These are the apostle\u2019s own words; though he may allude to (Isaiah 33:18) where there are some phrases much like these, but the meaning is very different. Though they are interpreted by the Talmudists in a sense pretty near the apostle\u2019s; for thus they remark upon them, \u201cwhere is the Scribe? he that counts all the letters which are in the law; \u201cwhere is the receiver, or weigher?\u201d who weighs all the light and heavy things in the law; \u201cwhere is he that counted the towers?\u201d he who counts, or teaches the three hundred traditions:\u201d so that they understand these of their Scribes and Misnic doctors, and such that are curious searchers into the hidden senses of Scripture. The apostle also seems to allude to a distinction that obtained among the Jews, of wise men, Scribes, and mystical interpreters of the word. They had their ymkj, \u201cwise men\u201d, which was a general name for men of learning and knowledge; and their yrps, \u201cScribes\u201d, who interpreted the law in the literal and grammatical sense; and their yn\u00e7rd, \u201cpreachers, or disputers\u201d, who diligently searched into the hidden meaning of the Scriptures, and sought for and delivered out the mystical and allegorical sense of them, and who used to dispute about them in their schools. These three are sometimes to be met with together, and as distinct from each other. They say that \u201cGod showed to the first man every generation, wy\u00e7rwdw, \u201cand its expounders, or disputers\u201d; and every generation, wymkjw, \u201cand its wise men\u201d; and every generation, wyrpwsw, \u201cand its Scribes.\u201d\u201d And the apostle\u2019s sense is, \u201cwhere is the wise?\u201d the man that boasts of his superior wisdom and knowledge in the things of nature, whether among the Jews or Gentiles; \u201cwhere is the Scribe?\u201d the letter learned man, who takes upon him to give the literal sense of the law;<\/p>\n
The Jewish world, who pretends to the knowledge of the more abstruse and secret senses of Scripture; where are these men? they are not to be found among those that God employs in the ministration of the Gospel; he has laid them aside, and chosen others, where are they? what use have they been of to men? are men under their instructions the better, either in principle or practice? where are the thousands that have been turned to God by their wisdom, as can be shown by the faithful ministers of the Gospel? where are they? let them come and produce their cause, and bring forth their strong reasons against the Gospel they account foolishness, and try if these will stand before its superior power and wisdom; where are they? are they not fools, with all their wisdom and learning? The words may be rendered, \u201cwhere is the searcher, or inquirer of this world?\u201d and may design the same sort of persons whom the Jews call rqjmh ymkj, \u201cthe wise men of search, or inquiry\u201d, and sometimes rqjmh y\u00e7na, \u201cthe men of search, or inquiry\u201d; by whom they seem to intend such who search into the nature of things, who study natural philosophy.<\/p>\n
By bringing in the Gospel scheme, which the men of the world, the greatest wits in it, are not able to understand; by laying their wisdom aside as useless in the business of salvation; by showing it to be vain and empty, and of no service in things spiritual and divine; by detecting, through the ministration of the Gospel, the sophisms of men, and showing that the schemes both Jews and Gentiles give into abound with folly, with stupid notions, and are full of gross errors and fatal mistakes.<\/p>\n