be lord and king of the world, they should
receive a mere message, and at that a message rendering of no
significance at all that Law and government for which they had
expected, through that Messiah, exaltation and world-wide acceptance.
Indeed, such an issue could only mean to them having entertained a
vain hope.

5. Paul makes his teaching yet more offensive by not referring to the
Gospel simply as the word of peace, as Peter does, but by giving it
the greater and grander title, "the word of salvation"; in other
words, a doctrine calculated to heal and save. No grander name could
be found for the Gospel; for a message of salvation is an expression
of God's grace, forgiveness of sins, abiding peace and life eternal.
Moreover, these blessings were not to be bestowed upon the Jews alone;
they were to be equally shared with the gentiles, who had no knowledge
of God, of the Law, or of divine worship. The gentiles were thus to be
made the equals of the Jews, leaving the latter without preference or
special merit before God, and without advantage and lordship over the
former in the world.

6. Thus early in his discourse Paul grows blunt and severe, kneading
Jews and gentiles into one lump. Indeed, he plainly tells the Jews
that the Law of Moses did not secure to them the favor of God in the
past and would be equally profitless in the future; that through the
Gospel message, and only so, they, and all gentiles as well, were to
be delivered from sin, death and the power of the devil, and to become
God's people, with power over all. Yet he presents no other tangible
token of the great boon he calls salvation and blessedness than his
preaching alone.

Now, one may say: "The word I hear, and Paul I see, a poor human
being; but this salvation--grace, life and peace--I behold not. On the
contrary, I daily see and experience sin, terror, adversity, suffering
and death, until it seems as if in all humanity none are so utterly
forsaken by God as the Christians, who hear this message."

7. But this is precisely the precious doctrine to be learned if we are
to be God's children and sensible of his kingdom within us, a doctrine
beyond the knowledge and experience of the Jews with their Law and of
the gentiles with their wisdom drawn from reason--this it is: our
salvation stands in the word Paul here declares of Christ, a word
which, in name and reality, is a word of salvation and peace; for
salvation and peace are the blessings whic