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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Bengel Commentary - Romans 8:29 - 8:29
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Rom 8:29. Προέγνω) He foreknew. Hafenreffer translates it-He formerly acknowledged. πρόθεσις, the purpose, comprehends πρόγνωσιν, foreknowledge, and προορισμὸν, predestination, for calling is annexed both to the former (πρόθεσις) and to the two latter (πρόγνωσις and προορισμός), Rom 8:28-30; Eph 1:9, where however θέλημα, His will, is in a more extensive sense, than predestination, and assuredly predestination accompanies foreknowledge, for foreknowledge takes away rejection or reprobation [casting away]: ch. Rom 11:2. Moreover reprobation [casting away] and predestination are opposed to each other.-προώρισε, συμμόρφους, predestined, (to be) conformed) He declares, who they are, whom He foreknew, namely, those who are conformed. This is the character of those [impress of God’s seal on those: referring to seal, 2Ti 2:19], who were foreknown and are to be glorified, 2Ti 2:19; Php 3:10; Php 3:21.-τῆς εἰκόνος, to the image) construed with συμμόρφους, although σύμμορφον, Php 3:10, governs the dative. Here it has more the power of a substantive with [followed by] the genitive. This likeness [conformity to His Son’s likeness] constitutes the very adoption of sons itself, not the cross or glory; for this [the glory] follows only after [not till after] justification; concerning which, see Rom 8:30 : but they who are the sons of God are the brethren of Christ [at an earlier stage in the successive links, viz. Rom 8:29]. Conformity to His cross or His glory is the consequence that follows in the train of conformity to the Son of God, Gal 4:19. So Eph 1:5, predestinating us unto the adoption of sons (children).-εἰς τὸ) The cause, why predestination is conjoined with foreknowledge, namely, Christ ought to have many brethren; but this multitude of brethren would fail, or at least would be diminished, if there were foreknowledge without predestination. Predestination overcomes everything that obstructs the salvation of believers, and changes adversity into prosperity.-εἶναι) that He might be, and might be seen to be.-πρωτότοκον, the first-born) The glorious resurrection of Christ, and of believers, is itself a kind of generation [the regeneration], Mat 19:28.