And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me from the least to the greatest of them:

“Having bestowed on us the truly great, divine, and inalienable inheritance of the Father, deifying man by heavenly teaching, putting His laws into our minds, and writing them on our hearts. What laws does He inscribe? "That all shall know God, from small to great;" and, "I will be merciful to them," says God, "and will not remember their sins." Let us receive the laws of life, let us comply with God's expostulations; let us become acquainted with Him, that He may be gracious. And though God needs nothing let us render to Him the grateful recompense of a thankful heart and of piety, as a kind of house-rent for our dwelling here below.”

“"And they shall not teach" (he says) "every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Behold also another sign. "From the least even to the greatest of them" (he says) "they shall know Me, and they shall not say, Know the Lord." When hath this been fulfilled save now? For our religion is manifest: but theirs, i.e. the Jews', was not manifest, but had been shut up in a corner. A covenant is then said to be "new," when it is different and shows some advantage over the old. Here he shows that God counts us worthy of greater and of spiritual privileges: for it is said "their sound went out into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world." (Ps. xix. 5; Rom. x. 18.) That is the meaning of "they shall not say each man to his neighbor, Know the Lord." And again, "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as much water to cover the seas." (Isa. xi. 9.)”

“Above, the Apostle set down the conditions of the new testament from its promulgation; now he sets down three effects of it. The first is the perfect union of man to God; the second is the perfect knowledge of God, at the words and he shall not teach; the third is the remission of sins, at the words for I will be propitious. Concerning the first, it must be known that for man to be joined to God, the help of divine grace is required, because he cannot do this by his own power. Jer. 31:3: with an everlasting love have I loved you, therefore have I drawn you, taking pity on you. First, then, that union is touched upon on the part of God; second, on the part of man, at the words and they themselves shall be. He says, therefore, I will be to them a God. The name God signifies universal providence. He is then to us a God when he has care of us, and draws our hearts to himself, and this is especially with respect to the just. From this, then, that I will be to them a God, the second follows, namely that they themselves shall be to me a people, that is, they will show themselves to me as a people. For as Augustine says, II On the City of God, ch. 21: a people is an assembly of a multitude, united by agreement as to right and by community of interest. When, therefore, they agree in the right of the divine law, so that they are useful to one another and tend toward God, then it is the people of God. Apoc. 21:3: they themselves shall be his people, and God himself with them shall be their God. Then, when he says and he shall not teach, etc., he sets down the second effect of the new testament. And concerning this he does two things. For first he sets down the sign of that effect; second, the effect itself, at the words for all, etc. The sign of perfect knowledge is when someone does not need to be taught, because teaching is the way to the acquisition of knowledge, and therefore, once knowledge is perfectly acquired, teaching ceases. But is it the case that in the new testament one man does not teach another? And it seems that he does not, according to this very text. But on the contrary, because the Apostle calls himself teacher of the nations, 1 Tim. 2:7, and Eph. 4:11: others pastors, and teachers; Rom. 12:7: or he who teaches, in teaching. I answer. It must be said that what is said here can be understood in two ways. In one way, of the present state, and thus it is not verified universally of all, but only of the first founders of the new testament, namely the apostles, who were immediately instructed by God, when he opened to them their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. Lk., last chapter. The apostles, therefore, were made perfectly knowing, and were not instructed by others, but received infused wisdom at once from Christ. In another way, that it be referred to the future state of the homeland, into which we are led by the new testament, not by the old. And thus what is said here is universally true. But on the contrary: blessed men are equal to the Angels, not greater, but according to Dionysius one Angel teaches another by illuminating him; therefore a blessed man too will teach another. I answer. It must be said that there is a twofold knowledge in the blessed Angels. One which makes them blessed, namely the knowledge of the divinity, which alone makes them blessed; as Augustine says in the book of the Confessions: blessed is he who knows you, etc. The other is that which is of all the things that are other than God, of which sort are the effects of God, and this does not beatify. As to the first, then, one does not teach another, because one is not beatified through the mediation of another, but immediately by God. Ps. 35:9: in your light we shall see light. But as to the other, which is of certain mysteries, one teaches another. And this perhaps until the end of the world, for as long as the working out of the effects of God endures. And therefore he adds, saying: know the Lord, as if he were to say: he does not receive the knowledge of God. And he says his neighbor and his brother, because, although according to Augustine all men are to be loved out of charity, yet if you cannot benefit all, you ought especially to benefit those who are joined to you, either naturally, as blood-relations are, whom he here calls brothers, or by another kind of union, and such a one is a neighbor. For all shall know me, from the least even to the greatest of them. This is the reason why one will not teach another, because all will know the Lord. 1 Jn. 3:2: we shall see him as he is. In this vision, indeed, beatitude consists. Jn. 17:3: this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, etc. Jer. 9:24: in this let him glory who glories, to know and to understand me. And the blessed have this teaching not from anyone else, but from God alone. Is. 54:13: I will make all your children taught by the Lord. But that which he says, from the least, can be understood in two ways. In one way, that the older saints are called the greater. And thus greater and lesser are said according to the order of time. All, then, will know, because each one will receive his own penny, Matt. 20:9 ff. Or he says this to show the difference of rewards, because although all will know, yet one will know more than another. Matt. 5:19: he who shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For reward corresponds to merit; and this is against those who say that punishments and all merits are equal, and consequently that rewards are equal. Against whom it is said, 1 Cor. 15:41: star differs from star in brightness. Then, when he says for I will be propitious, etc., he sets down the third effect, which is the remission of guilt, which the old testament could not do. Below, 10:4: it is impossible that sins should be taken away by the blood of bulls and goats. He says, then, I will be propitious. Now iniquity and sin differ, because iniquity is opposed to justice, which indeed properly is always toward another. Therefore iniquity is said of that by which someone harms another. Job 35:8: your iniquity will harm a man who is like you. But sin is said of every defect of action, because it implies a disordering. And thus iniquity is properly toward one's neighbor, but sin is toward oneself; and this properly speaking, yet broadly, iniquity and sin are the same. And as to this he says, for I will be propitious to their iniquities, namely, by relaxing punishment in the present, and I will remember their sins no more, namely, by not punishing their sins in the future. Ez. 18:22: I will not remember all his iniquities that he has committed. Ps. 78:9: be propitious to our sins, etc., likewise v. 8: remember not our iniquities, etc. Rom. 11:29: for the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance, etc.; that is, God does not repent that he has here forgiven sins, as if by punishing again. Then, when he says but in saying a new one, etc., having as it were laid down the authority, he argues from it, and forms this reasoning: a thing is not called new except in comparison to an old, but everything that is called old signifies, as it were, that it is near to its ceasing; therefore, in saying a new one, he made the former old, that is, he gave one to understand that the former is old. But that which becomes obsolete and grows old is near to its passing away. If, then, that is old, it must be cast away. Lev. ch. 26:10: when new things come upon you, you shall cast away the old. In saying new, then, he designates the ceasing of the old. But properly speaking, nothing becomes obsolete except what is subject to time, and what is subject to time ceases in time. It is necessary, then, that that old thing cease. He says, however, becomes obsolete on account of things inanimate, but grows old on account of things animate. It must be known, however, that where we have of sins, another text has of sin; and then it is referred to original sin, which is common to all.”

“And they shall not teach every man his neighbour,.... The Alexandrian copy reads, "citizen"; that is, fellow citizen; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions: "and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord": this is not to be understood, so as to set aside the external and public ministry of the word, which is a standing ordinance of God under the Gospel dispensation; or even the, private instructions of saints one to another, in Christian conversation, whereby they may build up one another in their most holy faith; but the sense is, that men should not only teach, but the Spirit of God should teach with them, and by them; and it stands opposed to particular and pretended revelations, and especially to magisterial dictates; and denotes the abundance of knowledge that should be in Gospel times, which should not be restrained to particular persons, and sets of men, but should be shared by all believers, more or less: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest; from babes to fathers in Christ; not with a natural, but with a spiritual knowledge; not with general knowledge of him, that he is, but with a special knowledge of him, that he is theirs; not with a legal, but with an evangelical knowledge; not with the knowledge of him in, and through the creatures, but in Christ; and that not speculative, but experimental; such as is attended with faith in him, fear of him, love to him, and a cheerful obedience to his will: the knowledge of the Lord, under the New Testament dispensation, is greater than under the former dispensation; the subject matter of it is more distinct; God is more known in the persons of the Father, Son, and Spirit, in the perfections of his nature, in his titles and characters, and in his Son; the manner of it is more clear, open, and perspicuous; the persons to whom it is communicated are more numerous; it is not restrained to Jews, but is given to the Gentiles; and all this owing to a greater effusion of the Spirit; see Jo1 2:27.”

“They shall not teach every man his neighbor - Under the old covenant, properly speaking, there was no public instruction; before the erection of synagogues all worship was confined at first to the tabernacle, afterwards to the temple. When synagogues were established they were used principally for the bare reading of the law and the prophets; and scarcely any such thing as a public ministry for the continual instruction of the common people was found in the land till the time of John the Baptist, our Lord, and his apostles. It is true there were prophets who were a sort of general teachers, but neither was their ministry extended through all the people; and there were schools of the prophets and schools of the rabbins, but these were for the instruction of select persons. Hence it was necessary that every man should do what he could, under that dispensation, to instruct his neighbor and brother. But the prophecy here indicates that there should be, under the Gospel dispensation, a profusion of Divine light; and this we find to be the case by the plentiful diffusion of the sacred writings, and by an abundant Gospel ministry: and these blessings are not confined to temples or palaces, but are found in every corner of the land; so that, literally, all the people, from the least to the greatest, know and acknowledge the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. Almost every man, at least in this land, has a Bible, and can read it; and there is not a family that has not the opportunity of hearing the Gospel preached, explained, and enforced. Some have thought that from the least to the greatest is intended to signify the order in which God proceeds with a work of grace; he generally begins with the poor, and through these the great and the high often hear the Gospel of Christ.”

“They shall not teach, &c. So great shall be the light and grace of the new testament, that it shall not be necessary to inculcate to the faithful the belief and knowledge of the true God, for they shall all know him. (Challoner) — All shall know me, &c. This seems to signify that by the truths which Christ preached, and which the apostles published to all nations, the faithful in the new law should have a greater knowledge of God, of the true manner of worshipping him, and of heavenly things, and also greater and more abundant graces than they had before Christ’s coming. They shall also serve God with greater fidelity, by considering his mercy in sending them a Redeemer to free them from the slavery of sin and damnation, of which they stood guilty. (Witham)”

“Second of the "better promises" (Heb 8:6). they shall not--"they shall not have to teach" [ALFORD]. his neighbour--So Vulgate reads; but the oldest manuscripts have "his (fellow) citizen." brother--a closer and more endearing relation than fellow citizen. from the least to the greatest--Greek, "from the little one to the great one." Zac 12:8, "He that is feeble among them shall be as David." Under the old covenant, the priest's lips were to keep knowledge, and at his mouth the people were to seek the law: under the new covenant, the Holy Spirit teaches every believer. Not that the mutual teaching of brethren is excluded while the covenant is being promulgated; but when once the Holy Spirit shall have fully taught all the remission of their sins and inward sanctification, then there shall be no further' need of man teaching his fellow man. Compare Th1 4:9; Th1 5:1, an earnest of that perfect state to come. On the way to that perfect state every man should teach his neighbor. "The teaching is not hard and forced, because grace renders all teachable; for it is not the ministry of the letter, but of the spirit (Co2 3:6). The believer's firmness does not depend on the authority of human teachers. God Himself teaches" [BENGEL]. The New Testament is shorter than the Old Testament, because, instead of the details of an outward letter law, it gives the all-embracing principles of the spiritual law written on the conscience, leading one to spontaneous instinctive obedience in outward details. None save the Lord can teach effectually, "know the Lord."”