3
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Greek and Hebrew.
Words from these languages are transliterated into English, and printed in italic type. No attempt has
been made to distinguish the short and long `o' and the short and long `e' in the Greek, nor to give an
exact phonetic spelling of the Hebrew.
Received Text (Textus Receptus)
This is the Greek New Testament from which the Authorized Version of the Bible was prepared.
Comments in this work are made with this version in mind.
Where there are textual variances between the Received Text and the Nestlé Greek Text (or other critical texts)
such variances are noted. The phrase `in the Received Text' is printed in brackets next to the word or words in
question.
INTRODUCTORY
The Form of Sound Words
The `Contents' page of a Book is primarily compiled to enable the reader to discover the page of any particular
section, but in most cases it serves another equally useful purpose, viz., that of indicating the trend of the mind of the
Author, the line of study that is pursued, and often - by its very omissions - it reveals anything that may be
considered peculiar or distinctive in its doctrine or presentation.
It will be observed that while the `Contents' of the present work does include references to the inspiration of
Scripture, the Person of Christ (God manifest in the flesh), and the great doctrines of Sin and Sacrifice, all these are
prefaced by a chapter on Apostleship in general, and the Apostleship of Paul in particular.
A little reflection will lead to the conclusion that while the Scriptures must be received as a whole, they are
nevertheless written to different people, under differing circumstances, and with differing objects; that if we are
studying `The Law' we cannot ignore the ministry of Moses, just as surely as if we are concerned with `Grace' we
must acquaint ourselves with the Epistles of Paul.
Two items of truth that are separated by several chapters in this Book must always be considered together, viz.:
(1) All Scripture is God's truth (Chapter 2); but
(2) If we would know or understand the truth, we must put into practice the great principle of `Right Division'
(Chapter 8).
In chapters 3, 4 and 5 the great doctrine of God is considered. The subject is confessedly one that is beyond our
comprehension, and even to grasp what has been revealed is the occupation of a lifetime. Nevertheless, the task had
to be undertaken, and the reader will find that in adhering to `The form of sound words' derived from the actual
testimony of the apostle Paul, we have had no occasion to attempt to explain, justify, or condemn the language of the
Creeds. To have done so would mean that we should have departed from the very `form' of words to which it was
our avowed purpose to adhere.
The Being of God Himself, in His Absolute and Unconditioned Essence, is not a legitimate enquiry for us, for
the form of sound words on the matter definitely excludes such an enquiry, saying: