And what concord hath Christ with Belial?.... The word "Belial" is an Hebrew word, and is only used in this place in the New Testament, but often in the Old; this word is differently read and pronounced, some copies read it "Beliar", and accordingly in the Ethiopic version it is "Belhor", and by Jerom read Belvir"; but he observes, that it is more rightly called Belial": in some copies it is "Belias", and so Tertullian read it; and Jerom says, that most corruptly read it "Belias", for "Belial": some derive it from ylb, "Beli", and hle, "Alah", and signifies "without ascent"; one in a very low condition, of low life, that never rises up, and comes to any thing; to which Kimchi's etymology of the word seems to agree, who says , that Belial is a wicked man, xyluy lbw hley lb, "who does not succeed, and does not prosper": others say it signifies one that islwe ylb, "Beli Ol, without a yoke", without the yoke of the law; so Jarchi explains children of Belial, in De 13:13 without yoke, who break off the yoke of God; and so say the Talmudists,"children of Belial, are children that break off Mymv lwe, "the yoke of heaven" (i.
e. the law) from their necks;''lawless persons, who are under no subjection to God or man: others derive it from ley, "Jaal", and ylb, "Beli", and so it signifies one that is unprofitable, does no good, and is good for nothing; and it is applied in Scripture to any wicked person, or thing; it is commonly rendered by the Chaldee paraphrast, a "wicked man"; and by Aquila and Suidas it is interpreted, "an apostate", and so it is rendered here in the Arabic version; sometimes the corruption of nature is called "Belial" by the Jews , than which nothing can be more contrary to Christ; it is also a name of the devil; by Hesychius, "Beliar" is interpreted "a dragon", by which name the devil is sometimes called; and here the Syriac version is, "what concord hath Christ with Satan?"
most interpreters by Belial understand the devil, who has cast off the yoke of obedience to God, and is unprofitable, yea, noxious and hurtful to men; between whom and Christ there is no concord, but a perpetual enmity; and as there is no concord between Christ personal, and Belial the devil, so what can there be between Christ mystical the church, which goes by the name of Christ, 1Co 12:12 and wicked men, the sons of Belial; who have cast away the law of the Lord, are not subject to the law of God, nor can they be, and are become unprofitable to themselves, and others?
or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? such have no part, and shall have no part or portion in one and the same thing; the believer's part and portion are God, Christ, and an eternal inheritance; the unbeliever's part and portion will be in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; and therefore what part, society, or communion, can they have with one another?
De Nominibus Hebraicis, fol. 106. K. De Corona, c. 10. Comment. in Ephes. iv. 27. Sepher Shorashim, rad. lb. Hieronym Quaestasive Trad. Heb. in Lib. Reg. fol. 74. I. Tom. 3. & in Ephes. iv. 27. R. Abraham Seba in Tzeror Hammor, fol.
141. 4. & 142. 2. T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 111. 2. Philip Aquinas, Schindler, Cocceius, &c. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 148. 3. & 149.