. the Hebrew people. (b) In a spiritual posterity”—look now toward heaven . . . so shall thy seed be” (John 8.39; Rom. 4.16, 17; 9.7, 8; Gal. 3.6, 7, 29), viz. all men of faith, whether Jew or Gentile. C) Fulfilled also through Ishmael (Gen. 17.18-20).
(2) “I will bless thee.” Fulfilled in two ways: (a) temporally (Gen. 13.14, 15, 17; 15.18; 24.34, 35); (Spiritually (Gen. 15.6; John 8.56).
(3) “And make thy name great.” Abraham’s is one of the universal names.
(4) “And thou shalt be a blessing.’ (Gal. 3.13, 14).
(5) “I will bless them that bless thee.” In fulfillment closely related to the next clause.
(6)  “And curse him that curseth thee.” Wonderfully fulfilled in the history of the dispersion.  It has invariably fared ill with the people who have persecuted the Jew—well with \those who have protected him.  The future will still more remarkably prove this principle (Deut. 30.7; Isa. 14.1, 2; Joel 3.1-8; Mic. 5.7-9; Hag. 2.22; Zech. 14.1-3; Mt. 25.40, 45).
(7) “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” This is the great evangelic promise fulfilled in Abraham’s Seed, Christ (Gal. 3.16; John 8.56-58). It brings into greater definiteness the promise of the Adamic Covenant concerning the Seed of the woman (Gen. 3.15).
NOTE.—The gift of the land is modified by prophecies of three dispossessions and restorations (Gen. 15.13, 14, 16; Jer. 25.11, 12; Deut. 28.62-65; 30.1-3). Two dispossessions and restorations have been accomplished. Israel is now in the third dispersion, from which she will be restored at the return of the Lord as King under the Davidic Covenant (Deut. 30.3; Jer. 23.5-8; Ezk. 37.21-15; Lk. 1.20-33; Acts 15.14-17).

Ge. 17 “4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee [Abraham], and thou shalt be a father of many nations.”

Ge. 17.6-8. The Abrahamic Covenant confirmed. “6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to they seed after thee. 8 and I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

Ge. 17.9-14. Circumcision established as the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant. (“11b and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.”

Ge. 22.15-24. The Abrahamic Covenant Confirmed.

N2 to Ge. 25.31, p28 (Where Esau sold his birthright). “The birthright had three elements. (1) Until the establishment of the Aaronic priesthood the head of the family exercised priestly rights. (2) The Abrahamic family held the Edenic promise of the Satan-Bruiser (Gen. 3.15)—Abel, Seth, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Esau. (3) Esau, as the firstborn, was in the direct line of the Abrahamic promise of the Earth-Blesser (Gen. 12.3). For all that was revealed, in Esau might have been fulfilled those two great Messianic promises.  This birthright Esau sold for a momentary fleshly gratification. Jacob’s conception of the birthright at that time was, doubtless, carnal and inadequate, but his desire for it evidenced true faith.”

Ge. 26.1-5. The Abrahamic Covenant confirmed to Isaac.

Ge. 27.26-33. Isaac blesses Jacob-the Abrahamic Covenant to go through him.

Ge. 28: Jacob at Bethel: The Abrahamic Covenant confirmed to Jacob.

Ge. 28.4. Isaac says Jacob and his seed to receive the blessing of Abraham.

Ge.48 “4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.”

Ex. 2:24-25 “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.”

N3 to Ex. 4.24, p75. Ex. 4:24-5 “And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.” (Cf. Ge. 17:14 The context (Ge. 4:25) interprets v. 25. Moses was forgetful of the very foundation sign of Israel’s covenant relation to Jehovah. On the eve of delivering Israel he was thus reminded that without circumcision an Israelite was cut off from the covenant. Jos. 5:3-9.)

Ex. 6:2-5: “And the LORD spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:  And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.”

Ex. 19 “5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, they ye shall b a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 * * *.”

N2 to Ex. 19.1, p93 “In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.” (At Sinai Israel learned the lessons: (1) of the holiness of Jehovah through the Commandments; (2) of their own sinfulness and weakness through failure; (3) and of the goodness of Jehovah through the provision of priesthood and sacrifice. The Christian learns through the experience of +A”>Ro 7:7-24 what Israel learned at Sinai. This division of Exodus should be read in light of Ro 3:19-27; +A”>7:7-24; Ga 4:1-3; 3:6-25 explains the relation of the law to the Abrahamic Covenant: (1) the law cannot disannul that covenant; (2) it was “added” to convict of sin; (3) it was a child-leader unto Christ; (4) it was but preparatory discipline “till the Seed should come.” Margin: third month i.e. June.)

N4 to Ex. 19.5, p93 “Cf. 1 Pet. 2.9; Rev. 1.6; 5.10. What under law, was condition, is under grace, freely given to every believer. The “if” of v. 5 is the essence of law as a method of divine dealing, and the fundamental reason why “the law made nothing perfect” (Rom. 8.3; Heb. 7.18, 19). The Abrahamic (Gen. 15.18, note) and New (Heb. 8.8-12, note) covenants minister salvation and assurance because they impose but one condition, faith.”

Ex. 32.11-14. Moses reminds God of the Abrahamic Covenant when God angry & going to consume the Isreaelites.

Le. 26.40-46. The Abrahamic Covenant remains, despite the disobedience and dispersion.  “* * * 44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. * * *.”

Headnote to Deuteronomy: “* * * It is important to note that, while the land of promise was unconditionally given to Abraham and to his seed in the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 13.15; 15.7), it was under the conditional Palestinian Covenant (Deut. 28-30.9) that Israel entered the land under Joshua. Utterly violating the conditions of the covenant, the nation was first disrupted (1 Ki. 12) and then cast out of the land (2 Ki. 17.1-18; 14.1-25.11). But the same covenant unconditionally promises a national restoration of Israel which is yet to be fulfilled (Gen. 15.18, note).”

See De. 1.8; Jer.7.7; Ezk. 36.11, 22-26, 32-36.

1 Chr. 16.15-22 (David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving after returning the ark of the covenant; this is also Psm. 105) “15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; 16 Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; 19 When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. 20 And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; 21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

Joshua 5 “15 And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.”

N1 to Joshua 5.2, p263 “Circumcision is the ‘sign’ of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 17.7-14; Rom. 4.11). ‘The reproach of Egypt’ was that, during the later years of the Egyptian bondage, this separating sign had been neglected (cf. Ex. 4.14-16), and this neglect had continued during the wilderness wanderings. The NT analogue is world conformity; the failure openly to take a believer’s place with Christ in death and resurrection (Rom. 6.2-11; Gal. 6.14-16). Spiritually it is mortifying the deeds of the body through the Spirit (Rom. 8.13; Gal. 5.16, 17; Col. 2.11, 12; 3.5-10).”

Psm. 105.6- “* * * 8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. 9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; 10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: 11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the  lot of your inheritance: * * *.”

Ps. 106: Goes over the sins of the people of Israel. “44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heart their cry: 45 And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.”

Ps. 110 and N1 p654-55: “* * * Prophetically, the Psalm looks (a) to the time when Christ will appear as the Rod of Jehovah’s strength, the Deliverer out of Zion (Rom. 11.25-27), and the conversion of Israel (v.3; Joel 2.27; Zech. 13.9. See Deut. 30.1-9, note); and (b) to the judgment upon the Gentile power which precedes the setting up of the kingdom (vs. 5, 6; Joel 3.19-17; Zech. 14.1-4; Rev. 19.11-21). * * *).”

Ps. 111: “5 * * * he will ever be mindful of his covenant.  9 * * * he hath commanded his covenant for ever * * *.”

Is. 60.14-15 “The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.”

Je. 2.3 “Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.

Je. 30.11  “For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.”

Je. 30.16 “Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.”

Eze. 35.1-15. “4 * * * [and] I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. 5 Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of  the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end. * * *.”

Eze. 38.1-39.24. Judgment on Israel’s enemies.”

Headnote to Zechariah: “* * * More than Haggai or Malachi, Zechariah gives the mind of God about the Gentile world-powers surrounding the remnant.  He has given them their authority (Dan. 2.37-40), and will hold them to account; the test, as always, being their treatment of Israel. See Gen. 15.18, note 3 clause 6;

Zech. 2 “8 For thus saith the LORD OF hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.”

Zech. 8.1-8: “* * * 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; 8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.” Zech. 8.20-23 (Jerusalem to be the religious center of the earth.).

N2 p976 to Zech. 12.8. Kingdom in OT summary.

Ro. 4.1-25 “(4) Justification by faith illustrated. 1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (5) Justifying faith defined. (See also vs. 18-21) 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. (6) Justification is apart from ordinances.) 9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. (7) Justification is apart from the law. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.  18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

Headnote to Galatians: “WRITER. The Apostle Paul (1.1)
Paul’s third visit to Corinth, The occasion of the Epistle is evident. It had come to Paul’s knowledge that the fickle Galatians, who were not Greeks, but Gauls, “a stream from the torrent of barbarians which poured into Greece in the third century before Christ,” had become the prey of the legalizers, the Judaizing missionaries from Palestine.
THEME. The theme of Galatians is the vindication of the Gospel of the grace of God from any admixture of law-conditions, which qualify or destroy its character of pure grace.
The Galatian error had two forms, both of which are refuted. The first is the teaching that obedience to the law is mingled with faith as the ground of the sinner’s justification; the second, that the justified believer is made perfect by keeping the law. Paul meets the first form of the error by a demonstration that justification is through the Abrahamic Covenant (Ge 15:18), and that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after the confirmation of that covenant, and the true purpose of which was condemnation, not justification, cannot disannul a salvation which rests upon the earlier covenant. Paul meets the second and more subtle form by vindicating the office of the Holy Spirit as Sanctifier.
The book is in seven parts: I. Salutation 1.1-5 II. Theme, 1.6-9. III. Paul’s Gospel is a revelation, 1.10-2.14. IV. Justification is by faith without law, 2.15-3.24. V. The rule of the believer’s life is gracious, not legal, 3.25-5.15. VI. Sanctification is through the Spirit, not the law, 5.16-24. VII. Exhortations and conclusion, 5.25-6.18.”

Headnote to Galatians: “WRITER. The Apostle Paul (1.1)
DATE. Galatians was probably written A.D. 60, during Paul’s third visit to Corinth, The occasion of the Epistle is evident. It had come to Paul’s knowledge that the fickle Galatians, who were not Greeks, but Gauls, “a stream from the torrent of barbarians which poured into Greece in the third century before Christ,” had become the prey of the legalizers, the Judaizing missionaries from Palestine.
THEME. The theme of Galatians is the vindication of the Gospel of the grace of God from any admixture of law-conditions, which qualify or destroy its character of pure grace.
that obedience to the law is mingled with faith as the ground of the sinner’s justification; the second, that the justified believer is made perfect by keeping the law. Paul meets the first form of the error by a demonstration that justification is through the Abrahamic Covenant (Ge 15:18), and that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after the confirmation of that covenant, and the true purpose of which was condemnation, not justification, cannot disannul a salvation which rests upon the earlier covenant. Paul meets the second and more subtle form by vindicating the office of the Holy Spirit as Sanctifier.
The book is in seven parts: I. Salutation 1.1-5 II. Theme, 1.6-9. III. Paul’s Gospel is a revelation, 1.10-2.14. IV. Justification is by faith without law, 2.15-3.24. V. The rule of the believer’s life is gracious, not legal, 3.25-5.15. VI. Sanctification is through the Spirit, not the law, 5.16-24. VII. Exhortations and conclusion, 5.25-6.18.”

Grace: N1 p1241 to Gal. 1.6: “The test of the Gospel is grace. If the message excludes grace, or mingles law with grace as the means of either of justification or sanctification Ga 2:21; 3:1-3 or denies the fact or guilt of sin which alone gives grace its occasion and opportunity, it is “another” gospel, and the preacher of it is under the anathema of God Ga 1:8-9.”

N2 p1241 to Gal. 1.10 “The demonstration is as follows: (1) The Galatians know Paul, that he is no seeker after popularity Ga 1:10. (2) He puts his known character back of the assertion that his Gospel of grace was a revelation from God (Ga 1:11-12). (3) As for the Judaizers, Paul had been a foremost Jew, and had forsaken Judaism for something better (). (4) He had preached grace years before he saw any of the other apostles (Ga 1:15-24). (5) When he did meet the other apostles they had nothing to add to his revelations Ga 2:1-6. (6) The other apostles fully recognized Paul’s apostleship. Ga 2:7-10. (7) If the legalizers pleaded Peter’s authority, the answer was that he himself had claimed none when rebuked (Ga 2:11-14).”

N1 p1242 to Gal. 1.13: “For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:” (The new dispensation of grace having come in, the Mosaic system, if still persisted in, becomes a mere “Jews’ religion.)

Gal. 3:6-9 (6) The Abrhamic Covenant is a by-faith covenant. (Cf. Rom. 4.1-22)“Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

Ga. 3.10-12 (7) the man under law-works is under the curse of the law.

Ga. 3.13-16 (8) Christ has borne our law-curse that we might have the faith-blessing.

Galatians 3:17-18 (9) The law does not add a new condition to the Abrahamic covenant of faith. “And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”

Galatians 3:26-29 The justified believer is a son in the family of God, not a servant under the law. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

N1 p1320 (imparted), Summary (See “Grace,” John 1.16): Grace is not only dispensationally a method of divine dealing in salvation (John 1.16, note), but is also the method of Gopd in the believ er’s life and service.  As saved, he is “not under the law, but under  grace” (Rom. 6.14). Having by grace brought the believer into the highest conceivable position (Eph. 1.6). god ceaselessly works through grace, to impart to, and perfect in him, corresponding graces (Hohn  15.4, 5; Gal. 5.22, 23). Grace, therefore, stqands connected with service (Rom. 12.6; 15.15, 16; 1 Cor. 1.3-7; 3/10; 15.10; 2 Cor. 12.9, 10; Gal. 2.9; Eph. 3.7, 8; 4.7; Phil 1.7; 2 Tim. 2.1, 2; 1 Pet. 4.10); with Christian growth (2 Cor. 1.12; Eph. 4.29; Col. 3.16; 4.6; 2 Thes. 1.qw; Heb. 4.16; 12.28, 29; 13.9; Jas 4.6; 1 Pet. 1.2; 3.7; 5.5, 10; 2 Pet. 3.19; Jude 4); and with giving (2 Cor. 4.15; 8.1, 6, 7, 19; 9.14).

Headnote to Mt. “The scope and purpose of the book are indicated in the first verse. Matthew is the “book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (MT. 1.1). This connects him at once with two of the most important of the Old Testament Covenants: the Davidic Covenant of kingship, and the Abrahamic Covenant of promise. 2Sa 7:8-16; Ge 15:18. Of Jesus Christ in that twofold character, then, Matthew writes. Following the order indicated in the first verse, he writes first of the King, the son of David; then of the Son of Abraham, obedient unto death, according to the Isaac type Ge 22:1-18; Heb 11:17-19.
“But the prominent character of Christ in Matthew is that of the covenanted King, David’s “righteous Branch” Jer 23:5; 33:15. Matthew records His genealogy; His birth in Bethlehem the city of David, according to Mic 5:2, the ministry of His forerunner according to Malachi Mal 3:1. His rejection by Israel; and His predictions of His second coming in power and great glory.
Only then (MT 26.-28.) does Matthew turn to the earlier covenant, and record the sacrificial death of the son of Abraham.
“This determines the purpose and structure of Matthew. It is peculiarly the Gospel for Israel; and, as flowing from the death of Christ, a Gospel for the whole world.
“Matthew falls into three principal divisions:
“I. The manifestation to Israel and rejection of Jesus Christ the Son of David, born King of the Jews, 1.1-25.46. The subdivisions of this part are:
(1) The official genealogy and birth of the King, 1. 1-25;
(2) the infancy and obscurity of the King, 2. 1-23;
(3) the kingdom “at hand,” 3. 1-12.50 (the order of events of this subdivision is indicated in the                       text);
(4) the mysteries of the kingdom, 13. 1-52;
(5) the ministry of the rejected King, 13. 53-23. 39;
(6) the promise of the King to return in power and great glory, 24.1-25.46.
II. The sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of Abraham, 26.1-28.8.
III. The risen Lord in ministry to His own, 28.9-20.
The events recorded in Matthew cover a period of 38 years (Ussher).”

Luke 1.67-80. Zacharias, filled w/the Holy Ghost, prophesies. “69 And he raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the4 hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath he sware to our father Abraham, 74That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.”

N1 p1127 to John 8.37 “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.” (Cf. v. 8:39. The contrast, “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed”–“If ye were Abraham’s children,” is that between the natural and the spiritual posterity of Abraham. The Israelitish people and Ishmaelites are the former; all who are “of like precious faith with Abraham,” whether Jews or Gentiles, are the latter Rom. 9:6-8; Gal. 3:6-14. See “Abrahamic Covenant,” Gen. 15:18, note).

N1 p1132 to John 12.23-26 “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” (He does not receive these Gentiles. A Christ in the flesh, King of the Jews, could be no proper object of faith to the Gentiles, though the Jews should have believed on Him as such. For Gentiles the corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die; Christ must be lifted up on the cross and believed in as a sacrifice for sin, as seed of Abraham, not David Joh 12:24,32; Ga 3:7-14; Eph 2:11-13. Margin: Son of man Cmt. on Mt 8:20.)