II. She describes this sister of hers
II. She describes this sister of hers
1st, By her littleness. 2dly, By her having no breasts,
1st, She calls her "a little sister;" so the Gentile church was to the Jewish church, 1. In respect of age, being a younger sister: the Jewish church was first called, and then the Gentile; which is very fully and aptly expressed in the parable of the two sons, the elder and the younger, as is thought by some (25), the elder signifying the Jewish church at that time, which murmured at the grace of God bestowed upon the Gentiles; the younger, the Gentiles, who had lived in all manner of sin and wickedness, and was disregarded of God, but was now embraced with all demonstrations of joy, affection, and tenderness. 2. She is called so as being in some respects, less honorable than the Jewish church; "Who are Israelis," as the apostle says (Romans 9:4, 5, 3:1, 3:12), "to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came therefore," as he says, the Jew has the advantage of the Gentile, and that much every way; but chiefly, because to them were committed the oracles of God. 3. The Jewish church calling the Gentile church "a little sister," may express her pity and compassion towards her, being like a young and tender infant, that is in a forlorn and helpless condition (see Ezekiel 16:4, 5). 4. She may be called so with regard to her number of converts, either at that time, which were very few, few proselytes being then made among the Gentiles to the Jewish religion; or else, at the time when the gospel first came among them; "for this sect was every where spoken against;" and indeed the whole number of Christ's sheep, either among Jews or Gentiles, are but a "little flock, when compared with the world." 5. She was then more especially, as also at her first calling, but little in spiritual stature; her light, knowledge and faith, being but small, not having as yet arrived "to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," she was to grow up unto.
2dly, She says, that "she has no breasts;" that is, 1. She was not arrived to years of ripeness; she was not marriageable; her "breasts were not fashioned," as in Ezekiel 16:7, the time of her open espousal to Christ, by the preaching of the gospel, was not yet come. I call it the time of her open espousal to him; for she, as well as the Jewish church, her elder sister, was secretly espoused to Christ in the everlasting covenant (see Isaiah 54:5), but she was not yet espoused to him in that sense in which the apostle Paul says (2 Corinthians 11:2), of the Corinthian, which was a Gentile church, "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ;" the time fixed upon for it in ancient council not being yet come; 2. She had "no breasts;" that is, at this time she had no ministers nor ordinances, from whence she might suck and be satisfied, with the sincere milk of the word: moreover, it was some time after the gospel came among the Gentiles, that they had a settled ministry; which was fixed by the apostles, who "ordained elders in every city."