Chapter XXVII (continued, part 33)
14, "confidence;" and it also here may mean "sure confidence." Ho Ai,FOHT> translates. Thomas MAOisrEU supports Kiiglish Version, " The whole thing that follows is virtually^ontalned In the first principle; now the commencement of the things hoped for is in us tlirough the assent of faith, which virtually contains all the things hoped for." Cf. Note, ch. 6. 5, " tasted . . . powers of the world to come." Through I'alth, the future object of Christian hope, in its beginning, is already present. True
faith infers the reality of the objects believed in and noped for (v. fi). Hugo de St. Victor distinguished faith from hofie. By faith alone we are sure of eternal things that they are ; but l)y Jiope we are confident I ha t wesh A i.L HAVE them. All hope presupposes faith (Romans K. 2.')). evidence—" demonstration :" convincing proof to the believer; tS.^ Roul thereby seeing what the eye cannot see.
tln) word of God—not the personal word {Greek, logos,
.lolin 1. 1) here, hut the spoken word {Greek, rhema); though by the Instrumentality of (lie personal word (ch. 1. 2),
The Nature of FuUh, and HEBREWS XI. its Acccptahleness with God,
not made, <fec. translate as Greei:, " so that not out of things which appear hath that which is seen been made;" not as in the case of all things which we see reproduced from previously existing and visible materials, as, for in-
God. G. -without— G)'(fe/c, "apart from faith:" if one be destitute of faith (cf. Romans 11. 23). to plvase—translate, as Alford does, the Greek aorist, "It is impossible to please God at all" (Romans 8. 8). Natural amiabilities and "works done before the grace of Clirist are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith In Jesus Christ; yea, ratlier, for that they are not done as God hath willed them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin." [Article XIII., Book of Common Prayer.'] "Works not rooted in God are splendid sins. [Augustine.] he tliat cometu to God—as a worshipper
stance, the plant from the seed, the animal from the pa-
rent, Ac, has the visible world sprung into being from apparent materials. So also it is implied in the first clause of the verse that the invisible spiritual worlds were framed not from previously existing materials. Besgel explains it by distinguishing "appear," i. e., begin to he seen {viz., at creation), from that, which is seen as already in existence, not merely beginning to be seen
(ch. 7, 19). must believe once for all: G7-eeA aorist. that God is—is: is the true self-existing Jehovah (as contrasted with all so-called gods, not gods, Galatians 4.8), the source of all being, though he sees Him not (v. 1) as being "invisible" (v. 27). So Enoch : this passage implies that he had not been favoured with visible appearances of God, yet he believed in God's being, and in God's mnraX government, as the Rewarder of His diligent worshippers, in opposition to antediluvian skepticism. Also Moses was not so favoured before he left Egypt the first time, v.
so that the things seen were not made of the things which appear," i. e., which begin to be seen by us in Vie act
of creation. We were not spectators of creation; it is by faith we perceive it. 4. more excellent sacrifice—because oflTered in faith. Now faith must have some revela-
tion of God on which it fastens. The revelation in this case was doubtless God's command to sacrifice animals ("the firstlings of the flock") in token of the forfeiture of men's life by sin, and as a type of the promised bruiser of the serpent's head (Genesis 3. 15), the one coming sacri-
27, still he believed, and is—a different Greek verb from the former " is." Translate, " is eventually :" proves to be;
fice; this command is implied in God's having made coats of skin for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3. 21): for these Bkins must have been taken from animals slain in sacri-
lit., becomes, rewarder—renderer of reward. [Alford.] So God proved to be to Enoch. The reward is God Him-
fice; inasmuch as it was not for food they were slain, animal food not being permitted till after the flood; nor for mere clothing, as, were it so, clothes might have been made of the fleeces without the needless cruelty of killing the animal; but a coat of skin put on Adam from a sacri-
self diligently "souglit" and "walked with" in partial communion here, and to be fully enjoyed hereafter. Cf. Genesis 15. 1, "I am thy exceeding great reward." of them—and them only. diligenHy seek Greek, "seek out" God. Cf. "seek early," Provei-bs 8. 17. Not only "ask" and "seek," but "knock," jMatthew7. 7; cf. ch. 11.
ficed animal typified the covering or atonement (the J{ebrew for atone means to cover) resulting from Christ's
12; Luke 13. 21, "Strive" as in an agony of contest. 7. warned of God—The same Greek, ch. 8. 5, "admonished of God." moved with fear—not mere slavish fear, but as in Note, ch. 5. 7; Greek, reverential fear : opposed to the world's sneering disbelief of the revelation, and self-deceiving security. .Join "by failli" with "prepared an ark"
sacrifice. The Greek is more lit. rendered [Kennicott] by "WlCKLlFFE, "a muclimore sacrifice;" and by Queen Elizabeth's version "a greater sacrifice." A fuller, more ample sacrifice, that which partook more largely and essen-
tially of the true nature and virtue of sacrifice. [Archbishop Magee.] It wa-s not any intrinsic merit in 'tlie
(I Peter 3.20). by tlie which—faith, condemned the world—for since he believed and was saved, so might they have believed and l)een saved, so that their condemnation by God is by liis case shown to be just, righteonsness wlilch Is by (aM\— Greek. " according to faith." A Pauline thought. Noah is first called " righteous" In Genesis 6. 9. Christ calls Abel so, Matthew 23. .35. Cf. aa to Noah's righteousness, Ezekiel 14. 14, 20; 2 Peter 2.5, "a preacher of righteousness." Paul liere makes faith the principle and ground of his righteousness, heir—the consequence of sonship whicU flows from faith. 8. From the antediluvian saints he passes to the patriarchs of Israel, to whom " the promises" belonged, called—by God (Gen-
firstling of the flock'' above "the fruit of the ground."
It was God's appointment that gave it all its excellency as a sacrifice; if it had not been so, it would have been a presumptuous act of will-worship (Colossians 2. 23), and taking of a life which man had no riglit over before the flood (Genesis 9). The sacrifice seems to have been a holocaust, and the sign of tlie Divine acceptance of it was probably the consumption of it by fire from heaven (Genesis 15. 17). Hence, " to accept" a burnt sacrifice is in Hebrew "to turn it to ashes" {Margin, I'salm 20. 3). A flame seems to have issued from the Shekinah, or flaming cherubim, east of Eden ("the presence of the Lord," Gen-
esis 12.1). The oldest MSS. and Vulgate read, "He tliat was called Abraham," his name being changed from Abram to Aliraham, on the occasion of God's making with him and hi^s seed a covenant sealed liy circumcision, many years after his call out of Ur. "By faitli, he who was (afterwards) called Abraham {father of nations, Genesis 17. 5, In order to become whi<'h was the design of God's bringing him out of Ur) ol)pycd (the command of God : to be understood in this reading), so as to go out," which he shonld after receive—He had not fully received even
esis 4. 16), where the first sacrifices were offered. Cain, in tmbelieving self-righteousness, presented merely a thank
offering, not like Abel feeling his need of the propitiatory sacrifice appointed on account of sin. God"liad respect
(first) unto Abel, and (then) to his ottering" (Genesis 4. 4). Faith causes the believer's person to be accepted, and then his ottering. Even an animal sacrifice, though of God's appointment, would not have been accepted, had
it not been off'ered in faith, he obfalnetl \vitnei>s God by fire attesting His acceptance of him as "righteous by faith." his gifts—the common term for sacrifices, implying that they must be freely given, by it—by faith exhibited in his animal sacrifice, dead, yet spenketh—His blood crying from Die ground to God, sliows how precious, because of his "faitli," he was still In God's sight, even when dead. So he becomes a witness to us of the blessed
tills promise when he went out, for it was not explicitly given him till he had reached Canaan (Genesis 12. 1, C, 7). When the promise of tlie land was given him tlie Canaan ite was still in the land, and himself a si ranger; it
is In the new heaven and new eai th tliat he sliall receive his personal inheritance promised liim ; so helievcrs sojourn on earth as strangers, whilst the ungodly and Satan lord It oyer the earth ; but at Clirlst's coming that same earth which was the scene of the In-liever's conflict shall be the inheritance of Christ and His saints, y. ^lojoiirned —.as a "stranger and pilgrim." in Greek, " into, " i. e,, lie went i7ilo It and sojourned there, as in a straK{;e country—a country not belonging to liim, but to others (so the (^eek). Acta 7.5,0. dwellln;; in tabernacles — (cji^?.- aa strangers nnd sojourners do: moving from place to place,
effects of faith. 5. Faith was tlie ground of his x>teasing God; and his pleasing God was the ground of his transla-
tion, translated—(Genesis o. 22, 21.) Implying a sudden removal Cthe same Greek as In Galalians 1. 6; from mortality without death to immortality: such a change as shall pass over the living at Christ's coming (1 Corinthians 15. 51, 5'2). had this testimony viz., of .Scripture; the Greek perfect implies that this testimony continues
Still: "he has been testified of." plenned God—The Scripture testimony virtually expresses that he plfnsed
a-s having no fixed possession ol' tlieir own. In contrast
Crcd, vi2., "Knocli walked with God." LXX. translates the Hebrew for "walked with God," Genesis Q. V, pleased
to the abiding "city" {v. 10). wllli—Tlieir kind ol dwelling being the same is a proof that tlieir faith was the same
The WorlJiy Fruits of Faith HEBREWS XI. in the Fathers cf Old Tims,
from his fatherland." [Luther.] "Like ships in seas,
Tliey all alike were content to wait for their sno.l tilings hereafter (LulJe l(i. i5). Jacol) was fifteen years old at the aeath of Abraham, lielrs wltli liim of the sniiie promtse—Isaac did not inherit it from Abraham, nor Jacob from Isaac, but they all inherited it from God directly as "fellow-heirs." In ch. 6. 12, 15, 17, "the promise" means
wliile'/i, above the world." li. For—Proof that "faith"
(v. 13) was their actuating principle, declare plainly— make it plainly evident. seeW— Greek, "seek after:" implying the direction towards which their desires ever tend, a country—rather as Greek, "a fatherland." In confessing tliemselves strangers here, they evidently imply that they regard not this as their home or fatherland, but seek after another and a better. 15. As Abraham, had he desired to le.ave his pilgrim life in Canaan, and resume his former fixed habitation in Ur, among the carnal and worldly, had in his long life ample opportunities to have done so; and so spirituall}', as to all believers who came out from the world to become God's people, they might, if they had been so minded, have easily gone back. 10. Proving the truth that the old fathers did not, as some assert, "look only for transitory promises" (Article VII., Book
Vte thiiuj promised as a thing in part already attained; but
In this cli. " the promise" is of something; still See, however. Note, ch. 6. 12. 10. looked tor— Greek, " he was expecting :" waiting for with eager expectation (Romans
8.19). a.— Greek, "the city," &c., already alluded to. Worldly Enoch, son of the murdererCain, was the first to build his city here: the godly patriarchs waited for their
city hereafter (v. 16 ; ch. 12. 22 ; 13. U). foiuidations— G'reeA, "the foundations" which the tents had not, nor even men's present cities have. ivUose builder and lualter Greek, "designer [Ephesians 1. i, 11] and master-builder," or exe-
of Commoyi Prai/er). now—as the case is. is not ashamed — Greek, " is not ashamed of them." Not merely once did God call himself ^/ifi'r God, but He is now not ashamed to have Himself called so, they being alive and abiding with Him where He is. For, by the law, God cannot come into contact with anything dead. None remained dead in Clirist's presence (Luke 20. 37,38). He who is Lord and Jlaker of heaven and earth, and all things therein, when asked. What is thy name? said, omitting all His other
cutor o/ the design. The city is worthy of its Kramer and Builder (cf. v. IB; ch. S. 2). Cf. "found," Xote, ch. 12. 11. also Sara lierself—though being the weaker vessel, and though at first she doubted, was delivered of a cltild Omitted in the oldest MSS. : then translate, "and that when she was past age" (Romans 4. 19). s!ic judged Him faHUfiil wlio liad promised—after she had ceased to
d,oubt, being instructed by the angel that it was no jest, but a matter in serious earnest. I'^i. as good as dead— /i7., "deadened:" no longer having, as in youth, energetic
titles, " I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." [Theodoret.] Not only is He not a.ihamed, but glories in the name and relation to His people. The " wherefore" does not mean that God's good jjleasure is the meritorious, but the gracious, consequence
vital powers, stars . . . sand— (Genesis 22. IT.) 13-16. Summary of the characteristic excellencies of the patri-
archs' faith, died in faitli—died as believers, waiting for, not actually seeing as yet their good things iiromised to them. They were true to this principle of/iiiWieven unto, and especially in, their dying hour (cf. v. 20). These all beginning with "Abraham" (u. 8), to whom tite promises
of their obedience (that obedience being the result of His Spirit's work in them in the first Instance). He first so "called" Himself, then they so called Him. for—proof of His being "their God," viz., "He hath prepared (in His eternal counsels, Matthew 20. 23 ; 2.3. 34, and by the progressive acts of redemption, John 14. 2) for them a city," the city in which He Himself reigns, so that their yearning desires shall not be disappointed (v. 14, 16). a city—on
ti'e?-e )((«(/e (Galatians 3. 10), and who is alluded to in the end of I'. 13 and iu i). 13. [Bengel and Alfokd.J But the "all" can hardly but include Abel, Enocii, and Noali. Now as these did not receive the promise of entering lit-
eral Canaan, some other promise made in the first ages, and often repealed, must be that meant, viz., the promise of n coming Redeemer made to Adam, I'iz., "the seed of tlie woman shall l)ruise the serpent's head." Thus the prom-
its garniture by God (cf. Revelation 21. 10-27). 17. offered up— "hath offered up," as if the work and its praise were yet enduring. [Alford.] As far as His intention was concerned, he did sacriUce Isaac; and in actual fact " he oirered him," as far as the presentation of him on the altar ns an offering to God is concerned, tried— Cre**, "tempted," as in Genesis 22. 1. Put to the proof of his
ises cannot have been merely temporal, for Abel and Enoch mentioned here received no temporal promise. [Archbishop Magee.] This promise of eternal redemption is the inner essence of the promises made to Abrahan\ (Galatians 3. lOi. not having received—It was this that constituted their "faith." If.they had "received" the THING I'KOMisKi) (so "the promises" here mean: the plural is used because of the frequent renewal of the prom-
failli. Not that God "tempts" to sin, but God "tempts"' in the sense of proving or trying (James 1. 13-15. and—and
so. he tlint Und received—rather as Grfe/t, "accepted,"
i. e., ireleomed and embraced by I'alth, not merely "had the promises," as in ch. 7. 6. This added to the dilflculty in the way of his faith, that it was in Isaac's posterity the promises were to he fulfilled ; how then could they be ful-
ise to the patriarchs: verse 17 says he did receive the promises, but not the thing promised), it would have been
sight, unt faith, seen them afar off—(.John 8.
.')().) Christ, as the Word, was preached to the Old Testament be-
filled if Isaac were sacrificed? offered np—rather as Greek, " was offering up ;" he was in the act of offering, his only-l>esotten son—Cf. Genesis 22. 2, "Take now thy son, thine only son." EtiSEBlus, Prfpparatio Evn7igelica, 1. 10, and 4. 16, has preserved a fragment of a Greek tratislation of Sanchonlatho, which mentions a mystical sacrifice of the Phoenicians, wher<'in a prince In royal robes was the
lievers, and so became the seed of life to their souls, as lb?
is to ours, and were persuaded of them—The olil(>sl MSS. omit this clause, embraced tliem—as though they were not "afar off," but within rearh, so as to draw them to themselves and clasp them in their embrace. Trench denies that the Old Testament believers onhmccfM hem,
for they only saw them afar off: lie translates, "saluted them," as the homeward-bound mariner, recognizing from afar the well-known promontories of his native land. ALFOun translates, "greeted tliem." .Jacob's e.\clajnatlon, "I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord" ((Jen-
offerer, .and his only son was to be the victim: this evidently was a tradition derived from Abraham's offering,
aiul handed down through Esau or Edom, Isaac's son. Isaac was Abraham's "only-begotten son" In resjicct of Sarah and the promises: he sent away his other sons, by other wives (Genesis 2.3. 6). Abraham is a type of the Father not sparing His only-begotten .Son to fulfil the Divine purpose of love. God nowhere in the Mosaic law allowed human sacrifices, Hiough Ho claimed the first-- born of Israel as His. 18. Of whom—rather as Greek "Me (Al>raiia.m, not Isaac) TO whom it was said." [Al-
•isis 49. IS), is such a greeting of salvation from afar(I)EHrzscH]. eonfessed . . . were 8tran{j;ers—sn Al)raliam to thechildren of lleth (Genesis 2.'!. 4) ; an<l .Jacob to Pharaoh (Genesis 47. 9; I'salm 119. 19). Worldly men hold fast the world ; believers sit loose to It. Citizens of the 7vorld do not conless thenisclvi's " strangers on the earth." pilgrims —Greek, " tciiipfirary (lit., l>i/ the ica,!/) sojourners." on the enrtli—contrasted with "an heavenly" (u. hi): "our eitnenship Is In heaven" (Greek: ch. 10.31; I'salm 119.54;
FOKT).] Benoel sujiports /?/i,f//i.'.7t Version. So ch. 1. 7 u.ses the same Greek preposition, "unto," for "In respect to." or "of." This verse gives a definition of the "only-bogotten Son" (v. 17). in Isaac ohall thy seed be called—
lMil)i ppians 20). "Whosoever professes that he has a Father In heaven, conf(^s8es himself a stranger on earth ; hence there is In the heart an ardent longing, like that
((ienesis 21. 12.) The posterity of Isaac alone shall be aocountcd as the seed of Abraham, which Is the heir of tlia promises (Romans 9. 7). 1«. Faith answered the objoo-
Of a child living among strangers, m want and grief, far
ITJ.
I7i: TVV^Ay FruUs of Faith HEEKEWS XT. in the Fallars of Old Time.
ttopa which reason broiTght against God's command to
looked to God's promise of Canaan being fulfilled, and desired tliat his bones should rest there: testifying thus (1.) that he had no doulit of his posterity obtaining the promised land, and (2.) that he believed in the resurrection of the body, and the enjoyment in it of the lieavenly Canaan. His wisli was fulfilled (.Joshua 24 . 32
At>r>.iiam to otTer Isaac, by siis^jiesting Miat wliat God
hu'i promised He l)Oth could and would perl'oi rn, however
irnpoi.Kible the perl'orniance might seem (Romans 4. 20,
yi;. able to rnUe /am—rather, in f^eneral, "alile to raise from tlie dead.'' Cf. Romans i. 17, "God wlio quickeneth ihe dead." The quickening of Sarah's dead wonil) suggested the tliouglil of God's power to raise even tlie dead,
Acts 4. 1(5). >i3. parents—So the LXX. have tlie plural,
viz., Anira-m and Jochebed (Numbers 2i;.r)9) ; but Exodus 2.
2, the mother alone is mentioned ; but doubtless Amrain sanctioned all she did, and secresy being their object, he did not appear prominent in what was done, a proper child— Greek, "a comely child." Acts 7.20, "exceeding fair," Greek, "fair to God." Tlie "faith" of his parents in saving the child must have had some Divine revelation to rest on (probably at the time of his birth), which marked tlieir "exceeding fair" babe as one whom God designed to do a great work by. His beauty was probably "the sign " appointed by God to assure their faitli. tlie king's commandment— to slay all the males (Exodus 1. 22). 34. So far tromfait/i being opposed to Moses, he was an eminent example of it. [Bengei,.] refused—in believing self-denial, when he might possibly have succeeded at last to the throne of Egypt. Thermutis, Pharaoh's daughter, according to the tradition which Paul under the Spirit sanctions, adopted him, as Josephus says, with the consent of the king. Joseplins states that when a child, he threw on the ground the diadem puton him in jest, a pres.age of his subsequent formal rejection of Thermutis' adoption of him. Faith made him to prefer the adoption of the King of kings, unseen, and so to choose (v. 25, 26) things, the very last which flesh and blood relish. 35. He balanced the best of the world witli the worst of religion, and decidedly chose tlie latter. "Choosing" implies a deliberate resolution, not a hasty impulse. He was forty years old, a time when the judgment is matured, for a season—If the world has " pleasure " {Greek, "enjoyment") to ofTer, it is but /or a season. If religion bring with it "affliction," it too is but for a season ; whereas its " pleasures are for evermore." 36. Kstceming—Inasmuch as he esteemed, thereproacli of Christ— (. e., the reproach wliicli fulls on the Church, and which Christ regard.s as His own reproach. He being the Head, and the Church (both of the Old and New Testament) His body. Israel typified Christ ; Israel's sufTerlngs were Christ's sufTerings
t'nougli no instance of it had as yet occurred, lie received lilin—" received him back." [Alfokd.] In a figure— Greek, "in a parable." Alford explains, "Received him hack, risen liom that death which he liad undergone in, under, the figure of the ram." I prefer with Bishop PeauSON, EsTius, and Gkegokv of Nyssa, understanding tlie
figure to be the representation wliich the wliole Kcene gave to Abraham of Christ in His death (typified liy Isaac's ofTering in intention, and the ram's actual snl)- Btltution answering to Christ's vicarious deatli), and in His resurrection (typified by Al)raham's receiving liini back alive from the jaws of deatli, cf. 2 Corinthians 1. it,
10); just as on the day of atonement the slain goat and tlie scape-goat together formed one joint rite representing Christ's death and resurrection. It was tlien tliat Abraham saw Christ's day (John 8. oK): accounting God was able to raise even from the dead : from which state of the dead he received him back as a type of Die resurrection in
Christ, 20. Jacob is put before Esau, as lieir of tlie cliief,
viz., the spiritual blessing, concerning things to come— Greek, "even concerning things to come:" not only concerning things present. Isaac, by faith, assigned to his sons things future, as if they were present. 2i. both the Bons Greek, "each of the sons" (Genesis 47. 29; 4S. 8-'20). He knew not Joseph's sons, and could not distinguish them by sight, yet lie did distinyuish them by faith, transposing his hands intentionally, so as to lay his riglit hand on the younger, Epliraim, wliose posterity was to be greater than tliat of Manasseli : he also adopted tliese gi-andchildren as his own sons, after having transferred
tlie right of primogeniture to Josepli (Genesis 48. 11). and worshipped, >Stc.—This did not take place in immediate connection with the foregoing, but before it, when Jacob made Joseph .swear that he would bury him witli his fathers in Canaan, not in Egypt. Tlie assurance tliat Joseph would do so filled him with pious gratitude to God, which he expressed by raising himself on liis bed
(cf. 2 Corinthians 1. 5; Colossians 1. 24). As uncircumcision was Egypt's reproach, so circumcision was the badge of Israel's expectation of Clirist, which Moses especially cherished, and which the Gentiles reproached Israel on account of. Christ's people's reproach will ere long bo their great glory, had respect anto— Greek, "tiirnijig his c^f« «!ca,!//»-om other considerations, Ae fixed them on the (eternal) recompense" (v. 30, 40). 37. not fearing tlie wrath of the king—But in Exodus 2. 14 it is said, "Moses feared, and fled from the face of Pliaraoh." He was afraid,
to an attitude oi worship. His faith, as Josepli's (v. 22), consisted in his so confidentially aiiticip:iting tlie fulfilment of God's promise of Canaan to his de.sceiulants, as
to desire to be buried there jus his proper possession, leaning upon the top of his st.tir—Genesis 47. 31, Hfbrew and English Version, " upon the bed's head." LXX. trans-
IrUe as Paul here. jEKOMEjnstly reprobates the notion of modern Rome, that Jacob worshipped the top of Joseph's
ttaff, having on it an image of Josepli's power, to whicli Jacob bowed in recognition of tlie future sovereignty of his son's tribe, the father bowing to the son! The Hebrew, as translated In English Version, sets it aside: the bed is alluded to afterwards (Genesis 48. 2; 49. ."8), and it is likely that Jacob turned himself In his bed so as to liave his face toward the pillow, Isaiah ;58. 2 (there are no bedsteads \n the East). Paul by adopting the LXX. version, brings out, under the Spirit, an additional fact, viz., that the aged patriarch used his oion (not Joseph's) staff to lean on in worshipping on his bed. The staff, too, was the emblem of his pilgrim stale here on his way to his heavenly city (v. 13, 14), wherein God had so wonderfully supported him. Genesis 32. 10, "With my staff I passed over Jordan, and now I am become," &c. fcf. E.xodus 12.
and fled from the danger where no duty called him to stay (to have stayed without call of duty would have been to tempt Providence, and to sacrifice fiis hopeofbeing Israel's future deliverer according to the Divine intimations ; his great aim, iVo<e, I'. '23). He did not fear the king so as to neglect his duty and not return when God called him. It was in spite of the king's prohibition lie left Egypt, not fearing the con-soquences which were likely to overtake him if he should be caught, after having. In defiance of the king,
left Egypt. If he had stayed and resumed his position as adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter, his slaughter of the Egyptian would doubtless have been connived at; but his resolution to take his portion with oppressed Israel, which he could not have done had he stayed, was the motive of his fiight, and constituted the " faith " of tliisact, according to the express statement here. The exodus of Moses with Israel cannotbe meant here, for it was made, not in defiance, but by the desire, of the king. Besides, tlie chronological order would be broken thus, the next particular specified here, viz., the institution of tlie Passover, having taken place before tlie exodus. Besides, it Is Moses' /vrsona, history and faith wliich are here described. The faith of the people ("thev passed") Is not introduced till u. 29. endured—steadfast in faith amidst trials. He had lied, 473
11; Mark 6. 8). In 1 Kings 1. 47, the same tiling is said of David's " bowing on his bed," an a<'t of adoring tlianltsglvlng to God for God's favour to his son before death. He omits the more leading blessing of the twelve sons of Jacob; because "he plucks only the flowers which stand by his way, and leaves the whole meadow full to his readers." (Df-LITZSCH m Ai-fokd.] 2!4. \vl»en l»e died—"when dying." the departing — " the e.xoilus" (Genesis 50. 24, 2.'>). Joseph's emineni position in Egypt did not make him regaid it as liis home: in faith Ue
The Worthy Fruits of Faith HEBREWS XI. in the Fathers of Old Time.
no< so much from /ear 0/ PJiarnoh, a.fi from a revulsion of feeling in finding God's people insensible to their high destiny, and from disappointment at not liaving been able to inspire them with tliose hopes for which lie had sacrificed all his earthly prospects. This accounts for his Strange reluctance and despondency when commissioned by God to go and arouse the people (Exodus 3. 15 ; 4. 1, lU-12).
escaped . . . sivord—.So Jephthah (Judges 12. 3) ; and so David escaped Saul's sword (1 .Samuel 18. 11; 19. 10, 12) ; Elijah
(1 Kings 19. 1, &c. ; 2 Kings 6. 14). owt of ivenkness . . . made strong— Samson (Judges 16. 28; 15. 19), Hezekiah (Isaiah 37. and 38.) Milton says of the martyrs, "They shook the powers of darkness with the irresistible power of weakness." valiant in light—Barak (Judges 4. 14, 15). And the Maccabees, the sons of Matthias, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon, who delivered the Jews froia their cruel oppressor, Antiochus of Syria, armies—lit., camps referring to Judges 7. 21. But the reference may be to the Maccabees having put to flight the Syrians and other foes. 35. Women received their dead raised— as the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17. 17, &c. ; 22). The .Shunammite (2 Kings 4. 17, &c. ; .35). The two oldest MSS. read, "They received women of aliens by raising their dead.'' 1 Kings 17. 24 shows that the raising of the widow's son by Elijah, led her to the faith, so that he thus took her Into fellowship, an alien though she was. Christ, in Luke 4.26, makes especial mention of the fact that Eli-
seeiiij^ Itim . . . invisible—as though he had not to do with men, but only with God, ever before his eyes by
faith, tliough invisible to the bodily eye (Romans 1. 20; 1 Timothy 1. 17; 6. 16). Hence he feared not the wrath of
visible man; the characteristic of faith (v. 1 ; Luke 12. 4, 5). 88. kept^Greek, "hathkept," the Passover being, in Paul's day, still observed. His faith here was his belief in the invisible God's promise that the destroying angel sliould pass over, and not touch the inmates of the blood-sprinkled
houses (Exodus 12. 23). "He acquiesced in the bare word ofGod where thethingitselfwasnotapparent." [Calvin.] the flrst-l3on\— Greek "neuter;" both of man and beast. 89. tliey—Moses and Israel. Red Sea—called so from its red sea-weed, or rather from Edom (meaning red), whose country adjoined it. wKlcli . . . assaying to do Greek, "of which (Red Sea) the Egyptians having made experiment." Rashness awA presumption mistaken by many for
jah was sent to an alien from Israel, a woman of Sarepta. Thus Paul may quote this as an instance of Elijah's faith, that at God's command he went to a Gentile city of Sidonia (contrary to Jewish prejudices), and there, as the fruit of faith, not only raised her dead son, but received her as a convert into the family of QoH, as Vulgate reads. Still, English Version may be the right reading, and Greek, " but ;" in contrast to those raised again to life, tortured —" broken on the wheel." Eleazar (2 Maccabees 6. 18, end
faith; with similar rash presumption many rush into eternity. The same thing when done by the believer, and when done by the unbeliever, is not the same thing. [Bengel.] What was faith in Israel, was presumption in the Egyptians, were droiviied Greek, "were swallowed up," or " engulfed." They sank in the sands as much as in the waves of the Red Sea. Cf. Exodus 15. 12, "the earth swallowed them." 30. The soundings of trumpets, though one were to sound for ten thousand years, cannot throw down walls, hnt faith can do all things. [ChrysosTOM.] seven days—whereas sieges often last for years. 31. Rahab showed her " faith " in her confession, Joshua 2. 9,
19. 20, 30). The sufferer -n'as stretched on an instrument like a drum-head, and scourged to death, not accepting deliverance—when offered to them. So the seven broth-
ers, 2 Maccabees 7. 9, 11, 14, 29, 36; and Eleazar, 2 Maccabees 6.21,28,30, "Though I might have been delivered from death, I endure these severe pains, being beaten." a better resurrection — than that of the women's children "raised to life again;" or, than the resurrection which their foes could give them by delivering them from death (Daniel 12. 2; Luke 20. 35; Philippians 3. 11). The fourth of the brethren (referring to Daniel 12. 2)said to King Antiochus, "To be put to death by men, is to be chosen to look onward for the hopes which are of God, to be raised up again by Him; but for thee there is no resurrection to
11, " I know that Jehovah hath given j'ou the land; Jehovah your God, is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." tlie liarlot—her former life adds to the marvel of her repentance, faith and preservation (Matthew 21. 31,
32). believed not—Greek, " were disobedient," viz., to the will of God manifested by the miracles wrought in behalf of Israel (Joshua 2. 8-11). received—in her house (Joshua
life." The writer of 2 Maccabees expressly disclaims inspira-
2. 1, 4, 6). -witli peace—peaceably ; so that they had nothing to fear in her house. Thus Paul, quoting the same examples (v. 17, 31) for the power of faith, as James (2. 21, 2.5; see my notes there) does for justification by Mwfcs evident-
tion, which prevents our mistaking Paul's allusion here to it as If it sanctioned the Apocrypha as inspired. In quoting Daniel, he quotes a book claiming inspiration, and so tacitly sanctions that claim. 36. others—of a different class of confessors for the truth (the Greek is difl'ereiit from that for " others," v. 35, allot, heteroi). trial—testing their /ai'/A. imprisonment—as Hanani (2 Chronicles 16.
ially, shows that in maintaining justification by faith alone, he means not a dead faith, but "faith which worketh by love " {Galatians 5. 6). 33. tlie time—suitable for the length of an Epistle. He accumulates collectively some out of many examples of faith. Gedeon—put before Barak, not chronologically, but as being more celebrated. Just as Samson for tlie same reason is put before Jephthae. The mention of Jephthae as an example of "faith," makes
10), imprisoned by Asa. Micalah, the son of Inilali, by Ahab (1 Kings 22. 26, 27). 37. stoned—as Zechariah, son of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24. 20-22; Matthew 2.3. 35). sawn asunder—as Isaiah was said to have been by Manasseh ; but see my Introduction to Isaiah, tempted by their foes, in the midst of their tortures, to renounce their faith ; the most bitter aggravation of them. Or else, by those of their own household, as Job was [Estius] ; or by the fiery darts of Satan, as Jesus was in his last trials. [Glassius.] Probably it included all three; they were templed iu every possible way, by friends and foes, by luiman and Satanic agents, by caresses and afflictions, by words and deeds, to forsake God, but In vain, through the power of faith, sword— " they died In the murder of thi; sword." In D. 34 the contrary Is given as an cll'ec^t of faith, "they escaped the edge of the sword." Both alike are marvellous etl'ects of faith. It both a(^c<)mplishes great tilings and sutlers great things, without counting it suHerlng, [Chryhostom.] UrIJuh was so slain by .lehoiakim (Joro-
It unlikely he sacrificed the life of his daughter for a rash vow. David, the warrior king and prophet, forms the transition from warrior chiefs to the "prophets," of whom ".Samuel" is mentioned as the first. 33. siibdncd kiu<;doms—as David did (2 Samuel 8. 1, &c.); so also Gideon subdued Mldian (Judges 7). tvronglit righteousness—as Samuel did (1 Samuel 8. 0 ; 12. 3-213 ; 1.5. 33; and David, 2 Samuel 8. 15). obtained promises—as " the prophets" (v. 32) did; for through them the promises were given {cf. Daniel 9. 21). [ISengei..] Rather, "obtained the fulfilment of promises," which had been previously the object of their /rtrt/i (Joshua 21. 15; 1 Kings 8. .50). Indeed, Gideon, Barak, Ac, also obtained the things which God promised. Not "llie promises," which are still future
(u. 1.3, 39). stopped the moutlis of lions—Note the words, "because ho believed in his God." Also Samson (Judges
niiiih 26. 23) ; and the prophets in Israel (I JCIngs 1!). 10). in slieep-sltlns-as Elijah (1 Kings 19. 13, LXX.) Tliey were white ; as the "goat-skins" were black (cf. Zechariah 13.4). tormented Greek, "In evil state. SH. Of whom tlie world was not worthy—.So far fr<!m their being unworthy of living In the world, as their exile In deserts,
14, 6), David (1 Samuel 17. 34-37), Benalali (2 Samuel 2:j. 20). 34. Q,uenclied the violence of lire—(Daniel 3.27.) Not merely "quenched the fire," but " quenched the power (so the Greek) of the fire." Daniel 3. and (>. record t he last miracles of the Old Testament. So the martyrs of the Ri-forinatlon, though not escaping the ftrc, were (h^livered from Us having powareally or lastingly to hurt them.
&c., might seem to imply, " the world was not worthy of them." The world. In shutting them out, shut out frulu
HEBREWS XII.
God^s Pfovision for Believers.
Exhortation to Faith, Patience, etc.
us." The image is from a"race,"an image common even in Palestine from the time of the Groeco-Maceannian empire, which introduced such Greelc usages as national games. The " witnesses" answer to the spectators pressing round to see the competitors in Uieir contest for the prize (Philippians 3. 14). Those "witnessed of" (Greek, ch. 11. 5, 39) become in their turn " witnesses" in a twofold way: (1.) attesting by their own case the faithfulness of God to His people [Alford) (ch. 6. 12), some of Ihem martyrs in the modern sense; (2.) witnessing our struggle of faith; however, this second sense of "witnesses," though agreeing with the image here if it is to be pressed,
Itself a source of blessing ; such as Joseph proved to Potiphar (Genesis 39. 5), and Jacolj to Laban (Genesis 30. 27). In condemning tliem, tlie world condemned itself, caves —lit., "chinks." Palestine, from its hilly character, abounds in fissures and caves, affording shelter to tlie persecuted, as the fifty hid by Obadiah (1 Kings 18. 4, 13) and Elijah (1 Kings 19.8, 13); and Mattathias and his sons (1 Maccabees 2.28, 29); and Judas Maccabeus (2 Maccabees
6.27). 39. having obtained a good report Greek," being borne witness of." Though they were so, yet " they received not the promise," t. e., the final completion, of " salvation" promised at Christ's coming again (ch. 9. 28); "the eternal Inheritance" (oh. 9. 15). Abraliam did obtain the very thing pjoniiserf (ch. 6. 15) in part, viz., blessedness in toul after death, by virtue of faith in Christ about to come; the full blessedness of body and soul shall not be
is not positively, unequivocally, and directly saatMneA by Scripture. It gives vividness to the image; as the crowd of spectators gave additional spirit to tlie combatants, so the cloud of witnesses who have themselves been in the same contest, ought to increase our earnestness, testifying, as they do, to God's faithfulness. weigUt—As corporeal unwieldiness was, through a disciplinary diet, laid aside by candidates for the prize in racing; so carnal and worldly lusts, and all, whether from without or within, that would Impede the heavenly runner, are the spiritual weight to be laid aside. " Encumbrance," aZ? mperfluotia weight ; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, and even harmless and otherwise useful things which would positively retard us (Mark 10. 50, the blind man casting away his garment to come to Jesus; 9. 42-18; cf. Epliesians 4. 22; Colossians 3. 9, 10). the sin which doth so easily beset us Greek, " sin which easily stands around us;" so Luther, " wliich always so clings to us;" "sinful propensity always surrounding us, ever present and ready." [Wahl.] It is not primarily "the
till the full number of the elect shall be accomplislied, and all togetlier, no one preceding the other, shall enter on the full glory and bliss. Moreover, in another point of view, " It is probable that some accumulation of blessedness was added to holy souls, wlien Christ came and fnlfilled all things; even as at His burial many ro.se from the dead, who doubtless ascended to heaven with Him" [Fl-ACius in Benqel] (cf. JVote, Ephesians 4. 8). The perfecting of believers in title, and in respect to conscience, took place, once for all, at the death of Christ, by virtue of His being made by death perfect as Saviour. Their perfecting in soul at, and ever after Christ's death, took, place, and takes place at their death. But the universal and final perfecting wilt not take place till Christ's coming. *0. pro-»-ided—with Divine forethought from eternity (cf. Genesis 22. 8, li). some better tUing for us—(ch.
7. 19)—than they had here. They had not in this world, "apart from us" (so the Greek is for " without us," i. e., they had to wait for us for), the clear revelation of the promised salvation actuall.v accomplished, as we now have it In Christ; in their state beyond the grave their touls also seem to have attained an increase of heavenly bliss on the death and ascension of Christ ; and they shall not attain the full and final glory in body and soul (the regeneration of the creature), until the full number of the elect (including us with them) is completed. The Fathers, Cbrysostom, &c., restricted the meaning of v. 39, 40 to this last truth, and I incline to this view. The connection is, "You,Hebrews, may far more easily exercise patience than Old Testament believers; for they had mucli longer to wait, and are still waiting until tlie elect are all gathered In; you, on the contrary, have not to wait for them." [EsTius.] I think his object in these verses (39, 40) is to warn Hebrew Christians against their tendency to relapse into Judaism. "Though the Old Testament worthies attained such eminence by faith, they are not above us in privileges, but the reverse." It Is not we who are perfected with them, but rather they with us. They waited for His coming; we enjoy Him as having come (ch. 1. 1; 2. 3). Christ's death, the means of perfecting what the .Jewish law could not perfect, was reserved for our time. Cf. ch. 12.
sin," &o., but sin in general, with, howevei', especial reference to "apostasy," against which he had already warned them, as one to which they might gradually be seduced ; the besetting sin of the Hebrews, unbelief, with patience Greek. " in persevering endurance" (cli. 10. 3(i). On "run" cf. 1 Corinthians 9. 24, 25. a. Looking unto—
lit., " Looking from afar" (Note, ch. 11. 26) ; fixing the eyes upon Jesus seated on the throne of God. author "Prince-leader." The same Greek is translated " Oa^Uuxi
(of salvation)," ch. 2. 10; "Prince (of life)," Acts 3. 15. Going before us as the Originator of our fairh, and the Leader whose matchless example we are to follow always. lu this He Is distinguished from all tliose examples of faith in ch. 11. (cf. 1 Corinthians 11. 1). On His "faith" cf. ch. 2.
13; 3. 2. Believers have ever looked to Him (ch. U. 26; 13.
8). finisher— GreeA;, "Perfecter," referring to cli. 11. 40. of our faith—rather as Greek, "of the faith," including; both His faith (as exhibited in what follows) and our faith. He fulfilled the ideal of faith Himself, and so,, both as a vicarious offering and an example. He is the object of our faith, for the joy . . . set before him viz., of presently after sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God; including besides His own personal joy, the joy, of sitting there as a Prince and Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins. The coming joy disarmed of
its sting the present pain, cross . . . shame—tlie grent stumbling-block to the Hebrews. "Despised," i.e., disregarded. 3. For—Justifying His exhortation, "Looking unto Jesus." consider — by way of comparison with yourselves, so the Oreek. contradiction—unbelief, and every kind of opposition (Acts 28. 19). sinners—<S'in assails us. Not sin, but sinners, contradicted Christ. [Benosl.] be wearied and faint Greek, "lest ye weary.fainting," &c. Cf. Isaiah 49. 4,5, as a specimen of Jesus-not being wearied out by the contradiction and strange unbelief of those among whom He laboured, preaching as never man did, and exhibiting miracles wrought by His Inherent power, as none else could do. 4. not yet resisted .uorto blood—Image from 'pugilism, as he previously had the image of a race, both being taken from the great national Greek games. Ye have suffered the lo.s-s of goods.nn^' been a gazing-stock both by reproaches . and afflictions; ye have not shed your blood (Note, ch. 13. 7). "Tlie athlete wlio hath seen his own blood, and who, though cast down by his opponent, does not let his spirits be cast down, who as often as he hath fallen liath.ri)i«>u .the more deterialued,
2, "pei-fecter (Oreek) of our faith."' Now that Clirist is come, they in soul share our blessedness, being "the spirits of the just made perfect" (ch. 12. 23); so Alford; however, see Note there. Ch. 9. 12 shows that the blood of Christ, brought Into the heavenly holy place by Him,
first opened an entrance Into heaven (cf. John 3. 13). Still, the fathers were in blessedness by faith in the Saviour to come, at death (ch. 6. 15; Luke 16. 22).
CHAPTER XIT.
Ver. 1-29. Exhortation to Foli-ow the 'Witnessbs OP Faith JUST Mentioned: Not to Faint inTriam: To Remove ali, Bitter Roots of Sin: For we are UNDER, not a Law op Terror, but the Gospel of Grace, to Despise which will bring the Heavier Penalties, in Proportion to our Greater Privileges. 1. we also—as well as those recounted In v. 11. •re compasaed about Oreek, "have .so great a cloud (a numberless multitude aftoueus, like acloud, 'holy and pel-
locid,' Clkhens Alexandrin [7S)of wi tnesses surround i ng
47»
An Eaniesi Exhortation to HEBREWS XII.
Constant Faith, Patience, and Godlinesa.
g. IPS down to the encounter with great hope." [Seneca.] agninst sin isin is personified as an adversary; sin, wlietlier witlilrt you, leading you to «parp your blood, or in our adversaries, leading them to ahed it, if tliey cannot IhriniKli your (aithtulness even unto blood, induce you to apostatize. 5. forgotten—utterly, so the GVceA:. Cf. v. 1.5-
seemed fit to themselves." Their rule of chastening is what may seem fit to their own often erring judgment, temper, or caprice. The two defects of human education are (1.) the prevalence in it of a view to the interests of our s/iort earthly term of days ; (2.) the absence in parents of the unerring wi.sdom of our heavenly Father. "They err much atone time in severity, .at another in indulgence
17, in wliich he implies how utterly some of them had forgotten God's word. His exhm-talion ou^hl to have more etTect on you than the cheers and exliortations of the spectators liave on the competitors striving in tlie games. vir\xic\x— Greek, "the which," of wliich tlie following is a specimen. [Alfobd.] speaketli unto you—as in a dialogue or discourse, so the Greek, implying God"s loving condescension (cf. Isaiah 1. 18). despise not—lit., "Do not hold of little account." Betraying a contumacious spirit of unbelief (ch. 3. 12), as "faint" implies a broken down, weak, and desjmnding spirit. "Chastening" is to be borne with "subjection" (v. 9); "rebuke" (more severe than chastening) is to be borne with endurance (v. 7). "Some in adversity kick against God's will, others despond ; neither
[1 Samuel 3. 13; Ephesians f>. 4|, ami do not so much chasten as think they chasten." [Hknuel.] that wo might be partakers of his holiness—Bocoining holy as He is holy (John 15. 2). To become hoi// like God is tantamount to being educated for passing cternityw\th God
(i'. 14; 2 Peter 1. 4). So this " partaking of God's holiness "
stands in contrast to the "few days" of this life, with a view to which earthly fathers generally e<Uicate their .sons. 11. Joyous . . . grievous Greek, "matter of joy
. . . matter of grief." The objection that chastening is grievous is here anticipated and answered. It only seems so to those being chastened, whose judgments are confused by the present pain. Its ultimate f7-uit amply compensates for any temporary pain. Tlie real object of the fathers in chastening is not that they find pleasure in the children's pain. Gratified wishes, our Father knows, would often be our real curses, fmit of righteousness righteousness (in practice, springing from faitli)
Is to be done by the Christian, wlio is peculiarly tlie child of God. To him such adverse things occur only by the decree of God, and that designed in kindness, viz., to remove the defilements adliering to the believer, and to exercise his patience." [Grotius.] G. (Revelation 3. 19.) and Greek, "yea and," "and moreover;" bringing out an additional circumstance. scourgetU—which draws forth " blood" (t). 4). recelveth—accepts. Takes to Himself as a son "in whom He delighteth" (Proverbs 3. 12). 7. In V.7, 8 the need of "chastening" or "discipline" is inculcated; In r. 9, the duty of those to whom it is administered. If—The oldest MSS. read, " With a view lo chastening (i. e., since God's chastisement is with a view lo your chastening, i. e., disciplinary amelior.ation) endure patiently;" so Vulgate. AIjTOUd translates it as indicative, not so well, " It is for chastisement tliat j/e are enduring." dealetU with j-ou—" beareth Himself toward you" in the very act of chastening, what son Is Ue—"Wliat son is there" even in ordinary life? Much more God as to His sons (Isaiah 48. 10; Acts 14. 22). The most eminent of God's saints were the most afflicted. God leaus them by a way they know not (Isaiah 42. 16). We too mucli look at each
is the fruit which chastening, the tree, yields (Phillppians
1.11). "Peaceable" (cf. Isaiah 32.17): in contrast to tho ordeal of conflict by which it has been won. "Fruit of righteousness to be enjoyed in peace after the conflict." [Thohtck.] As the olive garland, the emblem of peace as well as victory, was put on the victor's brow in the games, exercised thereby—as athletes exercised in training for a contest. Chastisement is the exercise to give experience, and make the spiritual combatant irresistibly victorious (Romans5. 3). "Oh happy tlie servant for whose improvement his Lord is earnest, with whom lie deigns to be angry, wiiom He does not deceive by dissembling admonition " [withholding admonition, and so leading the man to think he needs it not]! Tektullian, de Pat., c. II. Observe the "afterwards:" that is the time often when God works. 13. He addresses them as runners in a race, and pugilists, and warriors. [Ciiuysostom.] The "wherefore" is resumed fi-om v. I. lift up—In Isaiah 3.5. 3, from which Paul here quotes, it is, "/Strengthen ye the weak hands." The hand is the symbol of one's strength. Ai.- FORD <mjisiaie«, " Put straight again the relaxed hands." JUnglish Version expresses the sense well, feeble lit., " paralyzed :" a word used only by Luke In the New Testament, Paul's companion. The exhortation has three parts: the first relates to ourselves, v. 12, 13; the second, to others, v. 14, "Peace with all men," the third, to God, " Holiness, without which," &c. ; and the first is referred to in V. 15, "Lest any man fail of the grace of God;" the second in the words, " Lest any root of bitterness," &c. ; the third in v. 16, "Lest there be any fornicator or profane person," Ac. This threefold relation often occurs in Paul's Epistles. Cf. Note, Titus 2. 12, "soberly, righteously, and godly." The Greek active verb, not the middle or reflex-
trial by itself. Instead of taking it in connection with the whole plan of our salvation, as if a traveller were to complain of the steepness and roughness of one turn in the path, without considering that it led him into green pastures, on the direct road to tlie city of habitation. The New Testament alone uses the Greek term for education (paideia), to express " discipline " or correction, as of a child by a wise father. 8. If ye be without—excluded from participation in chastisement, and wishing to be so. all —allsoju.- all the worthies enumerateil in ch. U.: all the
wiltiesses (v. 1). are Greek, "have been made partakers." then are ye bastards—of whom their fatliers take no care whether they are educated or not; whereas every rightminded father Is concerned for the moral well-being of his legitimate son. "Since then not to be chastised is a mark of bastardy, we ought [not to refuse, but] rejoice in chastisement, as a mark of our genuine sonship." [Chuy.sOSTOM.] 9. fathers . . . which corrected us—rather as Greek, " We had the fathers of our flesh as correctors." subjection—See thepunishmeutof insuliordinalion, Deuteronomy 21. 18. Father of spirits—contrasted with the fathers of our flesh. " Generation by men is carnal, by God is spiritual." [Bengel.] As " Father of spirits," He
ive, requires the sense to be. Lift up not only j/our own hands and knees, but also those of your In-ethren (cf. v. 15; Isaiah 3.5. 4). 13. Quoted from Proverbs 4. 26, LXX., " Make straight paths for thy feet." Straight, i. e., leading by a straight road to joy and grace {v. 1. 2, 15). Cease to "lialt" between Judaism and Christianity. [Bengel.] "Paths," lit., iv/iecl-tracks. I^et your wallc be so flriu and so unanimous in the right direction, that a plain track and "highway" may be thereby established for those who accompany and follow you, to perceive and walk In (Isaiah ;!5. 8). [Alford.] that which Is lame — those " wealc in the faith " (Romans 14. 1), having still JudaizIng prejudices, be turned out of the way—(Proverbs 4. 27)—and so missing the way, lose the prize of " the race"
Is both theOrlginator, and the Providential, anil Gracious Sustainer, at once of animal and spiritual life. Cf. "and IiiVK," viz., spiritually; alsoti. 10, "tliat we might be partakers of His holiness " (2 Peter 1. 4). God Is a spirit Hi m-
«elf, and the Creator of spirits like Himself, In <!i)iitrasl to
men who are flesh, and the progenitors of flesh (.John 8. (!). Jesus our pattern "learned obedience" experimentally by suffVring (ch. 5. 8). and live—and so, thereby llvespirttUHllyand eternally. 10. Showing wherein the cliastisernent of our heavenly Father Is preferable to that of •arthly fathers, for a few ilays i.e., u<ith a view to our well-l«!ing tn lAe/eu; dai/.t of our eartlily life: so the Greek. after their own jUeaaujie Greek, "according to what 476
(t). 1). rather be healed—Proper exercise of Itself contributes to health : the habit of walking straight onward In the right way tends to healing. 14. follow peace with all men—with tho brethren especially (Romans 14. 19), that so tlie "lame "among them be not " turned out of the way" (v. 13), and that no one of them "fall of Uie
An Earnest Exhortation to HEBREWS XII, Constant Faiih, Patience, and Godliness.
grace of God" («. 15). holiness—a distinct Greek word from God's "holiness" (u. 10), Translate here "sanctiflcatlon." His Is absolute holiness: our part is to put on His holiness, becoming " holy as He is holy," by sanctiftca-
(cf. V. 23) : he intimates that they must exercise holy selfcontrol, if they wish not, like Ksiui, to forfeit them: 17. afterwards Greek, "even afterward." He despised his birth-right, accordingly also he was despised and rejectee? when he wished to have the ble^sillg. As in the teliever'f case, so in the unbeliever's, tlierc is an " aiterwards' coming, when tlie believer shall look on his past griefs, and the unbeliever on his past joys, in a very diftereiit light from tliat in which they were respectively viewed at the time. Cf. " Nevertheless aflei waid, ' &c., v. 11, with the "afterward" here. Cf. " the cool ol the day," Genesis
tiwi. Whilst "following peace with all men," we are not so to seek to please them, as to make God's will and our sanctitication a secondary object; this latter must be our
first aim (Galatians 1. 10). -without which— Grce/c, " apart from which." no man shaAl see the Lord—no man as a tan; in heavenly glory (Revelations 22. 3, 4). In the East, none but the greatest favouri tes are ad mi tted to the honour of seeing the king (cf. 2 Samuel 14. 24). The Lord being pure and holy, none but the pure and holy shall see Hina (Matthew 5. 8). Without holiness in them, thejcould not enjoy Him who is holiness itself (Zechariah 14. 20). The connection of purity with seeing the Lord, appears in 1 John 3.2,3; Ephesians 5.5. Contrast v. 16 (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4. 3). In Matthew 24. 30 ; Revelation 1. 7, it is said that all shall see the Lord ; but, that shall be as a Judge, not as their lasting portion and God, which is meant here. The Oreek verb does not denote the mere action of seeing, but the seer's state of mind to which tiie object
3. 8, with 6. when he wonld—when he wished to have. "He that will not when he may, when he will, shall have nay" (Proverbs 1. 24-30; Luke 13. 34, 35 ; ISI. 42). he was rejected—not as to every blessinj,', but only that which would have followed the primogeniture, he found no place for repentance—The cause is hen; put for the effect, " repentance" for the object which Esau aimed at in his so-called repentance, viz., the change of his father's determination to give the chiel blessing to Jacob. Had he sought real repentance with tears htwould have found it (Matthew 7. 7). But he did not find it, because this was not what he sought. What proves his tears were not those of one seeking true repentance is, immediately after he was foiled in liis desire, he resolved to murder Jacob! He shed tears, not for his sin, but for his sutlering the penalty of iiis sin. His were tears of vain regret and remorse, not of repentance. " Before, he might have had the blessing without tears; afterwards, however many tears he shed, he was rejected. Let us use the time" (Luke 18.27)! [Bengel.] Alford explains " repentance" here, a chance, by repenting, to repair (i. e., to regain the lost blessing). I agree with him that the translation, instead of "repentance," "no place for changing his father's mind," is forced; thougli doubtless this is what was the true aim of the "repentance" which he sought. The language is framed to apply to profane despisers who wilfully cast away grace and seek repmtance (i. e., not real ; but escape frorn the penalty of their sin), but in vain. Cf. "afterward," Matthew 25. 11, 12. Tears are no proof of real repentance (1 Samuel 24. 16, 17; contrast Psalm 56. 8). it—live blessing, which was the real object of Esau, thougli ostensibly seeking " repentance." 18. For-The lact that we are not under the law, but under a higher, and that the last dispensation, the Gospel, with its glorious privileges, is the reason why especially the Hebrew Christians should "look diligently," <fec. (v. 15, lOj. are not come GreeA, " have not come near to." Alluding to Deuteronomy 4. 11, " Ye came near and stood under the mountain ; and the mountain burned with Are . . . with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness." " In your coming near unto God, it has not been to," <fcc. the mount—The oldest MSS. and Vulgate omit "the nrount." But still, "the mount" must be supplied from v. 22. that might be touched—palpable and material. Not that any save Moses was allowed to touch if (Exodus 19.12, 13). The Hebrews drew near to the i»iat,erial Mount Sinai with material bodies; we, to the spiritual mount in the spirit. The "darkness" was that formed by the clouds hanging round the mount; the " tempest" accompanied the thunder. 15). trumpet—to rouse attention, and herald God's approach (Exodus 19. 16). entreated tliat the word should not be spoken— ^i^., " that speech should not be added to them;" not that they refused to hear the word of God, but they wished that God should not Himself speak, but employ Moses as His mediating spokesman. "The voice of words" was the Decalogue, spoken by God himself, a voice issuing forth, without any lOT\a. being seen: after which "He added no more" (Deuteronomy 5. 22). '.20. that which was commanded— "the interdict." [Tittmann.] A stern inlerdiclory mandate is meant. And—rather, "Even if a beast (much more a man) touch, ' &c. or tlirust lUrouj^h with a dnrt^Oinltted in the oldest M.ss. The full interdict in Exodus 19. 12, 13 is alibreviated here; the lioiisl alone, being put for "wliether man or beast:" the stoning, which applies to llie human ollender, alone Ijt Insj spe-
Is presented: so in Matthew 5. 8 they shall truly comprehend God. [TiTTMANN.] None but the holy could appreciate the holy God, none else therefore shall abide in His presence. "The bad shall only see Him in His form as Son of man [cf. Revelation 1. 13, with 7; and Matthew ^4. 30; Acts 1. 11; 17. 31]; still it will be in the glory In which He shall judge, not in the lowliness in which He was judged. His form as God, wherein He is equal to the Father, without doubt the ungodly shall not see; for it is only ' the pure in heart who shall see God.' [Adqdstine.] " He shall come to judge, who stood before a judge. He shall come in the form in which He was Judged, that they may see Him whom they pierced: He who was before hidden shall come manifested in power: Ue, as Judge, siiall condemn the real culprits, who was Himself falsely made a culprit." 15. lest any . . . fall— Greek, " lest any (riz., through sloth in running)/atim.9," or "falling short of the grace of God . . . trouble you." The Image is taken from a company of travellers, one of whom lags behind, and so never reaches the end of the long and laborious journey. [Chrysostom.] root of bitterness—not merely a "bitter root," wliich might possibly bring forth sweet fruits; this, a root whose essetice is " 6^-
lerness," never could. Paul here refers to Deuteronomy
29. 18, " Lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood" (cf. Acts 8. ?.'<). Root of bitterness comprehends every per«on (cf. v. 16) and every principle of doctrine or practice so radically corrupt as to spread corruption all around. The only safety is in rooting out such a root of bitterness, many—rather, "the many,"
i. e., the whole congregation. So long as it Is hidden nnder the earth it cannot be remedied, but when it " springs up," it must be dealt with boldly. Still remember the caution (Matthew 13. 26-30) as to rooting out pcr-
tons. No such danger can arise in rooting out bad princi-
ples. 16. forvl««tor—(Ch. 13. 4 ; 1 Corinthians 10. 8.) or jtrotane—Fornication is nearly akin to gluttony, Esau's
sin. He jrrofanely cast away his spiritual privilege for the gratification of his palate. Genesis 25. 31 graphically portrays him. An example well fitted to strike needful horror into the Hebrews, whosoever of them, like Esau, were only sons of Isaac according to tlie flesh. [Bknqkl.J for one morsel—the smallness of the inducement only aggravates the guilt of casting away eternity for such a
trifle, so far is it from being a claim for mercy (cf. Gene-
sis 3. 6). One single act has often the greatest power either for good or for evil. So in the cases of Kcuben and Saul, for evil (Genesis 49. 4; 1 Clironlcles 5. 1; 1 Siiiiiiiel 13.
12-14); and, on the other hand, for goorl, Aliriiluiiii and Plilnehas (Genesis 12.1, &c. ; 15.5,6; Nnmlx rs 2.'). 8-1')). bis blrth-rlffht— GreeA, " his own (so the oldest MSS. read. Intensifying the suicidal folly and sin of the act) rights of primogeniture," involving the hlgli spiritual privilege of being ancestor of tlie promised seed, and lieir of the promises in Him. The Hebrews whom I'aul addressed,
cified, the beast's punishment, viz., the being Ihruat 477
luul, as Christians, the spiiitual rights of primogeniture
T%e New Testament Commended. HEBREWS Xir. Christ's Blood belter than that of Abd.
made perfect," not merely "just men made perfect," may favour the reference to the happy spirits in their separate state. The Greek is not " the perfected spirits," hut 'the
through with a dart, beinsr left to be understood, at.
tlie sight—the msMii of God's majesty. quaUe Greek, "I am in trembling:" "fear" affected liis mind; "trembling," his body. Moses is not recorded in Exodus to have used these words. But Paul, by inspiration, supplies (cf. Acts 20. 35 ; 2 Timothy 3. 8) tliis detail. We read in Deuteronomy 9. 19, LXX., of somewhat like words used by Moses after breaking the two tables, through fear of God's anger at the people's sin in making the golden calves. He doubtless similarly "feared" in liearing the ten commandments spoken by the voice of Jehovah. 22. are come— (Jreeft, " have come near unto" (cf. Deuteronomy 4. 11). Not merely, ye sfiall come, but, j/e have already come. Mount Sion—antitypical Sion, tlie heavenly Jerusalem, of which the spiritual invisible Church (of which the first foundation was laid in literal Zion, John 12. 15 ; 1 Peter 2. 6) is now the earnest ; and of which the restored literal Jerusalem hereafter shall bo the earthly representative, to be succeeded by the ever-
spiritti oi the pe7fected just." In no other passage are the just said to be perfected before the resurrection, and the completion of the full number of the elect (Revelation 6.
11); I think, therefore, "spirits of the just," may here be used to express the just whose predominant element in their perfected stale shall be spirit. So spirit and spirits are used of a man or men in the body, undeithe influence of the spirit, the opposite of //es7» (John 3. 6). The resurrection bodies of the saints shall be bodies in which the spirit shall altogether preponderate over the animal soul (Note, 1 Corinthians 15. 44). 24. new—Not the usual term (kaine) applied to the Christian covenant (ch. 9. 15), which would mean 7iew as different from, and superseding the old ; but
Greek nea, recent, lately establislied, having the freshness o( youth, as opposed to age. The mention of Jesus, the Perfecter of our faith {v. 2), and Himself perfected through sufferings and death, in His resurrection and ascension
lasting and " new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven" (Revelation 21. 2-27; cf. ch. 11. 10). 23, 23. to an iniinmerable company of angels, to tlie general assembly and Clmrch—The city of God having lieen mentioned, the mention of its citizens follows. Believers being like the angels (Job 1.6; 38.7), "sons of God," are so their "equals" (Luke 20. 36); and, being reconciled through Christ, are adopted into God's great and blessed family. For the full completion of this we pray (Mattliew
(ch. 2. 10; 5. 9), is naturally suggested by tlie mention of " the just made perfect" at their resurrection (cf. ch. 7. 22). Paul uses "Jesus," dwelling hereon Him as the Person realized as our loving frietid, not merely in His official character as the Christ, and to the Iilood of sprinkling —liere enumerated as distinct from "Jesus." Bengel reasonably argues as follows : His blood was entirely "poured out" of His body by the various ways in which it was
slied. His bloody sweat, the crown of thorns, the scourging, the nails, and after death the spear, just as the blood was entirely poured out and extravasated from the animal sacrifices of the law. It was incorruptible (1 Peter 1. 18, 19). No Scripture states it was again put into the Lord's body. At His ascension, as our great High Priest, He entered the heavenly lioliest place " BY His own blood " (not after shedding His blood, nor wit?i the blood in His body, but), carrying it separately from his body (cf. the type, ch. 9. 7,
6. 10). English Vernon arrangement is opposed (1.) by " and " always beginning each new member of the whole sentence; (2.) "general assembly and Church," form a kind of tautology; (3.) "general assembly," or rather,
''festal full assembly," " the Jubilant full company" (such as were the Olympic games, celebrated with joyous singing, dancing, &c.), applies better to the angels above, ever
hymning God's praises, than to the Church, of which a considerable part is now militant on earth. IVanslate therefore, " To myriads (ten thousands, cf. Deuteronomy
12, 23; 13. 11). Paul does not say. By the eflicacy of HlB blood, but, "By His own proper blood " (ch. 9. 12); not aiA» TEKiAL blood, but "the blood of Him who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot unto Gc»l" (ch. 9. 11). So in ch. 10. 29, the Son of God and the blood of
33. 2; Psalm 68. 17 ; Djiniel 7. 10; Jude H; namely), the liiil festal assembly of angels, and the Chuich of the firstborn." Angels and saints together constitute the ten thousands. Cf. " all angels, all nations " Matthew 25. 31, 32. Messiah is pre-eminently " the First-born," or " First-begotten " (ch. 1. C), and all believers become so by adoption.
tlie covenant wherewith (the professor) tvas sunctifted, are mentioned separately. Also in ch. 13. 12,20; also cf. ch. 10.
Cf. the type, Leviticus 3. 12,45,50; 1 Peter 1. IS. As the kingly and priestly succession was in the first-born, and as Israel was God's "flrst-born" (Exodus 4.22; cf. 13. 2), and a "kingdom of priests" to God (E.xodus 19. 6), so believers (Revelation 1.6). written In heaven—enrolled as cillKens there, .^ii those who at the coming of " God theJutlgeof all" (which clause therefore naturally follows), shall be found " written in heaven," i. e., in the Lamb's book of life. Though still fighting the good fight on earth, still, in respect to your destiny, and present life of faith which sahKtantlates things hoped for, ye are already members of the heavenly citizenship. "We are one citizenship with angels ; to which it is said in the psalm. Glorious things are spoken of thee, tliou city of God." [Augustink.] I think AI.F0RD wrong In restricting " the Cliurcli of the flrst-born written in heaven," to those militant on earth; it is rather, all those who at the .Judge's coming shall be found writen in heaven (the true patent of heavenly nobility ; contrast "written in the earth," Jeremiah 17. 13, and Esau's profane sale of his birth-right, v. Hi); t lieseall, from the beginning to the end of the world, formingone (Church to which every believer is already come. The first-horn of Israel were "written" in a roll (Numbers .3. 10). tUe spirits of Just men made perfect—at the resurrection, when the " Junais" shall appear, and believers' Ijllssshall be consummated by the union of the glorified boily with the spirit; the great hope of the New Testament (Romans 8.20-23; 1 Thessalonlans 4.16). The place of this clause after " the Judgk of all," Is my objection to BKNGKLand Alpohd'.s explanation, the souls of tlie just in their srparrUe slate perfected. Cf. (Nbte) ch. II. 39, 40, to which h<? refers here, and which I think confirms jny view; those heretofore spirits, but now to be perfected by being clothed apon with tlielH)dy. Still the phrase, " *piriAv of just men 478