Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 17
Overview:
God renews the
Covenant with
Abram.
(1-6) Circumcision
instituted.
(7-14) Sarai's name changed,
Isaac promised.
(15-22)
Abraham and his family are circumcised.
(23-27)
1-6 The
Covenant was to be accomplished in due time. The
promised Seed was
Christ, and Christians in him. And all who are
of
Faith are blessed with
Faithful Abram, being partakers of the
same
Covenant blessings. In token of this
Covenant his name was
changed from
Abram, "a high
Father," to
Abraham, "the
Father of
a multitude." All that the
Christian world enjoys, it is
indebted for to
Abraham and his Seed.
7-14 The
Covenant of
Grace is from
Everlasting in the counsels
of it, and to
Everlasting in the consequences of it. The token
of the
Covenant was
Circumcision. It is here said to be the
Covenant which
Abraham and his seed must keep. Those who will
have the
Lord to be to them a
God, must resolve to be to him a
people. Not only
Abraham and
Isaac, and his posterity
By Isaac,
were to be circumcised, but also
Ishmael and the
Bond-servants.
It sealed not only the
Covenant of the land of
Canaan to
Isaac's
posterity, but of
Heaven, through
Christ, to the whole
Church of
God. The outward sign is for the visible
Church; the inward
Seal
of the
Spirit is
Peculiar to those whom
God knows to be
believers, and he alone can know them. The religious observance
of this institution was required, under a very severe penalty.
It is dangerous to make
Light of Divine institutions, and to
live in the neglect of them. The
Covenant in question was one
that involved great blessings for the world in all future ages.
Even the blessedness of
Abraham himself, and all the rewards
conferred upon him, were for
Christ's sake.
Abraham was
justified, as we have seen, not
By his own
Righteousness, but
By
Faith in the promised
Messiah.
15-22 Here is the promise made to
Abraham of a son
By Sarai, in
whom the promise made to him should be fulfilled. The
Assurance
of this promise was the change of
Sarai's name into
Sarah.
Sarai
signifies my princess, as if her honour were confined to one
family only;
Sarah signifies a princess. The more favours
God
confers upon us, the more low we should be in our own eyes.
Abraham showed great joy; he laughed, it was a laughter of
delight, not of distrust. Now it was that
Abraham rejoiced to
see
Christ's
Day; now he saw it and was glad, Joh 8:56.
Abraham, dreading lest
Ishmael should be abandoned and forsaken
of
God,
Put up a petition
On his behalf.
God gives us leave in
Prayer to be particular in making known our requests. Whatever
is our care and fear, should be spread before
God in
Prayer. It
is the duty of parents to pray for their children, and the great
thing we should desire is, that they may be kept in
Covenant
with Him, and may have
Grace to walk before him in uprightness.
Common blessings are secured to
Ishmael. Outward good things are
often given to those children of godly parents who are born
after the
Flesh, for their parents' sake.
Covenant blessings are
reserved for
Isaac, and appropriated to him.
23-27 Abraham and all his family were circumcised;
So receiving
the token of the
Covenant, and distinguishing themselves from
other families that had
No part nor
Lot in the matter. It was an
implicit obedience; he did as
God said unto him, and did not ask
why or wherefore. He did it because
God bade him. It was a
speedy obedience; in the self-same
Day. Sincere obedience makes
No delay. Not only the doctrines of
Revelation, but the seals of
God's
Covenant, remind us that we are guilty, polluted sinners.
They show us our need of the
Blood of
Atonement; they point to
the promised
Saviour, and teach us to
Exercise Faith in him.
They show us that without
Regeneration, and
Sanctification By
his
Spirit, and the mortification of our corrupt and
Carnal
inclinations, we cannot be in
Covenant with
God. But let us
remember that the true
Circumcision is that of the
Heart,
By the
Spirit, Ro 2:28,29. Both under the old and new
Dispensation,
many have had the outward profession, and the outward
Seal, who
were never sealed
By the Holy
Spirit of promise.