17<\/strong>. and came<\/em> ] from the work of the Cross, from the Grave. “Peace” was His first word in Resurrection-life to His gathered Church (Joh 20:19<\/span>); and that Church was then, and not till then, sent to the world, “far off” as well as “nigh,” to be an “ambassador on behalf of Christ” (2Co 5:20<\/span>), representing Him in His preaching ministry of peace. Thus vicariously, but really, had He “come” to the Ephesians among others. Cp. Act 3:26<\/span>; “God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him<\/em> to bless you;<\/em> ” and, for the phrase “ preaching<\/em> peace,” Act 10:36<\/span>.<\/p>\n peace<\/em> ] The word and thought still, as before, refer immediately to the inner harmony of the New Israel, ultimately to that Israel’s “peace with God.” The next verse suggests this double reference; (1) “we both<\/em> have access &c.;” (2) “we have access unto the Father<\/em>.”<\/p>\n to you nigh<\/em> ] See on Eph 2:13<\/span>. The whole phrase is from Isa 57:19<\/span>, “Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith the Lord” (LXX., “to them<\/em> that are far off &c.”). The Apostle implicitly claims the Prophet as foretelling (whether he knew it or not) peace in and to the New Israel. The best reading here repeats “peace;” “and peace<\/strong> to them that were nigh.”<\/p>\n And came and preached peace – <\/B>That is, the system of religion which he proclaimed, was adapted to produce peace with God. This he preached personally to those who were nigh, that is, the Jews; to those who were afar off – the Gentiles – he preached it by his apostles. He was the author of the system which proclaimed salvation to both.<\/P> The word peace here refers to reconciliation with God.<\/P> To you which were afar off, … – <\/B>see the notes at Eph 2:13<\/span>; compare the notes at Act 2:39<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n Eph 2:17<\/span><\/p>\n And came and preached peace to you which were afar off.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Christ preaching peace<\/strong><\/p>\n This refers not merely to the time Christ lived as a Man upon earth, but also to His preaching through the Spirit in all after ages.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Christ is so absent from us, that He has not quite forsaken us. Whenever His Word is effectual, that is the entrance of Christ into the heart.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>What Christ purchased for us on the Cross, He applies to us by the ministry of the Word. To enjoy Christ, make much of the gospel, which is news from heaven touching righteousness and life eternal.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Christ is present, and has a part in preaching even when men preach.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>Christ preaches to all, whether Jew or Gentile, to the end of the world.<\/p>\n 5. <\/strong>After the death of Christ all are preached to.<\/p>\n 6. <\/strong>The gospel of Christ, which He and His ministers preach, is a gospel of peace. (Paul Bayne.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Peace with God<\/strong><\/p>\n When after His death on the Cross, by which He made peace between God and man, and prepared the way for peace between man and God and man and man, did our blessed Saviour come and preach peace? He came by His Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost. So that we have within the limits of this text, with the light shed on it by the immediate context–<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>By the removal of hindrances to our salvation. His atonement breaks down the middle wall of partition between God and man, and thus also between Jew and Gentile. Christs reconciliation is a scriptural fact.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>By the removal of the enmity of the carnal mind if God is reconciled to man, man must be reconciled to God. The love of Christ effects this.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>By the substitution of a new law for the law of commandments in ordinances. This new law is the all-inclusive law of love.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>By His own immediate action on the soul of the child and of the man.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>By His mediate action through the truths of the gospel. We are witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Ghost.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>By personal trust in the merits of Christ.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>By daily approach through Christ by one Spirit. This describes the method of prayer. (Clerical World.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Great Preacher<\/strong><\/p>\n The peculiar force of this reference to the preaching of peace will be perceived as we mark who the Preacher was. The Preacher to whom Paul in these words referred was God.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>To you which were afar off. And afar off indeed were these Ephesians when the message reached them, even in such hopeless estrangements from God, as described in verses 11 and 12. The change was something much more than a social transformation, a mere improvement in outward aspect and manners. Even their escape from all the fascinations and enchantments of idol worship at Ephesus would have availed them nothing had they not also been brought nigh to God by the blood of Christ. To them the vastness of the change was m a changed eternity–a glorious futurity as fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. It was marked at the same time by such a change of heart as had turned their desires toward Him who had come near to save, and had set their affections and hopes on things above. But not merely to heathen converts do these words apply. To converted souls in every age–to you, believing Christians, this message comes with the same force now as it conveyed in the days of Paul.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>It was preached also to them that were nigh–to Israel whom the ancient psalm called a people near unto Him. So nigh in virtue of external privilege, that., to them belonged the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. And yet when He came, where were they? He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. He was near in their mouth, but far from their reins.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Preached to them that were nigh, the message must have included the true Israel of God, who were nigh in the real and vital sense of the term. Is it then to be preached still to those who are now at peace with God? Is there any point in their journey at which they can afford to let this part of the gospel drop in order to go on unto perfection through other truths, or by the use, it may be, of other means than those of the gospel? Never with safety or continued health to their own souls. Never, but by some subtle wile of the enemy, who, as an angel of light, would seduce them from the continuance of their faith in this one secret of their true peace in which their great strength lies. (R. S. Muir.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Mercy waiting for applicants<\/strong><\/p>\n Abraham Lincolns doorkeeper had standing orders from him, that no matter how great might be the throng, if either senators or representatives had to wait, or to be turned away without an audience, he must see, before the day closed, every messenger who came to him with a petition for the saving of life. (Little<\/em>s Historical Lights.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The gospel preached<\/strong><\/p>\n A band of missionaries and native teachers spent a night on Darnley Island, when a project was formed to establish a mission on Murray Island. Some of the natives of this island seemed specially intent on intimidating the teachers, and convincing them that a mission there was perfectly hopeless. There are alligators there, said they, and snakes and centipedes. Hold! said Tepeso, one of the teachers, are there men there? Oh yes, was the reply, there are men, but they are such dreadful savages that it is no use your thinking of living among them. That will do, responded Tepeso. Wherever there are men missionaries are bound to go. (W. Baxendale.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Peace through Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n In the reign of Henry VIII there was a young student at Cambridge, named Bilney. He became deeply anxious about his soul. The priests prescribed fast, penance, and other observances, but he grew worse and worse. He ultimately became possessed of a copy of the New Testament, and shut himself up in his room to study it. As he read the book he came to the words, This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He laid down the book, to think on what he had read. He thus states the result:–This one sentence, through Gods inward teaching, did so rejoice my heart, being before almost in despair, that I soon found peace. Jesus Christ saves! he cried; yes, Jesus Christ saves! From that time he became a preacher of those glad tidings, and at last he suffered martyrdom.<\/p>\n True peace only in Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n Your peace, sinner, is that terribly prophetic calm which the traveller occasionally perceives upon the higher Alps. Everything is still. The birds suspend their notes, fly low, and cower down with fear. The hum of bees among the flowers is hushed. A horrible stillness rules the hour, as if death had silenced all things by stretching over them his awful sceptre. Perceive ye not what is surely at hand? The tempest is preparing, the lightning will soon cast abroad its flames of fire. Earth will rock with thunder blasts; granite peaks will be dissolved; all nature will tremble beneath the fury of the storm. Yours is that solemn calm today, sinner. Rejoice not in it, for the hurricane of wrath is coming, the whirlwind and the tribulation which shall sweep you away and utterly destroy you. (C. H. Spurgeon.<\/em>)<\/p>\n Verse 17. And came and preached peace<\/B><\/I>] Proclaimed the readiness of God to forgive and save both Jews and Gentiles. See Clarke on <\/span>Eph 2:13<\/span><\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n And came; <\/B>partly in his own person, as to the Jews, and partly by his apostles, whom he appointed to preach the gospel to the Gentiles: so 2Co 13:3<\/span>. <\/P> And preached peace to you which were afar off; <\/B>far from the knowledge of the truth, from Christ, and salvation by him, as Eph 3:13<\/span>. <\/P> And to them that were nigh; <\/B>nigh in comparison of the Gentiles, nigh by the knowledge of God and his law, and the promises of the Messiah: see Isa 57:19<\/span>. <\/P> <\/p>\n 17.<\/B> Translate, “He came andannounced glad tidings of peace.” “He came” of His ownfree love, and “announced peace” with His own mouth to theapostles (Luk 24:36<\/span>; Joh 20:19<\/span>;Joh 20:21<\/span>; Joh 20:26<\/span>);and by them to others, through His Spirit present in His Church (Joh14:18<\/span>). Ac 26:23<\/span> isstrictly parallel; after His resurrection “He showed light tothe people (‘them that were nigh’) and to the Gentiles (‘you thatwere afar off’),” by His Spirit in His ministers (compare 1Pe3:19<\/span>). <\/P> and to them<\/B>The oldestmanuscripts insert “peace” again: “And peace to them.”The repetition implies the joy with which both alike would dwellagain and again upon the welcome word “peace.” So Isa57:19<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n And came and preached peace to you which were afar off<\/strong>,…. Which is to be understood not of Christ’s coming in the flesh; for when he came in the flesh, he came only to the Jews that were nigh, and preached the Gospel in his own personal ministry to them, and not to the Gentiles, who are the persons afar off; Eph 2:12<\/span> but of his coming by his Spirit in the ministry of his apostles, to whom he gave a commission after he had made peace and reconciliation by the blood of his cross, to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the Gentiles in the furthest parts of the earth; and on whom he bestowed gifts, qualifying them for such service, and succeeded them in it by his power and grace: and the subject of their ministry was peace, Christ who is our peace, and peace made by his blood, and the Gospel of peace, which declares both these; and it is the means of making persons of peaceable dispositions; its doctrines and promises, when powerfully applied, give peace to distressed minds, and quiet to doubting saints; and it shows the way to eternal peace:<\/p>\n and to them that were nigh<\/strong>; to the Jews, to whom the Gospel of peace was preached in the first place, not only by Christ and his apostles, before his death; but by his apostles after his resurrection, and after the commission was given to preach it to the Gentiles; though they are mentioned last, because the apostle was speaking to Gentiles; and this also verifies what Christ says, the first shall be last, and the last first: the Alexandrian copy, some others, and the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, read “peace”, in this clause, as in the former; the apostle seems to have respect to Isa 57:19<\/span> a like description and distinction of Jews and Gentiles may be observed in the writings of the Jews h; so they say,<\/p>\n “the Israelites are near unto the holy King, and the rest of the nations are far from him.”<\/p>\n h Zohar in Numb. fol. 89. 3.<\/p>\n Preached peace <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). First aorist middle of <\/SPAN><\/span>. “He gospelized peace” to both Jew and Gentile, “to the far off ones” ( <\/SPAN><\/span>) and “to the nigh ones” ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). By the Cross and after the Cross Christ could preach that message. <\/P> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1) “And came and preached peace”<\/strong> (kai elthon evangelisato eirenen) “And coming, of His own accord, preached peace.” Through the coming of Christ, in the vice-gerency of the Holy Spirit, to the church on Pentecost, the church had, through Paul, preached peace through faith in Jesus Christ and they had believed, Joh 20:20-21<\/span>; Act 26:16-18<\/span>; Rom 5:1<\/span>.<\/p>\n 2) “To you which were afar off”<\/strong> (humin tois makran) “To you all (Gentiles) those once afar,” without the camp, the outer courts, on the outer borders of worship. The term “afar off” also seems to allude to the fact that as Gentile heathens, they were once afar from God’s holiness and fellowship. For the gospel came to the “Jew first,” leaving the Gentiles farther away, Rom 1:16<\/span>.<\/p>\n 3) “And to them that were nigh”<\/strong> (kai eirenen tois engus) “And peace to those very near, the Jews of natural Israel, Joh 1:11-12<\/span>. Even the twelve apostles were first instructed to “go not in the way of the Gentiles, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” Mat 10:5-6<\/span>.<\/p>\n 17. And came and preached peace. All that Christ had done towards effecting a reconciliation would have been of no service, if it had not been proclaimed by the gospel; and therefore he adds, that the fruit of this peace has now been offered both to Jews and to Gentiles. Hence it follows, that to save Gentiles as well as Jews was the design of our Savior’s coming, as the preaching of the gospel, which is addressed indiscriminately to both, makes abundantly manifest. The same order is followed in the second Epistle to the Corinthians. <\/p>\n “<\/p>\n He hath committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now, then, we are ambassadors for Christ. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin.” (2Co 5:18<\/span>.) <\/p>\n Salvation through the death of Christ is first announced, and a description is afterwards given of the manner in which Christ communicates to us himself and the benefit of his death. But here Paul dwells chiefly on this circumstance, that Gentiles are united with Jews in the Kingdom of God. Having already represented Christ as a Savior common to both, he now speaks of them as companions in the gospel. The Jews, though they possessed the law, needed the gospel also; and God had bestowed upon the Gentiles equal grace. Those therefore whom <\/p>\n “<\/p>\n God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” (Mat 19:6<\/span>.) <\/p>\n No reference to distance of place is conveyed by the words afar off and nigh. The Jews, in respect of the covenant, were nigh to God. The Gentiles, so long as they had no promise of salvation, were afar off — were banished from the kingdom of God. <\/p>\n And preached peace; not indeed by his own lips, but by the apostles. It was necessary that Christ should rise from the dead, before the Gentiles were called to the fellowship of grace. Hence that saying of our Lord, <\/p>\n “<\/p>\n I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Mat 15:24<\/span>.) <\/p>\n The apostles were forbidden, while he was still in the world, to carry their first embassy to the Gentiles. <\/p>\n “<\/p>\n Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans, enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Mat 10:5<\/span>,) <\/p>\n His apostles were afterwards employed as trumpets for proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles. What they did, not only in his name, and by his command, but as it were in his own person, is justly ascribed to none other than himself. We too speak as if Christ himself exhorted you by us. (2Co 5:20<\/span>) The faith of the gospel would be weak indeed, were we to look no higher than to men. Its whole authority is derived from viewing men as God’s instruments, and hearing Christ speak to us by their mouth. Observe here, the gospel is the message of peace, by which God declares himself to be reconciled to us, and makes known his paternal love. Take away the gospel, and war and enmity continue to subsist between God and men; and, on the other hand, the native tendency of the gospel is, to give peace and calmness to the conscience, which would otherwise be tormented by distressing alarm. <\/p>\n (17) And came and preached peace.<\/strong>The word came certainly carries back our thoughts to our Lords own preaching, when, after the Resurrection, He came and stood in the midst of them, and said, Peace be unto you (Luk. 24:36<\/span>; Joh. 20:19<\/span>; Joh. 20:21<\/span>). But we note that at that very time He repeated the salutation Peace be unto you, with the expressive addition, As my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you, and with the charge, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, for the future mission to remit or retain sins. In the same connection we have in Joh. 14:25-28<\/span>, the promise of the Comforter, and the words Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you. . . . I go away and come again to you. Hence we cannot limit His coming to the appearance after the Resurrection. At all times through the witness of the Holy Spirit, whether with or without the preaching of His servants (Joh. 15:27<\/span>), He stands at the door and knocks (Rev. 3:20<\/span>) with the message of peace. For since the peacemakers are called the children of God, He, the Son of God, must be emphatically the Peacemaker.<\/p>\n To you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.<\/strong>As the enmity was the enmity with God, so the peace is peace with God; but still the Apostle, having the idea of reunion between Jew and Gentile present to his mind, cannot refrain from bringing out clearly the call of both to one peace, and therefore to unity with one another. The passage is a quotation from Isa. 57:19<\/span>.<\/p>\n 17<\/strong>. <\/strong> And came<\/strong> From heaven to earth at his first advent, announced by angels with “on earth peace.” <\/em> His personal preaching, though limited to Jews, announced peace to all and for all. <\/p>\n And preached<\/strong> He first made Palestine his school for teaching this peace; he performed the great work of slaying the enmity by the cross; and then through his apostles, inspired by the Spirit, he proclaimed peace <\/strong> to “all nations.”<\/p>\n ‘And he came and preached good news of peace to you who were far off and to those who were near.’<\/p>\n This echoes Isa 52:7<\/span> and signifies the good news preached through His cross and through His Apostles, which brings them peace with God and peace from God. It is not likely that it means His lifetime ministry as that would put the verse out of order, for the preaching appears to be after the act of reconciliation. The main point here is that both those who had been far off (the Gentiles, compare Isa 52:13<\/span>) and those who were ‘near’ (the Jews) have had peace preached to them by Him. Peace with each other and peace with God.<\/p>\n Eph 2:17<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>To you which were afar off, <\/em><\/strong>&c.<\/strong> To those that were afar off, and to those, <\/em>&c. that is, Gentiles <\/em>and Jews. <\/em>See Junius in Wetstein. <\/p>\n Eph 2:17<\/span> . After Christ has established peace, He has come and has also proclaimed<\/em> it, to the Gentiles and the Jews. This proclamation, namely, cannot be regarded as preceding<\/em> the fact by which the peace was established, so that would apply to the bodily advent of Christ upon earth<\/em> (Chrysostom, Anselm, Estius, Holzhausen, Matthies, Harless), and the connection with Eph 2:14<\/span> would be: “Christ is peace in deed<\/em> (Eph 2:14<\/span> ) and word<\/em> (Eph 2:17<\/span> ); He not only is<\/em> peace, but He proclaimed<\/em> it Himself at His appearing on earth,” Harless. For, when it is said in Eph 2:14<\/span> , , the time thought of is, as Eph 2:14-16<\/span> show, the time after the crucifixion of Christ<\/em> , through which and since which He is our peace, so that . . . does not merely attach itself to and leave all that intervenes out of view; but, on the contrary, this intervening matter is so essentially bound up with . . . ., that now . . . can introduce not a , but only a of the crucifixion, annexing as it does the further<\/em> course of the matter. Rightly, therefore, most expositors have understood in an advent following the crucifixion of Christ<\/em> , in connection with which either the resurrection<\/em> of Christ has been thought of (Bengel, Rckert), or His having come in His Spirit<\/em> (Olshausen), or in the preaching that took place through the apostles<\/em> (so most), in which latter view is wrongly by many, as Raphel, Grotius, Wolf, Zachariae, Koppe, Rosenmller (comp. Meier), regarded as without significance; it is in truth an “insigne verbum,” Bengel. The correct explanation (comp. Eph 2:18<\/span> ) is given by Olshausen; comp. Baumgarten-Crusius and de Wette, also Hofmann, Schriftbew<\/em> . II. 1, p. 475, and Bleek. In the Holy Spirit, namely, not only according to John (Joh 14:18<\/span> , al.<\/em> ), but also according to Paul, Christ Himself<\/em> has come (in so far as it is Christ’s<\/em> Spirit) from heaven to those who have received the Spirit, and dwells and rules in them (Rom 8:9-10<\/span> ; 2Co 3:17<\/span> ; 2Co 13:5<\/span> ; Gal 2:20<\/span> ), and this proclamation<\/em> has taken place at the instance of the Spirit (Rom 8:16<\/span> ), and through the Spirit Himself (Rom 15:18<\/span> ; comp. 2Co 13:3<\/span> ). The point of time<\/em> expressed by is the conversion<\/em> of the persons concerned, at which they received the Spirit (Gal 3:2<\/span> ; Eph 1:13<\/span> ). Accordingly the apostle could, without writing at variance with history, name first the readers as original Gentiles ( ), and then the Jews; for when the Ephesians became Christians, there had already long since been converted not merely Jews<\/em> , but Gentiles and<\/em> Jews. Had he, on the other hand, meant the actual coming of Christ upon earth and His oral preaching, the historical necessity would have presented itself of mentioning first<\/em> those that were near and then<\/em> those that were afar off.<\/p>\n We may add that the concrete and vividly depicting expression ., can the less occasion surprise, as the whole passage bears the impress of emotion. Comp. also Act 26:23<\/span> .<\/p>\n ] has been, from the time of Chrysostom, ordinarily explained of peace with God<\/em> , while only a few, as Estius and Koppe, suppose peace with each other<\/em> to be included<\/em> ; but Olshausen rightly understands the latter alone<\/em> , as does also Bleek. Only this is in keeping with the whole connection (see, moreover, the immediately preceding . , and comp. Eph 2:19<\/span> ), and, moreover, has Eph 2:18<\/span> not against it, but in its favour (see on Eph 2:18<\/span> ).<\/p>\n and ] (both to be explained in accordance with Eph 2:12<\/span> , and comp. Isa 57:19<\/span> ) are dependent on , the view which immediately and most naturally suggests itself. Harless would attach both very closely to , a course to which he was impelled by his explanation of ., in order not to present the apostle as saying what is inconsistent with history (Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>Christ the procurer of peace with the Father. He is our peace (Eph 2:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The Spirit the preacher of peace with God.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>Man–whether jew or gentile–the obtainer of peace with God. We both have our access, etc.<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>First of all, let us notice how the purpose of the message of the Great Preacher is here put–He preached peace. The purpose of it was then what it is now, and will continue to be as long as there are ambassadors for Christ in the world. That peace which is the great need of earth is the actual possession of heaven. Yonder in the realms of bliss and order and perfection, there is, even amidst ceaseless activity, serene unbroken peace–the peace of those who have found their true centre and move in their proper orbits. It is what rests upon everlasting foundations. It stands out in contrast to all counterfeit appearances that raise men with bright expectations for a while, and then leave them in the end blasted with disappointment–as we are told was the experience of a great man, a German poet, who lived some years ago to old age, laden with honours and earthly blessings that rarely fall to the lot of men, but who confessed that, looking back on his past life, he could not remember a day in which he had found real happiness or true peace. That a mind wondrously gifted with the power of rising to some of the loftiest conceptions of what is noble and divine, should have been compelled at last to utter this terrible confession, is indeed striking evidence of the need of a Divine provision for mans peace.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>Observe, in the second place, where lay the special force and efficacy of the Preachers message; it was in this–that He Himself embodied His own message. His own Person and work were its theme. This gave it a reality and power which characterise the preaching of no other messenger ever heard on earth. He came and preached. And from whence, over what vast distance did He come? If a narrative of travel from one who has explored an unknown country brings before you the scenes through which he has passed with a vivid effect which it is impossible for any other person to convey, how much more should the testimony of one who has come from another world arrest your attention, and be in awful power and import (as the words of Jesus were) unparalleled and alone. He preached peace because He was–as He is–our peace. The angels at His birth had so proclaimed Him in their song. But let us notice a little more closely that Jesus embodied His own message by being Himself our peace with God. Not only was He Gods peace with us, but from what He is, and by what He did for us, there is exactly that which can make the peace already on Gods side available to us.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>This brings us to notice, in the third place, the prominence here given to preaching, as the channel through which Gods peace reaches us. The Saviour has not deemed it enough for Him to do His work, and then allow it to speak for itself, and appeal in silence to the consciences of men. No. He accompanies His work with words–with a message designed to bring out His work in all His bearings; to interpret the signs, and trace the issues of it; to unfold its preciousness, and make unceasing application of it to the heart, according to the daily wants, and the endless variety of the different circumstances of mans lot. Preaching, therefore, is the necessary accompaniment of Gods work. He came and preached peace.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>The urgent need of those to whom the message was addressed–to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n