{The highways and hedges} ( as hodous kai phragmous). The
public roads outside the city of Judaism just as the streets and
lanes were inside the city. The heathen are to be invited this
time. {Hedges} is fenced in places from phrass(935c), to fence in
( Ro 3:19 ). {Compel} (anagkason). First aorist active
imperative of anagkaz(935c), from anagk(885c) (verse 18 ). By
persuasion of course. There is no thought of compulsory
salvation. "Not to use force, but to constrain them against the
reluctance which such poor creatures would feel at accepting the
invitation of a great lord" (Vincent). As examples of such
"constraint" in this verb see Mt 14:22 Ac 26:11 Ga 6:12 .
{That my house may be filled} (hina gemisth(8869) mou ho oikos).
First aorist passive subjunctive of gemiz(935c), to fill full, old
verb from gem(935c), to be full. Effective aorist. Subjunctive with
hina in final clause. The Gentiles are to take the place that
the Jews might have had ( Ro 11:25 ). Bengel says: _Nec natura
nec gratia patitur vacuum_.
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