OLBGrk;
For the word of God: the efficacy of the word of God is a further enforcement of their studious labour to enter into God's rest, for that calleth us thereunto; even the law and doctrine of the gospel brought by the incarnate Word from heaven, preached by him to the world, dictated and inspired into the holy penmen both of the Old and New Testament by the Holy Ghost, and written by them at his call and order, 2 Peter 1:19-21; representing all those precepts and prohibitions, promises and threatenings, by which God will judge to whom this gospel hath been preached in that man whom he hath appointed: compare Hebrews 2:1,2, and Hebrews 4:1,2 of this. And this word was written by David, Psalms 95:1-11, even a word of exhortation, promise, and threatening, as opened before, and shows the perfection of this gospel law in its administration by Christ. Is quick; this word, like the incarnate Word, is zwn, not only a living word, but a quickening word, making dead sinners living Christians; souls dead in sins and trespasses, alive to God. This word, the breath of God, conveyeth spirit and life to them, 2 Timothy 3:16 1 Peter 1:23: so David experienced it, preserving the life it breathed into him, Psalms 119:50; and the members of the church, 1 Corinthians 4:15; compare 2 Corinthians 3:6,17,18; and as a rule it guideth and directeth them through Christ unto eternal life, 1 Thessalonians 6:68. And powerful; energhv it is an active word, powerful in its effects, the very ministration of the Spirit, 2 Corinthians 3:8, most efficacious and energetical for convincing, converting, comforting; and for condemning, killing: it acts like the power of God; so Romans 1:16,18. And sharper than any two-edged sword; tomwterov signifieth a cutting sharpness, as becometh several uses, as searching, letting out corruption, or for killing; all which agree to this Divine word; sharper than any sword with two mouths. The Hebrews style the edge the mouth, that which bites, teareth, or woundeth; as Revelation 1:16, and Revelation 2:12. The word for spiritual execution upon souls is more sharp, and above every other sword; there is none so piercing for cutting the heart, or killing sin in it. So is it used, Ephesians 6:17; compare Acts 2:37, Acts 7:54. It is Christ's weapon of offence and defence for his people, and it cuts without resistance; with it he is defending his truth, and smiting his enemies, Isaiah 11:4; compare Revelation 19:13,15,21. Piercing even to the dividing asunder; diiknoumenv, piercing, or going through what is smitten with it; which way soever it is turned it forceth its way through all opposition, to a dividing into parts, and separating the most nearly united and closely joined things, laying open the very entrails, the most inward in a man; where the metaphors taken from the closest parts of the person are applied to the soul. Of soul: quch may denote not so much the natural life and the faculties of that, but that which is styled the rational soul as unregenerate: see 1 Corinthians 2:14. Such an animal, carnal soul as is purely human, 1 Corinthians 3:3, which wants both a principle, light, and faculty to discern the things of God, as no natural eye can see a spirit, Romans 8:5-8. And spirit; pneumatov, the soul of man regenerate and spiritualized, called spirit, 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The soul enlightened, renewed, and governed by the Holy Ghost; not altered as to its substance, but as to its qualities; whose understanding, will, and affections are spiritualized, manifested in its actions, agreeable to the spiritual will of God, 1 Corinthians 2:10,12,14,15. These are both of them under the piercing power of the word, and the Spirit can reach them by it as he pleaseth. And of the joints and marrow: armwn are not the members, but the nerves, membranes, muscles, whereby the members or limbs are joined one to another, so as not without incision to be discovered; and the marrow within the bones, there must be a breaking or perforating them to reach it. By which metaphors are set out the hardest, compactest, and most intimate parts of a sinner, the most secret hidden ones, which no natural reason can reach; yet the word of God pierceth them, to discover either the evil or good of them, and to inflict wrath, or communicate comfort, according to their conditions. And is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart: the word of God is a most nice, exact, and critical judge, discerning the gravity and rectitude of them; it discovers and distinguisheth them as they are, or not, agreeable to itself, the fundamental truth; and is capable, as a judge, to charge or discharge, as its author will, by it, Romans 2:12,15,16; compare 1 Corinthians 14:24,25. It discovers the most inward, close, secret, and constant motions, both speculative and practical, of the soul of man inseparably united to the heart; and one with another, whether they are opinions, conceptions, resolutions, or decrees, so subtile and so secret, as who can know them, but he who made the heart? Genesis 6:5 Jeremiah 17:9.