THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

•~
• •
 THE

EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS:

THE GREEK TEXT

WITH NOTES AND ESSAYS

HY

BROOKE FOSS WESTCOTT, D.D., D.C.L.

LATE LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM 1
HONORARY ~'ELLOW OF TRINITY AND KING'S COLLEGES, CAMBRIDGE.

THIRD EDITION.

lLonbon:
MACMILLAN AND co., LIMITED
~EW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
1 903

[The Right of Translation a1Ld° Reproduction is reserved.]

 8.\fone MH rrApAITHCHc0e TON .\A.\oyNTA' el rJ.p EKEINOJ oyK
ezecj>·JToN l,n\ rAc rrApA1THcMAeN01 TON XPHMATizoNTA, rro.\y M<\MoN
HMe'ic oi TON Jn' oypANWN JrroCTpeq>oMeNol.
Hebr, xii. 2 5.

LHMepoN eJ.N THC q)WNHC AYTOY AKO'(CHT€,

MH cKAHpYNHT€ T,k KApAiAc '(MOON.
Ps. xcv. 7 ; Hebr. iii. iv.

First Edition printed 1889. Second 1892. Third 1903.

EVERY student of the Epistle to the Hebrews must feel that
it deals in a peculiar degree with the thoughts and trials of
our own time. The situation of Jewish converts on the eve of the
<lestruction of Jerusalem was necessarily marked by the sorest
distress. They had looked with unhesitating confidence for the
redemption of Israel and for the restoration of the Kingdom to
the people of God; and in proportion as their hope had been
bright, their disappointment was overwhelming when these ex-
pectations, as they had fashioned them, were finally dispelled.
They were deprived of the consolations of their ancestral
ritual: they were excluded from the fellowship of their
countrymen : the letter of Scripture had failed them : the
Christ remained outwardly unvindicated from the judgment of
high-priests and scribes; and a storm was gathering round the
Holy City which to calm eyes boded utter desolation without
any prospect of relief. The writer of the Epistle enters with
the tenderest sympathy into every cause of the grief and de-
jection which troubled his com:l:trymen, and transfigures each
sorrow into an occasion for a larger hope through a new
revelation of the glory of Christ. So it will be still, I cannot
doubt, in this day of our own visitation if we look, as he
directs us, to the Ascended Lord. The difficulties which come
to us through physical facts and theories, through criticism,
through wider views of human history, correspond with those
which came to Jewish Christians at the close of the Apostolic
age, and they will find their solution also in fuller views of the
Person and Work of Christ. The promise of the Lord awaits
fulfilment for us in this present day, as it found fulfilment for
them: In your patience ye shall win your souls.
W.H. 3 b
 Vl

This conviction has been constantly present to me in

commenting on the Epistle. I have endeavoured to suggest in
the notes lines of thought which I have found to open light
upon problems which we are required to face. In doing this it
has throughout been my desire to induce my readers to become
my fellow-students, and I have aimed at encouraging sustained
reflection rather than at entering on the field of controversy.
No conclusion is of real value to us till we have made it our own
by serious work; and controversy tends no less to narrow our
vision than to give to forms of language or conception that
rigidity of outline which is fatal to the presentation of life.
Some perhaps will think that in the interpretation of the
text undue stress is laid upon details of expression; that it is
unreasonable to insist upon points of order, upon variations of
tenses and words, upon subtleties of composition, upon indica-
tions of meaning conveyed by minute variations of language in
a book written for popular use in a dialect largely affected by
foreign elements. The work of forty years has brought to me
the surest conviction that such criticism is wholly at fault.
Every day's study of the Apostolic writings confirms me in the
belief that we do not commonly attend with sufficient care to
their exact meaning. The Greek of the New Testament is not
indeed the Greek of the Classical writers, but it is not less
precise or less powerful. I should not of course maintain that
the fulness of meaning which can be recognised in the phrases
of a book like the Epistle to the Hebrews was consciously
apprehended by the author, though he seems to have used the
resources of literary art with more. distinct design than any
other of the Apostles; but clearness of spiritual vision brings
with it. a corresponding precision and force of expression through
which the patient interpreter can attain little by little to that
which the prophet saw. No one would limit the teaching of a
poet's words to that which was definitely present to his mind.
Still less can we suppose that he who is inspired to give a
 Vll

message of GoD to all ages sees himself the completeness of

the truth which all life serves to illuminate.
I have not attempted to summarise in the notes the opinions
of modern commentators. This has been done fairly and in
detail by Lunemann. Where I feel real doubt, I have given the
various views which seem to me to claim consid~ration: in other
cases I have, for the most part, simply stated the conclusions
which I have gained. I have however freely quoted patristic
comments, and that in the original texts. Every quotation
which I have given has, I believe, some feature of interest; and
the trouble of mastering the writer's own words will be more
than compensated by a sense of their force and beauty.
It did not appear to fall within my scope to discuss the
authorship of the Commentary which I have quoted under the
name of Primasius (Migne, P. L. lxviii). The Commentary is
printed also under the name of Raymo (Migne, P. L. cxvii) with
some variations, and in this text the lacuna in the notes on c. iv.
is filled up.
As far as I have observed the Commentary of Herveius
Burgidolensis ('of Bourg-Dieu or Bourg-Deols in Berry' I 149, t
Migne, P. L. clxxxi) bas not been used before. The passages
which I have given will shew that for vigour and independence
and sobriety and depth he is second to no medireval expositor.
I regret that I have not given notts from Atto of Vercelli
(t c. 96o, Migne, P.L. cxxxiv). His commentary also will repay
examination1.
1 The following summary enume- Latin Commentaries is greatly to be
ration of the chief patristic Commen- desired.
taries may be of some use : THEODORE OF MoPSUESTIA. The
Greek fragments have been printed by
i. GREEK,
Migne, P.G. lxvi, pp. 651 ff.
ORIGEN. Of his xviii Homilies and CHRYSOSTo:11. xxxiv Homilies.
. Books (roµo,) on the Epistle only These were translated into Latin by
meagre fragments remain; but it is not Mutianus Scholasticus at the request
unlikely that many of his thoughts of Cassiodorus (c. 500), and this trans-
have been incorporated by other writers. lation was largely used by Western
An investigation into the sources of the writers.
b2
 viii
It would be impossible for me to estimate or even to
determine my debts to other writers. I cannot however but
acknowledge gratefully how much I owe both to Delitzsch and
to Riehm. The latter writer appears to me to have seized
more truly than any one the general character and teaching of
the Epistle.
For illustrations from Philo I am largely indebted to the
Exercitationes of J. B. Carpzov ( I 7 50), who has left few parallels
unnoticed. But I have always seemed to learn most from
Trommius and Bruder. If to these Concordances-till the
former is superseded by the promised Oxford Concordance-the
student adds Dr Moulton's edition of Winer's Grammar and
Dr Thayer's edition of Grimm's Lexicon, he will find that he
has at his command a fruitful field of investigation which
yields to every effort fresh signs of the inexha1.1stible wealth
of the Written Word1•

THEODORET, Migne, P. G. lxxxii. FLORUS DIACONUS. Migne, P. L.

JOHN OF DAMASCUS. Migne, P. G. cxix. (a collection of passages from
xcv. Augustine). Assigned also to Bede and
<EcUMENIUS. Migne, P. G. cxix. Robertus de Torreneio (Migne, P. L.
EuTHYMIUS ZrnABENUS, ed. N. Calo- ccii).
geras, Athens 1887. ATTO OF VERCELLI. Migne, P. L.
THEOPHYLACT, Migne, P. G. cxxv. cxxxiv. Old materials are used with
independence and thought.
ii. LATIN. BRUNO, Migne, P. L. cliii.
PRIMAsius. Migne, P. L. lxviii. LANFRANC. Migne, P. L. cl.
Also under the na.me of HAYMO. Migne, Huoo DE S. V1CTORE. Migne, P. L.
P. L. cxvii. clxxv. (Interesting discussions on
CASSIODORUS (a few notes). Migne, special points.)
P. L. lxx. HERVEIUS BuRGIDOLENSIS, Migne,
ALuLFUs. Migne, P. L. lxxix. (a P. L. clxxxi. (of the highest interest).
collection of passages from Gregory PETER LOMBARD. Migne, P. L.
the Great). cxcii. ( Collectanea ).
ALcuIN. Migne, P.L. c. (on cc. i- x. THOMAS AQUINAS. It would be of
chiefly from Chrysostom [Primasins]). considerable interest to compare the
SEDULIUS ScoTus. Migne, P. L. Latin translation of Chrysostom with
ciii. the notes of Primasius (Raymo), Al-
RABANus MAuRus. Migne, P. L. cxii. cuin and Atto.
(chiefly extracts from Chrysostom). 1 For the Index I am indebted to
WALAFRID STRABO. Migne, P. L. my son, theRev.G.H. Westcott,M.A.,
cxiv. (Glossa Ordinaria). now of the S.P.G. Mission, Cawnpore.
 IX

No work in which I have ever been allowed to spend many

years of continuous labour has had for me the same intense
human interest as the study of the Epistle to the Hebrews. If
this feeling, which must shew itself in what I have written,
moves others to work upon the book with frank and confident
reverence, to listen to the voice which speaks to us 'to-day'
from its pages, to bring to the doubts, the controversies, the
apparent losses, which distress us, the spirit of absolute self-
surrender to our King-priest, the living and glorified Christ,
which it inspires, my end will be fully gained. Such students
will join with me in offering a devout thanksgiving to Gon
that He has made a little plainer to us, through lessons which
have seemed to be a stern discipline, words which express the
manifold experience of life and its final interpretation :

rroAyMepwc K<l.l TTOA)'Tporrwc TTb.A<l.l o0eoc A<l.AHC<l.C TOIC TT<l.Tpb.CIN

EN To1c rrpocpt-tT<l.lC €TT ECXb.Toy TWN HMEpwN TOYTWN EA<XAHcEN HMIN
€N Yi<p.

B. F. W.
WESTMINSTER,
August 26, 1889.

NOTICE TO SECOND EDITION.

THE present Edition is essentially a reprint of the former

one. I have indeed endeavoured to make one or two notes
clearer, and I have notic~d one or two new facts. The kindness
of friends, among whom I may again mention Dr C. J. Beard
and the Rev. H. A. Brooksbank, haH enabled me to correct
many misprints in references. To the former I am also in-
debted for additions to the Index.
 X

The engrossing cares of new work have made it impossible

for me to consider afresh conclusions which I formed when I
was able to study all the materials which I thought likely to
contribute to a right decision; but indeed in any case I should
have been unwilling to do more than remove unquestionable
errors in the revision of a Commentary which, however im-
perfect, was the best I was able to make when I was wholly
occupied by the subject.
The more I study the tendencies of the time in some of
the busiest centres of English life, the more deeply I feel that
the Spirit of Gon warns us of our most urgent civil and spiritual
dangers through the prophecies of.Jeremiah and the Epistle to
the Hebrews. May our Nation and our Church be enabled to
learn the lessons which they teach while there is still time to
use them.

B. F. D.

ROBIN HOOD'S BAY,

Sept. 12th, 1892.
 CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION. PAGE

I. Text .................................... . XV'

II. Title ................................... . xxvii
III. Position ........................................................... . XXX
IV. Original language ............................................ . xxxii
V. Destination ..................................................... . XXXV
YI. Date ................................................................. . xiii
VII. Place of writing .............................................. . xliii
VIII. Style and language .. . . .. . .. .. . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . .. . .. . .. ........ . xliv
IX. Plan .............................................................. . xlviii
X. Characteristics ................................................. . li
XI. History arid Autlwrslii'p ................................. . lxii
XII. The Epistle to the Hebrews and the Epistle ofBarnabas lxxx

TEXT AND NO TES.

CHAP. i......................................................... .............. 3
The teaching upon Sin in the Epistle . . . . . . . . 31
The Di'Dine Names in the Epistle . ... . . . . .. . . 33

CHAP. ii. ······--··--··--··--·------·--······----···--··--·--······--···--·--· 36

Man's destiny and position .... . ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . . . 61
The reading of ii. 9...................................... .. ... .. id.
The idea of T<A<1wu1s .. . . . .. .. . . . . . .. .. . . . . .. • . .. . . . . .. • . • . .. . 64
The T<A,lwu,s of Christ .. . .. .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. .. .. . . . . . . .. . . 66
Quotations from the 0. T. in cc. ~ ii .. .. . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . 68
Passages on the High-priesthood of Christ .. .. ........ 71
CHAP. iii..................................................................... 73
The application to Christ nf words spoken in the 0. T.
nf the LoRD .. .... . . . . . .. .. . . .. . . . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . . . . .. . . .. . 90
CHAP. iv...................................................................... 93
The reading of iv. 2 ..... .. . ... •. . . . .. . . .. . • . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . . . qz
On some hypothetical sentences ....... ... . .. . .. ...... ... .. 113
The origin and constitution of man..................... 116
 Xll

PAGE
CHAP. v. ................ .................................................... 119
The prw-Christian Priesthood.............................. 139
CHAP. vi. . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . . . .. . 144
Sin for which there is no renewal to repentance... 167
The Biblical idea ()f 'inheritance'........................ 169
CHAP. vii.......................................................... . .. .. .. .. .. 172
The significance of Melchizedek ........................... 201
The Biblical idea of blessing .. .. .. ... .. . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . 205
The superiority of the High-priesthood of Christ to
the Levitical High-priest/wad . .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . .. .. .. 21 2
CHAP. viii. .................... ..... .... .. .... . .. ........... .......... ....... 213
Christ the High-priest and the Hig!t-priest-King ... 229
The present work of Christ fl8 High-priest............ 231
On the words AuTovpyiiv, AaTpn'mv &c. .................. 232
The general significance of the Tabernacle ............ 235
The quotation in c. viii. 8 ff................ . . ... .. .. . .. .. . .. 242
CHAP. ix. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . . .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 244
The Service of the IJay of Atonement .. ............... 281
The prw-Christian idea qf Sacrifice .. .... . . .. .. .... ... .. 283
The idea of crvvdlJl'/ou. .... .. . .. . .. .. . ............ ... ........... 295
On the use of the term 'Blood' in the Epistle ...... id.
The idea of AvTpovcrOat, AvTpwcr,~ &c. . .. .. .. .. .. ... .. . . . .. 297
Aspects of Christ's Sacrifice ............. .... .. .. .. .. . .. . . ... 299
The meaning of l5,a0'1"'1 in ix. 15 ff. . ..... ... .... . .. .. . 300
CHAP. x. ............................. ....................................... 305
The reading qf x. 1............................................. 341
The Body of Christ............................................ 342
The expression qf an end or purpose .. .. . .. .. . .. 344
The effects of Christ's Sacrifice . . . .. .. .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . 346
On tlie quotation from Hab. ii. 3 f. .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . . 349
CHAP. xi. .............. ....... .. ...................... .. . .. . .. .............. 351
The reading qf xi. 4 . . . . . .. . . . .. .. . ... .. . . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. 386
On the social images in t!te Epistle . . .. . . . . .. . .. .. . .. .. . id.
CHAP. xii. ................................................................ •• 393
The Chriatology of the Epistle .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . 426
CHAP. xiii. .. . ... . .. .... .. . ... ..... . .. . ... .... .... .. .. . . . .. .... .. .. .. . . .. . 431
On the history qf t!te word OvcriaCTT'}ptov .. .... ......... 455
The teaching of c. xiii. 10 ................................ 463
On tlie references in the Epistle to the Gospel History 465
On tlw Apoatolic IJoxologies ................................. 466
ON THE USE OF THE O.T. IN THE EPISTLE ......... 471
INDEX ......................... . 499
INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE.
 xv

I. TEXT.

THE original authorities for determining the text of the EpiRtle Origin~l
. authon-
are, as m the case of the other books of the New Testament, numerous ties.
and varied. There are however, from the circumstances of the history
of the Epistle, comparatively few patristic quotations from it, and
these within a narrow range, during the first three centuries.
The Epistle is contained in whole or in part in the following
sources:

I. GREEK MSS. I GREEK

MSS.
(i) Primary uncials: i Primary
Uncials.
~' Cod. Sin. srec. IV. Complete.
A, Cod. Alex. srec. v. Complete.
B, Cod. Vatic. srec. IV. The MS. is defective after ix. 14

Ka0a[ptEi:]. [' Manus multo recentior supplevit.' This

text is sometimes quoted by Tischendorf as b, e.g. ix.
18; x. 4, 23; xi. 15; xii. 24.]
C, Cod. Ephr. srec. v. Contains ii. 4 JJ-Epurµ.o'i,;-vii. 26
liKaKo<;. ix. 15 l.crrlv-x. 24 &.ya[ 7n7,;]. xii. 16 µ.17 ·m
-xiii 2 5 'Ap.1v.
D 2 , Cod. Clarom. srec. vr. Complete. (Ea is a copy of D 2
after it had been thrice corrected.)
H 2 , Cod. Coislin. srec. VI. Contains i. 3 Mµ.an-8 El,; T6v.
ii. II St' 'l}V-16 'A{3paap.. iii. 13 liXPt,-18 µ.~ du£.
IV. 12 ;wv-15 ,jµ.wv. x. I TWII [µ.EXA6]VTwv-7 ODl.riµ.rf.
Xll. 10 0t
.
 XVI TEXT.

µiv-15 7roAAo{ (with some gaps). The scattered frag-

ments have been edited by H. Omont, Paris 1859.
Fa (srec. VII) contains only x. 26.
ii Second- (ii) Secondary uncials:
ary
Uncials. K 2 , Cod. Mosqu. srec. IX. Uomplete.
L 2, Cod. Angel. srec. IX. Complete to xiii. 10 ovK lxovuw.
M 2 , (Hamb. Lond.) srec. x. Contains i. 1 7roA.vµEpw,;-
IX,

iv. 3 El,; T-,jv. xii. 20 [>..dlo ],Bo>..urB-,j,nTat-xiii. 2 5 'Aµ-,jv.

N 2 , (St Petersburg) srec. Ix. Contains v. 8 [E}ra8£v-vi.
10 lm>..aBfo-[Bat].
P 2 , Cod. Porphyr. srec. IX. Complete (xii. 9, 10 illegible).
To these must be added MSS., as yet imperfectly known, which
have been described by Dr C. R. Gregory.
'Y Cod. Athous Laurre srec. VIII, IX. Complete with the excep-
tion of one leaf containing viii. 11 Kat ov µ-,j-ix. 19 Mwva-/w,; .
.:l Cod. Rom. Vat. srec. v. Contains xi. 32-xiii. 4.
The Epistle is not contained in the Greek-Latin MSS. F 2 (Cod.
Aug. srec. IX) and G3 (Cod. Boern. srec. rx). The last verses of
Philemon (21-25) are wanting in the Greek text of both MSS.
F 2 gives the Latin (Vulgate) version of the Epistle. G3 has after
Philemon 20 in Christo
'"· xpw
ad laudicenses incipit epistola
Ilpo,; A.ao~aK'l}<Ta,;. apXETat lm<rroN'J (sic Matthrei).
The archetype of the MSS. was evidently mutilated before either
of the copies was written, so that there is no reason to suppose that
this note was derived from it.
The following unique readings of the chief MSS. offer instructive
illustrations of their chamcter. Readings which are supported by some
late MS. evidence are enclosed in ( ).
Unique readings:
(a) Of~-
i. 5 om. avrij,.
ii. 18 om. 1rEtpauBEfr,
iii. 8 1r,pauµij, (for 1rapa1TL1Cpauµ'f)-
 TEXT. xvu
iv. 6 &:rrurrlav.
7 op• .-,va.
9 om. 'Ders. add. A.
1 1 om. .-,s add. C.
vii. 2 I um. Elr .,-(111 alc.iva.
viii. 3 om. ,cal 2°.
ix. 5 ;.,,u,...,
(Eu.-,v).
x. 7 om. ~Kw.
12 £/( a.~,a.
I 8 dcf,ns (tlcp,u,s ), om. .-otl.-wv.
26 .-ijs lm-yvwuiav .-ijs
32 .-as 1rp. aµ.ap.-las.
36 xp,lav (xp•·) 1x,.-• 1<.oµ.luauBm.
39 d1rw'Aias.
xi. 31 ~ +lm'/1.,-yoµ.b,,,' ,r.
xii. 1 .-,,'A,,cov.-ov (.-ouov.-ov).
2 om. TOV 8EDv.
10 0 µ.Ev yap. om. El~ ,-6.
None of these readings have the least plausibility. Most of them are
obvious blunders, and many have been corrected by later hands.

(b) Of A.
ii. I 5 d1ro1<arnAAa~l/ (d1rana~n)-
iii. 9 ol 1r. ~µ.&iv.
17 .-lu,v a,+1<.al.
,
iv. 3 om. c.is7 om, El.
4 om. EV ... ~ ... ;13a.
Viii. I £V .-. Af'}',
x. 29 om. '" 'f ~-y,au0,,.
xi. I /3ov'Aoµ.lvwv (f3'/l.•1roµ.lvwv ).
I 3 'IT poul3E ~<lJJ,fVOL.
23 afl"/µ.a 7
39 .-as brayy,'/1.las (-.las ).
xii. 8 vo0po1.
22 011 yap (aAAa) E'ITOVpavlwv.
27 om. Zva µ.. .-a ,...;, <TOA.
xiii. I I om. ,r,pl aµ.apTlas.
21 ,rav.-l + •P'Y'i' 1<.al AO"f<e' dy.

Of these again no one possesses any intrinsic probability, aud several

are transcriptional en-ors.

(c) Of B.
i. 3 cpav,poov.
4 om. .-oov.
(8 om. T"OV alcaJlos.)
I4 l3m,coJ11as.
xvm TEXT.

ii. 4 uv11µ,aprvpovvro,.
8 om. avr,;; (1).
iv. (7 1rp0Elp171<£11.)
8 oV,c tfpa.
9 &1roA.£,ra, (&1roA.£l1rEra,).
12 ,vapy,fr.
16 om. EiJpwµ,£11.
vii. 2 1ravr6r.
12 om. 1<al vl,µ,ov.
15 om. r,fv.
viii. 7 lripar (l3£vripar).
(9 ~µ,•patr.)
ix. 2 + ra' ay,a.
Even though no one of these readings may give the original text, few
are mere blunders.

(d) Of C.
iV. 8 /J,ET' UVTll (comp. V. 3).
(ix. 20 l3,,8tro (<vETELll.aro).)
Xiii. 7 ava8Ewp1uaVTH,

(e) The peculiar readings of D2 are far too numerous, especially in

chapters x.-xiii. to be given in detail. A few examples must suffice :
ii. 4 TOV 8£0v (avrov ).
14 re.iv av.+1ra817µarwv. 0a11arov+8a11arov.
iii. l 3 aµ,aprfo« ( rij < aµ.).
iv. II Elu. +al3£A<pol. J.>..178£lar (a1r£t8£lar).
vi. 18 ,UETll (13,a).
vii. 27 0 &pxt£p£vr.
iX. 9 ~TI< + 'TI" pooT17.
I 8 1 1rp. + l3,a8,f1<17.
23 1<a8apl(;£ra,.
x. ,ca(}apiuat (nA£1ruua,).
IO aiµaTo.r (uWµaro.r).
26 1r£ptA£l1r£TaL 8vuiav 7r£pl dµ,aprlar 1rpou£11£111<111,
33 OVL/3t{;oµ,£VOL (0rnrpt{;O,U£110t).
35 a1r0Av17r£ (a.1ro(:3a,\17n).
xi. 23 Add. 'Trt<ITL ,uiyar y£voµ,,vor Mwvrrijr avtAEV TOIi Alym,ov ,cara-
voedv TT}v ra1rlvw<rtv r&iv ci8£A</><dv aJToV.
xii. 23 n8£µ£Atwµtvwv (nnAEtwµ,ivwv).
(28 £Jxapl~ws (£vapirrrwr).)
29 1<vpwr yap (1<al yap).
xiii. I I K.aravaA.lu1<0VTa, ( ,cara,calErat.).
17 J7roac»uoJ1Ta, 7r£p1 Vµ@v (&1roacJcrovr£.r).
25 TOOV aylwv (v,uwv).
 TEXT. XlX

These variations it will be seen are wholly different in character, and

haYe more the character of glosses than true variants.
Compare also i. 7, 9; iii. 1; iv. 1, 5, 12, 13, 16; v. 2, 7, II, 12, 13;
vi. 2, 6, ro, 12, 19, 20; vii. 6, 13, 18, 19, 20, 24; viii. 9; ix. 1, 5, 13, 14, 26,
28; x. 3, 7, 20, 25, 28, 32, 37; xi. 1, 4, 9, II, 12, 14, 15, 32, 33, 36; xii. 2,
7, ro, 11, 17, 22, 25; xiii. 3, 6, 7, 8, 16, 21, 22.
The dual combinations of the primary uncials are all of interest :
t(B i. 8; vi. 3; vii. 23; Yiii. ro, 12; ix. 2, 3, 10.
BC vii. 21.
BD1 iv. 3; v. 3; vi. 2; vii. 4, 5; Yiii. 6; ix. II.
t(A i. 9; vii. 27; ix. 24; x. (34), 38; xi. 12, 38.
AC iii. 13; iv. 3; vi. 7; vii. (6), 13; x. II; xiii. 21.
AD2 ix. 14; x. 34; xi. 8.
t(C v. 12; vii. 26; xiii. 6.
t(D2 i. 12; x. 30; xii. 3, 21; xiii. 21.
CD 2 iv. 12; vii. 9.
tl()ompare also
t( vg ii. 1; iv. 6; t( syrr vi. 9; t( regg ix. 25; D1 vg x. 23.
A vg iii. 14.
B vg viii. ro; B d vi. 2; B regg iii. 2; Breth iii. 6; B verss ix. 1, 4
C vg ii. 5 (6).
The selection of readings given below the text will indicate fairly, I
believe, the extent of early variations, but it will not supersede the use of
a full critical apparatus.

(iii) Cursives: iii Cur-

sives
Nearly three hundred (Scrivener, Introd. 264 ff.) are
known more or less completely, including 17 (Cod.
Colb. srec. x1, = 33 Gosp.), 37 (Cod. Leicestr. srec. xiv),
47 (Cod. BodL srec. x1), which have been collated by
Dr Tregelles for his edition of the Greek Testament.
The MS. II (Acts 9 Stephens ,-y') of the Cambridge University Library MS. JI.
(Kk. vr. 4) contains some remarkable and unique readings (compare Addit.
Note on I John ii. 20).
ii. 8 V1r6 ToV" 1rOaas aVroV.
IO .-011 apx11yo11 .-ijs U(l)Tf/plas mi.-011.
18 ill re (add. yap 1a m.1) -rrirro118E11 av.-os TOIS 11"Etpa(oµho,~ avva.-a,
/30118ijum.
iii. 13 i~ vµ.wv m.
iv. 4 om. iv.
v. 12 Xoy"'" (given by Stephens).
The MS. is at present defective from vii. 20 -yE-yovlrrE~ to xi. ro ..-ov~ 8,µ..
 XX TEXT.
lxovo-a11, and again from xi. 23 v,ro r<»11 to the end. This mutilation is
later than the time of Stephens, who quotes from it on:
ix. 3 rci ti-y,a roiv Uylc.>v.
l S Aa/36'0-u, al KA1Jpovoµoi.
x. 6 INMJo-ar.
34 lx,,11 iavro"ir.
xii. 28 Aarpdmµ.m
xiii. l S &11acpipoµ.<11.
MS. 67**. The surprising coincidences of the corrections in 67 (67**) with M2 give
a peculiar value to the readings of 67** where M2 is defective. It agrees
with M2 in two readings which are not found in any other Greek MS:
i. 3 om. avroii.
ii. 9 X"'plr.
See also, i. 2 lo-xarov. 3 om. ~µ.w11. l l ll,aµ.£Vf(S. iii. l om. XptO'TOII.
4 om. ra. 6 or (?). JO ravry. xii. 2 5 otlpavoii. 26 <T£L0'6). xiii. l 8 1m80,u8a.
On the other hand it is quoted as giving i. 7 ,r11£iiµ.a. iii. 14 ,r[o-r,"'r.
17 om. r,uu. i.,.,,. It would be interesting to learn whether all t}l(ise
corrections are in the same hand.
The following readings are remarkable :
v. 12 om. rlva (unique).
vii. 4 om. o&ror (D2*).
ix. 14 a-ylov (D2* Latt.).
23 ,ca(Jap,(<ra, (D,* me).
xi. 4 om. ,lvai (unique).
37 111 JJ,TJA· ,cal al-y£10,r.
xii. 18 om. ,cal (1<.<Kavµ..) D 2*.
See also iv. 12; vi. 10; vii. 17; viii. 4; ix. 9; x. 12, 15; xi. 5, 26; xii. 15.
The corrections appear to shew the eclectic judgment of one or more
scholars; and suggest some interesting questions as to the texts of later
MSS.

2 VER· 2. VERSIONS.
SIONS.
i Latin. i. Latin:
The Epistle is preserved entire in two Latin Texts.
(a) The (a) The Old Latin.
Old Latin.
d (Cod. Clarom. ), the Latin Version of D 2 ; of which
e (Cod. Sangerm.) is a copy with a few corrections.
'l'he Greek text represented by d corresponds for the most part
with D2 (e.g. i. 7; ii. 14; iv. 11, 16; vi. 10, 20; vii. rf., 20; ix.
(5), 9, IO, II, 18 j
X. I, J, 6, 7, 26, (33,) 38 j Xi. 23 j xii. 22, 23, 26,

29; xiii. 17); but in many places it differs from it (e.g. i. 9; ii. 4,
 TEXT. xxi
6, 8; iii. 1, 13; iv. 12, 13; v. 6, 7, 11; vi. 1, 2, 18, 19; vii. 11, 13,
27; viii. 9; ix. 23; xi. 13, 32; xiii. 2, 20). In some of these cases
the diffe~ence may be due to errors in the transcription of D 2 (e.g.
i. 9; iii. 1, (13); iv. 12, 13; vi. 1, (18); viii. 9, &c.); but elsewhere
the difference points to a variation in a Greek text anterior to the
archetype of D 2 (e.g. ii. 4, 6, 8; v. 6, (7,) 11; vi. 2; vii 11, 27; ix.
23; xi. 13) and even to a misreading of it (vi. 10; xiii. 2).
The text of d has been given by Delarue [ under Sabatier's
name] in Bibl. Lat. Vers . .Ant. III. (but far less accurately than by
Tischendorf in his edition of Cod. Clarom., 1852) with the·variations
of e; and a large collection of Patrjstic quotations; b~t the genea-
logy of the early Latin texts has still to be determined with the
help of a fuller apparatus.
Where it differs from the Vulgate d most frequently witnesses
to an older Greek text (e.g. i. 12; ii. 4, 8; iii. 9, 13; vi. 2, 7; viii.
2, 11; ix. II; x. 9; xi. 3), yet not always (e.g. i. 7; iii. 17; vii. 23;
viii. 12; ix. 2; xi. 4). See also vi. 17; vii. 20; viii. JO; ix. ro;
x. 28, 38; xi. 18, 32; xii. 3, 26.

The Latin versions of the Epistle offer a subject for most instructive Le.tin quo-
study, which has not yet been adequately dealt with. The earliest specimen te.tions.
is found in the quotation of vi. 4-8 given by Tertullian (de Pudic. 20).
This is equally distinct from the Old Latin of d and e and from the
Vulgate text (e.g. v. 4 participavernnt spiritum sanctum. v. 5 verbum
Dei dulce, occidente jam oovo. v. 6 cum exciderint, refigentes cruci in
semetipsos, dedecorantes. v. 7 humorem, peperit herbam. v. 8 exusti-
onem). The next important specimen of the Old Latin is a quotation of
iii. 5-iv. 13 in Lucifer of Cagliari (t 371 A.D.) which agrees substantially
with the texts of d and e, the variations not being more than might be
found in secondary copies of the same writing (de non convers. c. lueret.
10). The quotations of Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose, Hilary, &c. indicate
the currency of a variety of texts in the 4th and 5th centuries, but these
have not been classified.
The text of d and e in this Epistle is singularly com1pt. The scribe of The text
d was evidently ignorant of Latin forms and words (i. 4 facto, 7 angelus; of d;
ii. 10 dicebat, per quo; iv. 1 5 habet; v. 9 operantibus ; vi. 5 uirtutis futuri
soocula, 15 petitus, 17 inmobilem nobilitatis sure ; vii. 2 5 accendentes, 26
coolestis ; x. 2 purgari [mundati1 27 horribis quidam execratio iudic~
30 vindicas; xi. 5 inveniebamur, 28 ne que subastabat; xii. 3 pectoribus ;
xiii. 10 herere [edere1 II alium [animalium]. His deficiency becomes
conspicuously manifest because he had to transcribe in this book a text
W. H. 3 C
 XXll TEXT.
which had already been corrected, and in many cases he has confused
together two readings so as to produce an unintelligible result (e.q. ii. 14
similiter .et ipse particepes factus est eorumdem passione ut per mortem
mortem destrueret qui imperium ... iv. 2 sed non fuit prode illis verbum
auditus illos non temperatos fidem auditorum; 12 scrutatur animi et
cogitationis et cogitationis cordis ; v. I 1 et laboiiosa qure interprretatio
est; vi. 16 et omnique controversia eorum novissimum in observatiouem;
viii. 12 malitire eorum et peccati illorum et injustis eorum; ix. 1 prior
eius justitia constitutionis cultura ; x. 2 nam necessansent offem. See
also ii. 3, 6; iv. 16; v. 7; vi. 1, 7, 10; vii. 19, 20; viii. 3; ix. 9; x. 2, 27,
33, 39; xi. 6, 31; xii. 1, 25).
of e; The sciibe of e seems to have known a little Latin (he was ignorant of
Greek) and he has corrected rightly some obvious blunders (ii. 12 pro (per)
quo; iii. 18 introituros (-rus); v. 14 exercitatas (-tus); vi 16 et omni (om.
que); vii. 25 accedentes (accend-): 26 crelis (crelestis); 28 jmisjurandi
(-ndo); viii. 7 secm1dus inquireretur (das, -rere); x. 33 taliter (et aliter) &c.).
Sometimes however his corrections are inadequate (e.g. ix. 24 apparuit per
se for per sw) and sometimes they are wrong (e.g. viii. 1 sedet for sedit); and
he has left untouched the gravest corruptions (iv. 2, 13; vi. 5, 17; ix. 1, 8 f.
&c,), and many simple mistakes (ii. 9; iii. 10; v. 1; x. 2 &c.). It is evident
that in this Epistle he had no other text to guide his work.
In spite of the wretched form in which the version has come down to
us, it shews traces of freedom and vigour, and in particular it has often
preserved the absolute participial constructions which are characteristic of
the Epistle (e.g. i. 2 etiam fecit, 3 purificatione peccatorum facta, 14 qui
mittuntur propter possessuros ... ii. 8 subjiciendo autem •.. ii. 18; v. 7 la-
crimis oblatis; vi. 11 relicto igitur initii Christi verbum (-o); x. 12 oblata
hostia, 14 nos sanctificans; xi. 31 exceptis exploratoribus; xii. 28 regno
immobili suscepto ).
The important Harleian MS. (B.M. Harl. 1772) contains many traces of
another early version, especially in the later chapters, as Griesbach (Symb.
Grit. i. 327) and Bentley before him noticed. Other MSS. also contain
numerous old renderings. Among these one of the most interesting is
of Bent- Bentley's S (comp. Diet. of Bible, Vulgate, p. 1713), in the Library of
ley's S.
Trinity College, Cambridge (B. 10. 5, srec. Ix.). This gives in agreement
with d and e
i. 7 ignem urentem.
ii. 3 in nobis.
18 om. et. (bis).
iii. 16 omnes.
viii. 10 in sensibus eorum.
xiii. I 7 om. non.
It has also many (apparently) unique renderings:
ii. 1 audimus.
11 et ex uno.
vi. 16 majorem sihi
 TEXT. xxiii
vi. 17 immotabilitatem ['ie. immutabilitatem more Saxonico' RB.}
vii 2 5 ad dnm.
viii 5 monstratum.
ix. 7 offerebat.
x. 13 de cretero, fratres, exspectans [H 3 has in the mg. of iv. 14
alM,cpol, and so Col iii. 4- D2 adds alM,cpol in iv. 11, and 37
in xii. 14].
xi. 12 qure in ora est.
28 primogenita.
xii. 5 filii mei nolite.
26 inouebat.
xiii. 10 deservierunt.
19 ut celerius (Harl. ut quo).
It agrees with Harl. in
i. 12 amictum inuoluens eos (Harl. inuolues).
x. 14 emundauit... uestram (se Bentl).
xii. 16 primitias suas.
xiii. 18 habeamus.
(b) The translation incorporated in the Vulgate appears to (b) The
have b een base d upon a rendermg. . . lly d"1stmct
origma . f rom t ha t Vulgate.
given by d, from which it differs markedly in its general style no
less than in particular renderings. It was in all probability not
made by the author of the translation of St Paul's Epistles; but
this question requires a more complete examination than I have
been able to give to it. The Greek text which it represents is much
mixed. In very many cases it gives the oldest readings (e.g. i. 3;
•
iii. 1, 10; iv. 7; vi. 10; vii. 21; viii. 4, 12; ix. 9; x. 30, 34, 38;
xi II; xii. 18), but not unfrequently those which are later (e.g.
i. 12; v. 4; viii. 2, II; ix. 10, 11; xi. 3; xii. 28), and the best
MSS. are often divided (e.g. ii. 5, 14, 18).
ii. Syriac. ii Syriac.
(a) The version in the Syriac Vulgate (the Peshito) is held to be (a) The
the work of a distinct translator (Wichelhaus, De vers. simpl. 86), Peahito.
but the question requires to be examined in detail. The position
which the Epistle occupies in the version (see§ m.) is favourable to
the belief that it was a separate work. The text of the Peshito in
this Epistle is mixed. It contains many early readings (e.g. i. 2;
v. 3, 9; vi. 7, 10; vii. 17, 23; vnL 12; ix. II; x. 30, 34; xi. 4,
32, 37; xii. 3, 7, 18), and many late readings (e.g. i. 1, 3, 12;
C 2
 XXIV TEXT.

ii. 14; iii. 1, 9 f.; vii. 14, 21; viii. 2, 4; x. 34, 38; xi. 3, 4 f.; xii. 8;
xiii. 4).
Many of the renderings are of interest (e.g. ii. 9: iii. 8; iv. 7;
v. 7£.; vi. 2, 4; vii, 19, 26; x. 29, 33; xi. 17, 19, 20; xii. z;
xiii. 16).
Compare also the following passages: ii. 13; iv. 8, 16; vii. 2,
1
II, 20j viii. 9; X. 5, II, 17; xi. II .

{b) The (b) The Harclean (Philoxenian) Syriac Version has now been
Harclean.
made complete, the missing portion, xi. 28 to the end, being found
in the Cambridge MS. Though the text represented by the
Harclean version is generally of a later type than that repre-
sented by the Peshito where the two versions differ (e.g. i. 2, 3;
viii. 4, 12; ix. rn, 13, 28; x. 8, 30; xii. 3, 18), it preserves some
earlier readings (e.g. i. 5, 8; ii. 14; v. 4; x. 2, 9, 28, 30 ). In some
doubtful cases the two versions represent different ancient readings
(e.g. iii. 13; iv. 2; vii. 4; ix. rn, 14; x. 11; xiii. 15) 2 •
The text of the missing portion haa been printed by Prof. Bensly (The
Harklean Version qf the Epistle to the Hebreics, chap. xi. 28-xiii 25,
now editedfor the.first time with Introduction and Notes on the version
of the Epistle.... Cambridge, 1889). It contains the following variations
from the text which I have printed:
xi. 29 (ll,i(371ua11) + ol vlol 'Iupa~;\.
31 ~ + irrtAEyoµ.ivr/ 1rop1171.
32 om. ,cal 1°.
tmX. yap µE.
B. rE (or 1eal B.) ""' ~- 1eal 'L
riv + c!X.>..wv' 'Tl'p.
34 uroµ.a.
xiL 3 lavrOv or a'UrOv.
8 11o60, furE KaL oVx vfoL
I l ,raua lJi.
18 ~pn o/1JA.
21 Mwvuij$'+yap.
24 1rapa T6 roii ~A.
25 ,rapa,r. T6V t,rl ns-
XP'l/1-·
28 'XOJJ-EII ••• Aarp•voJJ,EJJ.
alaav, ,cal E'UAafjEla,.
1 I have not thought it necessary to in the next page are not always given
quote all the renderings in the notes. expressly in the inner margin.
2 The readings referred to here and
 TEXT. XXV

xiii. 4 ,ropv. a..

6 + ical' o,l cf,ofJ.
9 1np,,raT71uavrH (probably).
15 a,
avTOV + olv.
18 '1rE'trOt8aµ.,v.
lxoµ.,v lv ,rau,v (so connected).
20 'b]uovv + XptO'TOV.
2I om. dyaBcii.
' .
' vµ.,v.
•v
om. TC0v al~vrov.
25 + 'Aµ.llv.
iii. Egyptian. iii Egypt-
ian.
(a) Memphitic (Coptic). The Epistle is contained entire in this (a) Mem-
phitic.
early and important version.
The Greek text which the version represents is of great
excellence (e.g. i. 2, 3, 8; ii. 14; iii. 1, 2, 9; iv. 12; v. 1; vii. 4,
23: viii. 4, 11; ix. 2, 10, n; x. 8, 15, 30, 34; xi. 3, 5, n; xii. 18,
20; xiii. 4); but it has an admixture of later readings (e.g. i. 12;
v. 10; vi. 10, 16; vii. 21; viii. 2, 12; x. 16, 38); and some readings
which, though early, are certainly wrong (e.g. ii. 6; ix. 14; x. 32;
xiii. 20).
(b) Thebaic (Sahidic). Of this version the following fragments (b) The-
baic.
have been published :
vii. I I £l-2 I alWva.
ix. 2 <TK'¥)V'IJ-IO €1rtK£{µ£va.
ix. 24 ov ya.p-28 <TW'T'YJp{av.
x. 5 ~,o- 10 lcf,a,r~.
XI. II 7r{u,-£i-2 2 £V£T£lAaTo.
xii. 1 Toiyapovv-9 £V£TP£7r0p.£0a.
18 ov yap-27 <TaA£VOP,£Va.
The value of the version may be seen by its renderings in the
following passages : ix. 10, 2 5, 2 6 ; xi. 11 ; xii. 7, 18.
(c) Bashmuric. The fragments of this version (quoted as ..Eg.), (c) _BaJJh-
muric.
which was derived from the Thebaic, are
v. 4 'Aapwv-9 lytv£TO.
13 >..oyov-vi. 3 7r0t1uoµ£v.
vi. 8-II; 15-vii. 5 lv,-o>..1v (more or less mutilated).
 xxvi TEXT.

16 &Ka'To.Avrov-x. 23 KaBap<i!.
The dependence of this version upon the Thebaic and the close
agreement of the present text with that version in the passages
which are found in both (yet see ix. 2, 4, 10) gives great value to
its evidence where the Thebaic is defective (e.g. vii. 4, 22, 23;
viii 1, 4, 11, 12; ix. 11, 13, 14; x. 4). Its agreement with Band
.&Jth. in ix. 2, 4 is specially worthy of notice.·
The text of the Egyptian versions offers a singularly interesting
field of study. It would be instructive to tabulate in detail their
coincidences even in this single epistle with B, A and C.
Later The Epistle is found entire in the later versions, Armenian,
versions.
.&Jthiopic, Slavonic. It does not, however, seem to have been
included in the Gothic; for the Epistle to Philemon is followed
immediately by the Kalendar in the Ambrosian MS. A of the
Epistles (E. Bernhardt, Vulfila oder die Gothisclte Bibel, s. xxiv.
1875).
General The text of the Epistle is on the whole well preserved, but there
character
ofthetext. are some passages in which it is not unlikely that primitive errors
have passed into all our existing copies; e.g. iv. 2 (Addit. note);
xi. 4 (Addit. note), 3 7; xii. 11; xiii. 21; see also x. I (Addit.
note). Some primitive errors have been corrected in later MSS.:
vii. I j Xi. 35·
The following passages offer variations of considerable interest,
and serve as instructive exercises on the principles of textual
criticism: i. 2, 8; ii. 9 (Addit. note); iv. 2 (Addit. note); vi. 2, 3;
. ix. II; x. 34; xi. 13; xii. 7.
The general contrast between the early and later texts is well
seen by an examination of the readings in: i. 2, 3, 12; ii. 1, 14;
iii. 1, 9; v. 4; vi. 10: vii. 11, 16; viii. 4, II; ix. 1, 9, 10; xi. 3,
13; xii. 15, 18, 20; xiii 9.
 TITLE. xxvii ·

II. TITLE.

In the oldest MSS. (NAB : C is defective but it has the sub- The Title
scr1pt10n . 1e of t h e E p1st
. . npoc eBp<llloyc ) t h e tit . 1e, 1·1ke that of the other in the
oldest
Epistles to Churches, is simply npoc eBp<ll1oyc, 'to Hebrews.' There MSS.
is no title or colophon to the Epistle in D2 , but it has a running
heading npoc eBp<ll1oyc.
The absence of title in D2 is contrary to the usage of the MS.; and it
is also to be noticed that the colophon to the Epistle to Philemon (1rp6r
<I>,}..r/µ.ova l1rAT/P"'8T/) gives no notice that any other Epistle 'is to follow, as
is done in other cases (e.g. 1rpos Tlrov l1rAT/P"'8T/, tipxn·ai 1rp6r <I>,}..rjµova).
In fact the Epistle to Philemon is followed by the Sticlwnutry (Hlst.
of Canon of N. T. p. 563), and the Epistle to the Hebrews has been
added by the Scribe as an appendix to the archetype of the other
Epistles.
The Egyptian versions (Memph. Theb.) have the same simple
title : to the Hebrews.
This title, as in other cases, was gradually enlarged. The Later
. enlarge-
Peshito .Syriac and the New College MS. of the Harclean give ments.
the Epistle to the Hebrews: the Cambridge MS. of the Harclean
Syriac gives in its title the Epistle to the Hebrews of Paul the
Apostle, but in the subscription the Epistle is called simply the
Epistle to the Hebrews.
Later Greek MSS. give IlavAov E'TrLCTTOA~ 1rpor; 'Ef3palov<;, as in the
Epistle to the Romans &c., (P2), and, at greater length, Tov ily{ov Ka,
1ravrucp1p.ov cl1roCTTOAOV ITavAov E71"1.UTOA~ 1rpor; 'Ef3palov<; (~)- Some-
times historical statements are inwoven in the title: lypacp'tJ &1ro
'IrnA[a<; Ota Tip.o8lov ,j 1rpor; 'Ef3palov<; E'11"LCTTOA~ EKTEBE'iCTa W<; lv 1rlvaKL
(M2) j Ilav>..or; &mxTTOAO<; 'Ef3palo,r; T<LOE CTVYYEll(CTLV (f Ser).
The title forms no part of the original document; but it The Title
. added at
must have been given to the book at a very early date, when an early
it first passed into public use as part of a collection of Apostolic date.
letters. And it was rightly given in regard to the permanent
relation which the book occupies to the whole message of the
Gospel. For while the treatment of the subjects with which it
 xxviii TITLE.

deals and the su~jects themselves are of universal interest, the

discussion is directed by special circumstances. The arguments
and reflections in their whole form and spirit, even more than in
special details, are addressed to 'Hebrews,' men, that is, whose
hearts were filled with the thoughts, the hopes, the consolations,
of the Old Covenant, such perhaps as, under another aspect, are
described as oi EK 7r£pt-rop,ij, (Acts x. 45; xi. 2; Gal. ii. 12; Col.
iv. 11; Tit. i. IO).
Tertullian has preserved an interesting notice of another name,
which was given to the Epistle in North Africa, and which appa-
rently dates from a time earlier than the formation of the collection
of Apostolic Epistles. He quotes it definitely as Barrwhre titulus
ad Hebr<eos (de Pudic. 20); and there can be no reasonable doubt
that the Epistle of Barnabas which is included in the African (Latin)
Stichometry contained in the Cod. Clarom. (D 2) refers to this book.
There is not however the least evidence that it was ever called 'the
Epistle to the Laodicenes' (not in Philastr. Hrer. 89 or Cod. Boern.
G3 ), or 'the Epistle to the Alexandrines' ( Can. Murat. fertur etiam
ad Laudicenses [ epistola], alia ad Alexandrinos, Pauli nomine :finctre
ad hreresem Marcionis, et alia plura qure in Catholicam ecclesiam
recipi non potest) although it might be described as 'directed to
meet (7rpos -r~v aip£uiv) the teaching of Marcion.' (Comp. Hist.
of N. T. Canon, p. 537.)

Identified The identification of the Epistle of Barnahas of the Claromontane

wit?, ' the Stichometry with the Epistle to the Hebrews was first suggested by
b
:P1st1 of, Martianay (Jerome, Bibl. Div. Proleg. iv: Migne P. L. xxviii 124), and
ina::: c~- maintained by Credner. Two books only can come into consideration, the
romontane .Apocryphal Letter of Barnabas and the Epistle to the Hebrews. These
Sticho- are so different in length that when the question is one of measurement it
metry. is practically impossible to confuse them. In Cod. Sin.~, which contains
both, the Epistle to the Hebrews occupies 40½ columns and the Epistle of
Barnabas 53½ columns; and, to take another equivalent of the Epistle
to the Hebrews, the Epistle to the Galatians, the Ephesians, and Titus
together occupy 41 columns. It may then be fairly concluded that in any
scheme of reckoning the Epistle to the Hebrews will give a number of
lines (<rrixoi) approximately equal to the combined numbers of the lines in
these three Epistles, and that the 'lines' in the Letter of Barnabas will
be about a third more. Thus in the Greek numeration given by Martianay
 TITLE. XXIX

(l.c.), which is found in several MSS., the three Epistles give a total of 702
(293+312+97) and the number assigned to Hebrews is 703. The numera-
tion in the Claromontane list is different, but it leads to the saine result:
the three Epistles have a total sum of 865 (350+ 375 + 140), and the number
assigned to 'the Epistle of Barnabas ' is 8 50. It would be difficult to add
anything to the force of this correspondence.
There is however another independent testimony to the relative length
of the (apocryphal) Letter of Barnabas in the Stichometry of Nicephorus.
In this the lines of the fourteen Epistles of St Paul are given only in a
total sum: then the lines of Barnabas are reckoned as 136o, and the lines
of the Apocalypse at 1400. In other words, according to this calculation,
which represents a different numeration from that given in the Claro-
montane Stichometry, the length in lines of the Epistle of Barnabas is
a little less than that of the Apocalypse. Now in the . Claromontane
list the lines of the Apocalypse are reckoned as 1200, and the lines of
' the Epistle of Barnabas' are 850. Taking then the proportion of the
Hebrews to the apocryphal Barnabas in Cod. Sin., and assuming that the
Claromontane Barnabas is the Epistle to the Hebrews, the lines of the
apocryphal Barnabas on this scale would be 1150. Again the coincidence
is practically complete.
The position of the Book in the Stichometry, after the Catholic Epistles
and before the Revelation, the Acts of the Apostles and the Shepherd,
points to the same conclusion; nor would it be necessary in the case of the
single letter of the supposed author to identify it further by the addition of
the address.
Little stress however can be laid on these details. The length of the
apocryphal Barnabas absolutely excludes it ; and the exact agreement of
the length of the book named with the .Epistle to the Hebrews leaves no
room for doubt as to their identification.
Wherever the nature of the book is defined by early writers it is
called an 'Epistle.' The description is substantially correct, though
the construction of the writing is irregular. It opens without any
address or salutation ( comp. I John i. I), but it closes with saluta-
tions (xiii. 24 f.). There are indeed personal references throughout,
and in the course of the book there is a gradual transition from
the form of an ' essay ' to that of a 'letter': ii. 1; iii. 1, 12 ; iv. 1,

14; v. vi. 9; x. 19; xiii. 7, 22 ff.

11;

The writer himself characterises his composition as .\6-yos -,rapa-

KA~u11ws ( xiii. 2 2 note); and the verb which he uses of his commu-
nication (8iCL f3paxlwv l-,rlum.\a l.c.), while it does not necessarily
describe a letter (in Acts xxi. 25 the true reading is li?r£CTT11{.\ap.11v,
and lmun,.\ai in Acts xv. 20 is probably to enjoin), yet presupposes
 XXX TITLE.

a direct personal address ( £ma--rtAAEtv is used of the Epistle by Clem.

Alex. ap. Euseb. H . .E. vi 14; comp. Clem. R. 1 Cor. 7, 47, [62]),
though personal relationships are kept in the background till the
end.

The conjecture that the salutation at the opening of the Epistle has
been removed cannot be regarded as worthy of serious discussion. An
'editor' who had mutilated the beginning of the book (to say no more)
would not have left c. xiii. as it stands.
It is of interest to notice the delicate shades of feeling marked by the
transition from 'we' to 'ye' as the writer speaks of the hopes and trials and
duties of Christians, e.g. iii. 12, 13, 14; x. 22 ff., 25 t:; 36, 39; xii. 1, 2, 3;
8-12; 25, 28£; xiii. 5, 6; 9, ro; 15, 16.
For the most part he identifies himself with those to whom he writes;
unless there is some special point in the direct address: i 2 ; ii. 1, 3; 8 t:;
iii. 19; iv. 1 ff.; 11, 13ff.; vi. 1; 18 ff.; vii. 26; viii. 1; ix. 24; x. 10; xi.
3, 40.

III. POSITION.

The place The places occupied by the Epistle in different authorities

of the
Epistle in indicate the variety of opinions which were entertained in early
times as to its authorship.
the oldest In the oldest Greek MSS. (~ABO) it comes immediately before
Greek
MSS., the Pastoral Epistles following 2 Thess.; and this is the position
which it generally occupies in MSS. of the Memphitic Version
(Woide, App. Cod. Alex. N.T. p. 19; Lightfoot ap. Scrivener,
Introd. 386 f., 390). This order is followed also by many later
MSS. (H2 P 2 17 &c.), and by many Greek Fathers.
in the In Cod. Vat. B there is important evidence that it occupied a
marginal
numera- different position in an early collection of Pauline Epistles. In this
tion of B, MS. there is a marginal numeration which shews that the whole
collection of Pauline Epistles was divided, either in its archetype
or in some earlier copy, into a series of sections numbered con-
secutively. In this collection the Epistle to the Hebrews came
between the Epistles to the Galatians and to the Ephesians.
 POSITION. XXXl

The paragraphs in B, so far as they come under consideration here,

begin:
NH' Gal v. 16.
Ne' Hebr. i 1.
z1 iii. I.
:0:A' iv. 14
!S'B' Yi. 9•
:.:r' vii. 19-
s~' ix. I I.
The remainder of the Epistle accounts for sections :S:E'-:0:0'. Then
follows
o' Eph. i. 1.
This arrangement preserved by B approximates to. that of the
Thebaic and Bashmuric versions, in which the Epistle comes be-
tween 2 Corinthians and Galatians (Zoega, Cat. Codd. in Mus.

Borg. pp. 186, 140; comp. Lightfoot ap. Scrivener l.c. pp. 339, 404).
Cassiodorus (Instit. 14) gives another arrangement of the same type,
p~acing the epistle between Colossians and 1 Thessalonians.

The order of the Books in a Latin MS. of St Paul's Epistles (glossed)

in the Chapter Library at Westminster is worth quoting : Romans;
1, 2 Corinth.; 1, 2 Thess.; 1, 2 Tim.; Gal., Eph., Col, Phil., Hebr., Phllm.,
Titus. The order is marked in the colophons, e.g. Explicit epistola ad
Philippenses. Prrefatio epistolre ad Hebrreos ; Explicit epistola ad
Hebrreos. Incipit epistola ad Philemonern.

In the Syriac versions the Epistle comes after the Pastoral in the
Epistles and Philemon; and this order, which was followed in the ~:dtter
mass of later Greek MSS. (K2 ½ &c.), probably under Syrian ~SS~
influence, has passed into the 'Received text.' Compare Epiph.
Hmr. xlii. p. 373.
The same order is found in Latin MSS. For in the West the in Latin
Epistle did not originally form part of the collection of the writings MSS.
of St Paul; and other clear traces remain of the absence of the
book from the Apostolic collection. Thus in Cod. Clarom. D 2 the
Epistle, as has been seen, appears as an appendix to the Pauline
Epistles, being separated from the Epistle to Philemon by the
Stichometry. The archetype of this MS. and the original text
from which the Gothic version was made, evidently contained only
thirteen Epistles of St Paul.
 xxxu POSITION.

Another testimony to the collection of thirteen Epistles of St Paul is

given by the remarkable Stichometry printed by Mommsen from a MS.
belonging to the Library of Sir T. Phillipps (Hermes, 1886, p. 146~
Item indiculum novi testamenti
evangelia mr. Matheum vr ii DCC
Marcus ver oo DCC
J ohannem vr oo nccc
Luca vr III CCC

fiunt omnes versus x

eplae Pauli n XIII
actus aplorum ver iii: DC
apocalipsis ver oo DCCC
eplae Iohannis m: ur ccccL
una sola.
eplae Pet,p n.ver. ccc
una sola.
Thus at the earliest di>,te at which we find a collection of
St Paul's Epistles in circulation in the Church, the Epistle to
the Hebrews was by some definitely included in his writings,
occupying a place either among or at the close of the Epistles
to Churches: by others it was treated as an appendix to them,
being set after the private letters : with others again it found no
place at all among the Apostolic writings.

IV. ORIGINAL LANGUAGE.

The The earliest direct notice of the Epistle, quoted by Eusebius
statement . .
ofClement (H. E. VI. 14) from Clement of Alexandria, states that It 'was
~{aftl~ written (by Paul) to Hebrews in the Hebrew language (i.e. the
Epistle Aramaic dialect current in Palestine at the time, Acts xxii. 2)
was
written in and translated (into Greek) by Luke.' (See§ XI.) This statement
Hebrew. .
was repeated from Eusebms (and Jerome who depended on him),
as it appears, and not from Clement himself, by a series of later
writers both in the East and West (Theodoret, Euthalius, John of
Damascus, CEcumenius, Theophylact, Primasius, Rahanus Maurus,
Thomas Aquinas: see Bleek, 8 f.; Credner, Einl. 533), but there is
not the least trace of any independent evidence in favour of the
 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE. XXXlll

tradition, nor is it said that any one had ever seen the original
Hebrew document. The unsupported statement of Clement, which
Origen discredits by his silence, is thus the whole historical founda-
tion for the belief that the Epistle was written in Hebrew. The
opinion however was incorporated in the Glossa Ordinaria, and
became the traditional opinion of the medireval Western Church.
When Widmanstadt first published the Syriac text of the New
Testament, he even argued that the text of the Epistle to the
Hebrews was the original of St Paul The belie£ in a Hebrew
original was maintained by one or two scholars in the last century
(J. Hallet, J. D. Michaelis); and lately it has found a vigorous
advocate in J. H. R. Biesenthal (Das Trostschreiben d. Ap. Paulus
an d. Hebraer, 1878; comp. Panek, Comm. in Ep. Prolegg. § 2;
1882), who thinks that the Epistle was written in 'the dialect of
the Mishna, the language of the schools' in the apostolic age, into
which he has again rendered the Greek.

The words of Widmanstadt are : Ex quibus omnibus coniecturam non

leve capi posse arbitror, et Mathreu. Euagelium suu, et Paulu. ad Hebrreos
Epistolam sermone Syro, Hebraici populi vulgari usu trito, ut a Iudeis
passim omnibus intelligerentur, scripsisse, eaq; in Syrorum Ecclesiis iam
usq; a temporibus Apostolorum coservata fuisse (Nov. Test. Syr. Prmf.
a xxxxxx. 3, 1555). There is a small commentary based on the Syriac,
published not many years afterwards, in which it is argued that : in Syro
Paulo multa sunt qure non tantum lucem adferunt obscurioribus sed etiam
interpretum discussiones bellissime componunt, ex grrecanicarum vocum
ambiguitate prognatas (Enarratio Ep. ad Hebr. B. Pauli Apost. a Syro
sermone in Latinum conversre, ex M. Galeni Vestcappellii prrelectionibus
concinnata opera ac studio Fr. Andrere Crocquetii... Duac~ I 578).
The words of the Glossa Ordinaria are instructive as shewing how a
statement grows precise by lapse of time: Hane ... epistolam ad Hebrreos
conscriptam Hebraica lingua fertur apostolus misisse; cujus sensum et
ordinem retinens Lucas evangelista post excessum beati apostoli Pauli
Grreco sermone composuit (Migne, P. L. cxiv. p. 643).
Card. Caietan, writing in I 529, says that one of the two preliminary
points which he must discuss is : 'an hrec epistola fuerit condita Hebraico
sermone ut communiter supponitur.' He decides without hesitation against
the common opinion.

Not to dwell on the insufficiency of the statement of Clement, in The

the absence of all collateral external testimony, to justify the belie£ !i:::=:_nt
 XXXIV ORIGINAL LANGUAGE.

worthy that the Epistle was written in Hebrew, internal evidence appears
and
opposed to establish absolutely beyond question that the Greek text is
to clear
internal • . l and not a trans1a t·ion f rom any f orm of A rama1c.
ongma . The
evideneeof' vocabulary, the style, the rhetorical characteristics of the work
language,
and all lead to the same conclusion. It is (for example) impossible to
imagine any Aramaic phrase which could have suggested to a trans-
lator the opening clause of the Epistle, ?roAvp.£pw,; ,ca4 ?roAvTpo?rwi;;
and similar difficulties offer themselves throughout the book in the
free and masterly use of compound words which have no Aramaic
equivalents (e.g. p.Hpio7ra(h1.v v. 2: £V7r£p{crraTo<; xii 1 ). The struc-
ture of the periods is bold and complicated, and the arrangement of
the words is often singularly expressive (e.g. ii 9). Paronomasias
(e.g. i. 1; ii. 10; v. 8; vii. 23 f.; ix. 28; x. 34, 38 f.) are at least
more likely to have been due to the writer than to have been
introduced or imitated by a translator. But on the other hand
stress must not be laid on a (falsely) assumed change in the
meaning of 8ia01,c11 in ix. 15 ff., or the obviously fortuitous
hexameter in the common text of xii. 13.
of the A still more decisive proof that the Greek text is original
fr:'!a8~~~ lies in the fact that the quotations from the 0. T. are all (except
x. 30 II Deut. xxxii. 35) taken from the LXX, even when the LXX

differs from the Hebrew (e.g. ii. 7 7rap' &:yyi>..ovs; x. 38 ,ca4 id.v
fnrocrrElA1JTai; xii. 5 f. µacrr,yo'i~. And arguments are based on
peculiarities of the Lxx, so that the quotations cannot have been
first introduced in the translation from Aramaic to Greek (e.g.
x. 5 ff. crwµa 1CaT1JpTlcrw; xii. 26 f. ;J.7rat).
No diffi- It may also be added that the passages in which difficulties
culties of in the Greek text are supposed to be removed by the hypothesis
interpre-
tation of a false rendering of the original offer no solid support to the
removed .
by the hy- theory. Scholars who allege them shew little agreement as to
th
po esis. the difficulties or as to the solutions of them. Thus in the two
lists given by Michaelis and Biesenthal, of eighteen and nineteen
passages respectively, only four are identical (i. 2; vi. 19; ix. 17;
x. 1 ), and in these four the solutions are different.
The passages alleged by Michaelis (Bleek, i p. 23 anm.) are i 2; ii r, 9;
 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE. XXXV

iii. 3 i.; v. 13; vL 14, 19; vii. 14; ix. 2-4, 14-17; x. 1; xi. II, 35; xii.
15, 18, 25; xiii. 9, 15. Those alleged by Biesenthal are: i 2; ii. 3; iii. 13;
iv. 12, 13; vL 19; vii. 4, 5, 15, 27; viii. 2; ix. 16f.; x. 1, II; xi. 26, 27;
xii. 18.

V. DESTINATION.

The letter is described in all existing copies as addressed I to According

to the
Hebrews '; and Tertullian, who assigned the authorship to Barnabas, earliest
. t h e same d est·1nat·ion (de p.uU,ic.
gave 1t .3• . 1us a d evidence
20 B arnab re titu the
Hebrreos). There is, as has been already seen (§ m.), no evidence Epiatle
. was
that it ever bore any other address. Though there is no reason to addressed
· to 'He-
suppose that the title is original, it expresses at least the belief brews.'
of those by whom the Epistle was placed among the apostolic
Scriptures, and describes truly the character of those for whom it
was written, so far as their character can be determined from its
general scope, as men who by birth and life were devoted to the
institutions of Israel.
The argument of von Soden (Jahrb. f. Protest. Tlteol. 1884), who
endeavours to shew that it was written to Gentiles, cannot be regarded as
more than an ingenious paradox by any one who regards the general
teaching of the Epistle in connexion with the forms of thought in the
apostolic age.
The term 'Ef:Jpa'ios (or rather 'Ef:Jpa'ios) occurs in the N. T. in two senses Use in
the N. T.
(a ) of language: of , He-
Acts vL I TWV 'E>..>..1111,0TOOJI 1rp6s TOVS 'Ef:Jpalovs. brew,'
(b) of descent :
2 Cor. xi 22 'E/3pa'iol du,v; •• .'lupa-q>..i,ml ilu,11; .•• u1rlpµ.a 'AfJpaaµ.
,
ELUtV; •••

Phil iii. 5 'Ef:Jp. Jg 'E/3palr.w.

The title properly describes ' the people from beyond the river Euphra-
tes'; and is the national name of the race having regard to the divine call
In this widest sense Eusebius speaks of Philo as 'E/3paios : H. E. ii. 4 ,.;,
-yivos avEKalhv 'Ef:Jpa'ios qv. Comp. H. E. iii. 4-
The two other names by which Jews are styled in the N.T., '1ovaai'os
and 'lupa11>..ilT1Js, have each their distinct meaning.
'Iovaa'ios is the name of the people as forming a religious commonwealth; •Jew,'
and is used of the people especially after the Return ( r Cor. i. 22 ff.; ·
Apoc. ii. 9).
Hence in the Gospel of St John 'the Jews' (ol 'Iovaa'io,) is the common
 XXXVI DESTINATION.

title for those who stood apart from Christ and represented the nation: from
the side of unbelief:
'Israelite.' 'Iupa1JA<lnis is the name of special privilege.
Johni.48(47); Acts ii. 22; iii 12; v. 35; xiii 16; xxi 28; Rom. ix.
4; xi 1; 2 Cor. xi 22.
In connexion with 'Iupa1JA<lnis the phrases ol vlot 'Iupa')A (c. xi. 22 note),
& Aaos 'Iupa')A, 'Iupary">.. (Rom. ix. 6), o'Iupa')A (John i. 31 note), o 'Iupa~X
rov 8,ov (Gal vi. 16), must be studied. See also ,ndpµa 'Af:3pa&µ, ii. 16
(note).
In itself the title 'Hebrew' is not local but national. It
describes a quality of race and not of dwelling. We have to inquire
therefore whether the Epistle enables us to define this wide term
more exactly.
Traits of At once we find that the book contains numerous indications of
the
Society the circumstances and character of those to whom it was written.
addressed.
There is no trace of any admixture of heathen converts among
them ; nor does the letter touch on any of the topics of heathen
controversy (not xiii. 9, see note). It is therefore scarcely possible
that it could have been written to a mixed Church generally, or to
the Jewish section of a mixed Church. In either case allusions to
the relations of Jew and Gentile could scarcely have been avoided.
They were a small body (v. 12 ), and they were addressed
separately from 'their leaders' (xiii. 24). At the same time they
were in a position to be generous, and for this trait they were and
had been distinguished ( vi. 10).

Their special trials came through disappointment of their first

expectations. They had failed to grow under the discipline of
experience, and so had degenerated: v. 1 r f. (vw0pol yey6vaT£);
vi. 1; x. 25.
The widening breach between the Church and the Synagogue
rendered it necessary at last to make choice between them, and 'the
Hebrews' were in danger of apostasy: ii. r, 3; iii. 6, 12 ff.; iv. 1,
3, II; vi. 6; x. 25, 29, 39. They had need therefore of effort and
patience: iv. r 4; vi. II f.; x. 23, 36 : xii. 1, 3 ff., 12 ff.
In earlier days they had borne reproach and hardships: x. 32 ff.;
still they 'had not yet resisted unto blood ' : xii. 3 ff.; though some
at least 'in. bonds' claimed their sympathy and help: xiii. 3 ; and
 DESTINATION. XXX.Vll

perhaps their' former 'leaders' had suffered even to martyrdom :

xiii. 7.
From these individual traits it is clear that the letter is General
addressed to a definite Society and not to 'Hebrew' Christians :t:1!~
A
generally. This is proved yet more directly by the fact that the over the
close of
writer hoped to visit them (xiii. 23) as he had been with them the First
... 19 ). A
before (xm. t h .
t e same time, t h ough he spoke of them Age.
as 'brethren' (iii. 1, note) and 'beloved' (vi. 9, note), he does
not speak of them as 'children' (-rlKva.).
The living picture of the character and position of ~his definite
and marked Society will repay careful study (v. I I ff: ; vi. 9 ff. ;
x. 32 ff.; xii. 3 ff:); and whatever obscurity may hang over its local
position, its spiritual features stand out with vivid clearness. We
have in the Epistle to the Hebrews a picture of early Christian life
such as is drawn in detail nowhere else (compare 3 John), and which
still, as we must see, represents a necessary phase in the growth of
the Church. The first enthusiasm and the first hope had, as we shall
notice later, passed away. Believers began to reckon loss and gain.
Some were inclined to overrate the loss; and we learn elsewhere
that dark clouds hung over the close of the apostolic age. Compare
2 Tim. i. 15 ; Apoc. ii. iii. ; 2 Pet. iii. i ff. ; 1 John ii. I 8 ff.
We might have expected it to be otherwise, and we do in fact
unconsciously clothe the first centuries in light. But in this Letter
the reality of imperfection meets us ; and in the very sadness of the
portraiture we feel with fresh force that Christianity is historical,
entering into life and subject to the common influences of life.
And more than this : we learn from this Epistle that the early
difficulties of Churches were not dealt with tentatively, as if the
truth were the result of the free conflict of thought. The false view
~as met at once by the corresponding lesson. Error called out the
decisive teaching but it had no part in creating it.
The phase of feeling traced in the Epistle has been spoken of as The trial
a necessary one m . t h e deve1opment o£ Oh nstian
. · · not implied
life. I t is was
difficult to see how this was so. Those who suffered in the trial inevitable.
Were Jews! and the narrative of the Acts shews plainly with what
~~ d
XXXVlll DESTINATION.

loyal devotion the first believers from among the Jews observed the
Law. Even at a later date St Paul before the Sanhedrin claimed
to be a true Jew. For a time this fellowship of the Church and
Synagogue was allowed on both sides. Little by little the growth
of the Gentile element in the Church excited the active hostility
of the Jews against the whole body of Christians, as it troubled
the Jewish converts themselves. This hostility could not fail to
be intensified in Palestine by the spread of aggressive nationalism
there shortly before the outbreak of the Jewish war (comp. Jos. de
B. J. ii 23, 29ff.; iv. uff.}; and it is not unlikely that the solemn
cursing of the heretics (Minim) in the Synagogues, which became
an established custom after the fall of Jerusalem (Weber Altsynag.
Theol. 147 f.), may have begun from that time (comp. Just. l\L
Dial. 16 and Otto's note; Epiph. Hrer. xxix. 9, i. p. 124).
The time Meanwhile the Jewish converts had had ample time for realising
of decision
slowly t e t rue re1at10ns
h . of Oh r1s
. t·1am·ty and J u d a1sm.
. D evot·10n t o Le v1·t·1ca1
reached. ritual was no longer innocent, if it obscured the characteristic teach-
ing of the Gospel. The position which rightly belonged to young
and immature Christians was unsuited to those who ought to have
reached the fulness of truth (v. II ff.). Men who won praise for
their faith and constancy at the beginning of a generation which
was emphatically a period of transition, might well deserve blame
and stand in peril of apostasy, if at the end of it they simply
remained where they had been at first. When as yet the national
unbelief of the Jews was undeclared, it was not possible to foresee
that the coming of Christ would bring the overthrow of the old
order. The approaching catastrophe was not realised in the earlier
apostolic writings. In the Epistle to the Hebrews it is shewn to
be imminent. In the Gospel and Epistles of St John it is, as it
were, lost in the fulness of the life of the Church.

The very remarkable account which Hegesippus has given of the death
of James the Just (c. 63 .A.D.), the brother of the Lord, preserved by Eusebius
H. E. ii. 23), supplies, with all its strange and exaggerated details, a com-
mentary both on the Jewish feeling towards Christians and on the Christian
feeling towards Jews in Jerusalem about this time.
 DESTINATION. xxxix
We can see then generally what was the character of the body Such a
Society
to whom the letter was addressed. Where can we look for such naturally
a body 1 Some have found it in the 'Hebrew' Christians of Asia ~h::e\t:
Minor generally, or in some special congregation of Syria, Asia prie st1Y f
aspect o
Minor, Greece, Italy or Africa, and more particularly at Antioch Judaism
was
or Rome or Alexandria. Lately the opinion that the Letter was dominant,
addressed to the Roman Church has found considerable favour.
But the dominant conception of the Old Testament Institutions as
centering in sacrificial and priestly ordinances seems to be fatal to
all these theories which are not supported by any direct evidence,
for no conclusion can be fairly drawn as to the original destination
of the Epistle from the fact that Clement of Rome was acquainted
with it. Such a view, unlike that of the observance of special days
or meats, must be generally dependent in a large measure upon local
circumstances of a narrow range. It is possible indeed that special
circumstances with which we are unacquainted may have influenced
the feelings of a small society, and there was in fact a 'Synagogue
of Hebrews' at Rome (Schiirer Gesch. d. Jitd. Volkes ... .ii. 517
uvvaywyq Alf3plwv), but we naturally look, if there is nothing to
determine our search otherwise, to some place where Judaism
would present itself with practical force under this aspect.
In this way our choice is limited to Egypt, with the Temple
at Leontopolis, and to Palestine, with the Temple at Jerusalem.
Nowhere else would the images of sacrifice and intercession be
ccnstantly before the eye of a Jew.
There is very little evidence to shew that the Temple at not in
. Egypt, but
Leontopolis exercised the same power over the Alexandrian Jews .
as that at Jerusalem exercised over the Palestinian Jews and the
Jews generally. Even in Egypt the Temple at Jerusalem was
recognised as the true centre of worship. Nor is there the least
ground for thinking that any of the divergences in the Epistle from
the details of the Temple ceremonial coincide with peculiarities in
the service at Leontopolis. On the contrary, the furniture of the in
Palestine.
Temple at Jerusalem was more like that of the Tabernacle, which
is described in the Epistle, than was that of the Egyptian Temple.
d2
 xl DESTINATION.

But on the other hand it is certain that the kind of feeling

which the Epistle is designed to meet must have been powerful a.t
Jerusalem and in its neighbourhood. The close connexion of the
early Church with the Temple, the splendour and venerable majesty
of the ritual, could not fail to make the thought of severance from
Judaism most grievous to those who had hitherto been able to share
in its noblest services according to the custom of their youth.
The Nor is it a serious objection to this conclusion that the Temple
;~:f ~ is nowhere mentioned in the Epistle and that the ritual details are
tthheonl!'tu-t_
a 1ve
those of the Tabernacle and not those of the second Temple. The
embodi- readers were influenced by the actual form in which the Mosaic
ment of
the Mosaic ordinances were embodied. The writer, perhaps from his external
system,
circumstances or more probably in order to lay his reasoning on its
deepest foundation, goes back to the first institution of the system.
He shews how the original design of the priestly ritual of the Law,
and therefore of necessity of all partial and specific embodiments
of it, was satisfied by Christ. The Temple service, with all its
peculiarities, finally drew its sanction from the Law. The ritual
of the Tabernacle was the divine type of which the ritual of the
Temple was the authoritative representation. And according to
the popular tradition it was believed that 'the tabernacle' and
its furniture, which had been removed by Jeremiah from the
first Temple before its destruction, would in due time be restored
(2 Mace. ii 4:ff. and Grimm's notes).
though ii And further it must be added that the Temple, like the
was a
religious Kingdom with which it was coordinate, was spiritually a sign of
declen-
sion. retrogression. It was an endeavour t~ give fixity to that which
was essentially provisional. And thus the writer of the Epistle,
by going back to the fundamental legislation, significantly indi-
cates that the Mosaic Law first found accomplishment in Christ
and not in that outward Levitical system in which it seemed
superficially to receive its perfect embodiment.
T ht; t f It is then most reasonable from general considerations to find
8 oc1e yo
' Hebrews' the Society to whom the letter was addressed in J erusa.lem, or in
to be fixed
probably the neighbourhood of Jerusalem.
 DESTINATION. xli
In accordance with this view it may be added that Eusebius at or near
speaks on another authority (,[ lyypacf,wv) of the Church of;:~~-
Jerusalem up to the time of the revolt under Hadrian as having
'been wholly composed of Hebrews' (o-vvEUTava, T~v 1rauav IKK'A:q-
H. E. iv. 5; comp. vi. 14). Up to the
u{av ,[ 'Ef3patwv 1ri0Twv
same date all the bishops were 'of the circumcision' (l.c. ).
So also in the Clementine Homilies (xi. 35) •James that is called
brother of the Lord' is said to be 'entrusted with the administra-
tion of the Church of the Hebrews in Jerusalem' (1r=iuTwp.lvos Iv
'IEpovuaA~p. T~v 'Ef3pa{wv 8d1rE,v €KKA11u{av), and 'the letter of Clement'
prefixed to the same work is addressed to 'James· the Lord and
bishop of bishops, who administers the holy Church of Hebrews in
Jerusalem' (8d1roVT, ~v Iv 'hpovuaA~p. aylav 'Ef3pa{wv (KKA-,,uw.v).
It may therefore be fairly concluded that when the title 1rpoi;
'Ef3palovs was added to the Epistle, it was an expression of the
belief that the letter was addressed to the Church of Jerusalem
or some sister Church in Palestine dependent upon it.

In this restricted sense the title might perhaps be original, though this
supposition is, as has been seen, otherwise unlikely. Compare the title T~
KafJ' 'E[:Jpalovs nlayyDuov. ·
The conclusion which has been reached is not beyond doubt, The
conclusion
but it satisfies the conditions of the problem most simply. It must
is indeed possible that exceptional circumstances, which it is im- ~:~:~:in.
possible for us now to determine, may have given occasion to the
Letter. It is, for example, quite conceivable, as has been already
admitted, that a society of 'Hebrews' at Rome may have been led
to develop the sacrificial theory of Judaism and to insist upon it and
so to call out 'the word of exhortation.' Such conjectures, however,
need not detain us. It is well to recognise how little we can deter-
mine by the help of the data at present available. That which is
beyond doubt, that which indeed alone concerns us, is the spiritual
character of the readers of the Epistle. This we can definitely grasp
wherever it may have been developed. And it is unquestionable
that it would be likely-most likely-to be developed in Palestine.
W. Grimm has discussed in considerable detail (Zeitschri.ft f.
 xlii DESTINATION.

'Wi,ssensch. Theol. 1870, 19 ff.) the claims of Rome, Jerusalem, and

Alexandria to be considered as the place to which the Epi,stle
was direct.ed. He decides against all, and suggests J amnia. It, is
better however to acquiesce in simply recognising the conditions
which the place must satisfy.

VI. DATE.

The The date of the Epistle is fixed within narrow liinits by its
!~~s!! conpents. A generation of Christians had already passed away
st
lt.uh before (xiii. 7; ii. 3). There had been space for great changes in religious
e out-
break o~ feeling (x. 32), and for religious growth (v. 11 f.).
the Jew1Sh
war. On the other hand the Levitical service is spoken of as still
continued (viii. 4 f.; ix. 6, 9; x. ff.; xiii. 10 ff.); and, even if
I

the references to its present continuance could be explained away

(comp. Just. JJecl. u7; Orig. c. Gels. v. 25), it is inconceivable that
such a national calamity as the Jewish war should be unnoticed if
it had already broken out, and still more, if it had been decided.
Indeed the prospect of exclusion from the privileges of the old
service is the very essence of the trial of 'the Hebrews' ; and the
severity of the trial is in itself a decisive proof of the influence
which the Temple ritual exercised at the time.
The letter may then be placed in the critical interval between
A.D. 64, the government of Gessius Florus, and 67, the commence-
ment of the Jewish war, and most probably just before the breaking
of the storm in the latter year, as the write1· speaks of the visible
signs of the approach of 'the day' (x. 2 5 ; comp. viii. I 3 lyytis
&.cpaviup,ov) ; and indicates the likelihood of severer trials for the
Church (xii. 4 ol)?rw, xiii. 13 f.).

In order to place the Epistle in its historical setting it may be added

that Nero was in Greece at the time, endeavouring to enter into the old
spirit of Greek art; Apollonius of Tyana was teaching at Rome. The fire
at Rome, which first brought the Christians into popular notice, took place
in A.D. 64, and St Paul was martyred in the next year.
 DATE. xliii
This general conclusion can hardly be questioned if the signifi- The de-
cance of the Fall of Jerusalem is realised. That catastrophe was ~ir~~;;~n
not relieved, as the Babylonian overthrow had been, by any promise sa.Iem
must
of restoration. To the Christians it was the fulfilment of the Lord's have been
indicated
final judgment, the sign of His coming. No event in such a con- ifit had
nexion could mark more distinctly the close of the old Dispensation; occurred.
and no one who sympathised with the best hopes of Israel could
have failed to leave some trace of the effect of the visitation in his
argument, when the tragic event was not only fresh in his memory
buf also had a close connexion with his theme.
The theories which assign the Epistle to a later date, after the
persecution of Domitian, or in the time of Trajan, seem to be
utterly irreconcilable with the conditions and scope of the writing.

VII. THE PLACE OF WRITING.

Tradition is silent as to the place from which the Epistle was The place
written. N o m . depen d ent au thor1ty
. can b e given. to th e su bscrip-
. of writing
uncertain.
tion which is found in A fypacp'YJ a1ro 'Pwµ.'Y}s, This, as in the case
of similar subscriptions to the other Epistles, appears to have been
a deduction from words in the Epistle itself (xiii. 23 f.). And so
it is given in the words of the text and eqlarged in later MSS. :
e.g. P 2 , lyrxf.cp'YJ a1ro 'haA{a,;. Ka, fyplicp'YJ a1ro 'haA.{a,; Sut Tiµ.o0lov.
Ha, IlavAOV a1TOCTT6A.ov lmCTTOA~ 1rpo<; 'Ef3pafov<; fypa<p'Y} d1ro 'fraAla<;
Sia Tiµ.o0lov. Nor again is there anything in the Epistle itself which
leads to a definite conclusion. No argument citn be drawn from the
mention of the release of Timothy (xiii. 23), for nothing is known
of the event to which reference is made ; and the phrase d.CT1ra-
toVTai vµ.a<; ot U'lTO Tij,; 'fraAla<; (xiii. 24), which seems at first sight
to promise more, gives no certain result. For the words admit
grammatically of two opposite renderings. They may describe
Italian Christians in their own country, or Italian Christians in
a foreign land. The first sense is given by the translation (which
is certainly possible), 'those in Italy send salutations from Italy,'
 xliv THE PLACE OF WRITING.

where the preposition is conformed to the idea of the verb (comp.

,e
Luke xi. 13 & 1Tart}p O ollpavov 8wo-Et. Matt. xxiv. 17 ~pat r?x. (K rijs
olK{ac;. Col. iv. I 6 rtJV lK Aao8tKe:{ac; [ lrtO"TOA?JVJwith Bp Lightfoot's
note); and more simply by the translation 'those who belong to
Italy,' the Italian Christians (comp. Acts x. 23 TWV a'IT6 rijs 'io7MMJ<;.
xii. 1 'TWV a1T6 rijs (KKA7JO"{a,;. xvii. 13 ol a'IT6 rij,; ®e:uuaXov{K7J'i
'Iov8a,ot); and in this sense a close parallel has been pointed out in
Pseud.-Ign. ad Her. 8 d.ura{ovra{ 0"£ ol l1r{O"K01TOt ..• Ka2 7r0.VT£'i ol a1r6
'1>tM1r1rwv lv XptO"Tq> o8e:v Ka2 E7TtO"Tt:tAa. uot. But it is difficult to
understand how any one could give the salutations of the Italian
Christians generally (as distinguished from ol d1ro 'Pwµ,71s, or the
like); so that it appears on the whole to be more natural to adopt
the second rendering (' the Christians from Italy'), and to suppose
that the writer is speaking of a small group of friends from Italy,
who were with him at the time. So far the words seem to favour
a place of writing in Asia, Syria, or Egypt. In any case, however, it
is impossible to lay stress upon a clause which evidently had a par-
ticular and special sense for those to whom the message was sent.
The place of writing must then be left in complete uncertainty.
Plausible conjectures unsupported by evidence cannot remove our
ignorance even if they satisfy our curiosity.

VIII. STYLE AND LANGUAGE.

The language of the Epistle is both in vocabulary and style

purer and more vigorous than that of any other book of the N.T.
i. Vocabu- i The vocabulary is singularly copious. It includes a large
~sfl~~e number of words which are not found elsewhere in the apostolic
writings, very many which occur in this book only among the
Greek Scriptures, and some which are not quoted from any other
independent source. Even when allowance is made for the re-
quirements of the peculiar topics with which the writer deals,
the number of peculiar words is still remarkable. In the Pastoral
Epistles however the proportion is still greater.
 STYLE AND LANGUAGE. xlv
Dr Thayer reckons the same number of peculiar words (168) in the
Pastoral Epistles and the Epistle to the Hebrews, but the latter is the
longer in about the proportion of 21 to 15.
The following words are not quoted from any source independent of the {a) Peen-
Epistle: n')l•v•<IAo'Y'7Tos (vii. 3); alµan1<xvula (ix. 22); tl<.Tpoµos (xii 21 liar words.
marg.); •v1r•plUTaTOS (xii. 1); BmTpl(nv (x. 33; lKBEaTpi(.iv in Polyb.);
p,•u8a1rolJO'f7Js (xi. 6) and p,,u8a1ro/Joula (ii. 2; x. 35 ; xi. 26) for the Classical
p,,u8olJO'f7Js and p,,u8o/Joula; 1rpauxvu,s (xi. 28); UV')ll<aKovx••v (xi. 25);
TEAnCAlT,js (xii. 2).
The list of classical words which are found in the Epistle and in no (b) Words
other part of the Greek Scriptures is large: ,i,.>.,v,ir (x. 23); aKpo8iv,ov
.. 4) ; W\VU<T£1\'7S
" , , (xm.
... 17) ; UP,'IT"'P,
, • , , <VIL
.. 3) ; UIIUAoy,b•u
• _, 'I'. 8a, (Xll.
{hff
.. 3) ; onlys oo
ink
(VIL a1raTCAlp of.
WaUTavpovv (vi. 6); aVTa'Y"'"''•uBm (xii. 4); lJ,ap8CAlU<S (ix. 10); l1</Jox11 (x. 27); the_Greek
• , eav,w
u"a" • (xn. ·· 5) ; fllVtJP'b""
, "' 'I'. ( X. 29) ; £'1rELUay"''Y'7
, , ( ••
VIL ,19) ; EvapEUTCAlS
, ,
tScr1p-
•· 2 8) ; Ka1"ao'71\0S
( XIL ,., , (VII.
•. l 5) ; KaTaUKtabELII
,/'. ("IX. 5) ; ,,0')'K0S (XlL
•• l ) ; 1rapa'Trl\'70"<CAlS
, , ures.
(ii. 14); uvp,1ra8iiv (iv. 15; x. 34); uvvm,p,apTVp,iv (ii. 4); Top,wnpos (iv. 12);
v1r,l1<n11 (xiii 17).
Other words peculiar to the Epistle among Biblical writings belong to
the later stage of Greek Literature :
a8fr11u,s (vii. 18; ix. 26); aex,,u,s (x. 32); aKaTaAVTOS (vii. 16); ap,ml8£TOS
(vi. I 7 f.); a1rapa{:JaTOS (vii. 24); aq,opav (xii. 2); lJvuEpJ-L'7Vfln"OS (V. II); fv'Troita
(xiii. 16); KaTayCAlvi(Eu8ai (xi. 33); AfvmKoS (vii. II); P,EUtTEVEW (vi. 17);
µ,•Tpw1ra8,iv (v. 2); 'TrOAVJ-LEpws, '1rOAVTp<J11'CAlS (i. 1); uaf3fJa,-,up,os (iv. 9);
Tpax11Xl(nv (iv. 13); Tvp,1ravl(n11 (xi. 35); wo11ToA17 (x. 39).
A very large number of words used by good Greek authors and found (c) W?rds
also in the LXX. are found in this Epistle only in the New Testament: thfou nd m
" ( ) • 8 1 11 , , , , , ,. e LXX.
mywr -,ios , a,u '11"1/P'°", a<T<os, avaKaiv,(nv, avap, 8P,1/Tos, aVT<KaTau,-1111m, used in
a1rnpos, a1rofJX•1r•w, app,os (Apocr.), aq,av,is, aq,av,up,as, dq,op,o,oiiv (Apocr.), this Book
1
{:JOTa1111, y•v•aXoy,iv, 'Y'"'P'Y''" (Apocr.), yvaq,os, /Jap,aX,s, a."IJ1"'1, /J,os (Apocr.), ;~ ~_of
/Jlpp,a, a,,p,,ovpyas (Apocr.), lJuirnyµ,a (Apocr.), a,,,.,.K,js, lJtiKviiuBm, lJoK,p,aula,
tyyvos (Apocr.), <KfJalv,iv, •X•yxos, •E•s (Apocr.), lmA•l1r•w, l1r,u1C.01riiv, t1ros,
•vapEUTELV, •vXa{:Jna, £VAafJiiu8a,, 8,pa7rCAlll, Bv,XXa, 8vµtaT17pw11, l•pCAltTV"'7,
tl<ET17pwr, KaKovx•iv, Kapnp•iv, KaTavaXluKEt11, /C.UTO.UKO'TrOS, JC.aiiu,s, J-L•p,up,as,
,,,.,.1,.e,u,s, J-LETE'Trf<Ta (Apocr.), P,VEAas, IIE<pos, vaBos (Apocr.), i,op,08,,-,,.,, ""'Bpas
(Apocr.), Jp,o<OT'7S, 1ra1117yvp,s, 1rapa/Jnyp,aTl(n11, 1rapa1rl1rn,v, 1rapappiiv, 1riipa,
'Tr'7'Y111JVm, 1rpl(nv (1rplm,), 1rpofJXfanv, 1rp/J/Jpoµos (Apocr.), 1rpouayop•Onv
(Apocr.), 1rp/Ju<f,aTos, UTo.µ,vos, uvva1roAAVVa<, uvvlJ,iv, TtJ-LCAlpla, Tpayos, Tplp,1111os,
q,a.,,-a(uv, q,ofJ•pos, xapa"T'7P (Apocr.).
The non-classical words fom1d in the LXX. which are found only in this
Epistle iii the N. T. are comparatively few:
ayv/,qµ,a, aiv,u,s, d1ravyaup,a (Apocr.), lJ,KaTOVV, ''Y"-°'"''""• lp,1ra,yµ,Jr,
e,x,,u,r, Anrnvpy<1<os, P,'7ACAlT'7, oX,Bp•v•w, opKCAlJ-LOUla, 1rapam1<palvn11, 1rpCAlro-
T0,c,a.

A study of the lists of words in these three different classes will

illustrate the freedom and power with which the author of the
 xlvi STYLE AND LANGUAGE.

Epistle dealt with the resources of the Greek language. His love
for compound words is characteristic of the period at which he
wrote, but their number is largely in excess of the average of
their occurrence in the N. T.

Seyffarth has calculated that then, are iu the Epistle to the Romans
478 'vocabula composita et decomposita' and in the Epistle to the Hebrews
534 (Deep. ad Hebr. indole, §40, 1821. This Essay contains good materials,
but they require careful sifting).

Words The number of words found in the Epistle which have a peculiar
with a Biblical sense is comparatively small Some are derived from the
peculiar
Biblical • Greek translation of the books of the Hebrew Canon (e.g. dya?M/,
sense.
<tyyt:Aos, ri8e:>..<f>6s, alwv, ava<f>lpnv, 0 8ia/30Aos, i>..a<Tr1JpLOv, Ka0apli;,nv,
KA7Jpovoµ,liv &c., At:LTovpyt:w &c., p,aKpo0vµ,[a, oµ,o>..oye:iv, 1rai8t:la, 7rt:L-

pal;t:iv, 1rl<TTLS, ,rpwTOTOKo<;, uapKLVOS, q>wTt/;nv, xapis), some from the

Apocrypha (e.g. tK/3auis, Koivos, Kouµ,os, KTLuis), some owe their
characteristic force to Christian influences (d1r6<TT0Aos, Kouµ,iK6s).
The absence of some words (e.g. 1rA'Y}povv, d,ayyl>..iov, olKo8oµ,e:iv,
l'-vurrfpiov, <TVv) is remarkable.
ii. Style. ii. The style is even more characteristic of a practised scholar
than the vocabulary. It would be difficult to find anywhere passages
more exact and pregnant in expression than i. 1-4; ii. 14-18;
vii. 26-28; xii. 18-24. The language, the order, the rhythm,
the parenthetical involutions, all contribute to the total effect.
The writing shews everywhere traces of effort and care. In many
respects it is not unlike that of the Book of Wisdom, but it is
nowhere marred by the restless striving after effect which not
unfreque,ntly injures the beauty of that masterpiece of Alexandrine
Greek. The calculated force of the periods is sharply distinguished
from the impetuous eloquence of St Paul. The author is never
carried away by his thoughts. He has seen and measured all that
he desires to convey to his readers before he begins to write. In
writing he has, like an artist, simply to give life to the model
which he has already completely fashioned. This is true even of
the noblest rhetorical passages, such as c. xi. Each element, which
seems at first sight to offer itself spontaneously, will be found to

•
 STYLE AND LANGUAGE. xlvii
have been carefully adjusted to its place, and to offer in subtle
details results of deep thought, so expressed as to leave the
simplicity and freshness of the whole perfectly unimpaired. For
this reason there is perhaps no Book of Scripture in which the
student may hope more confidently to enter into the mind of the
author if he yields himself with absolute trust to his words. No
Book represents with equal clearness the mature conclusions of
human reflection.

The contrast of the Style of the Epistle to that of St Paul may be noticed C,;mtrast
in the passages which are quoted as echoes of St Paul's language: wtith thf8
. s ye1 o
ii 10. Comp. Rom. XL 36. St Paul.
iii 6. v. 2,
xi 12. iv. 19.
The richer fulness of expression is seen in corresponding phrases: e.g.
Col. iii 1, compared with c. xii. 2 (note).
The writer does not use St Paul's rhetorical forms rl 0311; rl yap; d>,X
tpli rir, .., µ.rj yl110,ro, ftpa 0311, ov,c oZllar< (Credner Einl. s. 547). On the
other _hand we notice the peculiar phrases, c.lr l1ror El1riiv, elr ro lJi1111e,clr,
D..aBov ~•vluavr<r, and the particle [;Bev.
Seyffarth has rightly called attention to the relative frequency of the
use of participial constructions in the Epistle : Octogies atque quater in .•.
epistola habes participia activa, centies et· septies participia passiva et
media, atque septies genitivos absolutos ... In epistola ... ad Romanos multum
prolixiori nonagies reperi constructionem quam dicunt participialem ac-
tivam, duodequadragesies tantum constructionem participialem passivam
atque mediam, nee tamen ullibi genitivos absolutos. Decies tantum Paulus
apostolus, quantum vidi, in omnibus epistolis snis utitur genitivis absolutis
plerumque contra regulas a grammaticis scriptas .. .(deep. ad Hebr. indole
§ 36).
Some correspondences with the Epistles of St Paul to the Romans
(in addition to those given above) and Corinthians (1) which have been
collected (Holtzmann Einl. 315 f.) deserve to be quoted, if only to shew the
difference of style in the Epistle to the Hebrews: vi. 12 f. (Rom. iv. 13, 20);
x. 38 (RollL i. 17); xii. 14 (Rom. xii. 18; xiv. 19); xiii. I (Rom. xii. 10);
id. 2 (Rom. xii 13); id. 9 (Rom. xiv. 3 f.); ii. 4 (r Cor. xii. 4, 7-II); id. 8
(1 Cor. xv. 27); id. 10 (1 Cor. viii. 6); id. 14 (r Cor. xv. 26); iii. 7-19;
xii. 18-25 (r Cor. x. I-II); v. 12 (r Cor. iii. 2); v. 14 (1 Cor. ii 6); Yi 3
(r Cor. xvi. 7); ix. 26 (1 Cor. x. II); x. 33 (1 Cor. iv. 9); xiii. 10 (1 Cor. x.
14-21); id. 20 (1 Cor. vii. I 5; xiv. 33). Resem-
The close resemblance of the larnruage of the Epistle to that of St Luke blance
was noticed by Clement of Alexan°dria (ap. Euseb. H. E. Yi. 14. •.Aov,cav ffn~~~ge
[<1>11ulv]. .. µ.,Bepµ.11v•vuavra hlJovvai roir "EAATJ<TLV' oBev rov mlrov xpwra to that of
•vp[u,ceuBai ,card T~II lpµ.11v•lav -ravr11r r< rijr ;muroA~r ,cal rwv 1rpa~Ec.>v-the St Luke.
 ~!viii STYLE AND LANGUAGE.

form of expression is remarkable), and his criticism was repeated by later

writers. The significance of the coincidences may have been overrated, but
no impartial student can fail to be struck by the frequent use of words
characteristic of St Luke among the writers of the N. T. e.g. a1aµ.apTvpEu0a,
(ii. 6), dpxlJYOS (ii. 10), J(fo, (ii. 17), t>..au1<EUIJa, (ii. 17), µ.froxor (iii. 1),
11'Ept1<EiutJa, accus. (v. 2), EiJIJEros (vi. 7), 1<ara</,n',yrn, (vi. 18), 11'arp,apX1Jr (vii. 4),
Elr ro 11'UVTE°Afs (vii. 25), uxEMv (ix. 22), dvc.irEpav (x. 8), 11'apaevuµ.os (x. 24).
f',11'apetr (X. 34), aJ/a<TrlllTE6lS TV')'XllVELV (xi. 35), tvrpap.as (xii, 21), OITaAEVTOf
xii. 28), o! ~yavp.EVOL (xiii. 7), dvatJE6>pEiv (xiii. 7).
Imagery The imagery of the Epistle is drawn from many sources. Some
of the
Epistle. of the figures which are touched more or less in detail are singu-
larly vivid and expressive: iv. 12 (the word a sword); vi. 7 f. (the
land fruitful for good or evil); vi. 19 (hope the anchor); xi. 13 (the
vision of the distant shore); xii. 1 (the amphitheatre); 8ff. (the
discipline of life). A whole picture often lies in single words:
ii. l (1rapapvo,p,Ev); iv. 2 (avv1<E1<Epaa-µ,lvo,;, -ov,;); 9 (a-a/3/3aTta-µ,6,;);
13 (TETpaxri>..,a-µ,lva); v. 2 (1rEp{KELTat aa-0lvEtav, comp. x. II 7rEptEAEtY);
vi. l (,PEpwp,E0a); 6 (ava<rTavpoVYTE<;)j Viii. 5 (a-KL«, comp. ix. 23f,j
X. l, II)j 13 (y'Y}pcf.a-KoY)j X. 20 (o80<; (wa-a); 33 (0EaTpt{OJ1,EYOt)j
xii. 23 (11'aY1]yvp,,;). Compare also i. 3; ii. 9, 15; iii. 2; v. 12f.;
x. 22, 27; xii. 13.

IX. THE PLAN.

The general progress of thought in the Epistle is clear; but, at

the same time, in a writing so many-sided, where subjects are
naturally foreshadowed and recalled, differences of opinion rrust
arise as to the exact divisions of the argument. The following
arrangement gives at least an intelligible view of the main relations
of the different parts of the Book.

THE THEME OF THE EPISTLE : THE FINALITY OF CHRISTIANITY:

i. 1-4.
I. THE SUPERIORITY OF THE SoN, THE MEDIATOR OF THE
NEW REVELATION, TO ANGELS: i. 5-ii. 18.
JI. MOSES, JOSHUA, JESUS, THE FOUNDERS OF THE OLD
ECONOMY AND OF THE NEW: iii., iv.
 THE PLAN. ::x:lix
III. THE HIGH-PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST, UNIVERSAL AND SOVE·
REIGN (MELCHIZEDEK) : v.-vii.

IV. THE FULFILMENT OF CHRIST'S PmESTLY WoRK: viii. 1-

x. 18.

V. THE APPROPRIATION AND VITAL APPLICATION OF THE

TRUTHS LAID DOWN: x. 19-xii.
A PERSONAL EPILOGUE: xiii.
These chief divisions can be followed a little more in detail :

THE THEME OF THE EPISTLE : THE FINALITY OF CHRISTIANITY :

i. 1-4.
i. Th,e contrast of the Old Revelation and the New in method,
time, persons (vv. 11 2).
ii The nature and the work of the Son, in regard to His
Divine Personality and to the Incarnation (v. 3).
iii. Transition to the detailed development of the argument (v. 4).
I. THE SUPERIORITY OF THE SoN, '!'HE MEDIATOR OF THE
NEW REVELATION, TO ANGELS: i. 5-ii. 18.
i The testimony of Scripture (i. 5-14).
ii. The peril of neglecting the :"ew revelation through the Son
(ii. 1-4).
iii. The fulfilment of the divine destiny ef man in the Son
of man (Jesus) through suffering (ii. 5-18).
II. MosEs, JOSHUA, JESUS, THE FOUNDERS OF THE OLD
ECONOMY AND OF THE NEW: iii., iv.
i Moses and Jesus: tlie servant and the Son (iii. r-6).
(1) A general view of the dignity of Jesus (1, 2).
( 2) Moses represents a house : Jesus the framer of
it (3, 4).
(3) Moses a servant: Jesus a son (5, 6).
ii .The promise and the people under tlie Old and the New
Dispensations (iii. 7-iv. 13).
(1) Faith the conditi~n of blessing (iii. 7-19).
(2) The promise remaining (iv. 1-13).
l THE PLAN.

iii. Transition to the doctrine of the High-priesthood, re-

suming ii. 17, 18 (iv. 14-16).
III. Tm,: HIGH-PRIESTHOOD oF CHRIST, UNIVERSAL AND soVE-
REIGN (MELCHIZEDEK): v.-vii.
1. The cliaracteristics of a High1,riest (sympathy and divine
appointment) fulfilled in Christ (v. 1-10).
ii. Progress through patient effort tlie condition of the know-
ledge of Christian mysteries (v. I I -vi. ).
iii. The characteristics of Christ, as absolute Higli-priest,
shadowed forth by Melchizedek (King-priest) (vii.).
IV. THE FULFILMENT OF CHRIST'S PRIESTLY WORK: viii. I-

x. 18.
i. A general view of tlie scene and the conditions of Christ's
High-priestly work (c. viii.).
(1) The New Sanctuary (viii. 1-6).
(2) The New Covenant (7-13).
ii. The Old Service and tlie New: tlie Atonement of tlie Law
and the Atonement of Christ (c. ix.).
( 1) The Sanctuary and Priests under the Old
Covenant (ix. 1-10).
(2) The High-priestly Atonement under the New
Covenant (11-28).
iii. The Old Sacrifices and the New: the abiding efficacy of
Christ's one Sacrifice (c. x. 1-18).
A summary of reassurance.
V. THE APPROPRIATION AND VITAL APPLICATION OF THE
TRUTHS LAID DOWN: x. 19-xii. 29.
i. The privileges, perils, encouragements of the Hebrews
(x. 19...:......39).
ii. The past triumphs of Faith (xi.).
iii. Tlie general application of the lessons ef the past to the
present season of trial (xii.).
A PERSONAL EPILOGUE: xiii.
Detailed and specific instructions. Close.
 THE PLAN. li
One feature in this plan will strike the student, The central
portion of each of the first three divisions is mainly occupied with
solemn warnings; while the last division is a most grave and
earnest exposition of the duties which follow from the confession
of Christ's Priestly work. The writer is unwilling, even in the
development of the Truth, to allow the loftiest conception of the
Gospel to appear to be a theory only. It is for him intensely
practical; and the note of entire and reverential awe closes his
description of the privileges of Christians (xii. 28 f.).

X. CHARACTERISTICS.

The Epistle to the Hebrews is one of three Books in the N. T. Books of

the N.T.
specially addressed to those who were Jews by descent, the other specially
two being the Gospel according to St Matthew and the Epistle ::t:i:t
of St James (James i. 1 -ra'i, 8w8£Ka cf,vXa'i,). To these however ~hri st•
1a11s.
1 Peter, probably addressed to those who had passed through
Judaism to Christianity, may be added ( I Pet. i. I lKX£K-ro'i,
-rrapun8~p,oi. 8,a,nropa, II6vrov ... ).
Each of these books is marked. by a characteristic view of the
Faith. St Matthew, according to general consent, gives the linea-
ments of the Davidic King. In St James we have the power
of 'a perfect law' (James i. 25; ii. 8): in St Peter the accom-
plishment of prophecy ( I Peter i.. 10-12): in the Epi13tle to the
Hebrews the efficacy of an eternal priesthood (Hehr. vii. 23 ff.).
This general connexion indicates the true position of the Epistle, The
Epistle
which is that of a final development of the teaching of 'the three,' to the
. Hebrews
and not of a special application of the teaching of St Paul. It 1s, so the final
to speak, most truly intelligible as the last voice of the apostles of ~?t~:sion
the circumcision and not as a peculiar utterance of the Apostle of teaching
of 'the
the Gentiles (Gal. ii. 9 f.). The apostles of the circumcision regarded Three.
Judaism naturally with sympathy and even with affection, for it
was that through which they had been led little by little to see the
meaning of the Gospel. The Apostle of the Gentiles, with all his
 Iii CHARACTERISTICS.

love for his countrymen and all his reverence for the work wrought
through the old Covenant, no less naturally regarded Judaism, as
it was, as a system which had made him a persecutor of the Faith.
For St Paul the Law is a code of moral ordinances : for the writer
of the Epistle to the Hebrews it is a scheme of typical provisions
for atonement. For the one it is a crushing burden: for the other
it is a welcome if imperfect source of consolation. And it is in
virtue of this general interpretation of the spirit of the Levitical
system that the unknown apostle to whom we owe the Epistle to
the Hebrews was fitted to fulfil for the Church the part which
was providentially committed to him.
Two We must indeed regard the Law under these two distinct
comple-
mentary aspects, in order that we may fully appreciate its character and
aspects of
the Law. its office. We must, that is, regard it on the one side as a body
of commandmAnts imposed upon man's obedience; and we must
regard it on the other side as a system of ritual provided by God's
mercy. The one view is, as has been remarked, characteristic of
St Paul, and the other of the author of the Epistle. Each when
carefully studied reveals the failure of the Law to satisfy man's
needs, and so shews its necessary transitoriness. As a legal code it
tended to bondage, and was incapable of fulfilment, and so brought
a deep knowledge of sin (Rom. iii. 20 l7rlyvwuir; ap.aprlar;). As an
institution for the removal of sin, it was designed only to deal
with ceremonial defilement, and was therefore essentially insufficient
(Hehr. x . ..3 f.). Thus the Epistle to the Hebrews completes the
teaching of St Paul on the imperfection of the Law. St Paul from
the subjectiYe side shews that the individual can be brought near
to God only by personal faith and not by any outward works : the
author of the Epistle from the objective side shews that purifica-
tion cannot be gained by any sacrifices 'of bulls and goats' but
only through the offering of the Blood of Christ.
General The difference between St Paul and the writer of the Epistle in
:r::~~caa their view of the Law may be presented in another light. St Paul
~!f!h~ regards the Law mainly in relation to the requirements of man's
Epistle. discipline: his fellow-apostle in relation to the fulfilment of God's
 CHARACTERISTICS. liii
counsel. l<'or St Paul the Law was an episode, intercalated, as it
were, in the course of revelation (Rom. v. 20 -rrapn<rij)..(hv): £or the
writer of the Epistle it was a shadow of the realities to which
the promise pointed. It is closely connected with this funda-
. mental distinctness of the point of vision of the two teachers
that St Paul dwells with dominant interest on the individual
aspect of the Gospel, the writer of the Epistle on its social aspect :
for the one the supreme contrast is between flesh and spirit, £or 1

the ot-her between the image and the reality, the imperfect and
the perfect : £or the one Christ is the direct object of personal
faith, for the other the fulfiller of the destiny of man.
But this difference, however real and intelligible, does not issue
in any opposition between the two writers. Both view.s are com-
pletely satisfied by the Incarnation; and each writer recognises the
truth which· the other develops. In the ·Epistle to the Ephesians
St Paul gives the widest possible expression to the social lessons
of the Faith ; and the writer to the Hebrews emphasises with the
most touching solemnity the significance of personal responsibility
(e.g. c. vi.). At the same time the writer to the Hebrews suggests
the unity, the harmonious unfolding, of the divine plan, in a way
which is foreign to the mode of th~ught of him who was suddenly
changed from a persecutor to an apostle. His eyes rest on one
heavenly archetype made known to men ~ they could bear the sight
in various degrees. He presupposes a divine ideal of the phenomenal
world and of outward worship. This, he argues, was shadowed forth
in the Mosaic system; and found its perfect embodiment under the
conditions of earth in the Christian Church. He looks therefore
with deep sympathy upon the devotion with which the Hebrews
had regarded the provisions made by the Law £or dealing with the
power and guilt of sin. He enters into their feelings, and points
out how Christ satisfied them by His Person and His work.
It is not difficult to see how the circumstances in which the The writer
of the
'Hebrews' were placed gave a peculiar importance to the thought Epistle
. 1y atonement wit
of priest . h wh"10h t h ey had been f anu"liar. The deals with
the double
Hebrews were necessarily distressed by two main trials. They had dis-
W. H.3 e
 liv CHARACTERISTICS.

appoint- met with a double disappointment. They were disappointed at the

ment of
the nature of Christianity. They were disappointed specially as to the
Hebrews attitude of Israel towards it.
as to
r The r. The early expectations of a triumphant Return of Christ
Return of had not been fulfilled. His sufferings were not (as some at least
Christ.
had hoped) a mere transient phase of His work, quickly forgotten
in the glory which followed. The difficulties therefore which the
apostles met at the first preaching recorded in the Acts had to be
met in a new form. The apostles had shewn that the Death of
Christ was no obstacle to His Messiahship in view of His Resurrec-
tion and implied Return (Acts ii., iii., v.). It had to be shewn now
that suffering was essential to His work. A suffering Messiah had
to be accepted in His earthly reproach (xiii. 13; comp. r Cor. i. 23),
while the prospect of visible triumph was withdrawn from view.
2 The 2. This was one trial. There was another also not less grievous.
unbelief
of Israel. It became more and more clear that the Jews as a people would
not receive Jesus as the Christ. Their national unbelief, apart
from all direct persecution, brought with it a growing alienation of
the Synagogue from the Church. It was more and more difficult
to hold to both. The right of participation in the ministrations
of the Temple was in process of time necessarily withdrawn from
Christians if they held their faith, and they were forced to look
elsewhere for that which \night supply their place.
These trials from the point of sight of a Jewish Christian were
most real. He could not but ask, Was there to be no Kingdom for
Israel 1 Had God cast away His people 1 Were Christians to be de-
prived of the manifold consolations of sacrificial worship and priestly
atonement 1 And we must at least in some degree understand their
bearing before we can enter into the spirit of the Epistle.
The sense To this end it is necessary to realise distinctly the sharp contrast
of these
dis- between the early popular expectations of what Christianity should
~f;t~~- be, especially among Jewish converts, and what it proved to be.
phasises And it is necessary also to realise the incompleteness with which\
the
argument the significance of the Lord's sufferings was at first apprehended.
of the
Epistle. When these points are placed in proper relief then the importance
 CHARACTERISTICS. lv
and the power of the argument in the Epistle to the Hebrews
become evident. For the writer shews that the difficulty which
arises from the sufferings of the Son of man (Jesus) includes the
answer to the difficulty which was felt in exclusion from the
Temple. The humiliation of Christ a little below the angels, over
whom in essence He is supreme, gives efficacy to His continuous
intercession based upon the atonement, and is for men a pledge of
His unfailing sympathy. Faith in Him therefore made the outward
consolations of the Temple wholly superfluous. At the same time
this apprehension of Christ's redemptive and priestly_ work made it
evident that those who clung to an external system, such as that
of the Law, could not truly embrace the Gospel. The Judaism
which was not in due time taken up and transfigured by the Gospel
of necessity became antagonistic to it. He who remained a Jew
outwardly could not but miss in the end the message of Christ,
just as the Christian, who understands his position, is essentially
independent of every support of the old Covenant.
By emphasising these thoughts the writer of the Epistle shews The
. l trans1tormess
the essent1a . . of t he L aw. B ut h e recogmses
. no less essential
work of
clearly its positive teachings. This also belonged to his office. For Ju_daism
Judaism proclaimed most impressively three fundamental facts with
which it dealt provisionally ; and a sympathetic intelligence of that
to which it witnessed and of that which it offered leads to the true
understanding of Christianity as the divine accomplishment· of the
education of the world.
Judaism affirmed that the destiny of humanity is the attainment l ,
of likeness to God, an end to be reached 'qnder the actual conditions
of life only through restrictions and painful effort.
The holiness of
God, to which man has to be conformed, is on the one side love
and on the other side righteousness.
Judaism again affirmed that man as he is cannot at his own l. .
pleasure or in his own right draw near to God. The ceremonial
law in all its parts deepened the consciousness of sin.
And yet again Judaism affirmed that it was the good pleasure 3.
of God to enter into Covenant with man, of which external insti-
e 2
 lvi CHARACTERISTICS.

tutions were the abiding sign and seal, a testimony at once and
a. promise.
fulfilled The writer of the Epistle shews from the position of the
in Christ.
believing Jew how the revelation of the Son of God deals with
these facts finally. 'Jesus, the Son of God' (iv. 14; comp.
Acts ix. 20 ), fulfilled the destiny of man, Himself true man, by
bringing humanity to the throne of heaven. He fulfilled this
destiny through suffering and death, bearing Himself the last
consequences of sin and overcoming death through death. And
yet more, He communicates through all time the virtue of His
life to those who come to God through and in Him.
The place Under this aspect the significant emphasis which the writer
ofprm-
Juda.ic lays upon the prre-Judaic form of Revelation becomes fully in-
Revela-
tion. telligible. The Gospel, as he presents it, is the fulfilment of
the purpose of creation and not only of the Mosaic system.
Melchizedek is a more prominent figure in his treatment of the
0. T. than Abraham. Thus the work of Judaism is made to
appear as a stage in the advance towards a wider work which
could not be achieved without a preparatory discipline. So re-
garded the provisions of the Law can be seen in their full meaning,
and by the help of their typical teaching a suffering Messiah can be
acknowledged in His Majesty by the true Jew.
The God of Abraham and the God of Moses is, in other words,
'a living God.' His revelation of Himself answers to the progress of
life (iii. I 2). His worship is realised in a personal revelation (ix. 14).
His action corresponds with an individual judgment (x. 31). His
reward lies in the manifestation of His Presence (xii. 22 ff.).
The We can now see more clearly than before how the general aim of
universal
teaching the writer to present Christianity as the absolute revelation of God,
of the
Epistle the absolute satisfaction of man's needs, was furthered by his desire
comes to deal with the peculiar trials of the Hebrews who felt keenly not
from its
special '
only the shame and sufferings of the Messiah, but their own shame
relations.
and sufferings from national hostility. These trials in fact served as
an occasion forldeveloping the new thoughts which the Book adds
to the apostolic presentation of the Truth. They placed in a clear
 CHARACTERISTICS. lvii

light the need which men have for a continuous assurance of present
help in the actual difficulties of life. And so the opportunity was
given in the order of Providence for developing the truth of Christ's
High-priestly work, towards which the aboriginal religion, repre-
sented by Melchizedek, and the Mosaic system, had both pointed.
For while the writer labours to establish the absolute Majesty of the
new dispensation in comparison with the old, he does so especially
by connecting its power with the self-sacrifice of Christ. That
which seemed to be the weakness of the Gospel is revealed upon
a closer vision to be its strength. In proportion as men can feel
what Christ is (such is the writer's argument) they· can feel also
how His death and His advocacy more than supply the place of all
sacrifices and priestly intercessions, how they lay open the victory
of humanity in the Son of man over sin and death. In other
words, under this light the Death of Christ becomes intelligible
in itself without regard to the thought of a Return. The sense
of His present priestly action gains a new force. The paradox of
a suffering Messiah is disclosed in its own glory.
Through such a view of Christ's work, illuminated in the fuller
view of His Person, the Hebrew believer, in short, found his disap-
pointments unexpectedly transfor~ed. He recognised the majesty
of Christ's spiritual triumph. He perceived the divine significance
· of Christ's sufferings, and through that he perceived also the inter-
pretation of the sufferings of men. Thus the immediate purpose
of the writer was fulfilled ; and that which was an answer to the
difficulties of the Hebrew Christian has been made the endowment
Qf the whole Church. For in this Epistle we have what is found in
no other Book of the N. T., that which may be called a philosophy of
religion, of worship, of priesthood, centred in the Person of Christ.
The form of the doctrine is determined by the 0. T. foundations,
but the doctrine itself is essentially new. In the light of the
Gospel the whole teaching of the 0. T. is seen to be a prophecy,
unquestionable in the breadth and fulness of its scope.
But while the thoughts of the absolute value of Christ's Diffi-
culties
sufferings and of the application of their virtue to men are which
 lviii CHARACTERISTICS.

remain brought out with prevailing force, it is not argued that all
can be
borne. difficulty is removed from the present prospect of Christianity.
There are still, the writer implies, difficulties in the state of
things which we see. We cannot escape from them. But enough
can be discerned to enable men to wait patiently for the appointed
end. There is a triumph to come; and, in looking forward to
this, Christians occupy the position which the Saints have always
occupied, the position of faith, of faith under trials. The heroic
records of c. xi. lead up to the practical charge of c. xii. 1 ff.
Meanwhile the writer calls upon his readers to make their
choice boldly. Judaism was becoming, if it had not already be-
come, anti-Christian. It must be given up (xiii. 13). It was
'near vanishing away' (viii. 13). It was no longer debated
whether a Gentile Church could stand beside the Jewish Church,
as in the first period of conflict in the apostolic age; or whether
a Jewish Church should stand beside the Gentile Church, as in the
next period. The Christian Church must be one and independent.
And thus the Epistle is a monument of the last crisis of conflict
out of which the Catholic Church rose.
The Old This view is the more impressive from the prominence which is
ennobled
not dis- assigned in the Epistle to the Old Testament, both to the writings
paraged.
and to the institutions which it hallows. There is not the least
tendency towards disparagement of the one or the other.
From first to last it is maintained that God spoke to tlie fathers
in the prophets. The message through the Son takes up and
crowns all that had gone before. In each respect the New is
the consummation of the Old. It offers a more perfect and
absolute Revelation, carrying with it a more perfect and absolute
Mediation, and establishing a more perfect and absolute Covenant,
embodying finally the connexion of God and man. There is nothing
in the Old which is not taken up and transfigured in the New.
For it is assumed throughout the Epistle that all visible theo-
cratic institutions answer to a divine antitype (archetype). They are
(so to speak) a translation into a particular dialect of eternal truths:
a. representation under special conditions of an absolute ideal.
 CHARACTERISTICS. }ix
In some sense, which we can £eel rather than define, the eternal
is declared to lie beneath the temporal (xii. 27). In virtue of this
truth the work of Christ and the hope of the Christian are both
described under Jewish imagery, without the least admixture ·of
the millenarian extravagances which gained currency in the second
century. There is for the believer a priestly consecration (x. 22
note), an altar (xiii. 10 note), a sabbath-rest (iv. 9).
It follows therefore that in studying the Levitical ritual we
must recognise that there is a true correspondence of the seen
with the unseen, a correspondence which extends to the fulness of
life, and not simply a correspondence of a world of ·ideas (KO<rp.o,;
vo'l}'Tos), as Philo supposed, to a world of phenomena.
The same principle holds still under the Christian dispensation.
We see the reality but only in figures (e.g. Apoc. xxi. 16). Judaism
was the shadow, and Christianity is the substance; yet both are
regarded under the conditions of earth. But the figures have an
abiding significance. There is a heavenly city in the spiritual
world, an organised body of rational beings ; 'a congregation'
(lKKA71u{a) which answers to the full enjoyment of the privileges
of social life: xi. 10 (~ To~,; 0£p.. lx. ,ro>..,,;); xi. 16; xii. 22 £.
(comp. viii. II; xiii. 14; and Addit: Note on xi. 10). There is also
a heavenly sanctuary there, which was the pattern of the earthly,
to confirm the eternal duty and joy of worship: viii. 2, 5.
In this aspect the Epistle fulfils a universal work. It is
addressed to Hebrews, and meets, as we have seen, their peculiar
difficulties, but at the same time it deals with the largest views of
the Faith. It discloses
This it does not by digression or contrast.
the catholicity of the Gospel by the simple interpretation of its
scope. It does not insist on the fact as anything new or strange.
It does not dwell on 'the breaking down of the middle wall of
partition' (Eph. ii. 14), or on 'the mystery which in other ages
was not made known ... that the Gentiles are ... fellow-pa.rtakers of
the promise in Christ Jesus ' (Eph. iii. 4 ff. ; Rom. xvi. 2 5 £. ). The
equality of men as men in the sight of God is implied in the
declaration which is made of the Person and the Work of Christ.
 Ix CHARACTERISTICS.

Faith is the condition of a divine fellowship, and that is essentially

universal. The truth that there is no difference between Jew and
Gentile. has passed beyond the stage of keen controversy. It is
acknowledged in the conception which has been gained of the
Incarnation.
Relation Viewed in this light, the Epistle to the Hebrews forms a
of the
Epistle complement to the Gospel of St John. Both Books assume the
to the
Gospel of universality of Christianity as the one religion of humanity, without
St John. special argument (comp. John i. 12). Both regard 'the Jews'-the
men who clung to that which was transitory as if it were absolute
and eternal-as enemies of Christ. Both recognise completely the
provisional office of the Old Dispensation (John iv. 22 ff.). But they
do this from different sides. The Epistle to the Hebrews enables us
to see how Christianity is the absolute fulfilment of the idea of the
positive institutions of the Law through which it was the good
pleasure of God to discipline men, while the Fourth Gospel shews
us in the Word become .flesh the absolute fulfilment of the idea of
creation which underlies the whole of the Old Testamfmt.
It is also not without interest that the foundation of the
characteristic teaching of the Epistle to the Hebrews on the
High-priesthood of Christ is found in the Lord's words preserved
by St John more distinctly than in the other Gospels, though the
Evangelist himself does not develop the truth. Thus, in the dis-
course which defines the nature of the new Society in relation to its
Head (John x. 1-21), the Lord reveals His victory through death:
He shews Himself in a figure as Victim at once and Priest (v-v. 17 f.).
Elsewhere He proclaims that He will draw all men to Himself when
He is lifted up from the earth (xii. 32 £K rij-. yry.,), that His removal
from the limitations of our present bodily existence is the condition
of His spiritual gift (xvi.· 7), that He hallows His people in Himself
(c. xvii.). Compare Matt. xx. 28; Luke xxii. 37.
In these revelations we have the thoughts which are wrought
into a concrete whole in the Epistle to the Hebrews under the
imagery of the Levitical system. But it will be noticed that the
teaching which St John has preserved offers the final form of the
 CHARACTERISTICS. lxi
Truth. St John's theory (if we may so speak) of the work of
Christ is less developed in detail than that which is found in the
Epistles of St Paul and in the Epistle to the Hebrews ; but his
revelation of Christ's Person is more complete. He concentrates
our attention, as it were, upon Him, Son of God and Son of man,
and leaves us in the contemplation of facts which we can only
understand in part.
One further observation must still be made. The style of the The
. ch aractenstica
B ook 1s . . perhaps we may say, as far as Epistle
. . . 11y H e11emstic, Halle-
our scant y evi'dence goes, Alexan d nne
. ; b u t th e t eac h'1ng 1tse
. lf 1s,
. style,
nistic but
in
like that of St John, characteristioo.lly Palestinian.This is shewn P:i,les~i-
man 1n
not only by the teaching on details, on the heavenly Jerusalem, and teaching.
the heavenly Sanctuary, on Satan as the king of death, on angels,
on the two ages (comp. Riehm, Lelwbegriff ss. 248, 652 ff.), but
still more by its whole form. The writer holds firmly to the true
historical sense of the ancient history and the ancient legislation.
Jewish ordinances are not for him, as for Philo, symbols of transcen-
dental ideas, but elements in a preparatory discipline for a divine
manifestation upon earth. Christ is High-priest not as the eternal
Word, but as the Incarnate Son who has lived and suffered and
conquered as true man. At the same time the Apostle teaches us
to recognise the divine method in the education of the world. He
shews how God has used (and, as we are led to conclude, how He
uses still) transitory institutions to awaken, to develop, to chasten,
our thoughts of spiritual things. The Epistle is, to sum up all most
briefly, the seal of the divine significance of all life. The interpre-
tation, given in its salient points, of the record of the 0. T., and of
the training of Israel, is a prophetic light for the interpretation of
the history of mankind.
It follows further from the form of the answer given to the
difficulties of the Hebrews that the faults with which the writer
deals are typical of a state of mind found at all times, a falling
.back upon the outward, a failure to penetrate to the depths of
spiritual faith, a religious indolence which is confined to no one
age or position.
 lxii HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

XI. HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

The In discussing the history of any one of the writings of the New
earliest
traces Testament it is necessary to bear in mind the narrow range of the
of the scanty remains of the earliest Christian literature, and the little
Epistle in
Clement scope which they offer for definite references to particular Books.
of Rome.
It might perhaps have been expected that the arguments of the
Epistle to the Hebrews would have given it prominence in the first
controversies of the Church, but this does not appear to have been
the case. Traces of its use occur indeed in the oldest Christian
writing outside the Canon, the letter written by Clement of Rome
to the Corinthians, but it is not referred to by name till the second
half of the second century. There can be no doubt that Clement
was familiar with its contents. He not only uses its language
(ad Cor. 17, 36), but imitates its form in such a way (ad Cor. 9,
12, 45) as to shew that he had the text before him; but the adapta-

tions of words and thoughts are made silently, without any mark
of quotation or any indication of the author from whom they are
borrowed (comp. Euseb. H. E. iii. 38; Hier. de vir. ill. 15). The
fact that the Book was known at Rome at this early date is of
importance, because it was at Rome that the Pauline authorship
was most consistently denied and for the longest period. In this
connexion it is of interest that there are several coincidences of
expression with the Epistle in the Shepherd of Hermas, which
seem to be sufficient to shew that Hermas also was acquainted
with it.

A comparison of the parallel passages leaves no doubt that Clement

imitated the earlier text of the Epistle. This seems to be clear if (e.g.)
Clement's references to Noah and Rahab are set by the side of Hehr.
xi. 7, 31.
ad Cor. 9 N.»e- muros d!p<B<ls a,a .-ijs AE&TOvpyias at1.-oii '1raA1yy•11•uiav
,clxrp.':? l,c1pv~•, ,cal 13,iu<i>UE a,· UVTOV O lJ,urroTTJS Ta e-luiXBoVTa Iv op.ovoi~
Crea •lr T~V ,ci{3w.-ov.
 HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE. lxiii
ad Cor. 12 a,a 1ricrr,11 ,cal cp,Xo~EIILOII ,,,.,,;a,, 'Pa<l/3 ~ m)pll'J······
The parallel with Hebr. i 3 f. makes it impossible to suppose that both
writers are borrowing illustrations from some common source :
ad Cor. 36 ts J,, d1rmlyauµa Tijr µ.•yaA6J<TtJll'}S auTov TO<TOVT'f' µ.•lC"'" tcrrlv
dyy<A6JJJ ;;,,.':' b,acf,opMTEpov 0110µ.a KEKA'7po110µ.'}KE11° yiypa1rm, i'"P OVT6JS" o
.,,.-oul>v To'Ur ti-yyfAovs aVToii 1rv£Vµ.ara ...
The most striking parallels with Hermas are Vis. ii. 3, 2: Hebr. iii 12;
Sim. i. 1 f.: Hehr. xi. 13 ff.; xiii. 14.

The other evidence which can be alleged to shew that the Supposed
references
Epistle was known by the earliest Christian writers is less clear. in Poly-
Polycarp gives the Lord the title of ' High-priest ' (c. 12 pontifex ), 1::1i~~d
a title which is peculiar to the Epistle among the apostolic writings,
but it is not possible to conclude certainly that he derived it directly
from the Book. So again when Justin Martyr speaks _of Christ as
'apostle' (Apol. i. 12, 63: Hehr. iii. 1) and applies Ps. ex. to Him
(Dial. 96, n3), he may be using thoughts which had become current
among Christians, though these correspondences with characteristic
features of the Epistle are more worthy of consideration because
Justin has also several coincidences with its language (viii. 7 f.,
Dial. 34; ix. 13 f., Dial. 13; xii. 18 f., Dial. 67).
On the other hand the Epistle was not included among the Not
. wntmgs
aposto11c . . . d by M arc10n;
receive . . fi n d any p lace as
nor d oes 1t reckoned
St
in the Muratorian Canon (comp. p. x;_viii), while by this catalogue it:~~~ !7
0
it is distinctly excluded from the Epistles of St Paul (septem scribit or Can.
Murat.
ecclesiis ).
Hier. Prmf. in Ep. ad Tit. Licet non siut digni fide qui fidem primam
irritam fecerunt, Marcionem loquor et Basilidem et omnes h::ereticos qui
Vetus laniant Testamentum : tamen eos aliqua ex parte ferremus si saltem
in Novo continerent manus suas ... Ut enim de ceteris epistolis taceam, de
quibus quidquid contrarium suo dogmati viderant eraserunt, nonnullas
integras repudiandas crediderunt, ad Timotheum videlicet utramque, ad
Hebrreos, et ad Titum. The last clause evidently refers to Marcion
personally. Tertullian charges Marcion with the arbitrary rejection of the
Pastoral Epistles, but he is naturally silent on his rejection of the Epistle
to the Hebrews on which he agreed with him (adv ..llfarc. Y. 21).

Towards the close of the second century there is evidence of Opinions

a knowledge of the Epistle in Alexandria, North Africa, Italy and :P!~ti:!t
the West of Europe. From the time of Pantrenus it was held at th e end of
 lxiv HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

the Alexandria to be, at least indirectly, the work of St Paul and of

Second
Century. canonical authority; and this opinion, supported in different forms
Alex- by Clement and Origen, came to be generally received among the
andria.
Eastern Greek Churches in the third century.
The Epistle is quoted as St Paul's by Dionysius of Alexandria (Euseb.
H. E. vi 41), by Theognostus, head of the Catechetical School (Routh, Rell.
Sacr. iii. 409: Hehr. vi. 4; Athan. Ep. ad Serap. iv. 9ff. [Migne, P.G. xxvi.
650 f.]), by Peter of Alexandria (Routh, Rell. Sacr. iv. 35) and by the Synod
of Antioch c. 264 A.D. (Routh, Rell. Sacr. iii. 299). It seems to have been
used by Pinytus, Bp of Gnossus in Crete (Euseb. H.E. iv. 23: Hehr. v. 12-14),
and by Theophilus of Antioch (ad Autol. ii. 25: Hehr. v. 12; xii. 9).
Methodius also was certainly acquainted with the Epistle (Com,. iv. 1,
Hehr. i. 1; id. v. 7, Hehr. xi. 10; de Resurr. 5, Hehr. xii. 5), though he
does not quote it as St Paul's (the supposed reference to Hehr. xi_ in Com,.
v. 7 icaTa Tov a'IToOToAov is doubtful). It is quoted as Scripture in the first
of the Letters to Virgins which bear the name of Clement (Ep. ad Virg.
i. 6: Migne, P. G. i. 391); and it is refe1Ted to in the Testaments of the
xii. Patriarchs (Test. Levi§ 18: Hehr. Yii. 22 ff.).
North About the same time a Latin translation of the Epistle found
Africa.
a limited public recognition in North Africa, but not as a work of
St Paul So Tertullian speaks of it as being 'more widely received
among the Churches than the Shepherd' (de Pudic. 20 utique receptior
apud ecclesias illo apocrypho Pastore mcechorum). Cyprian however
never quotes it, and, by repeating the statement peculiar to Western
writers that St Paul 'wrote to seven churches' (de exhort. mart. II),
he also implicitly denies its Pauline authorship.
Italy. In Italy and Western Europe the Epistle was not held to be
St Paul's and by consequence, as it seems, it was not held to be
canonical. Hippolytus (Lagarde pp. 64, 89, II8, 149) and Irenreus
(Euseb. H. E. v. 26) were acquainted with it, but they held that it
'was not Paul's' (Steph. Gobar ap. Phot. Cod. 232); and if Irenreus
had held it to be authoritative Scripture, he could hardly have failed
to use it freely in his Book 'against heresies.' Caius also reckoned
only thirteen Epistles of St Paul (Euseb. H. E. vi 20; Hier. de vir.
ill. 59); and Eusebius, where he mentions the fact, adds that the
opinion was ' still held by some Romans.'
Phot. Cod. 232 (Migne, P. G. ciii 1103); Stephen Gobar (vi cent.) states
;;.,.,. 'l7r7r0Avror ,cal Elp17vu'ior -r:,v 1rpbr 'E{jpalovr f1ruJT0Aqv IlalJAov oV,c EKElvov
 HISTORY .A.ND .AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE. lxv

El11al cf>a<n11... The statement as to Hippolytus is confirmed by a reference

which Photius elsewhere makes to Hippolytus himself: Cod. 121 (P. G.
ciii 403) AEYE' l),1 .D.Xa TE Tll/a ri)s a,cp,{3Elas AE&'1r0/J,Ella ,cal iln ~ 1rpos 'E{3palovr
Jma-roA~ otl,c lrrn rnv cl1roa-ro>..ov ITavXov. With regard to Irenreus there is
no direct confirmation. Eusebius (l. c.) simply says that he quoted 'phrases
from the Epistle to the Hebrews and the so-called Wisdom of Solomon' in
his Book of 'Various Discussions.' The connexion shews that, if he had
quoted it as St Paul's, Eusebius would have noted the fact. Stephen Gobar
may have interpreted the silence of Irenreus in his quotations, or something
in the form of it, as a practical denial of the Pauline authorship. So
Jerome paraphrases the words of Eusebius as to Caius (l.c.) n}11 1rptis
'E/3palovs 11-~ rrv11ap,(),_.4uas Ta'is >..o,1ra'is by decimam quartam quae jertur
ad Hebraeos dicit non eius esse.
The coincidences with the language of the Epistle, which are quoted
from Irenreus, would at the most prove no more than that he was
acquainted with the Book, which is established by other evidence (ii. 30, 9 :
Hehr. i 3).
The Epistle is not quoted by Novatian, or .A.rnobius (yet see ii 65:
Hehr. ix. 6), or Lactantius, who however seems to have been acquainted
with it (Inst. iv. 20: Hehr. viii. 7 ff.; iv. 14: Hehr. iii. 3 ff.; v. 5 f.; vii. 21;
comp. Lardner, Credibility, lxv. § 6, 4, 14 ff.). They did not therefore, we
may conclude, recognise its canonical authority.
Victorinus of Pettau repeats the familiar Western clause that 'Paul
recognises seven churches' (Routh, Rell. Sacr. iii. 459).

It is impossible to decide certainly whether the Epistle formed Syria.

a part of the earliest Syriac Version. The position which it holds
in the Peshito at present shews at least that it was not regarded
strictly as one of St Paul's Epistles but as an appendix to the
collection. In accordance with this view it is called simply the
'Epistle to the Hebrews,' and not, after the usage in the other
Epistles, 'the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews.'

It is instructive to notice that in the Cambridge MS. of the (later)

Harclean Version the title given is 'The Epistle to the Hebrews, of
Paul the .Apostle.' The Oxford (New Coll) MS. of the same Version,
which White published, has only 'The Epistle to the Hebrews,' comp.
p. xxvii.

This meagre account indicates all the independent external Tl~re_e

. . . . opm10ns
evidence which has been preserved by trad1t10n as to the ongm as to the
. 1e. Later writers
of the E p1st . . ly corn b"me an d repeat 1n
sm1p . various
. Epistle
current.
ways the views ·which it represents. To speak summarily, when
 lxvi HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

the book first appears in general circulation three distinct opinions

about it had already obtained local currency. At Alexandria the
Greek Epistle was held to be not directly but mediately St Paul's,
as either a free translation of his words or a reproduction of his
thoughts. In North Africa it was known to some extent as the
work of Barnabas and acknowledged as a secondary authority. At
Rome and in Western Europe it was not included in the collection
of the Epistles of St Paul and had no apostolic weight.
In order to decide between these conflicting judgments, and
to account for their partial acceptance, it is necessary to examine
the evidence more in detail.
The The testimony of Alexandria is the earliest and the most
testimony
of Alex- explicit. It has been preserved by Eusebius from lost writings
andria.
of Clement and Ori!!'en. Clement, he writes (H. E. vi. 14), says in
CLEMENT. ~
his outlines ('Y.ironnrc,xms) 'that the Epistle is Paul's, and that it
was written to Hebrews in the Hebrew language, and that Luke
translated it with zealous care and published it to the Greeks;
whence it is that the same complexion of style is found in the
translation of this Epistle and in the Acts. [Further J that the
[ordinary] phrase ' Paul an Apostle' was not placed at the head of
the Epistle for good reason; for, he says, in writing to Hebrews
who had formed a prejudice against him and viewed him with suspi-
cion, he was wise not to repel them at the beginning by setting
his name there.' The last clause only is quoted in Clement's own
words, but there can be no doubt that Eusebius has given cor-
rectly the substance of what he said, as far as it goes, but much is
left undetermined which it would be important to know. There is
nothing to indicate the source of Clement's statement, or how far it
w3:s the common opinion of the Alexandrine Church at the time, or
whether the hypothesis of a Hebrew original was framed to explain
the peculiarities of the un-Pauline style. In part this deficiency
may be supplied by another quotation from Clement in regard to
the Epistle which Eusebius makes in the same place. 'The blessed
PANT.iE- presbyter [Pantrenus 1] used to say: since the Lord was sent to
NUS.
the Hebrews, as being the Apostle of the Almighty, Paul through
 HISTORY .AND .AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE. lxvii

modesty, as was natural since.he had been sent to the Gentiles, does
not style himself apostle of the Hebrews, both for the sake of the
honour due to the Lord, and because it was a work of supererogation
for him to write to the Hebrews, since he was herald and apostle of
the Gentiles.' It appears then that the exceptional character of the
Epistle bad attracted attention at Alexandria in the generation
before Clement, and that an explanation was offered of one at least
of its peculiarities. It is possible therefore, though not likely, that
Clement derived from his master the idea of a Hebrew original. At
any rate the idea was compatible with what he had learnt from
Pantrenus as to the authorship of the Greek text.

The whole passage of Eusebius (H. E. vi. 14) deserves to be quoted at

length : Tqll 1rpos 'E{3palovs a.
f'fflUTOAqll IIavXov ,...,, Eiva{ q,170-w [ fl/ mis
'Y1roTV'ffOOUEUt] yeypaq,Bai a. 'E{3pafo,s 'E{3pat,cf, q,,.,vf,• Aov1<a11a. q>tAOTI/L"'S
avTqll µ.EBEpµ.1711Evua11Ta i,clJoiivai Tois "EXX17ui11· :JBEv TOV aVTOII XP"'Ta Evplu-
KEuBat KaTO. Tqv lpµ.17vEla11 TaVTTJS TE Tijs f'ffLUTO">.ijs Kai TOOV IIpa~E(l)l/ 0
,..;,

'lrpO'}'E'}'paq,Bata. TO 'IIaiiXor O'ffOUTOAos' El/C()T(l)S" ''E{3paloir yap,' q,170-lv,

E'lf't<TTiAAruv, 1rp6A.1J'P't.v ElA,,<pOu, ,car' aVToV 1eal t~'lf'O'lf'TE'Vovu,v aVrOv, uvverf»s
'1T&vv oV,c £v dpxfl d1rErrrpE<p£v atlroVs- rO dvoµ.a 8£lt.' Elra V'tf'a/3as £1r,"A.Eyn
'~Ha17 aE, cJs O µa,c&pws fAEyE 1rpErr{BVrEpos, f1Tfl O 1e.Vp,os (l,rOOToAos- ~v raV
'!rallTOICpaTopor a1rEUTllA'7 rrpos 'E{3palovs, lJia /LETPLDT']Ta a IIaiiXos, c.ls ~II Els
rel ftJVTJ d1rEuraAµEvos, oVK EyypCl</>EL lavr011 'E{Bpalwv d1r60T0Aov bul TE -r~v
1rpOs rOv ,clJpwv r,µ.~v, 3u:l rE r6 Etc. 1rEpiovulas 1eal ro'is 'E{,palo,r €1rurrAAELv
l8vWv K1pv,ca Zvra ,cal d1rDuroA011.' ·
There is no direct evidence to identify Pantrenus with 'the blessed
elder,' for Clement appears to have derived his information from more than
one of his generation (comp. Euseb. H. E. v. l 1 ), but the identification
appears to be natural from the position which Pantrenus occupied (comp.
H. E. v. II; vi. 13).
The use of ~a,, in the second (verbal) quotation from Clement seems to
imply that Clement is meeting a difficulty which was freshly urged in his
own time. It had been, he seems to say, adequately met before.
If Pantrenus had spoken of a Hebrew original it is most likely that
Clement would have noticed the fact. 'l'he argument from style may
naturally mark a second stage in the controversy as to the authorship of the
Epistle.

The judgment of Origen is quoted by Eusebius (H. E. vi. 25) in 0RIGEN,

. his own words. After remarking that every one competent to judge
of language must admit that the style of the Epistle to the Hebrews
is not that of St Paul, and also that every one conversant with the
 lxviii HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

apostle's teaching must agree that the thoughts are marvellous and
in no way inferior to his acknowledged writings, Origen, he tells
us, after a while continued, 'If I were to express my own opinion
' I should say that the thoughts are the thoughts of the apostle, but
'the language and the composition that of one who recalled from
'memory and, as it were, made notes of what was said by his
'master. If therefore any Church holds this Epistle as Paul's, let
'it be approved for this also [as for holding unquestioned truths],
'for it was not without reason that the men of old time have
'handed it down as Paul's [that is, as substantially expressing his
'thoughts]. But who wrote the Epistle God only knows certainly.
'The account that has reached us is twofold : some say that
' Clement, who became bishop of the Romans, wrote the Epistle,
' others that Luke wrote it, who wrote the Gospel and the Acts.
'But on this I will say no more.'
The This testimony is of the highest value as supplementary to and
relation
of the in part explaining that of Clement. Origen does not refer to any
~~s~~~~! 'Hebrew' original. It is not possible then that this hypothesis
to th at of formed part of the ancient tradition. It was a sugi?estion which
Clement. . ~
Origen did not think it worth while to discuss. He was aware
that some Churches did not receive the Epistle as St Paul's.
In the strictest sense of authorship he agreed with them. At
the same time he held that in a true sense it could be regarded
as St Paul's, as embodying thoughts in ev&y way worthi of
him.
The resuit Thus Clement and Origen, both familiar with the details of the
of the
testimony tradition of 'the men of old time' to whom they refer, agree in
of Alex-
andria. regarding the Greek Epistle as St Paul's only in a secondary sense.
Clement regards it as a free translation of a 'Hebrew' original, so
made by St Luke as to shew the characteristics of his style : Origen
regards it as a scholar's reproduction of his master's teaching. Each
view must have been consistent with what was generally received;
and this can only have been that the Epistle rightly had a place
among the apostolic letters th_ough its immediate authorship was
uncertain. The practice of Clement and Origen is an application
 HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE. lxix
of this judgment. Both use the Epistle as St Paul's without any
qualification because it was naturally connected with the collection
of his letters; and Origen goes so far as to say that he was
prepared to shew that 'the Epistle was Paul's' in reply to those
'who rejected it as not written by Paul' (Ep. ad Afric. 9); and
in another passage, preserved indeed only in a Latin translation,
he speaks of 'fourteen Epistles of St Paul' (Hom. in Jos. vii.).
The judgment of Origen must be given in the original (Euseb. H. E.
vi. 25).
.ln oxapa1<.,..;,p rijs A<~«.,s Tijs 1rp6s 'E{3palovs <11'1<TTo>.ij, ov1< 'X" T6 ,,, >.cly'f'
za,6>TtK0v Toii d,rouTOA.ov, OµoA.o-y1uavros EavrOv ZaicJTlJV E'lvaL -r'f AO')'re, TOVTfcrr,
Tfi rf>pacr,,, d>.>.' E<TTW ~ flTl<TTOAq <Tvv0,un T,js A<~E(J}S EAA7/V&IC!')TEpa, ,ras o
<11'£<TTl'ip,,vos 1<plvnv <ppO.<TEo>V (al <ppO.<TEo>s) biarpopas oµ.o>.oy11ua, llv. ITo.AW TE
aJ &rl TO 1)01/JJ,UTU T,js <11'£<TTOA,jS ()avp,O.<TIO. <<TTI /Cal ov b,vnpa TedJ) d1ro<TTOAll(fdJ)
ypap,µ.o.Toov, 1<al TovTo b.v uvµ.rf>11ua1 ,lvai d>.710Es ,ras o 1rpoulxoov Tjj dvayvC.:uEI
Tjj d1rouToA11<jj.
TOVTOIS µ.,()' <npa ,mrf>•pn A<yo>v
£-y6J aE U.,ro<J>a,v0µ,£VOS E'i1rotp., lJv 0TL ,.a µEv vo1Jµ,ara ToV d1To0T&Aov Ewrlv ~
aE c:f,pU.u,r ,cal ~ uVviJE<TI.S d.1roµV1'}µ.ov£VuavrOs- TLVOS' [Ta d1rouToA,,c(l ,cal Wu1rfpEL
<TXOA1oypa<p11<TaVTos nvos] TO ,lp71µ.iva VIT6 TOV b,ba<T1<o.Aov. ,, ns olv <1<1<A7J<Tla
EXEL raVnw 'n/v f'Tf'L',rroA~v cJr IIalJAov, a1)T1J EVaoKLµ.£LToo ,cal E1r'i. roVTq,. aV -yap
ElKjj ol dpxa'io, :fvlJpES cJs Ilav>.ov avTqv ,rapalJElJo>Kau,. Tts bi o ypafas Tqv
f11'1<TTOA7/V, T6 µ.iv d>.710,s o.;,.
olaev, 11 lJE •ls ~µ.as rf,0a<Ta<Ta l<TTopla tlrro TIJ)(J}J) JJ,EV
>.,yovTo>V <lTt K>.11µ.71s O yooµ.evos l1rlu1<01ros 'Pooµ.aloov •ypaf• TqV lm<TTOA7/V,
vrro TLV@V aE bTt AovKciS' 0 -ypll.'f'as- rO EVayyE'Atov Kal Tas IIp&Eus-.
dAA(J TaVTa µ,Ev J8E fxlrw.
The sense of the ambiguous phrase Tts o yp,h/ras .,..;,,, i1r1<TT0M11
(Rom. xvi. 22) is fixed by the context beyond all reasonable doubt. The
'writing' included all that is described under 'expression' (<ppau,s) and
'composition' (uvv0eu,s). In this sense, on the ground that the Epistle
shewed correspondences of style with their acknowledged compositions,
some held that Clement and some that St Luke 'wrote' it.
The Homily from which this passage was taken was written after A.D. 245.
The Epistle to Africanus was written A.D. 240. We may therefore rightly
conclude that we have in the quotation Origen's mature and final judgment
from a critical point of sight. Practically he might still use it as St Paul's
in the sense which he explains.
Looking back over the records of the firs:t three centuries The judg.
Eusebius expressed the judgment to which the facts pointed plainly ;~~!B~S.
with all their apparent discrepancies. In different places he ranks
the Epistle among 'the acknowledged' (iii. 2 5), and the 'controverted'
Books (vi. 13). He held himself that it was originally written in
'Hebrew,' and that Clement of Rome (rather than St Luke) had
W. H.3 f
 lxx HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

translated it, on the ground of its likeness to Clement's own Letter

both in style and subject-matter (iii. 38). He used the Greek text
as St Paul's ·habitually; and reckoned his Epistles as fourteen
(H. E. iii. 3), though he noticed that 'some rejected the Epistle to
the Hebrews on the ground that it was controverted (aVTiAl.yE<r0ai)
by the Roman Church as not being Paul's.' At the same time he
justified his own decision by the plea that it was reasonable ' on
the ground of its antiquity that it should be reckoned with the
other writings of the Apostle' (H. E. iii. 38). Such a statement
would be inconsistent with the idea that he held it to be -St Paul's
in the same sense as the other Epistles. He held it to be canonical
Scripture and Pauline, so to speak, for ecclesiastical use. Eusebius
in other words, like Origen, was chiefly concerned to maintain
the canonicity of the Epistle, and he upheld its ultimate Pauline
authorship as connected with its apostolic authority.

The following are the passages in which Eusebius states the facts as to
the Epistle in his own words.
H. E. iii. 3 TOV a£ ITavXov rrplx371Xoi ,cal uacj,£is al a£,COTEO'O'ap,s lmO'TOAaL
OTI 'Y£ ,.~JI T&JIES ~()£~,COO'I T'7J1 rrpos 'E/3pa,ovs, rrpos Tijs 'Pc,)µafo)JI £,CICA7I0'1as WS
µ.~ IIaVAov oJuav aVTi}v dVTtAEy£u6u, ra
<pT}craVTES, oV a£,caiav dyvoELv. ,cal 7rEpl
TOVT7JS a£ TOLS rrpo 1µrov £lp71µiva ICaTa ,catpov rrapaB~uoµai.
H. E. iii 37 [KAqµ71s] uacpiO'TaTa rrap10-T7JO'LV OTI 1-''I viov vrrapxn To
uvnpaµµ,a. tvBEII £1,COTc,)S ,aot£v ailTo TOIS Aotrrois l-yicaTaA£XBijvai -ypaµµau,
TOV drroO'ToAOtl • 'E{3pafo,s -yap aia Tijs rraTp10t1 'YAOOTT7/S inpacpc,)s c.lµ,X71ic6-ros
TOV ITavXov, ol µ£JI TOI' nlayy<Al<TT'7JI Aov,cav ol a£ TOI' KA~µ•VTa TOVTOJI avToJI
lpµ7111£VO'a£ Xlyovu, T1/II ypacpqv. & ,cal µMAOJI (i71 fiv aX71Bis, T<i> TOI' 1.µoiov Tijs
cppa0'£c,)S xapaicTijpa T~II TE TOV KXqµ<VTOS E'lt'LO'TOA'7V ,cal T1/I' rrpos 'Ef3palovs
d1rouW(ELv, 1eal r4) µ,i} 1rOppoo Tli Ev £,carEpo,r raLr uvyypli.µµ.au, vo~µ.aTa
1<aB,O'Ta11a1..
Theodoret (PraJf. in Ep. ad Hebr.) exaggerates, when he says of
Eusebius, oOTos TOV BnoTClTOV IlavAOtl Tqva. T'7JI £1t'IO'TOA'7JI wµoXfryr,u,v Elva,
io:al TOVS 7TaAatovs tI1ra11Tas TaVT7/JI 7T£pl mlTijs tcj,710-•11 lux11io:iva, Tqll aotav.

No It will be evident from the facts which have been given how
evidence
for the slender is the historical evidence for the Pauline authorship of the
Patulinh.e Epistle when it is traced to the source. The unqualified statements
au or-
ship of the of later writers simply reproduce the testimony of Clement or Origen
Greek
text, as interpreted by their practice. But it is not clear that any one
among the earliest witnesses attributed the Greek text to St Paul.
It is certain that neither Clement nor Origen did so, though they
 HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE. Jxxi

used the Epistle as his without reserve. What they were concerned
to affirm. for the book was Pauline, or, we may say more correctly,
apostolic authority.
Viewed in this light the testimony of Alexandria is not irrecon- The East
cilable with the testimony of the West. The difference between :~!;"est
the two springs from the different estimate which they made of the und~ally
part1
two elements of the problem, canonicity (apostolicity) and author- truths.
ship. The Alexandrines emphasised the thought of canonicity and,
assured of the canonicity of the Epistle, placed it in connexion with
St Paul. The Western fathers emphasised the thought_of authorship
and, believing that the Epistle was not properly St Paul's, denied its
canonical authority. The former were wrong in affirming Pauline
authorship as the condition of canonicity. The latter were wrong
in denying the canonicity of a book of which St Paul was not
recognised as the author. Experience has shewn us how to unite
the positive conclusions on both sides. We have been enabled to
acknowledge that the canonical authority of the Epistle is inde-
pendent of its Pauline authorship. The spiritual insight of the'
East can be joined with the historical witness of the West. And
if we hold that the judgment of the Spirit makes itself felt through
the consciousness of the Christian Society, no Book of the Bible is
more completely recognised by universal consent as giving a divine
view of the facts of the Gospel, full of lessons for all time, than
the Epistle to the Hebrews.

In deciding the question of the authorship of the Epistle the uniform

testimony of the Roman Church, in which the Epistle was known from the
earliest times, is of decisive importance. If St Paul had written it, it is .\
difficult to understand how Clement could have been unacquainted with the
fact, and how it should have been persistently denied or disregarded by all
the later writers of the Church, so far as we know, for more than two
centuries. On the other hand, if the Epistle was added as an appendix 1
to St Paul's Epistles in an Eastem collection of apostolic writings made /
about the same time as Marcion's, it is easy to see, from the example of :
the Syriac Versions, how naturally St Paul's name would be extended to it,
and then how various explanations would offer themselves to account for its
peculiarities. For the distinct theories of Clement and Origen shew that
these were no part of an original tradition.
f2
 lxxii HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

The jndg- The practical judgment of Alexandria found formal expression

ment of
ATHANA-
m a Festal Epistle of Athanasius (A.D. 367). Among the books
SIUS, and of the Old and New Testaments which he reckons as 'held canoni-
cal and divine,' he enumerates 'fourteen Epistles of the Apostle
Paul ' in the order of the oldest MSS. (' . . . 2 Thess., Hebrews,
1 Timothy ... '). And from his time this reckoning of the ' fourteen
Epistles' became universal among Greek writers ; but there is no
reason to suppose that either he or the other fathers who followed
him wished to go beyond the testimony of Clement and Origen and
Eusebius.

of the The Epistle is used without reserve as a writing of St Paul's by

late:;Greek Alexander of Alexandria in writing to Arius (Theodor. H. E. i. 4 ; Socr.
Fat ers. H. E. i. 6), and there is no reason for thinking that on this point Arius_
differed from the other teachers of Alexandria. At a later time some
Arians denied the Pauline authorship of the Book while still they used it
(Epiph. Haw. lxix. 14; comp. Theodoret, Pr(Pf. ad Epist.). The Epistle is
also quoted as St Paul's (not to mention lesser names) by Didymus (de Trin.
i. p. 23; Migne, P. G. xxxix. 307), Isidore of Pelusium (Epp. Li'b. i. 7; 94,
Hehr. iv. 13), Cyril of Alexandria (de ador. in spfr. et ver. ii. p. 58; Migne,
P. G. lxviii. 226) and other Alexandriue fathers ; by Cyril of Jerusalem
(Cat. iv. 36 TClS IlavAOV lJ£1<0'TEITITapas OTLITTOAas), by Jacob of Nisibis and
Ephrem Syrus (Bleek, Einl. § 39); by the Cappadocian fathers Basil (adv.
Eunom. i. 14; iv. 2) and the two Gregories, Gregory of Nyssa (In Christi
Resurr. ii.; Migne, P. G. xlvi. 639) and Gregory of Naziauzus (lJl1<a lJi IIavAov
,-luuap•r ,-' ifritTToAal, Migue, P. G. xxxvii. 47 4); by Epiphauius (H(JJr. lxxvi.
p. 941 '" T£1T1Tap£tr1<allJ£1<a l'll"LITTOAa'is TOV aylov d'll"OITTOAOV IIavAov. Comp.
Hwr. xlii. p. 373), and by the representatives of the Church of Antioch,
Theodore of Mopsuestia (Kihn Theodor v. Mopsuestia 61 ff.) and Chrysostom
(Prwf. in Com.).
The later From the fourth century the canonical authority of the Epistle
judgment
of the came to be recognised in the West, and in part, as a consequence,
Western its Pauline authorship. Fathers, like Hilary, who were familiar
Church,
JEROME, with Greek writers naturally adopted little by little their mode of
Auous-
TINE. speaking of it. Still the influence of the old belief remained; and
Jerome shews that the judgment which Eusebius notes in his time
still survived unchanged: 'The custom of the Latins' he says 'does
not receive it among the canonical Scriptures as St Paul's' (Ep. ad
Dard. 129). And while he himself rightly maintained its canonical
authority and used it freely, he was ever scrupulously careful to
 HISTORY AND :AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE. lxxiii

indicate in his quotations that he did not by so doing decide the

question of its authorship. Augustine adopted the same general
view as Jerome, and under his influence lists of Books for use in
Church were authorised at three African Councils, at Hippo in 393,
and at Carthage in 397 and 419. In all of these the Epistle to
the Hebrews was included ; and henceforward, while the doubts as
to the authorship of the Epistle were noticed from time to time, the
canonical authority of the Book was not again called in question in
the West till the time of the Reformation. The Catalogue of the
second Council of Carthage was transcribed in a letter of Innocent I
to Exsuperius, and became part of the Law of the Rom~n Church.

The language of the decrees of the African Councils preserves a signi-

ficant trace of the transition from the earlier view in the West to that
which finally prevailed. In the Council of Hippo and the first Council of
Carthage the enumeration runs : Pauli Ap. Epistolm xiii.: eiusdem ad
Hebrmos una. In the second Council of Carthage the two clauses are
combined: Epist. Pauli Ap. numero xiv.
The Epistle is used as St Paul's among others by Hilary (De Trin.
iv.11), Lucifer (De non conv. c. hmr., Migne, P. L. xiii. 782): Victorinus Afer
(c. Ar. ii. 3), Pacianus (Ep. iii. 13), Faustinus (De Trin. ii. 13), Ambrose
(De Sp. S. iii. 8, 51\ Pelagius (Comm. in Rom. i. 17), Rufinus (Comm. in
Symh. Apost. 36, Pauli apostoli epistolre quatuordecim).
On the other hand it is not used by Phrebadius, Optatus, Zeno, Vincent
of Lerins, Orosius. Phi~trius notices that it was not read in Churches
(Hmr. 88), or, at least, only sometimes (Hmr. 89, interdum).
The language of Jerome is full of interest, and in several places it is
easy to see the influence of the Greek or Latin work which he has before
him. He repeats the familiar Western saying that ' St Paul wrote to seven
Churches,' adding that 'very many rejected the Epistle to the Hebrews,'
which would have given an eighth (Ep. ad Paul. 53 ( w3) § 8-; de virr. ill.
5). He notices the Western custom and tradition which questioned its
authority and denied its Pauline authorship (Ep. ad Evang. 73 (126) § 4;
ad Dard. 129 § 3 ; Comm. in Matt. xxvi. 8, 9; in Is. vi. 2 ; viii. 16 f.). He
discusses the common objections to the Pauline authorship (de virr. ill.
c. 5 ; Comm. in Gal. i. 1), and notices one which he probably owed to
Origen (Ep. ad Afri. 9), that the Epistle contained references to
Apocryphal Books (Comm. in Is. vi. 9 ff.). In many places he uses. the
Epistle as St Paul's without any reserve ( Comm. in Is. v. 24 ; vii. 14);
and again he speaks of 'the writer of the Epistle whoever he was,' 'the
Apostle Paul or whoever wrote the Epistle' (Comm. in Amos viii. 7, 8;
in Jerem. xxxi. 31 f.).
The language of Augustine is equally uncertain. At one time he leaves
 lxxiv HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

the question of the canonicity of the Epistle uncertain (Inchoat. Expo,. Ep.
ad Rom. § 1 1 ). At another time he inclines to accept it on the authority
of 'the Eastern Churches' (de pecc. mer. et remiss. i. 27, 50). And in
common use he quotes it in the same way as the other Epistles of St Paul,
though less frequently (Serm. lv. 5 &c.).
It is needless to follow in detail the statements of later writers.
A few interesting traces of old doubts survive. The Epistle was
wanting in the archetype of D 2 and probably in the archetype of F 2
and G3 (see pp. xvi, xxvii). Some Commentators deal only with
thirteen Epistles of St Paul (Hilary of Rome, Migne P. L. xvii.
pp. 45 ff.; Pelagius, P. L. xxx. pp. 645 ff.; comp. Cassiod. de inst.
div. litt. iv. 8), though Hilary and Pelagius speak of the Epistle to
the Hebrews elsewhere as a book of the Apostle. But the notices
as to the authorship of the Book are for the most part simple
repetitions of sentences of Jerome. Here and there a writer of
exceptional power uses his materials with independence, but without
real knowledge. Thomas Aquinas, for example, marshals the objec-
tions to the P,il-uline authorship and the answers to them in a true
scholastic form, and decides in favour of the Pauline authorship
on the ground of ancient authority and because •Jerome receives
it among the Epistles of Paul.'
As the contrary has been lately stated, it may be well to say that Leo
the Great quotes the Epistle as St Paul's (Serm. xliv. § 2; comp. Serm. iii.
(ii.) 1; xxiv. (xxiii.) 6; lxviii. (lxvi.) 3; lxix. (lxvii.) 2; [ Ep. h."V. § 11 ]~ He
quotes it indeed, as Bleek justly observed, comparatively rarely.
Various At the revival of Greek learning in Europe, when 'the Gram-
opinions
at the ·
manans ' vent ured to reopen quest·ions of B"bl"
1 1ca1 cnticISm,
· · · t he
~::c~s~nd authorship and, in part, the authority of the Epistle was called
i~ later in question. On this, as on other similar subiects, Card. Caietan
times. J
[Th. de Vio] spoke with unusual freedom. Erasmus, with fuller
knowledge, expressed his doubts 'not as to the authority but as
to the author of the Epistle, doubts ' he adds characteristically
'which would remain till he saw a distinct judgment of the Church
upon the point.' Luther denied the Pauline authorship of the
Book without hesitation, and, referring to the earlier traditions,
conjectured that it was more likely to have been written by Apollos
 HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE. lxxv

(comp. Bleek, 249 n.). Calvin, while maintaining the full apo-
stolical authority of the Epistle, professed that he 'could not be
brought to think that it was St Paul's.' He thought that it might
be a work of St Luke or of Clement. Beza also held that it was
written by a disciple of St Paul. At :first he inclined to adopt
Luther's conjecture as to the authorship, but this opinion he
afterwards withdrew silently.

The judgment of Card. Caietan is worth noticing more in detail, for

even Bleek had not seen his Commentary. He first quotes the statements
of Jerome at some length, and concludes from these that St Paul cannot
be confidently held to be the author of the Epistle. He then goes 011 to
argue that doubt as to the authorship of the Book involves doubt as to its
authority. This doubt as to the auth01ity of the Epistle he justifies by
reference to what he regards as false arguments in i. 5 b, ix. 15 ff. He
regards ii. 3 as inconsistE)nt with a belief in the Pauline authorship, but
adds, that following common custom he, like Jerome, will call it St Paul's.
He explains the stress which he lays on the evidence of Jerome by
a significant. sentence: quos [libros] ille canonicos tradidit, canonicos
habemus ; et quos ille a canonicis discreuit, extra canonem habemus.
The Colophon of the Commentary is interesting. Caietre die I Junii
M.D.XXIX. Commentariorum Thomre de Vio, Caietani Cardinalis sancti
Xisti in omnes genuinas epistolas Pauli et earn qure ad Hebrreos inscribitur,
Finis.

The review of the historical evidence as to the authorship of Internal

the Epistle will have shewn sufficiently that there was no clear evidence;
or uniform tradition on the subject in the early Church. Obvious
circumstances are adequate to explain why the names of St Paul,
and St Luke, of Barnabas, and Clement were connected with it;
and in no case is the external testimony of such a character as to
justify the belief that it was derived from a tradition contemporary
in origin with the Book. It remains therefore to consider how far
internal testimony helps towards the solution of the question.
The direct evidence furnished by the Epistle is slight, though direct,
there is not the least indication that the author wished to conceal
his personality. He was intimately acquainted with those to whom
he writes : vi. 9 £.; x. 34 (Tot, 8Ecrp.{oi, crvvE7ra0~craTE); xiii. 7 ; xiii.
19 (tva. TifXE,ov d.'71'oKaTaCTTa0w vp.'iv), but the last clause does not
necessarily imply that he belonged to their society, or that he
 lxxvi HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

was in confinement. He speaks of Timothy as a common friend :

xiii. 23 (yivW<TKETE TiW d.8EA.cpov -rjp.wv T. d1ro.A.EAvp.tvov ••• compare note
on the passage), and there is no reason to question the identity of
this Timothy with the companion of St Paul. He places himself
in the second generation of believers, as one who had received the
Gospel from those who heard the Lord (ii. 3).
This last statement has been justly held to be a most grave
(or indeed fatal) objection to the Pauline authorship. It is not
possible to reconcile it without unnatural violence with St Paul's
jealous assertion of his immediate discipleship to Christ (contrast
Gal. i. 1 ; 1 1 f.). On the other hand these few notices might all
apply equally well to St Luke or Barnabas or Clement.
indirect. The language and the teaching of the Epistle offer. materials
for comparison with writings of the four authors suggested by
tradition. With St Luke the comparison is practically confined
to the language: with Barnabas, if we assume that his letter is
authentic, Clement and St Paul, it embraces both language and
teaching.
Com- It has been already seen that the earliest scholars who speak of
parison
with the Epistle notice its likeness in style to the writings of St Luke ;
ST LuKE, and when every allowance has been made for coincidences which
consist in forms of expression which are found also in the LXX. or in
other writers of the N. T., or in late Greek generally, the likeness
is unquestionably remarkable. No one can work independently at
the Epistle without observing it (comp. p. xlvii). But it is not
possible to establish any sure conclusion on such a resemblance.
The author of the Epistle · may have been familiar with the
writings of St Luke themselves, or he may have been in close
connexion with the Evangelist or with those whose language was
moulded by his influence. In any case the likeness of vocabulary
and expression is not greater than that which exists between I Peter
and the Epistles of St Paul. If indeed it were credible that the
Epistle was originally written in 'Hebrew,' then. the external and
internal evidence combined would justify the belief that the Greek
text. is due to St Luke. If that opinion is out of the question,
 HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE. lxxvii

the historical evidence for St Luke's connexion with the Epistle

is either destroyed or greatly weakened, and the internal evidence
gives no valid result.
The superficial resemblances between the Epistle and the Letter with
of Clement, b oth m. . vocab u lary and form, are very str1'k'mg. I t CLEMENT,
would be easy to draw up a list of parallelisms in words and manner
sufficient to justify the judgment of Eusebius (comp. pp. lxi~ lxx).
But these parallelisms are more than counterbalanced by differences
in both respects. Clement has an unusually large number of peculiar
words; and his heaping together of coordinate clauses (as 1, 3, 20,

35, 36, 45, 55), his frequent doxologies (20, 38, 43, 45; 50, 58, 59),
and to a certain extent (comp. p. 478) his method of quotation,
sharply distinguish his writing from the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Moreover a closer examination of the parallelisms with the Epistle
makes it clear that they are due to a use of it, like the use
which is made of Epistles of St Paul (e.g. c. 49). And, what is of
far greater moment, the wide difference between the two ·works in
range of thought, in dogmatic depth, in prophetic insight, makes it
impossible to suppose that the Epistle to the Corinthians could have
been written after the Epistle to the Hebrews by the same writer.
Clement is essentially receptive and imitative. He combines but he
does not create. Even if the external evidence for connecting him
with the Epistle were greater than it is, the internal evidence would
be incompatible with any other connexion than that of a simple
translator (comp. Lightfoot, Clement i. 101 f.).
Some differences in style between the Epistle and the writings with
of St Paul. have been already noticed. A more detailed inquiry ST PAUL,
shews that these cannot be adequately explained by differences of
subject or of circumstances. They characterise two men, and not
only two moods or two discussions. The student will feel the
subtle force of the contrast if he compares the Epistle to the
Hebrews with the Epistle to the Ephesians, to which it has
the closest affinity. But it is as difficult to represent the
contrast by an enumeration of details as it is to analyse an
effect. It must be felt for a right appreciation of its force. So
 lxxviii HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE.

iC is also with the dogmatic differences between the writer and

St Paul.
There is unquestionably a sense in which Origen is right in
saying that 'the thoughts ' of the Epistle are the thoughts of
St Paul. The writer shews the same broad conception of the
universality of the Gospel as the Apostle of the Gentiles, the same
grasp of the age-long purpose of God wrought out through Israel,
the same trust in the atoning work of Christ, and in His present
sovereignty. He speaks with the same conscious mastery of the
Divine Counsel. But he approaches each topic from a different
side. He looks at all as from within Israel, and not as from with-
out. He speaks as one who step by step had read the fulfilment
of the Old Covenant in the New without any rude crisis of awak-
ening or any sharp struggle with traditional errors. His Judaism
has been all along the Judaism of the prophets and not of the
Pharisees, of the 0. T. and not of the schools (comp. § x.).
with The differences between the Epistle and the Epistle which bears
BARNABAS. the name of Barnabas involve a contrast of principles and will be
considered separately (see § x11.).
We are left then with a negative conclusion. The Epistle
cannot be the work of St Paul, and still less the work of Clement.
It may have been written by St Luke. It may have been written
by Barnabas, if the 'Ep:il5tle of Barnabas' is apocryphal. The
scanty evidence which is accessible to us supports no more definite
judgment.
Luther's One conjecture, however, remains to be noticed, not indeed for
conjecture .
that the its own 1n . t nns1c
• • wo rth , b u t. be cause 1·t h as f oun d f avour wit
· h many
Epiat1e scholars. Luther, as we have seen, with characteristic originality
was
written by conjectured that it was the work of Aoollos. The sole ground for
APOLLOS. ~ -
the conjecture is the brief description of Apollos which is found
in the N. T. (Acts xviii. 24 ff.; 1 Cor. i. 12; iii. 4 ff.). But the
utmost which can be deduced from these notices is that Apollos,
so far as we know, might have written the Epistle, just as
what we know of Silas is consistent with the belief that he wrote
it, and has even suggested it. But on the other hand it is to be
 HISTORY AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE EPISTLE. lxxix

remembered that there is not the least evidence that Apollos wrote
anything, or that he was the only man or the only Alexandrian in
the Apostolic age who was 'learned ... and mighty in the Scriptures,'
or that he possessed these qualifications more than others among
his contemporaries, or that, in the connexion in which they are
noticed, they suggest the presence of the peculiar power which is
shewn in the Epistle. The wide acceptance of the conjecture as
a fact is only explicable by our natural unwillingness to frankly
confess our ignorance on a matter which excites our interest.
And yet in this case the confession of ignorance is really the The
confirmation of an inspiriting faith. We acknowledge the divine 0 :1°::-
authority of the Epistle, self-attested and ratified by the illuminated Eptistle a
w1 ness
consciousness of the Christian Society: we measure what would to the
. spiritual
have been our loss if it had not been included in our Bible; and wealth
. . l . of the
we confess t hat t h e wea1t h of sp1r1tua power was so great m the Apostolic
early Church that he who was empowered to commit to writing age.
this yiew of the fulness of the Truth has not by that conspicuous
service even left his name for the grateful reverence of later ages.
It was enough that the faith and the love were ther~ to minister to
the Lord (Matt. xxvi. 13 ).
In the course of the last century the authorship of the Epistle
has been debated with exhaustive thoroughness. Bleek's Introduc-
tion to his Commentary is a treasury of materials, 3:rranged and
used with scrupulous fairness. It would be difficult to make any
important additions to his view of the external facts. All the
recent Commentaries discuss the question more or less fully. It
will be enough to refer to some representative writers who advo-
cate the claims of particular men to the authorship. The case
for St Paul is maintained, with various modifications, by Ebrard,
Hofmann, Biesenthal, Kay : for St Luke, by Delitzsch : for Apoll~
by Alford, Kurtz, Farrar : for Barnabas by Grau, Renan,-Zahn :
for St Mark by E. S. Lowndes (comp. Holtzmann, Einl. 318 f.):
for Aquila and Priscilla by Harnack [ Ewpository Times, 34 7
(1900)].
 lxxx: THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS .AND

XII. THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS AND

THE EPISTLE OF BARNABAS.

Two Two Epistles, as has been already noticed, were circulated in the
letters
bore the third century under the name of Barnabas. Both were for some
name of
Barnabas time on the verge of the Canon of the N. T., and at last, a century
in the later, one was by common consent included in it and the other
third
century. excluded. Both deal with a question which was of momentous
importance at the close of the Apostolic age, and the manner in
which they respectively deal with it illuminates the idea of inspira-
tion, and reveals a little of the divine action in the life of the
Church.
Both The question arose of necessity from the progress of the Faith.
answer a
question As the Gentile churches grew in imp,;>rtance, Christians could not
of urgent
import- but ask how they were to regard the Scriptures and the institutions
ance in of Judaism 1
the first
age, The destruction of Jerusalem forced this inquiry upon believers
with a fresh power. There was an apparent chasm opened in the line
of divine revelation. All that had been held sacred for centuries
was swept away, and yet the books of the Old Testament, which
appeared to find an outward embodiment in the Jewish services,
were still the authoritative Bible of Christians.
What was Could the Old Testament be thus kept 1 And if so, how were
the
relation of Christians to explain the contradiction between the hallowing of
Christ-
ianity to the writings, and the apparent neglect of their contents 1 The
~~t~~d ordinances of the Law had not been forma~ly abrogated: what then
ment? were the limits of their obligation 1 In what sense could writings,
in which the ordinances were laid down, still be regarded as inspired
by the Spirit of God, if the ordinances themselves were set aside 1
A little reflection will shew that the difficulties, involved in
these questions which the early Christians had to face, were very
real and very urgent. The pregnant thoughts of the Epistle to
the Hebrews-all that is contained in the words -rro>..vµ,Epws Kal
 THE EPISTLE OF BARNABAS. lxxxi
1roA.vTp01TIIIS 1rcfXm b (hos Xa>.:quas Tots 1raTpcfu,v lv Tots 1rporf,~Tais- •
have indeed passed so completely into our estimate of the method of
the divine education of 'the nations' and of 'the people,' that some
effort is required now in order that we may feel the elements of the
problem with which they deal. But we can realise the situation by
removing this book from the New Testament, and substituting in
imagination the Epistle of Barnabas for it.
Two opposite solutions of the difficulties obtained partial cur- Two
rency. It was said on the one side that the Old Testament must :~t~fo!s
be surrendered: that Judaism and Christianity were essentially by ~:~~:a
antagonistic: that Christ really came to abolish the' work of an Ma.rcion,
and
opposing power : that the separation of the Gospel from the Law
and the Prophets must be final and complete. This view, repre-
sented in its most formidable shape by l\farcion, was opposed to
the whole spirit of the apostolic teaching and to the instinct of
the Christian Society. It isolated Christianity from the fulness
of human life, and it is needless to dwell upon it.
On the other side it was said, as in the Epistle of Barnabas, Barna.bas.
that God had spoken only one message and made one Covenant, and
that message, that Covenant, was the Gospel; but that the message
had been misunderstood from the ,first by the Jews to whom it
was addressed, and that the Covenant in consequence had not
been carried into effoct till Christ came (Barn. iv. 6).
This view is not in its essence less unhistorical than the other,
or less fatal to a right apprehension of the conditions and course
of the divine revelation. But it had a certain attractiveness from
the symbolic interpretation of Scripture which it involved, and
it seemed to guard in some sense the continuity of God's dealing
with men. So it was that, if the Epistle to the Hebrews had not
already provided help before the crisis of the trial came, and
silently directed the current of Christian thought into the true
channel, it would be hard to say how great the peril and loss
would have been for later time.
For the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Epistle of Barnabas Contrast
between
present a complete and instructive contrast in their treatment of Barna.bas
 lxxxii THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS AND

and the the Old Testament Scriptures and of the Mosaic institutions. Both
Epistle
to the agree in regarding these as ordained by God, and instinct with
Hebrews spiritual truth, but their agreement extends no farther either in
as to
principles or in method.
(a) the (a) Barnabas sets forth what he holds to be the spiritual
Scriptures .
of the Old meanmg o t e
f h Old T estament without
. . . le or self-restramt.
pnnc1p .
Te st a- and H e 1s
ment; · sat·1sfi ed 1'f h e can give
. an e d'f .
1 ying .
meanmg to th e 1et t er 1n
.
any way. He offers his explanations to all; and in the main deals
with trivial details (e.g. c. ix., the explanation of IHT).
The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews on the other hand
exercises a careful reserve. He recognises a due relation between
the scholar and his lesson ; and the examples by which he illustrates
his leading thoughts are all of representative force: the idea of rest
(the Sabbath-rest, the rest of Canaan, the rest of Christ): the idea
of priesthood (the priest of men, the priest of the chosen people):
the idea of access to God (the High-priest in the, Holy. of holies,
Christ seated on the right-hand of God).
The one example which the two Epistles have in common, the
rest of God after creation, offers a characteristic contrast. In the
Epistle to the Hebrews it suggests the thought of the spiritual
destiny of man : in Barnabas it supplies a chronological measure
of the duration of the world (Heb. iv.; Barn. xv.).
(b) the (b) Barnabas again treats the Mosaic legislation as having only
Levitical
institu- a symbolic meaning. It had no historical, no disciplinary value
tions. whatever. The outward embodiment of the enigmatic ordinances
was a pernicious delusion. As a mere fleshly observance ci~cum-
cision was the work of an evil power (Barn. ix. 4). But the evil
power apparently gave a wrong interpretation to the command on
which it was based and did not originate the command (comp. Just.
M. J)ial. 16 ).
In the Epistle to the Hebrews on the other hand the Mosaic
system is treated as a salutary discipline, suited for the training
of those to whom it was given, fashioned after a heavenly pattern
(vii. 5; x. 1), preparatory and not final, and yet possessing through-
out an educational value. The Levitical sacrifices, for example, were
 THE EPISTLE OF BARNABAS. lxxxiii
fitted to keep alive in the Jews a sense of sin and to lead thought
forward to some true deliverance from its power. The priesthood,
again, and high-priesthood suggested thoughts which they did not
satisfy, and exactly in proportion as they were felt to be divine
institutions, they sustained the hope of some complete satisfaction.
The purpose of God is indeed fulfilled from the first, though to us
the fulfilment is shewn in fragments. Hence the writer of the
Epistle to the Hebrews goes beyond the Law, and in the gentile
Melchizedek finds the fullest type of the King-priest to come.
(o) There is another point of resemblance and contrast between (c) The
the Epistle of Barnabas and the Epistle to the Hebrews which Temple.
specially deserves to be noticed. Barnabas (c. xvi.) dwells on the
perils and the failures of the external Law fashioned under the later
Temple into a shape which affected permanence. In this he marks
a real declension in the development of Judaism. The Temple, like
the Kingdom, was a falling away from the divine ideal. The writer
of the Epistle to the Hebrews recognises the same fact, but he places
the original divine order apart from the results of man's weakness.
He goes back to the Tabernacle for all his illustrations, in which
the transitoriness of the whole system was clearly signified.
In a word, in the Epistle of Barnabas there is no sense of the Summary.
continuity of the divine discipline of men, of an education of the
world corresponding to the growth of humanity: no recognition of
the importance of outward circumstances, of rules and observances,
as factors in religious life: no acknowledgment .of a relation of
proportion between spiritual lessons and a people's capacity. It is
an illustration of the same fundamental fault that we find in the
Epistle not only a complete rejection of the letter of the Levitical
system, but also an imperfect and inadequate view of Christian
institutions.
On the other hand we have in Hehr. i. 1-4 a view of the
unfolding and infolding of the divine counsel in creation of infinite
fulness. The end is there seen to be the true consummation of the
beginning. We discern that one message is conveyed by the
different modes of God's communication to His people : that one
lxxxiv EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS AND EPISTLE OF BARNABAS.

Voice speaks through many envoys : that at last the spoken word
is gathered up and fulfilled in the present Son.
We have not yet mastered all the teaching of the pregnant
words; yet even now we can perceive how the thoughts which
they convey characterise the whole Epistle: how they arose
naturally out of the circumstances of the early Church ; and, by
comparison with the Epistle of Barnabas, how far they trans-
cended the common judgment of the time. Under this aspect
the Epistle to the Hebrews, by its composition and its history,
throws light upon the ideas of Inspiration and a Canon of Scrip-
ture. On the one side we see how the Spirit of God uses special
powers, tendencies and conditions, things personal and things
social, for the expression of a particular aspect of the Truth ;
and on the other side we see how the enlightened consciousness
of the Church was in due time led to recognise that teaching as
authoritative which was at first least in harmony with prevailing
forms of thought.
 IlPOl: EBPAIOYl:

W. H. 3 I
 IIPOlJ EBPAIOY~

nOA YMEPWC KAI nOA YTPOnWC 7ra"l\.ai d

~ , ,
€7T"

npOC€Bp6.IOYC ~AB me. HTTpOC€Bp6.1OYC€TTICT0AH M2·

HTTpoc€Bp6.IOyC€TTICTOAHTT6.y AO)' s-.

b'TRODUCTION (i. 1-4). The first The contrast between the Old Reve-
paragraph of the Epistle gives a sum- lation and the New is marked in three
mary view of its main su~ject, the particulars. There is a contrast (a) in
finality of the absolute Revelation the method, and (b) in the time, and
in Christ as contrasted with the pre- (c) in the agents of the two revelations.
paratory revelation under the Old (a) The earlier teaching was con-
Covenant. veyed in successive portions and in
The whole is bound together in one varying fashions according to the
unbroken grammatical construction, needs and capacities of those who
but the subject is changed in its received it : on the other hand the
course. In the first two verses God is revelation in Him who was Son was
the subject: in the last two the Son; necessarily complete in itself (comp.
and the fourth verse introduces a John i. 14, 18).
special thought which is treated in (b) The former revelation was given
detail in the remainder of the chapter. of old time, in the infancy and growth
Thus for purposes of interpretation of the world: the Christian revelation
the paragraph may be divided into at the end of these days, on the very
three parts. verge of the new order which of ne-
i The contrast of the Old Revela- cessity it ushered in.
tion and the New: vv. 1, 2. (c) The messengers in whom God
ii. The nature and the work qf spoke before, were the long line of
the Son : v. 3. prophets raised up from age to age
iii. Transition to the detailed since the world began (Luke i. 70 ;
development nf the argument: v. 4. Acts iii 2 I) : the Messenger of the
It will be noticed that the Lord is new dispensation was God's own Son.
regarded even in this brief introduc- The first contrast is left formally
tory statement in His threefold office incomplete (ha'Ding ...spoken in many
as Prophet (God spake in His Son), parts and -in many modes...spake).
Priest (having made purffication of The two latter are expressed definitely
sins), and King (He sat down). (ef old time tu the fathers, at the end
i. The contrast of the Old Revela- of these days to us-in the prophets, in
tion and tlte New (1, 2). Him Who is Son); and in the original,
1-2
4 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [l. l

after the first clause, word answers to Author of both. He spoke in old
word with emphatic correspondence : time, and He spoke in the last time.
1ro'XVJJ,£poor KOi 1ro'Xvrpo1r0>r ( l) m1'Xat In the former case His speaking was
(2) 0 8£or }.a'X17uar (3) 'l"OLr 11"a't"p<1<T£V upon earth and in the latter case
(4) lv ro,r 1rpocp,frmr (5): no corre- from heaven (c. xii. 25 note), but in
sponding clause ( 1') l1r' lux_arov roov both cases the words are alike His
1]JJ,Epoov 'l"OV'l"OJV (2') £Aa'X11<T£V (3') 17µ,'iv words. Not one word therefore can
(4') lv vle» (5'). pass away, though such as were frag-
The co~sideration of these contrasts mentary, prospective, typical, required
places the relation of Christianity to all to be fulfilled by Christ's Presence
that had gone before in a clear light. (Matt. v. 18). In revelation and in
That which is communicated in parts, the rncord of revelation all parts
sections, fragments, must of necessity have a divine work but not the same
be imperfect; and so also a represen- work nor (as we speak) an equal work.
tation which is made in many modes 'God having of old time spoken to
cannot be other than provisional. The the fat hers in the prophets in many
supreme element of unity is wanting parts and in many modes •spake
in each case. But the Revelation in to us at the end of these days in His
Christ, the Son, is perfect both in sub- Son, whom He appointed heir of all
stance and in form. The Incarnation things, through whom He also made
and the Ascension include absolutely the world.
all that is wrought out slowly and ap- 1. The order of the first words in
propriated little by little in the ex- the original text, by which the two
perience of later life. The charac- adverbs (1ro>.vµ,Ep6l!. ical 1ro>.vrpooro,s)
teristics which before marked the come first, to which nothing after-
revelation itself now mark the human wards directly answers (Having in
apprehension of the final revelation. many parts and in many modes of
The Incarnation, in other words, old time spoken ... ), serves at once
is the central point of all Life; and to fix attention on the variety and
just as all previous discipline led up therefore on the imperfection of i!he
to it 1ro>.vµ,Epoor Kai 1ro>.vrpo1r0>r, so all earlier revelations, and also to keep
later experience is the appointed a perfect correspondence in the mem-
method by which its teaching is pro- bers which follow (1ra>.m, l1r' tux_arov
gressivelymastered 1ro>.vµ,Epoor Kal 1ro>.v- 1"6JV 1]JJ,Epoov 'l"DV'l"OJV--Xa>.quas, £Aa'X11-
rpo1ro,r. All that we can learn of the 0"£v--'l"OL!. 1rarpau,v, ryµ,'iv--lv 'l"OL!, 1rpo-
constitution of man, of the constitu- cj,1]ra,s, Jv vlcp).
tion of nature, of the 'laws' of history At the same time the two main
must, from the nature of the case, divisions of the revelation are con-
illustrate its meaning for us (comp. nected as forming one great whole :
l Cor. xiii. 9 ff.). God having spoken ... spake .. .(o 8£01.
These thoughts find their complete >.a>.17ua1.••• £AaA1J<TEv). It is not simply
justification in the two clauses which that the Author of the earlier revela-
describe the relation to the order of tion is affirmed to have been also the
the world of Him in Whom God spoke Author of the later (God who spake ...
to us. God appointed Him heir of spake... a ro,s 1rarpau,v Xa>.17ua1. 8£01.
all things, and through Him He made £Aa'X11u£v or God spake ... and spake .. .) ;
the world. The Son as Heir and but the earlier revelation is treated
Creator speaks with perfect know- as the preparation for, the foundation
ledge and absolute sympathy. of, the latter (God having spoken•.•
But while the revelations of the spake ... ).
Old and the New Covenants are thus 1ro>.vµ,Ep@!. ical 1ro>.vrpooro,s] in many
sharply distinguished, God is the One parts and in many manners, Vulg.
I. 1] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 5
multifariam multisque modis. Syr. Greek: for 1r0Xvp.•pwr see Pint. ii.
Psh. in all parts and in all manners 537 D; Jos. Antt. viiL 3, 9; and for
(Syr. Hcl. in many parts ...). 1r0XvTpl,1r,,,r Philo, ii. 5121\I.; Max. Tyr.
The variety of the former revelation vii. 2. IIoXvp.•p'lr is used of Wisdom
extended both to its substance and in Wisd. vii. 22. The two corre-
to its fonn. 'l'he great drama of sponding adjectives occur together in
Israel's discipline was divided into Max. Tyr. xvii. 7 : There are, he says,
separate acts ; and in each act dif- two instruments for understanding,
ferent modes were employed by TOV JJ-EV a1rXoii ~v KaAOVJJ-EV vovv, TOV a,
God for bringing home to His 'TTOIKLAOV ,cal 'TTOAvp.•povr ,cal 1TOAVTp61TOV
people various aspects of truth. &r alo-8'70-Ets ,caXovp.•v- For similar
Thus the 'many parts' of the pre- combinations see Philo de vit. Mos.
paratory training for Christianity may i. § 20 (ii. 99 M.) (1roAvTp61r'l' Kal 1r0Av-
be symbolised (though they are ux1M); de decal. § 17 (ii. 194 M.) (,ro-
not absolutely coincident with them) X-6Tp01ro, ,cal ,roXv«'liE<r); quis rer. div.
by the periods of the patriarchs, of haw.§ 58 (i. 514 M.) (1roAAovs; ,cal 'TTO-
}loses, of the theocracy, of the king- AVTpo,rovs).
dom, of the captivity, of the hier- Clement of .Alexandria in a remark-
archy, as Israel was enabled to as- able passage (Strom. vi. 7, § 58, p.
similate the lessons provided pro- 769) uses the phrase of the action of
videntially in the national life of the Word, Wisdom, the firstborn Son·:
f' I ' C ,. ,.. <I
Egypt, Canaan, Persia, Greece. .And OVTOS EITTLV O T6'V YEV1JT6'V a1TallT6'V
the many 'modes' of revelation are a,a&o-KaAos;, o u-6p.fJovAor TOtl 8wv TOV
shadowed forth in the enactment of rtt ,r&VTa 7rpoeyvroKOror· 0 a£ Hv«J0Ev EK
typical ordinances, in declarations of 1rproT1)S KaTafJoXijs ICOITJJ-OV 'TTOAVTPO'TT6'S
'the word of the Lord,' in symbolic ,cal ITOAVµEpwr '1TE1Talaw,clv TE KaL Tf-
actions, in interpretations of the cir- Aftol, Comp. Strom. i. 4, 27, p. 331
cumstances of national prosperity and ElK6rros- rolvvv O&7rOOToAor 1roA.v1rol,c,Aov
distress. .And further it must be Etp')ICEV Ti]v uocplav TOV 8wii, 'TTOAVJJ-Epwr
noticed that the modes in which God ,cal 'TTOAVTPO'TT6'S, a,a TEXV1JS, lJ,a imlTT'7-
spoke in the prophets to the people . P,']S, lJ,a ,r[o-TE6'S, lJ,a ,rpocp1JTElar, T~V
were largely influenced by the modes lavrijr ivlJii,cvvp.lV1Jv Mvaµ,v •lr T~v
in which God spoke to the prophets 1JJ-•Tlpav •v•py•ulav•••
themselves 'face to face,' by visions, 1r&Am] of old time (Vulg. olim) and
by L'rim and Thummim (comp. Num. not simply formerly (,rp(mpov c. iv. 6;
xii. 6, 8). These coITesponded in the x. 32). '!'he word is rare in N.T. and
divine order ,vith the characters of the always describes something completed
messengers themselves which became in the past. Here the thought is of the
part of their message. ancient teachings now long since sealed.
The general sense is well given by oB•or AaA'71Tar ... iAUA1)1TfV ... ] '!'here
Theodoret: TO JJ-EIITOL 'TTOAVp.Ep<i>r Tar is but one final Source of all Truth.
1ravrolia1rar olKovop.lar Uf/p.alv.,, TO lJE The unity of the Revealer is the
'1TOAVTp61T6H T<i>V e.fo,v d1TTa1Tt<i>V TO pledge and ground of the unity of the
lJ1acpopov, lfAA6'S yap JcpiJrJ To/ 'AfJpaap. Revelation, however it may be com-
Kal aXX,,,r To/ M,,,iiuij •.. To p.lvro, 1roX v- municated ; and His revelation of
,.. \ tY , f d .-.
,,. • p"' r KaL ETEpov atVLTTETat OTI T6'V Himself is spontaneous. He 'speaks'
1rpocp1JT<i>V £Kao-Tor JJ-EPLKTJV nva oiKovo- in familiar intercourse. The word
µ,lav lv£X£tpl(ETo, 0 a£ roVrc.>v 6£/Jr, 0 XaX.,v is frequently used in the Epistle
liEIT'TTOT')S A£y6) Xpto-Tor, 01) p.lav TLVCI of divine communications : ii. 2, 3 ;
'fKOVOJJ-']ITE XP•lav, dXXa To 1riiv ivav8p6'- iii. 5; iv. 8; v. 5; xi. 18; xii. 25.
'TT'71Tar KaT..;p86'o-E. Compare John ix. 29; xvi. 13. This
The adverbs are not rare in late usage is not found in St Paul (yet
6 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 2

7"WJ/ '
1Jfl-€pwv 7"0U7"WJ/ EAdAt]<T€J/ r/fl-LII Ell VLo/, -
see Rom. iii. 19; 2 Cor. xiii. 3), but it days of the Messiah (Sabb. 63 a;
is common in St Luke (Acts). Wiinsche, Altsyn. Theol. s. 355).
The Vulgate rendering loquens (Old Comp. Philo quis rer. div. hC1Jr. § 52
Lat. locutus) ...locutus est exhibits a (i. 510f. M.).
characteristic defect of the version in 2. £1T• £UXaTOV T<dll ~JJ-• T.] at t/ie
the rendering of participles (compare end of tliese days : V ulg. novissime
v. 3 purgationem f aciens; v. 14 missi). diebus istis, O.L. in novissimis diebus
TOLS 1TaTpa,nv] This absolute title his.
the fathers occurs again J olm vii. 22 ; The phrase is moulded on a LXX
Rom. ix. 5; xv. 8 (in Acts iii. 22 it is a rendering of the 0. T. phrase n•11J~~
false reading). Compare Ecclus. xliv. tl');j!iJ 'in the latter days,' •1r' •uxci-ro~
IlaT£p<,,v fJ1-wos. T6iv ~µ.•p® (Gen. xlix. 1; Nwn. xxiv.
More commonly we find 'our (your) 14; Jer. xxiii. 20 v. 1. luxaT6lll; xlix.
fathers': Acts iii. 13, 2 5; v. 30; vii. 39 [xxv. 18]; comp. Deut. iv. 30; xxxi.
II &c. ; r Cor. x. 1. The absolute 29), which is used generally of the
term marks the relation of 'the times of Messiah (Is. ii. 2 ; Dan. x. 14
fathers' to the whole Church. and notes).
iv To'is 1rp.] in the prophets (Vulg. Starting from this general concep-
in prophetis), not simply through tion Jewish teachers distinguished 'a
them using them as His instruments
present age,' 'this age' (ntn c',,y, o
(c. ii. 2, 3), but in them (c. iv. 7) as
the quickening power of their life. alrov otiTos, o11ii11 1<.mp&s) from 'that age,'
In whatever way God made Him- 'the age to come' (~:in c',w, oJJ-EAA6lll
self known to them, they were His alcJv, 0 alOOv EKE'i.vor, 0 al@v CJ Jpx0µ.1:vo~).
messengers, inspired by His Spirit, Between 'the present age' of imper-
not in their words only but as men; fection and conflict and trial and 'the
and however the divine will was com- age to come' of the perfect reign of
municated to them they interpreted God they placed 'the days of Messiah,'
it to the people : compare Matt. x. which they sometimes reckoned in
20; 2 Cor. xiii. 3. (Ipse in cordibus the former, sometimes in the latter,
eorum dixit quidquid illi foras vel and sometimes as distinct from both.
dictis vel factis locuti sunt homini- They were however commonly agreed
bus. Herv.) Conversely the prophet that the passage from one age to the
speaks 'in Christ' as united vitally other would be through a period of
with Him: 2 Cor. ii. 17; xii. 19. intense sorrow and anguish, ' the
et: Philo de prcem. et pr.en. 9 (ii. travail-pains' of the new birth (1',:in
4 l 7 M.) •pµ.7111•Vs yap £1J"T<V O1rpocp~T7/S M'~i1, cJli'i11•s Matt. xxiv. 8).
lvlioB•v V"ll'7/XOVVTOS TO AEKT£a Toti B•oii. The apostolic writers, fully con-
The title 'prophet' is used in the scious of the spiritual crisis through
widest sense as it is applied to which they were passing, speak of
Abraham (Gen. xx. 7), to Moses (Deut. their own time as the 'last days'
xxxiv. 10; comp. xviii. 18), to David (Acts ii. 17; James v. 3: comp. 2
(Acts ii. 30), and generally to those Tim. iii. 1); the 'last hour' (r John ii.
inspired by God : Ps. cv. 1 5. Com- 18); 'the end of the times' (1 Pet. i.
pare Acts iii. 2 I TCdJJ ay/0011 a1r' al6ivos 20 l1r' luxaTov T6iv xp&110011 : in 2 Pet.
aJToii 1rpocj,71T6iv. Luke i. 70. The iii. 3 the true reading is •1r' •uxaToov
prophets, according to a familiar Rab- T6i11 ~µ..); 'the last time' (Jude 18 •1r'
binic saying, prophesied only of the EuxUrov xpOvov).
I. 2] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 7
•' €'8 1JK€V Kt\.1}povoµ.ov
OV
"\. I I
,rav'TWV, VL
~ , '('
OU Kat
\ , I
€7T"OL1]<T€V 'TOU',
'

i1ro£. r. alwvas ~ABD 2*M 2 (vg) syrvg: r. al. e1roi. , syrhl.

Thus the full phrase in this place was missed by the later Greek Fathers.
emphasises two distinct thoughts, the Even Chrysostom says: ro lv vlci> lM
thought of the coming close of the roii vloii cp1Ju[, and <Ecumenius repeats
existing order (l7r' luxarov at tlie end';, the words.
and also the thought of the contrast The new revelation is a continua-
between the present and the future tion of the old so far as God is the
order (roov ~µ.Epoov rowr,w of tliese days author of both. It is wholly new
as contrasted with 'those days'). and separate in character so far as
l71.aA1JUEV ~µ.•v] spake to us-the Christ is the Mediator of it.
members of the Christian Church: x. Herveius notices the difference be-
26 ; xii. 1 (so Theophylact: ti,07ro1£1 tween the Presence of God in the
Kal £~iuoi rois- µa6q-rair Kal aVroVs 1<al prophets and in . His Son : In pro-
lavrov). The word was not directly phetis fuit Deus secundum inhabi-
addressed to the writer : ii. 3. The tationem gratire et revelationem vo-
mission of Christ is here regarded as luntatis sapientire sure, in Filio autem
complete. It is true in one sense that omnino totus manebat ... utpote cui
He told His disciples the full mes- sapientia Dei personaliter erat unita.
sage which He had received (John xv. bv ;Br,1e£v ... lJ1' oiJ ,cal lTroL1JUEv ... ] The
15), if in another sense He had, when office of the Son as the final revealer
He left them, yet many tliings to say of the will of God is illustrated by
(xvi. 12). This contrast between the His relation to God in regard to the
divine, absolute, aspect of Christ's world, in and through which the reve-
work, and its progressive appropria- lation comes to men. He is at once
tion by men, occurs throughout Scrip- Creator and Heir of all things. The
ture. Compare Col iii. 1 ff., 5. end answers to the beginning. Through
lv vlCf] The absence of the article Him God called into being the tem-
fixes attention upon the nature and poral order of things, and He is heir
not upon the personality of the · of their last issue. All things were
Mediator of the new revelation. God created 'in Him' and 'unto Him '
spake to us in one who has this (Col i. I 5, I 6, lv mh·,j, l,cr[uB'I, Elr
character that He is Son. The sense mlTov ;,criuTm). The universal heir-
might be given by the rendering in a ship of Christ is illustrated by, if not
Son, if the phrase could be limited to based upon, His creative activity.
this meaning ('One who is Son'); but Comp. ii. IO a,· 1'v ... a,• oiJ ...
'a Son ' is ambiguous. See v. 5 ; ;a,,/CEV ICA1Jpovoµ.ov 'fr,] y ulg. quem
iii. 6 ; v. 8 ; vii. 28. Compare John constituit (0. L. posuit) lieredem uni-
v. 27 note ; x. 36 ; Rom. i. 4. versorum. Even that which under one
The absence of the article is made aspect appears as a necessary conse-
more conspicuous by its occurrence quence is referred to the immediate
in the corresponding phrase. 'The will of God (;Br,1e£v). For the use of
prophets' are spoken of as a definite, TLB1JI"' see Rom. iv. 17 (Gen. xvii. 5);
known, body, fulfilling a particular I Tim. ii. 7 ; 2 Tim. i. I I. There is
office. The sense would lose as much nothing to determine the 'time' of
by the omission of the article in this this divine appointment. It belongs
case (lv 7rpocf>~rair 'in men who were to the eternal order. Yet see Ps. ii.
prophets') as it would lose here by the 8; Matt. xxviii. 18 (llJoB']), We 'who
insertion (lv r,j, vlci> in tlie Son c. ~i. 6). see but part' may fix our attention
It is instructive to notice how com- on inceptive fulfilments.
pletely the exact force of the original 1eA1Jpovoµ.ov] The thought of sonship
8 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 2

passes naturally into that of heir- portio ejus Israel, sed omnes omnino
ship: GaL iv. 7 ; compare Rom. viii. nationes (Atto Vere.).
17. 13,: ori Kat E7TOLTJ<FE1J To al.] This order,
The word heir marks the original which is certainly correct, throws the
purpose of Creation. The dominion emphasis on the fact of creation, which
originally promised to Adam (Gen. i. answers to the appointment of the
28; compare Ps. viii. 6, c. ii. 7) WIIS Son as heir (Kal l,rol11uEv, compare vi.
gained by Christ. And so, in regard 7; vii. 25). The creation does indeed
to the divine economy, the promise involve the consummation of· things.
made to Abraham (compare Rom. The ' Protevangelium ' is Gen. i. 26 f.
iv. 13; Gal. iii. 29) and renewed to Tovs alrovas] the world, V ulg. swcula.
the divine King (Ps. ii. 8), which was The phrase o! alrovEs has been inter-
symbolised by the 'inheritance' of preted to mean
Canaan (Ex. xxiii. 30), became abso- ( 1) 'Periods of time,' and especially
lutely fulfilled in Christ. 'this age' and 'the age to come,' as
The image of 'heirship' which is though the sense were that God created
based apparently on the second Psalm through the Son-Who is supra-
(Ps. ii. 8) is recognised in the Gospels temporal-all time and times.
(Matt. xxi. 38 and parallels) where (2) The successive emanations from
the contrast between 'the servants' the divine Being, as in the Gnostic
(prophets) and 'the Son' is also theologies ; or the orders of finite
marked. being. Comp. Const. Apost. viii. 12
At the same time, it must be care- ,\ 13,' avToii [roii v!oii] 7TOL1<ras TCI XEpov-
fully noticed that the usage cannot be {31µ, ,cal Ta CT£pacf,lµ., al@vlls- T£ Kal
pressed in all directions. The term OTpaTL<lS •••
is used in relation to the possession, (3) The sum of the 'periods of
as marking the fulness of right, resting time' including all that is manifested
upon a personal connexion, and not, in and through them. This sense
as implying a passing away and a suc- appears first in Eccles. iii. 11, an-
cession, in relation to a present pos- swering to the corresponding use of
sessor (comp. GaL iv. 1 .l KA71po110µ.os ••.
dpios ,ra11Tc.>11 clv). The heir as such C~il) which is first found there. The
vindicates his title to what he holds. plural c1r.,',,p is found with this mean-
Compare Additional Note on vi. 12. ing in later Jewish writers, e.g.
The heirship of ' the Son' was c1r.,',,11 Ni,:i. Comp. Wisd. xiii. 9.
realised by the Son Incarnate (v. 4) There can be little doubt that
through His humanity : KA71po110µ.or this .is the right sense here (comp.
yap 7T<l/1Tc.>II .l lfoma'T1}S XpLO'TOS ovx c.ls xi. 3 note). The universe may be
8EoS d'A.'A.' c.lr av8pc.>7TO$ (Theod.); but regarded either in its actual constitu-
the writer speaks of 'the Son' simply tion as a whole (,\ K6uµ.os ), or as an
as Son as being heir. In such lan- order which exists through time de-
guage we can see the indication of veloped in successive stages. There
the truth which is expressed by the are obvious reasons why the latter
statement that the Incarnation is in mode of representation should be
essence independent of the Fall, adopted here.
though conditioned by it as to its The difference between ,\ alolv-the
circumstances. age-one part of the whole develop-
7T<WTr.>v] The purpose of God ex- ment, and ol alrovEs-the ages-the
tended far beyond the hope of Israel; sum of all the parts, is well illustrated
OµK<TL yap JJ,Epts ,cvplov o'IaKo>/3 (Deut. by the divine title 'the King of the
xxxii. 9), d'A.'A.a 7T<WTES (Theophlct. ). Non ages' I Tim. i. 17 (o {3acTLAEVS T6JJJ
jam portio Domini tantum Jacob et al..J11w1•; Tobit xiii. 6, 10; Henoch
I. 2] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 9
p. 86 Dilln~. o fJ. i;a"';""' _TW~ , al. ; ii. The Natnre and Work of the
Ecclus. xxxv1. 22 (19) o B,os- TooV moovoov; Son (3).
Henoch p. 83). In this aspect 'the The Nature and work of the Son
King of the ages' is contrasted with is presented in regard to (1) His
'the rulers of this age' (ol l!pxovns- Toii divine Personality and (2) the Incarna-
al.;.vos- TovTov I Cor. ii. 6, 8). Compare tion.
1ravroK.paToop (Apoc. i. 8 &c.) with ( 1) In Himself the Son is presented
K.oa-µ,oK.paToop (Eph. vi. 12). in llis essential Nature, as the mani-
The Rabbinic use of l:l~il,t is very festation of the divine attributes (d1r-
wide. Thus they speak of the 'Macro- avyaa-µ,a ~s- Mf11s-), and He embodies
personally the divine essence (xapaKTi/p
cosm,' the universe, as ,,.,)n l:l,n,, Tijs- wro<TTlia-,oos-). In connexion with
and of the· ' Microcosm,' man, as this view of His Nature, His work is
p~pn c,,y. to bear all things to their true end
There is a very fine saying in Aboth (q><pc.,v Ta 7TO.VTa).
iv. 'R. Jacob said This world is like a (2) This general view of His work
vestibule before the world to come : leads to the view of His work as In-
prepare thyself in the vestibule that carnate in a world marred by sin.
thou mayest enter into the festival- In regard to this He is the One
chamber' ()',pi~,). absolute Redeemer (1<aBap. Toov aµ,.
l1r. Tovs aloovas] The order of finite 1ro,11uaµ,,vos-) and the Sovereign re-
being even when it is regarded under presentative of glorified humanity
the form of gradual development is (l1<aB. lv a.~,~ ~s- JJ,<'y. lv vf.).
3 Who, being the effulgence of His
spokenofas 'made'byasupra-temporal
act. 'All creation is one act at glory and the expression of His
once.' essence, and so bearing all things by
1raVToov ...Tovs aloovas-] all things ... the word of His power, after He had
the world.. .all single things regarded Himself made purification of sins,
in their separate being : the cycles of sat down on the rig/it hand of the
universal life. Ma;jesty on higlt.
For the fact of creation through . 3. The description of the Nature
the Son see John i. 3, 10; r Cor. viii. and Work of the Son of God in relation
6 (3,a); Col. i. 16 (lv). to the Father (spake in, appointed,
Philo speaks of the Logos as 'the made) given in the second verse is
instrument through which the world completed by a description of His
was made': ,vp1a-ELs- a'tnov µ,iv UVTOV (sc. Nature and Work in regard to Him-
TOV Ko<Tµ,ov) TOV B,?,v v<fl oJ yryovw VA1JV self.
a. Ta T£a-a-apa <TTOLXE£U lf cJv <TVVE1<pa61J· The description begins with that
Zpyavov ti Xoyov Bwii a,· oJ l<UT£- which is eternal. The participles
a.
(J"K.£VO<T61J· Tijs- l<UTU<J"K.Evijs- alTlav Ti/V 'being,' 'bearing' describe the abso-
dyaBoT1JTU TOV 311µ,wvpyoii (de Cher. lute and not simply the present
§ 35; i. 162 M.). Comp. de monarch. essence and action of the Son. Com-
ii.§ 5 (ii. 225 l\l); kg. alleg. iii.§ 31 (i. pare John i. 18; (iii. 13); Col. i. 15,
1o6 M.). 17. The Jv in particular guards
The first passage is singularly in- against the idea of mere 'adoption' in
structive as bringing out the difference the Sonship, and affirms the perma-
between the Christian and Philonic nence of the divine essence of the
conception of the divine action. Comp. Son during His historic work.
Rom. xi. 36 (lK, 3ui, ,ls); 1 Cor. viii At the same time the divine being
6 (•~• ,ls-, tui). The preposition wrJ of the Son can be represented to men
is not, I believe, used in connexion only under human figures. Since this
with creation in the N. T. is so, the infinite truth must be sug-
IO THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 3

gested by a combination of comple- For the pre-existence of the Son

mentary images such as are given here compare c. vii. 3 ; x. 5.
in ri1Tavyauµ,a and xapa,cnip. The first It must farther be noticed that in
image (d1Tav-yauµ,a) brings out the con- the description of the Being of the
ception of the source (mrr'I) of the Son language is used which points to
Son's Being, and of His unbroken a. certain congruity in the Incarnation.
connexion with the Father, Ill! re- This is the 'propriety' of His Nature
vealing to man the fulness of His to perfectly reveal God. Through
attributes. Him God reveals Himself outwardly.
The second image (xapa1cnip) em- Under this aspect the clause which
phasises the true Personality of the describes the action of the Son-q,ipoov
Son as offering in Himself the perfect ra 1Ta.vra rre Mµ,ari riJs avv&µ,eoor ailrov
representation of the divine essence -gives in its most geneml form the
of the Father (John xiv. 9). truth expressed in the divine acts
Taken together the images suggest &v l{¼IC£11 ,cA71povaµ,011 mwroov, at' oJ ,cal
the thoughts presented by the theo- , ,
£'1TOl7/<T£1J ' atoovar.
TOVS , ...
logical terms 'coessential' (oµ,oovuios) ri1Tavyauµ,a rijs aoe71r] the effulgence
and 'only-begotten' (µ,011o-ye111Jr). of His glory, Vulg. splendor glorim
The 'glory' of God finds expression (and so Latt. uniformly).
in the Son as its 'effulgence' : the ri1Tav-yauµa] The verb d,rav-ya(c., has
'essence' of God finds expression in two distinct meanings:
Him as its 'type.' I. To flash forth : mdiate.
Neither figure can be pressed to 2. To flash back : reflect.
conclusions. The luminous image The noun ri1Tavyauµ,a, which is a
may be said to have no substantive characteristically .Alexandrine word
existence (ro -yap d1Tav-yauµ.a, q,aulv occurring in Wisdom (vii 25), and in
(the followers of Sabellius, Marcel- Philo, may therefore mean either
lus, Photinus), lvvm5urarov oil,c lurtv I. The effulgence; or
dXX' lv lrlp'i' lxn ro elvai Chrysost. 2. The reflection (refulgence).
Hom. ii I). The express image may be The use of the word by Philo is not
offered in a different substance. So it decisive as to the sense to be chosen.
is that the first figure leaves unnoticed In one passage the sense ' efful-
the Personality of the Son, and the gence' appears to be most natuml: De
second figure the essential equality of concupisc. § II (ii. 356 M.) ro a· lµ,-
the Son with the Father. But that q,11uruµ,evov (Gen. ii. 7) a;;xov cJs altNptov
which the one figure lacks the other ~" 'ITIJ£VP,O ,cal el
,. ff
a,,rt allJEplov 'ITIIW-
... , "
supplies. We cannot conceive of the µ,aror 1Cpe1rrov, are ~s µ,a,captas ,ea,
luminous body apart from the luminous rp,uµ,a,caplas q,vuec.,s d,rav-yauµ,a.
image ; and we cannot identify the In two others the sense 'reflection'
archetype and its expression. is more appropriate : De opif. mundi
Under another aspect we observe § 5 r (i. 35 M.) 'ITOS livlJpc.>'ITOS /Cara µ,iv rqv
that the Divine Manifestation is placed ai&voiav ol,celc.,rat IJel'i' Xo-y'i', rijs µ,a,ca-
side by side with the Divine Essence. plas q,vuec.>S l,cµ,a-y,!iov '1 a,rou,rauµa
It is in Christ that the Revelation is '1 ri1Tavyauµ,a -ye-yovcJs, /Cara ai rqv rov
seen (ri'lravyauµ,a). It is in Christ uruµ.aros ,cara<T/CfV~II a,ravrt roo /COuµ.c.,.
that the Essence is made intelligibly De plantatione Nom § 12 (i. 337 M.)
distinct for man (xapa,cr1p). ro ai tfylauµ.a (Ex. xv. 17) ofov aylc.,v
The two truths are implied by the ri,ravyauµ,a, µ.lµ,71µa dpxErv'lrov, l,rd
words of the Lord recorded in St rO. alcr8,jun ,caAtl ,caL vo?]un KaACdv
John's Gospel v. 19, 30; xiv. 9. , '
ELKOV£S.
I. 3] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. I I

The passage in Wisdom (vii. 25 f.) Theodoret ad Zoe. TO a1Tav-yaup.a Kat

, ... , > \ \ ... , >
is capable of bearing either meaning. EK TOV ,rvpos EITT& KOL ITVV T<j> ,rvp, EITT& • ••
The threefold succession a1rav-yauµ.a, ilEl ae ~ ao~a, dEl TOlvvv Kal TO d1TaV-
luCYTrrpov, ElKwv,--effulgence, mirror, -yauµ.a.
image, no less than 'l/. 25, appears to <Ecumenius ad Zoe. a,a TOV ' a1Tav-
favour the sense of 'effulgence.' -yaup.a' T~V KOT(l cpvuw EK TOV ,ra-rp6~
Otherwise luo1rTpov interrupts the 1Tpoollov TOV vloii ll71'Aoi • oilllEv -yap DAWS
order of thought. oVaaµ.oV ,ccrrO: x'1/J,v ,cal £l<rrrol7J<TLV 'TT'pO-
In this passage the sense reflection HCTLV a'1ra1r}'aaµ,d rivos, oV,c d'JT'() roV ~A.lov,
is quite possible, but it appears to be o'U,c (17r(J roV 7rVpOs, oV,c U.<f,' lTEpov rivOs,
less appropriate, as introducing a third d<p' oi 1rE<f,v,c£V cbraVyauµa 1rpo,Eva,.
undefined notion of 'that which re- It is indeed true that the sense
flects.' Moreover the truth suggested of 'effulgence' passes into that of
by 'reflection' is contained in xapaK- 'reflection' so far as both present the
T~ p, to which 'effulgence ' offers a truth that it is through Christ that
more expressive complement ; and God becomes visible to man. But
the Greek Fathers with unanimity in the one case the nature of Christ
have adopted the sense effulgence is emphasised and in the other His
according to the idea expressed in office. The ' effulgence ' is the neces-
the Nicene Creed, Light of Light. sary manifestation of the luminous
Several of their comments are of body : the 'reflection' is the mani-
interest as bringing out different festation through some medium as it
sides of the image : Orig. in Joh. takes place in fact.
xxxii. 18 /D-71s p.ev olv olp.ai Tijs M~71s Toii It is however necessary to observe
8£oV aV,-oV d1Ta~-yauµ.a Elva, .,.Qv vi6v ... that 'effulgence' is not any isolated
cpOavELI' /J.fl'T0£ 'YE a1r?i TOV a1ravyaup.a- ray, but the whole bright image which
TOS TOVTOV Tijs 6A.7JS M~s p.EptK(l a,rav- brings before us the source of light.
-yauµ.aTa E7TL Tl)I' AOL'ITTJI' 'Ao-y•K~I' KTlu,v. Comp. Greg. Nyss. c. Eunom. viii.,
Comp. c. Cels. v. 18; de princ. 1, 2, 4 Migne Patr. Gr. xlv. p. 773 ros lK
(and Redepenning's note); Hom. in 1ravrOs -roV JjA.ta,coV ,c'V1<A.ov rfi roV <f,c.>rOs
Jer. ix. 4 oilxl l-yiv1171uEv o 1raT17p . >.ap.1r1llov, a,rav-yaCETa&, oil -yap T6 µ.iv
T0v vlOv KaL d1rEAvu£v aV,-Ov d1rO Tijs- n 'A.ap.,rn To llE d'A.ap.1ris l1TT1 Toii Kil1<'Aov ·
"'fEVl<r£riJf aVroii, d~.>/ d£l ')'£VV~ aVrOv oVrcos 0).:q 1J ao~a ~T'LS EarLv O 1raT~P T(f
6uov EOTl Tb q>~s- 7TOL1JTLK.0v Toii d1rav- EE €avrijs ci1ravy&upaTt, -rovTiOTL T'f
yaup.aTos. d'A.710,vqi cf,wTL ,ral'Taxo0Ev1Tepiav-ya(nm.
Greg. Nyss. de perfecta Christ. And again, while the general figure
forma, Migne Patr. Gr. xlvi. p. 265 guards the conception of the pern1a-
aofav KaL V1rOOTaULV cJvOµau£ .,.;, V1r£p- nence of the relation between the
KELJJ.EVOI' 1TaVT?is d-yaOoii •. .T?, lle uvvacpis source and the light, the 'effulgence '
Tf Kal aa,aOTaTOV -roV vfoV 1rpOs- .,.()r, is regarded in its completeness (a1ra11-
1TaTipa ll1Epp.71vEvwv .•. d1rav-yauµ.a M~71s -yauµ.a)-the light flashed forth, and
Kat' xapaKT7Jpa
,. ,
V1TOITTOCTEWS
( '
1Tpo1Ta-yopEVEI not the light in the continuity of the
.. .dAAc\ ,cal O T~V d1ravyciCovcrav cf>Vcnv stream.
vorjuas ,cal ,-() d1ratt)'auµ.a ,-aVT1}s 1rdvTC1>S Tijs llo~s avToii] The 'glory of God'
KaTEV01JITE, Kal o To p.fyEOos Tijs v1ro- is the full manifestation of His attri-
u,-llu£Ct>r Ev v«p A.a{3CiJv T<f f1r1.<pau10µ.Evce butes according to man's power of
,. I , ,,. \ C I
xapaKT7Jp& 7TUVTWS EJJ,JJ.ETpEI T1JI' V1TOITTO- apprehending them, 'all His goodness'
Uf.V. (Ex. xxxiii. 19 ff.). This 'glory' was
Chrysostom (Hom. ii. 2) d1rav-yaup.a the subject of His crowning revelation
Et1TEv •• Jva llEl~r, on KdKE"i (John viii. as contemplated by the prophets
12) 01'JTws /lp71Ta,. llij'A.ov lle ros cpciis tK (Is. xl. 5 the glory of the Lord shall be
</,WTOS. revealed; xlvi. 1 3 in Zimt salvation,
12 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 3
t '
V7ro<TTa<TEWS ' -
auTov, ,+.'
't'Epwv TE Ta' 7ravTa
' -rep ,,
pr,µaTL ,...
TY/S
3 ,pavepwv B* (rell ,Pepwv).

unto Israel my glory; Ix. 1 f.) and made id.§ 53 (i. 36 M.) Tijs lK.aT<pas <pvo-,rus
known in Christ (2 Cor. iv. 4, 6: comp. d1r,µaTTETO TY -.J,vxfl TOVS xapaK.Tijpas;
Rom. ix. 23; r Tim. i. II; John xi. de mundo § 4 (ii. 6o6 M.).
40; i. 14); compare Introduction to De plant. Now § 5 (i. 332 M.) oMruii-
the Gospel of St John xlvii. ff. It o-ijs [T~II XoytK.~11 -.J,vx~v] cJvoµao-,v .•• TOV
is the final light (Apoc. xxi. 23) for 6,:lov Kal dop<lrov £l1<0va, lJO,aµ.ov Elva,
which we look (Tit. ii. 13; Rom. v. 2 ). voµlo-as otlo-,ruB,io-av 1cal TV1Tru8,io-a11
Under the Old Dispensation the o-<ppayili, Brnv, ;s o xapaK.~p E<TTLJI o
Shekinah was the symbol of it: Ex. dtlJws Xoyos.
xxi v. 16; Ps. lxxxv. 9. Comp. Rom. ix. By a natural transition from this
4; (2 Pet. i. 17). use, xapaK.~p is applied to that in
For illustrations see Rom. vi. 4 ; ix. which the distinguishing traits of the
4; Col i. II ; Eph. iii. r 6; compare object to which it is referred are
2 Thess. i. 9; r Cor. xi. 7 ; Rom. iii. 23. found. So Philo describes 'the spirit,,'
Clement (r Cor. c. xxxvi.) writes is the essence of the rational part of
Jv d1ravyao-µa riji. !'E)'CIA6'0-VJl1)S avTov, man, as 'a figure and impress of
taking the word µ,yaXruo-v111J from the divine power': ~ µ•v oJv K.o,~ 1rpos Trt
later clause and greatly obscuring the /D..oya livvaµ,s otlo-lav lXax,v alµa, 1 lJ,
fulness of the thought. IK. Tiji. Xoy1K.ijs d1roppviio-a 11"')-yijs, To
xapa"-TtJP Tij, wo<TTao-,rus] the em- '1111£iiµa, oVK &.Epa 1<1,11o'Vµ£vov dAA(l rV,rov
pression of His essence, Vulg. fl- TLJl(J K.a, xapaK.Tijpa B,las livvaµ,rus, ~"
gura (0. L. imago, v. character) sub- JvoµaT& K.vplpMruiio-ijHlK.0JlaK.OA£l,li'7AOOJ1
stantim. Syr. image of His essence OTI dpxETV1TOII µ,v cpvo-,rus Xoy1K.ijs OB,os
(c,lob....? ~.)). E<TTI, µlµ,,µa a. K.a, d1r£1K.OIILO-µa avBpru-
fTOS (quod det. pot. insid. § 23; i.
The word xapaK.T~P is used from 207 M.). And Clement of Rome speaks
the time of Herodotus (i. r 16) of the of man as 'an impress of the image
distinguishing features, material or of God': l1rl 1TCIO-W TO Jtox<»TUTOV •••
spiritual, borne by any object or a11Bpru1ro11 ••• l1rXao-o [o ll,,µ,ovpyos K.al
person ; of the traits by which we bECT1TD17J~ r&>v U1T&vrc.ov] rijr EavT"oV ElKO-
recognise it as being what it is. vos xapaicTijpa (Gen. i. 26 f.) (ad Cor.
It is specially used for the mark i. 33).
upon a coin (Eurip. El. 558 f. ; Arist. Generally xapaK.T~p may be said to
Pol. i. 9) which determines the nature be that by which anything is direct-
and value of the piece. Comp. Ign. ly recognised through corresponding
ad Magn. 5 rZ<T1T,p yap lo-nv voµlo-µara signs under a particular aspect, though
Mo, r, ,UII B,ov r, a. K.oo-µov, K.al lK.a<TTOJI it may include only a few features of
UVTOOJI 'lli,011 xapaK.rijpa E'1r&K.£{µ,vov lxn, the object. It is so far a primary and
ol tl.1r,rrro, ToV 1e.Ocrµ,ov roVrov, ol a; 1TtOToL not a secondary source of knowledge.
'" dya'ITN xapaK.rijpa B,ov 1TaTpbs a,;, XapaK.T~P conveys representative traits
'Il)<TOV Xpt<TTOV. only, and therefore it is distinguished
In this connexion xapaK.~p is ap- from ,li,cJv (2 Cor. iv. 4; Col. i. 15;
plied to the impression of the en- r Cor. xi. 7 ; Col. iii. ro) which gives a
graving on a die or seal which is con- complete representation under the
veyed to other substances. Philo, de condition of earth of that which it
Mund. opif. § 4 (i. 4 M.) .Z<T1Tep Iv "-'7P'l' figures; and from µop<J,1 (Phil. ii. 6 f.)
TLJII Tfl lavTov ,J,vxiJ ••• TOVS xapaK.rijpas which marks the essential forn1.
lvo-<j,payl(,o-Bm. There is no word in English which
 I. 3] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 13
exactly renders it. If there were a But this use of the word is much
sense of 'express' (i.e. expressed later than the apostolic age ; and it is
image) answering to 'impress,' this distinctly inappropriate in this con-
would be the best equivalent. nexion. The Son is not the image,
v11"o<TTau,s] The word properly the expression of the 'Person' of God.
means 'that which stands beneath ' On the other hand, He is the ex-
as a sediment (Arist. de hist. an. v. pression of the 'essence' of God. He
19 and often), or foundation (Ezek. brings the Divine before us at once
xliii. II, LXX.), or ground of support perfectly and definitely according to
(Ps. lxviii. (lxix.) 2; Jer. xxiii. 22, Lxx.). the measure of our powers.
From this general sense come the The exact form of the expression,
special senses. of firmness, confidence d1ravy. Tijs a. Kal xap. riis V'TTOUT, and
(compare c. iii. 14 note; 2 Cor. ix. 4; not Tl> d11"a1!y. T- a. ,cal o xap. Tijs
xi. 17); reality ([Arist.J de mundo 4 V'fTOO"'T. or d11"avy. a. ,cal xap. V71"0<TT., will
.,.a µ,iv IC.OT, lµ,cf,acnv, .,.a a£ l(.a()' VrrOOTa- be noticed (comp. v. 2 lv vloo)•
u,v, ,caT' tµ.cf,au,v µ.iv 'ip,liEs ••• 1<a0' v71"o- cf,,p,.,., u] and· so beC:ring ...We
umu,v a,...1<01,ijm, ..• ), that in virtue now pass from the thought of the
of which a thing is what it is, the absolute Being of the Son to His
essence of any being (Ps. xxxviii. action in the finite creation under the
(xxxix.) 6; Ps. lxxxviii. (lxxxix.) 48; conditions of time and space. The
Wisd. xvi. 21 : compare Jerem. x. 17; particle TE indicates the new relation
Ezek. xxvi. 1 1 ). of the statement which it introduces.
When this meaning of 'essence' was It is obvious that the familiar dis-
applied to the Divine Being two dis- tinction holds true here : ',ea[ con-
tinct usages arose in the course of jungit, TE adjungit.' The providential
debate. If men looked at the Holy action of the Son is a special mani-
• Trinity under the aspect of the one festation of His Nature and is not
Godhead there was only one v11"o<TTa- described in a coordinate statement:
cns, one divine essence. If, on the what He does flows from what He is.
other hand, they looked at each The particle TE is rarely used as an
Person in the Holy Trinity, then that independent conjunction in the N.T.,
by which each Person is what He is, · It is so used again c. vi. 5 ; ix. 1 ;
His v11"o<TTau,s, was necessarily re- xii. 2 ; and in St Paul only Rom. ii.
garded as distinct, and there were 19; xvi. 26; 1 Cor. iv. 21; Eph. iii. 19.
three wo<TTauns. In the first case cf,ip,.,v••• ] bearing or guiding, Vulg.
vml<TTau,s as applied to the One God- portans, 0. L. ferens v. gerens.
head was treated as equivalent to This present and continuous support
otJuta : in the other case it was treated and carrying forward to their end of
as equivalent to 'TTpou,,,11"ov. all created things was attributed by
As a general rule the Eastern (Alex- Jewish writers to God no less than
audrine) Fathers adopted the second their creation. ' God, blessed be He,
mode of speech affirming the existence bears (',:no) the world' (Shem. R.
of three v'tTo<TTauns (real Persons) in § 36 referring to Is. xlvi. 4; compare
the Godhead ; while the Westem Num. xi. 14; Deut. i. 9). The action
Fathers affirmed the unity of one of God is here referred to the Son
v11"6<TTau1s (essence) in the Holy (comp. Col. i. 17). As He is the
Trinity (compare the letter of Dio- creator and heir of the world, so is
nysius of Alexandria to Dionysius of He the preserver of it.
Rome, Routh, Rell. sacrm, iii. 390 ff. The word cf,lpEw is not to be under-
and notes). Hence many medireval stood simply of the passive support
and modem writers have taken v'TT<>· of a burden (yet notice c. xiii. 13 ; xii.
o-Tau,s in the sense of 'person' here. 20); "for the Son is not an Atlas
 I4 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 3

ouva,µ€w<; au'TOU, Ka8apurµov 'TWV dµap'TLWV 7T'OL'Yf<T<ZJJ,€VO<;

Ka0aputµ6v ll(AB vg: +o,' avTov' Ka0. D2*: + o,' €(1.UTOv' Ka() . • syrr. T, o.µapr,wv
ll(*ABD2*M2 vg syrvg me: T. aµ.. +'1µW11. syrhl: +uµwv II(•. T, aµ. 'll"OL1]G", €KD.0.
ll(ABD,M2 vg: 'll"OL1]G". T, aµ. ')µ, ha(). !,,
sustaining the dead weight of the JO, 15; Phil. iii. 21; Col. i. 16 f., 20;
world." It rather expresses that l Tim. Vi. 13.
'bearing' which includes movement, See also l Cor. xi. 12; xii. 6; Gal.
progress, towards an end. The Son iii. 22; Phil. iii. 8; Eph. i. 23; v. 13.
in the words of <Ecumenius 7r£puiyn The reading in 1 Cor. ix. 22, and
Kilt CTVll<XEL ical 'IT1/aa>.iovxii .• ,Tll dopaTa perhaps in xii. 19, is wrong.
ical T'Cl opaTa 1r£p1cpipw11 ical icv/3£p11<i>V, T<!i P· tjs av11.] by the word-the
The same general sense is given by expression-ef Ilis (Christ's) power,
Chrysostom : cpipwv .•.ToVTicrT'I, icv{3£p- the word in which His power finds its
vwv, T'Q aia-rrl'/l"T'OVT'a crvy1<paTWV, T'OV manifestation (compare Rev. iii. ro
\ ... ' , , 1" ' ,
yap '/l"Ol'JCTal TOIi l<OCT/J,011 OVX 'JT'T'OI/ £CTTI To11 >.oyo11 tjs woµ.ovijs µ.ov ). As the
T'O crvyicpon,v dX>.', £1 af, T'I ical 8av- world was called into being by an
µacrToV £1'11"£LV, 1<a, P,fL{:ov (Ilom. ii 3). utterance (pijµ.o) of God (c. xi. 3), so
And so Primasius : verbo jussionis it is sustained by a like expression of
sure omnia gubernat et regit, non the divine will. The choice of the
enim minus est gubernare mundum term as distinguished from Xoyos
quam creasse .• .in gubernando vero ea marks, so to speak, the particular
qme facta sunt ne ad nihilum redeant action of Providence. Gen. i. 3 £1'11"£11
continentur. o 8£/,s.
Gregory of Nyssa goes yet further, av11. mlToii] The pronoun naturally
and understands cpipwv of the action refers to the Son, not to the Father,
by which the Son brings things into in spite of the preceding clauses, from
existence : Ta crvp,7raVTa Tei> Mµ.aT, the character of the thought.
Tijs avvap,EWS avTOV cpip£1 o Aoyos EK ica8. '/l"Ol'7C1'<I/L£IIOS] ha'Ding made-
.T'OV ,,,~ bl/T'OS £ls y<VfCTIV' '/1"111/T'il yap when He had made-purification of
ocra T~II clii>.ov £1A'7Xf cpvcr,v µ.lav alTlav sins. This clause introduces a new
lxu Tijs V'/l"OCTTO(Tf(J)S T'O pijµa T'ijr dcppa- aspect of the Son. He has been re-
CTTOV av11ap,£WS (de perf. Christ. forma, garded in His absolute Nature (~11),
Migne Patr. Gr. xlvi. p. 265). For and in His general relation to finite
this sense of cpipn11 compare Philo being (cpipwv) : now He is seen as He
quiB rer. div. hmr. § 7 (i 477 M.); de entered into the conditions of life in a
mut. nom. § 44 (i. 6, 7 M.). world disordered by sin.
Philo expresses a similar idea to The completed atonement wrought
that of the text when he speaks .of by Christ (ha'Ding made) is distinguish-
0 'll"'Jaa>.,ovxos /COL icv{3£p11~T'JS T'Ol/ -rral/T'OS ed from His eternal being and His
>.oyos Mos (De Cherub.§ l l ; i. 145 M.). work through all time in the support of
And Hermas gives the passive side of created things (being, bearing); and it
it Sim. ix. 14, 5 T'O <1110µ.a Toii vloii roii is connected with His assumption of
8wv µiya ECTTL ica, dxc.lp'7T'OII ical TOJ/ sovereign power in His double Nature
l<OCTJJ,011 oAOJ/ {3aCTTa{:o • El 0011 '/l"acra ~ at the right hand of God (having
KTlu,r a,.a roii vioV roV 0EoV {3acrr&- made•.. Ile sat ... ). Thus the phrase
'£Tm ...
Ta 7ra11Ta] as contrasted with 'll"<IIIT'a
prepares for the main thought of the
Epistle, the High-priestly work of
(John i. 3). All things in their unity: Christ, which is first distinctly intro-
c. ii. 8, JO (not iii. 4); Rom. viii. 32; duced in c. ii. 17.
xi 36 ; 1 Cor. viii. 6 ; xv. 27 f.; 2 Cor. 7ro,,,craµ.£11os] The Vulgate, from the
iv. 15; v. 18; Eph. i. JO f.; iii. 9; iv. defectiveness of Latin participles, fails
 I. 4) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 15

to give the sense : purqationem The result of this 'purification' is

peccatorum faciens (compare v. I the foundation of a 'Holy' Church
loquens). In v. 14 (missi) there is (comp. John xiii. 10 n.). The hin-
the converse error. The Old Latin drance to the approach to God is
had avoided this error but left the removed.
thought indefinite, purificatione (pur- IK.a8,1r,11] c. viii. 1 ; x. 12 ; xii. 2.
gatione) peccatorum facta. Comp. Eph. i. 20 (Ka8l1ras); Apoc. iii.
The use of the middle ('Trot'11raµ.,110,) 21. Ka8l1rai (intrans.) expresses the
suggests the thought which the late solemn taking of the seat of authority,
gloss a,• lavToii made more distinct. and not merely the act of sitting.
Christ Himself, in His own Person, Comp. Matt. v. 1; xix. 28; xxv. 31.
made the purification : He did not The phrase marks the fulfilment of
make it as something distinct from Ps. ex. 1 ; Matt. xxii. 44 and parallels;
Himself, simply provided by His Acts ii. 34; and so it applies only to
power. Compare µ.v,lav Tro,,,1r8m the risen Christ. Angels are always
Rom. i. 9 ; Eph. i. 16, &c. ; Tro,,,1r8m represented as 'standing' (Is. vi. 2;
ll,,j1rm 1 Tim. ii. l ; Luke v. 33 ; l K. xxii. 19) or falling on their
John xiv. 23, &c. faces: and so the priests ministered,
1ca8. TOOi/ aµ.apnoov] 2 Pet. i. 9 (per- comp. c. x. 11. Oniy princes of the
sonally applied). Compare Exod. xxx. house of David could sit in the court
ro (Lxx.); Job vii. 21 (Lxx.). Else- (nint) of the Temple (Biesenthal).
where the word 1ca8ap,1rµ.os is used Hence 'the man of sin' so asserts
only of legal purification (Luke ii. 22; himself : 2 Thess. ii. 4. Bernard says
~ Mk. i. 44 11 Luke v. 14; John ii. 6; in commenting on the title 'thrones'
iii. 25). The verb K.a8aplC"" is also (Col. i. 16): nee vacat Sessio: tranquil-
used but rarely of sin: c. x. 2 (ix. 14); litatis insigne est (de consid. v. 4, ro).
1 John i. 7, 9. Comp. Acts xv. 9; Iv llE~~] v. 13. The idea is of
Eph. v. 26; Tit. ii. 14 (2 Cor. vii. 1; course of dignity and not of place
James iv. 8~ · (' dextra Dei ubique est'). All local
There is perhaps a reference to the association must be excluded : oiJx
imperfection of the Aaronic purifi- iJT, Ta1rce 'Tr•p•K.A,,,Tat a e,o. J>,.>,.'
cations (compare Lev. xvi. 30) which Zva TO aµ.onµ.ov avToii a..x8fi TO 'Trpo,
is dwelt upon afterwards, c. x. 1 ff. -rov Tra-ripa (Theophlct.). Non est
The genitive (K.a8. clµ.apnoov) may putandum quod omnipotens Pater
express either qui spiritus est incircumscriptus
( 1) the cleansing of sins, i.e. the re- ornnia replens dexteram aut sinistram
moval of the sins. Compare Matt. habeat... Quid est ergo 'sedit ad dex-
viii. 3; Job vii. 21 (Ex. xxx. 10), teram majestatis' nisi ut dicatur,
or (2) the cleansing (of the person) habitat in plenitudine paternre majes-
from sins. Comp. c. ix. 14. tatis 1 (Primas.) Comp. Eph. iv. 10.
The former appears to be the right We, as we at present are, are forced
meaning. See Additional Note. to think in terms of space, but it does
TOOi/ aµ.apnrov] of sins generally. not follow that this limitation belongs
Comp. Col. i. 14; Eph. i. 7. Elsewhere to the perfection of humanity.
~µ.0011 (or UVTOOII) is added : Matt. i. 2 l ; Herveius (on v. 13) notices the
Gal. i. 4; 1 Cor. xv. 3; l John iv. double contrast between the Son
10; Apoc. i. 5. Contrast John i. 29 and the angels : Seraphin stant ut
(T~" aµ.apTlav). For the contrast of ministri, Filius sedet ut Dominus:
the sing. and pl. see c. ix. 26, 28 ; Seraphin in circuitu, Filius ad dex-
X. 18, 26. teram.
16 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 4
.,-ijs µ•yaA.] c. viii. 1; Jude 25. The the dignity of these, the highest re-
word is not unfrequent in the LXX. : presentatives of the Dispensation, was
e.g. 1 Chron. xxix. 11 ; Wisd. xviii 24- as far below that of Christ as the title
, The Majesty' expresses the idea of minister is below that of the incom-
of God in His greatness. Comp. municable title of divine Majesty.
Buxtorf Lex. s. v. ni,:i). I Clem. This thought is developed i. 5-ii. 18.
xvi. .,-6 uKijrrTpov Tijs µ,•ya11.., c. xxxvi. The abrupt introduction of the
drravyauµ,a Tij s µ,rya11.. reference to the angels becomes
lv v,/J-1711.o'is] Ps. xciii (xcii.) 4 (LXx.). intelligible both from the function
Here only in N.T. Comp. lv v,/J-lu- which was popularly assigned to
,,-o,s Luke ii. 14 ; Matt. xxi. 9 and angels in regard to the Law, and from
parallels ; and lv To'is l1rovpa11lois Eph. the description of the exaltation of
i. 3, 20; ii. 6; iii. 10; vi. 12. the Incarnate Son. Moses alone was
The term marks the sphere of the admitted in some sense to direct
higher life. Local imagery is neces- intercourse with God (Num. xii. 8;
sarily used for that which is in itself Dent. xxxiv. IO): otherwise 'the Angel
unlimited by place (compare iv. 14; of the Lord ' was the highest mes-
vii. 26). Tl lunv 'Ev v,/J-1711.o'is; Chry- senger of revelation under the Old
sostom asks, • ls Tooov rr•piK"ll.•ln T611 Covenant. And again the thought of
8•011; array• (Hom. ii. 3). In excelsis the Session of the Son on the Father's
dicens non eum loco concludit, sed throne calls up at once the image of
ostendit omnibus altiorem et eviden- the attendant Seraphim (Is. vi. 1 ff.;
tiorem, hoe est quia usque ad ipsum John xii. 41; Apoc. iv. 2 ff.).
pervenit solium paternm claritatis The superiority of Messiah to the
(Atto Vere.). angels is recognised in Rabbinic
The clause belongs to iKaB,u•v and writings.
not to Tijs µ•yaA<iJ<TtJ111]S, The latter Jalkut Sim. 2, fol 53, 3 on Is. Iii. 13,
connexion would be grammatically Behold my servant shall (deal wisely)
irregular though not unparalleled, prosper. This is King Messiah. He
and .,-ijs µ,•yaA<il<TV111]S is complete in shall be exalted and extolled and be
itself. very high. He shall be exalted be-
This Session of Christ at the right yond Abraham, and extolled beyond
hand of God,-the figure is only used Moses, and raised high above the
of the Incarnate Son-is connected ministering angels en,~;, ~:,~~r.>).
with His manifold activity as King Jalkut Chadash f. 144, 2. Messiah
(Acts ii. 33 ff. ; Eph. i. 21 ff. ; Col iii is greater than the fathers, and than
I ; c. x. 12) and Priest ( 1 Pet. iii. 22 ; Moses, and than the ministering
c. viii. 1 ; c. xii. 2) and Intercessor angels (Schottgen, i. p. 905).
(Rom. viii. 34). Comp. Acts vii. 55 f. 4 having become so much better than
(iu.,-,;,.,-a lK a.). the angels as He hath inherited a
iii. Transition to the detailed de- more excellent name than they.
tJelopment of the argument (4). 4- The thought of the exaltation
The fourth verse forn1S a transition of the Incarnate Son fixes attention
to the special development of the argu- on His Manhood. Under this aspect
ment of the Epistle. The general con- He was shewn to have become superior
trast between 'the Son' as the medi- to angels in His historic work. And
ator of the new revelation and 'the the glory of 'the name' which He has
prophets' as mediators of the old, is ' inherited ' is the measure of His
offered in the extreme case. Ac- excellence. Comp. Eph. i. 20 f.
cording to Jewish belief the Law was 'l"O<TOVT«p ... oucp] c. x. 2 5 ; vii. 20 ff.
ministered by angels (c. ii. 2 ; Gal. Comp. viii. 6. The combination is
iii. 19; comp. Acts vii. 53), but even found in Philo (de mund. opif. § 50
J. 5] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 17
Kp€t"T''TWJ/ ,Y€J/OfJ-€J/O'> "T'WJ/ d,y,ye;\.wv i><Ttp Ota<J>opw-repov
-,rap ' au"T'OU<:.
, ' ... ,
K€K1'-rJpo11oµr,Ke11 .,
ovoµa. 5 T'LIit \ et1re11
,yap -.- I
4 om. Twv' (a,yy.) B.
(i. 33 M.); Leg. ad Cai. § 36) but not in Twv dyyiX,w] The class as a de-
St Paul. finite whole ('in,. 5, 7, I 3), and not beings
icp•lrraw] The word is characteristic of such a nature (ii. 2, 5, 7, 9, 16).
of the epistle (13 times). This fact amrp. 'trap' avTovs ••• 6voµa] The
indicates the dominant idea of the 'name' of angels is 'excellent' (a,a-
relation of the New to the Old. Else- rpopov, different, distinguished,for good
where the :word is found only in the from others; comp. Matt. xii. 12
neuter (1<piirro11 4 times; 1 Cor. xii. 31 a,arf,,pn), but that inherited by the
is a false reading). The idea is that of Son is 'more excellent' (Vulg. dif-
superiority in dignity or worth or ferentius pri:e illis. O.L. procellentius
advantage, the fundamental idea being (e:ccellentius) his'(ab his)). For the use
power and not goodness (dµ.,lvoov and of 7rapa see iii. 3, ix. 23, xi. 4, xii. 24.
ap«rTos are not found in the N.T.). By the 'name'weare to understand
-y,v6µ.,11os] The word stands in probably not the name of 'Son 'simply,
significant connexion with 6511 (v. 3). though this as applied to Christ in
The essential Nature of the Son is His humanity is part of it, but the
contrasted with the consequences of Name which gathered up all that
the Incarnation in regard to His divine- Christ was found to be by believers,
human Person (comp. c. v. 9). His as- Son, Sovereign and Creator, the Lord
sumption of humanity, which for a time of the Old Covenant, as is shewn in
'made Him lower than angels,' issued the remainder of the chapter. Comp.
in His royal exaltation. Comp. Matt. Phil. ii. 9 (Eph. i. 21).
xxvi. 64; Luke xxii. 69 (J vlos TOV For the position of a,arf,opa)TEpov
dv8poorrov). compare xi. 25 (iii. 14).
The Greek fathers lay stress upon KEKA1Jp.] The pe1fect lays stress
i<p,lTT<»II as marking a difference ill upon the present possession of the
kind and not in degree. A.than. c. 'name' which was 'inherited' by the
Ar. i. § 59 To apa 'icpElrroov' ical viiv ascended Christ. That which had
ical at' ilXoov Ttp Kvpl<p d11aTl81Jo-,, TP been proposed in the eternal counsel
icp,lrrov, 1<at llXX<f 'lrapa. T<l -Y•ll1JT<l (1'. 2 l81J1r.•11) was realised when the
TVyxavovn. Kp,lrroov -yap ~ at' avTOV work of redemption was completed
Bvo-la, icpElTT<»V ~ Ell avT</i ,'Xrrls, ir.al (John xix. 30 TETEAEO"Tai). The pos-
al a,• avToii l'lrayy,Xla,, otlx ros 7rpos session of the 'name'-His own
µ.u,pa µ.eyaXa, o-vy1<p,v6µ.,11a, dXX' <»s eternally-was, in our human mode of
aXXa, rrp6s aXXa T~II rpvo-w TV-yxavovo-ai· speech, consequent on the Incarna-
E1rd 1<al O TrClV'ra ol,c.ovoµ.,iua~ KpElT-roo11 tion, and the permanent issue of it.
TWII 'YEll')TWII JUT[.
They also rightly point out that In looking back over the view of
-yo6µ.£vos is used of the Lord's Human the Lord's Person and Work given in
Nature and not of His divine Person- 1'1'. 1-4 we notice
ality : TOVTO ICQT<l TO av8p6>1TE<OII ELp']KEV, 1. The threefold aspect in which
ros -yap B,os 'lr0L1J~S" dyy,'Xoov KOL CiE0"- it is regarded.
1rbT')S" ayy,'Xoov, ros ae 11.vBpa,rros µ,rra (a) The Eternal Being of the
~v OvClOTau,v ,cal ITJv El~ oVpavo'Ut Son (c.'lv, rplpoov).
d11&/3aui11 KpelTT6JV dyyU\c.,v f-yEve-ro. ((3) The temporal work of the
..~or KpElTToov, Ci,acflopooTEpos, see c. Incarnate, Son (ic~Bap,uµ.011 rro,1Jo-a-
VllL 6 note. µ.£vos, 1r.porroo11 -y,110µ,Evos ).
W. H. 3 2
18 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 5
(y) The work of the Exalted and ' Son ' are peculiarly fitted to
Christ in its historical foundation and describe, though under a figure, an
in its abiding issues (/,ca8£Cm,, KEIUl.1/po- essential relation between the Persons
""l'-'l"Ev). of the Godhead. This essential rela-
2. The unity qf Christ's Person. tion found expression for us in the
The continuity of the Person of the Incarnation; and we are led to see that
Son throughout is distinctly affirmed. the 'economic' Trinity is a true image,
He is One before the work of creation under the conditions of earth, of the
and after the work of redemption. 'essential' Trinity.
Traits which we regard as character- Comp. 'I). 2 lv v~; vii. 3. John
istic severally of His divine and of iii. 16, 17.
His human nature are referred to the It is remarkable that the title'
same Person. This unity is clearly ' Father ' is not applied to God in this
marked: Epistle except in the quotation i. 5;
God spake in His Son, yet see xii. 9.
Whom He appointed heir of all See Additional Note on the Divine
things, Names in the Epistle.
through Whom, He made the world, I. THE SUPERIORITY OF THE SoN,
Who being...and bearing... THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW REVELA-
ka'l)ing made purification ... TION, TO ANGELS (i. 5-ii. 18).
sat down,
kaf!ing become... This first main thought of the
Even during His dwelling on earth, Epistle, which has been announced
under the limitations of manhood, the in 'I), 4, is unfolded in three parts.
activity of His divine Being (cpipow It is established first (i) in regard to
,-a ,ravro) was not interrupted ; and the Nature and Work of the Son, as
His redemptive work must be referred the Mediator of the New Covenant,
to the fulness of His One Person. by detailed references to the testi-
3. The unity of Christ's work. mony of Scripture (i. 5-14). It is
The Creation, Redemption, Con- then (ii) enforced practically by a con-
summation of all things are indis- sideration of the consequences of
solubly connected. The heirship of neglect (ii. 1-4). And lastly it is
Christ is placed side by side with His shewn (iii) that the glorious destiny
creative work. The exaltation of of humanity, loftier than that of angels,
humanity in Him is in no way in spite of the fall, has been fulfilled
dependent on the Fall The Fall by the Son of Man (ii. 5-18).
made Redemption necessary, and al- i. The testimony of Scripture
tered the mode in which the divine to the preeminence of the Son O'l)er
counsel of love, the consummation angels (i. 5-14).
of creation, was fulfilled, but it did The series of seven quotations
not alter the counsel itself. which follows the general statement
A mysterious question has been of the subject of the Epistle shews
raised whether the terms ' Son ' and that the truths which have been
' Father' are used of the absolute affirmed are a fulfilment of the teach-
relations of the divine Persons apart ing of the Old Testament. The quo-
from all reference to the Incarnation. tations illustrate in succession the
In regard to this it may be observed superiority of the Son, the Mediator
that Scripture tells us very little of of the new Revelation and Covenant,
God apart from His relation to man over the angels, and therefore far
and the world. At the same time the more over the prophets, ( 1) as Son
description of God as essentially 'love' (t!D. 5, 6), and then in two main aspects,
helps us to see that the terms 'Father' (2) aa 'heir of all things' (DD. 7-9),
I. 5) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 19
and (3) as 'creator of the world' (vv. tion of 'the Son of David' to the ful-
10-12). filment of the divine purpose. The
The last quotation (vv. 13, 14) promise in 2 Sam. vii. 14 is the
presents (4) the contrast between the historical starting point. It was
Son and the angels in regard to the spoken by Nathan to David in answer
present dispensation. The issue of to the king's expressed purpose to
the Son's Incarnation is the welcome build a Temple for the Lord. This
to sit at God's right hand (1<.pElrr,,w work the prophet said should be not
yEroµ.E11os) in certain expectation of for him but for his seed. The whole
absolute victory, while the angels are passage, with its reference to 'iniquity'
busy with their ministries. and chastening, can only refer to an
( 1) 5, 6. The essential dignity of earthly king ; and still experience
the Son. · shewed that no earthly king could
The dignity of the Son as Son is satisfy its terms. The kingdom passed
asserted in three connexions, in its away from the line of David. The
foundation (cniµ.Epo11 "'fE"'fEIIIJl'/1<.a uE); in Temple was destroyed. It was
its continuance (luoµ.ai avT4i Els necessary therefore to look for an-
rraTlpa) ; and in its final manifestation other 'seed' (Is. xi. 1; Jer. xxiii. 5;
( &-a11 1ra>..,11 Eluayd"'lrJ ). Zech. vi. 12) : another founder of the
5 For to which of the angels said everlasting Kingdom and of the true
He at any time, Temple (compare Luke i. 32 f. ; John
My Son art Thou: ii. 19).
I have today begotten Thee! The passage from the Second Psalm
and again, . represents the divine King under
I will be to Him a Father, another aspect. He is not the builder
And He shall be to Me a Son f of the Temple of the Lord but the
6
And when He again bringeth (or representative of the Lord's triumph
when on the other hand He bringeth) over banded enemies. The conquest
in the Firstborn into the world He of the nations was not achieved by
saith, the successors of David. It remained
And let all the angels of God therefore for Another. The partial
worship Him. · external fulfilment of the divine
The first two quotations are taken prophecy directed hope to the future.
from Ps. ii. 7 and 2 Sam. vii. 14 So it was that the idea of the theo-
(II I Chron. xvii. 13). Both quotations cratic kingdom was itself apprehended
verbally agree with the LXX., which as essentially Messianic ; and the
agrees with the Hehr. application of these two representa-
The words of the Psalm are quoted tive passages to Christ depends upon
again c. v. 5 and by St Paul, Acts the prophetic significance of the
xiii. 33. And they occur in some critical facts of Jewish history.
authorities (D a b c &c.) in Luke iii. 22. The third quotation is beset by
See also the reading of the Ebionitic difficulty. Doubt has been felt
Gospel on Matt. iii 17. as to the source from which it is
The same Psalm is quoted Acts iv. derived. Words closely resembling
2 5 ff. Comp. Apoc. ii. 27 ; xii. 5 ; xiv. the quotation are found in Ps. xcvii
I; xix. 15. (xcvi.) 7 7Tp0UK.Vlll)O"ffn avr,ji 11"111/TES o!
The passage from 2 Sam. vii. 14 is ilnE:>.o, avToii (LXx.). But the exact
quoted again in 2 Cor. vi. 18 with phrase is found in the Vatican text
important variations (luoµ.m vµ.'i11 ••• of an addition made to the Hebrew
VP,ELS £0"EU(N µ.o, Els vlovs 1<.al OvyaTlpas), in Deut. xxxii. 43 by the Lxx. version
and Apoc. xxi. 7. which reads
Both passages bring out the rela- EVct,pav°'7Tf o?Jpavol 3.µa aJT'ci>,
2-2
20 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 5

7rOT€ 'TWV d77€1\.WV

Yiclc MOY ei er, frw CHM€pON rerENNHK<\ ce,
5 rwv dyy. 1rou D 2* syr vg.
\ I ~
' , ~ \
/Cat 'trpO<TICVVTJ<TCIT"6J<TllV llVT~ 'trllVTES VIOi 5. rlv, 1ClfJ El1riv ,ror1:] For to
8EOV' which ...said He at any tlme? The
Ev<ppav817rE .tJv17 p,ETa TOV Aaov avrov, use of the rhetorical question is
,cal lv,uxvuaT6J<TllV aVT':' 'trClVTES a-yyEAOL characteristic of the style of the
8EOV. Epistle. Compare 'D. 14; ii. 2 ff.;
This gloss is quoted also by Justin iii. 16 ff. ; vii. 11 ; xii. 7.
M. Dial. c. 130. It was probably de- The subject of the verb is taken
rived from the Psalm (comp. Is. xliv. from the context. God is the Speaker
23), and may easily have gained in all revelation (,i,. 1). It has been
currency from the liturgical use of objected that the title 'Son ' is not
the original hymn. If (as seems limited to the Messiah in the Old
certain) the gloss was found in the Testament, but the objection rests
current text of the LXX. in the upon a misunderstanding. The title
apostolic age, it is most natural to which is characteristic of Messiah is
suppose that the writer of the Epistle never used of angels or men in the
took the words directly from the Old Scriptures. Angels as a body
version of Deuteronomy. are sometimes called ' sons of God'
The quotation of words not found (Ps. xxix. 1, lxxxix. 6) but to no one
in the Hebrew text is to be explained (rlv,) is the title 'Son of God' given
by the general character of Deut. individually in all the long line of
xxxii. which gives a prophetic history revelation. The rlv, and the 1rori are
of the Course of Israel, issuing in the both significant.
final and decisive revelation of Jehovah In like manner the title ' Son ' was
in judgment. When this revelation given to Israel as the chosen nation :
is made all powers shall recognise His Hos. xi. 1 ; Ex. iv. 22; but to no single
dominion, exercised, as the ·writer of Jew, except in the passage quoted,
the Epistle explains, through Christ. which in the original refers to Solomon
The coming of Christ is thus identified as the type of Him who should come
with the coming of Jehovah. Comp. after.
Luke i. 76 ; Acts ii. 20, 21. Nor is it without the deepest signi-
In the Targum on Deut. xxxii. 44 ficance that in these fm1damental
which bears the name of Jonathan hen passages, Ps. ii. 7, 2 Sam. vii. 14, the
Uzziel there is the remarkable clause: speaker is ' the LORD ' and not ' GoD.'
'He by His Word (i1 1io 10:l) shall The unique title of Christ is thus
atone for His people and for His connected with God as He is the God
land.' of the Covenant (Jehovah, the LoRD),
It may be added that the thought the God of Revelation, and not as He
both in Deuteronomy and in the is the God of Nature (EloMm, GoD).
Psalm is essentially the same. The vlos µov] The order is full of mean-
Hymn and the Psalm both look for- ing. By the emphasis which is laid
ward to the time when the subordi- upon vlos the relation is marked as
nate spiritual powers, idolised by the peculiar and not shared by others.
nations, shall recognise the absolute My son art thoui and no less than
sovereignty of Jehovah. this ; and not Thou too, as well as
Part of the same verse (Deut. xxxii. others, art my son. Compare Ps.
43) is quoted by St Paul in Rom. xv. lxxxviii. (lxxxix.) 27 1raT7Jp µov El <rv.
IO. At the same time the uv is brought
I. 6] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 21

Kat 7rllA.tv
'Erw €COMb.l b.)'T<_p €IC TTb.T€pb., Kb.i b.YTOC €CTb.l MOI eic YION;
6 d ~ \ '"\ ' I \ I , \ :,
o-rav 0€ 'Trllf\.LV euraryary, 'TOIi 7rpW'TOTOKOV EL~ 'TrJV OLKOU-

'
µev1111, "" '
,,eryet
om. almi) ~*.

into significant connexion with lyrl, in Such an interpretation, however,

the next clause, where the emphasis though it includes an important truth,
is laid on lycJ (' I in my sovereign summed up by Origen in the doctrine
majesty ') and not on u,jµ.£po11. of the eternal generation of the Son,
u,jµ.E po11] The word both in its appears to be foreign to the context.
primary and in its secondary meaning yr1l11"'71Ca] The term marks the
naturally marks some definite crisis, communication .of a new and abiding
as the inauguration of the theocratic life, represented in the case of the
king, and that which would correspond earthly king by the royal dignity,
with such an event in the historic and in the case of Christ by the
manifestation of the divine King. So divine sovereignty established by the
the passage was applied to the Resur- Resurrection of the Incarnate Son in
rection by St Paul (Acts xiii. 33 ; which His Ascension was included
comp. Rom. i. 4) ; and by a very early (Acts xiii. 33; Rom. i. 4; vi. 4;
and widespread tradition it was con- Col. i. r8; Apoc. i. 5).
nected with the Baptism (Luke iii. 22 For the use of yEwa11 compare
Cod. D; Just. M. Dial. c. 88, and I Cor. iv. r 5; and especially St John's
Otto's note). use: r John iii. r Add. Note.
Many however have supposed that lyJ, tuoµ.ai ••• Elr] The relation once
'today' in this connexion is the ex- established is to be realised in a
pression for that which is eternal, continuous fulfilment. The future
timeless. points to the coming Messiah from
This view is very well expressed by the position of the 0. T. prophet.
Primasius: N otandum quia non dixit: The title 1rar,jp is applied to Go»
Ante omnia secula genui te, vel in here only in the Epistle.
prreterito tempore; sed, hodie, inquit, Elvai Elr] Comp. c. viii. ro; 2 Cor.
genui te, quod adverbium est prre- vi. 18. And in a somewhat different
sentis temporis. In Deo enim nee sense, Matt. xix. 5; Acts xiii. 47;
prreterita transeunt nee futura succe- I Cor. vi. 16; xiv. 22; Eph. i. 12;
dunt ; sed omnia tempora simul ei Luke iii. 5 &c.
conjuncta sunt, quia omnia prresentia 6. ira11 13•] This third quotation is
habet. Et est sensus : Sicut ego not a mere continuation (,cal 1rMw)·
semper reternus sum neque initium but a contrast (l3,). It marks the
neque finem habeo, ita te semper relation of angels to the Son and not
habeo coreternum mihi. of the Son to God; and again it points
Philo recognises the same idea : forward to an end not yet reached.
U't/JJ,E po11 l'Jl EU'TLII /, ,hdpaJJTor ,cal dl3,E~l- 8ra11 a; 'tr, Elu.] The 'trOA&Jf has been
n,ror alcJ11. JJ,'I""'" yap ,cal l11,avroo11 taken ( r) as a particle of connexion
,cal uvvo:\oor XP"""'" 'trEpio/Jo, /Joyµ.ara and also (2) as qualifying Eluaya')'ll.
a11Bpoo1roo11 Elul11 dp,Bµ.lw E1Cr£r&µ.'71CDr6llf' In the first case it has received two
r?. a; a,i,-wa,r 1$110µ.a aloovor ~ U't/J1,Epo11 interpretations.
(de Prqf. § r r; i. 554 M.); and the idea (a) again, as simply giving a new
was widely current. Comp. Schottgen, quotation as in the former clause, ii.
ad loc. and c. iii. 13 note. 13; iv. 5; x. 30 &c. But it is fatal
22 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 6
to this view, which is girnn by Old why the writer should point forward
Lat. (deinde iterum cum inducit) and specially to the Return in which
Syr., that such a transposition of 1rciXw Messiah's work was to be consum-
is without parallel (yet see Wisdom mated. On the whole therefore the
xiv. l ). The ease with which we can connexion of 1raX1v with fluayay11
introduce the word 'again' paren- seems to be the more likely con-
thetically hides this difficulty. struction. In any case the :Jmv £lua-
(b) on the other hand, in contrast. yay11 must refer to this.
In this way 1r.D..w would serve to ilmv ••• fluayoy11] The Latin render-
emphasise the contrast suggested by ing cum introducit (inducit), which
lli; Comp. Luke vi 43 ; Matt. iv. 7 ; has deeply coloured the W estem in-
1 John ii. 8. terpretation of the phrase, is wholly
Such a use is not without parallels, untenable. In other places the con-
Philo, Leg. Alleg. iii. § 9 (i. 93 M.) struction is rightly rendered by the
o lli 7TIIAIV a'11'oll,llpaUK<iJV B«iv •••,; lli fut. e.va,ct., e.g. Matt. v. 1 1 cum maJ,e
,raX,v Bfov tl7TolloK&J,la(ovua •• •, and the dixerint ; xix. 28 cum sederit &c.,
sense is perfectly consistent with the and so in 1 Cor. xv. 27 many authorities
scope of the passage. It would leave read cum dixerit.
the interpretation of ' the bringing in The construction of :Jmv with aor.
of the Son' undefined. sub}. admits of two senses. It may
(2) But it appears to be more describe a series of events reaching
natural to connect 1raX1v with duayay11 into an indefinite future, each occur-
(Vulg. et cum iterum introducit) and rence being seen in its completeness
so to refer the words definitely to the (Matt. v. II ; x. 19 ; Mark iv. 15;
second coming of the Lord. This Luke vi. 22; James i. 2); or it may
interpretation is well given by Gregory describe the indefiniteness of a single
of Nyssa: ,j Tov '1rciXw' 1rpouB,iK7J Toµ~ event in the future seen also in its
,rproT<iJS ylvfuBa, TOVTO a,a -rijs KaTa completeness (John xvi. 4; Acts xxiv.
n,v XlEw TaVT1JV U7JJ,&aulas lvllflKvVTa&. 22 ; 1 Cor. xv. 28). (The difference
E7TL yap Tijs l1ravaA1/'Yf<iJS T61V a,ra~ between the pres. sub}. and the aor.
yfyovoT<iJV Tfi AE~n Ta1JT11 KfXP'll-'fBa. sulj. with :Jmv is well seen in John
oV,coVv TT/v l-rrl Tip -rl'A.Et T<Uv alCl>vo,v vii. 27, 31; xvi. 21.)
<J>o/3€pav m)Tov lm<J>civnav U'1JJ,IOLVfL T<f In other words ilTav ••• Eluayay11 must
Aoycp OTf ovKlnlvTfiTov llovAOVKaBopam, look forward to an event (or events)
µop<J>fi, aXX' £7Tt TOV Bpovov -rijs /3au&Af&aS in the future regarded as fulfilled at
J,&fyaXo7Tpf7T61S 1rpoKaBqJ,1EVOS Kat wo a time (or times) as yet undetermined.
TWV dyylA(o)V 7TOVT<iJV 7TEp2 aVTov Trpou- It cannot describe an event or a series
KVVOVJ,IEVOS. (c. Eunom. iv., Migne, of events, already completed in the
Patr. Gr. xlv. p. 634 ; comp. c. past. We may, that is, when we
Eunom. ii., id. p. 504-) render the phrase exactly 'whenever
The advantage of taking TraAw as he shall have introduced,' contemplat@
' on the other hand ' is that the words each partial and successive intro-
then bring into one category the many duction of the Son into the world
preparatory introductions of the 'first- leading up to and crowned by the one
bom' into the world together with final revelation of His glory, or this
the final one. But one main object final manifestation alone (comp. Col
of the Epistle is to meet a feeling iii. 4; 2 Thess. i 10).
of present disappointment. The first I~ as seems most likely, the 1r.D..1v
introduction of the Son into the world, is joined with fluayay11, then the
described in -i,, z, had not issued in an second interpretation must be taken.
open triumph and satisfied men's de- It follows that all interpretations
sires, so that there was good reason which refer this second introduction
L 6] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 23
of the Son into the world to the In- father, after his death, were adminis-
carnation are untenable, as, for exam- tered for the good of the family.
ple that of Primasius : Ipsam as- The title 'firstbom' (,,~:::t) wail ap-
sm:iptionem carnis . appell;tt, a~t~1:11,11 plied by Rabbinic writers even to God
introitnm; dum emm qm mvis1b1hs (Schot.tgen ad loc.) and to Messiah on
erat humanis aspectibus (John i. 10) the authority of Ps. lxxxix. 27 (She-
assumpta carne visibilem se probavit moth R. § 19, pp. 150 f. Wiinsche).
quasi iterum introductus est. In Philo the Logos is spoken of as
Nor indeed was the Incarnation in 11'pOToyovos or 11'pm·{:JwaTOS vlos, De
this connexion the first introduction corifus. ling. § 14 (i. 414 M.) ToiiTov
of Christ into the world. We must 1TpEtr~VTarov vlOv O r6>v lJVTfA>V civfrnA£
look for that rather in the Resurrection (Zech. vi. 12) 1Tanip, &v friproB, 1TproTo-
when for a
brief space He was re- yovov rJvoµauE ••• , id.§ 28 (i. 427 M.) ,cal
vealed in the fulness of His Manhood ~v l-'1/a.11'(A) 1-'<VT'Ot TV"YX""ll nr a~tOXPE(A)f
triumphant over death and free from d\v vlos BEov 11'pouayopEVEUBm, 0'1l'OV8a-
the limitations of earth, having vic- (:frro /CouµE'i:uBm ',caTrt Toll 1TproToyorov
, .... "\. , ' • '\. Q,
toriously fulfilled the destiny of hu- a,_vro,v '\cryov, Tov ayy~I\OV 1Tp:o"t~VTarov
manity. For the present He has ros apxayyEAOV 11'0AVr,wvµov =apxoVTa.
been withdrawn from ~ ol1eovµ•111J, the Comp. de agricult. § 12 (i. 3o8 M.).
limited scene of man's present labours; The wider sense of the term is
but at the Return He will enter it suggested by its application to Israel :
once more with sovereign triumph Ex. iv. 22; comp. Jer. xxxi. 9.
(Acts i. II). The patristic commentators rightly
Tov 1Tpc.m>To1eov] V ulg. primogeni- dwell on the difference between 1-'0JIO-
tum. The word is used absolutely of 'YEl"]s, which describes the absolutely
Christ here only (comp. Ps. lxxxix. unique relation of the Son to the
(lxxxviii.)28,LXx.). Its usage in other Father in His divine Nature, and
passages, 1TproT6To1r.os, which describes the re-
Rom. viii. 29 11'p, lv 11'0>..>..oir a8c;>..cf,o'i:s, lation of the Risen Christ in His
comp. Col. i. l 5 11'p, 1TaUIJf KTlruros, glorified humanity to man : e.g. Theo-
Apoc. i. 5 o11'p, Toov vE,cpc.'iv, doret: OUT(A) ,cal µovoyElll]S lUTtv cJs BEoS
Col. i. 18 11'p. /,c TWV vc;,cpwv, ,cal 1TproTOT01r.or cJs lwBpro1Tos lv 11'0AA01s
brings out the special force of the d8£Acj,o,s. Compare Bp Lightfoot on
term here, as distinguished from vl<\s. Coloss. i. 15.
It represents the Son in His relation ,;ls T~v ol,covµ.] Vulg. in orbem
to the whole family, the whole order, terrro. Comp. c. ii. 5 note; Acts xvii.
which is united with Him. His tri- 31.
umph, His new birth (y.-ylV111J,ca), is ;\lyn] he saith, not he will say.
theirs also (comp. 1 Pet. i. 3). The The words already written find their
thought lies deep in the foundations accomplishment at that supreme crisis.
of social life. The privileges and The different tenses used of the divine
responsibilities of the firstborn son voice in this chapter are singularly
were distinctly recognised in the Old instructive. The aor. in v. 5 (El11'Ev)
Testament (Deut. xxi. 15 ff. [inherit- marks a word spoken at a definite
ance] ; 2 Chron. xxi. 3 [kingdom]) ; as moment. The perf. in v. 13 (Etpri1eo)
they form a most important element marks a word which having been
in the primitive conception of the spoken of old is now finding fulfil-
family, the true unit of society (Maine, ment. Here the pres. regards the
Ancient Law, 233 ff.). The eldest future as already realised.
son, according to early ideas, was the The contrast of ;\iyro and Etp711ea is
representative of his generation, by seen clearly in John xv. 15 (comp.
whom the property and offices of the xii. 50).
24 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 7

~, npocKyNHc6.n:.uc~N ~hep n,,'..NT€C J:rre,\01 eeoy.

7 I I I I , I-,. -,. I
Kat 1rpos µev 'TOVS U"f"f€t\.OVS l\.€"f€L

7 a-yyi>.ovs+aVTou' D2*.
1<at ,rpou1<vv.] And let ...The con- Hebrew. For dvoµlav some LXX. texts
junction suggests others who join in give db,1<la11.
•this adoration, or in some correspond- The use of these two Psalms is of
ing service of honour. marked significance. Ps. civ. is a
mivrE$ ayy.] Biesenthal quotes a Psalm of Creation: Ps. xiv. is a Psalm
passage from the Jerus. Talmud of the Theocratic Kingdom, the Mar-
(Avod. Zar. § 7) in which it is said riage Song of the King.
that when Messiah comes the demons Neither Psalm is quoted again in
who had been worshipped among the the N. T. The second passage is
Gentiles shall do him homage, and quoted by Justin M. Dial. 56, 63, 86.
idolatry shall cease. Both quotations are introduced in
(2) 7-9. The superior dignity the same manner by a preposition
,if the Son as anointed King ('heir marking a general reference (,rpor µ.l11
of all things '). ...,rpo$ M... : contrast.,.,,,, Et7TEII v. 5).
In the quotations already given the 1 And of tlw angels He saith,
author of the Epistle has shewn that Who maketh His angels winds,
the language of the Old Testament And His ministers a flame of
pointed to a divine Son, a King of an fire;
everlasting Kingdom, a Conqueror, a 8
but of the Son He saith,
Builder of an abiding Temple, such as God is Thy thronefor ever and
was only figured by the earthly kings ever,
of the chosen people. One truly man And the sceptre of uprightness
was spoken of in terms applied to no is the sceptre of His kingdom.
angel In Jesus, the Messiah, the Son [or Thy th'l'one, 0 God, is for ever
of God, such language was fulfilled. and ever,
He now shews the abiding royal And the sceptre of upriglitness
glory of the Son in contrast with the is the sceptre of Thy kingdom.]
ministerial and transitory offices of 9 Thou lovedst righteousness and

angels. Angels fulfil theirwork through hatedst iniquity ;

physical forces and ' natural ' laws Therefore God, Thy God, an-
(v. 7) : the Son exercises a moral and ointed Thee with the oil of gladness
eternal sovereignty (11. 8) ; and in above Thy feUows.
virtue of His own Character He re- 7. ,rpor µEv ••• ] qf. .. in reference to ...
ceives the fulness of blessing (v. 9). Rom. x. 21; Luke xii. 41; xx. 19 (c.
So He becomes 'heir of all things.' xL 18). The contrast between 'the
The lesson is given in two quotations angels' and 'the Son' is accentuated
from the Psalms. The first quotation (µiv-bi iii. 5 f.). The rendering of
from Ps. civ. (ciii.) 4 agrees verbally the original text of Ps. civ. 4 has
with the Alexandrine text of the been disputed, but the construction
LXX. and with the Hebrew, save that adopted by the Lxx., the Targmn
1<al is inserted, an insertion which is (comp. Shemoth R. § 2 5, p. 189 Wfu:t-
not m1common. The second quotation sche) and A. V. seems to be certainly
from Ps. xiv. (xliv.) 7, 8 differs from the correct. The words admit equally to
LXX. by the insertion of 1<al, by the be taken 'making ·winds his messen-
transposition of the article (q p. -r. E?,8. gers (angels)' (' making his messen-
p. for p. nl. q p.), and probably by the gers out of winds '), and ' making his
substitution of a?l-rov for uov after messengers (angels) winds'; but the
fJaui>.Elar, which is also against the order of the words and, on a closer
 I. 8] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 25
·o TTOIWN Toye J.rreAoyc b.'fTOY TTN€YM"-T"-,
K<\I TOYC A€1Toyprorc "-YTOY nypoc q>Aor"'·
8 7rpoc; 0€ 'TOV viov

view, the tenor of the Psal~ are in The variableness of the angelic
favour of the second translation. The nature was dwelt upon by Jewish
thouO'ht is that where men at first theologians. Angels were supposed to
see ~nly material objects and forms live only as they ministered. In a
of nature there God is present, ful- remarkable passage of Shemoth R.
filling His will through His servants (§ 15, p. 107 Wiinsche) the angels are
under the forms of elemental action. represented as 'new every morning.'
So Philo views the world as full of 'The angels are renewed every morning
invisible life; de gig.§ 2 (i. 263 M.). In and after they have, praised God they
any case the LXX. rendering is adopted return to the stream of fire out of
by the writer of the Epistle, and this which they came (Lam. iii. 23).' The
is quite unambiguous. The Greek same idea is repeated in many places,
words describe the mutability, the as, for example, at length in Bereshith
materiality, and transitoriness of an- R. § 78, pp. 378 f. (Wiinsche).
gelic service (comp. Weber, Altffynag. 8. ,rpor al... ] in reference to •.• The
Theologie, § 34), which is placed in words in the Psalm are not addressed
contrast with the personal and eternal directly to the Son, though they point
sovereignty of the Son communicated to Him.
to Him by the Father. 0 8p0vot uov O 8£0~. .. a,a TOVTo • •• 0
o ,roic.'iv] The Greek Fathers lay (hos-, o 6Eos uov ••• ] It is not necessary
stress on the word as marking the to discuss here in detail the construc-
angels as created beings in contrast tion of the original words of the Psalm.
with the Son : laov ~ /WfLCTT1] amq,opa, The LXX. admits of two renderings :
;;.,., ol ,uv IC'TtOTol () aH/C'T&OTOS' ( Chrys. ). o 6Eor can be taken as a vocative in
7TVEvµam] winrh, not spirits. The · both cases ( Thy throne, 0 God, ...
context imperatively requires this ren- therefore, 0 God, Thy God... ) or it
dering._ And the word ,rvEvµa is can be taken as the subject (or the
appropriate here; for as distinguished predicate) in the first case (God is
from the commoner term ®Ep.or it Thy throne, or Thy throne is God ... ),
expresses a special exertion of the and in apposition to o6Eos uov in the
elemental force : Gen. viii. 1 ; Ex. second case ( Therefore God, even Thy
xv. 10; 1 K. xviii. 45; xix. 11; 2 K. God..• ). The only important variation
iii. 17 ; Job i. 19 ; Ps. xi. (x.) 6, &c. noted in the other Greek versions is
>..E,.,.ovpyovr] The word seems always that of Aquila, who gave the vocative
to retain something of its original 6Ei in the first clause (Hieron. Ep. Ixv.
force as expressing a public, social ad Prine. § 13) and, as it appears,
service. Comp. Rom. xiii. 6; xv. 16; also in the second (Field, He:capl,a
eh. viii. 2; and even Phil ii. 2 5 (v. 30). ad loc.). It is scarcely possible that
See also 2 Cor. ix. 12. C\rn',N in the original can be address-
1
The reference to the 'winds ' and ed to the king. The presumption
the ' flame of fire ' could not fail to therefore is against the ~lief that o
suggest to the Hebrew reader the 6Eor is a vocative in the LXX. Thus
accompaniments of the giving of the on the whole it seems best to adopt
Law (c. xii. 18ff.). That awful scene in the first clause the rendering: God
was a revelation of the ministry of is Thy throne (or, Thy throne is Goa),
angels. that is 'Thy kingdom is founded upon
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 9
'0 0poNOC r coy ci eedc eic TON b.lOONb. [ TOY b.iOONOC ],
Kat 1J p.{BMc Ti;s ey0yTHTOC p.{Baoc THC Bb.Cli\eib.c aUTOU 1_
9Hfh.TTHCb.C 11M1ocyNHN Kb.t eMicHcb.c tNoMib.N ·
8 or <Tau, o fJe6s, els ••• /ja.0"1"11.ela.s <Tau.
8 om. roO a.lwvos B. Ka.l;, p. NABD2*M2 me: om. Ka.I i. syrr. ;, i>• rijs ,M ... p.
~•ABM2: ;,. evfJ ••• ;,. P· I, D2. om. rijs wfJ. ;,. N*. a.vrov NB: O"Otl AD2 vg syrr.
9 dvoµ./,a.v BM2 syr hl: cl.voµla.s D2*: cl.8,Kla.v NA.
God, the immovable Rock' ; and to appear to many that the direct ap-
take o Bd,r as in apposition in the plication of the divine Name to the
second clause. Son would obscure the thought.
The phrase ' God is Thy throne I is ,lr T6V al. Toii al.] The phrase o
not indeed found elsewhere, but it is alC:.v Toii alciivor is unique in the N.T.
in no way more strange than Ps. lxxi. It is not unfrequent in the LXX. ver-
3 [ Lord] be Tlwu to me a rock of sion of the Psalms together with ,lr
luibitation ••• Thou art my rock and alc.>va alCl>vos- and ~ls T"Ov alCdva ,cal els
my fortreas. Is. xxvi. 4 (R.V.) In Tbv alciiva roii alciivos for -,il C?'ft'? ,
the LORD JEHOVAH is an everla,ting
rock. Ps. xc. 1 Lord, Thou haat ii.,~ , i~ C?,V.
been our dwelling-place. Ps. xci. 1 The phrase oalC:.v Tc.iv alrJV6lv occurs
He that dwelleth in the secret place in Eph. iii. 21, alciiv,s alcJvrov in Apoc.
of the Most High ... v. 2 I will say of xiv. I I, and ol allbves rCOv alQJvw11 ( els
the Lord, He is my refuge and my Tovr al. TQ)V al.) not unfrequently
fortress, 1'. 9 ; Deut. xxxiii. 27 The (c. xiii. 2 r ).
eternal God is thy dwelling-place. ,cal ~ pa/3llo~ EvBvn,Tor] The ,ea[,
Comp. Is. xxii. 23. which is not found in the LXX. or the
For the general thought compare Hehr., is probably added by the
Zech. xii. 8. This interpretation is apostle to mark the two thoughts of
required if we adopt the reading atl,-oii the divine eternity of Messiah's king-
for uov. dom and of the essential uprightness
It is commonly supposed that the with which it is administered.
force of the quotation lies in the divine The word ,il8,h·71r is found here
title (o8,&s) which, as it is held, is ap- only in the N.T. It occurs not very
plied to the Son. It seems however unfrequently in the LXX. for deriva-
from the whole form of the argument tives of .,~,, and so Wisd. ix. 3 &c.
to lie rather in the description which It is not quoted from classical writers
is given of the Son's office and en- in a moral sense.
dowment. The angels are subject to For pa{3llos compare Apoc. ii. 27,
constant change, He has a dominion xii. 5, xix. r 5. It is used in the LXX.
for ever and ever ; they work through as a rendering of Mljlr.>, t:>;;;i, t'.>',r;it?.
material powers, He-the Incarnate In classical Greek it is used rarely and
Son-fulfils a moral sovereignty and only poetically (Pind. Ol. ix. 5r) for the
is crowned with unique joy. Nor rod of authority. Virga 'justos regit,
could the reader forget the later impios percutit' ; sed hrec virga forti-
teaching of the Psalm on the Royal tudo est invicta, requitas rectissima,
Bride and the Royal Race. In what- inflexibilis disciplina (.Atto Vere.).
ever way then o 8,or be taken, the 9. ~'Ya71"f/o-as ••• ] Thou lovedst ..• The
quotation establishes the conclusion aorist of the LXX. gives a distinct
which the writer wishes to draw as to application to the present of the
the essential difference of the Son Hehr. The Son in His work on
and the angels. Indeed it might earth fulfilled the ideal of righteous-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 27
Al<>. TOYTO fXf->ICEN C€ ci 0€0C, o 0€0C coy, €Ab.lON JrM.\l~CEu>C
rr~p~ Toyc M€TOXOYC coy·
O,,ov B*: O..,or Dt.

uess ; and the writer of the Epistle made believers 'a kingdom and priests'
looks back upon that completed work (Apoc. i. 6 ; comp. Matt. xxv. 34).
now seen in its glorious iss~e. They too have received 'an unction'
lM. ToiiTo •••] For this cause ..• (1 John ii. 20). Comp. 2 Cor. i. 21;
Therefore... The words express the Rom. viii. 1 7 ; 2 Tim. ii. 12.
ground (' because thou lovedst ') and ,>... a-ya>.>...] Comp. xii. 2 xapa. The
not the end (' that thou mightest same original phrase (Ii~ l!?~) occurs
love'). Comp. ii. 1 ; ix. 15 (not else-
where in ep.). For the thought see again in Is. lxi. 3 (lO..np,p,a ,vcppou{w11r)
c ii. 9; Phil. ii. 9 (b,&); John x. 17. in opposition to 'mourning' ('~~).
• lxp1u£11] Comp. Luke iv. 18 (I~. It refers not to the solemn anointing
lxi. 1) ; Acts iv. 27 ; x. 38. This to royal dignity but to the festive
unction has been referred ( 1) to the anointing on occasions of rejoicing.
communication of royal dignity : I (3) 10-12. The superior dignity
Sam. x. 1 ; xvi. 12 f. ; and (2) to the ofthe Son (UI Creator in contr(Ult with
crowning of the sovereign with joy, as creation ('through whom He made the
at the royal banquet: Is. lxi. 3; comp. world').
Acts ii. 36. The second interpreta- A new quotation adds a fresh
tion is to be preferred. The thought thought. The exalted king, who is
is of the consummation of the royal truly man, is also above all finite
glory of the Ascended Son of man beings.
rather than of the beginning of it. The words are taken from Ps. cii.
Primasius gives a stiiking turn to the (ci.) 26-28, according to the LXX.
words: Oleo autem exsultationis seu text with some variations. The uv
lretitire <licit ilium unctum quia is brought forward for emphasis, and
Christus nunquam peccavit, nunquam .-.lr lp,aTIOII is repeated by the best
tristitiam habuit ex recordatione pec- authorities ; the Kvpi,; is added to the
cati. Quid est enim oleo lretitire ungi original text by the LXX. from the
nisi maculam non habere peccati i earlier part of the Psalm ; and the
o B,or, il 8£or O'OV] There can be present text of the LXX. followed by
no reason for taking the first il B,or the Epistle has D..,fm avTovr when
as a vocative, contrary to the certain a>..ll.afnr avTovr, a variant found in
meaning of the original, except that some copies, would have been the
it may correspond with an interpreta- natural rendering in correspondence
tion of the first clause which has been with a>..ll.ay1uoVTai which follows. The
set aside. The repetition of the divine introduction of Kvp1< is of importance
' Name has singular force: 'God, who for the application made of the words.
has made Himself known as thy God It is of the greater significance be-
by the fulness of blessings which He
has given.' cause in 'll. 24 ~1:-t is introduced
'lrapa TOVS µ.n-oxovr] abo'tle thy (though the LXX. renders differently),
fellows, Vulg. prm participibus tuis, while in every other case the sacred
above all who share the privilege of Name in the Psalm is (M 1) MlM'. The
ministering to the fulfilment of God's insertion of Kvp" therefore emphasises
· will by His appointment. There is no the thought that the majestic picture
limitation to any sphere of being or of divine unchangeableness belongs to
class of ministers ; but of men it is God as He has entered into Covenant
specially declared that Christ has with man.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 10, II

,o Kat
~ y Kb.T' tpxt:c, Kyp1€, THN rAN E6€M€hiooct,,.C,
Ml eprb. TWN xe1pWN coy eiclN oi oypb.Noi·
nb.yTol tnohoyNTb.l, cy b.e b.1b.MEN€IC"
Kb.I nb'.NT€C we iM<>.TION llb.Ab.l006HCONTb.l,

The Psalm itself is the appeal of an Comp. Acts i. 20. The conjunction
exile to the LoRD, in which out of the carries with it the X,-yu 1Tpo1. Tov vlov
depth of distress he confidently looks of vc. 8, 9. God through His Spirit
for the personal intervention of so speaks in the Psalmist that words
.Jehovah for the restoration of Zion. not directly addressed to Christ find
The application to the Incarnate Son their fulfilment in Him.
of words addressed to Jehovah (see ~11 ... KvptE ••• ] It has been already
v. 6) rests on the essential conception noticed that the ~v
is brought forward
of the relation of Jehovah to His by the writer of the Epistle, and the
people. The Covenant leads up to Kvp,E added to the original text in
the Incarnation. And historically it the LXX. The addition corresponds
was through the identification of the with the omission of the divine Name
coming of Christ with the coming of (~~) in v. 24 owing to a false rendering,
'the LORD' that the Apostles were
led to the perception of His true but it is significant as definitely con-
Divinity. Compare Acts ii. 161f., 21, 36; necting the thought of divine im-
iv. 10, 12; ix. 20; c. iii. 7, Addit. Note. mutability with the thought of the
It is not however to be supposed divine revelation consummated in the
that Jehovah was personally identi- Incarnation.
fied with Christ. Rather the concep- Kar' apxas] Vulg. in principio, O.L.
tion of the God of Israel was enlarged; initiis. The phrase is a wrong render-
and the revelation of God as Jehovah, ing of Cl''~~ (lµ,1Tpocr8Ev Jud. i. 10, l 1,
the God of the Covenant, the God
23, &c.). it occurs again Ps. cxix.
Who enters into fellowship with man,
was found to receive its consumma- (cxviii.) 1 52 as the rendering of Clj~ ;
tion in the mission of the Son. and is found in Philo and classical
' And [again of the Son He saith]
0
writers.
Thou, Lorcf, in the beginning dids.t 11. atlro(I The heavens are taken
lay the foundation of the earth, as representing the whole visible
And the heavens are ,corks qf Thy universe.
hands. alTOAOVJ/Tat] The idea, as it is
" They shall perish, but Thou con- afterwards developed (xii 26 ff.), is
tinuest; of change, transfiguration, and not of
And they all shall wa;c old as doth annihilation : Is. Ii 6, 16 ; lxv. I 7 ;
a garment; !xvi. 22; 2 Pet. iii. 13; Apoc. xx. II.
' And as a mantle shalt Thou roll
2
Thus Theophylact : p,Ei(ov TL T~!.
them up, a,,µ,tovp-ylas ,i11ifaro, TTJII P,£Ta<TX1J/J,ltTHTLJ/
As a garment, and they shall be TOV Ko<rµ,ov, aXXa'Y'icrovrat yap 1Ta11Ta
changed: a,ro rijs <p8opas E.ls acj,8apcrlav.
But Thou art the same, and Thy 13,aµ,lvns] Latt. permanebis (l3m-
years shall not fail. µ,EvEis ). The present is more expres-
10. icaL.] The connexion of this sive. The compound marks continu-
passage with the former is very close ance throughout some period or crisis
although it introduces a new idea. suggested by the context : Luke i
J. 12, 13] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 29
12 K~I wee\ rrep1Bo,\~10N iAizelc ~'(Toye,
( C' ' ' 11 ,
ws tµaTWV K~I "'"""-rHcONT"-1'
cY ~€ 0 ~YTdc ei, Kb.i Ti:{ €TH coy o'(K EKAei''f'oyc1N.
13 ' , ~ ' - , '"'- ,, '
1rpos TtVa 0€ TWV a'Y"f€t\.WV €tprJK€V 7rOT€
K,,;eoy EK .:'.ez1&N Moy
€<.uC J:N ew
Toye exepoyc coy '(TTOTTO.:'.ION TOON TTO.:'.WN coy ;

lZ WS D2*· {>Jl;m ABM2 (latt) syrr me: e!Xll;«s ~c: aXM(m ~*D2 (vg). a.u. ws
lµi/mov ~ABD2* :. om. ws lµ.. !. vg syrr me,

22 ; xxii. 28 ; 2 Pet. iii. 4 ; Gal. ii. 5. Psalm (ex.) is quoted again cc. v. 6;
1ravr<s] The thought appears to be vii 17, 21.
of sphere succeeding sphere in in- ' 3 But of which qf the angels hath
creasing purity and therefore in in- He said at any time
creasing permanence : but all alike Sit on My right hand,
are subject to time and to decay. Until I make Thine enemies
,raAatoo01uovrai] c. viii. I 3 ; Luke the footstool of Thy feet f
14 Are they not all ministering
xii. 33 ; Is. l. 9 ; Ii. 6 ; Ecclus. xiv. 17.
12. 1r•pt,B0Xatov] a mantle. The spirits sent forth unto sercice for
word suggests a costly robe : Jud. the sake of them that shall inherit
viii. 26 (A) Troll 1Tfpt,80Aa1c.>11 TOOII 1rop- sal'IJation f
cf,vpro11 TOOV l1rl TOIS ,BautAfV<Tt Maawµ. 13. 1TpOSTiva a.!...] But of which ...
Ezech. xxvii. 7. Comp. 1 Cor. xi. I 5. The writer appears to turn aside from
•A•~m] The substitution of this the contemplation of the unchange-
word for the natural renderingdXX~m ableness of God seen in the Person of
may have been due to a reference to Christ to the thought of the conflict
Is. xxxiv. 4 fAty~urrm o ovpa11os c.is between good and evil wrought out in
,BifJXfo11. In the original the verb is time. Here also the supreme eminence
of the Son is conspicuous. The
repeated ( ~!:l~!:;t!1 Cl;l'~!:)6 ). language used of Him has been used
/, avTos] The original is simply of no angel. He serenely waits for a
'Thou art He.' Comp. Is. xli. 4; xliii. sure and absolute victory while they
10; xlvi. 4; xlviii. I 2; Deut. xxxii. 39 are busied with ministerial offices.
(lyw •lµ,). For 1rpor see 'IJ. 7 note. The contrast
See eh. xiii 8 note. between TIVt £l1T<II 1TOTf ('IJ. s) and
(4) 13, 14. The superior dignity ()f 1rpos T111a •tp']1<•11 1TOT£ is full of mean-
the Son as seated in Royal Majesty ing.
assured of triumph (' having made •tp711<•v] See c. iv. 3 ; x. 9 notes.
purification ... He sat down .. .'). 1<a0ov ... ] The verb marks the con-
The comparison of the Sou with tinuance of the Session as distin-
angels is completed by the develop- guished from the assumption of the
ment of the idea contained in the place ('IJ. 3 l1<aOiu•v). Comp. Luke
fact of the Session of the Son at the xxii. 69. For the image see Zech. vi.
right hand of the Father. This idea I 3 ; Schottgen on Matt. xxii. 44-
is conveyed by the opening words of E1< a.~,wv] This phrase, which is
.Ps. ex. and is spread throughout the with one exception (Mk. xvi. 5 l11
New Testament: Matt. xxii. 43 ff. and Tots a•f) the uniform phrase in the
parallels ; Acts ii. 34 f. See also c. x. Synoptists, is used twice only in this
13; I Cor. xv. 25; 1 Pet. iii. 22. The Epistle. Elsewhere v. 3; viii. I (note);
30 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [I. 14
14 ouxt
, \ 7f'aVT€'>
' , '
€t<TlV i\ €LTOVP'YLKa' 7f'V€Uµ.aTa
' €L'> ~
' OtaKOVtav
'
a7f'OO"T€i\i\oµ€va Ota TOV'> µ.li\i\ovTa,;; Ki\11povoµ.€'iv (TWT1J-
,
ptav;
14 01aKov£as B.

x. 12 ; xii. 2 b, l3£~•~ is written by the etsi circumscriptus sit angelicus

author himself. spiritus, summus tamen spiritus ipse
;"'' &v Boo] Compare 1 Cor. xv. 28. qui Deus est circumscriptus non est.
Our powers are inadequate to realise Angeli itaque et missi ante ipsum
that end. sunt quia quolibet missi veniant intra
v'll'o'll'&lJwv T'WV 71',] Compare Josh. ipsum currunt.
:x. 24 f. lJ,a T'O;,S ,... KA. u.] The service is
14- 01lx(I c. iii. 17. For the interro- rendered to God for the sake of
gative form see 'D. 5 note. . believers. The use of llui (accus.) in-
'll'<WTH] Whatever differences of stead of v'll'lp indicates a wider re-
rank and dignity there may be among lation. Compare c. vi. 7 and contrast
them, all are alike in this. vi 20. The difference of idea is seen
AELT'ovpy11<a ,rv.] Vulg. adminiltra- in Col iv. 3 compared with Eph. vi 20.
torii spiritus, mtf ;:i ;,1~7,;, (Ber. R.
1
1<A71pov. <T6lT71p.] Compare c. vi. 12
8). The word occurs here only in (Additional Note); xii. 17; (1 Pet. iii.
N.T. Comp. Philo, de carit. § 3 (ii 9). See also Matt. xix. 29 (eternal
387 M.) iryyE"l\o, "l\movp-yol. de gig.§ 3 life); Luke x. 2 5; xviii. I 8; Matt. xxv.
(i. 264 M.~ 34; I Cor. vi. 9 f.; Gal v. 21 (the
£ls lJw1<. a'll'oOT.] sent forth for kingdom); 1 Cor. xv. 50 (incorruption).
ministry as each occasion arises (Old 'Salvation,' like 'eternal life,' is at
Lat. qui mittuntur. Vulg. missi). once present and future: c. v. 9; ix.
Contrast I Pet. i. 12 (a'll'OOTW\EIIT'I), 28.
The difference between the general 0"6>T71pla11] Salvation is contem-
office of the angels as spirits charged plated in its essential character, and
with a social ministry ("'· 7 AHT'OVpyovt), not in the concrete form of the
and the particular services (c. vi 10 expected and promised Salvation (1
ll,wco11ovllT'£s) in which it is fulfilled, is <T"'T1/Pla Acts iv. 12; John iv. 22).
clearly marked. Primasius refers the words to the
Herveius (and so Primasius) shews belief (' as the doctors say') that to
how the angels, even on their missions, each of the faithful a guardian angel
remain in the presence of God: is assigned ' from his birth or rather
Mittuntur igitur et assistunt, quia from his baptism.'
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 31

.Additional Note on i. 3. The teaching upon Sin in the

Epistle.
There is no direct statement in the Epistle as to the origin ·of sin or the Univer-
universal sinfulness of men. It is however implied that all men are s~lity of
sinners. This thought lies in the description of the characteristics of the sm.
High-priest who is fitted to satisfy our needs (,jµ,iv mpnr£11). He is
'separated from sinners' (vii. 26 1uxwp,a-µ,l110r Trull dµ,aprw"A&iv), where the
definite phrase ol aµ,apTw"Aol appears to describe a body commensurate with
humanity. The same idea is expressed still more forcibly in iv. 1 5, if the
interpretation given in the note upon the passage is correct. For while the
fact of sin is for us a fruitful source of temptation it is laid down that, when
Christ was in all other points tempted as we are, this one feature must
necessarily be excepted (,1r£nnpaa-µ,lvo11 tcarb. 1Tavra ,ea{! oµ.o,OTl]Ta xwpls
aµ,apTlas). The common interpretation also suggests, though less distinctly,
the uniqueness of Christ's sinlessness.
Sin then is treated as universal, and men are held justly responsible for Responsi-
its consequences. They are conscious of sins (x. 2 av11£ta,,a-,11 txnv t1µ,apr,&iv), bility of
as hindering them from attaining their true destiny. In themselves they are, man.
so to speak, 'clothed in weakness' (v. 2 1T£pltcnTai aa-8lvnav: comp. vii. 28
lxovras aa-8i11na11) which is shewn in many forms (iv. 15 Tais aa-8£11£la,s).
They 'go astray and are ignorant' (v. 2 ). Their works as they stand alone
are 'dead works' (vi I ; ix. 14 Jl£tcpa tpya).
Meanwhile 'through fear of death '-which is assumed to be the end of
sin-' they are all their lifetime subject to bondage' (ii. 15). And probably
the reference to 'the devil,' 'who bath the power of death' (ii 14 Tov To
tcpa.TOS txovra TOV 8avaTOV), points to the primal temptation and fall of man.
The writer of the Epistle, as the other apostolic writers, distinguishes
clearly between 'sin,' the principle, and 'sins,' the specific acts in which the
principle is embodied and manifested. The passages which deal with these
two conceptions must be noticed separately (comp. ix. 26 note).
l. Sin (,j ,1µ,aprla, t1µ,apTla ). I. Sin.
The ritual of the 0. T. recognised ' sin ' no less than 'sins.' There were
sacrifices 'for (in the matter of) sin' (x. 6, 8 ; xiii 11 71"£p1 t1µaprlas ). The
burden of 'sins and iniquities' made such a general sacrifice necessary. But
'where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin' (x. 18 ovtclT,
1Tpomj,opb. 1T£p1 aµ,aprlas~ The power of sin lies in its transitory pleasures.
Sin offers enjoyment though it is but 'for a season ' (xi. 2 5 1Tpaa-tca1po11 'X£'"
dµ,apTlas a1To"Aava-111 ). Even Christians are exposed to the peril of fatal
i~sensibility from its insidious assaults (iii 13 iva µ,~ a-tc"A.11pvv8f, m •f vµ,ilw
a1Ta."71 ~s t1µ,apTlas). As in old time, unbelief still leads to disobedience to
God, and disobedience is sin (iii. 15-19). So it is that under different
figures sin is an encumbrance which tends to check the freedom of our
movements, and an adversary whom we find in our path. We must 'lay it
~ide' that we may run our race (xii. 1 a1To8iJJ,£"°'···T"t/" W1T£pi<TTaro.,,
aµ,apTla11) ; and we must 'strive against it ' even unto blood (xii. 4 1Tpos T7J"
dµ,aprfov OJJTaywv,(oµ,£110, ). Such an effort, such a conflict, is possible, for
 32 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Christ ' bath been manifested to disamml sin through the sacrifice of
Himself' (ix. 26 £ls a8fr11uw {Jµ.ap-rlas~ He has shewn it to us prostrate and
powerless through His work, and we can use the fruits of His victory.
'2. Sins. 2. Sins (al {Jµ.ap-rlai, aµ.ap-rla, ).
' Sin ' issues in a variety of ' sins.' . The High-priesthood was instituted
to deal with these, 'to offer gifts and sacrifices for (in behalf of) sins' {v. 1
v1r•p aµ.ap-rirov: comp. vii. 27), or, as it is expressed more generally, 'to offer
for (in the matter of) sins' (v. 3 'trfpl OfUJp-r,rov). But the conscience of man
witnessed (x. 2) that such sacrifices as the Levitical Law prescribed were
powerless to ' take away ' sins, when the sinner from time to time
acknowledged his guilt (x. 4 dcpa,pliv aµ.ap,-las), or once for all to strip from
him the bands which they had formed (x. II ,,rEp,eXe'iv aµ.ap-rlas~ They
served indeed only to call to mind that which they could not remove {x. 3
avaµ."1/IT&S aµ.apnrov). But a divine promise held out the hope of a new
Covenant when sins should be 110 more remembered (viii 12; x. 17 ,-"'"
aµ.apnrov otl ,.,.;, 1-'"1/1T8ro fr,); and this hope wru, fulfilled through the work of
Christ. He 'offered one sacrifice for {in behalf of) sins for ever' (x. 12 µlav
v1rip aµ.apTit»V 'tr poue11,-y1<.as 8vula11 eis .,.;, ~h1111e1<.ES ). By this He 'Himself made
purification of sins' (i. 3 1<.a8ap,up.011 ,-.;;" aµapnc»v 1ro"luaµ.evos), and in virtue
of this He is able, having entered into the heavenly sanctuary, 'to make
propitiation for the sins of the people' (ii. 17 lMu1<.eu8ai ,-as {Jp.apTlas Toii
Xaoii). But for those who 'sin wilfully after that they have received the
knowledge (T'I" l1rl-y116>uw) of the truth' 'there is no longer left a sacrifice
for (in the matter of) sins' (x. 26 ov,,_,,.. ,,rfpl aµ.apncov a1roXel1rETaL Bvula);
and there are cases when it is impossible for the Christian teacher 'to
renew to repentance' (vi. 6) such ru, have fallen away.
Thus Christ's work is now available for believers to overcome sin and
do away sins ; but one crowning scene still remains to be realised. 'Christ
having been once offered (1rpouevex8els) '-the passive form seems to
express His willing submission to a divine law-' to bear (avevry1<.e'i11)
the sins of many '-to carry. them up to the altar of the Cross (1 Pet.
ii 24)-' shall appear a second time without sin (x"'pls aµ.ap-rlas) '-un-
touched and untroubled by the sin which He has overcome-'to them
that wait for Him unto salvation' (ix. 28).
Ilepl and It will be observed that in all the passages quoted the prepositions ,,repl
inrlp. and imlp retain their distinctive force : 1repl marks the object of the action,
'in the matter of,' while imlp adds the thought of the beneficial effect designed
in the action, 'in behalf of.' Compare for the use of ,,rfpl Rom. viii. 3 (1repc
aµ.ap-rlas); I Pet. iii 18 (,,r. ap.ap-r1rov); I John ii. 2; iv. 10 (,,rep, ,..;;., aµ.
~p.cov) ; and in a different connexion John viii. 46 ; xvi. 8 f. ; xv. 22 ; and for
the use of V'tr<p 1 Cor. xv. 3 (wip 1"6111 aµ.. ~µ.cov) j Gal. i. 4 (alL ,,rep£).
Words for The vocabulary connected with sin is not large. IIapcur-r6>p.a and aµap-
sin. T7//Ja are not found (yet see ,,rapmrfue'iv vi. 6). 'Avop.la (i 9; x. 17) and
&a,,,_ta (viii 12) occur only in quotations from the LXX. IIapa/3au,s occun
ii 2; ix. 15; and 1rapa1<.aq ii z. The word a-y11017µ.a (ix. 7; comp. v. 2) iJ
unique in the N. T.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 33

.Additional Note on i. 4. The Divine Names in the Epistle.

The .Naines by which the Lord is spoken of in the Epistle throw light The
upon its characteristic teaching. Speaking generally we may say that Names
Jesus directs our thoughts to His human Nature, Christ to His Work as 0 tie
the Fulfiller of the old Dispensation, Son to His divine Nature, Lord itself r
r
to His sovereignty over the Church.
I. Of these Names that which is distinctive of the Epistle is the human 1. Jesus.
Name, Jesus. This occurs nine times, and in every case it furnishes the
key to the argument of the passage where it is found: '
ii. 9 T()II fJpaxv T£ 'Trap' ayyf/\Ot/S ~AaTT(A)JJ,EJ/011 fJXl7roµ.Ev '!170-oiiv••• Although
humanity has not yet attained its end we see that the Son of Man-true
man-has fulfilled through suffering the destiny of the race.
iii. I KaTavoqa-aTE TOIi O'lrOCTTOAOJJ Kal apx1Epla riis oµ.oXoylas ~JJ,6>11 '!170-oiiv
(text. rec. Xp1CTT011 '!170-oiiv). In His manhood, our Lawgiver and Priest is
seen to rise immeasurably above Moses and Aaron, who occupied severally
the same offices under the Old Covenant.
vi. 20 il1rot1 1rpoapoµ.os -tJ1rep ~JJ,6>11 EluijXBEv '!170-oiis•••Our High-priest, even
when He enters into the immediate presence of God, to take His seat at
God's right hand, preserves no less a true humanity than the Jewish High-
priest who entered into the typical sanctuary.
vii. 22 KpElrrovos l>1alJqK17s ylyovEv ;yyvos '!110-oiis. The eternal priesthood,
answering to the better Covenant, is still the priesthood of One who is true
man.
x. 19 ;xovns 1rapp110-lav Els T~II E'luol>ov Tfilll ay[(A)JJ iv T<f atp.aTI 'I17uoii. The
virtue of the offered life of Him Who shares our nature is that wherein we
can draw near to God. Contrast ix. 14-
xii. 2 d<j>opruJJTES Els TOIi riis 'ITICTTE(A)S apx'J'YOII Kat TEAEl(A)T'f/11 'I17uoiiv. Our
strength in Christian effort is to fix our eyes upon Him Who in His
Manhood won for us the perfect victory of faith.
xii. 24 (1rpouiX17XvlJan) l>ialJ77K'7S vlas JJ,EO'ITTJ ·1,,uoii. Comp. vii. 22.
xiii. 12 'ItJuoiis••• ;too rijs 'TrVA'JS ;1ralJE11.
xiii. 20 0 avayayoov iK JJEKp6>V••• iJJ aZµ.a-r, a,a{}qk'7S al(A)VLOV TOIi dptov ~,.,,,;,.,
'!170-oiiv. This single reference in the Epistle to the Resurrection, combined
with the declaration of the twofold office of Christ as Shepherd and Lord,
• is pointed by the use of His human Name.
It will be noticed that in every case but xiii. 12, which is a simple
historic statement, the name 'Jesus' occupies an emphatic position at tlie
end of the clause.
2. The Name of Christ (the Christ) occurs just as many times as Jesus. 2. Christ,
It is desirable to notice separately the two forms in which it is used. The the Christ.
definite form 'the Christ' (oxp,CTTos) appears always to retain more or less
distinctly the idea of the office as the crown of the old Covenant : the
anarthrous form ' Christ' (Xp,u-ros) is rather a proper name.
8
W. H. 3
 34 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

The iii. 14 µ.froxo1 Tov xpiOTov yryo11ap,E11•••we have become partakers in Him
Christ. Who has fulfilled the hope of the fathers.
v. 5 0 XPIOTOS oilx €QIJT'OII ,l'ioEaCTEII 'YEl'1)6ij11ai apx••pla though the High-
priesthood might have seemed to be necessarily included in the office to
which He was sent.
vi. 1 To11 Tijs apxijs Tov xpiOTov Myo11, the elementary exposition of the
Gospel as the true accomplishment of all that was promised to Israel.
ix. 14 To alp.a Tov xp10Tov, the blood of Him to Whom every sacrificial
ordinance of the Levitical ritual pointed. Contrast x. 19.
ix. 28 oxp11TTos d'll'aE 'll'poCT£11£x6,ls ••• &cp617CTETai. That which seemed to be
disappointment in the Death of Him to Whom the people had looked shall
hereafter be turned to glory.
xi. 26 Toll &11nltiCTp,011 Tov XP•OTov. Each hero of faith realised a little of
that which is the part of the Messenger of God.
Christ. The anarthrous form is less frequent:
iii 6 (MoovCTijs p,l11) ... Xp11TTos lti ros vlos •••
ix, l l Xp11TT0S lte 'll'apayEIIOJJ,EIIOS apxupeus•••
ix. 24 oil yap £ls XELPO'll'Ol')Ta dCTij>..8£11 ay,a XpLITTOS (te::ct. rec. 0 XPLOTos).
The force of this Name will be felt if the student substitutes for it the
human Name. Throughout c. ix. the thought is of the typical teaching of
the Law. ·
3. Son, the 3. The title Son is with one exception (i. 8) always anarthrous. The
Son. wiiter, that is, fixes the attention of his readers upon the nature implied
by it:
i 2 l>..a11..r,CT£11 /11 vicj> as contrasted with ,11 To1s 'll'pocp17m,s.
i 5 vios µov El CTV (LXX.). So v. 5.
iii 6 XptlTTOS a; cJs vios as contrasted with MoovCTijs ••• cJs 8Epll'11'6)11.
v. 8 1<a1'11'Ep ~11 vios, and therefore having personally right of access to the
Father.
vii. 28 vio11, £ls Tov alrova TETEXEioop,i11011 as contrasted with J.116poo'll'ovs ...
•xo11TaS o.CT6bma11,
4• The 4- The title Lord is comparatively rare.
Lord. ii 3 (CT6>T1)pta) dpxq11 >..a(:JovCTa >..a>..£1CT8ai a,a
TOV t<vplov.
vii 14 •E 'Iovlta allaTETaXt<EII O t<vp,os ,jµrov. The title here is perhaps
suggested by the royal tribe.
Compare also i 10; xii 14; xiii 20.
5. Jesm 5. Of compound Names that which is elsewhere most common (more
Christ. than thirty times in the Epistle to the Romans, eleven times in 1 Peter),
Jesus Christ, is comparatively very rare :
x. 10 a.;,, -rijs 'll'poCT<popas TOV CT,1,µa-ros 'lfJCTOV Xp&CTTOV.
xiii 8 'lfJCTOVS XptOTOS •x6es t<IU U17JJ,Epo11 0 ailToS ...
xiii. 2 l a,a 'l1JCTOV Xp&ITTOV, 'f ,j aoe,z •ls TO~S alro11as Troll aloo110011.
The force of the full Name, which is an implicit Creed, will be obvious
in each place.
The characteristic Pauline Name Christ Jesus does not occur in the
Epistle (not iii. 1 ).
6. The Son 6. The title the Son of God speaks for itself in the places where it is
of God. used :
vi. 6 a11aOTavpov11TaS £01/T'OIS TOIi vio11 TOV 8£ov.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 35
vii. 3 &.,j,roµ,ou,1µ,lvor Tep vlcp Tov 8£ov, not vl<j> 8£0v. The Incarnate Son
was the archetype of Melchizedek.
:x. 29 7rOO"<j> XElpovor d~irot},juETaL Tiµ,roplar oTOIi vlov TOV 8£ov ,cam1ra117uar.
7. The complete affirmation of the divine and human natures of our 7. Jesus,
High-priest is found in the phrase which occurs once, Jesus, the Son qf the Son of
~: ~
iv. 14 lxoVT£r dpxiEpla .. .'I1JUOVII TOIi vlov TOV 8£ov,
Compare also the descriptive titles: ii. 10; iii. 1 ; xii. 2; xiii. 20.
It may be noticed that the title uroT1P does not occur in the Epistle,
though uroT1Jpla is not uncommon. The idea which it expresses finds a
special embodiment in Christ's priestly office.
Sometimes the Lord, though unnamed, is assumed as the subject of the
teaching of the prophets: ii. 14; x. 5 ff.; 37.

3-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 1, 2

II. I Llul. 'TOU'TO OEL 7rEpt<r<rO'T€pW<; 7rpO<r€XELV ,iµa,;

'TOLS a,couo-fJEL<TtV, µ11 'TrO'TE 7rapapuwµEv. ~Ei 'Yap O Ot'
I 1rep11ru. Iii,~ vg. M2 om. v. r.

ii. The peril of neglecting the new 1. lJ,a rovro] For this cause ... There-
revelation through the Son (ii. 1-4). fore ••. , because of the superiority of
After establishing the superior dig- the Son over the angels, through
nity of the Son in comparison with whom the Law was given.
that of angels, the writer of the <JE1) The word marks a logical ne-
Epistle pauses for a moment to en- cessity and not a moral obligation:
force the practical consequences which we must rather than we ought. Com-
follow from the truth before he sets pare xi. 6, ix. 26, and contrast o<pED..nv
forth the work of the Son for human- v. 17, v. 3, 12. See 1 John ii 6
ity. It is obvious that a revelation note.
given through such a Mediator carries 'TTEpuru. 1Tpou.] Vulg. abundantius
with it more solemn obligations on observare. The adverb expresses, so
those who receive it and heavier pen- to speak, an absolute excess (xiii. 19,
alties for neglect than a revelation c. vi. 17, vii. 15), and not simply a
made through angelic ministry. relative excess (µ,ii>..>..011 ix. 14, x. 2 5,
Similar hortatory passages are in- xii. 9, 25). The connexion of 1TEp,u-
troduced in the argwnent iii. 7-19, uorip6>s with <JEi is unnatural The
V. I I ff. force of the comparative is 'more ex-
Contrast Gal i. 6-<J. ceedingly than if there had been no
The line of thought is direct and such marked preeminence of the Son!
simple. There is always in men a The form in -6>S is not found in the
tendency to forgetfulness of a past LXX. or Philo.
message under the influence of new 1Tpo<TiXE"'] The full phrase 1Tpou.
forces. The authority of the message r. vovv does not occur in the N.T. (but
is a measure of the danger of such see Job vii 17 Lxx.). The word is
neglect (1, 2); and the Gospel comes used of things Acts viii 6; xvi. 14;
to us with the highest possible attes- l Tim. i. 4; Tit. i. 14; 2 Pet. i 19;
tation in regard to its Author and and of persons Acts viii 10 :t: ; l Tim.
its messengers (3), and the manifold iv. 1. The absolute use occurs as
witness of God by which it was con- early as Demosthenes. Compare vii.
firmed (4). 13 n.
' The refore we must give the more ~µ,as) we Christians. The obligation
earnest heed to the things that were is a special one.
heard lest liaply we drift away from rots d,cov<TO.] to the things that were
them. • For if the ioord spoken heard, to the message received by the
through angels proved stedjast, and apostles (o! d,covuavns) when 'God
every transgression and disobedience spake in His Son'; or, more simply, to
received a just requital; 3 how shall the things we heard (as ,caTT/xovµ,£110,)
we escape if we neglect so great sal- when first the Gospel was preached to
vation? which, having at the first us (o>..ayos rijs d,coijs c. iv. 2; I Thess.
been spoken through the Lord, was con- ii 13. Comp. Rom. x. 17).
firmed unto us by them that heard; It is to be noticed that the writer
4 God bearing witness to it with them of the Epistle does not use Eilayyi>..,011
by signs and wonders, and by mani- (the verb occurs iv. 2, 6). In the
fold powers, and by various gifts of writings of St John it is found only in
the Holy Spirit according to His Apoc. xiv. 6.
will. µ,1 1TOTE] lest haply, Vulg. ne forte
n. z] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 37
a,Y,Y€AWV
I
AllA1] () €lS
\ "\sf
/\.0,YOS e,yevero
' f /3'/3
€ aios, ,catI 71"atTa
(0. L. ne casu) and not lest tmer. (Sedul.). Primasius was evidently per-
Compare iv. 1. plexed by the phrase: neforte perejflu-
'1TapapvID/UV] The word '1Tapapp£'iv is amus; id est, ne forte pereamus et a
of considerable interest. It is con- salute excidamus; vel ne forte evanes-
stantly used of things which slip away, camus, transeuntes in perditionem
as a ring from the finger (Plut. Amat. more fluminis currentis in mare •••
p. 754 A), or take a wrong course, as The Greek Christian writers use
a crumb of food passing into the wind- the word in the same sense as it has
pipe (Arist. de part. an. iii. 3), or an here, and perhaps they derived the
inopportune subject intruding upon usage from the Epistle: e.g. Clem.
a company (.Jlllian, V. H. iii. 30). Alex. Pmd. iii § 58 p. 288 P. a,;, JCal
It occurs twice in the Greek trans- CTVCTT£/\A£w X.P~ rtis -yvva'i,ms ,coup,l6>s
lations of the Book of Proverbs. It ,cal '1T£ptcrcplyyuv, allJo'i uwcppov,, p,~
is found in the sense of 'slipping '1TapappvooCT& ri;s O.A1]B£las a,;.
x_aVV<mJTa.
away I in Symmachus' rendering of Orig. c. Cels. viii. 23 'The great
Prov. iv. 21 p,~ '1Tapappv1]CTO.T6>uav lE mass of simple believers, who cannot
JcpBaAp,rov uov for the Hebr. ~r,~.:',~ keep every day as a divine festival,
":J'?P.t:;,: Vulg. ne recedant ab oculis need sensible patterns in fixed holy
days that they may not wholly drift
tuis: E. V. Let them not depart from away ('lva p,~ TEA£ov '1Tapappvfi) under
thine eyes. And again it occurs of popular influences from the obser-
the person in Prov. iii 21 (Lxx.) vU vance of regular religious duties.'
p,~ '1Tapapvfis, T7/P1/CTOV lM lµ~v {3ovA~v 2, 3 a. d yap ... ] The necessity of heed-
JCal i!vvo,av, for the similar Hebrew ful care is grounded on the certainty
1'tl1t.? ~t~;'"?~ 1;9: Vulg. Fili mi, ne of retribution. This certainty is pro-
ejfluant luec ab oculis tuis : E. V. Let portional to the authority of the
them not depart from thine eyes. revelation. Comp. I Clem. xli 4
This latter usage is identical with Surp '1TA£lovos ,car,,EuJB11p,£v yvc.lu£6>S
the usage in the present passage : · TOCTOIIT'f µa>..Xov V'1TO/C£LP,£Ba ,cwlJvvrp.
' Do not be carried away from my o a,• dyy. 'Aa'A. Myos] the word-
teaching.' the revelation-spoken through an-
The idea is not that of simple for- gel,a, as the organs of the Divine
getfulness, but of being swept along communication, that is the Law. Vulg.
past the sure anchorage which is qui per angdos dictus est sermo. The
within reach. (Compare Hesychius: title Xoyos (not voµos) is given to the
'1Tapapvfis, p,rr£6>ptuBfis, '1Tapa'1Ticrys.) Law in order to characterise it as the
The image is singularly expressive. central part of the Old Revelation
We are all continuously exposed to round which all later words were
the action of currents of opinion, gathered. So throughout the Epistle
habit, action, which tend to carry us the Law is regarded as a gracious
away insensibly from the position manifestation of the divine will, and
which we ought to maintain. not as a code of stern discipline;).
The versions are very vague. The The connexion of the angels with the
giving of the Law is recognised else-
Syriac gives fall ~ as in iv. 1 r where in the N. T., Gal. iii 19 lJ,aray£ls
(µ1 r,r '1T<ur,).
There are many Latin
renderings: Vulg. perejfluamus, 0. L.
a, dyyl'A"'v; Acts vii 53 (comp."'· 38)
£ls aiarayas dyylX"'"· So also Josephus
labamur (lebemur) or labemus; and in represents Her?d, as, saJing_ th~t th_e
patristic quotations: superejfluamus
(Hier.), deftuamus (Aug.), ejfluamus 11op,01s a,
Jews 'learnt ra ou&6>Tara T6>V o ro,s
dyyl>..6>V '1Tapti TOV B£ov l ( A ntt.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 3
f /l I I ,I'\ /l ,/ ~ LI ~ f
7rapa('Ja<Tt<;; Kat 7rapaK0'7 €1\.a('JEV EVotK0V µt<Tua7r0O0<J'tav,
3 7rwr;;
- ' -
r,µEtr;; 'rh t:' LI 'T'l i\ tKaUT'l'>
EK't'Eu<;oµeva ' • '
aµei\r,uav-rer;; <TWT'l-

xv. 5, 3). By a natural process of trasted with the v'll"a,co1 of Christ:

interpretation the attendance of the the manifestation of the spiritual
angels at the revelation on Sinai character).
(Deut. xxxiii 2; Ps. lxviii 17) was 'll"apa,8...•na{3Ev] The punishment
taken to indicate their ministration. meets the transgression, not the trans-
The presence of angels is not noticed gressor. There is an absolute cor-
in Ex. xix., and Philo seems purposely respondence. Compare Col iii. 25
to avoid referring the phenomena at (Eph. vi. 8).
the Lawgiving to their action (de lvlt,,cov] The word occurs again in
Decal. § 9 (ii 185 M.) 1CE>..Evuas ... lt1J- Rom. iii 8 : it is not found in the LXX.
µ.iovpnBi;11m ... o/VX~II >..oy11C17V,., ), .As distinguished from ltl,caios it de-
iyiv. ,8i,8aios] pro1Jed sure, not only scribes that which conforms to, and
was assured, confirmed (i,8E,8m<l,6'1 not that which embodies, a rule. The
v. 3) by some external authority; but, word ltl,cmos is used almost exclusively
as it were, vindicated its own claims. of persons as possessing the positive
There is in the divine Law a self- quality of righteousness. It is used
executing power. It confirms itself. also of judgment as being not only
Compare the significant variation in right, but righteous: John v. 30;
the construction in Rom. ii. 6 ff. a'11"0- vii. 24; Apoc. xvi. 7; xix. 2; 2 Thess.
a<1,un .. ,Tois ,ca8' V'lrOJl,Olfl/11 lpyov ayaBov i 5. Comp. Luke xii 57; and of the
a&eav,.,Tois a; ,e ip,Blas ... opy~ /Cat 'commandment'(Rom. vii 12) and the
Bvµ.os ...together with Origen's note in 'ways' of God (Apoc. xv. 3).
Rom. Lib. ii.§ 6. µ.,uBa'll"oltoulav] Vulg. mercedis re-
The verb always retains its force in tributionem, 0. L. remunerationem,
these periphrastic forms c. iii. 14i; and so Vulg. elsewhere. The word is
v. 5, 12; vi. 4; vii 12, 18, 20, 23; found again in the Greek Scriptures
x. 33; xi 6 f.; xii 8; l Cor. iii. 13; only in c. x. 35, xi. 26, and the cor-
xi. 19. responding personal noun µ.,uBa'll"o-
'11"apa{3. ,cal 'll"«pa,c.] Vulg. prcevari- MT'}s in c. xi. 6 for the classical µ.,u-Bo-
catio et inobedientia. ITap&.,8au,s de- aoula, µ.,uBoltOT')s, As compared with
scribes the actual transgression, a the corresponding words aVTa'll"altou,s
positive offence (the overt act); 'll"apa,cot, (Col. iii. 24), aVTa'll"altoµ.a (Lk. xiv. I 2;
describes properly the disobedience Rom. xi. 9), the word appears to em-
which fails to fulfil an injunction, and phasise the idea of an exact requital of
so includes negative offences(the spirit). good or evil by a sovereign Judge. The
Comp. 2 Cor. x. 6; Rom. v. 19 (Matt. discipline and punishment of the wil-
xviii. 17 'll"apa,co{mv). The word 'll"a• derness (c. iii. 16 ff.; 1 Cor. x. 6 ff.)
pa,cot, is not found in the LXX. ('11"apa- furnished the typical illustration of
,covnv Esth. iii 3, 8 [iv. 13]; Is. lxv. 12). this teaching which extends to the
Prcevaricatio est vetita facere, in- whole Jewish life: c. xii. 25, x. 28 f.
obedientia vero jussa non facere 3- 'll"rus ... ;] The interrogative form
(Herv.). is characteristic of the style of the
In Rom. v. the sin of .Adam is Epistle (c. i. 5 note). Compare 1 Tim.
described successively as '11"apa,8au,s v. iii. 5 ; I John iii. 1 7. How shall we
14 (the simple fact); 'll"apm"'µ.a v. 17, escape after neglecting••• ? The neglect
18 (contrasted with the lt,,cal"'µ.a of is assumed.
Christ: the fact in its relation to the ii«pweaµ.EBa] The word is again used
divine order); '11"apa,co1 v. 19 (con- absolutely Acts XYi. 27; 1 Thess. v. 3.
n. 4J THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 39
pfai;, ;fni;, dpx~v Aa/3ou<Ta A.aA.€t<T0at ~ta TOU 1wplou,
U'11"0 'T'Wll aKOU<TaVTCdll eii; 11µai; e/3e/3atw8ri, 4 <TVV€7rtµap-
4 <Fvve1r1µ. : <FvvµapT. B.

•nfX,1<.] so great as has been seen >..aAEiu8ai] i. 1 f.; Hi. 5; xii. 25.
from the nature of the Mediator. The addition of the verb calls at-
Comp. 2 Cor. i. 10. •Ap.EA, Matt. xxii. tention to the present preaching, and
5. to the fact that this is based on the
u.-.,T71plas] The character of the new original preaching of Christ.
dispensation is placed in contrast with a,a TOV ic.] through the Lord as
the Law: 'salvation'(i. 14 note)with the Messenger of the Father (c. i. 2).
'the word.' Comp. Jude 3 ; Acts xiii. Vulg. per dominum. Comp. v. 2 oa,•
26. So Theodoret: d p.Ev 11oµos ¼os dyy. )\a)\. )\. Contrast >..a)\eiu8at v1ro
~v ;O wpatcTEov' V,r~aEi~Vll~, .;, a~ ,-oU Luke ii. 18 ; Act!! xiii. 4 5 ; xvi. 14;
1<vpwv IJ,lJau1<aAta TT}S at(l)IIWV -,rpo~EVOS xvii. I 9; and 'Aa)\liu8ai -,rap& Luke i. 4 5.
u.-.,T71plas. And Primasius: Lex pro- Toii icvplov] not Toii icvplov ~µ.ciiv,
mittebat terram •.. Evangelium regnum Compare c. xii. 14. The idea is of the
crelorum, •. Illa pnestabat vindictam de Sovereign Majesty of Christ in Himself.
terrenis hostibus: istud prrestat de Contrast vii. 14, xiii. 20, viii. 2.
spiritualibus ... Illa promittebat lon- v-,ro TWV dic.] by the immediate
grevam vitam temporalem; Evange- hearers of Christ: Luke i. 2. Contrast
lium concedit vitam sine fine man- I John i. I.
suram. Though St Paul was not a hearer of
3 b, 4. The superior authority of Christ in the flesh, yet it is scarcely
the Gospel is shewn in three points, conceivable that he should have placed
in its original announcement, in its himself thus in contrast with those
convincing proclamation, and in the who were: GaL i. 12; and if the
manifold divine attestation to its truth. writer was a disciple of St Paul he
ijT&s] The pronoun preserves its must refer to other teachers also.
full force: Seeing that it•.. was con- . Els ~µ.. lf3ef3.] was brought unto us-
firmed ...~OuT&s as distinguished from into our midst-and confirmed to us.
os is rightly described as 'qualitative V ulg. in nos confirmata est. The use
and generic,' a man (a thing) such of the preposition suggests an interval
as ... , a class who ... , hence very com- between the first preaching and the
monly whoever (whatever) ...Compare writer's reception of the message. It
cc. viii. 5, 6; ix. 2, 9; x. 8, II, 35; xii. is to be noticed that the 'salvation'
5; xiii. 7, and Moulton on Winer, p. and not merely the message of it
209 n. (Acts xiii. 26) was 'confirmed': the
&px~v >..af3ovua >..a)..] Vulg. cum in- 'salvation' was shewn to be real in
itium accepisset enarrari. This the experience of those who received
singular mode of expression suggests it.
somewhat more than the simple fact Els ~µ.at] Gal iii. 14; John viii. 26;
having first been spoken, and implies Rom. viii. 18; Acts ii. 22; 1 Pet. i. 4,
that the teaching of the Lord was 2 5. Compare Moulton's Winer, p. 776.
the true origin of the Gospel The l/3E/3au,l871] Compare (Mk.) xvi. 20;
phrase is not found elsewhere in the Rom. xv. 8.
N. T. or in the LXX., but is frequent 4- The divine witness to the 'sal-
in late Greek writers (T~v dpx~v A.): vation' of the Gospel is both contin-
e.g. Philo, de vit,a Mos. i. § 14; (ii. uous and manifold. The writer ap-
93 M.) [ 0'7//J,EIOII] ~JI apx~v TOV "fEV<U8a, peals to a succession of forms in
Aa{30v Ev AlyV1iTtp. which it was manifested in his ex-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 4
~
'TUpouVTOS 'TOU
~ e€OU <TYJµ€t0ts 'T€ Kat
~ I \ I \
'T€pa<Ftll Kat 7rOtKt
'i\ aLS
~uva.µ€<Ttll Kat 7rl/€Uµa'TOS a,yfou µ.€pt<rµo'is Ka'Ta 'T~II au'TOV

om. re M2 vg syrr. a.VToV: ToU 8eoU D 2*.

perience and in that of those whom xv. 19; 2Cor, xii. 12; 2 Thess. ii. 9),
he addressed. and most frequently in the .Acts (8
1. Miracles (u']µ.E'i.a, rlpara). times cc. i.-xv.). It is not found in
2. Powers, outwardly shewn in action the Catholic Epistles or the .Apoca-
( '/TOUclAai avvaµ.us ). lypse. In the Synoptic passages and
3- Endowments, which might be 2 Thess. ii. 9 the phrase is used of the
purely personal and unobserved(1T11. manifestation of evil powers.
ay. µ.£ptuµois). Tipas is nowhere used by itself in
There is a progress from that which the N. T., though it is so used in the
is most striking outwardly to that LXX. [comp. .Acts ii. 19; Joel iii. 3
which is most decisive inwardly. The (ii 30)]. ~1)µ£'i.011 and U1)µ£'i.a are com-
outward phenomenon and the inward mon alone, and especially in St John
experience are both in different ways in reference to Christ's works.
capable of various interpretations; ?Toiic. lJv11.] by man'ijold powers (Lat.
but they are complementary. The variis virtutibus) shewing themselves
one supplies that element of conviction in their characteristic results. Av11aµis
which the other wants. expresses here the power itself and
The passage is of deep interest as not the manifestation of the power.
shewing the unquestioned reality of See Mk. vi. 14; 1 Cor. xii. 10; Matt.
miraculous gifts in the early Church: xi 20 ff. ; c. vi. 4 ff.
and the way in which they were re- 'ITII. ay. JJ,Eptuµ.o'is] Yulg. Bp. 8. dis-
garded as coordinate with other ex- tributionibus (0. L. divisionibus).
hibitions of divine power. Comp. 1 Cor. xii. 4, II (.Acts ii 3
Compare 2 Cor. xii. 12; Gal. iii 5; lJiaµ£piCoµ.£11ai). The Holy Spirit is in
Rom. xv. 19; c. vi. 4 f. one sense the gift and in another the
uv11£mµaprvpoii11.-os] God also bear- Giver. Here there can be no doubt
ing witness with them to the truth of that the thought is of the divine gift
the word. This witness is present and (1T11. c'iy. not ro 1T11. ro ay.) as imparted in
not past. Vulg. contestante [O. L. several measures by God. Compare
adseverante] Deo. The word is found John iii. 34; 2 Cor. x. 13.
here only in the Greek Scriptures. Kara rqv avr. B.] according to His,
l1Tiµ.aprvp£'i.11 occurs I Pet. v. 12; uvµ- God's, not the Spirit's, will [willing].
µ.aprvp£'i.11 Rom. ii. 15 ; viii 16 ; ix. 1. Vulg. secundum suam [O. L. ipsius]
The word is not uncommon in late 'Doluntatem. The clause refers to all
writers: Clem. R. 1 Cor. 23, 43. that has gone before. Comp. Eph.
U')µ. TE ica, rip•••• ] The u, which is iv. 7.
not used in the common phrase u1)µ.. Bi>.1Juis] The word, which occurs
ical rip., shews that all the forms several times in the LXX., is found
of witness are probably regarded here only in the N. T. .As distinguished
singly, .Acts xiii. 1 ; I Cor. i 30; c. ix. from 8£A1)µa (x. 7, 9, 36; xiii. 21), the
2; xi. 32. Comp• .Acts ii 22 ; 2 Thess. definite expression of will, it describes
ii 9- the active exercise of will
U')µ.E°ia ical rlpara] The combination The use of these active verbal nouns
is found in the Synoptic Gospels is characteristic of the style of the
(Matt. xxiv. 24; Mk. xiii. 22), St John Epistle. .Among many others which
(iv. 48), in St Paul's Epistles (Rom. occur the following are found in the
11. 51 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 4r

8il\tJ<TtV;
' 5 Ou' ' ' '"" ' '
t:
,yap a,y,yt:1\.0L'il ll7r€Ta<_;€V ' OLKOUµt:Vl}V
TIJV ' '

5 inrfr. +o 0,6s O (vg).

N. T. only in this Book : w.-tilhu,s And didst set him over the works
(vii. 12; xi. 5; xii. 27); o.Bfr1Ju•s (vii of Thy hands:
8
1 8· ix. 26); 3.BX1Ju,s (x. 32); .,,.p&uxvu,r Thou didst put all things in
(xi: 28); afvEuis (xiii l 5). suJ.rjection under his feet.
iii. The fulfilment of the divine 5. ov -yap ••• ] For not unto angels
destiny of man in the Son qf man did He subject ... The manifestations
through suffering (ii. 5-18). of the Divine Presence which have
Two main thoughts are brought out been shewn to attend the proclama-
in this section. tion of the Gospel (v. 4) are intelligible
( 1) The promise of sovereignty to both from the Nature of the Son and
man was fulfilled in Jesus ('the Son from the scope of His work. For the
ofman'): 5-9. greatness of the Son as the Revealer
( 2) The fulfilment of man's destiny, of the New Dispensation and of its
owing to the intrusion of sin, could preachers, His envoys, is revealed by
only be brought about through suf- the fact that( a )the future dispensation,
fering, made possible for Christ and which is, as has been already implied,
effective for man through the Incar- the fulfilment of the Creator's will,
nation (10-18). was committed to man; and that (b)
Throughout the section there is a man's sovereignty has been gained
tacit reference to the objections which for him, even after his failure, through
were raised against the Lord's claims the Incarnation of Jesus 'the Son of
to Messiahship on the ground of the Man.'
actual facts of His life and sufferings. -yap] For...The particle refers di-
(1) The promise qf m,an's sove- rectly to the signs of divine power
reignty and its potential, fulfilment among believers which were a prelude
(5-9). to the complete sovereignty. The
The writer of the Epistle has al- subject (God) is not expressed but
ready assumed the establishment of naturally supplied from the former
a new order corresponding with the sentence.
fulfilment of the purpose of creation. ovic ... dy;,O..o,s ... ] not to angels, to
The sovereignty of this order was not beings of this class, but (as is shewn
prepared for angels (v. 5). It was in the next verses) to man ... (comp.
promised to man (6----8 a); and the c. i. 4 TIDv dyyiXoov note). It is not
promise was fulfilled in 'Jesus' (8 h----9). said that 'the present world' was sub-
5 For not unto angek did He sub-
ject to angels; but at the same time
ject the world to come, whereof we the writer of the Epistle may well
speak. have recalled the belief which found
6
But one testified as we know expression in the LXX. Version of
(somewhere) saying Deut. xxxii 8 that God assigned the
What is man, that Thou a1·t mind- nations to the care of angels while
ful of him f Israel was His own portion.
Or the son of m,an, that Thou visi- CompareEcclus. xvii 17 (14); Daniel
test himf xii 1 ; x. 13, 20. So too in later Jewish
7
Tho1t madest him a little lower literature, e.g. in the Book of Henoch,
than angels; angels are represented as having
With glory and honour Tlwu charge over different elements.
crownedst him; v1ri-ra~•v] dt"d He subject in the
 42 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 6

'T1JV µEAA.ov<Tav, 7r€pl f/<; A.aA.ouµev· 6

(Jt€µap-rupa-ro (Je 71"01/
TL<; AE"fWV

eternal counsel (comp. i. 2 ;e,,,uv) xvi. 14); and men as occupants of the
made known through the Psalmist. world (Acts xvii. 31; xix. 27; Apoc.
The word is borrowed by anticipation iii. 10; xii 9). Comp. Wisd. i. 7
from the Psalm. 'JTVEvp.a t<vplov 1TE1TA~p6>t<E T~II olt<ovp.EIITJII,
'"I" olt<. -ri}v µiXX.] Vulg. orbem terrm It was therefore perfectly fitted to
futurum, 0. L. smculum futurum, describe the Christian order under the
aspect of a moral, organised system:
Syr. ~~, 1,"...' :
. "' . ~- comp. c. i. 6.
The word is found in St Paul only
The phrase is not to be understood
simply of 'the future life' or, more Rom. x. 18 (Ps. xix. 5).
generally, of 'heaven.' It describes, 1T<pl ~s XaX.] which is the subject of
in relation to that which we may call the whole writing. The thought has
its constitution, the state of things been already announced in i 2 1<A11po-
which, in relation to its development vOµ.ov 1rcivrc.:w.
in time, is called 'the age to come' 6-8 a. The promise. The promise
(o µ•AX""' aloov), and, in relation to its of m1iversal sovereignty was confirmed
supreme Ruler and characteristics, 'the to man in a passage of Scripture (Ps.
Kingdom of God,' or 'the Kingdom viii. 5-7) which fully recognises his in-
of heaven,' even the order which firmity. His weakness is first confessed
corresponds with the completed work (v. 6); and then his triple divine en-
of Christ. Compare vi. 5 (µDI.A6J11 dowment of nature, honour, dominion
aM11), xiii. 14 (1 p.EAAOVO"U [1roX,s]) (v.7,8a~
notes. Is. ix. 6. The viiith Psalm is referred to by
~ olt<ovp.•VTJ] The word is used for the Lord Matt. xxi 16 (comp. Matt.
the world so far as it is 'a seat· of set- xi. 25; I Cor. i. 27), and by St
tled govemment,' 'the civilised.world.' Paul I Cor. xv. 27. Comp. Eph. i 22.
Thus in Greek writers it is used It is not, and has never been ac-
characteristically for the countries oc- counted by the Jews to be, directly
cupied by Greeks, as distinguished Messianic ; but as expressing the true
from those occupied by 'barbarians ' destiny of man it finds its accomplish-
(Herod. iv. 110; Dem. de Cor. p. 242; ment in the Son of Man and only
[de Halonn.] p. 85 f.), and at a later through Him in man. It offers the
time for the Roman empire (Philo, ideal (Gen. i. 27-30) which was lost
Leg. ad Cai. § 45; ii. 598 M.). by Adam and then regained and
Hence it came to be used even of a realised by Christ.
limited district defined, as we should Clement speaks of the application
say, by a specific civilisation (Jos. A ntt. of the words of the Psalm to man by
viii. 13, 4 1TEpi1rlp.,/,as t<aTa 1riio-a11 T~II some: ov yap l-rrl TOV t<vplov it<lJ,x_oVTm
olt<ovp.lllTJV TOVS (TJT~tTOVTas TOIi -rrpo- T~II ypacp~v t<alTo, /(QKELIIO!i' uapt<a t<p•-
<po/'f/11 'HX•lav). Comp. Luke ii I; p•v· l1rl lJi 1'0V TEAElov Kal 'Yll6JtTTLKov,
Ex. xvi. 35 f6JS ~X8011 •ls '"I" olt<ovµ•VTJ" 1'1f x_po~ Kal 1''f' lvlJvp.aT& EAarrovµlvov
( Alex. yijv olt<.] 'to the borders of the ,rapa TOVS aniXovs (Strom. iv. 3 § 8,
land of Canaan' : compare Euseb. p. 566).
H. E. vii 31, it< Tijs Il•po-011 l-rrl '"I"
2 And so Chrysostom : 1'avTa •l ,cal
t<a8' ~µas olt<ovp.•IITJ"• ••And on the other Els T~II KOL~II av8p6>1T01'TJTa (lpTJTat, aX">..'
hand it was used to describe the whole ;;,,_6Js 1tvp,ooTEpo11 &pµoo-n•v &11 Too xp,tTT«i
world as occupied by man (Luke iv. 5 KaTa o-apt<a (Hom. iv.§ 2). • •
[D TOV t<oo-p.ov]; Matt. xxiv. 14; Apoc. And Theodoret: To lJi 'Tt ttTT,11
II. 6] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 43
Ti ecTIN ~N0poonoc OTI MIMNHCKl;I b.yTor,
H yioc ,,:N0pwnoy OTI €TTICKETTTf;I N(TON ;
6 Tl ~ABD 2 vg syrr: Tls C* (latt.) me (so LXX A).

r,,,op(l)'ll'OS;' E'lp,,m, µ.,,, frEpl Tijs ,cowijs is a direct and sharp opposition, riAM
<pvtTEOlS, apµ.orrn a; T7/ '~ ~/J,O>IJ U'll"apxii, follows a negative not ... but. When
cJr ol,cnovµ,iVT}r ,-(1 7T(l07Jr T"qr cJ>VuE(i)S• the negative marks a sentence which
-ra aE ~µ.~rEpa ol1<£:ofµ.£~Of; ,CTT?µ.a ~ijs: is complete in itself, and another
<pVITEOlS ')IE'YOIJEIJ. aVTOS -yap TaS aµ.apnas statement is added as a fresh thought,
~µWv EAa/3E ,cal rOs vOO"ovs E~CWTauE this, though it does in fact oppose the
(ad loc.). · former, is introduced by l3l. Comp.
One peculiar difficulty meets us in 'V'1'. 8, 9 oVrrOl-al; iv. 13; vi. 12;
the use made of the Psalm by the Acts xii. 9, 14.
writer of the Epistle. The thought a,£µ.. a. 'll'OV TLS] 1n this quotation
expressed in the original by the words only in this Epistle (iv. 7 is not a case
rendered in the LXX. ~Mrr,,,uas mi- in point) is there a reference to the
Tov {3paxv T, 'ITap' dyylAovs is that of human author of the words; and here
the nobility of man's nature which God is addressed directly. At the
falls but little short of the divine. same time the reference is as general
The words on the contrary as applied as possible. The form of reference
to Christ describe a humiliation. This is found in Philo, de temul. § 14 (i.
application is facilitated by the LXX. 365 M.) El'll'E -yap 'ITOV TLS (Gen. XX. 12).
rendering, but does not depend upon For ,rov see c. iv. 4 note.
it. The essential idea is that the true Aiaµ.aprupoµ.a, is used absolutely
destiny of man described by the Luke xvi. 28; Acts ii. 40 (viii. 25);
Psalmist, which experience teaches us 1 Thess. iv. 6.
that man himself has missed, was ful- Tl lun"] i.e. how little outwardly,
filled otherwise than had been ex- and at first sight, compared with the
pected. Words which were used of .stately magnificence of Nature.
man in himself became first true of Comp. Ps. cxliv. 3; Job vii. 17.
One Who being more than man took The interpretation 'how great is man,'
man's nature upon Him. In such a i.e. in consequence of God's love shewn
case the description of dignity was to him, is quite foreign to the course
of necessity converted initially into a of thought. Nor again is there any
description of condescension. reference to the fact of the Fall
6. The thought of man's frailty avBp"'1Tos] i&i)~, man, with the
comes first. According to a remark-
able Jewish tradition the words were secondary idea of weakness.
addressed by the ministering angels viOs dv6p6>7rov] 01~·1;; not O vlOs
to God when 'Moses went up to re- TOV dvBpro,rov (C1~iTl#)·
ceive the Law.' '0 Lord of the µ.•µ.V1Ju1Cy ••• lmu,cl-rrro] The twofold
world,' they said, 'wilt Thou give to regard of thought and action. 'Em-
flesh and blood that precious thing 1T1C£'ll'T£1TBm is used almost exclusively

which Thou hast kept for 97 4 genera- in the Lxx., as in the N. T., of a visita-
tions 1 (Ps. viii. 5). Give Thy glory tion for good. Luke i. 68, 78; vii. 16;
rather to heaven' (Sabb. 88, 1 ). Acts xv. 14- The word was especially
5, 6. OU -yap dyy.••. lJ,£µ.aPT. l3l ••• ] used of the 'visits' of a physician.
The form of the construction is ex- Comp. Matt. xxv. 36; James i. 27.
pressive. The sovereignty was not 7, 8 a. In spite of his frailty man
indeed designed for angels; but pro- recognises his divine affinity. He is
vision was made for it. When there more glorious than the world which
44 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 7, 8

7 HAi TTOOCI\C <\YTON Bpb.XY TI TTb.p • ~rreAoyc,

1oz1;1 Kb.1 TIM~ ecTe<t>iNooct\c ,,.fToN,
[Kb.'1 Kt\TECTHCb.C t\'rTON ETTi Ti eprb. TOON xe1pooN coy,]
8
nJNT<\ YTTET<\Zt\C ynoKiToo TOON nobooN t\YTOY"
€V Ttp 7dp '(TTOTb.!b.l [ aUT<f] 'Tll niNTb. ouiev d<J>iiKEV aUT<f
7 iur«p. a,urov, + Ka,l KO,T€<fT'l'}<fO,S a,Qrov brl TU. {na, TWJI xeipwv IJOV ~ACD2*Mii vg
(syrr) me (so Lxx): om. B (syrr). ~ lv r,i, "'(i:,,p ~BD2M2 : iv "'(a.p r,i, r;"AC.
a,or,i, (I) om. B. Td. 1rana; li1r0T~(U a;v. D2 syrr me.
seems to crush him, in nature, endow- 2 Pet. i. 17; Apoc. v. 12 f. The com-
ment, destiny. · bination is common in LXX. e.g. Ex.
7. 7)Aarr. fJp. Tt, ••] Thou madest xxviii. 2 (r. Kal a. m~~J:l?~ ,b::i~)-
him a l~ttle l~er •.•Vulg. Min'l!isti lOTE<pavr.,uas] cro;;~edst as ;· con-
(0.L. mi'!"orasti) ?um_ paulo minus queror; 2 Tim. ii. 5.
ab angelis. Bpaxv n I!\ use~ here of 8. 1ravra ••• ailrov] Man's sovereignty
degree (~ompare 2 .~am. XVI. 1 }, and is exercised over a worthy domain.
1~ot of t1~~ (Is. lVIL 1 7 LXX. . for a This clause completes the view of
httl~ while ). The ~ebrew IS un- man's eminence in nature, glory, do-
ambiguous; and there IS !1° reason to minion. See Additional Note.
dep~rt f~om !he _meanmg ~f the 8 b, 9. The divine fulfilment of
ongmal either m this place or Ill 1'. 9· the promise in the Son of man. The
1rap' ayy.Xovs] The original 1J 1t1)~1,?, promise to man has not however yet
rendered literally by Jerome a deo, been realised. It assured to him a
is thus interpreted by the Targum dominion absolute and universal; and
and Syr. and by the Jewish Oommen- as yet he has no such dominion (v. 8 b).
tators (Rashi, Kimchi, Aben-Ezra), as But the words of the Psalm have re-
well as by the LXX. ceived a new fulfilment. The Son of
The original meaning is probably God has assumed the nature in which
less definite than either 'a little less man was created. In that nature-
than angels' or 'a little less than bearing its last sorrows-He has been
God.' It would more nearly cor- crowned with glory. The fruit of His
respond to 'a little less than one who work is universal In 'the Son of
has a divine nature.' 'Thou hast man' (Jesus) then there is the assur-
made him to fall little short of being ance that man's sovereignty shall be
a God' (comp. 1 SaUL xxviii. 13). To gained (v. 9). Thus the fact of man's
our ears 'than God' would be equiva- obvious failure is contrasted with the
lent to 'than the Eternal,' which accomplishment of Christ's work
would have been wholly out of place which is the potential fulfilment of
in the Pl!alllL And on the other hand man's destiny (Humiliation, Exalta-
'than angels' obscures the notion of tion, Redemption).
the 'divine nature' which lies in the ah For in that He subJected all
phrase. things unto him, He left nothing
For the wider sense of IJ1;:'1~~, see that is not subJect to him. But now
Ps. lxxxii. 1, 6 (John x. 34 f.); xxix. we see not yet all things subJected to
1 (not Ex. xxi. 6~ ltim. 9But we behold Him who hath
MEr, Kal riµi,] with the essential dig- been made a littlJJ lower than angels,
nity and with the outward splendour even Jesus, because of the suffering
which signalises it: Rom. ii. 7, 10; of death crowned with glory and
1 Pet. i. 7; Apoc. iv. 9. The words honour, that by the grace of God He
occur in opposite order, 1 Tim. i. 17 ; should taste of death for every man.
II. 9] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 45
avu7T'c5TaKTOII. I/VII 0€ oiJm11 opwµ€11 auTcj, Td TT~NTt. )'TTOT€-
Tt.rMENt.' 9Tov OE Bpt.X'i TI nb.p' J.rreAoyc t-lAb.TTWMENON /3"l\.e7roµE11
• lrJ<FOVII Ota TO 7T'a0nµa 'TOV Oavd:rou AOZl-,i Kb.I TIMI;! €CT€<pb.-

8. ,v TW -yap v,r.] The 'for,' which ,8Xfaoµu,] The change of the verb
is directly' connected with the pre- from opooµ,11 in v. 8 cannot be without
ceding clause, points back to v. 5, so meaning. BX•1r•w apparently ex-
that the connexion is : God did not presses the particular exercise of the
subject the future world to angels, faculty of sight (comp. John i. 29;
for He promised man an absolute v. I 9; ix. 7 ff.), while opiiv describes
sovereignty which has still to be as- a continuous exercise of it (c. xi. 27).
sured in that coming order. The Ta The difference is not marked by the
1Tavrn takes up the ,ravTa of the Latt. (videmus ...videmus ... ).
Psalm. 'I17uoii11] The naine comes in em-
viiv a•... ] but at present, as the world phatically as marking Him who, being
is ..• truly man, fulfilled the conception of
atiT<i>] i.e. to man. the Psalmist of 'one made a little
9. Tov al... ] But in spite of the lower than angels.'
obvious fact of man's failure the The personal name Jesus, which
promise has not failed : we behold always fixes attention on the Lord's
Him that hatli been made a little humanity, occurs frequently in the
lower than angels, even Jesus, .. . Epistle: iii. 1 ; vi 20; vii. 22 ; x. 19 ;
crowned with glory and honour.. . xii. 2, 24; xiii. 12 (iv. 14; xiii. 20).
The words of the Psalm have a:n See Additional Note on c. i. 4-
unexpected accomplishment. The For the separation of the Name
man thus spoken of as little less than (Him that hath been made ...even
angels (so great is he) is represented Jesus) compare c. iii. I; xii. 2, 24;
by Jesus, the Son of Goo become xiii. 20 ( our Lord even Jesus; comp.
flesh, and so made little less than . vi. 20; vii. 22); 1 Thess. ii. I 5; iii. 13.
angels (so full of condescension was a,a TO 1raB. TOV 8.] Vulg. (Latt.)
He), and in that humanity which He propter passionem mortis. The suf-
has taken to Himself crowned with fering of death-the endurance of
glory. the uttermost penalty of sin-was the
Jesus is not the 'man' of the ground of the Lord's exaltation in
Psalmist, but He through whom the His humanity. Comp. Phil ii. 9 (Rom.
promise to man has been fulfilled and viii. 17).
is in' fulfilment; while the revelation of The rendering 'for the purpose of
the complete fulfilment belongs to suffering death' is contrary to the
'the world to come.' universal usage of a,a with acc. in
The definite article (TOIi a; fJp. Tt N. T. which always expresses the
~>..) does not refer to the Psalm as ground and not the object: because
fixing the original meaning of it, but something is, and not in order that
to the known personality of Christ in something may be realised. The am-
whom the promise of the Psalm was biguity of the English 'for' has ob-
fulfilled. scured the sense of some passages.
fJpax_v n ... ] Vulg. qui modico quam See Rom. iii. 2 5 aia Tr]II 1rap•ui11 (be-
angeli minoratus est...O. L. paulo cause they had been passed over).
quam angelos minoratum... See v. 7. Rom. iv. 25 a,a Ta 1rapa1rnJµarn ••• lJ,a
l)Aarrc.,µ,11011] not ,Xarrc.>Blvrn. The T~v 3ucalc.,u,v••• (Christ died because of
human nature which Christ assumed man's sins ... He rose because through
He still retains. Comp. v. I 8 1r<1r011B,11. His atonement man's destiny was
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 9
d
NOOMENON, O'TT"WS xapt'Tt
I 0€OU, .V7r€p
..t' ' I 0
'TT"aV'TOS "f€U<TrJ'Tat ava'TOU.
I

9 xcipm: xwpls. See Additional Note.

ideally fulfilled). John vi. 57 11,a T611 form (as contrasted with ~ xap1r Tov
1Ta-rlpa ••• a,• lµ.l .•• (because the Father 8,ov xii. 15\ 'by grace, and that grace
lives ... because I live ... ). of Him Whose Nature is the pledge
Comp. Matt. xv. 6; GaL iv. I 3; of its efficacy,' see c. iii. 4 note.
Hebr. v. 12; .A.poc. xii. II. Comp. Lk. ii 40; 1 Cor. xv, 10;
The words are not to be joined 2 Cor. i. 12.
with ~>..arrooµi11011 either in the sense The reading xooplr 6,oii is capable
( 1) that in this lay His humiliation, of being explained in several ways.
or (2) that this was the aim of His ( 1) Christ died 'apart from His
humiliation, that death might be pos- divinity.' His divine Nature had no
sible, 'owing to the fact that death share in His death.
has to be borne by men.' The main (2) Christ died 'apart from God,'
thought of the passage is that man's being left by God, and feeling the
promised supremacy, owing to the completeness of the separation as the
Fall, could only be gained by sacrifice. penalty of sin. Comp. Matt. xxvii. 46.
Stress is laid not upon the single (3) Christ died for all, God only
historic fact that the Lord suffered excepted. Compare 1 Cor. xv. 27.
death (llul ro 1Ta6,i11 6.), but on the (4) Christ died to gain all, to
nature of the suffering itself (Ilia .,.;, bring all under His power, God only
1Ta611 ,..a). excepted.
i<TT•q>a1100µ.l11011] .As in the case of But all these thoughts seem to be
the Lord's humiliation so also in this foreign to the context, while it is
of His exaltation the writer brings natural to bring out the greatness of
out ,the pei;mane~t effe~t (not crr,cf,a- God's grace in fulfilling His original
11006,11-ra as ,unqiavoouar m 'IJ. 7). counsel of love in spite of man's sin.
ci1Toor ••• ] The particle is not strictly The reference to 'the grace of God'
connected with lunqia1100µ.lvo11 alone, seems to be the necessary starting
but refers to all that precedes-to the point of the argument in the next
Passion crowned by the .Ascension. section: For it became•••
The glory which followed the death v-rrip 1Ta11-ras] Vulg. pro omnibus.
marked its universal efficacy. Thus Syr. for e-i,ery man. Comp. Mark
Christ was made lower than angels ix. 49; Luke xvi. 16. The singular
that He might accomplish this points to the effect of Christ's work on
complete redemption. The particle, the last element of personality. Christ
which is much less frequent in the tasted death not only for all but for
Epistles than Z11a, occurs again c. ix. each. The thought throughout the
15. passage (-i,. 16) is directed to personal
Under this aspect the words are objects; and in such a connexion the
illustrated by St John's view of the phrase could hardly mean 'for every-
Passion as including potentially the thing' (neut.). This thought however
glorification of Christ (John xiii 31), is included in the masculine. Creation
a double 'lifting up' (xii 32). So is redeemed !n !11?'11 (Rom. viii 19 ff.).
<Ec~~nius he~e says _boldly Mtav ,cal Comp. v. 1 r ,g ,11or,
nµ.1111 rov UTavpov o:a>..E&. The notes of the Greek commen-
xapin 6,ov] Comp. I John iv. 10; tators are of considerable interest.
John iii. 17 ; Rom. v. 8. Chrysostom: 0RIGEN ; µ.lyas i<TTlv apxi,prus ovx
<M -r~11 xapw rou 6,ou -r~11 ,lr 1µ.ar v-rrep a116poS-rroo11 µ.611011 d>..M /COL 1Ta11-ros
Tavra -rrl-rro116,11. For the anarthrous >..oy,o:ou ••• o:al yap llro-rrov v1Tip a.v6poo-
JI. 9] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 47
' ) ' ,1._1 t
p,Ev avr~v 'r'au~n~ aµ,~prrJ/"at~"
'ft'l'IIO>V
I
Christ to the physician who, to en-
-yE-yEv<rBa, Ba11arav, OVl<ET'£ liE ,cm VlrEp courage his patients, tastes that which
i'!AAOV r,vor 1Tapii 1'01/ i'!vBp6>1TOII ,,, aµ,ap- is prepared for them.
,, 'f' ( ' ,,
T'~JJ.a<T' -YE'YEIIVT/JJ,EIIOV, OIOII VfTEP aurp6>11 (2) Man's destiny, owing to the
(Job xxv. 5) (In Joh. Tom. i. § 40). intrusion of sin, could only be ful-
THEODORET : ro JJ,<111"01 mWor vrrep filled through sujfering, made possible
ti1rlUl1"0011 V1rEµ,nv£. 1r&VT"a yOp 6cra for Christ and effectfoe for man
1<T"•<T1'1/" lxn T~II <f,vu,11 1'UV1'1}1> ll!Eiro through the Incarnation (10-18).
rijr (),pa1TEiar ••• He then refers to Rom. The thought of death, and the fact
viii. 19 ff., and supposes that the of Christ's death, lead the apostle to
angel~ will ,b~ gl~d~ened b~ man'~ develope more in detail the conditions
salvation: v7rEp awall1'6>V ro1111J11 ro under which man's destiny and God's
(T6>~PLOII tl1TEJJ,ELIIE 1TaBor· /J,0111/ -yap 1 promise were fulfilled in spite of sin.
()Ela cpvu,r rijr £1/T'EVBEII y,110µ,<VT/I> 8Epa- The reality of the connexion between
'lfElar a11E11liE~r (ad loc. ). the Son and the sons is first traced
CHRYSOSTOM: otlxl [mep] 1'001/ 'ITL<T- back to their common source and
1'0011 µ,6vov, aAXii ,cal rijr ol1<ovµ,•VfJr shewn to be recognised in the records
ci1r<lU1Js-· aVrbr µ.Ev yap V1r£p ,r<W'l"<.t>v of the Old Testament (10-13). This
arriBavEII. Hom. iv. 2. connexion was completed by the In-
(ECUMENIUS : otl µ,011011 t17rep rivBpcJ- carnation with a twofold object, to
,row ciAAll ,cal V1rEp rCOv d.vo> avvilµ.£6>V overcome the prince of death, and to
ci.1rf6avu,, iva AVuv rO JJ,EuD'rvxov (µEuO- establish man's freedom ( 14, 15). And
ro1xo11] roii cf>pa-yµ,ov 1<al ;.,r:,,,.ll rii ,carw such a completion was necessary from
ro'ir (Eph. ii. 14).
rt116> the sphere, the scope, the application
Comp. 1 John ii. 2. of Christ's work (16-18).
vrrip] not in plm:e of, but in behalf The course of thought will appear
qf. Comp. v. 1 ; vi. 20; vii. 2 5 ; ix. 24- most plainly if it is set in a tabular
y•v<TT/ra, Bavarav] Comp. Matt. xvi. form:
28; John viii. 52 note. Arist. Apol. Sovereignty for man fallen was won
p. 110, I. 19. through suffering (10-18).
The phrase, which is not found in (·1) The Son and the sons (10-13).
the Old Testament, expresses not only The connexion lies in a common
the fact of death, but the conscious source ( II a).
experience, the tasting the bitterness, This is shewn in the Old Testa-
of death. Man, as he is, cannot feel ment:
the full significance of death, the The suffering King ( 12),
consequence of sin, though he is sub- The representative Prophet( 13).
ject to the fear of it (v. 15); but (2) The connexion of the Son and the
Christ, in His sinlessness, perfectly sons completed by the Incarnation
realised its awfulness. In this fact (14, 15),
lies the immeasurable difference be- with a twofold object:
tween the death of Christ, simply as To overcome the prince of death
death, and that of the holiest martyr. (14 b),
Chrysostom (Theodoret, Primasius) To establish man's freedom (15).
less rightly understands the phrase of (3) The Incarnation necessary (16-
the brief duration of Christ's ex- 18), from
perience of death: Non dixit Apo- The sphere of Christ's work(16),
stolus ' Subjacuit morti,' sed proprie The scope of Christ's work (17),
_gustavitmortem, per quod velocitatem The application of Christ's work
resurrectionis voluit ostendere (Pri- (18).
masius). 10-13. The Son and the sons,
Chrysostom (Hom. iv. 2) likens The difficulties which at first sight
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. IO

xo• 1
E7T'f€'Tr€V ' aV'T'f',
,yap ' , . . OL
~ ' ov
t.\
'Ta' 7rav'Ta
'
Ka£' o~,' ou'i" 'Ta'

beset the conception of a suffering the truest conception which man can
Messiah vanish upon closer thought. form of the Divine Nature.
For when we consider what is the fopETrEv] Latt. decebat. Comp. c.
relation between the Son of man and vii. 26; Matt. iii. 1 5. The word as
men-the Son and the sons-what applied to God appears perhaps start-
· man's condition is, and how he can ling but it is not unfrequent in Philo,
be redeemed only through divine e.g. Leg. Alkg. i 15 (i 53 M.~ The
fellowship, we ourselves can discern standard lies in what man (made in
the 'fitness' of the divine method of the image of God) can recognise as
redemption. So far therefore from conformable to the divine attributes.
the Death of Christ being an objection For man still has a power of moral
to His claims, it really falls in with judgment which can help him to the
what deeper reflection suggests. interpretation of the action of God,
The connexion of the Son and the and also of his own need (c. vii 26).
sons is first referred to their common The 'fitness' in this case lies in
source (i,. 11 /~ Jvos) and then shewn the condition of man. His life is
to be recognised in the divine dealings attended by inevitable sorrows; or,
with representative men under the to regard the fact in another light,
Old Covenant, the suffering king, the suffering is a necessary part of his
typical prophet (12, 13). discipline as well as a necessary con-
There is throughout the section a sequence of his state. It was 'fitting'
reference to the Jewish expectation then, in our language, that God should
that Messiah should 'abide for ever' perfect Christ the 'One' Son by that
(John xiL 34). suffering through which the 'many
1
° For it became Him, for Whom sons' are trained (xii 5 ff.) because
are all things and through Whom He, in His infinite love, took humanity
are all things, in leading many to Himself. In Christ we can see the
sons unto glory, to make the leader divine end of suffering: suffering con-
(captain) of their sali,ation perfect summated in glory. Chrysostom :
through sufferings. "For both He op~s TO TraBE'ill KOKOOS ot1K £CT'l"IJI lyKarn-
that sanctifieth and they that are AEAEIJl,Jl,EJIO>JI,
sanctified are all of One; for wMch This argument from 'fitness' is
cause He is not ashamed to call distinct from that of logical necessity
them brethren, 1 • saying ( 3E'i i,, 1 ), and of obligation from a
I will declare Thy Name to my position which has been assumed
brethren. (JcjmAE i,, 17). In contrast with
In the midst of the congregation both we have in v. 14 ETrEi aiv••. µ.Er-
will I sing Thy praise. luxEv. •• The three aspects of the Pas-
13 And again: I will put my trust sion of Christ are of deep interest.
in Him. And again: Behold, I and U t>v••• a,• oL.J This description
the children which God gai,e me. of God, as being the final Cause and
10, [TrpE'trEJI -yap ... ] For it became the efficient Cause of all things, takes
••• 'Yes,' the apostle seems to say, the place of the simple title because the
' "taste of death by the grace of God," fitness of Christ's perfection through
for we, with our poor powers, can say suffering appears from the considera-
that in this there is supreme fitness.' tion of the divine end and method of
The suffering of Christ in the fulfil- life. For f>v comp. Apoc. iv. 11 3c.a To
ment of His work corresponds with BD,']µ.a.
n. 11] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 49
I "\. "\. \ ' \ ' ' ~ I'l: \ J \
,,,.aJ/'Ta, '7T"Ot\.t\.OUS ULOUS €LS OOr,; av a,ya,yov-ra 'TOV apXrJ'YOV
7't7S (TW'TrJplas aU'TWV Ota '7T"a0rJµa-rwv TEA.EtWCTaL. 11
() T€

l) 1' oJ] Compare Rom. xi. 36; I Cor. which is laid on the completed work
i 9 (Gal. iv. 7 lJia 8£oii; Rom. vi. 4 8,a of Christ, is fatal to the proposed con-
rijs lio~s TOV ,ra.,-pas). nexion of ayayoVTa with Christ, who
The phrase is commonly used of had 'brought many sons to glory'
the work of the Son: c. i. 2 ; 1 Cor. during His ministry, even if Christians,
viii 6; Col. i. 16; (1 John iv. 9); who are called His 'brethren' (v. II),
John i. 3, 1o; but it cannot be referred could in this place be spoken of as
to Him here, though Athanasius so uses His 'sons' (in v. 13 the case is dif-
the whole clause (Ep. ad Episc. ..Eg. ferent). And so again the use of
et Lyb. § 15); and Chrysostom rightly MEa is decisive against the idea that
calls attention to this application of lJi' God is spoken of as 'having brought
oJ to the Father as shewing that the many sons to glory' in earlier times.
characteristic use is no derogation For a similar combination of aorists
from the divine nature of the Son : see Matt. xxvi. 44; xxviii 19 (fJa=l-
otlK &v TOVTO l1rol71rrEv EL YE l>..aTT<,>CTE@S rraVTEs); Acts xxiii. 35 (,cE>..wrras);
~v ,cal .,-c;; vlru µ,avov ,rpOCTTJICOV (ad loc. ).Rom. iv. 20; (Eph. v. 26); Col. ii. 13 ;
Com~. !·. 2 ov l "8 ' ' •••, ut
E 7/ICEV 1CA7/povoµ,ov ~• I Tim. i. 12 j c. ix. 12.
1
oJ /COi E1T0t7/CTEV. •• TOV apx71yov riis O'@T.] The leader
1ro>..>..ovs vlovs] Christ has been (or captain) qf their salvation, 0. L.
spoken of as 'the Son.' Men now are ducem v. principem (Vulg. auctorem
made to share His title (comp: xii 5). aalutis ). Neither 'author'nor 'captain'
Chrysostom: ,cal ml.,-os vlor ,cal ~P,EIS gives the fulness of sense. The apx7/'Yas
vlol · a>..>..' aµlv rrrJCn ~P,EtS aE rroo{op,E8a. himself first takes part in that which
The use of 1To>..>..011s brings no limi- he establishes. Comp. xii 2; Acts iii.
tation to the scope of Christ's work 15; v. 31; Mic. i 13 (Lxx.); 1 Mace.
(comp. ix. 28) which has just been ix. 6r. Comp. Iren. ii 22. 4 prior
described in its universal aspect (tnrtp . omnium et prrecedens omnes. The
,raVTos). It simply emphasises the preceding ayay6VTa seems to fix the
truth that the pattern of Christ's rendering 'leader' here (as in xii. 2).
Life was in this aspect of wide appli- Christ is 'theI,eader of our salvation'
cation. Comp. Matt. xx. 28. inasmuch as He travelled by the way
Els MEav ayayoVTa••• TE>..Etc:irra,] 0. L. which we must follow to come to
multis filiis in gloriam adductis, God.
Vulg. qui multos filioa in gloriam The word, which is common in the
addu:cerat. These Latin renderings Lxx., occurs in Clem. R. 1 Cor. c. xiv.
suggest a wrong sense. Though the apx. C,,>..ovs, c. li apx. riis O"Tarre-009,
objects of ayayoVTa and TE>..Etrurrat are and often elsewhere; e.g. z Clem. xx.
different the two acts which they 5 arr. ,cal apx7/'YOS rijs acp8aprrlas; Jos.
describe are regarded as synchronous, B. J. iv. 5. 2 J apx71yos ,cal ~EP,COV Tijs
or rather as absolute without reference llJias rr"'T7/Pias; Ep. Vienn. 17 (Euseb.
to the succession of time. The per- H. E. v. 1 ~ See also classical examples
fecting of Christ included the triumph in Wetstein on c. xii 2. Compare
of those who are sons in Him. At at.,-ws c. v. 9.
the same time the work of God and a,a ,ra8. TE>..e-,c:irra,] Latt. per pas-
the work of Christ are set side by side. aionem consummare. For consum-
God 'leads' (ayayE1v) the many sons mare some Fathers read and explain
and Christ is their 'leader' (apx71y6s). conaummari (Ruff. Sedul. Vigil.).
The order, no less than the stress The conception of TE>..Eirurrai is that
W. H. 3 4
50 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 12
I Y; , \ • ,
f Y; f , ~ • \ f ':- , ,I
'Yap a'Yta~WJ/ Kal Ol a'Yta~oµ€VOL €c; €I/OS 7TaJ/'T€S' OL 1111
' I , , I , , ' \ "\. -. I::l '\._ I
at'TtaJ/ OUK €7TaL<J'XUIIE'Tal b.M,\<j)oyc aU'TOUS Ka1\.ELJ1, l\.€'YWII

I I avrovs do. M2 syrr •

of bringing Christ to the full moral Comp. x. 10 (~y,auµ,ivo,), 14; xiii.
perfection of His humanity (cf. Luke 12 (iva a-y,auy). Christians are 'holy'
xiii. 32), which carries with it the ('saints'): c. vi. 10; xiii. 24 ; (iii. 1);
completeness of power and dignity. and the end of their discipline is
Comp.c. x. 1, 14; xi.40; xii. 23; Phil. that they may 'partake in the holi-
iii. 12 ('D. 6). ness of God' (c. xii. 10). That which
This ' perfection' was not reached is true ideally has to be realised ac-
till after Death: v. 9; vii. 28. It lay, tually.
indeed, in part in the triumph over ;~ ivor] of One, i.e. God. Comp.
death by the Resurrection. Comp. Ex. xxxi. 13; I Cor. i. 30 (viii. 6
Cyril Alex. ap. Cram. Cat. pp. 396, 399. !luo~d b! Ch_rys.); Lk. iii. 38 rov
The sense of I bringing to His AlJaµ,, rov 11,ov.
highest honour,' or 'to the close of The reference to Adam or to Abra-
His earthly destiny,' is far too narrow. ham is partly inadequate and p&rtly
See Additional Note. inappropriate.
lM. 1Tal171µ.arc.w] See c. xiii. 12 note. 1Tm<s] The writer regards the
Theodoret supposes that 'the Word' whole company of Christ and His
perfected the human nature, the people as forming one body, and does
source of our salvation: rov 11,ov X6yov not distinguish specially the two con-
.a.,~.11 ~II clvt>..afJ,v T£AHCdO"a11Ta cpvu,11. stituent parts (clµ,cj,or,po,).
clpx71yos ri;s ~µ,rr,pas uc.>T77plas ~ X71cp- Some think that the statement in
t1,'iua cpvuts. respect of Christ is to be confined to
II-13. The title of 'sons' can be His Humanity. Others extend it to
rightly applied to Christians as well as His whole Person. In the latter
to Christ, for, though in different senses, case, Theodoret (and other Greek
they depend on one Father ('D. II) ; Fathers) adds that we must remember
and this fact is recognised in the Scrip- that ;, µ.£V £0"Tt cp,',u,, vlos ~,., .,s
lJe
tures of the old Covenant ('D'D. 12, 13). xaptTt (CEcum. o /J,EII "'/J/l]O"tOS lie~,., .,s
II. g T< yrtp aytaCoov] The disci- B,.-ot).
pline through which Christ reached It will appear that much is lost by
perfection is that through which He any precise limitation of the words.
brings His people. That which is The Lord both as Son of God and as
appointed for them He also accepts Son of Man can be spoken of as £1<.
(John xvii. 19), for both He and they Ilarpos, and so men also both in their
are of One Father. Holiness is 'the creation and in their re-creation. At
characteristic which reveals the divine the same time the language used
birth. (o ay,aCoov 1<.at ol O')'taCoµ,,vo,) naturally
The present participles (ayiaCoov, fixes attention on Christ and Chris-
ayiaCoµ,,110,). m~k the continuous, per- tians in relation to the work of re-
sonal applicat1011 of Christ's work. demption and sanctification wrought
Comp. John xvii. 17 1f. For ayia(nv out on earth.
see c. ix. 13 note. lJ,' ~v al.-tav] for which cause, that
ol aytaCoµ,,vot] Vulg. qui sanctifl- is, because they spring from the same
cantur. The thought is of the con- source, though in different ways.
tinual process at once in the individual Both in their being and in the con-
soul and in the whole body of the summation of their being the Son
Church (c. x. 14). and the sons are 'of One.' Christ
II. 12] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 51
'An"-rrei\w To oNoM,{ coy Tote J.>,ei\q>otc Moy,
EN MEC<p EKKAHCl"-C YMNHcw ce·

took on Himself human nature-not in among them as symbolising their true

order to make men His brethren but hope.
because they were His brethren in a 12. The quotation is taken from
true sense already. Epict. i. 13. 3 Ps. xxii. 22 and agrees with the LXX.
a11bpa11"ol3011, OVK avlb.J TOV al3EAcpov except by the substitution of a7ray-
-roV uav,-oV, br fxE1. -r011 ala 1rp6yavov; ")IEAm for a,rn"luop,at.
du1rEp vidr EK ,-6)11 aVrOOv <rrr£pp,&:r6>v The Psalm itself, which probably
-yeyoVE, Kal' Tql1 avTql1 d.11<»8EV KaTa/30Aq11. dates from the time of David's perse-
For the phrase see 2 Tim. i. 6, 12; cution by Saul, describes the course
Tit. i. 13; (Luke viii. 47; Acts xxiii. by which 'the Anointed of the Lord'
28). made his way to the throne, or more
With this specific form of the generally the establishment of the
' subjective I reason (comp. c. v. 3) righteous kingdom of God through
compare the general form (b,6 iii. suffering. In 1'V. 21 ff. sorrow is turned
71 10 &c.), and the general form of into joy, and the words of the Psalmist
the 'objective' ground (MEv v. 17 become a kind of Gospel Hence the
note). phrase quoted here has a peculiar
mlK /7raiux .••• KaAE1v] He is not a- force. The typical king and the true
shamed to call (Vulg. non confunditur King attatn their sovereignty under
•..vocare••• ) in spite of the Fall, and of the same conditions, and both alike
the essential difference of the sonship in their triumph recognise their kin-
of men from His own Sonship. Comp. ship with the people whom they raise
c. xi. 16. (TOIS al3EAcpo,s).
al3EAcpov11] Comp. Rom. viii. 29- The Psahn is quoted not unfre-
Christians are 'brethren ' of Christ quently : Matt. xxvii. 46 ; Mk. xv.
(John xx. 17; Matt. xxviii. 10) and 34 (1'. 1); Matt. xxvii. 39, 43 ("'"'· 7,
yet children (v. 13 ; John xiii. 33 8); Matt. xxvii. 35; John xix. 24 (1'.
rE,cvla). 18); comp. c. v. 7 (o. 24).
12, 13. The quotations in these To i$11op,a uov] I will declare Thy
verses develope the main idea of the Name, for Thou hast proved to be
section, that of Christ fulfilling the what I have called Thee, 'my hope
destiny of men through suffering, by and my fortress, my castle and de-
recalling typical utterances of repre- liverer, my defender •.•who subdueth
sentative men : ( 1) of the suffering, my people under me.' These many
innocent king; (2) of the representa- titles are summed up in the revelation
tive prophet. of the Name of the Father : nomen
The ground of the application in tuum quod est Pater, ut cognoscant
the first case lies in the fact that the Te Patrem, qui eos paterno affectu ad
language used goes beyond the actual hrereditatem supernre beatitudinis ut
experience of David, or of any right- filios vocas (Herv.).
eous sufferer. b, p,iure £1CKA71ulas] in the midst of
In the second case the prophet the congregation when the people are
occupies a typical position at a critical assembled to exercise their privilege
period of national history. as citizens of the divine common-
Ruler and prophet both identify wealth.
themselves with their people. The 13. The thought of 'brotherhood'
one applies to them the express term is extended in the two following quo- ,
'brethren ': the other takes his place tations and placed in its essential
4-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. (II. 13, 14

' 3 Kai 7raA.t/J

'Erw EiCOMb.l l1€TTOl0WC €TT h-YT(}>"
Kai 7raA.t/J
'L~oy erw Ka.I Ti mtAia. S. MOt eAwKeN o 0edc.
14 , \ '1" \ ' ' ,, \ ' '
€7r€t DUi! Tb. TTa.lAla. K€KOLIJWll1'JK€1/ atµa-roc; Kat <rapKOS, Kat
r+ atµ. Ka,,;. ~ABCD2 M2 (vg) syr hl me: ,;apK. Kai atµ. s (vg) syr vg.
connexion with the thoughts of 'father- a µ.o, ;aQIKEll] which God gave me
hood' and 'sonship.' Brothers are in the crisis of national suffering as
supported by the trust in which they a pledge of hope. The prophet looks
repose on one above them and by the back on the moment when light broke
love which meets the trust. through the darkness.
Kal 71"aAtv 'Eyrli [uoµai ... ] Words 14, 1 5. Tl,,e object of tlie Incarna-
nearly identical (7l"E7l"Ot8rlii; luoµ.a, /.7r' tion (the completed fellowship of the
aii..-¥) occur in the LXX. in Is. viii. 17; Son with the sons). The full con-
xii. 2 ; 2 Sam. xxii. 3. The reference nexion of 'the Son' and 'the sons'
is certainly, as it appears, to Is. viii. was realised in the Incarnation with
17, where the words immediately pre- a twofold object:
cede the following quotation. The ( 1) To overcome the prince of
two sentences of Isaiah are separated death (v. 14), and
because they represent two aspects (2) To establish man's freedom,
of the typical prophet in his relation destroyed by the fear of death (v. 15).
to Christ. In the first the prophet That which has been shewn before
declares his personal faith on God in to be 'fitting' (10-13) is now re-
the midst of judgments. In the vealed in its inner relation to man's
second he stands forth with his redemption. Christ assumed mortality
children as representing 'the remnant,' that He might by dying conquer the
the seed of the Church, in Israel. prince of death and set man free
The representative of God rests in from his tyranny.
his heavenly Father, and he is not Compare .Athanas. de deer. Syn.
alone: his children are already with Nie. § 14; c. Apollin. ii. 8 ; Greg.
him to continue the divine relation. Nyss. c. Eunom. viii. p. 797 Migne.
Kal 7l"CIAW '1a~ lyM ... ] Isaiah with In this paragraph man is regarded
his children were 'signs' to the un- in his nature, while in the next (16-
believing people. In them was seen 18) he is regarded in his life.
the pledge of the fulfilment of God's ' 4 Since therefore the cliildren are
purposes. Thus, the prophet was a sliarers in blood and flesh, He also
sign of Christ. What he indicated Himself in like manner partook of
Christ completely fulfilled ; for under the same, that through death He
this aspect Christ is the 'father' no might (may) bring to nought him
less than the 'brother' of His people. that had (hath) the power qf death,
The words are not referred directly tliat is the deml, ' 5 and might (may)
to Christ by a misunderstanding of deliver all tliem, who through f e,ar of
the LXX. death were all their lifetime suhject
The emphatic I.yo> in both cases is to bondage.
to be noticed. Comp. i. 5; v. 5 ; x. 30; 14- l7r£l olv..• ] Since therefore ...
xii. 26. Christ connects Himself with 'the
Kal 7l"Mt~] Contignous quotations children whom God had given Him.'
from Deut. xxxii. 35 f. are separated He and they had alike one Divine
by Kal 7ra:>..w in c. x. 30. Father. They were men. To corn-
II. 14] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 53
\ '\. ' '
au-ros 7rapa7rt'-rJCTlWS µET€<TX€V 'TWV au-rwv, tva Ota 'TOU
,,... ' -- ,, ~ \ ,...
I I \ \ f ,I ,... .ll I
0ava-rou Ka-rap,yrJ<T1J -rov TO Kpa-ros €xov-ra 7'0U uava-rou,
{/a11ctT'OV (1•)+8a11aT'OII D2*•

1,lete His fellowship with them there- 1rX11crlc.>s the direct comparison be-
fore it was necessary that He should tween the two objects. In oµ.olc.>s the
assume their nature under its present resemblance is qualitative (similiter):
conditions (a[µ.a ,cal crape). Men are in 1rapa1rX11ulc.>s both qualitative and
brethren of Christ on the human no quantitative (pariter). The two words
less than on the divine side. are not unfrequently joined together:
For i1r£i' see c. v. 1 1 note. e.g. Dern. Ol. iii. 27 (p. 36 A~ The
Ta 1rmala] The phrase is taken up Fathers insist on the word as marking
from the quotation just made. Isaiah the reality of the Lord's manhood :
and his children foreshadowed Christ crcf,o/Jpa /Je dvay,ca[c.>s ,cal TO 1rapa1rX11crlc.>s
and His children. TEBHICEII tva '1'1)11 rijs cf,avmcrlas lJLEAEyen
1CE1Cow,l,111J,cEv .••••• µ.rrlcrxEv••... .] are crv,cocf,aVTlav (Theod.) ; oil <paVTacrl'!-
sharers in ... He partook of... Vulg. oil/Je EllCOIIL dXX' a"A.71BEltf (Chrys.). Comp.
communicaverunt (pueri) ...partici- Phil. ii. 7 iv aµ.o,,l,µ.an dvBp,1,'lrc.>11 YEVO-
pavit ...O. L. participes sun.t ...parti- JJ,EVOS. Rom. viii. 3 €11 OJJ,OL,1,JJ,aT'L craplCaS
ceps f actus. The Syr. makes no dif- aµ.apTlas.
ference between the words which µ.rrlcrxEv] Contrast vii. l 3 cf,vXijs
describe the participation in humanity frlpas JJ,ETlcrx71,cEv. The connexion with
on the part of men and of the Son humanity remains : the connexion
of man. Yet they present different with humanity under the condition
ideas. KE,co,11,l,111J,cE marks the common of transitoriness (alp.a) was historical
nature ever shared among men as a,a T'OV BavaT'OV] by death, not by
long as the race lasts : J-1,ETECTXEV ex- His death, though this application is
presses the unique fact of the Incar- necessarily included. Death that is
nation as a voluntary acceptance of truly death (r John iii. 14), which
humanity. .And under the aspect of was the utmost effect of Satan's power,
humiliation and transitoriness (alµ.a became the instrument of his defeat:
ical crape) this was past (JJ,ET'ECTXEII). non quresivit alia arma quibus pug-
For a similar contrast of tenses see naret contra mortis auctorem, nisi
1 Cor. xv. 4; 1 John i. 1 ; Col i. 16; ipsam mortem (Herv.). Christ by the
John xx. 23, 29; and for the difference offering of Himself(c. ix. 15, 28) made
between ico,vc.>vEiv and µ.ETlxnv see a perfect atonement for sin and so
1 Cor. x. 17-21; 2 Cor. vi. 14; Prov. brought to nought the power of the
i. 11, 18. Comp. c. iii. 1. devil. Comp. John xii. 31 ; Col. ii. r 5.
a'lµ.. ,cal er.] The same order occurs It is not said here that he 'brought
in Eph. vi. 12. Stress is laid on that to nought death ' (yet see 2 Tim. i.
element which is the symbol of life as 10). That end in the full sense is
subject to corruption (contrast Luke still to come (1 Cor. xv. 26); and it is
xxiv. 39). The common order (crape reached by the power of the life of
Kal alµ.a) is undisturbed in Matt. xvi. Christ ( r Cor. xv. 54 ff.).
17; 1 Cor. xv. 50; Gal. i. 16. ,caTaP'Y'ICTlJ] The word is found in
1rapa1rX11crlc.>s] Vulg. similiter (which the N. T. elsewhere only in St Paul
is also used for oµ.olo,s c. ix. 2 r ). The (twenty-five times and in each group
word occurs here only in the N. T. (cf. of his epistles) and in Luke xiii. 7.
Phil. ii. 27); and it is not found in Comp. 2 Tim. i. 10; 1 Cor. xv. 26;
the Lxx. 'Oµ.olc.>s seems to express (Ban1. v. 6).
conformity to a common type: 1rapa- Chrysost. iVTavBa T;, Bavµ.ao-T6v lJEl-
54 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 15
- ' ,I \ ~ I f.1. i\ 15 \ ,
'TOUT €<1''Tt 'TOV vta(JO ov, Kat a7ra
i\i\ac;,'J
I~ I ,I
'TOV'TOV!;, O<TOt
cpo~cp 0ava'TOU Ota 7rav-ros TOU ~v Evoxot 17<rav oovi\da~.

ICV~O'£V,,
•
or, °,'
".
~v? ' , ' • 'Q '
EIC.paTTJ<rEV O o,a,-.,0/\0$' only place in the Epistle in which the
lJta TOV'l"Otf TJ1Tfl°'7• familiar image of bondage (lloiiXos,
,.;,,, ,.;, ,cp. 'X· ,., 8.]
Latt. qui aovM...,, aovAEV(i), llovAEla) is used.
luibebat mortis imperium. The phrase In considering the Scriptural view
may mean that had or that hath. In of death it is important to keep the
one sense the power is past: in another idea of a transition to a new form
it continues. Comp. Wisd. ii. 24. of being distinct from that of the
The devil, as the author of sin, has circumstances under which the tran-
the power over death its consequence sition actually takes place. The
(Rom. v. 12), not as though he could passage from one form of life to
inflict it at his pleasure ; but death another, which is involved in the
is his realm : he makes it subservient essential transitoriness of man's con-
to his end. Comp. John viii. 44; 1 stitution, might have been joyful .As
John iii. 12; John xvi. II; xiv. 30 it is death brings to our apprehension
(prince of the world). Death as death the sense of an unnaturnl break in
is no part of the divine order. personal being, and of separation
<Ecum. 7TIDS apxn 8ava,-ov; 3n rijs from God. This pain comes from sin.
aµ.ap,-las apxr,)11 .g ~s o8ava,-os, ,cal TOV The Transfiguration is a revelation of
8a11aTOtl apXEt1 1/'YOtfll ,cpa,-o; £lavaTOV '7 the passage of sinless humanity to the
&.µaprla. spiritual order.
,.;,,, l!ta/30Xo11] The title is found in 16--18. The necessity qf the In-
St Paul only in Eph. and Past. Epp. carnation. The Incarnation is further
The title o ::Ea,-aviis is not found in shewn to be necessary from the con-
this Epistle. sideration of
I 5. The overthrow of the de"il ( 1) The sphere of Christ's work,
involved the deliverance of men from man (1'. 16);
his power. (2) The scope of Christ's work,
a1raXMt11] Latt. liberaret. The word the redemption of fallen man (1'. 17);
is used absolutely (' set free'), and is and (3) The application of Christ's
not to be connected with aovX,las. work to individual men in the con-
,-ov,-ovs &o-ot••• ] all men who had, flict of life (1'. 18).
16
as we see, come to a perception of For He doth not, as we know,
their position as men. The unusual take hold qf angels, but He taketl1,
phrase vividly presents the picture of hold of Abraham's seed. 17 Where-
human misery as realised by the fore he was bound in all things to
readers of the Epistle. be made like unto His brethren that
llia 7ra,,,-;,s ,-oii (fiv] 0. L. semper He might (may) be a merciful and
vivendo. Vulg. per totam vitam. faithful high-priest in the thi'fl.{ls that
The verbal phrase expresses the pertain to God, to make propitiation
activity of life and not only the ab- for the sins of the people. ' 8 For
stract idea of life. wherein He Himself hath sujfered
tvoxoi llovXElas] Vulg. obno:cii ser- being tempted, He is able to succour
vituti. Comp. Mk. xiv. 64- This them that are tempted.
bondage was to the fear of death. 16. The necessity of the Incarna-
To death itself men are still subject, tion follows from a consideration of
but Christ has removed its terrors. the sphere of Christ's work. His
Comp. Rom. viii. 15, 21. This is the purpose is, as is confessedly admitted,
n. 16J THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. SS
1 6 ou' "lap
' ~ ' 'TrOU a"f"fEt'-WII
or, ' '"" €7rL1'-aµ
' "\. (3 averai,
' '"" "\. ' <T7r€p-
a,v'-a '
to assist men and not primarily other the fact and not of the purpose of the
beings, as angels, though in fact Incarnation :
they are helped through men. He -rl J<JTu1 0 <f,1}CT&JI; oVK dyyEAov <J,Vu,u
lays hold of 'a faithful seed' to dveal!aTo d>.X' dvBp@7TOV (Chrys.~
support and guide them to the end £7TE£aq d11Bpru1TELOV ~II t, avl>..a/9• a,a
which He has Himself reached. ,...v TOV 1Ta8ovs T6 TIDV dv8p@7T(A)II Clff'fa(A)/(£
otl -yap a~ ff'OV ••• ] 0. L. Nee enim
xplos, a,a a;_ rijs TOV 7TE7TOll8&ros CT@/-'UTOS
statim ... Vulg. nusquam enim .•• The dvaO"T"&UEC&>S rt}v ,ol,c,dav d1rlaE,fE bVva-
-yap gives the explanation of the end of1-'IV (Theodoret).
the Incamation which has been stated OU/C aneA6>V cpvCTE6>S lapaEaTO ova,
in 'I.). 14 b. The combination a~ 1Tov dvl>.a/9ev d).).' d11Bp"'rriV7Js (<Ecum.).
(not in LXX.) is found here only in the But at the same time they recog-
N. T. It implies that the statement nise a secondary. thought of 'laying
made is a familiar truth: 'For He hold of that which endeavours to
doth not, as we well know•. .' The escape':
versions fail to give the sense ; and a1T6 ,..,Tacpopas TIDV a,6>1COVT6>V TOVS
Primasius explains the nusquam of dtroOTpEcj:,o}l,f.vovs aVraVr ,cal ,r&vra
the Vulgate : id est nullo loco, neque 7T0£01JVT6>V rZCTTE /CUTaAa/9iiv cpEtl")IOIITUS
in caelo neque in terra, angelicam ,cal £1T£Aa/9,CTBai Qll"07T1Ja,.;VT6>V (Chry-
naturam assumpsit. sost.).
lrr,>.a,../9avETat] The verb £11"£Ail!-'•T6 /1TU..U/-'/90.VETa£ aTJAOi OT£ q/-'eis /J.€11
/9aVECTBat in the middle form has the aVrbv Ecf,E{r;op,EV ol &v6p6>1roi, 0 ai
general sense of laying lwld of with Xp,CTTOS ,ai6>/CE /CUL a,,.;./((A)lf lcf,BaCTE ,cal
the gen. of that which is taken hold cpBUCTas £11"£Aa/3eTo (<Ecum.).
of: Matt. xiv. 31; [Luke ix. 47, 'l.).l.]; Quare dixit apprehendit, quod
Acts xxi. 30, &c. Ephr. Syr. l1T1>.a,_.-pertinet ad fugientem 1 Quia nos
/9aveTE (Guardian, May 4, 1894, p. quasi recedentes a se et longe fugientes
700). insecutus apprehendit (Primasius).
In a particular case this may be . This sense however is inconsistent
with the additional notion of 'helping' with the -yap, and the plural dnlAwv,
suggested by the context: J er. xxxviii.and would be a mere repetition of
(xxxi Hebr.) 32 (quoted c. viii. 9). 'I.). 14 a; while the sense 'taketh hold
Hence the verb is used absolutely of to help,' is both more in accordance
in the sense of 'helping': Ecclus. iv. with the usage of the word and falls
I I 'I ua<f:,la vio'Os lavrf, Clv1h/,CA>CTE ,cal.
in perfectly with the argument. This
being so, it is remarkable that this
£71"£Ail!-'/9avem, TruV {:1JTOVVT6>V av~v.
Is. xii. 8, 9 (R. Y. ). Comp. Const. interpretation was not given by any
Apost. vii. 38, 1 lv mis q!-'•pa,s ~1-'wv
one, as far as I know, before Chatillon
in. his Latin Version ; and it then
aVTEAa/9ov q,_.oov a,a TOV 1-'•'Ya>.ov CTOV
dpx,•P•"'s ·1,,CToii xp,CTTov. called out the severe condemnation
The versions generally give the sense
of Beza : " •.•exsecranda ... est Castel-
of 'take hold of' in the sense of lionis audacia qui l1T1>.a,../9aveTa, con-
appropriating : Syr. he took not from vertit opitulatur" (ad loo.). But, in
angels(~ ~ ) ..• i.e. he did not spite of these hard words, this sense
appropriate their nature ; 0. L. ad- soon came to be adopted m1iversally.
sumpsit, or suscepit. Vulg. appre- The present tense brings out the
hendit. conti~u?us, efficacy of the help ('!l. 18,
This sense is given, I believe, uni- 'I.). II o ay,a("'").
formly by the Fathers both Greek and CT7TEP/-'UTOS , A/3paa,..] Christ took
Latin who understand the phrase of hold of a seed of Abraham, that is a
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 17

µa-ros 'A/3paaµ €7rtAaµ/3ave-rat. ' 7 <>6ev tfi<J>etAEII Ka-rd

I
1ra11-ra .., ) ,.. t 0'""" ,I '"'\. I I \
Tote <llb€A<f}o1c oµotw r,vat, LIia €t\.Er,µwv '"fEIIYJTat ,cat

true seed, those who are children of distinctly of the calling of the Gentiles.
faith, and not of 'the seed of .Abraham,' He regards the whole divine work of
the race descended from the patriarch. Christ under the aspect of typical
Comp. Lk. i. 55 ; John viii. 33, 37 ; foreshadowing. Comp. v. I 1 note.
Gal iii 16, 29 ; Rom. ix. 7 ff. ; xi. 17. The necessity of the Incarna-
1 ; 2 Cor. xi 22 ( compare r,,cva 'A. tion is shewn further from a considera-
Matt. iii. 9 II Lk. iii. 8 ; John viii tion of the scope of Christ's work.
39; vlol •A. Gal. iii. 7; .Acts xiii. 26). His purpose to help man involved the
The absence of the article shews that redemption of fallen man ; and He
a character and not a concrete people who helps must have sympathy with
(' the Jews') is described. .At the those whom He helps. Wherefore
same time the phrase marks both the He was bound to be made like to
breadth and the particularity of the His brethren in all things, that He
divine promise which was fulfilled by might be a merciful and faitliful
Christ. Those of whom Christ takes High-priest ... For men are not only
hold have a spiritual character (faith), beset by temptations in the fierce
and they find their spiritual ancestor conflicts of duty : they are also
in one who answered a personal call burdened with sins ; and Christ had
(.Abraham). Sive igitur de Judreis, to deal with both evils.
sive de gentibus fideles, semen AbrahaJ Thus we are introduced to the idea
sunt quod Christus apprehendit which underlies the institution of
(Herv.). Priesthood, the provision for a fellow-
Nothing is said of the effect of the ship between God and man, for
Incarnation on angels, or other beings bringing God to man and man to God.
than man. Man's fall necessarily See .Additional Note.
affected all creation, and so also did o8Ev] Whence, wh.er~fore .. .since
man's restoration. But here the writer it was His pleasure to help fallen
js simply explaining the fitness of the man. The word 08£11 is not found in
Incarnation. St Paul's Epistles. It is comparatively
Many however have endeavoured frequent 'in this Epistle, iii. I; vii. 25;
to determine why fallen man should viii 3; ix. 18. It occurs also (nine
have been redeemed and not fallen times in all) in St Matt., St Luke,
angels. Primasius, for example, sug- .Acts, I John. It marks a result which
gests the following reasons : flows naturally (so to speak) from
I. Man was tempted by the devil: what has gone before.
the devil had no tempter. cZqin>.EvJhe was bound ...Latt. debuit
2. Man yielded to an appetite for ••• The requirement lay in the personal
eating which naturally required satis- character of the relation itself. Comp.
faction. The devil as spirit was in- c. v. 3, 12; 1 John ii 6 note.
excusable. dE'i (;fin) describes a necessity in
3. Man had not yet reached the the general order of things (oportet):
presence of God, but was waiting to ii. I; ix. 26; xi. 6.
be transferred thither. The devil was icaril ,ravra] Vulg. per omnia
already in heaven. similari. The 'likeness' which has
It is evident that we have no been shewn in nature before (14) is
powers to discuss such a subject. now shewn to extend to the circum-
In this connexion too it may be stances of life : lrixe,,, q>TJCTLv, lrpaq>11,
.noticed that the writer says nothing 11-J~~e,,, E7Ta8E mtvra /',.,rEp lxpr,v, n?..os
II. 17] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 57
'
'ffL(J"TO<; , '
apxt€p€V<; TaI '
7rpO<; '
'TOIi e I
€011, ,
€L<; 'TO' Ll\.a(rtC€<T
'"' I at e
afl'lOav•v (Chrysost.). Id est educatus or from without. A person is said to
.crevit, esuriit, passus est ac mortuus be 'faithful' in the discharge of his
(l'rimas.). · . duties where the trait is looked at
oµouAJOijvm] Comp. c. lV. 15 'TrE- from within outwards ; and at the
7Tftpauµ,E110~ Kartl. 1r&vra Ka8' Oµ.ouk-r1ra same time he is 'trustworthy' in vir-
(vii. 15 /Cara"'" DfLOIOTTJTa M£AXICT£ai1<). tue of that faithfulness in the judg-
Phil ii. 7 '" oµo,roµari tl118pro'Tr<Alll yn,o- ment of those who are able to rely
f'EIIM, Rom. viii. 3; (Matt. vi. 8; Acts upon him. The one sense passes into
xiv. 11 ). The use of ro,s tlaEA<po•s the other. See c. iii. 2, 5 ; x. 2 3; xi. 11.
calls up the argument of the former mcrros] •1a1ov roii OIITO>S 1<al tiX718oos
verses ( v. II). tlpx1,pi0>s TOVS Jv lcrrlv dpxi,p,vs Ofl'aA-
Z11a ... Els ro ... ] "I11a expresses the Aa~a• TOOV aµapr,rov (<Ecumen., Chry-
immediate definite end: Els TO (which sost.). Ministerium sacerdotis ...est
is characteristic of St Paul) the object fidelem esse ut possit eos quorum
reached after or reached. Els To ... sacerdos est liberare a peccatis
occurs vii. 2 5 ; viii. 3 ; ix. 14 ; xi. 3 ; (Primas.). Man gains confidence by
xii. 10; xiii 21. the sight of Christ's love.
iva ... yi1117Tm] that He might (may) tlpx,,p,vs] The writer introduces
become, shew Himself. .. Latt. ut .fieret quite abruptly this title which is the
... The discharge of this function is key-word of his teaching, and which
made dependent on the fulfilment of is applied to the Lord in this Epistle
the conditions of human life. Comp. only among the writings of the N. T.
v. 1 ff. The verb y,yv£cr8a, suggests So also the title 1,p,vs is used of
the notion of a result reached through Christ only in this Epistle : x. 21
the action of that which we regard as (IEpla p.iyav). Comp. v. 6, &c. (Ps.
a law. Comp. i. 4; ii. 2 ; iii. 14 ; v. ex. 4). Yet see also Apoc. i. 13.
9; vi. 4, 12; vii 18, 26 &c. The title is adopted by Clement : ad
l>,£~f'""'·--1<al n,crros] It seems to Cor. i. c. 36 ,i5poµ,v .. .'l71croiiv Xp,crrov
be far more natural to take both 'rov dpx1Epia TWJI ,rpoucpoprov ~µrov, c. 58
these words as qualifying tlpxi,pEvs a,a TOV «PXLEpEO>S 1<al ,rpocrrarov ~µrov
than to take E?... separately: 'that He '!710-oii Xp,crrov. (See Lightfoot ad
might become merciful, and a faith- loc.) Comp. Ign. ad Philad. 9.
ful high-priest.' Our High-priest is The rendering of the sing. in the
'merciful' in considering the needs of Vulg. is uniformly pontife.c (iii. 1;
each sinful man, and 'faithful' (' one iv. 14 f. ; v. 5, 10; vi. 20; viii. 1 ; ix.
in whom the believer can trust') in n); the plur. in vii. 27, 28 is render-
applying the means which He ad- ed sacerdotes (as 0. L.). In the Old
ministers. It has been supposed that Latin pontifw does not appear except
the one epithet expresses mainly the in Vigil. Taps. (iv. 15) though there
relation towards men and the other is considerable variety of rendering :
the relation towards God (c. iii. 2, 5); sacerdos, summus sacerdos, princeps
but here the relation towards men is sacerdos, princeps sacerdotmn, prin-
alone in question, so that the faithful- ceps (iii. 1). On coins and in :in-
ness of Christ expresses that wherein scriptions pontifw generally corre-
men can trust with absolute con- sponds with «PX"PEvs, while pontife.c
fidence. The two characteristics are ma.cimus is represented by tlpx1Ep£Vs
developed at length iii. 2 ff. ; iv. 14 ff. µryas or p,iy,uros. Comp. Boeckh
The word mcrr,fr admits two senses Inscrr. Gr. 3834, 3878, 3949, 4283
according as the character to which &c.j 2741 (apx1EpEt1S) note; 5899 (apx,
it is applied is regarded from within 'AAE~avap,,as 1<al 1rau71s Alyvfl'Tov).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 18
18 '
\
Tas " I
aµap·rta<; -rou,.... ''-aou·
'\, .,,..
EV o/'t ,yap
\ I
7rerrov () ' \
ev avTo<;
7r€tpa<r0el.s, ouvaTat TOL<; 7r€tpa{oµEVOL<; /30110ii<rat.
17 Tas l,,µap-r.: Tats l,,µaprlais A (so Ps. lxxvii. 38; lxxviii. 9; xxiv. u). 18 1rbr.
ailT,: aOTos 1rbr. D,. om. 1r£1pa.,r/Jels !IC*.

Ta rrp6S T6V 8£oV] in the things (in misertus est [generis humani] sicut
all things) that pertain to God. Latt. fidelis pontifex, reconcilians nos Deo
ad Deum. The phrase expresses more Patri, et reconciliando purgans.
than rrp6s TCJV 8£oV and points to 'all The present infin. 1Aau,c£u8a, must
man's relations towards God,' all the be noticed. The one (eternal) act of
elements of the divine life (in his qUOJ Christ (c. x. 12-14) is here regarded
sunt ad Deum in some old Lat. texts). in its continuous present application
Comp. c. v. 1; Ex. iv. 16; xviii. 19; to men (comp. c. v. 1, 2).
Rom. xv. 17. (Lk. xiv. 32; xix. 42; Tar aµ. roii >..aoii] tlie sins of the
Acts xxviii. JO.) Jos. Antt. ix. II. people, of all who under the new dis-
2 rouE{:JT)S •.. Ta rrpor T6V 8£ov. The pensation occupy the position of
phrase is not uncommon in claasical Israel The 'seed of Abraham' now
writers : e.g. Arist. Pol. iii. 14 Ta receives its fuller title. Comp. Matt.
rrp6r TOVS 8£oVs drroa,aorai ro,r fJau,- i. 21 ; Luke ii. JO ; and c. iv. 9 ; xiii.
AEVUIV [•v Ty Aa,c,,w11cy 11"0A1r£l~]; Plut. 12; (viii. JO; x. 30; xi. 25). For the
Consol. ad Apoll. init. original use of the word for the old
Elr TO /Xau,c. rar aµ.] 0. L. ut ea:- 'people' see v. 3; vii. 5, u, 27; ix.
piaret peccata, and ad deprecandum 7, 19.
(propitiandum)pro delictis. Vulg. ut The use of the phrase suggests the
repropitiaret delicta. For the con- thought of the privileges of the Jew,
struction of 1Aau,c£u8ai (•~i>..au,c£u8a,) and at the same time indicates that
in biblical and classical Greek see that which was before limited has
Additional Note on 1 John ii 2. now become universal, the privilege
The use of the accus. of the things of faith and not of descent.
cleansed occurs Lev. xvi. 16, 20, 33; 18. Christ's High-priestly work,
Ezek. xliii. 20, 22, 26; xiv. 18, 20 (r;, which has been considered in the last
a-y,ov, TO OvumUT~p,ov, T611 ol,cov), and clause of v. 17 in relation to God, is
Dan. ix. 24 (da,,c{as); Ps. lxiv. (lxv.) 4 now considered in relation to man.
(auE{:JElas): Ecclus. iii. 30 (ap,aprlas). In this respect the efficacy of His
The essential conception is that of High-priesthood, of His mercy and
altering that in the character of an ob- faithfulness, is shewn in the power of
ject which necessarily excludes the its application to suffering men. Pro-
action of the grace of God, so that God, pitiation must not only be made for
being what He is, cannot (as we speak) them but also applied to them. He
look on it with favour. The 'pro- who propitiates must enter into the
pitiation' acts on that which alienates experience of the sinner to support
God and not on God whose love is un- him in temptation, for his sympathy
changed throughout. acts in the crisis of danger, and not
So Chrysostom expresses the only after the fall And this Christ
thought here: iva 1rpou£vl-y,cy Ovulav can do ; for wherein He Himself
avvaµb,qv ~µar ,ca8aplua,, a,a roiiro hath suffered...He is able to succour•.•
-yi-yavEv ?w8poo1ros ; and <Ecumenius : He removes the barrier of sin which
a,a roiiro -yl-yovn, (av8poo1ros) Elr TO checks the outflow of God's love to
•~iAEmuau8ai ~µar ,cal ,ca8apluai -rwv the sinner, and at once brings help
aµapnwv 1µwv. And Primasius : to the tempted (contrast lXau,c£u8ai,
II- 18) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 59
~ 011 0;,uai) by restoring in them the the historic fact. Comp. v. 9 1>-aTTc.>-
full sense of filial dependence. Thus p.ivov, E<TTEcpavoop.ivov, and iv. I 5 ; xii.
temptation itself becomes a spring of 3 notes. For 1rauxEiv see c. xiii. 12.
patience and hope (James i. 2) spring- The suffering which was coincident
in" out of the fresh knowledge of with the temptation remained as the
Christ's watchful love. The whole ground of compassion. For the
work of our High-priest depends for general thought compare Ex. xxiii.
its efficacy (yap) on the perfect sym- 9; Deut. x. 19.
pathy of Christ with h~anity and 1rnpau8Eis- •••••• 1rnpa(:op.ivois] The
His perfect human expenence. temptation of Christ is regarded in
lv cJ yap] 0. L. in quo enim ipse its past completeness (cf. f&ET<<TXEv
expertus pass~ est. The lv rp may v. 14). The temptation of men is
be resolved either into lv TOVT'f' /b not future only but present and con-
whereas (Rom. viii. 3 ?), or into lv tinuous.
TovTc.> ;; wherein (Rom. xiv. 22 ; comp. ,80778qua,] Vulg. auxiliari: Mark ix.
c. v. 8 ; Gal. i. 8 ; 2 Cor. v. 10; I Pet. 22, 24- c. iv. 16. The aor. expresses
ii. 12). The latter construction is the the single, momentary, act of coming
simpler and more natural (Vulg. in eo to help. Compare the use of the
enim in quo passus est ipse et ten- pres. inf. v. 7; vii. 2 5 ; and contrast
tatus). iv. 1 5 ,,.~ lJvvap.EVOV uvp.1ra8qua, with
Taking this construction therefore v. 2 f&ETpto1ra8liv lJvvap.Evos.
we have two main interpretations : lJvvaTai ••• ,80770,,ua,] The phrase
I. 'For Himself having been tempted expresses more than the simple fact
in that which He hath suffered .• .' (,80778£1). Only one who has learnt by
(So Vigilius : in eo enim quo passus suffering can rightly feel with another
est ille tentatus est.) in his sufferings. The perfect hu-
2. 'For in that in which He hath manity of Christ is the ground of His
suffered being tempted .• .' sympathy. Comp. c. iv. I 5 ; John v.
According to the first view the 27 (vll,s dv8pCMTov ).
thought is that the sympathy of Chrysostom rightly dwells on this
Christ is grounded on the fact that point : rrFpl Toii uap1<008iVTos, EVTaiiOa
He felt temptation when exposed to cpqulv, ... ov yap cJs 8E6S olaEv p.ovov,
suffering. MAa 1<al cJs 1iv8poorros E'yvoo lJia TTJS
According to the second view the 1TELpas ~s E1TEtpcf.lhJ • E'rra8£ rroAAa, olaE
thought is that the range of Christ's uvp.rrauxEiv • and again : J 1ra8J,v ollJE TL
sympathy is as wide as His experi- 1Tt'.l<TXEt ,j dv8poo1TLV1] cpvu,s.
ence. So also Theodoret : Taiim 1<aTa Tb
The second view seems to fall in dv8poo1rnov Eip77Tat. 00Tf yap dpxtfpEvs
best with the context. The region ,jp.oov cJs BEoS d>.>.' cJs 1iv8p6>1ror, OOTE cJs
of Christ's suffering through tempta- BEos 1T£1TOV8Ev d>.>.' ros 1iv8poo1ros, oilTf
tion includes the whole area of human cJs 8£0S lJ,a TTJS 7rELpas p.Ep.a8771<Ev, dn'
life, and His sympathy is no less ab- <
oos, 8EOS
\ l(~t\ u77p.tovpyos
~ \ ytV6'CTl<Et
I
Ta\
solute. The avTos is not to be taken rraVTa uacpoos.
exclusively either with 1rbrov8Ev or The power of sympathy lies not in
with 1rnpau8Els. Though Son Christ the mere capacity for feeling, but in
Himself knew both suffering and the lessons of experience. And again,
temptation. sympathy with the sinner in his trial
Primasius (Atto) interprets very does not depend on the experience of
strangely : in eo, id est homine. sin but on the experience of the
· ev 4 1ri1rov8Ev] wherein He hath strength of the temptation to sin
su.ffered. The tense fixes attention which only the sinless can know in
upon the permanent effect and not on its full intensity. He who falls
6o THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [II. 18

yields before the last strain. Comp. ing to the whole of man's nature and
c. v. 8 ; vii. 26 notes. Sin indeed maintained through death. While the
dnlls sympathy by obscuring the idea writer insists with the greatest force
of evil upon the transcendental action of
Under this aspect we can under- Christ, he rests the foundation of this
stand how Christ's experience of the union upon Christ's earthly experience.
power of sin in others (as in the in- Christ 'shared in blood and flesh'
struments of the Passion) intensified, ( v. 14), and 'was in all things made
if we may so speak, His sympathy. like to His brethren' (z,. 17). He took
In looking back over the whole to Himself all that belongs to the per-
section it is important to notice the fection of man's being. He lived ac-
stress which the writer lays upon the cording to the conditions of man's life
historic work of Christ. Christ is not and died under the circumstances of
simply a Teacher but a Redeemer, a man's mortality. So His work ex-
Saviour. The Redemption of man tends to the totality of human powers
and the fulfilment of his destiny is and existence, and brings all into
not wrought by a moral or spiritual fellowship with the divine. Compare
union with God laid open by Christ, Clem. R. ad Cor. i. 49 ; Iren. v. 1. I;
or established in Christ, but by a ii. 22. 4; iii. 16. 6. The passages of
union of humanity with God extend- Irenreus will repay careful study.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 61

Additional Note on ji, 8. Man's destiny and position.

The view which is given in the quotation from Ps. ,iii. of the splendour The view
of man's destiny according to the divine idea is necessary for the argument o! m~n•s
of the Epistle. It suggests the thought of 'the Gospel of Creation,' and digmty a
indicates an essential relation between the Son of God and men. A.t the ii~e:%~-
same time it prepares the way for the full acceptance of the great mystery the Inca.r-
of a redemption through suffering. The promise of dominion given in the nation.
first chapter of Genesis is renewed and raised to a higher form. Even as
man was destined to rule 'the present world,' so is it the pleasure of God
that he should rule ' the world to come.' His dominion may be delayed,
misinterpreted, obscured, but the divine counsel goes forward to accom-
plishment through the sorrows which seem to mar it.
For man, as we have seen (A.ddit. Note on i. 3), has missed his true end. Contradie-
He is involved in sin and in an inheritance of the fruit of sins. .Boru for tion~ in
God he has no right of access to God (c. ix. 8). For him, till the Incarna- mas~t~
·
t10n, God was represented by the darkness of a veile . d sanctuary. Th e po 1 10n.
highest acts of worship served only to remind him of his position and not
to ameliorate it (x. 4, II). He was held by fear (ii. I 5). Yet the primal
promise was not recalled. He stood therefore in the face of a destiny
unattained and unrevoked : a destiny which experience had shewu that he
could not himself reach, and which yet he could not abandon as beyond
hope.
For man, as he is, still retains the lineaments of the divine image in His moral
which he was made. He is still able to pronounce an authoritative moral p_reroga-
judgment : he is still able to· recognise that which corresponds with the tives.
Nature of God (ii. 10 l1rpnm, ailr~), and with the needs of humanity
(vii. 26 l1rp£1rw 1µ,iv). A.nd in the face of every sorrow and every dis-
appointment he sees a continuity in the divine action, and guards a sure
confidence in the divine righteousness (vi. 10).
It follows therefore that there is still in humanity a capacity for The moral
receiving that for which it was first created. The Sou could become true 'fitness' of
man without change in His Divine Person, and without any violation of the th0t_Incar•
completeness of the Nature which · H e assumed. The prospect 1s . opened of na ion.
'consummation through suffering.'

Additional Note on the reading of ji_ 9.

The reading 'of the text xapiri 8£ov (by the grace of God) is given
with two exceptions by all Greek MSS., including NA.BCD2, by all Latin MSS.,
by Syr hl and me. For these words M2 and 67** (which has remarkable
coincidences with M2 , e.g. i. 3; iii 6) give xwpl~ 8,ov (apart from God) with
later MSS. of Syr vg.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
The MSS. of the Syriac Vulgate (Peshito) present a remarkable variety
of readings. The text of Widmanstadt, followed by Schaaf, gives: for God
Himself (literally for He God) in His goodness tasted death_ for e'DeriJ
man. (So B. M. Rich 716o A.D. 1203; Rich 7162 srec. xiv.) The im-
portant MS. of Buchanan in the University Library, Cambridge, reads:
for Re in His goodness, God, tasted death for e'Dery man; and this was
evidently the original reading of B. M. Rich 7157 (finished A.D. 768).
The :HSS. in the Brit. Mus. Rich 7158 (srec. xi) and Rich 7159 (srec. xii)
both give: for Re, apartfrom God,for e'Dery man tasted death; and this
is the reading of the very late corrector of Rich 7157.
Tremellius gives from a Heidelberg MS. : for He, apart from God, in
His goodness tasted deathfor e'Dery man, which combines both readings.
It appears therefore that, as far as known, no text of Syr vg exactly
corresponds with either Greek reading. The connecting particle pre-
supposes yap for lJ7roos, which has no other authority; and on the whole it
is likely that the rendering of xoopis was introduced after that of xapm,
and that the earliest reading, which represents xo.pm 8E6s, is due to a
primitive corruption of the Greek or Syrian text which was corrected
in two directions 1•
Both readings were known to Origen ; and the treatment of the variants
by the writers who were acquainted with them offers remarkable illustra-
tions of the indifference of the early Fathers to important points of textual
criticism, and of their unhistorical method of dealing with them.
Origen refers to the two readings several times, but he makes no
attempt to decide between them. The MS. which he used when he was
writing the first part of his commentary on St John appears to have read
xoopls 8rn11. He notices xap,n 8Eo11 as read in some copies : xoopls yap 8£011
V'll'<p 7ra11T6s lyEvuaTo 8avo.Tov, lJ'll'Ep (H. and R. by conj. ~ o'll'Ep wrongly);,,
,.,u, /CELTa, Tijs 7rpos 'E{3paiovs avn-ypo.cpo,s 'xap,n 8Eov' (In Joh. Tom. i.
§ 40) ; and in a passage written at a later time he uses the phrase xoopls
8Eov in a connexion which seems to indicate that he took it from the text
of this passage : p./,vov 'I17uov ,.;, '/raJITOOV Tijs ap.apTias cpopTiov ,,, Tlji V'll'Ep
1'0011 ilXoov xoopls 8E011 UTavpre avaAa{3ELJI Els £QV1'0V ,cal /3aUTCUTai 1']1 /lEyaXn
ml,.011 luxvi <3E<3vV17µ,lvov (In Joh. Tom. xxviii. § 41 ; he has said just before:
uvyxp4uEm, Tlji '5-rroos xapm' ~ 'xoopls 8£011 ' ••• ,cal imU1'4UEL 1''jl 'V'll'<p -rraVTos'
,cal ,.'i' 'xoopls 8Eo11 v-rr•p -rraVT6s'). Both readings seemed to him to give good
sense, and he was unwilling to sacrifice either 2•
Eusebius, Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria read xapm 8£011, and do
not notice the variation xoopls 8£011.
Ambrose twice quotes sine Deo without any notice of another reading:
de Fide ii. § 63 ; id. v. § 1o6 ; and explains the phrase in the latter place:
id est, quod creatura omnis, sine passione aliqua divinitatis, dominici san-
guinis redimenda sit pretio (Rom. viii. 21).
The same reading is given by Fulgentius ad Tras. iii 20 with the
1 The Syriac translation of Cyril of in Rufinus' translation of the Com-
Alexandria (in Joh. iii. pp. 432,513 ed. mentary on Romans (iii. § 8; v. § 7),
Pusey) gives by the grace of God. but it is most likely that this was
2 It is not possible to lay stress on taken from Origen's text.
the sine Dea, which is found twice
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

comment: sine JJeo igitur homo ille gustavit mortem quantum ad condi-
tionem attinet can1is, non autem sine JJeo quantum ad susceptionem
pertinet deitatis, quia impassibilis atque immortalis ilia divinitas.•. ; and
by Vigilius Taps. c. Eut. ii.§ 5 (p. 17).
Jerome mentions both readings (In Ep. ad Gal. c. iii. 10) Christus
gratia JJei, sive, ut in quibusdam exemplaribus legitur, absque JJeo pro
omnibus rrwrtuus est. Perhaps the use of absque for sine indicates that
his reference is to Greek and not to Latin copies, and it may have been
derived from Origeu.
Theodore of Mopsuestia (ad loc.) condemns severely xapm 0£ov as
foreign to the argument : y£AOLOTQTOII li,j T, 1rauxovuw lVTavOa TO 'xoopls
Owi:i > i11aAAaTTOVT£S ,cal 7TOLOVIIT£S' xap,n Ornv' oil ,rpouixoJIT£S Ti, a1<0AovOl~
Tfjs ypacpfjs : while he maintains that it was necessary to insist on the
impassibility of the Godhead (xoopls 0£ov). ,
Chrysostom explains xapm Ornv without any notice of the variety of
reading: 81roos, cp71ul, xapm 0£ov, 1<a1<£i110s I'-'" yap li,a ~" xap,11 TOIi 0£01} ~"
£ls ,jµ.iis mvm 1ri,ro110£11 (Rolll. viii. 32 ).
Theodoret, on the other hand, explains xoopls 0£ov and takes no notice
a.
of any variation : µ.0"71, cp71u{11, ,j Oda cpvu,s all£11li£,js, TllAAa 1Ta11Ta TOV Tfjs
l11a110poo1r,j(T£61S lliliTo cpapµ.a1<ov.
Theophylact (ad loc.) ascribes the reading xoopls 0£ov to the Nestorians:
(o! a. NEuropia11ol 1rapa1rOLOVJIT£S ~" ypacp,jv cpau, 'xoopls B£ov v1r,p 1ravros
yn!1<T71m,,' Zva uvur,juoouw 8r, luravpooµ.iv<p T'f> Xpt<TT<e oil uvvfjv ,j 0£0T71s, au
µ,~ 1<afJ' v1rourau,v avT<j> ,jvc.,µ1.,.,, aAAa 1<ara (T}(_f<Ttv), but quotes au orthodox
writer as answering their arguments for it by giving the interpretation 'for
all beings except God, even for the angels themselves.'
<Ec~eni~ (ad loc;) writes to the same effect (lurlo11 8n ol N£uropiavol
1rapa-rrowvu, r.,,v ypacp71v•.• ).
From a review of the evidence it may be fairly concluded that the
original reading was xap,n, but that xoopls found a place in some Greek
copies early in the third century, if not before, which had however only a
limited circulation, and mainly in Syria. The influence of Theodore and the
Nestorian controversy gave a greater importance to the variant, and the
common Syriac text was modified in two directions, in accordance with
Eutychian and Nestorian views. The appearance of xoopls in a group of
Latin quotations is a noteworthy phenomenon.
The variant may be due to simple error of transcription, but it seems to
be more reasonably explained by the supposition that xoopls 0£ov was
added as a gloss to v1rip -rraVTOS or oilliiv acp~1<£V aVT'f> O.VV1TOTQl(TOII from
l Cor. xv. 27 ll<Tos TOV v1roraeaVTOS ailr't> Ta 1ravra, and then substituted for
xapm 0£ov. Xoopls Xp,urov is found Eph. ii 12. It is scarcely possible
that xapm 0Eov can have been substituted for xoopls 0fflv, though it is
really required to lead on to the fuller development of the thought
in v. 10.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Additional Note on ii. 10. The idea of Te).elro<ric;.

Use of The idea of -r,A,lCll<Tts-consummation, bringing to perfection-is

-re"-eioDvcharacteristic of the Epistle. The whole family of words connected with
&c. .,-[>.,,or is found in it: -rD...,,os (v. 14; ix. II), -r,Ano.,.,,s vi. 1 (elsewhere only
Col. iii. 14), -r,Anoiiv both of Christ (ii. JO; v. 9; vii. 28) and of men (x. 14;
xi. 40; xii. 23; elsewhere in the N. T. of the Lord only in Luke xiii. 32
(-rfi -rpl171 TEAEtovµai) in His own declaration of the course of His work),
-r,AnClln/s (xii. 2 unique), -r,A,l"'.,.,s- (vii. II, elsewhere only Lk. i. 45).
1. In the 1. The words were already in use in the LXX. The adj. -riAnos is there
LXX, applied to that which is perfect and complete, possessing all that belongs
to the 'idea' of the object, as victims (Ex. xii. 5), men (Gen. vi. 2); the
heart (1 K. viii. 61 &c.). Compare Jer. xiii. 19 a1rotKlav uAElav (a complete
removal); Ps. cxxxix. (cxxxviii.) 22 -rD,nov µi<Tos-. Hence the word is used
of mature Israelites, teachers: 1 Chron. xxv. 8 -r,>..El"'v (l':;1~) Kal µav•
Bavov-rCllV (1'. 7 r:;i~ri:.t,f mis <TVVLc.>V). ·
The noun nAn"T7/r has corresponding senses. Jud. ix. 16, 19; Prov.
xi 3 (A); Wisd. vi. 15; xii. 17.
The verb nAnovv is employed to render several Hebrew words : Ezek.
xxvii. II (-ro KUAAOS ,~f); 2 Chron. viii 16 (-rov ol1<ov Cl?~); l K. vii. 22
(-ro tpyov Clt,1;1); Neh. vi. 16 (il~f). Comp. Ecclus. L 19 (n}v Xn-rovpylav).
And in the later books the word is used for men who have reached their
full development: Wisd. iv. 13 TEAELCllBEls Iv &>..ly<j> /,rX~pCll<TE xpovovs µaKpovs.
Ecclus. xxxiv. (xxxi.) JO -rls 1a0Ktµa<TB71 Kai ETEAnc.>871;
One peculiar use requires special attention. It is employed several
times in the rendering of "'I! N~~, -r,Xnovv -ras xlipas, 'filling the hands,'
which describes the installation of the priests in the actual exercise of their
office (the making their hands perfect by the material of their work), and
not simply their consecration to it: Ex. xxix. 9 (10) n>..uoo<Tm 'Aaprl,v ras
xlipas ml-rov; id. 1'. 29 1"EAELM<Ta& ('A. 7TA7lp@<Tat, l:. TEAELCll8ijva,), 33; 35.
Lev. viii. 33 TEAEL6l<TECllS; xvi. 32 iv &v 1"EAEL6l<TCll<TL -ras xlipas- avrov l,pa1"nJELP
(.Th>..os.. o~ l1rX71polB,, o ro,ros- l,par,vuv); Num. iii 3: and it is found ab-
solutely in this connexion in Lev. xxi. 10 (some add -ras xlipas avroii).
The Hebrew phrase is elsewhere rendered by lµ1rXij<Tai (1rX71povv) +as x,'ipas
('1"1/v x,'ipa): Ex. xxviii. 37 (41); Jud. xvii. 5 (l:. lnX,l"'<Tav r. x.). The
installation (rt>..d"'.,.,s) of the priest was a type of that which Christ at-
tained to absolutely. The priest required to be furnished in symbol with
all that was required for the fulfilment of his office. Christ perfectly
gained all in Himselt
The usage of the verbal nX,["'.,.,s corresponds with that of the verb :
Judith x. 9; Ecclus. xxxi. (xxxiv.) 8. It is applied to 'Thummim' (Neh.
vii. 65 some copies; comp. AqlL and Theodot. on Lev. viii. 8 and Field
ad loc.); espousals (Jer. ii. 2); the inauguration of the temple (2 Mace. ii. 9;
comp. Athanas. Ep. ad Const.§ 14); and specially to 'the ram of installa-
tion' (C'~~r;JiJ ,,~ Kp,os nXuc.><TEClls): Ex. xxix. 22, 26, 27, 31, 34; Lev. vii
37 (27); viii. 21, 27, 28, 31, 33.
Comp. Philo, Vit. Mos. iii § 17 (ii. 157 M.), f>v (Kptov) ITVJACllS TEAEW<TECllS
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

EK/i),.ECTEII E1fEtli~ Tar cipp.oTTOVCTOS 0Epa1rEVTa'is ,cat AELTOVfYYOIS 0Eoii TEAETa~

,p.EAAOII IEpocj,aVTEWOat.
The noun TEAELcoTl/r is not found in the LXX.
2. In the Books of the N. T. (if we omit for the present the Epistle to 2. In the
the Hebrews) the adj. T<AEtos is used to describe that which has reached the N. T.
highest perfection in the sphere which is contemplated, as contrasted with
that which is partial (1 Cor. xiii. ro), or imperfect (James i. 4), or provisional
(James i. 25), or incomplete (Rom. xii. 2; James i. 17; r John iv. 18), and
specially of Christians who have reached full growth in contrast with those
who are immature or undeveloped (Eph. iv. 13; CoL i. 28; iv. 12), either
generally (Matt. v. 48; xix. 21; 1 Cor. ii. 6; Phil. iii. 15; James iii. 2),
or in some particular aspect (1 Cor. xiv. 20).
The noun TEAEtOT1'Js is found in CoL iii. 14, where love is said to be
,rvvliE<rp.or Tijs TEAEL0T11ror, a bond by which the many elements contributing
to Christian perfectness are held together in harmonious unity.
The verb rEAnoii11 is not unfrequent in the Gospel and first Epistle of
St John. It is used in the discourses of the Lord of the work (works)
which had been given to Him to do (iv. 34; v. 36; xvii. 4), and of the
consummation of believers in one fellowship (xvii. 23 TETEAEtr.oµ,110, Elr l11).
The Evangelist himself uses it of the last 'accomplishment' of Scripture
(xix. 28); and in his Epistle of love in (with) the believer (ii. 5 ; iv. 12;
17 µ,O' ~p.ru11), and of the believer in love (iv. 18). Elsewhere it is used of
an appointed space of time (Luke ii. 43), of the course of life (Acts xx. 24),
of faith crowned by works (James ii. 22), of the consummation of the
Christian (Phil. iii. 12). Once it is used by the Lord of Himself: Luke xiii.
32 Behold I cast out devils and perform (a1ron">i.w) cures to-day and to-
morrow, and the third day I am perfected (nAELovµa,).
The verbal T<A<lr.o<r,s is once used (Luke i. 45) of the accomplishment of
the message brought to the Mother of the Lord.
3. In ecclesiastical writers the baptized believer, admitted to the full 3. In ec-
privileges of the Christian life, was spoken of as TEAttor (comp. Clem. .AL cle~iastical
Strom. vi. § 6o). Hence rEAEtov11 (andperjicere)was used of the administra,.. writers.
tion of Baptism (Athan. c. Ar. i. 34 ovTr.o ydp T<AEtovp.£110, ,cal ~µ,'is ... ) and
TEAElr.o<rts of the Baptism itself (Athan. c. Ar. ii. 42 ,l yap Efr To &11op.a
1rarpos ,cal vlov lillioTat ~ TEAElr.o<rts, c. 41 Ell rfi TEAEtoJ<TEL TOV {Ja1rrl<rp.aTos.
Comp. Cresar. Dial. i. 12 Ell Tfi <rcj,payili, Tijs p.v<rnKijs nAnor11Tor). So too
the person who administered the Sacrament was called TEAELr.oT,fr (Greg.
Naz. Orat. xl. In bapt. § 44 QIIO<TTW/J-EII E1rL TO {3a1rrt<rp.a • <rcj,v{;EL TO 1r11,iiµa,
1rpo0vp.or O TEAEL<.01"1/S" TO lirupov lrotp.ov, comp. § 18). This usage is very
well illustrated by a passage in writing falsely attributed to Athanasius:
,l /1-'I ElCTL TEAEtot XPLCTTta11ol ol KOT1'JXOVp.EVOL 1rpl11 ~ {3a1rTtCTOooCTt, {3a1rTtCT0EIITES
lii TEAELOVIITat, TO {3a1rrt<rp.a /lpa ,.,.,,{;011 E<TTL rijr 1rpo<rKVIITJCTE<.O$' t, T7JV TEAELOT1'}Til
1rapixn (Ps.-Ath. Dial. i. c. Maced. 6). Comp. Clem. AI. Pmd. i. 6.
In a more general sense T<AEwiiCTOa, and TEAElr.oCTts were used of tire
death of the Christian, and specially of the death by martyrdom, in which
the effort of life was completed (Euseb. H. E. iii. 35 ; vii. I 5 a1rax0Els T7JII
l1rl OavaT'f' TEAELovTai, and Heinichen's note).
The word T<Anor came naturally to be used of themselves by those who
claimed to possess the highest knowledge of the truth, as initiated into its
W. H. 3 5
 66 THE EPIS'fLE TO THE HEBREWS.

mysteries (lren. i. 6 TEAElov. iavTov, avayopEVOVO"', comp. c. 3 ol TEAELOTQTOL.

Valent. ap. Epiph. Hwr. xxxi., § 5); and at the same time the associations
of nA£iu8ai ('to be initiated') were transferred to T<AELo, and T£Auovu8a,
(comp. Dion. Ar. de cwl. hier. vi. § 3; Method. de Sim. et Anna 5 [J 8£6,]
oTaiv T•Aovµ,•v"'v nAn6>T4, ; and 2 Cor. xii. 9 v. l.).
Throughout these various applications of the word one general thought
is preserved. He who is TEAELo, has reached the end which is in each
case set before him, maturity of growth, complete development of powers,
full enjoyment of privileges, perfect possession of knowledge.
The sense of the word in the Epistle to the Hebrews exactly conforms
to this usage. The T<A£Los-the matured Christian-is contrasted with the
vrimo, the undeveloped babe (v. 14): the provisional and transitory taber-
nacle with that which was 'more perfect' (ix. 1 1 ). The ripe perfectness
(T£AELDT7J,) of Christian knowledge is set against the first elementary teach-
ing of the Gospel (vi. 1). Christ, as He leads faith, so to speak, to the
conflict, carries it to its absolute triumph (xii. 2 T£A£L6>~,). The aim of a
religious system is nX,l"'ui. (vii. 11 ), to bring men to their true end, when
all the fulness of humanity in power and development is brought into
fellowship with God. And in this sense God was pleased to 'make' the
Incarnate Son 'perfect through suffering' (ii. 10; v. 9; vii. 28), and the Son,
by His one offering, to 'make perfect them that are sanctified' (x. 14;
xi. 40; xii. 23).

.Additional Note on ii. IO. The T€"'A.€lo><nc; of Ghrist.

In connexion with the Person and Work of Christ the idea of T£Ad6>ui.
finds three distinct applications.
(a) He is Himself 'made perfect': ii. 10 ff. ; v. 7 ff.; vii. 28.
(b) He 'perfects' others through fellowship with Himself: x. 14 ;
xi. 39 f. ; xii. 23.
(c) His 'perfection through suffering' is the ground of absolute sym-
pathy with men in their weakness, and failure, and efforts: ii. 17 f.; iv. 15;
xii. 2.
A general view of the distinctive thoughts in these passages will
illustrate the breadth and fulness of the teaching of the Epistle. The
notes on the several passages will suggest in detail thoughts for further
study.
fa) Christ (a) The personal consummation qf Christ in His humanity: ii. ro ff. ;
1s 'made v. 7 ff. ; vii. 28.
perfect.' These three passages present the fact under three different aspects.
(a) The first passage (ii. 10 ff.) declares the general method by which
the consummation was reached in regard to the divine counsel : God
perfected His Incarnate Son through sufferings ; and Man is able to
recognise the fitness (l1rp£'fm•) of this method from the consideration of his
own position and needs (1roAAOV!. vlov, El, Meav dyayoVTa).
(/3) In the second passage (v.· 7 ff.) we are allowed to see the action of
the divine discipline upon the Son of man during His earthly life, in its
course and in its end (lµ,a8£v dq,' '3v l1ra8£v n,v v1Taico4v). He realised to
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 67
the uttermost the absolute dependence of humanity upon God in the
fuluess of personal communion with Him, even through the last issues of
sin in death.
(y) In the third passage (vii. 28) there is a revelation of the abiding
work of the Sou for men as their eternal High Priest (vlov ,ls rliv al,;,va
TfTf/\£&00JJ,EV011 ).
In studying this nA,loou,s of Christ, account must be taken both (1) of
His life as man (John viii. 40; 1 Tim. ii. 5 (a118poo1ros); Acts ii. 22; xvii. 31
av~p), so far as He fulfilled in a true human life the destiny of man
personally; and (2) of His life as the Son of man, so far as He fulfilled in
His life, as Head of the race, the destiny of humanity by redemption and
consummation. The two lives indeed are only separable in thought, but
the effort to give clearness to them reveals a little more of the meaning of
the Gospel.
And yet again : these three passages are of great importance as
emphasising the reality of the Lord's human life from step to step. It is
at each moment perfect with the ideal of human perfection according to
the circumstances.
It is unscriptural, though the practice is supported by strong patristic
authority, to regard the Lord during His historic life as acting now by His
human and now by His Divine Nature only. The two Natures were
inseparably combined in the unity of His Person. In all things He acts
Personally; and, as far as it is revealed to us, His greatest works during His
earthly life are wrought by the help of the Father through the energy of a
humanity enabled to do all things in fellowship with God (comp. John
xi. 41 f.).
(b) From the revelation of the -r,A,loo,m of the Lord we pass to the (b) Chris~
second group of passages (x. 14 ; xi. 39 f. ; xii. 23) in which men are shewn mak!s His
to receive from Him the virtue of that ·perfection which He has reached. ~=de:t.
Those who are 'in Christ,' according to the phrase of St Paul (which is not
found in this Epistle; yet see x. 10, 19), share the privileges of their Head.
These three passages also present the truth which they express in different
lights.
(a) The first passage (x. 14) gives the one sufficient and abiding ground
of man's attainment to perfection in the fact of Christ's work. Man has
simply to take to himself what Christ has already done for him (r,n/\,looK<v
,ls rb l'JLTJV<K<s).
([j) The second passage (xi. 39 f.) enables us to understand the
unexpected slowness of the fulfilment of our hopes. There is a great
counsel of Providence which we can trust (Kp,'irrov r, 1rpo(jA,ta,-.i11ov).
(y) And in the third passage (xii. 23) a glimpse is opened of the
righteous who have obtained the abiding possession of that which Christ ( ) Oh . t'
has won (T<T</\t,ooµivoov ). ;erfec~i~ns
(c) In the third group of passages which deal with Christ's 'perfection' through
. in His humanity (ii. 17 f.; iv. 15; xii. 2) we are led to observe how His iliffet~f
'perfection through sufferings' becomes the ground and pledge of His of8J:.sp!!
unfailing sympathy with men. The experience of His earthly life (as we feet sym-
speak) remains in His glory. pathy.
5-2
 68 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Thus we see in succession (a) that Christ's assumption of true and

perfect humanity (,mra 1rclvra roi~ dliEAcpoi~ oµ.0.,,,0,;va,) becomes the spring
of His High-priestly work in making propitiation for sins and rendering
help to men answering to the universality (lv ,e 11"£1l"OV0£v) of His own
suffering and temptation (ii. 17 f.).
And next ((3) that the assurance of sympathy based on the fellowship of
Nature and experience (1rE1r£tpacrµhov Kara 1ravra 1<a0' oµ.o,orrira) brings
confidence to men in their approach to God for pardon and strength
(iv. 14-16).
And yet again (y) that Christ Himself in the fulfilment of His work
proved from first to last (dpx'f/Y;,v i<al n'l\nc,m/v) the power of that faith by
which we also walk (xii. 1 f.).
No one can regard even summarily these nine passages without feeling
their far-reaching significance. And it is of especial importance to dwell
on the view which is given to us in the Epistle of the n">..Elr.ocr•~ of Christ
from its direct practical importance.
1. It gives a vivitl and natural distinctness to our historic conception
of the Lord's life on earth.
2. It enables us to apprehend, according to our power, the complete
harmony of the Divine and Human Natures in One Person, each finding
fulfilment, as we speak, according to its proper law in the fulness of
One Life.
3. It reveals the completeness of the work of the Incarnation which
brings to each human power and each part of human life its true per-
fection.
4. It brings the universal truth home to each man individually in his
little life, a fragment of human life, and presents to us at each moment the
necessity of effort, and assures us of corresponding help.
5. It teaches us to see the perfect correspondence between the com-
pleteness of the divine work (xap,rl lcrrE crEcrr.ocrµ.ivo,), and the progressive
realisation of it by man (lit' oJ i<al crcJ(Ecr0E)•

.Additional Note on ii. 13. Quotations from the Old Testament

in cc. i., ii.
The passages of the 0. T. which are quoted in the first two clJapters of
the Epistle offer a representative study of the interpretation of Scripture.
The main principles which they suggest will appear from the simple recital
of the points which they are used to illustrate.
I. The 1. The Di1'ine Son.
Divine (a) His work for man. Ps. ii. 7 (i 5; comp. v. 5).
Son.
My Son art Thou;
(a) His
work for I ha1'e to-day begotten Thee.
man. The words are quoted also Acts xiii 33 (of the Resurrection). Compare
also the various readings of D in Luke iii. 22 ; and the reading of the
Ebionite Gospel in Matt. iii. 17.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 69
For the unique force of the address see note on the passage.
The thought implied is that the universal dominion of the Divine
King is founded on His Divine Nature. The outward conquests of Israel
can therefore only be eamests and types of something immeasurably
higher.
If account be taken of the second reference to the passage (v. 5), it will
appear that ·the foundation and assurance of Christ's work for men, His
sovereignty and His priesthood, are laid in His divine character declared
by the Father.
(/3) His work for God. 2 Sam. vii. 14 (i. 5). ({3) His
I will. be to 11 im a Father; work for
And He shall be to .Me a Son. God.
Comp. 2 Cor. vi. 18; .Apoc. xxi. 7.
The words are taken from the answer of Nathan to David's desire to
build a Temple for the Lord. The whole passage ('iniquity') can only
refer to an earthly king ; yet no earthly king could satisfy the hope which
the promise created. The kingdom was destroy~d, and the vision of a new
stock of Jesse was opened (Is. xi. 1 ; J er. xxiii. 5 ; Zech. vi. 11 f.; Luke
i. 32 f.). The Temple was destroyed and the vision of a new Temple was
opened, a Temple raised by the Resurrection (John ii. 19).
In both these passages it will be observed that the Lord is the speaker,
the God of the Covenant, the God of Revelation (Ps. ii. 7 The Lord hath
said... ; 2 Sam. vii. 4 the word of the Lord came to Nathan ... ; v. 8 thus
saith the Lord... ).
(y) His final conquest. ('y) His
Deut. xxxii. 43 (LXx.) (i. 6). final con-
quest.
Comp. Ps. xcvii. (xcvi.) 7 ; Rom. xv. 10.
The sovereignty of the Son is at last recognised by all created beings.
2. The J)avidic King. ~- The
Ps. xiv. 6 f. (i. 8 f.). ~<;ividic
The Psalm is the Marriage Song of the Sovereign of the theocratic ing.
kingdom. The King, the royal Bride, the children, offer a living picture of
the permanence of the Divine Son with His Church, in contrast with the
transitory ministry of .Angels.
3. The Creator; the manifestation qf God (the Lord). 3. The
Ps. cii. 25 ff. (i. 10ff.). Creator.
The Psalm is an appeal of an exile. The idea of the God of Israel is
enlarged. He who enters into fellowship with man, takes man to Himself.
The Covenant leads up to the Incamation. The Creator is the Saviour.
See .Additional Note c. iii. 7.
4. The King-Priest. 4. The
Ps. ex. 1 (i. 13; comp. x. 12 f.). King-
Priest.
Sit Thou at My right hand,
Till I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet.
The Psalm, which probably describes the bringing of the .Ark to
Jerusalem by ))avid, the new Melchizedek, king at once and fulfiller of
priestly offices, describes the Divine King under three aspects as King
(1-3), Priest (4), Conqueror (5-7). The opening words of the Psalm
 70 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

necessarily called up the whole portraiture ; and one part of it (Ps. ex. 4)
is afterwards dwelt upon at length (v. 6, 10; vi. 20; vii II ff.).
5. The 5. The Son of man, as true man fulfilling the destiny of man, and the
Son of destiny of fallen man through suffering (' the servant of the Lord').
man.
(a.) Man's (a) Man's destiny.
Destiny. Ps. viii. 5 ff. (ii. 6 ff.).
Comp. Matt. xxi. 16; 1 Cor. xv. 27.
The Psalm, which was never reckoned as Messianic, presents the ideal
of man (Gen. i. 27-30), a destiny unfulfilled and unrepealed.
{fJ) The (fJ) The suffering King.
suffering Ps. xxii. 22 (ii. 11 f.).
King. The Psalm, which is frequently quoted in the Gospels to illustrate the
desertion, the mockery, the spoiling of Christ, gives the description of the
progress of the innocent, suffering King, who identifies himself with his
people, to the throne. After uttermost trials sorrow is turned into joy,
and the deliverance of the sufferer is the ground of national joy. Comp.
Prof. Cheyne On the Christian element in Isaiah, § 2.
('y) The (-y) The representative prophet.
represen- Is. viii. 17 f. (ii. 13).
tative
prophet. The prophecy belongs to a crisis in the national history. In a period of
the deepest distress the prophet teaches in his own person two lessons. He
declares unshaken faith in God in the midst of judgments. He shews in
himself and his children the remnant which shall preserve the chosen
people.
To these passages one other must be added, Ps. xL 6 ff. (x. 5 ff.), in order
to complete the portraiture of the Christ. By perfect· obedience the Son
of man fulfils for men the will of God.
General Several reflections at once offer themselves to the student who considers
conclu- these quotations as a whole. (I) It is assumed that a divine counsel was
sions.
wrought out in the course of the life of Israel. We are allowed to see in
'the people of God' signs of the purpose of God for humanity. The whole
history is prophetic. It is not enough to recognise that the 0. T. contains
prophecies : the 0. T. is one vast prophecy.
(2) The application of prophetic words in each case has regard to the
ideal indicated by them, and is not limited by the historical fact with which
they are connected. But the. history is not set aside. The history forces
the reader to look beyond.
(3) The passages are not merely isolated phrases. They tepresent
ruling ideas. They answer to broad conceptions of the methods of the
divine discipline for the nation, the King, the prophet, man.
(4) The words had a perfect meaning when they were first used. This
meaning is at once the germ and the vehicle of the later and fuller mean-
ing. As we determine the relations, intellectual, social, spiritua~ between
the time of the prophecy and our own time, we have the key to its present
interpretation. In Christ we have the ideal fulfilment.
Summa1y
review of So it is that when we look at the succession of passages, just as they
the pas- stand, we can see how they connect the Gospel with the central teaching of
sages. the 0. T. The theocratic Sovereign addressed as 'Son' failed to subdue
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 7r
the nations and rear an eternal Temple, but none the less he gave definite
form to a faith which still in one sense wants its satisfaction. The Marriage
Song of the Jewish monarch laid open thoughts which could only be
realised in the relation of the Divine King to His Church. The confidence
with which the exile looked for the deliverance of Zion by the personal
intervention of Jehovah, who had entered into covenant with man, led
believers to see the Saviour in the Creator. The promise of the Session of
Him who is King and Priest and Conqueror at the right hand of God, is
still sufficient to bring strength to all who are charged to gather the fruits
of the victory of the Son.
In this way the Majesty of the Christ, the Son of God, can be read in
the O. T. ; and no less the Christian can perceive there the sufferings of
' Jesus,' the Son of man, who won His promised dominion for man through
death. The path of sorrow which He hallowed had bee1i marked in old
time by David, who proclaimed to his 'brethren' the 'Name' of his Deliverer,
when he saw in the retrospect of the vicissitudes of his own life that which
transcended them; and by Isaiah, who at the crisis of trial identified his
'children '-types of a spiritual remnant-with himself in absolute trust on
God.
On the one side we see how the majestic description of the Mediator of
the New Covenant given in the opening verses of the Epistle, is justified
by a series of passages in which He is pointed to in the records of the Old
Covenant as Son and Lord and Creator and Sharer of the throne of God ;
and on the other side even we can discern, as we look back, how it was
' becoming' that He should fulfil the destiny of fallen men by taking to
Himself, like King and Prophet, the sorrows of those whom He relieved.
The greatest words of God come, as we speak,~naturally and intelligibly
through the occasions of life. In the history of Israel, of the Christ, and of
the Church, disappointment is made the door of hope, and suffering is the
condition of glory. '

Additional Note to ii. 17. Passages on the High-priesthood of

Christ.
The student will find it a most instructive inquiry to trace the de-
velopment of the thought of Christ's High-priesthood, which is the ruling
thought of the Epistle, through the successive passages in which the writer
specially deals with it.
The thought is indicated in the opening verses. The crowning trait of
the Son is that, when He had made purification qf sins, He sat down on
the right hand of the Majesty on high (i. 3~ So the priestly and royal
works of Christ are placed together in the closest connexion.
The remaining passages prepare for, expound, and apply the doctrine.
( 1) Preparatory.
ii. 17, 18. The Incarnation the foundation of Christ's High-priesthood.
iii. 1, 2. The subject such as to require careful consideration.
72 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
iv. 14-16. Recapitulation of points already marked as a transition to
the detailed treatment of the tmth. Christ is a High-priest who has
fulfilled the conditions of His office, who can feel with men, and who is
alike able and ready to succour them.
(2) The characteristirs of Christ's High-priesthood.
v. 1-10. The characteristics of the Levitical High-priesthood realised
by Christ.
vi. 20; vii. 14-19. The priesthood of Christ after the order of
Melchizedek
vii. 26-28. The characteristics of Christ as absolute and eternal High•
priest.
(3) The work of Christ as High-priest.
viii. 1--6. The scene of Christ's work a heavenly and not an earthly
sanctuary.
ix. 11-28. Christ's atoning work contrasted with that of the Levitical
High-priest on the Day of Atonement.
x. 1-18. The abiding efficacy of Christ's One Sacrifice.
(4) Application of the fruits of Christ's High-priesthood to believers.
x. l';r-25. Personal use.
xiii. 10--16. Privileges and duties of the Christian Society.
These passages should be studied in their broad features, especially in
regard to the new traits which they successively introduce. The following
out of the inquiry is more than au exercise in Biblical Theology. Nothing
conveys a more vivid impression of the power of the Apostolic writings
than to watch the unfolding of a special idea in the course of au Epistle
without any trace of conscious design on the part of the writer, as of a
.single part in some great harmony.
III. 1] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 73
III. 1
., 00€v, a0€A<pot &."lwL, KA1]<T€WS E'TT'Oupavf.ov

II. MosEs, Josrru.A., JEsus, THE And yet again the work of Joshua,
FOUNDERS OF THE OLD ECONOMY .A.ND the actual issuo of the Law, cast au
OF THE NEW (cc. iii., iv.). important light upon the work of
Moses of which the Christian was
The writer of the Epistle after bound to take account.
stating the main thought of Christ's Thus the section falls into three
High-priesthood, which contained parts.
the answer to the chief difficulties of i. Moses and Jesus: the servant
the Hebrews, pauses for a while be- and the Son (iii. 1-6).
fore develophig it in detail (cc. v.-vii. ), ii. The promise and the people
in order to establish the superiority under the Old and the New Dis-
of the New Dispensation over the Old pensations (iii. 7-iv. 13).
from another point of view. He has iii. Transition to 'the doctrine of the
already shewn that Christ (the Son) High-priesthood, resuming ii. 17 f.
is superior to the angels, the spiritual (iv. 14-16).
agents in the giving of the Law; he i. Moses and Jesus: the servant
now goes on to shew that He is and the Son (r-6).
superior to the Human Lawgiver. The paragraph begins with an as-
In doing this he goes back to the sumption of the dignity of the Chris-
phrase which he had used in ii. 5. The tian calling, and of 'Jesus' through
conception of ~ olKovµ.i111J ~ µ.D,Aova-a whom it comes (m,. r, 2); and then
leads naturally to a comparison of the writer establishes the superiority
those who were appointed to found of Christ by two considerations :
on earth the Jewish Theocracy and ( 1) Moses represents a 'house,'
the new Kingdom of God. an economy : Christ represents 'the
This comparison is an essential part framer of the house,' God Himself
of the argument ; for though the (vv. 3, 4).
superiority of Christ to Moses (2) Moses held the position of a
might have seemed to be necessarily · servant, witnessing to the future :
implied in the superiority of Christ to Christ holds the position of a Son,
angels, yet the position of Moses in and the blessings which He brings are
regard to the actual Jewish system realised now (vv. 5, 6).
made it necessary, in view of the Perhaps we may _see, as has been
difficulties of Hebrew Christians, to suggested, in the form in which the
develop the truth independently. truth is presented-the Father, the
And further the exact comparison faithful servant, the Son-some re-
is not between Moses and Christ, but membrance of Abraham, and Eliezer,
between Moses and Jesus. Moses and Isaac.
occupied a positi~n which no other ' Wherefore, holy brethren, par-
man occupied (Num. xii. 6 ff.). He takers of a heavenly calling, consider
was charged to found a Theocracy, a the Apostle and High-priest of our
Kingdom of God. In this respect it confession, even Jesus, •faithful to
became necessary to regard him side Him that appointed Him, as also
by side with Christ in His humanity, was Moses in all His (God's) house.
"ith the Son, who was Son of man no 3 For He hath been counted worthy
less than the Son of God. In the of more glortJ than Moses, by so
Apocalypse the victorious believers much as He hath more glory than
'sing the song of Moses and the the house who established it. 4 F01·
Lamb' (Apoc. xv. 3). (Compare every house is established by some
generally John v. 45 ff.) one ; but He that established all
74 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [III. r
I I \ , I "\. \ J / ,...
µeroxot, KaTaVOrJCTaT€ TOV a7rO<TTOt\.OV Kat apxt€p€a TrJ<;;

I KO.TO.V07]<1'0.T€: KO.TO.VOTJ<T<TE D2*.

things is God. 5 And while Moses tam came quam spiritu, qui ex eodem
was faithful in all His (God's) liouse genere erant, eandemque fidem habe-
as a servant, for a testimony of the bant. This is true in itself, but perhaps
things which should be spoken, does not lie in the writer's thoughts.
6 Christ is faithful as Son over His KA1)<T£wr brovpavlov] Comp. Phil iii.
(God's) house; whose house are we, if 14 riir avw KA')<TEWf.
we hold fast our boldness and the The Christian's 'calling' is heavenly
boast qf our hope firm unto the end. not simply in the sense that it is ad-
vv. 1, 2. The thought of the majesty dressed to man from God in heaven,
and sympathy of Christ, the Son, and though this is true (cQmp. c. xii. 25),
the glorified Son of man, glorified but as being a calling to a life fulfilled
through sufferings, which bring Him in heaven, in the spiritual realm. The
near to fallen man as Redeemer and voice from heaven to Moses was an
High-priest, imposes upon Christians earthly calling, a calling to the fulfil-
the duty of considering His Person ment of an earthly life.
heedfully, in His humanity as well as Theophylact's words are too narrow
in His divinity. · when he says, treating heaven as a
1. 00£11] Wherefore, because place not a state : EK£& EKA,j0'7µ,£11,
Christ has taken our nature to Him- JJ,')<IEII lvrav0a (')TWJJ,£11. EK£L O µ,tu0or,
self, and knows our needs and is able fKE'i ~ &11Ta'ITDaouir.
to satisfy them. The word KAiiu,r is found elsewhere
dlk>..cpol ayiot] holy brethren. The in the N. T. only in St Paul and
phrase occurs only here, and perhaps 2 Pet. i. 10. Comp. Clem. 1 Cor. vii. ;
in 1 Thess. v. 27. It follows naturally xlvi.
from the view of Christ's office which brovpavlov] c. vi. 4; viii. 5; ix. 23; xi
has just been given. This reveals the 16; xii. 22. Comp. Eph. i. 3 ; Phil. ii.
destiny of believers. 10; John iii. 12 note; and, for the
The epithet aytot is social and not LXX., Ps. lxvii. 15 ; (Dan. iv. 23) ;
personal, marking the ideal character 2 Mace. iii. 39.
not necessarily realised individually. µ,froxoi] Vulg. participes. The word
(Compare John xiii. 10.) occurs again v. 14 (rov Xp,urov); vi. 4
In this sense St Paul speaks of (1r11£vµ,aror aylov); xii. 8 (1ra,<1£lar) (else-
Christians generally as izywt (e.g. Eph. where in N. T. Luke v. 7); Clem.
ii. 19). Compare l Pet. ii. 5 IEpanvµa 1 Cor. xxxiv. Comp. ii. 14 µ,£riux£11
ayiov, id. ii. 9 :Ovor aytov. (note).
Here the epithet characterises the As distinguished from Ko,11w116r,
nature of the fellowship of Christians which suggests the idea of personal
which is further defined in the follow- fellowship (comp. c. x. 33 note). µfro-
ing clause. xos describes participation in some
The title a<IEAcpol occurs again in common blessing or privilege, or the
the Epistle v. 12; x. 19; xiii. 22. The like. The bond of union lies in that
sense of brotherhood springs from which is shared and not in the persons
the common relation to Christ, and themselves.
the use of the title here first may have Karavo,juan •.• 'lrt<Trov 61/ra] o. L.
been suggested by ii. 1 1 ff., to which intuimini ...fidelem esse (fidekm ea:-
however there is no direct reference. istentem). Vulg. considerate ...•.. qui
Contrast iv. 1. Filii unius crelestis fidelis est.
Patris et unius Ecclesire matris(Herv.). The sense is not simply : ' Regard
Primasius says : Fratres eos vocat Jesus ... who was ... '; but 'Regard
III. 2] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 75
dµo/\ory[a,; ,iµwv 'lr,<Tovv, ~TTICTON 61/Ta Ttp '1T"OLij<TaJJ,L auTOII
'I,,,<roiJv liotABC*D2 *M2 vg me the: 'I. Xp1<rrov syrr: Xp,trrov 'I. •·

Jesus ... as being ... ' Attention is calls attention to the fact that the
fixed upon the perfect fidelity with Father is said to have sent forth the
which He fulfilled His work, and that Son, -y,v6f,vov •~ yvvai~os, a~d not
essentially, both now and always ('5vra y,v,cr8ai EK -yvvaiKos. He IS a1roUToJl.os
not -yoo1uvov). Comp. i 3 c:fv. in respect of His perfect manhood.
For the verb Karavo,'iv, which ex- For the idea of d1roOToJl.os compare
presses attention and continuous ob- Just. M. Dial. 75. Lightfoot Gal,a-
servation and regard, see c. x. 24 ; tians pp. 89 ff. For a1roUToJl.ov ••• rijs
James i. 23 f. ; Luke xii. 24, 27. oµ.ol\o-ylas cf. the expression 'angel of
Philo, Leg. Alleg. iii. § 32 a,a TOOJI the Covenant' (Is. lxiii. 8 ff. ; Acts
: p-yrov rov nxvlr7Jv KUTUVOOVVTES. I Clem. vii. 30 ff.).
xxxvii. 2. It is not sufficient to be- dpx- Tijs op.ol\oylas 1p.oov] Old Lat.
hold (ff>..i1mv, ii. 9). The study of the principemconstitutionis nostrae. The
Person and work of the Son of man Apostle and High-priest who belongs
gives reality to the titles which the to, who is characteristic of our con,.
writer has just used. In Him Chris- fession. In Christ our 'confession,'
tians are 'brethren'; in Him they gain the faith which we hold and openly
holiness ; in Him they enter 'heaven' acknowledge, finds its authoritative
itself (c. x. 19 ff.). promulgation and its priestly applica-
The use of the second person (Kara- tion.
vo1cran) is rare in the Epistle in such The sense 'whom we confess' or
a connexion (comp. vii. 4 8,rop,'iT,). 'who is the subject and sum of our
The writer generally identifies him- confession' falls short of the meaning.
self with those to whom he gives op.al\.] C. iv. 14; X. 23 i I 'l'im. vi. 12
counsel (iv. 1, 11, 14, 16; vi. 1; x. 22 ff.; f. Comp. 2 Cor. ix. 13 (Rom. x. 9).
xii. 28; xiii 13, 15). Comp. Philo de Somn. i.§ 38 (i. 654 M.)
TOIi (17T()OTOAOJJ Kal dpx••pla] ' Him o µ.iyas dpxLEPEVS [ rijr op.ol\o-yias].
who occupies the double position of Clem. I Gor. xxxvi. 'l17uovv Xp1uTov,
legislator-envoy from God-and T~JV dpxLEp<a TOOJI 1rpou<popoov 1µ.0011 ••• id.
Priest.' In Christ the functions of lxi. a,a TOV apxi•p•ros Kal 1rpo<TTCITOV
Moses and Aaron are combined, each TOOJJ fvxoov ~,,_,;;,, 'l7JUOV Xp,uroii ••• id.
in an infinitely loftier form. The lxiv. a,a TOV dpxLEPECJJS Kal 1Tp0UTC!TOV
compound description (o d1rouT. KOt 'll)<TOV Xp<<TTOV.
dpx-) gathers up what has been The word is objective here like
already established as to Christ as 'fTIOTlS. Theod. op.ol\. aJ 1µ.0011 Tf/11
the last revealer of God's will and 1rlunv lKaJl.•u•v (so Theophlct., Prim,
the fulfiller of man's destiny. Comp. CEcum.).
c. viii. 6 note. 'l1Juov11] The human name of the
Here the double office of Christ Lord is chosen as presenting in brief
underlies the description of Christians the thoughts developed at the end of
which has been given already. 'A1r6- c. ii The name Ghrist appears first
~0J\o~ gives the a,uthorit! of the KAiju,s in 'IJ. 6.
•1rovpav1os and apxi,p,vs the source The use of the name is character-
of the title ayw,. istic of the Epistle ; see ii. 9 note,
Bengel says admirably of Christ : and Addit. Note on i. 4. It is of
qui Dei causam apud nos agit, causam interest to notice that the usage in
nostram apud Deum agit. the Epistle of Barnabas is similar
d1rouToJl.ov] Comp. John xvii. 3 &c. (Rendall on Bam Ep. ii. 6). The
Theodoret, referring to Gal iv. 4, difficulty of the Hebrews and their
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [III. 3

,i om. lf/\'I' B me the. 3 ovror 06~711 ~ABCD 2 : o. our. • M 2 vg.

consolation turned on the Lord's hu- Primasius refers the word to the
manity. Lord's humanity, being led astray by
2. 1r,ur6v 6vra Tcj 1ro,~cr. aV.] faith- the Latin rendering of Rom. i. 3 : qui
f ul in His perfect humanity to Him fecit illum, juxta quod alibi dicitur
who appointed Him to His authori- qui factus est ei em semine David
tative and mediatorial office. Comp. secundum carnem.
1 Cor. iv. 2. cJs Kal Mwv<Tijs] The former dis-
r,e 1Tot~<Tarm] Old Lat. creatori suo cussion has prepared the way for this
(qui creavit eum). Vulg. ei qui fecit comparison of'Jesus'with the founder
illum. The phrase is capable of two of the Old Theocracy.
distinct interpretations. It may be i11 OA'f' r,e oi'K'f'] The point of com-
understood ( 1) of the Lord's humanity, parison lies in the fact that Moses
or (2) of the Lord's office. and Christ were both engaged, not as
The language of i. 3 absolutely ex- other divine messengers with a part,
cludes the idea that the writer speaks but with the whole of the divine
of Christ Himself personally as 1rol11µa, economy. The prophets dealt sever-
or KTt<Tµa. ally with this or that aspect of Truth,
In favour of the first view it is the Kings with another region of life,
urged that the phrase is commonly the Priests with another. But Moses
used of the Creator in reference to and Christ dealt with ' the whole
men: e.g. Is. xvii. 7 (r,;i 1r. ailrov); Ps. house of God.'
xciv. (xcv.) 6; Ps. cxlix. 2. The words, taken from Nmu. xii. 7,
And the fathers constantly speak may go either with ' Moses ' or with
of the Lord's humanity in these terms, 'Jesus.' In either case the sense is
as, for example, Athanasius de sent. the same. Perhaps the reference of
Dion. (i. p. 496 Migne), though he avroii to God, and the emphasis which
appears to interpret this pMSage is naturally laid on the fact that the
of the Lord's office as well as of His office of Christ was as wide as that of
humanity: c. Ar. ii 7. Moses, favours the connexion of the
In itself this interpretation is ad- words with 'Jesus.'
missible, but such a reference to the In their original reference to Moses
Lord's human nature apart from His the words were much discussed by
office seems to be out of place. Rabbinical writers, who found various
It is better therefore to adopt deeper meanings in j!:)~J (faitliful),
the second interpretation and refer as one who could speak with authority,
the ' making' to the Lord's office : to whom the secrets of the Lord were
' who invested Him with His office, entrusted. Comp. Philo, Leg. Alleg.
who appointed Him, who made Him iii.§ 72 (i. 128 M.); § 81 (i. 132 M.).
Apostle and High-priest' (comp. Acts For the perfect faithfulness of
ii. 36). This sense is perfectly natural Moses in his work see Ex. xl. 16.
[comp. 1 Sam. xii. 6 (Hehr.); Mark iii The nobility of his service is recog-
14). nised when that of Christ is set above
So Theodoret : r4i 1TOl~<TUVTt avrav, it. Comp. l Clem. xvii 5.
rOVTIOT,v &1rDuroA011 «at UpxiEpEa· ..• r4i OLIC'f' avrov] His house, i.e. the
1rol11<T1V a. oil T~V 137Jµ1ovpyla11 &X:.\.a ~" house of God, not of Christ or of
xnporovla11 1<i1<A1J1<<v. And Chrysos- Moses. This is decided in the original
tom : oVaEv f'vraVBa rr~pl oVulas- cf>TJulv, context : The Lord...said... My ser-
, • ' W-,£PL' T~S'
~VUE " I) EOT~TDS',
, " ' ' 'T£6>S'
W\I\U , 'lf'Ep,' vant Moses ... is faithful in all Mine
~•wµarr,w avBpw1Ttvwv. lwuse, where the Targums give the
III. 3] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 77

sense rightly 'in all My people.' The oVTor] He, who is the one present
familiarity of the words left no room object of our thoughts. Compare c.
for misunderstanding to a Jew. x. 12 (vii. 1, 4). The usage is very
The 'house of God' is the organised common in St John (e.g. i. 2; 1 John
society in which He dwells. Israel v. 6).
was the type of redeemed mankind. r)tlwrm] The thought is of the
Compare 1 Tim. iii. 1 5 ; 1 Pet. iv. abiding glory of Christ, and not of
17; Eph. ii. 21 f.; Hos. viii. r. the historic fact of His exaltation
This 'house ' in relation to God is (r)tu.,811). Comp. ii. 9 note. It is
essentially one, but in relation to the implied that that which was merited
two agents, Moses and 'Jesus,' through was also given. For dtwiiuBa, see c.
whom it is administered, it is twofold x. 29; 1 Tim. v. 17.
in form. llat11s, •• TLJ-L'1"] gloru .. ,honour. The
Compare Philo de Somn. i. § 32 term is changed in the second case
(i. 648 M.) b aluB11ror ovroul 1<ouµm to cover more naturally the appli-
oU,ev apa IIX'A.o lurlv ~ olKor 0Eoii, ,,,,as cation to ' the house.' ' Glory ' is
TWII TOV illTCI.IS Bwii llwap,ECl.lll KaB' ~II internal, as light flashed forth from
dyaBor ~" (the reference is to Gen. an object : 'honour' is external, as
xxviii 17). light shed upon it. Comp. ii. 7, 9;
3, 4. The general affirmation of and for Mta, 2 Cor. iii. 7 ff.
the dignity of Christ which has been ,ca0' ouov .•. ] The remark is quite
included in the two preceding verses general Here the force of the argu-
is enforced by a view of His superior- ment lies in the fact that Moses is
ity over Moses. Moses was, so to identified with the system which was
speak, lost in the economy which was entrusted to him. He was himself a
given through him : Christ was the part of it. He did not originate it.
author of that which He instituted. He received it and administered it
•o<TT/, cf,11ul, 1ro,17µ,aror 1rpor 1r0L1JT"f/11 llia- with absolute loyalty. But its author
cpopa TO(TGVT1J MCI.IV<TECI.IS 1rpor TOIi Xp,u- was God. And Christ is the Son of
'1'"011 (Theodt.). God. Hence the relation of Moses to
7rAEIOIIOS yap .•. ] The duty of careful Christ is that of a system to its author.
regard is pressed by the consideration The argument is indicated but not
of Christ's preeminence: Regard ... worked out in the next verse. Kal
Jesus .. .for He hath been counted aVTOs, <J:,11ul, Tijr olKla, ~v. K.al oVK
worthy of more glory than Moses ... El'Tl"EII OVTDS J-LEII -yap lloiiAos EKEIVOS lle
The fidelity of Christ in dealing with llE<T"rrOT1JS' a'A.'A.a TOVTO 'A.a11Ba11011TC1.1S Ell-
the whole house of God was as com- lcf,1111£11 (Chrys. ).
plete as that of the Lawgiver who Some have referred J 1<aTU<TKEvauas
was raised above all other men, and to Christ, as the real Founder of that
His authority was greater. Kingdom of God of which the Jewish
For the use of 1r'A.Elw11 compare c. xi economy was a shadow. This thought
4 (not in St Paul in this usage). is completely in harmony with the
-rr'AElovor ••. Ka0' /Juov ••• ] He hath been argument of the Epistle, but it is not
counted worthy of more ... by so much directly expressed elsewhere. And on
as... Old Lat. -ampliorem gloriam this interpretation v. 4 must be taken
••. consecutus est, quanta majorem as a parenthetical remark designed
honorem habet domv.;1 qui prmparavit to guard the sovereign authorship of
ipsam... Vulg. amplioris glorice ... God in all things and His part in
dignu.~ est habitus, quanta ampliorem the ordering of the Law, a view
h. It. d. qui fabricai:it illam. which appears to be unsatisfactory.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [III. 4-6
,t ,t t I , I 4 ,.. ' 'i'
EXEL 'TOU OLKOU O Ka'Ta<TKEUa<Ta<; au'TOII" 7ra<; 'Yap OlKO<;
IY, , I , ~' I I
Ka'Ta<TKEVa'::>E'Tat u1ro 'TtllO'>, o oe 1ravTa Ka'TacrKEVa<rar,
, sKat'MWYCHC
8€0<;. .. ' , , ,.,
µev TTICT0C €N oAq> T<p 0IK(p ~,TOY W<;
, ., )I , ... , eepMTWN
,
> I
Et<; µap'Tuptov 'TWII
- "\ "\
1\.at\.1'}
011uoµ.e11w11,
I 6x pur-ro,;
\ oe~\ • •'w,; Vto'>

4 1r&na ~ABC*D2*M2 : +ra' 1r. ,.

The compressed suggestiveness of the its author ; but also in regard to the
argument is not unlike John viii. 31- respective economies which they ad-
36. ministered. The position of Moses was,
aKaTaO-K<VaCTUS] lte that established, by a necessary consequence, that of a
Vnlg. qui fabricavit. The word servant acting in a certain sphere, the
(Karao-KEva(rn,) expresses more than position of Christ that of a Son over
the mere construction of the house. a certain sphere. And yet again, the
It includes the supply of all necessary Mosaic order pointed forward as pre-
fumitnre and equipment. Comp. c. paratory to that which should come
ix. 2, 6; xi. 7; Nnm. xxi. 27. after : the Christian order includes
4. .,,-as yap •.• ] The general principle, the blessings which it proclaims.
that the framer is superior to the 5. Ell 6A6> rru 011(6) avroii] in all
thing framed, admits of application in God's house: as• befo;e. The phrase
the CMe of the Law. Even here we which marks the inferiority of Moses
must not rest on the system ; for to Christ marks at the same time his
every system, and this highest of al~ superiority to all the other prophets.
has its framer ; and finally every c.is 8Epa1r6>11] V nlg. tanquamfamulus
system is carried up to God as its (0. L. servus). Here only in N. T.
.Author, and 'Jesus' our 'Apostle and Nnm. xii. 7 LXX. ('l:1.11); Jos. i. 2;
High-priest' is the Son of God. viii. 31, 33; Wisd. x. 16. Comp. Clem.
Nothing is said here expressly of I C?r. c. 43, (see ;t1so ?C.,, 17, JI~ o
the nniqne relation in which Christ, µaKap,os 8Epa11"6>11 Ell OA'!) T'!) OIK'!)
'/ftO"TOr
as the Son, stands to God. That is M6>vo-ijs. 0•pa1r6>11 suggests a personal
assumed, as having been already laid service freely rendered. Aoii>..os- ex-
down in the opening of the Epistle. presses a permanent social condition.
.,,-a11ra] all things taken severally, The same person may be described
and not the sum of all things (ra by both words nnder different aspects.
1raVTa). Comp. ii. JO. Comp. Ps. cv. (civ.) 26; Apoc. xv. 3
8Eos] For the difference of 8Eos and (lJoii>..os- of Moses).
a8E6s see Additional Note on r John •lr µapr. rcii11 AaA7J01Jo-oµl116>v] for a
iv. 12. The anarthrons form (8E/,s) testimony of the things which should
wherever it is used in the Epistle be spoken by God through the prophets
suggests the thought of the character and finally through Christ (i. r ). Old
of God as God: i. 6; ii 9 (note); Lat. in testimonio loquendorum.
V. I2(8EoS(011note); vi. I, 5, 18; viii. Vnlg. in testimonium eorum quw
ro; xi. 3, 16; xii 23. The force of dicenda erant. The position of Moses
it will be felt by comparing vi. r, 5 and of the Mosaic Dispensation was
with vi. 3; vi 17 with vi. 18; xi. 3 provisional Moses not only witnessed
with xi. 4- to the truths which his legislation
5, 6. The superiority of Christ over plainly declared, but also to the truths
Moses is shewn also by another argu- which were to be made plain after.
ment. Moses and Christ are not only wards. The 0. T. in all its parts
distinguished as standing to one an- pointed forward to a spiritual antitype.
other in the relation of an economy to Comp. Dent. xviii. IS ff.
III. 6] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 79
' ' ' ., , ""
ov7 Ol/CO<;
€7rl TON OIKON "'-YTO'f'
'i' ' , ' ,,... , \ '
€<Fp.€V rJfl.Et<;;, Eav 'Tf/V 7rappr,-
, \ \
- I,... I~ [ / /). /l f.l I ]
cnav Kal TO Kavxr,µ.a 'TrJ'> €t\.'lrlOO<; fl.€XP' 'T€t\.OV<; fJ€t,Jatav

6 ov o!Kos NABC: as o!Kos D2*M2 vg. Uv (N*) BD2*M2 vg: U111rep S-

N•AC (not disturbed in v. 14; vi. 3). om. µe-xpt T.fJ•fJ• B (no omission in v. 14).
The rendering, ' to be spoken by and no longer the Jews. They have
him' (Pesh.) or 'by the prophets of the fulness of blessing in their grasp
the 0. T.' wholly obscures the con- even if it is not yet manifested. On
trast of the Old and New. the reference of the relative to a re-
On the rarity of the future parti- mote antecedent (B<os v. 4), see c. v. 7
ciple in the N. T. see Winer-Moulton, note.
p. 428. lav... ] The spiritual privileges of
6. XptCTTos a,] The name is changed. Christians depend upon their firm
The human title (v. I 'I71uoiiv) is re- hold upon that glorious hope which
placed by the 'prophetic ' title after the Hebrews were on the point of
the full description of the relation of losing.
the Incarnate Son to Moses. Xp1uTas T1J" ,rapp71ulav] 0. L. libertatem,
occurs again as a proper name without Vulg. fiduciam, c. x. 35, 19; iv. 16;
the article ix. 11, 24. Eph. iii. I 2. .
ooS' vlos ... ] Moses and Christ were IIapp71ula always conveys the idea
alike 'faithful' (v. 2), but their perfect of boldness which finds expression in
fidelity was exercised in different re- word or act.
spects. Moses was faithful as a ser- -ro 1<avx11p.a -r,js /}..,r.] Old Lat. ex-
vant in the administration of God's sultationem spei, Vulg. gloriam spei.
house: Christ was faithful as a Son as The Christian hope is one of cou-
sovereign over God's house (i. 2). rageous exultation. Comp. vi. 18 ff.
Comp. c. x. 21 ; Matt. xxi. 37 ff. This exultation is here regarded in
The form of the sentence requires its definite concrete form (rnvx11p.a
the extension of 71"tCTTos to Christ no boast) and not as finding personal ex-
less than in v. 2 ; and probably of the . pression (1<avxT/u,s boasting). Contrast
whole phrase muros lv ;/Xro T'f' oi'K'f', 2 Cor. i. 14 with I Cor. i 12 ; Rom.
so that cJs vlos £71"1 TOIi ofKOV corre- iii. 27 with Rom. iv. 2.
sponds with cJs e,pa,rrov ,ls p,apT. Tfilll P.'XP' -r<A. ,8,,8.] · If this clause is
"A.aAT/B11uop,{vrov. genuine, and not an interpolation
l,rl TOIi olKoV avrov] over His, that is from v. 14, then -r,js l>..,r[aos must be
God's, lwuse. The phrase necessarily taken with ,rapp. as well as 1<avxT/P.O,
retains one meaning throughout. The the gender of ,8,,8alav being deter-
Vulg. not unnatnrally gives in dorno mined by the former noun. This
sua (Old Lat. e}us), making a contrast connexion is unlikely, and so far the
apparently between 'in domo (jus' and internal evidence is against the au-
'in domo sua.' thenticity of the clause.
For ,,r[ (the force of which is missed p.lxp, -r<Aovs] till hope passes into
by the Latin version) compare c. x. 21. sight. Comp. c. vi II ; A.poc. ii. 26 ;
o3 olKos ... ] The wiiter might have Matt. :x. 22 ; 1 Cor. i. 8.
said, taking up the words of the quo- The conception of 'hope' occupies
tation, oil o olKos ..., but he wishes to an important place in the Epistle
insist on the character (olKos) and not (vi 11, 18; vii 19; :x. 23, note).
upon the concrete uniqueness (cl olKos) ' Hope' is related to 'Faith' as the
of the Christian society. Comp. i. 2 energetic activity of life is related to
' VL'f>.
EV '" life. Through hope the power of
Christians are 'the house of God,' faith is seen in regard to the future.
So THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [III. 6
Hope gives distinctness to the objects The xcvth Psalm serves perfectly to
of faith. point the lesson which the Apostle
ii. The promise and the people desires to draw. It contains an in-
under the Old and the New IJispen- vitation to the people of God to wor-
sations (iii. 7-iv. 13). ship, and a divine warning against
The comparison of Christ with disobedience.
Moses leads naturally to a comparison The Psalm has been used from the
of those who respectively received earliest times in the Synagogue ser-
their teaching. The faithlessness of vice for the Sabbath, and as "the
the Jews in the desert becomes an Invitatory Psalm" at Matins in the
eloquent warning to Christians who Western Church.
are in danger of unbelief. Even the It is assigned in the LXX. (not in
date (about 'forty years I from the the Hebrew) to David (comp. c. iv. 7),
Passion) seemed to give additional but this popular attribution cannot be
force to the parallel. At the same right.
time the history of the past was fitted The words which immediately pre-
to prepare 'the remnant' of Jewish cede the quotation (8-u) justify the
believers for the general faithlessness application to Christians :
of their countrymen. The Old Testa- We are the people qf His pasture,
ment is in fact a record of successive and the sheep qf His ka,nd (Lk. xii.
judgments of Israel out of which a 32 1rolp.vtov).
few only were saved. The particular interpretation of
The argument turns upon the this claim gives also the particular
Psalmist's interpretation of the dis- interpretation of 'to-day.' The voice
cipline of the wilderness (Ps. xcv. ). of God comes still to those who claim
( 1) Faith is firsflaid down as the con- to be His.
dition of the enjoyment of the divine The quotation agrees with the
blessing (iii. 7-19); and then (2) it is LXX. text except by the insertion of
shewn that the promise still remains l!,6 and by the substitution of raVTTJ
to be realised by Christians (iv. 1 - for.l1eElVTJ and of ailrol Ill for 1eal ailrol
13). in v. ro; [1rEtpauµov is the true read-
( 1) Faith is the condition of the ing of LXX.] and of lv 1!01e,p.aul'} for
enJoyment of the dirJine blessing (iii J/!01e[p.aaav ( v. 9).
7-19). 7 Wherefore-even as the Holy
The condition of Faith is estab- Ghost saith,
lished by (a) the experience of the To-day, if ye shall hear His voice,
wilderness (7-u), which (b) is ap- 8
Harden not your hearts, as in
plied generally (12-15), and then the Provocation,
(c) interpreted in detail (16--19). At the day qf the Temptation in
The construction of the paragraph the wilderness,
is by no means clear. It is uncertain 9 Where your fathers tempted by

whetherm,. 12, 15 are to be connected proving,

with the verses which precede or with And saw my works forty years.
those which follow. On the whole it '
0
Wherefore I was displeased with
seems to be simplest to take {1'Abl"frE this generation,
(v. 12) as the sequel of 1!10 (v. 7), treat- And said They do always err in
ing vv. 7 b- 11 as structurally paren- their heart;
thetical; and to join v. 15 with v. 13, But they did not know my ways,
treating v. 14 also as parenthetical " As I sware in my wrath,
In any case the whole scope of the They shall not enter into my
passage remains the same. rest-
(a) The example of the wilderness 7. 1!16] Wherefore, because it is
(7-11). only by holding fast our hope that we
III. 7, 8] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 81

1ca'Ta<J"xwµ€11. 7 Llio-Ka0ws Af"f€L 'TO 7T"l/€Vµa 'TO r&_rywv,

~HM€pON UN THC <)>WNHC l\'(TOY b.KO)'CHT€,
8MH CK,\HpYNHT€ T.,:C Kb.p1it>.c )'MWN we
€N Tq> TTt>.pt>.mKpt>.CMq>,

7... II 8:y,ov, .. .µ,ov.

8 1rapa1ru<paa-µ,(p: 1r,paa-µ,w ~-

can secure the privilege of the divine not to the human instrument. The
society. phrase To 1rvevµ,a TO aywv occurs again
The point of transition lies in v. 6. c. ix. 8 ; x. 1 5 : in clear contrast with
The condition of resolute fidelity sug- 1rve11µ,a ayiov ii. 4 ; vi. 4. Comp. c. x.
gests the consideration of the con- 29 TO 'll"JIEV/J,a rijs xap,Tos. The forms
sequences of failure. TO 'TrJIEVµ,a and TO aywv 1rl1£vµ,a, which
The construction of the clauses are both used by, St Paul, are not
which follow is uncertain. It may found in this Epistle. It is however
be complete or incomplete. In the to be noticed that the form To c'i-y,011
former case two modes of construction rrv,iiµ,a is comparatively very rare. It
are possible. The quotation from Ps. occurs Matt. xxviii. 19; Lk. xii. 10,
xcv. may be appropriated by the writer 12; Acts i. 8; ii. 38; ix. 31; xiii. 4;
of the Epistle and made part of his own xvi. 6 (not ii. 33; x. 45; xv. 28);
appeal, so that the words µ,q cr1<X17p1n,17T< 1 Cor. (vi. 19 ;) 2 Cor. xiii. 13.
... become the immediate sequel (3,o cr,jµ,,pov] Today. Comp. 2 Cor. vi .
••. µ,q cr1<X17p.). Or the whole quotation 2. The word emphasises the immediate
may be parenthetical, and 3,o be necessity of vigilance and effort. In
connected immediately with f3Xi1r•T• old times the people fell away when
in v. 12. the divine voice was still sounding in
It is a serious objection to the their ears.
former view that the words µ,q cr1<X17- Jav rijs qi.) The original may be
p11VTJTE ••• in the Psalm are spoken by rendered as a wish 'O that today ye
God, and it is unlikely that the writer . would ... ' ; but the structure of the
should so appropriate them, while Psalm favours the rendering of the
long parentheses are not alien from LXX. followed here, though, indeed,
his style; and further it may be urged ,av is used to represent a wish (Ps.
that f3X•rr•u by itself is abrupt as a cxxxix. 19).
beginning. Tijs <p<iJvijs mlToii] His ?Joice, that is,
If then the construction is complete the voice of God spoken through
we must connect v. 7 directly with v. Christ as the Apostle applies the
12; but it is possible that the sentence words. The application to Christ of
begun in v. 7 is left formally unfinished, that which is said of the Lord in the
so that v. 12 takes up again the main Old Testament was of the highest
thought. Such a broken construction moment for the apprehension of the
may b~ compared ~!h x. 16. . doctrine of His Person. Comp. Acts
"· Xey« To 1rv. To ay.] Comp. IX. 8 ; ii. 21. See Additional Note.
x. 1 S ; Acts xxviii. 2 5. See also Mk. 8. µ,~ u1<X17pvVTJTE .•. ] Harden not ...
xiii. II; Acts xiii. 2; XX. 23; xxi. II; Unbelief, like faith, finds one element
I Clem. xiii. 1 ; xvi. 2. The same in man's self-determination. The
words are afterwards referred to issue of unbelief is his act. On the
'God': iv. 4 f. other hand he is subject to adverse
It is characteristic of the Epistle influences. It is alike true that he
that the words of Holy Scripture ·are 'hardens his heart ' and also that 'he
referred to the Divine Author and is hardened' (D. I 3). Scripture recog-
W. H. 8 6
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [III. 9, IO

Kb.Tb. THN HMepb.N Tor rre,pb.cMor eN T~ epHM<t>,

9oy Elrreipb.Cb.N oi rrnepec YMWN EN aOKIMb.ci~
Kb.i ehoN TA eprb. MOY T€CC€p~KONTb. €TH'
10
0,0 rrpocwx01cb. T~ reN€~ Tb.YT';l

9 lhrov Dt, irelpai;av (N*)ABCD 2*: er. +µe !. M 2 vg syrr me (so LXX.),
i,µwv: 11µwv A. iv ooK,µai;lq, N*(A)BCD2*M2 me: iooKlµai;av µe 1, (vg) (syrr) (so LXX.).
10 raurri NABD 2*M2 vg: tKelvv !. C syrr me (so LXX.).

nises man's responsibility and no less 9. o~) where, Vulg. nbi, and not
the inexorable law of moral conse- 'in which' by attraction for 'f·
quence by the working of which God l1rrlp. '11 aa1uµaul«;i] The absence of
hardens the heart of the disobedient a direct object in this clause accord-
and self-willed. In this respect the ing to the true reading points to the
variations in the narrative of the connexion of l1rrlp. as well as elaov
Exodus are most instructive. Pharaoh with ra ;pya µov (Vulg. probaverunt
'hardened his-.eart' (Ex. viii. 15, 32; et viderunt opera mea). This render-
ix. 34). 'The Lord hardened' Pha- ing departs considerably from the
raoh's heart (iv. 21; ix. 12; x. 1, 20, Hebrew and from the Lxx., but
27; xi. 10; xiv. 4, 8). Pharaoh's heart places in a more vivid light the cha-
'was hardened' (vii. 14, 22; ix. 7, 35). racter of unbelief. The faithless
The word <TKATJpvvew, except in this people tried and tested not the in-
context (m,. 13, 15; iv. 7), is found in visible God but His visible works.
the N. T. only in .Acts xix. 9 ; Rom. They found reason to question where
ix. 18. It is used in the LXX. of they should have rested in faith.
'the heart,' 'the spirit' (Deut. ii. 30), ra Epya µov] The Hebrew is singular.
'the back,' 'the neck.' The many works of God in the wilder-
1rapa1rt1cpauµqi ......'ll'Etpa<Tµoii] The ness were all one work, one in essence
original text gives the two proper and aim, whether they were works of
names: As at Meribah, as in the day deliverance or works of chastisement.
<if Massah in the wilderness; and Under this aspect acts of righteous
perhaps the Lxx., which elsewhere judgment and of mercy were parts
gives equivalents for proper names, of the same counsel of loving disci-
may have intended IIapa1r,Kpauµas and pline.
Ilri,pauµos to be so taken. uuuep. fr,,] In the original these
The two acts of faithlessness re- words go with the following clause
ferred to cover the whole period of (and so in v. 17). Here they are
the forty years (Num. xx. 1 ff.; Ex. transposed to draw attention to the
xvii. 1 ff. ; comp. Deut. xxxiii. 8): duration of God's discipline. The .
The rendering Kara r. 1. cc, 1::i) ob- period had a significant coincidence
scures the distinctness of the second with the interval which had elapsed
(first) event, but does not destroy it. since the Passion at the time when
The preposition Kara is probably to the Epistle was written.
be understood in a temporal sense (at Jewish writers connected the 'forty
tluJ day ... iii. 13) and not of com- years' in the wilderness with the time
parison, like as on ...secundum diem of Messiah. For example : R. Eliezer
tentationis (Vulg.), id est, sequentes said : The days of the Messiah are
et imitantes diem et tempus in quo forty years, as it is said : Ps. xcv. 10
patres vestri me tentaverunt (Herv.). (Sanh. 99. 1, quoted by Bleek).
1rr,pauµaii] when the people 'tempt- 10. a,6 ...J Wherefure ...Theparticle
ed' God: comp. Ps. lxxviii. 17 ff. is inserted by the writer, who separates
III. 11) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Kb.I €[TYON 'Ael TT,\b.NWNTb.l TJ;I Kb.pAi,r

b.yTOi be oiK erNwcb.N T,,,:c obo'ic Mor
II we WMOCb. €N T~ opr~ MOY
El elce,\eycoNTb.J eic THN Kb.T.,:TTb.YCIN Moy-·•

the period of. discipline from the aspiration after a truer inheritance
sentence of rejection. which the prophets cherished and
1rpouooxBura] I was wroth, 1:ehe- deepened.
mently displeased. The original term The writer of the Epistle afterwards
(~1P) expresses loathing. identifies the true rest with the rest
rfi Kapalc.i] in their heart, the seat of God after Creation (iv. 4). The
of man's personal character, of his rest which God had proposed for His
moral life. See Additional Note on people was no other than that into
c. iv. 12. which He Himself had entered.
atlrol aL.] But they ...The particle Primasius (translating Chrysostom)
seems to involve a silent reference to distinguishes these three rests : No-
the constant warnings and teachings tandum tres requies ab apostolo in
of God: 'I ever shewed them my hac epistola commemorari, unam sab-
purpose, but they on their part re- bat~ quo requievit Deus ab operibus
cognised not my ways.' Comp. viii 9. suis ; secundam Pahestinre, in quam
1 I. .-Js C::µoua] a,ccording as I sware, ingressi lsraelitre requieturi erant a
V ulg. sicut juravi, in that time of miseria et laboribus multis ; tertiam
disobedience. Loqui Dei · magnum quoque, qure vera est requies, regnum
est : jurare vero nimis metuendum videlicet crelorum, ad quam quos
(Primas.). pervenire contigerit planissime re-
The rendering so that is not re- quiescent a laboribus et rerumnis
quired by the original Hebrew, and is hujus sreculi
(apparently) unexampled in Greek. ,cara1ravu,s] In classical Greek the
Comp. Winer p. 578 (Moulton's note). word means 'a stopping,' ' a causing
,l ,lu,:\,vuovra,] They shall rwt to cease,' literally or figuratively : in
enter ... Compare Mark viii 12 (,1 the LXX. 'a rest' or 'rest.' Comp.
ao0qu•rm); Gen. xiv. 23; Num. xiv. Deut. xii. 9 ; Is. lxvi. 1 ( Acts vii. 49);
30; 1 Sam. iii 17. See Winer-Moulton 2 Mace. xv. I. It is found in the
p. 627. N. T. only in this context besides the
,ls '"IV ,cara1ravu,v] The rest was quotation in the Acts.
primarily Canaan (Deut. xii. 9 f.), and (b) The general application of the
then that divine kingdom and order lesson of the wilderness (12-1 5).
of which the earthly Canaan was an The words of the Psalm which have
imperfect type. At the first the been quoted at length are now applied
occupation of the promised Land was generally to Christians. The reality of
treated as being ideally the fulfilment the blessings which they have received
of the highest destiny of Israel in depends upon the faith with which
perfect fellowship with God (Lev. they receive the present voice of God
xxvi. 1 1 f.). But the partial outward while it is still addressed to them.
accomplishment of the national hope [Wherefore, I repeat,] 12 take heed,
necessarily fixed attention upon the brethren, lest haply there shall be in
spiritual realities with which the im- any one of you an evil heart of un-
perfect earthly blessings corresponded. belief, in falling away from Him
The unsatisfying character of the who is a living God; ' 3 but exhort
temporal inheritance quickened the your own selves day by day so long
6-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [III. 12

12
/3A€7T"E'TE, aOEA<f>oi, µr,
'TT"O'TE E<r'Tat EV 'TLVL vµwv KapOta
7rOVYJpd dm<r'Tta<; €V 'Ttp Cl'TT"O<TTrjVat dmJ 0wu {wvTO<;,

as it is called Today, that no one of from ...shewn in this apo$tasy (Acts

you be hardened by the deceiifulness iii. 26 £11 T<j> U7rOUTp<<pEtV). Unbelief
of sin-' 4for we are become par- might prevail at last even after a
takers of Christ, if at least we hold temporary victory of faith. The Vul-
the beginning of our confidence firm gate rendering is expressive, cor....
unto the end-' 5 while it is said discedendi.
Today, if ye shall hear His voice, For an-ouT~va, compare Lk. viii. 13.
Harden not your hearts, as in the It is construed commonly with an-6
Provocatio'f!. (Acts xv. 38), but also with the simple
12. fJ'A.i1rET£, al3,>..cpo,, ,.~ •.• ] The genitive ( 1 Tim. iv. 1 ).
words take up the l3d, of v. 7, en- am'i 0EoV Coovros] from Him Wlw
focced and illustrated by the teachings is a living God. The anarthrous
of the Psalm. This use of fJ>..foEtv fL~ title (0£os (0011), which is far more
(for apav ,.~) is unclassical. It is not common than o 0. o(0011 (comp. cc. ix.
unfrequent in the N. T.: c. xii. 25; 14; x. 31; xii. 22), always fixes at-
Matt. xxiv. 4 ; Acts xiii. 40, &c. For tention upon the character as dis-
al3E>..cpo, see v. 1. The argument tinguished from the 'Person' of God
which the title includes is written out (o 0EoS ,l (0011 Matt. xvi. 16; xxvi. 63;
in v. 14. Apoc. xv. 7). In every case it sug-
fL11roTE t<TTat] The construction, as gests a ground for corresponding
distinguished from ,.~ y<V1JTa1, marks thought or action (e.g. Acts xiv. 15
the reality and the urgency of the t'1rl 0Eov Cil,JJTa not Tov 0. Tov C.; 1 Thess.
danger. Comp. Mk. xiv. 2 ; Col ii. i. 9; Rom. ix. 26 LXX.). The title is
8 ; Gal. .iv. l 1 (fL~ 7f6>s 1<£1<01rla1<a). generally used of God, as the Creator
lv Ttvt tl,..J in any one of you. The and Preserver and Governor of the
congregation has a responsibility for world (Deut. v. 26; Josh. "iii. ro;
each member. A single unbelieving 1 Sam. xvii. 26 (A); 2 K. xix. 4, 16;
soul may c01T11pt the whole body. (Jer. xxiii. 36); Dan. vi. 20, 26;
Comp. iv. r. (Ps. lxxxiv. 2), in contrast with the
1<apl3. 1r. amuTlas] The phrase is idols (' vanities,' 'nothings,' 0ml 11E1<pot
remarkable. Kapl3la 1ro111Jpa go closely Didache vi. 3) of heathendom. Here
together, and a1r1<TTlas characterises it suggests, among other thoughts, the
the 'evil-heart'; as uil,fLa n,s afLapTlas certainty of retribution on unfaith-
Rom. vi. 6 ; urofLa Tijs uap1<os Col i. fulness. The title is not found in the
22. Comp. Clem. 1 Cor. iii. 4. The Gospel or Epistles of St John (but
heart is the organ of faith : Rom. x. notice John vi. 57 ,l (00111ra~p).
10 1<apl3,~ muTEVETat ,ls l3,1<a1ouv111J"· In old times the glory of Israel was
Comp. Addit. Note on iv. 12. the knowledge of 'the living God' ;
This thought of 'unbelief,' ' unfaith- but now to fall back from Christianity
fulness,' stands in contrast with the to Judaism was really to revolt from
' faithfulness ' which was the glory of Him (comp. vi. 5 ff.), for as God is
Moses and of Christ (v. 2 m<TTos Iv living so the revelation which He
6i\w r&i oilt.<J) ). gives of Himself is progressive. On
tun'belief' (amuTla) finds its practi- the one side He spake in His Son (i. 2
cal issue in 'disobedience' (a1rEUJna). l'A.M'IUEv), and on the other side He
Comp. v. 19 (l3,' amuTlav); c. iv. 6 (l3,' is speaking still (xii. 2 5 rov >..a>..ovvTa ).
d1r£10Etav). See v. 19 note. The phrase reappears in Herm.
Iv T<j> a1rouni11a1] in falling away Vis. ii. 3, 2 u,:,Cn UE TO fL~ a1roUT~vaL
III. I 3, 14] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

•3ai\i\a 7rapaKai\€t'T€ eaUTOVS KatJ' €Kll<T'T1'/V r,µepav, &.xp,s

OU 'TO i:1-1M€pON KaXe"iTat, 111a µf} CKi\HpyN0f;! r"TLS if uµw111
a'TT'a'TrJ Tris dµapT[as· •4 f,tE'TOXOL ,ydp 'TOU XPL<T'TOU 'Yf.,YO-
'
I3 <! V}J,WV TLS.

13 Ka\,,,-a,: KaA<LT< AC. <1K\. ns t{ v. ~.A.CHM2 vg syrvg me: <1KA. •~ v. ns BD 2

syr hl. 1"'7S aµ,.: aµ,apla,s D2*· 14 TOU XP•· 'YE"f6V. ~CD2HM2 vg: 'YE"f· TOU XP· .-.

(TEdn-/i tJ.oii {w111'0S ••• Oomp. I Clem. iii. Primasius gives various interpreta-
4 Ev T'cp d1ro"'.'L1r£i'v l1e.awrov rDv cf,0{3ov tions in detail :
TOV B•ov. Hodie, id est in die Novi Testamenti;
13. dXAa •rapaKaAEITE eavTovs ••• ] vel omni tempore, quamdiu dicitur
But in place of undue confidence, of hodie, nolite obdurare corda vestra :
blindly reposing in the past, help, hodie namque pro sempitemo ponitur,
encourage, exlwrt your own selves. donec mundus et vita pr::esens manet.
The virtual negative of the former Comp. Clem. Alex. Prot. 9 § 84
clause ('do not neglect the fresh P,•XP' l!i UVJJ1'EAE1as ,cal ~ u~µ,• pov Kai
voices of God ... ') is naturally followed ~ µ,&.B,,u,s l!,aµ,{vn, .ical ToT< ~ lJv,-ws
by dXXa. The use of eavTovs for the cn/µ•pov, ~ dv,AA.t'll"~S TOV 8,oii ~µ,,pa,
more simple dXMXovs (quisque se ip- Tois alwu, uvv<KT<,v<Tat. See also
sum et alterum Bengel) suggests the c. i. 5 note.
close unity of the Christian body. iva µ,~ uKATJpvvBfi ns ••• ] that no on6
The similar usage of the pronoun in .. .be hardened. The effect is here
other places will repay study: I Pet. attributed to sin while man is passive.
iv. 8, IO; Eph. iv. 32 •ls aAA~Aovs, In the Psalm the activity of man's
iav,-o'is; CoL iii. 13 d;>.X~X,,w, iav,-01s; opposition is marked: p,r'J uKATJpvvTJTE,
id. iii 16; 1 Thess. v. 13. v. 8 note. The order of the words ns
For '!l"apa,ca:.\iiv see c. x. 25; Acts J~ vµ,wv, l~ vµ,wv ns, is doubtful, and
xiv. 22 ; Jude 3; Rom. xii. r. Chry- · involves a difference of emphasis not
sostom says opa ,-/, ~µ,•pov KOi 'll"PO<TTJVES. without interest.
OVIC Ei'll"EV E'll"LTLp,aTE, aAAa '!l"apa,caXiin. ct'll"o.Tn Tijs ciµapTias J Sin is repre-
oilToos ~µ,as XP~ TOLS a'/1"/, BXif,oos <TT<vo- sented as an active, aggressive, power :
x_oopovµ,ivots 'll"po<r<j,Ep<uBa,. c. xii. 4. Comp. Rom. vii. 8, l 1 ; (v.
KaB' i1<aUTTJV ~µ{pav] day by day. 21 ;, vi., 12_; vii. 17, 2?): 2 Thess. ii.
There is continuous, daily need. 10 an-. alltKLaS; James I. 15.
axpis oil TO ~~µ,•pov ,caAELTat] Vulg. The readers of the Epistle were in
donec hodie cognominatur. So long danger of entertaining false views of
as the term ' Today' (T/, ~~µ•pov, not the nature of the promised salvation.
~ cniµ,•pov) is still used : so long as, in It was in this form that sin assailed
the language of the Psalm, the voice them, cloking itself under the dress of
of God is still addressed- to you in its faithfulness to the past.
appointed time; Theophylact gives a more general
In various connexions the term sense: dn-aT17v l!i clµ,apTias ,caA,'i ~ T~v
'Today' will have various interpreta- a'11"rt'"'7V TOV l!,a{3oAov, TOVTEUTt TO µ,~
tions. For the Church it is the whole lA.'TT'lCnv Z-r, Eu-ra, dv,-a1rO«'ouu·, q rT}v
time till Christ's coming. For the dvaA'Y']UIOV, TO -yap A<y<tv OTL A.Ot'/l"OV
believer the period of his own life. a'!l"a~ ~µ,aprov ( leg. a'/1". ~µ,. A.Ot'll"OI>) OVK
Thus Theodoret says : u~µ,•pov Tov •xoo lXn-illas, dn-O.TTJ /JJJ1'6JS lu-rlv aµ,apTlas.
n-apo111'a ICEKATJICEV {3iov, and Chryso- For the singular ~ clµ,apTia see c.
stom : (wt; ~v (T1.)Jl£CTT11C,ll O Ko,;.JJ,O~. xii. 4 note. Additional Note on i. 3.
86 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [III. 14

14 rnro<rT.: +ailToO A vg.

14- p.lroxo, -yap ... ] Such an ex- is not found in the r.xx., and occurs
hortation has a solid ground to rest again in N.T. in c. vi. 3 (not v. 6) only.
upon,for we are become partakers in That which has been stated as a fact
Christ, or, more strictly, in the (-y,yovap.EV) is now made conditional
Christ, the hope of our fathers. We in its permanence on the maintenance
have been united with Him and so we of faith. This is the ever-present
have been made now to partake in the antithesis of religion. That which
fulness of His life (Vulg. participes God has done is absolute ; but man's
Christi ejfecti sumus). The old pro- appropriation of the gift must be by
mises have found for us a complete continuous effort. Comp. Col. iii. 3, 5
fulfilment, though unbelief destroys , e,avETE.
(a-rr,E, ~
, •)
., ~u,.p':'uarE_ ovv .
it or hides it from us. The thought EalJ'lt'EP TTJ" apxTJ"•··] if we hold fast
is the converse of that in c. ii 14- the beginning of our confidence firm
Christ partook (p.ETiuxEv) of our 'blood unto the end. Vulg. si initium sub-
and flesh': we have become partakers stantiw ejus usque ad finem firmum
of Him. The phrase can also be retineamus. The beginning qf our
rendered partakers with Christ, i.e. confidence is more than our first
Christ's fellows (c. i. 9; Luke v. 7); confidence. It describes that which
but this sense is far less natural here, is capable (so to speak) of a natural
and, as far as it is applicable, it is growth ; a principle which is active
included in the more comprehensive at first, and continues to be pro-
idea. gressively energetic. Comp. x. 32 ff.
In either case the thought is of a There can be no doubt that inraurauis
blessing conferred (-yr1011ap.E11), and is here used to express that resolute
not simply of a blessing enjoyed confidence, which opposes a strong
(luµlv ). For the form p.Er. yE-yovap.Ev resistance to all assaults. It is used
as contrasted with p.ETEuX1Kap.Ev (vii in late Greek writers for firmness of
13), see c. ii. 2 note. endurance under torture (Diod. Sic.
The form o xp,uros occurs again ii 557 ~ '" ra'is {3auavo,s tl1rourau,s
v. 5 ; vi. 1 ; ix. 14, 28 ; xi. 26. See r,js ,J,vxijs); and generally for
Additional Note on i. 4, and Hort on courageous firmness of character
1 Pet. i. 11. (Polyb. vi. 55, 2): and so for resolu-
For µfroxo, see v. 1 note. Chry- tion (Diod. Sic. ii 57 Kara rqv lltlav
sostom thus paraphrases the words : wourau,v ). The word occurs in a
p.ETEXO/J-EII avroii, tJ:,.,,u,v, '" EjlEIJOp.E8a similar sense in 2 Cor. ix. 4; xi 17.
1]µ.lis- ,cal aVrOs-, Ei.1rEp, al1r0s- µ.Ev K.E<J,a)..1/ Compare cc. i. 3 ; xi. I and notes.
uruµa ltE ~µ£°is, utryKATJpOvoµo, Kal u!,u- The Fathers give an objective sense
umµo1,, And Primasius more fnlly : to inraurau,s, as expressing that in
Christo participamur et jungimur, virtue of which we are what we are,
utpote unum et in illo existentes ; believers united with Christ, and this
siquidem hoe participamur illi quia is expressed by the Vulgate (sub-
ipse caput nostrum et nos membra stantiw fdua). Thus Chrysostom:
illius, cohreredes et concorporales illi ' , ' , ... \ ,
TL EUTLIJ apxTJ TTJS V?TOUTaUEQ>S;
( '
TTJV
secundum spiritalem hominem, qui 1rlurw AryEL, a.' f s t11TEUT1Jp.Ev Kal y•-
creatus est in ipso. In eo etiam -YEV1p.£8a Kal uvvovu,000.,,p.Ev, cJs av r,s
participamur, quia corpus et san- £t1ro,. And Theodoret : rqv apxqv rijs
guinem ejus sumimus ad redemp- t11TOUTUUEQ)S [rqv ?TIUTLIJ] KEKATJKEIJ" a?
tionem nostram. EKEl"TJS yap EIJ£ovpy18TJp.Ev Kal uvv1q:,B.,,-
<all'ITEp ••• ] if at least ..• The particle /J-EII rtji a,u1r&ry xp,ur<ji KOL Tijs roii
Ill. I 5] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 87
15
/3€/3afav rKa-r-d<TXWP,€V" 1 ev -r-cp AE"'/€<T0at
~i-lMepoN UN TAc <j>wNAc t,{Toy ~KoycHTE,
MH CK.\HpyNHT€ Tb.C Kb.p.\ib.c '(MOON we EN T<p TTb.pb.TTIKpb.CMcp.
Ka.TO.UXWµev,
15 om. ws M2 •
1ra11aylov '11"1/fVJl.UTOS JJ.fTEtA~<f,aµ.•v xap,- irregular parenthesis, and that the
TOS. And Theophylact : TovT<<rrw T~v sequel of v. 14 is in c. iv. 1. But the
1rl<rr,11, a,• atlrijs -yap U1TEUT1/Jl.f11 Kal abrupt iv Tcji A<y,u8ai without any
ovui@87Jµ.•11 ~" e.lav Kal 'll"IIEIJµ.anK~II particle, followed by Tlv•s y&p ... ;, is
' I
ov.,-,ruuw \ , I
Ka& avay,11117Juw. strongly against this view, and also
And so Primaaius more in detail: against the view that a new paragraph
Initium substantire dicit fidem Christi, is begun in v. 1 5, which is not formally
per quam subsistimus et renati sumus, completed. .
quia ipse est fundamentum omnium It is on the whole most natural to
virtutum. Et bene substantiam earn connect the quotation with"'· 13. Ac-
vocat, quia sicut corpus anima sub- cording to this view ,z,. 14 is paren-
sistit et vivificatur, ita anima fide sub- thetical, and brings out the real nature
sistit in Deo et vivit hac fide. Sub- of the Christian privilege-a partici-
stantia autem Christi appellatur fides pation in the Messiah-and the con-
vel quia ab illo datur, vel certe quia dition on which it is kept.
ipse per earn habitat in cordibus If this connexion be adopted the
fidelium. sense is : ' exhort one another so long
According to this interpretation as it is called today ...while the voice
~ dpx~ Tijs .l'll"oOTau•"'s has the same of God is still addressed to you, and
general sense as has been already still claims loyal obedience.'
given to .lmlOTau,s alone. (c) Detailed interpretation of the
µ.•XP' .,-l>..ovs] until the end. The lesson of the Psalm (16-19).
'end' is not exactly defined. The The general application of the
writer leaves it undetermined whether · warning of the Psalm to Christians
the close of trial is the close of the is confirmed by a closer interpretation
individual life or of 'the age' itself. of the circumstances. Those who
Comp. vi. 1 1. incurred the displeasure of God and
The participation in Christ is who were excluded from the promised
realised as long as 'the beginning of rest, were the people who had been
confidence' is maintained. Comp. delivered from Egypt. Unbelief and
v. 6 and iv. 3 (ol 'll"iUTEvuavTEs). disobedience finally cut off from their
15. iv .,-cji X•y•uBai] The connexion goal men who had entered on the way.
of the quotation is uncertain. It has So it may be with those who have
been taken closely with v. 16. But been joined to Christ.
the question .,.,11._s yap, which marks a 6
' For who when they heard did
beginning, is fatal to this view. provoke? Nay, did not all they that
Again it has been taken with 'D. 14, came out of Egypt by Moses f •1 And
or, more particularly, with the con- with whom was He dispkased fortv
ditional clause of it iav'll"Ep .•••This con- years f Was it not with them that
nexion gives a good sense, and brings sinned, whose carcases fell in the
the necessity of effort into close relation wilderness f ' 8 And to wlwm did
with obedience to every voice of God. He swear that they should not enter
Chrysostom, followed by the later into His rest, but to them that were
Greek commentators, supposed that disobedient f ' 9 And we see that they
the whole passage ,z,v. 15-19 is an could not enter in because of unbelief'.
88 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [III. 16-18
16 ' ' ' / ' '"\.. '\.,
'TLVES ryap aKOV<TaV'TES rro.pemKp<l.N"-N ; a1v\. ov, '
7rav'TES Ol'

€tEA0ov'TES
,
't ,
Airyv7r'TOV
:i, ,
~id
\
Mwv<TEWS;
..,. t /
' 7Tl(TW
"i"
0€
1
npoc-
"
u>X01C€N T€CC€po.KONTt. €TH; OVXl TOtS aµapTr,<Ta<rtV, WV To. KWAo.
8
€TT€C€N €N Tt;i epHMq:>; ' Tt<TtV ~€ WMOC€N MH eiceAeycec0o.J eic THN

17 TL<J'LV oe: +Kai A.

16-19. The succession of thought xvii. 8 (d.\A' oJxt...); Mk. xiv. 36;
is significant. The very people whom John xii. 27.
God had rescued provoked Him (v. 16). ol U;,XBoVTES] The word marks the
'rhey sinned and met with the fatal act of the people, the manifestation of
consequences of sin (v. 17). They faith on their part, as well as the act
disobeyed and received the sentence of Moses. They 'came out' and not
of rejection (v. 18). Unbelief (comp. only 'were led out' (Acts vii. 36 Jt~-
v .. 12) made them incapable of that yay•v; c. viii. 9).
rest towards which they had started lM Mrovcrlros] The fact that Moses
by faith (v. 19). had been the instrument of their
16. TLIIES yap ... ] The warning is deliverance should have kept them
necessary. Christians have need of from 'chiding with him' (Ex. xvii. 2 ).
anxious care. For who were they 17. The unbelief of the people
who so provoked God in old times 7 shewed itself in open sin from first to
Even those whom He had already last (v. 8).
brought from bondage. Tlcr,v lJi 1rpocr.] And with whom ... .?
Tlv,s ••. &AX' ov 1raVT£S••• ] Forwho ...? In this place the writer gives the
Nay, did not ... ? Vulg. Quidam cum connexion of r•cru. fr17 which is found
(nv•s yctp)••. sed non universi ... For in the Hebrew. From the beginning
some when they had heard did pro- of the wanderings to the end (Ex. xvii.
voke (A.V.). This rendering is quite 7; Num. xx. 13), the people sinned in
alien from the context. The vast like ways. In this verse and in the
mass who came out of Egypt could next (a1rELB~cracrw) the reference is not
not be described as 'some.' On the to the general character of the people,
other hand the interrogative com- but to the critical acts which revealed
pletely corresponds with the two in- it.
terrogatives which follow (rlvEr .•. rlcr"' aµapr~cracr,v] This is the only form
••• rlcr,v .•. ); and the three questions of the aor. partic. in N. T. In the
point to the three stages of the divine moods the form of ~µaprov is always
displeasure. Nor does the faith of used except Matt. xviii. 15 II Lk. xvii.
Joshua and Caleb invalidate the 4 (aµapr~cry); Rom. vi. 15.
general statement. Ta KooAa] The word is borrowed from
1rap,1rl1Cpava11] The verb occurs here the LXX. (Num. xiv. 29).
only in N. T., but it is not unfrequent in It seems best to take the clause Jv
LXX. and Philo. It is used generally •• •lp~µ<f, as a subsidiary element in the
with acc. of object: Ps. lxxvii. (lxxviii.) description and not as an independent
17 1rap,1rlKpavav rov JJtf/lCrrov, but also statement.
absolutely : Ps. lxxvii. 8, y,11,a CTICOA&li a.
I 8. Ticr,11 rZµocr,11 µ~ ,lu,A.] The
Kal 1rapa1r11<pal11ovcra; Ezek. ii. 5, 7, 8 &c. change of subject is unusual (' He
a.\X' ov ..• ) Nay, such a question sware that they .. .' and not 'He sware
cannot be asked as if the answer were that He ... ').
doubtful : was it not... ? ro,s d1r,.B~cracru,] to them that dis-
For the use of dX,\& compare Lk. obeyed, that were disobedient. V ulg.
III. 19] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
, "' , µrJ\ 'TOL~,. , a7r€L
Kb.Tb.lTl'-YCIN t<YTOY EL
, eIJ<Ta<Ttv; I 19
Kat
\ /3"/\.€7rOP.,€J/
I

;J,ri ovK tJDvvrf0rJ<rav €1C€A9€1N CL' dmo--rlav.

qui increduli (0. L. contumaces) II,' an-urrlav] Comp. Matt. xiii. 58;
fuerunt. Unbelief passed into action. Mk. vi. 6. 'l'he failure of the first
Comp. xi. 31; iv. 6, II; Rom. xi. 30, generation of redeemed .Jews, who
32, contrast vv. 20, 23. corresponded in position with the
19. ,cal {:!Al1roJLEV ••• ] And 1ce see ••• first generation of Christians, is traced
The conjunction introduces the gene- back to its source. The faith which
ral conclusion : 'And so on a review they had at the beginning failed them.
of the record (or of the argument) They fell into unbelief; and unbelief
we see .. .' BXln-oµ.Ev may mean 'We issued in its practical consequences,
see in the familiar record of the Pen- disobedience, open sin. For the gene-
tateuch,' or, 'We see in the details ral relation of 'unbelief' and 'diso-
just set forth.' The two interpreta- bedience' see Rom. ii. 8 (roi~ an-Et8oii-
tions really pass one into the other. u,v); iii. 3 (,J an-t<T'l"la); .Acts xiv. 2
ov,c 111vv,j8,wav] Their exclusion (o! a1rn8~uavus; 'Iovllaio,); xix. 9 (,j1rE[-
from Canaan was not only a fact (ov,c 8ovv); xxviii. 24 (,Jn-i<T'l"ovv). Compare
EluijX8ov), but a moral necessity. John iii. 36 (o 'lrL<T'l"EVWV, oan,86>v~
 TH]li EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

.Additional Note on iii. 7. The application to Christ of words

spoken in the 0. T. of the Lord.

The im- We have already seen that words originally applied to ' the Lord' in the
portance 0. T. are used of Christ by the writer of the Epistle (i. 6; 10 f. note).
of the a.p- The principle involved in this application of scriptural language was of
plication
to Christ great importance in the historical development of the doctrine of the
of words Person of Christ.
spoken of Three main types of national expectation appear to have prevailed
the Lord. among the Jews at the time of the Advent, the expectation of' a Davidic
l~:~etypes King,' of 'a day of the Lord,' of 'a Divine King and Judge.' Each expecta-
of Mes- tion was connected with the thought of a passage from 'this age ' of trial
sia.nic ex- and suffering to 'the future age' of triumph and joy, through a crisis of
pec:ti~n travail-pains (see c. i. 2 note). The ground of the different hopes lay in
~} \h! time the Scriptures, and it does not seem that they were united in any one
Advent. consistent view. We read the 0. T. in the light of the N. T., and it
becomes difficult for us to appreciate the manifoldness of the aspects of the
Divine Redempti9n which were offered separately in the prophets. But
this manifoldness, this apparent vagueness or inconsistency, as we might
think, must be realised before we can form a right estimate of the revela-
tion of Christ.
r. The 1. The first and most familiar portraiture of the expected Deliverer is
Davidic as a King of the line of David (Is. xi. 1 ; Iv. 3 f.: J er. xxiii. 5; xxx. 9; E,zek.
King. xxxiv. 23 f.; xxxvii. 24). At first the prophetic imagery suggests a line of
kings who shall fulfil the counsels of God. 'The tabernacle of David' is to
be restored (Amos ix. II f.; comp. Acts xv. 16 f.); and 'shepherds' are to
be set over the regathered flock (Jer. xxiii. 4; comp. xxxiii. 17, 20 f., 26;
14-26 is not in LXX.). But in this royal line one King stands out in glory,
in whom all the promises are concentrated, a King who shall 'execute
judgment and justice on the earth' (Jer. xxiii. 5 ff.; comp. xxxiii. 15 ff.),
and realise in peace and safety the will of the Lord (id.), through the gift of
His Spirit (Is. xi. 2 ff.). He is to come from the city of David (Mic. v. 2),
and to bring peace to the divided kingdom (Zech. ix. 10) and to the heathen
(id.); and His throne is to be everlasting (Is. ix. 6 f.).
After the Captivity the thought of the Davidic King falls again into
the background. Zechariah alone touches upon it (iii. 8; vi. 12 f. with
reference to Jer. xxiii. 5 f.). The people and not the royal line is the
centre of hope. And it must be added that in the second part of Isaiah
the name of David is only once mentioned, and that in a passage (Iv. 3)
which appears to indicate that the royal prerogatives of the ideal monarch
are extended to the ideal people.
,z. The 2. Meanwhile another view of the divine interposition in favour of
Day of the Israel had been powerfully drawn. The prophets had said much of 'a day
Lord · of the Lord.' 'l'he phrase extends through their writings from first to last,
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 91
from Joel (i. 15 ; ii. 1, 11 ; iii. 14) to Malachi (iv. 5 [iii. 23]). 011 this 'great
and terrible' day it is said that Jehovah Himself will execute judgment,
bringing victory to His own people and ruin on His enemies and theirs
(Joel iii. 14 ff.; comp. Is. ii. 12 ff.). The crisis is painted as full of gloom
and anguish (Amos v. 18, 20), and fierce conflict (Ezek. xiii. 5). The people
confident in their privileges desire the coming of the day : the p1·ophet,
who knows that the Presence of the Lord is a moral judgment, turns them
to the thought of its terrors. The revelation of deliverance is a revelation
of righteousness (Amos l. c.). In this conception therefore the idea of
retribution for evil, of vengeance on the wicked, who are typically identified
with the oppressors of Israel, prevails over every other (Is. xiii. 6, 9 ; Obad.
16; Zeph. i. 7 ff., 14 ff.). The Lord Himself carries out His will The
thought of deliverance is connected directly with His action. No human
agent is singled out for the accomplishment of His counsel
3. These two conceptions of the Davidic king and of the judgment of 3. The
Jehovah were united in the apocalyptic writings. In these the Saviour D~vine
King is clothed with a supernatural character. Whatever may be the date King.
of the Book of Daniel, there can be no doubt that it marks an epoch in the
growth of the Messianic hopes of Israel. Henceforward the looked-for
King appears under a new aspect, as the heavenly Fulfiller of the purpose of
God. The image is mysterious and obscure in Daniel (vii. 13, 18); but it
gains clearness in the later works which follow out the same line of thought,
the Sibylline fragments, the book of Henoch, and the Psalms of Solomon.
In these the figure of the Divine King is presented with ever-increasing
glory; and it was probably in the latest period of the development of
Jewish hope, to which they belong, that the title of 'the Christ,' 'the
.Anointed King,' which is used characteristically in the 0. T. of the
theocratic monarch, came to be appropriated to the expected Saviour.
We are able to see now how these various hopes were harmonised and The influ-
fulfilled by Him whom we acknowledge as the Son of David, the Son of ence of the
man, and the Son of God. And in the first age they contributed to guide t~~~~ht
the apostles naturally, if the word may be used, to the apprehension of the Lord's
depths of His Being. In this respect it will be evident that the expecta- coming _on
tion of the coming of the Lord was of critical significance. The work of the Apostolic
Baptist was recognised as preparatory to this Divine .Advent (Mk. i. 2 ; Lk. th0 ught.
i. 76; Matt. xi. JO [Mal. iii. I]; Matt. xi. 14; xvii. 11; Mk. ix. 12; Lk. i. 16 f.
[Mai. iv. 5 f.]) ; and the remarkable change of pronoun in the first quotation
from Malachi (before thee for before me) seems designed to point to the
coining of the Lord in One Who is His true Representative. The herald of
the Lord was indeed the herald of Christ. This, St John tells us, was the
Baptist's own view of his mission. He was sent to 'make straight the way
of the Lord' (Is. xl. 3; John i. 23; comp. Matt. iii. 3; Mk. i. 2 f.; Lk. iii.
4 ff.). .And after the Resurrection and the descent of the Spirit, the
apostles proclaimed that in Christ the promise of the Lord's coming was
indeed fulfilled (Acts ii. 16 ff., 21, 36, 38; iv. 12; Joel ii. 28 ff.), and looked
forward to His revelation in glory (Zech. xiv. 5; Matt. xvi. 27; xxv. 31;
Mk. viii. 38; 1 Thess. iii. 13; 2 Thess. i. 10), when He should exercise the
divine office of judgment (Acts xvii. 31 ; Ps. ix. 8; 2 Thess. i. 7 f.; Is.
lxvi. I 5).
92 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

So it was that the apostolic writers applied to Christ the prerogatives of

the Lord (Jer. xvii. 10, Apoc. ii. 23; comp. Num. xiv. 21, Apoc. i 18; Ps.
x. 16, Apoc. xi. 15), and His Sovereign Name (Deut. x. 17, Apoc. xix. 16;
comp. Ps. xxiv. 10, 1 Cor. ii. 8), and the accomplishment of His promises
(Is. lvii. 19, Eph. ii. 13 ff.; comp. Is. Ix. 3 ff., 19, Apoc. xxi. 24 ff.). St Peter
distinctly applies to Christ what was said of 'the Lord of hosts' ( l Pet. iii.
14, 15, Is. viii. 12, 13). And.St John in especial, looking back from the
bosom of a Christian Church, found deeper meanings in His Master's words
(John xiii. 19, Is. xliii. 1 o), and discerned that the divine vision of Isaiah was
a vision of Christ (John xii. 39 ff.; Is. vi. I ff.). The very phrase in which he
expresses the Gospel includes implicitly the declaration of the fulfilment
of the promise of the Lord's dwelling with His people (John i. 14; Lev.
xxvi. 11 f.; Ezek. xxxvii. 27).
From the study of such passages it is not difficult to see how, as has
been briefly said, the fact of the Covenant leads to the fact of the Incarna-
tion. The personal intercourse of God with man is a prophecy of the
fulfilment of man's destiny : ,,, &pxfi ryv J Aoyos, l(al J Aoyos ryv 1rpos TOIi 8Eo11,
Kal BEoS ~,, J Ao-yos ••• Kal J Ao-yos uapt iyiv,ro Kal £0'K1JIIOOCTEII ,,, ~µ.iv.
IV. 1] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 93
IV. X cJ>o/3rJ0wµEv oJv }J-11 7rDT€ KaTaA.€L7T'O}J-€VrJ<;; €7rary-

(2) iv. 1-13. Thepromiseremain- in both cases was the same. But in
ing. the order of the Divine Providence
It follows from the consideration of Christians were placed in a more ad-
the history of Israel that the promise vantageous position (viii. 6 ff.) than
of God to His people was not fulfilled Israel Belief and obedience were
by the entrance into Canaan. more easily within their reach when the
There is, therefore, (a) a rest, a divine former discipline had done its work.
rest, a rest from earthly labour, pro- 'Let us fear, therefore, lest haply
mised still and not enjoyed ( 1- 10). a promise being kft of entering into
And (b) towards this rest Christians His rest, any one of you should seem
must strive, filled with the feeling of to have come short of it. 2 Fo1'
their responsibility ( 11-13). indeed we have had good tidings
(a) The rest of God is prepared for preached to us, even as also they; but
believers in Christ (1-10). the word of the message did not profit
The development of this main them, because it was not incorporated
thought is somewhat perplexed and by faith in them that heard.
formally incomplete. The promise of I. <pa{31J0WJ-LEV 01)v ••• ] Let us fear
the entrance into the divine rest is therefore, since Israel, redeemed from
first assumed to apply to Christians bondage, never entered into the rest
( r, 2); the present reality of the rest is which was prepared for them, for we
then established by the record of crea- h,ave had good tidings preached to
tion (3-5); and by the repetition of us even as they. Our position, like
the promise to those who had entered theirs, is one of trial. The position
into Canaan (6, 7); for that first rest of privilege is the discipline of faith.
could not satisfy the divine purpose To have been brought to Christ is a
(8-10). The writer takes for granted beginning and not an end. In such a
throughout that whatever God in His case 'fear' is a motive for strenuous
love has ever designed for man is exertion.
brought within man's reach by Christ, The writer uses the first person
'the heir of all things,' the fulfiller of (contrast •t vJ-Lrov) in sympathy with
human destiny. the whole Christian society.
1, 2. The fate of those who were res- icamAEt?TOJ-Lt'V7Js ••• ] as there is still
cued from Egypt had a direct meaning now left (v. 6) a promise (Vulg. pol-
for those to whom the Epistle was licitatione) to enter (that one should
addressed. The people that were de- enter) ... The promise was left because
livered did not 'enter into the rest of no purpose of God can fall to the
God,' but perished in the wilderness. ground ; and this was unfulfilled in
.And the next generation who occu- the case of those to whom it was first
pied Canaan still found the promise given. Outwardly the promise was
unaccomplished, and so it remained fulfilled afterwards, for the next gen-
till the time when Christ again pro- eration did enter Canaan ; but that
claimed it for the vital appropriation fulfilment did not exhaust the meaning
of believers by faith. Thus, in other of the promise (v. 8); and so in fact
words, under one aspect the faraelites the promise was repeated.
in the wilderness and the first Chris- The tense of the participle (ica-ra-
tians were in the same position. Both AmroJ-L<V7Js) marks the present fact.
had a message of glad tidings to make There is a slight difference between
their own; and the end of the message icam'A,l?T,u0a, and drro'AE1rr,u0at (vv. 6,
94 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IV. 2

,Y€Atas elceA0e1N eic THN K<>.T&rr<>.yc1N <>.yTOy OoKij Tts

~ I ~ \ I , , '\
t
I
€~ uµwv
V<J"T€PrJK€11at · Kat ,yap €<1"µ€11 €VrJ,Y,Y€1\.L<Tµ€11ot KaOa:;rEp
KClK€ll/Ot, ClAA, OUK c,kpeAr,<1"€1/ o AO,YOS T1JS aKoijs
, I
€K€tllOVS,
OOK<i M2. 2 Kal 1rripea-µ,11 C*.
9). 'A-rroAdrr,u-Ba, is used from the atum est. It may be added that the
point of sight of those who have gone noun ,vayyiA,011, which is found in all
away ; 1<.araA,{rr,u-Ba, of that which St Paul's Epistles except that to
retains its original position. Titus, does not occur in the Epistle.
µ,,i ••• aoKj r,s-••• ] lest any one should 1<.a8arr•p] Elsewhere in the N.T. (not
seem ... Vulg. ne existimetur aliquis ... v. 4) only in St Paul's Epistles (about
The phrase is less stern in expression 15 times).
than the simple vrrr•pf, (<Ecum. dv,rrax- aAAa •.• rois <lK.OV<Tarr,v] It is possible
(J~ rov Aoyov 7TOLOOV OVK. ,lrr,v vrrr•pqu-n that there is here some primitive
(-y) riAAa ao"-i, vrrr•pl(nv), and yet it is corruption of the text (see Additional
more comprehensive in warning. It Note). At the same time the general
suggests that the mere appearance or drift of the passage is clear, and both
suspicion of failure, even though it the readings which have found ac-
may not be fully justified, for man's ceptance on adequate authority, (1)
judgment is necessarily fallible, is a rrv111<.EK.Epau-µi11ovs [-K•KpaµEvovs ], and
thing to be earnestly dreaded. Other (2) <TVVK.EK.Epau-µivos- [-KEKpaµivos], can
renderings, 'lest any should be shewn be brought into agreement with it.
to .. .' or 'be judged to .•.,' or 'think (1) If the former (rrvvK<KEpau-µlvovs)
that he has ... ,' are less natural and be adopted, the sense must be: 'But
less forcible. On any of you compare the mere hearing did not profit them
iii. 12. because they were not united by faith
vrrr•pTJ"-Eva,] to have come short, with them that truly heard,' 'with
Vulg. deesse, to have failed to attain the body of the faithful/ or, perhaps,
the promised rest in spiritual posses- 'with them that first heard,' 'with
sion. The tense marks not only a those to whom the message was given'
present (Rom. iii. 23 vrrr,povvra,) or (comp. ii. 3), that is, Moses and Joshua
past defeat (2 Cor. xii. II vu-rEpTJrra) and Caleb. The verb rrvy~•pavvvu-Ba,
but an abiding failure. is used of the intimate association of
2. 1<.al yap ... ] For indeed... Comp. familiar friendship in classical and
v. 12; x. 34; xii. 29; xiii. 22. The l~te, G~eek; but this prer1ant ~en~e ?f
omission of the pronoun (f/µ.•is) throws o, ai<0vrravr.s after o Aoyos rTJS aK.OTJS
the emphasis upon lu-µ.,v d,TJ'Y· (comp. and lav wcov<TTJn of the Psalm appears
xiii. 10). 'For indeed we have receiv- to be unnatural.
ed a message of good tidings-a pro- (2) If on the other hand we read
mise of rest-even as also they' (v. 6). u-vvK•K•parrµEvos there is a choice of
For lrrµ. EVTJ'Y'Y· see vii. 20; x. 20 notes. two constructions. We may either
For the construction see Matt. (a) take ry 1rlrrrn as the dative of the
xi. 5 II Lk. vii. 22; 2 Sam. xviii. 31; instrument joining rois aK.ovrrau-,vclose-
Joel ii. 32; and compare viii. 5 ly with rrvvuK•parrµivos: 'the word did
"-•XPT/µ.&r,u-ra, Mc.,vrrijs : the perfect not profit them because it was not
(lu-µ.. EVTJ'Y'Y,) marks the present con- incorporated by faith in them that
tinuance of the message, which was heard,' 'because they were not vitally
not simply one past announcement inspired with the divine message
(v. 6 ol 1rp. •vayy,A,u-BivrH). though they outwardly received it.'
The Vulg. renders the phrase very Or again (b) we may connect rf, wlu-Tn
inadequately: etenim et nob is nunti- with rrvv1<.EK<parrµivos, and regard Toi$
IV. 3] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 95
, r ' 1 ,... ' ..... , ,
µr, uuvKEKEpauµevoc; 'T'J 7rL<TTEL -rots aKouuau,v. 3
Eicep-
z uvvK<K<pa,uµ.bovs

uwK<KEpa.uµlvos [·K<Kpa.µ.hos]: <TVVKEKepa,uµlvovs [·K<Kpa,µ.evovs]: -rwv ciKovuciv-rwv

D~ * syr hl mg: see Additional Note.

aKov<Ta<Tw as a dative of reference : heard: Is. liii r (Rom. x. 16; John

'the word did not profit them because xii. 38); Jer. x. 22 q>w1111 aicoijs (and in
it was not united withfaithfor them r Thess. ii. 13 Xoyos dicoijs) seems to
that heard, 'because the word itself mean 'a message of hearing,' that is, a
was not quickened by the power of message not commended by any more
faith so as to •effect its vital work.' authoritative form of delivery.
Of these two interpretations the The argument remains the same
former seems to be the simpler and in both cases whether the apostle
more expressive ; but both are open speaks of 'the simple delivery of the
to the serious objection that it is message' or of 'the message which
strange that EKElvovs and To'is aKOV<Ta- was simply heard.'
<TW should be applied to the same p,~ <Tv11,cE,c.] The subjective negative
persons. is naturally used with the participle
On the whole however, if it be which gives the suggested reason
supposed that the true reading has ('since they were not .• .'); comp. 'D. 15
been preserved by our existing au- note.
thorities, the former of these two <TvvicE,cEpa<Tµivos] The compounds
renderings of the reading <TVvKEKEpa<T- of icEpavvv<T0a, are constantly used from
phos appears to offer the least dif- early times of the moral (and spiritual)
ficulty; and it may be urged that union of persons. So (<Tvyic•,cp.) Xen.
the addition of To'is dKov<Ta<T,11 is re- Cyr. i 4, I To'is ~X,ic,cJm,s <TVIIEiceicpaTo
quired to bring out the reference to cii<TTE olnlws ll,a,cii<T0ai, ( lyic<icp.) Ign.
the Psalm, while EK<lvovs points the Eph. 5 Tovs lyic<Kpap,ivovs avTru (Ted
contrast with Christians. l11wico1r<p), (dvaw<p.) Plut. Rom. p.
OV/C ruq>EA'7<TEV] The familiar facts 36 D icmva'is a11a,cpatJi11TWII lrriyap,lais
carry the thought of the reader be- Trov y•11oov. They are used also of the
yond this negative result. The word union of things or qualities: 1 Cor. xii.
heard and not welcomed involved 24 o 0<os <Tv11<icipa<T£II -ro <Tfilµ.a. Plat.
those to whom it was addressed in a Legg. xii c. 10, p. <}61 E Tas al<T0,j<Tm
tragic fate. 'l"'f icv{3£p11'7TtlC<f 11cp O"VYKEpairap,EIIOt •••
o Xoyos Tijs dicoijs] Vulg. sermo Menander, ap. Stob. Anthol. 45, 8,
auditas. Syr. the word which they speaks of Xoyov llvvap,,s ;f0n XP'l<TT,;;
heard. The phrase admits of two <TVyic<icpap,•Jl'I· Plut. Non posse sua;.
renderings. It may mean (1) 'the vi'Di sec. Epic. ii p. 1101, B {3iAno11
word of the message heard,' the lvvrrapxnv n ,cal <TVYKEKpii<T0m -rfj rr•pl
simple proclamation of the divine (},,;;11 llo~r, ICOtl/011 alllovs ical <J>6{3ov
tidings; or (2) 'the word of hearing,' 1ra0os. •• Comp. Ign. ad Smyrn. 3
that is, the word as heard only, ,cpa0EIITES Tf, <Tapicl avTov ,ea, T'f aip,an
according as a,co~ is taken passively (al. 1r11•vp,an), and Lightfoot ad loc.
or actively. The second sense which 3-7. The present experience of
falls in perfectly with the context is Christians confirms the privilege of
justified by Ecclus. xli 2 3 (xlii I 7) faith (3); The fact that the rest itself
i\oyos aicoijs 'a simple rumour'; but is already realised is witnessed by the
the former sense is more in accordance record of creation (4); The fact that
with the general (passive) usage of the promise of the rest still remains
a,corJ itself for a message spoken and is implied by the exclusion of the un-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IV. 3

XOM€8A r7dp1 eic [n-tN] KATb.TTAyciN OL '1TL<T'T€1J<Ta1rr€',, Ka0ws

,,
€L(JrJK€V
·nc WMOCA EN Tl;J oprtJ MOY
Ei eiceAeycONTAI elc THN KATc\TTAYciN MOY,
I
Kat'TOL
"
TWN eprwN ~ '
a'lTO
\ /3 i\~
Ka'Ta O rJ<;
f
Ko<rµou
0 I
,Y€11rJ €J/'TWV,
oVv
3 el<J'epx6µe0o. ~BD 2M2 : el<J'epxwµeOa, A(l<J'<PX·) 0 (comp. vi. 3; Rom. v. 1; 1 Cor.
xv. 49). ,,&.pBD 2 vgsyrhl: ovv ~ACM2 me. T-!Jv (r 0 ) ~ACM: om. BD2 *.
el om. A: ,j C*. KO.T. µov: om. µov 0*.

faithful from it (5); And a fresh word critical action (1r1CTTevuavres) and not,
of God points to the end not yet as might have been expected, in its
reached (6, 7 ). continuous exercise (mCTTevovres ).
3 For we that believe enter into the Comp. Acts iv. 32 ; 2 Thess. i. 10;
rest of God ; even as He hath said, I Cor. xv. 2. At the same time he
As I sware in my wrath, does not say simply 'we enter in
They shall not enter into my rest; having believed' (murevuavrH) ; but
although the works were finished he regards 'believers' as a definite
from the foundation qf the world. class who embraced the divine revela-
4For He hath said as we know (some- tion when it was offered (ol 1r1uuv-
where) qfthe seventh day on this wise: uavus). This effective faith works its
And God rested on the seventh day full result while it continues (c. iii. 6,
from all His works; If). Com!!. Matt. xi. 28 ff.; c. vi. 18
sAnd in this place agai'.n: 01 Karacf>vyovrH.
6
They shall not enter into my els T~V Kara1ravu1v] not simply 'into
rest. rest' but into tlie rest of which the
Seeing therefore it remaineth that Psalmist spoke, 'into the rest of God.'
some should enter into it, and th61/ to 1<.a86>s <Lp1'JKEv, 'Os Jµ,oua ••• ] The
whom the good tidings were before words of the Psalm, as used here,
preached entered not in because of prove that there is a rest and that it
disobedience, 7 He again defi,neth a has not been attained. It follows
certain day, Today, saying in Da'Did, therefore, this the writer assumes,
(f/ter so long a time as hath been that Christ has brought the rest with-
said before, in the reach of His people, as indeed
Today, if ye shall hear His voice, Christians know. This interpretation
Harden not your hearts. of the quotation seems to be more
3. eluepxoµ,e8a yap ••• ] The apostle natural than to suppose that the
assumes that actual experience· es- reference is designed to contrast the
tablishes the reality of the promise faith of Christians with the want of
and the condition of its fulfilment. faith which caused the rejection of
'I speak without hesitation' he seems the Jews of the Exodus.
to say' of a promise left to us,for we ••p1'JK<11] Comp. 'D. 4; i. r 3; x. 9 note;
enter, we are entering now, into the xiii. 5 ; Acts xiii. 34- The subject is
rest of God, we tliat believed.. .' The simply, 'God,' or 'the Spirit,' and not
Yerb eluepxoµ,e8a is not to be taken 'the Scripture.'
as a future (Vulg. ingrediemur), but 1<.a[ro1 roov lpyc,iv ... ] although the
as the expression of a present fact : works (of God) were finished (done)
John xiv. 3, 18; Matt. xvii. 1 I; I Cor. from. the foundation of the world.
iii. 13; Col. iii. 6. Moreover the Vulg. et quidem operibus ab institu-
efficacy of faith is regarded in its tione mundi perfectis; Syr. althoU{!h
IV. 4-6] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 97
4€tpYJKEV ,ydp 'IT"Oll 7r€pt -riis e/300µ,rJS oiJ-rws K>.i Kcl\T€TT<llYC€N 0
0€0C €N TH HMEpcll TH eBl>OMH tnd ndNTOON TCON €prc.oN <llYTOY, 5 Kat €V
I I I I

-rou-rw 7rd"i\.tv Ei Eic€A€ycoNT<lll eic THN K<llT,,:n,,.ydN Moy. e7ret

6
';'
ouv
'' "\. ,
a7T"OI\.Et7T"€Tat
' , .. ., ,
Ttvas €IC€A0€IN €IC aUTrJV, Kat Ot 7rpO-r€pov
/ ' f '

4 iv -rfi ... efi8. om. A.

the works of God... There was there- of the particle is probably not local
fore no failure on the part of God. (somewhere) but general ('as we know,'
The divine rest was prepared. God 'to quote familiar words'~
Himself had entered into it, though rrEpl Tijs l,88.] It has been remarked
it still remained that His people that 'the six days ' are defined in the
should share it according to His record of creation by 'the evening and
purpose. Thus the rest was at once the morning,' but to the seventh no
in the past and in the future. such limits are given. See "'· 9 note.
1Cal-ro,] In the N.T. Acts xiv. 17 only; 1Ca,-irrav<rEv] The verb is used in an
1Cafro,i'E John iv. 2. The word is used intransitive sense (though rarely) in
with a pa.rticiple in all periods of classical Greek ; and in the Lxx. :
Greek literature : Simon. ap. Plat. Ecclus. v. 6 ; 1 Mace. ix. 73 &c. It is
Protag. 26 p. 339 O 1Cal-ro, Elp1J11hov. used in the commoner transitive sense
Epict. Diss. i. 8, 5. below"'· 8.
d-1ro 1Ca-ra,80Aq s IC.] c. ix. 26. See 5. iv TOOT~ ,raA£V] SC. E'lpTJK.EV «l
Matt. xiii. 35 [Ps. lxxvii. (lxxviii.) 2 e(oS. The T'01J'l"6) is neuter: in this
d,r' dpxqs LXX.]; XXV. 34; Lk. xi. 50; place, or phrase.'
Apoc. xiii. 8; xvii. 8. The phrase rr&A,v] again, on the other side.
is not found in the LXX. Compare The failure of those to whom the
rrpb 1CaTa,80Aijs IC. John xvii. 24; Eph. promise was originally made to attain
i. 4- it, is a second element in the argu-
The writer of the Epistle by this re- . ment. There is a rest; and yet further
ference completes the conception of it has not been realised by men.
the promised rest. 'The rest of God,' 6. But when we recognise failure
the rest which He had provided for it is not that we acquiesce in it. The
His people, is no other in its last promise once made will have a ful-
form than the rest which He Himself filment. Some must enter into the
enjoyed. Of this the earthly inherit- rest : those who were formerly called
ance was only a symbol did not enter through disobedience ;
4, 5. The quotations in these verses therefore another time was afterwards
establish in detail the two conclusions fixed when believers might gain by
found in the words quoted in "'· 3, ready self-surrender that which God
that there is a rest already prepared still offered. The conditional terms
(v. 4); and that Israel did not enter are thus two and not one ; for the
into it (v. 5). second clause (1<.a2 o! rrpo-r. EilayyE>..)
4- ELp1J1CEv] Comp. v. 3 note. cannot be considered to be only ex-
rrov] Comp. ii. 6 note. This in- planatory of the first.
definite form of quotation is found irrEl oJv] See c. v. I I note.
nowhere else in the N. T. It occurs a,roAEL11'(Ta£] 'D. 9; X. 26. This cer-
in other writers : Philo, Quod Deus tainty is left as a consequence of the
immut. § 16, i. p. 284 M.; De prof. unrepealed (though unfulfilled) pro-
§ 36, i. 575; De congr. er. gr. § 31, i. mise.
544; Clem. R. ad Cor. i. I 5. The sense o! ,rpaupov Evan.] they to whom the
8
W. H. 7
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IV. 7, 8

eua"/"/€At<F8€v-re;; ouK eicAAeoN CL' d1reWetav, 7,raAtv -rtvc.t

• 'Y. • ' .._. , , A l'I' '\. I I
opt~€t 17µ.epav, LHM€pON, €V .L.laU€lO /\.€"/WV µ.e-ra 'TO<TOU'TOV
I
XPOVOV, Ka ( )WS
' r1rpoetp17'Tat,
I l

~HM€pON €~N THC <POONHC b.'(TOY ~KOYCHTE,

MH CKAHpYNHT€ T.,:C Kb.p6ib.C YMOON •
8 €t 'Yap au'TOUS 'l11<rous Ka'T€7raU<T€V, OUK &v 7r€p) !lu,,

6 lurdOetav: d.,rio-rla,v lit* vg. 7 r,va. opl!;« lit•. ,rpo.lprira, litACD2* vg syr hl
me: ,rpo•lpriK<P D: ,tprira, .-. 8 d.11: d.pa, B.

good tidings were before preached... garded by itself as decisive of the

Vulg. quibus prioribus annunciatum authorship of the Psalm.
est. Only two generations are con- irpo•lp17ra,] c. iii. 7, l 5.
templated, that of Moses and that of 8-10. The words of the Psalmist
Christ. The second generation of convey also another lesson. In one
Israel who entered into Canaan are sense it might be said that in the
not considered to have received or second generation those who were
enjoyed the fulness of the original rescued from Egypt did enter into
promise. the rest which was refused to their
ai' d1nl8na11] O. L. propter con- fathers. But Canaan was not the
tumaciam. The Vulgate rendering rest of God. The rest of God is a
propter incredulitatem (and so"'· II; Sabbath rest which man also is des-
Rom. xi. 30, 32; CoL iii. 6 [O. L. du- tined to share, a rest after finished
sidentia] ; Eph. ii 2 ; v. 6 : in iii 12, labour. Therefore the Psalmist, in the
19 air,OTla is so rendered) obscures the troubled rest of Canaan, still points
important difference between the state his hearers to an end unattained.
of mind and the active expression of 8
For if Joshua had gi'Den them
it. Unbelief is manifested in diso- rest, He would not hace spoken <ifter
bedience (contrast iii 19). The two thi,s of another day. 9 There remain-
are placed in close connexion Rom. eth then a sabbath rest for the people
xi. 20 ff., 30 ff.; comp. John iii. 36. of God. 1 ° For he that is entered
7. opl(n] 0. L. prmfinicit... Vulg. into His rest 1,,atl,, himself also rested
terminat... The Holy Spirit through from h,i,s works as God did from Hu
the writer of the Psalm (c. iii 7) de- own.
fineth a certain day, ' Today,' say- 8. .z yap .. .'l710-oiis-] For if Joshua ...
ing... It seems more natural to take The Peshito defines the ambiguous
'Today' as the explanation of 'a name (Jesus): Jesus the son of
certain day,' than to connect it with Nun ... (but not in Acts vii 45).
'saying' as part of the quotation. avrovs-] The antecedent is mentally
/,, A. >..;y,,w] saying in the person supplied: 'those in whom Christians
of Da'Did, who was regarded as the find their counterpart.' Comp. viii 8,
author of the whole Psalter ; and not xi. 28. See Winer p. 183.
'in the book of David' (the phrases ,car,iravo-•11] transitive (otherwise "'"'·
111 'H>..la Rom. xi z, /,, rc:i 'D.CTTJi Rom. 4 note, 10) as in Ex. xxxiii 14; Deut.
ix. 25, are not exactly p'ii.rallel). The iii 20 &c.
expression, which follows the common ov,c "" ,upl i{1,.>..17s- £AaAn ... ] He
mode of speaking, is not to be re- would not ha'De continued to speak
IV. 9] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 99
9'' ',.,
apa a7l'Ot\.€t7l'E"Tat <Ta /3/3 a-
µ,<Ta. TaVTa: µ,•,,.• alrrci C. 9 om. vers. lit* (suppl. A).
d.1ro>.E£1rrra.L: <i1ro>.E,,,.a, B

after this, after so long a time (i,. 7), eisfactum est et i,espera. Dies autem
qf another day. 0. L. non de alio (1) septimus sine vespera est nee habet
(Lcf. de aliis) dixiuet postera die. occasum, quia sanctificasti eum ad
Vulg. nunquam de ali,a loqueretur permansionem sempiternam ; ut id
postluic die. For the unusual and ex- quod tu post opera tua bona valde,
pressive combination El «aTl1TavuE11 quamvis ea quiete feceris, requievisti
oJ« &11... E'A<iAn, see Additional Note. septimo die, hoe prreloquatur nobis
It is assumed that if Joshua did vox libri tui, quod et nos post opera
not gain an entrance into the rest of nostra, ideo bona valde quia tu nobis
God, no later leader did up to the ea donasti, sabbato vitre reternre re-
time of Christ. No earthly rest in- quiescamus in te.
deed can be the rest of God (xi 9 f.). And again after giving a brief par-
9. tipa a,ro;\. .... ] c. xii 8. This un- allel of the six days of Creation with
classical use of tipa in the first place the ages of the world, he closes his
of a sentence as defining a conclusion De ci'l)itate (xxii 30, 5) with the
from the previous words is found in striking conception of the 'seventh
the Synoptists (Matt. xii 28 ; Luke xi day,' the 'Sabbath,' passing into an
48) and in St Paul (Rom. x. 17; 1 Cor. eternal 'Lord's day' : De istis porro
xv. 18 &c.), especially in the form tipa retatibus singulis nunc diligenter lon-
0311 (Rom. v. 18 &c.), but it is not gum est disputare. Hrec tamen sep-
found in St John or in the Catholic tima erit sabbatum nostrum, cujus
Epistles. finis non erit vespera sed dominicus
ua{3{3a'TLCTµo~] a saJibath rest (o. L. dies, velut octavus reternus, qui Christi
requies, Vulg. sabbatismus, Syr. to resurrectione sacratus est, reternam
keep a Sabbath-rest)--a rest which non solum spiritus verum etiam cor-
closes the manifold forms of earthly · poris requiem prrefigurans. lbi vaca-
preparation and work (the Hexae- bimus et videbimus ; videbimus et
meron of human toil) : not an isolated amabimus ; amabimus et laudabimus.
sabbath but a sabbath-life. The change Ecce quod erit in fine sine fine. Nam
of term from 1<aTmravu,t is significant. quis alius noster est finis nisi pervenire
The word is not quoted as used by ad regnum cujus nullus est finis 1
a!ly earlier writer. 'Ia{3{3a,,.lC<A> occurs The remarks of the Greek fathers
not unfrequently in the LXX., and are less suggestive : ua/3{3anuµ.011 cJ11&-
ua{3{3anuµ.o~ itself is used in an enu- µ.au• 'NJII Troll CT<A>Jl,a'TLK6>11 lfYY<A>II a,ra).;\.a-
meration of superstitious observances 'Y'1" (Theodoret~ And Chrysostom :
by Plutarch: J)e superst. 3; ii p. 166 A. c3u,rEp -yap iv Tei> uafJ/3/mp 1Tllll'T<A>II J,1,EII
The Sabbath rest answers to the T6>11 'll"0111jpm11 U1TEXECT8<U «£>..nln, i,cliva
Creation as its proper consummation. aE p,l,va -yl11Eu8a, Tll ,rpo~ AaTpElall Toii
Such is the thought of Augustine at e.oii, cI,rEp ol IEpE'i, E1TETE>..ov11, ,cal OCTa
the end of his Conj'essions (xiii 35 f.): ,YVX~" ruq>EAE'i ,cal µ.71aE11 lnpov, owe.,
Domine Deus, pacem da nobis, omnia ,cat' TOT"£, ,
enim prrestitisti, pacem quietis, pacem The Jewish teachers dwelt much
sabbati, sabbati sine vespera. Omnis upon the symbolical meaning of the
quippe iste ordo pulcherrimus rerum Sabbath as prefiguring 'the world
valde bonarum modis suis peractis to come.' One passage quoted by
transitorius est ; et mane quippe in Schoettgen and others may be given:
7-2
100 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IV. 10, II.

\
Tt<rµor; ·-rq,...,. "\. ,,...
l\d.'f' 'TOU
""' () -
€OU.
JO t
0
\ > ' ,
7ap €1C€A8u>N €IC THN Kb.Ti,.-
' ,

, A \ t ' , > I "' V J ,.. "

ITb.YCIN b.yToy Kat au'TOS Kb.T€ITb.YC€N b.ITO Tu>N eprwN b.YTOY (J)(f"'Tf'€p

ino TOON iUwv o eeoc. n C7rouidcrwµev 0~11 eiceMeiN elc lKet111w

rr elueMew : + doeXcj,o! D 2*.

'The people of Israel said : Lord 1<.arfoav<r£11) marks the perfectness of

of the whole world, shew UB the the issue. The entrance and the rest
world t.o come. God, blessed be are coincident and complete. Comp.
He, answered : Such a pattern is the Matt. xxv. 21, 23.
Sabbath' (Jalk. Rub. p. 95, 4). In 1<.ar. a7rb rrov tpyc.w] Comp. .A.poc.
this connexion the double grolllld xiv. 13.
which is given for the observance of J<r7r€p a7rb Tciiv la'"'" oB.]as God did
the Sabbath, the rest of God (Ex. XL from His own works, from the works
11) and the deliverance from Egypt which, as far as man can conceive,
(Deut. v. 15), finds its spiritual con- correspond with His Nature, and
firmation. The final rest of man an- which are spoken of as works, though
swers t.o the idea of Creation realised wrought without t.oil. Comp. I Cor.
after the Fall by Redemption. Comp. iii. 8 1<.ara .,.bv Wiov 1<.wov.
Schoettgen ad toe. and on v. 3. (b) The responsibility of such as
Even in this present life there is a have received the promise of the rest
foretaste of the Sabbath-rest when the of God (11-13).
believer, deatl t.o self, yields himself in II -13. Since the promise remains
perfect obedience t.o Christ. He works for Christians they must also heed
indeed ; yet not he, but Christ who the warning (v. 11 ). The Gospel must
dwells and works in him (Gal ii 20). be received with a devotion which
He has ceased from his works. answers t.o the character of the Power
.,.'P .Xarp rov ihov] c. xi. 25. Comp. by which it is offered (vv. 12, 13).
I Pet. ii IO (Aaos- B£ov). The phrase u Let us therefore give diligence to
often occurs by implication (Rom. iL enter into that rest, that no one fall
25 f.; xi. 1 f. &c.). Comp. Gal vi. r6 after the same example qf disobe-
(l,rl rov 'IupatJA rov 8£ov); and contrast dience. "For the word qf God i~
c. ii. 17 (rov .Xaov); xiii. 12 (note); living, and active, and sharper tha1i
Apoc. xviii. 4- Israel was the type of any two-edged sword, and piercing-
the divine commonwealth. Sabbatis- even to the dividing qf soul and spirit,
mUB non paucis reservatur sed populo, and qfjoints and marrow, and quick
id est magnre multitudini ; nee tamen to judge the feelings and thoughts of
cuilibet populo,sedpopulo De-i (Herv.). the heart. r3And there is no creature
10. o yap £lu.] for he that -is en- that is not manifest in His sight, but
tered (enters), whoever has once en- all things are naked and laid open;
tered, into His rest, the rest of God to the eyes of Him to whom we have-
(iii. 18; iv. 1)... The general state- to give account.
ment gives the reason for the remark- II. <T71"0vaauc.>µ.£P otv... ] Let US-
able title which has been now given give diligence (Latt. Festinemus ),
t.o the rest (uafJfJariuµ.o~) by reference strive earnestly...because 'the prize
t.o v. 4- is noble and the hope is great.' There
The words may also be understood is need of active exertion that we may
(though this seems t.o be less likely) secure what God has promised. So
as unfolding the nature of the pro- Chrysostom : µ.€ya µ.iv ~ 7r£unr ica,
mised rest. <Tc.>TfJptol' 1<.al ravr'}r a11€V OVI<. EIIL <rc.>Oijva[
· The form of construction (£lu£-XB..Jv, rtva. aAA' OUK apicii 1<.aB' lavrryv '/"OVTO,
IV. 12] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. JOI
' , ~, \ , ,... , ,.. r O, . I
THIii K"-TMT,,.YCIN, tva µr, €JI 'T'f' au-rep 'TL<; V7T'O H,yµa-rt 7T'€<T!J
-rijs a7T'Et8das. J~ Zwv ,yap o'i\o,yos 'TOIJ ewu Kal €VEp,y11s
om. ns ~*. I z EPEfYYtJS : evams B.

lpylurau8ai dX}"l lJE'i ical 7r0Ainla~ dpB~r. iv v'TrolJ. describes the lesson presented
And Primasius, following him : Fes- by the fall.
tinemus inquit quoniam 11011 sufficit Those who so fall become, in their
sola tides sed debet addi et vita fidei punishment, an example like that
condigna... Herveius marks the situa- offered by the Jews in the Wilderness,
tion of the Hebrews more exactly : an example, that is, of the fatal con-
Festinemus ingredi nee in his terrenis sequences of disobedience fitted to
qure nos impediunt immoremur. Fes- alarm others. Unbelief (iii. 12) is
tinemus fide et bonis operibus, quod here seen in its practical issue (v. 6
illi non faciunt qui carnaliter adhuc note). The word' v,rolJnyµ,a occurs
legem observant et erga fidem et 2 Pet. ii. 6 with gen. pers. ('an example
spiritualem conversationem negli- to deter them'). See also John xiii
gentes existunt. 15 ; and for a different use of the word
For u,rovMCnv see Eph. iv. 3; 2 Tim. c. viii. 5 note.
iL 15; 2 Pet. i. 10; iii. 14. The words rijr d1rn8Elar are placed
£lr iicfl"'1" T~" icaT.] into that rest, at the end and isolated, so that atten-
that rest of God which is characterised tion is fixed and rests upon them
by such absolute blessedness (comp. (comp. ix. 15; xii u).
Matt. vii. 22 iv iicfl"lJ Tfj ~µ.ipq.; John The parallel suggested by the words
xi 49 note). was the more impressive when the
lva ,,.~ iv T'e avT,e ••• ,riu17, •• ] 0. L. ne Apostle wrote, because the generation
aliquis eodem exemplo cadat a veri- of the Exodus had borne much, like
tate. Lcf. ne aliqui in idem ex. the Hebrew Christians, before they
contumacim cadant. Vulg. ne in fell at last. And the spiritual trial of
id ipsum quis incidat incredulitatis Jews and Christians was essentially
exemplum. Syr. that we may not the same : illi non crediderunt Deum
fall in the manner qf those who did sufficere ad dandam requiem terne
not believe. These two forms of promissionis, et isti similiter Christum
rendering (Lcf., Vulg.; 0. L., Syr. ;) ad dandam requiem perpetuam suf-
represent two possible interpretations ficere non credebant sine· carnalibus
of the words represented roughly by observantiis (Herv.).
'falling into' and 'falling after' the 12. The necessity of earnest effort
same example. According to the first lies in the character of the divine
interpretation ,rl,rTfW Jv throlJ. is a revelation. It is not 'a vain thing
compressed expression for 'falling into for us : it is our life.' ·
the same type of disobedience and The main thought in the description
thus exhibiting it.' But ,r[1TTnv fir of 'the word of God' is not that of
v,ralJnyµ.a, which is involved in this punishment, as it is taken by Chryso-
explanation, is, under any circum- stom, but of its essential nature as it
stances, an extremely strange ex- enters into, permeates, transforms,
pression. every element in man. There is no
Hence it is better to follow the question of an external rest apart
second view, in which ,rl1TTnv is taken from the harmony of the believer with
absolutely in the sense of 'falling' God or, in the figure of v. 2, apart from
'perishing' as opposed to 'standing' the vital union of the hearer ~ith the
(comp. 1 Cor. x. 12; Rom. xi. II), and word. The rest is the consui1).mation
 102 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IV. 12

of that divine fellowship of which the pression. Thus the passage shews how
life in Canaan was a type. naturally the transition was made
Thus Philo also saw in the 'perfect from the revelation of God to Him
light' of the seventh day a symbol of Who was at once the Revelation and
'the light of virtue' in which the soul the Revealer. Comp. 1 John i. I f.
finds true rest : /11 rav"71 rfi q,vu-E& note.
,ravrra, 1 TOOII 8117JTOOII U'VU'Tau-,s· KaL It is not however surprising that
y?ip oiJr"'s €)(E& • ,fra11 dvauO..n q,lyyos the passage was commonly understood
Tijs dp,rijs, TO Aaµ.,rpo11 ica, 8,,011 OIIT61S, of the Personal Word by the Fathers :
/,rlx•ra, (is checked) rijs l11a11Tias e.g. Eusebius The<Yph. Cram. Cat. p.
tpt1U'f6>S 1 yl11,u-is (Leg. Alleg. i § 8 ; 46o; Athanasius c. Ar. ii. §§ 35, 72;
i. 46). Isidore, Cat. p. 459; <Ecumenius;
, Th~ five s~ccessive epit?ets ((0011 .•• Theophylact ; Primasius ; Herveius.
fllf PYT/S, ••TO/J,61Ttpos, •• auic11ovµ.,11os ••.icp,- The transition to this sense is given
T&KOS ••• ) applied to 'the word' mark in Apoc. xix. 13-
with increasing clearness its power to The passage offers an instructive
deal with the individual soul. There parallel with Philo. Philo speaks at
is a passage step by step from that length (Quia rerum di'D. haJr. §§ 26 ff. ;
which is most general to that which is i. 491 ff.M.) of the Logos as 'the divider'
most personal. Life is characterised (roµ.,vs) of things, basing his teaching
by activity: the activity takes the on an interpretation of Gen. xv. 10.
special form of an internal examina- So the Logos divides material things
tion, which reaches to the very founda- into their indivisible atoms, the soul
tions of our organization ; and this is into rational and irrational, speech
not physical only but inspired by a into true and false, formless matter
moral force, all-pervading, all-discern- into the elements, and so on. Two
ing, for it is indeed the force of God. things only are left undivided : 'the
By 'the word of God' (o Aoyos roii nature of reason (roii ").oy,u-µ.oii) in man
8,oii) we must understand the word and that of the Divine Logos above
which He speaks through His mes- us, and these being indivisible (arp,T/TO&)
sengers or immediately in the heart divide other things innumerable. For
of each man. Here the thought is in the Divine Logos divides and dis-
the first instance necessarily of the tributes all things in nature, and our
word spoken by the Son Who has intellect (voiis) divides into infinitely
again offered to man the rest of God. hifinite parts whatsoever matters and
Comp. John xii. 48 (Deut. xviii 18 f.). bodies it receives intellectually, and
This sense is required by the whole never ceases cutting them .• .' (i. p.
course of the argument (iii. 7 Aiyn, 'D. '5o6 M.).
I 5 /11 T~ Aiy,u-8a', iv. 2 lu-µ.E11 •vrrr- So elsewhere the virtuous man is
y•A&u-µ.l110, ••• oAoyos Tijs aicoijs, v. 4 llp'l- said to remove the sores of vice by
ic•11, "· 7 fll ~av,,a Af}'6lll, 1'. 8 l'Aa).n). Aoyos roµ.•vs, the knife of reason (Quod
The language is not directly ap- det. pot. insid. § 29, i. 212 M.). Com-
plicable to the Personal Word Him- pare De Cher. § 9 (i. p. 144 M.), where
self. He cannot properly be likened the flaming sword of the Cherubim is
to the sword. The sword 'issues from explained of the Logos used by the
his mouth' (Apoc. i. 16); and it may individual.
be concluded yet further that the Thus as far as the 'cutting,' 'divid-
author of the Epistle did not directly ing' power of the Divine Logos is
identify the divine Aoyos with the concerned, it is, according to Philo,
Son (i. 2). At the same time the exercised simply in the realm of being.
truth that Christ is the Gospel which It has no moral qualities. The moral
He brings is present to the writer's divider is the human reason. Under
mind and influences his form of ex- other aspects however the Philonic
IV. 12] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 103
\ I ' \ - f ~f \ ~
Kat -roµw-repos ,nrep 7ra<Tav µaxaipav vt<T-roµov Kat vttK-
811Kvo6µ.•vos: 8«K116µ.,vos D1*.

Logos has a moral power (Quad Deu, For lv•py,js see l Cor. xvi 9 8vpa•••
sit immut. § 28; i. p. 292 M.). l11Epy1s. Philem. 6 im-ros ,j ,co,11ro11la •••
There is a yet more fundamental •v•py~s y<"'7Ta&. The variant lvap-y1s
difference between the writer of the (B, Hier. in Isai. lxvi. e'Cidens) repre-
Epistle and Philo in the conception sents a very common confusion of
of the Divine Logos. With Philo it is forms.
characteristically the divine thought The activity of the Word is not
(the AO'}'OS lvaui8n-or): with the writer intellectual only but moral : it deals
of the Epistle the divine word (the with conduct as well as with know-
Xoyos 1Tpocpopucos), as it is with St ledge. It is shewn in the power of
John. the Word to lay open the innermost
The action of the Word is regarded depths of human nature. The Word
in relation to (1) man (1J. 12), and (2) has unrivalled keenness : it pierces
to a.11 created things. It deals with in fa.et to the most secret parts of
man in respect (a) to his constitution, man ; and that not as an instrument
both immaterial and material, and merely but as a judge of moral issues.
(b) to his activity, in feeling and It is sharper than the most formidable
reason. weapon of earthly warfare : it finds
12. '"'"···,cal lvfms ,cal TOp.c.>TEpos ••• ] its way through every element of
The Word-the revelation-of God is our earthly frame : it scrutinises the
living (C"'"), not simply as 'enduring affections and thoughts of which our
for ever,' but as having in itself bodily members are the present
energies of action. It partakes in organs.
some measure of the character of The image of the sharp cutting
God Himself (iii 12 8EoS '"'" note; power (Toµ.rl,npos, Vulg. penetral;ilior)
x. 31). Comp. Acts vii. 38 Xoy,a of the Word finds a striking para.llel
'"'IITa.John vi 63 Ta Mµ.aTa A ,y,;, in a line of Phocylides (11. n8),
AEAaAljlCO vµ.'iv 'ITIIEiiµ.a f<TTLII ,cal (ro1 '81TAOII TOL Xoyos dv3p, TOp.6lTEpo11 l<TTL
l<TT,11 ta~en :UP, by Jt Peter "'· 68 M- u,a1pov.
µ.aTa Cro11s airov,ov •xns. In this respect the word is com-
With this 'living word' believers pared with the sharpest of material
are incorporated. arms, 'the two-edged sword.' Comp.
Compare Orig. de Prine. i. 2, 3 Apoc. i. 16 '"' TOV <TTOp.aTOS awoii poµ.-
Unde et recte mihi dictus videtur cpala al<TToµ.os «l~f'ia lK1ropEVOp.<"'7, ii
sermo ille qui in Actibus Pauli scrip- 12. Is. xlix. 2; (xi. 4; Ii. 16; Hos. vi.
tus est quia. Hic(1) est verbum ani- 5). Schoettgen quotes a Jewish saying
mal vivens (et: Lipsius, Apokr. Apos- to the effect that 'he who utters the
telgesch. ii. 1, 70 f.). Shema is as if he held a tw~ed
Comp. Philo, Leg. Alleg. iii §§ 59, sword.'
61 (i 120, 122 M.) op9s rijs '1/roxijs The phrase is common in classical
Tpocf,~11 oia f<TT&. Xayos 8Eov (Ex. xvi writers, e.g. Eurip. Hel. 989.
15)••• TO a; pijµ.a p.Epos atlTov· TpEcf,ETa, Other examples are given by Wet-
ai TCl>II µ.iv TEAELOTiprov ,; tvx~ O:Xcp T<f stein.
AO'}''f>, dya~O"a&p.EII a· a., ,jµ.•is El ,cal For µ.axaipa see Eph. vi 17 a.fao-8E
' I
µ.ipfL TpacpEl1jp.E11 a.lToii. •••Tljll p.axatpa11 TOV.,. 'ITIIEVp.aTOS
I tl J
O E<TTIV
The life of the Word is not only f,ijµ.a 8Eoii (e{cpos is not found in N.T.);
present, but it is also vigorously and for TOp.6>TEpos vrrlp Luke xvi. 8 ;
manifested. The Word is active Jud. xi 25; c. iii 3; ix. 23 (1rapa).
(iv•py1s, O.L. validum, Vulg. effica:c). KOL a,IICl,ovp.EIIOS ifxp• p.Eptuµ.oii ••• ]
I04 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IV. 12

vouµevos lt.xpi µepurµov -fuxiis Kal' 7rl/EUµa-ros, apµw11 TE

Kal' µue/\.wll,
,. . Kal' ' €11
KPLTLKO<;; , 0uµr,<TEWll
' Kal\ €lll/OLWll
' - ~'
Kapota<;;'

'fVXTJS Ka.! NABCH vg syrr me: y,. + re' Ka.l !:" D2 • tvOvµ:fitTewv: -tTews C*D2*.
Ka.I tvv. : tvv. re D2*.

The 'dividing' operation of 'the Word the four in combination offer a general
of God' has been understood as view of the sum of man's powers in
reaching to the separation of soul his present organization. The divine
from sphit, and of jointsfrom marrow, revelation penetrates through all. No
or to the separation, in themselves, of part of human nature is untouched by
soul and spirit, and of joints and it.
marrow. The latter interpretation For this use of TE compar_e Acts
seems to be unquestionably right. xxvi. 30 ; Luke xxiv. 20.
The Word of God analyses, lays bare, ,J,vxiir Kal 1T1J<vµaTor] Vulg. animro
reveals in their true nature, reduces ac spiritus. Compare I Cor. xv. 45;
to their final elements, all the powers 1 Thess. v. 23. The broad distinction
of man. Chrysostom mentions both between the two is given forcibly by
views: rl lcrn TOVTO; <j,o/3•pov T& 'O"'- Primasius : Anima vivimus, spiritu
faTo. ~ yap ()Ti TO 7TV<vµa a,aip<'i an-a rationabiliter intelligimus : vita nobis
ri)r ,J,vxijr, >...fy,, • ~ ;;T, ,cal avTwv (leg. carnalis cum bestiis communis est,
a,· avrrov) TWIJ acrwµarwv l1ttKIJ<LTat, ov ratio spiritalis cum angelis.... Comp.
Ka86'r ~ µaxaipa µovov TWV crwµ.arwv. Additional Note.
a,lKVV<TtV, •• or, ••• ()AOV a,· OAOV lJuKVEITat apµ.0011 T< Ka, µv,Xw11] Vulg. com-
TOIi t.118pwn-011 (leg. TOV a118p,Jn-ov) (ad l.). pagum quoque ac medullarum. Syr.
The omission of the TE in the first of joints and qf marrow and bones,
of the two double clauses (v,. Kal n-v. the most critical parts of the physical
ap. TE Kal µ.) causes some difficulty a.s framework of man, and the inmost
to the construction. It has been media of his physical force. The
supposed that the first clause (v,. Kal words are not found elsewhere in the
n-v.) depends on the second 'unto the N.T. <Ecumenius notices their re-
division both of the joints and marrow lation to what goes before : ,l?T<;,,, Ta
of soul and spirit' ; and again that acr<,>µara <i1T< KaL TO. crwµ.aT&Ka. The
the second clause, understood meta- plural µv,Xrov expresses the idea of
phorically, explains the extent of the the separate members in which the
penetrative power of the Word 'unto 'marrow' is found. The rendering of
the division of soul and spirit, yea, of the Peshito is a remarkable example
both spiritual joints and marrow in of an in~rp~etat~ve gloss., , _
that internal frame.' KptrtKOS <1J8vµ~<T<WV Ka& <IJVOtlilV 1<.]
The first of these interpretations Vulg. discretor (0. L. scrutator) cogi-
presupposes a most unnatural con- tationum et intentionum cordis. The
struction ; and the second is harsh and enumeration of the constituent ele-
forced, though Euripides (Hipp. 255) ments of man is followed by a notice
speaks of the t.1epor µv,>..or v,vxijs. of his rational activity as a moral
It is niore simple, and free from being. Over this, over the feelings
objection, to regard the two compound and thoughts of his heart, the Word
clauses as coupled by the r<, so that of God is fitted to exercise judgment.
the first two terms taken together The first word (lv8vµ~cr•wv) refers to
represent the immaterial elements the action of the affections, the second
in man ; while the two which follow (lvvo,w") to the action of the reason.
represent the material elements. Thus Clement has a remarkable parallel :
IV. 13] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 105
\ , ,f I 'rfl \ , I , ,.., I ~\
X3Kat OUK €<T'TtV K'Tt<TLS a,avris EVW71"LOV au-rou, 7rav-ra VE
7uµva Kat -re-rpaxriAt<Tp.Eva 'T'OL<; ocp0aAµoi's au-roii, ,rpos
13 Krl,ns: Kpl,ns D 2*.

JpEVVTJT~t y&p Ec:rr,v (0 8£0r) £vvo,6lv ,ea} supplemented by a · positive state-

l118vµ,q,m,,v (1 Cor. xxi 9). ment that all things are stripped of
For l118Jµ,11u,s see Matt. ix. 4 ; xii. every disguise which might conceal
25 ; Acts xvii 29 ; and for lwo,a, their true nature (yvµ,11a) and brought
1 Pet. iv. 1. by an overmastering power into full
Both 'feelings ' and 'thoughts' are view before His eyes (Terpax11>.,u-
referred to 'the heart,' which repre- µ,lva).
sents the seat of personal, moral life. The general sense of rerpax11)t.,uµ,i11a
It is of interest to trace the use of (Latt. aperta, Syrr. revealed, made
the word through the Epistle : iii. 8 manifest) is clear, as it is given in the
(iii 15, iv. 7); iii 10, 12; viii 10 old versions (Hesych. reTpax11>.,uµ,i11a·
(x. 16); x. 22; xiii. 9. 1r,cpa11,pmµ,,11a), but it is by no means
13. The thought of the pervading certain from what image the meaning
energy of the revelation of God in is derived. The word Tpax11XlCei11 is
regard to man is now extended to not found in the LXX. It is fre-
that of the universal Providence of quently used by Philo in the sense of
God with regard to all created beings. prostrating, overthrowing; e.g. Quis
Tl )t.{ym 1repl a118prJ1rmv, cJ,11ulv, KOii yap rer. div. hwr. § 55 (i. p. 512 M.) av;,p
dyy,?..ovs KOii apxayye?..ovs Kall Ta x,- 6VTIDS Tpax11XlCm11 ~ (lege y) Tpax11Xl-
pov/31µ, Ka, Td Iepacplµ, Kall ola11Sq1ror, Ceu8a, SJ11ara, : de vit. Mos. § 54 (ii. p.
KTluiv, n&vTa EKKEK.llAwrTa, -r'f> O<p8aA.µ,'f» 127 M.) rpax11>.,Coµ,,110, Tais lm0vµ.lau:
lnlvm; (Chrys.). Comp. Philo Leg. 1ra118' v1roµ,,11ovu, Spiiv TE Ka, 1rauxe,11
Alleg. iii. 6o (i. 121 M.). Timeamus ('obtorto collo pertracti '); and, with
ejus prresentiam cujus scientiam nul- a more general application, de exsecr.
latenus effugere valeamus (Primas. ,§ 7 (ii. 433 M.) /lpferal 'TrOTE a,a1r11,iv
A.tto). Ka, avaKV'TrTEW ~ 'TrOAAa yvµ,vau0iiua Kal
There is some difficulty as to the Tpax11>.,u8,iua yij. So Jos. B. J ud. iv.
antecedent of the two pronouns ~• :· Co~p. _Plut. ,d8 (;u,;ios. ii p. 52~ B
(b,rJ1rio11 avTov, TOLS ocj,Ba>.µ,ois avTov). opare TOIi aBATJTTJII v1ro 1rmS,uKapwv
They must evidently refer to the Tpax11)t.,Coµ,,11011 (where the idea is of
same subject; and since the subject the head turned round to gaze, 1rap-
in the second case is unequivocally m,<TTpecJ,IJµ,,11011, and so, in the next
personal ('Him to Whom we must sentence, Tpax11A,Coµ,i11ovs Kal 1repiayo-
render account'), there can be little µ,ivovs ).
doubt that we must understand 'God' The Greek Fathers were evidently
in both places, suggested by the perplexed oy the word. Chrysostom
compound subject of the former sen- appears to understand it of victims
tence, 'the Word of God.' Nor is hung up (by the neck) and flayed:
there anything unnatural in the trans- TO nTpax11>.,uµ.iva ,tpTJTCU. a1ro µ.era-
ition from the manifestation of God cpopiis TOOJI SEpJJ,OTIDJI T6111 a1ra 1"6111 lEpElmv
through His Word to His Person. lfeAICOJJ,EIIIDII. 6l<T1rEp -yap EKEiva, «1rHM11
For Krlu,s (creature) see Rom. i. Tt$' ucpafas a1ra Tijs <rapKOf rrapeAICV<T'f1
25; viii. 39; 2 Cor. v. 17. 'Acpavqs TO 8£pµ,a, 1ravra Ta lvSov a7rOKaAV7rTETa£
does not occur again in N.T. K.al 3ij>.a ylverm Tois qµ,ETlpo,s ocp0a)t.-
The negative statement that nothing µ,oir, OV'TID KW T<t 0Etp SijXa rrpoKHTai
is hidden from the sight of God is ,r&J.'T'a.
1o6 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IV. 14

ov ,iµ'iv o i\o,yos.
Theodoret interprets the word of the Son of Man (iii. I Jesus) to Moses
victims prostrate and lifeless : .,.o ae and Joshua; and with the relation of
'l'E'l'pax_TJA&uµ.iva 'l'o'ir o<f,8a)..µ.o'is aV'l'OV '" the promise which declares man's
µ.•.,.a<f,opas .,.i8n,c• .,..;;v 8voµ.iv6>v (cJ,.,v, destiny to the people of God under
A ,ravnAc»S a<j,6>va ICfl'l'at, .,.;;s u<f,ayfir the Old and New Dispensations, the
.,.;,v q,,,,v11 v a<f,•Aoµ.ivTJs. writer now returns to the central
CEcumenius gives Chrysostom's thought of the High-priesthood, from
meaning and another without deciding which he has turned aside, and pre-
between them : 'l'Erpax_TJA&uµ.iva a, 'PTJU& pares for the full discussion of it in
'l'U. yvµ.va a,ro /J,f'l'a<j,opar .,..;;,, ,rpo{:Jar6>v the following chapters (v.-x. 18).
'l'rov /,c 'l'p«x_~Aov 1P'l'TJP,iv,.,v ,cal "YE"f1J/J,- Briefly, he shews, we have a High-
V6>/J,EV6>V Ti;s aopar. ~ '1'0 'l'E'l'pax_TJA&uµ.iva priest who has Himself entered the
&vri roV ,ctirc.> ,ctl1rTovra, ,cal rOv rpcix11~ov rest of God ('11. 14); who can perfectly
f'rr,1<'A.lJJ011Ta a,a. rO p.~ luxVnv cir£vlcra, sympathise with us ('11. 15); so that we
,-fj MEu l,c•lvu 'l'OV Xp&U'l'OV ,cal e.oii . can ourselves draw near to God, with
vµ.wv (leg. 1µ.wv) 'ITJUOV. Theophylact whom He is (v. 16).
prefers the interpretation of Chry- 14
Ha'l1ing tlterefore a great High-
sostom. priest, Who ltath passed through the
The word has been popularly ex- hea'l1ens, Jesus tlte Son of God, let us
plained as used of a wrestler who cling to our confession; •5for we
seizes the neck and thrusts back the lta'fJe not a Hi'.gh-priest tltat cannot
head of his adversary (resupinare) be touched with the feeling of our
so as to expose it fully to sight ; but infirmities, but one that ltath been
there is no direct evidence of the use tempted in all points like a, we are,
of Tpax_TJAi(,., in this sense ; and the apart from sin. 16 Let us therefore
words of CEcumenius point to the sense come with boldness unto the throne qf
of pressing down the head, which grace, that we may recei'l1e mercy and
agrees with the general idea of pros- find grace to help us in time of need.
tration. 14. ;}(_OJl'l'ES oivapx_•••• ] Comp. x. 19;
,rpor ~v ~µ.iv o )..6-yos] to wltom 'UJ6 xii. 1. The words point back to ii.
lta'fJe to gfoe account. (So Syr.) 0. L. 17; iii. 1. The fear of final failure,
ante quem nobis oratio est. Vulg. ad the consciousness of weakness and
quem (Hier. de quo) nobis sermo. partial failure, turn the thoughts again
Comp. Ign. ad Magn. 3. Compare to the Mediator.
Chrysostom Orat. ad illumin. 1 (ii. Our High-priest, our Apostle, has
274 ed. Gaume) ov yap ,rpor 'l'OVS O'VV- done more than Aaron or Moses pre-
aovAovr ~µ.iv a.na ,rpos 'l'OV t:..EU1TO'l'TJ'v a figured. He has entered into the
>..O)'os Jcrrl, ,cal rotircp rilr £V6vvar ar,;cro- rest which He foreshewed, so that He
µ.•v .,.,;;v fJ•f3,,.,µ.iv6>v dmiJl'l'6>V. So he can also bring His people into it. He
rightly gives the sense here: ~ µIA- is seated at the right hand of God.
Aoµ•v aoiiva, fv8vvas 'l'c»V 7TE7Tpa-y',,.illO)v. But meanwhile man has his part to
Primasius lays open the ground of do ; and as we strive to secure the
the truth in impressive words : nee promised rest we must cling firmly
mirum si totus ubique totam suam to the confession in which lies the
agnoscat creaturam. assurance of success.
iii Transition to the doctrine qf The simple fact that we have a
the High-priesthood of Christ, re- High-priest is stated first (Ha'l1ing
suming ii. 17 f. (14-16). therefore a High-priest), and then
Having dealt with the relation of His character and position are de-
IV. 15] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 107

'
µ1:.,yav ~ ,. ,. 0'
vtEt'\.r/t'\.U ' oupavous,
O'T'a 'T'OUS ' ' 'I r/CTOUV ' UtoV
~ 'T'OV ' ' 'T'OU
15
0eou, Kpa'T'wµev 'T'11S oµo"7\.o,ytas· ou ,ydp txoµev dpxiepea

scribed : Ha1Jing therefore a High- 'I71crot111 '1"011 vlo11 'l"OV 8Eoii] The two
priest, great in His essential Nature titles are placed side by side in order
(i. 1 ff.), and One Wlw hath passed to suggest the two natures of the
through the hea1Jens, and so come Lord which include the assurance of
before the very Presence of God. sympathy and power. For the use of
The epithet p.,yas does not go to Jesus see ii. 9 note ; and for tlie Son
complete the notion of High-priest, of God see vi. 6 ; vii. 3 ; x. 29 ; and
but characterises his dignity. Comp. .Additional Note on i. 4- .And for the
x. 21; (xiii. 20). Philo de ,omn. i.§ 38 combination of the two see .Acts ix. 20;
(i. p. 654 M.) cl p.•yar dpx,EPEVS [riis 1 Thess. i. 10; 1 John i. 7; iv. 15;
op.o>.oylar]; de Abr. § 40 (ii. 34 M.) v. 5.
cl p.lyas dpx,EPEVS 'l"OV p.Eyl<T'l"OV 8Eotl. ,cpa'1"6>/J.EII rij r op.o>...] Let us ding
ixovrEs is emphatic (comp. xiii. 10). to our faith in Him, Whom we openly
The condition is satisfied which brings confess, as truly human, truly divine
the assurance of the required help. (Latt. teneamus corifessionem). Oil To
ai1>.. .,._ avp.] who hath passed Trall T''j> lEpE'i atarucrw, d>.>.a ,cal .,.;,. Trap'
through the hea1Je11s. 0. L. egressum ~p.6i11 ,,,.,.E,, AE-YE a~ T7JII /Jp.o'}..oyla11
cmlos. Vulg. qui penetra1Jit cmlos. (Theophlct. ).
Comp. Eph. iv. 10 (c. vii. 26 note). The phrase ,cpan,11 rijs clµ.o'}..oy(as, as
Christ not merely ascended up to contrasted with KaT<X<»JJ,£11 "1"~11 /Jµ.o>..o-
heaven in the language of space, but yla11 (c. x. 23), seems to mark the act of
transcended the limitations of space. grasping and clinging to that to which
Thus we say that He 'entered into we attach ourselves, as distinguished
heaven' and yet is 'above the heavens.' from the act of holding firmly that
The phrase points out the superi- which is already completely in our
ority of Christ over the Jewish high- possession. Comp. vi. 18. Thus the
priest and over the Jewish mediator. , words imply danger and incite to
He has passed not through the veil effort.
only but through the heavens up to For /Jµ.oAoyla compare c. iii. 1 ('1"611•••
the very throne of God (comp. ix. dpxi1pla rijs op.a>...); x. 23 note; 1 Tim.
24 ; i. 3), and entered into the royal vi. 12 f.
rest of God. The writer everywhere insists on
Theophylact well compares Christ the duty of the public confession of
and Moses: otl T'OWVT"or ofor Mc,,vcrijs, the faith. The crisis claimed not
£1CELIIOS /J.EII -yap oiJT'E atlT'OS Elcrij>.8E11 £ls simply private conviction but a clear
T7]11 KQ'l"(ffl'QV<TW oiJT'E '1"011 >.ao11 El<T17yay£11• declaration of belief openly in the
o&or ai ll,EX1j>..v8ros 'l"OVS avpa11avs <TVII- face of men. Comp. 1 John iv. 2
Ellpui(n T'<ji lla'l"pl ,cal av11a"1"a, ~p.,11 '"Ill note.
Els ailpa11avs Etcroao11 aov11a, ,cal rijr l11 15. otJ yap] The apostle calls for
l1rayyE>.la,s KaTa1ravcrE<»S ,c).71po116p.ovs effort, and he encourages it. By the
1roiijcrm. And Primasius brings out negative form of the sentence he re-
aspects of µ,yar: Magnum pontificem cognises the presence of an objection
eum appellat qui habet reternum sacer- which he meets by anticipation. The
dotium, semper 1Ji1Jens, ad interpel- divine glory of Christ might have
landum pro nobis (c. vii. 25). Sic seemed to interpose a barrier between
enim dixit de illo angelus ad Mariam : Him and His people. But on the
Hie erit magnus et Filius altissimi contrary, the perfectness of His sym-
1Jocabitur (Lk. i. 32). pathy is the ground for clinging to
108 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IV.. 15

µ~ 0VVaµ€VOV <TVV7T'a0ij<Tai Tats a<T0€V€taLS tjµwv, 7r€7T'€L-

the faith which answers to our needs. 34- Clement also combines the
He is as near to us as the human thought of Christ's High-priesthood
high-priests (nay, nearer than they) with that of His help to man's weak-
whose humanity inspired the Jewish ness : ad Cor. i r, c. 36 ai,T'I ~ oMs,
, , , T \ I
worshippers with confidence. For we aya'fr'lTOI, Ell TI EvpoµEII TO 0'6>T'IPIOII
have not a riigh-priest such as can- ~µil,11, 'I11uoii11 XpLCTT<)II, TOIi dpxiEpEa .,.;,.,
not be touched ...but one that hath 1rpoucpopro11 ~µro11, TOIi 1rpoCTTOT'7II ,cal
been tempted... fJ011Bo11 Tijs drrBEIIEIUS ~µro11. Compare
µ~ lJv11aµE11011 •••'lrE'lrELpauµl11011 lJi] The Orig. in Matt. xiii. 2 'I11uovs yoiiv
power of Christ's sympathy is ex- c/J11rrl11 .Q.id TOVS duBEvov11Tas ~uBivovv
pressed negatively and positively. He «al lJ,a Toh 'lrEtJJ(iJIJTQS E'lrELl/6)1/ ,cal lJ,a
is not such as w be unable to sympa,. Tovs lJ,,f,<ZVTas llJl,f,"'v, and Resch
thise : nay rather He has been tried Agrapha p. 244-
in all respects after our likeness, and 1rE1rELpauµ,11011 lJL,x, dµapTLUS] 0. L.
therefore He must sympathise from wpertum in omnibus (omnia) secun-
His own experience. dum similitudinem sine peccato.
µ~ lJwdµE11011] such that he cannot••• Vulg. tentatum autem per omnia pro
For µ~ with participles in this Epistle similitudine absque peccato. Syr.
see iv. 2 ; vii 3, 6; ix. 9 ; xi 8, 13, Pesh. tempted in everything as we
27; xii. 27; (vi 1; :x. 25; xiii 17 are (are), sin e:ccepted.
different); for oil xi. 1 (contrast 2 Oor. The words are caoable of two distinct
iv. 18\ 35. For other examples of interpretations. They may ( 1) simply
participles with oil see 2 Cor. iv. 8 t:; describe the issue of the Lord's tempta-
Gal. iv. 8, 27; Col ii. 19; 1 Pet. i 8; tion, so far as He endured all without
ii 10 (not Eph. v. 4; Phil iii 3); the least stain of sin (c. vii. 26~ Or they
Winer, pp. 6o6 ff. may (2) describe a limitation of His
uv111ra8ijrrm] to be touched with the temptation. Man's temptations come
feeling of. Vulg. compati ... e. :x. 34 in many cases from previous sin.
(rrvµ1raB~s 1 Pet. iii. 8. Vnlg. compa- Such temptations had necessarily no
tiens~ The verb occurs in Symmachus place in Christ. He was tempted as
Job ii. 11, and in classical writers from we are, sharing our nature, yet with
Isocrates downwards. It expresses this exception, that there was no sin
not simply the compassion of one who in Him to become the spring of trial
regards suffering from without., but The first of these thoughts is not ex-
the feeling of one who enters into the cluded from the expression, which is
suffering and makes it his own. · So most comprehensive in form, but the
Christ is touched with the feeling qf latter appears to be the dominant idea.
our weaknesses, which are for us the In this sense there is a reference to
occasions of sins, as knowing them, the phrase in the Chalcedonic defini-
though not with the feeling of the tion: 'I11uoii11 XpiCTT011 .. h<lJ,lJau,coµ.•11 ...
\ , ff t,. \ t ,
sins themselves. Such weaknesses «aTa 1ra11Ta 0µ0,011 11µ,11 X"'P'S aµapnas.
can be characterised by the circum- Comp. c. ix. 28.
stances of the Lord's life, natural We may represent the truth to our-
weariness, disappointment, the feeling selves best by saying that Christ as-
of desertion, shrinking from pain (con- sumed humanity under the conditions
trast the sing. duBi11Et.a c. vii. 28 note). of life belonging to man fallen, though
From temptations through such weak- not with sinful promptings from with-
nesses the Hebrew Christians were in. Comp. c. ii. 18 note.
suffering. Comp. v. 2 ; vii. 28 ; xi. Comp. Greg. Nyss. c. Eunom. ii.
IV. 16] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. Id9
I ~' \ I L), , I \ , I
pa<Tp.EVOV 0€ Ka'Ta 7rav-ra Kctv Op.OtO'TrJ'Ta xwpts ap.ap-rta<;.
16 7rpoo-epxwµe8a ouv fJ-E'Td 7rapp'YJ<Ttas -rep 8povcp -rijs xapt-
p. 545 Migne: ovl3iv a<f,ijt<E -rfis <f,vu,ws i.e. like as we are tempted (secundum
~µ.,;;v ~ aV,c dvEAa~EJI O Kara ,raJITa 1rE- similitudinem 0. L.); or 'in virtue
,r££paµ.ivos 1<a6' oµ.o,o-nim xwpls aµ.ap- of His likeness to us,' i.e. oµ.o,ro6£is
.,-las. YJ lJi vvxq aµ.ap.,-{a OVI< l<T'l"lv aAAa ,;,_,.,,, (ii. 17; pro similitudine Vulg.).
l3Et<'l",t<q aµ.ap.,-las Jt a{3ovXlas lyivETO ••• Prima.sins (compare Chrysostom
c. Apoll. XL id. p. 1144 rZ<T7TEp -yap ra quoted above) interprets the words
roii xoi,coii l8,oiµ.aTa rois Ef EK£lvov Ev- as if they were 1<af1 oµ.od1r11ra uapt<o,;
(),rop•'irai, OV'l"©S lmzva-yt<<s, Kara TqV 'l"OV [aµ.aprlas] (Rom. viii 3): Pro simili-
d1roOT6Aav d1rO<f,CUTu1, r<Jv ,cart¼ 1r&vra tudine carnis peccati absque peccato
,r,,rnpaµ.ivov 'l"OV qµ.n·ipov {3lov 1<a6' •. . In hoe enim quia homo factus est,
oµ.o<O'l"l'JTO X"'pls aµ.aprlas. o lJi voiis veram camem habuit : in hoe vero
aµ.apr{a OVI< E<T'I",, ,rpos ,rauav qµ.wv quia camem peccati non habuit sed
olt<,lros lxnv .,.~,, <f,vu,v. c. Eunom. vi. absque peccato, similitudinem nostrre
id. p. 721. camis habuit, qure est caro peccati,
Atto, pursuing the thought of Pri- nam peccatum non habuit... Illius
masius, says well : Venit per viam caro non fuit peccati sed munditire
humanre conditionis per omnia sine et castitatis atque innocentire; qua-
peccato, nihil secum afferens unde propter non est tentatus in carne
morti debitor esset, sicut ipse in Evan- peccati ut peccatum faceret sed in
gelio testatur (St John xiv. 30). similitudine carnis peccati ut absque
The Greek Fathers generally inter- peccato maneret ; and again on c. v. 2;
pret the words xropls aµ.aprlas in rela- tentari potuit per omnia similitudine
tion to the facts of Christ's life : ;,,_ carnis peccati absque peccato.
Tav6a t<al 6>..Xo .,., alvlrn..-a,, ih-, l3vvarov 16. 7rpouEpxcJµ.,6a oJv••• ] The vision
xropls aµ.aprlas ,cal lv ()Xl,f,,uiv i$v-ra of the High-priest Who is not Priest
a,,vE-yt<ELV. rZCT'l"E l(al 15-rav >-•rn lv oµ.ouJ- only but King, Who is not only Son
µ.ar, uapt<aS ov 'l"OVTO 'P1JCTW ;;.,., oµ.o{wµ.a of God but Son of man, suggests the
uapds dXX' ;;.,., u&pt<a dviXa/3•. l3ia .,.{ conclusion that believers, clinging to
oJv Ei7TEV lv oµ.ouJµ.an; ,r,pl aµ.aprroXoii their confession, can and must use
uapt<as lX,y,v· oµ.ola yap ~" Tjj uapt<l the infinite privileges which their
.,.fi qµ.ET•p~· '1"fi µ.iv yap cpvun ,; avTq Lord has gained for them. The
~v qµ.'iv, TY a; aµ.apr{~ OVl<ETL YJ aV'Tl7 minds of writer and readers are full
(Chrys.). of the imagery of the Levitical system,
cJs av6pro,ros 7TE'ipav 'l"WV qµ.,riprov and of the ceremonial of the High-
D...a/3• ,ra61]µ.arrov p.OV1JS -rfis aµ.aprlas priestly atonement; and the form of
l3iaµ.,lvas aµV1]'1"0S (The0<i ). the exhortation suggests the grandeur
of the position in which the Christian
,, OV'l"E yap ,..ll7TAWS aµ.aprlav Elpyauaro,
~ ~ ( ,
OVTE O'l"E TaVTO E7TaCTXEV ap.apT1JTLl<OJJ 'I"! is placed as compared with that of the
~ Et7TEJJ ~ lapaCTEJJ. iZuTE l3vvau6E t<al Jew: 'Let us therefore, trusting the
vµ.iis lv .,-a'is ()Xl,f,,u,v xropls aµ.aprlas divine power and the human sympa-
a,ayEviu6a, (Theophlct. ). thy of 'Jesus the Son of God,' draw
7TE71"Etpauµ.ivov] For the perfect, see near, as priests ourselves in fellowship
ii. 18; xii. 3 notes. with our High-priest,-and not re-
1<ara 7ravra] in all things, as in na- main standing afar off as the congre-
ture so in life. Comp. ii. 17. gation of Israel,-to the throne of
,call oµ.o,.] c. vii. 15. Comp. Gen. i. grace, no symbolic mercy-seat, but the
I I f. The words may mean 'according very centre of divine sovereignty and
to the likeness of our temptations,' love .• .'
IIO THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IV. 16
,I '\. I f.l ,f \ I ,! J ,t
'TOS,tVa t\.afJwµev €A€0S Kat xaptv eupwµev €lS EUKatpov
/3o10eiav.
16 EVpwµ.a,: om. B.

,rpmTEPX~µE8a] The word occurs in royal majesty. Of this revelation

here for the first time in the Epistle the glory over the mercy-seat was a
(comp. vii 25 note; L 1, 22; xi 6). faint symbol
It is used in the LXL for the priestly Philo speaks also of o l>..lov fJ"'p.6s
approach to God in service : e.g. Lev. de exsecr. § 7 (ii 434 M.); and Clement
xxi. 17, 21 ; xxii 3, though it has also describes Christians as having come
a wider application. That right of V'TrO TOIi Cvyov Tijs xap,ToS [roii «vplov]
priestly approach is now extended to (1 Oor. 16).
all Christians. Comp. Apoc. i. 6 ; v. ep&vos xap,r&s iO'T&V (Ps. ex. 1) 0~
10; (xx. 6); I Pet. ii. 51 9, See also Opovos 1t.plUE6>S I/VII ... 8pavos xap,ros
JyylCof'Ev, vii 19, note.
The power of sympathy in our
High Priest is made effective by the
~ , ~ ~- .
EO'TLII £6>S «aO,,ra, xap,CaµEvos o fJau,-
" . ,
~Ev~, orav ?E 'I .uvVTEI\ELa 'Yf"'7Ta£, TOTE
EynpETai EIS ,cp,u,v (Chrys.).
power of help : per hoe enim quod On this 'throne of grace' Christ
similia passus est potest compati ; et Himself is seated : iva µq d«ovuas
per hoe quod Deus est in utraque avrov dpxiEpla voµlu11s iO'Tava, EJ8l6>s
substantia potest misereri (Primas. aVrOv /,r} ,.;,,, 8p0vov tl-y~,, 0 aE iEp~Vs oV
ad c. v.). lf.a071rai &>..>..' EITT'71f.fll ( Chrys.).
µf'r(J ,rapp71ulas] Latt. cum fiducia. i'va >../,.fJ"'I-'€" ;· «al X· n'ip6>µEv] that we
(The Syr. Pesh. gives, as elsewhere, may recefoe mercy and find grace.
'wit!,, eye (face) open.') So Acts ii. The twofold aim corresponds with the
29; iv. 29, 31 ; xxviii 31. St Paul twofold necessity of life. Man needs•
uses lv 1rapp71ulff Eph. vi. 19; Phil i. mercy for past failure, and grace for
20 ; Col ii I 5 ; St John 1rapp71ulff present and future work. There is
vii I 3 &c. ; ; µ71!JE11 1rpos '"I" 1rlUTLII also a difference as to the mode of
a,UTaC0111u, q l$r, V€Vl1C'71CE TOIi lt.O<Tf'OII attainment in each case. Mercy is to
(John xvi. 33), !Jij>..ov oJv Jr, v£K4un be 'taken' as it is extended to man
«al rovs vvv 4µiir 8>..,fJovras (<Ecum.). in his weakness ; grace is to be
The phrase is perhaps used here in 'sought' by man according to his ne-
the primary sense, 'giving utterance cessity. Ut misericordiam consequa-
to every thought and feeling and wish,' mur, id est, remissionem peccatornm,
though the word 1rapp71ula is used et gratiam donorum Spiritus Sancti
more generally elsewhere in the epistle: (Primas.).
iii 6; L 19, 35. For xap,s compare ii 9 ; x. 29 ; xii
T~ 8povrp rijs xap,ros] The phrase is 15, 28; xiii. 9, 25.
to be compared with 8p&vos a&f71s For >..a{:JE'iv compare John i. 16; xx.
(Matt. xix. 28; xxv. 31 ; I Sam. ii 8; 22; Rom. viii 15; 1 Pet. iv. 10; and
Jer. xiv. 21; xvii. 12; Ecclus. xlvii. u); for EvpEiv Luke i 30 ; Acts vii 46 ;
b 8p&vos rijs µcyaA6>1TV"'7S (c. viii I), 2 Tim. i. 18.
Opavos dvoµlas (Ps. xciii. (xciv.) 20), Els EiJ«aipov fJo,/8oav] V ulg. gratiam
8povos alu8,irrE6>s (Prov. xii. 23). The inveniamus in auxilio opportuno,
gen. in each case seems to express 'for timely help.' Oomp. 2 Cor. xii 9.
that which is shewn in a position of The help comes when it is needed
sovereign power. Thus the 'throne and not till then (ii 18 ro'is 1rnpaCo-
of grace' is that revelation of God's µlvo1s fJ0718ijuai). Comp. Philo de
Presence in which His grace is shewn migr. Abr. § 10 (i. p. 445 M.) oil«ovv
IV. 16] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. I II

g,., ical ,rpas /ja118na11 lJvva,.us ap&>yos ,rpouolJos (Chrys. followed by the later
wrpnrqs lcpEllpE{,n ,rapa 8Etp ical atlTos commentators).
1
0 '7Y£µ<dv lyyvTEpw ,rpOCTna-u, f1r m<J,~- Comp. Gen. xxxv. 3- One of the
AElf Ta»II df l&>v cJ<j>EAE&tr8ai lJElJIIA&>Ta&. names of Ahura Mazda is 'the One of
The clause goes with all that precedes: whom questions are asked' (Zenda-
'mercy' and 'grace' are always ready 'Desta S.B.E. ii. p. 24 and note). Philo's
at the present moment. ~ A11 11ii11 ,rpou- description of 'the Divine Word' as
tA8ns, cf>11ul, A'l/'Vll ical xap,11 ical £AE011· High-priest in the soul of man is
EVicalp&>s ylip ,rpouipxn- tz,, lJi T<YrE worthy of study: de prof. §§ 20, 2r
,rpouiA8ns, ovicfr,. 11ca,pos yap TOTE ~ (i. pp. 562 f. M.).
II2 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Additional Note on the reading of iv. 2.

There is evidence of a twofold difference in the earliest authorities as

to the reading of this verse. The difference in the forms crvv1<Et<Epacrp,-,
crvvt<upap,- may be neglected. The substantial differences which affect
the interpretation of the passage lie in (1) -p,ivos, -p,ivovs, and (2) rois
d1e0Vuauu,, TO>v d1eovadVTC1>v, (ro&r d1eovcr6Eio-,).
(1) (a) The nom. sing. (crvvt<Et<Epacrp,lvos) is read by 1/C (vg non ad-
mistus) d (non temperatus) syr vg (because it was not mixed) Cyr. Alex.,
Lcfr. (non temperatus), (Primas.).
(b) The accus. plur. (crvv1<Et<Epacrp,ivovs) is read by ABCDl·M2 , the
great mass of later Mss., some Lat. Mss. (am. non admixtis), syr hi (text
for they were not mixed';, me (quia non confusi sunt, Wilkins), Theod.
Mops., Aug., Chrys., Theodt., Theophlct.
(2) (a) rois wcovcracr,v is the reading of all the Greek MSS. with the
exception of D2* and 71.
(b) ro'iv dt<ovcr(Ul'J"c.>v is read by D2* (and this may be the original of
auditorum in d e Lcfr. ), and by syr hi mg.
(c) rois dt<ovcrBE,o-t which appears to have been a conjecture of Theodore
of Mopsuestia is read by 71, but the sense is given by the vg ex his quw
audierunt.
Thus four combinations which have early authority require to be con-
sidered.
' , ,. , ,. , ,
(a) fl,TJ CTVII/CEICEpacrp,EVOS 'l"'fl 'll'LCT'TEL 'TOLS a/COVCTaCTtv.
(ft) ,.,,~ CTVV/CEICEpacrp,ivoi.- rfi 'll'lcrrn 'l"Cdll ,l,covcravrc.>11.
\ I ,. I .,. ) /
(y) fl,T/ CTVV/CEICEpao-p,,vovi.- 771 'll'LCT'TEL 'TOL!," a,covo-acrtll.
(a) ,.,,~ CTVVl(Et<Epacrµb,ovs rf, 'll'lcrrn 'TOLS [ dt<ovcrBELCTLV v. dt<ovcrp,acr,v].
Of these ((3) may be set aside without hesitation. The variant ro'iv
is not unlike one of the mechanical changes of D2 (see vv. 1, 12,
&1<ovo-(Ul'J"c.>v
16), and it gives no tolerable sense.
The other readings ((a), (y), (a)) give severally a good sense, though there
are difficulties in each case (see Notes).
The external authority for (a) is relatively so slight 1 that this reading
can hardly be accepted unless the better attested readings are inadmissible.
Moreover it simply gives in another form the thought which is conveyed by
CTVlll<EICEpacrµlvos rf, 'll'lcrrn rots, d,covcracrw.
Our choice then lies between (a) and (y). The authorities for (a) though
few in number cover a very wide field, and reach in each case to the
earliest accessible date. And further, while the change from -p,ivos to
-µivovs is natural both as a mechanical alteration and as the intentional
correction of a scribe, the change from -µivovs to -p,ivos is more difficult
to account for. It would scarcely be made mechanically ; and it is not
obvious as a correction.
On the whole therefore it seems_ best to accept the reading crvv,c,,c,pacr-
p,ivos rf, 'll'lcrrn roii.- d,covcracriv as attested by varied ancient authority,
adequately explaining the other readings, and giving a satisfactory sense.
1 Comp. Iren. iii. 19, r nondum commixti verho Dei Patris.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. II 3
Some of the patristic explanations are worth quoting :
THEODORUS MOPS. (Cram. Cat. p. 177): OU -yap ,io-av ICaTa Tljll 1rlo-Tw TOLS
l1ra-y-y,>.8,io-, <TV"'JJJ,JUIIO&, UJ,11 oiJTO>S d11a-y110>0"TEOJ1, ',_,.;, <TV"yKEK<pao-piJIOVS Tfi
1rlo-Tn TOLS d,covo-8,io-,11,' Zva ,t1rr1 Tats 1rpos auTOI/S "yE"yEIITJJJ.Ella&s l1ra-y-y,>.lais TOV
8,oii a,a MO>VO"EO>S,
THEODORET : Tl -yap ,;"'fJO"EJI ~ TOV 8,oii l1ran•>-la TOIIS TaVTTJII a,gaµlvovs,
µq 'lr&O"T61S a,gaµhovs ,cal TY TOV 8,oii av11&,_,... TE8appTJICOTas ,ea, olo11 TO&S 8,oii
>.oyo,s &11a,cpa8{1JTas ;
CHRYSOSTOM : ,lm l1ra-y•• ',l).).' ou,c riq,l>.TJO"EJI o >.oyos rijs ,l,coijs l,c,[vovs
,.,.;, <TV"ylCEKpaµl11ovs (so MSS. j edd. -p.EIITJS) Tfi 1rluTEt TOIS ,l,covo-ao-,11,' a.&ICIJI/S
'/TIDS O >.oyos 01),c riq,i>.TJO"EIJ, l,c yap TOV µq uv-y1<pa8ij11ai OUK rJq,,>.1BTJo-av.
Then afterwards he goes on to say, ol 0J11 1r,p, Xa>..,{3 ,cal 'ITJo-oiiv, bma;, µ;,
O"VIIE1Cpa8'f}O"all TOLS &munfuaO"I., TOVTEO"TtlJ OU <TVIIE<POOIITJO"all, a,.q,vyov Tljll ,caT'
l1<.t110>11 lg,v,x8iio-a11 nµo,p{a11. ,cal opa yl Tt OavJJ,aO"TOJI, ,OU/( ,l1r,11, 0V
crov•<pOOIJ'f}O"alJ ,l).).' OU O"VIIEl<pd.8TJO"a11, TOVTEO"TW, tlo-TaO"&d.O"TO>S a,lO"T'f}O"aJI, iKEIIIO>JI
1ra11T0>1J µla11 1<al Tq11 atlTq11 'Y""'P.TJ" i<TXTJKOTo>II.
This latter is the opinion which THEOPHYLACT quotes and criticises as
Chrysostom's.
AUGUSTINE, in commenting upon Ps. lxxvii (lxxviii.) 8 non est creditUS'
cum Deo spiritus ejus, writes : ut autem cor cum illo sit et per hoe rectum
esse possit, acceditur ad eum non pede sed fide. Ideo dicitur etiam in
epistola ad Hebrreos de illa ipsa generatione prava et amaricante, Non
profuit sermo auditus illis non contemperatis (so MSs.) fidei eorum qui
obaudierunt (In Ps. lxxvii. § 10); and again: erant illic etiam electi
quorum fidei non contemperabatur generatio prava et amaricans (id.§ 18)1.
The note of PRIMASIUS is : non profuit illis, quia non fuit admistus et
conjunctus fidei, et contemperatus fidei ex his promissionibus quas audie-
runt. Tune enim prodesset iis sermo auditus si credidissent quoniam tune
esset contemperatus fide (? fidei). Quoniam vero non crediderunt, non fuit
conjunctus fidei, ideoque nihil eis profuit quod audierunt..•

Additional Note on iv. 8. On some hypothetical sentences.

It is worth while for the sake of some young students to illustrate a.

little in detail from the writings of the N. T. the various forms of the sentence
which expresses the hypothetical consequence of an unfulfilled condition. ·
Two main cases arise. In one (I) the protasis expressed by .Z with the
indicative is followed by the imperfect indicative with llv. The thought
here is of a present or continuous result which would have been seen now
if the unfulfilled supposition had been realised. In the other (II), the pro-
tasis expressed by .Z with the indicative is followed by the aorist indicative
with ll11. The thought here is of a past and completed result which would
have ensued if the unfulfilled condition had been realised.
1 This reference I owe to my very old friend the late Rev. A. A. Ellis, some-
time Fellow of Trinity College.
W. H. 3 8
Il4 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

No uniform rendering in English is able to ~ve the exact force of these

two different forms of expression. It has become common to translate (I)
by if (he) had...(he) would... ; and (II) by if (he) had.. .(he) would have ...
But if this rendering is adopted, the definite negation of the fact in the
apodosis of (I) is commonly lost or obscured, and the statement appears to
be simply hypothetical and to suggest a possible fulfilment in the future.
On the other hand if (I) and (II) are translated in the same manner, the
suggestion of the present or continuous fact in (I) is obliterated.
Each case therefore must be considered by itself in order that the
translator may convey the truest impression of the original with regard to
the context.
If we look at the two main cases more closely we shall see that each has
two divisions according as •1 is joined with the imperfect or with the aorist
in the protasis. Thus four types of expression must be distinguished.
I. (1) El imp. indic.......imp. with av.
(2) El aor. indic. ......imp. with av.
II. (1) El imp. indic.......aor. with /5.v.
(2) El aor. indic.......aor. with lf.v.
I. (1) El with imp. ind. in protasis followed by imp. in apodosis.
In this case the hypothetic unfulfilled condition and the consequence of
its non-fulfilment are both regarded (a) generally as present, or (b), if not as
present, as continuous and not definitely complete in a specific incident.
(a) Hebr. viii. 4 .z ~v •.• oJa' &v ~v . .• (if he had been now invested with
such an office ...he would not be as he now is ... ).
Hebr. viii. 7 .1 ~v••• ovK &v ,,,,ni.rn ...
John v....46 £1 lmrrr•ver• ... av.
, .,. , .. .l'lnCTT•v•
,. ~

Vlll.42 n. ••'l"•••'l'}'a'1Ta..E av •••

iL 41 .1 ~......OVK &v .tx.....
xiv. 7 •l lyvwK•tT'E ••• flv f[an ....
xv. 19 •l ~...... Av lcpf.>.n.
xviii. 36 •1 ~v ... 1y6lvlCoVTo lf.v •••
Luke vii. 39 •1 ~v ... lylv6>CTK.Ev lf.v •••
I Cor. xi. 31 .1 a,.Kplvoµ,•v ••• OVK. &v iKptv6µ,.8a.
Gal. i. 10 .1 ff p•CTKOV••• OVK &v ffµ,'I"•
With these examples must be ranged also John viii. 19 .1 -ffa ........ tw
ija........
(b) Hehr. xi. 15 ,1 ,,.,,.,,,,.,,6v•vov••• •lxov lf.v ••• (if they had continued to
remember ... they would all that time have had ... ).
Matt. xxiii. 30 .z ffµ,•8a ••• ov1t. &v ffµ,•Ba •••
In this connexion may be noticed
1 John ii. 19 .z ~CTav ••• p.•p.EJll'/KflCTav lf.v ••• where the pluperfect suggests a
continuous state limited at a point in the past.
Sometimes an interrogation takes the place of the apodosis.
Heh. vii. II •1......>...{6>CT&r ••• ~v .....,r tn xp•la ... ;
I Cor. xii. 19 .1 a. ~v ••• '1TOV ..;, CTwµ,a;
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 115
Sometimes the av of the apodosis is omitted (as indic. in Latin: Hor.
Od. ii 17, 27).
John ix. 33 ,l P.? ijv••• ov,c 1llvvaro •••
- xix. II OVIC •lx•s••••z P.T/ ijv•••
The unconditioned apodosis seems to emphasise what is implied in the
protasis.
(2) El with the aor. indic. in protasis followed by imp. in apodosis.
The hypothetic unfulfilled condition is placed as a definite incident in
the past, while the result of the non-fulfilment is regarded as continuous in
the present. .
Hebr. iv. 8 ,l 1CaTE1ravu,11 .•• ov,c t,,, ,'A&>.,, •.• (if rest had been given at the
entrance into Canaan, God would not have continued to speak as He does
now ... ).
Gal iii. 2 l .l .a,;e') ...•,, 110µ.cp t,,, ijv •••
So LXX. Jer. xxiii. 22 El £1TT')1Ta11 •.• ,cal ,l ~,covuav ..• Av d1rl<rrp•<pov.
In this case also the t,,, of the apodosis is omitted:
John xv. 22 ,l P.T/ ij>.Oo11 •.• 01l,c ,Zxouav ...
Matt. xxvi. 24 ,caAQII ijv ... El OV/C .,,.,,IIT/e,, ...
II. (1) El with the imp. indic. in protasis followed by aor. in apod.osis.
The hypothetic unfulfilled condition is regarded as continuous and not
definitely complete in the past, while the consequence of its non-fulfilment
is specific and past.
John xiv. 28 .1 1ya1raT£ ..• lxap')TE av (if ye had now been loving me ... ye
would at the moment ofmy saying .•. ).
.z
John iv. IO ifllns ... uv t,,, YT')ITaS.
- xi. 21, 32 ,l ijs ..• o,),c Av d1r{Oa11,11.
- xviii. 30 ,l P.T/ qv .•• oJ,c t,,, 7rap,l1cJ,ctiµ.•v•
.Acts xviii. 14 ,l ijv .•• t.11 av•uxoµ.r,11 •
.And here also we must place:
Matt. xii. 7 ,l ,y11w1C£tT£ (real imp.) ...ov,c t,,, /CaT£l1,,cwaT£.
xxiv. 43 11 Lk. xii. 39 ,l i,ll.i (real imp.) .. ../ypr,yopr,u,11 av•••
Sometimes the av of the apodosis is omitted: Gal iv. I 5 d llvvanSv •••
,llw,can•••
(2) El with the aor. indic. in protasis followed by aor. in apodosis.
The hypothetic unfulfilled condition and the result of its non-fulfilment ·
are regarded as definite incidents wholly in the past.
l Cor. ii. 8 ,l e'yvoouav ... ov,c t,,, <<rravpoouav (if at the crisis of their trial
they had kuowu ...they would not have crucified).
Matt. xi. 2 l ,l ly,voVTo ... 1r&Aa, Av µ.•nvo')Uav II Lk. x. l 3.
.z
xxiv. 22 \I Mk. xiii. 20 P.T/ <1COAa/3c.>1TEV•••ov,c t,,, EIT~ •••
So in LXX. Is. i. 9 ,l P.T/• •• <y1CaT<Airr,v••• Av ly•V1Jt)']µ.•v. Rom. ix. 29.
Compare also :
Matt. XXV. 27 II Lk. xix. 23 lJ,a Tl OVIC e'l100,cas ••• 1Cdyc.\ ,'A0c.\v••• llv ••. e'rrpa~a•••
a.
John xiv. 2 •l µ.,j, Eirrov t,,, vµ.'iv •••
Hebr. x. 2 ,.,..1
OVIC t,,, i1ravua11To•••
8-2
 II6 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
In some passages there appears to be a combination of two forms of
expression:
Luke xvii 6 El tX£T£ •. . lA<j1£T£ lfv •• ., as if the sentence would naturally
have continued A<j1£TE, but then the 'X£T£ was mentally corrected to EtX£T£
to meet the actual case. Comp. Winer p. 383 with Dr Moulton's note.
John viii. 39 £l •.. tuu •• .l-rro1£'iT£ (if this reading be adopted).
It may be added that the construction is relatively more frequent in
St John's Gospel than in any other Book of the N. T.

Additional Note on iv. 12. The origin and constitution of man.

I. Theories The great mystery of the origin of man is touched in two passages of
of_ the ori- the Epistle which severally suggest the two complementary theories which
ginofman. have been fashioned in a one-sided manner as Traducianism and Creation-
ism: c. vii. 10; xii 9.
1• Tradu- In c. vii 10 ( comp. v. 5) the force of the argument lies in the assumption
cianism. that the descendants are included in the ancestor, in such a sense that his
acts have force for them. So far as we keep within the region of physical
existence the connexion is indisputable. Up to this limit 'the dead' do
indeed 'rule the living.' A.nd their sovereignty witnesses to an essential
truth which lies at the foundation of society. The individual man is not a
complete self-centred being. He is literally a member in a body. The
connexions of the family, the nation, the race, belong to the idea of man,
and to the very existence of man.
2. Crea- But at the same time it is obvious that if this view gives the whole
tionism. account of man's being, he is a mere result. He is made as it were a mere
layer-traduz--0f a parent stock, and owes to that his entire vital force.
He is bound in a system of material sequences, and so he is necessarily
deprived of all responsibility. Thus another aspect of his being is given in
c. xii. 9. Here a distinction is drawn between 'the fathers of our flesh,'
of our whole physical organisation, with its 'life,' and 'the Father of
spirits,' among which man's spirit is of necessity included. There is then
an element in man which is not directly derived by descent, though it may
follow upon birth. A.nd in the recognition of this reality of individuality,
of a personally divine kinsmanship, lies the truth of Creationism. We are
not indeed to suppose that separate and successive creative acts call into
existence the 'spirits' of single men. It is enough to hold that man was
so made that in his children this higher element should naturally find a
place on their entrance into the world. That such an issue should ensue
when the child begins his separate life is neither more nor less marvellous
than that the power of vision should attend the adequate preparation of an
organ of vision. So also, to continue the same illustration, the power of
vision and the power of self-determination are modified by the organisms
through which they act, but they are not created by them. The physical
life and the spiritual life spring alike from the one act of the living God
when He made man in His own image ; through whatever steps, in the
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 117
unfolding of time, the decisive point was reached when the organism, duly
prepared, was fitted to receive the divine breath.
But without attempting to develop a theory of Generationism, as it may Recogni-
be called, as distinguished from Traducianism and Creationism, it is enough tion of the
for us to notice that the writer of the Epistle affirms the two antithetic comf e-
facts which represent the social unity of the race and the personal responsi- ::~ha:
bility of the individual, the influence of common thoughts and the power of
great men, the foundation of hope and the condition of judgment.
The analysis of man's constitution given by implication in the Epistle II. Oonsti-
corresponds with the fundamental division of St Paul (1 Thess. v. 23 body, tution of
soul, spirit). man.
The body is noticed both in its completeness (x. 5) and in respect of the 1. Body:
conditions of its present manifestation (flesh, v. 7, x. 20, xii. 9; blood and flesh.
flesh, ii. 14). It is mmecessary to repeat what has been said in the notes on
these passages. A comparison of c. v. 7 with c. x. 5 will place in a clear
light the difference between 'the body,' which represents the whole
organisation through which the growth and fulness of human life is
represented according to the conditions under which it is realised (notice
I Cor. xv. 44 uooµ.a tvx11«111, uooµ.a 7TJIEVJJ,aTL/COV), and the 'flesh,' which
represents what is characteristic of our earthly existence under the aspect
of its weakness and transitoriness and affinity with the material world.
The moral sense of 'flesh,' which is prominent in St Paul, does not occur in
the Epistle.
The soul, the life (tvx~), is an element in man which from the -z. Soul.
complexity of his nature may be very differently conceived of. His 'life'
extends to two orders, the seen and the unseen, the temporal and the
eternal, the material and the spiritual. And according as one or the other
is predominant in the thought of the speaker tvx~ may represent the
energy of life as it is manifested m1der the present conditions of sense, or
the energy of life which is potentially ·eternal. This manifoldness of the
v,vx~ is recognised in c. iv. 12. 'The Word of God' analyses its constituent
parts and brings them before our consciousness. So it is that we have
'to gain our life,' 'our soul' in the education of experience inspired by
faith (x. 39 ~µ.iis ••• 1rlOTEClls Els 7TEp,,rolriuw v,vxijs· comp. Matt. x. 39;
xi. 29; xvi. 25 f. \I Mk. viii. 35 f. \I Lk. ix. 24; xvii. 33; xxi. 19 KT~uwfh).
In the sadnesses and disappointments and failures of effort (c. xii. 3 Ta'is
v,vxa'is l,cXvop.Evoi) we have 'hope as anchor of the soul, entering into
that which is within the veil' (vi. 19). And it is for the preservation of
this harmonious sum of man's vital powers that Christian teachers watch
unweariedly (c. xiii. l 7 aypv,rvoiiu,11 ,J,rtp T(iJJI ,/,vx6iv).
Little is said in the Epistle on the 'spirit' (1rvEvp,a) by which man holds 3· Spirit •
. converse with the unseen. Just as he has affinity by 'the flesh' with the
animal world, so he has by 'the spirit' affinity with God. God is indeed
'the Father of spirits' (c. xii. 9), and in His presence we draw near to
'spirits of just men made perfect' (xii. 2 3).
These three elements have in themselves no moral character. They are 4. Heart.
of the nature of powers to be used, disciplined, coordinated, harmonised.
The expression of the moral character lies in 'the heart.' Men in a mere
enumeration can be spoken of as 'souls,' but 'the heart' is the typical
 II8 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS,
centre of personal life. It is the 'heart' which receives its strong assurance
by grace (c. xiii. 9). 'Unbelief' has its seat in 'the heart' (c. iii 12 Kapl!{a
1ro111Jpa ama-rlar). In Christ we can approach God 'with a true heart'
(c. x. 22 JJ,£Ta a">.r,IJwijr Kapl!lar), offering Him the fulness of our individual
being which we have realised for His service, having severally 'had our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience' (id. p£paVT,uµ.,110, Tas KapMas a,ro
uv11nl!~u£ros 1ro1111pas). See also c. iii. 8, 10, 15; iv. 7 (Ps. xcv. 8, 10); iv. 12
(note); viii. 10 (note); x. 16 (Jer. xxxi. 33).
5. Con- For man has a sovereign power throned within him through which the
science. divine law finds a voice. He has a 'conscience' (uv11£lli11u,s) whose
judgments he can recognise as having final authority. He has 'conscience
of sins' (c. x. 2). He knows that certain acts are evil and that he is
responsible for them. In such a state he has an 'evil conscience ' (c. x. 22 ;
contrast c. xiii. 18 KaA~ uvu£1li11u,s). The conscience feels the defilement of
'dead works,' which counterfeit the fruits of its righteous claims on man's
activity (c. ix. 14); and it furnishes the standard of that perfection towards
which man aspires (c. ix. 9 K.aTa uv11E{l!11 u,11 TEA£u;;uai. .Additional Note).
Of the words which describe man's intellectual faculties llu,110,a ('under-
standing') is found in a quotation in viii. 10; x. 16 (Jer. xxxi. 33); but voiis,
which occurs in each group of St Paul's Epistles, is not found in this
Book.
v. 1] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 119

III. THE HIGH-PRIESTHOOD OF m. The characteristics qf Christ

CHRIST UNIVERSAL AND SOVEREIGN (cc. as absolute High-priest shadowed
v.-vii.). forth by Melchizedek (vii.).
In the last two chapters the writer i. The characteristws qf a High-
of the Epistle has shewn the general priest are fulfilled in Christ (v.
superiority of 'Jesus,' the Founder 1-IO).
of the New Covenant, over Moses and This paragraph falls naturally into
Joshua; and, further, that the divine two parts. ( 1) The characteristics
promise partially fulfilled by the occu- of a High-priest are first laid down
pation of Canaan still awaits its com- (v. 1-4); and then (2) it is shewn
plete and absolute fulfilment. He is that these were perfectly satisfied by
thus brought back to the thought of Christ (S-IO).
Christ's High-priesthood, in virtue of ( 1) The characteristics of a High-
which humanity finds access to the priest are drawn from a consideration
Presence of God, ' His rest,' pursuing of his office (v. 1); and from the
in detail the line of argument sug- qualifications which its fulfilment re-
gested in ii. 17, 18 and resumed in iv. quires in 1-egard to men and to God
14-16. (2-4).
In this section the Apostle deals 'For every High-priest, being
with the general conception of Christ's taken from among men, is appointed
High-priesthood. He treats of the for men in the things that pertain to
accomplishment of Christ's High- God, that he may· offer both gifts and
priestly work in the next section. sacrifices for sins; "being able to
The section consists of three parts. bear gently with the ignorant and
The writer first briefly characterises erring, since he also himself is com-
the work and the qualifications of a passed wit/,, infirmity, 3and by
High-priest ; and shews that the reason thereof is bound, as for the
qualifications are possessed by Christ people so also for himself, to offer for
in ideal perfection, and that He . sins. 4 And no one taketh the honour
completes the (theocratic) type of the to himself, but being called qf God,
Aaronic High-priest by adding to it even as was Aaron.
the features of the (natural) type of 1. The general purpolltl of the
the High-priesthood of Melchizedek institution of the High-priesthood.
(v. I-IO). Then follows a hortatory 'll"as -yap ••• ] This section follows
passage in which the duty of con- naturally from that which precedes.
tinuous and patient effort is enforced The perfect sympathy of our High-
as the condition of right knowledge priest (iv. 15) satisfies one of the
of the Christian revelation (v. I 1 - conditions which are necessarily at-
vi.). Having thus prepared the way tached to the office universally. On
for a fuller exposition of the truth the ground of this fundamental corre-
with which he is engaged, the writer spondence between Christ's Nature
unfolds through the image of Mel- and the High-priesthood, the writer
·chizedek a view of the absolute High- proceeds to develop the idea of the
priesthood of Christ (vii.). High-priesthood before he applies it
Thus we have shortly : to Christ. The -yap is explanatory
i. The characteristics of a Hig/1,- and not directly argumentative ; and
priestful.filled in Christ (v. 1-10). the Mosaic system is treated as
ii. Progress through patient effort embodying the general conception
the condition of the knowledge of ('ll"ar); but even so the type of
Christian mysteries (v. I 1-vi.). Melchizedek's priesthood is not to
120 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [V. 2

, ' av
U7rEp • 0pw7rWV
' e' ' '
Ka t<r-ra-rat -ra 7rpos -rov eov, tva 7rpo<r-' e ' ·'
m' ~ - 1 1
..,,ep'l owpa TE KatI u<rtas U7r€p
[ ] e
< \ • -
aµap-rtwv, !:I µe-rpto7ra Etv e-
1 owp&. Te ~AC syr hl: om. Te B vg syr vg me: Te owpa. D 2*.
be forgotten. The words recur c. commonly used in the LXX. for the
viii 3- 'offering' of sacrifices and gif~ and
,~ a110p. AaµfJ. il1rEp av0p. Ka0 ••• ] being it is so used very frequently in this
takenfrom among men...The human Epistle (19 times). It never occurs
origin of the High-priest is marked in the Epistles of St Paul, and rarely
aa a ground of the fitness of his in the other books of N. T. Matt. v.
appointment. A High-priest being 23 f. (comp. ii. 11); viii. 4 and paral-
himself man can act for men : comp. lels ; John xvi 2 ; Acts vii. 42 ; xxi
Ex. xxviii. 1 (from among the chil- 26. Compare a11aqilpew c. vii. 27 note.
dren of Israel). He is 'of men' and This usage of 1rpoucpip£111 appears to
'on behalf of men' (for their service), be Hellenistic and not Classical.
and in the original these two phrases a<iipa re Kal 0vulas] 0. L. mun6ra
correspond emphatically. K~11 n§ 116µ.':' et hostias, Vulg. dona et sacrificia.
DVK ayyeAO!.' v,rtp o.110pJ1rru11 lepaTEVftll l:i.rupo11 can be used comprehensively
£TO.X0'1 O.AA' a11Bpru1ros V7rEp a110p<,)'frru11 to describe offerings of all kinds,
(Theod.). Chrysostom (followed by bloody and unbloody: viii. 4 (comp.
later Fathers) remarks: Towo Ko,11011 xi. 4). The same offering indeed could
Trj> Xp,OTrj>. The present participle be called, under different aspects,
(">..aµ./3a11ow11oi.-, Vulg. assumptus, in- a 'gia' and a 'sacrifice.' But when
adequately) suggests the continuity 'gifts' and 'sacrifices' are distin-
of the relation (v. 4 KaAovµ.flloi.-, Vulg. guished the former mark the 'meal-
[oKaA.] qui 'l)OCatitr). offering' (i11Jtt;l) and the latter the
It is unnatural and injurious to the
argument to take l~ a110p. ">..aµ./3avoµ.e11oi.- bloody offerings. Comp. viii. 3 ;
88 part of the subject (Syr. er,ery ix. 9·
high-priest that i,sfrom men~ In this narrower sense the 'sacri-
,ca0,0Tarai] is appointed, Vulg. fice' naturally precedes the 'offering'
constituitur. Ka0lOTacr0a, is the ordi- (comp. Ps. xl. (6), c. x. 5). It is possible
nary word for authoritative appoint- that the transposition is made in order
ment to an office : c. vii 28 ; viii 3 ; to emphasise the thought that man
(Tit. i. 5) ; Luke xii. 14; Philo, de mt. needs an appointed Mediator even to
Mos. ii. 11 (ii. 151 M.). bring his gias to God. The particu-
ra 1rpbs TOI' 0eo11] c. ii. 17 note; Dent. lar reference is to the offerings of the
;uxi. 27 (LXX.). High-priest on the Day of Atonement,
Z11a 1rpouqi.] Comp. viii. 3 eli.- -i-b 'the Day' (Joma) as it is called in
,rrpou<f>•P""· In a considerable number the Talmud, which concentrated all
of passages wa and eli.- To occur in close the ideas of sacrifice and worship, as
connexion : c. ii. 17 note ; 1 Thess. the High-priest concentrated all the
ii. 16; 2 Thess. ii II f.; iii. 9; 1 Oor. ideas of personal service (Lev. xvi. ;
ix. 18; 2 Cor. viii. 6; Rom. i II; Num. xxix.).
iv. 16 ; vii. 4 ; xi. 11 ; xv. 16 ; Phil. The clause il1rip aµapru7J11 is to be
i. 10; Eph. i 17 f. ~l11a appears to joined with Ovulai.- (sacrifices for
mark in each case the direct and im- sins) and not with 1rpouq>•PTJ as refer-
mediate end, while eli.- To indicates ring to both nouns. The two ideas
the more remote result aimed at or of eucharistic and expiatory offerings
reached. are distinctly marked.
1rpouq>lpu] The word 1rpouq>•p•w is For wip see c. vii. 27; x. 12; (ix.
v. 2] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 121

.ovvaµ€VOS 'TOtS d")'VOOUtTL ,cat 7rA.avwµevois, €7r€t. Ka(. av'TOS

2 br,! Ka£ : Ka! "'(ap Dt.
7); r Cor. xv. 3 (GaL i 4). More Their work was not and could not be
commonly ,upl is used : v. 3 ; c. x. 6, purely external and mechanical even
8, 18; xiii 11; r Pet. iii 18; r John if it seemed to be so superficially.
ii. 2 ; iv. 10; Rom. viii. 3. Within certain limits they had to
2-4- From the office of the High- decide upon the character of the
priest the writer passes on to his facts in regard to which offerings
qualifications in regard to man and were made.
God. He must have sympathy with 'TOI~ ayvaaiiu, Kal '1!'Aav6>µ.lvo,s] Vulg.
man (2, 3) and receive his appoint- iis qui ignorant et errant. The
ment from God (4). compound description may either in-
2. The capacity for calm and dicate the source (ignorance) and the
gentle judgment fits him for the issue (going astray) Qf sin; or it may
fulfilment of his office in behalf of describe sinners, so far as they come
.his fellow men. He offers sacrifices into consideration here, under two
as one ' able to bear gently' with the main aspects. Wilful, deliberate sin
ignorant and erring. does not fall within the writer's scope,
µETp&O'ITa(M·v] to feel gently towards, nor indeed within the scope of the
to bear gently with. Vulg. condolere. Levitical Law. Such sin required in
Ambr. ajfici pro... Syr. to make the first instance the manifestation of
himself humble and suffer with. The a sterner judgment. Comp. Num.
proper idea of µETp&a'l!'aBiiv (µETp&o- xv. 22-31 (sins of ignorance and sins
'Tl'aB,fs, µETpiamiBna) is that of a tem- of presumption}
perate feeling (of sorrow and pain For the use of ayvo,iv in LXX.
and anger) as contrasted with the (i1t~, ~,~) see r Sam. xxvi 21 ; Ezek.
impassibility (a'l!'aBna) of the Stoics
(Diog. Laert. § 31 .Aristoteles: lcp71 ai xlv. 20 (Alex.); Lev. iv. 13; v. 18;
T6V uacp6v 1-'i/ Elvai µ,v a'l!'alJii µETpL0- Lev. iv. 2 (i1}tl?:;l N91J, LXX. dµ.ap171
'11'a8i; al). The word is frequently used axavul"'s, Aqu., Symm. ayvalg). Ecclus.
by Philo: de .Abrah. § 44 (ii 37 M.) v. 15. Compare ayva,a, Gen. xxvi 10;
µ,fT£ 'll'Ad6> Taii µETplov ucpaa&(:nv••• Ecclus. xxviii 7 ; xxx. r r ; xxiii. 3 ;
µ,fn a,ra8£lg ••• xpijuBai, .,.;, ai µluav ,rpo dyv671µ.a c. ix. 7 note. True knowledge
'TWV a1<p6>V {11.6µ,vav ,..,.,.p,01Ta8iiv 'ITfL- implies corresponding action. Comp.
pauBa,. de Jos.§ 5 (ii. p. 45 M.) µvpla r John ii. 3 note.
aVrOs- Erra8ov T<iiv ci.vq1t.Ecrr"'v J<J,, ols-, For ,r>..avauBat., which is compara-
'Tl'a,aruB,ls µETp&01TaBiiv, OUI< iyvaµcp81Jv. tively rare in the general sense of
de spec. legg. § 17 (ii. 315 M., joined 'going astray' (sinning), see c. iii. 10;
with l,rm1<,fs). id. de nobil. § 2 (ii. Tit. iii. 3; (James v. 19; 2 Tim. iii 13;
p. 439 M., opposed to ~ aµ.,.,.pla 'TWV Apoc. xviii 23). The full image is
'11'a8rov). given Matt. xviii. 12; r Pet. ·ii 25
Comp. Jos. .Antt. xii. 3, 2, Plut. (Is. liii. 6).
'Je/rat. fm. p. 189 c ~ cpvu:s l~6>KEV In iv. r 5 our High-priest is de-
scribed as one avvaµ.,vas uvµ.,raBijuai
71µ.,v 'll'POO'TTJ'Ta Ka& µ.ETp&01Ta8,ms Ef<'YO•
JIOV dv£Ei1<a1<lav. Clem. Alex. Strom. .,.air auB,v,lais, while here he generally
ii. -8, § 39 (p. 450 P.); iv. 17, § 100 is required µ.,.,.p,01TaB,,11 Tois ayvoaiiu,v
(p. 61 r P.). 1<al ,r>.av"'µ.iva,s. The one phrase de-
In the Law no special moral quali- scribes his relation to the source of
fications are prescribed for the priests. transgression, the other his relation to
Here the essential qualification which the transgressor. It is necessary that
lies in their humanity is brought out. the true High-priest should be able
122 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [V. 3, 4
, ' 0'
7r€ptK€L'Tat a<T €1/€La11, 3 KatI vt
'I:-' ' '
aUTrJII 'm ,..,_
o...,,,€ll\.€t, Ka WS' 7r€pt e' \
'TOU Aaov, oih·ws- Kat 7r€pt €aU'TOU 7rpo<T<j)€p€tll 7r€pt dµap-
'TtWI/.
4
Kat
' '
oux
<
€aUTo/
-
'TtS'
"\.
/\.aµ
(3 a11€t
I ' I ,..,_ "\.
'TrJII 'TlfJ,rJII, Wv\.a
I

3 o,' aOT7JV ~ABC*D2 *: o,a

TO.VT71V I, syr hl mg. taVTOU ~AC : avroii
(aiJToO) BD2*• 1r,pl aµ,. ~ABC*D2*: v1rlp aµ,./,, 4 Xaµ,f3dv« TLr D2,
to sympathise with the manifold forms ness and the sin even in the case of
of weakness from which sins spring, as man, as he is, are two separate
himself conscious of the nature of sin, elements.
but it is not necessary that he should In the case of the human High-
actually share the feelings of sinners, as priest weakness actually issued in sin.
having himself sinned. Towards sin- In this respect the parallel with
ners he must have that calm, just feel- Christ fails. But it has been seen
ing which neither exaggerates nor ex- (iv. 15) that a sense of the power of
tenuates the offence. It may further the temptation and not the being
be noticed that Christ, as High-priest, overpowered by it is the true ground
has no weakness, though He sym- of sympathy. Comp. vii. 27.
pathises with weaknesses (vii 28; d<f>,D\«] he is bound in the very
iv. 15). nature of things, in virtue of his
br,l] The particle is unusually fre- constitution and of his office. He
quent (9 times) in this Epistle (10 must obtain purity for himself before
times in St Paul), while on causal he can intercede for others. Comp.
only occurs in quotations (c. viii. 9 ff.). c. ii. 17 note.
See v. 11 note. 1r,pl lavrov] The ceremonies of the
1r,pl,mra, do-0.] V. L. gestat infirmi- Day of Atonement are still foremost
tatem. Vulg. circumdatus est in.fir- in the writer's thoughts (Lev. xvi.).
mitate. Syr. clothed with infirmity. Philo ( Qui, rer. div. hmr. § 36,
For the use of 1r,pl1<.,ip,a, compare i. 497 M.) regards the daily meal-
(c. xii. 1); Acts xxviii. 20 r~11 a'A.va-,11 offering as the offering for the priest
ral/T7/" 1repl1<.«p,a,. Clem. 2 Cor. 1 (Lev. vi. 20), as the lamb was the
dµ.avp6>a-,11 1r•p•1<.•lµ.,110,. Ign. ad Troll. offering for the people.
12; and for the general thought see 1rpoo-<p. 1r,p, aµapr,0011] The constant
c. vii. 28 lxovras da-0iv«av. The image use of the singular in the sense of
is common in Greek literature from 'sin-offering' (x. 6, 8; xiii. II rr,pl
the time of Homer: It. xviii. 157 J1r,- aµ.apTias and LXX.) seems to shew
nµlvo, a">.1<.111, Comp. Lk. xxiv. 49; that here 1r,p, aµ.. is to be taken
Col iii. I 2. Elll~s ro µ.frpov rijs dv- generally 'for sins,' while 1rpoo-tp. is
0poo1rlllT/s da-0,v,las lq,' .1avrcp l1r,µ.,rpii absolute as in Luke v. 14, though not
1<.a, r~v o-vyyvc.lµ.rw (Theoph. ). · elsewhere in this Epistle. See also
The exact opposite to 1r,p,K.iia-0a, is Num. vii. 18.
1r,p.,Xii11 (c. x. 1 1 ). With the sing. 4- A second qualification for the
(ao-0ivna) contrast the plural c. iv. 15. High-priesthood lies in the divine
3. K.al llt' av~v] and by reason call. He must be man, and he must
thereof, i.e. of the weakness. This be called by God. The fact of human
clause may be an independent state- sinfulness naturally leads to this com-
ment, or depend upon l1r,l. On the plementary thought. Of himself a
whole the form (K.al llt' av~v instead man could not presume to take upon
of llt' ifv) is in favour of the former him such an office. He could not
view ; which is further supported by draw near to God being himself sin-
the fact that weakness does not ab- ful : still less could he draw near to
solutely involve sin, so that the weak- God to intercede for others. At the
v. 5] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 123

Ka"J\.ovµevo,; V'71'0 7'0U 8eou, Ka8w,nrep Kat 'A.apwv. 5 Oih·w,;

Ka"/1.ouµ,evos ~ABC*D2 syr hl: + o' Ka"/1.. , vg syr vg. Ka0w,nrep ~*ABD2*:
Ka.06:rrep , ~•. om. Ka£ D2 * vg syr vg. 'Aapwv ~ABCD2 : + o' 'A. ,.

most he could only indicate in action therefore rises against Aaron, does
the desire for fellowship with God. he not rise against God 7 (Wiinsche,
lavrcp AafL/3avn] The idea of bold p. 441).
presumption does not lie in the phrase (2) Having characterised the office
itself (Luke xix. 12), but in the and qualifications of a High-priest
context The unusual form ovx lavrcp generally, the writer now goes on to
rir corresponds with ovx lav-rov which shew that Christ satisfied the quali-
follows. fications (5-8), and fulfils the office
r~v riµr/v] Latt honorem, the office. (9, 10).
So r/ TLfL'1 is used of the High-priest- The proof is give!} in an inverted
hood by Josephus: e.g. Antt. iii. 8, 1. form. The divine appointment of
dXA.a KllAovµ.] but being called (as Christ is established first (5, 6); and
called) he taketh it (>..aµ{:Mvn is to be then His power of sympathy (7, 8);
supplied from the preceding Aa/L/3ave, and lastly His office is described (9,
EavTf»). 10).
The word icaAiiuOa, (comp. c. xi. 8) This inversion, in an elaborate
is specially used for the 'call' to the parallelism, is perfectly natural, and
Christian Faith: c. ix. 15 (especially removes the appearance of formality.
by St Paul and St Peter). 5 So Christ also glorified not .Him-

KaBrourrep ical , Aaprov] Ex. xxviii. l ; self to become High-priest, but He

Num. xvi.-xviii. Even Aaron him- that spake unto Him,
self, though specially marked out be- Thou art My Son,
fore (Ex. xvi. 33), did not assume the I have today begotten Thee:-
office without a definite call. 6 Even as He saith also in another
Aaron is the divine type of the place
High-priest, as the Tabernacle is of Thou art a priest for ever,
ritual service. He is mentioned in After the order of Melchizedek:-
the N. T. besides only cc. vii. II; ix. 7 Who, in His days of flesh (or in

4; (Lk. i. 5; Acts vii. 40). the days of His flesh) having offered
From the time of Herod the suc- up, with strong crying and tears,
cession to the High-priesthood be- prayers and supplications unto Rim
came irregular and arbitrary and not that was able to save Him out of
confined to the line of Aaron (Jos. death, and having been heard for
Antt. xv. 2, 4; xx. 9). Therefore the His godly fear, 8 though He was
writer goes back to the divine ideal. Son yet learned obedience by the
The notoriousness of the High-priestly things which He suffered; 9 and
corruption at the time could not fail having been made perfect He became
to give point to the language of the to all that obey Rim the cause of
Epistle. eternal salvation, '°being addressed
Schoettgen quotes from Barnmid- by God as High-priest after the order
bar R. c. xviii.: Moses said [to Korah of Melchizedek.
and his companions]: If Aaron my bro- 5-8. The qualifications of Christ
ther had taken the priesthood to him- for the High-priesthood are estab-
self ye would have done well to rise lished by His divine appointment
against him ; but in truth God gave (5, 6), and by His human discipline
it ·to him, whose is the greatness and which became the ground of perfect
the power and the glory. Whosoever sympathy (7, 8).
124 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [V. 6

Kal O XPLCTTO<; oux EaUTOll €0otacr€ll ')'Ell170ijvat apxt€pea,

'"1. "1.' • "1. "1. I \ , I
a1v\. o 1\.a1"17cra,;: 7rpo,;: auTOll
Yioc MOY €1 cy, frw CHM€p0N rer€NNHKb. ce·
6 0\
Ka ws
\, •
Kat Ell ETEP'f'
I "1. I
''-€')'EL
5 -yevv-,,0fJva, D2* : -yeveG'0a, A. 6 frip<;>+,rcf'/\111 D 2*.
5, 6. The divine appointment of to the general character of Christ's
Christ is exhibited in two passages of work. 'He glorified not Himself so as
the Psalms in which the Lord who (in the assertion of this dignity) to
declares Him to be His Son declares become High-priest.' Christ, as sinless
Him also to be 'High-priest after the man, could approach God for Him-
order of Melchizedek.' self; but He waited for His Fathtir's
These two quotations from Ps. ii. 7; appointment that He might ap-
Ps. ex. 4 establish the source of the proach God as Son of man for sinful
Lord's sovereign dignity as 'Son,' and humanity. Comp. John viii. 54, 42 ;
mark the particular form in which Acts iii. 13.
this dignity has been realised. They The High-priesthood, the right of
correspond in fact to the two ideas mediation for humanity, was a' glory'
lM~aa-ev and -y•vT/Bijva, dpxLEpia. The to 'the Son of man.' Comp. John
first passage which has been already xvii. 5.
quoted (i. 5) refers the glory of the an.' o AaA. 1rp6s mlToll] but His
Risen Christ, the exalted Son of man, Father glorified Him, that He should
to the Father. This glory is not ex- be made High-p1iest, even He that
actly defined, but the position of son- spake unto Him ...(Ps. ii. 7 Kvp,os
ship includes every special honour, el1re111rpos µ.e).
kingly or priestly. He to whom this Comp. i. 5
a-~µ.•pov -yey,11117/Ka a-e]
had been given could not be said to note. Hoe est dicere Ego semper et
'glorify himself.' The second quota- reternaliter manens semper te habeo
tion (Ps. ex. 4) defines the particular filium coreternum mihi. Hodie nam-
application of the first. The kingly que adverbium est prresentis temporis
priesthood of Melchizedek was pro- quod proprie Deo competit (Prilll.,
mised to Christ. Such a priesthood Herv.).
naturally belongs to the exalted Son. In connexion with the quotation
5. owoos Kal o xpia-Tos] So Christ from Ps. ii. 7 it must be observed that
(the Christ) also... The title of the the LXX. translation of Ps. cix. (ex.) 3
office emphasises the idea of the gives a thought closely akin to it : lK
perfect obedience of the Lord even -ya<TTp6s 1rp6 £6>tT<popov l-yiv,,,,a-a a-•,
in the fulness of His appointed work. which was constantly cited by the
It is not said that 'Jesus' glorified not Greek fathers as a true parallel
Himself, but 'the Christ,' the appoint- 6. Ka8<ils 1Cal •.. ] The absolute de-
ed Redeemer, glorified not Himself. claration of the Sonship of Christ
Comp. iii. 14 ; vi. I ; ix. 14, 28; xi. found a special application in these
26 (o XPLtTTos); and iii. 6; ix. II, 24 words of another Psalm. The definite
(x_p,tTToS ). office of Priesthood is a partial inter-
oilx £UV. U!o~. yev.] Vulg. non ,emet- pretation of the glory of the Son.
ip,um rlarificavit ut pontife:e fieret. ' The Father glorified the Son to be-
This fuller phrase, in place of the come High-priest, even as in fact (Km')
simple repetition of the words used He expressly declares.' This glorify-
before, 'took not to Himself the ing was not a matter of general de-
honour,' gives a distinct prominence duction only but definitely foreshewn.
v. 6] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 125

~y iepeyc eic TON b.iWNb. Kb.T~ THN TizlN Me1-x1cEbEK.

o-v + <l' vg syr hl me.
,caBJs ,ea,'.) I Thess. v. II; Eph. iv. 4 (2) Melchizedek combined the
lv frlp61] probably neuter, in an- kingly with the priestly dignity: he
other place (Ps. ex. 4). Comp. iv. 5; was anointed not with oil but with
1 Clem. viii. 4 lv l-dp<p TW'f' Xl.yn. the Holy Spirit.
Psalm ex. describes the Divine (3) Melchizedek appeared once :
Saviour under three aspects as so Christ offered Himself once.
King (1-3); Priest (4); Conqueror CEcumenius, iJ1 almost the same
(5-7 ~ form, marks the following points of re-
It is quoted in the N. T. to illustrate semblance in Melchizedek to Christ :
three distinct points in the Lord's on ov li,' E'Xalov Els lEp6luvJIT/v lxpfo·B.,, o
Person. MEAXtO"EliEK .-.Is 'Aapwv, KOi Jn ov TOS
(1) His Lordship and victory: lit' aiµ,aTos 'll"pouq-ya-yE Bvulas, ,cal Jn
Matt. xxii. 43 ff. and parallels (Et'll"EII TOOi/ iBvoov ~" apxiEp"Evs, ,cal Jn a,· d.pTOV
,cvp,os T4l ,cvpl<p µ,ov ••• El oiv ~avElli ,cal oivov 1JVAO"Y'TJO"EII TOIi , A{:Jpaaµ,.
KaAE'i avTov ,cvp,011 ••• ); 1 Cor. xv. 25; Twofeaturesin Melchizedek's priest-
c. x. 12 f. hood appear to be specially present to
(2) His Exaltation at the 1ight the mind of the writer, (1) that it was
hand of God (,caBov i,c liEt,0011 µ,ov ••• ): connected with the kingly office, and
Acts ii. 34 f. ; c. i. 13. (2) that it was not made dependent on
And this phrase underlies the many any fleshly descent, or limited by con-
references to Christ's 'sitting' (Matt. ditions of time. Melchizedek had no
xxvi. 64) and taking His seat (Mark recorded ancestry and no privileged
xvi. 19 i,co.810-£11) at the 1ight hand of lme of descendants. He represented
God. a non-Jewish, a universal priesthood.
(3) His Priesthood (Iv lEpEvs Els In relation to the Priesthood he oc-
TOv aloova) : v. 10 and in cc. vi vii cupies the position which Abraham
,caTo T~v Tatw M.] Vulg. secundum occupies in relation to the Covenant.
ordinem. Syr. after the likeness (cf. Comp. Zech. vi. 13.
vii. 15 ,caTo T~v oµ,ou1T7Jrn)---<ifter the· No early Jewish writer applies this
order, to occupy the same position, promise of the priesthood to Messiah.
as priest at once and kmg (Hebr. Justin (Dial. cc. 33, 83) and Tertullian
~1:rp;-':iv). For Tat,s see 2 Mace. ix. (adv. Marc. v. 9) mention that the
Psalm was referred by the Jews to
18; the word is used very widely in Hezekiah. Compare Schoettgen, ii
classical Greek for the 'position,' 645 _ The Aboth R. Nathan from
'station' of a slave, an enemy &c. which he quotes an application of the
Comp. Philo, de vit. Mos. iii § 21 (ii. words to Messiah is in its present
P· 16 1 M.) otl µ,la Tat,s Tcov lEp6>JJ,<"61 "· form probably of post-Talmudical date
It is worth while to summarise the (Zunz Gottesd. Vort. 103 f.; Stem-
characteristic note in which Primasius schneider Jewish Literature, 40).
enumerates three main points in which The Cbaldee paraphrase of the verse
the High-priesthood of Christ was, (referring it to David) is remarkable :
like that of Melchizedek, contrasted , The Lord bas determined that thou
with the High-priesthood of Aaron: c.
(1) It was not for the fulfilment of sbalt be set Prince (1!91!') over the
legal sacrifices, sacrifices of bulls and world to come, for thy desert, because
goats ; but for the offering of bread thou art an innocent kmg.'
and wine, answering to Christ's Body · Els Tov aloova] Christ is a Priest for
and Blood. Animal offerings have ever, because He bas no successor,
ceased : these remain. nor any need of a successor. His Highs
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [V. 7

om. re vg (syr vg) me.

priestly Sacrifice, His High-priestly acter of the divine discipline (lJ,;,um

Entrance 'with His own blood' r• ,cal /,c,r .... n',>..afJ,las), and Christ's
into heaven, to the presence of God, unique nature (1<a11r,p ~" vloi;). Of
are 'eternal' acts, raised beyond all these the first is again elaborated in
limits of time. Comp. ix. 12, 14; detail. The character (a,;,. ,cal IJC..,.. ),
xiii. 20. the object (,rp/,s rov lJ. u. ail. iJC 8.),
Here therefore there is no possi- and the manner (µ,. ,cp. l. ,c. lJ.) of
bility of repetition, as in the Levitical Christ's prayers are vividly given ;
sacrifices. .A.II is 'one act at once,' and the answer to them is refe1Ted to
while for men the virtue of Christ's its moral cause (a,ro rqs EVA.).
sacrifice is applied in time. If the words are atTanged in a
<Ecumenius understands the phrase tabular form their symmetrical struc-
of the perpetual memory of Christ's ture is at once evident:
offering: oil yap r~v 1rpos o.1rat y•vo- Who,
/UVTJ" v1ro 8rnii 8vulav 1<al 7rpou<popav 7 in His days of.flesh,

&v £ls- rOv alWva, &i\i\' Cuj,op@v £ls

El'IT'EV having offered up,
rovs viiv 1,povpyovs lJL' Jv µ,iur,w Xp,u- with strong crying and tears,
ros
' ••povpyEL
' ,. ,ea,
' ,,povpy,1ra1,
t ,._ o' /Cat' prayers and supplications
,rapaaoVs a'UroLs- ,., r<ti µvCTTLl(tp tEl1T'Vtp unto Him that was able to save
rOv rpfnrov ~S' raiaVT1]s l£povP1'las. Him out of death,
Theophylact in much more careful and having been heard
language says : 1roos Ei1r• ro ,ls r/iv for His godly fear,
8
at61Va; Ort ,ea, IIVV µ,•ra TOV U61p,aros
,... t1 ' .. ' ... ,
though He was Son, yet
& v1rep ;,,,_..,,, Wvu•v lvrvyxav,, i'.irip ( 1) learned obedience
~µ,oov rf 8u'j> ,cal 1rarpl... ~ or, ;, 1<a8' by the things which He suffered;
9 and,
l,carrr'}II y,voµ,,111] 1<a1 Y•VTJUOP,<V'} ,ls TOIi
alrova 1rpoucpopa lJ,a roov rov 8,ov X,,r- having been made perfect,
... , ' ~ , , \' , (2) He became to all them that obey
OVPY"'" avrov •x•• apx«p•a 1<a1 tEp<a
' , 't , . t \ ' \ t ...
TOIi 1<vpio11, /Cat ••pEIOII •avro11 'IJ'lrfP 'I/J,61" Him, the cause of eternal sal-
ayui(ovra ,cal ,c;\r/,µ,,11011 ,cal lJ,lJoµ,EVOV. ?Jation,
OUO./CtS yap ravra ylv,ra, o 8avaros roii • being addressed by God, as
0

Kvplov 1<arayy.XX,rat. High-priest <ifter the order qf

7-10. The complicated sentence Melchizedek.
is divided into two main propositions 7, 8. Christ-the Son, the priest
by the two finite verbs (1) os,,. after the order of Melchizedek-has
1rpou,viy1<as JCal .lua,covu8,ls .•. <µ,a8,11 ••• been shewn to have fulfilled one con-
(2) JCal TEAEL6l8Els lyiv,ro. The first dition of true High-priesthood by His
sentence describes the divine discipline divine appointment: He is now shewn
through which Christ was perfected to have fulfilled the other, as having
in His human nature: the second, the learnt through actual experience the
efficacy of the work which He was uttermost needs of human weakness.
fitted to accomplish in His perfected 7. os] The relative goes back to
humanity. the main subject of v. 5, Christ, who
The great statement of the first has been more fully described in the
sentence (&s tv ra,s qµ,ipa,s rijs uap,coi; two intervening verses. Here there
a'UroV .... lµ.alJ£v cl<p' Jv 'l1Ta8£v r~v V'lra- is no difficulty. Comp. 2 Thess. ii. 9;
lCOtJV) is enlarged by two subordinate 1 Pet. iv. 11. In c. iii. 6 the ambiguity
statements which illustrate the char- is greater, but there ov is to be re-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 127
• I \ \ ~ I
tK€'TrJptas 7rpos 'TOV ouvaµevov o-w~etv au'TOV
IY, , \ ,
EK
eavaTouI

µe'Ta Kpau"fii'> i<rxupas Kat' OaKpvwv 7rp00"€VE"fKa<; Kai

ferred to God and not to Xpurr,k circumstances of life (comp. Matt.
Comp. v. 1 1 note. xxviii. 20).
lv -rats~µ. T. u. a.] Vulg. in diebus Compare also c. x. 32 ; i. 2.
carnis sUaJ, Syr. when He was clothed For the plural see c. i. 2 ; x. 32 ;
with flesh. The pronoun may be Eph. v. 16; 2 Tim. iii. l (foxarn,
taken either with ...ijr uap,cos or with ~µ..); James v. 3 (tux. ~µ..); 1 Pet. iii.
the compound phrase, in the days of 20; 2 Pet. iii. 3; Apoc. ii. 13 &c.
His flesh, or in His days of flesh. 1rpou. Kal ,luaKovuO,ls] These parti-
The geneml meaning of the phrase is ciples have been interpreted as pre-
well given by Theodoret as describing pamtory to tµ.aO,v ('after He had
'the time when He had a mortal body' offered ... He learnt'), or as explana-
(~µ.•par cl£ uapKur TOV T17S OVIJTOTTJTOS tory and confirmatory of it ('in that
E<j:,r, 1<.aipOv, rovrEOTiv ~v[,ca 6Vl'/r0v Elxe He-offered... He learnt'). Usage and
To uwµ.a. Quamdiu habitavit in cor- the gradual development of the
pore mortali. Primas.). thought favour the first view. The
' Flesh' here describes not that 'obedience' of Christ was slowly
which is essential to true humanity fashioned through prayer, which ·was
(Luke xxiv. 39), but the general con- answered for His reverent devotion.
ditions of humanity in the present ll•~uns T< Kal lK<r.] V ulg. preces
life: Gal ii. 20; Phil i. 22, 24: 1 Pet. iv. supplicationesque. The first word
2. Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 50; and (perhaps) lJCT/u,s is the general term for a definite
c. x., 20. ? ( , , ( ,..
request (e.g. James v. 16). The second
ovK Et'lr<V 11µ.•pas uapKos •••••• ros vvv lK<TTJpla (here only in N. T. in which
a:rroO,µ.lvov mlToii 7"t/V uapKa. /J.1ray• • no other word of its group is used)
tx•t yap avr~v .z
Kal /J.cf,OapToV. OAA' describes the supplication of one in
~µ.lpas c/>11ul uapKos ofov Tas lv Tfj need of protection or help in some
uapKtKfj (rofi avToii ~µ.lpas (<.Ecum.). overwhelming calamity. The one
Comp. 2 Clem. v. 5 ~ ,mll71µ.la ~ lv Tcji ( M71u,s) is expressed completely in
~Duµp -r?V':"'P T1J> ~ap,cOs -raVTT}s p,i,c.ptl words: the other (IK<r11pla, properly
EUT&V KOL OAtyoxpaVLOS. an olive branch entwined with wool
We can indeed form no clear con- borne by suppliants) suggests the
ception of 'immorta~' 'incorruptible' posture and external form ·and em-
flesh ; but the phrase represents to blems of entreaty (comp. Mark xiv.
us the continuance under new con- 35).
ditions of all that belongs to the The two words are combined Job
perfection of our nature. xL 22 (Lxx.) (xli. 3); comp. Philo de
The words lv T. ~µ.. T. u. stand in Cher.§ 13 (i. p. 147 M.). The difference
contrast with T<A«roO<ls. It is not between them is shewn strikingly in
said or implied that the conflict of a letter of Agrippa given by Philo,
Christ continued in the same form Leg. ad Ca-ium § 36 (ii. p. 586 M.)
throughout His earthly life. A con- ypacp~ lle µ.71vvuEL µ.ov T~V a,.,,u,v ~v avl!
trast is drawn between the period of lKET1Jplas 1rpor<lv6>. Comp. 2 Mace. iL
His preparation for the fulness of 18.
His Priestly work, and the period of 1rpos TOV avv.] The clause has been
His accomplishment of it after His taken with lJ,1um Kal lKET1Jpfos, but
'consummation.' the general structure of the sentence,
-rats ~µlpms] The use of the term which appears to mark each element
'days' for 'time' or 'season' seems to in the supplication separately, points
suggest the thought of the changing to the counexion with the participle
 128 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

(rrpo<uviyKas); and the unusual con- There can be little doubt that the
struction of rrpoucp. rrpos (for dat.) writer refers to the scene at Geth-
may be compared with yv,.,p,{luO"' semane ; but the mention of these
rrpos (Phil iv. 6 with Lightfoot's details of 'the loud cry' 'and tears•
note). The prayers of the Son were (John xi. 35 ,lJa.Kpvu,v; Luke xix. 41
directed Godward, each thought was EK.Aavu,v), no less than the general
laid open in the sight of Him who was scope of the passage, suggests the
able to save out of death. application of the words to other
ucJ(,w EK Oav.] to save out of death, prayers and times of peculiar trial
Vulg. salvum facere a morte. Syr. in the Lord's life. Compare John xi
to quicken him from death. The 33 ff.; xii. 27 f.; (Matt. xxvii. 46, 50).
phrase covers two distinct ideas, 'to There is a tradition that originally
save from physical death so that it the High-priest on the Day of Atone-
should be escaped,' 'to bring safe out ment, when he offered the prayer for
of death into a new life.' In the forgiveness in the Holy of Holies,
first sense the prayer recorded in uttered the name of God with a loud
John xii. 27 was not granted, that it voice so that it could be heard far off.
might be granted in the second. Comp. Maimon. ap. Delitzsch, Hebr.
~cJ(,,v EK does not necessarily im- ii. p. 471 (E. Tr.).
ply that that is actually realised out of K.pavy~] The loud cry of deeply-
which deliverance is granted (comp. stirred feeling of joyful surprise : Lk.
2 Cor. i. 10), though it does so i. 42 ; Matt. xxv. 6 ; of partisan ap-
commonly (John xii. 27; and en. plause: Acts xxiii 9; of grief: Apoc.
in Bleek). xxi 4 (not Apoc. xiv. 18); of anger:
In uru(,,v EK (James v. 20; Jude 5) Eph. iv. 31. Compare Ps. xxii. 24
the dominant thought is of the peril (Lxx.); and see also Kpa.C"' in GaL
in which the sufferer is immersed iv. 6 ; Rom. viii. 1 5.
(contrast ucJ(ov ,ls 2 Tim. iv. 18); in µ.mL.aaK.p6,,,v] c. xii 17; Acts xx.
ucJC«v drr& (Matt. i. 21 ; Acts ii. 40; 31 (not Mk. ix. 24). Compare Hos.
Rom. v. 9), of the peril from which xii 4.
he is rescued. Compare >..v-rpovuOa, Epiphanius (Ancor. 31) seems to
EK l Pet. i. 18 ; >..vrp. arro Tit. ii. 14; use tK.">..avu• as a general periphrasis
and p6uau8ai EK Luke i. 74; Rom. of the passage in St Luke (xxii. 43) :
vii. 24; 2 Cor. i. 10; Col i. 13; ov µ.lwov yap ra qµ.wv fJap1J av,«'lfaro
1 Thess. i. 10; 2 Tim. iii. II ; 2 Pet. wrip qµ.;;,v ,'XOoov o ayios Aoyos d">..>..a
ii. 9; p6uau8ai arro Matt. vi 13; Kal 'U1tO acp~v lyEvETo ,cai uciptc.a EAa.{3£ •••
Rom. xv. 31; 2 Thess. iii 2; both aAAa 1ea1 [,c,Aav<TE. ,cli:rm £11 T'~ ,caret
constructions are found together 2 Aovl(.aV wayy,>..l<f EV ro'is a«'iopOcJro,s
Tim. iv. 17, 18. dvr1.ypU.<J:,oir .•. Kal yevOµ,Evor £v &yc:ovlq. .••
The force of the present ucJ(nv-will Kal Jcp81J ayy,>..os ,v,ux6"'v avrov.
be seen in contrast with uwuai Luke The question has been asked, for
xix. 10. what did Christ pray 1 (rr,pl rlv"'v
µ.•ra Kpmr;~s lux.] Vulg. cum do,. .a.~o,, ; rr•pl rwv 7T&ITTEVITOVT<,JV Els
more valido. The passage finds a avrov Chrys.). Perhaps it is best to
striking illustration in a Jewish say- answer generally, for the victory over
I ing: 'There are three kinds of prayers death the fruit of sin. This was the
each loftier than the preceding : end of His work, and to this end
prayer, crying, and tears. Prayer is every part of it contributed. Under
made in silence : crying with raised this aspect the conditional prayers
voice ; but tears overcome all things for His own deliverance (Matt. xxvi.
I [' there is no door through which 39 and parallels; John xii. 27) become
tears do not pass']' Synopsis Sohar intelligible. And the due connexion
) ap. Schoettgen ad loc. is established between the prayer at
v. 8] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 129

> 0 \ ' \ ,. .
€t<TaKOU<T €LS a7r0 'TrJS €Ut\.a
'"\. (3 €Las,
I 8 / ,\ ' I ,t
KaL7rEp WV uws, €p.a €1/
0
aKOV<T8e£s D2 *.
the .Agony, and the High-priestly this sense He was 'heard for His
prayer which preceded it. The general godly fear' (,J>..&fJna).
truth is admirably expressed by the The word ,J>..afJna occurs again in
Latin commentators : Omnia autem c. xii. 28 (only in N.T.) and the verb
quae ipse egit in carne preces sup- in c. xi. 7. It is very rare in the LXX.
plicationesque fuerunt pro peccatis Josh. xxiL 24 (i11t$"l); Prov. xxviiL
humani generis. Sacra vero sanguinis 14 ; Wisd.. xvii. 8. The adj. ,J>..afJ~s
ejus effusio clamor fuit validus in quo is found Lev. xv. 31 ; Mic. viL 2, v. l.
exauditus est a deo patre pro sua The verb ,J>..afJiiuOai is more frequent
reverentia, hoe est, voluntaria obe- and represents no less than a dozen
dientia et perfectissima caritate(Prim., Hebrew words. EJ>..afJna marks that
Herv.). In the narrative in John xii. careful and watchful reverence which
27 f. (see notes) the clause Father, pays regard to every circumgtance in
glorify thy name expresses the sum that with which it has to deal. It
of all the prayers of the Son, in what- may therefore degenerate into a
ever way that end was to be reached. timid and unworthy anxiety (Jos.
1rpoa-,11iy,cas] Comp. v. 1, note. Per-Antt. vi. 2, 179); but more commonly
haps the use of the ritual word it expresses reverent and thoughtful
( npoo-£11,y,cas) of the Lord's prayers on shrinking from over-boldness, which
earth points to the true sacrificial is compatible with true courage :
character of spiritual service : c. xiii Philo, Quis rer. div. h(JJ'r. § 6 (L
1 5. The combination 11" poo-<f>ipn11 476 M.) O"ICO'l/"EL ?l"aALII Zr, ,J>..afJ,{'f ra
lJE7Jo-L11 occurs in late Greek writers. Oappii11 d11a,cl,cpara,. id. p. 477 p.~r•
See Lexx. tl11w ,J>..afJ,{as '1/"Uppr]O"La(•o-Oa, ,.,.~.
,la-a,covo-lMs am~ rijs ,J>..afJElas] hav-
a'1/"app1JO"LaaT6>S ,J>..afJiio-Oai. Here the
ing been heard for His godly fear, word in its noblest sense is singularly
0. L. ea:auditus a metu (alL ab illo appropriate. Prayer is heard as it is
metu v. propter timorem), Vulg. ea:- 'according to God's will' (1 John v.
auditus est pro sua reverentia. The 14 f.), and Christ by His .J>..afJna
Syr. transfers the words a'l/"o rijs ,J>... perfectly realised that submission
from this clause to the next, learnt which is obedience on one side and
obedience from fear and the suffer- fellowship on the other.
ings which He bore. True prayer- Primasius has an interesting note:
the prayer which must be answered- pro sua reverentia: hoe est propter
is the personal recognition and accep- voluntariam obedientiam et perfectis-
tance of the divine will (John xv. 7: simam caritatem ... Notandum autem
comp. Mark vi. 24 J>..6,fJ,n ~ It follows quia. reverentia, secundum sententiam
that the hearing of prayer, which Cassiodori, accipitur aliquando pro
teaches obedience, is not so much the amore, aliquando pro timore : hie vero
granting of a specific petition, which pro summa ponitur caritate qua Filius
is assumed by the petitioner to be Dei nos dilexit et pro summa obedien-
the way to the end desired, but the tia qua fuit obediens Patri usque ad
assurance that what is granted does mortem.
most effectively lead to the end. Thus The Greek Fathers take a less wide
we are taught that Christ learnt that view. E.g. fl'A'7II p.,) ra lp.011 ()i>..TJ/La
every detail of His Life and Passion d>..M ra 0-011 ... ~11 cJs d>..110@s '1/"o>..>..ijs-
contributed to the accomplishment of EVA~Ela~ •.• ElOTJKDVal}q Tolvvv OXpiOTOf
the work which He came to fulfil, and oJ,c dna rijs 1rapai~O"E6>S d).).' 0'1/"0 rijs
so He was most perfectly ~ heard.' In ,J>..afJ,lar (<Ecum.).
W. H.8 9
I 30 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [V. 9

a'tn'
..,,
'i'
WV
,1
erra 0€V 'T1'/V
\ V'TraKor,v,
' I 9
Kat\ T€t'-€LW
.... 0€LS\ €"f€V€7"0

The sense 'heard and set free from lised through trials, seen at least to
His fear' or 'from the object of His minister to good. Sufferings in this
fear' is wholly untenable. For the sense may be said to teach obedience
use of a'ITo see Luke xix. 3 ; xxiv. 41 ; as they confirm it and call it out
Acts xii. 14; xxii. l l ; John xxi. 6. activElly. The Lord 'learned obedience
8. ,ca1'/TEP Jv vlln ••• ] though He wag through the things which He suffered,'
Son .•. The clause has been taken with not as if the lesson were forced upon
the words which precede ('being heard Him by the necessity of suffering, for
not as Son but for His godly fear'), the learning of obedience does not
and with those which follow ('though imply the conquest of disobedience
Son went through the discipline of as actual, but as making His own
suffering to obedience'). The latter perfectly, through insight into the
connexion is most in accordance with Father's will, that self-surrender which
the whole scope of the passage. was required, even to death upon the
Though Son and therefore endowed cross (comp. Phil. ii. 8).
with right of access for Himself to The Lord's manhood was (nega-
the Father, being of one essence with tively) sinless and (positively) perfect,
the Father, for man's sake as man that is perfect relatively at every
He won the right of access for hu- stage ; and therefore He truly ad-
manity. In one sense it is true that vanced by 'learning' (Luke ii. 52;
the idea of Sonship suggests that of 40 11'A1Jpavµ.•vav ), while the powers of
obedience ; but the nature of Christ's His human Nature grew step by step
Sonship at first sight seems to exclude in a perfect union with the divine in
the thought that He should learn His one Person.
obedience through suffering. "I" v'1Taica1v] obedience in all its
For ,cal1rEp see c. vii. 5; xii. 17; completeness, the obedience which
Phil iii. 4 ; 2 Pet. i. 12. answers to the idea. It is not said
In v. 5 the title 'Son' has been that the Lord 'learned to obey.' For
used of the Sonship of the exalted the difference between lµ.aB,v "I"
Christ in His twofold nature. Here v'/Ta,c. and 1µ. v'ITalC. see 1 John iii. 10
it is used of the eternal, divine re- 1!-ote ; and con~rast 2 Co~. x. 5, ,l~ "I"
lation of the Son to the Father. v'/Ta,c. r. XP· with Rom. 1. 5 ••s v'/Ta,c.
There is a similar transition from one '/TL<TT, The word 'obedience' contains
aspect to the other of the unchanged a reference to the· occasion of sin.
Personality of the Lord in i. 1-4 Man's fall was due to disobedience :
The Incarnation itself corresponds with his restoration comes through obedi-
and implies (if we may so speak) an ence. Comp. Rom. v. 19.
immanent Sonship in the Divine The alliteration in the phrase lµaB•v
Nature. Thus, though it may be true acp' Jv t'ITaB,v is common in Greek
that the title Son is used of the Lord literature from the time of Herodotus
predominantly (at least) in connexion downwards : Hdt. i. 207 Ta (Ji µ.a, '/T0-
with the Incarnation, that of necessity 81µ.ara iavra axap,o-ra µ.aBryµ.ara ylya-
carries our thoughts further. Comp. "'"· lEsch. Agam. v. 177 mzBn µ.aBos
John v. 19 ff. (comp. v. 250); Philo, de Somn. ii.
Chrysostom gives a personal appli- § 15 (i. 673 M.) avacf,Blyf•rm S (so
cation to the lesson : ,l J,c,'ivos vlos J., read, not o) '/TaBr1iv a,cp,{3oos lµ.aB,v. de
IK£paav£JI a'ITo T00v 1ra&jµ.&.TroV 'T'qv V?ra- spec. le,g. 6 (ii. 340 M.) Zva i,c rov '/TaB,'iv
/CO~V '/TOAA~ µ.a.A:>..ov ~µ.£'is. µ.aBu. Wetstein has collected many
tµ.aB,v ...r~v v'/Ta,c.] learned obedi- examples.
ence... The spirit of obedience is rea- 9, 10. Christ, it has been seen,
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 13 I
t / , ,... ,t I , I
1ra<rLV 'TOLS U7raKOUOU<rLV aUT'f' at'TLOS <rW'Tt7pta<; atWVLOU,

9 ,,-a.o-,v r. inr. a.imj ~ABCD2 vg syrr me: r. u,r, ct1l. ,ro.o-,v S-.

satisfies the conditions of High-priest- 1rarriv ro,s wraKouovrr,v] to all that

hood. He has received divine ap- obey Him, Gentiles as well as Jews.
pointment : He is inspired with the Comp. John i. 7. In this connexion
completest sympathy. But His High- continuous active obedience is the
priesthood goes immeasurably beyond sign of real faith (contrast iv. 3 ol
that of the Levitical system in its mrrnvrraVTn). The obedience of the
efficacy. As He is in His humanity believer to Christ answers to the
superior to Moses (c. iii I ff. note), so obedience of the Son to the Father.
He is superior to Aaron. The one By obedience fellowship is made com-
fact has been aflirmeddirectly(iii. 5 f.): plete. Si obedientia Filii causa est
the other fact is shewn in a type salutis humanre, quanta nobis necessi-
(Melchizedek~ And this superiority tas est obedire Deo, ut digni inveni-
is further shewn in the action of amur ejus salutis quam nobis per
Christ as High-priest. The Levitical Filium proprium donavit (Atto).
High-priest entered into the Holy of atnos <T6>T. aloov.] the cause of eternal
Holies through the blood of goats and salvation, Latt. causa salutis mternm.
calves, but Christ through His own In ii. 10 the word corresponding to
blood to the presence of God Himself atnos is dpxqyos. There the thought
(comp. c. ix. 11 ff.). Yet further, the was of Christ going before the 'many
reference to Ps. ex. necessarily includes sons ' with whom He unites Himself.
the thought of the Royal priesthood Here the thought is of that which He
which is developed afterwards. alone does for them. In the former
9. Kal TEAnooBds ••• ] and having passage He is the great Leader who
been made perfect..• Vulg. et consum- identifies Himself with His people :
matus ... Syr. and thus was perfected in this He is the High-priest who
and ... Comp. ii 10 note. offers Himself as an effectual sacrifice
This perfection was seen on the one on their behalf.
side in the complete fulfihnent of The word atnos does not occur else-
man's destiny by Christ through ab- where in N.T. Comp. I Sam. xxii. 22;
solute self-sacrifice, and on the other 2 Mace. xiii 4 ; Bel 42.
in His exaltation to the right hand of The phrase aZnos <T6>T1Jplas is used
God, which was in the divine order by Philo of the brazen serpent (De
its due consequence. Comp. c. ii 9 agri,e. § 22, i. 315), and of Noah in
a,u TO 1ra8qµ.a. Phil ii 9. Thus the relation to his sons (De nobil. § 3, ii
word, which carries with it the con- 440). Comp. De vit. cont. § II (ii
ception of Christ's complete prepa- 485 M.). It is found not unfrequently
ration for the execution of His priestly in classical writers : e.g. Demosth. De
office, suggests the contrast between Rhod. libert. § 4 (p. 191) µ.ovo, TQJV
' ""' I ) ,..
His priestly action and that of Aaron. 7Tal/T6>V T1JS <T6>T1Jp,as avro,s mr,oi. ill

<'yivEro] became in the fulfilment of <r6>T. al6>v.] This spiritual, eternal,

what we conceive of as a natural law. divine deliverance answers to the
It is said 'became' and not 'becomes' external and temporal deliverance
or 'is,' because on the divine side which Moses wrought. The phrase is
and in the eternal order the issue of not found elsewhere in N. T.
Christ's work is complete. For -yEvirr- Comp. Is. xiv. 17 'Irrpa~X rrcJ(Erm
Ba, see v. 5 ; i 4; ii. 17; vi. 20; vii. inrO 1t.vpiov <TWTTJplav al~VLOV (n~~~l;I
22, 26.
Comp. Rom. viii. 29 f.; CoL iii. I ff. Cl'~7il1).
9-2
132 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [V. 10

10
7rpo<ra,yopeu0etc; V?rO TOU 0eou apxtepeVc; Kb.Tb. TI-IN T.{zlN

M€AXIC€h.€K.
10 dpx. +•ls ro11 alwva! (syr hl) me.

The phrase corresponds with C"'t/ order of Melchizedek) includes the

aloo11tor (comp. I John v. 20, .Addit. pledge of its eternal efficacy (eternal
Note). Compare also c. vi 2 teplµ.a sal'Cation). Comp. c. vii. 16 f. The
al"'"'°"· ix. 12 al6l11tu AVTP6l<TLr, 15 word 'lrpocrayopEvEiv (here only in N.T.)
~ aloovtor teATJp0110µ,la. xiii. 20 lJiai9'JteTJ expresses the formal and solemn as-
alCOv,os-. cription of the title to Him to whom
The words with which alcJv,or is it belongs (' addressed as,' 'styled').
used in other books of the N. T. Comp. 1 Mace. xiv. 40; 2 Mace. iv. 7 ;
throw light upon its meaning : 'TTVP x. 9; xiv. 37; 1 Clem. I o, 17. Philo, de
Matt. xviii. 8; XXV. 41 (To 'fr. TO al.); migr. Abr. § 24 (ii. 19 M.) 'lrarqp p,ev Twv
Jude 7 ('fr. al.); te6Aaou Matt. XXV. 46; 6A6lll oµ,,eras, gs Ell Tair lEpais ypa<f,ais
crte11111 Luke xvi. 9 (al al. crte.); {3acrtAEla tcVpt'f' 0116µ,ari teaAEITat O.,o,,, al a; 'trap'
2 Pet. i. II (~ al. /3.); OAEBpor 2 Thess. ltcti-rEpa 'lrpEu/3vraTat teal eyyvraTaL TOV
i. 9; 'lrapaKATJCTLr 2 Thess. ii. 16 ; xp6vo, OIITOS' avvap,nr, ,J,, ~ p,€11 'lrOLTJTLte~ ~ a·
Rom. xvi 25; 2 Tim. i. 9; Tit. i. 2; aJ flautALKtJ 'lrpocrayopEVETat. teal ~ µ.ev
BEor Rom. xvi 26 (6 al. B.); teparor I . 'lrOLTJTLtetJ BEos ... ~ a; f1acrLALK~ dp,or .•.
Tim. vi 16 ; a&~a 2 Tim. ii. 10 ; I Pet. ii. Progress in patient ejfort (v.
v. 10 (~al.a.); EvayyOuov .Apoc. xiv. 6. II-vi. 20).
The double correspondence of The general view which has been
crr.l(nv, v'trateo1v (m,. 7, 8) with v'tra- given of the Divine High-priest, of
teovov,nv, cr"'TTJplar is to be noticed. His office and of His qualifications, of
Three brief notes of Greek commen- His power of sympathy and of His
tators deserve to be quoted : direct appointment by God, leads
' ' avaOT~<TLV
, r£1\£t~(T&V , r:, V
'\ , , '
IC.;'I'. T1J,."' naturally to a consideration of the
aBavau,av EteUAECTE' Tovro yap TTJf obligations which this revelation im-
olteovoµ,las- To 1ripas- (Theod. ). poses upon those to whom it is made.
apa 0J11 TEAEL6llTLS' aJx T6)1/ 'lraBTJµ.tiT6lll The highest truth is not to be master-
ytvETat· 'lrWS' 0J11 V):'ELS' avcr)(_EpalvETE ,.,,2 ed at once, nor without serious and
Ta1s- TEAEto1ro,ois- BA,,/,Ecrtv; (Theoph.~ continuous effort. It can only be
6pgr /lua 7rEpl V'trateoijr a,M,-yETaL grasped in virtue of a corresponding
,;;CTTE 1rELBEuBa, avToV&'; aoteoiicr, yl,p growth in those to whom it is ad-
µ.o, ITVIIEXWS &<J,,,11,a(nv teal TOIS' Ary<>" dressed. There is always, in the case
µ,ivo,s p,tJ 1rapateoAovBE'i11 (Chrys.). of those who have learnt somewhat,
10. 'lrpouayopwBElr ••• dpx.] being the danger of resting in their attain-
addressed by God as High-pritk!t•. ;. ment, which is a fatal relapse. Yet
0. L. vocatus (pronunciatus) sacer- we are encouraged by past experi-
dos (princeps sacerdotum). Vulg. ence to hold our hope firmly ; and the
'Docatus pontifw. The title (Higk- promise of God remains sure beyond
priest) is involved in the words of the possibility of failure.
Ps. ex. 'D. 4 and 'D. 1 taken together ; These general thoughts are unfold-
comp. vi. 20. .A royal priesthood is ed in four sections. ( 1) The mention
there combined with admission to the of Melchizedek calls up the difficulties
immediate Presence of God (sit ... connected with his priesthood which
at my right hand), which was the the Hebrews were not prepared to
peculiar privilege of the High-priest. meet. They had become stationary
.At the same time the peculiar cha- and therefore had lost the power of
racter of this priesthood (after the receiving higher teaching (v. 11-14).
V. II] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 133
• 'I. I \ ~ I
o '"o,yos Kat vv<rEpf-<YJV€V'TOS

-0m. o' (M-yos) D2*,

(2) Such a condition illustrates the your hearing. ' For when ye ought
2

paramount duty of Christian progress, to be teachers by reason of the time,

and the perils of relapse (vi. 1-8). ye again ha7Je need that some one
(3) .At the same time the frank recog- teach you the elements of the first
nition of danger does not exclude the principles of the oracl6S of God;
consolation of hope (vi. 9-12). .And and ye are become in need of milk,
(4) though God requires patience (and) not qf solid food. ' 3 For e7Jery
from men, .His promise can never one that partaketh of milk is w'ithout
fail (13-20). experience in the word of righteous-
It is of deep interest to observe ness, for he is a babe. ' 4 But solid
that here for the second time the food is for full-grown men, e7Jen those
writer pauses when the subject of who in 7Jirtue of iheir state ha7Je their
Christ's priestly work rises before senses exercised to discern good and
him. He announced this subject in 67Jil.
ii. 17, and directly tlll'ned aside from (a) The Hebrews have failed to
it to enforce the lessons of Israel's grow with years (11, 12).
faillll'e. He returned to the subject 11 f. The difficulty of unfolding the
in iv. 14, and, after a fuller exposition truth of Christ's High-priestly office
of its outlines, he now again interrupts typified in Melchizedek is due to the
his argument to insist on the strenu- spiritual state of the Hebrews. They
ous labolll' which believers must under- are still babes when they ought to
take that they may rightly enter into have advanced to ripe intelligence.
it. The character of the complaint
Chrysostom says justly : Zpa yoiiv seems to indicate clearly that the
aVrOv O"VV£XC0s- @alvoVTa TDv 1T£pl Toii Epistle could not have been addressed
apx•Ep<oos .luayay•'iv Aoyov Kal a£l a11a- to a large body as a whole, but to
/3aAAOJJ,EIIOll, •• l-rr£l oJv 'TO<TOV'TaK,s l€,-, some section of it (comp. xiii. 17)
Kpovue,,, cJuav•l U7TOAoyovµ,•vos 'PTJ<TLII ~ consisting, as it appears, of men in
alTla 'IT'ap, Vµ.Os. the S!lime general circumstances of
(1) Stationariness in religioWJ life age, position and opinion.
and its consequences (v. 11-14). II. 7T£pl oV 1r0Avs ~µ,'iv 6 Aoyos-... )
The life of faith is like the natural Of whom (which). Vulg. De quo
life. It has appropriate support in grandis nobis sermo ... The relative is
its different stages. Healthy growth ambiguous. It may mean concerning
enables us to appropriate that which which, i.e. the High-priestly dignity of
we could not have received at an Christ, or concerning whom. In the
earlier stage. But this general law latter case the antecedent may be
carries with it grave consequences. Christ (1r•pl oii xp,u'Toii <Ecum.) or
(a) The period of first discipleship Melchizedek (Pesh. about this Mel-
may be misused, as by the Hebrews, chizedek) or (as a complex subject)
so that we remain still mere 'babes ' Christ a High-priest after the order
when it is past (11, 12). .And so of Melchizedek (vi. 20; comp. Zs-
(b) when the time comes for matlll'er 1'.7).
instruction we may be unprepared to The reference to Melchizedek
apprehend it (13, 14). simply appears to be too limited.
"Of whom (which) we ha7Je many .Although Melchizedek is afterwards
things to say and hard of interpre- spoken of in detail (vii. 1 ff.), the
tation since ye are bee= dull in mysteries to which the apostle refers
1 34 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [V. 12

I
i\.e,ye,v, •
e1re,\
vw 0 ' ,ye,yova-re
po, I -
-rat<; , -.
aKoats •

do not lie properly in his person, but lpµ.1111•vum l(a>....i.- aVTOtS ov a611aTaL
in Him whom he foreshadowed ; and, (Chrys.).
a.gain, the reference to Christ gene- Difficultas interpretandi ...non fuit
rally is too vague. Hence it seems in ejus ignorantia cui revelata sunt
best to interpret the oJ of Christ as mysteria a seculis abscondita sed potius
,typified by Melchizedek, or of Mel- in illorum tarditate qui imbeciles, i.e.
chizedek as a type of Christ. Christ's infirmi in fide ..• (Primas., Herv.).
Priesthood and Sacrifice is the main Philo speaks of seeing the unchang-
and most difficult subject of the ing beauty of the ideal world, a>..<KT<i>
Epistle ; and this is foreshadowed in T,111 1<al l!vu,pµ.1111<vTcp 0l'!- (JJe Som,n.
Melchizedek, whose significance was i § 32; i. 649 M.).
overlooked by the Jewish interpreters br,l 11000pol -y,y6110TE ... ] since ye are
(e.g. Bereshith R.). In regard to become dull of luJaring, Vulg. quo-
the general sense it makes no dif- niam imbecillesfacti estisad audien-
ference whether the oJ be neuter or dum ... The difficulty of which the
masculine (with this reference), but apostle has spoken came from the
the neuter is less in the style of the fault of the Hebrews. They had be-
Epistle. come with years less quick in under-
It will be observed that, while the standing and not more quick accord-
writer of the Epistle recognises the ing to a natural and healthy develop-
difficulty of his theme, he declares no ment. Compare Chrysostom: T6 ,lrr,t11
less plainly that he must deal with it. lrr,l 11008pol y,y611aTE Tats a1<oats li11Aot111·
He speaks of the discourse, the teach- Tos ~" ML ,r&>..ai vylai11011 1<al ?ua11 luxv-
ing (o >..oyos), which (he implies) it is pol, Tfi rrpoOvµ.l'!- {<OIITES (c. L 32),
his duty and his purpose to deliver. 1<al tJUTEpo11 avrovs TOVTO 1ra8ii11 µ.ap·
There is no indication that the fulfil- TVpEt.
ment of his design is contingent on As yet however this dulness had
those whom he addresses. His part not extended to action though such
must be done, however hard it may an issue was not far off (c. vi. 12;
be to do it. In this respect he identi- comp. 2 Pet. ii. 20). ~Opa l!l, writes
fies himself with the society which he Chrysostom, miis µ.lxp,s a1<oijs T~lf
represents (~Jii.11). · 1fr.>8pt1Tr]Ta EUTTJUE.
l!v,TEpµ.411,vTos] hard of interpre- For 11008po£ see c. vi.
12. The word
tation: Vulg. ininterpretabilis ad is found in LXX., Prov. xxii. 29 ;
dicendum: hard for a writer to ex- Ecclus. iv. 29; xi. 12. The plural al
press, so that it will be fully under- a1<oa£ expresses the powers of hearing.
stood. The difficulty of the interpre- Comp. Mk. vii. 35.
ter lies in the small capacity of his l1r,l] since, seeing. The conjunc-
audience. The addition of >..,yn11, tion is of frequent use in the Epistle,
which corresponds with the image in in which the strengthened form irrELli4
Tats d,coats, shews decisively, as is is not found. See ii. 14 ; iv. 6 ; v. 2 ;
otherwise most natural, that the diffi. vi. 13; ix. 17, 26; x. 2; xi. JI. It
culty is considered with regard to expresses a fact which influences a
him who has to make the exposition result, yet not so that the result is
and not to those who have to receive the direct and necessary consequence
it. ofit (ib).
The sense is rightly given by the 12. The fault of the Hebrews is
early commentators : orn11 T<s ,rp6s clearly defined. When by reason of
cw0pc,hrovs lxn (l. >..,-yy) µ.ry 1rapa1co>..ov- the time-because they had been
0ov11Tas µ.Tjl!i T<l >..,y6µ.,11a IIOOVIITM Christians so long,-they ought to have
v. 12] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 135
o<J>elAOJ/'T€S elvat OtOdO"'KaAot Ot<i 'TOV xpovov, 7tdAtV
xpetav ixe-re 'TOU o,odO"'K€tV uµ.as 'TtVd 'Td O"''TOtX€ta 'T1JS
dpx,is 'TWV AO,YLWV 'TOU eeou, Kat ,ye,yova'T€ xpelav txoJ/'TeS
12 Xoylwv: Xlrywv D 2* (vg syrr me),

been teachers, they were themselves God' corresponds with 'the beginning
in need of elementary teaching. For of Christ' (vi 1). Tijs apxijs is not in
,cal yap see iv. 2 note ; for oc/><i>..ovr•r, either place to be separated from the
ii 17; v. 3 notes; and for a,a T~V genitive which follows as if it could
XPOVOV compare "'· 14 aw 'n}V if,v. have one adjectival sense, 'the first
On a,a&u,ca'X.os Bengel says 'vocabu- elements,' 'the first teaching.'
lum non muneris sed facultatis.' Td UTo•x•ia] the rudiments, the first,
'11". xp•lav lx•n TOV a,a. vµ.ar TLVCI ni simplest, elements of which anything
UT.] ye ha'De need again that some one consists : 'the alphabet' of a subject.
teach you the elements... The nva is The word occurs elsewhere in the
ambiguous. It may be treated as N.T. of the material elements of the
an interrogative (Tlva): 'that one nniverse : 2 Pet. iii. 10, 12; and
teach you what are the rudiments.. .' metaphorically : Gal. iv. 3, 9 ; CoL ii.
(so Vulg. Syr. Orig. Cyr.), or as the 8, 20.
indefinite pronoun (Twa). In spite of TWV r..oyloov TOV e,oii] Rom.iii 2. Comp.
the ancient authority for the first I Pet. iv. I 1 ; Acts vii. 38. The phrase
rendering, the second seems to be might refer to the new revelation
preferable (comp. I Thess. iv. 9). It given by Christ to His apostles (comp.
gives a sharper antithesis to a,a&u- c. i. 2) ; but it seems more natural to
1<a>..o, ,lvai. And it could hardly be refer it to the collected writings of
said the Hebrews required to learn the O.T. which the Hebrew Christians
what the elements of the Faith were. failed to understand and so, through
They knew what they were though mistaken loyalty to the past, were in
they did not know them. danger of apostasy.
The constructions of xp•lav lx«v are ' For the patristic use of >..6-y,av,
singularly varied. The phrase is used which is COllJlllOn in LXX., see Euseb.
absolutely (Mk. ii. 25 ; Acts ii 45 ; H. E. iii. 39 ;' 1 Clem. 19, 53 ; Polyc.
I Cor. xii. 24; Eph. iv. 28; 1 John ad Phil. 8.
iii 17); with an object in the genitive -y,yovaTE xp•lav lxovr,s] Vulg. facti
(ya>..a1<Tos, c. x. 36 &c.); with the estis quifnts lacte opus sit. The change
simple infinitive ( 1 Thess. i. 8 ; v. 1 ; of expression from x.p,lav lx•T• is most
Matt. iii. 14 &c.); with iva (John ii. significant. Xp,lav lx•TE describes
25; xvi. 30; 1 John ii. 27); and here the simple fact : this phrase points
only with the infinitive and article. out a fact which is the result of de-
The phrase Ta UTo,x•fo rijs dpxijs generacy. The Hebrews had through
TWV >..oylwv TDV e,oii (Vulg. elementa their own neglect become young chil-
e:eordii sermonum Dei) is very re- dren again. So Chrysostom : ovic .1...
markable. Even 'the beginning,' the XPEWII £'}(_ET£ a'>..>..a y•yovaTE xp.tav
simplest fruitful presentation of the lxoVTES ..., TOVTEUTIII, vµ.,,r ~B•r..t/uaTE,
' ,. t \ , ,. , ,
Gospel, is complex. The divil;te mes- vµ.n~ EaVTOVS ELS TOVTO 1<aTEIJ"Tl'/O'aTE, EIS
sage includes from the first distinct TOVTf/V 'n}V XPElav.
elements which require to grow to- -ya>..a ... O'TEpEa Tpocpt/] milk ...solid
gether. It is one, not as monotonous, food ... There has been much discussion
but in virtue of a vital unity. as to what should be understood by
'The beginning of the oracles of these terms respectively. The early
136 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [V. 13

ryaAaK-ros, T OU <TTEpEas -rpo<f>ijs. 13

,ras ryap O µe-rexoov
I-.,. ,1 ). I ~ I I I ,
rya1\.aKTOS a,retpos t\.O'}'OU VlKatO<TUVrJS, Vr/71".LOS ryap €<TTtir

rz 1<al
1<al ou N•AB*D 2 syrr: om, 1<al N*C vgme. 13 8,1<,+ia-Tlv D2*. ll'fJ'lr. -y.+dxµ,)11 D2*.

commentators generally supposed that age has its proper food. _But spiritual
'milk,' the food of young converts, maturity comes through discipline and
was the teaching on 'the Lord's not through years only.
humanity,' and His Resurrection and 13. 1ras -yap cl /J,ET. ya>...] The argu-
.Ascension, while 'the solid food' was ment would have been clearer if the
the more mysterious teaching on His terms of the sentence had been in-
Godhead. Thus, for example, Prima- verted: 'For every one that is inex-
sius : Lac simplicis doctrinre est in- perienced...--as you shew yourselves
carnatio filii De~ passio, resurrectio to be-is fed with milk .. .' But the
illius, ascensio ad crelum : solidus writer prefers to suggest the fact
vero cibus perfecti sermonis est myste- that his readers are actually living in
rium trinitatis, quomodo tres sunt in the most rudimentary stage of faith,
personis et. unum in substantia dei- 'partaking of milk,' and so condemn-
tatis. ing themselves of unfitness for deeper
The true explanation lies in vi. instruction. For every one that par-
I ff. taketh of milk, and the Hebrews had
The respective topics of the two brought themselves to this diet, is
stages of teaching are not spoken of according to the figure a mere infant,
as more or less essential or important. and necessarily ignorant of the teach-
That which corresponds with the ings and the problems of life. Such a
'milk' is in fact 'the foundation.' one therefore could not but be without
The 'milk' 1tnd 'solid food' are ap- e:cpe1-ience of the word of righteous-
propriate to different periods of ness (Vulg. e:cpers sermonis justitiw),
growth. The older Christian ought unprepared by past training to enter
to be able to assimilate fresh and upon the discussion of the larger
harder truths. problems of Christian thought.
y&AaKTos••• ] ln Rabbinic language The absence of the definite articles
young students were called 'sucklings' (A&yos lJumw<TVll1JS not o A. Tijs lJ,K.)
(nlj,l~'n). See Schoettgen on 1 Pet. shews that the main conception of
ii. 2. Comp. 1 Cor. iii. 2, Is. xxviii. the phrase lies in the character and
9, Hom. Clem. viii 6; xviii 15 not in the concrete realisation of the
(Matt. xi 21) 111J1rlo,s BrJXa(:ovcn. 'word.' It is not 'the word of right-
The image occurs in Philo : De eousness,' the full exposition of the
agric. § 2 (i. 301 M.) 111J1rlo,s µh lCTT, Christian Faith (2 Cor. iii. 9), but
-y<ZAil rpo<M, TEAElo&s a; TO. '" 1rvpw11 teaching such as belongs to it, 'teach-
'lrlµ.µ.a.ra. De leg. Spee.§ 36 (ii. 332 M.). fog of righteousness,' teaching which
Compare also a remarkable parallel in deals at once with the one source of
.A.rrian : oJ 8lAm ijlJ11 cJs Ta 1rcubla righteousness in Christ, and the
a1royaAaKT,u8ij11a, ,ml 47rT£u8m CTTEpEas means by which man is enabled to be
rpo<J,ijs (J)issert. ii. 16, 39). made partaker of it. The doctrine of
(b) Each age has its appropriate Christ's priestly work is based upon
support (13, 14). these conceptions, which belong to
13 f. The consequences of the fault the 'solid food' of the mature be-
of the Hebrews are indicated by the liever.
statement of a general law. Each Chrysostom offers two interpreta-
v. 14] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 137
l4'T€A€1.CdJ/ 0€ €<T'Ttll 11 <T'TEpea 'Tpo<J>~, 'TWJ/ Ota 'T~J/ i~tll 'Td
'0'
at<T YJ'TrJpta
',,
,yeyuµva<Tµeva exov-rwv 1rpos otaKpt<Ttv Ka1\.0U
,~, .. -
\
'TE Kat KaKOU.
-
tions of the phrase: ocl.1mpos Xoyov li,- each human faculty and gift has found
,caioUVlfTJS, TOVTEUT', Tij s if,".,
cp,>.ocrocpias a harmonious development and use,
iiTrnpos, ov liv11aTa£ 1TapaliiEacrl1ai /3io11 who has fulfilled the destiny of man by
aicpo11 ical -qicp,fJoop,l11011• q li,icmocrVlfT}II attaining the likeness of God (Gen. i.
IJJTavBa T6JI Xp,crTOJI </>TJCTl ical TOIi Vo/1JA6JI 26). Comp. Lightfoot, Phil. iii. r 5.
1TEpL QVTOV >.oyo11. In the same manner any object is
The word if1Tnpos does not occur TEAEios which completely satisfies its
again in the N.T. ideal, so that all the constituent
14. Milk is the food of babes ; and elements are found in it in perfect
he who is fed on milk-whether it be efficiency (r JcµIll iv. 18 ~ TEAEla dya1T1).
in the due order of nature or by James i. 4, 17 ; conip. Rom. xii. 2 ).
lack of reasonable growth-is a babe. Law is framed for the guidance of
But solid food is for full-grown man in the attainment of his proper
men. end : the perfect law therefore is 'the
The contra\lt between babes and law of freedom,' which completely
full-grown men occurs again Eph. iv. corresponds with the unhindered ful-
I 3 f. JJ,•XP' icaTavnjcroop,EP .•• Els tl11lipa filment of his duty(James i. 25). The
TEAE£011, Els p,frpo11 ~>.,icias Tov 1TA1Jpr,$- Levitical Tabernacle was designed to
p,aTos Toti X~iCTToii· Zv~ JJ,TJK•;• r1p,Ev "ftmo, represent under the conditions of
••• I Cor. XIV. 20 TT/ icaicu;z lfl'}Tr£a(ETE, earth the dwelling of God among
TQIS a. <ppECTLV TEAElOl ylvEcrBE. I Cor. men, offering a revelation of God and
ii. 6, iii. r. Comp. Philo, Leg. Alleg. a way of approach to God : the
i. § 30 (i. 62 M.) T'fl TEAEL<f KaT' Elicova heavenly Tabernacle through which
, . , ' .
1TpOCTTUTTE£V 1J a1TayopEVE£V 1J 1rapmvE£V
,..
Christ's work is accomplished is 'the
01lxl liE'i•• •Ttj, a. lfl'}Trlq, 1Tapaw£CTE(A)S /Cal greater and more perfect Tabernacle'
lJilJacr,caAlas [xpELa]. (ix. r r ), the divine archetype of the
A man is said to be n?..uos who has transitory copy.
reached the full maturity of his Compare ii. 10 TEAurocra, note.
powers, the full possession of his The spiritual maturity of which the
rights, his TE'Aos, his 'end.' This ma- apostle speaks is the result of careful
turity, completeness, perfection, may exercise. It belongs to those who
be regarded generally or in some have their senses-their different
particular aspect. As compared with organs of spiritual perception-train-
the child, the full-grown man is Ti- ed, in virtue of their moral state gained
>.nos physically, intellectually, socially by long experience.
(comp. 1 Cor. xiii. ro f.; Gal. iv. 3); as li,a T~v .rt,v] by reason of, on account
compared with the fresh uninstruct- of, habit. Old Lat. per ( propter) habi-
ed convert, the disciplined and ex- tum. Vulg. pro consuetudine. 'l'he
parienced Christian is n?..£,os ( r Cor. state in which they are is the ground
xiv. 20; ii. 6; Eph. iv. r3; PhiL iii. and pledge of the discipline of their
15; CoL i. 28; iv. 12; James i. 4). powers (li,a T~JI .rtw not li,a ~s eEEoos).
There is also an ideal completeness "EE•s (here only in N.T.) expresses
answering to man's constitution in his not the process but the result, the
power of self-control (James iii. 2), in condition which has been produced
his love for his fellows (Matt. v. 48 ; by past exercise and not the separate
comp. xix. 2r). acts following one on another (firma
He is absolutely TEAnos in whom qurndam :facilitas quae apud Grrn-
138 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [V. 14
cos l~,s vocatur Quint. x. 1, 1). Comp. The discernment of 'good and evil'
Ecclus. Prol. lica"'lv l~w 1T£p,1ro,,,cra- is here regarded in relation to the
P,£11os (having acquired sufficient expe- proper food of the soul, the discrimi-
rience), id. xxx. 14, Jud. xiv. 9 (Alex.): nation of that which contributes to
1 Sam. xvL 7. its due strengthening. The mature
Ta alcr8'1'"1P'°] Vulg. semus. Here Christian has already gained the
only in N.T. Comp. Jer. iv. 19 (LXX.) power which he can at once apply, as
.,.,¼ alcrO. ri;s ,cap/Has µ.ov. the occasion arises. This power comes
-yqroµ.vacrµ.lva] Comp. c. xii. I 1 ; through the discipline of use which
1 Tim. iv. 8 ; 2 Pet. iL 14, shapes a stable character..
For -yE-yvµ.11. lxoV'TES compare xiL 1, Philo IJe migr. .A.br. § 9 (i. 443 M.)
lxo11'T£S 'Tr£p&K£,µ.£vov. lTEpos 111'/frl(J)J/ ical lTEpos T£X£lrov x<»pos
rrpos /ha,cp,crw IC. 'TE ical K.] The phrase Eur,v, 0 µfv dvoµ.a(OJJ,Evos tl.uK.TJO"LS, 0 ai
recalls the language of the 0. T. e.g. ica>.ovµ.£vos croipla.
Gen. iiL 5; Deut. i. 39; Is. viL 16.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 139

.Additional Note on v. 1. The prro-Christian Priesthood 1•

l. THE !DEA OF PRIESTHOOD.

Man is born religious : born to recognise the action of unseen powers The idea
about him and to seek for a harmonious relation with them, conceived of of priest•
personally 2. hood_ in
· t h ough t 1s
This • conveyed m · t h e Mosa1c . record of Creation,. by t h e thenature,
relation to
statement that it was the purp-ose of God to ' make man in His image and
after His likeness' (Gen. i. 27); that is to endow man with faculties by
which he might attain to a divine fellowship, and finally share in the divine
rest (Heb. iv. 9). ,
Even if man had not sinned he would have needed the discipline of life,
supported by divine help, to reach this destiny 3•
.As it is, the consciousness of sin, variously realised, hinders the present
approach to God (the unseen power). However the unseen is realised, there
is in men a shrinking from it.
Some means of approach to the unseen power therefore must be
provided that a harmony may be established ; and man naturally looks for
some one through whom this access shall be gained. The provision of this
access is the work of the priest.
It is then briefly the part of the priest to establish a connexion of man
with God, and secondarily of man with man.
The priest brings man to God (the unseen power); and he brings God
to man.
So it is that the conception which we form of priesthood shapes our
whole view of religion (Heb. vii, 12).
These thoughts are of universal application, and find manifold embodi-
ments in the experience of mankind.
Of these manifold embodiments we must take account in our endeavour
to grasp the full meaning of the Christian Dispensation.
The special training of the Jewish people is one part, the most in- history of
telligible part indeed, but yet only one part, of the universal training of man.
humanity for the accomplishment of the divine purpose of creation.
1 It had been my hope to write an interest. The Jewish priesthood as a
Essay on the prm-Christian priest- positive institution is well treated by
hood. This has been impossible; and (Ehler; but it is desirable to place it
I venture to give a few notes which in detailed comparison and contrast
indicate some of the main points in with ethnic priesthoods.
the inquiry. 2 No non-religious tribe is actually

J. Lippert's Allg. Gesch. d. Priester- found or known to have existed.

thums, Berlin 1883-4, contains the Tylor, Primitive Culture, i. 378.
most ample collection of materials 3 The Essay of Bp Bull On the state

with which I am acquainted. Tylor's of man before the Fall, contains many
Primitive Culture, London, 1871, and most suggestive thoughts on this sub-
Spencer's Ecclesiastical Institutions, ject,
London, 1885, contain much that is of
 140 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

In considering the conception of the pra~-Christian priesthood we must

therefore notice the priesthood of the Nations (the natural priesthood), and
the priesthood of the People (the theocratic priesthood).

I!. THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE NATIONS. (THE NATURAL PRIESTHOOD.)

The conception of priesthood in its most general form is recognised

universally: it belongs to the constitution of man. The facts of ethnic
religions enable us to see the elements which were taken up and purified in
Judaism.
i. Types of i. Types of natural priesthood.
natural In many cases the idea of priesthood is most rude, imperfect and
priest-
hood. unworthy-perhaps by degradation-but it exists.
It may be that the agent seeks to coerce or to propitiate hostile powers ;
or to honour friendly powers.
But the essential idea is the same : he seeks to establish a harmony
between those whom he represents and the unseen.
The mediating person is marked out variously according to circum-
stances, either (r) by superior station, or (2) by superior knowledge.
(1) By (r) The chief types of priest in the former case are
position.
(a) the head of the family: the father;
(b) the head of the race: the king.
(2) By (2) The second class is represented by the 'medicine-man': the
know-
ledge.
sorcerer: the guardian of an oracular shrine.
(1) Priest- (I) (a) The family priesthood was very widely spread. Examples
hoo_d_ by occur iu all early history.
pos1t1on. .• .
(b) The kingly priesthood was recogmsed m the great early
civilised states : Egypt ; Assyria ; Greece ; Rome.
The form of this royal priesthood was retained even when the royal
government was overthrown (~pxc.w fJarr,XEvs, rea; sacri.ficulus).
(2) Priest- (2) The 'oracular' type of priesthood was dominant among the Arabian
hood by tribes, who had no central government. Notice Balaam (Num. xxii.).
fiow- Gradually the office was delegated to a caste or a. class, which exercised
e ge. more or less power. In classical Greece the power of the priesthood was
exceptionally small.
ii. Exam- ii. Examples of natural priesthood in the O.T.
~!:u~~l There are many traces of this 'natural' priesthood in the 0. T., both
Priesthood (I) before and (2) after 'the Law.'
~~) i!~re (r) Natural priesthood in tlw 0.T. before the Law.
the :J;,aw. (a) The Patriarchs.
Gen. viii. 20 ff. (Noah).
xi.ii. 4 (Abraham).
- xxvi. 25 (Isaac).
- xxxv. I (Jacob).
Comp. Job i. 5.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
(b) Melchizedek.
Gen. xiv. 18 ff.
(c) Jethro.
Ex. xviii. 1, 12.
Comp. Ex. xix. 22.
(2) Natural priesthood in the 0. T. after the Law. (2) After
the Law.
(a) The Judges.
Jud. vi. 19 ff. (Gideon).
- xiii. 19 (Manoah).
- xvii. 5 (Micah).
[ r Sam. vii. 9 f. (Samuel); comp. vii. 1 (Eleazar).
ix. 13 (Samuel).]
(b) The Kings.
Saul : Sam. xiii. 9 f.
1
xiv. 34, 35.
David: 2 Sam. vi. 13 f.
xxiv. 25 (1 Chron. xxi. 26).
Comp. xxiii. 16.
Solomon: 1 K. ix. 25 (2 Chron. viii. 12 f.).
A.haz: 2 K. xvi. 12 f. (comp. 2 Chron. xxvi. 16 ff.).
Comp. Jer. xxx. 21.

Ill. THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE PEOPLE. (THE THEOCRATIO

PRIESTHOOD.)

i. Jewish M(YTl,otheism. i Charac-

All monotheistic reliinons
o· derive their o~iinn
o· from Abraham. teriat ics of
Jewish
The Jews alone in the Old World made the belief in one God the monothe-
foundation of life. ism.
In the Scriptures of the O.T. no stress is laid upon abstract opinion as
to the being of God in Himself. The character of God and the relation of
man to God is made known through action.
The essential element of belief in one God is brought out in the history
of Abraham. It lies in personal trust in Him, and not in thought about
Him.
So again Moses enforces the belief in one God not as a new truth, but
as the inspiration and support of personal and social duty.
Conduct, character, is the one end of the Mosaic system.
The heathen-the Canaanite nations specially-are punished not for
fal!e belief but for vile actions: Deut. xii. 31; Lev. '.kviii. 24 ff.
The fact of monotheistic belief is recognised i~ others (cf. Gen. xx. 2 f.) ;
and if God took Israel for His peculiar people, it was not as 'a national
God' (of limited sovereignty), but as the God of the whole earth: Ex. xix.
4 ff. ; Deut. x. 14 f.
The legislation of Israel has then this moral purpose; God moves
among His people to guide them to their end. So it came to pass that the
 142 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
religious development of the Jews was against their nature; while the
religious development of the Gentiles was an expression of their nature1•
In the fulfilment of this discipline God manifested Himself to the
people in different ways, by prophets, kings, priests 9•
The prophet spoke in the name of God : the king became the repre-
sentative of the divine action : the priest expressed the idea of the fellow-
ship of God and man.
The work of the priesthood was specially directed to the thoughts of
sin : consecration : holiness.
ii. Stages ii. Organization of the Jewish priesthood.
in the or- We notice stages in the organization of the priesthood.
ganization
of the (1) The whole people: Ex. xix. 6. See also Num. xvi. 3 (Korah: sons
Priest- ofReuben): Ex. xxx. II-16 (atonement for each). Compare .Apoc. i. 6;
hood. v.10 ; xx. 6 ; 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9.

(2) Then Levi.

(a) Representatives: Num. iii. 9, 12 (instead of all the.ftrstborn):
ambiguity of the term. Comp. Deut. x. 8.
(b) Their consecration: Num. viii. 5 ff.
Notice (a) sprinkling (contrast Lev. viii. 6 of priests); cleansing (comp.
Lev. xiv. 8 of the leper; Deut. xxi. 12 of woman captive).
(/3) sacrifices: bullock for burnt-offering (comp. Lev. i. 3); for
sin-offering (comp. Lev. iv. 3, 14).
(y) their dedication to God: 'children of Israel' lay their hands
upon them (comp. Lev. i. 4).
(lJ) their resignation by God to the priest's service, as 'waved'
before the Lord (of a gift resigned by God to priests):
comp. Num. xviii. 6 f.
(£) offering of victims : the Levites laying hands upon them.
(3) The separation of .Aaron and his sons.
Their consecration : Lev. viii. ; Ex. xxix.
(a) Washing. Comp. Ex. xl. 12; Lev. xvi. 4; and contrast Ex. xxx.
19f.;xl.31f.
(/3) Robing. Comp. Ex. xxviii. 40.
(y) .Anointing of .Aaron. Comp. v. 30; Ex. xxviii. 41; xxx. 30;
xl. 15; Lev. x. 7.
(lJ) .A threefold sacrifice: a bullock and two rams.
(E) Personal application of the blood to .Aaron and his sons: ear,
hand, foot. Comp. Lev. xiv. 14.

1 Compare Kurtz, Hist. of Old Cove- 'one who presents an offering,' or

nant i. 126 ff. (E. Tr.). 'one who stands to represent another';
2 The derivation of )ii:, (priest) is
and, (2) that it corresponds with Arab.
keenly debated. Two derivations seem kahin, 'soothsayer,' the earliest type
to deserve notice, ( 1) that the word is of Shemitic priest in Arabia.
formed from l'::, and describes either
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 143
(C) Investment of .Aaron and his sons with the elements of sacrifice.
(YJ) Sprinkling of the anointing oil and blood on .Aaron and his sons
and upon their garments. Ex. xxix. 21.
In each case people, tribe, family, as representatives, were taken by the
free choice of God, and not in virtue of any natural privilege of position ;
N um. xvi. 7 ; xviii. 7 ; Ex. xxviii 1 ; 1 Salfi. ii. 28.
(4) The High-priest: Ex. xxix. 5-7; Num. xx. 26-28.
m. The priestly duties. iii. Priest-
General description : Deut. xxxiii. 8 ff. ; 1 Sam. ii. 28. ly dutif8,
(1) Teaching and administering the Law: Deut. xvii. 8 f. (a 'judge' ~~a.era.
also recognised); Lev. x. 10 f.; Ezek. xliv. 23 f.; Mal. ff. 7. Comp. Hos. iv. special.
6 ff. ; . .Amos ii. 6-8.
Notice the use of the 'lot': Lev. xvi. 8; comp. Num. xxyi. 55; Josh.
vii. 14 ff. ; 1 Sam. x. 17; xiv. 41 ; Prov. xvi. 33.
(2) Ministering the ceremonial.
(a) To prepare the shew-bread: Ley. xxiv. 5 ff.
(b) To burn incense: Ex. xxx. 7 f.; 2 Chron. xxvi 16 ff.; NunL
xvi 40.
(c) To offer sacrifice: specially to sprinkle the blood; Lev. i. 5;
v. 16.
(3) Blessing: Num. vi. 22 ff. Comp. Lev. ix. 22. ·
No necessity for laborious study, but for scrupulous care.
iv. Political position of priests. iv. Sub-
The priests occupied a subordinate political position till the time of the ord~a.t!
Maccabees, with rare exceptions (2 Kings xi. I ff.). Eli was the only Judge ~~~it~~
from among them ; and there were few priest-prophets. They were the of priests.
ordinary ministers of the divine blessing with 'a self-denying ordinance.'
The Levites are commonly classed with 'the poor': a body without
inheritance in an agricultural state: Deut. x. 8 f.; xii. 12, 18 f.; xiv. 29;
xvi 11, 14 ; xxvi. l 1. Compare Gen. xlix. 5 ff.
Jerusalem not one of the forty-eight Levitical cities (Josh. xxi. 41); so
that priests were strangers in the place of their service.
Contrast the position of the Brahmins; Magians (Hdt. i. 101, 132);
Chaldreans (Diod. ii. 29); Egyptian priests (Hdt. ir. 35 ff.).
v. The idea of the Theocracy embodied in the High-priest.
The High-priest was the representative of the whole people : he took
their names upon his shoulders and upon his heart: Ex. xxviii 12, 29.
The same offering was made for his sins of ignorance as for the sins of
the congregation : Lev. iv. 3, 13.
He bore upon his head the words which marked the consecration of the
nation, and that in relation to their failures : Ex. xxviii. 36 ff. ; comp.
Num. xviii 1.
In his person once in the year the people entered into the Presence
of God.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 1

VI. I .Ato d<f>evT€<; TOIi T1JS dpxris TOU xpur-rou l'\.o-yov

( 2) The duty of Christian progress: Vulg. Quapropter intermittentes in-
the perils of relapse (vi 1-8). clwationis Christi sermonem... It
The apostle ba.ses a general exhor- is characteristic of the tone of the
tation on the view which he ha.s given Epistle that the exhortation to pro-
of the spiritual degeneracy of the gress is based directly on the stern
Hebrews. He first (a) enforces the criticism which prc;1cedes (a,&). At
duty of progress, both positively and first sight an adversative particle
negatively, and accepts the obligation would have seemed more natural.
for himself (1-3); and then (b) por- But it is assumed that the position of
trays the perils of relapse, pointing inferiority occupied by the readers of
out the impossibility (from the human the Epistle is not to be acquiesced in.
side) of repeating the past, and ap- The fact that they do for the moment
pealing to the stern teaching of nature hold it is an overwhelming reason for
(4-8). effort. Quia exercitatos sensus decet
(a) The duty of progress (1-3). nos habere in lege domini ••. ad pro-
The succession of thoughts is simple funda et alta mysteria ••• ducamur
and natural. The general principle ~ (Primasiusf
first stated, with a clear enunciation The necessary condition of progress
of what must (1 a), and what must is a 'giving up.' We hold what we
not be done ( 1 b, 2) ; and then the have as a preparation for something
writer accepts the consequence as more. At the same time all that is sur-
decisive for his own teaching (3f rendered is incorporated in that which
1-3. A question has been raised is afterwards gained. In relation to
whether these verses contain an ex- the Hebrews the word tlq,<ll'TEr has
hortation to the Hebrews or a declara- the sense of 'leaving' as applied to
tion of the writer's own purpose. The those who advance to a deeper know-
two ideas seem to be inseparable. If ledge : in relation to the writer, as
the readers are to strain forward to applied to those who pass to a new
a higher knowledge the writer must subject. Both senses are perfectly
lead them. If the writer is to aim at natural, and there is no confusion in
the exposition of deeper truth it .must the double application of the word.
be with the conviction that his readers For the thought compare Phil iii 14.
will endeavour to follow him. Thus In the remarkable phrase o ~r
he first identifies himself with those dpxijr Tov Xp,<TTov Xoyor, the word,
whom he addresses (<pEpoop.EBa) and the exposition, of the beginning, the
afterwards he indicates his own pur- elementary view of the Christ, there
pose definitely ('1f'o,~uop.E11). The words can be little doubt that 1 dpx? Toii
dq,,11nr and T£AEt<n"!]l1 take their ap- Xpi<TTov go together, and that o ~r
propriate meanings in each case. dpxijr Xoyor does not form a com-
' Wherefore lea1'ing the word qf the pound noun. On this point the order
beginning qf Christ (or the Christ, the seems to be decisive. 'The beginning
Messiah), let us be borne on to perfec- of Christ' (or 'the Christ') is 'the
tion, not laying again a foundation fundamental explanation of the fulfil-
of repentance from dead works and ment of the Messianic promises in
qffaith upon God, •of teaching (or a Jesus of Nazareth.' 'H clpx;, Tov
teaching) of baptisms and laying on Xpt<TTOV corresponds with 1 apx;, T6>'V
qf hands, of resurrection of the dead Xoyfow Tov BEov (v. 12): the former
and qf eternal }udgment. a.And this phrase concentrates attention upon
will we do if God permit. the personal Messiah, the latter on the
lM 6.<plll'TE!1 TOP T. dpxijr TOV X· }.. ••••] records in which He was foreshewn.
VI. 1] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 145
,1
em I
Tr/11 i\_ I ,+, I 0 \ 'i\.
'T€ €tO'TrJTa 't'€pwµ€ a, µrr 7ra tll
0;.'i\_
1:µe tov Ka-ra-
I I,'\ -,f \ I
/3 ai\.i\.0µ€110t µ€-ravotac; a7ro 11€Kpwv €p,ywv, Kat 'lf"t<r-rewc;
1 <f>•pwµ.Oa : <f>•p6µ•0a n. * syr hl.

Sermonem inchoationis Christi vocat The sense given by the Old Latin
initium fidei,instructionem videlicet de fundamentum diruenJes (d) (not
nativitate Christi humana, de passione, Augustine) is contrary to the usage
de resurrectione, atque ascensione of the middle.
ejus et gratia baptismatis (Primas.). For ,,,.,ix,,, see .,,_ 6 ; and for B•µlA,011
br, "1" T£AftOT1JTa q,•pooµ.•Ba] let us c. xi. 10 note.
be borne on to perfectum. Vulg. ad e.,.,..1.,011,,.µETavolas- •.. ] The different
perfectionem feramur. The form of elements in the 'foundation' appear
this positive charge is remarkable. to be distinguished in three groups,
The thought is not primarily of per- Repentance and Faith, Baptism and
sonal effort, 'let us go on,' 'let us Laying on of hands, Resurrection and
press' (Old Lat. tendamus; Aug. Judgment. Of these the first two
respiciamus), but of personal surren- are the fundamental characteristics
der to an active influence. The of the Christian's temper, while the
power is working (comp. i. 3 q,lpow two pairs which follow give typical
Tit ,raVTa): we have only to yield our- representatives of outward ordinances,
selves to it (comp. Acts xxvii. 15, 17 ). and specific beliefs. Under another
At the same time the influence and aspect the three groups deal with our
the surrender are continuous (q,•pro- personal character, our social relations,
µ.•Ba), and not (under this aspect) our connexion with the unseen world.
concentrated in one momentary crisis. The three pairs are not however strictly
The goal of this forward movement is coordinate: µ•T•••• Kal ,,,..,,.,{:Ja1rT.••• lmB.
'perfection,' that is for the readers TE X·, dvauT. 11. 1<al 1<p. al. The centre
the full maturity of spiritual growth, pair are regarded as forming one great
opposed to '111/11'tO'T1JS' (v. 13); and for subject of teaching in two parts. For
the writer the teaching which cor- the use of T£ compare ix. 1 note.
responds with maturity. Philo (De The history of the Acts shews how
agric. § 37; ~- 324) distin~hes three · intimately each of these six articles
classes apxoµ..,,o,, 'll"po1<01rT011T•r, Tf- was involved in the first teaching of
TfAnooµ.lvo,. Compare John iii. 12 £ the Apostles: ii 38; iv. 2, 33; viii. 16f.
Additional Note on ii. 10. For B•µ.tA.. 1<aTa(:J. compare Philo,
The patristic interpreters under- d8 Gig. § 7 (i. 266 M.) B•µi">..,or ••• wo-
stand TfAno'"ls- o! pr~ti~al life. ~ So fU(:JX,,m, ..•
Chcysostom : ,rpos- avT'I" X"'P"'Jl,"'
Aonrov, q,,,u,, T"l]II clpoq,~11, TOVTIITT,, (:Jlov
e.,,. JJ,fTaJ/O&ar ••• Kal 'll"IOTEO>S' ••• ] The
genitive in each case describes an
l1ptlTTOII lxooµEv. element of the foundation : a founda-
,.,.~ 7TaAtll e.,.,,tA.,011 1<aTa(:JaAAOJJ,EIIOt] tion consisting in repentance ... and
The emphasis lies upon the noun. The faith... Comp. c. xii. II ; Rom. iY.
tense of the participle marks the effort. 11 (1); 1 Cor. v. 8 ; Eph. vi. 14, 16 f.
Jos. Antt. viii. 5, I ol1<olfoµla11 KOTf(:JaAETO. Comp. Winer, iii 59, 8 (a).
The writer does not (of course) µ.•mvolar ••. 1<a, ,,,.,unoor••• ] Repent-
mean to say that his readers must ance and Faith are not treated as
build higher without having secured abstract subjects of debate, but as
their foundation. He assumes that personal attributes. Each has its
the recognition of the paramount duty supreme object in human life (re-
of progress will constrain them to do pentance from dead works, faith
this at once in order that they may t()1J)ards G-od). So it is that they are
duly advance. combined together in the first pro-
W. H. 8 JO
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 2

€1rt Oeov, ~ /3a1r-rtcrµw11 rotoaxii.,, im0ea-ew., -re xeipwv,

~ o,oa.x-!Jv
o,oa.xns t(ACD2 vg: o,oa.x,jv Bd.
clamation of the Gospel by Christ, to death, but works devoid of that
Mark i 1 5, and practically in the element which makes them truly
first proclamation of the Gospel by works. They have the form but not
the Apostles, Acts ii 38. the vital power of works. There is
Comp. carefully Acts xx. 21. Light- but one spring of life, and all which
foot, Col. i 28. does not flow from it is 'dead.' All
'Repentance from dead works' acts of a man in himself, separated
gives the negative, ' faith towards from God, are 'dead works' (comp.
God' gives the positive side of the John xv. 4 ff.). The first step in faith
Christian mind. The old must be is to give up the selfish life which
abandoned, the new mUBt be grasped. they represent.
P,ETavolar a1rb 1/EK.prov 1pyc.w] The Here the phrase has necessarily
force of this unique expression de- a special application. The writer of
pends upon the sense of 'dead works' the Epistle is thinking, as it seems, of
(11E1<.pa lpya, Vulg. opera mortua), a all the works corresponding with the
phrase which occurs in the N.T. only Levitical system not in their original
here and c. ix. 14 1<.aBap,ii T~" O"V11EllJ11- institution but in their actual relation
uw d1rb v£1<.pro11 lpyoov, nor is there any to the Gospel as established in the
parallel phrase. Faith is spoken of Christian society. By the work of
as 'dead' when it is unfruitful in deed Christ, who fulfilled, and by fulfilling
(James ii 17, 26). Sin again is said annulled, the Law, the element of life
to be 'dead' when it is not called into was withdrawn from these which had
activity (Rom. vii. 8). And the body (so to speak) a provisional, and only a
is already 'dead' as carrying in it the provisional, vitality. They became
doom of death : it has lost the power 'dead works.' Comp. Herm. Sim. ix.
of abiding continuance (Rom. viii 10 21, 2 Ta Mµara aVTroV µova Crout, Ta lie
lJi ap,apTlav). Once more, men are said Epya aVTCOv 11E1<p& Eurt.
to be 'dead' in relation to sin in three The contrast between 1rlur,r and
ways, (I) 'dead unto sin' (771 ap,apTttf v£Kpa lpya corresponds with and yet
Rom. vi. I 1) when their connexion is distinct from that between 1riuns
with the principle of sin is broken de and lpya v&µov in St Paul 'Dead
facto (v. 2 d1r£8avEn) and they use de works' present the essential character
jure the power of the new life (Cro.,,.ar of the works in themselves : 'works
lJl.•.• ), (2) 'dead by transgressions and of law' present them in relation to an
sins' as deprived of true life through ideal, unattainable, standard.
the manifold instrumentality of ~ It follows therefore that 'Repen-
(TO&r 1rapa1rToop,auw K.al Tair ap,apTlatr tance from dead works' expresses
Eph. ii r, 5), and (3) 'dead in trans- that complete change of mind-of
gressions' as abiding in them and de- spiritual attitude-which leads the
void of the capacity for real action believer to abandon these works and
( lv 1rapa1TToop,au,v Col. ii I 3, but the seek some other support for life.
lv is doubtful). For the construction p,Eravo,a d1r/,
Compare also Matt. viii. 22 ; Luke ix. compare Acts viii. 22 P,ETUII01JUOV am'i
6o; xv. 24, 32; John v. 25; Eph. v. 14- ri;r 1<.aKlas, and the characteristic phrase
From the analogy of these usages of the Apocalypse p,ETa110£'i11 lt<.: Apoc.
it is possible to give a precise sense ii. 21 f.; ix. 2of.; xvi. II.
to the phrase ' dead works.' Dead The patristic interpretations of the
works are not vaguely sins which lead phrase are vague: e.g. PrimasillB:
VI. 2] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 1 47

Prenitentiam ab operibus mortuis variant 3ulax~v ; and it makes but

agere est ipsa opera mala per preni- little difference whether we read a,-
tentiam delere, qua animam morti- lJaxijs as parallel with 8Eµ,,Xw11, or lJ,-
ficabant. Opera namque mortis sunt lJax~v as explanatory of it; yet, on the
peccata. whole, it seems simpler to take the
'Tl"LUTE6>S ,',.l e.:)11] offaith toward genitive.
God, Vulg. fidei ad I>eum. This The unusual order is probably to
phrase also is unique. be explained by the emphasis gained
,.,UT,s is used (1) with gen. in each for the characteristic contents of the
group of the writings of the N. T. : teaching by placing {Ja:1Tnuµ,0011 first.
Mark xi. 22; Acts iii. 16; Rom. iii. 22; If lJ,3axijs were placed first, this would
Apoc. xiv. 12; James ii. 1, &c. appear to be coordinate with µ,,Ta1101as
(2) with E1s, Acts xx. 21; xxiv. 24; and .,,.,<TT<6>s rather than the elements
xxvi. 18; Col. ii. 5; comp. 1 Pet. i. which it includes.
2 1 ; Philem. 5. The progress in the subjects of
(3) with <'11, Eph. i. 15 ; I Tim. iii. teaching is significant. It reaches
13; 2 Tim. iii. 15. from the first scene of the Christian
(4) with :ITpos, 1 Thess. i. 8. life to the last, as it is made known
ITt<TT•v•w ,',.[ n11a occurs not un- to us. The two types of divine ordi-
frequently: Matt. xxvii. 42; Acts ix. nances (baptism, laying on qf hands)
42; xi. 17; xvi. 31; xxii. 19; Rom. correspond broadly to the two charac-
iv. 5, 24. teristics of the Christian's temper
As distinguished from m<TT•v•"' ,ls already noticed. The first marks the
perhaps munvn11 ,',., (acc.) suggests passage from an old state to a new
the idea of being directed towards, (the gift of life by the action of the
and m<TT. ,',., (dat.) resting upon some Holy Spirit); the second, the arming
solid foundation (the Rock). The-re- for the fulfilment of the new service
lation in ,',.[ is external, in ,1s, internal. (the endowment for the work of life
2. /ja'Tl"nuµ,0011 lMaxijs ( a,aax~11 )] by the gift of the Holy Spirit). It
Vulg. baptismatum doctrinm, im- appears to be of great importance to
positionis quoque manuum. The c_on- keep in close connexion the 'ordina-
struction of a,aaxijs, if this reading be · tion' of the Christian layman and the
adopted, has been variously explained. 'ordination' of the Christian priest,
It has been taken either ( 1) absolutely: as corresponding provisions for the
baptisms, teachings, and laying on of impartment of strength required for
hands; or, (2) in connexion with /ja:1T- the fulfilment of the two essential
-r,uµ,0011, either as (a) depending on it forms of service.
and qualifying it; baptisms of teach- The simple gen. in place of "'P'
ing, baptisms involving teaching and with gen. is remarkable. Elsewhere
not mere ceremonial lustrations ; or in the N. T. the gen. is used only of
as (/j) governing fja,.nuµ,0011: teaching the author: Acts ii. 42, TY a,aaxii TOOi/
of baptisms. &,ro<TTOA6>11; 2 John 9; Apoc. ii. 14 f.
The construction and sense of the It seems to express more completely
whole passage are decidedly in favour the contents, the substance, of_ the
of the last view. The order is decisive teaching than the preposition which
against taking the word a,aaxijs ab- would give merely the subject.
solutely. There is no special propriety fJa=,uµ,0011] V ulg. baptismatum. For
in speaking of Christian baptism as 'a the form see c. ix. 10; Mk. vii. 4; Col
baptism of teaching'; and on the other ii. 12 v. l., and Lightfoot's note.
hand 'baptisms,' 'laying on of hands,' The plural and the peculiar form
'resurrection,' 'judgment,' form charac- seem to be used to include Christ-
teristic subjects of teaching. This ian Baptism with other lustral rites.
eonstruction is also supported by the The 'teaching' would naturally be
10-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 3
, IT,...\/ ,1 3 I~
avaa--ra<T€WS 1/€Kpwv Kat Kptµa-ros atWVtOU. Kat 'TOU'T()

1 TE

ciPc"rT. TE ~AC vg syrr me: om. u BD?.

directed to shew their essential dif- together represents the permanence

ference. Comp. Acts xix. 3, 4; John of our present actions, the significance
iii. 25 m-pl tca0apurµ.ou. Primasius of earthly life in the eternal order-
explains the plural strangely : Quod Comp. Apoc. xiv. 13 (tc6'ro,, ;pya).
dixit plurali numero ... pro varietate The genitives appear to depend on
accipientium posuit. &«'axijr (or «',«'ax1v) and not directly
Em0lu«/,s u xnprov] 'The laying on upon 0,µ0..wv. The teaching on these
of hands' is the expressive symbol subjects made part of the foundation.
of a solemn blessing (Matt. xix. 1 3), of In connexion with the Resurrectio11
the restoration or communication of three phrases must be studied:
strength for a definite work. The sig- (I) avaurauts J)ftcpiiiv Acts xvii. 32;
nificance of the act is clearly marked xxiii. 6; xxiv. 21 (comp. v. 15); I Cor.
in healings in the Gospels: Mk. vi. 5 xv. 12 ff.
(comp. xvi. 18); viii. 23; Luke iv. 40; (2) ~ avaurau,s ~ EiC V£tcprov Luke
xiii. 13. It was regarded as natural xx. 35; Acts iv. 2. Comp. Acts x. 41;
by those who sought for help: Matt. 1 Pet. i. 3; Col. i. 18, &c.
ix. 18 (comp. Mk. v. 23); Mk. vii. 32. (3) ~ E~avaurau,s ~ EiC JJEtcprov Phil.
Compare also Acts xxviii. 8. In the iii. II.
record of the Acts 'laying on of hands' The phrase 'eternal judgment' may
appears as (1) the complement of be compared with 'eternal sin' (Mark
Baptism, the outward rite through iii. 29 alcJv,ov aµapTT)µ,a).
which the gift of the Holy Spirit was Kplµ.a describes the sentence and
normally made (Acts viii. 17 f.; xix. 6, not the process. Compare John ix. 39
' Confirmation'); ( 2) the form of the note; Matt. vii. 2 ; Acts xxiv. 2 5 ; and
appointment of 'the Seven' (Acts vi. contrast c. ix. 27; x. 27 (tcplu,s).
6, 'Ordination'); (3) the mode of sepa- For alcJv,os see c. v. 9 note.
ration for a special work (Acts xiii. 3- teal roiiro 1ro11uoµn1] The fulfil-•
3). In the first two cases it is the ment of the Apostle's purpose is not
act of Apostles. In the Epistles to made in any way to depend on the
Timothy it is used of 'ordination' and condition of those whom he addresses.
attributed to 'the presbytery' ( 1 Tim. His message has to be delivered.
iv. 14; comp. 2 Tim. i. 6); to Timothy Compare Ezek. ii. 5 ; and contrast
himself (1 Tim. v. 22); to St Paul q>•pwµ,0a V. I.
(2 Tim. i. 6; comp. I Tim. iv. 14). Hoe f aciemus, hoe est, ad majora
Primasius (Atto), not unnaturally, vos ducemus et de his omnibus qure
limits the phrase to Confirmation : enumeravimus plenissime docebimus
Impositionem manuum appellat per vos, ut non sit iterum necesse ex toto
quam plenissime creditur accipi Spiri- et a capite ponere fundamentum
tus sanctus, donum quod post baptis- (Primas.).
mum ad confirmationem unitatis in EllV'TrfP E'TrtTp<1rr, I, 0,as] Compare 1
ecclesia a pontificibus fieri solet · Cor. xvi. 7. ,too0, oa'TrOU'ToXor 7TllVTU l~-
(kindred texts vary); and the close aprav Tijs 0,lar 1rpoµT)0,las (Theod.)
connexion of Em0. x•iprov with fJa1rr. James iv. 15.
(fJa=. lm0. r• x-) may be urged in (b) The perils of apostasy (4-8).
favour of this view. The Apostle has given expression
, , ,.. \ ' ,
ava<TTau•oor v<tcpoov teat tcptµaTos at- to a general charge in which he has
oovlov] This last pair of truths taken joined his readers with himself (<J>•-
VI. 4] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 1 49

'
7T"0tr,<roµ.ev ,'
eav1rep , '
e1rirperr1,1 o' 0eos.
I 4 'A~ouva-rov
I 7ap
' -rous
'

3 1ro,-fi<J'oµ,v 11-tB vg: 1ro,-fi<1'6Jµ<v ACD2 (comp. v. 19; iv. 3).

pi:Jµ•Oa), but he makes one limitation closely connected with cp"'nuO/.,,.as
to the efficacy of the work which he and in a sense subordinate to it (who
proposes. He cannot do again what ,oere once enlightened and so tasted ...,
has been done once for all. He cannot and 1.Cere made ... ); or (2) it may be
offer a fresh Gospel able to change the taken in connexion with the 1<al. .• 1<al•.•
whole aspect of life and thought, if which follow, so that the three clauses
the one Gospel has been received and y,vuaµlvovs TE ••• , 1<a1 p.•Toxovs y•IIT}·
afterwards rejected (4--6). Nature Ol.,,.as ••• 1<al 1<aAov ywuaµlvovs •• •, are
itself teaches that the divine gifts must coordinate with <p6>Tiu8l.,,.as and
be used fruitfully : they carry with explanatory of it (who were once illu-
them an inevitable responsibility (7, 8). minated, hai,ing both tll8ted... and
4 For in the case qf those who were been made partakers ...and tasted... );
oncefor all enlightened, hai,ing both or (3) it may be taken with the 1<al
tll8ted qf the heai,enly gift and been which immediately follows, so that y,v-
made partakers of the Holy Spirit, uaµlvovs TE ••• 1<al µrroxovs ••• y•IIT}B•vras
sand who tll8ted the good word of God form the twofold explanation of <p6>-
and the powers of a world to come, Tw8{.,,.as while i.:al 1<aA011 y•vuaµlvovs
6
andfell away, it is impossible again is an independent clause ( who toere
to renew them to repentance, seeing once illuminated-hai,ing both tasted
they crucify to themseli,es the Son qf •.. and been made partakers ..•-and
God afresh, and put Him to an open who tll8ted... ). Both uses of .,., are
shame. fully justified. It occurs as a retro-
4--6. The necessity of progress lies spective and additive conjunction both
in the very nature of things. There simply (c.: i. 3 note), and followed by
can be no repetition of the beginning. 1<al (Acts ii. 40 ; xxi. 30; xxii. 7 ;
The preacher cannot again renew to xxiv. 23; xxvi. 30); and most com-
'repentance' (µ<Tavorn), a complete . monly as a prospective and combina-
change of the intellectual, moral, tive conjunction both with a single
spiritual state. He must go on to clause following (c. ix. 19; Luke xxi.
the completion of his work. Those II; Acts ii. 10); and with two or more
who fall away from the Faith, of which clauses following (Acts i. 8 ; xiii. 1;
they have felt the power, are as men I Cor. i. 30).
who crucify 'the Son of God.' The choice between the three con-
This description of apostates is structions will be decided by individual
closely parallel with that given in the feeling as to the symmetry of ex-
Apostolical Constitutions (vi. 18, 2) of pression and thought. On the whole
'godless, impenitent leaders of heresy': the third arrangement seelllS to bring
o&ol ,low ol ff>..au<p'Jp.~uavrn To 7nl£iiµa out most distinctly two fundamental
Tijs xap,TOS (c. x. 29) 1<al Ofl"OfflO'OIIT"ES aspects of the reception of the Christ-
n}v 1rap' avTOV lJ6>pE<iV P,ETd. T~JI xapiv, ian Faith, illumination in respect to
ofr oV,c dcf,E6,jcrETat oVrE J11 -r'f> alOJvt the divine action, and experience in
TOVT'j> ol)TE iv T,ji µ.D,AollT",. respect to the human appropriation.
The correlation of the four parti- The Christian is illuminated by the
ciples (<p6>TLU8l11Tas, y•vuaµlvovs, yn,7]• conscious sense of the gift of life,
e,.,,.as, yrouaµ.lvovs) is by no means and by participation in the Spirit;
clear, no; are the conjun?tions decisiv~ and he gains an individual sense of
(y•vuaµ•vovs TE •• •1<al p.EToxovs y,11.••• 1<ai the beauty (the intellectual grandeur)
1<a">..av y,vuaµivovs ••• ). The,.. may (1) of revelation, and of the powers of the
introduce a new and distinct clause new Order.
150 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 4

(i7rat <j,wTur0EV'Tac;, "f€V<FaµE11ouc; T€ -rijc; iwp€aS TrJ<;

J. I \ I Jll I • I
t7roupavwu Kat µeroxouc; ry€1117u€11-rac; 7rll€vµa-roc; arywu,
4 -y,v.,,/Jlvra.s: 'Y'""'YJ/Jlvra.s A.

The course of thought. will be seen image compare John i. 9; 2 'l'im. i. 10;
clearly if it is marked in a tabular Eph. iii. 9; (Apoc. xxi. 23); 2 Cor. iv.
form. The Christian has been 4, 6 ( cpwnuµ.os ). See also Ecclus. xiv.
(1) Illuminated (in regard of the 17; 4 (2) K. xii. 2. Inwardly this
divine action) in two respects, crisis of illumination was marked by
(a) By the consciousness of the a reception of the knowledg6 qf the
reception of the gift of life truth (c. x. 26); and outwardly by
(ymr. Tijs a. -rijs Irr.), the admission to Christian fellowship.
(/3) By participation in the power Hence <pwTl(Ew and <pC&>TL<rµ.os were
of a wider life (µ.ET. yEv. 'ITV. commonly applied to Baptism from
dy.). the time of Justin (Apol. i. 61 1 65 ;
(2) And he has tasted (in regard comp. JJial. c. 122) downwards. And
of the individual experience) the Syriac versions give this sense
(a) The beauty (intellectual gran- here : Pesh. who have once descended
deur) of revelation (KaA. B. p.), t,o baptism. Hcl who have once been
(/3) The spiritual powers of the baptized. The addition of a1ra~ (once
new order (l!vv. µ.,'AA. al.). for all) marks the completeness and
4 aavvaTOV yap ToVs R1raf <p ....dva-- sufficiency of the single act. 'l'he word
Katvl(nv ••• ] For as touching those who is characteristic of the Epistle; ix. 7,
were once enlightened ... it is impossi- 26 ff. ; x. 2; (xii. 26 f.). Compare
ble to renew them... It is indeed ne- l Pet. iii. 18; Jude 3, 5; and lcpa1ra~
cessary, the Apostle seems to say, that c. vii. 27 note; ix. 12 ; x. 10; 1 Cor.
I should add this reserve 'if God XV. 6; Rom. vi. IO.
wil~' for there is only one fatal obstacle The force of the tense is carried on
to the fulfilment of my work. It is through yEvuaµ.l11ovs, y£1171B,11ms, KUA;,.,
impossible for man to renew to µ,n-a- -yEvuaµ.•11ovs, in contrast with 1raA,11 v. 6.
va,a those who have fallen from the -yEvuaµ.i11ovs n ... Kal /J-EToxovs -yE11., •• ]
Faith. The al!vvaTOJI at the head of This twofold blessing-the substance
the sentence is singularly impressive. of illumination--desclibes first the
So Chrysostom : ovK El1r£11 ov 1rp•1rn conscious possession of the principle
,., ,.,_, ,., "I:. ,,,, •• ,
OVOE ~JJ-'l"EfEL, O~UE Es-ecn;,v ~/\I\ auvJIU- of life and then the sense of fellowship
TOJJ,6><7TE £LS a1roy11C&>O"LJI Eµ.fJ,D,.;\nv. in a vaster life. The first element is
TOVS a1ra~ <pC&>no-BlJJTas] Vulg. 608 that which the believer has personally
qui semel illuminati sunt. The object in himself: the second that which he
is placed before the verb in order to has by partaking in something which
fix attention upon the variety and has a far wider action.
greatness of the gifts which have been -ywu, Tijs aC&lpEaS -rijs l1rovpa11lov]
received and cast away. The enume- who tasted qf the gift, the heavenly
ration of these abandoned blessings gift, the gift of the divine life brought
prepares for the statement of the by Christ and in Him: John iv. 10 note.
impossibility of restoring them. Compare Rom. v. 15, 17 ; viii. 32 ;
The word <pC&>Tl(EuBa, occurs again 2 Cor. ix. 15. Any special interpre-
c. x. 32. The illumination both here tation, such as..the Eucharist or more
and there (<pC&>TtuBlJJTEs) is referred to generally forgiveness, peace and the
the decisive moment when the light like, falls short of the general idea
was apprehended in its glory (contrast which is required here.
Eph. i. 1 8 1rEcf,C&>T<up.l11ovs ). For the 'l'he gift is described as 'heavenly'
VI. 5] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 151

5Kat Ka;.\ov '}'€U<Fap.evouc; 0wu pr,µa ouvdp.€L<; 7"€ µeMOV'TO<;

5 ouv. -re µtA.X. al.: Tert. occidente jam aJVO.

(brovp11111or) not in the sense that it character gained; and that gained in
comesfromheaven,or has the character a vital development. Compare xii. 8;
of heaven, but that it is realised in iii. 14; x. 33; xi. 6, 7.
heaven. It belongs to a higher sphere For p,froxos see c. iii. 1 note ; and
of existence than earth. for 71'11Evp,a &y,011 see ii. 4 note. The
For ltwpEa see John iv. 10 note. gift, the operation (,r11. ily.), is dis-
The word is used in the N. T. only of tinguished from the Person (iii. 7;
spiritual gifts (1 Rom. v. 17), and espe- ix. 8; x. 15, 29).
cially of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Comp. 01ig. ap. Athan. Ep. ad
For l-n-ovpav,or see c. iii. 1 note. Serap. iv. § 10.
rEvuau8a, expresses a real and 5. The fact of illumination in-
conscious enjoyment of the blessing eluding the two elements of the com-
apprehended in its true character munication of the divine (personal)
(comp. John vi. 56 ff. Tpooyn11). Philo life and of the participation in the
de Abr. § 19 (ii. 14 M.) TO lti p,lyE8or divine (social) life, is followed by the
avTciiv ov ,ra11Tl ltijXov aXM p,011011 Tois fact of individual apprehension of the
yevuap,l110,r apETijr. But at the same beauty of the messag.e of God and of
time the enjoyment as here described the manifestations of the higher life.
(yEvu. ltwpEiir) is only partial and in- The Christian life has been realised
choative. To feast, to live upon the not only in its essential beginnings
fulness of the divine blessing belongs but in the fulness of its power. Both
to another order. the blessings which are now put for-
Compare 'Y· 8a11aTov Matt. xvi. 28; ward have become the objects of
John viii. 52; c. ii. 9; y. &, XPl'/O"Tos direct experience in their essential
o,cvp,or I Pet. ii. 3. See also Ps. xxxiii. completeness (y,vuap,lvovs ••• pijp,a•••8v-
(xxxiv.) 9· 11ap,m).
The use of the gen. (yEvu. ltwpEiis) ,cal ,caAbv "fEVIT. 8£ov pijp,a] Vulg.
here stands in sharp contrast with 'gUBta1Jerunt nihilominus bonum Dei
the use of the acc. in the following •1Jerbum. The order of the original
clause (,ca>..av yEvu. 8. pijp,a~ It is gives the sense 'tasted the goodness-
difficult to suppose that this repetition beauty-of the Word of Goo.' For
oftheverbwithachangedconstruction KaAOV (Tert. dulce) compare c. x. 24
is without design and force. The ,ca.\a tpya note; 1 Pet. ii. 12. That
difference which is inherent in the of which expe1ience was made was
two cases (' a part of,' 'something of,' not the whole message of the Gospel
and 'the thing as a simple object') (o Myor Toii 8EOii), but some special
falls in perfectly with the scope of utterance (8£oii pijµ,a), such as that
the passage. The divine life is ap- which marks the confession of faith,
prehended little by little to the end: apprehended in its true character as
the divine word is apprehended in its an utterance of God: Rom. x. 8; Eph.
character as a whole, and so each v. 26; comp. c. i. 3 n.; John vi. 68.
separate manifestation of spiritual Philo, de Prof.§ 25 (i. 566 M.) (11-nJ-
power (ltvvap,nr not TOOi' ltv11ap,Ew11). crallTES ical T& TO TplcJ,011 ltTTl T17V 1/tvxqv
µ,rroxovr yE,,,,,8. 71'11. ay.] The corn- (Ex. xvi. 15) £Jpo11 p,a90IITEr Mp,a 8Eoii
pound expression (P-ET/,X· y£11.), as dis- /Cal Ao-yov 8Eov, acJ,' oi 7l'O(Ta£ 71'a1&ia,
tinguished from p,E-rauxo11Tar (c. ii. 14), ,cal crocJ,la, piovuw alvvao,. Comp. Leg.
marks more than the simple fact of .Alleg. iii.§§ 59, 6I quoted on c. iv. 12.
participation (c. vii. 13; 1 Cor. x. 17 ~ &vap,m p,{AM11Tor alcii110r] powers qf
It brings out the fact of a personal a future age, powers, so to speak, of
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 6
'~
aiwvos, 6 ,cat\ ,
7rapa7re<roll'Tas, 7ra'i\ tll a11aKat11t~Etll
' 'Y. ' µ.era-
eis ,
11oia11, dva<r'Tavpoul/'ras €aV'TOlS 'TOIi VLOII 'TOU 0eou Kat

6 1rapa1r«rovTos D2*.

another world. The indefinite ex- The idea is that of falling aside from
pression suggests the idea of the the right path, as the idea of .i,_.apTa-
manifoldness of the energies of the vnv is that of missing the right mark.
spiritual order of which each believer ,ra.\.,v dva,cmvl(nv Elr p.ETavo,av] again
feels some one or other (c. ii. 4). The to renew tliem to repentance, Vulg.
anarthrous aUw ,_.O..Xoov, which is not renovari rursum ad pcenitentiam
found elsewhere, serves also to fix (so also Tert., Ambr., Hier.; de alone
attention on the character of the 'age' iterum renovare). The use of the
as one hitherto unrealised, as dis- active voice limits the strict appli-
tinguished from ·the conception of any cation of the words to human agency.
particular future order (comp. Eph. ii. This is all that comes within the range
7: c. ii. S ~ ol,covl-'•111/ ~ ,_..uovua). A of the writer's argument. And further
strangely similar phrase is quoted the present (dva,ca,vl(£1v) suggests con-
from Philo, Leg. .Alleg. i.§ 12 (i. 50 M.), tinual effort. Some divine work then
& 8£ar ffr<VEVUEV ailT~ (Adam) OVl'G!-'&V may be equivalent to this renewing
d">..1J8unjr (ooijr. . though not identical with it (Matt.
It is significant that in the enumer- xix. 26). The change in such a case
ation of the divine gifts received by would not be a new birth, but a raising
those who are conceived as afterwards from the dead.
falling away there is no one which 'Ava,cmvl(Ew is found here only in
passes out of the individual. All are the N. T. It occurs five times in the
gifts of power, of personal endowment. later books of the Lxx., and in Herm.
There is no gift of love. Under this Sim. viii. 6, 3; ix. 14, 3. Compare
aspect light falls upon the passage dva,cawoiiv 2 Cor. iv. 16; Col. iii. 10;
from Matt. vii. 22 f.; 1 Cor. xiii. 1 f. dva,calvoou,r Rom. xii. 2 ; Tit. iii. 5,
In this connexion it will be noticed where the idea is simply that of 'mak-
that it was the presence of love ing new,' not of 'making again new.'
among the Hebrews which inspired To ,cmvovr ,ro,ijua,, Chrysostom says
the Apostle with confidence (1'. 10). from one point of sight, Toii .\.ovTpoii
Hrec est marga:rita pretiosa caritas, ,_.6vov tUTl. Comp. Herxn. Sim. viii. 6;
sine qua nihil tibi prodest quodcun- ix. 14.
que habueris; quam si solam habeas The end of this renewal is l-'£Tavo,a,
sufficittibi(Aug.in I Joh.Tra,ct.v.§7). a complete change of mind consequent
6. ,cal rraparr£uovmr] Vulg. et pro- upon the apprehension of the true
lapsi aunt (Tert. cum exciderint). moral nature of things. It follows
The catalogue of privileges is closed necessarily that in this large sense
by the statement of apostasy : those there can be no second p.ETavo,a (comp.
wlw were once for all enlightened..• v. 1 ). There may be, through the
and felt away... Each part of the gift of Go», a corresponding change,
picture is presented in its past com- a regaining of the lost view with the
pleteness. Compare I John ii. 19- consequent restoration of the fulness
The verb rraparrlrrTuv does not occur of life, but this is different from the
elsewhere in the N. T. though the freshness of the vision through which
noun -zraparrToop,a is common. The the life is first realised. The popular
verb and the noun occur together idea of repentance, by which it is
Ezek. xiv. 13; xv. 8 ('.V'v')• limited to sorrow for the past, has
tended to obscure the thought here.
VI. 7] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 153

dvao-Tavpaii.,,-as •• •Kal 1rapa/3nyµ,a.,.,- from the faith is therefore to slay

(a.,,-as] V ulg. rursum crucifigentes (de Him. Contrast GaL vi. 14-
recruciantes, Tert. refigentes cruci) et This new crucifixion of Christ is
ostentui habentes. The present par- said to be lav.,.a,s, that is to their own
ticiples (contrast 1rapa1rEuov'Tas of the loss and condemnation (Tert. in se-
definite past act of apostasy) bring metipsis, Vulg. sibimetipsis). Com-
out the moral cause of the impossi- pare Rom. xiii. 2; Matt. xxiii. 31 ;
bility which has been affirmed. There Gal. vi. 14- The Fathers present the
is an active, continuous hostility to impossibility as the impossibility of
Christ in the souls of such men as repeating Baptism. So, for example,
have been imagined. Chrysostom : ~ 'TOLVVJI 13ivnpov EaV'TOII
The two words express the main f3a=l(wv 1raAw ail'T~II (T'Tavpa,. A.nd
idea under different aspects. The Primasius: Qui iterum baptizari volunt
first (avaO"'Tavpaii.,,-as) marks specially quantum in se est Christum quoque
the wrong done to Christ : the second iterum crucifigere volunt et derisui
(1rapa/3nyµ,a.,.i(o.,,-as) the effect which is habere... quoniam sicut Christus semel
produced upon others in deterring mortuus est in came in cruce, ita et
them from the Faith. nos semel mori possumus in baptis-
dvao-Tavpaii.,,-as] seeing they crucify mate peccato.
again. Tl 13£ EO"'TLV avau'Tavpaiivras; 'TOJI vU,v Taii Biaii] The use of the
i!v"'Biv 1raALV O"'Tavpaii.,,-as ( Chrys. ), title indicates the greatness of the
and so the other ancient interpreters offence. Compare x. 29; iv. 14 note.
with the versions (comp. Hier. ad Gal. 1rapal3nyµ,aTl(aVTas] The verb occurs
v. 24 &va<T'TavpoiiVTis••• quod nos inter- as a variant in Matt. i. 19 (13uyµ,a.,.,um).
pretari possumus recrucifigentes). In Comp. Num. XXV. 4 (LXX.).
classical Greek however the word has 7, 8. The law of human life, the
the sense of 'raising on the cross,' condemnation which follows from the
crucifying with the additional notion •neglect of blessings, is illustrated by
of exposure: e.g. Herod. vii. 194, 238 an example from nature. The Parables
(EKEAEVO"E 01TO'Taµ,ol'Tas '"I" KEcj,a>J,v of the Lord and the usage of the
&vaO"'Tavp@uai). There is the same prophets suggest this method of en~
double meaning in other similar com- forcing truth. We spontaneously at-
pounds: e.g. ava(3'A.i1r"'. The word tribute will, responsibility (1r,oiiua, .,.[1<-
is illustrated by the phrase attributed Tavua, iilXoylas µ,EraXa,-,.{3avn~ even to
to the Lord which is quoted by Origen the earth. We look for certain results
(In Joh. xx. 12) from 'the A.cts of from certain general conditions ; and
Paul': i!v"'Biv µ,<AA.61 o-Tavp"'(}qv,u. Com- not only so but we regard certain
pare Resch, Agrapha, p. 430. results as naturally appropriate to
It was through faithlessness, by certain objects. Comp. Mark iv. 28
clinging to selfish prepossessions in- (a,l.,.oµ,aMJ): Rom. viii. 19ff. The com-
stead of yielding to divine guidance, parison between processes of agricul-
that the Jews first crucified Christ. ture and moral training is common in
Those who fall away practically repeat all literature. Comp. Philo de Agric.
the act as often as their unbelief is §§ I ft: (i. 3ooff. M.).
shewn, and by the notoriety of their The illustration here apparently is
apostasy put Him to open shame. not taken from the familiar image of
Perhaps there is the further thought the field and the seed and the sower.
in the image of crucifixion that Christ The case is rather that of the natural
dwells in the believer. To fall away produce of the land. No mention is
154 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 7
• ' ........ I • I \ I
EpxoµEIIOII 7T"Ot\.t\.UKtr;; UE"TOII, Kat 'TLK'TOU<Ta BOTcl>.NHN €U €'TOI/
' ''O
€K€l11otr;; 0£' oDr;; Kai ,yewp,ye'irat, µEraAaµ/3a11€t €UAo,y[ar;;
7 epx- ,ro)\)\. ~BD2 syrr me: ?l"OAA. ipx. AC vg.
vg syr vg me.

made of human activity as contribu- in ,,,., avrij11 gives not only the idea of
ting to the production of the 'herb'; 'reaching to' but adds also that of
though the land is such as is cultivated. extending over. Comp. James v. 17;
From the land and from man it is Mk. iv. 26; .Apoc. iii 10. Chrysostom
reasonable to look for fruitful use of sees in V£To11 a pointed reference to
divine gifts. The human ministry of the human parallel, T'7J/ a,aao-KaAla11
tiller and teacher falls into the back- c/J11uiv. Compare Is. v. 6; .Amos viii.
ground. II,
The primal record of Genesis fur- Kal T&Krovo-a] and then bringeth
nishes the example of fruitful fertility forth, as the natural and proper fruit.
(Gen. i. 11 fJoTUJ/1/) and the example of The personal word gives force and
noxious growth (Gen. iii 18 l1Ka118a, vividness to the application of the
Kal TplfJo">..o,), followed in the one case image. Comp. James i 15.
by blessing (i 13), and connected in The more complete form of ex-
the other with a curse (iii. 17). pression would have been TlKTovua
1 For land that drinketh the rain µ.b, ••• lKcpipovua bi••• , but the first case
that cometh oft upon it and then is taken by itself as giving the true
bringeth forth herb meet for them normal issue.
for whose sake it is also tilled, re- fJoTUJ/1/V] the simplest natural pro-
ceiveth blessing from God; 8 but if it duce : Gen. i. 11 ff. Hence the word
beareth thorns and thistles it is re- is used in a bad sense for wild plants,
jected and nigh unto a curse; whose weeds. Comp. Lightfoot on Ign. Eph.
end is for burning. 10,
7. yij yctp ~ moiio-a] For land- £l'i8£To11] Vulg. opportunam (Old
to borrow an image from another form Lat. util,em, aptam); Luke ix. 62; xiv.
of GoD'S works-land that in the 35. The word probably is not to be
season drank the rain of His gift••• taken absolutely but joined with lKEl-
l<'or the tense compare c. ix. 2; Rom. vo,s.
ix. 30; Phil iii 12 and Lightfoot ad bi' otir Kal 'YEOlpyEtTai ]for whose sake
loc. it is also tilled. For the use of Kal
movo-a .•• TLKTovo-a] The complete ap- compare c. vii. 26; 2 Cor. iii. 6; CoL
propriation of the gift at the time iii. I 5.
when it comes precedes the production The laborious culture of the soil
of the fruit. Here the Latin (as com- seems to be contrasted with its spon-
monly with such participles) fails to taneous fruitfulness. In its truest
express the full thought : bibens•• •et state, as fulfilling the divine purpose,
generans ...(Tert. qum bibit ... et pe- it meets (so to speak) man's efforts
perit ... ). for the service of man. Those 'for
For 'lriovo-a compare Deut. xi II. whom' it is cultivated are not the
('Sat prata biberunt.') The gift had tillers themselves only (Vulg. a quibus,
not been rejected. So the parallel Old Lat. propter quos), nor yet the
is established with those who had owners, but men at large.
believed the Gospel It is easy to see an allusion to the
TOI/ ,,,.·a~, lpxoµ.£11011 'ITOA.A. v.]
The harvest is prepared not by one
human field tilled for God's glory:
I Cor. iii. 9.
gift of heaven but by many. The gen. JJ,ETa">..aµ.fJ(JJ/n EVXoylas] shares in
VI. 8, 9] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 155
, \
a'TT'o 'T"OU
- 0€OU•
,. ., s,€Kq>€poycb.
, ~' ) '
0€ <l.MN0b.C
\ '
Kb.I TplBo,\oyc
,~ '
aoo,aµo-.
' 1 , / 'i' \ I"\.
Kat Kb.Tixpb.C ey,yu-.' 1]', 'TO 7"€t\.O', €L<; KaU<TLJI.
J ,,.., 9n I
€7rfl<T-

roD 0eo0: om. Toll D:!*.

blessing which is of wider range. p,ixp, TfAfVT17l/ aicav8ar liccf,lp6>V TOTE

This blessing may best be supposed icav~crETm. For £lr compare Rom. x.
to lie in increased fruitfulness: John 10; 1 Cor. xi. 17 ; and for icavcr,r 2
xv. 2. Pet. iii. 10, 12; c. x. 27.
For fJ,fTaAap,{3avu see c. xii. JO; 2 The image here appears to repre-
Tim. ii. 6. sent utter desolation as of a land
8. iKcp,povua a,J but if it bear, destroyed by volcanic forces (~ ,caTa-
breaking the law of fruitfulness. The lCEmvp,•1111). Compare Deut. xxix. 23.
word iKcpipovua stands in contrast with The thought of purification by fire,
TLKTovua, though in Gen. i. 12 l~~vEyicEv true in itself, is foreign to the context;
is used of the productiveness of the nor does the image of the burning of
earth in answer to the divine command. the noxious growth of the land (Virg.
Usage hardly justifies the remark of Georg. i. 84ff.) seem to be sufficiently
the Greek Fathers : ovKin El1tE TLic- expressive. Compare c. x. 26 f.; John
Tovua GA;\' iKcpipovua, T6 1tapa cp.Juiv xv. 6.
.-fjr lic{30Xijr alv,rrop,Evor (CEcum.). The warning found a typical fulfil-
&aoKip,or ••• ,cavu,v] The judgment on ment in the overthrow of Jerusalem
the land, fruitful only for ill, is given and the old Theocracy.
in three stages. It is r(fjected: such (3) Words of hope and encourage-
land cannot any longer be reckoned ment (9-12).
as land for fruitful service. It is nigh The spiritual dulness and sluggish-
unto a curse: it presents the out- ness of the Hebrews had not yet
ward features of the curse (Gen. iii. checked their active exercise of Christ-
17 f.), whence the near presence of ian love. In this the Apostle found
the curse is inferred. Its end is the assurance of better things (9, 10).
burning. 'Al'ioic,p,or (Lat. reproba) is And he grounded upon it his desire
found elsewhere in the N. T. only in for a corresponding development of
St Paul : e.g. 1 Cor. ix. 27 ; 2 Cor. hope through long-suffering faith (II,
xiii. S ff. 12). Thus in this brief section we
For KciTapas lyy.5r compare c. viii. 13 have a view of (a) the Apostle's con-
lyyvr dcpav,up,ov. Primasius remarks fidence; and (b) the Apostle's wish.
upon the phrase ; N otandum quia non 9 But we are persuaded of you,
dixit maledicta est sed maledictioni · bel01Jed, better things and things that
pro:JJima (cf,o{3<iv ap,a ,cal 1rapaµ.v80.5- acoom,pany salvation, though we thus
p,Evor Euth. Zig.); and CEcumenius speak; ' 0 for God is not unrighteous
(following Chrysostom) o ai lyyvr to forget your work and your love,
,caTapar "Yfl'OfJ,fl'Ol/ KOL p,a,cpo.v "Yf1JECT8a, which, ye she wed toward His name in
avvaTai S,o. fJ,fTUVOlar. that ye ministered to the saints and
~s To n?..or Elr ,cavu,v] whose end (i.e. still do minister. "And we desire
the end of the land) is for burning, that each one qf you may skew the
Vulg. cujus consummatio in com- same zeal that ye may attain unto the
bustionem. The rhythm of the whole fulnes, of hope 61'en to the end; •• in
sentence shews that the relative looks order that ye maynot become sluggish,
back to the main and not to the last but imitators qf them that through
(icaTapa) antecedent. faith and long-suffering inherit the
So <Ecumenius (after Chrysostom): promises.
EO.V p,Exp, .,.-EAovs- i'1r1.,-1.Elvr,, c/>11ul, ,cal (a) The Apostle's confidence (9, 10).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 10

~\ \ t - , I \ , I
µE 0a VE
f \
7rEpt uµwv, a7a7rt7'TOt, 'Ta KpEt<T<TOVa Kat EXOµEva
<TW'Tflptas, EL Kat' oih·ws l\.al\.OUµEv" IO OU 7ap t:tOtKOS 0
9 ci-ya1r'>}TOl: aoEAq>ol ~* syrr.

9, 10. The Apostle guards him- Tljplar (Vulg. 'l)iciniora [d proximiora.

self against the supposition that he Aug. adv. Ores. iii. 74 hwrentia]
classes the Hebrews among those who saluti) is somewhat uncertain. The
had 'fallen away.' The presence of phrase is parallel with and yet distinct
active love among them was a sure from (,caTapar) lyyur (v. 8). The con-
sign that God had not left them. struction •x•uBal TLIIOS is used of local
9· 'lf'E7rEl<rp,EBa a.-.. .<TOOTljplar] But contiguity(Mk. i. 38), and also of tem-
we are persuaded of you, belrmed.... poral connexion (Lk. xiii. 33 ; Acts xx.
The order of the words is most signi- 15; xxi. 26). Hence lx. <r6>T1jplar may
ficant. First comes 1r=•luµ,•Ba, which here mean either 'which issue in
suggests a past conflict of feeling salvation as immediately following,'
issuing in a settled judgment. Then or 'which issue from salvation as im-
follows the pronoun (1r,pl vµ,ro11), which mediately preceding.' Probably there
at once separates the Hebrews from is no exact definition of the relation :
the apostates who had been just · which accompany salvation, which
described. Then a unique title of are closely connected with it, and so,
deep affection. in some sense, bring it with them.
1r,1r,luµ,,Ba] Compare Rom. xv. Comp. Luc. Hermog. 69 ,'>..1r,aor oJ
14 ; and contrast c. xiii. 18 (1rE,Bo- µ,,,cpiir lxop,Ella.
µ,,Ba); Gal. v. 10 (1ri1ro,Ba). The form ,l ,ea[] though, Vulg. tametsi (d e
implies that the writer had felt mis- nam et sic, corruption of tam.etsi ?) ;
givings and had overcome them. Ohry- Luke xi. 8 ; xviii. 4 ; 2 Cor. xii. II ;
sostom notices both the word and the vii 8 ; 1 Pet. iii. 14-
plural : otl,c ,l1r, 110µ,lCaµ,•11, oJai OToxa- The circumstance thus introduced
,1,p,E(}a, aJai 1rpauaa,croµ,,11, aJai l>..1r£Ca- may be either distinctly acknowledged
µ,•11· d>..>..a Tl; 'lf'E'lf'El<Tp,EBa, ,cal oJ 'lrEpl or simply admitted for the sake of
lavTOV TOVTO µ,/,11011 'PT/<Ttll d>..>..a 7rEpl argument. In each case the ,ea[ em-
1ravroo11, oJ yap ,l1r, 'lf'E'lf'EL<TP,at J>..M phasises the word which it precedes
'lf'E'lf'El<rp,EBa. by suggesting some limit which is
aya1r'7Tal] Vulg. dilectissimi (d over-passed. Comp. Winer, p. 544-
carissimi). The word occurs nowhere 10. oil yap aa,,cos ...dyam,r] The
else in the Epistle. The use of it in active exercise of love, which is itself
this connexion emphasises the affec- a sign of the divine presence, carries
tion which the stern language of the with it the assurance of a divine reward.
former paragraphs might seem to have The deed and the result are regarded
obscured or negatived. The title from the human side as cause and
generally suggests an argument : l effect, service and reward, while essen-
Cor. x. 14; xv. 58; 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; xii tially the one includes the other. The
19. Compare 1 John ii. 7 note. thought is of character shewn in life,
Ta 1CpE,<T<TOlla ,cal 'x• <TOOT.] There and not of any special works which
are but two issues : a better and a have a merit of their own. The 're-
worse. The comparative is not used ward' is the power of more perfect
for the positive, but plainly suggests service (v. 7).
the contrast (cf. c. vii. 7; xi 40). For The claim (so to speak) on God's
the word (,cpEluuava), which is charac- righteousness (comp. Rom. iii. 5) is
teristic of the Epistle, see i. 4 note. not an assertion of merit. Its ground
The exact meaning of lx/,µ,Eva uoo- lies in a perfect trust in His Nature
VI. 10) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 157
0eds €7rt"l\.a0ecr0a, 'TOV ;lp,yov vµwv Kat -riis d,ya7r1JS ns
€V€0€t~acr0e eis 'T6 ovoµa au-rov, OtaKOll'7CTal/'T€S 'TOLS
ro Tf/s d-yci1r17s ~ABCD2 * vg syrr: +Tou Ko,rov' T,)s d-y. • me (r Thess. i. 3).

and Will as revealed to men within For the construction with ,ls see
and without. He is alike righteous 2 Cor. viii. 24-
when He rewards and when He The tense of lv,lJ,lEau8, is accom-
punishes. Compare Chrys. on Col. i modated to the first participle (li,a-
Hom. ii. § 4 El 1<.plu,r aV,c fur,v, oV,c fur, KOIJ1/Uavr,s ). A present lvli,i1<vvu8, is
li1Ka,os o 8,/w KaTa av8p(l)7rOJI A•-Y"'· spontaneously supplied with l!,aiwJJOiiv-
El al,c,a,or oil,: Ecrr,v O 8£0r, oVaE 8£0r Tn. The 'name' (compare c. xiii. 15)
Etrrlv. £l 8E0r o'U,c fOT,v, ti1rA&Jr i11raVTa is specially mentioned (rather than
<J>fp£ra,, oVaEv dp£T1}, oV«'Ev KaK.la. 'towards Him') because the sonship
The reward of God is the inherent of believers is included in it; and the
issue of action ( 1 John i 9; Mark ix. Hebrews had satisfied the claim on
41); and without Himself it is value- Christian love which lay in that
less (Matt. xx. 14 v'll"ay,). Compare common tie.
1 John i 9 note. The false translation of ,ls Tb ovoµa
l<'or other forms of trust based of the Latin (in nomine), which ob-
upon the essential character of God, scures, if it does not wholly alter, the
see I Cor. x. 13; I Thess. v. 24; 2 Tim. sense, is the uniform Latin trans-
i. 12; ii. 13. lation of ,ls Tb ovoµa. In some places
The sense of God's righteousness it leads (as here) to very serious mis-
is indeed a necessary condition of understanding ; and it commonly in-
faith : c. xi. 6. fluenced the A.V., as in the rendering
lm>..a8{u8a,] Compare Lk. xii. 6. of the most important phrases:
The thought is perfectly general, and (1) fJa'11"T1(:u11 ,ls T;, iJvoµa, Matt.
must not be limited either to the past xxviii. 19; Acts viii. 16; xix. 5; 1 Cor.
or to the future. We necessarily i. 13, 15.
present the relation of God to men in .(2) uvvay,u8ai ,ls Tb ovoµa, Matt.
terms of man's experience. xviii. 20 (so R.V.).
TOV tpyov vµmv Kal T. ay.] the energy (3) 11wniln11 ,ls Tb iJv., John i. 12;
of life in its unity (contrast c. x. 24), ii. 23; iii. 18; 1 John v. 13. Compare
of which love was the inspiration. Matt. x. 41 f.
For the use of the singular see l!,a1<011,jua11TES Tois dylo,s] See c.
Rom. ii. 7 ; Gal. vi. 4 ; 1 Thess. i. 3; x. 32ff. Compare Rom. xv. 25. The
and also John iv. 34; vi. 29 (tpya v. thought is of service to Christians as
28); xvii. 4 and notes. Christians, c. xiii. 24 (iii. 1); and not
The nature of 'the work' of the to Christians as men. Love of the
Hebrews is described in c. x. 32 ff. brethren (c. xiii. 1) is crowned at last
Bengel notices the prominence by love (2 Pet. i. 7).
given to love, hope and faith succes- There is nothing in such passages
sively in vv. 10-12. as Rom. xv. 26; 1 Cor. xvi. 1 ; 2 Cor.
,is ,,,.a. ,ls T;, ovoµa avToii] The viii. 4; ix. 1 to show that the Christians
love was directed to God's name, to at Jerusalem had the title ol ily,o,
God as He was made known in Christ, specially. Comp. Rom. xii. 13-
and so found its objects in those who The title is used again of Christians
were His children (ovx <HTAms ,ls Tots in the Epistle : xiii 24, who are else-
ayfovs a>..>..' ,ls Tbv 8,av, Chrys.). The where addressed as dlJ,;>,.cpoi (iii. 12;
tense seems to point to some well- x. 19; xiii. 22), ayamrroi (v. 9\ &a,;>,..
known occasion. cpol .1y,o, (iii. I).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. II, 12

aryt0t<; Kat OtaKOJ/01/Jl'TE<;. II brt0vµouµ~v 0€ tKa<T'TOV uµwv

\
'TrJV aV'TrJV
' \ ' ~ I 0
EJJOELKJJV<T at
~\
<T1rovot7v
\
1rpoi;
\ '\ rh
'TrJV 1r1'-rJPO't'Optav
f

'TrJS
'
€A.7rtoOS
I~ ,1
axpt
1-,.
'Ttt\.OVS,
U"
LJJa µr,\ 0 \
J/W pot
I
,YEllrJ<T €,
0
OtaK0110D11Tn: Ota,Kollovres D 2 *.

(b) The .Apostle's wish. 1r1rrr,oos. Col. ii. 2 ~ 7TA'Jpo<f,opla rij~

II, 12. The activity of practical rru11,rr,oor. It describes the fulness,
love among the Hebrews fills the the full measure, of hope. The word
Apostle with the desire that the spirit 1rX,,po<f,opia (not found in classical
from which this springs may find a writers) is always taken passively in
wider work among them in the N. T. ('fulness' not 'fulfilling'); and
strengthening of hope and faith, it seems better to understand it here
through which alone the divine pro- of the full development of hope than
mises can be realised. of the full assurance of hope ( 1 Thess.
II. <1rd)vµ,ovµ,,11 a.-•.. ] Action alone i. 5).
is not sufficient, nor can it be sus- Such zeal issuing in such growing
tained without the inspiration of hope must be exercised until the end
hope. of the present period of trial and
The word of strong personal-even discipline: compare c. iii. 6 note µ,•xP•
passionate-desire, coveting (lmBv- r,Aour. The interpretation 'till it is
µ,ovµ,,11 ), is expressive of the intense consummated' is contrary to the usage
longing of the writer. There is no of the phrase. On the Christian func-
exact parallel. Compare I Pet. i. 12; tion of hope see c. iii. 6; x. 23 notes.
( 1 Tim. iii. I). Chrysostom dwells on 12. 111a µ,iJ voo0pol y,11., µ,,µ,. a,...]
the expression: .:mBvµ,ovµ,,11 <fJ'lul11· that ye become not sluggish, but imi-
OVK apa P.•XP' P'JJJ,d.T6>11 TOVTO {3ovMf.t£0a tator, ... , Vulg. ut non segnes efflcia-
µ,011011; and again OVIC £i7T£ 0,A.o> w,p mini (d ne sitis mgri) verum imi-
~11 a,aarricaX,icijs av0.vrlas, dXX' i ,rar- tatores... The object of the .Apostle's
p,icijs ~11 <f,111.ouropylar ical 1rXlo11 Tov desire was that the Hebrews might
0,'11.£,11 ; and so later Fathers. avoid an imminent peril, and strive
£KalTT011 vµ,0011] The desire is indi- after a great ideal. If hope failed to
vidual, while the expression of confi- have her perfect work the dulness
dence is general (v. 9). In this way which had already come over their
the force of lmBvµ,ovµ,,11 is strength- powers of spiritual intelligence would
ened. 'l'he writer's wish goes beyond extend to the whole of life (v. 11
the general character of the body, or 11000pot ra,s dicoa,r ). In this one defi-
the perfection of some of the members nite respect they had 'become' dull
of it. Kal JJ,Ey&.">..0011 ical µ,,icpw11 oµ,oloos (v. 11 y,yo11au): the danger was lest
ic1b,ra, (Chrys. ). . they should 'become' dull absolutely
Ti/11 av~11 ,11a. IT7T•••• TEAOUS] The (111a p,i/ ylll'Ju0, 11.). On the other hand
desire of the writer is that the if hope were kindled they would be
Hebrews should shew the same zeal enabled to imitate the heroes of
in other directions as they shewed in faith.
works of love. Their hope was chilled. The word µ,,µ,,,~r (which should
It was essential that this should be be rendered closely imitator and not
rekindled 'in regard to,' '\tith a view follower) is found here only in the
to securing' the fulness qf hope even Epistle. Elsewhere in the N. T. it is
to the end (Vulg. ad ea:pwtionem [d e peculiar to St Paul (five times). The
confirmatfonem] spei). word occurs as a false reading in
For the phrase ~ 1r>..,,po<f,opla rijs r Pet. iii. 13.
,?l.1rlbor compare c. x. 22 7TATJpo<f,opla TWII a,a 71". ical µaicp ••• <1rayy.] The
VI. 12] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 159
p.tµrrrat OE 'TWV Ota 7rt<T'T€WS Kat p.aKpo0vµlas KA.rJpovo-

model of Christian effort is offered (c. xii. 22ff.).

by those who through the exercise of Compare l Cor. xv. 50 ,c11.17povoµ.•'i;
the characteristic graces of faith and and contrast the perfect, c. i. 4; and
long-suffering are even now realising the aorist, c. xii. 17.
in a true sense the promises of God. For the image comp. i. 4, 14; ix. 15
'Faith' is the essential principle and Additional Note.
through which the blessing is gained, There is an evident distinction
and 'long-suffering' marks the circum- between ol KA17povoµ.ovvrES (ras l1Tayy•-
stance under which faith has to be Xlas) and ol 1CA17povoµ.o, (rijs E'ITO')'YEAlas
maintained. The two graces of 'IJ. 17). The first phrase marks the
patience (,','1Toµ.ov1) and faith are direct realisation of the blessings of
combined in Apoc. xiii. 10 (xiv. 12); heirship, and the second simply the
James i 3; 2 Thess. i. 4- position. '
The word µ.aKpoBvµ.la and its cog- The plural (al l'ITayy•Xlai) repre-
nates are very rarely found except in sents the various promises made in
Biblical Greek (Plutarch). Some form old time in many parts (i. 1). Compare
of the class occurs in each group of c. vii 6; xi. 13; Rom. ix. 4; xv. 8;
the writings of the N. T. except the GaL iii. 16. Clem. 1 Cor. 10 'A{3paaµ •.•
writings of St John. It is important lgijXB.v ••• O'ITOlS ••• ICA'7povoµ1u11 ras E'ITO')'-
to distinguish µ.aKpoBvµ.la from wo- ')'•Alas TOV B•ov. Ps. SoL xii. 8 ou,o,
µ.o~, with which it is often confounded Kvplov 1<A17povoµ.1uaiEV E'ITO')'YEAlas Kv-
by the Latin Versions. 'Y'IToµ.ov~ (c. x. plov, and Ryle and James ad loc.
36 ; xii 1) suggests the pressure of These many promises are gathered
distinct trials which have to be borne. up in the one promise of that sal-
MaKpoBvµ.la expresses the trial of un- vation which Christ wrought and
satisfied desire. So God bears with which awaits its complete accomplish-
men who fail to fulfil His will (Rom. ment: 'IJ. 17; ix. 15; x. 36; xi. 39.
ii. 4; ix. 22; 1 Tim. i. 16; 1 Pet. iii. (4) The certainty of the divine
20; 2 Pet. iii. 15 roii Kvplov); and in promises (13-20).
their place men seek to imitate His The reference to the divine pro-
long-suffering : l Thess. v. 14; Gal. v. mises in v. 12 suggests the conside-
22; Eph. iv. 2; CoL iii 12; 2 Tim. ration that long-suffering (patience)
iv. 2; James v. 7f. is necessary and reasonable. Though
Ma,cpoBvµ.la and v'IToµ.ov~ occur their fulfilment may be delayed it is
together 2 Cor. vi. 4, 6 lv il1Toµovf, certain. This certainty of fulfilment
'ITOAAf,, EV BA[,J.,,a-.v••• lv yvooun, lv µ.a- after long waiting is illustrated by
KpoBvµ.l'!,, b, xp17uro'TJ)n ••• Col. i. I l •ls (a) the fundamental promise to Abra-
1Tauav V'IToµ.ov~v ,ea, µ.ai<poBvµ.lav. 2 ham, which by its very form-pointing
Tim. iii. 10 rf, 1Tlurn, rf, µ.a,cpoBvµ.l'!,, to a distant future-implied the ex-
rf, dya'ITl/, rf, V'ITOJJ,Ovf,. James v. 10 f. ercise of patience (13-15). And (b)
The contrast lies in 1 Cor. xiii 4, this promise partially, typically, yet
7 ~ dya'IT'7 µ.a,cpoBvµ.•'i •••'ITIJJIT'a V'ITOJJ,EVH. not exhaustively fulfilled, has been
KA17povoµ.ovvrc.>V] who ...... inherit, handed down to us, doubly confirmed,
Vulg. heredit,abunt, de potiuntur. so that we cannot doubt as to its
The participle is a strict present. uttermost accomplishment (16-18);
Believers even now enter on their (c) an accomplishment which is pre-
inheritance (c. iv. 3), and with them sented to us in the exaltation of the
the saints of old time enjoy the ful- Son, Whom hope can follow now
filment of that for which they looked within the veil (19, 20).
16o THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 13
I
µ.ou1J'rwv '
-ras ' ... I
€1T'a,Y'Y€"tas. 13 'T"
, tp~ ,yap
I 'A/3paaµ.
l I
t1ra,y-
I
'Yfli\.aµ.Evoc; 0
< 0€OS, €1T'€t Ka-r
I , \ , •~ \ Ty_ , f
I
0UO€V0S €tX€V µ.EL'::,0V0S oµ.ocrat,
'3 For 1r,hen God had made pro- sisset) .. juravit... The promise was
miae to Abraham, since He could given, and then the promise was con-
sw1ar by no one greater, He 8'Ware firmed by an oath (Gen. xii. 3, 7 ;
by Himself, saying, ' 4 8urely blessing xiii. 14; xv. 5 ff.; xvii 5 ff.; compared
I will bless thee, and multiplying with Gen. xxii 16 ff.). The student
I will multiply thee. 15 And thus, will do well to consider very carefully
having patiently endured (suJfered the exact differences of form under
long), he obtained the promise. which the promise was given to .Abra-
6
' For men swear by the greater, ham at different times and afterwards
and the oath is an end of all gain- to Isaac (Gen. xxvi. 2 ff.) and to Jacob
saying in their case for confirmation. (Gen. xxviii 13 ff.).
'7 Wherein God being minded to This interpretation, which is di-
shew more abundantly to the heirs rectly suggested by the history, seems
nf salvation the immutability of His to be better than that which regards
counsel interposed by an oath, 18 that J1ra-y-yn>.aµ£11or and .:Sµa,uv as contem-
by two immutable things, in which poraneous, a construction which is in
it is impossible for God to lie, we itself perfectly admissible. (Comp. c.
may have strong encouragement, ttJho ii. IO.)
fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope It may be further added that the
set beifore us. interposition of an oath implied delay
19
Which we have as an anchor of in the fnlfilment of the promise. No
tlte soul, a hope both sure and stead- oath would have been required if the
fast and entering within the veil; blessing had been about to follow
20
whither, as forerunner, Jesus immediately. But in the nature of
entered on our behalf, having become, the case the promise to .Abraham
after the order qf Melchizedek, a pointed to a remote future. Thus
High-priest for ever. his example was fitted to encourage
(a) The promise to .Abraham (13- the Hebrews to trust in the unseen.
15). .At the same time the promise was
13-15. The example of .Abraham absolute and not conditional (as I K.
establishes two things, the certainty ii. 4).
of the hope which rests on a promise E1rEl ICUT oVaEvOs £lxu, ,.,,. d.] aince
1

of God, and the need of patience in He could swear by no greater one

order to receive its fulfilment. God (according to usage). Vnlg. quoniam
promised with an oath : .Abraham neminem habuit per quem juraret
endured to wait and that not in vain. majorem. Comp. Philo, Leg. Alleg.
He is thus a perfect representative iii.§ 72(i. 127 M.) op~,; iln o..J Ka8' frlpav
of all 'who through faith and long- oµvvo 8for, atJlli11 -yap a..l-roii KpftTTaJI,
suffering inherit the promises.' d>.>.a Ka8' fov-raii ;Ji; icrr, 1raVTGi>J1 lfp,crra~
By fixing the attention of his (in reference to Gen. xxii. 16).
readers on the promise to .Abraham .:Sµacuv Ka8' lav-raii] The oath to
the writer carries their thoughts be- .Abraham was the foundation of the
yond the Law. The Law appears as hope of Israel (Ps. cv. 6 ff. ; Luke i.
a stage only in the fulfilment of the 73) and the support of all positive
promise. Comp. Gal. iv. 21 ff. religious faith. In this respect it is
13- -r,e -yap 'A. J1ra-y-y£t"A.aµu,a,; ••• ,m8' important to notice that it is the
latrraii] For God having made first explicit mention of the divine
promise to Abraham ... sware .••Vulg. oath, which however was implied in
pro-mittens (Old Lat. cum repromi- the promise to Noah (Is. liv. 9 ; Gen.
VI. 14, 15] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 16r
14
WMOC€N M8' €b.YTOY, AE,YWV Ei MHN erMrooN eyAortkoo ce Kb.I
'
rrAH0yNwN "
rrAH0yNoo cre· JS KatI .,
ou-rws .a '
µaKpouuµr,<ras ' '
e1re-ruxe11
14 ,I µ,t,v ~ABD2*: ,l µ,t, C vg: ~ µ,t,v ,.

viii. 21 f.; ix. II ff.). Compare also recognised in Etymol. Magn. as an

Gen. xv. 8 ff., and see note on op1e&1, alternative form for ~ as J1rlpp11µ.a
v. 17. Jewish scholars dwelt on the «lp1e,1eov with a reference to this passage.
thought of God's oath 'by Himself': It may be a dialectic peculiarity.
Shemoth R. 44 (on Ex. xxxii. 13), 15. 11:al ot'lrc.,s... ] and thus, confi-
What means By Thyaeif 1 R. Eliezer dent in a promise solemnly ratified,
replied : Moses spake thus to the having patiently endured (suffered
Lord (Blessed be He). If Thou hadst long, v. 12) ••• The oilrc.,s is to be taken
sworn by heaven and earth, I should separately and not in close connexion
say, since heaven and earth shall with p.a,cp. (' having thus patiently
perish, so too Thine oath. Now Thou endured'). Comp. Acts vii 8; xxviii.
hast sworn to them by Thy great 14; l Cor. xiv. 25.
name : as Thy great name lives and According to the history twenty-
lasts for ever and ever, Thy oath also five years elapsed from the call of
shall last for ever and ever. Abraham to the birth of Isaac (Gen.
The phrase oµ.v. ,cara TWOS does not xiL 4; xxi. 5).
occur again in the N. T. (comp. Matt. For µ.a,cpo8vµ.quas see v. 12 note.
xxvi. 63). It is found in the LXX. : J1rfrvx•v rijs l1rayy.] obtained the
Jer. xxix. 14 (xlix. 13); xxviiL (Ii.) 14; promise, Vulg. adeptus eat repromis-
Amos vi. 8; and in later Greek. The aionem. The phrase following after
classical construction (with the simple J1rayy ..Mµ.,vos and separated from it
acc.) is found in James v. 12. by µ.a,cpo8vµ.quas cannot mean simply
14 ,l µ.~v ,vkyruv••. ] Gen. xxii. 'obtained from God the assurance of
17. The writer of the Epistle substi- a future blessing.' It affirms that in
tutes ui for ro U1Tlpµ.a uov in the last some sense Abraham gained that for
clause. He concentrates his attention •which he looked. And in fact Abra-
on Abraham alone. Comp. Gen. xii. 3 ham obtained the fulfilment of the
with Gen. xxii. 18. promise in its beginning in Isaac,
The promise which is quoted is born past hope and given to him
simply that of outward prosperity, of as it were a second time, and also
which in part Abraham lived to see afterwards in Isaac's sons. In part
the fulfilment. But the Messianic however the promise necessarily re-
promise, with which the readers were mained to be fulfilled in after time
familiar, was given under the same (1r"A.,,O{rvc.,v 1rA118vvID ••• 1eal Jv uol...), SO
circumstances. that through Christ Christians inherit
EVAoyruv •vAoyquc.,] Old Lat. bene- it. Compare c. xi. 33 ; Rom. xi 7 ;
dicendo benedw;ero. Vulg. benedi- James iv. 2; and c. x. 36; xi. 15, 39
cens benedicam. This construction (,coµ.luau8a,).
in imitation of Hehr. inf. abs. with the In c. xi. 39 it is said of the faithful
finite verb is found in the N. T. only fathers ov,c J,cop.{uavro r~v J1rayy,"Alav
in quotations from the LXX. in which (comp. xi 15). Chrysostom calls
it is extremely frequent. Comp. John attention to the apparent contradic-
iii 29 xap~ xalp .. note. tion and solves it : ov ••P' rIDv avrIDv
The form ,l µ.qv both here and in EVTav8& c/>11u, ICOICf', a?v.a ,ea, a,1rA~V
the text of the LXX. is attested by 1ro&<"ira, ~v 1rapo.1CA1JU&I'. £11"1/-YY••Aaro
overwhelming authority against the rce 'AfJpaaµ, 1eal ra µ.•v b,ravBa µ.,ra
common form ~ µ.qv. The form ,l is µ.a,cpov xpovov la"'"', ra a, Jt<.ii ovl3i1rc.,.
W. H. 3 II
162 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 16, 17
,I 0 '
-
'TrJS ' -,. I
E7ra,y,ye/\.tas. 16
av pw7rot ,yap Ka'Ta' 'TOU- µet~
I y_
ovos
> I \ I • - , -,. I I ' f.J
oµ.vuou<Ftv, Kat 7ra<FrJS au'Tots aV'TLt\.O,Ytas 7rEpas Ets tJE-
{3atw<FLV d <>pKos • 17 iv cp 7rEpt<F<FO'TEpov {3ouXdµ.evos d
16 11.vfJp•nro, 1/tABD,* vg syrr: 11.vfJp. +µh C me. ,r. aor. dvnX.: ,r. avr,X. ailr.
Dt syrr. 17 iv ~: iv T't) D 2*. ,repuru6repov: -rlpwr B. (3. o fJ.: cl fJ. (3. D2 •
(b) The fulfilment of the promise in the relation of man to man (mlro,r).
is doubly assured to us (16-18). By an appeal to a higher authority it
16--18. The promise which Abra- stays the human denial of the state-
ham received still awaits its complete ment which it affirms: lK Tovrov Averm
accomplishment, and it is our in- 1TauT)rall'T&Aoylarap,cp,u/jfrTJu,r(Chrys.).
heritance, doubly confirmed to us a.s And on the other side it issues in con-
to him, being a promise, and a pro- firmation. The oath which silences
mise confirmed by an oath. contradiction confirms that in favour
In this respect the character and of which it is taken (fj~f:lulwu,r, Phil
purpose of a human oath illustrate i. 7; Wisd. vi. 19). For the sense of
the divine oath. An oath is a de- avnA. see c. vii. 7 (xii. 3; Jude II).
cisive appeal to the highest power The sense of 'controversy' (Ex. xviii.
to close all controversy. Therefore 16; Lxx.) is too vague. The issue
in condescension God interposed an raised is simple and direct. (Comp.
oath to give to His promise this Prov. xviii. 18.)
additional pledge of immutability for Compare Philo, de Somn. i. § 2, ra
our encouragement. lvl'Jo,u(op,nra 'TWII 1Tpuyp,aroo11 0plC'f> a,u-
The argument assumes the reli- Kplverai KUL Ta a{:llfjaiu (:le(:luwvm, KUL
gious propriety of ooths. Ta limUTa 1TlUT,11 Aup,fjavet.
16. li118poo1To£ yap ••• ] For men, 17. lv <ii---] wherein, i.e. in this
being men, a.s men, not ol lJ.118p. (c. ix. method of appeal to remove all doubt
27)--swear 'by the greater ... Here the and gainsaying, God being minded
main thought is the fact of the oath. to shew more abundantly to man's ap-
The character of the oath (1eura T. p,.) prehension than by a simple promise ...
follows from the nature of man. There IIep,uuoTEpov is to be taken with &n-
can be no doubt from the context a,,tu, (Acts xviii. 28). The oath was
that Tov p,el(ovor is masculine (Vulg. given to bring home to men the car-
per majorem sui), and not, as it tainty of the divine promise. Compare
might be (Matt. xii. 6 p.e,(011), neuter. Philo, de Abr. 46 (ii. 39 M.) cf>TJul, Ku'T'
For the use of o.118poo1ro,., marking lp,uvrov Jp,ouu, 1Tap' ,p o Myor op1eor
the nature and not the class, see luTl, £11£/CU 'TOV 'T~lf a,&110,av aKAwws /CUL
John v. 41 compared with 2 Tim. .iii. 1Tuyloos tn p,iiAAov ~ 1TpoTEpo11 lpT)pe,u8ut.
2 ; Tit. iii. 8. /jovAop,evor] As distinguished from
Compare Philo, de sacr. Ab. et 8D,n11, fjovAeu8u, regards a purpose
Cain § 28 (i. 181 M.) Tov mUTweijva, with respect to something else, while
xapw ll'IT£0"TOVP,£110L Kurucpevyovu,11 lcf,' 8EAELII regards the feeling in respect of
opKov o.116p6l?rot. Cic. de Ojfic. iii. 31, the person himself. BovA£u6m is used
I II. of the divine purpose : Matt. xi. 27
'ITUUTJr ••• avT&A.. 'ITEpus ,lr f3•f3.] Vulg. (Luke x. 22); I Cor. xii. II; James i.
omnis contr()'f)ersice eorum finis ad I 8; 2 Pet. iii. 9. For 8,Anv see Mk. xiv.
confirmationem. The oath has two 36; Acts xviii. 21 ; Rom. ix. 22; I Cor.
results, negative and positive: it finally iv. 19; xv. 38; Col i. 27 ; I Tim. ii. 4;
stops all contradiction ; and it estab- James iv. 1 5 ; 1 Pet. iii. 17 ; Matt.
lishes that which it attests. It is on xii. 7 (Lxx.); Hehr. x. 5, 8 (Lxx.).
the one side an end to all gainsaying ro,r KATJp. rijr •irnyy.] The oath to
VI. 18] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 163

6€0<; €7rt0€ttat 'TOL<; KA17povoµ.ot<; 'T'7<; ewa77EA.ta<; T6

18
aµ.eTd0E'TOV Tij<; /3ovA.ij<; aU'TOV Efl-E<TLTEV<TEV cSpKCf, '!va
'I- \ 'I- f
ma ovo 7rpa7µ.aTwv
I > 0f
aµ.eTa erwv,
, '<"
EV ot<; aovvaTOV yEv-
,,:. I ~/_ I

brioiifa., : hrio,l~a.<Y0a., A. r8 o,a li. 1rp.: µ,ra o. 1rp. D 2*.

Abraham was not for himself alone Delitzsch observes that a similar
even as the promise was not for himself thought lies in the prayer of Hezekiah
alone. It was for him and his seed : Is. xxxviii. 14 (Lord) be Thou surety
for the father of the faithful and all for me e~;rw).
faithful sons (c. ii 16). Thus the The word p,,u,rEtJnv occurs here only
phrase (the heirs of the promise) in N. T. It occurs both in Philo and
includes all who under different cir- Josephus for that which interposes
cumstances and different degrees suc- between conflicting powers or persons:
ceeded to the promise, the Patriarchs Philo de plant. :Nom § 2 (i. 331) Toii
(xi 9), the pra:i-Christian Jews, Christ- 0,lov vop,ov ••• rdr T6llf lvavrlrov (ele-
ians. The immediate application is ments) d.,-n:>..ar ••• µ,u,nvovror 1eal a,ai-
(lxrop,,v) to the generation of believers r..,vror. Jos. Antt. vii 8, 5 ; xvi 4, 3.
represented by the Hebrews who had For p,,rrlr1Jr, see c. viii 6 n.
need of the assurance. iJp1<'f'] On the oath of God by Him-
To dp,,r. rijr ,BovAijr] Vulg. immo- self comp. Achelis Stud. in Christ.
bilitatem consilii (Old Lat. voluntatis) 1867, 3.
sui. 18. iva ••• lux. ,rapa1<. lx. ol ,caracf>.••• ]
The counsel was that of bringing that ...we may have strong encourage-
universal blessing through the seed of ment who fled .. .Latt. ut fortissi-
Abraham (comp. Acts iii 25). This mum solacium habeamus qui con-
part of the promise has not been fugimus ...The whole context shews
directly quoted, but the reference to that 1rapW<A1Jl1'&11 is to be understood as
it is perfectly intelligible from v. 14. encouragement to maintain with bold-
For the use of the adj. (ro ap,,r.) see ness a position beset by difficulties,
Rom. ii. 4; viii 3; 1 Cor. i. 25 i and not simply passive consol,ation.
2 Cor. iv. 17; Phil. iii. 8. The word occurs again in the Epistle
The word ,Bov:>..1 is used of God c. xii. 5 ; xiii. 22.
Luke vii 30; Acts ii 23; iv. 28; The epithet (luxvpav) is unusual
xiii. 36 ; XX. 27 ; Eph. i. II 1<ara T?V (comp. v. 7 ,cpavy? 1ux. [xi 34]). It
fJ. roii 0,:>..1p,aror avraii. describes that which possesses abso-
lp,,ulr,v,nv iJp1<'f'] Latt. interposuit lute might, and not simply strength
jusjurandum, interposed, as it were, sufficient for a particular task. Com-
between Himself and Abraham with pare 2 Cor. x. 10; Apoc. xviii. 2, 10;
an oath : took the position of one xix. 6; Lk. xv. 14 (not Matt. xiv. 30).
invoking a higher power. For the order see ix. I 2 ; and
The oath directly referred to is distinguish the predicative use in
that to Abraham ; but the mention of vii 24.
the oath carries the mind of the On lxroµ,v Chrysostom says with
reader to the oath by which Christ's true feeling: op~r iJr& OU n)v d~lav r,)v
Priesthood was confirmed (c. vii. 20f.). lavToV uK01r1:i ciAA, 61rws -roVs dv8p<d-
The promise to Abraham confirmed ,rovr 1r,lu71. Comp. 1 John ii 1 note.
by an oath is parallel to the promise a,a a,10 .,-payµ. dp,.] by two immut-
to Christ-and through Him to Christ- able things, the promise and the oath
ians-eonfirmed by an oath. The (vv. 13, 17 ). ITpiiyµa may mean either
latter oath shews how the first oath oqject (c. x. 1 ; xi. 1) or fact, action
was to attain fulfilment. (Acts v. 4; Luke i. 1 ).
II-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VI. 1&

e
<Ta<T at
T 0EOV,
I > \ f i\ ,I , tT\
L<J"XV(JaV 1rapaK rJCTLV EXWfJ-€V OL KaTa't'U-

18 TOV

rav e. ~*AC: om. r6v ~•BD 2 •

lv ols &avv. o/fVCT.] '!'hat the promise ?TpoCT'ITEq>w-yoras ro'is ol1<npµo'is avrov
of God should fail is as inconceivable [rov JJ,E-yaXov aT)µ&Ovp-yov ,cal a,urrorov
as that His oath should fail. He must r<iiv arravrc.,v] a.a roii Kvplov ~µ&iv 'ITJCTOV
(as we speak) fulfil His promise: He Xp,CTTov (1 Cor. 20).
must fulfil His oath. Comp. Philo, The words ,cparijua, r. ?TpoK. lA'IT,
de sacr. Ab. et Cain § 28 (i. 181 M.) appear to be connected in different
ov a,· 6p1<011 1nO"TOS O BEOS UAAd a,' avrov ways both with ,caracpv-yovr•s and with
,cal <l 6pKOS {3i{3aws. For aMvarov 1rapa1CATJCT"'· The.position of the words
comp. vi. 4 ; x. 4 ; xi. 6 ; and for dMv. makes it difficult to separate Kparijua,
fEvu. see Tit. i. 2 ; Clem. R. i. c. 27 from KaracpvyovrES ; and under any
o-Jafv aaVvaTOV Trapa -rte 6Etp El µ~ -rd circumstances ol Karacpv-yovns would
fruuarrBa,. For illustrations of the be most harsh if taken absolutely.
'divine impossibility' see John v. 19 At the same time the exact sense of
note. Aug. de civ. v. 10 Recte quippe Kparijuai carries back the thought of
[Deus] omnipotens dicitur qui tamen Kpa-r. rijs 'ITpOIC. EA'IT, to 'ITapaKAT)CTW:
mori et falli non potest. Dicitur enim 'that we who fled for refuge to seize
omnipotens faciendo quod vult, non the hope may have encouragement to
patiendo quod non vult; quod ei si ac- keep hold on it.'
cideret nequaquam esset omnipotens. The idea of Kparijuai is 'to lay hold
Unde propterea quredam non potest on and cling to that which has been
quia omnipotens est. so taken.' See iv. 14 note. By the
The use of ,l B,os (v. 17) and 8£011 is choice of this word in place of Xa(:Mv
instructive. In the second case the or the like, the writer emphasises the
idea is rather that of the nature of special duty of the Hebrews to keep•
God than of His Personality: 'im- their own by a fresh effort that which
possible for Him who is God...' they had originally felt to be the one
ol ,caracpvyovns Kparijua, ••• ] we who spring of safety, even the hope based_
at the decisive moment fled for refuge on the efficacy of Christ's work, and
to lay hold of... Comp. iv. 3 ol specially of His Priestly intercession,
mO"TEvuavrEs. Every other support whereby the promise of universal
was abandoned. The word occurs blessing through Abraham's seed is.
again Acts xiv. 6, and is used in con- fulfilled.
nexion with the cities of refuge Ex. This 'hope' is described as 'lying
xxi. 14; Num. xxxv. 25 f.; Deut. iv., before us' (comp. c. xii. 1, 2 ), the prize
42 ; xix. 5 ; Jos. xx. 9. The thought of victory (Philo, de mut. nom. § 14 ;:
of these cities appears to be in the i. 591 M.), open and obvious, as soon as
mind of the writer. Delitzsch refers we embrace the Faith. It is treated
to two striking passages of Philo : as being at once God's gift and man'g,
Leg. All. iii. § 12 (i 95) <l ai lvavrlos own feeling. It is both an 'objective'
rovrce (who is destitute of feeling for hope and a 'subjective' hope. For
the noble) q>Ev-yn JJ,EV acp' fovrov Kara- the power of hope see Rom. viii. 24-
q>Eryn lf £'1Tl rov r&iv l$vrc.,v 8,ov. De Philo makes hope the characteristic
prnf. § 18 (i. 56o) µ~?Tor' olv ~ 1TpECT- of a_ true man Quod det. pot. ins. § 3&
{3vraT7J .•. p,TJrpO?ToXis (among the cities (i. 218 M.) l-y-yp&cp,ra, -yap rf, 8EOV
of refuge) ,l BE'ios lO"T& Xo-yos •cf>' ~If f3[f3Xce 6TL µovos EVEA'ITlS (leg. oEVEA'ITlS}
?Tpwrov ,caracpru-ynv rJcpEAtµcJrarov. So &v6p'6>7TO~· cZcrrE ,can\ Ta lvaJJTla Oavu-
Clement speaks of, Christians as ro~s EA 'ITLS otll( iJ.vBpc.>'ITOS. /lpos olv .••rov •. -
VI. 19] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

,yc5v-rEs Kpa-rii<raL -riis 7rpOK€Lp.€V'tJS €A7rtOos· 19 i,v ws /1,yKvpav

ixop.€V 'TrjS -f-uxijs, a<r<paA.tj 'T€ Kat /3e/3ataV Kat eicepxo-
19 txoµev: txwµev D2 •
KOTd Mwvo-ijv av0poo1TOV a,a0Eo-,s t/Jvxijs gether referring to 'hope' or the two
En& ,.-Qv Ovr(i)s- 3VTa 8£b11 l'A.rrl(ovcra. first may be closely joined (TE ... Kal .•.
(c) The promise fulfilled in the comp. v. 4) and referred to 'the
exaltation of the Son of man ( 19, 20). anchor/ while the third may give
19, 20. The promise has been ful- a second characteristic of hope (cJs
filled for humanity in the Son of man. ayKvpav••• Kal El<TEpxoµ<IIT]v). In favour
Hope therefore can now enter into of this view, which appears to be taken
the very Presence of God where 'Jesus' by <Ecumenius and Theophylact, it
is, a High-priest for ever. may be urged that it gives distinct-
19. qv cJs ayic. lx.] The hope created ness to two aspects of hope, its im-
and sustained by the promise keeps movable stability1 and its penetrative
the soul secure in all storms ( 1 Tim. vigour. Perhaps however such a
i. 19). The .Anchor, which is not division is artificial, so that it is best
mentioned in the 0. T., is the familiar to connect the whole description with
symbol of hope. Clement of .Alexan- the principal subject (hopeA
dria mentions it as a device on Christ- The stability ofhope is twofold. It
ian rings (Pmd. iii. § 59A It occurs is undisturbed by outward influences
commonly with the lx0vs on epitaphs. (do-cf,aX~s), and it is firm in its inherent
And names of hope (Elpis, [Helpis,] character <fJ•fJala). Comp. ii. 2 note.
Elpidius) are very frequent. Spes in nobis similitudinem exercet
ao-cp. TE Kal {3EfJ. Kal El<TEPX-] These anchorre, qure navem ne ad scopulos
words may refer, as far as the struc- frangatur retinet, et tutam facit ut non
ture of the sentence is concerned, timeat submergi, atque firmam ne
either to 'hope,' the main subject, or vel titubare possit (Herv.).
to the 'anchor,' with which it is com- The participle •lo-•pxoµ•IITJ"presents
pared. Patristic interpreters, follow- hope as ever entering afresh into the
ing Chrysostom, connect them witli Divine Presence encouraged by past
the anchor, and endeavour to lessen experience.
the harshness of the last predicate Els T6 lo-cJT. Toii KaTa1r.] Hope enters
(Elo-Epxoµ.lv']V Els T6 lo-. T. KOT01T.) by to the innermost Sanctuary, the true
drawing an ingenious contrast between Holy of Holies, that Presence of God,
the earthly anchor which sinks to the where Christ is (comp. vii. 19). The
depths of the sea, and the spiritual Kam1rfrao-µ,a was the inner veil sepa-
anchor which rises to the heights of rating the Holy from the Most Holy
heaven (aElKVV<TLV <)rt KaL"'7 T" aiJrq Tijs place (tli~ Matt. xxvii. 51; c. x.
ayKvpas ~ cpvo-,s, otl KOT<,) 1rdCovo-a
20) as distinguished from the outer
a.AA' llvw Kovcf,lCovo-a '"I" a,avoiav
Chrys. ap. Cram. Cat. vii. 522 ). But 1 veil ('i19~ KaAvµ,µ,a). The distinction
110 explanation of the kind can re- of the two is not strictly preserved in
move the strangeness of the image or the LXX.; see also c. ix. 3 µ,ETd T6 a•vn-
adapt the tense of Elo-Epxoµh']v directly pov 1<am1rfrao-µ,a. Comp. Ex. xl. 5, 19.
to the action of the anchor. It seems Compare Philo dtJ vit. M. iii. § 5
certain then that this clause at least (ii. 148 M.) EK TA>II avTciill TO TE KOTa-
must refer to 'hope.' But there are 1TETa<TJl,O r<al T6 X•yoµ,£11011 KaAvµ,µ,a
still two possible combinations. The ,car£UK£v£l(Ero. rO p,fv Efuc.., ,carCI ToVs
, , f'I') , , '

three predicates may be taken to- Tf(T<Tapas KWVUS iv <1T<KpV1TTTJTaL TO

1 The printed text of the Homily is manifestly imperfect.
166 THE EPISTLE TO 'fHE HEBREWS. [VI. 20
0
MENHN €IC TO €CWT€poN TOY K"-Tb.TT€Tb.CMb.TOC, ~ ()'7T'OU 7rpoipoµo,;
U'7T'Jp nµwv Et<Ti;/\80 1 , l11<Tou,;, Kb.Tb. THN Tdz1N MEAXIC€~€K
t \ f > I .) '"'
apxtEpEU<; "fEV0µEV0<; €IC TON b.lWNb..

llbvrav, ,..;, a£ lfc.:, Kara roVs 'Tt'iVT£ ••• : earliest fruits.

and so § 9. See also de gig. § 12 (i. The use of the word £luij'>..t1£v fixes
270 M.) for a spiritual interpretation. attention on the fact of Christ's en-
Hope, like the anchor, is fixed on trance into the Holiest-the t1'11JJ.si-
the unseen : Nautis arenre quibus tio11 from the seen to the unseen-and
anchora figitur et hreret sunt tectre not on His continuance as our High-
nee videri possunt, et tamen nautre priest within the Veil (c. ix. 28).
sunt in securitate, licet illa videre non For v1rep ~µ.0011 compare ix. 24 ; ii.
possint quibus anchorre brachia fir- 9 (wip 1ra11Tos).
miter adhresere. Sic et nos in hujus 'I11uoiis ... apx. Y£110fJ,£1'0S] The human
sreculi fluctibus positi crelestia non name of the Lord, placed emphatically
videmus, et tamen illis ita per spem at the end of the sentence (see c. ii.
conjuncti sumus ut nullo timoris in- 9 note), is here used (contrast ,l XP•<TTos
cursu moveri possimus (Herv.). Com- c. v. 5) in regard to His High-priest-
pare Primasius : Spes interiora vela- hood, in order to connect it definitely
minis penetrat dum per mentis con- with the fulfilment of His work on
templationem futura bona conspicit, earth, whereupon He became a High-
dum crelestia prremia absque ulla priest for ever.
dubitatione credit sibi provenire, The order of words in the last
sperat, amat, operibusque ostendit clause, ICUTd TJ71' r~. M. apx, YEii., is
quid credat et quid speret. emphatic. Stress is laid upon the
20. Hope enters where ',Jesus'-the fact that Christ is High-priest after a
Son of man-has entered as the fore- new and higher order. He does there-
runner of redeemed humanity, on our fore all that the High-priest did and
behalf(v1rip ~,-.0011), to make atonement more. Comp. vii. u, 15; and contrast
and intercession for us, and, yet more, v. 10 (v. 6; vii. 17).
to prepare an entrance and a place From this passage it is clear that
for us also. Comp. John xiv. 2. the eternal High-priesthood of the
Thus to the fulfilment of the type of Lord 'after the order of Melchizedek,'
the High-priest's work another work King and Priest, followed on His
is added. The High-priest entered exaltation to the throne of God in His
the Holy of Holies on behalf of the glorified humanity (comp. v. 9 f.; vii.
people, but they never followed him. 28). At the same time this view does
Christ enters heaven as forerunner of not exclude the recognition of the
believers. Comp. L 19 ff. IJ.poihpa- Lord's Death as a p1iestly act whereby
/£EI' iva To./is E7TO/£El'OVS £luayayn (Euth. He once for all offered Himself (vii.
Zig.). 27).
The word 1rpahpoµ.os was used £ls rliv aloova] Etiam in futuro [sre-
especially of the men or troops which culo] pontificis agit opus, non tune
were sent to explore before the ad- pro peccatis nostris offerens, qure
vance of an army. Comp. Wisd. xii 8 nulla erunt, sed ut bonum quod in
(Ex. xxiii. 28). In Num. xiii. 21 (22)it nobis operatus est indeficiens et stabile
is used, in a different connexion, of the permaneat (Herv.).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Additional Note on vi. 1-8.

In considering this passage several points must be kept in mind. Considera-
8
I, The apostasy described is marked not only by a decisive act ftiont. aft.h
8
' ) ls b · t · d · h t'l 1
(7rapmr£uoll'T'ar, but a o y a contmuous presen attitu e, a os 1 ere a ion interpreta- t' ec mg
to Christ Himself and to belief in Christ (avao·Tavpoiill'T'ar, 7rapaany,-.aTl- tion of the
, (oll'T'ar). passage.
2. Thus there is no question of the abstract efficacy of the means of
grace provided through the ordinances of the Church. The state of the
men themselves is such as to exclude their application.
3. The case is hypothetical. There is nothing to shew that the
conditions of fatal apostasy had been fulfilled, still less that they had been
fulfilled in the case of any of those addressed. Indeed the contrary is
assumed : vv. 9 ff.
4- But though the case is only supposed it is one which must be taken
into account. It is possible for us to see how it can arise. The state of a
man may become such as to make the application to him of the appointed
help towards the divine life not only difficult but impossible.
5. Such a condition is noticed elsewhere c. x. 26 f.; comp. c. iii 12;
I John v. 16 (note).
And the frame of mind is recognised not only in relation to apostasy,
but in relation to the first reception of the Gospel: Matt. xii. 31 (1 Toii
7TvEVfU1Tor ff>..au<t,11,-.la), when the spirit, through which man has the power of
approach to the Divine, becomes itself rebellious and defiant.
6. Compare also Gal. v., 4 (,ca'f'1/P'Y'7°'1TE a7rl, XptUToii); Rom. xi. 21
(Tooll /CaTCl cpi!uw ,c;>..aawv OVIC lcp£luaTo); I Tirn. iv. I (a1rounfuo1J'T'al Ttlltr rijr
7TlUTEc.>r); I Tim. vi. JO (a1rt1rAa117JO,,ua11 a1r6 -rijr 7TlUT£c.>r); 2 Pet. ii. 20;
John xv. r ff., 6 (lfJ>..~0,, tfw, l~pa11811, ,calrrai). In these passages various
aspects of the sin and its consequences are indicated, which answer to the
responsible action of man and the fulfilment of the divine law of retri-
bution.
7. The analogy of human life furnishes an illustration of the general
idea, A second birth is inconceivable : but a restoration to life is not so.
This however does not come within the ordinary view. So it is in the
spiritual life. A re-birth is impossible, yet even here a restoration to life
may be accomplished.
. The passage was variously interpreted in early times. TERTULLIAN1 Some
representing the sterner (Montanist) view, held that it declared that all ratristic
who had fallen away from the faith, either by temporary apostasy or by t:~rpre-
gross sin, were cut off from it for their whole life, without possibility of a ions,
readmission on repentance : de Pudw. xx. Hoe qui ah apostolis didicit et
cum apostolis docuit, nunqualll moocho et fornicatori secundalll poonitentiam
promissam ab apostolis norat.
In the earliest stage of the Novatianist controversy the words do not
seem to have been quoted. Novatian himself does not refer to the epistle.
168 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
In the fourth century and onwards however it was pressed by those who
held his views (comp. Theodoret ad loc.; Athanas. Ep. ad Serap. iv.§ 13;
Hieron. adv. Jor,in. ii 3; Ambros. d,e Pmn. ii 2 §§ 6 ff.).
But this opinion and this use of these words found no favour in the
Catholic Church. On the contrary the Catholic writers limited the
meaning of the passage to the denial of a second baptism. ,So among the
Greek Fathers.
ATHANASIUS (l. c.) µ,lav Elvai "]II dva,calv,u,v a,a TOV fJa1rrluµ,aTOS ,col ,.,,;,
aEvTEpav d1rocJ>alv£Ta1..
EPIPHANIUS (Heer. lix. 2, p. 494) Tei> µ,ev iJVT, Tovs cl1raE dva1<ai11u,-8lVTas
ical ,rapa7rECTOl'TOS dva,m,vl(:nv abvvaTov. oiln -yap tn -YEVV'78~uETa, Xp,<TTos
iva UTavpw8n v,rep ~µ,0011· oiln dvO<TTavpoiiv lJvvaml ns TOIi vlbv TOV 8Eoii TOIi
P,'71CET, UTavpovp,Evov· oiln lJvvam[ ns AOVTp6v lJnrrEpov Aaµ,fJavov· Iv -yap £(TT,
rd /3ll.1TTt<Tp,a ,cal Err OEy,c,au11,up,O~.
CHRYSOSTOJ\I (ad loc.) Ti o:Jv; licfJifJX11Tat 1 p,ETavota; ovx 1 p,mlvot.a• ,.,,;,
-ylvo,To· dXX' 0 a,a AOVTpoii ,raAw dvaicatvurµ,os. oil -yap EL7rEII abvvarov a11a1<a,-
11,u8ijva, Els JJ,ET<lVOtaV ical ECTLY1/CTEII, aXX' £l7rcl,11 'dbvvarov' l~-ya-yEv 'avaUTall-
poiiVTas' ••• ~ lJe Xl-yn TOUTO l<TT,· TO fJa1rr,uµ,a UTavpos £(TTI' CTVVE<TTavpoo811 -yap
0 '11'aAa,as ~,.,,.;;., i1118pomos•.•
THEODORET: TOOi/ a-yav dlJvvarwv, cp11ul11, TOVS re!> 7ra11a-yl'f' 7rpOCTEA'7Av8oras
fJa1rrluµ,aT, ••• a:J8,s 7rpOCTEA8E"iv ical TVXELII erlpov fJa'Tl'T[uµ,aTos· TOVTO -yap oillJiv
lUT,11 lnpov ~ 'Tl'~W TOIi vl6v Toii 8Eoii Tei> CTTavp<p 1rpou11Xooum.
<ECUMENIUS: rt 0311; 'E•fJaAE 1"1711 p,ETavo,av; /.I~ -yivo,ro ... riAAa Ti/II lJ,a
fJa1rrluµ,aros J.IETavoiav ... IJ8E11 ical El'Tl'EII 'dvaicawl(:nv' O'Tl'Ep 'tlJiov fJa7rr[uµ,aros.
EUTHYMIUS ZIG.: rt o:Jv; licfJifJX11ra, ~ µETavo,a; ,.,,;, -yivo,ro· El1rJ11 -yap
'Els µEravoiav' oilic t<TT1/ µ,ixp, To6rov dXX' l~a-yEv ' dva<TTavpoiiVTas lavro"is
TOIi vUw TOV 8Eoii,' a,a JJ,ETavolas, cp11<rlv, avaumvpov<T1/S TOIi Xp,UTov, •• TO [-yap]
fJ/nrr,uµ,a umvpos E<TTW •. •JrnrEp 0311 ll7raf dXX' oil lJEvnpov ECTTavp<JJ811 0
Xp,<TTos OVTWS a7raf aXX' oil lJWTEpov XPi/ fJa1rrl(:Ecr8at..
And among the Latin fathers :
AMBROSE (de Prenit. ii. 3): De baptismate autem dictum verba ipsa
declarant quibus significavit impossibile esse lapsos renovari in pamitentiam,
per lavacrum enim renovamur ..•eo spectat ut de baptismo dictum credamus
in quo crucifigimus filium Dei in nobis ...
Possum quidem etiam illud dicere ei qui hoe de prenitentia dictum
putat, quia qure impossibilia sunt apud homines possibilia sunt apud
Deum ..•
Sed tamen de baptismo dictum, ne quis iteret, vera ratio persuadet.
PRIIIIASIUS : Quid ergo 1 exclusa est prenitentia post baptismum et
venia delictorum 1 Absit. Duo siquidem genera sunt prenitentire, unum
quidem ante baptismum, quod et prreparatio baptismi potest appellari .. ,
alterum autem genus prenitentlre quo post baptismum delentur peccata
quam beatus Apostolus minime excludit.
This specific and outward interpretation of the words is foreign to the
scope of the passage, and indeed to the thought of the apostolic age ; but
none the less it presents in a concrete shape the thought of the Apostle.
It brings out plainly that there can be no repetition of the beginning.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
The forces which in the order of divine providence are fitted to call out
faith in the first instance, and to communicate life, are not fitted to recreate
it when it has been lost. There can be no second· spiritual birth. The
powers which are entrusted to the Christian society are inadequate to
deal with this last result of sin ; but the power of God is not limited.
Compare Additional Note on I John v. 16.
HERVEIUS (reading renovari') emphasises the moral impossibility from
the human side with singular power and freshness: Non ... Montani vel
Novati hreresim hie approbamus qni contendunt non posse renovari per
pamitentiam eos qn1 crucifixere sibimet filium Dei. Sed ideo impossibile
esse dicimus ut tales renoventur qnia nolm1t renovari. Nam si vellent, esset
utique possibile. Quod ergo renovari nequeunt non est excusatio iufirmi-
tatis eorum sed culpa voluntatis ipsorum qni malunt veteres perdurare
quam renovari ... sicque fit ut ad pamitentiam redire non valeant... Quales
et in monasteriis hodie sunt nonnulli, habentes quidem speciem pietatis
virtutem autem ejus abnegantes, et ideo prenitentiam agere non possunt,
qnia de solo exteriori habitu gloriantur et sanctos se esse putant quia
sanctitatis indumentmn portant.

Additional Note on vi. 12: The Biblical idea of

'inheritance' (tc)vr1povoµla).
The group of words "-ATJpovliµ.or (i. 2; vi. 17; xi. 7), "-ATJpovop.E'iv (i. 4, 14; Use in the
vi. 12; xii. 17), and KATJpovoµ.la (xi. 8) is characteristic of the Epistle. The LXX. of
idea of 'inheritance' which they convey is in some important respects
different from that which we associate with the word. This idea finds a clear
expression in the LXX. from which it was naturally transferred to the N. T.
The word KATJpovoµ.or is rare in the LXX. It occurs only in Jud. xviii. KX'1)pov6µ.os,
7; 2 Sam. xiv. 7; Jer. viii. IO; Mic. i. 15 (Jer. xlix. 1 Symm.) as the
rendering of t:i':!i\ and in Ecclus. xxiii. 22.
KATJpovop.E'iv and KATJpovoµ,,a are very frequent. T~e former word occurs KX":f°,voµ.E'iv
about 140 times 1 and 18 times as the anµJ, Kh'1JP 0•
and 100 times as the rendering of l!li-T,
L vo a.
rendering of 70}.
The latter word occurs more than 180 times and about 145 times as the
representative of n~rp and about 17 times as the rendering of derivatives
offti"t.
The fundamental passage which determines the idea is the promise to Kh1Jpovo-
A.braham Gen. xv. 7, 8 llovva, uo, TTJV -yijv TaVTTJV KATJpovoµ,ijuai (following on p.E'iv.
"'"'· 3, 4 K>..'7povoµ,~u£1 P,£) ; xxii. 17 KA'7povoµ,~u£1 .,.;, 0''11'£pµ,a O'OV Tar 7TOAEIS
Truv V'll'EvaVTfow. Comp. xxiv. 6o ; xxviii. 4.
Hence the phrase KATJpovop,E'iv TTJV -yijv is used constantly of the occupation
of Canaan by the Israelites : Lev. xx. 24 vp,E'is "-ATJpovoµ,~uETE TTJV -yijv avTruv
Kal lyro lloouc.> vµ.iv OV'l'TJV '" KTqO'EI : Deut. iv. 1, 5, 14 &c. ; XXX. 5 ; JOS. i. I 5 j
Jud. xviii. 9; Neh. ix. 15, 22 ff. ; Obad. 20; and that also with a distinct
reference to the destruction of the nations in possession of it: Num. xxi. 35;
 170 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Deut. ii. 24, 31; ix. 1; xxxi. 3. The land belonged to the Lord and He gave
it to Israel (Ps. civ. (cv.) 44). In the Psalms this 'inheritance of the land'
assumes a spiritual colouring as the privilege of the righteous : Ps. xxiv.
(xxv.) 13; xxxvi. (xxxvii.) 9, 1I (Matt. v. 5), &c.; and in the second part of
Isaiah the idea finds its complete fulfilment in the Messianic age : Is. liv.
3 ; lvii. I 3 ; Ix. 2 I ; lxi. 7 ((/( afvT'ipas KA, T', 'Y·) ; lxiii. I 8 ; lxv...9·
The word KA7/po110µ.£'i11 is used even where the absolute claim urged by
violence is unjust : 1 K. xx. (xxi.) 15 ff. (comp. 2 K. xvii. 24 ; Ps. lxxxii.
(lxxxiii.) 13; Is. xiv. 21; Ezek. [vii. 24; xxxiii. 25]); and also where it
expresses a rightful mastery used for a necessary destruction (Hos. ix. 6 ;
Ezek. xxxvi. 12; Zech. ix. 4).
In all these cases KA7/po110µ.£'i11 answers to ~1!. As the rendering of 'IJJ
it is used of the possession of Canaan (Ex. xxiii. 30), of inheritance generally
(Jud. xi. 2), and metaphorically(Ps. cxviii. (cxix.) III; Prov. iii. 35; xiii. 22
d-ya(H,s dlli]p KA7/po110µ.~o-£, vlo-os vfui11).
Comp. Ecclus. iv. 13; vi. 1; x. II ; xix. 3; xx. 25; xxxvii. 26; 2 Mace.
iLi.
Kh7Jpo- The senses of KAT/povoµ.,a correspond with those of KA7/po110µ.£'i11. It is
voµla,. used for an allotted portion, a possession, an inheritance (Num. xxiv. 18;
xxvii. 7; xxxvi. 2 ff.; Deut. iii. 20; Ps. ii. 8; cxxvi. (cxxvii.) 3 ➔ KA7/povoµ.fo
Kvpiov vloi). The land itself is 'a possession' of the Lord: Jer. ii. 7 (comp.
iii. 19). Two particular uses of the word require to be noticed: God is
the KAT/povoµ.,a of His people, and His people are His KA7/povoµ.ia. The
former usage is rare. In a peculiar sense God is spoken of as the 'inheri-
tance'-' portion '-of the Levites: Num. xviii. 20; Josh. xiii. 14; Ezek.
xliv. 28; but the same privilege is extended also to Israel: Jer. x. 16;
xxviii. (Ii.) 19. On the other hand the thought of Israel as the 'inheritance'
-'portion'-ofGod extends throughout the Old Testament: Deut. xxxii. 9;
1 Sam. x. 2; xxvi. 19; 2 Sam. xiv. 16; xx. 19; xxi. 3; I K. viii. 51, 53;
Ps. xxvii. (xxviii.) 9 ; xxxii. (xxxiii.) 12 ; lxxiii. (lxxiv.) 2, &c.; Is. xix. 25 ;
xlvii. 6 ; lxiii. 17 ; J er. xii. 7 ff.; Joel ii. I 7 ; Mic. vii. 14-
In all these cases KA7/po110µ.la represents il~I;!J which is much less
frequently rendered by KA~pos and µ.lpts. In Deuteronomy however God
is spoken of as the ,c'A.ijpos of Levi (x. 9; xviii. 2); and Israel as the KAijpos
(ix. 29) and µ.ip,s (ix. 26) of God. Comp. Ecclus. xxiv. 12; xiv. 22 (?).
Biblical From these examples it will appear that the dominant Biblical sense of
ide~of'in; 'inheritance' is the enjoyment by a rightful title of that which is not the
hentance. fruit of personal exertion. The heir being what he is in relation to others
enters upon a possession which corresponds with his position ; but there is
no necessary thought of succession to one who has passed away (yet see
Matt. xxi. 38 and parallels ; Lk. xii. 13). An inheritance, in other words,
answers to a position of privilege and describes a blessing conferred with
absolute validity; and an heir (KA7/po110µ.os) is one who has authority to
deal with, to administer, a portion, a possession (K>.ijpos).
The principle that 'inheritance is by birth and not by gift' (Arist. Pol.
v. 8) has a spiritual fulfilment. When God 'gives' an inheritance (Acts
vii. 5; xx. 32) it is because those to whom it is given stand by His grace
in that filial relation which in this sense carries the gift.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 171

In the N. 'I.'. the words are commonly used in connexion with the Use in the
blessing (1 Pet. iii 9) which belongs to divine sonship, the spiritual N. T.
correlative to the promise to Abraham (Rom. iv. 13 f.; viii 17; Gal iii 18,
29; iv. 1, 7; comp. c. vi. 12, 17; xi. 8). The son of God as son enjoys
that which answers to his new birth (comp. Matt. v. 5; Eph. i. 14, 18; Col.
iii. 24). This is described as 'eternal life' (Matt. xix. 29; Tit. iii. 7 ; comp.
Mk. x. 17; Lk. x. 25; xviii. 18), or 'the kingdom of God' (1 Cor. vL 9 f.;
xv. 50; Gal. v. 21; comp. Matt. xxv. 34; Eph. v. 5; James ii 5), or
'salvation' (c. i. 14), 'an inheritance incorruptible 1 ( 1 Pet. i 4; comp. 1
Cor. xv. 50), 'the eternal inheritance' (c. ix. 15). Under one aspect it is
realised through conflict (Apoc. xxi. 7).
This ruling sense illustrates the use of the word in the other connexions
in which it is found. Esau vainly sought to 'inherit the blessing' (c. xii 17):
he had lost the character to which it belonged. Noah in virtue of his
faith 'became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith' (c. xi.
7): faith produced in him its proper fruit. The Son as Creator was
naturally appointed 'heir of all things' (c. i 2); and in virtue of His work
'He hath inherited' in His glorified humanity 'a name more excellent than
angels ' (c. i. 4).
172 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. I

VII. 1
oJ,,.os ,yap OMe,\x1cebeK, Bb.CIAEYC i:b.AHM, lepeyc TOY eeoy
r o (o-wa,,-.) C*: ~s (o-wan.) NABD~ (appy. a primitive error).

III. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF met Abraham as he was returning

CHRIST AS ABSOLUTE HIGH-PRIEST from the slaughter of the kings and
SHADOWED FORTH BY MELCHIZEDEK blessed him, •to whom-also Abraham
(c. vii.). divided a tithe of all-being first by
The last words of the sixth chapter interpretation king qf Ri_ghteousness
offered a twofold thought, which the and then also king of Salem, which
writer of the Epistle now works out is king of Peace, 3 without fat her,
in detail, going back, after the solemn without mother, without genealogy,
digression of c. vi., to the subject having neither beginning of days nor
announced in c. v. 10. The priestly end of life, but made like to the Son
office of Christ is after the order of of God,-abidetk a priest perpetually.
Melchizedek ( 1) ; and after this order 1, 2a. The historical facts as to
He is High-priest for ever (2). Melchizedek.
The main object of the section is to 1. ot,-os yap] The particle is ex-
shew that there were in the 0. T. from planatory and not strictly argumenta-
the first indications of a higher order tive. The writer purposes to lay open
of Divine Service than that which how much is included in the phrase
was established by the Mosaic Law; KUTd r&e,v MEAXLUEa,,c, to which he has
and that these found a perfect reali- again returned.
sation in Christ, a Son, perfect«l, for The connexion is obvious if the
evermore. sentence is at once completed : otJros
(1) The office qf Christ a,fter the (c. vi. 20) yrtp M•••... µ.lvn lEpEVS Els ro
order of Melchizedek (vii. 1-25). a,,,,,EKls. Christ is spoken of as High-
In these verses no mention is priest for ever after the order of
made of the High-priesthood. The Melchizedek, for Melchizedek offers a
writer deals with the general con- figure of such an abiding office, inas-
ception of priesthood as exhibited in much as he abides a priest without
Scripture. He marks (a) the charac- successor. The antitype however goes
teristics of Melchizedek (1-3); and beyond the type (apxtEpEvs, Els rov
then (b) determines the relation of alwva, as compared with lEpEvs, Els ro
Melchizedek to the Levitical priest- a,,,,,EK<s). See Additional Note.
hood (4-10); and lastly (c) compares
the Levitical priesthood with that of fJautAEVS ~aA~/L] Cl?~, like o;S~. is
Christ (11-25). properly an adj. sound, at peace, but
(a) Characteristics of Mfllchizedek
(1-3). is used (as oiS~) here as a subst.,
The Apostle (a) notices the positive peace. (So Philo Leg. Alleg. iii. 2 5;
facts related of Melchizedek ; the de- i. p. 102 M.)
scription of his person ; of his meeting The locality of the place does not
with Abraham ; of Abraham's offer- in any way enter into the writer's
ing (1, 2a); and then (/3) indicates the argument. The Jewish tradition of
significance of his character from the the Apostolic age appears to have
interpretation of his titles, King of identified it with Jerusalem (Jos. A ntt.
Righteousness, King of Peace, and i. 10, 2 ; B. J. vi. 10; and so Targ.
from the features in his portraiture Onk. ; comp. Ps. lxxvi. 2 ).
which can be deduced from the silence In the time of Jerome Salem was
of Scripture (2b, 3). identified with Salem near Scvtho-
'For this Melchizedek, king of polis, where the remains of Meldhize-
Salem,priest of God Most High, wlw dek's palace were shewn.
VII. 2] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 1 73

TOY Y'YICTOY, tdt cyNb.NTHCb.C , A{3pa<i.µ. yrroCTpec:j>ONTI I).ITO THC KOTTHC

TOON 8b.CIA€WNKat €'{ i\ort-icb.C auTOII, ~ wKat £>€Kb.THN irrd TT~NTOON
iµepuTEII 'A{3paaµ., 7rpWTOI/ µ.ev ipµ.r,11euoµ.e11oc; Ba<TtAEV<;
I' z aJrr6v .. .' A[,paaµ: D2 * O.UTOV KO.! 'A[,paltµ EVA0')''70els rnr' O.UTOV O (sic) Ka! li<K.
,raVTWV iµ. [0.UT<jJ?].
z ,bro 'lr<1VTWV lµlp117EV : lµep,o-•v d,,ro 'lrO,VTWV N. ,ra.VTWV : 'lr0.VT6S B. I A[,p.:
+ ,ro.Tp1dpx'1s syr hl.

(!•p•vs) -roii B,ov TOV ,hJ,,u-rov] Gen. xxviii. 25; Josh. x. 20. Ko1rq (not
xiv. 18 (ti•';,v ';,N), identified with Jeho- elsewhere in N. T.) and the original
vah i,. 22. The epithet does not mark phrase (r1i~iJt,?) may mean only 'the
a relation to inferior deities, but the
absolute elevation of the Lord. It smiting,' 'the defeat.'
occurs again Num. xxiv. 16 (Balaam); •v>-o-y,juas] By the act of blessing,
Deut. xxxii. 8 (Song of Moses); and in Melchizedek at once assumed the
the Psalms. It is found also in position of a superior. And Abraham
Phoonician inscriptions, and (with the on his part freely acknowledged Mel-
corresponding fem.) in the Pamulus chizedek's implied claim to superiority,
of Plautus (v. r. r Alonim valunoth). and divided to him a tithe from all
The title occurs elsewhere in the N. T. the spoil which he had taken ("'· 4).
Mk. v. 7 (II Lk. viii. 28); Acts xvi. 17. 2b, 3- The historical details as to
Comp. Lk. i. 32, 35; Acts vii. 48. Melchizedek having been given, the
It is to be remarked that there are writer of the Epistle goes on to in-
elsewhere traces of a primitive (mono- terpret the Scriptural narrative so far
theistic) worship of El in Phoonicia as it affects the view of Melchizedek's
side by side with that of Baal, the character and person absolutely. He
centre of Phoonician polytheism. points out its bearing on his position
Comp. <Ehler, Theol. qf 0. T. i. in relation to Abraham and the Levi-
90 f. (Eng. Tr.). tical priests in the next section.
o <TVJIOVTl)Uas ••. v,rou-rpE<pov-r,]••• who Melchizedek's typical character is
met... as he was returning, Latt. qui shewn to be indicated positively by
ob'Diavit ... regresso (Gen. xiv. 17, LXX. what is said of him, and negatively by
JJ,ETCl T?i v,rocrrpi..J,ai as in Hebr.). what is not said.
The time was that of the fulness Thusthree distinctfeaturesarenoted
of Abraham's disinterested victory'. in which Melchizedek points to Christ.
Probably the pres. part. is chosen (I) His name and title, King of Right-
to mark this thought, which is less eousness and King of Peace. (2) His
clear in the original phrase. Compare isolation from all priestly descent, as
Philo, Brnuaµ,,vos l,rav,ov-ra ical -rpo- holding. his priesthood himself alone.
1rawq,opovv-ra (de Abr. § 40). (3) The absence of all record of his
In Gen. xiv. 17 t: it is said 'The birth and death.
king of Sodom went out to meet him In other words the record of Mel-
••. and Melchizedek, king of Salem, chizedek points to Christ in character,
brought forth bread and wine .. .' in office, in person (nature).
Since the latter detail is omitted here, The clauses are not simply in ap-
the former, which is included in it, is position with the subject but are pre-
rightly applied to Melchizedek. For dicative : ' Melchizedek... as being,
uvvav-r~v see Lk. ix. 37 ; xxii. JO ; first by interpretation ... as being pre-
Acts x. 25. sented to us ... remaineth.'
&1r?i riis ic01rijs] Gen. xiv. 17; Deut. 2b. 'ITP6lTOJI ,_.,v .•• l1mTa a,] being
174 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 3
A '
LltKato<TUJ/1]<; ,I
€7r€t'Ta '<:- \
0€ Kat
I B<\CIA€)'C
' ... ' ., '
L<\AHM, 0 €<T'TLJI
B a<Tt-
\ €'tp11vr,,;,
i\€U<; I 3 ' f > I ,
a7ra-rwp, aµ11-rwp, wy€v€a O"fr,Toc;, µr,-re
i\ I f

oe Ka! : om. Ka£ me.

first by the interpretation of his name of the priest-king leads to the notice
King of Righteousness, and then also (l1rnra bi Kal) of the kingdom which
(by his dominion) King of Salem, he administered : being righteous in
which is, King of Peace. His personal himself he kept peace under his
name and the name of his city are sway.
taken to correspond with the actual ol<TTw] Mk. vii. 34; and with µ.,8,p-
traits of his character. 1-''lv•vop,•11011 Mk. v. 41; xv. 22, 34
lpµ.1711,voµ.,11os] The simple form (com- Comp. Lk. xii. I ; Gal iv. 24 f.
monly µ.,B,pµ.1711.) occurs elsewhere in There is no exact parallel in Scrip-
N. T. John i. 44 (43) (~ lpµ.1711.); ture to this kind of use of names,
ix. 7. which is common in Philo (comp.
fJa<r/.AEVr a,KatOUVV']S] JOS. B. J. vi. Siegfried, ss. 190 ff.). The nearest
JO M,>..x, o '1jj 1rarpl(!, y>..Juun tiA178,,s approach to it is perhaps in John ix.
{3au,>..,vs blKatos. 7 l:,:>..oo&p, (~ lpµ.1711,v<rai 'A1r<UTaAp,ivor).
b1Katouvll']s ... ,lp1111'1s] The order in But the importance attached to names
which the words occur is significant. in the 0. T. sufficiently explains it.
Righteousness must come first. Com- Comp. Is. viii. 1, 18; ix. 6. <Ehler,
pare Rom. v. I; xiv. 17; Ps. lxxiL 3 0. T. Theology, § 88.
(Hebr.); lxxxv. 10; Is. xxxiL 17; 3. The delineation of Melchizedek
James iii. 18 ; c. xii. 1 1. Both are is expressive also negatively. The
characteristic of the Messianic times silence of Scripture, the character-
(Is. ix. 1-7). The one aspect is given in istic form, that is, in which the nar-
Ps. xlv. 4 ff.: J er. xxiii. 6; xxxiiL I 5 f.; rative is presented, is treated as hav-
Dan. ix. 24 ; Mal. iv. 2 ; and the other ing a prophetic force. Melchizedek
in I Chron. xxii. 8 ff. ; Mic. v. 5. stands unique and isolated both in
Theodoret (and others) notice how his person and in his history. He is
both graces perfectly meet in Christ not connected with any known line:
for the blessing of humanity : ailros his life has no recorded beginning or
yap [oXPLUTOS] luTL Kara TOIi U1TOU'TOAOII close.
~ •lp1JV'] ~µ.6iv (Eph. ii. 14), avro, 1t.liCA'7· Philo not unfrequently draws argu-
TUL Kara TOIi 1T pocpqr,,11 a,KatoCTVJll1 17µ.011 1nents from omissions in the Biblical
(Jer. xxiii. 6). narrative. Examples are given by
Compare Bernard, Serm. de. div. Siegfried, Philo von Alea:andrien,
xix. 4, Tu, homo, noli prius rapere 179: e.g. Quod det. pot. insid. § 48
quod tuum est, et justitiam quam (i. 224 M.).
Deo et pacem quam proximo debes aw. aµ. ay,11.] Vulg. sine patre, sine
contemnere (the reference is to Rom. matre, sine genealogia. The Pesh.
xiv. 17). renders these words by a paraphrase:
The genitive in each case (fJau. a,K., 'whose father and mother are not
fJau. ,lp.) expresses the characteristic written in genealogies.'
of the sovereign : he is a 'righteous- The words (a1rdroop, aµ.11roop) were
ness-king,' a 'peace-king,' one in used constantly in Greek mythology
whom and through whom righteous- (e.g. of Athene and Hephrestus); and
ness and peace are realised. Com- so passed into the loftier conceptions
pare J er. xxxiii. I 5 ; Is. ix. 6. of the Deity, as in that of Trismegistus
fonra a,...] The personal character quoted by Lactantius (iv. 13): ipse
VII. 3] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 1 75

, ' 17µ.epwv
• - ' Y. - T€1\.0<;
'"" ,, ,fl\ ' ~'
apx11v f.l-1'/7"€ ~W1'/'> EXWV, a..,.,wµ.oiwp.€VO<; 0€

enim pater Deus et origo et princi- death of Aaron is described in detail:

pium rerum quoniam parentibus caret Num. XX. 22 ff.
d'll"a-rc.>p atque dµ.~.-"'P a Trismegisto acpc.,µ.o,c.,µ.•110s .,., vl. .,-. e.] Non dicitur
verissime nominatur, quod ex nullo sit Filius Dei assimilatus Melchisedeko,
procreatus. This familiar usage was sed contra, nam Filius Dei est anti-
suited to suggest to the readers of quior et archetypus (Bengel). So Theo-
the Epistle the nature of the divine doret: {,CELIJOS 'rOV'rOV TV'/l"OS, o&os a.
priest shadowed out in the type. The 'rOU T"V'/l"OV ~ a'Jl.ql1ua. The truth is of
word dµ.~,-c.,p is used by Philo of Sarah, general application. The physical,
De ebriet. § 14 (i. 365 M.); and in the historical, is the limited repre-
Euripides Ion speaks of himself as sentation of the spiritual, the eternal
dµ.~Tc.>p dmz.-c.,p 'l"E -yey~s (Ion 109). The choice of the participle in
Philo in a striking passage (De place of Jµ.oios shews that the resem-
Prqf. § 20; i. 562 M.) describes the blance lies in the Biblical representa-
Levites as being in some sense 'exiles tion and not primarily in Melchizedek
who to do God's pleasure had left himselt: The comparison is not be-
parents and children and brethren and tween Christ and Melchizedek, but
all their mortal kindred': o-youv dpx71- between Christ and the isolated por-
-yiT7Js .-ov Buiuov .-otl.-ov, he continues, traiture of Melchizedek ; and that in
Xl-yc.,11 Elua-yE.-a, .-<ji '/l"a.-pl ical .-fi µ71.-pl regard to the divine N a.ture of the
oVx iWpaK.a VµClr ,cal Totlr aaEAcJ>oVr oV Incarnate Son (-rc.'i vlc.'i .,-oii 11Eov), and
, ' ,. (,.. , ,
'Y'""'(T,CC., ica, TOIS v,o,s a'/l"o-y,11c.,(T,C6) not to His human'Nature in which He
V'll"Ep TOIi blxa µ.El1oXicijs 11,pa'll"EVUIJ ,.;,, both was born and died, nor even to His
311. The words throw light on Lk. official dignity (-re;, XP'<TT<ji). It is not
xiv. 26. however implied that the record in
In the case of the Jewish priests Genesis was purposely designed to
a Levitical (Aaronic, Num. xvi. xvii.) convey the meaning which is found in
descent was required on the father's it, but that the history sketched by
side, an Israelitish, on the mother's. prophetic power has the meaning.
(Comp. Ezra ii. 6I f.) Perhaps the remarkable variation
a-yEvrnX&y71.-os] without genealogy, in the language, which cannot be
without any recorded line of ancestors. mere rhetorical ornament (µ.~TE dpx.
He did not trace back his claims to ,jµ.. p.1TE (c.,ijs .,-{'JI.as, not µ.~TE dpx~11 µ.~TE
the priesthood to any forefather (comp. n"Aos (c.,ijs), may point to the fact that
v. 6~ Perhaps the word (which is not the Son of God was (in His Divine
found elsewhere) suggests, though it Nature) beyond time, while the human
does not express, the thought that he life which He assumed was to be
had no known descendants, and was without end. Compare Theophylact :
not the author of a priestly line. 0 xp,<TTos ... a-rE 6E/'is .•• 3.vapxos ICa'rO 'r~IJ
Compare: Subito introducitur sicut 'rOV xp&vov dpx~v El ,ea, .-/'iv '/l"aTlpa t'xn
et Elias (Primas.). dpx~v ica, ai'nov.
µ.~TE dpx. ~µ. µ.1TE , .... txc.,v] Scrip- dcf,c.,µ..] Latt. assimilatus (similatus)
ture records nothing of his birth or of 'ffl,(UU like to. The word, which is
his death, of the beginning of a life of found in the best authors, does not
manifold activity (dpx. ~µ.Epow, comp. occur elsewhere in N. T. Ep. Jerem.
v. 7), nor of the close of his earthly 4, 62, 70.
existence. Nothing in the phrase On the likeness Primasius remarks
indicates a miraculous translation or (following Chrysostom) : In hoe est
the like. The silence may perhaps similitudo quod nee illius (Melch.)
seem to be more significant, since the nee istius (Christi) initium legitur vel
176 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 4
-rep uicj, -rou 8€ou, µe11€t iepeyc €L<; TO Ot1']11€KE<;, 4 0€00-
finis : illius quia non est scriptum; excluded by the circumstances; or by
istius autem quia omnino non est. the typical interpretation of the silence
rep vlcj> roii 8Eoii] :he choice of this of the record.
name here emphasises that aspect of (b) The relation of Melchizedek to
the Lord's person which was typified the Levitical priesthood (4-w).
by the absence of all notice of the Having discussed the historical no-
birth or death of Melchizedek. See tice of Melchizedek in itself, the writer
iv. 14 ; vi. 6 ; x. 29. goes on to consider his priesthood in
JJ,Ellfi IEpEVf Elr 'rO a,1711u,is] re- relation to that of the Law. In doing
maineth a priest perpetually, Latt. this he first notices
manet sacerdos in perpetuum. The (a) the general position of Melchize-
use of the phrase Els ro a,1711. for Elr 'roll dek (4); and then gives in detail his
aloova marks his priesthood as con- points of superiority
tinued to the end in his person with- (ft) in respect of Abraham, whom
out break. He had no successors he both tithed (5, 6a), and blessed
(so Theodoret rightly explains the (6b, 7); and
words: bma~'ITfP ..;,,, IEp6>UVll'7II otl 1rap- (-y) in respect of the Levitical
£'11'£JJ,o/fll £1r 1Taiaar), and no provision priests, who exercised their functions
for a successor to him is recorded in as dying men (8), and in Levi their
Scripture. He therefore abides a head implicitly paid tithes to Mel-
priest 'perpetually,' 'for ever,' not chizedek (9, 10).
literally but in the Scriptural por- 4 Now consider how great this man

traiture. This is one of the points in was to whom Abraham ga'l)e a tithe
which 'he was made like to the Son taken out of the chief spoils, Abraham
of God.' the patriarch. 5 And while th-Ose (the
The idea that the perpetuity of his priests) sprung from the sons qf Levi,
priesthood lay in the fact that it WW! on recei'l)ing the priests office, have
continued in Christ (manet ... non in se commandment to take tithes from the
sed in Christo. Primas.) destroys the people according to the Law, that is
parallel ; and the structure of the from their brethren, though they have
whole paragraph absolutely forbids come out of the loins of Abraham, 6 he
the application of this clause to any whose genealogy is not counted from
other than the Melchizedek of the them tithed Abraham, and blessed hitrJ,
record in Genesis. that hath the promises. 1 But with-
£ls ra a,1711.] See c. X. l note. Tlie out any gainsaying the less is blessed
phrase does not describe absolute per- by the greater. 8 And while here
petuity, duration without end, put dying men receive tithes, there one of
duration continued under the condi- whom it is witnessed that he li'l)eth.
tions implied or expressed in the par- 9 And, so to say, through Abraham,

ticular case. Thus it is said App. B. C. Lem also who recei'l)eth tithes is
i. § 4, aucrcrroop £ls ra a,1711£1C<r i,pi8r,. tithed; ' f or he was yet in the loins
0

Cf. Pun. viii. § 136. Heliodor. .£th. of his father when Mekhizedek met
i. § 14 qnryfi El~ ra a,1711£/CES IC11µ,loorrav. him.
Here no limit is marked negatively or 4. The general superiority of Mel-
positively, and the phrase simply ex- chizedek over Abraham, the great
cludes interruption in Melchizedek's father of Israel, is stated summarily.
tenure of his office. No one takes it The artificial order of the words em-
from him (comp. v. 8). Such a con- phasises the idea which they convey,
dition is equally satisfied by his actual the last phrases taking up in a more
continuance for ever, a supposition striking form what has been said
VIL 5) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 177
pe'i-re
' 0
~e
I
'TT'rJAttco,; oJ-ros
t I
cp T
5
A€K~THN
\ '
'ABp,i.~M ellooKeN EK -rwv
\ , ,... ,...., .l \
aKpO LJ/WJJ/ 0 'TT'a'TptapxrJ<;. teat OL p.€11 EK 'TWV ULWV /\€U€L
4 KO.i

4 1rri'A.. ohos : 1JAIKos D2*. oeKdT'l/11 BD2* syr vg me : + Ka.I' oeK. s-NAC vg syr hl.
'AfJp. /fa. : lo • •AfJp. A syr hl.

bef?re (~m1n,11 'AfJpa6.,-,. ••• IK. ,-a'i,, ilK.po- sentence. It is used again Acts ii. 29
1
lJ111,ow, 0 JraTptapXT/f). (of David) and Acts vii. 8 t: (of the sons
It is assumed throughout that the of Jacob) and several times in the
receiver of tithe is greater than the Books of Chronicles of 'the chiefs of
giver of tithe: in the case of the less the fathers' ( 1 Chron. ix. 9 Compl. ;
familiar blessing this superiority is xxiv. 31, &c.) and 'captains' (2 Chron.
affirmed ('D. 7). xxiii 20), but not elsewhere in LXX.
IJe0>pe'in ae1 Now consider... Vulg. The first thought is of Abraham as
intuemini (0.L. videtis, 'Didete) autem. the father of Israel ; but beyond this
The structure of the whole passage he is the father of the whole family of
shews that the verb is an imperative faith : Rom. iv. I l f.
and not an indicative. The word itself, Quasi diceret, Quern vos excellen-
which expresses the regard of atten- tiorem omnibus hominibus restimatis,
tive contemplation, is frequent in the hie decimas obtulit Melchisedech qui
historical books of the N.T. but is not in figura Christi prrecessit (Primas.).
found elsewhere in the Epistles except 5, 6a. This is the first of the special
1 John iii 17. The particle a, marks marks of superiority by which the
a fresh beginning. The general pic- priesthood of Melchizedek was dis-
ture claims detailed study. Comp. tinguished. The Levitical priests
viii. I ; XL I. tithed their brethren : Melchizedek, a
aeK.&n,11 .•. EaO>K.EJ/] The offering ap- priest of another race, tithed Abraham
pears as the spontaneous recognition their common father. His priesthood
of the dignity of Melchizedek. waa absolute and not a priority in the
IK. ,-,;;v tlK.polJ.] Vulg. de praJCipuis. same family.
0. L. de primitivis (primiti-is) ••• , · 5. K.al o! µ.iv IK. ,-. vl. A. •..:>..aµ.fJ.]
Syr. the tithes and .firstfruits. The 'And to come to particulars ('D'D. 8, 9),
tithe was of the whole (d-rro -rrCJ.J11"0>J1 while the descendants of Levi on re-
'D. 2), and it was taken from the ceifJing (or, as receifJing) the priest-
choicest of the spoil The ilKpolJ,v,a hood.. .' The phrase is capable of seve-
were specially the part of the spoil ral interpretations. The whole may
which was offered as a thank-offering form a compound subject, 'they IK. ,-oiv
to the gods: Herod. viii. 121 t: vl. A. that receive the priest's office';
'TTT/A<K.or) Latt. quantu,s (Aug. qua- or the second part may be predica-
lis). The word is used properly of tive, 'they IK. ,-a'iv vl. A., as (on) receiv-
magnitude in dimension : Gal vi. 11 ; ing the priest's office.' And again,
Zech. ii. 2, (6) (L~x.); Comp.~ Mace. the preposition IK. may be deriva-
xv. 2 l 'TTT/ALK.a,r K.a, -rrouair fJauavo,r. tive ('those who traced their descent
'Consider how great was this priest- from'), or partitive ('those from a-
king, to whom •• .' ',rhe oi,.or looks mong'). The parallel clause o ,-,.~ /~
back to vv. 1-4; and the greatness of avr,;;,, yev. appears to be decisive in
Melchizedek is not first inferred from favour of the 'derivative' sense of IK,
Abraham's gift. and to favour the predicative inter-
() -rraTptapx,,r] Abraham••. Abraham pretations of lepar. :>..a,-,.fJ.
the patriarch. The title of honour At the same time the description of
stands emphatically at the end of the the priests as descended 'from the
W. H. 8 12
178 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 5
\
'T1'JV • I
t€pa-rtav "1t.
''-aµ /3 avov-rEs €V'TO A11v
f I ',/
EXOVCTtV ' ~
a1roo€Ka-row -

-rov, i\ aov
' Ka-ra' -rov ' vuµov,
1 'TOUT
- , €CT'Ttv
,, -rous
' ·~ i\rf>
ao€ '
..,,ous
llUTWV, Kat1r€p Ef€i\17i\u06'Tas EK -rijs ocr<f>uos '.A.{3paaµ-
5 d,roOEK«ro,11 BD2* : -rovv £"~AC.

sons of Levi' and not 'from Levi' or paid a tithe of this tithe to the priests
'from Aaron' is remarkable. By the (id. vv. 26 ff.). The priests can thus
use of this phrase the writer probably be said to tithe the people as claiming
wishes to carry back the thought of the tithe of the whole offering (comp.
the Mosaic priesthood to its funda,. Tob. i. 7 ff.). They represented the
mental idea. Levi and his descen- right in its highest form, just as they
dants represented the dedication of represented in its highest form the
Israel to God with all the consequent conception of a body consecrated to
duties and privileges which were after- the divine service.
wards concentrated in priests and The word a1roa£1CaT06l (a£KaT061),
High-priest. Thus the phrase will which seems to be confined to :Bibli-
mean 'those who tracing their descent cal and ecclesiastical writers, is used
from a dedicated tribe witnessed to both of
the original destiny of Israel' (1) The person claiming the tithe
The same thought appears to under- from another (a1roa£1(. n11a). I Sam.
lie the titles characteristic of Deuter- viii. 15, 17; Neh.L37; and of
onomy 'the priests, the Levites' (xvii. (2) The person paying the tithe
9, 18; xviii. 1; xxiv. 8; xxvii. 9), 'the (a1roa. n). Gen. xxviii. 22; Deut. xiv.
priests, the sons of Levi' (xxi. 5; xxxi. 21 ; xxvi. 12; Matt. xxiii. 23; Luke
9). Comp. Josh. iii. 3; viii. 33. xi. 42.
r~11 lEp. Aaµ,B.] Vulg. sacerdotium 'A1roa£1CaTEV61 is found Lk. xviii. 12.
auipientes. This phrase (as distinct ~£KaTEV61 is a classical word.
from lEparwo11Tn) brings out the The peculiar form &1r0a£1CaTo'iv, which
thought that the office was specifically is given by :BDl·, is supported by ,cara-
committed to them. It was of ap- UKIJVo'iv Matt. xiii. 32; Mk. iv. 32 ; cp,µo'iv
pointment and not by nature. Comp. 1 Pet. ii. 15 ; and similar forms which
Ecclus. xlv. 7. occur in inscriptions e.g. urE<pavo'iv,
'!Eparla (-Ela) occurs in N.T. only here {;IJAOIJI.
and in Luke i. 9. In relation to lEp1»- This form, it may be observed, goes
uv"'I (C. vii. II n., 12, 24) it expresses to confirm the writing , subscr. in the
the actual service of the priest and contracted infinitives aya1r~v &c. {;fi11.
not the office of priesthood. The ,cara T6V voµov] The right which
tithes were given to the 'children .of the Levitical priests exercised was in
Levi' 'for their service,' Num. xviii. virtue of a special injunction. They
21. Comp. Ecclus. xlv. 7, 20: lEparw- had no claim beyond that which the
nv, Luke i. 8 ('to perform the priest's Law gave them.
office'), IEparEvµa, 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9 ('a. TOVr &aEA<povr •••Kal1rEp i~EAIJAV8orar
body of ministering priests'). ••.] The priesthood gave a real pre-
ivr. l'xovu,v] In this case the claim eminence, but still it did not alter the
to the tithe rested on a specific ordin- essential relationship of all Abraham's
ance (Kara T61' 11op,o11). Abraham spon- descendants. Nor did its claims ex-
taneously recognised Melchizedek's tend beyond thelll. We might have
claim. expected naturally that the right of
a1roa£Karo'iv T611 A.] The Levites tithing (like the privilege of blessing)
tithed thepeople(Num. xviii. 21ff.)and would have been exercised only by one
VII. 6-8] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 1 79

6 , ~, , -,. , ,~ , - .,,_ ~ t
0 0€ µ.YJ ,YEVEat'\O,YOVµ.EVO<; Ee; au'TWV OEOEKa'TWKEV
'A(3paaµ.,
1

I ' ,/ 1 ' -,. / , , 7 I ~I

Kat 'TOV EXOV'Ta Ta<; E'Tra77Et'\La<; eyAorHKEN. xwpt<; 0€
' , "\.
7ra<TrJ<; aV'Tlt'\O,YLa<; '
''"\.
'TO\ €1'\a'T'TOV '
U7r0 ' '
.... KpEt'T'TOVO<; €UM-
'TOU '
,,..
,YEL'TaL.
8 \ 'c~ \ , , I
Kat WOE µ.ev A€Kb.Tb.C a7rO VYJ<TKOV'TES av pw7rOL
,I0 0

6 'A{Jp. NBCD2*: +rlw''A{Jp. ~A.

71{/A/ry71ue11 A.

superior by birth. Here however the vii. 14 avarETaAKEV,

office itself established a difference viii, 5 KE}(p'7fJ,UTLCTTat.
among brethren. Thus the two clauses - 6 TETVXEII.
taken together indicate the dignity of JIEJJOP,OB<T71TUI.
the Levitical priesthood, and at the ix. 18 EJJICEICOIJJ,<TTat.
same time the narrow limits within - 261rEcpavipoorai.
which the exercise of its power was X. 14 TET£AEl6lKEJI.
confined. This priesthood rested upon xi. 5 µ,•µ,aprop71ra1.
a definite and limited institution. - l 7 1rpou•~11ox•v, note.
For lK rijs oucpvos see Gen. XXXV. I I - 28 '/rf1r017IICEJI.
(Lxx.). xii. 2 ICEICCJ8,icEV.
6. o <JE p,~ yE11EaA. l~ ml.) he whose - 3 v1rop,Ep,E"'7Kora, note.
genealogy is not counted from them, icaL.EvAoy71 icEv••• ] Melchizedek re-
i.e. the sons of Levi (v. 5). Vulg. ceived tithes: he gave a blessing. This
cujus autem generatio non adnume- exercise of the privilege of a superior
ratur in eis; O.L. qui autem non is a second mark of pre-eminence;
enumeratur de his. The claim of and he exercised it towards one who
Melchizedek to the priesthood rested as having the promises might have
on no descent but on his inherent seemed to be raised above the accept-
personal title. ance of any human blessing.
'Hpp,~IIEVCTE <JE Kal TO dyoE aAoy71ros. · 7. xoopls a; 1r. avr•••• ] But wit/1,-
l~ avrroJJ yd.p .r.,,..
TOIi MEAX,CTE<JEK /J,~ out any gainsaying... Vulg. Sine ulla
YEJJEaADyEiuBai. lJijA011 rolJJVv cJs EKE'i11os autem contradictione (0. L. contro-
OVK dA71Bros ayEJJ<aAoy71ros aAAa ,cara versia).
rv1rov (Thdt. ). To E'A... ,.,.ov icp .... ] The abstract form
cJEcJEICa7'6llCEJI••• nlAoy711CEI'] v. 9 cJEcJEICll- offers the principle in its widest appli-
.,.c.,ra,. The fact is regarded as per- cation. Comp. xii. 13; Matt. xii. 41 f.
manent in its abiding consequences. (xi 9);2 Thess. ii. 6 f.; John vi. 37.
It stands written in Scripture as 8-10. Melchizedek was superior
having a present force. to Abrahani : he was superior also to
The use of the perfect in the Epistle the Levitical priests generally. This
is worthy of careful study. In every is shewn both by the nature of the
case its full force can be felt. priests themselves (v. 8), and by the
i. 4 KEKA71po11op,71ic,11. position which the common ancestor
- 13 Eip'7KEV, iV, 4" occupied towards Abrahani (9, 10).
ii. 14 1CEICOLl'Ol"'7KEJ1, •• µ•r£CTXEJ1. 8. ,cal Ja. p,l11••• EKE'i lJl ••• ] .And,
iii. 3 ~~ioorai, further, whil,e here, in this system
-:- 11 y•yo11ar•"· , which we see, •• .there, in that remote
IV. 2ECTP,£11 EV'7'Y'YEALCT/J,EVOL. and solitary exaniple•••
- 14, l 5a,.A71AvBora •• .1rmELpaup,lvov. The Ja. refers to that Levitical
vii. 3 acpooµ,o,ooµ,lvos. priesthood which was nearer to the
- 13 /J,E'l'<CTX'7K£V. writer's experience than Melchizedek,
12-2
180 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 9, 10

Aaµ/3avov<TLII, €K€L 0€ µap-rvpouµEvo<; {j-;£ ?;'ij. 9 Kat WS'

,1 , - ~ , , )./3 I I ;\ I • ~ / ~ /3 I
€7T"OS €£7r€£V, 0£ J-\ paaµ Ka£ €V€£<; o o€Ka-ras- ''-aµ avwv
0€0€Ka-rw-rat, 10
i-r, 7<ip €1/ -rij o<r<pv"i TOU 1ra-rpos 1]V (j-;€

Aeveis ~•BC*, Awls A: Aeuei ~*Dt, Aeui s-.

though the latter is the immediately ,l 'A{3paaµ, 3w1TTJ11 ;a"'1ee11; (Chrys.).

preceding subject. So oiro. is used: The answer is that .Abraham included
e.g. .Acts iv. 11. in himself, as the depositary of the
Under the Mosaic Law dying men divine promise and the divine bless-
(a1ro6111JO"ICOIIT"£S tw6p6>1To,), men who ing, all the forms, as yet undifferen-
were not only liable to death, mortal, tiated, in which they were to be em-
but men who were actually seen to bodied.
die from generation to generation, u
9. ,cal ••• .'A{3paaµ, ••• a.a,icclT6>Tm]
enjoyed the rights of priests. For .And through Abraham, as the repre-
such an order there is not only the sentative of the whole Jewish people,
contingency but the fact of succession, Levi alao ...is tithed. Vulg. Et••.per
while Melchizedek was one to whom (.August. propter) Abraham et Levi
witness is borne that he liveth. (Euth. •.. decimatus est. The descendants
Zig. µ,aprvpovµ,EIIOS b£ b,)z TOV O"EO"iyiju- of .Abraham were included in him, not
6a, T~II TEXEVT17II avroii.) The writer only as he was their forefather physi-
recurring to the exact form of the cally, but also because he was the re-
record in Genesis, on which he has cipient of the divine promises in which
dwelt before (v. 3), emphasises the the fnlness of the race in its manifold
fact that Melchizedek appears there developments was included. .And Le,i
simply in the power of life. So fa.r includes his descendants in his own
he does not die ; the witness of Scrip- person just as he was himself included ·
ture is to his living. What he does in .Abraham.
is in virtue of what he is. It must be observed that Levi is
With µ,aprvpovµ,EIIOS or, (Latt. ibi not represented as sharing in the act
autem conteatatur quia .•..Aug. qui (beicaT1711 ;a"'ic•11), but in the conse-
testijicatur se vivere) compare c. Ji. quences of the act passively (bebe1ea-
4 (lµ,apr. Elva, b,,c.); id. 5 (µ,•µ,apr. T6>TCU, Latt. decimatus est). The act
.vapECTT1)1CE11m). Philo, Leg. Alleg. iii. of his father determined his relation
§ 81 (i. 132 M.), M6>vo-ijr apxn µ,aprv- to Melchizedek, just as if .Abraham
po'Uµ.£110~ 6Tt. JOT& 1r,crr;,~ DA<t> Ttp oitccp. had made himself Melchizedek's vas-
bu(aras] The plural is used here sal
and v. 9, as distinguished from the .Js l1ros ,l1re111] Vulg. ut ita dictum
singular in vv. z, 4, to express the sit. V. L, quemadmodum dicam (.Aug..
repeated and manifold tithings under sicut oportet dicere ).
the Mosaic system ; or perhaps the This classical phrase does not occur
many objects which were tithed. The elsewhere in the N.T. or in LXX., but
former interpretation is the more is found in Philo (e.g. De plant. Now
likely because in vv. z, 4 the reference i. 353 M.). It serves to introduce a
is to one special act. statement which may startle a reader,
9, 10. It might be said by a Jewish and which requires to be guarded from
opponent : But .Abraham was not a misinterpretation.
priest : the priesthood, with its pecu- 10. h, -yop lv rf, &ucpvi. •• ] Comp.
liar prerogatives, was not instituted in v. 5 l~eX. /,c ~s &ucp. The repetition
his time. T, 1rp6s rovs l,pias ~,,_;;,11 of the phrase, which occurs again in
VII. 10] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 181

the N.T. only in Acts ii. 30, empha- the worshipper ; an end which the
sises the idea of the real unity of Priesthood of Christ is fitted to secure.
Abraham's race in the conditions of This is established by the fact that
their earthly existence. By this the Levitical priesthood was,
teaching a mystery is indicated to us (a) Transitory: a new Priesthood
into which we can see but a little way, was promised (11-14); and
a final antithesis in our being ; we (fJ) Temporal, as contrasted with
feel at every turn that we are depen- that which is eternal, universal ( 15-
dent on the past, and that the future 19).
will depend in a large degree upon While on the other hand the new
ourselves. This is one aspect of life, Priesthood is
and it is not overlooked in Scripture. (a) Immutable: confirmed by an
At the same time it does not give a oath (20---22); and
complete view of our position. On (fJ) Uninterrupted: embodied for
the one side our outward life is condi- ever in the One Friest (23-25).
tioned by our ancestry : on the other Briefly, if we regard the argument
side we stand in virtue of our 'spirit' in its bearing on the Gospel, the notes
in immediate, personal connexion of Christ's Priesthood after the order
with God (c. xiL 9). Each man is at of Melchizedek are that it is: (1) New,
once an individual of a race and a new (2) effective, (3) sure, (4) one.
power in the evolution of the race. The argument tums mainly upon
He is born (Traducianism), and also the nature of the Levitical priesthood,
he is created (Creationism). Comp. but the Law is involved in the Priest-
Martensen Dogm. § 74- Additional hood. The abrogation of the one
Note on iv. 12. carries with it the abrogation of the
Toii ,raTpils] The context, in the other. If the Hebrews came to feel
absence of further definition, requires that Christ had superseded the priests
the sense 'his father' (not 'our of the Old Covenant, they would soon
father'). Abraham, who was the leam that the whole Law had passed
father of all Israel (Luke L 73; John away.
viii. 53, 56; Acts vii. 2; James ii. 21 ; · Throughout it is implied that if
Rom. iv. 1, 12, /, ,rarr,p ~µ0011), can be Melchizedek was greater than Levi,
spoken of also as the father of Levi in then a fortiori Christ was, of whom
particular, through Isaac and Jacob. Melchizedek was a partial type.
(c) The Levitical priesthood and "Now if there had been a bringing
the priesthood of Christ ( 11-25). to perfection through the Levitical
Having interpreted the type of an priesthood, for under it the people
absolute priesthood, independent of hath received the Law, what further
descent and uninterrupted by death 'IIM!d would there have been that an-
(v. 3), offered in the record of Melchi- other priest should arise after the
zedek, and having pointed out the order qf Melchizedek and be styled
thoughts to which that history might not after the order qf .Aaron? •• For
guide a student of the O.T., in respect when the priesthood is changed, there
of the later priesthood of the Law, is made also qf necessity a change of
the writer goes on to consider in de- law. ' 3 For He qf whom tliese things
tail the characteristics of the Levitical are said belongeth to another tribe,
priesthood and of the Law which it from whwh no man hath given at-
essentially represented in relation to tendance at the altar. ''For it is
the Priesthood of Christ. The Le- evident that our Lord hath risen out
vitical priesthood (generally) was in- of Judah, as to which trtbe Moses
capable of effecting that at which a ,pake nothing of priests. ' 5 .And what
priesthood aims, the 'perfecting' of we say is yet more abundantly evident
182 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [YII. II

C)'NHNTHC€N
'
o.YT<{) M€AXIC€b.EK. II€'L I ,;- ). I
µ€11 OVJ/ 'T€t'-€LW<Tt<;

if aj"ter the likeness of Melchizedek of the priesthood. The priesthood

there ariseth another priest, ' 6 who therefore was designed to assist in
hath been made not aj"ter the law of bringing about this 'perfection.'
a carnal commandment but after the If then there had been a bringing
power of an indissoluble life; ' 7for to perfection through the Levitical
it is witnessed of Him, priesthood-if in other words there
Thou art a priestfor ever, had been a bringing to perfection
.After the order of Melchizedek. through the Law-there would have
18
For there is a disannulling of a been no need of another priesthood.
foregoing commandment, because of If on the other hand the whole Law
its weakness and unprqfitableness- failed to accomplish that to which it
'9 for the Law made nothing perfect- pointed, then so far also the priest-
and a bringing in thereupon of a hood failed. Such a failure, not a
better hope, through which we draw failure but the fulfilment of the divine
nigh to God. 00 .And inasmuch as He purpose, was indicated by the promise
hath not received His office without of another priesthood in a new line.
the taking of an oathr- for while
21
II. El µ.i11 0011 ... ~11 ••• Tl~ ln XPEla ...
they (the Levitical priests) have been >.lyurtJai ;] Now if there had been a
made priests without any taking of bringing to perfection ...what further
an oath, He was made with taking of need would there ha1Je been ..• f Vulg.
an oath, through Him that saith to Si ergo comummatio ... erat ..• quid
Him, adhuc necessarium ... f The argument
The Lord aware and will not starts from the line of thought just
repent Himself, laid down. Before the Levitical priest-
Thou art a priest for ever- hood was organised another type of
.. by so much also hath Jesus become priesthood had been foreshewn. But if
surety of a better covenant. •3 .And the utmost object of a priesthood-of
whil,e they have been made prie,u a divine provision for man's progress
many i'.n number, because they artJ to his true goal-had been capable of
hindered by death from abiding with attainment under the Mosaic order,
men, •4 He, because He abideth for what need would there have been
ever, hath His priesthood inviolable. that another priest should arise and
•s Whence also He is able to save to that this new priest should be styled
the uttermost them that come unto after a different order 7 Experience
God through Him, seeing He e1Jt1r however proved its necessity. The
li1Jeth to make intercession for them. Levitical priesthood was, and was
11-14. The Levitical priesthood proved to be, only provisional. It could
and the Law, which it represented, not effect that to which it pointed.
were alike transitional and transitory. This conviction was expressed by the
It is assumed that the object of the Psalmist when he recalled the earlier
Law was to bring or to prepare for type.
bringing the people to 'perfection' : The conditional form (d ... ~v ...Tl~
divine legislation can have no other fr, XPEla ... ;) may be rendered either
e.nd. The priesthood, on which the 'if there had been (which was not the
Law rested, embodied its ruling idea. case) what further need would there
And conversely in the Law as a com- have been (as in fact there was) 7' or
plete system we can see the aim 'if there were (as is not the case) what
VII. 12] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

out 'TtJS Aevf.t'TtKijs iepwcrJvr,s ;fv, o i\.ads 7ap hr' av'Tijs

J/EJJOµo 0E'TrJ'Tat,
1 I
'TtS
.,
E'Tt
I
xpeta
•
Kb.Tb. THN
.\ '
Tb.zlN
M€i\XIC€A€K
'
,,E'Tepov ' '
avt<T'Ta<T 0at '1epeb.
, ,cat' ov' 1
Kb.To. '
THN '
Th.zlN 'A apwv
'
" I 0
t\.E7E<T at;
%<i .Cl , \ ~ •
fJ-E'Ta'TtvEµ.EV'YJS 7ap 'T'YJS LEf>W<TVJ/1'}S Ee; ava7K'YJS
I •~ , I

om.~vB. l'El'Of).06irqTa.<: •T'TfTO S°.

Tls+-ya.p D 2*.

further need would there be (as there For oXao" comp. c. ii. 17 note.
is) 1' The former suits the context This use of the passive (1>Evop.08iT1J-
best. Comp. c. iv. 8 .Additional Note. ,.ai, comp. viii 6) corresponds directly
For the use of ,_,.,,, 0311 without any with the active form vop.o8En'iv .,.,,,a
a, afterwards, see c. viii 4 ; .Acts i. 6 ; (Ps. xxiv. (xxv.) 8 ;· cxviii (cxix.) 33);
ii 41; xiii 4; .1 Cor. vi 4, 7 ; Phil as it is found also in Plato, answering
iii 8. to .,,,_,.. .,-wi. The Law is regarded as
a,a 'l"ij!i' AEVHT'1Cij!i' lEp.] The word still in force (x. 1 ; ix. 6~
Awnr,Ko!i' appears to have been formed .,-[" tr, XPE[a ... X,yEu8ai;] The expli-
by the writer. It is not found in the cit words of the Psalmist at once
Lxx., nor is it quoted from Josephus, separate the new priest from the
Philo or the .Apostolic fathers. The former line. He was styled 'not after
use of this title (as distinguished from the order of .Aaron.' The ,,., marks
'.A.aronic': KaTa ~" .,.~,,, 'Aap~v) illus- that the want was felt after the
trates the desire of the writer to Levitical priesthood had been estab-
regard the priesthood as the concen- lished. The change was found by
tration (so to speak) of the hallowing experience to be required, and it was
of the tribe (v. 5 note). described long before it came to pass
The word lEpoouvVT/ occurs in the by one who lived under the Law and
N.T. only in this chapter (vv. 12, 24 enjoyed its privileges.
[14 lEpioov]). It is rare in the Lxx., The negative (ov) belongs to the de-
and found there only in the later scriptive clause and not to XiyEu8at..
books. .As distinguished from lEparla For dviO"l"au8a, see .Acts iii 22 ; vii.
(-Ela) (v. 5 note) it expresses the ab- 37. By the use of lnpov (not ~Xov)
stract notion of the priestly office, as the two priesthoods are directly com-
distinguished from the priestly service. pared to the exclusion of all others.
The words are not distinguished in Contrast iv. 8 (,rEpl ~A'1s ~µ..).
the Versions. 12. p.Erari8. yap ••• ylvETai] For when
& Aa~!i' yap, ••VEl'Op.08.] Vulg. populus the priesthood is changed... The -yap
enim suh ipso ••• legem, a,ccepit. The may refer to the main thought of 'D. I 1
efficacy of the Law may justly be or to the parenthesis (o AM!i' -yap••• ).
represented by the efficacy of the The former connexion appears to be
priesthood, for the people, called to the more natural The change• of
be the people of God (v. 5), hath priesthood involves the change of
receii,ed the Law, resting on it (the Law. Such a change must have been
priesthood) as its foundation. For called for by an overwhelming neces-
this use of l-rrl with gen. see Luke sity.
iv. 29. The general sense is expressed The change of the priesthood is
more naturally in English by 'under presented as the transference, the
it' as the forming, shaping power. removal, of the priesthood from one
The temporal sense (Matt. i. 11) has order, one line, to another: translatum
no force here. est sacerdotium de tribu in tribum,
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. (VII. 13, 14

KatI voµ.ov
I
µera'0€<Tts 'YlV€'Tat.
I X3 , m' ,I \ "\ I
€r ov 'Yap ''-€'Y€'Tat
TavTa <j>vl\.iis E.'TEpas µ€'TE<TXY1K€V, d<J>' ,is ouO€ts :7rpo<TE<T-
XYIKEV 'T'f~ 0u<rta<T'TrJptcp
' • x4 7rpoor,,'-ov
'~ "\ '
'Yap ,,
O'Tt , t: , / ,~
€c; ovoa
n om. Ka.I 116µ,011 B.

de sacerdotali videlicet ad regalem attendance at...Latt. (alt.) prmsto fuit.

(Primasius). The 'removal' of the Law For 1rpaulxnv compare c. ii I note.
is more complete : c. xii 27. This From the sense of 'giving attention
change is considered in the abstract to/ that of practical 'devotion' to an
(vop.ov p.EraiJrn·,s); and the use of the object follows naturally: 1 Tim. iv. 13;
pres. partic. (p.ErardJEp.1111/s) makes the iii. 8 (rep oiv"'). The statement applies
two processes absolutely coincident only to the regular legitimate service
(this thought is lost in the Vulg. of the altar and does not take account
tramlato enim). of any exceptional acts, as of the royal
13- lcp' 3v -yap >... r.] Latt. in quo sacrifices of David and Solomon.
enim•••This clause goes back to"'· u, 14 1rpoaq:>..ov yap .•. ]For it is openly,
the intervening verse 12 being treat- obviously, er,ident to all ••• Comp. 1 Tim.
ed as parenthetical. The necessity v. 24 t: The word 'lrpoaq:>..os occurs
there spoken of has been recognised several times in Clem. 1 Gor. cc. u,
and met. The promise in the Psalm, 12, 40, 51.
with all its consequences, has been 1e 'Iovaa] out qf the tribe of Judah.
fulfilled ; for He to whom these dimne Compare Apoc. v. 5 & Xl"'v o lie Tijs
'IIJOrdB are directed..•For lcp' iv comp. cpvXijs 'Iovaa.
Mark ix. 12 t:: Elli ~v 'D. 14 note. These are the only two passages in
JJ-ErluxqicEv] Latt. (de aUa tribu) eat. the N.T. in which the Lord is definitely
The choice of this word points to the connected with Judah except in the
voluntary assumption of humanity by record of the Nativity (Matt. ii 6 II
the Lord. It is not said simply that Micah v. 2). The privilege of the tribe
He was born of another tribe: He was is elsewhere concentrated in its repre-
of His own will so born. Compare ii sentative, David (2 Sam. vii 12; Jer.
14 (p.ETluxEv); and for the perfect 1'. 6 xxiii 5 ; Ps. cxxxii 11 ; Luke i. 32 ;
note. Rom. i. 3). Comp. Gen. xlix. 8 ff.
The us~ of frlpall appears to place Here the contrast with Levi makes
the royal and priestly tribes in signi- the mention of the tribe necessary.
ficant connexion and contrast. The Lord traced His descent from the
The Gloasa Ordin. (following Chry- royal and not from the priestly tribe.
sostom) draws a parallel between the There is no direct mention in this
tribe of Judah and the Lord. Intuere Epistle of the relation of the Lord to
mysterium : primum fuit regalis (tri- David.
bus ludre1 postea facta est sacerdo- It is important to observe that the
talis. Sic Christus rex erat semper ; writer affirms here most plainly the
sacerdos autem factus est quando true manhood of the Lord (comp. v. 7
carnem suscepit, quando sacrificium ff.). Like St John he combines the
obtulit. most striking testimonies to His divine
It was not unnatural that some and human natures.
endeavoured to claim for the Lord a There is nothing to shew in what
double descent, from Levi as well as exact form he held that the Lord's
from Judah. Comp. Lightfoot on descent from Judah through David
Clem. 1 Gor. 32. was reckoned : whether as the legal
1rpouluxqicEv rep 8vuiaUT.] hath gir,en representative of Joseph, or as the
VII. 15] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
, I , I t ,... ' t.\ 17\ '\. \ \ t I
ava'TE'TaX,cev o ,cupw<;; r,µwv, EL<; r,11 't'Vt'-r/11 7rEpt LEpewv
·~' MWV<Tr,<;;
OUOEJ/
~ .... ,..,.
€1\.at\.'t7CTEJ/.
15 Kat\ 7rEpLCTCTO'TEpov
I ,,
E'TL Ka-ra-
I

~"\.'' , , , , , M , ,,
Or/1\.0V ECT'TLV, EL Kb.Tb., THN OP,OLO'Tr,'Ta €AXIC€MK aVLCT'Ta'TaL

14 .,,.,pi l,p. ouoev (~)ABC*D,*: OVOEV 7rEp! lepwu6P-l}S • syrr. ouo. M.: M. ovo.
~*. 15 om. riJv B.

Son of Mary, who waa herself known type, not legal but spiritual, not sacer-
to be of Davidic descent. The genea- dotal only, but royal, not transitory
logies are in favour of the former view. but eternal
Compare Clem. R. xxxii and Light£ 15. Kal 'ITEpt<T<TOTEpov ETI KOTalJ•••• ]
dvaTfraAK<v] hath risen, sprung. And what we say is yet more abun-
Latt. ortus est. The image may be dantly evident ••• Vulg. Et amplius
taken from the rising of the sun or of adhuc manifestum est •.• Doubt has
a star, or from the rising of a plant been felt aa to the exact reference of
from its hidden germ. For the former this statement. Is it the abrogation
image comp. Lnke i 78; 2 Pet. i. 19; of the Law which is more abundantly
Num. xxiv. 17; Mal. iv. 2. For the proved by the language of the Psalm ?
latter, Is. lxi 11 ; J er. xxiii 5 ; Zech. or the inefficacy of the Levitical priest-
iii. 8; vi. 12. The usage of the N.T. is hood 7 Both conclusions follow from
in favour of the former interpretation; the special description of the new
and Theophylact, referring to Num. priesthood. But the thought of the
xxiv. and Mal. iv., says well : lJ,' Jv abrogation of the Law is really second-
a,,xovrat TO Ell/ cj,wTUTJJ-OV TOV KO<TJJ-OV ary. This is involved in the inefficacy
T1]V 'ITapovulav Toii Kvplov ')'EViu8ai. of the priesthood which is the domin-
oKvp1011 ~µ.c.iv] Compare c. xiii. 20 o ant thought in connexion with Christ's
KVpior ~- 'l'}<TOVI/. work. Hence the new proof is directed
The title without any addition is to the former main argument.
very rare and occurs (only) 1 Tim. i. This is the view given in the main
14 ; 2 Tim. i 8 ; 2 Pet. iii 15. · by patristic commentators : Tl l=,v
Comp. 0 KVplOI/ ii. 3 note. KaTalJ,,Xov ; Ta µ.luov rijr l•pw<TVll'}I/ £Ka-
In Apoc. xi 15 the title is applied Tipa11, TO lJiacj,opov, ;$uov Kp<lrrwv ?ir oil
to the Father ; o icvp1011 ~µ.c.iv Kal. o Kara VOJJ-OV <VT0:.\ij11 <TapKIKijl/ ')'f')'OJ/E
XPlaTOI/ avToii. (Chrys.> .
,ll! ~11 cp.] Latt. in qua tribu. ~ ;Jn TO lva:.\:.\a'Y1u~uBa, K~l T1]V l,pw-
Comp. lcp /Jv v. 13; Lnke xxii 65; <TVll'}V Kal T~v lJ1a~,c'l11 (Theophlct.).
Eph. v. 32 ; Acts ii. 2 5 ; and also onnplius manifestum est .•• subaudi
1 Pet. i II. destructum esse sacerdotium legis
15-19. The Levitical priesthood (Primaa.).
waa transitory, and during its con- icaTalJl):.\011] The word occurs here
tinuance it waa stamped with the only in the N.T. and it is not found in
conditions of limitation. LXL (Hdt. Xen. Jos.). Compare for
The incapacity of the Levitical the force of Kara, KanllJw:.\011 (Acts xvii.
priesthood to bring to perfection waa I 6), Kamcp,:.\iiv•
shewn, aa haa been seen, by the fact • z Kara T~J/ oµ.o,6. M.] if, 118 may be
that the promise of another priest- most certainly laid down on the au-
hood waa made while it was still in thority of Scripture, it is after the
full activity (n-14). The conclusion likeness ofMelchizedek another priest
is established still more obviously from ariseth, if this is to be the pattern of
the consideration that this promised the new priesthood. Rom. viii. 31 &c.
priesthood was after a wholly different John vii. 23 &c.
186 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 16
,, 16 (.\ ' \ , ' '\. ,... ' '
i€peyc erepo,;, o,; ou KaTa voµov e11T01\.17,; <TapKtllrJ<; ,ye,yovev

The idea of 'order' is specialised 'commandment' with 'life,' that which

into that of likeness. Melchizedek is of extemal injunction with that
fumishes, so to speak, the personal as which is of spontaneous energy : and
well as the official type of the new 'flesh' with 'indissoluble,' that which
High-priest. This 'likeness' brings carries with it the necessity of cor-
out more clearly than before the ruption with that which knows no
difference between the new and the change.
old priesthood. ov icaTa 110µ.. tJIT. uapic.] Vulg. non
For the use of £1, where the truth secundum legem mandati carnalis.
of the supposition is a.ssumed, see In the phrase ICaTa 110µ.o11 the writer
Rom. viii 31 ; John vii 23 &c. necessarily thinks of the Jewish Law,
'Oµ,o.f,17/s occurs again in c. iv. 15. but this is not directly referred to in
The word is cla.ssical and is found in its concrete form as 'the Law,' but
Gen. i. 11 f.; Wisd. xiv. 19. indicated in its character as 'a law,'
a11lOTaTm] 'D. II. The present de- so that the words express a perfectly
scribes the certain fulfihnent of the general idea : 'not according to a law
divine purpose, which has indeed of carnal commandment.' The gen.
become a fact ('D. 16, ylyovo,). Comp. expresses that in which the law finds
Matt. ii 4 ; xxvi 2. expression. Comp. John v. 29. See
l£p£vs ETEpos] 'D.11, i.e. Christ fulfilling also 'D. 2 note.
the promise of the Psalm. Theodoret In characterising the command-
remarks (on 'D. 3) that while Melchize- ment (/PT, uapic.) the strong form which
dek was only a type of Christ's Person expresses the substance (uapic,vos) and
and Nature, the Priesthood of Christ not simply the character of flesh (uapic,-
was after the fashion of Melchizedek. ic6s) is used to mark tha element with
For the office of priest is the office of which the commandment dealt, in
a man. which it found its embodiment. It
16. Zs ••• y,yo11£11 ••• dicaTaAVTov] wko was not only fashioned after the
hath become priest not after a law nature of flesh : it had its expression
expressed in a commandment qf in flesh (comp. ix. 10 a,icm<»µ,aTa uapicos ).
flesh, but after the power of an indu- All the requirements, for example, to
soluble lij'e. There is a double con- be satisfied by a Levitical priest were
trast between 'law' and 'power,' and literally 'of flesh,' outward descent,
between the 'commandment of flesh' outward perfectness, outward purity.
and the 'indissoluble life.' The 'la:w' No moral qualification was imposed.
is an outward restraint: the 'power' The distinction between uapicwos-
is an inward force. The 'command- (carneus, offlesh, fleshy) and uapic,icas
ment of flesh' carries with it of neces- (carnalis, jlesh-like,jleahly) is obvious.
sity the issue of change and succes- The former describes that of which
sion : the 'indissoluble life' is above the object is made (comp. Xl8,11M John
all change except a change of form. ii. 6; 2 Cor. iii 3; f~X,vos 2 Tim. ii. 20).
A priesthood fashioned after the The latter, which is a very rare and
former type was essentially subject to late word in non-Biblical Greek, and
the influence of death : a priesthood found only once as a false ,i,. l. for
fashioned after the latter type must uap1CL110S in LXX. 2 Chron. xxxii 8, is
be etemaL moulded on the type of 1r11£vµaTiic6s,
Each part also in the expression and expresses that of which the object
of the second contrast is contrasted, bears the character.
VII. 17] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 187

Ii µaprvpe.-ra, ~(-re)ABD 2* syrr me the: µaprvpe, • C.

There is considerable confusion in Zua ll,oopl{:ETO uaplCLIC<l qi,. T() yap >..iyn11
authorities as to the form used in 7TEplTEJ-LE r,}11 uapKa, XPL<TOI' Tt/11 uap,ca,
some passages of the N. T. The Aoiiuoll Tt/11 uap,ca, 1TEpl1<npo11 r,}11 uap,ca
following appears to be the true dis- ...ravra, El1ri Jl,0', oilxl uap1<&1<a; El a;
tribution of the words : BO,nr J,LaBE'ill ,cat rli,a a l-,r,,yyi>..>..Ero
r. uap1<ivor. dyaBa, ~/COVE' IIoAA,} {;ooq, cJ,11ul, rfi
Rom. vii. 14 lyJ, lJJ uap1<,11or El,.., op- uap1<l, ya>..a 1<at J-L<A& rfi uap1<l, Elpq1111 rfi
posed to ,l l'op.or 7TIIEVJUlT&l<Or. uap1<4 rpvcj,,} rfi uap,cl.
I Cor. iii. I ..lr uap1<l110,r opposed to .O.>..a 1<ara llvl'aJ-L'" {:. a1<aT.] Latt. sed
wr 7TJIEVJUlT&ICOlr. secundum 'Dirtutem 'Ditm insolubilis
2 Cor. iii. 3 1rAa1<Er uap1<wa, opposed (infatigabilis).
to 7TAal<H >..{Bwa,. The life of Christ was not endless
2. uap1<&1<or. or eternal only. It was essentially
Rom. xv. 27 T<l uapK&Ka opposed to T<l 'indissoluble' (d,caraAvror). Although
1rv£uµ.ar1.KU. the form of its manifestation was
I Cor. iii. 3 (bis) uap1<,1<ol lurE (in iii. 4 changed and in the earthly sense He
read ~11Bpoo1ro,). died, yet His life endured unchanged
I Cor. ix. I I, ra uap1<&Ka opposed to TO. even through earthly dissolution. He
7TIIEVJUlT&l<a. died and yet He offered Himself as
2 Cor. i.
~
12 '"
.
uo<f,{'f uap"'"ll·
~ ' ... ov uap1<t1<a' a""a
4 _ra' o;:"a
llv11ara rc:i BE':'·
"'''
living in death by the eternal Spirit
(c. ix. 14). Comp. John xi. 26; xix.
34 note.
I Pet. ii. I I al uap1<&1Cat lmBvJ,Lla&. This life found its complete expres-
The crucial passage for the use of sion after the Ascension, but it does
the words is r Cor. iii. 1 ff. Here not date from that consummation of
there can be no doubt as to the read- glory (comp. vii. 3).
ings. In 'D. I we must read uap,c/110,r, in · It must be further noticed that the
'D. 3 (bis) uaplC&ICol and in 'D. 4 a11Bp(A)- possession of this indissoluble life is
1ror. The juxtaposition of the forms not only the characteristic of Christ's
(though the difference is lost in the exercise of His priestly office : it is
Latt.) seems to be conclusive as to the ground on which He entered upon
the fact that there is a difference in it. Other priests were made priests
their meaning. in virtue of a special ordinance : He
The true reading in 'D. 4 throws light was made priest in virtue of His
upon the other two. In 'D. r St Paul inherent nature. He could be, as
says that he was forced to address his none other, victim at once and priest.
readers as though they were merely Yet again, the permanence of the
'men of flesh,' without the 1r11Evµa. personal life of the new Priest dis-
In v. 3, seeking to soften his judg- tinguishes Him essentially from the
ment, he speaks of them as shewing legal priests. To Phinehas 'the son
traits which belong to the ucip~. In of Eleazar the son of Aaron, and to
'D. 4 it seems to him enough to suggest, his seed,' was given 'the covenant of
what was beyond all question, that an everlasting priesthood' (Nnm. xxv.
they were swayed by simply human 13; Ex. xl. 15); but this was subject
feelings. to the conditions of succession, and
In the present verse Chrysostom, therefore to the possibility of change.
following the later reading uap,ci,cfir, A priesthood founded upon a covenant
gives part of the sense well : 1ra11ra involves conditions on two sides: a
188 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 18
d
OTL
~ ' C ~ > ' > ,, \
LY l€p€1C €JC TON 6.lu>N6. K6.T6. THN T<llzlN
\ , M€AXJC€l!.€K.
, IS 'O ,
a ETrJCTL<;
'
µev '
ryap I
ryiveTat I
7rpoaryouc:r17,; ' -,.~
evT01'-rJS ~'
oia TO' ' ~ au
au-r17c; ' 0evec;
'
<TU: <Tv+ ,X vg syrr me the (and v. 21).

priesthood fom1ded on an oath to a word dBiTtJutr occurs again c. ix. 26 ;

person for himself is absolute. Comp. the verb JB,.,.,,11 is found c. x. 28 ;
Gal. iii 19 ff. Gal ii 21; iii. 15; 1 Tim. v. 12; and
17. µapTVpEtTat ')'d.p 6Tt l:v ...
]for it is common in the LXX. ; but it is
is witnessed qf Him, Thou art ...Vulg. generally used there of unfaithful,
contestatur enim quoniam Tu ..•••• rebellious action : Ex. xxi. 8 ; .Jer. iii.
Comp. v. 8. The quotation establishes 20 (l,0,ula, J8i"7µ.a).
both the eternity and the character This open, direct disannulling of
of the new priesthood (,lr -ro11 alai11a, the previous system, which is, as it
1<aTd. r,}11 T. M.). were, set at nought, 'cometh to pass'
The 6Tt here is recitative (x. 8; xi (yl11,-rm) in the fulfilment of the divine
18); andp.ap-rvp,,-rat is used absolutely order, as indicated by the mention
(xi 39). of an eternal priesthood on a new
The direct personal reference in type.
the Psalm (l:v l,p,vr... ) has not been The indefinite form of the phrase
given since the first quotation : v. 6. rrpoayov<T1Jr ivroXijr serves to express
It occurs again in c. 2 1. the general thought of the character
18, 19. aB•TtJ<Ttr p.E11yrtp ••• l1wuayo,y~ of the foundation on which the Leviti-
a•...) For there is a disannulling ... cal priesthood rested as a 'preceding,'
and a bringing in thereupon •.. Vulg. a 'foregoing,' and so a preparatory
Reprobatio quidem .fit••• introductio commandment.
cero ••. The yap goes back to v. 1 5. The word rrpoayovua (1 Tim. i 18;
The conclusion there pointed to is v. 24) expresses not only priority (an
confirmed by the decisive fact that earlier commandment) but connexion
the promised priesthood is not only (a foregoing commandment). The
distinct from the Levitical but also divine commandment (lJJToX1), point-
hTeconcileable with it, exclusive of ing to an earthly institution, stands
it ; so far, that is, that the Levitical in contrast with the hope, 1ising above
priesthood has no longer any ground earth.
for continuance when this has been The use of tJJToX1 fixes the refer-
established. ence to the ordinance of the priest-
The whole sentence is divided by hood particularly (-i:. 16) in which, as
µe11 and a. into two corresponding has been seen, the Law (ovatv iTEA. o
parts. rl11,m, goes with both ; -and 110µ.or) was summed up, so far as it is
ovaE11, .. 110µ.or is parenthetical. This compared with the Gospel.
construction appears to be established /M TO av-r. liu0. 1<al dvco>cJ,.] because of
decisively by the correspondence of its weakness and unpro.fitableness•••
aB<TtJ<Ttr ... '7rnuayco>y1, and of the Vulg. propter in.firmitatem ~us et
general scope of the two clauses. The inutilitatem. A command, a law, is
' commandment' stands over against essentially powerless to help. It can-
the 'hope,' the 'weakness and unpro- not inspire with strength : it cannot
fitableness' of the one over against bring aid to the wounded conscience.
the power of the other, whereby 'we And the ritual priesthood was affected
draw nigh to God.' ITavETat, cJ,11ulv, by both these faults. It was external,
cl 116µ.ar i7TEt<Tll')'ETat a; ~ TWIJ 1<pEtTTOJl6>JI and it was formal It did not deal
,'>..rr,r (Thdt.). with the soul or with things eternal.
18. l,IJ.Tt/u,r ••• rrpoay. ivr.•.. ] The Infirmitatem habebat lex, quia oper-
VII. 19] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
I , rh, i\_f 19 , ~' , i\_ f
' ' f ,
Kat avw't'e es, €7"€
ovoev ,yap ELW<TEV o voµos, €7r€t<Ta-
,yw,yr, ' o' ' 'o ," ·
~ 11!. €,Y'YL':)oµev
€ Kp€t'T7'0VO!. €'i\.7rL os, OL 'Y. ~
'T'f' E'f'· e

antes se non valebat juvare : inutilita- simply as better than the hope con-
tem vero, quia nemini regnum crelo- veyed by the commandment. The
rum valebat aperire (Primas.). comparison is between the command-
ovaiv olJv cJcpEA7J(1'fV ovoµ.os; rocpl>..7J(1'£ ment characteristic of the Law and
JJ,EV Kal (1'<poapa ro<j,l>..7J(1'EV, aAAa .,.;, the hope characteristic of the Gospel ;
7l"O<ij(1'a, T"EAEIOVS OVK rocf,•A7J(1'fV (Chrys.). and not between the temporal hope
The use of the abstract forms .,.;, of the Law and the spiritual hope of
a(1'B., .,.;, avwcf,., marks the principle the Gospel. Though the Law had
and not only the fact. Comp. vi. 17. (cf. viii. 6) a hope, the thought of it
For .,.;, a(1'BEvls comp. 1 Cor. i 27; Gal. seems to be out of pl?,Ce here.
iv. 9; Rom. viii. 3 (1(1'Blvn). For i71"£L(1'a-yw-y1 compare i11"EL(1'{pxo,
£JJTaV8a 1]µ.'iv £1ncj,'Uovra, ol alperuc.oL µ.a, Luke xxi. 35 ; and for ,'A'll"lr c. iii.
aAA' c!KOV£ aKp,fJws. OVK £l71"£ a,;. .,.;, 6; vi. 19 notes.
11"0V1Jpov, ovai a,a .,.;, µ.oxlJ1Jp6v, ana a,;. a,· ;s iy-y. T'f IJ£,ji] through which
.,.;, av'r"ijs a(1'BEVES Kal av<il<pEAfS (Chrys.). hope we draw nigh to God ...Vulg.
19. otlaiv -yap ••• ] The Law, of which per quam proximamus ad lJeum.
the institution of the Levitical priest- The commandment was directed to
hood (the special commandment just the fulfilment of ordinances on earth :
noticed) was a part or indeed the hope enters within the veil and carries
foundation (v. II\ brought nothing to believers with it (c. vi. 19).
perfection. In every application (ovalv) The phrase t1y-y{(£w T"'f IJE,ji is used,
it was provisional and preparatory though rarely, in LXX. of the priests :
(comp. ix. 21 ff.; Lev. xvi. 16). This Ex. xix. 22 (t::im ; Lev. x. 3 (:l".!R) ;
decisive parenthesis is explanatory of Ezek. xlii. 13 ; xliii. 19.
'the weakness and unprofitableness' But also more widely; Is. xxix. 13:
of the commandment (for the Law ... ). comp. Ex. xxiv. 2; Hos. xii. 6 (iy-y.
Man must strive towards the perfec- 71" pd,; .,._ B.).
tion, the accomplishment, of his des- It occurs again in the N.T., James
tiny on earth. The Law failed him in iv. 8.
the effort. He outgrew it. The very .All believers are, in virtue of their
scope of the Law indeed was to define Christian faith, priests : 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9 ;
the requirements of life, and to shew .Apoc. i. 6 ; v. 10 ; xx. 6. That which
that man himself could not satisfy was before (in a figure) the privilege
them. Comp. Gal ii. 15 f.; iii. 19; of a class has become (in reality) the
Rom. iii. 19 t:; vii. 7 ff. privilege of all ; and thus man is en-
inAfl<il(1'EV] v. II note. The tense abled to gain through fellowship with
indicates the final view of the Law. God the attainment of his destiny
Contrast x. 14 T"£T"£AE1wKEv. (nAE&<il(1'<s). Comp. c. x. 19.
i'tr£L(1'aywyi} ai Kp. E'A71".] There was, 20-25. The .Apostle goes on to
on the one side the disannulling of a shew the superiority of Christ's Priest-
preparatory commandment, and there hood over the Levitica.l priesthood
was on the other side the introduction from its essential characteristics.
of a new (i11"1) and better hope to Christ's Priesthood is immutable in
occupy the place which was held by its foundation (20--22); and it is
the commandment before. uninterrupted in its personal tenure
This hope is described as better (23-25).
than the commandment, and not 20--22. The .And corresponds to
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 20, 21

~o Kat\ Ka 0' O<rOJI

,, , , ,
OU xwpt<,; OpKwµo<rta<;,
, (Olc , ,
µell ,yap xwptc,;
,

t I ' \ ' ,... I 21 ' ~ \ \ '

opKwµo<nas eurtv tepetc,; ryeryovoTec;, o oe µeTa opKw-
'
µo<rta<,; '1- ' TOU
Ota - 1\.€,YOIITO<;
"" ' '
1rpoc,; ' '
aUTOI/ .,.,
uMOC€N Kyp1oc,
, Kb.I, oy,

20 o! /J,EP -yap X· opK.: om. D2* syr hl.

the And in vv. 15, 23, and introduces while they ... He ...Vulg. alii quidem
a new moment in the argument. ...hw autem ... This elaborate paren-
The additional solemnity of the oath thesis is inserted to explain fully
gives an additional dignity to the the ,contrast implied in xoopls- /JpKoo-
covenant which is introduced by it µ,ouias-.
(compare vi. I 3 ff.). And yet further, 'For while the one class of priests
by this oath the purpose of God is (the Levitical priests) have become
declared absolutely. Man's weakness priests without any taking of an oath,
no longer enters as an element into He was made priest witlt it' (µEra,
the prospect of its fulfilment. The comp. Matt. xiv. 7). The stress laid
permanence of a covenant which rests upon the oath suggests the contrast
upon an oath is assured. between 'the promise' and 'the Law'
The introduction of the idea of a on which St Paul dwells (e.g. Gal iii.
'covenant' is sudden and unprepared. 15 ff.). The Law is an expression of
It was probably suggested by the the sovereign power of God Who re-
words recorded in Matt. xxvi. 28. quires specific obedience : the oath
The thought of Christ's Priesthood is implies a purpose of love not to be
necessarily connected with the history disturbed by man's unworthiness.
of His Passion. Elulv lEpE"is- yryov.] The periphrasis
20 (22~ Ka8' OUOV ••• KaTa TOUOVTO marks the possession as well as the
Kal. •• ] And inasmuch .•.by so much impartment of the office : they have
also ••• Latt. Quantum •.. in tantum ••• been made priests and they act as
The sovereign validity of the divine priests.
oath is the measure of the exceeding Comp. "'· 27 ; iv. 2 ; x. ro (ii. 13).
authority of the dispensation which The construction is not uncommon
rests upon it. throughout the N.T., and is never
For the form of comparison see c. i. without force. Compare Moulton-
-I- KpElrroov .. ,C)U<p a,acpopJnpov. iii 3 Winer, p. 438.
1rAE10110r ••• KaO' ouov. ix. 27 KaO' &uov 21. ll,a roii Aiyovros-] through Him
••• oilroor ••• ; and for the introduction of that saith (Latt. per eum qui diait),
the parenthesis (ol p.Ev yap ... Els rov i.e. God through the mouth of the
al<i,va) compare c. xii 18-24- Psalmist. The divine voice is not
20. 01l xooplr opK.] not without the regarded as an isolated utterance (ll,a
taking of an oath hath He received roii Elm,vror, c. x. 30; 2 Cor. iv. 6;
His office. This addition is suggested James ii. u), but as one which is still
by 1'. 22, and by p.Era JpK. which follows. present and effective. Comp. xii. 25 (J
The words however may be taken AaAoov); i. 6 note.
generally: 'the whole transaction doth Though the words (t:Zµ,ouEv ... oJ p.E-
not take place without the taking of raµ,EA.) are not directly spoken by the
an oath'•.• Lord, they are His by implication.
The word lJpKooµ,oula, which occurs The oath is His.
again in v. 28; Ezek. xvii. 18 f. ; 1 Esdr. 1rpor aJr&v] The words have a
viii. 90, expresses the whole action, double meaning in relation to the two
and not simply the oath. parts of the verse quoted. The first
ol µ,Ev yap ... /, lli...Els- rov aloova] for part has Christ for its object (' in
VII. 22, 23] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 191

, "'"' C \ , \ , ... ) ~l ' ,... '

M€TcllM€AH0HC€Tclll, LY 1epeyc €IC TON clllOONcll, KaTa TOU'OVTO Kal
I
KpetTTOI/OS
~ 0I
ota rJKrJS
I
"f€"fO11€11
,1
€"/"/VOS
'
rJU'OVS.
I
ll3 I / \ •
n.at Ol
-
µev
\ I I
7r/\€LOl/€S
,
€L<1'LII "f€"fO1/O7"€S
I ',...
t€pets
~\
ota
\
TO
0avaTcpI

om. •ls -ro11 o.l. N*. <ls -ro11 o.l. BC vg the: +Ko.-rcl. -r¾,11 -r~w M. N•AD2 syrr me.
21
Ko.! N*BC*: om. Ko.£ N•AD 2 vg me.
2 2 T<XT, -rocrofJ-ro11 !. N• --rw Dt. 23 'Y<"/·
l,p. NB vg syrr me: l<p, 'Y''Y• ACD2 •

regard to Him': comp. i. 7): in the the Son of man, has been exalted to
second part He is directly addressed. the right hand of God, where He is
For .Zµ.ou•11 compare Luke i. 73; seated as King and Priest. In His
Acts ii. 30 ; and for oil µ.•-raµ.•>..118~u•• divine humanity He assures us that
-rai, Rom. xi 29; Num. xxiii. 19; 1 God has potentially accomplished the
Sam. xv. 29. The necessities of hu- purpose of Creation, and will accom-
man thought require that sometimes, plish it. '
through man's failure or change, God, The word E'yyuos does not occur
who is unchangeable, should be said elsewhere in N. T. See Ecclus. xxix.
to repent. The temporary interrup- I 5 f.; 2 Mace. x. 28 ;yyvov •v11µ.•plas
tion of the accomplishment of His KaL vbc.1Jr.
counsel of love must appear in this A surety for the most part pledges
light under the conditions of time to himself that something will be : but
those 'who see but part' : Gen. vi. 6 ; here the Ascended Christ witnesses
1 Sam. xv. 10; 2 Sam. xxiv. 16 ; J er. that something is : the assurance is
xviii 8. not simply of the future but of that
22. KpElTTovos •• .'lf/uovs] Jesus hath which is present though unseen.
become surety of a better covenant It must be noticed that Christ is
(Vulg. melioris testamenti sponsor not said here to be a surety for man
f actus est Jesus) in that He has shewn to God, but a surety of a covenant of
in His own Person the fact of the God with man.
establishment of a New Covenant be- . Theodoret interprets the phrase too
tween God and man. This He has narrowly: a,a rijs ol,cElas ava<TTO(TEWS
done by His Incarnation, issuing in His E/3E/3al{l)u£ rijr '714ET£par civaOT&uEc.>s- T'}v
Life, His Death, His Resurrection, E'>..1rf.aa.
His eternal Priesthood. But inas- For tw8~1Cf/ see Additional Note on
much as the immediate subject here ix. 16. .
is Christ's Priesthood, the reference is 23-25. A second fact establishes
especially to this, the consummation the pre-eminence of Christ's Priest-
of the Incarnation. Jesus-the Son hood. It is held uninterruptedly by
of man-having entered into the One Ever-living Priest.
Presence of God for men is the sure 23- ,cal ol µ.iv 1r>... El. y<y.... 6 U ...]
pledge of the validity of the New .And while they-the one class, the
Covenant. Levitical priests-have been made
In later passages of the Epistle priests many in number ... He •••hath
(viii 6 note) Christ is spoken of as the His priesthood inviolable. Vulg. Et
Mediator of the New Covenant. He alii quidem plures facti aunt sacer-
Himself brought about the Covenant ; dote$••• hie autem... The Levitical
and He is the adequate surety of its priests held the priesthood in suc-
endurance. cession, one after another. They were
'l11<Tovs] The human name of the made priests many in number, not
Lord stands emphatically at the end. simultaneously but successively. The
(Comp. vi. 20; ii. 9 note.) Jesus, thought is of the line which repre-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 24, 25
, e ,
KW i\U€<T at 7rapaµ€V€LV'
"'4 • ~,
0 0€
~ , , ,
vta 'TO µEv€tV au-rov
, , ,
€IC T N
d
,• , I ,Q ,t \ c / !15 ,le \ IY.
b.lWNb. a7rapa/Ja-rov €X€t -rr,v t€pw0'1lvr,v· o €V Kat crw~EtV
24 lepa.Tla.v D 2 *.

sents the office. 'l'he covenant of an is contrasted with the transitory con-
everlasting priesthood was not with tinuance of mortal men on earth. And
Aaron personally, but with Aaron and again the fact that He 'abides for
his sons 'throughout their generations' ever' in virtue of His Nature involves
(Ex. xl. 15; comp. Num. xxv. 13). the further fact that He will fulfil
At the same time it is a true thought His priestly office for ever.
that the perfect continuity of the Jesus quia immortalis est sempiter-
office could only be secured by the num habet sacerdotium ; nee ullum
existence of many priests at once habere poterit subsequentem, eo quod
(comp. Ex. xxix.); but that is not the ipse maneat in reternum (Primas.).
point here. d1rapaf1aTOJI lxn T'7/JI lep.] Literally
The order in the words ')leyo11.S,.es- hath His priesthood inmolable, unim-
lepe'ir as compared with v. 20 lepiir paired, and so unchangeable. The
-ye-y01,.S,.er is worthy of notice. In the word a'lrapafJaTOS' has caused difficulty
former passage lepe'is- was accentuated: from early times (Ambr. imprm-
here the thought is of the number varicabile, Aug. intransgressibile:
who are 'made' priests. Theophlct. T'OVT'(O'TII/ dat{JICO'lf'OII, &.a,a-
a,a TO 8. /Co>>-. 1rapaµl11ew] The multi- aoxo11). There appears to be no inde-
tude of the Levitical priests is a neces- pendent authority for the sense 'un-
sity, because they are hindered by transmitted,' 'that does not pass to
death from abiding as priests among another.' According to the analogy of
men. The statement is made generally lifJaTor, &rlfJaTor, the form 'lrapafJaToS'
and not of the past only. The use of expresses that which is or may be
the rare word 1rapaµl11n11 (Phil. i. 25, transgressed, invaded. 'A'11'apa{:1aTos- is
not I Cor. xvi. 6) implies the idea of therefore that which cannot be (or in
fellowship, service on the part of the fact is not) overstepped, transgresseJ,
priests during their abiding (i.e. rrapa- violated, that which is 'absolute.'
µi11e,11 To'is- d118pw'1f'o,r, not Tfi lepat"EU,- Thus Galen speaks of 'observing an
Hdt. i. 30 T<1C11a ••• '1rapaµel11a11Ta~ It absolute law I (110µ011 d1rapaf1aTOIJ q,v-
would be pointless to say that 'death AaT'T'£W). Compare Epict. Ench. 50,
hindered them from living' : it hin- 2 (voµos- a'lrapafJaT'OS'); Pseudo-Just.
dered them from discharging the QU«Jst. ad Orthod. § 27; Jos. c. Ap. ii.
function which was necessary for man's 41 (T'l EVU'Ef1elas- 0.'11'apaf1aTOV (in-rJiolate)
well-being. ,caA.Xiov; but in Antt. xviii. 9 (10), 2
24. o a; lM TJ µinw ••• T'1]11 t.rpC11>a-.] he uses it of men O.'lrapafJaTo, JLEJLE"']-
He, because He abidethfor e'Der, kath ,c.S,.er in connexion with the phrase
His priesthood in'Diolable. Vulg. Hie otla' tw avTol 1rapaf1al,,µn1). So the
autem eo quod maneat in mtemum word is used in connexion with IJn,,pla,
sempiternum habet sacerdotium. In T'a~IS', elp.apµlv,, (comp. Wetst. ad loc.).
both respects Christ offers a contr&Bt Christ's Priesthood is His alone, open
with the Levitical priests. He 'abides to no rival claim, liable to no invasion
for ever,' though in this sense it is of its functions.
not said that He abides with us 25. olJev ical] whence (c. ii. 17 note)
('11'apaµl11n11), while they were hindered also, because His priesthood is abso-
by death from so abiding. In this lute and final, He is able to fulfil
respect Christ's eternal abiding as Son completely the ideal office of the
(John viii. 35; xii. 34; comp. .,, 28) priest.
VII. 25] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 193
, TO\ 7raVT€ i\'ES ouvarat
€LS
~ I \ I ~, , -
TOUS 7rpoo-epxoµEVOUS Vt aUTOU

. ,...
TW 0ew, 7ravTOTE ~wv
'
I ~-

If Christ's priesthood had failed in

'
Ets
\ , I t
TO EVTu,yxavetv U7rep au.,-wv.
\ , ....

A remarkable reading, accedena (for

any respect then provision would have accedentes), which is not quoted from
been made for some other. But, as it any existing MS., is· noticed by Pri-
is, the salvation wrought by Christ masius (so also Sedul): Quod vero
reaches to the last element of man's quidam codices habent .Accederu, per
nature and man's life. In relation to aemetipaum ad Deum, quidam vero
man fallen and sinful ucJ(;nv expresses plurali numero .Accedentea, utrumque
the same idea as -r£Xnoiiv applied to recipi potest.
man as he was made by God (comp. wavro-rE (;wv £lt .,.J lvr.] aeeing He
ii 10), and it finds its fulfilment in the etJer Heeth to make interceaaion, Vulg.
whole course of his existence. The aemper 'Divena ad interpellandum
thought here is not of 'the world' (O.L. e:corandum). 'The final clause
(John iii. 17) but of believers: not of dr -rcl ... in connexion with (;wv can
salvation in its broadest sense, but of only express the purpose (aimed at
the working out of salvation to the or attained). Comp. ii. 17 note. The
uttermost in those who have received very end of Christ's Life in heaven, as
the Gospel it is here presented, is that He may
Thus the present (ucJ(nv) as distin- fulfil the object of the Incarnation,
guished from the aorist (a-mum) has the perfecting of humanity.
its full force. The support comes at The word ,ravron belongs to later
each moment of trial Greek and is said by the grammarians
The present occurs again I Cor. xv. to represent the i1<a<TTo'T£ of the class-
2; Jude 23; c. v. 7 (Acts xxvii 20, ical writers. In the N.T. it has almost
contrasted with 31). For the aorist, supplanted a£l (which occurs very rare-
see Rom. viii 24; Tit. iii 5 ; 1 Tim. ly), yet so that the thought of each
i 1 5. separate occasion on which the con-
Elr .,.a ,ravn>..ir] completely, wholly, tinual power is manifested is generally
to the uttermost. Comp. Lk. xiii. II present (e.g. John vi 34; Phil i 4).
(with neg,). The phrase does not Asoften(speakinghumanly)asChrist's
occur elsewhere in the N.T. The old help is needed He is ready to give it.
commentators strangely explain it as ,,...,,,yxw£,v] The word is of rare
if it were Elt .,.;, an111£1<lr (so Latt. in occurrence in the N.T. and is not found
perpetuum). in the LXX. translation of the books
-rovr ,rpoo-£PX· ai' aJ.,.oii .,.~ 8.] Com- of the Hebrew Canon; though it is
pare John xiv. 6; x. 9; vi. 37. Some- not unfrequent in late Greek in the
thing is required of men answering to sense of 'meeting with' (' lighting
the gift of Christ. They use the way upon') a person or thing. It is found
of God, which He has opened and in this sense 2 Mace. vi 12 (-rfi {3ifJ)..r,).
which He is. Comp. 2 Mace. ii 25; xv. 39-
The word ,rpoulpx£utJa, (comp. lyyl- From this sense comes the secondary
{;<tv v. 19 note) is not used in this sense of 'meeting with a person with
sense by St Paul nor elsewhere in N. T. a special object.' This purpose is
except 1 Pet. ii 4 (,rpoo-£PX· ,rp&s). sometimes definitely expressed: Wisd.
Comp. c. iv. 16 note; x. 1, 22; xi. 6; viii 21 lvfrvxov .,.'I' ,cvplr, «al. llJ,~8'1v
xii 18, 22. Theophylact expresses the ailToii. 3 Mace. vi 37 lvfrvxov -rep
, thought very neatly: mlni l=• ~ ,rpor {3au,>.ii ... al'Tovµ.tvor. Sometimes it is
-rov ,ra.,.,pa Ja6r, ,cal J -rav'T1Jt apafaµ.£vor only implied: Wisd. xvi. 28 ; 2 Mace.
' " ' ' ICQ'TOAVEI. iv. 36 (w,p 'TOV d1Tf1C'Tav8a,).
W. H. 3 13
194 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 25

The purpose may be the invocation Dei pro nobis, et miseretur secundum
of action against another : 1 Mace. utramque substantiam (Primas.).
viii 32 (brr. Kara rtvos); x. 61 ff.; xi. 25. Kal aVTO aE ,.-oi,,-o rO u&pK.a <J>opoVVTa
This sense is implied in Acts xxv. rov vlov crvyKaBijcrBat T'f 'tl'arpi EvrEvtls
24 (bmryx. r,vl. 'll'Epl r,vos); and the Etrrtv V1f'fp ,jµt»v• COO"avEl -rijs uapK()f
exact phrase recurs, Rom. xi. 2 (ivnryx. wip 17µ.MV llvCTCo>'ll'OVCT1JS rov 'tl'arlpa, cJs
Ttvl KaTd -r,vor ). at' avro TOVTO 'll'pocrX71cpBEl<T1JS .,,.&vr"'s,
Or again the invocation may be on a,a T~V 17µ.Erlpav (T(i)T7/plav (Theophlct.).
behalf of another: Rom. viii. 27, 34 Avr,) '1 lvavBpo5Jn'/CTtS avroii 'tl'apaKMEL
(EvnrtX• -J'll'Ep), 26 (WEpEVT, ,J.,,.ip.). rav warlpa -Jwip 17µMv (Euth. Zig.).
Compare lvrEvf ,s, 1 Tim. ii. 1 ; iv. 5. In the Levitical ritual the truth was
The object of supplication in this foreshadowed in the direction that
latter case may be either help or for- 'Aaron shall bear the names of the
giveness. In the present passage (as children of Israel in the breastplate
in Rom. viii. 26 ff.) the idea is left in of judgment upon his heart when he
the most general form. Neither the goeth in unto the holy place ... ' (Ex.
Person who is approached nor the xxviii. 29).
purpose of approaching Him is defined. (2) Christ is High-priest for ei,er
Whatever man may need, as man or after the order of Melchizedek, that
as sinful man, in each circumstance of is the absolute High-priest (26-28).
effort and conflict, his want finds inter- Up to this point the writer has
pretation (if we may so speak) by the developed the ideas lying in the
Spirit and effective advocacy by Christ phrase 'after the order of Melchize-
our (High) Priest. In the glorified dek' : he now shortly characterises
humanity of the Son of man every true Christ as High-priest after this order
human wish finds perfect and prevail- (vi 20), before drawing out in detail
ing expression. He pleads our cause the contrast between Christ and the
with the Father (1 John ii. 1 fl'tipa- Aaronic High-priest. Nothing is said
KX,,,-os), and makes the prayers heard in Scripture of the High-priesthood of
which we know not how to shape. In Melchizedek, or of any sacrifices which
John xvii. we can find the substance he offered. In these respects the
of our own highest wants and of Aaronic High-priest (not Melchizedek)
Christ's intercession. was the type of Christ.
V'll'Ep aiJr,.,v] The advocacy of Christ The subject is laid open in a simple
is both social and personal : for the and natural order. First the personal
Church and for each believer, for one traits of Christ are characterised ("'·
because for the other. Comp. Rom. 26) ; and then His High-priestly work
viii 34; 1 John ii 1, and Philo de 'Dit. (v. 27); and lastly the contrast which
Mos. iii § 24 (ii 155 M.) civayKaiov He offers to the Levitical High-priests
~v rav lEp.-.lJJ,£voV rci> KOcrµ.ov 'll'arpl. 'll'apa- in regard to His appointment, nature
KX,ir<i> XPijcrBat rEXnorar<i> r,)v cipEn}v and position (v. 28).
26
vlf, .,,.pos n aµ.ll'Jcrnlav aµ.apT7/µ.arwv For such a High-priest [in truth]
Kat xop71ylav dcpBovEcrrar(i)JJ dyaBMV, became us, holy, guileless, und<'jUed,
The Fathers call attention to the separated from sinners, and become
contrasts which the verse includes higher than the heavens; 27 Who
between Christ's human and divine hath no need daily, as the high
natures ; and how His very presence priests, to offer up sacrifices first for
before God in His humanity is in itself their own sins, then for the sins of
a prevailing intercession. the people, for this He did once for
Interpellat autem pro nobis per hoe all in tlt,at He offered up Himself.
quod humanam naturam assumpsit 28
For the Law appointeth men high
pro nobis quam assidue ostendit vultui priests, having infirmity; but the
VII. 26] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 195

:1
6
Tot0U'TO<; 7ap 11µ'iv [ Kat] tf1rpe1rev apxiepeus, <)(TLO<;,
26 71µ'iP Ka.l ABD2 syrr : om. Ka.l NO vg me.
word of the oath-taking appointeth this thought. 'Such a High-priest
a Son perfected for ever. has been given us and also in very
26. The preceding verse furnishes deed answers to our condition.' Comp.
a transition to the doctrine of Christ's c. vi. 7 note ; and for t1rpmE11 see c. ii.
High-priesthood. It is seen that 10 note.
something more is required for men Primasius adds a thought beautiful
than Melchizedek as priest could in itself which may perhaps lie in the
directly typify. He shewed the form word (l1rpmE11): Judrei velut servi
of priesthood which Christ realised in timore legis Deo servientes legales
its ideal perfection as High-priest. pontifices habuerunt, sibi conservos
TOtoVTOS yap ~µi11] From the cha- mortalesque ac peccatores .•• nos au-
racteristics of Ch1ist's priesthood fore- tein, quibus dictum est Jam non dico
shadowed in Melchizedek the writer vos servos sed amicos meos, quia
deduces the general nature of His filii Dei sumus serviendo illi amore
High-priesthood. The separation of filiationis, decet ut habeamus pontifi-
"TOLOVTOS from apxt£pn'n helps to lay cem immortalem, segregatum a pecca-
stress upon the character which it toribus.
summarises (comp. viii. I). This the ~µi11] . ' us Ch1istians,' not generally
V ulgate translation taUs enim decebat 'us men.' The pronoun is apparently
ut nobis esset pontife:JJ endeavours to always used with this limitation in
express, almost as if the translation the Epistle.
were : 'Such an one became us as The dominant thought is of the
High-priest.' struggles of the Christian life, which
ro,oiiros] Such a High-priest, that are ever calling for divine succour.
is, one who is absolute in power (£ls Christians have gained a view of the
rt\ 1ravr£Als) and eternal in being possibilities of life, of its divine mean-
(mzvrOT£ (0011). The word (rotoiiros) ing and issues, which gives an infinite
looks backwards, yet not exclusively. solemnity to all its trials.
From the parallel (viii. 1; comp. 1 Cor. /lu,os ••• ] This detailed description
v. 1; Phlm. 9) it is seen that it looks characterises the fitness of the High
forward also to ~s ov,c lxEi (v. 27), Priest for the fulfilment of His work
which gives the most decisive feature for man. Even in the highest ex-
of Christ's High-priesthood. altation He retains the perfection of
~µi11 [,ea,] l1rpE1r£11] Even our human His human nature. He is truly man
sense of fitness is able to recognise and yet infinitely more than man.
-the complete correspondence between The three epithets (/luws, a,caKos, dµl-
the characteristics of Christ as High- avros) desc1ibe absolute personal
priest and the believer's wants. Comp. characteristics : the two descriptive
-c. ii. 10 note. .And we shall observe that clauses which follow express the
sympathy with temptation does not issues of actual life. Christ is per-
require the experience of sin. On sonally in Himself holy, in relation
the contrary his sympathy will be to men guileless, in spite of contact
fullest who has known the extremest with a sinful world undejUed. By the
power of temptation because he has issue of His life He has been sepa-
,conquered. He who yields to temp- rated from sinners in regard to the
tation has not known its uttermost visible order, and, in regard to the
force. Comp. Hinton, Life and invisible world, He has risen above
Letters p. 179. the heavens.
The ,ea[ before t1rpmE11 emphasises /lu,or] V. L. justus, Vulg. sanctus.
13-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. (VII. 26

/1,ca,ws, dµ.lav-ros, K€xwpurµevo,;; a'TT'O TWV dµap-rwJ...wv,

The word is of rare occurrence in the be taken to include, the corresponding

N. T. It is used of Christ (as quoted character. Under the N. T. the re-
from Ps. xvi.) .Acts ii. 27; xiii. 35 : lation of the believer to Christ em-
and again of 'the Lord' .Apoc. xv. 4; phasises an obligation.
xvi 5; comp. Ps. cxlv. (cxliv.) 17; The general opposite to cfy,os is
(Jer. iii 12 Hebr.). It is used also 'profane' (ftlfJrj>..os) : the general op-
of the 'bishop' Tit. i. 8 ; and of hands posite to ouios is 'impious': the
in prayer I Tim. ii. 8. standard being the divine nature
The word is found not very un- manifested under human conditions
frequently in the LXX. and occurs in the dealings of God with men. In
especially in the Psalms (more than this connexion IJu,os is the compl~
twenty times) as the regular equiva- ment of a,,ca1os (Plat. Gorg. 507 B ;
lent of i 1c;,I). Thus the people of God comp. I Thess. ii 10 ; Tit. i. 8 ; Luke
are characteristically described as ol i. 75; Eph. iv. 24) on the one side, and
o,no, [roii «vplov] (o! IJuio, Ps. cxlix. 1, of l£pos on the other (Thuc. ii. 52).
;I,ca,cos] Latt. innocens (sine mali-
5). The phrase o! 3yio1 (01~,P,) is tia), guileless. Comp. RoID. xvi 18:
much rarer: Ps. xvi (xv.) 2; xxxiv. I Pet. ii 22.
(xxxiii.) 10; lxxxix. (lxxxviii.) 5, 7. ..,AKaxos Tl Errr(v; 0.1rDV7Jpos, oVx iJ1rov--
To speak broadly, ou,os refers to Aos• «al or• ro,oiiros &«ov£ roii 'lrpo-
character and cfy,os to destination. cp~rov. Is. liii. 9. (Chrys.)
The former is used in Biblical Greek "A«a«os and d«a«la occur several
predominantly of persons (yet see times in the Lxx., the formei: most.
Is. Iv. 311.Acts xiii 34; Deut. xxix. 19; often for 1)J~, the latter for OJ:l.
Wisd. vi 10; 1 Tim. ii. 8), the latter He who is· <l«a«or embodies Christ-
equally of persons and things. ian love ( 1 Cor. xiii. 6 f.).
AB applied to God 3y,os expresses aµ.lavros] V. L. immaculatus (in-
that which He is absolutely : ouws contaminatus), Vulg. impollutus, un-
that which He shews Himself to be defiled. 1 Pet. i. 4; James i 27; (c.
in a special relation to men. xiii. 4); Wisd. viii. 20.
Taken with regard to men in their No impurity ever hindered the ful-.
relation to God cfy,os describes their filment of His priestly office (Lev•.
dedication to His service : ou,os their xvi. 4).
participation in His character, es- Primasius tersely marks the appli-
pecially as shewn in His love towards cation of the three words : Sanctus in
them (it;;,O). Comp. Hupfeld, Ps. iv. interiore homine. Innocens manibus..
4 note. Impolluto corpora.
.As applied to men in themselves Philo speaks of divine reason (o•
cfy,os marks consecration, devotion : i£p6>raros Myos) in man as o aµ.lavros·
ou,os marks a particular moral position. apxi£pws (de prof. § 21; i. 563 M.),
Perhaps it is possible to see in this aµ.froxos yi1p «al a,rapaa£KrOS ,ravr,k
difference the cause of the remark- Elva, 7ricpvic£11 aµ.apn,µ.aros. Comp. de,
able difference of usage by which 'Diet. § 10 (ii. 246 M. ).
the people of God in the 0. T. are o! «£xrop,uµ.lvos ••• y£voµ.£vos ••• ] Latt.
ou,oi, and in the N. T. ol &ywi. The Segregatus a peccatoribus•.• ea:celsior·
outward relation of the people to God factus.
under the O.T., which was embodied in The change of tense in the two
an outward system, included, or might participles (comp. i 4) marks the,
VII. 27] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 197

Kat ll'r'rJAOT€pos 'TWV oupavwv "f€Voµevos. '),7 8s OUK ixe,

Ka0' 11µlpav dva"fK11V, J,,..,rep Ot' dpxtepe'is, 7rporepov U7r€p
z7 o apx••peus D2*.
permanent issue of Christ's Life in This double sacrifice is elsewhere in
His exaltation, and the single fact the Epistle (c. ix. 7) connected with
(to human apprehension) by which the great Day of Atonement and the
it was realised. Contrast iv. 14 a,i>..7J- 'yearly' work of the High-priest
Av8om. (ix. 25); nor is it obvious how the
KEX"'P• mro T"Co>JI aµ,.] The complete language can be properly used of any
separation of the Lord from sinners daily function of the High-priest.
(reo'iv aµ,.) which was realised through There can be no question that ,catJ'
His Life (John xiv. 30) was openly ,jµlpav (Latt. quotidie) means only
established by His victory over death 'day by day,' 'daily' (c. x. 11 ). And
at the resurrection (Acts ii 24) ; and further 'to have necessity of sacri-
that victory is the foundation of His ficing' cannot without violence be
present work. (Syr vgfrom sins.) limited to the meaning of 'feeling
This internal, moral, separation cor- daily the necessity of sacrificing' from
responded to the idea symbolised consciousness of sin, though the sacri-
by the legal purity of the Levitical fice is made only once a year.
priests ; and especially to the sym- Some interpretations therefore which
bolic separation of the High Priest have found favour may be at once set
who, according to the later ritual, aside.
seven days before the great Day of I. 'Who hath not necessity, as the
Atonement removed from his own High Priests have on each Day of
house to a chamber in the sanctuary Atonement (or 'on recurring days,'
(Oehler, 0. T. Tlieol. § 140). 'one day after another'), to offer sacri-
v,y1JA. reo'iv o.Jp. -yev.] ha'Ding become fices .. .'
(v. 9 note) ...Both in His Person and This interpretation is ingeniously
in the place of His ministry Christ · represented by Biesenthal's conjecture
fulfilled in fact what the Jewish that the (assumed) Aramaic original
priests presented in type. had ~011 ~Cl', which the Greek
Under different aspects Christ may translator misunderstood.
he said (1) to have been taken, or 2. 'Who hath not necessity, as the
to have entered, 'into heaven,' [Mark] High Priests daily feel the necessity,
xvi 19; Luke xxiv. 51; Acts i. 10f.; to offer .. .'
iii. 21 ; 1 Pet. iii 22; c. ix. 24; and At the same time the order of the
to be 'in heaven,' Eph. vi. 9; and also words must be observed. The writer
(2) 'to have passed beyond the heavens' says tr oil,c lxn 1ea8' ,jµ. 0.VO.'YK7JV •••
(Eph. iv. 10; c. iv. 14 note). Bvcrlar: o.vacplpnv, and not 1'r: otl,c lxei
The former phrase expresses His O.va;'IC1JV ,catJ' ,jµ. e. dvacp. That is, the
reception to the immediate presence necessity is connected with something
of God; the latter His elevation above which is assumed to be done daily.
the limitations of sense. This peculiarity seems to suggest
27. 1'r: oil,c lxn ,caB' ,jµlpav ... ] The the true solution of the difficulty.
comparison which is instituted here The characteristic High-priestly office
is beset at first sight with a serious of the Lord is fulfilled 'daily,' 'for
difficulty. It seems to be stated that ever,' and not only, as that of the
the High-priests are under the daily Levitical High-priest, on one day
necessity of offering sacrifice for their in the year. The continuity of His
own sins and for the sins of the people. office marks its superiority. But in
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 27

'TWV tOtWV aµap-riwv 8u<Ttas dva<f>epELv, t1rei-ra 'TWV 'TOU

;.\aou · (-rou'TO ,yap €7r0t1']<T€V e<f>d1ral; EaU'TdV dveve,yKaS •)
2 7 1rpo,revl"(Kas
aVEll€"(/Caf ,BD2: 7rp0<TEV€"(Kas ~A.

this daily intercession He requires no the High-priest. In this respect, he

daily sacrifice, as those High-priests says : TOV uvµ,1ra11TOS lOvovs: O'V'Y')IE~S
require a sacrifice on each occasion of ' , \ \ f, , ,
/Cat a')IXLO'TEVS: /COLVOS O apxtEpEVS: EO'TL,.,
their appearance before God in the •ilxas:••• 1<.at 6vulas: TEAC>lJJ 1<.a8' £/CIJO'T'7JI
Holy of Holies. qµ,,pall 1<.al dyaOa alTO'OJJ,EIIOS: cJs: vtr<p
Thus the ,ca(J' qµ,,pav belongs only to a.a£Acf,6>v ,cal yovl6lV ,cal rE1e.vmv •••
the description of the Lord's work, Comp. Ecclus. xiv. 14 Ovulai ailTov
and nothing more than dvay,c11v lxovuw CAapoov) li>..01<ap7r6>8'70'0IITa& 1<.aO' ~µ,ipav
is to be supplied with ol dpxi•p•'ir, the ,,,a.>...xoos: a,s:. v. 16. Ex. XXX. 7; Lev.
sense being : ' He hath not daily ne- vi. 20ff.; Jos. Ant. iii ro, 7.
cessity [in the daily fulfilment of His Under this aspect the daily sacri-
intercessory work1 as the High-priests fices were a significant memorial of
[have necessity on each occasion when the conditions of the High-priestly
they fulfil them1 to offer sacrifices .. .' intercession on the one Day of Atone-
This interpretation however does ment. It may be added that in this
not completely explain the use of 1<.a8' connexion the variant dpxLEpws: in x.
~µ,ipav. It might have seemed more 11 is of considerable interest.
natural to say 1ro>..>..a1<.,r (x. II). But f>s 01l1<. lxn ...] This, which is the
here a new thought comes in. The chief characteristic of the new High-
daily work of the Priests was summed priest, is not given in a participial
up and interpreted by the special clause, but as a substantive statement
High-priestly work of the Day of (-rowiiros-... l»s- oV,c lxn).
Atonement. The two parts of the lx. d11.... d11a<J>lp«11] Lk. xiv. 18;
daily sacrifice, the priestly (High- (xxiii. 17). The phrase is not in the
priestly) Minchah (meal-offering) and LXX.
the lamb (the burnt-offering), were re- ol dpx.] the High-priests who belong
ferred to the needs of the priests and to the system under discussion.
of the people respectively. See Philo, (1rponpo11) ......E'TrELTa TC>lll TOV >..aov]
Quis rer. div. lu:er. § 36 (i. p. 497 M.): Latt. deinde pro populi. This was
TdS: ivlJEAEXELS Ovular /ipa~- Els to-a a,v- the order on the great Day of Atone-
p11µ,lvar, ~v TE V7r<p aVTC>lV dvayovuw ol ment : Lev. xvi. 6 ff.
lEpiis a,a rijs O'Eµ,ati>..H,>S /Cat T~V V7rEp dva<J>,pnv] The Hellenistic use of
roii l811ovs- TWv clvoiv Uµ.vWv ots- dva'cJ>l- this verb for the offering of sacrifices
pnv lJtE<p'7TaL. occurs in N. T. in c. xiii. 1 5 ; James ii.
And as the High-priests took part 21 ; r Pet. ii 5. Comp. c. ix. 28;
in the daily sacrifices on special occa- 1 Pet. ii. 24
sions, Jos. B. J. v. 5, 7, or at their The full construction of the word
pleasure (Mishna, Tamid 7. 3), they is dva<J>•pnv i1rl T;, Ovo-taO'T'7pto11 (James
were said both by Philo (de spe,c. ii. 21).
legg. § 23, ii. 321 M.) and by the In the LXX. d11a<J>ipu11 is the habi-
Jewish Rabbis to offer daily: Delitzsch, tual rendering of tl~flJ in connexion
Ztschr. f. d. luther. Theol. 186o ft:
593 f. The passage of Philo is of with the n~y (/i>..01<.a'OT6>p,a); and of
considerable interest. He is dwelling j\t;)~iJ in connexion with tlOiJr~ti in
upon the representative character of the Pentateuch.
VII. 28] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 199
~s 0' 11Oµ.os
' ' 0P(l)'TrOU<;
' a11
'Yap ' Ka 0'L<T'TrJ<TLV apxiep€ts
' . . EXOll'T"a<;
,,
~s Ka8. l•p•tr d.v8p. D2.

It occurs very rarely in this sense with which it is connected instead of

for ~•:;it:r (2 Chron. xxix. 31 f.). preceding it.
lavTov dv,vl-y,cas] in that He offered
On the other hand 1rpoucf,lpm1 is
the habitual rendering of N':;lv and up Himself, Latt. se (seipsum) offer-
endo. Here first Christ is presented
of :i•-:,~::i. as at once the Priest and the victim.
It is not used in the Pentateuch as Comp. ix. 12, 14 (a,a 1rv. aloov.), 25 f., x.
1
a rendering of Mi'.Hl;I, though it does 10, 12; Eph. v. 2 (1raplaooKEV). o&os
a; TO EaV'rOV 1rpoun117vox• uii,µ.a, mlTOS
so occur in the later books : J er. xiv. l,p,~s ,cal l,p,iov -y,v6µ.,vos, ,cal roS' 8•os
12; and for i•Q~i'.1 2 K. xvi. 15. p.ETa TOV 1raTpOS' Ka~ '1'0V 7TIJEVp.aTOS TO
The full construction is 1rpoucf,lp,,v a;;,pov a,x&,,..vos (Thdt.).
.,-q; 6Eqi ("-vplq,). Herveius calls attention to the
From these usages it appears that uniqueness of Christ's sacrifice : ut
in dvacf,lpnv (to offer up) we have quoniam quatuor considerantur in
mainly the notion of an offering made omni sacrificio, quid offeratur, cui
to God and placed upon His altar, in offeratur, a quo offeratur, pro quibus
1rpoucf,lpnv (to offer) that of an offering offeratur, idem ipse unus verusque
brought to God. In the former the mediator per sacrificium pacis recon-
thought of the destination of the cili1Y1s nos Deo unum cum illo maneret
offering prevails : in the latter that of cui offerebat, unum in se f aceret pro
the offerer in his relation to God. quibus ojferebat, unus ipse esset qui
'Avacf,lp«v therefore properly de- offerebat et quod offerebat.
scribes the ministerial action of the The offering of Christ upon the
priest, and 1rpoucf,lpnv the action of Cross was a High-priestly act, though
the offerer (Lev. ii. 14, 16; iv. 33, 35); Christ did not become 'High-priest
but the distinction is not observed .after the order of Melchizedek,' that
universally ; thus dvacf,lprn, is used of is, royal High-priest, till the Ascen-
the people (Lev. xvii. 5), and 1rpou- sion. Comp. vi. 20 note.
cf,lpnv of the priests (Lev. xxi 21 ). On the completeness of Christ's
Toiirn yap ... ] It is generally sup- priestly work Chrysostom has a strik-
posed that the reference is to be ing sentence : µ.~ Tolvvv mlTov !Epla
limited to the latter clause, that is, to ,l,covuaS' dd l,pau8ai voµ.,{:r iI1r~ yap
the making an offering for the sins of l,pauaTO Kai AOL7TOIJ EKa8tUEIJ. Comp.
the people. It is of course true that Euth. Zig. vii 27 E,c,,vo, (the Levitical
for Himself Christ had no need to priests) P,EIJ a,
OA7JS rijS' lavTOOIJ {:ooijS'
offer a sacrifice in any sense. But ,ca0' ~µ.•pav l•panvov oae XptUTOS' a1r~
perhaps it is better to supply the IEpaTEVUEIJ,
ideal sense of the High-priest's offer- 28. 0 IJO/J,OS' ... O X&-yoS' rijr op,cooµ.. ...]
ings, and so to leave the statement in The freedom of Christ from the ne-
a general form. Whatever the Aaronic cessity by which the Aaronic High-
High-priest did in symbol, as a sinful priests are bound follows from His
man, that Christ did perfectly as sin- nature, for the Law... The truth
less in His humanity for men. which has been laid open in the two
Ecj,a1ra~] c. ix. 12; x. 10. Comp. preceding verses is here expressed
a1ra~ vi. 4 note. summarily by recapitulation- in its
Contrary to the general usage of final form : the Levitical High-priests
the Epistle Ecj,a.1ra~ follows the word are weak men, the High-priest after
200 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VII. 28

a<T8e11eta11, 0 AO')'OS OE nis opKwµoutas -ri;s µeTd T011

110µ011
I •• , 0 '" "\.
y10N, €IC T N AIWN"- TE'TEl\.etroµe11011.
I

the order of Melchizedek a Son eter- folded in detail

nally perfected. Compare THEODORET : oil p.qv ~ o i ,
dv8pCMrovs] in contra.st with vlov: vlov VOtJ'rEOJI 'lrapa T0JI <pvun vlov ~(J.
many men (i,. 23) are contra.sted with .,-011 a,l.,.ov ,cal cpvcm /Swa vlov cJs 8fov
the One Son. The plural also suggests ,cal .,,&X,v lJfX0/J,fJIOJI ~11 av,-qv 'lrpOUtJ-
the notion of death in contra.st with -yoplav rus tJ.v8pc.>'lrOJI.
fls T0JI al<»va. And PRIMASIUS: Ponit hie Apostolus
lxowas &u8.] c£ c. v. 2. For the Filii nomen ad distinctionem servorum
force of lxoov du8lvnav a.s distinguished qui fuerunt in lege ; quia servi infirmi
from du8m1s see l John i 8 note. fuerunt sive quia peccatores sive quia
Compare v. 12; vii 27; ix. 8; x. 36; mortales erant : Filium vero perfectum
xi 25. This 'weakness' includes both ostendit, quia semper vivit et sine
the actual limitations of humanity as peccato est.
it is, and the personal imperfections TrrfXfu.,p.,vov] For the idea of
and sins of the particular priest. The nXfloou,s see ii 10 note. Hitherto
useofthesing.(du8lvna) and theplur. the idea of Christ's consummation has
(&uBEVELcu) is always instructive. been regarded in its historic realisa-
For sing. in the Epistles see Rom. tion (ii. 10 nXn<»um, V. 9 TEXnoo8E,s~
vi 19; viii 26; 1 Cor. ii 3; xv. 43; Now it is regarded in its abiding
2 Cor. xi. 30. • issues. Comp. ii. 18 .,,fao118f11 note.
For plur. c. iv. 15 ; 2 Cor. xii 5, 10. The participle, a.s contra.sted with
The sing. and plur. occur together, the adjective .,-.Xnos, forms a com-
2 Cor. xii 9- Compare Matt. viii 17. plete antithesis to lxoov du8,vflav.
o>.. njs op,cc.>p. Tijs p. .,-. v.] the 'UXWd The perfection is gained through the
qf the oath, spoken in Psalm ex. 4, experience of a true human life (c. v.
which was taken after the Law... 7--<J).
The 'oath-taking' and not the 'word 1 The realisation of the Priesthood of
is the emphatic element (op1<. Tijs µer-A Christ necessarily carries with it the
.,._ 11. not o p.E.,.a .,-. 11.). The oath came abrogation of the typical priesthood
after the Law, and must therefore of the Law. The presence of 'weak-
have had respect to it, and so pro- ness' in the Levitical priests was
spectively annulled it. In this respect realised in the consequences of im-
the 'oath' takes up the 'promise! perfection and death. Such a priest-
Comp. Gal. iii. 17. hood could not bring nXEloou,s, and
vlov, £ls .,._ al. TEn>..] The idea of it was of necessity interrupted. On
Son (i I ff.; iii. 6; iv. 14 Toll vUw rov the other hand Christ took upon Him-
BEov) is now combined with that of self human nature (iv. l 5) subject to
High-priest. Our High-priest is not temptation and death, that so He
only a Son, but a Son who having might taste death for al,l, but as High-
become man has been raised above priest in His glory He is raised wholly
all the limitations of humanity. The above all infirmity and death, though
complete idea of the Person of the still able to sympathise with those
High-priest of the new Dispensation who are subject to them (cf. v. 1 f.).
is thus gained before His work is un- Compare Additional Note.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 201

Additional Note on VIL 1. The significance of Melchizedek.

The appearance· of Melchizedek in the narrative of the Pentateuch is of
deep interest, both ( 1) from the position which he occupies in the course of
Revelation; and (2) from the manner in which the record of his appearance
is treated in the Epistle.
1. Melchizedek appears at a crisis in the religious history of the world The posi-
as the representative of primitive revelation, or of the primitive relation of tion °!
God and man still preserved pure in some isolated tribe. If, as on the fCf:;ZJ;_e
whole seems to be most likely, he was an Amorite, the fact that he had ~urse of
r
preserved a true faith becomes more impressive. On this point however Revela-
Scripture is wholly silent. The lessons of his appearance lie in the appear- tion.
ance itself. Abraham marks a new departure, the beginning of a new
discipline, in the divine history of 'mankind starting from a personal call.
The normal development of the divine life has been interrupted. But
before the fresh order is established we have a vision of the old in its
superior majesty ; and this, on the eve of disappearance, gives its blessing
to the new. So the past and the future meet : the one bearing witness to
an original communion of God and men which had been practically lost, the
other pointing forward to a future fellowship to be established permanently.
At the same time the names of the God of the former revelation and of the
God of the later revelation are set side by side and identified (Gen. xiv. 22 ;
comp. Deut. xxxii. 8 f.).
2. The writer of the Epistle interprets the Scriptural picture of The treat-
Melchizedek, and does not attempt to realise the historical person of ment _of.
Melchizedek. He starts from the phrase in the Psalm after the order of~ B1b1:ci
Mekhizedek (1<ara r~,v MEXxiuEalK), and determines the ideas which such~ the:°
a description was fitted to convey from a study, not of tlie life of the king- Epistle.
priest, which was unknown, but of the single record of him which had been
preserved. By tlie choice of the phrase the Psalmist had already broadly
distinguished the priesthood of the divine king from the Levitical priest-
hood. It remained to work out the distinction. Therefore the writer of
the Epistle insists upon the silence of Scripture. He draws lessons from
the fact that in the narrative of the 0. T. no mention is made of the
parentage or genealogy of Melchizedek or of the commencement or close of
his priestly oflice 1. He seeks to set vividly before his readers the impres-
sion conveyed by the remarkable phenomena of his unique appearance in
patriarchal life, and the thoughts which they might suggest.
1 Philo uses the silence of Scripture birth of Cain (Gen. iv. 1; contrast iv.
in a similar way: e.g. the absence of 25), de Cher. §§ 16 f. (i. 149 M.); the
any geographical details in the mention absence of the personal name of the
of the Euphrates (Gen. ii. 14), Leg. man who met Joseph, Quod det. pot.
Alleg. i 'l7 (i. 60 M.); the absence of insid. § 8 (i. 195-6). Siegfried, Philo
the title 'son' in the record of the v. Alex. 179 f.
 202 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
At the same time this mode of treatment leaves the actual human
personality and history of Melchizedek quite untouched. The writer does
not imply that that was true of him literally as a living man which is
suggested in the ideal interpretation of his single appearance in the Bible.
He does not answer the question Who and what was Melchizedek 1 but
What is the characteristic conception which can be gained from Scripture
of the Priesthood of Melchizedek 1
The treat- The treatment of the history of Melchizedek is typical and not allegorical.
mrt tY£i- The Epistle in fact contains no allegorical interpretation. The difference
i:go~;al. · between the two modes is clear and decisive. Between the type and the
antitype there is a historical, a real, correspondence in the main idea of
each event or institutioJL Between the allegory and the application the
correspondence lies in special points arbitrarily taken to represent facts or
thoughts of a different kind. A history, for example, is taken to illustrate
the relation of abstract ideas (comp. Gal. iv.). The understanding of the
type lies in the application of a rule of proportioJL The law by which it is
regulated lies in the record, which is taken to represent the life. The
m1derstanding of the allegory depends on the fancy of the composer. He
determines which of many possible applications shall be given to the subject
with which he deals.
A type presupposes a purpose in histoq wrought out from age to age.
An allegory rests finally in the imagination, though the thoughts which it
expresses may be justified by the harmonies which connect the many
elements of life.
This consideration tends further to explain why the writer of the
Epistle takes the Biblical record of Melchizedek, that is Melchizedek so
far as he enters into the divine history, and not Melchizedek himself; as
a type of Christ. The history of the Bible is the record of the divine life
of humanity, of humanity as it was disciplined for the Christ. The im-
portance of this limitation of the treatment of the subject is recognised by
patristic writers; e.g. AEYE£ ..a ,cal EICELl/011 01l '1"~1/ cf,vu,11 E~1J"IOVp.E110f a'J..M ~II
JCaT, aVTDv a,1]-y11u,v d1rtJ Tij~ ·6Elas ,..,8Els ypa<j,ij~ ,cal d1r' f1<.El111Js £µ,cj,alvwv -rO
tµ.oio11 (Theodore ap. Cram. Cat. vii p. 203).
The omis- One omission in the Epistle cannot but strike the student. The writer
~on of the takes no notice of the gifts of Melchizedek, who 'brought forth bread and
g1
~~1fand wine' (Gen. xiv. 18) when he came to meet Abraham. This is the more
:ine. remarkable as the incident is dwelt upon in the Midrash. The 'bread and
wine' are regarded there as· symbols of the shewbread and the drink-
offering, or of the Torah itself (Beresh. R. xliii 18 [Prov. ix. 5]; Wiinsche
p. 199). And stress was naturally laid upon this detail in later times.
'l'he Fathers from Clement of Alexandria (see below) and Cyprian (Ep. ad
C(1Jcil. 63, 4) downwards not unfrequently regard the bread and wine as
the materials of a sacrifice offered by Melchizedek; and Jerome distinctly
states that they were offered for Abraham (ad Matt. xxii. 41 ff. ; comp. ad
Matt. xxvi. 26ff.) 1•
1 Bellarmine (Controv, de Missa i. still further collection is given by Peta-
c. 6) dwells at considerable length on vius de Incarn. xii. 12. The true view
this aspect of the incident, and gives a is preserved by Josephus Antt. i. 10, 2;
long array of quotations in support. A Philo (see below); Tertullian adv. Jud.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 203

All this makes the silence of the Apostle the more significant. He
presents, and we cannot but believe that he purposely presents, Melchizedek
as priest, not in sacrificing but in blessing, that is, in communicating the
fruits of an efficacious sacrifice already made. He only can bless who is in
fellowship with God and speaks as His representative. And it is m1der
this aspect that the writer of the Epistle brings before us characteristically
the present work of Christ.
A similar lesson lies in the positive fact which stands out most signifi- T_he ~om-
cantly in the words of the Epistle. Melchizedek is priest at once and king. ~a~ionoJ
The combination of offices which meets us in the simplest forms of society pri!sil;n
is seen to be realised also when humanity has attained its end. Philo in an offices:
interesting passage points out the difficulty of combining the priesthood
with kingly power (de carit. § I; ii. p. 384 M.), and yet such a combination
must exist in the ideal state. He who unites with the Unseen must direct
action. He who commands the use of every endowment and faculty must
be able to consecrate them. He who represents man to God with the
efficacy of perfect sympathy must also represent God to man with the
authority of absolute power.
It is remarkable that Melchizedek is not dwelt upon in early Jewish Silence of
commentators. It does not appear that he was ever regarded as a type of Je~ish
Messiali (Schoettgen ad loc. ). The only example of this interpretation is
quoted by Heinsius from Moses Hadarshan, whose person and writings are zedek.
r:~~hi-
involved in great obscurity, but who seems to have lived in the 11th
century (Heinsius, Exercit. Sacrm, p. 517; and from him Deyling, Exercit.
Sacrm, ii. 73).
The writer of the Epistle, as we have seen, regards Melchizedek as a Philo.
living type of a living and eternal King-priest. The old history, true in its
literal reality, was, according to him, perfectly, ideally fulfilled in the facts
of Christian history. Philo also deals with Melchizedek, but with charac-
teristic differences. For Philo the history is a philosophic allegory and
not a typical foreshadowing of a true human life. Melchizedek represents
the power of rational persuasion which offers to the soul food of gladness
and joy, and so in some sense answers to the priestly Logos: Leg. .Alleg.
iii. §§ 25 f. (i. p. 103 M.): KOf\Ela-06> oDv O µ,b, Tvpovvoi; t1px6>v 'trOf\EP,OV O a;
{3ou,A£VI, ~j'Ep.rov Elp~V1JS, ~a>..~µ,. KOL 1rpou<f>EpETW TU tvxfi Tpo<f>as Ei1<f>pouv111]1.
KOL xopai; 1rX~pns· llpTovs -yap KoL olvov 1rpoucpip£,... Thus he recognises his
position as a 'natural' priest, but his priesthood is a symbol of the action
of 'right reason,' which brings to man righteousness and joy through
thoughts of absolute truth. Compare de congr. erud. grat. § 18 (i. p. 533 M.)
0 TJJV OVTOp.00,i KOL OvToi'ilaoKTOII X,zxrov 1Ep6>UVV1JII; de .Abrahamo § 40 (ii.
34 M.) o µ,,-yos apxiEpEVS TOV P,EjliUTOV 0£0ii.
Clement of Alexandria dwells on the combination of righteousness and Clement of
Alexan-
dria.
3; Epiph. Har. lv. § 8, p. 475, nor Bellarmine, Whitaker Disputation, pp.
can there be any doubt that the 167 f. (Park. Soc.); Jackson On the
original narrative describes refresh- Creed, ix. 10; Waterland App. to the
ment offered to Abraham and his Christian Sacrifice explained, pp.
company and not a sacrifice made on 462 ff. (ed. 1868). Heidegger Hist.
their behalf. Compare, in answer to Patr. ii. Dissert. z § ,zr.
 204 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
peace in Melchizedek and Christ, and sees in the offerings of bread and
wine a figure of the Eucharist (£1r -rvrro11 £?Jxapurrlar Strom. iv. 25 § 163,
p. 637 P. ; comp. Strom. ii. 5 § 21, p. 439 P.).
Jerome. Jerome gives in one of his letters (Ep. Ixxiii. ad Evangelum; comp.
Vallarsius ad loc.) a summary of early opinions as to the person of
Melchizedek in answer to a correspondent who had sent him an essay
written with a view to shew that Melchizedek was a manifestation of the
Holy Spirit.
Origen and Didymus, he says, regarded him as an Angel (compare
Nagel Stud. u. Krit. 1849, ss. 332 ff.). Hippolytus, Irenreus, Eusebius of
Cresarea, Eusebius of Emesa, Apollinaris, and Eustathius of Antioch, as
a man, a Canaanite prince, who exercised priestly functions, like 'Abe~
Enoch, Noah, Job.'
The Jews, he adds (and so Primasius: 'tradunt liebrrei'), iden-
tified him with Shem, an opinion which finds expression in the Tar-
gums of Jonathan and Jerusalem: Melchizedek king of Jerusalem, he
is Shem the son of Noah [Jeru,. the High-priest (N:li )i1:l) of the Most
Highl
This last opinion has found much favour ; but it is supported by no
direct evidence (comp. Heidegger Hist. Patriarch. ii. Diss. 2). Epiphanius
attributes it to the Samaritans (Hwr. Iv. 6; p. 471).
Some hold: Two other strange opinions may be noticed. Some orthodox Christians
Melehize- supposed that Melchizedek was an Incarnation of the Son of God or
de:, t? be perhaps simply a Christophany. How then, Epiphanius asks, could he be
!ia~il~:ta- said to be made like to himseln (Hwr. Iv. 7; p. 474). Hierax (c. 280) in
tion. order to avoid this difficulty held, according to the view noticed by
Jerome, that he was an Incarnation, or more probably an appearance, of
the Holy Spirit (Epiph. Hwr. lxvii 7; p. 715). This opinion finds a very
bold expression in the anonymous Quwst. ea; V. et N. Testamento appended
to the works of Augustine (Vol iii. Ed. Bened.) : Similis Dei filio non potest
esse nisi sit ejusdem naturre. Et quid incredibile si Melchisedech ut
homo apparnit cum intelligatur tertia esse persona? Si enim Christus qui
secunda persona est frequenter visus est in habitu hominis, quid ambigitur
de iis qure dicta sunt ? Summus sacerdos Christus est, Melchisedech
secundus ... Christus vicarius Patris est et antistes, ac per hoe dicitur et
sacerdos. Similiter et Spiritus sanctus, quasi antistes, sacerdos appellatus
est excelsi Dei, non summus, sicut nostri in oblatione prresumunt...
(Aug. iii. App. § cix. Migne P. L. 35, p. 2329 ; comp. Hier. Ep. lxxiii ad
Evang. § 1).

:=~~-
The sect of The sect of the 'Melchizedechians 'described by Epiphanius (Hwr. lv.)
th~ Mel- offers some points of interest. As an offshoot of the 'Theodotians' (Epiph.
l. c. i. ; p. 468) they started from humanitarian views of Christ, and
naturally looked for some higher Mediator. Melchizedek, they argued,
was higher than Christ, because Christ was appointed after his order.
Christ was ordained by God to turn men from idols and shew them the
way to the true knowledge of this eternal High-priest. They therefore
'made their offerings to the name of Melchizedek' (§ 8 £1r 0110µ.a -rovrov -rou
M£XXLO"£C,;lt ~ ••• aquu,r ,ea, Tar 1rpoucpopar a11acpipn), in order that 'through
him offerings might be made (1rpou£11£x8fj) for them and they might find life
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 205

through him.' He was in their judgmeut the priest 'who brought men to
God' (,luay6>y•v~ 7Tp6~ ,.;,., B,011) 1•
The tradition, or fiction, as to Melchizedek in 'the Book of Adam' is The legend
singularly picturesque. To him and Shem, it is said, the charge was given ~lch~ °~
to bear the body of Adam to Calvary, and place it there where in after ~d:m.a.n
time the Incarnate Word should suffer, so that the blood of the Saviour
might fall on the skull of the Protoplast. In the fulfilment of this mission
Melchizedek built an altar of twelve stones, typical of the twelve apostles,
by the spot where Adam was laid, and offered upon it, by the direction of
an angel, bread and wine ' as a symbol of the sacrifice which Christ should
make' in due time. When the mission was accomplished Shem returned
to his old home, but Melchizedek, divinely appointed to this priesthood,
continued to serve God with prayer and fasting at the holy place, arrayed
in a robe of fire. So afterwards when Abraham came to the neighbourhood
he communicated to him also 'the holy mysteries,' the symbolfoal Eucharist.
(Dillmann, Das Christl. Adamhuch d. Morgenl. ss. 111 ff., 1853,)

Additional Note on vu. I. The Biblical Idea of Blessing.

The idea of 'blessing' in its simplest form, the solemn expression, that The
is, of goodwill towards another by one who occupies in this respect a ~eneral
position of superiority towards hi~ is a natural recognition of the s~ir~tual : 1:~si~g.
influence of man upon man. The idea often becomes degraded, matenalised,
perverted : it gives rise to the opposite conception of 'cursing' ; but in
Scripture it assumes a characteristic form which throws light upon the
Biblical teaching as to man's relation to God.
The two words which are used in the Old and New Testaments for Biblioa.l
blessing 'i!j~ ('!JJ~) and ,-JXoy,,v appear to convey two fundamental thoughts word~ for
. . . ( ) f . . Blessmg.
which are mcluded m the act. The first 'lJJ~ , rom a root which descnbes
'kneeling,' 'prostration,' seems to express the feeling of reverent adoration
which arises from the recognition of a spiritual presence by him who
blesses 2 ; and the second (,vXoy••v) marks the utterance of the good which
is supposed to be prophetically seen or idea.lly anticipated and realised 3•
1 The sect is noticed very briefly by tibus angelis atque virtutibus' ... (l.c.).
Philastrius, HtBr. 52; and by Au- 9 The construction of 'l)J~ is nor-
gustine, De htBr. 34. The writer whose mally with the simple accusative
fragment is attached to TertulL de whether the object be God or man.
prtBacr. (§ 53) and Theodoret (H=. In the later language it is construed
Fab. ii. 6) assign its origin to another
Theodotus, later than Theodotus of with~: 1 Chron. xxix. 20; Neh. xi. 2;
Byzantium. The former writer ap- and Dan. ii. 19; iv. 31 (Chald.).
pears to have had some independent a Etl>.o-yew in the LXX. generally
source of information. He grounds takes a.n accusative of the object. In
the superiority of Melchizedek on the the later books it is rarely construed
fact •eo quod agat Christus pro homi- with the dative: Dan. iv. 31 (not ii. 19);
nibus, deprecator eorum et advocatus Ecclus. I. 22 ; li. 12; 2 Mace. x. 38.
fa.ctus, Melchizedek facere pro creles- Comp. Jer. iv. 2.
 2o6 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Thus the two words when t.aken together describe the conception of
blessing in its loftiest sense as involving a true perception of what God is
and what His will is, both generally and towards the person over whom it
is pronounced, according as the blessing is addressed to God Himself or to
man.
The The patriarchal blessings bring out this idea of blessing distinctly.
Biblical This appears in the first exercise of the father's prophetic power (Gen. ix.
:ta '!f
rn~:::ia
by the
25 ff.). The curse and the blessing of Noah pronounced upon his sons is
the unveiling of their future. The blessing of Shem lies in the recognition
of the majesty of the Lord (Gen. ix. 26 Blessed be (is) the LoRD, the God qf

pf :~e
Blessings Shem). The truth becomes plainer afterwards. The patriarch becomes
h the interpreter of the divine counsel to him through whom it is to be
a narc • fulfilled. His own natural purpose is subordinated to the expression of
the spiritual message which he delivers. The will of God found so clear a
revelation in His direct dealings with Abraham and Isaac that no human
voice was needed to enforce it. A new departure began with Jacob.
Here a choice was made by God contrary to the wish of Isaac, but when
once Isaac perceived what had been done he acknowledged that the will
of God was his will also (Gen. xxvii. 33). Jacob himself, in his turn,
consciously set aside the privilege of birth (Gen. xlviiL 14 ff.) and gave
precedence to Ephraim the younger son in his blessing of Joseph (Gen.
xlviiL 19). And so completely is the thought of the declaration of the
divine counsel identified with the blessing of him to whom it is announced
that in the prophetic outline of the fortunes of the twelve tribes (Gen. xlix.)
even the outward disasters which were announced to Reuben, Simeon, and
Levi are reckoned among blessings (Gen. xlix. 28) by him who saw beyond
the human aspect of things (comp. Deut. xxxiii.).
Such an idea of blessing as the simple announcement of the counsel of
God, which must in its essence be welcomed as a counsel of righteousness
and love, is a fruit of revelation. slt corresponds with the view of creation
as destined to fulfil the purpose of the Creator in spite of the self-assertion
of the creature. It embodies an absolute faith in human progress.
The ethnic In sharp contrast with this divine idea of blessing is that which is
idea of expressed by Balak. For him blessings and curses are dispensed by the
Blessing. arbitrary will of one who is possessed of an exceptional power (Num. xxii.
6; comp. xxiv. 1). But the utter frustration of his hopes leaves in the
record of Scripture the ful,lest possible affirmation of the fact that the
prophet cannot do more than give utterance to that which is the mind
of God (Num. xxii. 38; xxiiL 26; xxiv. 13. Comp. Josh. vi. 26; 2 K.
ii. 24).
The ritual The prophetic blessing is necessarily exceptional, but the solemn decla-
Blessing. ration of God's purpose belongs to all time. Thus in the organisation of
worship and life blessing is the voice of the authorit.ative minister of God,
the priest or the head of the household, who acknowledges the love and
power of God and prays that they may be effective for those on whose
behalf they are invoked (comp. 2 Sam. vi. 18; 1 K. viii. 5 f., 55; I Chron.
xvL 2; 1 Sam. ii. 20; 2 Chron. xxx. 27). Blessings formed an important
part of the public and of the private service of the Jews. When Aaron
was solemnly invested with the priesthood 'he lifted up his hands towards
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 207

the people and blessed them' (Lev. ix. 22 ), and at this point of transition in
the religious history of Israel Moses joined with him in repeating the
action, 'and the glory of the LoRD appeared to all the people' (Lev. ix. 23~
The first treatise in the Mishnah is on 'Blessings' (Berachoth); and the
series of 'the Eighteen ' Blessings is the most striking feature in the daily
service of the Synagogue.
The form of sacerdotal blessing prescribed to 'Aaron and his sons'
(Num. vi. 22 ff.) brings into a clear light the character and the foundation
of the divine blessing :
The LoRD bless thee and keep thee :
The LoRD make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LoRD lift up His countenance upon thee, and gioo thee peace
(comp. Ps. iv. 6; lxvii. 1).
So, it is added, shall they put my Name upon the chiklren of Israel,
and I will bless them. The blessing, that is, consists in the 'true fellowship
of the people with God as He had made Himself known to them. Hence
the act of blessing itself is said to be 'in the Name of the Lord' (1 Chron.
xxiii. 13; Ecclus. xlv. 15). He who fulfils it does so in virtue of his own
connexion with God (comp. John xiv. 13 note).
It appears from what has been already said that the idea of a true Blessing
blessing lies in the vision and realisation of the divine will. This thought by God
is applied in many different ways. Man 'blesses' God : God 'blesses' and by
man : man 'blesses' man : and, much more rarely, both God and man man.
'bless' objects which are not personal When man 'blesses' God he
devoutly acknowledges some special feature in His nature or purpose or
action which he regards as a ground of grateful praise : Deut. viii 10;
Jud. v. 2, 9; 1 K. x. 9; Neh. ix. 5.
If God 'blesses' man, He makes known to him something as to His
counsel which the man is able to appropriate for his spiritual good : Gen. i
28; ix. 1 ; xii 2 f. &c.; xvii 16; xxv. 11·; (Num. vi. 24).
If man 'blesses ' man, he speaks as the representative of the Divine
Voice declaring its message in the form of prayer or of interpretation :
Gen. xxvii 4 ff.; xlvii 7; xlix. 28; Lev. ix. 23; Num. vi. 23; Deut. :x. 8;
xxi 5.
When God blesses an impersonal object, He reveals His purpose to
make known through it something of Himself: Gen. i. 22 ; ii. 3 ; Ex. xxiii
25; Job i 10; Ps. lxv. 10; cxxxii 15; Prov. iii. 33.
When man 'blesses' an impersonal object he recognises in it the working
of God: 1 Sam. ix. 13 (a unique example in the 0.T.).
The last form of expression is specially liable to misunderstanding. In
such a blessing there is nothing of the idea of a charm or of any magical
working. The full phrase is 'to bless God for the thing'; and the early
forms of blessing pronounced over various articles of food express the
thought without any ambiguity. Mishna, Berachoth, vi. I 'How do we
bless for fruit ? For fruit of a tree say "[Blessed art Thou, 0 Lord our
God1 who createst the fruit of the wood "... For fruits of the earth say
"Who createst the fruit of the ground," excepting the bread. For the
bread say "Who bringest forth bread from the earth " .. .' Compare De
Sola's Form of Prayers, &c., Philadelphia, 5638 (18781 i. pp. 270* ff.
 208 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
The The Jewish idea of 'blessing' which passes from the thought of adoration
'eight~en' to the thoughts of petition and thanksgiving, all lying in the central
~enedic- thought of God's revealed nature, finds a characteristic and most noble
ions. expression in the 'Eighteen' Benedictions which have formed a part of the
Synagogue Service from the earliest times. The text has no doubt been
revised; additions have been made to it : differences exist between the
forms adopted in the congregations of the Spanish and German Jews :
but substantially these 'Benedictions' seem to have been in use in the
Apostolic age. The first three and the last three are probably some
centuries older. The whole collection forms the most precious liturgical
writing of the prre-Christian period, and it has exercised considerable
influence upon Christian services. As the embodiment of Jewish devotion
which the Apostles and the Lord Himself may have used it claims careful
study. The Benedictions are given in the following form in the Spanish
(Sephardic) recension:
1. Blessed art Thou, 0 LoRD our God, and the God of our fathers, the
God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Ex. iii. 15), the
great God, the mighty, and the terrible (Deut. :x. 17), God most High
(Gen. xiv. 18), that bestowest gracious benefits (Cl';l\~ Cl'19m, that
possessest the universe, and rememberest the good deeds of the fathers
(nb~ 1J~IJ), even He that bringeth a Redeemer unto their sons' sons for
His Name's sake in love.
0 King, Helper, and Saviour, and Shield, blessed art Thou, 0 LoRD,
the Shield of Abraham.
2. Thou art mighty for ever, 0 LORD. Thou causest the dead to live,
plenteous to save, sustaining the living in Thy goodness, quickening the
dead in Thy plenteous compassion, supporting the fallen, and healing the
sick, and loosing them that are in bonds, and fulfilling Thy truth to them
that sleep in the dust. Who is like unto Thee, 0 Lord of mighty deeds ;
and who can be compared unto Thee, 0 King, that bringest to death, and
bringest to life, and causest salvation to spring forth 1 Yea, Thou art
faithful to bring the dead to life.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LORD, that bringest the dead to life.
3. Thou art holy and Thy Name is holy. And the holy ones praise
Thee every day. Selah.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LoRD, the holy God.
4- Thou graciously givest to man (1:11~?) knowledge, and teacllest
mortal man (~b.~~) understanding. So graciously give unto us knowledge
and understanding and wisdom.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LORD, that graciously givest knowledge.
5. Turn us again, our Father, to Thy law; and make us draw near, our
King, to Thy service ; and bring us back with a perfect repentance to Thy
presence.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LORD, that hast pleasure in repentance.
6. Pardon us, our Father, for we have sinned. Forgive us, our King,
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 209

for we have transgressed. For Thou, God, art good and ready to
forgive.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LORD, most gracious, that dost abundantly pardon
(Is. lv. 7).
7. Look, we beseech Thee, on our affliction ; and plead our cause; and
hasten to redeem us with a perfect redemption for Thy Name's sake. For
Thou, God, art a strong Redeemer (Jer.1 34).
Blessed art Thou, 0 LoRD, the Redeemer of Israel
8. Heal us, 0 LORD, and we shall be healed. Save us and we shall be
saved (Jer. xvii. 14). For Thou art our praise. Yea, cure and heal all our
diseases and all our pains and all our wounds. For Thou, God, art a
compassionate and faithful Healer.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LoRD ; even He that healeth the diseases of His
people Israel
9. Bless us, our Father, in all the works of our hands ; and bless our
year with the dews of (Thy) favour, blessing and beneficence; and may its
close be life and plenty and peace, as the good years that were for a
blessing. For Thou, God, art good, and doest good, and blessest the years.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LORD, that blessest the years 1•
10. Sound the great trumpet for our freedom ; and lift up a banner to
gather our captives ; and gather us together speedily from the four corners
of the earth (land) to our own land (Deut. xxx. 4 ; Is. xxvii. 13).
Blessed art Thou, 0 LORD ; even He that gathereth the outcasts of His
people Israel
11. Restore us our judges as at the first; and our counsellors as at the
beginning (Is. i. 26); and turn from us sorrow and sighing; and reign over
us speedily, Thou, 0 LORD, alone, in compassion, in righteousness and in
judgment.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LoRD, a king that lovest righteousness and
judgment (Ps. xxxiii. 5).
12. To slanderers (traitors) 2 let there be no hope; and let all heretics
(Cl'?!pi'.1-',f) and all proud men perish in a moment. And let all thy
enemies and all that hate Thee be speedily cut off. And let every one
that doeth wickedness be speedily rooted up and broken in pieces and
consumed. And bow them down speedily in our days.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LoRD, that breakest the enemies in pieces, and
bowest down the proud.
13. Upon the righteous, and upon the pious (Cl 1'J'l;,!:)iJ), and upon the
remnant of Thy people, the house of Israe~ and upon the residue of the
house of their scribes, and upon the proselytes of righteousness, and upon

l Two forms of this Benediction are Chrisiians, that is, Christian converts
given for use in Summer (given in the from. Judaism, see Hamburger, Real-
translation) and Winter respectively. Encycl. fur Bibel u. Talmud ii. s. v.
Both texts differ considerably from Schemone-Esre; or Dr Ginsburg in
that in the German service. Kitto-Alexander, Gyclop. of Bibl. Lite-
2 For the history of this Section, rature, s. v. Synagogue.
which has been commonly applied to
W. H. 3 14 .
210 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

us let Thy compassions, we pray Thee, be moved, 0 Lonn, our God, and give
a good reward to all that trust in Thy Name in truth, and set our portion
with them. And let us not be put to shame for ever, for in Thee do we
trust, and upon Thy great mercy are we stayed in truth.
Blessed art Thou, 0 Lonn, that art a stay and confidence to the
righteous.
14 a. Dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, Thy city, as Thou hast said;
and establish in the midst of her speedily the throne of David; and build
her an eternal building speedily in our days.
Blessed art Thou, 0 Lonn, that buildest Jerusalem.
14 b. Cause the Shoot (n!;ll) of David Thy servant speedily to spring
forth ; and let his house be exalted in Thy Salvation ; for we wait for Thy
salvation day by day.
Blessed art Thou, 0 Lonn, that causest the horn of salvation to spring
forth.
15. Hear our voice, 0 Lonn, our God, merciful Father. Have mercy
and compassion upon us ; and receive in compassion and favour our prayer.
For Thou, God, hearest prayers and supplications. And send us not away,
our King, empty from Thy presence. Be gracious unto us, and wswer us,
and hear our prayer ; for Thou hearest the prayer of every mouth.
Blessed art Thou, 0 Lonn, that hearest prayer.
16. Look, 0 Lonn our God, with favour on Thy people Israel ; and
have regard to their prayer : and restore the service to the oracle (,,:;17~)
of Thy house. And mayest Thou receive with favour speedily the burnt
offerings of Israel and their prayer in love. And may the service of Israel
be pleasing to Thee perpetually. And do Thou in Thy plenteous com-
passion look kindly upon us and be favourable to us ; and may our eyes
behold when Thou returnest with compassion to Zion.
Blessed art Thou, 0 Lonn, even He that restoreth His Shekinah to
Zion.
17. We confess unto Thee that Thou art He, the Lonn our God, and
the God of our fathers, for ever and ever : our Rock, the Rock of our life,
and the Shield of our salvation. Thou art He. From generation to
generation we give thanks to Thee and declare Thy praise ..•.
Blessed art Thou, 0 Lonn ; goodness is Thy Name, and to Thee it is
meet to give thanks.
18. Grant peace, goodness, and blessing, life, grace and mercy,
righteousness and compassion unto us and unto all Israel Thy people ; and
bless us, our Father, all of us together, in the light of Thy countenance
(Num. vi 26). For in the light of Thy countenance Thou hast given to us,
0 Lonn our God, the Law and life, love and mercy, righteousness and
compassion, blessing and peace. And may it be good in Thine eyes to
bless Thy people Israel with abundant strength and peace.
Blessed art Thou, 0 LoRD ; even He that blesseth His people with
peace.
Each section rests upon the Confession of some feature in the revealed
character of God. Prayer is only the application of that which He has
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2II

made known of Himself to the circumstances of the worshipper. Even in

judgment there is a manifestation of His righteousness which the believer
welcomes with grateful reverence (compare Hamburger and Ginsburg in
the articles quoted above).
When we pass from the Old Testament to the New we find that the Blessing
use of EVAOYEIII (EvAoyla, EVAoyriror, EVACYy'Jµ.luor) in the N. T. closely Corre- in the
sponds with the use in the Lxx. EvXoyE111 is used ~h.; ~se of
1. Absolutely without any expressed object, but with the clear thought EvXo-y•w.
of Him to whom praise is due for every good: Mk. vi 41 II Matt. xiv. 19;
Mk. xiv. 22 II Matt. xxvi. 26 (all Evxap,IJ"n7(Tar); Lk. xxiv. ,30. In these
cases indeed it is possible to take rovr llprovr, ..;.., /1pro11, as the object from
the context (see§ 3), but the Jewish custom points very plainly in the other
direction; and this construction is decisively supported by the parallel use
of Evxap,urE&II Mk. xiv. 23 II Matt. xxvi. 27; Mk. viii. 6; Lk. xxii. 17, 19;
John vi 11. Both words describe the devout acknowledgment of God's
power and love ; but while EvAoyE111 regards these in relation to God as
attributes of His glorious Majesty, Evxap,ur•111 regards them in relation to
man as the occasion of grateful thanksgiving.
In other connexions EvAoyE111 is used absolutely in 1 Pet. iii. 9 ; 1 Cor.
iv. 12; xiv. 16; (Rom. xii. 14).
In Mk. X. 16 avra is probably to be supplied to KUT"EVACJ'YEI.
2. With a personal object; either
(a) God: Lk. i. 64; ii. 28; xxiv. 53; James iii. 9; or
(b) Man : Lk. ii. 34 ; vi. 28 ; xxiv. 50 f. ; Acts iii. 26 ; Rom. xii. 14 ;
Eph. i. 3; Hehr. vi. 14 (Lxx.); vii. 1, 6, 7; xi. 20 f. (in these examples both
man and God are the subjects).
3. With a material object: Mk. viii. 7; Lk. ix. 16; 1 Cor. x. 16.
In these cases 'blessing the bread·' must be understood as 'blessing
God the giver of the bread.' The formulas in use [at the Paschal meal]
are given by Lightfoot on Matt. xxvi. 26. Compare p. 207.
The usage of EvAoyla answers to that of •vXoyE111. EvXoyla is attributed Ev>.o-ylci.
(a) to Divine Beings ('the Lamb,' 'He that sitteth on the throne,' God) in
Apoc. v. 12 f.; vii. 12; (b) to men, whether it be given (a) by God (Christ):
Gal. iii. 14; Rom. xv. 29; Eph. i. 3 (comp. I Cor. x. 16; I Peter iii. 9); or
(f:3) by man: Heh. xii. 17; and (c) to an impersonal object: Hehr. vi 7.
And 'the blessing' includes both the implied promise and that which is
the substance of the promise, since from the divine side promise and
fulfilment are one.
The word occurs also in a wider sense of that generosity which realises
the divine purpose of wealth: 2 Cor. ix. 5 f.; Rom. xvi. 18 (comp. LXX.
Gen. xxxiii. 11 ; Jos. xv. 19; Jud. i. I 5 ; 1 Sam. xxv. 27); and again quite
generally, James iii. 10.
Ev>..onror is used (seven times) of God only, and oEvXoy.,ror in Mk. xiv. Ev>.o-y'7ros.
61 as the title of God (comp. lgn. Eph. 1; Mart. Pol. 14)1• By this
limitation it is distinguished from •11>..onµ.l11or which is used of 'Him that

1 This is the general but not the exclusive use in the Lxx. See Gen. xxiv. 31;
Deut. vii. r 4; 1 Sam. xxv. 33.
14-2 ,
 212 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

cometh' (Ps. cxviii. (cxvii] 26; Matt. xxi. 9 ; xxiii. 39 and parallels [in
John xii. 13 D reads nlXoy1JTc>s]), of the Mother of the Lord and her Son
(Luke i. 42); of 'the nations on the King's right hand' (Matt. xxv. 34);
and of 'the kingdom of David' (Mk. xi. 10).
Classical In classical writers EvXoyiiv, which is rare in early prose, is simply 'to
usage. speak well of,' 'to praise,' without any of the deeper thoughts which spring
from the Jewish conception of the divine order and essence of things.
Even in Philo and Josephus the full religious sense is comparatively rare;
and Loesner remarks (on Eph. i. 3) that when the LXX. uses EvXoyla,
Philo often introduces EVXf/ or ltra,vos.
Ecclesias- In the Christian Church the use of 'Benedictions' obtained a very wide
tical extension, but these lie outside our present scope (see the article Benedic-
usage.
tiom in D. C. A. by Rev. R. Sinker~ One detail in liturgical practice may
be named. In the Eastern services the response to the call for a blessing
is not unfrequently and characteristically an ascription of blessing to God,
where in the Western it is a direct invocation of blessing on men (Sinker
l. c. p. 197).

.Additional Note on vii. 28. The superiority of .the High-

priesthood of Christ to the Levitical High-priesthood.
It is worth while to enumerate distinctly the points in which the writer
of the Epistle marks the superiority of the High-priesthood of Ch1ist over
tliat of Aaron. He has already shewn that Christ possesses the quali-
fications of High-priesthood in ideal perfection, sympathy (ii. 17 f.; iv. 15;
v. 8; vii. 26), and divine appointment (v. 5). And more than this he places
His preeminence in a clear light by a detailed comparison as to
(a) the form of His appointment(vii. 21), by an oath (promise) and not
as dependent on the fulfilment of a covenant;
(b) the rule of His priestliood (vii. 16), 'the power of an indissoluble
life' and not 'a law of carnal commandment';
(c) its duration (vii 23 £), unchangeable without succession;
(d) its nature (vii. 28) as of a son made perfect, and not of a weak
man;
(e) the scene of His service (viii. 2 ; ix. 11 ), heaven not earth ;
and
(f) the character (ix. 12) and
(g) completeness (vii. 27; x. 5 ff.) of His offering, consummated alike
in life and death.
VIII. 1) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 213

VIII. l KE<f>dA.aLOJ/ ~€ €7rl1 'TOLS' A.eyoµevois-, 'TOLOU'TOJ/

I i,r! roi.s : iv roi.s A.

IV. THE FULFILMENT OF CHRIST'S This has been rendered perfectly by

PRIESTLY Worur (viii i-x. 18). the Incarnate Son of God ; whose
The description of the great features sacrifice of Himself in Life and Death
of Christ's Priesthood which has been avails for ever for that humanity
given in the last division of the which He has taken to Himself.
Epistle is naturally followed by a Through His Work the Covenant of
view of the fulfilment of His office. grace finds accomplishment (c. x.
This includes the final answer to the 1-18).
disappointments and doubts of the These three sections:
Hebrews. It has been shewn that i A general 'Diew of the scene
Christ possesses completely the char- and the conditions of Chrisfs High-
acteristics of a High-priest for men priestly work (c. ,viii.),
(c. v. 1-10): that the full appre- ii The Old Ser,,,ice and the New:
hension of the dignity of His Person the Atonement qf the Law and the
and Work requires effort and patience Atonement of Christ (c. ix.),
(c. v. 11-vi.): that under the Levitical iii. The Old Sacrifices and the
system there existed an impressive New: the abiding efficacy of Chrisfs
type of a higher order of Priesthood one Sacrifice (c. x. 1-18),
which He has satisfied (c. vii.). The complete the argument of the Epistle;
writer therefore goes on to indicate and shew that the Mosaic system,
how He discharges the duties of this with its great memories and consoling
supreme and absolute Priesthood, institutions, has no value for the
and how it involves of necessity the Christian.
abrogation of the Mosaic ritual. i. A general 'Diew of the scene
To this end he first marks the and the conditions of Christ>, High-
scene and the conditions of Christ's priestly work (viii. 1-13).
Priestly work, the New Sanctuary Before discussing in detail the
and the New Covenant, a Sanctuary High-priestly work of Christ, the
of heaven and not of earth, a Covenant writer gives a general view of its
of grace and not of works (c. viii.). character in relation to ( 1) the new
He then compares the High-priestly Sanctuary (viii. 1-6), and (2) the new
service under the Old and New Cove- Covenant (7-13).
nants in its most august forms, the (1) The new Sanctuary (1-6).
service of the Day of .Atonement The eternal High-priest has a work
under the Levitical system, and the to do corresponding with the spiritual
Passion and .Ascension of Christ ; dignity of His offic~ in the heavenly
while he significantly suggests that sanctuary (1, 2). This work could
we are still waiting for the Return of not be fulfilled on earth, for there is
Christ from the Presence of God to already an earthly system of service
announce the completion of His Work (~4); but the earthly system is only
(c. ix.). a shadow of the divine archetype
In conclusion he brings forward which is realised by Christ (5, 6).
the consideration which is at once The argument, it will be seen,
the foundation and the crown of his meets indirectly difficulties which
argument. The Levitical sacrifices were felt as to the death of Christ
could not have any value in them- (l,'7rovv r,vlr, rlvor lvEICEV drr£8a11Ev
selves. The sacrifice of loyal service lEpws r.Zv; Chrys.); and as to the
is that which God requires of men. absence of Christ. The present work
214 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VIII. I

of Christ is the application of the (r) Summary, sum. "om11 ns t11

virtue of His one Sacrifice of Him- oXlycp Ta ,cvptroTEpa 7rapaAafJE<II p.,A>..r,
self. He is our High-priest who has i11 ICE<paAalro cf,1Jul11 7roiE10-Bai T;,11 Aoyo11,
entered into the Divine Presence, Theophlct.'Comp. Ecclus. xxxv. (xxxii)
and we wait patiently for His Return 8 ICE<paAa{roo-011 Aoyov, Ell oAiyo,s 'TrOAAa.
(ix. 28). It was necessary therefore (2) Chi,:f point, main matter.
that He should have 'somewhat to KEcf,a>..a,011 c!El T;, p.ly,uToll XiyETat,
offer,' and that could be nothing less Chrys. Comp. Thucyd. iv. 50 'TrOAAruv
than Himself. It was necessary that i!AXow yEypap.p.lvro11 1CE<paXaio11 ~"' vi 6.
He should be withdrawn from us that Plat. Legg. i p. 643 c ICE<paAatOV a;
He might make atonement, and enter 'TrataEias Xiyop.EII nJII op0q11 Tpocf,~11.
on His Royal Priesthood. His Death It occurs again in Acts xxii 28
and His absence are consequently an for 'a sum of money'; and in the LXX.
essential part of the fulfilment of our (caput ei~i) in a similar sense 'the
hope. capital sum'; Lev. v. 24; (vi. 5); Num.
'Now in the things which we are v. 7 (comp. Num. iv. 2; xxxi. 26, 49).
saying the chief point is this: We The second sense falls in best
ha'f!e such a High-priest as sat down with the context. What follows is
on the right hand of the throne rifthe not so much a summary of the
Majesty in the hea'f!ens, •a minister Apostle's teaching, as an indication
of the sanctuary, and qf the true of the central thought by which it is
tohernacle, which the Lord pitched, inspired. If this sense be taken the
not man. aFor every high-priest is question still remains whether 1CE<pa-
appointed to offer both gifts and Xa,011 refers to any new subject, as
sacrifices; whence it was necessary that of the spiritual sanctuary in
that this high-priest also should ha'f!e which Christ fulfils His office, or to
something to offer. 4 Now if he were the whole sentence To,ovT011 ••• t1v0pro-
still upon earth, he would not be a 'Tros, in which the idea of the sanctuary
priest at all, seeing there are those is only one element in many.
who offer the gifts according to law, The general construction of the
ssuch as ser'f!e a copy and shadow sentence favours the latter view. The
of the hea'f!enly order, even as Moses thought of a High-priest who has
is warned of God, when about to make taken His seat on the right hand of
the tabernacle,for See, saith he, thou, God, who is King as well as Priest, is
shalt make all things according to clearly the prominent thought in the
the pattern that was shewed thee in sentence. It has not found distinct
the mount. 6 But, as it is, he hath expression before ; and it is the main
obtained a ministry so much the point in the whole discussion on
more excellent, as also he is mediator Christ's High-priestly work, from
of a better covenant, which hath been which the conviction of the efficacy
enacted upon better promises. of His one sacrifice follows. His
r, 2. A general statement of Session on the divine throne shews
Christ's High-priestly work, as He is that He is sovereign of the Kingdom
King at once and Minister. • which He has established by His
I. ICE<piD..a,011 a; l-rrl TOIS AEy.] Now in Death ; and at the same time this
the things whic/i we are saying the fact explains what seems to men His
chief point is... Latt. capitulum delay in the Sanctuary (x. 13).
autem super ea quaJ dicuntur The use of 1CE<pMaio11 without the
(dicimus ). The word ncf,&Xaio11 admits article in such a construction is
of two different interpretations, which strictly correct. It stands in appo-
have both been adopted by some sition with the statement which fol-
ancient and modern interpreters : lows. Comp. Rom. viii. 3.
VIII. 1) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 215

l1Tl ro,s A.-yoµivo,s] in the case of, another, but God (Blessed be He)
in the consideration o~ the things will set His crown on King Messiah :
which are now being said, in the Cant. iii I I ; Ps. xxi. 3-'
argument which we are now con- lv &E. rov Bp. rijs µ.-yar...] Latt. in
ducting. The reference is to the whole dextera sedis magnitudinis. Comp.
subject of Christ's High-priesthood c. i. 3 lv a.E~ rijs ,..,yar..oo<TV1'1JS and
which is still under discussion, and note. 'The power' (i1)~.l,ri) was
not to what has been advanced before a common Rabbinic name for God in
(ro,s ,lp1JJ.'<vo,s). For l1Tl compare His Majesty: 'we heard it from the
Lk. v. 5; (c. xi. 4). mouth of the Power.' Comp. Buxto~
roiovrov ..• t.s .1ic,Uhu.v ... ] The pro- Lex. s.-i,.; and Mark xiv. 62 Jic a,E1oov
noun (ro,oiiros) may be taken either rijs Ll.uvaµ,oos.
as retrospective ('we have such a The phrase 'the throne of the
High-priest as has been already de- Divine Majest'y' .is chosen with re-
scribed, and He sat down .. .'), or as ference to the Glory which rested
prospective ('we have such a High- on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of
priest... as sat down .. .'~ The parallel Holies : Lev. xvi 2 ; comp. Ex. xxv.
in vii. 26 f. is not decisive either way 22.
(see note). The context however seems The patristic interpretation of 'the
to require that Christ's kingly dignity Majesty' is uncertain (q or1 ical o
in the exercise of His priestly office 1TaTT/p A<xB•l'] &v avrce (avros) J.'E"fOA6l•
should be specially emphasised, so that <TVI") q Ort U1TAOOS oi>roo Bpovos µ•yaAOO•
the second sense is to be preferred : <TVl")S o µi-y,uros Bpovos, Theophlct),
'We have a High-priest who fulfils but the Fathers carefully avoid all
His office in royal dignity, not as 'puerile' anthropomorphism in their
priests on earth ; and the scene of treatment of 'the right hand of God,'
His ministry is heaven.' as for example: plenitudinem majes-
f>s licaB,u,v •.• ] Compare x. 12; xii 2 tatis summamque gloriam beatitudinis
(ic,icdB,ic,v). The image is taken from et prosperitatis debemus per dex-
Ps. ex. The writer of the Epistle is· teram intelligere in qua filius sedet
at length able to repeat, after gaining (Primas.). This Session declares under
a full view of the significance of the a natural figure that the Son of man
statement, what he had said at the has entered on the full and permanent
beginning c. i. 3 licaB,u•v l-,, a,E,~ rijs participation of the divine glory and
µeyaAOO<TVV1JS .1v vt,,M,s (note). power. Compare a remarkable pas-
Tovro (the sitting down) ovxl roii sage of Philo (d, Abr. § 24, ii. p.
l,pioos ar..r..a rovrou ,;, l•pauBat EKEIVOV 19 M.) 1rarqp µ•v rciiv or..oov oµiuos (the
XP~ (Chrys.). e,ov £XOJ.'EV apxi•pia· reference is to Gen. xviii. I ff.), os •••
TO -yap icaBijuBa, ova,vos IJAAOU ~ B,ov icaAEITal oJv, al a. 1rap' fKIITEpa 1rp•u-
(Theophlct). {3irraraL kal lr1VraTaL roV ~vror avVO.µ,nr·
The idea of 'taking the seat' (lica- Jv ~ J.'EI' 1TOt1)rtKq ~ a. aJ /3a<T1Atrcq
B,u,v) is distinct from that of 'sitting' 1Tpoua-yop•v•rm· ical ~ J.'EV 7r011JTIKq B,os
(icaB1)Ta1). Compare c. i 13 note. ...~ a, {3au,r..,rcq rcvp,os••• .And a little
In this connexion the full meaning later (id. § 25) Philo speaks of 'the
of passages like Apoc. iii 21 becomes manifestation' (cf,al'Taula) ~ t1rl a.E,a
clear. Christ makes His people also ~ •v•pyir,s, y B,os ifvoµ.a.... Pearson
kings and priests. A striking illus- (On the Creed, pp. 277 f.) has given
tration is quoted from Shemoth R. a good collection of illustrative quo-
§ 8 (Wiinsche, p. 74). 'A king of flesh tations. Contrast Acts vii 55 (turoora
and blood does not set his crown on lic a.E,0011 rov B,ov).
216 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBl!,EWS. [VIIL 2

A.W<Tl/1/flS €11 TOLS oupavo'is, /J,TWII ary,wv AELTOupryos Kal

TAc CKHNAc Tiis d?1..t18tviis, HN errH!eN o K'ip1oc, ou,c ll.v8pW7ros.
1 oDK ll.v8p. ~BD 2*: + Kti!' oOK 11.vOp. S- (A) vg me syrr.

lv To'ir avpava'irl Compare c. ix. 24 absolutely. He makes atonement for.

note. men with God: He makes God known
2. .,.rov aylwv AEt'T.] a minister ef to men ; and thus in both ways He
the sanctuary, Latt. sanctorum fulfils their destiny. For AEtTov~
minister. The phrase Trov aylwv is and cognate words see Additional
unquestionably neuter: c. ix. 8, 12, Note.
&c. It describes 'the Sanctuary,' and Tijr CTK. T. aA. •••• avic av0p.] Comp. c. ix.
specially what is elsewhere (c. ix. 3) 11 note. The action of Christ's Priest-
called 'the Holy of Holies' (ily.a hood extends to all parts of the
dylwv ). divine Dwelling. Thus the more
The exact phrase occurs in Philo, general word CTK1'/"'I is added to ,-,l
Leg. Alleg. iii. 46 (i. 114 M.), rawiiTor ily,a, but no local distinction can be
a 0Epa7rEV'T~$' ical AEt'TOvpyor 'TOOV aylwv pressed iu regard to the heavenly
(said of Aaron). antitype (archetype). Comp. Apoc.
Some of the Fathers, both Greek xv. 5; (xiii. 6). The general thought
and Latin, treat .,.,;;., dylwv as masc. is that of the immediate Presence
'of the Saints.' Thus Primasius : of God (.,.,l ay,a), and the scene of
sanctorum minister : quod duobus His manifestation to His worshippers
modis potest accipi. Veniens quippe ('I cr"'7"'1)- Christ in the High-priest-
dominus in mundum per incarnationis hood of His glorified hUlllanity repre-
exhibitiouem ministravit sanctis aliis- sents man to God, and in His divine
que fidelibus ... et aliter: sanctorum Nature represents God to man.
minister erit in futurum quando This 'Tabernacle,' which Christ
semetipsum ministrabit illis ut cog- serves and through which God is
noscant eum cum patre et spiritu made known to men, is the ideal
saucto sicuti est. ... Potest et altiori 'Tabernacle'(~ cric. 1 a;\110w4) of which
seusu intelligi ut tabernaculum verum the earthly Tabernacle was a symbol
accipiantur animre justorum quibus For a>..110,vor compare c. ix. 24; x. 22
ipse filius Dei gaudia patrire crelestis note (not ix. 14). The word is com-
administrat et in quibus ipse habi- mon in St John's writings (John i. 9;
tare dignatur. Compare <Ecumeuius: iv. 23 note). Elsewhere in the N. T.
lipxtEpd,r, cfi11crlv, .,.,;;., 1y,acrµ.lvwv 7rap' it occurs only in Luke xvi. 11 ;
aVTOV li11Bpoo1r.w11, and so '.,.,,,;, > quoted 1 Thess. i. 9. For the idea of the
by Theophylact. Tabernacle see Additional Note on
There is a significant contrast v. 5. Compare Wisd. ix. 8.
between the Session of Christ arid His ;v [1T.'7~E"] The verb is habitually
'serving'; ,rO>s aE oTQv r£ aVr6v Oµ.o~ Kal used by classical writers in this con-
CTVIIEapdmv ical AEtTovpyEill ; ,l JJ,'I nr nexion (7r'1'YIIV"a' cric11v,/11). So it is used
lipa A£1Tovpylav E£1T.Ot Troll av0poo1T.WV ~" of the heavens: Is. xiii. 5; (Ps. civ. 3).
crw.,.,,,plav ~" aECT1T.OTIKCd$' 7rpayµ,aTEVE'Tat Comp. Nlllll. xxiv. 6 (Lxx.).
(Theodt). The two words h1 fact odp,or) Comp. v. I 1 (Jer. xxxi 34
present the two complementary LXX.). Elsewhere in the Epistle 'the
aspects of Christ's Person and Work, Lord' (Jehovah) is always represented
His divine Majesty and His infinite by Kvpior (eleven times) while o1Cvp,or
love. Chlist serves though He reigns is used of Christ : c. ii 3 note. But
and reigns in serving. All that the see Luke i 6, 9, 28, 46; James iv. 15 ;
High-priest did in figure He does v. 15 &c.
VIII. 3, 4) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 217

,yap
371"'aS
-\
apxtepEVS
' I ' \ 11\/ ,:.- I '0VO"LaS
€LS 'TO 71"'pO<r1 €p€LV vwpa 'TE Kat
I

Ka0lu-ra-rat ~ ()0ev dva,yKa'iov EXELV -rt Kat -rou-rov ()

7rpO<F€J/€,YK1J- 4 ei µev ouv riv hrt ,yiji;, ovo' &v riv iepeus,
3 -r• Kal: om. Kal ~*? 4 0011 ~ABD 2* vg me: "fd.p 1, syr hl.

otlic ~118p611ros] Compare c. ix. u, 24 Presence of God throws light upon the
xnpon-olTJTa ).
( 0 ,l difficulty which the Hebrews felt as to
3, 4- The fact and the scene of His death. Through no Jess an offering
Christ's High-priestly work. than that of Himself could He come
3. n-iis ya~ apx.] Compare c. v. 1. before God for His people.
The fact that the Lord is High-priest It has been debated whether ?11 or
-a minister of the sanctuary-in- l<TTlv should be supplied with avay-
volves of necessity and rests upon ,ca'iov. If the reference is to the
His performance of High-priestly offering on the Cross, as seems to be
functions ; for e'()ery High-priest is required by the type and the context,
appointed to offer both gifts and then ~" must be supplied.
sacrifices. He must therefore have lxrn, n] that is 'Himself' (vii 27
both an offering and a place of ava<f,ipnv; ix. 14, 25 n-pou<f,iprn,) or
approach to God: an offering that in His 'Body' (x. 10 n-pou<f,opa). It
the virtue of the blood He might find seems necessary to supply that object
entrance to the Presence of God, as which is elsewhere used with 1rpou-
the .Aaronic High-piiest on the Day of <f,ipn11 in the same connexion. Many
.Atonement; a place of approach ful- have interpreted the n of 'the
filling the type of the Holy of Holies, Blood.' But the Blood was not
not on earth ('(). 4) and consequently properly 'offered' in the Holy of
in heaven. Holies on the Day of .Atonement (yet
ELS TO n-pou<f,. a. ,cal 8.] Comp. c. v. r see c. ix. 7). It was used as the
(,va n-pou<f,ipr,) note. means of entrance and purification.
08E11 ••• t, n-pouEviyicr,] whence it was Even so Christ entered into the
necessary that this High-piiest also Divine Presence 'through (lJ,d) His
should ha'()e something to offer, Vulg. own Blood' (c. ix. 12), and by that
unde necesse est et hunt; habere purifies 'the heavenly things' (ix. 23)
aliquid quod offerat. This offering and the people (c. xiii. 12); but we
is described as made once for all do not read that He 'offered' it.
~n-pouEviy"'fl contrasted with n-pou<f,ipr, The indefinite pronoWI, as contrasted
ix. 2 5 ; comp. c. vii. 27 ~ The one with l!oopa ,cal Bvulas, indicates the
sufficient offering was made by Christ mysteriousness of the offering.
as the condition of entrance into the t, n-pouEviyicn] For the construction,
sanctuary through His own blood which is rare in classical prose, see
(c. ix. 12). On this His intercession .Acts xxi. 16.
is based. That intercession knows no 4- El µ,v oQv••• lEpros ••• ] Now if He
end or interruption ; and therefore were still upon earth, He would not be
no second offering is required, as in a priest at all, and therefore still less
the case of the Levitical High-priest, High-priest. ... The argument is direct-
~ho made a fresh offering every year ed to shew that, since Christ as High-
Ill order that he might again enter priest must do characteristic service,
and repeat the intercession which had the scene of His service must be
been made before. heaven and not earth. The wish
The necessary condition of the therefore which many entertained for
entr-.1nce of our High-priest into the some priestly work of Christ on earth
218 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VIII. 5
,f - ,f, f \ I \ ,:.- '
ovTwv Twv 7rpoo-..,,,epovTwv KaTa voµov Ta owpa· S(oi'TiVEt
• ~I \ ~-,. I - , I
V7r0oetryµaTt Kat <rKt<f 1\.aTpwovo-tv TWV E7rovpavtwv, Ka8~~
ovrwv ~ABD2* vg me: +rwv iep<wv !. syrr. v6µov ~*AB: +rlw' "· !. tc-D1 •
ra ii. K. "· syr vg me.
was really fatal to their noblest faith. emphaBises the character of the Levi.
It is Msumed that there cannot be tical priesthood : priests such a.
two divinely appointed orders of earth- serve that which is a copy and
ly priests. The actual existence and shadow •.. Latt. qui e:cemplari et
service of one order therefore ex- umbrw (serviunt) deser'Diunt. The
cludes the possibility of the coexist- Mosaic system wM not complete in
ence of another. The apodosis is in itself, original and independent: it
"'· 6 J/111/ lU. For El ,Yv ••• ova' &v ,Yv••• WM a copy of an archetype. It had
see c. iv. 8 Additional Note. no spiritual substance : it WM only a
Theodoret (on v. 5) hM an interest- shadow. Comp. John i. 17.
ing note on the service of Christian Like our word 'copy' the word
priests : Tl a11ron Tijs ,cmvijs a,aOr,,c'ls: v1raanyµa expresses not only the
ol lEpiis: T~V µ.vCTT&/C~V AE&Tovpylav lm- image which is made by imitation
TEAovcr,v; dXXa aijXov Tots Tll BE'ia 1TE- (M here and c. ix. 23) but also the
1raia.vµ.lvo" cJs OV/C tIXx,,,, T&J/11 Bvcrlav model which is offered for imitation.
1rpocrcf,lpoµ.n, aXM Tijs µ.,iis £/CEl"1JS ,cat (John xiii 15; James v. 10; 2 Pet. iL
<T6>T1Jplov TT}v µ.v1P.'1" E1T&TEAovµ.Ev. TOVTo 6; comp. 2 Mace. vi. 28, 31; Ecclus.
yap ~,,.,,, mJToS c\ a£<T1TOT1JS: 1rpocrlr~E xliv. 16. Comp. c. iv. 11 note.)
'-roVra ,roi£LTE Elr TT/v Eµ.1/v dvllµ.1111a-u,·' For o-K,~ compare c. x. 1 note; Col
LJJa Tf, BEruplq. TOIi TvtrOJJ TOOi/ V1T<.p 1µ.oov ii. 17 (contraBted with crooµ.a). The
"fEYE"1JP,EV6>V avap.,p."1J<TICOOp.EBa 1raB,,µ.a- word Xarpevovcr, is not to be taken
T6>JJ /Cal TT}JJ 1TEpt Toll EVEPY'T1J" dyCffl"l" absolutely (' serve God in, after, a
1TVp<TE~6>p.EV /Ca! T~JJ 'P,£AAOVT6>1/ ayaBoov copy .. .'). The priest can rightly be
1rpo<Tp.EV6>P,EJJ T1J" a1r0Aavcr,v. said to serve the system. Comp; c.
ilVTruv T. 1rpocrcf,.] seeing there are ... xiii. 10 ol rf, <TIC1J"Y XarpevoVTEs. Ezek.
Vulg. cum essent qui offerrent, V. L. xlv. 5 (ot',c'f')· Clem. R. i. 32. For
aliis offerentibus. The tense of the Xarpd,rn, see Additional Note on v. 2.
principal verb (XarpEvovcr,) fixes the Twv ,1rovpavlruv] of the hea'Dmly
translation of the participle to the order. The Tabernacle presented in
present. This offering is made ,cara figures the ideaB of the Divine Pre-
vaµ.ov, 'according to law,' not 'accord- sence and the realities of heaven.
ing to the Law.' The idea is that of The phrMe is to be taken generally
the authoritative character of the and not to be defined by the addition
institution generally,, and not of the of aylruv or the like.
specific form of the institution. Comp. The range of the occurrence of Ta
c. x. 8 (/CaTa vaµ.ov) note. l1rovpavia in the N. T. is limited. It
Ta awpa] not 'gifts' in the abstract, is found in St John: iii. 12; in the
but 'the gifts' which God requires. Ep. to Ephesians : i. 3, 20 ; ii. 6 ; iii.
The simple term is here used to in- 10; vi. 12; and in this Epistle, here
clude offerings of all kinds (c. xi. 4 ; and in ix. 2 3-
Matt. v. 23 f.; xxiii. 18 f.). The general idea of the phrMe is
5, 6. The earthly Levitical service that of 'the heavenly order,' the scene
points to that which corresponds with of the spiritual life with the realities
a better covenant. which belong to it. The abstract
5. oi'rwes ... ] The qualitative rela- term is used here and in ix. 23 to
tive (comp. c. ii. 3 note; "'· 6 ~ns guard (as it seems) against the danger
VIII. 5] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 219

1'f.XPrJ!-'a'TltT'Tal MwutTijs µ.lMwv €7rl'T€Af.tl/ 'T1}V lTKrJl/1111,

wop<\ ,yap, </>rJtTLV, TTOIHC€1C ntNT<\ K<\Tb. TON T'(TTON TON 6€1X8€NT<\ COi

5 1ron!u«s NABD2 : 1ro11)<T?7f ,.

of transfening to another world the Vulg. Vide, inquit, omnia facito ...
local conditions which belong to the Ex. xxv. 40 (comp. xxv. 9; xxvii. 8).
earthly tabernacle. The quotation differs from the LXX. by
The phrase is not found in the LXX. the addition of ,raVTa (which is not
For l-rrovpav,os generally see c. iii I found in the original) and the sub-
note. In one sense, as Theophylact, stitution of aE1x8lVTa for afauyµ,,11011.
following Chrysostom, points out, ,-a The former word really sums up the
brovpav,a are realised on earth by specific directions given in regard to
faith: ,.;. ~µ,frEpa l1rovpav,a· o-rav yap the different objects in Ex. xxv. All
,.,,,,atv l1rlyE£0V OAA<l 1raVTa 11'VEvµ,a1"1Kd had a prescribed c~aracter and (it
lv ,-o'is µ,vurqplo,s 1"EAOVµ,Eva, lv8a is implied) a divine meaning.
iJµ.vo, dyyEAtKol lv8a KAEtl1Es -riis fJa,n- The construction of ,ro,~uus is un-
AElas ,..;;,, o-Jpa11ru11 Kal tl<Juu,s aµ.ap1"t6>V certain. It may either go closely
Kal aJ 1rru\,v l1Euµ,d, ifrav ~µ,ciiv ,-o 1r0Al- with •opa: 'See that thou make.• .'; or
1"Evµ.a /v ovpaVOtS V1rapXE', 11'6>S o-JK it may be a distinct command: 'See,
lrrovpav,a ,.a Ka8' ~µ,as ; So Primasius regard attentively, the pattern which
(on ix. 23): crelestia, i.e. spiritualia is shewn; thou shalt make' ••• as ap-
qure in veritate modo in ecclesia pears to be the sense of the original
celebrantur. The yap belongs to the argument and
Ka8oos KEXP1J/J,a'r10"1"at M.] even as not to the quotation.
Moses is warned of God ... Latt. sicut Ka,-a ,.;,,, ro,ro11] Latt. secundum
responsum est Moysi... The verb XP'l- exemplar. Compare Acts vii. 44 It
µ.a,-l(Ew is used in the active of giving is not to be supposed that even Moses
a formal answer to an inquirer (as by saw 'the heavenly things' as they are.
an oracle), and then of giving an au- He saw them as he had power to see
thoritative( divine)direction generally: them, i.e. according to human appre-
Jer. xxvi. (xxxiii.) 2; c. xii. 25; so hension. So St Paul heard the divine
XP1Jp.anuµ,os Rom. xi 4 Hence the voice in ' Hebrew.' The heavenly
passive is used of the person who things on which Moses was allowed
receives such a direction: Matt. ii. 12, to look took for him a shape, under
22; Luke ii. 26 (D) KEXP'lµ,a,.,uµ,lvos the divine guidance, which could be
~,,; Acts x. 22; c. xi 7. This use of reproduced on earth.
the pass. is very rare elsewhere: Jos. The command is applied to Solomon
Antt. iii. 8, 8 (a different usage is in Wisd. ix. 8.
found Acts xi. 26). Philo dwells upon the subordinate
The direction is regarded as still position of Bezaleel in regard to
present in Scripture (comp. Gal iv. Moses and finds in the interpretation
23 yEylvV1J,-ai). Comp. c. vii. 6 note.
µ,lAA6>v /,r,,-EAE'iv] when he is about of his name lv uK•~ 8Eov ('~ 'li1) an
(as destined by the divine counsel: c. indication of the position which his
xi. 8) to put into execution, to make work •occupied: Leg. A.lleg. iii § 31
(rather than to complete)•••Vulg. cum (i. p. 1o6 M.); De Sum,n. i § 35 (i.
consummaret (0. L. consummat). 652 M.) ,.;,,, 1"0ll,-ov 1"011 ,rAiyµ,a,-os a,,-
.For l1r1,-EAE'i11 see c. ix. 6; 2 Cor. vii. µ,,ovpyov ~ lEp6s Aoyos BEUfAfqA lKaAE-
I ; I Pet. v. 9. UEV, ~s lpµ,7Jvw8Els /u,-w, ,,, UK~ 8Eov·
/Jpa -yap, lj,7Jul11, ,ro,~uus•. .] for See, ,-a ylip µ,,µ,1µ,a,-a o~os, ,-a
IJE 1rapaaEly-
Baith lie (i.e. God), thou shalt make ... p,aTa apx<1"EK1"0VEt M6>iiuijs ovoµ,a. De
220 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VIII. 6
6 1
eN T<fl ope1·) r vvv
OE Ota<:f>opwTepac; 'TE'TVXEV A€t'Tovp,ylas,
\[
o<T<p Kat
\ f I , ·0 ~ I cf f
Kp€t'T'TOVO<; €<T'TtV ota rJKrJ<; µe<Tt'T'7S, '7'TtS E'lrl
t \

6 11vvl
6 11v11BD2*: 11vvl,NA. Tfrvxe11N*AD 2*: TET<vxe11NcB. KalKp.: om.KalD2*.
om. iuTw .•• Kp«TTo N*.
Plant. No(JJ § 6 (i 333 M.~ See .Ad- men by assuring them of its validity.
ditional Note. The use of the term suggests a
6. viiv a; at.acf,..•.] But now, as it is, point of superiority in Christ over the
as the ca.se really stands, he hath Aaronic High-priests. Moses was
obtained (lepovpyoov 7'11V v1rip 1p.oov the 'mediator' of the Law (Gal iii
1rpos TOIi 1raTipa p.E<T&Telav, Euth. Zig.), 19; Philo de vit. Mos. iii § 19; ii. 16o
... For viiv a; see c. xi. 16: so vvvl a; c. M.), but Christ who is the High-priest
ix. 26. The form Tfrvx•v occurs, is also the Mediator of the new 'Law.'
though rarely, in late writers. He combines the offices of Moses and
at.acf,opooTEpas ••• Kpelrrovos ••• ] Latt. Aaron. Comp. c. iii. I.
melius...melioru ... Thetwowordsare The limited office of 'the Mediator
used again together in close juxta- of a Covenant' suggests the thought
position in c. i. 4. Perhaps 1epElrroov of the wider work of a Mediator,
has regard to intrinsic superiority and which occupied the minds of early
aiacf,op"'npor to a superiority which is speculators on the relation of God to
manifested directly. Moreover llt.acf,. Creation. Philo, for example, gives a
recognises an exceptional excellence in noble picture of the Word standing
that which is surpa.ssed. The 'name ' between the creature and the Father
of angels and the ministry of the Levi- of all, the messenger of divine order
tical priests were both 'excellent.' and the inspirer of human hope: Quis
The word AE&Tovpylas goes back to rer. div. /,,(lJr. § 42 (i 502 M.) o a;
v. 2 AELTovpyos. avTos l1eET1JS p.iv E<TT& TOV 8V1JTOV IC1Jpal-
a,acf,. au'!' 1eal 1ep•••• ] Compare c. vii. voVTos del 1rpos TO lJ.cf,8apTov· 1rpeufJ•v-
20 ff. for the converse argument. T17r a; TOV ~p.ovor 'lr(JOS TO t\mi1eoov·
aia8. p.eulT11r] Latt. testamenti medi- ayaAAETat ai E'lrt Ty aoop•~ 11:al <rep.vv-
ator. For at.a8. p.•ulTT/s see c. ix. 15 ; vop.evos avT17V ,,,_a,']yiiTa& q>a<rK<AlV '11:al
xii 24. Jy6l £lCTT~Knv &vc'z µ,Ecrov ,cvplov ,cal
Elsewhere in N. T. p.eul-rr,r is used vp.oov' (comp. Num. xvi. 48)..•• Perhaps
with the genitive of the person: Gal. there is no finer view of the relation
iii. 19 :t: 0 p.E<TLTT/S lvor 01l1e ;en-iv, I of the world to its Maker possible
Tim. ii. 5 p.<<TLTT/S Beoii ,cal av8pwr.w. apart from the Incarnation.
Comp. p.E<r&Te,;,oo c. vi. 17. The word, 17ns ••• vevop.o8iT1]Ta&] The superiority
which belongs to late Greek, answer- of the New Covenant is shewn by the
ing to the .Attic p.•u•yyvos, is found superiority of the promises on which
once in the Lxx., Job ix. 33; and it is its conditions are founded (~ns, 'such
found in Philo and Josephus. that it is,' 'seeing that it is,' v. 5 note).
.A covenant generally, and obviously .A Covenant necessarily imposes con-
a covenant between God and man, ditions. And a Covenant (aia8f,1e1J)
requires a mediator, one who stall.ding made by God is 'enacted.' Thus the
between the contracting parties shall Gospel itself, though in one sense op-
bring them duly into fellowship. Meul- posed to the Law, was not only the
TT/S describes the action of Christ at fulfilment of the Law; but in itself
the establishment of the New Cove- the 'perfect Law' (James i. 25). Free-
nant, a.s ;yyvos (c. vii. 22) describes dom is the absolute consummation of
the position which He holds towards Law.
VIII. 7] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 22I

Kp€t'T'TO<TLV bra'Y'Y€ALatS V€1Joµo0e'TrJTaL. 7 €l. 'Y<ip ri 7rp(t)TYJ

fK€tVYJ t]V &µEp.7r'TOS, OUK &v 0€UTEpac; e{YJT€t'TO 'TO'TrO<;·
7 ll<trdpa.r: frepa.r B*.

brl 1<p<Lrr. i,rayy.] upon better pro- .And they shall be to me a people;
mises, such as are contained in the ".And they shall not teach e1!ery
divine description which follows of man hisfellow-citizen,
the spirituality and efficacy of the .And e1!ery man his brother, saying,
new relation of man to God, based Know the Lord:
upon complete forgiveness. For the Because all shall know me,
use of i,rl with dat. to express the From the least to the greatest of
conditions (accompaniments) see 2 them.
Cor. ix. 6 ; 1 Thess. iv. 7 ; Phil. iii. 9 ; ,. Because I will be merciful to
(Luke xxiv. 47). their iniquities,
(2) The new Covenant (7-13). .And their sins will I remember no
The Levitical system corresponded more.
with a Covenant which was recognised 1
3 In that he saith .A new covenant,
by the prophets as imperfect and he hath made the first old. But that
transitory, for they spoke of the whi,ch becometh old and wa:xeth aged
divine purpose to establish 'a new is nigh unto vanishing away.
Covenant.' The section consists of a 7. The teaching of the prophets
brief introduction (7, 8 a), the pro- bears witness to the superiority of the
phetic word (8 b-12), a general con- New order over the Old which has
clusion ( I 3). been affirmed in the last verse, for if
1 For if that first covenant had been the first Covenant had completely ful-
faultless, a place would not have been filled the purpose to which a Cove-
sought for a second. 8 For finding nant between God and man is direct-
fault with them he saith ed, then there would have been no
Behold the days come, saith the room for another. The argument is
Lord, ·parallel to that in c. vii. 1 1 ff.
That I will make a new covenant El yap .•. ~11 .1,..,.fl'TM] For if that
with the house of Israel and with first covenant had beenfaultles11, Latt.
the house of Judah; nam si ... culpa vacasset, fulfilling per-
9 Not according to the covenant fectly the purpose to which it pointed.
that I made with their fathers, Comp. vii. 18.
In the day that I took them by the The Law itself is not blamed : the
hand to lead them forth out of the fault lay with those who received it
land of Egypt; (v. 8). None the less the Covenant
10
Because they continued not in did fail, so far as it brought no con-
my covenant, summation of man's true destiny.
.And I regarded them not, saith The Covenant is called.first in con-
the Lord. trast with lJ,vT<pa by common Greek
Because this is the covenant that usage. Comp. c. ix. 6 f.; x. 9 ; Acts
I will covenant with the house of i. I. The addition of the pronoun
IBrael (l1<Elll'J) presents the Old Covenant as
.After those days, saith the Lord, occupying the mind of the readers.
Even putting my laws into their Comp. 2 Cor. vii. 8; Matt. xviii. 32.
mind, oil1< ~" lJwT. ,(,,T. Twos] a place
.And upon their heart will I write would not ha1!e been sought for a
them: second, Vulg. non utique secundi
.And I will be to them a God, locus inquireretur. God made known
222 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VIIL 8
8
µt:µ </>'oµE110<; , rauTOV<;
'Yap , 'l-i,.
l\.€"fEL
1

8 avro'is
8 a.orovs ~* AD2* vg : a.ilro'is ~•B.
His purpose to establish a second The speaker is the Lord Himself, not
Covenant ; but for this, in the order the prophet. The quotation (8 0-12)
of His Providence, fitting conditions is taken, with some variatious, from
were required. Hence it was not the the txx., which, in the main, agrees
Covenant itself for which men sought, with the Hebrew. See .Additional
but the place for it, the circumstances Note. Carpzov has pointed out that
under which it could be realised. The Philo in a remarkable passage places
feeling of dissatisfaction, want, prompt- Jeremiah in connexion with Moses,
ed to a diligent inquiry ; and to this yvovs /$ri DV P,01/011 P,VUT1JS .'url11 aAAa
the words addressed to Jeremiah- Kal lEpocf>allT1Js lKa110s (IJe Cher. § 14;
the prophet of the national overthrow i. 148 M.).
and exile-bear witness. The context of the quotation gives
For the phrase (11rii11 ro,ro11 compare it a special force. Jeremiah at the
T07TDII EVpEIII C. Xii l7j T, a,ao11a& Rom. crisis of national calamity pictures the
xii 19; r. ">..a/3E'i11 .Acts xxv. 16. final result of the discipline of the
The two imperfects El ,J11.. •ov,c .\11 exile into which Judah was now going.
l(1JTEi.ro mark a continuous state. The united people 'Israel and Judah'
While the first Covenant remained are to return to their land (xxx. 3).
in force, there was yet searching for Ephraim is again recognised as first-
something more. This thought is ex- born (xxxi 9). The sorrows of Rachel
pressed by: 'If the first had been ... a are consoled (xxxi. 15 ff.). The coun-
place would not have been sought': sel of divine love finds certain accom-
and not by 'If the first were... would plishment (xxxi. 37). This issue is
not be sought.' Comp. c. xi. 15 ; and summed up in the establishment of
.Additional Note on iv. 8. a New Covenant, by which the fulfil-
8 a. p.Ep.q,oµEIIOS yap avrovs] The ex- ment of the whole of God's purpose is
istence of failure-fault-is established assured, when trial has done its work.
by the language of the Lord to Jere- Under this Covenant, grace not law
miah : for finding fault with them, is the foundation of fellowship. God
lie saith .. .(Latt. vituperans enim: comes to man as giving and not as
si prius culpa vacasset above). The requiring.
people were not yet prepared to re- The whole situation is Messianic
ceive the revelation which God design- no less than the special words. The
ed to give. The Law had not had its time of national humiliation is the
perfect work with them. They had time of ardent hope. The fall of the
not lived up to that which they had Kingdom, which was of man's will, is
received. the occasion of a greater promise . .And
The reference in them (i.e. the nowhere else in the 0. T. is the con-
Israelites) is supplied from a know- trast between the Law and the Gospel
ledge of the circumstances. Comp. so definitely traced back to its essen-
iv. 8 ; xi. 28. So Theophylact : rovT- tial principle.
iur, roi.s 'Iovaalo,s (reading avroi.s) roi.s The promises of the New Covenant
µ.~ av11aµ.,110,s T£Am,,8ij11a, a,;, TOOi/ IIOp.L- are developed in due order.
KOOII ,rpourayµ.ar"'"· If avroi.r is read 1 • The wide range of the Cove-
the translation finding fault with it nant:
he saith to them is possible, but it It includes all the Old Covenant
appears to be very unlikely. people:
Aiyu] Jer. xxxi. (xxxviii.) 31-34. Israel and Judah (8).
VIII. 9] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 223

'lb.oy HM€p,M EpXONTb.l, Aeret Kyp1oc,

Kb.I C'(NT€A€Cro ETTi TON oiKON 'lcpb.HA Kb.I eni TON o[KON 'loyAA
. Alb.0HKHN Kb.lNHN,
9oy Kb.TJ. THN A1b.6HKHN HN enoiHcb. To1c TTb.Tpic1N b.'fTWN
i,r! Tov (z): om. ,,,.! D2*.
2. Its character: b1a0. ,c.] Latt. testamentum noi,um.
(a) Negatively: The epithet (1<a£11J711) is quoted special-
Not after the type of that on ly in v. 13.
which the people was first The phrase bia0~,c'I 1<0111~ occurs
establl.shed (9). I Cor. xi. 25; 2 Cor. iii. 6; c. ix. 15.
(b) Positively : The reading in Lk. xxii. 20 is very
Internal (10). doubtful; and the phrase is not found
Uniformly efficacious ( 1 1 ). in the true text of Matt. xxvi. 28 and
Resting on complete forgive- Mk. xiv. 24 (TO ar,.a ,.ou, TO .,.;; S' a,a-
ness (12). 011<'/S' ).
Sb. Ulov ~µ. •px.] Belwld days In c. xii. 24 we read bia~,c'/ 11,a.
come ... The phrase (Cl'!9 Cl'I;:,; i1~.i'J) The distinction between ,ca111or and
11,or is clearly marked in the N. T.
is singularly frequent in Jeremiah.
usage. Ka111or expresses that which
Jer. vii. 32; ix. 25; xvi. 14; xix. 6; is new in regard to what has pre-
xxiii. 5, 7 ; xxx. 3 ; xxxi. 27 ; xlviii. ceded, as novel in character, or un-
(xxxi.) 12; xlix. (xxx.) 2; li. 47. used : 11,or that which is new in
Comp. Amos viii. II ; ix. 13 ; Is. regard to its own being, as having
xxxix. 6. been in existence but a short time.
So Philo, as has been already noticed, The words occur in close connexion
dwells with special emphasis on the in Matt. ix. I 7 /3a'/t..Xouo-111 ol11011 11io11
prophetic gifts of Jeremiah. (which has been lately made) Els-
These 'last days' mark a period of ao-1<ovr /COIJ/OIJS' (which have not been
trial and judgment. At the close of used before). Contrast Matt. xxvi.
them the Divine Covenant is estab-
29 oral/ avro 'Tl'lll@ µ,•d' VJJ,0011 /COIi/OJ/
lished in its glory.
(such as has not been before).
For the construction ~µ,. EPX····,cal See also Col iii. 10 (roll J/£01/ TOIi
<ro11Ti'A.ia-@ see Luke xix. 43.
a11a«a111ov,.•11011) compared with Eph.
<TVJIT<Aia-@] V ulg. consummabo, 0.
L. disponam (confirmabo). So LXX. iv. 24 (ii. l 5) (roll ,ca,11011 i1116p@'T1'011 rov
,cara 6,011 1<r<a-6iJ1Ta ).
Jer. xxxiv. 8, 15 (n•·:q1 ... 1l:\'J~). Hence ,ca,11or is used of the renova-
Perhaps, as Angustine suggests (de tion of Creation: Apoc. xxi. 5; 2 Cor•
.spir. et lit. 19 Quid est Consummabo v. 17, r<l apxa'ia 'Tl'apijM,11, laov -yi-yo11•11
nisi I mplebo 1), this rendering is chosen ,cawa.
to emphMise the efficacy of the Cove- The direct antithesis to 1ca,11or is
nant. dpxafos- (that which has been from
E1rl T. ol. ,lcrp. ,ea( E1rl r. o. 'IotJ.J Once the beginning: 2 Cor. v. 17); but
again the divided and exiled people 'Tl'aAa,or (that which has been for a
shall be brought together (comp. v. long time) forms a true opposite both
10). The schism which had brought to vior and to 1<01vor (Matt. ix. 17; 1
ruin on the kingdom is to have no John ii. 7; Matt. xiii. 52; Mk. ii. 21;
•existence under the new order. Lk. v. 39).
To this issue the other great pro- 9· oil Kara Tl)II bia0.] The Lord
phets point : Is. xliii. ff. ; Ezek. xvi. having fixed the breadth of His New
ooff. Covenant, as embracing the whole
224 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VIII. Io

EN HM€p~ em,\ABOM€NOY Moy THC xe,poc A'(TWN e!ArArei'N b.'(Toyc

eK rAc Airirnoy,
OTI b.yTo\ oyK EN€MEINAN EN T~ !1A8HKl;I Moy,
K~rw HM€AHCA b.YTWN, Mre1 Kyp1oc.
' 0T1 h.YTH
0
t-l !tA0HKH HN !1A8HCOMA1 np
oiKc:.p 'lcpAHA

9 71'µlpq,: 71µ,pa,,s B. lK -yi)s: EK Ti)s D2• ro 71 o,a/Jf/1,7/ ~B vg me syrr: + µou AD2•

people, goes on to describe its cha- stands in natural connexion with the
racter, aud first negatively (v. 9). It idea of the institution of a universal
is not according to, after, the pattern Church. Compare Is. xi. 16; Hos.
of that which was made at the Exodus. xii. 9 ; xiii 4.
The Covenant was to be not only a The Covenant with Abraham still
second one, but one of a different remained (c. ii 16 note). The Law
type. For the use of 1mTa compare was a first step towards its fulfilment.
1 Pet. i. 1 5; Eph. iv. 24. or, avrol ..• ] because they ...and I ...
~" ,1rol7Jua To•r 1raTp.] The original Both pronouns are emphatic. Jp~r
phrase is the same as that rendered 1rpooro11 1rap' ~/J-Cdll o.pxop.Eva Ta /C4/Cll ; •••
just above uvVTEAiuro ,1rl...(comp. v. 10 ra p.tllTOL aya8a ,cal al EVEpyEu[a, 'll"ap'
a,a01uoµ.a, Ttp oi.). These different avTov ;{pxollTa& (Theophlct).
renderings bring out clearly the con- It is remarkable that on causal is
ception that the Covenant is a mani- not found in the Epistle except in the
festation of the divine purpose of quotations in this Chapter. It occurs
love. He of His Goodness fixes the in all the other writers of the N. T.
terms. The Covenant is a at.aB~IC7/ oil,c l11iµ.n11a11 lv] Hehr. ~1~i:I. The
an~ n?t 8; uv118~1C1J: , , same original word is used of the
Ell 1/P.• Etrtll.u/30µ.EIIOV µ.ov ••• ] This IS Lord annulling His Covenant: Jer.
an unusual rendering of the form xiv. 21, The LXX. rendering express-
c7~ 'i?'!DO Ci'f· Comp. Barn. ii. es forcibly the idea of the constraining,
28 , Ev -iJJ;fP~, Evr£,AaµEvov uov atirtp disciplining, power of the Law: Deut.
-ypafai TOIi 110µ.ov. xxvii 26 (Gal. iii. ro).
The 'day' expresses vividly the Kaye., ~µ.£A7JUa avr<iiv] Hehr. ';J)~l
period which marked the fitting sea-
son for the action of God. Comp. 2 c; 'l:l~!li1. See Ges. Thes. s. v. ~tli1,
Cor. vi 2 (Lxx.); Jud. xviii. 30. and Additional Note.
For lm11.a/30µ.£11ov compare c. ii 16 10-12. The positive character-
note. istics of the New Covenant, 'the better
More mulierum loquitur sermo divi- promises' on which it rests, are to be
nus, qure apprehendere solent par- found in ( 1) its spirituality (v. ro),
vulorum manus et plerumque ad se (2) its universal efficacy (v. 11), (3) ~ts
conducere, plerumque etiam hue illuc- assurance of free forgiveness (v. 12).
q ue sustentando ne labantur, utpote 10. i)r, avT1J•··*1r,ypa,f,ro avrovr]
firmos gressus non habentes adhuc Because this is the covenant that I
(Primas.~ will covenant with the house qf Israel
l~ay. /,c -yiir Aly.] The Old Covenant ••• even putting my laws ... and upon
is connected with the first formation their heart will I write them. Under
of the nation and with that sovereign the Mosaic system the law was fixed
display of God's power by which He and external: the new laws enter
separated externally a people from into the understanding as active prin-
the world. This outward deliverance ciples to be realised and embodied by
aud establishment of the chosen nation progressive thought. The old law
VIII. IO] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 225
M€T~ T~C HM€pb.C €K€1Nb.C, ,\er€1 Kyp1oc,
ll.1Myc NOMoyc Moy eic THN ll.1~NOlh.N h.'fTOON,
Ml fol r Kb.pll.ib.C, b.YTOON emrp~'!'Ul b.yrofc,
Kb.I €COMb.l b.YTOIC €ic 8€0N
Kb.I h.'fTOI ecoNTh-1 MOI eic Ah.ON.

IO teapola.11
tea.polar aorw11 t(•AD2 (plur. me syrr) {KAp.\lA€h.YTWN B): teapola.11 aorw11 t(*, bn-
'YP&. y,w: ')'pay,w B.

was written on tables of stone : the the participle to the finite verb com-
new laws are written on the heart pare Moulton-Winer p. 717.
and become, so to speak, part of the The rendering of 'J:i~ir-,·n~ by the
personality of the believer. The image plural voµ.ovr is remarkable. It may
is universal. Comp. 2 Cor. iii. 3- have been chosen· to dissociate the
Philo speaks of the revelation of general idea of the divine 'instruction'
God Himself as being the highest from the special Mosaic code with
form of Divine Covenant : lJElEar fov- which it had been identified.
T"ov ak lvij11 lJnxBijvat 1'011 alJEtteT'OJI am The plural occurs again in the same
Toii cpavat 'teal tycJ' (Gen. xvii. 4), l,nXlyn
quotation c. x. 16, but not elsewhere
'lllov ii a,aB,ite'I p,ov,' ii 'ITaO"Ci>V xaplT'<i>V in the N. T. ; nor does the plural
apx,i T'£ Ka& 'ITT/'Y;, avros Elp,t lycJ (De appear to be found in any other place
mut. nom. § 8; i. 587 M.).
The use of the simple dative (a,aB. of the LXX. as a translation of MjiT-1.
T"rji otte'f) 'IO"p.) here as in v. 9 (i'ITol'IO"a It is found for the (Hehr.) plural in
Tots 'IT.) presents God as the disposer, Dan. ix. 10. Conversely ovop,or is used
framer, of the Covenant. to express the plural ; Ex. xviii. 20 ;
The people of God is now again Lev. xxvL 46 (M1iT-lt1).
called by its one name 'the house of The construction a,aovr...Elr •••is
Israel.' The division of Israel and found in classical writers, e.g. Xen.
Judah (v. 8) has ceased to be. Com- Cyr. viii. 2, 20. Comp. Apoc. xvii. 17
pare Acts ii. 36 ; Rom. xi. 26 ; Gal (the usage in Acts xix. 31 is strange).
vi. 16; c. iv. 9; xiii. 12 note. The result of a,Mvm Ek is marked
µ.ETa Td.r ,fp,. b:.] 'Those days' from in the phrase a,Mva, '1, ... 2 Cor. i. 22;
the point of view of the prophet cor- viii. 16. Compare John iii. 35 with
respond with what the writer of the John xiii. 3.
Epistle has spoken of as 'the end of TqV a,avotav, •• ,caplJlar] AtaVOLa ex-
these days' (i. 2). The phrase is used presses the discw-sive faculty of
peculiarly to mark the period of con- thought, while ,caplJla is the seat of
flict which immediately precedes the man's personal life, the moral charac-
final triumph of Messiah. Comp. ter. Comp. Addit. Note on c. iv. 12.
Matt. xxiv. 19. Comp. Lk. i. 5 I lJiavol~ teaplJias.
a,aovs ... aiiT'Ci>V] The participle a,aovs 1 Chron. xxix. 18. See also Eph. i.
may go with lJia0,iO"oµ.a,: 'I will make 18 (v. l.); I Pet. i. 13; Eph. iv. 18
a covenant even by putting (Latt. (a,llJIOta, voiir) ; I John v. 20.
dando) ... and I will .. .'; or it may be KaplJiar may be gen. sing. or acc.
taken with ,cal lmypa-./,c.>: 'I will make pl. (Vulg. in corde. 0. L. in cordibus).
a covenant even thus, putting my laws Both constructions are good. The
.. .I wilt also write them .. .' On the corresponding word in the original is
whole the former construction is the singular, and so probably is ,caplJlar
more natural. For the transition from here : Prov. vii. 3.
W. H. 8 15
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [VIII. 11, 12

u Kb.I oy MH A1A~ooc1N EKb.CTOC TON rroAlTHN b.YTOY

Kb.I €Kb.CTOC TdN iAt:Aq>dN b. YTOY, AfrooN rN0081 TdN KYPION,
on miNT€C €iAr-icoyciN M€
ATTO M1Kpoy eooc M€r,,:Aoy b.YTU>N.
12
0n 1A€ooc ecoMb.l Tb.ic iA1KiA1c AYTWN,

II ,ro?..lr'1v ~AB (,ro?..elr'1v)D2mesyrvgsyrhltxt: ,r?..170-iov S" vgsyrhlmg. atiTo0(1):

€Ctl/TOUDt, avTou(2): om.D2*· <lli170-ovo-1v: elliovo-wB*. d:,roµtKpou:
+ auTwv ;- me syrr.
Ket& tuoµm ••• Xa.S11] The end of the Tov ,roX. ••• To11 &a.] The more general
New Covenant is the same as that of and the more special relations have
the old. In both cases the purpose their respective obligations. IloXlT7Jr
of God was to form a people truly occurs a few times in the Lxx. as a
His own: Ex. vi. 7. rendering of V1 e.g. Prov. xxiv. 43
This end was accomplished extern- (28); Jer. xxxvi. (xxix.) 23. Comp.
ally and typically by the separation xi 10 .Additional Note.
and training of the Jewish people ; yv.;;B, .•• ela,iuovuw ... ] Latt. cognosce
but more than this was required. .. .scient... The Lord will not be a
The type had to find its fulfilment. stranger to be first recognised : all
To this fulfilment the prophets looked; will have an absolute, inborn, ac-
and the apostles proclaimed it: .Apoc. quaintance with Himfrom the least to
xxi 3 (Aaol "· Xa.Ss); 2 Cor. vi 16. the greatest (Latt. a minore usque ad
Nothing is said directly in the majorem eorum). There will be no
prophets or in the Epistle of the ad- distinction of age or station or endow-
mission of the Gentiles into 'the ments in respect of this fundamental
Commonwealth of Israel' This fact knowledge.
is included in the recognition of the This end was gained by the Incar-
essential spirituality of the New Cove- nation (John i 18; xvii 6): Toil Beov
nant. Compare Hos. i. 9 ; ii l ; Is. Efl"I rijs yiis Ell uapK& a,aTplt{lallTOS Ka&
lxi 9; Zech. xiii. 9; c. ii. 17 (roii TrJII cf>vu,11,jp.0011 Tjj ,rpouX,jt{ln 8eolua11Tos,
Aaoii); xiii 12 notes. tAap.,f,ev Ell m'is ,rallT<o>II t{lvxa'is TO rijs
For the construction el1,m els see 6A7]8oiis 8eoy11<o>ulas cf>oos, Ka& or611 nr
c. i 5 note. E'lrlT7JanoT7]S Ell£T<87] Ty a118p<o>7rl11r, cf>t',un
11. .A second characteristic of the v,ro rijs xaptTOS ,rpos TO To11 <f11T<o>S Elalvm
New Covenant follows dire':ltly from 8,011 (Theophlct).
the first. The people are brought 12. The third characteristic of
into true fellowship with God, and the New Covenant is that which
this involves an immediate knowledge contains the pledge of its efficacy.
of Him. No privileged class is inter- It rests upon forgiveness on the part
posed between the mass of men and of God, not on performance on the
God. .All are true scribes (John part of man. Its foundation is grace
vi 45) in virtue of the teaching within and not works (John i. 17). In this
them (1 John ii. 20, 27). .All have im- lies the assurance against such failure
mediate access to the divine Presence. as the Old Covenant brought to light.
The description marks the absolute Comp. Is. lix. 2.
relation, but does not define how the 5n iAE<o>s lo-op.a,] Vulg. quia pro-
universal privilege will be in fact pitius ero. The New Covenant will
realised. be efficacious, for God Himself says
ov p.r, «M&ec.,0-111] "· 12; xiii 5; x. 17 I will be merciful. The phrase
(fut.). See Moulton-Winer, p. 636. ZAe<o>s tuoµa& (yev,juoµa,) is found else-
VIII. 13] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 227

Kb.i TOON b.Mb.pTIOON b.YTOON of MH MNHC0oo €TI.

€V 'T'f' l\.€,Y€LV Kb.lNHN

%3 , - "" ' 7r€7ral\.aLWK€V
I "" , \ 7rpw-rriv,
'TrJV ,
"'- I \ f , \ 'rf, -
'7T"a,'-atouµ€vov ,cat ,yripa<FKOV ey,yuc; a..,,avt<Fµou.

12 TWV a.µ. auTwV li't*B vg me syr vg: +_teal TWV d.voµ,wv avTWV N•(A}D, syr hi (see
x. 17}. 13 To a,: T6 TE D 2*.

where in the LXX. as a rendering of n'2i., quoted to establish. The New Cove-
in reference to God's forgiveness of nant is not only better, and founded
sin : I K. viii. 34 ff. ; and of men; upon better promises than the Old ;
Num. xiv. 20; Jer. v. 1, 7. but, yet more, it supersedes the Old.
In the N.T. tXo,r occurs again only The characteristics of the New Cove-
in the phrase ZXecJr uoi Kvp,e (Matt. nant, and the very name which it
xvi. 22 absit a te domine), a form bears, point to the abrogation of that
which is found in the LXX. (for which has now become 'the old.'
7 i'l~'?Q):. 2 S~m., xx. 2?; ~xiii. 17;
l Chron. XI. 19 ,Xeror µ.oi o Brnr.
lv T~ Xiynv] In that he saith
(Latt. dicendo ). Comp. c. ii 8 ;
For the sense and usage of the iii. I 5.
cognate words see note on 1 John 1rnraXalrotcev] ·Latt. veteravit. By
ii. 2; c. ii. 17 note. the use of the term 'new' in re-
Ta'ir &a,telair] The plural is found ference to another Covenant God
here only in N. T., though it occurs has necessarily placed the other
often in the LXX., and in combination Covenant in the position of 'old'
with lf,Xauau6a, Dan. ix. 24 ; comp. relatively. Even in the days of
Ps. lxiv. (lxv.) 4 ; Ecclus. iii. 30 ; c. ii. Jeremiah this sentence stands already
17. written (perf.). Comp. "'· 5 te£XP'1-
µ.an1TTat.
In connexion with this promise of
forgiveness the prophetic disparage- The active use of 1raXaioro, which is
ment of sacrifices and ritual as generally found in the middle form
spiritually inefficacious must be (i. II note) in the sense of 'growing
noticed. The development of this old,' is rare. It occurs in the LXX. :
inward religion begins with 1 Sam. Lam. iii. 4 l1raXalrouE uaptea. Is.
xv. 22 f. ; compare Psalm I. 8 ff. ; lxv. 22 T4 tpya ,raXa,cJuovu, (~~,;
Ii. 1 5 ff. ; Hos. vi. 4 ff. ; Amos v. 2 l ff. ; i.e. continue long, use to the full) ;
Micah vi. 6 ff. ; Is. i. 1 r ff. comp. Job xxi. 13 ; Job ix. 5 o1raXmoo11
In the writings of Jeremiah, on the ?ip,,, ; xxxii. I 5 '1raXalroua11 Aoyovr (they
eve of the long exile, when the spoke no more).
sacrificial 1itual becanie impossible, TO 1TaAatovµ.EIIOV teal 'Y'IP-] Vulg. quad
it was natural in the order of divine autem antiquatur (0. L. 'Deteratur)
Providence that the realities sym- et senescit. The use of the present
bolised by sacrifices should be brought 118 distinguished from ,rE1TaAairoµ.l11011
into prominence. Comp. Jer. vii. and 1raXa,ro6l11 is significant. The
21 ff. divine words spoken to "the prophet
Sacrifice, however, had its place in were accomplished slowly on the scene
restored Israel: Jer. xxxiii. II. Com- -0f life. The addition of 'Y'7pau1w11 adds
pare Is. lvi. 7; lxvi. 20 ff.; Mal. a new thought. When that which is
i. ro f. ; Hebr. xiii. 1 5 note. See temporal has existed a long time it
Oehler, Theol. of 0.T., § 201. draws to its natural end. So Theo-
13. The conclusion goes beyond phylact ; otl,c d,calpror ,caTl1ravuev 1 vla
that which the prophetic passage was "IV 1TaAata11 aAA<l a,a TO 'Y')par •••
15-2
228 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. (VIII. 13
Jyy. aq,a11,o-µ.oii] nigh unto 'Danish- nexions: Matt. vi. 16, 19 f.; .James
ing away, Latt. prope interitum. iv. 14; .Acts xiii. 41 (LXx.). For eyyvr;
The word aq,av,uµ.or; is singularly see c. vi. 8.
frequent in the LXX. of ,!eremiah ~ For a time the continuance of the
the representative of i'llfC' and i'l7i7itr'- Temple services gave to the Old
It is used, for example, of Babylon Order an outward semblance of en-
Ii. (xxviii.) 26 ff. The verb aq,avl(uv during reality even after it was es-
occurs in several interesting con- sentially abrogated by fulfilment.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 229

Additional Note on viii. I. Christ the High-priest and the

Highpriest-King.

The student will find it of deep interest to trace through the Epistle
the gradual unfolding of the thought of Christ's two offices, concentrated
in one Person, and to consider the view which is given of the twofold
relation in which He is shewn to stand to His people as High-priest and
as King. Compare Additional Note on ii 17. The double thought is Christ
indicated plainly in the Introduction : i. 3 ,caOapurp,011 Too11 aµaprr.Cll11 ,ro,'7• Bigh-
uaµ,11os i,caO,u,11 £11 a,f,~ Tijs µrya">..6><TVIITJS £11 v,/,-T}Ao'is; the completed rest and
Atonement is followed by the assumption of the Royal throne. The idea mg.
of priesthood and high-priesthood is then developed ; and in vii 1 ff. the
type of Melchizedek is brought forward to make it clear that God had
designed for man something beyond that which was realised in Abraham,
and still more beyond that which was realised in the Levitical order.
This type of Melchizedek is declared to be fulfilled in the ascended
Christ, viii. 1 To,oiiT011 lxoµ,11 tlpxtEpla, is l,caO,u,11 i11 ll,f,q, rijs µrya">.."'<TVIITJS
b, To'is ovpa11o'is (comp. vii 16 f.; 27).
And Christ as King, ha:oing offered one sacrifice for sins for e1Jer,
waits upon His throne for the complete establishment of the sovereignty
which He has finally won (comp. John xvi. 33 11,11,KTJKa): x. n-14-
In these passages the two offices are placed in the closest connexion ;
and the Session of Christ on the right hand of God is, with one exception
(i. 13), always connected with the fulfilment of priestly work (i 3; viii. 1;
x. 12; xii. 2). ·
Thus it is plainly shewn that as High-priest Christ fulfilled two types; A twofold
and we must therefore distinguish two aspects of His High-priestly work : Hi_gh-
( r) as the fulfilment of the Levitical High-priesthood; and (2) as the 1er-
fulfilment of the royal High-priesthood of Melchizedek, the first before His
r 00

Session (as High-priest), and the second after His Session (as High-
priest-King).
As High-priest before His Session, fulfilling the type of Aaron, Christ Fulfilment
( 1) 'offered Himself' (vii. 27 iavrl"' tl11,11iy,cas ; viii 3 ; ix. 14 iavro11 of the type
7Tp0<T'Jllf"f/CEII; ix. 26 a,a rijs Ovulas IWTOV; X. 10-12 a,i'z rijs ,rpoucf>opas TOV of Aaron.
uC:,µaro~ 'I. X. ••• µla11 ,rpouE11i-y,cas 8vo-ia11); and (2) He entered into the
Presence of God [iv. 14 a,il\'7">..v8lrra TOVS ovpa11ovs; vi. 20 ;;,rov (ds TO
lucJTEPOII TOV /CUTa7T£TauµaTos) ••• Eluij">..8E11 ••• ; viii. 12, 16; ix. 12, 24 ,luij">..8£11
,ls Ta ayui ••• ]; ix. 23 f.
The whole discipline of earthly life was the preparation for the final
High-priestly service. When the word TETMEo-Ta, (John xix. 30) had
declared the fulfilment of every condition, the Lord made the offering of
Himself, and so entered into the Presence of God through His own Blood.
Thus He fulfilled the type of the Aaronic High-priesthood (comp. Addit.
Note on ix. 7, s.f).
 230 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
The passages which deal with Christ's offering of Himself bring before
us successively the fact of His sacrifice (vii. 27); its necessity (viii. 3); its
possibility (ix. 14); its absolute efficacy (ix. 25, 26, 28); its fulness (x. 10);
and its continuous personal validity (x. 12-14).
So again the passages which deal with Christ's entrance into the
Presence of God declare the fact (iv. 14); the purpose for man (vi. 20); the
corresponding work (viii. 1, 2, 6); the single entrance made once for all
(ix. 12); and the purification of the Sanctuary of redeemed humanity
(ix. 23 f.).
The 'offering' and the 'entrance' together present the accomplishment
of the work typified in the .Aaronic priesthood. This was gathered up
into the service of the great Day of .Atonement, which was marked by
two chief acts, the double sacrifice, and the restoration of the covenant
fellowship betweel! the people and God by the application of the blood (the
life) of the sacrifice to the chosen place of God's Presence. So Christ
offered Himself upon the Cross and humanity in Himself, and entering
before God, through His own Blood, realised the abiding fellowship of man
and God in His glorified humanity, openly seen before the face of God
(ix. 24). By this appearance the ascended Lord perfectly fulfilled that
which was typified by the bringing of the blood of the victim as a
hallowing power to the Mercy-seat, the crowning service of the .Aaronic
priest. In Him, Priest at once and people, the Life which was offered was
present in a nobler and eternal form.
Assump- Thereupon the Lord entered on the fulness of His work as Highpriest-
tion of the King ; and the ideas connected with His Session gain their full inter-
:~::~ pretation in its ~~nnexion with His ?ne Divine-~uman ~ers~n (i. 3) : His
priesthood twofold office (vm. l f.); the gathenng the fruits of His Victory (x. 12;
after the i. 13); the efficacy of His present help (xii. 2).
type o! .After His Session-if we may use words of time of that which is beyond
r~chrze- time-He still fulfils His work as 'High-priest after the order of Mel-
e· chizedek,' which we regard under two aspects, as the work of our King
and the work of our High-priest : see xiii. 1 5 and .Additional Notes on m,.
l, 2; xi. 10.
Silence as The aspect under which the writer of the Epistle thus regards the work
to the of the Risen Christ explains his silence as to the fact of the Resurrection.
Resur-
rection. The fact itself underlies all his argument. He assumes the permanence of
Christ's perfect humanity through death of which the Resurrection is the
pledge; and dwells on the continued activity of Christ in His glorified
humanity ; but he refers to the Resurrection directly only once : xiii. 20.
He thinks, so to speak, as St John in his Epistles, not so much of Christ's
victory as of His triumph.
Yet more, this treatment was necessarily suggested by the comparison
of Christ's priestly work with the typical service of the High-priest.
Christ occupied the place both of the victim and of the priest, in regard
both to the people and to God ; and in that symbolic service the death of
the victim was subordinated to the unbroken ministry of the priest; and
there was nothing in the type which answered to the Resurrection.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 231

Additional Note on viii. 1, 2. The present work of Christ

as High-priest.

The present work of the Glorified and Ascended Son of man for men is Two as-
indicated to us in the Epistle, in accordance with what has been already pects of
said, under two aspects, as the work of a High-priest and as the work of a there}ent
King. As High-priest He represents man to God: as King He represents ~~~st~
God to man. In the latter relation He is even now the Sovereign of the
new Commonwealth, hereafter to be realised in its completeness (compare
Additional Note on xi 10). But in the present passage the thought is
mainly of His High-priestly work. To understand this we must recall the The type
type. The sacrifices on the Day of Atonement provided the means of 0,ftheL_evi-
entrance to the Divine Presence. The application of the blood removed ti;: 1~igh-
1 8
every impurity which hindered the approach to God of him in whom the P ·
people were summed up. So cleansed the representative of Israel was
able to sustain that awful fellowship for which man was made. And
simply standing before the Lord he fulfilled his work. No words were
spoken : no uttered intercession was made. It was enough that man was
there according to divine appointment, to witness in the most emphatic
manner to the continued preservation of the established relation of man to
God. Comp. Philo, de Monarch. ii 6 (ii 227 M.); de vit. Mos. iii § 14-
Thus we read in a figure the High-priestly Work of Christ. By His The type
offering of Himself He has made purification of sins (i. 3); He has applied ~~fi_11ed by
the virtue of His Blood, to speak in earthly language, to the scene of the na t
worship of redeemed humanity (ix. 23); He has taken His seat upon the
throne, entering in His humanity upon the full enjoyment of every privilege
won by His perfect fulfilment of the will of God. Henceforth He applies for
the benefit of men the fruits of the Atonement which He has completed.
This work is shewn to us in the Epistle in three distinct forms, and we in three
have no authority to go beyond its teaching. forms.
i. Christ intercedes for men as their present representative before
God: vii. 25, 27; ix. 24.
ii. Christ brings the prayers and praises of His people to God,
embodying their true spiritual desires, so that at each moment they
become articulate through His Spirit and are brought through Him to
the Throne : xiii 1 5.
iii Christ secures access for His people in their present state to 'the
holy place,' where He Himself is, in His Blood-the virtue of His earthly
life lived and offered: iv. 16; x. 19-22.
These three forms of Christ's work shew under the conditions of human
expe1ience what He does for humanity eternally. Our fellowship with
God will grow closer, more perfect, more conscious, but still our approach
to God, our worship, our spiritual harmony, must always be 'in Him ' in
Whom we have been incorporated.
 232 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
The modern conception of Christ pleading in heaven His Passion,
'offering His Blood,' on behalf of men, has no foundation in the Epistle.
His glorified humanity is the eternal pledge of the absolute efficacy of
His accomplished work. He pleads, as older writers truly expressed the
thought, by His Presence on the Father's Throne.
Meanwhile men on earth in union with Him enjoy continually through
His Blood what was before the privilege of one man on one day in the
year.
So far the thought of the priestly work of the .Ascended Christ is
expressed under the images of the Levitical covenant, as He works for
'the people' (1 '1c,c>..71ula); but He has yet another work, as 'priest after
the order of Melchizedek,' for humanity. He does not lay aside this wider
relation in completely fulfilling the narrower. Rather it is through the
fulfilment of His work for the Church-the firstfruits-that He moves
towards the fulfilment of His work for the world. We have no powers to
pursue the development of the truth, but it is necessary to remember it.
In illustration of this conception of an universal priesthood it is inter-
esting to compare Philo's conception of the priesthood of the righteous
man: Leg . .A.lleg. iii. 87 (i. 135 M.); de po,t, Gain. 54 (i 261 M.); de
Monarch. i. 8 (ii. 220 M.).

Additional Note on viii. 2. On the words ""-eiTovp7eZv,

MTpeveiv &c.
The groups of words connected with A£irovpy£,v and >..arpw£iv are
naturally of frequent occurrence in this Epistle. Thus we find >..£,rovpyos- i.
7; >..nrovpyEiv X. l l ; A£trovpyla viii. 6; ix. 21 ; >..nrovpyLKos- i 14; and
>..arpE{a ix. 1, 6 ; >..arpEVEtv viii 5 ; ix. 9, 14 ; x. 2 ; xii. 28 ; xiii. 10. The
former group of words is found elsewhere in the N. T. only in the writings
of St Luke and St Paul : the latter group is found also in St Matthew
(Lxx.) and St John (Gosp. .Apoc.~ The ideas which they express require to
be distinguished.
1. A«rovp- 1. The group >..nrovpyos-, >..nrovpyEiv, >..nrovpy{a, is of common occurrence
"Y£i'l', &c. in the LXX. AE,rovpyos- in every place represents n~, which is less often
rendered by a,a,covos- and BEpa1r6>v. AnrovpyEiv is the general translation of
n1~ (more than sixty times), and in a very limited range it is used also for
i:iv. Anrovpyfo is nearly always a rendering of nt::i!!. The words are used
habitually of the service of priests (Ex. xxviii. 31, 39) and Levites (1 Chron.
xvi. 4, 6). But they have also a wider application, of the service of Samuel
to God (1 Sam. ii 18 ; iii 1) ; of service to the people (Ezek. xliv. 11 f.) ; of
service to men (Num. iii 6; xviii 2; 1 Kings i 4, 15; Ecclus. x. 25).
There is however one common feature in the differen~ applications of
the words. The >..nrovpyla is the fulfilment of an office : it has a definite
representative character, and corresponds with a function to be discharged.
This appears to be true even when the office is most personal The classical
usage of the term accentuated this thought of public service which lies in
the word by its derivation (>..aos-, >..f,ros-, >..£,ros-). The .Athenian 'Liturgies'
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 33

(Diet. of .A.nt. a. v.) expressed vividly the idea of a necessary service

rendered to the state by a citizen who had the means of rendering it.
And the usage of the word in the N. T. reflects something of the colour
thus given to it.
The words AELTovp-y/,s, -•iv, -la, are used in the apostolic writings of
services rendered to God and to man, and that in the widest relations of
social life.
(a) Thus the officers of civil government are spoken of as AELTovp-yol
8,ov (Rom. xiii. 6). St Paul describes himself as XnTovp-yos Xp,OTov 'I1Juoii
,ls Ta .(Jlll'J (Rom. xv. 16) in the discharge of his debt to mankind in virtue
of his commission to procl1tim the Gospel (Rom. i. 5, 14). The priestly
office of Zachariah was a AnTovp-yla (Lk. i 2 3). ' Prophets and teachers'
performed a public service for the Church to the Lord (XnTovp-yov11T0>11
avTwv T'f' ,cvpltt Acts xiii. 2 1). In the widest sense the whole life of a
Christian society becomes a sacrifice and ministry of faith (il ,cal u1rlvl3oµ.a,
l1rl TTJ Bvulr, ,cal Xmovp-ylr, Tijs 1rlOTEO>S vµ.oiv Phil. ii. 17), to which the life-
blood of their teacher is as the accompanying libation. And in a narrower
sense the vessels of the Tabernacle were 'vessels of the ministry' (Ta u,c,vl'/
Tijs XnTovp-ylas Hehr. ix. 21). The Levitical priests serve (XELTovp-y,,11 absol.
Hehr. x. 11). And Christ Himself 'has obtained a more excellent ministry'
(l3,acpop0>Tlpas T£TVXE AELTovp-ylas Hebr. viii. 6), being 'a minister of the
sanctuary and of the true tabernacle' (Tool/ a-ylo,11 AHTovp-yos ,cal Tijs IT1C'7vijS
Tijs dXl'/8wijs Hebr. viii. 2).
The ministry to God is in a. most true sense a ministry to men and for
men. This AELTovp-yla is the accomplishment of an office necessary for
human well-being.
(b) The XnTovp-yla directly rendered to men has an equally broad
character. It is a service which answers to deep relations of social life.
'fhe wealthy have a ministry to fulfil to'Yards the poor which belongs to the
health of the body (ocJ,,lAovu111 ,cal lv To,s uap,ci,co,s AnTovp-yqua, mlTots
Rom. xv. 27); the due accomplishment of which brings wider blessings to
the society (~ l3,a,co11la Tijs AHTovp-ylas TOVTl'JS, •• lOTl. .• 1rEptO"O"EVOVO"a l3,a 7TOAAIDII
•vxap,OT,oi11 T'f' B•<ii 2 Cor. ix. 12). In the closer relations of the Christian
life a corresponding ministry has its place which cannot be disregarded
without loss (XnTovp-yov Tijs xp•las µ.ov Phil ii. 25; iva ava7TA1Jp"5uy TO vµ.oiv
VOT{p'7µ.a Tijs ,rpos Jl-E AELTovp-ylas id. v. 30).
In Ecclesiastical usage the word XnTovp-yla was used specially of the
stated services of public worship, of 'the evening service' (~ lu,r,p,vq
AELTovp-yla), of 'the service of Baptism' (~ Toii 8,lov fJa7TTluµ.aTos XnT.), and
specially of the service of Holy Communion (~ Too11 8,[0,11 µ.vlTT1Jp[o,v XnT. and
simply ~ XnTovp-yla 2). See exx. in Sophocles Lex. s. v.
The words are common in Clement: 1 Cor. 8, 9, 20, 32, 34, 40, 41, 43 :t:
1
The words find a remarkable paral- 2 There is an interesting discussion

lel in Doctr. Apost. § 15 'X"POT011fi11aTE of the use of the word in this con-
ovi, laVToi's bri11,co,ro11s ,cal 81a1C611011S ... nexion by Melanchthon in the Apology
01,UII "tap A<LTOIIP"tOU/Tt Kal avTol T-1)11 Afl- for the Augsburg Confession (c. xii. §§
TOllp"tlav TWII 1rpO</>YJTWII Kal 8160,11,ca\wv. So ff.) in answer to the assertion that
The ministry to the Lord is also a. • Ae,-rounla signifies sacrifice.'
ministry to His people.
 2 34 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
They are found also in Hermas: Mand. v. 1, 2, 3: Sim. v. 3, 3, 8; vii. 6;
ix. 27, 3 : but they are not noted from Ignatius, Polycarp or Barnabas.
Comp. Test. Le'lJ. 2, 3, 4-
2 • .Aarpd,- 2. The usage of XarpEvE,v and XarpEla is more limited. The verb
""• &c. XaTpEvnv is common in the LXX. and is almost always a rendering of 'l~
(Pent. Josh. Jud.: twice of l'11~). The noun AaTpEla is rare and in each
case represents n1::i~. The words always describe a divine service, a
service to God or to gods. This idea appears to spring from the conception
of complete devotion of powers to a master which lies in the root of the
word (XaTp,r, latro, a hired ser'lJant). In classical writers the word
AaTpEla is used of an absolute service, personal (.<Esch. P. V. 966), or moral
(Plut. Consol. ad Apoll. 107 o and Wyttenbach's note), or religious (Plat.
Apol. § 9 p. 23 B).
The usage of the N. T. agrees with that of the LXX. AaTpEvnv and
XaTpEla uniformly express a divine service. This sense Augustine gives
very well : ad societatem [civitatis crelestis] pietaa vera perducit, qure non
exhibet sen,itutem relligionis, quam XaTpElav Grreci vocant, nisi vero Deo.
The noun AaTpEla is rare. It describes the whole religious ritual of the
Law: '7 AaTpEla (Vulg. obsequium) ,.:al al l1rayyEXla, (Rom. ix. 4); lJi,caiolµ.aTa
AaTpElar (Hehr. ix. 1); and also the spiritual antitype in the Christian order:
Tqv Xoy11,qv XaTpElav (Rom. xii 1). The plural, al AaTpEia, (Hehr. ix. 6),
marks the different elements of service. In John xvi. 2 the spiritual blind-
ness of the persecutors of the Faith is shewn in its most extreme form where
it is said that he who kills Christians will think AaTpElav 1rporr<j,ipuv T<f 8Etp,
that in that sacrifice he offers the service of complete devotion to God.
The verb XaTpEvEw is much more frequent. It is commonly used with an
object (e.g. T<ji 8Ei'fi); but it is used also absolutely (Lk. ii. 37; Acts xxvi 7;
Phil iii. 3 ol 7f'IIEVµ.aT& 8Eov AaTp.; Hehr. ix. 9; X. 2).
The words (XaTpEvEiv, XaTpEla) occur in the same sense in Clement (r Cor.
45), Ignatius (Smyrn. 9 T<j> lJ,afjoAr,> AaTpEvn); Mart. Ign. 2 El µ.q TqV Tc.iv
lJa,µ.ovo,v EAO&TO AaTpElav. .Doctr• .A.post. 6 a1ro TOV £llJ,.,,xo8vTOV Xtav 1rpOUEXE"
AaTpEla yap Jun 8Ec.iv VE1<pc.i11. The word AaTpEia is also applied to the
service of Holy Communion (Const. .A.post. viii 15 '7 µ.vUTi1<q XaTpEla, and
Cotelier's note).
As far as the actual position is concerned AaTpEvuv is closely akin to
lJovXEvuv, but the position is accepted voluntarily by the X&..p,r (XaTpEvE1·
EAEv8Epor ~" lJovXEvn Hesych.), while it belongs to the state of the lJovXor.
AE&TovpyE,11 and XaTpEvEw occur together Ecclus. iv. 14-
3. a,aKo- 3. Both groups of words are clearly distinguished from lJ,a,co11Ei11,
"''"• &c. lJiaKovla, which describe definite acts of service rendered to another, and
that specially in obedience to express direction. So the Christian becomes
a lJui,covor of God and Christ (John xii. 26; Rom. xiii 4; CoL i 7; r Tim.
iv. 6 &c.), waiting for the least expression of the divine will that he may
obey it in deed. The word lJ,a,covE'iv is not found in the LXX. and a,a,covor
occurs only in Esther (three times ; lJ,a,covla in r Mace. xi. 58). See Hehr.
i. r4; vi. ro. Comp. 2 Cor. ix. 12.
Speaking generally then XnTovpyla marks the fulfilment of function in
regard to the claims of a larger life : XaTpda, the service of perfect sub-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 35
·eetion to a sovereign power: bia,covla, the ministry of appointed action.
~ to express the thought in another form, he who fulfils a "Xnrovpy{a
$Cts for the body, of which he is a part : he who renders a "XarpEla recog-
nises a supreme claim in rendering it : he who offers a aw,covla looks to the
discharge of a personal service.

Additional Note on vm. 5. The general significance of the

Tabernacle.
It is characteristic of the Epistle that all the arguments from the The Ta.-
divine worship of Judaism which it contains are drawn from the institu- berna.cle,
tions of the Tabernacle. These, which are treated as the direct embodi- ~ot t~e
ment of the heavenly archetype, are supposed to be still preserved in the gi~1:;J;e
later forms and to give force to them. They were never supersederl even ideal of
when they were practically modified. The Temple indeed no less than the Jewis1!,
Kingdom, with which it corresponded, was the sign of a spiritual declension. worship.
Both were endeavours to give a fixed and permanent shape, according to
the conditions of earthly life, to ideas which in their essential nature led
the thoughts of men forward to the future and the unseen. God was
pleased to use, in this as in other cases, the changes which were brought
about by the exigences of national life for the fulfilment of His own
counsel, but the divine interpreter of the Old Testament necessarily looked,
beyond the splendours of the sacred buildings (Matt. xxiv. 1 ff.\ and the
triumphs of the monarchy of David, to the sacred tent of the pilgrim people
and the heavenly sovereignty 1•
The usage of the Epistle in this respect (viii 2, 5; ix. II) is felt to be Refer-
more significant when we take account of the usage of the other Books of ences to
the New Testament. The only other references to the Tabernacle (earthly the ?a.b1-
or heavenly) are in A.cts vii. 44 (~ u,c1111~· roii µ.aprvplov), and in the ~:':n~~nin
.Apocalypse (xiii. 6 (3-Xaucf,11µ.qua, ro 5110µ.a avroii Ka, r~i, <TICT/~" avroii, rovs the N. T.
fll rcj> ovpavcj> <1'"1/IIOVllras, xv. 5 o vaos rij~ <1'"1/llqS roii µ.aprvplov, xxi 3 ~
O'KT/~ roii BEoii µ.Ero. rc.'iv d118p<Mr6>11 ). In the passage of the A.cts St Stephen
appears to draw a contrast between the 'tent' and the 'house' (-in,. 47 ff.);
and the language of the Apocalypse illustrates in seYeral points the wider
views of the Tabernacle which are opened in the Epistle. The term r6
lEpov (the Temple with its courts and subordinate buildings) is found
outside the Gospels and A.cts only in I Cor. ix. 13, where the reference to
~he Jewish Temple is fixed by Bvu~p,011 (c. x. 18~ Naas (the Sanctuary)
IS used in a spiritual sense in John ii 21; 1 Cor. iii. 16 f.; vi. 19; 2 Cor.
vi. 16; Eph. ii. 21 (comp. A.poc. xxi 22), and again literally in 2 Thess. ii 4
The word ol,cos is used of the material building in the Gospels and A.cts,
1
It does not in a.ny way belong to it is with that faith that we are con-
the present subject to discuss critical cerned. Yet it ¥lust be added that it
questions as to the account of the Ta- seems to be an incredible inversion of
bernacle in the Pentateuch. That nar- history to suppose that the Tabernacle
ra.ti~e unquestionably expressed and was an imaginary ideal constructed
fashioned the faith of the Jews from either from the Temple of the Monar-
the Return to the Apostolic Age, and chy or from the Temple of the Return.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
and of the human antitype in I Pet. iv. I 7; I Tim. iii. I 5, as in Hehr. iii
2 ff.; x. 21 (from Num. xii. 7 Lxx.). Thus the actual reference to the
Mosaic Tabernacle as a lesson in the divine revelation is peculiar to the
Epistle. What then was its general teaching 1
Original The names of the Tabernacle offer an instructive answer to the
names of question.
the ?aber- (a) The commonest single name is that which expresses generally 'a
(a) ~he habitation,' l~tp~. The root);,~ is used of 'settling,' 'resting,' 'dwelling,'
Dwelling. and that both of man and beasts (so of the glory of God-the Shekinal,, in
later language-Ex. xxiv. 16 &c.). The word li~'I.;> suggests then nothing
more than 'dwelling-place' (of men, Num. xvi. 24, 27; Ps. lxxxvii. 2, &c.;
of the Temple in the pl., Ps. xliii. 3; xlvi. 5, &c.), and, as it is expressed
definitely, 'the dwelling-place of Jehovah' (I"' l~~): Lev. xvii. 4; Num.
xvi. 9; xvii. 13 (28); xix. 13; xxxi. 30, 47 [Josh. xxii. 19; I Chron.
xxi. 29] (Lxx. ~ uK.'JlliJ Kvplov, Vulg. tahernaculum DominiA Comp. Ex.
xxix. 45 f. It is generally rendered in the LXX. by UK.'Jv,j (1o6 times
[Trommius]) and less frequently by uK.1v"'p.a (17 times); and in the Vulg.
The Tent. by tahernaculum. A. second name 'tent,' ~l'N, is more definite, and
describes the characteristic dwelling of the wilderness, though it was used
also in later times (Ps. xv. I; xxvii. 5). This name is used sometimes
alone (Ex. xxvi. 9, 11 ff., 36; xxxiii. 7 ff.; xxxvi. 18 f., 37; xxxix. 33, 38;
Num. ix. 17; xviii. 3; Deut. xxxi. 15), but more frequently in combination
with other words ('the tent of meeting,' 'the tent of the witness'
[testimony]A The 'habitation' ('dwelling') and the 'tent' are clearly
distinguished (Ex. xxvi. 7; xxxv. u; xxxvi. 14; Num. ix. ISA The 'tent'
was over the 'dwelling,' as its 'covering' (Num. iii. 25), so that we
find the phrase 'the tabernacle (dwelling) of the tent of meeting' (Ex.
xxxix. 32 ; :xl. 2, 6, 29 i,!liC 'OL't l~~I.;> : comp. Apoc. xv. 5 o vaos ~s uK.'Jviis
Tov p.aproplov). Unhappily the LXX. rendered 'C'N in the same way as
lf~ (uK.'Jv,j nearly 140 times, and by uK.~11"'µ,a 44 times); and in this it was
followed by the Vulgate which gives for the most part taherna,culum for both.
The word tentorium, which is elsewhere used for 'tent,' and not unfrequently
for the tents of the people in the narrative of the Exodus (Num. i. 53; ii. 3,
27, &c.), is used in tlie Vulgate in connexion_with the Tabernacle for the
'curtains' (Ex. xxvi. 2), for the 'screen' at the entrance of the Tent (Ex.
xxvi. 36 f. ; xxxv. 15 ; xxxvi. 37; xxxix. 38, &c.), for the 'hangings' and
the 'screen' of the court (Ex. xxvii. 9 ff., 16; xxxv. 17; xxxviii. 9 :ff.;
xxxix. 39 f., &c.). Once only it is used for the sacred 'tJN (Ex. xxxiii. 8),
and once for the sacred l~~ (Num. ix. 15). The name 'palace' (';)'tJ)
belongs to a later time (1 Sam. i. 9; iii. 3); but 'house' (n'.~) is used of the
Tabernacle (Ex. xxiii. 19), as it is used of the tents of the patriarchs (Gen.
xxvii. 15; xxxiii. 17; l:l'tl~~cr n,~ 1 Chron. vi. 33A
More commonly, however, the Tabernacle is described by a compound
title. The simple terms 'habitation' and 'tent' are defined by the addition
of some other word as 'witness' (testimony) or 'meeting'; and these two
designations express two distinct aspects of the Tabernacle.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 237
(b) The title 'the tent of witness,' M1i.'0 ~ON, is rare. It occurs Num. (b) The
ix. 15 (LXX. .,.;,,, ol,cov -roii µ.ap-rvplov); xvii. 7 f. (22 f.) (q UIC7/"7 -roii µ.ap-r.); : ~ an~
xviii. 2 (q ~,c• .,._µ..). We find also 'the habitation (tabernacle) of witness,' of wi::::e:.
rrwv !~~~, Ex. xxxviii. 21; Num. i. 50, 53; x. II (q C,-1(, T. µ..). The
Vitlgate rendering of both phrases, except in the last place (which has
tahernaculum fwderis), is tabern. testimonii. The sense of the titles is
fixed by the Tise of miy in other connexions ; 'the ark of the witness'
(m,v.,:i )i,~) Ex. xxv. 22 ; xxvi. 33 t: ; XXX. 6, 26 (LXX. q ,c,fJooTOf TOV
µap-rvplov, Vulg. area testimonii [testamenti xxx. 26]); the 'tables of the
witness' (M~1YO nin~) Ex. xxxi 18; xxxiv. 29 (LXX. al ,r:>..rum- [-roii
µap-rvplov1 Vulg. tabulw testimonii); and 'the veil of the witness' (M~1~
n~Yv) Lev. xxiv. 3 (Vulg. 'Delum testimonii'). The 'witness' was the
revelation which God had made of His will expressed in 'the :ten words'
(Ex. xxv. 16, 21 ). Comp. Ex. xvi. 34; xxvii 21 ; xL 20; Lev. xvi. 13;
Num. xvii. 4-10. This 'witness' was the solemn declaration of the claims
and nature of God, who took up His dwelling in the midst of Israel (Lev.
xix. 2). The Tent under which He dwelt had this enshrined in it to
determine its character. So it was that this Tabernacle was specially
called a 'holy place,' a 'sanctuary' (ei1~~ LXX. aylacrµ.a, .,.J ay1rurnipio11,
-ra qy1acrµ.i11011, -ra ay,a, Vulg. sanctuarium. Ex. xxv. 8; Lev. xii 4; xxi
12; Num. x. 21 ; xviii 1).
(c) :But the usual name of the Tabernacle is 'the tent of meeting,' (c) The
"TyiO ~[)tot. This title occurs constantly in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers 9• ';~!t°/n
(from Ex. xxvii 21 onwards), but once only in Deuteronomy (xxxi. 14). It
is translated in the LXX. by the same phrase aa 'the tent of witness,' q
cr,c.,,,,;, -roii µ.ap-rvplov, and in the Vulg. (following the Old Latin) by
tabernaculum testimonii (Ex. xxvii 21 ; ll;XXV, 31 &c.; Num. ii. 17; iii.
7; xvii 7, 10), and, habitually in Numbers, by tabern. fmderis (Ex. xxxi.
7; xxxiii. 7; Lev. xxiv. 3; Num. i. 1 &c.). Two interpretations have been
given of it : 'the tent of the congregation,' the place where the congregation
of Israel was gathered together (A. V. the tabernacle of the congregation),
and 'the tent of meeting,' the place where God revealed Himself to His
people (so R.V.). Both senses are defensible on linguistic grounds; but
the second is clearly required by the narrative itaelf. The Tabernacle
was the place where God made Himself known (Ex. xxv. 8, 22), speaking
to the representatives of the nation (Ex. xxix. 42 f.; Num. xvii. 4 [ 19]);
and it could not truly be said that the people were assembled in 'the tent'
(yet see Matt. xxiii 38). The 'tent of meeting' was so completely
identified with the revealed Presence of the Lord that it is said to 'dwell
with the people in the midst of their uncleannesses' (Lev. xvi. 16).
Taking then these three general titles of the Tabernacle we see that General
the structure was held to represent provisionally in a sensible form three rhsult of
truths, (a) the Presence of God with men, (b) His righteousness, (c) His !it!!:
'conversableness 1.' It is scarcely necessary to add that the idea of a ·

1 I venture to use this most signifi. Deity as should shut up itself and be
cant word of Howe. 'Such a sort of reclused from all converse with men,
 238 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
'dwelling' of the Lord in 110 way teuded to confine His Presence to one
spot : it simply gave a distinct reality to the fact of His Presence. So
again the conditions of the 'witness' and the 'meeting' were not absolut.e.
They emphasised the truths that God Himself determines the terms and
mode m1der which He offers Himself to men conformably to His own
Nature.
The build- If now we consider the account of the buildiug and a1-ransement of the
ing !Ind£ Tabernacle we shall recognise that it was fitted to convey most impressively
{h~r~aber- the three lessons which it embodied. It was held to be wholly of divine
nacle. design. No part was originated by hUlllan invention. It was reared after
the pattern in which God prescribed the details of the way in which He
should be approached (Ex. xxv. 9, 40; Hebr. viii. 5). So the people
confessed that if God is to be Irnown, He must reveal Himself.
Again : it was framed substantially out of free-will offerings (Ex. xxv.
2). There was indeed ransom-money, equal in amount for every one,
which was used in the structure (Ex. xxxviii. 25 ff.), but this was
employed for definite purposes ; and the narrative emphasises the
willingness with which the people contributed to 'the work of the tent,
and all the service thereof' (Ex. xxxv. 20 ff.; xxxvi. 5 ff.). A revelation
comes from God only, but it is for man to embrace it from the heart and
give form to it.
The three- The general plan of the Tabernacle suggested, even to the simplest
fold divi- worshipper, the Majesty of God, Who hides Himself even when He comes
sion.
among men. The three divisions of the whole fabric, the sacred inclosure
(i~cio, LXX. ~ avA4, Vulg. atrium, Ex. xxvii. 12 ff.; XXXV. 17 L &c.) and the
twofold Tabernacle, 'the Holy Place,' and 'the Holy of Holies' (~1~tl, LXX.
ro /1yw11, Vulg. sanctuarium; and !J 1~1-~i1 ~jj,, rb ay,011 [ra /1yta] rc.'i11 aylc.>11,
sanctuarium sanctuarii [sanctum, -ta, sanctoruml Ex. xxvi. 33 f:; Num.
iv. 4, 19 ; but the simple t.erm ~1~tl is also used of the innermost
sanctuary, Lev. xvi. 3, and perhaps !J 1?i1mJ ~,j, of the whole sanctuary,
Num. xviii. ro), marked stages in human approach to Him; and the
increasing richness of the material in the successive parts suggested
thoughts of His immeasurable dignity. The chamber-the perfect cube
(comp. Apoc. xxi. 16)-which expressed His most immediate manifestation,
was in itself wholly dark. For man perfect darkness and perfect light
(1 Tim. vi. 16) are in effect the same. We, in our weakness, can see
objects only when the two are mixed. Comp. Ps. xviii. 11 ; xcvii. 2 ; 1 K.
viii. 12. So also the limitations in the right of entrance to each part
showed that as yet God could not be fully known by men even with the

would leave us as disfurnished of an of sense must be allowed unto the ex-

object of religion, and would render a pression 'conversableness with men,'
temple on earth as vain a thing, as if as that it signify both capacity and
there were none at all ... We might, propension to such converse; that
with as rational design, worship for a God is both by His nature capable of
God what were scarce worthy to be it and hath a gracious inclination of
called a shadow of a man, as dedicate will thereunto' (The Living Temple,
temples to a wholly unconversable i. eh. vi. § 1}.
Deity ... For that measure and latitude
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 39

knowledge t.o which they could attain. The way to His Presence was not
yet open (Hehr. ix. 8). None but the members of the chosen race could
enter the Court : none but the members of the representative tribe could
enter the Holy Place : none but the one representative of the priestly
body could enter, and that only on one day in the year, t.o the innermost
sanctuary where God shewed His glory.
The furniture of the different parts still further illustrated by intelligible The furni-
symbols the conditions and the limits of the approach to God. The Court ture of the
contained two objects which could not fail to speak to the hearts of the Tabt·
worshippers, the Laver, and the Altar of bun1t-offering. '!'he first require- nac e.
ments for drawing near to God were seen to be purity and sacrifice. In
the Holy Place there was fuller teaching. The Table of the Shewbread
and the Seven-branched Candlestick exhibited human service in a higher
form, as the light of men, and the food of God. The Altar of Incense,
placed against the inner veil, so as to be in face of the Ark and in closest
connexion with the Holy of Holies, expressed yet another thought, the
thought of human aspiration, prayer and not action.
So far the vessels of the Tabernacle represented the relations of man to
God. The vessels of the most Holy Place represented the relations of God
to man, His holiness, His grace, His sovereignty. The Law-the 'witness'
-was set as the foundation of all Over that was spread the Mercy seat;
out of which rose the two Cherubim-the representatives of creation-
bending over it, as if eager to look into the mysteries of redeeming love,
while between and above them was the sign of the Divine Presence on
which man could look only through the atmosphere of adoring aspiration
(Lev. xvi 13)1.
But when all was thus ordered according to the heavenly pattern, by The con-
men in whom God put His Spirit, and out of materials which were gifts of secra.tion.
devotion, the structure was not yet complete. It was as a fair body not
quickened by life. So when everything was ready, the Tabernacle itself
with all its furniture was solemnly anointed, like the High-priest, or the
King, or the Prophet ; and then at last it was fit for the fulfilment of its
office (Ex. .xl. 9 ff. ; Num. vii. I ff.).
So far, it appears, there can be no reasonable doubt as to the symbolism The
of the Tabernacle. It conveyed of necessity deep religious thoughts to deta.~ls
those who reverently worshipped in it. It wea however a natural, and Pfi5s~bl:)'.
1
indeed a justifiable belief, that the spiritual teaching of the fabric was not fi.ca:r. •
confined to its ruling features but extended also to every detail. There are
correspondences between all the works of God which deeper knowledge
and reflection make clear. The significance attached to the numbers which
continually recur in the relations of the several parts cannot be questioned.
Many therefore in all times have endeavoured to read the meaning of the
parts, either as symbols of a divine order in creation, or as types of the
divine counsel fulfilled by the coming of Christ. Into these ingenious
speculations we cannot enter at length; but tlie Jewish opinion current in

1
The general view of the Ta.bema.cle by Hengstenberg, Beitrlige zur Einl,
and its Furniture is given admirably ins A. T. iii. 628 ff.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

the apostolic age must be noticed, if only to place the originality of the
Epistle in a true light.
Views of Both Josephus and Philo, representing at no great interval of time the
PHILO and complementary teaching of Jerusalem and Alexandria, agree in regarding
Jos:hH~s the Tabernacle as being in some sense a symbol of the universe. There is
b!rna:1/· a characteristic difference in their treatment of the subject. Josephus is
definite and literal in his interpretation : Philo plays, as it were, with
many thoughts, aud is not always consistent in the meanings which he
indicates. But both alike follow a naturalistic symbolism. The Tabernacle
is not for either of them the sign of another order.
JoBEPHus. The interpretation of Josephus is contained in a single chapter which
may be quoted entire as illustrating a dominant type of thought at the
time when the Epistle was written. After describing the Tabernacle and
its furniture, he continues : 'One might marvel at the hatred which men
persistently shew towards us as though we made light of the Divinity (,-b
Mio11) which they are minded to worship. For if any one will consider the
structure of the Tabernacle, and regard the dress of the priest and the
vessels which we use in the divine service, he will find that the lawgiver
was a godlike ((kio11) man and that we are visited with evil reproaches by
the world without any good ground. For he will find that the several
parts have been framed to imitate and represent the universe (,-a o>.a), if
he takes the trouble to observe them with impartiality and intelligence.
The Tabernacle for example, which was thirty cubits long, the Lawgiver
divided into three parts 1 : two of these he left open to all the priests, as
an ordinary and common place, and so indicated the earth and the sea, for
these are accessible to all : the third portion he confined to God alone,
because the heaven is also inaccessible to men. Again by setting the
twelve loaves upon the Table he indicated tlie year, divided into so many
months. By making the Candlestick a combination of seventy members
he expressed darkly the influences of the planets exercised over definite
portions of the Zodiac, each of ten degrees 2, and by setting seven lamps
upon it, he shews the course of the planets, for they are so many in number.
The veils being woven of four fabrics signify the nature of the• elements :
that is to say, the fine linen seems to indicate the earth because flax
springs from the earth ; and the purple the sea, from the fact that it is
dyed with the blood of fish ; the blue is designed to signify the air, and the
scarlet is a natural emblem of fire. Fw-ther the High-priest's robe being

1 Josephus (unlike Philo) neglects which was occupied by each sign of

the Symbolism of the Court, and thus the Zodiac, was divided into three
is driven to regard the Porch of the parts of ten degrees each (8eicaµo,pla,).
Sanctuary as a separate pa.rt. Ea.eh pa.rt was assigned to a particular
2 Ta.s TWV 1r>.avr,Tw11 8e,caµo,plas iJvl- planet, which thus 'exercised its do-
~aTO. The allusion is not to the num- minion and power over spaces of ten
ber seventy, but to the combination of degrees.' The planet which so pre-
seven with ten (10 x 7), the number of sided over the space was called 'de-
the planets with the number which ca.nus' a ruler of ten; and ea.eh sign
measured the extent of their active had three 'decani.' J ul. Fimlicus
influence. The thirty degrees of the Maternus, Astron. ii. 4.
whole circle of the heavens (360°)
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

of linen indicates the earth, and the blue, the sky, having a resemblance to
lightning given by the pomegranates and to thunder by the sound of the
bells. The Ephod [he wished to represent] the nature of the world which
it was the pleasure of God should be formed of four elements, inwoven
with gold, I fancy, to suggest the splendour which attaches to all things.
And he set the Breastplate in the middle of the Ephod to serve as the
earth, for the earth occupies the midmost place. Yet more by investing
the High-priest with a Girdle, he indicates the ocean, for this embraces the
world. Furthermore the two sardonyx-stones by which he fastened the
dress of the High-priest signify severally the sun and the moon ; and
whether we please to understand by the twelve jewels the twelve months
or the twelve groups of stars which Greeks call the Zodiac, we shall not go
far from the meaning which they convey. The mitre again seems to me to
be emblematic of heaven, since it is made of blue, for otherwise the name of
God would not have been placed upon it, set conspicuously upon the fillet,
and that a fillet of gold, for the sake of its splendour in which the Divinity
especially delights 1.'
Philo's earlier exposition is much more elaborate. He supposes that PHILO.
the Court represented the objects of sense {,ra ala-871.-a), the Sanctuary, the
objects of thought (.-a 11071.-a). On this Yiew the five pillars of the porch
indicate the senses, which have relations both outwards and inwards.
The fourfold fabric of the veil he interprets exactly as Josephus of the four
elements, and so also the seven lamps of the Candlestick, of the planets,
with the Sun in the midst. He sees in the High-priest's robes a clear
image of the world, but he differs in many parts from Josephus in his
explanation of the parts. The words with which he closes his account of
the dress exhibit favourably his general method: 'Thus is the High-priest
arrayed when he undertakes his sacred service, in order that when he
enters the Sanctuary, to make the prayers and sacrifices of our fathers,
all the world may enter with him, through the symbols which he wears ;
for the long robe is a symbol of the air, the pomegranate, of water, the
flower-bo:i:der, of earth, the scarlet, of fire, the Ephod, of heaven ; and, more
particularly, the round emeralds on his shoulders, on which severally are
six carvings representing six signs of the Zodiac, are symbols of the two
hemispheres ; and the twelve stones upon his breast in four rows of three,
the 'Rational' (Logeion), as it is called (.-o >..ayno11), is the symbol of the
Logos who holds together and administers the whole. For it was necessary
that he who performs priestly service to the Father of the world should
use as .Advocate (n-apa,ill.71.-011) a Son most perfect in virtue, both to secure
oblivion of sins and a supply of most bounteous blessings 2.'
1 Antt. iii. 7, 7. Comp. Bell. Jud. naturalistic, symbolic form of inter-
v. 5, 4-7. Weber (Altsynag. Theol. s. pretation found acceptance among
191) has some interesting references to some of the early Greek Fathers, and
the Rabbinic ideas on the relation of it has found considerable support in
the Tabernacle to creation. See parti- recent times (Bahr, Symb. d. Mos.
cularly Bammidbar R. § xii. (Wiinsche, Cult. 1837-9). See Clem. Alex. Strom.
295). Compare also Bahr, Symb. i. 109 f. v. 6, §§ 3 2 ff.: Theod. Mops. and Theo-
2 Philo Vit. Mos. iii.§ 14 (ii. 155 M.). doret on Hehr. ix. r. Origen (Hom.
Comp. De epist. § 34 (i. 378 M.). This in Ex. ix.) interpreted the Tabernacle
w. H.8 16
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
The teach- If now we turn from these material and intellectual analogies to the
ing of the teaching of the Epistle, it will be evident that we have passed into another
EpiS tle. region. The Tabernacle is indeed regarded by the writer as formed after
a heavenly pattern (c. viii. 5; comp. Wisd. ix. 8): it has its divine cor-
relative (c. viii. 2, 5; ix. 11): it served as a figure (c. ix. 9) up to the time
when Christ's apostles were able to declare the fulfilment of its signs; and
its furniture was charged with a meaning which he could not discuss from
due regard to proportion (ix. 2-5). But it was not simply an epitome of
that which is presented on a larger scale in the world of finite being: the
archetype to which it answered belonged to another order : the lessons
which it conveyed were given in the fulness of time (c. i 1) in a form which
is final for man.
The ~u- The Tabernacle, as we have seen, presented three main ideas, the ideas
~h~lrthf of the dwelling of God among men, of His holiness, of His ' conversable-
arc~:typ:l ness.' It was that through which He was pleased to make His Presence
Taber- and His Nature known under the conditions of earth to His people IsraeL
nacle. The antitype of the Tabernacle, whether on earth or in heaven, must fulfil
the same office, and fulfil it perfectly. Such an antitype we find in the
humanity of Christ, realised in different modes and degrees during His
life on earth, in His Body, the Church, and in the consummation in
'heaven.' In each stage, if we may so speak, of the 'fulfilment' (Eph. i
23), Christ satisfies in actual life more and more completely, according to
our apprehension, that which the Tabernacle suggested by figures. His
earthly Body was a Sanctuary (John ii. 19 ff.). In Him it was the Father's
pleasure that 'all the fulness should dwell' (Col. i. 19 ,caro,,cijua,), and so
'in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily' (CoL ii. 9). Even
now 'His Body' is that in which God is, and through which He reveals
Himself (John xiv. 16 ff.; 1 John ii. 20; .Apoc. xxi. 3). .And so it shall
be in the end. The saints 'who dwell in heaven' are His 'tabernacle'
(.Apoc. xiii 6 om. ,ea[); and when they are revealed in glory, in fellowship
with Christ (1 John iii 2), the goal of creation will be reached (Rom. viii.
19). Comp. c. ix. 1 r note.

.Additional Note on viii. 8 ff.

The quotation (Jer. xxxviii. (xxxi.) 31 ff.) offers an instructive example
of variations in N.T. quotations from the LXX., from the Hebrew, and from
a repetition of part of the quotation in the same book.
The following are variations from the LXX. :
!'. 8. Xlyn] LXX. 'PTJ<TIII with !'. l. X,yn.

in a religious and moral sense. Differ- chiefly with its moral and religious, as
ent schemes of interpretation are dis- distinguished from its cosmical, im-
cussed briefly by Fairbairn, Typology port; Bede, De Tabernaculo •• ,(Migne,
of Scripture, ii. 253 ff. Abundant refer- P. L. xci. 393 ff.) ; Adamus Scotus
ences to modern works are given in (tuSo), De tripartito Tabernaculo (P.
the various Dictionaries of the Bible. L. cxcviii. 609 ff.); Petrus Callensis
There are several medimval discus- (tu87)', Tab. Mos. mystica et moralis
sions of the Tabernacle which deal e:xpositio (P. L. ccii. 1047 ff.).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 243
v. 8. tTVVT'EAiuro l,rl r611 oL.,cal ,,,., ra11 ol.] l!iaB1uoµa, r~ oi,c.,,,,cal r,ji
0 ~vvr,X,,11 l!,aB. occurs in LXX., c. xli. (xxxiv.) 8, 15.
7,,c.
9· ,,rol']CTU] a.. Biµ.'711,
Xi-yn] <p']ul11.
10. l!iaB.] some add µov.
'Ai-y• l <f,~uw.
l!,l!ovs] some add l!ooul\l.
lmypchyw] some read -ypa,J.,w. A lmypa,J.,w avrovs lrrl ras tc. av.
avrovs] t(if. A insert ,cal g,J,oµa, avrovs before ,cal EITOJJ,Cl,I,, Comp.
c. xxiii. 24 LXX.
l l. ,roAlT')~...al!,X<f,611 ... ] al!,X<f,611, ••1TA'71Tlo11...
- µ,,cpov] add ailr,.-;11.
The LXX. follows the Hebrew closely except
9· OV/C £11£JJ,HIIU11 '" ry l!. '.,rn!$ r,;:ir.i.
10. l!,l!ovs ... ,ls r~ll a. av. c;7i?f ... JJ'3iJ:1·n~ 'T:lJJi
1

II. Om. ii31.

'Y""'B' ~31"!.0

om. i1\i1; Clt9-

To these certain differences must be added the rendering ,cayc.\ ~µ,•?..1Jua
avr"'" for c; 11:l?il-¥ 1:;:ij1$1, which is generally rendered altlwugli I uxw a
lord (a husband) to them. In this sense ~t.'f is used with a simple acc.
(Is. lxii. 5~ In Jer. iii. 14 and xxxi. 32 it is construed with f, and
Gesenius (so appy. Delitzsch), following the LXX. and Syriac versions and
Arabic usage, is inclined to adopt in these places the sense 'I rejected, I
was displeased with, grew weary of them.' This interpretation appears to
fall in best with the context, though the common rendering can be
explained.
The differences between the quotation here and in c. :x. 16 f. are
remarkable :
ro. r~ oi,c<i> 'Iu-p.
\
16. ,rpos avrovs.
, .
Elr T~V auw. aVr. E1rl 1eapblar aVr.
f1r& 1<apalar. f1TL "Jv aui11oiai,.
12. Kal rCt>v dµ.. aVr. 17. ,cal rCa>v dp,. aVr. 1<al r<dv dvoµ.1.6>v aVr~v.
P,"'71T800. JJ,l'']CT81u-oµa,.
The quotation in x. 16 f. seems to be made from memory.

16-2
244 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. I
'I'
IX. 1
€1xe µev ouv [ Kat' ] '1t 7rpltJ'T'7
'

r (,ca.l] 1/ 1rp.: om. ,ca.l B syrvg me: om, 11 D 2*: +0-1<'1"'1 • me.

ii. The Old SerTJice and the New: the first tabernacle continually, ac-
the Atonement of the Law and the complishing the divine serTJices; 7 but
Atonement of Christ (c. ix.). into the second, once in the year, the
Having pointed out generally the High-priest alone, not without blood,
new scene and the new conditions of which he o.ffereth .for himself and
Christ's High-priestly work, the writer for the ·ignorances of the people,
goes on to consider it in detail in 8
the Holy Ghost this signifying
comparison with that of the Levitical that the way into the Holy place
system. He (r) describes with affec- hath not yet been made manifest,
tionate reverence the ordered ar- while the first tabernacle hath still
rangements of the Old Sanctuary and an appointed place; 9 which is a
its furniture, and the limited privi- parable for the season now present,
leges of the Old Priesthood (ix. r-ro); and according to this (parable) giftg
and then (2) he places in contrast and sacrifices are o.ffered, such as
with these the High-priestly Atone- cannot make the worshipper perfect
ment of Christ resting npon a New in conscience, ' being only ordinances
0

Covenant, of which the issue will yet of flesh, resting upon (accompanied
be revealed in glory (ix. rr-28). by) meats and drinks and divers
(i) ix. r-10. The Sanctuary and washings, imposed until a season of
Priests under the Old Covenant. reformation.
This section falls into three sub- (a) r-5. The writer begins his
divisions. account of the High-priestly service
(a) The Tabernacle; its parts of Christ with a retrospective view of
and furniture: (1-5). the Levitical Service ; and in doing
(b) The priestly Service of the this he first describes the Tabernacle
Tabernacle: (6, 7). -the divinely appointed scene of its
(c) The lessons of the restrictions performance-and not the Temple,
of the service: (8-10). with its parts and its characteristic
•Now even the first covenant had furniture. As he had spoken at the
ordinances of divine service and its close of the last chapter of the im-
sanctuary, a sanctuary of this world. minent disappearance of the old
• For a tabernacle was prepared, the system, he now pauses for a moment
first, wherein were the candlestick to dwell upon the glories of that Old
and the table and the shew-bread, Covenant before he contrasts them
that which is called the Holy place. with the supreme glory of the Chris-
3 And after the second veil a taber- tian order. He seems indeed to linger
nacle which is called the Holy of over the sacred treasures of the past ;
Holies, 4 having a golden altar of and there is a singular pathos in the
incense, and the ark of the covenant passage, which is unique in the N.T.
o?Jerlaid all round about with gold, There was, he says, something majes-
wherein was a golden pot holding tic and attractive in the Mosaic ordi-
the manna, and the rod of Aaron nances of worship. Christians do not
that budded, and the tables of the question the fact; nay rather when
covenant; 5 and above it Cherubim of they acknowledge the beauty and
glory overshadowing the mercy-1eat; meaning of the Law they can under-
whereof we cannot now speak several- stand the Gospel better.
ly. 6 But when these things ha?Je been So CEcumenius gives the connexion
thus prepared, the priests enter into rightly : i1rEl 1<aTi{:JaXE11 ai/~11 [~v
IX. I] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 45

,ro}.a,av 8w8~1Cl71'] Tfi ,rpos T'7V vlav quired by the context: c. viii 13- 'H ·
,rapa8la-n iva µ.~ ns EL'lrTJ oTt ov,coiiv ,r pc.iTTJ Tls ; Chrysostom asks, and
1M a,roffll.TJTOS ~v, ,rpoAafJrov q,,,a-,v &T, answers 'H a~"-1'/•
ElXE 1(0.ICELVTJ auca,cJµ.aTa AaTpElas, voµ.ovs, If the ,c.al is retained (,c.al 17 ,rpcJ,.,,)
IPTJO-LV, ,cal TaE,v ,cal d,coAov8lav lµ.,rpl- it emphasises the parallel of the Cove-
,rova-av AaTpEl<} 8Eov. nants. Though the first was destined
Philo discusses the meaning of the to pass away, it had, no less than the
arrangements of the Tabernacle : de second, ordinances of divine institu-
vit Mos. iii. §§ 3 ff. (ii. 146 ff. M.). tion.
1. ElXE µ.iv oJv (,col] 17 ,rpc.i"7,,,) a,,ca,cJµ.aTa AaTp.) ordinances qf
Now even the first covenant had... diiiine seriiice••• Vulg. justiji,cationes
Vulg. Habuit quidem et priua (0.L. (0. L. constitutiones) cultur(JJ. The
Habebatautem) .••Thepast tense (Elxf) word a,,calwµ.a occurs again in a similar
can be explained in different ways. sense in "'· 10. Ai,c.a{wµ.a expresses
The writer may regard the original the result, as a,,calwa-,s expresses the
institution of the Mosaic ritual (ii. 2 process (Rom. iv.· 25; v. 18), corre-
,caT<trK.<vaa-811); or he may regard the sponding to a,,cmovv, to make right
system as essentially abrogated by (righteous) in the widest sense. Two
the fulfilment of Christ's work. main meanings at once arise as the
The latter is the view commonly object of the verb is a word or a deed.
taken from early times : aELK.VVO-&V ,'fa,, The 8,,c.a{wµ.a may. be 'that which is
, > ' , ,.. , '
TOVT'f> OVTTJV EK.ICEX"'PTJK.Vtav· TOTE -yap declared right,' an ordinance or a
Elx•, q,110-lv· ta(TTE vvv, ,l ,c.al EtTTTJK.Ev, sentence pronounced by an authorita-
OVIC ttTT& (leg. lxn) (Chrys.). TO •lxf tive power ; or 'that which is rightly
a,,Ao'i oT, vvv OVIC lxn· cZtTTE .z ,c.al µ.r, done,' righteousness realised in act.
'ITOVTEAais £71'0'1/(TOTO a,o ,.;, nvas avTfi h-, There is the same twofold meaning
O"TOLXELV, TO µ.lVTo, a,,c.a,olµ.aTa OVK. lxn
(<Ecum.). in the word 'judgment' (t:lQ~Q) in
But it seems more likely that the the O.T. which is constantly rendered
writer is considering the Mosaic sys- by a,,c.a{wµ.a in the LXX. It may be
tem in its divine constitution. further noticed that an obligatory
The particles µ.iv oJv correspond · 'ordinance' viewed from another
with the al in ii. 6. There were divine point of sight often becomes a
and significant elements in the service 'claim.' For the use of the word
which corresponded with the first a<K.a{wµ.a in the N.T. see (1) TO a,,ca[-
Covenant, but they were subject to 6>p.a the ordinance, regarded as re-
particular limitations in use. The quirement: Rom. i. 32; viii. 4- (2)
Christian Order ("'· II Xp,a-TOS a,) Ta a,,ca{,,,µ.aTa of special ordinances :
offers a contrast to both parts of Luke i. 6 ; Rom. ii. 26 ; Hebr. ix. 1,
this description : its institutions are 10. (3) a,,c.alwµ.a a sentence or act
spiritual, and its blessings are fol' all fulfilling the claims of righteousness :
The combination does not occur again Rolll. v. 16, 18. (4) TO a,,c.molµ.aTa of
in the Epistle ; and it is found in St special acts of righteousness : A.poc.
Paul only in 1 Cor. ix. 25 l,c.E'ivo, µ.iv xv. 4 ; xix. 8.
oJv••• 17µ.,is a, ... ; Phil ii 23 TOVTOJI µ.ev The gen. which is connected with
0Jv •••'1l'E'lrOt8a aL)Jn K.al avTos ••• It is b&K.alwµ.a may either express the au-
frequent in the Acts (viii. 4, 25; &c.). thority from which it springs (Lk. i. 6
There can be no doubt that a'°~"-1/ auc. TOV Kvplov : Rom. viii. 4); or the
(not a-"-11~) is to be supplied with 17 object to which it is directed, as here:
,rp.J,.,,. This interpretation, which is comp. Ex. xxi 9 TO a. Tfl>V Bv-yaTEpwv;
supported by the ancient Versions I Sam. ii. I 2 TJ a. TOV leplws; viii. 9 ;
(except Memph.) and Fathers, is 1·e- X. 2 5 TO a. TOV fJaa-,>.lws.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 2

~ <TKrJVt] 'Yap KaT€<TK€U-

For XaTpEia compare Additional 'on earth' (l-,rlyELos), as opposed to

Note on c. viiL 2. 'in heaven' (l1rovpa11ios v. 23; viiL 5;
T<> TE ay. 11:ou,-..] and its sanctuary, xi. 16), but it partook of the nature
a sanctuary of this world...Vulg. et of the world, and was therefore essen-
sanctum smculare. Euthymius reads tially transitory.
and interprets TOTE cly,011 11:ou,-.,11:011 (so There does not appear to be any
arm.): 'TOTE' af dvrl roii ff'l!Aa,, 8r~ reference to the familiar thought that
lKpaTEL, JIVJI yap OVK txn. The peculiar the Tabernacle was a symbol of the
form of expression is chosen in order world, though this interpretation has
to recognise the familiar and charac- patristic support : -r,}11 u11:11~11 oilT0>s
teristic place of the Mosaic worship- lKaAE<TE rurrov l1rlxovua11 TOli KOO'jl,OV
the Holy place-and at the same time 1ra11Tos (Theodt. ~
to distinguish it from its antitype But in connexion with this thought
(comp. vii. 24 ; 1 Pet. iv. 8). The it is to be remarked that both Jo-
conjunction .,.. is rarely used by itself sephus and Philo speak of the Jewish
in the Epistles: c. i. 3 note; vi. 5; service as having a universal, a 'cos-
xiL 2; Rom. ii. 19; xvi 26; I Cor. mical,' destination: Philo De Mon-
iv. 21; Eph. iii. 19. It marks some- arch. iL 6 (ii. p. 227 M.) fJovXETQL T611
thing which is not regarded as distinct , ,
apxi<p<a - J,<EII' EL/COiia
1rp0>TOII '
, , TOV.... 1ra1'TOS
from and coordinate with that with Exnv EµcJ>avij 1rEpt EavrOv iva E1t. -rijs-
which it is connected, but which serves uvvExoiis Blas aEio11 1rapixy -rb11 laio11
to complete the fulness of one main /jlov Tijs- TCl>v OAc.>v cJ>Vu£<iJS', E'ITEtTa 61ra>s
idea. J,, Ta'is ZEpovpylais uvXXnrovpyf, 1ras o
The singular TO cly,011 in the sense Kouµos avT<ji. Joseph. B. J. iv. 5, 2
of the sanctuary is not found else- rijs KO<TJ,<LKijS 0p7J<TKEfos KaTO.PXOVTES.
where in the N. T. It occurs not And this thought was adopted by
unfrequently in the LXX. for ~ Chrysostom and many later fathers
in various forms : l1rEl 11:al •EU11u,
(Num. iii. 38; Ezek. xiv. 4, 18; xlviiL /3aTOJI ~JI KO<TP,LKOJI avTO 11:aXEi, OV yap
8) and for l!i':!P (Ex. xxvi. 33 &c.) a,, o
ol 'Iov8aio, ICO<Tjl,OS ~<Tall (Chrys.).
without any obvious law. Here it Sanctum smculare ie. quo sreculi
appears to give naturally the general homines, hoe est, gentiles, ad Judais-
notion of the sanctuary without re- mum transeuntes recipiebat ; patebat
gard to its different parts. enim non solum Judreis sed etiam
It is not unlikely that the pre- talibus gentilibus (Primas.).
dicative force of 11:ouJ,<£11:011 reaches Such an interpretation however
back to a,11:. XaTp.-' had ordinances of belongs to the later development of
divine service and its sanctuary, both Judaism and not prominently to its
of this world.' first institution, though indeed it had
The word 11:ou,-.,11:os occurs elsewhere from the first a universal element.
in the N.T. only in Tit. iL 12 (comp. 2. <TKTJlltJ yap ••• ~ 1rp0TTJ] For a
JJidache xi. 11 ~ tabernacle (tent) was prepared, the
The thought which it conveys here first ...the outermost as approached
is otherwise expressed under a dif- by the worshipper. The writer ex-
ferent aspect by XE,po1roirrros (vv. u, plains and justifies the general state-
24; comp. viii. 2). The opposite is ment in v. 1. For this construction,
given in v. II ov TaVT1js ri;s KT1<TE0>s. by which a noun first regarded inde-
The Mosaic sanctuary was not only finitely (' a tabernacle') is afterwards
IX. 3] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 47
a<T8r, ,; 7rpah·r, €V ~ ;f 7"E Avxvla Ka( ti Tpa7re{a Kat 11
7rpo8E<TtS 7"WV 11p7"WV, ij7"tS A€'YE7"at r•' A'Yta. 3 µe7"a OE 7"0
2, 3 Ta. &:y,o. ... •• •Xe-yoµh'Y/ Ta. li:y,o. TWII a:ylwv.
2 -Ii Xu,cv. D2*. 11.pTwv : + Ko.! T~ ,cpvcrouv Ovµ,o.Tf1p,011 B (mg) [ omitting ,cpvcrovv
Ouµ. Ka.l in v. 4]. &:-y,o.: +Ta.'&:-yuiB: +d.-y£wvAD2 *: om. ~Bvgsyrrmgg.

defined (' the first'), see c. vi. 7 ; 2 ficavit in Hierusalem ubi fuerunt plura
John 7; Acts x. 41; Phil iii 6, &c. candelabra.
and especially with a partic. 1 Pet. i ~ ,-pa,r•Ca] the tahle, •• mensa V. Ex.
7; Moulton-Winer, pp. 174 f.
The two parts of the Tabernacle
xxv. 23-30 (l~~~;:i, c,,,ti to?~,
are regarded as two Tabernacles. n~w.;:i 'Ci, ,h~iJ ~i1) ; xxxvii 10-
KaTEO"icEvauBr,] was prepared •• ✓ac­ 16.
tum est V. Comp. c. iii. 3 note. The ~ 7rp/,(J.cm ,-,;;" .Jp,-0011] Vulg. propo-
tense points to the first construction sitio panum, the shew'f>read, literally
of the Tabernacle. Contrast "'· 6 'the setting out of the bread (loaves),'
icaTEO"KEVao-p,Ell<iJII. that is 'the bread set forth in two
tv y...] The substantive verb appears rows.' The later Hebrew term for
to be omitted purposely. The whole the' shewbread' (C'~~ C'J? Ex.xxv. 30;
description (v. 4) will not apply to the comp. Lev. xxiv. 5 ff.) is n;1~v C!;I~
existing Temple ; and yet the writer 'bread of the row' (e.g. 1 Chron. ix.
will not exclude the Temple (XiyETa,., 32 o! .Ip,-o, rijr 7rpol1EuEoor LXX.) or
"'· 6 Eluiau,11). He says therefore simply 'the row' (2 Chron. ii. 4 7rpo-
neither 'was' nor 'is,' but uses, as in "'. 6Eu&r j Xiii. l I 7rpo6EO"&f i{p,-0011; XxiX.
4 lxovua, a neutral form of expression.
18 "nJ" Tpa'trECav Tijr 7rpo6iu•oor) in
~ Avxvla]-{:andelabra V. (-brum
which the N.T. phrases (Matt. xii 4
O.L.); literally the lampstand (i17,bp) ol .IPTo• rijr 7rpo6. and ~ 7rpo6. To i1.) find
on which the lamp ('1)) was placed their origin.
(Ex. xxv. 37; Zech. iv. 2; Matt. v. ~,.,r Afy. ~Ay,a] which is called the
15 and parallels; comp. Apoc. i 12; Holy place••• Vulg. qUUJdicitur Sancta.
ii. 5; xi. 4). See Ex. xxv. 31-40; The qualitative relative (~,-,r) directs
xxxv. 16; xxxvii. 17-24 (xxxviii attention to the features of the place
13-17); Zech. iv. 2 f.; II ff.; Jos. which determine it.! name as 'Holy.'
B. J. v. 5. 5 ; vii. 5. 5. The anarthrous form •Ayia (literally
In the account of Solomon's Temple Holies) in this sense appears to be
ten candlesticks are mentioned : 1 K. unique, as also "Ay,a ayloov below, if
vii. 49 (35); 2 Chron. iv. 7; comp. 1 indeed the reading is correct. Per-
Chron. xxviii. 1 5 ; J er. Iii. 19. haps it is chosen to fix attention on
So also in 2 Chron. iv. 8 Solomon is the ·character of the sanctuary, as in
said to have made ten tables ; but in other cases. The plural suggests the
1 K. vii. 48 (34) only one table is men- idea of the sanctuary with all its
tioned. Comp. Jos. Antt. viii. 3, 7. parts: comp. Moulton-Winer, p. 220.
Primasius, following the plural of the Philo ( Quis rer. di'D. hcer. § 46;
Vulgate, supposes that the allusion is i p. 504) interprets the three things
to the Temple : non de illo taber- in the Holy Place (lv ,-oir dylo,r}, the
naculo disputaturus est hie apostolus Candlestick, the Table and the Golden
quod Moyses fecit in eremo ubi tan- Altar of Incense (To 6vµ.ian/p1011), as
tummodo unum candelabrum fuit, sed symbolic of thanksgiving from all
de templo quod postea Salomon redi- parts of creation, heavenly, human,
 THE '.EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 4
~ ' ' \ • 1t. 1 •1 A • A I l
V€V'TEpov Ka'Ta7r€'Ta<Tµa <TIC1JV1J 1J t\.€,yoµ€V1J ~,yta ~'Ylldll '
4 -,I
XPV(TOLJJI €xoua-a
6uµta'T1JptovI \ \ ~
Kat T1JV KLfJllYTOV 'T1JS
\ -!-
ota-

3 G:yrn. a:yl"'" G"IIC*ADt: r« 11.-y. rwi, il-y. N<>B me (reg). 4 XP· (x.. fJuµ.. Ka.[:
lx.outra. B [see v. 2}.

elemental Comp. de vita Mos. iii <Ecumenius follows out the parallel
§§ 9 f. (ii. pp. I 50 f. M.). at length.
For a general interpretation of 4. XP• 1x. Ovµ..] having a gol<m,,
their meaning see Oehler, Old Tut. altar of incense••• Vulg. aureum ka-
Theology,§ 117. bens turibulum (altare O.L.~ The
3· P,f'rll ae TO a. K.] and after the word Ovµ,iarr/p,011 has two distinct
second veil ...Vulg. post velamentum meanings, (1) Altar of incem,e,
autem secundum. This is the only (2) Censer, and from very early times
place in which p.f'ra is used in this each has been adopted here.
local sense in the N.T. For 1eara,. Philo (Quis rer. div. hmr. § 46, i
... frau-µ.a see c. vi. 19 note. Ex. xxvi. p. 504; de vit. Moysis, iii. § 9, ii p.
31 £ 150); and Josephus (Antt. iii 6, 8
<TKT/l#J r/ Aty. "Ay,a 'Aylaw] a taber- P,ET'a~v lJe atlrijr: ,cal T~S: rpa'11'E(T/S: 111/fov,
nacle (tent) was prepared (Karr- c.ls: '11'po,'i'l1'0111 8vµ.1arr/pw11 ••• B. J. V. (vi.)
<TICfvau-8,,, "· 2) u,kick is called the 5, 5 TO Bvµ.iarr/p1011 lJe lJu} TIDII rp1cr-
Holiu qf Holies. The form <TK. r/ Af')'O" 1Call!,1ea Ovµ.iaµ.aTCOII ors: '" 8aAa<T<TT/S:
pi"'! corresponds with u-1e. r/ ff'PO>TT/ of a11mlµ.'11'AaTO Tijs: r' ao11e1rov /Cal ol,cov-
v. 2. In the LXX. two translations of µ.l"'ls: lu-r/µ.aw,11 on rov 8,oii ...&vra 1eal
Ci'~1R, ~~ the Holy qf Holies, the T'f> O«p) use Bvµ.,arr/pwv for the altar
most holy place, are found, ro ayw• of incense in their accounts of the
Tc.>11 ay. (e.g. Ex. xxvi. 33), and Ta ify,a furniture of the Temple. And so also
rc.',11 dy. (e.g. I K. viii. 6~ This inner- Clement of Alexandria (Strom. v. 6,
most sanctuary is also called simply § 33, p. 665 P. c1va µ.iu-011 ae rov 1eaA{,µ.-
ro ay,011 in Lev. xvi. 2. Ou the name ,.,,aros: (the outer veil) 1eal rov '11'apa-
i 1.;i"! which was applied to it in later '11'ETau-µ.aros (the inner veil) .•. Ovµ,iarr/-
times (1 K. viii. 8), see Hupfeld on P'°" 11e<tro •• •) ; and Origen, probably
Ps. xxviii. 2. The Holy of Holies on the authority of this passage,
was a cube, like the New Jerusalem places the altar of incense in the
in the imagery of the Apocalypse: Holy of Holies : Hom. in E:c. ix. 3
Apoc. xxi. 16. ibi collocatur... propitiatorium sed et
For the general idea of the Taber- altare aureum incensi
nacle, as figuring the residence of But it is urged on the other hand
God with His covenant people, see that in the LXX. the altar of incense
Oehler, l.c. § 116 ; and Additional is never called by this name, but (rl,)
Note on viii 5. Chrysostom says of Bvu-ia<TTr/ptov (rov) Ovµ.,&µ.aros: (Ex.
the two parts : Ta P,EII otv ay,a TOV xxx. 1, 27 ; Lev. iv. 7 ; 1 Chron. vi.
'11'porlpov 1eaipov crl,µ.fJoAa l<TTtv• l1e•'i 49 ; comp. Luke i l 1) and ro Ovrr. ri:,11
yap a,a
Ovu-tc.>11 ff'OIITa ylvf'rat• Tll ae 8vµ.1aµ.arco11 ( I Chron. xxviii. I 8 :
('f ,.. C , I
ay,a TCOII aytcoll TOVTOV TOV IIVII EIIE·
,.. "" J 2 Chron. xxvi. 16, 19), while Ovµ.,a-
<TTc.'irot. And so Theodoret: lp.tµ.EiTo T'lP'°" is twice used in the LXX. for a
ra µ.ell ayta ,.,,,, ,,, rfi yfi '11'0AtTEla11, Ta censer (11j~~~): 2 Chron. xxvi. 19;
lJe ay,a To>II aylcov ,.;, T6>11 ovpa'IIOJII Ezek. viii. II; and in Jer. Iii 19 by
lvl!ial,.,,µ.a· atlro lJe T'O 1CaTa'11'lrau-µ.a Aquila and Symmachus for l"IJ;II:,~
TOV <TTEpEmµ.aros: mAr/pov T~II xp•la11. (fire-pan). ·
IX. 4) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
It must however be remarked that the contrary it was removed after the
the translation of the LXX. was practi- service (Jom,a, vii 4).
cally inevitable. The use of "*fQ At first sight however it is difficult
in the original required to be repre- to understand how the Altar of incense
sented by 8vu,acrr~pwv. The only other could be described as part of the
rendering {Jo>p.os was inapplicable. furniture of the Holy of Holies ; or,
to speak more exactly, as properly
"*
And further in Ex. xxx. 1 where the
full phrase njbj? il,;li?r,) !r,) is found,
Symmachus and Theodotion read 8v-
belonging to it (t'xovua 8vp.111T71pwv).
But this phrase probably suggests
u,acrr71p,ov 8vp.taT7/pLOI/ 8vp.,ap.aTOS1 a the true explanation. The Altar of
reading which Origen introduced with incense bore the same relation to the
an asterisk into his Greek text. Nor Holy of Holies as the Altar of burnt
does the use of 8vµ.ianipwv for 'censer' offering to the Holy place. It fur-
fix this single meaning to the word, nished in some sense the means of
for Josephus, who calls the altar of approach to it. Indeed the substi-
incense 8vµ.ianipwv, uses the same tution of lxovua for Ivy (ti. 2) itself
word for 'censer' in his narrative of points clearly to something different
the rebellion of Korah (Antt. iv. 2, 6) from mere position. .The Ark and
where the LXX. has 'Tl'VpEiov (Ml;lr;,r.i). the Altar of incense typified the two
It cannot therefore be urged that innermost conceptions of the heavenly
the usage of the Lxx. offers a valid Sanctuary, the Manifestation of God
argument against adopting here the and the spiritual worship of man.
sense which is unquestionably justified And thus they are placed in signi-
by the contemporary evidence of Philo ficant connexion in the Pentateuch :
and Josephus. External evidence then, Ex. xxx. 6 ; xL 5 ; comp. Lev. iv. 7 ;
it may be fairly said, is in favour of xvi 12, 18 (before the Lord).
the rendering Altar of incense. In one passage indeed (1 K. vi. 22)
If now we turn to internal evidence the Altar of incense is described in
it appears to be most unlikely that language closely resembling that which
the 'golden altar' (Ex. xxx. 1 ff. ; is used here as 'belonging to the
xxxvii 25 ff.; :xL 5, 26), one of the shrine' (,1~ 1'2-i~~).
most conspicuous and significant of It is further to be observed that
the contents of the Tabernacle, on the word 8vp.canipwv is left indefinite.
which other writers dwell with par- While the writer says 71 Xvx11Ia, 71
ticular emphasis, should be omitted TpCl'Tl'E(a (I'/ 1rpo8EULS TMV lipn,>11), I'/
from the enumeration here ; and no «ifjo>T6S Tijs a,aS,.,«']S, TO lA.aunip,011, he
less unlikely that a golden censer says simply xpvuovv 8vµ.,aT71p,011, 'a
should be mentioned in its place, golden incense (altar).' The word is
while no such vessel is mentioned in descriptive and not the technical
the 0. T. as part of the furniture of name of a special object.
the Holy of Holies, or even in special On the whole therefore it appears
connexion with the service of the that both the evidence of language
Day of Atonement. The mention in and the evidence of the symbolism of
the Mishna (Joma, iv. 4) of the use of the passage are in favour of the sense
a golden censer on the Day of Atone- 'Altar of incense.' This sense is given
ment, instead of the silver censer used by the O.L. The Syriac is ambiguous
on other days, does not furnish suffi-
cient explanation for the place which ~ ~ incerue-tiesael (lit.
it would hold here in the Holy of house of perfumes).
Holies of the Tabernacle. Nor indeed In Apoc. viii 3, 5 the word for
is there any evidence that the censer 'censer' is >..<flavo>Tos which is not
so used was in any sense part of the found in LXX. (elsewhere X,fJa11o>Tls ).
furniture of the Holy of Holies : on It may be added that in the service
 250 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 4
, 7r€ptK€Kai\vµµe11r,11
erJKrJS , , e
'1T"a11To €11
, , ,. ,
xpv<rtcp, €11 17 <TTaµ11os
- ,, ' ,
XPV<TrJ €XOV<Ta TO µa1111a Kat rJ pa,._,oOS
' • , 'a,:. 'A apw11
' rJ• f'Jai\a<TTrJ-
,

1/ ff>-.arrr.: om. 1J B.

of the Day of Atonement the Golden addition to the Hebrew text which
Altar was treated in the same manner is found in the LXX. (Ex. xvi. 33)."
as the Holy of Holies by the sprinkling In the Pentateuch the pot of manna
of blood: Ex. xxx. 10. and Aaron's rod are said to be laid
In prophetic imagery also there is up 'before the Testimony' (Ex. xvi.
an altar in heaven (Is. vi. 6; Apoc. 34; Num. xvii 10; comp. Ex. xxv.
viii. 3~ The type of heaven therefore 16, 21) and not definitely in the Ark.
could not be without its proper altar ; The significance of the Manna is
though it was not placed locally within indicated in Apoc. ii. 17 TO µ. TO
it. 1CE1Cpvµµl11011.
Perhaps it is worthy of notice that xpvuoii11 ... xpvul~--•XPV0"11·••l - The
in the legend mentioned in 2 Mace. solemn repetition of the word empha-
ii 5 Jeremiah hides the Ark and the sises the splendour of this typical
Altar of incense in the cave. sanctuary (comp. .2En. iv. 138 f.). Gold
T~II "-'fJ"'TOII ~S' at.a8.] the ark qf the was the characteristic metal of the
covenant ...Vulg. arcam testamenti. Holy of Holies. Comp. 1 K. vii. 48 ff.
Ex. xxv. IO ff. ; xxxvii I ff. (Deut. x. It is remarkable that Ezekiel in de-
3). The writer of the Epistle, as baa scribing the Temple of his vision makes
been noticed before, fixes attention on no mention of the materials of which
the Mosaic type, the Tabernacle. The it was constructed.
Ark, which had belonged to the r) pafJC,os-] Num. xvii. 10 ff.
Tabernacle, was placed in Solomon's The pot of manna and Aaron's rod
Temple (1 K. viii. 1 ff.); but in the are not mentioned in Scripture except
later Temple the Holy of Holies was in the places of the Pentateuch
entirely empty (Jos. B. J. v. 6, 5 referred to, and here.
€1CHTO a. ovai11 OA6>S- €11 QVT'f' ; Tac. When the Ark was removed to the
Hist. v. 9). The site which the Ark Temple it contained only the Tables
should have occupied was marked by of the Law (1 K. viii. 9; comp. Jos.
'the stone of foundation' (il~•J:l~ ;;~), Ant. iii. 6, 5).
a raised platform on which, according al 7TAll1'.ES' ~S' aia8.] Vulg. tabulw tes-
to a late tradition, the sacred Tetra- tamenti. These are called in the LXX.
grammaton was inscribed. Comp. a! 7TAalCES- TOV µaPTvpfov (Tl11.'v r,h~)
Buxtorf, Le:e. s. v. i1 11Tlt:i. - Ex. xxxi. 18; xxxii. 15, and (al)
On the traditional later history of
the Ark see Grimm on 2 Mace. ii. 1,-5 ; 7TAll"-ES' (njs-) a,a°'71C'7S' (Tl'ifiJ nh~S)
and Wetstein on Apoc. ii 17. Deut. ix. 9, 11, 1 5. In I K. viii. 9
7T£P'"-£"-· 1r. xpvul~] This clause is 7TA<llCES' njs- a,a8,)1C77S- is added as a
· added predicatively : 'the Ark of the gloss to 1rAa1CES- >..t8,11a1..
covenant, an Ark overlaid all round Chrysostom remarks that these
about with gold.' Xpvulo11 as dis- memorials in the Ark were monu-
tinguished from xpvuos- has the secon- ments of the rebellious spirit of Israel:
dary idea of gold wrought for a 7Tlll/Ta TaVTa uEµ11a ~II ICa& >..aµ1rpa Tijr
particular use, as jewels I Pet. iii 3, '1ovaai1Cijs- ay116>µoo-v"'7r woµinjµaTa. ical
or coin, Acts iii. 6. For 1ra11To8E11 al 7TAll1'.ES' njs- a,a8~1C'7S' l(.aTla~E yap
compare Ex. xxv. 10 lu"'8E111Cal ;~"'8e11. aVrch·· ,cat rO µ.&.vva· Eylryyvuav yap ...
UTaµ11os-] Vulg. urna. Ex. xvi 32 ff. 1Ca, r) pafJC,or 'Aap011 r) fjAauT,)uaua •
The epithet, 'a golden pot,' is an brallEUT710"a11 yap.
IX. 5] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
1 • '\s I - 'l- ll I 5 • I ll-€1 , _
<ra<Ta Kat at 'Tr1'-aK€<; Tr/'> otauriKr/'>, V7repavw o av-rris
1J I ll- I~ 1 Y, I ''\s I , I 'l'
XepOVtJ€tll OOc;;r/'> KaTa<TKta~ov-ra TO L1'-a<TTrJpt0v 7r€pt WI/

5 vr,p&.vw ••• a.irrfjs: v1rtp ••• a.(rrfiv D2*• xepovfMv (-lv) NBD 2 : -{J.lµ. (-fllµ.) ~ A me.
K«TMKLcl./;ona.: -/;ov A.

5. ;,,,,•pavw a,
avrijs ... ] and abO'De This rendering was taken from the
it, ie. the Ark (mperque eam V.), use made of the 'covering' on the Day
Cherubim of glory (Ex. xxv. 18 ff.), of Atonement when it was sprinkled
not simply 'glorious Cherubim,' as if with the atoning blood : Lev. xvi. 1 5.
the epithet characterised their nature, In Ezekiel lAOO"T17pto11 is used as
but 'Cherubini of glory' ministering the rendering of M1tV. (xliii. 14 : AqlL
0

to the divine revelation. The divine 1Cp1J1rlawµ.a; Sym. 1rep ,apoµ.,f; 17, 20),
glory, the revelation of God's majesty, the 'settle' or 'ledge' of the altar.
was in a peculiar sense connected ,repl cSv, •• KaTa Jilpos] Vulg. de
with them. God revealed Himself qufbus modo non est dicendum per
'from between them': Ex. xxv. 22; singula. There is, it is implied, a
Num. vii 89; 1 Sam. iv. 4; 2 Sam. typical significance in the details, but
vi 2; 2 K. xix. 15 II Is. xxxvii 16; the writer notices only the lesson of
Ps. lxxx. 1 ; xcix. 1. Comp. Lev. xvi the two great divisions of the Sanc-
2 ; Ecclus. xlix. 8. tuary, determined by the ordinances
,camu,c,a(oJIT"a] The Cherubim are of service. For ov,c EUT111 comp. 1 Cor.
treated as (~a (Apoc. iv. 6). Compare XL 20.
Ex. XXV. 20 O"VO"KW(OJIT"ES. 6-10. After speaking of the
To Z>..aO"T17ptov] Vulg. propitiatorium, material arrangements of the Sanc-
O.L. e:cpiationem. Lev. xvi 14 f. tuary, the writer goes on to shew the
(nji:l;t;i). The literal meaning of n1a;;i significant limitations which deter-
is simply co-vering, but the 'covering' mined the use of it. The priests
is distinct from the Ark which is com- entered day by day into the Holy
plete without it (comp. Dillm. Ex. xxv. place : the High-priest once in the
17). It is possible that at a later time year, with special ceremonies, into the
the idea of the 'covering,' atonement, Holy of Holies (m,. 6, 7). As yet,
for sin may have been added to the under the Mosaic order, it was clearly
material sense ( 1 Chron. xxviii 11 taught that there was 1to free access
njS'.;liJ n 1~~ In itself the 'covering' to God (8-10). The people could only
of the Ark had a natural symbolic approach Him through their repre-
meaning. It was interposed between sentatives ; and these had only a
the Ark containing the Tables of the partial right of drawing near to Him.
Law and the divine glory. Though there was an august array
On its first occurrence n1e~ is of typical instruments and means of
translated in the LXX. f>..aUT~p,ov service, the access to the Divine
brl8.µ.a (Ex. xxv. 15); but generally Presence was not yet open. Part of
it is rendered by f>..aO"T17ptov only. the Sanctuary was open to the priests :
The rendering 8vutaO"T17ptov in Lev. part to the High-priest only on a
xvi. 14 seems to be an error, though single day in each year.
there is a trace of this rendering in It must be kept in mind throughout
one of the Greek Versions in Ex. that the Holy place was the scene of
xxxvii. 6 (tl>..~os· 8vu,aO"T17pto11). The man's worship, and the way by which
word f>..aO"T17ptov is used as technical he approached God ; while the Holy
by Philo: de 'Dit. Mos. iii § 8, ii p. of Holies symbolised the Divine
150 M.; de prof.§ 19, i 561 M. Presence itaelf.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. (IX. 6, '/
, ,! .-.. "\. I \ f 6 'T I ~ \ ~,
OUK €<T'TtV vvv l\.€''Y€tll Ka'Ta µEpoc;. I OVTWV VE OU'T~
I , \ \ I '~\ \
Ka'T€<TKEUa<FµEvwv, €LS µEv TYJV 7rpW'TYJV <TKYJVYJV ota ,rav-r~
, f • • ~ I .._ / , .._ ~ 7 ' ~I I
€t<Tta<TtV Ot t€p€t<; 'Ta<; l\.aTp€ta<; €7rt7"€1\.0UV'T€<;_, Et<; 0€ 7"1111
l<1'TL11 : t11e/1'TL11 M*,
Thus the Tabeniacle witnessed c'l,a 1ra11r&r] The word is used
constantly to the aim of man and to peculiarly in the N. T. of Divine
the fact that he could not as yet Service which knows essentially no
attain it. He could not penetrate to formal limits : c. xiii 1 5 ; Lk. xxiv.
that innermost sanctuary to which he 53 ; Acts x. 2. Comp. Matt. xviii. 10;
necessarily looked, and from which Acts xxiv. 16.
blessing flowed. The same institu- As distinguished from 1r&vrorE (c.
tions which brought forcibly to the vii 25 note) it seems to express the
soul of the Israelite the thought of continuous, unbroken permanence of
Divine Communion made him feel a characteristic habit, while 1ra11rorE
that he could not yet enjoy it as it marks that which is realised on ea.eh
might be enjoyed. several occasion.
Compare Chrysostom : ToVTfoTw, ~11 ra.r >..arpelar lmreX.] accompluhing
µf1, ,,-aVTa, oV,c ci1rEAavo11 a£ ratrt'rov aVrl»11 the divine aereices, such as the placing
ol 'Iovc'la'ioi, oil yap lrupo,11 ailra' c:iOTE and removal of the shewbread on
oil,c flCftl/O&r µaXAoll ~"~arr 7rp0fTVITOV'N), the Sabbath (Lev. xxiv. 5 ff.),· the
(b) 6, 7. The priestly service of offering of incense every morning and
the Sanctuary. evening, and the dressing of the
6. rovr...,11 c'li. .. ] But when tluJBe lamps (Ex. xxx. 7 ff.). The Vulgate
things ha1Je been thus prepared.... rendering (O.L. miniateria conaum-
Vulg. HiB vero (0. L. autem) ita mare) leads the thought away from
compositis (0.L. aptatu). The pert: the purely symbolic service of the
(,canu,c.) expresses that the historical Holy place to the animal sacrifices of
foundation (v. 2 ,carEu1CEvau6r,) issued the Temple Court.
in an abiding system (comp. 11. 8 The word l1r1rEXe'iv is used fre-
1T£'P,avEP..IDcr~a,, v. I 8 lv,c,,uc~l-111,crra~). quently of sacred observances in
Etr /LEV Tf/11 1rp. O'IC.. .. £LO'tau,v ... E1TLTE• Herodotus (ii. 37; iv. 186) and in
>..oiivnr] into the first (v. 2) tabernade, other classical writers. Comp. c. viii.
the Holy place, the scene of spiritual, 5 l1r1reAE1v r,)v UIC1J"'1"· Philo, de aomn.
symbolic worship, the priests enter i.§ 37 (i. 65.3 M.) rar 116µ~ 1rpourrra1-
continually accomplishing the aer- µivar <'TrlTEAEIV Xe,rovpylar.
vices ....Vulg. in priori quidem taber- 7. Elr c'li r~v a.... apx,ep~r] but
naculo semper introibant sacerdotes, into the second tabernacle, the taber-
aacrificiorum ojficia consummante,. nacle beyond 'the second veil' (v. 3),
The present (elulauw) expresses the the symbol of the immediate Divine
ideal fulfilment of the original Mosaic Presence, the Highrpriest alone, once
institution. The writer here deals in the year, that is, on one day in the
only with the original conception year, though on that day he entered
realised in the Tabernacle, though twice (Lev. xvi. 12 ff.), or, according to
elsewhere (c. viii. 4) he recognises the the later tradition, fourtimes(Mishnah
perpetuation of the Levitical ritual ; Joma v. 1, 7, 4). But see Philo,
and the existing Temple system was Leg. ad Cai. § 39 (ii. 591 M.) ,cal fi11
naturally present to his mind as the atlr<'ir o &px&EpEvr c'lvu,11 ~µipa,r roii
representation of it. The Latin ren- erour .,,1J 1<a,' ru,.., avrr,
~ ' 1J... ,cm\ rrrpa,c,r
, ,.. rp1r ,
dering is an accommodation to ETXE l1r1cpom/uu 8a11aro11 &1rapatr1JTOII V'TrO-
in V. 1. µ,fvn.
IX. 8] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
I tl 1:: ,,.. ' - I « , f , \
0€U'T€paV a1T'a~ 'TOU €VLaU'TOU µovos O apxt€p€us, OU xwpts
a'lµaTOS, () 7rpou<f>Ep€t U1T'€p EaU'TOV Kat 'TWV 'TOU Xaov
d,yvor,µaTWV, 8 'TOU'TO ar,AOUV'TO'i. 'TOU 1T'VEUµa'TO'i. 'TOU d,ylou,

The words, O.W'af P,OIIOS O dpx,1pws, For 011 x_oopls see c. vii. 20.
emphasise the restrictions with which The word d-yvO']p,a (sin of ignor.mce)
the approach was beset. There was occurs here only in the N.T., but the
only one occasion of entrance, and thought is included in ,-ois dyvoovu,v
the entrance was allowed to one re- c. v. 2. Comp. I Mace. xiii 39 ;
presentative of the people only. And Ecclus. xxiii. 2; Num. xv. 22 ff., 30 f.
even he entered only in the power of Theophylact notices that some thought
another life (comp. c. x. 19 lv T'«i' that there is a reference here to the
alp.an). superior efficacy c;>f the Christian
Philo insists on the peculiar privi- covenant : al p,Ev -yap vop,&Kal [ 8vula,]
lege in the same words : Leg. ad T"ll iv a-yvolli' <TVVEX@povv 7r).')p,p,E>.rjp,aT'a,
Cai. L c. (1ls ,.a lJ.iitl'l"a) a7roE T"OV lv,- rj <iE T'oii Xp,<TT'ov Kal T'd. lv Ell'i~un
a'll'l"OV o p,l-yas !EpEVs Eluipxl1"m. See ap,ap,-rjp,a,-a dcf>l11ur.
also de monarch. ii § 2 (i. 223 M.) In connexion with the idea of
T"OVT"<j> a,· lT'OVS lmnTpap,p,ivov O.'/raE ayvO')p,a Chrysostom expresses a strik-
Elu,iva&. de ebriet. § 34 (i. 378 M.) a,· ing thought : 8pa, o..JK El'lrfll ap,apT"]-
lrnvs a7raE Elu,ov,-a. And he applies p,arc.>11 dU' dyvo11p,aroo11 Zva p,~ p,fya
the limitation even to the Logos : op~s q>poJ1711Tc.><TIII" El -yap Kal ,,.~ EKJ,v ~p,apT'ES,
07'' o..l<iE o"PX•EpEVS >.o-yos, lvl'iia,-pL{3nv cp17ul11, a).X ilKc.>V ij-y11011uas, Kal T'OVT'ov
aEl Kal uxo>.a(nv lv T"ois a-ylms ii61p,au, oill'iEls l<TT'& Ka8apos.
l'ivvap,Evos, lJ.l'iEiaV l<TX!/KE Ka1"4 7rav,-a (c) 8-10. The restrictions which
Ka&pov 7rpOS a..JT4 cpo,,-av a).).' 0.'traE I},' limited the approach of priests and
lviatl'l"OV p,o>.,s; (de gig.§ I I; i. 269 M.). High-priest to God contained an
o..l xoopls a,p,aT"OS ••• a-y11017,,.&,-0011] The obvious lesson. There was no way to
High-priest first took the blood of the God opened by the Law. The Law
bullock, which was a sin-offering for had a symbolical, disciplinary, value
himself, within the veil, and sprinkled and looked forward to a more perfect
it seven times before the Mercy seat systelll.
(Lev. xvi. 11 ff.). s. ,-oiiro a.,>.. ,-oii W'JI. ,._ a-y.J vu1g.
.After this he offered the goat which hoe signiji,cante spiritu sancto. There
was a sin-offering for the people, and is a divine meaning both in the words
brought the blood of this within the of Scripture and in the ordinances of
veil, and did with it as with the blood worship. The Spirit which inspired
of the bullock (Lev. xvi 15). the teaching and ·fixed the ritual
This sprinkling of the blood is Himself discloses it, and this He
regarded in a wider sense as an does continuously (ii11>.oiiv,-os not a,,.
'offering' (Lev. i. 5) which he makes ).r/,uav,-os) as long as the veil rests over
for himself and for the ignorances any part of the record. For ii11>.oii11
of the people. The most general see c. xii. 27; 1 Pet. i. 11; 2 Pet. i 14-
phrMe is used in regard to the Compare the words of Theophy-
High-priest (v7rEp fotl'l"oii, O.L. pro se lact: ... ,a,,>.ouT'O uvp,{3o>.,K@S ;;,.. Ec.>S
et populi delictis). The absence of oJ'f' r<TT'aT'a&,,.. ~( <TK']~
,
a1ft'1), T'OVT'f<TT''II le.>~
\ ( , , '
the article before lawoii excludes the ov KpaT'E I O vop,os Ka& a, KOT' aVTOV
repetition of ayvo11p,aroo11 (as Vulg. pro AaT'pt'im TE>.oiiv,-m, ovK £ITT'' {30.u,p,os ~
sua et populi ignorantia). Compare .,.ro,, tl-ylwv oaos, 'l'OVTicrr,", ~ Els .,.ov
Lev. xvi. 11, with Lev. xvi 16. oilpavov El<To<ios.
254 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 8

µ.frr6> ,mpa11....) that the way into privilege of priests: all priests had
the Holy pla,ce hath not yet been made not the right of approach to the
manifest while the first tabernacle divine throne. Thus the outer sanc-
hatk still an appointed plm;e; Vulg. tuary was the representative symbol
nondum propalatam esse sanetorum of the whole Tabernacle aa the place
,:,iam adhuc priore taberna,eulo ha- of service.
bente statum (0. L. virtutem). It is The phrase txoV<r1Js- ur&u,11 must,
evident that this phrase 'the Holy it is reasonable to suppose, express
place' must include 'the Holy of something more than simply standing
holies,' the symbolic Presence of God ( i<TT1J1<.Vlas-, lurroU1Js-) as the Latin
(v. 12; 24 f.; x. 19), even if it does Versions indicate. The periphrasis
not mean this exclusively. Perhaps with lx(ij (comp. 1 John i 8 note)
however a general phrase is chosen marks the general position and not
by the Apostle to include both the only the isolated fact : 'while the
scene of worship and the scene of the first tabernacle still has an appointed
divine revelation. The people had no place answering to a divine order'
way into the Holy place which was (c. x. 9). The phrase is used of the
open to the priests only : the priests prevalence of periodic winds : Polyb.
had no way into the Holy of holies v. 5, 3 T<dJI lr')<Tt<dll ~31) <TTt:urtJI lxoJIT6>JI.
which was open to the High-priest 9. 7/TtS' 1rapa~••••iJ1E<TT1)1<.ora] Vulg.
alone. The rending of the veil re- quae parabola est temporis instan-
moved the separation between the tis, which is (seeing it is) a parable,
Holy place and the Holiest. The a figure, and nothing more, for the
partition was taken away. Both were season now present, 'the present
made one. age,' that period of preparation which
For the construction ~ TQIJI ayl(i)II will be followed by 'the age to come'
oa&s- compare c. L 19; Matt. L 5; for which we look. This sense of o
Gen. iii. 24. 1<.atpbs- olvEurJs- is established beyond
The comprehensive sense which has all doubt. In technical language all
been given to Ta t'Iy,a, as including time was divided into 'the past, the
both the Holy and the Most Holy present (l11Eurros-), and the future'
place, explains the use of ~ 1rpJ.Tf/ (Sext. Emp. Pyrrh. Hypot. iii. 17,
<r1<.1J"~· This phrase has been used 144 oXP<)IJOS' :>..1yErat Tptµ.Ep~s- El11at• 1<.a,
just before (v. 6; comp. v. 2) of the TO µ,£11 'lf'UPfXTJ"-cJ~, .,.o aE £11£rrr6'!., rO a£
Holy place as the vestibule, so to p.EAA6>11); and the use of the word
speak, of the divine presence-cham- l11iuT1J"-a in the N.T. is decisive in
ber ; and it is very difficult to suppose favour of the sense the season that
that it should be suddenly used in is present (not the season that is at
another sense for 'the first (the hand) : see 2 Thess. ii. 2 ; Gal. i 4 ;
Mosaic) tabernacle' as opposed to 1 Cor. vii. 26. Things 'present' (lvE-
'the heavenly archetypal tabernacle' <TT<dra) are contrasted with things
(v. II). 'The first, the outer, taber- 'future' (JJ,E'A'A.ovra) : I Cor. iii. 22 ;
nacle,' the sanctuary of habitual RoUL viii 38.
worship, did in a most impressive It may therefore be reasonably laid
way shew the limits which were down that o1<.a,pbs- o l11Eurros- must be
placed upon the worshipper. While taken in connexion with that which
this held a recognised place among the writer of the Epistle speaks of
divine institutions the people were as 'future,' 'the future world' (ii. 5),
separated from the object of their 'the future age' (vi 5), 'the future
devotion. All had not M yet the blessings' (x. 1 ). If, then, as is beyond
IX. 9] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 255
- ' I I 9d /2 "1.' ' \ \
CTKr/1111'> EXOUCTY/S CTTaCTtll, Y/TLS 7rapatJOt'-Y/ €LS TOIi Katpov
'
'TOIi , '
EIIECT'TY/KO'Ta, ll• .,
Kau '1- -
r,11 owpa ' ll ,
'TE Kat' vu<Ttat 7rpoum'
...,,epov-
' '1- I \ l'1- "1. - \
Tat µr, vuvaµevat KaTa uuvetor,<Ttll TEl'-Etwcrat 'TOIi Xa-
,ea.(}' -ijv ~ABDs*: Ka.lJ' /Iv •·

doubt, 'the future,' in the vision of 9, 10. ,caf' qv ac.'ifa ••• µ.&v~v i"_l {3p.
the writer, is that which is charac- ••• /3a1rnuµ,o,s, 13,,ca,roµ,a.-a ••• E71"£1CEIJJ,EVa]
teristic of the Christian order, 'the in accordance with which (and after
present' must be that which is this parable, or teaching by figure)
characteristic of the preparatory gift, and sacrifa;e, are ojfered such
order, not yet outwardly abolished a, cannot make the worshipper
(comp. Gal. i. 4), that which is com- perfect a, touching the conscience
monly called in other writings, 'this (in conscience), being only ordinances
age,' or 'the present age' ; and in qf flesh, resting upon meats and
the present context o ,cmpos o ElfEUTrl,s drinks and di,z,ers washings, imposed
stands in opposition to ,cmpos a,op- until a season of reformation. If
(}rl,curos (,z,. 101 and parallel with the ,cal is retained (,cal IJ,,cmrl,µam)
'these days' in c. i 2 (note). then two things are stated of the
It will be noticed also that ,ca,p&s Levitical sacrifices, 'that they cannot
is chosen (in place of alcJv) as sug- bring perfection, as resting only on
gesting the idea of a present crisis : meats'.•.and 'that they are ordinances
eomp. Rom. iii. 26; xi. 5 (2 Cor. of flesh .• .'.
viii. 13~ This sense is given in a rude form
Thus 'the present season' must be by the Old Latin version : quaJ
earefully distinguished from the ful. [munera et bestim] non possunt consci-
ness of the Christian time, though in entia consummare ser,z,ientes, solum
.one sense the blessings of Christianity in cibis et potu et ooriis baptismis,
were already realised essentially. So justitia carnis usque ad tempu,
far Primasius, while he giV!JS a wrong restitutionis imposita.
sense to 'present,' says truly: Quod The Vulgate renders ,cal IJ,,ca"J..
enim agebatur in templo tune tem- µ.au,v .. .tm,cnµ,ivo,s qum non possunt
poris figura erat et similitudo istius ...in cibis .•. et ,z,ariis baptinnatibus et
veritatis qure jam in ecclesia com- justitiis carnis usque ad tempus cor-
pletur. rectionis impositis.
The Levitical system then, repre- Three points in this complicated
sented by 'the first Tabernacle,' is sentence require consideration, the
described here as a parable 'to serve weakness of the Levitical offerings
for' or perhaps 'to last as long as,' (µ,~ lJvv. kaT4 uvv. TEA. TOv AaTp.), the
the present season. It conveyed its ground of their weakness (µovov l,rl
lessons while the preparatory age {3prl,p.arru, ••• IJ,,cmrl,µ,a.-a rrap,co~), the pur-
continued up to the time of change. pose of their enactment (JJ,ixp• ,cmpov
It did indeed foreshadow that which lJwpB. lm,c.).
is offered in the Gospel, but that is µ,~ lJvv•••• '!"EA. Tov AaTp.] For the
not the aspect of it which is here idea of 'l"EAElrou,s 'a bringing to per-
brought forward. As a parable (c. fection' according to some assumed
xi. 19) it is regarded not so much in standard, see c. vii. 11 note. Here
relation to a definite future which is that standard is said to be 'according
directly prefigured ('type') as in to' 'as touching the conscience.' The
regard to its own power of teaching. Levitical offerings were able to secure
The parable suggests thoughts : the an outward perfecting, the admission
type points to a direct fulfilment. of each worshipper to a full partici-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 10

' 10 1 ' \ /J I \ 1 \ ~
-rpEuov-ra, µovov €7rt tJpwµaaw Kat 1roµa<Tt"II Kat vta-
m'
..,,opOtS
ll
t,Ja7r'Tt<Tµots,
- T~ ,
Vtl(atwµa-ra
, 1
<TapKOS µtxpt KatpOU
~

10 ,co.I
{Jo.rmrµois N*AD2* syrvg me the: +,co.I N°B vg syrhl the.
IO
NAB syrvg me: 811,a.lwµa. D2* the: 81tca.1wµa.o-w ~ vg syrhL

pation in the privileges of the ancient has caused difficulty, for the Law
commonwealth of God, which de- gave no universal directions in this
pended on the satisfaction of cere- respect : so Theophylact asks : 1rciis
monial conditions. But they could /Ji El,rE 1r6µ.au1; tcalro, 7rEpl ,roµ.arc.,11
not bring a spiritual perfecting. They a,acpopas oil a,EAaµ.fJaVEJI o voµ.or. He
could not, to notice one aspect, suggests that the reference may be
'cleanse the conscience fi-om dead to the conditions of the Nazarite
works to serve a living God' (i,. 14~ vow (Num. vi. 3), or to the injunctions
For uvvE,lJTJu,s see Additional Note. laid upon the ministering priests
rav XarpEvovra expresses each wor- (Lev. x. 9). Comp. Col ii 16.
shipper who approached God through For the 'different washings' see
the appointed minister. Compare c. Mark vii. 4. Comp. Ex. xxix. 4 ; Lev.
x. 2 rovs XarpEvovrar (of the whole xi. 25, 28 ff.; xvi. 4, 24 ff.; Num. viii. 7;
body); xiii. 10. For the absolute use xix. 17, &c.
of XarpEv&> see x. 2 note. P.•XP' K, a,op(). lmtcElµ.Eva] The pro-
10. µ.ovov l1rl fJpJµ. •••• aLI(, u.] These visional character of the Levitical
offerings were unable to satisfy man's institutions illustrates their enact-
destiny being only ordinances qf ment. They were imposed until, a
flesh combined with, resting upon, season of reformation. The word
meats and drinks and di1'ers wash- lJ,6p()r.,u,s is not found elsewhere in
ings. biblical Greek. It is used in late
The µ.ovov and the l1rl fJpJµ.. both Greek writers for the reformation of
serve to limit and explain the charac- laws, institutions, states. Comp. Acqi
ter of the Mosaic institutions. These xxiv. 3 a,6p()r.,µ.a. The verb a,opBov11
institutions were only ordinances of is used in the LXX. of 'amending
flesh, ordinances which dealt with
that which is external (comp. c. vii
ways': Jer. vii 3, 5 (l 1 ~·n :i~ 11J);
comp. Wisd. ix. 18; and also of
16 Kara 110µ.ov lvroAijr uapKl1fTJs); and ' setting up,' 'establishing': Is. xvi. 5 ;
the accompaniments of the sacrifices,
the personal requirements with which lxii. 7 (l~i::l). The thought of'making
they were connected, indicated their straight, erect' passes naturally into
purely outward significance. · that of ' making stable.'
For the use of the preposition Im Under different aspects this 'refor-
to express the accompanying circum- mation' is spoken of as a 'restitution '
stances or conditions see 1 Thess. iv. (Acts iii. 21 d1roicaraurau,s), and a
7; 1 Cor. ix. 10; 2 Cor. ix. 6; Gal. v. 'regeneration' (Matt. xix. 28 1raX,y-
13 ; Eph. ii. 10; 2 Tim. ii. 14. Com- ')'EVfu1a). ·
pare also i,i,. 15, 17 ; c. viii. 6 ; x. 28. The anarthrous form of the phrase
The reference in fJpJµ.. tcal ,roµ.. ml (tca,par lJ,op0Jufr.,r) marks the charac-
a,acp. fJa1rr. is general, and must be ter of the coming change. The very
taken to include the various Levitical nature of the Law shewed that it
regulations positive and negative as was transitory, if it did not shew the
to meats and drinks, developed by definite issue to which it led.
tradition. The mention of 'drinks ' The Greek commentators call at-
IX. 11] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 57

owp0w<TEWS €7rLK€LfJ-€1/a.

tentiou to the force of the word own blood, entered in once for all
brnc,lp.•va. Thus Theodoret: icaAws into the Holy place, having obtained
rtJ E1rE,c.e,-ro, (j&.por yap ~v ,_,,&vov -rO. Ev eternal redemption.
rw voµp (Acts xv. 10, 28). 11, I 2. ln contrast (Xpum}s a,) with
'(2) ix. II-28. The High-priestly the repeated entrance of the Jewish
Atonement under the New Covenant. High-priest into the Holy of Holies
The work of the Jewish High-priest through the blood of appointed
has been indicated as the climax of victims Christ once for all entered
the old system (v. 7) ; and the High- into the true Sanctuary, the actual
priestly work of Christ is now con- Presence of God, through His own
sidered in contrast with it. The com- blood, and obtained not a temporary
parison is instituted in respect of that but an eternal deliverance. Thus the
which was the unique and supreme contrast extends to the system (ra
privilege of the Levitical High-priest, y,116µ,va dya0a), the place and mode
the access to God on the Day of Atone- of the Atonement (a,a rijs I-'· ical TEA.
ment. Thus two main points come CTK., ad, TOV la. at.), the issue (alrov.
into consideration : the entrance of 'Avrp.). In all these points the
the High-priest into the Divine 'parable' finds fulfilment.
Presence, and the fact that the I I. Xp,crros a•... ] But Christ
entrance was through blood. having come a High-priest of good
Under this aspect the work of things realised ... 0. L. Christus au-
Christ is first (a) described generally tem, sacerdos quando advenit bono-
in vv. I 1, 12; and then the truths rum f actorum. Vulg. Christusautem
suggested (b) by the shedding of His adsistens pontife:c J'uturorum bono-
Blood (vv. 13-22), and (c) by His rum. For the simple Xp,crros (contrast
entrance into the Presence of God oxp,crros iii. 14 note) see v. 24 ; iii. 6.
whence He has not yet returned ?Tapayoaµ•vos] Christ has not only
(23-28), are followed out in detail become (y,110µ,vos) High-priest as one
(a) A summary description of of an appointed line, He has made
Christ's High-priestly work (II, 12). · His presence as High-priest felt
The work of Christ as High-priest among His people as sent from
of the new order now established another realm to fulfil the office in
stands in sovereign superiority over part on earth.
that of the Levitical type in regard So Chrysostom says : OVK Ei?TE y•vo-
to scene, and offering, and efficacy. JJ,EIIOS d'A'Aa ?Tapay•voµ•vos, TOVTECTT<V, ,ls
The tabernacle through which He avn\ TOVTO l'A.00011, ovx lnpov a,aa.~a-
ministered was not of this creation µ•vos· oil ?Tponpov ?Tap,y,v•ro ical TOTE
but heavenly (II b). The blood f"f£11fTO d'AX' 3.µa ~'AO••
through which He entered before The idea of ?Tapay,11,cr0ai is that
God was not that of sacrificed animals of coming to, reaching, being present
but His own (12 a). The redemption at, some marked place or company.
which He obtained was not for a Compare Matt. iii. I ?Tapay{v,m, 'lc.,-
brief season but for ever (12 b). run,s. Luke xii. 51 ao,ciin on •lp~"']V
"' But Christ, having come a Jrap•y•110µ1111 aovva, £11 TU rii; Acts y.
High-priest of the good things 21 (and often in that book).
realised, through the greater and dpx. Twv y•voµ,vc.,v dy.] The title of
more perfect tabernacle, not made Christ at once marks His absolute
by hands, that is, not of this supremacy. He is a High-priest
creation, "nor yet through blood of whose work deals with blessings which
goats and calves, b1.tt through His have been gained and which do not
W. H. 3 17
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. II

II µe"I\X6PTWP
I1 "yEvoµlvwv BD 2* syrr: µe'AMPTwv NA vg syr hl mg me (reg) [comp. c. x. 1).

exist only in hope and prophecy. He The local sense which has been given
is High-priest of the good things to a,& in the first clause ('passing
which are already realised by the through the greater .•. tabernacle into
fulfilment of the divine conditions, the Presence of God') does not give
and which are not promised only and a very clear thought. It is true
future. The same blessings can be indeed that the High-priest passed
spoken of as 'realised' in respect of through 'the first tabernacle' to the
Christ's work, and as 'future' in Holy of Holies, but no such stress is
respect of the preparatory discipline laid on this 'passage through' as to
of the law (c. x. 1), or the actual make it the one thing noticeable in
position of Christians (comp. c. xiii the Sanctuary. The outer Sanctuary
14~ In this place it seems natural was not merely a portal to the Holy
that 'the good things' should be of Holies but the appointed place of
spoken of as realised from the divine priestly service. And on the other
side. Even if men have not entered hand the idea conveyed by this
upon their inheritance, it is already limited (local) sense of 'through' is
gained. In c. :x. 1 the case is different included in the wider (instrumental)
and there the reading (Truv µ,EAA. dy.) sense of 'through' which describes
is undisturbed. that which Christ used in His work.
For the gen. Truv yEv. dy. compare In this work it must be observed
c. iii. I dpx. ri;s oµ,o>..oylas (dealing that Christ is said to make use not
with and belonging to~ of ' a greater tabernacle' but of ' the
11 b, 12. The Majesty of Christ's greater tabernacle,' 'the true, ideal,
title (' High-priest of the good things tabemacle' (c. viii. 2 ). The thought
realised') is justified by a description of the reader is thus carried back to
of His Work. In the circumstances the heavenly pattem which Moses
and the effects of His High-priestly followed (c. viii. 5 note; Ex. xxv. 9).
service He offers the heavenly counter- The earthly Tabernacle witnessed not
part of tlrat which was exhibited under only to some nobler revelation of
an earthly figure in the Mosaic God's Presence, but definitely to the
system. This is shewn first in respect archetype after which it was fash-
of the Tabernacle ' through which' ioned.
Christ fulfils His work. What then is this heavenly Taber-
o,a ri;s µ,. •• •ovaE a,• a1µ, ••.• a,a a; ...] nacle ? Some preparation will be
through the greater ... nor yet through made for the answer if we call to
blood••. but through his oum ...Vulg. mind the two main purposes of the
per•.• tabernaculum .•. neque per san- transitory Tabernacle. It was de-
guinem ... sed per ... sanguinem •... It signed on the one hand to symbolise
seems to be best to take the pre- the Presence of God among His
position in each case in the same people ; and on the other to afford
general sense and to join both a,a under certain restrictions a means of
T~S µ,. "'al T. (T.,. and a,a roii la. a'l. with approach to Him. The heavenly
Elu~>..8e. Christ employed in the Tabemacle must then satisfy these
fulfilment of His office 'the greater two ends in the highest possible
Tabernacle' and 'His own Blood' degree. It must represent the Pre-
(compare the corresponding though sence of God, and offer a way of
not parallel use of au, in 1 John v. 6). approach to God, being in both
IX. II] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 59

{ovos- 'TOUT-.
respects eternal, spiritual, ideal (dX11- 1r£-rauµ.a, cJr ci1ro,cpVrrrovuav r~11 6E0-
8,vr/ c. viii 2 ). 17JTa. 1<aML Kal -rOv oVpavOv -ro7s- aVrois
In seeking for some conception roVrots OvOµ.au,, <TK7Jvrfv, cJs f1eEi Owos
which shall satisfy these conditions it Toii dpx<Eploor· ,caTa'Tl"iTacrµ,a, cJr d7ro-
is obvious that all images of local n,x,(oµ.i11oov TOOi/ dyioo11 a,'aVToii. (Cf.
circumscription must be laid aside, c. x. 20.)
or, at least, used only by way of This interpretation was met by one
accommodation. The spiritual Taber- interesting objection in early times:
nacle must not be defined by the limi- How could the Lord's Body be said
tations which belong to 'this creation.' to be 'not of this creation' 7 Was
We may then at once set aside all not this assertion, it was asked, a
such interpretations as those which denial of His true humanity 1 lvraii8a,
suppose that the lower heavens, Theophylact says, ,£'1/"l'1/"'7aoocr,11 ol alpE-
through which Christ passed, or the TtlCOL AE")IOVT£1,' ovpav,ov Elva, TO crooµ.a
supra-mundane realm, or the like, ,ea, al8ipwv. He replies that 'heaven'
are 'the greater tabernacle.' We and 'sky' are themselves 'of this
must look for some spiritual antitype creation.' But <Ecumenius meets the
to the local sanctuary. difficulty more satisfactorily by saying
.And here we are brought to the that under different aspects the
patristic interpretation which it re- Lord's Body was and was not 'of this
quires some effort to grasp. The creation': To crooµ.a Xp,CTToii ,ea, TUVT1'JI.'
Fathers both Greek and Latin com- ~v 'l"ijs 1<rluECa'JS Kal oU raVTTJs, -raVr71s
monly understood the greater Taber- µ.iv, ,carCl .,.o iuov £ lva, Kal a,a ,rllvrc..>v
nacle to be the Lord's ' flesh,' or ~JJ,OWII rep T/µ.Erip'{J u6>µ.aT,, oV raVTIJ~ a£,
'humanity.' Thus Chrysostom : n)v ,carlt rO lxE1.11 duvyxt.lroo~ ,cat d3,a,pfrc..>,
ua~ir.a lvr~ii8a Xly~•· ir.aXoor ai ir.al n)v 8£0T'7Ta. The Lord's human body
p,nCova KaL T'EAE£OTEpav El1rEv, Ei j'E 0 was supernatural
8£01.' Xoyor ,ea, 7racra ~ Toii mt£vµ.aTor .As far as the Lord's historical work
, ,
£v£pyna , ... £11
£110,ir.n ' ... •
' avT/1 on earth is concerned this inter-
.And Theodoret, followed by <Ecu- pretation is adequate (comp. John ii
menius : crir.1111riv dxnpo1Tol:11Tov n)11 21). He was the perfect revelation
av8poo7r£lav cf,vcr,11 EKIVl.£0"£11 ~" d11{Aa/3£11 of the Father and the way to Him.
0 a£crm>T'71,' XptCTTol,' ••• ov ir.aTa 110µ.011 But in considering the ideal antitype,
<pt1CT£(J)I,' Tijl.' Ell Tf, KTICTfl '1/"0AITEV0µ.•111']1.'. or rather archetype, of the Tabernacle
Compare also Euthymius : a,;. Toii we must take account of the Lord's
laiov cJ,,,,-,., crooµ.aToS Ell <e <f1C'7CT£II ~ ministry in heaven. In this (c. viii.
, 8, t\ "'/- f ( , ...
1 f.) the heavenly High-priest and the
TO~TOV £0;'71,'• 0 r£1~011 001,' '71100µ.£1/0J/ TTJ
8£0T'7Tt TOVTOV '1/"aVTOT£. heavenly Tabernacle are in some sense
.And Primasius : Tabernaculum per distinguished ; and the Lord acts as
quod assistit deo patri humanitas High-priest in His human Nature
illius est. (c. iv. 14 ff.). Bearing this in mind
In this connexion Chrysostom and we may perhaps extend the patristic
Theophylact notice how the Lord's conception so as to meet the difficulty,
'Body' and 'heaven' are each spoken though, with our present powers of
of as 'a veil ' and as 'a tabernacle.' conceiving of divine things we must
The text of Chrysostom is confused, speak with the most reverent reserve.
but Tlieophylact has preserved his In this relation then it may be said
meaning : KaA£L To crooµ.a TOV Kvpfov that 'the greater and more perfect
Ka1 O"IC1Jll~V, cJs EvraV8a, a,a .,.o .,-Ov Tabernacle' of which Christ is minis-
Movoy£11ij CTIC'7IIOOCTat '" av-rfi • ir.al ir.aTa- ter, and (as we must add) in which
17-2
26o THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 12

,I ' f ,,.., I I~ '~ \ ~ , ,I I

€0-'TLV OU 'TUU'Tr/'.. 'TrJ'.. K'TL<T€W<;, OVOE OL aiµa'TO<; Tparywv
I f ~ ' ~ \ ~ , ~f d
Ka£ µoo-xwv ota 0€ 'TOV WLOV atµa'TO<.., EL<TrJt'- EV E't'a7rac;;
, ~--..0 ,fl\ f ~

the Saints worship, gathers up the xiv. 58 (dxnpo1roi17Tos); 2 Cor. v. I

various means under which God ( olt<[av dxnpo1rol11rov alcJv,ov fv To'is-
reveals Himself in the spiritual order, ovpavois ).Compare Acts vii. 48;
and through which men approach to xvii. 24 For oil TaVTTJS Tijs 1<.T1cr£oor
Him. Under one aspect these are compare, 2 Cor. iv: I~ Ta, yap {3~£1TO-
represented by the union of the JUlfa 1rpocr1<.atpa, Ta a£ 1-'T/ /3A£1TO/J,£1fa
redeemed and perfected hosts made alcJv,a ; c. viii. 2 1 CT"-1/lfT/ 1 d">-118,11~ ~"
one in Christ as His Body. Through t1TTJ~Elf o Kvptos; and for K.Tlcr,s, Rom.
this glorified Church answering to viii. 19 ff.
the complete humanity which Christ Philo, in a striking passage, speaks
assumed, God is made known, and of the world 88 'the house and city'
in and through this each believer Of the first man /J,TJaE/J,tClS xnp01Tot1ToV
comes nigh to God. In this Body, as 1<.aTaCTK.EVTJS aEaTJ/J,<OVP'YTJ/J,ElfTJS iK. ">.180011
a spiritual Temple, Christ ministers. 1<.al ~v">.0011 t!ATJS.
As members in this Body believers 12 a. A second point which marks
severally enjoy the Divine Presence. the heavenly character of Christ's
Thought fails us under the bondage work is seen in the nature of His
of local limitations, and still we can offering. He made not a twofold
dimly apprehend how we have opened offering but one only. He entered
to us in this vision the prospect of a into the Holy place through His own
spiritual reality corresponding to that Blood, and that once for all
which was material and earthly in the
old ordinances of worship. It enables
ovai a,ai.µ,. Tpay. 1<.al µ,ocrx.] nor yet
through blood of goats and bulls....
us to connect redeemed humanity The ova, seems to be due to the pre-
with the glorified human Nature of ceding ov XE•P· as if the sentence
the Lord, and to consider how it is had run ov aul X£tpo1r••• •ovai a,• ai.µ,a-
that humanity, the summing-up of Tos.... The goat was the offering for
Creation, may become in Him the the people (Lev. xvi. 15): the bullock
highest manifestation of God to finite for the High-priest himself (Lev. xvi.
being, and in its fulness that through 1 1 ). The plural generalises the
which each part is brought near to thought. The words used in the LXX.
God. version of Leviticus are µ,ocrxos and
This heavenly Tabernacle is spoken xlµ,apos. Symmachus and Aquila seem
of as greater and more perfect (Vulg. to have used Tpayos for xiµ,apos. The
amplius et perfectius), greater in phrase rpayo, 1<.al Tavpo, (v. 13) gives
comparison with the narrow limits of the form in which the reference to
the earthly Tabernacle, more perfect animal victims would be popularly
88 answering to the complete develop- expressed. Compare Ps. xlix. (l) 13;
ment of the divine plan. And in its Is. i. 1 r (elsewhere µ,ocrxos seems to be
essential character it is not made 'fry always used in the LXX. ).
hands, that is, not of this creation a,a ai rov la. ai.µ, •••• Ta ay,a] but
(Vulg. non manu factum, id est, through His own blood (He) entered
non hujus creationis). Human skill once for all into the Holy place, the
had nothing to do with its structure, immediate Presence of God in heaven
for man's work finds its expression in (see v. 8 note).
the visible order of earth, to which The use of a,a as marking the
this does not belong. means but not defining the mode
For oil xnpo1roi11To11 see v. 24; Mk. (µ,ml) is significant when taken in
IX. 13] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 261
, \ d , I "\. I c f

€t<; 'Ta a'Yta, atwvtav 1\.U'TPW<TtV EupaµEvos.

connexion with v. 7 (ov xoopls ~ The middle voice (compare c. i 3 'tro,,,ua-
earthly High-priest took with him µ,vos) is that of 'having obtained as
the material blood : Christ 'through the issue of personal labour' directed
His own blood' entered into the to this end.
Presence of God, but we are not Chrysostom sees an emphatic sense
justified in introducing any material in the word: uq>olipa Troll ll'tropoov ,iv ical
interpretations of the manner in which TWII 1rapa 'trpoul/01<.lav 'trW$' l!ui ,-,.,ii.
He made it efficacious. Comp. c. xiii ,luoliov aloovlav >..vrpoou,11 eiJpaTo.
I 2 ad, TOV ll!lov aXµ,aTo, : Acts XX. 28 And so Theophylact : Zpa l!i 1<.al To
t,v 'tr•p•erra,-/iuaTo l!,a Toii aZµ,aTo, Toii Evp6µ.eva., cJ. 'trapa 'trpoul/01<.lav yEvoµl-
ll!lov. vov TOV 'trpayµ.aTOS' oiJToo TaVTr, TY >..,tn
lq>a'trat] See vii 27 note. Christ lxp-/iuaTO. d.'tropov yap ,iv TO Tij. EAEV-
did not need (like the Jewish High- 8Epla. -/iµ.'iv, d>..>..' avTO, EilpE TOVTO,
priest) a double entrance, even as He <.Ecumenius also touches upon the
did not need to repeat His entrance. voice: Evpap.Evos ... ovx EUVT<f, 'trWS yap
One entrance left the way open for ,\ dvaµapTl]TOt ; dll.>..a T'j) AO'j> aVTOV. ::,
ever. The 'veil was rent' (Matt. E'trnli~ 1<.Eq>aA~ rij. dv8poo'tr6Tl]TOS- ,Jtloo-
xxvii. 51 ). There was no longer any fTEV ,lvai, Tll ~µ'iv . 1<.aTop8008lvra avT<f
obstacle interposed between the wor- 1<.aToop8oou8ai >..iyn oO'trOfJ'TOAOS.
shipper-for all are now priests (b) The truths taught by the shed-
(.A.poc. i. 6)--and the Object of his ding of Christ's Blood (vv. 13-22).
worship. The thoughts springing out of the
12 b. .A. third element in the abso- fulfilment of Christ's High-priestly
lute supremacy of Christ's High-priest- work which have found a summary
hood lies in the abiding efficacy of expression in vv. 11, 12 are developed
His One priestly act. He obtained in the remainder of the chapter. The
an eternal Redemption in contrast efficacy of Christ's Blood is (a) first
with the limited, recurrent, redemp- contrasted with that of the Jewish
tion of the yearly .Atonement. victims as a purifying power (13, 14);
aloov. >..vTp. nip.] having obtained and then a new thought is introduced,
eternal redemption, Vulg. mterna in- which arises from the extension of the
'/Jenta redemptione, 0. L. mterna e:xpi- virtue of Christ's Blood to His people.
atione reperta. In combination with The Blood is (/3) the ratification of a
,luij>..8,11, nJpa1.u110. may express a co- new Covenant, as comprehensive in
incident (comp. c. ii. 10 note), or a its application as the blood 'of the
precedent fact : ' Christ entered ... calves and the goats' by which the
therein obtaining' or ' Christ entered Old Covenant was ratified (15-22).
... having already obtained.' The . ' 3 For if the blood of goats and
choice between these senses will be bulls and the ashes of a heifer,
decided by the meaning given to sprinkling them that have been
'redemption.' If 'redemption' is the defiled, sanctifieth unto the cleanness
initial work, the conquest of death (c. of the flesh, ' 4 /ww much more shall
ii. 14 f.), then this was completed in the blood of Christ, who through His
the Passion and Resurrection ; but it eternal spirit offered Himself without
seems more natural to find the fulness blemish to God, cleanse our conscience
of. the word satisfied in the Triumph from dead works, to the end that we
of the .Ascension. Compare .Ad- may serve a living God? ' 5 And
ditional Note on >..vTpoou, •. for this reason He is mediator of a
The form ri!paµ.<110, is found here new covenant, in order that a death
only in the N. T. The force of the having taken place for redemption
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 13
- , I ' I ~ I ~ '"l. ' '
alµa -rparywv Kat -raupwv Kat <NrOuos vaµa1\.€WS pav-rt-
' I ' 1y: \ \ ...., \
rouo-a 'TOUS K€KOlVWµ€VOUS aryta~€t 7rpos 'T'f/V 'T'f/S <rapKOS

1 3 rp. Kai ravp. t-tABD 2 vg syr vg me (reg): ravp, Ka.I rp, ~ syr hi. Kf.KOL11.:

KeK01µ.71µl11011s D2 *.

from the transgressions that were sequence which follows in the one
under the first co1;enant, they that case is (so to speak) due to an arbi-
have been called may recei'ce the trary enactment : the consequence in
promise of the eternal inheritance. the other case lies in the very nature
' 6 For where tliere is a covenant, the of things. The conclusion rests upon
death of him that made it must the comparison of a twofold relation,
needs be presented. '7 For a covenant the relation of the blood of Christ to
is sure where there hath been death; the blood of animals, and the relation
since it doth not ever have force of the inward sphere of religion to the
when he that made it liveth. outward. ,
,a Whence not even hath the first 13. Two typical examples of the
covenant been inaugurated without purificatory Levitical sacrifices are
blood. ' 9 For when every command- taken in illustration: the yearly sacri-
ment had been spoken according to fices 'of goats and bulls' on the day
the Law by Moses to all the people, of Atonement (Lev. xvi), and the
taking the blood of the calves and tJie occasional sacrifice of the red heifer
goats, with water and scarlet wool (Num. xix.). The first regarded the
and hyssop, he sprinkled both the impurity contracted from daily action,
book itself and all the people, 20 saying the second the impurity contracted
This is the blood of the covenant from contact with death.
which God commanded to youioard. rpay"'" 11:al ravpCllv) Comp. 1), 12 note.
"And the tabernacle also and all tnrolJos aaµaA£CllS] In this case the
the vessels of the ministry he sprinkled blood of the sacrifice was also burnt :
in like manner with tlie blood. Num. xix. 5.
22
And I may almost say, it is in pa11r,Covua roil~ 11:e11:o,v. ay....] sprink-
blood all things are cleansed accord- ling them that have been defiled, who
ing to the Law, and apart from out- by a definite act have contracted some
pouring of blood there cometh no stain, sanctiji,eth unto the cleanness
remission. qf the ftesh ...Vulg. adspersus (0. L.
(a) m,. 13, 14- A sense of difficulty sparsus) inquinatos sanctificat ad
might arise at the prospect of the emundationem carnis (O.L. ad emun-
vast claim which has been made for dandam carnem). For the use of
Christ's work. How, it might be the word KeKow...,µlvovs, which is not
asked, can it avail for ever 1 The found in the Lxx., see Matt. xv. 1 I ff.;
Mosaic institutions furnish the answer. Acts xxi. 28. The accus. depends on
The ritual purification of the Jewish pa11r/Covua: Ps. I. (Ii.) 9 pa11r,e'i~ µe
system had a limited validity. It was vuuru1r'f· The verb pa11rlCnv occurs in
directed to that which was outward. the N. T. only in this Epistle: vv. 19,
In this respect it removed outward 21 ; x. 22 note. In the LXX. the form
defilement, and gave outward clean- pal11ew is more common. The 'water
ness. If then it availed within it.s of separation (impurity)' is called -in
proper sphere, much more (we may the LXX. iJlJ...,p pallTtuµov, Num. xix.
confidently conclude) the blood of 9, 13, 20 f.
Christ will avail within its proper Theophylact calls attention to the
sphere, which is spiritual The con- distinction between ay,&Ce,, ' sancti-
IX. 14] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
14
l(aOapo'TrJ'Ta, 7T"OCTtp µa'l'\./\.011 'TO alµa 'TOU XPt<T-rou, Bs
~ \ I ' I t \ I ,t
ota 7T"IIEUµa'TM atWlltOU EaU'TOII 7rpOCTrJIIE"fKEII aµwµov 'Tep

14 a.lwvlov ~*AB syrr: u-ylov ~cDt vg me (mg).

fieth,' 'balloweth,' in regard to des- predominates and now another. It is a

tination, and ,ca0apl(n (~. 14 ,ca0apu,), means of atonement, and it is a means
' cleanseth' in regard to character : of purification : it has a power retro-
ilpa a; UVJIE0',11, OV/C ,l1r.11 il-n l,ca0ap,u• spectively and prospectively. Death
ro alµ,a '7"6>11 rpayc.)JI, &XX' frtiaC•11 •.. l,c,1 again, which makes the blood available,
µ,i11 ,il1r• .,.;, &-y,a(,, ... ill'Tav0a 1'3e ,ca8apu, is the seal of the validity of a cove-
.zm;-,11 ;a.,E,11 Ev8vs '1"1/11 V'lrEpox,/11. nant. But no one view exhausts the
The idea is that of the ceremonial meaning of that which is the fulness
purity which enabled the Jew to of a life made available for others.
enjoy the full privileges of bis cove- Compare Additional Note on 1 John
nant worship and fellowship with the i. 7.
external Church of God. The force of is ••• fovr. 1rpou. /J.p.c.,p.011 r. 8.] who
the words ,ca8apos, a-y,os-moral, ex- through His eternal spirit offered
ternal: idool, personal-,-is determined Himself without blemish to God,
by the context. Vulg. qui per spiritum sanctum se-
14- 1roucp p.iiAX011] The superior metipsum obtulit immaculatum Deo.
efficacy of Christ's Blood is based The sacrifice upon the altar of the
generally on the considerations that Cross preceded the presentation of
His Sacrifice was the blood. The phrase lavrtw '11pou,/-
1. Voluntary, not by constraint as 11tyK£11 clearly fixes the reference to

in the case of the animal sacrifices of this initial act of Christ's High-priestly
the Law. sacrifice. This act He accomplished
2. Rational, and not animal. a,«\ 'lrJ/ftl/J,O'TOS alc.,11/ov. In virtue of
3. Spontaneous, not in obedience His inseparable and unchangeable
to a direct commandment. 'Divine Nature Christ was Priest
4. Moral, an offering of Himself while He was victim also. He offered
by the action of the highest power in Himself, living through death and in
Himself, whereby He stood in connex- death. Epiphanius puts together the
ion with God, and not a mere mechan- different aspects of Christ's work in
ical performance of a prescribed rite. His sacrifice of Himself in a striking
Comp. John x. 17 f. passage : avras tEpEIOJI, avras 8vµ,a,
'TO alp.a 'TOV XP'O"Tov] The blood of aVrOs lEpE'IJS', aVr6$' 8vcna<Tr17p,ov, a'U,-Os
Christ stands parallel both to the blood 8,6s, avros lJ.118pc.,1ros, avras {:3au,X,vs,
of goats and bulls and to the ashes aVrOs- dpxiEpEVs, aVrAs 1rpOfJarav, aVrOs
of the heifer, as the means ( 1) of atone- d.pvlov, rd 1rtivra Jv 7rUcr,v V1rfp ~µWv
ment for sins, and (2) of purification "'/fJ/0/J,fJ/OS, X11a ~µ,1v (c.,~ Kara 'trlW'Ta rpo-
from contact with death : of access to 'trOJI -y•Jlf/rm ...(HaJr. lv. § 4, 471 f.).
God and of life in His Church. The absence of the article from
It will be observed that it is not fl"llfVp.a al<Jvw11 marks the spirit here
the death of the victim as suffering, as a power possessed by Christ, His
but the use of the Blood (that is, the 'Spirit.' It could not be said of any
Life) which is presented here as the man absolutely that his spirit is eter-
source of purification. nal ; but Christ's Spirit is in virtue
The efficacy of Blood-the life, Lev. of His Divine Personality eternal.
xvif. I 1-is regarded in different as- By this, while truly man, He remain-
pects in this passage. Now one aspect ed in unbroken connexion with God.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 14

8ecp, Ka0apt€t Trfll <TV11€tOr,uw r ,jµwv1 c.brd IJEKpwv ip7w11

14 vµ.wv
Ka0ap.: + 8s' Ka0ap. D 2* [B ends with Ka0a]. 1}µ.wv AD 2* (vg) syr vg me: uµ.w11
~ (vg) syr h'..

Through this He had 'the power of required outwardly in the Levitical

an indissoluble life' (c. vii 16). victims was satisfied absolutely by
The truth will become clearer if we Christ.
go yet a step further. In men the The word 3.µ.Cl)µ.M is used technically
'spirit' is, as has been said, that by in this sense in the LXX. (e.g. Ex. xxix.
which they are capable of connexion 1 C1~J;l). Comp. Philo de a.gric. § 29
with God. But in Christ, who did (i. 320 M.); de mere. mer. § 1 (ii. 265
not cease to be the Son of God by M.) ~EL lJ~ TOIi µ.,AAOVTa OvELII O"KE7rTE-
becoming man, the 'spirit' is to be uOai µ.~ .Z TO lEpEtoll 3.µ.Cl)µ.ov, d>.X' El ~
regarded as the seat of His Divine lJ,avota OAOKA'7pos aVTCf Kat 1ra11TEA~S'
Personality in His human Natm·e. KaBluTl'/KE. The connexion in which
So far the 7rllEVµ.a alrovwv included the it stands shews that it refers here to
limited 1r11Evµ.a of the Lord's humanity. the conditions and issue of the Lord's
This 1r11Evµ.a, having its own proper earthly life.
existence, was in perfect harmony KaOaptE'i ••• BEqi Coovn] (shall) cleanse
with the 7rllEVµ.a alrov,011. (Comp. ep. our (J!our) conscience from dead
Barn. vii 3 V7rEp Tfilll ~µ.rrlpr,w aµ.apT,rull works to the end that we (ye) may
lµ.EAAEII TO <TKEiios Toii 1r11Evµ,aTos 1rpocr- serve a living God. Vulg. emundabit
q,ipn11 Ovulav.) conscientiam vestram ab operibus
This 'eternal spirit I obtained com- mortuis ad serviendum Deo viventi.
plete sovereignty at the Resurrection The action of the blood of Christ is
(1 Cor. xv. 45); and it is probably by not to work any outward change but
reference to this fact that the difficult to commllllicate a vital force. It
passage 2 Cor. iii. 17 ff. is to be ex- removes the defilement and the de-
plained. See also I Pet. iii. 18. filing power of 'dead works,' works
Another more obvious thought lies which are done apart from Him who
in the phrase. is 'the life' (comp. c. vi. 1 note).
Other sacrifices were wrought by These stain the conscience and com-
the hand, being outward acts of flesh, municate that pollution of death which
but this was wrought by that which is outwardly 'the water of separation'
highest in man's nature whereby he was designed to remove. The Levitical
holds fellowship with God, being a ritual contemplated a death external
truly spiritual act. Chrysostom indi- to the man himself : here the effects
cates this thought llllder another as- of a death within him are taken away.
peet : TO'~' ,
u_i"., 1r11E~µ.a,Tos , , (so, h e
°;'Y'°v For ,caOapl(Etv compare Acts xv. 9 ;
reads) lJ11>.o, OTt ov lJ,a 1rVpos 1rpo0"1'/11EK- Eph. v. 26; Tit. ii. 14; I John i. 7, 9;
Tat 01llJE lJ,' aAACl)II Ttvruv, though this is c. X. 2; c. i. 3 ( ,caOaptuµ.011 1ro,.,,uaµ.E11os ).
but a small part of the meaning. KaOapos as distinguished from ay,os
Comp. Euthymius : lJ,a TLIIOS 7rVpOS marks what the object is itself ('clean'
cJAotcalJT'a>O'£V EavrOv T<il 8£iJ KaL 1rarpl ceremonially or morally), while ayws
l'iµ.(l)µ.011 KaAAt€p11µ.a. • • marks its destination.
For lavT. 1rpou. Too 0Eru, compare T~v uv11EllJ11u,11] Comp. v. 9 note.
c. vii. 27 note, vv. ~ 5, 28 (1rpouE11E- Chrysostom says on ' dead works' :
xBEls ). See also c. xi. 4; John xvi 2. KaAOOS" Eifl"EII d1ro IIEICpruv lpy<,)11, Ei TIS
The epithet l'iµ.(l)µ.011 describes Christ ytlp ~,J,aro TOTE VEICpaV Jµ.iaLvEro· Kal
as a perfect victim. That which was lvravOa EL TLS afatTO VEKpoii lpyov
IX. 15] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Eis 7"6 ;\aTpEvELV 0Ecj, (wvTt. 15 Kal Ota TOUTO Ota81'/Kf1S

,.. 1 ,
KaLV1JS fLE<TlTflS €<1"TLV, 07rWS
I ,t eavaTOU
I
'Y€V0fl€VOU €LS a1ro-
f ' '

'
AUTpW<TLV ~
TWV ' \ 7"!7~ 1rpWT!7
€7rt ' ~ 0'
ota f1K!7 1rapa /3' '
a<rEWV T1JV
€71"a'Y'Y€Atav Aa/3w<rtv Ot K€KAflfl€VOL Ti;s aiwvfou KArJp0-

0. f.: r,J 0. r~ .\• D2*: + Kai a>..710,v~ A me (1 Thess. i. 9).

JJ,OAiJJJETaL ll,a rijr uv11nll17u•oor, and qf a new covenant... Vulg. Et ideo

again T<l 1rap' ~JJ,111 Kal (ooVTa Kal ,D1.178wa, novi testamenti mediator (0. L. ar-
lKELlla lle Ta 1rapa 'Iovlla[oir /Cal IIEKpa Kal bi,ter) est. The transition from the
frnllij. thought of the one all-efficacious
•k ro Xarp. 8. C-] Purity is not the atonement to that of the con·espond-
end but the means of the new life. ing covenant is natural. The new
The end of the restored fellowship is internal and spiritual relation of man
energetic service to Him Who alone to God established by Christ involved
lives and gives life. The thought of of necessity a New Covenant. The
performing certain actions is replaced Blood-the Life-of Christ, which
by that of fulfilling a personal relation. was the source and support of the
This service is specifically the ser- life, was the seal of the Covenant.
vice of a sacred ministry of complete The words llia817K1JS µ•ulr1Js go back
surrender (XarpEvnv). Compare Apoc. to the prophetic promise c. viii. 8,
xxii. 3 ol lloiiXo, mlroii Xarpd,uovuiv which found its fulfilment in Christ.
avrcp, and contrast I Thess. i. 9 llov- The emphasis lies on the phrase new
X•vnv 0. c. /Cal clA1]8ivre- Acts XX. 19 covenant and specially upon the word
llovXn/0011 Ttp Kvpfrp. Rom. xiv. 18 llov- covenant. It is of interest to notice
"-•voov TOO XPLO"TW. xvi. 18 TOO Kvp{c., the variation of emphasis in 2 Cor.
~JJ,001' Xp~UT'f> ov 'aovXnfov,nv. • CoL iii iii. 6 lliaKovovs 1<.mvijs llia0171C1JS and
24 re;, Kvplcp Xp,urre llovAEVETE. here ll,a017K1JS Kmvi;s JJ,EUlr1Jr. For
For 0Eos (0011 see c. iii. 12 note. llia017K1J compo,re c. vii. 22 ; vii. 6
((3) vv. l 5-22. From the thought · note, and xii. 24; and for µ•ulT'}s c.
of the efficacy of Christ's Blood as viii. 6 note; xii. 24; Gal. iii. 19 f.;
the means through which He entered I Tim. ii. 5•
into the Divine Presence and cleanses 07r6lS 8av. 'Y•"··••TTJ" l1rayy. ,\af3.. ..]
the individual conscience the writer that a death having taken place for
of the Epistle goes on to shew that redemption from the transgressions
through the shedding of His Blood that were under the first covenant
came the inauguration of a new Cove- they that have been called may re-
nant. The idea of death gives validity ceive... Vulg. ut morte intercedente
to the compact which it seals (15- in redemptionem earum pra3vari-
17) ; and the communication of the cationum qua3 erant... The Old Cove-
blood of the victim to those with nant had been proved incapable of
whom God forms a covenant unites bringing men to perfection. God
them to Him with a power of life, a therefore provided them with fresh
principle which was recognised in the and more powerful help. At the same
ritual ordinances of the Mosaic system time He opened to them a nobler
(18-22). view of their end. In place of a ma-
l 5. /Cal a,;,_ T •••• JJ,EU. '·1 And for terial inheritance He shewed them an
this reason, even that the Blood of eternal inheritance. And the aim of
Christ purifies the soul with a view the New Covenant was the attainment
to a divine service, He is mediator of the spiritual realities shadowed
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 15
forth in the temporal blessings of tions, the accompanying circum.
IsraeL stances, under which anything takea
But the establishment of a New place, see '1'. 10.
Covenant, a new and permanent rela- In this connexion the covenant
tion between God and man, required with .Abraham (Acts iii. 25) does not
as its preliminary condition the dis- come into consideration. It was of
charge of man's existing obligations. the nature of a universal promise.
The sins which the Law had set in a The 'first covenant' was that between
clear light could not be ignored. The God and the Jewish people repre-
atonements provided for sin under sented by Moses: the 'new covenant'
the Law could not but be felt to be that between God and men repre-
inadequate. They were limited in sented by Christ.
their application and so to speak When the necessary condition has
arbitrary. Christ at last offered the been satisfied ( Bavarav -y•vaµ,lvav •lr
sacrifice, perfect in efficacy and moral d1r. r6i1J ...1rapafJau•oov) scope is given
value, to which they pointed. This for the positive fulfilment of the Cove-
sacrifice was the characteristic basis nant, that they that have been called
of the New Covenant (c. viii. 12). may recei'De in fact what had been
Thus the death of Christ appears promised before. Compare vi 12
under a twofold aspect. His Blood ICAT/pavaµ,av1JT(A)IJ rrtr l1ra-y-y. vi 15 ; x.
is the means of atonement and the 36; xi. 13, 39; Gal. iii 14.
ratification of the Covenant which The blessing is no longer limited
followed upon it. to a particular people. It is for all
For 'Y•"•uBa, •ls- compare Mk. xiv. to whom the invitation has been sent
4 ds- ,-[.. .-yfyav•"; and with different (.Acts ii. 39; comp. iii. I~
shades of meaning Lk. xiii. 19; Matt. The phrase o! 1CEKAT/LLE1Ja,, which
xxi.42(Lxx.); Rom. xi. 9(Lxx.); 1 Cor. occurs nowhere else in the epistles,
xv. 45 (LXx.); .Apoc. viii. 11; xvi. 19; is an echo of the Parables : Matt.
.Acts v. 36; 1 Thess. iii. 5; i. 5; 2 Cor. xxii. 3, 4, 8; Luke xiv. 17, 24; comp.
viii. 14; GaL iii. 14; Eph. iv. 32. r.,,. Apoc. xix. 9. The word KAT/ral, though
1rpos- occurs l Pet. iv. 12. not very common, has a wide range
The phrase ds- cbroX. rrov ...1rapafJa• (Rom., 1 Cor., Jude, Apoc.).
u•oo" is remarkable : for redemption rry" i,ra-y-y....rijs- al. KA.,,p.] The posi-
from the transgressions ... from their tion of the gen. dependent on rryv i1r.
consequences and their power. The is due to the fact that it is added as
genitive expresses in a wide sense a further definition of the promise
the object on which the redemption (comp. xii. 11 note). The sentence
is exercised ('redemption in the matter stands essentially complete without
of the transgressions,' 'transgression- it : that they that ha'De been called
redemption '). So it is that elsewhere may receive the promise (comp. c. vi.
the genitive is used for that which is 15). But the explanation is naturally
delivered : Roni viii 23 r~" d1r0Av· suggested by the thought of the con-
rpoouw ..-aii ur,,µ,aras-. Eph. i 14 •ls- trast of the Old and the New. Moses
d,ro;\. rijs- 1TEp,1ra,1u•oos-. secured to the people an 'inheritance,'
The transgressions are spoken of as which was however only a figure of
' the transgressions that were under that which was prepared (comp. Ex.
the first covenant.' The phrase is xxxii. 13).
general in its application. It includes 16, 17. The mention of a 'new
all transgressions committed on the covenant' and of 'death' in close
basis of Law, all transgressions against connexion suggests a fresh thoug-ht.
the revealed will of God made known The Death of Christ fulfilled two
as Law. 'E1rl expresses the condi- distinct purposes. It provided an
 IX. 16, 17] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 267

vop.[ar;. 16 ()1rou ry<ip Ota0~Kr/, Oava-rov avaryKr, <j>epe<r0at

'T'OU OtaOeµevou·
17 Ota017Kr, ry<ip €7rt J/€Kpots /3e/3a[a, €7r€t
atonement for past sins ; and, besides 'current' as a matter of common
this, it provided an absolute ratifica- notoriety.
tion of the Covenant with which it He who makes the covenant (o
was connected. biaBl,.oos) is, for the purposes of the
The Death set man free : the Cove- covenant, identified with the victim
nant gave him the support which he by whose representative death the
required. The Death removed the covenant is ordinarily ratified. In
burden of the past : the Covenant the death of the victim his death is
provided for the service of the future. presented symbolically.
In any case a covenant is ratified In the case of the New Covenant
by the death of a representative Christ in His Divine-human Person
victim. But here Christ died in His represented God who, reveals through
own Person ; and by thus dying He and in Him the unfailing greatness of
gave absolute validity to the covenant the divine love, and at the same time
which He mediated : the preceding He represented the complete self-
thought of the atonement shews how surrender of humanity. .A. covenant
such a covenant was possible. so made could not fail The weak-
The Death of Christ was a chief ness and instability of men had no
difficulty of the Hebrews, and there- longer any place. The thought ex-
fore the writer presents it under dif- pressed by the representative victim
ferent aspects in order to shew its had become an eternal fact.
full significance in the Christian dis- 17. awe~,,_,, -yap ... b,aB,,.Evos] For
pensation. a covenant is sure where there hath
For a justification of the interpre- been death, since it doth not ecer ha'De
tation of the following verses see the force when he that made it li'Deth.
Additional Note. Vulg. Testamentum enim in mortuis
16. 61l"OV -yap ••• a,aB£,.EIIOV] For con.firmatum est; alioquin nondum
where there is a covenant the death 'Dakt dum -cicit qui testatus est. The
of him that made it must needs be statement which has been made is
presented. Vulg. Ubi enim testamen- supported by an explanation which is
tum mors necesse est intercedat tes- borrowed from ancient usage and
tatorls. The circumstances under language. .A. solemn covenant was
which the New Covenant was made, made upon the basis of a sacrifice.
however unlooked for in :man's antici- The death of the victim was supposed
pation of the Christ (roiiro re', rap&crcrov to give validity to it. The idea which
avroiis ro roii Bavarov roii Xp,crroii is involved in the symbolic act is
CEcum. ), are to deeper thought most intelligible and important. The un-
intelligible, for an unchangeable cove- changeableness of a covenant is
nant implies death. It is not said that seen in the fact that he who has
he who makes the covenant 'must die,' made it has deprived himself of ·all
but that his death must be 'brought further power of movement in this
forward,' 'presented,' 'introduced upon respect : while the ratification by
the scene,' 'set in evidence,' so to speak. death is still incomplete, while the
This sense of q;,lpEo-Ba, appears to be victim, the representative of him who
perfectly natural, and to be more makes it, still lives, that is, while he
. si~ple than the sense commonly at- who makes it still possesses the full
tnbuted to the word, either 'to be power of action and freedom to change,
alleged' as a fact, or to be pleaded in the covenant is not of force.
the course of au argument, or to be The sense here given to the death
268 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 18, 19

rµ~ 7r07"€1 iu-xu€t 67"€ rij' d rota0eµEvos. 1 "00€11 ovoe ,;

18

1rpwn1 xwpts a1µaTOS EVK€Kat J/L<T'Tat. ' 9 ?i..a?i..,,0et<Tr,s ryap

I 7 µ'q T6Te id. o,a0lµevos;
17 µfi ,rare ~•A: µiJ Tore ~*D2* [the verss. are free].

of the victim appears more natural impartment of a new life which have
than to suppose that it indicates the been already connected with Christ's
penalty for the violation of the cove- work(vv. 14, 15).
nant. 18. o0,v ••• iPICEICaiv,CTTat] (Vulg. de-
For the sense of i,r[ ( brl vr,cpois ), dicatum est) whence, since every abso-
as giving the accompanying conditions, lute, inviolable, covenant is based upon
see v. 10 note, and compare also Lev. a death, and, further, since every cove-
xxi. 5 (Lxx.); Eurip. Ion, 228 f. nant of God with man requires com-
The subjective negative may be ex- plete self-surrender on the part of
plained on the principle that the rea- man, not even hath the .first covenant,
son alleged is regarded as a thought though it failed in its issue, been
(John iii. 18) and not as a fact. The inaugurated without blood.
clause may be taken interrogatively The word t-y,ca,v,{:6> occurs again in
(for is it ever ef force ... ? John vii. the N.T. in c. x. 20, note. It is used
26) ; so <Ecumenius : ,car' lpooT7Ju,v several times in the LXX. to render
&v&-yv6>0i. Perhaps this best suits the ~:!l'.l (to renew, e.g. I Sam. xi. 14) and
rhetorical form of the passage.
If the reading µ.~ rore is adopted, ':J'O (to dedicate, e.g. I K. viii. 63).
and it has high claims on consideration, c,o1!1p~e 1 Mace. iv. 36, 54, 57; and
the rendering will necessarily be : Ta ev,cmv,a John X. 22.
since hatk it then force when .•• ? 19. Aa't-..110.t<n]S -yap ••• ] Vulg. lecto
18-22. The great, inaugurating, enim omni mandato legis .... The
sacrifice of the Old Covenant embodied ceremonies connected with the estab-
the same thought that death marks lishment of the Law-Covenant empha-
the immutability of the terms laid sise the ideas already seen to be in-
down (Ex. xxiv.); and yet more: this volved in ' blood' ; for when every
death also was employed to convey commandment had been spoken ac-
the thought of atonement, of life cording to the Law by Moses .•. taking
surrendered that it may be given the blood. •.. The terms of the divine
back. The blood was sprinkled on covenant were declared fully to the
the altar and on the people. Thus people (Ex. xxiv. 3) and they express-
the law which was enacted for the ed their acceptance of them (id.).
yearly access of the High-priest to Then an altar was built ' and twelve
the Divine Presence (v. 7 oJ X6>pls pillars.' Burnt-offerings were offered
a7µ.aTos) was observed when the people and peace-offerings were sacrificed
entered into the Divine Covenant. (vv. 4, 5). Half the blood was sprin-
In relation to the use which is kled upon the altar: half was sprinkled
made of this thought, it is important over the people (vv. 6, 8).
to observe, that it is not said of the These sacrifices were offered by
first covenant that it was inaugurated young men of the children of Israel,
'not without death' but 'not without representatives of the fulness of the
blood.' By the use of the words 'not people's life (Ex. xxiv. 5). The ordi-
without blood' the writer of the nances of the Levitical priesthood
Epistle suggests the two ideas of were not yet given (Ex. xxviii.);
atonement and quickening by the though some form of priesthood still
rx. 19] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
, , ,.- , ,
'7T"a<1"r}S €1/TOt'-rJS KaTa TOIi
'
110µ011 V7r0
. 'M WU<TEWS
, ,
1ra1rrt TW
-
, \ 'i' I \ .-. I \
;:\aw, A.a (3 WI/ TO atµa TWII µocrxwll Kat TWII Tpa-yw11 µ€Ta
f~ '
uoaTOS Kat
' ,
EptOV
I
KOKKLIIOU
I
Kat
' , I
U<1"<1"W7rOU
,
aUTO
I
T€ TO
\

1 9 1r. EVT.: 1r. T?JS <VT. D2 *. Tilv v. N°ACD2*: om. Tilv • N*. f/71'0 M.:
om. i,1r6 D 2*. TWV µ,. Ka! Twv Tpa-ywv N* AC: Twv Tp. Ka! Twv µ,6axwv D 2 : om.
Ka! TWV Tp. N° syrr: om. TWv ~0 , •

remained (Ex. xix. 22). Compare Ex. offerings' and 'peace-offerings.' Yet
xix. 6. see Num. vii 17, 23, 29, 35, &c.
In this connexion Philo speaks of At the same time the use of the
Moses as apxupnis : Quis r. d. haJr. definite article (roov µ.. ical rrov rp.)
§ 38 (i. 498 M.) Bavµ.atrn} µ.iVTo, ical ~ points distinctly to the sacrifices
roov Bvcnoov a7.µ.aTOS 'lcrT) aiavoµ.1, ~v a offered at the inauguration of the
a~x,epevs ~wiicrijs cpvcrn a,aacrKaA<f XPTJ· Law.
craµ.evos a,evnµ.e. The explanation of the difficulty is
It is of interest to notice that probably to be found in the fact that
' sprinkling of persons with blood' is these sacrifices were not made accord-
noticed in the O.T. only on one other ing to the Mosaic ritual. They were
occasion: Ex. xxix. 21 (the consecra- initiatory sacrifices offered not by
tion of Aaron~ Comp. Lev. xiv. 7. priests but by the ' young men,'
The words according to the law representing the people, and so par-
go with spoken. Every commandment took of the patriarchal type. Under
was spoken by Moses 'according to this aspect it is noticeable that in the
the tenor of the Law' in which they record of the original covenant-sacri-
were included. The Law represented fice of Abraham 'a heifer of three
the sum of the whole revelation made years old and a she goat of three
to Moses. The separate fundamental years old' are specially mentioned
commandments which preceded the (Gen. xv. 9).
conclusion of the covenant were · ro alµ.a] He used half the blood for
fashioned (so to speak) after its the sprinkling : Ex. xxiv. 6.
scope. /J,ETC1. Ja.... ical vcrcr.] These details
The word AaAe-'iv is used frequently are not given in Exodus. Water is
in the Epistle of divine communica- mentioned in connexion with blood
tions : i. I f. ; ii. 2 f. ; iii. 5 ; iv. 8 ; v. 5 ; Lev. xiv. 5 f. (comp. Num. xix. 9) in
vii. 14; xi. 18; xii. 25. the purification of the leper, when
"- To alµ.a Trov µ.. 1eal rrov r .• •• ] taking also a sprinkler of 'cedar wood and
the blood qf the calves and the goats•.. scarlet and hyssop' was used (Lev.
Goats are not directly spoken of in xiv. 4: comp. Num. xix. 18).
the Mosaic narrative (Ex. xxiv. 5) and Compare Philo de vict. offer. § 3,
Philo notices the fact : Non autem ii. 252 f. Barn. Ep. c. 8.
agni neque hredi (offeruntur); quia For icoic1e,vos compare Clem. 1 Cor.
hre bestire vitulo debiliores sunt ; sa- c. 12 (in reference to Josh. ii. 18 To
crificium vero ex fortioribus videtur <rrraprlov ro KOKUVOV ), npoaTJAOV ,ro,-
(velle) facere (Qumst. in Ex. 1. c.). OVVTES Ort au~ rov a7.µ.aros rov icvplov
The addition is the more remarkable :.\vrpwcr,s lcrrm .. .. See also Barn. Ep. c.
because the offering of a goat (i.e. 7. The significance of blood and water
rpayos, see Dillmann on Lev. i. 10) is is marked 1 John v. 6; John xix. 34
never prescribed in the Law except avro TE ro /31/3:.\.] i.e. the Book of
'.'8 a sin-offering ; while the sacrifices the Covenant (Ex. xxiv. 7). This detail
m Ex. xxiv. are described as 'burnt- also is an addition to the Mosaic
270 THE EPlSTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 20-22

Q Q'\. I
fJlfJl\.toll
\
Kal 7T'lll/Tll
I \ '\.
TOIi l\.aOII
\ , I
Epa11TL<TEII,
0.0 '\. I
I\.E'ywv
Tono
~

\'l'"' I 'f'J I \CnC 121 \ \

TO "-IM"- THC Ai"-0HKHC HC €N€T€i,\~TO rrpoc YM"-C o eeoc· Kat 'Tt/V
\ ~ \ I / \ / ~ '\. / ~ ,/
<TKrJllrJII 0€ Kat 7T'al/Ta Ta <TK€VrJ TrJS l\.€lTOVp"/tas T'f' atµa-rt
' I ' I :z~ ' ~ \ ' ,I I ,a
oµotws epa11Tt<re11. Kat <TXE0011 ev atµaTt 7T'aVTa Kaua-

2O lveulXa.To: li1i0e70 C (Ex. xxiv. 8 Lxx.).

narrative. Though 'the Book' was was sprinkled with blood, though it
the record of the words of God it was ' and all that was therein ' was anointed
outwardly the work of man, and so with oil (Ex. .xl. 9 ; comp. Philo, Vit.
required the application of the puri- Mos. iii.§ 18; ii 158 M.). But Josephus,
fying, vivifying, blood. Thus in a like the writer of the Epistle, regards
figure the 'letter' received a power the Tabernacle as having been conse-
of life. crated with blood : Tryv TE UIC1JJI?", ,cal
1TaVTa TOIi Aaov] all the people : not Ta ,r,pl avn)v u,c•vri £'>..al'f> TE ,rpo8v-
of course literally (' every individual µ.,roµ.ivq, ,ca8oos Et7TOII /Cal T'fl aiµ.aTI T<illl
of the people') but representatively. · ratlpwv ,cal Kpl.6)11 u<payEvr"'v 1<a8' £,c(l...
All were present, and the act of O'T1J" ~µ.,pav lvos ,caTa -yivos [ /8,p/,.,rEvE]
sprinkling was directed to all (Antt. iii. 8, 6).
For lpaVT,uEv see v. 13 note. 21. ICal...at .. J And the tabernacle
20. TOVTO TO alµ.a T, a.] The words also....Vulg. Etiam (tabernaculum).
in Ex. xxiv. 8 are '1aov (so Hehr.) '.{'he combination is found here only
T6 atµ.a T1JS' am8ry1C7/S' ,is a..e.To Kvpws in the Epistle. It occurs in the Epis-
,rpos vµ.iis 7TEpl 7TO.VTOOV T<illl Aoyrov TOV- tles of St Paul, Rom. xi. 23 ,ca,c,'ivo,
TOOV. It is possible that the corre- al ; l Tim. iii. IO /CUL oiTol a. ; 2 Tim.
sponding phrase at the institution of iii. 12 /Cat '/TaVTES a.. Comp. I John i
the New Covenant (Matt. xxvi 28) 3 note.
may have influenced the quotation. To/ ai.'µ.an] with the blood. The defi-
The force of the words is : 'This nite form (contrast v. 22 ;., a7.µ.aTt,
Blood shed, offered, sprinkled upon xii. 24 a,µ.an pavTtuµ.ov) is used to
you, shews the validity and the power bring out the thought that this was
of the purpose of God.' So Primasius: not the ordinary blood of purification,
ac si diceret : Hrec est confirmatio but the blood of the covenant, the
hujus testamenti quod mandavit ad blood of inauguration.
vos Deus. 22. ,cal ux. ;., a'iµ.. 1r.] The position
ElleT, ,rpos vµ.as] commanded to you- of uxEMv, separated from mzVTa by ;.,
ward, ... Vulg. mandavit ad vos, to be a7µ.aT,, shews that it qualifies the whole
brought to you ; you were the people of the following clause: And, I may
to whom the Lord looked in the com- almost say, it is in blood all things ...
mandments which He gave me. The The position of ;., a'iµ.. is significant.
full con~tru?tion arp~ars in ~cclu:i, Blood was the characteristic mean for
xiv. 3 EIIET<LAaTo avT'!) [Mrovu,,] ,rpos cleansing, though fire and water were
Aaov avToii. Yet comp. Acts iii. 2 5 also used. It is the power of a pure
aiae. ,is o B,os a,,8,To ,rpos TOVS ,ra- life which purifies. Under this aspect
Tipus .... the Blood becomes, as it were, the
The sprinkling of the Tabernacle enveloping medium in which (lv), and
and its vessels took place at a later not simply the means or instrument
time. They were not yet made when through or by which, the complete
the Sacrifice of the Covenant was purification is effected.
offered. Moreover it is not recorded The main reference is naturally to
in the Pentateuch that the Tabernacle the service of the Day of Atonement.
IX. 22] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 271
I~ \ \ f \ \ ' I
pt-.,erat Ka-ra TOV voµ.ov, Kal xwpts atµ.aTEKXU<Ttas OU

The word uxElMv occurs again in At the same time the choice of
the N.T. in Acts xiii. 44; xix. 26. It yivErm, in place of lu-riv, presents the
is found in the LXX. only in 2 Mace. release as the issue of the operation
v. 2. of a divine law. Comp. vii 12, 18;
1raVTa] all things, things and men xi 6.
alike. The reference is probably to Chrysostom in comparing the use
the dress of the priests, the attendants of Blood under the Old and New
of the Temple, the offerers of sacrifice. Covenants writes of Christ and His
,cara TOV voµov] according to the law disciples : 7r0V TOIVVII TO fJiff>..iov EICa-
which was itself thus inaugurated by (JTJpE ; -rar aiavolar av-rwv• avrol yap
blood. ~uav /31ff>._[a -rijr ,cawijr a,a{J']ICTJS. 7TOV
,cal X"'P'r alµa-r. ov 'Y· acj,.] and apart ai -ra UICEVTJ -rijr >..n-rovpylaq av-ro, ElUI"
from outpouring of blood there cometh ,roii ai 1 UICTJV~; av-rol Elu, 7r<1AIII" EVOL-
no remission. The former statement ,c,juw yap Ev aVroir JCal lµ.rr£(JL1rar1u6>,
was general (uxEaov): this is universal cp1JUI.
(yet there is an exception Lev. v. 11). 23-28. The writer of the Epistle
The principle which is here affirmed goes back now to the consideration of
belongs to the Law ; and finds expres- the fulfilment of the work of Christ.
sion in the Pentateuch (Lev. xvii. n). The exposition of the full meaning of
It occurs in identical terms in a later 'blood' as the means of atonement
legal maxim (ci:i 11btt 1"1"lEl:l )'lit). and ratification came in as a necessary
The 'outpouring' of blood may be parenthesis. The last illustration-
understood in two ways ; either of the use of the blood in cleansing all
the actual slaughter of the victim, or human means of approach to God
of the pouring out of the blood upon under the Old Covenant-supplies the
the altar. Neither idea is in itself transition to the thought of Christ's
complete. The provision of the blood cleansing the heavenly sanctuary
and the application of the blood are 'through His own Blood' (v. 23); so
both necessary. Maimonides, in speak- He entered once for all into heaven
ing of the Passover, lays down that itself to fulfil His atoning work (24-
'the sprinkling of the blood is the 26). And that single entrance sug-
main point ("li''Y) in sacrifice' (de Sacr. gests the thought of a corresponding
i. z, § 6). return (27 f.).
The word alµan1<xvula, Vulg. san- The paragraph offers an additional
guinis ejfusio (fusio), is found else- feature in the preeminence of the new
whert; only in patristic writings. order over the old. The sacrifice on
acj,Euir] The absolute use of acj,Euir which it rests is better (12 f.): the
is remarkable. Elsewhere in the N.T., covenant in which it is embodied is
except Luke iv. 18 (from Lxx.), the better(15-22): the service also-one
word is always used with a gen. sovereign and all-sufficing act-is
(usually aµaµriwv). The absence of better (23-28).
further definition here (contrast x. 18) (c) vv. 23-28. The truths taught
leaves it with the broad sense of by Christ's Entrance into the Pre-
'release,' 'deliverance,' not so much sence of God.
from special sins as from the bondage The Blood of Christ by which the
of which wrong-doing is a result. In New Covenant was inaugurated was
this sense ' cleansing' is to a certain available also for the cleansing of the
degree opposed to 'release.' The one heavenly archetype of the earthly
marks the removal of the stain, the sanctuary (23). For Christ has en-
-0ther the enabling for action. tered once for all into the Presence
272 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. (IX. 23

23 (ava-yK'1J) ••• Ka0aplk°«T0a,: (av&.-yKT/)---KaOapltera, D2* me.

of God for us, having overcome sin for that which was represented by the
ever (24-26); and men now await blood of victims.
the Return of the great High-priest to &vayK'I o3v ••• ] It was necessary
announce the accomplishment of His therefore, since blood is the means
work (27, 28). of purification for all that is con-
2
3ft was necessary therefore that nected with man's service of God,
the copies of the things in the hea1Jerut that the typical sanctuary, the copies
should be cleamed with these, but the of the things in the heavem, should be
hea1Jenly things themselves with better cleansed with these, but the hea1Jenly
sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ things themsel1Jes with better sacrifices
entered not into a Holy place made than these. The fact that such a mode
with hands, like to the pattern of the of purifying by blood was enjoined for
true, but into the hea1Jen itself, now the material instruments of worship
to appear openly before the face of carried with it the inevitable con-
God on our behalf; 25 nor yet did He sequence that some analogous and
enter in order that He may often therefore some nobler purification
offer Himself, as the High-priest should be provided for the divine
entereth into the Holy place year by archetypes.
year with blood not his own; 26 since In an external system the purifica-
in that case· He must often ha1Je tion might be external, but in the
suffered since the foundation of the spiritual order it was requisite that
world; but now once for all, at the the purification should be of corre-
close of the ages, hath He been mani- sponding efficacy, spiritual and not
fested to disannul sin by the sacrlfice material only.
of Himself. 27 .And inasmuch as it The whole structure of the sentence
is appointed for men once to die, and requires that ' cleansed' should be
after this cometh judgment; 28 e1Jen supplied in the second clause from
so Christ also, ha1Jing been once the first, and not any more general
offered to carry the sins of many, term as 'inaugurated.' In what sense
shall appear a second time, apart then can it be said that 'the heavenly
:from sin, to them that wait for Him, things' needed cleansing i
unto salvation. The necessity for the purification of
23. This verse serves for the re- the earthly sanctuary and its vessels
turn from the line of thought in 1J1J. came from the fact that they were to
13-22 to that indicated generally in be used by man and shared in his
1JV. 11, 12. The consideration of the impurity (comp. Lev. xvi. 16).
use of blood for cleansing and for Agreeably with this view it may be
remission under the Law throws light said that even 'heavenly things,' so
upon the significance of Christ's Blood far as they embody the conditions of
in connexion with His heavenly minis- man's future life, contracted by the
try. That which was done in symbol Fall something which required cleans-
on earth required to be done trnly in ing (comp. 1 Tim. iv. 4 f. ,caMv, ayu1(,-
the spiritual order. In regard to the TCII ). Man is, according to the revela-
individual conscience, the Blood of tion in Scripture, so bound up with
Christ has absolute eternal validity the whole finite order that the conse-
(1J. 14): in regard to the scene--if we quences of his actions extend through
may so speak-of the future service creation in some way which we are
of the Church, the Living Christ fulfils unable to define (compare Gen. iii.
IX. 24] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 273
µa'Ta 'TWII €11 TOLS' ovpa110LS' TOUTOLS Ka0apf.{e<r0at, auTa
~\ \ ' I
0€ Ta e,rovpavta Kp€LTTO<Tt
I 0V<TtatS
f \
7rapa TaVTaS.
I ~4
OU
,

7ap ek xetp07rOL1}Ta duijA0ev ;l7ta Xpt<TTOS', av'Tt'TV'lT'a

''- 0LIIWII,
TWII a,\,rJ - a;v\.
'"l> "l>' '
€LS ' \
avTOII \
TOIi ' I
ovpavov, -
I/UV ' ffi
eµ,avt-

Xp«rT6s: oXP• ~.

17 ff. ; Is. xxiv. 5, 6 ; J er. xxiii. 10 ; recurrent atonement (vv. 25, 26 a);
Rom. viii. 18 ff.). And conversely but by vanquishing sin for ever (26 b).
the effect of Christ's work extends 24- ov -yap £ls xnp.] The clause
throughout creation with reconcil- justifies the reference to the purifica-
ing, harmonising power : Eph. i. 10 ; tion of the heavenly things. If we
Col i. 20. consider what was needed for the due
avayic11] It was necessary. The refer- preparation of that spiritual Taber-
ence is definite, to the purification of nacle for man's service and God's
the earthly sanctuary on the one hand revelation of Himself we shall feel the
by the High-priest, and of the heavenly greatness of the requiremenra. For
sanctuary by Christ. For avayK') see it was no Holy place made by hands
v. 16; Matt. xviii. 7 ; and for v'll'o<iEi-y- Christ entered, and ·entered once for
J-'aTa (Vulg. exemplaria) c. viii. 5 note. all, but hea?Jen itself. He has ful-
TovTots icaB.] with these ceremonial filled therefore, necessarily fulfilled,
observances, that is, the blood of bulls all those requiremenra to which the
and goara, applied according to the symbols pointed.
directions of the Law. The Mosaic The epithet xnp01roi11m stands em-
system was external : the means of phatically first : 'for it was not into
purification were external also. a hand-made sanctuary Christ en-
ffUT<l T<l E'll'ovpavia] This phrase, as tered.'
distinguished from Ta £11 To'is oilpavo'is The title Xp,CTT6s has become a
expresses those things, answering to . proper name : 'V. I I ; c. iii. 6. It
the sanctuary with all its furniture, stands emphatically at the end of the
which have their proper sphere in the sentence as xnpo1ro£11m at the begin-
heavenly order (comp. c. iii. I; viii. 5 ning.
notes; John iii. 12), and not simply OJITLTV'll'O TOOV aA,] like to the pattern
those things which are there. (TV1ros c. viii. 5) of the true ...Vulg.
icpElrrocr, Bvcriai,] The plural is used e:vempl,aria ?Jerorum, O.L. exempla-
for the expression of the general idea rium ?Jeritatis (allegoria verorum).
(icp. e. 'll'apct TatJTas). And in point of In the two passages in which the
fact the single sacrifice of Christ ful- word a11Tfrv1ro11 is used in the N. T. the
filled perfectly the ideas presented by sense corresponds with the two funda-
the different forms of the Levitical mentally different ideas of Tv1ros. The
sacrifices, the sacrifices of service Mos may be the archetype (comp.
(burnt-offering and peace-offering), and Acts vii. 44) of which the d.VTfrv'll'ov is
the sacrifices for atonement (sin-Offer- the provisional copy, as here ; or the
ing and trespass-offering). TV1ros may be the provisional ad-
24-26. The writer shews that umbration (comp. Acra vii. 43) of
Christ has satisfied the requirement that which the a11TiTV1rov more com-
which he has described in v. 23. He pletely expresses. So the water of
has entered heaven itself to make ready baptism answered as aVT,Tvrrov to the
a place for us (v. 24) ; and that not by water of the flood which bore in safety
providing for the accomplishment of a the tenants of the ark ( I Pet. iii. 2 1 ).
w. R.3 r8
274 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 25

nµwv: bµwv C.

Comp. Const. Apost. v. 14, 4 1rapaaovs The phrase 'the face of God (of the
T<i dJ1Tlrv1ra µ.vu"Jp,a roV riµ,lov u~ Father)' occurs in the N. T. only Matt.
µ,aros- Ka~ ai'µaros-·;. vi ?f, I 'M]v dVTl: xviii. 10; Apoc. xxii. 4 ; and in quota-
rv1ro11 TOV {3a<rtA£iov <r6Jµ.aTos Xpt<TTov tions from the LXX. : Acts ii. 28 ; I
aEl<"n)II nJxapt<TTfoV 7rpo<r<p<pET£,., 2 Pet. iii. 12; in addition to the occur-
Clem. c. xiv. and Bp Lightfoot's Note. rence of the phrase 1rp6 wpo<rohrov
£ls avTov TDV otlp.] The-sing. (otlpa- 1<Vplov (Matt. xi. 10 &c.). In the 0. T.
vos) occurs again xi. 12; xii 26. The the thought of 'the face' (l:l'~~) of
plural marks the whole heavenly order: God occupies an important place, as
the singular that which we conceive expressing the revelation of His Pre-
of as locally definite. 'The heaven sence (Ex. xxxiii. 14 ; Deut. iv. 37,
itself,' 'the very heaven,' is regarded R. V.); and that either in judgment
as the absolute truth which the Holy (Ps. xxi. 10 Hehr.); or, as the defence
of Holies symbolised, 'quo nihil ul- (Ps. xxxi. 20) and crowning joy of the
terius.' faithful (Ps. iv. 7; xvii. 15). The sig-
vvv lµ.<f,av,<rO. T')> 1rpo<r. T. B.] now to nificance of the phrase is seen specially
appear openly before the face of God. in the priestly blessing: Num. vi. 25;
Vulg. ut appareat nunc vultui Dei. comp. Ps. iv. 6.
(The Old Latin rendering modo ap- In this connexion it appears strange
paruit persona: Dei implies a reading at first that Christ should be said to
l11£<pa11l<r017.) The open evident ap- have entered the heavenly sanctuary
pearance of Christ before the face of 'to appear openly' before the face of
God is contrasted with the appear- God and not to look on the face of
ance of the High-priest in the dark God : that He should be described as
sanctuary veiled by the cloud of in- the object of the vision of God and
cense (Lev. xvi. 12 f.). not that God should be spoken of as
So too the 'face of God' suggests seen perfectly by Him. The expla-
the idea of a vision direct and abso- nation of the form of thought seems
lute, not like that of 'the glory of the to lie in this, that everything finally
Lord' (Ex. xL 34 ff.), or even that must be referred to God : that which
granted to Moses (Ex. xxxiii. 18 ff.). bears His regard is accepted by Him.
The word ,µ.<f,avl(E<rBw. (Matt. xxvii. Comp. Gal. iv. 9 yvovrES BEoV µaAAov
53; comp. Rom. x. 20), as distinguish- a. "fll6J<T0<VT£S vm~ BEov : 1 Cor. xiii.
ed in such a connexion from <f,avEpov- 12 T&rE' £1nyv6>uoµ,a, ,ca{}f»r 1eal f1TE-
<rBa, (2 Cor. v. II f.), conveys, the thought yvoo<r017v: ICor. viii. 2, 3 £! ns dya,r~
of that being made a clear object of rOv 0E0v, o"Dror lyvrucrra, Vrr' aVroV.
sight, which under ordinary circum- Nor must we limit the conception
stances is not so (comp. Wisd. i. 2; of the appearance of Christ before the
xvi. 21 ; xvii. 4 <pa<rµ.am fllE<pavl(ETo; face of God to one part of His work.
John xiv. 21 f.). 'Eµ.<f,a,n/s is the It is commonly regarded only as the
general opposite to 'invisible,' as effective manifestation of His redeem-
<f,avEpos is to 'indistinct.' In Christ ing Passion (e.g. apparet vultui, id est
humanity becomes the object of the prresentire et benevolentire Dei Patris,
regard of God. In the glorified Son intercedens apud eum pro nobis osten-
the words used at critical revelations dendo cicatrices vulnerum qure pro
during His earthly work find absolute nostra redemptione pertulit. Herv.);
fulfilment : ,., <rol EVllolCTJ<ra (Lk. iii 22; but it is necessary to include in it
Matt. xvii. 5 : [xii 18]). also the thought of the revelation of
IX. 25] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 75
"\."\. , ,-/\/ ' I d ' , \ , I
7T"OIV'-a,ac; 7rpo<T,€P1J €au-ro11, W<T7r€p O apxt€p€uc; €l<T€p-
, \ ,I , , \ , tf '"\. "'\ /
XETaL Et<; -ra a,yta KaT €1/tau-rov €JI atµa-rt a,V\.o-rpup,
25 Ta. a-y,a: +rwv a-ylwv ~· the (reg).

humanity consummated by the fulfil- on to meet another difficulty of his

ment of the will of God (x. 9 ff.). The Jewish readers while he unfolds the
'appearance' of Christ alone is, to our absolute uniqueness of Christ's Death.
,conception, the adequate presentment They found it hard to understand
-0f the whole work of the Son to the how Christ should die, and how
Father (comp. c. vii 2 5 note). one death could have never-ending
There is another peculiarity in the virtue. It is she\\'Il from the very
form of expression which requires to nature of the case that He could only
be noticed, the combination of vvv die once, and that by this Death He
with the aor. lµ.q,av,u{Jijvai. This satisfied completely the wants of
combination appears to affirm two humanity.
complementary truths and to exclude ovlt' iva••• ] Nor yet did He enter
two opposite errors. The manifesta- (EluijXBEv) in order that .lle may again
tion of Christ, in whom humanity is often offer .Himself, and so enter afresh
shewn in its perfect ideal before the as the High-priest from time to time.
face of God, is 'one act at once' The main idea of the writer seems to
{lµ.q,a11iu8ij11m); and still for us who be: 'Christ did not enter in order to
work in time it is in the case of each secure an access to God which might
believer a present act (11vv). There is, be available on repeated occasions.'
to look at the subject from the op- Then for such a phrase as 'in order
posite side, no succession in the fulfil- to repeat His entrance ' he substi-
ment of His work ; and, on the other tutes 'in order to offer Himself,' and
hand, it cannot in any sense grow old. thus by bringing into preeminence the
Such epexegetical infinitives as preliminary condition of entrance he
lµ.cJ,a11,uBij11m are generally in the aorist shews the impossibility of repetition.
as expressing the abstract thought 1roXXaic,r] The parallel is between
(v. 9; Matt. xi. 7; xx. 28; Luke i. 17); Christ's offering and entrance and the
but the present is also used when the High-priest's offering and entrance as
idea of continuance or repetition pre- a whole repeated year by year. The
dominates: John iv. 15; Lk. viii. 8; idea that the parallel ·is between
Mk. iii. 14; vii 4; 1 Cor. i 17. Both Christ's work and the repeated en-
tenses are combined 1 Cor. x. 7. trances of the High-priest into the
The manifestation of Christ before Holy of Holies on each day of Atone-
God is 'on our behalf' (1J1rip 1µ.,;;v). ment, which involved the two sacri-
In Him humanity obtains its true fices of the bullock and goat, is against
harmony with God, and in Him it the whole form of the argument in
-can bear the full light of God. He the Epistle. The ceremony of the
-can be therefore, in virtue of His Day of Atonement is treated as one
:perfect manhood, our Advocate (1 great act. The thought of the High-
.John ii 2 'I11uovv Xpt<FTOV ltlicatov). priest's offering for himself is neces-
Niiv 10.p 1rp,;;rov, as Theodoret says, sarily excluded in the case of Christ
~lr TOIi ovpavov q,vu,~ d11~A~Av8£11 dv8poo- (vii 27); but this consideration does
'1r£la ; and each Christian in Christ, not come into account here.
:as well as through Him, has access to 1rpoucj,ipu lavr611] Two different in-
God: Eph. iii 12 (,11 ff lxoµ.£11 njv... terpretations of this offering have
,irpoua1001~11). Comp. c. vii 2 5. been proposed. It has been supposed
25. The writer of the Epistle goes to correspond with the bringing of
18-2
276 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 26

,:i6 '
€7T"€t',,~ ' '
€o€t aurov "\ "\ ,
7T"Otv\.aKts 0- ' '
r., i\.-
7ra Etv a7T"O KaTafJO ,
17s ,co<rµou·
, , ., c , ,
~ i\. ,
VUVt 0€ a7ra<; €7T"l <TUVT€ EUf
- , ,
TWV atwvwv Et<;; a
, '0 €TrJ<TLV
, -
TrJS

1ra0e'iv: d.1ro0ave'iv the (reg). vuvl ~AC: vuv ~ D2 •

the blood into the Holy of Holies, and cated. Christ Himself living through
again with the offering of the victim death came before God.
upon the altar. The general usage 26. If the one offering of Christ is
of the writer, apart from other con- (as has been shewn from its nature)
siderations, is decisive in favour of sufficient to atone for the sins of the
the second view. It is unreasonable whole world, then it is evident that
to give a different sense to the words its efficacy reaches through all time
from that which they bear in v. 14 past and future. If it had not been
EaVTDV 11"pomjvq1<ev aµwµov T,ji 8e,ji sufficient, then it must have been
(comp. v. 28 ), where the reference is to repeated. It is assumed that it is
the Passion of Christ. See also xi. God's will that complete atonement
17 ; vii. 27 v. l.; viii. 3 note. should be made for sin ; and if
It was only by the offering upon the He had willed that this should be
Cross that the Blood ' through which' made in detail and by successive acts,
the divine High-priest entered into the occasion must have arisen in earlier
heavenly sanctuarywas made available. ages for Christ's sufferings, a thought
This sense of the phrase is con- in itself inconceivable. The virtue of
firmed by the words which follow, Christ's work for the past in the
where 7rporrevex8elr stands parallel to eternal counsel of God is taken for
a11"08ave'iv. Compare also c. x. 10 a,rt granted.
rijs 7rporrcpopos TOV rrroµaTO!; 'I11rrov '1rel] Vulg. alioquin, since in that
Xpi<TTov, which can only refer to the case, else. See v. 17, c. x. 2 ; Rom. iii.
6; I Cor. v. 10, &c.
offering on the Cross.
The contrast of tenses in 'll"porrcplpy
here and 7rporrevly1<y c. viii 3 is clearly
a.,
ian] For the force of see c. ii l ;
and for the absence of av 1 Cor. v. 10
marked. l'll"e't ro<{m11..rre. Winer, pp. 353 ±:
"1rr'll"ep ••• ] .An annually repeated sa- 1J"a8e,v] See c. xiii l 2 note; ii 9.
crifice was the necessary means for ob- The word is not used in the Epistles
taining the atoning blood in virtue of of St Paul for the Death ('the Pas-
which the Levitical High-priest enter- sion') of Christ. Comp. .Acts i. 3; (iii
ed the Sanctuary year by year. 18); xvii 3.
Iv a'lµan aAAOTp{~] The use of dif- a'lJ"o 1<am/30Xijr 1<o<rµov] Vulg. ab
ferent prepositions in this connexion origine mundi. Compare c. iv. 3
will repay study: v. 7 ov xooplr ai.µaros, note. .A. prospect is opened beyond
v. 12 at' a'lµaTor. For the use of lv the beginning of the Mosaic system.
compare v. 22 Iv ai.µan 1<a8.: x. 19 The divine counsel had a universal
Iv T,ji ai.µ. 'I11rrov : xiii. 20 iv a'lµ. a,a8ry- scope.
l<'7!; aloovlov: and in other Books: Rom. vvvl a.f] but now, as things actnally
iii. 25 8v 7rpoi8. f>..a<TT•.• h T,ji a'lµ.: v. are, once for all, at the close of the
9 a,1<aioo8ivnr lv T,ji a'lµ. : Eph. ii 13 ages, hath He been manifested to dis-
lyevry8'7TE lyyvr lv T,ji a'lµ. Tov XP• (i. 7 annul (set at naught) sin lYy the sacri-
Iv rj ...a,a TOV ai.µaTor): Apoc. i. 5 AV- fice of Himself, Vulg. nunc autem
<raVTt ... Iv T,j, a'lµ.; v. 91-yoparrar .••Iv T,j, semel in consummatione smcuwrum
a'lµ.; vii 14 e11.ev1<avav . .• Iv T,ji a'lµ. ad destitutionem peccati per hostiam
The High-priest was, as it were, suam apparuit. Each element in
surrounded, enveloped, in the life this sentence brings out some contrast
sacrificed and symbolically communi- between the work of Christ and that
IX. 27] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 277
, 's:
aµap•na,; cna- 7"1J'>
'~0 ,~ 7r€ m'
' aurou
uo-ta'> 2
1 av€pwrat.. 1 Kat Ka0'

T'7S aµ. ~A regg: om. Tijs C: aµ,ap-r,wv D, *.

of the Levitical High-priests. Their l1rl uvllTEAEii Trov al. marks a point of
sacrifices were repeated year by year termination of a series (so to speak)
during a long period of preparation : of preparatory ages. The Death of
His sacrifice was offered once for all the Lord, including His Resurrection
at the close of the succession of ages. and Ascension, is essentially the be-
They by their action called sins to ginning of a new development in the
mind (c. x. 3): He annulled sin. They life of man and in the life of the
provided typical atonement through world. It was needful, as we speak,
the blood of victims : He provided an -that the 'natural' development of man
absolute atonement by the sacrifice of should have had fullest scope before
Himself. With them the most im- Christ came.
pressive fact was the entrance into Aitl Tl €1ri U1Jvr£AElq, Tl»v alcJv(l)v;
the darkness in which the Divine Chrysostom asks, and answers µ.£Ta Tct
Presence was · shrouded : with Him 1TOAA(J. aµ.apT~µ.am. El µ.,v oOv 1Tapa Tryll
the manifestation on earth, still real- dpxry11 ly<VOIITO (leg. lylvETO) EiTa ovaEk
ised as an abiding reality, brought the f1rL<rrEV<TEV, ~v &~ T(J T~r ol,covoµ.las
Divine Presence near to men. dv&v17Tov.
Generally it is made plain that The word uv11T<A£La occurs in the
Christ accomplished all that the Levi- N.'l'. only in the passages which have
tical Service pointed to. been quoted. It occurs frequently in
a1ra~] The absolute oneness of Christ's the LXX. A characteristic use is fom1d
offering has been touched upon before, in Ex. xxiii. 16 ioprry O'VIITEAE/as (' of
-v. 12; c. vii. 27. In proportion as ingathering'). As distinguished from
this truth was felt, the weakness of u?i..os, the end as one definite fact,
the Levitical offerings, shewn by their uv11TeAELC1 expresses a consummation,
repetition, became evident. an end involving many parts. Com-
It is assumed that the repetition of pare uvvTEAE<v Luke iv. 2; Acts xxi.
Christ's suffering in the future is in- 27 ; c. viii. 8; !.«Ike iv. r 3.
conceivable. The plural aloovH occurs again in
i1rl uv11TEA£li Trov al.] at the close qf the Epistle ; xiii. 8, 21 ; and, in a
the a,ges, of a long and complex course different connexion, i. 2 (1wte); xi. 3.
of finite development. The exact In each case it preserves its full
phrase is not found elsewhere in the meaning. The whole discipline and
N.T. growth of creation in time is made up
Compare Matt. xiii. 39 uv11TeXua of manifold periods of discipline, each
aloovos: 1)1). 40, 49 iv Tfi lTVIIT. TOV aloovos: having its proper unity and complete-
xxiv. 3 ~ ury 1rapovuia ical uvllT. Tov al. : ness. Per srecula debemus intellegere
xxviii. 20 ;,,,s Tijs uv11T. Toii al. For omnia qure facta sunt in tempore
i1rl (as distinguished from lv) see vv. (Primas. ad c. i. 2).
10, I 5 notes; Phil i. 3. £ls a0ETTJO''V Tijs aµ.apr.] This thought
Similar phrases occur in the Greek goes beyond 'the redemption from
translations of Daniel : ix. 27 uvllT. transgressions' (v. 15). It is literally
ICaLpwv j Xii. I 3 O'VIIT. ~p.Eprov. 'for the disannulling of sin' (vii. 18
'E1rl O'VVTEAELa TOOV alroV6'V has a some- a0ETTJO'LS 1rpoay. EIIT. ). Sin is vanquish-
what different ~eaning from l1r' luxa- ed, shewn in its weakness, 'set at
Tov TWV ~µ.. TOVT6'V (c. i. 2 ). 'rhis latter naught' (:M:k. vii. 9; Gal. iii. I 5).
phrase describes the last period of The comment of Theodoret deserves
'the present age' (see note); while notice : 'TrOIIT<AWS Tijs aµ.apTias icaT<-
278 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 27
d ' I ~ ' 0 I ,I ~ '
O<TOII a7T"O/C€LTUL TOLS av pw7rOLS a7T"ac;; a7ro al/€£11, µ€TU 0€
e ~ \ 't,\

A.vu~ T~v luxVv d0avaulav ,jµ.iv V1roux&- In this relation the 'manifestation'
lvoxXiiv yap avT7/ TOLS dBavaTOLS
p,E1,os" of Christ offers a contrast to the veil-
oV aVvarai u~µ.au,. ing of the High-priest in darkness when
The use of the singular ~s J.µ,apTlas he was engaged in fulfilling his atoning
brings out this general, abstract con- service. Christ is withdrawn and yet
ception (comp. x. 18 1rpo,r<popa 1rEpt present: hidden and yet seen.
&.µ,apTlas). Elsewhere in the Epistle Contrast 1 John iii. 5, 8; i. 2 (lcpa-
the work of Christ is regarded in its 11Epoo°'7); l Pet. i 20 (q,avEproBi11Tos).
action on the many actual sins in The perfect occurs again v. 8 ; z
which sin shews itself. Comp. p. 32. Cor. v. II ; Rom. iii. 2 r.
In this connexion different phrases 27, 28. The fulfilment of the work
are used which present different as- of the Levitical High-priest suggests
pects of its efficacy. another thought. When the atone-
[The Son] sat down on the right ment was completed the High-priest
hand of the Majesty ,caBapt,rµ,ov TOOi/ came again among the people (Lev.
dµ,apTioov 1r01Twaµ,oos (i. 3). He is a xvi 24). So too Christ shall return.
merciful and faithful High-priest Els He shall in this respect also satisfy
TO /.A{l(]"/(£(]"Ba, Tas &.µ,apTlas TOV Xaoi) the conditions of humanity. His
(ii 17~ (Compare ix. 15 d1r0Xv- Death shall be followed by the mani-
Tp,,,,riv Trull l1rl 171 1rpoory l3iaB~KlJ 1rapa- festation of His righteousness in the
/3a,ro,v.) judgment of God.
It is further said that the 'blood of 27. The conditions of human life
bulls and goats is unable dcpaipli11 are regarded as furnishing a measure
dµ,apTlas (x. 4),' and that the Levitical by analogy of the conditions of Christ's
sacrifices cannot 1rEptEAEiv dµ,apTlas work as man. He fulfilled the part
(x. II); where it is implied that the of man perfectly in fact and not in
Blood and Sacrifice of Christ have figure (as by the Mosaic sacrifices).
this efficacy. For Him therefore Death, necessarily
So sins are presented as a defile- one, must be followed by a Divine
ment which clings to man, a force Judgment.
which separates him from God, a ,caB' o,rov••• OVTc.lS ,ea[••• ] inasmuch
burden which he bears, a robe of as••. even so also ••• Vulg. quemadmo-
custom in which he is arrayed. dum .•.sic et ... Katl o,rov is found in
l3,a Tijs Bv,rfos mlTov] The phrase, the N. T. only in this Epistle (iii 3;
referring as it does to l11 aZµ,an d">..Xo- vii. 20); lq,' o,rov occurs Matt. ix. 1 5 ;
TPl'I.' v. 2 5, cannot mean anything less xxv. 40, 45; Rom. xi. 13; 2 Pet. i 13.
than 'the sacrifice of Himself.' The KaB' o,ro11••• ovTros ,ea[ expresses a
word Bv,rla is used again of Christ c. conclusion drawn from an identity
x. 12; and in connexion with 1rpo,r- between two objects in some particu-
<popa in Eph. v. 2. lar respects (comp. ,caBoos ••• ovTro v. 3),
1rE<pa11iprom,] He, who is our High- while J=Ep ... oliTros.•.(not found in
priest, hath been manifested, hath this Epistle) describes a complete
entered the visible life of men as correspondence so far as the objects
man. On the scene of earth, before are compared (Rom. v. 12, 19, 21).
the eyes of men, He has overcome a11"01CnTat] Vulg. statutum est. Death
death (comp. 1 Cor. xv. 54-57). And lies stored in the future, 'laid up' for
more than this: the fact of the Incar- each man: 2 Tim. iv. 8; Col i. 5.
nation is regarded in its abiding /J,ETa lJJ ToiiTo ..• ] and oJter this
consequences. The manifestation of cometh judgment, not in immediate
Christ continues in its effects. sequence of time, but in the develop-
IX. 28] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 79
~ I ~8 ,1 I • / ,/ t .ll I
'TOUTO Kpt<FLS, OU'TWS Kat O X,pL<TTOS, a7rac;, 7rpO<T€VEXVELS

ds 'TO TTOMWN ,,:N€N€rK€1N b.M<l.pTl<l-C, EK oeu-repou xwpts dµ.ap-

28 o/J-rws Ka.£ ~ACD2 vg syrr regg : om. Ka£ S-.

ment of personal being. The writer £ls To ,roX>.. d11£11. aµ..] to carry the sins
appears to connecttheJudgmentwith of m..any, Vulg. ad multorum exhau-
the Return of Christ on 'the Day': rienda peccata. This most remark-
c. x. 25, 37 f. able phrase appears to be taken from
For the distinction of Kpl,nr, the Is. liii. 12 (6) LXX., where the sense is
act, the process, of judgment, from 'to take upon himself and bear the
Kplµ.a, the issue of judgment, the burden of sin.' But cplpnv as dis-
sentence, compare c. vi. 2 with x. 27 ; tinguished from /3a0Ta(n11 (comp. c. i
see also John ix. 39; I John iv. 17 note. 3 note) involves the notion of carrying
28. ovTrur Kai ••• ] Death finally closes to some end ; and so in I Pet. ii. 24
man's earthly work, and is followed (the nearest parallel in the N. T.) we
by the judgment which reveals its read Tar aµ.apTiar d11,/11E)'KEII i7TL T6
issue. So too Christ as man died EvXov ('carried up to'). Hence comes
once only; and that which answers to the sense of 'offering,' 'farrying up to
judgment in His case is the revelation the altar' (vii. 27; xiii. 15; James ii.
of His glory, the revelation of Him- 21); and it is difficult to suppose that
self as He is. this idea is not present in the phrase
Sicut enim unusquisque nostrum here. Christ 'carried to the cross'
post mortem recipit juxta opera sua, and there did away with sin and sins.
ita Christus devicta morte et adepto Compare Chrysostom: Tl lli tOT,11 dvE-
,. ' , ~ \ , ,.
regno secundo apparebit expectanti- IIE)IKEIII aµ.apTtar; fA><T7TEp £7TI T1}r ,rpo<r-
bus se in salutem ut juste vindicet cf>opiis ,ir avacplpoµ.£11 1 ,rpocplpop.EII Kal
suos qui injuste passus est ab alienis Ta aµ.apT,jµaTa XiyoVTES ElTE EKOIITEr
(Primas.). E1TE CIKOIITES 17µ.apT0µ£11 uvyxwp1J<ro11 •
For the force of o XP•OTor, 'the TOVTEOTI JJ,Eµ.11,/µEBa avTOOII ,rpoorov Kal
Christ,' see Addit. Note i. 4. TOTE Tf/11 <TVYXWP1J<TLII alTOV/J.EII, OlJT(A) a~
chraE 7Tp0<T£11£X8£lr] Vulg. semel ob- Kal tvravBa yeyovE. ,roii TOVTO 'lr£7r0L1JKEII
latus. The passive form (contrast v. oXp,OT6r; iIKOV<TOII avroii Xlyovros· Kal
25 Zva ,rpo<r<p<P'fl lavTov) completes the V1rfp aVTCa>v ay,ct(ro lµ.aVT&v. zaoV ain;..
conception of the Lord's offering. It IIE)'KE Ta aµ.apr,/ µ.aTa, ~PEIi avT<l d,rb TOOi/
is on the one side voluntary and on d118p...l,rru11 Kal dv,jvEyKE Tcii · ,raTpL ovx
the other side it is the result of out- 711a .,., Op[<171 ,ea,-' aVT6>11 dAA' iva atJTd
ward force. How this outward force 11.pn-
was exerted and by whom is not In any case it is essential to the
made known. It cannot be said direct- understanding of the passage to keep
ly that Christ was 'offered up' by God, strictly to the literal statement. The
nor yet that He was 'offered up' by burden which Christ took upon Him
men; nor would such a form be used and bore to the cross was 'the sins of
to express the offering of Christ by many,' not, primarily or separately
Himself (1/7TO TLI/Or ,rpo<TEIIEXBElr; vcf>' from the sins, the punishment of sins.
tllVTOV lJ,fXovon· t11mv8a ovlli lEpla 'Punishment' may be a blessing to the
llELKIIV<TW mlT611 µ.011011 dXXa Kal 8v µ.a child conscious of his sonship.
Kal lEpE"iov. Chrys.). There is a divine In the LXX. dvacf,ipnv is used with
law which men unconsciously and even aµ.apTla in Is. liii. 12 (~~J); comp.
involuntarily fulfil This embodies the
divine will oflove and right. The Jews Num. xiv. 33; and Is. liii 11 (~~~).
were instruments in carrying it out. Commonly t-t~1 in connexion with Sin
280 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [IX. 28
' 't+.0' ,.. ' ' , ~
'TlUS O't' YJ<1'€'Tat 'TOtS UU'TOII a7r€KO€XOµEVOtS €LS <J'WTYJptall.
, , ,
a.1TEKO,X,: fKOEX, D.*. els ,;wr. ~CD 2 vg syr vg mgg : + o,a. 1rlurews A syr hl.
is rendered in LXX. (Pent. Ezek.) by peculiarly as the Royal High-priest.
>..aµ{3cwnv: Lev. v. 1, 17; vii. 8 (18) &c. Compare c. x. 27 note.
Num. ix. 13; xviii. 22 ff. &c. Ezek. iv. <K lJevTlpov] in comparison with His
5; xxiii. 49; comp. Ezek. xviii. 19 f. first manifestation on earth: Acts i. I r.
The word 'many' does not (of course) X6>PLS aµapT[as] c. iv. 15. Here the
imply 'many out of the whole number words stand in contrast with els To
of men'; but 'many' is simply con- 1ro>..>..ro11 a11e11ey,ce'iv aµapTlas. At His
ti-asted with Christ's single person, and first manifestation Christ took on Him
His single entrance. Compare ii. 10 the sins of humanity, and, though Him-
note; Matt. xx. 28; xxvi. 28. self sinless, endured the consequences
Chrysostom's note is strangely wide of sin. At His second coming this
of the meaning: lJ,a Ti lJi 1ro>..>..wv elm, burden will exist no longer. Sin then
KaL µ~ 7ravrrov; £1r£1.a~ µ,~ 1rllVTES' E'fr[<r- will have no place. (xr:Jpav _ovKfr1
TEVUav. inrJp ll1rUVTruv µEv yO.p d.1Ti8av£v £XOV<TYJS KaTd. rwv dv8pr:J7T6>V Tijs aµap-
, \ ... , ' , ... ,
EIS To (T6>(Tat 7TaVTas' TO avTOV µepos, rlas. Theodt.)
aVTlppo1ros yap ~v () BavaTOS <KELI/OS Tijs o<J>01U"fTal] Apoc. i. 7; I John iii. 2.
1r&111"wv Q,7rr,)A.£lar, oV 1rcivrc.>v aE Tllr ti.µap- The vision is regarded from the side
TLas dv1veyKE lJ,a To µ~ Oe>..ijuai 7TQVTas. of man who sees, and not (v. 26 1re<J>a-
<IC lJevTipov ••• <T6>M7pla11] The 'appear- vipwra1) from that of God who reveals.
ance ' of Christ corresponds in the By the use of the word d<J>01u•rai
parallel to the judgment of men. In the Return of Christ is presented as
this case the complete acceptance of a historical fact (comp. Acts i. 10 f.).
Christ's work by the Father, testified But it is to be noticed that the writer
by the Return in glory, is the correla- does not use the word 1rapovula, which
tive to the sentence given on human is found in St Matthew, 2 Peter, St
life. He rises above judgment, and James, St Paul, St John. Nor does he
yet His absolute righteousness receives use theword l1r1<j>ave,awhich hasamore
this testimony. For Him what is limited range: 2 Thess. (ii. 8 ~ lm<J>.
judgment in the case of men is seen Tijs 1rapovulas avrov), 1, 2 Tim., Tit.
in the Return to bear the final mes- This revelation will be the comple-
sage of salvation. tion of the transitory revelations after
The fulness of this thought finds the Resurrection (r Cor. xv. 5ff. rJ<j,0')).
more complete expression by the de- But, like those, it will be for such as
scription of Christ's Return as a retuni wait for Him, even as the people of
'for salvation' and not (under another Israel waited for the return of the
aspect) as a return 'for judgment,' High-priest from the Holy of Holies
which might have seemed superficially after the atonement had been made.
more natural. 'Salvation' emphasises The word d1reKlJixeu8a, appears to be
the actual efficacy of His work, while always used in the N.T. with reference
'judgment' declares its present partial to a future manifestation of the glory
failure. of Christ ( I Cor. i. 7; Phil. iii. 20), or
Nothing indeed is said of the effect of His people (Rom. viii. 19, 23, 25).
of Christ's Return upon the unbeliev- Comp. 2 Tim. iv. 8.
ing. This aspect of its working does eZs uwr1Jplav] to accomplish, con-
not fall within the scope of the writer; summate salvation, which includes not
and it is characteristic of the Epistle only the removal of sin but also the
that judgment is not directly referred attainment of the ideal of humanity.
to Christ, whom the writer regards
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 281

Additional Note on ix. 7. The service of the Day of

Atonement.

The ritual of the Day of Atonement, 'the Day' (Joma), is present to

the mind of the writer throughout this section of the Epistle, and it will be
convenient to set out the Levitical ordinances in a clear form, that the
relation of their typical teaching to the work of Christ may be distinctly
seen (Lev. xvi. ; xxiii. 2&-32 ; comp. Lev. xxv. 9; Num. xxix. 11 ; Ezek.
xlv. 18 ff.).
The Mishnaic treatise Joma, of which there is a convenient edition by
Sheringham, gives some additional details as to later usage ; and Delitzsch
has given a translation of the full account of the service by Maimonides.
To the edition of Sheringham's Joma of 1696 is added a very elaborate
comparison of the work of the High-priest with that of Christ by
J. Rhenferd.
The Service of the Day summed up and interpreted the whole con-
ception of Sacrifices, which were designed by divine appointment to gain
for man access to God.
In the same way the High-priest summed up the idea of consecration
and religious service, represented in different stages by the people, the
Levites, the priests.
The occasion of the institution of the Service illustrates its central
thought. It followed on the death of the eldest sons of Aaron, Nadab and
Abihu, for 'offering strange fire' (Lev. ·x. 6 f.; xvi 1; comp. Num. iii. 4;
xxvi. 61). The way of- access to God was not yet freely open: even the
most privileged servants could only draw near as God provided a way.
The day was the one Fast of the Law: Acts xxvii. 9 (,/ VTJ<TTEla).
All the ordinary priestly duties of the day were done by the High-priest
in his 'golden robes,' and according to custom he prepared for his work
by a retirement of seven days.
On the day itself, after bathing, the High-priest put on his [white] linen
robes (Lev. xvi. 4; comp. Lk. ix. 29) as representing the people before God,
while 'the golden robes' were appropriate to .the messeµger of God to the
people.
Then the victims for the congregation and for the High-priest were
prepared and presented (for sin offerings, a bullock for the High-priest,
and two goats for the people; for burnt-offerings, a ram for each : Lev. xvi
3, S, 6), and one of the two goats was assigned by lot 'to the Lord' and the
other 'to Azazel' (v. 8 ff.).
All being thus made ready, the High-priest killed the bullock, and
made atonement 'for himself and for his house' (the priesthood), entering
within the veil, under cover of a cloud of incense that 'he might not die'
(vv. II ff.; comp. v. 2).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
After this (and according to the later ritual he retumed meanwhile
from the Holy of Holies and re-entered it with the blood) he took of the
blood and sprinkled it with his finger 'upon the mercy seat eastward,' and
'before the mercy seat seven times' (v. 14).
So the High-priest and the scene of the manifestation of God were duly
atoned, and the High-priest was able to act for the people. He then
killed the goat, the sin-offering for the people, and dealt with its blood as
with the blood of the bullock (v. 15). As in the ordinary sacrifices the
blood was applied in some cases to the altar of burnt-offering and in other
cases to the altar of incense, so now it was brought to the mercy seat.
Afterwards the High-priest 'made atonement' for the Holy place, being
there alone (Ex. xxx. 10), and for the altar of burnt-offering (vv. 16 ff.).
Atonement having been thus made for priests and people and the whole
place of service (the sanctuary in its three parts), the High-priest 'laid
both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confessed over it all the
iniquities of the children of Israel [with which the Law dealt] ... putting
them upon the head of the goat, and sent it away .•• into the wilderness'
(vv. 20 ff.).
Thus the special service was ended. The High-priest put off his linen
garments in the Holy place, washed himself, put on his robes and offered
the burnt-offerings for himself and the people, 'and made an atonement for
himself and the people' (vv. 23 ff.~
Last of all the bodies of the sin-offerings were carried without the camp
and wholly consumed (v. 27).
Thus in a figure year by year the people had access to the Presence of
God in the person of the High-priest. The fellowship between God and
the people, established by the Covenant but marred by sins against its
conditions, was restored. By the virtue of an offered life communion
became possible.
To this end there was a double sacrifice for the High-priest and for the
people, and a double representation of the people by the High-priest
and by the sin-offering; and till the atonement was made for the High-
priest he could only enter the Holy of Holies under the cloud of in-
cense. It is needless to point out the general fulfilment of the type by
Christ. One point only, which appears to have been left unnoticed, may
be suggested for consideration. The High-priest entered 'the unseen'
twice, once for himself, once for the people. May we not see in this a
foreshadowing of the two entrances of Christ into 'the unseen'? Once He
entered, and came back victorious over death, ready in His glorified
humanity to fulfil His work for His people. Again He entered the unseen
'to appear (lµ,cpavurOijvai) before the face of God for us,' and hereafter
retuming thence 'He shall appear (dcf,B1o-€Tai) a second time to them that
wait for Him.' '
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Additional Note on IX. 9. The prre-Ohristian idea of

Sacrifice.

There is no reason to think that Sacrifice was instituted in obedience Sacrifice

to a direct revelation 1• universal.
It is mentioned in Scripture at first as natural and known.
It was practically universal in prre-Christian times [Kalisch's reference
. to Strabo xi II, 8 is in error (ovaEv 0ij'll.v 0vovu,)J Compare Res. Op.
134 ff.; Porph. de abst. ii. 8 [Theophrastus].
In due time the popular practice of Sacrifice was regulated by revelation
as disciplinary, and also used as a vehicle for typical teaching.
Sacrifice, in fact, in the most general form, belongs to the life of man,
and, in the truest sense, expresses the life of man. It is essentially the
response of love to love, of the son to the Father, the rendering to GoD in
grateful use of that which has been received from Him. Language cannot
offer a more impressive example of moral degeneration in words, than the
popular connexion of thoughts of loss and suffering with that which is a
divine service.
In considering the Biblical teaching on Sacrifice we must take account
of
I. NATURAL CONCEPTIONS.
II. BIBLICAL TEACHING.
I. NATURAL CONCEPTIONS.
I. The general idea.
The natural idea of sacrifices in each case is shaped by the view which is ~1) Sacri-
entertained by men of their relation to the unseen. t ~bes tas a
ri u e;
(I) They recognise, to speak generally, a relation of dependence on ·
unseen powers, conceived after their own likeness. Hence they bring
.A. royal tribute, as to some earthly king, either
(a) Regular offerings, from a common sense of obligation; or
(ft) Special offerings, in respect of particular occasions.
1 As in the case of the prm-Christian ferent Encyclopmdias give references
Priesthood I had hoped to write an to the Literature, but I am not ac-
Essay on prm-Christian Sacrifice, but quainted with any book which deals
I can do no more than set down a few with the subject in its full range and
notes which may be useful in marking significance. Kalisch has accumulated
some main points in the inquiry. Those a great mass of material in his Essay
who have dealt with the Scriptural attached: to his edition of Leviticus,
ordinances and teaching on Sacrifice but it requires sifting; a.nd Dillmann's
have too commonly neglected ethnic notes in the Kurzgej. Exeg. Handb. are
institutions. Even now more illustra- extremely useful. The books of Lippert
tions may be expected from Egypt and and Tylor already referred to (p. 139
from Assyria. The articles in the dif- note) contain much that is valuable.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
(2) as gifts (2) More particularly they necessarily connect joy and suffering with
on special the unseen. Hence follow
occasions. (a) Eucharistic offerings in acknowledgment of benefits.
(ft) Deprecatory offerings to obtain relief:
(y) Impetratory offerings to obtain blessings. These are connected:
with prayer as a gift with a request. Comp. Tylor, ii. 340.
Express Such offerings are of two kinds :
different (a) To gratify: the offering of that which is valued, as presents in .
purposes
and homage ; self-abnegation in fasting.
((3) To benefit: the offering of that which is thought useful as food, ·
of which the spiritual element is supposed to be consumed. Comp. Monier
Williams, Indian Wisdom, p. 428.
different And they embody two kinds of feeling (love or fear) according as the
feelings. power is conceived to be
(a) Good an<l righteous; or
(fJ) Malevolent or capricious.
The difference is shewn in the most extreme case. Thus there· are two
aspects of human sacrifices.
(a) To prove the complete devotion of the worshipper.
(fJ) To propitiate the cruelty of the power to which the sacrifice
is made.
Classifi- So far, with the partial exception of the Eucharistic offerings, the
cation. sacrifices have a personal end (thank-offerings : fear-offerings : prayer-
offerings).
In accordance with this general view Theophrastus (quoted and adopted
by Porphyry, de abst. ii. 24 ; comp. 44) classes Sacrifices as ; lM r,µ,~11 q lita.
xap111 ~ lM. xp•lav rwv dyaBwv. Moreover they are concerned with material
things. The feeling by which they are prompted may be that of the slave,
the subject, the friend, the son.
But one signal omission will be observed. There are so far no expiatory
offerings.
The idea of expiatory offerings, answering to the consciousness of sin,
does not belong to the early religion of Greece. Expiation was the work
of special ministers.
Comp. Plat. Resp. ii. p. 364 B. J. Bernays' Theophrastos iib. From-
migkeit, pp. 106 f.
It is not possible to determine absolutely in what order the different
kinds of sacrifice came into use. The order probably depended in a great
degree upon physical conditions, as the ordinary phenomena of life
suggested terror or gratitude. This is the teaching of present experience.
(1) Pro- 2. Materials of sacrifice.
duce of ( 1) Simple produce of the earth.
the earth.
(2) Pre- Comp. Ovid, Fast. I. 337 ff.; Porphyr. [Theophr.] de abst. ii. 5 ff.; iv. 22.
pared pro- (2) Prepare<l produce of the earth: first-fruits of food: juice of
duce. soma.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Comp. Porphyr. [Theophr.] ii. 6.

(3) Animals. (3).
Comp. Porphyr. ii. 9. These were generally limited to those used for Animals.
food: Porphyr. l.c. ii. 24, 25 ; offered to 'demons': id. ii. 36, 38.
(4) Human beings. (4)_Huma.n
Comp. Porphyr. ii. 27 ff.; 54 ff.; Just. M. Ap. ii. 12; TertulL Ap. 9; bemgs.
C. Que.,t. 7; Aug. de Civ. vii. 19.
The custom of offering human sacrifices was not unfrequently signified
by representative offerings: Herod. ii. 47; Ovid, Fasti, v. 621 ff.; Tylor,
ii 366 f.
See E. v. Lasaulx, D. Sithnopfer der Gr. u. Rom.
Here again it is impossible to determine what mate1ials were first used
in sacrifice. General tradition points to the offering of the fruits of the
earth as the earliest form of worship. Comp. Plato, Legg. vi. p. 782 c ;
Plut. Quaest. Conv. viii. 8. 3.
3. Modes of Sacrifice.
The primitive manner of sacrifice was determined by the thought that
the Divine Power received the gifts, and shared the feast. .Hence the
use of
(1) The altar.
The gifts were symbolically brought near to God.
(2) Fire.
The etherealised essence of the gift was borne aloft (Hom. Il. i 317).
For descriptions of sacrifices compare Hom. Il. i. 4 58 ff.; Od. iii. 439 ff. ;
xiv. 414 ff.; Eur. Electr. 792 ff.; Ar. Pax, 940 ff.: Apoll. Rhod. i. 425 ff.
The adorning, &c. of the victims preserved the fiction that they met
death willingly.
4. Effect of sacrifice.
The effect of sacrifices was conceived of either as
( 1) Relative,
When the offering was welcomed as an expression of a real harmony
of spirit and fellowship between the worshipper and the object of his
worship; or
(2) Absolute,
When the sacrifice had in itself a positive virtue. This view finds the
most complete expression in Hindu theology. Comp. Monier Williams,
Indian Wisdom, p. 31 note. In its popular form it became a subject for
Classical Satirists : e.g. Luc. de sarr. 2.
In addition to the sacrifices which formed part of common worship,
account must be taken of those which were made by vows (e.g. Spolia
opima), and by voluntary devotion (legends of Macaria, Curtius, the
Decii).
. Meanwhile the true idea of sacrifice found not infrequent expression :
e.g. Porphyr. ii. 34, 46. ·
Nowhere, as far as I know, is the ethnic conception of sacrifice, as the
means of a fellowship of men with spirits, and of the one representative of
 286 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

the nation-the Emperor-with Gov, given more fully or impressively than

in the Sacred Books of China. See Li Ki (Sacred Books of the East, xxvii,
xxviii.) Books xx, xxi. Comp. Book vii.§ 4.
II. BIBLICAL TEACHING.
1. Prm-Mosaic Sacrifices.
Prre-Mosaic sacrifice is presented to us in two forms :
(r) Primi- (1) Primitive.
tive Sacri- (a) Gen. iv. 4 (Cain and Abel) (i).
fice.
Both offerings are called i11W~ (gift: comp. Gen. xxxii. 14; xliii.
11; Num. xvi. 15; 1 Sam. ii. 17; xxvi. 19).
No altar is mentioned.
The narrative implies that
(a) The material is indifferent.
(b) The spirit of the offerer is that to which God looks ('Abel and
his offering,' 'Cain and his ...•~
Comp. Hehr. xi. 4-
(/3) Gen. viii. 20 (Noah) (ii).
An Altar is now first mentioned.
The offerings are 'of every clean beast and every clean fowL' Thus we
have the widest offering: a universal consecration in worship of all that is
for man's support.
(2) Patri- ( 2) Patriarchal Sacrifice.
archal (a) Abraham.
Sacrifice.
Gen. xii. 6, 7 (iii); xii. 8; xiii. 4 (iv~
An altar at Shechem: Josh. xxiv. 1 1 26.
Gen. xiii. 18 (v).
An altar at Hebron: 2 Sam. xv. 7.
Gen. xv. 9 ff. (vi).
The Covenant offerings. Animals allowed by the Levitical Law. For
the birds see Lev. i. 14-17.
Gen. xxii. 1 ff. (vii).
At Moriah. The practice of sacrifice familiar (v. 7).
The offering of Isaac is a critical point in the history of the Biblical
teaching on Sacrifice. It is shewn that the most absolute faith and devo-
tion exists without the material exhibition of it. The human sacrifices of
Canaan were most effectively condemned by the clear proof that the element
of good to which they witnessed was wholly independent of their horrors.
It was plainly declared what God would and what He would not have.
Isaac, the child of promise, was a second time given to faith. Faith
received him at his birth, as a divine gift, and again from death. He
became the sign of the power of God and of human self-surrender: Hehr.
xi. 19.
Under the Law the first-born were given representatively: Ex. xxii. 29.
Comp. Euseb. Prmp. Ev. i. ro, p. 37.
(fJ) Isaac.
Gen. xxvi. 25 (viii).
An altar at Beer-sheba (the altar first, then the tent). Comp. c. xxi. 33.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

(-;) Jacob.
Gen. xxviii. 18 ff. (ix).
A 'pillar' at Beth-el Comp. c. xxxi. 45; xxxv. 14; Ex. xxiv. 4;
Is. xix. 19 : 'pillars' forbidden, Deut. xvi. 22. Comp. Gen. xxxv. 7 (an altar :
El-beth-el).
Gen. xxxi. 54 (x).
A sacrifice and feast at Mizpah: a 'pillar' and 'heap' set up. Comp.
c. xxvi. 30 ; Ex. xxiv. I r ; 2 Sam. iii. 20.
Gen. xxxiii. 20 (xi).
An altar at Shalem: El-elohe-Israel (comp. xxxv. 7; Ex. xvii. 15).
Gen. xxxv. 1 ff. (xii), 7 (xiii).
An altar at Beth-el (El-beth-el). Comp. c. xxviii. 18 ff.
Gen. xxxv. 14 (xiv).
A pillar at Beth-el (comp. xxviii. 18). A drink-offering first mentioned.
Gen. xlvi. 1 (xv).
Sacrifices at Beer-sheba (c. xxvi. 25).
The student will notice the wide range of details in these incidents. Wide
(a) There is mention of
range of
details.
Minchah (i); Oldh (ii) (vii); Zebacli (x) (xv); Ne.~ek (xiv).
Anointing with oil (ix).
(b) The altar is said to be
'built' (ii) (iii) (v) (vii) (xiii); 'made' (iv) (xii); 'set up' (xiv).
(c) A pillar is
'placed' (ix); 'set up' (xiv).
(d) In other cases no altar or pillar mentioned: (i) (vi) (x).
Compare also Gen. xxi. 33. Abraham planted 'a tamarisk-tree' in
Beer-sheba (R.V., ',~~) and called there on the name of the Lord..•
(Amos v. 5 ; viii. 14).
To these references may be added: Job i. 5; xlii. 8; Ex. x. 25.
On the other hand there is no trace of the idea of Idearepre-
(a) a vicarious substitution of the victim for the offerer (not Gen. sented.
xxii. 13 ; comp. Mic. vi. 7 f.) ; or of
(b) propitiation.
The thoughts of (a) gratitude and (b) tribute are dominant.
There is no application of the blood before the Law.
The perfect 'naturalness ' of the record is most impressive.
God is invited to share in the common· feast : fellowship with God is
realised by the worshipper.
In Ex. xviii. 12 (Jethro) we have the transition to the new order.
Here the primitive conception of sacrifice is fully recognised when it was
about to be replaced by a more definite typical teaching. The sacrifice
of Jethro bears the same relation to the Levitical Law of sacrifice as the
appearance of Melchisedek to the Levitical Law of Priesthood.
In Ex. xxiv.4-11 (the Covenant sacrifice) specific mention is made of
'burnt-offerings,' 'peace-offerings,' and of the sprinkling of the blood.
NOTE. On human sacrifices in Palestine. The following references
 288 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
will be useful in investigating how far human sacrifices were offered in
Palestine:
(1) Among the non-Jewish peoples :
Lev. xviii 21 ; xx. 2 ff.
Deut. xii. 30 ff. ; xviii. 10.
2 K. iii. 26 f. (the King of Moab).
- xvii. 31 (the Sepharvites).
The passages in the Pentateuch shew how great the temptation would
be to the Jew to try whether his own faith could rival the devotion of the
neighbouring nations.
(2) Among the Jews:
Jud. xi. 30 ff. (v. 31 distinctly suggests a human offering; so LXX. J
lKTrop•voµ,•vor, Vulg. quicunque prirnusfuerit egressus. Comp. v. 2).
(The incident in 2 Sam. xxi. 1-14 is in no sense a sacrifice. See also
2 Sam. xii. 31.]
2 K. xvi. 3 (Ahaz): 2 Chron. xxviii. 3.
xvii. 17 (the children of Israel).
- xxi. 6 (Manasseh): 2 Chron. xxxiii. 6.
- xxiii. IO.
Is. !vii 5 (the people).
Jer. vii. 31 (the children of Judah).
-xix.5(-).
- xxxii. 35 ( - ).
Ezek xvi. 20 f. (Jerusalem).
- xx. 25 f., 31 (the house of Israel~
Ps. cvi. 37 f.
Comp. Mic. vi. 7.
2. The Levitical Sacrifices 1•
The Levitical Sacrifices were based upon existing customs (Lev. xvii
1-7). They were in some sense a concession to the spiritual immaturity
of the people (Jer. vii. 22 f.); but at the same time the legislation by which
they were regulated guarded them from superstitious excesses, and preserved
the different true ideas to which natural sacrifice bore witness, and
completed this instructive expression of devotion by fresh lessons corre-
sponding with deeper knowledge of God and man.
The Levi- ( 1) The general idea.
tical The Levitical offerings express the main thoughts which are expressed
Sacrifices
include by the Gentile offerings though they express much more. They are in a
the true true sense a tribute brought by a people to its Sovereign (Ex. xxiii. 15 ;
ethnic xxxiv. 20; Dent. xvi. 16 f.); and they represent what man, in human
thoughts. fashion, conceives of as 'the bread-the food---0f God' (Lev. iii. 11, 16; xxi.
6, 8, 17, 21; xxii. 25; Num. xxviii. 2, 24; Ezek xliv. 7).
This conception was embodied specially in 'the Shew-bread'; and in

1 The most general term for an offer- gifts, even those which are not brought
ing, sacrifice, is 1-¥7~ (:l'"!~i'.I to offer, to the altar : Lev. i. 3; ii. r ; iii r ;
1rpou<t,£fJ£w). This includes all sacred iv. 23; vii. 13; Num. ix. 7.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

those sacrifices which are described as 'of a sweet savour' (Lev. i. 9, 13, 17;
ii. 2, 9, 12; iii. 5; iv. 31; vi. 15; viii. 21; xxvi. 31; Num. xv. 7, 10, r3 f.;
xxviii 6, 13; xxix. 2, 6. Comp. Gen. viii. 21 ; Ex. xxix. 18; I Sam. xxvi. 19;
Phil iv. 18 ; Eph. v. 2 ).
The idea is naturally connected with idolatrous services (Deut. xxxii.
38; Is. lxv. II; Jer. vii. 18; Ezek. xvi. 19; xxiii. 41 ; Bel and Dr.); but it
admits of a true spiritual interpretation. In this sense it has been most
justly remarked that God says to us, 'Give Me my daily bread'
(Hengstenberg); and under one aspect the Jewish sacrifices were a type of
this 'reasonable service' (comp. Jos. B. J. vi. 2, 1 ~ ,ca8' ~1-dpav -rpo<p~ [-rov
Bwv]).
At the same time while God is represented as accepting these gifts from
men, it is carefully laid down that He does not need them (Is. xl 16 £;
Ps. 1 8 ff.).
Another thought contained in the Gentile sacrifices was ·recognised in
the Law. He to whom the sacrifice was offered admitted His worshippers
(with certain limitations) to His table. They 'had communion with the
altar' ( I Cor. x. I 8 ol E<J'81011ns Tar Bv<J'las 1<0111c.i11ol TOV 8v<J'1a<J'TT]plov El<J'l).
They shared with the Lord in a common feast.
But all these thoughts of homage, service, fellowship, were shewn to
rest, as men are, upon the thought of a foregoing atonement, cleansing,
consecration. This thought was brought out into fullest relief in the
Levitical ritual by the characteristic use which was made of the blood-the
virtue of the offered life.
The foundation of the Levitical law of sacrifice is laid in the Covenant TheLawof
Sacrifice (Ex. xxiv.). 'Young men of the children of Israel'-the repre- Sacrifices
sentatives of the people in the fulness of their vigour-' offered burnt- !0 ufuded
offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the Lord' (v. 5). Cove~ant
Such was the spontaneous expression of human worship. But it was not Sacrifice.
enough. 'Moses took half of the blood and put it in basons, and half of
the blood he sprinkled on the altar' (v. 6). Then followed the pledge of
obedience ; 'and Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and
said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with
you ...' (v. 8). 'Then went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and
seventy of the elder.Y of Israel; and they ,aw the God of Israel ... they saw
God and did eat and drink' (vv. 9 ff.). So the human desire was justified
and fulfilled. The blood of the Covenant, the power of a new life made
available for the people of God, enabled men to hold communion with God
(v. 11 upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand:
contrast c. xix. 2, ). The lessons of sacrifice were completed: service,
cleansing, consecration, fellowship.
The teaching thus broadly given in the consecration of the people to The ideas
God found a more detailed exposition in the consecration of the ~nforced
priests, the representatives of the people in the divine service (Ex. xxix.; m thet_con-
Lev. vm.""). H ere, as was natural, h t e ack nowId e gment of persona1· sm was of secra10n
the
more prominent. The bathing, robing, anointing, were followed by the priests.
sacrifice of a sin-offering (Ex. xxix. IO ff.~ Then one of two rams was
offered as a whole burnt-offering, 'a sweet savour,' and of the other, after
the blood had been duly applied to the altar and the candidates for the
W. H. 8 19
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
priesthood, part, together with a portion of the prepared bread, was bumt
for a 'sweet savour before the Lord,' and part with the remainder of the
bread was eaten by Aaron and his sons by the door of the tent of meeting
(v. 32): they ate tlwse things wherewith the atonement was made, to
consecrate, to sanctify them (v. 33).
It follows from the general idea of the Jewish sacrifices that they were
ruled by the conception of the Covenant. In part they embodied the
devout action of those for whom the full privileges of the Covenant were
in force ; and in part they made provision for the restoration of the
privileges which had been temporarily forfeited.
Two main Thus the customary sacrifices fall into two groups 1 :
groups of
sacrifices. (a) Sacrifices made while the covenant relation is valid.
(a) The (a) The bumt-offering (il?ll).
Covenant
valid. Lev. i. 3 ff.
(fJ) The peace-offerings (C'r.>?~, of three kinds: (1) i11\J:1 thanks-
giving: (2) i1.~ vow: (3) 1'91~ free-will offering: Lev. vii. 12, 16).
Lev. iii. 1 ff.
With these must be combined
(y) The meal-offering (ill;,~t;,).
Lev. ii. 1 ff.
(a) The Shew-bread (C'~' C!)~ and later n?.~iJ "')-
(E) First-fruits.
(b) The (b) Sacrifices made in regard to violations of the Covenant.
Covenant (a) The sin-offering (il~t.i,tl).
violated.
Lev. iv. 1 ff.
(fJ) The guilt- (trespass-) offering (0~1$).
Lev. v. 1 5 ff.
To these must be added the various sacrifices for Purification : Lev. xiv.
(lepers); xv. (uncleanness); Num. xix. (contact with dead).
The Peace-offering, through which man entered in a peculiar sense into
fellowship with God, was offered after the Sin-offering and the Burnt-
offering: Lev. ix. 18; Num. vi 16 f.
The nar- It is necessary to observe that the range of the Levitical atonements
row range was very narrow. They were.confined to
of sacrifi-
cial atone- (a) Bodily impurity.
ments. (/3) Ceremonial offences.
('Y) Sins of ignorance.
(a) Certain specified offences: Lev. vi. 1, 7; xix. 20.
They did not deal with moral offences as such : they had no relief for

1 The student will find it a most absent from each type of sacrifice.
instructive exercise to set down in a There is no other way in which the
tabular form the details of the ritual meaning of the Service can be appre-
given in Lev. i-vii, marking clearly hended with equal force.
the elements which are peculiar to or
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
'high-handed sins.' Here the voice of Psalmist and Prophet met the
heart-broken penitent with promises which the Law could not give.
To the other Sacrifices the Passover must be added, which stood by
itself and renewed the foundation of the Covenant.
(2) Materials of Sacrifice.
The distinction of Sacrifices as 'bleeding' and 'unbloody' is not
,expressly noticed in the 0. T. ; but there were occasions when they were
made separately according to the Levitical ritual Thus we have to notice
offerings of
(a) The produce of the earth. (a) The
Wine : oil : meal produce of
Simple fruits (grapes, olives, &c.1) or flowers were not accepted. the earth.
It was required that man's life and labour should have entered into
that which he offered to God (Gen. iii 17-19).
These kinds were mixed in the Meal- (and Drink-) offering (Minchah,
Nesek) and offered separately in the Holy Place: Bread: Oil (the lamps):
with Incense, but not with Wine.
Incense was not offered by itself:
No details are given as to the Wine : it is once spoken of as i1~
(Num. xxviii. 7).
The Meal was of 'corn' : not less than one-tenth of an ephah (a day's
food: Ex. xvi. 16). Barley, which was half the value (2 K. vii. 1), was
admitted only in the offering of jealousy: Num. v. 15 ff.
The sheaf of first-fruits was of barley, because that is ripe earliest :
Lev. xxiii. JO (comp. Ruth ii. 23; 2 Sam. xxi 9).
Oil is a natural symbol of refreshment, light, life, spirit. So it was used
for consecration. Comp. Gen. xxviii 18; xxxv. 14-
The Incense was given wholly to God : of this the priest had no part.
It was a symbol of prayer offered to God only (comp. .Apoc. viii. 3 f.; v. 8).
It was not used with the sin-offering (Lev. v. 11); or with the jealousy-
offering (Num. v. 15).
Leaven was not admitted except Lev. vii. 13; xxiii 17; nor honey
(except as an oblation of first-fruits) which was especially used in offerings
to the dead: Porphyr. de antr. Nymph. 18.
The use of water as 'poured out before the Lord' ( 1 8am. vii. 6 ;
2 Sam. xxiii. 16) is obviously exceptional
For the Meal-offering, see Lev. ii. 1 ff. : for the Drink-offering, Lev.
xxiii. 13, 18, 37; Ex. xxix. 40 f.; xxx. 9; :N"um.. xv. 1 ff.; for Incense,
Ex. XXX. 34 ff.
(b) .Animals. (b) Ani-
Clean domestic (not wild) animals: oxen; sheep ; goats; pigeons : mals.
representing different types of service (comp. Jukes, The Law qf the
Offerings, pp. 77 ff.).
These served as the support of man's own life, and were nearest to him
in labour, and as food.
1 The nearest approach to the offer- offering of the sheaf of the firstfruits
ing of the simple grain is Lev. ii. 14; is different: Lev. xxiii. ro. Comp.
yet here the grains are 'roasted.' The Ex. xxii. 29: Lev. ii. 12.
19-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
They were required to be perfect (Ci•r;i~, llµ.roµ.01) : Deut. xvii. I ; and, in
detail : Lev. xxii. I 8 ff. ; comp. Mai. i. 8. There was relaxation only in the
case of the 'free-will offering': Lev. xxii. 23. The victims were always
male in a public offering for the people ; and generally a year old : in no
case less than seven days : Lev. xxii. 27.
As compared with the requirements of other rituals, the Levitical rules
are singularly simple and significant. They contain no restrictions as to
colour, &c.
Salt was used with all sacrifices: Lev. ii. 13; Ex. xxx. 35 R.V.;
comp. Ezek. xliii. 24 ; Mk. ix. 49 v. l.; and see also LXX. Lev. xxiv. 7
(add. ical clll.a).
Salt keeps off corruption ; removes impurity ; acts internally like fire ;
sustains peace (by withdrawing elements of disorder): Mk. ix. 50; and so
it came to be regarded as a symbol of au indissoluble covenant: Num.
xviii. 19.
Compare Philo de met. § 3 (ii. 240 M.) ol clll.£s [uvµ./3oll.ov] a,aµ.ovij~ -rij~
.,.c:;,, ITVf''lrlilJ"rWV, ors yap t,_,, 1r£p11rau8mu1 a,a.,.,,povu,, ical licavov ,rpouo,f,~-
µ.a-ror.
The 'meal-offering' made alone was represented by the 'Shew-bread.'
The offering in Lev. v. 11 was not a true Minchah; and the offerings of
first-fruits were of a different order.
Animal sacrifices alone were made in the sin and guilt offerings (yet
notice Lev. v. 1 1 ).
The burnt and peace offerings included meal and drink offerings.
(3) Characteristics of ritual.
The sacrifices were to be made at an appointed place: Lev. xvii. 3-5.
The access to God was not yet freely open (comp. J ohu iv. 2 1 ).
The structure of the Altar was prescribed : Ex. xx. 24 f. ; xxvii. 1 ff.
In the Sacrifice itself notice must be taken of (a) the imposition of
hands, (b) the killing, (c) the exception of the blood, (a; the application of
the blood, (e) the disposition of the victim, (f) the sacrificial meal.
(a) The Semicah. The imposition of hands (Rabb. i1~•r;i~ xnpo-
8£ula). The offerer laid his hands on all offerings except the Paschal
offering (and birds). Lev. i. 4; iii. 2; iv. 4, 15.
Compare Num. viii. IO (Num. xxvii. 20; Deut. xxxiv. 9) (hands laid on
the Levites); Lev. xvi. 21 (the High-priest laid. both hands on the scape-
goat); Lev. xxiv. 14 (the hands of the witnesses laid on the blasphemer
before he was stoned).
The action expressed an intimate connexion between the offerer and
the victim : in some sense a connexion of life : a dedication to a repre-
sentative office.
The interpretation in each case depended upon the particular office or
act to be fulfilled by the offering.
The (b) The killing (i11?'f'.1~ : n;i.t and blj~ to be distinguished). As a
killing.
general rule the killing of the victim (unless it was a bird) was not the
work of the priest but of the offerer in the case of private sacrifices :
Lev. i. 5 ; iii. 2 ; iv. 24, 29, 33; though the priests might kill them. Compare
Oehler,§ 126.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 293
In sacrifices for the whole nation, the victims were killed by the priests
who here represented the offerers; and so on the Great Day of Atonement
they were killed by the High-priest : Lev. xvi. 15.
In the cleansing of the leper the victims were necessarily killed by the
priest: the leper was outside the Congregation: Lev. xiv. 13, 25.
The victim was killed with the least possible pain : no stress was laid on
death as suffering.
(c) The exception of the blood. (c) The e:r.-
,_The blood of the victim was the appointed means of atonement: Lev.
XVII. II.
:~tt1~
It was received by the priests (2 Chron. xxix. 22 ; comp. 2 Chron.
XXX. 16).
In certain cases it was mixed with water : Lev. xiv. 5 f. ; but nothing
is said in the 0. T. of the mixture noticed in Hebr. ix. 19-
(d) The application of the blood. (d) The
This was the most significant part of the sacrifice. The rules in their applic;-th
solemn variety of detail are charac~ristic of the LeYitical ritual Else-
where we read generally of the blood being poured upon the altars. In
t~~l 8

some cases (e.g. in Arabia) idols were smeared with blood. But there is
apparently no parallel to the minute distinctions as to the use of the blood
observed in Judaism.
The blood was applied by the priests only, and in four different ways.
i. It was 'sprinkled' (i'1t to asperse), i.e. probably it was all thrown
about from the bowl directly or by the hand from the bowl 'on the altar
[ of burnt-offering) round about' : Lev. i. 5 ; iii. 2 ; vii. 2, &c. This was
done in the case of burnt-, peace-, and guilt-offerings.
ii. It was 'applied' (llJt to give) to the horns of the altar of burnt-
offering, and the remainder poure~ out at the base of the altar : Lev.
iv. 30. This was done in the case of a sin-offering for 'one of the common
people.'
iii. It was carried into the Holy place, and some of it was applied to
the horns of the altar of incense and sprinkled (ili!J) with the finger upon
the veil seven times : the remainder was poured out at the base of the altar
of burnt-offering: Lev. iv. 6, 17 f. This was done in the case of a sin-
offering for a priest or for the congregation.
iY. It was carried into the Holy of holies and sprinkled with the finger
'upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat seven times': afterwards
it was applied to the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and sprinkled
upon•it with the finger seYen times: Lev. xvi. 14, 15, 18, 19. [Nothing
is said of the disposition of the remainder of the blood.) This was done on
the Day of Atonement.
(e) The disposition of the victim: ~ Th~
The gift to God by fire followed on the completion of the atonement by t·10nposfi-th
o e
the use of the blood. , victim.
In this connexion the word for 'burning' was not I:}~ (used of con-
suming the remains of offerings outside the camp), but "'11~~;:i 'to cause to
[ ascend as] smoke.'
 294 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
The fire was kept perpetually burning: Lev. vi. 13-
The bumt-offerings, and the offerings whose blood was can-i.ed into the
Holy or most Holy place (sin offerings for the priest or the congregation)
were wholly consumed: Lev. iv. II, 21 ; xvi. 27; Hehr. xiii. 11. So also
were the unbloody offerings for priests.
Other offerings, under special limitations, were consumed by the priests
or made the materials of a feast by the offerer.
Two rites, apparently peculiar to the Jews, have to be noticed in this
connexion, the 'waving' (il~~~l;l) and the 'heaving' (il)?~il;l) of parts of the
offering which were so presented to God and then in some cases resigned
by Him to the priests: Ex. xxix. 23 ff.; Lev. vii. 34; viii. 27 ff.; xxiii. l 1,
20; Num. v. 25; xv. 19 ff.; xviii. 26 ff.; comp. Num. viii. 9 ff.; xviii. 6 f.
The absence of all inspection of the entrails of the victims, which was
usual in Phcenicia, Egypt, &c., is specially to be noticed.
(/) The (f) The Sacrificial meaL
Sacrificial The parts of the offerings which were not consumed by fire were
meal. disposed of in different ways.
i. The unbloody offerings of the people except the part bumt as a
'memorial' (i11~!~) were eaten by the priests alone in the court of the
sanctuary: Lev. vii. 9 f.; x. 12 ff.
ii. The flesh of the guilt-offerings and of the sin-offerings for one of
the people were eaten by the priests in the Holy place: Lev. vi. 25 ff.;
vii. 6 ff.; x. 16 ff.
iii. In the case of the peace- (thank-) offerings (C't,:i?~), after the
disposal of the assigned parts, the offerer made a feast of the remainder
within a fixed time and at a fixed place, to which he invited his household,
his friends and the poor : Lev. vii. l 5 ff. ; xix. 5 ff. ; xxii. 29 f. ; Deut.
xii. 6 ff.
In this last case we have the completest view of the sacrifice offered in
virtue of a covenant relation with God. The offering is made to God, and
He retums part to His worshipper through whom it is made a common
blessing. Thus, as Philo pointed out, God received the faithful offerer to
His own table: de vict. § 8 (ii. 245 M.).
The student will not fail to notice the representative completeness of
the reference to the Levitical Sacrifices in the Epistle. Thus we have the
general description gifts and sacrifices (v. 1 ; viii. 3 f.); and, more particu-
larly sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices for
sin (x. 8). Mention is made of the daily (x. 11) and of the yearly sacrifices
(ix. 6 ff.; x. 1); of the Covenant Sacrifice (ix. 18 ff.); and of the sacrifices
which were provided for removing the legal impurities which impaired the
validity of the Covenant, through contact with death (ix. 13), or in the
COllllllon conduct of life, on the Day of Atonement (v. 3 ; vii. 27 ff. ; ix.
7 f.).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 95

Additional Note on ix. 9. The idea of uu11elo1Juv;.

The conception of 'the conscience'(~ uvv£il3-'lau), which is not developed
in the 0. T. (comp. Ecclus. x. 20; Wisd. xvii. 11 ), comes into clear promin-
ence in the N. T. It presents man as his own judge. Man does not stand
alone. He has direct knowledge of a law-a law of God-which claims his
obedience, and he has direct knowledge also of his own conduct. He
cannot then but compare them and give sentence. His 'conscience,' as
the power directing this process, is regarded apart from himself (Rom. ix. 1 ;
ii. 15). The conscience may be imperfectly disciplined and informed
(1 Cor. x. 25 ff.; viii. 7 ff.; contrast Acts xxiii. 1; 1 Tim. iii. 9; 2 Tim. i. 3;
1 Pet. iii. 16, 21). It may again be modified (1 Cor. viii. 10, 12), and defiled
(Tit. i. 15); and finally it may be seared and become insensible (1 Tim.
iv. 2). The man is responsible for the character which it assumes.
The distribution of the word in the Books of the N. T. is interesting.
It is not found in the Gospels (notice the occurrence in some copies in
[John] viii. 9). It occurs in Acts, the central group of St Paul's Epistles
(1, 2 Cor., Rom.), the Pastoral Epistles (1, 2 Tim., Tit.), the Epistle to the
Hebrews and 1 Peter.
The simplest use is that for direct, personal, knowledge with the gen.
of the object (1 Cor. viii. 7 £13ruXov, 1 Pet. ii. 19 Bwv, Hehr. x. 2 aµ,apnwv),
corresponding to uvv£i3,vai TL (1 Cor. iv. 4).
The absolute use of the word presents various functions which the
conscience fulfils. It is a witness (2 Cor. i. 12; Rom. ii. 15); a judge
(2 Cor. iv. 2; v. 11); a motive (r Pet. ii. 19 a,a (T.; I Cor. x. 25 ff. a,a "n]V u.;
Rom. xiii. 5). It is turned to God (Acts xxiii. r rcji B£cji; xxiv. 16 1rpor
rov Bd,v); and it becomes an object of consideration to men (1 Cor.
x. 28 f.). .
In one passage it is placed in a most significant relation with 'the
heart' and 'faith' (r Tim. i. 5). The end of the Apostolic charge is love
' out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned.' Purity
of personal character, rectitude of moral judgment, sincerity of trust in the
unseen, form the triple foundation of active Christian work.
For the manifold description of the conscience see c. x. 22 note ; and
for references to general discussions see Thayer-Grimm, s.v. Nowhere have
the claims of conscience been more nobly set out than in the writings of
Mencius: Legge's Chinese Classics ii, Prolegg. 61 ff.

Additional Note on ix. 12. On the use of the term 'Blood'

in the Epistle.
I have endeavoured to shew elsewhere (Addit. Note on I John i. 7) The Blood
that the Scriptural idea of Blood is essentially an idea of life and not of the ene;gy
death. This idea is widely spread among primitive races, and finds a ~ffphysical
1l 8,
striking illustration in the familiar passage of the Odyssey, where the
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

ghosts of the dead are represented as receiving strength for a time from the
blood which they eagerly drink: Od. xi. 36 ff.; 95 ff.; 152; 231.
The Blood, in other words, represents the energy of the physical,
earthly, life as it is. The use of the term in the Epistle to the Hebrews
becomes first fully intelligible by taking account of this truth. The Blood
poured out is the energy of present human life made available for others.
1. 'Blood' 1. The first mention of Blood prepares for all that follows from the
in relation conception : Since the children are sharers in blood and .flesh, He also
!~r~1:ti~. Himself in like manner partook of the same•.. (ii. 14). Christ became
true man under such conditions that He could die even as men die, and in
dying make the virtue of His life accessible to the race. For it must be
remembered that in Scripture death under its present form is not regarded
as a natural necessity, but as a consequence of sin. By this perfect
assumption of humanity, the sacrifice of absolute obedience became
possible. In life and in death Christ was able 'to do the will of God,'
both as Son of man and under the circumstances of the Fall (x. 4 ff.).
2. Christ 2. The next mention of Christ's Blood brings before us the accomplish-
enters ment of this work : Through His own Blood [Christ] entered once for all
•through into the Holy place, having obtained eternal redemption (ix. 12). As, in
His
Blood' the type, the Jewish High-priest came before God through and in (v. 25)
into the the power of the life of victims offered up, Christ came before Him
Divine 'through His own Blood 1.' Through a life lived and a death willingly
Presence. home according to the mind of God, He could rightly approach God in
His glorified humanity; and at the same time He provided for men also the
means of approach 'in His Blood.'
3. The 3. This thought comes next. The Life of Christ offered in its purity
Blood of and fulness to God cleanses men, and enables them also to serve Him Who
Christ is a living God (ix. 14). Just as the blood of the appointed victims was
gives ac-
cess to efficacious by Divine promise for the representative of the people, the
God to the Blood of Christ in its essential nature is efficacious for those to whom it
believer. is applied. In the Blood of JeBUB-not simply 'through' it-1ce have
boldness to enter into the Holy place (x. 19). In this respect the Blood
has a twofold action, personal and social. It is the 'blood of sprinkling 1
(xii. 24), touching with its quickening power each believer; and it is also a
force of consecration through which 'Jesus sanctified the people' (xiii 12).
4· The 4. This last passage brings into prominence yet another thought. The
~~o?dti{ Blood of Christ is not only available for individual men. It has established
ratI~ca- e for the race a new relation to God. The offered Life in which Christ
tion of an found the glorified Life of the Resurrection (xiii. 20 oavayay&>v l,c 11£,cpoo11•••
eternal Iv aYµ,ar, •.. ), is, in virtue of His Nature, the blood qf an eternal covenant
Covenant. (l. c.). In this the Christian is sanctified (x. 29) when he is admitted into
the Christian Society. And, however little we may be able to give
distinctness to the truth, its hallowing, cleansing, power reaches to all
finite things with which man has contact.
The mere indication of the passages, as they follow one after the other

1 In connexion with the thought in ritual temples and their vessels were
ix. 23 it is interesting to notice that consecrated by blood: Li Ki xviii. § 2,
according to the primitive· Chinese pp. 2, 33 (S. B. E. xxviii. 169 f.).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2 97
and reveal the harmonious completeness of the apostolic teaching, will be
enough to encourage the student to examine them in detail in their mutual
relations.

.Additional Note on 1x. 12. The idea of ">-..vTpovu0ai,

71.1JTpro<rt~, &c.
The use in the N. T. of the group of words connected with >..vrpov is The use of
based upon their use in the LXX. All the simple forms ("ll.vrpov, XvTporo, ~vrpov &c.
"ll.vrprou,,, >..vrpror,j,) are found there together with the compound a,ro"ll.vrpovv m the Lxx.
(Ex. xxi. 8 for M1~; Zeph. iii. 1 for ,~m.
The word Xvrpov, in relation to men, represents ,p!i, as a ransom for a
life: Ex. xxi. 30; xxx. 12; Num. xxxv. 31 f.; Prov. xiii. 8 (l~O..auµ,aAq.
Sym. Th.) comp. Prov. vi. 35; ,,,:ii?, as the price of a captive: Is. xlv. 13;
M:IJ?O (M1~), and n~~f as the price of ~edemption of a slave: Lev. xix. 20,
and xxv. 51 f. (comp. Num. iii. 46 ff.; xviii. 15); and more widely il~~f,
as the price of redemption of land: Lev. xxv. 24.
The verb Xvrpovu0ai is very frequent as the translation of 't-:1 and
il1~ (of each more than forty times). It is used literally of the 'redemption'
of that which has been alienated; Lev. xxv. 25 ff. ("ll.vrp,l,ufm1 r~v ,rpauw
rov a3f"ll.<f,ov); xxvii. 13 ff.; and in a more general sense of deliverance
from the power of outward enemies: Ps. cvi. [cvii.] 2, &c.; from the power
of sin : Ps. cxxix. [cxxx.] 8 ; Dan. iv. 24 ; and from the power of death :
Hos. xiii. 14. It was specially used of the 'redemption' of Israel from
Egypt: Ex. vi. 6 (AvTpwuoµ,a, vµ,os Ell fJpaxlov, v,f,71>..<p t<al t<pi<Tfl JJ,£,'d.ATJ);
xv. 13; Deut. vii. 8; ix. 26; xiii. 5; 2 Sam. vii. 23; Ps. lxxvi. [lxxvii.] 16:
Mic. vi. 4; and of that future 'redemption' of which this was a type : Is.
xxxv. 9; xli. 14; xliii. 1, 14).
AvTproui. occurs with the full breadth of the meaning of the verb: of
the redemption of a slave (Lev. xxv. 48), of the firstborn (NUill. xviii. 16), of
the people (Ps. ex. [cxi.] 9), of the penitent (Ps. cxxix. [cxxx.] 7). Comp.
Jud. i. 15 (a false reading of the Hebr.).
Avrpror1,, which is not quoted from classical authors, is found in
Ps. xviii. [xix.] 15; lxxvii. [lxxviii.] 35 (for l;,~i). [The form Xvrproral in
Lev. xxv. 31, 32 is wrongly referred to the noun; it is evidently from the
verbal AvTproro•. ]
In the N. T. >..vrpov occurs only in Matt. xx. 28 II Mk. x. 45 3ovva, ~" The use in
'VVX~" UVTOV AVTpov avrl ,ro>..x,;;,,_ The compound avrO..vrpov is found in the N. T.
1 Tim. ii. 6 X. 'I. o3oiJ, EOVTOII avrl"ll.vrpov vrr•p 7Td.llTOJII.
The verb "ll.vrpovu0ai is comparatively rare. It occurs only three times,
Lk. xxiv. 2 l /ln avTo, E<TTIV Oµ,DI..Xrov AVTpovu0a, T6V 'Iupa,jA. Tit. ii. 14 iva
AVTp,J,<TTJTUI 1,,,a. a,ro 7Td.<TTJ~ avoµ,la.. l Pet. i. 18 ov <f,0apro'i,••• h .. vrpoo071n EiC
Tij, µ,amlar VJJ,6111 avaurpo<f,ij •••• aAA<l r,µ,l<p aiµ,aTI... The variety of con-
struction in these three passages is strikingly representative, (I) absolutely,
(2) with dm,, (3) with t1< and the addition of dat. instr. 'A,ro"ll.vrpovu0ai is
not found in the N. T.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

AUTp6><TL!/ occurs Lk. i. 68 l1rot1J<TEV A.VTPOJ<TLV T,f> A.ace m!T'Oii. ii. 38 TOLi/
1rpoulJ,xoµ,,vo,11 A.VTP6>0LV 'l,povuaA.1/JJ,. Hebr. ix. I 2 al6>vtav A.VTP6><TLV •vpaµ,vo11.
'A1ro°JI.UTp6>u,r is much more common: Lk. xxi. 28 Jyyt(,, ~ rl1ro°Jl.vTpw,n11
vµ,oov. Rom. iii. 24 a,a Tijs rl1r. Tij11 lv x. 'I. viii. 23 n}v ri,r. TOV uooµaTO!I.
I Cor. i. 30 f>r ('I11uoii11) Jy,v1B11 ..• 1µ,'iv •• .d1r. Eph. i. 7 II Col. i. I4 lv re lxoµ.,v
TtJV rl1roA.trrp6><rtv. id. i. 14 ,l11 d1r. Tijs 1r•pmoL1/<TE6'!/. iv. 30 .Z11 ~µ.lpav ri,r.
. I 5, ELI/
H,ebr. IX., , a1r. • ,1r1
, T6>V , ' TU• 1rp6>Ty
' via ~ tJ'1JKU ,rap..,.,au,oov.
.Q' • , ~
XI. 35 ov 1rpo<rv•-
faµ,,vo, TTJV a,r.
AvTp6>T'JII is found only in Acts vii. 35 ToiiTov (M"'vuijv) o tJ,/,11 1<.al.
apxovra 1<.al A.VTP6>T'JV ri1r<<TTaA.1<.EV.
The whole group of words, it will be seen, with the exception of the
single occurrence of °Jl.vTpov in the Synoptic narrative, is confined to the
Epistles of St Paul and writings (including r Peter) which are strongly
coloured by his language. They are entirely absent from the writings of
St John.
The gene- The conception of 'redemption' lies in the history of Israel The
ral idea of deliverance from Egypt furnished the imagery of hope. To this the work of
the image.. Christ offered the perfect spiritual anti type. This parallel is of importance,
for it will be obvious from the usage of the LXX. that the idea of a ransom
received by the power from which the captive is delivered is practically
lost in °Jl.vTpovuBai, &c. It cannot be said that God paid to the Egyptian
oppressor any price for the redemption of His people. On the other hand
the idea of the exertion of a mighty force, the idea that the 'redemption'
costs much, is everywhere present. The force may be represented by
Divine might, or love, or self-sacrifice, which become finally identical. But
there is no thought of any power which can claim from God what is not
according to the original ordinance of His righteous compassion.
No It follows that the discussions which have been raised on the question
t~ought of 'To whom was the ransom for man's redemption paid' are apt to be
~hif:;:~ misleading. The deliverance of man from the debt, the captivity, the
ceives the bondage of sin-however we express the image-eould only be through the
ransom. satisfaction of the claims of a violated law. These claims regarded under
the light of punishment present a twofold aspect. To him who rebels
against the divine law, they are simply pain : to him who humbly submits
himself to it, they are a salutary discipline. The first aspect includes the
truth which was expressed by the patristic conception that Christ paid the
ransom of man to the devil : the second includes the truth expressed by
the later view that the ransom was paid to God. Each view however is
essentially incomplete, and it is perilous to attempt to draw conclusions
from limited interpretations of Scripture.
The idea The idea of 'redemption,' 'deliverance,' in the spiritual order requires
t 're;;. , to be supplemented by the idea of 'purchase.' Man has no power of
0 ~:~1;~:d standing by himself. His freedom lies in his complete acceptance of the
by the idea will of God. When therefore he is 'redeemed' from the power of evil he
of 'pu;- is also 'purchased,' so as to become wholly in the hands of God. The idea
chase. of 'purchase,' though of less frequent occurrence in the N. T. than the idea
of 'redemption,' is more widely spread. It occurs in St Paul, 2 Peter, and
the Apocalypse (dyopa(nv, lfayopa(nv).
I Cor. vi. 20 0~/(. JuTJ taVTC»V, ~yopcw·tJT/TE yap TLµ.fj11.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 299
I Cor. vii. 22 f. ol}w;&,pM KA71&,1s toiitu,s lrrn XptOTov. nµ.ijs 1-yop&u&.,..,
µ.~ -ylv,rr0£ aovAoL dv&poo,rr,)11.
2 Pet. ii. I TOIi a-yoparraVTa mlTovs aEU"7TOTrJII dpvoJµ.,vo,.
Apoc. v. 9 lrrcpa-y71s Kai 1-yoparras T<ji 0£,ji lv nji aZµ.aTl ,rov iK 7TOU"71S cpvAijs
Kai -yAooU"U"71S Kal Aaou Kal l&vovs ••••
- xiv. 3 f. (gtovrr,v ws ~a~,, Kat,,;,11) ol 1-yoparrµ.,vo, d1ro ~s yijs ••.
oJTo, 1-yoparr&'luav dm> Tedll dv0poo7T6)11, drrapxiJ T<ji 0£,ji ,cal
T'f>. apv1.rp.
, '
The compound lea-yopa(Ew combines the thought of redemption with that
of purchase :
Gal. iii. 13 XptOTOS ~µ.as 1e11yopau£11 l,c ~s /CaTapas TOV 110µ.ov -YEVOJJ,EIIOS
V'll'Ep ~µ.oov KaTapa.
- iv. 4 f. £Ea1rlUT£1,A£v O Ot:Os -r6v vlbv ai}-roV ... i.'va ToOs- V7f'd vOµov
ffayopilun, Lva ,-f]v vloBEulav d1ToA.Cl/3roµEv.
The Christian, it appears, is bought at the price of Christ's Blood for
God. He is Christ's bond-servant, and at the same time God's son by
adoption. They that have been purchased have a work for others : they
are first-fruits to God and the Lamb.

Additional Note on ix. 14 Aspects of Christ's Sacrifice.

The Levitical Sacrifices expressed, as we have seen, several great ideas,

the ideas of atonement and fellowship resting upon the idea of a covenant.
They brought before the people in vivid types thoughts of cleansing and
divine communion through which God realised the gracious purpose which
He made known when He took them to Himself. Under outward forms
and limitations they shewed how man might yet reach the destiny for
which he was created. ·
The self-sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross fulfilled absolutely all that
was thus shadowed forth. That Sacrifice is presented to us in the Epistle
under three distinct aspects :
(1) As a Sacrifice of Atonement (ix. 14, 15);
(2) As a Covenant Sacrifice (ix. 15-17); and
(3) As a Sacrifice which is the groundwork of a Feast (xiii 10, 11 ).
In each respect it had a spiritual, an eterna~ a universal validity, where
the type had been necessarily external and confined.
These several aspects are considered in detail in the notes on the
passages which deal with them, but there is one common feature which
may be more conveniently noticed here. In the animal sacrifices of the
Law two points are carefully distinguished which our own habits of thought
lead us more or less to confuse, the killing of the victim, and the application
of the blood The killing was properly the act of the person on whose
behalf the victim was presented, or, in the case of a public sacrifice, of the
representative of the people. The application of the blood was the office
of the priests only. Christ was Offerer at once and Offering. In Him the
victim and the people and the priest were one. He therefore performed
both acts, He offered Himself through the eternal Spirit (ix. 14), and so
300 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
by the surrender of life He fulfilled the work of the people, of the humanity
which He had assumed. Through His Blood He entered into the Divine
Presence and cleansed the heavenly archetypes of the earthly sanctuary
(ix. 12, 23), and so by the impartment of a new life He fulfils the work of
the priest, having realised in His divine-human nature the end of man's
existence.
The direct references to Christ's Death are naturally less frequent than
the references to His Blood. Death, with its unnatural agony, was the
condition, under the actual circumstances of fallen man, whereby alone
the Life of the Son of man could be made available for the race (ii. 9, 14;
comp. l Cor. xi. 26; Rom. v. 10; vi. 3 f.; Phil ii. 8; iii. 10; Col. i. 22).
The Blood was the energy of Christ's true human life, under the circum-
stances of earth, whereby alone man's life receives the pledge and the power
of a divine glory (see Addit. Note on v. 12).
Thus the two-the Blood and the Death-correspond generally with
the two sides of Christ's work, the fulfilment of the destiny of man as
created and the fulfilment of this destiny though man has fallen. The
first would have been necessary even though sin had not interrupted the
due course of man's progress and relation to God. It becomes necessary
therefore, in order to gain a complete view of the Sacrifice of Christ, to
combine with the crowning act upon the Cross His fulfilment of the will of
God from first to last (x. 5 ff.), the Sacrifice of Life with the Sacrifice of
Death. And when we look back over the facts of Christ's Sacrifice
brought forward in the Epistle we notice two series of blessings gained
for men by Him, the one series answering to the restoration of man's
right relation to God which has been violated by sin, and the other
answering to the fulfilment of the purpose of creation, the attainment by
man of the Divine likeness : on the one side we recognise a re-opened
entrance into the Holiest closed against fallen man and fresh access to God,
on the other side sovereignty over 'the house' and free intercourse with
God.

.Additional Note on 1x. 16. The rneaning of oia0771C'1] in

lX. I 5 ff.
r. The meaning of l3ia01K'l in the N. T. must be determined in the first
instance by the use of the word in the LXX. In the LXX. l3,a0,jK1J and
lJiaTl0,µm are the reg:nlar representatives of n•7f and "::I n:if (with two
exceptions : Deut. ix. 1 5 al lJvo 1rXaKH Truv µapTvp/,,,.,. 1 K. xi. 11 Tas
<VToX&s). In one place (Zech. xi. 14) l3ia01K1J represents the more specific
idea of 'brotherhood' (i1)q~) (comp. Ed. 5, Ps. ii 7). Elsewhere it has
uniformly the meaning of Co'Denant in the translation of the books of the
Hebrew Canon (so in the three other places where it represents other
words than n17f: Ex. xxxi. 7 [miyJ; Deut. ix. 5 [,:;i,J; Jer. xli. (xxxiv.) 18
::i:rJJ;
[n'"'l-i11:1 1 compare also Lev. xxvi l l ; Ezek. xvi 29); and, as repre-
senting n'if, it is applied to a covenant between peoples (Josh. ix. 6;
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 301
Jud. ii. 2) and between persons (1 Sam. xxiii. 18; 2 Sam. iii. 12 f. &c.;
Mal ii. 14). The same sense is preserved in the Apocrypha except in
Ecclus. xxxviii 33 lhaOryJ<r}v icpiµaros oil a,avo11011uo11Tai, and xlv. 17 tv
l!,a011ica,s icp,µan,,v, where it appears to have the original and wider sense
of 'disposition,' 'arrangement.' There is not the least trace of the meaning
'testament' in the Greek Old Scriptures, and the idea of a 'testament'
was indeed foreign to the Jews till the time of the Herods: comp. Jos. Ant.
xiii. 1, 16, 1; xvii. 3, 2; B. J. ii. 2, 3.
~vv01J"'1, the ordinary word for covenant, is very rare in the LXX., though
it is used several times by the later translators (Aqu. Symm. Theod.) as the
rendering of rl'if. The choice of a,a011ic11 to express the notion of a divine
covenant is easily intelligible. In a divine 'covenant' the parties do not
stand in the remotest degree as equal contractors (uvv0'7K1J), God in His
good pleasure makes the arrangement which man receives, though he is
not passive (2 K. xi. 17). Such a covenant is a 'disposition,' an 'ordain-
ment,' an expression of the divine will which they to whom it is made
reverently welcome.
2. In classical writers, on the other hand, from the time of Plato,
<i,a01)K1J generally means 'a testament,' 'a will,' a 'disposition' (of property,
&c.) to take effect after death ; though the more general sense of 'arrange-
ment,' 'agreement,' is also found (Arist. Av. 440).
3. PHILO (de nom. mut. §§ 6 ff.; i. 586 t: M.) refers to a treatise of his on
'Covenants' (amO~,cm), which has unfortunately been lost. But in the same
context he states the general idea which he attached to a Divine a,aOryJ<rJ,
'Covenants' he says 'are written for the benefit of those who are worthy of
bounty. So a Covenant is a symbol of grace, which God sets between Himself
Who extends the boon and man who receives it' (l. c.). And directly after
he presents God Himself as 'the highest kind of Covenant, the beginning
and source of all graces.' In another 'phrase of the passage he shews how
easy it was to pass from the sense of 'covenant' to 'will': '[God] acknow-
ledges that He will leave to the sinless and blameless an inheritance by
terms of a covenant (KaTa a,a011Kas), which it is fitting for God to give and
for a wise man to receive. For He says: I will place My Covenant between
Me and thee' (Gen. xvii. 2). Comp. de sacr. Ab. § 14 (i. 172 f. M.).
JosEPHUS uses the word several times for 'will' (Ant. xvii. 3, 2; 9, 7;
B. J. ii. 2, 3), and he appears to avoid the phrases of the LXX. 1J ic1{:JroTor T~s
<i,a01JK1JS and the like, using ,c,{:JroTos only.
4. In the N. T. the sense of 'covenant' is unquestionable, except in two
passages: Gal. iii. 15 ; and the passage under consideration (Heb. ix. 15 f.).
For the former passage see Bp. Lightfoot's note, who defends the sense
'covenant.' Compare Matt. xxvi. 28 and parallels ; Acts iii. 25 ; vii 8 ;
and notice the plural : Rom. ix. 4 ; Gal iv. 24; Eph. ii. 12 (Wisd. xviii. 22 ;
Ecclus. xliv. II; 2 Mace. viii 15).
5. The Latin renderings of <iiaO,,ic11 are instructive. In the N. T. the
rendering is uniformly testamentum, even where the sense of covenant is
unquestionable (Lk. i. 72; Acts iii 25 (d. dispositionis); vii. 8 (d. dispo-
sitionem); Rom. xi. 27) and in quotations from the 0. T. where f~dus
stands in the Vulgate rendering of the O. T. itself: Jer. xxxi. 31 (c. viii. 8).
302 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

The rendering is undoubtedly due to the Old Latin translation which

Jerome in his cursory revision left untouched. The first translators
naturally gave the ordinary equivalent of lJ&aBi/t<TJ, It is, however, not
unlikely that in the common language testamentum was not restricted to
the classical sense of will but had the wider meaning of eharta testium
subacriptionibus .firmata, which is not uncommon in later ecclesiastical
documents. See Du Cange s. v.
Even in the 0. T. the Old Latin rendering had such authority that the
phrase area testamenti occurs four times (Ex. xxx. 26; Num. xiv. 44;
2 Regg. vi. 15 ; J er. iii. 16) for the common rendering area f mderis ; and
so in Mai. iii. l we have angelus testamenti; comp. Zech. ix. 11 and Dan.
iii. 34 (Vulg.); xi. 28, 30, 32; Is. xiv. 13.
Elsewhere (except in the version of the Psalms taken from 0. L. where
Jerome has pactum), the rendering of n1'1.p by fmdus appears to be
universal
The Syriac Versions transliterate the Greek word.
6. The Biblical evidence then, so far as it is clear, is wholly in favour
of the sense of 'covenant,' with the necessary limitation of the sense of the
word in connexion with a divine covenant. When we pass to the considera-
tion of the sense of lJ,a0i/t<TJ in c. ix. 15 ff. one preliminary remark offers
itself. The connexion of vv. 15-18 is most close: v. 16 01rov yap ... : v. 18
oBEv avU ....
This connexion makes it most difficult to suppose that the key-word
(lJ,aBi/t<TJ) is used in different senses in the course of the verses, and especially
that the characteristic of a particular kind of lJ&a8'71<TJ, essentially different
from the 1rpwTTJ lJ&aBryt<TJ of m,. 15, 18, should be brought forward in v. 16.
For it is impossible to maintain that the sacrifices with which the Old
Covenant was inaugurated could be explained on the supposition that it
was a 'Testament.' Nor does it appear that it could be called a 'Testa-
ment' in any sense.
It is then most reasonable to conclude that lJ,aBi/t<TJ has the same sense
throughout, and that the sense is the otherwise universal one of 'covenant,'
m1less there are overwhelming arguments against such a view.
7. But it is said that there are such arguments : that the mention of
an 'inheritance' suggests the thought of 'a wil~' and that the phrases Blwarav
<p•pw·Ba, rov lJ,aBEµ,vav, i7TL VEt<pa'is, OTE' Cu o lJ,aBEµE'VOS require it; and
further it is asked how cari it be said that a covenant requires 'death' to
give it validity ?
8. In answer to these contentions it must be replied that the mention
of the 'inheritance' in v. 15 does not appear to furnish any adequate
explanation of a transition from the idea of 'Covenant' to that of
'Testament.' It is true that Christ has obtained an inheritance (i. 4); and
it is also true that He entered on the possession of it through death ; but
it cannot be said that He 'bequeathed' it to His people. He 'made a
disposition' in favour of His people (Luke xxii. 29). By union with Him
they eajoy together with Him what is His. But He does not give them
anything apart from Himself. It is also of importance in this respect to
notice that the thought of the bequeathal of an inheritance by Christ to
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
His people is not supported by any other passage of Scripture (not by
Luke xxii. 29).
Again there can be no question that in v. I 5 Christ is spoken of as 'the
mediator of a new covenant' (comp. vii 22 ,yyvos). Now the conceptions
of Christ as the 'Mediator of a Covenant' and as a 'Testator,' the 'framer
of a will,' are essentially distinct. A Covenant is a disposition of things
determined by God for man and brought about through Christ: a Testament
would be the expression of Christ's own will as to what should be after His
death. The thoughts are wholly different; and the idea of death is unable
in itself to combine them. The Covenant might include the necessity of
the Mediator's Death, but the admission of that necessity does not convert
the Covenant. into a Testament, or place the Mediator in a position of a
Testator. He who fulfils the Covenant may indeed by the Covenant secure
rights which He can communicate to others after death, but such a
communication is not a testamentary disposition.
Yet further : if the writer had had in his mind the simple fact of the
death of a testator it is unintelligible that he should have used language
so strange as l1rl JJ£Kpo'is and cp,prn·Ba1. Nor is the use of l1rl JJ£Kpo'is
explained by the supposed choice of the words to meet the case of the Old
Covenant, to which the idea of a Testament does not apply (yet comp. Lact.
Inst. iv. 20).

9. It does not therefore appear that the sense of 'testament' clears

away the difficulties of the passage in itself, or in relation to the context.
Is it possible then, on the other hand, to give an intelligible meaning to
the passage if the sense 'covenant' is retained throughout? To meet this
question fairly it is necessary to recal what has been already said by the
Apostle.
The course of thought appears to be this. In v. I 5 the two notions of a
'covenant' and a 'death' have been introduced. The death, as it is first
presented, is presented as a means for redemption from past obligations.
But when it has once been brought forward the question arises: Had it no
further meaning in this connexion ? The answer is found in a reference to
the rites by which covenants were solemnly ratified. A sacrifice was a
constituent part of the ratification ; and it must be remembered that the
sacrifices of the Old Covenant included not only death but also the
sprinkling of blood, already touched on in the reference to the Sacrifice
of the New Covenant. The early phrases used for making a covenant
shew that the idea of death actually entered into the conception of a
covenant: n 1")f n'J~', lip,cia -r,p.JJnJJ, icerefred11,s.
In some way or other the victim which was slain and, in some cases at
least, divided (Gen. xv. 10, comp. v. 18; Jer. xxxiv. 18 f.), represented the
parties to the covenant.
Probably the fundamental idea was that so far as this special arrange-
ment was concerned they had no longer will or life. The arrangement was
final and unchangeable.
In ordinary covenants the death of the persons who made the covenant
was represented of necessity in symbol only, and both parties were alike
liable to change. In the Covenant of the Gospel, Christ, being Himself
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
truly man, represented humanity, as the victims represented the Jewish
people at the founding of the Mosaic Covenant ; and by His death He
fulfilled the Covenant for men eternally, and satisfied the conditions on
which forgiveness rests. He shewed that the promise of God was inviolable,
and He shewed also how man could avail himself of its provisions. The
redemption which was accomplished was the pledge of the fulfilment of the
promise in the Covenant still to be realised.
For here fresh considerations offer themselves which underlie the
argument of the passage. The Covenant to which the writer looks is, as
has been seen, not one between man and man, who meet as equal parties,
but between man and God. The death of the covenant-victim therefore
assumes a new character. It figures not only the unchangeableness of
death but also the self..surrender of death.
IO. If then the view be adopted that the sense of a,a0rJ1<1J remains
unchanged throughout as 'Covenant,' the general force of the argument
will be this :
The system, the dispensation, established by Christ corresponds in the
truest sense to a New Covenant, and rests upon a Covenant. A Covenant
indeed requires for absolute validity the ratification by death, as is con-
spicuously illustrated by the fundamental covenant-sacrifice in Gen. xv. and
by the Covenant with Israel.
And this condition was satisfied by Christ. He was Himself the
Covenant-Victim. In this aspect He attested the inviolable force of the
Covenant which He established. Not in a figure only, but in reality, He
shewed how the Covenant was valid and must be valid. He made the
new relation of man to God possible and sure. His Death was an atone-
ment for sin, and it was a perfect ratification of the Covenant which He
made 'in His blood,' in His life offered and communicated. In Him
humanity fulfilled its part. For here we are considering not a Covenant
between man and man, but between man and God. And that man may
enter into such a relation he must yield up life, that he may receive it
again. This Christ has done once for all for men, and in Him, in virtue of
His Life, all men can draw nigh to God.
Hence the ceremonies connected with the inauguration of the Old
Covenant become fully intelligible. In that case also the life offered was
imparted to the people in a symbol. The blood of the victims whose death
marked the ratification of the Covenant was sprinkled on the people and on
the sanctuary.
It can cause no surprise that the patristic interpretations rest on the
sense of 'wilL'
It was natural that the Greek Commentators (from Chrysostom down-
wards) should take the familiar sense of a,a8,J1<1J, and Latin Commentators
found it given (apparently) by the text which they used. Yet there are
traces of the other idea being still remembered, as in an interesting note of
Isidore of Pelusium : -r~v <TV118,J,c'111, -rov-r•un -r~v l1rayy£>..la11, a,aB,J1<1JV ,J 0££a
ICQA£L ypacf,1, a,a. To {3i{3awv /CQI d1rapa/3a-ro11· uvv0ij,cai ,-,.iv yap rro>..A.a/CLS"
dva-rpl1ro11-ra,, a,a0ij,cai a, v&,-,.,,-,.o, ovaa,-,.oo'" (Epp. ii 196).
x.. 1] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

x. x C,a&v 7ap ixwv d voµor;; 'TWV µe"J\.'7\.ov-rwv

11L The Old Sacrifices and the character they were designed to de-
New: the abiding efficacy of Christ!s clare a need which they did not satis-
One Sacrifice (c. x. 1-18). fy (v. 3) ; and which essentially they
In the preceding section the writer could not satisfy (v. 4).
of the Epistle has pointed out the 'For as having a shadow only of
completeness of the one single High- the good things to come, not the 'Dery
priestly work of Christ in comparison image of the objects, the Law can
with the crowning service of the Old never, by the same sacrifices which
Covenant on the Day of Atonement. they offer year by year, make perfect
He once for all was offered (c. ix. 28); for ever those who come to worship.
and in due time, coming forth from • Since in that case would they not
the Divine Presence, He will proclaim have ceased to be offered because the
the consummation of His work. Thus worshippers woulr;l have had no more
He stands in sharp contrast to the conscience of sins, when they had been
Levitical High-priests. Their work cleansed oncefor all? 3 But in them
was repeated because it was essentially sins are called to remembrance year
imperfect. In other words, that which by year ; 4for it is impossible that
seemed to give it special attractive- blood of bulls and goats should take
ness and power, as appealing sensibly away sins.
to the worshipper year by year by a 1. 0'1Ctav ... uAr,roO'a,] The sen-
visible and impressive service, was a tence is complicated, and the natural
sign of its inefficacy and transitoriness order of the words is modified by the
to those who looked deeper. Because desire of the writer to emphasise the
the Law witnessed to something which main ideas of his statement. If we
it did not include or convey, its mess- adopt the reading Mvarm the render-
age was given again and again. This ing appears to be fairly clear: For as
thought is now extended from the having a shadow only of the good
general representative sacrifice to the things to come, not the very image of
Levitical sacrifices generally. The • the objects, the Law can never, by the
Apostle points out (1) the inherent same sacrifices which they-the ap-
weakness and the provisional office of pointed ministers of the system-offer
these sacrifices (x. 1-4); and, in con- year by year, in a continually recur-
trast with these, (2) the true nature ring cycle, make perfect for ever those
of the Sacrifice of Christ (5-10). He who come to God on the way which it
then shews (3) the perpetual efficacy opens.
of Christ's Sacrifice from His present In this rendering it is assumed that
position of Kingly Majesty (u-14); the two phrases ,car' iv,avrov and £lr
and (4) the consequent fulfilment in rb a,1711r,c,r are placed (irregularly) at
Him of the prophetic description of the head of the clauses to which they
the New Covenant (15-18). belong in order to bring out the con-
(1) m,. 1-4. The essential inade- ceptions of 'yearly repetition I and
quacy of the Legal sacrifices to remove 'perpetuity' of effect, which respect-
sin. ively characterise the Old and New
The sacrifices of the Mosaic system Covenants.
could not bring nArlwO'<r, for just The same purpose of emphasis ex-
what they did once they did afresh plains the fact that £1r rb tl,1111£,clr pre-
when the time came round (v. 1); and cedes the verb to which it belongs,
such repetition could not have been while elsewhere it follows it: 'DV. 12,
required if they had been spiritually 14; vii 3.
efficacious (v. 2 ). Viewed in their real The connexion of Elr ro tl,'l}vE1<•r with
W. H.8 20
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. I

uXnooum is further supported by the tual: Rom. viii. 29; Col i. 19 (with
parallel in 1'. 1 1 where the words Ka0' Lightfoot's note) ; iii. 10.
qµ.lpav, T<tr avTdr 1rpou</J. 0., exactly Compare Cic. De Ojfic. iii. 17. 69
correspond with Kar' lviavr&v, ra'is Nos veri juris germanwque }ustitim
avTa'is 0. &s 7rpou</J., and 7rEpt<AELII solidam et expressam effigiem nullam
aµ,apTlas with Els TO a,'I"· TEA. It also tenemus, umbra et imaginibus utimur.
agrees better with the sense of Els TO Pro Clwlio, c. v. 12.
a,1J.,EKis. The figure is common in Philo. See
If Els TO l311J11EKis is joined with de migr. Abr. § 2 (i. 438 M.); de conf.
1rpou</Jipn11 in the sense of the Vulgate ling. § 37 (i. 434 M.).
indesinenter, 'without cessation,' ' as See c. viii.· 5 note.
long as the Law lasts,' it loses the Chrysostom explains the language
peculiar force which it has elsewhere (inadequately) of the outline in con-
of marking an act which issues in a trast with the finished picture. loos
permanent result, permanent in con- /1-£11 yap ~II cJ~ /11 ypa</Jf, 7rEp1J:yy TIS Td
tinuous duration and not only in suc- xp@µ,ara O'KLCl TL~ ECTTlv, Orav a; rO
cessive repetition ; and it is specially t5.v0os l1raA•ti/ty TIS Kal lmxpluy Td
difficult to suppose that the same xpooµ,aTa, TOTE ,lKOOII yiv<ral (so Alcuin).
combination of words should be used Comp. Euthym. Zig. rijs o-1<1as
differently in the same chapter. TEAEioou&s /, /3,a. TOOi/ xpooµ,a.TOOII a1rap-
nuµ,os, ']yovv 'I EIKOOII.
1 ) ,,. C ) I
o-Ki<lv yCJ.{J Excov ... oVK. aVr~v T~v £l1e.]
For as ha1'ing a shadow of the good 'l.'he difference between the 'shadow'
things to come the Law ... Vulg. Um- and the 'image' is well illustrated
bram enim habens ...non ipsam ima- by the difference between a ' type'
ginem rerum ... The emphatic position and a 'sacrament,' in which the cha-
of the participle (as opposed too yap racteristic differences of the Old and
voµ,os u1<1a11 lxoov) contrasts forcibly the New Covenants are gathered up.
nature of the Law with the nature of The one witnesses to grace and truth
Christ's work which has been just set beyond and outside itself: the other
forth. The iteration, the inefficacy, is the pledge and the means through
the transitoriness of the services of the which grace and truth are brought
Law which culminated in that on the home to us.
Day of Atonement, followed from the Hence many saw in 'the good things
fact that it 'had a shadow only of the to come' the sacraments of the Christ-
good things to come! It could pro- ian Church; and Theophylact, accept-
vide nothing more than symbolic, and ing this interpretation, carries our
therefore recurrent, offerings, which in thoughts still further. As the image
different ways witnessed to an idea is better than the shadow, so, he argues,
that they were inadequate to fulfil will the archetype be better than the
The words contain one of the very image, the realities of the unseen
few illustrations which are taken from world than 'the mysteries' which now
art in the N. T. The 'sliadow' is represent them.
the dark outlined figure cast by the One other point is to be noticecl
object-as in the legend of the origin Things visible and sensible are the
of the bas-relief-contrasted with the shadows : things unseen and spiritual
complete representation (,l1<cJ11) pro- are the substance. The whole world
duced by the help of colour and solid is made for us a shadow of some un-
mass. The El1ecJv brings before us imaginable glory.
under the conditions of space, as we Toov p.EAA. dy.] of the good things to
can understand it, that which is spiri- come, the blessings which belonged to
X. 1] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

EJ/taV'TOJ/ Tat<; au-ra't<; Ov<rtat<; T &,; 7rpo<r<pEpovt:TLJ/ eis 'TO

CLr]J/€K€<;
\ ,~'
OV0€7rO'T€
~'
ovva-rat \
'TOU<;
'
7rpo<repxoµevov,; 'TEA.EL-

1 a'OTWP
1 -ra.,s a.ura.,s ... ouva.rn,. See Additional Note.

the 'coming age' (c. vi. 5), 'the com- to take the subject from Tovs 1rpou-
ing order' (c. ii. 5). These are here Epxoµ,evovs.
spoken of as future from the stand- £ls TO a,1111....TOVS 1rpo<T£PX· T£A£LW<Ta1]
point of the Law. And, though they make perfect .for ever-so that the
were essentially realised by the accom- effect once obtained lasts onwa1·ds
plishment of Christ's work (c. ix. II without break-those worshippers who
-roiv yoo,.,.,110011 dy.), they still remain come to God through the High-priest
in part yet future in regard to man's or priests. The whole congregation
full enjoyment of them (c. xiii. 14). is included in the' title, which cannot
TWV 11'pay,.,.a-rrov] 'the real objects.' be limited either to the priests or to
The word is unusual in this sense. It special offerers. The daily sacrifices
expresses Ta ,.,.t>..'1..oVTa dya8a so far as and the sacrifices on the Day of Atone-
they were embodied. Comp. c. vi. 18; ment were for all.
xi I, nXnwuai] See Additional Note on
KaT' <viavTov] The words go with the ii IO,
whole clause. The reference is not £ls To lJ111v£Kis] Vulg. indesinenter,
exclusively to the services of the Day 0.L. in f requentiam. The phrase is
of Atonement, but to the whole sacri- found in the N.T. only in this Epistle:
ficial system of the Law, completed in vv. 12, 14 (Vulg. in sempiternum);
a yearly cycle, which started (so to vii. 3 (Vulg. in perpetuum) note. As
speak) from the 'continual' bumt- distinguished from £ls rov alwva it
offcring and was crowned on the Day expresses the thought of a continu-
of Atonement 'once in the year' (c. ix. ously abiding result. The former
7). Year by year, when all had been phrase looks to the implied absence
done only to be repeated, the power- of limit while £ls TO a,11v£KES affirms
lessness of the legal atonements was uninterrupted duration in regard to
vividly set forth. And on the other some ruling thought.
hand (this thought lies behind) all the ovai1ron] v. I l. The use of this
Levitical sacrifices, the daily sacrifices temporal negative in place of the sim-
habiiually offered by the priests (v. ple negative emphasises the thought
I I), and the single yearly sacrifice of of the many occasions, of the long
the High-priest, found their fulfilment experience, by which the inefficacy of
in Christ. the sacrifices was shewn.
TaLS avm,s ... ] The identical repeti- The word otllJfooT£ is rare in N.T.
tion was a sign of the powerlessness (in· Epp. only here and 1 Cor. xiii 8
of the system. It could provide ovl3e1TOT£ 'TrL1TT£L). The use in Matt.
nothing fresh. And yet further, what xxi. 16, 42 (ovlJi1roT£ dviy11roT£) is in-
it had once done it did again. Evi- structive.
dently therefore the effect was as -rovs 1rpou£pxol-',vovs] See c. vii 25
inadequate as it was unalterable. note.
&s 11'pou<p•povu,v] which they, the 2. The inefficacy of the sacrifices
appointed ministers of the system, is proved by their repetition. If it be
offer. For this impersonal use of the said that the repeated sacrifice dealt
plural, compare John xv. 6.; xx. 2; only with the later sins ; the answer
Apoc. xii 6; Matt. vii 16; Mk. x. is that we have to deal with sin and
.13; Lk. xvii 23. It is far less natural not with sins only : to be assured that
20--2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 2, 3
,... !Ji ' ' , ,, ' ' 17\ / ~ \ \
wa-at • €7r€t ovK av €7rav<raVTo 7rpo<r,epoµevat, ota -ro
'I- ' ., ,, ,,:. ' ~ \ "\s '
µr,oeµtav €X€LV E'TL <TUI/ELOrJ<TLII aµap-nwv TOVS t\.aTpEVOI/Tas
,f ~
a7ra<;; KEKa 0apt<rµEvovs;
I 3 '"\. "\. ' ' ,
a1v'- EV avTats ..... ' /
avaµvr,<Tts t
aµap-

2 om. oflK H* syrvg (la.t.). rovs: +oe Dt.

our true relation with God has been however an important function to ful-
re-established. A sacrifice which fil in the discipline of men. The repe-
effects this for humanity, and we need tition, which shewed their inefficacy,
no less, cannot be repeated. kept alive the sense of sin. They
E71"ft o.Jic llv ... ] Vulg. alioquin cessas- were, in the words of Primasius :
sent ...0.L. nam nee cessassent ..• The Accusatio iufirmitatis, non virtutis
words are a question which is followed ostensio. In eo enim quod offerebatur,
up by dXX&. v. 3. 'Since in that case redargutio peccatorum ; in eo quod
(Else), would they not .. .? but in fact .• .' semper offerebatur, redargutio infir-
For E71"f< see c. ix. 26 note. mitatis ejusdem sacrificii.
l71"avu. 7rpou<p•poµ•vai] So frequently Comp. Euth. Zig. ro µiv Bfov ;xey-
with an active participle : Acts v. 42 ; xos- aµapT7Jµarwv, ro lli 1:l.l a'1roll£1E,s-
vi. 13 &c. auB•v•las-•
uvv•ili'lu,v aµ.] Vulg. conscientiam . 3. aXX' ,., a.Jr.] But in them sins
peccati. Compare I Pet. ii. 19 (uvv•i- are called to remembrance ... That is :
a,,u,s- tJEOv), (in 1 Cor. viii. 7 CTVV1JB.lq. 'so far from the sacrifices being dis-
rov .lllc.iXov not uvvnllqun rov •lll.). continued because they have fulfilled
For <TVv•ill,,u,s- see c. ix. 9 Addi- their work, they serve in fact to keep
tional Note. alive the recollection of sin as a pre-
roils- Xarp•vovras-] Vulg. cultores. sent burden.' This seems to be on the
The worship would still continue whole the simplest and most natural
though the necessity for atoning sa- explanation of aXXa. It is however
crifices had ceased to exist. Comp. possible to take £71"£1...ic•icaBap,uµivovs-
Apoc. xxii. 3 f.; c. ix. 9. as parenthetical, and to take dXX&. as
Aarp•vnv is used absolutely for introducing a direct continuation of
divine worship c. ix. 9 ; Lk. ii. 37 ; v. 1, o-JlJ,7ron livvara, ••• dXX&. •••
Acts xxvi. 7 ; Phil. iii. 3 ( ol 'lrv. B•ov avaµV1JCTIS" aµ.] not simply 'a remem-
Aarp.). brance' or ' a record made ' of sins
/J.7ra~ K£KaBap,uµivovs-] when they had (Vulg. commemoratio peccatorum ),
once for all been cleansed. The effect but a calling to mind of sins, whereby
of the cleansing is regarded in its men are put in remembrance of them
continuance, and not in its actual by a divine institution. This is more
accomplishment (Eph. v. 26 icaBapl- than a public ackuowledgment and
uas-). Compare v. 10 ir;,auµivo1. Such confession of sins, such as at present
permanent cleansing would have in- (and by immemorial usage) forms an
volved nX•lwu,s- (v. 1). The applica- important part of the synagogue ser-
tion of the virtue of the one effectual vice for the Day of Atonement.
sacrifice would have met the wants of So Philo speaks of sacrifices as a
every true worshipper. The case of a iJ7roµV7Juts- of sins (De plant. Noe, § 2 5;
single body of worshippers is taken, De vit. Mos. iii.§ 10), but when they
but the principle holds true of all. are rightly offered he assigns to them
. F~~ icaBapl(rn, see c. ix. 14, 23; real efficacy (de vict. § 7). Compare
Tit. IL 14 ; and for l5.1ra~ c. vi. 4 note, Num. v, l 5 (LX:x.) Bvula /LV1JJLDtTVvov
lqi&,,,raE vii. 27. J.vaµ1µ;111uicovua aµ.aprlav, of which the
3, 4- The Levitical sacrifices had opposite is expressed in v. 17 (roiv
x. 4] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 309
7
,...
-rtWII Ka'T ' ' '
€1/tav-rov, 4 aouJ/a'TOJ/
'~' '
7ap atµa rTaupwv
, Ka1

4 Tpa:ywv Ka! raupwv

4 rnvp. Kal rp. ACD2 vg syrr me: rp. Kai ra.vp. N mg.

ap,apn<i>V ... OV P,~ f'll1/<T0~uop,at ETL). dq.,aipELV ap,.] Is. i. 16 aq.>l>..ETE Tc1fl
Under the new Covenant God Himself 11'0111/plar <211'0 TOOi' tvxrov (~i11;lt1)- EL
does not remember the sins of His xxxiv. 7, 9 aq.>EAELII (T~ T<1fl dp,aprlar
people, still less does He bring them
solemnly to their remembrance. ~p,rov (n~~)- Lev. x. 17 ,va dq.>l>..'7TE
The use of the word avap,111/u,11 sug- "I" aµ,aprlav. Num. xiv. 18 dq.,a,prov
gests a contrast between the Jewish dvoµ,lar Kal clauclar ,cat° Cl.µaprlar. Ee-
sacrifices and the Christian Eucharist. Cl!18· ~ Xl VIL.. I I Kvp.
. a'j-'ELJ\E
'A- .... '
rar '
ap,.
In them there was avap,v'7<TLII ap,apnrov. avrov.
They were instituted to keep fresh the The phrase does not occur elsewhere
thought of responsibility : that was in the N.T. except in a quotation:
i,n~tit~~d, in Christ's w~rds, Elr "I" Rom. xi. 27 /)rav dq.,l>..wµ,a, dµ,aprlar
EP,'7V avap,v17u,v (Luke xxn. 19; I Cor. (Is. xxvii 9 LXX.). It is not unfre-
xi. 24 f.), to bring to men's minds the quent in the LXX. The image appears
recollection of the redemption which to be that of the. removal of a load
He has accomplished. The word is bound upon the sinner. Compare
not found elsewhere in the N. T. J er. xi. 1 5 ; Zech. iii. 4-
'Avup,,p,v~u,mv (act.) occurs I Cor. iv. Contrast v. 11 11'EptEXiiv, both in
17 ; 2 Tim. i. 6. form and tense.
In the LXX. avap,111/u,11 is found Lev. The limited yet real power of the
xxiv. 7 (comp. ii 2); Num. x. 10; Levitical sacrifices has been recog-
Wisd. xvi. 6. Comp. [Sym.] Ps. vi. 6; nised in c. ix. I 3.
cxxxiv. 13. (2) 5-IO. The one valid sacrifice
Kar' iv,avr.Sv] The words are repeated of the perfect fulfilment of the Will
from -c. 1. The thought of sin is of God offered by Christ.
brought home in various aspects by· In the last paragraph the ineffi-
the whole system of sacrifice year lJy cacy of the Levitical sacrifices has
year. been brought out. In this para-
4. dMvarov ••• dq.>aipE"iv] Vulg. im- graph Christ's efficacious sacrifice of
possibile est ... sanguine ... auferri V.; Himself is placed in contrast with
O.L dijficile ... est ... them.
The spiritual inefficacy of the Levi- The argument is expressed in the
tical sacrifices, which was indicated language of a Davidic Psalm.
by their repetition, is patent also The Christ coming into the world
from their very nature. The physical gives utterance to the conviction of
suffering and death of an irrational man that the only sacrifice which he
creature-unwilling and unconscious can offer to God is perfect obedience
-can make no atonement for man's (vv. 5-7\ In doing this He contrasts
sin. Man can have no true fellowship the fulfilment of the will of God with
with such beings. Such a sacrifice the Levitical sacrifices so as to abolish
cannot be more than a symbol, a the latter by the former (em. 8, 9).
sign. He obeys perfectly ; and of the fruits
mvpwv ,cat Tpa-yc,w] C. ix. 12 f. j 19. of His obedience men are made par-
The sacrifices of the Day of Atonement takers (v. 10).
still suggest the general language. Psalm xl. is regarded with probabi-
Comp. Ps. 1 13. lity as an expression of David's feeling
310 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 4
towards the close of his persecution Hehr. ffr17uar), _compi:_essing, als? th?
by Saul, when the promised kingdom last verse (rov 7rot17uai, o Brnr, ro
was now in near view. The present tJ,A17µ.a uov : LXX. rov '1rOl~Uat ro
text of the Psahn consists of two BD,17µ.a uov, o B,6s µ.ov, 1fJovA~~v••• ).
parts which differ widely in general The LXX., as is well known, differs
tone. The second part (vv. 13-18) from the Hebrew in one remarkable
cannot be applied to the Messiah (v.
13); and most ofit (vv. 14-18) occurs clause: for '' n•;:::, t:1•~!1{
• T 0
!
T ears hast
•- T

again in the Psalter, with slight varia- thou opened (dug) for me, it gives
tions, as Ps. lxx. uruµa <Ji 1<.aT17prluoo µ.o,. There can
The first part (vv. 1-12) stands be no question that this is the true
out from the writings of the Old reading of the Greek. The conjecture
Testament as giving not only a view that cwMcl. is an early blunder for
of the essential inadequacy of external WTlcl. (the reading of the other Greek
sacrifices but also a clear indication versions) cannot be maintained in the
of that which they represent and of face of the evidence. The rendering
that which fulfils the idea to which must therefore be considered to be a
they bear witness. In the contem- free interpretation of the original
plation of God's mercies, and in the text. In this respect it extends and
declaration of God's righteousness, emphasises the fundamental idea. The
the Psahnist feels that no offering of 'body' is the instrument for fulfilling
that which is without the worshipper the divine command, just as the
can rightly convey the return of 'ear' is the instrument for receiv-
gratitude or make atonement (sin- ing it. God originally fashioned for
offering). Nothing but perfect self- man in his frame the organ for hear-
devotion answers to the claims of God ing His voice, and by this He plainly
and man's desire. shewed that he was made to obey
Such a confession, which embodies it.
the aspiration of man, and rises above 5 Wherefore when He entereth into

his power of fulfilment, describes the world, He saith

what Christ has done as the Son of Sacrifice and offering Thou would-
man, through whom man's ideal has est not,
been realised (c. ii. 6 ff. ; Ps. viii.). But a body didst Thou prepare
Thus the words are rightly applied to for me;
6
Him. His power to do the will of In whole burnt-offerings and sa-
God corresponded with His purpose crifices for sin Thou hadst no
to do it. That will being once ac- pleasure:
complished for humanity by its perfect 7 Then said I, Lo, I am come

representative, the use of sacrifices (in the roll of the book it is writ-
was done away. ten ofme)
The words in their original con- to do, 0 God, Thy will.
text gain fresh force from a com- 8
Saying above, Sacrifices and offer-
parison with I Sam. xv. 22. David, ings and whole burnt-offerings and
the true divine type of a king, offerings for sin Thou wouldest not
spontaneously embodied the prin- (the which are offered according to
ciple which Sau], the human type the Law), 9 tlien hath He said, Lo, I
of a king, violated to his own over- am come to do Thy will. He removeth
throw. the first that He may establish the
The writer of the Epistle follows second. '° In which will we have
the rendering of the LXX. with some been sanctified through the offering
slight differences, 0Ao1<avrd,µ.ara (Lxx., of the body of Jesus Christ once for
Hehr. OAO/Cavr<JJµ.a): ,v<JOICTJ<Tas (LXX., all.
X. 5] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 311
' 1 ,,n ,... ' , 5A \ , I •
Tparywv a't"atp€LV aµapnas. ~LO €L<r€pxoµ€VO<; €LS 'T6V
, "\s ,
KO<Tµov t\.Ery€t
0yCJ<l.N Mi npoc<)>op~N OYK H0€,\HC<l.C, CWM<l. l!.e K<l.THpTicoo MOI"

dtj>a,pe'iv: dtj>eXe'iv (dtj>epe'iv) t(*. 5 uwµ,a: ears syr hl mg.

5. Clio .Zuepx- cir TOIi 1<ouµ.011] The two pairs of words give a complete
Wherefore.... Because the Levitical view of the Jewish sacrifices. The
sacrifices were essentially ineffective first pair describe them according to
the Christ speaking through the their material, the animal-offering
Psalmist or, to express the same idea (n;?!) and the meal-offering (i1l;t~).
otherwise, the Psalmist giving utter- The second pair give in the burnt-
ance to the highest thought of man
which Christ alone can realise, recog- offering (i1~i.11) a1~d the sin-offering
nised the fact, and offered the reality (i11$~1:i), representative types of the
of rational self-surrender which they two great classes of offerings, euchar-
represented. istic offerings, which belonged to the
The words when He entereth into life of the Covenant, and expiatory
the world (Vulg. ingrediens mun- offerings, which were provided for
dum; 0. L. incedens in orbem) are the restoration of the life of the Co-
not to be confined to the moment of venant.
the Incarnation though they found In themselves, this is laid down
their complete fulfihnent then. They generally, the sacrifices gave no
apply to each manifestation of Christ pleasure to God. Their value was in
in the realm of human life (John i. 9; what they represented. Under this
comp. vi. 14; xi. 27)., The entrance aspect that which corresponds to the
of the divinely chosen King upon His first pair is distinctly stated (uwµ.a
earthly Kingdom corresponds with 1<aTTJpTluw µ.o,). The aspirations and
the entrance of the Son of man upon wants expressed by the second pair
the inheritance of the world. · find their complete satisfaction in the
The words, it will be observed, fulfilment of the will of God by the
assume the preexistence of the Christ. Son of man through suffering and
It is worthy of notice that Philo death (v. 7).
especially affirms of the Logos that Several passages in the O.T. recog-
'he came not in visible form ' : de nise the powerlessness of sacrifices in
prof. § 19 (i. 561 M.); comp. Quis themselves : 1 Salll. xv. 22 ; Ps. 1
rer. di'IJ. hmr. § 9 (i. 479 M.). 8 ff.; li. 16 ff.; Hos. vi. 6; Is. i. wff.;
On the thought of Christ 'entering J er. vii. 2 r f. But these words of Ps.
into the world' Primasius says: xl. go further: they point to a perfect
Quando, qui ubique prresens erat sed service, and perhaps to the sacrifice
tamen invisibilis, factus postea homo (death) of one who has served perfectly.
visibilis mundo apparuit, quodam- uwµ.a KaTT}pTLU(J) µ.o,] a body didst
modo ubi erat illuc ingressus. thou frame for me, Vulg. corpus
Xly«] The words of the Psalmist aptasti mihi. The King, the re-
are ideally the words of the Christ ; presentative of men, recognises in
and they are not past only but present. the manifold organs of His personal
Compare c. i. 6 f. ; iii. 7 ; v. 6 ; viii. 8. power-His body-the one fitting
No person is named. The thought of means for rendering service to God.
the true speaker is present to the Through this, in its fulness, He can do
mind of every reader. God's will Not by anything outside
Bvu. 1<al 1rpou<j,•••• 0Ao1<. 1<al 7T<pt Jµ..] Himself, not by animals in sacrifices,
312 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 6, 7
6 oAoKh-YTWMh.Th. Mirrepi b.Mb.pTih.c oyK dt.oKHCb.c.
7ToTe eirroN 'lt.oy 11Kw, eN K€q>h-Ait.1 B1BAioy riirpb.TTTh-1 rrepl €Moy,

6 01\0Ka.vrwµa.ra: ·TWµa, D2*• 7 'l806: +eyw D, * syr vg. Olll. ?]Kt,J f:ot*.
'Y''YP·: +"fctp D2*•

not by the fruits of the earth in 2 Cor. xiii. 9, 1 1 ), through the work
offerings, but by the use of His own of the appointed ministry (Eph. iv. 12).
endowments, as He is enabled to use 6. OAOKavT<JfLaTa ••• ovK ,Jaol(.] For
them, He will accomplish that which the construction with acc. compare
God designed for Him to do. Matt. xii. r8 ~" (not ,ls ilv) ,Ja. (from
It will be seen that the idea in this LXX.); and so not unfrequently in LXX.
clause is that of a perfect life irre- In N.T. ,JaoK<<v is commonly found
spective of any thought of sin. Man with Iv: v. 38 (Lxx.); Lk. iii. 22;
as created had for his end this perfect 2 Cor. xii. 10 : and it is also found
exercise and perfect development of with irif. : Lk. xii. 32.
every human faculty that so he might 'OXoKavroo/La, which occuts again in
bring all to God, fulfilling in this way Mk. xii. 33, is the habitual rendering
the conception of sacrifice. And sin
in LXX. of n~ilt, 'that which ascends,'
has not altered the obligation : Rom.
xii I f. i.e. in the flame to heaven, rather
Some ancient thinkers regarded the than to the altar.
humanity of Christ as the final cause The phrase -rr,pl aµ.aprlas is used
of all created things (comp. Epp. of as a compound indeclinable noun :
St John, pp. 291 f.). The thought e.g. Lev. vii. 27 ovros o ""/Los rwv oXo,c.
throws light upon the gradual pro- ••• Kal 1rEpl Uµaprlar . ...
gress of the world throughout the 7. rar, ,l-rrov•.• ] then said I ..•
ages, the humanity of Christ holding at the time when the Divine Will was
out the promise of the unity of men made clear: when it was seen that
and of Creation in man. no eucharistic offerings could satisfy
The tense of KaTTJprluoo does not the divine claim to grateful service ;
mark any point in time. The divine and no expiatory offerings do away
act is supratemporal (comp. c. i. 2 with sin.
W.,,K,v ). The words are the confession ~Kw] I am come, not 'I will come'
of the Christ at each moment of His or 'I come.' Obedience is immediate
entrance on a fresh stage of His and complete. This sense of the will
historic work. of God was, as it were, the Master's
The verb Karaprl(Etv suggests the call in the heart, and the servant's
thought of the 'many members ' fitly answer was in the new connexion:
framed together for varied and har- 'Here am I' (Is. vi. 8).
monious service. The body of man, It is of interest to compare the
like ·' the world' itself (c. xi. 3 KaTTJp- completeness of the (passive) self-
rluBm rovs alwvat ), consists of parts surrender of the Mother of the Lord
which fulfil different functions and (Luke i. 38) with this (active) self-
contribute in their measure to the surrender of the Son.
effect of the whole. These require to For ~Koo compare John viii. 42;
be brought into due relation in the r John v. 20; v. 37.
individual by discipline and help Iv mf,. /3. y.] Vulg. in capite (0. L.
( 1 Thess. iii. 10 ; Gal. vi. r ; c. xiii. 21 ; oolumine) Ubri. The interpretation
1 Pet. v. 10); even as the individuals
have to be duly brought together in of the original (1~,V :imf ,~i;;,-n~~'?-il
the Christian society ( 1 Cor. i. 10 ; Iv ElX1µ.ari /3. AqlL) is uncertain. Per-
X. 8) . THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

TOY no1Acb.1, o 0€dc, TO eeAHMJ coy.

avw-repov i\eywv
8 ' / f ,f
O'TL
0- YClb.C
I
KAII npoe<µopb.C
I \ C)\ '
Kat O OKb.YTWM<\TA

8 Ov<rlas Kai 1rpo<r<f,opas ~*ACD 2* vg syr vg me the: -/av Kai -cf.v ~ ~• syr hl.

haps the simplest rendering is : in the ... Sed quia in his nihil de morte
book-roll (the roll of the Law) a law Christi pr:efiguratur.•. melius videtur
is written for me, which lays down intelligi de initio libri Levitici dic-
perfectly my duty. The King ac- tum ... (Primas.).
knowledges a definite standard of the Tov 1ro,ijum ... ] The shortening of
will of God, before He undertakes to the verse brings the purpose of the
aim at fulfilling it. The 1r,pl lµ.ov of speaker into closer connexion with
the LXX. is not inconsistent with this His coming. .At the same time the
sense. The Law which foreshadowed Greek of the LXX. places that which
the duties of a King of Israel (1r,pl God willed (To BlX7]µ,a) in sharp con-
iµ,ov) was the rule of the King's life. trast with that which did not repre-
Here the 'reference appears to be sent His will (ov,c 1B,'>..7Juas). The
quite general: John v. 39. words in the original are different
The word rnpaXls is of difficult
interpretation. It is generally sup- (":J?i~1, ~1;;i1r~6).
posed that the word, which was used To B,?..TJµ,a uov] The will of God
for the capital of a shaft, was applied answers to the fulfilment of man's
to the little knobs (cornua) at the true destiny ; and this, as things
ends of the stick round which the roll actually are, in spite of the FalL
was wound, and then to the roll itself. Christ, as Son of man, made this
But it does not appear that any will His own and accomplished it.
example of this sense of the word is The utterance of the King of Israel
found. Others think that the sense expressed man's true aim, which was
of 'roll' was derived from the Rab- beyond human reach, and so rightly
belongs to the Messiah who attained
binic usage of ~;li? 'to roll,' 'to fold' it. Compare John iv. 34; viii 29.
(Buxtorf, Lex. Rabb. p. 2090); but no It is of interest to notice how
instance of the application of the word constantly 'the will of God' is con-
to a manuscript roll is quoted. The nected with the redemption and con-
general meaning of 'roll,' however summation of man: John iv. 34; v.
derived, is found elsewhere in LXX. : 30 ; vi. 38 ff. ; Eph. i. 5, 9, I I ; I Tim.
Ezek. ii. 9 ; iii. r f. ; Esdr. vi. 2 ; and ii. 4 ; and in one special aspect :
in .Aquila Is. viii. r where the LXX. r Thess. iv. 3. Compare .Apoc. iv. II.
has Toµ,os. Comp. Euth. Zig. : ol On the construction Tov 1ro,ijum see
'E{3pa'io, {3,{3Xla µ,,v ,caAov,n Ta uvy- .Additional Note.
yp&.µ,µ,am, ,c,cf>aXlaas a, Ta ,lA7JTap,a 8, 9. avwnpov Aeyrov••• TOT£ ,ZpTJl<Ev]
(volumina) .•. ,lA7JTaplo,s yap lviypacf,011 saying above ... then hath he said ... ;
\ ) I I C f "'
,ea, ov TEtJX<<T< nTpayrovo,s ros TJp,«s. Vulg. superius dicens ... tune di.xit ... .
The Latin fathers, taking the trans- The continuous expression of the
lation in capite, were inclined to divine will is contrasted with the one
explain it of some special passage of abiding declaration of its fulfilment
Scripture, as Gen. i. r ; or Ps. i. ; or of by Christ.
Lev. i.~ 3, as interpreted of Christ. 8. Bvulas ,cal 1r poucf,op&.s] The plurals
Quidam intelligunt hie initium Gene- seem to be accommodated to oA01<av-
sis, ubi scriptum est In principio, id T"'P,aTa, which itself generalises the
est in Fillo, fecit Deus cmlum et
terram,. Quidam primum Psalmum singular (M~ill) of the original
314 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. (X. 9, 10

Kb.I rr€pl <Wb.pTib.c oyK

H0€AHCb.C of Ae €'(2'.oKHCb.C, a1Ttll€S KaTJ
I 9 ,l
fl\ I ,1 ,, ' ,7 ~ ~ \
110µ011 1rpo<J"...,,€pOIITat, TUT€ €lprJK€11 Aoy HKW TO)' TTOIHCb.l TO
, , ' -. \ ,.... d \~/ I
0€AHMb. coy· a11atp€t TO 7rpWTOII ll/a TO O€VT€po11 <J"TYJ<J",.
10
€11 4' 0EAHMb.TI i,7ta<J"µE11ot €<TµE11 Out T1JS rrpoccpopb'.c TOV

/,,µa.pTla.s: -,w11 D2. OflOE £fl0.: om. syr vg. Ka.Ta"· ~AO: Ka.Ta TOIi "· f:'" D9.
9 1rodjcra., ~*ACD2 syr hl txt regg: +o 0£6s S"' ~• vg syrvg. ro ecrµl11 o! ;;- (i.e.
M€NOl€CM€N01).

atT,vH ••• ] such as are offered••• , all time, according to His abiding
compare v. c. ii. 3 note.
11 ; declaration (/Lp17K£11 ), we have been
Kara voµov] The absence of the sanctified, as included in its scope.
article directs attention to the general The will of God fulfilled by Christ is
character of the sacrifices· as legal, regarded not as that through (llui)
and not to their specific character as which, nor as that according to which
Mosaic. Compare viii. 4 ; and con- (,earn) men are sanctified. They are
trast vii. 5 ; ix. 19, 22. included in it, even in that purpose
9. £<P1JKfl'] Compare c. i. 13; iv. of love which Christ ha.s realised
3 f., 7; xiii. 5; (Luke iv. 12); John (Eph. i. 7). Compare v. 19; 29; xiii.
xv. 1 5 ; .Acts xiii. 34 ; 2 Cor. xii. 9 ; 20. The will of God involved the
.A.poc. vii. 14; xix. 3- redemption and consummation of hu-
dvmp£,] H-e (i.e. the Christ) re- manity.
moveth, doeth away with (Vulg. au- The thought of Christians as in-
fert). This is the only occurrence of cluded in the Father's will, which
the word in the Epistles except the Christ fulfilled, corresponds with St
doubtful reading in 2 Thess. ii. 8. In Paul's thought of Christians being 'in
the sense of 'kill' it is frequent in Christ,' an expression which is not
the Acts. It is not found elsewhere found in the Epistle.
in the N. T. or in the Lxx. in the For the resolved form rry,arrµ. trrµlv
sense of 'removing.' In Classical see c. vii. 20 note ; and for the use of
Greek it is used of laws (to abrogate: the perfect John xviL 19; Acts xx.
..iEsch. in Ctes. §§ 16, 39), of wills (to 32 ; xxvi. 18 ; I Cor. i. 2 ; vii. 14 ;
revoke: Is. de Cleon. hwr. § 14), of (Rom. xv. 16).
propositions (to deny: Sext. Pyrrh. For the connexion of the redemp-
Hyp. i. 20 § 192; iii. 16 § 119 ol µJv tion of men with the will of God see
ae dvE'iA.ov, ol aE £7rfuxov 1rEpl
'18Eua11, of. v. 7 note.
avTov), of appetites (to extinguish: ll..l rij!. 7rporrtj,. roii rrroµaros-] through
Epict. Enchir. ii. 2 ; comp. Diss. L the offering of the body divinely pre-
8, 15; ii. 20, 6). pared, which offering, slowly matured
TO 1rpwro11••• ro 1l£vupo11 (Vulg. se- through life, wa.s consummated on the
quens)] the.first-the offering outward cross. 'l'he clause contains an answer
sacrifices : the second-the fulfilment to the question which naturally arises
of the divine will by rational self- 'How are we sanctified in the will of
devotion. God?' That will was realised in the
O'T1JO')'J] Vulg. statuat. Compare perfect life of the Son of man, in
Rom. iii. 31 (voµov lrrr&voµ£v); x. 3; which each man as a member of
xiv. 4; Gen. vL 18, &c. humanity finds the realisation of his
IO. t11 'f 0£A. rry,arrµ. <rrµlv] In own destiny.
which will, Vulg. in qua voluntate ... The use of 7rporr<popa (used of
perfectly accomplished by Christ for Christ's offering only in this chapter
X. 11] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 315
CWM~TOC 'l11crov Xpt<TTOU e<f>d7raf
II dpxtep,vs
,rcJ:,µaros: atµaros D 1 *. '!110-00: +roO''I. b, r r !,p,6s ND 2 vg syr hl txt me;
dpxtep•vs AC syr vg reg.

and Eph. v. 2) connects the self- forward waiting till His enemies be
sacrifice of Christ with the typical made tha footstool of His feet. ' 4 For
sacrifices (comp. c. v. 1 note). And by one offering He hath perfected for
the compound name Jesus Christ ever them that are sanctified.
(c. xiii. 8, 21 only) characterises the 11-13. The eleventh verse takes
completeness .of the sacrifice under up the three thoughts of v. 1. The
the divine and human aspects of the Levitical service consists of repeated
Lord's Person. At the same time acts (Ka0' ~µipav, Kar' iviavrov), and
the specific reference to 'the body,' these the same (al ,mlral 0vo-lm), and
the appointed organ for doing God's essentially ineffective (ml/Jirrou /J.
will under particular conditions, em- 'IT£p1£A., aµ., ovlJ<!TOT€ /J. T, 1rpoU£PX•
phasises the reference to the totality r,A.). On the other hand Christ
of Christ's earthly work. Elsewhere having offered one sacrifice efficacious
in the Epistle He is said to 'offer for ever took His place on the divine
Himself' (vii. 27; ix. 14, 25 f.). The throne in certain expectation of final
Western reading aZµaros, sanguinis, victory (12, 13).
expresses only one side of the whole 11. Kat 1ras µev l,pds] And further,
thought. there is another characteristic of
Compare Additional Note. Christ's priestly work which marks
<'qiarra~] The word (c. vii. 27; ix. 12) its infinite superiority, while every
goes with the whole sentence. The Levitical priest standeth ... He ... sat
sanctification of all believers is com- down.... Christ's sacrifice is not only
pleted on the divine side. Comp. pleasing to God, but it has an absolute
v. 14. power : it issues in perfect sove-
(3) 1 1- 14. The efficacy of Christ's .reignty for the Son of man, the re-
sacrifice shewn by His present Ma- presentative of men (ii. 9).
jesty. For the opposition of the clauses
A view of the efficacy of Christ's (1ras µiv-oJros /J,) compare i. 7 ;
present work follows on the general iii. 5; vii. 8; ix. 23; xii. 10..
description of His historic sacrifice in The general term 'priest' (l,p,tls,
Life and Death. This is given by Latt. sacerdos) suits the argument
presenting the contrast between the better than the specific tern1 'high-
continuous service of the Levitical priest.' The work of Christ is con-
priests and Christ's position of Royal sidered in relation to the whole
assurance (11-13); and then shewing hierarchical and sacrificial system of
the ground of Christ's preeminence Judaism. The Jewish priests 'stand'
in the abiding sufficiency of His one in their service (Deut. x. 8; xviii. 7).
offering for the needs of every mem- •OTIJ1«v] standeth, Latt. prrosto e.,t..
ber of His Church (14). The idea of 'standing' is that of a
"And while every priest (high- work still to be done, of service still
priest) standeth day by day minister- to be rendered, of homage still to be
ing and offering oftentimes the same paid. So the angels stand before
sacrifices ivhich can never take away God: Is. vi. 2 ; Lk. i. 19; Apoc. vii.
sin.~, "He, when He had offered one I 1. Comp. i. 3 note.
sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down The attitude of the Lord in Acts
on the right hand of God, '3hence- vii. 56 is explained in the Apostolical
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 12, 13
,f L},, I "\ ~ \ \ > \ "\"\ I
€<T'TrJK€11 Kav r,µ€pa11 1\.€l'Tovp,yw11 Kal -ras av-ras 7/"0iv'-aKit
7rpo<rr€PWII
ffl I 0V<Ttas,
I ,I >0::, I 0::, I
al'Tll/ES OU0€7rO'T€ ou11a11-rat 7r€pl€1\.€t'II
\ ~

dµap-rtas. u oi5-ros 0€ µtall V7rEP aµap'TlWII 7rpO<T€11E,YKaS

()u<Ttall €LS 'TO OlrJll€KES €K<),01C€N i:N Mzl~ 'TOU 0EOu' 13 -ro AOL71"6V:
AELT. KaO' 1]µ. 11-t*. Kal Tas mi.: om. Kai Dt. 12 oliTos : avr61 t.',
€II (eK 11-t*) o,f,~ (li't0
) CD2: €K Of~LWJI A.

Constitutions on the supposition that nexion of ,ls To a,TJ11•1efr with the

He appears cJs dpxtep•vs 7rltVTWJI TOOJI following ,,caB,u,v (for ever sat down)
A<YY,1e,;;,, Ta')'µaT"'" (vi. 30, s). is contrary to the usage of the Epistle;
See also John iii. 29. it obscures the idea of the perpetual
' They also serve who only stand and wait.' efficacy of Christ's one sacrifice ; it
,ca0' ~µlpav ... Bvo-las] tJ.'he divine weakens the contrast with tUT1JK•11 ;
service and the sacrifices of the and it imports a foreign idea into the
Tabernacle and Temple are repeated image of the assumption (,ic6.B,u,v) of
day by day. This could be said even royal dignity by Christ.
of the duties of the High-priest : see For oJTos see iii. 3 ; vii. 4 ; and
c. vii. 27 note. The verb AELTovp')'•iv for ,icaB,u,v, c. i 3 note. The word
is found in the N. T. elsewhere only haB,o-,v is in sharp opposition to
Acts xiii. 2 ; Rom. xv. 27. For the tUTTJK•v A.£LTovp')'rov (v. II). Through-
meaning see c. viii. 2 Addit. Note. The out the Epistle (except i. 13 icaBov from
order of the original, by which the the Lxx.) the reference is uniformly to
thoughts of the identity and frequency the act of taking the royal seat (icaBl-
of the Levitical sacrifices are brought ,.,,, as contrasted with icaBijo-Bai: i. 3;
together (Tas aihas 7rOA. rrpoo-rp. Bvo-.), viii. I ; xii. 2). Compare Eph. i. 20:
is expressive. Apoc. iii. 21; and contrast the phrase
ai'TLv.s] 'which are such that .. .'. of the Apocalypse /, 1<.aB~µ,,vos ,rrl r.
Comp. c. ii. 3 note. Bpavov (iv. 9 ff.). On the general
1r,p,,Xiiv aµ,apTlar] Latt. auferre pec- thought Chrysostom says tersely : ro
cata. Contrast rr,p/1enm,, c. v. 2. Man Eo-Tllvat roii AEtrovpyliv ECTTL UTJp.ELov,
is, so to speak, wrapped in sins. He OVKOVV TO ,caBijo-Ba, rov A.£LTOVp')'•io-0a,.
weaves, as it were, in action (dµ,apTlai For Bvo-la comp. ix. 26 n.
not aµ,apTla) a terrible robe for him- 13. TO AOL7r6V '"a•x-] henceforward
self (comp. Ps. xxxv. 26; cix. 18 waiting. Christ Himself in His royal
notes). This enveloping shroud, no majesty' waits' as the husbandman for
part of his true self, has to be strip- the processes of nature (James v. 7)
ped off (2 Cor. iii. 16; Judith x. 3). and the patriarchs for the divine pro-
Comp. rr,p.,r.aBapi(nv Is. vi. 7 (Lxx.). mise (c. xi. 10). There is an aspect
For rr•pteX.,iv compare Zeph: iii. II in which the time of the triumphant
7r£pt€AW Ta </JavX.lo-µam, 1 5 7r£pt£iA£ Return of Christ is known only to
Kvptos Ttl aa,ic~µ,. ("1 1f;.lQ). The image the Father (Matt. xxiv. 36; Mark xiii.
is fouud also in Classical writers. 32 ; Acts i. 7), and is in some sense
12. oJros a; µ,lav ... ,ls TO a,1711,icls, contingent on the action of men (Acts
l1eaB,u,v •.. ] He, when He had offered iii. 19 67rWS ifv ... a7r00-T£LA.TJ- .. ; 2 Pet.
one sacrifice fo1· sins for ever, sat iii. 12).
down ... ; O.L. una oblata lwstia insem- Elsewhere in the N. T. the word
piterno sedit; V ulg. hie autern unam (l1<.alxeo-Ba,) is used only of one man
ojferens hostiam in sempiternum.... waiting for another (Acts xvii. 16;
The sacrifice was efficacious for ever, 1 Cor. xi. 33; xvi. I 1 : not John v. 3;
through all time, being appropriated 1 Pet. iii. 20).
by each believer (v. 14). The con- ro A.OL7r0V] Vulg. de cetero, 0. L.
:X. 14] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 317
hccexoµe110, ewe T€0WCIN 01 exepo\ t,:hoy YfTOTTO,';ION TWN rro,';wN
t>.YTOY, 1 4µtfj, "'(dp 7rp0<r<f>opfj, 'T'E'TE/\EtWKEII eis 'TO oi1111e,cJs ·

postea. 2 Thess. iii. I ; Phil. iii. I ; note; vii. 6 note, 28 ; ix. 6, 8, I 8 ; and
iv. 8; 1 Cor. vii. 29. (Mk. xiv. 41.) contrast
Eph. vi. 10 (Toii Xot71"oii). •
,n >..,iruu,v c. vii. 19.
For ,ls To a,,,,,,. see c. vii. 3 ; x. 1
lrus TEB,;,,nv] The Return of Christ notes. The virtue of Christ's work
appears to be placed after the con- remains ever available as long as the
quest of His enemies. Compare 1 need of man exists.
Cor. xv. 22 ff. Tovs a-yw(oµhovs] V ulg. sanctifica-
The reference to Ps. ex. carries tos; 0. L. nos sanctificans: all who
back the thoughts of the reader to from time to time realise progressively
the portraiture of the majesty of the in fact that which has been potentially
Son in c. i. 13. His victory is won obtained for them. , Compare c. ii. 1 1 ;
(John xvi. 33 v£vi1<.TJ1<.a): only the and contrast v. 10 r'rywuµ.ivo,.
fruits of it remain to be gathered. The endeavour of the Old Latin to
14 µ,ij. -yap 'll"pou<popij.] For by one express the continuous form of the
offering ... , so that no fresh duty can present is interesting (see for the con-
interrupt the continuance of His royal verse i. 3).
Majesty. There is a similar contrast between
The word 11"pou<popa goes back to ol uru(oµ.,vo, (comp. I Cor. xv. 2); Luke
v. 10 (note). It extends more widely xiii. 23; Acts ii. 47 ; 1 Cor. i. 18; 2
than Bvuia (v. 12; ix. 16). St Paul Cor. ii. 15 ; and u£uruuµ.,vv, Eph. ii. 5,
combines both words in Eph. v. 2 8. Compare luruu£v 2 Tim. i. 9 ;
which, as was noticed, is the only Tit. iii. 5.
passage besides this chapter (vv. 5, 8, (4) 15-18. The fulfilment in
10, 18) in which the word is used in Christ of the prophetic description of
connexion with Christ's work ; nor the New Covenant.
indeed does ·it occur elsewhere in the The .Apostle goes back in conclusion
Epistles at all except Rom. xv. 16. · to the testimony of the prophet from
The 'offering' of Christ, His perfect which he commenced his exposition
life crowned by a willing death, in of the high-priestly and sacrificial ,
which He fulfilled the destiny of man service of the new Covenant. .A
and bore the punishment of human characteristic of that Covenant, which
sin, is that by and in which every has been established by Christ, was
human life finds its consummation. the forgiveness of sins. Under it,
It is significant that Christ Himself ther~fore, offerings for sin were neces-
is said to perfect 'by the offering': it sarily done away; and the Temple
is not said that 'the offering' perfects. services could no longer have any
His action is personal in the applica- value for the Christia1L
tion of His own work. The import- •s And the Holy Spirit also beareth
ance of this form of expression appears witness to us; for after that He hath
from the language used of the Law : said,
yii. 19 ovli,v ETEAEiruu,v Ovop,os. Comp. 16
This is the covenant that I will
Ix. 9; x. I. In the case of the Leviti- coi,enant with them
cal institutions the action of the ap- .After those days, saith the Lord,
pointed ministers fell into the back- Even putting my laws upon their
ground. . heart,
· TETEA. ,ls To a,,,,.,.] He hath perfected And upon their mind will I write
for ever ... Latt. consumma·rit in sem- them;
piternum. For the perfect see xi. 17 then saith He
318 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 15-17

'TOIIS a7tatoµ€11ovs. 15 Maprvpli ~E nµw Kal rd 7T'IJ€Uµa

\ d \ \ \ , I
-ro a7w11, µera 7ap ro ELpr,Ke11at
16
AyTH H L>ll\0HKH HN L>ll\01-fCOMl\1 7rpos aurous·
M€T~ T~C HM€pb.c €K€!NI\C, ,\ere1 Kyp1oc,
L>IL>O)'C NdMO)'€ MO)' ETTi Mpb!I\C I\YTWN,
KI\I ETTi THN 11J.Noll\N l\'(TWN Emrpi'!'u> l\'fTOyc,-
17 Kb.\ TWN tMb.pTIWN l\'fTWN Kal TWN I\NOMIWN l\'fTWN oy MH MNHC0H-

I 5 µera, lie D 2 *. ,lpr,1<l11a, : rpo«p. •· 16 aVTr, oe D2 * vg.

T1J" o,d.11. ~ACD2* (vg): Tw11 01a11. ,(vg) syrr me reg. 17 TWII aµ. av.: om. aVTWII
D 2* vg. µvr,<1'0TJ<!'oµa, : µ11r,<1'0w • ~-

'7 And their sins and their iniqui- that have been fulfilled by Christ. It
ties will I remember no more. is better therefore to suppose that
,a Now where there is remission of the construction is broken, and that
these, there is 1w more offering for the apodosis begins with v. 17. 'For
llin. after that He hath said... write them;
I 5. µapTVp£i l3i ~µ'i11 Kal T6 ,r. T6 d.] then saith He, Their sins ...' So Pri-
Vulg. contestatur nos (0.L. nobis). And masius : In sequentibus verbis de-
the Holy Spirit also beareth witness fectus est sententire satis necessarius,
to us Christians and confirms our com- quapropter dicatur ita : Postquam
mon faith. 'Hµ'iv can also be taken as enim dixit Omnipotens Deus per pro-
a dat. comm. 'for us,' 'in our favour,' phetam ... statim subintulit : Et pec-
in which case µapTvp,'i is used abso- catum eorum non memorabor am-
lutely. The general sehse is the same plius ....
in both cases. The witness of the 16. Comp. c. viii. 8 ff. note. (Jer.
Holy Spirit in the promise of the New xxxi. (xxxviii.) 31 ff.)
Covenant is added to the witness of For the special phrase Tlf oi'K<f>
Christ contained in the Psalm. The 'Iupa~A here the writer substitutes
emphatic position of µapTvp,'i seems 1TpOs aJTovs; and Kapl3la and l3uivo,a
to mark the anxiety of the writer to are transposed, and the clause 1<al Twv
convince his readers of the perfect va- avoµ,oov avTOOII is added.
lidity of Christ's claim. The words of 17. oJ µ~ p."'70-0~uoµai] Contrast 1'.
the Christ in the Psalm are supported 3 avaµ"'70'IS dµaprioov.
by an independent divine testimony. 18. 01TOV l3i ?i<j),u,s rovrrov] Now
15-17. µ£Tti TO £lp171<iva, ••• 1<alT&,v ••• ] where there is remi"llsion of these sins.
It is difficult to determine the con- For a<j),u,s see ix. 22 note. The
struction of the whole passage. Some consequences of sin are threefold :
have supposed that the writer uses debt which requires forgiveness, bond-
"J..,y,. Kvp,os as part of his own state- age which requires redemption, alien-
ment: 'For after that he hath said•. .' ation which requires reconciliation.
the Lord saith 'I will give ... and their See note on I John i. 9. The words
sins ... will I remember no more.' a<f,,u,s, a<f,,lvai express the first idea :
But the point of the apodosis lies in comp. Matt. xviii. 27, 32, 35.
the declaration of the forgiveness of These words are rare in the Epistles,
sins, and the force of this declaration more frequent in the Synoptic Gospels
is weakened by the addition of the and (a<j),u,s aµ.) Acts. The 'remis-
two preceding lines, which describe sion' of sins is essentially a creative act:
the human conditions of the covenant compare Matt. ix. 2 ff. and parallels.
x. 18] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 319
18 ,f '!- \ ,Im I , f
COM"-1 €TI" 07rOU 0€ a..,,€crts 'TOU'TWV, OUK€'Tl 1rpoa-cpopa
I • I
1rept aµap'Ttas.
18 IJ.,j,E,ns: d,j,E<S ~*. om. rovrwv ~*-

Comp. c. ix. 22. vidence, he next shews that it was

The only other places where a<pEu,r by faith the spiritual heroes of earlier
occurs in the Epistles are Eph. i. 7 iv times wrought their victories (c. xi).
ff Exoµ.Ev T~JI d1roAV-rpc.,u,v a,a ToV a'i.µ.a- Such examples had an immediate
TO~ aVroV, T~V ac:p£uiJI r6lv1rapa1rr(J)µ.U:r6Jv. application to the circumstances of
CoL i. 14 iv rp lxoµ,Ev r~v d,roA~rpwu,v, the crisis in which the Hebrews were
T~v lfr/Jnr,v -rc."iv O.µ,apr1.CiJv. placed ; and they were sufficient to
Contrast ,rapEu,r Rom. iii. 25. enable them to realise the grandeur
The prophetic words shew that of the responsibilities and hopes which
under the New Covenant no place is were given to them (c. xii). The last
left for the Levitical sacrifices. The chapter (c. xiii) is a kind of appendix
Christian can therefore dispense with to the Epistle in which detailed in-
them without any loss. To be forced structions and personal notices find
to give up their shadowy consolation a place.
is to be led to realise more practically Thus we have:
the work of Christ. i. The pri1Jileges, perils, encou-
This is the last-the decisive-word rCl{Jements of the Ilebrews(x. 19----39).
of the argument. ii The past triumphs of Faith
(xi 1-40).
V. THE .APPROPRIATION AND iii. The general application of the
VITAL .APPLICATION OF THE TRUTHS
lessons of the past to the present
LAID DOWN (x. 19----xiii. 25).
season of trial (xii. 1-29).
Having established his theoretical iv. Last words (xiii. 1-25).
view of the relation of Christianity to i. The privileges,perils, encourCl{Je-
Judaism, as its complete fulfilment, the ments qf the Hebrews (x. 19----39).
substance answering to the shadow, The application of the lessons to be
the writer of the Epistle at once goes drawn from the view which the .Apos-
on to enforce the practical conse- tle has given of the absolute supremacy
quences of his conclusions. The piivi- of the Christian Faith over the pre-
leges must be used : the duties must paratory system of Judaism begins
be discharged. The faith is not for with a vivid picture of the position
speculation but for life. .All the conso- of the Hebrews, ( 1) of their privileges
lations of the Levitical system can be and duties (19----25), (2) of their perils
surrendered without loss ; and they (26-31), and (3) of their encourage-
must be surrendered at once if they ments (32-39). Each section has
come in any way into competition with traits taken directly from scenes of
Christian obligation. persecution, from the isolation of
This main line of thought is de- proud or timid believers (v. 25), the
veloped under four sections. The abjuration of apostates (v. 29), the
writer first makes a direct applica- triumph of confessors (v. 34).
tion of his teaching to his readers, (1) vv. 19----25. The privileges and
defining sharply their privileges and duties of Christians.
perils and encouragements (x. 19---- The section deals first with the
39). Having thus insisted on the personal privileges ( 19----22 ), and then
necessity of faith as an element in with the social duties of believers
that patient endurance which God (23-25).
requires in the discipline of His Pro- The privilege of direct access to
320 .THE EPISTLE TO THE H.EBREWS. [X. 19, 20

I9'' Exo11TH OUII, do{A.<j>of, 7T'appri<Fta11 ELS 7'1]11 dtToOov

'TWII d'Yfw11 €11 'Tlp a1µaTL 'lri<Tou, !>,O~II €IIEKat11t<TEII i,µ"i11 doov

God is confirmed by general and per- Christ. By using it the writer appeals
sonal considerations. We have a way to his readers to consider what they
of approach and an effective Mediator have received as Christians.
( 19-21 ). And on our part certain 'll'appTJulav] boldness in spite of the
conditions have to be fulfilled person- frankest recognition of our sins.
ally. These are both subjective (with Comp. iii. 6 note; iv. 16.
a true heart, in f ulness offaith ), and ITapptJulav 1r68fl,; d1rO T1}s- d<.p£u£<A>S'
objective (sprinkled in our hearts, .. •oV µ.Ovov aE roVro, &AA.et J<al TO O"l.1'}'-
washed in our body) (22). KAT)pOvoµ,ovs YEVE<TBai Kat TO<TUVTT)S d'!l'a-
' 9 Having therefore, brethren, bold- Aavuai aya71'T)s (Chrys.).
ness to use the entrance into the Holy els riJv Efo·. r. cl.] to use the entrance
place in the blood of Jesus, the en- into the Holy place, Vulg. in introitu
trance which He inaugurated for us, (-um) sanctorum. Each Christian in
20
even afresh and living way through virtue of his fellowship with Christ is
the veil, that is to say a way of His now a high-priest, and is able to come
flesh, °'and a great priest over the to the very presence of God. The 'en-
house of God, let ,us come to God
22
trance' expresses primarily the way
with a true heart infulness of faith, itself, and then also the use of the way.
-having our hearts sprinkledfrom an Elsewhere in the N. T. E'tuaaos is used
evil conscience, and our body bathed generally of 'the act of entering' : I
with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast Thess. i. 9 ; ii. 1 ; Acts xiii. 24 ; but
the confession of our hope that it in 2 Pet. i. 11 it has rather the sense
waver not, for He is f aitliful that of 'the means of entering,' and the
promised. 24 .And let us consider one parallel with oaos (v. 20) seems to fix .
another to provoke unto love and this as the dominant sense here. For
good works, 25 notforsaking the gather- the wide use of ra Jyia see c. ix. 8.
ing of ourselves together, as the cus- The use of the phrase 'boldness for
tom of some is, but exhorting one an- (to use) the entrance' instead of the
other; and so much the more as ye simpler 'boldness to enter' (11'appTJulav
see the day drawing nigh. rou Eluiivai) calls up distinctly both
19-21. The writer sums up briefly the characteristic act of the High-
the blessings which he has shewn to priest, and the provision made by
belong to Christians. They have an Christ. For the gen. r.;;v a:yloov see c.
entrance to the Divine Presence in ix. 8.
virtue of Christ's Blood, a way made For £ls, describing the end, compare
by the Incarnation, and an availing v. 24 ; Acts ii. 38 ; Rom. viii. 1 5 ; 2
personal Advocate, a Priest over the Cor. vii. 9; 2 Pet. ii. 12; and for
house of God. 'll'appT)ula £ls c. xi. II; Rom. i. 16
19. EXOIJTES oJv, daeA<pol...] Having ( Mvaµ,1s els); 2 Cor. vii. 1o; Phil. i. 2 3.
therefore, brethren ...That which was Iv r.;; aiµ,ar1] Vulg. in sanguine.
under the Law a privilege of one The entrance of Christians into the
only, once a year, is now the privilege divine presence is 'in the blood of
of all Christians at all times. The Jesus'-even as the Levitical High-
form of the sentence is closely parallel priest entered into the Holy of holies
to c. iv. 13 If. 'in blood,' though it was the blood of
The title da£A<poi (compare c. iii 'bulls and goats' ; c. ix. 2 5 Iv aiµ,ar1
I note) is an impressive recognition aAAorplqr-in the power, that is, of the
of the new fellowship established in human life of the Lord offered up and
X. 20]
THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 321

7rpoa-<f>ci'TOV Kal {wO"aV oul 'TOU Ka'Ta7r€'Tdrrµa'TO<;, -rou-r'

20 om. Ka£ D2*.
made available for them : His life is to those who use them, but this one
their way ('vita Tua via nostra'). The brings strength.
human name of the Lord in every The word 1rporr<paros is found here
place where it occurs in the Epistle only in the N. T. (1rpoucf,arrus Acts
emphasises His true humanity and xviii. 2). It occurs in the LXX. (e.g.
rests the point of the argument upon Ps. lxxx. (lxxxi.) 10; Eccles. i. 9) and
that. Compare ii. 9 note. For b, in Classical writers from Homer down-
a1p,an compare c. ix. 25 note. wards. The current derivations from
~v £v£,caiv,u£v] the entrance which ucf,aru (rrcf,a{;ru), cf,aru (cf,,vru), cf,aru (cpYJµ,l),
He inaugurated for us, even a fresh are all unsatisfactory.
and living way ... Vulg. quam (O.L. in The language of the Apostle finds a
qUti) initiavit (Vigil. dedicavit) viam remarkable parallel in the words with
... Christ has made available for others which Florus (i. 9, 14) describes the
the road by which He Himself travel- self-devotion of Decius Mus, who
led. He not only made the way, but 'quasi monitu deorum capite velato
He also used it (£v£,calv,uo ... ~ v ,car£- primam ante aciem Dis Manibus se
u1<.1:VauE, <j,T}ul, 1<.al ai, ~S' a'Vrbs £{3&.3,CTEV, (devovit1ut in confertissima se hostium
Chrys.). Compare c. vi 20 (1rpol'Jpo- tela jaculatus novum ad victoriam iter
µ.os); ix. 12 (l'J,a roii ll'Jiov aZµ.aros Eluij>..- sanguinis sui limite aperiret.'
0Ev). The word £y,cau,l{nv (c. ix. 18 a,a roii Kara1r£rarrµ,aros]. ..There can
note) is used in the LXX. of the inau- be no doubt that the 'veil ' is here
guration (dedication) of the altar, the regarded as excluding from the Divine
temple, the kingdom (1 Sam. xi. 14), Presence and not (a.s some Fathers
a house (Deut. xx. 5)1. took it) as the door by which the
The #v is the direct object of £VEKai- Divine Presence was approached.
v,uEv. Comp. Rom. ix. 24. It has Comp. c. vi. 19; ix. 8.
been taken (less naturally) predica- The way into the holiest place can
tively: 'for to be this-as which-He . now be traversed. The veil is not
inaugurated a fresh and living way •• .' indeed removed so long as we live on
Thus ol'Jov 1rp. ,cal (;oouav are in appo- earth, but we can pass through it in
sition with Etuol'Jov and descriptive of Christ. Comp. Matt. xxvii. 51 and
it. The way, however the words parallels.
which follow may be interpreted, must How then are we to understand
finally be Christ Himself (John xiv. 6; the words which follow, rijs uap,cos
x. 7); and it is therefore 'fresh' not avroii?
only in the sense that it is a way These words are by common consent
which was before unknown, but also taken either as dependent on roii ,cara-
as one that retains its freshness and 1r£'Tarrµ.aros, 'the veil, that is the veil of
cannot grow old (c. viii. 13); and it is His flesh' (i.e. consisting in His flesh),
'living' as a way which consists in or as in apposition with it, 'the veil,
fellowship with a Person (ov,c Elm, that is, His flesh.' In both cases 'the
{ruijs, a>..>..a {oouav avr,}v £/COAEUE, r,}v flesh' of Ch1ist is presented as that
µ.,vovrrav OV'T6> a,,>..oov Chrys.). .And through which He passed, a veil which
yet more : other ways bring weariness for a time shut off access to God.
1 The clause 1rapprJ<Tlav •.. uap,cos is transferred to the Prayer of the Veil in the
Greek Liturgy of St James, where the printed texts give &11e,cal11,uas, but the reading
of ~he Mss. is evE,ca/11,uas (Swainson, Greek Liturgks, pp. 262, 3). The argument
which has been built on the difference of the verb to establish the originality of the
clause in the Liturgy is therefore wholly unfounded.
w. H.3 21
322 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 20

Such a thought is strange and diffi- clause ToiiT' t<TT"LJJ rijs a-ap1eos avTOV ia
cult; but it becomes in some degree connected with oa&11 (and not with Tov
intelligible if 'the flesh' of Christ is 1eam'tTET&a-µ,aTos), 'a way through the
used in a strictly limited sense to veil, that is, a way consisting in His
describe His humanity under the flesh, His true human nature.' The
limitations of earthly existence, of whole clause 6to11 ••. 1CaTa1r,r&a-µ,aros will
temptation and suffering, as in St thus become a compound noun, 'a
Paul's phrase y,11001T1C<LII 1eaTa a-&p1ea fresh and living way through the veil'
Xpt<TT011 (2 Cor. v. 16). In favour of This construction appears to be
such a sense the words in c. v. 7 may followed by our Early English trans-
be quoted ill TaLS 1µ,lpats -ri;s a-ap1eos lations: 'by the new and lfoing
avrov and (with less point) ii. 14 ICE- way which He hath prepared for us
ICOt116l11111e• aip,ar-os 1eal a-ap1e6s. The word through the veil, that is to say (Gea
('flesh') being thus understood, it can om. to say) by His.flesh' (Tynd., Cov.,
be said that Christ passed through G.B., Gen.). The 'by' is omitted in
'the flesh' which He assumed, which the Bishops' Bible. Perhaps Vigilius
did actuallyto common eyes hide God Tapsensis (c. Varim. i. c. 27; Migne
from men, into the presence of God; P. L. lxii. 371) gives the same con-
but the greatest care must be taken struction : qui dedicavit nobis viam
to guard against the error of supposing recentem et viam per velamen, id
that in 'passing through,' and thus est, carnem suam, offerens seipsum
leaving behind, His 'flesh,' Chrisi pro nobis.
parted with anything which belongs The Greek certainly admits this con-
to the full perfection of His humanity. struction: Tovrl<TTtv does not necessari-
It must also b!l observed that, if ly refer to the words which immediate-
this interpretation be adopted, it ly precede : c. vii. 5. And the sense
seems to be necessary to connect a,a agrees perfectly with the argument.
rov 1eara1r••• r. a-ap1eos avrov closely with At first sight indeed the connexion
i11,1eal11,a-,11, and to confine the expres- of Tijs a-ap1eos with oao11 seems to be
sion to the action of Christ. For it is less natural than the connexion with
most unlikely that the Apostle would TOV 1eara1rEraa-µ,aTOS only; but the
describe Christ's 'flesh' as a veil hid- thought which is thus expressed of
ing God from men, through which they 'a way consisting in Christ's flesh'
too must pass, though it is true that falls in perfectly with the scope of the
His humanity did, during His historic passage. It was by the 'way of His
Presence, veil His Godhead, and that, flesh,' by a way which lay in His
in one sense, 'the flesh profiteth no- humanity, that Christ entered through
thing.' the veil after the offering of Himself
Still even with these restrictions this as a High-priest able to sympathise
interpretation is hardly satisfactory. with men. Aud it is by the 'way of
It remains surprising that 'the flesh' His flesh,' as sharing in the virtue of
of Chiist should be treated in any His humanity, and sprinkled with His
way as a veil, an obstacle, to the vision blood, that Christians come before
of God in a place where stress is laid God. (In the earlier part qf the
on His humanity (l11 T'f a'iµ,an 'I11a-ov). Chapter the writer has sltewn that
And we should certainly expect to ' the body' ·is the way of perfect
find a complete parallelism between service. Christ 'in the.flesh' skewed
the description of the approach of under the conditions qf earthly life
Christ to God and the approach of the the way of se(f-sacriji,ce. Titus His
believer to God. 'flesh ' is the 'way' which we are
These difficulties point to a different called to follow: MS. note by Dr
view of the construction by which the Westcott found in his copy.) Comp.
X. 21] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 323
f \ t ,.., ~I \ t / / , \ -,
€0-'TtV 'Tf'/S crapKOS au-rou, Kat t€p€a µeyav €7rl TON OIKON

.John vi. 53 ff.; xiv. 19; CoL i. 22 of God includes the whole Christian
d,roica1"17AAa~E11 (v. d,ro1Ca'l"1)AAll'Y'lr•) lv economy both in its earthly and in its
Ted uoop.arL rij > uap,c6, aJroii aul TOV heavenly elements; in its organisation
B~v&.rov. and in its members. The Church on
Chrysostom says with singular want earth, so far as it has a true existence,
of clearness : ~ uap~ av'l"1J lnp.• 11'pwr,, lives by its embodiment of the heavenly
'T1}v oaov aVr<p £,cel111Jv, ~v Kal Ey1e.a,vlcra, idea. Under other aspects this 'house'
Aiy£t, rep 1eal aVrOs UEWua, a,a -raVTT}s is spoken of as 'the order to come'
fia8luat. K.ara'TT'iracrµ.a aE El1e6rc.>S' J,ctl- (1 ol1<ovµ.l"'7 1 µ.iXXovua c. ii 5) and
AEUE r~v uap,ca, 6r£ yap ~p011 El, f5fo. 'the city to come ' ([~ '/l'oA,.] ~ µ.i7'.-
TDrE E<plJ.VT/ r<J. Ev rots- o'Vpavais. Xovua c. xiii. 14).
Theophylact repeats the last idea: See c. iii 4; 6- (l1r{); and compare
roiiro yap W,011 roii ICaTa7rEraup.aro, ro c. xii 22 ; Phil. iii. 20; Zech. vi. II ff.
Jrav cf.p0v dvaicaAV'lrrELII ra l11aov. Philo speaks of the righteous soul,
Theodoret regards the veil as the and again, by a remarkable image, of
appointed means of approach, and not the Word itself, as 'the house of God':
.as the obstacle which hindered access: rl. yap olico, 'll'apa YEVECJ'fl (in things
,cara'll'Eraup.a T~II a,U1rorL1C~JI rJvoµ.auE ,created) Mva,r' t.11 d~to11'p£11'Eur<po,
,rap,ca• l!,a rav'l"1), yap d,roAavop,EII ~- Evp,Bijva, 8,<ii '/l'A~V tvxij, rEAEla. ICE1Ca-
~1s- T(t 3:yta r&iv &:ylCl>V EluOaov. cZu1rEp 8apµ.i"'7, .•• ; (de sobr. § 13; i. 402 M.);
yap O ,cara 110µ.011 dpxiEpEV, l!,a roii U7rOVaauov oJv, c3 tvxq, 8,oii ol,co,
, ., \ ,., ,
1<.ara1rErauµ,aro, EL, ra aym T<illl ayt<illl
,. (
y,vlu0ai, l•pov aywv••• (de somn. i.§ 23;
.£lcrlJEt, €rlp(J)S ae aVrOv EluEA0t:'iv aavva- i 643 M.) ;... rov Tldl) 6A<i11J voiiv, rov
'TOV ~v, oJ-rc.>s ol Els rOv K'Up,ov 7rE'1T't- IJ£0v, ol,cov ExftV </:,T]<rl Tdv Eavrofi AO')'ov
<TTrn1<orE, aia Tij~ rov 11'a11aylov Uoop,aTOS (de migr. Abr. § I; i 437 M.).
Jl,EmA1t•<il• rij. £11 ovpa11o'i. d'/l'oAmluovu, 22. These privileges of Christians
'll'OAtnla.. But this view, though it are to be used. They must person-
has found wider acceptance (e.g. Pri-· ally exercise their right of access
masius: Sicut per velamen pervenie- to God. And this they must do in
batur ad interiora, ita per humanita,. sincerity and faith, even as they have
tem pervenitur ad divinitatis cogni- received the fulness of divine blessing
tionem), is wholly at variance with in preparation for the fulfilment of
the imagery of the Epistle, and with their priestly work.
the symbolism of the Old Testament. The connexion of the clauses in
•On the other hand it witnesses to vv. 22-24 is uncertain. It is possible
the truth that Christ's 'flesh' is 'the to begin each main sentence with the
way.' verb: 11'pou•pxolµ.,0a .•• 1<.arix<ilp,•11 ... 1<.al
21. ical lEpia µ.iya11] Christians have 1<aravoc.ip.,v ; or to regard the ical 88
open access to the Divine Presence; giving the new beginning: 11'pou•pxol-
and in the court of the Divine Majesty µ.,0a ... 1<atA£Aovrrµ.i110, ••• icaTlx<i1p,Ev •.. ical
they have an effectual Intercessor. 1<ara11ociiµ,,11 ..• ; or to make the break
The epithet great describes the after 'll'turEw,. The last arrangement
sovereign power of our Priest (a great may be dismissed at once. In favour
High-priest c. iv. 14), and does not of the second, it may be urged that
simply serve in combination with l•p•vs it gives a natural succession of con-
as an equivalent for dpxLEp•vs (Lev. ditions ; internal and external, both
xxi 10 o l,p,v, o µ.lya.~ personal and social: and further that
<11'1 rov oi1<ov r. 8.] Vulg. super do- the separation of Baptism (X,7'.. ro
mum (O.L. in domo) Dei. The House uc.iµ.a) from the confession naturally
21-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 22

TOU 8Eov, "'"'7rpo<repxwp.e8a p.eTa aA118ivijs . Kapotas"I '

EV
'\. I f I
' \
7r1'-1Jpo<f>opt<f 7rt<TTewc;, pepavTt<Tµevot Ta<; Kapotas a7io\
~I '

,,~
tTuvetM<Tewc; 7ro1111pac; Kai AEAOVtTP,EVOt TO <Twp.a uoaTt.
~

included in it is harsh ; while the pletely the devotion of the whole

accumulation of fresh thoughts by ,cal person to God. There is no divided
is in the style of the writer (let us allegiance: no reserve of feeling.
come to God ... ; and ha?Jing our body The phrase ?u..1]0t11TJ ,caplJla is found
bathed... let us holdfast ... ; and let us in ,Is. xxxviii. ~ (~xx.) ,'7rop,•v0~11 '~:
consider ... ). mov u-ov µ.<Ta aA.1JO«as- •v M1)0t"ll
But on the other hand it seems
most likely that the writer would ,capciig(C~~ :J?f, a whole heart).
complete the description of the con- Test. :vii Patr. Dan § 5 dya7ra-r< •••
ditions of personal approach, corre- aAA~AOVS' Ell aA.1)0tvy ICapcilg.
sponding with the priestly prepara- For ?u..1/0,vos- see c. viii. 2 ; ix. 24.
tions in the Levitical code, and then (Deut. xxv. r 5; Is. lxv. 2 A.). Comp. c.
pass on to the social obligations of viii. 2 note. For ,capci,a see Additional
Christians. So that on the whole Note on c. iv.
it seems best to make the break at iv 7rA1Jpoq,. 1riu-T.] in fulness offaith,
the end of v. 22 (let us come to God ..• Vulg. in plenitudine (0. L. confirma-
bathed with pure water. Let us hold tione al. satisfactione) fidei, in faith
fast.... And let us consider ... ). which has reached its mature vigour.
The fourfold characterisation of Compare c. vi. I I (note) 1rpos- rt}V
worshippers in v. 22 ((r) p,ETa aA1J0wijs- 7rA1Jpo<poplav Tijr ,"A,7r[cios-. The sense
,caplJlar, (2) b, 'TrA')poq,oplg 'Trt<TTE<,>s-, of perfect self-surrender must be com-
(3) pEpaimu-µ.b,o,, (4) 'A,r..ovu-µ.ivo,) deals pleted by sure reliance on One Who
with what they are and with what is ready to help.
they have received, with their dispo- The three members of the Christian
sition and with their divine endow- triad of earthly discipline are forcibly
ment. In themselves there is required recognised in the familiar order of
sincerity and faith; in regard to the St Paul ( r Cor. xiii. 13) b, 7rA1Jpoi:poplq;
gift of God, the participation in the 7rt<TT£<,>S, 1CaTEX«J1-'EII rt}II oµ.o'J..oytav EA-
spiritual reality and in the outward 'Trtcios (?J. 23), ,ls 1rapotvu-µ.611 dya7r1JS'
sacramental sign of cleansing. (?J. 24).
7rporr,pxJµ.,Oa] The word in this For the possible origin of the Christ-
sense of the approach of the worshipper ian triad in a saying of the Lord
to God is found in the N. T. only in ('Emµ.•r..iiu-0, 'TrL<TT<«JS' ,cal ,'>..7rtcios- lJt'
this Epistle and in r Pet. ii. 4- The Jv y,vviim, ~ q,,r..60,os /Cat cf:nr..a110poo'1roi;
usage is not unfrequent in the LXX. dyami, ~ TTJII alwv,011 {;ooqll 7rapixovu-a
Comp. iv. r6 note. The word is used Macar. Alex. Hom. xxxvii. ; Migne,
absolutely only in this passage. P. G. xxxiv. p. 749), compare Resch,
This approach is characterised by l.c. 179 ff.
two personal qualities, real devotion p<paVTtu-µ.ivo, ••. r..,r..ovu-µ..fvo,] There·
and ripe faith. are also divine blessings correspond-
µ.<To. a'A.1)0wijs- ,caplJ,as-] with a true ing to human character. The heart
heart-Vulg. cum ?Jero (0. L. certo is touched with the cleansing power
v. puro) corde-a heart which fulfils of the divine life : faith rests on the
the ideal office of the heart, the seat pledge of a historic fact. In each
of the individual character, towards case there is a reference to Levitical
God-a heart which expresses corn- ceremonies. So it is said that we.
x. 23] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
I \ • i\. I ~ 'i\. I~
KaOaprp· 23 KaT€XWf-tEV TrfV oµo 07tav Trf<; E 7rtoOS aKi\.tvij,

have our hearts-the seat of personal to the spiritual efficacy of the divine
character-and not our outward per- working, of which the Holy Eucharist
sons and garments (Ex. xxix. 21 ; is the appointed but not the sole
Lev. viii. 30. Chrys. £Kfll/OL .,.;, o-ooµ,a means : in the other to the outward
lppav-rl(ov-ro, ~µ,,'ir ai "HJV o-vv,tlJTJO"LV)- act, the decisive, sensible, rite in which
sprinkled, that is with Christ's Blood the believer recognised the foundation
and not with any water of purifica- of his assurance outside himself. The
tion, and so cleansed from an evil change in number from -rar Kap3lar to
conscience;· and our body is bathed .,.;, a-ooµ,a is not to be overlooked.
with pure water. In the latter clause 23-25. The exhortation to the
there is a reference both to the conse- use of the personal privilege of ap-
cration of priests (Ex. xxix. 4), and proach to God •is followed by the
to the bathing of the High-priest on charge to fulfil the social duties of
the day of Atonement (Lev. xvi. 4). believers. Chiistians are required to
With these symbolic bathings the maintain the open confession of their
sacramental 'bathing' of Christians is hope (v. 23); to regard one another
contrasted. with a view to bringing the influence
For pav-rtC«v see c. ix. 13 note; of example to bear upon the develop-
Lev. xiv. 5 ff.; Num. xix. 9 ff. Twice ment of life (v. 24); and to use occa-
only is the sprinkling of men with sions of meeting together in the pros-
blood noticed in the Levitical ritual, pect of a near crisis (v. 2 5).
and in each case the symbolism is The reference to Baptism in the
most expressive : Ex. xxiv. 8 (c. ix. last clause furnishes a direct transi-
19); xxix. 21. For the construction tion. The confession then publicly
fiav-rtC«v a1ro compare 2 Cor. xi. 3; and gladly made must be firmly held.
Rom. ix. 3 ; Luke xviii 3. 23. t<a-r•xooµ,•v -r~v oµ,oX.] Let us
a-vvna. 1roVTJp.] The conscience takes hold fast the confession qf our hope
its character from the actions of the· that it waver not. Compare c. iv. 14
man: c. xiii. 18 (KaA~v o-vv.); Acts Kpa-r<iJµ,<v -rijs oµ,oXoylar.
xxiii. 1 (o-vv. dyaB~, and often); I Tim. For Ka-rlx«v see c. iii. 6, 14-
iii. 9; 2 Tim. i. 3 (KaBapa o-vv.). See For oµ,o}..oyla see c. iii. I ; iv. 14.
also Acts xxiv. 16 (a1rpoo-K01TOS o-vv.): The word was used specially of the
and c. ix. 9 Additional Note p. 295. confession at Baptism : ,Bos yiyo11,v
For the phrase and thought com- it< -rov-rov [the Lord's questions to
pare Barn. Ep. xix. 12 oil 1rpoo-1~«r St Peter] -rp,'ir oµ,oA.oylar a,rai-r,'io-Ba,
£1TL ,rpoo-•vx~v iv O"VJJ<LlJ~O"fL 1TOVTJP'!- -rovs µ,lXXov-rar (3a,rno-Bijva1 (Ammon.
IJid. § xiv. C,at. in J?h. xx9 ~µ,o}..oy~~aµ,•~ ;;.,.,
A<Aovo-µ,. .,.;, o-,;,µ,a iJ. K.] having our -rar o-vvB.,Kas TTJS ,rurr,oor E1To1ovµ,,Ba
body bathed with pure' water (Vulg. ' ' I ,.,
£1.S avaOTao-,v VEKpwv trtOTfVELV
I
,ea,\ ,
E'U'
ahluti corpus ... ). For Xoif,o-Bm see (:oo~v al,.,,111011 (Theophlct.).
The illus-
Eph. v. 26 ; Tit. iii. 5 ; and especially trations given by Suicer (Thes. s. v.
.John xiii. ro. For vlJoop KaBapov see d1ro-rao-o-oµ,m) are worthy of study.
Num. v. 17 (l:l 1;h~ Cl~!;); Ezek. xxxvi. The phrase 'confession of hope' is
25. remarkable. The Apostle substitutes
The two phrases appear to contain for the more general word 'faith,'
allusions to the Christian sacraments. that word which gives distinctness to
That to the Eucharist is veiled: that special objects of faith to be realised
to Baptism is unquestionable. In the in the future. Hope gives a definite
one case the reference is primarily shape to the absolute confidence of
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 24, 25
4 \ - '"). "). .!
~ Kat Ka-ra11owµE11 a,vv1-
\ \
7rL<T'TOS ryap o' €7raryryELAaµEvos·
' I

"" , ~ \ , I \ 1" - ,! ~5 \
I\.OUS €LS 7rapoc;,v<Fµov arya7rt7S KaL Ka1\.WV Eprywv, µ,,

Faith. Faith reposes completely in not: or, according to the image, 10

the love of God : Hope vividly antici- that it remain erect and firm. The
pates that God will fulfil His promises word is not found elsewhere in N. T.
in a particular way. Comp. Luc. Dem. Enc. § 32 (p. 514)
'l'he conception of Hope naturally tl.71µorrBi11TJV VTrEp71yaµ71v ••• a,c;\,,vij ~v
occupies a prominent place in an 'YVX~" Irr' opBijs Iv a1rarrms <pvAarrovra
Epistle directed to meet despondency. Tp,icvµlms T'/s Tvx11s ,cat rrpos µ71lJJv Truv
iii. 6 0~ ol,cos lrrµ•v ~µ•'is Nw T~IJ lJEtvrov lvlJ,lJovTa.
1rapp71rrlav ,cat TO ,cavx71µa T7/S EA'trlllos For the form of the sentence see c.
/1-EXf' TEAO~S fJ•fJ~lav /CaTarr,x"'~'"· v. 14; vii. 24-
VI. II nnOvµovµ,v •••••• n1llELK11VrrBa, rrurr1is yap o irrayy.] The fidelity
rr,rovllryv Trpos Tryll TrA71pocf>oplav ri/s of God is not only the sure ground
EA'trlllos 11.xp, TE/\.ovs. of our confidence but (as men speak)
vi. 18, 19 o! KaTa<pvyovns ,cpaTijrrat T7/S it challenges our fidelity. Compare
Trpo,cELµiv71s <ATrlllos qv•.• lxoµ,v ••• drrcf>a- I Cor. i. 9; x. 13; 1 Thess. v. 24-
A~ TE ,cat fJ•fJalav, ,cat ,lrr,pxoµl111J" Els Sicut enim fidelis et verus remune-
To' ,rrooTEpov
, , ,
TOV,. 1CaTaTrETarrµ,aTos. rator est Christus in promissionibus
vii. 19 ,cp,lrrovos EA1rll'ios, U ~s ly- suis, ita fideles nos esse vult in pro-
yl(oµ,v To/ 0,.;,. missis nostris qure vovimus tempore
The hope in each case appears to baptismatis, diabolo videlicet contra-
be fixed upon the realisation of a dicere Christoque servire (Primas.).
complete divine fellowship under new 24. ,cat ,caTavoruµn1 aAA~Aovs] And
conditions, as it was laid down by the let us consider one another, Vulg.
schoolmen : propriun1 ac principale et consideremus (0. L. aspiciamus)
spei objectum est ipsa reterna beati- invicem. It is our duty to declare
tudo (Th. Aq. Sum. Th. ii. 2 qu. 17, what we are and what we look for :
art. 2 ). To this the Christian looks it is our duty also to consider what
forward with a vivid anticipation. In others are. The well-being of each
it he sees the assurance of the trans- believer is bound up with the well-
figuration of the conditions of earthly being of the whole body. He is there-
being (1 John iii. 2, 3). The resur- fore constrained to give careful heed
rection of Christ is the pledge of its to others in the hope that he may
fulfilment (1 Pet. i 3, 21). Hence rouse them to nobler action ; and
'Christ Jesus' Himself is 'our hope' again that he may himself draw en-
(1 Tim. i. 1; Col. i 27). couragement and inspiration from
In the presence of such a ho!)e· the noble examples. Comp. c. xii. I 5.
visible glories of the Temple fade Consideremus nos invicem, scilicet
away. Those who can realise it will perfecti minores eos hortando, et
feel no loss when they are withdrawn. minores perfectos inlitando eos (Ambr.
Comp. Acts ii. 26 (Lxx.); xxiii. 6; ap. Pet. Lomb;).
xxiv. 15; 2 Cor. iii. 12; Rom. v. 2; For 1CaTavoiiv see c. iii I note. There
viii. 20 ff. ; Col. i. 5. is an intimate connexion between
'E'X1rls is not found in the Gospels. considering Jesus and considering one
The translation 'faith' in A. V. is another. We see one another in Him.
an innovation: 'hope' is found in the Comp. Resch, Agraplia, p. 111.
earlier versions (Tynd. Cov. GB. Gen. 1rapo~. dya'frT/s] Vulg. fo provocatio-
Bps. Rh.). nem caritatis (0. L. amoris). The
dic;\,,vij] Vulg. indeclinabilem, 0. L. combination has a startling sound.
inprcm,aricabilem, so that it waver Christians are to be roused, provoked,.
X. 25] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
' ~ I
€"fKaTW\.€L7rOIIT€S \
Tr}II ' \
€7rL<TUJ1arywryt711 ' ,..
EaUTWII, Ka 0' '0
(J)<;; € OS

25 e-yKaTaXei1ra11res A -:>..,1r6vres N: KaTa?..,1r6vTes D 2 *. 7"11" ,1r,u-. a.vTwv (a.o.) N*.

Mos + «rTiv Dt.
but to love. Compare 1 Thess. iv.
Tim. ii. 21; iii. 17; Tit. i. 16; iii. 1;
II
cj,,AoTLµ.EtO'Bat ,iuvxa(«v. Xen. Mem. Hehr. xiii. 21.
iii 3, 13 ~1r,p [cp,Aonµ.la] µ.aX,o-ra 25. µ.~ ,y,caraX. r~v imu. l.] not
'lf'apof'Uvn 1rpDr rU KaA.a tcal Evr,µ,a. forsaking the gathering of our own
[Isocr.] ad Demon. § 46 (p. 12 B) selves together for fellowship in divine
µ.aX,o-ra l!J' ,h '11'ap0Ev11B,t11s; oply,uBm worship. Vulg. non deserentes collec-
TWII KaAwll lpyro11. tionem nostram. The fulfilment of
Euthym. Zig. XWos; ,,_,,, 'll'pos X[Bo11 this social duty is presented under a
a. twofold aspect, negatively and posi-
rp,fJoµ.,vos; 'll'tp acJ,t11u•v, /J.11Bpro'ITOI/
'll'pos; tlvBpro'll'OII ilµ.LAAroµ.£1101/ B,pµ.oTEpos;
tively: Christians are not to abandon
y[yv,rm. the opportunities of meeting; and
The noun occurs in a different they are to use the power of mutual
sense .Acts xv. 39 ; and the verb influence.
Acts xvii. 16; 1 Cor. xiii. 5. The word iyicara">..d1rovrEs; conveys
icaXcii11 lpyrov] good deeds, or rather, the notion not simply of leaving, as
noble works, works which by their no longer taking part in the assembly,
generous and attractive character win but of abandoning, leaving the assem-
the natural admiration of men. For bly exposed to peril in the conflict.
1eaXor see c. v. 14; vi. 5. Compare c. xiii. 5 note ; 2 Tim. iv.
It is a misfortune that we cannot ro, 16 (A. /J-E ,yicarDurro); 2 Cor. iv. 9
distinguish Ka.All lpya and ayaBll lpya (lt,roicoµ.EVOL aXX' OVK ,yicaraAEL'ITO/J-EVOL);
in translation: we are constrained to Matt. xxvii. 46 iva r[ /J-E iy1<aT<AL'ITEI/;
render both phrases by 'good works.' 'Emuvvayro'Y'], which expresses the
Yet the ideas suggested by the two assembly formed and not only the act
phrases are distinct. In ayaBa lpya of assembling (compare uvvaE,s; Sui-
we mark only the intrinsic character cer, Thes. s. v.), occurs again in a
of the works : they are essentially · different connexion in 2 Thess. ii 1,
good. In icaXa lpya we emphasise the where the force of the ,rrt is seen, as
notion of their effect upon others, of marking a definite centre t-0 which the
their nobility which attracts. The gathering is directed, that is, Christ.
same work may be regarded both as Comp. Matt. xviii. 20 uv"'lyµ.lvo, ,ls;
dyaBov and as 1eaX011, but so far as it is TO iµ.ov i5voµ.a. The verb is found in
1eaXov it is looked at under the aspect significant passages: Matt. xxiii. 37;
of moral beauty. xxiv. 31; Luke xvii. 37; compare 2
Compare Matt. v. 16 /5rrros; Wrou,v Mace. ii. 7.
vµ.wv Tll KO.All lpya; xxvi. IO 1pyo11 The use of lavrwll (i.e. ,iµ.wv avrwv)
icaMv ~py&.uaro (you fail to see its for the simple ,iµ.0011 fixes attention
beauty); II Mk. xiv. 6; John x. 32 on the meeting as characteristically
'/l'OAAd lpya [ltELEa vµ."iv icaXa; l Tim. Christian. For the use of lavrciiv
iii 1 icaAov 1pyov lmBvµ.ii; v. ro ;,, see c. iii. 13 note.
lpyo,s; ,c. µ.aprvpovµ.l"'li V. 25; vi. 18; W etstein quotes from .Augustine
Tit. ii. 7 TV'ITOII KaAwll tpyro11; 14; iii (Gonf. viii. 2, 4) the striking account
8, 14; l Pet. ii. 12 iK TWII ,ca">..wv lpyrov. of the conversion of the rhetorician
See also Rom. xii. 17; 2 Cor. viii. 21. Victorinus : dicebat Simpliciano [his
On the other hand, for tpya ayaBa, Christian friend J non palam sed secre-
&yaBov 1pyov see Rom. ii. 7 ; xiii. 3; 2 tius et familiarius: Noveris me jam
Cor. ix. 8; Eph. ii. 10; Col. i. ro; 2 esse Christianum. Et respondebat
Thess. ii. 17; 1 Tim. ii. 10; v. ro; 2 ille : Non credam, nee deputabo te
 THE EPISTL;E TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 26
I '-i. "1' \ "1' ~ \ I ~"1' "1' <I
'Tt<Ttll, a,v\.a 1rapaKa1\.0U1/'T€S, Kat 'TO<TOV'T<p µai\.l\.01/ O<TCtJ
a-i. I , I Y', \ • I
JJl\.€7r€7€ €,Y,YL~OV<Tal/ T1]1/ 1}µ€pa11.
~6 • € I <
KOV<T'LCtJS

inter Christianos, nisi in ecclesia Christi xii 5; xiii. 22 rov i\&yov rijs 1rapa-
te videro. Ille autem irridebat dicens: l(.A'7UE00,.
Ergo parietes faciunt Christianos 1 Such 'exhortation I would have re-
Et hoe srepe dicebat jam se esse gard both to dangers from without
Christianum ; et Simplicianus illud and to dangers from within. Christians
srepe respondebat, et srepe ab illo had need of courage and they had
parietum irrisio repetebatur. need of progress. (Hortatur] consolari
The account of his public profession simpliciores et suo exemplo confortare
(§ 5) illustrates the J,_,o"'A.oyia. (Primas.). Sublevatio laboris est visio
Chrysostom notices the twofold collaborantis ut in itinere fit (Ambr.
blessing of the Christian gatherings : ap. Pet. Lomb.).
olaEv d1rO TijS' <TVVOV<Tlas- Kal rijs- f1rurvva-- icat Toa-. µ,aJ..Aov Zuq, ... r~v 111Lipa11]
'Y"''Yijs 'TrOAA~II oJaw, 'HJII luxvv (Matt. The actual position of the things, the
xviii. 20)••• otl a,a TOVTO a; fLOl/011, aAA' nearness of the great crisis of the
E1rn8~ ,cat. rtl. njs- dyci7nJS' aveavETUL a,a Lord's coming, made the obligation
rijs lmuvvayooyijs. of mutual support among Christians
l(.a8dis Wos riuiv] Vulg. sicut est urgently pressing. The danger was
consuetudinis (-ni V.L.) quibusdam. great and the time was short. Those
Such conduct on the side of Christians who deserted the Christian Faith
would arise partly from fear lest they would be swept away in the ruin soon
should provoke the active hostility of to follow, without the opportunity of
the Jewish authorities; partly from return.
self-confidence, as though they no The change to the direct address
longer needed the assistance of ordi- (/3A<rrErE in contrast with icaravowµ,Ev)
nary common worship where the gene- adds force to the appeal The begin-
ral average of spiritual life might be ning of the Jewish war was already
counted too low to aid more mature visible to the Hebrews.
believers. And yet more than this, This absolute use of 'the day' (T7J"
the Christian assemblies must have ~µ,ipav) is peculiar. The nearest paral-
appeared insignificant when com- lels are 1 Thess. v. 4 ; Rom. xiii. 12;
pared with those to which the He- in both of which passages the contrast
brews were accustomed. Other traces with 'night' is brought out. Compare
of the practice are found: Jude 19 1 John ii. 8.
ol a1roiJiopi(;o11TES (perhaps, though 'The day' is elsewhere spoken of
lavrovs must be omitted). Barn. Ep. according to the phrase of the 0. T.
iv. I0 JJ,~ l(.a8' fovrovs /11iJv11011TES JJ,0110.- as 'the day of the Lord' (~µ,,pa Kvplov,
(;ETE cJs ;;a,, iJEiJU<atOOfLEIIOL, Henn. Sim. tj 11fL<pa rov Kvpiov) Acts ii 20 (Lxx.);
ix. 26 µ,0110.(;ovrES a1roAAvaut rrts lavroo11 1 Thess. v. 2 ; 2 Thess. ii. 2 ; 2 Pet.
,/,vxas. Comp. Ign. ad Ephes. 5, 13; iii. JO; or, more generally, as 'that
Did. 16. Hatch B.L. pp. 29f. day' (/icEl"TJ 11 11 µlpa) Matt. vii. 22;
.And Primasius gives the same ex- xxiv. 36 II Mk. xiii. 32; Lk. x. 12 (xvii.
planation of the evil habit: deserebant 31); xxi 34; 2 Thess. i. JO; 2 Tim. i.
collectionem habitantes soli, ut deo 12, 18; iv. 8.
liberius viderentur vacare. Elsewhere it is called 'the day of
aAArt 1rapal(.aAOVIITES] But on the God' (2 Pet. iii. 12); 'the day (days)
contrary cheer (Vulg. consolantes) the of the Son of man'; Lk. xvii. 26 (30);
timid, and stimulate the backward, comp. John viii. 56; 'the day of
by your example. Comp. c. iii. 13; Christ,' 'of Jesus Christ,1 'of our Lord
x. 26] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

.Jesus' [Christ] 1 Cor. i. 8 (v. 5); sisted in (aµ,apmvoVToov ). The writer

2 Cor. i. 14; Phil. i. 6, 10; ii. 16. does not set limits to the efficacy of
It is also called 'the great day': Christ's work for the penitent.
Jude 6; Apoc. vi. 17; xvi. 14; 'a The whole section must be com-
day of judgment' : Matt. x. 15; xi. pared with c. vi. 4-8.
22, 24; xii. 36; (Rom. ii. 16); 2 Pet. The .Fathers commonly interpret
ii. 9; iii. 7; l John iv. 17; and, in the passage as laying down that there
regard to its contrasted issues, 'a day can be no repetition of Baptism: so,
of redemption': Eph. iv. 30; 'a day for example, Chrysostom : [oil] T'iJV
of wrath': Rom. ii. 5. Comp. 'the f1,ETCIVOLaV avmpEL t, TOIJ a,.a JJ,ETalJOLaS
last day' in St John (vi. 39note). •t•Aauµ,6v, ovai J(lii Kal Kam{3aAAEL
In working out these various (Jl,(l Tijs d1ro1v6lu€o>S rdv lTrTaLKOra •••
thoughts it will be seen that each a>..>..a TL; TO aevTepov avmpii /3a'Tl'TL<Tf1,0 •
day of Christ's coming is at once a oV yap £l1r£v, OVKEr, l<rrl µ.rr&.voia, otia£,
fulfilment and a prophecy: a judg- OV1eETt Eu,-lv 8.<j,£uir, &AA& evula o'V,clr,
ment and a promise. Such was the l,rrl, rovTl<Trt uraVpos i3£Vr£pos -0V1e.lr,
final overthrow of the Jewish system l<TTl : and, following him, Primasius:
at the fall of Jerusalem. · [non dicit] non est ultra poonitentia,
The expectation of the Lord's speedy neque peccatorum remissio, sed hostia,
coming, which then had accomplish- inquit, ultra non est, hoe est crux
ment, is found expressed in each group ultra non est secunda, ut iterum
of writings of the N.T., and under the Christus crucifigatur, iterumque nos
same term 'Tl'apovula. baptizemur.
'The day' is spoken of as 'drawing 26
For if we wilfully sin after that
nigh' (,yyl(ovuav), as in other apostolic we have received the knowledge of
writings: Rom. xiii. 12 (,j ,jµ,. ,fyyuc•v); the truth, there is no longer left a
Phil. iv. 5 (o Kvpios lyyvs); James v. sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain
S (ry 7raiovula Tov Kvplov ~"fYLKev); fearful expectation qf }udgment, and
l Pet. iv. 7 (miVTC»V TO Te'Aos {fyymv). a jealousy offire ready to devour the
Compare c. viii. 13 (Jyyvs acpav,uµ,ov); adversaries. 28 0ne that setteth at
and John xxi. 21 ff. naught Moses' law dieth without com-
(2) vv. 26-31. The perils of passion on the word of two or three
apostasy. witnesses; 29 of how much sorer pun-
The charge which has been given ishment, think ye, shall he be Judged
in the labt section to fulfil the personal worthy who trampleth under foot the
and social claims of the Faith is Son of God, and counteth the blood
enforced by a consideration of the of the covenant a common thing, the
perils of apostasy. There is, the blood wherein he was sanctified, and
writer shews, no sacrifice available for doth outrage to the Spirit of grace?
apostates from Christ (26, 27). :JO For we know Him that said Ven-
Death was the punishment of the geance is mine, I will recompense;
corresponding offence under the Old and again The Lord will judge His
Covenant (28); and the same principle people. 3' It is afearful thing to fall
must find application to Christians into the hands qf a living God.
(29); who serve the same God (30, 31). 26, 27. The mention of 'the day'
It must be observed that the argu. in v. 25 calls out the sad severity of
ment assumes that the sacrifice of the warning which follows. We must
Christ is finally rejected, and sin per- use the help which God has provided
330 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 27
- '"lt. 0 I , I \ ,
TrJ<; at\.1'] €tac;, 0UK€'Tt 7r€pt aµap'TtWV a7T"Ot\.€t7T"€'Tat VO-ta,
~ , "lt. I e I

~7 <po/3Epd OE -rte; €KOOX11 Kpto-€wc; Kai nypoc z,-'./Aoc k0/e1N

'11"epl ••. 8v<1'la: 1rep1\el1rera, 8v<1'la11 ,repl dµaprlas 1rpo<1'e11ev1<w Dt.

and in His way; for if we set this at phrase (AafNi11 r~v i1r{y11.) for the
naught nothing remains for our relief. simple verb (Col. i. 6; 2 Pet. ii. 21)
26. El<.OV(TL6)S aµ,apra110IIT6JII ~P."'") brings out the double aspect of the
Vulg. voluntarie (0. L. ultra) peccan- knowledge as God's gift and man's
tibus nobis. The phrase includes two acquisition (Aa/3e1v). In gaining it
distinct elements, the voluntariness, man is active and yet it is not from
that is the realised consciousness, of him. For similar uses of Aa{3iiv see
the sin, and the habitual indulgence c. ii 3; xi 29; 2 Pet. i. 9 (V1017v
in the sin. Such sin involves apostasy Aa/3.); 2 Tim. i. 5 ('u1raµ,v17u,v Aa/3. ).
from Christ (v. 29 1<.ara1rar~uar). The knowledge thus received is
The adverb l,covul"'r stands first treated as complete (r~v l1r,y. rijr
with emphasis : ix. 2 5. For /1<.ovu{,,,r aA.: contrast Tit. i. 1 ; r Tim. ii. 4
compare I Pet. v. 2 µ,q d11ay1Ca<TT1»r l1rly.dA.); and theuseoftheemphatic
dAAa EICOV<Tl6Jr, and Philem. 14 µ,~ ,cara J1rlyv,,,u,r in place of the simple
a11ay"'I"· •• ana
/Card. £1<.0V<TLOII. Philo de yvrou,r marks the greatness of the
post. Cain. § 3 (i. 228 M.) ro El<.OV<TLOII, fall which is contemplated. Those
c'ire {3ovAfJ ,cat 1rpoµ,170eig ye110µ,evov, dvia- whose case is taken into account have
rovr elr del ,cijpar i11ll,~erai. Contrast vigorously applied themselves to pur-
Philo, quod Deus immut. § 28 (i. 292 sue the study of Christian truth.
M.). 'E-,,.iyv,,,u,r is a characteristic word of
For the opposite al<.OV<TL6JS aµ,apravnv St Paul's later Epistles (from Romans
(ii~~~~) see Lev. iv. 2; v. 15; Num. onwards). It occurs here only in this
xv. 2 5 ff. Comp. Philo de vit. Mos. i Epistle. Comp. 2 Pet. ii. 21; Rom.
§ 49 (ii. 123) Balaam sought forgive- i. 28 ; x. 2; and Lightfoot on PhiL
ness of the angel avyyvco11ai llebµevor i 9; Col. i. 9.
1
V1r dyvola~ MA' oV 1<a(/ £1<.oVuwv yv6>µ11v rijr dA170elar] 'The Truth' absolutely
aµ,aprom. de Pref. § 14. is coincident with the revelation of
On aµ,apravOIIT6JV Theophylact says Christ. This use of the term is
justly: Opa lJi 1Tl»S o?J1<. el1re11 aµ,aproVT6JV characteristic of St John (i. 17; iii
aAA' aµ,apravovr"'"• rovriur,v iµ,µ,eva11- 21; xvi. 13, &c.; 1 John ii. 21, &c.);
r"'" rfJ aµ,aprl~ aµ,eravo~r6Jr. but is found also in each group of the
Compare I John iii. 6, 9; v. 18; Epistles: James iii. 14; v. 19; I Peter
and contrast c. iii. 17 (rots ap.apr~- i 22; 2 Thess. ii. 12; Gal v. 7; Eph.
uau,v). i. 13; 2 Tim. ii. 15.
By the addition of 1µ,ro11 the writer 0J,c,n .•. dir0Ae,1rerai] The sacrifice of
softens the severity of his words with Christ has been rejected ; and there
a touch of deep sympathy. No one is no other sacrifice which can be
of us, he implies, can set aside the effectual. The order of the words is
warning as needless. If he dwells on remarkable. The words 1repl aµ,aprtrov
the danger of others he does not and Ovula are separated so that the
forget his own. Comp. 1 John ii r fact of sin stands out prominently:
note. 'for sins there is left no sacrifice.'
µ,era ro Aa/3e1v Tqll i1r{yv. rijr &A.] So too the writer appeals to in-
Vulg.postacceptam notitiam veritatis. dividual experience when he says 'for
Compare I Tim. iv. 3 i1reyv6'1<.0<rw r;,v sins' and not generally 'for sin.' Con-
&A10e,av. The use of the compound trast v. r 8 1rpoucpopa 1T£pl ap.aprlas.
·x. 28] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 331
8
µEM01rroc; TO'(C )'TT€Nb.NT!O)'C. . ~ d0er~(Tac; 'TL<; voµov Mwu-
(T€W<; xwptc; oiK-rtpµ.wv €TT! A)'CIN H TPICIN Mb'.pT)'CIN b.TT09NHCK€I"

28 olKnpµ.wv: + KCLl OCLKpuwv D2 * syr hl.

ix. 26 Eis dBlrrJU'W aµ,aprlas. xii 4 by the consideration of the enactment
-rrpos rrJV aµ.aprlav d11ra-y6>11,(op,Evo,. for a similar offence under the Old
xiii. l l. Covenant. The same form of argu-
Non reservatur nobis ultra hostia ment from the less to the greater
pro peccato qme pro nobis offeratur, occurs c. ii. 2 f.; ix. 13 f.; xii. 25.
sicut in veteri lege donatum est The thought finds a striking illus-
hostias srepe offerre pro peccatis tration in Philo de Prof. § 16, i
(Primas.). p. 558 M.: ,1 ol rovs 81117rovs ,ca,c17-
27. </>ofJ•pa l'Jl ns •..] but there is -yop1uavns -yovE'is liTra-yovrai r~v f:Trl
... there abideth... (comp. John iii Bavar'I? (Ex. xxi. 15) rlvos &elovs XP~
36). This issue is represented on its voµ.i(<iv np,6>pias rovs [rov] rii>v ilX6>11
two sides, as man's expectation (lK· -rrarlpa ,cal TrOt'7r1}V fJXau</>17µ.E'iv wo•
l'Jox~ Kp.), and. God's provision (,rrvpos µ..Evovrar;
NAos). 28. dBEr1uas r,s v. M.] One that set-
The rhetorical use of the indefinite tethat naught Moses' law .•• V ulg.Irri-
ri. gives a solemn awe to the state- tam quis faciens legem. .• 0. L. Oum
ment. The fact that the expectation enim quidam relinqueret legem •••
cannot be exactly defined necessarily The offence like the correlatives (1<ara-
makes it more impressive. Comp. Trar1uas, 1/'YTJ<Tap,Evos, l:vvfJpluas) is re-
Acts viii. 9; v. 36. garded in its isolated completeness ;
heiox~ Kpluu,s) The noun tKl'iox1 the culprit 'set the law at naught.'
occurs here only in the N. T. Compare His act was final and decisive ; and
'V. 13 EKl'iExop,Evos, c. xi 10. it is not presented in its present
Such a judgment (c. ix. 27) would fulfilment (aBErii>v ns) or in its abiding
be, for those whom the Apostle de- permanence (1B•rrJKws ns).
scribes, condemnation. Comp. John v. . The verb dBEn'iv occurs here only
24, 29. in the Epistle (comp. dBerrJuis vii. 18 ;
Trvpas (r/Xos] Latt. ignis mmulatio, ix. 26 note). It describes not only
a Jealousy (.fierceness) of .fire. The the violation of an ordinance or
words are adapted from Is. xxvi. I 1 authority in details, but the denial
( LXX.) (r/Xos >..1t Erai Xaov liTrali'JEvro11 of the validity of the ordinance or the
,caL VVv 1rVp .,-otls 'IJ1rE11aVTlavr KaTilJErai. authority altogether. Comp. Gal. iii.
The word (r/Xos suggests the thought 15; 1 Tim. v. 12; Jude 8; John xiL
oflove which has been wronged, just as 48.
Trvp describes one aspect of the Divine The unique absence of the article
Nature : c. xii 29 ,\ 8EaS ryµ.ii>v 7rt!p here in voµ.ov M6>V<T<oos (elsewhere o
1C.aravaAlu1<.ov. voµ.. M. Luke ii. 22 ; xxiv. 44; John
~Opa says Theophylact Trrus oiov vii. 23; Acts xiii. 39; xv. 5; xxviii. 23
l:,/,vx6><TE ro Trvp. It is the fire which (1 Cor. ix. 9)) gives the sense of 'that
consumes. which was a prescription of Moses.'
The word vTrEvavrlos, which is not The reference, as marked by the
unfrequent in the Lxx., occurs again clause lTrl avulv ~ rp,ulv µ.. dTroB. (Deut.
Col. ii. 14. xvii. 6), appears to be to the specific
For the thought of vv. 26-7 com- warning against idolatry (Deut. xvii.
pare a striking passage of Philo, quod 2 ff.). Not every offence against the
Deus immut. § 37 (i. 299 M.). Law was visited with death, but
28, 29. The anticipation of fatal specially, among others, this offence
punishment for apostasy is confirmed to which the apostasy from Christ
33 2 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 29

~9 7T'O<Tlf OOK€IT€ XEtpovo,; dfuv01J<T€'Ta£ 'Tlµwpta<; o TOI'

vidv 'TOU 8Eou Ka-ra'1T'aT11<ra<;, Kai T<l <l.iM<l. THC h.l<l.0HKHC KOLJ/011

29 OOKELOE D2 *.

corresponded. In the case of the Old t ,

0,,, IWTU7rUT1)<TUS
( ' ,
, , , 1)"/')<TUJLEVOS,,, EVV-
Covenant the sanction lay in the j3p{uas] There is a triple indict-
declaration of the Lawgiver : in the ment. The manifestation of the apos-
case of the New Covenant the believer tasy of the offender is described under
had direct experience of the power three distinct aspects, as an act (KaTa-
of the Divine Presence. 1raT11uas ), as an opinion ('1Y'luaµ,vas),
x_wp,s alKnpµoov] All the people as a personal and wilful assault (Jvv-
shared in the infliction of the punish- ;3p[um). His conduct shews that he
ment (Deut. xiii 9; xvii. 7 ; Acts vii. has already abandoned his faith, and
58). that too after he had made trial of
The word alKT1pµ6s (compassion) ap- its blessings. His decision, expressed
pears to be very rare in classical Gk. in deed, is regarded as complete and
(Pind. Pyth. i. 85 (164]) and the plural final
{Lxx. c 1i;,r:p) is peculiar to ecclesiasti- The language used suggests the
cal writers. The word expresses the open repudiation of the baptismal
feeling which witnesses to fellowship confession and covenant: 1 Cor. xii. 3.
and natural sympathy, while tX,os Pliny reports to Trajan that those
(pity) describes the feeling which is who were brought away from the
called out by the sight of misery. Faith imaginem tuam deorumque
Comp. Rom. xii. 1 ; 2 Cor. i. 3 ; Phil. simulacra venerati sunt et Christo
ii 1; Col. iii 12; Luke vi. 36; James male dixerunt (Epp. x. 96).
V. II, The strangeness of the metaphor in
d'll"aBv17um] The Law is valid and 1CaTa1raT,iv as applied to a person is
effective. For brl see ix. 10. enhanced by the use of the title 'the
29. 'll"iJ<T':' 3a,c,iTE ... ] Vulg. quanto Son of God' (comp. vi. 6 note). The
magis putatis deteriora mereri sup- word KaTa1raT,iv occurs Matt. v. 13;
plicia (0. L. deteriora deprecabitur vii. 6 in connexions which illustrate
-cindictro). The parenthetical 3aKE<TE the image. That which claims to be
makes the appeal to the readers more precious is not only regarded as
direct and pointed : T~v ,cp[cnv avTa'is having no value : it is also treated
J1T1,-rpE1rn• 01rfp ElW6aµ.Ev 1TOL£Lv £7rl with utter contempt.
T<dlJ .urJ>6l3pa oµa"i\ayovµ,vwv, TOV< aKpa- KaTa1raTE<v is not unfrequent in the
aTll< 311Ca<TTas 'll"OtoVVTE< (Theophlct. ). LXX. in a similar connexion for dif-
The verb dt,wB17ufTat, which is com- ferent Hebrew words : Ps. lvi. (Iv.)
monly used in connexion with words 2, 3 ; !vii. (lvi.) 4 (~~r) ; Is. !xiii. 6,
of reward (c. iii. 3; 1 Tim. v. 17), is 18 (0~~).
used also of meet punishment, like The ·act of contemptuous rejection
tttw< Acts xxiii. 29. of Christ is joined with or rests upon
Ttµwplas] The noun occurs nowhere a deliberate judgment. The apostate
else in the N. T. (the verb Ttµwpiiv is held the blood of the covenant to be
found Acts xxii. 5 ; xxvi. II). It a common thing. The word ,Jy,iuBai
expresses simply the notion of retri- occurs again in this sense : xi. 11, 26.
butive punishment in regard of the TO a[µa rijs a,aB'/K')S] The phrase
offence. It will be seen that in the suggests the contrast on which the
case of the perfect fulfilment of a writer has already dwelt between the
perfect law the ends of retribution inaugurations of the Old and New
and correction absolutely coincide. Covenants: Ex. xxiv. 8 (c. ix. 20).
X. 29) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 333
c I , 'i' f I 0 \ \ ,. . I
'1,YrJ<Tap.€110'> €JI 'f 'YJ"/la<F 'Y/, Kat TO 7r11€Vp.a 'T'YJ'> xaptTO<;;
Olll. ev ci, r,-yuia-811 A.
Comp. c. xiii. 20 ; Matt. xxvi. 28 ; xvii. 17 (dy. ,v Tfi dX11BEl~); Rom. xv.
Mk. xiv. 24 (n'i alµ,a µov T~S 13,aB~l<TJS); 16 (,Jymuµ,. EJJ 'lrV. ay.); l Cor. i 2
Luke xxii. 20 (Toiirn TO .,,.onfp,ov ,j 1<. (~muµ. lv X. 'I.); vii. 14 (,Jy. J dv~p
l3iaB. ,v T,;; a'lµ,. µ,ov ). (,J yvv~) lv ••• ); Jude l (Tois ev B. 7raTpl
1<0,vov '>iYTJ"aµoos] Vulg. pollutum ,jyiauµ,tvo,s ).
duxerit. 0. L. communem mstima- The 'hallowing ' of the Christian is
verit. Syr. vg. as that of any man. spoken of as one definite act (,jy,a<TBTJ ).
The two senses given by the Latin By incorporation into Christ he was
have each found support in later times. once for all devoted to God. Comp.
Some have taken 1<oivos as 'common' r Cor. vi. 1 I.
in the sense of 'undistinguished from TO 'lrV. T~S xap. lvvflp.] Vulg. et (quir
the blood of any other man'; others as spiritui gratice con(umeliamfecerit,
(positively) 'impure,' 'unholy,' as if and (who) doth outrage to the Spirit
Christ had suffered justly as an evil- of grace. There is still a third element
doer. This sense is supposed to be in the apostasy. The apostate offers
suggested by the clause lv 'f ,jyui<TB11 insult and outrage to that Power
which follows. In either case the through Whom the highest divine
clause, added after the structure of influences flow to man. This act of
the sentence was complete, brings in open rebellion against the present
a new thought which places the great- power of God, active through the
ness of the offence in a clearer light : Body of the Church, crowns the
'holding that common wherein he personal hostility to Christ and the
was made holy.' violation of the allegiance which had
The usage of the N. T. uniformly been pledged.
places 1<0,vos in contrast with ayrns or The word lvvfJpl(ELv is not found
1<aBapos. Comp. c. ix. 13 note. elsewhere in the N. T. or LXX. "Y{:Jp,s
For the sense 'like that of other is that insolent self-assertion which
men,' 'ordinary,' see Just. M. Apol. disregards what is due to others. It
i. 66 1<0,vos /J.pTos. Perhaps it is combines arrogance with wanton in-
simplest here to take the word as jury. Comp. Rom. i. 30 ; I Tim.
negatively opposed to ay,os in the i 13.
sense of 'having no divine virtue.' This outrage is directed . against
iv o/··-] wherein he was sanctified One Who is spoken of by the unique
(hallowed). Vulg. in quo sanctificatus title 'the Spirit of grace.' Comp. Const.
est. Compare Rom. v. 9 (l3,1<au.t>B,vr£s Apost. vi. 18 ol f3Xa<Tcj,1]µ,~<TUVTES TO
EV T~ a'lµ,. UVTOV); Eph. ii. 13 (<'}'£JJ~- 'll'VEVµ,a Tq~• xapLTOS Kai 07r07rTVUUVTES TTJV
B'7T£ Jyy~s lv T~ a'lµ,. Xp,uToii); .Apoc. 7rap' UVTOV lJCiJpEO.V /J,ETO. TTJV xaptv.
i. 5 (Xvuavn •• .lv T~ a'lµ,.); and c. ix. Other corresponding phrases are :
25 ; x. 19 notes. TO 7rV£iiµ,a Tijs dX11Bdas (John xv. 26;
The blood of Christ is as ' the xvi 13; l John iv. 6); ro UVTO 'll'V. Tijs
fountain' in which the sinner is 'll'LUTECiJS (2 Cor. iv. 13); Tb 'll'V. rijs
'plunged' for cleansing (fJa.,,.ri(Ew lv l'll'artEX,as To ay. (Eph. i. 1 3).
Matt. iii u). In these cases the gen. expresses
In connexion with ,iy,a(ELv the that which finds expression through
preposition (lv) expresses in various the spirit, as in the commoner forms
forms the idea of the complete intro- 'll'VEiiµ,a lJovXElas (Rom. viii l 5), 'll'VEvµ,a
duction (immersion) of that which is uocj,las (Eph. i. 17, &c.). Here then
hallowed into that element which by ' the Spirit of grace ' is the Spirit
embracing hallows. Compare John through whom the grace of God is
334 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 30-32

• f3 purac;.
€JIU ' 3° owap.€11
''~ '
,yap '
'TOIi ' '
€L7rOJl'Ta ,EMOI' €KAIKHCIC,
' '
€,YW ~NT<l.TTOAOOCOO" Kat' 1ra"'l\.w Kp1N€1 Kyp1oc TON All.ON ,i.·fToy.
3• <J>o/3€pov 'Td €fJ-7r€<T€LJ/ €t<; xlipac; 8€ou rwl/TO<;, 3~ 'Ava-

30 avTa,,roowuw N*D2* vg syr vg me: +Xe-y« Kvp,os 5" N•A syr hl. +OTl Kp.
K6p. D 2 vg. Kp. Kvp. N*AD 2 vg syrr: KOp. Kp, • N• me.

manifested. The apostate wilfully judgment is that of just vindication.

wrongs the Power whose action he But the character of God requires
has felt. that the same act which upholds the
It will be observed that the action righteous should punish the wicked.
of the Holy Spirit falls into the back- The point of this quotation is that
ground in the Epistle from the God's people will be judged, that
,characteristic view which is given of they from their peculiar position will
the priestly work of Christ. Comp. be specially objects of His care.
c. vi. 4 note. What the judgment will be for them
30. The certainty of the retribu- lies in themselves (v. 27 ).
tion to which the writer has pointed 31. <J>of:l•pov] The word takes up
lies. in the knowledge of the divine the <f,of:l•p& of v. 27. The adjective is
character. found in the N. T. only in these
oillaJJ,E" yap ... ] For we know Him passages and in c. xii. 21.
that said. We know not only who ,µ,1r. ,ls x-] The phrase occurs in the
He is that said, but we know His· LXX. in a different connexion, 2 Sam.
character who said.... We know that xxiv. 14; 1 Chron. xxi. 13; Ecclus.
He is a 'living God,' ·and that His ii. 18.
words will find fulfilment to the ut- 0wv (ooVTos] See c. iii 12 note.
termost. Comp. John iv. 22; vii. (3) vv. 32-39. Encouragements
28 f. ; 1 Thess. iv. 5 ; 2 Thess. i 8; from past experience.
Tit. i. 16 ; c. viii 11 note. Words of encouragement follow
The two quotations establish two upon the words of warning, just as the.
facts with regard to the divine judg- warnings in c. vi 4-8, were followed
ment. It will carry with it strict re- by the expression of joyful confidence.
quital; and it will extend to all those The Hebrews are reminded of their
who stand to God as His people. former courageous faith (32-34); and
The first quotation is an adaptation they are exhorted not to peril its
of Deut. xxxii. 35, which differs from fruit at the last moment (35-39).
the Hebrew ( To me belongeth ven- They had fought their battle : all that
geance and recompense) and the LXL was required was that they should
(Ell ~µipq. EICatK~O'EWS Cl11Til1l'OacJo-c.,). Jt endure to wait for their crown : /1.pa
occurs in the same form in Rom. xii. £v0~ Vµ,7.v af, µ.6vov, iva dvaµElJ111TE '"711
19, and had probably taken this shape µ,D,A']<Ttll ovx Zva a0A~O'T]T£ 1l'<IAtll•..1rpos
in popular use. The clause is rendered TO O'TEcj,avc.,0ijvat EG'TTJICilTE Aot1ro11 • TOVTO
very nearly in the same way in the µ,011011 <f,ip•n, TiJv µ.lXX110-w Toii OT£-
Targum of Onkelos ( Vengeance is <f,avov (Chrys.).
before me, and I will repay). Philo 3• But call to mind the days qf
quotes the words differently : Leg. former time wherein after ye were
Alleg. iii § 34 ~i 108 M.). enlightened ye endured a great strug-
The second quotation is also taken gle of sufferings, 33partly being made
from the same passage of Deutero- a gazing-stock both by reproaches
nomy (xxxii. 36; comp. Ps. cxxxv. 14). and ajflictions, and partly claiming
In the original context the idea of fellou;ship with those who so lived.
X. 33] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 335
I e ~\ \ I t I ,
µiµ.vr,CTK€<T € 0€ -ras 7rpo-r€pov r,p.€pas, €V ats ...,,w-rt<Tv€VTEs
'i' ,rh £11

'1f"OAArJV
\ ,10-,.
a ''-r/CTtV
• I
V7r€p.€tva-re
0 I
7ra r,µa-rwv,
33 -
-rov-ro µEv
\

~µlpas: aµa.prla.s vµwv ~*.

34 For ye both had compassion on Compare l Pet. i. 14 m,r 'll"ponpov ,,,
them that were in bonds and accepted Tfi dyvolq. vµ,rov lrrdJvµ,la,,. 2 Pet. i. 9
with joy the spoiling of your posses- (.,.,;;,, '/l"aAat avTOV aµ.apT1}µ.aTWII); iii. 6
sums, knowing that ye had your own (0 TOTE K.6uµ,ot); iii 7 (ol J/Vv aJpavol);
selves for a better possession and an Rom. iii. 26 (iv T4i vvv Katprj>); viii.
abiding one. 35 Cast not away there- 18; xi. 5; I Cor. iv. II (/Ixp, Tijr /Ipri
fore your boldness seeing it hath great rZpa,); 2 Cor. viii. 14; Gal. iv. 25 (rii
recompense o.f reward. :i6 For ye have vvv 'lEpovo-aX1µ,); I Tim. iv. 8 ((wijs
need of patience, that having done rijs vvv Kal riji; µ.£AAOVCT1JS); vi. l 7 (iv
the will of God ye may receive His r4i vvv alrov,); 2 Tim. iv. 10; Tit. ii.
promwe. 12. '
37 For, yet a very little while, iv atr. •• '/l"OA. IJ.BA11crw V'll"Eµ.. 1raBr,µ.a-
He that cometh shall come, and TWII] wherein ... ye endured a great
shall not tarry. struggle of sufferings, that is, con-
38 But my righteous one shall live sisting in sufferings, Lat. in quibus
by faith; illuminati ... certamen sustinuistu;
And if he shrink back, my soul passionum. The use of the word
hath no pleasure in him. tIB">..110-is (here only in N. T., and not
39 But we are not of shrinking back in LXX..: comp. 2 Tim. ii. s) adds to
unto destruction, but of faith unto the picture the image of the resolute
gaining of the soul. combatant. The Hebrews not only
32-34- The retrospect of their suffered, but bore themselves as those
own history was sufficient to inspire who were contending for a crown.
the Hebrews with patience. They Ilo">..vs is frequently used (like 'much,'
had borne sufferings themselves and multus) of that which is great in de-
shared the sufferings of others. They gree and not only frequent in repeti-
had experienced in all this the assu- . tion: .Acts xxiv. 3 '11', •lp~1111 ; xxvii. JO
rance of a better possession than any 'II". (11µ.la; id. 27 '11', do-,Tla &c. Here
that they could lose by persecution. the notions of intensity and repetition
.And, as Chrysostom says : 'll"oAAq ~ are both applicable to the struggle of
(!ta TWJI lpywv '11"ap(JJ(A1JOU. TOV yap the Hebrews.
,lpxop,EVOV 1rpayµ,aTOJ; '11"poi6vra lma,- Chrysostom notices the force of
iovat XP1• IJ.BA11cris : OVK El'/1"£ 'll"ELpacrµ.ovr d">..">..a
32. dvaµ,,µ,v1o-KE<T8E a,...]
Call a- lJ.B">..11crw, ikEp i<TTlv lyKwµ.lov 0110µ,a Kal
gain to remembrance ... Call to mind l'lf'alvCiJv P,£'Yl0Tro11•
•. .Latt. Rememoramini autem (igi- For cf>wncrBivnr (Syrr. having re-
tur). 2 Cor. vii. 15; 2 Tim. i. 6 (dva- ceived baptism) see c. vi. 4 note: for
µ,,µ,v1crKw ere dva(w,rvpE1v). The word v'Tl'oµ.ivrn, comp. c. xii. 2, 3, 7; v. 36.
is used of recalling specific subjects to 33. TOVTO µ.iv .•• TOVTO a.... ] Vulg.
the mind. Contrast c. xiii 2 µ,,µ,vf et in altero quidem ... in altero au-
<TKE<TBE TWP aecrµ,lwv. tem. The courage of the Hebrews
The phrase Tar 1rp6npov ~µ.ipar does was shewn both in what they bore
not so much express 'the former personally, and (which is often more
days' (Tar 'll"porlpar ~µ.) a.s a definite difficult) in their readiness to shew
period, as 'the days at a former time,' sympathy to those who were in afflic-
at an earlier stage of your faith tion. The contrast in the tenses of
(Thuc. vi. 9 iv T'e 1rponpo11 xpovq,). the participles, 8Earp,(oµ.Evo,, Y•111J-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 34

OV€tOurµ.o'is T€ Kat 0A[fe<TtV 0ea-rpt{oµ.evot, 'TOU'TO iJ

~
KOlVWVOlI TWV d
OUTWS ' rh I
ava<T-rpe,oµ.evwv I
"f€VrJ €V'T€s· e 34
Kat
\
\ ,... ~ I e I
,yap 'TOLS O€<Tµ.t0ts <FUV€7ra rJ<TaT€, Kat TrJV ap7ra,yr,v 'TWV
\ \ < \ ,...

34 lie1Tµlo,s AD2 • vg syrr me: Oe<Iµa'is µ011 S"'~.

0,vTEs, which is necessarily lost in by the active avowal of sympathy.

translation (as in the Latin), suggests The o{;rws applies more naturally to
that upon some special occasion the the description which immediately
persons addressed had in a signal precedes than to the more remote
manner identified themselves with 7roAA. a. V'lTEJJ.. 1ra0. ; and this latter
fellow-Christians in an outbreak of reference is excluded by the form of
persecution (0"1Jve1ra01Jcran, 1rpocr,U- the sentence (v1reµ. .••• roiiro µ.lv ••• roiiro
tacr0e); while they were habitually a,... ).
exposed to public reproach. For 1<0,voovol yevTJ0ivres (in place of
The combination roiiro µ.Iv ... roiiro 1<0,vwv1Jcravres) see c. iii. r4; and for
lN ••• , which is frequent in Greek dvaCTTpl<f,ecr0ai C. xiii. I 8 ( dvaCTTpo<f,fr
writers from Demosthenes downwards, c. xiii. 7).
is found here only in N. T. For the difference between 1<01voovos-
ovELliLCTµ.ois n 1<al 0ll.{fecr,v] The and µ<roxos see c. iii. I. Ko,vwvos,
personal sufferings of the Hebrews even when it is used in connexion
were twofold. They had endured with material things, includes the
reproaches, which contrast a man's idea of a personal fellowship: 1 Cor.
conduct with what might have been x. r8; 2 Cor. i. 7; r Pet. v. r (2 Pet.
expected from him (Matt. xi. 20; Mk. i. 4).
xvi. r4; James i. 5): and afflictions, in 34 The statements of the former
which force is the expression of ill- verse are defined in inverse order
will Reproaches affect the character: by reference to specific facts. The
afilictions affect material prosperity. Hebrews had shewn sympathy when
(Syr. vg. connects these words with it could not but be perilous to do so:
the preceding verse.) and they had welcomed material loss.
For oveitJ,crµ.os see c. xi. 26; xiii. I 3, 1<al yap ... ] Constant usage suggests
Comp. r Pet. iv. r4 The word is that the 1<al emphasises the general
common in the LXX. in the prophetic statement and does not simply cor-
and later books. respond with the 1<a{ which follows :
0earp,(oµ.,vo,] Vulg. spectaculum Forinfactye ... Comp.c.iv.2; v.12;
f acti, made a gazing-stock. Comp. xii. 29 ; xiii. 22 ; and so constantly in
r Cor. iv. 9. The simple verb 0,arpl- the epistles of St Paul: r Thess. iv. 10;
(ELv appears to be found here only and Rom. xi. I &c.
in derived passages. The compound ro,s liecrµ.lo,s 0'1JVE'1Ta0ryo-aTE] ye had
l1<0mrpl(nv is not uncommon in late compassion on them that were in
Greek in the same sense : to expose bonds, Vulg. "'inctis compassi estis
as a spectacle for derision. See (0. L. consensistis). The definite
Schweig~. P?lyb. ,Ind. s. v. article points to some familiar fact.
1<oiv. rwv ovrws avacrrpf<j>. yev.] avow- Comp. c. xiii. 3. Elsewhere the word
ing your fellowship with those who tJlo-µ.,os is used in the epistles of the
were so facing reproaches and afflic- N. T. only by St Paul of himself: Eph.
tions in their daily life. The Hebrews, iii. I &c.
so far from abandoning their fellow- For o-vvma0ryo-arE see c. iv. I 5, note
Christians, courageously claimed con- (Job ii. 11 Symm.).
nexion with them, sharing their perils ical riJV ap1r •... 1rpoo-,tJitao-8,] and
x. 35, 36] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 337
tnrapxOll'TWII uµwll µera xapas 7rpO<r€0€fatr0e, 'YLJl{Jj<rKOll-
1 t \ / cl ~ \ I
-res exetll eav-rous Kpet<r<rova U7rapc;tll Kat µevov<ra11.
3.S Mr) d1ro/3dArJ'T€ ouv 'TrJII 7rappr,<Tta11 uµw11, ~'TLS txet
36
µerydArJV µt<T8a1T"OOO<Tta11, v1roµoviis ryap ixe'T€ xpelav

-y111W(1'KOII N. ea.VTOUS NAH3 vg me: ea.UTOIS D2: lll EQ.VTOLS !,. i!-1ra.p~w
N* AD2* H 8* vg me: +b ol,pa.110,s !, N• syrr. 35 d:,rofi&.XTJTe: d1roAVTJTE (i.e.
(J,'lfOAAU.) D,*. µ,<rr/J. µ,.-y. !,, 36 XP· Ix, N*.

accepted (wekomed) withjoy the spoil- encouraged them to still further en-
ing of your possessions... You gladly durance. And such endurance God
accepted loss as if it were gain. For claims from His people.
'll"poulllxoµ.a, see c. xi. 35 01l 1rpouae- 35. µ.~ a1rofJM1JTf 0J11] Vulg. Nolite
!aµ.evo, T~II a'lrOA.VTpwu,v. Phil ii. 29 itaque amittere. .• The Latin render-
'11"poulUxeu0e a,).,-011 iv Kvpl<f p.ETO. rr007Jr ing can be justified, but the context
xapar; for ap1rayr/, Matt. xxiii. 25; evidently requires the stronger sense
Luke xi. 39 ; and for TO. v1rapxo11Ta Do not therefore cast (fling) away
I Cor. xiii. 3 ; Matt. xxiv. 47 &c. (Mark x. 50), as though it were of no
I t \ ,
~

-y,vrouKoVTEr exn11 eaVTovr ..• µ.evov- value, the boldness which you once
uav] knowing that ye had your own made your own. The opposite is
selves for a better possession and an expressed c. iii. 6 .,.~" rrapp1Juiav ,caTa-
abiding one. Stripped of their goods uxe'i11. The exact phrase occurs in
the Christians learned better than Dion Chrys. xxxiv. p. 42 5; and a frag-
before that their true self remained ment of Nicostratus gives the image
m1changeable. That was not marred with singular force: TOVTTJV [~v 1rap-
but purified : they had 'won their p17ulav] E&v TL~ U:rroA.lun, -n}v du'trla' d1ro-
souls in patience' (Luke xxi. 19). fJlfJA.1JKEII ol.,-or Toii fJlov (Fragm.Inc. 5~
This possession they had so that they Chrysostom remarks on the en-
could never lose it. By the use of , couraging form of the address : otl,c
the word -y,vruu,coVTEr, as distinguished
from el/16.,-er (Eph. vi. 8 f.; Rom. v. 3;
vi. 9 &c.), the writer implies that the
.
1-'«:-TJ,TE, 0 ,:,al\A'_!II
1
.

,ea, E'll"OLE& prou01}vai.

.
El1re11 ..• ava/CT'7/<Tau0E ••• aUa ••• µ.~ d1ro-
"" "'' OVTOVr ,.,.
' E 'I' VXO"YO>')'EL
,

knowledge was realised through the ~" 1rapp1Juia11] The Apostle first
trial: through that the confessors came chooses the term which describes
to know the value of their faith. Comp. endurance mider its most command-
James i. 3. ing aspect, as ready to proclaim fue
The order in the words KpEiuuova hope on which it rests and as secure
V1rap!•v ,col µ.lvovuav gives distinctness of victory; and then afterwards (v. 36)
to the two thoughts : 'a better pos- he presents the idea of simple en-
session and that too an abiding one.' durance. Comp. c. iii. 6 note.
Comp. I Pet. i. 23. The word il1rap!,r ~.,.,r Zxn] seeing that it hath great
(Latt. substantia) occurs again Acts recompense. The recompense is in-
ii. 45, and several times in the later cluded even now in the spirit of the
books of the LXX. believer who has learnt to rate out-
35-39. The sacrifices which the ward afflictions at their true value
Hebrews once made proved their con- (Rom. viii. 37).
fidence-confidence in an miseen For µ.,uBa1rolJouia compare c. ii. 2
future-which they boldly proclaimed; note ; and for one aspect of the
and at the same time they confirmed thought c. vi. 10.
it. The lesson of the past therefore 36. woµ,. ylip;. x-] for of patience
W. R.s 22
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 37
,I
tva 'TO
\ 0€t\.17µa
,,. 'TOU
8€OU- I
7rOt1]<TaV'T€S I
KOµt<F1]<F €
8 \
'T1}'11
> ), I
€7r a77E1\.tav·
,r
37 E'Tt ' \ tl ,I
7ap µtKpov o<rov o<rov,

ye have need... The force of the doing'), and not (as it does in some
reason lies in the moral efficacy of places) that which is coincident with
endurance. ' Do not cast away your it (c. ii. 10 note). From the point
confidence, for you have need of it. of sight here the work is seen to
The trials to which you are subjected be completed before the prize is
belong to the perfect discipline of received.
the faith which you hold. You have By receiving the promise, we must
need of patience therefore that you understand 'receiving all that was
may obtain what you expect.' expressed in the promise.' The exact
The word v1roµ,01111 occurs again xii phrase occurs again c. xi 39 (comp.
1; contrast µ,a,cpoBvµ,la c. vi. 12 note. vi. 1 5 l1rlruxEv riir l1ran.); and with
lxerE xpda11] See c. v. 12 note. the plural noun c. xi. 13 (p.q ,cop.icr.
Primasius works out the thought Tar l1ran. )- There is a difference be-
of the athlete who has completed his tween <1rtTV)(Et11 lr.an. and ,coµ,lcracrBai
struggles asking impatiently for his l1ran. which is at once felt. 'Emru-
prize : Sustine parumper usque dum )(E'iv describes the simple fact of ob-
veniat arbiter aut etiam rex, qui tibi taining: ,cop.lcracrBa, adds the thought
bravium referat pro victoria tua. of personal appropriation and enjoy-
~E,cUµ.ETE, <J,11crlv, ~BX~uarE, Kciyc..\ roVrO ment, of taking as one's own for use:
<f,11µ,• • d}..}..a d11aµ,El11aTE • TOVTO yap lcrrt Matt. xxv. 27. So the word ,cop.l-
1rlcrrw p.q lvravBa (:11n'in Tb 1riw ( Chrys. cracrBa, is used specially with regard
on c. xi 1). to future retribution : 2 Cor. v. 10;
'lva TO e. T.e. 1T0L•••• ~II l1r.] that, Eph. vi. 8; Col iii. 25; 1 Pet. i. 9;
having done the will of God, ye may v. 4; [2 Pet. ii. 13 1'.l.].
receive the promise... This general 'The promise' in this connexion is
term 'the will of God,' which occurs defined by St John as 'eternal life'
throughout the N. T., takes its colour (1 John ii. 25), which is the complete
from the context. Not unfrequently expression of 'the promise made to
the mention of 'the will of God' the fathers' (Acts xiii. 32 ; xxvi. 6).
suggests a contrast to man's will Of this the gift of the Spirit (Luke
through the discipline of suffering xxiv. 49 ; Acts i. 4 ; ii 33 ff. ; Gal iii.
(Matt. xxvi. 42 ; Eph. vi. 6 ; 1 Pet. ii. 14 ; Eph. i. 13) and 'the presence of
15; iii. 17; iv. 19), as is the case the Lord' (2 Pet. iii. 4, 9) were pledges.
here. Compare c. vi. 12 note.
The phrase also necessarily recals 37 f. The writer of the Epistle
what was said of Christ's work (c. x. uses freely the language of ancient
5 ff.) as a fulfilment of the will of God. prophecy to express the general truth
Man in his little field must follow the which he wishes to enforce, that the
example of his Lord (1 Pet. ii. 21), purpose of God will be fulfilled in its
which is always set before us as an due time even if it seems to linger.
example of suffering. So it was when Isaiah charged the
The aor. part. (1ro,qcravrEr, Vulg.fa... people to withdraw for a space and
cientes inadequately: 0. L. voluntate wait till the divine wrath was spent.
Dei consummata) marks that which So it was when the Chaldreans threat-
precedes the fulness of reward ('after ened Israel with utter destruction;
x. 38] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 339
O epxoM€NOC H.%€1 Kb.I oy XPONiC€1·
38 0 be biKb.lOC [MOY] EK rricT€WC ZHC€Tb.l,
Kat eiN yrrocT€iAHTb.J, oyK eyboK€1 H 'l'YXH Moy lN b.YTq>.

38 0 ae 8lK. µ,011 EK 1rl<TT. ~A vg: 0 ae 8lK. EK 1rl<TT. D2* syrr rue (so LXX. ~B):
µ,011

0 ae 8lK. EK 1rlaT. , (no varr. in Gal. iii. JI), om. Kai tall V7rO<TT<£'}\rrra, D~*·
µ,011 .;, ,p. D2*·

In old times the faithful had to wait 38. '!.'he original text gives tlie
for the manifestation of the salvation sense: ' His soul is puffed up with
of God. It must be so always ; and pride : it is not right within him; but
past experience furnishes a sufficient the righteous shall live by his faith-
support for hope. fulness,' where the reference is to
37. ln -yap ••• &crov] For, yet a ?Jery the vain confidence of the Chaldrean
little while... (modicum [ali]quantu- invader as contrasted with the trust
lum, V.). These words with which of the people upon God. The LXX.
the quotation from Habakkuk is pre- represents a different text in the first
faced by the writer of the Epistle clause; and the author of the Epistle
occur in Is. xxvi. 20 (Lxx.), where has transposed the two clauses of the
the prophet charges the people to LXX. in order to bring out more clearly
hide themselves 'for a little moment the idea which he wishes to enforce,
until the indignation should be over- the necessity of endurance in the
past.' The thought of the purposes righteous.
of God wrought through the disci- 38. olti ltl1<..••• (~cr£Tm] but my right-
pline of Israel thus serves as a pre- eous one shall live by faith... Vulg.
paration for the understanding of His justus autem meus ex fide ?Jivit (sic).
counsel for the Church. The argument requires that the words
For fr, µ.i1<.pov compare John xiv. i,c 1rlCTT£c.,s (~cr£Ta& should be taken to-
19; xvi. 16 ff. (µ.11<.pov). gether. The just-the true believer
~Ocrov &crov, which appears to be a · -requires faith, trust in the unseen,
colloquial form, occurs in Arist. Vesp. for life. Such faith is the support
213 and Leon. Tarent. LXX. 4 (Anthol. of endurance ( wroµ.o"'1) and the seal
i. 238). of confidence (1rapp11crla).
37 b, 38. o ipxoµ.£vor •• h mlT<j>] It is said that the phrase was held
These words are taken with modifica- in Rabbinic teaching to declare the
tions and transpositions from tlie LXX. essence of the Law : Delitzsch, Ro-
version of Hab. ii. 3 f. (see Additional merbrief s. 75. Compare Gal. iii. 11;
Note). In the original context that Rom. i. 17.
which is expected is the fulfilment of 1tal iav woo-r.] and if he, who has
the prophetic vision of the destruction been spoken of as 'the just,' draw
of the Chaldreans, the enemies of God's (shrink) back, Vulg. quod si subtraa;-
people, to be followed by the revelation erit se. The insertion of 'any man,'
of His glory. The judgment was exe- so as to avoid the thought of the fall-
cuted and the promise was accom- ing away of 'the just one,' is wholly
plished in due time, but not as men unwarranted, and it is precisely this
had hoped. The lesson had a sig- conting~ncy which gives the point to
nificant application to the condition the words (comp. ?J. 32 cf>c.,TicrlJiVT£r).
of the early Church. Thus Theophylact says expressly iav
~~"] v. 7 note; 2 Pet. iii. 10; Apoc. v1roCTT£fJ..'7TO£ oltl1<.aior.
iii. 3, 9; xv. 4; xviii. 8. He will The word v1roCTTfil£cr8a, implies a
make His coming felt as a present fact. shrinking away from fear of or regard
340 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [X. 39

'
OUK
'
E<Tp.€11
\
YTTOCTOhHC
•
EtS
TTICT€WC eis 7r€pt7rOtrJ<Ttll '1rvxijs.
39 d.,rwMar N*.

for another. Compare Wisd. vi. 8 otl The genitives 'lJrro<rroAijr, TrlurEru~,
y(Jp V7rO<TTEAEtra, ,rpour,nrov o ,ravrc,w express that which marks the two
classes. Our character is not ex-
a,o-1ro'"I~- Job xiii. 8 (C!''J N~~); pressed by 'shrinking back' but by
Deut. i. 17; Ex. xxiii. 21; Gal ii. 12 'faith' Compare c. xii II (ov aoicE<
(v,ri<TTEAAEII ica, ricf,cJp,(,11 lavrov); Acts xapar Elvai); 1 Thess. v. 5 (ovic to-µev
xx. 27, (20). vvicror, v. 8 1µJpa11 0Jl'l"El1); I Cor. xiv.
OVIC Eva. 1 'P·,,,. tv av.] my soul hath 33 (oV,c Zcrr,v d,caracrraula~ 0 6£0r);
no pleasure in him, Vulg. non place- Luke ix. 55 (oiou ,rv,vµar&s t<TTE) ;
bit animai mem. The construction Acts ix. 2 ( riir oaov ovrar).
£ta. tv is a reproduction of the He- Primasius dwells on the 'filii' of
his Latin text : non sumus ego et vos
brew f l'PIJ. Compare Matt. iii. 17 filii eorum paganorum et gentilium
and parallel; xvii. 5; 1 Cor. x. 5; 2 Cor. qui se subtrahunt a vita fidei ...sed
xii 10. E?iaoicELJ/ Eis is also found : sumus filii patriarcharum ...
[Matt. xii 18]; 2 Pet. i. 17. 'AmJ.\,,a, which occurs here only in
For 1..frox1 µov compare Is. i. 14- the Epistle, is the opposite of a-oo-
39- 1µ.li11 aL.v1roo-r.] But we are "JP•a, which is represented vividly
not qf slirinking back (qf them that under one aspect as 1r,p,1r0£710-,r ..f,v-
shrink back) ...Vulg. nos autem non x~s (Vulg. acquisitio (0. L. renas-
sumus subtraction is [ all add. filii]. centia) animai). This phrase exactly
The thought of shrinking back is at expresses the Lord's promise Luke
once put aside. xxi. 19 Ell ri, v,roµ.0"71 vµ.0011 1<.r~O"E0"8E
The writer here identifies his readers ra11 tvxar vµ.rov. Compare also Luke
with himself, as before he has iden- xvii. 33 (Coooyo~o-E<); Matt. x. 39.
tified himself with them (vi. 1 ; v. For 1r,p,1ro1710-,r see I Thess. v. 9;
26 t:~ 2 Thess. ii. 14-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
341

Additional Note on the reading of x. I.

The clause /caT'' lv&aVT'OJI rn'ir avTa'ir ... avvarn, is given with UllUSual
variations of form by the moRt ancient authorities.
(r) T'OLS aUTa'ir Bvulmr lir 1rpou<f,lpovaw... oval1roT£ avvaJIT'at ...C.
(2) rn'ir mlm'ir Bvulair m)TC;;J/ Ar 1rpou<f,ipovu111... ovaE71"0T'£ a611aJ/T'a1 ... t(P2.
(3) rn'ir mlTa'ir Bvulair 7Tpou<f,lpovuw ...[a2]otlafaon a611aJ1Tai ... Asyr.hL
arm.
(4) m'ir aVTa'ir Bvulair alr 1rpoucj,lpovuw... ovai1rOT£ ailvarn, ... D2H 8me
vg.
The later manuscripts are divided between awarn, a~d av11aJ1Tai, a few
read alr for clr, and a few omit the relative, one adding a'l before ova•1ron.
The Latin and Egyptian versions read av11aTa1. The Syriac Versions
represent av11aJ1Tai, and translate the first clause as a finite sentence ('For
there was in the Law... ,' 'For since the Law had ...'), but there is no reason
to suppose that this fact points to any further variation of the text not now
preserved in the Greek copies. The translators treated u,c,av yap lx"'" J
110µ.or ••• as an 'absolute clause' (so Theophylact expressly); and, if a611aJ1Ta1 is
read, this appears to be the only way of dealing with the passage. It must
be supposed that the construction of the sentence is suddenly broken after
1rpa-yµ.ar"'11, and the subject changed from the Law to the priests. In this
case two explanations of the second clause are possible, represented by (3)
and by (1), (2).
If (3) is adopted the sense will be that given by the Harklean Syriac :
'For since the Law has a shadow... they (the priests, the appointed
ministers,] make offering year by year with the same sacrifices continually,
which can never make perfect..•' This is the general view of Theodoret, but
such a sense of Bvulair 1rpoucj,lp£111 is most strange, and the whole construction
is singularly harsh, for there is nothing to lead to a sudden break.
If the general form of (r) and (2) be taken, for the addition of avTrov
appears to be simply an emphasising of the action of the Levitical ministers,
we must translate: 'For since the Law has a shadow ... they (the priests] can
never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually,
make perfect.. .' So Theophylact: but the harshness of the construction is
still essentially the same as before, though it is hidden in the rendering;
and, according to the teaching of the Epistle, the Law, and not the priest,
is the instrument of the divine action. 'The Law made nothing perfect.' ·
Hence it is best to adopt (as in the notes) the reading av11arn1, and to
regard the construction as continuous throughout. The change from
,%11aTai to av11aJ1Ta1 (li. yN&n.i) is of a type which occurs constantly and it was
suggested by 1rpou<{,Epovu111. It seems right also to adopt the afr of the
same authorities (comp. vi. JO), though it may be thought that such an
attraction would be more likely to be introduced than changed. The
preceding -air cannot be urged confidently on either side, yet it explains
naturally the omission of the relative in the form afr.
 342 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

.Additional Note on x. 5. The Body of Christ.

The idea The idea of 'the Body of Christ' has a very wide and important bearing
of •the upon the apprehension of the truth of the Incarnation. The 'body' is the
Body.' one complete organism through which the life is realised under special
conditions. The body, if we may so speak, is the expression of the life in
terms of the environment. Thus the one life of the Son of man is equally
manifested under different circumstances by 'the body of humiliation' and
by 'the body of glory.'
The conception of 'the body' is fundamentally different from that of
'flesh and blood,' the symbolic (representative) elements, which go to form
our present bodies. Of these 'the blood' is taken to symbolise the principle
of the earthly life. That in us which is represented by 'the blood' has no
place in the body of the Resurrection (Luke xxiv. 39 uclp,ca ,cat oCTTla.
Compare the early addition to Eph. v. 30).
We have then to consider the relation of the Lord's 'body of humilia-
tion,' and of His 'body of glory,' to humanity and to men.
The work The writer of the Epistle in treating finally of the Lord's redemptive
of Christ and consummative work finds the lesson which he desires to convey in the
in His words of the Psalmist spoken in the person of the Christ : Lo I am come to
Body of
humilia- do Thy will, 0 Lord : a body didst Thou prepare for me.
tion. This earthly body became the organ of a prefect, a uuiversai human
life. By the offering of His body (x. 10) in the absolute service of life, in
the voluntary endurance of death, the Lord fulfilled the destiny of man as
created, and bore the penalty which fallen man had brought upon himself.
In the offering of Himself He offered to God the humanity which He had
taken. The effect of this offering is both individual and social. Each
believer finds himself in Christ, and in Him realises the fulfilment of his
own destiny. He was potentially included in Him, so that the death of
Christ was his death, and the life of Christ through death is his own life.
.A.t the same time the separated fragments of creation are brought together,
and the barriers by which men are kept apart are removed.
These thoughts find clear expression in the Apostolic writings:
He Himself bore (dV1Jv•y,c,11 carried up and laid as upon an altar) our
sins IN His BODY upon the tree, that we haDing died unto sin might lfre
unto righteousness (1 Pet. ii. 24).
Ye were made dead to the law through THE BODY OF CHRIST (Rom. vii.
4; comp. vi. 3 ff.).
By the offering of THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST we ha1Je been sanctified
(Hehr. x. 10).
So far the personal effects accomplished through 'the Body of Christ'-
'the Body of His humiliation '-are affirmed. The wider effects are described
no less distinctly.
It was the good pleasure [of the Father]. •• through Him to reconcile all
things unto Himself, having made peace through the blood qf His cross
•••awl you did he reconcile (d1ro,ca-n/XXat,11) in THE BODY OF His FLESH
through death ...(Col. i. 19--22).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 343
He is our peace, who made both one (T,\ dµ.<j,6npa ;11) .•. that He might
create in Himself of the twain one new man (Tovr a~o ...• lr ;va ,r.awov 3.11Bpoo-
1ro11); and miglit reconcile them both in ONE BODY unto God through the
cross ...(Eph. iL 14-16).
What is thus begun has to be fulfilled. This fellowship with the The work
ascended Christ finds a realisation on earth. There is still an organism of ?f C~rist
the life of the . .
Son of man, a Body through which He works, and to which 1BnoHisd th
y, e
men may muuster. Church.
I .. jUl up on my part (d11m11a1rA1Jpfil) that which is lacking of the a.iftic-
tions of Christ in my flesh for His BODY'S sake, wkich is the Church (Col
L 24).
Of this Body He is even now the Head :
The Father ...ga'De Him to be head over all things to the Church, which
is H1s BODY ... (Eph. L 23; comp. iv. 15; v. 23).
He is the head of THE BODY, the Church ...(Col. L 18).
This Body is necessarily one, even as Christ is one :
In one Spirit were we all baptfred into ONE BODY, whether Jews or
Greeks, whether bond or free (I Cor. xii 13).
There is ONE BODY and one Spirit ... one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all.. .(Eph. iv. 4, 5).
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were
called in ONE BODY (Col iii. 15).
.At the same time, like the natural body, it 'grows' by the action of its
own vital law through the ministry of its constituent parts, and it is 'built
up' by the introduction of new members; but 'growth' and 'building up' are
alike manifestations of the informing power of Christ, the Head :
... the Head, from Whom all THE BODY, being supplied and knit together
through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God (aiJgn
Ti/11 aiJgTJOW TOV BEov) (Col iL 19).
He ga'De some to be apostles, and some prophets, ...for (1rp6r) the
perfecting qf the saints, unto (•lr) the work of ministering, unto the
building up (ol,coaoµ.1) of THE BODY OF CHRIST (Eph. iv. I I, 12).
From Wlwm ALL THE BODY ••• maketh the increase q/THE BODY unto the
building up of itself in love (Eph. iv. I 6).
Into this Body Christians are incorporated by Baptism :
We are members of His BODY (Eph. v. 30; comp. v. 26); I Cor. xiL 13-
.And they are sustained in their vital union with Christ by the fellowship
of His body and blood ( I Cor. x. I 6 f.).
So it is that Christians themselves are one body in Christ (Rom. xii 5);
and severally members one qf another (Eph. iv. 25; Rom. xii. 5), sharing in
a common life but charged with different offices (Rom. xii. 4, 6 ff.; I Cor.
xii. 27 vµ.•'ir l=• cr<iJµ,a Xp,CTTov ,cal /J-EATJ l,c µ.lpovr); and under this aspect
our bodies are members qf Christ (I Cor. vi. 15).
It is obvious that the view which is thus opened to us of the Body
of Christ as the one organism, if the word may be allowed, through which
His life is fulfilled, throws light upon the 'words of Institution' at the Last
Supper. Christ does not say 'This is my flesh' : He does say 'This is my
blood.' He offers us part in the one organisation of the One Life which
transcends earth ( This is MY BODY, I Cor. xi. 24; Matt. xxvi. 26 ; Mk. xiv.
 344 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

22; Lk. xxii. I 9): He offers us the virtue of His life on earth through which
we may now fulfil our work. Compare Additional Note on St John vi.
The discernment and appropriation of this spiritual reality is at once
the great trial and the highest blessing of the Christian life (••• if he discern
not THE llODY. I Cor. xi. 27-29A

Additional Note on x. 7. The expression of an end

or purpose.

The pur- The purpose or end of an action is expressed in the G.reek of the N. T.
pose, end, by many different forms of construction which are found also in classical
expressed language, though the relative frequency of their occurrence varies in different
by
periods : each form presents the thought under a distinct aspect; and it
will be interesting to the student to consider in connexion the· examples
which are offered in the Epistle. Th.e purpose or end-if we use the words
in a very wide sense-is expressed in the Epistle by (I) the infinitive,
.
(2) the preposition ds, (3) the final particles 8mus, i.va, (4) the conjunction
6)<JTf.

(1) The ( 1) The in.finitii:e.

Infinitive.
The in.fin. is used to mark the end in two forms:
(a) The simple in.fin.:
v. 5 ,l xp1ur6~ ovx EUVT611 elMtauEJJ Y£111/Bi/11a, apx_,Epia .••
vi. 10 oJ ydp c'!llucos O 8£os E'ITIAa8lu8a, rov lpyov vµ,rov •••
vi. 18 ol 1<.aracpvyo11T£S 1<.parfjuai •••
ix. 24 (duijJ\8£11) J/VJ/ lµ,cpa11,u8ij11a, ... ovll' 1va 'ITOAA<JK.1$ rrpoucplpn
EavrOv ...
xi. 8 'A{:Jpadµ, vrr11<.ovu£11 •t£"A8iiv•••
In these cases the in.fin. is· the complement of the direct verbal
statement, defining how that was fulfilled.
Compare also vii. 5, I 1,. 27.
(b) The injin. with gen. rov:
x. 7, 9 lllov, ~/(.(i) rov 7TOlij<Tal TO (J{>..17µ,a <TOV (LXX.A
xi. 5 'Eve.\X /J,£T£TE8'7 rov ,,.;, lll£'i1, 8a11aro11.
Here the gen. seems to express that which is closely connected with
the action as its motive (or causeA
The gen. in v. 12 is probably to be explained differently.
This construction is characteristic of St Luke. It is not found in
St John (7 Apoc. xii. 7) or St Mark (not iv. 3). For the use in the LXX. see
Moulton-Winer, pp. 410 f.
In St Luke ii. 22, 24 the two uses of the injin. occur together.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 345
( 2) The preposition Els. (z) Prepo-
aitions.
(a) Els with noUDB:
i 14 Elr litaKovlav 071'00TEAAOJUJJa.
iii 5 .zr µ.apTvpwv TWJ/ AaAT)iJT)<TO/J,EJ/<,)J/,
ix. I 5 /JavaTOV -YEJ/0/J,EJ/OV dr 071'0AVTpwu,v TWJ1 ...11'apa/3a<TEWJ1, ••
ix. 26 Elr diJETTJ<T•JJ Tijr aµapTiaS, .. 71'E<j:,av•pwTm.
x. 19 •xovur••• 1Tapp1Julav Elr T~JJ Eia-obov ...
The preposition corresponds with the English 'for,' 'unto,' and in com-
bination with the noun describes the direct purpose of the action.
Compare the use of 1Tpor, v. 14; vi. 11; :ix. 13-
(b) Elr with infin. and art.:
ii z~ TO
17 J<j:,EUI.EJJ ... oµ.o,w/Jijvm •• .tva E'"A. y<JIT)Ta, .... D\au,uu/Jm•••
vii. 2 5 (,i,v Elr To ivrvyxq.vnv.
viii. 3 71'US apx••PEVS Elr To 11'poucf,epE,v, •• KaiJlOTaTm, ••
ix. 14 Ka0ap&Et... Els T/, AaTpEvEw...
ix. 28 .. ,11'pO<TEJIEX0Elr Els To 71'0AAWJ/ dJJEJJE"/KEIJ/ aµ.apTlas ...
xi. 3 1)0011/J,flJ KOTTJpTiu0m ... Elr TO µ.~ ... yryovevm.
xii. 10 0 a; (i1TaibEvEv) ... Els TO /J,ETOAafJ•'iv ...
xiii. 21 ... KarapTi<Tm vµ.as ... Els TO 71'0tijum ...

Here the end appears, in the light of a result which is (at least
potentially) secured by the foregoing action rather than as a purpose
aimed at. The difference will be realised by substituting in vii. 25 tva ,,,..
Tvyxa"ll for •ls TO ivroyxavnv. See also ii. 17; v. I (notes).
This construction is very rare in St Luke: v. 17; Acts vii. 19.
(3) The final particles 01Tws, Zva• . (3) Fina.I
particles.
(a) "01Tws is rare in the Epistles generally. It occurs:
ii 9 ...{3AE71'0/J,fJJ ... £a-U<j:,avwµ.,vov, 071'WS xapm iJEov ...yEV<TT)Tat ...
ix. 15 /J,E<TiTT)s £OTiv, 071'WS ...~v £71'0"/YEAiav XafJwu,v o! KEKAT)p.Evo, ...
(b) "Iva and Zva I-'~ are frequent.
(a) "Iva.
ii. 14 ... µ.ET<<TXEV ...'i.va tcaTam1711, ..
ii. 17 ... J<j:,E,AEV ... OJJ,O,w/Jijvm 'i.va E'"AE~I-'"'" y<JIT)Tm ...
iv. 16 11'p0<TEPX"'P.E0a .. .tva XafJwwv •••
v. I ••• Ka0iOTaTm ... 'i.va 11'poucf,lpy ...
vi. 18 ... £p.E<TiTEV<TE1l ... i.va ...1TapaKATJ<T'" •xwµ.•v ...
ix. 25 ova' (<luqAiJEv) tva 71'0AAaK,s 11'poucf,,py EaVTOIJ,
x. 9 avmpE'i ...Zva .. ,OT'J<Tll·
X. 36 . .. <xET• xpElav ... Zva ... i<.op.i<TT)<TiJE ...
xi. 35 ... ov 11'poua.eaJJ,EIIO, .. .'lva...rvxwu,v...
xii. 27 . .. bTJAOl.. ,/J,ETaiJE<TLJJ, .. tva µ.El"l] ...
xiii. 12 .. Jva ay,auy ... t7J'aiJEV.
xiii. 17 71'Et0<uiJE ... 111a...1To,,i,u,11 ...
xiii. 19 1TapaKaAw .. .tva ... a1TOKaTaOTa/J,i, vµ.i.v.
 346 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
(fJ) •111a µ 6.
iii 13 1rapa,caA,'iTE •••'l11a µ,~ <TICA1Jpv11Bf, ns •..
iv. II <T'lrovl!auooµ,,11 •••'l11a µ,6 ••• rir •.. 1rlur1 •••
vi. 12 ,mBvµ,ovµ,,11 .•. ,11lJ,[,cvvuBai u1rovlJ611 ••• !11a µ,6·•·"'1"111J<T()E ..•
xi 28 1r,1rol1J"'" r6 mluxa- .. 1'va µ,6- .. Bl"YrJ.
xi 40 .•..-ov B,ov ... 1rpo/:JAE'f'aµ,i11ov, Yva µ,6 •••TEAEIOOBoou,11.
xii. 3 dvaAoyluauB, •. -t11a µ,~ ICUJJ,')TE .. .
xii 13 rpox,cts opBcts '1rOtELTE ••• ,11a µ,6---•K.Tparrfi.
In all these cases there is the thought of a definite end aimed at in the
foregoing action.
(4) •nuTE.
xiii. 6 ,'tp1]1<.£V •.• cZuu ••• AiyELv •..
The particle gives the natural sequence of that which has been stated.

Additional Note on x. 10. The effects of Christ's Sacrifice.

Christ has The effect of Christ's Sacrifice of Himself is presented in different

gained for places of the Epistle under various aspects in relation to man's position
man the
end of his and needs. In consequence of sinfulness and sin man is spiritually in
creation. bondage, in debt, alienated from God. He requires redemption, forgive-
ness, atonement, reconciliation. All these blessings Christ has brought to
humanity by His Incarnation, His Life, His Passion, His Ascension. By
His perfect fulfilment of the destiny of man under the conditions of the
Fall, He has brought again within man's reach the end of his creation
(Ps. viii ; c. ii. 5 ff.).
The general teaching of the Epistle upon the subject can be summarised
most conveniently into two heads :
i The effect of Christ's Sacrifice on the general relation of man to
spiritual powers.
ii The effect of Christ's Sacrifice on man's personal state.
i. Inrela- i The relation of man to spiritual powers.
tion to
spiritual ( 1) The might of the devil is brought to naught. Christ was Incarnate
powers; iva a,a roV 6avllToV Karam<FrJ rOv rO ,cp&ros fxoVTa roV 0av&rov roVr' fur, rbv
and a,afJoAOII (ii. 14). Comp. Apoc. i. 18.
(2) As a consequence of this men are delivered from
(a) a present tyranny: 1<.a, d1rana~r1 rovrovs ouo, cp6fJ<:> Bav&rov
a,a 7rallT6S TOV C~11 lvoxo• ~<Tall lJovA.Elas (ii. I 5); and
(b) an obligation contracted in the past: Ba11arov y•110µ,l11ov ,ls
d1r0At1Tpoou,11 TCOII E'lrL rfi 7rp6>TrJ lJ,aB6K!J 1rapafJau,0011 (ix. I 5). Comp. ix. 22, X.
18 (tJ.cp,u,s); ix. 12 aloo11la Avrpoouis.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 347
( 3) At the same time a propitiation is offered for the sins of the people,
so that they can come before God: iL 17, 18.
These blessings are made permanent because the dominion of sin is set
at naught, shewn in its essential impotence: ,ls d0lr110-1v .,.ij, aµ,apTlas li,a
Tij, 0vola, avTov 1r,cpavlpwra1 (ix. 26).
ii. Man's personal state. ii. man's
Man was created to gam · the divine likeness: he needs t here1ore
,. personal
state.
perfect hallowing.
He is sin-stained : he needs cleansing.
He has powers capable of exercise, cultivation, development: he needs
perfecting.
These three, hallowing, cleansing, perfecting, are connected in the
Epistle with Christ's Sacrifice in Life and Death.
(1) Hallowing.
(a) The purpose of Christ: '!110-ovr iva ay,acry lM TOV lltlov aiµ,aro,
Toll Aaov, lEw ~. 'lr'UA'7S l1ra0,v (xiii. 12).
(b) The fact: 'l'O alµ,a ~. liia0,/K1]S '"re rrr1/w-~ (x. 29).
(c) The realisation: lv ff 0,X1µ,a.,., ,j-y,auµ,lvo, luµ,iv li,a Tij, 1rpou-
<popa, 'l'OV uooµ,aTo, 'l'70'0U Xp1U'l'OV •<pa1raE (x. 10). µ,'4 1rpoucpop~ 'l'E'l'EAEiwKEV
.z•.,.?, li111v•KE, Tovs ay,a(oµ,lvovs (x. 14). The work is complete on the divine
side (~yiauµ,lvoi, .,.,.,.,X,lwKEv) and gradually appropriated on man's side
(ayia(oµ,lvovs).
(a) The ground: ;; 'l'E ay,a(wv Kal ol ay,a(&µ,,vo, •E ivo, 'lr<lV'l'ES
(ii. II). The Redemption completes and crowns the purpose of Creation,
which included the possibility of it.
(e) An object of human effort: li100K,.,., ... Tov ay,auJ,1611, o~ xwplr
oJli,l. ofETal 'l'OV Kvp,ov (xii. 14).

( 2) Cleansing.
Consecration requires as the beginning of its actual fulfilment cleansing.
This is presented
(a) Generally; Ka0apiuiov TWII dJ,1apr1rov 'lrOl'70'a.µ,EVOS (i. 3).
(b) Individually; TO alµ,a Tov xp1UTov ... Ka0ap1E'i ~" uvv,lli'7r:1V ~J-IWV
d1ro IIEKpwv lpywv ,l. TO AaTpEVEIV 0,,;; (roJJTI (ix. 14).
(c) As complete on the divine part; a,a 'l'O J,1'7liEJ,1lav EXEIV £TI
O'VVEilJ'7UIV aµ,ap'l'IWV TOVS t'I1raE KEKa0ap,uµ,lvov. (x. 2 ).
(d) As extending to the scene of man's heavenly service: atl-r.l Ta.
•1rovpavia KpElTTOO'I 0vulai. 1rapa Tawa. (Ka0ap[(E'1'a&) (ix. 23).

(3) Perfecting.
The perfecting of men is wholly dependent on Christ's own perfecting
(comp. Addit. Note on ii. 10). Of this perfecting we see
(a) The ground, in Christ's work: .,...,.,>-.,iwK,v ,l. To li1'7VEKE, Tovs
ay,a(oµ,t'vov. (x. 14).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
(b) The accomplishment, according to a purpose of God slowly
fulfilled to our eyes : rov lhov 1r£pl ,jµ,ruv 1<piirrov r, 1rpoffll.£1/,aµ,l11ov, rva µi)
xropts ,jµ,ruv 7"£A.£tro8ruutv (xi. 40).
(c) The partial fulfilment in a vision of the heavenly city: 1rpou..
A.tJA.v8arE ...1TVEvµ,au, a,1<alro11 rErEA.Etroµ,ivrov (xii. 23).
Different In this connexion it is desirable to study together the four verbs which
forms in present typical views of Christ's work, 1r.a8ap1(Etv, n'AELovv, V..au1r.£u8cu,
which the ayui(nv. The two former deal with man in himself in his present and final
work is
presented. state: the two latter with man in his relation to God as devoted to and in
fellowship with Him. Of these r£'Anov11 and l'Aacr1<£u8ai have been dis-
cussed elsewhere (Additional Notes on c. ii. 10; 1 John ii. 2): ay,a(nv and
1r.a8apl(rn still require notice.
1

i. 'A")'«i- The sense of 'holy' (ay,or) is derived from the highest application of
frn,. the word to God Himself. God is spoken of as 'holy' tmder the aspect
of His inviolable purity, majesty, awe-inspiring glory. Those who are
devoted to Him that they may reflect His character are 'holy' (ay,o,). That
is hallowed which is made to minister to the manifestation of His glory:
Matt. vi. ~ (aytau817ri.> ro ovoµ,a uov); comp. I Pet. iii. 15.
Hence generally ay,a(ELv, W:li?, r& 1"!~\T (unclassical, partly represented
by ayi(n11), has two main senses.
(1) To set apart for God: to separate from 'the world.'
(2) To make conformable in character to such a dedication. Com-
pare Lev. xx. 26.
As applied to Christians there are therefore two distinct aspects of the
words 'holy,' 'hallowed': the initial consecration which marks the destiny
for which as Christians they are set apart-the 'indelible character,' in
theological language, which is given by Baptism-and the progressive
hallowing by which the divine likeness is slowly formed (comp. John x. 36;
xvii. 19). The different tenses in which the verb is used place the different
aspects of 'hallowing' in a clear light.
Thus the aorist marks the historic fact: x. 29 (c!v rp ,jy,acr8tJ) (xiii. 12);
John x. 36.
The present shews the continuous process by which the divine gift is
slowly realised from stage to stage in the individual life or in successive
generations: X. 14 (.-our ay,a(oµ,ivovr); ii. II.
The perfect expresses a state abiding in its divine stability: Acts xx.
32 (Lxx.); xxvi. 18; 1 Cor. i. 2; vii. 14; Rom. xv. 16; 2 Tim. ii. 21.
The use of the pres. and perf. together in John xvii. 19 is instructive.
ii. Ka8apl- ii. The idea of 'purity' (1r.a8apOT'}r, 1<a8ap&r) expresses primarily the
sf"'· satisfaction of external conditions. In the first instance it marks
ceremonial cleanness. The leper as unclean was excluded from the
outward commonwealth of Israel He was restored by cleansing (Matt.
viii. 2 f.).
Hence 1r.a8apl(nv (iiJt;, very rarely ~~l'.I, the corresponding classical
form is 1r.a8alpnv) is
(1) To remove outward defilement; and so to make ceremonially fit
to draw near to God.
 THE EPISTLE ·ro THE HEBREWS.
349
(2) To remove spiritual defilement; and so to make morally fit to
come before God. Comp. .Acts xv. 9; Eph. v. 26; Tit. ii 14; I John i 7.
The difference between a-yul(w,, ,ca8apl(nv, and lXacrKEcrBa, may be pre- Relation
sented in another light by the consideration of the parallel forms ayiacrµos, ofa-y11i,1"ei11,
,,_ 8ap,crµ,&s, l>.acrµ.&s.
0
Of these a-yiacrµ.&s is prospective, and points forward 1".,.0,0apl.1"~•11 •
to a future state not yet attaine . d (xn. . . 14) ; ,ea Bap,crµ,os
, 1s
, ret rospect'1ve and l\aCTICECTva,.
points to a past which has been done away (i 3; 2 Pet. i 9); l>.acrµ.os marks
the present restoration of fellowship with God, by the removal of that
which stays the outflow of His love ( 1 John ii. 2 ).
The use of the words in the LXX. is of considerable interest (see Lev. Use in the
viii. 15; xvi 19:t:); and each of them is used to represent ,i?:;i: d-y,&(nv, Lxx.
Ex. xxix. 33; ,ca8apl(nv, Ex. xxix. 36 f.; xxx. 10; l>.acrtc<crBar., Ps. lxiv. (lxv.)
4; lxxvii. (lxxviii.) 38; lxxviii. (lxxix.) 9. Comp. Eph. v. 26.
It may be added that both a-y,&(nv and tca8apl(uv are ~ed in certain
connexions of divine and of human action.
i. Of divine action: d-yui(nv, John xvii. 17; 1 Thess. v. 23: ,ca8apl(nv,
.Acts xv. 9; Tit. ii 14; 1 John i. 7.
ii. Of human action: a-y,a(nv, 1 Pet. iii. 15: tca8api(nv, James iv. 8;
2 Cor. vii. 1.
The verb li,tcawvv is not found in the Epistle.

Additional Note on x. 37 £ On the quotation from

Hab. ii. 3 f.
The quotation in c. x. 37 f. consists ·of an introductory clause [fr, -yap]
µ.i,cp6v l$crov l$crov from Is. xxvi. 20, and an adaptation of the LXX. version
of Hab. ii. 3, 4.
The text of the LXX. is
[a,Or, lr, OpaO"LS £ls- KatpOv . ••..•
f(J.v V<TTEP~U'fl, V1r0µ.£1.vov aVTOv,]
OT& lpxoµ,oos ~~££ ,cal ov µ,~ XPOVICT'[J.
lav V'lrO<TTEIA'7Ta£, OVIC EvliotcEL ~ tvx~ µ,ov ~JI avT~.
o lii liltcaws /,c 1r1CTT£rus µ.ov (.A µ.ov ltc 1r.) C~crETai.
The Hebrew is rendered (R.V.)
[For the vision is yet for the appointed time ...
Though it tarry, wait for it;]
Because it will surely come, it will not delay.
Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him:
But the just shall live by his faith.
In contrast with both the writer of the Epistle gives :
() ipxDµ.EVOS' rjfu «al ml xpovlun·
0 aE alK.a,&s [µov] EK. 1rl<TTEWS ,~(T£'T'a,,
Kal ,a,, Vrro<TTElATJTa, oV,c ftiao,cfi' r; 'P'vx1 fLOV iv aVTcp.
350 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
He that cometh shall come, and slwll not tarry.
But my righteoU8 (just) one sliall live by faith;
And if he shrink ba,ek, my soul hath no pleasure in him.
.A comparison of these words with those of the LXX., taken in connexion
with the introductory clause, shews that the writer is freely u.sing familiar
language to convey his own thought. The LXX. had given a personal in-
terpretation to the Vision which embodied the divine promise: wait for
Him (i.e. the Lord, or His representative); and the writer of the Epistle, in
the light of his Christian faith, defines the Person 'He that cometh,' even
the .Ascended Christ, adding the article and so separating lpxop.Evos from
~t«. It was natural therefore that he should at once connect with this
assurance of the coming of the Saviour the reward of faith, and transpose
to the end the clause which reveals the peril of slackened zeal. :By this
adaptation prophetic words conveyed the lesson which he desired to enforce,
and the associations which they carried with them gave a solemn colouring
to the thought of necessary endurance. The deliverance from Chaldrea,
however real, was not such as Israel looked for.
The text of the Epistle has influenced some 11ss. of the LXX. (which
give some olpxoµoos and others oiJ -x_povlun -1£,) and patristic quotations :
Euseb. Dem. Ev. vi. 14 (p. 276); Cyr. Alex. In Is. c. viii. 3 (ii. 134);
Theophlct. ad loc.
It is interesting to notice that the words of the same passage are
combined with words of Malachi (iii. 1) in Clem. I ad Cor. 23 ••• uvµµap-
rvpovITT}s KUL rijs ypacp~s Ort
rax-0 rf EE(, Kal ot1 XPOVtE"i,
Kai Efalcf>V1JS ~~Et O Ktlp,os Els rOv va6v aVroV,
Kat O ay,os t,,, vµEis 1rpoulJoKUTE (LXX. 0 lfyyEAOS rijs lJw84K'JS f,71 V/LEI.S
O{A.ETE).
XI. 1, 2] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 351

XI, I ' 'E<T7"LJ/ 0€

"\ 7rU1"7"t<;
, '"" Y. ,
€1\.'TT"L'::,OµEJIWJ/ • ,
U71"0<T7"a(Ttc;, 7rpa,y-
' ,,
µa-rwv €AE"'fXO!. ou
, /3""1\.€'TT"OµE11w11·
' !:I , '
€JI -rau-rr, ,yap Eµap-
\ ,

ff>..e1r. : {Jou>..oµhc,,v A.

ii The past triumphs of Faith (c. The contents of the chapter may
xi 1-40~ therefore be thus arranged:
The reference to Faith, as the (1) vv. 1-2. Preliminary view
characteristic of the true people of of the characteristics and work of
God, leads the writer of the Epistle Faith.
to develop at length the lesson of (2) vv. 3-7. Faith as seen in
Faith given in the records of the Old the prophetic records of the old
Covenant. From the first the divine world.
revelation has called out Faith. The (3) vv. 8-22. The Faith of the
elementary presuppositions of religion, Patriarchs :
the existence and moral attributes of (a) The Faith of Obedience and
God and the creation of the world, Patience.
rest on Faith. Hence it is to be (b) The Faith of Sacrifice.
expected that Faith should still find (4) vv. 23-31. The Faith of Con-
its appropriate trial Thus the appeal flict and Conquest.
to the past experience of the readers, (5) vv. 32-38. Faith active in
and to the general law of God's deal- national life.
ings, is confirmed in detail by the (6) vv. 39, 40. Conclusion.
manifold experience of the saints. ( 1) 1-2. General view of the
The development of the work of characteristics and work of Faith.
Faith appears to follow an intelligible The reality, the sphere, and the
and natural plan. The writer first power of Faith are affirmed (v. 1) ;
marks the characteristics of Faith and the religious history of mankind
generally (v. 1) and its application to is appealed to generally in support of
the elementary conceptions of re- its claims (v. 2).
ligion (v. 3; comp. v. 6). He then 'Now faith is the substance qf
shews that the spiritual history of the things hoped for, the test of things
world is a history of the victories of (objects) not seen; •for herein the
Faith. This is indicated by the frag- elders had witness borne to them.
mentary records of the old world (4- I. l. /'Ji 1r. £"A1r • ••• oJ ,B>..m.] Now
7), and more particularly by the faith is the substance of things hoped
records of the growth of the Divine for, the test of objects not .~een. Vulg.
Society (1 IKK>.. 11ula). This was founded est autem .fides sperandorum sub-
in the Faith of obedience and patience stantia, rerum argumentum non
of the patiiarchs (8-16); and built parentum (Later texts give spe-
up in the Faith of sacrifice, sustained randarum and apparentium) : Aug.
against natural judgment (17-22); sperantium substantia, convictio re-
and carried to victory by the Faith of rum qum non videntur.
conquest (23-31). The later action The order (lcrrw iJi 1rlcrns) shews
of Faith in the work of the people of that the object of the writer is not to
God is indicated up to the last na- give a formal definition of Faith but
tional conflict under the Maccabees to bring out characteristics of Faith
(32-38); and it is then declared that which bear upon his argument. It
all these preliminary victories of Faith seems to suggest the affirmation of
await their consummation from the the reality of faith as well as the
Faith of Christians (39, 40~ nature of faith, as if it were 'Now
352 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. z
faith is, and it is this ... ' This fulness guilty, and the present government
of meaning explains the yap which of God.
follows. ({3) In regard to the office of Faith
The copula stands similarly at the it mav be laid down that the inter-
beginning of the sentence: Lk. viii pretations of the two words vrr6urautr
II; 2 Cor. xi. ro; I Tim. vi. 6; 1 John ••• <A•yxnr ••• must be coordinate: that
i 5. (Dan. iii. 17; Wisd. xv. 9.) they must describe Faith under the
The noun (rricrm) has no article as same general aspect. Now, as far as
indicating faith in its abstract concep- the description of Faith here is con-
tion, and not specially the Christian cerned, it may be presented to us in
faith. Comp. Rom. i. 5 ; iii. 28 regard to what it is, as a particular
(Moulton-Winer, p. 149). frame of mind, or in regard to what
In the characterisation of Faith it does, as producing particular results.
which is given we have to consider Senses have been given to vrr6urauis·
(a) its object and (fj) its office. Its and E}..,yxor which correspond with
object is ,?..rrt{;oµ.•va and rrp/ryµ,ara otl both views. Thus v?Taurauts has been
ff>..m6µ,n1a : its office 'is to be the translated 'assurance,' a meaning
vrr6urarrtr of the former, the E}..,yxor which it has in c. iii. 14- And again
of the latter. 'essence' (substance), that is, that
(a) The object of Faith is distinctly which gives real existence to a thing,
intelligible. Faith essentially deals a sense closely akin to the sense
with the future and with the unseen, in i. 3. So too lXryxor has been
the regions not entered by direct translated ' conviction,' that is, the
physical experience. The statement is feeling of certainty, and 'proof,' that
perfectly general ('things hoped for,' is, the means by which certainty is
'objects not seen'), and not specific in gained.
regard to the contents of the revela- The two senses of vrr6urautr are well
tion given by God. Faith deals with established; but it is difficult to sup-
everything which comes m1der these pose that ,X,yxnr can express a state.
two categories. By Faith we attach If then EA<yxor mu.st be understood
the idea of permanence to the law of the 'proof,' the 'test,' by which the
which represents the results of past reality of the unseen is established;
observation. By Faith we discern the it seems to follow necessarily that the
love which is offered to our notice by parallel meaning must be given to
outward signs. w6urautr, 'that which · gives true
In considering things 'future' and existence' to an object.
'lllSeen' it will be felt that hope has This meaning is that which is uni-
a wider range than sight. Hope in- formly followed by the Greek Fathers
cludes that which is internal as well in commenting on the passage: br,t.a;,
as that which is external Hence ra Ev EA1rla, dPV1TOu-rara Elva, aa1eE'i, ~
l'A.m(;6µ.,va is left indefinite as · ex- trl<rr,~ V1rO<TTau,v aVra&s xapl(era,•
tending to the whole field. of mental µ:aX'>..ov
, ,
a;
,
oil xapl{;Erat
... 1' ( , ,
aX'>..' ailra, luTLII
and spiritual activity, while rrplryµ,ara ovuta avrruv· owv TJ avao-rautr ov 1rapa-
ov {3krr6µ,,va suggest a definite order yiyov,11 oill'tl EUTtV lv V?TOOTME', dXX'
of objects and events outside the ,i lXrrlr v<plur71utv UVTTJV l,, ry ,iµ,<rip(f
believer, which are conceived of as fvxn (Chrys.). So Theophylact: ov-
realities which may fall under man's ul"'ulr EtJTt rWv µ/pr6' Zvr<.c>v «al V1rO-
senses. Under another aspect 'things OTaut~ TWII µ~ vcp,o-rrorruv; and Theo-
hoped for' are more limited than doret : ?Tpbr TT/" rwv lXm{;oµlvruv
'objects not seen,' for the latter 8,rupiav JcptJaXµ,b~ ,iµ,'iv ylv,rat, ,cal
embrace all that belongs to the lJ,l,c11Vut11 cJ~ ;,q,,urwra Ta µ,TJl'tE?TC., ")ff-
requital and purification of the Y'"TJµlva.
XL 3] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 353
-rvp110rJ<Tav oi 7rpec:r{3,h·epot. 3 nt<TT€l VOOVµEV KaTrJp-
The Latin renderings also follow of the thought : Qure apparent jam
this interpretation without variation fidem non habent .•. sed agnitionem.
(substantia), though theypresent many Dum ergo vidit Thomas dum palpavit,
differences in other parts of the sen- cur ei dicitur Quia vidisti me credi-
tence ; and the Latin Fathers repro- disti 1-Sed aliud vidit, aliud credidit.
duce the ideas already quoted from A mortali enim homine divinitas videri
the Greek Fathers. non potest. Videndo ergo credidit,
Nor is it a valid objection that qui considerando hominem verum
ti1ro0Tau,r is not in this case strictly Deum, quem videre non poterat,
'essence' as. applied to the several exclamavit.
objects of hope, but (generally) that 2. iv ravry yap ••• ] for herein, 118
which gives reality to them. For it living and acting in this atmosphere
is in virtue of Faith that things of Faith, of Faith by which the fu-
hoped for are now, so that Faith is ture is realised and the unseen ap-
their essence in regard to the actual prehended, the elders had witness
experience of the believer. borne to tlwm. The religious history
Thus the general scope of the of man is taken as the proof of the
statement is to shew that the future power which Faith possesses to test
and the unseen can be made real for and realise the rmseen.
men by Faith. With iv ravry iµ.apr. compare vv.
Things which in the succession of 4 a? ~f iµ.apr., 39 µ.aprVpTJ0<VTES a.a
time are still 'hoped for' as future ri)s ,r.; and for the thought Ign. ad
have a true existence in the eternal Philad. I r; ad Ephes. 12; Just. M.
order; and this existence Faith brings Dial. 29 s. f. ol rouovro, al1<ato, ..•
home to the believer as a real fact. µ.•µ.aprop11vrm V1TO rov 0Eov avrov.
So also things m1seen are not mere Maprvpliu0m is used absolutely in the
arbitrary fancies: Faith tries them, passages of Ignatius just quoted and
tests them, brings conviction as to in Clem. 1 ad Cor. 17, 18 t: &c.
their being. Faith is indeed the characteristic
For ti1ro0Tau,s compare i. 3 note; of all the Jewish heroes, though Faith
iii. 14 note (2 Cor. ix. 4; xi. 17); and as such, is very little noticed in the
Philo de migr. Abr. § 9 (i. 442 M.); 0. T. The witness is borne to the
and for ra EA1T<(oµ.Eva compare I Pet. life which was inspired by Faith.
i 13; 1 Cor. xv. 19; Rom. viii. 24 t:; ol 1TpEufJvnpo,] Comp.. c. i I ol
1 Tim. iv. 10. ,rar<pH.
The word EAEyxos is formd here (2) 3-7. Faith as seen in the
only in N. T. (in 2 Tim. iii 16 L prophetic records of the old world.
EI\E'yµ.ov). The verb E'>-lyxnv is not The first view of Faith is taken
unfrequent (c. xii. 5). Compare es- from the brief records of the old
pecially John xvi. 8 note. world given in Gen. i.-ix. It is first
The sense of 'proof' is formd in laid down that our fundamental view
classical writers from Euripides down- of the origin (and so of the course) of
wards. In the LXX. EAEyxos is frequent the world rests on Faith ('IJ. 3); and
in the sense of 'reproof.' (Job xxiii then in Abel, Enoch, Noah, the writer
4, 7 do not seem to form excep- considers three types of Faith under
tions.) different circumstances, 118 answering
For 1rpayµ.ar6>v compare vi 18 note; to man's constitution, to the develop-
x. I ; and for ov fJ>..moµ.iv6>11 Rom. viii. ment of life, to special revelation.
24- Abel recognised the natural obliga-
Primasius gives a good illustration tions of man to God generally, and
W. H.8 23
354 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XL 3

fulfilled them unto death, through in a divine will manifested in the ex-
which he still lives (v. 4). Enoch istence of the world-is the necessary
realised fellowship with God in ac- foundation for the life of faith in all its
tion till it was crowned in an eternal manifestations. Hence this primary
fellowship (5 f.). Noah obeyed a action of faith is declared first. By
specific direction of God and was faith we attain to the assurance that
saved through suffering (7). Theo- the world-history-is not the result
phylact comparing the examples of of blind fate but answers to an ex-
Abel and Enoch says well: i5pa !Ji 1tror pression of the will of God ; and so
a,a µ.iv roii ~ Afk>.. tlJELtEv o BEor TYJV we can attain to fresh victories corre-
0.1To<pacnv r~v 7rEpl roii Bavarov ,l'l1.7JB,j, spondiug to our position, even as in
!Jia !Ji roii 'EvJx 1TaALV llJE,tEv 6TL 1Tpo<T- the past the heroes of faith tri-
Katpos rj d1rOcj>ao-is ,cal ci11u1.pE01u1;rai. umphed.
And it may be added that, as in Abel The verse presents two distinct
and Enoch there were revelations of thoughts. It declares the funda-
death and life, so in Noah there was mental act of faith by which we
a revelation of judgment. apprehend the fact of creation, and
s Byfaith we perceive that the world then points out the consequence which
hath been framed by God's word, to ought to follow from it in our view of
the end that that which is seen be the world, as it lies before us. The
known to have arisen not from things conception of creation by God's word
which appear. rightly leads to a present belief in
4 By faith Abel offered to God a the power of God as Preserver and
more abundant sacrifice than Cain, Governor of that which He created.
through which he had witness borne 1ticrm ••• Mµ... Brnii] By faith we
to him that he was righteous, God perceive that the world hath been
bearing witness on occasion of his framed by God's word... Vulg. Fide
gifts; and through it he being dead intellegimus aptata esse scecula verbo
yet speaketh. Dei. •. The conclusion, which we
sBy faith Enoch was translated so are so constituted as to form, is an
as not to see death; and he was not interpretation of the external phe-
found, because God translated him; nomena which are presented to us
for before his translation the witness made by the highest rational faculty
is recorded that he had been well- in man (voiir), to which Faith gives
pleasing to God; 6 and without faith validity.
it is impossible to be well-pleasing For vooiiµ.Ev compare Rom. i. 20;
to Him; for he that cometh to God Wisd. xiii. 4- It expresses a mental
must have faith (believe) that He is, as distinguished from a sensuous per-
and that He shews Himself a re- ception (Mk. viii. 17). The term voiir,
warder to them that diligently seek which is not found in this Epistle, is
Him. characteristic of St Paul : 1 Cor. ii.
7 By faith Noah being warned by 16; Rom. xii. 2; Col. ii. 18; 1 Tim.
God concerning the things not yet v. 5.
seen, moved with pious care, pre- KarqpricrBa, expresses the manifold-
pared an ark for the saving qf his ness and the unity of all creation;
house, through which he condemned and by the tense marks that the
the world and became heir of the original lesson of creation remains for
righteousness which is according to abiding use and application. Comp.
faith. Herm. Mand. i. 1. For 1earapri(nv
3. The belief in creation-the belief compare c. x. 5; xiii. 21; 1 Thess. iii.
XL 4] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 355
TO' /3""1\.E'lroµEvov
' '
,yeyovEvat. 4 nI<TTfl 7r AftOJ/a 8u<rlav
3 ro fJXnr6µ,evov ~AD 2 * me: ra. -va. ; vg syrr.

10; Gal vi. 1; Ps. lxvii. (lxviii.) 10; has not come into being by simple
lxxiii. (lxxiv.) 16; lxxxviii. (lxxxix.) material causation. We learn to re-
38 ; xxviii. (xxix.) 9 &c. cognise that there is a divine power
For rotn aloovas see c. i. 2 note; ix. behind. Such a conclusion is the
26; 1 Cor. ii. 7; I Tim. i. 17; Eph. fundamental triumph of Faith. Crea-
iii. 21. This conception of creation tion can best be conceived of by us as
as unfolded in time, the many 'ages' the limitation of that which is, and
going to form one 'world,' is taken not as the addition of anything to the
up into Christian literature. Thus sum of being.
Clem. R. i. c. 35 (J a,,µ,tovpyos /COi The phrase ,ls ro ••• can, according
TrOT~P TOOV al.); 55 (8,os 'l'OOV al.); 61 to usage, have no other sense than
(ftau,A£Vs: rCdv al.). that of expressing the end. Comp. c.
1rlun,] By the direct exercise of x. 7 note. It occurs eight times in
faith, by an act of faith.... The the Epistle, and uniformly in this
(instrumental) dative is used by St meaning.
Paul: 2 Cor. i. 24 ; Rom. xi. 20 ( rfi By a not unnatural brevity of ex-
'fr. EU'l'TJ1<ivai); iii. 28 ( lJ,1<awvu8ai 1rlu- pression 'the becoming of the world'
m); [iv. 20]; Col i. 23; [Tit. ii. 2]. is used for 'our conception of the
The simple dative is used throughout becoming of the world.'
the chapter, except v. 33 a,a 1rlU'1'£6>S The negative in the phrase µ,~ '"
{comp. vi. 12) and v. 13 Kara 1rluriv (a,a cpmv. was transposed in interpretation
-rijs TrlunIDs v. 39 is different). With (as if it were t1< µ,~ cpaivoµ,<vIDv) from
Trlurn contrast rfi 1riUTEi c. iv. 2. early times (from things which do
Mµ,ari B,ov] Comp. Gen. i. ; Ps. not appear). Thus Chrysostom, having
xxxiii. 6, 9 (LXX. re;; X&y'l')- Philo de quoted the Greek as it stands in the
sacrif. Abel. § 18 (i. 175 M.): o yap text, goes on at once to say: lJijXov,
i1£oS AE"f6>V J.µ,a l1roln. The term Mµ,a 'PYJulv, Eo--rlv OT, Ef oV,c SvrCA>V ra 6vra ·
retains its full meaning : a single ex- J1rolTJ<TEV O6E0s:, lK r6>v µ,~ <J,a1,voµ,lvruv ,.-a,
pression of the divine will. Comp. c. <J>aLv0µ,Eva, J,c rIDv oVx V<pEur<M"rov -rU.
vi. 5. For creation see i. 2 note.
The 'world' was conceived to exist
v<pEUTOO'l'a. So Theodoret: ,e iJV'l'IDV
a,,µ,iovpyovu,v ol 3.v8p6>7rOt • J lJi 'l'OOV
archetypally in the 'mind' of God OA6>V 8,os tK ,.,,~ iJvrIDV .,.a iJVTa 1rapf-
before it was brought under the limi- yay,.
tations of time and space. Invisibi- Such a transposition is wholly un-
liter mundus antequam formaretur in supported. The passage quoted from
dei sapientia erat, qui tamen per ex- Arist. de Phys. ausc. v. 1 has, in the
pletionem operis factus est visibilis ••• ,e
true text, 1 -yap OVK v1romµ,lvov.
(Primas.). Comp. Apoc. iv. 11 (~uav, On the dogma of creation ,e
OVK
lKTluBT/uav); John i. 3 f. note. iJvrIDv see Herm. Vis. i. 1. 6 and
,ls ro µ,~ ••• ro ffll.m. y,yovivai] to the Harnack's note ; Hatch, Hibbert Loc-
end that that which is seen be known tures p. 197 note. The apostolic
to have ari11en not from things which phrase expresses whatever truth is
appear. Vulg. ut ex invisibilibus vi- conveyed by it. No purely physical
sibilia .fierent. The purpose and end explanation of the origin of the world
of the knowledge gained by faith as is possible. Things that appear can-
to the creation of the world is the not give an explanation of the origin
conviction that the visible order as of the universe which we see. So Philo
we observe it, as a whole (ro {3X,1r.), speaks of oducJµ,a.,.os 1<al VOTJ'l'Os ••• 1<00--
23-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 4

.,A/3e"A. 7rapa Katv 7rpO<T1JVE'}'KEV T'f' 8e<j,, U ;., eµap-rup118rr

Eivat OtKatOS, µap-rupouv-ros €!TI TOIC bo. po1c f ~.-hoy TOY eeoyl,
4 a.vTou Tep 0e~ v. a.vTcp Tou 0eo0. See Addit. Note.
-f brl T. /5. a.v. Tou 0eo0 • ~• (vg) syrr me: ,,,,.1 T. /5. a.v. Tep 0e~ ~* AD2*.

µ.os-, TO TOV cpatl'O/J-El'OV rovae clpx•-rvrroJJ, witness came, as God bore witness on
Weats cloparo,s uvrrra8els cZ<Nr,p oiiros occasion of his gifts. Comp. v. 7.
u"5µ.auw opaTOIS (De conf. Ung. § 34; The express title of 'righteous' is not
i. 431 M.). given to Abel in the 0. T. narrative,
cpatJJoµ.{v<,)JJ TO ,BXmoµ.eJJOJJ] The but to Noah first (v. 7). The character
visible order, as one whole, is con- however is given to him, and the title
trasted with the many elements which in later times: Matt. xxiii 35 ; 1 John
fall under the senses. iii 12. For t1rl see c. ix. 10 note.
For y•yo"l"ai see John i. 3 note. There is nothing in Scripture to
4 1rlurn ?'"A. 8.••. r,e 8,,e] Gen. iv. shew in what way the divine witness
2 ff. By faith Abel offered to God a was given to Abel (Lxx. t1r,,a.,, Gen.
more abundant sacrifice than Gain ... iv. 4). A widespread legend current
Vulg. Fide plurimam hostiam Abel still among Mohammedans (Kordn,
quam Gain.... v. § 30 notes), related that fire came
The use of 1rA•'"'" in c. iii. 3; Matt. down and consumed his sacrifice :
vi. 25 (~ ,J,,vx~ 7rAELOJJ trrri rijs rpocpijs, Aty<Tat 1rvp l(QTEA8oJJ aJJaAa,B,,,, T(lS
xii. 41 1rXeioJJ 'l"'"a, id. 42) has been 8vulas, avrl yap TOV t1rl "Af3•A brl,BX,,J,,.-
supposed to justify the general sense l(al £1r',. rllr Ovular aVroV O KVpior [ 0
of 'more excellent,' 'better' quali- l:vporJ t<al tvmvptUEJJ Ei'lrEJJ (Chrys. ad
tatively only. But the narrative in loc. : comp. Field Hex. ad Gen. iv. 7).
Genesis suggests that the deeper So Theophylact : t1r,,BX•1r•11 t,rl ras-
gratitude of Abel found an outward Bvulas •A,B,X oKvp,os Kat tJJl7rp7JUE.
expression in a more abundant offer- In the Gelasian and Gregorian
ing. He brought of the 'firstlings' Canon the three sacrifices of Abel,
and did not offer like Cain at 'the Abraham and Melchizedek are placed
end of time,' while he also brought in significant connexion : ... digneris
'of the fat' of his flock. Comp. Philo, ...accepta habere sicuti accepta ha.-
de conf. ling. § 25 (i. 423). here dignatus es munera pueri tui
It is impossible to determine cer- justi Abel et sacrificium patriarchre
tainly in what Abefs Faith consisted. nostri Abrahre et quod tibi obtulit
The fact that he offered 'a more summus sacerdos Melchisedech sanc-
abundant ' sacrifice shews a fuller tum sacrificium, immaculatam hos-
sense of the claims of God. It has tiam.
been reasonably suggested that the According to an Eastern tradition
sacrifice of animals, which were not the ram which Abraham offered was
yet given for food, indicates a general the ram of Abel's offering which was
sense that life was due to the Living sent down from Paradise (Sale on
One alone. Koran xxxvii. 107 ). A similar thought
For 1rXeloJJa 1rapa K. see c. iii 3 ; i finds expression in the Jewish legend
4 note. (Pirke R. Eliez. 31 ap. Biesenthal
a, ~s tµ.ap-r.] i.e. 8vulas, through p. 297 n.) that the altar of Abraham's
sacrifice was that on which .Adam,
which sacrifice. The sacrifice was
the sign of the righteousness-the .Abel and Noah had sacrificed (Gen.
true relation to God by faith-which xxii. 9 IJ;;lt'Po·n~ not o;;ir~)-
he had inwardly. Through this the On the fitness of the reference to
XI. 5] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 357
}(at oi' av-rijc; d1ro0avcJv i-r, i\ai\ei. 5 nfu-ret 'EvcJx

µe-re-r/.011 -rou µr, ioe'iv 0dva-rov, Kat o-fx HYp1CK€TO AIOTI M€TE-
0HK€N b.'(TON O eeck· rrpo ,yap -rijc; µe-ra0euewc; µeµaprvp11-rat

o,a T(J,lJT1}S n. *. )\a,)\ei.' NA vg syrr me: )\a,)\ei.'Ta, !, n •. 5 µeTMrJK<V: µenn8.

N*. µ<Ta8. N*AD 2* vg me:+mlTou !,' N• (syrr).
Abel to the position of the Hebrews the sacrifice the means through which
Primasius says (after Chrysostom): the testimony was borne, and in the
Ponit primum eum qui mala passus faith which prompted the sacrifice
est et hoe a fratre, proprium illorum that whereby Abel still speaks. The
ponens exemplum : etenim eadem decision must be made by considera-
passi fuerant illi a contribulibus suis tion of the general thought of the
et fratribus. passage. Th(;) words themselves ad-
a, aJrijs ••• fr, AaAEt] through it, i.e. mit equally all interpretations. Yet
faith. Abel's faith was the ground of comp. v. 7 a.' ,js.
his living activity after death. Qui 5. 'Evwx] Gen. v. 21-24 Com-
enim alios suo exemplo admonet ut pare Ecclus. xliv. 16 ; xlix. 14; Wisd.
justi sint, quomodo non loquitur ? iv. 10. In Enoch the view of the
(Primas.). true destiny of man was again re-
• AVEIAEII aJToll aAAd oJ a-vvaVEIAEJI vealed, fellowship with God. Side
, ,.. \ ~-If:. \ \ I )
a~Tf TTJV ' U~t;UV IC~I, '!'IV T~µ?v •' O,..V by side with advancing material
TE8.VTJl<EJI El<EIJIOS, OVl<OVII, ov/JE VJ-LEIS civilisation the revelation of the
TE0vq~E<TBE ••• cZa-n-ep oiv o oJpavos <pat- spiritual life was also given.
v0µ£VOS µOvov AaAE'i, oVr<i> Kal fKE'ivos J-LETETEO,, TOV I-'~ llJ. Bav.] (Enoch)
JJ-"TJJ-L011EvoµE11os (Chrys.). was translated so as not to see death.
Philo argues that Cain truly died Vulg. translatus est ne videret mor-
and Abel lived: cZa-8' oilToosdvayvoo<TTiov tem. For the construction see c. x.
'AvfUT7J Klltv ,cal tl1rEKTELV£V lavrbv ciAA' 7, 9 (LXX. Toii n-DLija-a,) note.
oJx ETEpov ••• cZa-8' o"A{JEA, To n-apal!a~o- The legendary interpretation in
TaTOV, il'7JPT/Tal TE 1<at {fi ••• n-ws ya.p o Primasius is worth noticing : trans-
JJ,TJl<ET' il>v a,aXiyEa-Bat llvvaTOS ; (quod latus est in paradisum terrenum unde
det. pot. insid. § 14; i. 200 M.). quondam Adam ejectus est.
"En may refer historically to dn-o- oJx TJ,',p•••• a.tm µET.<B. o B.] The
lJavcJv, 'after death he still (in the writer follows the interpretative ren-
record of Scripture Gen. iv. 10, comp. dering of the LXX. while the Hebrew
c. xii. 24) speaketh as indeed not has simply: he was not, for God took
dead.' Or it may be fully temporal him, a phrase which leaves the mode
and describe the present voice of the of Enoch's departure from life quite
first righteous martyr. It seems most open. Comp. Wisd. iv. 10 f.
in accordance with the language of n-p6 yctp rijs J-LET.] Faith was the
Scripture on the unseen world not ground of the translation because his
to exclude the second view: Apoc. vi. 9. pleasing God is specially mentioned
a,• ,js ... lJ,' aJrijs .•. ] through which before this took place : and such
{sacrifice or faith n...
through it (faith pleasing implies faith. The circum-
or sacrifice?).... The reference of the stances under which Enoch lived
pronouns is ambiguous. Each may gave prominence to his Faith. In a
refer either to 'faith' or to 'the corrupt age he is said to have main-
sacrifice'; and every combination has tained that fellowship with God which
found advocates. On the whole it is identical with pleasing Him.
:appears to be most natural to see in J-LEµapropTJTa,] The witness stands
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 6, 7
> ' " ,.,, 6 \ ~ \ I ,~ I , ,,.
EYb.p€CTHK€Nb.l T(p 0E<p, xwptc; 0€ 7rl<T'TEW<; aovl/a'TOII Eyb.pECTHCb.l,
7rl<T'TEU<Tat 'Y<iP OEL 'TOIi 7rpo<rEpxoµEIIOII [-rep] 8Ecp ()Tt
,, I - , 7', ~ , \ Ll "I, I I
E<T'TLII Kat -rote; EK~rJ'TOV<TLII av-rov µurua7rooo-rr,c; 'YLIIE-rat.
'nt<T'TEL xp11µa-rt<T8Et<; NwE 7rEpt 'TWII µr,0€7rW /3A.E7rOµEvwv
EuA.a/3r,8Et<; Ka'TE<TKEUa<TEII ,a/3w-rov Eis <TW'TrJptall 'TOV
,t , ,..., ~ , 'i" I \ I \ ,... \
OLKOV av-rov, OL r,c; Ka'TEKpLIIEII 'TOV KO<Tµov, Kat 'TrJS Ka'Ta

recorded. For the use of the perfect Nro•J Gen. vi.

7.
see c. vii. 6 note. The Faith of Noah was directed to
EvapEOTljKEVat] The LXX. use the a special revelation which was made
word EvTJp•OTlj<TE to render ';J~iJJ:li'.1 known to others also. In this respect
it differed from the Faith of Abel and
t:l 1i'.l~~v·n~ (walked with God G;n. Enoch. Thus Chrysostom To µ.iv v'll'o-
v. 22 ; Aqu. 11'Epinrau, (Sym. dveurp•- anyµ.a TOV 'Evrox 11'l<TTE6lS ~v &oae,-yµ.a
cfJETo )•• •uvv r,fi Be,fi). µOvov, T(J a£ ToV N oo~ Kal drricrrlar.
6. The simple notice that Enoch For xpr1µ.aT,uB.ts (Vulg. responso
'pleased God' (or 'walked with God') accepto) see c. viii. 5 note. 'The
is a sufficient proof of his Faith. For things not yet seen' (not indefinitely
Faith is an essential condition of 'things'), the judgment which was to•
'pleasing' (or of 'fellowship'). The come upon the world with all its
aorists evape<TTijuai, 11'L<TTEvua, express attendant circumstances, were the
the absolute idea. subject of the divine communication.
11'L<TTEV<Tat a.,...]
The Faith which
is thus declared to be necessary for
Contrast 11'Epl µ.e>..>... v. 20.
Ev'Aa{j'10ds KaTE<TK.] moved with
everyone who approaches God as a pious care (he) prepared... Vulg.
worshipper (-rov 'ITpO<rEpxoµ.EVOV c. vii. metuens aptavit. .. Compare c. v. 7
2 5 note), includes two elements, the ( d'tTo Tijs EvAa/j,1as) ; xii. 28 (µ.ETO. aZ-
belief (a) that God is, and (fj) that He aovs Kai ,J'J\.a{jElas) ; Acts xxiii. IO.
is morally active ; in other words it This characteristic was at once
is a Faith in the existence and in the called out by the divine warning.
moral government of God. XpTJµ.anuB,ls and Ev'Aa{jTJB•ls appear
6TL lunv ,cal. ••-ylvrrat] that He is- to be coincident in time.
that there is One Who answers to the The word 1<aT<<TK<vauev ( I Pet. iii.
intuition-and that He shews Him- 20) includes both the construction
self a rewarder.... Vulg. quia est et and the fitting up of the ark: comp.
.. ,fit. For µ.,u8a11'oaoTl')S see c. ii. 2 c. iii. 3 note.
note. In connexion with this state- a,' ~r] through which ark (comp.
ment Chrysostom. asks m5B•v; oiJ11'"' v. 4). His Faith was visibly presented
yap ovai T,fi .A/jEA d11',li6lKEV. 6i<TTE J to the eyes of his contemporaries by
'Aoy,uµ.6s ETEpa V'll'E/ja'A'AEv ~ a; 11'l<TT&S the construction of the ark. Through
\ , , ,.. r ,
Ta Evavna T6lV op6lp,EV6lv. this then he condemned the unbe-
The word £KLTJTE<v, which is com- lieving world, as witnessing to the
mon in the Lxx., wherever it occurs divine destruction which was to come
in the N. T. in the sense of 'searching' upon them in just recompense for
suggests the notion of strenuous en- their deeds.
deavour: c. xii. 17; Acts xv. 17 (LXX.); Both here and in 11. 4 a&' ~s may be
Rom. iii. JI (Lxx.); 1 Pet. i. 10. referred to Faith, but in both cases.
XL 8] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 159
I '!' I ,1 -,. I
7rurrtv oucaw<rvvns €,Y€V€'TO Kl\.rJpovoµos.

8 0 Ka.Aouµ.. AD2 * vg: Ka.Aouµ.. !;" ~-

the form of the argument seems to son ; and this position Noah shewed
require a reference to the outward by his conduct to be his. Compare
expression of the Faith. The sacrifice C. i. 14 (,cX17povo,-.EtV uw-r17plav); xii. 17
of Abel and the ark of Noah were, so (,cX17p. TtjV El',Xoylav). The righteous-
to speak, the Faith of each made ness was not a hope for the future
,isible. And so it can rightly be said but a real possession by the gift of
that Noah through the ark-the God. Compare Addit. Note on vi. 12.
embodiment of his Faith in deed- (3) 8-22. The Faith of the Pa-
became heir of the righteousness triarchs.
according to Faith. With the call of Abraham the
KarlKptvEv .• •t'y,vn·o] The first verb, records of Faith enter on a new
though the form is ambiguous, is phase. Faith is treated henceforth
probably an imperfect and describes in relation to a society, a people of
the constant significance of his action, God, through whom the divine bless-
comparatione scilicet melioris fidei et ings were to be extended to mankind.
facti (Primas.). Under this wider aspect Faith is
-rav K6u,-.ov] Compare v. 38. regarded in two forms as shewn by
-rijs KllTa 1rlu-r. ll,Kmou. KAljp.] Noah the representative founders of the
is the first man who receives the title ancient people in (a) the Faith of
of 'righteous' in the 0. T. (Gen. vi. 9 patient Obedience which is the foun-
j,) 1:11), as was remarked by Philo, de dation of the Kingdom of God, and in
congr. erud. gr. § 17 (i. p. 532 M.). (b) the Faith of Sacrifice which is the
Comp. Ezek. xiv. 14, 20; Ecclus. xliv. principle of its development.
17; Wisd. x. 4, 6; 2 Pet. ii 5. (a) The patriarchal Faith of Obe-
'Faith' and 'righteousness' are dience and Patience (8-16).
placed in different connexions one The Faith .of patient Obedience is
with the other, which will repay study.· traced mainly in the life of Abraham
(a) ~ l!,K. -rijs 1rlu-rEws (lluc. 1rlu-r.) who impressed his own character upon
Rom. iv. u, 13. his descendants (8-12) (a). In him
(/3) ll,K. ~ iK 1r. (~ iK 1r. lluc.) and in them it was openly shewn that
Rom. ix. 30 ; x. 6. the societies of earth have a spiritual
(y) 1 iK 8Eov l!,K. t'1r~ -rfi 'ff. Phil archetype which is the true object of
iii 9. human endeavour (13-16) (/3).
(ll) ~ KaTa 1r. ll,K. (a) The Faith of patient Obedience
' The righteousness according to seen in the Faith of Abraham (8-12).
faith,' the righteousness which 'an- The Faith of the patriarchs, repre-
swers to,' 'corresponds with' faith, is sented by the Faith of Abraham, is
that righteousness which God alone presented under three different as-
can give, which answers to, corresponds pects:
with, that spiritual order which faith (i) As Abraham trusted God
alone enters. wholly,going forth he knewnot whither
For ,ca-ra 1rlu-r,v see v. 13 note. ('D. 8). (The Faith of self-surrender:)
,cX17pov6,-.os] The righteousness was (ii) As he waited on the scene
something which came to him as of his hope looking for God's work
having its source without, and yet ('Dv. 9 f.). (The Faith of patience.)
according to a certain law. It was (iii) As he communicated his
his by an unquestionable right : it faith to Sarah, so that through them
corresponded with the position of a ('one flesh') the innumerable offspring
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 8

µevos 'A/3 paaµ.

' V'lr'YJKOV<TE'II
. ' , ' ,, ,, -.. -..
€Z€A0€1N €LS 'TO'lrO'II 0'11 'Y/µ€,v\.€'1/

of faith were born (vv. II f.). (The were born from one, and him as good
Faith of influence.) as dead, as many as the stars in
In each case Abraham cast himself heaven for multitude, and as the
upon the unseen and realised the sand that is by the seashore that
future. cannot be counted.
The promise was thus carried to its 8. (i) The Faith of self-surrender.
first typical fulfilment (vi. 15). The beginning of the Messianic
The Faith of Abraham is no less nation was a cal~ a separation. The
conspicuous in later Jewish teaching founder had a promise of an inherit-
than in Christian teaching. He is ance. This promise he could trust
said (Mechilta on Ex. xiv. 31, ap. though he knew not how it would be
Delitzsch l.c.) to have gained this fulfilled.
world and the world to come by 1Tlunt ,caAovµ •• •• ,c;\17povoµlav] By
Faith. In this respect he is spoken of faith Abraham when called obeyed,
as a father of the Gentiles (Delitzsch, to go forth into a place which he
Brief an d. Romer p. So). His ex- was to receive as an inheritance.
perience was reflected in the experi- Vulg. Fide qui vocatur .Abraham (o
ence of Israel (Beresh. R. § 40, on ,caA. 'AfJp.) obedivit e:vire in locum ..•
Gen. xii. 16). Israel also fulfilled a The present participle (,ca;\ovµoos
work for the nations. not ,c;\178,ls) serves to emphasise the
On the trials of Abraham see Dr immediate act of obedience (v1r1,cov-
Taylor on .A.both, v. 4- u,v). He obeyed the call while (so
In this place the Faith of Abraham to say) it was still sounding in his
is not connected directly with personal ears.
righteousness, as in St Paul's Epistles, If the reading o ,ca;\ovµ.,voi. is
but is presented as the :g,ower through adopted the sense will be : 'he that
which the patriarch was enabled to in a unique sense received the new
work towards the fulfilment of God's name Abraham' : To o /CaAovµ.,voi;
counsel for the nations by his trust in 'AfJpaaµ. a,a T~V TOV ovoµ.aTOS lvaAAay~v
the unseen. ,tp17,c,v (Theod.). Fide qui vocatur
8
By faith .Abraham, when called, nunc Abraham tune vocabatur Abram
obeyed, to go forth into a place which (Primas.).
he was to receive as an inheritance; •t•ABiiv] The point in this 'going
and he went forth, while he knew forth' was that Abraham gave up all
not whither he was coming (going). in faith upon the invisible God (Gen.
9 By faith he entered as a sojourner
xii. 1 ; Acts vii. 3: comp. xiii. 13);
into the land of promise, as into a and in doing this he knew not what
land not his own, dwelling in tents he was to receive. The future was
with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs" with safe in God's counsel In this supreme
him of the same promise; ' 0 for he act, by which he became 'the father of
looked for the city that hath the the faith~' Abraham had no example
foundations, whose designer and to follow. Tlva yap ,la,v ,va (17Awuy;
maker is God. o 1ra~p UVT'f> .1afl>AOAarp17s ~v, 1rpocp17-
"By faith even Sarah herself re- ... , ,,

~OJV 0~1( TJIC.O~CTE~•

ff , ,. \.

Ce>~E 'lrt°:EOOS' ,..1JV TO

ceived power to conceive seed, and v,ra,covuai oos a;\178,voVTt TC'I> B•<e 1r•pl
that when she was past age, since she iJv V1ncrxviiTo 1eaL dcj)liva,. r~ Ev XEpulv
counted Him faithful who had pro- (Theophlct. after Chrys.). He went
mised. ' 2 Wherefore also children forth to 'a place' (not 'the place') of
XI. 9] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
/J I ' "\ I \ ) ... .\ ' '
)\.aµfJavetv EL'> K1'-YJpovoµiav, Kat e!HA0€N µ11 E7T't<F'Taµevos
'1/"0U tlpxeTaL. 9 nt<F'TEL TTb.P<rKHC€N eis 'riiv 'T1JS €7T'a,y,yeAtas
' f , ..... I \ '/ \ \
. ak aJ\.Ao'Tptav, EV <FKYJVat<; KaTOLKYJ<Fas µe'Ta <raaK Kat
, laKw/3 'TWV <FUVK.AYJpovoµwv 'T1J<; €7T'a,y,yEAta<; T1JS au-rij<;·

KA?'/P• Xaµ,{J. ~*: els KA?'JP· Xaµ,{3. ~•: Xaµ,f3. els KA?)p. ~c. 9 1rl<TTEL: + Ka!' ,r.
D2*. -y17v ~A: +T71v' "f· S"D2*, Tf)s i1r. T17s avTf)s ~cA: T77s br. ailTf)s
lit*: Tf)S auT17S €'/r, ~•: T'7S €'/r, aUTOV D2*•

which all that he knew was that in the describes the land which was attached
end it should be his. to the promises; to which they pointed;
ical l~ijX8,v ... ,'px<Tm] and he went which was assured to Abraham by
forth while he kneuJ not whither he God. Comp. Gen.· xii. 7 ; xiii. 1 5 &c.
was coming (going). It was not re- For the use of l1rayy•Xlas compare
vealed to Abraham till he had left Eph. i. l 3. And for J.XXo-rplav see
Haran what was to be his abode : Acts vii. 6; Gen. xv. 13 (LXX. o.J,c la{~);
Gen. xii. 7 ; comp. Acts vii. 2 f. Hence comp. Matt. xvii. 2 5 f.
Philo says truly: -rov µ,,?..Xov-ra Tfi v1ro- Iv uic. l<aTotic~uas ...~s a?J-rijs] Abra-
uxiu« xpovov 1rpolJioopL<rTat, ,l1rwv 01/X ham dwelt throughout the time of his
~v lJe{,cvvµ,t dXX' ~v UOL a.{~oo,
els µ,ap- sojourn (icaToiic~uas) in tents, so de-
Tvplav 1rlcrrEoor ~ 'V'vx~
~11 l1rlOTEVUfV claring that that which was to be
8•<§ (de migr. Abr. § 9; i. 442 M.). permanent was not yet attained. And
The use of lpx•Tat presents the Isaac and Jacob, who shared his hope,
patriarch as already on his journey ; shewed the same patience of faith.
and the writer seems to regard his end The premature settlement of Lot and
as the promised land in which he him- its disastrous issue point the lesson of
self is ideally (,'px•-rm not 1rop•v•mi). Abraham's discipline.
9, 10. (ii) The Faith of patience. The parado.ic in lv <TKTJva'is ica-ro,-
The Faith of self-surrender was ic~uas is to be noticed. On the con-
submitted to a longer proof. When trast of ica-roiic,'iv and 1rapo,ice'iv see
Abraham reached the land which was Philo de agric. § 14 (i. p. 310 M.); de
to be his, he occupied it only as a conf. ling. § 17 (i. p. 416 M.); quis
sojourner. He had to learn that the rer. div. h.mr. § 54 (i. p. 5u M.).
promise of God would not be fulfilled Isaac and Jacob are specially
by any material possession. mentioned because these three, Abra-
9- ,r{<rTEL 1rap<pKTJ<r•v ,ls••• ] By faith ham, Isaac, and Jacob, cover the
,he entered as a sojourner (peregrina- whole .period of disciplinary sojourn-
tus est Hier.) into the land of promise ing in Canaan ; and to these three
... For 1raproic.•ls compare Acts xii. 19; the foundation promise was repeated
and for 1raprpicTJ<r•v see Luke xxiv. 18; (Gen. xii. 2 f.; xxvi. 3 ff.; xxviii.
compare Acts vii. 6, 29 (mipoiicos); 13 f.; comp. Ex. vi. 3, 8). For uvv-
xiii. 17 (1rapoiicla); Eph. ii. 19 (mzpoiicos); KATJP• -rijs l1rayy., compare vi. 12,
I Pet. ii. II (mlpoiicos); i. 17 (1rapoiicta). 17.
The word is common in the LXX. e.g. Biesenthal quotes a striking passage
·Gen. xxi. 2 3 ; xxiii. 4. from Sanh. f. iii. a in which the patient
. The phrase yij ~s l1rayy•Xlas (Vulg. faith of the patriarchs is illustrated
terra repromissionum) occurs here by the fact that while they were heirs
<>nly in the N. T. There is no corre- of the land they bore without com-
sponding Hebrew phrase in the 0. T., plaint the trial of gaining with diffi-
nor is there any exact parallel. It culty what they needed there for the
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; [XI. 10, IT

IO , ~ 'I-/
€.:;€o€X€TO ryap TYJV TOVs
I \ . \ 0Eµ€1\.t0Vs
> I ,!
€XOV<rav
1,
7rOt\.tv,
'i'
ns.·
II n' \ avTrt·
' \
f
'T€XVLTYJS Kat\ ~ \
oriµwvpryos oc 0€as.
I
t<TT€t Kat
Cappa ouvaµw €LS KaTa(3oAf]V <T7rEpµaTOS tAa(3€v Ka(

r r "Z,6,ppo,, ~A: + (J'Te'ipo,· D 2 vg syrr me the.

om. Ko,!' (,ro,p&,) D2*.

simplest wants (Gen. xxiii 4 ff.; xxvi. ~s uxv. 1<al i3rw. o B•os] whose de-
r7 ff. ; xxxiii. 19). signer and maker is God. Vulg. cujus
ro. The ground of this patient artijex et conditor Deus. The word
waiting was the gTowing sense of uxv[T1JS in .this connexion refers to
the greatness of the divine purpose. the plan and i3'11-'-'°vpyos to the execu-
Abraham felt, under the teaching of tion of it. T•xv[n7~ occurs in the more
his pilgrim life, that no earthly resting- general sense of 'craftsman' Acts xix.
place could satisfy the wants and the 24, 38 ; Apoc. xviii. 22 : a~,_,.wvpyos is
powers of which he was conscious. not found again in N. T.
He looked beyond the first fulfilment For r•xvfr'}s compare- Wisd. xiii. 1 ;.
of the promise which was only a step Philo Leg. Alleg. i. 7 (i. 47 M.) oil
in the accomplishment of the purpose r•xvfr'}S /J,OVOV dAA<i 1<al 11'U'l'1Jp &v TWV'
of God. yiyvo,.,.frrov: JJe mut. nom. § 4 (i. 583
E~E/J<XETO yctp ••• o Beas] for he looked M.) o y<VV1J<Tas 1<al TEXV£TEV<Tas 'll'UTIJP :.
for the city that hath the foundations and for /J'}/J,IOVpyos Clem. R. i. 20, 26,
••. For J~ei3,xero compare c. x. 13; 33, 35; Philo de incorr. mundi § 4
James v. 7; and a1r•1</J<xol-'-ai c. ix. 28 (ii. 490 M.).
note. The object of his desire was 11, 12. (iii) The Faith of inflnence.
social and not personal only. ' He Abraham had to sustain yet a third.
looked for the city that hath the trial before the promise received an
foundations'-the divine ideal of initial fulfilment. The son through
which every earthly institution is but whom the blessing was to ·come was.
a transitory image. The visible Jeru- not born while his birth was naturally
salem, the visible Temple, were farther to be expected and according· to man's.
from this spiritual archetype than the reckoning possible. But Sarah, who,
tents of the patriarch and the Taber- was at first unbelieving, was at last in-•
nacle of the wilderness. They were in spired with her husband's Faith by his.
large measure of human design and example and influence; and the pro-
wholly of human construction. But mise found amplest accomplishment.
God Himself frames and constructs l I. 'll'l<T-rei 1<al mlr~ ~dppa . .. ] By
the heavenly city (v. 16) no less than fiiith even Sarah herself... though she
the heavenly sanctuary : c. viii. 2. more than doubted. Sarah is evidently
Comp. c. xii. 22 f.; xiii. 14; Apoc. regarded 111 the closest union with.
xxi. 2; Gal. iv. 26 (and Lightfoot's Abraham (v. 12 a<p' cfvos). She was
note); (Is. xxxiii. 20; Ps. lxxxiv.). See 'one with him.' Her faith was a con-
Additional Note. dition for the fruitfulness of his faith.
The idea of TOtlS e.,.,.. •x• is that of 'Ey<Aa<TE To 11'pwrov 01)1< el/Jv'i:a -rov
the one 'city' which has 'the eternal V'll'L<TXVOV/J,EVOV -rryv <pV<TLV 1<al rijs dv0pro-
foundations.' To this outwardly the 'lf'Elas <J>Va-Erus TD'Us Opovs E1rtuTaµ,Ev17 .. :
tents of the patriarchs offered the V<TTEpov /J,<VTO£ ,_,.a0ov<Ta TOV V'll'O<TXO-
t
most striking contrast. Comp. Apoc. ' ). f \ ,I
/J,EVOV KUL E'll'L<TTEV<TE Kill E'}'<VV'}<TEV C
ros
xxi. 14. i'll'l<TTev<TE (Theodt. ). ·
XI. 12] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
\ ' \ t"). I ' \ \ ' I \ '
7rapa Katpov 1]!\.LKtac;, €7T"€L 7T"L<FTOV 11,Y1J<raTO TOV €7raryry€t-
). I
''-aµEvov·
I~~ \
ow KatI a, 'rh' < \
€VO<;
r,€,Y€VV1J'0 17cravl , KatI -ravTa
~

V€V€KpwµEvov, M0cJc TO: J.'cTp"- Toy oip"-Noy T<p 7r,\178€l K<l-1 we tt

I2 e-yevr,07Jirav
1/ALKlas ~*AD2* vg me the:+ beKev G" ~• syrr
ws 1/ ~A : Ka0ws 1J Dt: were[ G".
ds Kara{3. CT1r.] Vulg. in conceptio- ,A</J' lvOs roV ,A{3pa6.µ,. El lJJ Kal
nem seminis. The translation 'for aµ,rporepovs eva vo1CTaiµ,ev 01lx aµ,apT7J-
the founding of a race' is altogether CTOJ1,EBa • £CTOVTaL yap, fP']CTlv, o! lJ-60 els
unnatural The thought here extends CTapKa µ,lav (Theodt. ).
no farther than to the direct personal The classical phrase i<;al ravra is
issue of Sarah's· Faith. She was found here only in N. T. ; Kal rovro
enabled to become the mother of occurs Rom. xiii. 1 1 ; I Cor. vi. 6, 8;
Abraham's son. She co-operated on 3 John 5. For veveKproµ,lvov compare
her part with Abraham towards the Rom. iv. 19. .·
fulfilment of the promise. The pro- KaBws ra aCTrpa ... ] Gen. xxii. 17;
mise was to Abraham, and the work of xxxii. 12. At, first the promise is of
faith was primarily his (hence els Kara- an heir, and then of a countless pro-
{3oX~v CT?T. [e.g. Chrys. Ad illum. ii. § 1 geny. Comp. vi. 13 note.
EV ~µ,epq, µ,,q. l3vvar6v oµ,ov Kal CT?Tepµ,ara The references in the 0. T. to
Kara{3a"Xe'iv Kal dµ,rir?:iv 1ro,1CTaCTc9m] and Abraham as 'the one' are significant:
not els CTVAA'Jo/LV CT?T. or the like), but Mal. ii. 15 ; Is. li. l f.; Ezek. xxxiii.
it was needful that Sarah should join 24.
by faith with him. 'Evel3vvaµ,ro0ri els (/3) Characteristics of the patri-
ro iJ1rolJ,~aCTBat Kal KparijCTai r6 Kara- archal lire of faith (13-16).
/3A7J0ev els "ai!r~v CT?TEpp,a rov 'A{3paaµ, The life of the patriarchs was a life
(Theophlct. ). of faith to the last, supported by trust
Kal 1rapa K. ~A.] Even against the in the invisible which they had realised,
natural expectation of the age which resting on complete surrender, directed
she had reached, 6lCTTe l3,1r"Xijv elxe beyond earth (13). They shewed that
'll''Jpoocnv, -r~v rt: drr6 q>V<reoor 8ri urt:7.pa the true satisfaction of human powers,
ifv Kal rryv d1ro TOV 'Y'ipros (Theophlct.). the 'city' which answers to man's
· Comp. Plat. Tliewt. 149 o ra'is ... l3,' social instincts, must be 'heavenly'
~A.uclav dr6Kot,s. , (14-16).
For mCTr6v ., ~y. rov J1rayy., compare ' 3 Tliese all died in faitli, not having
c. X. 23. received the promises, but having
12. a,;, Kal drp' lvos] Wlierefore seen them and greeted tliem aj'ar,
also children were born through her and having confessed that they are
from one, arul, tliat from one as good strangers and sojourners on tlie earth.
as dead... Though Sarah is lost, so ' 4 For they that say suck things make
to speak, in Abraham with whom she it plain that they are seeking after a
was united (drp' lvos), yet her act of fatherland (a country of tlieir own).
Faith completing his Faith is made ' 5 And if indeed they liad tliougkt of
the reason of the fulfilment of the that from which they went out, they
promise (lJ,6). would have had opportunity to re-
For lM Kal see Lk. i. 35; Acts x. turn. 16 But now tliey desire a better,
29; (xiii. 35;) xxiv. 26; Rom. iv. 22 1; that is a heavenly fatherland; where-
xv. 22; 2 Cor. i. 20; iv. 13; v. 9; fore God is not ashamed of them,
·Phil ii. 9. not ashained to be called their God;
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 13

J'.MMOC H no.pb. TO xe1,\oc THC 0t>.,\b.CCHC ~ dvapWµt]'TOS. 13

Ka-rd
I , le "t I ' I \
7rt<r'TLV
. . . , avov
, . . ,ou-rot, 7rav-re<;,
a7r€
e , ,µtJ ,~,Koµt<raµevot
, . -ras
€7ra'Y"f€1\.tas, a;\,'-a 7roppw ev au-ras toOV'TES Kat a<r7ra-
<raµevot,
'
Kat' 0µ01\.0"ftJ<Tav-res
( "\. '
O'TL
" ,J._
ZtNOI
\ ,
Kb.I TTt>.p€TTlbHMOI
,
€UFLV
'

om. 7/ ,r. T. X· D2*• 13 Koµ.uniµ.,vo, ~*: XafJovTH ,;- ~ 0 D2: ,rpo~o,~aµ,,vo, A.

loovr<s ~AD2 vg syrr me the: + Kai ,r«~0lvr,s •· ~lvo,: + Ka! ,ra,po,Ko, D 2*.

for He (hath) prepared for them a 'died in faith': 'They died in faith
city. inasmuch as they had not received the
13. Having described the victories outward fulness of the promises-the
of faith gained by the patriarchs the possession of Canaan, the growth of
writer marks the great lessons of the nation, universal blessing through
their death and of their life. 'These their race-but had realised them
all '-the three to whom the promises while they were still unseen and
were given, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, future.'
with Sarah, the representative of For Koµ,,uaµ,£110, see c. x. 36 note;
faithful womanhood-'died in faith'; 1). 3?· ',, , ,
and in life they had realised the pro- 1roppro0£v av. illovr£s••• a!T'ffauaµ,£vo, •••
mises which they had not outwardly oµ,o::>..o"'IT/uavrH ••• ] The three thoughts
received in a threefold order of grow- rise in a natural succession. They
ing power. They had seen them: they saw the promises in their actual fulfil-
had welcomed them: they had acknow- ment: they welcomed the vision with
ledged that earth could not fulfil them. joy though it was far off: they con-
Kara 1r. d1d0avov] they died in faith, fessed what must be the true end of
literally 'according to faith' (Vulg. God's counsel. For UlovrH compare
Juxta fidem ),- that is, under the influ- John viii. 56. Iloppro0,v occurs again
ence and according to the spirit of in N. T. Luke xvii. 12.
Faith, inspired, sustained, guided by On du1rauaµ,,vo, Chrysostom says
Faith. Faith was the rule of their well: d1ro µ,•racf,opiir ,l1r£ TWV 'ffAEOVTo>V
lives, the measure of their growth, Kat ,roppro0,v opcJVTrov Td.S 7r0AELS Td.S
even to the end. They faced death 1ro0ovµ,ivar, &s 1rp,v ~ ,lu£A0£,v ,ls
as men who retained their hold on the avTd.S rfJ 1rpo<TpT)CTEL AafJoJ/'l"fS aVTd.S
invisible, which was offered to them olK,iovvrai.. Compare .!En. iii. 522
in the promises of God, though earth Italiam primus conclamat Achates,
'gave them no pledge.' So their de- Italiam lreto socii clamore salutant.
parture was transformed into 'a going Kat oµ,o::>..oyquaVTES] The language of
home.' For Kara - 1rlcrrw compare Abraham (Gen. xxiii. 4 LXX.; comp.
Matt. ix. 29 Kara rqv 'ff. "'/fl'TJ0T)T(J) CTOL : Gen. xlvii. 9; xxiv. 37; xxviii. 4) is
Tit. i. I, 4; V. 7. used as expressing the view which the
By oiro, 1ravrH we must understand patriarchs took of their life. Compare
the first representatives of the patri- Ps. xxxix. (xxxviii.) 12 ; cxix. (cxviii)
archs and not (as Primasius and others) 19, 54
the whole array of their descendants Philo places a similar interpretation
(v. 12). on the 'sojourning' of the fathers: d6
µ,q Koµ,••. •d::>..::>..a] The clause does not conf. ling. § 17, i. p. 416 M. Not
simply state a fact (ov KO/J,L<T•••• d::>..::>..a), only was the 'land' of Palestine
but gives this fact as the explanation 'strange ' to them (v. 9 ), but the
of the assertion that the patriarchs 'earth' itself.
XI. 14-16] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

14 fr/TOVCTLV D2 *. 15 eµv71µ6veuov ~ 0 A vg: µv71µove6oucr,v ~* (Dt?).

~*AD 2*: Jt,jMov > ~c. om. iiv D 2*. r6 viiv: vvvl ,.

flvo, 1<al 1rapnrla11µ0,] Vulg. pere- 15. 1<al el µ<v ... ] They spoke of a.
grini et hospites. Things seen were home not yet reached ; and in so
not their true home, and they re- speaking they could not have referred
mained among them only for a short to that home which they had left in
space. For f,vo, compare Eph. ii. 12, Mesopotamia, the seat of primitive
19; and for 1rape1rllJ11µo,, l Pet. i l ;· ii. civilisation ; for return thither was
11 (Gen. xxiii. 4); Ps. xxxix. (xxxviii.) easy. Nor again could Palestine,
12 (Lxx.); Lev. xxv. 23. Comp. Addit. even when occupied at last, have
Note on v. JO. satisfied their hopes ; this remained
For the thought compare a striking the Lord's land: Lev. xxv. 23.
passage of the Letter to Diognetus, c. 5. <'µV1Jµovevov] Vulg. meminissent.
14-16. These verses develop the The verb µv11µovevw has commonly in
last clause of v. 13, and define the the N. T., as in this Epistle c. xiii. 7,
grounds of the statement which has the sense of 'remember'; but in v. 22,
been made that the patriarchs 'died and perhaps in 1 Thess. i. 3, it has
in Faith.' Their language shewed the second sense of 'make mention.'
that they continued to the last to It seems on the whole more natural
look for that which they had not to take that sense here and to suppose
attained. As 'strangers' they acknow- that the reference is to the language
ledged that they were in a foreign just quoted rather than to a general
land : as 'sojourners' that they had feeling : 'and if their words, when
no permanent possession, no rights of they so spoke, had been directed to
citizenship. At the same time they the country from which they went... '
kept their trust in God. Their natural 'if they had meant that. ...' Theim-
fatherland had lost its hold upon perfect is used rather than the aorist
them. They waited for a 'city' of (oµo">..onuavns) since the words were
God's preparing. the expression of a continuous state
14. ol -yap TOLOVTa ••• ] The language of mind.
of the patriarchs makes clear that they dcp' ~s <'fi/311uav] The word <1</3alvew
sought for a country, which should be occurs here only in N. '11• (f:Jalveiv
naturally and essentially their own, does not occur at all). It gives a
not simply the fruit of gift or con- more personal colour to the act than
quest, but a true 'fatherland.' They the general word •fii">..0011 used before.
had no fatherland on earth. The Compare v. 29 lJLif311uav.
word 1raTpls, which is rare in the LXX. elxov t,_,, Katpov ••• ] Vulg. habebant
utique tempus revertendi. Comp.
(Jer. xlvi. 16 n:J~io l'1~), is found Acts xxiv. 2 5 Katpov µeTaAa/3wv. Gal.
here only in the Epistles (John iv. 44 vi. IO cJs Katpov lxoµev. For dvaKaµ-
and parallels). ,/,m see Matt. ii. 12; Lk. x. 6; Acts
For lµcpavl(ovuw (Vulg. significant) xviii. 21.
comp. c. ix. 24 note; and for lm(,rroii- 16. viiv lJL.] But now, as the case
uw, c. xiii. 14. Compare Is. lxii. 12 is, ... see 1 Cor. vii. 14; xii. 20; c. viii
ui, (Zion) KA1)0~ur, <'m{fJTovµlll') 1ro">..,s. 6 note.
XI. 17] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

'A BpMMI
TON
' 'I CMK ne1pb.ZOM€NOC, ,cat
I ' '
'TOIi
'
µ01107€1/rJ
,... ',h
1rpO<T€'1'€p€11

promises prepared to offer up his be fulfilled only in one way: the

only son ; ' 8he to whom it was said promise might be fulfilled in more
In Isaac shall thy seed be called; ways than one. So Faith triumphed.
' 9 accounting that God is able to Chrysostom calls attention to this
raise up even from the dead, whence feature in Abraham's trial as involving
he also in a figure received him. an apparent conflict in the divine "ill
""By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and towards him : ra -yap roii 0£0ii ll36im
Esau and that concerning things to ro'is roii 0Eoii µ,axEuBai, ical 7rLUTLS iµ,a-
come. XETO 'TrlUTEL, ical 1rpoura-yµ,a i1ranE'Al~, .•
., By faith Jacob, when he was dy- , ' ,..,
£VaVrta TalS
( ,
tJ7rO<TXEUE<TL
,
1rpoUETETUIC.TO
ing, blessed each ofthe sons qf Joseph; 7rOLEIV ical ova,
OVTWS lOopvfJT/01/ ovai
and he worshipped, leaning upon the l'A,nlauEv ovai 1]7rQTl]U0a, ivoµ,,um
top of his staff. And so Theophylact more tersely:
22
By faith Joseph, when his end ivraVBa oV µOvov cf,Vutr iµ,&xEro dAAll
was nigh, made mention qf the de- ical 'A.oyos Ornii 0El<f 1rpourayµ,ar,,
parture of the children of Israel; 17. '1TIUTEL ••. 1r£Lpa(oµ,£1Jos] Byfaith
and gave commandment concerning Abraham, being tried, offered up (lite-
his bones. rally hath offered up) Isaac. The con-
(a) The trial of Abraham (17-19). trast between 1rpoUEVTf"OXEV and 1rpoul-
The references to Abraham in the <pEpEv which follows (Vulg. obtulit,
0. T. are fewer than might have been offerebat, Syr. vg. offered, lifted on the
expected. There appears to be no altar) is easily felt, but it is difficult
mention of his sacrifice unless it is to represent it in translation. The
implied in Is. xii. 8 (Abraham that first verb expresses the permanent
loved me). It is referred to in Ecclus. result of the offering completed by
xliv. 20 iv 7rE1paa-µ,ij, Evp,e,, 'TrLUTOS; Abraham in will : the second his
and the same words are found in 1 actual readiness in preparing the
Mace. ii. 52. Compare Wisd. x. 5; sacrifice which was not literally carried
James ii. 21. into effect. As far as the trial went
The trial of Abraham was not so (1r£Lpa(oµ,Evos) the work was at once
much in the conflict of his natural co~ple~ed., Comp. James ii. 21 Ja,-
affection with his obedience to God, icaiwe,, UVEVE')'l<aS.
as in the apparent inconsistency of For the perfect 1rpou£vryvox£v com-
the revelations of the will of God pare v. 28 1rmol1/icEv, and c. vii. 6 note.
which were made to him. The use of the word 7rE1pa(oµ,Evos
Thus the greatness of Abraham's (Gen. xxii. 1 ff.) marks the decisive
Faith was shewn by the fact that he severity of the trial The tense (as
was ready to sacrifice his only son, disth1.guished from 1r£LpauOEls (comp. c.
though it had been before declared that ii. 18) marks the immediate coincid-
the fulfilment of the promise which he ence of the act of obedience with the
had received was to come through call for it, Comp, v. 8 ica'A.ovµ,Evos.
him. His obedience therefore included On the trial Theophylact observes
the conviction of some signal and in- [o0Eos] avros 1rupa(£L tva aoic,µ,wrlpovs
<iomprehensible work of God whose aEl~n- Comp. James i. 12.
promise could not fail At the same ical TOV µ,ovoy•••• avaaE~aµ,Evos] yea, he
time the nature of the trial left an that had gladly received the promises
opportunity for the right exercise of prepared to offer up his only son.
Faith. The specific command could Vulg. et unigenitum offerebat qui
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 18-20
'I- ~ 1
z8 - ' •' 1,. 'il .t
o• Ta<;
\ ' 1,. '
€'1T"a'Y'Y€1'\.ta<; '
avave<;aµ.ev0<., 7rpo,; ov >1,.
€1'\.at'-t'/Ur/ O'Tt
'E N 'I Cb.b.K
' KAH0HC€Tb.l
' ' COi CTT€pMb.,
' 1 9 "\.
l'\.O'YL<J"aµ.evo<;
' O'TL
,, Kat' €IC
,

V€Kpwv €'Y€tp€LV ouva-ros- d Oeos-· oOev av-rov Kat EV

0
7rapa{3oX1 EKOp.t<ra-ro. ~ nt<J"'T€l Kat 7r€pt µ.eXXov-rwv

r8 om. 5n D 2 *. r9 e-yelpeiv li(D2 : l-yeipa, (-e) A

20 1rlrrTei Kal AD 2* vg : om. Kal ,;- II( syrr me the.

susceperat repromissiones. The 'only seed shall bear thy name, shall be
son' is placed in significant parallelism called thine. Comp. Rom. ix. 7.
with the 'promise.' In regard to the Sedulius sums up well the elements
promise Isaac was 'the only son' of in Abraham's act of faith : Triplex
Abraham (Gen. xvii. 19). So Theo- bonum fecit, quod filium, et quod
phylact (and others): 1roos l!i µ.uvoyev~s unigenitum, et repromissionem in quo
~v 'I<TaaK 3rrovye Kat TOV 'I<Tµ.a~A £~£; accepit, offerebat.
OAA, duov KaTil TDv lrrayy£Alas AOyov 19. The obedience of Abraham
µ.ovoyevl,s. Comp. Gen. xv. 2 f.; xvi. rested on his faith in the creative
1 5; xvii. 16 ff. The LXX. in Gen. xxii. power of God. His conclusion was
2 gives TDv vIOv uov TDv Uya7nJTOv tv made at once and finally (A.oy,<T&,_,,evos
,j-yam7<Tas, but Aquila has TOV µ.ovoyevij not 'Aoy,(6,_,,evos) that God could
(or 1-'ovaxiw) and Symmachus T<w:,_,,ovov raise from the dead. That this was
o-ov. his judgmeut follows of necessity from
Movoyev~s occurs in St Luke vii. 12; the fact that he was ready to surren-
viii. 42; ix. 38. Compare John i. 14, 18, der Isaac without giving up his faith
and J vlos J ,_,,ovoyevl,s of Christ in in the fulfilment of the divine pro-
John iii 16, 18; 1 John iv. 9. mise.
The word aval!lxe<TBm is unusual For 'A.oyl(ol-'m iT, compare John xi.
It occurs again in N. T. only iii. Acts 50; 2 Cor. x. II; Rom. ii. 3; viii. 18.
xxviii. 7. The idea which it suggests ical lie veicpoov ly..••] The belief is
here seems to be that of welcoming expressed quite generally .that God
and cherishing a divine charge which 'is able even from the dead to raise'
involved a noble responsibility. The (Vulg. quia et a .mortuis suscitare
word is used frequently of undertak- potens est Deus). The Order of the
ing that which calls out effort and sentence is telling in every word, as
endurance (e.g. ,ro'A.e,_.ov, 1ro'A.t0piclav also is its absolute form (not l-y.
Polyb., Plut. Indd.). Clement says of m1Tov); and the choice of l!vvaTos in
Adam TEA£LOS KaTa T~V KaTa<TKEV~V OVK place of l!vvam, extends the idea of
l-ylveTO ,rpos l!i 'TO aval!{~a<TBa, T~V the power of God beyond this par-
apE'T1}v lmn/llnos (Strom. vi. 12). ticular act which would reveal it.
18. ,rpos iv £1\aA.] he to whom it Comp. 2 Tim. i. I 2. AvvaTos is prac-
was ·said (i.e. Abraham). Vulg. ad tically equivalent to l!vvaTe'i (B.om.
quem dictum est, ...not 'him in re- xiv. 4 ; 2 Cor. ix. 8 : opposed to
ference to whom' (Isaac) ... ; Luke ii a<TBeve,) as contrasted with l!vvam,.
18, 20. The latter rendering is against 88,v •• .iico,_,,l<TaTo] whence (i.e. from
the structure of the sentence; though the dead) he also in a.figure recei1Jed
it is in itself possible: comp. i. 7, 8. him. Elsewhere in the Epistle (see
lv 'I<Taaic ... ] Gen. xxi. 12. The ii. 17 n.) the word has the sense of
words lv 'I<Taaic stand emphatically 'wherefore' ; but such a connexion of
first: In Isaac, and in no other, a the clauses here (pro hoe etiam Aug.),
XI. 20] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
whether the words which follow are of the sacrifice and restoration of
supposed to express the reward or Isaac as typical of the death and
the circumstances of his Faith, is resurrection of Christ. His restora-
altogether unnatural, and the local tion was not only such that it might
sense is common (Luke xi. 24, &c.). be called figuratively a resurrection,
But it is doubted whether the but it pointed forward.
reference is to the birth of Isaac or In either case we seem to have
to his deliverance from the altar. The here the explanation of St John
latter explanation, which is adopted viii 56.
by the great majority of commen- The patristic interpretations of lv
tators from early times, and is per- 1rapafJo">..f, are various and wavering.
fectly justified by the original words, Chrysostom is singularly obscure, if
adds nothing to the thought of the the text is correct : lv 1rapaf30">..f,
passage. It seems to be pointless to T"OVT"EUrLV 6'S £JI mv,yµ.ar,. 6)(T7T£ p yap
, C J , ' ,/ \

complete the description of Abra- 1rapa/30A~ ~,, 0 ,cp19s T"OV 'Iuaa,c. ~ cJs
ham's faith by saying that something lv T~ TV,rcp• lrrna;, yap d,r~pr,uro ~
really came to pass far less than he 6vula ,cal "lucj,aKro O 'Icraal( TO 1rpo-
was able to look forward to. On the a,,piun, aui roVro a'ln"6v xapl(£rat. rf
other hand there is great meaning in 1rarp1apxr,-
the clause if it reveals the grounds Theodoret is at least more definite:
of the patriarch's expectation. The lv 7rapaf30">..fl T"OVT"EUT"IJI cJs '" uvµ.{3oA~
circumstances of Isaac's birth (v. 12 . ,cal r'U'lrq, ,-;,~ &vaOTtiCT£CdS··•'V aVr<ji a£
11£11£Kpruµl110v) were such as to lead 1rpo£Ypa<j,17 ,cal rov U6'T"T)plov 1raBovs o
him to look beyond the mere fact. nnros (John viii. 56).
It evidently contained a divine lesson Theophylact, like Chrysostom, gives
and had a spiritual meaning. That alternative explanations : clvrl rov lv
giving of a son beyond nature included TV'lr'<.p, Els EvtE,~LV µvuT71plov Toti Kara
a larger hope. Comp. Aug. Serm. ii Xpt.OTO~- ' ~ , ' ,., , ... ... , '
•:TJ ~1;' rov, EV T'f> ~P'<t> E~oµ.t:
§ I Cogitavit Abraham Deum qui dedit ~ara ,avrav ~ A/3raaµ., TOVTECTTLV Ell TlJ
ut ille de senibus nasceretur qui non avrtlfoun rov Kpiov.
erat posse etiam de morte reparare. ·<Ecumenius offers confusedly several
If this sense be adopted then the interpretations, but prefers that which
interpretation of lv 7rapafJo">..f, follows represents the whole action of .Abra-
from it. Abraham received the gift ham and Isaac as typical of the gift
of his son not literally from the dead .of the Son by the Father.
but figuratively, in such a way that Primasius gives the sense which
the gift suggested a further lesson. became current in the West, that the
Th.is appears to be 'the force of the ram represented the manhood of
order of the phrase (ical lv 1rap. l,coµl- Christ in which He was not only
uaro) in which the ,cal goes with the offered but slain : Occisus est Isaac
compound verb 'lv 1rap. l,coµluaro.' quantum ad voluntatem patris per-
Thus the exact sense is not 'whence tinet. Deinde redonavit illun1 Deus
in figure he also received him' (l11 patriarchre in parabola, id est, in
7rap. ,cal l,coµ,.), but 'whence he also figura et similitudine passionis Christi
received him in figure.' The manner ...Aries significabat carnem Christi.
in which the birth took place was, so Isaac oblatus est et non est interfectus
to speak, part of the divine gift. It sed aries tantum : quia Christus in
constrained the father to see in it a passione oblatus est sed divinitas
type of other quickening. illius impassibilis mansit.
I~ however, l,coµluaro be referred The word 7rapafJo">..q occurs again
to the deliverance of Isaac, then lv c. ix. 9. Besides, it occurs only in
7rapafJo">..f, will mark the significance the Synoptic Gospels.
W. H. 3
370 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 21

,..,. '
€Vt\.O,YrJ<T€JI ·1<TaaK
' ' ·1aKW'/3
'TOIi Kat ' ' 'H<Tau.~
'TOIi ~1 n'UT'T€t
'/ aKw'(3 a'TT'O
' 0llrJ<TKWJI
f d ~
€Ka<T'TOJI 'TWJI VtWJI
t ~ '/ 'rf, ,-,. I
W<TrJ, €Vt\.O,YY/<TEJI,

om. 'Io-aaK ~*.

(/3) The patriarchal blessings : the not Teoiv p,EA"ll.). The faith of Isaac
reversal of natural expectations (20, was shewn by his acceptance of the
21). destination of his highest blessing,
The Faith of the patriarchs in 'the blessing,' to the younger son
looking towards the fulfilment of the which was against his own will,; and
promise was able to set aside the by his later blessing of Esau. In
expectations which were based on itself the supreme value attached to
the rules of human succession, whether, 'the blessing' (xii. 17) with its unseen
as in the case of Isaac, they accepted consequences was a sign of faith.
the divine will when it was contrary Throughout the later history of the
to their own purpose (v. 20), or, as in 0. T. the fortunes of the children of
the case of Jacob, they interpreted Israel and of the children of Esau are
it (v. 21). in constant connexion and conflict.
An element beyond human calcu- With the indefinite p.D-,AoVTa con-
lation entered into the gradual accom- trast Ta Jpxop,•va John xvi. 13.
plishment of the promise as into its. 21. The blessing of Jacob, like that
initial foundation. of Isaac, marked a fresh stage in the
20. The blessing of Isaac forms fulfilment of the promise. The provi-
a crisis in the fulfilment of the divine dential office was then entrusted not to
counsel A choice is made between one but to a whole family the members
those through whom the promise of which had separate parts to perform.
might equally have been fulfilled. But the writer of the Epistle does
The choice was not, as in the case of not refer to the general foreshadowing
Ishmael and Isaac, between the son of the future of the several patriarchs.
of the bondwoman and the son of He confines himself to the peculiar
the free, but between twin brothers. blessing given to Joseph through his
And the will of God inverted the sons, in whom the service of Egypt was;
purely human order. Both sons were so to speak, received for divine use.
blessed, and the younger had the Here again one point seems to be
precedence and became heir of the the freedom of God's choice. In this
promise (TaV 'Ia,cciJ/3 ,cal TQV 'Huav). case also, as in the case of Jacob, the
Compare MaL i 2, 3 (Rom. ix. 13); younger is preferred to the elder.
c. xii. 16. But at the same time the practical
Isaac acknowledged the overruling exaltation of Joseph to the privilege
of his own purpose (Gen. xxvii 33). of the firstborn in place of Reuben
,cal 'ITEpl p,EAA. EvAay.] Isaac blessed indicates the fulfilment of a righteous
Ja,cob and Esau and that concerning judgment in the providence of God.
things to come (Gen. xxvii), con- The blessing itself is remarkable:
cerning things to come as well as Gen. xlviii. 16 The angel which re-
(,cal) in regard to their immediate deemed me from all evil bless the
position. (Syr. vg. by faith in that lads ... Compare the prophetic words
which was to come.) to Joseph : Gen. xlix. 2 5.
The blessing of Isaac reached be- 71". 'I. d7ro0v. l. T. vl. 'LEVA.] By faith

yond the immediate future which Ja,cob when he was dying blessed
could be realised by his sons in their each of the sons qf Joseph, Gen. xlviii
own life-time. His words pointed At the close of life (Gen. xlviii 21
onward to a distant order (p,EAAoVTrov laov JyC:, o:rro0vqu1ero) Jacob's faith was
XI. 22] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 371

still fresh ; and he blessed each of pointing of the original from that
the two sons born to Joseph before adopted by the Masoretes and by
he himself came to Egypt (Gen. the other Greek translations (~~i-';,lf
xlviii. 5). i11;l!Prt upon the head of his staff for
Such a blessing was exceptional.
Joseph received in his two sons a i1~4'0 ~~,-',p upon the head of his
double share of the divine inheritance, bed: l1rl K£cpaA~v Tijs 1<AiJT')s Aqn., J1rl
the privilege of the firstborn. And, as .,.;, a1<pov ~s ICA{JT')S Symm.).
it was given, the younger was again But at the same time the Masoretic
preferred· to the elder. But while text describes an act of adoration,
Isaac would have followed, had he and not simply a sinking back in
been able, the natural order of birth exhaustion. A close parallel occurs
in assigning privilege, Jacob deliber- in I K. i. 47 1rpocu,cvv11uw o {3autA£Vs
ately inverted the order. It was not l1rl .,.~" ,coiT"1'J"· Ilpou,cvv£"iv is to be
however till a late date that the taken absolutely, 'bowed himself in
superiority of Ephraim was established worship,' i.e. to God: compare Apoc.
(Num. xxvi. 34, 37). v. 14 ; John iv. 20 ; xii. 20; Acts viii.
A further point must also be no- 27; xxiv. rr.
ticed. In blessing the sons of Joseph, The connexion of 1rpou1<vv£1v with
who were also the sons of Asenath, l1rl .,.;, a1<pov ~s pa{3l3ov UVTOV as the
Jacob recognised that the gifts of object of the adoration (Vulg. virgw
Egypt, a fresh element, were conse- (jus, i.e. the staff of Joseph) is against
crated to God. So Joseph became, usage. When 1rpou,cvv£'iv is used with
as it were, head of a new line. Comp. l1ri it appears to be always in a local
Ps. lxxvii. I 5; (lxxviii. 67 ). It would connexion (l1rl ~v -y~v, l1rl 1rpo1T6l'lrOV,
be interesting to inquire how far the l1r1 Td. arJ,,.aTa, Zeph. i. 5).
failure of Ephraim answered to the Not less unnatural is the notion
misuse of powers corresponding 1p that Joseph was the object of this
Egyptian parentage. 'worship,' being so marked out as the
,cai 1rpocu,c•.• ..,.. p. ail.] and he wor- head of the family; though this view
shipped leaning upon the top of his is very commonly held by patristic
staff. Yulg. et adoravit fastigium writers. So Chrysostom: l1rnl3ry <fL£AA£v
virgm (jus. These words are not a'lr6 TOV 'Ecppat,,. dvl<TTairBa, {:Jaui'Arus
taken from the narrative of the bless- lr£po~ Su\ roVrO </>1Ju1, · Kal 1rpou£1<.VVTJ<TEV
ing of J oseph's sons, but from an E1rl rO &1epov rljr f,&{jtov aVroV · rovrEcrr,
earlier passage (Gen. xlvii. 31) in ,cal ylp@v Jv ~a,, 1rpOIT£l<VV£L T"'j> 'l@1T11c/J,
which Jacob pledged Joseph to pro- ~" 'lrUVT6S TOV Aaov 1rpou1<V"'71TLV a,,,AWV
vide for the removal of his bones to T?V luo/L€"'1v avTp (so also Theodoret,
the burial-place of his fathers (comp. <Ecumenius, Theophylact). Primasius
"'· 22). The quotation is probably follows out the thought more in detail,
designed to direct thought to this act giving at the same time an alternative
of Faith, while at the same time it interpretation: Sphitu siquidem pro-
stamps the closing scenes of Jacob's phetico afflatus Jacob cognovit desig-
life with a religious character. The nari per illam virgam Joseph regnum
blessing was given in the presence of Christi, per fastigium vero, id est,
God which the patriarch distinctly summitatem virgre, potentiam et
recognised. The infirmity of age had honorem Christi regni, de qua Psalm-
not dulled his devotion. ista dicit: Virga recta est virga regni
The quotation follows the text of tui.. .• Quantum vero ad litteram
the LXX. which renders a different pertinet, fortassis •••adoravit virgam
24:-2
372 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 23

7"€i\.€U'7"Cdl/ 7r€pt Tij<; Efooou

'T"ldll Utt.OIi 'la-pani\. eµ1111µ011€U-
' , - , , , ..... ,
<TEii, Kat 7r€pt 'T"WII OlT7"€WV avTOU €1/€7"€l aTO,
'i\. !13
llT7"€t
n'
Joseph, quern videbat dominum esse for himself a share in their future.
totius regni teme ..£gypti ; ea scilicet His prosperity in Egypt had not led
ratione Esther legitur adorasse virgam him to forget the promise to Abra-
Assueri. ham. The personal charge was ful-
Such an application of the image of filled: Ex. xiii. 19; Josh. xxiv. 32.
'the staff' to the Messiah is found also The word nAw'Toov (when his end
in Rabbinic writers: Beresh. R. Gen. was nigh) is taken from the LXX.
xxxviii I 8 with references to Is. xi. Gen. L 26. For Ef-'117//J,&vwcrn• (made
I; Ps. ex. 2. mention of... Gen. L 24) see v. 15
It may be added that Jerome dis- note.
tinctly condemns this use which was ·EeoaM occurs again Lk. ix. 31 (of
made of the Latin rendering : in hoe Christ); 2 Pet. i. 15 (of St Peter).
loco (Gen. xlvii. 31) quidam frustra si- The phrase ol viol 'Icrpa4A is not of
mulant adorasse Jacob summitatem frequent occurrence in the N. T. In
sceptri Joseph, quod videlicet honorans addition to the places where it occurs
filium potestatem ejus adoraverit, in references to the LXX. (Matt. xxvii.
cum in Hebrreo multo aliter legatur: 9; Acts vii. 23; Rom. ix. 27) it is
et adoraDit, inquit, Israel ad caput found in Lk. i. 16; Acts v. 21 ; vii.
lectuli; quod scilicet postquam ei 37; ix. I 5; x. 36; 2 Cor. iii 7, 13;
juraverat filius securus de petitione Apoc. ii. q; vii. 4; xxi. 12.
quam rogaverat, adoraverit Deum (4) 23-31. The Faith of Conflict
contra caput lectuli sui, QUaJst. Hebr. and Conquest.
in Gen. ad loc. (Vulg. adoravit Israel The Faith which has been hitherto
Deum conversus ad lectuli caput). regarded under the discipline of
The 'staff,"rod,' played an important patience and sacrifice is now con-
part in Jewish tradition. It was one of sidered in action. Under this aspect
the ten things created 'between the it is traced both (a) in the great
Suns,' before the first Sabbath (Aboth, leader, Moses(23-28), and (b) in the
v. 9 with Dr Taylor's note~ It was people whom he led (29-31).
given to Adam, and transmitted (a) The Faith of Moses the leader
through Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abra- of Israel (23-28).
ham, ••• Joseph to Moses, and is still Moses ' the first Redeemer,' like
reserved for Messiah. Comp. Wetstein Abraham 'the father of the faithful,'
ad loc. is treated at some length. His Faith
(-y) The world abandoned (23). is shewn (a) in its personal (23-26)
The death of Joseph marked a and (fJ) in its public working (27,
third stage in the history of the 28~
promise. He made clear in the fulness 23 By faith Mo1es, when he Walt

of his prosperity that those whom he born, was hidden for three month$
had invited to Egypt were not to find by his parents, because they saw the
there an abiding home. Neither rest child was goodly to look on ; and
nor misery was to bring forgetfulness they feared not the king's order.
of their destiny. 24
By faith Moses, when he was
,e....
22. 1T. 'L 'TEA. 1TEp1 ri)s ,cal 1TEp2 grown up, refused to be called son
'T, <l....] Gen. L The Faith of Joseph qf Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosin{T
was national at once and personal rather to be (Jl)il entreated with tlte
He looked forward to the indepen- people qf God than to have enjoyment
dence of his kindred; and he claimed of s-infor a season, 26 since he counted
XI. 24, 25] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 373
Mrov<Tijs "fEIIV'YJ0€ts eKpYBH TpiMHNON v,ro TWV '7T"aTlpwv
' -
avrou, 'I- ,
otoTt ~
Ell.ON , "
~CTEION TO' 'I-'
7raWLOV Kat' '
OUK 'm /J '0r,<Tav
ErOtJrJ
TO autTa'Yµa TOV /3a<TtAlros. :1 4 nt<TTEt MwycAc Mer~c
'
reNOMENOC
' f
ripvri<TaTO I\.E"fE<T0at
'I.I <\
utOS
0U"f a-rpos I ,rh
o/aparo, f

:is µaMov €Aoµevos <TUJ;KaKOVXEt<T0at To/ Aacp TOU 0eoii ;,

'J 3 ouira:yµa,: o(ryµa, A (?) {Ja.11'LAeWS : + 1rl11'TL µl"fa.S "fEV6µevos Mwvl1'iis

CUl~EV TOV Al"fV1rTLOV KQ,TQ,JIOWV T-1,V TQ,11"WW/1'LV TWJI d.oi'A.tf>wv a.irroii D2* (latt).

the reproach qf the Christ greater (Lxx.); Acts vii 20; (Juel. iii 17;
riches than the treasures of Egypt; Judith xi. 23). Compare Philo, de
for he looked unto the recompense vit. Mos. i § 3 (ii 82) ')IEV1'1JB•ls ovv d
qfreward. :n-a,s ,vBvs 6,fnv lvlcf,1]11EV clo-n,o,:lpav ~
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing 1t.a-r" zauJ.,.,,v cJs- ,cal Ttiv -roV rvp&vvou
the wrath of the king; for he endured K.1]pvyµ,a:roov lcf/ 80-ov olov T' ~11 TOVS
as seeing Him who is invisible. -yov,,s &Aoyi)o-ai. IJe corif. ling. § 22
28 By faith he kept (he hath kept)
(i p. 420 M.~
the Passover and the sprinkling of The word auiTa-yµ.a occurs here only
the blood, that he who destroyed the in the N. T.
firstborn should not touch them. 24. µ,lyas yn,op,E110S] when he was
(a) 23-26. The Faith of Moses grown up (Ex. ii. I I), in contrast with
was prepared, as it were, by the y.,,,,,,B,ts (Vulg. grandis factus). As
Faith which he called out in his an infant he had quickened faith : as
parents (23). When the time came a man he shewed it.
his choice shewed his own Faith (24 1pv,;a-aTO ••• ] The tenses ~p111Jo-aTo •••
-26). .?,op,EVOS , •• ~'Y1JO"<lP,EIIOS... point to a
23- 71". M•••• v:n-6 TWV 71"UTEp@v avToii] crisis when the choice was made, as
In Ex. ii 2 (Hebr.) the mother Qf distinct from Moses' habitual spirit
Moses only is mentioned as concealing ( cl1riff'A.E'trEV).
the child; but the LXX. renders the On ~Pll1JO"aTo CEcumenius says, To
text l80vr£~ aVTO aOT~Lov EuKE1ra<rav. P,£T(/. O":n-Ovllijs clXAoTpledO"a& £aVT6V a,,xo,.
There ill no ground for supposing The use of A<yEo-Ba, (as distinguished
that the reference is to Kohath and from K.aA<,o-Ba,, K.A1JBijva,) marks the
Amram to the exclusion of J ochebed. habitual language of familiar inter-
The gffilBL"ll.l. :tenn (Vulg. a parentibus course.
6uis) marks, so to speak, the social vlbs Bvy. \Jlap.] The anarthrous form
,character of the faith ; and o! :n-aTlpEs is significant (not -rijs Bvy.): son of
(like patres} is used in the same a royal princess, of one who was
sense as o! -yov,,s (Lk. ii 27, 41 ft:; Pharaoh's daughter. Comp. Euseb.
John ix. 2 ff.). Prmp. Ev. ix. 27.
aub ••• TOV jSao-LAloos] Faith under 2 5. µ,iiXXov iXoµ,Evos ••• cl:n-oAavo-,v]
two forms moved the parents of choosing rather to be evil entreated.••
Moses to preserve him. Something than to have enjoyment of sin for a
in his appearance kindled hope as to season. Vulg. magis eligens adfligi•••
his destiny ; and then looking to God quam temporalis peccati habere ju-
for the fulfilment of His promise they cunditatern. Moses was called to
had no fear of the king's orders. devote himself to his people. He
The word clo-n'ios (Vulg. elegans) knew the source of the call : to have
-Occurs in this connexion Ex. ii. 2 disobeyed it therefore by seeking to
374 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 26
I ,1 • I ' "\. ~ 1-,. a6 Y',
npo<rKatpov EXELV aµapTLas a1ro1\.au<rt11, - µet,~pva 'lrl\.OV- f

TOJ/ ,i,y11<rdµe11os TWV Ai,yv1rTov 8wraupwv TON 0Ne1l.1cMoN

TOY XPICTOY, d1re/3A€7r€J/ ,yap eis T1']J/ µt<r8a1roOO<TtaJ/.

26 Aly{11rrov ND2 syrr me : iv Al-y611Tov A: iv Aly{11rTlf.) e.

retain his place in the Egyptian court give the ground of the choice: 'choos-
would have been 'sin,' though such ing rather.•.since he accounted•• .'
disloyalty would have given him the The reproach of the Christ is the
opportunity for a transitory enjoy- reproach which belongs to Him who
ment of the resources of princely is the appointed envoy of God to a
state. rebellious world. This reproach which
The word <Tt111,ca1eovx£'iu8ai, which is was endured in the highest degree
classical, is found here only in the by Christ Jesus (Rom. xv. 3) was
N. T. Compare ,caicovxiiu8ai v. 37 ; endured also by those who in any
c. xiii. 3. · degree prefigured or represented Him,
rep >..acp raii 8£aii] Compare iv. 9 those, that is, in whom He partially
note. Moses was able to recognise manifested and manifests Himself,
in a host of bondsmen a divine nation. those who live in Him and in whom
By faith he saw what they were called He lives. Comp. Bern. Ep. xcviii. § 4-
to be. In this wider sense the people of
aµ,apr. aml>..avu,11] enjoyment of sin, Israel was 'an anointed one,' 'a
that is of that life which was sin. Christ,' even as Christians are 'Christs'
The gen. aµ,aprlar is the direct object (comp.Ps.cv.15; 1Johnii.20). 'The
of a7ro>..avcnr, though a7ro>..avcnr may Christ' is the support and the spring
be used absolutely, and aµ.aprlas cha- of all revelation to men ( 1 Cor. x. 4).
racterise it ('sinful enjoyment'). 'A7ro- For the general thought compare
>..avcnr, which is not found in LXX., Ps. lxxxix. 50 f. ; lxix. 9; 2 Cor. i. 5;
occurs again in 1 Tim. vi. 17. Comp. Col. i. 24; c. xiii. 13.
2 Clem. X. 7rpoyp1]µ.lva, µ.a>..>..011 T~V lv- Chrysostom takes the raii xp,uraii
8a8£ a7r«\>..avu,v ~ ~" p.EA>..avuav t7ray- as defining the nature of the suf-
y£>..lai,. ferings: TOVTO lur,v [cl] clv£1a1uµ.os TOV
For the order 7rpou,c. £X£LV aµ.apr. xp,uroii, TO µ.lxp, rl>..ovs K.al luxctT'}S
071". compare c. vi. 5 K.aMv "'/fVU. P· ; e. dva,rvoijs 71"CZUX£LV K.aKoor ••• oTaJJ TLS 1rapa
and for 7rpou1<.a,pas see Mt. xiii. 21 ; ol,c.Elruv, 6Tav ris 1rap' Jv EVtipyETt'i
2 Cor. iv. 18. clvn/}{(']TaL. ••
"Opa aJ 71"00S aµ.aprlav clvaµ.a(E& 1"6 ,,.~ a7ri{:J>..m£11 yap ••• ] Vulg. aspiciebat
uvy,ca1eovx£'iu8a, TOLf al3£>..cpais ••• Et aJ enim in remunerationem, for he
I
t \ t ,
O& P,'] O"V"'/K.aK.OVXOV/J,fVO& flCOVTH TOIS
,..
continued to look away from the
.,. t I I'\_ ,
K.OIC071"a8
~ OVU&JJ aµ,a~ravovu,, TL 1\0-YLUT~OJJ things of earth unto the (divine)
7rEpl T6lJJ 1<.a1<.ovxovVT6lV 1<.al 1<.a1Co'1ro&ovv- recompense for suffering (uvv1<.a1<.ov-
T6lJ1 / (Theophlct). X£'iu8ai) and reproach (oml3,uµ.or).
26. µ.. 71". ~"Y1Ju.,..raii xp,uroii] since The nature of this recompense,
lie counted the reproach qf the though it is definite, is left unde-
Christ•.. , Vulg. majoresdivitias msti- fined (v. 6). It must not be limited
mans••. inproperium Christi. This to the future occupation of Canaan
clause is commonly taken as parallel by the people. The fulfilment of
with that which precedes : µ.anav God's counsel includes blessings which
D,oµ.EVOS ••• µ.El(. 7r}... mu. (choosing .•• man cannot anticipate : 1 Cor. ii. 9
accounting ... ), but it seems rather to (Is. lxiv. 4).
XI. 27] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 375
'J.? nf<T'TEL Ka'T€i\.t7T"EV At,yU7r'TOV, µr, <f>o{3r,8e;,;; 'TOV 8uµ.dv
,... /J I \ \ ,1 t t ,... ' I
'TOU fJa<Tti\.ewr;, 'TOV ,yap aopaTov w,;; opwv eKapTepr,<Tev.

For µ.,u8mrolioula see c. ii. 2 note. tion of the flight to Midian: 0tl cj,,vyn
'A'Tl'offA.e'Tl'nv occurs here only in Mrovai)s a'Tl'll TOV ~apaoo, av,m<TTpE'Tl"Tl
N. T. Compare dcpopav c. xii. 2. The ya.p tw Q'Tl'f(/L(lpa<TKfV, ma avaxrop,'i,
word occurs in the same sense of TOVTl<TTLV ava,crox~v 'Tl'OLELTaL TOV '11'0Af-
'looking away from one object to µ.ov d8>..'7TOV Tp6'11'oV li,a'Tl'v<oVTos Kal
another' in classical writers (Plato, uvn,yoµ.,vov T;, 'Tl'v,vµ.a (Leg. .Alleg.
Xen., Dern.). Philo, de mund. opif. iii. § 4; i. p. go M.).
§ 4 (i. p. 4 M.) a'11'0/3AE'11'0JV ,1s Tll Theodoret gives a different ex-
'Tl'apli.linyµ.a (of the builder). planation of µ.~ cpof3'1(hls : T~v µ.iv
For the choice of Moses compare A1yv'Tl"ToV cpof3'18els KUT<AL'Tl'E, 8apuaAeros
Philo de vit. Mos. i. § 7 (ii. 85 f. M.). ~- ' A' I
vE ~ov , tyv7;r~o11,.. Ka~~ovrL';E·
I
.,-~v
\

(/3) 27, 28. The work of Moses. 'PV')"IV TOLVVV avTL T7/S aLTLas n8EL1Cf T7/S
27. '11'. KUT<AL'Tl'EV A1yv'Tl"Tov ••• ] It is cf,v'Y7is.
doubtful to what event reference is It is however more likely that the
made. From the order in which the words refer to the Exodus. Moses,
fact is mentioned, and from the man- the leader of the people, left the safe
ner in which it is described (Kan?...t'Tl'EV though servile shelter and support of
as contrasted with li,,{3,,uav) it has Egypt, casting himself on the pro-
been concluded that the reference is tection of the unseen God against the
to the flight of Moses to Midian, certain vengeance of the king in the
which could be rightly spoken of as a fulfilment of his arduous and self-
'leaving' since it involved the tem- sacrificing work. Comp. Philo, de
porary abandonment of the work to vit. M. i § 27 (ii p. 104 M.). T~v
which Moses had felt himself called. A1yv'11'TOV KUTEAL'Tl'EV 1y•µ.ovlav, Bvya-
Nor is it a fatal objection to this view Tptlioiis Toii TOTE {3autAEvovTos c:iv •••
that in the narrative of Exodus it is Jos. .Antt. ii. I 5, 2. The change of
said that' Moses was afraid' (Ex. ii. 14~ tenses, 1eaT<Am,v, 'Tl'E'Tl'ol'IK•v, helps to
though the superficial contradiction explain the historical transposition.
has occasioned some difficulty. TOV yap a6p.... EKapT<p'7<TfV] The most
If this interpretation be adopted characteristic trait in the life of Moses
the exact thought will be that Moses is that he spoke with God .face to
was not afraid of the anger of the face, Ex. xxxiii.; Num. xii. 7, 8. The
king in itself. For the sake of his 'vision of God' is that which distin-
people he could have braved death ; guishes him from the other prophets.
but, though he was so far fearless, yet Compare Philo, de mut. nom. § 2
the lack of faith in those whom he (i p. 579 M.) Mrovui)s olv t, T~S anliovs
would have delivered (Acts vii. 23 ff.) <pv<TEOJS BrnT~S Kal 8,0'11''T7/S, .ls yap rllv
forced him to retire: 'He left Egypt yv/,cpov (Ex. XX. 21) cj,aulv avrov o!
though he feared not the wrath of XP'l<TJJ,ol .Zu,}..8,iv, T~V aopaTOV o.Julav
the king.' This he did 'by faith,' for a1v,TT6µ.,vo, ••• ; de vit. M. i § 28 (ii.
even at the moment when he gave up p. rn6 M.).
his work he felt the divine presence The words cJs 6pwv are in themselves
with him. 'He endured (lKapTip'lu,v ambiguous. They may mean either
not l1eaprip,,) as seeing Him who is 'as though he saw,' or 'inasmuch as
invisible.' he saw.' The peculiar gift of Moses
Philo gives this general interpreta- determines that the latter is the
376 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 28, 29
:i8nf I , , \ \ f ,., o
t<T'T€t 7r€7rOLf/K€1/ TO TTACXA Kat -rr,11 7rpocrxvutv Toy "'-IMAToc,
.,LIia /J-1'/' O oAo0peyroN 'Tll' 7rpW'TO'TOKa
' f)'L'}'!l ' ~
llV'TWII. :19 fl'l<T'T€L

sense here. The irregular position The special ceremony of 'the sprink-
of the c.ir is due to the emphasis laid ling of the blood' (Ex. xii. 7, 22 £)
on 7"011 ,,
' aopa,-O11. is mentioned as foreshadowing the
For o aopaTor compare Col i 15 deeper mystery involved in the de-
(,l BEor OdopaTor); I Tim. i 17 (d&pa,-or liverance from Egypt (c. ix. 22).
µ,611or BEor); I John iv. 20; John i 18; The word 'll"porrxvrr,r is not found
1 Tim. vi. I 6. in the LXX. and occurs here only in
The word 1<apnpE'i11 occurs here only N. T. ('ll"p. aZµ,. ,/CaAEO-E -n}11 KaTa 7"0011
in N. T. Comp. Jos. Antt. ii n, I; <f>"A.,i;,11 ,-,;;11 Bvp011 xplrrw <Ecum.). But
Ecclus. ii 2 ; xii 1 5. the verb 'll'porrxi"' is commonly used
The idea of 1<ap,-EpE'i11 is comple- in the LXX. of the sprinkling of blood
mentary to the ideas of inroµ,i11E,11 upon the altar (i''J!).
(c. x. 32) and µ,a,cp0Bvµ,E'i11 (c. vi 15). Z11a µ,~ o o>.... .. atl,-0011] The phrase o
The Christian has not only to bear his li>..oBpn5"'11 (Vulg. qui vastabat [pri-
burden in the conflict of life, and to mitiva]) is used in Ex. xii. 23 by the
wait for the fulfilment of the promise
which seems ,to be strangely delayed: LXX. for n1r:i~~Cl according to the
he must also bear himself valiantly strict participial sense. The trans-
and do his work with might through lators realised the action of God
the Spirit (1 Cor. xvi. 13; Eph. iii 16). through a destroying angel: I Cor. x.
Augustine in striking words extends 10 (o oAoBpEv,-1r); and this seems to
to the people the gift of the leader: be the most natural sense of the
Errabant quidem adhuc et patriam original text. Compare 1 Chron. xxi.
qurerebant; sedduce Christo errare non 12, 15; 2 Chron. xxxii 21; Ecclus.
poterant. Via illis fuit visio (so edd., xlviii. 2 I ; Ps. lxxviii. 49.
jussio MSS.) Dei (ad I Joh. Tract. 7). Blyr, avTw11] The object is naturally
28. 'II'. 'lmrol. ,.;, '11'•••• aiµ,.] By faith supplied by the reader.
he lcept (he hath kept) the Passover Primasius sees a foreshadowing of
and the sprinkling of the blood... The Christian practice in the detail: San-
first celebration of the Passover was guine agni illinuntur Israelitarum
not only a single act. The Passover postes ne vastator angelus audeat
then instituted and kept remained inferre mortem: siguantur dominicre
as a perpetual witness of the great mortis siguo fideles populi in frontibus
deliverance. For the perf. see c. vii. ad tutelam salutis ut ab interitu libe-
6 note. The sacrifice of the lamb and rentur.
the open sprinkling of the blood was {b) The Faith of the people (29-
a signal act of faith challenging the 31).
superstition of the Egyptians (Ex. viii The great leader, like Abraham,
22). Compare Midr. Shemoth R. l.c. communicated to others the Faith by
(Wiinsche, p. 132). which he was inspired. Just as the
The phrase '11'0LE'i11 ,.;, mirrxa (Matt. Faith of Abraham was united with
xxvi 18) is not unfrequent in the Lxx. that of his wife and of his children,
for the observance of the Passover so the Faith of Moses was bound up
(Ex. xii 48; Num. ix. 2 ff.; 2 K. xxiii with that of Israel By Faith they
21 &c.). It does not appear to be overcame difficulties of nature (29),
used of the institution. and the force of enemies (30); and
XI. 30, 31] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 377
<Jte/3riuav 'Ti/V 'Epv8pdv eaAa<Tuav WS' Olli ~ripas- 'Yiis-, t]S'
-
'1r€tpav -,. a I
J\.a~OV'T€S' Ol' A'l'YV7r'Ttot
I
Ka'T€7r0'8 rJ<Tav. 30 n'l<T'T€t
, ,
7a 'T€lXrJ
,, , ., e, , , , , , ,
epetxw €7r€<Tav KUKAW ev-ra €7rl €7r'Ta riµepas-.
31
nt<T'T€L 'Paa/3 ,j 1ropvrr OU <TUVa7rc,)A€'TO 'TOLS' d1ret8~-

29 a,a. l;-qpas -yijs ~AD2* vg syr vg me: om. ,-f)s s- (LXX.). 30 hreua.v:
•Er S". 3r 1/ 1r6p111J: 1J t1r1">.e7oplv7J 1r. ~*.

called out responsive Faith even in the symbol of the victory of the
.aliens, so that a remnant of them was Church: Matt. xvi 18.
saved (31). 31. 1rlurn 'Paa,8... ] The record of
09 By faith they passed over the the separation of the people of God
Red Sea as by dry land, which the from Egypt is closed by the incorpo-
Egyptians essaying to do were swal- ration of a stranger.
lowed up. Rahab at once looked forward with
3° By faith the walls of Jericho confidence to the triumph of Israel :
fell, after they had been compassed Josh. ii 9. Comp. James ii 25;
for seven days. Clem. R. i. 12 (a,a 1rlun11 t<al cf>,Xa-
3 ' By faith Rahab the harlot pe- E•11la11 lur.JOIJ). Midr. Bemidbar R. 8
rished not with them that were dis- (on Num. v. 9; Wiinsche, p. 136), (the
obedient, having received the spies ancestress of priests and prophets).
with peace. The addition of the title ~ 1rop111J
29. lJd,81Jo-a11] The subject has al- places in a fuller light the triumph of
ready been suggested by avrwv (v. 28). Faith.
The Faith of the people met the The list of the champions of Faith
Faith of the leader. Theophylact whose victories are specially noticed
rightly marks the importance of the is closed by a woman and a gentile
transition: iva µ.~ Xiywu, Ti cpipm £ls, and an outcast. In this there is a
, , , ,, ,,
~ '\ '
p,:u?" ~µtp.1Jrovs avupas; '7yaye t<ai Aao11
\
significant foreshadowing of its es-
<11s v1rolJnyµ.a. sential universality. So Theodoret :
Compare Ps. cvi 9 ff.; cxiv. 5; Is. l!avµ.auai ai aE1011 ~" a1rouroA&l<~II
xliii 16; li 10. uocf>la11, P,aAAOI/ lJE vµvrwa, 7rp007)/Cfl
The word lJia,8al11n11 is found in N.T. rov l!elov 7rl/EVµaros ~" lvipyna11, On
also in Lk. xvi 26; .Acts xvi. 9. 'H T<f Mwiiue, ... t<al rots O.AA.o1s aylo,s
J,o. O&X., the LXX. rendering of t:J~O ~! aA>..l,cpv:Xo11 yvvatt<a 1<al1rop111JII uvvlraEe11,
'the sea of weed,' occurs again .Acts Yva t<al rijs 1rlur.-ws lmaelEn ~" avvaµ,11
vii 36. t<al t<araurELAlJ r~II '1ovaalw11 &cf>pv11.
~s 1r. :Xa,8ovres] Vulg. quod experti, ov uv11a1r. r. d1r.-,l!.] perished not
which essaying to do, literally 'of W1,th them that were disobedient, Vulg.
which (i.e. sea) making trial' Karmo- non periit cum incredulis. The form
l!'luav Ex. xv. 12 (Lxx.): Num. xvi 30. of expression places in relief the
Kara1rl11w is found not unfrequently punishment of the disobedient ; and
in N. T. in a metaphorical sense: e.g. the ground of their destruction. They
1 Cor. xv. 54; 1 Pet. v. 8. too had heard of the wonders which
30. 1rlurn ... l1reua11] Josh. vi The God had wrought for His people and
walls fell overthrown by faith which were not moved by them to submissio-q.
was shewn through a long trial by For d1rnl!e,11 (of which the force is
leader, priests and people. lost by the Latin Vulgate) see John
The fall of the walls of Jericho is iii 36; Rom. ii 8; c. iii 18 note.
378 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 3z
~ t'.
O€t;;aµev11 'TOVS IW'Ta<TK07rOVS µe'T €tp17v17s. 3i Kai
I , I > > I
<Ta<Ttv,
I ,I I , I~/. , ~ I I
'Tt E'TL Xeyw; e1rt1\.EL 1,.
yet µe ,yap oi17,yovµevov o• xpovos
1repl feoewv, BapaK, Caµ-fwv, 'le<J>0ae, Aaveto 'TE Kal

32 om. ln D 2*. bn"A.. µe -y&.p ~AD2*: l1rt"A.. -y&.p µe •· 1repl 8e

r,aewP D2*• Bap&.te ~A vg me: teal B. D2* syr vg: B. TE •• ']:,a;µ,J,wv
'Ie<f,O&.e ~A vg me: tea! ~- tea! 'I. i, D2syr vg.

(5) 32-38. Faith in national life tion of the chief types of victory (33-
The entrance to Canaan and the 35 a~
representative victory at Jeiicho (a) Representative heroes of the
form a close to a complete cycle theocracy and the kingdom (32).
of divine discipline. The history of 32. teal rl...] Vulg. et quid adhuc
Israel from the Call of Abraham to dicam (dico d).I' The verb may be
the occupation of the Promised Land conj. And what shall I m,ore say? or
offers a type of the religious history indic. And why (or what) say I more?
of man. So far then the writer -0f The sense seems to be 'Why do I go
the Epistle has given examples of on farther?' 'What can I say more 7'
faith in deta.il. From this point he as if the writer saw already stretching
simply recites in a summary form the before him the long record on which
names and exploits of later heroes of he is entering. The pres. indic. oc-
Faith. In part (a) they wrought curs Matt. xxvi. 65, and in John xi.
great things (32-35 a): in part (b) 47 with rt as the object; and the
they suffered great things (35 b-38). pres. conj. occurs John vi 28 : the
, The enumeration extends to the aor. conj. is common : Acts ii 37 ;
time of the Maccabees, the last de- vi 16 &c.
cisive national struggle of the Jews lm>.. ••• lJ,71-y. oxp .•• ] time will (I see)
before the coming of Christ. fail me as I tell of... Vulg. deficiet
(a) The victorious successes of me tempus enarrantem. .. IIoios;
Faith: the great things which it has q o 1Tiis· /lp71ra, lJi TOVTO cJs uvv710•s
wrought (32-35 a). ~µ,iv V'ITEp/30>..,terus • q O rfi £'1TUTTOAfr
32 And what can I (why do I) say uvµ,µ,•rpos (Theophlct).
more? For the time will fail me as The phrase is common in classical
I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, literature: E'frLAEl1ro, a· lfv ,,,. 'ITllS xpovos
Jephthah; of David and Samuel El lterl0,u0ai {3ov>..710d71v ras UEJJ,V<lS T<iJV
and of the prophets: 33 who through cpi>.ouocprov µiµtm (Athenre. v. § 63,
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought p. 220 F): tempus hercule te citius
rigliteousness, obtained promises, quam oratio deficeret (Cic. pro Sext.
stopped the mouths oflions, 34 quenched Rose. 32 § 89). Philo de somn. § 9 (ii
the power of fire, escaped the edge 667) £7r<AEtt .. JJ,E ~ ~µipa -ras l3.acpopas
of the sword, from weakness were Toii dv6poo1rflov f3lov a,£ftbvra. 1<.alro,
made strong, proved mighty in war, .,., lJ,i µai,prrtopiiv; -rls yap avrruv aVIJ•
turned to flight armies of aliens. , '
k.00~ £OTt;
35 Women recei1Jed their dead by a The persons are named first, and
resnrrection. then types of achievement. The per-
The summary recital of these out- sons fall into two groups, the repre-
ward successes of Faith consists first sentatives of the theocracy and the
(a) of two groups of names, which representatives of the monarchy.
represent the theocracy and the king- r.a. Bap. ~UJJ,'Y· 'I,cp0.] These repre-
dom (v. 32); and then (/3) of a descri~ sentative heroes of the theocracy are
XI. 33] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 379
\ Kat 'TWV 7rpO,rJ'TWV,
CaµouriJ\. I - f'h - ,\ °l'
33 OL I ' I
oia 7T"UT'TEW'i: Ka'TrJ-
, a " ' ' ' 'l- ,
7wvt<ravTo fJaU'Lt\.ELa'i:, r,p7a<rai1To otKaw<ruvr,v, ,,
E7rE'TVXOV

not given in the order of the Book of and there is a progress in the succes-
Judges, but apparently according to sion of groups in the direction of that
their popular fame. Records of their which is more personal.
exploits are preserved: Judg. Vi.- 33. The first triplet describes the
viii. (Gideon); iv. v. (Barak); xiii.- broad results which believers obtained:
xvi. (Samson); xi. xii. (Jephthah). Material victory.
It may be noticed that they over-- Moral success in government.
came different enemies, Midianites, Spiritual reward..
Canaanites, Philistines, Ammonites ; The second triplet notices forms of
and in referring to them the writer personal deliverance from :
passes no judgment on character: otl Wild beasts.
~l(A)JI JffTarT&JI 7r0&Eira, ciAAa 1rlu'TE<iJS Physical forces.
l11anE,;, (Theophlct). Human tyranny.
Aav. TE K. ~aµ. K. r. ,rp.] The great The third triplet marks the attain-
king and the great statesman-prophet ment of personal gifts :
sum up all that was noblest in the Strength.
second stage of the divine history of The exercise of strength.
Israel With them are joined the The triumph of strength (the be-
Spiritual leaders of the people through liever against the alien).
whom the growing counsel of God ot a,a 'Tl'LUTEOlS•••. ] The form 'Tl'L<TT'Et
was interpreted through apparent which has been used before is now
failure and loss. David and Samuel changed. The writer speaks of the
appear to be closely connected (re general inspiring power of faith : c. vi.
Kai) and the prophets are added as . 12. Compare v. 39 a,o. rijs 'Tl'LCTTEOlS.
a second element. Ka...,yoovluallT'o fJau,>...las] For ex-
((3) Characteristic achievements of ample Gideon (Midianites), Jud. vii.;
Faith (33-35 a). Barak (Canaanites), Jud. iv.; Samson
The Judges, the Kings, and the (Philistines), Jud. xiv. f.; Jephthah
Prophets represent adequately the (Ammonites), Jud. xi.; Jonathan (Phi-
chief types of believers under the listines), 1 Sam. xiv. 6 ff.; David (Phi-
theocracy and the kingdom. Having listines), 2 Sam. v. 17; (Moabites &c.)
signalised these, the writer goes on to 2 Sam. viii. 2; (Ammonites) 2 Sam. x.
mark the characteristic manifestations 12; in each case with weaker forces
of the power of Faith. These are than their enemies.
described with remarkable symmetry: -~pyaual/T'O a,,cawu.] The phrase is to
(i) ~a'M'/,yoovlua11To fJauf>..Elas, be understood not only of purely indi-
7/P"fa<TOVTO auca&OCTV"71V, vidual virtues, but of the virtues ·of
lrrfrvxov i'Tl'ayyEA&rov. leaders : 1 Sam. xii. 4 ; 2 Sam. viii.
(ii) lcf,paEav <TToµ.ara AEOIIT'OlV, • 1 5; Ps. xiv. [xv.] 2 ; Zephan. ii. 3.
E<r/3Euav av11aµ.w ,rvpos, Conquerors used their success for the
lcf,vyov uroµ.ara µ.axalp71s. furtherance of 1·ight. Righteousness
(iii) Javvaµ.00671uav 071'0 auBEvElas, was shewn to be the solid foundation
iyEv~O.,uav luxvpol iv ,roAiµ.rp, of enduring power: Is. ix. 7; liv. 14 ;
,rapEµ./30>..as EICA&vav allorploov. 1K.x.9.
In each group there is a progress, For the phrase ipy&(. a,,ca&O<TVV711!
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 34, 35
, - e,!</>pa<;,av
erraryryeAtwv, t'. I
<T'roµa-ra ''-eov-rwv, "\ I
E<TtJE<Tav vu- ~ I
34'1 f.l
'
vaµtv 7rupos, ,I
e<jJuryov I
u-roµa-ra I
µaxatpr,s, ,~
evuvaµw '0r,uav
' ' au
a7ro ' 0evews,
' '
eryevr, '0r,uav iuxupot
' ' ev' 'Tr01\.eµq,,
"\. ' 7rapeµ-
/3 ,
oAas ,,
eKAtvav ,- ,. -,. '
a1\.1\.o-rptwv· 35''"' a
€1\.afJ0V -
ryuvatK€S 't'. ava-
Et;,
'

33 ur6µ.a. D2*. 34 iovvaµ.wlJ.,ua.11 ~*AD2 * : •v•o. Iii'" ~•.

")'VPa1KaS ~* AD2* me.

compare .Acts x. 35 ; (James i. 20); cpalar, ercpovr) (~)P-1~?) is not un-

Matt. vii 23 (avoµla11); James ii 9 common in the LXX. (Gen. xxxiv. 26).
( aµaprlav ). The plural (crrJµarn), which does not
l1rfrvxo11 l1rayy•Xuii11] Victory was appear to occur elsewhere, expresses
gained and rightly used in just govern- the many assaults of human.violence
ment, and so it was followed by a answering in part to crrJµara AE6VTC1111.
deeper apprehension of the will of 34 b. Examples of deliverance from
God. The phrase lmrvxii.11 l1rayy•- external perils are followed by ex-
X,0011 has been noticed before, c. vi I 5 amples of personal strengthening.
note. lavvaµ. d1rb dcrB.] This general
It appears to be used here in the phrase may be interpreted of various
most general sense, which includes forms of physical weakness as in the
both the attainment of that which case of Samson (Jud. xvi. 28 ff.); Heze-
had been already promised, and the kiah (Is. xxxviii.); and of moral dis-
quickened expectation of something ~re~s ~Ps. v~ 3, 8; Ps. xxii. 21 f.). For
yet to come. Each partial fulfilment a1ro auB•voar compare Luke v. l 5 ;
of a divine word is itself a prophecy• viii. 2; and contrast 2 Cor. xiii 4
.A promise gained is also a promise Ef Uo-01:vt:las.
interpreted in a larger meaning. Here ly•11. lux. lv 1r.] wazed mighty in
the truth is set out in its fulness. The war, not only in the moment of battle,
many 'promises' successively realised but in the whole conduct of the con-
in many parts• and many fashions led flict. Ps. xviii. 34 ff.; cxliv. 1 f. For
up to the one 'promise' (v. 39) which lcrxvpol compare Luke xi. 21 f.
is still held before the eye of faith. 1rap•µfJ. £KA. dXX.] The addition of
33 b, 34 a. The notice of public, dXXorpl6>11 distinguishes this clause
general, successes is followed by the from KaT7/yC1111[uavro fJacr,XElar and fixes
notice of personal deliverances. the thought here on the religious con-
lcf>paeav OT. X.] Dan. vi. 22 lvlcppaeE trast between the children of the
ra CTT6µarn TOOII AE6VT6>11 Theod. (Da- kingdom and strangers (Matt. xvii. 2 5
niel); 1 Mace. ii. 6o. There may also f.). This sense of KAl11n11 (inclinare
be a reference to Jud. xiv. 6 (Samson); aciem), which is found in classical
I Sam. xvii 34 (David). Greek from Homer (Il. v. 37 Tpooar aJ
lcr{forav avv. 1r.] Dan. iii; I Mace. ii KA,11a11 Aavaol) downwards, does not
59. The natural force of the elements occur elsewhere in the N. T. or LXX.
was overpowered (comp. Wisd. xix. 6). The word 1rap•µfJoX~ (like i1~J:\~,
oi1,c Et1m, lcrfJEcrav 1rvp, dXXa Av11aµ,11 which "it represents in the LXX.) is
TrVpl,r, t, ical µE'i(o11 (Theophlct). used for an armed force as well as for
lcf>v-yo11 OT, µax.] Ex. xviii 4 (Moses), a camp, the position which it occupies:
1 Sam. xviii. II ; xix. IO ff.; xxi 10 ; Jud. iv. 16; viii 10; Ezek. i. 24 (.A);
Ps. cxliv. 10 (David); 1 K. xix. 1 ff. I Mace. v. 28.
(Elijah); 2 K. vi (Elisha). 35 a. The triple triplet of victorious
The phrase lv OT6µaT, µaxalpar (poµ- faith is followed by a single, abrupt
XI. 35] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
I \ \ , ,.. ,I"'\"'\ O::,\' I .£1
<TTa<T€(1J<; TOU<; V€Kpou,; aU'T(IJV" a1v\.Ot 0€ €TVµ7iavtcrur,uav

clause which presents the highest con- wandering in deserts and mountainir
quest of faith, 'women received from and caves and the holes of the earth.
resurrection their dead.' In t.his The order of arrangement is not
case faith appears under a twofold obvious. The enumeration appears
aspect. There is a silent, waiting, to consist of two great groups (35 b,
paBsive faith of love, which works with 36, and 37, 38) each consisting of two
the active faith. Women, in whom the members, the first of suffering to
instinct of natural affection is strongest, death, the second of sufferings short
cooperated with the prophets through of death. It is difficult to define the
whom the restoration was effected. relation in which the two main groups
They received their dead. The word stand to each other.
")..a[:JE'iv occurs in the narrative of the Perhaps the first group describes
Shunammite : 2 K. iv. 36. constancy in the face of releaBe offered
It cannot_ be without significance in the moment of trial, on the suppo-
that the recorded raisings from the sition that oil 1rpoua£eaµ.£110, r,}11 d1ro")...
dead are predominantly for women : extends in idea to [TEpoi, while the
I K. xviL 17 ff.; 2 K. iv. 17 ff.; Luke second group gives generally forms of
viL II ff.; John xL; Acts ix. 36 ff. suffering.
In the phrase ,e avaura<TECllS the 35 b. /1)1.")..o, U ... ] But others in a
Resurrection, which is the transition new class triumphed 'in that they
from death to life, is that out of seemed to fail.' The restoration
which the departed were received. from death, the highest victory of
(b) The victorious sufferings of active faith, is surpassed by a nobler
Faith : the great things which it has triumph, the victory over death.
borne (35 b---38). lrvµ.,ra11lu811ua11] Vulg. distenti sunt.
The record of the open triumphs of The reference is to the martyrdom of
Faith is followed by the record of its the seven brethren related in 2 Mace.
inward victories in unconquered and vL 18 ff.; viL
outwardly unrewarded endurance. The word rvµ.1ra11l(;n11 is used very
Theophylact remarks on the con- vaguely of the infliction of heavy
traBt : opa 7T6'S ol JJ,EII d,r6 ,r{<JT£(1)S blows; and the Greek commentators
<JT6µ.ara µ.axalpas l<f,vyov ol a,
Jv <f,611..,,_ were at a loss as to its exact mean-
µ.axalpas d1rl8a11011· ro,oiirov yap ~ ing. Chrysostom says : a1rorvµ.1ra11,u-
1rlcrr,~ Kai dJIVEt µ.£')'QAa «al 1rciO"XE't. p,os ")...,y£ra, o d1ro1CE<pa")..,uµ.6s, referring
µ.ey/,J,,a Kal o~a,11 of£ra, ,rauxnv. to John the Baptist and St James.
And others were tortured to death, So also Theophylact: rovrl<JTw d1r£·
not accepting their deliverance, that TJJ,~8'7Ua11•••Ttll<S a, r6 TVJJ,TraJ1,u8rjvai
they might obtain a better resurrec- po1r/i1,,,o,s TV<j,Bijva, £t1rov. <Ecumenius
tion; 36 and others had trial ofmoc/c.. adds: .ThXo, aE TO TVJJ,7Tavl{;Eu8ai TO
ings and scourgings, yea moreover €1CalpEu8al <f,auw. Hesychius gives
qf bonds and imprisonment: 37 they Jrvµ.1r. tu<patplu811ua11, i.e. beaten with
were stoned, they were sawn a..mnder, leaded scourges. It appears to de-
they were tempted, they were slain scribe a punishment like breaking
with the sword: they went about in on the wheel The extremities of
sheepskins, in goatskins; being desti- the sufferer were fastened to a frame,
tute, ajfticted, evil-entreated, 38 men and his limbs then broken by heavy
of whom the world was not worthy, clubs. The original reading of D11
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 36, 37
, '1- ~ ' ' , .... ' ,, ,
OU 7rp0<TO€c;aµE110L TrJll a'1T"01\.UTpW<rt11, Ll/a Kp€LTT01IOS
36
d11a<T-ra<T€WS -rtxwcrw· t-rEpot OE Eµ7fatryµwv Kat
µacr-rf.ryw11 7rE'ipa11 iAa/3011, i-rt OE OE<rµw11 Kat </)vAaKijs·
31 EAt0dcr0r,<Ta 11, rE7rEtpacr0r,<J'a 11, E7T" pt<T0r,<Ta111, E11 </)011cp

37 hrpl,r81J<Fa11, br«pa,r81J<Fav

36 t!µ:rr.: iv1reyµfrwv D 2 *. 37 l1re1pa<F87J<Fav i-rrpl<F87J<Fav ~: l1rpl,r8. ii1re1p.

, A vg me: i1r1pa,,87J<Fav hripd.,r07J<Fav D2*: om. l1reip. syr vg.

expresses more
(d'Tl'ernµ.'Tl'avluBT]uav) tions less in immediate extent, yet no
distinctly 'beaten to death.' less terrible as trials of endurance.
Philo speaks of the spectacles of For a>..Xoi, ETfpDI see 1 Cor. xii. 8 ff.;
the early part of festival days as con- Gal. i. 6 f. with Lightfoot's note.
sisting in 'Iouta'io, µ.aunyovµ.evoi, t<pe- 1r•'ipav ,>..afjov] v. 29. They expe-
µ.aµ.Evm, Tpox1(op.EVO", /CaTa«'tt<a(op.EIIO', rienced sufferings which were sharp
ll,a /J-E<TTJS Tijs /Jpx1<TTpas d11'ay6µ.,vo, T~V and direct (.'µ.1r. 1<al µ.a<TT•••• 2 Mace.
<'Tl'l 8avcb., (in Flacc. § 10, ii. p. 529). vii. 7, 1), strokes on soul and body;
The whole description which he and sufferings also which were dull
gives of the sufferings of the Jews and long («'euµ.. ,cal <pvX.): 1 K.
should be compared with this passage xxii 27 ; J erem. xxxvii. ; xxix. 26;
(l. c., cc. IO, 20). 1 Mace. xiii. 12; 2 Mace. vii. 7, 10.
ov 11'pou«'Ef T~v d'Tl'oA.] when they The fr, a. marks a climax (Acts ii. 26
did not in fact accept the deliverance [Luke xiv. 26, fr, T< ]). The sharp,
which was placed within their reach : short trial is easier to bear.
2 Mace. vi 21; vii 27. For 1rpouti- The phrase 1rE'ip. 1Xa/3Ev occurs in
gau8ai see c. :x. 34 note. LXX. Deut. xxviii. 56 (AqlL <1rElpauev).
Zva t<pElrr. dva<TT. nix.] a resurrection 37, 38. A fresh summary is given
better than the mere restoration to of sufferings to death (if •1r«pau0T]uav
the remnant of an earthly life gained be corrupt) (v. 37); and of sufferings
by the acceptance of the offered de- short of death ('i:. 38).
liverance. Comp. vii 19. For dv. l'A.,0au0T/ua11l Stoning was a charac-
TVX- see Lk. x:x. 35. teristic Jewish punishment: 2 Chron.
The comparison between the resur- xxiv. 20 f. (Zechariah son of J ehoiada);
rection to eternal life and the resur- (Lk. xi. 51); Matt. xxi. 35; xxiii. 37.
rection to an earthly life, though it is Ut Naboth ; J eremias in .A<Jgypto
not made directly, lies implicitly in a reliquiis transmigratorum (comp.
xpelrrovos, as interpreted by the Mac- TertulL Scarp. i. 8); Ezechiel in Baby-
cabean history: 2 Mace. vii 9, 14. lone ; aliique quamplures in Novo
The patristic commentators generally Testamento (Primas.).
dwell on this: 1<pelrro11os, ov To1avTTJ11 i1rE1pau8T/ua11] This word seems to
alas Ta 1rai«'la T<iiv yv11ai1<w11, ~ ,cpelrrovos be foreign to the context. The refer-
1rapa ~" TWII Xo,1rcii11 dv0prJ.rr6>v (,ga11a- ence to Job (Primas., <Ecum.) is not
<TTU<TIS Phil iii II) ... t<al aXM>s on
,ls satisfactory. Of the many conjectures
("'~" aloovw11 (Theophlct). which have been suggested the most
36. frEpo, «'•] The apostle goes on plausible are, /1rp~u8T/ua11 or evmp~u-
to notice a second class among those 81/uav (Philo ad Flacc. § 20; ii p. 542
(l!X>..01) who shewed their faith not in M., (wllTH ol ,,..,, f11E7rp~uB,,uav ol a. a,;,_
conquering but in bearing. Some P.E<TTJS KaTE<TVPTJ<Tllll dyopas E6>~ OAa TO.
endured death, some endured afflic- uooµaTa aVTWIJ i«'a1ra~81J).
XI. 38, 39] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

µaxa[p17,; dw'€0avov, 7r€pti;A0ov EV µ17AwTat,;, EV ai.ryfot'>

lipµacnv, UO-T€pouµEVOL, 0At/3oµ€VOL, KaKovxovµEvot, 38 Jv
0' KO<rµo,; r'€7rl 1 €prJµtat<;;
1 1
' ,;- ,I~ ' 1 "l. f
OUK t]V ac;LO'> '1r1\.avwµ€VOL Kat\
,I I "l. I \ ~ , ~
opt:o-t Kat <T'1rrJ1'-at0t'> Kat Tat<;; 01rat<;; TrJ'> 'YrJ'>,
~ ~ 39 I /
nat
\

Ol)Tot 7rt1VT€'> µapTvp170EvT€'> out Ti;'> 1rto-TEW<;; ouK EKO-

38 €11
38 br! ip. 1:-tA: b ep. f:° D2 *. 39 7rcivr. µapr. ouro, D2•

lrrpluO,,ua11] So Isaiah suffered ac- world in all its beauty was not fit to
<iording to tradition: Just. M. Dial. be their home.' Comp. Prov. viii. 1 1
120: Orig. Ep. a,d Afric. § 9, and KpEL(T(TQ)IJ yap uocf,>la A18c.>11 7TOAVTEArov,
Wet.stein's note. 1rUv a£ rlµ,iov O~IC tl.~tov aVrijs lurl.
For the punishment itself see 2 El rriis o ,couµ.os, Theophylact asks,
Sam. xii 31; 1 Chron. xx. 3; .A.mos oV,c f<TT,v llfios EvO~ tiylov, -rl µfpos
i 3 (LXX.). CI/TEIS;
'" cf,011. µ.. amfB.] Comp. l K. xix. 10 From this thought the last clause
TotJs 1rpo<f,~ras uov ti1rfKTnvav Ev f:ioµ,- follows naturally. The best thing men
cf,alq.. Jerem. xxvi. (xxxiii.) 23 (Uri- can give is the sympathy of fellowship:
jah). the last thing which they withdraw
The exact phrase lv cpov'f' µaxalpas is simple intercourse. But the pro-
occurs in the LXX. as a rendering of phets had no place among their
~:)IT'E;i?, Ex. xvii. 13 &c. fellow-men; and 'even the deserts
The enumeration of sufferings of offered them no safe resting-place'
death is followed by references to (~e?thlc~). ,
sufferings in life. •m •p11µ.iais rrAavc.>µ.. ••• ] Compare 1 K.
rr•piij">..8011 lv µ.11>.. •••• ] They went. xviii. 4, 13 (Iv <T7T'IAal'{J); xix. 9 (•ls ro
about from place to place with no sure <T1T1]Aaio11) ; 1 Mace. ii. 31 ; 2 Mace. v.
abode. Compare Clem. R. i. 17. 27; vi. n; x. 6.
(Clem. .Alex. Strom. iv. 17 § 107 ii The clause TaLS orra'is rijs- yiis---the
arro<TToAos K.A1]JJ,'7S.) M'7Ac.>T1) is used holes of the land-seems to be a
in the Lxx. for n'.)~~. the characteris- quotation from some familiar descrip-
tion. The word orr1 occurs again
tic prophet's dress: 1 K. xix. 13, 19; James iii II with a reference to an-
z K. ii. 8, 13, 14- This was of sheep other feature of the limestone rocks
{or goat) skin (compare "W~ n::i1~ of Palestine.
Zech. xiii. 4; Gen. xxv. 25); and was (6) 39, 40. General conclusion.
afterwards adopted as a monastic The whole record of past divine
dress. See Suicer s. v. history shews us that the trial of faith
v<TT. 8'}..i~. 1CaKovx.] in want of the depended on the will of God, .who
ordinary means of life (Ecclus. xi. 1 I ; looked forward to the end. Here
Luke xv. 14; Phil iv. 12 ; 2 Cor. xi then lies our patience.
39 And these all, ha'Ding had witness
9), afflicted by pressure (Vulg. angus-
tiati) from without (2 Thess. i. 6 f.), borne to them through their faith,
in evil plight generally (xiii 3; v. 25~ received not the promise, 40 God hav-
38. ,;,, ov,c ,jv :I.f ii ,c.] They were ing foreseen some better thing in our
men worth more than the whole world, case, that they, apart from us, should
and they lacked all This appears to not be made perfect.
be the meaning, and not that 'the 39. oQrot rravrEs] These all from
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XI. 40
40
µt<FaVTo 7'1111 €7TWY'YEA.Lall, -rov 0€0U 7r€pt 17µw11 Kp€L7'7'0V
7rpo{3AE'1,aµevou, tva µr, xwpts tJµwv 7'€A€tw0wuiv.
'T'L

the beginning of human discipline to fulfilment has been granted, without

the fulfilment of man's destiny in the trial of deferred hope, if only we
Christ. regard the essence of things. Christ
µaprvpriBivr£s l3ia Tijs .,,-, ••• ] Latt. has already opened the way to the
testimonio fidei probati... These old Divine Presence on which we can
heroes, though they received the wit- enter, and He offers to us now a
ness of divine approval given in what kingdom which cannot be shaken (xii.
they were enabled to do and to suffer 28). At the same time there is the
through their faith, died before the thought that·God has looked further,
end was reached to which they looked even beyond our age of trial, to the
from first to last. end.
a,a Tijs .,,-[OT£CilS'] through their faith. icpiirr6v n] Hoe melius est, promissre
The faith by which they welcomed salutis revelatio clarior, confirmatio
the divine promises became the power testatior, expectatio propior, per
through which the fellowship of God Christum exhibitum, et tandem ipsa
with them was made evident. For salus et gloria (Bengel). Chrysostom
lJ1a Compare V. 33 lJ,a .,,-[OTECilS, has some striking words on this pros-
With oilic licoµlu. Tqv lrrayy. com- pect of the consummation : l111101uan
\ ( ,. / , \ ff , \ \
pare v. I 3 µq icoµ,u. Tas lrrayy. c. x. Ka, vµ,n~ TL £OT£ KaL ouov EOTL TOV
36; I Pet. i 9; v. 4; and for the 'A{3paaµ icaBijuBa. ical 'TOIi drr60TOAOV
relation of ~ lrrayy. and al lrrayy. see IIaiiA011 rrEp,µivovras w-on ITV T£AnooBfis
v. 33. lva l3vVTJBwu, .,.1,'TE Xa{3£'iv 'TOV µ,uB011 ....
40. The reason of this failure of El uWµ.a Iv ol 1rClvrEs- Eup.E'v, µ.El(wv
the fathers to 'receive the promise,' -ylvErat Tee uWµ,ar, TOVTC:, 17 ,;ao,,;, Orav
which men might think strange, lay in 1<01vfi OT£<pa1100TaL ical µq 1<aTa µlpos.
the far-reaching Providence-Fore- .Kal yap ol a[,c.a,o, Kal Ev roVTcp Ela1
sight-of God. It was His purpose 8avµaOTol Or, xalpovu=.11 Ms- Jw-l ol1<Elo,~
that the final consummation should be dyaBo'is 'TOLS' 'TWV al3£A<pw11.
for all together, as indeed it is of all, The perfection (n'>..doou,s) of the
in Christ; so that no one part of the individual Christian must in its fullest
Body can, if we realise the meaning of sense involve the perfection of the
the figure, gain its fulfilment indepen- Christian society. The 'perfection'
dently. The consummation of all the which Christ has gained for humanity
Saints therefore followed upon the in His Person (ii IO; v. 9; vii. 28; x.
completion of Christ's work, the ac- r, 14) must be appropriated by every
complishment by Him of the destiny member of Christ. In part this end
of man, though fallen. So far then has been reached by the old saints in
God foresaw in the order of His great some degree, in virtue of Christ's ex-
counsel in our case (rrEpl ~µ0011) some- altation (c. xii 23), but in part it
thing better than the fathers experi- waits for the final triumph of the
enced: for we have actually seen Saviour, when all that we sum up in
in part that towards which they confessing the truth of 'the resurrec-
strained: Matt. xiii 17 ; 1 Pet. i 12. tion of the body' is fulfilled.
The fathers with a true faith looked Primasius interprets the gift of the
for a fulfilment of the promises which 'white robe' in Apoc. vi. I I (ad lac.)
was not granted to them. To us the of that endowment of love whereby
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
the waiting souls gladly accept the dilati judicii custoditur, quia unum
postponement of their own consum- corpus est quod justificari expectatur,
mation : acceperunt singuli stolas unum corpus est quod resurgere in
al.bas, id est, ut per caritatis perfec- judicium dicitur.
tionem, qure per Spiritum Sanctum 'lva µ,~ X· ~-] that they apart from us
infunditur in corda credentium, hac should not be perfected... The words
consolatione contenti ipsi mallent pro seem to depend directly on otlic licoµ..
ceterorum numero fratrum supplendo 'n/" l1rayy., though the parenthesis
differri... And Herveius notes in re- which comes between makes the con-
markable words the unity of the nexion more intelligible.
resurrection-life : Propter hoe etiam For Xo>pls see John xv. 5 note.
mysterium illud in ultimum diem

w. H. 3
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

.Additional Note on the reading of xi. 4

The division of authorities and the strange reading of the most ancient
Greek MSS. suggest the existence of a primitive corruption in the clause
µaprvpovvros ;.,,., TOIS lMpots avroii TOV B,ov (r<i> s,,;;). In such a case the
loss of B is keenly felt. The best attested reading (µapr. J.,,., r. a. mlrov r<ii
e,r;;) gives a sense which, though it is at first sight foreign to the argument,
becomes intelligible if we suppose that a parallel is suggested between the
witness of God to Abel and the witness of Abel to God : he had witness
borne to him that he was righteous, while he on his part, on occasionof his
gifts, by the faith which inspired them, bore witness to God. But such a
parallel seems to· be artificial, and it is more natural to suppose that the
character of the divine witness to the righteousness of Abel should be
more distinctly defined. Thus the sense given by the later Greek MSS. is
satisfactory; but that reading leaves rf e,,;; unexplained. Clement of
Alexandria (Strom. ii. 4, p. 434) quotes the clause, in a continuous
citation, in the form µapT. ;.,,., TOLS acJpots UVT'f TOV e,oii. If this was the
original text a mechanical change would account for both the current
readings. It may be added that Clement also omits T'f B,i> after
7rpO<TTJVEYKE .

.Additional Note on xi. IO. On the social imagery in the Epistle.

Political No words are more liable to be misunderstood than those which

terms describe forms of social organisation. They survive the state of things to
applied which they were originally applied, and are transferred to a new order,
to the
Christian more or less analogous to the past yet widely distinguished from it. For
Society. this reason the language which is used in the N. T. to describe the Christian
Society is exposed to many difficulties of interpretation. Believers are
represented in the apostolic writings aa m1ited in a 'congregation' (iKKA1Jr:rla),
a 'state,' or 'city' (m>Ats), a 'kingdom,' and it is important to endeavour to
realise the thoughts associated with these terms in the first age, if we wish
to realise the primitive conception of Christianity as a social power. In this
connexion the teaching of the Epistle to the Hebrews is of the greatest
moment. It offers a view of the organisation of the Gospel in most respects
singularly comprehensive; and it is not unlikely that the imminent over-
throw of the Jewish state gave occasion for dwelling upon this aspect of the
GospeL There is however one striking omission. The Epistle is almost
silent as to ecclesiasticru organisation. No one of the words which have
come to represent the main ideas of Church government is used in it
with its limited technical sense. The title 'Apostle' is used only of Christ
Himself (iii. I r?w a7ror:r-r0Aov Kat apxi,pia Tiis 0µ011.oyias ~µ6'V ·1.,,r:rovv). The
verb /.,,.ir:rtco.,,.,'iv, in the one place where it occurs, suggests no thought of
official oversight (xii. 15). 'The elders' are simply the heroes of the Old
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Dispensation (xi 2). The word a«J1Covos is not found in the book; nor is
the term EICICAf/ula used in the sense of 'a particular church' or of 'the
universal church' (ii 12 b, µ.lu<f EICKA'lulas LXX.; xii 23 J,c,cA71ul'f 1Tpc.>roro,cc.,v).
The single term which indicates the existence of ordered discipline in the
body is the most general, 'those that have rule,' 'that lead' (o! ,iyoilµEJJo,,
xiii 7, 17, 24).
With this exception the view given in the Epistle of the social embodi- Va1;iety of
ment of the Gospel is most varied. Eight passages present it under five ~ocial
·
distinct aspec s:
t imagery
in the
1. . ii 5 ,i ol,r_ovµ•l'f/ ,i µlAAovua. The Divine Order in its fullest extent Et ptih st18
. t· o e
an d reaI1sa 1011. Hebrews.
2. iii 2 f.; x. 21 t:, 0£,cos roii 8Eov. The relation of the Order to God, as
its Head and Indweller.
3. xi 10, 16; xiii I4 ,i rovs BEµ<Alovs lxovua 1T0Ais, ,i .µ.<11.Aovua ('IToAts).
Comp. viii I I. The social constitution of the Order.
4- xii 22 ff. The vision of the fulness of the Order.
5. xii 28 {3autA<la audA,vros. Comp. Col. i. 13. A present kingdom.
Each of these aspects of the Christian Society must be considered
separately.

I. The Christian Society a.Y the Society of the 'age to come' (ii 5). The
. p h rase 71• o,,r_ovµ•l'f/
The f:ar-reach mg • , 71• µ<AI\Ovua,
", wh'ICh rs · d equat eIy Society
· ma Christian
is
rendered by 'the world to come,' suggests the thought of the Order towards (r) The
which the earlier discipline of the world had been directed. It has been embodi-
all along foreseen. It is the true fulfilment of the destiny of humanity : ment of
the initial stage of the consummation which answers to creation. It is t' the 0rd ~r
. 11y compreh ens1ve.
essentia . I t me
. lu d es men as men, an d p laces t h em m . o come.
their due connexion with Nature. Tliis inherent universality of the Order,
as contemplated under this aspect, explains the silence of the Epistle on the
call of the Gentiles. Old divisions, which had their place in the times of
preparation, could not continue when man was seen to have reached the
divine end in Christ. Henceforth 'the people' and 'the nations' were
united in a larger fellowship. The spiritual Order was revealed in Him, of
which Greek civilisation and Roman government were partial types.

2. The Christian Society as the House of God (iii 2 ff; x. 21). (i) The
Under the image of 'the House of God' the Christian Society is regarded ~odse
O
of
in a different light. It is the organised system in which God dwells, and of •
which He is the Master. The sense of the dwelling-place, which is dominant,
passes into that of the family, and then the dwelling-place consists of human
hearts. The image is derived directly from Num. xii 7. The earliest and
simplest expression of the thought of 'the House of God' is in Gen. xxviii
17. The phrase is rarely applied to the Tabernacle: Ex. xxiii 19; xxxiv.
26; Josh. vi. 24; Judg. xviii 31. It is used of the Temple in 2 Sam. vii 5;
r K.. viii. I 7 and later writings.
The passage from the thought of a material to that of a spiritual
'House' is natural: Jer. vii. 4; John ii. 16, 19 (comp. Matt. xxiii 38).
25-2
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

In its widest meaning the 'HoUBe' includes Nature no less than Humanity;
but it is through man that all other things reach their end. Hence while
Christ is 'a great Priest over the House of God' (x. 21), Christians are in a.
peculiar sense 'His House' (iii. 6). As St Paul V1Tites to the Ephesians:
Each several building-each chamber in the whole fabric of the universe-
.fitly framed together, groweth into a holy sanctuary in the Lord; in
Whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit
(Eph. ii 2 i f.~ Compare I Tim. iii I 5; 1 Pet. ii. 5; iv. r 7.

(3) The 3- The Christian Society as the abiding City (xi. 10, 16; xiii. 14).
abiding
1r6"A.,s. It is however under the idea of the 'city,' the 'state' (m\;>ur), that the
Christian Society enters most fully upon the inheritance of earlier life.
Three distinct elements contribute to the fulness of the conception of the
Christian 1roX,r, (a) the Jewish, (b) the Greek, and (c) the Stoic.
(a) The (a) The Jewish idea of the 1roX,r is centred in the thought of a divine
Jewish sovereignty, of privileges answering to complete devotion to a Heavenly
1r6Xis.
King. From the first the blessings which were assured to a chosen family
were held to be capable of extension to those who accepted the obligations
of the Covenant. The natural principle of birth was recognised, but it was
subordinated to the principle of a common faith. Stated gatherings of the
whole race were enjoined, but they were designed to keep fresh the vigour
of institutions which were fixed once for all.
'The city of the Great King' (Ps. xlviii. 2; comp. Matt. v. 35) was
ideally the home of every member of the commonwealth of Israel, and by
the necessity of the case it tended to create a sense of spiritual fellowship
offering the hope of an indefinite enlargement (Ps. lxxxvii.). If slavery
found a modified acceptance, it was treated as a transitory condition, and
not allowed to destroy the spiritual rights of the slave.
The prophets looked forward to a time when Zion should be the seat of
a holy kingdom, of which the Davidic kingdom was a symbol ; when the
restoration of 'the people' should be the prelude to the gathering of 'the
nations' to the mountain of the LORD; when the Redeemer of Israel should
be 'the God of the whole earth': when JerUBalem should become a
universal centre of worship (Joel iii.; :Amos ix. 1r ff.; Is. liv.; lxvi. 20 [ LXx.];
Ezek. xl. ff.; Zech. xii. xiv.). In this larger view of the divine 1ToX,r nothing
was lost of the original conception of a community of worshippers, ideally
citizen-priests; but it was recognised that the privileges which belonged to
Israel corresponded with the destiny of humanity and must therefore be at
last presented in a form which was able to bring them within the reach of
all men (comp. Toh. xiii. 9ff.).
(b) The• (b) The 1ToX,r of Judaism was in its conception the most comprehensive
Greek in the old world. So far from the Jews deserving the reproach of illiberal
r6X,s.
narrowness, as long as they remained true to their Scriptures, they offered
a unique example of a nation most definite in its organisation, which
admitted freely the incorporation of new members and looked forward to
a world-wide religious communion in one faith. The Greek conception of
the 1ToX,r was sharply contrasted with the Jewish. The Jewish was
essentially universal becaUBe it was the embodiment of the One Divine
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
will : the Greek was limited, because it was the affirmation of personal
rights. It was designed to realise as fully as possible the powers of man
in the best and not in all It rested on a community of blood, religion,
law. It assumed the inherent superiority of the Greek race, and was
founded upon slavery (Ari.st. Pol. iii. 5). It tended to develop in the
:privileged few the immediate sense of privilege, of responsibility, of indi-
vidual freedom, in the highest degree ; but it excluded the possibility
of wide extension. Each citizen exercised his power directly. The power
therefore could not be extended to more than might be supposed to be
ahle to meet for counsel Thus while it has been maintained that the
1T0At~ was anterior to the citizen, it was also maintained that the 1T0Atr
could be no greater than sufficed for the fullest development of the citizen.
In the face of facts Plato admitted that the end of civic life was not
reached in existing states, but he added in remarkable words: b, oJpav<i>
iu(l)S' 1Taplltnyµ.a dvaKnTa, Tee {3ovA.oµ,ivq, Opfu,, Kal OpOOVT~ EavrOv 1Caroi1c.l(n11
(Resp. iL s.f. p. 592).

(c) The Greek conception of the 1T0Atr emphasised as strongly as (c) The
possible the rights and the duties of the citizen, the privileged man; but Stoic
his position of advantage was purchased at a high price. It required for 7ro'Jl.ts.
its attainment the subjection of all others. Those who looked at the
capacities of men as men could not rest in such a state of things. The great
Stoic leaders, who came at many points into contact with Jewish teaching,
proclaimed a universal ,roA<r, a city co-extensive with the world. 'What is
man 1' Epictetus asks. 'A member of a state' (µ.lpor ,roA£oor, comp. Sen. Ep.
xcv. 52), he replies, 'of that primarily which consists of Gods and men
(comp. Cic. de fin. iii. 19, 64; Sen. de otio iv. 1), and next of that which bears
the name and is most near to us, a state which is a small copy of the
universal state' (IJissert. ii. 5, 26; comp. iii. 22, 4; 85; 24, 10). 'Man,'
Marcus Aurelius says, 'is a citizen o( that sublimest state of which all other
states are (as it were) houses' (Medit. iii. 11). 'The end of a rational being
is to follow the principle and law of the state and constitution which is
anterior to all beside' (id. ii. 16; comp. iv. 4; 23; vi. 44).
This conception was adopted by Philo. 'The supreme state (~
µ.Eya7lo,roA,r),' he writes, 'is this world, and it obeys one constitution and
one law' (de Jos. § 6; ii. 46 M.). 'The soul of the wise accounts in very
truth heaven as its fatherland, and earth as a strange country' (de a,gric.
§ 14; i. 310 M.). Such souls after a time 'go back again thither whence
they first started, holding that the heavenly region, in which they live their
true life (l.v ff ,roAt1"£voVTm), is their fatherland, and the earthly, in which
they sojourn, a strange place' (de conf. ling. § 17; i. 416 M.).
These three distinct conceptions of the ,roAtr, which were widely These
influential in the Apostolic age, are combined in the conception of the thre? con-
Christian commonwealth. It is the seat of a Divine Presence which carries ~~fiffed
with it the promise of the fulfilment of a divine counsel in the fellowship of in the
man with God. It is a community in which each citizen is endowed with Christian
the completest privileges and charged with the fullest responsibility for the Society.
general welfare. It is a world-wide organisation embracing in a communion
of the largest hope 'all thinking things, all objects of all thought.' In
 390 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

the Apocalypse the .Jewish conception finds its most striking application.
In the Epistles of St Paul the Greek conception is dominant. But in
each case the idea of universality raises the particular conception to its
loftiest form.
The The real significance of the imagery of the Apocalypse is liable to
teaching be mistaken. This is largely derived from Ezekiel 'The holy city, new
of the
Apoca- Jerusalem' (xxi. 2), is in fact not a city, made up of human dwellings, but
lypse. one building, a Temple, a House of God (comp. Ezek. xl 2), which has
hitherto been in heaven (cc. iv. v.; xi. 19; xiv. 15, 17; viii. 3; xvi. 7;
comp. Hehr. viii. 5). It is a perfect cube (xxi. 16), 'four-square to all the
elements,' of absolute symmetry and strength. Angel-watches guard its
gates (xxi. 12). A single 'street,' as in the earthly Temple, gives an
approach to that manifestation of God which takes the place of the
Sanctuary (xxi. 21 ff.). The people live in a Paradise around it, and have
free access to the divine throne (xxii. I ff. ; 14, 19); and at the same time,
under another aspect, some at least among them are themselves part of the
spiritual Sanctuary (iii. 12). 'The name of God, and the name of the city
of God, and the new name of Christ' is the signature of believers (id.).
The revelation of this new Society, no less than the revelation of God
Himself, in other words, gives to the Christian his abiding character. As a
citizen of this new city, a priest doing service (xxii. 3) to a present Lord, a
servant and yet a king (xxii. 5), he reaches the goal of his creation. Mean-
while a wider work is accomplished. The leaves of 'the tree' by 'the river
of the water of life' are 'for the healing of the nations' (xxii. 2). So it is
that 'the nations shall walk amidst the light' of the city-which is 'the
glory of God'-and 'the kings of the earth do bring their glory into it'
(xxi 24).
In such a vision, given as the consummation of the work of the
Incarnate Lord, the most far-reaching words of the prophets find their
accomplishment. The new 1roA•s is seen to be a Temple. The centre, the
light, the law, of its constitution is the revelation of God through the Lamb
(xxi 23, o Avx11os); and those who first enter upon its privileges are
allowed to see the extension of their own privileges to 'the nations,' and
to fulfil a work for these later fellow-citizens.
The teach- St Paul recognised this spiritual city, 'the Jerusalem which is above,'
ing of which is 'free and our mother' (Gal iv. 26); but he dwelt more upon the
St Paul individual privileges which belong to its citizens (comp. 2 Cor. v. 1 f.) than
upon their social fellowship. As one who knew and used the rights of
Roman citizenship, he felt keenly how those who enjoyed a divine citizenship
were raised above all who were not spiritually enfranchised. The Christian
'citizenship' or 'commonwealth' (Phil iii 20, 1r0Alnvµ.a) was for him
a great and present reality, the full power of which would be shewn in
due time (Phil iii 21). Those who before were 'alienated from the
commonwealth (1ro'A,-r£las) of Israel and strangers to the covenants of the
promise' were 'made near in the blood of Christ' (Eph. ii. 12 f.). The
boundary wall ('t'J) which had hindered their approach to the Sanctuary
was broken down (Eph. ii. 14). They were therefore 'no longer strangers
(~•110, without any civic rights) or sojourners (m!po'1co,, licensed dwellers,
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 39 1
enjoying a defined status), but fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the
household of God' (Eph. ii 19). Their life was necessarily an endeavour to
realise under the conditions of earth the privileges of the new State of
which the Gospel of Christ was the charter (Phil. i 27 dt,oos Tov EvayyEALDv
Tov Xpurroii 1roAtT<V<<TB<), even as the true Jew had enjoyed the rights and
duties of the commonwealth of Israel (Acts xxiii. I )1.
In the Epistle to the Hebrews the idea of the Christian 1r&X,s is con- Theteach-
nected with the whole course of Revelation. The Call of Abraham pointed ing_ of the
to this abiding issue of the counsel of God. The patriarch recognised that ~p:htle
he was but a 'sojourner' in the land of promise : for 'he waited for the city Jebr:ws.
that hath the foundations' (c. xi. 10), the one definite organisation of the
people of God, already existing in the divine idea. For if men, for the
fulfilment of preparatory discipline, 'waited,' God had already provided
that towards which they reached forth: 'He had prepared them a city'
(c. xi. 16). On His side all has been eternally ready, but even now Chris-
tians, conscious of the transitoriness of the things amidst which they move,
'seek after the city which is to come' (c. xiii. 14 .,.;,v p.<AAowav [m>Atv]
tm(,,Tovp.,v). This city has not still to be founded: it is, and the believer as
he is able uses the high prerogatives which belong to its members 2•
The thought of the Christian 1r0Ais, 1roA1nla, which must be regarded
on the one side as opposed to all earthly states and institutions, and on the
other as absorbing and transforming them, finds frequent expression in
early writers : Clem. ad Cor. i. 2, 54 ; Polyc. 5 ; Herm. Sim. i. 1 ; Ep. ad
Diogn. 5; Clem. Al. Strom. iv. 174

4. The vision of thefulness of the Christian Society (xii. 22 f.).

The full realisation of the Christian mSA,s lies still in the future, but
meanwhile the believer is allowed to contemplate its glories in contrast
with the terrors of the legislation from Sinai. See notes on the passage.

5. The Christian Society as a present kingdom (xii. 28).

One further image is used of the Christian Society, which is not derived
from Greek or Roman thought, but from the monarchies of ·the East.
Believers receive from the hands of God 'a kingdom which cannot be
shaken' (xii. 28). The figure appears to include a twofold idea. They are
m1der a sovereignty of infinite wisdom, and they are also themselves kings
(comp. Rev. i. 6; v. 10 {3a<TiA,iav). The Society which is established has an
office towards the nations. The kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of kings,
who, in turn ruling in His name, bring all people under His sway.
The thought lies in the first proclamation of the Gospel (Matt. iii 2;
iv. 17). It was the topic of the teaching of the Risen Lord (Acts i. 3); and
it forms the substance of the latest apostolic teaching recorded in the Acts

1 Comp. E. L. Hicks, Classical Re- recognised sojourner, the 1rape1rlo11µos

view, i. pp. 4 ff.; 4r ff. (Hehr. xi. r3; r Pet. i. r; ii. rr) who
2 In contrast with the 1roXlT'T/s stands resides in the city but has no status,
the 1ra.po1Kos (Hehr. xi. 9; r Pet. i. 17; the ~hos (Hehr. xi. r3) who is simply a
ii. rr) who has a defined position as a foreigner.
392 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
(Acts xxviii 31). Its present symbol is the Cross (John xii 32), which
points to the way of true dominion, when the single ruler gives himself for
his people and does not use his people for selfish ends. ' He who bears
the reproach of his country shall be called the lord of the land, and he who
bears the calamities of his country shall be called the king of the world 1.'
The unconscious prophecy of the Chinese teacher has found its fulfilment ;
and the truth is committed to Christians that it may be embodied.

1 Lao-tzu, § lxxviii. (Chalmers' translation).

XII. 1] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 393
XII. 1
To,,yapovv Kat 11µe'is, 'TO<TOV'TOJ/ txov-res 7r€pt-

I TOO".: T?]AtKOVTOII ~•.

m. The general application of the marised in c. xi. The testimony

lessons qf the past to the present which they bear. can only be the
season qf trial (c. xii). testimony which they bear to God,
The consideration of the past vic- either by victorious achievements or
tories of Faith suggests three main by courageous sufferings, answering
lines of thought which are pursued in to that which He has wrought for
this chapter. and in them. In both respects, as
(1) 1-13. The virtue of discipline. conquerors and as sufferers, they
(2) 14-17. The necessity of peace witness to His power and faithful-
and purity. ness; and those who regard them
(3) 18-29. The character and obli- cannot but be strengthened by their
gations of the New Covenant. testimony.
(1) 1-13. The virtue of discipline. There is apparently no evidence that
The teaching on the virtue of disci- µ.aprvs is ever used simply in the
pline falls into two parts, (a) The sense of a 'spectator.' Even in such
motive to endurance in suffering (1, a passage as Wisd. i. 6 '""'" vE<ppc.'iv
2); and (b) The measure and end of atlToii µ.ap'TVS o BEoS Kal 'M)S Kapalas
suffering (3-13). a.J,-oii l1rl<rK01ros cl">,.11B71s Kal 'M)S yAoo<r<TTJS
(a) The motive to endurance in c1Kov<rT1Jr there is the thought of the
suffering ( 1, 2 ). open testimony to be given: comp.
Christians in one sense had entered 1 Tim. vi. 12; z Tim. ii. 2; Acts x. 41.
on the inheritance of the promises At the same time it is impossible
for which the fathers had waited to exclude the thought of the specta-
(xi. 39); but the full enjoyment of tors in the amphitheatre. The passage
possession was still delayed. In such would not lose in vividness though it
a case the example of the earlier would lose in power if Brnnav were
heroes of faith was of prevailing power: substituted for µ.aprvpwv. These
With less encouragement than the champions of old time occupy the
Hebrew Christians enjoyed they had place of spectators, but they are more
conquered. They had looked to a than spectators. They are spectators
Christ imaged in prophecy: the He- who interpret to us the. meaning of
brews could look to a Christ Who had our struggle, and who bear testimony
'come in the flesh' (Jesus). Thus the to the certainty of our success if we
writer marks (a) the position, ((3) the strive lawfully (2 Tim. ii. 5).
preparation, (y) the effort, (a) the aim, There is no confusion in this fulness
of Christians looking to One Who had of sense. The word 1rEp,KElµ.Evov gives
Himself conquered through suffering. the thought of the great company to
(a) The position qf Christians. whom the Christian athlete is made a
The writer regards himself and his spectacle ( l Cor. iv. 9 Bia,-pov lyn1TJB11-
fellow Christians as placed in an µ.Ev: c. x. 33 Brn,-p,C6µ.oo,); and p,ap-
arena and contending for a great ropwv explains what the true nature
prize. The image of the amphitheatre of this host is, widely different from
with the rising rows of spectators the pitiless throng visible to the bodily
seems to suggest the thought of an eye at the heathen games.
encircling cloud. The witnesses of Tertullian describes the scene which
whom the cloud is composed are un- actually met the eye (ad Martyras,
questionably the countless heroes of c. 1) : nee tantus ego sum ut vos
faith whose deeds have been sum- alloquar, verumtamen et gladiatores
394 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. r
'
KELµ€11ov ' -- ve,os
nµiv 'm µaprvpwv,
' ,,
o,yKov ' 0'eµevot 7ravra
a7ro '
perfectissimos non tantum magistri et lx. rr•ptt<.<lµ,,vov ~,..iv] Vulg. habentes
prrepositi sui sed etiam idiotre et impositam, literally 'having spread
supervacue (-cui ?) quique adhortantur about us.' The competitors feel the
de longinquo, ut srepe de ipso populo crowd towering about and above them.
dictata suggesta profuerint. Hence the Apostle does not say simply
In a cognate passage of Longinus 'll"<pt1<.<iJ1,•vo, vl<pos (comp. c. v. 2) or
(de sublim. § xiv.), quoted by Wetstein, rr•ptt<.ELJJ,EVOV vl<povs, but lxovus rr•pt-
the 'witnesses' are regarded as those 1<.<iJ1,•vov. Believers are conscious of
who will bear testimony of what they the surrounding host. For lxovr,11
see in the trial : T'f yap 6VTL JJ,Eya Td rr,p,1<.. comp. v. 14 note.
&y"5v,uµ,a ••• tv Tl'JAL1<.ovro,s ifpoocn t<.ptra'is The words occur in a very different
T~ K.~L' µ,apTVUL
' ( ,
V'll"<XELV ...
T6JV ,I.. ,
ypa't'OJJ,EV6JV connexion in 2 Clem. i. 6 &rro8Eµ,<vot
,v0vvas. JK.E'i.vo ~ 'lfEptK£iµ,E0a
vE<po~.
The true idea of the 'witnesses' 11/cpos ,..apropoo11] Vulg. nubem (d
is given by the Fathers, as by Chryso- imbrem) testium. A 'cloud' is used
stom: Maprvpas a; otlxl Tovs lv Tf, 1<.awf, in all languages for a dense mass of
AE'}'<L µ,6vov &">..">..a 1<.al TOVI/ ,v rf, rra">..aiq. • living beings from the time of Homer
1<.al yap 1<.al atlTol •µ,apT"iJpf/UaV Tf, TOV downwards : Il. iv. 27 4 aµ,a a, 11lcpo11
8,oii µ,,-ya">..•tbTl'JTL • and Primasius : ,irr<To rr•(wv. .,lEn. vii. 793 Insequitur
Nubem testium appellat multitudinem nimbus peditum. PriscilL iii. p. 63
patriarcharum ac prophetarum reli- testimoniorum nube.
quorumque fidelium qui testes fue- Chrysostom (followed by others)
runt perfectre fidei. finds in the 'cloud' the idea of shelter
Epictetus uses the image of the from the scorching heat: ~ 1""1/l"T/ Twv
games to support a spirit of effort tr}'loov EKElvrov cZtrrrEp vfcj)ot rOv <J,AEy0-
and endurance : Dissert. iii. 2 5 ; 1"•11011 V'/1"0 dt<.TLIIOI/ 8,p,..oTEpas (TK.ta(EL •••
Enchir. li. 2. dvl<TT1]Ut ,cal dvaKTiira, V,vx~v.
' Therefore let us also, seeing we ([3) The preparation of Chn-istians.
have so great a cloud of witnesses The solemnity of the position of the
encompa.~sing us, lay aside every en- Christian naturally leads to the con-
cumbrance and the sin which doth sideration of the preparation which
so easily beset us, and with patience he is bound to make for the fulfilment
run the race that is set before us, of his arduous duty. This is twofold.
•looking unto Him Who is the leader He must lay aside natural encum-
and finisher of J,aith, even Jesus, brances (&y1<.011 rravra), and also the
Who,for the joy that was set before positive sin by which he is hindered.
Him, endured the cross, despising 6y1<.ov drroB,,..,110, rr.] (let us) . .. lay
shame, and hath sat down on the aside every encumbrance ..• Yulg. de-
right hand of the throne of God. ponentes omne pondus. The word
1. Totyapovv 1<.al ~µ,•is ••• ] Vulg. Ideo- iJy1<.011, which does not occur elsewhere
que et nos... Therefore assuredly let in N. T. or LXX., is used for bulk of
us also, who are under the new Cove- body (Galen, in Hippocr. Aphor. 1
nant in the time of our trial... The (xvii. (2) p. 363, Kiihn) TT/!/ Trov &e">..,,-
writer identifies himself with those Tciiv £VEEla~ ot3 µ.uc.pOv roiiTD Eur,v
whose courage he desires to animate : ry1<.Af/J1,a TO '11"Ept{:JaAAEU8a, '11"<tpau8a,
c. x. 39. ,.,.,y.8011 il-yt<.ov 1<.aTa TO (TWJ1,a ••• ), for an
To,yapovv occurs again 1 Thess. iv. 8 arrogant bearing, and for a burden-
(Tolvvv, c. xiii. 13); elsewhere the some load. These several senses have
writer introduces his conclusion with been applied to the interpretation
a,a TOVTO or ;;e..,. of the word here. The competitor in
XII. 1] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 395
\ ' ' I ' f ~, ' ,... I
Kal TrJV €U7r€pur-raTOV aµ.apTlaV, OL U7r0p.OVrJS TPEXWP.EV

a race seeks by training to reduce (1) 'easy to be put off,' 'avoided,'

all superfluity of flesh, and in the 'removed,' from the sense of 1T<p1-
contest lays aside all undue confidence l<rra<rOai in 2 Tim. ii. I 6; Tit. iii. 9.
and every encumbrance of dress. This sense is adopted by Chrysostom
There can be little doubt that the in treating ~f t~e , passage : <V?T~pl-
image is taken from the immediate <rrarov {fro, TT/" EVKOAc.>s 7TEpuurafJ,<IITJV
preparation for the decisive effort, ~fJ,C&S ; TT/II EVKOAc.>S 7TEpl<rrarTLII l!vva-
so that the first sense is inapplicable, l'-'111/" ?TaBELII Aiyn. fJ,CIAAOI/ a; rouro.
and it is hardly possible that d?To- r,4a,ov yap Eav 0,11.c.>fJ,<II 7TEp,y,vi<rOai rijs
Oi<rOa, lJyKoll could be used of the aµ.aprlas : and d gives fra.gile. But
effects of training. The last inter- the form is decisive against the deriva-
pretation is in every way the most tion on which it rests. The compound
appropriate. The writer seems to could not lose the-,-: it must be formed
have in his mind the manifold en- from <rraros.
cumbrances of society and business ( 2) ' well- befriended,' ' popularly
which would be likely to hinder a supported,' 'admired of many.' This
Christian convert. The duty of the interpretation is derived from the
convert would be to free himself from corresponding sense of ?T<pl,rraros
associations and engagements which, (from Isocrates downward), and d-
however innocent in themselves, hin- 7T<pl<rraros 'unsupported,' 'desolate'
dered the freedom of his action. (Phocyl., Arrian). The form of the
It may however be noticed that word is favourable to this sense.
Philo says that the soul which would (3) 'readily besetting' (Vulg. cir-
seek God must not remain ,v rots cumstans). There is no exact parallel
<rc.>fJ-aruw,s :$-yKo&s ( Leg. Alleg. iii. § I 5; for such an active sense in compounds
i. 96 M.). of Z<rra<rOai, but this interpretation
Compare Chrysostom: ?Tavra rlva ; has been most generally adopted; and
-rovrl<TTL rllv iJ1Tvov, -r~v OA,:ywplav, roVt it is given by Chrysostom as an alter-
Xoy,<rfJ,OVS rovs EVTEAEts, ?Tavra ra dv- native on the passage, and by other
OprJmva. Greek writers.
Theodoret; TOIi TCdll 1TEp1rrru11 cf>po11- Theodoret gives a different expla-
'rlllc.>11 d?Toppl,f,c.>fJ,EII ~Ko11. nation, ' easily contracted' : EV1T<pi-
Theophylact : rovri<rri ro {3apos rru11 rTTaro11 '"I" aµ.aprlav lKaAE<TEII cJs EVKOACA>S
.,.
Y'I'""'" ' ' ,.. , , , ,.
1Tpayµ.arc.>11 Kut 'rc.>11 E7T avro,s rTVll£<rraµ.lv'711 r• ,cal y1voµ.ill7/v : and
cf>povrll!c.>v. Theophylact adds to the two explana-
For the image in d?ToOiµ.•110,, 'put- tions given by Chrysostom yet another:
ting off from one's self' as a robe, see ; a, ~" EVICOACA>S r,s Els 7TEp£<rTO.<TELS
.Acts vii. 58; comp. c. x. II (1T•P••""-•t11); ,,.,.1Tl1TTE£• ovl!iv yap ovrc.> ,c,vl!vvrul!ES cJs
Rom. xiii. 12 ; CoL iii. 8, &c. afJ-aprla.
rrp, EV7TEpl<rraroll aµ.aprlav] The Of these interpretations ( 1) and (2)
Christian must put off not ouly en- do not seem to fall in well with the
cumbrances but, that which is the scope of the passage, or with the
source of all failure, sin (aµ.aprla not imagery. It does not seem likely that
aµ.aprlai ). This sin is described as the writer would choose an epithet
EV7TEpl<rraras. The word EV7T<pluraros for sin which should describe it from
is not found except in places where the side of its impotence. Nor again
it has been derived from this passage. is the common estimate or regard of
The sense is doubtful Three mean- sin that with which the Christian is
ings have support either from analogy concerned. It is rather the personal
or from early Greek interpreters. relation of sin to the believer in his
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 2

'TOV 7rp0K€tµ€VOV ~µTv d7wva, ri.d<f>opWV'7'€S €LS 'TOV '1'ijs

work that we expect to find noticed. 1CElµ•11ov 'ITlp, lirJu"'" ; and in Philo, de
In this connexion the sense of 'readily a,gric. §§ 25 ff. (i. 317 ff. M.).
encircling, besetting, entangling' is The 'race' is spoken of by the more.
singularly appropriate. Nor is there general title of 'a contest' in regard
anything contrary to analogy in such to the strain and peril which it in-
a sense. The simple verbal OTaTos-, volves. Comp. Hero~ viii 102 1To'>..-
from which the compound is formed, Xovs '/TOAAQ/C(S dywvas lipaµloVTat 'ITEpl
is used of anything 'standing' (a ucpl:"'" avrl:"'" ol "E'>..'>..11v•s. Eur. Or.
house, a stone, water): 'ITEp10TaTos- 877 op~s ... dywva Bavau,µo11 lipaµovµ•-
would then naturally bear the sense 11O11. And still, as Chrysostom remarks,
of 'placed, standing round,' as enclos- the Apostle chooses the image of
ing, confining; and .J would express athletic effort, which is least repellent:
the fatal facility with which this fence OV/C El'ITE Ilv/CTEV6>µEv, ovlii IIaXal6>µE11,
of evil custom hems us in. The sin oiJlii II0AEµwµ•11, dAX' ~ 'IT<1VT6>1I ,covcpo-
by which we are practically encircled TEpov ~"• ro rov lipoµov, TOVTO •ls µEUOII
answers to the cloud of witnesses with TE0EtlCEV,
which God surrounds us for our en- IIpo,c•'iu0ai (proponi) is the usual
couragement. word in this connexion. God Himself
II•pl<TTaTos is found in a sense not , has set our work and our prize before
unlike this in a fragment of Theo- us as dy6>110Bfr11s. Comp. c. vi. 18.
pompus (Pamph. fr. 2) 1TEplOTaro11 (li) The aim of Christians.
f3ooiua Ti,11 ,crJµrw 1Tou'i ('causes the 2. The encouragement to be drawn
village to stand round her'). from earthly witnesses passes into the
(y) The effort of Christians. supreme encouragement which springs
Having marked our position and from the contemplation of Christ.
preparation as Christians, the writer Above the 'cloud of witnesses,' who
bids us begin and continue the effort encompass us, is our King, no Roman
to which we are called with patient Emperor dispensing by his arbitrary
endurance. will life or death to the stricken com-
li,' v1Toµovfjs ... dyw11a] For v1Toµo111 batant, but One Who has Himself
see c. x. 36 note. The thought of this sustained the struggle which we bear.
'patient endurance' is prominent in He Who is 'the captain (author) of
the context (v. 2 v1Tiµn11•11, v. 3 v1To- our salvation,' 'the righteous Judge'
µ•µ•V1]1COTa, v. 7 •ls 1Tatci•la11 tl'IToµl- (2 Tim. iv. 8), is also the example and
llETE ~ the inspiration of our faith. He in His
For liui see 2 Cor. v. 7; Rom. viii. , humanity endured suffering and shame
25. The lit' v1Toµovfjs stands first as beyond all others and received com-
colouring TPEX"'µ•"· pensating joy and glory. We there-
The construction of rp•x•w dyw11a fore may hope by sharing His sufferings
(Lat. strangely, curramus a4 pro- to share His glory (Rom. viii. 17 •i1r•p
poaitum nobiB certamen) is formed uvv1rauxoµ•v Tva /COi uvvlJoEau0wµu,~
on rpixnv lipoµo11: miBerabile currunt Compare Thomas a Kempis JJe imit.
certamen, Stat. Theb. iii. n6. iii. 18, 3 Vita tua vita nostra: et per
T;," 1Tpo,c. ~µ111 dym11a] The image of sanctam patientiam ambulamus ad te
the race is common in St Paul: 1 Cor. qui es corona nostra. Nisi tu nos
ix. 24 ff. ; Gal. ii. 2 ; Phil ii l 6 ; iii. I2 ; prrecessisses et docuisses, quis sequi
2 Tim. iv. 7. Compare Acts xiii 25; curaret?
XX. 24; Rom. ix. 16, dcpopwVT•s ,ls-] Vulg. aspicientes in,
It is found in classical writers : e.g. looking away from all that distract-a
Eur. Orest. 847 tvxijs dywva T;,11 'ITpo- on earth into ...not only at the first
XII. 2] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 397
7Tt0-'TEWS apxrryov Kat 'T€AELW'T1JV 'l11<Touv, OS av'Tt T1'JS
- , I

' '
avTw xapas u1reµ.ewev <T-raupov
\ , '
ai<Txuvr,s
'

moment, but constantly during the of the great army of heroes of Faith,
whole struggle. Contrast v. I tl.1roB,- He carried faith, the source of their
p.E1101.. Christ is always near and in strength, to its most complete per-
sight. The word does not occur else- fection and to its loftiest triumph.
where in the N. T. or in the LXX. (4 This ascription of 'faith' to the
Mace. xvii. ro); but see tl.rr,{3>..m,v c. Lord is of the highest importance for
xi 26; and compare .A.rrian, Epict. ii the realisation of His perfect hun1an-
19, 29 ,Zr TOIi BEoV tl.cpopruvrES iv 1ravrl ity. Comp. c. v. 8; ii. 13 lyc}, lcrop.ai
p.ucp,e Kai µ,-ya>..<p ; and id. iii. 24, l 6. rrnro,BJr lrr' avTru; iii. 2; John v. 19;
Clement uses aTEvl(nv Elr frequently: xi. 41. •·
I Cor. 7, 9; 19 &c. Chrysostom (with the Greek Fathers
Theophylact expresses the thought generally) limits the word to our
tersely: N1v B.>..,.,µ,v µaBE'iv To TP'X"v faith: avTor lv ,jµ.'iv TiJV rrlur,v lv,B17icEv,
lJi' V'll'OP,OV1JS, 1rpor TOIi Xpturov tl.cpopru- aJTor TiJV tl.px~v ailJ6'K£11. The Latin
p.Ev, .Zcr1rEp ol Tix11ar p.avBavovrn rrpor Vulgate translation necessarily led the
'TOflS lJilJaCTKaAOVS. Western Fathers to the same inter-
In one form or other the hope of pretation.
the vision of God has been the support tl.px. ical T£AEt6>T1711] Vulg. auctorem
of the saints in all ages: Job xix. 26 f.; et consummatorem (0. L. principem
Ps. xvii. 1 5. et perfectorem). .As 'leader' of
-rov rijr 1rlur,,.,r .. .'I17croiiv] Christ in Faith, Christ supported unparalleled
His humanity-Jesus-is 'the leader sufferings in every stage of human
and consummator of faith.' To Him life, and as 'finisher,' 'consummator,'
our eyes are to be turned while we He brought Faith to its sovereign
look away from every rival attraction. , power. The phrase has been com-
From Him we learn Faith. The pared with the Rabbinic i~lJl ~inn~.
'faith' of which the .Apostle speaks is For clpx17yor see c. ii. 10 note. Christ
faith in its absolute type, of which he is 'leader' and not 'beginner' only.
has traced the action under the Old The word n>..u,.,r,jr is not found
Covenant. The particular interpreta- elsewhere in the N. T. or in the LXX.
tions, by which it is referred to the or classical writers. It occurs in
faith of each individual Christian, as Greg. Naz. Orat. xl. in bapt. § 44, of
finding its beginning and final deve- the minister who baptizes ; and in
lopment in Christ; or to the substance Methodius de Sim. et Anna 5, of God
of the Christian Creed; are foreign Who admits those who are initiated
to the whole scope of the passage, into the Christian mysteries.
which is to shew that in Jesus Christ For the emphatic position of 'I17croiiv
Himself we have the perfect example at the end of the clause compare ii. 9
-perfect in realisation and in effect note.
-of that faith which we are to imitate, 8r tl.vrl T. rrµ .••• icaTa<pp.] The nature
trusting in Him. He too looked of Christ's example is indicated. The
through the present and the visible to joy that was set before Him was ac-
the future and the unseen. In His cepted as an equivalent (and more
human Nature He exhibited Faith in than an equivalent) for the sufferings
its highest form, from first to last, and which He endured. The joy was that
placing Himself as it were at the head of the work of redemption accom-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 2

Ka'Ta<f>pov,fuas, EN b.€zli 7"€ 'TOU 8povou 'TOU 8eou K€K~81K€N,

om. TOU Oeou ~-

plished through self-sacrifice. The 8,oii (x. 12), and here b, a. T. 8p. TOV
suffering was that of the cross, a death 8,ofi.
at once most painful and most humi- (b) The measure and the end of
liating. suffering (3-13~
For the correspondence between The example of the triumph of
the sufferings and the glory of Christ Christ through suffering leads to a
compare ii. 9 ; Phil ii. 9 (8,o); Is. liii. further consideration of the work of
II j and for aVTl 'I). 16 j Matt. xvii. 27 j suffering for the Christian. Suffer-
xx. 28, Ilpo1<eiJJ,•V1/S points to 1rpoul- ing is essentially a divine discipline.
JJ,•vov dyoova ('1'. 1). For xapa (not a Under this aspect the author shews
Pauline idea) see John xv. II note. that the contemplation of Christ's
ITavpas, which occurs here only in victory through suffering brings sove-
the Epistle, is used without the article, reign support in affliction.
as in Phil ii. 8, in order to fix atten- (a) The sufferings of the Hebrews
tion on the nature of the Death. were not more than simple chastise-
Elsewhere o crravpos (Col. i. 20; ii. 14 ments (3-6); and
&c.) expresses the actual fact as well (/3) Chastisement is the discipline
as the specific character of the Pas- of sons (7, 8).
sion. (y) He then characterises earthly
ITavpov, Theophylact says, TOVTEO'T&V and heavenly discipline (8, 9, ro), in
01lx Q'frAOOS BJ.vaTOV a.AA<l TOIi l1rovellJ,- the beginning and the end ( r r ), and
crrov, a punishment which Cicero spoke (3) draws a practical conclusion
of as 'crudelissimum teterrimumque' for the Hebrews in their trial (12, 13).
(adv. Verr. v. 64~ Comp. 1 Cor. i (a) Sufferings as chastisements
18, 23- But what men count shame (3-6).
was seen by Christ in another light. Two thoughts are suggested by the
From His position, raised infinitely consideration of Christ's sufferings (3).
above them, He could disregard their The sufferings of the Hebrews were
judgment. relatively slight (4); and all sufferings
Iv a,~,q, n, .. 1eo:J.8,1e,11] The contrast which come from God are the 1\ise
of tenses is significant. He endured discipline of a Father (5, 6). So it
••. and ltath sat down... The fact of was (the thought is implied though
suffering is wholly past but the issue not expressed here) in some sense
of it abides for evermore. Contrast which we hardly grasp even in the
l1ea8,u,v c. viii. 1 note. For the per- case of Christ, the Son (v. 7 f.).
fect see 'I'. 3 note. At this point the image is changed.
Chrysostom says : opq,s To l1ra8Aov; The thought is no longer of effort but
il'lf'EP 1eal o IlaiiAos ypacpoov cf,rwl (Phil of endurance ; of the assault of a
ii. 9 £). powerful adversary which must be
<Ecumeniussees in the words Christ's met, and not of a struggle voluntarily
power to requite His servants : l1ea11os sought.
0J11 1eal d,,.,ltau8a, vµ.as wip TOOi/ lJi' Chrysostom notices the use of differ-
aV,..Ov OA.l,/,Eo>V. ent forms of consolation: lcrr,v ,ta'I
It is impossible not to feel the pro- '1f'apa1eA10'£6JS oilo, lvaVTla MA1Aots ,lvai
gress of thought in the phrases Iv lJ01eo1JJ1Ta ••• TO JJ,EV yap 0TaJI 'lf'OAA<l Aeyoo-
a.~'¥ riis JJ,EYaAO>O'VJ/7/S (i. 3), Ell. a. TOV P,£11 'lf'E'lf'OV8lva, nvas ••• To lJi OTaJI ;\lyoo-

8povov rijs JJ,eyaA. (viii 1 ), ,,, a. TOV ,,..,, ilTt 01) JJ,lya T& 'lr£'1f'Ov8as ••• 1eal Top.iv
.XII. 3) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 399
3'
ava"J\.07u:ra<r0€
f \
7ap \
-rov
I t
-rotaU'TrJV U7roµEµEVrJKO'Ta
/
mro\
t

3 om. Tov' (To,. i11r,) D2*, i11r6: ,br6 Dt.

...
TETPVX"'P.'"'1" 'T1/" tvx~" am1101ravn •••To
'() ,.. '' '' , ,
0£ Pf vµ.ov';av av'M}V 1<a< v11Tiav 'YEIIOJJ,E-
ings point by point, going over them
again and again, not the sufferings on
VTJV E'lrt<rrpE<pn •• ,. the Cross only, but all that led up to
3 For consider Him that hath en- it.' This is to be done once for all
dured such. gainsaying by sinners (avaAoylcracrBE not avaAoyl(ECTBE ).
against their own selves, that ye fail TOV TOLOVT. v1rop.Ep. ••• ,alf'TtAoylav] Him
rwt through weariness, fainting in that hath endured such gainsaying,
your souls: 4 ye have not yet resisted such opposition as shewed itself in the
unto blood, contending against sin; infliction of the most cruel shame and
5 and have ye forgotten the exhorta-
death, in comparison with which your
tion that discourseth with you as sufferings are insignificant.
sons, For the use of the perfect (v1rop.E-
.My son, regard not lightly the p,EVTJ1<6-ra) in connexion with the
Lord's chastening, abiding results of Christ's work the
Nor faint when thou art reproved following passages should be carefully
by Him; studied:
6
For whom the Lord loveth Re v. 2 (1<£1<aB,1<£v) : i 4 (1<El<A.,,pov6,,..,,-
chasteneth, 1<£v) ; ii. 9 ( f>..aTT6'p,<vov ... £<rrE<pav6'-
.And scourgeth every son whom He µ.•vov); 18 (1rl1rovBEv); iv. 14 (aLEATJAV-
receivethf Bo-ra); l 5 (1rm£tpacrµ.lvov); vii 26
3· avaAoylcracrBE yap ... ] Vulg. Reco- (KEX"'p,uµ.,vos); 28 (T£T£An,,,µ.lvo11); ix.
gitate enim ... For consider Him that 26 (1r£<j,avlp,.,-ra,).
hath endured ... Be patient, the writer
says, look to Christ; for I charge you Compare c. vii. 6 (note) for the use
to consider His sufferings. If the of the perfect generally.
eyes are steadfastly turned to Him' The remarkable reading v1ro -rwv
(a<j,opwvns) the believer cannot fail to aµ.. £ls lavT. gives the idea expressed
ponder the vision and to estimate the in N um. xvi. 38, 'sinners against
power of His work in relation to Life. their owu selves.' The definite form
That is sufficient in order that Chris- (V'ff'O T<i>V aµ.apT. not v<f,'' &µ.apT.) de-
tians may support their affiictions. scribes the representative class in the
If the leader bears the brunt of the great crisis of the nation's history.
battle the soldier can follow. 'Aµ.apravnv Eis is the common con-
The use of y&p with imp. implies struction (Luke xv. 28 &c.).
the result of the comparison. Theodoret strangely joins £ls mlrovs
The word avaAoyl(oµ.a, does not with dva½luau(h: rO £ls at3ro0s- dvrl
occur elsewhere in the LXX. or N. T. roV £ls- EavrolJs. AoyluatT8£, <f,T}crl, 1rap'
It is common in classical Greek, and Vµ.Z11 aVroi's- ...
expresses in particular the careful For the word avnAoyfo, which corre-
estimate of one object with regard to sponds to ~ 17 in Pss. xvii. (xviii) 44;
another. Plat. Thewt. p. 186A (avaA. xxx. (xxxi) 21, compare Jude 11; John
TO YEYOV6Ta ••• 1rpos TO µ.<AAOJ/'Ta); Resp. xix. 12; Luke ii 34; .Acts xxviii. 19;
L 618 c. The use here in respect of Tit. i. 9; ii. 9·
a person and not of a thing is remark- The opposition in words is the
able. The writer seems to say ' Con- beginning of every form and act of
sider Christ, reckoning up His suffer- opposition.
400 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 4

TOON , ~
l>.Mi>.pT<.uA<.uN '
€IC ~ l av'TLI\.O,Ytav,
r €1>.)'T01C
' ' . ,_ ' ''LIia µri' '
Kaµri-re
'Tats ... ,_ ' ,,,...
yVXaL<; uµWV €Kt\.VOµEVOt. ' '\. I 4 O''U7rld ' ,,
µExpts
atµa'TOS
, I \ \ ' I ' Y.'
av-rtKa'T€0-'TrJ'T€ 1rpos 'Tr/11 aµap-rtav av-ra,ywvt~oµevot,

3 ea,vro•

ea.vrous ~*D,* (vg) syr vg (a.llTOVS ~•): ea,vr6• A: a,ur6v i;-.

D2*, 4 0~1rw: +;,d.p D2* (vg) me the.

iva µ.q Kaµ.17u ... iKAv&µ..,o,] The character (even believers are 'sinners')
final failure comes from continuous and to include its various forms.
weakening. The moral strength is Christians had to contend primarily
enfeebled little by little (Mwoµ.,vo, with open enemies whose assaults
as contrasted with iKAv0ivr,s). So seem to be contemplated here in µixp,s
it may be that those who, like the a'lµ.aros. At the same time there is
Hebrews, had begun well are unable an inward struggle which cannot be
to sustain the long stress of the con- wholly overlooked, though this did
flict. · not involve literally 'a resistance to
For the use of iKAtmrBai see v. 5 ; blood.'
Gal vi. 9 ; Matt. xv. 32. There is no authority for giving a
The rhythm of the sentence seems metaphorical sense to µ.•xp•s a1µa.-os
to be decisive for the connexion of ('to the uttermost'), and such a sense
.-a,s y. iJ. with iKAv&µ.,vo,. Comp. would be pointless here. Comp. 2 Mace.
Polyb. XX. 4 avi-,mrov ra'is ,i,. ~aµ.vnv xiii. 14- The words of Phil. ii. 8 µ.ixp•
is used absolutely James v. 1 5. Bavarov seem to be present to the
Theophylact gives the general sense thoughts of the writer.
very happily : TO avaAoy{uauBa, ,.;,,, Both the words dvr,KaTaurijva, and
Xp,urov TOV@UEL ~µ...iv TCLS vvxas Kal dvrayoovi(,uBa, are classica~ but the
vEvpcJun Kal oVK €lluu iKAEAVuBa., Kal latter does not occur elsewhere in
chrayop,vuai 'ITpos .-as B>Jv,ns. the Greek Scriptures. The balance
4- otlm,, .. .aVTLKaTEUT')TE .•• ] The suf- of the sentence requires 'ITpos '"I" aµ..
ferings of the Hebrews are contrasted to be taken with dvrayoov,(oµ.,vo,. The
with those of Christ. Their struggle imagery of the arena still floats before
had not yet been to death. At the the writer's mind. · For the simple
same time it is implied (otlm,,) that dyoovl(,uBai see I Tim. vi 12; 2 Tim.
they must be prepared for a deadly iv. 7 ( I Cor. ix. 2 5) ; i'ITayoov{(,uBai
encounter. Jude 3.
The statement is in no way opposed The personification of sin (dvrayoov,(.
to the view that the Epistle was ad- 'ITpos ,.~,, aµ..) is natural and common:
dressed to a Palestinian Church out James i 1 5 ; Rom. vi. 12 ff. 'Avn1<.a.-i-
of which St Stephen and St James OTJ'/TE ofov ,ls 1rapara~w, ,ls 'ITOAEµ.ov, cJs
had suffered martyrdom. The recol- ,cal Tijs aµ.ap.-las avB,ur@O")S (<Ecum.).
lection of what these early witnesses Sin is one whether it shew itself
had borne would in fact add point to within, in the Christian himself (v. 1),
this exhortation to the second gene- or without, as here, in his adversaries.
ration of the Church. For the difference between ~ aµapr{a
'ITpos '"'" &,.,. dvrayoov.] The conflict and aµ.ap.-la see iii 13; v. I (~ aµ..)
of the Hebrews is spoken of as a con- and iv. I 5 ; ix. 26 note, 28 ; x. 6, 8,
flict with sin rather than sinners (v. 3), 18; xi 25; xiii. II (aµ..). See also
in order to emphasise its essential .Additional Note on i. 3 ·
XII. 5, 6] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 4or
~ 1. I d
5 Ka1 EKA€ArJ<r0e 'TrJS 7rapaKl'-rJ<r€WS' rJ'TtS Vµtv c.Js- viois
itaA€"/€'Tat,

Yie MOY, MH o,\1rwpe1 TTb.lAE!b.C Kypioy,

MHA€ EK,\yoy yr( <}.'(TOY e,\erxoM€NOC"
6oN rJ.p ~rb.ni Kfp1oc TT<>-IA€YEI,
Mb.CT1ro1 i.~ TTANT<>- yidN ON n<>-p<>-A€)(€T<>-1.

5. ical EKAEA1J<T0E .-~r ,rapm,X.••. ] f>r ,ra.-pl'I' y"ll."5uur, ~aXoµ.<iJ11 ,cah'irai,

and have ye forgotten the exhortation cpa.11m, nmaElar 8Eoii; vU, µ~ .lX,yc:JpE, ...
(Vulg. consolationis) ... ? It is doubtful OVT6>S- apa ~ E'7Tl'TtA1Jt,s- 1<al vovllEula
whether the sentence is to be taken a,·
l<aA6JJ VEIIOp.,<T'l'a,, ..;;<T'l'E aJ.-fjs- ~ ,,rp6r
interrogatively or affirmatively (and llEoJJ oµ.oXoyla uvyy•11eia ylyvETat. rl yap
ye have forgotten). The former in- 't I t ,._ \ "" t '"'
o,1CEWTEpo11 Vl'f' ,,ra.-por 1J VIOV ,,rarp,I /
terpretation gives the most forcible In a remarkable passage Epictetus
sense. The question pleads against claims for man a divine sonship: aia.-l
the forgetfulness which it implies; and µ~ ll,rr, .-,r avr611 Kouµwv (a citizen of
still it is in form less severe than a the Universe); a,arl µ~ vl611 TOV llEotl;
statement. aia.-, a; cpofJ7J8~<TETal n '1'@11 y,vop.E116>V
The idea of 1rapa.1<A1Juir (as of ,,, dv8pW1ro,r; . ..T;, aE Tbv 8£0v 7rOL1JT;,v
,,rapa.1<A1J.-or) goes beyond any single £xnv Kat 1ra-rlpa ,cal l<.1JaEµ,6va 013Klr,
rendering. The divine word, to ~µiis ltmp~<TETat AV7TWII /Cal cf>ofJwv;
which appeal is made, is at once an ( Dissert. i. 9, 6 f.).
encouragement and a consolation.
µ~ JX,ywpn] Vulg. Hehr. 0~'1l:l S~
Sufferings are tempered by the pro-
vidence of God, and they are a sign .regard not lightly. Do not make it
of sonship. of little account ; do not neglect to
'E1CAa118avEulla, occurs here only in consider its real scope and end.
the Greek Scriptures. It is in classical The verb &X1y6>pE111 does not occur
writers from Homer downwards. again in the Greek Scriptures. For
.,;.-,s-.•• a,aX.yrrm] that discourseth J,c"J\vov see v. 3•
with you as sons. The utterance of 6. µ.a<T'l',yo'i] The LXX. read :i~:,,
Scripture is treated as the voice of which the Masoretic text points :itt:p
God conversing with men. Through (as a father), as if it were some form
the written word the Wisdom of God
addresses us. from :l~f 'he was pained.'
This peculiar use of a,aXlyEu8a, For ,rm(JEVE111 compare I Tim. L
does not occur elsewhere in N. T., but 20.
the personification in Gal iiL 8 (,,rpoi- (ft) Chastisement is the discipline
&iiua ~ ypacp~) is even bolder. qj" sons (7, 8).
For ~nr see ii. 3 note. 1 It is for chastening ye endure; it
vU µov ••• ] Prov. iii II f. Comp. is as with sons God dealeth with you.
Job v. 17. Philo quotes the words de For what son is there whom his
congr. erud. grat. § 31 (L 544 M.) oil.-6> father chasteneth not f 8 But if ye are
rolvv11 ~ 1ro,a ,ca,c6)u,r (Deut. viiL 2) without chastening, whereof all have
"3<pEA,p.Ov EOT&V ••• Ev0£v a' fµ.ol aOle.t:'i Ttf become partakers,then are ye bastardll'
r6i11 cf>o,'1'1]Truv M6>V<TE6>r, 0110µ.a Elp7Jv11<or, and not sons.
W. H. 3 26
402 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 7, 8
,,·
Ets
~,
1ratv€taV
,
u1roµEV€'1"€"
' , , .. ,.....
ros utots vµtv 1rpo<T1 €p€rat
m' o
'
I / \ , \ c\ ' ~ I I 8 ' ~ \ I
0€OS' '1"tS ryap UtOS OV OV 7ratOW€L 1rar17p; €t 0€ xroptS
, ~ I
€<T7"€ 7rato€tas 1JS µeroxot
'i' I I
,Y€,YOVa<Tt 7raV'7"€S,
I ,I
apa
'0
VO Ot

7 ,ls ,ra.,o,la.v u1roµ<vET• 1:-tA vg syr vg me the: (,ra.pa.o.) Eis ,ra.di. I u,roµ,lva.u I D2
(recepit in disciplinam I perseverare d -ate e): ,l 1ra.,o. u,roµ. s, Tls -yap tot*A vg
the: +eO'Tlv l:ot 0 D 2 syr vg me, 8 v68po, A.

7. ,lr ,r, lhroµ.] Vulg. in disciplina c.lr vl. v. 1rpou<f,.] The very fact that
perseurate. The clause may be either you suffer is, if you rightly regard it,
imperative or indicative. The absence an assurance of your sonship. You
of a connecting particle in the next can recognise in it the dealing of a
clause favours the latter view. It is Father. The clause is independent.
for chastening ye endure; it is as The title of privilege (v!or) is naturally
with sons God dealeth with you. The used : comp. ii. 10. The title Ti,cvov
divine purpose is unquestionable, but (-va) does not occur in the Epistle.
at the same time the efficacy of the The use of 1rpou<f,lp,uBa, in vµ'iv
discipline depends on the spirit with 1rpoucp. (Vulg. vobis offert se) is not
which it is received. Patient endur- found again in the Greek Scriptures;
ance alone converts suffering into a but it is common in classical writers
beneficent lesson. 'E1ru«'~ Touavm and in Philo.
J1r0.8ET£ ,ca,cci, voµ.l(ErE Zr, dcj,ijKEV Vµ.as 0 It is worth observing again in this
IJ£6s «.al µ,,uli; El µ,~ £1rll8£r£, rOrE ;aft connexion that the absolute title of
TovTo v1ro1TT<vELv (Chrys.). Compare 1raT~P is not given to God in the
Priscill. x. p. 133 ecce Deus dum cor- Epistle, except in the quotation i. 5.
ripit diligit, et erudit potius peccati It is found in all the other groups of
agnitione quam plectit. Comp. 2 Mace. Books in the N. T.
vi. 12. Tlr yap v!. f>v DV 1Tat«'.] The words
The difference between 1rai«',{mv can be rendered either For who is
and a,Mu,mv is always clearly marked. a son whom his father ... ; or For
IIm«'n,nv, the habitual rendering of what son is there whom... The latter
il;I! in the LXX. (about 40 times), construction is more simple and ex-
suggests moral training, disciplining presses more distinctly the thought
of the powers of man, while a,Mu,mv of suffering on the part of sons.
expresses the communication of a .Aroc. iii., 19 OO'ovr lav cp,'Aw ,"Aiyx<»
particular lesson. This force of 1rat- /Cill 1TataEV6',
a,v,w is to be taken account of in Comp. Philo de Joseph. § 14 (ii.
.Acts vii. 22 ; xxii. 3. The training p. 52 M. Tl,cva yinium); de vit. Mos. i.
given by a great master is something § 6o (ii. p. 132 M: viol yv77u10,).
far more than his teaching. 8. .Z a. x<»pts iO'TE 1Tat«'dar ... 1TOVTH]
The word 1rai«',la is used differently The order of the words throws the
in this verse and the next. Disci- emphasis on x<»pls. .All true sons, all
pline is here regarded as the end, who have ever realised this relation,
and in the following verse as the have been made partakers in chasten-
means. The corresponding word "19UJ ing. The reference is apparently to
is used with like variation of meaning: divine sonship and not to human.
e.g. Prov. xxiii. 12, 13, For ,lr of the The use of the compound perfect
end see c. iv. 16; vi. 16. '"f1roµiv,w is form µfroxot y•yovautv (comp. c. iii.
used absolutely 2 Tim. ii. 12; 1 Pet. 14 note) shews that the chastisement
ii. 20; James v. u; Rom. xii. 12. was personally accepted and perma-
XII. 9] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Kat ovx
viol €CT'T€. 9 €1-ra -rove; µev -rijc; uapKoc; ,iµwv
I ,I
7raT€pac; €tXOµ€V ~ \
?rato€VTac; '8
Kat\ ,€J/€Tp€7rOµ€ a• ,
OU 7r0/\.V\
µaAAov V'1rOTa7r,uoµdJa 'Ttp 1ra-rpt 'TWJ/ '7rJ/€Vµa'TCIJJ/ Kai

Ktt! otlx vl. l. ~AD2* vg: l. Ktt! otlx vl. i;- syr vg. 9 elrtt : el ot! syr vg.
'll"OAV ~AD2*: 'll"OAA<i) !,. 'll"OAV+/Se ~•Dt.

uent in its effects, and not simply a them for a few days, He chastens us
transitory pain (µ,erlrrxov, µ,fr. 1-ylvov- for our profit that we may recei'De
To). Coqi pare v. II (-ye-yvµ,varrµ,lvo,r) ; of His holiness. "All chastening for
iv. I 5 1rnmparrµ,lvov : Matt. V. IO lJe- the present seemeth to be not joyom
lJ,,.,-yµ,lvot. but grievous; but afterward it yield-
1ravns] Notandum autem quia non eth peaceable fruit to them that have
omnis qui flagellatur filius est, sed been exercised 'thereby, even the fruit
omnis qui filius est flagellatur (Primas. of rightoousness.
after Chrys. ). 9. elra ... lverpE'll"oµ.eBa] Further-
3.pa voBo, lu-rl] Vulg. ergo adulteri more we had the fathers of our flesh
. .. then are ye bastards who stand in to chasten us,and we gave them regard
no recognised position towards their •.. Thisparticleelrahasbeen taken as an
father as heirs to his name and for- interrogative : 'Is it so then that we
tune : for their character he has no had ...,' according to common classical
anxiety as for that of sons: they are use, but in this case the following
~thout ,the __ran?~ of ~is ~iscipline. sentence would naturally begin with
!2U1rep ev rais o,,c,ais To>V voBo>v ,cara- ,ea{ (,cal ov 1r0Av µ.aJ-..Aov ). It is better
<ppovovrr,v ol 1rarlpes ,ct,,v ,,_,,aev µ,avB&.- therefore to regard it as introducing
vo>rrt, ,ct,,v µ,~ lvlJo~o, -ylvo>vrat, roov lJi a second argument : further, yet a-
'Y"'lrrlo>v lve,cev vlwv lJelJol,mrr, µ.11rore gain. In v. 8 the apostle has shewn
p~Bvµ,~rro>rrt, TOVTO ,cal l1rl TOV 1rapov- the universality of filial discipline :
TOS (Chrys.). For d.pa see c. iv.. 9 he now shews in what spirit it should
note. be borne, drawing his conclusion from
(y) Characteristics of earthly and natural experience. There is no ex-
heavenly discipline (9-1 l ). act parallel in the N. T. to this use of
The thought of filial discipline on elra, which is used in enumerations
ilarth, which has been already intro- (e.g. 1 Cor. xii. 28; xv. 5, 7) as well as
duced (v. 8), is followed out in some in sequences (e.g. Mk. iv. 28).
detail in order to illustrate the obli- The word 1railJw~s (Vulg. erudi-
gations and issues of the discipline of tores) is found again in Rom. ii. 20;
God. The discipline of God answers Hos. v. 2; Ecclus. xxxvii. 19. It ex-
to greater claims (v. 9), and is direct- presses not only the fact of the disci-
ed by higher wisdom to a nobler end pline, but the parental office to exer-
( v. IO), than belong to natural parents. cise it.
And while all discipline alike is pain- 'Evrpl1roµ.a, (Vulg. reverebamur) is
ful to bear we are taught by experi- found in Luke xviii. 2, 4; xx. 13 (and
ence to look to its issue (v. II). pa~lels). , ~
9 Furthermore we had the fathers TOVS T. er. 'I· 1raT•••• T'f' 1rar. T. 71'1'.]
-of our flesh to chasten us, and we The fathers of our earthly, corporeal,
gave them regard: shall we not being are contrasted with the Father
much rather be in suqjection to the of spirits, the Author not only of our
Father of spirits and live? '° For spiritual being but of all spiritual
while they chastened us as it pleased beings (.-0011 1r11evµ.. not rov 1rv. 1µ.wv).
26-2
404 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 10

~r,<Toµev;
}":, 10
oi µev ,yap 1rpos 01\.tryas r,µepas KaTa TO
t ' ' ' '"\. / t ' \ \

10 ol: o N*.

Their limited relation to us (rijs u. <Ecumenius : roiiro yap {:6l1J .,.;, v,ror•-
1µ.c.'iv) is contrasted with His universal raxBa, B,ip.
power. By our spirit (v. 23) we have The phrase O ,raNJp TOOII 'tr11Evµ.ar6'11
connexion with Him and with a higher is quite general, the Father of spirits
order. We owe to Him therefore a embodied, disembodied, unembodied.
more absolute subjection than to those The context, which regards disobedi-
from whom we derive the transitory ence as possible, seems to exclude
limitations of our nature. the idea that ra 1r11,vµ.ara means only
The language is perhaps based upon the spirits in conscious, willing, fel-
Num. xvi. 22, xxvii. 16 (LXX.) (o) o.;,, lowship with God.
TC0v 1rvEvp,ClT6>v ,ea} 1r&u17r uapKDs- ( rCOv The 1rv,iiµ.a corresponds with the
clvBpr,hr,,w). Comp. Clem. R. i. 58 o uapE, in the narrower sense, as an
1raJ1E'tr011T1JS B,bs ica, lJEU'trOTTJ~ rrov 'trllEV- integral element in man's nature. By
µ.ar6'11 ical Kvptos 1rau.,,s uapicos. id. 59 the latter he is bound to the line of
\ \ , , ' , ,
TOIi ,raJITOS 'trllEVµ.aTos ICTLUT1/II ICaL E'trL• ancestors who determine the condi-
uico1ro11 (and Lightfoot's note); and tions of his earthly life (vii. 5, 10
Apoc. xxii. 6 () Kvp,os, 0 B,os Tc.>11 note) : by the former he stands in
1r11,vµ.ar6'11 rc.>11 ,rpocp1Jrc.>11. immediate connexion with God.
ov iroXv µ..••• ical Nuoµ.,11;] The form The Greek Fathers are vague in
of this clause is different from that of their interpretation of the phrase, as
the clause to which it corresponds. Chrysostom : rip 1rarpl .,-0011 ,rv,vµ.a.T"'"·
Instead of saying rce a.
'tr. r. 'trll. oilx 1/TOL rc.'iv xap,uµ.aT6'11 A<yEL ,froL 'T6>11
v1roray., the writer brings forward wxli>v (leg. tvxli>v) 1/TOL .,.,;;,, clu6'µ.a'T6)JJ
the overwhelming superiority of the /Jvvdµ.«.,11. Theophylact adds to xa-
obligation (oil 1r0Xv µ.aXXov). So also ptuµ.a.T6'V and clu6'f'O.T6'11 /Jv11aµ.E6'V, ~.
the careful regard (lv,rpmoµ.,Ba) due ~
O'tr~p icaL' OLICE:or,pov,
' ' T~II 1•
• •'f'VX:»"·
• Theo-
to an earthly parent is contrasted doret : 1rar,pa ,rv•vµ.ar6'11 rov 1r11wµ.a-
with the complete submission due to 'TL1COV 1raripa 1C<1CA.1J1CE11 cJs .,.,;;,, 1r11,vµ.a•
God (woTa'Y1JUOµ.<Ba~ 'TLICOOII xap,uµ.ar6'11 'tr'J'Y'I"·
For the use of ph without M fol- The later Latin Fathers speak more
lowing compare Luke xxii. 22; Col. decidedly : Pater spirituum, id est
ii. 23. creator animarum, Deus omnipotens
Such absolute subjection is crowned est, qui bona creavit, primum ex ni-
by the highest blessing (ical (1uoµ.,v). hilo, deinde vero ex elementis, corpora
True life comes from complete self- hominum aliorumque animalium. A-
surrender. As the One Son fulfilled nimam vero hominis ex nihilo creavit
His Father's will and lives through et creat adhuc; non est enim pro-
Him, so the many sons live through bandum quod anima pars deitatis
His life in obedience to Him : John sit ; quoniam deitas increata est,
vi. 57 (/J,a), xiv. 15, 19. This life is anima. autem creatura est. ldcirco
given on the part of God, but it autem omnipotentem Deum creatorem
has to be realised by the individual: animarum appellat, non corporum,
1 John v. 16. cum omnium creator sit quia •.. anima.
Compare the striking words of •..semper a Deo ex nihilo creatur
Theophylact: ical (:4uoµ.,v ,rpou,B.,,ic,v (Primas.).
Lva aElEn aTi O dvv,r6ratcTOS' oVaE (fj. 10. The method of human disci-
lEw yap EUTL roii B,oii as EUTL ,,,,1 :
and pline is as inferior to the method of
XII. 11] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
~ ,... , ,... , I~ t ~\ , \ \ f"h / ' \
VOKOUII au'TOtS €7T'UW€UOII, 0 0€ €7T'l 'TO cruµ,€pov €tS 'TO
µ€'TaAa(3liv 'T11S CX"flO'TrJ'TOS auToii. JI7T'a<ra rµev1 7T'at0€ta
, • \ \ t ~ - - T ,-,,. -,,. \ -,,. I
7rpos µ€11 TO 7rapo11 OU VOKEt xapas €tl/at atv\.a I\.U7T'1'JS,
t/ ~' ' , ' ..... "' , , ....
V<T'TEpov 0€'- Kap7rOV €tprJVtKOV 'TOtS Ol aU'TrJS 7e7uµva<T-

braloeuev ~µa.s Ka! .,-a, ooKouna ail-roi'r D 2*. uuµ,,j,lpw11 A. om. elr .,-6 N*.
I[ ol N•A vg syr vg me: µb, N*: om. D 2*. ailrijs : a,l.,-oi's D 2* •

the divine discipline as the claims of which rests on general relations.

the one are inferior to the claims The discipline of the earthly parent
of the other. is for a short 'time, and that which
The clauses in the verse are related the discipline directly regards is short
inversely: also.
wpos &Xlyas 1µ.lpas For the use of 7rpos compare v. I 1
,ca'Ta T'O lJolCOVJI (1rpos 'TO 7rapo11); I Tim. iv. 8 (7rpos
J1r't. .,.() uvµ.<J>lpov &">..lyo11). Notantur dies non solum ii
ds To µe.,-a">..a/3e'i11 Tijs ay«,T1JTOS mlTOfi. quos durat ipsa disciplina sed ad quos
The discipline of the human father disciplinre fructus pertinet (Bengel~
is regulated 'according to his plea- With e'1rl .,-l, uv~•po11 compare I
sure.' Even when his purpose is best, Cor. xii. 7 1rposTo uvµ<plpo11. The word
he may fail as to the method, and his ay,,;.,.'ls occurs again 2 Cor. i. 12; µ.e-
purpose may be selfish. But with TaAa/3li11, c. vi. 7. With the general
God, for His part, purpose and accom- ideacompare Philo, Leg. Alleg. i.§ 13
plishment are identical ; and His aim
is the advantage of His children. .
(i. 50) <ptA.ol3wpos J,,, 0 Beas xapl(eTal
' ()' ... . \ '\. ,
\
Ta aya ~ 1raa1, ~a,, To:s- p,TJ T~AEtOtS'{
The spiritual son then may be sure 7rpo,ca">..ovµe11os avTovs EIS µ.eTovu1a11 ,cm
both as to the will and as to the VJAOJI apeTijs.
wisdom of his Father. So Chrysostom says of our relation
.Again the discipline of the earthly to God : </)i>..ovµ.e8a o.Jx 111a ">-a/3n dXX'
father is directed characteristically T11a 84>. .And God gives that which
to the circumstances of a transitory He is : 1 Pet. i. I 5 f. (Lev. xi. 44) ;
life : (wpos &">... ~µ. 'with a view to a Matt. v. 48.
few days,' 'for a few days,' in the I I. 7raua µ.t11 'tratlJ .... AV'frl/S] Yet the
final sense of 'for'): that of the fruit of discipline is not gained at
heavenly Father has in view the par- once. All chastening, the divine no
ticipation of His son in His own eter- less than the human, seemeth, even
nal nature (comp. 2 Pet. i. 4), 'after though it is not so in its essence, for
His likeness.' the present, looking at that only, to
The interpretation of 7rpos &">... ~P.. be not joyous but grievous. It might
(Vulg. in tempore paucorum dierum) have been supposed that divine dis-
simply of the short period of life cipline would be free from sorrow.
during which the paternal discipline But this also is first brought under
both of man and' God lasts ('for a the general law and then considered
few days' in the temporal sense of in itself.
'for') seems to introduce a thought For xapas (Xv'lf''ls) ,l11ai, see x. 39,
foreign to the context. To insist note.
on the brevity of human discipline VUTEpo11 aL ./J,,ca,.J yet, aifterward -it
would be to weaken the argument, yieldeth, as its proper return (d7rol3t-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 12, 13

'
µevots ' 'l-1'1-
a1rootoro<TtJ1 'I- '
ou,aw<rvvris. UI .:1,J T,,:C TT"-P€1M€N"-C xei'pb.C

13 '11"01'70"0.TE

13 '/1"01€1TE ~*: 'll"Ol~<TO.TE ~ ~•AD2-

a"'u,11, comp. Apoc. xxii. 2),peaceable 8,ias Tds P,£11 pi(as Eiva, 71"1Kpas, y>..vKELS
fruit to them that have been exer- ai TOVS Kap71"0VS (Diog. Laert. v. 18).
cised thereby, even the fruit of right- (a) Practical conclusion for the
eousness. Hebrews in their trial (12, 13).
The conflict of discipline issues in · " Wherefore set right the han~
that perfect peace which answers to that hang down and the palsied knees;
the fulfilment of law. Castigator de- '3and make straight paths for your
monstrat se fideliter fecisse : castiga- feet, that the limb which is lame be
tus id agnoscit et gratiam habet : not put out of joint, but rather be
inde pax (Bengel). healed.
In the LXX. a11"ol3,l3ava, most com- 12. a,6 ... ) Wherefore since dis-
monly represents :i ~~1:1 (over 50 times), cipline is necessary, painful, and salu-
tary, provide, as you can, that it may
less frequently Cl~!? (over 20 times), be effectual. Strengthen where it is
and lm. (21 times). It suggests that possible those who are called to en-
there is a claim in,. response to which dure it; and remove from their way
something is given. Comp. Acts iv. stumbling-blocks which can be re-
moved.
33. The Apostle urges those who were
For the singular KapmJ11 see Matt.
iii. 8, 10; <lp11111Kos (Vulg. pacatissi- themselves in danger to help others
mum), which is common in the Lxx., in like peril Such efforts are the
occurs again James iii. 17. For the surest support of the tempted.
perfect ')'<yvp,vaup,£110,s, see v. 8 note; The figurative language which he
and for the image Chrysostom's note : borrows from various parts of the
Op~s 7r@s- ,cal EV<p1]µ,<p 0116µ.ar, K€Xp1Jra,; 0. T. suggests the manifold strength-
lJ.pa ')'VP,Vaula lUTlv ~ 71"atl3<ia, T611 dB>..11- ening of powers for conflict ('hands')
n}v luxvp611 lP'Ya(op,Ell1J Kal aKaTa')'W- and for progress ('knees'); and also
the removal of external difficulties.
JIICTTOJI lv Tots dyciiu, Kal 11µ,axov lv Tois
71"0A£P,OIS,
Al P,£11 x••p•s EIIEP')'ELas, ol a.
K&ll1/0"E(l)S uvp,fjo>..011 (Theophylact).
71"0l3E!:

The word a,Kat0UVll1JS stands impres-

sively at the end(Jamesii. 1,Tijsa6~11s), The images are found Is. xxxv. 3;
explaining and summing up what has Ecclus. xxv. 23 (x••p•s 11"ap<ip,£11at Kal
been said generally : peaceful fruit yo11am 11"apaA<AVP,E11a). For 11"ap<ip,l11as
-even the fruit of righteousness, and rrapa>..e>..vp,~va compare Deut. xxxii.
that ~ consisting in righteousness. 36; 2 Sam. iv. l (LXX.); for dvopBro-
Comp. James iii. 18; 2 Tim. iv. 8; uaTE .~Yulg. erigite) Ps. xx. (xix.) 9;
c. ix. 1 S; x. 20. Peace and righteous- Lk. XllL 13; Acts xv. 16 (Amos ix. II).
ness both in different ways correspond 13. Kal Tpox .... ] Vulg. et gressus
to the issue of perfect discipline, rectos f acite pedibus vestris. The
through which all action becomes the phrase is taken from Prov. iv. 26
expression of obedience to the divine opBas Tpox,as ff'OLEL uois 71"0Ul ,cal Tas
will Compare Is. xxxii. 17. ol3ovs uov KaT<vBvv• (l~t'J '~1/l;l c~e i.e.
There is a striking parallel to the make plain (straight) the path of thy
thought in a saying of Aristotle pre- foot). The words may be rendered
served by Diogenes Laert. : ~s 11"a1- 'make straight paths for your feet,•
XII. 14] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

TOIC rroclN vµ.wv, tva µ.n 7'0 XWAOV €K7'pa7rij, ia09 0€

µ.aMov. x 4 Eipi-lNHN ArooKeTe µ.eTd ml.v-rwv, Kal Tov

ie. for the feet of the whole society Bair.,j, ciµa'lo.17, dvapp01ros T'Oi(J'LV ,e,xov(J'L
,.. I 'l' I \-, I (
to tread in; or 'with your feet,' as Tov (J'rop,aTos, otov 1rnpvy ir.at L(J'XL'f', ros
giving a good example to others. P,'7T'£ dvair.AOTaL µ,fr£ lKTp<1T£Tat (1-17Tat).
Chrysostom says apparently in the (2) 14-17. The necessity of peace
latter sense: JpBa, cp17(J'l, {Jal!l(En rZcrr£ and purity.
p,~ lmmBijvaL Tt/V xro'lo.Elav; and this The special exhortations which arose
is the meaning given by the Latin directly from circumstances of trial
Vulgate. . But the context favours and discipline lead on to directions
the first rendering. The thought of a general character. The duty of
seems to be that of a road prepared mutual help (ti. 13) naturally suggests
to walk in without windings or stum- the consideration of the power of
bling-blocks: Matt. iii. 3. mutual influence (vr,. 14-18); and
For the image generally compare this, in the actual state of society,
Philo, de migrat. Abr. § 26 (i p. 458 gives occasion to a solemn warning
M.). as to the irremediable consequences
The word Tpoxul (orbita, wheel-track) of faithlessness ('ll. 17).
is found in LXX. only in the book of
Proverbs as the translation of
(ii. 15; iv. II; V. 6, 21).
'1~ LI Follow efter peace with all men,
and the sanctification without which
no man shall see the Lord; ' 5 looking
carefully lest there be any man that
The common reading (1ro,fi(J'aT£) f alleth, back from the grace of God;
gives an accidental hexameter. lest any root ef bitterness springing
Zva p,~ To x-J that the limb which is up trouble you, and through this the
lame be not put out of joint. The many be defiled; ' 6 lest there be any
more exact form would be iva To X· fornicator, or prqfane person as
p,~ lir.Tp., but the negative is attracted Esau, who for one mess of meat sold
(as it were) to the final particl~. his own birthright. ' 7 For ye know
Comp. I Tim. vi. I. By To xroMv that ei,en afterward, when he wished
(Vulg. claudicans) the apostle de- to ?nherit the blessing, he was rivected
scribes the lame memberin the Church, -for he found no place for repent-
who is unable to stand or walk firmly ance-though he sought it diligently
on his way. Compare I K. xviii 21. with tears.
The 'halting' of the Hebrews 'between 14- Elp. a,.,;ir..... Kal T'OII ay.... ] Ps.
two opinions' is the characteristic type xxxiv. 14; 1 Pet. iii II; Rom. xii 18.
of their weakness. The writer extends his view to the
The word lir.Tp<1T£(J'Bat is elsewhere wider relations of life ; and the two
found in the Greek Scriptures in the commands which he gives express the
sense of 'being turned out of the way'; aim and the necessary limitation of
and it is commonly so interpreted here the Christian's intercourse with 'the
(Vulg. erret); but there is no obvious world.' The Christian seeks peace
fitness in adding to 'lameness ' the with all alike, but he seeks holiness
idea of 'straying,' and the sense 'put also, and this cannot be sacrificed for
out of joint' has adequate support, that.
and the addition of laBij, which has The parallel with Rom. xii. 18 sug-
no connexion with 'straying,' seems gests that mlVTrov must not be limited
to require it. Hippocr. de ojfic. med. in any way. On the other hand the
vi. p. 745 H. (in discussing the treat- next verse takes account only of mem-
ment of injured limbs) Bl(J',s a; p,a'lo.- bers of the Christian society. But
408 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 15
't JI.._/_ ' 1S ,
, I
a"'fta<rµov, ou X"'P'"' ,~ \
ouve,c; o ye-rat -rov Kvptov,
I
E7rt<TK0-
7rouv-rec; µ~ 'Tt<; V<T'TEpwv am) -rijc; xdpt'TO<; 'TOU 6eou,

14 Kvp,011: fhov d (vg).

the thought of ciymuµ6s supplies a of evil is presented in successive stages

natural transition from a wider to a of development. .At first it is want of
narrower view. The graces of purity progress : this defect spreads as a
and peacemaking are the sui:(jects of source of positive infidelity : at last
two successive beatitudes: Matt. v. there is open contempt of duties and
8, 9. privileges.
The use of auJK•T• marks the eager- The first and third clauses may be
ness and constancy of the pursuit. treated as parallel with the second,
Compare I Pet. iii II (Ps. xxxiv. 15) so that lvox">.fi is taken with all three;
(TJTTJ<TO.T6> Elp,f111711 Kal a,6)tQT6) avT,fv or (which seems a simpler construc-
(~i1~11))• Elsewhere the metaphori- u
tion) may be supplied in them, so
cal use of the word in the N. T. is that they become independent clauses:
confined to St Paul. AicJKET<, TovTe1TT1 'lest there be any among you falling
Kal 1ropp6> oJuav T~II Elprf"TJ" u1ro11M{:•TE
short.. .lest there be among you any
KaTaAa/j•'iv (Theophlct). fornicator ...' In Deut. xxix. 18 the
For TOIi ay,auµ611 (Vulg. sanctimo- verb expressed is l1TT[11 : 'whether
nwm) compare v. ro; Rom. vi 16, 22. there be.. .'; but lvoxX.f} more naturally
The definite article (again only 1 v
suggests here.
Thess. iv. 3) marks the familiar Chris- 15. £'TrLUK07rOIJIITES µq TU VITT •••• ]
tian embodiment of the virtue. (Con- (1 Pet. v. 2; not in LXX. Vulg. con-
trast the anarthrous .lprf"TJ"·) -templantes.)
The word ciy,auµos is peculiar to The word lmuK01rovVTEs expresses
Biblical and Ecclesiastical Greek. It the careful regard of those who occupy
occurs rarely in the LXX. (not in Lev. a position of responsibility (as a phy-
xxiii. 27 according to the true read- sician, or a superintendent). Each
ing). On the idea see c. ix. 13, note. Christian shares this in due degree.
Perhaps it may be most simply de- M,} rolvvv w-llvra Errl rotls- a,aacr1eaAovs
scribed as the preparation for the J1r,ppl1rrErE· µ.q 1rUvra f1rl roVs qyov-
presence of God. Without it no man µivovs • U111au0, Kal vµ,'is, cf,17ul11, d..\X,f-
shall see the Lord, that is, Christ, for X.ovs ol,coaoµ,'iv (Chrys.). M~ µ/,vov
whose return in glory believers wait: ai lavTooll MA<l Kal a..\A,f A6>JI lmµEAEL•
c. ix. 28. For of,m, see Matt. v. 8 ; u0,, /CUL TOJJ KAOIIOVP,EVOII v1r•p•larr, Kal
1 John iii. 2 ; 1 Cor. xiii. 12 ; Ex. T<ill xnpay"'ylas a,6µ,vov laTpEV<TaTE
xxxiii 19 ff. (Judg. xiii 22); and for (Theodt.).
Tov Kvp,011, c. viii. 2 note. In v<TT•p•'iv d1r<i rijs X· T. 0. the idea
15, 16. The conditions of social seems to be that of falling behind,
intercourse impose upon Christians not keeping pace with the movement
the obligation of constant watchful- of divine grace which meets and stirs
ness lest the unchristian element the progress of the Christian (c. v.
should communicate its evil to the 11). The present participle describes
Church. a continuous state and not a single
The three clauses µq ns VITT. d1r6 •••, defection.
µ,f TLS pl{:a••• , µ,f TLS 1ropvos••• are in The construction tilTTEp<'iv d,r6 ,-,vos
some sense bound together by the marks a 'falling back' from that with
use of a finite verb in the second which some connexion exists, implying
only. .At the same time the element a moral separation, while v<TTEpE'iv
XII. 16] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

MH
I
TIC
C I
p1Zb.
I ,t rh, I )
TTIKplb.C b.NOO '!''l'O)'Cb. ENOXAl;I Kat
\ r~OL, , -,
atl"rrJS µtav-
Ll ~
(IW<rt11 ot
• ,. ,. 1 %6
'1T'01v\.Ot,
1
µrJ Tts 7ropvos
' ,,
rJ fJEtJr/''-os ws
'H c.¼.y,
r.l I ll ,. '

..-"'os expresses actual defect only, a. µiav8. ol 1r0Uol] the many be de-
falling short o:t: - filed. The poisonous influence spreads
Compare Eccles. vi 2 (Lxx.) CWK corruption through the society.
.ZOT, VOTEp@v -rU ,J,vxfi a1'Toii d1rb 1ravrOr For p,1almv see Tit. i. I 5 (2 Pet. ii.
-0i '1n8vp,£'i. Compare Ecclus. vii 34 µ~ 10, 20); and for ol 1roAAol-the many,
.JUTEp~, d1rO KAa,OJIT'a.,v. the mass of men, the body considered
Theophylact applies the words to in its members-Matt. xxiv. 12; Rolll.
Christians as fellow-travellers on a. v. 15, 19; xii 5'; 1 Cor. x. 17, 33;
long journey : l(.a8a'11'£P 0MJ1 TLJla p,aK- 2 Cor. ii 17.
pO.JI oa£v{)JIT6)JI avTWJI £JI <TVJ10alq. rroUfi, 16. p,1 TLS ?Topvos; {3,fl. oos 'Huav •.. ]
<J,110-l, BAfa£n 11-1 (whether) TLS d,rl- A question has been raised whether
JJ,£LJ1£J1. both ,ropJ1os and /3•/3TJAos are connect-
µ1 ns p. 1r•••• lvoxAi,] The image is ed with 'Ho-aii, or the latter only.
taken from Deut. xxix. 17 f. The The second view seems unquestion-
-original connexion points to the perils ably to be right. Esau is presented
of allurements to serve strange gods. in Scripture as the type of a 'profane'
The 'root' is personal (1 Mace. i 10 man, but he does not appear as 1ropvos
f,lt;a ap,apT6>A6S 'AJIT. 'Em<J>.) and not either literally or metaphorically. The
doctrinal : a pernicious man and not later Jewish traditions can hardly
a pernicious opinion. Compare Acts have a place here. And, yet again,
viii. 23. the words of explanation which follow
The phrase 'root of bitterness' (as justify the epithet {:JlflTJAos, but they
distinguished from 'bitter root') ex- do not extend further. They imply
presses the product and not simply therefore that 1ropvos does not refer
the quality of the root itself. OvK to hilll.
£l?T£ ?TLpKa <lAAa ?TLt<plas, ~JI. /J,EJI -ya.p Another question arises whether
'lrLKp<lll plt;av E<TTI 1<ap1rovs £J1£YKELJI ,YAV- 1ropvos is to be taken literally or meta-
l(.£1S, T~JI a. 71'11<plas plt;aJI••• OVI(. E<TTI phorically, of moral or religious im-
'lrTJ yAvKVV iV£YKEIV Kap1rav (Chrys.). purity. The word occurs again c. xiii.
The clause avc., cj,vovua adds a vivid 4 in the literal sense, and it is found
touch to the picture. The seed, the only in this sense elsewhere in the
root, lies hidden and reveals its power N. T., though it naturally occurs in
slowly (cj,vnJI Lk. viii. 6, 8). close connexion with idolatry : 1 Cor.
For the image compare Ign. Eph. vi. 9; Apoc. xxi. 8; xxii. 15. The
I0 lva µ~ TOV a,a{3oAov /30TUIITJ TLS literal sense therefore is to be kept
wp£8fi iv vp,'iv. id. Trall. 6; Philad. 1. here as following out the thought of
The word ivoxA£'iv occurs again in ay,auµos (v. 14). The obstacles to
N. T. in Luke vi. 18. The pres. conj. holiness are gathered up under two
lvoxAi, leaves it uncertain whether heads, those which centre in the man
the fear of such a present evil is himself, and those which concern his
actually realised. [The strange co- view of the divine gifts. A man may
incidence of letters between eNoxAH fail by personal impurity : he may
and ENXOAH of Deut. xxix. 18 cannot fail also by disregard of the blessings
-escape notice.] of God. Esau is a characteristic
410 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 17
t.\
OS' aVTl
, \ /3 pw<TEWS'
, ,. , , ' ..
µ.taS' <>.TT€A€T0 Tb. TTpu>TOT0KI<>. EaUTOU.
17,,
L<TTE
\ cl
'Yap OTL Kat µeTE7T"€L'Ta
I / e€t\.WV Kl\.r,povoµ.YJ<Tat 'TrJV EUt\.O'YtaV
11. ). ~ I '1' /

'~ '0 I \
a7reo0Ktµa<T r,, µ.e-ravotas- 'Yap 'T07T"OV oux wpev, Kat7rEp
f ' "i" I

example of the latter fonn of sin, It may be (as Vulg.) imperative; but
as one who by birth occupied a posi- t4e indicative makes an impressive
tion of prerogative which he reck- appeal to the history with which the
lessly sacrificed for an immediate and Hebrews were familiar.
sensuous pleasure. The Hebrews, on The consequences of Esau's act
their part, might also barter their reached farther than he had cared
blessings as firstborn in the Church to look (e1Jen aj'terward). In spite
for the present outward consolations of his impulsive disregard of divine
of the material Temple service. Peace things he retained still some sense of
with Judaism might be bought at the God's promise, and sought to secure
price of Christian holiness. what had naturally belonged to him.
The use of ~l/3ri">..or in the N. T. is Thus his profane irreverence was seen
limited : I Tim. i 9 ; iv. 7 ; vi. 20 ; in a new fonn. He paid no heed to-
2 Tim. ii 16; comp. Matt. xii 5; his own act, but wished to occupy
Acts xxiv. 6. The word describes a the position which he had voluntarily
character which recognises nothing abandoned. He had sold the right
as higher than earth: for whom there of the first-born and yet, as if that
is nothing sacred: no divine reverence were a trivial thing, he claimed to
for the unseen. inherit the blessing which belonged
Esau appears in Scripture as the to it. The use of K.A17po110,.ijuai empha-
embodiment of this character. For sises his sin. He asserted the prero-
one mess of meat (Vulg. propter gative of birth, a gift of God, when he
unam escam ), not only for a trans- had himself recklessly surrendered it.
itory and material price, but that d1rEaoK.,,.au011] he was rqjected by
the smallest, he sold his own birth- his father who confirmed the blessing
right (Ta 1rpw'l"OTOK.ta lavrov). which he had unknowingly given to
The language of the original nar- Jacob. Isaac spoke what was indeed
rative (Gen. xxv. 33 f.) is singularly the judgment of God (Gen. xxvii. 33,
expressive of the thoughtlessness of 37) : aij>..ov -yap g.,., K.al o 1ra'l"tJp K.a'l"a
BEbv d1rEaoK.l,.auE11 avrov (Theophlct).
Esau, ,_,, ';J~.:l l:IR~'L J;l~•.1 ',;,~•1, K.al For d1roaoK.tµ.a{:Etll see 1 Pet. ii. 4;
t<pa-yE Kal l1r1.£ Kal civacrras <ifxETo Kal Luke ix. 22.
lcJ,aVAt.u£v 'HuaV Ta 1rpwror6Kta. /LET. -yap T. oJx n)pEII] for M founa
For the double portion of the first- no place of repentance. The son who
born see Deut. xxi 17 ( 1 Chron. v. 1 ). had sacrificed his right could not
17. The neglect of privileges and undo the past, and it is this only
responsibilities brings irreparable con- which is in question. No energy of
sequences. sorrow or self-condemnation, however
ion -yap ••• d1rEaoK.t,.&uB11] For ye sincere, could restore to him the pre-
know that e1Jen aj'terward, when he rogative of the first-born. The con-
wished to inherit the blessing, he was sideration of the forgiveness of his
rejected, Vulg. Scitote enim quoniam sin against God, as distinct from the-
et postea ...reprobatus est. The fonn reversal of the temporal consequences
tuu, which is very rare in the N. T. of his sin, lies wholly without the
(Eph. v. 5; James i. 19) is ambiguous. argument.
XII. 17) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 411
The clause is to be taken paren- µ.rravolas-. Clem. ad Oor. i 7 µ.rra-
thetically : Esau was rldected-his uolas- r<nTou ,l!,.,1<£U o lJ£<T7TOrtJ!I 'TOL!I fJov-
claim to the blessing was disallowed >..oµ.{110,s lmurpacf,~uai lor' avr-&11. Tat.
-for he found no place of repent- c. Grmc. 1 5 ~ roou lJaiµ.clu(A)JI v,r6urau,s-
ance-though he sought the blessing otJ1< lxE< µ.Erauolas- 'T<nTOU" 'Tij!I yap tD..,,s
earnestly with tears. Equally abrupt ,cal rijs- 'lrOV1'}plar Elcrlv d1rav1&uµara.
parentheses are found v. 21 ; xiii. 17. Constit. Apost. ii. 38; v. 19- Comp.
'A place of repentance ' is an Acts xxv. I Tcloros- doroXoylas.
opportunity for changing a former The rendering ' he (Esau) found
decision so that the consequences in Isaac no place for change of mind,
which would have followed from it though he sought it (the change of
if persisted in follow no longer. The mind) earnestly-that is, he found his
repentance in such a case corresponds father firmly resolved to maintain
with the particular effects under what he had said,-is equally against
consideration. It would be equally the language and the argument.
true to say that in respect of the The atlT1J" in the last clause can
privileges of the first-born which Esau only be referred to EvXoyla11. The
had sold, he found no place for re- phrase '"'tJTELII µ.rrauoia11 would be
pentance, and that in respect of his very strange, and if the writer had
spiritual relation to God, if his sorrow wished to express this form of thought,
was sincere, he did find a place for he would have said avr611 with refer-
repentance. ence to µ.Erauolas roorou, so that the
The phrase locus pmnitentim is so object of l1<{;tJrEiu and Evplu1<ELu might
used by the Romanjurists. A passage be the same. The reference to EilXo-
quoted by Wetstein (Ulpian ap. Corp. ylau on the other hand seems to be
J. C. Dig. XL. Tit. vii 3 § 13) is pointed by µ.Era lJaKpVQ)JI '"'· Gen.
instructive, and offers a close parallel xxvii 38 auEfJotJITEJI cf,"'vfi 'Huav Kal
A slave is to have his freedom if he lKAavuEv.
pays ten aurei to his master's heir on (3) 18-29. The character and ob-
three several days. He offers them ligations of the New Covenant.
the first day and they are refused ; This section forms a solemn close
and again on the second and third to the main argument of the Epistle.
days with the same result. The heir It offers a striking picture of the
has no power of refusing to receive characteristics of the two Covenants
the payment, and therefore the slave, summed up in the words ' terror'
having done his part, i!I free. But a and 'grace' ; and at the same time,
case is proposed where the slave has in harmony with the whole cirn·ent of
only ten aurei in alL They have been thought, it emphasises the truth that
refused on the first and second days : greater piivileges b1ing greater re-
will they avail for the third payment 1 sponsibility. The section falls into
The answer is in the affirmative : puto two parts:
sufficere hrec eadem et prenitentire (a) The contrast of the position of
heredi locum non esse: quod et Pom- Christians with that of the Israelites
ponius probat. at the giving of the Law (18-24);
The last words of Pliny's letter to and
Trajan on the Christians are: ex quo (b) The duties of Christians which
facile est opinari qure turba hominum flow from their position (25-29).
emendari possit, si sit locus preni- (a) The contrast of the position of
tentire (Epp. x. 97). Comp. Liv. Christians with that of the Israelites
xliv. 10. at the giving of the Law (18-24).
M£ravolas r<nTos is found Wisd. xii The writer first describes (a) the
IO r,p{u,.,u Kara fJpaxv llUliovs- 'T<),rou scene at Sinai; and then he describes
412 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 18

µera
I ,:-
oaKpvwv
, , ~ I
EK~//'Tr}<Fas
, I
llV'TrJV. is Oti ryap
I

I
7rpO<F€/\.rJA.V8aT€ +11Aa<f>wµEvcp Kat ~€Kb.YMEN<p nypl Kat

18 vn,>.aq,. NAC vg syr vg me the: +lip£& S" D2 (om. d). KCU 1<E1<avµ,l11q, :
KE1<a>.vµ,µhq, D 2*.

(fJ) the position of Christians (22- Zion. You stand in view of heavenly
24). glories immeasurably nobler than the
18 For ye are not come to a material terrors of Sinai. If then the people
and kindled fire, and to blackness, who were admitted to that revelation
and darkness, and tempest, 19 and the were charged to make every external
sound of a trumpet, and the 'Doice qf preparation (Ex. xix. 14 f.), much
words; which voice they that heard more must you prepare yow-selves
intreated that no word more should spiritually. -
be spoken to them : ""for they could 18. OU yap 1rpo,u'A.. lp7/A, ,cal ,me. ,r.)
not bear that which was enjoined, If For ye are not come to a material
e'Den a beast touch the mountain it (palpable) and kindled fire... Vulg.
shall be stoned; 21 and, so fearful was Non enim accessistis ad tractabilem
the appearance, Moses said, I exceed- et accensibilem (d ardentem et tracta-
ingly fear and quake. bilem) ignem. The position once taken
•• But ye are come to mount Zion, (1rpou~'A.0Ere Deut. iv. 11) is presented
and to the city of the Living God, a as still retained. In this respect
heavenly Jerusalem, and to innu- Christians were differently circum-
merable hosts of angels 23 in festal stanced from those who heard the Law
assembly, and to the church of the at Sinai. The Jews were forbidden
firstborn, enrolled in heaven, and to to draw near: Christians shrank back
the God of all as Judge, and to spi- when they were invited to approach.
rits of just men made perfect, "4 and For the word 1rpouE'A.Bliv see iv. 16
to the Mediator of a new Co'Denant note.
even Jesus, and to the blood of sprink- The scene of the old legislation is
ling that speaketh better than Abel. described simply as 'a palpable and
(a) The scene at Sinai (18-21). kindled fire and blackness .. .' The
The description is designed to bring earthly, local, associations of the
out the awfulness of the whole revela- divine epiphany fall wholly into the
tion which attended the making of background. That which the writer
the Old Covenant. Step by step the describes is the form of the revela-
writer advances from the physical tion, fire and darkness and thunder,
terrors by which it was accompanied material signs of the nature of God
(18-20) to the confession of the Law- ('D. 29). Thus every element is one
giver himself (21), who alone of all which outwardly moves fear ; and in
prophets was allowed to speak to God this connexion the mention of Sinai
face to face. itself may well be omitted. The
18 ff. The peril of disregarding the mountain is lost in the fire and smoke.
Christian privileges, which have been It was, so to speak, no longer a moun-
indicated in the last section, is pro- tain. It becomes a manifestation of
portioned to their greatness. There- terrible majesty, a symbol of the
fore the apostle says, 'Endure, advance, Divine Presence.
aim at the highest purity, cherish the The fire is outward, material, deri-
loftiest view of divine things, for ye vative. It is palpable, to be 'felt,'
are not come to a vision of outward like the darkness of Egypt (Ex. x. 21
awfulness, but ye are come to mount YEVT/B~n" u,c◊Tos ••• ,1'7/'A.a<p11Tov <TK◊Tos),
XII. 19, 20] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 413

19 om. µ:fi t(*.

and has been kindled from some other which voice they that heard intreated
source. So Philo speaks of -:rvpos that no word more should be spoken
oiJpavlov cf,op~ 'ica1rv~ fJa0,, Ta tv ICVKA<p to them, that is by God Himself, but
crvuicui(oVTos (de decal. § II, iL 187). only through Moses (Ex. xx. 19~
The use of the partic. 'Y'l>..acf,wµ.,vos For ,rapyT4uaVTo , see D. 2 5 ; Acts
brings out that which was felt in xxv. II; 1 Tim. iv. 7; 2 Tim. iL 23.
actual experience as distinguished The word admits the construction
from the abstract nature of the object. with and without a negative particle
Chrysostom says Tl To 'Y'l>..acf,wµ.•vov (1rapa&TEtu0a, 1rpoun0ijvai and 1rapa,T.
mip 1rpos TOIi df.,M<p1JTOII 0.1,,,; o 0,os µ,~ 1rpoUT,0ijva,). For the former com-
yap ~µ.&iv, cf,.,ulv, 1rvp /CaTava">..luicov (1'. pare Lk. xxiii 2 ; Rom. xv. 22 ; and
29~ for the latter 1 John ii. 22; GaL v. 7.
Primasius expands this thought l3y avTots must be understood To,1;
well: Non enim accessistis ad trac- dicovuauw not TOLS dicovu0,,uw, the
tahilem et accessibilem (1. accensibilem) hearers not the words.
ignem, id est, non accessistis ad visi- 20. ov,c l<p•pov ••• J for they could
bile et palpabile lumen ignis, quod not bear that which was enjoined...
visu corporeo tractari possit, sicut de Vulg. non enim portabant quod dice-
veteri J udaico populo legimus ; sed batur. Ex. xix. 12 f. The most im-
ad invisibilem et incomprehensibilem pressive part of the whole command
Deum. .is taken to convey its effect: If even
ical yv&cf,p .•• ] The several features a beast..•
of the awful manifestation are taken The form in which the command is
from Deut. iv. II ; v. 22 ; Ex. xix. conveyed (To a1aUTEAA6µ.,11011) presents
16 ff. The 'blackness' 'thick dark- it as ringing constantly in their ears
ness' (o yv6cf,os, '~?P,O) was that into (quad dicebatur). The word a,auTi">..-
which Moses entered 'where God was' >..,u0a, does not occur again in the
(Ex. xx. 21 ). Comp. Philo, de mut. nom. Epistles; elsewhere in the N. T. it is
§ 2, i 579; de'!1it. Mays. i.§ 28, ii. 1o6. only used in the midd. sense: Mk. vii.
19- ical u&>..1r. 'lX'f'•··J The 'sound 36; viii 15 &c.
of a trumpet' is mentioned in Ex. xix. 21, The fear which was felt by the
16; XX. 18; al ai ud>..1r1-yy•s 'cJs fJau,- people was felt also by _the Lawgiver
">..lo>s 1rapOl!TOS. TOVTO yap ical '" Tfj a,v- himself.
-rlpq. rrapovulq. tum, (<Ecum.). Comp. And-so fearful was the appear-
Matt. xxiv. 31; 1 Thess. iv. 16. ?Hxos ance--Moses said... The parenthesis
occurs again Lk. iv. 37 ; Acts ii 2. (see v. 17) is in the style of the writer.
The 'voice of words' is mentioned in The variety and living fulness of the
Deut. iv. 12. vision p1·esented to Moses is expressed
,is (sc. cpo>vijs) ol dicovuavns] Even by the form TO <pa11Ta(op.E11011. The
that which was most intelligible, most word cf,aVTa{;,u0a, occurs nowhere else
human, the articulate voice, inspired in the N. T. Comp. Wisd. vi. 17
the hearers with overwhelming dread : (Matt. xiv. 26 cf,aJJTauµ,a).
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 21, 22

"""~N
v '
0Hp1ON ,
e1r1;1 TOY~ •
opoyc, '
)\10oBo,\H0HC€Tb.l' ,.x Kat,, ot-rw
<f>o/3€pov riv 'TO <j>all'Ta{oµ.€11011, Mwvo-ii<; €i7r€J/ 'EK<j>oBoc €!Ml
"" '0 CLWII
' op€t
,,
KatI €11-rpoµo<; l
pi • ,.,. W\.l\.a
'"" "" I 7rp0<T€i\.Y}I\.V
""
aTE Kal'

21 l,cTpoµo<
20 'A.180/3.: + ,i f3o'Alo,
1CaTaTo~w8711J"e-ra, 1,. 21 D2*.
oOTw: 011 -qv: 7J N*.
om. elµ, N*. {vTpoµo• ACM2 : {,cTpoµoo ND2*. n d'AM : oo "f&.p A.

l,ccpo{'lo~ Elµ, ... ] Similar words were (/3) The persons.

used by Moses in connexion with the (a) Angels.
worshipping of the golden calf Deut. (b) Men.
ix. 19; but it is hardly possible that the II. The Christian Revelation seen
writer of the Epistle transferred these in its efficacy: from the human side
directly to the scene at the giving of (23 b, 24).
the Law, when the fear was due to (a) The judgment: earthly life
circumstances essentially different. over.
It is more likely that he refers to (a) The Judge.
some familiar tradition in which the (b) Those who have been per-
feelings of Moses were described in fected.
these terms. ((:1) The gift of grace: earthly life
(fl) The position of Christians (22 still lasting.
-24). (a) The Covenant.
The view which the apostle gives (b) The Atonement.
of the position is marvellously full. '!.'here is, it will be noticed, a com-
'fhe arrangement of the details is plete absence of articles. The thoughts
beset with great difficulties ; but, on are presented in their most abstract
the whole, that which is most sym- form.
metrical appears to be the best. Thus Theodoret sums up admirably the
the clauses are grouped in pairs contrasts between the Old and the
1TpO<TEAT/Av8aTE a.
New: l1eii, c/>T/crl, l'J,o~, EVTav0a EOpT~
~,rov op•i, ical «al 1rav1}yvp1s• KaL E«E'iva p.Ev £v rll yfi,
'' I0<OV" ~6lPTO~,
1TOr.EL '"" 'I•povcrar.T/µ
' ' E1TOV•
' raVTa a£ £11 roLs- oVpavols-· EKE'i xiA,ciaES'
pavtq,• av0poo1T6lll, lvrnv0a a. µvp,alJ,~ ayyiArov•
ical µvp,au,v &yy.1.rov 1TUIIT/ytJPEL, ,cal l1eEI. lI1riuT01. «al 1rapllvaµ.ot, E11raVBa lK-
lKKAT/<Ilff 1Tp6lTOTOICC,)JI, a1Toy•ypap.p.l- KAT/crla 1Tp61TOT01Cro11 o.1Toy•ypaµµJ11ro11
, , " , ... , ... ' ' ~ '
vrov £11 ovpavo1.s- · Ell TOtS' o~pavo,r ~a~ 'lf'V£VJJ,~Ta VLICUL(I)~
JCal Kptrjj, 6nf' 1r&VToov, Kal TET<AEL6lJJ.EV6lV' EICEI l'Jia0T/ICT/ 1TaAatO.,
1TJ1Evµacr, l'J,,calrov TfTEAnroµiv~,lJ/, EVTavBa /Cat~. EtcE'i l'lovAor µecrlTT/r,
,cal lJiaB~ICT/~ vla~ µecrlro, 'IT/crov, ,cal EvraV8a viO~· €K£"i alp.a dAO')'rov, EvraV8a
aiµaTt pavncrµov, 1epiirro11 AaAOVIITL alµa dµvov "ll.oy,1eov.
1Tapa. TOV • A/3eA. 22 ff. aAAa 1TpocrEA.. •. ] Ye are not
.According to this arrangement the brought face to face with any repeti-
development of thought may be pre- tion of the terrors of Sinai ; but ye
sented in the following form : are even now still standing in a
I. The Christian Revelation seen heavenly presence, not material but
in its fulfilment : from the divine spiritual, not manifested in elemental
side (22, 23 a). powers but in living hosts, not finding
(a) The scene. expression in threatening commands
(a) The Foundation. but in means of reconciliation, in-
(b) The Structure. spiring not fear but hope. Yet, it is
XII. 23] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

"lrOAEt 8eou {wv'To~, 'lepoucra;\nµ hroupavfq,, Kat µupt-

1 , I"\ ~3 I \ , "'\ I I
acrtv a,y'YEt'-WJI 1raVrJ"/Upet, Kat €KK1'-t/<Tl<f 1rpwTO'TOKWJI

Ka.1 7r6AEL : 7r6AEL D2* {d) e1rovp. 'Iep. D2*. l1rovpa.vlwv A*.
p.vplwlf a-ylwv D2*: µvpLtioWlf vg.

implied, that the awfulness of the salem, compare Apoc. xxi. 2, 10 (1

position is not less but greater than ayla 'lepovuaA'7JJ,: Is. lii. 1); iii. 12
that of the Israelites. (,j Kat~ 'Iep.); Gal iv. 26 (,j a11<,> 'l•p.).
For .,,.pou•ATJAvBan see v. 18. This is 'the city which hath the fom1-
'EKE'ivo, ov 7rpouijX80Jf dAXa 7roppw8•11 dations' (xi. 10), for which Abraham
~lo-T1]KEtUaJJ• VJJ,ELS a, rrpoUEA1JAV8an. looked ; and for which we still seek
op~s Tqlf WEPOX'l"i (Theophlct). In (c. xiii. 14). It is like 'the good things'
one sense the heavenly Jerusalem of the Gospe~ . in different aspects
is already reached : in another sense future and present. For J.,,.ovpwios
it is still sought for: xiii. 14- see c. iii. 1 note.
(a) The scene to which Christians Compare Philo de somn. ii. § 38 (ii.
a.re come (22a). 691) ,j a.
TOU Bwv 'lrOALS i,.,,.;, 'E~palw11
22 a. :i,J11 :Jpe, .•• J.,,.ovp.] Over against 'IEpovuaX,jµ. ,c:aAE&Tat, ~s JJ,ETaATJ<j,8,11 To
'the material and kindled fire' of Sinai 0110µ.a opauls £(1TLJJ Elp'7PTJS (Clem. Al.
is set the mountain and city of God, Strom. i. 5, 29; Orig. Hom. in Jos.
His palace and the home of His peo- xxi. 2).
ple, shewn by images in the earthly Chrysostom suggestively contrasts
Zion and Jerusalem. In this heavenly, the city with the desert of Sinai
archetypal, spiritual mountain and (£KE£ ;PTJJJ,OS ;,,, £1'Tav8a m5X,s). So
city, God is seen to dwell with His Theophylact, a little more fully: dvTt
~ ~ 'f I \
own. He is not revealed in one pass- TO~
,,.. ,,. JI
~r.va EX?JJ,E~ ""'O>V op?~ V01JTOV~ K.at
\

ing vision of terrible Majesty as at 'lf'OAW VOTJTTJV 1£povuaA1JJJ, • TOVTEUTLJf

, \ ' ' , , ,. t , ...
the giving of the Law, but in His avToJJ TOIi ovpavo11, ovK •PTJJJ,OV ws E/Ce,110,.
proper 'dwelling-place.' Zion is dis,. See also Additional Note on xi. 10.
tinctively the 'acropolis,' the seat of (m The persons to whom Christians
God's throne, and Jerusalem the city. are come (22 b, 23 a).
Sometimes Zion alone is spoken of 22 b. ,cat µ.vp •••• Kat £KKA1Jul~] The
as the place where God exercises description of the scene of the Divine
sovereignty and from which He sends Kingdom to which Christians are
deliverance. Ps. ii. 6 ; xlviii. 2 ; L 2 ; come is followed by a description of
lxxviii. 68 ; ex. 2 ; (iii. 4 ; xv. 1) ; Is. the representative persons who are
xviii. 7; sometimes Zion and Jeru- included in it, with whom believers
salem are joined together : Mic. iv. are brought into fellowship. These
1 ff. ; Joel ii. 32; .A.mos i. 2. are angels and men, no longer sepa-
In the spiritual reality Mount Zion rated, as at Sinai, by signs of great
represents the strong divine founda- terror, but united in one vast assembly.
tion of the new Order, while the City The exact construction of the words
of the Living God represents the which describe the two bodies who
social structure in which the Order constitute the population of the hea-
is embodied. God-Who is a Living venly city is disputed and uncertain.
God (c. iii. 12 note)--does not dwell They have been arranged:
alone, but surrounded by His people. (1) µ.vfw.u,11, dyy.X,,,11 7ra111J'YvpH, ,ca1
His Majesty and His Love are equally EK~1JO''f/,; • •
represented in the New Jerusalem. (2) µ.vp,au,11 ayylX,,,v, 'lrallTJYVPH ,ca1
For the idea of the Heavenly Jeru- £/CKATJUL~---
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 23
(3) µvpiau,v,, dyy,'Xc.,11 -rra,,,,-y(JpE, Kal better with the angelic company
EKKATJCTL~ ••• alone.
The main difference lies in the con- The phrase p,vp,acr,v dyy.Xc.,v is
nexion of -rra111Jyvp,s-. ls this to be probably used with direct reference
taken with that which precedes, or to the ministration of the angels at
with that which follows? Ancient the giving of the Law (Deut. xxxiii. 2),
authority is uniformly in favour of the and in the manifestations of the Lord
first view. The Greek MSS., which for judgment (Dan. vii. 10; Jude 14).
indicate the connexion of words (in- Such associations give force to the
cluding AC), uniformly (as far as they addition 'trallTJyupn. These countless
are recorded) separate 1ravri-yvpn from hosts are not now messengers of awe,
1<al iKKA, -rrpc.,rnr. So also the Syriac as then, but of rejoicing. At the
and Latin Versions; and by implica- consummation of Creation, as at the
tion Origen, Eusebius, Basil (d mul- Creation itself (Job xxxviii 7), 'they
titudinem angelorum f requentem, shout for joy.'
Vulg. multorum millium angelorum The word 1rav1yvp,s, which was
f requentiam). used specially of the great national
This construction is favoured also by assemblies and sacred games of the
the general symmetry of the arrange- Greeks (Thuc. i. 25; v. 50) occurs here
ment, which seems to be decidedly only in N. T. It is used rarely in the
unfavourable to the combination of LXX. version of the prophets for izno
'trallTJ'YVPft 1cal iKKATJcrl~. (commonly lop~) (Ezech. xlvi. II;
But if this general division be Hos. ii. 13 (u); ix. 5); and for i1J¥V,
adopted, a further question arises. (Amos v. 2 I). It is also used by
Is dyy,X"'" to be taken with µvp,acr,v Symmachus for )IJ. The suggestion
or with -rraVT}'Yvpn 1 The decision is is that of the common joy of a great
not without difficulty. The rhythm race.
of the sentence appears to require Philo uses the word in connexion
that µ,vp,auw dyy.f>.."'" should go to- with the thought of the reward of
gether, though 1ravriyvp,, sounds harsh victorious self-control: KaAAtcrrov a-
by itself. Stil~ in spite of this harsh- y111va roiirov l!ialJAricrov Kat CT1rovl!acrov
ness, this construction seems to be crrecf,avc.,0ijvai Kara rijs- TOVS' if>..Xovs-
the best upon the whole. Thus -rravri- &1ravras 11,Kc.lCTTJS' ql!ovijs KaAbV Kal ,il-
yup,, colours the whole clause: 'and KA£a crrlcpavov, 8v oill!,p,ta 7ra11qyvp,s
countless hosts of angels in festal dv0pc.l1rc.,v ixc.lpricr• (Leg. Alleg. ii.§ 26;
assembly.' The Syriac and Latin i 86M.).
translations and the variant of D are The notes of the Greek Commenta-
probably endeavours to express the tors are worth quoting (comp. Theodt.
thought simply. If indeed there were supr.):
more authority for µ,vp,al}c.,v, which Kal µ,vp,acr,v ayy.Xc.,v 'lf'OVTJ'YVPEL. iv-
would most naturally be changed, Taii0a 'NJV xapav a,lKvvcr, Kal 'NJII n1-
this reading would deserve great cppocrv"TJV dvrl TOV yvocpov Kal T'OV
consideration. crKoTOvs Kat rijs lJvi>..>..ris- (Chrys. ).
If µ,vp,acrw be taken absolutely, it KaL p.vp,acrw ayy,'>..c.,v• dvrl TOV 'Iov-
may be explained either by dyy,,\c.,11 l!aiKoV Xaoii i!yy,Xo, mip<tcri. Kat m1,"T}-
'tra"TJyupn ('innumerable hosts, even yvp,i, cf,rirrlv, iv µvp,acr,v dyy,'>..c.,v
a festal assembly of angels~ or by v1rapxovrr'fl (<Ecumen.).
dyy,Ac.,v 1ra"T}yvpn .. •• .. iv oilpavois ('in- Kal µ,vp,&u,., dyy,'>..c.,v 'traVTJruP•'- dvrl
numerable hosts, even a festal as- TOV Aaoii lxoµ,,v qp.iis dyy,'>..c.,v p.vp1al!as-·
sembly of angels and church of dvrl TOV cpofJov xapav, TOVTO yap a,,_
firstborn .. .'). But it seems that the >..oiira, a,a , TOV 'trallTjyvpw
special thought of 1ra111Jyvp,s accords , ... , ( ,l110a yap
.,.
7ravriyvp,s- <KEL xapa. T/ 1rallTJyvp,s- ovv
XII. 23] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 417
al)77J lv µ,vpu'1.utv d-yyD..c.,v uvvl<rraTat munion of Saints gains distinctness.
(Theophlct). The word suggests still another.
t1<.1<.ATJUtq. •• .lv ovpavotl1] The second thought. The 'firstborn ' in Israel
constituent body in the divine com- were the representatives of the con-
monwealth is the 'church of the first- secrated nation. We may then be
born.' This represents the earthly ele- justified in regarding these, the first-
ment (men) as the former the heavenly born in the Christian Church, the
element (angels). Men are described firstborn of humanity, as prepa1ing
as a 'church,' a 'congregation,' ga- the way, in Him Who is 'the First-
thered for the enjoyment of special born ' (c. i. 6), for many brethren.
rights, even as the angels are assem- Through them Creation enters on the
bled for a great festival; and they are beginning of its consummation (comp.
spoken of as •' firstborn,' enjoying the Apoc. i. 5 ; Col. i. 1 5; Rom. viii. 29).
privileges not only of sons but of The Greek Commentators are vague
firstborn sons. in their interpretation of the word.
The word t1<.1<.ATJula occurs again in '
) T tva~ "'' 7rp6>TO~O~OV$'
U£ ' ' -,Af'Y~"
IC~AE'L ' l(QL'
the Epistle in c. ii. 12 (Lxx.). The El<.ICATJUL'} 1rpc.>TOTOIC6>V; 7TGVTG!1 TOV!1 xo-
\ ,.. .... ' , \ SI-' '
thought in each case is that of the pav~ TCl>V 1r1.<rr<;>"• T"ovr avr~vs uE' ,ea:
people of God assembled to exercise 1rv,vµ,aTa 1511<.aic.>v TET<A<tc.>p,<Vc.>v 1<.aA<L
their privileges and to enjoy their (Chrys.).
rights. brE1.a~ K.OUJ/J$' JOT, 1rar~p 1r£IVTC1>V (}
It is worthy of notice that while 8,611, 1raVTH µ,iv i',.v8pc.>1ro, vlo[ ,lu,v
the word occurs only in two places in atroV 1w,11Ms-, 1rp6>rVro1eo, a£ roVrCi>V oi
the Gospels (Matt. xvi. 18; xviii. 17), 'lrtOTEVuaVTES Kal t:.f,o, rijr Kara 1rp08Eu1.v
it is used in the former place in the (al 1rpoalp<utv) vloO,ular. ~ ,cal 7T<lVT£!1
sense of the universal church and in µEv &1rAWs- ol 1rtur£VuaVT£S' vlol, 1rp6)-
the latter of a special church. Both r0'1'01eo1, ae ol EVllpEO'TDL «al -rCOv 1rpEU-
senses are found in the Acts (e.g. ix. /j£lrov lv AOy<f> Kal 1roAirEl~ ~~truµ.Evo,
31 ; viii. 1) and in the Epistles of 1rapa O«i> (Theophlct).
St Paul (e.g. Eph. i. 22 ; Col iv. 16). These 'first born' are described as
In the Apocalypse, St James (v. 14) enrolled in heaven (Vulg. qui con-
and 3 John the word is used only in . scripti (d professi) sunt in cwlis).
the special sense. The same image of the enrolment of
1rpc.>T0To,cc.,v] Vulg. primitivorum. citizens on the register of the city, as
In the divine order not one son only possessed of the full privileges of the
but many enjoy the rights of primo- position, is found in the 0. T. : Ex.
geniture, the kingdom and the priest- xxxii. 32 f. ; Ps. lxix. 28 ; Is. iv. 3 ;
hood (Apoc. i. 6). Perhaps there is Dan. xii. 1. Compare Luke x. 20
still some faint reminiscence of the (lvylypa1rTa1); Apoc. xiii. 8; xvii. 8
reckless sacrifice of his birthright (1iypa1rm,) ; iii. 5 ; Phil. iii. 20 ( T6
('l). 16 1rpc.>ToT01<.ia) by Esau. 1roXlT,vµ,a Iv mlp. v1rapx£i); Ps. lxxxvii.
The term 'firstborn' here appears 4 ff. Herm. Vis. i. 3 (with Gebhardt
to describe a common privilege and and Harnack's note); Sim. ii. 9. For
is not used in relation to the cir- the word d1roypa<f,,u8ai see Luke ii. 1 ff.
cumstances of earth, as of the dead Herveius has a striking remark:
compared with the living. Christian cum pluribus major erit beatitudo,
believers in Christ, alike living and ubi unusquisque de alio gaudebit sicut
dead, are united in the Body of Christ. de seipso.
In that Body we have fellowship with The word 1rpc.,r/,To1<.o, appears to be
a society of 'eldest sons' of God, who wholly inapplicable to angels, nor
share the highest glory of the divine could they be described as 'enrolled
order. Thus the idea of the Com- in heaven.'
w. H. 8 27
418 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 24

a7roryerypaµµevwv EV oupavo'is, Kat KPLT? 0e<ji 7rctV'TWV,

f ~
KatI 7rveuµa<rt otKatwv -re-rei\eiwµ.evwv, 24 KatI ota
f ~f 0r,Kr,s veas f f

23 a1ro-ye-yp. iv oup.: iv oup. a.1ro-y,-yp • .-. 1rv,vµaTL D2* (d). OLKalWI'

reuX«wµivwv ~•ACM2 : OLK. re/JeµeX,wµlvwv D 2* (d): reXlwv o,li,Ka,wµlvo,s Ii(*,

23 b, 24. From the contemplation Wisd. ix. 7. Christians 'in Christ' can
of the divine order in its ideal glory draw near to the Judge.
the apostle goes on to describe it in 1<al 1rvE11µ.t,u1 1311<, TETEA.] The judg-
relation to men and the conflicts of ment-the revelation of that which
life, (a) when the struggle is over, is-has been in part triumphantly
and ([3) while it is yet being main- accomplished. We realise the pre-
tained. Thus the point of sight nQw sence of the Judge, and also of those
becomes human, and the two great for whom His work has been fulfilled
ideas of judgment and redemption in righteousness. These are spoken
come into prominence. The Judge is of as 'spirits,' for in this passage the
the universal sovereign, and spirits of thought is no longer, as in the former
just men made perfect witness to His clauses, of the complete glory of the
mercy. The Mediator is one truly divine commonwealth, but of spiritual
man, Jesus, and His blood calls not relations only; not of the assembly in
for vengeance but for pardon. its august array, but of the several
(a) The judgment when life is members of it in their essential
over. being.
2 3 b. Kp1rfi B•~ 1ravrw11] to the God The departed saints are therefore
of all a8 Judge. The order appears spoken of now as 'spirits,' not yet
to be decisive against the common 'clothed upon' (2 Cor. v. 4). Comp.
rendering 'God the Judge of all' I Pet. iii. 19 Tots lv cpvAa1<f, 1rv,vµau,.,,
though the Greek Commentators take The word tvx~-the principle of hu-
the words so; and on the other hand man life-is used in a similar manner:
the simple phrase B,6s 1ravrw11 is Wisd. iii. l (lJLKULWI' ,J,vxal • ., xupl
unusual in place of J ~11 l1rl 1ravrw11, or B,oii); Apoc. vi. 9 ff. We have no
1ravro1<parwp. But there is a certain warrant to draw any deductions from
parallelism between 1<p,r~s, lJ,aBq1t.qs these glimpses of disembodied hu-
J/EilS µ•ulrqs, and B•os 7TUVTWI', 'Iquoiis. manity, nor indeed can we apprehend
He to Whom we draw near as Judge them distinctly. We can feel however
is God of all His judgment is uni- that something is yet wanting to the
versal, not of one race only or of one blessedness of the blessed.
order of being. It seems best to But while the work of Christ is as
take 1ravrc.iv as neuter. yet uncompleted in humanity, though
The word 1<p1r~s retains something 'the righteous' are spoken of as
of its widest meaning (Acts xiii. 20). spirits only, yet they are essentially
The action of the Judge is not to be 'made perfect.' They have realised
limited to punishment only. The the end for which they were created
Divine Judgment is the manifestation in virtue of the completed work of
of right, the vindication of truth, an Christ. When the Son bore humanity
object of desire for believers, though to the throne of God-the Father-
the light in which it is revealed (John those who were in fellowship with
iii. 19) is fire also (comp. v. 29). Him were (in this sense) perfected,
.6i1<aur~s strictly has reference to a but not till then: c. xi. 40. In this
legal and technical process: Acts vii. connexion reference may be made to
27, 35 (not Lk. xii. 14); l Sam. viii. I; the impressive picture of 'the har-
XII. 24] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

1-mrt'T"tJ , lr,<rov, Kai. a'!µa-rt paJJTt<rµou KpEtTTOJI A.aAOVJ/TL

24 µ,eafrTJS Dt. 1<pe'irrov : Kpelrrova I,.

rowing of hell ' by Christ in the the Hebrews 'new' in time and not
Gospel of Nicodemus: cc. xxi ff. only 'new' in substance. Christians
For the general idea of nAnovu0m had just entered on the possession of
see ii 10; vii. II; x. 14 (notes). privileges which the elder Church
With this conception of the right- had not enjoyed.
eous man gaining his perfection in For µ,eulT1Js compare c. viii. 6 note;
Christ contrast the Rabbinic concep- and for the force of the human name
tion of 'the perfect righteous man' 'I11uovs see c. iii. 1 note; and for the
who fulfils all tlie Law: Weber order c. ii. 9 note; v. 2.
.Altsynag. Theol. 278 f. 1<al atµ,. pavr....AaAovVTt] Vulg. et
For l3lKaios see x. 38 (Lxx.); xi 4- sanguinis sparsionem loquentem.
The verb l3ucaiovv is not found in There is a voice to be heard here
the Epistle. also as at Sinai (v. 19), but not
Primasius reading ad spiritum terrible like that.
('ll'vwµ,an) explains it of the Holy The blood-'the life'-is regarded
Spirit : per quemjusti creantur omnes as still living. 'J.'.his thought finds
in baptismate, accipientes ab illo expression in the first record of
remissionem omnium peccatorum. death (Gen. iv. 10), but the voice
(8) The support while the struggle 'of the blood of Jesus' is doubly
lasts. contrasted with the voice of the
24- 1<al l3ia0. v. µ,eu. 'I. 1<al. ..•A,BeA] blood of Abel. That, appealing to
For some the struggle of life is over : God, called for vengeance, and mak-
by some it has still to be bome. In ing itself heard in the heart of Cain,
these last two clauses the spiritual brought despair ; but the blood of
covenant is shewn in relation to those Christ pleads with God for forgive-
whose work has yet to be completed. ness and speaks peace to man. The
Their assurance lies in the facts blood, that is the abiding virtue of
that He through Whom the covenant, Christ's offered life, is in heaven;
is established has perfect sympathy inseparable from the glorified King
with them as true man; and that the and Priest. Comp. lv r~ aiµ,an x. 19.
blood through which it was ratified is For paVTiuµ,<>s compare c. ix. 19 f.;
an energetic power of purifying life. X. 22 (p,paVTt<T/J,EIIOL ras 1<apl3la~) ; I
The work of Jesus, the author and Pet. i. 2 pa11Tiuµ,t111 aiµ,aros 'I11uoii.
perfecter of faith (v. 2), is placed in Bam. v. I Zva TlJ tlcplun rciiv &.µ,apnciiv
these respects in significant connexion dyviuB&iµ,£11 0 Eurn, Iv rcii aiµar, roV
with that of Moses, the mediator of paVTluµ,aros avroii. For. the idea of
the first covenant, the deliverer from Blood in Scripture see Addit. Note
Egyptian bondage, and that of Abel on I John i. 7.
the first martyr of faith (xi. 4). 'll'apa T6V "A.] better than Abel.
l3ia0. vlas µ,,ulru 'L] This is the Comp. c. xi. 4 il'll'o0avc},v ;Tt AaAE&. It
only place in which l3,a0rJl<1J vla occurs seems more natural to take the words
in N. T.; compare l3,aB1K1J Ka&"') c. viii thus quite simply than to render them
8, 13(LXX.); ix. 15. 'better than that (the blood) of
For the contrast of vlos and 1<aw&s Abel' ('11'apli rt1 • A. L and some mss.).
see Col. iii. 10 (and Lightfoot's note). Kp,1rrov is an adverb as in I Cor.
The Covenant is spoken of as via in vii 38 (Winer, p. 580). For Kp. 'll'apa
regard of its recent establishment, and see c. ix. 23; i. 4 note.
not as Ka&"') in regard of its character. (b) The duties of Christians which
The Covenant was in relation to flow from their position (25-29).
27-2
420 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 25

7rapa' 'TOV
' ''A/3€".
I\. "'5 B"/\.€7r€'T€
' µr,' 7rapatTYJ<TYJ<T
' 0€ 'TOV
'
A.aAouv-ra· d 7ap €K€LVOL OUK EtE<pu7ov €7ri. 7i;s 7rapat-

25 ActAOVIITct + vµ,w D2 the. il;eq>1ryo11 N*AC: l,/>1ryo11 N•l\f,,.

T611 N*ACD2 M2 : Tov bd 'Y· 1rctp. , N•. -y,)s: +T,){ -y,)s f;.

The picture of the position of directly from the contemplation of the

Christians has been drawn. Its dan- picture which the apostle has drawn.
gers and glories have been set forth. The absence of a connecting particle
The last application now follows. gives greater force to the appeal :
The section consists of two parts. 'you know what ·lies before lU!: see
In the first (a) the writer emphasises that you do not disregard it.'
the responsibility of Christians in For /3A<1TETE compare c. iiL 12; and
respect of their position towards a for rrapainiUTJuBt v. 19 note.
final revelation (25-27); and then(/3) The words which follow (El -yap ...
he makes a practical appeal (28, 29). arrourpEcf,6µ,£110,) are really a paren-•
•s See that ye refuse not him that thesis; so that Tov ;\a;\ovVTa goes
speaketh. For if they escaped not, closely with ov
7/ tj,"'111/ ( v. 26). How-
when on earth they refused him ever the intervening words may be
that dealt with them, much less shall interpreted, the speaker, through
we escape who turn away from him whatever agency, is God. He Who
that dealeth with W! from heaven. 'spake in a Son' (c. i. 2) still speaks.
6
• Whose voice shook the earth then, in Him.
but now he hath promised saying El-yap ••• trr, ')'q!.' ... TOII XP1/P.· ... &rrourp.J
Yet once more will I make to tremble For if they-the people of the Exodus
not only the earth but also the heaven. whose history has just been recalled
•1And the word, Yet once more, to W!--escaped not the consequences
signifieth the removal of the things of their want of faith when on earth
'U-hich are shaken, as of things that they refused him that dealt with
have been made, that the things them, much less shall we escape whe>
may abide which are not shaken. are turning away from him that
28
Wherefore let us, as receiving a dealeth with us from heaven. The
kingdom that cannot be shaken, feel long sufferings in the wilderness wit-
thankfulness (or have grace), whereby nessed to the punishment of that
we may offer service to God, as is unbelief which made the people
well-pleasing, with re1Jerence and rescued from Egypt unfit and un-
awe ; 29for our God is a consuming willing to hold converse with God.
fire. Their sin was not in the request that
(a) 25-27. The punishment of the Moses only should speak to them
Israelites may remind Christians of (Deut. v. 28), but in the temper
their responsibility. They rejected which made the request necessary
an earthly dispensation. He who (Deut. v. 29).
speaks to us is 'from heaven' (25). The position of trrl -yiji.-, when T611 is
The shaking of the earth then was transferred according to the true
but a symbol of the shaking of earth reading, makes it impossible to take
and heaven now (26), which is final, the words exclusively with Tov XP'l-
as introducing an order which cannot p,aTl(:oVTa (as in Toll trrt yiji.- xp71µ,a;{-
be shaken (27). (011Ta). They qualify the whole clause
2 5. {3'>..faETE p,~ rrapaiT. T6II AaA.] which follows : If they escaped not
See that ye refuse not him that even when on earth (having their position
now is speaking. The warning springs on earth) they refused (begged no
XII. 26) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 421

µa.Mov r,µe'ic; o,
~ oJ r, <f>wvr, 'TrJII
6

25 ovpavoiJ
1roM NACD 2*: 11"0XX<ii ,. fJµ,e,s: vµ,e,s C. ovpa11w11 NACD2 : ovpavou ~-
;i6 fJ q,. : q,. M 2•
longer to hear) him that dealt with heaven) is left in an undefined and
them.••• The scene and the conditions general form as including the work of
of the revelation, the trial and the the Son on earth and after He was
failure, were earthly, on earth. glorified, through Whom the Father
The corresponding phrase ,hi·' o-Jpa- speaks. His revelation was 'from
11rov expresses only the position of the heaven' in both cases.
revealer and not that of those to In one sense God 'spake from
whom the revelation is given. Hence heaven' when He gave the Law (Ex.
it is limited by its place to Him (-rov xx. 22 ; Deut. iv. 36), but His voice
,. , , ) even then was 'of earth.'
an- ovp;." •
For EKELvo, see c. 1v. 2. For d1rou-rp•cf,oµ,E110L compare Tit. i
The word ,rapa,rquaµ.EVOL (when they 14; Matt. v. 42; 2 Tim. i. 15.
refused.••) takes up ,rapnrfiuavro in The tense stand$ in marked contrast
1'. 19. The object then was not the with that used in the former clause
Yoice of Moses but the voice of God. 1rapmT7/<TUf1,EVO', O'trOUT"pEcj,oµ.•110, ). The
It seems to follow necessarily there- action if commenced was not yet com-
fore that the object here (-rov XPTJJJ-a· pleted.
-rl(ovra) must be God and not the 26. ov ~ cf,"'"'7···J The words go
minister of God. Thus the contrast back to v. 2 5 -rov XaXovvra Ex. xix.
is not between the two mediators 18 f. (Hehr.). 'op~s on -rou o Xa.\rov
.Moses and Christ, but between the aVrOs- ~v OvVv d1r' o'Vpavov" XPTJµarl(mv
character of these two revelations ~µ,'iv (Theophlct).
which God made, 'on _earth' and For luaX,vu•v compare Ex. xix. 18
'from heaven.' (Hehr.); Judges v. 4 f. yii tu,lue,, •••
For XPTJµ.a-rl(ovra compare c. viii 5 1,pTJ tuaXd,e,,uav. Ps. cxiv. 7 (Lxx.)
(KEXP· Mruvo-ijs); xi. 7. The word d1ro ,rpouw1rov ,cvplov tua).,-t,(}TJ ~ -yij.
:appears to be specially chosen to The word is used of violent elemental
describe the manifold circumstances convulsions (e.g. Matt. xxiv. 29).
connected with the giving of the vvv a, t1r~-y-y.] Hagg. ii. 6. But
Law. now, in relation to the Christian
'If". µ.. ~JJ,ELS (sc. mJ,c /,ccf,Ev~ovµ.,(}a) oL order as distinguished from that of
TOV a,r' o-Jp. Q'lf"OUT"p.] The form in Sinai (roTE), He hath promised, whose
which this supposition is expressed is voice then shook the earth. .••
remarkable. The writer does not say The former outward 'shaking' was
'if we turn away from him' (-rov a,r' the symbol of a second 'shaking' far
,oJp. d1ro<TT"p.), nor yet 'after turning more extensive and effective. Heaven
:away from' (d1roUT"pacf,ivrEs 2 Tim. i. and earth will at last be moved that
15~ He looks upon the action as men may contribute to the fulfilment
:already going on, and does not shrink of the divine purpose. And the an-
from including himself among those nouncement of this final catastrophe
who share in it: 'we who are turning of the world, however awful in itself,
away,' if indeed we persevere in the is a 'promise,' because it is for the
spirit of unfaithfulness. triumph of the cause of God that
The phrase -rov d1r' o-Jpavrov (him believers look.
that dealt and dealeth with us from The prophecy of Haggai (ii 6 ff.,
422 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 27

'}'1111 , 'i\ EU<TEII

€<Ta I
TOTE, -
I/VII ~\ ' I i\
0€ €7r11'}''}'€ Tat
i\€'}'WV
I ~ETI
rt
MTM >
eroo ,
C€1CW OU, p.011011
' '
THN ,..
rHN a'i\i\'
a Kat' TON ' O)'p~NON.
' ,
~1Td oe , ~fa, trr~:t 011\.oi [T~v] TWII craA.euoµ.evrov µ.eTa-
i\
eE<rtv I ,I
ros 7rE7rot11µ.e11ro11, iva µe,1111
f
Ta
\ \
µ.11
I
era woµ.eva.

lri: 8r1 lri M2 • e,yw c/.,r~ D 2 • u,l<Tw NACM2 vg syr vg me the:

u,lw S'" D2• +M,y<1 D2*, 27 rl,11 rw11 ua).., N*AC: rw11 uaA. r~v S'" N•:
om D2*M2 , om. tva ... <TaA. A.

21 ff.) deals with two main subjects, For II1rae see c. vi 4 n. ; ix. 26 ff. ;
the superior glory of the second and for l37JA01, c. ix. 8 note.
temple in spite of its apparent pov- 'nJ" rwv uaX,voµlvc.w •••1r<rr.] the
erty: the permanent sovereignty of remo'Dal of the things which are bein{l
the house of David in spite of its shaken as of things that ha'De been
apparent weakness. The prophet made. The convulsion is represented
looks forward from the feeble be- as in accomplishment. It is not simply
ginnings of the new spiritual and possible. This vivid feature is lost in
national life to that final manifesta- the Latin mobilium (Vulg.).
tion of the majesty and kingdom of c.ls- rrmo•'II-''"""'] The visible earth
God in which the discipline begun on and heaven are treated as transitory
Sinai is to have an end. He natu- forms, which only represent in time
rally recals in thought the pheno- the heavenly and eternal. As the
mena which accompanied the giving material types of spiritual realities
of the Law ; and foreshadows a corre- they are spoken of characteristically
spondence between the circumstances as 'made' and so as being liable
of the first and the last scenes in the to perish. The 'invisible' archetypes
divine revelation. That which was are also, as all things, 'made' by God:
local and preparatory at Sinai is seen Is. lxvi. 22. They are not imperish-
in the consummation to be universal able in themselves, but they abide in
The quotation is adapted from the virtue of the divine will, which they
LXX. fT, &1raE JyW <TElcr<iJ Tbv oVpavOv are fitted peculiarly to express as.
,ml 'nJ" y,jv Kal "nJ" BciAauuav Kal "nJ" being spiritual.
e1Jp&.11. The interpretation of the For µ,r&.8,u,s compare vii 12 (xL
words '1 ~'IJ t::lV,,, rir,~ "lW rendered 5). The word only occurs in this
by ;TI ilrrae is doubtful ; but in any Epistle in the N. T. In the LXX. it is
case the LXX. gives the main thought. found only in 2 Mace. xi 24. The
The character of this 'shaking' com- verb occurs Acts vii. 16; Gal i 6 ;
pared with that which foreshadowed Jude 4; c. vii. 12; xi 5.
it marks it as final A similar idea is expressed by St
For lmiyy<XTa1 compare Rom. iv. John and St Paul I John ii. 8; 17
21; GaL iii 19 (to whom He hath (rrap.iy,u0m); I Cor. vii 31 (rrap&.y..).
given the promise). Zva µ,lvy] The abiding of the eter-
27. rli al ~En arrae] And the word nal is naturally presented as the
Yet once more.... Vulg. Quod au- object of the removal of the tem-
tem ...dicit. The use of this phrase poral. By this the eternal is shewn
shews that the second 'shaking' will as it is. The veils in which it was.
be final No other is to follow. All shrouded are withdrawn.
then that admits of being shaken ro µ~ uaX.] Vulg. qure sunt im-
must be for ever removed. mobilia (du&.A,vrov 'D. 28, immobile),
XII. 28] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

!IS Llto {3a<rlA€tav a<raAEV'TOV 7rapa"J\aµ/3a11011TEc;

28 lxwµev ACD2M2 syr vg me: txoµev ~ d vg (comp. v. 1 Tischdt.).

all that stands undisturbed in the that this great catastrophe, this reve-
present trial The 'shaking' is looked lation of the eternal, is imminent, let
upon as already taking place. us as receiving a kingdom that cannot
For µ.el'71 see c. x. 34; xiii 14. be shaken ..• The thought of the 'king-
The crisis to which the writer of dom' lies in the second part of Haggai's
the Epistle looks forward is, speaking prophecy, which the quotation natural-
generally, .the establishment of the ly suggested to the readers. The
'heavenly,' Christian, order when the 'shaking' of which the prophet spoke,
'earthly,' order of the Law was re- and which was now being fulfilled,
moved. He makes no distinction was designed to ,issue in an eternal
between the beginning and the con- sovereignty of the house of faith.
summation of the age then to be The mention of the Divine King-
inaugurated, between the catastrophe dom is comparatively rare in the
of the fall of Jerusalem and the Epistles. In the Gospels and Acts
final return of Christ : the whole the phrase is always definite, 'the
course of the history of the Christian kingdom,' 'the kingdom of heaven,'
Church is included in the fact of its 'the kingdom of God,' 'the Father's
first establishment. It is impossible kingdom' (17 ,BauiAela, 11 ,B. rwv ovpa11wv,
to say how far he anticipated great ,; ,B. TOV Beov, ,j ,B. TOV 7TOTpos), and by
physical changes to coincide with this implication ' the kingdom of the Son
event. That which is essential to his of man' (comp. Lk. xxii. 29 l!tlBm,
view is the inauguration of a new µ.o, ,Baui>..eiav). The phrase 'the king-
order, answering to the 'new heavens dom of God' (,; ,B. Tov B.) occurs: 2
and the new earth' (Is. lxv. 17; Apoc. Thess. i. 5; 1 Cor. iv. 20; Rom. xiv.
xxi 1). 17; Col. iv. II : comp. 1 Thess. ii 12.
Signs in nature however did accom-· Elsewhere we have 'the kingdom of
pany the Birth and Death of Christ. Christ and God' (Eph. v. 5 lv -rfi ,B.
The representation of great spirit- Tov Xp,uTov ,cal Beov); and 'the eternal
ual changes under physical imagery kingdom of our Lord and Saviour
occurs elsewhere both in the Old and Jesus Christ' (2 Pet. i. 1 I. 17 alcJv,or ,B.
New Testaments: Is. lxv. ; Matt. xxiv. ; TOV ,cvplov 17µ.0011 ,cal 0'6>TTJpor 'I. Xp. ;
2 Peter iii; Apoc. xx. ; xxi. comp. 1 Cor. xv. 24; Col. i. 13 ; 2 Tim.
Many recent writers have connected iv. 1, 18); and 'the kingdom which was
,re,ro117µ.lv,,wwith 111a: 'so made that ... ,' promised' (James ii. 5). In other
'made to the end that... .' According places the anarthrous form ,BauiAefo
to this view the transitory is treated (hov is used in the phrase, ,c"A17povoµ.e'iv
as the preparation for the continuance ,B. B.: I Cor. vi. 9 f.; xv. 50; Gal v.
of that which abides. The thought 21, where it is natural that emphasis
itself is important; but it does not should be laid on the character of
seem to lie in the context, which does that which men looked to receive.
not deal directly with the purpose of ,rapa"Aaµ,Bavo11Ter] receiving from
that which passes away. the hands of God as His gift. Be-
(ft) 28, 29. The consideration of lievers are already entering upon the
the position in which the Hebrews kingdom (c. iv. 3); and this kingdom
were placed issues in a practical is described as 'immovable' (dua"AevTov)
appeal and not simply as 'not moved' in the
28. lid, ,Bau•••• ] Wherefore, seeing crisis which the apostle pictures.
424 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XII. 29

xdpw, U fie; ·Aa-rpeuwµev evape&-rwc; -rcj, 0ecj, µeTd €VAa-

~I 8 €OC
\ ' ,.... ... \. ,
/3 €tac;
I
Kat\ oeouc;, -"9 Kat' '
ryap C
O 11µ.wv TTyP Kb.Tb.Nb./\lCKON.

AaTpeuwµev ACD2 vg: AaTpeuoµev t(M2. euapbnw•; euxapl<TTW< D2*.

,uXafMa• Kai lUovs t(*ACD2* syr vg me the: ,uX. Kai ali5ous t(•M2: ali5ous Kai euX. ,vg.
~9 Kal: Kvp,os D2 ( d).

Comp. Dan. vii 18 'ITapa-X,j,J,ovrcu cum reverentia diligentes eum ut pa,.

TTJII {3mn-X,la11 ay,o, t5,yluTOv, after the trem (Primas.).
four kingdoms of force had been For the sense of lxwµ.•v in this case
removed; Col iv. 17 'IT. lJia,co11iav. see Rom. v. 1.
lxwµ.,11 xdp,11] Vulg. hahemus (lxo- lt,' ii~ A.aTp<vwµ.•v] The verb 'A.a-
µ.,11) gratiam. The use of the phrase TpEvwµ.•v is attracted to lxwµ.,v, 'let us
xdp,11 lx«,. elsewhere in the N. T. is thank God, and by that gratitude let
strongly in favour of the sense 'let us serve him' (AaTp. T~ B,~); ,av yap
us feel and shew thankfulness to Jp.Ev EV x&.p,uro, rO'T'E ,cal A.arpE'Vop,Ev
God': Luke xvii. 9; 1 Tim. i. 12; EVapf<TT6lS Kal CiJs Ela&r£s ,roLov a£CT1TOT7Jv
2 Tim. i. 3. This sense is supported lxoµ.•v (Theophlct ). The saints, though
by Chrysostom (ov µ.011011 ovic dcp,l-Xoµ.,v kings, shall serve : Apoc. vii. 1 S ;
a'/TOlJVU'ITE'TELII E'ITl TOI~ 'ITapovuw aAA<l xxii. 3.
1eal x'1/J,v aVrcp µeylOTT]V Eltiva1, £1rl ro'is- EVapEo-rws] c. xiii. 2 I ( rd £t)llpEurav).
µ.,-X-Xovu, ), <Ecumenius and Theo- Elsewhere ,Jap,UTos occurs in the
phylact. .And, though at first sight N. T. only in St Paul (eight times),
there is something strange in the and except in Tit. ii. 9 (lJov'A.ov~ 13,u-
idea that thankfulness is the means '/TaTms Evap<UTOVS) always of divine
whereby we may serve God, we are relations.
perhaps inclined to forget the weight p,<TO. £v'Aa{3. 1ml lJfovs] Vulg. cum
which is attached in Scripture to metu et reverentia (0. L. verecunclia).
gratitude and praise. It is the per- The mention of Mo~ here, a word
ception and acknowledgement of which does not occur again in the
the divine glory which is the strength N. T., arises out of the context.
of man. The sense of love is the Comp. Phil. ii. 12; 1 Pet. i. 17.
motive for proclaiming love. Ps. Ii. The common reading p,<Ta allJ. ical
14 f. £v"A. occurs in Philo, Leg. acl Cai•
.At the same time in 3 John 4, lx«v § 44 (ii. 597 M.). For ,v'A.a{3Eta, see
xapw is used in the sense of 'having c. v. 7 note.
a gracious favour.' Thus there is 29. ical yap ••• ] for indeed.... See
nothing absolute in usage against iv. 2 note.
giving to the words here the sense oa.;,~ ~µ.0011] The significant addi-
'let us have (i.e. realise) grace.' The tion of ~µ.0011 extends the description
gift of God is certain, but we must of the God of the revelation from
make it our own. Comp. iv. 16 Sinai to the God of the new revela-
i11a•••X• <Vpwµ.EV, Xiii. 9 KaA.oll yap tion. In other respects there may
xapm f3•f3awvuBa1. This sense is given be a wide chasm between the Law
by the Peshito and by the Latin and the Gospel ; but the One God
Fathers. Gratiam dicit fidem rectam, of both is in His very nature in
spem certam, caritatem perfectain, relation to man as He is, and not in
cum operatione sancta, per qme de- one manifestation only, 'a consuming
bemus Deo servire cum metu, timentes fire.' He purifies by burning up all
illum ut Deum et judicem omnium, et that is base in those who serve Hiin,
XII. 29] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

and all that is unfit to abide in His sumat, sed quam exterius homo
Presence : Mal iii 2 f. (Is. iv. 4); attrahit, rubiginem scilicet pecca-
Mal. iv. 1. Comp. Matt. iii 12. torum; non enim illud consumit quod
With O 8E6S ~f-'0011 contrast O BEos ipse fecit sed quod malitia hominum
{Additional Note on I John iv. 8). intulit (Primas.).
The image occurs several times in Ignis quatuor sunt officia, id est
the 0. T.; Deut. iv. 24; Is. xxxiii 14- quoniam purgat et urit et illuminat
Comp. Deut. ix. 3; Ex. xxiv. 17. et calefacit, sicque Spiritus sanctus
The Latin Fathers develop the purgat sordes vitiorum, et urit renes
thought: et cor ab humore libidinum, illuminat
Deus omnipotens ignis appellatur mentem notitia veritatis, et calefacit
non ut materiam quam fecit con- incendio caritatis (Herv.).
 THE EPIST~ TO THE HEBREWS.

Additional Note on xu. 2. The Ohristology of the Epistle.

The The view of the Person and Work of Christ which is given in the Epistle
breadth_ of to the Hebrews is in many respects more comprehensive and far-reaching
14
tfe 0 O st· than that which is given in any other Book of the New Testament. The
fh~gy writer does not indeed, like St John, trace back the conception of the
Epistle. Personality of the Lord to immanent relations in the Being of a Living
God. He does not, like St Pau~ distinctly represent each believer as
finding his life 'in Him' and so disclose the divine foundation of the
solidaiity of the human race. But both thoughts are implicitly included in
his characteristic teaching on the High-priestly office of Christ through
which humanity reaches the end of creation.
Plan of In the following note I wish to offer for connected study the passages of
the Note. the Epistle in which the author deals with The Divine Being of the Son
(i), and with Tlie work of the Incarnate Ghrist (ii); but before doing this
it is necessary to observe that he recognises one unchanged Personality
throughout in Him through Whom finite things were called into existence
and under Whom they find their final peace.
Christ is This ftmdamental truth finds complete expression in the opening para-
One _Per- graph (comp. pp. 17, 18). From first to last, through time to that eternity
son indand beyond time which we have no powers to realise, One Person fulfils the will
beyon
time of God:
(r-4). o e,;,r iXaX,,,r,11 1µ,'iv iv vii>
&11 ;e'l"-'" KA'7po110µ,011 71"111/TCIIII
a,' oJ Kal £1rolTJ<TEV ro'Vs- alWvas.
.And when we contemplate Him in His Nature and His Work there is
the same unbroken continuity through changes which to our eyes interrupt

..
or limit His activity :
OS' C'.l>JI
-

o:rravyauµ,a rij~ Mf'lr Kal

\ - f , I "'"
xapaKTTJP TTJS v:rrouraU£CIIS avrov
cf,lprov T'E :a 11"~111"~ r'f' P,,.~µ.art. Tijs 'avv&µECt>S' aVroii
1<.aBap,uµ,011 TCIIII aµ,apTLC1111 :rro,'luaµ,•vor
t1<.atJ,u,11 iv lJ,f,~ rijr µ,,yaXwu611TJr.
One Person is the agent in creation, the medium of revelation, the heir
of the world. One Person makes God known to us in terms of human
life, and bears all things unceasingly to their proper goa~ and 'having made
purification of sins' waits for that issue which man's self-assertion has
delayed.
Other The same thought is traced in the 0. T. where the Son is spoken of as
forms in King and Creator (i. 8-12). .And it appears in its simplest form in the
which the combination of the two contrasted Names 'Jesus' and 'the Son of God'
truth is
conveyed. (iv. 14 note; compare xiii 20 r611 1<.6pw11 1µ,wv •1,,uov11 with I Cor. xii. 3 ;
Rom. x. 9); and again in the abrupt and unique phrase, c. xiii 8, '1,,uovr
Xp,OTOs ExBts ,cal u~µ.Epov O aVris ,cal El~ ToVs- alc»vas-.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

i The Divine Being (Nature and Personality) of the Son.

( 1) In relation to God.
The Divine Being of the Son in relation to God is presented (a) by the !·. The
use of the general titles 'Son,' 'the Son,' 'the Firstborn'; and (b) by the DBi~ine .,
definite descnp. t·1011 of H'1s nat ure and work. eing
the OJ
Son.
(a) The use of the anarthrous title 'Son,' which emphasises the (1 _In !
ess?ntial ?1ature of the relation whi~? it express~~' is characteristic of the ~~ ~~d.~
EpIStle (1. 2 note, 5 [comp. v. 5]; m. 6; v. 8; vu. 28 note; comp. p. 34). ( ) Th
The form occurs elsewhere in the Epistles only in Rom. i. 4 opurBlvros vloii tftles e
Beoii (comp. John xix. 7 vlov Beoii). •Son,'
This title is defined by the personal titles 'the Son' (i. 8), 'tlle Son of 'the S?n,'
God' (vi. 6; vii 3; x. 29), 'the Firstborn' (i. 6 note); and 'the Son of God' ~th e }f1r st•
is identified with 'Jesus' (iv. 14 note). orn.
The title 'Son' is used in the Epistle only in reference to the Incarnate
Lord. This follows from the scope of the teaching. But the title expresses
not merely a moral relation, but a relation of being; and defines in
human language that which 'was' beyond time immanent in the God-
head (x. 5; vii. 3 notes). There was (so to speak) a congruity in the
Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity (comp. p. 18).
In this connexion it must be noticed that the writer represents the
Father as the Source (µ.la 'lr'JY~ BeoT7Jros) from which the Son derived all
that He has (i. 2 ;B,,1<.ev; v. 5 oilx lavrov lMtauev). Comp. St John v. 26.
It is remarkable that God is spoken of as 'Father' only in i. 5 (from the
Lxx:.; comp. xii. 9, 7). The title is used by St Paul in all his Epistles.
(b) The definite description of the Divine Personality given in i. 3 has (b) The
been examined in detail in the notes upon the passage. The use of th(,l natureand
absolute, timeless, term 'being' (rZv) guards against the thought that the ~rt of
8
Lord's 'Sonship' was by adoption and not by nature. In Him the 'glory' on.
of God finds manifestation, as its 'effulgence' (d1ravyauµ.a), and the
'essence' (w&UTau,s) of God finds expression, as its embodiment, type
(xapalCT1Jp ). The two ideas are complementary and neither is to be pressed
to consequences. In d1ravyauµ.a the thought of 'personality' finds no
place (lvv-1roUTarov oil1<. frnv); and in xapalCT1Jp the thought of 'coessen-
tiality' finds no place. The two words are related exactly as oµ.oovu,os and
µ.ovoy•111Js, and like those must be combined to give the fulness of the
Truth. The Truth expressed thus antithetically holds good absolutely; and
it is offered to us under the conditions of human life in the Incarnation.
In Christ the essence of God is made distinct: in Christ the revelation of
God's character is seen (comp. John v. 19, 30; xiv. 9).
(2) In relation to the World. (2 ) In
In relation to the World the Son is presented to us as (a) the Creator, relation to
(b) the Preserver, and (c) the Heir of all things. From the divine side the World.
indeed these three offices are one.
(a) The Creative work of the Son is affirmed both in the writer's own (a) Crea-
words (c. i. 2 a,• oi 1<.al l1rol,,uev Toils aloovas), and by an application of the tor.
language of the Psalms (c. i. 10). .A.t the same time the creation is finally
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
referred to God (xi. 3 1rl<JT« voovµ.•11 1<aTTJpTluBm Tovr alwvas Mµan B,ov).
Thus the teaching of the Epistle exactly corresponds with the Nicene
phrases: 1f'tOTEtloµEv Els Eva IJEOv, 1rarlpa ... 1rUvrwv.••1roi11T1/v· ,cal Els lva ,cVp,ov
'lTJ<TOVJ/ Xpt<TTOI/•• •li,' o{; Ta TTOI/Ta ly,11.-ro., ••
(b) Pre- (b) The thought of creation passes into that of the preservation,
server. government, consummation of created things. The Son by 'the word of His
power' (i. 3 cf,ipoo11 note; comp. xi. 3) bears all things to their true end.
He is over the whole house of God in virtue of what He is (iii. 6 vMs) and
of what He has done (x. 21 l,p,vs). This work was in no way interrupted
by the Incarnation. St Paul also combines the creative and sustaining
power of Christ: Col. i. 16, 17 (;1<TluB'1, tKTt<TTm, uvv<<JTT}t«v).
(c) Heir. (c) The idea of the 'heirship' of Christ, though in a limited sense, finds
a place in the Synoptic Gospels (Matt. xxi. 38 and parr.). It is connected by
St Paul with the work of creation: Col. i. 16 Tct 1raVTa lit' mlTov 1<al ,Is atlrov
,',cr,UTat. This conception is emphasised by the true order of the words in
i. 2 l3i' o{; 1<al t1rolTJu•11 r. al. The fact that He created suggests the fitness
that He should inherit. Comp. Addit. Note on vi. 12.
The Sovereignty of Christ over 'the order to come' (ii. 5) presents His
'heirship' under one special aspect ; and in part this Sovereignty is
exercised even now (iii. 6; x. 21). In part however it awaits accomplish-
ment (i. 13; x. 13).

ii. The ii. The Work of the Incarnate Christ.

work of The Work of the Incarnate Christ is presented under the aspect, (1) of
the Incar-
nate His earthly life, and (2) of His Work in His glorified humanity in heaven.
Christ. ( 1) The Incarnation.
(1) The
Incarna- The Incarnation requires to be considered (a) in relation to the
tion. assumption of human nature (uap1<00Bijvm) and (b) in relation to human
life (b,a11Bpoo1rijum). Both views are required for a full view of the Truth.
(a) (a) The Lord's humanity is declared to be real (ii. 14; comp. "'· 10;
Christ's vii. 14), perfect (ii. 17 Kara mivra), and representative (ii. 9 v1rtp 1ravros).
human At the same time, as has been seen, the Divine Personality was unchanged
nature.
by the assumption of manhood. We must not however suppose that the
body with its powers was simply an instrument which was directed by a
divine 'principle.' The body prepared for Him by God (x. 5) is not, any
more than 'flesh' in John i. 14, to be interpreted in a partial sense. The
use of the human name ('ITJuovr, see p. 33) guards the fulness of His
humanity (comp. ii. 6 LXX.). At the same time His perfect humanity was
in absolute harmony with His Divine Nature, and so He could work
through it using all men's powers; but it did not limit His Divine Nature
in any way in itself: it limited only its manifestation.
(b) (b) Thus the perfect human nature of Christ found expression in a
Christ's perfect human life. By the discipline of suffering the Lord was 'made
human
life. perfect,' bearing without the least failure every temptation to which we are
exposed (iv. 15; v. 7 ff.; vii. 26). Comp. Addit. Note on ii. 10. His
growth was not only negatively sinless, but a victorious development of
every human power. Nor can it be without deep interest to notice how
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
the writer recognises in Christ separate human virtues: trust in God (ii 13
tuoµ.m 1mro18w$••• ); faithfulness (ii 17; iii. 2); mercy and sympathy (ii. 17;
iv. 15); dependence on God (v. 7 f.); faith (xii 2). For the connexion of the
disc;:ipline of Christ with the discipline of men, compare ii. 10 f. with xii. 7.
Christ did not however cease at any time to be the Son of God. He
lived through death, offering Himself through His eternal spirit (ix. 14
note); and He exercises His priesthood in virtue of 'the power of an
indissoluble life' (vii. 16).
In this union of two Natures in the one Person of Christ, Whose Person-
ality is Divine, to use the technical language of Theology, we recognise the
foundation-fact of a true fellowship of God and man. There would be no
true fellowship, no sure hope for men, if the Person of Christ were simply
a manifestation of Deity, or a divine principle working through human
nature as its material
.As it is we can see how in virtue of His humanity and .human life the
Lord was able to fulfil His twofold office for men, as 'Apostle and High-
priest' (iii 1), declaring the will of God and preparing men to appear
before Him.

(2) The Exaltation. (2 ) The

The exaltation of Christ is placed in this Epistle, as by St Paul (PhiL ii ~xalta-
9 ff. a,6), in close connexion with His sufferings (ii. 9; xii 2). But the ion.
wiiter differs from St Paul in his mode of presenting it. While St Paul
dwells on the Resurrection in each group of his Epistles, the writer of the
Epistle to the Hebrews refers to it once only (xiii. 20; comp. v. 7), fixing
his attention on the Ascension (iv. 14; vi. 20; vii. 26; ix. II f.; 24), and the
Session on the right hand of God (i 3; viii. I; x. 12; xii. 2). This differ-
ence follows from the unique teaching of the Epistle on the work of Christ
as King-priest. Comp. Addit. Notes on viii. 1 and viii. 1, 2 .
.From what has been said it will be seen that there is a very close Relation
connexion between the Christology of the writer to the Hebrews and the to t~e
Christology of St PauL Both Apostles fix the minds of their readers upon st fhri t
what Christ is and what He did and does, and not upon what He taught : sfl:ul.
with both His prophetic work falls into the background. Both again rise
to the thought of the glorified Christ through the work of Christ on earth.
But in this respect the writer to the Hebrews forms a link between St Paul
and St John. He dwells upon the eternal nature and unchangeable work
of the Son before he treats of His historic work; while for St John even
the sufferings of Christ are a form of His glory.
But though there is a remarkable agreement in idea between the
teaching of the Epistle on the Person of Christ and that of St Paul's
(later) Epistles (PhiL ii. 5-II; Eph. i. 3-14; Col. i. 15-20), even where
the thoughts approach most nearly to coincidence, there still remain signifi-
cant differences of phraseology: e.g.
i 3 o:n-avyauµ.a Col i l 5 (2 Cor. iv. 4) ElKWI'.
xapaKT~P-
id. cj,,pwv Ta 7rllJ/TU T<p Mµ.. T7/$ bvJJ. CoL i 17 Ta 71". ;,, mlT<j> <TVVE<TT1JKEI'.
aVroV.
i 2. KAT)povoµ.ov 7rllJITWJJ. Col i 16 Ta 7r<ll'Ta El$ UVTOI' tKTt<TTa1.
430 THE EP~STLE TO THE HEBREWS.

i. 6 0 7rpc.,roro1<0!;. Col i. 15 7rpc.,r6ro1<0!; 1rd0"1J!; 1<rt0"£c.,s.

Col i. 18 7rpc.,roro1<0!; f/( r6>1/ l/£1<p6>11.
ii. 17 ,:icf,£tA£V Kara mwra rots aa£X- Phil ii. 7 Ell op.o,oop.ar, 6.118p001TC.,V
cpots op.01c.,8ij11a1. -y£116p.£110/;. Comp. Rom. viii. 3.

Compare also the use of Ps. viii. in ii. 6 ff. with the use of it in r Cor. xv.
27; Phil. iii. 21 (Eph. i. 22).
It is also of importance to observe that the writer of the Epistle does
not use St Paul's images of Christ as 'the Second Adam' (I Cor. xv. 22, 45),
and 'the Head' of the Church (Eph. i. 22; iv. 15 f.; Col i. 18), though he
does dwell on the fellowship between the One Son and the 'many sons' (ii.
10 ff. ; comp. xii. 5 ff.); nor does he offer the thought of the Christian as
dead and risen with Christ. On the other hand St Paul does not speak of
Christ's work as High-priest, nor does he set forth the discipline of His
human life as bringing to men the assurance of prevailing sympathy.
It follows also from the prominence which the writer gives to the
priestly work of Christ that he represents the Lord as more active in His
Passion than St Panl does. Even on the Cross he shews Christ as working
rather than as suffering. Christ in St Panl is regarded predominantly as
the Victim, in the Epistle to the Hebrews as the Priest even more than
the Victim. In this point again the Epistle comes near to the gospel of
St John, in which Christ on the Cross is seen in sovereign majesty.
There is, it may be added, no trace in the Epistle of the Dualistic views
which find a place in the Pastoral Epistles (1 Tim. iv. 3 ff.; Tit. i. 15);
nor of the Docetism which is met by St John (1 John iv. 2 f.; 2 John 7).
Compare Additional Note on i. 4, On the Divine Names in the
Epistle.
XIII. 1, 2] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 431

The thirteenth chapter is a kind ·of will judge. 5 Let your character be
appendix to the Epistle, like Rom. free from the love of money. Be
xv., xvi. The first twelve chapters content with the things ye have; for
form a complete treatise ; and now Him.~eif hath said, I will in no wise
for the first time distinct personal fail thee, nor will I in any wise for-
traits appear. A difference of style sake thee. 6 So tltat with good courage
corresponds with the difference of we say, The Lord is my helper: I
subject; but the central portion brings will not fear. What shall man do
back with fresh power some of the to me?
main thoughts on which the writer 1. 1 cj,i>.alk>.cpla] love of the breth-
has before insisted. ren, Vulg. caritasfraternitatis. The
The chapter falls into three divi- relation of Christians one to another
sions: in virtue of their common Lord (ii.
(1) Social duties (1-6). II f.) led necessarily to the extension
(2) Religious duties (7-17). of the term for the affection of na-
(3) Personal instructions of the tural kinsmanship to all the members
'Writer (18-25). of the one 'brotherhood' (dlJi>.cf,oTl)s
(1) Social duties (1-6). I Pet. ii. 17; v. 9). Comp. 2 Pet. i. 7
The character of the precepts sug- (1 Pet. iii. 8); Rom. xii. JO; r Thess.
gests that the society to which they iv. 9; I Pet. i. 22.
were addressed consisted of wealthy The love of the .Jew for his fellow
and influential members. The two Jew, his 'brother' (Dent. xxiii. 19 ;
special illustrations of the practical comp. Philo, de carit. § 6, ii. 388 M.),
exhibition of 'love to the brethren' was national: the Christian's love for
point to services which such persons his fellow-Christian is catholic. The
especially could render ; and the tie of the common faith is universa~
warnings which follow regard the. and in proportion as the ill-will of
temptations of a similar class to those without increased, it became
1u.'!:ury and love of money. necessary to deepen the feeling of
The succession of thought is per- affection within.
fectly natural. Particular duties spring The use of p.Ev,n,, suggests that the
out of the recognition of the new re- bond had been in danger of being
lation to God and men established in severed. Compare vi. 9 ff.; x. 32 ff.
Christ. Sympathy (1, 2), self-respect Jugiter maneat in vobis caritas
and self-control (4, 5), confidence in f ratern-it<itis, id est semper diligatis
spiritual support (6), express the ap- fraternitatem, hoe est, fratres qui sunt
plication of the one truth to different aqua et spiritu renati sicut et vos
spheres. (Herv.).
1
Let love qf the 'brethren continue. ~ 0 pa 71'filS Tli 1rapovTa 7rpDO'TllTTE£ cj,v-
"Forget not to entertain strangers, AaTTELV ailTDVS ,cal oilxl ,rpoUTlBl'},rtV
for thereby some entertained angels lnpa• ov yap El1r£, rlvw·BE cj,,AalJEAcj,o,
unawares. 3 Remember them that aAAa, M,vfroo 1 cp,XalJEA<pla (Chrys.).
are in bonds, as bound w·ith them: 2. rijs cj,,Xo~. µ.~ lmX.] The circum-
them that are evil entreated, as being stances of the time made private
yourselves also in the body. 4 Let hospitality almost a necessity for tra-
marriage be had in honour in all vellers. In writing to the Corinthians
things; and let the bed be undefiled; Clement mentions among their former
for fornicators and adulterers God glories TO µ.E-yaAD7rpE11'Ef rijs cj,,XoeEvlas
43 2 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 3
I I I
µ11 €71" lA.a110dvE<T0E, 01a 'TaU'TrJ<; 'Yap ~A.a0ov 'TlVE<;-

tEvl<TaV'TE<; a"/"/€'";,..OU<;.
, 3
µtµV~<TKE<T0€ 'TWV OE<Tµlwv
I I I
'
W<; <TUVOEOEµi VOL' 'TWV KaKouxouµEVWV '
W<; Kal '
auTOl

i1r1/\a.110a11,<T0a., D2* (so v. 18 1rpo<TEVX<<T0a.,, v. 22 ci.11lxe<T0a.,, v. 24 c1.,,.,,.,£,,.a.,,0a.,).

lM0011: didicerunt d (lµa.0011). 3 oe<Tµfo,11: o,o,µl11w11 D2*. Ka.KOUX,OUµEJIWJI;
Ka.Kwx;. C: Ka.KOX· ~

ilµ,w11 ,j0or (ad Cor. i 17), and dwells lJ£ (sc. olJo,1ropovvres tlvlJpes) 8noT<pm:
ou the 'hospitality' of Abraham, Lot, t5wer cpvuECllS e?..eX~0e,ua11 (L c. § 22).
Rahab (cc. 10-12). Comp. 1 Tim. Primasius and Gregory (Hom. xxiii.
v. 10; 3 John 5 ff.; 1 Pet. iv. 9; in Ev. § 2) (with so;me Latin copies)
l Tim. iii. 2 ; Tit. i 8 (cp,Xog,,,os). read placuerunt quidam [sc. Deo].
il>,Xog,vta occurs again Rom. xii. 13. 3. Hospitality is the answer to a
See also H erm. Mand. viii. a,cov• •.• direct appeal We must also seek
TOOi/ aya0w11 Tit lpya a ')'Ea,, ipyo.Ceu0m for those who need our help, and
I ( ,. , ,I.. \ \ C
... x71~a,s v1r,11peu!", op.,,avov,s "~' VG'T:- whose circumstances withdraw their
povµ,evovs E1T£G'Kf1TTEU0m, ,g avay,c"'" claims from our sight. Such sufferers
AvTpovu0a, TOVS lJovAovs TOV 0eov, cp,- may owe their distress either to direct
Xog,11011 ,lvm, ill yap Ty cp,Xogevlr, £11- persecution (T«ii11 lJeup.l"'v), or to the
pluKETm J.ya001rol71u,r... Lucian mocks 'changes and chances of this mortal
at the liberality of Christians to stran- life' (Troll ,caKovxovµ,l11Cll11). In both
gers: lglf.. (Peregrinus) TO a,vnpo11 cases Christians must acknowledge
1TAOIITJG'OJI,£IIOS, l,cava icpo<Ha TOVS. xp•u- the obligation of fellowship.
TUJVO'Vs lxwv, V<J,' Jv aopv<J,opo'Vµ.E1IOS €11 p.,µ,v~u,ceu0•] Remember 'in preci-
a1rau,11 acf,00110,s ~" (de morte Pere,gr. bus, in beneficiis' (Bengel). Compare
§ 16; comp. §§ 12 f.). c. X. 32 a11ap.1µ,11~G'K.EG'0E. Elsewhere
The use of the phrase µ,~ lm"A.av- P.111/JLOll£VEIII, v. 7 ; Gal ii. JO.
0aveu8,, compared with JI,LJI,ll~G'K.£G'0e, For Trull a,uµ,1Cllll CGmpare c. x. 34-
implies that the virtue was now belng c.ls uv11lJelJeµ,l110,] as bound with
neglected : TOVTO yap elt<os ll1TO T@II them, rather than as if you were
8"A.l,Jre"'" ylveu0m (Chrys.). bound with them. The participle
There is a marked correspondence appears to give the reason in this as
between cp,"A.alJi>..rpla and cp,Xog,.,ta. in the following clause (cJs ... ow,s•.. ).
Compare Rom. xii. 10, 13. The members .of the Christian body
a,a TOVTTJS yap •.. ] Comp. Gen. xviii. are so closely united that the suffer-
xix.; Philo, de Abr. § 22, i. pp. 16 f. ing of one is really, though it may
M. The form of the illustration seems be unconsciously, shared by all This
to be that we only observe the outside is the ideal which each believer must
surface of those whom we receive. strive to realise.
More lies beneath than we can see. Compare 2 Cor. xi. 29 Tls au0evii
Christ indeed comes in the least of ,ea} OVK Uo-BEvCO; -rlr u1<avaaA.lt£ra, «at
, , ' ...
those who are welcomed in His name ov,c "'Y"' 1rvpovp.m;
(Matt. xxv. 40, 45; John xiii. 20). Non sint vobis oblivioni quamvis
The idiomatic form of expression, teneantur in abditis reclusi (Herv.).
EA.a0011 g,11lua11us (Vulg. latuerunt Public intercession for 'prisoners'
quidam angelis lwspitio receptis) has formed part of the Church service
does not occur again in the N. T. or in from the earliest times down to our
the LXX. Compare the use of Xav0. in own Litany.
the corresponding passage of Philo: ol The petition is found in the prayer
XIII. 4] THE EPIS'l'tE TO THE HEBREWS. 433
,,
OV'T€S
,
€V
,
<Twµa-rL. 4 Tlµws O ,yaµos f.V 7ra<TLV Kat 11

which closes the Epistle of Clement : pare 2 Cor. v. 6 (1~ It occurs in

'\. , ' Ii, , ( ,.
I\Vrp<J>crai ,rov,r oEcr~iovr TJ/L"'"" ~,.-a11a-
,,:. '
Porphyr. de abstin. i 38 El yap ,..~
CTTT)<TOII rovr acrBE11ovvrar · ,,,.apaK.aAEcro11 lvmol!t(E ra alcr81µ.ara rfi r,jr tvxijr
rovr oX,yoivxovvrar (c. lix.). Ev£pj'Elg,, rl aEivOv. ~JI Ev uruµ,ar, elvat..
So in the .A.postolical ConstitutiollS The thought is that of the body as
(viii 10) the direction is given v1rip being the home (or the prison) of the
Tedv Ev µ£TC2Uoir «al E~aplair 1eal <J:,vA.a- soul
K.a'ir IC.UL lJEcrµ.o'ir OIIT<J>II /),a ro ovoµ.a rov The interpretation 'as being your-
K.vplov lJE7J800µ.E11. V7r£p roov lv 'trL"-P~ selves also members in the one body
lJovAElq. 1C.arci1rovovµ,,v<J>V a.'}Booµ.,v. A.nd of Christ'-beautiful as the thought
petitions to this effect are found in is-is inadmissible. This would re-
early liturgies : quire a more definite phrase than lv
Liturgy qf Alexandria, p. 32 crooµ.art (at least Ell Till crooµ.ari).
(Swainson); Liturgy of St Basil, 4 From the widest duties of the
p.84; St James(Cod. Rossan.), p. 250; social life of Christians the Epistle
Coptic, p. 371. passes to the closest. Waruings on
.A.. similar petition is found in the the sacredness of marriage were the
daily Synagogue Morning Service, more necessary from the license of
p. 19 (A.rtom). divorce among the Jews which had
Ignatius in describing false Chris- been sanctioned by the teaching of
ti= says 7rEpt ayU7r1Jr 01) µ.D,., avro'ir, the school of Hille!. Comp. Matt.
OV 7rEpt x1par, OV 1TEpt op<pavov, OV 7rEpt xix. 3 ff. (Kara 1racrav alrla11).
BXifJoµ.,vov, oil 7rEpt a.a.µ,ivov ; AEAV- It is questioned whether the sen-
µ,ivov, OV 1TEpt 1TELVOOIITOS ~ /J,toovror tence contains a precept (Let mar-
(ad Smyrn. 6). riage be ... ) or a declaration (Marriage
rrov /C.UK.ovxovµ.,v<J>v] them that are is ••. ), whether, that is, lcrr<J> or lcrrt
evil entreated, Vulg. laborantium, is to be supplied.
c. xi 37 (only in N. T.), comp. xi 25. The Syriac version gives the indi-
The word is used in late Greek · cative: Marriage is honourable ...
authors (twice in LXX.), but KaK.ovxla So also Chrysostom (7Tror rlµ.,os o
is found in .iEschylus. The meaning yaµ.os ; /lrt tv CT<J><ppocrvvu, <p7Jcrl, /Jw-
appears to be quite general. T'}pii ri'>v 1TLCTTov) reading a;, and
ror KaL avrol c5. EV (T.] as being your- by implication Theodoret and <Ecu-
selves also in the body and so ex- menius (but not Theophylact : see
posed to the same sufferings, Vulg. below).
tanquam et ipsi in corpore morantes. The Latin leaves the construction
The former injunction had been en- ambiguous : Honorabile connubium
forced by the consideration of the in omnious et torus immaculatus,
true nature of the Christian body; this while in the corresponding phrase
one is enforced by the actual outward below it inserts the substantive verb,
circumstances of life : Cuivis potest sint mores sine avaritia. The Latin
accidere quod cuiquam potest. Fathers generally take the words as
Per hoe enim quia in corpora mor- declaratory. Primasius adds: sit vobis
tali manetis, sicut et illi, experimento sive placet Deo ; but goes on to ex-
probatis quia militia est vita hominis plain the words as declaratory. Con-
super terram, et homo ad laborem nubium est honorabile, id est legales
nascitur et (ut 7) avis ad volatum nuptire sunt honorabiles in omnibus,
(Primas.). nihil est in eis quod honore careat,
For the phrase c5vr•r lv craSµ.. com- et torus talium conjugum est imma-
W. H.3 28
434 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 5
, I I \ \
aµta1rros, 7ropvovs 7ap Kat µotXOVS KptVEL 0
s 'A<j>iA.ap_7vpos o TP07T"OS" apKovµevot
, I -
Tots

culatus, id est sine macula criminis ~ 9- For dcp,Xapyvpos see I Tim.

(Herv.~ m 3; Didache xv. I (comp. iii. 5);
In spite of the concurrence of 2 Clem. iv. 3.
ancient opinion towards the other dp,c. Tois 1rap.] The form of words
. view, the general structure of the had passed into a moral commonplace.
passage and the unquestionable sense Comp. [Phocyl.] 6 dp,c£'iu8ai ,raplovu,
of acp,'X. o T'p«m-os are sufficient to ,ca2 [ al. 7Tap' £01S- TWV lJ'] dXAOTploov dmr-
decide in favour of regarding the XfiU8at. Teles. ap. Stob. Floril. 97
clauses as hortatory and not indica- (95) § 31 TI oilv µ.ol EUT& cp.>..ouocpquavn;
tive. This interpretation is confirmed ••• {3,Juy dp,covµ.,vos TOIS- ,rapovu,, T'WV
if not required by the yap which fol- dm~VT"'" oti,c lm8vµ.65v. •• Comp. Clem.
lows in the true text (Let marriage I Oor. 2 TOIS icpolJlo,s- TOV 8£0v dp,co-6-
be had in honour.. Jor ... ). It may P,£110&.
be added that o y&µ.os is used here For the construction see Rom. xii
only in the N. T. in the sense of 9-
'marriage.' 0ti,c fil7Tfll M11lJev /CEICTTJU8£ &xxa K~v
/11 ,riiu,v] in all respects, and in all lxTJT'• µ.~ ~Tf lJ,lJovAooµ.lvo, dXX' £AfV-
circumstances, so as to be guarded 8lpoos TavT'a lxrr• ••• (Theophlct).
not only from graver violations but The patristic commentators suggest
from everything which lowers its that the losses of the Hebrews (x.
dignity. Iliiow is neuter as in v. 18; 32 ff.) had checked their liberality
1 Tim. iii. II ; 2 Tim. iv. 5 ; Tit. ii 9. and given occasion to the desire of
M~ Ell 8">..Nm µ.ev [Ell] QVEUEt lJe ov • accumulating fresh wealth.
>
\
P.1/
'
£11
,
T'OVT'i' '
µ.,v T'i',.. µ.•pn
, I
nµ.tos fill avTOS yap ,1p.] for He Himself,
ID..'Xce lJe ov • dXA' ilAos <Ji' il">..ov T'lµ.ws God our Father, hath said••.-the
lUToo (Theophlct). phrase sounds like an echo of the
For T'lµ.ws- compare Acts v. 34- Pythagorean atiToS lcpa, Ipse dixit,
The masc. interpretation (among 'the Master said '-I will in no wise
al[) gives a better sense with the fail thee, nor will I in any wise
indic. than with the imper. construc- forsake thee.
tion. The exact source of the quotation
,ropvovs yap ••• ] Compare I Thess. is not certain. Siinilar words occur
iv. 6. The words o 8,os- stand em- in several places : Gen. xxviii 1 5 ;
phatically at the end. Whatever the Jos. i 5 ; Deut. xxxi 6 ff. ; and a
opinion of man be from ignorance or quotation in exactly the same form
indifference, God will judge. occurs in Philo, de coef. ling. § 32 (i
5. dcp,Mpyvpos o Tp.] Let your p. 430 M.). There seems however to
character be free from the love qf be no sufficient reason for supposing
money, Vulg. Sint mores sine ai,a,. that the quotation was taken from
ritia. Sins of impurity and of covet- him. The words had probably been
ousness go together. Both are typical moulded to this shape by common use.
examples of 7TA£ov£~,a (self-seeking, dvw ••. Jy,caTaAl,roo] Vulg. deseram•.•
selfishness). Eph. v. 3 ff. derelinquam. The idea of dvl11µ.• is
'o T'po,ros describes the general cha- that of loosing hold so as to with-
racter. It is not found elsewhere in draw the support rendered by the
N. T. in this sense. Compare Didache sustaining grasp: that of iy1<aT'aA,[,roo
XIII. 6] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 435
7rapov<Tt11· aih·ds 'Yap- €ipr,K€11 o,; MH C€ ~NW oyK oy MH
C€ ErK<'-T<'-Airroo·
6 ~<TT€ 0appou11-rar;; ,}µas A€'}'€l1/

Kyp1oc EMOI BoH8oc, oy cpoBH0HcoM<'-r

Ti rro11-1ce1 MOI b'.N0poorroc ;

l-yKara'J\brw f. D2 (lvK.): -Xel,rw NACM9•

ov N*O* vg syr vg me: + Kai' ov N°ADsM9•
of deserting or leaving alone in the 9). In the triumph of the Lord
:field of contest, or in a position of through suffering they would see the
suffering. image of the triumph of His people.
'Avl,,µ,, does not occur elsewhere in The word Oappliv occurs elsewhere
the N. T. in this sense ; for lyKara.-- in the N. T. only 2 Cor. (v. 6, 8 ; &c.).
. A£lm,, see 2 Cor. iv. 9 ; 2 Tim. iv. rn, The imperative OapuH (-£'ire) is found
16; Matt. xxvii. 46 (Lxx.); Acts ii. only as a divine voice (Gospp., Acts).
27 (Lxx.); comp. c. x. 25. The use of (2) Personal religioU8 duties (7-
the word in Matt. xxvii. 46 is a clue 17).
to the true meaning of the passage. The mode in which religious duties
It was the Father's good pleasure to are presented indicates the presence
leave the Son exposed to the assaults of a separatist spirit among those
of :ijis enemies 'in their hour' (Luke who are addressed. They are charged
nii. 53). to remember(a) the example of their
Biesenthal most truly points out first rulers (7); and, following on
the fitness of an allusion to the en- this, they are (b) bidden to render
couragement given to Joshua at such complete devotion to Christ, and to
a crisis as the Hebrews were passing men in and through Him (8-16);
through. The position of Jewish and practically (c) to obey their pre-
Christians corresponded spiritually sent rulers (17).
with that of their fathers on the 7 Remerrwer them that had the rule

verge of Canaan. over you, which spake unto you the

For ELp'JK"" see c. x. 8 note. word of God; and considering the
6. cZur£ Oapp. ~- >...] Ps. cxviii. 6 issue of their life, imitate their faith.
(comp. Ps. cvi. 12). The LXX. by in- 8
Jesus Ghrist is the same yesterday
serting Kal has led to an alteration in and to-day, yea and for ever. 9 Be
the original division of the words. not carried away by manifold and
There can be no doubt that the last strange teachings; for it is good that
clause should be taken as an indepen- the heart be stablished by grace, not
dent question. by meats; for they that occupied
We Christians-such is the writer's themselves therein were not profited.
meaning-can use with confidence the 10
We have an altar whereof they
most joyful expression of thanksgiving have no right to eat who serve the
used in the Church of old times. Ps. tabernacle. "For the bodies of those
cxviii. formed an important part of animals whose blood is brought into
the Jewish Festival services, and is the Holy p!,ace by tlte High-priest as
quoted several times in the N. T. an offering for sin, are burned with-
The key-word given here would call out the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus
up at once to the mind of the readers also, that He might sanctify the peo-
the thought of 'the chief corner-stone' ple through His own blood, suffered
(Matt. xxi. 42) and of Him 'that came without the gate. 13 Let us therefore
in the name of the Lord' (Matt. xxi. go forth ·unto Him without the camp,
28-2
436 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 7

? Mvr,µoveuETE TW11 rryovµ€VWJ/ uµwv, otnves EActA:r,crav

uµw T011 Aoryov TOU 8eou, cJv dva0ewpovVTES T'7V tK{3a<TtV
7 T. rryovµl11w11 vµwv: T. 1rp07J')'OVµlvwv D2* (sic). &.valJ.wpoOvres: -{YIJ,ravres C.

carrying His reproach. ' 4 For we For the thought compare 1 Thess.
have not here an abiding city, but v. 12 f. ; JJidache iv. I T<1C11011 p.ov, Toii
we seek after that which is to come. >..a>..oii11r6r uot Toll >..6yo11 Toii 8eoii P.IIT/·
' 5 Through Him let us offer up a <T~<Tll r,v,cror «al qµipar, T&µ~ueir <Ii
, \ t I
sa,crifice of praise to God continually, QVTOII ror KVptov••••
that is, the fruit qf lips which make Barn. Ep. xix. 9 clya~um cJr «op1111
confession to His Name. ' 6 But to do &cf,8a>..p.oii <TOV mf11Ta TOIi >..a>..oii11Ta <TOI
good and to communicate forget not; TOIi >..6yo11 Kvplov.
for with such sa,crifa;es God is well cJ11 cl11a8. n)v tKfJ. Tijr dva<TTp.] and
pleased. considering with attentive surve:ir
' 7 Obey them that have the rule over again and again the issue qf their
you, and submit to them, for they life... Vulg. quorum intuentes e:ci-
watch in behalf of your souls, as tum conversationis. This last scene
men that shall give account, that revealed the character of their 'con-
they may do this with joy and not versation' before. Perhaps the writer
with grief; for this were unprofit- had in his mind the words of the
able for you. persecutors of the righteous man :
(a) The writer has spoken of the Wisd. ii 17, 'l/'Jroµev el ol >..oyot avroii
help of God generally. He now ap- dA716li~, Kai 1rnptJ.O'roµ,£11 T«i Ev £,c{3&.u€L
peals to examples in which it had atlroii. The word [,cfJau,r occurs in a
been conspicuously shewn before he different connexion 1 Cor.-x. 13: com-
passes on to enforce religious duties. pare l~ollor Lk. ix. 31 ; 2 Pet. i 15.
7. /LIIT/P,011wen Tro111Jy.] Remember, 'A11a<TTpocj)1 describes life under its
though they have now passed away, moral aspect (comp. v. 18 ; x. 33)
them that had the rule over you. wrought out in intercourse with men.
Scripture everywhere recognises the The image occurs in St Paul, St
living power of a great example. James, St Peter; compare 7repi7rani'v
Comp. c. vi 12. The word /LJ/T//L0- in St John: 1 John i 7 note.
11we,11 is used of our relation to Christ For dva8erope111 see Acts xvii 23
2 Tim. ii 8 (µIIT/µ. 'I. X. l-yrryepµlr,o11 ~ (not in LXX.); c. vii. 4 (8erope'in).
The term o! 1yovµer,o, (Vulg. prm- The reference here seems to be to
poaiti) occurs again vv. 17, 24; Clem. some scene of martyrdom in which
1 ad Cor. I (in c. 7 of civil rulers); the triumph of faith was plainly shewn.
21 roilr 7rporryovµi11ovr 7Jµoo11; Hermas Theodoret refers to St Stephen, St
Vis. ii 2 ; iii 9 ( o! 7rporryovp.er,o1). James the son of Zebedee, and St
Compare Acts xv. 22 ( avapar 7JYOVJJ,EIIOVS James the Just.
l11 roi'r cll!e>..cf,oi'r~ The word occurs µ,µei'u8e T. 7r,] imitate their faith.
frequently in the LXX. of various The spirit and not the form of their
forms of authority ; and in later lives is proposed for imitation : the
Greek of bishops and abbots. Com- faith by which they were supported
pare pp. 384 f. and not the special actions which the
or.river e'Xa>..•••• ] men that spake to faith inspired in their circumstances.
you.... Comp. ii 3 note. The phrase Ael«vvu,11 OT& 'll"t<TTEV<Tavrer /3e{:Jalror
o >..oyor Toii 8eoii is used from Luke ro'ir µl'A>..ovu, rq11 dpl<TTTJ11 7rOA&Tela11
v. 1 throughout the N. T. both of the ,caT"@p06lcra,,• oV ytlp 1'11 E1rEaEL~avro
revelation in the 0. T. and of the fJl.ov ,ca8apo11 /l YE ~µcf,tu/3~ovv 'll"Ept TOOP'
revelation through Christ. µeU011Tro11, EL ye clµcf,lfJa>..Xov (Chrys.~
XIII. 8, 9] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 437
8
7,ji; dva<rrpo<f>iji; µtµ.E'i<r0e T1JII 7rt<TTtv. ' lr,<Toui;
\ EX
Xpt<TTO<; ' 0'€<; K.at
\ I ~ ' I \ ,
<Tr,µepov O auTO<;, K.at Et<; 'TOU<; atw11a<;.
\ , -.

9 Otoaxat<; 7rOLK.LAat<; K.at tevat<; µ.11 7rapa<j>lpe<T0e K.aAOII

8 ex0ls ~AC*D2 *M2 : xOls ,. alwvas: +d.µ,!v D 2*. 9 1f'apacf,lpeu-0e

NA.CD2M2 vg syr vg me: 1rep,cf>lpeu-0e s-.

(b) The rule and strength of cum illis fuit vobiscum est, et erit
Christian devotion (8-16). cum eis qui futuri .sunt usque ad
Having glanced at the former consummationem sreculi. Herl fuit
leaders of the Hebrew Church the cum patribus, hodie est vobiscum,
apostle goes on to shew that ipse erit et cum posteris vestris
(a) Christ Himself is the sum of usque in srecula (Herv.~
our religion: which is eternal, spiritual Ceterum divinitas ejus intermina-
(8, 9); and that bilis plenitudinem totam pariter com-
(/3) He who is our sin-offering prehendit ac possidet, cui neque futuri
is also our continuous support (10---- quidquam absit nee prreteriti fluxerit,
12); and that quoniam esse ejus totum est et semper
(y) He claims our devotion and est nescitque mutabilitatem (id.).
our service (13-16). The full title 'Il)uoiis Xpt<JTos- occurs
(a) 8, 9. The thought of the again in the Epistle in 'D. 21; c. x. 10.
triumph of faith leads to the thought The words •xBh ,cal u1µ•pov express
of Him in whom faith triumphs. He generally 'in the past and in the
is unchangeable, and therefore the present ' (comp. Ecclus. xxxviii. 22
victory of the believer is at all times lµol xBir 1cal uol u1µ•pov); and the
assured. clause Kal .Zs rnvs aloovas- is added to
The absence of a connecting particle the sentence which is already complete
places the thought as a reflection fol- to express the absolute confidence of
lowing the last sentence after a pause. the apostle: 'Jesus Christ is the
Ad superiora pertinent ista, ubi same yesterday and t<Hlay : yea,
testatus est dixisse Dominum Non te such a confession falls wholly below
deseram neque derelinquam : pote-- the truth : He is the same for ever.'
rant illi respondere Hoe non pertinet The phrase .Zs ToVs- · alruvas occurs
ad nostrum auxilium, quia non nobis here only in the Epistle (Rom. i. 25;
est promissum, sed potius Josue pro- ix. 5; xi. 36; xvi. 27; 2 Cor. xi. 31).
misit hoe Deus. Ad hoe Apostolus Compare 'D. 2 I ( elr ToVr al. Toov
Nolite deficere.••Nolite putare quasi alrovrov) ; vi. 20 ; vii. I 7 ff. (els TOI)
qui tune fuit non sit modo : idem al@va); i. 8, LXX. (£ls- TDv alWva ToV
enim qui fuit heri, idem erit et in al6>vor).
sreculum (Primas.). For o avTos- compare i. 12. The
8. 'I. x. ...alruvas-] Jesus Christ is usage is common in classical writers,
the same yesterday and to-day, yea e.g. Thucyd. ii. 61 ,y,;, µiv (Pericles in
and for e'Der, Vulg. J. Ch. heri et the face of Athenian discontent) &
hodie ipse est, et in swcula. a11r0s- Elµ, Kal oV,c £El<TTaµ,ai.
The statement is true universally, 9. The unchangeableness of Christ
but the immediate thought appears calls up in contrast the variety of
to be that as Christ had but just now human doctrines. The faith of the
brought victory to His disciples so Christian is in a Person and not in
He would do in the present trials. doctrines about Him.
Ac si dicatur: Idem Christus qui lM. 1r. Kal t. µ~ 1rap.] Be not carried
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 9

'Y<iP xJ.pt-rt /3E/3at0ucr0at 'T1JV ,capofov, or.i {3pwµ.acrtv, ev

away by manifold and strange teach- no true stability can be gained by
ings, Vulg. Doctr. "'ariis et peregri- outward observances to which Ju-
nis (novis d) abduci nolite. These daizing and Jewish teachings lead.
'manifold and strange teachings' seem This must come from a spiritual,
to have been various adaptations of divine influence. The position of
Jewish thoughts and practices to xap•n throws a strong emphasis upon
Christianity. There was a danger the idea of ' grace.' Our strength
lest the Hebrews should be carried must come from without. Aud
by these away . from the straight 'grace ' is the free outflow of divine
course of the Christian life. The love for the quickening and support
phrase shews that the activity of of man (c. ii. 9), though, in one sense,
religious speculation had by this time man 'finds' it (c. iv. 16).
produced large results. For the plural The opposition xapLTL ••• ov fJprl,µ,a-
l3,l3axal compare l3,l3au,ca>..lm CoL ii uw•••, shews that here the fJpcJµ,aTa
22 ; 1 Tim. iv. 1. represent something to be enjoyed ;
<Ecumenius takes the image of and therefore that the reference is
'lf"apacf,epEuBm (Jude 12; comp. I Sam. not, at least in the first instance, to
xxi. 13) to be derived from the move- any ascetical abstention from 'meats!
ments of those beside themselves, Toov Aud again the next verse suggests
-rfil3E 1<d1<EtUE 'lf"apa<pEpoµ,lvwv. Wetstein the contrast of some sacrificial meal,
gives examples of the word being used so that the term 'meats' does not
of objects swept out of their right simply point to such as were pure
course by the violence of a current. according to the provisions of the
Comp. ii. I ('lf"apappvoop,Ev). Levitical Law. It appears to point
The tense (µ,~ 'lf"apacf,epw·BE) marks primarily to ' meats' consecrated by
the danger as actually present. Com- sacrifice, and then used for food ;
pare '/)'/). 2, 16, ,.,,~ lmXav0a11Eu0E, and though other senses of the word are
contrast c. x. 35 µ,~ d'lf"o{:JaXr,u. not necessarily excluded. No doubt
These doctrines are characterised the Passover was present to the
as 'manifold' (c. ii 4) in contrast writer's mind, but with it would be
with the unity of Christian teaching included all the sacrificial feasts,
(Eph. iv. 5), and 'strange ' ( r Pet. iv. which were the chief element in the
12) in contrast with its permanence social life of the Jews.
(comp. CoL ii. 8 and Bp Lightfoot's The context seems to justify and to
note~ require this sense of fJprl,µ,am, which
There is indeed a sense in which is used in the Gospels for ' food'
the wisdom of God is 'most manifold' generally (Matt. xiv. 15; Luke iii. 11 ).
('lf"oAV'lf"ol,c,Xos Eph. iii. 10). · Elsewhere in the Epistles the word
For l3,l3axal t,va, compare Herm. is used with reference to 1itual or
Sim. viii. 5. ascetic distinctions of 'meats' (Rom.
,caXav -yap ••• fJpooµ,au,v] for it is good xiv. I 5 ff. ; I Cor. vi. I 3 ; viii. 8 ; I Tim.
that by grace the heart (c. iii. 8 note) iv. 3). But this usage does not super-
be suiblished (fJEfJmovuBm 1 Cor. i. 8 ; sede the wider one, and it is natural
2 Cor. i. 21; CoL ii. 7). Vulg. opti- that the apostle should describe the
mum enim.... The attractiveness of privileges which were over-valued by
the novel views which endangered a term which set them in a truer
the faith of the Hebrews lay in their light as simply outward things.
promise of security and progress ; Comp. Ign. ad Trall. 2 otl yap fJpw-
but such promises in the case before p,aTwv ,cat 'lf"OT001' Elu,v l3,a,covo, <IAX'
the apostle were obviously vain. For EICICA1/Ulas BEov V'ITT/PETaL.
XIII. 10] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 439

9 1repL1ra:r1,<Ta.PTes

9 1rep,1ra.TovvTes ~*AD2* vg: 1rep,1ra.T1,1Ta.PTn i, ~•CM2•

It is said of bread literally that For ov,c cJcpe>..1BTJuav see Herm. Vis.
,caplJlav dvBprhrov crt'f/plCei (Ps. ciii. ii 2 1rpoM11Tes ov,c cJcpe>..qBTJuav.
(civ.] 15). So Jud. xiL 5. (f3) 10---12. The strength of the
There is a somewhat similar con- Christian comes from God's gift, but
trast of the material and spiritual in He uses the natural influences of life
Eph. v. 18. . for the fulfilment of His purpose.
Compare also 'the notes of the Provision is made in the Christian
kingdom of heaven' Rom. xiv. 17. society for the enjoyment of the bene-
The remarks of Herveius, which fits of Christ's Life and Death in social
are interesting in themselves, leave fellowship. In this respect Christians
out of account the circumstances of have that which more than compen-
the Hebrews: Datur intelligi quosdam sates for any apparent loss which they
inter eos fuisse qui dogmatizarent non may incur in their exclusion from the
esse peccatum escis vacare. Nam quia Jewish services.
per gratiam licitum est omnibus cibis 10. lxoµ,ev BvumCTTqptov] Vulg. ka-
uti, pnedicabant non esse culpam bemus altare (hostiam d). The posi-
cibis affiuere sed bonum esse. So tion of lxoµ,ev and the absence of the
also Chrysostom appears to miss the personal pronoun indicate that the
point: µ,ovovovxl TO Toii XpiCTToii >..i-ye, statement presents a contrast to some
iv ols- EAEYEV o,J TO eluepxoµ,evov ICOLVOL supposed deficiency. Christians, as
Toll /J.vBp"'1ro11 d>..Aa TO itepx6µ,evov, ,cal such, so it appears to have been urged,
8ElK.vvu,v 8-r, TO 7rfu, 1rlOT,s Ecrrlv. lw are in a position of disadvantage: they
a{h-,, {3e{3airouy ~ icaplJla iv du<paAEltf have not something which others have.
fcrt'f/KEV. The reply is 'We have an altar....'
For the use of ,ca>..l,v compare Rom. 'We have that which furnishes us also
xiv. 21 ; 1 Cor. vii 1, 8, 26; Gal iv. with a feast upon a sacrifice.' Comp.
18; Matt. xvii 4 &c. In each case iv. 14 EXOVTES' o3v dpxLEpia.
the idea of the observable effect of There is not a sharp opposition
that which is described appears to be between Christians and Jews at first:
dominant. Comp. c. x. 24, note. that difference comes out later. The
iv ots, •• ol 1rep,1r.] Vulg. (non pro- main contention is that the exclusion
fuerunt) inambulantifrus in eis, for from the sacrificial services of the
they that occupied themselves (walked) Temple is compensated by something
therein were not prqfited, that is, which answers to them and is of a
they did not gain the end of human nobler kind. At the same time the
effort, fellowship with God. There is writer, as he develops the thought,
no thought here of the disciplinary goes further. Hitherto he has shewn ,
value of the Law. that the Christian can dispense with
For the image of 1rep,1ran'i11 [ Iv the consolations of the Jewish ritual :
f3proµ,au,v] compare Eph. ii 10 (iv he now prepares to draw the conclu-
(lpyocs dyaBo'is] 1repi1r.); Col iii. 7; sion that if he is a Christian he ought
and the more general phrases Rom. to give them up (v. 13 Let us go
vi 4 (iv ,caivl,TTJn C"'ijs 1r.); 2 Cor. x. 3 forth ... ).
(iv uapicl 1r,); Col iv. 5 (iv uocpla 71'-~ From the connexion which has been
The tv expresses the defined sphere pointed out it seems clear that the
of action and thought. 'altar' (BvumCTTqpiov) must correspond
440 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 10

with the Temple altar as including Compare Rupert of Deutz in Amos

both the idea of sacrifice and the iv. c. ix. (Migne, P. L. clxviii 366):
idea of food from the sacrifice ( 1 Cor. Vidi, inquit, Dominum stantem su-
ix. 13). Primarily there is but one per altare ••• Qurerentibus autem in
sacrifice for the Christian and one toto Christi Evangelio ••• nihil tam
means of support, the sacrifice of magnum, nihil tarn evidens secundum
Christ upon the Cross and the par- hujus visionis proprietatem nobis oc-
ticipating in Him (John vi. 53 ff.). curritquam schema vel habitus Domini
In this first and highest sense, into nostri Jesu Christi crucifixi. Cruci-
which each secondary sense must be fixus namque et sacrificium pro nobis
resolved, the only earthly 'altar' is factus super altare crucis stetit, sta-
the Cross on which Christ offered tione difficili, statione laboriosa sibi. ..
Himself: Christ is the offering: He Taliter stans ipse hostia, crux vero
is Himself the feast of the believer. altare erat.
The altar is not regarded at any time The universality of this altar is
apart from the victim. It is the source finely expressed by Leo the Great
of the support of which the Christian with a reference to this passage :
partakes. When the idea of the one extra castra crucifixus est ut, veterum
act of sacrifice predominates, the victimarum cessante mysterio, nova
image of the Cross rises before us : hostia novo imponeretur altari, et
when the idea of our continuous crux Christi non templi esset ara sed
support, then the image of Christ mundi (Serm. Ix. (!vii.)§ 5).
living through death prevails. For the history of the word 6v,ri-
So it is that, as our thoughts pass aUT7Jpwv see Additional Note.
from the historic scene of the Passion The sacrifice is one, the altar is
to its abiding fruit, Christ Himself, one. But, just as in the discourse at
Christ crucified, is necessarily ·re- Capernaum, the absolute idea points
garded as 'the altar' from which we towards or even passes into the out-
draw our sustenance, and on (in) ward form in which it was embodied.
which (to go on to a later idea) we The fact of that Death was visibly set
offer ourselves. forth, and the reality of that participa-
There is no confusion therefore tion pledged, in the Eucharist. The
when Thomas Aquinas says : !stud 'Table' of the Lord (1 Cor. x. 21),
altare vel est crux Christi in qua the Bread and the Wine, enabled the
Christus pro nobis immolatus est, vel believer 'to shew forth Christ's Death,'
ipse Christus in quo et per quern to realise the sacrifice upon the Cross
preces nostras offerimus ; et hoe est and to appropriate Christ's 'flesh and
altare aureum de quo dicitur Apoc. blood.' In this sacrament then, where
viii. Christ Himself gives His Body and
The latter thought is recognised Blood as the support of His faithful
also in the Glossa Ordinaria which is and rejoicing people, the Christian has
enlarged by Lanfranc : quod [corpus that which more than fulfils the types
Christi) et in aliis divinarum locis of the Jewish ritual
Scripturarum altare vocatur, pro eo I~ o3 q>ayEi'v] whereof, as denoting
videlicet quod in ipso, id est, in fide the class of sacrifice and not the
ipsius, quasi in quodam altari oblatre particular sacrifice, they have no
preces et operationes nostrre accepta- right to eat.... Vulg. de quo edere ....
biles fiunt Deo (Migne, P.L. cL p. 405). The phrase occurs again in the corn-
XIII. 11] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 441
II Jv 'Yap eicq>eprnl>-1 tcpwv TO <l>.Tw.
II g"(iiov D2*.

mon text of I Cor. ix. 13, but the true compared with the Law offers not
reading i~ Til _/~ T'OV 1£p0V iu8lovu&JJ less but more to believers under that
and not EK. Tov ,. £<TB. aspect of social worship in which the
ol Tii u,c. XaTp.] Vulg. qui taber- believer felt his loss most keenly.
'TUJ,Culo deserviunt, the priests whose The Christian enjoys in substance
office it is to fulfil the duties of the that which the Jew did not enjoy
legal ritual (c. viii. 5 ; comp. Clem. even in shadow. If the Christian was
l ad Cor. 32 ol XnTovp-yovJIT£f T'f> 8v- now called upon to sacrifice all the
<Tta<TT1Jpl,e Tov 8£ov), rather than the consolations of the old ritua~ he had
whole assembly of Israel (c. x. 2). what was far beyond them. It does
These, the most highly privileged of not however appear that the writer
the people of Israe~ who were allowed of the Epistle jmplies that Jews by
to eat of sacrifices of which none birth who still observed the Law
other could partake (Lev. vi. 26; vii. could not enjoy the privileges of
6; x. 17), were not allowed to partake Christianity.
of that sacrifice which represented Briefly the argunient is this : We
the sacrifice of Christ under the aspect Christians have an altar, from which
of an atonement for sin. we draw the material for our feast.
The superiority which the Christian In respect of this, our privilege is
enjoyed over the Jew became most greater than that of priest or high-
conspicuous when the highest point priest under the Levitical system.
in each order was reached. The Our great sin-offering, consumed in
great sacrifice for sin on the Day of one sense outside the gate, is given
Atonement was wholly consumed. to us as our food. The Christian
Though they 'who served the taber- therefore who can partake of Christ,
nacle' 'were partakers with the altar,' offered for his sins, is admitted to a
even those who were most privileged privilege unknown under the old Cove-
had no right to eat of this offering. nant.
But Christ who is our sac1ifice for The phrase Tfi <TK.'JJ!ll XaTp£v£&11 is
sin, the perfect antitype of that sym- remarkable : comp. c. viii. 5 mro-
bo~ is our food also. He is our a£lyµan ,cal <TK.<~ XaTpEVOV<T&JJ. The
atonement ; and He is our support. Tabernacle itself-the outward form
He died as the sin-offering 'outside -is represented as the object of
the gate,' and He lives to be our life service. Christians also serve the
by the communication of Himself. Antitype of the Tabernacle, but that
By His blood He entered into the is Christ Himself. The use of Xa-
archetypal Sanctuary and made a Tp£v£111 (the divine service) as con-
way for us, and He waits to guide us trasted with XnTovpyliv (the official
thither. Meanwhile 'we have become service) is to be noticed. Contrast
partakers of the Christ' (c. iii. 14), Clem. 1 ad Cor. 32 ( quoted above).
and live with the power of His life 11. J,, ydp £lu<f>lp.] The proof of
which in His own appointed way He the reality of this surpassing privilege
brings to us. of Christians lies in the familiar ordi-
Thus the point of the passage is nances in regard to the sacrifice on
not simply that those who continue the Day of Atonement: Lev. xvi. 27.
Jews, and cling to the worship of the Of these victims only was the blood
Temple, are excluded from the highest brought into the Holy of Holies. In
advantages of the Gospel ; but that two other cases the blood was brought
in itself absolutely the Gospel as into the Holy place; and here also the
442 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 12

~ I I
' C , ,
TIE.pi b.Mb.pTl<~C €IC Tb. aria
' <f'I
ota' ....
'TOU apxt€p€w<;,
'
'TOU'TWV Ta' <Twµa-
'

, ,, ,.. "" I2,~ \ \ '/ ,... ,I ' I

Ta Kb.Tb.Kb.1€Tb.l €:00 THC TTo.p€MBO,\Hc" Oto Kat rJ<TOVS, tva aryta<T1J
I I repl a.µ.. els T. if.'Y. ~D2 M2 vg: om. 1rep! aµ.. A: els ra. 3.'Y. 1repl aµ.. C* syr vg me.
KaTa.Ka.leTaL! KaTa11aAl<TKOJ1TaL D2 *.
bodies were consumed outside : Lev. castra, compare Ex. xxix. 14 (at the
iv. 11 f. (the sin-offering for a priest); consecration of the priests); Lev. iv.
ui. 21 (the sin-offering for the congre- II (sin-offering for the priest); id. 21
gation). (sin-offering for the congregation); xvi.
(,poov] Vulg. animalium. The use 27 (sin-offering on the Day of Atone-
of this word is apparently unique. ment). See also Lev. vii 17; ix. II.
Elsewhere the victims are spoken of The life is taken to the presence of
by their special names-'bulls and God: that which has been the transi-
goats,'-and I am not aware of any tory organ of life is taken beyond the
place in the Greek Scriptures in limits of the ordered Society to be
which a victim is spoken of by the wholly removed.
general term Crjiov. In the N. T. the 12. a,;, ,cal '1110-ous] Wherefore
wo~d is used of 'irrational animals' Jesus also-the Lord truly man-the
(aXoya (f,a: 2 Pet. ii. 12; Jude 10), sin-offering for humanity-in order
and of the four 'living creatures' of that He might so fulfil the symbolism
the apocalyptic vision (Apoc. iv. 6 ff.; of the Law and sanctify the people
comp. Ezek. i. 5 ff. LXX.). Perhaps by His Blood, suffered without the
the word is chosen here to mark the gate. Even as the Levitical High-
contrast between the sacrifices which priest entered into the Sanctuary
were of nature only and the sacrifice through the blood of the atoning
of 'Jesus,' who was truly man and yet victims while their bodies were burnt
more than man. without, Jesus as our High-priest
'TrEpl aµ.apTtaS] See Additional Note entered through His own Blood into
011 i. 3. heaven; and His mortal Body, laid in
.ls Ta ,'f.yia] The phrase may de- the grave, was glorified, consumed, so
scribe 'the Holy of Holies ' (c. ix. 8 to speak, by the divine fire which
note), so that the reference is to the transfigured it. In both respects He
ceremonial of the Day of Atonement satisfied completely the thoughts sug-
only ; or it may include 'the Holy gested by the type.
place,' and take account of the victims iva ay.... .,-011 Xaav] that Ile might
whose blood was brought there. sanctify the people, those who are
The use of the preposition aiii truly Israel (c. ii 17 note), through
'through' (per pontificem Vulg., His own blood as contrasted with the
sacerdotem d), where we might have blood of victims: c. ix. 12. By His
expected vml 'by,' is of interest. The death on the Cross Christ not only
High-priest is the agent through 'made purification of sins' (i 3), but
whom the act of the people is ac- He also 'sanctified' His people. In
~~iBhed. Compare v. 1 5 ai- mlroii the offering of Himself; He offered
avacfJEpooµ.•v. them also, as wholly devoted to God.
cJv ••• TovToov] The emphatic inser- His blood became the blood of a New
tion of the demonstrative is not Covenant (x. 29) by which the privi-
uncommon : Phil iv. 9 ; 2 Tim. ii. lege of sonship was restored to men
2; GaL ii. 18. Compare Rom. ix. 8 in the Son through His offered life
ov Ta 'l"E/Clla •••TaVTa ••• ; James i 25, (x. 10); and the Covenant sacrifice
23 EL 'TLS ••• o1lrns •••• became the groundwork of a feast
lEoo rijs 1rap•µ.,&Xijs] Vulg. extra (comp. Ex. xxiv. 8, II).
XIII. 12] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 443
~ \ - J ~f d \ 't. I ,It: -
Ota 'TOV totoU atµa-ro<;; TOV t\.aov, €c;W Tr/'> 'TT'Ut\.1'/'> €'Tra €V.
f"\. ,f 0
1z T?7< 1r6\,w• syr vg. om. l1ra.8,11 N*.

For the idea of ayta(.. v, see c. ix. 13. Christ is characteristic of this Epistle,
With ll,a Toii a1µ,aros compare c. ix. of 1 Peter, and of the Acts. It is
12; Acts xx. 28; Eph. i. 7; Col. i. 20; found again c. ii. 18; v. 8; ix. 26; in
and contrast;,, T'f aiµ,an c. x. 19, 29; I Pet. ii. 21, 23; (iii. 18;) iv. 1; and
(ix. 22, 25; v. 20); Rom. iii. 25; v. 9; in Acts i. 3; iii. 18; xvii. 3. It does
(1 Cor. xi. 25); Eph. ii. 13; Apoc. i. 5; not occur in this connexion in the
v. 9; vii. 14; and ll,a T6 aTµ,a Apoc. epistles of St Pau½ though he speaks
xii. I I. of the 1ra8~µ,aTa of Christ: 2 Cori. 5,
('Y) 13-16. The relation in which 7; Phil. iii. 10.
the Christian stands to Christ-the It is found in the Synoptic Gospels,
perfect sin-offering and the continu- Matt. xvi. 21; xvii 12 and parallels:
ous support of the believer-carries Luke xxii. 1 5 ; xxiv. 26, 46.
with it two consequences. Believers See c. ii. 10 note.
must claim fellowship with Him both ;e,,, rijs 1TVA'7S] Vulg. e::ctraportam.
in His external humiliation and in The change from ;e,,, rijs ,rap,µ,fJoXijs,
His divine glory, both as the Victim which occurs immediately before and
consumed (v. 1 1) and as the Priest after, is remarkable. Ilv>.'7 suggests
who has entered within the veil. the idea of 'the city,' rather than that
Hence follows the fulfilment of two of the camp, and so points to the fatal
duties, to go out to Christ (13, 14), error of later Judaism, which by seek-
and to offer through Him the sacrifice ing to give permanence to that which
of praise and well-doing (15, 16). was designed to be transitory marred
t,ra8,v] The Fathers commonly think the conception of the Law. In this
of the Passion as a 'consuming of aspect the variant 1ro>.,oos (comp. Tert.
Christ by the fire of love,' so that the adv. Jud. 14) is of interest.
effect of the Passion is made to answer The fact that the Lord suffered
directly to 1<aTa1<al,ra,. But the Pas- 'without the gate' (Lev. xxiv. 14;
sion is never to be separated from the Num. xv. 35) is implied in John xix.
Resurrection. Here indeed the writer 17, but it is not expressly stated.
of the Epistle, though he goes on at The work of Christ, so far as it
once to speak of Christ as living, was wrought on earth, found its con-
naturally dwells on the painful con- summation outside the limits of the
dition by which the triumph was pre- symbolical dwelling-place of the chosen
pared, because he wishes to encourage people. It had a meaning confined
his readers to endurance in suffering. within no such boundaries. The whole
But the thought of victory lies behind. earth was the scene of its efficacy.
And there are traces in early writers So also in the new Jerusalem there
of the truer view which sees in the is no sanctuary (Apoc. xxi. 22). The
transfiguration of the Risen Lord whole city is a Temple and God Him-
the correlative to the burning of the self is present there.
victim. 13, 14. Christ-not a dead victim
Extra castra sunt carnes ~jus cre- merely but the living leader-is repre-
matre, id est extra Jerusalem igne sented as 'outside the camp,' outside
passionis consumptre. Vel concrema- the old limits of Israe½ waiting to
tio ad signum pertinet resurrectionis, receive His people, consumed and yet
quia natura ignis est ut in superna unconsumed. Therefore, the Apostle
moveatur ••.(Herv.). concludes, even now let us be on our
The use of the verb 1racrxEtv of way to Him, carrying His reproach,
444 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 13, 14
13
-rotvuv e~epxwµe8a 7rp6<; au-rdv €ZOO THC TTb.peMBoAAc, TOJ/
Oll€tOt<Tµ611 auTOU <f>lpollTfi, 14 oti ,y<ip ixoµev Joe µE11ou<ra11

and abandoning not only the 'city,' accipere debet ad locum passionis ejus
which men made as the permanent accedere, ut honores et opes taber-
home for God, but also moving to naculi relinquens improperia et pau-
something better than 'the camp,' in pertatem pro nomine ejus ferre non
which Israel was organised. No Jew respuat .•.(Herv.).
could partake of that typical sacrifice TOJ/ OJ/fla. ml. q,lp.] carrying His
which Christ fulfilled: and Christians reproach, Vulg. improperium (OUS
therefore must abandon Judaism to portantes. Comp. xi 26 (-rllv ovna,u-
realise the full power of His work. µ611 -roii Xp,u-rov) ; Luke xxiii. 26
In this sense 'it is expedient' that (lni0T)1<.a11 aVT'f -rlw u-ravpov, <f.>•p•w••• ).
they also 'should go away,' in order to The thought is not only of a burden
realise the fulness of their spiritual to be supported (fJau-ra(nv Gal. vi. 2,
heritage. 5); but of a burden to be carried to a
It is worthy of notice that the first fresh scene. Comp. i. 3 note
tabernacle which Moses set up was •t"' 77js 1rap.] 'outside the camp,'
'outside the camp'(Ex. xxxiii. 7): 'and and not only 'outside the gate.' "Et"'
it came to pass that every one which .,.;;s 1rap•µfJ0Xijs a11Tl TOV •t"' -rijs ,ca-ra.
sought the Lord went out unto the 110µ011 y,vcJµ,0a 1ro)u-r,las (Theodt.).
tabernacle of the congregation which Christians are now called upon to
was without the camp.' The history is withdraw from Judaism even in its
obscure, but as it stands it is significant first and purest shape. It had been
in connexion with the language of the designed by God as a provisional
Epistle. system, and its work was done.
13. -rolvv11] The word occurs in the The exhortation is one signal appli-
same position in Luke xx. 25 (v. l.) and cation of the Lord's own command,
in the LXX. Is. iii. ro &c., like -ro,yapovv Lk. ix. 23.
c. xii. 1 ; 1 Thess. iv. 8. 14 OU y_ap •xoµ,11 .Ja.] The neces-
Jt,pxcJµ,0a] The present expresses sity for the abandonment of the old,
vividly the immediate effort. Comp. however dear, lies in the general fact
c. iv. 16; Matt. xxv. 6; John i 47; that we have no abiding system, noun-
vi. 37. changing organisation, in the present
The words necessarily recal the transitory order (.Ja, here on earth).
voice said to have been heard from That which ' abides' belongs to the
the Sanctuary before the destruction spiritual and eternal order. .And
of the Temple, M•-rafJa[11<,>µe11 EIIT<v0,v such an 'abiding city' lies before us.
(Jos. B. J. vi. 5, 3). For we a1·e seeking, not with a vague
Compare also the Lord's prophecy: search for 'one to come,' but 'that
Matt. xxiv. 1 5 ff. which is to come,' 'that which hath
The Fathers commonly understand the f oundatlons,' of which the organi-
the phrase of 'leaving the world' and sation and the stability are already
the like. This may be a legitimate clearly realised.
application of the command, but it is For µi11ovua11 compare c. x. 34 ;
wholly foreign to the original mean- xii 27 ; 1 Pet. i 23-
ing. The inadequate and misleading
One example may be quoted: Qui translation 'one (a city) to come' is
enim vult corpus et sanguinem ejus due to the Latinfuturam inquirimu.~.
XIII. 15] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 445
,.,. ,-,. -,. ' ' ,-,. -,. , Y. ~ IS ~t' , ~ r
'1T'Oi\.LV, a1v\.a TYJV µ€tV\.0V<Tav €7T'L":,rJ'TOVµ€v· 0 avTOV
b.N~cJ>epOOM€N eyci~N b.iN€C€WC Ota 7ravTOS' Tip eeip, 'TOUT' ~<TTLV

15 OUP

I 5 15,' ain-ov N*D2* syr vg : 15,' arlrov + 0~11 N•AC~ vg me.

:But the object of Christian hope and :n-poo-cf,ipnv, OT& apxwv i<TTl lJiKatO-
effort is definite (TTJ" P,EAA. im(. ). All CTti,,,,s .. •Kal l3Et ~µ.as avT<f :n-poo-cf,Epm,,
earthly institutions are imperfect cf,ao-lv, Zva a,· avrov :n-poCTEIIEX8ii V7TEp
adumbrations of the spiritual arche- 1µ.0011 Kal EVpc.>µ.£11 lJ,' mlrou Coo~J/ (Epiph.
type. Compare c. xi. ro (TT/" rovs Hmr. Iv. § 8, p. 474). Compare also
BEµ.EAlovs lxovo-av :n-oAiv); 16 (~Tolµ.ao-Ev Iren. Hmr. iv. 17, 5.
avrots 7TOAtll) ; xii. 22 ( 7TOAE& BEov For the full meaning of dvacf,lpE,11
(ciivros). Henn. Sim. i. 1 ~ :n-o">..,s t',p,ciiv comp. c. vii. 27 note. Men in the ful-
µ.aKpav iCTTtJI a:n-o rijs 7TOA£c.>S TOVT"JS, filment of their priestly work still act
For lmCTJTovµ.Ev compare c. xi. 14 through their great High-priest.
note ; and contrast t,. ro lxoµ.Ev. Bvulav alvio-.] V ulg. hostiam laudis.
15, 16. There is another side to our The phrase occurs in Lev. vii. 12
duty to Christ. Our sacrifice, our par- (i11'J:I n~t : comp. xxii. 29; Ps. cvii.
ticipation in Him, involves more than 22; cxvi. 17; [I. 14, 23]), of the highest
suffering for His sake : it is also an form of peace-offering. The thank-
expression of thanksgiving, of praise offering was made not in fulfilment of
to God (15), and of service to man
(16), for Christ has made possible for a vow (i'J~), nor in general acknow-
us this side also of sacrificial service. ledgment of God's goodness (i1:;i.J;i),
15. lU avrov ..•] Through Him-- but for a favour graciously bestowed.
and through no other-let us offer up Comp. Oehler 0. T. Theology ii. 2 f.
a sacrifi,ce qf praise. The emphatic In this connexion lJ,a :n-avros contin-
position of lJ,' avrov brings out the ually has a peculiar force. That which
peculiar privilege of the believer. · was an exceptional service under the
He has One through Whom he can Old Dispensation is the normal service
fulfil the twofold duty of grateful under the New.
worship: through Whom (c. vii. 25) as The Jewish teachers gave expression
High-priest every sacrifice for God to the thought: R. Pinchas, R. Levi,
and for man must be brought and and R. Jochanan said in the name of
placed upon the altar of God. Com- R. Menachem of Galilee: One day all
pare l Pet. ii 5 (a11EJ1<yicai ... lJia 'I. X.); offerings will cease, only the Thank-
iv. u (iva ••• lJot&(,,Tat a {hos lJ,a 'I. x.); offering will not cease : all prayers
Rom. i. 8 (EvxaptCTTw ••• a,;,, 'I. X.); xvi. will cease, only the Thanksgiving-
27 (8Ecii cM 'I. X. ••• ~ Mta); Col. iii. 17; prayer will not cease (Jer. xxxiii.
Clem. 1 ad Cor. 36, 44 and :Bp Light- II; Ps. lvi. 13). Vajikra R. ix. (Lev.
foot's note. Thus we gain the signi- vii 12); and xxvii. (Lev. xxii. 29)
ficance of petitions made 'through (Wiinsche, pp. 58, 193). Comp. Philo,
Jesus Christ.' The passage is illus- de mt. offer. § 3 (ii. 253 M.), on the
trated by the adaptation made of it offering of the true worshipper.
to Melchizedek by the sect which re- The word 8vula in Mal. i II ( 8vu{a
garded him as the divine 'priest for Ka8apa) appears to have been under-
ever': Els lwoµ.a rovrov rou MEAXt<TElJEK stood in the early Church of the
~ :n-poEtpTJµ.brq aipECT&S Kal ras :n-poo-cf,opas prayers and thanksgivings connected
iivacf,Ep£& ,cal ailT~P Elva, Elcra-yc.>yEa 1rpO~ with the Eucharist. Thus J)octr.
TOIi 8Eov, Kal lJ.' avrov, ct,,,ul, lJEt rce8£tp .A.post. xiv. 2 iva µ.~ K0&11008fi 1 0vo-la
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 16, 17
16
K<>-PTTON xe1i\€(J.)N dp.oi\.o'Yor'wrwv 'To/ dvop.a'TL av'TOV, 'TrJS
i\. 0 f 0
~\
0€
' f \ f \ ,
€V7rOttas Kat KOLVWVLUS f.J-1'/ €7rt av ave<r e, r
'TOLaV'Tats
17
'Ydp 0v<Tlat<; evapE<T'TEL'Tat () 0eo<;. neWe<r0e
, I , ,,..., \ «: / ' \ \ '
,o'is 1'/'YOVfJ-€1/OL<; vp.wv Kat V7r€tK€'TE, UV'TOt 'Yap a'Ypv1r-

r6 +T?ls' KOLV. D2. TOIAyn.i ••• eyclAI M2- ,ua.p,11n'irn,: ,uqry.-riira.L M2.
vµ.wv is represented in the Latin by avr01!s); Rom. xv. 26 (1<.0Lll6>Vlav TLl/11
'ne inquinetur et impediatur oratio ,roL1jcracr0m ,ls rovs 'lTTroxovs); Did. iv.
vestra.' Comp. Apoc. v. 8. 8 crvy1<.o,11ro111]crns ,raVTa rep ali,>..cJ>ep crov.
At the same time the 'first-fruits of µ,~ ,m>...] See v. 2 note.
God's creation' were offered (Iren. iv. rowvrn,s -yd.p e.] The direct refer-
17, 5 f.), and this outward expression ence appears to be to ,v1ro,ta 1<.al.
of gratitude was also called 0vcrla. 1<.owr.wla, but 'praise' has been already
Comp. Just. M. Dial. rr7. Imme- spoken of as a 'sacrifice,' and is
diately below acts of benevolence are naturally included in the thought.
included under the term 'sacrifices.' The construction ,vap,crr,'irn, o0,6s,
«ap1ro11 x«>..lrov] The phrase is bor- Vulg. promeretur (pla,cetur) Deus
rowed from the LXX. (paraphrase 1) (pla,cetur Deo Aug.), is found in late
of Hos. xiv. 3 (2) (~~llJ~¥,' l:)l'J~, 'as Greek, but not again in N. T. or LXX.
bullocks, our lips'~ Another example (c) The obligation to loyal obedience.
of the image occurs in Is. lvii. 19 The section began with a reference to
( l:l~O~ir' :i1;i). Comp. 2 Mace. x. 7 leaders of the Church, and so it closes.
The Hebrews have been charged to
iiµ,vovs dvicJ>,pov. remember and imitate those who have
oµ,o>... r<p Jv. ml.] The revelation of passed away (v. 7); now they are
God in Christ (His Name) is the charged to obey and yield themselves
source of all thanksgiving ( 1 Pet. i. 13). to those who are still over them.
This illuminates, and is illuminated This duty rests upon the most solemn
by, every object of joy. nature of the relation in which they
The phrase oµ,oXoy,'iu rep Jv6µ,an stand to them.
does not occur again in the N. T. nor 17. ,r,l0,cr0, ••• Kal. w,lKETE] Vulg.
in the LXX. (not Jer. xliv. (Ii.) 26). obedite ... et subjacete. Obedience to
i~oµ,oAo-yEtCT0a£ (rce e,,;;) ("? i11iil) express injunctions is crowned by sub-
'to make confession to, in honour,' 'to mission to a wish. The word v1r,l1mv
eelebrate, praise,' is common in the is not found elsewhere in N. T. or LXX.
LXX. Comp. Matt. xi. 2 5; Rom. xiv. I r. For ro'is ~'Y- see v. 7 note.
16. At the same time spiritual sa- avrol. yap ••• ] Vulg. ipsi enim pervi-
crifice must find an outward expres- gilant... The emphatic pronoun serves
sion. Praise to God is service to men. to bring out the personal obligation
rijs ,v1r. «al. 1<.0,11.] Vulg. benefi,centim of the rulers with which the loyal
et communionis, Syr. vg. compassion obedience of the ruled corresponded;
and communication to the poor. The for they, and no other••• Comp. James
general word for kindly service ii. 6 f. ; 1 Thess. i. 9; Matt. v. 3 ff. The
(,J1ro,ta) is followed by that which v.
image in a-ypv,rvoiicrw T. ,f,. is that of
expresses specially the help of alms. the 'watchmen' in the 0. T.: Is. lxii.
The two nouns form a compound idea 6; Ezek. iii 17.
(not rijs ,w. «al. rijs 1<.o,u.). The word For the word a-ypV7Tlle'iv compare
w1r0tta is not found elsewhere in N. T. Eph. vL 18; Ps. cxxvii (cxxvi) 1 ,;,_11
nor in LXX. For 1<.0tvro11la compare µ,~ o 1<.vpw,; cJ>v>..aEu 7r6>..,v, ,l,; P,llT1JII
2 Cor. ix. 13 (a1rADT77TL Tijs K.OLllroulas .Zs 1-YPV11"111JCTEII 6 cJ>v>..acrcrrov. Wisd. vi. I 5.
XIII. 17] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 447
VOV<Ttv V7r€p 'TWV -+vxwv vµwv ldS /\.07011 ll'lrO~WO""OIJ'TES,
'Lva µE'Ta xapfis 'TOU'TO 7rOtW<TlV Kat µ;, <TT€11d{:011T€s,
a/\.vO""t'TEAJs 7 J.p vµw 'TouTo.
I 7 v1rdKETf: + aUTOLS ~c. v1rlp T. ,p. vµ. WS A. ci7roo. ~CM2 syr vg me: {nrep
T. ,f,. vµ. ws A. d,,roowuona, 7rEp! fJµw11 D2*: WS x. a1roo. fJ1r€p T. ,f,. oµ. A vg.

il1rip -raiv 'i,vxaiv] The writer chooses The Epistle closes with wide-reach-
this fuller phrase in place of the simple ing words of personal solicitude and
v'R'ip vµ.aiv to suggest the manifold tenderness. The writer asks for the
sum of vital powers which the Chris- prayers of his readers (18, 19) and
tian has to make his own: Lk. xxi 19. offers a prayer for them (20, 21). He
Comp. 1 Pet. i 9; ii 25; c. :x. 39. then adds one or two details which
The Vulg. joins the clause with >.6y. shew the closeness of the connexion
&1rocl quasi rationem pro animabus by which they were bound to him,
-vestris reddituri. (22, 23) and completes his salutations
Zva µ.,ra xapas ••• ] that they may do (24) with a final blessing (25).
this (i.e. watch) with Joy.... The clause ' Prayfor us; forwe are persuaded
8

depends on 1r. 1<a1 v1r., the intervening that we have an honest conscience, de-
words being parenthetical : xii 17 siring to live honestly in all things.
note. '9 And the more exceedingly do I
Tune vigilant prrepositi cum gaudio exhort you to do this, that I may be
quando vident subjectos suos proficere restored to you the sooner.
in Dei verbo, quia et agricola tune 20
Now theGodofpeace,whobrouglit
cum gaudio laborat quando attendit up from the dead the Shepherd ofHis
arborem et fructum videt, quando at- sheep, the great Shepherd, in the blood
tendit segetem et fructificare prospicit qf an eternal covenant, even our
ubertatem (Herv.). Compare Herm. Lord Jesus, 21 make you perfect in
Vis. iii. 9, 10. every good thing, to the end that you
For tTT<va{:oVTEs see James v. 9 ;· do His will, doing in us that which
(Rom. viii. 23; 2 Cor. v. 2, 4). 'A>.vu,- is well-pleasing in His sight, through
r,Xqs does not occur again in N. T. or Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory
.in LXX. Avu,r•A•t is found Lk. xvii 2. for ever and ever. Amen.
The Greek Fathers gave a stern 22
But I exhort you, brethren, bear
meaning to the words : with the word of exhortation; for I
'Op~s 00"1] ~ <f,t>.ouo<pla. O"TEva{:Etv'aii have written unto you in few words.
TbV Kara<f,povovp.Evov, TW Kara,rarovp.E- 23 Know ye that our brother Timothy

11011, TbV
, ,
lJwBTVop.Evov,
, r \
,.,.~ Oapp10"lJS'
\ ,
;J.,., hath been discharged, with whom, if
ue ov,c ap.vvETa, • o ')lap O'TEVayp.os 1TCUT7JS he come shortly, I will see you.
• Salute all them that have the rule
24
dp.vV1JS x•lp0>v· O"l"av 1ap ailr?Js p:qlJiv
aVqUlJ O'TEVO.{:O>V /CaAEL T6V lJECT1T&rqV over you, and all the saints. Tliey of
(Chrys.). Italy salute you.
.,iltTTE µ,iJ l1rEtlJ~ O'TEVayµ,os ltTT, Ka-ra- 25 Grace be with you all. .Amen.
q,povqulJS O.,.~ rryovp.lv<t> a1reiOco11, aila 18, 19. The thought of the duty
1TAE011 <f,ofJqO']Tt, Jr, T'f e.~ O"E 1rapalJl- which the Hebrews owed to their
lJ0>0"£ (Theophlct). own leaders leads the writer naturally
Herveius says with a wider view : to think of their wider duties, of
expedit illis ipsa tristitia et prodest what they owed to him and his fellow-
illis, sed non expedit vobis. workers. The same spirit which led
(3) Personal instructions of the to wilful self-assertion at home was
writer (18-25). likely to cherish distrust towards
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 18
,s npO<FEUXE<T
, e €
,. ~ e, e , .,
7r€pt 17µ.wv, 'JT'EL 0/J-€ a ,yap OTL Kat\.'t]V
~ ,
<TUJ1E[017<Ttll ixoµev, €JI 7T'(X.(1'LJ/ KaA.w<; 0eAOJ/T€<; dva<F'Tpe<pe-

18 +Kal' .,,-,pt D 2*. 1r«86µe8a AC*D2*M2 syr vg: 1r,1rol8aµ,v s-~• 71µwv
IYr, tcaJl.11vl8a -yap /in Ka)\~v ~* (i.e. /Sri rnJ\17v written for 1rei8hµ,).

teachers at a distance who sought what we have failed to do, and to cor-
to restrain its evil tendencies. The rect what we have done amiss.
apostle therefore asks for the prayers 7rn0oµ,e0a] Acts xxvi 26 ;\av0aveiv
of those to whom he writes. He mlr(JII TOVT6111 o.J 'Tl"el0oµ,at ov0iv. The
awakens their deepest sympathy by perfect is more common : 'Tl"E'Tl"<tuµ,a,
thus assuring them that he himself c. vi 9 ; Rom. viii. 38; xv. 14, &c.
desires what they would beg for him. The present seems to express a con-
Hie superbiam elationemque mentis clusion drawn from the immediate
quorundam pontificum destruit qui survey of the facts.
typo (typho) superbire inflati dedig- ,ea;\. <FVII. ix.] Comp. d-ya0~v uvv.
nantur deprecari suos subjectos lxei11 1 Tim. i. 19; 1 Pet. iii. 16;
quatenus pro eis orationes fundant J.7rpo<FK0'11"0II uvv. EX· Acts xxiv. 16.
(Primas.). , , " _ The phrase KaA~ uvv. occurs here
18. 7rpou•vx. 'TI". qµc,>11 ...7rapaKaA61 ••• ] only: uvv. d-yaB;, is found (in addition
Pray jbr u11 ... I e:chort you.... The to the places quoted) in Acts xxiii. 1 ;
passage from the plural to the singu- 1 Tim. i. 5 ; 1 Pet. iii. 21. See also
lar is like Col iv. 3 'Tl"pouevxoµ,,110, ••• Ka0apa uvveUi1J<FLS I Tim. iii. 9; 2 Tim.
'Tl"<pl qµ,iiw ••• /Ji t"cal /1,/Jeµ,a, ••• Gal. i. 8 f. i. 3- Comp. c. x. 22, <TVV. '11"0V1Jpa.
,, C ,.. f I \ If
,a11 qµ,eu; ••• c.,s 7rpoe&p1JKaµ,<11 Ka& apri For uvvell111u,s see ix. 9 Additional
7raAt11 ;\i-yru ••• Rom. i. 1 Ilav;\or /Joii;\os ... Note; and p. u8.
/Ji oi e?-..&/30µ,ev X<lP"'• ••• In all these The adj. ,caMs seems to retain its
cases the plural appears to denote the characteristic sense of that which
apostle and those who were imme- commands the respect and admira-
diately connected with him. The force tion of others. So far the word
of a true plural is evident in I Thess. appeals to the judgment of the
iii 1 ; v. 25 ; 2 Thess. iii. 1. The readers.
separate expression of personal feel- iv 'Tl"au,11 ,c. 0. dva<FTp.] This clause
ing in connexion with the general may go either with 'Tl"n06µ,e0a or with
statement is easily intelligible. lxqµ,<11, expressing the ground of the
•m0/,µ,,0a -yap ••• ] for we are per- conviction : 'since we wish to live
maded... Vulg. con.fidimUB (8'11,(UU- honestly'; or describing the character
mur d) enim. The ground of the of that to which the conscience testi-
apostle's request lies in the conscious- fied : 'as wishing to live honestly.'
ness of the perfect uprightness of The latter connexion appears to be
those with whom he identifies him- the more natural and simpler.
selt: However they might be repre- iv ,rau,v] in all respect11, in all thing11,
sented so as to be in danger of losing in the points which cause misgivings,
the affection of some, he could say as in others. The word is neuter and
upon a candid review that their not masculine. Comp. "· 4 note.
endeavours were pure. Such a con- Hoe est, non ex parte sed ex toto
viction must underlie the request studemus bene vivere (Herv.). The
for efficacious intercession. The Greek Fathers take it as masculine :
prayers of others will not avail for apa OVIC Ell l0v,,co'ir /J,OIIOV aAAa ,cal ill
our neglect of duty. They help, when vµ,iv (Chrys., <Ecum., Theophlct).
we have done our utmost, to supply ,caA~v ••• KaAws ••• ] an honest con-
XIII. 19, 20] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 449
<T0at. 19 ,,,-Ept<F<TOTf.PW'> OE 7rapaKa"A.w TOVTO 7T"OtrJ<Tat 111a
-rdxewv a7rOKaTa<T-ra0w vµ'iv. 20
·0 OE 0eo,; T~S
science... to live honestly ... , in the old salute deprecor vos ut oretis pro
sense of the word. Comp. v. 22 (rrapa- me ... ut ... restituar non mihi sed vobis
icaA61 •• .n-apaicX17uEros); Matt. xxi. 41. (Herv.).
0,XovrH] desiring and not merely 20, 21. The apostle has first asked
being willing: c. xii. I 7. Whatever the for the prayers of his readers, and
issue might be this was the apostle's then he anticipates their answer by
earnest wish. Compare I Thess. ii. 18; the outpouring of his own petitions in
2 Tim. iii. I 2. their behalf.
avaUTp<cpEu0ai] Vulg. conversari, to Notandum quod primo postulat ab
enter into the vicissitudes and activi- eis orationis suffragium ac deinde
ties of social life. See v. 7 note. non simpliciter sed tota intentione et
19. n-Ep,uu. a•... ] Amplius autem omni prorsus studio suam orationem
deprecor vos hoe facere (hoe peto pro eis ad Dominum fundit (Primas.).
faciatis d). The writer enforces the Comp. r Thess. v. 23; 1 Pet. v. ro f.
common request by a personal con- 20. The aspects under which God
. sideration, And the more exceedingly is described as 'the God of peace'
do I e:chort you to do this.... The and the author of the exaltation of
transition from the plural to the sin- Christ, correspond with the trials of
gular, no less than the order, points to the Hebrews. They were in a crisis
the connexion of n-Epiuu. with n-apaicax,;; of conflict within and without. They
and not with rro,ijua1. were tempted to separate themselves
Zva rax. dn-o,car. v.] that I may be from those who were their true
restored to you the sooner, Vulg. quo leaders under the presence of unex-
(ut quo am.) celerius rest-ituar vobis. pected afflictions (comp. xii. 11); and
The expression does not necessarily they were tempted also to question
imply a state of imprisonment, which the power of Christ and the efficacy
is in fact excluded by the language of • of the Covenant made through Him.
v. 23, since the purpose thus declared The title 'the God of peace' is not
presupposes, so far, freedom of action. uncommon in St Paul's Epistles : Rom.
All that the word requires is that the x~. 3~ ; 'xvi. 20,; 2, Cor. xiii. I I ( 0 BEoS
writer should have been kept from TTJS aya?TTJs ica, Etp.); I Thess. v. 23.
the Hebrews (in one sense) against his Comp. I Cor. xiv. 33.
will. It may have been by illness. It is through God, as the author
.For the word see Matt. xii. 13; and giver of peace, that man is able
xvii I I ; Acts i. 6. Comp. Acts iii. to find the harmony which he seeks
21. It is not unfrequent in Polybius: in the conflicting elements of his own
iii. 5, 4; 98, 9 ; viii. 29, 6 &c. nature, in his relations with the world,
By the use of it the wiiter suggests in his relations to God Himself. Toiiro
the idea of service which he had ren- Eln-E a,a .,.;, u-rau,a(ELv avrovs (Chrys.~
dered and could render to his readers. 'En-Ela~ 0Eos Elpq"'}s lUTl ov aE'i vµiis
He was in some sense required for auurrau,Cl(nv 1rpb~ lµ.E 1eal raiira dn-6
their completeness ; and by his pre- dicoijs ,JnXijs (Theophlct).
sence he could remove the causes of The thoughts which spring from the
present anxiety. t:i.Elicvvu,v g.,., 0appli contemplation of the general character
'l"o/ CTVIIELa6r, ,cal a,a rov-ro n-paurplxn of God are deepened by the contem-
avrais (Theophlct). plation of His work for 'our Lord
Quo celerius restituar vobis, hoe est, Jesus.' In the Resurrection of Christ
amplius pro vestra quam pro mea we have the decisive revelation of
W. H.3 29
450 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBR]j:WS. (XIII. 20

€LptJ111'1S, 0 ~Nb.rb.rroN EK V€Kpwv TON TTOIME:Nb. TOON rrpoMTC1.)N 'TOV

µe,yav €N b.iMb.TI 6lb.0HKHC b.lOONIOY, 'TOV Kvpwv 17µwv >J,,o-ovv,

victory over all evil, in the victory nom. § 20; i p. 596 M.). Comp.
over death. Christ's Resurrection is John x. 11 note; and for the addition
the perfect assurance of the support Tov 1-'•yav c. iv. 14; x. 21. IIoAAol
of those who in any degree fulfil in ,rpocpij.-a, a,Mu,caAOL dAA' Eis ,ca07Jy7JTqS
part that pastoral office which He .\ Xp,u.-os (Theophlct).
fulfilled perfectly. The old commentators saw rightly
This is the only direct reference to in the words here a reference to Is.
the Resurrection in the Epistle, just lxiii. 11 (LXX.) 7TOU o dva{3,{3auas EiC .-ijs
as c. xii 2 is the only direct reference 0aAaUU7JS TOIi 'll'OL/-'Ella TWII 1T po{3aTOOII;
to the Cross. The writer regards the The work of Moses was a shadow of
work of Christ in its eternal aspects. that of Christ: the leading up of him
Compare Additional Note. with his people out of the sea was
6 dvay. i,c v.] Vulg. qui eduzit de a shadow of Christ's ascent from the
mortuis (suscitat ea: mortuis d). The grave : the covenant with Israel a
phrase occurs again in Rom. x. 7. shadow of the eternal covenant.
Compare Wisd. xvi. 13 KaTayns ,ls lv a,,.. a,a0. al.] This clause, based
1rvAas (f.llov ,cal dvayns. The usage on Zech. ix. 11, goes with all that pre-
of the verb dvaynv generally in the cedes, odvay ... .l11 ai. a. al. The raising
N. T., as well as the contrast in which of Christ was indissolubly united with
it stands in these two passages to the establishment of the Covenant
KaTaynv, shews that dvayayoov must be made by His blood and effective in
taken in the sense of 'brought up' and virtue of it. His 'blood' is the vital
not of 'brought again.' The thought energy by which He fulfils His work.
of restoration is made more emphatic So, when He was brought up from the
by the addition of the thought of the dead, the power of His life offered
depth of apparent defeat out of which for the world was, as it were, the
Christ was raised. atmosphere which surrounded Him as
Toll ,ro,,..i11a ... ] the Shepherd of the He entered on His tri~m~ha~1t, work.
sheep, the great Shepherd. Pastor Comp. x. 19 note. E, 1-'7/ ''Y'l'Y•PTo,
est qnia totum gregem conservat et OVIC &v ~II ~l-'111 TO al,..a aVTOV £ls a,a0~K1JII
pascit. Pascit autem non solum verbo (Theophlct). For a,,..
lJia0. compare
doctrinre sed corpore et sanguine suo Test. a:ii. Patr. Benj. 3 w,p du,{3ciw
(Herv.). d1ro6avE'iTa& [ J dµ.vOr Toti lhoV] Jv aZµ.ar,,_
The image is common from Homer lJw0~K7JS.
downwards. Philo in commenting on The covenant is described in its
the application of the title of Shep- character (lv ai. a. al.). · The new
herd to God in Ps. xxiii. says that as covenant is 'an eternal covenant' :
Shepherd and King He leads injustice Jerem. xxxii; Is. Iv., lxi Comp. c. viii
and law the harmonious courses of the 8 ff. Aloovlav Tqv ,cai11q111C<KA1J1<E llia011C1Jv
t t r \ I ) , ,
heavenly bodies 'having placed His oos •npas /-'E'ra TUVT')II OVI( EUO/-'Ell')S
right Word, His first-born Son, as (Theodt.).
their leader, to succeed to the care of -ro11 1<.vp. ~- 'I.] The phrase expresses
this sacred flock, as a viceroy of a the sum of the earliest Creed: Rom.
great king' (deAgric. § 12; i. 308M.); x. 9; I Cor. xii. 3.
and elsewhere he speaks of 'the divine The title 'the Lord Jesus' is com-
Word' as a 'Shepherd-king' (de mut. mon in the book of the Acts (i. 21; iv.
XIII. 21] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 45 1
21 , ,
Ka-rap-rurat vµa,; EV 'IT'av-rt a7a
- , - ' , , ecp
~ , 'TO\ 'IT'OLrJ<Fat 'TO
Et<;
, I , I
8lAr,µa av-rov, 'IT'OLWV EV ,jµ'iv 'TO €uap€<T'TOV €VW7T'LOV
,- -
T

av-rov oid 'lr,<rou Xpur-rov, cp ri oo~a EL<; ' atwva,;

, -rov,; -rwv

21 aUT~. ? a:lrr6s
21 vµfls: ~µfls D2*. tv 1ra.nl ND2* vg : + lp-y'I' CM2 : + lp-y'I' Ka.I "J../ry'I' A
(2Thess. ii. 1 7). 1ro,ijCTa., : + ~µfls D2*. 1ro,wv N•D~2 vg syr vg me:
+a.VTtii' 'lrOLWP N*(A)C*. ev vµw C vg me: ev ~µ,v NAD2~ syr vg. om. rwv al. D2•

33; [viL 59 ;] viii. 16; xi. 20; xv. II; powers. And each deed is at once
xix. 13, 17; xx. 24, 35 ; xxi. 13). In the deed of man and the deed of God
other bo9ks it is much more rare (1 (1ro,ijo-ai, 1ro,ruv). The work of God
Cor. v. 5 (?); xi 23; xvi. 23; 2 Cor. makes man's 'York possible. He Him-
iv. 14 (?); xiii. 13 (?); Eph. i. 15; 2 self does (ml-ros 1ro,<iiv), as the one
Thess. i. 7 ; Phm. 5) and the fuller title source of all good, that which in
'the Lord Jesus Christ' is generally another sense man does as freely
used. 'Our Lord Jesus' occurs 2 Cor. accepting His grace. And all is
i. 14; viii 9 (?); 'Jesus our Lord' wrought in man ' through Jesus
Rom. iv. 24 ; 2 Pet. i. 2. Ch~st.:, ~o~p. fc!8 iii. 16.
Here it is natural that the writer of ... To EV~. E~6l1r.~vr~v] Comp~e! John
the Epistle should desire to empha- 111. 22 Ta apEOTa £vru1riov av-rov ; and
sise the simple thoughts of the Lord's for lvromov mlTov Ac.ts iv. 19; 1 Pet.
sovereignty and humanity as 'the iii. 4 ; 1 Tim. ii. 3 ; v. 4.
Great Shepherd.' For the contrast of a,a
'I110-ov Xp,o-rov] El f'EO"[TTJS YE·
Moses and 'Jesus' see c. iii. 1 note. vlo-Bat BEDv Kal qp.oov ~B•ATJO"EV Elt<oTrus
2 I. 1<a-raprlum v. iv 1T. ay.] make al aVToV O1raTifp TO £VllpEOT011 atJT<e £lt
you perfect in every good thing. Vulg. qµas l1r,nXio-Et (<Ecum.~
aptet 'l!OS in omni bono. re q 86~a... ] The doxology may be
Comp. 1 Pet. v. 10. The wo~ addressed to Christ as in 2 Tim. iv.
K.araprl(w,, to make perfoot, includes 18; 2 Pet. iii. 18; Apoc. i. 6. The
the thoughts of the harmonious com- Greek, however, admits the reference
bination of different powers (comp. of the relative to the main subject of
Eph. iv. 12 K.a-rap-rurp.ln, 2 Cor. xiii. 9 the sentence, «l BEos (cf. c. v. 7; 2 Thess.
Karaprum ), of the supply of that which ii 9), and this is the most likely inter-
is defective (1 Thess. iii. 10), and of pretation. Primasius combines both
the amendment of that which is faulty persons : Cui est gloria, id est, Deo
(Gal vi 1 ; comp. Mk. i. 19). Comp. Patri et Jesu Christo. Compare Ad-
Ign. Eph. 2; Phil. 8; Smyrn. 1; Mart. ditional Note.
Ign. 4- Els Tovs al. Twv al.] Comp. 'l!. 8 note.
Chrysostom remarks wisely on the The phrai;;e occurs here only in the
choice of the word, 1raXw p.ap-rvpE'i Epistle. It is common in the Apoca-
atlro'is p.ryaXa· TO yap K.a-rapr,(/,p.EPl,v lypse (t":elv~ •time~ ;mth. the .varied
€OT& TO apx~v lxov EtTa 1TA1Jpovp.EVOV, phrase ns au,was airuvruv 111 XIV. I l ),
The general phrase iv 1ravrl ayaB<ji and is found also in Phil iv. 20 ;
conveys the thoughts expressed by 1 Tim. i. 17; 2 Tim. iv. 18; 1 Pet. iv.
the explanatory glosses lpy6l and II (all doxologies).
'PY<:> Kal Aoy<J>, • The language of the apostle's
Els To 1ro,ijo-a,... ] to the end that prayer has given occasion to an in-
you do.... Action is the true object structive expression of the character-
of the harmonious perfection of our istic differences of Greek and Latin
29-2
452 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 22

aicJ11w1r dµr,v. ,:i,:i napaKai\w 0€ vµas, do€i\<f>o[,

av€X€0-01
r•I
€ TOV
i\'
o,you T1JS
~ I
7rapaKi\r,o-Ews, KatI ,yap
I~\
ota

22 o.vex«,fJa.L
22 o.vlxeo-fJe ~(A)CM2 me: avexoo-fJa., D2* vg. om. -yap~*

theology in regard to man's share in when the writer has reviewed what
good works. The Greek Commenta- he has said. As he looks back he
tors find in the word 1<.amprl(rn, the feels that the very brevity of his
recognition of the free activity of argument on such themes as he has
man : the Latin Commentators see in touched upon pleads for consideration.
the prayer itself a testimony to man's 1rapa,ca'"J..&i ...1rapa,c'"A.qu•0>s] Comp. v.
complete dependence upon God. 19; iii. 13; x. 25; vi. 18 note; xii. 5.
Thus Chrysostom writes : op~s 7rWS &vlxouB•] bear with that which
lJol1<.11t1cn TTJII apETTJII oiJrE lK. rov 8EOv ro makes demands on your self-control
OAOII oir. '~ ,;,,.0011 p.ovov 1<.a.ropBovp.<111/II' and your endurance. 2 Tim. iv. 3
rqi yap ol1riiv 1<.araprlua1. ... JcTEl tA•y•v vytatllOV0'7/S a,aau,ca'"A.las OVK. &vl~ovrai.
"Ex•ro p.Ev apn~v MiuBE lJi 7TA7/pmO'EO>S. The word is frequently used in
Theophylact goes farther : ipa tr,
,jp.iis 1rp6r•pov i1pxou8at 1<.al ror• al-
a., regard to persons: Matt. xvii. 17; 2
Cor. xi. I ; &c.
riiuBat ro TEAOS ,rapa rov BEov. And r. My. r. ,rapa1<.'"A..] the word of
so <Ecumenius ,jp.iis lJii lvap~auBat whortation (Vulg. 1Jerbum aolacii)
TOIi a; 7TA7/povvra lKETEVELII. with which the writer had encou-
On the other hand Primasius writes: raged them to face their trials. Acts
A vobis nihil boni habere potestis nisi xiii. 1 5 .z EO'TW '"Aoyos '" vp.'iv ,rapa1<.A1)·
illo prreveniente et subsequente..•• O'Ea>s, '"Aly•r•.
Per illum facti et redempti sumus, OJ A<YEL ,rapa1<.aAoo vp.iis av•x•uBo rov
et per illum quidquid boni habe- '"Aoyov rijs ,rapaivluE0>s, a'"A'"A.a rov '"Aoyov
mus nobis subministratur. And this rijs 1rapa1<.A1JO'E0>S • rovr,urt, rijs ,rapa-
thought is forcibly expressed by p.vBlas, rijs 1rporpo1rijs (Chrys.).
Herveius in a note on v. 2 5 : Hrec est 1<.al -y&p ... ] c. iv. 2 note. ' I ask for
gratia qure mentem prrevenit et ad- patient attention, for in fact (Vulg.
juvat ut homo sure voluntatis et etenim .. .) I have written little when
operationis obsequium subjungat ; et I might have extended my arguments
dictum ex hoe ne de liberi arbitrii to far greater length if I had not
sui viribus prresumerent et quasi ex feared to weary you.' This appears
seipsis hrec posse bene agere putarent to be the natural sense of the words.
(Herv.). It is less likely that the writer wishes
It is obvious that the two views to apologise for any obscurity or
are capable of being reconciled in harshness in what he has written on
that larger view of man's constitution the ground of his brevity.
and destiny which acknowledges that l1rlurEL'"A.a] I ha1Je written, Vulg.
the Fall has not destroyed the image acripai. The word l1r,url>..'"A•w is
of God in which he was created. used in a siinilar connexion in Clem.
Every act of man, so far as it is good, I ad Cor. 62 7TEpl roov 0."7/K.OVTO>II rf,
is wrought in fellowship with God. Bp11u1<.ol~ ,jp.wv ••• l1<.avws l1rEurEl'"Aap.Ev
22. 1rapa1<.a'"A.oo lJL.] But I e:i:hort vp.iv, ilvlJpES &lJo'"A.<J,oL Compare also
you, brethren, bear with the word of cc. 7 ; 47; Ign. Mart. c. 4- Iren. iii.
e:i:hortation.... The words come as a 3, 3 l1r,uroiAEII ,j '" 'Pmp.y EK.K.A7/Ula
postscript after the close of the letter, l1<.a110>raTT/11 -ypa<p~v rois Kop,vBlo,s.
XIII. 23, 24] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 453
23 ftvw<TK€'T€ \
/J
tJPaX€WV, , ' "
€7r€<T'T€l!\.a uµtv. 'TOIi
,\
a0€A<j>ov ;,µwv Ttµo0€0V d1roA€AVµ€vov, µ€0' oJ €all

'T<1.X€LOV ifpx11-rat o-foµat vµar;.

24'A <r1ra<ra<T
, e , ' ,
€ 1rav-rar; -rovr; wyovµ€vovr; vµwv Kal
,
, \
1rd.vra<; 'TOV<; a•,dovr;. ,A<r7rarov-rat uµas OL a1ro -r11s
'1-raAta<;.

l-rda-Te<"Aa: d.1rla-T«"Aa D2 • 23 &.o. 7Jµw11 ~*(A)CD2*M2 vg syr vg me: om.

7Jµw11 !, tot•. fp:xTJTa,: lp:X'TJTE D2*: lp:x7Ja-0e ~*-

The verb occurs again Acts xv. 20 3 Joh.); but the form of this is
(and "'· l. in xxi. 25) where the sense unique ; and there appears to be an
is somewhat uncertain (write or en- emphasis in the repetition 1raVTas•••
join). For the aor. comp. I John ii. 1ra11Tas ••• all...all... which probably
12 ff. (ypacp"', ;ypa,j,a) note. points to the peculiar circumstances
cM ,Bpaxl"'v] in few word.~ (Vulg. of the Church. Comp. Phil iv. 21
perpaucis), that is, relatively to the J.07r. 1ra11Ta ay,011 iv Xpio-r,j. The
vastness of the subject. Compare special salutation of 'all that have
I Pet. v. I 2 a,· OAl')'6>11 ;ypa,j,a. the rule ' implies that the letter was
23. y,11cJa-1CeTe] The order, no less not addressed officially to the Church,
than the general scope of the verse, but to some section of it. The pa-
seems to shew that the verb is tristic commentators notice the sig-
imperative: Know ye, that our bro- nificance of the clause :
tlwr Timothy has been discharged AlvlrrErat O AOyos- cJr ol '1rpourarEV-
(J.1ro:\e:\vµl11011, Vulg. dimissum), that DIITES avToov TDtavTT}S lltl3ao-ica:\{as ov,c
is discharged from confinement (A_cts ixpy(;ov • oQ a~ x&.ptv OVIC licelvots l1r,-
xvi. 35 f.), or more generally set free O-TetAElf &;\;\a; rois µa6'7Tais (Theodt.).
from the charge laid against him f/ Opa 7r6)~ aVrotJ~ rtµ4 Ei')'E al. aVrCdv

(Acts iii. 13 ; xxvi. 32 ). It can cause TOVS ·. ~yovµlvovs 1rpoo-ayopevei (Theo-

no surprise that the details of this phlct).
fact are wholly unknown. J.07r. v. al &1ro rijs 'Ir.) They of
rbv &a. ~µ. T,µ.] The order which Italy salute you, Vulg. Salutant 'l'Os
St Paul adopts invariably is [T,µ.) o de Italia. The phrase may mean
J.lJe:\cpos. Rom. xvi. 23; (I CJor. i. I); either (1) 'those who are in Italy
1 Cor. xvi. 12; (2 Cor. i r); ii. 13; send greeting from Italy,' or (2)
Phil ii. 25; (Col i. r); iv. 7; 1 Thess. 'those of Italy,' that is Italian Chris-
iii. 2 ; ( Philem. I). tians who were with the writer at the
i?1.11 raxe,011 ••• ] Vulg. si celerius.••• time, 'send greeting.' The former
The comparative suggests the occur- rendering is adequately illustrated by
rence of hindrances which the apostle Matt. xxiv. 17 ; Luke xi. 13; Col. iv.
could not distinctly foresee. Compare 16 ; and it is adopted by the Fathers:
v. 19. ol J.1TChijs'Im:\ias· We,~em50ev ylypacpe
o,j,oµat vµas] Rom. i. I I ; I Thess. n}v imo-ro:\~v (Theodt.); apertissime
ii. 17; iii 6, ro; 2 Tim. i. 4; 3 John 14- his verbis nobis innuit quod Romre
24- J.07raa-aa-6e ••• ] A general salu- hanc epistolam scripserit qure in re-
tation of this kind is found in most of gione Italire sita est (Primas.).
the Epistles of the N. T. (Rom., 1, 2 The choice between the two render-
Cor., Phil, Col., 1 Thess., Tit., r Pet., ings will be determined by the view
454 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [XIII. 25
!1-S'H xapts
, µera' 7ral/TWJ/
' ' ,. . T
vµwv.

a.p,1]11 : om. ~*.

which is taken of the place from which James, 2 Pet., 1, 2 John, Jude.
the Letter was written. The words The simplicity of the final greeting
themselves contribute nothing to the when compared with the ordinary
solution of the question. forms of salutation in the Epistles is
2 5. The same greeting is found remarkable.
Tit. iii 1 5. Every Epistle of St Paul µEra 7T. vµ.] 2 Thess. iii. 18; I Cor.
includes in its final greeting the wish xvi. 24 ; 2 Cor. xiii. 13; Rom. xv. 33.
for 'grace' to those who receive it. On the sense of xap,s Theophylact
'H xap,s is used absolutely in Eph. writes : rls a. ''""' ~ xap,s ; ~ 0.<pEO"£S
vi. 24 ~ xap,s µErd 1ravrwv rrov a-ya- -roov aµapriwv, ~ ,calJapO"tS, 1 rov 7TVEV-
1r...Svrwv.... Col iv. 18; I Tim. vi. 21 ; p.aros µm'i>..71,J,,s. And Primasius, more
2 Tim. iv. 22 ~ xap,s µE(}' vµrov. in detail: Gratire nomine debemus hie
Generally 'the grace' is defined as aecipere fidem perfectam cum exse-
'the grace of our Lord [Jesus Christ]' cutione bonorum operum, remissionem
(Rom., 1, 2 Cor., Gal, Phil, 1, 2 Thess., quoque peccatorum quam percipiunt
Phm.). fideles tempore baptismatis, donum
In I Cor. xvi. 23 and 2 Cor. xiii 13 etiam Spiritus Sancti quod datur in
significant additions are made to the baptismate per impositionem manus
prayer for grace ('my love,' 'the love episcoporum, qure omnia gratis a Deo
of God, and the fellowship of the dantur. The changes in the revised
Holy Spirit'~ In I Pet., 3 John the texts of Raymo and Atto are worth
prayer is for 'peace,' not for 'grace.' notice.
There is no corresponding greeting in
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 455

Additional Note on xm. IO. On the history of the word

0v,nauT~piov.
The word IJvuia<rrTJp,ov is found first in the LXX. From the LXX. it A word o(
passed into the vocabulary of Philo, of the N. T., and of Christian writers. the Lxx.
It is not quoted from classical authors, who have (though rarely) the corre-
sponding form IJvTTJpwv: Arat. Pham. 402 &c. [ara Cic,]; Hyginus, xxxix.;
comp. Eurip. Iph. Taur. 243; Hesych. Suid. IJvTTJploir- IJvp,taTTJplo,s.
The word is an adjectival form derived from IJvu,&(6> (LXX. Ex. xxii 20, Form and
&c.), like · evµ.,aT17p,ov, 'lrEptppavr,/ptov, I>..aunfp,ov, xap,<rrTJp,011 &c., and, gener~l
expressing generally 'that which is connected with the act of sacrifice,' meaning.
it is used specially in a local sense to describe 'the place of sacrifice'
(compare lJn'lrJ/1'/TTJP'°"• opµ.TJTTJptov, cpvAalCT~p,ov, &c.). '
The usage of the word in the LXX. is of considerable interest. It is the Use in
habitual rendering of o~r,;,' as applied to the altar of the true God, from LXX.
Gen. viii. 20 onwards, in all the groups of books (more than 300 times).
It occurs once as a variant for f>..a<rrTJptov (Tl1S11) in Lev. xvi. 14; once
again as a rendering of il~; in 2 Chron. xiv. 5 ; and once in a clause
which varies widely from the Hebrew text (Ex. xxvii. 3; comp. xxxviii. 3).
On the other hand o~rr,, is rendered also by fj6>µ.os (more than twenty 0v11ta.CTT'7"
times), and once by r:rr~ATJ, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 3 (IJvu,auTTJp,011 Compl~ There p,ov and
is however a general difference of usage between IJvuia<rrTJp,ov and fj6>p,os. fJwµ 6s·
evu,a<rrTJptov is characteristically the altar of God, and fj6>µ.os the altar of
idolatrous or false worship. Thus fj6>µ.os is used of idol altars, Ex. xxxiv.
13 (ara); Deut. vii. 5 (ara); Is. xvii. 8 (altare), &c., and in the Apocrypha,
1 Mace. i. 54, 59; ii. 23; 2 Mace. x. 2. It is used also of the altar of
Balaam, Num. xxiii. 1 ff., and of the altar of the Reubenites, Josh. xxii.
IO ff. (contrast vv. 28 f. IJvu,auTTJp,011, and in v. 19 fJ6>p,os and IJvu,a<rrTJp,011
are opposed). In accordance with this usage it is found seven times as a
rendering of nr.,; (high place). It is never used, I believe, of the altar
of God in the translation of the Books of the Hebrew Canon. In some of
the later Books it is so used: Ecclus.1 12, 14; 2 Mace. ii 19; xiii 8 (not
x. 2); but 1 Mace. follows the earlier precedent (1 Mace. i. 47, 59; ii 23 ff.,
45; v. 68).
It must, however, be added that IJvuwunf p,O11 is not unfrequently used of
idol altars: Jud. ii. 2; vi. 25, 28, 31 f.; 1 K. xvi. 32; xviii. 26; 2 K. xi. 18;
xxi. 5; xxiii. 12; Ezek. vi. 4 ff.; Hos. x. 1, &c.
As a general rule, but by no means uniformly, {16>µ.os was represented in
the Old Latin by ara and IJvuiaunfp,ov by altare, and traces of the distinc-
tion remain in the Vulgate 1•

l Durandus (Rationale, i. 2, 2) altar : altare quasi alta res vel alta ara
gives a distinction between altare and dicitur, in quo sacerdotes incensum
ara which, although it is utterly in, adolebant: are. quasi area, id est
consistent with the usage of the plates., vel ab ardore dicitur, quia in
O.T., suggests an important thought ea sacrificia ardebant.
as to the different conceptions of an
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

The exact relation of {3wµ,os to BvuuiOT,jpwv in 1 Mace. i. 59 (comp.

Jos. Antt. xii. 5, 4), Ecclus. 1. 11 ff. is not easy to determine. Perhaps
Bvu,aOT,jp,011 is (see below) the altar-court.
Use in the In the Gospels and Epistles of the :N. T. Bvu,au-nipwv is used of
N. T. Gos-
pels and (1)The brazen altar of bumt-offering,
Epistles. Matt. v. 23 f. (altare).
- - xxiii. 35 &c. (altare).
(2) The golden altar of incense,
Luke i. l 1, TO BvuiaOT,jp,011 Toii Bvµ,,6.µ,aTus.
(3) And generally of the altar
(a) for the worship of Jehovah: James ii. 21 (0. L. and Vulg.
altare); Rom. xi. 3 (Lxx.) (altare).
(b) for the Levitical service: 1 Cor. ix. 13 (0. L. altarium, Vulg.
altare); x. 18 (altare) 1•
Apoca- In the Apocalypse it is used, according to the general interpretation, of
lypse.
(1) The altar of sacrifice: vi. 9 (0. L. ara, Vulg. altare); viii. 3 a (0. L.
altarium, Vulg. altare), which proclaims the justice of God's judgments:
xvi. 7 (Vulg. altare).
(2) The golden altar which is before the throne, viii. 3 b (0. L. ara,
Vulg. altare), 5; before God, ix. 13 (0. L. ara, Vulg. altare).
(3) The place of the altar (the altar-court): xi. 1 (0. L. ara, Vulg.
altare). Compare xiv. 17 f.; and see also Clem. xli. with Bp Lightfoot's
note 2•
Use in Philo appears to use {3wµ,os commonly of the altar of God (de vict. off.
Philo. § 4; ii. 253 M.: 'll'po<TTatas lMo KaTau1«vauBijvai {3wµ,oils), but he recognises
Bvu,aOT,jp,ov as the characteristic name of the altar of sacrifice: de vit. Mos.
iii. § 10 (ii. 151 M.) TOIi £11 wraiBpp {3wµ,ov ilw0£ l<aA£111 Bv<TUl<TT7lptov: and
elsewhere he speaks of this as 'a peculiar and special name': de vict. off.
§ 6 (ii. 255 M.) K£1<A1J1<£ Bvu1a<TT71pwv, ,a,ov Kat lgaip£Tov 15voµ,a 0lµ,£vos mlnj>
'll'apa TO a,aTIJp£'iv cJs lo,1<£ Tas Bvuias. It is consonant with his manner of
thought j;hat he should regard 'the thankful soul' as the 6vuui<TT71pwv of
God (de vict. off. § 5; ii. 2 55 M.) Toii 0£oii BvuuiOT,jp,011 i<TTtv 71 Toii uocpoii
,l,vx71, '/l'U")'£1<Ta EK T£A£L(A)II dp,0µ,0011 UTJJ,7/T(A)II KUL d/:i,aipfr"'"·

1 The variation in the language in Temple with its two altars, and not
vv. 18, 21deserves careful study: otlx rather a foreshadowing of the ar-
ol i,dJlovus T«s 8uulas, Ko,vwvo! Tou rangements of the Christian Basilican
8vu,aur.,plov elul; ... ov livva,r;Oe Tpo.- Church with its single altar, and sanc-
,ret.,s Kuplou /J,ET€XEIP KO.I rpa.,rlrr,s tuary, and nave and narthex. It is
00.1µ,ovlwv. When the offering is re- indeed difficult to agree with Mr G.
garded as the material of a feast the G. Scott in thinking that the picture
'altar' becomes a •table.' Not only is directly drawn from any existing
was the Table of Shewbread so called, Christian building, but the general view
b:nt the Altar of incense (Ezek. xli. 22), which he gives of its agreement with
and perhaps the Altar of burnt-offering Christian as distinguished from Jewish
(Ezek. xliv. 16; Mal. i. n). ritual deserves careful consideration:
2 It is however by no means clear Essay on English Church Architecture,
that the imagery is that of the Jewish pp. z7 ff.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 457
Josephus does not seem to make any distinction between the two Josephus.
words. He speaks of the altar of burnt-offering (Antt. iii. 6, 8), and of
the golden altar (xii. 5, 4), no less than of the altar of Balaam (iv. 6, 4) by
the name {3"'µ,/,s. .And again he calls the altar of burnt-offering Bvo-,acrrqp,011
(A ntt. viii. 3, 7).
The early Christian writers follow the custom of the LXX. Clement Clement.
(1 ad Cor. 32 o! Anrovp')IOVll'l'H r,j> Bvo-,aO"TT/plre rov B£ov) uses Bvo-,ao-~p,011
as the general term for the divine altar, and perhaps, though this seems to
be uncertain, for 'the court of the altar' (c. 41 oil 1Tavraxov 1Tpoo-cf,lpoll'l'a,
Bvo-lai ... a>.>..' lµ,1Tpoo-8£11 rov vaov 1Tpos ro Bvo-ia~p,011 ... Lightfoot ad loc.).
On the other hand he calls the altar of the Sun {3"'µ,&s (c. 25).
Ban1abas uses Bvo-iao-~p,011 for the altar of .Abraliam's sacrifice on Barnabas.
Moriah (vii. 3), and for the Levitical altar (vii. 9). The Latin rendering
ad aram illius (i. 7), which suggests rcji {3ooµ,cji avrov, for 'the altar of God,'
c~nn,?t be maintained against the reading of both the Greek MSB. rcji cf,/,f3re
4VTOV.
The usage of Bvo-,ao-~pwv in the Epistles of Ignatius is very remark- Ignatius.
able. In one place it occurs by a natural image for the arena in which
Ignatius expected to die (ad Rom. 2 1TAlo11 µ,o, ,,_;, 1Tapa.O'X1J0'8£ rov 0"1To11-
ll,o-Bij11ai 0£cji, cJs ln Bvo-,ao-r1p,011 fro,µ,/,11 lur,v ). In three other passages
the word expresses that which represents the unity of the Christian
Society.
n
Eph. 5. M71ll£ls 1TAavao-B"'. la.11 µ,q T£S Ell'l'OS rov Bvo-£a0'1'7Jplov V<rrEpE'irai
'TOV dprov [ rov 0£ov]. El ')ICI.P El/OS ical ll£vr•pov 1Tp00'£VXT/ 1'00'aVT7JII lo-xvv •xn,
1T60''f' µ,iiAAOV ~ n rov E1T£0'1<()1TOV 1<al 1Tll0'1JS '1'1/S El<l<A1JO"las.
Here the Bvo-,a~pwv-the place of sacrifice-is evidently the place of
assembly of the spiritual Israel, where the faithful meet God in worship,
like the altar-court of the old Temple, the court of the congregation. He
who has no place within this sacred precinct is necessarily excluded from
the privileges which belong to the Divine Society. He is not a member of
the Body of Christ, and therefore cannot share in the sacrifices which are
offered there, the common prayer of the Church, or in 'the bread of God'
which is given to believers (comp. Bp Lightfoot ad loc. ).
The same general thought is expressed in a second passage:
Trall. 7. oill'l'os Bvo-,aur71plov J.11 1<a8ap6s lo-nv· ollE licros Bvo-,ao-T7Jplov
6'v 01' ,ca6ap0r l<TT1.v· TOVTlUT,v, 0 xc.>pl, E1r,u,c01f'ov ,cal 7rpE<rfjvreplov ,cal 8uz-
x/,v"'v 1Tpao-o-"'v n, oJros ov 1<a8ap6s lur,v rfj O'VV£ill1o-n.
The idea of the Christian Bvo-ia~p,ov is here more exactly defined.
'To be included in the holy precinct, is to be in fellowship with the lawfully
organised society.
In a third passage the thought is different and yet closely connected:
Ma,gn. 7. m{11'1'£S oiiv cJs £ls lva vaov O'Vll'l'PEX£1'E B£ov (Ltft. conj. 0£ov), cJs
E7Tl Iv Bvo-iaurqp,ov £7Tl lva '1710-ovv Xp,urov, TOV acf,' lvos 1Tarpos 1Tp0£A0oll'l'a
' , .., .,, \ ,
ica, £LS £Va oll'l'a 1<ai. X"'P7JO'Oll'l'a.
Here the Father is Himself the Sanctuary, and Christ the means
through Whom and in Whom we have access to the Father. He is
Himself the living source of unity, just as the altar-court was the symbol
.of unity for the people of God. To be 'in Him' is to be within the
IJvo-,a~pwv.
 458 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
These passages serve to determine the meaning of the word in the last
place in which it occurs:
Pkilad. 4 0'1TDVMO'aT£ 0311 µ,~ ~xaplO'TI~ xpiju8ai· µ.la yap uap~ rou
Kvpfov ,;,_,,,;;,, 'I11uov Xp11TTov, «al ,,, 1T0"7p1011 Els EIIOOULII rov a'lµ,aros avroii • ,,,
8vuiaunip1011, IDS Els E1TIO'l<01TOS, 3.µ,a rce 1TpEu/3vrEplcp 1ml lJ1a«o1101s ro,s uvvlJovXo,s
µ,ov • tva t, lav 1Tp0.UU']TE, «ara 8EOII 1TPO.UU']T£•
There is one organised congregation, which is the Body of Christ, in
which the blessings of communion with God are realised.
Polycarp. In the Epistle of Polycarp the image of the 'altar' finds still another
applicatioi1 in the nan-ower sense. Just as Christ Himself can be spoken
of as the 8vuia<TTWto11, and the whole Christian body which is 'in Him,' so
also a part of the Body may receive the name.
Philipp. 4 lJ,M~ooµ,Ev ••• ras x1pas•.• ywoou«ovuas &rt Elul 8vu,aunip,ov
8Eov, ical or, ,ravra /J,6'/J,DO'l<D1TEtrai, «al Xt>..7/8£11 avrov avlJlv••••
The widows are an altar in a double sense, both because on them the
alms of the faithful are offered to God, and also because they themselves
offer to God sacrifices of service and prayer (comp. Const. Apost. ii. 26 ;
iii 6; 14; iv. 3). The last passage is instructive : o lJe ,jX,iclav••• ~ r,ic110011
1r0Xvrpo<f,la11 Xaµ,/3&.110011, o roioiiros 01l µ,011D11 otl p,Eµ,<p871u£Tat dXXa ical l1raw£•
OquErm • 8vuiaUT71pto11 yap r,j> 8Etp AEAoytuµ,,vos v,ro roii 8£ov nµ,118,juErat •• ••
otl« dpy,;is Xaµ,{3&.110011 dXM '1"1/S MuEOOS mlrov, OU'] Mvaµ,,s, TOIi µ.iu8011 lJ,lJovs
lJ,a. '1"1/S 1rpouroxijs 1•
Hermas. Hermas uses 8vuia<TT1P'°" twice in a purely spiritual sense. For him
the altar is, after the imagery of the Apocalypse, that whereon the offerings
of men are placed that they may be brought before God.
Mand. x. 3, 2 f. AV1T']PDV dvlJpos ,j EIITEV~LS otlic EXEL lM11aµ,t11 rov dva{3ijva,
lvrl ,.;, 8vutau.-,jpto11 'l"Dt/ 8rnv.
Whatever sacrifice man makes must be made with joy.
Sim. viii. 2, 5. lav lJl rls UE ,rapl>..8n, ryw atlrovs brl 'IY> fJvuw<TT,jp,ov
lJoic,µ.au.,,.
So the angel speaks to the Shepherd. If a penitent passes human
scrutiny unworthily, a severer trial awaits him. The angel himself will
test him (comp. µ,ooµ,ouico1r£<u8a, Clem. i 41; Polyc. 4 quoted above) before
he is laid on the altar of God.
No mate- In this first stage of Christian literature there is not only no example
rial Ov,n- of the application of the word fJvuiaunip1011 to any concrete, material, object,
Ch1Pt of as the Holy Table, but there is no room for such an application. As
in fui;ans applied to the New Order the word expresses the spiritual correlatives of the
first altar and altar-conrt of the Old Order. Two of these in which it was re-
period. fen-ed to Christians and to Christ Himself continued cun-ent in later times.
Later ex- Thus Clement of Alexandria speaks of 'our altar here, our altar on
amples of earth' as being the assembly of those devoted to prayer: l<TTt yovv ro 1rap'
the spiri- ,jµ.iv 8vu,aUT,jptoll lvravfJa ro l1rlyno11 ,.;, li8potuµ,a 7"6111 raJs Eilxa,s d11a1mµ,i11oov
tual
senses. µ,lav '1U1TEp •xov <poovqv ..,,,, KDLllqll «al µ,,av yvwµ,1111 (Strom. vii. § 3 r, p. 848).
And in the following section he extends the image to the single soul, using,
however, the word {300µ,as ••••/300µ,ov &x,,e,;;s <'Iy,011 "I" a~alav ,f,vx~v ica, rb a1r'
1 The word is not, I believe, used literally of the Christian Holy Table
in the Constitutions.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 459
ailrijs Ovµ.laµ.a '1"1/" oulav •vx~v Xiyovu,11 11µ.'iv amirniuovuw (id. § 32; comp.
Philo de vict. offer. § 5 quoted above).
So Origen, in reply to the charge that Christians {:3wµ.ovs ,cal aya>..µ.ara
,cal ,,,,;,s UJpvuOa, cp,vy,,11, answers that 'the sovereign principle of the
righteous is an altar': fJwµol ,.,..,, ,lu,11 .,,,.,.,,, ro £/COIT1"0V ,.,;;,, ll,,calwv 11y•µ.ov,,co11,
dcp' oQ ava1r,µ.1r,ra, dX,,Orus ,cal IIO'J1"a>S ,vcJa,, Ovµ,aµ.ara, al 1rpou,vxa, il'71"0
uvvnll1rr•ws ,caOapiis (c. Gels. viii. 17); and Methodius speaks of the social
interpretation of the word as traditional : Ov,riairnip,011 avalµ.a,crov ,lvm
1rap,lloO,, .-o /1.0po,uµ.a ,-,;;,, ayvruv (Symp. v. 6).
Chrysostom uses the image somewhat differently, and speaks of the
Christian poor as 'the living altar' on which the alms of the faithful are
offered. Such offerings are not consumed like the burnt sacrifices but pass
into 'praise and thanksgiving': /1<,1110 µ.iv -yap cl,J,vxov ,-;, Ovu,aunjpwv .-oiiro
a£ Eµ.fvxov· KdKfL µEv TtJ £1rt1C.Elp,EVOV iirrav roV 1rvpOs: -ylverai aa1r&V1] ,cal TEAEvT9,
Els ,cOviv ... lvraVOa a£ oVa£v TOtoVrov MA' lrEpovs <f>EpEL Toils Kdp-rr01Js: ••• Op~s: £ls:
•vxap,u.-lav avaAvoµ.EVl]V av.-~v (.-~v A.E&Tovp-ylav 2 Cor. ix. 12 ff.) kal alvov roii
O,oii ... · Ovwµ.•v .-olvvv, aya11"1]TDl, Ovwµ.,v .Zs .-aii.-a .-a Ovu,acrrf,pm ,call' £/COO'Tf/11
qµ.ipav (Hom. xiii. in Joh.§ 4: Migne, P. G. lix. go).
Cyril of Alexandria again speaks of Christians as 'living stones,' who
are framed together into an altar as well as into a temple : ovll,11 ~,.,-,\,,
luµ.,11 ,cal olov,l n 8vrr&a!T1"1JP'°", uvva-yl]y•pµ.ivo, µ.iv ,ca(}' lvwu,v T~v 1rv,vµar,-
K~v Kal Ti)v lv Xptcrr!p 1Tlrrrtv EVooaul(ovrEs, rrpo<nc.oµ.l(ovTES: a,' a1.h·oV r'e 8E'f Kai
,rarpl 1<.a6li1rEp Ev ,-&fEt rWv EJouµ,orCJ.rc.>v IJvµ.,aµ.&.rrov Tll EE dpErWv aVx~µara
( Gl,aph. in Deut. p. 427; P. G. lxix. p. 668). So the altar which Moses
erected at the making of the Covenant (Ex. xxiv. 4 f.) was a type of the
Church of Christ : ,.;, ,.,..,, ovv Bvu,a1T1"1JpLOv TWOS liv ELTJ Kal µ.aXa uacprus rijs
IKKAIJITLas .-oii Xp,=oii, rijs olov.l 11"<,)S l1rl ,.;, opos ,cuµ.iVl]s ( Glaph. in Ea:. iii.
p. 330: P. G. id. 517).
Not Ch1istians only, however, but Christ Himself is spoken of as an Christian
altar by later Fathers. Cyril of Alexandria uses the phrase several times. altar.
Thus, in commenting on the command to make an altar of earth (Ex.
XX. 24 t:), he says: -y1ivov ovoµ.a(n Ovrrt.airnipwv rov 'Eµ.µ.aVOV1JA, yiyov, -yap
IT<lp~ 0 M-yos. -yij a. EK -yijs ~ uap,coi; '=' cpvu,s. Ell Xp•=re a~ 0J11 .,, 11"0.(Ta
,cap1rocpopla ,cal 1riiua 1rpoua-yw'Y'7, <pl]rTl -yap av.-os Xwpls / µ.oii OU U,vauB~ 1ro,ii11
ovlliv ••• J1ra-yy,11.'A.,rm ll, .-ois .-b J,c -yii;'"I=iirr, Ovumirnip,ov tlcp,~lv ,., ,cal
,v"A.oylav, ~H~c.1 -yelp, cf>1Jrrl, 1rp6s u, ,col ,vXo-y'}rr"' rr• (de ador. in sp. et ver. ix.
p. 290: P. G. lxviii. 592). In another place of the same treatise he speaks
of Christ as being the altar of incense and the incense itself: ,.,.,,_,.,,,,uoµ.,Ba lli
,cal ro Ovumirnipiov ,.;, XPVITOVII ,cal avTo a. ,.;, ITVVllETOV ,cal AE11"7"011 Bvµlaµ.a
Xp&IT1"011 ,lpl]KDTE!; ,cal av.-ov ~,.,..,, .-ov 'Eµ.µ.avovqA ll,' aµ.cpo,v ITl]µ.alv£rr0a, (id. ix.
p. 324: P. G. lxviiL 648; comp. x. p. 335: P. G. id. p. 664).
Epiphanius, in a striking passage, points to Christ as fulfilling in Him-
self all the elements of a perfect sacrifice: µ.,vu ...r~v Jv.-,X•=•pav (ruuav
[ Bvulav] wtp 1rav.-os Kouµ.ou l,povmuas, av.-bs l,p,'iov, avrbs Bvµ.a, av.-bs 1,p,vs,
avros 8v1TUllT1"1JpL011, avri\s e,os, av.-os tlvOpw1ros, OVTOS fJauLA.Evs, av.-os apxLEpEvs,
aVrOs 'lrp0{3aro11, aVrOs- dpvlov rci 1r<tVTa Jv rrcicr,v V'TTEp ljl'filv y£v0µ.£va, ...(Hmr.
lv. 4)1•
1 Origen gives another suggestive Jewish worship: Altaria duo, id est
interpretation of the two altars of interius et exterius, quoniam altare
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
A transi- In Irenreus there appears to be a transition from the spiritual sense of
tion to the Bva-,aOT1/P'°" to that of an earthly Christian altar. Such a use of the word
:::!f!~ followed naturally from the habitual thought of material ojferings. Thus,
inlrenreus, in a passage preserved only in the Latin translation, after dwelling- on the
and material offerings in the Eucharist, he adds, ideo nos quoque offerre vult
[Yerbum Dei] munus ad altare frequenter sine intermissione. Est ergo
altare in crelis (illuc enim preces nostrre et oblationes diriguntur) et
templum, quemadmodum Ioannes in Apocalypsi, xi. 19; xxi. 3 (adv. hwr.
iv. 18, 6). The words are obscure, but the heavenly altar seems to be
made to correspond with an earthly altar. In the first clause munus is
material and it appears that altare must correspond with it. The
heavenly com1terpart answers to the spiritual element in prayers and
oblations.
Tertul- Tertullian repeats the figure of Polycarp (see p. 458), and, arguing against
lian. the second marriage of widows, says : aram enim Dei mundam proponi
oportet (ad ux. i. 7). But in another place he uses the word ara in
connexion with. the Eucharist: Ergo devotum Deo obsequiu.m Eucharistia
resolvit an magis Deo obligat7 Nonne solemnior erit statio tua si et ad
aram Dei steteris 7 (de orat. 14 [19]) 1.
Cyprian The writings of Cyprian mark a new stage in the development of
marks a ecclesiastical thought and language. In them the phraseology of the
new stage. Levitical law is transferred to Christian institutions. The correspondence
between the Old system and the New is no longer generally that of the
external and material to the inward and spiritual, but of one outward
order to another. Thus he writes : oportet enim sacerdotes et ministros
qui altari et sacrificiis deserviunt integros atque immaculatos esse, cum
Dominus Deus in Levitico loquatur et dicat: homo in quo fuerit macula
et vitium non accedit ojferre dona I>eo (Lev. xxi. 21); item in Exodo
hrec eadem prrecipiat et dicat: et sacerdotes qui accedunt ad I>ominum
I>eum sanctiji,centur ne forte derelinquat illos I>ominus (Ex. xix. 22); et
iterum: et cum accedunt ministrare ad altare sancti, non adducent in se
delictum ne moriantur (Ex. xxviii. 43) (Ep. lxxii. 2). As a necessary
consequence the Christian minister is said to serve at a material 'altar,'
which becomes the habitual name for the Holy Table, Ep. lxix. (lxxvi.) I falsa
altaria, et illicita sacerdotia, et sacrificia sacrilega; comp. Ep. xliii. (xl.) 5;
xlv. (xiii) 2; de ecdes. unit. 17 2•

orationis indicium est, illud puto sig- pressed to give decisive evidence as to
nificare quod dicit Apostolus, orabo Christian usage.
spiritu, orabo et mente. Cum enim 2 Cyprian seems to feel the differ-

corde oravero, ad altare interius in- ence between altare and ara though he
gredior ... cum autem quis clara voce et does not rigidly observe it: e.g. Ep.
verbis cum sono prolatis ... orationem lix. (lv.) 18 Domini altare ... idola cum
fundit ad Deum, hie spiritu orat, et aris suis... ; Ep. Ixv. (lxiv.) 1 quasi
offerre videtur hostiam in altare quod post aras diaboli accedere ad altare Dei
foris est ad holocaustomata populi fas sit ... (comp. Ep. Iv. (lii.) 14 arre
constitutum (Hom. x. in Num. § 3). diaboli; de lapsis r5); and on the
1 The words de orat. 10 (u) ad Dei other hand he writes de lapsis 8 diaboli
altare, and de pat. 12 apud altare, altare (with ara in the context); Ep.
refer to Matt. v. 23 f., and cannot be lix. [Iv.] 12 diaboli altaria.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

From this time there can be no doubt that the names Bvo-•aun/p,ov and From this
altare were applied habitually though not exclusively to the Holy Table. time 0u,n-
The custom had grown up from intelligible causes. No conclusion to the a<Trdfipfiov
. use or
contrary can be drawn from the common statements of the Apologists, the Holy
that Christians had no shrines or altars (Orig. c. Gels. viii. : Minuc. Fel. Oct. Table;
xxxii.; Arnob. adv. gentes, vi. 1). Their language in its context shews and.
that they had before them all the associations of the heathen ritual. In
a similar sense Julian accused the Christians of neglecting to sacrifice in
spite of the injunctions of the Law, at a time when beyond all question
sacrificial language was everywhere current among them (Cyril Alex. adv.
Jul. ix. ; P. G. lxxvi. 970 ff.).
We read of altars as soon as we read in detail of churches. Eusebius,
in his description of the great Church at Tyre, mentions especially ro re.iv
ayl@v ay,ov 0vo-,ao-r1pwv as placed in the middle of the sanctuary (H. E.
x. 4, 43). Elsewhere, speaking of the abolition of heathen worship, he
says /,rl rijs 1<a0' o>..,,s c'i11Bpoo,r@11 ol1<ovµ,lV7/s Bvmaun/p,a o-vv•O"T'I t1<1<A'70-,il,11
TE acf)tEp6>p,ara, JIOEpil,v TE t<al Xoytt<OOJI Bvo-,c.iv lEpo1TpE1TELS AELTovpyla, (de laud.

Const. xvi.). See also Can. Apost. 3 E1 r,s l1rlo-1<0,ros ••• ,rpoo-E11ly1<r, <TEpa
rwa lrrl ro Bvo-,ao-dpwv ~ µ,,X, ~ yaXa ••• (comp. Cone. Carthag. iii. can. 24).
Cyr. Hier. Cat. xxiii. (Myst. v.) § 2 t@pa1<aTE rolvuv TOV a,o.K.OJ/OV TOIi vl,J,ao-Bat
a,Mvra T'j> !EpE'i 1<al To'is l<Vl<AOVO"t TO Bvo-,ao-dpwv TOV 0£0v 1TpEo-/3vrlpo,s.
Chrys. c. Jud. et Gent. § 12 : P. G. xlviii. 830 al {3pEravvtt<a1 vijo-oi ..• rijs
avvap,E@S TOV Mµ,aros ff o-Bovro • t<al yap t<cit<E'i E't<l<A'70"laL 1<al Bvo-,ao-dpta
'11'E1T1yao-,. And Chrysostom points to the old distinction between Bvo-,ao--
T'T]pwv and {3@µ,os in a passage in which the spiritual and material are
strangely mixed: El aiµ.aros lmBvµ.lis, c/>'lo-l (in 1 Cor. x. 16), µ,q rov rwv
£laCOAruv /3wµ,Dv T'f) redv &Ab-yrov <pOvrp aA.Aa rO 8vu1,au'n/ptov rO iµ.bv rep iµip
cf,olv,o-o-E aiµ,an (Hom. xxiv. in l Cor. § 1 : P. G. lxi. 200). Synesius, as is
not unnatural, uses the two words convertibly : "-""-Xc.lo-oµ,m ro Bvo-iao--
'rf/piov ...aV µ.~11 ;J ')'£ B£6r 'ITEptb,J,£Tat TDv ·~roµ,Ov rOv dva[µ.a,c.rov l£plros alµ.ar,
µ,awoµ,Evov (Catast. p. 303: P. G. lxvi. 1572 f.).
Gregory of Nyssa places Bvo-iao-dpiov in an interesting connexion with
-rpa,rE(a: TO Bvo-,ao-dptov TOVTO TO '1y,ov <i ,rapao-r11<aµ,EV XlBos lo-rl t<aTd ~II
a.
cf,vo-,v l(OtlliJS ... l,rE.aq t<a0tEpd,B,, T!] TOV BEov 0EparrElg .•• EO"TL rpa1TE(a ayla,
Bvo-tao-dp,ov dxpavrov, OVl<<TL rrapa 1TllllT6lll ,J,,,Xacf,oop,Evov .••(in Bapt. Christi,
P. G. xlvi. p. 581).
It was seen that in regard to the Jewish Temple Bvo-,ao-dpwv was used for the
not only for the altar itself, but also for the altar-court. A corresponding ranc-
application of the word in the larger sense was made in Christian Churches. uary.
The Sanctuary itself (Bijµ,a, 'Aylao-µ,a, Euseb. H. E. vii. 15) was called
Bvo-wo-dp,011 as well as the Holy Table. Thus Procopius speaking of the
Church of Sancta Sophia writes : il TOV ZEpov TU µ.aAtO"Ta xc.ipos c',{3,{3,,Xos 1<al
p,0110ts IEpEvo-, f3ar6s, /',111rEp 1<aAovo-, 0vo-iao-r1ptov, X,rpil,v dpy!,pov µ,vp,atas
/,ricf,lpErat rerrapas (de Sancta Soph., Migne, P. G. lxxxvii. 3, p. 2336 c~
The sense occurs in earlier writings : Cone. Laod., Can. xix. µ,0110,s l~ov
Elva, rots l£par1.1co'i.s elcr,Evat £ls rO Bvu,aU'Ti/p,ov 1<al Kotvoov£Lv. xliv. &r, oV a£&
yv11at1<as lv T'j> Bvo-,aO"T'7pl<f Elo-,pxEo-Bm. Socr. H. E. i. 37 (comp. Soz. ii.
r
39) AX,~avtpos] ,,, T!] l1<1<A'70"l'J Vi,roovvµ,ov Elp1v'I µ,/,11011 fllVTOII l(aTat<AELO"TOII
1ro,7luar Kal £ls rO Ovuw.o-dptov EluEAB~v WO ~v lEpllv rp&1re(av lavr~v f,rl
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
OToµa l,cTelvas eZxeTm l!a1<pv6>11. And the word is so used still in the
Greek Church (Leo Allatius, de rec. Gr. templ. p. r 53~ In rare cases
altarium is also found in the sense of the altar-place, the Sanctuary :
Hieron. Ep. lxix. (ad Ocean.) § 9, Heri catechumenus, hodie pontifex: heri
in amphitheatro, hodie in ecclesia: vespere in circo, mane in altario. Greg.
Turon. Hist. Franc. ii. r4 Habet (the original church of St Martin at Tours)
fenestras in altario triginta duaa, in capso [the nave) viginti, columnas
quadraginta unam.
Use in the In the Greek Liturgies, as might have been expected, the word
Liturgies. Bv,naOT1)pw11 is used in different meanings. It will be enough to take
illustrations from the Liturgy of St James (Swainson, pp. 2r3-332~
Commonly the word is used for the Holy Table (pp. 2r6, 222-6, 246,
254-6, 200-2, 282-8). In one place it occurs in a rubric as a various
reading for Tpa,re(a (p. 238, Rot. Mess. lv To/ Bv,na<TTTJplp, Cod. Rossan. b,
Tfl ayl~ Tpa1ri(y: comp. pp. 318, 319). In two mbrics it is used for the
Sanctuary (p. 222 dm, Truv Bvpruv Tijs l1<1<A1J<Tlas <6'S Tov BvuiauTTJplov,
p. 223 µ£Ta TO elueXBe'iv els To Bvu,aOT11p,011, Cod. Par. 2509). Elsewhere it
is used for the heavenly, spiritual, altar (p. 229 d11aA1J<p~T6'.,,els To aywv
,cal V'1r<povpa111<J11 ITOV Bvuiaurypwv, els &uµ~v n16ll!tas ... p. 26o els 'l'O ay,011 ,cal
wepovpav,011 ,cal. voepov ITOV Bvu,aOT1)pw11, els &uµqv EV6llitas .•• p. 304 els TO
dy,ov «al V1r~povp&v,ov, vo£p0v ,cal 1rvwµ,aTtKOv aVToV Bvu1.aOT1)p1,ov, £ls: Ouµ~v
ev6ll!las1~ Once, it may be added, 1 Tpa1r,(a is used for the heavenly food
upon it: p. 322 •• ,ICaTag«Juas 1µiis µ.emuxeiv T~S l1rovpa11lov Tpa1ri(11s,
Ouu,aUTTJ· The Liturgies bring out plainly the parallel use of BvuiaOT1)pwv and
pw11 and Tpa1re(a. The earlier word Tpa.1r,(a still held its place, and with it the
Tpa1rel°a,
central thought of a divine feast to which it bore witness. Early writers
found the foreshadowing of the heavenly table in Prov. ix. r ff. (Cypr.
Testim. ii. 2; Ep. lxiii 5; comp. the spurious Disp. c. Ar. § 17, printed
in the works of Athanasius). Sometimes this Holy Table was made at an
early date of wood (Athan. Hist. Ar. ad Mon. § 56 ap1raua11TES Ta
uvµ.,J,iXXia [ subsellia] ,cal TOIi ()p/,11011 #Cat T~V Tpa1re(a11, gv).[,,,, yap ~", 1<al Ta
fJijXa [vela) Tijs l1<1<AfJulas ... l,cavua11), but afterwards it was of stone (Greg.
Nyss. in Rapt. Ohr., P. G. xlvi. p. 581 To Bvu,auryp,011 TovTo ••• XWos lOTl 1<aT~
Tqv cpvu,11 ICOLIIOS ... l1rnl!~ l!, 1<aB«pcJB,, T1J 'l'OV Beov (),pa1r•l~ ... EOTI Tpa1re(a ayla,
BvuiaOT1Jp10111ixpa11To11 ... The words are translated by Nicholas I.,Ep. ii.; comp.
Sozom. H. E. ix. 2 TO l1rlBeµ.a Tijs ()1/IC'JS cZIT1rep ,ls lepo.11 ,g,,ITICEITO Tpa1r,(a11).
Basil appears to use the two words BvuiaOT1)pw11 'and Tpa1re(a as inter-
changeable (Ep. ccxxvi. 2; P. G. xxxii. 485 El JpBoliogos vvv Bau,X.ili11s o
ICOLJl(A)'/1£Kl>~ ,EKaLKlov, aul. -rl ...Ta Bvutacrr~p,a fKElvov .•. KaTEUTp£c/>ov Kal lavTWv

Tpa1rl(as lrl0~uav;) for it is difficult to see any contrast between them as

they are used. Comp. Cyr. Hier. Cat. xxii. (Myst. iv.) ~ 7. The correspond-
ing word mensa is common in Latin writers (see e.g. Index to Augustine);
and it came to be used as a technical. term for the al.tar-slab (tahula) 2•
1 Compare the petition in the Roman ex hac altaris partici patione sacro-
and Ambrosian Liturgies: Supplices sanctum Filii Tui corpus et sangui-
Te rogamus, omnipotens Deus, jube nem sumpserimus, omni benedictione
hmc proferri per manus sancti Angeli cmlesti et gratia repleamur.
Tui in sublime al tare Tuum in conspec- 2 Postea vero lapis, qui mensa altaris

tu divinre Majestatis Tum, ut quotquot dicitur, super altare adaptatur, per

 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

The history of the word offers an instructive illustration of the way in

which spiritual thoughts connected with material imagery clothe them-
selves in material forms, till at last the material form dominates the
thought. The three notes of the three chief Greek Commentators who
expound the passage shew the action of this natural influence.
CHRYSOSTOM. ovx o[a Ta 'IovaaiKa, cp,,ui, TOLilt/Ta Ta 7rap' qµ'iv, cJs /J.'l,a; ra.tristic
• -e, • ' '- ~
apx1£p<L <fLLS EtVaL f-LET<XELV avTrov• OJG'TE ' ~' • - 8<, EUOKEL
E'll"ELUf/ EL'll"E M,'/ 7rapaTf/pELG' •~' 1nterpreta.-
f
a; TOVTO KaTa{'JaAAOVTOS ,lva, Ta i:'a,a, 7raALV avn\ '11"EptUTpicpn. M,} yap Kal qµ.E'is ions.
ov 7rapaTf/povµ.Ev; cp,,ui, Kal 7rapaTf/povµ.EV Kal ucpoapoupov, ovaJ avTo'is TOLS
lEpEVG'L µ.,ma,aoVTH aVTOOV.
<EcUMENIUS. £71"£ta,} El'll"EV OTL ov XP'l 1rapaTf/pE'iu8m fJpcJµ.aTa ••• rp,,ul, M,}
yap Kal qµ.,'is OV/C lxoµ.Ev 7rapaTf/p~G'EL!i/; dXA' oil fJproµ.aTrov, d>..>..a TOV Bvuta<TTI]-
plov ~µ.ciiv· TOOV yap £KEL Knµ.ivrov ovaJ aVTOLS TOLS dpxup,vu,v ;~EG'TL µ.ETauxE'iv.
Then he adds shortly afterwards: TOVTO a,,
oJv TO afµ.a [To,TOV XptG'TOv] a,a
Tov 7rap' ~µ.'iv dpx•Epiros ElurplpEmt £ls To7rap' ~µ.'iv Bvu,aUT~p,ov, where the
BvuiaUT~p,o" in the Christian order is made parallel with Ta ay,a in the
Jewish order.
THEOPHYLACT. Kal ~µ.,'is lxoµ.EP 7rapa~p'lu,v, al,.;\' ovK J.,,.l fJpcJµ.au,
To,oVro,s- &AA' J1rl -rip 8vutatrl7/plq, 1/-ro, -rfj tiva,f'll,crp 6vulg, Taii (roo1ro,0V
ucJµ.aTOs, TaV'T7/S yap ovaJ TOIS 1'0/J.,tKo'is dpxLEPEVG't /J.,ETaAafJ,'iv ;~EG'TLV £0,S tiv
>..crrp£V6>ut Tjj UKTJvfi, -rovrfur, To'ir voµ,1,1e.o'is 'ro1ro,s .. . 0 Xp,urOs, V1rfp rOOv
Clµ,apTt6>v ToV 1e.lJ<rµ.ov Tra0Wv, rb µ.Ev alµ.a aJraV £ls ra ciy,a £ltr£K0µ.icr£ rep Trarpl
ws dpxtEpdn ... dvaµ.v,,u,v olv riis Bvulas £K£ll''/S TEAOVVT<S ol 1rap' qµ.'iv dpxtEpE'is
TO a[µ.a TOV Kvplov <ls Ta 7rap' ~µ.'iv ayia Kal ,ls TO Bvu,a~p,ov ,luKoµ.l{;ovu,v
> ) '
ros us
C
ovpavov.

Additional Nole on xm. 10.

The main thoughts of the verse can be presented clearly in the following
propositions.
I. A sacrifice (according to the Levitical usage) may be regarded
generally under two distinct aspects: as something offered to God and as
something, by divine appointment, partaken of'; enjoyed by man. Christ,
as the perfect sacrifice for the whole world, offered Himself once for all to
God, and, as He offered Himself, so He gives Himself to us, His flesh and
blood, and this gift, in respect of its source, comes to us from the Cross on
which the offering was made. Comp. Aug. in Psalm. xxxiii Enarr. i
§ 6••. utjam de crnce commendaretur nobis caro et sanguis Domini, noVUlll
sacrificium (commenting on Ps. lxxviii. 25 and Phil. 6 ff.).

qua.m perfectionem et soliditatem no- dus on the Altar (c. 2} and the
titire Dei possumus intelligere, qure consecration of the Altar (c. 7) give
non propter duritiam sed propter a most internsting summary of me-
soliditatem fidei lapidea esse debet. direval thought upon the ideas of the
AleL III. quoted by Dura.ndus, Ration- Altar.
ale, i. 7, 25. The chapters of Duran-
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
2. The context shews that in this passage the main conception is of a
sacrifice to be enjoyed ('eaten') and not of a sacrifice to be offered. There
is for Christians a feast following upon a sacrifice accomplished, whereby
the sacrifice is made the support of the believer.
3. The ideas of the Passover and of the sacrifices on the Day of Atone-
ment were both fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ. Christ-'our Passover'
( 1' Cor. v. 7)-is both our covenant sacrifice and our sin-offering. The
Passover indeed itself recalled the thoughts of redemption and covenant;
but the service of the Day of Atonement emphasised the conception of sin,
and so made a separation between the sin-offering and the material of the
common feast. In Christ that which was presented in distinct parts in the
types has been brought together: He was and is the sacrifice of the New
Covenant : the sacrifice of Atonement : the substance of the Feast.
4. This sacrifice of the New Covenant and of effectual Atonement is,
in respect of Christ, in each case one eternal act. He once offered
Himself (vii. 27; ix. 25 f. ; x. 10), and once entered into the Presence of
God in His own Blood (ix. 12). There is no repetition in any way of these
acts. But the Feast which was thus provided continues for man's sus-
tenance while the world lasts. Christ commm1icates to His people, in His
appointed way, the virtue of His life and death.
5. The earthly altar is the Cross, from which, as including the Crucified
Christ, we draw our life and the support of life 1• The heavenly altar is
Christ Himself, on and in Whom we offer all that we are and have, and
through Whom we bring all to God.
Regarded in the light of this passage the Holy Eucharist is seen under
two aspects as a µ.,roxri (a participation) and a ,co,vr,w,a (a fellowship). The
thought of the participation has been adequately guarded, the thought of
fellowship is not unfrequently lost sight of. In early writers the fellowship
if justly presented as a fello"\yship of man with man, and as a fellowship of
man with God, both realised in and through the Son of man. The first
fellowship is represented by 'the one loaf' (;{pros), by sharing which we
'the many are one body' (1 Cor. x. 17). For those thus muted in Christ
the second fellowship becomes possible, and Christians can offer themselves
to God and hold converse with Him. The symbolism of 'the loaf' finds a
striking illustration in the earliest liturgical prayer which has been
preserved to us : Evxap,crrovµ.iv uo, IIaTEp ,jp,c;;v il1rep -rijs (o,ijs ,cal yvroUECIIS ~s
lyvcJp,uas ,jµ.'iv a,a 'll]UOV TOV 1rma6s uov (Is. liii)· uol ,j MEa ,ls TOVS' alcii11as.
~oo-rr,p ~" -roii-ro TO ICAaup,a a,.u,capmuµ.lvav E'fr(lJIOl 'l"IDJI opiCIIV ,cal ITVVaxBev
lyiv,ra ;,,, OVTCII uvvaxB,jrOl uav '7 EKICAl]ULa a1ro rciiv 1r,p&rC11V rijs yijs .Zs .,.,,,, cn,v
fJau,>...£av· OTL uaii EUTW '7 aoEa ,cal '7 aiivaµ.,s a,a 'll]UOV Xp,crroii ,ls TOVS alwvas.
The thought of the bringing of man to God in the Holy Commmtlon is
expressed by the characteristic Dionysian conception of l:vvaE,s, which in
the Dionysian writings is not the gathering of Christians together, but the
gathering of Christians to God: NoEw vol)Tlov av 'T1J1I -raii >..aoii, Ka86:Js -r~v
>..ltw TLIIES u,jp.,pov <1<Aap.8a11ovrai, &>..>..a 'T1]11 1rpos 8,611 ITVJIO'YOlriJI ,cal /COWOlJILaJI
1 The thought is preserved in the me Sacerdos ... qui Te obtulisti Deo
words of the prayer before Holy Com- Patri hostiam puram et immaoulatam
munion attributed to Ambrose: Sum- in ara crucis pro nobis••..
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

(Pachym. Paraph. Hier. Eccles. c. 3). The Father Himself is the ~vva'}'wyos
(Hier. caJl. c. I).
In this connexion the words of the Lord gain a fresh force,
KJ.rw €~N Y'f'W0W €K THC ri'.ic TTANT<l.C €AK-yew npoc €Mcl.)'TON

Additional Note on xm. 20. On the references in the Epistle

to the Gospel History.
The direct references in the Epistle to the facts of the Gospel History
are not very numerous, but it can be seen that the record, such as it has
been handed down to us in the (Synoptic) Gospels, was constantly present
to the mind of the writer.
The Incarnation, as it is described in the Synoptic Gospels and sum-
marily presented by St John, is implied in ii. 14 (µ.,Tlux•v Twv mlTrov)
compared with i. 2, 5 (seep. 428); and it is definitely said that the Lord
sprang 'out of the tribe Judah' (vii. 14 note). Nothing is said in detail of
the Lord's life of silent preparation. On the other hand the general
account of the completeness of His experience, as corresponding to that of
man 'in all things, sin apart' (iv. 15), necessarily involves the recognition of
His perfect growth from stage to stage, and this truth of a complete
human development is made clear by the conception of His n>..,iwu,s (see
Addit. Note on ii. 10). The Epistle contains no certain reference to the
Baptism, but the form in which the quotation from Ps. ii. 7 is given in c. v.
5 suggests the thought that the writer may have had in mind the divine
voice at that time (comp. i. 5 note; v; 5). The emphatic assertion of the
fact that the Lord was tempted and suffered (ii. 18; iv. 15) probably
presupposes a knowledge of the critical Temptation before His public
ministry. The proclamation of the Gospel 'through the Lord in whom
God spake' (i. 2) is specially noticed (ii. 3), but nothing is said of His
works. There can be no doubt that the description of the 'prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears' (v. 7) includes a reference to
the Agony, though it may point also to other moments of peculiar trial.
The reality (ii. 14) and the voluntariness (ix. 14; comp. v. 26) of the Lord's
death are marked. He endured a cross (xii. 2; comp. vi. 6). He suffered
'without the gate' (xiii. 12; comp. John xix 17); and perhaps from
among the details of the Passion, there is an allusion to the rending of
the veil of the Temple in x. 20. Afterwards God ' brought Him back from
the dead' (xiii. 20); and He has ascended (vi. 20; comp. ix. 12, 24), and
passed through the heavens (iv. 14; comp. vi. 20), and taken His seat on
the Right hand of God (i. 3; iv. 14; viii. 1 ; x. 12); and now believers look
for His Return (ix. 28 ; comp. i. 6). The mention of 'the Spirit of grace'
after the 'Blood of the Covenant' in x. 29 may point to the gift at
Pentecost. From first to last through every vicissitude of life the Lord
remained absolutely faithful to God in the administration of the Divine
Economy (iii. 2 ff.), and sinless (vii. 26).
W. H. 3 30 .
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

Additional Note on xm. 2r. On the Apostol'ic lJoxologies.

The Doxologies in the N. T. form an interesting study. They are

found in each group of the Epistles and in the Apocalypse, and correspond-
ing forms occur in the Synoptic Gospels.
The following table shews the general symmetry of their form :
l. Gal. i. 5 re [np 0£,e ,cal 7TaTpl ,iµ,ro11]
,; aota
£ls -roVs alWvas T<ilv alcJvruv· dµrjv.
2. Rom. xi. 36 aV-rcp [-rls lyv6l voiiv Kvplov ..... . ur, ,, aVTo£ ,cal a,'
aVraV ,cat Eis aV'rOv -rd: 1r&vra]
,iM~a
, \ ,,_ , I

EIS TOVS a1<1.>11as• aµ,rJII.

3. Rom. xvi. 27 µ,011q, uocf,ce 0£<ji
l11a. 'l71uov Xp1urov [ p]
,; aota
EIS
' airu11as•
, rovs ,... , '
aµ,7111.
4- Phil. iv. 20 rp 0Erji Kal 7Tarpl ,iµ,rov
,;aota
5. Eph. iii. 21 aVT<:> [ rep avvaµ.Evq, V1rEp '7J"llVTa 7J"OL~O"at • •• ]

ii 36ta
£V Tfi iKICA7IUli, Kal iv Xp1ur,e 'l71uov
Els ?Tlluas -rUs- y£v£lls To'V alOOvos T00v alcJvwv• Cl.µ.1v.
6. 1 Tim. i. 17 T© {3aulA£t Troll al~vruv ••• µ,ovc., 0Ero
ri~~ Kai 36ta • •
, ' ,,._ ,., , ,· , '
£IS rovs airu11as Truv airuvruv • aµ,'I"·

7. 1 Tim. vi. 16 ie [rcji µ,a1e.aplq, ,cal µ.Ovrp 3vvciu171 ... ]

TIJJ,~ Kal Kparos
al6Jv,ov· ciµ,iv.
8. 2 Tim. iv. 18 <p [rrji Kvpiq,]
,; aota
£ls -raVs al6>vas ,-6),, alWvwv • ciµrjv.
9· Hebr. xiii. 21 1 [rce 0£ce Tijs £lp,iVTJS or possibly 'l71uov Xp1uTce]
,;aota
, ' , ... - ,, , ,
EIS TOVS al6lllaS T61V Ul6lJJ6lV" aµ,7111.
10. 1 Pet. iv. 11 <e [r,;, 0,,f>, or possibly 'l']UOV Xp,urce]
fDTLv
,; Mta Kal TO KpllTOS
£ls ToVs alldvas -rCl>v alc.>vwv· dµ.rjv.
11. 1 Pet. v. II a~rtf> ~ rqi 8£c:i]
TO Kparos
£ls Tolls alaivas- · dµ.~11.
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
12, 2 Pet. iii 18 avnp [Tei> KVpl<f 11µ.wv Kal (Tc.>Tijp, 'l11<Tov Xp•<TTci>]
'I lioea
Kal vVv ,c:al Els 1]µ,Epav alti>vos-.
13- Jude 25 µ.ov'f B•ci> <Tw~p, 11µ.wv
liu2 'l1J<TOV Xp,<TTOV TOV Kvplov qµ.wv
li6ea µ.,yaAc.>U'VV1J Kparos Kal l eov<Tla
1rpO 1ravrOs ToV alWvos Kal viiv ,c:al Els 1rd11Tas ToVs
,... . , ,
mwvas aµ.qv.
14- Apoc. i 6 avnji [T'l' dyamiivr, ,,,,.as Kal AV<Tavr, .,,,,.as ... ]
~ ao~a ,cal T~ Kptiras
Els rotls alWvas-· dµ~v.
15. Apoc. v. 13 To/ KUBTJl-'E"'f E7Tl TOU Bpovov Kal T'l' apv,'f
'1 , EVAoyla Kal '7 1'£1-'~ Kal '7 Mea /(.Q~ TO KpaTOS
' ,....
E(S' TOVS' llLCdVUS' TC&>V
.... ,,
awwwv.
Kal Ta TE<T<Tapa (ci>a l).ryov· 'Aµ.,jv.
Compare iv. II ; v. 12; xii 10 ff.
16. Apoc. vii. 12 'Aµ.11v·
,; EtiAoyla ,cal 77 aOfa JCal ~ uo<pla Kal 1]_ E-Jxap,OTla Kal
1/ Ttµ.~ Kal 'I livvaµ.,s Kal ,j l<TXV s
To/ e.o/ '71-'WV
Els roVs al~vas redv alcJvrov [· dµ~v].
Compare v. 10.
Compare Lk. ii. 14; xix. 38; [Matt. vi 13]. Rom. i. 25; ix. 5.
Several points at once offer themselves for notice.
(1) All the Doxologies except (12) and perhaps (16) are closed by
'Aµ.,jv. Notice (15), (16).
(2) They exhibit singular variety in detail. Two only are sl)bstantially
identical in form; (1), (4). Compare also (2), (8).
(3) Three are directly addressed to Christ; (8), (12), (14), and possibly
also (9), (10).
(4) In one case the verb is expressed in the indicative (10). In some
cases the phrase appears to be affirmative; (7), (11), (12): in others it
appears to be precatory; (3), (5), (13). In most cases it is difficult to
determine which interpretation is most natural
(5) In two cases the ascription of glory to God is made through
Christ; (3), (13).
The (first) Epistle of Clement offers a remarkable series of Doxologies,
which reproduce the three chief types: (1) cl [i.e. To/ e.'l'] '7 lioea ,k TOVS
alwvas TWV alrovwv· dµ.1111 (38, 43, 50 j comp. 45) j (2) <e [ np li<<T7TOTrJ TWV
amiVTc.W or possibly 'l'7<TOV Xpt<TT'l'] 'I Mea Kal I) µ.•yaAc.>1TVV1J .. ,(20; comp.
58, 61); (3) lJ,' oO ['Iq<Totl Xpt<TToii] £<TTlv avT'l',, aoea ...(58~

30-2_
ON THE USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

IN THE EPISTLE.
 OC6. npoerp&.<l>H, TTb.NT6. eic THN HM€TEp6.N AIMCK6.Al6.N erp&.<l>H,
iN6. A,.;. THc ynoMoNHc K6.1 A,.;. THc n6.pMAt-icewc TwN rp~<l>wN
THN eAniM exu>M€N.
ROM. xv. 4-
 ON THE USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
IN THE EPISTLE.

A study of the quotations from the 0. T. in the Epistle brings The

quotations
light upon the whole relation of the Old Testament to the New, a. clue to
and upon the manner of the divine education of the world. Taken th te ud1:1der-
s an mg
in connexion with their contexts they suggest a general outline of o_f Revela-
tion.
prophetic interpretation, and indicate the steps by which the chosen
people were led onwards to prepare the birthplace of the Christ and
the first home of the Gospel. At the same time they offer a clue
to the understanding of the present and eternal revelation of God
through the Spirit sent to us in Christ's name (John xiv. 26).
In order to realise more thoroughly these general lessons of
the quotations, it is desirable to notice some external features of
interest which they offer in regard to (i) their range, (ii) the mode
of citation, and (iii) their text, before considering the principles of
interpretation (iv) which they involve.

i. Range of the Quotations.

The quotations in the order of the Books of the Old Testament The
. q uota.tions
are the followmg : in the
I. Gen. ii. 2 : c. iv. 4 ff. £.Lp7JK6' yap "ll"OV. Epistle.
2. xxi. 12 : c. xi. 18, 7rpo<; 8v l>..a>..~071. Comp. Rom. ix. 7.
3· xxii. 16 f. : c. vi. 13 f. o 0£1k .. Jp.ocrw .•. >..lywv.
4- Ex. xix. 12 f. : c. xii. 20 To ~,a.crrEA.A.Op.wov.
5· xxv. 40 : c. viii. 5, cf,710-[v. Comp. Acts vii 44.
6. Deut. xxxi. 6, 8 : c. xiii. 5 a&o<; yap £.lp7JK6'.
472 ON THE USE OF

7. Deut. xxxii. 35 : c. x. 30 oZ8aµ,£V TOV d1rovTa. Comp. Rom.

xii. 19.
8. xxxii. 36 : c. x. 30.
9. xxxii. 43 ( LXX.); coinp. Ps. xcvii. 7 : c. i. 6 Afyn.
r o. 2 Sam. vii. I 4 : c. i. 5 Kal 1r<fA,v [ el1r£V]. Comp.. 2 Cor. vi. I 8 ;

Apoc. xxi. 7.
r r. Is. viii. 1 7 f. : c. ii. 13 Kal 7raAtY [Atywy].
I 2. J er. xxxi. 3 I f. : c. viii. 8 ff. µ,eµ,cpoµ,EYO<; Atyn [0 KVpLO<;].
c. x. I 5 ff. µ,apTVpE'i TO 7rVEvµ,a TO clyw1'.
13. Hagg. ii. 6 : c. xii. 26 ff. br7TYyeATat Mywy,
14. Ps. ii. 7 : c. i. 5 TlYt el7rev ... ; c. v. 5 0 AaA1ua<; 1rpos al,ToY
(comp. vii. 28). Comp. Acts iv. 25 ff.; Apoc. ii. 27;
xii. 5; xiv. 1; xix. 15.
15. viii. 5 ff. : c. ii. 6 ff. 8tEp.apropaTO u 7l"Ot/ ns. Comp.
Eph. i. 22.
16. xxii. 22 : c. ii. II f. ol,K l71'at<TXVYETaL [o &.y1a(wy] a8eA-
cpoV<; a&ov,; KaAEi:v.
1 7. xl. 6 ff. : c. x. 5 ft: ewEpxop.£Vo<; El,; TOY Kouµov
A£yEt.
18. xlv. 6 £. : c. i. 8 f. 7rpo,; 8hov vioY [Atyei].
19. XCV. 7 ff. : c. iii. 7 ff. Afyet TO 7rYEvJI,a TO aywY. c. iv. I ff.

Ka0w,; ElpYJKEY [o 0eos].

2 o. cii. 2 5 ff. : c. i. I O ff. Kal [1rpos TOY viov Myn].
21. civ. 4 : c. i. 7 Afye,.
22. ex. I : c. i. 13 7rpO<; TtYa .•• elpYJKEY; (comp. i. 3; viii. I ;
x. 1 2 f.; xii. 2 ). Comp. Matt. xxii. 44 and parr.;
Acts ii. 34.
23. ex. 4: c. v. 6, 10 Atyet [o0e6,;]; (vi. 20); c. vii. II ff., 21
8u\ Tov AtyoVTos.
24. Prov. iii. II f. : c. xii. 5 f. 71w; (~ 7rapa.KA'rJCTt'>) 8taAiyeTat.
Comp. Apoc. iii. 19.
To these must be added the following passages which are used
verbally though not formally quoted :
25. Gen. xiv. 17 ff. : c. vii. 1 ff.
26. Ex. xxiv. 8 : c. ix. 20.
27. Num. xii. 7 : c. iii. 1 ft:
28. Hab. ii. 3 f. : c. x. 37. Comp. Gal. iii. II; Rom. i. 17.
29. Ps. cxviii. 6 : c. xiii. 6.
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE. 473
Besides these quotations there are many passages with clear Allusions.
reminiscences of the language of the LXX. and references to the
contents of the Old Testament.

Gen. i. 11 f. : c. vi. 7
iii. 17 f. : c. vi. 8
[ - iv. 4: c. xi. 4]
iv. 10: ... c. xii. 24
v. 24: ... c. xi. 5 f.
vi.: c. xi. 7
xii. I ; xxiii. 4 : c. xi. 8, 9
xiv. 17 ft : ... ' c. vii, I ff.
xviii, xix. : c. xiii. 2
xxii. I f. : c. xi. 17
xxii. 17: c. xi 12

xxiii. 4: c. xi. 13
xxv. 33: ... c. xii. 16
xxvii. : c. xi. 20
xlvii. 31 (differs from Hehr.) : c. xi. 21
xlviii. 16, 20 : c. xi. 21
l. 24 f. : c. xi. 22
[Ex. ii. 2, 11 : c. xi. 23]
xii. 21 ff. : c. xi. 28
xvi. 33 : c. ix. 4
[- xix. 10: c. ix. 13]
xix. 16; Deut. v. 23, 25 f. : ... c. xii. 19
xxvi. 33: ... ... c.ix.2f.
[- XXX. 10; c. ix. 7]
Lev. vii. 1 2 ; Ps. cxv. (cxvi.) I 7 : ... c. xiii. 15
xvi. 2, 12 : ... ... c. vi. 19
xvi. 18 : c. ix. 12 f.
xvi 27: C. xiii, II, 13
Num. xii. 7: . .. C. iii. I ff.

xiv. 32 : ... c. iii. 17

xvi. 38: ... c. xii. 3
[- xvii 8 ; xix. 9 : c. ix. 4, 13]
xxiv. 6 (differs from Hehr.) : ... c. viii. 2
Deut. iv. 11 f.: ... c. xii. 18 f.
 474 ON THE USE OF

Deut. iv. 24 : ... c. xii. 29

ix. 19: ... c. xii. 21
xvii. 6 : ••• .1Co X. 28
xxix. 18: ... c. xii. 15
Is. xxvi. 1 1 : c. x. 27
20; c. x. 37
xxxv. 3 (comp. Prov. iv. 26) : ... c. xii. 12
xli. 8 f. : c. ii. 16
xlv. 17: c. v. 9
liii. 12 : c. ix. 28
lxiii. I I ; lv. 3 ... C. Xlll. 20

Dan. vi. 22 : . . . c. xi. 33

Hos. xiv. 2 (comp. Is. lvii. 19 Hehr.): ... . .. c. xiii. 15
Zech. vi. I I ff. : ... c. x. 21

ix. I I : ... c. xiii. 20

Ps. lxix. 9 (lxxxix. 50): ... c. xi. 26

xxxiv. 14: ... ... c. xii. 14
Prov. iv. 26 : .. . c. xii. 13

Distribu- Reckoning direct quotations and allusions there are

tion.
Quotations Allusions
Pentateuch 12 39
Historical Books I

Prophets
Isaiah I 7
Jeremiah
Daniel I

Hosea I

Habakkuk · I
Zechariah 2
Haggai
In all 4 II

Psalms II 2
Proverbs I I

29 53
General Several reflections at once arise from this enumeration.
remarks.
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE. 475
1. Of the twenty-nine passages quoted twenty-three are taken
from the Pentateuch and the Psalms; the fundamental Law, and
the Book of common devotion.
The absence of detailed illustrations from the history of the
kingdom, and the fewness of the references to the teaching of the
. prophets, are both striking facts. ·

2. On the other hand no difference is stated or implied as

to the authority of the Books which are quoted. .All are placed
upon the same level. All are, so to speak, 'Law.' Compare
I Cor. xiv. 21 lv T4i VOµ,<,/ (Isaiah); John x. 34; . xv. 35 lv T'f'

VO/J,'f' (Psalms); John xii. 34; Rom. iii. 19.

3. It is yet more remarkable that, with two exceptions

(2 Sam. vii. 14; Is. viii. 17 f.), all the primary passages which
are quoted to illustrate the true nature of the Person and Work
of Christ are taken from the Psalms. No direct prophetic word
is quoted. Nor again is anything quoted from the Prophets on the
inefficiency of ritual sacrifices. The use made of the symbolism of
the Mosaic worship is essentially distinct.

4. The large proportion of passages taken verbally from the

Greek Psalter points to the familiar use of the Book both by
the writer and by the readers. Under this aspect the absence of
verbal coincidences with the Psalms apart from quotations from
them is remarkable.

5. Of the twenty-,nine passages which are reckoned as direct

quotations twenty-one are peculiar to the writer of the Epistle. Of
the remaining eight one is quoted also in the Synoptic Gospels and
in St Paul (Ps. ex. 1): one by St Stephen (Ex. xxv. 40): two by
St Paul (Acts, Eph.), and in the Apocalypse (2 Sam. vii. 14;
Ps. ii. 7) : four by St Paul in the Acts and in his Epistles
(Gen. xxi. 12 ; Dent. xxxii. 35 ; Ps. viii. 5 ff.; Hab. ii 3 f.).
There are no quotations from the Apocryphal Books of the
Greek Bible, though the incidents described in 2 Mace. vi., vii.
are referred to (Hehr. xi. 35).
 476 ON THE USE OF

It would be of great interest to determine, if there were adequate

evidence, how far the quotations are connected with the Lessons or
Psalms of particular days. None of the quotations from the Psalms are
taken from the Psalms known to have been appointed fQr use on the
successive days of the week in the Temple (Pss. xxiv., xlviii., lxxxii.,
xciv., lxxxi, xcii.), nor from the Lesser (Pss. cxiii.-------{)xviii.) or Greater
(cxx.-cxxxvi.) or Daily Hallel (c'xlvi.-------{)L). Comp. Gratz, Monatachrift f.
Gesch. u. Wissenachaft d. Judenthuma 1878, 217 ff.; 1879, 193 ff.

ii. The Mode ef Citation.

The The quotations are without exception made anonymously. There

human
author is no mention. anywhere of the name of the writer (iv. 7 is no
never
named. exception to the rule).
The God is presented as the speaker through the person of the
Speaker
is God. prophet, except in the one place -.vhere He is directly addressed
(ii 6 ff, 8t€p.aprvpaTO U 71'01J TL<;); 6. g.
I

i. 5 -rlvi y?x.p £lw-Ev (sc. & 0E6,;) (Ps. n. 7); i. 7 >..lyn (Ps. civ. 4);
I 3 Elp'1JK€1' (Ps. ex. I); v. 5 o >..a>..~uas 11'p6s a{.T6v (Ps. ii 7).
Christ. In two places the words are attributed to Christ.
ii. II, 13 o{,K l-1raiuxvvETaL &.8EAcpoiis a&oiis KaA.ELJI >..fywv (Ps.
xxii. 22); x. 5 ff. do-Epxop,EYO<; Els T6Y K6up,ov >..lyn ••• T6TE ELpYJK€1'
(Ps. xl. 6 ff.).
The In two other places the Holy Spirit specially is named as the
Holy
Spirit. speaker:
iii. 7 ff. Ka06Js >..lyEi T6 71'YEllp.« -r6 J.ywv (Ps. xcv. 7 ff.); x. I 5
µ.apTVpEL ~p,,v Kal -ro 71'YEvp,a -ro J.ywv (Jer. xxxi. 31 ff.). Comp. ix. 8
-rov-ro 8'1}>..ovv-ros -roii 71'VEVp.a-ros -rov &.yfov.
But it is worthy of notice that in each of these two cases the
words are also quoted as the words of God (iv. 7 ; viii. 8).
Even This assignment of the written word to God, as the Inspirer of
where the
prophet the message, is most remarkable when the words spoken by the
speaks in
hisown prophet in his own person are treated as divine words, as words
person. spoken by Moses :
i. 6 (Deut. xxxii. 43); iv. 4; comp. vv. 5, 7, 8 (Gen. ii. 2);
x. 30 (Deut. xxxii. 36); and
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE. 477
by Isaiah:
ii. 13 (Is. viii. 1 7 f.).
Compare also xiii. 5 (Deut. xxxi. 6).
Generally it must be observed that no difference is made No
difference
between the word spoken and the word written. For us and between
. th e vowe
for all ages t h e record IS . of God . the word
spoken
The record is the voice of God ; and as a necessary consequence ~~~ten.
the record is itself living. It is not a book merely. It has a vital
connexion with our circumstances and must be considered in con-
nexion with them. The constant use of the present tense in
quotations emphasises this truth :
ii. II ofJK bra.iux_vvETaL ••• Ka.AE'i:v, >..fywv.
iii 7 Ka06J'o >..l-yn T<J 7rVEvp,a T<J a-yiov.
xii. 5 7P"I'> flp,'i:v ••• 8,a>..l-yua.i.
Comp. xii 26 l1f"1/-y-y£ATa.L >..fywv.
There is nothing really parallel to this general mode of quotation No
• , parallel to
m the other books of the N. T. Where the word Aryn occurs else- this usage
where, it is for the most part combined either with the name of the t:~!hi:
prophet or with' Scripture': e.g. the N. T.
Rom. x. I 6 'Hua{a,. Afy£1.
x. 19 Mwu~'> Ary£1..
xi 9 .6.au£28 'i..lyEi.
iv. 3 ,-j -ypacp~ 'i..fyn.
ix. I 7 'i..l-y£1 ~ -ypacp,j &c.
When God is the subject, as is rarely the case, the reference is
to words directly spoken by God :
2 Cor. vi. 2 >..fyn -y'ap (o0£6'> ).
Rom. ix. 15 T<e Mww£'i: >..l-yn.
- - - 25 lv T<tJ 'O<T'rlE Afy£t.
Compare Rom. xv. 9-12 (-yl-ypa1Trn1 .••>..l-yu .• .'Hua{a,_ >..fyn). The
two passages in the Epistle to the Ephesians (iv. 8; v. 14 816
Afy£t) appear to be different in kind.
This 'personal' character of citation is the more significant Absence
w hen It · remem be red how frequent elsewhere (in St p aul for of
· IS the 'it
phrase
example) are the forms (Ka061<;) -yl-ypa1r7a1 ( 16 times in the Epistle is written.'
 ON THE USE OF

to the Romans), -rj ypa<p~ >..lyn, and the like, which never occur in
the Epistle to the Hebrews; and whereas St Paul not unfrequently
quotes the words of God as 'Scripture' simply (e.g. Rom. ix. 17),
it has been seen that in thili Epistle prophetic words recorded in
Scripture are treated as ' words of God.'
Nor can it be maintained that the difference of usage is to
be explained by the difference of readers, as being Jews, for in
the Gospels yiypa1rTai is the common formula (nine times in
St Matthew).
No antici- In connection with this belief in the present, personal, voice of
pation of
a N. T. God in the 0. T. it may be noticed that there is no indication
of any anticipation of a written N. T. The record of Christ's
Coming is spoken of as traditional : ii. 3 f., though the authority
of the Apostles is implied (l/3£/3au/J0'Y/), as that which had been
justified by the experience of life.
A partial The method of citation on which we have dwelt is peculiar to
r:~h~el the Epistle among the writings of the New Testament; but it is
E Pi stlestof interesting to notice that there is in the Epistle of Clement a partial
01emen
and correspondence with it. Clement generally quotes the LXX. anony-
Barnabas.
mously. He attributes the prophetic words to God (15, 21, 46);
to Christ (16, 22); to the Holy Word (13, 56); to the Holy Spirit
(13, 16). But he also, though rarely, refers to the writers (26 Job;
5 2 David), and to Books (5 7 Proverbs, 'the all-virtuous Wisdom');
and not unfrequently uses the familiar form ylypa71"Tai (14, 39 &c.).
The quotations in the Epistle of Barnabas are also commonly anony-
mous, but Barnabas mentions several names of the sacred writers,
and gives passages from tb-e Law, the Prophets and the Psalms with
the formula 'the Prophet saith' (vi. 8; 2 ; 4, 6).

iii. The Text of the Quotations.

The The text of the quotations agrees in the main with some form of
quotations
taken the present text of the LXX. This will be seen from a brief review
mainly of those quotations which seem to be more than passing allusions to
from the
LXX. phrases and details of the Old 'Testament. In two cases however it
 THE OLD TEST.AMENT IN THE EPISTLE. 479
is possible that adaptations of Scriptural language used by the writer
(9, 10) were taken from a written source. Compare Dr Hatch,
Essays on Biblical Greek, Essay v., pp. 203 ff.
1. Gen. ii. 2: Hehr. iv. 4 (£tp7JK£V y&.p 'ITov). The subject (b 0£6,)
is added and lv (before ry ,jp,lpi) as in many
MSS. of LXX. Otherwise the words agree with
LXX. text. "Epywv answers to a sing. noun in
the original
2. xiv. 17 f.: Hehr. vii. 1 ff. Not expressly quoted. The
text agrees with LXX., which agrees with Hehr.
3. xxi. 12: Hehr. xi. 18 (l>..a>.:rf07J). ~grees' verbally with
Lxx., which agrees with Hebr.
4. xxii. 16 f.: Hehr. vi. 13 f. (b 0£'o, ••• 6Jp,o<F£ ••• >..lywv). LXX.
and Hehr. ('ITA7J0vvw) T6 <T'ITtpµ,a <TOV for (J"£.
5. Ex. xix. 13: Hehr. xii. 20 (T'o Sia<TT£AA6p,£vov). A free

6.
quotation.
xxiv. 8: Hehr. ix. 20 (>..lywv). The text gives £V£T£L-
. ,

Aa-ro for Sd0£-ro, 0£6, for Kvpio,, TOV'TO for lSov

against LXX. and Hehr.
7. xxv. 40: Hehr. viii. 5 (cp7Ju{v). The text gives 3£ix0lVTa,
as in some MSS. of LXX. for SESEiyp,lvov. The
LXX. agrees with the Hehr.

8. Num. xii. 7: Hehr. iii. 2, 5, 6. Not expressly quoted. The

text agrees with the LXX., which agrees with
Hehr.
9. Deut. xxxi. 6, 8: Hehr. xiii. 5 (ltp7JKEv). 'Avw an unusual
word in the text and in the LXX. Comp.
Gen. xxviii. 1 5 ; Josh. i. 5.
10. xxxii. 35: Hehr. x. 30 (T'ov £i'ITov-ra). The quotation,
which occurs again verbally in Rom. xii. 19,
differs from LXX., and is nearer to Hehr.
11. xxxii. 36: Hehr. x. 30 (T'ov t:i'IToVTa). Agrees with LXX.
and Hehr.
12. xxxii. 43: Hehr. i. 6 (Myn). Not in Hehr. Comp.
Ps. xcvi. (xcvii.) 7.
 ON THE USE OF

13. 2 Sam. vii. 14: Hehr. i. 5 (e:l,ro-). Agrees with LXX. and Hehr.
14. Ps. ii. 7: Hehr. i. 5 (e:l,re:v); v. 5 (o >..aXYJua'>). Agrees with
LXX. and Hehr.

15. viii. 5 ff.: Hehr. ii. 5 ff. (8uµ.aprupaTO 81. ,roJ TL', Xl.ywv).
Text agrees with LXX., omitting first clause of
v. 7, and this agrees with Hehr.
16. xxii. (xxi.) z2: Hehr. ii. 12 (Xl.ywv). Text gives &.,ray-
-ye:Xw for 8i71riuoµ.ai of LXX. The LXX. agrees
with Hehr,
17. xl. (xxxix.) 6-8: Hehr. x. 5-10 (Xl.ye:t). Differs
cQnsiderably from Hehr.; agreeing with LXX.
verbally except in reading ofiK e:MoK71ua,; for ofiK
1JT7J<Ta'>.
18. xlv. (xliv.) 6 f.: Hehr. i. 8 f. (Xl.-yu). Agrees with LXX.

and Hehr.
19. xcv. (xciv.) 7-11: Hehr. iii. 7 ff. (Xl.ye:i T6 ,rve:vp.a T6
a-ywv). The connexion in V. 10 is altered.
Otherwise the text agrees substantially with
Alex. text of LXX. and differs in v. 1 o from
Hehr.
19*. xcvii. (xcvi.) 7.· See Deut. xxxii. 43.
20. cii. (ci.) 25 ff.: Hehr. i. 10 ff. (Xl.-yn). Agrees with Lxx.,
differing in several slight points from Hehr. (KaT'
&.px&s, Kal ( wue:t), l>..tle:i<;, EKAt:lif!ovuiv).
21. civ. (ciii.) 4: Hehr. i. 7 (Xl.yn). Cod. A reads with
text 7rVp6<; cp>..6-ya, B 71"Vp cpXl.yov. Agrees with
LXX. and Hehr.

22. ex. (cix.) 1: Hehr. i. 13 (Etp71K1:). Agrees with LXX.

and Hebr.
23. ex. (cix.) 4: Hehr. v. 6 (Xl.y1:i); vii 17, 21 (µ.apTvpli, 6
Xl.ywv). Agrees with LXX. and Hehr.
24. cxviii. (cxvii.) 6. Hehr. xiii. 6. Not expressly quoted.
Agrees with LXX. and Hehr.
25. Prov. iii. 11 f.: Hehr. xii. 5 f. (.;;m 8ia>..l.yerai). Text ,gives
,rai8EvEt for lXl.-yxEL and so A. Differs from Hehr.
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE.

26. Is. viii. 17 £.: Hehr. ii 13 ('Alywv). Agrees with LXX. and
Hehr.
27. Jerem. xxxi. (xxxviii.) 31 ff.: Hehr. viii. 8 ff. (>..lyEi). Comp.
c. x. 15 ff. The text agrees very closely with LXX.
and differs greatly from Hehr. in v. 32. See
Note.
28. Hab. ii. 3, 4: Hehr. x. 37 f. Not expressly quoted. The
text agrees with L:XX., differing from Hehr.
29. Hagg. ii. 6 : Hehr. xii. 26 ff. (Alywv). The quotation is some-
what free, differing from Hehr.
Summarising the results of this enumeration we find that of the General
. results.
quotations
I. Fifteen quotations agree with the LXX. where the LXX.
agrees with the Hebrew: 2, 3, 7, 8, u, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 22,
23, 24, 26.
2. Eight quotations agree with the LXX. where it differs from
the Hebrew: (1), 17, 19, (20), 25, 27, 28, (29).
3. Three quotations differ from the LXX. and from the Hebrew :
4, 6, 10.
4. Three passages are free renderings of the sense of the words
referred to: 5, (9), (12).
Nothing need be said on the quotations in the first group. The
quotations in the second group offer several points of interest, for
use is made of peculiarities of the LXX. rendering in ( 1 7) Ps. xl.
(xxxix.) 6-8 <TWJJ,a OE Ka'T'r)pT{<rw p.oL, (28) Hab. ii. 3 f. lav firro<TTE0..7JTai,
(29), Hagg. ii. 6 t-ri <i.rrat and (25) Prov. iii. II£. JJ,a<TTiyo'i.

In the third group one quotation, (rn) Deut. xxxii. 35, is found
in exactly the same form in Rom. xii. 19; and so also (9) Deut.
xxxi. 6, 8 occurs in the same form in Philo, de con/us. ling. § 32
(i. p. 430 M.).
Two conclusions appear to follow from the facts :
I. The writer regarded the Greek Version as authoritative;
and, it may be added, he nowhere shews any immediate knowledge
of the Hebrew text.
W. H.3
 ON THE USE OF

2. Certain adaptationR and combinations 0£ Scriptural language

passed into currency, and came to be treated as phrases of Scripture.
The two phrases used in the Epistle may have already found a place
in some popular manual.
Compare Matt. xv. 8 (true text) with Clem. R. i. 15 (Is. xxix.
13); Barn. ii. with Just. M. lJial. II4 (a combination 0£ Jer. ii. 13
and Is. xvi. 1 ). The quotation in 1 Cor. ii. 9 (Is. lxiv. 4) is to be
thus explained.
For (12) Deut. xxxii. 43 (L:xx.) see note on i. 6.

iv. Interpretation.

General It has been already observed in the course of the notes that the
view.
writer of the Epistle everywhere assumes that there is a spiritual
meaning in the whole record 0£ the Old Testament. This deeper
sense is recognised in the history both personal (vii. 1 ff.) and national
(iv. 1 ff.): in the Mosaic ritual (ix. 8) : in the experience of typical
c?aracters (ii. 13 note); and in the general teaching (ii. 6 ff.). Every
detail in the record is treated as significant; and even the silence
of the narrative suggests important thoughts (vii. 3).
Generally it may be said that Christ and the Christian dispen-
sation are regarded as the one end to which the Old Testament
points and in which it finds its complete accomplishment, not as
though the Gospel were the answer to the riddle of the Law (as
is taught in the Letter of Barnabas: see Introd. § xm.), but as
being the consummation in life of that which was prepared in life.
Those therefore who acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, when they
realised His Nature, could not fail to see that He had abrogated
the outward system of Judaism by fulfilling it.
It follows that the historical truth of the Scriptural records is
everywhere guarded, but the recorded facts are treated as 'signs,'
and the believer is led to see in them a fuller meaning as the course
of life is unfolded. The records are not changed, but men are
changed by gaining deeper insight into nature and history.
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE.
The use which the author makes of Holy Scripture is, in other
words, not dialectic or rhetorical, but interpretative. The quota,..
tions are not brought forward in order to prove anything, but
to indicate the correspondences which exist between the several
stages in the fulfilment of the divine purpose from age to age. The
Christian faith is assumed, and on this assumption the Hebrews
are taught to recognise in the Old Testament the foreshadowings
of that growing purpose which the Gospel completes and crowns.
This being so, the object of the writer is not to shew that Jesus
fulfils the idea of the Christ, and that the Christian Church fulfils
the idea of Israel, but, taking this for granted, t~ mark the relation
in which the Gospel stands to the Mosaic system, as part of one
divine whole. Looking back therefore over the course of the divine
discipline of humanity, outlined in the Old Testament, he indicates
how Christ, Lawgiver and. Priest, fulfilled perfectly the offices which
Moses (c. iii.), Aaron (c. v.) and Melchizedek (c. vii.) held in typical
and transitory forms; and yet more than this, how. as Man He
fulfilled the destiny of fallen man through suffering (c. ii). In
regard to God, the whole history of the Bible is, according to the
teaching of the Apostle, a revelation of the progress of the un-
changing method of salvation through which creation is carried to
its issue. In regard to man, it is a revelation of the necessity and
the power of faith, by which he attains to a realisation of the
eternal and the unseen, through suffering and failure, in fellowship
with the Christ (c. xi. 26).
These general remarks require to be justified in somewhat fuller
detail. The affirmation of the correspondence of the many stages of
life according to that which we speak of as the divine plan contains,
as has been already said, the principle which regulates the whole
interpretation of Scripture in the Epistle. This principle is plainly
laid down in the opening words which announce that there is
a divine education of the world. Little by little men are brought
to the end for which they were designed, now in one way and now
in another. The final revelation in Him Who is Son was preceded
by other revelations in many parts and in many 11Wdes. From the
31-2
 ON THE USE OF
first, in our language of time, there was an end answering to
the beginning : a consummation answering to creation : a destiny
of humanity answering to its nature. God appointed His Son heir
of all things, through Whom He also made the world. In Scripture
then we are taught to see how the Son-Son of God and Son of
man-reached His heritage in spite of the self-assertion of man
whose nature He took to Himself.
1. The I. The significant connexion in which the writer of the Epistle
Divine
purpose places the fulfilment of man's destiny with the record of creation
for man. suggests a most pregnant figure of the purpose of God for the being
whom He made in" His own image (Gen. i. 27). God promised to
man 'to enter into His (own) rest' (Ps. xcv. II). The rest of God
is symbolised by that 'Sabbath' which followed the Hexaemeron
(Gen. ii. 1-3). Nothing therefore less than such a rest of com-
munion with God can satisfy the capacity of man. Each partial and
limited rest points forward to that which is more complete and more
far-reaching. . Each promise fulfilled brings the sense of a larger
promise. The promises connected with the possession of Canaan (for
example) quickened a hope of far greater blessings than the actual
possession gave (Gen. xvii. 8; Lev. xxvi. 4-12; comp. I Cor. x. I ff.).
And we are constrained still to say, whatever may have been
attained : there remaineth a Sabbathrrest for the people of God
(Hehr. iv. 9). But this 'Sabbath-rest,' the' rest of God,' can only
be enjoyed by those who, as the issue of their discipline, have gained
the divine 'likeness' (Gen. i. 26). In this condition therefore is
involved the necessity for the long education of the world, of which
the Old Testament is the comprehensive summary1.
The 'in- Meanwhile, during the time of growth, of education, of training,
heritance.' of d'1sc1p
. line, t h ere remam
. f or t h e support an d f or the guid ance of
men the two thoughts of 'the inheritance,' and of 'the promise.'
The idea of ' inheritance ' is that of possession marked by the
fulness of right which rests upon the personal position of the heir.
1 Little is said in the Epistle of the relation of Nature to man in regard to

the fulness of his hope (Rom. viii. 18 f.), but the 'parables of nature' in c. vi.
7 f., pointing to Gen. i. II f., iii. 17 f., indicate the connexion between man
and his realm.
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE.
Because the heir is what he is, he vindicates his right to that which
he claims or holds (compare Additional Note on vi. 1 2 ).
The heirship of man to the divine blessing answering to his The
• • . . • 'promise.'
nature 1s founded on God's purpose m creation, on the gift of His
image with the power of attaining to His likeness. But we are
conscious of disorder and corruption. We shrink from that holy
Presence in which alone is perfect rest. We lack the qualification
of heirs. The normal growth of man into the divine likeness has
been interrupted. Hence, lest it should seem that the divine destiny
of man had been made void by man's self-will, it has been confirmed
by the promise in which God has repeated His counsel of love (iv. 1;
vi 13 ff.; vii. 6; viii. 6; ix. 15; x. 23, 36; xi. 9, 11, 17; xii. 26).
This promise confirming the heirship carries with it the certainty
of final victory (i I 3 ; x. I 3, 36 f.).
2. The fulfilment of the divine purpose for man necessarily 2. The
required a long preparation. Even if he had not fallen he would ~~urse of
have needed the discipline of life to reach the divine likeness through fulfilment.
a free moral growth. The sinless Son of man 'learnt obedience '
(v. 8). As it is, the necessity of discipline is twofold. Divine gifts
have to be exercised: and human failures have_to be repaired. The
capacities and needs of man hav~ to be revealed and satisfied. Thus
the purpose of God for man indicated in creation is wrought out in
two ways, by that which we may speak of as a natural growth through
the unfolding of the life of the nations, and by a special discipline.
Both elements are recognised in the Epistle. Melchizedek is set
forth as the representative of the natural growth of man in fellow-
ship with the Divine Spirit. The revelation to Israel (the 'Law')
is interpreted as the special preparation and foreshadowing of
a fellowship of man with God, in spite of sin and death.
(a) The appearance of Melchizedek is of deep interest from the (a) The
pomt which h e occupies
. . m . t he r eligious
. history of t he world ' The growth.
natural

King of Salem,' 'the Priest of the Most High God' comes forward !{f;edek.
suddenly at a time of decisive change (Gen. xiv. 17 ff.), and then he
passes away from the record of Scripture. His name does not occur
again in the 0. T. except in the phrase of the Psalm which is quoted
 ON THE USE OF

by the writer of the Epistle (Ps. ex. 4); and he is mentioned in the
New Testament only in this Epistle. But the significance of his
single appearance is unmistakeable. He stands out as the repre-
sentative of the original reYelation, of the primitiYe and normal
relation of God and man, still preserved pure in some isolated tribe.
He is a high-priest, so to speak, of men, of humanity, and not of
a chosen race. He does not derive his office, so far as the record
shews, from any special appointment. He is, as he appears in
the history of revelation, 'without father, without mother, without
genealogy' (vii. 3). In him also civil and religious life appear in
their true unity, as they must be finally united (comp. Zech. vi. 13).
Abraham marks a new departure, the beginning of a new discipline
resting on a personal call (Gen. xii. r). Experience had shewn
(Gen. xi.) that the natural development of the divine life had been
fatally interrupted. ' But before the fresh order is established we
'have a vision of the old in its superior majesty; and this on the ev':}
'of disappearance gives its blessing to the new. So the past and
'the future meet, the one bearing witness to an original communion
'of God and man which had been practically lost, the other pointing
'forward to a future fellowship to be established permanently with-
' out the possibility of loss. At the same time the name of the God
'of the former revelation and of the God of the later revelation are set
'side by side, and identified (Gen. xiv. 22; comp. Deut. xxxii. 8 f.).'
(p. 2or; Additional Note on vii. r.)
(b) The (b) But it is on the special revelation of God through Israel
special
discipline and the Christ that the writer of the Epistle chiefly dwells. This
~~;i:1g~d falls into two great divisions, corresponding essentially with the two
the Christ, 'ages' which sum up for us the divine history of the world, 'this
age' ('these days') and 'the age to come' (vi. 5). God spake 'in
the prophets' and then 'at the end of t/i,ese days,' at the close of the
first age, He spake in Him who is Son (i. r, 2 a).
(a) in the (a) The special preparatory revelation of God is described in
01d Dis-
pensation, words which cannot be quoted too often: 1r0Avp,£pw<; Kat 1roA11Tpo1rw<;
and
mfAai o
(ho<; AaA~CJ'a<; TOt<; 1raTpaCTLV £V TOt<; 1rpoq,-rpai<; ••• (JA.ci>..'r}CJ'(V
~p,'i'v ••• ); and it is of interest to notice that in his main argument
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE.

the writer dwells by name on the three men who mark the three
great epochs in the divine history, Abraham (vi. 13; vii. 1 ff.),
Moses(iii. 2ff.; vii. 14; viii 5; ix. 19; x. 28; xii. 21),and David
(iv. 7); while in his outline of the victories of faith he continues
the record through the primitive fathers of mankind, the Patriarchs,
the Lawgiver and the Conqueror, the Judges, the Prophets, to the
heroes of a later age in the last great struggle against heathen
tyranny (xi. 35).
Thus the Epistle brings out clearly step by step that the advance
towards the realisation of the inheritance of the promises is made
through long-suffering and faith (vi. 12). Or, to. put the truth in
another light, the teaching of the 0. T. as a whole is a perpetual
looking forward. Under the symbols of earth spiritual thoughts are
indicated. Canaan becomes, as it were, a sacrament of the Divine
Presence and Indwelling ( c. iv. 8 f.; Lev. xxvi. 4-12): the Kingdom,
a Sacrament,of a Divine Sovereignty. Compare c. xi 13, 26, 39 f.;
Matt. v. 5 ; xxv. 34; James ii. 5 ; 1 Pet. iii. 9.
(/3) The final revelation lv vI<i>-in Him who is not prophet only (fJ) in the
New.
but Son-is recognised at once in its essential completeness and in
its progressive unfolding to men according to their power of appre-
hension. God 'spake' (l>..d.>..11uo,) with one absolute message on the
verge of the New Order (i. 2), and He speaks still from heaven
(xii. 25), not to give any new gospel but to guide men to the fuller
understanding of that which they have received. In this sense the
old words 'to-day if ye will hear His voice' have a direct applica-
tion to Christians in every age (iii. 15), especially if it be a period of
outward change. There is danger still lest a natural reverence for
the Old should deprive believers of sympathetic sensibility for fresh
visions of the one Truth.
In this comprehensive view of the whole course of revelation the The
writer necessarily dwells almost exclusively upon the past. He does ~r!~es
not attempt to trace the future action of the powers ef the world to rthevelathion
roug
come which he has realised : it is enough to point out how the Israel.
divine end, the coming of the new age, was reached. The history
offers a figure of that which, as we may expect, still awaits us.
 ON THE USE OF
Looking back we can see, written for our instruction, how God
was pleased to use for the fulfilment of His will both the society
and the individual, and how He endowed both in due measure with
the gifts of the Spirit. We recognise in the revelation which is
recorded in the Old Testament the work of the Messianic nation,
'the people of God, the Church' (Ex. xix. 5 f.), and the work of the
personal Messiah, typified on the one side by the Davidic king and
on the other side by the afflicted and faithful servant of the Lord
(comp. Jer. xxxiii. 16; xxiiL 6). Both factors in the accomplish-
ment of the counsel of God must be taken into account. Both are
marked in their main outlines in the Epistle.
(a) The (a) In dealing with the work of the Messianic nation the writer
work of
the of the Epistle emphasises the three great stages in the determination
Messianic
nation. of their privileges and their office : i. The original promise ; iL The
discipline of the Law; iii. The new promise. These three crises
mark three special forms of the Divine Covenant (Dispensation), by
which God has been pleased to enter into a living fellowship with
His people, the Covenant of grace, the Covenant of works, and the
final Covenant of divine fellowship based on perfect knowledge and
sympathy (for 8Ul0~K7J see vii. 22 note).
i. The i. The promise to Abraham is given in its final form, when it
original
promise. was repeated 'with an oath' after the surrender of Isaac (c. vi. 13).
Only the first clause is quoted, but the whole is necessarily carried
with it. In xi. 8 ff. the salient points in Abraham's life of faith are
noticed, and the great end for which he looked: the city that hath the
foundations. It was for this the nation was to be disciplined.
ii. The ii. But it is natural that the writer should speak chiefly of
discipline
of the the Law, as moulding day by day the religious life of the Israelite;
Law. and specially, in view of the failures of men, he seeks to interpret
the Levitical ritual as a provisional system for atonement. The
Tabernacle with its characteristic institutions, divisions, limited ap-
proaches to God, was a parable he says/or the time now present (ix. 9).
It had lessons to teach. It witnessed to the needs of men; and
yet the whole ritual which it embodied could not reach beyond the
outward and visible (ix. 10, 13). Thus we see in the Epistle that the
 THE OLD TEST.AMENT IN THE EPISTLE.

Levitical system discharged a twofold office. It had an educational

value, as enforcing the great thoughts of Judaism ; and it had also
an immediate value, as dealing under the conditions of the Mosaic
Covenant with the sins and weaknesses of the people of God.
The latter function of the Law has been already touched upon The puri-
in cons1'denng
. t he prov1s10n
. . wh'1ch was mad e by t h e Lev1tica
· · 1 sacn-
· ficatory
power
fices for maintaining and restoring the outward divine fellowship feJ~fcal
with which it corresponded (p. 290). ordi-
nances.
The educational value of the Levitical system is affirmed in the Their edu-
. f . h ( .. . . ) d cational
Epistle bot h m respect o its general c aracter vm. 5; 1x. 24 , an value.
even in details (ix. 21, 23). As a 'copy' (f11ro8nyµ.a) it could not
but carry the thoughts of the devout worshipper to the archetype:
as 'a shadow' it suggested the reality to which it bore witness.
The ordinances testified with eloquent insistence to the two central
facts of man's inner life, that .he is constrained to draw near to
God, and that he has no free access to Him. In other words they
kept before the faithful Israelite the essential conceptions of man's
destiny and man's sin.
These thoughts were brought out especially by the institutions of Especially
the priesthood and the offerings. In both there was a recognition ~i!~:hood
at once of a fundamental need of human life, and of the inadequacy ~;!r::S.
of the manner in which it was met. The priests themselves had no
inherent right to the privilege which they were allowed to exercise.
They had no personal fitness for approach to the Divine Presence
(vii. 27); and they had no continuance in the exercise of their
office (vii. 23). The living offerings again were both irrational
and involuntary (x. 4), and alien in nature from those whom they
represented. At the same time priests and offerings were fitted
to keep alive the sense of an ideal Son of man who should 'walk
with God ' according to the purpose of creation, and of a perfect
sacrifice rendered in the glad obedience of life and death under the
actual circumstances of humanity (vii. 16; x. 5 ff).
The 'Law' is thus presented, according to St Paul's image,
as the 'tutor' (,ra,8aywy~) appointed to lead men to Christ
(Gal. iii. 24; comp. 1 Cor. iv. I 5) unto the freedom of mature life;
 490 ON THE USE OF

to deepen the feeling of God's righteousness and man's sin, and at

the same time to suggest the thought of forgiveness, through which
that which was 'naturally' impossible was to be reached in due
time, when a new Melchizedek once more in the dignity of a true
manhood united for ever the elements of the fulness of life in one
Person, as Priest and King.
m. The iii. This consummation was brought emphatically before Israel
fine.I
promise. in a second promise when their first hopes had failed most signally.
Looking out on national disruption, overthrow, captivity, the pro-
phet declared that the purpose of God had not failed; that a new
Covenant would be established on grace and not on law, spiritual
and not external, uniformly efficacious, bringing a complete forgive-
ness (viii. 7 ff.). So at last Israel was to fulfil its priestly work for
the nations to which it was called (Lev. xix. 2), and which for a time
it could not face (Ex. xx. 19; Deut. v. 28).

Quota- The comprehensiveness of the references to the record of the revelation

tions in in the Old Testament will appear in a tabular arrangement.
the
Epistle i. The original promise. The Covenant of grace. Abraham: the
illustrat-
ing the Patriarchs.
course of (a) Abraham. Gen. xxii. 16f. (comp. xii. 3; xiii. 15 ff.; xvii. 4ff.):
revelation.
Hehr. vi. 13ff.; xi. 8 ff.: Gen. xxi. 12: Hehr. xi. 18. Comp.
Gen. xxiii. 4: Hehr. xi. 13. Abraham offers an example of
faith in self-surrender (xi. 8), patience (9 f.), influence (1 I ff.),
looking beyond the outward (9 ff.) and through death (17 ff.).
(ft) The patriarchs, to whom the promise was repeated, shewed
Abraham's faith (xi. 9; 20 ff.).
More was implied in the promise than Abraham obtained
(vi. 17, I 5).
Hence the full force of 'a seed of Abraham' (ii. 16 note).
ii. The Law. The Covenant of works. Moses : Joshua.
(a) The circumstances of the history.
(r) The lessons of the Exodus. Ps. xcv. 7 ff.; Hehr. iii. 7 ff.;
iv. I ff.
A continuous revelation bringing with it a continuous trial
('to-day').
(2) The giving of the Law. Ex. xix. 12 f.; Deut. iv. II f.;
Hehr. xii. r 8 ff.
The awfulness of revelation. Physical terrors symbols of
the spiritual Comp. Deut. xxxii. 35 f. ; Hehr. x. 30.
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE. 491
(3) The Covenant. Ex. xxiv. 8; Hehr. ix. 19t:; x. 29- Comp.
Matt. xxvi 28.
A Covenant ratified by death.
(4) The Conquest. Hebr. xi. 30f.; iv. 8.
A sign of a truer rest. Gen. ii. 2.
(8) The characteristics of the institutions.
( r) The Tabernacle. Ex. xvi. 33; xxv. 40; xxvi. 33 ; xxx. 10;
Hehr. viii 5 f.; ix. 1 ff.
A copy and a shadow.
.(2) The Service. The Day of Atonement. 'The Day.' Lev. xvi.;
Hehr. vi. r9; ix. 12 f.; 28; x. 4; xiii. rr, r3.
Essentially provisiona~ representative, traI1Sitory.
iii. The later promise. The Covenant of Divine Fell~wship.
(a) The promise. Jer. xxxi 31 ff.; Hebr. viii. 8 ff.; x. 15.
Forgiveness. Personal knowledge of God.
(/3) The conditions. Hagg. ii 6; Hehr. xii. 26 ff.
The eternal revealed through the removal of the temporal.
All the quotations are peculiar to the Epistle except those referring to
the promise to Abraham.
Throughout it will be noticed that the words quoted are hints sufficient
to recal to the reader the main thoughts of the passages referred to.

(b) The fulfilment of the great prophetic promise of a dispen- (b) The
sation of divine fellowship leads to the thought of the work of the ~;:~i~~
personal Messiah. The nation is. gathered up in its perfect repre-
sentative: the' seed' (many pl.) in the one 'seed' (sing.) (Gal. iii. 16
and Bp Lightfoot's note; 28 f. £r~; Matt. ii. 15; for the history of
the word 'Christ' see .A.ddit. Note on I John v. 1 ).

The personal Messiah is presented in the Epistle with singular

completeness of portraiture. In no other Book of the New Testament
is He shewn with equal fulness of delineation ; and each trait is con-
nected with some preparatory sign in the Old Testament. In Him,
as has been already indicated in part (Additional Note on ii. 13),
i. The Divine Son, ii. The Divine King, iii. The manifestation of f'nld,
iv. The Priest-King, v. The true Man, are perfectly united. He is
all, satisfying every hope and every claim, without change or loss.
i. The Divine Sonship of Christ is proclaimed at the beginning Different
of the Epistle. By this He is distinguished from all earlier :~:~~h?!
messengers of the will of God, and that in respect of His work an
PedrsWonor.
k
492 ON THE USE OF
for man and of His work for God (ii. 2, 3), of His priesthood
and of His sovereignty.
ii. .As Son in this unique sense Christ satisfies 'all the expec-
tations which were stirred by the glory of the Davidic kingdom
(i. 8 f.).
iii. And yet more than this. He 'through whom the world
was made' (v. 2) is identified with the 'LORD' of the 0. T. The
Covenant with Israel finds its issue in the Incarnation (i. 10 ff.).
iv. But the office of Christ goes beyond Israel. He fulfils as
Priest-King the ethnic type of Melchizedek, in whom the highest
authority in civil and religious life is seen united (i. 13; v. 6, 10;
vi. 20; vii. II ff.; X. 12 f.).
v. And thus Christ, without the least derogation from His
dignity, is recognised as a true man, who reaches through suffering
the destiny of fallen humanity (ii. 6 ff.). In the accomplishment of
this work, He fulfilled three marked types of different service, (a) the
type of the king rising through sorest tribulation to his throne
(ii. II f.), (b) the type of the prophet who kept his faith unshaken in
the midst of judgments (ii. 13), and (c) the type of the servant who
is able to do with perfect obedience the will of God which he knows
with perfect understanding (x. 5 f.).
By distinguishing and combining these different aspects of the
work of Christ we can see how the manifold teachings of the past
in life and in institutions were concentrated on the final revelation
of the Gospel. They had their fulfilment at the Corning of the
Christ; and no less the spiritual experiences of those to whom they
were first given have an application to Christians still. Whatever of
encouragement was written for Israel on the entrance into Canaan
(c. xiii. 5), on the approach to the sanctuary (c. xiii. 6), in the
prophetic delineation of the Messianic age (c. xii. 12 £ ), and in
the words of the wise (c. xii. 5 f.), was of force for the Hebrews
in their crisis of trial and is of force for the Church in all time.
Counsels of patience (c. x. 37f.) and warnings ofjudgment (c. x. 27)
from the Prophets and the Law are still addressed to those who
are under a divine discipline. In one sense the revelation given
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE. 493
through the Son is :final and unchanging (c. x.. 26), but its meaning
is brought home to believers by a living voice, and we also must
listen heedfully if haply the voice may sound in our ears 'To-day'
with a fresh message for us (c. iii. 7 &c.).
It is unnecessary to add any comments on this general summary
of the lessons which are based upon the quotations in the Epistle.
It amply justifies the conclusions which were drawn from a fuller
examination of the quotations in the :first two chapters (pp. 69 f.).
It enables us to feel, as was said there, that the 0. T. does not
simply contain prophecies, but that it is one vast prophecy, in the
record of national fortunes, in the ordinances of a national Law, in
the expression of a national hope. Israel in its history, in its ritual,
in its ideal, is a unique enigma among the peoples of the world, of
which the Christ is the complete solution.

The different aspects of the Christ which have been distinguished above Quota-
are traced in a wide range of quotations. tions il-
lustrating
i The Divine Sonship of the Christ. Ps. ii. 7: Hebr. i. 5; v. 5; 2 Sam. the Person
vii. 14: Hebr. i. 5 ; Deut. xxxii. 43 (LXx.): comp. Ps. xcvii. 7 : anf dhWork
Hb .6 ote
e r. L • Christ.
His work for man and for God, and His final victory. Comp. Hab.
ii. 3 f.: Hebr. x. 37.
ii. The Christ the Sovereign of the Divine Kingdom. ·Ps. xlv. 6 f.:
Hebr. i. 8 f.
The King with His people. Comp. xii. 28.
iii The Christ, the revelation of 'the l!'ather' (the Lord). Ps. cii
2 5 ff.: Hebr. i. 10 ff.
The Son the Creator. Comp. i. 2 (xi. 3).
iv. The Christ the Priest-King of humanity. Ps. ex. 1 : Hebr. i. 13;
x. 12 f.; Ps. ex. 4: Hebr. v. 6, 10; vi. 20; vii. 1 r ff.
The work of the Christ for the world. Comp. i. 2 1<ATJpovoµo~ 11"aVTwJ1.
v. The Christ the Son of man : true, perfect, representative man.
Ps. viii. 5 ff.: Hebr. ii. 6 ff.; Ps. xxii. 22 : Hebr. ii. 11 f.; Is. viii.
17 f.: Hebr. ii. 13; Num. xii. 7: Hebr. iii. I ff.; Ps. ii. 7: Hebr. v. 5;
Ps. xl. 6 ff.: Hebr. x. 5 ff.
The Christ fulfils the destiny of man though fallen, and realises the
types of king, prophet, lawgiver, high-priest, servant.

The absence of references to Is. !iii. is remarkable.

 494 ON THE USE OF
Im- The broad principles of the interpretation of Scripture, and the
portance
of the view of the gradual unfolding of the counsel of God through the
teaching
on the education of the nations and of the people, which are contained in
O. T. for the Epistle to the Hebrews, are of present importance to ourselves.
ourselves.
The lessons of the Old Testament to the Church-the lessons of
the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms,-have not as yet been
completely learnt. Each age must find in the divine record new
teaching. Our fathers were not in a position to learn the social
lessons which the Old Testament contains for us. They could not
distinguish the many sources from which precious fragments were
brought together to contribute to its representative fulness. They
could not compare the Sacred Books of Israel, either as to their
contents or as to their history, with the Sacred Books of other
nations. Fresh materials, fresh methods of inquiry, bring fresh
problems and fresh trials. Difficulties of criticism press upon us
now. It is well then to be reminded that there have been times
of trial at least as sharp as our own. When the Epistle to the
Hebrews was written, it might have seemed that there was nothing
for the Christian to do but either to cling to the letter of the
Jewish Bible or to reject it altogether. But the Church was more
truly instructed by the voice of the Spirit ; and the answer to the
anxious questionings of the first age which the Epistle contains has
become part of our inheritance. We know now, with an assurance
which cannot be shaken, that the Old Testament is an essential part
of our Christian Bible. We know that the Law is neither a vehicle
and a veil for spiritual mysteries, as Philo thought, nor a delusive
riddle, as is taught in the Epistle of Barnabas (comp. Introd. § xu. ).
We know this through the trials of other men.
New For that new 'voice' on which the Apostle dwells in the Letter
lessons
come was not heard without distressing doubts and fears and sad expecta-
through
seeming tions of loss. Such indeed is the method of the discipline of God at
loss. all times. Many must feel the truth by their own experience in the
present day, when, as it seems, He is leading His people towards
a fuller apprehension of the character of the written word than
has hitherto been gained. New voices of God are heard 'terday'
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE.
495
as in old time, and there is still the same danger of neglecting to
hear them. The Hebrews had determined in their own minds the
meaning which the divine message should bear: they had given
a literal and outward permanence to the institutions of the Old
Covenant ; and when the voice came to them to leave that which
they had identified with their noblest hopes, they were in danger
of apostasy.
It may still be so with us, and that too in respect to our view of The study
the Old Testament. It is likely that study will be concentrated on 'g J~beset
the Old Testament in the coming generation. The subiect• J
is one of cult1es
by ~iffi-
great obscurity and difficulty where the sources of information are which
call for
scanty. Perhaps the result of the most careful inquiry will be to patience.
bring the conviction that many problems of the highest interest as
to the origin and relation of the constituent Books are insoluble.
But the student, in any case, must not approach the inquiry with
the assumption-sanctioned though it may have been by traditional
use-that God must have taught His people, and us through His
people, in one particular way. He must not presumptuously stake
the inspiration and the divine authority of the Old Testament on
any foregone conclusion as to the method and shape in which the
records have come down to us. We have made many grievous mis-
takes in the past as to the character and the teaching of the Bible.
The experience may stand us in good stead now. The Bible is the
record, the inspired, authoritative record, of the divine education of
the world. The Old Testament, as we receive it, is the record of
the way in which God trained a people for the Christ in many parts
and in many modes, the record which the Christ Himself and His
Apostles received and sanctioned. How the record was brought to-
gether, out of what materials, at what times, under what conditions,
are questions of secondary importance. We shall spare no effort in
the endeavour to answer them. Every result which can be surely
established will teach us something of the manner of God's working,
and of the manner in which He provides for our knowledge of it.
At the same time we must remember that, here as elsewhere, His
ways in the fulfilment of His counsel are, for the most part, not as
 ON THE USE OF

our ways, but infinitely wider, larger, and more varied. And when
we strive to realise them on the field of life, we must bear ourselves
with infinite patience and reverence as scholars in Christ's School,
scholars of a Holy Spirit, who is speaking to us as He spoke in
old time.
The Whatever else may be obscure, the main outlines of the history
history of
Judaism of Israel appear to be unquestionable; and it is of the greatest
a type of
divine moment for us as Christians to strive, as we may, to enter into the
action. spirit of Judaism; to study it not as a stereotyped system but as an
advancing manifestation of the Living God; to see in it examples and
types of the various modes in which God dea,ls with His people; to
recognise from the manifold fortunes of His kingdom in old time that
He applies, enforces, interprets, in new and unexpected ways, what He
has once given; to learn somewhat better, from an apprehension of
the prophetic work, that He chooses His own instruments freely,
that He speaks through the conflicts of social and political life, that
the organisation which He has established for the due fulfilment of
His service does not limit the manner of His operation, that He
provides for progress as well as for order, or (may we not say 1) that
He provides for progress because He provides for order.
If we regard Judaism il!- this way, the history of Christianity itself
will be quickened for us with a new life. We shall have before our
eyes what is really by anticipation a divine commentary upon its
most perplexing passages. Acts of faithlessness and apostasy in the
history of the Church, self-willed divisions, premature settlements of
practice or doctrine, will appear at once more significant and, for
those who inherit the burden which they impose, more endurable.
The record of the history of Israel is a concrete philosophy of
history. If we read its meaning we shall be better enabled, and
then only truly enabled, to look with hope upon the chequered
annals of Christendom without extenuating the sins and issues of
sin by which they are defaced.
The social In this respect the Epistle to the Hebrews brings before us
aspect
of the a forgotten aspect of the divine working. It marks, as we have
Gospel.
seen, the office of the Messianic nation no less than the office _of
 THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EPISTLE. 497
a personal Messiah. By doing so its teaching falls in with the
tendency of modern thought. Once again the social, the corporate
view of life is gaining power if not predominance. By the help of
this Book we can see how the view was recognised in the apostolic
outline of the Faith, and gain encouragement for studying it with
confidence and hope.
In the pursuit of this inquiry the Epistle reminds us that there The
• . Living
lS a correspondence between the Word of God m the heart, and the Word.
written Word : that both deal with the fulness of hope in man
and in nature (iv. II, 13). Trusting to this living Word therefore
we must gladly allow ourselves to be 'borne forward' to further
knowledge, leaving that which we have already gained, or rather
regarding it as our starting-point (vi. 1). Our highest joy is to
recognise the divine law that each fulfilment opens a vision of
something yet beyond. The Wilderness, Jordan, Canaan, neces-
sarily take a new meaning as the experience of man extends. The
outward ritual, the earthly kingdom, suggested hopes which they
could not satisfy. So perhaps it is still. At least the words of
the Psalmist as they fall on our ears every morning have an appli-
cation which is never exhausted: To-day if ye will hear His voice
(iii. 14, 15). As yet we do not see the end.

W. H. 3 32
 499

INDEX.
Aaron, Fulfilment of the type of, UPa"yE<P, Xiii. 20
p. 229 f. d.vaD<X.E<T0a,, xi. I7
Abel, Eastern tradition concerning the ava,piw, x. 9
sacrifice of, xi. 4 d.va\o-yli"E<T0a,, xii. 3
Abraham, References to, in the 0. T., avdµP'T)!YLS, x. 3
xi. 12, 17 dvda-raau VEKpW11, vi. 2
Aorist, Use of, i. 9; ii. 10, 18; ix. 24; ava<TTavpoOv, vi. 6
x. 36 ava<Trpo,Pfi, ava<TrpE<f,E<Y0a,, x. 33 ; xiii.
Apollos, supposed author of the 7, 18
Epistle, Intr. § xi. dvare\\E<v, vii. 14
Ara, altare, Addit. Note xiii. Jo dva,PepE<P aµ.aprlas, ix. 28
Art, Scarcity of illustrations taken ava,PepE<P, 1rpo<Y<f,EpE<P, vii. 27
from, in N. T. x. 1 d.v,eva,, i-yKara\el1re1v, xiii. 5
Article, Omission of the definite, i. 2, avr,\oyla, xii. 3
xii. 2 d11rlrU1rov, ix. 24
Ascension, The, vi. 20; ix. 12, 24; ,fr~, vi. 4 ; xii. 27
p. 230 a1rapa{Jaros, vii. 24
Augustine on the Sabbath rest, iv. 9 d1rarwp, vii. 3
Authorship of the Epistle, Intr. § xi. cl1ra6-yao-µa, i. 3
Evidence of Clement of Alexandria d.1relOe,a, d:1rturla, iv. 6
!xvi. of Origen lxvii. of Eusebius a7rEKOEXE<T0a,, ix. 2 8
lxix. Jerome lxxii. Augustine lxxiii. cl1r,crrla, iii. r 2
Views of modern writers lxxix. 0.7rO{JAE'TrELP, Xi. 26
d1roOeKaroUv, vii. 5
a-ya06s (a-yaOa. tp-ya), x. 24 d1roo106va,, xii. 11
ci.'-yw, (ra), <TK'TJvfi, viii. 2; ix. 8 d.1r0Ka01<Trdva,, xiii. 19
dy,d 1Ew, ii. II; ix. 13; p. 348 a1ro\El1rE<T0a,, KaTaAEi7rE<T0'l<, iv. 1
11,')'LOL, iii. I; (ol), vi. IO d.1r0Mrpw<Y1s, p. z98
il')'LOS, Outos, vii. 26 d.1rw\e,a, x. 39
a-yP6'T)µ,a., ix. 7 lLpa, iv. 9
a-yopajE<P, Efa"yopajE<P, P• 298 f. dpxai'os, 1ra\a16s, viii. 8
aoE\rpo/,, iii. 1 dpx71 (ii) roD XP<<TroO, vi. 1
CJ.8ETELJI, X. 28 dpx'TJ'Y6s, ii. 1o ; xii. 2
a0fr'T]<TLS, vii. 18 apx<EpEVS, ii. 1 7
afr1os, v. 9 d<T0en,a -a,, vii. 28
alclJv, i. 2 d,PE<Y<s, used absolutely, ix. 22; :;. II
alwves (oi), i. 2; ix. 26; xi. 3; xiii. 8, 21 d,Popfi.v Eis, xii. 2
a.lWv,os, v. 9
cl.Kara\VTos, vii. 16 Barnabas, The Epistle of, identified
O.KAIPf/s, x. 23 with that to the Hebrews in the
a.Kpo0lv,a, vii. 4 Claromontane Stichometry, xxvm.
Q.AT}0ELa (ii), X, 26 Compared with the Epistle to the
d.\M, ii. 6 Hebrews, Intr. § xii.
d\\os, frEpos, vii. 11 ; xi. 36 Benedictions, The' eighteen,' pp. 208 ff.
d.µ,a.f)Tla, aµaf)Tla,, ix. '2 7;pp. 3 l' 3 2 Blessing, The Biblical idea of, pp. 205 ff.
32-2
500 INDEX.

Blood, The efficacy of, ix. 14; the Clement of Alexandria., Evidence of,
idea of, in the Epistle, pp. 295 ff. concerning Authorship of the Epistle,
Body, Flesh, p. u7 lxvi. f.
Brotherhood, The thought of, ii. 13, Clement of Rome, Earliest traces of
iii. I the Epistle found in the writings of,
!xii. Supposed author, lxxvii.
fJ0,,rr10-µol, vi. z Confession of Faith to be made pub-
fJifJriXos, vii. 26 n.; xii. 16 licly, iv. 14
fJ">.bmv µfi, iii. 12 Conscience, The idea. of, pp. 1 1 8,
fJo6Xeo-0a,, vi. I 7 2 95

fJpwµa,ra,, xiii. 9 Covenant, The establishment of a New,

fJwµ6s, 0vo-,a,o-rfip,ov, Addit. Note xiii. 10 ix. 15. Sacrifice, the basis of a
solemn, ix. 16. The Biblical idea
Characteristics, Doctrinal, of the of a, pp. 300 ff.
Epistle, Intr. § ix. Creationism, pp. 116, 117
Christ, Use of the Title, in the Epistle, Cross, Direct reference to the, xii. 2
PP• 33, 34· TeXelwo-,s of, pp. 66-68.
The High-priesthood of, p. 71. Ap- Date of the Epistle, xlii. f.
plication to, of words spoken in the Day of Atonement, The service of the,
O.T. of the LoRD, pp. 90, 91. The pp. 281 f.
Temptation of, ii. 18, iv. 15. The Day of the Lord, p. 90
High-priest and the High-priest Destination of the Epistle, Intr. § v.
King, pp. 229, 230. The eternal Disappointment of the Hebrews, The
Spirit of, ix. 14. Appearance of, writer deals with the double, liii. ff.
before God, ix. 24. The return of, Divine counsel, Universal scope of the,
ix. 28. The double entrance of, into iv. 3; ix. 26
'the unseen,' p. 282. Aspects of the Doctrinal characteristics of the Epistle,
sacrifice of, pp. 299, 300. The Body Intr. § ix.
of, pp. 34 2 ff. The effects of the Doxologies, the Apostolic, Addit. Note
Sacrifice of, pp. 346 ff. The reproach xiii. 21
of the, xi. 26. Work of the Incar-
nate, pp. 428 ff. Exaltation of, lii, ii. 6
p. 429. Regarded as an Altar, xiii. liirio-,s, LKerripla., v. 7
10 and Addit. Note xiii. 10. The lie,, ii. I
essential work of Judaism fulfilled lie~•~• iv, i. 3
in, Intr. § ix. Different aspects of liriµ,ovfYY6s, xi. 10
the personal work of the, pp. 491 ff. lifJ,rov, ii. I 6
Quotations illustrating the Person li,a.0-fJKtJ, The meaning of, in ix. 15 f.;
and work of the, p. 49 pp. 300 ff.
Christian life, The picture of early, as li1a.Kove1v, p. 2 34
drawn in the Epistle, xxxvi. ff. 811/.vo,a, viii. r o
Christ,ology of the Epistle, pp. 426 ff. li186va1 els, iv, viii. 10
Compared with that of St Paul, pp. OltJVEKES (els ro), vii. 3; x. 1
429, 430, in its relation to the teach- 81Ka100-uvri (-q) Kara. ,rlo-riv, xi. 7
ing of the Church at Jerusalem, !vii. 81Kalwµa,, ix. 1
City, The Jewish, Greek and Stoic li1KaO-TTJS, Kp1TTJS, xii. 23
ideas of the state or, pp. 388, 389. li16p0wo-1S1 ix. I0
The teaching of the Apocalypse and 86~0,, i. 3
St Paul concerning the, pp. 390, 391 oovXos, 0ep&.,rwv, iii. 5
Classical words not found elsewhere liuva,µn, ii. 4
in the Greek Scriptures, xiv. owpa,, Ova-la,, v. 1
 INDEX. 501

Egypt, Consecration of the gifts of, £vM{J£,a, v. 7

through the sons of Joseph and ,v:>..o-y£1v, £11Ao-yla, p. 2 II
Asenath, xi. 20 dnrepluraros, xii. 1
Egyptian versions of the Epistle; tx£<T0a, (<TwT?]plas), vi. 9
Memphitic (Coptic), Thebaic (Sa- 71-yovµ,,vo, (o!), xiii. 7
hidic), Bashmuric xxv. ;/KW, X. 7
Esau, The profanity of, xii. 16, 17 71µ,•••, 'use of, in the Epistle, vii. 26
Eusebius, Evidence of, concerning the 71µ,lpa (71), x. 25. Ka0' 71µ,lpav, vii. 27.
Authorship of the Epistle, lxix. al 1rp6-repov 71µ,., x. 32

Uv1r£p, iii. 1 4 Face of God, The; ix. 24

la1JT011•, ,i:>..:>..,j>,ovs, m. 13 Faith, The object and office of, xi. 1
i·ryl5ELv · ...,;; IJ,,;;, vii. 19 Fall, Wider effects of the, ix. 23
i,yKaLVlfeLv, X. 20 Figures not to be pressed to conclu-
l-yKara:>..<l1r<tv, x. 25; xiii. 5 sions, i. 23
EiKWv, i. 3 Firstborn, Meaning of the term, xii. 23
,iva.,, -yl'}"'«T/Ja,, iii. 14
c(pr,Ka, X. 9 Gospel, Social aspect of the, p. 496.
<i• ro with infin., Yva, ii. 17 ; v. 1; vii. Complex character of the, v. 12
25; p. 345 Gospel History, References in the
d<Tolios, x. 19 Epistle to the, Addit. Note xiii. ~o
elra, xii. 9
EKOEX<<TIJ<t,, x. 13 '}'£V<<T0a,, ii. 9 ; vi. 4
iKKArJ<Tla, xii. 23 '}'7) T'J< l1ra-y-y,:>..la,, xi. 9
iKTp€7r<O'IJO.L, Xii. 13 -yl'}"'£<TIJa,, ii. 1 7 ; V. 9
l:>..,-yxos, xi. 1 -yl-yve<T/Ja,, £iva,, iii. 14
lX1rls, x. 23 '}'L')'VWO'K<LP, x. 34
iµ,q,a.vfis, lµ,q,a.vl5c<T0a,, ix. 24
lPOLKO<, ii. 2 Haggai, The prophecy of, xii. 26
ivOUµtJu,s, tvvou,, iv. 12 Heart, Hardening of the, iii. 8. The
<•Tv-yxav«v, vii. 25 centre of personal life, pp. u7, u8
l~«, v. 14 Hebrew, Use of the term in N. T.,
l,r' i<Txa-rov, i. 2 xxxv.
l1r<l, v. 1 r ; ix. 26 Hellenistic style of the Epistle, Ixi.
l1r£,,,.a-yw-yfi, vii. 19 Hermas, Coincidences of expression
i1rl, with Gen. vii. 11 ; with Dat. viii. with the Epistle in ' the Shepherd '
6; ix. 10 of, !xiii.
i1rl-yvw<Tis, x. 26 Herveius, On the need of active energy
brl/Jc<T« X<tpwv, vi. 2 to secure God's promises, iv. u.
i1r,0vµ,iiv, vi. I I Compares the spiritual trial of Jews
i1r,Xaµ,fJav£<TIJa,, ii. 16 and Christians, iv. I I
;7rLO'K€7rT£0'/JaL, ii. 6 High-priest, The present work of Christ
,,,.,,,.Ko1r£'w, xii. 15 as, pp. 231 ff.
i1r,,,.TlXX£LP, xiii. 22 High-priesthood, The, of Christ, p. 71.
€7rLO'l/VO.'}'W'}'7), X. 25 Superiority of, to the Levitioal High-
i1r,nX£1v, ix. 6 priesthood, p. 2 1 2
i1r,rvx£w e1ra.'}"}'£X,wv, vi. 15; xi. 33 History of the Epistle, Intr. § xi.
l1ros £i1r£1v (w•), vii. 9 Holiness, Obstacles to, xii. 16
l1rovpav,a (Ta), viii. 5; ix. 23 Hope, The Christian function of, iii. 6,
frepos, 6:X"Ao<, vii. 11 ; xi. 36 x. 23
£11/Jurr,<, i. 8 Hypothetical sentences, pp. II3 f.
502 INDEX.

Imagery of the Epistle, xlviii. Kat116s, 11eos, viii. 8

Incarnation, The, central point of all Katpos (o) 0 £11€0-TWS, ix. 8
life, i. l Kalrot, iv. 3
Indissolubility of Christ's life, vii. 16 KO.All lp-ya, x. 24
Inheritance, The Biblical idea of, pp. Ka Ms, vi. s ; xiii. 18
169, 170 Ka.po/a, ou/.11ota, viii. 10; pp. II 7 f.
Israel, The unbelief of, a source of dis- Ka.prepe'i11, xi. 28
appointment to the early Christians, Ka.rao.,Xos, vii. 13
liv. Ka.Ta.'Xd1rftr8at, 0.1rohfl1recr0at, iv. 1
Israelite, Use of the term in N. T., Ka.ra.voeW, iii. 1
xxxvi. Ka.ra.1ra.rElv, x. 29
KO.Ta1ravo-ts, iii. II
Jesus, Use of the name in the Epistle, Kara1rfrao-µ,a, vi. 19
pp. 33, 35 ; ii. 9; iii. 2. The Lord, KO.Taprl(Et11, x. 5 ; xi. 3 ; xiii. 2l
xiii. 2 Ka.Ta.<TKEVd.fetv, iii. 3
Jesus Christ, Use of title in the Epistle, KEtpaAatOII I Viii, l
p. 34 K<tf,aXls, x. 7
Jew, Use of term, in the N. T., xxxv. KA71po110µ,ew, KA71po110µ,la, pp. 169 f.
John, St, Relation of the Epistle to the KA71po116µ,os, i. 2
Gospel of, lx. KXl11ew, xi. 34
Joma, The Mishnaic treatise, p. 281 Kot116s, x. 29
Josephus, Views of, on the Tabernacle, KOLJIWPELJI, ii. Lf.
pp. 240, 241 KOtllW116S, iii. l ; X. 33
Judah, Descent of the Lord from the Koµ,/.(eo-0at, x. 36
tribe of, vii. 14 KOIT/J,tK6s, ix. 1
Judaism, The essential work of, lv. KOO-/J,OS I i. 2
Fulfilled i.:i Christ, lvi. The history Kpa.TELP 1 KO.TfX<W, iV, 14
of, a type of divine action, p. 496 KpelTTwv, i. 4
Justin, Supposed references to the Kptr'fis, o,Kao-r'fis, xii. 23
Epistle by, lxiii. KUptos (o), ii. 3; viii. 2
xa.paKT'fip, i. 3
lepaula, vii. 5 xa.p,11 fx•w, xii. 28
lEpwcrUv1J, vii. I I XPEia11 lxELv, construction, v. 12
IKer71pla, lie71ou, v. 7 zy.,µ,a.rl(EL11, viii. 5
l},a.uK«T0at, ll, l 7; P• 349 XPv,;lo11, ix. 4
iNJ.11T1/pt011 (r6), ix. 5
fva, v. r ; p. 345 Language, The original, of the Epistle,
Intr. § viii.
King, The Davidic and the Divine, pp. Latin Versions of the Epistle. The
90, 9 1 Old Latin ... xx. The Vulgate ... xxiii.
Kingdom, Mention made in the Epistle Corrupt character of the texts 'd'
of the Divine, xii. 28. The Christian and 'e ' ... xxi. f. Text of Bentley's
society as a present, pp. 391 f. s... xxii.
Law, Two complementary aspects of
Ka0apl(ew, pp. 348 f. the, Iii.
Ka0apto-µ,6s, i. 3 ; p. 349 Levitical High-priests, The work of
K0.0ap6s, a-ytos, ix. 14 Christ contrasted with that of the,
Ka0' 71µ,lpav, vii. 27 ix. 26. The office of the, p. 489
Ka0l(«v, i. 3; x. 12 Levitical sacrifices, Spiritual inefficacy
Ka0lo-rao-0a.t, v. l of the, x. 4. Levitical system, a
«o.8' Ocrov, ix. 27 parable, ix. 9
 INDEX,

Lord, The, as title of Jesus, p. 34 µ.,-ya.Xwrr6vri, viii. 1

Luke, St, supposed author of the µ.errlrris, viii. 6
Epistle, lxxvi. µ.era, used in local sense, ix. 3
µ.era,po,a., vi. 6
Aa.Aeiv, i. I ;ix. 19 /J,<TEX€1V, ii. 14; Vii, 13
AO.OS (o), ii. 7; xiii. I 2
I µ.froxo, -yl-yPerrOa.,, vi. +
AO.Tpda., AO.Tp€11€LV, p. 234 µ.froxos, iii. I
Ae-y,,v, KO.A€LV, xi. 24 µ.erp101I"a.8,,P, v. 2
A€LTOVf)'Y€LV, A€1T0Vp-yla., pp. 232 f. µ.fi with Indicative, iii. 12 ; with parti-
A€1TOVf)'YOl, i. 6 ciples, iv. 15
AwiTtKO<, vii. 11 µ.riXwrfi, xi. 37
M-yos (o), iv. 12 µ.,rr8a.1I"ooorria., ii. 2
M-yos (o) rijs aKoijs, iv. 2 /J,P'YJ/J,0Pfl1€1P, Xi. 13
MTpoP, Mrpw<m, pp. 297 f. µ.oPo-y<PTJS, i. 3, 6
µ.op<j,fi, i. 3
Man, The destiny and position of,
p. 61. The origin and constitution Na.mes, The, of the Lord, in the
of, pp. n6 ff. The divine purpose Epistle, pp. 33 f. .
for, p. 484. The natural growth of, Nature of the Book, defined by early
p. 48 5. The special discipline of, writers ... xxxix. By the writer him-
through Israel and the Christ, pp. self.. .id.
486 ff.
Manuscript authority for the text of P<Kf)O. fp-ya., Vi, J
the Epistle, Intr. § i. Peos, Ka.1P6s, viii. 8 ; xii. 24
Meal, The sacrificial, p. 294 voe'iv, xi. 3
Melchizedek, Features in the priest- PO/J,OL, PO/J,OS (o}, Vlll. JO
hood of, v. 6. Position of, in the PUP. with a.or., ix. 24
course of Revelation, p. 201. Treat-
ment of the Biblical record concern- Obedience, The idea. of, v. 8
ing, pp. 201 ff. Silence of Jewish Old, The ennobling of the, in the
writers as to, pp. 203 f. Legend of, Epistle, lviii.
in connection with Adam, p. 205. Old Testament, The use of the, in the
Significance of the appearance of, Epistle, pp. 471 ff. The interpreta-
p. 485 tion of the, pp. 482 ff. Difficulties
Melchizedekians, Sect of, p. 204 besetting the study of the, pp. 495 f.
Messiah, Different aspects of the Per- See also under 'Quotations'
son and work of the, pp. 491 f. See Origen, Evidence of, concerning the
also under ' Christ ' authorship of the Epistle, lxvii.
Messianic expectation, Three chief
types of, pp. 90 f. ii-yKos, xii. 1
Messianic nation, The work of the, 80eP, ii. r7
pp. 488 f. o1KOS (o) TOU Oeov, Addit. Note xi. JO
Monotheism, Characteristics of Jewish, olKovµ.<P'YJ, 1/, ii. 5 ; Addit. Note xi. ro;
pp. 141 f. p. 387
Mosaic dispensation, Provisional, iii. 5 olKTLpµ.os, x. 28
Moses, Extent of the work of, iii. 2 oµ.oiws, ii. 14
Mura.torian Ca.non, The Epistle finds oµ.oXo-yew T~ ov., xiii. r 5
no place in the, xxviii. oµ,oXo-yla. (1J) rijs t!X1I'loos, x. 23
0µ.oo{J{TLOS, i. 3
µ,a.KpoOvµ.la., inroµ.ovfi, vi. I2 1/voµ.a., i. 4
µ,6-f'Tvs, p. 393 81I'ws, p. 3+5
 INDEX,

bpKoµo,r(a, vii. 20 Priesthood, The object of a, vii. 1 J.

8u,os, ciyios, vii. 26 The idea of, p. 139. Natural (of the
0<TTLS, ii. 3 Nations), pp. 140 f. Theocratic (of
ol, and µ71 with participles, iv. 15 the People), pp. 1 4 1 f. Continuity
0UOE1rore, x. I of the Levitical, vii. 23. Notes of
ov<rla, i. 3 the, of Christ, p. 181
oUros, iii. 3 Prisoners, Public intercession for,
oq,,lXELv, ii. 17, 10 n. xiii. 3
WO'i11es, i. z Promise, The need for the Divine,
Ws f7ros el1re'i11, vii. 9 p. 485. The course of the fulfilment
wn,, p. 346 of the, id.
Prophet, Extended use of title, i. 1
Palestinian, Teaching of the Epistle, Purpose, The expression of an end or,
lxi. in N. T ., pp. 344 ff.
Participles, Latin, Inadequate render-
ing by (in Vulgate), i. 1, 3 1ra.,OeUetv, 0L0dcrKetv, xii. 7
Paul, St, Differences between the ,r<1Xa.,, i. I
Epistle and, Iii. f.", lxii. f., lxxvii. f. ,ra.Xa,6s, &.pxaws, viii. 8
Perfect tense, Use of in the Epistle, ,ra.1171-yvp,s, xii. 23
vii. 6. Marking permanent effect, ,rdvTa, ,-a; 1rcivTa, iii. 4
ii. 9; iii. 3; iv. 1 ; ix. 6, 27; x. 2; 11'<11/TOTE, Vii. 2 5
xii. 3, 8. Contrasted with Aorist, 1r&.vrore, Out 1ravT6s, ix. 6
ii. 14; xii. 2 ,rap<if3a1r,s, ii. 2
Person, second, Rare use of in the ,rapaK071, ii. 2
Epistle, iii. 2 ,rapaµlvELv, vii. 23
Philo, on the 'Logos,' iv. 12. On the 1rapa,,r,Kpa.lveu,, iii. 16
position of the Levites, vii. 3. Use ,rapa,rl1rr£111, vi. 6
of the silence of Scripture by, p. ,rapa.1rX'1]<rlws, ii. 14
201 n. Views of, on the Tabernacle, 1rapapp<<11, ii. I
p. 240 f. Reference to lost treatise ,rap,µf30X71, xi. 34
on the Covenant by, p. 3or 1rapova-la, x. 2 5
Physical imagery, used to represent ,r,i,;X"", xiii. 12
great spiritual changes, xii. 27 llar17p (o) rwv 1rvwµa.rw11, xii. 9
Place, The, of writing, Intr. § vii. 1rarp«i.px'1/s, vii. 4
Plan of the Epistle, Intr. § ix. ,r,pl, p. 32
Plural, Change from, to singular 1r<pt<r<rorlpws, ii. r
number, xiii. 18. Used to express ,r'f/XlKos, vii. 4
a general idea, ix. 23. Impersonal 1r,crreVetv €1rl r,va, vi. I
use of, x. 1 1r£1rns, xi. r
Pcenitentire locus, xii. 17 ,r,,rr6s, ii. r 7
Polycarp, Supposed references to the 1rPEOµa, xii. 9 ; p. II 7
Epistle by, !xiii. ITv,Oµa aywv, ii. 4; iv. 7
Position occupied by the Epistle, in 11"0LElP, iii. 2
the oldest Greek MSS .. .in the mar- 1r6X,s (71), pp. 388 ff.
ginal numeration of B .. .in Syriac 1r0Xvµ,pws, i. I
and later Greek MSS .. .in Latin 1roAUs, X. 32
MSS. XXL f. ,r0Xvrpb1rws, i. I
Prayer, The character of true, v. 7 ,rov, iv. 4
Present tense, marking continuous ,rpayµara, x. 1
action, ii. 11. Contrasted with 1rp€1rELII, ii, IO
Aorist, ii. 18; ix. 24; xii. 25 ,rp6opoµos, vi. 20
 INDEX. 505
,rp68etTLS (,i) TWP l1,pTwv, ix. 2 panl5e<v, ix. T 3; x. 22

1rpoaa."Yope.Ve,v, v. 10 pfJµa, i. 3 ; vi. 5

,rpotT<pxe.,.Oa,, iv. 6; vii. 25
,rpotT<')(.'hv, ii. 1 ; vii. l 3 Sabbath, Jewish teaching concerning
,rp6tTcpaToS, x. 20 the, iv. 9
,rpotT<p<pe<v, v. 1; ,rp. 1rp6,, V, 7 Sacrifice, Prae-Christian idea of, pp.
,rpo11cf,<p«v, &.vacp<pe,v, vii. 27 283 ff.
1rp61Tw1rov, i. 3. (To) TOV Oeov, ix. 24 Sacrifice, Aspects of the, of Christ,
1rpwT6TOKOL, xii. 23 pp. 299 f.; 463 ff. Effects of the,
1rpwT6TOKOS, i. 6 of Christ, pp. 346 ff. Later views
q,avep6,, lµcpav'Y}s, ix. 24 of, viii. 12; x. 5
tf,<pe,v, L 3 Scripture, Words of, referred to the
tp<petTOa,, ix. i6 divine author, iii. 7
<pWTl5etT8a,, vi. 4 Shepherd, The image of the, xiii. 20
,f,uxTJ, p. u7 Sin, Universality of, p. 31. Responsi-
bility of man for, p. 31. Greek words
Quotations from the Old Testament in for, p. 32. Contrasted with 'sins,'
cc. i. ii., pp. 68 ff. General remarks pp. 31, 32. For which there is no
upon, pp. 471, 482 ff. The mode of renewal to repentance, pp. 167 f.
citing, pp. 476 ff.; without parallel in Social images of the Epistle, pp. 386 ff.
other parts of N. T., p. 477. A clue Son, Use of the term (as applied to
to the understanding of Revelation, Jesus), pp. 18, 34. Of God, vii. 3;
p. 471. Examination of the text of, pp. 34 f. The Divine Being (Nature
pp. 478 ff. Variations in the text of and Personality) of the, pp. 427 f.
(Jer. xxxviii. 31 ff.), viii. 8 ff. pp. Soul, The idea of, p. II 7
242 f.; (Hab. ii. 3 f.), x. 37 f. pp. Spirit, The function of the, p. I I 7.
349 f. Range of, in the Epistle, The eternal, of Christ, ix. 14
pp. 471 ff. Tabular arrangement of, Style of the Epistle, xlvi. Contrasted
illustrating the course of Revelation, with that of St Paul, id, Resem-
p. 490 ; illustrating the Person and blance of, to that of St Luke,
work of the Christ, p. 493 xlvii.
Sufferings of Christ, Correspondence
Race, The image of the, xii. 2 between the glory and the, xii. 2
Readings, Various, pp. 61 f. (ii. 9); Syriac versions of the Epistle: the
pp. rr2 f. (iv. 2); p. 341 (x. 1); Peshito ... xxiii. The Harclean ...
p. 386 (xi. 4). Tables of unique, xxiv.
found in various MSS., xvi. ff.
Redemption, The idea of, pp. 297 ff. tTaf3(3aTttTµ6,, iv. 9
Repentance, A place of, xii. 17 tTapKLK6s, tTO.pKLPOS, vii. 16
Reproach, The, of the Christ, xi, 26 tTa.pt, v. 7
Responsibility of the individual, vii. tTa.pt, (Twµa, P· I I 7
10; p. rr6 tTKTJPtJ, Ta o:yta, Viii, 2
Rest, The idea of, iii. I I ; iv. 4 tTKATJPVPE<P, iii. 8
Resurrection, Silence as to, in the tTl!'(KEpawutTOa,, iv. 2
Epistle, p. 2 30. Directly referred tTU/J,7r0.8eiv, iv. 15
to, xiii. 20 11uvelor,1Tis, pp. l l 8, 2 95
Revelation, The Old and the New con- tTUPE'lr!µapTVpeW, ii. 4
trasted, i. 1. The place of prae- t1'VVT€Ae,a. TWv o.lWvwv, ix. 26
Judaic, lvi. Tabular arrangement tTWjELP, TEAELOVP, vii. '.15
of quotations in the Epistle, illus- <TW5ELP EK, v. 7
trating the course of, p. 490 tTwµa, tTcl.pt p. l I 7
 INDEX.

Tabernacle, The general significance Ouµ.,a.r1Jp,ov, ix, 4

of the, pp. 235 ff. Teaching of the Ouula., oratio, xiii. r 5
Epistle concerning the, pp. 242 ff. Ouula.1 (owpa.), v. r
Interpretation of the greater, ix. r r Ouuia.ur1Jpwv, xiii. ro. History•of the
Temple worship regarded spiritually word, Addit. Note xm. ro. Con-
as a religious declension, xl. trasted with fJwµ6s, p. 455. Use of in
Temptation, Experience of sin not N.T., p. 456. In Patristic literature,
required for sympathy with, vii. 26 p. 457. Used in first period only in
Testament, Old, Quotations from the, spiritual sense, p. 458. Applied to
in cc. i. ii., Addit. Note on ii. Christ, p. 459. To the Holy Table,
Text of the Epistle, Original authori- p. 460. To the Sanctuary, p. 46r,
ties for the, Intr. § i. General Use of, in liturgies, p. 462. Con-
character of the, id. trasted with rpo.1re1a., id.
Theodoret, Summary of the contrast
between the Old and the New Cove- Verbal nouns, active, Characteristic.of
nant by, xii. 22 the Epistle, ii. 4
Theology, Illustration of differences Versions of the Epistle: Latin-Syriac
between Greek and Latin, xiii. 21 -Egyptian-Armenian-.lEthiopic
• The Three,' The Epistle to the He- -Slavonic, xx. ff.
brews the final expression of the Unity, of Christ's Person and work,
teaching of, li. p. r 8. Social, of the human race,
Title of the Epistle, Simplicity of the, vii. ro; p. rr6
in the oldest MSS. and Egyptian Vocabulary of the Epistle, Intr. § viii.
versions, xxvii. Later enlargements
of the, id. ul6s, xii. 7
Traducianism, p. rr6 inraKo7], v. 8
Typical contrasted with allegorical u1rlp, p. 32
interpretation, p. 202 inrO, i. '2
U7r00El"f/J,"-, Yiii. 5
TO.~<S, V. 6 inr6ura,ns, i. 3; iii. 14; xi. r
T€, ix. I U1rOUTEAA<U0a.,, x. 38
TEAEIOS, v. 14 1/0'repetv ru1os, I.Jur. cbrO TtPos, xii. 15
reAetoUv, ii. 10 uy,,,,M, i. 3
r.Xelw1ns, pp. 66 f.
reX«wr1Js, xii. 2 Will, The, of God, x. 36
rlpas, ii. 4 Words, peculiar to the Epistle, xlv.
rexvlr71s, xi. ro Classical, not found elsewhere in
riµ,wpla., x. 29 the Greek Scriptures, id. Found in
rpa.x71Xl1<1v, iv. r 3 LXX. and used in this book only
r~µ.1ra.vl1<1v, xi. 34 of N.T., id. Used with a peculiar
Oea.rpl1<1v, x. 33 Biblical sense, xlvi.
{J,!X71u1s, ii. 4 Works, Dead, ix. 14
Oe6s, o Oe6s, iii. 4
Oeos 1.;,v, o Oeos o i°wv, iii. 12 Zion, The character of the spiritual
Oel,s 1ravrwv, xii. 23 Mount, xii. 22
Oepo.1rwv, oouXos, iii. 5
Oewplw, vii. 4 Niov, xiii. rr
0p6vos (o) T~S xapLTOS, iv. r6

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