Theophylact of Ohrid, on Rom 15:8

“For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.”

“He holds to the former subject of discourse, showing that Christ did not please Himself, but accepted everything for our sake, and he persuades the Gentiles not to exalt themselves over those who believed from among the Jews. For the Jews were saved by the promise given to their fathers, while the Gentiles were saved by mercy and love for mankind alone. The meaning of what is said is as follows. To Abraham there was a promise that his seed would inherit the world (Gen. 13:15); but those who descended from Abraham all became deserving of punishment, as transgressors of the law, and therefore unworthy of the promise. Therefore Christ came and fulfilled the law, accepting among other things circumcision as well. Having fulfilled the law, accepted circumcision, and become the seed of Abraham, He extinguished the wrath of God and made us capable of receiving the promise. He accepted circumcision so that the promise of God would not remain in vain, and not in order to establish the law. Why then do you, Judaizer, cling to the law, which has already brought you into such danger that you have been deprived of the promise?”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.

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