Exegesis of Hebrews
By Sheldon Todd Wilson Bible Research LLC. Table of Contents
The Book of Hebrews – Introduction, Notes and Outline ...... 6 Author ...... 6 Occasion...... 8 Recipients...... 9 Destination...... 10 Date...... 11 Canonicity ...... 13 Language ...... 13 General Content of the Epistle...... 13 A Working Hypothesis ...... 14 A Note on Method ...... 15 Basic Outline of Hebrews...... 17
FIRST PERICOPE (Hebrews 1:1-4) ...... 21
SECOND PERICOPE (Hebrews 1:5-9) ...... 31
THIRD PERICOPE (Hebrews 1:10-12) ...... 40
FOURTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 1:13-14) ...... 44
FIFTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 2:1-4) ...... 47
SIXTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 2:5-9)...... 55
SEVENTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 2:10-13) ...... 63
EIGHTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 2:14-18)...... 71
NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 3:1-6) ...... 80
TENTH PERICOPE (Heb 3:7-11)...... 90
ELEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 3:12-15) ...... 98
TWELFTH PERICOPE (Heb 3:16-19) ...... 103
THIRTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 4:1-8) ...... 108
2 FOURTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 4:9-13) ...... 115
FIFTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 4:14-16)...... 123
SIXTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 5:1-4) ...... 129
SEVENTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 5:5-10) ...... 134
EIGHTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 5:11-6:2) ...... 143
NINETEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 6:3-6) ...... 156
TWENTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 6:7-12)...... 167
TWENTY FIRST PERICOPE (Heb 6:13-20) ...... 176
TWENTY SECOND PERICOPE (Heb 7:1-3) ...... 185
TWENTY THIRD PERICOPE (Heb 7:4-10) ...... 191
TWENTY FOURTH PERICOPE (Heb 7:11-14) ...... 197
TWENTY FIFTH PERICOPE (Heb 7:15-19) ...... 202
TWENTY SIXTH PERICOPE (Heb 7:20-25) ...... 208
TWENTY SEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 7:26-28)...... 213
TWENTY EIGHTH PERICOPE (Heb 8:1-6) ...... 218
TWENTY NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 8:7-13) ...... 225
THIRTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 9:1-5) ...... 234
THIRTY FIRST PERICOPE (Heb 9:6-10) ...... 244
THIRTY SECOND PERICOPE (Heb 9:11-15) ...... 251
THIRTY THIRD PERICOPE (Heb 9:16-22) ...... 259
THIRTY FOURTH PERICOPE (Heb 9:23-28) ...... 271
THIRTY FIFTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:1-4) ...... 279
3 THIRTY SIXTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:5-10) ...... 284
THIRTY SEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:11-14) ...... 290
THIRTH EIGHTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:15-18)...... 294
THIRTY NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:19-25) ...... 297
FORTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 10:26-31)...... 304
FORTY FIRST PERICOPE (Heb 10:32-39) ...... 311
FORTY SECOND PERICOPE (Heb 11:1-3) ...... 320
FORTY THIRD PERICOPE (Heb 11:4-7) ...... 327
FORTY FOURTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:8-12)...... 337
FORTY FIFTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:13-16)...... 349
FORTY SIXTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:17-22) ...... 355
FORTY SEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:23-31) ...... 366
FORTY EIGHTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:32-38) ...... 382
FORTY NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:39-40) ...... 394
FIFTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 12:1-2)...... 397
FIFTY FIRST PERICOPE (Heb 12:3-8) ...... 404
FIFTY SECOND PERICOPE (Heb 12:9-11) ...... 414
FIFTY THIRD PERICOPE (Heb 12:12-17) ...... 421
FIFTY FOURTH PERICOPE (Heb 12:18-24)...... 433
FIFTY FIFTH PERICOPE (Heb 12:25-29)...... 443
FIFTY SIXTH PERICOPE (Heb 13:1-7) ...... 450
4 FIFTY SEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 13:8-9) ...... 460
FIFTY EIGHTH PERICOPE (Heb 13:10-16) ...... 464
FIFTY NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 13:17-19)...... 473
SIXTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 13:20-25) ...... 480
Translation ...... 488
Paraphrase...... 501
Appendices...... 514 Brief Chronology of Old Testament Events Referred to in Hebrews ...... 514 The Gospel to the Israelites under Moses...... 516 Paul Compared to the Author of Hebrews ...... 517 The Order of the Warnings to the Israelites in Hebrews...... 519 Quasi Platonism ...... 520 Apostasy...... 521 A brief word on the word “word” ...... 523 Greek Words that Appear only in the Book of Hebrews ...... 525 Hebrews, The Second Time Through ...... 528 Implications of Hebrews for America...... 530
5 The Book of Hebrews – Introduction, Notes and Outline
Hebrews is the literary masterpiece of the New Testament. It is logical, forceful, and beautiful; its argument is clearly designed and meticulously supported with Old Testament teachings.1 This study of Hebrews reflects my own positions on the text. There will be very little or no discussion of alternative views or the arguments concerning them. The attempt here is to deal in depth with the text, not to recount a history of arguments. Therefore I will relate what I have reason to believe is the case with some indication of the certainty of that position. In a few cases an alternative will be supplied, but with little or no discussion. The bibliography will direct those interested in such discussions of various arguments to works consulted.
Author
The author of Hebrews is anonymous. His identity has been debated for centuries. In apostolic times the general consensus in the East was that Paul wrote the Epistle. In the West such an idea took many decades to catch on. Suggestions as to the author included Barnabas, Luke, Silas, and Paul translated by Luke. Finally, people agreed to call the work Paul’s, despite the misgivings of scholars. The important thing was that it made its way into the canon. Luther was the first to suggest Apollos, who seems like he would have been an earlier choice. Calvin again suggested Luke. Modern expositors often credit it to the apostle Paul, but scarcely anyone who has done close work in the Greek New Testament allows that Paul was the author. Our (very) tentative vote goes to Apollos bearing in mind the warning of Westcott: “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” (Westcott, p. lxxix). We are relatively certain that: 1. Paul did not write Hebrews. The author admits that he is a “second generation” Christian, not an apostle. Paul was never slow in pointing out his apostleship. 2. Luke did not write Hebrews, as some have suggested. Luke was, after all, a Gentile. He would have been able to reproduce the high quality Greek prose we find in Hebrews, and he may have had some understanding of philosophy. But it seems doubtful that he would have had such a detailed knowledge of the Old Testament institutions. 3. Hebrews was not translated from a text originally in Hebrew or Aramaic. There are a number of terms in the Greek which simply have no counterpart in Hebrew or Aramaic.2 4. Barnabas is a good possibility. He was a Levite. He was among the very earliest converts to Christianity in Jerusalem. His travels with Paul would have widened the perspectives of both
1 Westcott, p. vi.
2 Westcott, p. xxxiv.
6 men. He certainly would have seen the problems arising among his Jewish Christian brethren. He would have made a particularly good candidate to produce this segment of Professor Manson’s “straight line running from the ministry of Stephen . . . to the argument of the Epistle to the Hebrews.”3 But despite the fact that he argued the Gentile case at the Jerusalem council, he “dissembled” when those of the Jerusalem party paid a visit (Galatians 2:13). A lot of ground would have had to have been made up in order to bridge the gap between the Barnabas who was panicked back into legalism by the Jerusalem party, and a Barnabas who could have written in Hebrews that the old institutions were place holders for the Messiah, and that the old institutions had now passed away. 5. Apollos, although never mentioned in antiquity as a contender for authorship of Hebrews, presents what I consider to be the strongest possibility. Apollos is mentioned in the book of Acts as a learned, Alexandrian Jew.4 As a Jew, he naturally would have been well versed in the Old Testament; being “learned,” he likely would have known both the Hebrew and the Septuagint, but being Alexandrian, he would have leaned heavily upon the latter; and being from Alexandria, he would have been (far more than Barnabas) familiar with Greek philosophy in general, as well as with the quasi-Platonic style and literary method of Philo in particular, both sources of the neo-Platonism or quasi-Platonism to which we see some strong similarities in Hebrews. Thus, we have in Apollos a man logically quite concerned with the temptation of the Jewish believer and one well able to extend the Christian message to him. It is said of Apollos that “mightily he publically overwhelmed (convinced or refuted) the Jews, showing from the scriptures that Jesus was Messiah.”5 It is true that these qualifications are also met by Paul, who, being from Tarsus, was also likely familiar with Greek philosophy as well as Jewish writing. But stylistically the book of Hebrews is miles removed from the writings of Paul. So far as we are aware, Paul continued his entire career preaching the “gospel to the Gentiles,” whereas Hebrews is a declaration to Jewish Christians that Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. That there are Pauline theological motifs is not surprising, for Apollos was doubtless made aware of Paul’s theology, if not by Paul himself, then by Priscilla and Aquila6. But it must be noted that Barnabas also was likely conversant with Paul’s theology. 6. Certainty eludes us. There may have been a number of men unknown to history who could have authored Hebrews. Dogmatism is sired by a human distaste for uncertainty. But because Apollos, being a Jew of Alexandria, new only of John’s baptism suggests that he was at least a keen observer of religion in Israel and probably a frequent visitor to the holy land. That he so readily received Christian baptism, combined with the fact that he was already confronting the Jews with
3 Bruce, p. xxxv.
4 Cf. Acts 18:24 and 19:1.
5 Acts 18:28.
6 Cf. I Cor 1:12, 3:4-6; 22, 4:6, 16:12 and Titus 3:13. Acts 18:24 – 19:1 makes it clear that Paul may have just missed Apollos at Ephesus. Acts 18:1-19 makes it clear that Priscilla and Aquila worked closely with Paul for some time, and Acts 18:24-27 with Apollos subsequently.
7 the message that Jesus was the Messiah, suggests that he had been converted for some little time, with some likelihood that he had been in Israel at Pentecost on the day the church was born. The fact that no other book in the New Testament uses such frequent and extensive quotations from the Old Testament suggests that it was the work of one whose primary interest was in dealing with the Jews. All in all, as a candidate for the author of Hebrews, Apollos fits like a glove. While we may never know with certainty who authored the Epistle to the Hebrews, anyone who can read can understand and vouch for the truth and inspiration of its majestic doctrine.
Occasion
It is frequently noted that the “epistle” does not look like an epistle at all. It lacks any form of salutation. Several theories for this have been offered. It has also been suggested that Hebrews is not an epistle at all, but a sermon. This is an attractive idea. But one thing seems obvious. Whether epistle or sermon, it contains a series of arguments placed in a logical order by the relation of its topics, thus forming a larger argument. If it is by Apollos, it might contain some of the arguments he made against the Jews (Acts 18:24,28). If the controlling impulse of the epistle is to forestall the possibility of apostasy, well worn sermons or arguments that were useful in combating and converting Jews in the first place might wells serve to maintain the faith. The need for the epistle, what we call “the occasion of the epistle,” was the need for confirmation of trust in Jesus as the solution for spiritual instability among some of the Jewish Christians7. For, apparently, some were wavering in their trust, and had failed to mature in the faith and were apparently on the verge of outright apostasy. It is essential to realize that underlying the stifled development of the Jewish Christians, at the center of the raw possibility of apostasy, at the very heart of the possible temptation to return to Judaism, was an unexamined assumption on the part of the recipients. It was the assumption of the fixity and permanence of the Old Testament institutions8. It was the notion, or fear, that the institutions, rather than Messiah, were the fullest and most perfect expression of the Law and God’s will. That is, the Hebrews viewed the Old Testament institutions as ends in themselves, rather than
7 The main object of the epistle is to commend the Christian religion to those who were addressed in it, in such a way as to prevent defection from it. This is done, principally, by showing its superiority to the Mosaic system. The great danger to Jewish Christians was of relapsing into the Jewish system. The imposing nature of its rites; the public sentiment in its favor; the fact of its antiquity, and its undisputed divine origin, would all tend to that end. To counteract this, the writer of this epistle shows that the gospel had higher claims on their attention, and that, if those claims were rejected, ruin was inevitable. In doing this, he begins, in [the first] chapter, by showing the superiority of the Author of Christianity to prophets, and to the angels; that is, that he had a rank that entitled him to the profoundest regard. Later, the author will show that the importance of the Mosaic order was typical and prophetic of Messiah, underscoring the early implication that Messiah is the “last word.”
8 Westcott, p. xl.
8 as types and prophetic placeholders for the Messiah.9 These Jewish Christians may well have been exposed to the Judaizer-like inducements we see in the book of Galatians. But their Jewish heritage would have made the danger far greater than for Gentile Christians. The Judaizer’s message to the Gentiles was something along the lines of “you must first become a Jew before you can become Christian” (i.e., you must accept Jewish rites, including circumcision, in order to be Christians) The Judaizing message to the Jews might have been something like “by accepting this new religion, you are abandoning the God of your cultural and religious heritage” (i.e., you might as well be uncircumcised Gentiles). From the text itself we may surmise that these temptations likely included (1) the maintenance of the Mosaic covenant; (2) allegiance to the great prophet Moses and “his” Law. ( 3) The Jewish heritage and priesthood; and (4) the service of the Temple. These difficulties are met by showing that Jesus was not “against” or “outside” the cherished Jewish institutions, but instead that He was their very fulfillment. Jesus is shown to be superior to all other persons (1:4 – 4:16). His priesthood is shown to be preeminent and final (5:1 – 10:18). Finally, faith receives a definitive treatment by means of explanation and examples (10:19 – 13:19). The conclusion follows (13:20 – 13:25).
Recipients
The recipients of this epistle were most certainly Jewish Christians. Although through the course of time several different entities have been theorized to have been the recipients of the “epistle” to the Hebrews, the overwhelming majority recognizes them to be Jewish Christians. Anything beyond that general designation is less certain. B.F. Westcott believes that they were Jewish nationals in Jerusalem, while F.F. Bruce believes that they were Hellenistic Jews located in Rome. 1. Verses 1:1–2 makes it clear that “we” are converted Jews and that God has at last revealed the fullness of what his prophets had said, by what his son had done. 2. The “foundations” or “elementary principles” of Hebrews 6:1 implies Jewish sensibilities. 3. The book is designed to show the superiority of Jesus to all the Old Testament figures the Jews held dear. 4. The Jews particularly needed this warning because “Judaizers” not only dogged the steps of Paul, but likely could be found in or near every Jewish community and therefore, near every congregation of Jewish Christians. This sort of misunderstanding or zeal would have presented an even greater temptation for the Jews, who might easily have been convinced that they were leaving their Jewish heritage behind. It is interesting to note that the Jewish Rabbis taught that one could easily be received back into fellowship after apostasy from Judaism. So it may have been quite tempting for the Jewish Christians to try to keep one foot in each camp. The author of Hebrews, however points out that apostasy from God’s final answer to the needs of man cannot be remedied.
9 Catholics have a very similar view regarding the Church. They see “The Church” as the measure and definition of Christianity, rather than Christianity as the essence of the Church.
9 5. “Tasting the good word of God,” (6:5) more naturally fits with the Jewish heritage then with Gentile conversion. 6. The whole notion of “apostasy,” which will result in the need for a new redemption is here explicable only in terms of the Jewish return to legalism. 7. The “gathering together” that was not to be “forsaken,” then becomes the Sunday church service. The Jews were, of course, free to worship with, and witness to the Jews in the synagogue, but this was not to be viewed as a substitute for church attendance. 8. The more “advanced teachings” beyond salvation, baptism, and so forth, are those teachings that sharply define and reconcile Old Testament beliefs and stories in terms of the life and work of Jesus, and particularly His present High Priestly office. 9. Insistence that the old covenant had been superseded would have been wasted on any people not already predisposed to honor it and live in accordance with it. 10. There existed some possibility of Jewish converts being lured into apostasy by convincing them to return to their previous condition in a formalistic, legalistic Judaism. As Gentile Christians, we simply cannot be thus tempted; we have no Jewish heritage into which to relapse. However, we may face similar temptations and the best preventive against the possibility of Gentile apostasy is found in the books of Romans and John in the figure of “the vine and the branches.” The same is true today. For despite the fact that Secular Humanism is the established religion in America, because it is not widely recognized as a religion, we do not often hear of Christian apostasy for two reasons. First, because we cannot think of secular humanism is a religion, we simply bring it to church and baptize it, making it part of our “Christianity” (cf. Theistic evolution, “name-it-and-claim-it” materialism, rock ‘n roll “worship” in church services, etc. etc. etc.) therefore, practitioners of such “Christianity” have absolutely no reason to “apostatize” – their churches are doing it for them! Second, true apostasy can only happen to real believers, and there are precious few of those who would ever dream of turning away from God, Jesus, or New Testament salvation. The Jews, on the other hand, especially in Biblical and medieval times, had little visible reason for leaving Judaism. And if they did they suffered overwhelming pressure to return. The families of converts often counted them as dead, and closed off all future relationships with them. The arguments from “tradition” were strong and were met with a deeply ingrained susceptibility to them. When they became Christians there was no taking Talmudic Judaism with them into Christianity. Even the Jews of inquisitorial Spain recognized this fact. And when Jews did convert, it was from one strong, clearly defined religious perspective to another. Hence, they could always experience the emotional and social tug bidding them return.
Destination
But which Jews and where? B.F. Westcott uses the deteriorating condition of the early fellowship between the church and the synagogue as a basis for arguing that the Jewish Christians addressed were residents of Jerusalem or its immediate environs. The eventual recognition that they could no longer innocently devote themselves to Levitical ritual if it obscured or dishonored the teachings of the gospel made a choice between them inevitable. As the disintegration of the now
10 facile, relationship between Jew and Christian quickened with the approach of the confrontation between the Jews and the Romans, many recognized that a choice between church and synagogue was now imminent. It is no small point, but because of the nature of the wider Jewish community, the Jews, wherever they may have been found in the “dispersion,” would have been keenly aware of this dynamic. F.F. Bruce makes a strong case for Hellenistic Jews on the basis of such nonconformist practices as ceremonial washings, which seem to have gone beyond those prescribed in the Old Testament. Furthermore, the Judaism of the recipients seems to have been more “Biblical” than that of the Pharisees. But on the other hand an enclave of Jewish Christians would have had adequate time to become more “Biblical” than their pharisaical kinsman. Furthermore, it is not necessary that the readers were Hellenistic; Bruce himself notes the exodus of Jews from Jerusalem after the stoning of Stephen.10 Bruce, who thinks the destination was Rome rather than Jerusalem, notes that the author, when he refers to his readers’ history of “ministering to the saints” eliminates Jerusalem as the destination of the epistle. For throughout the apostolic period, the believers in Jerusalem were the recipients of such, and not the donors. In regard to the case of the recipients being Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, Westcott notes that “the conclusion which has been reached is not beyond doubt, but satisfies the conditions of the problem most simply11. And in the end, Bruce joins Westcott in admitting uncertainty. “Certainty,” he says, on the destination of the epistle “is unattainable in the present state of our knowledge.”12 Of the many various theories put forth, the ones most thoroughly supported by Biblical evidence is the Jewish community in Rome or Jerusalem at a date before 65 A.D. And although the author could have been a person otherwise totally unknown, both Apollos and Barnabas are strong contenders as the author of the epistle.
Date
We will assume that the epistle was written by Apollos or (less likely) by Barnabas in the years between 49 and 64 AD to a small community of Hebrew Christians who maintained their connection with the local synagogue of Rome but who also met for Christian services in one or more “house’ churches. In general terms it is reasonable to assume that few of the New Testament texts could have been written after the fall of Jerusalem unless it were a very long time after the fall and the audience was not personally aware of its apologetic importance (the young, the new Christians, Gentiles). Thus nearly all the New Testament writings must have been completed before the fall of Jerusalem, John alone excepted.
10 Bruce, p. xxxi
11 Westcott, p.xii
12 Bruce, p. xxxv.
11 Just as the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ provide the defining moment in Christian thought, so the destruction of the Temple was the pivotal historical point for Talmudic Judaism. An event so monumental would have had huge apologetic implications for Christian writers. Only John seems to have written after the fall of the temple, and he wrote between 15 and 25 years later to an audience preponderantly Gentile, yet including Jews already aware of the fulfilled prophecy about the destroyed Temple, and for whom the apologetic value of the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy concerning the fate of the Temple would already have been noted. The earliest possible date for the epistle would be a few years afer the expulsion of the Jews (and Jewish Christians) from Rome by Claudius in 49 AD. This expulsion (in about 49 AD, according to Suetonius13) resulted in Prisca and Aquila meeting Paul in Ephesus in about 50 AD. After three or four years, the Jewish population may have begun once again to increase in Rome. By the year 60. There was probably again a thriving Jewish (Christian) community in Rome. Additionally, there would have been in such a situation, a growing political reason to give up Christianity and return to Judaism, namely the restoration and maintenance of peace within the community, the destruction of which likely had resulted in the expulsion in the first place. However, the date was probably somewhat later than this, because the author notes that both he and his readers were “second generation” converts to Christianity. The latest date possible for the Epistle to the Hebrews is ca. 63 A.D. For after 64 AD, the author could not have said to his readers “you have not yet suffered unto blood” – for this was the year of Nero’s bloody attack upon the Church. And there simply would not have been any need for it after the war between Rome and Jerusalem broke out. It is even more unthinkable that it was written after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. By then, whatever issues were in need of resolution between Christian and Jew, had been forced to closure one way or the other. And the rabbinic, “Talmudic” Judaism that was left would not have commended itself to those deeply attached to the levitical institutions, no matter where they resided. Westcott believes that the date of the epistle is narrowly fixed between 64 and 67 AD. This is based upon the assumption that the text was addressed to Jerusalem. On this basis, two facts from within the text supply the date. The first is the notice that most of the firsthand witnesses to the birth of Christianity had passed away, and that both the author and most of his audience had heard the message “second hand.” (Cf. Hebrews 2:3 and 13:7.) The second factor is that the levitical services of the Temple are still being observed, making a date later than about 67 AD impossible. Bruce, assuming a Roman destination for the Epistle, places the date in the neighborhood of 64 A.D. near the Roman “persecution” of the Jews within the city. This would mean that the expulsion of the Jews from Rome in 49 AD was perhaps unpleasant, but as noted, had not been “persecution unto blood” (cf. Hebrews 12:4). If we understand “not unto blood” literally, we may apply it to the Roman Church just prior to 64 AD, but we may not apply it to the Jerusalem Church after the stoning of Stephen in ca. 33 AD. It is interesting to note, in this regard, that the Church of Rome was the last place to “accept” the notion of Pauline authorship of the epistle, most likely because the author was well known to the original readers (hence no need for a salutation) and they knew it was not Paul.
13 Suetonius, Claudius 25.4.
12 Canonicity
Both Jerome and Augustine urged Pauline authorship for Hebrews out of a concern for its inclusion in the canon. Neither of them truly thought that Paul had written the Epistle himself, as is made clear from remarks they recorded in other contexts.
Language
It has been suggested that Hebrews was perhaps originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic, then translated into Greek by Luke (whose Greek was certainly good enough) or by Clement of Rome. But even if the letter had originally been sent to a Jewish Christian congregation in Jerusalem, it would more likely have been in Greek than in Aramaic. It almost certainly would not have been composed in Hebrew, because there were very few in Jerusalem at that time who knew Hebrew. Based upon Hebrews itself, Westcott notes that “The vocabulary, the style, the rhetorical characteristics of the work all lead to the same conclusion. It is (for example) impossible to imagine any Aramaic phrase which could have suggested to a translator the opening clause of the epistle . . . and similar difficulties offer themselves throughout the book in the free and masterly use of compound words which have no Aramaic equivalence.”14 “A still more decisive proof that the Greek text is original lies in the fact that the quotations from the O.T. are all (except Heb 10:30 as quoted from Deuteronomy 32:35) taken from the LXX, even when the LXX differs from the Hebrew . . . . And arguments are based on peculiarities of the LX X, so that the quotations cannot have been first introduced in the translation from Aramaic to Greek.”15
General Content of the Epistle
Like John, the author of Hebrews begins with the divine nature and eternal being of the son of God. Only later does the tacit identity of the son of God with the earthly Messiah become explicit. The author demonstrates that the sun is a superior person, with a superior priesthood, in a superior tabernacle and that he provides a superior covenant, one from which apostasy is irremediable, and which is entered and maintained solely by patient trust in the superior and efficacious nature of those things.
1. Whether “Orthodox” Jews converted to Christianity, Hellenistic Jewish Christians, or Gentile Christians, and whether they were in Jerusalem, Rome, Ephesus, or elsewhere, virtually all commentators agree that the recipients of the Epistle to the Hebrews were in fact Christians.
14 Westcott, p. xxxiv.
15 Westcott, p. xxxiv.
13 2. All of the warnings of the early chapters of Hebrews concern the abandonment of faith, or the neglect of faith, not an initial lack of faith.
3. The several admonitions contained in the early chapters urge the readers to “consider” the teachings of Jesus, not to “neglect” oe “disregard” their salvation, to “hold fast” to the end, to “take heed” of the message etc.
4. The extensive and repeated use of the example of the Israelites in the wilderness demonstrate not a lack of salvation but a deliberate departure from the God of salvation.
5. This leaves but one conclusion to draw, i.e., the concern uppermost in the mind of the author is the potential for, and the near approach of, apostasy. Hebrews is a work on apostasy, judgment, and keeping the faith. Prevention is the only effective disposition with regard to apostasy.
We may justly claim that the Epistle to the Hebrews might well be subtitled Reasons and Methods for the Prevention of Apostasy.
A Working Hypothesis
As a result of the spread of Christianity from Pentecost and the further impetus to its spread provided by the stoning of Stephan, it seems reasonable to assume the early existence of a Church at Rome centered around a nucleus of Jewish Christians. Paul did not found the Church at Rome, but wished to “impart to” them “some spiritual gift” (Romans 1:11) This he did with the book of Romans. After the expulsion of the Jews from Rome (ca. 48-49 AD) Prisca and Aquilla settled in Corinth, met Paul, and took Apollos under their wing. He (or perhaps Barnabas) later addressed the epistle to a “house” Church at Rome that, even though now more Gentile, still had a nucleus of conservative, “Biblical” Jews. It was to this enclave of conservative Jews (or perhaps to several such) who still clung to the ideals of a more conservative Judaism, and who were now experiencing social and political pressure, that the epistle was sent. The fact that the book of Hebrews was written to Christian Jews is the single most important feature for understanding the book. The book may have met with difficulty being recognized as canonical as much because it spoke to the needs of early Jewish Christians rather than those that beset specifically Gentile believers, as it did because of its anonymity. Another important point in interpreting Hebrews is that it’s flow of thought is tightly controlled. It is not a series of independent thoughts held together by wonderful transition sentences. Typical outlines of Hebrews stress the importance of maintaining the superiority of Jesus to Moses and the Angels and so forth. But these very ideas themselves serve a larger purpose. The response of the Hebrews in the wilderness to God’s provision and expectations are intended to provide a warning for possibly greater apostasy among the Jewish followers of Jesus. After a few introductory verses, apostasy quickly becomes the over-riding subject, with interest, not in correcting it, but in avoiding it, treated repeatedly until 6:4-6, where it receives its final condemnation and judgment. Even the “faith chapter,” Hebrews 11, is nothing more than an
14 explication of the avoidance of apostasy carefully counter poised against Chapter 3, the explication of the cause of apostasy. Observed carefully, the guiding point of Hebrews is that neglected salvation atrophies and may ultimately result in apostasy for which there is no cure. Virtually every subject covered by the book of Hebrews whether it is the description of the Son of Man in Chapter one, or the catalog of the men of faith in Chapter eleven, take their strength from this overriding thought. Faith neglected, or “disregarded, is faith forgotten. And faith forgotten may well become faith renounced. This is seen clearly in the Jewish-Christian milieu implied in the book of Hebrews. Indeed, the supplied title of the work might well be The Testimony of God to the Hebrews. But is there no juncture or interface with Gentile Christians? Is there no application to be made to other Christians of other ages and cultures? All Christians can learn and profit from the truths taught here. But this gain comes from the readers’ positive identification with the recipients of the work as Christians, not by identification with them as Jews. We get the doctrinal benefit of the teaching, but without the necessity of identifying with the Jewish culture of the first readers.
A Note on Method
The Greek text is taken from the second edition of The Greek New Testament edited by Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Carlo M. Martini, Bruce M. Metzger, and Alan Wickman, modified only by such changes as textual criticism dictates. Generally, our textual criticism agrees with that of Metzger. However the operative philosophy for our work has little regard for external evidence, attempting to solve all problems on the basis of the internal evidence. When this is not possible, the text of the most reliable and earliest the papyri are selected. No appeal is made to the supposed “text families,” textual genealogies, or majority text ideals. This leaves very few disagreements with Metzger, and where we are in agreement Metzger’s work is quoted. Disagreement with Metzger is followed by the argument justifying our selection of a reading.
When grammatical anomalies or unusual constructions appear standard grammatical works are consulted as a means of determining the best translation. Similarly, standard works are consulted for historical and literary backgrounds in order to shed more light on the translation. Our translation is compared diligently with other well-known and more or less sound translations. This includes the Authorized Version, or the King James, the American Revised Version, the Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard Version, and the New International Version, to name the most prominent.
Following the translation are segments of explication, or commentary. The commentary is followed by a section on the theological and ethical implications of the text and another section on the devotional or psychological aspects of the text. Other major works are consulted in these areas as well.
At last a paraphrase of the text is produced. This is an attempt to provide a text that will have the same emotional, intellectual, and spiritual impact the original text had on the original readers. It
15 incorporates all of the material that has gone before, including historical backgrounds, literary devices and so forth.
16 Basic Outline of Hebrews
I. The Son of God Introduced (Hebrews 1:1-2:18).
A. 1:1 – 4 A Functional Definition of the Son of God.
B. 1:5 – 14 Jesus is greater than the Angels. Cf. Psalms 2:7, 2 Samuel 7:14, Psalms 45:6 – 7, Psalms 102:23 – 27, Psalms 110:1.
a. 1:5-9 The Son’s relationship to God compared to that of the angels.
b. 1:10-12 The Son as eternal Creator of all that is temporal.
c. 1:13-14 The ministry of the eternal King compared to those of the angels.
C. 2:1 – 4 First Warning: Hold fast. How can we escape if we neglect this salvation?
D. 2:5 – 9 Man (and thus especially Jesus) was made a little lower than the angels, yet the creation is to be subject to Him. Cf. Ps 8:4 – 6. But it is not yet so, i.e..”we see it not.” (Empirical vs. Promise.).
E. 2:10 – 18 Jesus became a man in order to save his brothers through His office as High Priest. Cf. Ps 22:22, Isaiah 8:17 (LXX).
a. 2:10-13 His witness.
b. 2:14-18 His humanity
II. The Destination of True Believers
A. 3:1 – 6 Jesus was greater than Moses. [Moses was no High Priest]
B. 3:7 – 11 Moses’ followers “provoked” God and did not reach their destination.
C. 3:12 – 15 Second Warning: beware lest you fall.
D. 3:16 – 19 Moses’ followers’ provocation of God was their rejection of their faith (trust).
E. 4:1 – 8 Except by analogy, God’s rest is not life in the promised land, and comes to those who trust His word. For in David’s day (after Israel had been in the promised land for centuries) there was still sin, and lack of faith – but the promise was restated. Cf. Ps 95:11. Genesis 2:2, Ps 95:7-8.
17 F. 4:9 – 16 The Great High Priest has entered the Holy of Holies
a. 4:9-13 Third Warning: Enter God’s rest rather than put Him to a test.
b. 4:14-16 Have confidence in our High Priest
F. 5:1 – 4 The purpose of the High Priest. Cf. Exodus 28:1, Numbers 16:40.
G. 5:5 – 10 Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. )Cf. Ps 2:7, Ps 110:4) Genesis14:18-15:6.
[Continue reading at Heb 7:1 to show the flow of thought concerning Melchizedek. Then come back to 5:12 ff. Doing so will illuminate what the author means by 1. his teaching on Melchizedek to “be difficult to explain;” 2. “leaving the basics;” and 3. “not laying again the foundations.”
III. 5:11 – 6:2 Major Parenthetical: Analogy of Milk and solid food. The unsuitability of meat for the immature.
A. 5:11 – 5:14 Maturity, Perseverance and Faith required for growth and to avoid Apostasy.
B. 6:1 – 2 “Therefore,” leaving the basic principles (cf. 5:12), we will press on.
C. 6:3-6 For Apostasy has no remedy and is final!
D. 6:7 – 12 Encouragement to Perseverance.
a. 6:7-8 Analogy of Good and Bad Soil
b. 6:9-12 Direct address to Readers.
c. 6:9-10 Encouragement.
d. 6:11 Admonition.
e. 6:12 Anticipation of the “Faith Chapter,” Heb 11.
f. 6:13-20 Sure Promise
IV. 7:1-28 The Priesthood of Melchizedek
A. 7:1-3 The Priestly Order of Melchizedek, a Type of Christ
B. 7:4-8:6 Melchizedek’s Priesthood greater than Aaron’s
18 a. 7:4-10 Because Aaron paid tithes in Abraham (corporate personality)
b. 7:11-22 Aaronic Priesthood made nothing Perfect (cf. Paul’s teaching on the Law)
c. 7:23-28 Aaronic Priests died – Christ Lives
V. 8:1-10:18 The Superior Covenant, Tabernacle, and Sacrifice.
A. 8:1-6 The Aaronic Priesthood is a Shadow of Christ’s, which serves a better covenant.
B. 8:7-13 Because Christ mediates a superior covenant, superceding the Old Covenant.
C. 9:1-5 The Sanctuary under the Old Covenant.
D. 9:6-10 The Old Ritual but temporary.
E. 9:11-15 Eternal Redemption.
F. 9:16-22 The Mediator and Covenant.
G. 9:23-28 The Perfect Sacrifice.
H. 10:1-4 The Old Economy but a Shadow of Reality.
I. 10:5-10 The New Order is heavenly, Eternal.
J. 10:11-14 The Perfect Sacrifice.
K. 10:15-18 Perfect Remission ends the need for Sin Offerings.
VI. 10:19-12:29 Worship, Faith, and Perseverance.
A. 10:19-25 Access to God.
B. 10:26-31 Admonition against Apostasy.
C. 10:32-39 Perseverance.
D. 11:1-3 Faith Defined.
E. 11:4-7 The Examples of the Antediluvians.
F. 11:8-12 The Examples of Abraham and Sarah.
19 G. 11:13-16 The City of God.
H. 11:17-22 The Examples of Other Patriarchs.
I. 11:23-31 The Examples from Moses, the Exodus, and the Settlement.
J. 11:32-38 Later Examples.
K. 11:39-40 The Vindication of the Faith.
L. 12:1-2 Witnesses and Finality.
M. 12:3-8 Sons of God’s Discipline.
N. 12:9-11 Our Human Father’s Discipline.
O. 12:12-17 Admonition: Live Righteously, Avoid Apostasy.
P. 12:18-24 Earthly Sinai and Heavenly Zion.
Q. 12:25-29 Hearken to God’s Voice.
VII. 13:1-16 Concluding Exhortation.
A. 13:1-7 Ethical Injunctions.
B. 13:8-9 Contemporary Examples to Follow.
C. 13:10-16 True Christian Sacrifice.
D. 13:17-19 Proper Relationship to Leaders.
13:20-25 Concluding Prayer, Doxology, personal Notes and Benediction.
A. 13:20-21 Prayer for God’s work in Believers.
B. 13:22 Exhortation to Perseverance.
C. 13:23 Note concerning the Release of Timothy.
D. 13:24 Greeting from those of Italy.
E. 13:25 Benediction.
20 FIRST PERICOPE (Hebrews 1:1-4)
1:1 Polumerw'" kaiV polutrovpw" pavlai oJ qeoV" lalhvsa" toi'" patravsin ejn toi'" profhvtai" 2 ejp' ejscavtou tw'n hJmerw'n touvtwn ejlavlhsen hJmi'n ejn uiJw'/, o}n e[qhken klhronovmon pavntwn, di' ou| kaiV ejpoivhsen touV" aijw'na": 3 o}" w]n ajpauvgasma th'" dovxh" kaiV carakthVr th'" uJpostavsew" aujtou', fevrwn te taV pavnta tw'/ rJhvmati th'" dunavmew" aujtou', kaqarismoVn tw'n aJmartiw'n poihsavmeno" ejkavqisen ejn dexia'/ th'" megalwsuvnh" ejn uJyhloi'", 4 tosouvtw/ kreivttwn genovmeno" tw'n ajggevlwn o{sw/ diaforwvteron par' aujtouV" keklhronovmhken o[noma.
A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM
1:3. kaqarismoVn is supported by “early” uncials a, A, B, D, et alia and the Vulgate. Internal evidence includes the fact that it is the shortest reading and it is the most difficult reading. Both of the other variants appear to be glosses meant to explain the middle voice of the participle. di' ejautou kaqarismoVn is supported in the earliest citations by Christian writers including Origen, Athanasius, Chrysystom. Augustine, et alia. Moreover it has more witnesses than the other two readings, although they are late. Internal evidence is mostly negative, for the expression “by himself” makes explicit what is implied in the middle voice of the participle. Thus it would appear to be an addition to the text meant either to serve as an explanation of reading one, or a “correction” of reading three. di* aujtou' kaqarismoVn is supported by the early uncial p 46, the oldest papyrus witness. The internal evidence is again negative and includes what appears to be an added expression “by him” which makes explicit, or perhaps limits, the middle voice of the participle. It is conceivable that this reading was original and part of the authors style.
As usual, external evidence must yield to internal evidence so we must regard reading number one as most likely authentic.
B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES
1:1 Polumerw'" (adverb) A. 1. Consisting of many parts; 2. Manifold; 3. Of divers kinds; 4. Variety B. 1. Pieces; 2. Parts; 3. Portions; 4. Ways; 5. Kinds.
1:1 polutrovpw" (adverb) many or various kinds, or manners.
1:1 pavlai – “of old time” or “of old,” not simply “formerly.”
1:1 Prophet – one who speaks forth, speaks out, or declares; of revelation or interpretation.
21 Generally human, but “the heavens declare his handiwork” can make the heavens “a prophet,” figuratively speaking. Besides the Prophets, properly understood, the author of Hebrews uses psalms, the Law, and various people not usually thought of as prophets in this sense, for the purpose of heightening the contrast. Too literal a use of the word “prophet” would destroy the contrast of the old and the new, for Jesus was Himself a prophet In Hebrews, the term “prophets” points toward fulfillment and Jesus is that fulfillment. They function as type and antitype, a device that is characteristic of Hebrews.
1:2 e[qhken (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from tivqhmi) I. active and passive 1. put, place, lay; a. generally lay (away), set up, put (away) b. special expressions – bend the knee, kneel down; Place before someone, serve; put aside, store up, deposit; take off, remove; Give (up); make up (your) minds.– Present 2. make; appoint. II. middle 1. put, place, lay – a. arrange, fix, establish, set, put. b. they kept in mind (but the same expression in the 2nd sing. contrive in your mind). Similarly, resolve – 2. make; reach, destine or appoint.
1:2 klhronovmon (noun, accusative, masculine, singular) Heir, both literally and figuratively.
1:2 aijw'na" (noun, accusative, masculine, plural) 1. very long time, eternity: in the past, earliest times, ages long past Lk 1:70; since the world began J 9:32. In the future to eternity, in perpetuity J 6:51, 58. forevermore Ro 16:27; Hb 13:21. 2. age, era: this present (evil) age (the people of the world); the (happy) age to come. 3. world, material universe. 4. the Aeon, a powerful evil spirit, Eph 2:2; perhaps Col 1:26. In this passage, the word refers to an order which is in development throughout time and of necessity includes the physical realm. The term “universe” might be used here but for the fact that the notion of development through time is missing and because the Greek had a perfectly suitable term for universe, i.e., cosmos.
It has been rightly noted that with the use of this word, the author “may very well reflect the deeply rooted Jewish conviction that God is the God of history, who directs the flow of history as well as brings the material universe into being.”16 This would imply that Christ is the moving force of history.
1:3 ajpauvgasma (noun, nominative, neuter, singular) Active, radiance, effulgence, passive, reflection; the active is prob. preferable here.
1:3 carakthVr (noun, nominative, masculine, singular) reproduction, (exact) representation. [English derivative: Character]
“The word is found in Herodotus (1:16) indicating distinguishing features, whether material or immaterial, inhering in any object or person; it denotes the traits by which we recognize something
16 Richards, p. 553.
22 as being what it is.”17 Thus, it first denoted the essence of the original, from which the likeness came. But soon, because of the exact likeness of the copy, it came to describe the copy upon which the likeness was imposed, Thus, we pass from the notion “of the essence of the original,” to that of “the character” of the recipient, or copy.
1:3 uJpostavsew" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) 1. substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality. 2. undertaking, project.
1:3 rJhvmati, (noun, dative, neuter, singular) 1. that which is said, word, saying, expression; threat; 2. thing, object, matter, event.
1:3 dunavmew" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) – power, might, strength, force; Ability, capability, meaning. Specialized senses – deed of power, miracle; Force in a military sense. Power as a divine being or angel [English derivative: dynamite].
1:3 kaqarismoVn (noun, accusative, masculine, singular) purification. The term is more often used as a legal technical term (Lk 2:27; 5:14, Mk 1:44, Jn 2:6; 3:25). It is rarely used in reference to sin, and is perhaps found here to prefigure the distinction between the final purification and that which was available through the Aaronic purifications. This, of course, is dealt with later at length. [English derivative: Catharsis]
This purification carries the sense of the legal technical term as it applies to the entire range of sin, i.e., to sin as particular acts, as well as to sin as the basic human condition and predisposition, and that before God Himself, rather than before a priest. This is of the very essence of the Christian church, all hindrance to the approach to God having been removed.
1:3 ejkavqisen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, singular) 1. trans. cause to sit down, seat, set ; appoint. 2. intransitive sit down; rest; settle, stay, live. [English derivative: cathedral.]
1:3 megalwsuvnh" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) majesty. As a periphrasis for God, Majesty
1:3 uJyhloi'"( adjective, normal, dative, neuter, plural) high 1. lit. high, uplifted; 2. fig. exalted, proud, haughty.
1:4 kreivttwn (adjective, normal, nominative, masculine, singular, comparative) good, beneficial; 1. of persons: of God perfect, complete; morally good, upright, exceptional; of Christ; of people; kind, benevolent, beneficent. 2. of things: fertile; sound; beneficial, wholesome; helpful; prosperous, happy; clear; firm; dependable. Better. 3. neut., used as a noun what is good in a moral sense. Good deeds. Advantage. Goods, property.
1:4 diaforwvteron (adjective, normal, accusative, neuter, singular, comparative) different;
17 Westcott, p. 12.
23 outstanding, excellent.
1:4 keklhronovmhken (verb, perfect, active, indicative, 3rd, singular) 1. inherit, be an heir. 2. acquire, obtain, come into possession of. Receive, share in. The perfect tense lays stress upon the present and complete possession of the name which was inherited. This indicates that what had been proposed in eternity was realized when redemption was accomplished.
C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES
Hebrews 1:1-4 is an example of what is known as a “period.” It is an artfully arranged series of numerous clauses and phrases into an well rounded unity. The great prose writers of Greek were conversant with this form, but in the New Testament they are to be found almost exclusively in Luke’s Prologue to his Gospel and in the book of Hebrews. This period is especially interesting, for in it, the author sets up a parallelism of five major points that will, in verses 5-14, be revisited and expanded. I. In verse 2 we are introduced to the Son. This is further explained in verse 5. II. He is shown to be divine and worthy of worship in verse 3. This is given a fuller explication in verses 6-8. III. In verse 2, He is shown to be the creator. This is expanded in verses 10-12. IV. In verse 3 He is said to have sat down at the right hand of Majesty on high. In verse 13, the explicit invitation to do so is quoted. V. And at last, in verse 4 He is said to have inherited a greater name than the angels. Verse 13, in more closely defining the mission of the angels, in contrast to all that has gone before, shows why this is so.
1:2 The anarthrous construction (spoke to us . . . in Son) emphasizes the character rather than the person of The Son. It carries an almost adjectival idea. The contrast is clear enough from the context, but English rarely uses such an idiom. Whereas in the past, God has spoken in bits and pieces through myriad specifics, He has now delivered His final word, not by messenger, but by Son. While this brings out the nature of Son, it does so by ignoring the specificity of THE prophets. The contrast is clearly between speaking through THE prophets and (by means) of Son. Westcott has well noted “we should lose as much by omitting the article before” the word prophets, in verse 1, “as by inserting it here.”18
1:2 The use of a plural for a singular may occur with the word (aijw'na") translated “world” in the RSV as “ages” in Young’s Literal Translation and as “universe” in the NIV. “Worlds” is not likely the best translation, because we really do not know of any world but our own. “Ages” works better, because we do know of other ages (as we define them) through history and prophecy. But when used in the plural, the word often denotes eternity, a singular concept. Nor can we easily disentangle the sense of “world” and “age.” Universe catches something of the comprehensive meaning, but had the author wanted to say that, he would most likely have used the word “cosmos.” Whether singular or plural, a system of some sort seems to be in view.
18 Westcott, p. 7.
24 1:3 te – enclitic particle – shows that the divine behavior of the Son is a manifestation of His nature. That is, what he does is a function of who He is. It is therefore important to realize that this word does not introduce a coordinate statement, but a dependent statement.
1:3 Hebraism: His word of power = His powerful word. The adjectival sense is often provided by a noun.
1:4 “So much superior to the messengers” seems to be a Hebraism. It is literally “so much excellent of the messengers” and corresponds to the Hebrew use of the positive adjective plus the genitive construct to show comparative degree.
1:4 Correlative clauses marked by “tosouvtw/ . . . o{sw/”. “By so much . . . by as much . . . ,” or “by as much as, . . . by just as much as . . .”
D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Miracles, personae (angel of the lord), voices (Baalam’s ass, burning bush, whirlwind), phenomena (pillars of smoke and fire), Law, Tabernacle, types, Psalms, and prophecies, are some of the “many parts” through which God worked and “spoke” in times past. Cf. 2 Pet 1:19-21.
It would be a mistake to think that commands and teachings that were written down, that is, the writing per se, were the only examples of God speaking to the fathers, for He speaks through events as well. Indeed, the author of Hebrews will quote from the Psalms as well as from other, more “conventional” texts. But perhaps the most significant treatment in the whole text concerns the brief teaching of the Old Testament concerning Melchizedek. Melchizedek’s name occurs but twice in the Old Testament (Genesis 14:18 and Psalm 110:4). We are introduced to Melchizedek in three verses (Genesis 14:18-20). In Psalm 110:4 we learn nothing about Melchizedek, but that there will arise one who is a priest “like” melchizedek.
Chain: Inspiration (1:1) – Exo 4:14-16, 2 Tim 3:16. Image of God (1:3) – 2 Cor 4:4, Col 1:15
E. TRANSLATION
1:1 In many parts and by various means having spoken of old to the fathers in the prophets, God 2 spoke in these last days to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom, also, He created the ages, 3 who, being the effulgence of His glory and the exact representation of His essence [being; reality, substance] , and [so, thus] upholding all things by the word of His power, [and] having Himself made purification of sins, sat down on he right hand of majesty on high; 4 by having become so much superior to the messengers, He inherited a name as much more excellent than theirs.
25 F. EXPOSITION
A keener appreciation of Hebrews 1 can be realized by noting that the parallels comprising verses 1-4 succinctly state topics that will be expanded in the following verses by means of comparison taken from these “various means.” Thus, we are immediately shown the nature of the comparisons to be made: The Son, as opposed to the “many parts” and “various means” (e.g., prophets and angels) – 1:1-2; the identity of the Son as heir (1:2), creator and sustainer (2-3), savior (1:3), and His present session at God’s right hand (1:3). Verse 1:4 introduces the further definitions by means of their relationships, a) to God, b) to each other, and c) to man. These identities are expanded in the rest of the chapter by means of quoting from the record left us by these “many parts,” and “various means.”
1:1-4. In the first two verses we see what may be termed three and a half contrasts. The three contrasts that are resolved juxtapose the fathers with us, the prophets with his son, and in times past with these last days. The “half contrast” is set up with the first three words of the text. In “many parts” and by “various means” comprise the types that will be contrasted throughout the rest of the epistle with the complete and singular revelation of the antitype which comprise the person and ministries of God’s son, Jesus Christ. Indeed, the entire book of Hebrews is built upon, and is defined by, this contrast. The singularity of the antitype, Jesus, is implied in the fact that the son is “heir of all things,” and the one “by whom He made the cosmos.”
This introductory passage is, then, a summary of the contrasts between the preparatory character of the messages “of old,” and the final work revealed in Christ.
1:1 “In many parts and by various means . . .” Contrary to the KJV (“at sundry times”), time is not at issue here; that is handled in the contrasting terms “of old” and “these last days.” The point begun here is that God has spoken in many particulars, and by various means. These terms are not in contrast to each other; they are complementary. They are in contrast to the singular revelation in “[His] Son.”
God spoke in “parts,” such as covenants, dispensations, laws, praise and judgments. And He spoke in ways as diverse as a burning bush, a whirlwind, pillars of smoke and fire, sacrifices, types, prophets, and by many other means.
1:1 “ . . . having spoken of old to the fathers in the prophets, . . .” The three complete contrasts are introduced here. They are 1. “of old,” 2. “to the fathers,” and 3. “by the prophets.” God is the central figure in this array of contrasts.
1:2 “ . . . God spoke in these last days to us in His son . . .” i.e..”at the end of these days.” The phrase recalls the Old Testament phrase rendered by the Septuagint as “in the latter days,” The three introductory contrasts are completed in the expressions 1. “these last days,” 2. “to us,” and 3. “in His Son.”
26 It should be noted that the Greek text reads “in Son.” This is a deliberate contrast between the nature of the prophets and the Son. They were finite, numbered, partial, and preparatory. That which we receive “in Son,” is qualitative, complete, whole and finished. English does not so often use such an idiom, and we require the addition of a word to closely define “Son.” Thus we supply either the word “the” or the word “His.”
1:2 “ . . . whom He appointed heir of all things, . . .” The end for which all things were created was to belong to the Son.
1:2 “ . . . through whom, also, He created the ages, . . .” It was the Son, after all, who created them. The Son was, then, both the agent of creation and the appointed inheritor of all things
The person of the Son, as the final revelation of God, is here shown in His eternal status; he is said to be both the “creator” and the “Heir” of all things. And the notion of being the Son implies that of being the heir. The image of being an heir seems to be based on Psalm 2:8, and is recognized in Matthew 21:38 where there is a contrast drawn between “servants” and “the Son.” The notion of being the heir in this case does not depend on death, but upon eternal right.
1:3 “ . . . who, being the effulgence of His glory . . .” represents the Son as being the physical, temporal reproduction or representation of a spiritual, immaterial, eternal Being. The “shining forth of,” or “flashing forth of” God’s glory in the Son emphasizes God as the source of the Son’s unbroken relationship with the Father. The partial revelation of God’s Glory in the Old Testament was the Shekinah (Exo 24:16, Psa 85:9; cf. Rom 9:4, 2 Pet 1:7). Then, God’s glory was present in His Messiah!
The idea here is not that of displaying some of the glory, or reflecting a portion of God’s character, but being the full brightness of that glory by containing all of it. The Son is the full revelation and the entire brightness of the Father.
1:3 “ . . . and the exact representation of His essence [being; reality, substance], . . .” That is, the personality of Jesus bearing the exact imprint , or representation, of God’s character.
1:3 “ . . . and [so, thus] upholding all things . . .” Here we pass from what the Son is to what He does. The particle te maintains the relationship of the preceding with what follows. Because the Son is what He is, He is able to do what He does. Because the Son is the display of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s essence, or character, He upholds (or maintains) “all things.” Hence, we pass from the Son’s eternal character to His work within the temporal and finite.
This is not of some mere static upholding, but of a temporal element as well. It is not a case of merely keeping matter in place, but of working all temporal things to their conclusion. It is not merely maintaining the nature of the creation, but the purpose of creation as well.
27 1:3 “ . . . by the word of His power, . . .” i.e., the word in which his power finds its19 manifestation. The choice of rJhvmati rather than lovgo" denotes the particular action of Providence.
1:3 " . . . [and] having Himself made purification of sins, . . ." "having made" represents temporal work that was undertaken and is now completed, or finished, and stands in contrast to the Son’s continuous and uninterrupted "being" the effulgence of God’s glory, and exact representation of his essence, but also to his continuous "upholding" of all things. We have seen the Son in His essence, i.e., what He is, in His continuing office, i.e., what He does, and, beginning here, in His achievement, i.e., what He has achieved, or finished completely.
It must be remembered that Jesus did not make purification of sins by the exercise of some great power or authority. There was no miracle; there was no magic. Jesus "himself" became sin for us. He brought the salvation in His own person.
This clause is the first of two that demonstrate the Son’s assumption of sovereign power. Being who He is and doing what He does, He yet demonstrated his sovereignty to us by what He has done, i.e., the temporal acts he has finished once and for all. He "made purification of sins." And this purification of sins was legally satisfactory. Having done so, He . . .
1:3 " . . . sat down on the right hand of majesty on high;" The expression is figurative; He took the place to which He was appointed, i.e., to the first place in dignity and honor. The picture presented in these words is one of a person so important as to be essential to the King, who has relied upon him for faithful service. Having completed His work, He now takes His rightful place.
Being seated is an honor, for others must stand. At the "right-hand" is the place of utmost honor. So the Son, having accomplished his work, takes the position of utmost honor to which He was appointed. The Majesty on high is, of course, God himself.
1:4 "by having become so much superior to the messengers, . . .” This is without question the reference to his work during his incarnation. We have moved from his eternal nature to his continuous work to the finished work of his incarnation.
The word "messengers" is usually translated "angels," but in this context, speaking as it does of "many parts" and "by various means," including "prophets," to translate the term "angels" would prove too abrupt a transition. The transition occurs only in translation, not in the original Greek, for the same word soon is used of those messengers who are indeed Angels, as the context will make clear.
1:4 " . . . He inherited a name as much more excellent than theirs." "The name" probably refers to the title "Son of God," but it must include all that He revealed of himself to man. Such notions as creator, sovereign, Son, would certainly be included, or intimated in this passage. But the name
19 Westcott, p. 14.
28 “Jesus” (Savior) cannot be forgotten, and that name, almost emphasized by its deliberate omission, was likely in the mind of every reader.
The perfect tense of “he inherited,” stresses the present (and eternal) possession of the name “inherited” by Christ at his ascension.
G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
We see in this brief introduction that the author of Hebrews has very deliberately produced a narrative in which (1) Christ is presented in three aspects, namely, the eternal Son, the incarnate Son, and the exalted Son, (2) the unity of the Son in these aspects, and (3) the unity of the Son’s work in creation, redemption, and the consummation of all things. It would be exceedingly difficult to pack more than this into four short verses. Put another way. We see the Son as (1) eternal (heir of creation and the radiance of his character), as creator (the creator who “upholds all things”) and (3) as He who accomplished our redemption (who made purification and sat down at God’s right hand).
The reader is prepared immediately for a development, completion, or contrast of the old order with the new. The contrasts add emphasis to what will be developed under the new covenant. Christ is the full, complete, singular revelation. By implication, He must be the last, or final, revelation.
The use of the word w]n (being) guards against any notion that adoption is a temporal occurrence. It affirms the permanence of the divine essences of Jesus as God’s Son prior to, in, and subsequent to His historical work. The word “character” indicates that in the Son we see the perfect representation of the divine essence, or being. The glory of God is expressed in the Son as its “effulgence” while the essence of God is expressed in Him as His character. Thus, what the son has always been, becomes physically visible and temporally explicable (to a degree) in his incarnation, but it neither begins nor ends there.
It is noteworthy that the Lord is referred to, even in so brief a passage as this introduction, in His threefold office as prophet, priest, and king. We are told that 1. God “spake in His Son,” 2. that He (the Son) made purification of sins, and 3. that He sat down at God’s right-hand.
We also notice the threefold aspect in which Jesus is presented, i.e., the eternal being of the Son, the temporal work accomplished during His incarnation, and the work of the exalted Christ at “the right- hand of Majesty on high.” The essence of Christ’s person is implicit in the unity of His work. This is a necessary prelude to what follows in the rest of the book.
H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL
The readers are immediately put on notice of major developments in what is to follow. The mention of the fathers and God’s revelation through the prophets automatically prepared Jewish listeners for
29 a lesson. These statements produced in the early Christians a sense of awe and reverence we too often do not see today.
Today, we do well to contemplate the fullness and entirety of Christ’s revelation as these are made clear to us in the Bible and as they impinge upon our lives.
I. PARAPHRASE
1:1 God, whose revelation was given in many parts and in many ways when in times past speaking to the fathers through the prophets, 2 spoke at last to us through His son who is the designated heir of all things, and by whom God created everything; 3 who, being the full radiance of His glory and revealing perfectly His character, and thus maintaining the being and processes of all things by his dynamic word, and having himself legally satisfied the debt for sins, took his appointed place of highest honor at the side of God. 4 By having become so much greater than all of God’s other messengers, he inherited a name that much greater than theirs.
30 SECOND PERICOPE (Hebrews 1:5-9)
1.5 Tivni gaVr ei\pevn pote tw'n ajggevlwn, UiJov" mou ei\ suv, ejgwV shvmeron gegevnnhkav se;20 kaiV pavlin, jEgwV e[somai aujtw'/ eij" patevra, kaiV aujtoV" e[stai moi eij" uiJovn;21 6 o{tan deV pavlin eijsagavgh/ toVn prwtovtokon eij" thVn oijkoumevnhn, levgei, KaiV proskunhsavtwsan aujtw'/ pavnte" a[ggeloi qeou'22. 7 kaiV proV" meVn touV" ajggevlou" levgei, poiw'n touV" ajggevlou" aujtou' pneuvmata, kaiV touV" leitourgouV" aujtou' puroV" flovga:23 8 proV" deV toVn uiJovn, qrovno" sou, oJ qeov", eij" toVn aijw'na tou' aijw'no", kaiV hJ rJavbdo" th'" eujquvthto" rJavbdo" th'" basileiva" sou. 9 hjgavphsa" dikaiosuvnhn kaiV ejmivshsa" ajnomivan: diaV tou'to e[crisevn se oJ qeov", oJ qeov" sou, e[laion ajgalliavsew" paraV touV" metovcou" sou:24
A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM
1:8 The reading aujtou, supported by î46, a and B, may seem to be the more difficult reading. It differs from both the LXX and the MT25. Grammatically, there is almost no way the third person
20 `^yTi(d>liy> ~AYðh; ynI©a]÷ hT'a;_ ynIïB. yl;îae rm;«a' hw"©hy>) qxoï la,ñ( hr"ªP.s;a] (Psa 2:7)
21 !be_l. yLiä-hy 22 Present in the LXX expansion, not in MT. 23 `jhe(l{ vaeä wyt'ªr>v'm.÷ tAx+Wr wyk'äa'l.m; hf,ä[o (Psa 104:4) 24 `^t,(Wkl.m; jb,veä rvoªymi÷ jb,veî d[,_w" ~l'äA[ ~yhil{a/â ^åa]s.Ki (Psa 45:7-8) `^yr<)bex]me( !Afªf' !m,v,î ^yh,l{a/â ~yhiäl{a/ ^‡x]v'm. Ÿ!KeÛ-l[; [v;r<ï an"òf.Tiw: éqd 25 (Ps 45.7 [= LXX 44:7] sou) Psalm 45:7 (MT) `jb,veä rvoªymi÷ jb,veî d[,_w" ~l'äA[ ~yhil{a/â ^åa]s.Ki ^t,(Wkl.m; 31 pronoun aujtou can refer to God and make sense while still maintaining even a vague similarity to the original text. Such a reading would preclude reading the word God (oJ qeov") as a vocative and require it to be either a subject or a predicate nominative. Nor is the third person pronoun to be found in the LXX quoted. The dictum that the difficult reading is to be preferred cannot be extended indefinitely and cannot cover readings that, on any interpretation, reduce the passage to near absurdity. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 1:5 gegevnnhkav (verb, perfect, active, indicative, 1st person, singular) 1. properly: of men begetting children; more rarely of women giving birth to children. Passive, to be begotten: 2. metaphorically, a. universally, to engender, cause to arise, excite. b. in a Jewish sense, of one who brings others over to his way of life. c. after Ps. 2:7, it is used of God making Christ his son; a. formally to show Him to be the Messiah (ui`o,n tou/ Qeou/), viz. by the resurrection: Acts 13:33. b. to be the author of the divine nature which he possesses. d. peculiarly, in the Gospel and First Epistle of John, of God conferring upon men the nature and disposition of his sons, imparting to them spiritual life, i. e. by his own holy power prompting and persuading souls to put faith in Christ and live a new life consecrated to himself. 1:6 eijsagavgh (verb, aorist, active, subjunctive, 3rd, singular) 1. to lead in: a. tina followed by eivj with the accusative of place. B. the place into which not being expressly noted. Heb. 1:6 o[tan ... eivsaga,gh|, le,gei, God, having in view the time when he shall have again brought in the firstborn into the world (i. e., at the time of the parousi,a) says etc. 2. to bring in, the place into which not being expressly stated. [Thayer] 1:6 oijkoumevnhn (noun, feminine, singular, accusative) 1. the inhabited earth; a. in Greek writings often the portion of the earth inhabited by the Greeks, in distinction from the lands of the barbarians. b. in the Greek authors who wrote about Roman affairs (like the Latin orbis terrarum) equivalent to the Roman empire – contextually equivalent to all the subjects of this empire. c. the whole inhabited earth, the world (the Septuagint for lbeTe and #r,a,). D. by metonymy, the inhabitants of the earth, men, all mankind. 2. the universe, the world. [Thayer] 1:6 proskunhsavtwsan (verb, aorist, active, imperative, 3rd, plural) In LXX very often for hw"x]T;v.hi (to prostrate oneself); properly, to kiss the hand to (toward) one, in token of reverence; hence, among the Orientals, especially the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence (“to make a ‘salam’”); Latin veneror, or adoro; hence, in the N. T. by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to Psalms 44:7 (LXX) oJ qrovno" sou, oJ qeov", eij" toVn aijw'na tou' aijw'no", rJavbdo" ujquvthto" hJ rJavbdo" th'" basileiva" sou. 32 express respect or to make supplication. It is used a. of homage shown to men of superior rank; (it may perhaps be mentioned that some would bring in here Heb 11:21 proseku,nhsen evpi, to, a;kron th/j r`a,bdou auvtou/, explaining it by the (Egyptian) custom of bowing upon the magistrate’s staff of office in taking an oath. b. of homage rendered to God and the ascended Christ, to heavenly beings, and to demons. [Thayer] 1:7 leitourgouV" (noun, accusative, macsduline, plural) 1. a public minister; a servant of the state: of the lictors. 2. universally, a minister, servant. [Thayer] 1:9 dikaiosuvnhn (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) Most frequently in the Septuagint for qd,c, and hq'd'c., rarely for ds,x,; “the virtue or quality or state of one who is di,kaioj;” 1. in the broad sense, the state of him who is such as he ought to be, righteousness; b. integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting: walking in the way of righteousness equivalent to an upright, righteous, man; tou/ Qeou/, the righteousness which God demands, Matt. 6:33; James 1:20; of righteousness which manifests itself in “beneficence;” zh/n th/| dikaiosu,nh, to live, devote the life, to righteousness; when used of God, his holiness. c. In the writings of Paul h` dikaiosu,nh has a peculiar meaning, opposed to the views of the Jews and Judaizing Christians. To understand this meaning, the following facts especially must be kept in view: the Jews as a people, and very many who had become converts from among them to Christianity, supposed that they secured the favor of God by works conformed to the requirements of the Mosaic law, as though by way of merit; and that they would thus attain to eternal salvation. But this law demands perfect obedience to all its precepts, and threatens condemnation to those who do not render such obedience (Gal. 3:10,12). Obedience of this kind no one has rendered (Rom. 3:10), neither Jews nor Gentiles (Rom. 1:24-2:1) – for with the latter the natural law of right written on their souls takes the place of the Mosaic law (Rom. 2:14f). On this account Paul proclaims the love of God, in that by giving up Christ, his Son, to die as an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of men he has attested his grace and good-will to mankind, so that they can hope for salvation as if they had not sinned. But the way to obtain this hope, he teaches, is only through faith by which a man appropriates that grace of God revealed and pledged in Christ; and this faith is reckoned by God to the man as dikaiosu,nh; that is to say, dikaiosu,nh denotes “the state acceptable to God which becomes a sinner’s possession through that faith by which he embraces the grace of God offered him in the expiatory death of Jesus Christ.” 2. in a closer sense, justice, or the virtue which gives each one his due; it is said to belong to God and Christ, as bestowing ivso,timon pi,stin upon all Christians impartially; of judicial justice. [Thayer] 1:9 ajgalliavsew" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) rejoicing, exultation. In such a context as we have here.”oil” of rejoicing refers to that used in annointing for festive occasions. 1:9 metovcou" (adjective, accusative, masculine, plural) 1. sharing in, partaking of, with the genitive of the thing. 2. [as a noun] a partner (in a work, office, dignity). The word has been variously translated by such words as “fellows” (KJ and ASV).”partners” 33 (Young’s Literal Translation), and “companions” (New Revised Standard, NAS, and NIV). The notion of participation in a common interest seems to be paramount in this passage. For while the contrast is between The Son on the one hand, and everyone else on the other, the contrast is that of one among many of the same class, rather than of one class against another. This contrast only gains its strength by comparison among those working toward the same end. In current terminology, the verse might be paraphrased “He was toasted as the MVP,” (of teammates playing the same game) rather than “He was acknowledged to be the better of the alternatives” (of antithetical viewpoints trying to gain followers). The term, regardless of how it is translated, does not indicate whether these “fellows” were participants in the work, or merely in the results of the work. Nor are they confined to one sphere, such as human or angelic. The term seems amenable to the widest possible interpretation and would include such ideas as coworkers, associates, fellows, or even brothers-in-arms, confederates, auxiliaries, accomplices and collaborators. The single word that best answers these necessities is allies. But this seems to have military overtones. Comrades has the same problem but with political overtones. It is not so much the word, but the context that makes the choice of an English word so difficult. Until a better option becomes visible, we will settle for “partner.” C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1:6 The quotations in this passage, as in the rest of the epistle with but one exception, comes from the LXX. They usually agree closely with the Hebrew text, but in v. 6 there is some difference. The text quotes, and bases its teaching on the LXX.26 26 Deut 32:43 lacks the portion containing LXX’s euvfra,nqhte, e;qnh, meta. tou/ laou/ auvtou/, a clause that appears in Rom 15:10. 4QDt reads: Al !WxT;v.hiw>] AM[; ~yIm;v' WnynIr.h;. ~yIAG WnynIr.h;w> ~yhil{a/ ynEB.-lK' Al z[o Wbh'w> ~yhil{a/ ynEb. ~AQyI wyn"B' ~D; [yKi lae ykea]l.m; -lK' Al Wqz>xiw> AM[;-ta, [AM[; tm;d.a; rPekiw> ~Lev;y> wya'N>f;m.liw>] wyr'c'l. byviy" ~q'n"w> This reconstruction is given by Albright, “New Light on Early Recensions of the Hebrew Bible,” BASOR 140 (1955), 32–33. All the underlined clauses are in the LXX but not in the MT (which 34 Quotations: Son (1:5) – Psa 2:7, 2 Sam 7:14. First begotten (1:6) – Deut 32:43 LXX.. Angels (1:7) – Psa 104:4. Divinity of the Son (1:8-9) – Psa 45:6-7. E. TRANSLATION 1:5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are my Son, This day I have begotten you?” [Psa 2:7] And again, “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to me a Son?” [2 Sam 7:14] 6 And whenever He again brings His Firstborn into the world, He says “Let all the angels of God worship Him!” [Deut 32:43 (LXX)] 7 And on the one hand, concerning the angels He says “He makes His angels winds And His ministers a flame of fire.” [Psa 104:4] 8 But on the other hand, concerning the Son He says “Your throne, oh God, is into eternity [age of the age] And the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness And because of this, God, your God, anointed you with the oil of exultation above your partners.” [Psa 45:6-7] F. EXPOSITION The Jewish Christians knew the truths of 1:1-3, but the author of Hebrews is going to show or remind them that these items of faith were first, but incompletely, delivered in the bits of “partial revelation” to which they may now be considering a retreat. It was a matter of direction – whether to embrace the reality to which the signs pointed, or to embrace the signs themselves, at the expense of having the reality. may have suffered from homoeoteleuton!). (Either A or Ba , depending upon the trustworthiness of the Vorlage of the LXX in this passage.) Psalm 95:7 contributes the wording of Heb 1:6, “Worship him all you his angels.” Although it is a slight difference in that Heb 1:6 says “Let all the angels of God worship him,” essentially it is the same thing. The inserted material of Deut 32:43 is not needed to serve as a basis for the quote in Heb 1:6, because it is there even in Psalm 95:7. 35 Beginning with the initial statement in Hebrews 1:4, the author further defines the Son by His relationship to God and by comparison to angels. This expanded definition is provided by various quotations from the LXX, primarily from the Psalms. In the following verses, we will see in what sense the Son “inherited a name as much more excellent than theirs” (v.4). The Son, and no one else, was begotten of God and called His Son (v. 5). Indeed, the angels are to worship the Firstborn (v. 6). God’s angels are made “winds,” His ministers “a flame of fire” – ephemeral at best (v. 7), but the Son’s throne and rule are eternal (v. 8). For this reason the Son is anointed “above” his friends, coworkers and allies (v.9). 1:5 “For to which of the angels did He ever say, . . .” It is important to note both the words “which,” and “ever.” Clearly, the following quotation is applied to one and only one entity, not more. Here, we are no longer talking about the sundry ways and diverse means of revelation through various servants, but of the angels. Verse 4 provides the segue by speaking of the Son being seated at the right hand “of majesty on high,” specifically, the realm of angels. It is said that He received a much better name than they received for the nature of the work He accomplished. 1:5 “You are my Son, this day I have begotten you . . .” It is true that Israel, as a nation, was referred to as the son of God. It is equally true that the angels, as a category. were referred to as sons of God (note the plural). But only the Messiah, the eternal Son, was ever given the singular title “Son of God.” We are to understand here the use of a title, not of a mere descriptive. As a title, it can refer to only one being. This promise is difficult not to view as speaking of Messiah. Perhaps David fulfilled in some minor fashion the conditions, but he can scarcely be seen as the primary recipient. While he had some military success, it cannot be asserted of him that he had “the nation’s for an inheritance” nor “the uttermost parts of the earth for” his possession. Such a poorly fulfilled promise demands that we look for a “better” Son. The Jews had long recognized this fact. The passage literally reads “Son of mine are you. I, today have begotten you,” placing the words “Son” and “I” in positions of emphasis. The corresponding English would be “you are my Son; I (myself) have begotten you this day.” The placement of “Son” first is emphatic and denotes a unique relationship. It cannot be understood as “you are also my son,” as one of many. The placement of “I” first in its clause draws attention to the source of the relationship. 1:5 “And again, ‘I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son’?” The promise contained in second Samuel 7 is for a seed from David’s own body to build God’s house and to rule over an eternal kingdom. These conditions obviously escaped fulfillment beyond foreshadowing. The Temple was destroyed, the line of David was almost destroyed, Israel and Judah had been captured and deported, and the “kingdom” was nowhere in sight and was but a fond memory or dim hope. 36 Obviously, a “better” seed was needed. 1:6 “And whenever He again brings His Firstborn into the world, . . .” This is clearly a reference to the second advent, not the first. “The word,” refers not to the planet, but to the population of the earth. It references society in its largest sense, i.e., to the inhabited world. The emphasis is to allay the fears and disappointments of the Jewish Christian at what may have been perceived to be but another failure to establish the Kingdom on earth. The mention of the “Firstborn” is in distinction to the “Only Begotten.” It emphasized Christ’s character of the firstborn of them that believe and refers to the post-resurrection person of Christ, who has already been resurrected. God, who is as at home in what we call the future as He is in what we call the present, spoke of it in the present tense, as He frequently does in scripture. 1:6 “He says ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him’!” [Deut 32:43 (LXX)] This quotation comes from an expanded text of Deuteronomy. The Hebrew text does not contain this statement. It seems to be a gloss (an explanation or expansion of a text) probably imported into Deuteronomy 32:43 from Psalm 95:7 (96:7 LXX). The psalm was probably incorporated into the text of Deuteronomy on the basis of its content and the similarity of its thought. In both contexts the final victory of God and the redemption of His people are in view. This is precisely what the Jewish Christians may have feared had “failed” again. 1:7 “And on the one hand, concerning the angels He says . . .” The King James version does not ring out the element of contrast as strongly as does the Greek. The “meVn . . . de” coordinate clauses stress contrast. “And on the one hand, . . . But on the other hand, . . .” That contrast, it must be remembered, regards extent of power and kind of service, not ideas that are polar opposites, as it would be between Jesus and His enemies. The contrast of eternal ministry and manifestations vs. temporal phenomena is picked up here with special force. 1:7 “ . . . ‘He makes His angels winds’ . . .” Winds is clearly meant, not “spirits.” Both the original Hebrew context (Psa 104:4) and the present contrasting emphasis demands angelic manifestation as a natural force. The idea is that the will of God finds expression even (or especially?) in various natural actions even though they are marked by mutability and transitoriness. Such ephemeral service stands in stark opposition to the permanent eternal nature of the work of the Son. 1:7 “ . . . ‘And His ministers a flame of fire’.” [Psa 104:4] Ministers always seem to imply some form of public ministry. And the “flame of fire” could not but have reminded the Jewish readers of the smoke and fire and the attendant terror surrounding the giving of the Law by God to Moses (Ex 19:18). 1:8 “But on the other hand, concerning the Son He says . . .” This quotation is from a wedding psalm, but the author of Hebrews uses it to introduce the second element of the contrast. The contrast remains between Jesus and the angels. 37 1:8 “ . . . ‘Your throne, oh God, is into eternity’ . . .” The contrast between the nature of the angels and the nature of Messiah is explicit and clear. So is that between the temporal and changing nature of the ministry of messengers and that of the eternality of the Son’s throne, and His rule. Whereas the angels were responsible for manifesting or revealing God’s will or pronouncement in particular historical contexts, the Son’s rule (i.e., His throne) is eternal and unchanged by circumstances. 1:8 “ . . . ‘And the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom’.” In antiquity the scepter was the sign of properly established and rightly recognized authority. That the scepter of the Son is righteousness, and this righteousness therefore characterizes His Kingdom should come as no surprise. It is righteousness that characterizes God, and which the Son is said to have loved. Being the express representation of God’s eternal (righteous) nature, is the basis for the Son’s authority, of the scepter of His kingdom. 1:9 “You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness . . .” This is not to be thought of as a mere past tense, but as a reference to the earthly ministry of the Son. While the Son was on earth, His every word, deed, and thought were captivated by and illustrative of His Father’s righteousness. 1:9 “And because of this, ‘God, your God, anointed you’ . . .” The force of the argument does not lie in the application of the word “God” to the Son, but in the contrast of the ministries of the angels as opposed to the work and nature of Messiah. The anointing spoken of is not the anointing of a king, but that of a guest of honor at a banquet or feast celebrating some joyous event. 1:9 “ . . . ‘with the oil of exultation above your partners’.” [Psa 45:6-7]. These “fellows,” “comrades,” “companions,” or “allies,” have been variously identified. Westcott claims that they include “all who share the privilege of ministering to the fulfillment of God’s will by His appointment.”27 Bruce claims that the reference is likely “to the ‘many sons’ of Ch. 2:10, whom the firstborn son is not ashamed to call His brethren.”28 But the author of Hebrews is not using quotations from the LXX to introduce new material, but to support his contentions. The “partners,” can thus only refer to entities already introduced, i.e., those human and angelic witnesses who have, in the past, done God’s will and prepared mankind for the coming of the Messiah and the presentation of His Kingdom. They comprise all the “many parts” and “many means” by which God was said, in 1:1, to have spoken in ages past. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 27 Westcott, p. 27. 28 Bruce, p. 21. 38 prwtovtokon (firstborn, as opposed to “only begotten”– monogennh"?). The distinction is not subtle, but is sometimes overlooked or neglected. This passage is not in the least concerned with the Virgin Birth, the nature (divine or human), of Messiah, or how he came to an earthly ministry. The concern here is His superiority over all other persons and powers. Yet when the nature of His birth is mentioned, it is the fact that He is the first-born, presumably of many brethren. One wonders if such nomenclature as “first-born” might not have been an early way of speaking of Jesus. It is interesting that the word appears in what is clearly a reference to the second advent, not the first, after he has already acquired “many brethren.” H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The line in the Christmas Hymn O Little Town of Bethlehem to the effect that “the hopes and fears of all the years, are met in thee tonight,” is precisely the emotional content ot these verses. The memory of the kingdom of David, and the promise of greatness and righteousness are, the author reminds his readers, the very mission of Messiah; and Messiah has come. This forceful reminder prepares the readers for more to come. I. PARAPHRASE 1:5 For to which of the angels does the Old Testament record God as having said “You are my Son; I have begotten you this very day!” as He does to Messiah [in Psalm 2:7]? Or “I will be His Father, and He shall be my Son!” [as He does in 2 Samuel 7:14]? 6 And referring to the occasion when He will next bring His Son into the world, He is on record [in Deuteronomy 32:43] as having said “Let all God’s angels worship Him!” 7 And concerning those angels [in Psalm 104:4] it is said that “He makes His angels winds, and His ministers flaming fires.” 8 But concerning His Son He says [in Psalm 45:6-7] “Your throne, oh God, is eternal, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of righteousness. 9 In your earthly work, you loved righteousness and hated sin. That is why your God anointed you with the oil of exultation beyond those who aided your cause.” 39 THIRD PERICOPE (Hebrews 1:10-12) 1:10 kaiv, SuV kat' ajrcav", kuvrie, thVn gh'n ejqemelivwsa", kaiV e[rga tw'n ceirw'n souv eijsin oiJ oujranoiv: 11 aujtoiV ajpolou'ntai, suV deV diamevnei": kaiV pavnte" wJ" iJmavtion palaiwqhvsontai, 12 kaiV wJseiV peribovlaion eJlivxei" aujtouv", wJ" iJmavtion kaiV ajllaghvsontai: suV deV oJ aujtoV" ei\ kaiV taV e[th sou oujk ejkleivyousin. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 1:12 Two variants differ only in word order, the other two in the words retained in the passage. Metzger, in A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament, chooses the reading we adopt here, giving it a rating of “C,” (third out of four). The English equivalents are 1) “and as a cloak . . . ,”2) “as a cloak . . . ,” and 3) “and . . .” (part of the LXX quotation). Obviously, the words “as a cloak” were added to the quotation from Psalms by someone along the way. The difficulty is to determine if the author himself inserted the words, or if a scribe subsequently inserted them. Although there does not seem to be a compelling reason to think that the author himself inserted the words, it is even more difficult to view these words as a gloss inserted by a later copyist. The addition of the word “cloak” does nothing to expand or explain the meaning of the text. The text without the addition of the word “cloak” reads “as a vesture you will fold them up and they will be changed..” This not only makes perfect sense, but is the shortest reading. What could be simpler? But part of the task is to explain how one reading gives rise to variant readings. As mentioned, it is very difficult to see why anyone would add such a phrase to a text already clear and without need of explanation or expansion. Were the original reading “and as a cloak . . .” we can explain the dropping of the words “as a cloak” as “correcting” the text to comply with the original LXX reading. Thus, while we cannot see why these words might have been added, we can see why they may have been dropped. Reluctantly, (and with a lower rating than that given by Metzger) we adopt the reading “and as a cloak.” 40 B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 1:10 ejqemelivwsa" (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 2nd, plural) found; Fig. establish, strengthen. 1:11 ajpolou'ntai (verb, future, middle, indicative, 3rd, plural) —1. act. destroy, ruin, kill . Lose. —2. mid. and pass. be lost, perish, die, be ruined; pass away. 1:11 diamevnei" (verb, present, active, indicative, 2nd, singular) remain (continually); continue. 1:12 peribovlaion (noun, accusative, singular) covering, wrap, cloak. 1:12 eJlivxei" (verb, future active, indicative, 2nd, singular) to roll up, fold together. 1:12 ajllaghvsontai (verb, future, passive, indicative, 3rd plural) (from Aeschylus down); to change: to cause one thing to cease and another to take its place, e.g., to speak in a different manner according to the different conditions of mind, to adapt the matter and form of discourse to mental moods, to treat them now severely, now gently, Gal. 4:20 (but see Meyer at the passage), to exchange one thing for another: [Thayer] 1:12 ejkleivyousin (Verb, future, active, indicative, 3rd, plural) 1. transitive, a. to leave out, omit, pass by. b. to leave, quit (a place): to die. 2. intransitive, to fail; i. e. to leave off, cease, stop. [English equivalent: eclipse] [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES Hebrews 1:10-12 corresponds to and expands Heb 1:2 (“by whom, also, He created the ages . . .”) and perhaps 1:3 (“upholding all things by the word of His power . . .”). D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Quotations: Son as Creator (1:10-12) – Psa 102:25-27. Chain: (1:11-12) Isa 50:9, Isa 51:6. E. TRANSLATION 1:10 And you, Lord, from the beginning, founded the earth; and the heavens are works of your hands29. 11 They shall pass away, but you remain; and all things shall become old as a garment, 12 29 `~yIm'(v' ^yd<åy" hfeÞ[]m;W* T'd>s:+y" #r 41 and you shall fold them up as a cloak, and like a garment, they shall be changed. But you are the same and your years shall not cease. F. EXPOSITION The author now gives a fuller definition of the Son as creator and sustainer first mentioned in 1:2, where is was said that it was the Son “by whom, also, He created the ages.” 1:10 “And ‘you, Lord, from the beginning, founded the earth’; . . .” The conjunction, and, introduces a new quotation, this one from Psalms 102:25-26. It ties the following quotation to the speech of God concerning the Son begun in vv 8-9 where it was said “but on the other hand, concerning the Son He says . . .” This is a continuation of God speaking to or concerning the Son. A new topic, however, is introduced, namely the eternal nature of the Son and the transitoriness of the creation. The author of Hebrews brings the second person singular pronoun “you” to the beginning of the sentence for added emphasis. The inclusion of the word “Lord” is found in the LXX and was included in the Vulgate. This serves two purposes. It identifies the Son as the (incarnate) Lord, and, it expands v. 2c by means of quotation of an Old Testament text, the notion of creation as the work of this eternal being. “From the beginning” is the LXX rendering of the Hebrew that means “Before the face,” or in the presence of.” 1:10 “ . . . and the heavens are works of your hands.” This recalls the thought of the creation account of Genesis 1. Here it serves as a merism denoting everything created, and everything temporal, but attributing its creation to the Son of God. Whereas Genesis spoke of “the heavens and the earth,” the author follows the order quoted in the Psalm. The original Hebrew seemed to juxtapose the notions of “before your face,” and “of your hands.” But the author of Hebrews, in keeping with the LXX juxtaposes the characteristics of eternality (present at the beginning) and creation (works of your hands). 1:11 “They shall pass away, . . .” This phrase defines God’s entire creation as temporal. It implies the first of two characteristics governing physical being, i.e., temporality. 1:11 “ . . . but you remain; . . .” contrasts the transience of creation with the eternality of the Creator. The present tense of the term “remain,” is instructive. It does not claim that the Creator will remain, but that the creator’s very being can be characterized, past, present, and future, as remaining. All else may pass away, but the creator remains . . . always. 1:11 “ . . . and all things shall become old as a garment, . . .” This phrase implies the second characteristic governing physical creation, i.e., mutability. Creation does not merely “pass away,” it first becomes old and worn out. This is the Second Law of Thermodynamics at work. From the 42 smallest subatomic particle to the universe as a whole, meaning all things existing within time and all things brought about by God in the physical realm. “They” all 1) grow old, and 2) die, or pass away. By contrast, “but you remain,” not only implies permanence, but unchangeableness as well. 1:12 “ . . . and you shall fold them up as a cloak, . . .” But the one who created them is also in charge of their disposition, and of what may become of them. The whole of creation, in the hands of the Creator, is no harder to deal with than an old shirt or coat. 1:12 “ . . . and like a garment, they shall be changed.” Like an old shirt or coat, the cosmos “shall be changed.” It is important to recognize that this passage does not speak of the final destruction of the earth (although it does not deny it either), but says that it will be altered. 1:12 “ . . . But you are the same and your years shall not cease.” Regardless of what sort of change may be awaiting the cosmos, the Creator, the Son, the Lord, remains the same and his years will never cease. The term “years,” is, of course merely a designation for time in general, and is perhaps the first term to come to mind in such a context. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS No new ethical or theological teaching in this pericope. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 1:10 And again He says of the Son, ‘you, Lord, from the very beginning, formed the earth and put it on its foundation; and the entire expanse of the heavens are the work of your own hands 11 They shall pass away, but you will always be; and all material things shall wear out like a garment, 12 and you shall deal with them like one would a coat; and like a garment, they shall be changed. But you remain the same and have no end. 43 FOURTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 1:13-14) 1:13 proV" tivna deV tw'n ajggevlwn ei[rhkevn pote, Kavqou ejk dexiw'n mou e{w" a]n qw' touV" ejcqrouv" sou uJpopovdion tw'n podw'n sou; 14 oujciV pavnte" eijsiVn leitourgikaV pneuvmata eij" diakonivan ajpostellovmena diaV touV" mevllonta" klhronomei'n swthrivan; A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 1:13 uJpopovdion (noun, accusative, neuter, singular) – footstool. 1:14 diakonivan (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) – service (specif. domestic); 2. Service, office, ministry. 3. Aid, support, distribution ; 4 kind contribution. 1:14 ajpostellovmena (participle, present, passive, nominative, neuter, plural) send, send away or out, esp. on a divine mission. 1:14 mevllonta" (participle, present, active, accusative, masculine, plural) be about to, be on the point of; 2. be destined, must; 3. intend; 4. the participle often means future, to come; 5. delay 1:14 klhronomei'n (infinitive, present, active) 1. inherit, be an heir; 2. acquire, obtain, come into possession of; receive, share in. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES The whole first chapter of Hebrews is an example of the figure known as parallelism. Things briefly introduced (vv. 1-4) are later expanded or further defined or explained. The final items of this parallelism began with, and offer a fuller explanation of the statements in 1:3 “sat down on he right hand of majesty on high,” and in 1:4 “He inherited a name as much more excellent than theirs.” 1:13 the use of a rhetorical questions, technically called “Erotesis.” 1:14 Notice the paraphrasis “heirs of salvation,” for “the elect” (or “those awaiting final salvation”). 44 . D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Quotation: (1:13) Psa 110:1 Chain: (1:13) Matt 24:41-46; 26:64. E. TRANSLATION 1:13 But to which of the angels has He ever said “sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?” 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, being sent forth into service on account of those about to inherit salvation? F. EXPOSITION In this pericope, the author expands the earlier mention of Christ’s session at the right hand of God, and again makes explicit the limited abilities and mission of the angels. 1:13 “But to which of the angels has He ever said . . .” This is an example of the rhetorical question. No answer is expected. It is immaterial how widely one may define angels, weather only angels, or including other “messengers” or “ministers.” The simple fact is that such words have never been applicable to anyone other than the Son. 1:13 “ . . . sit at my right hand . . .” The verb (present middle imperative) emphasizing a continuous state, and in the form of a command, suggests action to be taken by the Son himself. It might be paraphrased “for now, seat yourself at my right hand . . .” The messianic character of this verse is not to be missed. When Jesus asked the Pharisees how they could say that the Messiah was David’s son, when David himself addressed him as Lord, it was evident that the Messianic interpretation of the Psalm was common both to Him and to them. When, at His trial, Jesus, is said that “henceforth you will see Him seated at the right hand of God,” He was claiming that these words were addressed to Him. 1:13 “ . . . until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?” This is the terminus ad quem. That is, the Son is to be seated at God’s right hand until such time as God shall choose to bring all power into his hands, and deliver his enemies to Him. “At God’s right hand,” is thus spoken of as a period of time, known as the “session” at God’s right hand. It has no particular reference to place, as the earlier mention contains. There, it was “on high.” The Greek implies an indeterminate length for this session, i.e., “at whatever time I decide.” The notion of the enemies being “a footstool for your feet, proclaims both the complete victory of the son without further ado, as well as the position of 45 forced compliance of those who array themselves against Him. 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits . . .” This is anther rhetorical question. These are specifically the “winds,” and “flame of fire” mentioned in v. 7. Their status will be remembered; their mission is here made explicit. All the angels, from the highest to the lowest, are but ministering spirits. 1:14 “ . . . being sent forth into service . . .” reiterates the nature of their mission and reminds the readers of their subservient position with relation to God. In contrast to the eternal attributes of the Son, their ministries are both temporal and particular. 1:14 “ . . . on account of those about to inherit salvation.” The nature of their mission is here revealed to be specifically on behalf of those who shall inherit eternal life, or salvation. The antithesis is between those “enemies“ who shall one day become “the footstool for His feet,” on the one hand, and those for whom the angels minister, on the other. The salvation spoken of is both temporal and eternal. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS No new ethical or theological teaching in this pericope. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The certainty of the Son’s victory and the mission of the angels toward that end cannot but impress upon us our safety. I. PARAPHRASE 1:13 But to which of the angels has He ever said “for now, seat yourself in the place of honor until I put your enemies beneath your feet?” 14 Are not all the angels servants sent from God to minister to the temporal situations of those who will be brothers of the first Begotten? 46 FIFTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 2:1-4) 2:1 DiaV tou'to dei' perissotevrw" prosevcein hJma'" toi'" ajkousqei'sin, mhvpote pararuw'men. 2 eij gaVr oJ di' ajggevlwn lalhqeiV" lovgo" ejgevneto bevbaio", kaiV pa'sa paravbasi" kaiV parakohV e[laben e[ndikon misqapodosivan, 3 pw'" hJmei'" ejkfeuxovmeqa thlikauvth" ajmelhvsante" swthriva"; h{ti", ajrchVn labou'sa lalei'sqai diaV tou' kurivou, uJpoV tw'n ajkousavntwn eij" hJma'" ejbebaiwvqh, 4 sunepimarturou'nto" tou' qeou' shmeivoi" te kaiV tevrasin kaiV poikivlai" dunavmesin kaiV pneuvmato" aJgivou merismoi'" kataV thVn aujtou' qevlhsin. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 2:1 perissotevrw" (adverb) 1. properly, more abundantly, more, in a greater degree; more earnestly, more exceedingly, 2. especially, above others. [Thayer] 2:1 prosevcein (present active infinitive) 1. act. turn one’s mind to – a. pay attention to, give heed to, follow w dat. – b. be concerned about, care for, pay attention to w. dat. be careful, be on one’s guard – c. occupy oneself with, devote or apply oneself to w. dat. be addicted. 2. mid. cling to w. dat. The word implies more than a mere mental focus on something, but the deliberate application of it to its proper situation and use. 2:1 pararuw'men (aorist, passive, subjunctive, 1st, plural) to flow past, to glide by. [Thayer] A reasonable paraphrase is “lest the knowledge (which these things provide) should slip away from us.” Ancient usage includes reference to a boat that comes free of its anchor and slips away from the safety of the harbor, and of a ring that slips off of one’s finger. The King James inserts the word “them” in italics in order to show the object of the verb. Most of the newer versions translate it “lest we should slip away.” If we grant that there is no difference, spiritually, ethically, or intellectually, between something slipping away from us, and us slipping away from it, and that in either case, the distance between us and the thing of interest prevents any continuing or growing effect of the thing on us, we may give attention to the translation of the text. The aorist tense focuses on the act as fact without dealing with how or when the “action” of the verb unfolded. The aorist merely reports that something happened (or will happen, might happen, etc.). 47 The subjunctive mood arrests the fact at the stage of potential. That is, this might happen, it could happen, and so forth. So instead of reporting a fact, the verb now reports only the possibility of an occurrence or fact. The passive voice denotes the fact that something was allowed to happen, not caused to happen. “He ate,” uses an active voice. “The food was eaten” uses a passive voice. So if “we let something slip,” we must look to the text for the object of the verb. If an object is not present, we must assume that the verb is being used reflexively, i.e., that what we are allowing to happen, we are allowing to happen to ourselves, like “he let himself get out of shape.” Our context supplies a subject for the passive verb, i.e., those things just spoken. We therefore more accurately render the translation “lest we let them slip away.” 2:2 bevbaio" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular) lit. firm, strong, secure; fig. firm, reliable, dependable, certain; valid. 2:2 paravbasi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular) overstepping, transgression, violation. 2:2 parakohV (noun, nominative, feminine, singular) unwillingness to hear, disobedience. 2:2 misqapodosivan (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) payment of wages due, recompense: of reward, Heb. 10:35; 11:26; of punishment, Heb 2:2. This word does not appear elsewhere in the New Testament 2:3 ejkfeuxovmeqa (verb, future, middle, indicative, 1st, plural) run away, seek safety in flight, escape. 2:3 ajmelhvsante" (aorist, active, participle, nominative, masculine, plural) very common in secular authors; to be careless of, to neglect. For an illustration of this idea in a different context, cf. Matthew 22:5, where the word is used of those who ignored, or despised the invitation to the wedding supper. 2:3 ejbebaiwvqh (aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular) confirm, establish, fulfill, strengthen, guarantee. 2:4 sunepimarturou'nto" (present, active, participle, genitive, masculine, singular) attest together with; to join in bearing witness, to unite in adding testimony. [Thayer] 2:4 shmeivoi" (noun, dative, neuter, common, plural) Sign – 1. the sign or (distinguishing) mark by which something is known; token, indication. Signal – 2. a sign consisting of a miracle or wonder – a. miracle of divine origin. b. miracle of a demonic nature. c. portent 2:4 tevrasin (noun, dative, neuter, common, plural) a prodigy, portent; miracle (A. V. wonder) performed by anyone. 48 2:4 dunavmesin (noun, dative, neuter, common, plural) Power, might, strength, force. Ability, capability. Specialized senses deed of power, miracle. Force in a military sense C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION The historical background for this passage comprises the books of the Gospels and Acts. First Corinthians 15:1-8 also adds some insight. Many think that citing the Bible in support of the Bible is an example of the informal fallacy of begging the question. And in some cases, it may be. But here we are dealing with a statement in Hebrews that refers directly and pointedly to facts in evidence elsewhere. We have four gospels that record the life, work, and teaching of Jesus, by whom salvation “began at first to be spoken” (v. 3). We have the gospel of salvation as it was preached throughout the New Testament, i.e., those things by which this salvation was “confirmed to us by those having heard Him,” in the book of Acts. And we have examples (not, to be sure, an exhaustive list) of “God also bearing witness with them by signs and wonders and by various [works of] power,” and “the distribution of the Holy Spirit according to His will,” occasionally throughout the book of Acts and treated in 1 Cor. 12:11, 28-30). For our present purposes it is enough to remember that “these things were not done in a corner,” (Acts 26:26). We have the records of the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-8), whence the word was subsequently spread all over the Roman world, the fact that the apostles “turned Jerusalem upside down” with the message of salvation (Acts 5:28), the witness of Stephan (Acts 6:7- 7:60), the work of Philip in Samaria (Acts 8:5-8) and with the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-39), and the missionary journeys of Paul and his companions, Mark, Luke, Barnabas, Timothy, and others. The very existence of Christianity is a witness to the supernatural work of God, because wherever it went, it was met with extreme resistance or outright hostility; yet nonetheless, it thrived. Chain: “attend to” (2:1) cf. Phil 2:12 Chain “neglect” (2:3) cf. 1 Tim 4:14. 49 E. TRANSLATION 2:1 Because of this, it is more urgently necessary for us to attend to the things having been heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken by messengers was binding, and every transgression and act of disobedience received a just recompense, 3 How shall we escape, having neglected such great salvation, inasmuch as it began at first to be spoken through the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those having heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness with them by signs and wonders and by various [works of] power and by the distribution of the Holy Spirit according to His will? F. EXPOSITION We have seen The Son in His exaltation in Chapter 1, and herewith see Him in his Humiliation. Even so, His superiority to messengers earthly and divine, is asserted. 2:1 “Because of this, . . .” i.e ., what has just been said. It should be marked clearly that what is to follow is the result of what went before. That is, “because” of what has just been related, it is important, reasonable, and logical to understand what is now to be said. 2:1 “ . . . it is more urgently necessary . . .” or absolutely imperative. That is, what is to follow is of the utmost importance. 2:1 “ . . . for us to attend to the things having been heard.” To “attend to,” in this contest, is to weigh and compare the Old Testament promises, prophecies, and laws with the salvation so recently accepted. The contrast is not only between the nature of the angels and of the Son, but between the two “systems” (the one temporal, the other eternal, the one prophetic, the other the fulfillment) and of the corresponding relationship of believers to God. 2:1 “ . . . lest we drift away.” This is a universal problem. 1. For the unbeliever, letting “these things” (the Old Testament signs and their relationship to Jesus and the New Testament salvation) “slip away” implies that he remains unsaved and under judgment. 2. For those who have accepted salvation, letting “these things . . . slip away” implies a failure to think about, to meditate upon, the Biblical and prophetic nature of salvation, and thus to take it for granted and to languish. This leads eventually and inevitably to 3. forgetting the importance of the Biblical record, and failing to apply it to life. It leads to what is often called “backsliding,” or “carnal Christianity.” The author has in mind the likelihood that those who are saved, but show little regard tor the things they have learned, will be characterized by an abiding immaturity – a life of lukewarm thanklessness – at best. The idea seems to be that “because we are saved, we must not be complacent, but zealous in our meditation and thankful for our gift.” Negligence breeds apathy and uncertainty, dangerous things for the Christian, particularly when we realize that there are already enough social and 50 habitual currents with which we may concern ourselves that we are always in danger of letting the important things in life “slip away.” 2:2. “For if the word spoken by messengers was binding, . . .” The use of a conditional clause as a rhetorical question is interesting. The “word” spoken clearly refers to the Old Testament teachings, and most particularly to those just quoted in Chapter one. The “word” refers to the prophetic word, but also to the statutes that provided for punishment in the case of disobedience, and to the economy that they produced, i.e., the dispensation of Law. The “messengers” clearly point back to Old Testament messengers (for the word “angels” means messengers), and must include Noah, Moses, David and Solomon, to say nothing of the prophets. This all eventuated in that economy known as Law. Because this teaching was “binding,” absolute, and to be observed, it is clear that “the word spoken” includes all the Old Testament teachings, but most especially and familiarly, to the Law of Moses, and the “messengers,” while they included all those Old Testament voices entrusted with any “part” of the divine revelation, most especially refer to the angels that mediated between God and Moses (Acts 8:53). It was the very bedrock of all that was to come, and which was finally fulfilled in the person and ministry of Jesus. 2:2 “ . . . and every transgression and act of disobedience received a just recompense,” is a reference to punishment meted out under the law as well as those national punishments revealed by the prophets. These would include not only such things as the flood that came upon the earth in the days of Noah.”that preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet 2:5) and the various punishments for breaking a law, but by the defeat and deportation of the Jews to Babylon, and similar catastrophes. 2:3 “How shall we escape, . . .” i.e. how shall we, to whom God has spoken by the prophesied Messiah, not fall into the hands of the living God? So frequently, commentators and evangelists use this verse in the sense of salvation in the Pauline sense of the word, as “Where can we go, how can we hide, what safety can be found for those who ignore the living God?” One is strongly reminded of Noah and the ark. Those who neglected or disregarded the message in his day perished. And a greater salvation than the ark was present in Jesus. “How shall we escape . . .” is a universal question. We are not wrong to ask this question of unbelievers. Those who lift this verse out of context to make of it a call to repentance, are not wrong. It is of universal application. For the unbeliever, this is no rhetorical question, but presentation of a life or death decision. But it is wrong to import that meaning into this text, because this text is not interested in evangelizing the unsaved, but in admonishing babes to listen closely to the “word” spoken by the Old Treatment “messengers,” and look for fulfillment to that Jesus of such recent memory. It is a 51 rhetorical question when it is addressed to Christians, i.e., those already saved. Yet even as a rhetorical question it is still laden with meaning. But in speaking to Christians, the implications of the question do not concern salvation in the sense that the readers need it but do not have it, but in the sense that having it, they must not allow it to atrophy, but strengthen it. Interpreting the verse as a call to salvation in this text is analogous to telling a group of doctors that they need to graduate from medical school, when what may be required is warning them that they need to keep current in their reading. 2:3 “ . . . having neglected such great salvation, . . .” Here, the author is not talking about gross disobedience, or refusal to submit to God. This verse is speaking of the effects of a general neglect of, or carelessness concerning salvation already acquired. It is not “getting saved,” but progressing in salvation. It is directed to babes who fail to thrive, and to those who cannot seem to make time to apply the teaching of scripture to their lives. It is to those who do not take God and His salvation seriously. It is to those who worry that maybe the grass is truly greener on the Jewish side of the fence and who may, just may, be considering apostasy. It is to those who are in danger of becoming what James called “double minded” and John calls “lukewarm.” It is not directed to those who need yet to accept Jesus and become saved (although, of course, it applies with the more force to them!). As we shall see, such neglect of salvation allows faith to atrophy through neglect, leaving a life that settles into lethargic immaturity (Heb 5:10-14), or, when beset by difficulties, may result in outright apostasy, as it did with the Hebrews in the wilderness (Heb 3:7-19). The contrast is between “the word spoken by messengers” (v. 2) especially the Law of the old covenant, delivered by angels, and under which punishment was meted out for every disobedience, on the one hand, and the Gospel of the New Testament, in which salvation is made available in the new covenant produced by the Son, on the other hand. Membership in, and disposition under the covenants is not at issue here. In both cases, being partakers of the covenants is simply assumed to be the case. What the Hebrew Christians were doing was comparing the familiar life under the old economy with life under the new economy and beginning to view them as mutually exclusive. The author of Hebrews is insisting that they understand and remember that the old economy was preparation for the new, both in type and in prophecy. He is speaking of the New Testament message, or “salvation” as the final revelation and embodiment of the Old Testament preparation, or “word.” This verse brings to a close the complex rhetorical question begun in verse two. Logically it is shaped like two hypothetical premises, one within another, and the second of the two phrased as a question instead of a statement. Verse 2 begins “if A and B, are true, and verse 3 continues “then how C if D”? Reworking verse 3 into its form as a hypothetical premise we have “if D, then not C,” where the negation of C is the assumed answer to the hypothetical question. Restating the question in logical form we have “If (A) the word spoken by messengers was binding, and (B) every transgression and act of disobedience received a just recompense, then (D) having neglected such great salvation, (as was promised) ( C) we shall not be able to escape! 52 This is the first example comparing the “old order” with the new as sign and signified. Although it is not Platonic in the sense of contrasting two different “levels” of existence, it sets the stage for later comparisons that do. 2:3 “ . . . inasmuch as it began at first to be spoken through the Lord, . . .”. That salvation is here made explicit as the teaching of Jesus concerning the salvation He was to make available and the terrible price it would exact. The contrast is between the “word” spoken in the Old Testament by various “messengers,” and the salvation to which it pointed, on the one hand, and the complete, total and eternal fulfillment of that word in the salvation made available only in Him who was the object of that Old Testament word, on the other. 2:3 “ . . . and was confirmed to us by those having heard Him, . . .”. This promised and now realized salvation was confirmed to the readers by those who heard Jesus, i.e. the disciples and first believers. Such confirmation was steadfast and consistent. This verse argues strongly against the author of Hebrews being one of those disciples or original hearers, for he includes himself among those to whom the Salvation was confirmed by those who actually did hear the teaching of Jesus. The author does not claim to have been one of those who heard the teaching of Jesus, but one to whom it was confirmed by those who had. 2:4 “ . . . God also bearing witness with them . . .” takes the whole endeavor out of the realm of hearsay, wishful thinking, and myth. For God Himself joined the witness of those who “confirmed” the teaching and mission of Jesus. 2:4 “ . . . by signs and wonders and by various [works of] power . . .” Space prohibits an exhaustive list of New Testament “signs and wonders,” even those of Jesus alone. 2:4 “ . . . and by the distribution of the Holy Spirit according to His will?” The teaching on this has already been cited, but cf. Also 1 Cor 12:11, 28-30 for a Pauline perspective on the matter. “There is a progress from that which is most striking outwardly to that which is most decisive inwardly. The outward phenomenon and the inward experience are both in different ways capable of various interpretations; but they are complementary. The one supplies that element of conviction which the other wants.” [Westcott, p. 40.] G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS It is difficult to pin down a specific teaching, for this passage is an historical statement of the most universal sort. Theologically, the burden of the passage is to link Judaism to Christianity as the sign is to the reality, and to urge close attention to and remembrance of that relationship. It is easy to think that such expressions as “How shall we escape, having disregarded such great salvation?” refer to the unsaved. It reminds us of those to whom Noah preached prior to the flood. This is all true. 53 But if we read the early statements of Hebrews as nothing more than a call to salvation, we shall miss its message. Granting the truth of the fact that we cannot “escape” if we neglect such “great salvation,” at this point in the narrative, it is nothing more than a recounting of historical and “theological” facts concerning the Son and His mission. Salvation may be implied in this pericope, it is nonetheless not the only thing, or even the primary truth implied. We must first remember that the readers are Christians. This is clear from such passages as 2:3; 3:6, 14; 6: 4,14; 5:12; 6:9, etc. What is being urged here (i.e., so far as the readers are concerned) is not obtaining salvation, but progressing in it. It is not about gaining life, but thriving in it, as soon will become clear. For the Hebrews of old had a strong enough faith to get out of Egypt, but not strong enough to get into the promised land (God’s rest). This is what makes the warning so pointed and uncomfortable. It is not aimed at non Christians at all, but at Christians. The point at issue here, and as it will be developed further, is that faith which is allowed to atrophy through neglect (and non use – cf. Heb 5:12-14) condemns the believer to a lukewarm life of lethargy and immaturity. And lethargy and immaturity may, under the right provocation, make apostasy a real option, as it did for the Jews wandering in the desert (cf. 3:7-19). H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The point of urgent attendance to the Old Testament teachings alluded to the final message of Christ and His followers is intended to have psychological and devotional effect. Consideration of the historical realities was to produce in the readers a sense of devotion and gratitude. For they had received the final act in God’s redemptive mission among men. Many of them had probably been alive during the time of this great final act of salvation. While the readers had not been eyewitnesses, of these events, they had it on the very best authority. This passage is the first of several admonitions calling the Christian to exercising his faith in such a was as to make it a permanent way of life. I. PARAPHRASE 2:1 Because of all this, it is imperative that we heed the things we have heard, lest from inattention, we drift away from our concern. 2. For if the things spoken by His messengers were absolutely binding, and every transgression and act of disobedience received its just punishment, 3. how shall we survive the neglect of such great salvation as we have accepted, remembering that it was first revealed by the Lord, and was subsequently certified to us by those who had heard Him, 4 God himself verifying their message by signs and wonders and by many works of great power, and by the granting of the Holy spirit as He saw fit? 54 SIXTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 2:5-9) 2:5 Ouj gaVr ajggevloi" uJpevtaxen thVn oijkoumevnhn thVn mevllousan, periV h|" lalou'men. 6 diemartuvrato dev pouv ti" levgwn, Tiv ejstin a[nqrwpo" o{ti mimnhv/skh/ aujtou', h] uiJoV" ajnqrwvpou o{ti ejpiskevpth/ aujtovn; 7 hjlavttwsa/" aujtoVn bracuv ti par' ajggevlou", dovxh kaiV timh'/ ejstefavnwsa" aujtovn, 8 pavnta uJpevtaxa" uJpokavtw tw'n podw'n aujtou'. ejn tw'/ gaVr uJpotavxai [[aujtw]'/] taV pavnta oujdeVn ajfh'ken aujtw'/ ajnupovtakton. nu'n deV ou[pw oJrw'men aujtw'/ taV pavnta uJpotetagmevna: 9 toVn deV bracuv ti par' ajggevlou" hjlattwmevnon blevpomen jIhsou'n diaV toV pavqhma tou' qanavtou dovxh/ kaiV timh'/ ejstefanwmevnon, o{pw" cavriti qeou' uJpeVr pantoV" geuvshtai qanavtou. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 2:7 This is an extended quotation of Psalms 8:4-6. The majority text (Textus Receptus) includes in the quotation the first clause of Psa 8:6, which the critical text omits. Did the author of Hebrews include the clause from Psa 8:6 “you made him to have dominion over the works of your hands”? We notice that the earliest manuscript bearing on this passage P46, (late 2nd or early 3rd century) gives the shorter reading and is followed by Vaticanus (B, 4th century). The earliest manuscripts citing the long reading is Sinaiticus (A, 4th century, and perhaps a post-Nicene product). D is a 6th century version that bears the long reading but has been corrected to reflect the shorter reading. It seems that such texts generally grow over time. Glosses were more likely than abridgments, particularly after Christianity became legal and was no longer persecuted. The monks and copyists were more willing and able to expand the text after Nicaea (325 A.D.). Much more is this the case when the extra material is itself part of a quotation. And while the temptation of a scribe to explain or “smooth out” the text by the addition of a word or phrase is easily explained, the desire to radically reduce the text, thereby making it more difficult to understand, seems less likely. The shorter reading was most likely original, as reflected in the early copies, but was expanded by a “helpful” copyist at a later date, then finally (at least in the case of Dc) corrected to reflect the original, short reading. Therefore the shorter reading of the critical text is adopted here. 2:9 ca,riti qeou/ is opposed by a reading equally short and no more difficult, and is therefore difficult to decide. We quote Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual commentary on the Greek New Testament. “Instead of ca,riti qeou/, which is very strongly supported by good representatives of both the Alexandrian and the Western types of text î46 a A B C D 33 81 330 614 it vg copsa, bo, fay al), a rather 55 large number of Fathers, both Eastern and Western, as well as 0121b, 424c, 1739*, vgms, and syrpmss, read cwri.j qeou/. The latter reading appears to have arisen either through a scribal lapse, misreading ca,riti as cwri,j, or, more probably, as a marginal gloss (suggested by 1 Cor 15.27) to explain that ‘everything’ in ver. 8 does not include God; this gloss, being erroneously regarded by a later transcriber as a correction of ca,riti qeou/, was introduced into the text of ver. 9.” It is noteworthy that external evidence does seem to help the case somewhat, but in the end, it is still the internal evidence regarding the alleged gloss that provides the answer. For it explains the rise of the variant reading, something the variant cannot do. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 2:5 uJpevtaxen (aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, plural) to arrange under, to subordinate; to subject, put in subjection: middle to subject oneself, to obey; to submit to one’s control; to yield to one’s admonition or advice: absolutely, aorist passive with a middle force, to obey (R. V. subject oneself,). [Thayer] 2:5 mevllousan (presdent, active, participle, accusative, feminine, single) 1. be about to, be on the point of; 2. be destined, must; 3. intend; 4. the participle often means future, to come; 5. delay. 2:6 diemartuvrato (aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd, singular) 1. to testify, i. e. earnestly, religiously to charge: followed by an imperative. 2. to attest, testify to, solemnly affirm: with the dative of person to give solemn testimony to one; with the accusative of the object to confirm a thing by (the interposition of) testimony, to testify, cause it to be believed: for all the apostolic instruction came back finally to testimony respecting things which they themselves had seen or heard, or which had been disclosed to them by divine revelation. [Thayer] 2:6 mimnhv/skh (present, middle, indicative, 2nd, singular) to remind: passive and middle, present to be recalled or to return to one’s mind, to remind oneself of, to remember; with a passive significance to be recalled to mind, to be remembered, had in remembrance; with a middle significance, followed by a genitive of the thing, to remember a thing. [Thayer] 2:6 ejpiskevpth/ (present middle, indicative, 2nd, singular) to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes; a. in order to see how he is, i. e. to visit, go to see one e.g. the poor and afflicted, the sick. b. Hebraistically, to look upon in order to help or to benefit, equivalent to to look after, have a care for, provide for, of God. c. to look (about) for, look out (one to choose, employ, etc. [Thayer] 2:7 hjlavttwsa/" (aorist, active, indicative, 2ns, singular) make inferior; Pass. diminish, be worse off or in need. 2:7 bracu (adjective, accusative, neuter, singular) short, little: of distance; of time; of quantity; in a few words. 56 2:7 dovxh (noun, dative, feminine, singular) 1. brightness, radiance, splendor; glory, majesty as ascribed to God and heavenly beings; with connotation of power; magnificence, splendor of kings, etc. 2. fame, renown, honor, prestige. Praise as enhancement of reputation. 3. glorious angelic beings, majesties, illustrious persons is also possible in these passages. 2:7 timh' (noun, dative, feminine, singular) 1. price, value. 2. honor, reverence, respect; privilege; respectability; place of honor, office. 2:7 ejstefavnwsa" (aorist, active, indicative, 2nd, singular) Lit. crown, wreathe. Fig. honor, reward, crown. 2:9 geuvshtai (aorist, middle, subjucntive, 3rd, singular) with gen. or acc. taste, partake of, enjoy; eat. Fig. come to know, experience; obtain. (Cf. gusto, gustation, disgust.) 2:8,9 “see” (Synonyms: o`ra/n, ble,pein, both denote the physical act: o`ra/n in general, ble,pein the single look; o`ra/n gives prominence to the discerning mind, ble,pein to the particular mood or point. When the physical side recedes, o`ra/n denotes perception in general (as resulting principally from vision), the prominence in the word of the mental element being indicated by the construction of the accusative with an infinitive (in contrast with that of the participle required with ble,pein), and by the absolute o`ra/|j; ble,pein on the other hand, when its physical side recedes, gets a purely outward sense, look (I. e. open, incline) toward, Latin spectare, vergere. Schmidt, chapter 11. Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 2:8 Preposition with the dative of the articular infinitive – ejn tw'/ gaVr uJpotavxai Literally “for in the to subjected” = “For insofar as He subjected . . .”. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 2:5 For He did not subject to angels the coming world of which we speak, 6 but one testified somewhere saying “what is man that you remember him or the Son of Man that you visit him? 7 You made him a little lower than angels 57 and crowned him with glory and honor 8 you subjected all things beneath his feet.” For insofar as he subjected all things, there remained nothing not so subjected. But we do not yet see all things having been subjected thus. 9 But we see Jesus, “having been made a little lower than angels” for the suffering of death; and “having been crowned with glory and honor” in order that, by the grace of God, He might taste death for the sake of all men. F. EXPOSITION 2:5 “For He did not subject to angels . . .” that is, He did not put the angels a position of dominion as He did man in Gen 1:28. This the beginning of yet another contrast between angels and the Son. This is a clear reference to man’s dominion over the earth. Yet it is not, as we shall see, that dominion the author wishes to explore. 2:5 “. . . the coming world of which we speak, . . .” That is, the world where only one will have authority. The author is speaking of a greater, eternal subjection. The implication is that if the angels did not even have dominion over the earth which man was to govern, how much less shall they be given the dominion belonging to THE man? By this deft maneuver the author shifts the object of the quoted Psalm from mankind inb general to the Son of man in particular. This “world to come,” is not to be confused with heaven or some state of affairs in the afterlife, but unequivocally refers to an earthly, civilized, state of affairs. The “world” here refers to the inhabited, civilized earth, in an age yet to come. 2:6 “ . . . but one testified somewhere saying . . .” i.e., the Psalmist, in Psa 8:4-6 has recorded. 2:6. “ . . . ‘what is man that you remember him . . .” That is, why are you, God, mindful of man? 2:6. “ . . . or the Son of Man that you visit him’? As seen in the lexical section, “visit” may mean “to look in on,” or to provide aid or sustenance. 2:7 “You made him a little lower than angels, . . .” The Hebrew (~yhi_l{a/me),30 literally “than God,” probably means something on the order of man’s creation as somewhat less “than divinity.” By a little lower, it cannot be meant that men are almost as powerful as angels, but that from a divine perspective, corporeal beings are not as powerful as spiritual beings. But so far as the Son is concerned, the limitations did not have so much to do with being less powerful than angels, but with His identity with man that necessitated a physical body, hence having 30 `WhrE)J.[;T. rd"åh'w> dAbßk'w> ~yhi_l{a/me j[;M.â WhrEåS.x;T.w: 58 local and temporal qualities. Nor does this diminish Christ’s power, but applies to His voluntary “emptying” of Himself (Phil 2:7). The irony of the passage is that the condition of man is elevated by the description “a little lower than angels,” but the application of these words to the Son represent a humiliation. 2:7 “ . . . and crowned him with glory and honor . . .” Man, qua man was made in God’s image, and given dominion over all the earthly creation. Created in that condition God called “good,” he was intended to communicate with God and have a relationship with Him. Even after man sinned, and his image became marred, he was still the master of his physical surroundings, but with added sorrow and grief. But so far as the man is concerned, as we have seen, He has the honor of being seated at the right hand of God. Cf. 1:3, 13. 2:8 “ . . . you subjected all things beneath his feet.” As originally intended, this was another reference to Gen 1:28, where God placed the created order under man and gave him dominion over all the earth. That dominion was marred, but remained intact after “the fall.” The author of Hebrews interprets this verse by not pointing to man’s failure, but to Christ’s success as the second Adam. 2:8 “For insofar as he subjected all things, . . .” Referring again to Genesis 1:28, we see that this included the command to subdue the earth, with dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air, and every creature that moves on the earth. This means making the earth to bend to his efforts, and to manage all forms of animal life. Furthermore, God gave to man every herb and tree as food. Thus, the physical earth and all things bearing life were at man’s disposal. What more was there? 2:8 “ . . . there remained nothing not so subjected.” In summary, everything upon the earth, and the earth itself were put under man’s administration. 2:8 But we do not yet see all things having been subjected thus. That is, first, after the fall, man spent his time in subduing other men, thus failing to complete the task of properly managing the world, and second, there was nothing in man that could subdue man himself, his sinfulness reaching ever new heights with every succeeding generation. Clearly man’s dominion was a tragic failure, and could never have reached the intended state. 2:9 “But we see Jesus, ‘having been made a little lower than angels’ . . .” That man has failed in his mission all can see. But the author of Hebrews now focuses our attention on the man Jesus. For in order to succeed in this endeavor, men would have to be unfallen, sinless, and able to think in a God- centered way. To date, only one man fits this description; we see Jesus.” In becoming man, and joining him in his status “a little lower than angels,” He was in a unique 59 position to subdue the earth and fulfill God’s commission. But it is important to see that while Jesus was at the very least as capable of exercising control over the creation as man, He was not a farmer, woodsman, of even fisherman in the regular sense. A problem loomed over man that prevented him from exercising dominion properly. That problem had to be addressed first. That problem is sin. 2:9 “ . . . for the suffering of death’;” Jesus was not sent to exercise dominion over the earth, but to remove the problem that prevented men from exercising it. This He did by His cruel death on the cross. He first exercised His dominion, in precisely that area where man was powerless, i.e., in the removal of the power of sin. We recall that while “all things” were given in subjection to man, those things did not include, at the time of their being given, the power of sin. Men could not exercise wise dominion over the earth, because of sin, a phenomenon that did not exist at the time of God’s commissioning him. With the entrance of sin there arose a power on earth over which man had no dominion at all. This, Jesus removed, at least in principle. 2:9 “ . . . and ‘having been crowned with glory and honor’ . . .” This finishes the thought and the identification of Jesus with “man” of Psalms 8. The idea is that “we see Jesus having been created a little lower than angels for the suffering of death,” and then, or as a result “having been crowned with glory and honor.” 2:9 “ . . . in order that, . . .” or “for the purpose of.” The word is an adverb that often functions as a subordinating conjunction. Here it is either attached to the entire identification of Jesus with Psalm 8 made clear here in 2:9, or refers to the notion of having been crowned with glory and honor alone. The meaning of this verse has been hotly contested for many years.. 2:9 “ . . . by the grace of God, He might taste death for the sake of all men.” The man Jesus was crowned with glory and honor “in order that” he might not just die, but that his might be a sacrificial death – that He “might taste death for every man.” Death, of course, is the just penalty for sin, and was the condition that prevented man from properly exercising his dominion over the earth. In the first place, man could not pay for his own sin, much less avoid its influence in his life. This barrier was removed by the man Jesus, the Son of God. The problem having been thus removed, man, insofar as he is willing, is now free to exercise his dominion selflessly. Even this is an indictment of man and his preference for his sin. The thought seems to be that “we understand Jesus to have ‘been made a little lower than angels’ for the suffering of death and then having been crowned with glory and honor so that, by the grace of God, in that death, in the death He died, He tasted death for every man. Herein is the reason for the incarnation and the accomplishment of our justification. “Having Himself made purification for sins, . . .” This is essentially the position of Westcott. Another interpretation has the “having been crowned with glory and honor” precede the notion that “by the grace of God He might taste death for the sake of all men.” That is, the crowning with glory 60 and honor was something that happened before the death on the cross. This crowning with glory and honor might have been at the baptism of Jesus, or the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, or at the Great confession of Peter. It may even have been at the nativity. The point is that the crowning with glory and honor was the prerequisite for the substitutionary death on the cross. If the word translated “in order that” refers back to the crowning, the idea is that only an acknowledged King can die “for” his people. Thus Marcus Dods, in W. Robertson Nicoll’s Expositor’s Greek Testament. In either case, it was only “by the grace of God” that such payment for sin was accomplished; but it is also only by that grace that we can accept what has been done. Only then can we be the stewards we were intended to be in Genesis 1:28-29. In applying these quotations from Psalms, the author is making it plain that only the Man Christ Jesus can possibly be the proper recipient of God’s commission after “the fall.” This entails an implicit promise that Jesus is not yet done with His ministry on earth – that there is more to come. He has been made a little lower than angels, and He has been crowned with glory and honor. But he has not yet delivered up the total subjection of the physical realm to man, of whom He will be the quintessential “man.” Westcott has well noted that the preposition here translated “for the sake of” does not mean “in place of,” but “in behalf of.” He further notes that “The phrase . . . expresses not only the fact of death, but the conscious experience, the tasting of the bitterness of death. Man, as he is, cannot feel the full significance of death, the consequence of sin, though he is subject to the fear of it (v. 15); But Christ, in His sinlessness, perfectly realized its awfulness. In this fact lies the immeasurable difference between the death of Christ, simply as death, and that of the holiest martyr.” [Westcott] G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS This pericope continues the thought of the Son in His humility. Chapter 1 showed Him in His exaltation. The main points are that first, the promise of earthly sovereignty was promised to man, but fulfilled only by the son of man, and second, that owing to the intrusion of sin, the fulfillment of man’s destiny could only be accomplished by payment for sin, and its removal. Here, The Son is identified with Mankind. He is clearly and unequivocally identified as “man” (it is not too much to say “The Man”) in the quoted Psalm. As such, it is ultimately Him in whom the promises will have their greatest fulfillment. The author has made three salient points concerning the man Christ Jesus. He was incarnate and thus became one of us. This we know because He suffered death at the hands of His persecutors. We are also told that this death was according to the plan that He should “taste death for all men.” . This passage clearly resonates with Paul’s teaching concerning Jesus as the “second Adam.” Finally, we see that the subjection of all things beneath His feet is not yet completed. This, of course, points to the day of consummation, when the Man will rule and all things, natural and 61 human, will be under His dominion. The ultimate fulfillment of the promise is not in doubt, and does not even receive comment. All the author wishes to say is that we “do not yet” see this situation. But the coming reality is assumed. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 2:5 For He did not subject the coming world of which we speak to angels; 6 instead, one wrote somewhere saying, “what is man that you are mindful of him or the Son of Man that you nurture him? 7 You made him a little lower than angels and crowned him with glory and honor; 8 you put all things beneath his feet.” And insofar as he subjected all things, there remained nothing that was not included in that subjection. But we do not yet see all things beneath His feet. 9 But the “made a little lower than angels,” we see in Jesus because He suffered death; and the “crowned with glory and honor” in that, by the grace of God, He might taste death for the sake of all people. 62 SEVENTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 2:10-13) 2:10 [Eprepen gaVr aujtw'/, di' o}n taV pavnta kaiV di' ou| taV pavnta, pollouV" uiJouV" eij" dovxan ajgagovnta toVn ajrchgoVn th'" swthriva" aujtw'n diaV paqhmavtwn teleiw'sai. 11 oJ te gaVr aJgiavzwn kaiV oiJ aJgiazovmenoi ejx eJnoV" pavnte": di' h}n aijtivan oujk ejpaiscuvnetai ajdelfouV" aujtouV" kalei'n, 12 levgwn, jApaggelw' toV o[nomav sou toi'" ajdelfoi'" mou, ejn mevsw/ ejkklhsiva" uJmnhvsw se: 13 kaiV pavlin, jEgwV e[somai pepoiqwV" ejp' aujtw'/: kaiV pavlin, IdouV ejgwV kaiV taV paidiva a{ moi e[dwken oJ qeov". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 2:10 [Eprepen (imperfect, acive, indicative, 3 person, singular) e;prepe; 1. to stand out, to be conspicuous, to be eminent. 2. to be becoming, seemly, fit [Thayer] 2:10 avrchgo,j, avrchgo,n, (adjective), either leader, ruler, prince or originator, founder; the former is more likely for Ac 5:31; for 3:15 either is poss. The latter is more likely for Hb 2:10; 12:2, but the author may have something like exemplar in mind. [Gingrich] leading, furnishing the first cause or occasion: chiefly used as a substantive, o`, h`, avrchgo,j (avrch, and a;gw); 1. the chief leader, prince: of Christ, Acts 5:31; (Aeschylus Ag. 259; Thucydides 1, 132;. The Septuagint Isa. 3:5f; 2 Chr. 23:14, and often). 2. “one that takes the lead in anything (1 Macc. 10:47, avrchgo,j lo,gwn eivrhnikw/n) and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter”: th/j pi,stewj, of Christ, Heb. 12:2 (who in the prominence of his faith far surpassed the examples of faith commemorated in Heb. 11) (others bring this under the next head; yet cf. Kurtz at the passage). So avrchgo,j a`marti,aj, Micah 1:13; zh,louj, Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 14, 1; ; th/j sta,sewj kai, dicostasi,aj, ibid. 51, 1; th/j avpostasiaj, of the devil, Irenaeus 4, 40, 1; toiauthj filosofi,aj, of Thales, Aristotle, met. 1, 3, 7 (p. 983{b} 20). Hence, 3. the author: th/j zwh/j, Acts 3:15; th/j swthri,aj, Heb. 2:10. (Often so in secular authors: tw/n pa,ntwn, of God (Plato) Tim. Locr., p. 96 c.; tou/ ge,nouj tw/n avnqrw,pwn, of God, Diodorus 5, 72; avrchgo,j kai, ai;tioj, leader and author, are often joined, as Polybius 1, 66, 10; Herodian, 2, 6, 22 (14, Bekker edition)). Cf. Bleek on Heb. vol. ii. 1, p. 301f.* [Thayer] 63 2:10 teleio,w (aorist, active, infinitive) —1. complete, finish, accomplish, bring to its goal, perfect. a. — Make perfect; b. — Spend; c.— Fulfill; d. — Pass. reach one’s goal. 2. consecrate, initiate Phil 3:12; such passages as Hb 2:10; 5:9; 7:28 may perhaps be classed here. [Gingrich] teleio,w is common in legal papyri = “execute”: see e.g. P Oxy III. 48320 (A.D. 108) teleiw/sai to.n [email protected]# w`j kaqh,kei, “to execute the deed in the proper way” (Edd.), and P Giss I. 3416 (A.D. 265–6) evtelei,@wse#n ta. no,mima. In P Oxy II. 2389 (A.D. 72) it seems rather to have the meaning “complete” by the insertion of date and signatures. [MM] 2:11 a`gia,zw; used twice, (present, active, participle, nominative, masculine, singular) and (present passive, partiviple, nominative, masculine, plural) 1 aorist h`gi,asa; passive (present a`gia,zomai; perfect h`gi,asmai; 1 aorist h`gia,sqhn; a word for which the Greeks use a`gi,zein, but very frequent in Biblical (as equivalent to vd;qi, vydIq.hi) and ecclesiastical writings; “to make a[gion, render or declare sacred or holy, consecrate”. Hence, it denotes: 1. to render or acknowledge to be venerable, to hallow. Since the stamp of sacredness passes over from the holiness of God to whatever has any connection with God, a`gia,zein denotes. 2. to separate from things profane and dedicate to God, to consecrate and so render inviolable; a. things. b. persons. So Christ is said by undergoing death to consecrate himself to God, whose will He in that way fulfills, John 17:19; . . . Since only what is pure and without blemish can be devoted and offered to God (Lev. 22:20; Deut. 15:21; 17:1), a`gia,zw signifies 3. to purify, and a. to cleanse externally (pro,j th,n th/j sarko,j kaqaro,thta), to purify levitically: Heb. 9:13; 1 Tim. 4:5. b. to purify by (equivalent to rp,Ki, Exo. 29:33,36). c. to purify internally by reformation of soul. In general, Christians are called h`giasme,noi (cf. Deut. 33:3), as those who, freed from the impurity of wickedness, have been brought near to God by their faith and sanctity, Acts 20:32; 26:18. [Thayer] 2:11 aijtivan (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) -- 1. cause, reason Mt 19:3; Ac 10:21; relationship Mt 19:10. – 2. legal term charge, ground for complaint, accusation J 18:38; Ac 25:18, 27. [English: aetiology or etiology, aivti,a + lo,goj] 2:11 ejpaiscuvnetai (present, middle, indicative, third person, singular) be ashamed (of). 2:12 uJmnhvsw (verb, future, active, indicative, 1st person, singular) – 1. transitive, to sing the praise of; sing hymns to, – 2. intransitive, to sing a hymn, to sing. [Thayer] Cf. English Hymn. This is important because we, in our age, and as part of our apostasy, have forgotten, or denied what it is “to hymn someone.” To hymn means to sing the praises of, to remind ourselves of the objective merits and virtues of those we deem worthy of praise. Our “praise songs” are largely psychobabble self-stroking about how great our buddy Jesus makes us feel. That is not praise. The quoted material is a prophecy that Messiah will sing the attributes and mighty deeds of God, that He will commemorate God’s character, perhaps in song, certainly in witness. 2:13 pepoiqwV" (perfect, active, participle, nominative, masculine, singular) – 1. act., except for 2 pf. and plupf. – a. convince; – b. persuade, appeal to. The difficult passage Ac 26:28 evn ovli,gw| me 64 pei,qeij Cristiano.n poih/sai may be rendered you are in a hurry to persuade me and make a Christian of me. – c. win over, strive to please Ac 12:20; 14:19; Gal 1:10. – d. conciliate, set at ease 1 J 3:19. Conciliate, satisfy Mt 28:14. – 2. The 2 pf. pe,poiqa and plupf. evpepoi,qein have pres. and past meaning – a. depend on, trust in, put one’s confidence in w. dat. – b. be convinced, be sure, certain – 3. pass., except for the pf.– a. be persuaded, be convinced, come to believe, believe – b. obey, follow w. dat. Ro 2:8; Gal 5:7; Hb 13:17; Js 3:3. – c. Some passages stand between mngs. a. and b. and allow either translation Ac 5:36f; 23:21; 27:11; evpei,sqhsan de. auvtw|/ so they took (Gamaliel’s) advice 5:39. – 4. pf. pass. pe,peismai be convinced, be certain Lk 20:6; Ro 8:38; 15:14; 2 Ti 1:5, 12; Hb 6:9. “To convince someone to believe something and act on the basis of what is recommended” – to persuade, convince. [Nida] “To prevail upon, win over, persuade; perfect to believe, trust. . . . pf. 2 pe,poiqa, like the Pass., to trust, rely on, have confidence in a person or thing.” [ LS ] Perfect tense used frequently in LXX for xj;B', Trust, be confident. [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 2:13 Note the periphrasis: Periphrasis allows Greek to “import” aktionsart into expressions of future time. The future tense is the only Greek tense that (1) uniformly conveys the time of action, while (2) saying nothing about the kind of action, or the perspective of the action. Because the future tense may relate circumstances that are ambiguous in regard to the kind of action, or the view of the action, writers wishing to be explicit in this regard resorted to periphrasis, frequently combining the future tense of “to be” with the present participle to show continuing or durative action or with the perfect or aortist to show a resultive state. In English we may say “tomorrow I will exercise!” This may be viewed as “I shall exercise once, tommorrow,” as “I shall begin and continue a new routine,” or as “I will enter and remain in a different (healthier) condition.” The first of these is an aorist perspective, the second a “present” (either iterative or continuous) perspective, and the third a “perfect,” or “resultive” perspective. In Greek, the means of specifying one perspective rather than the other is sometimes achieved by means of saying “tomorrow I will be having exercised” to emphasize the resultive perspective. Several combinations are possible, but we are concerned to emphasize the resulting state because of the use of the perfect participle with the future of “to be.” Here it is literally “I will be (future) having been persuaded (perfect) upon Him,” (or “on the basis of Him”). This appears to mean that “at some time in the future I will already have been persuaded.” Because no person has a guarantee of the future, this can only be a certainty if “I now believe,” or 65 “I am now persuaded.” This is either a periphrasis, or Hebraism, or perhaps both. But even the bare notion “I will trust Him . . .” cannot be taken as a future condition in this context, as if to say, for example, “on the 5th of next month I am going to believe, or be persuaded.” “I will be persuaded” can mean nothing, in this context, other than “I will continue being persuaded,” or “I will remain in a state of trusting.” This is of the very nature of such periphrasis, D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 2:10 For it was fitting for Him on account of whom are all things and through whom are all things, leading many sons into glory, to perfect the Captain of their salvation through sufferings, 11 for both the one sanctifying and the ones being sanctified are all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, I will proclaim your name to my brothers, I will hymn you in the middle of the congregation; 13 and again, “I will continue to trust Him,”31 and again, “behold, I and the children God gave to me . . .” F. EXPOSITION 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him . . .” It is helpful to remember the immediate context of the Son in His incarnation. For now we come to a statement that is difficult to understand. We wonder how it can be “fitting” for the eternal Son to suffer for anything, the innocent for the guilty, even as we thank Him for doing so. The lack of understanding does not come from a lack of gratitude, but a failure to see how such redemption is in any way “fitting” for one in whom there is no fault. But this is not the only surprise. For the third person pronoun Him does not refer to God, but to the Son himself. Apparently it was the Son himself who determined that in His human incarnation (as Messiah) He would so identify with man as to be “completed,” or “perfected,”) by sufferings. 2:10 “on account of whom are all things and through whom are all things, . . . “ reminds us that the author has already identified Him for whom and by whom everything was made as the Son of God by whom God has spoken to us in these days (Heb 1:2). 31 `Al)-yti(yWEßqiw> (Isa 8:17 WTT). Literally “and I will wait for Him.” kai. pepoiqw.j e;somai evpV auvtw/| (Isa 8:17 BGT). “I will be persuaded upon Him.” 66 2:10 “leading many sons into glory . . .” clearly referring to the Messiah, that is, the Son of God in the incarnation, i.e., the Human Jesus. This reference to the earthly ministry is clearly separate from the heavenly councils. The one “leading many to glory” cannot refer to “Him,” for it is in the accusative case. “Him” is in the dative case. The one “leading many sons” refers to none other than “the captain of their salvation,” which is also in the accusative. “Many” is not to be understood as a limitation on the scope of Christ’s work but denotes a pattern of leadership and followers. This construction is almost impossible to express smoothly in English. It is literally “to make the Captain of their salvation leading many sons to glory perfect through suffering.” While this is accurate, it is not very smooth, and it is little wonder that the major versions all make it sound as if the phrase refers to “Him” for whom and by whom are “all things.” But it is critical that we not identify the One “leading many sons to glory” with the eternal Son rather than the Son of Man, i.e., the earthly Jesus. For as the incarnate Son. He looks back to “the first born, and forward, to that great High Priest about which the author will have so much to say later. It seems like stretching a point, but as the (Heavenly) Son of God, before the incarnation, thought it fitting to identify Himself completely with man, so, as the final sacrifice, is He mediated by the eternal High Priest after the ascension. “Leading” and “bringing” are pretty much synonymous, but bring may more easily have a quasi passive or non-participatory meaning, as in “bring water to boil, or “bring something to light,” which does not demand the participation of the agent in the action itself. Hence he does not himself boil, or produce light. But in “leading,” the participation of the leader is more readily assumed. And it is precisely the participation in being man, that the Son of God thought would be fitting for Messiah. 2:10 “ . . . to perfect the Captain of their salvation through sufferings, . . .” The term “author” fails to render the idea adequately. The one “leading” partakes in the situation of those whom he leads. Only by such complete identification with man can the messiah truly lead men to glory. By His sufferings, we know that he was truly man. For Him to have endured this sort of “perfection,” is an indication of how great the glory is to which He seeks to lead us. This “perfecting” of Christ produced the moral perfection of His humanity, but was fully accomplished only with His death. The Son of God decided that identity with man, right down to the suffering of hunger, temptation, and cruel death, were “fitting” for His mission as Messiah. 2:11 “ . . . for both the one sanctifying and the ones being sanctified . . .” denotes both the Messiah, and his followers. The author of Hebrews has taken great pains to limit our understanding in this context to the Human savior, Jesus, the Son of God incarnate as the Son of man. The ones being sanctified, or set apart, are His disciples, or followers. The “program” of suffering and overcoming 67 by which Christ was made “perfect” is the same program through which He leads His followers. 2:11 “ . . . are all of one, . . .” i.e., in their humanity. They are one in being localized beings of the type “homo sapiens,” and in their eternal destiny because of their being made in the image and therefore being capable of having a relationship with God. 2:11 “ . . . for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brothers, . . .” That is, because those human beings being sanctified, bearing the resulting relationship to God, and therefore sharing a destiny bound up with that of the Son, Jesus can call them “brothers.” Despite their debilitation from “the Fall,” much like soldiers who share the hardships of battle, they are brothers in the program through which their Captain leads them. 2:12 “ . . . saying, I will proclaim your name to my brothers, . . .” that is, Messiah will testify of God among those He can call “brothers.” This, historically, was the Jewish people of His time. They were “brothers” in this narrow sense of racial relatives, countrymen, and, nominally, at least, coreligionists. It took the life and ministry of Jesus to separate these merely “natural” brothers from the true brothers. 2:12 “ . . . I will hymn you in the middle of the congregation; . . .” meaning “I will sing your praises” among the gatherings of these people. This verse quotes Psa 22:22, a song of the suffering king. 2:13 “ . . . and again, ‘I will trust Him,’32 . . .” Although the meaning of this clause is not difficult to ascertain, putting it into smooth English is well nigh impossible. The problems unfold as follows: “I (explicit and emphatic) will (make?) myself be (middle, so either intensive or reflexive) in a state of being persuaded (periphrasis for I will continue to trust) upon him. The author of Hebrews, in quoting Isa 8:17, added the specific pronoun “I.” With the middle voice of the verb, this becomes quite intensive. Translations might include suggestions such as the following: “I myself am persuaded of Him;” but this fails to note any future aspect. “I will keep myself confident in Him” is verbally correct, but slightly less than adequate to the content of the word usually translated “trust.” “I will remain faithful to him” handles the tense well enough, but the word “faith” seems to fall into the mental assent problem, whereas trust does not. These all provide the requisite perfect sense, and acknowledge the intensive or reflexive third person pronoun, but are catastrophically awkward. 32 `Al)-yti(yWEßqiw> (Isa 8:17 WTT). Literally “and I will wait for Him." kai. pepoiqw.j e;somai evpV auvtw/| (Isa 8:17 BGT). "I will be persuaded upon Him." 68 “I will continue to trust Him” is smooth, but slightly awkward, and it utterly fails to provide the sense of the perfect tense without the gloss. Still, with a word of explanation, it seems to be the best choice. This is a quotation from Isaiah 8:17 LXX. The Hebrew text reads “I will look for Him.” The immediate context in Isaiah is that God will hide His face from Judah, but Isaiah knows He is still there. Isaiah will continue to serve Him, and will “look for Him” to finish His great work. That is, although the LXX mistranslates, or at least paraphrases, the word for “look,” the notion of Isaiah continuing to expect the Lord to fulfill His promises certainly exemplifies trust. 2:13 “ . . . and again, “behold, I and the children God gave to me . . .” is actually an unfinished sentence. In Isaiah, the sentence reads “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwelleth in Mount Zion (KJV). The point of these quotations, from the prophet Isaiah and King David serve to show that the Captain of the Faith, both as prophet and King, will suffer as they did. For these are prophecies and psalms of suffering. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Surely, when most Christians think of the suffering of Christ, they think of the unspeakable way He was treaterd after His betrayal, as seen in Luke 22:64; 23:11 and Matthew 26:67 Luke 9:22, H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL One could go on at some length about suffering and the excpectation that those who follow Christ will share in His suffering. He who . . . will suffer The world hates us because it first hated Him I. PARAPHRASE 2:10 For it was fitting for Him for whom and by whom all things were made, leading many sons into glory, to perfect the Captain of their salvation through sufferings, for both He who sanctifies and 69 those who are sanctified are all of one, so that He is not ashamed to call them His brothers, saying,” I will proclaim your name to my brothers – I will hymn you in the middle of the congregation,” and, “I will continue to trust Him,” and, “behold, I and the children God gave to me,” and so forth. 70 EIGHTH PERICOPE (Hebrews 2:14-18) 2:14 ejpeiV ou\n taV paidiva kekoinwvnhken ai{mato" kaiV sarkov", kaiV aujtoV" paraplhsivw" metevscen tw'n aujtw'n, i{na diaV tou' qanavtou katarghvsh/ toVn toV kravto" e[conta tou' qanavtou, tou't' e[stin toVn diavbolon, 15 kaiV ajpallavxh/ touvtou", o{soi fovbw/ qanavtou diaV pantoV" tou' zh'n e[nocoi h\san douleiva". 16 ouj gaVr dhvpou ajggevlwn ejpilambavnetai, ajllaV spevrmato" jAbraaVm ejpilambavnetai. 17 o{qen w[feilen kataV pavnta toi'" ajdelfoi'" oJmoiwqh'nai, i{na ejlehvmwn gevnhtai kaiV pistoV" ajrciereuV" taV proV" toVn qeovn, eij" toV iJlavskesqai taV" aJmartiva" tou' laou': 18 ejn w|/ gaVr pevponqen aujtoV" peirasqeiv", duvnatai toi'" peirazomevnoi" bohqh'sai. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 2:14 kekoinwvnhken (perfect, active, indicative, 3rd person, singular) 1. share in, have a share in, 2. give a share. 3. k) is found in the same sense as koino,w make impure. 2:14 paraplhsivw" (adverb) similarly, likewise, in just the same way. This is the only occurrence of this word in the Greek Bible, LXX or NT. According to Westcott the word provides a comparison both qualitative and quantitative [ = “in all respects”]. He notes that “the Fathers insist on the word marking the reality of Christ’s manhood.” 2:14 metevscen (aorist, active, indicative, 3rd person, singular) be or become partaker; to partake: th/j evlpi,doj auvtou/, of the thing hoped for, with a genitive of the thing added, 1 Cor. 9:12; 10:21; Heb. 2:14; fulh/j e`te,raj, to belong to another tribe, be of another tribe, Heb. 7:13; namely, th/j trofh/j, to partake of, eat, 1 Cor. 10:30; ga,laktoj, to partake of, feed on, milk, Heb. 5:13. 2:14 kravto" (noun, accusative, neuter, singular) 1. force, strength. 2. power, might; mightily, with great power, by metonymy, a mighty deed, a work of power. 3. dominion. [Thayer] 2:15 ajpallavxh/ (aorist, active, subjunctive, 3rd person, singular) act. free, release Hb 2:15. Pass. be released, be cured Ac 5:15; come to a settlement with someone Lk 12:58; intr. leave, depart. 2:15 e[nocoi (adjective, nominative, masculine, plural) equivalent to o` evneco,menoj, one who is held in anything, so that he cannot escape; bound, under obligation, subject to, liable: with the genitive of the thing by which one is bound, doulei,aj, Heb. 2:15; used of one who is held by, possessed with, 71 love and zeal for anything. . . . As in Greek writings, chiefly in a forensic sense, denoting the connection of a person either with his crime, or with the penalty or trial, or with that against whom or which he has offended; so a. absolutely guilty, worthy of punishment: Lev. 20:9,11,13,16,27; 1 Macc. 14:45. b. with the genitive of the thing by the violation of which guilt is contracted, guilty of anything, guilty of a crime committed against the body and blood of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11:27. [Thayer] 2:15 douleiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) slavery, bondage, the condition of a slave: th/j fqora/j, the bondage which consists in decay, . . . equivalent to the law, the necessity, of perishing, Rom. 8:21; used of the slavish sense of fear, devoid alike of buoyancy of spirit and of trust in God, such as is produced by the thought of death, Heb. 2:15, as well as by the Mosaic law in its votaries, Rom. 8:15; . . . the Mosaic system is said to cause doulei,a on account of the grievous burdens its precepts impose upon its adherents: Gal. 4:24; 5:1. [Thayer] 2:16 dhvpou (Adverb – from dh, and pou/), properly, now in some way, whatever that way is; it is used when something is affirmed in a slightly ironical manner, as if with an affectation of uncertainty, perhaps, doubtless, verily: ouv dh,pou, not surely (German doch nicht etwa), hardly I trow. Once in Scripture: Heb. 2:16. [Thayer] 2:16 ejpilambavnetai (present, middle, indicative, 3rd, singular) 1. take hold of, grasp, catch w. gen. or acc. 2. fig. catch, take hold of; be concerned with, take an interest in, help. The idea is that of laying hold of someone or something in order to help, aid, or preserve. It runs a close parallel to the “Captain” of our salvation, in that He precedes us to safety, that is, He is already of solid ground, whereas we are not and are unable to save ourselves. It is a difficult term to translate adequately. A phrase is required to the effect that He “laid hold of in order to benefit, favor, assist, restore, or succor.” Yet the expression “lend a hand to,” seems weak. “Take in tow” is adequate for the physical picture of the word, but is weak in the reason for doing so. 2:17 w[feilen (imperfect, active, indicative, 3rd, singular) owe, be indebted 1. lit., of financial debts. 2. fig. a. generally owe, be indebted; Be obligated, one must, one ought; b. ovfei,lei he is obligated, bound (by his oath); Commit a sin. 2:17 High Priest. In the Old Testament, the office of High Priest was characterized by its representative nature. Because God is holy, His people must also be holy. The priests in general, and the High Priest especially, were representatives of this holiness, which was lacking in many of the people as individuals. Thus the priest represented the people before God, and the people identified with him as their representative. The function of the High Priesthood was to establish and maintain that holiness (separation, or “set apartness”) of his people. He embodied what it meant to serve God, and he vicariously maintained that holiness and service for the people. The priesthood of Christ is, if not the theme of Hebrews, is the bridge over which the freight of the rest of the epistle is carried. 72 2:17 iJlavskesqai (present, middle, infinitive) 1. to render propitious to oneself, to appease, conciliate to oneself (from i;laoj gracious, gentle); . . . 2. by an Alexandrian usage, to expiate, make propitiation for. [Thayer] 1. be merciful; 2. expiate Hb 2:17. [Gingrich] 2:18 pevponqen (perfect, active, indicative, 3rd, singular) 1. have an experience [good or bad]. 2. suffer, endure a. suffer, sometimes suffer death; Undergo punishment. b. endure, undergo. 2:18 peirasqeiv" (aorist, passive, participle, dative, masculine, plural) 1. try, attempt. 2. try, make trial of, put to the test; a. generally, or of making trial of God. b. tempt, entice to sin. 2:18 duvnatai (present, middle, indicative, 3rd, singular) the Septuagint for lkoy"; to be able, have power, whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favorable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom; . . . absolutely, like the Latin possum, equivalent to to be able, capable, strong, powerful: [Thayer] This word is found several times in Hebrews and elsewhere in the New Testament, and will receive special notice as it occurs. 2:18 bohqh'sai (aorist, active, infinitive) come to the aid of, help w. dat. [Gingrich] . . . (from boh, a cry and qew/| to run); in the Septuagint chiefly for rz:['; in Greek writings from (Aeschylus and) Herodotus down; properly, to run to the cry (of those in danger); hence, universally, to help, succor, bring aid. [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 2:17 eij" toV iJlavskesqai. The article with the infinitive occurs to impart case. [Blass-DeBrunner] eij" with such a neuter articular infinitive most often expresses purpose. Thus, the expression “ . . . might become a faithful High Priest in the things of God to expiate the sins of the people,” requires slight expansion. Since the sense of purpose has already been expressed (“in order that He might . . .”), the expression will be rendered “so as to.” D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 2:14 Since, then, the Children share blood and flesh, accordingly He Himself also partook of the same, in order that through (His) death He might render powerless the one having the power of death (that one being the Devil) 15 and might deliver them who throughout life were subject to bondage by fear of death. 16 For surely, He did not rescue angels, but He rescued Abraham’s seed. 17 73 Therefore, it behooved Him to be made like His brothers in all things in order that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in the things pertaining to God so as to expiate the sins of the people. 18 For wherein He suffered, having himself been tempted, He is able to help those being tempted. F. EXPOSITION 2:14 “Since, therefore, the Children share blood and flesh, . . .” i.e., because the aforementioned children had in common, blood and flesh. The perfect tense of the verb “share” indicates an unchanging result of being physical beings shared by all men of all ages. Flesh and blood is the common mode of existence for all men; It was not always of the essence of Christ. Emphasis is laid on blood as the symbol and vehicle of life, where as flesh is the symbol of death and decay. Cf. The same order in Ephesians 6:12. 2:14 “. . . accordingly He Himself also partook of the same, . . .” Christ, the Captain of salvation, connects Himself deliberately and eternally with the children God had given Him. Here, the aorist tense of the verb “partook” indicates that “flesh and blood” was a quality that at some point occurred in the case of Christ. “Partook” provides the time of action for this verse as past, and Jesus’ earthly ministry was now indeed history. “Might destroy” shows both the purpose of the act and its finality. “The one having” is a participle and shows the ongoing situation as a present tense. However in providing the object of Christ’s earthly mission, which is now past, the present tense refers to the ongoing condition at the time Jesus defeated Satan, i.e. it was an ongoing condition at that time in history. “He became incarnate” (aorist subjunctive), “that he might destroy” -- which he in fact accomplished (aorist subjunctive) -- “the one then having the power of death” (present) “and might deliver” (aorist subjunctive) etc. This prepares the reader for the analogy that begins in verse 15 speaking of the fact that this ministry, now finished, “delivered” from “bondage,” which will soon introduce Moses and his historical ministry of deliverance from bondage. By this means the efficacy of both ministries will be contrasted. 2:14 “. . . in order that through (His) death . . . .” that is, by means of death, in particular, His death. The emphasis is difficult to disentangle from the particular. By means of death, Christ would defeat him who had the power of death. But this meant, of necessity, that He would Himself have to die. When death can be shown to bear no necessary terror, it loses its sting. When hope is held out that there is great gain beyond death, the one with the power of death loses his hold on the mind of man. All we need is an example of the ultimate powerlessness of death to allow us to lay aside our fear. 74 However, the translation of Enoch and Elijah cannot provide this, because we are not likely to be translated. Nor can the miraculous raising of the dead in both testaments provide this lesson, because those beneficiaries of resurrection had to die a second time. Clearly, what was required was a death followed by a resurrection of a wholly different kind. This, Christ, and Christ alone, provided. Some one had to die a death that overcame all the fears and powers of death, and Jesus Christ, in His death, did so. 2:14 “. . . He might render powerless the one having the power of death . . .” The power of death is the fear of the unknown and the suspicion of new horrors. Speculation regarding death is all we have. We cannot learn empirically what death means in any sense that is meaningful to us while we are yet alive, at least if that death is our own. Rational thought has no beginning point that logically leads to certainty concerning death. Is it final? Do we simply pass out of existence? Is there any basis for anything but intense sorrow for those who survive? Nothing in philosophy or experience answers these questions. Let us have but an answer, and we might plan accordingly to mitigate death’s effects on us and on our loved ones. This, Jesus provided. We now have reports of the empirical evidence that answers our questions about death. We may still have to experience it, but we do not have to do so blindly, ignorantly, or hopelessly. It must not be thought that Christ’s death “destroyed” the one having such power. KJV and many others wrongly have the word “destroy” where ASV has “bring to nought,” and the NASV has “render powerless.” This is the proper idea, for neither the one having the power of death nor death itself has yet been finally defeated or destroyed. But they have been rendered powerless. 2:14 “(that one being the Devil) . . .” We should not be surprised to find that the one who has (or had) the power of death is the Devil. He introduced it to man in the Garden and has bludgeoned mankind mercilessly with it ever since. 2:15 “ . . . and might deliver them who throughout life . . .” That is, anyone who realized the inevitable end of human life, and for whom all the activities and rewards of life were distorted by the fear of death. Life here refers not simply to a duration, but the processes involved in daily living. 2:15 “ . . . were subject to bondage by fear of death.” That is, those for whom death and “the great unknown” provided worry, anxiety, fear, or terror. What ought to have been, and under other circumstances might have been, joyous, is tainted and overcast by fear. There is a Jewish expression to the effect that “In this life, death will not suffer a man to be glad.” And this is a bondage from which no man ever found release while yet alive. 2:16 “For surely, He did not rescue angels, . . .” that is, “for we may assume . . .” or “for we take for granted . . .” that Christ did not “rescue.” angels. 2:16 “ . . . but He rescued Abraham seed.” The object of Christ’s rescue was not angels, and here 75 it is not even humanity, but those who were, in some sense, descendants of Abraham. It is not merely “taking hold”of the nature of men, as that has been covered already in vv. 11,14. It is the idea that he “takes up in order to aid,” not man in toto, but specifically, Abraham’s seed. “Seed of Abraham” is anarthrous and refers to a quality, not a specific number of specific persons. That is, it refers not to physical descendants, but to “spiritual offspring,” i.e., those who manifest the same sort of faith Abraham showed in his relations with God.. This notion is a close parallel to Paul’s “spiritual Israel.” It includes both Jews and Gentiles who by faith recognize their shortcomings and need for help, and the reliance upon God’s Messiah for that help. 2:17 “Therefore, it behooved Him to be made like His brothers in all things . . . .” literally “he was obligated” (imperfect active) by the nature of the case “to be made” (aorist passive infinitive) like His brothers in every essential. It is important to remember that while this requires flesh and blood, it does not require sinfulness. Sin is not of man’s essence; i.e., sinfulness was not part of Man’s original being as he was created by God. The proclivity to sin was acquired. However, the pangs of temptation are of man’s essence, and Jesus suffered from temptation. Again, we should notice that here, it is not Man qua man with whom The Son identifies, but with “His brothers.” He became man to appeal to all men, but he identifies and saves only His brothers. This leaves all men without excuse, but it leaves those who will have Him with a savior. It is worth noting that the horrors of death might well have been worse no the One who was sinless, and therefore undeserving of death. And for the same reason, the temptations suffered were likely more severe to the One who never succumbed. He felt, and rejected the full force of temptation where we usually suffer but little before we succumb. 2:17 “ . . . in order that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest.” The becoming fully human identified the savior with mankind in his weakness and subjection to temptation. But it allows Him to become the High Priest of those who are His followers. “Merciful” refers to his relationship to those for whom He is the High Priest. But “faithful” is a little more troublesome. It may refer to his inner disposition toward God, but it may also fade into the understanding of trustworthiness in regard to the performance of His office, as in “he is trustworthy. Happily, there is no need in this context to draw too fine a distinction, because the one sense of the term produces the other. It should be duly noted that here we have the first mention of the office of High Priest. A good portion of Hebrews is given to the High Priesthood, and here we are given notice of more to come. All that is needful here is to remember that the High Priest represents man before God with the sacrifice. Hence, the incarnation was necessary in order that Christ might become the High Priest. 2:17 “ . . . in the things pertaining to God . . .” i.e., His relationship to God was, as a perfect High Priest, rightly related to God so far as His requirements were concerned, so that He could expiate the sins of the people. No other human being since Adam has been so related to God. God’s righteous 76 expectations were what required a High Priest for the people, and what allowed Christ to be that High Priest. 2:17 “ . . . to expiate the sins of the people. “ That is, He might make the final and efficacious offering for sins. As we shall see, Christ was both the perfect High Priest and the perfect sacrifice. A life lived with this relationship to God was what made Christ “a faithful” High Priest. This passage is better understood in English if we reorder the clauses as follows: “in order that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest to expiate the sins of the people in the things pertaining to God 2:18 “For wherein He suffered, having himself been tempted, . . .” The first phrase may be rendered either “whereas,” or “wherein.” The latter makes more sense and fits the context better. Jesus is the “faithful” High Priest because he refused to yield to temptation. He is the “merciful” High Priest because of the temptation wherein He suffered. The extent of Christ’s temptation was apparently as wide as His humanity. The tense of the verb “suffered” is the perfect, indicating the permanent effect of suffering and not merely on the historical fact. 2:18 “He is able to help those being tempted.” The shift of tenses in this verse are instructive. Because Christ is literally “ever in the state of having suffered,” (perfect tense) because of His “having once been tempted (i.e., not one time only, but throughout His earthly life – aorist passive participle) He is (now and forever) able (present tense) to render aid (aorist active infinitive). Put simply, because of what He endured in His earthly lifetime, as a merciful High Priest, He will forever be able to render aid to those who ask for it. It is important to see that only one who has been tempted is able to understand the temptation of others. Empathy can grow out of nothing other than common experience. Westcott makes an interesting point in this regard. He points out that “the power of sympathy lies not in the mere capacity for feeling, but in the lessons of experience. And again, sympathy with the sinner in his trial does not depend on the experience of sin but on the experience of the strength of the temptation to sin which only the sinless can know in its full intensity.” [Westcott, p. 59.] That implies that no one can experience of temptation to its fullest degree but he who does not succumb. We succumb to temptation, usually, long before it reaches its full allure. An example helps us better see the point. In the Odyssey, Odysseus had himself tied to the mast of his ships. He ordered his men to stop their ears so that they could not hear neither the Siren’s song nor his pleas to be released. It was his intention to hear the song without being able to succumb to the irresistible temptation to land, thereby crushing his ships on the rocks. His ploy worked, and he heard the song that had brought many sailors to grief. He experienced this one temptation to the fullest. He survived because he could not yield. Christ experienced every temptation to the fullest, but He would not yield. 77 G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Here we begin to understand what the author meant in v. 10 when he said that it was “fitting” to perfect the Captain of their salvation through sufferings. The incarnation is plainly in view here. This marks the full fellowship of The Son with the sons. The first objects of the incarnation are to destroy the devil, and to establish the freedom from the fear of death. In verse 15 it is clear that Christ delivered believers from the fear of death. In verse 17 it is clear that He delivered believers from the fear of judgment. The former he accomplished in history with his sacrificial death. The latter he accomplishes in eternity even now as the great High Priest. This is the first mention of the High Priest and is a topic that will be taken up more fully later. Although not of the line of Levi or Aaron, the Son of God is still called a High Priest on account of His position and activity. His claim to be the High Priest will soon follow. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL It is a matter of great importance and comfort to know that God searched us out and sent the great shepherd to rescue us. Lost in a sinful thicket of our own making, we were unable to approach God and lived in perpetual fear of death and judgment and were helpless to meet God’s standards or to merit His concern, much less find an adequate basis for forgiveness. But while we are grateful for our miraculous salvation, we should never lose sight of its cost. Jesus withstood temptation for upwards of thirty years, only to die a vicious, cruel death at the hands of those who mocked and scorned Him. God watched His Son die. He who had suffered and resisted temptation at its strongest went an undeserved death of unspeakable cruelty and horror. Here, we remember the expression “how shall we escape if we neglect such great salvation?” referring to neglecting that which we have, and the parallel expression “how shall we escape if we reject such great salvation.” The one, of course, refers to our growth and sanctification. The other to evangelism. Those of us who are “Abraham’s seed,” should be more aware of the plight of those still on the outside of the fold. For among them are some who have not heard. I. PARAPHRASE 2:14 Since the Children have in common blood and flesh, so He was obliged by the nature of the case to partake of the same, so that through death He might deprive the one having the power of death (that is, the Devil) and might deliver them who throughout life were submerged in the fear of 78 death. For surely, He did not concern Himself with angels, but with Abraham’s seed. Therefore, He was obliged, by the nature of the case, to be made like His brothers in all things in order that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest so as to expiate the sins of the people in the things required by God. For wherein He suffered manifold temptations, He is able to uphold those being tempted. 79 NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 3:1-6) 3:1 {Oqen, ajdelfoiV a{gioi, klhvsew" ejpouranivou mevtocoi, katanohvsate toVn ajpovstolon kaiV ajrciereva th'" oJmologiva" hJmw'n jIhsou'n, 2 pistoVn o[nta tw'/ poihvsanti aujtoVn wJ" kaiV Mwu>sh'" ejn [o{lw/] tw'/ oi[kw/ aujtou'. 3 pleivono" gaVr ou|to" dovxh" paraV Mwu>sh'n hjxivwtai kaq' o{son pleivona timhVn e[cei tou' oi[kou oJ kataskeuavsa" aujtovn. 4 pa'" gaVr oi\ko" kataskeuavzetai uJpov tino", oJ deV pavnta kataskeuavsa" qeov". 5 kaiV Mwu>sh's meVn pistoV" ejn o{lw/ tw'/ oi[kw/ aujtou' wJ" qeravpwn eij" martuvrion tw'n lalhqhsomevnwn, 6 CristoV" deV wJ" uiJoV" ejpiV toVn oi\kon aujtou': ou| oi\kov" ejsmen hJmei'", ejaVn thVn parrhsivan kaiV toV kauvchma th'" ejlpivdo" katavscwmen. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 3:2 o{lw/. “Both external evidence and transcriptional probabilities are singularly difficult to evaluate. On the one hand, o[lw| is read by a wide variety of text-types, but is suspect as having been conformed to the text of ver. 5 and/or of Nu 12.17 LXX. On the other hand, several early and excellent witnesses (î13 î46vid B, joined by copsa, bo, fay al) lack o[lw|, but the omission may be a deliberate (Alexandrian?) emendation, introduced in order to render the Old Testament quotation more appropriate to the argument (in ver. 2 ‘whole’ disturbs the parallelism between Moses and Jesus). In the face of such a balance of possibilities, a majority of the Committee thought it best to include o[lw| in the text, but to enclose it within square brackets in order to express doubt whether it belongs there.” [Metzger] This appears to be an excellent example of the majority text being wrong as well as an example of failure to yield to internal evidence in preference to “majority reading.” However, in keeping with the principle of primary reliance being on internal evidence, we will bracket the term and not translate it. The inclusion of the word would have made a great deal of sense to scribes and commentators, hence it is the easier (and longer) reading. Original inclusion of the word would provide no explanation as to why it may later have been omitted. 3:6 “The reading o[j, which appears to be predominantly Western in character (î46 D* 0121b 88 424c 1739 itar, b, d vg Lucifer, Ambrose), is probably a scribal modification of ou-, introduced perhaps for the sake of logical exactitude (Christians are God’s house, not Christ’s house). The reading ou- is more than sufficiently supported by early and diversified witnesses (î13vid a A B C Dc I K P Y 33 81 itv syrp, h, pal copsa, bo arm.)” [Metzger] Here we have an excellent example of a text probably altered not accidentally but deliberately, in order to support a specific theological viewpoint. Metzger’s analysis (“Christians are God’s house, not Christ’s House”) seems facile, as any careful reading would lead the reader to this conclusion. On closer examination, it would appear that a scribe holding to secessionist theology, in light of the 80 conflict of the Christians with the Jews, may have sought to exclude the Jews from “God’s house” by claiming “whose house we [Christians] are,” which may further have exacerbated the problems of the Jewish Christians to which the epistle is addressed. See Exposition below. 3:6 katavscwmen. A longer reading (a phrase of three additional words) is most likely an accommodation of the text to verse 14, where the phrase is included. But in the expanded text, bebai,an is the wrong gender, and should be be,baion. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 3:1 klhvsew" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) 1. call, calling, invitation 2. station in life, position, vocation. 3:1 katanohvsate (aorist, active, imperative, second, plural) 1. to perceive, remark, observe, understand. 2. to consider attentively, fix one’s eyes or mind upon. [Thayer]; notice, observe. Look at, consider, contemplate. [Gingrich]. But further considerations are necessary here. After introducing the eternal Son of God, the readers were told that it was “more urgently necessary for us to attend to the things having been heard, lest we drift away” (2:1). This was followed by the warning “how shall we escape, having neglected such great salvation” (2:3), after which the readers are reminded of several conspicuously Messianic passages and prophecies. It is quite clear, both from the lengthy descriptions delivered on the Son of God, and the Messiah, and from the peril the author sees confronting the Hebrew Christians, that he intends his following remarks, and the Biblical and historical contexts in which they are found, to be diligently, and meticulously studied. They are to be the subject of meditation and deliberation. One can almost feel the author’s intensity from the narrative. The readers are enjoined to Consider, study, examine, deliberate, meditate, or contemplate. Periphrastically, they are to observe closely, watch attentively, examine minutely, study with care. The readers are told to “consider” this Lord, this “High Priest.” 3:1 ajpovstolon (noun, accusative, masculine, singular) 1. a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders (Herodotus 1, 21; 5, 38; for x:Wlv' in 1 Kings 14:6 (Alexandrian LXX); rabbinical x:yliv.). 2. Specially applied to the twelve disciples whom Christ selected, out of the multitude of his adherents, to be his constant companions and the heralds to proclaim to men the kingdom of God. 3. In a broader sense the name is transferred to other eminent Christian teachers; as Barnabas, Acts 14:14, and perhaps also Timothy and Silvanus, 1 Thess. 2:7. 3:1 oJmologiva" (noun, gernitive, fiminine, singular) in the N. T. profession (R. V. uniformly confession); a. subjectively: avrciere,a th/j o`mologi,aj h`mw/n, i. e. whom we profess (to be ours). b. objectively, profession (confession) i.e. what one professes (confesses). 81 3:3 dovxh" (noun, accusative, masculine, singular) In the Septuagint most frequent for dAbK', several times for dAh, rd'h', etc. I. opinion, judgment, view: in this sense very often in secular writ; but in the Bible only in 4 Macc. 5:17 (18) II. opinion, estimate, whether good or bad, concerning some one; but (like the Latin existimatio) in secular writings generally, in the sacred writings always, good opinion concerning one, and as resulting from that, praise, honor, glory. III. As a translation of the Hebrew dAbK', in a use foreign to Greek writing (Winer’s Grammar, 32), splendor, brightness; 1. properly: tou/ fwto,j, Acts 22:11; of the sun, moon, stars, 1 Cor. 15:40f; used of the heavenly brightness, by which God was conceived of as surrounded, Luke 2:9 Acts 7:55, and by which heavenly beings were surrounded when they appeared on earth, Luke 9:31; Rev. 18:1; with which the face of Moses was once made luminous, 2 Cor. 3:7, and also Christ in his transfiguration, Luke 9:32; do,xa tou/ kuri,ou, in the Septuagint equivalent to hA"hy> dAbK., in the Targum and Talmud hn"ykiv., Shekinah or Shechinah (see BB. DD. under the word), the glory of the Lord, and simply h` do,xa, a bright cloud by which God made manifest to men his presence and power on earth (Exo. 24:17; 40:28 (34ff), etc.): Rom. 9:4; Rev. 15:8; 21:11,23; hence, o` Qeo,j th/j do,xhj (God to whom belongs do,xa w;fqh, Acts 7:2; Cerou,bein do,xhj, on whom the divine glory rests (so do,xa, without the article, Exo. 40:28 (34); 1 Sam. 4:22; Sir. 49:8), Heb. 9:5. 2. magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace: basilei/ai tou/ ko,smou kai, h` do,xa auvtw/n, i. e. their resources, wealth, the magnificence and greatness of their cities, their fertile lands, their thronging population. 3. majesty; a. that which belongs to God; and b. the kingly majesty which belongs to him as the supreme ruler; so in passages where it is joined with basilei,a, du,namij, kra,toj, evxousi,a, and the like. 4. a most glorious condition, most exalted state. [Thayer] 3:3 hjxivwtai (perfect, active, indicative, third, singular) a. to think meet, fit, right: followed by an infinitive. b. to judge worthy, deem deserving: tina with an infinitive of the object. Passive with the genitive of the thing. [Thayer] 3:3 kataskeuavsa" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, singular) make ready, prepare. Build, construct, create. Furnish, equip. 3:5 qeravpwn (noun, nominative, masculine, singular) (perhaps from a root to hold, have about one; cf. English retainer; Vanicek, p. 396; from Homer down), the Septuagint for db,[,, an attendant, servant: This is not the usual (Pauline) word for slave or servant. While the Hebrew word did include slaves and domestic servants, there were also other denotations such as worshipers and Levitical singers, who voluntarily served within predefined constraints or for specific purposes. 3:5 martuvrion (noun, accusative, neuter, singular) testimony, proof. This word comes from a family of words that give us “a witness,” his “testimony,” and the verb “to testify.” Our word martyr comes from this base, and it is important in this context to remember that the readers have suffered persecution to some degree, but not yet “to blood.” That is to say, this is at an early enough date that persecution has not yet cost lives outside Israel, at least not among the readers (Stephan, James, and James). 82 3:6 parrhsivan (noun, axcusative, feminine, singular) 1. outspokenness, frankness, plainness of speech, plainly, openly. 2. openness to the public parrhsi,a| in public, publicly. 3. courage, confidence, boldness, fearlessness. Joyousness, confidence. [Thayer] 3:6 kauvchma (noun, accusative, neuter, singular) 1. that of which one glories or can glory, matter or ground of glorying. 2. As ge,nnhma,, di,wgma,, qe,lhma., i;ama,, kh,rugma, klau/ma, plh,rwma,, fro,nhma, etc., are used for ge,nnhsij, di,wxij, qe,lhsij, ktl. (cf. Ellicott on Phil. 4:6), so also . . . is kau,chma used for kau,chsij (on the apparent use of nouns in ma, in an active sense see Lightfoot on Colossians, p. 257f), a glorying, boasting. 3:6 ejlpivdo" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) hope, expectation, prospect. Christian hope; (object of) hope; hope, something hoped for. 3:6 katavscwmen (aorist, active, subjunctive, first, plural) 1. trans. a. hold back, hinder. Lk 4:42; keep Phlm 13; suppress Ro 1:18; restrain, check 2 Th 2:6f. b. hold fast Lk 8:15; 1 Cor 11:2; 15:2; 1 Th 5:21; Hb 3:6, 14; 10:23; possess 1 Cor 7:30; 2 Cor 6:10; occupy Lk 14:9. c. pass. be bound Ro 7:6; J 5:4 v.l. 2. intrans. of a ship, head for, steer toward. Notice the wide variety of usage in the above passages, all with a strong sense of retain or restrain, particularly Romans 1:18. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 3:1 “The apostle and High Priest,” illustrates the Granville Sharp rule, regarding the article and two following singular objects. 3:5 tw'n lalhqhsomevnwn, “of the things that were to be spoken,” is a future passive participle. It expresses time relative to the main verb (unlike other tenses) and contains an implicit command, or an implicit certainty. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 3:1 Wherefore holy brothers, partakers in the heavenly calling, contemplate (study, consider) the apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus, 2 being faithful to the one having appointed Him as also Moses was in His household. 3 For this one was deemed worthy of more glory than Moses by so much as the one having established it has more honor than the household. 4 For every 83 household is established by someone, but the one having established everything is God. 5 And Moses, on the one hand, was faithful in all His household, as an attendant (servant or, better, retainer) of the things that would be spoken in the future as testimony. 6 Christ, on the other hand, was faithful as a son over His household, whose household we are, if we retain our confidence and the boast of our hope. F. EXPOSITION An explanation is called for concerning our translation. The major English translations universally speak of house and builder, thus obscuring the argument for modern readers. The text is not talking about a mere builder, or a mere edifice suitable as a dwelling place. The text speaks of a household, complete with furnishings, family and servants. Nor does the text speak of a mere carpenter, or even of a mere architect, but of one who plans, designs, builds and furnishes a household. The idea is much closer to those in antiquity who founded whole cities and brought populations into them. The usage is seen in the Old Testament (Josh. 24:15) “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” It would be a mistake to think of this man and his domicile worshiping the Lord, but not him and his family, or “household.” Indeed, this usage is confirmed later in our present passage when the author asserts that we Christian are His household if we persevere. It is worth noting that the exact sort of confusion arises regarding the Church. We often think of a church as a building. In the New Testament, it is always the invisible, spiritual body of Christ, or of such a subset of those members as come together in one place and of one accord. People are the church, whether as individuals, or in assembly. For this reason we translate the text using the word household rather than house and establish instead of build. Neither of these are periphrastic renderings, the terms used being frequent enough in antiquity to provide genuine fields of meaning for the words so translated. Does Hebrews speak of one household (God’s) or two (Moses’ and Jesus’)? Taking the mention of households in order we find the following: 1. The household in verse 2 cannot be Moses’ because first of all, he was “a faithful servant (or retainer) in the household” and no one is a servant, or retainer, in his own household. It cannot grammatically refer to Jesus’s household here, because Jesus is said to have been “faithful to Him that appointed Him apostle and High Priest” (a hint of what is to come with Melchizedek). If anything, “His household” is that which belonged to “Him who appointed” Jesus as High Priest. 2. The household in verse 3 is seen in the following context. “For this one (Jesus, the High Priest) was deemed worthy of more glory than Moses (the household servant) by so much as the one having established it (God) has more honor than the household” itself. We have already seen that Jesus was God’s “heir” through whom “he created all things.” For being the heir, compare Heb 1:2; 1:4 (?); 2:10. For His agency in creation, see Heb. 1:2; 1:10; and 2:10. 84 3. Of the household mentioned in verse 4 we are told that “every household is established by someone,” but “the one having established all things” (as we have already seen) is God (through the agency of the Son). 4. In verse five we learn that “Moses was faithful in His (God’s) household “for testimony of those things that were to be spoken after.” 5. In verse 6 the contrast is completed when it is said that “Christ, on the other hand, [was faithful] as a son over His household.” The contract between Moses and Christ is that between a retainer (or attendant), and a son (and heir). 6. At last we are told that we are “His household” if we “retain the confidence (courage, or boldness) and the boast rejoicing of our hope.” There is but one household then, the “household” God’ established by His Son, and it comprises the faithful and steadfast believers in any age or dispensation whatsoever, who enter into His rest (vv. 11, 18, 19). Else why the following warning to not be like the apostate Jews in the wilderness (verses 7-13 under the “faithful servant” Moses? In this context the word “household” refers to the faithful of all eras. There is only one household. God, was the builder of the household, Moses was faithful in his ministry within that household, and Jesus rules over the household. This gives an interesting emphasis to the statement that “the one having established it has more honor than the household.” For an earthly parallel, we may think of the veneration that godly jews had for the temple as second only to that they had for God himself. 3:1 “Wherefore holy brothers, . . .” again indicates that the recipients are Christians. As in 2:3, this is important in interpreting the meaning of what follows. “Wherefore” relates to all the preceding paragraphs, mot merely to the preceding verses where Jesus is called a “merciful and faithful High Priest,” and is said to have “suffered, having himself been tempted.” 3:1 “ . . . partakers in the heavenly calling, . . .” a quasi-Platonic reminder of their identity. They are identified by that in which they “participate,” again being marked out as among the Children of God. It is worth noting that the “heavenly calling” contrasts with Moses and his earthly calling, and the call is to individuals. The heavenly calling is not to earthly fellowship, but to heavenly. It is true that they are called from heaven, but it is just as true and more important, that they were called to a heavenly fellowship. Their calling was to a life fulfilled in heaven as Moses’ was a calling to fulfillment of an earthly life. [Cf. Westcott, p. 73.] 3:1 “ . . . contemplate. . .” As noted in the lexical section, this word asks the readers to consider, contemplate, observe, or study. The notion is to fix ones eyes, or mind, or (quasi-Platonically) to fix the eye of the mind upon something for the purpose of coming to an understanding. 85 We are reminded that in 2:1, the author tells the readers that “it is more urgently necessary for us to attend to the things having been heard,” and in 2:3 he demonstrates that urgency with the warning question, “how shall we escape, having neglected such great salvation, . . . ?” The intervening material provides a basis for the urgent attention necessary to avoid any need for any other means of “escape.” 3:1 “ . . . the apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus, . . .” The frequent use made by Jesus of the cognates of apostle to designate “the Father’s mission of the Son authorizes” justifies its present application to Jesus, the apostle being one sent forth with a mission representing another. [Dods] The High Priest is the particular aspect of that mission the author wishes to emphasize and expand, i.e., the intercessor for His people. The use of the word apostle ties Jesus to God, as His messenger, and relates it inferentially, to the Son of God from chapter 1. The application of the word High Priest ties Jesus to man as his intercessor. The High Priest has been mentioned once (2:17). The name Jesus has also been used once before, (2:9). In chapter one, the person of the Son of God was introduced, and in chapter 2, the specifics of His relationship to God, and the truths revealed “of old” are identified with the man Jesus, whose nature, and mission are to be the subject of deep, and we presume, continued, consideration, or study. It is well to begin notice of the High Priestly function of the Son of God. In 1:3 we are told that He “purged our sins,” the reality casting the shadow of the High Priest of Israel. In 2:17-18 it is clear that the incarnation was the basis upon which “He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in the things pertaining to God so as to expiate the sins of the people.” Here, in 3:1-2, That heavenly and earthly Priesthood becomes the specific, or foremost, item for “consideration.” Of that Priesthood, there will be much more later, but the author here pauses to relate the earthly economy of Moses to the heavenly priesthood of Jesus. Jesus, as apostle and High Priest, holds the offices of both Moses and Aaron, and on the basis of being the “apostle,” gives authority to the “heavenly calling,” and on the basis of being the High Priest, is the source of their being “holy.” The idea of confession, common speech, i.e., “saying the same thing,” denotes the Christian belief in contrast to others; specifically, the Biblically Christian confession, as opposed to the Jewish confession. 3:2 “ . . . being faithful to the one having appointed Him . . .” sets up a contrast between Jesus and Moses. But that contrast does not lie in being faithful, for both were faithful. It is true that Jesus was a faithful High Priest (2:17 and 3:1), and the office and His faithfulness are grounds for “considering” Him. But immediately, in order to heighten the office and faithfulness of Jesus, a contrast is brought forth designating Him as the “apostle and (de facto) High Priest, of the Hebrew nation. “Appointed refers to His “being sent” by God, or His “apostleship.” 86 3:2 “ . . . as also Moses was in His household.” Nor is the contrast to be found in the idea of “the household.” His (God’s) household is not to be confused with the tabernacle, or the temple. “The ‘household of God’ is the organized society in which He dwells.” [Westcott] The word here translated household (oi[ko") refers strictly to an inhabited building, or to the inhabitants themselves. The building, as a building, is do,moj. 3:3 “For this one was deemed worthy of more glory than Moses by so much as the one having established it has more honor than the household.” The contrast resides in the relationship to “the household” of Jesus and Moses. The nature of that contrast explains why Jesus was superior to Moses, whom all Israel revered as the founder and deliverer of the nation. As noted above, the word usually translated “built” is a fairly comprehensive word, originally meaning to furnish or equip. Here it refers to the planning, building and furnishing a house with a household. In the comparison at hand, the household is the idea, rather than either the building or furnishings. The comparison is between the builder and furnisher of the household (Jesus) and a household retainer who is himself part of the furnishings of the household (Moses). 3:4 “For every household is established by someone, . . .” The expected contrast, then, is between the builder/furnisher of the household and an appointed servant within that household. In every case, a builder is greater than the things he builds and the furnishings with which he provides it. Household servants, often expendable, may run the gamut of being family members to poor employees, but they never rise in importance to the level of the builder. 3:4 “but the one having established everything is God.” The contrast is furthered by the fact that Jesus was the instrument by which God created not only the household, but everything else as well. This reminds the readers that Jesus is the Son and Heir as well as the instrument by whom God created (and furnished) all things (v. 1:2). 3:5 “And Moses, on the one hand, was faithful in all His household, as an attendant (servant or, better, retainer) . . .” Moses was, for forty years, a diligent and faithful workman, a zealous servant of God, bearing the responsibilities of leadership of a recalcitrant people for God’s glory, and overseeing the application of Law to the fledgling nation until it was unarguably a nation in its own right. It is instructive that Moses was called a servant “in” His household, rather than “over” His household. This clearly leaves it open to suggestion that Israel was only part of the household, or that only the believing Jews within the nation were part of “His household.” 3:5 “ . . . of the things that would be spoken in the future as testimony.” Moses exercised authority and guidance over that part of “His household” that received the Law and commandments, and that had descended physically from Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, and that was later administered by David and Solomon and admonished by the prophets. Moses was the greatest of the “diverse 87 means by which God “spoke to us in time past,” instituting the very laws and vocabulary by which David would sing and the Prophets would admonish Israel to repentance. Aside from Jesus, Moses was the only person ever to preside over the whole house of God, The “things spoken for a testimony,” may be interpreted two ways. Those things are those spoken “by God through the prophets and finally through Christ,” because “the O.T. in all its parts pointed to a spiritual antitype.” [Westcott] On the other hand, Dods remarks that while Westcott’s explanation “gives a fine range to the words, but the context in Numbers [12:7, whence this quotation] is decisively against it. The idea seems to be that Moses being but an attendant needed a testimonial to his fidelity that the people might trust him; and also that he had no initiative but could only report to the people the words that God might speak to him.” [Dods] However, the author takes liberties with other texts in order to make his point. (Cf. Heb 3:9) 3:6 “Christ, on the other hand, was faithful as a son over His household, . . .” again refers back to the opening statement of Sonship. Whereas Moses did well within the Son was faithful over the household, maintaining the household, fulfilling the prophecies, and giving His life for that “household.” 3:6 “ . . . whose household we are, . . .” That household includes all who are believers, who put their trust in God and His messengers, and seek righteousness. Although the dispensations may vary, the morality enjoined and the essential role of faith, are common to all. 3:6 “ . . . if we retain our confidence and the boast of our hope.” This clause serves as a temporal and moral modifier, for it limits faith to that which is constant, not fickle capricious, or seasonable. It is something to be retained (and maintained?). Furthermore, it is to be recognized as the basis for all our fond hopes. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Hebrews, while holding a sharp distinction between the Old economy, (having spoken of old to the fathers) and the final or the New economy (spoken in the Son of God), clearly implies that all men, in both dispensations were saved or lost on the basis of faith consistently held. There is but one household, and we, like the followers of Moses, are parts of that household only insofar as we have and exercise faith. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Following closely on this point is the notion that we are to revere that household, and maintain it perfectly, for it is God’s household. That is, if we are members of God’s household, we must 88 maintain our lives and help those around us to maintain theirs, as is fitting for such a household. And we must do so out of honor to God, the owner of the household. I. PARAPHRASE 3:1 On this account, holy brothers, participants in the heavenly calling, study with care the apostle and High Priest of our profession, Jesus, who was faithful to the one who appointed Him as also Moses was in His household. For this one was considered worthy of more glory than Moses by so much as the one setting up a household has more honor than the household itself. For every household is set up by someone, but the one who set up everything is God. And Moses, on the one hand, was faithful in all His household, as a retainer, of the things that would be spoken in the future as testimony. Christ, on the other hand, was faithful as a Son over His household, whose household we are, if we maintain our courage and the boast of our hope. 89 TENTH PERICOPE (Heb 3:7-11) 3.7 Diov, kaqwV" levgei toV pneu'ma toV a{gion, Shvmeron ejaVn th'" fwnh'" aujtou' ajkouvshte, 3.8 mhV sklhruvnhte taV" kardiva" uJmw'n wJ" ejn tw'/ parapikrasmw'/, kataV thVn hJmevran tou' peirasmou' ejn th'/ ejrhvmw/, 3.9 ou| ejpeivrasan oiJ patevre" uJmw'n ejn dokimasiva/ kaiV ei\don taV e[rga mou 3.10 tessaravkonta e[th: dioV proswvcqisa th'/ genea'/ tauvth/ kaiV ei\pon, jAeiV planw'ntai th'/ kardiva/: aujtoiV deV oujk e[gnwsan taV" oJdouv" mou: 3.11 wJ" w[mosa ejn th'/ ojrgh'/ mou, Eij eijseleuvsontai eij" thVn katavpausivn mou.33 A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. 33 Wvåq.T;-la; 8 `W[m'(v.ti AlïqoB.-~ai( ~AY©h;÷ Ad+y" !acoåw> 1. rv<åa] 9 `rB")d>MiB; hS'ªm;÷ ~AyðK. hb'_yrIm.Ki ~k,b.b;l.â 10 `yli¥[\p' Waïr"-~G: ynIWn©x'B.÷ ~k,_yteAba] ynIWSnIâ y[eäTo ~[;Û rm;ªaow" rAdªB. jWqÜa'« Ÿhn""v' ~y[iÛB'«r>a; 11 `yk'(r"d> W[ïd>y"-al{ ~heªw>÷ ~he_ bb'äle `yti(x'Wnm.-la, !Waªboy>÷-~ai yPi_a;b. yTi[.B;îv.nI-rv,a o[ti auvto,j evstin o` qeo.j h`mw/n kai. h`mei/j lao.j nomh/j auvtou/ kai. pro,bata ceiro.j auvtou/ sh,meron eva.n th/j fwnh/j auvtou/ avkou,shte 8 mh. sklhru,nhte ta.j kardi,aj u`mw/n w`j evn tw/| parapikrasmw/| kata. th.n h`me,ran tou/ peirasmou/ evn th/| evrh,mw| 9 ou- evpei,rasan oi` pate,rej u`mw/n evdoki,masan kai. ei;dosan ta. e;rga mou 10 tessara,konta e;th prosw,cqisa th/| genea/| evkei,nh| kai. ei=pa avei. planw/ntai th/| kardi,a| kai. auvtoi. ouvk e;gnwsan ta.j o`dou,j mou 11 w`j w;mosa evn th/| ovrgh/| mou eiv eivseleu,sontai eivj th.n kata,pausi,n mou. ] 90 B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 3:7 a{gion (adjective, nominative, neuter, singular) set apart for or by God, morally or ceremonially holy. 1. of things sacred, consecrated; The superlative a`giwta,th pi,stij most holy commitment. Neut. as noun . 2. of persons: of God cultically set apart, morally perfect. Of Christ. Of Christians, oi` a[gioi God’s people, saints. Of pers. gener. pure, upright, worthy of God. 3:7 ajkouvshte (aorist, active, subjunctive, 2nd person, plural) hear. Heed, listen to; understand. Learn of; pass. be reported; learn (a body of teaching). Legal term give (someone) a hearing. 3:8 sklhruvnhte (aorist, active, subjunctive, 2nd person, plural) harden; fig. make stubborn. 3:8 parapikrasmw'/ (noun, dative, masculine, singular) embitterment, then revolt, rebellion [Gingrich]. But also provocation, (Ps. 95:8 where the Septuagint for hb'yrIm.). [Thayer]. 3:8 peirasmou' (noun, genitive, masculine, singular) 1. test, trial; of testing God. 2. temptation, enticement to sin; way of tempting . 3:8 ejrhvmw/ (noun, dative, feminine, singular) desolate, lone, lonely, lonesome, solitary:[Liddell- Scott]. In the Septuagint often for rB;d.mi; a desert, wilderness; ai` e;rhmoi, desert places, lonely regions; an uncultivated region fit for pasturage; used of the desert of Judaea . [Thayer]. 1. as adj. abandoned, empty, desolate; lonely. Deserted, desolate. 2. as noun h` e;rhmoj desert, grassland, wilderness. Lonely places. [Gingrich] 3:9 ejpeivrasan (aorist, active, indicative, 3rd person, plural) 1. to try whether a thing can be done; to attempt, endeavor: with an infinitive. 2. to try, make trial of, test tina, for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself; a. in a good sense: b. in a bad sense: to test one maliciously, craftily to put to the proof his feelings or judgment. [Thayer] 3:10 proswvcqisa (1 aorist, active, indicative, 1st person, singular) 1 aorist prosw,cqisa; to be wroth or displeased with. pro,j denotes direction toward that with which we are displeased. 3:10 planw'ntai (present, passive, indicative, 3rd person, plural) 1. lead astray, cause to wander fig. mislead, deceive. 2. go astray, be misled or deluded, wander about lit. and fig. Be mistaken, deceive oneself. 3:11 w[mosa (aorist, active, indicative, 1st person, singular) to swear; to affirm, promise, threaten, with an oath. [Thayer] 3:11 katavpausivn (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) 1. actively, a putting to rest. 2. In the Greek Scriptures (the Septuagint several times for hx'Wnm.) intransitive, a resting, rest: h`me,ra th/j 91 katapau,sew,j, the day of rest, the Sabbath. Metaphorically, h` kata,pausij tou/ Qeou/, the heavenly blessedness in which God dwells, and of which he has promised to make persevering believers in Christ partakers after the toils and trials of life on earth are ended: Heb. 3:11 , 18; 4:1, 3, 5, 10f (after Ps. 94:11 (Ps. 95:11), where the expression denotes the fixed and tranquil abode promised to the Israelites in the land of Palestine). C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 3:11 eiv, if. After verbs of emotion, that – Mk 15:44a; Ac 26:23; 1 J 3:13. In strong assertions, with the apodosis omitted, eiv has a negative effect (Hebraistic) eiv doqh,setai . . . shmei/on if a sign shall be given (something fearful will result), hence a sign will certainly not be given. Here, the text reads “if they shall enter into my rest,” and the unspoken apodosis would be “they shall not be justifies,” (or some other such apodosis); hence, “they shall surely NOT enter into my rest.” In logical discourse, this is known as a defective hypothetical syllogism – if P, then Q. In such an argument, either the protasis (antecedent) must be affirmed, or the apodosis (consequent) denied for the argument to be valid. In cases where the apodosis is too obvious, it may be omitted, leaving the protasis to stand alone. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 3:8 The “rebellion” refers to the entire 40 year period of wilderness wandering. The LXX translates Meribah (Hebrew place of strife or contention) in Num 20:13 by the Greek word for embitterment, revolt, or rebellion, but as provocation in Psa 95:8 (94:8 LXX), the quotation found in our passage. This refers to the wandering in the wilderness and the accompanying trials recorded in Exo 17:7. Compare also Num 20:13 in context and Deut 32:51 in context. 3:8 The “day of testing”(Hebrew Massah – despair or test, trial, proving) in Exo 17:7 is translated by peirasmou' , meaning test, trial, or temptation. These are proper names in Hebrew, but they clearly denote the place and time of Israel’s sin in the wandering. Thus we are given the place of contention and the time of testing. The quotation in this verse is from Psalms 95:7-11 (LXX Psa 94:7-11), an invitation to both praise and worship. But it contains a painful reminder of the provocation of God by the Hebrews during their wilderness wanderings. The author of Hebrews takes a few liberties in his quotation of this passage so as to emphasize the length of the provocation as covering the entire 40 year period during which the Hebrews witnessed His miraculous dealings with them, and on their behalf. The point is that as late as the period of the Psalms, the provocation in the wilderness had not been forgotten, and the painful reminder of it was intended to elicit an entirely different mindset. It is as if the psalmist were saying “if you now hear His voice, do not respond as your ancestors did in the wilderness.” It is in this sense that the author 92 of Hebrews uses that passage. E. TRANSLATION 3:7 Wherefore, (even as the Holy Spirit says, “today, if you shall hear His voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion during the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where, in proving me, your fathers tested me and saw my work 10 for forty years. Wherefore I was angry with that generation and said ‘they are always led astray in their heart, and did not know my ways’. 11 Accordingly, I swore in my wrath ‘they shall not enter into my rest’.”) F. EXPOSITION 3:7 “Wherefore,” ties the preceding comparison of Moses and Jesus to its continuation in verse 12, a tacit comparison of the followers of Moses to the readers, supposedly, followers of Jesus. The thought is: Moses was a faithful servant whose followers provoked God. Jesus is a greater servant. See that you do not provoke God in a similar manner. We have already Contrasted Jesus and Moses in their relations to God and His household; verses 7-11 constitute a parenthetical quotation of psa 95:7-11 in which the provocations of God (one historical, the other yet only potential) are introduced. We’ve seen the eternal Son of God and recognized him in Jesus. We have been shown that He is greater than Angels and greater than Moses. But why? What is so important about his superiority over all others? We have seen, positively, that He is, and offers, a reality that the Old Testament could only prefigure. Here we begin to see, negatively, the curse of apostasy. 3:7 “(even as the Holy Spirit says, . . .” This introduces the basis for continuing the contrast between Moses and Jesus. To this point, the contrast was between the superiority of Jesus to Moses. Beginning here, the contrast will shift to compare the fatal failure of the followers of Moses and the potential failure of the readers of this epistle. The author takes some liberties with his extended quotation of Psalms 95:7b-11 in order to make his point. None of the facts, however, are misrepresented. The rephrasing is done in order to achieve his emphasis. 3:7 “ . . . ‘today, if you shall hear His voice’, . . .” i.e., if, as in the day of the psalmist, the listeners will hear the voice of god, and seek Him out, they must do so with praise and worship, not with murmurings and apostasy. 3:8 “ . . . ‘do not harden your hearts’ . . .” That is, do not allow doubts, or the needs of the moment to become uppermost in your minds, but, resting on faith that God will provide as He has in the past, keep your hearts pure, and unsullied with sin. Do not turn from Him who alone is the source of your every blessing. As the example of Pharaoh clearly illustrates, for a person to harden his heart means 93 that he does not listen, will not learn, and obstinately refuses to care. And the only words that adequately expresses such a case are rebellion, and apostasy. It is a deliberate function of the will. 3:8 “ . . . ‘as in the rebellion’ . . .” i.e., as your ancestors did in the rebellion. 3:8 ‘ . . . ‘during the day of testing in the wilderness,’ . . .” that is, during the forty years of “testing.” The Hebrews who came out of Egypt following a long string of miracles and a breath-taking escape, were very soon yearning for a return to Egypt. It was as if the miracles meant nothing if they did not keep their stomachs full. 3:9 “ . . . ‘where, in proving me, your fathers tested me’ . . .” While the Hebrews viewed their actions as merely a search for “creature comforts”, God viewed their behavior as an insulting test of His providence and care. If one listens closely, one can hear the echo not only of the Jews in the desert, but those who taunted Jesus by saying “you are a prophet, tell us who struck you,” and “others He saved, but He cannot save himself.” 3:9 “ . . . ‘and saw my work for forty years’.” Water from the Rock, pillars of fire and cloud, and daily bread in the form of manna from heaven, seemed to mean little or nothing to the Hebrews of the generation that wandered in the wilderness. 3:10 “‘Wherefore I was angry with that generation’ . . .” the word angry is a little softer than the Hebrew transdlated by the LXX. The Hebrew word connotes a sense of loathing. The specification of “that generation” is important. For God’s anger (or wrath) extended only to those who were guilty of apostasy. The next pericope deals with the punishment meted out to “that generation.” The author of Hebrews must make it perfectly clear that the punishment for apostasy is inflicted only on the guilty. This forms the basis of the warning to the Hebrews to stand fast in their faith, and not to waver; to nurture their faith rather than to “neglect” it. 3:10 “ . . . and said ‘they are always led astray in their heart’, . . ." This is a clear statement that apostasy, like all other sin, originates in the heart. The Hebrews followed Moses into the desert in order to escape hard bondage and servitude to Pharaoh. But in their hearts, they still yearned for the "blessings" of Egypt. In effect, they believed that life in the desert being provided by the creator of the universe was worse than life in Egypt. If Egypt is the symbol of the World, it is as clear as daylight that they were still unconverted in heart and hungered for the blessings of the World. 3:10 " . . . ‘and did not know my ways.’" This becomes abundantly clear from the fact that they either had not learned, or had not cared for God’s way of provision for sin or for His people. In short, they had "neglected "so great salvation" as had been poured out upon them so graciously. 3:11 "’Accordingly, I swore in my wrath’ . . ." And thus, God’s wrath was stirred. 94 3:11 " . . . ‘they shall not enter into my rest’.") It is tempting to minimize the blessing of God’s "rest," as if it were a thing of little account. But God’s “rest” is close to synonymous with all His blessings. God himself, after His six days of labor, rested. The invitation to such rest is of the highest order of blessing; to debase or forgo it is an insult of cosmic proportions. No temporal order is given in the sequence leading up to apostasy. Our author is not making the point here that apostasy proceeds from sinful deeds that themselves proceed from a sinful heart. So much may be assumed. The only temporal suggestion available in the text is the fact that he author uses the “hardened heart” as a precondition of “rebellion,” not of mere sin; he does mention the fact that the followers of Moses “were always led astray in their hearts,” an internal phenomenon, and that they “did not know my ways,” probably referring to, but certainly including, outward behavior. The sense of the aorist tense of the word “know” with the negative, might be translated “they knew not,” but because “to know” has, by its very nature, a continuing result, like the perfect or pluperfect tenses, a good paraphrase might be “they never learned my ways. An important distinction is to be drawn in God’s dealings with the sins of men. In Romans 1:18-32, it is clear that all men know God both inwardly, or psychologically (v. 19a) and outwardly, from the creation (v. 20). All gentile cultures, societies and governments are judged, when they no longer acknowledge God sufficiently and “their foolish heart” becomes “darkened,” (v. 21) i.e., when they “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (v. 18), by being “given over” to “uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts” (v. 24). That is, God gives them over to “vile affections” (v. 26). That is to say, that god judges Gentiles by simply letting them suffer the consequences of their ever deepening corruption. Things are different with Israel, however. God made promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob concerning a people and a land. Under Moses, he brought this promise to fruition. But He had no more than led His people out of bondage in Egypt than they rebelled against Him, saying, among other things, that they wanted to return to slavery in Egypt because they missed the garlics and onions and leeks. This was blatant disrespect and rebellion of God’s own people, whom He had rescued, and who had seen many miracles and wonders. And because they had come out of Egypt with joy and faith, their betrayal was nothing other than apostasy. And those involved in the apostasy died in the desert. The difference here seems to be in two parts, relationship to God and penalty. God is not so severe with those not in relationship with Him, letting the vices take their natural, hideous, course. But when the sins of those in close relationship to Him involve apostasy, the penalties are severe, and permanent. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Major W. Ian Thomas’s take on Israel in the desert was that they “had enough faith to get out [of Egypt] but not enough faith to get in [to the promised land.].” And so the Israelites “died in the 95 desert.” According to Hebrews, the Israelites in the desert had not enough faith “to enter into God’s rest,” and they died in the desert. What does this mean? Clearly, many of Moses’ followers did in fact, renounce their earlier “faith” by claiming that they should have been left to die in Egypt, and they expressed a desire to return to Egypt because they missed the “onions and garlics and leeks.” But what about the eight spies? They may simply not have had enough faith for the conquest. Just as clearly the two spies, Caleb and Joshua, did have enough faith to “get in.” Moses, himself, however, did not. So, can one whose “carcass fell in the desert,” be “saved?” Is dying out of Egypt, but not in the promised land better the just dying in Egypt? The implication is that it is not better. To return to Thomas, it will very soon become apparent that it was not a question of having too little faith, but of failure to nurture and apply that faith. Faith ignored is faith declined, and apostasy is the great risk. Clearly, the Hebrews came out of Egypt with some degree of faith. But for most of them, their faith languished, their hearts grew hard, and they cast their lots with the paganism that they had so recently left. They tried to bring “the World” with them into God’s rest! But they died in the desert. To a greater of lesser degree, and in one way or another, all attempts to drag the World into God’s presence ends in the death of those making the effort as well as those supporting them. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The need to “consider Jesus,” and not “neglect” our salvation can scarcely be overstated. Certainly it is a motif that recurs or is developed throughout Hebrews. But here, we are beginning a focus on the negative, i.e., apostasy. As we have seen, “considering Jesus” is the antithesis of “neglecting our salvation.” That is, if we do not consider Jesus, we are, in fact, neglecting our salvation. And as we shall soon see, neglecting our salvation prohibits us from “holding our faith until the end.” This is the fertile soil of apostasy. Perhaps it would not be out of order to point out that if God was angry with the people He chose for himself, and did not fail to punish their apostasy, what might we expect Him to do in the case of a people that chose Him and then went the way of apostasy? We, as Americans, have hidden ourselves behind the nonsense of “separation of Church and state” for so long, we have lost sight of the fact that what that originally meant was not that any religion was alright, but that no Christian denomination was to become the official denomination. There were to be no wars of religion as had wracked Europe for centuries. This has always been a Christian country, and we have forgotten that fact, or fail to care about that fact, at our peril. I. PARAPHRASE 96 3:7 Thus, (just as the Spirit says in Psalms 95:7-11, “today, if you hear God’s voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as your ancestors did in the place of rebellion during the period when they tested me in the wilderness, where, in proving me, they tested me and saw my mighty works 10 for forty years, for which reason I was furious with that generation and said ‘they always deceive their own hearts and they did not learn my ways.’ 11 therefore, I swore in my anger ‘they shall not enter into the blessings of my rest’.” 97 ELEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 3:12-15) 3.12 Blevpete, ajdelfoiv, mhvpote e[stai e[n tini uJmw'n kardiva ponhraV ajpistiva" ejn tw'/ ajposth'nai ajpoV qeou' zw'nto", 13 ajllaV parakalei'te eJautouV" kaq' eJkavsthn hJmevran, a[cri" ou| toV 1Shvmeron kalei'tai, i{na mhV sklhrunqh'/ ti" ejx uJmw'n ajpavth/ th'" aJmartiva": 14 mevtocoi gaVr tou' Cristou' gegovnamen, ejavnper thVn ajrchVn th'" uJpostavsew" mevcri tevlou" bebaivan katavscwmen, 15 ejn tw'/ levgesqai, Shvmeron ejaVn th'" fwnh'" aujtou' ajkouvshte, MhV sklhruvnhte taV" kardiva" uJmw'n wJ" ejn tw'/ parapikrasmw'/. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 3:12 ajposth'nai (aorist, active, infinitive from ajfivstnmi) 1. transitively, in present, imperfect, future, 1 aorist active, to make stand off, cause to withdraw, to remove; tropically, to excite to revolt. 2. intransitively, in perfect, pluperfect, 2 aorist active, to stand off, stand aloof, in various senses (as in Greek writings) according to the context: avpo, with the genitive of person to go away, depart, from anyone, to desert, withdraw from, one, to fall away, become faithless, avpo, Qeou/, Heb. 3:12; to shun, flee from. Middle, to withdraw oneself from: absolutely, to fall away. [Thayer] [T]rans. (1 aor. act.) cause to revolt, mislead. 2. intrans. (middle, and 2 aor., pf., and plupf. act.) go away, withdraw. Fall away, become apostate: abstain. [Gingrich] Thayer’s definitions describe apostasy; Gingrich actually uses the phrase “become apostate.” It is unfortunate that both these lexicons accomodate the notion, seen in the phrase “fall away,” that apostasy is, in some sense, accidental, like a fall. Yet every usage of the term makes it clear that apostasy is deliberate, not some “tripping and falling down.” 3:13 parakalei'te (present, active, imperative, 3rd, plural) 1. call to one’s side, summon, invite. Summon to one’s aid, call upon for help. 2. appeal to, urge, exhort, encourage. 3. request, implore, appeal to, entreat. 4. comfort, encourage, cheer up 5. in some passages p) may mean try to console or conciliate. 3:13 ajpavth (noun, dative, feminine, singular) 1. deception, deceitfulness, but also 2. pleasure, pleasantness. 98 It is difficult to choose between these options, for it is easy to see that much of the reason for desiring to return to Egypt was the pleasure derived from the food (Onions, and Garlic, and leeks). On the other hand, because this is an admonition, the idea seems to be that the Hebrews who fell were beguiled into disbelief, as Eve had been. We will translate the word as deception, along the lines of traditional interpretation. 3:14 uJpostavsew" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular)1. a setting or placing under; thing put under, substructure, foundation 2. that which has foundation, is firm; hence, a. that which has actual existence; a substance, real being. b. the substantial quality, nature, of any person or thing. c. steadiness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution. [Thayer] 3:14 bebaivan (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular) lit. firm, strong, secure; fig. firm, reliable, dependable, certain; valid. 3:14 katavscwmen (aorist, active subjunctive, first person, plural) 1. trans. a. hold back, hinder. Lk 4:42; keep Phlm 13; suppress Ro 1:18; restrain, check 2 Th 2:6f. b. hold fast Lk 8:15; 1 Cor 11:2; 15:2; 1 Th 5:21; Hb 3:6, 14; 10:23; possess 1 Cor 7:30; 2 Cor 6:10; occupy Lk 14:9. c. pass. be bound Ro 7:6; J 5:4 v.l. 2. intrans. of a ship, head for, steer toward. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 3:12 Note the preposition with the dative of the articular infinitive regarding apostasy. No temporal element, strictly speaking, is indicated. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 3:12 Beware, brothers, lest perchance there arise in any of you an evil heart of disbelief in withdrawing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another throughout each day, while it is still called “today” lest any of you should be hardened by the deception of sin 14 (for we have become partakers of Christ if only we retain the beginning of our confidence firmly until the end); 15 while it is said “today, if you shall hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” F. EXPOSITION 3:12 “Beware, brothers, lest perchance there arise in any of you . . .” The word here translated 99 “arise” is the future middle indicative of to be. Normally, this word would be translated “there shall be.” The American Standard, in its strenuous exactitude, translates the clause “lest haply there shall be. This is technically correct, but there may be a slightly better way to handle the word. The indicative mood indicates the sense of a real situation, rather than a mere possibility. But the future tense, the only tense in which time of action is undeniably present, mitigates somewhat the reality of the case. The middle voice likewise allows not only for the participation of the actor in the result of his own action (hardening his own heart) but a passive sense as well ) being hardened). The present construction (as opposed to mhv gevnhtai) “marks the reality and urgency of the danger,” [Westcott] but not its certainty. See also below on “hardening.” The warning is of a real danger, not of a preordained reality. Thus we translate “lest perchance there arise.” 3:12 “ . . .an evil heart of disbelief in withdrawing from the living God.” Breaking with the tradition of supplying the interpretation of “unbelief,” we have supplied the term “disbelief” for the following reason. If we think that the Hebrews showed even a modicum of faith, or belief, in following Moses out of Egypt, we are forced to see their subsequent attitude (3:12, 19) as willful disbelief, i.e., as a deliberate renunciation of faith once held. And that is precisely what has been described in verses 7-11. Apparently neither classical nor koine Greek had a word for disbelief (duspistiva") until the 6th century AD. (It first occurs in Medicus, by Aetius.) Until then, the only word available was unbelief, (ajpistiva"). “Withdrawing,” or “departing” from a “living God” clearly represents a changed outlook, not simply the commission of one sin or another. Mere sin had a corrective. As this passage tells us, apostasy (withdrawing from, or departing from God, hence a change in relationship) does not. There is nothing here that is equivalent to the teaching to “flee youthful lusts,” (2 Tim 2:22) or “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). There seems a danger in rendering the notion as “falling away from.” It is not a fall, it is no accident. What is described in these verses is a deliberate renunciation of the faith once held. To call it a “fall,” is to minimize its character. 3:13 “But exhort one another throughout each day, . . .” represents one aspect of the ministry of the people to one another. This is obviously not a once a week church service, but a daily affair wherein each Christian encourages and exhorts his brothers. But it is curious that there is no admonition to repentance, on exhortation to seek forgiveness – no offer of cure. The only thing offered is the preventive measure of exhorting each other not to withdraw from God, but to “retain the beginning of our confidence.” 3:13 ‘ . . . while it is still called ‘today’ . . .” that is, every day that is a day and we have the opportunity to call it “today.” Or, so long as the voice of God is still directed toward us and we can 100 discern it. 3:13 “ . . . lest any of you should be hardened by the deception of sin;” Here, hardened is in the passive voice, i.e., “sin” is represented, in its deception, as the active force; it is something from outside that happens to the subject. In verses 8 and 15, the active voice is used, indicating that the subject was the initiator of the action, i.e., he hardened his own heart. We are reminded of Pharaoh, who is said both to have been hardened, and to have hardened his own heart. Hence, hardening of the heart is not only something that one can do to himself, there are external stimuli that induce or promote such hardening, such as the “deception of sin.” One is reminded of the sin in the Garden of Eden (and many others) whose temptation seemed harmless, but the results of which were catastrophic and, so far as man himself is concerned, permanent. 3:14 “(for we have become partakers of Christ . . .” This is the ultimate ground for maintaining one’s faith. Christians are now partakers in all that was merely a dimly understood set of promises to the Hebrew Fathers. What they saw afar off, we commune with and move about within. Can it be any wonder that renouncing such a position is irremediable? 3:14 “ . . . if only we retain the beginning of our confidence firmly until the end) . . .” That is, we are, and will remain, “partakers” so long as we hold our beginning confidence, and do not renounce it. But this “beginning confidence,” was never merely a tenet believed, but a disposition of willing obedience and growth. The beginning of our confidence was the beginning of the realization that we could trust God, and that nothing else was particularly important. To repent of this belief is to be guilty of apostasy. 3:15 “ . . . while it is said “today, if you shall hear His voice, . . .” is a reiteration of the warning. Logically it follows v. 13, with v. 14 providing a parenthetical statement of the blessing and the means of retaining it. 3:15 “ . . . do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” the completion of the warning. Again, the word “harden” is in the active voice. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Apostasy is lethal. It is possible on several levels. Individuals can become apostate by renouncing, divorcing, turning upon, or walking away from the Christianity they once held. The word literally means “stand down from.” For countries, such as America, which chose God to be its God at its very inception, if not before, apostasy involves the separation from God that has taken place over the course of years in our legislation, our Supreme Court decisions, and in our cultural direction (or directionlessness!) among other things. 101 For the followers of Moses, the individuals constitutes such an imposing majority that the nation itself could truly be said to have been apostate. However, although God entertained notions of starting His nation over again with Moses, He did not throw out the whole nation. Instead, he was “angry with that generation” only. But even so, we must deal with what it meant for the promise of entering His rest to seemingly go unfulfilled at least until the time of David, and then until the time of the writing of Hebrews. Can this be explained as a punishment for Israel’s national apostasy? H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The psychological strength of sin is its deception. I. PARAPHRASE 3:12 be on your guard, brothers, against the possibility that an evil heart of disbelief might arise in any of you, tempting you to turn away from the living God. 13 Instead, exhort one another throughout each day, while it is still called “today” to pay heed to the voice of God lest any of you should be hardened by the deception of sin 14 (for we are partakers of Christ only in so far as we retain the beginning of our confidence firmly until the end); 15 while it may still be said “today, if you shall hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 102 TWELFTH PERICOPE (Heb 3:16-19) 3:16 tivne" gaVr ajkouvsante" parepivkranan; ajll' ouj pavnte" oiJ ejxelqovnte" ejx Aijguvptou diaV Mwu>sevw"; 17 tivsin de Vproswvcqisen tessaravkonta e[th; oujciV toi'" aJmarthvsasin, w|n 1taV kw'la e[pesen ejn th'/ ejrhvmw/; 18 tivsin deV 1w[mosen mhV eijseleuvsesqai eij" thVn katavpausin aujtou' eij mhV toi'" ajpeiqhvsasin; 19 kaiV blevpomen o{ti oujk hjdunhvqhsan eijselqei'n di' ajpistivan. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 3:16 parepivkranan (aorist, active, indicative, 3rd person, plural) in the Septuagint chiefly for hr'm', hr'm.hi, to be rebellious, contumacious, refractory; also for rr;s', sy[ik.hi, etc.; to provoke, exasperate; to rouse to indignation. [Thayer] Certainly exasperating and provoking fit this context. But these terms are rather mild. We must consider what it might take to exasperate God to the point of foreswearing Himself, as apparently almost happened. Looking at things from God’s perspective and remembering the golden Calf the Hebrews made and worshiped while Moses was being given the Law, provocation seems an anticlimactic translation. Contumacious (rebellious, or willfully and obstinately disobedient) fits the context better. 3:17 proswvcqisen (aorist, active, indicative, 3rd person, singular) to be wroth or displeased with: ti,ni, Heb. 3:10,17, from Ps. 94:10 (Ps. 95:10); not found besides except in the Septuagint for l[;G", to loathe; aAq, to spue out; #Wq, to be disgusted with etc. [Thayer] 3:17 kw'la (noun, nominative, neuter, plural) in Greek writings from Aeschylus down a member of the body, particularly the more external and prominent members, especially the feet; in the Septuagint (Lev. 26:30; Num. 14:29, 32f; 1 Sam. 17:46; Isa. 66:24) for rg 3:18 katavpausin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) actively, 1. a putting to rest. 2. In the Greek Scriptures (the Septuagint several times for hx'Wnm.) intransitive, a resting, rest: Metaphorically, h` kata,pausij tou/ Qeou/, the heavenly blessedness in which God dwells, and of which he has promised 103 to make persevering believers in Christ partakers after the toils and trials of life on earth are ended: Heb. 3:11, 18; 4:1, 3, 5, 10f (after Ps. 94:11 (Ps. 95:11), where the expression denotes the fixed and tranquil abode promised to the Israelites in the land of Palestine). 3:18 ajpeiqhvsasin (aorist, active, participle, dative masculine plural) avpeiqw/; “to be avpeiqh,j (see below); not to allow oneself to be persuaded; not to comply with; a. to refuse or withhold belief (in Christ, in the gospel; opposed to pisteu,w): tw/| ui`w/|, John 3:36; tw/| lo,gw|, 1 Pet. 2:8; 3:1; absolutely of those who reject the gospel, (R. V. to be disobedient; cf. b.). b. to refuse belief and obedience: with the dative of thing or of person, Rom. 2:8 (th/| avlh,qeia); 11:30f (tw/| qew/|); 1 Pet. 4:17; absolutely, Rom. 10:21 (Isa. 65:2); Heb. 3:18; 11:31; 1 Pet. 3:20. (In the Septuagint a common equivalent to hr'm', rr;s'. The cognate noun may sharpen our perspective: avpeiqh,j – impersuasible, uncompliant, contumacious. [Thayer] The notion of “being contumacious,” (see above) and the context make this a good translation. We are, after all, being reminded of the “provocation,” or rebellion in the wilderness. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Most often this space is given to extra-biblical and cultural background that helps shed light on the text. Because of the subject matter, and the extended treatment of those who followed Moses out of Egypt, and the repeated quotation of Psalm 95:7-11, it seemed like a good idea to look at the Biblical account (or history) of the Hebrews who committed apostasy in the wilderness. For although the author never uses the word “apostasy,” he describes it in painful detail, and later states emphatically that there is no cure or reversal for apostasy. This makes apostasy the most serious topic a Christian can entertain, and the book of Hebrews of utmost importance. The following is merely a list of events in the wandering of Israel. It is not complete, and there is no commentary accompanying the items listed. The reader may be expected, if not already familiar with these items, to look up the following texts. We are reminded that in Hebrews 1:1 God is said to have “spoken of old to the fathers in the prophets,” and that this speaking was neither restricted to language, nor merely to human prophets. 1. The miracles in Egypt before Pharaoh Exodus 7:8-12:30 2. The pillars of fire and cloud Exodus 13:21-22 3. The first “provocation” of God Exodus 14:11-12 4. Parting of the Sea Exodus 14:13-31 5. Manna from Heaven Exodus 16:2-13 104 6. Water from The Rock Exodus 17:1-7 7. Victory over Amalek34 Exodus 17:8-14 8. Worship of the golden calf35 Exodus 32:1-24 It is appropriate to point out again that none of this behavior was accidental. Israel did not simply “fall.” They jumped. Their behavior was deliberate, and it followed witnessing the work of God in Egypt, and in exercising enough belief to follow Moses to the wilderness with songs of praise on their lips.(Exodus 15:1-21). It needs to be, as the author emphasizes, that the followers of Moses heard (and saw), they believed, they followed – and they deserted! This will be important when we deal with Hebrews 6:4-6. E. TRANSLATION 3:16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Was it not all the ones having come out of Egypt with Moses? 17 But with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with the ones having sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they shall not enter into his rest if not to the ones having been rebellious? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of disbelief. F. EXPOSITION The author, having described apostasy in the case of the followers of Moses, now offers a point by point analysis of its progression. 3:16 “For who, having heard, rebelled?” “Heard,” means here obtained first hand knowledge. This is not the mere hearing of oral tradition, and it included more than mere hearing. It involved seeing and understanding. The “rebellion” is viewed here as lasting for forty years, because of the grumbling, and “stiff- necked” behavior exhibited all along the way. It was a deliberate worship of the stomach and the present moment in spite of the promises for the future and the accompanying divine activity. One is reminded of Esau despising and selling his birthright for a bowl of soup! Esau rejected the blessing of his birthright and then the blessing of his birthright “rejected” him. 3:16 “Was it not all the ones having come out of Egypt with Moses?” Rhetorical question. Even 34 This is interesting because God specifically tells Moses to “write a memorial account of the battle and to rehearse it” before the people! They were not to be able to say that they did not hear. 35 Note that Aaron reminded Moses that these “people are set on mischief.” 105 granting the fact that there went out of Egypt with Israel “a mixed multitude,” (and just as in the Church today), this caused trouble. The unbelieving tag-alongs served no earthly purpose but to provide temptation, and to complain. They were not a part of Israel (as they are not a part of the Church today), but thought that being out of Egypt might be advantage enough to go along with Israel on the exodus. In the end, however, it matters not a whit, for all those who came out of Egypt with Moses, whether Hebrew, of tag-along, were guilty. This is, by the way, a general statement, not a Universal statement. Caleb and Joshua apparently did not contribute to the rebellion, and even if there were a few other innocents, the entire body could justly be found culpable. 3:17 “But with whom was He angry for forty years?” Forty may be seen as a period of preparation, as it often is in the Bible. It was long enough to keep the sinful out of the land of “rest.” 3:17 “Was it not with the ones having sinned, . . .” these are the same people as answer to the last question, only their quality, rather than their identity is now in view. That is, the same ones who came out of Egypt with Moses sinned against God (or better, apostatized). 3:17 “ . . . whose corpses fell in the wilderness?” Here we are able to see the innocence of Joshua and Caleb, for they did not die in the wilderness, but entered the promised land. The focus changes here to those who, by definition, could not enter the promised land, i.e., those who died in the desert. They saw, they sinned, they died. 3:18 “And to whom did He swear that they shall not enter into his rest . . .” The author is making preparation to apply this argument by analogy to his readers. This is acvcomplished (and will be made exp[licit shortly) by the use of a deliberate ambiguity. The “rest” God promised was a metaphor for the Holy Land, in which He would be their God, and they would be His people. Of course the term “rest” had a potent meaning for a people who so recently had been involved in slave labor. But it was antithetical as well to wandering in the wilderness! 3:18 “ . . . if not to the ones having been rebellious?” Again, historically, it is the same group of people, the ones who heard, sinned, and died. There is no solution for apostasy, only avoidance. 3:19 “So we see that they were not able to enter because of disbelief.” A Hebrew who refused to follow Moses out of Egypt would have been guilty of unbelief. He did not believe Moses was sent by God, and he behaved accordingly, and stayed in Egypt. But one who followed Moses out of Egypt, but then, thinking his decision to have been faulty, changed his mind and sought to return to his old place and ways, was guilty of disbelief. This is apostasy! Those of such a mind did not get to enter the promised land (the metaphorical rest) and they did not get to enjoy the rest that is the cessation of labor. They died unsettled, on the move and without rest. Because the notion of a promised “rest” is soon to be applied to the readers, the author claims nothing more than “they were not abler to enter.” Just as the followers of Moses were not able to 106 enter the promised land, which the Psalmist equated with “rest,” and the promise of a “rest” still exists in his day and has been neither withdrawn nor fulfilled, there is something more to learn. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The definition of faith, which is given a fuller treatment in chapter 11, is here assumed. As James asserts, mere “belief without works is dead.” The whole context swarms with synonymous usage of terms for sin, behavior, and the hardened heart. We read of rebellion (3:8 and 3:16), departing (3:12), and sin (3:17). These represent actions directed toward God. We read of the person or his heart being hardened 3:8 and 3:13). This speaks of the inner state of a lack of faith, or the mental aspect of sin. These all spring from the same event, the behavior stemming from the mental state. And they are all equated not only to each other, but to what has been traditionally rendered unbelief, but what we have called disbelief (3:12 and 19), because those in question had begun in faithful obedience and undergone a counter-conversion. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 3:16 For who, having known of God, rebelled against Him anyway? Was it not all the ones who followed Moses out of Egypt? 17 But with whom was God so furious for forty years? Was it not with the ones having so grievously sinned, who died and were buried in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they should not enter into his rest (symbolized by the Holy Land) if not to the ones having raised an insurrection? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of the apostasy caused by their disbelief. 107 THIRTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 4:1-8) 4:1 Fobhqw'men ou\n mhvpote kataleipomevnh" ejpaggeliva" eijselqei'n eij" thVn katavpausin aujtou' dokh'/ ti" ejx uJmw'n uJsterhkevnai: 2 kaiV gavr ejsmen eujhggelismevnoi kaqavper kajkei'noi, ajll' oujk wjfevlhsen oJ lovgo" th'" ajkoh'" ejkeivnou", mhV sugkekerasmevnou" th'/ pivstei toi'" ajkouvsasin. 3 eijsercovmeqa gaVr eij" [thVn] katavpausin oiJ pisteuvsante", kaqwV" ei[rhken, JW" w[mosa ejn th'/ ojrgh'/ mou, Eij eijseleuvsontai eij" thVn katavpausivn mou, kaivtoi tw'n e[rgwn ajpoV katabolh'" kovsmou genhqevntwn. 4 ei[rhken gavr pou periV th'" eJbdovmh" ou{tw", KaiV katevpausen oJ qeoV" ejn th'/ hJmevra/ th'/ eJbdovmh/ ajpoV pavntwn tw'n e[rgwn aujtou': 5 kaiV ejn touvtw/ pavlin, Eij eijseleuvsontai eij" thVn katavpausivn mou. 6 ejpeiV ou\n ajpoleivpetai tinaV" eijselqei'n eij" aujthvn, kaiV oiJ provteron eujaggelisqevnte" oujk eijsh'lqon di' ajpeivqeian, 7 pavlin tinaV oJrivzei hJmevran, Shvmeron, ejn DauiVd levgwn metaV tosou'ton crovnon, kaqwV" proeivrhtai, Shvmeron ejaVn th'" fwnh'" aujtou' ajkouvshte, mhV sklhruvnhte taV" kardiva" uJmw'n. 8 eij gaVr aujtouV" jIhsou'" katevpausen, oujk a]n periV a[llh" ejlavlei metaV tau'ta hJmevra". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 4.2 sugkekerasme,nouj. A wide variety of readings are preserved among the manuscripts, some of them variant spellings. The one that best explains the origin of the others is sugkekerasme,nouj. As the more difficult reading it would naturally have been altered to the intuitive and easier nominative singular (a 57 (102) (itd) syrp copsa Ephraem Lucifer al). This variant is supported by early texts (î13, 46 A B C Dgr * Y (33) 81 1739 al). 4:3 eivserco,meqa ga,r. Among the connectives ga,r is to be preferred both because of early and good external evidence (î13, 46 B D K P Y 33 614 it vg syrh copsa eth) and because it suits the context. The reading ou=n (a A C Page 596 0121b 81 1739 copbo), which is considerably less vigorous, was suggested by ou=n in verses 1, 11, 14, and 16, which, however, are not parallel, for here ou=n seems to have a resumptive sense (“well then”). The colorless de, (syrp arm) probably represents a mere translational variant. The hortatory subjunctive, eivsercw,meqa, which is quite inappropriate with the following oi` pisteu,santej, arose as a secondary development in connection with the misinterpretation that produced ou=n (A C al). B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 4:1 Fobhqw'men (aorist, passive, subjunctive, first person, plural) 1. be afraid, aor. often become 108 frightened. a. intrans. b. trans. fear something or someone. 2. fear in the sense reverence, respect. 4:1 uJsterhkevnai (verb, perfect, active, infinitive) 1. act. a. come too late, miss, be excluded; b. be in need of, lack; c. be less than, be inferior to w. gen. of comparison, be inferior, lack; d. fail, give out, lack; e[n se u`sterei/ you lack one thing Mk 10:21. 2. pass. lack, be lacking, go without. 4:2 kajkei'noi (adjective, nominative, masculine, plural) that person or thing, that. Equivalent to he, she, it. Emphatic Mt 17:27; Tit 3:7. Adverbial gen. evkei,nhj there. 4:2 wjfevlhsen (aorist, active, indicative, 3rd singular) help, aid, benefit, be of use (to). Accomplish Mt 27:24; J 12:19. Be of value 4:2 sugkekerasmevnou" (participle, perfect passive, accusative, masculine, plural) mix (together), blend, unite fig. compose 1 Cor 12:24; unite. 4:3 kaivtoi (conjunctive particle) with a participle (but in classical Greek with a finite verb also – and yet, although: Heb. 4:3 (although the work of creation had been finished long ago, so that the rest spoken of cannot be understood to be that of God himself resting from that work (cf. Kurtz, in the place cited). 4:3 katabolh'" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) foundation, beginning. 4:4 eJbdovmh" (ordinal adjective, genitive feminine singular) seventh. 4:6 ajpoleivpetai (present, passive, indicative 3rd, singular) leave behind 2 Ti 4:13, 20; Tit 1:5; desert Jd 6. Remain Hb 4:9; 10:26; impers. it is certain Heb 4:6. 4:6 ajpeivqeian (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from avpei,qeia) disobedience, disbelief Ro 11:30, 32; Hb 4:6, 11. ui`oi. av) disobedient sons, i.e. people Eph 2:2; 5:6; Col 3:6. disobedience (Jerome, inobedientia), obstinacy, and in the N. T. particularly obstinate opposition to the divine will: Rom. 11:30,32; Heb. 4:6,11; ui`oi, th/j avpeiqei,aj, those who are animated by this obstinacy (see ui`o,j, 2), used of the Gentiles: Eph. 2:2; 5:6; Col. 3:6 (R G L brackets). (Xenophon, mem. 3, 5, 5; Plutarch, others.) [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 4:1 Note the Genitive Absolute “while the promise of entering into His rest still remains.” 4:3 Note the Genitive Absolute “despite His works being finished from the foundation of the universe.” 109 4:4 Notice pou, an adverb of place used indefinitely. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 4:1 Therefore, while the promise of entering into His rest still remains, let us fear lest any one of you seem to be excluded [lit. “to fail of it]. 2 For we also had the good news preached to us, even as they had; but the report of the news did not profit them, not being united in belief with those hearing. 3 For we, having believed, enter into [that] rest just as he said, “as I swore in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest” despite His works being finished from the foundation of the universe. 4 For He spoke somewhere concerning the seventh day in this way; “and God rested on the seventh day from all His works.” 5 And in this place again, “if they shall enter into my rest.” 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter into it, and those having first heard the good news did not enter because of disobedience, 7 He again set another day – Today – saying in David, after so long a time (just as has been said before) “today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken afterward concerning another day. F. EXPOSITION 4:1 “Therefore, while the promise of entering into His rest still remains, . . .” The promise is still active, so the possibility of entering God’s rest is still open. Literally, “Therefore, the promise to enter His rest remaining . . .” 4:1 “ . . . let us fear lest any one of you seem to be excluded.” As we have seen, those to whom the promise was originally given failed to enter because of apostasy – withdrawal from God after having been accepted and protected by God himself. This has been variously described as disbelief, disobedience, and hard heartedness. The point here is that just as the earlier Israelites could be excluded from the promise given, so that possibility is also still open. And it is a fearful possibility indeed. What is worse, the case under consideration is not that of a national apostasy, but individual apostasy. The fear is not that “all of you” might be excluded, but that “any one of you might be excluded. 4:2 “For we also had the good news preached to us, . . .” That is, we, writer and readers, also heard the good news in its finality, not merely in its seminal or preparatory form. The good news is that the possibility of entering God’s rest is possible. This includes the notion that although some have apostatized, the promise remains, and we have a fuller view of that “rest” than the apostate Israelites had. 110 4:2 “ . . . even as they had; . . .” “They,” the Israelites who wandered in the desert, had the promissory gospel, or the preparatory gospel preached to them. 4:2 “ . . . but the report of the news did not profit them, . . .” This proto-gospel (entering into the Rest and blessing of God) had no permanent results or them, for after receiving it, they rejected it and the God who gave it. More accurately, they rejected the report of Caleb (vindicating God’s promise of rest) in favor of the false report given by the other spies. This was clearly a case of believing the enemies of God in preference to believing God himself. This was an example of a faith of convenience. 4:2 “ . . . not being united in belief with those hearing.” This rejection is categorized as disbelief, As we have seen, there was great faith accompanied with great joy among the Israelites when they left Egypt. But the finer points of the good news preached fell on the rebellious ears of those who were happy to get out, but unwilling to live by those divine dictates in order to “get in,” i.e., to “enter into the rest” of the promised land. This reversion to a faith of convenience, among believers, is apostasy. The usual (but erroneous) interpretation of this verse is that the word was not mixed with faith by those who heard it. The best Greek manuscripts say that the people (them), for whom the report of the news (i.e., of the spies) were not united with those who truly heard, i.e., Moses, Caleb and Joshua. If the participle being united with is in the accusative “the sense must be: ‘But the mere hearing did not profit them because they were not united by faith with them that truly heard,’ ‘with the body of the faithful,’ or, perhaps, ‘with them that first heard,’ ‘with those to whom the message was given’ . . . , that is, Moses and Joshua and Caleb.” [Westcott] Yet “the more or less traditional view expressed in English Bibles is that it is the word that was not mixed with faith. This can be paraphrased “they received this rich promise laden with God’s intention to bless them, ‘but the word which they heard did them no good, because in those who heard, it was not mixed with faith.’)… The accusative is best attested… But the sense “not mixed by faith with those who heard,” i.e., Caleb and Joshua, is most improbable. Belief, then, is everything. In proof of which our own experience may be cited: “for we are entering into this rest, we who have believed.” [Dods] Numbers 13-14 gives the account of the spies being sent into Canaan, the provocation of God, and His decree that those who had provoked Him should die in the wilderness and never see the promised land. Most instructive for our present purpose is Numbers 14:10 where all the people wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua for urging them to listen to them and not to rebel against God. Clearly they were not united with Caleb and Joshua in belief concerning God’s promise or the report of the land given by Caleb. Perhaps the best clue in the passage is to be found in the phrase “of the report.” For here it is clearly 111 the report of the spies, and not a fuller “gospel,” which consisted of the promise of rest, that is under consideration. 4:3 “For we, having believed, enter into [that] rest just as he said, . . .” Here is another assertion that the readers are Christians. The point is that unlike those who earlier had the good news preached to them, yet did not believe, “we” have, indeed, believed and enter that rest. This is not an example of an editorial “we,” because the contrast being drawn is between two groups of people who have heard the good news preached, the Israelites in the desert, and the readers. 4:3 “ . . . ‘as I swore in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest’ . . .” The word “if” is here translated without figurative interpretation, because here the point is that entrance into God’s rest is still possible, “if . . . .” The context of 3:11 is that of apostasy, and the consequent impossibility of entering God’s rest for those of the apostasy. For interpretation of “if” as “lest,” or “they shall not,” see exposition of 3:11. 4:3 “ . . . despite His works being finished from the foundation of the universe.” His rest is here shown to be permanent, for He had rested, not in Exodus, but in the earliest period of Genesis. And that “rest” is a picture of the salvation and blessing to be found in union with God. 4:4 “For He spoke somewhere concerning the seventh day in this way; “and God rested on the seventh day from all His works.” Genesis 2:2 records the fact that on the seventh day He “rested” from his work. 4: 5 “And in this place again, . . .” That is to say, “returning from Genesis 2:2 to the passage with which we are working,” leading us back to the promise of rest. 4:5 “. . . ‘if they shall enter into my rest’.” Again, the word “if” is translated in its literal way in order to show that the promise is still open; “if . . . .” 4: 6 “Therefore, since it remains for some to enter into it, . . .” Because the promise is still open, some may still avail themselves of it and enter into God’s rest. The structure of the proposition must not be missed. There are two factors present. The first factor is the fact that the promise remains open. 4:6 “ . . . and those having first heard the good news did not enter because of disobedience, . . .” The second factor is that those to whom the promise was first given failed to enter His rest because of “disobedience,” or apostasy. 4:7 “ . . . He again set another day – Today – . . .” God set another day, that day being today. The thought is this. Because (1) the promise remains open, and (2) those to whom the promise was originally given defaulted, (3) God set another day, that day being “Today.” This may not be as open as it appears. While there is no expiration date on the restatement of the promise, people rarely know when their last “today” dawns. Hence, the hurry. 112 4:7 “ . . . saying in David, after so long a time (just as has been said before) . . .” We return to Psalm 95:7-11. This reiteration of the promise occurred centuries after the promise was first given, and makes the notion of “Today” explicit. The phrase “just as has been said before,” refers to 3:7-8. 4:7 “ . . . ‘today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts’.” Again, “if” is translated according to the sense of the verse. 4:8 “For if Joshua had given them rest, . . .” Joshua, not Jesus, for, although the spelling of the names is the same, we are speaking of entrance into Canaan. It becomes clear at this point that the entrance into the promised land of those Israelites whose bodies had not dropped in the wilderness, while it was a blessing, was not God’s rest in its fullest character or widest application. One is led to suspect that Canaan was a type of God’s “Sabbath” rest, a neo-Platonic shadow of the ultimate reality. 4:8 “ . . . He would not have spoken afterward concerning another day.” The improvement on the life of slavery in Egypt was undeniable. But continued family squabbles, boarder wars, and man’s injustice continued to plague the Israelites. Centuries later, in the days of the Jewish Monarchy, a Psalmist was able to reiterate the promise with the qualifier “today.” The promise remains open for entering God’s rest, but now, at last, we realize a little more clearly that the promised “rest” does not refer to a geographical location. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 4:4-8 Rest. The promised rest in the land of Canaan was an earthly rest into which the first generation of Israelites did not enter because of disbelief and disobedience. However, God’s rest, of which Canaan was to be a picture (after the slavery endured in Egypt), the “rest” being entered after the sixth day of creation, is the promise to Christians. God, speaking “at the end of those days” in His Son, offers His rest, the real, eternal rest, to those who will not follow the example of the Israelites and turn from Him (i.e., to those who consider, do not neglect, who hold fast, and continue to the end; i.e., for those who refuse the offer of a “faith of convenience.” The “rest” is thus God’s rest, into which he entered on the Sabbath day. (It is interesting that the first six days of creation were marked by morning and evening, whereas the seventh day was not. Apparently, God’s rest is permanent for Him.) An “earthly” type of this rest was promised to Israel in the land of Canaan, but was not of that final character promised later to those who would “not harden their hearts” Verse 9 will make this clear by calling the promised rest the Sabbath. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL 113 4:1 “let us fear . . .” Because the reward of the promise is so much greater than a geographical locale, is eternal in nature, is spoken by God’s “final declaration,” and is His last offer, while we can still say “today . . .” The subjective disposition encouraged here is fear to be followed by watchfulness, avoiding the adoption of a faith of convenience. The apostasy facing the readers, being analogous to that faced by the Israelites in the wilderness, may consume them, and prevent them from entering God’s rest. They had the good news preached to them, we had it preached to us. They, after accepting it, rejected it to their utter destruction. Let us not make the same mistake. I. PARAPHRASE 4:1 So while the promise of entering into His rest is still open, let us fear lest any one of you should fail to obtain it. 2 For we also have had the promise extended to us, just as they had; but the word of Caleb’s report gained them nothing, not being united in belief with those hearing. 3 We, on the other hand, having believed, enter into that rest just as he said, “as I swore in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest” despite the fact that His works had been finished from the foundation of the universe. 4 For God spoke through the Psalmist concerning the seventh day saying “and God rested on the seventh day from all His works.” 5 And, returning to our text, “if they shall enter into my rest.” 6 So, since it is still possible for some to enter into it, and those having first received the promise did not enter because of disobedience, 7 He again set another day – Today, saying by the Psalmist, after so long a time (just as has we have already said) “today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken so much later concerning another day. 114 FOURTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 4:9-13) 4:9 a[ra ajpoleivpetai sabbatismoV" tw'/ law'/ tou' qeou': 10 oJ gaVr eijselqwVn eij" thVn katavpausin aujtou' kaiV aujtoV" katevpausen ajpoV tw'n e[rgwn aujtou' w{sper ajpoV tw'n ijdivwn oJ qeov". 11 spoudavswmen ou\n eijselqei'n eij" ejkeivnhn thVn katavpausin, i{na mhV ejn tw'/ aujtw'/ ti" uJpodeivgmati pevsh/ th'" ajpeiqeiva". 12 Zw'n gaVr oJ lovgo" tou' qeou' kaiV ejnerghV" kaiV tomwvtero" uJpeVr pa'san mavcairan divstomon kaiV dii>knouvmeno" a[cri merismou' yuch'" kaiV pneuvmato", aJrmw'n te kaiV muelw'n, kaiV kritikoV" ejnqumhvsewn kaiV ejnnoiw'n kardiva": 13 kaiV oujk e[stin ktivsi" ajfanhV" ejnwvpion aujtou', pavnta deV gumnaV kaiV tetrachlismevna toi'" ojfqalmoi'" aujtou', proV" o}n hJmi'n oJ lovgo". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 4:9 Sabbath – “In origin, the closing day the seven day week. The noun is derived from the verb tbv, ‘to cease, to abstaining, to desist from, to terminate, to be at an end.’ Only secondarily does this verb connote ‘to be in active, to rest’ (Exodus 21:19; Leviticus 26:34-35; 2 Chronicles 36:21). Accordingly, despite the testimony of Josephus (antiquities I. I. 1; Apion II.ii), the connotation “rest” for the noun is it the best questionable and under any circumstances postbiblical.” [The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 4, p. 135] “The divinely instituted day of rest, ordained for all men. God, having completed the work of creation in six days, ceased from creative work on the seventh day. ‘So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation’ (Genesis 2:1-3). “From the days of Noah until the Exodus there is no express mention in the Hebrew records of a sanctification of the seventh day by rest from labor and by religious worship. There was no event specially to emphasize the day. And probably in that age the Sabbath was somewhat less sharply marked off from the other days of the week, even among the people of God, than it was later; for the nomad shepherds had certain labors that must be performed, and the Israelites in Egypt were not their own masters and could not rest on the seventh day.” During Israel’s formative days in the desert, “it was maintained that the day was ordained by God; that it was established as a day of physical rest and refreshment for man; that the obligation to keep it arises from God’s own example, his connecting a blessing with it, and his explicit command, and 115 that his redemption of his people lays them under special obligations to set the day apart; that it is to be observed by God’s people as a Sabbath to him, and is to include a holy assemblage for worship. It was a reminder of God’s complacency in the contemplation of his finished work, and of his redemption of his people from Egyptian slavery. In enforcing the law, no fire was allowed to be lit by an Israelite in his habitation on the Sabbath day; anyone doing work on it was to be put to death; and one who gathered sticks on the Sabbath in the wilderness was in fact stoned to death (Exodus 35:3; numbers 15:32-36).” [The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible, pp. 813-815] 4:11 Spoudavswmen (aorist, active, subjunctive, 1st person, plural) 1. hasten, hurry. 2. be zealous or eager, take pains, make every effort. 4:11 uJpodeivgmati (noun, dative, neuter, singular) 1. example, model, pattern. 2. copy, imitation. 4:12 ejnerghV" (adjective, nominative, masculine singular) effective, active, powerful; for effective service. 4:12 tomwvtero" (adjective, nominative, masculine singular) sharp. Found only here in the NT. 4:12 mavcairan (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) 1. a large knife, used for killing animals and cutting up flesh: 2. a small sword, distinguished from the large sword, the r`omfai,a and curred, [sic] for a cutting stroke; distinct also from xi,foj, a straight sword, for thrusting but the words are frequently used interchangeably. In the N. T. universally, a sword: as a weapon for making or repelling an attack; of the sword as the instrument of a magistrate or judge: death by the sword, Rom. 8:35; avnairei/n tina ma,caira, Acts 12:2; th,n macai,raj fo,rein, to bear the sword, is used of him to whom the sword has been committed, viz. to use when a malefactor is to he punished; hence, equivalent to to have the power of life and death, Rom. 13:4 and in the Talmud the king who bears the sword, of the Hebrew king. Metaphorically, ma,caira, a weapon of war, is used for war, or for quarrels and dissensions that destroy peace; so in the phrase balei/n ma,cairan evpi, th,n th,n, to send war on earth, Matt. 10:34., the sword with which the Spirit subdues the impulses to sin and proves its own power and efficacy (which sword is said to be r`h/ma Qeou/). 4:12 divstomon (Adjective, accusative, feminine, singular) double-edged. 4:12 dii>knouvmeno" (participle, present, middle, nominative, masculine, singular) pierce, penetrate. 4:12 merismou' (noun, genitive, masculine, singular) 1. a distribution; plural distributions of various kinds. 2. a separation which many take actively: `up to the dividing’ i.e. so far as to cleave asunder or separate; but it is not easy to understand what the dividing of the ‘soul’ is. Hence, it is more correct, I think, and more in accordance with the context, to take the word passively (just as other verbal substantive ending in moj are used, e. g. a`giasmo,j, peirasmo,j), and translate even to the division, etc., i.e. to that most hidden spot, the dividing line between soul and spirit, where the one 116 passes into the other, Heb. 4:12. [Thayer] 4:12 aJrmw'n (noun, genitive, masculine, plural) Joint. 4:12 muelw'n (noun, genitive, masculine, plural) marrow. 4:12 kritikoV" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular) relating to judging, fit for judging, skilled in judging (Plato, Plutarch, Lucian, others): with the genitive of the object, evnqumh,sewn kai, evnnoiw/n kardi,aj, tracing out and passing judgment on the thoughts of the mind, Heb. 4:12. [Thayer] [English derivative: critic] 4:12 ejnqumhvsewn (noun, genitive, feminine, plural) thought, reflection, idea. 4:12 ejnnoiw'n (noun, genitive, feminine, plural) 1. the act of thinking, consideration, meditation; (Xenophon, Plato, others). 2. a thought, notion, conception; (Plato, Phaedo, p. 73 c., etc.; especially in philosophical writings, as Cicero, Tusc. 1, 24, 57; Acad. 2, 7 and 10; Epictetus diss. 2, 11, 2f, etc.; Plutarch, plac. philos. 4, 11, 1; Diogenes Laërtius 3, 79). 3. mind, understanding, will; manner of thinking and feeling; German Gesinnung (Euripides, Hel. 1026; Diodorus 2, 30 variant): so 1 Pet. 4:1; plural with kardi,aj added (as in Prov. 23:19), 4:13 ktivsi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular) 1. creation a. the act of creation Ro 1:20. b. creation in the sense that which is created, creature Mk 10:6; 13:19; Ro 1:25; 8:19–22, 39; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 1:15, 23; Hb 4:13; 2 Pt 3:4. 2. institution, governmental authority 1 Pt 2:13. 4:13 ajfanhV" (adjective, nominative, feminine, singular) invisible, hidden. 4:13 gumna (adjective, nominative, neuter, plural) 1. naked, stripped, bare; to. g) the naked body . 2. without an outer garment. 3. poorly dressed. 4. bare, uncovered. English cognate Gymnasium, because Ancient Greek games were played and competitions performed, in the nude. 4:13 tetrachlismevna (participle, perfect, passive, nominative, neuter, plural) 1. to seize and twist the neck or throat; used of combatants who handle thus their antagonists (Philo, Plutarch, Diogenes Laërt, others). 2. to bend back the neck of the victim to be slain, to lay bare or expose by bending back; hence, tropically, to lay bare, uncover, expose: perfect passive participle tetrachlismenoj ti,ni, laid bare, laid open, made manifest to one, Heb. 4:13. [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 4:13 Note the use of the figure anthropopatheia, or condescension in the attribution of eyes to God. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 117 No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 4:9 So, then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. 10 For he who enters into His rest also rests from his works, just as God rested from His own. 11 Let us, therefore, strive to enter into that rest lest any one of you should fall after the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double edged sword, piercing even as far as the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature invisible before Him; but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. F. EXPOSITION 4:9 “So, then, a Sabbath rest . . .” With the mention of the “Sabbath,” the full intent of this passage becomes clear. The “Sabbath rest” into which Christians enter is the anti-type of the rest the Israelites were to find in Canaan. The example of the Israelites who failed to enter Canaan, missed what might be called “the holy land rest.” But included in that rest was a picture of the spiritually discerned and eternally enjoyed “Sabbath rest” of God. It was with this “Sabbath rest” which Joshua was unable to provide the Israelites who entered Canaan with him. Thus, those who fell in the desert missed the rest entirely. And those who entered Canaan with Joshua, while they entered the “holy land rest,” did not thereby enter into God’s “Sabbath rest,” which was the real point of the whole enterprise. God had separated unto himself a people who were to be His people and who were to enjoy His “Sabbath rest.” The promise of the Sabbath rest remains in force and may be equated loosely with the kingdom of God. As such, it still has two parts, the temporal rest, i.e., the incomplete rest Christians now enjoy, and the final rest, when the kingdom is fully realized on earth as in heaven. Although the temporal aspect no longer includes residence in Canaan per se, it is to be enjoyed by those of faith wherever they are to be found, but neither aspect of God’s rest is to be missed. 4:9 “ . . . still remains . . .” or is still there to be enjoyed, 4:9 “ . . . for the people of God.” This is another definition of those who seek God, or Christians, in our age. For while we may not be among the “chosen people,” and have no promise of Canaan, yet our goal is, or ought to be, the enjoyment of God and His rest. 4:10 “For he who enters into His rest also rests from his works, . . .” A common view among commentators on this passage is that this entrance “into His rest” refers to death, and the full enjoyment of God and His rest then takes place in eternity. Death is what brings us to “rest” from our “works.” 118 I would like to entertain the notion that the word “works” may refer to religious works, in the Pauline sense. First, the author is speaking to Jewish Christians who apparently are being tempted to return to Judaism, including its beliefs, rites, and “works.” Second, frequently, work in the singular, is used as a collective noun for labor, whereas works, plural, is frequently used as a collective noun for moral deeds. This is, by no stretch of the imagination, true across the board, but it is often the case. If the plural, works, is used here in the sense of a collective noun, the basic idea of the phrase would anticipate Hebrews 6:1, where it is explicitly stated. This “Pauline” use of the word should cause no surprise, as his notions of “works righteousness” were probably well known. Third, the phrase “His own,” in reference to God’s works, clearly distinguishes it as a different sort of activity than either economic employment, or moral behavior, making a strict analogy impossible. This would make of “rest” something akin to assurance on earth and blessing in death. This si a difficult position to maintain,, but mildly intriguing to entertain. 4:10 “ . . . just as God rested from His own.” This obviously refers to the seventh day, after the six days of creation. It might be argued that God’s “works” were clearly understood as labor, or production, not the mere “moral deeds” of men, and that by analogy, the “works” of men also denote labor, and hence, that entering “His Sabbath rest” comes at death. But if the analogy does not hold between the Christian’s “moral deeds” and God’s “works” (which is not included in the text, but is merely implied), it should be pointed out that the analogy also fails if we claim that the Christian’s death is a parallel to God’s rest. The analogy, if it must be pressed this far, can only indicate that the Christian’s cessation from “works” is to be permanent, as God’s rest is. God’s rest is permanent, as man’s abandonment of “works righteousness” should be. 4:11 “Let us, therefore, strive to enter into that rest . . .” Interestingly enough, the Greek word for strive is often used of labor, and is so translated by the KJV. Yet such a notion may slip over into the sense of works as moral deeds, which sense is antithetical to the tenor of the whole epistle. The word has been translated “give diligence” (ASV), “strive” (RSV and ESV), “make every effort” (NRSV and NIV), and “be diligent” (NASV), but may also be translated “eagerly attempt,” or “zealously seek,” and so forth. 4:11 “ . . . lest any one of you should fall . . .” that is, in order to avoid failing of the objective. Again, the word “fall” speaks of those who have begun properly, but who, through neglect or failure to “consider Jesus,” have become complacent or angry and renounced their relationship to God or His plan. 4:11 “ . . . after the same example of disobedience.” The example of disobedience given in the case of the Israelites was one of apostasy, and was the behavior of disbelief. 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active . . .” The “word of God,” in order to fit the entire argument and the context from the first verse to the present, can only refer to the spoken message of God. It is not used in the same sense that John uses it, as a synonym for the eternal Son. The spoken word itself may be as broad as that “spoken to the Fathers” (1:1-2) or as narrow as the 119 “report” given by Caleb to the Israelites in vindication of God’s promise of rest (4:2). The word is said to be living, and active, setting apart from mere words or passive media. “Living” because it partakes of the character of Him who spoke it, “active” because it continues its mission. “With the ‘living’ word we may compare Stephen’s reference to the ‘living oracles’ received by Moses at Sinai (Acts 7:38), and Peter’s description of ‘the word of God to liveth and abideth” (1 Peter 1:23). The word is ‘active’ in the sense that it speeds to fulfill the purpose for which it has been uttered: this self-fulfilling character which it possesses is well summed up in Isaiah 55:11 where the God of Israel says of ‘my word . . . That goeth forth out of my mouth:’ ‘it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing where to I send it’.” [Bruce, p. 80.] 4:12 “ . . . and sharper than any double edged sword, . . .” The double-edged sword was used to denote superior sharpness and effectiveness. 4:12 “ . . . piercing even as far as the division . . .” This does not mean separating, or dividing in two, but “piercing so deep as to reach.” 4:12 “ . . . of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, . . .” That is, the sword penetrates to the point where the spirit joins the soul. Obviously, man cannot fathom such a point. He does recognize the terminus between joint and marrow. 4:12 “ . . . and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” And the word of God is a discerner. The five descriptive terms given (living, active, sharper, penetrating, and discerner) progress from the most general statement (living) to the most particular and personal (discerning the intents of the heart, able to pierce body and soul. There is an interesting dynamic at work here. We are quite well disposed to agree that God himself can see our hearts, and that He knows what will happen better than we know what has happened. But the “word of God,” because it is His word, can be said to “know” because it is the word of God’s wisdom. But the Word spoken by God is always revelatory; it always tells us what is needful. It is God’s word of revelation that reveals to us our nature, our sins, and our tendencies. And God’s’s word also reveals His divine judgment. The force of the argument is that the word spoken (whether in its entirety, or merely that referring to the promised rest) weighs and measures the moral character of the man who is given the promise in his innermost disposition to that promise. Before there is time to act on the promise, the word itself has already analyzed the heart of the hearer. There is nothing in any man’s heart or behavior that surprises God. The only party able to be surprised by the secrets of his heart or his behavior is the man himself. The word of God reveals to every man who will listen, exactly what sort of man he is. If we are honest, how many of us have been surprised in certain circumstances, to learn that we are capable of much worse behavior than we had ever imagined ourselves to be? 120 4:13 “And there is no creature invisible before Him; . . .” The nature of our innermost being, even when the full extent of its evil capabilities remains unknown to ourselves, is such that, just as Adam and Eve, we should very much like to hide from God. But we can’t. 4:13 “ . . . but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him . . .” Nor is man alone in this. Nothing in God’s creation is invisible to the eye of Him who created it. “Naked” refers to the inability to hide, or remain unseen. “Exposed,” or “laid bare,” may to refer to the state of a victim prepared for sacrifice. Notice how this positive statement (all are laid bare) reenforces the negative statement above, to the effect that no creature is invisible to God’s eyes. Although we may hide our secret selves from others, and even deceive ourselves in the process, we can neither hide nor disguise ourselves in the presence of God. There are three main interpretations put forward for “naked and bare.” The first is that of the games. In Greece, physical contests were between men only and they competed nude. The Roman gladiatorial games, while not involving nudity, often did involve the victor disarming the victim, removing his protective and defensive gear (Helmet, shield) and perhaps holding the victim in such a position as to expose the place of the death stroke, if he needed to await a decision by the crowd. While this fits fairly well, it is doubtful that Hebrew Christians, in any great number, had ever witnessed either a Greek contest, or gladiatorial games. It is possible that, if they recipients lived in Rome, that some of them had in fact seen or heard about the Gladiatorial games. So there is a slight possibility that this interpretation is correct. The second involves a sacrificial animal readied for the killing stroke. One is left to wonder, however, what sort of nudity might refer to a sacrificial animal, although the idea of being “exposed” certainly fits well. A third interpretation is to dispense with figurative language and word pictures altogether. This interpretation (which is what the word pictures would point to anyway!) simply posits man as being completely naked before God, no matter what he is wearing or what others might see. “Exposed,” would refer to the innermost thoughts of his heart. The idea is that man is unable to hide either his external parts nor his innermost secrets from the gaze of God. 4:13 “ . . . to whom we must give account.” God’s penetrating gaze and the creature’s being naked and exposed are explained by the relative clause, i.e. to whom we must give account.” G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Live a life known to be open to Him to whom we must give account. 121 H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Often, Christians are told that they need have no fear of judgment. This is true, but simplistic. As we shall see, Christians have access to the throne of Grace, and are to approach it with confidence. But it is only because “in Christ” the great High Priest, they can sidestep judgement. Indeed, the thrust of Hebrews to this point has been that apostasy places a person back under judgment. This is the motive for “holding fast” our confession, “considering” Jesus, and “not neglecting our great salvation.” Having escaped judgment once, will we fall back into it through apostasy? Along the same lines, what might be necessary to avoid hearing Jesus say to us “depart from me, I never knew you?” Might it not be time to do some heavy duty “considering”? The problem of apostasy as well as that of self delusion may well be answered by personal development of reverence of “the word.” Granted, this should result in a moment-by-moment walk with God, but that walk is learned, applied, and corrected against the word of God. How can we hope to prosper, or even survive without it? I. PARAPHRASE 4:9 So a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. 10 For he who enters into God’s rest also rests from his works, in the same way God rested from His own. 11 So let us show diligence to enter into that rest lest any one of you should fall in the same manner of the Israelites’ apostasy. 12 For God’s word is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword, penetrating to the boundary between the soul and the spirit and that of joints and marrow, and is a judge of the very notions and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from Him; but all are bare and exposed in the sight of Him to whom we are accountable. 122 FIFTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 4:14-16) 4.14 [Econte" ou\n ajrciereva mevgan dielhluqovta touV" oujranouv", jIhsou'n toVn uiJoVn tou' qeou', kratw'men th'" oJmologiva": 15 ouj gaVr e[comen ajrciereva mhV dunavmenon sumpaqh'sai tai'" ajsqeneivai" hJmw'n, pepeirasmevnon deV kataV pavnta kaq' oJmoiovthta cwriV" aJmartiva". 16 prosercwvmeqa ou\n metaV parrhsiva" tw'/ qrovnw/ th'" cavrito", i{na lavbwmen e[leo" kaiV cavrin eu{rwmen eij" eu[kairon bohvqeian. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 4:14 dielhluqovta (perfect, active, participle, masculine, accusative, singular) 1. go through; pierce. Go about; go from place to place; spread. 2. simply come, go. 4:14 kratw'men (verb, present, active, subjunctive, first, plural) 1. take into one’s possession or custody a. arrest, apprehend; b. take hold of, grasp, seize w. acc. or gen. Attain 2. hold. Hold back, restrain; pass. be prevented. Hold fast. Keep. Retain. 4:14 oJmologiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) in the N. T. profession (RV uniformly confession); a. subjectively avrciere,a th/j o`mologi,aj h`mw/n, i.e., whom we profess (to be ours), Heb. 3:1 (but others refer this to b.). b. objectively, profession (confession) i.e., what one professes (confesses). 4:15 sumpaqh'sai (aorist, active, infinitive) a. to be affected with the same feeling as another, to sympathize with (Aristotle, Plutarch). b. in reference to the wretched, to feel for, have compassion on, (Vulgate compatior). 4:15 ajsqeneivai" (noun, dative, feminine, plural) weakness. Sickness, disease. Fig. timidity. 4:15 pepeirasmevnon (perfect, passive, participle, accusative, masculine, singular) 1. try, attempt. 2. try, make trial of, put to the test; a. generally, or of making trial of God. b. tempt, entice to sin. 4:15 oJmoiovthta (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) likeness, similarity; kaqV o`moio,thta in (quite) the same way. 123 4:16 prosercwvmeqa (verb, present, middle, subjunctive, first, plural) come or go to, approach 1. lit. Hb 12:18, 22. 2. fig. a. of coming to a deity Hb 4:16; 7:25; 10:1, 22; 11:6; b. agree with, accede to [Gingrich] to draw near to God in order to seek his grace and favor. Also used of the priests about to offer sacrifices, Lev 21:17,21; Deut 21:5. [Thayer] Notice that the right of priestly approach seen in Leviticus and Deuteronomy is here extended to Christians. 4:16 parrhsiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) 1. outspokenness, frankness, plainness of speech. parrhsi,a| plainly, openly 2. openness to the public parrhsi,a| in public, publicly 3. courage, confidence, boldness, fearlessness. Joyousness, confidence. 4:16 qrovnw (noun, dative, masculine, singular) throne. Dominion, sovereignty of a class of supramundane beings. 4:16 e[leo" (noun, accusative, neuter, singular) mercy, clemency, compassion, pity. 4:16 eu[kairon (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular) well timed, suitable Mk 6:21; eu;) boh,qeia help in time of need Hb 4:16. 4:16 bohvqeian (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) help Hb 4:16; nautical term support, perhaps, in the form of cables Ac 27:17. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 4:14 Accordingly, having a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us cling to our profession. 15 Since we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our infirmities, but one who has been tempted in all points as we are, yet without 124 sin, 16 let us therefore draw near to the throne of Grace with confidence, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace in timely help. F. EXPOSITION In the first chapter of Hebrews we saw a contrast of the old revelation with the new. Little is said regarding the old, but the new revelation is that concerning one called “the Son.” The qualities enumerated (in no particular order here) show him to be (1) the agent of creation, (2) the heir of creation, and (3) the radiance of God’s glory. He is said to (1) “uphold all things,” (2) to have “made purification of sins,” and (3) to have “sat down at God’s right hand.” From these lists we may infer that the title “son of God,” referring to the agent of creation, and displaying the radiance of God’s character, speak of his eternal and divine nature. But “having made purification for sins, he sat down on the right-hand of Majesty” are based upon temporal events and carry our knowledge beyond the common Jewish conventions to a character that will now be seen in the figure of the great High Priest. The character of the Son in eternity past was not unknown to the Jews. The author now turns his attention to the Son and his office in eternity future. The logic of the context seems to run as follows: 1) We are open to continuous inspection, both physically and spiritually, by God, who sees absolutely everything and discerns (and judges) even the thoughts and intents of human hearts (Heb 4:12-13). 2) Therefore let us really grasp our beliefs, and examine them, and act in accordance with our knowledge (Heb 4:15). 3) Since our only hope before such a God is to accept the aid of such a great High Priest (Heb 4:16), let us come with confidence to that High Priest, let us identify with Him, let us count on Him for mercy and grace, and let recognize in Him the only path to the Sabbath Rest. 4:14 “Accordingly, having a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, . . .” “Accordingly,” resumes the thought first considered in 3:1 (contemplate (study, consider) the apostle and High Priest of our confession). That is, “in accordance with what has gone before, that is, what we have already covered, and because we have a great High Priest, . . .” This ties the coming material to 1) the immediately preceding context, 2) the previous mentions of the High Priest (Heb 2:17, 3:1) and His “great” nature Heb 1:1ff). The phrase “passed through the heavens” recalls “sitting down”at God’s right hand (Heb 1:3,13), and is now enjoying God’s rest (Heb 4:9-10). Compare our High Priest’s passing through the heavens to the right hand of God forever, to the Israelite High Priests passing the veil to enter the Holy of Holies for a short time once a year. And remember that God is at rest, and having “passed through the heavens” to God’s right hand, Jesus Christ is now at rest also. We have a [THE] great High Priest. He has passed through the heavens. He is now at the right hand of God. God is at rest, and so is the great High Priest. It would be impossible to be otherwise. 4:14 “ . . . Jesus, the Son of God, . . .” Although the previous words should be quite clear enough to dispel any doubt concerning the subject of discussion, the author, wishing to leave no possibility for 125 misunderstanding, now names the High Priest who entered the heavens to sit at God’s right hand. It is “Jesus,” (Heb 2:9) who is also “the Son of God.” By joining the temporal Jesus with the eternal Son, both the human and divine nature are joined, and set in the presence of God. This also conjoins the assurances of both sympathy and power. With this, the attention of the readers was forcibly moved from the temporal problem of the past and impending apostasies, to the eternal solution of all spiritual problems. 4:14 “ . . . let us hold fast our profession.” The author has twice before enjoined the readers to “hold fast,” (Heb 3:6,14) using katevcw. Here he uses kratevw. There is a large overlap in the fields of meaning of the two words, but the later seems to add the notion of getting total possession or control with the intent to develop one’s life and faith. By implication, this would include essential features of the other admonitions given, such as “give heed to” (Heb 2:1), “consider” (Heb 3:1), “harden not your hearts” (Heb 3:7-8, 15), and “strive” (Heb 4:11). The phrase “seems to mark the act of grasping and clinging to that to which we attach ourselves . . . Thus, the words imply danger and incite to effort.” [Westcott, p. 106] “Profession,” or “confession,” generally may be taken either objectively or subjectively; that is, our admission of belief (the act of confession), or the objective content of that belief (the tenets of confession). It is clear that the author cannot mean to “get control of the objective content” so as to influence what is included therein, but to get control of our beliefs so as to maximize their effectiveness, to see their implications and to act accordingly. The idea is parallel to Paul’s expression “work out your own salvation (Phil 2:12),” but with this major difference. The profession, or confession involves the voluntary identity of the believers with the High Priest, Jesus, whose job it is to represent those with whom He is identifies. The identity of Jesus with his followers was stressed in Heb 2:17-18. The identity of the people with the High Priest was the common knowledge of all Jews, and had no need to be explained beyond the clause “let us hold fast our profession,” which included that identity. The obvious contrast is to those in the wilderness who let their faith in, and identity with, Moses and Aaron languish and who turned at last to apostasy and death. The author has been very strong in his narrative concerning the eternal Son, His relationship to God, His superiority to Moses and the angels, and the hellish price paid by those who abandoned a (lesser?) covenant with God. The contrast being drawn is between the spiritual apathy preceding the historical apostasy of those who abandoned a more limited covenant, on the one hand, and the spiritual apathy developing as the potential apostasy of those in danger of abandoning the fuller covenant, on the other. 4:15 “Since we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our infirmities, . . .” The word usually translated “for,” makes more sense if translated “since.” It ties the passage to what has gone before by allowing the reason for the statement to follow rather than precede. Cf. Liddell-Scott 126 on the point. On the entry for gaVr we note the following: “ARGUMENTATIVE, to introduce the reason for a statement, which usually precedes: – when it precedes the statement, it may be rendered since, as.” This is an important distinction, and we shall see it again in the troublesome passage at Heb 6:4. The difference in the status of the two covenants resides in, among other things, the person of the High Priest, Jesus the son of God. The present High Priest is not a code of conduct, a person hidden from view, a distant voice, or an impersonal deity unconcerned for the status of man. He is none other than the historical person, who knew us, and sympathized with us. Indeed, as we have seen, He took on blood and flesh and lived a life like ours (Heb 2:14-18). His transcendence does not mitigate His humanity, nor His perfection lessen His symathy. 4:15 “ . . . but one who has been tempted in all points as we are, . . .” Indeed, His earthly, temporal life was so like our own as to include every sort of temptation. Alternate interpretation of “as we are;” – “according to the likeness,” or “in virtue of His likeness to us.” 4:15 “ . . . yet without sin.” But it did not include sin of any kind. 4:16 “ . . . let us therefore draw near. . .” The readers were doubtless aware of the Levitical rites and services. The vision of a High Priest who is King, who is both Son of God and son of Man, provides the motivation for believers to “cling to their profession,” and avail themselves of the new powers which their position as Christians affords them, “Let us therefore, trusting the divine power and human sympathy of ‘Jesus, the Son of God,’ draw near as priests . . .” [Westcott, p. 108.] 4:16 “ . . . to the throne of Grace . . .” not merely to a type of mercy seat, but to the very throne of divinity. On the day of atonement the High Priest sought, and was granted in token, propitiation before the Mercy Seat. The High Priest of the Christians, on the Throne of Grace provides propitiation completed eternally and in fact rather than repeatedly only in token. 4:16 “ . . . with confidence, . . .” or “with boldness.” This is something that could scarcely have been imagined in Jewish hearts, accustomed as they were to the separation that prevented their presence before God. To have drawn near to God was more a fearsome thing better not contemplated. But the Jewish Christians were told not only that they could draw near, but that they must draw neat. And with confidence, or boldness! 4:16 “ . . . in order that we may receive mercy . . .” That is, mercy without ritual, from the font of mercy Himself. The mercy is for past actions. 4:16 “ . . . and find grace in timely help.” Grace is for help as future situations require. 127 G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The identity of Christians with Christ as the great High Priest is implied in the tacit relationship of the Israelite people with the High Priest and the service of the tabernacle. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL This is a straightforward call not only to “consider,” “hold fast,” and “strive), but to grow, and to rely existentially upon the truths accepted in “the confession.” This is a “put up or shut up” statement following upon dire warnings and many admonitions. I. PARAPHRASE 4:14 Accordingly, having a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens to rest at the right hand of God, Jesus, the Son of God, let us seize upon our confession. 15 Since we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our various weaknesses, but one who has borne temptation in all things, just as we are, yet without sin, 16 let us therefore approach the throne of Grace with confidence, for the purpose of receiving mercy and finding grace for help in times of need. 128 SIXTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 5:1-4) 5:1 Pa'" gaVr ajrciereuV" ejx ajnqrwvpwn lambanovmeno" uJpeVr ajnqrwvpwn kaqivstatai taV proV" toVn qeovn, i{na prosfevrh/ dw'rav te kaiV qusiva" uJpeVr aJmartiw'n, 2 metriopaqei'n dunavmeno" toi'" ajgnoou'sin kaiV planwmevnoi", ejpeiV kaiV aujtoV" perivkeitai ajsqevneian, 3 kaiV di' aujthVn ojfeivlei kaqwV" periV tou' laou' ou{tw" kaiV periV auJtou' prosfevrein periV aJmartiw'n. 4 kaiV oujc eJautw'/ ti" lambavnei thVn timhvn, ajllaV kalouvmeno" uJpoV tou' qeou', kaqwvsper kaiV jAarwvn. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 5:1 kaqivstatai (verb, present, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular) 1. bring, conduct, take. 2. appoint, put in charge; authorize. 3. make, cause. Pass. be made, become. 5:1 qusiva" (noun, accusative, feminine, plural) sacrifice, offering lit. Mt 9:13; Mk 12:33; Ac 7:41f; 1 Cor 10:18; Hb 10:1, 8, 12. Fig. Ro 12:1; Phil 2:17 (here act of offering is also possible). [Gingrich] But, 1. an offering or mode of offering. 2. in pl. offerings, sacrifices, sacred rites. 3. a festival, at which sacrifices were offered. II. the victim or offering itself. [Liddell-Scott] 5:2 metriopaqei'n (infinitive, present, active) moderate one’s feelings, deal gently w. dat. [Gingrich] Also, “feel moderately,” does not occur in the LXX, and in the NT is confined to Heb 52. For the adj. see Aristeas 256, where it is laid down that one of the elements of filosofi,a is—ta. pro.j to.n kairo.n pra,ssein deo,ntwj metriopaqh/ kaqestw/ta, “to do the duty of the moment as it should be done, practicing moderation” (Thackeray). [Moulton-Milligan] 5:2 ajgnoou'sin (participle, present active, dative, masculine, plural) not to know, be ignorant Ro 2:4. W. neg. know (quite well), be sure Ro 1:13; 2 Cor 2:11. Not to understand Mk 9:32. Sin in ignorance Hb 5:2. Disregard. 5:2 planwmevnoi" (participle, present, passive, dative, masculine, plural) 1. lead astray, cause to wander fig. mislead, deceive 2. go astray, be misled or deluded, wander about lit. and fig. Be mistaken, deceive oneself . 129 5:2 perivkeitai (verb, present, passive, indicative, third singular) 1. to lie around: peri, ti, 2. passively, to be compassed with, have round one. 5:3 ojfeivlei (verb, present, active, indicative, third, singular) owe, be indebted 1. lit., of financial debts. 2. fig. a. generally owe, be indebted; Be obligated, one must, one ought; b. ovfei,lei he is obligated, bound (by his oath); Commit a sin. CF. Heb 2:17. 5:3 prosfevrein (Infinitive, present, active) 1. act. and pass. bring (to) 2. bring, offer, present a. lit. Hb 5:1 b. fig. J 16:2; Hb 5:7. 3. pass. meet, deal with Hb 12:7. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 5:1,3 Apparently peri can be used synonymously for uJpeVr. The debated text of Mt 26:28 has peri where Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20 and I Cor 11:24 have uJpeVr. The occurrence of peri in Eph 6:18-19 seems to be used synonymously with uJpeVr. And in our current context, the text uses uJpeVr twice in 5:1, then uses peri twice in similar ways in 5:3. [Moule, p. 63] D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION The priesthood was served by the family of Levi. The High Priesthood was filled with Levites specifically from the line of Aaron. This office was hereditary and was presumably filled on the basis of primogeniture. This procedure seems to work well for centuries, with very few irregularities in the transmission of the office. During and after the Babylonian captivity we are not quite so well informed as to the purity of lineage of those serving as high priests. However, after and the breakup of Alexander the Great’s Empire at his death in 323 B.C., the region was ultimately controlled by the Syrian Seleucids and the Ptolemies of Egypt. Whether or not the High Priests from the Seleucid period onward were from Aaron’s line, they were corrupt, being involved in buying the office of High Priest from Gentile overlords. These High Priests, pretenders or not, were most often wealthy Hellenists, seeking to further Alexander’s plan to bring Greek society and culture to the world. They made every attempt to Hellenize Israel, thereby fanning the flames of nationalism that resulted in the Maccabean revolt. The Maccabean’s, or Hasmonaeans, began and ended with simony, but had one high priest elected by the people and had two High Priests who actually succeeded their fathers to the office. From about 40 BC Herod the great and his successors control the High Priesthood until about six A.D. when Roman officials controlled it. During this time corruption and political intrigue were not uncommon. By the time of the ministry of Jesus and his Apostles, Caiaphas and Annas were the ruling powers of the High Priesthood. There is no indication that they were descendants of Aaron, but they were both thoroughly corrupt and probably were widely known to be so. Not only was Caiaphas at the very least complicit in the conspiracy to kill Jesus (John 18:14) his trial of Jesus was 130 illegal in several respects. E. TRANSLATION 5:1 For every High Priest chosen from among men is appointed on behalf of men in the things pertaining to God, that he might bring gifts and sacrifices for sins, 2 being able to deal gently with the ignorant and with those being led astray, since he also is surrounded by infirmities. 3. For this reason he is obliged to offer for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4. No one acquires the honor for himself, but when called by God, even as Aaron. F. EXPOSITION The following treatment of the High Priesthood will first deal with the characteristics of the High Priest (5:1-4), and then show that Jesus Christ fit this model perfectly (5:5-10). The first part, which is taken up here, also is in two parts, notably the characteristics of the office itself, and the personal requirements in regard to God and men. 5:1 “For every High Priest chosen from among men . . .” That is, every High Priest. All High Priests are men, but the readers could have had no doubt that the author referred to Jewish High Priests. Two facts must be borne in mind here. The author, while preparing to demonstrate the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ, used the levitical ideal, and referred to Aaron. This ideal stood in stark contrast to the corruption and political aspirations of the High Priesthood which were notorious at least from the days of the Roman conquest and lasting beyond the days of Jesus. Secondly, while this High Priestly corruption may well have provided some motivation for earnest Jews to follow Jesus, His absence came to be a disadvantage, so that a return to Judaism, even if corrupt, might become thinkable. For a visible hierarchy was of the essence of Judaism. 5:1 “ . . . is appointed on behalf of men . . .” There are two points here, the first being that High Priests are appointed, and that they are to represent men before God. Only men can truly represent men, and those only by appointment. The word here translated “appointed,” is the usual word for authoritative appointment, and connotes official selection, or authorization. 5:1 “ . . . in the things pertaining to God, . . .” i.e., things needful for the relationship of men to God, and stipulated by God. 5:1 “ . . . that he might bring gifts and sacrifices for sins, . . .” The placement of “gifts” before ‘sacrifices for sins” may, according to Westcott (p. 118) be intended to stress the fact that even men’s gifts to God require a mediator. Thus, the characteristics of the office. “The particular reference is to the offerings of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement . . . which 131 concentrated all the ideas of sacrifice and worship, as the High Priest concentrated all the ideas of personal service.” [Westcott, p. 118] 5:2 “ . . . being able to deal gently . . .” Here we see the personal requirement for the office. The word translated “gently,” implies moderation of one’s feelings. It may be a specific opposition to apathy, or lack of concern. The High Priest is not to ignore human shortcomings, but to “bear gently with” sinners. 5:2 “ . . . with the ignorant and with those being led astray, . . .” i.e., with the ignorant and the errant. These descriptives may refer to the cause (ignorance) and effect (errant), having been led astray whether by others or by one’s own passions, or they may simply refer to two types of sin, those committed in ignorance, and those of passion or deception. 5:2 “ . . . since he also is surrounded by infirmities” The High Priest is able to deal with sinners because he is also surrounded by infirmities, or weaknesses. This is but another way of saying that the High Priest is also human. These infirmities, or weaknesses are not His, but belong to those who surround Him. He sees them every day, and cannot ignore them. 5:3 “For this reason he is obliged to offer for sins, . . .” That is, because the High Priest is himself human and “afflicted with infirmities,” his duties “in things pertaining to God,” includes the obligation to offer sacrifices. 5:3 “ . . . as for the people, so also for himself.” The sacrifices are not merely for the people whom he represents, but for himself as well. The ceremonies of the Day of Atonement are still in view. And the High Priest is bound not only to offer sacrifices for the people, but for himself first. He must first obtain his own (ritual) purity before he can intercede for others. Cf. The Law enjoining the High Priest’s sacrifice, Lev 16:6, 15. 5:4 “No one acquires the honor for himself, . . .” Here, the final personal requirement is presented. That is authoritative selection. A range of possibilities are seen here. 1) No one would be particularly likely to seek such an office, given the restraints and responsibilities – but perhaps some would. 2. No one is able to take the office (for such is included in the word translated “honor”). This certainly applies to all who are not of the lineage of Aaron. And yet, many had taken the honor to themselves – causing a great discontent with the hierarchy in the minds of the earnest Jews. The Romans and the Herods controlled, for political expedience, who was named High Priest. Here is a bitter reminder of what happens when religious purity becomes entangled with political motives. 5:4 “ . . . but when called by God, even as Aaron.” The only authoritative appointment is the call of God. This was the proper means of filling the office, and had been the norm for the early years of Israel’s history. Had the author wished, he could have reviewed the recent history of the High Priesthood and easily 132 shown how far from the ideal the office had drifted. But that was probably common knowledge. The focus on the Biblical characteristics of the High Priesthood serve to remind the readers of the right method of investiture. It remains now, only to show how Jesus the messiah met these qualifications. For the irregular and arbitrary “succession to the office of High Priest after Herod, cf. Josephus Antiquities 15:2,4; 20:9. This irregularity and unbiblical nature would have been sufficient to have required the author to resort to Aaron. Aaron, of course, was the prototype fo the Hebrew High Priesthood. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS In preparation for the discourse on the priesthood of Melchizedek, the author now reaffirms teachings on the High Priest. The High Priest identifies with the people (Heb 2:14-18, 5:1)and represents them before God (Heb 2:17, 5:3). Hence, as we have seen (Heb 4:16) by identifying with The High Priest, we have access to God through Him. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 5:1 For every High Priest chosen from among men is authorized to represent men in the things rendered to God, that he might bring their gifts and sacrifices for sins, 2 and able to deal gently with the ignorant and with those being led astray, since he also is beset with weaknesses. 3. For this reason he is obliged to offer for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4. No one assumes the honor for himself, but when called by God, as Aaron also was. 133 SEVENTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 5:5-10) 5:5 Ou{tw" kaiV oJ CristoV" oujc eJautoVn ejdovxasen genhqh'nai ajrciereva, ajll' oJ lalhvsa" proV" aujtovn, UiJov" mou ei\ suv, ejgwV shvmeron gegevnnhkav se: 6 kaqwV" kaiV ejn eJtevrw/ levgei, SuV iJereuV" eij" toVn aijw'na kataV thVn tavxin Melcisevdek. 7 o}" ejn tai'" hJmevrai" th'" sarkoV" aujtou', dehvsei" te kaiV iJkethriva" proV" toVn dunavmenon swv/zein aujtoVn ejk qanavtou metaV kraugh'" ijscura'" kaiV dakruvwn prosenevgka" kaiV eijsakousqeiV" ajpoV th'" eujlabeiva", 8 kaivper w]n uiJoV" e[maqen ajf' w|n e[paqen thVn uJpakohvn: 9 kaiV teleiwqeiV" ejgevneto pa'sin toi'" uJpakouvousin aujtw'/ ai[tio" swthriva" aijwnivou, 10 prosagoreuqeiV" uJpoV tou' qeou' ajrciereuV" kataV thVn tavxin Melcisevdek. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 5:7 dehvsei" (noun, accusative, feminine, plural) entreaty, supplication, prayer [Gingrich] but “to plead, to beg;” that which is asked with urgency based on presumed need - ‘request, plea, prayer. [Louw-Nida] 5:7 iJkethriva" (noun, accusative, feminine, plural) prayer, supplication Hb 5:7. Cf. Supplication, petition. [Moulton-Milligan] 5:7 kraugh'" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) The Septuagint for hq'['z>, hq'['c., h['w>v;, h['WrT., etc.; a crying, outcry, clamor: of the wailing of those in distress, Heb. 5:7; Rev. 21:4. [Thayer] 5:7 ijscura'" (adjective, genitive, feminine, singular) strong, mighty, powerful; loud Hb 5:7; Rv 18:2; 19:6. Effective 2 Cor 10:10. 5:7 dakruvwn (noun, genitive, neuter, plural) tear. 5:7 prosenevgka" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from prosfe,rw) 1. act. and pass. bring (to) 2. bring, offer, present a. lit. Hb 5:1, 3; 8:3f; 9:7, 9, 14, 25, 28; 11:4, 17. b. fig. Hb 5:7. 3. pass. meet, deal with. 134 The word is used 19 times in Hebrews with various shades of meaning. 5:7 eujlabeiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) awe, reverence, fear of God Hb 12:28; piety 5:7. In relation to God, the word means “that reverent submission to His will which caution and prudence dictates. [Dods] 5:8 e[maqen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, third, singular) learn; find out; learn, apparently by inquiry. maqei/n in Rv 14:3 may mean hear, but learn and understand are also probable. [mathematics] 5:8 e[paqen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, third, singular) 1. have an experience. 2. suffer, endure; a. suffer, sometimes suffer death. Undergo punishment 1 Pt 4:15. b. endure, undergo. 5:8 uJpakohvn (noun, accusative, singular) obedience, compliance, submission (opposed to parakoh,): absolutely, eivj u`pakoh,n, unto obedience I. e. to obey, Rom. 6:16. Obedience rendered to anyone’s counsels: with a subject. genitive, 2 Cor. 7:15; 10:6; Philemon 1:21; with a genitive of the object, – of the thing to which one submits himself, th/j pi,stewj, Rom. 1:5; 16:26; th/j avlhqei,aj, 1 Pet. 1:22; of the person, tou/ Cristou/, 2 Cor. 10:5; the obedience of one who conforms his conduct to God’s commands, absolutely, 1 Pet. 1:2; opposed to a`marti,a, Rom. 6:16; te,kna u`pakoh/j, I. e. u`phkwi, 1 Pet. 1:14; with a subjective genitive Rom. 15:18; an obedience shown in observing the requirements of Christianity, u`pakoh, u`mw/n, I. e. contextually, the report concerning your obedience, Rom. 16:19; the obedience with which Christ followed out the saving purpose of God, especially by his sufferings and death: absolutely, Heb. 5:8; with a genitive of the subject, Rom. 5:19. (The word is not found in secular authors; nor in the Septuagint, except in 2 Sam. 22:36 with the sense of favorable hearing; in 2 Sam. 23:23. [Thayer] 5:9 teleiwqeiV" (participle, aorist, passive, nominative, masculine, singular) 1. complete, finish, accomplish, bring to its goal, perfect Hb 2:10; 5:9; 7:28. Make perfect Hb 9:9; 10:1; 11:40; 12:23. Spend Lk 2:43. Fulfill J 19:28. Pass. reach one’s goal Lk 13:32. 2. consecrate, initiate Phil 3:12; such passages as Hb 2:10; 5:9; 7:28 may perhaps be classed here. 5:9 uJpakouvousin (participle, present, active, dative, masculine, plural) listen to 1. obey, follow, be subject to w. dat. 2. open or answer (the door) Ac 12:13. 5:9 ai[tio" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular) responsible, guilty only as noun: masc. cause, source Hb 5:9. Neut. cause Ac 19:40; guilt, complaint Lk 23:4, 14; aiv) qana,tou reason for capital punishment vs. 22. 5:10 prosagoreuqeiV" (participle, aorist, passive, nominative, masculine, singular) call, name, designate pass. Hb 5:10. It impresses the formal and solemn ascription of the Title to the Son. 135 C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 5:5-8 It is important to see the content and connections of these participial phrases, but it is difficult to render them satisfactorily in English. Being of unequal length and having several conjunctions make or more difficulty. The text has a main verb in verse 5 (glorify) but does not have another one until verse 8 (learned). All the intervening ideas are handled by participles. English is not given to such long sentences, and translating long Greek sentences often necessitates breaking them up into smaller units by providing breaks. We try to minimize this, and provide a semicolon at the end of verse 7. This also lets the concessive force of verse 8 come through with the proper emphasis. 5:5 Note the use of the epexegetic infinitive genhqh'nai to extend or explain the specific manner in which Christ did not glorify himself. [Moule, p. 127] 5:5 The Infinitive translated “to become High Priest,” is akin to the Infinitive of Result, although probably a Hebraism. It completes the action of the verb by showing the result of “glorifying.” D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 5:5 So also Christ did not glorify himself to become High Priest, but the one saying to Him “you are my son, this day I have begotten you,” 6 as also He says in another place, “you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek;” 7 who, in the days of His flesh, having offered up both prayers and supplications with a loud cry and tears, to the One able to save Him from death, and having been heard because of His godly reverence; 8 even so, Son though He was (cf 1:2), He learned obedience through the things that He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all the ones obeying Him, 10 being designated by God, High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. [N.B. To follow the thought on Melchizedek, skip Heb 5:10-6:20 and continue reading at Heb 7:1. This will show the continuity of thought regarding Melchizedek and reveal the nature of the huge parenthetical statement inserted into the context. Then come back to 5:12 ff. Doing so will illuminate what the author means by 1. his teaching on Melchizedek to be “difficult of explanation” (5:11); 2. “having left aside the account of the elementary principle of Christ”(6:1):; 3. “ not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God” (6:1).”] F. EXPOSITION 136 The requirements or characteristics of the High Priest is given in the previous pericope in the following order: 1. He is the representative of the people, offering sacrifices and gifts (v. 1); 2. He deals gently, and sympathetically with those whom he represents ( v. 2); and 3. No one assumes, or takes to himself the office, but he must be called of God (v. 4). Here, these three items are attributed to Christ in reverse order. He is said to 1. Have been called by God (v. 5-6), 2. Suffered like men and learned obedience (v. 7-8), and 3. Became the source of salvation for His people (v. 9). 5:5 “So also Christ did not glorify himself to become a High Priest, . . .”That is, He did not take the title or office himself. The use of the office of Christ, or Messiah, instead of the name Jesus, emphasizes the obedience of the Son. It is to say that even though He was the Messiah, He did not covet the office of High Priest, despite the fact that it might logically have been thought to belong to Him by right. He did not come to seek his own glory, but that of Him who sent him. Christ, as Christ, could approach the Father for himself without hindrance. But He waited for God’s appointment by God to become the High Priest and approach God for sinful humanity. 5:5 “ . . . but the one saying to Him “you are my son, this day I have begotten you, . . .” reiterates Heb 1:5, reminding the readers that Christ has already been designated “Son.” This will help see the Messiah in both lights, as Christ is about to receive another title. 5:6 “ . . . as also He says in another place, ‘you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek;’ . . .” Clearly the Son incarnate was Jesus, of the line of David. Making Him a priest was going to involve some maneuvering, for the only priests the Jews considered relevant were of the tribe of Levi, and specifically of the lineage of Aaron (later through Zadok). This is important because if we recall Heb 1:1, God was said to have spoken through various Old Testament witnesses, but through only one witness in the last of those times, the Son. The Son was the last, and final word from God. Having confessed Jesus to be the Son, the Messiah, the King of the line of David, and at last as High Priest, Christians were to look for no other. But in Jewish circles of the time, things were not so clear. There were schools of thought among the Jewish people that drew a distinction between the “Messiah of Israel” or the Prince of the house of David, on the one hand, and the priestly Messiah, or the Messiah of Aaron, on the other. That is, there were to be found among the Jews those who looked for two messiahs, a political Messiah and a religious Messiah. This was natural for people whose mandates fell either under the general heading of politics, or that of religion. Although there was no way of knowing how many people held this view, or how fervently they believed it, it was a belief that was current at the time and it would not be surprising if it were entertained by some of the readers. We recall from Hebrews 1:13 that Psalms 110:1 was used of the Messiah. This verse had been used by Christians from the earliest days of Christianity as an Old Testament testimony to the Messiah. Here, however, the writer quotes Psalms 110:4 to show that the Messiah is also a High Priest. So far as we are aware, this was the first time this verse had been used, either by Jew or Christian, to identify the Messiah as the High Priest. By pointing out that God had designated the Son both as Messiah and as high priest, he showed “that 137 the greater and more comprehensive office of Messiah ship was not assumed by Christ at his own instance and therefore that the priesthood included in this was not of his own seeking, but of God’s ordaining.” [Dods] By identifying the Messiah as both King and High Priest the author made it clear that Christians were to look for no other. This reaffirms the notion from Hebrews 1:1 that the Son is the only Messiah that will be given. Because the author can clearly not appeal to Scriptures which establish the priesthood as Levitical and Aaronic, he has recourse to the figure of Melchizedek. 5:7 “ . . . who, in the days of His flesh, . . .” The complicated sentence that comprises vv. 7-10 falls into two parts, according to the two finite verbs, translated “He learned,” (v. 8) and “He became” (v. 9). The several accompanying participial and prepositional phrases are merely explanatory. He learned obedience, and became the source of eternal salvation. These verbs clearly refer to Jesus, as the incarnate Christ, as the words “in the days of His flesh,” shows. “Who” refers back to Christ in v. 5. The intervening material is explanatory. “The days of His flesh” refers to that time when He was like His brothers in His ability to be tempted and to suffer. 5:7 “ . . . having offered up both prayers and supplications with a loud cry and tears, . . .” This can be nothing other than the scene in Gethsemane. Despite the many versions that translate “cry” as either a plural or as a participle, it is a singular noun. Christ is said to have offered up prayers and supplications with “a loud cry and tears,” indicating a single event, not several. These prayers and supplications may have included things not recorded in the gospels. The common features include two statements, 1. “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me,” (“remove this cup from me” Lk 22:42) and 2. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (From Mt 26:39 ff.) Apparently these statements were repeated at least three times. There must have been more spoken than is recorded, for in each case Jesus returned to His disciples to find them asleep. It stretches credulity to think they simply dropped off the second the Master’s back was turned, even more so since this insulting behavior had been challenged specifically with the charge to stay awake and pray. The “cup” in question is undeniably the sacrificial death He was about to suffer. Nor can we forget the description at Luke 22:44 that the “sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” It does no good to insist that the “prayers and supplications” included the others spoken during His earthly ministry, because those of Gethsemane were “offered up,” like a sacrifice, (or the soon to be sacrifice). Nor can we here fall back on such beliefs as that Jesus meant by “the cup” something else than His immanent death, because He had already, on several occasions, spoken of it with 138 assurance.” Because in this regard, it is precisely knowing something yet having a natural (human!) fear of it, that further identifies Jesus with those He was to save. Dods mentions that the passion of Christ’s prayer to have “this cup” taken away was only intensified by His knowledge that God could easily do so with the twelve legions of angels mentioned in Matthew 26:53. [Dods] It is worth noting that in Heb 5:1, the author states that the High Priest is “ordained . . . to offer up gifts and sacrifices” for men. For here in 5:7 we see Jesus offering up both prayers and supplications. As mentioned, these included the prayer that the “cup” might pass from Him; but it also included the willing submission to God “not my will, but thine.” This is a glimpse of the first sacrifice offered up by the High Priest Designate, i.e., the official and voluntary offering of Himself to God as the sacrifice for man’s sins. Despite the fact that this may have been the plan from eternity, the Son, in the person of Jesus, voluntarily put aside His own wishes, strong as they were, and submitted to the will of God. 5:7 “ . . . to the One able to save Him from death, . . .” This is confirmed by the fact that the prayer is specifically said to be offered to “the One who could save Him from (or even “from out of”) death. It was not the One who could multiply His loaves and fishes, it was the One who could deliver Him from death. The context is compelling. The notion that Christ addressed His prayer to one who was”able to save” Him from death with twelve legions of angels also implies that this part of His prayer was not answered according to the request. 5:7 “ . . . and having been heard because of His godly reverence;” heard in all its aspects, answered according to God’s will. Christ was not delivered from death. He was delivered “from out of death.” Most importantly, His statement “not my will, but thine,” was heard and agreed to. Jesus’ prayers were heard and answered. The fact that “the cup” was not removed, makes Him even more able to identify with those for whom He qualifies to be High Priest. 5:8 “even so, Son though He was (cf 1:2) . . .” Literally “and even though being son.” The clause is concessive, for its inclusion gives the sense that in other circumstances, and perhaps even in these circumstances, being the Son of God might have advantages, which are noticeably ignored here. The sense is that “even though Christ had the right to the prerogatives of divinity, and certainly did not enhance his character by being tempted, or by being subjected to inapt circumstances, learn obedience He did.” The word kaivper,, compounded of “and” and an intensive enclitic intensifies the concessive force of the clause. But the straightforward translation “even though Son, is not smooth, and begs for redress. The sense is, “Son though He was,” yet He still learned Obedience.” The sense is that Son though He was,” He had yet to learn [from human experience the exercise of that] perfect submission which is only acquired by obeying in painful, terrifying circumstances. [Dods] 139 5:8 “ . . . He learned obedience through the things that He suffered.” In the present context, the obedience in question is nothing less than the obedience to override of His request to be spared from Calvary. There were without question other circumstances of obedience from day one, but here, we are focused on that obedience that showed Him to be the High Priest. 5:9 “And having been made perfect, . . .” i.e., complete and qualified. In this case, He was qualified to deal gently with (because understanding the temptations of) those on behalf of whom He would function as High Priest. 5:9 “ . . . He became the source of eternal salvation to all the ones obeying Him, . . .” Having suffered temptation; Having come face to face with a horrendous spectacle of a sacrificial death; Having “offered up payers and supplications” while never wavering in His faith toward God, He was completed. Being completed meant not only that He was fitted for His function of a caring High Priest, but that He was the source of eternal salvation. That is, for those who obey Him. This, of course, means those who are genuinely saved, but it excludes those who, like the followers of Moses, committed apostasy. The warnings about holding fast to the end apply here. The admonition to “consider Christ” is well under way. Recalling these passages, we must see that belief is that which obeys, and eternal salvation is that which endures. The word translated source or author “has practically the same meaning as ‘the pioneer of their salvation’ in Ch. 2:10 (RSV). . . . Here, however, the Christian salvation is eternal, like the ‘eternal redemption’ of Ch. 9:12, the ‘eternal inheritance’ of Ch. 9:15, and the ‘eternal covenant’ of Ch. 13:20, because it is based on the sacrifice of Christ, once fo all accomplished, never to be repeated, and permanently valid.” [Bruce, p. 105.] Yet pioneer (Captain in this translation), it must be remembered, conveyed the thought of Christ going before the “many sons with whom He unites himself. Here, the thought is of that which He alone does for them.” [Westcott] 5:10 “ . . . being designated by God High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.” Psalm 110:4, referred to here and 110:1, referred to earlier, combine to denote a Royal Priesthood granted immediate access to the presence of God, and characterized by eternal efficacy. This is the mark and quality of the Son’s High Priesthood. The treatment of Christ’s High Priesthood is far from finished, for there is disturbing material that must first be treated in an extended parenthetical before the subject can be resumed in detail. As noted earlier, the train of thought concerning Melchizedek can be continued in Heb 7:1. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS No new ethical or theological teaching in this pericope. 140 H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL 5:6 Melchizedek The Order of Melchizedek “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4) The importance of this intriguing verse is indicated both by the fact that it is the central verse of a great Messianic Psalm (quoted at least 12 times in the New Testament) and also because this one verse constitutes one of the main themes of chapters 5–7 of Hebrews, where it is quoted no fewer than five times (Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:17, 21), and where Melchizedek himself is mentioned nine times. It refers to the fascinating personage glimpsed briefly in Genesis 14:18-20. Melchizedek (meaning “King of Righteousness”) is said to have been “King of Salem” (or “Peace”), but there is no record, either in secular history or elsewhere in the Bible, that there ever was such a city or earthly king. He was also called the “priest of the most high God” (Hebrews 7:1), and he suddenly appeared, then disappeared as suddenly as he had come. Commentators mostly have assumed that Melchizedek was the chieftain of a small settlement of which we have no record, but this hardly does justice to the exalted descriptions of him in Scripture. He was obviously greater than Abraham (Hebrews 7:4), as well as Aaron, the founder of the Levitical priesthood. Furthermore, he was “without father, without mother, . . . having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually” (Hebrews 7:3). Such language is hardly appropriate merely because no genealogy is recorded. If one takes the Bible literally, such statements could be true only of God Himself, appearing briefly in the preincarnate state of the Second Person, as King of all peace and righteousness. Now this same divine Person.”because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” (Hebrews 7:24-25). [ HMM Days of Praise – August 15, 2014 from The Institute for Creation Research. 5:8 Learned Obedience How Christ Learned Obedience “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8) This verse is a very difficult verse. The Lord Jesus Christ was the very Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the omniscient God, perfect wisdom and complete truth. How could it be that one who knows all things would have to learn anything? Even more particularly, how would He have to learn obedience? He was always obedient to His heavenly Father. “I do always those things that please him,” Christ said (John 8:29). He surely did not have to be chastised like a disobedient child in order to learn obedience, as the verse seems on the surface to be telling us. 141 He was indeed a Son, and He was never disobedient, but He had to become obedient through actual experience. He “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). The “things which he suffered,” as the innocent Lamb of God, are beyond all human understanding, and His willingness to obey His Father even in this (“nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done”—Luke 22:42) demonstrates the ultimate obedience. There are many things which one can learn in theory but which are only really learned in practice. The Lord Jesus Christ knew all things by omniscience; nevertheless, He had to learn obedience by actual experience. “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, . . . to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10). Once having passed this test, He had been “made perfect” as the succeeding verse assures us, and thus has become “the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:9). No act of obedience which He urges upon us can ever be as difficult as the things which He was willing to suffer to provide forgiveness and salvation for us. HMM Days of Praise – June 21, 2014 from The Institute for Creation Research. I. PARAPHRASE 5:5 So also Christ did not seek to exalt himself by becoming High Priest -- instead, the one who says to Him “you are my son, this day I have begotten you,” exalted Him 6 as He says in another place, “you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek;” 7 who, in the days of His earthly life, having offered up both prayers and supplications with a loud cry and tears, to the One He knew was able to save Him from death, and having been heard because of His reverential submission, 8 yet, Son that He was, yet He learned obedience through the things that He suffered. 9 And having been made complete and suitable by that suffering, He became the fountain of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him, 10 being acclaimed by God High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. 142 EIGHTEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 5:11-6:2) 5:11 PeriV ou| poluV" hJmi'n oJ lovgo" kaiV dusermhvneuto" levgein, ejpeiV nwqroiV gegovnate tai'" ajkoai'". 12 kaiV gaVr ojfeivlonte" ei\nai didavskaloi diaV toVn crovnon, pavlin creivan e[cete tou' didavskein uJma'" tinaV taV stoicei'a th'" ajrch'" tw'n logivwn tou' qeou', kaiV gegovnate creivan e[conte" gavlakto", [kaiV] ouj sterea'" trofh'". 13 pa'" gaVr oJ metevcwn gavlakto" a[peiro" lovgou dikaiosuvnh", nhvpio" gavr ejstin: 14 teleivwn dev ejstin hJ stereaV trofhv, tw'n diaV thVn e{xin taV aijsqhthvria gegumnasmevna ejcovntwn proV" diavkrisin kalou' te kaiV kakou'. 6:1 DioV ajfevnte" toVn th'" ajrch'" tou' Cristou' lovgon ejpiV thVn teleiovthta ferwvmeqa, mhV pavlin qemevlion kataballovmenoi metanoiva" ajpoV nekrw'n e[rgwn, kaiV pivstew" ejpiV qeovn, 2 baptismw'n didachvn, ejpiqevsewv" te ceirw'n, ajnastavsewv" te nekrw'n, kaiV krivmato" aijwnivou. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 5:12 tina, The Textus Receptus reads the interrogative ti,na (hence AV renders, “ye have need that one teach you again which @ti,na# be the first principles of the oracles of God”), with Bc Dc K 88 614 Byz Lect al. Since the earliest manuscripts are without accent marks, editors must decide on the basis of context which is the more appropriate form; here the Committee felt that the indefinite pronoun (tina,) gives a sharper antithesis to ei=nai dida,skaloi in the preceding clause. [Metzger] The translation will then read something on the order of “something about the first principles,” or “something of the first principles.” It seems pretty clear that the author is not so concerned about their ability to categorize the first principles, as in order of importance, but in the ability to understand the content of those first principles. But because tinaV is singular, it cannot modify the plural taV stoicei'a, thereby making for a very troublesome translation problem. 6:2 didach/j. Although the reading didach,n, which is in apposition with qeme,lion of ver. 1 is early (î46 B itd), a majority of the Committee regarded it as a stylistic improvement introduced in order to avoid so many genitives. The reading didach/j is strongly supported by good representatives of all the major types of text (a A C Dgr I K P 33 81 614 1739 Byz Lect al). [Metzger] This is majority text reasoning. One must decide if the accusative actually appeared in the middle of all these genitives, or if they were all originally genitives. If anything, it would be easier to see scribes putting an original accusative in the genitive because of the consistency of the context. That is, it seems more likely that a scribe would change an accusative to a genitive so it would better fit with the surrounding genitives, than out of the blue to decide that there are too many genitives in the highly parallel construction, and to alter a genitive to an accusative. On the other hand, the flow of the narrative might have been somewhat more awkward with an 143 accusative, and it is difficult to think that the author of Hebrews, whose style is so marvelous elsewhere, would mar such a context by inserting a randomly chosen accusative without reason. We have the following choices; “ . . . not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God 3. of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” or, “ . . . not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God 3. teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” Herein, the foundation not being laid again is that of general categories, i.e., repentance and faith, while the teaching is of specific rites and doctrines, baptisms and laying on of hands being the rites, and resurrection and judgment being the doctrines. For our purposes we adopt the accusative reading (didach,n) of P46 as early and sound. It is worth noting that when this reading is adopted, the conjunctions te and kai V do indeed form close parallels, rather than near misses as is the case with the genitive reading. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 5:11 dusermhvneuto" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular) hard to interpret, difficult of explanation. dus (difficult) + ermhvneuto"(interpretation). [English derivative: hermeneutics] 5:11 nwqroi V (adjective, nominative, masculine, plural) lazy, sluggish Hb 6:12. n) tai/j avkoai/j hard of hearing 5:11 5:12 didavskaloi (noun, nominative, masculine, plural) one who provides instruction - ‘teacher, instructor.’ [Louw-Nida] a teacher, master. [Liddell-Scott] 5:12 stoicei'a (noun, accusative, neuter, plural) The root meaning starts from stoi/coj, a “row” or “rank,” and from this the word passes to denote sounds which can be arranged in a series such as the letters of the alphabet: cf. BGU III. 9592 (A.D. 148) stoic$ei,ou% e¯ kol$lh,matoj% i®z®, and see P Par 63116 (B.C. 164) stoiceiwdw/j, “letter by letter.” Cf. Anth. Pal. ix. 547 (like Nos. 538, 539) to which Mr. H. Lang Jones kindly refers us, nonsense verses containing all the letters of the Greek alphabet— ADHLON Ta. ei;kosi te,ssara stoicei/a Trhcu.n dV u`perba.j fragmo.n evxh,nqize klw,y. From this it is an easy transition to the thought of “elementary principles,” the “ of a science, as in Heb 512, and in this connexion attention has been drawn to Porphyry ad Marcellam c. 24, where the iii/A.D. Neo-platonist writes—te,ssara stoicei/a ma,lista kekratu,nqw peri. qeou/\ pi,stij( avlh,qeia( e;rwj( evlpi,j (cf. 1 Cor 1313). 144 The meaning of “the primary constituent elements” of the universe (cf. Suid.: stoicei/o,n evstin evx ou- prw,tou gi,netai ta. gino,mena kai. eivj o] e;scaton avnalu,etai) which occurs in Sap 717, 1918, 4 Macc 1213, is frequently found in 2 Pet 310 ,12, where the translation “elements” gives excellent sense. [Moulton-Milligan] 1. elements (of learning), fundamental principles, letters of the alphabet, “s Hb 5:12. This meaning is also possible in passages from Gal and Col under 3 below. 2. elemental substances, elements from which everything is made 2 Pt 3:10, 12. 3. elemental spirits may be the meaning in Gal 4:3, 9; Col 2:8, 20, but mng. 1 above is also possible. [Gingrich] 5:12 ajrch'" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) 1. beginning, origin Mt 19:4; 24:8; Mk 1:1; 13:8; Lk 1:2; J 1:1; 15:27; Ac 11:15. avrch.n lamba,nein begin Hb 2:3. stoicei/a th/j av) elementary principles 5:12. o` th/j av) tou/ C) lo,goj elementary Christian teaching 6:1. av th/j first of the signs J 2:11. th.n avrch,n = o[lwj at all 8:25. Fig. Col 1:18. First cause Rv 3:14. Concrete = corner Ac 10:11.—2. ruler, authority, official Lk 12:11; 20:20; Tit 3:1. Of angels and demons Ro 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 2:10, 15.—3. Rule, domain, sphere of influence Jd 6. 5:12 logivwn (noun, genitive, neuter, plural) a brief utterance, in secular authors a divine oracle (doubtless because oracles were generally brief); . . . in the N. T. spoken of the words or utterances of God: of the contents of the Mosaic law, Acts 7:38; with tou/ Qeou/ or Qeou/ added, of his commands in the Mosaic law and his Messianic promises, Rom. 3:2, cf. Philippi and Umbreit at the passage; of the substance of the Christian religion, Heb. 5:12; of the utterances of God through Christian teachers, 1 Pet. 4:11. (In ecclesiastical writings lo,gia tou/ kuri,ou is used of Christ’s precepts, by Polycarp, ad Philipp. 7, 1; kuriaka lo,gia of the sayings and discourses of Christ which are recorded in the Gospels, by Papias in Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica. 3, 39 5:12 gavlakto" (noun, genitive, neuter, singular) milk lit. 1 Cor 9:7. Fig. 3:2; Hb 5:12f; 1 Pt 2:2. [galaxy. Cf. the Milky Way.] 5:12 sterea'" (adjective, genitive, feminine, singular) 1. lit. firm, solid, strong 2 Ti 2:19; Hb 5:12, 14. 2. fig. steadfast, firm 1 Pt 5:9. [stereo-, combining form, as in stereotype] 5:12 trofh'" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) nourishment, food 1. lit. Mt 3:4; Lk 12:23; J 4:8; Ac 9:19; Js 2:15. 2. fig., of spiritual nourishment Hb 5:12, 14. [trophic, pertaining to nutrition] 5:13 a[peiro" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular) without trial or experience of a thing, unused to, unacquainted with, 2. absol. inexperienced, ignorant. 5:14 teleivwn (adjective, genitive, masculine, plural) having attained the end or purpose, complete, perfect 1. of things Js 1:4a, 17, 25; Hb 9:11; 1 J 4:18. to. te,leion what is perfect Ro 12:2; 1 Cor 13:10.2. of persons a. full-grown, mature, adult adj. 1 Cor 14:20; Eph 4:13; subst. Hb 5:14. For 1 Cor 2:6 the sense may be adult, or it may belong under b below. b. the initiate into mystic rites, perh. 1 Cor 2:6 (see a above); probably Phil 3:15; Col 1:28. c. perfect, fully developed in a moral sense 145 Mt 5:48a; 19:21; Col 4:12; Js 1:4b; 3:2. d. of God as absolutely perfect Mt 5:48b. [teleo-, combining form, as in teleology] 5:14 e{xin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) practice, exercise Hb 5:14 [English derivative: cachexy (kako,j + e[xij), general ill health] 5:14 aijsqhthvria (noun, accusative, neuter, plural) sense, faculty Hb 5:14. a repeated activity - practice, doing again and again, doing repeatedly. [Louw-Nida] 5:14 gegumnasmevna (participle, perfect, passive, accusative, neuter, plural) to train naked, train in gymnastic exercise: generally, to train, exercise, Xen.: c. inf. to train or accustom persons to do a thing, Id.; so also, gÅ tina, tini to accustom him to it, Id.:-Med. to exercise for oneself, practise, gÅ te,cnhn Plat.: -Pass. to practise gymnastic exercises, Hdt., etc.: generally, to practise, exercise oneself, Thuc., Xen.; gumna,zesqai pro,j ti to be trained for a thing, Plat.; peri, ti in a thing, Xen. II. metaph. to wear out, harass, distress, Aesch.:-Pass., Id. 6:1 qemevlion (noun, accusative, masculine, singular) foundation lit. Lk 6:48f; 14:29; Hb 11:10; foundation stone Rv 21:14, 19. Fig. Ro 15:20; 1 Cor 3:10-12; Hb 6:1; treasure, reserve 1 Tim 6:19. 6:1 metanoiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) a change of mind: as it appears in one who repents of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done, Heb. 12:17; especially the change of mind of those who have begun to abhor their errors and misdeeds, and have determined to enter upon a better course of life, so that it embraces both a recognition of sin and sorrow for it and hearty amendment, the tokens and effects of which are good deeds (Lactantius, 6, 24, 6 would have it rendered in Latin by resipiscentia) (A. V. repentance) [Thayer] 6:2 ejpiqevsewv" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) laying on Ac 8:18; 1 Ti 4:14; 2 Ti 1:6; Hb 6:2. 6:2 ajnastavsewv" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) rise, rising Lk 2:34. Resurrection of the dead Mt 22:31; Lk 20:35; J 11:24f; Ac 1:22; Ro 6:5; 1 Cor 15:12f; Rv 20:5f. 6:2 krivmato" (noun, genitive, neuter, singular) The Septuagint very often for jP'v.mi. 1. a decree: plural, judgments. 2. judgment; i. e. condemnation of wrong, the decision (whether severe or mild) which one passes on the faults of others. In a forensic sense, the sentence of a judge: with a genitive of the punishment to which one is sentenced, especially the sentence of God as judge: the judgment (in which God declared sin to be punishable with death) issued in condemnation, i. e. was condemnation to all who sinned and therefore paid the penalty of death Rom. 5:16; especially where the justice of God in punishing is to be shown, kri,ma denotes condemnatory sentence, penal judgment, sentence, 2 Pet. 2:3; Jude 1:4; with the genitive of the one who pronounces judgment, tou/ Qeou/, Rom. 2:2f; lamba,nesqai kri,ma, Matt. 23:13(14) Rec.; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47; Rom. 13:2; James 3:1; the one on whom God passes judgment is said e;cein kri,ma, 1 Tim. 5:12; (basta,zein to, kri,ma, to bear the force of the condemnatory judgment in suffering punishment (see basta,zw, 2), 146 Gal. 5:10; kri,ma evsqi,ein e`autw/|, so to eat as to incur the judgment or punishment of God, 1 Cor. 11:29; eivj kri,ma sune,rcesqai, to incur the condemnation of God, 34; ei=nai evn tw/| auvtw/| kri,mati, to lie under the same condemnation, pay the same penalty, Luke 23:40; with the genitive of the one on whom condemnation is passed, Rom. 3:8; 1 Tim. 3:6; Rev. 17:1. the judgment which is formed or passed: by God, through what Christ accomplished on earth, eivj kri,ma evgw, eivj to,n ko,smon tou/ton h=lqon, where by way of explanation is added i[na ktl., to this end, that etc. John 9:39; to, kri,ma a;rcetai, the execution of judgment as displayed in the infliction of punishment, 1 Pet. 4:17; the last or final judgment is called tou/ kri,matoj tou/ me,llontoj, Acts 24:25; kri,matoj aivwni,ou, eternally in force, Heb. 6:2; the vindication of one’s right, kri,nein to, kri,ma ti,noj evk ti,noj, to vindicate one’s right by taking vengeance or inflicting punishment on another, Rev. 18:20 ((R. V. God hath judged your judgment on her), see evk, I. 7); equivalent to the power and business of judging: kri,ma dido,nai ti,ni, Rev. 20:4. 3. a matter to be judicially decided, a lawsuit, a case in court: kri,mata e;cein meta, ti,noj, 1 Cor. 6:7. [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 5:12 Note the double accusative with the infinitive “to teach you the elementary principles. Note that the subject, “someone,” is also in the accusative in such an infinitive construction. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 5:11 Concerning whom the teaching for us is great and difficult of interpretation, since you are become dull of hearing. 12 For indeed, when, because of the time, you ought to be teachers, you again have need of someone to teach you the basics of the elementary principle of the teachings of God, and are become such as have need of milk and not of solid food. 13 For every one living on milk is without experience of the teaching of righteousness, for he is a baby. 14 But solid food is for the mature, the ones who , because of training, have their faculties developed for the discernment both of right and wrong. 6:1 Wherefore, having left aside the account of the elementary principle of Christ, let us bring ourselves to maturity, not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God, 2 of doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands, of both resurrection of dead, and eternal judgment. F. EXPOSITION The readers of Hebrews could not fully understand the application of Old Testament teachings to 147 Jesus because they were “babes,” i.e., they did not “give more urgent attention” (2:1) to, or “consider” (3:1) the Old Testament teaching regarding the Son. The readers of Hebrews were apathetic, but not yet apostate. Yet if their apathy had met greater temptation than they had yet encountered (Hebrews 12:4), they might have been in grave danger. The analogy of Milk and Solid Food is introduced. While the analogy of Milk to doctrinal pablum and its use by babies is clear, it is important to note that the “solid food” includes what the author has in mind for teaching the readers in order to induce spiritual growth. It is not to be missed that the teaching about apostasy refers to the diet of solid food the readers had once enjoyed, and were supposed to remember. In that context, enlightenment, “tasting” the heavenly gift, being made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and “tasting” the good word of God and the coming eternal power constitute the meat they once ate. 5:11 “Concerning whom the teaching for us is great, . . .” Literally, “concerning whom, much to us the word.” That is, “we have a lot to tell you about.” The phrase “concerning whom” may either refer back to Christ, or to Melchizedek. But the author is restricted in what he will say here about Christ (His High Priesthood) and in what he can say about Melchizedek (because very little is known about him). The solution is that he is probably referring specifically to Christ as the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. The term translated here much, or many by the major versions, being used with the term for word (often best rendered account or teaching in Hebrews) should be translated great. A similar usage by the major versions themselves, is to be found in Heb 10:32. The term here rendered teaching translates the Greek word lovgo", “word.” The uses of this term are wide ranging and extensive. In the briefest compass possible, we see it used as 1. the act of speaking, 2. the words used in speaking, 3. the various types of speaking such as narration,, interrogation, account, and 4. the content or meaning of what is said. Thus, “our account is ample.” See appendix entry A brief word about the Word word. Thus, we assume, the author means “concerning Christ as the antitype of Melchizedek, we have much to say. . . .” 5:11 “ . . . and difficult of interpretation, . . .” The most difficult teaching of the epistle is the sacrifice and High Priesthood of Christ. And the author has already felt the difficulty. In 2:17, and two verses later, in 3:1, he introduced the topic of the High Priest, but broke off in 3:6 in order to issue another warning and admonition. The extended warning concerned the failure of the Israelites in the wilderness to follow Moses and Aaron, thereby falling into apostasy (Heb 3:7-19) and the teaching and admonitions concerning the Sabbath rest (Heb 4:1-10). In 3:7-19 the author spells out the nature and result of apostasy in no uncertain terms. In contrast, in 4:1-10, he develops the teaching on the promised rest to be enjoyed by those who follow God’s 148 teachings. The author is seeking to motivate his readers to avoid the apostasy of their fathers, and thereby enjoy the rest promised to them but never realized. This was consistent with the Judaism they had left, and might then have been reconsidering. But the author is in the midst of introducing a new High priest, not of the order of Aaron or Zadok, but none other than the Jesus, the son of David, whom they had confessed. And this represented a huge departure, indeed, an insuperable departure, from Judaism. The High Priesthood of Jesus was the theological knife that cut the last tie to formal Judaism. And whereas Apostasy from Judaism can be remedied by returning to Judaism, apostasy from Christianity cannot be remedied at all. Indeed, well did the author say “much to us the word.” And it was with even more justification that he added “and difficult of interpretation.” The phenomenon of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ and His type, found in Melchizedek, are the most difficult teachings of the work. It was no help that Melchizedek was overlooked by Jewish teachers and interpreters. 5:11 “ . . . since you are become dull of hearing.” For not only was the teaching ample, its innate difficulty was rendered almost insuperable because of the readers’ inability to hear new or difficult teachings. We get a picture of a Jewish-Christian community in which some were satisfied with the status quo, and some were considering a return to Judaism, and in which none was much able to hear new teaching that might both challenge the status quo and condemn apostasy. It seems to have been a community bathed in an atmosphere of dashed political hopes and religious apathy. It is no wonder that the author introduced the topic of the “new” High Priest piecemeal, for they had become “dull of hearing.” The task, then, was to speak intelligibly to those who had difficulty hearing. 5:12 “For indeed, when, because of the time, you ought to be teachers, . . .” Apparently the atmosphere of apathy had continued for a long time, certainly for long enough that the readers, or many of them, had had both time and opportunity to become teachers. It was this same “dullness” of hearing that prevented them from becoming teachers that also made it necessary for the author to explain to them the High Priesthood of Christ. 5:12 “ . . . you again have need of someone to teach you . . .” In stark contrast being teachers, the readers needed a teacher. It was no shame to have needed a teacher at first, but now, “because of the time,” to need a teacher again, indicates either new, difficult material, or remedial instruction. The author of Hebrews will be that teacher. 5:12 “ . . . the basics of the elementary principle of the oracles of God, . . .” The author intends to continue the teaching on Melchizedek as a type of Christ, but has had to lay extensive groundwork. “The oracles” refer to teachings given by God. Oracles, in the Greco-Roman world were pithy sayings given by a god through the medium of a prophet, priest, or priestess. By their very nature, they wee considered wise, even if ambiguous. They were often preserved, either in memory, on in writing. Given the immediate context and the Old Testament facts and quotations already given, the 149 rudiments, first or elementary principles, or the fundamental elements of the oracles of God, can scarcely refer to anything other than the common knowledge of Old Testament basics that were already a part of their tradition. It cannot refer to other, newer teachings about Christ. These are not teachings with which the readers had no knowledge, but of which they did not see the implications in the life and person of Jesus Christ or any application (hence “without experience”) for their lives. The genitive “of God,” is a case of the subjective genitive, and is to be understood as those basics already covered, and should be rendered as that account “given by God.” All the quotes so far adduced, are treated as the words of God Himself. The “elementary principle of the oracles given by God” is the fact that man must be sinless to approach and fellowship with God, or ‘to enter into His rest.” The basics of this fact are found in the various accounts given by God thus far, i.e., the sinless righteousness required can now be obtained only through sacrifice, and that must be presented by a High Priest. These were not new teachings, but neither were they widely engaged. The facts about to be taught are “difficult of interpretation,” or interpretation, but are intended to show how righteousness is presented to God by Christ for men by an eternal High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, not the order of Aaron. 5:12 “ . . . and are become such as have need of milk and not of solid food.” Apathy and lack of exercise results in stagnation, or worse, retrogression. Clearly the author regards his readers as having lost ground, “having become such as need milk.” Apathy alone had reduced the Hebrew readers to the level of spiritual babies. Here, milk and solid food are metaphors for spiritual status. 5:13 “For every one living on milk . . .” The notion is that of milk being the sole source of nourishment as opposed to any use of solid food. In Rabbinic language young students were called “sucklings.” [Westcott, p. 134.] 5:13 “ . . . is without experience of the teaching of righteousness, for he is a baby.” The metaphor is resolved to experience in and with”word of righteousness” and the conclusion is driven home by a return to the metaphor in the designation of “every one” of those who are unable to deal with solid food being called a “baby.” The “word of righteousness” is without the article in the Greek, indicating that we are looking at the quality of such a “word,” not specific examples of it, either in thought or action. Such abstractions are often difficult to bring into English. Translating the Greek term “word” as conception, or intelligent grasp, and the term “righteousness” as godliness (which covers both knowledge and behavior) get us nearer to the idea. Thus, every person using milk “is without experience of righteousness.” That is, he does not understand, and therefore cannot apply to life, the truths he may have known since childhood concerning requirement of righteousness. 150 5:14 “But solid food is for the mature, . . .” Perhaps a better word would be “adult.” “Developing,” or “maturing” would work, too. Not every believer is on the same page developmentally. But that presses the meaning beyond the writer’s intent. 5:14 “ . . . the ones who , because of training, . . . The words training, or practice work best in this context. This clause, as the following words make clear, refers to the results of training, the spiritual strength and maturity gained, not to the individual acts of training themselves. 5:14 “ . . . have their faculties developed for the discernment both of right and wrong.” This clause reads literally “ . . . are having the faculties exercised toward the discernment both of right and of wrong.” This probably involves a fuller process than mere exercise, for it includes all the faculties, volition as well as reason. The notion of righteousness in v. 13 is paralleled here with the words “right and wrong,” and without doubt extends beyond mere apprehension of ethical modes, but the practice of them as well. “Good and evil,” the almost universal way of translating this pair of terms, tend slightly to a connotation merely of behavior, whereas, while behavior is not to be precluded, it is the training of those senses that discern, not those that exercise or utilize the distinction in behavior, that are here of interest. “Right and wrong,” on the other hand, refer easily to both theory and practice. This would include discerning truth from error in what the readers hear, as well as recognizing godly from ungodly application in behavior. The clear implication is that the “one” who will teach the readers, will do so by means of starting them on solid food (more difficult teachings), just as we finally do with babies. Such an approach, as our author sees it, is the only one that will help babies mature. The figure is apt, because solid food is essential for the processes of maturing. 6:1-2 Hebrews 6:1-2 is a bridge between the author’s recognition of the spiritual stagnation of his readers (5:11-14) and his promise of the coming resumption of the teaching regarding Melchizedek 7:1). But it also provides the rationale for continuing a difficult doctrine by means of the application to his readers of his earlier warning regarding apostasy. The overall thought seems to be this: “We are going to proceed to difficult topics because it is the quickest way to get you off milk and eating meat. Leaving you as babes would permit your growing apathy to become apostasy at the first great trial of your faith.” Maturity overcomes apathy and therewith the likelihood of apostasy. Earlier warnings had been followed by correctives. The possibility of letting the life changing results of salvation (and perhaps, at length, of salvation itself) “slip away”was to be corrected by”attending to” Biblical matters concerning the person and work of Messiah (2:1); that is, by “considering,” or “contemplating” (3:1) the Old Testament teaching regarding the new, ascended son of God, Jesus the Messiah. “Consideration” corrects “neglect,” and wards off apathy. The possibility of apostasy, which is given occasion when apathy meets temptation, is removed by “holding fast” (3:6), that is, by not “hardening your hearts” (3:8, 15). The notion is “do not be 151 apathetic with regard to your belief. A cavalier attitude toward belief may soon become unbelief in which “departing” from God is easy (3:12). Do not treat the word apathetically; it must be “mixed with faith” (4:2). These corrections are the more important because, as it will be shown, apostasy has no corrective. 6:1 “Wherefore, having left aside . . .” “Wherefore,” because you should have been weaned from milk long ago, and been eating sold food, we will press on. Most of the major English translations (KJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV, NASV, NIV etc.) render the participle “leaving,” as a present participle, All the versions translate the word as active in meaning except the RSV and the NIV, which render it as a hortatory subjunctive (“let us leave”). But the participle is a simple aorist active, indicating that something has already been left aside. What was it that was “left aside?” It was that which was not helpful in the current situation. “Left aside,” is not to be construed as “forgotten about,” or as to be “abandoned as false.” It is left aside as a finished foundation, for which no more work will be profitable, and in order that the work on the superstructure can be undertaken. 6:1 “ . . . the account of the elementary principle of Christ, . . .” What is not helpful in this situation is said to be the account (singular) of the elementary principle (singular) of Christ. There are a number of such elementary principles, some of which are listed in the following material. The context seems to indicate that it is the doctrine of the salvation offered through Christ that is in view here. It is not that the doctrine is false, but that there is an especially telling point to be made about the nature of that salvation that the apathetic, immature, Jewish Christian readers need to learn. That is the nature of the teaching about Christ being not only the sacrifice for sins, but His current ministry at God’s right hand as the High Priest who offers that eternal sacrifice. This will be taught in what follows concerning Melchizedek’s High Priesthood, and the new covenant which it occasioned. 6:1 “ . . . let us bring ourselves to maturity, . . .” The assumption of 5:12-14 (see Exposition on 5:14) i.e., that he one teaching the readers will be the author, is confirmed here. The notion that milk is for the immature and that solid food for the mature is picked up here in the exhortation “let us bring ourselves to maturity.” The author identifies himself with the readers. The rendering “go on to perfection” (KJV), is mistranslated by all the major English versions. The verb is a present, middle, subjunctive. In no circumstance does it regularly mean “go,” at all. In this context it means neither let us go, nor even let us bring, but let us bring ourselves. Let us bring ourselves to that state of perfection, completion, or maturity mentioned in 5:14 as the quality of those who have their faculties developed. This will be accomplished with solid food, not by a rehash of the old “basic” truths. 6:1 “ . . . not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God, . . .” 152 “Not again laying a foundation,” is a negative restatement of the positive statement “having left aside.” That is, “having left the elementary principle, let us not spend time relaying the foundation with it.” There are two basic reasons one might think of for again teaching the basics to those who already know them. The first is that review is helpful. This is undeniable, except when review prevents processing new or more difficult material. In the words of the analogy, there comes a time when drinking milk stunts, rather than promotes growth. This is clearly the situation of the readers. The second reason is to make an attempt at reclaiming one who might have turned away from, and renounced the basics. Again, in terms of the analogy, it is pointless to try to get someone to return to milk, who has despaired of its use, and renounced it. His fate is to starve. Nothing, certainly not a return to milk, will save such a person. And for the other babies, milk is all they have to offer. It would appear to be the case that what is required to eliminate dependence on milk is solid food. But solid food will not work to help apostates, those who have abandoned the use of milk, but it will prevent others from abandoning it. The point is that milk can be of benefit neither as a permanent diet for Christians, nor as a remedy for apostates. The foundation is said to consist of “repentance,” and “faith.” These are pretty basic. Talk of the Christian understanding of salvation is not possible without mention of these “basics.” “Dead works” are such as have no living connection with the character bur are done in mere compliance with the law and therefore accomplish nothing.” [Dods, p. 294.] They “are not vaguely sins which lead to death, but works devoid of that element which makes therm truly works. They have the form but not the vital power of works. There is but one source of life, and all which does not flow from it is ‘dead’.” [Westcott, p. 144.] It is repentance from such “dead works,” that expresses the complete change of mind required to seek aid elsewhere. Here, it is faith toward God. 6:2 “ . . . of doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands, . . .” These are “basics” to which the author will make no appeal. Like the “basic” of “salvation in Christ,” talk of baptisms and the imposition of hands. Some commentators list all six of these items (repentance, faith, baptism, laying on of hands, the resurrection, and judgment) as examples of basics not to be treated here. Other commentators see baptisms and laying on of hands as examples of the “repentance from dead works,” and resurrection and judgment as examples of “faith toward God” just mentioned, i.e., as examples of these major categories. Another view is that baptisms and laying on of hands, symbols of new birth and commission It is probably not a matter of great importance. Because of the grammatical structure of the Greek, we have chosen the latter course, but mostly provisionally. 153 6:2 “ . . . of both resurrection of dead, and eternal judgment.” “Resurrection” and “judgment” fall under “faith toward God.” “Dead works are not vaguely sins which lead to death, but woks devoid of that element which makes them truly works. They have the form but not the vital power of works. There is but one spring of life, and all which does not flow from it is ‘dead’. The writer of the epistle is thinking, as it seems, of all the works corresponding with the Levitical system not in their original institution but in their actual relation to the Gospel as established in the Christian society. By the work of Christ, who fulfilled, and by fulfilling an old, the law, the element of life was withdrawn from these which had (so to speak) a provisional, and only a provisional, vitality. They became ‘dead works’.” [Westcott, p. 144] G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS It should be clear that this is not a new teaching of legalism, of righteousness predicated upon behavior, for the teaching regarding the evil nature of man is clear from the passage regarding the Israelites in the wilderness, and from the reference to the readers themselves as needing admonition, and as being “babies.” Had it been so, it would more likely have involved strings of commands. That it must at least include proper intellectual benefits is seen in the need of teaching difficult material, and of recognizing “elementary principles” (5:12 and 6:1), and which include “doctrine” (6:2). There is no solution for apostasy, only avoidance. And the only help available for spiritual infancy is growing in wisdom and learning deeper truths. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL What might we call it when those who have eaten meat, and can chew, decide to revert to milk, and nothing stronger? Is that apostasy? Not if there is no deliberate renunciation and counter-conversion involved. Is it to be considered dangerous? Absolutely, because shallowness is the same thing as silliness. The shallow and silly are easily deceived and led astray. Another word for it is gullible. The charismatic movement, and some of the sillier cults bear testimony to this fact. Having been borne away, are they still saved? Probably, but they are useless, and now part of the problem rather than part of the solution. Spiritual exercise is no easier than physical exercise, and some might argue that it is harder. But there is no growth, no maturity, no guidance without maturity, and no maturity without self discipline and training. I. PARAPHRASE 154 5:11 Concerning whom we have a lot to say, and difficult to explain, since you are tone deaf to truth. 12 For indeed, when, you ought to be teachers, because of the long time you have been Christians, you again need someone to teach you the “‘s of the teachings given by God, and are become like those who can only drink milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For every one living on milk is without experience of the teaching of righteousness, because he is a baby. 14 Solid food is for the mature, the ones who, as a result of constant training, have their senses exercised in the discernment both of right and wrong. 6:1 So, having for the moment put aside the teaching of the basic idea of the Messiah, let us be borne on to maturity, by not continually preaching to the choir concerning the threadbare topics of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of such things as the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands, and of the resurrection, and of eternal judgment. 155 NINETEENTH PERICOPE (Heb 6:3-6) 6.3 kaiV tou'to poihvsomen ejavnper ejpitrevph/ oJ qeov" 6:4 ajduvnaton gaVr touV" a{pax fwtisqevnta", geusamevnou" te th'" dwrea'" th'" ejpouranivou kaiV metovcou" genhqevnta" pneuvmato" aJgivou 6.5 kaiV kaloVn geusamevnou" qeou' rJh'ma dunavmei" te mevllonto" aijw'no", 6.6 kaiV parapesovnta", pavlin ajnakainivzein eij" metavnoian, ajnastaurou'nta" eJautoi'" toVn uiJoVn tou' qeou' kaiV paradeigmativzonta". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 6:3 poih,somen. The future tense poih,somen is to be preferred on the basis of (a) the weight of external evidence (î46 a B Ivid 33 88 614 1739 itar, b, d vg syrp, h copsa, bo, fay al) as well as (b) its congruence with the following clause, “if God permits” (which is more appropriate with the future tense than with the exhortation “let us do this”). The reading poih,swmen (A C Dgr P Y 81 al), if it is not merely the result of an orthographic confusion between o and w, probably arose from mechanical conformation with ferw,meqa in verse 1. [Metzger] B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 6:3 ejpitrevph/ (present, active, subjunctive, third, singular) 1. to turn to, transfer, commit, intrust. 2. to permit, allow, give leave: 1 Cor. 16:7; Heb. 6:3; ti,ni, Mark 5:13; John 19:38; with an infinitive added, Matt. 8:21; 19:8; Luke 8:32; 9:59,61; Acts 21:39f; 1 Tim. 2:12; and without the dative Mark 10:4; followed by an accusative with an infinitive Acts 27:3 . [Thayer] 6:4 jAduvnaton (adjective, nominative, neuter, singular) I. of persons, unable to do a thing. 2. absol. without strength, powerless, Hdt., Eur., etc.; oi` avdu,natoi men disabled for service, incapable, Aeschin., etc.; avdu,natoj crh,masi poor, Thuc.; ei;j ti Plat.:-of ships, disabled, Hdt.:- to. avd. want of strength, Plat.; ta. avd . disabilities, Dem. II. of things, that cannot be done, impossible, Eur., Plat., etc.; avdu,nato,n or avdu,nata, [evsti], it is impossible, Hdt., etc.: to. avd. impossibility, [Liddell-Scott] 6:4 ga,r, a conjunction, which according to its composition, ge, and a;ra (equivalent to avr), is properly a particle of affirmation and conclusion, denoting truly therefore, verily as the case stands. The thing is first affirmed by the particle ge,, and then is referred to what precedes by the force of the particle a;ra”. Now since by a new affirmation not infrequently the reason and nature of something previously mentioned are set forth, it comes to pass that, by the use of this particle, either the reason and cause of a foregoing statement is added, whence arises the causal or argumentative force of the particle, for (Latin nam, enim; German denn); or some previous declaration is explained, whence ga,r takes on an explicative force: for, the fact is, namely (Latin videlicet, German nämlich). Thus the force of the particle is either conclusive, or demonstrative, or explicative and declaratory. The use 156 of the particle in the N. T. does not differ from that in the classics. I. Its primary and original conclusive force is seen in questions (in Greek writings also in exclamations) and answers expressed with emotion; where, according to the connexion, it may be freely represented by assuredly, verily, forsooth, why, then, etc.: evn ga,r tou,tw| etc. ye profess not to know whence he is; herein then is assuredly a marvellous thing, why, herein etc. John 9:30; ouv ga,r, avlla, etc. by no means in this state of things, nay verily, but etc. Acts 16:37; certainly, if that is the case, 1 Cor. 8:11 L T Tr WH. It is joined to interrogative particles and pronouns: mh, ga,r mh, ga,r ... ouvk, 1 Cor. 11:22 (“what! since ye are so eager to eat and drink, have ye not,” etc.?); ti,j ga,r, ti, ga,r: Matt. 27:23 (ti, ga,r kako,n evpoi,hsen, ye demand that he be crucified like a malefactor, Why, what evil hath he done?); Matt. 9:5 (your thoughts are evil; which then do ye suppose to be the easier, etc.?); Matt. 16:26; 23:17,19; Luke 9:25; Acts 19:35; ti, ga,r; for ti, ga,r evsti, what then? I.e. what, under these circumstances, ought to be the conclusion? Phil. 1:18 (cf. Ellicott at the passage); pw/j ga,r, Acts 8:31; cf. Klotz, the passage cited, p. 245ff; Kühner, ii., p. 726; (Jelf, ii., p. 608); Winer’s Grammar, 447 (416). Here belongs also the vexed passage Luke 18:14 h; ga,r evkei/noj (so G T Tr marginal reading, but L WH Tr text parV evkei/non) or do ye suppose then that that man went down approved of God? cf. Winer’s Grammar, 241 (226). Etc.. [Thayer] 6:4 a{pax (adverb) once 2 Cor 11:25; Hb 9:27. e;ti a[) once more = for the last time 12:26f. a[) kai. di,j more than once, repeatedly Phil 4:16; 1 Th 2:18. Once for all Hb 10:2; 1 Pt 3:18; Jd 3, 5. 6:4 fwtisqevnta" (participle, aorist, passive, accusative, masculine, plural) 1. intransitive, to give light, to shine (Aristotle, Theophrastus, Plutarch, others; the Septuagint for rAa, Num. 8:2, etc.): evpi, tina, Rev. 22:5 (Rom. WH brackets evpi,). 2. transitive, a. properly, to enlighten, light up, illumine: tina, Luke 11:36: th,n po,lin, Rev. 21:23 (avktisi to,n ko,smon, of the sun, Diodorus 3, 48; the Septuagint for ryaihe); h` gh/ evfwti,sqh evk th/j do,xhj (A. V. was lightened) shone with his glory, Rev. 18:1. b. to bring to light, render evident: ta, krupta, tou/ sko,touj, 1 Cor. 4:5; (Eph. 3:9 according to the reading of T L brackets WH text (but see c.)) (th,n ai[resin ti,noj, the preference, opinion, of one, Polybius 23, 3, 10; th,n avlh,qeian, Epictetus diss. 1, 4, 31; pefwtismenwn tw/n pragmaton u`po, th/j avlhqei,aj, Lucian, cal. non tem. cred. 32); to cause something to exist and thus to come to light and become clear to all: zwh,n kai, avfqarsi,an dia, tou/ euvaggeli,ou, opposed to katargh/sai to,n qa,naton, 2 Tim. 1:10. c. by a use only Biblical and ecclesiastical, to enlighten spiritually, imbue with saving knowledge: tina, John 1:9; with a saving knowledge of the gospel: hence, fwtisqe,ntej of those who have been made Christians, Heb. 6:4. 6:6 parapesovnta" (participle, aorist, active, accusative, masculine, plural) to fall beside a person or thing; to slip aside; hence, to deviate from the right path, turn aside, wander: [Thayer] 6:6 ajnakainivzein (infinitive, present, active) renew, restore. 6:6 metavnoian, (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) a change of mind: as it appears in one who repents of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done, Heb. 12:17, especially the change 157 of mind of those who have begun to abhor their errors and misdeeds, and have determined to enter upon a better course of life, so that it embraces both a recognition of sin and sorrow for it and hearty amendment, the tokens and effects of which are good deeds (Lactantius, 6, 24, 6 would have it rendered in Latin by resipiscentia) (A. V. repentance); that change of mind by which we turn from, desist from, etc. Heb. 6:1; used merely of the improved spiritual state resulting from deep sorrow for sin. [Thayer] 6:6 ajnastaurou'nta" (participle, present, active, accusative, masculine, plural) to raise up upon a cross, crucify, (avna, as in avnaskolopi,zw): Heb. 6:6 (very often in Greek writings from Herodotus down). Cf. Winer’s De verb. comp. etc. Part iii., p. 9f; (Winer admits that in Hebrews, the passage cited the meaning to crucify again, or afresh, may also he assigned to this verb legitimately, and that the absence of a precedent in secular writings for such a sense is, from the nature of the case, not surprising). [Thayer] 6:6 paradeigmativzonta" (participle, present, active, accusative, masculine, plural) an example; also an example in the sense of a warning (cf. Schmidt, chapter 128); to set forth as an example, make an example of; in a bad sense, to hold up to infamy; to expose to public disgrace. [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Cf. 2 Pet 2:20-22. E. TRANSLATION 6:3 And we will do this if only God permit, 4 because it is impossible for those having once and for all been enlightened – having both tasted of the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and having tasted the good word of God and the power of the coming age – 6 and then having turned away, to be restored again to repentance who are thus crucifying [again] for themselves and exposing to a public shame, the Son of God. F. EXPOSITION The context of this great parenthetical statement so far includes the following points: 1. You are babies, but you are “old enough” that you ought to be able to eat meat (5:11-14). 2. To this end, we will leave the basics and proceed to deeper teaching, Lord willing (6:1-3). To these points, will now 158 be added two more points, i.e., 3. Nor can we forgo these teachings in the interest of appealing to apostates, 4. since it is impossible to renew them. Producing a truly satisfactory translation of this passage is difficult for several reasons. Not only are there several more or less troublesome words, and a number of participles intervening between the first part of the sentence (6:4) and the last (6:6), but grammatically, one must either tie the main sentence together or translate an active infinitive as a passive. Coupled with these difficulties is the fact that, as it is usually construed, the predicate is divided into these parts. The main sentence reads “because it is impossible (v. 4) . . . to restore to repentance (v. 6). Such an English construction would require that the sentence be completed by the long list of participles, “those having . . . etc. But this long string of participles follows the clause “it is impossible, requiring English to supply the word “for.” Thus, the English versions state that “it is impossible for those having, turning the whole string essentially into datives. But such a construction requires us to translate the infinitive “to restore,” as to be restored. An added difficulty is the fact that The infinitive can be translated as active if it is returned to its place as the subject of the sentence thus; For to restore again to repentance those -- participle string – is impossible. Yet to do so, while making good sense in English, reverses the sense of emphasis in the Greek, where it is to e understood as being most emphatic the impossibility of the situation. We will continue in the English tradition, but will provide here an alternative translation for the reader’s consideration. “Because to restore again to repentance those having once and for all been enlightened – having both tasted of the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and having tasted the good word of God and the power of the coming age – 6 and then having turned away, is impossible. 6:3 “And we will do this if only God permit, . . .” The object in view, that is what we will do, is to “teach you the basics of the elementary principle of the teachings given by God (i.e., steadfastness in righteousness; as seen in God and The Son, so also it must be in His people),” and “not again” to lay “a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God.” But in fact, the two statements refer to opposite perspectives of the one object. Going on to the one necessitates leaving the other. The author is saying that he will teach the readers, no other consideration given but that God should permit. A pointed, but smooth transition to 6:4 that includes both anticipated objections (infantile inability and considered renunciation) may be paraphrased as follows: “Because you need to begin solid food, we will go on to deeper matters (even should it be urged that to do so will be of no help to those who might renounce Christianity and return to Judaism). 6:4 “ . . . because it is impossible for those . . .” or “since it were impossible for those . . .” First, we must review the use of the conclusive conjunction “for.” The term “if” is not used in Hebrews 6:4. The sentence is not hypothetical. It poses what is conceived to be a real possibility (cf. all previous admonitions) but is not definitely predicated of the readers (cf. “we are persuaded of better things of you” 6:9). The sense is “because you guys need meat, and if there is no hope for apostates (cf. Hebrews 3:12-19), we will go on to deeper matters.” Because the author has already warned his 159 readers against neglect and lack of perseverance, and because the result of apostasy has been shown, the word for may be translated (as it occasionally is elsewhere) by the English word since, or because. Clearly, the text should be understood as saying “because it is impossible . . .” The word impossible is emphatic, being placed first in the sentence. It is impossible, not merely difficult! The word is also found in verse 6:18, where it is said that there were two things given by which it is “impossible for God to lie,” and again in 10:4, where we are told that it is impossible for the “blood of bulls and goats to cleanse us from sin.” Finally we see it again in 11:4 where it is noted that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” The root of this term is the source of our word “dynamite.” It means “can do,” or “with the power to accomplish,” etc. With the alpha privative, it becomes the opposite, i.e., powerless, incapable, impossible. 6:4 “ . . . having once and for all, been enlightened, . . .” The force of the word translated “once and for all” is that “once” must be enough; no “again” can find place; and it refers back to the “again” of ver. 1, and forward to the “again” of ver, 6. [Dods, p. 296.] That is to say, because “laying the foundation” resulted in “once and for all” salvation, “laying again the foundation” (6:1) cannot result in “renewing again” (6:6) Permanent results cannot be established again once renounced or denied. The logic of the case is simple. If, after bringing forth several compelling arguments that demonstrate that dead men do not bleed you succeed in convincing a person of this fact, but he later repudiates his belief, it is impossible for the same arguments to re-convince him! These were the very arguments he rejected, so restating them does nothing to strengthen them. But the case is worse than mere logic. For the conviction carried with it a number of corroborative features that served to authenticate the conclusion. It was to be a once for all conversion, because all that was given by way of corroboration was to be sufficient to maintain a new life. If one turns away from this, there is no further chance of gaining acceptance. For the record, we speak here not of sin, but of apostasy, of deliberately turning away from the way of life. The adverb “once and for all” governs all the following participial phrases. (1) “having been enlightened . . .: (2) “having both tasted the heavenly gift and . . .” (3) “having been made partakers (sharers or participants) . . .” (4) “having tasted the word of God and (5) “the power of the coming age, and then . . .” (6) “having turned away . . .” This speaks of deliberate withdrawal from God, or from faith in God in preference for a faith of convenience. Another word for it is “counter-conversion.” The author is referencing all that was taught in Chapter three about the Israelites in the wilderness, and the accompanying warnings not to follow in their footsteps. Having once and for all been saved is the state one has when he becomes saved. It cannot be “lost,” 160 as if by accident or fickleness on the part of God. It cannot be stolen by some outside force. It is as if God holds one end of a rope and the sinner holds the other. God will see to it that He does not release His grip, and that no outside force breaks the rope itself or the man’s grip on it. But if the man himself thinks better of holding the rope, and releases it, no new rope shall be thrown him, nor will he be allowed to re-grasp the original rope. A man may discard what cannot otherwise be taken from him, but once he has released the rope, he is beyond salvation of any sort. As the precedent in Numbers 14:22 shows, “”because all those men who have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, have tempted me now these ten times, and have not harkened to my voice; surely they shall not see the land which I swore to give their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it.” Hence, the “relapse from Christianity into Judaism would be comparable to the action of the Israelites when they ‘turned back in their hearts unto Egypt’ it would not be a mere return to a position previously occupied, but a gesture of outright apostasy, a complete break with God.” Cf. Acts 7:39 and Num 14:3. [Bruce, p. 66.] We recall that the Hebrews 1. “heard” and “saw” the words and works of God and believed in them, or trusted God (Exodus 15:1-21). 2. “Sinned,” by the apostasy, or counter-conversion, and, 3. Were punished; i.e., they forfeited life and “rest,” 4. All for “disbelief,” i.e., for “neglecting” their salvation (Heb 2:3). [The Bible does not use the word for disbelief, dispistia, which did not arise until the 6th century AD, but used the familiar word for unbelief. It is the narrative of the sequence of events that requires use of the term disbelief.] Translation of this passage is difficult without transposing a few words from verse 6 to verse 4. English can only make sense of the sentence as it stands either by moving the phrase “to restore again to repentance” from the end of the statement to the beginning, or by restating it in the passive voice. We may render it either as “ since it is impossible to restore again to repentance those . . .” or as “since it is impossible for those who . . . to be restored to repentance.” We will not transpose the words in the translation, but will in the paraphrase. 6:4 “ . . . having both tasted of the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, . . .” The important feature of these first participles (having been enlightened, having tasted, having been made partakers, having tasted, are all matters of experience, not mere doctrine. As such, it cannot but be considered part of the “meat” they once enjoyed. Being “enlightened” means to receive light or understanding. This enlightenment is illustrated by receiving (tasting) the gift of salvation and becoming partakers of the Holy Spirit, having what later centuries would call “the renewed” life or mind, or the dynamics of the “new man.” 6:5 “ . . . and having tasted the good word of God and the coming eternal power, . . .” This refers at least to the new understanding of the Old Testament scriptures as finding fulfillment in the Messiah, but must also include the accounts given by the apostles and witnesses from whom the Hebrews received their knowledge, and upon which they based their conversion. The coming eternal 161 powers would certainly have included the resurrection of Christ and the miracles of Pentecost For like the Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt and into the wilderness, the reader had also witnessed, directly or indirectly, the power of God which underlay these events and will characterize heavenly life. 6:6 “ . . . and then having turned away, . . .” That is, having “once and for all” turned aside from, or away from, everything that constituted their “enlightenment.” It should not be thought that the apostate decides for how long he is going to remain “turned aside.” By the nature of releasing his end of the rope, it is a permanent transaction. The nature and cost of the initial salvation prohibits allowing it to be treated like toy or garden utensil. For confirmation of this perspective, see 2 Peter 2:19-21. 6:6 “ . . . to be restored again to repentance, . . .” “Repentance” is a “foundational” teaching (6:1). If it has been abandoned, for whatever reason, teaching it will be in vain. But so will advanced teaching. All that the advanced teaching can do is deter apostasy, it cannot cure it. 6:6 “ . . . who are thus crucifying [again] for themselves and exposing to a public shame the Son of God.” The shift in the tense of the participles is instructive. Those things having been done “once for all,” were in the aorist tense. Crucifying and exposing are in the present. The action seems to be the moral cause of apostasy, but its ongoing nature seems to be the result of the apostasy. This fits well with the analogy of turning loose of the rope. The reason one turns loose of it, the moral cause, is the inner disposition of crucifying and exposing. The ongoing nature is the continued inner disposition that one cannot change, and that makes a more or less public statement of the situation. Because the author dwelled at such length on the “provocation,” or apostasy of the Israelites in chapter 3 and their apostasy was called a “fall,” in 4:11, we must understand better what is meant by “crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh.” For the first sin, that of Adam and Eve in the garden was called “the fall,” and was, in a sense, like apostasy, or abandonment of God, although Adam and Eve may not have been able to comprehend it as such at the time. This sin, all subsequent evils, to the day of Christ’s resurrection and beyond, were paid for by the eternal Son in the person of Jesus on the cross. After so miserable a history and so great a ransom, we cannot suffer another “fall” in ignorance, either of its effects, or of its penalty. God redeems mankind once, and has offered it freely to all. While future sins can be forgiven, apostasy will not be, because it would require a completely new program of salvation. Let us be clear that sin is what all men do. But apostasy is what only those already Christians can do, i.e., to reject God and His salvation which they had already received. Rejecting God and His method of salvation, by its very nature would require a new salvation, since the old one was rejected. Any person who can today be called an apostate has abandoned his High Priest and sacrifice, and there is no other. He has released his end of the rope. 162 We notice too, the reversion to the term “Son of God,” in place of “Christ.” This is used of the Son as eternal, rather than as the temporal being called the Messiah and named Jesus. What is asserted is that if one rejects God now, after the Son has already been here to complete His earthly ministry, it cannot be repaired under the provision already made and now rejected, but will require the eternal Son to take another incarnation (as Jesus or someone else) and embark on a new program of salvation. But we have already been told that the eternal Son of God, in the temporal ministry of Jesus, was God’s last word (Heb 1:2:). This impossibility of any new, objective salvation is tragic, but sheds light upon the subjective side of apostasy. There is no second “objective,” crucifixion, only a second “subjective” crucifixion, that which the apostate does “for” himself. The apostate accepted the first “objective’ crucifixion, but in later rejecting it “crucified again,” subjectively, “for himself” and “exposed to a public shame” his one time savior. There will be no resurrection from this subjective crucifixion! But the notion of “crucifying again” on one’s own account, is a difficult point. The term ajnastaurou'nta" conveyed the idea of crucifixion (and thereby, of shameful display). See lexical entry above. “In the classical Greek however the word has the sense of ‘raising on the cross,’ crucifying with the additional notion of exposure.” The helpful passage in Herodotus, book 7 paragraphs 194 and 238 illustrates this usage. [Westcott, p. 151] “In classical and later Greek the word for ‘crucify’ is not staurovw (of which Stephanus cites only one example, and that from Polybius), but ajnastaurou/n, so that the ajna does not mean’ ‘again’ or ‘’afresh’, but refers to the lifting up on the cross, . . . In the New Testament no doubt staurovw is uniformly used, but never in this epistle; and it was inevitable that a Hellenist would understand ajnastaurou/n in its ordinary meaning. There is no ground therefore for the translation of the Vulgate ‘rursum crucifigentes,’ although it is so commonly followed.” “This new crucifixion of Christ is said to be eJautoi/", that is to their own loss and condemnation.” [Westcott, p. 151.] But , the “significance of eJautoi/" seems to be ‘so far as they are concerned’, not ‘to their own judgment’ or ‘to their own destruction’. The apostate crucifies Christ on his own account by virtually confirming the judgment of the actual crucifiers, declaring that he too has made trial of Jess and found Him no true Messiah but a deceiver, and therefore worthy of death.” [Dods, p. 298.] The idea of exposing to a public shame is not a separate action, but is a result of crucifixion. The public display of crucifixion was the shame to which the victims were exposed, We might well read “and thus exposing to a public shame.” G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 163 For no one who has put away, divorced himself from, fallen from, apostatized from, or renounced the truth he has been given, can be renewed to salvation. It is imperative that we remember that “falling away,” is an unfortunate word choice. Adam did not fall as if by accident. If we are to use such physical language, it were better to call it the “jump.” For it was no accident, no simple event of being “tripped up,” no result of carelessness. It was deliberate. However, it had been remembered as “the fall,” and because what the writer of Hebrews contemplates is the same sort of deliberate act, no other term will identify the possibility of duplicating Adams’s loss of status. “Since it were impossible for those who “ . . . fell [jumped!] away” from their trust in God, to be renewed again to repentance.” Because their abandonment both amounts to, and would require, a re-crucifixion of Jesus, whom their decision to abandon “publically humiliated,” (as any abandonment of the reality for the sign or shadow must be). Here we may recall the sense of humiliation to which Moses referred to “convince” God not to abandon Israel as a result of “the provocation.” Re-teaching the basic tenets that have been repudiated cannot renew the apostate. Only a second (and not forthcoming) crucifixion could do so. God says “once is enough.” The use of the term “falling away,” is clearly a reference to such a “fall” as Adam underwent in the Garden. The whole course of History centers around God’s redemption of “fallen” man. If, after being redeemed, he “falls” again, there is no more that can be done. It took everything God had to redeem us the first time. And the first time will be the only time! This is implied in the very first verses of Hebrews – “he has (for the last time) spoken to us through the Son.” Lest it be difficult to believe either that apostasy is irremediable or that the author had apostasy in mind when he wrote, let us review the warnings and admonitions given thus far. Admonition verse Warning Verse we ought to give heed Heb 2:1 else how shall we escape? Heb 2:3 Consider Heb 3:1 if we hold firm Heb 3:6 harden not your hearts Heb 3:7-8 lest you be hardened Heb 3:12-13 we are made partakers Heb 3:14 if we hold fast Heb 3:14 harden not your hearts Heb 3:15 they showed unbelief Heb 3:19 let us fear Heb 4:1 they entered not for unbelief Heb 4:6 let us labor Heb 4:11 lest any man fall for unbelief Heb 4:11 let us hold fast Heb 4:14 let us come boldly Heb 4:16 you are become dull of hearing Heb 5:11 you ought to be teachers Heb 5:12 you need to be taught Heb 5:12 you need milk Heb 5:12 you are babes Heb 5:13 164 In the first line it should not be forgotten that failure to “give heed” is to “neglect so great salvation.” To reiterate a principle already stated, there is no solution for apostasy, only avoidance. Those addressed in Hebrews were not apostates. “Babes?” Certainly. Spiritually immature? Absolutely. The author of Hebrews charges some of his readers , not with renunciation of Christ, but with a return to, or permanent residency in spiritual infancy (5:12). He also says that he is going to proceed to deeper issues in his teaching. Because such teaching would have been wasted on apostates, this is a forced maturity he is providing. He refuses to go over the basics again on the basis of the facts that (1) persons who had only reached, and had remained in, such an elementary understanding could not be brought to maturity by a rehash of the same elementary teachings, and (2) nothing at all can help such a person as might have renounced his Christianity, for, having “fallen from his original salvation” (as Adam had “fallen” from his state of perfection) he now finds himself in a position of needing yet another salvation, the old one no longer being effective for having fallen from it. “Having fallen” is parallel to the fall of mankind in Eden – hence the need of another salvation. “Having tasted . . .” may be a similar analogy contrasting the mere knowledge of the Christian reality that had been clearly demonstrated to the readers, with the mere promises and prophecies given to “the fathers.” As such, we are again presented with a picture of spiritual infancy If the Jews of Jesus’ day, who believed that He was the substance of which the Old Testament teachings were but shadows – if, that is, they had become Christians, they had failed to thrive and were therefore in danger of falling prey to those forces which sought to convince them to renounce Jesus. They were in dire need of progressing to a state of spiritual maturity in which such a second “fall” was no longer possible. The author says, in effect.”I can’t help an apostate, but I can help you.” This parenthetical statement reminds us of a previous warning, because there is no overt exhortation given here. It is a somewhat hypothetical statement that “falling away” (apostasy) cannot be remedied. The implied warning refers back first to the apostasy of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness recounted in Heb 3:8-12 (not to the warning of 2:2-4, which has to do with neglect). It reminds the readers not only of the cause (the “fall” of wanting to return to Egypt, thereby provoking God), as well as the result (the dismal effects of wandering and dying in the desert for 40 years and missing God’s rest), but also that such failure is incurable. A moment’s reflection on these two passages will show us that the earlier was a warning about the neglect of salvation, and the second the deliberate “falling away” from it. The first involves an unconcern, disregard, or neglect; the second involves an abandonment of a previous relationship or association – a dissociation, a turning away, or a stepping back from. Two truths help us here. 1. Neglect breeds apathy and apathy, when beset by temptation or difficulty, becomes apostasy. 2. The Hebrews who wished physically to return to Egypt had already done so mentally and spiritually. Perhaps the most important thing to remember in regard to apostasy is that, Jewish or Gentile, apostasy is no accident. Despite the fact that it is called “falling away,” it is deliberate. Can a Christian “lose” his salvation? Absolutely not. Can he renounce his salvation? Certainly. 165 H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Let us note with care how the “warnings” thus far have grown, or progress logically to greater danger. First, we were told that we should pay more urgent heed to the salvation offered (2:1-4) in order to avoid “drifting away” into unconcern. It can be summarized as “Let us not drift away.” Second, an example of what follows such failure to concern oneself with God, His promises and provisions, and His expectations, wherein the Hebrews in the wilderness “provoked” God, and whose carcasses were left in the desert sands. “Let us not provoke God.” Third, we are told that there is no cure for apostasy, the deliberate renunciation of God’s grace after having at first accepted it. “Let us go on to maturity lest we be tempted to apostasy.” The single solution to both the problem of arrested spiritual development and potential apostasy is spiritual growth. But both of these “problems” are really only stages in the development of one problem. For continued lack of spiritual growth may result in apostasy. The natural order of the spiritual life of the Hebrews in the wilderness was seen first in faith (they had enough faith to get out of Egypt), then in atrophy of faith (the grumbling at their current situation and at God’s program) and finally apostasy (heart of unbelief that wished to return to Egypt). The result (and penalty), as we remember, was death, both spiritual and physical. Those who followed Moses out, apostatized before they could get in; failing to get into the promised land, and symbolically, into God’s rest, they died in the desert. That is, unbelief finally became strong enough to manifest itself in behavior, just as faith had become at the beginning. And once the old sinful life was preferable to the new, redeemed life, there is no longer any hope for the soul, but a second and greater Exodus. This is the history of the Hebrews in the time of Moses. Perhaps this history reflects the natural inclination of all mankind as well. But the author of Hebrews believed that the Jewish Christians to whom he wrote were in danger of repeating this apostasy, but on a much more terrible scale. I. PARAPHRASE 6:3 And this is what we will do if God permits, 4 since it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who, once for all, having been enlightened, 5 having both tasted the heavenly gifts and become partakers in the Spirit of God, and having both tasted the good word of God and the coming eternal power, 6 and then having committed apostasy, seeing they re-crucify for themselves and put to an open mockery the son of God who had already died once for them. 166 TWENTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 6:7-12) 6:7 gh' gaVr hJ piou'sa toVn ejp' aujth'" ejrcovmenon pollavki" uJetovn, kaiV tivktousa botavnhn eu[qeton ejkeivnoi" di' ou}" kaiV gewrgei'tai, metalambavnei eujlogiva" ajpoV tou' qeou': 8 ejkfevrousa deV ajkavnqa" kaiV tribovlous ajdovkimo" kaiV katavras ejgguv" h|" toV tevlo" eij" kau'sin. 9 Pepeivsmeqa deV periV uJmw'n, ajgaphtoiv, taV kreivssona kaiV ejcovmena swthriva", eij kaiV ou{tw" lalou'men: 10 ouj gaVr a[diko" oJ qeoV" ejpilaqevsqai tou' e[rgou uJmw'n kaiV th'" ajgavph" h|" ejnedeivxasqe eij" toV o[noma aujtou', diakonhvsante" toi'" aJgivoi" kaiV diakonou'nte". 11 ejpiqumou'men deV e{kaston uJmw'n thVn aujthVn ejndeivknusqai spoudhVn proV" thVn plhroforivan th'" ejlpivdo" a[cri tevlou", 12 i{na mhV nwqroiV gevnhsqe, mimhtaiV deV tw'n diaV pivstew" kaiV makroqumiva" klhronomouvntwn taV" ejpaggeliva". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 6:7 uJetovn (noun, accusative, masculine, singular) rain. 6:7 tivktousa (participle, present, active, nominative, feminine, singular) bear, give birth (to) 1. lit. 2. symbolically bring forth 6:7 eu[qeton (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular) fit, suitable, usable. 6:7 gewrgei'tai (verb, present, passive, indicative, third, singular) to be a husbandman, farmer, Plat., Xen., etc. II. c. acc. to till, plough, cultivate, Thuc., Dem. 2. metaph. to work at a thing, practise it, Lat. agitare, Id.; gÅ e;k tinoj to draw profit from it, live by it. [English derivative: geographic] [Liddell-Scott] 6:8 ajkavnqa" (noun, accusative, feminine, plural) thorn plant 6:8 tribovlous (noun, accusative, masculine, plural) thistle. 6:8 ajdovkimo" (adjective, nominative, feminine, singular) failing to stand the test, unqualified, worthless; disqualified unworthy useless. 6:8 katavras (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) an execration, imprecation, curse: opposed to euvlogi,a to being cursed (which see), James 3:10; gh/ kata,raj evggu,j, near by God, I. e. to being given 167 up to barrenness (the allusion is to Gen. 3:17f), Heb. 6:8; u`po, kata,ran ei=nai, to be under a curse, I. e. liable to the appointed penalty of being cursed, Gal. 3:10; evxagora,zein tina evk th/j kata,raj, to redeem one exposed to the threatened penalty of a curse, Gal. 3:13; te,kna kata,raj, men worthy of execration, 2 Pet. 2:14; abstract for the concrete, one in whom the curse is exhibited, I. e. undergoing the appointed penalty of cursing, Gal. 3:13. [Thayer] 6:8 tevlo" (noun, nominative, neuter, singular) 1. end a. in the sense termination, cessation, conclusion Mk 3:26; 13:7; Lk 1:33; 22:37; Ro 10:4; Hb 7:3; 1 Pt 4:7; probably 1 Cor 10:11 (see 2 below). b. end, goal, outcome Mt 26:58; Ro 6:21f; 1 Ti 1:5; Hb 6:8; Js 5:11; 1 Pt 1:9. c. adverbial expressions. to. te,loj as adverbial acc. 1 Cor 15:24; 1 Pt 3:8. a;cri te,louj, e[wj te,louj to the end, to the last 1 Cor 1:8; 2 Cor 1:13; Hb 3:6 v.l., 14; Rv 2:26. eivj te,loj in the end, finally Lk 18:5. To the end Mt 10:22; Mk 13:13. For 1 Th 2:16 forever or decisively, fully. In J 13:1 the mngs. to the end and to the uttermost are combined. 2. (indirect) tax, customs duties Mt 17:25; Ro 13:7; perhaps 1 Cor 10:11 (see 1a above). [Cf. teleology.] 6:8 kau'sin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) (a) burning.. 6:9 Pepeivsmeqa (verb, perfect, passive, indicative, first, plural) 1. act., except for 2 pf. and plupf.a. convince Ac 18:4; 19:8, 26; 28:23. b. persuade, appeal to Mt 27:20; Ac 13:43; 2 Cor 5:11. The difficult passage Ac 26:28 evn ovli,gw| me pei,qeij Cristiano.n poih/sai may be rendered you are in a hurry to persuade me and make a Christian of me. c. win over, strive to please Ac 12:20; 14:19; Gal 1:10. d. conciliate, set at ease 1 J 3:19. Conciliate, satisfy Mt 28:14 2. The 2 pf. pe,poiqa and plupf. evpepoi,qein have pres. and past meaning; a. depend on, trust in, put one’s confidence in w. dat. Mt 27:43; Lk 11:22; 18:9; 2 Cor 1:9; 2:3; Phil 1:14; 3:3f; 2 Th 3:4; Phlm 21; Hb 2:13. b. be convinced, be sure, certain Ro 2:19; 2 Cor 10:7; Phil 1:6, 25. 3. pass., except for the pf. a. be persuaded, be convinced, come to believe, believe Lk 16:31; Ac 17:4; 21:14; 26:26; 28:24. b. obey, follow w. dat. Ro 2:8; Gal 5:7; Hb 13:17; Js 3:3. c. Some passages stand between mngs. a and b and allow either translation Ac 5:36f; 23:21; 27:11; evpei,sqhsan de. auvtw|/ so they took (Gamaliel’s) advice 5:39. 4. pf. pass. pe,peismai be convinced, be certain Lk 20:6; Ro 8:38; 15:14; 2 Ti 1:5, 12; Hb 6:9. 6:9 kreivssona (comparative adverb, accusative, neuter, plural – from ajgaqov") good, beneficial; 1. of persons: of God perfect, complete Mk 10:18. Morally good, upright, exceptional of Christ J 7:12; of people Mt 12:35; Ac 11:24. Kind, benevolent, beneficent Ac 9:36; 1 Pt 2:18. 2. of things: fertile Lk 8:8; sound Mt 7:17f; beneficial, wholesome 7:11; helpful Eph 4:29; prosperous, happy 1 Pt 3:10; clear 1 Ti 1:5; firm Tit 2:10; dependable 2 Th 2:16. Better Lk 10:42. 3. neut., used as a noun what is good in a moral sense Ro 2:10. Good deeds J 5:29. Advantage Ro 8:28. Goods, property Lk 12:18. 6:10 ejpilaqevsqai (infinitive, aorist, middle) to not recall information concerning some particular matter - ‘to forget, to not recall.’ : e]n de,, ta. me.n ovpi,sw evpilanqano,menoj ‘the one thing (I do), however, is to forget what is behind me’ Php 3.13. [Louw-Nida] 6:10 ejnedeivxasqe (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, second, plural) show, demonstrate Ro 9:17, 22; Eph 2:7; Hb 6:10. Do 2 Ti 4:14. Appoint, designate. 168 6:10 diakonhvsante" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, plural) 1. wait on someone at table Lk 12:37; 22:26f; J 12:2. 2. serve generally, lit. and fig. Mt 4:11; Mk 10:45; Ac 19:22; 2 Ti 1:18; 1 Pt 1:12; wait on Mt 27:55. Take care of Ac 6:2; 2 Cor 3:3. Help, support Mt 25:44; Lk 8:3; Hb 6:10. 3. serve as deacon 1 Ti 3:10, 13. 6:11 ejpiqumou'men (verb, present, active, indicative, first, plural) long for w. gen. or acc. Mt 5:28; Ac 20:33; Gal 5:17; 1 Ti 3:1; Hb 6:11; Rv 9:6. evpiqumi,a| evpiqumei/n eagerly desire Lk 22:15. 6:11 ejndeivknusqai (infinitive, present, middle) show, demonstrate Ro 9:17, 22; Eph 2:7; Hb 6:10. Do 2 Ti 4:14. Appoint, designate Lk 10:1. 6:11 spoudhVn (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) 1. haste, speed Mk 6:25; Lk 1:39. 2. eagerness, enthusiasm, diligence, zeal Ro 12:8, 11; 2 Cor 7:11; 8:7f; Hb 6:11; 2 Pt 1:5; Jd 3. Good will, devotion 2 Cor 7:12; 8:16. 6:12 nwqroi V (adjective, nominative, masculine, plural) lazy, sluggish Hb 6:12. n) tai/j avkoai/j hard of hearing 5:11. 6:12 mimhtaiV (noun, nominative, masculine, plural) patience, steadfastness, endurance, forbearance Ro 2:4; 9:22; 2 Cor 6:6; Gal 5:22; Eph 4:2; Col 1:11; 3:12; 1 Ti 1:16; 2 Ti 3:10; 4:2; Hb 6:12; Js 5:10; 1 Pt 3:20; 2 Pt 3:15. 6:12 makroqumiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) patience, steadfastness, endurance, forbearance Ro 2:4; 9:22; 2 Cor 6:6; Gal 5:22; Eph 4:2; Col 1:11; 3:12; 1 Ti 1:16; 2 Ti 3:10; 4:2; Hb 6:12; Js 5:10; 1 Pt 3:20; 2 Pt 3:15. In contrast to uJpomenhv, it refers to “the long-drawn-out patience which is demanded by hope deferred. [Dods, p. 302.] 6:12 klhronomouvntwn (participle, present, active, genitive, masculine, plural) 1. inherit, be an heir Gal 4:30. 2. acquire, obtain, come into possession of Mt 5:5; 25:34; 1 Cor 6:9f; 15:50; Gal 5:21. Receive, share in Mt 19:29; Mk 10:17; Lk 10:25; Hb 1:4, 14; 12:17; Rv 21:7. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 6:9 eij kai = “if even,” or “even if,” marks the sentence as concessive. Here, the protasis, which most often precedes the apodosis, follows it. An English example: compare “even if I speak thus, I know your works are good,” with “I know your works are good, even if I speak thus.” 6:10 Note the infinitive of conceived result: NOT “God is not unrighteous if He should forget your works . . . ,” but “God is not unrighteous so as to forget your works . . .” 169 D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Cf. 2 Pet 1:8-11. E. TRANSLATION 6:7 For the land that drank the rain often coming upon it, and bearing vegetation useful to those for whom it is also cultivated, partakes of a blessing from God, 8 but bringing forth thorns and thistles is worthless and of a curse, near those whose end is unto burning. 9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things of you, and things accompanying salvation, though we speak thus. 10 For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your works and the love you demonstrated toward His name, having ministered and continuing to minister to the saints. 11 But we desire each one of you to demonstrate the same diligence toward the certainty of the hope until the end, 12 in order that you may not become slothful, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. F. EXPOSITION Verse 8 required some reworking because of the unusual syntax. While the thought remains the same as that of the major English translations, some shifting of words is required to do justice to the Greek. These changes will be explained in the appropriate places. 6:7 “For the land that drank the rain often coming upon it, . . .” Land refers not to the earth as a whole, or even to dirt in a generic sense, but to cultivated parcels of ground suitable for such activities as farming. That is, something was justifiably expected of the ground in question. Drank, a participle in the Greek text, is here translated as a verb in order to avoid the sense of the perfect tense. Rain often coming upon the land is to be construed simply as normal, seasonal rainfall. The picture presented by the analogy is to people of whom a certain responsibility may be justly be expected, owing to the continuing blessings and revelations shed upon mankind. 6:7 “ . . . and bearing vegetation . . .” designates the first, and the expected outcome of the rainfall. Crops are the expected outcome of cultivated land that has received the required rainfall. This is analogous to the blessings of life often called “common grace,” but also includes the divine messages sent to man. It is important to notice the tense of the participles (having) drunk and bearing. The appropriation of the rain (gifts) precedes the production of the vegetation. 6:7 “ . . . useful to those for whom it is also cultivated . . .” i.e., vegetation that can become food, or spun into thread for weaving. It is for this purpose that the land was cultivated. Given the seed and a normal growing season, a crop in kind is to be expected. 6:7 “ . . . partakes of a blessing from God, . . .” i.e., is nurtured and, according to Jewish law, is let fallow every seventh year in order to be revitalized. 170 6:8 “ . . . but bringing forth thorns and thistles . . .” However, when seed is planted and a corresponding crop is expected but thorns and thistles appear, something is amiss. One is reminded of Matthew 13:24, the parable of the wheat and tares, in which an enemy planted tares in the owner’s wheatfield. However that may be, ground yielding thorns and thistles is not producing according to justified expectations. This is a case of having received the gifts, and yet bringing forth bad vegetation, analogous to apostasy. The gift of rain had not been rejected, but absorbed, and yet the expected crop was not forthcoming. 6:8 “ . . . is worthless and of a curse, . . .” Ground which does not produce according to expectations, which, for one reason or another, brings forth thorns and thistles instead of the crop expected, is worthless. The Greek literally says that the ground “is worthless and of a curse,” i.e., is “a curse,” not merely “near being cursed.” That is, the ground itself is “worthless” and is so from “a curse. In yielding thorns instead of crops, the land is (or has been) a waste, as all effort, both divine and human, has failed, and the well-being of those for whom it was cultivated will suffer. 6:8 “ . . . near those whose end is unto burning.” Whether our text refers to a chronic condition, in which no amount of care brings the ground to proper fruitfulness, or it is the occurrence of a single growing season, it is worthless and will be burned. It is liable to burning in order to kill the seed of the thorns and thistles. The word translated “near” (ejgguv") is called by some grammarians an “improper preposition.” Prepositions are generally thought to have developed from adverbs, as which irregular prepositions are often still used. But a preposition is almost universally placed before the noun or pronoun it influences – hence the name preposition. In verse 8, the word for “near” follows the word translated as “a curse.” As a preposition (and that is how the word seems to be used) ejgguv" takes the genitive case. While “a curse” is in the genitive, so is the pronoun “whose.” If the preposition precedes the noun or pronoun, it would better fit with the word “whose” (genitive) than “curse.” The structure of Heb 6:7 lends a hand in unraveling the intent of v. 8 by showing the relation of verse 8 to verse 7, and helps verify this understanding of the thought. Status Production Result Character V7. cultivated good vegetation partakes of blessing V8. thorns and thistles (partakes) of a curse unto burning The parallel is explicit in the case of the vegetation produced, but elided in reference to blessing or curse, the word “partakes” may (but need not) be supplied from v. 7 In such a case, the ground is “near” the vegetation that will be burned. That which is designated “whose,” being feminine and singular, refers back to the “land” (feminine, singular) which has been condemned as “worthless 171 (feminine, singular). The picture is of a field’s vegetation that consists of thorns and thistles. While they thrive and are still green, they are cursed; but they cannot be burned until after they have died. But the field will soon be set on fire in consequence of the weeds that have over-grown it. Hence, the field is “near” to being set on fire, not “near being a curse!” The parallel between “useful” vegetation and “worthless” vegetation will be picked up in the next verse when the readers are said to exhibit “things accompanying salvation,” the antithesis of “whose end is unto burning.” It is not the ground per se that is burned, but the weeds it has brought forth. The analogy between crops and human behavior, or “works” is not to be misses. The ground is judged to be worthless on the basis of the kind of vegetation it bears. This is in accord with I Cor 3:12-15 and James 14-20. 6:9 “But, beloved, we are convinced of better things of you, . . .” The author quickly assures his readers that he does not regard the them as apostate, or analogous to the cursed ground, even though he has just mentioned the fact that they are in need of milk rather than solid food. The use of the term “beloved,” indicates their position. It is not used anywhere else in this epistle. Note the plural “beloved,” which denotes a general statement with regard to the readers as a whole. 6:9 “ . . . and things accompanying salvation, though we speak thus.” That is, “even though we are speaking in these terms,”and have pointed out your spiritual immaturity and warned you of ground that is “of a curse,” and is “near to those whose end is unto burning,” we recognize the fact that there is still godly behavior to be found among you. The behavior of the readers reveals the fact that they are still on the “right side” of the issue. Their behavior is such as accompanies salvation, not such is “near unto burning.” This is another demonstration that the readers were Christian. In the analogy of the ground and crops to apostasy and salvation, one of the contrasts was between “a blessing from God, and “from a curse.” Those “things accompanying salvation” clearly line up with partaking of “a blessing from God.” The author does not include the readers among the thorn- and-thistle-bearing ground. 6:10 “For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your works . . .” The “works” were directed toward Christians, demonstrating membership in the “community” of love. 6:10 “ . . . and the love you demonstrated toward His name, . . .” The “works were a manifestation of the love the readers showed, and is properly spoken of as “love” being “demonstrated toward” the name of God. 6:10 “ . . . having ministered and continuing to minister to the saints.” These works, which amply “demonstrated” love toward God’s name” was manifested in “ministering” to the saints. Notice that 172 the service rendered by the readers was directed toward “the saints, not the wider “community.” Cf. John 13:34-35. The world will know that you are my disciples, my followers, the body of believers, if you love one another. Such service had been noted, as a “continuing” pattern of behavior. In such service to other Christians, godly “love” had been clearly manifested. Yet there was something lacking. 6:11 “But we desire each one of you to demonstrate the same diligence . . .” The word translated “desire” reflects a deep, personal wish. The “same diligence the readers have shown in their “love toward God,” is to be shown in other areas as well. Notice that while the statement “we are convinced of better things of you” is general, the statement “we desire each one of you” is pointedly particular. 6:11 “ . . . toward the certainty of the hope until the end, . . .” The first of the areas needing to be pursued with “diligence,” is the maintenance of hope. The love shown, insofar as it is motivated by hope can only languish without the motive of hope. “If hope failed to have her perfect work the dullness which had already come over their powers of spiritual intelligence would extend to the whole of life . . . In this one definite respect they had ‘become’ dull . . . The danger was lest they should ‘become’ dull absolutely . . . On the other hand if hope were rekindled they would be enabled to imitate the heroes of faith.” [Westcott, p. 156.] 6:12 “ . . . in order that you may not become slothful, . . .” And if hope is lost, behavior will become a matter of mere convenience. This was seen in the Israelites in the desert, when they despaired of hope of food , water, and an easy solution to the tasks that lay before them. Slothful may be read as sluggish, or lazy, but “unmotivated” also provides a good reading. The diligence of maintaining hope was to last until the end, whether of life, or, more probably, until the end of this age of troubles. 6:12 “ . . . but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” The second area is that of faith. The readers are charged with showing the same “diligence” toward maintaining their faith and that of others as they have shown in their ministry to their brethren. The author has dealt with three areas, love, hope and faith. See I Cor 13-13, where Paul speaks of faith hope and love, saying that the greatest of these is love. The readers had been diligent in showing love, but the author, while he does not consider them to be apostate, apparently thinks that not maintaining the motive forces of love may eventuate in apostasy. Hence the extreme concern and the intense “desire” expressed toward his readers to show diligence in the pursuit of hope and faith.. Like the diligence with regard to hope, faith is to be exercised with, and alongside of “patience.” 173 Hope is treated from time to time, but faith is to receive an entire chapter as soon as the teaching concerning Melchizedek and the “better” covenant are have been completed. The expression “inherit the promises” resonates with the author’s teaching of Christ’s “inheriting” a better name than the angels and messengers of the Old Treatment. The “promises” (note the plural) include all those made “of old” in “many parts” (1:1) now gathered together in Christ (cf. Gal 3:16) and awaiting their complete fulfillment, and are analogous to those of the Sabbath rest made to the Israelites. The words “inherit,” and “inheritance,” occur six times in Hebrews; the word “promise” occurs 14 times. These are two of the motifs the author emphasizes. Heb 6:7-8. Contrast and analogy. Verses 7 and 8 present a series of instructive contrasts. These contrasts involve the “behavior” of land. We are not speaking specifically of any particular land, but land in general, of earth that is capable of bearing vegetation. The contrasts are as follows: 1. Bearing useful vegetation (food, fibers for clothing, and so forth) versus bringing forth weeds. There is a further contrast here between the words “bearing,” suggesting a long anticipated birth, and “bringing forth,” suggestive of the random processes of the law of the jungle. 2. These processes are exemplified by the contrast between that which is “useful,” and that which is “worthless.” These judgments apply not merely to the vegetation itself, but to the very earth which bears it. 3. The third contrast is that between “partaking in a blessing,” and “near to being a curse.” 4. Again, the land is said either to be “cultivated,” or to be “burned.” While it is true that dirt cannot be burned, and that the burning is for the vegetation brought forth upon it, anyone who has seen fields after burning, or mountainsides after a forest fire, know precisely what burned Earth looks like. The point is that the land is treated in accordance with its production, either cultivated and blessed, or cursed and left burned. The purpose of these contrasts is to bring out the more subtle aspects of an analogy comparing people to land. Jesus himself did much the same thing in the parable of the sower and the seed. Here, the contrast is between the vegetation, the seed (the inner disposition of what will grow) is already embed in the heart of the land. Thus, the good ground, represents people whose works and deeds reveal the inner disposition of their hearts. It is this status to which the author will attempt to raise his readers in what follows. The bad ground represents the inner disposition of apostates and the unsaved. Those things that produce according to their purpose (such as those who are saved) are blessed and those that do not (suggesting the unsaved or apostate) are cursed. Heb 6:9-12. The analogy is now made clear. “We are convinced” that you are saved (rescued). Even though you are “babies,” your works bespeak a degree of divine cultivation. But even though we are convinced of your salvation, we desire that you go on to maturity and make sure of your inheritance – that you persevere and inherit the promises. 174 G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The analogy of the field and its produce is a reminder of the result of apostasy. “Works of love” (not of obligation or duty) and “ministering to,” or serving the Saints, are the “better things” that “accompany” and imply salvation. However, having said that, we can see how easy it would be to counterfeit these things that “accompany salvation,” thus producing a false sense of security and yet another dead legalism. This possibility is addressed by the following items; 1. That each Christian show “the same diligence” in the pursuit of hope’s “certainty,” and 2. The imitation of those whose lives manifested faith and patience (exemplars who will be noted in Hebrews 11). H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 6:7 For land receiving seasonal rains, and bearing crops useful to those for whom it was tilled receives a blessing from God, 8 but bringing forth weeds is both worthless and cursed and soon to be burned. 9 But beloved, we believe better things of you, things that manifest salvation, even though we speak in this way. 10 For God is not unjust and does not forget your works or the love you have demonstrated toward his name, having served, and continuing to serve the Saints. 11 But we fervently wish that each one of you exercise to the very end the same diligence toward the realization of your hope, 12 so as not to become lazy, but to imitate ever more closely those who by their faith and patience inherit the promises. 175 TWENTY FIRST PERICOPE (Heb 6:13-20) 6:13 Tw'/ gaVr jAbraaVm ejpaggeilavmeno" oJ qeov", ejpeiV kat' oujdenoV" ei\cen meivzono" ojmovsai, w[mosen kaq' eJautou', 14 levgwn, Eij mhVn eujlogw'n eujloghvsw se kaiV plhquvnwn plhqunw' se: 15 kaiV ou{tw" makroqumhvsa" ejpevtucen th'" ejpaggeliva". 16 a[nqrwpoi gaVr kataV tou' meivzono" ojmnuvousin, kaiV pavsh" aujtoi'" ajntilogiva" pevra" eij" bebaivwsin oJ o{rko": 17 ejn w|/ perissovteron boulovmeno" oJ qeoV" ejpidei'xai toi'" klhronovmoi" th'" ejpaggeliva" toV ajmetavqeton th'" boulh'" aujtou' ejmesivteusen o{rkw/, 18 i{na diaV duvo pragmavtwn ajmetaqevtwn, ejn oi|" ajduvnaton yeuvsasqai [toVn] qeovn, ijscuraVn paravklhsin e[cwmen oiJ katafugovnte" krath'sai th'" prokeimevnh" ejlpivdo": 19 h}n wJ" a[gkuran e[comen th'" yuch'", ajsfalh' te kaiV bebaivan kaiV eijsercomevnhn eij" toV ejswvteron tou' katapetavsmato", 20 o{pou provdromo" uJpeVr hJmw'n eijsh'lqen jIhsou'", kataV thVn tavxin Melcisevdek ajrciereuV" genovmeno" eij" toVn aijw'na. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 6:13 meivzono" (adjective, genitive, masculine, singular) large, great 1. lit. Long, wide. 2. fig., a. of measure, intensity Loud, bright, intense, severe Ac 8:1. b. of rank and dignity great, etc. 6:13 ojmovsai (infinitive, aorist, active) swear, take an oath; the person or thing by which one swears may be expressed by: the simple acc. Js 5:12; evn with the dat. Mt 5:34, 36; Rv 10:6; kata, with the gen. Hb 6:13. In other constructions Mk 6:23; Lk 1:73; Ac 2:30; Hb 3:18. 6:14 eujlogw'n (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, singular) 1. speak well of, praise, extol in recognition of divine benefits Lk 1:64; 24:53; Js 3:9; give thanks and praise Mt 14:19; Lk 24:30; 1 Cor 14:16; consecrate Mk 8:7; 1 Cor 10:16. 2. of God confer favor or benefit a. act. bless Ac 3:26; Eph 1:3. b. pass. be blessed Mt. 25:34; Lk 1:42. 3. request God’s favor for someone, bless Lk 6:28; 24:50f; 1 Cor 4:12; Hb 7:1, 6f. [English derivative: eulogize] 6:14 plhquvnwn (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, singular) 1. trans., act. and pass. increase, multiply. 2. intrans. grow, increase. 6:15 makroqumhvsa" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, singular) have patience, wait; be patient, forbearing. 176 6:15 ejpevtucen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, third, singular) obtain, attain to, reach w. gen. 6:16 ajntilogiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) Contradiction, dispute Hb 6:16; 7:7. Hostility, rebellion 12:3. Of the four uses of this word in the NT, three of them are in Hebrews. The other is at Jude 11, and is paraphrased in the KJV. [English derivative: antilogy – a contradiction of terms or ideas.] 6:16 pevra" (noun, nominative, neuter, singular) end, limit, boundary. 6:16 bebaivwsin (noun, accusative feminine, singular) confirmation, guarantee. 6:17 perissovteron (adverb) exceeding the usual number or size; 1. extraordinary, remarkable Mt 5:47. to. perisso,n the advantage Ro 3:1; 2. abundant, profuse J 10:10. Superfluous, unnecessary 2 Cor 9:1; 3. in the comparative sense to. perisso.n tou,twn whatever is more than this Mt 5:37 — evk perissou/ extremely Mk 6:51. 6:17 boulovmeno" (participle, present, middle, nominative, masculine, singular) wish, be willing, want, desire Mt 1:19; 11:27; Lk 22:42; Ac 5:28; 25:20, 22; 1 Cor 12:11; 1 Ti 6:9; Phlm 13. boulhqei,j according to his will Js 1:18. bou,lesqe avpolu,sw* shall I release? This is the verbal form. See below for the noun form. 6:17 ajmetavqeton (adjective, accusative, neuter, singular) unchangeable Hb 6:18; to. av) unchangeableness. The word occurs twice in the NT, here and in the following verse (18), [English derivative: metathesis.] 6:17 boulh'" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) plan, purpose Lk 7:30; Eph 1:11; resolution, decision Ac 2:23; 5:38; 20:27; 27:12, 42; Hb 6:17; motive 1 Cor 4:5. 6:17 ejmesivteusen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, third, singular) mediate, guarantee. This is the only occurrence of this word in the NT, but is attested in classical Greek and in other koine texts. 6:18 pragmavtwn (noun, genitive, neuter, plural) 1. deed, thing, event, occurrence Lk 1:1; Ac 5:4; Hb 6:18; matter 2 Cor 7:11. 2. undertaking, occupation, task Ro 16:2. 3. thing, affair Mt 18:19; Hb 10:1; 11:1; Js 3:16. 4. lawsuit 1 Cor 6:1. 5. perh. as a euphemism for illicit sexual intercourse 1 Th 4:6. [English derivative: pragmatic] 6:18 yeuvsasqai (infinitive, aorist, middle) 1. lie, tell a falsehood Mt 5:11; Ac 5:4; 14:19 v.l.; Ro 9:1; 2 Cor 11:31; Gal 1:20; Col 3:9; 1 Ti 2:7; Hb 6:18; Js 3:14; 1 J 1:6; Rv 3:9 . 2. (try to) deceive by lying, tell lies to, impose upon Ac 5:3. 6:18 ijscuraVn (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular) strong, mighty, powerful Mt 3:11; Mk 3:27; 1 Cor 1:25; 4:10; 10:22; Rv 6:15; 18:8. Severe Lk 15:14; loud Hb 5:7; Rv 18:2; 19:6. Effective 2 Cor 177 10:10. 6:18 paravklhsin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) 1. encouragement, exhortation Ac 13:15; Ro 12:8; 1 Cor 14:3; Phil 2:1; 1 Th 2:3; 1 Ti 4:13; Hb 6:18; 12:5; 13:22. 2. appeal, request 2 Cor 8:4, 17. 3. comfort, consolation Lk 2:25; 6:24; Ac 4:36; 9:31; 15:31; Ro 15:4f; 2 Cor 1:3–7; 7:4, 7, 13; Phil 2:1; 2 Th 2:16; Phlm 7. 6:18 krath'sai (infinitive, aorist, active) 1. take into one’s possession or custody a. arrest, apprehend Mt 26:4, 48, 50, 55, 57; Mk 3:21; 6:17; Ac 24:6; Rv 20:2. b. take hold of, grasp, seize w. acc. or gen. Mt 12:11; 22:6; 28:9; Mk 1:31; 9:27; Lk 8:54. Attain Ac 27:13. 2. hold Ac 3:11; Rv 2:1. Hold back, restrain 7:1; pass. be prevented Lk 24:16. Hold fast Mk 7:3f, 8; Ac 2:24; Col 2:19; Rv 2:13–15. Keep Mk 9:10. Retain J 20:23. [English derivative: democratic, dh,moj + kratei/n] 6:18 prokeimevnh" (participle, present, passive, genitive, feminine, singular) 1. be exposed to public view Jd 7. 2. lie before, be present, be set before 2 Cor 8:12; Hb 6:18; 12:1f. 6:19 a[gkuran (noun, accusative, feminine, singular) anchor lit. Ac 27:29, 30, 40; fig. Hb 6:19. [English derivative: anchor] 6:19 ajsfalh (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular) certain, safe, secure, firm Phil 3:1; Hb 6:19; definite Ac 25:26. to. av) the certainty, the truth 21:34; 22:30. 6:19 bebaivan (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular) firm, strong, secure lit. Hb 6:19. Fig. firm, reliable, dependable, certain Ro 4:16; 2 Cor 1:7; Hb 2:2; 3:14; 2 Pt 1:10, 19; valid Hb 9:17. 6:19 ejswvteron (preposition with genitive) inner Ac 16:24. to. evsw,teron what is inside w. gen. ( = behind) Hb 6:19. 6:19 katapetavsmato" (noun, genitive, neuter, singular) curtain Mt 27:51; Mk 15:38; Lk 23:45; Hb 6:19; 9:3; 10:20. 6:20 prodv romo" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular) going before subst. forerunner Hb 6:20. [English derivative: prodrome, in medicine a premonitory symptom] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 6:14 “. . . the addition of the cognate (or related) participle to a finite verb in order to strengthen the verbal idea is a customary translation of the Hebrew infinitive absolute in the LXX . . . The New Testament has this usage only in quotations from the LX X.” [Blass-Debrunner] “In quotations from the old testament a participle is sometimes placed before personal form a of the same verb. The idiom arises from an imitation of the Hebrew construction with the infinitive 178 absolute. The force of the participle is in general intensive.” [Burton] 6:14 Polyptoton is a figure of speech that “means with many cases, i.e., a repetition of the same noun in several cases, or the same for been several moods or chances. With many inflections is a definition which covers both nouns and verbs.” It is also called Metagoge, which means a change of course; a different arrangement of the same word, a leading of the same word three different inflections.” “In Latin it is called Casuum Varietas, a variety of cases.” [Bullinger, p. 267, 274.] These names refer to the same figure, which is explained above. The overwhelming majority of cases cited are from the Old Testament and from the New Testament authors with decidedly Hebraic perspective, although Paul and John resort to it occasionally. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 6:14 cf. 22:15-18. 6:15 cf. Genesis 12:2-3,7; 17:15-19; 21:5; 22:15-18. 6:18 cf. Numbers 23:19. E. TRANSLATION 6:13 For God, when making promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, swore by himself, 14 saying “certainly, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And thus, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 For men swear by the greater, and the oath for confirmation is to them the end of all dispute. 17 Whereby, being exceedingly desirous to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, He interposed with an oath, 18 in order that, on account of two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we, having fled for refuge to cling to the hope set before us, might have absolute encouragement. 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both safe and secure, and entering within the veil 20 where a forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, made forever a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. F. EXPOSITION 6:13-20 The author, in order to resume his narrative concerning Melchizedek begun in 5:1-10, and interrupted by the parenthesis running from 5:11 to 6:12, and to relate it to the earlier admonitions 179 of his readers, uses several motifs, such as hope, patience, promise and oath. These he joins to his discussion of Abraham, and thereby reintroduces the narrative of Melchizedek the High Priest. In summary, God’s promise to Abraham (and to his heirs) was vouchsafed by an oath, and the anchor of that promise-engendered hope indeed has already entered the Holy of Holies as the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. 6:13 “For God, when making promise to Abraham, . . .”That is, at the time when God made the promise to Abraham that he would become the father of nations The promise was given and reaffirmed, suggesting a considerable lapse of time before the fulfillment of the promise. 6:13 “ . . . since he had no one greater by whom to swear, swore by himself, . . .” That is, a greater person. The interposition of an oath also, with more force, implies the passage of time between the promise and its fulfillment. “Shemoth R. (On Exodus 32:13), [asks] What means by Thyself? R. Eliezer replied: Moses spake thus to the Lord (Blessed be He). If thou hadst sworn by heaven and earth, I should say, since heaven and earth shall perish, so too thine oath. Now Thou hast sworn by Thy great name: as thy great name lives and lasts for ever and ever, Thy oath also shall last for ever and ever.” [Westcott, p. 159.] 6:14 “ . . . saying ‘certainly, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you’.” The use of the figure polyptoton, using different inflections of the same word (Bless, blessing, multiply, multiplying) intensifies and strengthens the meaning. Here, heaven and earth will not outlast God’s certain promise. 6:13-15 “The example of Abraham establishes two things, the certainty of the hope which rests on a promise of God, and the need of patience in order to receive its fulfillment. “ [Westcott, p. 158] 6:15 “And thus, having patiently waited, . . “ According to the Bible, twenty five years passed from the first call of Abraham (Genesis 12:4) and the birth of Isaac (Genesis 21:5). 6:15 “ . . . he obtained the promise.” i.e., the birth of Isaac (to whom the promise of future greatness) was to be reaffirmed). Abraham thus became the major exemplar of patient waiting on the Lord. 6:16 “For men swear by the greater, . . .”The context suggests that “greater” is masculine, not neuter, again, a person, not a thing. Perhaps the Hebrew read by the rabbis might have been construed in such a case as neuter so as to include “heaven and earth,” but the Greek of the NT probably should not be. 6:16 “and the oath for confirmation is to them the end of all dispute.” The oath is the utmost one can do verbally to establish a position, argument, or the truth. Often, although not always, an oath 180 implied an imprecation, such as “may the Lord do thus to me and more,” etc. But in any case, the oath had two functions, to establish what it attests, and to stop dispute, or end argument. “By an appeal to a higher authority it stays the human denial of the statement which it affirms. [Westcott, p. 160.] 6:17 “Whereby, being exceedingly desirous to show to the heirs of promise . . .” The emphasis here is not subjective; it is not that God had a great deep feeling that He would like to show man something. The emphasis is on what it was He desired man to know, i.e., the absolute immutability of His purpose. His desire is entirely objective. The “heirs of promise” refers to all those who have placed their belief in God and ordered their lives accordingly. This includes the Jewish patriarchs, pre-Christian Jews, and Christians. Specifically it here refers to those Jewish Christians whom the author addresses, and who stand in need of the teaching. 6:17 “ . . . the immutability of his counsel, . . .” That counsel was the God’s intention to provide universal blessing through the seed of Abraham. This is the burden of the verses quoted in 6:14, and the content of God”oath to Abraham. 6:17 “ . . . He interposed with an oath, . . .” between Himself and Abraham. The oath to which the passage refers is that quoted in verse 14, but the mention of God’s oath would also likely remind the readers of the oath used in the denial of the apostate Israelites entrance into the Promised Land. The contrast is that the first Oath, given here, was given to the patriarch and was a gracious act. The second oath, which was reported earlier, in Heb 3:11, 18, and 4:3. The contrast between the intended universal blessing and the punitive exclusion of the apostate Israelites from the Promised Land is stark indeed, the former being guaranteed by an oath, the second being historically demonstrable as having in fact taken place. A similar contrast will be drawn in Chapter 7. 6:18 “ . . . in order that, on account of two immutable things . . .” i.e., the promise and the oath. It is worth noting that the assurance of the promise is to be found in the nature of God, who cannot lie. The whole point of the oath is its superfluity. It guarantees nothing that God’s promise does not. The oath is simply “doubling down” on a certainty, and was given simply as a sign to men of how absolutely “immutable” God’s word is. 6:18 “ . . . in which it is impossible for God to lie, . . .” That is, both the promise and the oath are absolute. As noted, the promise rests upon God’s character. But so does the oath, for God, “having no one greater by whom to swear, swore by himself,” that is He swore by who He is and what His nature is. The same word as that describing the impossibility of renewing an apostate is used here. It is as 181 impossible for God to lie as it is to restore the apostate. In point of fact, we know it is impossible to restore an apostate because it is impossible for God to lie. 6:18 “ . . . we, having fled for refuge to cling to the hope set before us, . . .” We, being Christians – those who have left off our relationship with the world in order to avail ourselves of the promises of God so recently demonstrated in the person and ministry of Jesus the Messiah. 6:18 “ . . . might have absolute encouragement.” The absolute character and nature of God, appealed to twice, in the promise and in the oath, is intended to have the effect of guaranteeing the promised result so clearly as to give those fleeing to them for hope absolute encouragement. “The whole context shows that paravklhsin is to be understood as encouragement to maintain with boldness a position beset by difficulties, and not simply passive consolation.” [Westcott, p. 161.] 6:19 “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, . . .” The hope held out to us is built upon God’s promise and oath, and as such, must be, immutable and available. Man will scarcely venture something so valuable as his own soul or happiness on something ephemeral, or beyond reach. Our hope, set upon the immutable promise of God, that is the “absolute encouragement” He has given us, is therefore an anchor for the soul, which is to hold in all sorts of adversity. It should be remembered that an anchor is used to stabilize one’s position so as to be neither blown off course, nor to “drift away” (Heb 2:1). 6:19 “ . . . both safe and secure, . . .” translated “sure and steadfast” by KJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV, and NASV, and “firm and secure: by NIV. But the words are near synonyms, and translating them as synonymous almost guarantees missing what the author intended. Cf. Philippians 3:1, where the word for sure or firm is translated safe. Translating the clause “safe and secure,” does justice to the context of spiritual status from the permanence of the Son of God (1:1 – 3:6), through the Sabbath rest (3:7 – 4:16) and apostasy (3:8-19; 6:4-6). We are safe and secure if we hold fast (3:6,14; 4:14; 6:18) and consider (3:1) and thereby do not “drift away” (2:1). 6:19 “ . . . and entering within the veil . . .” i.e., the Holy of Holies, behind the second veil of the tabernacle or temple. This represents, in the earthly temple, the very presence of God Himself. 6:20 “ . . . where a forerunner has entered for us, . . .” Jesus is now “seated at God’s right hand.” So our hope has entered into the Holy of Holies, pulling us, psychologically, with it, to find that our forerunner is there already on our behalf. 6:20 “ . . . even Jesus, made forever a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” Jesus is forever in God’s presence, always our savior, and always, to return to the main narrative, “a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” 182 G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The dynamic of hope. A promise generates not gratitude, as of an accomplished fact, but hope of its future accomplishment. That is, gratitude is for accomplished fact, hope is for the potential of future fact. We hope things will turn out well when we are told not to worry. When things come to pass as predicted, then we are grateful. The point of the oath was to reinforce the hope of the promise in those who would not see its temporal realization, at least in its completion. God wants the hope in this promise to act as an anchor for believers down the centuries. The Heirs of Promise are those who exercise the same behaviors as the exemplar to whom the promise was made, Abraham. The promises eternal and is renewed to Isaac and Jacob that unfolds in its fullness over many centuries. The hope given us by the promise of God is for such satisfaction as the world cannot offer, but seeks to destroy in others. Hence, we flee from the vain promises of the world to seek a firmer footing. What God has promised awaits various stages of fulfillment down the ages. His promise involves the unfolding of this plan through many centuries. Thus the hope in which many of the “heirs of promise” shared, were never realized within their lifetimes. Their hope was unfulfilled temporally, i.e., their hope never received, during the course of their earthly lives, the object of the promise for which they would have expressed gratitude. Paul had the same sort of experience with those Christians who died before the coming of the King. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL We are given a promise and expected to wait. For neither God’s promise nor His answers to prayer are immediate, but come in His good time. The hope of Gods’ promise is to be an anchor for our souls until the moment of complete fulfillment. We give up this hope at our peril. I. PARAPHRASE 6:13 For God, when He made His promise to Abraham had no one greater than Himself by whom to swear, so He swore by himself, 14 saying certainly, and without doubt, I will bless you multiply you. 15 And Abraham, after waiting patiently, saw the promises fulfilled. 16 Now men swear by someone greater than themselves; and an oath for confirmation of a statement is to them the end of all dispute. 17 So, being determined to show to the heirs of His promise the permanence of his intent, He confirmed it with an oath, 18 so that, on account of two unchangeable things in which God cannot lie, we – those of us who have fled the world to cling for refuge to the hope set before us – 183 might have absolute encouragement. 19 This hope is as an anchor for the soul, both safe and secure, and it dares to venture within the veil 20 where a forerunner has already entered on our account, even Jesus, made a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. 184 TWENTY SECOND PERICOPE (Heb 7:1-3) 7:1 Ou|to" gaVr oJ Melcisevdek, basileuV" Salhvm, iJereuV" tou' qeou' tou' uJyivstou, oJ sunanthvsa" jAbraaVm uJpostrevfonti ajpoV th'" koph'" tw'n basilevwn kaiV eujloghvsa" aujtovn, 2 w|/ kaiV dekavthn ajpoV pavntwn ejmevrisen jAbraavm, prw'ton meVn eJrmhneuovmeno" basileuV" dikaiosuvnh" e[peita deV kaiV basileuV" Salhvm, o{ ejstin basileuV" eijrhvnh", 3 ajpavtwr, ajmhvtwr, ajgenealovghto", mhvte ajrchVn hJmerw'n mhvte zwh'" tevlo" e[cwn, ajfwmoiwmevno" deV tw'/ uiJw'/ tou' qeou', mevnei iJereuV" eij" toV dihnekev". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 7:1 uJyivstou (adjective, genitive, masculine, singular, supperlative) (superlative; from u[yi on high), in Greek writings mostly poetic, highest, most high; a. of place: neuter ta, u`yista (the Septuagint for ~ymiArm.), the highest regions, i. e. heaven (see u`yhlo,j, a.), Matt. 21:9; Mark 11:10; Luke 2:14; 19:38, (Job 16:19; Isa. 57:15). b. of rank: of God, o` Qeo,j o` u[yistoj, the most high God, Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28; Acts 16:17; Heb. 7:1; (Gen. 14:18; Philo de leg. ad Gaium sec. 23); and simply o` u[yistoj, the Most High, Acts 7:48; mid without the article (cf. Buttmann, sec. 124, 8 b. note; (WH. Introductory sec. 416)), Luke 1:32,35,76; 6:35, and very often in Sir.; (Hebrew !Ayl.a,, !Ayl.[, lae, !Ayl.[, ~yhil{a/, !Ayl[, hw"hy>; Zeu,j u[yistoj, Pindar Nem. 1, 90; 11, 2; Aeschylus Eum. 28). [Thayer] From Hebrew !Ayl.[,: f. hn"Ayl.[,; pl. f. tnOAyl.[,: I. in genl., (the) upper Gn 4017; gate 2K 1535, pool 2K 1817. II. designation of God: compound with high god El: ° ¢l-±elyôn (‘God Most High’) Gn 1418- 20, identified w. Y. 1422; Most High, // ° ¢l Nu 2416. (pg 274). [Holliday] 7:1 uJpostrevfonti (participle, present, active, dative, masculine, singular) 1. transitive, to turn back, to turn about. 2. intransitive, to turn back i.e. to return: absolutely, Mark 14:40; followed by an infinitive of purpose, Luke 17:18; followed by dia, with a genitive of place, Acts 20:3; eivj with an accusative of place, Luke 1:56; 2:39; avpo, with a genitive of place, Luke 4:1; 24:9; avpo, with a genitive of the business, Heb. 7:1; evk with a genitive of place, Acts 12:25; evk th/j a`gi,ajevntolh/j, of those who after embracing Christianity apostatize, 2 Pet. 2:21. [Thayer] 7:1 koph'" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) 2. In Biblical Greek a cutting in pieces, slaughter. [Thayer] 185 7:2 dekavthn (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular) tenth J 1:39; Rv 11:13; 21:20; tithe Heb 7:2. 7:2 ejmevrisen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, third, singular) divide, separate; 1. divide act. and pass., fig. Mt 12:25f; Mk 3:24–26; 1 Cor 1:13; 7:34; mid. share Lk 12:13. 2. distribute Mk 6:41; assign, apportion Ro 12:3; 1 Cor 7:17; 2 Cor 10:13; Hb 7:2. 7:2 eJrmhneuovmeno" (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, singular) explain, interpret Lk 24:27 v.l. Translate J 1:38 v.l., 42; 9:7; Hb 7:2. 7:2 eijrhvnh" (noun, genitive, feminine, swingular) in the Septuagint chiefly for ~Alv'; (from Homer down); peace, i. e. 1. a state of national tranquility; exemption from the rage and havoc of war: Rev. 6:4; pollh, eivrh,nh, Acts 24:2 (3); ta, (WH text omits ta,) pro,j eivrh,nhn, things that look toward peace, as an armistice, conditions for the restoration of peace Luke 14:32; aivtei/sqai eivrh,nhn, Acts 12:20; e;cein eivrh,nhn, of the church free from persecutions, Acts 9:31. 2. peace between individuals, i. e. harmony, concord: Matt. 10:34; Luke 12:51; Acts 7:26; Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 7:15; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:17; 4:3; equivalent to the anthor of peace, Eph. 2:14 (cf. Buttmann, 125 (109)); evn eivrh,nh, where harmony prevails, in a peaceful mind, James 3:18; o`do,j eivrh,nhj, way leading to peace, a course of life promoting harmony, Rom. 3:17 (from Isa. 59:8); metV eivrh,nhj, in a mild and friendly spirit, Heb. 11:31; poiei/n eivrh,nhn, to promote concord, James 3:18; to effect it, Eph. 2:15; zhtei/n, 1 Pet. 3:11; diw,kein, 2 Tim. 2:22; with meta, pa,ntwn added, Heb. 12:14 ; ta, th/j eivrh,nhj diw,kein, Rom. 14:19 (cf. Buttmann, 95 (83); Winer’s Grammar, 109 (103f)). Specifically, good order, opposed to avkatastasi,a, 1 Cor. 14:33. 3. after the Hebrew ~Alv', security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous): Luke 19:42; Heb. 7:2; eivrh,nh kai, avsfa,leia, opposed to o;leqroj, 1 Thess. 5:3; evn eivrh,nh evsti ta, u`pa,rconta, auvtou/, his goods are secure from hostile attack, Luke 11:21; u[page eivj eivrh,nhn, Mark 5:34, and poreu,ou eivj eivrh,nhn Luke 7:50; 8:48, a formula of wishing well, blessing, addressed by the Hebrews to departing friends (~Alv'l. %le 1 Sam. 1:17; 20:42, etc.; properly, depart into a place or state of peace; (cf. Buttmann, 184 (160))); poreu,esqai evn eivrh,nh, Acts 16:36, and u`pa,gete evn eivrh,nh, James 2:16, go in peace, i. e. may happiness attend you; avpolu,ein tina metV eivrh,nhj, to dismiss one with good wishes, Acts 15:33; evn eivrh,nh, with my wish fulfilled, and therefore happy, Luke 2:29 (see avpolu,w, 2 a.); prope,mpein tina evn eivrh,nh free from danger, safe, 1 Cor. 16:11 (others take it of inward peace or of harmony; cf. Meyer at the passage). The Hebrews in invoking blessings on a man called out ^l. ~Alv' (Judg. 6:23; Dan. 10:19); from this is to be derived the explanation of those expressions which refer apparently to the Messianic blessings (see 4 below): eivrh,nh tw/| oi;kw| tou,tw|, let peace, blessedness, come to this household, Luke 10:5; ui`o,j eivrh,nhj, worthy of peace (cf. Winer’s Grammar, sec. 34, 3 N. 2; Buttmann, 161f (141)), Luke 10:6; evlqe,tw h` eivrh,nh evpV auvto,n, let the peace which ye wish it come upon it, i. e. be its lot, Matt. 10:13; to the same purport evpanapah,setai h` eivrh,nh u`mw/n evpV auvto,n, Luke 10:6; h` eivrh,nh u`mw/n pro,j u`ma/j evpistrafh,tw, let your peace return to you, because it could not rest upon it, i. e. let it be just as if ye had not uttered the wish, Matt. 10:13. 4. Specifically, the Messiah’s peace: Luke 2:14; o`do,j eivrh,nhj, the way that leads to peace (salvation), Luke 1:79; eivrh,nhj evn ouvranw/|, peace, salvation, is prepared for us in heaven, Luke 186 19:38; euvaggeli,zesqai eivrh,nhn, Acts 10:36. 5. according to a conception distinctly peculiar to Christianity, “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoerer sort that is”: Rom. 8:6; evn eivrh,nh namely, o;ntej; is used of those who, assured of salvation, tranquilly await the return of Christ and the transformation of all things which will accompany that event, 2 Pet. 3:14; (plhrou/n pa,shj ... eivrh,nhj evn tw/| pisteu,ein, Ro 15:13 (where L marginal reading evn pisteu,ein eivrh,nh)); e;cein evn Cristw/| eivrh,nhn (opposed to evn tw/| ko,smw| qli/yin e;cein), John 16:33; e;cein eivrh,nhn pro,j to,n Qeo,n, with God, Rom. 5:1, (eivrh,nh pro,j tina, Plato, rep. 5, p. 465 b.; cf. Diodorus 21, 12; cf. Meyer on Romans, the passage cited; Winer’s Grammar, 186 (175); 406 (379))); euvaggeli,zesqai eivrh,nhn, Rom. 10:15 (R G Tr marginal reading in brackets); to, euvagge,lion th/j eivrh,nhj, Eph. 6:15; in the expression eivrh,nhn avfi,hmi ktl., John 14:27, in which Christ, with allusion to the usual Jewish formula at leave-taking (see 3 above), says that he not merely wishes, but gives peace; h` eivrh,nh tou/ Cristou/, which comes, from Christ, Col. 3:15 (Rec. qeou/; tou/ Qeou/, Phil. 4:7 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 186 (175)). Comprehensively, of every kind of peace (blessing), yet with a predominance apparently of the notion of peace with God, eivrh,nh is used – in the salutations of Christ after his resurrection, eivrh,nh u`mi/n (~k,l' ~Alv', Luke 24:36 (T omits; WH reject the clause); John 20:19,21,26; in the phrases o` ku,rioj th/j eivrh,nhj, the Lord who is the author and promoter of peace, 2 Thess. 3:16; o` Qeo,j th/j eivrh,nhj Rom. 15:33; 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:1; Phil. 4:9; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:20; in the salutations at the beginning and the close of the apostolic Epistles: Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; 6:16; Eph. 1:2; 6:23; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:2; 3:16; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4; (Philemon 1:3); 1 Pet. 1:2; 5:14; 2 Pet. 1:2; 2 John 1:3; 3 John 1:15 (14); (Jude 1:2); Rev. 1:4. Cf. Kling in Herzog iv., p. 596f under the words Friede mit Gott; Weiss, Biblical Theol. d. N. T. sec. 83 b.; (Otto in the Jahrbb. fur deutsch. Theol. for 1867, p. 678ff; cf. Winer’s Grammar, 549 (511)). 6. of the blessed state of devout and upright men after death (Sap. 3:3): Rom. 2:10. [Thayer] 7:3 ajgenealovghto" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular) without genealogy Hb 7:3. 7:3 ajfwmoiwmevno" (participle, perfect, passive, nominative, masculine, singular) make like or similar Hb 7:3. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 7:3 Asyndeton (absence of conjunctives). D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Genesis 14:18-20. E. TRANSLATION 187 7:1 For this Melchizedek, King of Salem, priest of the most high God, who, having met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, and having blessed him; 2 and to whom Abraham divided a tenth part of everything, is first interpreted as King of righteousness, but then also as King of Salem, that is, King of peace; 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but being made like the Son of God, remains a priest unto perpetuity. F. EXPOSITION This passage, another one laden with participles, and having only two verbs, does not present a problem with its vocabulary; but its structure is a little difficult to deal with. The points of emphasis appear as the first and last elements, the intervening material being a biographical summary of all we know about Melchizedek from Genesis 14:17-20. The essential point of the passage is that “This Melchizedek (v. 1) . . . remains a priest unto perpetuity” (v. 3). The intervening material serves as a reminder of the features characteristic of Melchizedek’s priesthood that will define the eternal priesthood of Christ (in distinction from His earthly ministry). We recall the author’s statement “Concerning whom the teaching for us is great and difficult of interpretation,” (5:11) and that it will require leaving “aside the account of the elementary principle of Christ” (6:1). After the long parenthetical of chapter 6, that teaching is now begun. 7:1 “For this Melchizedek, . . ..” to whom reference has been made, and to whom our attention now returns. There follows a list of qualities that, by characterizing Melchizedek as the type, will define Christ as the antitype. 7:1 “ . . . King of Salem, . . .” It should be noticed that the true locality of Melchizedek’s realm is immaterial. What is important is the meaning of the word. Apostolic notions placed the location at Jerusalem, while 350 years later, Jerome placed it at the Salem near Scythopolis. 7:1 “ . . . priest of the most high God, . . .” This does not indicate the god who is higher than other gods, but The God who is higher than anything. He is the God most high. 7:1 “ . . . who, having met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, . . .” In Genesis 14:17 it is said that “the king of Sodom went out to meet” Abraham. Verse 18 says that Melchizedek “brought forth bread and wine,” the only detail concerning Melchizedek in the Genesis passage not included in Hebrews. Melchizedek obviously “went out” with the king of Sodom. The king of Sodom, in verse 21, seeks Abraham to request that his people be returned to him. Melchizedek, went for a very different purpose, that of blessing Abraham. One cannot but wonder why the author of Hebrews did not make more of the bread and wine, things that became the elements of Christian communion, and symbols of blessing. The eternal priest of 188 the most high God offered Abraham, recipient of the promise, the blessing of communion before Isaac, Jacob, and Moses came into existence. 7:1 “ . . . and having blessed him; . . .” The readers would have been at least somewhat familiar with the blessing: Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God who hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand.” In blessing Abraham, Melchizedek assumed the superior position. Just as men swear by the greater, so they are blessed by the greater also. “By the active blessing, Melchizedek at once assumed the position of the superior. And Abraham on his part freely acknowledged Melchizedek’s implied claim to superiority, and divided to him a ties from all the spoil which had taken (v. 4)”. [Westcott, p. 171] It is interesting that the king of Sodom, in verse 21, was content not to receive anything of a material nature from Abraham, but that he requested only his people be returned to him. Abraham returned to him everything, saying he did not wish it to be said that the king of Sodom had made him rich. This serves at least to show that Abraham had no sense of inferiority to the king of Sodom, while he showed a submissive respect to Melchizedek. 7:2 “ . . . and to whom Abraham divided a tenth part of everything, . . .” That is, he tithed. Abraham agreed with the tacit superiority of Melchizedek, and offered him tithes. 7:2 “ . . . is first interpreted as King of righteousness, . . .” Here begins the enumeration, positively and negatively, of the characters of Melchizedek, and, by association, of the Son of God in His High Priestly office. The early Jews placed a lot of emphasis on personal names. So, positively, Melchizedek literally means “king of righteousness.” 7:2 “ . . . but then also as King of Salem, that is, King of peace; . . .” Positively, Salem means peace. We see the word in both Salem and Jerusalem and in the Jewish greeting “Shalom.” So Melchizedek was also the king of peace. It is interesting that Righteousness is part of Melchizedek’s name, and cannot be escaped, while he might as easily have been the king os of some other city. Perhaps we are not too far afield to suggest that righteousness precedes and is primary to peace? 7:3 “ . . . without father, without mother, without genealogy . . .” Negatively, Melchizedek is without mother, because none was recorded for him. Negatively, Melchizedek is without father for the same reason. Some Old Testament figures of note are recorded without mention of their mother, but almost none without notice being given of his father. Negatively, Melchizedek is without genealogy, or descent. While the Jews placed stress on personal names, they also regarded as important one’s parentage and genealogy. Virtually no person of importance is recorded in the Pentateuch without some reference to his descent. Yet here is Melchizedek, a “naked” stranger on the stage of Israel’s earliest history. 7:3 “ . . . having neither beginning of days nor end of life, . . .” Negatively, not even the birth of 189 death of Melchizedek is recorded. This would make him, so far as we can tell, an absolute nobody. Melchizedek had no pedigree, and so he was not worth notice to anyone but Abraham. And so he was largely forgotten until the psalmist mentioned him. 7:3 “ . . . but being made like the Son of God, . . .” In all these respects, he was “made” like the Son of God. That is, by the force of the literature, both in what it included about Melchizedek and what it omitted about him, verbally “painted” him “like the Son of God.” 7:3 “ . . . remains a priest unto perpetuity.” This is the conclusion one reaches about one who blesses and takes tithes, yet has no lineage. He is an eternal High Priest. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS It should not be missed that even though Melchizedek was a type of Christ, He was so because his record in the text of Genesis can be used to bring out the attributes of the Son of God. That is, Melchizedek became a type of Christ because he was “made like the Son of God.” Melchizedek was presented as a “shadow” of the Son of God (quasi-Platonism) in order that he could present mankind with the first picture of the Son (type). H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 7:1 For this Melchizedek, King of Salem, priest of the most high God, who, having met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, and having blessed him; 2 and to whom Abraham gave the best tenth of everything, is first explained as King of righteousness, but then also as King of Salem, that is, King of peace; 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but being made like the Son of God, remains a priest unto perpetuity. 190 TWENTY THIRD PERICOPE (Heb 7:4-10) 7.4 Qewrei'te deV phlivko" ou|to" w|/ dekavthn jAbraaVm e[dwken ejk tw'n ajkroqinivwn oJ patriavrch". 5 kaiV oiJ meVn ejk tw'n uiJw'n LeuiV thVn iJerateivan lambavnonte" ejntolhVn e[cousin ajpodekatou'n toVn laoVn kataV toVn novmon, tou't' e[stin touV" ajdelfouV" aujtw'n, kaivper ejxelhluqovta" ejk th'" ojsfuvo" jAbraavm: 6 oJ deV mhV genealogouvmeno" ejx aujtw'n dedekavtwken jAbraavm, kaiV toVn e[conta taV" ejpaggeliva" eujlovghken. 7 cwriV" deV pavsh" ajntilogiva" toV e[latton uJpoV tou' kreivttono" eujlogei'tai. 8 kaiV w|de meVn dekavta" ajpoqnhv/skonte" a[nqrwpoi lambavnousin, ejkei' deV marturouvmeno" o{ti zh'/. 9 kaiV wJ" e[po" eijpei'n, di' jAbraaVm kaiV LeuiV oJ dekavta" lambavnwn dedekavtwtai, 10 e[ti gaVr ejn th'/ ojsfuvi> tou' patroV" h\n o{te 1sunhvnthsen aujtw'/ Melcisevdek. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 7:4 Qewrei'te (verb.resent, active, indicative or imperative. Second, plural) see, look at, observe, perceive; view; catch sight of, notice. It “is used primarily not of an indifferent spectator, but of one who looks at a thing with interest and for a purpose.” [Thayer] 7:4 phlivko" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular) interrogative, how great, how large: in a material reference (denoting geometrical magnitude as disting. from arithmetical, po,soj) (Plato, Men., p. 82 d.; p. 83 e.; Ptolemy, 1, 3, 3; Zech. 2:2,(6)), Gal. 6:11, where cf. Winer, Rückert, Hilgenfeld (Hackett in B. D. American edition under the word Epistle; but see Lightfoot or Meyer). in an ethical reference, equivalent to how distinguished, Heb. 7:4. [Thayer] 7:4 dekavthn (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular) tenth J 1:39; Rv 11:13; 21:20; tithe Hb 7:2, 4, 8f. 7:4 ajkroqinivwn (noun, genitive, neuter, plural) from a;kroj extreme, and qi,j, genitive qino,j, a heap; extremity, topmost part of a heap), generally in plural ta, avkroqi,nia the first-fruits, whether of crops or of spoils (among the Greeks customarily selected from the topmost part of the heaps and offered to the gods, Xenophon, Cyril 7, 5, 35); in the Bible only once: Heb. 7:4, of booty. [Thayer] 7:5 ojsfuvo" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular) 1. waist Mt 3:4; Mk 1:6; Lk 12:35; Eph 6:14; 1 Pt 191 1:13. 2. loins as the place of the reproductive organs Ac 2:30; Hb 7:5, 10 7:6 eujlovghken (verb, perfect, active, indicative, third, singular) 1. speak well of, praise, extol in recognition of divine benefits Lk 1:64; 24:53; Js 3:9; give thanks and praise Mt 14:19; Lk 24:30; 1 Cor 14:16; consecrate Mk 8:7; 1 Cor 10:16. 2. of God confer favor or benefit a. act. bless Ac 3:26; Eph 1:3. b. pass. be blessed Mt. 25:34; Lk 1:42. 3. request God’s favor for someone, bless Lk 6:28; 24:50f; 1 Cor 4:12; Hb 7:1, 6f. [English derivative: eulogize] 7:8 ajpoqnhv/skonte" (participle, present, active, nominastive, masculine, plural) 1. lit., of physical death Mt 8:32; 9:24; Ro 14:8; Hb 10:28; Rv 14:13. Decay 1 Cor 15:36. 2. fig. be freed from Ro 6:2; Gal 2:39; Col 2:20. Of mystical death with Christ Ro 6:8. Of losing the true, eternal life Ro 7:10; Rv 3:2; oft. in J: 6:50, 58; 8:21, 24; 11:26. 3. be about to die, face death, be mortal 1 Cor 15:31; 2 Cor 6:9; Hb 7:8. 7:8 marturouvmeno" (participle, present passive, nominative, masculine, singular) 1. act. a. bear witness, be a witness, testify Mt 23:31; J 1:7f, 15; 5:33; 8:13f, 18; 15:27; Ac 22:5; 26:5; 2 Cor 8:3; Gal 4:15; 1 Ti 6:13; Hb 11:4; Rv 22:18. b. bear witness to, declare, confirm J 3:11, 32; 1 J 1:2; 5:10; Rv 1:2; 22:20. c. testify favorably, speak well (of), approve (of) w. dat. Lk 4:22; J 3:26; Ac 13:22; 14:3; 3 J 12b. 2. pass. a. be witnessed, have witness borne Ro 3:21; Hb 7:8, 17. b. be well spoken of, be approved Ac 6:3; 10:22; 16:2; 22:12; Hb 11:2, 4f, 39; 3 J 12a. [English derivative: martyrize] 7:9 e[po" (noun, accusative, common, singular) 1. a word, Od., etc.:-a tale, story, lay, Ib. 2. a pledged word, promise, Il., etc. 3. a word of advice, counsel, Ib. 4. the word of a deity, a prophecy, oracle, Od., Hdt., Trag.:-later also, a saying, saw, proverb, Hdt. 5. the meaning, substance, subject of a speech, a thing or matter, Il. II. Phrases:- a[ma e;poj te kai. e;rgon evpoi,ee ‘ no sooner said than done, ‘Hdt. 2. katV e;poj word by word, exactly, Ar. 3. ouvde.n pro.j e;poj nothing to the purpose, Plat. 4. w`j e;poj eivpei/n or w`j eivpei/n e;poj, so to say, as the saying is, Eur., etc. 5. e`ni. e;pei in one word, briefly, Hdt. III. in pl. poetry in heroic verse, epic poetry, opp. to me,lh (lyric poetry), etc., Id., Att.: also, generally, poetry, Pind. 2. in sing. a verse or line of poetry, Hdt., Ar. [Liddell-Scott] But idiomatically, w`j e;) eivpei/n so to speak, one might almost say, perhaps to use just the right word Hb 7:9. [Arndt-Gingrich] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 7:4 The verse is usually translated “how great this man was . . . .” The word “this” is present in the Greek; the word “man” is not. This is known as an Ellipsis of Repetition. Often a personal pronoun is supplied in similar constructions. Here, the word “this” refers to something in the immediate context that is not repeated for the sake of smoothness. The obvious word in this case is “priest,” from the end of vers 3. [Bullinger, p. 80] 192 7:5-6, 8 meVn . . .deV. “It is to be noted in cases of an uncertain reading involving meVn that the inclusion of meVn throws the emphasis on the second member (indicated by deV); therefore, where the emphasis is on the first part and the second is only an appendage, meVn is not to be read.” [Blass- Debrunner] In both cases, the emphasis is on the second member, highlighting a contrast. Our translation therefore indicates this strong contrast. 7:6,9 has perfect indicative verbs that cannot be perfectly translated into English, but where reader assumption compensates for the want. Verse six speaks of one who “collected and retains tithes.” English simply assumes that what was collected was kept until used. It is also noted that “he blessed him” in ways in which the results remain. Verse nine speaks of one who “paid tithes, and remains without them to the present.” English simply assumes that what was paid is forever gone. 7:7 Note that “the lesser” is put in the neuter in order to make it more generally true than if it refereed simply to a man, or some other specific thing. 7:9 wJ" e[po" eijpei'n, literally “so a word to say, is an example of the infinitive absolute, in which an infinitive follows wJ", “so.” This formula was fairly common in Attic. [Blass-Debrunner] D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 7:4 tw'n ajkroqinivwn indicates the “top of the heap,” or the first fruits. The Greeks customarily selected the topmost part of the goods to sacrifice to the gods. The Hebrews offered first fruits. Both are summed up in this word, and the custom should not be overlooked in translation. Cf. ASV and NASV. E. TRANSLATION 7:4 Now observe how great this priest was, to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave the best tenth of the spoils. 5 On the one hand, even those of the sons of Levi receiving the priesthood have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, although being from the loins of Abraham. 6 On the other hand, the one not being descended from them has received tithes from Abraham, and has blessed the one having the promises. 7 Now without any dispute, the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 And here, on the one hand, dying men receive tithes, but there, on the other hand, it being testified, one who lives. 9 And, so to speak, even Levi, receiving tithes, has paid a tithe in Abraham, 10 for he was yet in the loins of the father when Melchizedek met him. F. EXPOSITION 193 7:4 “Now observe how great this priest was, . . .” The antecedent of the word translated “this one,” or “this man,” is “priest,” found in the last part of verse 3. The thought is this: 7:3 “ . . . but being made like the Son of God, remains a priest unto perpetuity. 4 Now observe how great this priest was . . .” The word translated “observe” is the verbal form of the word from which we get the word theater, and implies close attention, seeing either with the eyes, or figuratively, with the mind’s eye. The verb most often supplied is the term was (KJV, ASV, NASV, NIV). This is the better term; is confuses the issue. For the text is dealing with Melchizedek and his relationship to Abraham. Although Melchizedek is a type of Christ, we must wait for the author to change the subject of discussion. 7:4 “ . . . to whom Abraham, the patriarch, . . .” The word patriarch, comes last, in emphasis. It is to say “yes, that Abraham, the patriarch.” Its use emphatically eliminates any confusion or possible disbelief. 7:4 “ . . . gave the best tenth from the spoils.” Tithes of various sorts were common in the Mediterranean world, it was more common for the Greeks to tithe the spoils of war. In that case, it was almost always the best of the goods captured. 7:5 “On the one hand, even . . .” The meVn . . . deV is used of a contrast, the emphasis falling on the second member. It is often translated “on the one hand, . . . on the other hand . . .” The English versions have obscured the contrast here by insisting on translating the kai as “and,” its usual use. But it also is used as we us the word “even.” Translating the word as even works to call attention to the contrast rather than concealing it. The English versions translate it either “verily,” “indeed,” or they ignore it completely. But clearly, the sense here is “On the one hand, even the sons of Levi received tithes . . .” 7:5 “ . . . those of the sons of Levi receiving the priesthood . . .” i.e., the sons of Aaron. Not all branches of Levi were priests. Instead, they provided other services, including taking the tithes of the people. 7:5 “ . . . have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, . . .” Three things are considered here: 1. that the Levites were commanded to tithe the people, 2. That the people in question were subject to the same command and law as the Levites, and 3. that this command had the weight of law – it was a permanent institution. 7:5 “ . . . that is, of their brothers, although being from the loins of Abraham. That is, the “people” from whom the Levites were to collect tithes were their very brethren. It was strictly “an in house” sort of thing, having nothing to do with the personal character of the priests or Levites, but being merely a legal arrangement. 7:6 “On the other hand, . . .” Signals the second, emphatic, member of the contrast. 194 7:6 “ . . . the one not being descended from them . . .” The first item of contrast is that of descent, or family relationship. The statement is quite general, but is especially strong with regard to the Levites because of the common feature of taking tithes. But Every one of the readers knew that there was no genetic relationship between Melchizedek and Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Levi, or Aaron. He was, genetically, a foreigner. 7:6 “ . . . has received tithes from Abraham, . . .” Yet even though he was a foreigner, with no command to take a tithe of Abraham, and certainly basing his tithe on no law, he received a tithe from Abraham. The implication is that Abraham gave the tithe voluntarily, clearly recognizing in this “King of righteousness, and King of peace, a morally superior being. 7:6 “ . . . and has blessed the one having the promises.” That is, the promises and the blessing may be different things. We remember Esau, who had the promise of the birthright, but treated it with contempt and lost the blessing of his father to his brother Jacob. 7:7 “Now without any dispute, the lesser is blessed by the greater. The use of the neuter gender makes this principle much more general than merely between two men. It is, in relationships, an absolute in terms of human interaction. 7:8 “And here, on the one hand, dying men receive tithes, . . .” “Here,” is not to be understood as a geographical, but of a temporal location. The sense is that “those closest to us in time, and with whom we are more familiar, are men whom we know die. But they receive, while they live, the tithes of their brethren. 7:8 “ . . . but there, on the other hand, it being testified, one who lives.” This points back to Melchizedek, who, as a type, points forward prophetically to the Son of God. The pertinent features of Melchizedek are that he is without father, mother, genealogy, birth or death. As such, Melchizedek points to the Son of God, not in the incarnation, but in His resurrection. But it also must be remembered that the Psalmist says of Him, centuries before the incarnation, that “you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek,” (5:6) Melchizedek, of whom no lineage, birth, or death was recorded in the Bible, was thus “made like the Son of God” (7:3). Only of the incarnate Son can it be said that He had a mother, a birth and a genealogy (in fact, two!). 7:9 “And, so to speak, even Levi, receiving tithes, . . .” The author prefaces his next remark with the phrase “so to speak,” in order to make his point among those who might not universally accept the Hebrew notion of corporate personality. 7:9 “ . . . has paid a tithe in Abraham, . . .” Just as “all in Adam sinned,” our author says “all in Abraham tithed.” Note, contra the major English versions, the singular number of the passive verb. Levi paid a tithe in Abraham. 195 7:10 “ . . .for he was yet in the loins of the father when Melchizedek met him.” This is the essence of the Hebrew notion of corporate personality. The father’s behavior impacts, and is in some sense common to, his descendants, who are said to be “in” him. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS No new ethical or theological teaching in this pericope. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 7:4 Now observe how great this priest was, even as Abraham the patriarch did when he gave him the best tenth of the spoils. 5 On the one hand, even those of the sons of Levi who received the priesthood are commanded to take tithes of the people according to the law, from their own brothers, although they, too, are descendants of Abraham. 6 On the other hand, the One not being related to any of them has received tithes from Abraham, and has blessed the one who had already received God’s promises. 7 Now without question, the one who receives the blessing is inferior to the one giving the blessing. 8 And here, on the one hand, the tithe is collected by men who die, but there, on the other hand, it was collected by one who it is declared to be alive. 9 And it may even be said that Levi, who collects tithes, has yet paid a tithe through Abraham, 10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loins of his ancestor. 196 TWENTY FOURTH PERICOPE (Heb 7:11-14) 7.11 Eij meVn ou\n teleivwsi" diaV th'" Leuitikh'" iJerwsuvnh" h\n, oJ laoV" gaVr ejp' aujth'" nenomoqevthtai, tiv" e[ti creiva 1kataV thVn tavxin Melcisevdek e{teron ajnivstasqai 1iJereva kaiV ouj 1kataV thVn tavxin jAarwVn levgesqai; 12 metatiqemevnh" gaVr th'" iJerwsuvnh" ejx ajnavgkh" kaiV novmou metavqesi" givnetai. 13 ejf' o}n gaVr levgetai tau'ta fulh'" eJtevra" metevschken, ajf' h|" oujdeiV" prosevscen tw'/ qusiasthrivw/: 14 provdhlon gaVr o{ti ejx jIouvda ajnatevtalken oJ kuvrio" hJmw'n, eij" h}n fulhVn periV iJerevwn oujdeVn Mwu>sh'" ejlavlhsen. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 7:11 teleivwsi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular,from telei,wsij) a completing, perfecting; a. fulfilment, accomplishment; the event which verifies a promise (see teleio,w, 4): Luke 1:45 (Judith 10:9; Philo de vit. Moys. iii. sec. 39). b. consummation, perfection. [Thayer] “Perfection is always a relative word. An institution brings perfection when it effects the purpose for which it was instituted, and produces a result that corresponds to the idea of it.” [Dods, p. 311] 7:11 nenomoqevthtai, (verb, perfect, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from nomoqete,w) to make law, Plat., Xen., etc.:-Med. to make laws for oneself, frame laws, Plat. II. trans. to ordain by law, ti Id., etc.: Pass., impers., peri. tau/ta ou[tw sfi nenomoqe,thtai it hath been so ordained by law. [Liddell- Scott] 7:11 creiva (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from crei,a) 1. need, necessity Lk 10:42; Hb 7:11. crei,an e;cein have need Mt 3:14; 6:8; Mk 11:3; Lk 19:31, 34; 1 Cor 12:21, 24; Hb 5:12; 10:36. 2. need, lack, want, difficulty crei,an e;cein be in need, lack something Mk 2:25; Ac 2:45; 4:35; Eph 4:28; Rv 3:17. In other expressions Ac 20:34; Ro 12:13; Phil 4:16, 19. 3. the thing that is necessary Eph 4:29. 4. office, duty, service Ac 6:3. 7:12 metatiqemevnh" (verb, participle, present, passive, genitive, feminine, singular, from metati,qhmi) change (the position of) 1. lit. bring back Ac 7:16. Be taken up, translated Hb 11:5. 2. nonliterally change, alter Hb 7:12. Pervert Jd 4. Mid. turn away Gal 1:6. [English derivative: metathesis] 7:12 ajnavgkh" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from avna,gkh) 1. necessity Hb 7:12; compulsion, 197 pressure 2 Cor 9:7. av) e;cw I must Lk 14:18. av) with evsti,n understood = it is necessary, one must Hb 9:16, 23. 2. distress, calamity Lk 21:23; 1 Cor 7:26. 7:12 metavqesi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from meta,qesij) 1. a transfer: from one place to another (Diodorus 1, 23); ti,noj (genitive of the object), the translation of a person to heaven, Heb. 11:5. 2. change (of things instituted or established, as i`erwsu,nhj, no,mou): Heb. [English derivative: metathesis] 7:13 metevschken (verb, perfect, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from mete,cw) share (in), have a share (of), participate (in) w. gen. 1 Cor 10:21; Hb 2:14; belong to 7:13. Eat, drink, enjoy 1 Cor 9:10, 12; 10:17, 30; Hb 5:13. Have Lk 1:34 7:13 prosevscen (verb, perfect, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from prose,cw) 1. act. turn one’s mind to, a. pay attention to, give heed to, follow w dat. Ac 8:6, 10f; 16:14; 1 Ti 1:4; 4:1; Tit 1:14; Hb 2:1; 2 Pt 1:19, b. be concerned about, care for, pay attention to w. dat. Ac 20:28. prose,cein e`autw|/ be careful, be on one’s guard Lk 12:1; 17:3; Ac 5:35; cf. Mt 7:15; 10:17, c. occupy oneself with, devote or apply oneself to w. dat. 1 Ti 4:13; Hb 7:13; be addicted 1 Ti 3:8. 2. mid. cling to w. dat. 1 Ti 6:3 7:13 qusiasthrivw (noun, dative, neuter, singular, from qusiasth,rion) (neuter of the adjective qusiasthrioj (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 96 (91)), and this from qusia,zw to sacrifice), a word found only in Philo (e. g. vita Moys. iii. sec. 10, cf. sec. 7; Josephus, Antiquities 8, 4, 1) and the Biblical and ecclesiastical writings; the Septuagint times without number for x:Bez>mi; properly, an altar for the slaying and burning of victims; used of: 1. the altar of whole burnt-offerings which stood in the court of the priests in the temple at Jerusalem (B. D. under the word Altar): Matt. 5:23f; Matt. 23:18-20,35; Luke 11:51; 1 Cor. 9:13; 10:18; Heb. 7:13; Rev. 11:1. 2. the altar of incense, which stood in the sanctuary or Holy place (B. D. as above): to, qusiasth,rion tou/ qumia,matoj, Luke 1:11 (Exo. 30:1); (symbolically) in Heaven: Rev. 6:9; 8:3,5; 9:13; 14:18; 16:7. 3. any other altar, James 2:21; plural Rom. 11:3; metaphorically, the cross on which Christ suffered an expiatory death: to eat of this altar i. e. to appropriate to oneself the fruits of Christ’s expiatory death, Heb. 13:10. [Thayer] 7:14 provdhlon (adjective, nominative, neuter, singular,from pro,dhloj) clear, evident, known to all 1 Ti 5:24f; Hb 7:14. 7:14 ajnatevtalken (verb,perfect, active, indicative, 3rd,singular, from avnate,llw) 1. cause to rise Mt 5:45.—2. intrans. spring up, rise Mt 13:6; Mk 16:2; 2 Pt 1:19; dawn Mt 4:16. Come up Lk 12:54. Be descended Hb 7:14. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 198 7:13 Note: prosevscen and prosevscen are aoristic perfects. The continuing results are not in view. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 7:11 If indeed, then, perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for the people received the law by it), what need remained that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For a transfer of the priesthood of necessity makes a change of law also. 13 For these things are spoken of Him who belonged to another tribe, of which no man attended to the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord descended from Judah, of which tribe, Moses said nothing of priests. F. EXPOSITION 7:11 “If indeed, then, perfection was through the Levitical priesthood . . .” This Is a. subordinate clause, called the antecedent of a conditional statement, and grammatically known as the protasis (P in a statement of the form “if P then Q”). It sets out a condition under which the following (main) clause, is to exist or to arise. The word “Levitical” apparently was coined by the author of Hebrews, for it is found nowhere else, even as late as the early post-apostolic writers. Nor is it to be found in Philo. Its use, instead of the more usual term “Aaronic” is used in order to set up the contrast with the tribe of Judah. The word “priesthood” is rare in the LXX and in th New Testament occurs only in this chapter (vv. 12 and 24) It refers to the abstract notion of the priestly offices rather than to the body of priests themselves, or to the actual services of the priests. 7:11 “ . . . (for the people received the law by it) . . .” is a parenthetical statement having nothing to do with the logic of this statement, but pointing ahead to a future conclusion to be dealt with later. It is difficult to translate this clause because the word translated “received the law” is best understood as “being ruled over by the Levitical Law,” or “being governed by the Levitical Law.” The most accurate translations are awkward or ambiguous. 7:11 “ . . . what need remained that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek . . .” Here is the main clause, (logically the consequent, grammatically the apodosis). Normally the conditional statement is followed by another conditional statement or a categorical statement, leading to a conclusion. The truth of the conclusion, in the latter case, may be determined either by affirming 199 the antecedent (protasis) or by denying the consequent (apodosis). But when the consequent is stated as a question, the categorical premise is not stated, but assumed. Normally, in logical discourse, the argument would be as follows: 1. If perfection came by the Levitical priesthood, 2. Then there would have been no need for a different sort of priest. 3. But there was a need for a different sort of priest, 4. Therefore, perfection did not come by the Levitical priesthood. This denies the consequent (the logical form known as modus tollens). Here, however, the negative response is assumed in the consequent, or apodosis. The expected answer to the question “what need remained that another sort of priest?” is “none.” 7:11 “ . . . and not be called after the order of Aaron?” That is, if there had not been a need for another sort of priest, the only priests necessary would be called from the Tribe of Levi. 7:12 “For a transfer of the priesthood . . .” This takes up the argument begun in the parenthetical statement of verse 11 concerning the reception and governance of the people by the Levitical Law. Having established the need for another sort of Priest (and therefore of another sort of priesthood), a transfer of authority and dignity was assumed. 7:12 “ . . . of necessity makes a change of law also.” But when such a transfer of authority and dignity is made from one priesthood to another, the governing principles must also change. Even If the old Law is not completely abandoned in favor of an entirely new system, at the very least, the Law will change in the way it is applied. 7:13 “For these things are spoken of Him who belonged to another tribe, . . .” Here, the author applies the general logic of verses 11 and 12 specifically to the person of Jesus. For He was not of the tribe of Levi. 7:13 “ . . . of which no man attended to the altar.” That is, none but a Levitical priest could perform any of the priestly offices, whether offering sacrifices, or tending to the upkeep of the temple. The perfect tense of “belonged,” and “attended” are instructive, for while the continuing results of these past actions are not in view here, the historical certainty they connote are not to be denied. The notion of “attending to the altar” recalls the devotion to, or being set apart for, divine service of the Aaronic lineage. 7:14 “For it is evident that our Lord descended from Judah, . . .” Regardless of which genealogy one chooses, Jesus was of the tribe of Judah, and thus prohibited from performing the duties of a Levitical priest. Hence, His sacrifice of Himself on our behalf was a transaction wholly between Himself and God. This is the first verse in this chapter in which the application of the prophecy of Psalm 110:4 is explicitly predicated of Jesus, despite the fact that the term “our Lord” does not include His name. 200 7:14 “ . . . of which tribe, Moses said nothing of priests.” Because the Pentateuch was clear and unambiguous concerning who could officiate at the temple, and that did not include any from the tribe of Judah. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The assumption is that the Law was to assist in bringing men to perfection, or at least to show (in negative terms) what perfection would look like. The inclusion of sacrifices for sin assumed that even the presence of the Law would not make men holy (for the object of Divine Law could have no other objective), or perfect, and thus that the Law pointed to something beyond itself. This is not only clear from the allegorical significance of the Law itself, but the allegory itself rests upon a priesthood established prior to the Levitical. The promise of a new covenant is conditioned by the fact that the Aaronic priesthood and Levitical Law could not produce what it pointed toward. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL It must ever be a cause of profound thankfulness that we now have an eternal priest and intercessor before the eternal altar of God. As we shall see, the Author soon will make this very point. I. PARAPHRASE 7:11 Now if the attainment of moral perfection were possible through the offices of the Levitical priesthood (for the people were governed by the Law that established that priesthood), why would there ever be a need for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek and not be called after the traditional order of Aaron? 12 For the transfer of the authority and dignity of the priesthood necessarily brings about a change of law also. 13 For these things are spoken of Him who was descended from another tribe, no member of which ever attended at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, in regard to which tribe, Moses mentioned nothing pertaining to priests. 201 TWENTY FIFTH PERICOPE (Heb 7:15-19) 7.15 kaiV perissovteron e[ti katavdhlovn ejstin, eij 1kataV thVn oJmoiovthta 1Melcisevdek ajnivstatai 1iJereuVs e{tero", 16 o}" ouj kataV novmon ejntolh'" sarkivnh" gevgonen ajllaV kataV duvnamin zwh'" ajkataluvtou. 17 marturei'tai gaVr o{ti SuV iJereuV" eij" toVn aijw'na kataV thVn tavxin Melcisevdek. 18 ajqevthsi" meVn gaVr givnetai proagouvsh" ejntolh'" diaV toV aujth'" ajsqeneV" kaiV ajnwfelev". 19 oujdeVn gaVr ejteleiwsen oJ novmo", ejpeisagwghV deV kreivttono" ejlpivdo", di' h|" ejggivzomen tw'/ qew'/. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 7:15 perissovteron (adverb) exceeding the usual number or size. 1. extraordinary, remarkable Mt 5:47. to. perisso,n the advantage Ro 3:1. 2. abundant, profuse J 10:10. Superfluous, unnecessary 2 Cor 9:1. 3. in the comparative sense to. perisso.n tou,twn whatever is more than this Mt 5:37.—evk perissou/ extremely 7:15 katavdhlovn (adjective, nominative, neuter, singular, from kata,dhloj) very clear, quite plain. 7:15 oJmoiovthta (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from o`moio,thj) likeness, similarity kaqV o`moio,thta in (quite) the same way 7:15 ajnivstatai (verb, indicative, present, middle, 3rd, singular from avni,sthmi) 1. trans. raise, erect, raise up Ac 9:41. Of the dead raise (up), bring to life J 6:39f; Ac 2:24; 13:34. In the sense cause to appear or to be born Mt 22:24; Ac 3:22. 2. intr. (2 aor. and all mid. forms) rise, stand up, get up Mt 26:62; Lk 11:7f; rise from the dead Mk 9:10, 31; 1 Th 4:16. Short for stand up and go Mk 14:60; Lk 4:38. In the sense appear, come Mt 12:41; Hb 7:11, 15. Weakened to set out, get ready Mk 2:14; Lk 1:39; Ac 8:26; 10:20. [Engglish derivative: anastatic, printed from plates in relief. 7:16 sarkivnh" (adjective, genitive, feminine, singular, from sa,rkinoj) 1. fleshy, (made) of flesh 2 Cor 3:3. 2. fleshly, belonging to the realm of the flesh, i.e. weak, sinful, transitory Ro 7:14; 1 Cor 3:1; Hb 7:16; 2 Cor 1:12. 7:16 ajkataluvtou (adjective, genitive, feminine, singular, from avkata,lutoj) indestructible, 202 indissoluble, hence endless Hb 7:16.[English derivative: -kata,lutoj, catalytic] 7:18 ajqevthsi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from avqe,thsij) annulment technical legal term Hb 7:18; removal 9:26. F.F. Bruce points out that this word is stronger than metavqesi" from verse 12. The latter word is used in Mark 7:9 of those who “set aside the commandment of God, meaning “to reject.” Here, the commandment is ignored, not expunged. The word used here, ajqevthsi", is again found in Hebrews 9:26 of the cancellation of sin. 7:18 proagouvsh" (verb, participle, present, active, genitive, feminine, singular, from proa,gw) 1. trans. lead forward, lead or bring out Ac 12:6; 16:30; 17:5; 25:26. 2. intrans. go before, lead the way, precede. a. in space Mt 2:9; Mk 11:9; walk ahead of Mk 10:32. b. in time go or come before Mt 14:22; Mk 6:45; 14:28; 1 Ti 1:18; 5:24; Hb 7:18; get in before Mt 21:31. 7:18 ajsqeneV" (adjective, normal, accusative, neuter, singular, from avsqenh,j) weak. Bodily sick, ill Lk 10:9; Ac 4:9; 1 Cor 11:30. Gener. weak Mk 14:38; 1 Pt 3:7; = unimpressive 2 Cor 10:10. Fig. Ro 5:6; 1 Cor 1:25, 27; 4:10; 9:22; Hb 7:18. 7:18 ajnwfelev" (adjective, normal, accusative, neuter, singular, from avnwfelh,j) useless to. av) uselessness Hb 7:18; harmful Tit 3:9. 7:19 ejpeisagwgh (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, rom evpeisagwgh,) bringing in, introduction Hb 7:19. 7:19 ejggivzomen (verb, indicative, present, active, 1st, plural, from evggi,zw)come near, approach Mt 21:1; 26:45; Mk 1:15; Lk 7:12; 10:9, 11; 18:35; Ac 9:3; Ro 13:12; draw near Hb 7:19; come close Phil 2:30. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 203 7:15 And it is yet more abundantly evident if another priest arises after the similitude of Melchizedek, 16 who came not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17 For He testifies that “you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. 18 For, on the one hand, there comes an annulment of the foregoing commandment on account of its weakness an uselessness, 19 because the Law perfected (fulfilled) nothing; on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope did, through which we draw near to God. F. EXPOSITION 7:15 “And it is yet more abundantly evident . . .” In speaking of Jesus as the unusual priest, verse 14 states that “it is evident that our Lord descended from Judah.” The author furthers that argument here by stressing another fact. It is evident in the first case (v. 14) but it is even “more evident after our second consideration, i.e., 7:15 “ . . . if another priest arises after the similitude of Melchizedek, . . .” The argument contains two differences, the difference of the priesthood, and the concomitant difference in the Law. In verse 14 “it was evident” that these things were predicated of Jesus. Here, “it is more evident” if one not from the tribe of Judah “should arise” who is “after the order of Melchizedek.” It was evident that Jesus, having sacrificed Himself, and now sitting at the right hand of God, was a priest. It is even more evident if such a person is designated as being “after the similitude of MelchiZedek.” 7:16 “ . . . who came not according to the law of a carnal commandment, . . .” The “new” priest did not arise according to the Levitical succession. That is, Jesus was, indeed, a priest from another tribe, not from the tribe of Levi, from whom all regularly appointed priests arose, The Levites were priests according to the Law, or by “carnal commandment.” 7:16 “ . . . but according to the power of an indestructible life.” He was a priest on the basis of an indestructible life, consistent with the record of Melchizedek. There are two major contrasts in v. 16. The first is between law and power. Here the contrast lies in the difference between behavioral constraint and inward motivation. The second great contrast is between the command of flesh, and an endless, indestructible, life. The “command of flesh” is called forth by circumstances, and is by nature changeable, while the “endless, indestructible life” is a constant and remains changeless. The command of the flesh, which characterized the traditional law and priesthood, was concerned with the outward appearance, It was concerned with the appearances of descent, purity and perfection. No purely moral component was to be found in such a system. On the other hand, the endless life is characterized by divine life, which is moral through and through. “The term itself ‘indestructible’ used in the place of ‘eternal,’ directs the thought to the death of Jesus which might naturally seem to have threatened it with destruction. His survival of death was needful to the fulfillment of His functions as priest (see verse 25). The meaning and reference of the term is brought out by the contrast of verse 28 between ‘men who have weaknesses’” and the 204 indestructible life of Jesus. “‘Unquestionably that which enables the Son to be Messianic King and High Priest of man is his rank as Son. But it is true on the other hand that it is as Son come in the flesh that He is King and Priest. And the expression ‘hath become priest’ (verse 16) points to a historical event. It is, therefore, probable that in indissoluble life is attributed to Him not in general as the eternal Son, but as the Son made man.’” [Dods, p. 313, emphasis added] 7:17 “For He testifies that ‘you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek’.” That is, “you, who are of another tribe than Levi, are yet a priest forever, after the order of [the ever living] Melchizedek. Hence, both prerequisites are met in the Priest-King Messiah. 7:18 “For, on the one hand, there comes an annulment of the foregoing commandment . . .” This being the case, and because where the priesthood changes so does the Law, we cannot but conclude that the preceding Law must suffer some form of annulment, abrogation, or repeal after the new priest has arisen. It is important to notice that the Mosaic Covenant is never renounced, repealed, or disestablished. It has been superseded, and its penalties and pronouncements have been vacated. A similar condition could easily result from a congressional law that defines the Human foetus as a human being. If this happens, there will be no need to again make abortion illegal, because the foetus will no longer fall under the category susceptible to abortion, but will be granted rights as human beings, including Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, without interference by others. The 1972 law making abortion on demand legal will simply wither away for lack of use, because we will then live in another moral economy. Legal abortion will simply be vacated because the category to which it applies has become empty. There will no longer be any human entities that can be legally aborted by definition. 7:18 “ . . . on account of its weakness an uselessness, . . .” This is because afer so much theology and so many years of observance, the Law was, at length, fully recognized to be deficient, or “weak” and “useless.” Law is powerless to help the sinner. It is unable to inspire to strength or to aid the conscience. “The law made beginnings, hinted, foreshadowed, but brought nothing to perfection, did not in itself provide for man’s perfect entrance into God’s fellowship.” [Dods, p. 314] The neuter article places the notion associated with it, here the law, in the abstract, thus including law both in principle and specifically the Levitical Llaw. 7:19 “ . . . because the Law perfected (fulfilled) nothing . . .” This “weakness and uselessness” of the Law is plainly evident in the fact that nothing was ever perfected by it. Men sinned, offered sacrifices, and sinned again, without ever realizing a higher plain of existence, or receiving from it a sense of righteousness before God. God was, and remained a God in the distance, a deity obsessed with righteousness, but never satisfied with the unsatisfactory. 205 7:19 “ . . . on the other hand, the introduction of a better hope did, . . .” But the introduction of righteousness in the person of the High Priest “after the order of Melchizedek” does, in fact, introduce just such a hope. 7:19 “ . . . through which we draw near to God.” It is precisely through this hope that people may now draw near to God in confidence. This “new hope” is what the new priest provided. The old Law, is therefore, recognized as existentially bankrupt, even where it is morally instructive. The obvious distinction between the old order and the new is that in the old order. The command is issued against behavior in time, of the flesh within the earthly realm, whereas the ability to draw near to God associates us with the divine and eternal, both in behavior and in our being. Concerning the word translated “draw near” probably was chosen because the author’s “purpose was not to exhibit Jesus as negotiating the covenant, but especially is securing that it should achieve its end.” [Dods, p. 315] G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS We have seen that the Levitical priesthood was transitory, because it’s inability to bring anything to perfection was clear. In 7:11-14 this is further shown in that another priesthood was promised at the time when the Levitical was still in force. Here, we are shown that the new priesthood differs radically from the Levitical priesthood, being of a different kind altogether. Its character is not legal but spiritual,, not transitory but permanent not merely sacred, but Royal. Nor was it ruled by a succession of priests, but by the one priest who now sits at God’s right hand. Law is powerless to change the heart of man or win justification before God; it is simply useless for these purposes. Paul says that “by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified” (Romans 3:20). Indeed, “the Law worketh wrath (Romans 4:15). Only the new hope, to be found in God’s Son allows us to be heirs with Abraham and to draw near to God. Paul reminds his Roman readers that “what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh . . . .” (Romans 8:3) H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL We are children of hope. Let us marvel at that truth and not seek to be enmeshed in law. I. PARAPHRASE 7:15 And it is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who came not 206 according to the carnal commandment of the Levitical Law, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17 For He testifies that “you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For in the case of the old Law there comes a repeal on account of its weakness an uselessness, 19 because the Law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, the subsequent introduction of a better hope did, and through this hope we draw near to God. 207 TWENTY SIXTH PERICOPE (Heb 7:20-25) 7:20 KaiV kaq' o{son ouj cwriV" oJrkwmosiva", oiJ meVn gaVr cwriV" oJrkwmosiva" eijsiVn iJerei'" gegonovte", 21 oJ deV metaV oJrkwmosiva" diaV tou' levgonto" proV" aujtovn, [Wmosen kuvrio", kaiV ouj metamelhqhvsetai, SuV iJereuV" eij" toVn aijw'na, 22 kataV tosou'to kaiV kreivttono" diaqhvkh" gevgonen e[gguo" jIhsou'". 23 kaiV oiJ meVn pleivonev" eijsin gegonovte" iJerei'" diaV toV qanavtw/ kwluvesqai paramevnein: 24 oJ deV diaV toV mevnein aujtoVn eij" toVn aijw'na ajparavbaton e[cei thVn iJerwsuvnhn: 25 o{qen kaiV swv/zein eij" toV panteleV" duvnatai touV" prosercomevnou" di' aujtou' tw'/ qew'/, pavntote zw'n eij" toV ejntugcavnein uJpeVr aujtw'n. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 7:21 The Textus Receptus, and with it the King James Version, read “ . . . you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,” adding the phrase “after the order of Melchizedek.” This reading may have been a copyists error, or, more likely, a scribal modification to correspond to verse. 17. I have found no early papyrus with this reading, and nothing at all before 325 AD. Virtually all major versions after the King James omits the clause “after the order of Melchizedek.” B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 7:20 oJrkwmosiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from o`rkwmosi,a) affirmation made on oath, the taking of an oath, an oath: Heb. 7:20(21),21,28. (Ezek. 17:18; 1 Esdr. 8:90 (92); Josephus, Antiquities 16, 6, 2. [Thayer] 7:21 metamelhqhvsetai (verb, future, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from metame,lomai) regret, repent Mt 21:29, 32; 27:3; 2 Cor 7:8; Hb 7:21. 7:22 diaqhvkh" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from diaqh,kh) 1. last will and testament Gal 3:15; Hb 9:16f. Gal 3:17 shades into sense 2.2. in a transferred sense, with emphasis on binding character, covenant only in the sense of a declaration of (God’s) will or decree in which God alone sets the conditions, not an agreement between equals. Covenant Lk 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25; 2 Cor 3:6, 14; Gal 4:24; Hb 8:8; 9:4, 15; declaration of will Lk 1:72; Ac 3:25; Ro 11:27; ordinance Ac 7:8; decree, assurance Ro 9:4; Eph 2:12. 7:22 e[gguo" (adjective, normal, nominative, masculine, singular, e;gguoj) as noun o` e;) guarantee Hb 7:22. 208 7:23 kwluvesqai (verb, infinitive, present, passive, from kwlu,w) 1. hinder, prevent, forbid Mt 19:14; Mk 9:38f; Lk 9:49f; Ac 8:36; 11:17; 27:43; Ro 1:13; 1 Cor 14:39; 1 Th 2:16; 2 Pt 2:16. 2. refuse, deny, withhold, keep back Lk 6:29; Ac 10:47. 7:23 paramevnein (verb, infinitive, present, active, from parame,nw) to stay beside or near, stand by another, c. dat., Il., Ar.; para, tini Aeschin.:-of slaves, to remain faithful, Plat.; hence Parme,nwn, Trusty, as a slave’s name, Menand. II. absol. to stand one’s ground, stand fast, Il., Hdt., Att.; to remain with the army, Thuc. 2. to stay at a place, stay behind or at home, Hdt. 3. to survive, remain alive, Id. 4. of things, to endure, last, Eur., Xen. [Liddell-Scott] 7:25 prosercomevnou" (verb, participle, present, middle, accusative, masculine, plural, from prose,rcoma) come or go to, approach 1. lit. Mt 4:3, 11; 5:1; 9:14; 24:1; Mk 6:35; Lk 23:52; J. 12:21; Ac 9:1; Hb 12:18, 22. 2. fig. a. of coming to a deity Hb 4:16; 7:25; 10:1, 22; 11:6; 1 Pt. 2:4. b. agree with, accede to 1 Ti 6:3. 7:25 ejntugcavnein (verb, infinitive, present, active, from evntugca,nw) in act. sense:-to light upon, fall in with, meet with a person or thing, c. dat., Hdt., etc.:-absol., o` evntucw,n the first who meets us, any chance person, Thuc.; of thunder, to fall upon, c. dat., Xen.; so of misfortunes, Aesch. 2. rarely, like tugca,nw c. gen., lelume,nhj th/j gefu,rhj evntuco,ntej having found the bridge broken up, Hdt.; evntucw.n VAsklhpidw/n having fallen in with them, Soph. II. to converse with, talk to, tini, Plat. 2. to intercede with, intreat, tini, N. T., Plut.:-c. inf. to intreat one to do, Id. III. of books, to meet with, Plat.: hence, to read, Luc. [Liddell-Scott] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 7:23 and 24 Note the use of infinitives used as objects of prepositions. 7:25 Note the infinitive used as the object of the finite verb. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 7:20 And that inasmuch as not without an oath. (For on the one hand, they are become priests without an oath, 21 but on the other hand, He is a priest with an oath through the One saying to Him “the Lord swore and will not repent, you are a priest forever.”) 22 By so much Jesus became the surety [guarantee] of a better covenant. 23 And on the one hand, many were those becoming priests because of being prevented by death from remaining, 24 but on the other hand, that One, because 209 He remains forever, has a permanent priesthood; 25 hence, also, He is able to save to the uttermost those coming to God through Him, living forever to make intercession for them. F. EXPOSITION 7:20 “and that . . .” refers to the entire preceding pericope, most specifically to the clause in 7:17, “you are a Priest forever,” but including the attendant circumstances. The Greek literally reads “and according to inasmuch . . .”, beyond smooth English. 7:20 “inasmuch as not without an oath.” That is, all the antecedent facts are based upon the oath sworn by God to the Priest “after the order of Melchizedek.” 7:20 “(For on the one hand, they are become priests without an oath, . . .” speaking of the many, many priests that filled the history of Israel from the time of Moses. Year upon year, and century on century, Israel witnessed the biological succession of a seemingly endless parade of priests come and go as one generation died and another took its place. 7:21 “ . . . but on the other hand, He is a priest with an oath . . .” and here speaking of the single Priest appointed with an accompanying oath. It should be noted that God swore to Abraham, and He swore to Melchizedek’s successor. The first oath was for of land and descendants, while the second was for an eternal priesthood. The readers could not have missed the significance, for their very existence proved that God ha honored His promise to Abraham, and were now forced to the realization that the same God had equally sworn to His Son. The problem was getting the readers to understand that both promises were now fulfilled, and that to retreat from the latter made no more sense than to deny the former, whose fulfillment they were. 7:21 “ . . . through the One saying to Him ‘the Lord swore and will not repent, you are a priest forever’.”) God promised an eternal priesthood to the One now at His right hand. The priesthood did not vanish because the Priest was no longer before them. 7:22 “By so much Jesus became the surety [guarantee] of a better covenant.” The phrase “by so much,” refers back to verse 20, before the parenthetical verse 21. The thought is as follows: inasmuch as the previously mentioned eternal priesthood was not established without an oath by God v. 20), by just so much was that promised priest the surety, or guarantee of a better covenant. 7:23 “And on the one hand, many were those becoming priests . . .” Another contrast is begun. First, the long parade of dying priests, that had mediated a covenant and law that made nothing perfect were legion. And their numbers were insufficient, because they were under the same inadequate covenant that the people were under. 7:23 “ . . . because of being prevented by death from remaining, . . .” Even had they been able to become better with time, and become exceptionally holy men, they were prevented from ever 210 becoming more than merely shadowy priests in a shadowy sanctuary, administering an ineffective, and therefore imperfect, covenant. 7:24 “ . . . but on the other hand, that One, . . .” But by contrast, there was the One Priest who lived forever, was perfect from eternity, learned obedience as a human being, and who now sits at God’s right hand. 7:24 “ . . . because He remains forever, has a permanent priesthood; . . .” recalls the promise of an eternal priesthood based upon an eternal life. 7:25 “ . . . hence, also, He is able to save to the uttermost . . .” Because He lives forever, and presides over a new, perfect covenant in the true sanctuary at God’s right hand, He is able to save to the highest extent, for the longest possible duration and with the widest application. 7:25 “ . . . those coming to God through Him, . . .” This He provides to those who come to God through Him. This does not imply either that men actually seek the living go on their own, or that there are other avenues of approach open to them. It means only that the path to God is through the Eternal Priest. “No man comes to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6) 7:25 “ . . . living forever to make intercession for them.” This so because He lives forever. There is no circumstance that can arise now, or in eternity, that cannot be adjudicated by the eternal High Priest. All men, from all times, may find refuge in the Eternal High Priest. In the Gospel of John, the Greek from which we get the word paraclete is translated “comforter,” and refers to the Holy Spirit. But in I John 2:1 it is translated “advocate,” and is used of the risen Christ. There, He performs much as a High Priest, interceding for sinners. The notion inherent in the word paraclete is that of “one called along side of,” or “one called to one’s side.” In ancient Greece this was often a person who acted as a defense attorney. He was the accused’s defender, and spoke on his behalf. This (with the sacrificial role played by Christ) is precisely what the High Priest does. He intercedes before God on behalf of His sinful brethren. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS No new ethical or theological teaching in this pericope. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 211 7:20 And all that did not come about without an oath. (For on the one hand, all those they have become priests without an oath, 21 but on the other hand, He is a priest with an oath through the One saying to Him “the Lord swore and will not repent, you are a priest forever.”) 22 By just so much Jesus became the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 And on the one hand, many were those becoming priests because of being prevented by death from remaining, 24 but on the other hand, that One, because He remains forever, has a permanent priesthood; 25 hence, also, living forever to make intercession for them, He is able to save to the uttermost those coming to God through Him,. 212 TWENTY SEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 7:26-28) 7.26 Toiou'to" gaVr hJmi'n kaiV e[prepen ajrciereuv", o{sio", a[kako", ajmivanto", kecwrismevno" ajpoV tw'n aJmartwlw'n, kaiV uJyhlovtero" tw'n oujranw'n genovmeno": 27 o}" oujk e[cei kaq' hJmevran ajnavgkhn, w{sper oiJ ajrcierei'", provteron uJpeVr tw'n ijdivwn aJmartiw'n qusiva" ajnafevrein, e[peita tw'n tou' laou': tou'to gaVr ejpoivhsen ejfavpax eJautoVn ajnenevgka". 28 oJ novmo" gaVr ajnqrwvpou" kaqivsthsin ajrcierei'" e[conta" ajsqevneian, oJ lovgo" deV th'" oJrkwmosiva" th'" metaV toVn novmon uiJoVn eij" toVn aijw'na teteleiwmevnon. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 7:26 o{sio" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular, from o[sio) devout, pleasing to God, holy 1 Ti 2:8; Tit 1:8. Of God or Christ holy Ac 2:27; 13:35; Hb 7:26; Rv 15:4; 16:5. ta. o[sia divine decrees Ac 13:34. 7:26 a[kako" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular, from a;kakoj) innocent, blameless Hb 7:26; unsuspecting Ro 16:18. 7:26 ajmivanto" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular,from avmi,antoj) “not defiled, unsoiled; free from that by which the nature of a thing is deformed and debased, or its force and vigor impaired”: kai,th pure, free from adultery, Heb. 13:4; klhronomi,a (without defect), 1 Pet. 1:4; qrhskei,a, James 1:27; pure from sin, Heb. 7:26. (Also in the Greek writings; in an ethical sense, Plato, legg. 6, p. 777 e.; Plutarch, Periel. e. 39 bi,oj kaqaro,j kai, avmi,antoj.). [Thayer] 7:26 kecwrismevno" (participle, perfect, passive, nominative, masculine, singular, from cwri,zw) 1. act. divide, separate Mt 19:6; Mk 10:9; Ro 8:35, 39 2. pass. separate (oneself), be separated of divorce 1 Cor 7:10f, 15. Be taken away, take one’s departure, go away Ac 1:4; 18:1f; Phlm 15. In Hb 7:26 kecwrisme,noj means not only that Christ is separated from sinful people but that he is also different from them. 7:26 uJyhlovtero" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular, comparative, from u`yhlo,j) high; lofty; a. properly, of place: o;roj, Matt. 4:8; 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 4:5 R G L brackets; Rev. 21:10; tei/coj, Rev. 21:12; neuter ta, u`yhla, (the heights of heaven; the Septuagint for ~Arm', Ps. 92:4 (Ps. 93:4); Ps. 112:5 (Ps. 113:5); Isa. 33:5; 57:15), heaven (A. V. on high; cf. Buttmann, sec. 124, 8 d.), Heb. 1:3; exalted on high: u`yhlo,teroj tw/n ouvranw/n (made higher than the heavens), of Christ 213 raised to the right hand of God, Heb. 7:26 (cf. Eph. 4:10); meta, braci,onoj u`yhlou/, with a high (uplifted) arm, i. e. with signal power, Acts 13:17 (the Septuagint often evn braci,oni u`yhlw/| for hy"Wjn> [:Arz>Bi, as in Exo. 6:6; Deut. 5:15). b. metaphorically, eminent, exulted: in influence and honor, Luke 16:15; u`yhla, fronei/n, to set the mind on, to seek, high things (as honors and riches), to be aspiring, Rom. 12:16; also Rom. 11:20 L marginal reading T Tr WH; 1 Tim. 6:17 T WH marginal reading; (Lucian, Icaromen. 11, Hermot. 5). [Thayer] 7:27 ajnavgkhn (noun, accusative, feminine, singular,from avna,gkh) 1. necessity Hb 7:12; compulsion, pressure 2 Cor 9:7. av) e;cw I must Lk 14:18. av) with evsti,n understood = it is necessary, one must Hb 9:16, 23. 2. distress, calamity Lk 21:23; 1 Cor 7:26. 7:27 ajnenevgka" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from avnafe,rw) 1. take or lead up Mk 9:2. 2. offer up (as) a sacrifice Hb 7:27; 1 Pt 2:5. 3. bear, assume (as of one who incurs danger) sins Hb 9:28 (cf. Is 53:12). 7:28 kaqivsthsin (verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from kaqi,sthmi) 1. bring, conduct, take Ac 17:15. 2. appoint, put in charge Mt 24:45, 47; Ac 6:3; authorize, appoint Lk 12:14; Ac 7:10, 27; Tit 1:5; Hb 5:1. 3. make, cause 2 Pt 1:8. Pass. be made, become Ro 5:19; Js 4:4. 7:28 ajsqevneian (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from avsqe,neia) want of strength, weakness, feebleness, sickliness, Hdt., Thuc., etc.; avsqe,neia bi,ou poverty, Hdt. 2. sickness, a disease, Thuc.; and avsqene,w . [Liddell-Scott] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 7:26 For such a high priest was fitting even for us, pious, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted higher than the heavens; 27 who has no daily necessity, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, then for those of the people, for he did this once for all having offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men high priests having infirmity, but the word of the oath which came after the law, appoints the Son, having been perfected forever. 214 F. EXPOSITION 7:26 “For such a high priest was fitting even for us,. . .” continues the thought of the previous verses, where the priesthood of Jesus is contrasted with that of the many aaronic priests who served successively for generations. The thought now is that such a priest exists in the person of Jesus, ut that it is “fitting.” That is, His priesthood is perfectly adapted to meet human needs. 7:26 “ . . . pious, innocent, undefiled, . . .” i.e., “holy, pious, or devout.” The selection of the word “pious” stems from the fact that the primary meaning of holy is separated, a concept with which the author will deal in the next clause. There is no inner overlap with the words selected. “Pious” deals with His inner character, innocent His moral status, and undefiled His freedom from moral debasement from outside himself. These three epithets describe Him in His character as personally holy, without guile in respect to men, and undefiled in spite of His close contact with the sinful world. 7:26 “ . . . separated from sinners, and exalted higher than the heavens; . . .” It has been noted that “because throughout his life Jesus was “famous,” he was “fit to appear before God. Cf. The stringent laws regarding uncleanness and blemish laid down for the Levitical priests in Leviticus 21:1, 22:9. And as the high priest in Israel was not permitted to go out of the sanctuary nor come near a dead body, though of his father or mother (Leviticus 21:11-12), and as the later law enjoined 87 days’ separation of the high priest before the day of atonement, . . . So our Lord fulfilled the symbolic isolation by being in the heart and life” XXX. If there is anything in the symbol, and the separation occurred before the sacrifices made, and as a preparation for it . . .. Being coordinate with the previous adjectives, . . .” it would seem “to refer to the result achieved by his earthly life with all its temptations by the seclusion of the high priest it was headed that before entering God’s presence the priest must be isolated from the contamination of human intercourse: there must be a period of quarantine; but our high priest has carried through all the confusion and turmoil and defilement and exasperation of life and absolute immunity from contagion or stain.” [Dods, p. 318] These last two clauses describe actual qualities that were descriptive of His life; He was separated from sinners in his behavior, and in His final disposition, He merited being raised far beyond the heavens. 7:27 “ . . . who has no daily necessity, as those high priests, . . .” Unlike “those” priests who have stood in contrast to Jesus for many verses, now, There is no need for him to enter the earthly temple at all; for He sits eternally in the heavenly temple. The emphasis on Melchizedek was to show the eternal priesthood of a universal, perfect priest. Little else can be gleened from Melchizedek. So the emphasis now shifts to the offices and sacrifices of the Aaronic priesthood, which in all other respects typify the priesthood of Christ. 7:27 “ . . . to offer up sacrifices, . . .” Nor is daily nor annual sacrifice or burnt offerings of any kind 215 any longer required; 7:27 “ . . . first for their own sins, then for those of the people, . . .” neither for His own sins (of which He has none) of for the sins of the people on behalf of whom He serves. 7:27 “ . . . for he did this once for all having offered up himself. Jesus offered up all the was necessary in the way of sacrifice once for all when He offered Himself on the cross, there to pay the eternal price for sinners. “Once for all” literally means all at once; He offered himself for all sins at one time, those past, and those yet to come. Wherever sin is visible, it has been paid for completely and forever. 7:28 “For the law appoints men high priests having infirmity, . . .” that is, the law (which we remember “makes nothing perfect,”(Hebrews 7:19) was the source of appointment to the priesthood. And such priests thus appointed were themselves sinners who had first to offer sacrifices for their own sins in order to make them ceremonially holy. But the fact remained that in reality, they were sinners just as others were. These infirmities include both the limitations of physcal nature and moral character. 7:28 “ . . . but the word of the oath which came after the law, . . .” that is, the oath, whenever it may have been spoken, was represented by David as still valid. David lived under the Law. Hence, the validity of the promise, resting on an oath, takes precedence over the law and its priesthood. 7:28 “ . . . appoints the Son, having been perfected forever.” The contrast is between “those high priests.” (V. 27) “having infirmities,” and that priest who is, and ever remains, pious, innocent and undefiled, and has no necessity to offer up sacrifices. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Note the striking contrast between the old economy and the new. The new economy surpasses the old in every way, so much so that it is the new way, or no way at all that a sinner might find access to God. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The possession of an eternal High Priest (who John calls our Advocate) who ever lives to make intercession for us, because He himself, is perfected forever, should be the occasion for our eternal rejoicing. Without Him, there is no door open to us through which we might approach God. And the only door through which God would ever approach man was eternally closed in Eden by Adam and Eve. 216 I. PARAPHRASE 7:26 For such a high priest was perfectly matched for us, devout, blameless, and untouched by sin, who is now separated from sinners, and raised higher than the heavens; 27 who has no daily need, as those high priests had, to offer sacrifices, first for their own sins, then for those of the people, for he did this once for all when He offered himself for sin. 28 For in the ld economy as the law appoints men high priests who themselves have weaknesses, but the word of the God’s oath (which came after the establishment of the Law), appoints the Son, having been perfected forever. 217 TWENTY EIGHTH PERICOPE (Heb 8:1-6) 8:1 Kefavlaion deV ejpiV toi'" legomevnoi", toiou'ton e[comen ajrciereva, o}" ejkavqisen ejn dexia'/ tou' qrovnou th'" megalwsuvnh" ejn toi'" oujranoi'", 2 tw'n aJgivwn leitourgoV" kaiV th'" skhnh'" th'" ajlhqinh'", h}n e[phxen oJ kuvrio", oujk a[nqrwpo". 3 pa'" gaVr ajrciereuV" eij" toV prosfevrein dw'rav te kaiV qusiva" kaqivstatai: o{qen ajnagkai'on e[cein ti kaiV tou'ton o} prosenevgkh/. 4 eij meVn ou\n h\n ejpiV gh'", oujd' j a]n h\n iJereuv", o[ntwn tw'n prosferovntwn kataV novmon taV dw'ra: 5 oi{tine" uJpodeivgmati kaiV skia'/ latreuvousin tw'n ejpouranivwn, kaqwV" kecrhmavtistai Mwu>sh'" mevllwn ejpitelei'n thVn skhnhvn, {Ora gavr, fhsivn, poihvsei" pavnta kataV toVn tuvpon toVn deicqevnta soi ejn tw'/ o[rei: 6 nuniV deV diaforwtevra" tevtucen leitourgiva", o{sw/ kaiV kreivttonov" ejstin diaqhvkh" mesivth", h{ti" ejpiV kreivttosin ejpaggelivai" nenomoqevthtai. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 8:1 Kefavlaion (noun, nominative, neuter, singular, from kefa,laion ) of the head: metaph., like Lat. capitalis, principal, Ar. II. as Subst., kefa,laion( to,, the head, Id. 2. the chief or main point, the sum of the matter, Pind., Thuc., etc.; evn kefalai,w|, or w`j evn kÅ( eivpei/n to speak summarily, Xen., etc.; evn kefalai,oij u`pomnh/sai( avpodei/xai( perilabei/n ti Thuc. 3. of persons, the head or chief, Luc. 4. of money, the capital, Lat. caput, Opp. to interest, Plat., etc.: the sum total, Dem. 5. the crown, completion of a thing, a crowning act of wrong, Id.; kÅ evpitiqe,nai evpi, tini, Lat. corollam imponere rei, Plat. Hence kefalaio,w [Liddell-Scott] 8:2 leitourgoV" (noun, nominative, masculine, singular, from leitourgo,j ) 1. servant, minister with special ref. to accountability before God Ro 13:6; 15:16; Hb 1:7; 8:2. 2. In Phil 2:25 the term l) refers to the role of Epaphroditus as personal aide to Paul. [English derivative: liturgist] 8:2 skhnh'" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from skhnh,) skhnh, h/j, h` tent, booth Mt 17:4; Mk 9:5; Lk 9:33; Hb 11:9. —The Tent of Testimony or Tabernacle Ac 7:44; Hb 8:2, 5; 9:11, 21; 13:10; Rv 15:5. The tabernacle consists of the Holy Place Hb 9:2, 6, 8 and the Holy of Holies 9:3, cf. 7. Of another sanctuary Ac 7:43. —Dwelling generally Lk 16:9; Ac 15:16; Rv 13:6; 21:3. [English derivative scene] 8:2 e[phxen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from ph,gnumi) 1 aorist e;phxa; from Homer down; to make fast, to fix; to fasten together, to build by fastening together: skhnh,n, Heb. 8:2 (A. 218 V. pitched). [Thayer] 8:3 kaqivstatai (verb, present, passive, indicative, 3rd. singular, from kaqi,sthmi) 1. bring, conduct, take Ac 17:15. 2. appoint, put in charge Mt 24:45, 47; Ac 6:3; authorize, appoint Lk 12:14; Ac 7:10, 27; Tit 1:5; Hb 5:1. 3. make, cause 2 Pt 1:8. Pass. be made, become Ro 5:19; Js 4:4. 8:3 ajnagkai'on (adjective normal nominative neuter singular no degree from avnagkai/oj) with or by force: I. act. constraining, applying force, Il.; h=mar avn. the day of constraint, i.e. slavery, Ib.;so, avnagkai,a tu,ch the lot of slavery, or a violent death, Soph.; tw/| th/j avrch/j avnagkai,w| by the compulsory nature of our rule, Thuc.; evx avnagkai,ou under compulsion, Id. 2. of arguments, forcible, cogent, Id. II. pass. constrained, forced, polemistai. avn. soldiers perforce, whether they will or no, Od. 2. necessary, avnagkai/o,n ÎevstiÐ, like avna,gkh evsti, c. inf., it is necessary to do a thing, Hdt., etc.; but, e;niai tw/n avpokri,sewn avnagkai/ai poiei/sqai necessarily requiring to be made, Plat. 3. ta. avnagkai/a necessary things, needs, as food, sleep, Id., Xen.; ta. evk qeou/ avn. the appointed order of things, laws of nature, Id. 4. absolutely necessary, indispensable, barely sufficient; avnÅ trofh, = h` kaqV h`me,ran, Thuc.; to. avnagkaio,taton u[yoj the least height that was absolutely necessary, Id.; h` avnagkaiota,th po,lij the least that could be called a city, Plat. 5. of persons, connected by necessary ties, i.e. related by blood, Id., etc.:- oi` avnagkai/oi, Lat. necessarii, kinsfolk, Xen., etc. III. Adv. &wj, necessarily, of necessity, perforce, avnagkai,wj e;cei it must be so, Hdt.; avnÅ fe,rein to bear as best one can, opp. to avndrei,wj, Thuc. 2. avnÅ le,gein only so far as is necessary, Plat. [Liddell-Scott] 8:5 uJpodeivgmati (noun, dative, neuter, singular, from u`po,deigma) 1. example, model, pattern J 13:15; Hb 4:11; Js 5:10; 2 Pt 2:6.—2. copy, imitation Hb 8:5; 9:23. 8:5 skia (noun, dative, feminine, singular, from skia, ) a. properly, shadow, i. e. shade caused by the interception of the light: Mark 4:32 (cf. Ezek. 17:23); Acts 5:15; skia, qana,tou, shadow of death (like umbra mortis, Ovid. metam. 5, 191, and umbra Erebi, Vergil Aen. 4, 26; 6, 404), `the densest darkness’ (because from of old Hades had been regarded as enveloped in thick darkness), tropically, the thick darkness of error (i. e. spiritual death; see qa,natoj, 1): Matt. 4:16; Luke 1:79 (from Isa. 9:1, where tw 8:5 kecrhmavtistai (verb, perfect, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from crhmati,zw) 1. of God impart a revelation or injunction or warning Mt 2:12, 22; Lk 2:26 and 26 v.l.; Ac 10:22; Hb 8:5; 11:7; 12:25. 2. bear a name, be called or named Ac 11:26; Ro 7:3. 8:5 ejpitelei'n (infinitive, present, active, from evpitele,w ) 1. end, finish Ro 15:28; 2 Cor 8:6, 11.—2. complete, perform, bring about 2 Cor 7:1; Hb 9:6; erect 8:5; lay upon 1 Pt 5:9. 219 8:5 tuvpon (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from tu,poj) 1. mark J 20:25. 2. image, statue Ac 7:43 3. form, figure, pattern, mold Ro 6:17; perh. content Ac 23:25. 4. (arche) type, pattern, model, design a. technically Ac 7:44; Hb 8:5. b. in the moral life example, pattern Phil 3:17; 1 Th 1:7; 2 Th 3:9; 1 Ti 4:12; Tit 2:7; 1 Pt 5:3.—5. the types given by God as an indication of the future Ro 5:14; 1 Cor 10:6, 11 v.l.* [-type, combining form, as in antitype, electrotype, prototype] 8:5 deicqevnta (participle, aorist, passive, accusative, masculine, singular, from dei,knumi) show, point out, make known Mt 8:4; Lk 22:12; J 14:8f; 1 Cor 12:31; Hb 8:5; Rv 1:1. Explain, prove Mt 16:21; Ac 10:28; Js 2:18. [English Derivatives: deictic, indicate] 8:6 diaforwtevra" (adjective, normal, genitive, feminine, singular, comparative, from dia,foroj) different Ro 12:6; Hb 9:10; outstanding, excellent 1:4; 8:6. 8:6 tevtucen (verb, perfect, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from tugcan, w) 1. meet, attain, gain, find, experience Lk 20:35; Ac 24:2; 26:22; 27:3; 2 Ti 2:10; Hb 8:6; 11:35. 2. intr. happen, turn out a. happen to be, find oneself Lk 10:30 v.l. b. eiv tu,coi if it should turn out that way, perhaps, probably 1 Cor 14:10; 15:37, c. tuco,n (acc. absolute, aor. ptc.) if it turns out that way, perhaps, if possible 1 Cor 16:6; Lk 20:13 v.l.; Ac 12:15 v.l. d. ouvc o` tucw,n not the common or ordinary (one), i.e., extraordinary Ac 19:11; 28:2. 8:6 mesivth" (noun, nominative, masculine, singular, from mesi,thj) mediator, arbitrator Gal 3:19f; 1 Ti 2:5; Hb 8:6; 9:15; 12:24. 8:6 Covenant. Covenants provided a measure of trust and predictability in ancient social and political life. Of the secular covenants there were four basic types. The Suzerainty Covenant was one in which the socially, politically, or militarily superior party bound the inferior party to obligations which the superior had defined. These included, but were not limited to, peace treaties, and political alliances among kings and overlords, and so forth. An example of such a covenant being suggested is found in I Samuel 11:1-3. Suzerainty Covenants generally contained boiler plate statements as follows: 1. A preamble, following the formula “these are the words of . . .” followed by the identity of the superior party or the initiator of the covenant. 2. A historical prologue in which prior relationships or political and social arrangements were recounted. 3. The stipulations of the covenant. 4. The disposition of the record of the covenant (publically kept and publically read, etc). 5. The list of witnesses, including gods and, sometimes, powers of nature (to punish breach of covenant). 6. The blessings and curses for performance of failure, respectively. The first three kinds of statements can be found in Exodus 20:1-17 in the giving of the Ten Commnadments.. Parity Covenants bound two equals to mutually advantageous terms upon which they agreed. Generally this was a measure taken to preserve peace among equals. Some of these provided conditions to be fulfilled, but many did not establish anything beyond peaceful relations. The covenant between Jacob and Laban in Genesis 31:44-50 is of this type. In a Patronage covenant the superior party bound himself by oath to explicit future advantages of the 220 inferior. There is not much evidence for this type of covenant beyond the covenant between God and Abraham. Finally, the Promissory Covenant was intended to guarantee future performance of stipulated obligations. There were secular as well as religious applications of this sort of covenant. Jeremiah 34:8 presents such a covenant in which slave owners agreed to free their slaves in time of siege. In addition to secular covenants there are covenants in which God is bound. The best-known of these, of course, is where God bound himself with an oath to honor his covenant with Abraham and his descendants. The slaughtering of animals and cutting them into halves, followed by the Promise Maker passing between the parts is a symbolic identification of the one making the promises, with the slaughtered victim should he fail to honor his promises. This is a graphic picture of what awaited the one making the promise if he failed to keep the promises. It was a pictorial equivalent of the verbal formula of self cursing “The Lord (or gods) do so to me, and more also if . . .” Often what the imprecation included was not articulated, but assumed, as “The Lord do His worst to me if . . .” The presence of the slaughtered victim was a picture of what it was that “the Lord” would “do unto me.” [Adapted from The Interpreter’s Dictionary of The Bible, Vol. 1.] 8:6 nenomoqevthtai (verb, indicative, perfect, passive, 3rd, singular, from nomoqete,w) to make law, Plat., Xen., etc.:-Med. to make laws for oneself, frame laws, Plat. II. trans. to ordain by law, ti Id., etc.:-Pass., impers., peri. tau/ta ou[tw sfi nenomoqe,thtai it hath been so ordained by law, Hdt. Hence nomoqe,thma. [Liddell-Scott] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 8:1 Now the main point of the things being said is we have just such a high priest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven, 2 a minister of the holy things and of the true tabernacle, which God made, not man. 3 Because every high priest is ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices, therefore it was necessary that this one also have something He might offer. 4. If He was on earth, then He would not be a priest, there being priests who offer the gifts according to law, 5 whoever serve in a copy and shadow of the heavenly things; even as Moses was instructed, for, “see,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain. 221 6 But now, He has obtained a more excellent ministry by so much also He is mediator of a better covenant which has been established on better promises. F. EXPOSITION 8:1 “Now the main point of the things being said is . . .” The KJV has “the sum” of what is being said. This is unfortunate, because this is not a summation, but an enunciation of the essence of the argument. This phrase points back to Hebrews 7:26-27 and brings to the fore the point of that statement. It might be paraphrased “having said that, our main point is this:” 8:1 “ . . . we have just such a high priest . . .” That is, the kind of priest described in 7:26, 8:1 “ . . . who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven, . . .” This priest is also a king, sitting at God’s right hand. This completes the idea stated in 1:3. The “throne refers to the glory that was said to have rested on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. 8:2 “ . . . a minister of the holy things and of the true tabernacle, . . .” the expression “the holy things,” has been treated as masculine, i.e., the saints, but it is more likely neuter, referring specifically to “holy things.”as such, Westcott and others refer this to the “Holy of Holies,” but that seems redundant being followed, as it is, by “and the true tabernacle.” For what is the true tabernacle but that which houses the true holy of holies? To make the argument that there was more to the tabernacle than just the Holy of Holies only confirms this position, for Christ is the royal priest who ministers all the holy things and the true tabernacle. On the other hand, the plural “holies” is uniformly used to speak of the Holy of Holies, and an exception does not seem likely to have occurred here. 8:2 “ . . . which God made, not man.” In either case, that of which Christ the kingly High Priest ministers is that made by God, and not man. The place of Christ’s current ministry is in heaven, and in the “true tabernacle,” not the “shadow” of the tabernacle in which human priests preside. It is worth noting that when the word for “Lord occurs without the article it refers to God, while with the article it refers to Christ. This means, that in this passage it is Christ who is represented as having made the “true tabernacle.” 8: 3 “Because every high priest is ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices, . . .” It has been well stated that “the fact that the Lord is High Priest – a minister of the sanctuary – involves the necessity and rests upon His performance of the High-priestly functions . . . He must therefore have both an offering and a place of approach to God: an offering that in virtue of the blood He might find entrance to the presence of God, as the Aaronic High-priest on the Day of Atonement” and “a place of approach fulfilling the type of the Holy of Holies, not on earth (v. 4) and consequently in heaven.” 222 [Westcott] 8:3 “ . . . therefore it was necessary that this one also have something He might offer. This offering was the “once for all” sacrifice that gave Him entrance into the Holy of Holies. Only thus can the High Priest exercise the duty of intercession. No subsequent offering (or re-enactment of that offering) is either needed or efficacious. 8:4 “If He was on earth, then He would not be a priest, . . .” This seems to indicate the Jewish assumption that the High Priest was of necessity on earth, as high Priests always had been. But Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection and ascension, made heaven the only place for His High Priestly ministry to be discharged. What the author is saying is that earthly service by the High Priest would mitigate his service, not enhance it, therefore not meeting the highest needs of His people at all. All that the earthly High Priest did figuratively, the ascended Christ does absolutely. 8:4 “ . . . there being priests who offer the gifts according to law, . . .” This follows the more forcefully because on earth there were already priests who provided this function, and Christ, as we have seen, is not even a member of the priestly line. He was not qualified to do on earth what he alone can do in heaven. If Christ is the eternal High Priest He must perform the duties of the High Priest, and that He can do only in heaven. 8:5 “ . . . whoever serve in a copy and shadow of the heavenly things; . . .” This is because the earthly priests, who repeatedly offered sacrifices, served a figure of the heavenly things, not the heavenly things themselves. The earthly priesthood was a type of Christ, just as the earthly tabernacle was a type of the heavenly. 8:5 “ . . . even as Moses was instructed, . . .” The word translated “instructed” was used of divine instructions and warnings given by an oracle in answer ro inquiry, and as divine instructions passed on to one who was to carry them out. 8:5 “ . . . for, ‘see,’ He says, ‘that you make all things according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain’. The “for” is part of the author’s argument, not part of the quotation from LXX. The quotation adds the word “all, and uses a different term for “shown.” Everything had a particular importance, and it is implied, a divine meaning. 8:6 “But now, He has obtained a more excellent ministry . . .” That is, “now that, as in fact is the case, He has obtained . . .” It is important to remember that the author is not denigrating the earthly tabernacle or its ministry. They, too, were excellent. They have been surpassed by that which is “more excellent.” 8:6 “ . . . by so much also He is mediator of a better covenant . . .” That is, by as much as Christ surpasses the earthly High Priests and by as much as the heavenly tabernacle surpasses the earthly, and by so much as Christ’s eternal ministry surpasses the temporal ministry of the earthly High 223 Priests, by exactly so much better is the covenant which He now mediates. 8:6 “ . . . which has been established on better promises.” these better promises are delineated in what follows regarding the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:33-34 recounted in Hebrews 8:10-12. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The emphasis of this passage is to assure those who depended upon an earthly ministry that the heavenly ministry of Christ far surpassed in efficacy and application those of the earthly ministry. For all that was foreshadowed in the earthly is absolute reality in the heavenly. The heavenly is eternal, once-for-all, absolute, final, and real. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL It is difficult for modern Protestants to identify with the early Jewish Christians in having such a high reliance on earthly rites, ceremonies, and ministries. They were as used to the temple services as we are to their absence. However, Catholics, Anglicans, and some other denominations do rely extensively upon such services. The point is that it is only what the eternal Priest-King does that has any real relevance in the sight of God, and we should not allow rites to become any more than mere remembrances. Rites and ministries have no permanent importance, but merely point to Christ as their referents and anti-types.. I. PARAPHRASE 8:1 Now the point of the things being said is we have just such a royal high priest as becomes us, who took His seat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven, 2 a minister of the holy things and of the true tabernacle, which God made, not man. 3 Because every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, therefore it was necessary that this one also have something He might offer. 4. If He was on earth, then He would not even be a priest, there being priests who offer the gifts according to law, 5 whoever serve in a mere copy and shadow of the heavenly things; even as Moses was instructed, for He says, “see that you make all things according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain. 6 But now that He has obtained a more excellent ministry by so much is He also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises. 224 TWENTY NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 8:7-13) 8:7 Eij gaVr hJ prwvth ejkeivnh h\n a[mempto", oujk a]n deutevra" ejzhtei'to tovpo": 8 memfovmeno" gaVr aujtoi'" levgei, jIdouV hJmevrai e[rcontai, levgei kuvrio", kaiV suntelevsw ejpiV toVn oi\kon jIsrahVl kaiV ejpiV toVn oi\kon jIouvda diaqhvkhn kainhvn, 9 ouj kataV thVn diaqhvkhn h}n ejpoivhsa toi'" patravsin aujtw'n ejn hJmevra/ ejpilabomevnou mou th'" ceiroV" aujtw'n ejxagagei'n aujtouV" ejk gh'" Aijguvptou, o{ti aujtoiV oujk ejnevmeinan ejn th'/ diaqhvkh/ mou, kajgwV hjmevlhsa aujtw'n, levgei kuvrio". 10 o{ti au{th hJ diaqhvkh h}n diaqhvsomai tw'/ oi[kw/ jIsrahVl metaV taV" hJmevra" ejkeivna", levgei kuvrio", didouV" novmou" mou eij" thVn diavnoian aujtw'n, kaiV ejpiV kardiva" aujtw'n ejpigravyw aujtouv", kaiV e[somai aujtoi'" eij" qeoVn kaiV aujtoiV e[sontaiv moi eij" laovn. 11 kaiV ouj mhV didavxwsin e{kasto" toVn polivthn aujtou' kaiV e{kasto" toVn ajdelfoVn aujtou', levgwn, Gnw'qi toVn kuvrion, o{ti pavnte" eijdhvsousivn me ajpoV mikrou' e{w" megavlou aujtw'n. 12 o{ti i{lew" e[somai tai'" ajdikivai" aujtw'n, kaiV tw'n aJmartiw'n aujtw'n ouj mhV mnhsqw' e[ti. 13 ejn tw'/ levgein KainhVn pepalaivwken thVn prwvthn: to deV palaiouvmenon kaiV ghravskon ejgguV" ajfanismou'. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 8:8 auvtou,j. Although Metzger, after noting that neither option alters the meaning of the text, chooses the accusative plural reading on the basis of conjectured scribal tendencies, there seem to be no early papyri with that reading. We therefore adopt the dative plural reading, which is supported by p46. 8:11 poli,thn. Instead of poli,thn, which is strongly supported by î46 a A B D K L most minuscules itd syrp, h copsa, bo, fay arm al, the Textus Receptus substitutes the more commonplace plhsi,on, with P several minuscules (including 81) itar, b, comp vg syrhmg eth [sic] al. [Metzger] B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 225 8:7 a[mempto" (adjective, nominative, feminine, singular, from a;memptoj) blameless, deserving no censure (Tertullian irreprehensibilis), free from fault or defect: Luke 1:6; Phil. 2:15; 3:6 ; 1 Thess. 3:13 (WH marginal reading avme,mptwj); Heb. 8:7 (in which nothing is lacking); in the Septuagint equivalent to ~T', Job 1:1,8 etc. [Thayer] 8:7 ejzhtei'to (verb, imperfect, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from zhte,w) 1. seek, look for Mt 13:45; 18:12; Mk 1:37; Lk 19:10; J 18:4; Ac 10:19, 21; 2 Ti 1:17; search for Ac 17:27. Investigate, examine, consider, deliberate Mk 11:18; Lk 12:29; J 8:50; 16:19. 2. somewhat removed from the idea of seeking: try to obtain, desire to possess Mt 6:33; 26:59; Lk 22:6; J 5:44; Ro 2:7; Col 3:1. Strive for, aim (at), desire, wish Mt 12:46; Lk 17:33; J 1:38; Ac 16:10; 1 Cor 13:5; Gal 1:10. Ask for, request, demand Mk 8:11f; Lk 12:48; J 4:23; 2 Cor 13:3. Pass. it is required 1 Cor 4:2. 8:8 memfovmeno" (participle, present, middle, nominative, masculine, singular, from me,mfomai) find fault with, blame Ro 9:19; Hb 8:8; Mk 7:2 v.l. 8:8 suntelevsw (verb, future, active, indicative , 1st, singular, from suntele,w) 1. bring to an end, complete, finish, close Mt 7:28 v.l.; Lk 4:13.—Of time come to an end, be over Lk 2:21 v.l.; 4:2; Ac 21:27; perh. Mk 13:4 (see 2 below).—2. carry out, fulfill, accomplish Ro 9:28; Hb 8:8; perh. Mk 13:4 (see 1 above).—3. pass. give out J 2:3 v.l. 8:8 ff. Covenant. See Twenty Eighth Pericope ad loc for Hebrews 8:6.. 8:9 ejpoivhsa (verb, aorist, active, indicative , 1st, singular, from poie,w) 1. do, make a. of external things make, manufacture, produce J 18:18; Ac 7:40; 9:39; Ro 9:21; Hb 8:5. Create Mk 10:6; Ac 7:50; 17:24; Rv 14.7 b. do, cause, accomplish, also keep, carry out, practice, etc. Mt 7:22; Mk 1:17; 2:23; 11:3; Lk 19:18; J 2:23; 3:21; 8:39, 41; 12:16; Ac 3:12; 24:12; Ro 13:3f; 1 Cor 6:18; 2 Ti 4:5.—Do with Mt 27:22. Establish Eph 2:15. Give Lk 14:12, 16. Celebrate Hb 11:28. Yield, bear Mt 3:10; Rv 22:2. Claim, pretend J 19:7, 12. Exercise Rv 13:12a. c. specialized expressions: get, gain Lk 12:33; 16:9; J 4:1.—Assume, suppose Mt 12:33 .—Take outside Ac 5:34.—Spend, stay Ac 15:33; 18:23; 20:3; 2 Cor 11:25; Js 4:13.—2. do, act, proceed Mt 12:12; 20:5; Mk 15:8; Lk 2:27; 16:8; Ac 10:33. Work, be active Mt 20:12a; Rv 13:5. II. mid. make or do something for oneself or of oneself Lk 5:33; J 14:23; Ro 1:9; Phil 1:4; 2 Pt 1:10 . Form Ac 23:13. spoudh.n p) be eager Jd 3. 8:9 ejpilabomevnou (participle, aorist, middle, genitive, masculine, singular, from evpilamba,nw) to take, lay hold of, take possession of, overtake, attain to. In the Bible only in the middle; the Septuagint for zx;a' and qyzIx/h,; a. properly, to lay hold of or to seize upon anything with the hands (German sich an etwas anhalten): tw/n avflastwn nho,j, Herodotus 6, 114; hence, universally, to take hold of, lag hold of: with the genitive of person, Matt. 14:31; Luke 9:47. (Tr WH accusative); (Luke 23:26 R G); Acts 17:19; 21:30,33; with the accusative of person, Luke 23:26 L T Tr WH, but in opposition see Meyer; for where the participle evpilabo,menoj is in this sense joined with an accusative, the accusative, by the sch/ma avpo, koi,nou, depends also upon the accompanying finite verb 226 (cf. Buttmann, sec. 132, 9; (so Winer’s Grammar, (edited by Lünem.) 202 (190))): Acts 9:27; 16:19; 18:17, cf. Luke 14:4. with the genitive of a thing: th/j ceiro,j ti,noj, Mark 8:23; Acts 23:19; of a leader, and thus metaphorically, of God, Heb. 8:9 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 571 (531); Buttmann, 316 (271)); with the genitive of a person and of a thing: evpilamba,nein ti,noj lo,gou, r`h,matoj, to take anyone in his speech, i. e. to lay hold of something said by him which can be turned against him, Luke 20:20 (Tr lo,gon), 26 (WH Tr marginal reading tou/ for auvtou/); evpilamba,nein th/j aivwni,ou (others, o;ntwj) zwh/j, to seize upon, lay hold of, i. e. to struggle to obtain eternal life, 1 Tim. 6:12,19 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 312 (293)). b. by a metaphor drawn from laying hold of another to rescue him from peril, to help, to succor (cf. German sich eines annehmen): ti,noj, Heb. 2:16; in this sense used besides only in Sir. 4:11 and Schol. ad Aeschylus Pers. 739. In Appian. bel. civ. 4, 96 the active is thus used with the dative: h`mi/n to, daimo,nion evpilambanei. [Thayer] 8:9 ejnevmeinan (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, plural, from evmme,nw) stay or live (in) Ac 28:30. Fig. persevere in, stand by, be true to 14:22; abide by Gal 3:10; Hb 8:9 8:9 hjmevlhsa (verb, aorist, active, indicative ,1st, singular, from avmele,w) neglect w. gen. 1 Ti 4:14; Hb 2:3; w. inf. 2 Pt 1:12 v.l. Disregard w. gen. Hb 8:9. Pay no attention Mt 22:5. 8:10 diaqhvsomai (verb, future, middle, indicative, 1st, singular, from diati,qhmi) 1. to arrange, dispose of, one’s own affairs; a. ti, of something that belongs to one (often so in secular authors from Xenophon down); with the dative of person added, in one’s favor, to one’s advantage; hence, to assign a thing to another as his possession: ti,ni basilei,an (to appoint), Luke 22:29. b. to dispose of by will, make a testament: Heb. 9:16f; (Plato, legg. 11, p. 924 e.; with diaqh,khn added, ibid., p. 923 c., etc.). 2. diati,qemai diaqh,khn ti,ni (P ta, tyrIB] tr;K', Jer. 38:31ff (Jer. 31:31ff)), to make a covenant, enter into covenant, with one, (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 225 (211); Buttmann, 148 (129f)): Heb. 8:10, (Gen. 15:18); pro,j tina, Acts 3:25; Heb. 10:16 (Deut. 7:2); meta, ti,noj, 1 Macc. 1:11. The Greeks said sunti,qemai pro,j tina, ai` pro,j tina sunqhkai, Xenophon, Cyril 3, 1, 21. (Compare: avntidiati,qhmi.) [Thayer] 8:10 didouV" (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from di,dwmi) give Mt 4:9; 7:6, 11; Lk 17:18; J 9:24; Ac 20:35; Rv 4:9. The context often permits variations in translation, e.g. bring Lk 2:24; grant Mt 13:11; cause Ac 2:19; 1 Cor 9:12; put Lk 15:22; 2 Cor 6:3; Rv 17:17; inflict 2 Th 1:8; permit Ac 2:27; Mk 10:37; yield Js 5:18; produce 1 Cor 14:7f; entrust Mt 25:15; J 6:37, 39; pay Mk 12:14; appoint Ac 13:20; Eph 1:22; give up, sacrifice Mk 10:45; Lk 22:19. lo,gon d) render account Ro 14:12. do.j evrgasi,an take pains, make an effort Lk 12:58. e;dwkan klh,rouj draw or cast lots Ac 1:26. 8:11 polivthn (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from poli,thj ) citizen Lk 15:15; Ac 21:39. Fellow citizen Lk 19:14; Hb 8:11.* [English Derivative: political] 8:11 eijdhvsousivn (verb, future perfect, active, indicative, 3rd, plural, from oi=da) 1. know (about) Mt 6:32; 20:22; 25:13; Mk 1:34; 6:20; Lk 4:41; 11:44; J 4:25; 9:25; Ac 2:22; 3:16; Ro 8:27; 1 Cor 13:2; 227 16:15; 2 Cor 12:2; Gal 4:8; Col 4:6; 1 Ti 1:8; 2 Pt 1:12. i;ste J 1:19 can be either indicative you know or imperative know!—2. be (intimately) acquainted with, stand in a close relation to Mt 26:72, 74; Lk 22:57; J 8:19; 2 Cor 5:16; 2 Th 1:8; Tit 1:16.—3. know or understand how, can, be able Mt 7:11; 27:65; Lk 12:56; Phil 4:12; 1 Th 4:4; 1 Ti 3:5; Js 4:17.—4. understand, recognize, come to know Mt 26:70; Mk 4:13; 12:15; Lk 22:60; J 6:61; 16:18; 1 Cor 2:11; Eph 1:18.—5. various other uses: remember 1 Cor 1:16. Respect or take an interest in 1 Th 5:12. This word is the perfect tense of eijdw, “see.” It came to mean “see with the mind’s eye,” and eventually it became tied to the notion of “idea.” It denotes a rational knowledge, not an experiential knowledge. The word is used as a present tense, which is not an unusual development. If “seeing is believing,” or understanding, it is an easy transition from “I have seen,” (perfect) to “I know” or Understand (present). 8:12 mnhsqw' (verb, aorist, passive, subjunctive, 1st, singular, from mimnh,|skomai) 1. reflexive remind oneself, recall to mind, remember w. gen. Mt 5:23; 27:63; Lk 24:6, 8; J 2:17, 22; Ac 11:16; 1 Cor 11:2; 2 Ti 1:4 . Remember in the sense think of, be concerned about Lk 1:72; 23:42; Hb 2:6; 8:12. 2. pass. be mentioned or be called to remembrance Ac 10:31; Rv 16:19. 8:13 pepalaivwken (verb, perfect, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from palaio,w) a. to make ancient or old, the Septuagint for hL'Bi; passive to become old, to be worn out, the Septuagint for hl'B', qt;[': of things worn out by time and use, as bala,ntion, Luke 12:33; i`ma,tion, Heb. 1:11 (cf. Ps. 101:27 (102:27); Deut. 29:5; Josh. 9:19 (13); Neh. 9:21; Isa. 50:9; 51:6; Sir. 14:17). passive to, palaiou,menon, that which is becoming old, Heb. 8:13 (Plato, symp., p. 208 b.; Tim., p. 59 c.). b. to declare a thing to be old and so about to be abrogated: Heb. 8:13 [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 8:7 The use of a]n in the apodosis while absent from the protasis to indicate an unreal, or contrary to fact, indicative. [Blass-Debrunner, para. 360] 8:8 Note the use of kai V to mark a co-ordinate conjunction rather than a subordinate conjunction. [Blass-Debrunner, para. 442-4] 8:9 The Genitive absolute is used as a limiting substantive.. [Blass-Debrunner, para. 423][Burton, para. 461] 8:13 Note the presence of the preposition with the articular infinitive. [Blass-Debrunner, para 404] 228 D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION The establishment of the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19:3-8). The pending captivity and deportation of the Jews in the Babylonian captivity (Jeremiah 31:13-35; 38; 37:1-10; 38:2-3) E. TRANSLATION 8:7 For if that first had been blameless no place would have been sought for a second. 8 For finding them faulty He says “The Lord says ‘Behold, the days are coming when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 not according to the covenant I made with their fathers, in the day of my taking them by their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not remain in my covenant and I disregarded them’ says the Lord. 10 ‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days; giving my laws to their mind, I will also write them on their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. 11 And they shall not teach every man his fellow and every man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their iniquities and I will no longer be reminded of their sins.” 13 In that He speaks of a new, He makes obsolete the first. Now that, being obsolete, is grown old and is near disappearance. F. EXPOSITION 8:7 “For if that first had been blameless . . .” It is important to note here that the covenant itself was not faulty, but it failed of its purpose because of the moral weakness of man and the inability of the Law to properly check that weakness. Obeying the Law was a voluntary behavior which, given man’s nature, was highly unlikely to happen on a wide scale. Thus, while the Law failed to fulfill that for which it was intended, it was not the law itself that was at fault. The Mosaic Covenant brought no consummation of man’s divinely appointed purpose. The word “that” reminds us that it was this covenant to which the Jewish Christians wished to return. This “failure” is uppermost in the mind of Jeremiah in the words quoted below. 8:7 “ . . . no place would have been sought for a second.” That is, had the first covenant been able to fulfill its purpose, there would never have been a need for a second, or “new” covenant. 8:8 “For finding them faulty . . .” Here, the reference is directly to the people, not the covenant. It was the people who failed, and the Law was powerless to do anything constructive about that failure. This was the burden of Jeremiah in the text quoted. 229 8:8 “ . . . He says “The Lord says ‘Behold, the days are coming . . .” Here begins the quotation of Jeremiah 31:31-35. The quotation is from the LXX with only minor variations, and is in close agreement with the Hebrew. Note that the prophecy here quoted is the word of God, not the words of Jeremiah. The “days that are coming” refer to the same time as the author of Hebrews refers to in Hebrews 1:2 and again in Hebrews 8:10. 8:8 “ . . . when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; . . .” The major versions have “make” a new covenant. The RSV and NRSV, have “establish,” and the NASV has “effect. But the word is built upon the notion of completing or bringing about. Completing is not quite what is required; bringing about works. But either of the other choices work pretty well. We may notice that the covenant will be made with both houses of the divided kingdom. 8:9 “ . . . not according to the covenant I made with their fathers, . . .” The “new” covenant that is to be made “not after,” (or according to the pattern) of the old, will be of a new type. As we shall see, it will be a covenant calculated “not to fail” as did that which was established during the Exodus from Egypt. 8:9 “ . . . in the day of my taking them by their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; . . .” The phrase “in the day” expresses the time fitting for the divine action. That is, at the time of the exodus, it was fitting that God make the covenant that He did. So many years hence, it would have been apparent to all not only its “failure,” but the reason for that failure. If not, the reason is forthcoming. 8:9 “ . . . because they did not remain in my covenant and I disregarded them’ says the Lord.” This is a reference back to the events already reported in Hebrews 3:7-19. In terms of the old covenant, it is a reference to the founding of the Israelite nation by which He separated Israel from “the world” of Egypt and unto Himself after a display of His power and the expression of His will for His people. As shown in Hebrews 3, the Israelites utterly failed to keep the covenant agreement, and were denied entrance into the promised land. Both the pronouns “they,” and “I” are emphatic; they did not remain, and I disregarded. Both parties abandoned the covenant, so it became antiquated and empty. 8:10 “‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days; . . .” This is the introduction to the character of the new covenant, “after those days.” This new covenant is with the once again unified House of Israel, former divisions being repaired, This covenant is distinguished from the former in the following ways: 8:10 “ . . . giving my laws to their mind, I will also write them on their hearts, . . .” First, the Laws, having been given to their minds, will also be written upon their hearts. While the old commands 230 had been written on stone, these will be received by softer material. “Laws,” in the plural, may be so stated in order to differentiate them from the Law written stone, or it may be that they refer to a different set of commands. At any rate, being “in their mind” refers to the presence of the Laws in the rational part of the being, while being in their hearts refers to the moral character. It may be of importance that when God “took them (plural) by their hand (singular),” as reported in verse 9, the corporate personality of Israel was in mind. Likewise, here it is said that the Laws will be given “to their (plural) mind (singular). Thus, it would imply that knowledge of God and His laws were so well known as to be part of the intellectual fabric of the culture as a whole, and embraced personally as the moral guide to the Israelites individually. Their culture would be built upon something which was emotionally and enthusiastically embraced by the individuals within that culture. 8:10 “ . . . and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.” Second, in thus writing the commands upon the hearts of the people, the original intent of the covenant will be realized, i.e., God will be a true, personal God to them. And thus, They will truly be His people. This was the stated purpose of the first covenant. Verses 10 and 11 are an oblique reference to Exodus 5:6. There we see that God wishes to be Israel’s God, and Israel to be His people,. And “you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brings you out of your burdens in Egypt.” Yet Jeremiah saw the shortcomings of Israel and looked forward to the day when the preparation would be accomplished with a new covenant. 8:11 “And they shall not teach every man his fellow and every man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’ . . .” In the third distinguishing feature of the new covenant, there will no longer be any need for men to evangelize each other, or to teach one another because the culture is built upon the knowledge of God which is personally accepted by each individual. 8:11 “ . . . for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest of them.” This confirms the cultural knowledge and individual acceptance of God by His people. This is the fourth distinction of the new covenant, for the new status of the believer requires no intermediary between God and His followers. 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities . . .” The fifth way the new covenant differs from the first is that the second “rests upon better promises,” to wit, the forgiveness of iniquities. 8:12 “ . . . and I will no longer be reminded of their sins.” This forgiveness of iniquities is accompanied by a refusal to remember past sins. It is worth noting that this is a deliberate act on the part of God. It is not as if He merely forgets, and can dredge up the memories at a later time, but that He will deliberately refuse to ever be reminded of them again. This promise is not that God will forget, but that He has decided to “remember your sins no more.” “If men’s sins are remembered by God, His holiness must take action against them; if they are not 231 remembered, it is because His grace has determined to forgive them – not in spite of His holiness, but in harmony with it. Under the old sacrificial system, there was “a remembrance of made of sins year by year (Ch. 10:3; if no such remembrance of sins is made under the new covenant, it is because of a sacrifice offered up once for all (Ch. 7:27). [Bruce, pp. 175-176.] 8:13 “In that He speaks of a new, He makes obsolete the first.” Having finished this extended quotation of Jeremiah, the author now returns to his argument. God, having not only promised a new covenant, and given details of its character, ipso facto nullifies, in principle, the efficacy of the old. This new covenant, because it will be comprehensive, must displace the old covenant. “And if the covenant of Moses’ day is antiquated, our author further implies, so must be the Aaronic priesthood, the earthly sanctuary, and the Levitical sacrifices, which were all established under theat covenant>” [Bruce, p. 179.] 8:13 “Now that, being obsolete, is grown old and is near disappearance.” That old covenant has been, since the advent of Christ, been on the verge of disappearing, not yet entirely, but as the operational principle of man’s relationship to God. The completion may yet be distant, but the principle is here to stay, and those who maintain the appearance of the old are now working with what was found to be, and remains, “faulty.” In AD 70, with the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, every outward semblance of the old disappeared completely. What remains is a patchwork of worship patterns salvaged from the destruction of the old covenant. The destruction, or “disappearance” will be complete at a later time unknown to the author. It is important to remember that had the author of Hebrews written after the destruction of the Temple, he almost certainly would have used the fact for its full apologetic value, pointing out that the Temple cultus had in fact been destroyed. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The New Covenant is(1) not like the old, (2) includes all the people comprising the house of Israel and the House of Judah, (3) is internal (on their hearts”). Uniformly efficacious, and (4) rests on forgiveness of all iniquities. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL While it remains true that the ten commandments remain the best basis for civil government, and there are still valuable lessons to be learned from the old covenant, their aim was frustrated. For they were intended to make Israel God’s people, a righteous people who were a display of God’s love and power. In this regard, they were failures. We cannot but make the first lesson drawn from them man’s utter hopelessness in himself to do what is godly. We can see clearly, from our perspective, 232 that the Law had many positive characteristics. But we cannot escape the conclusion that man, in himself, is utterly unable to abide by such laws or to preserve such a covenant. The aim, stated explicitly in verse 10. It should be a point for frequent meditation that God so loved His people that he established a new covenant with them, a covenant that included not only the house of Israel, but the Gentile faithful as well, who were, in the words of Paul, “grafted in among” the remaining faithful branches of Israel (Romans 11:17). I. PARAPHRASE 8:7 For if that first covenant had been effective, there would have been no need for a second. 8 For finding them ineffectual He says “The Lord says ‘Behold, the days are coming when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 not according to the covenant I made with their fathers, in the day of my taking them by their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not remain in my covenant and I disregarded them’ says the Lord. 10 ‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days; giving my laws to their minds, I will even write them on their hearts, and I will be their a God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach every man his fellow and every man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know me, from the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In that He speaks of a new covenant, He makes the first covenant obsolete. Now that covenant, being obsolete, is even now grown old and is ready to disappear. 233 THIRTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 9:1-5) 9:1 Ei\ce meVn ou\n [kai]V hJ prwvth dikaiwvmata latreiva" tov te a{gion kosmikovn. 2 skhnhV gaVr kateskeuavsqh hJ prwvth ejn h|/ h{ te lucniva kaiV hJ travpeza kaiV hJ provqesi" tw'n a[rtwn, h{ti" levgetai {Agia: 3 metaV deV toV deuvteron katapevtasma skhnhV hJ legomevnh {Agia JAgivwn, 4 crusou'n e[cousa kaiV thVn kibwtoVn th'" diaqhvkh" perikekalummevnhn pavntoqen crusivw/, ejn h|/ stavmno" crush' e[cousa toV mavnna kaiV hJ rJavbdo" jAarwVn hJ blasthvsasa kaiV aiJ plavke" th'" diaqhvkh", 5 uJperavnw deV aujth'" CeroubeiVn dovxh" kataskiavzonta toV iJlasthvrion: periV w|n oujk e[stin nu'n levgein kataV mevro". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 9:1 kai,. The evidence, evenly balanced for and against the presence of kai, (it is read by a A D al; it is lacking in î46vid B 1739 al), is represented by the Committee in retaining the word but enclosing it within square brackets. [Metzger] The earliest readings do not include it, and neither shall we. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 9:1 dikaiwvmata (noun, accusative, neuter, plural, from dikai,wma) 1. that which has been deemed right so as to have the force of law; a. what has been established and ordained by law, an ordinance: universally, of an appointment of God having the force of law, Rom. 1:32; plural used of the divine precepts of the Mosaic law: tou/ kuri,ou, Luke 1:6; tou/ no,mou, Rom. 2:26; to, dikai,wma tou/ no,mou, collectively, of the (moral) precepts of the same law, Rom. 8:4; dikaiw,mata latrei,aj, precepts concerning the public worship of God, Heb. 9:1; dikaiw,mata sarko,j, laws respecting bodily purity ((?) cf. Heb. 7:16), Heb. 9:10. b. a judicial decision, sentence; of God -- either the favorable judgment by which he acquits men and declares them acceptable to him, Rom. 5:16; or unfavorable: sentence of condemnation, Rev. 15:4, (punishment, Plato, legg. 9, 864 e.). 2. a righteous act or deed: ta, dikaiw,mata tw/n a`gi,wn, Rev. 19:8 (tw/n pate,rwn, Baruch 2:19); e`no,j dikai,wma, the righteous act of one (Christ) in his giving himself up to death, opposed to the first sin of Adam, Rom. 5:18 (Aristotle, eth. Nic. 5, 7, 7, p. 1135{a}, 12f kalei/tai de, ma/llon dikaiopra,ghma to, koino,n, dikai,wma de, to, evpano,rqwma tou/ avdikhmatoj (cf. rhet. 1, 13, 1 and Cope’s note on 1, 3, 9)). (Cf. references in dikaio,w.). [Thayer] 9:1 kosmikovn (adjective, accusative, neuter, singular, from kosmiko,j) of the world or universe, Luc. II. of this world, earthly, N.T. [English derivative: cosmic] [Liddell-Scott] 9:2 kateskeuavsqh (verb, aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from kataskeua,zw) make ready, 234 prepare Mk 1:2; Lk 1:17. Build, construct, create Hb 3:3f; 11:7; 1 Pt 3:20. Furnish, equip Hb 9:2, 6. 9:2 lucniva (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from lucni,a) Lampstand Mk 4:21; Lk 8:16; Hb 9:2; Rv 1:12f, 20; 11:4. 9:2 provqesi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from pro,qesij) 1. the setting forth of a thing, placing of it in view (Plato, Demosthenes, Plutarch); oi` a;rtoi th/j proqe,sewj (Vulgate panes propositionis), the showbread, the Septuagint for ~ynIp'h; ~x,l, (Exo. 35:13; 39:18 (38:36); 1 Kings 7:48 (34)), and tk,r,[]M;h; ~x,l, (1 Chr. 9:32; 23:29); twelve loaves of wheaten bread, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel, which loaves were offered to God every Sabbath, and, separated into two rows, lay for seven days upon a table placed in the sanctuary or anterior portion of the tabernacle, and afterward of the temple (cf. Winer, RWB, under the word Schaubrode; Roskoff in Schenkel see p. 213f; (Edersheim, The Temple, chapter ix., p. 152ff; BB. DD.)): Matt. 12:4; Mark 2:26; Luke 6:4 (oi` a;rtoi tou/ prosw,pou, namely, Qeou/, Neh. 10:33; a;rtoi evnwpioi, Exo. 25:29); h` pro,qesij tw/n a;rtwn (the rite of) the setting forth of the loaves, Heb. 9:2. 2. a purpose (2 Macc. 3:8; (Aristotle), Polybius, Diodorus, Plutarch): Acts 27:13; Rom. 8:28; 9:11; Eph. 1:11; 3:11; 2 Tim. 1:9; 3:10; th/| proqe,sei th/j kardi,aj, with purpose of heart, Acts 11:23. [Thayer] 9:3 katapevtasma (noun, accusative, neuter, singular,from katape,tasma) (katapeta,nnumi to spread out over, to cover), an Alexandrian LXX Greek word for parape,tasma. which the other Greeks use from Herodotus down; a veil spread out, a curtain -- the name given in the Greek Scriptures, as well as in the writings of Philo and Josephus, to the two curtains in the temple at Jerusalem (ta, katapeta,smata, 1 Macc. 4:51; (yet cf. Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah, 2:611)): one of them (Hebrew %s'm') at the entrance of the temple separated the Holy place from the outer court (Exo. 26:37; 38:18; Num. 3:26; Josephus, b. j. 5, 5, 4; it is called also to, ka,lumma by the Septuagint and Philo, Exo. 27:16; Num. 3:25; Philo, vit. Moys. 3: sections 5 and 9), the other veiled the Holy of holies from the Holy place (in Hebrew the tk,roP'; evndoteron katape,tasma, Josephus, Antiquities 8, 3, 3; to, evswtaton katape,tasma Philo de gig. sec. 12; by the Septuagint and Philo this is called pre-eminently to, katape,tasma, Exo. 26:31ff; Lev. 21:23; 24:3; Philo, vit. Moys. as above). This latter katape,tasma is the only one mentioned in the N. T.: to, katape,tasma tou/ naou/, Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45; to, deu,teron katape,tasma, Heb. 9:3; to, evsw,teron tou/ katapeta,smatoj (cf. Lev. 16:2,12,15; Exo. 26:33) the space more inward them the veil, equivalent to `the space within the veil,’ i. e. the Holy of holies, figuratively used of heaven, as the true abode of God, Heb. 6:19; in a similar figurative way the body of Christ is called katape,tasma, in (Heb.) 10:20, because, as the veil had to be removed in order that the high priest might enter the most holy part of the earthly temple, so the body of Christ had to be removed by his death on the cross, that an entrance might be opened into the fellowship of God in heaven. 9:4 crusou'n (adjective, accusative, neuter, singular, from crusou/j) golden, made of or adorned with gold 2 Ti 2:20; Hb 9:4; Rv 1:12f, 20; 9:13, 20; 21:15. 235 9:4 qumiathvrion (noun, accusative, neuter, singular, from qumiath,rion) altar of incense Hb 9:4. 9:4 kibwtoVn (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from kibwto,j) box, chest, the ark of Noah Mt 24:38; Lk 17:27; Hb 11:7; 1 Pt 3:20. The ark in the Holy of Holies Hb 9:4; Rv 11:19. 9:4 perikekalummevnhn (participle, perfect, passive, accusative, feminine, singular from perikalu,ptw) conceal, cover Mk 14:65; Lk 22:64; Hb 9:4. 9:4 stavmno" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from sta,mnoj) jar Hb 9:4. 9:4 rJavbdo" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from r`a,bdoj) rod, staff, stick Mt 10:10; Mk 6:8; Lk 9:3; 1 Cor 4:21; Hb 1:8; 9:4; 11:21; Rv 2:27; 11:1; 12:5; 19:15.* [Emglish derivative: rhabdomancy divination by rods] 9:4 blasthvsasa (participle, aorist, active, nominative, feminine, singular, from blasta,nw) sprout, put forth trans, produce Js 5:18. Intrans. bud, sprout Mt 13:26; Mk 4:27; Hb 9:4. 9:4 plavke" (noun, nominative, feminine, plural,from pla,x) flat stone, tablet, table 2 Cor 3:3; Hb 9:4. 9:5 CeroubeiVn (noun, nominative, neuter, plural, from Cerou,b) cherub, one of the two winged figures over the ark of the covenant Hb 9:5. 9:5 kataskiavzonta (participle, present, active, nominative, neuter, plural, from kataskia,zw) overshadow Hb 9:5. 9:5 iJlasthvrion (noun, accusative, neuter, singular, from i`lasth,rion) 1. the well-known cover of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of holies, which was sprinkled with the blood of the expiatory victim on the annual day of atonement (this rite signifying that the life of the people, the loss of which they had merited by their sins, was offered to God in the blood as the life of the victim, and that God by this ceremony was appeased and their sins were expiated); hence, the lid of expiation, the propitiatory, Vulgate propitiatorium; Luth. Gnadensruhl (A. V. mercy-seat): Heb. 9:5 (the Septuagint Exo. 25:18ff; Lev. 16:2, etc.; more fully i`lasth,rion evpi,qema, Exo. 25:17; 38:7 (Exo. 37:6), for the Hebrew tr,PoK;, from rP,Ki to cover, namely, sins, i. e. to pardon). Theodoret, Theophylact, Oecumenius, Luther, Grotius, Tholuck, Wilke, Philippi, Umbreit (Cremer (4te Aufl.)) and others give this meaning to the word also in Rom. 3:25, viz. that Christ, besprinkled with his own blood, was truly that which the cover or `mercy-seat’ had been typically, i. e., the sign and pledge of expiation; but in opposed to this interpretation see Fritzsche, Meyer, Van Hengel (Godet, Oltramare) and others at the passage. 2. an expiatory sacrifice; a piacular victim (Vulgate propitiatio): Rom. 3:25 (after the analogy of the words caristhria sacrifices expressive of gratitude, thank-offerings, swthri,a sacrifices for safety obtained. On the other hand, in Dion Chrysostom or. 11, 121, p. 355, Reiske edition, the reference is not to a sacrifice but to a monument, as the preceding words show: katalei,yein ga,r auvtou,j avna,qhma ka,lliston kai, me,giston th/| VAqhna kai, evpigra,yein, i`lasth,rion VAcaioi th/| VIliadi). (See the full discussion of the word in Dr. Jets. 236 Morison, Critical Exposition of the Third Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, pp. 281-303.). [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 9:2 Note the use of the positive for the superlative as in Hebrew. 9:3 Use of meta with the accusative almost always denotes a temporal, rather than a local relationship. Thus we might paraphrase “after the second veil one comes to . . .”. [Blass-Debrunner, para 226] D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 9:1 In the Ancient Near East a sanctuary was commonly a place where a god or gods were worshiped. In Israel, the first well ordered sanctuary was the movable tabernacle built by Moses. It contained the ark of the covenant. Its construction is described in Exodus 25 – 31 and 36 – 40. David planned, and Solomon built, a permanent tabernacle in Jerusalem. It is interesting that the Hebrew words vD'q.mi and vd,q, often translated sanctuary, literally means to be separated, hallowed, holy, consecrated, or sanctified. Christian culture has almost completely abandoned these properties in the last few decades, so it is important to take note of them. 9:2 The Lampstand, or “candlestick,” is the Jewish menorah. It consisted of a base, from which a shaft arose. The shaft had six “branches,” three on each side, making seven in all. These supported seven lamps which were fueled by pure olive oil and were lit from evening until morning. It stood in the sanctuary near the South side of the Holy place. According to Josephus, three of these lamps were allowed to continue burning all day as a symbol of unending worship, and the light of God shown to the world by his people. The original lampstand was carried off by Antiochus Epiphanes and later replaced by another one. An image of the lampstand is engraved on the arch of Titus in Rome, where he took it as part of the spoils of his war against Israel from 66 to 73 A.D. 9:2 The “bread of the presence,” also called “continual bread,” was called “showbread” by Luther and the English Bibles. The showbread comprised 12 loaves of bread placed into rows and put on display continually in the sanctuary. They were change every Sabbath, the old loaves being eaten by the priests in the sanctuary. The loaves were, according to Josephus, unleavened and made of the finest flower. 237 The loaves symbolized God’s bounty and the people’s uninterrupted communion with Him. The notion that it was food for God was unknown in Old Testament times. The table on which the bread was displayed was of acacia wood overlaid with gold. It had rings at the corners to accommodate the polls on which it was carried.. It stood near the North wall in the Holy place. This table, like the lampstand, was carried off by Antiochus Epiphanes and was later replaced by one taken to Rome by Titus. 9:3 The tabernacle in the Holy of Holies composed the complete tabernacle. In our text, the references to the tent constructed by Moses to be used as a portable sanctuary. It was considered the dwelling place of God and was where God met his people. It was specifically God’s sanctuary. It also served to house the law, or testimony, hence it was referred to as the “tabernacle of the testimony” in Exodus 38:21. As such, it contained the tables of the law, or testimony. The materials from which it was constructed included items of acacia wood, hair and skins of herd animals, gold, silver, bronze, and linen. The acacia wood was easy enough to find, and the other items were freely supplied by the people The tabernacle formed a rectangle 10 x 30 cubits with the entrance at the east end. It was situated lengthwise from East to West. The entire east end was left open as an entrance. The interior was divided into two compartments, the Eastern, the Holy place, or simply the Holy (but in the plural), and the smaller, Western compartment, call the Holy of Holies, or the most Holy place. In the Holy place stood the bread of the presence on the table of “showbread” situated on the north side, the Golden lampstand on the south side, and centered at the western end, the altar of incense. The Holy of Holies, at the western end, and separated by a veil, or curtain, housed the Ark of the Covenant. The outer courtyard contained the Laver and the altar of burnt offering. 9:4 The altar of incense measured one cubit square and stood two cubits high. It was of acacia wood and overlaid with gold (originally of bronze – Leviticus 16:12 cf. Exodus 27:3).It was a container in which incense was burned. It was pladed “before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony . . .” i.e., in the Holy Place on the near side of the veil that hid the ark of the covenant. 9:4 The ark of the covenant was a wooden chest that measured 2.5 x 1.5 cubits and stood 1.5 cubits high. It was overlaid with gold inside and out. At the bottom were four golden rings through which polls were passed for the purpose of transportation. The ark was covered by a lid which was called the mercy seat, above which stood two golden Cherubim. These were part of the lid itself. The cherubim, one at each end and facing each other, spread their wings out above the mercy seat so as to “shadow it.” They were symbols of God’s 238 presence, but also of his unapproachableness. The ark was specifically made to contain the stone tablets of the testimony (Exodus 25:4; 31:18; Deuteronomy 10:3, 5). Later, the Pot of Manna, Aaron’s Rod, and the Book of the Law were added (Exodus 16:34; number 17:10; Deuteronomy 31:26). E. TRANSLATION 9:1 “Now even the first had regulations of service and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was established; the first part, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the presence, which is called the Holy place, 3 and after the second veil, a tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant being overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the gold pot containing the manna and the budding rod of Aaron and the tablets of the covenant, 5 and above it being Cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat, concerning which we are now not to speak in particular. F. EXPOSITION 9:1 “Now even the first had regulations of service . . .” that is, the first of two covenants treated here. This considers the covenant of Moses as it was defined to Moses by God. All features of the covenant were tightly defined and were to be rigorously observed. 9:1 “ . . . and an earthly sanctuary.” Such observances also applied to the Tabernacle (and its furnishings). The approach to God, the service of the priests, and the ceremonies governing the lives of the people were meticulously laid out. There is another possibility for the translation of “earthly sanctuary.” Both the words earthly and sanctuary are adjectives in the Greek, one of which must be a substantive, and the other its modifier. Literally the Greek reads Holy worldly, or worldly Holy. In the generally accepted translations of all the major English versions, sanctuary is treated as the substantive, and earthly is then its modifier. But because the word translated sanctuary (literally “Holy place,” with the word place supplied) means Holy, it may just as easily be the substantive. In that case, the word translated earthly, or worldly, cannot have the pejorative meaning attached to phrases such as “of the World.” Indeed, it would be impossible to understand the word in this sense because of the modifier Holy. The word, used twice in the New Testament, here and in Titus 2:12, might here best be rendered by the ethically neutral word mundane; for the context can scarcely bear the freight of such an ethically charged interpretation as worldly. The author nowhere disparages the old covenant as bad, immoral, or “worldly.” The comparison is between things of the earth and those of heaven, between that which passes away and that which abides. 239 So if we take the word mundane to be the substantive, and Holy to be its modifier, we have something on the order of Holy mundaness. This is precisely what the author of Hebrews is contrasting. He is at pains to show the superiority of the heavenly Priest, sacrifice, covenant, ministry, and temple to those mundane counterparts that are destined to pass away. Supplying a word to isolate the scope of the word mundane, as we supply the word place with the word Holy (i.e., sanctuary) in the generally accepted interpretation, we could, for example, select exercise, program, or ritual to complete the meaning. Thus, we might better translate the phrase as “Holy exercise,” Holy program,” or “Holy ritual.” The verse would then read, for example, “Now even the first had regulations of service, and a mundane ritual,” (or “mundane program”). This has the advantage of fitting the context as well or better than the traditional reading, and it better fits the word order of the Greek. [Bruce, p. 181, footnote 3.] For the sake of consistency we will maintain the accepted translation. But even here, the coming contrast is becoming clear. The emphasis on the “earthly” sanctuary necessarily posits an inescapably transitory nature, and by extension must refer to the covenant as well. For the covenant and the sanctuary were indissolubly linked. Without the covenant and the practice of proper procedures, the Tabernacle would have been an empty tent. Without the Tabernacle, there would have no approach to God at all. 9:2 “For a tabernacle was established;. . .” The Tabernacle was planned and designed by God. The plan was related to Moses, and the building of it was accomplished 9:2 “ . . . the first part, . . .” i.e., the first apartment of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was often spoken of as two tabernacles, the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. 9:2 “ . . . in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the presence, . . .” Candlestick is not quite an adequate translation, as oil was burned in lamps. Candles are nowhere described in the function of the Tabernacle. Seven shafts supported seven lamps (of which we have many, many examples), and pure olive oil was burned therein. The table held the bread of the presence in two rows of six loaves each. 9:2 “ . . . which is called the Holy place, . . .” This is the first compartment of the Sanctuary. into which priests entered daily to carry out various functions. Although it is not mentioned, it had a veil before it (Exodus 26:36-37). 9:3 “ . . . and after the second veil, . . .” A veil also separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies (Exodus 26:36-37). 9:3 “ . . . a tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, . . .” Beyond the first veil was a second that set off the Holy of Holies from the Holy place. It was into the Holy of Holies that the High Priest alone could enter, and then but once a year, on the Day of Atonement, wherein was the Ark of the covenant. 240 9:4 “ . . . having a golden altar of incense . . .” We come now to a bit of a problem. For the golden altar of incense was clearly placed within the Holy place, not the Holy of Holies (Exodus 30:6). On it were hot coals upon which incense could be sprinkled. This was to be done every morning and evening. For this reason, many translations call the altar a censer. But the censer was what the High priest used within the Holy of Holies during the Day of Atonement. He was to fill his censer with hot coals from the altar of incense, and a handful of incense, “and bring it within the veil” (Leviticus 16:12-13). Thus, the incense was offered before the Lord, and the golden altar of incense become attached to that which was within the Holy of Holies. The incense, representing the prayers of the nation, and the blood of atonement, representing the sacrifice for sin, were the only things carried into the Holy of Holies. In this way, the golden altar of incense was identified with the ark of the covenant within the second veil. This explains the use of the different verbs use to predicate the use of the items in the two compartments. In the Holy place, that is, before the Holy of Holies, it was said the various items “were in” the first room. But the Holy of Holies was said “to have” the ark and the incense. Liddell and Scott lists 40 different connotations for the words translated “Have,” or “hold.” One of the connotations is “to pertain to.” Another is “to involve, imply, give cause for.” Yet another is “to take part in, have to do with.” In these senses the Holy of Holies may be said to “have” the golden ark of incense. On the Day of Atonement, the altar of incense, like the ark of the covenant, was sprinkled with sacrificial blood. The Altar of incense bore the same relation to the Holy of Holies ass the altar of burnt offering to the Holy place. It furnished in some sense the means of approach to it. [Westcott, p. 247.] 9:4 “ . . . and the ark of the covenant being overlaid on all sides with gold, . . .” The chest made explicitly for the tablets of the covenant, being overlaid completely with gold. 9:4 “ . . . in which were the gold pot containing the manna . . .” At a later time, the pot of manna was added to the ark. 9:4 “ . . . and the budding rod of Aaron . . .” as was the budding rod of Aaron. These latter two items are sometimes said to been set “before” the ark. 9:4 “ . . . and the tablets of the covenant, . . .” or “the tables of the Law,” alone, were originally intended to be kept in the ark of the covenant. 9:5 “ . . . and above it being Cherubim of glory . . .” The “glory”is not to be thought of as their own, but as God’s. The Cherubim were spoken of as living, and from between them God was said to reveal himself (Exodus 25:22). They showed God both as unapproachable and yet as willing to communicate. 241 9:5 “ . . . shadowing the mercy seat, . . .” They guard God, probably against the approach of the impure, and they, as such stand as eternal sentries, thus “shadowing” God. The mercy seat, or “cover,” was a separate item. The ark was complete without it, but they came to be thought of as one item, the ark and its cover. 9:5 “ . . . concerning which we are now not to speak in particular.” The thought here is that although the author is well aware that there many analogies which could be drawn and many lesions to be learned from a study of the sanctuary and its accouterments, it is not his purpose to do so. The lesson of the moment is to be pressed without digression. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Because the author of Hebrews was speaking to Christians of Jewish extraction, who were intimately aware of the Temple and its significance, much is left unsaid. His argument by analogy related what the Jewish Christians already knew well concerning the tabernacle and its function on Earth, to the heavenly tabernacle “made without hands.” For these passages to have their full force on Gentile Christians requires them to become familiar with the tabernacle themselves. There, they will find pictures of the theologically weighty matters of sin, the price of redemption, and the necessity of an intermediary. Indeed, the need for an intermediary was the most basic of teachings common to both Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians If we have no mediator, we are hanging in space by the invisible strand of an illusory faith. The most frequently occurring name for the tabernacle in the Old Testament is “the tent of meeting.” This is the place where God met the people by means of an intermediary. The “tent of meeting,” was so thoroughly linked with the presence of the Lord that it is said to “dwell with the people in the midst of their uncleanness” (Leviticus 2616). With the other titles of the tabernacle we see clearly that it was intended to represent provisionally the presence of God, his righteousness, and his approach to man. Christians need to remember however that the Temple was not merely a scale replica of a larger finite Temple. The archetype belonged to a heavenly order. But the lessons it taught was finally realized in its fullness and finality in the life and mission of Jesus the Messiah (cf. Hebrews 1:1.) H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL What John calls the paraclete, or advocate, our author is at pains to describe in His High Priestly function. It should be a subject of unending Christian gratitude and thanksgiving that such a mediator exists, but that our present mediator will never die, His ministry never end. I. PARAPHRASE 242 9:1 Now even the first covenant had regulations of service and a temporal sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was established for it; the first room, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the presence, which is called the Holy place, 3 and after the second veil, a tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant being encased on all sides with gold, in which were the gold pot containing the manna and the budding rod of Aaron and the tablets of the Lawt, 5 and above which were Cherubim of God’s glory, shadowing the mercy seat, about which we will not now going to speak in detail. 243 THIRTY FIRST PERICOPE (Heb 9:6-10) 9:6 Touvtwn deV ou{tw" kateskeuasmevnwn, eij" meVn thVn prwvthn skhnhVn diaV pantoV" eijsivasin oiJ iJerei'" taV" latreiva" ejpitelou'nte", 7 eij" deV thVn deutevran a{pax tou' ejniautou' movno" oJ ajrciereuv", ouj cwriV" ai{mato", o} prosfevrei uJpeVr eJautou' kaiV tw'n tou' laou' ajgnohmavtwn, 8 tou'to dhlou'nto" tou' pneuvmato" tou' aJgivou, mhvpw pefanerw'sqai thVn tw'n aJgivwn oJdoVn e[ti th'" prwvth" skhnh'" ejcouvsh" stavsin, 9 h{ti" parabolhV eij" toVn kairoVn toVn ejnesthkovta, kaq' h}n dw'rav te kaiV qusivai prosfevrontai mhV dunavmenai kataV suneivdhsin teleiw'sai toVn latreuvonta, 10 movnon ejpiV brwvmasin kaiV povmasin kaiV diafovroi" baptismoi'", dikaiwvmata sarkoV" mevcri kairou' diorqwvsew" ejpikeivmena. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 9:10 baptismoi/j( dikaiw,mata. The reading that best explains the origin of the other readings is baptismoi/j( dikaiw,mata, which is supported by early and good witnesses (including î46 a* A I P 33 81 1739 syrp copsa, bo, fay vid Origen). It is more probable that, in view of the preceding datives, dikaiw,mata was changed into dikaiw,masin, and joined to them by means of kai, than that kai. dikaiw,masin, if it were original, was altered, on account of the concluding word evpikei,mena, into dikaiw,mata. The singular number dikai,wma (D* itd) is a mere scribal oversight, and the reading baptismoi/j kai. dikaiw,mata (ac B 451 2492), which has the appearance of being a conflation, provides no satisfactory sense. [Metzger] B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 9:6 kateskeuasmenv wn (verb, participle, perfect, passive, genitive, neuter, plural, from kataskeua,zw) :6 to furnish, equip, prepare, make ready; a. of one who makes anything ready for a person or thing: th,n o`do,n, Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27; perfect passive participle prepared in spirit, Luke 1:17 (Xenophon, Cyril 5, 5, 10). b. of builders, to construct, erect, with the included idea of adoming and equipping with all things necessary (often so in Greek authors. [Thayer] 9:7 ejniautou (noun, genitive, masculine, singular, from evniauto,j) year Lk 4:19; J 11:49; Ac 11:26; Hb 9:7; Rv 9:15. Perh. certain days of the year Gal 4:10. 9:7 ajgnohmavtwn (noun, genitive, neuter, plural, from avgno,hma ) a sin (strictly, that committed through ignorance or thoughtlessness (A. V. error)): Heb. 9:7 (1 Macc. 13:39; Tobit 3:3; Sir. 23:2); cf. avgnoe,w. [Thayer] 244 9:8 dhlou'nto" (verb, participle, present, active, genitive, neuter, singular, from dhlo,w) make clear, reveal, show 1 Cor 3:13; Hb 9:8; 2 Pt 1:14; give information 1 Cor 1:11; indicate Hb 12:27. 9:8 pefanerw'sqai (verb, infinitive, perfect, passive, from fanero,w) reveal, make known, show Mk 4:22; J 7:4; 17:6; 21:14; Ro 1:19; 3:21; 2 Cor 2:14; 5:10f; Eph 5:13f; 1 Ti 3:16; Tit 1:3; Hb 9:8, 26; 1 J 1:2; 2:28. 9:8 stavsin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from sta,sij) 1 . existence, continuance Hb 9:8. 2. uprising, riot, revolt, rebellion Mk 15:7; Lk 23:19, 25; Ac 19:40. 3. strife, discord, dissension Ac 15:2; 24:5; dispute 23:7, 10. [English derivative: stasis] 9:9 parabolhV (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from parabolh, ) 1. symbol, type, figure Hb 9:9; 11:19. 2. parable, illustration Mt 13:18; 21:45; Mk 4:2; 7:17; Lk 8:9; 13:6; 18:1. [Emg;ish derivatives: parable; parabola] 9:9 ejnesthkovta (verb, participle, perfect, active, accusative, masculine, singular, from evni,sthmi) 1. be present, have come 2 Th 2:2. The participles evnesthkw,j and evnestw,j mean present Ro 8:38; Gal 1:4; Hb 9:9. 2. impend, be imminent 1 Cor 7:26; 2 Ti 3:1; but meaning 1 is possible for these passages. 9:9 suneivdhsin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from sunei,dhsij) 1. consciousness 1 Cor 8:7a v.l.; Hb 10:2; 1 Pt 2:19. 2. moral consciousness, conscience, scruples J 8:9 v.l.; Ac 23:1; 24:16; Ro 2:15; 9:1; 13:5; 1 Cor 8:7b, 10, 12; 10:25, 27–29; 2 Cor 1:12; 4:2; 5:11; 1 Ti 1:5, 19; 3:9; 4:2; 2 Ti 1:3; Tit 1:15; Hb 9:9, 14; 10:22; 13:18; 1 Pt 3:16, 21. 9:10 brwvmasin (noun, dative, neuter, plural, from brw/ma ) food, solid food lit. Lk 3:11; Ro 14:15; 1 Cor 6:13; Hb 9:10; 13:9; fig. J 4:34; 1 Cor 3:2. 9:10 povmasin (noun, dative, neuter, plural, from po,ma) a drink Hb 9:10. Symbolically 1 Cor 10:4; 12:13 v.l. 9:10 baptismoi'" (noun, dative, masculine, plural, from baptismo,j) a washing, purification effected by means of water: Mark 7:4,8 (R G L Tr in brackets) (xestw/n kai, pothri,wn); of the washings prescribed by the Mosaic law, Heb. 9:10. baptismw/n didach/j equivalent to didach/j peri, baptismw/n, Heb. 6:2 (where L text, WH text, baptismw/n didach/j), which seems to mean an exposition of the difference between the washings prescribed by the Mosaic law and Christian baptism. (Among secular writings Josephus alone, Antiquities 18, 5, 2, uses the word, and of John’s baptism; (respecting its interchange with ba,ptisma cf. examples in Sophocles’ Lexicon, under the word 2 and Lightfoot on Col. 2:12, where L marginal reading Tr read baptismo,j; cf. Trench, sec. xcix.).) 9:10 diorqwvsew" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from dio,rqwsij) 1. properly, in a physical sense, a making straight, restoring to its natural and normal condition something which in some way protrudes or has got out of line, as (in Hippocrates) broken or misshapen limbs. 2. of acts and 245 institutions, reformation: kairo,j diorqw,sewj a season of reformation, or the perfecting of things, referring to the times of the Messiah, Heb. 9:10. (Aristotle, Pol. 3, 1, 4 (p. 1275{b}, 13); no,mou, de mund. 6, p. 400{b}, 29; (cf. Josephus, contra Apion 2, 20, 2); Polybius 3, 118, 12 tw/n politeumatwn, Diodorus 1, 75 tw/n a`marthma,twn, Josephus, Antiquities 2, 4, 4; b. j. 1, 20, 1; others; (cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 250f).) [Thayer] 9:10 ejpikeivmena (verb, participle, present, passive, nominative, neuter, plural, from evpi,keimai) to lie upon or over, rest upon, be laid or placed upon; a. properly: evpi, ti,ni, John 11:38; namely, on the burning coals, John 21:9. b. figuratively, a. of things: of the pressure of a violent tempest, ceimw/noj evpikeime,nou, Acts 27:20 (Plutarch, Timol. 28, 7); avna,gkh moi evpi,keitai, is laid upon me, 1 Cor. 9:16 (Homer, Iliad 6, 458); evpikei,mena, of observances imposed on a man by law, Heb. 9:10 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 635 (589)]. b. of men; to press upon, to be urgent: with the dative of person Luke 5:1; evpe,keinto aivtou,menoi, Luke 23:23 (pollw/| ma/llon evpe,keito avxiw/n, Josephus, Antiquities 18, 6, 6; ma/llon evpe,keinto blasfhmou/ntej, 20, 5, 3). [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 9:10 The preposition with the dative (ejpiV brwvmasin kaiV povmasin kaiV diafovroi" baptismoi'") in such a context, means “on the basis of,” or “in virtue of.” [Blass-Debrunner, para. 235.] D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 9:6 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests continually enter the first tabernacle accomplishing the services, 7 but into the second, the high priest enters alone once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and the unknowing errors of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit signifies that the way into the Holy of Holies (Sanctuary) is not yet manifested, while the first tabernacle still bears opposition, 9 which is a parable unto the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot, as pertaining to the conscience, make the worshiper perfect, 10 being only, on the basis of foods and drinks and various washings, carnal ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. F. EXPOSITION 9:6 “Now these things having been thus prepared, . . .” refers to the structure and furnishings of the Tabernacle. The perfect tense relates that the work done provided the continuing scene of an 246 appointed system of service. 9:6 “ . . . the priests continually enter the first tabernacle accomplishing the services, . . .” The scene here is the “first Tabernacle,” i.e., the Holy Place. The shift in tense to the present indicates the continuing tradition as it relates to the Tabernacle. At this point the author still has in mind the Aaronic priests and the Tabernacle (the tent made according to God’s revealed plan) although he has referred to the Levitical priesthood of the present time (Hebrews 8:4). The services performed “continually,” that is, on a daily basis, include the offering of incense every morning and evening and tending to the lamps. There was also the weekly service of placing the new loaves of the “bread of the presence.” 9:7 “ . . . but into the second, the high priest enters alone once a year, . . .” By contrast, the Holy of Holies is the scene of activity only one day a year, the tenth day of the seventh month, celebrated as the Day of Atonement. Here, only the High priest enters. He enters but one day a year as a proxy for the people, bringing blood with him to sprinkle on the appointed fixtures. The High Priest went into the Holy of Holies three times on the one day of access, first with the incense, then with the blood of a bullock in order to atone for his own sins and those of his family, and a third time with the blood of a goat for the sins of the people. 9:7 “ . . . not without blood, . . .” The blood was the means of atonement. The entire reason for entrance was not for mere communion with God, but served as a perpetual reminder of man’s alienation from God by sin. These points illustrate the inaccessibility of God in three ways. Approach was not “continually,” but “once.” It was not allowed for priests, but for the “High Priest alone.” And not indiscriminately, but “not without blood.” There was simply no legal way open for a person to gain access to God. 9:7 “ . . . which he offers for himself and the unknowing errors of the people.” The only entrance before God was for the purpose of atoning for the sins that separated men from God, this was done by proxy, and even that did not take place without the blood from a life sacrificed specifically for the purpose. 9:8 “By this the Holy Spirit signifies . . .” places the restrictions on the Holy Spirit 9:8 “ . . . that the way into the Holy of Holies (Sanctuary) is not yet manifested, . . .” This general term may include the Holy of Holy, but not exclusively. For while the people could not enter the Holy place, the priests could not enter the Holy of Holies. The intended point in this is that access to the God of Israel was denied to all but he who made sacrifice for the sins of the people. 9:8 “ . . . while the first tabernacle still bears opposition, . . .” That is, while the Holy place still “bears resistance,” i.e., until it is replaced, there is simply no free access to God. The Holy place stood in the way of the people, and the second veil stood in the way of the priests. And so long as this system was sanctioned, that remained the case. 247 The word translated “is” in ASV, RSV, NRSV, and NASV, and “was” in KJV and NIV is simply wrong. The word may be stretched to such a meaning in some contexts, but not here. The most common usage of the word is to have. This is an important consideration in this context, for the object of the word is the noun standing. This is the word used by all the major translations listed above. All of these versions give the sense of “while (the first Tabernacle) is still standing.” The problem arises not because this rendering is false, but because it trivializes the author’s apparent intent. The notion of “still standing” is figurative at best, for historically, the first Tabernacle and the Holy of Holies, as built at the direction of Moses, had ceased to be centuries before. Any “standing” the first Tabernacle had at the time of the author was purely metaphorical. This is seen in such phrases as “maintain a position,” or “remain in force.” This can be the only sense in which the author could have used the word in this context. Even the alterative “yet has existence,” or “being,” is figurative language for the same reason. But the same word is often, in other contexts, translated “an insurrection,” or “dissension.” The idea is of stiff resistance or opposition. “Impedance” is another good word to describe what the author is describing. Translating the phrase “while the (first Tabernacle) is still bearing resistance,” (or opposition) fills the bill nicely and adheres quite literally to the word order and usage. The point is that the way into the Holy of Holies is not manifest as long as the Holy place continues to “bear opposition” either to the entrance of the people, or to any system that would allow such entrance. It is the intent of the author to show that the first Tabernacle, and the system of its maintenance, has indeed been superseded. Westcott well describes the situation. He notes that the “outer tent which did not itself contain God’s presence, but rather stood barring access to it was a parable of the entire dispensation. In other words, this Tabernacle arrangement was a striking symbol of the Mosaic economy which could not of itself effect spiritual approach and abiding fellowship with God.” [Westcott, p. 331.] 9:9 “ . . . which is a parable unto the present time, . . .” The meaning of the word “Parable” is to cast along side of.” That is, used figuratively, it makes a comparison. It is similar to English usage when we look at two values side by side. There are two distinct interpretations of the time in question. The reference is taken to refer either to the past, during the time of the Mosaic Tabernacle, or to the present, during the time of the author and his readers. The interpretation pointing to the past is seen in the KJV. The ASV, RSV, NRSV, NASV, and the NIV point to the time of the author. Not only does the text plainly indicate the present time, the notion of a parable would have been impossible to those of earlier times. A parable is a comparison, but during the days of the Tabernacle, there was nothing with which to compare it. The Tabernacle may certainly have been regarded as a type, and seems to have been so understood by the prophets who foresaw a new covenant; but it could not have been a parable to those who lived during the time of the Tabernacle. 9:9 “ . . . according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered . . .” The comparison is between 248 the whole Mosaic dispensation and the new dispensation of the Heavenly High Priest. The Tabernacle and its attendant services have been outlined, and it has been shown that as long as the ordinances of the Holy of Holies remain in force, there is no access by man to God except on a tightly defined and highly regulated basis. And, the comparison will show that even in such an extremely limited type, access fails of this aim. The gifts and sacrifices are themselves useful only as a picture, the actual atonement resting, as always, upon God. But God had promised something better than a mere picture. 9:9 “ . . . that cannot, as pertaining to the conscience, make the worshiper perfect, . . .” The real bar to fellowship with God lies in a absence of a clear conscience. The old system fails precisely because it in no way allows for a clear conscience. It in no way allows the worshiper to have assurance that he is cleansed inwardly as well as outwardly, from his sin, thus giving him no inner peace. It presents a picture of rolling ones sins forward until the Day of Atonement when a fleshly sacrifice is made for atonement. And then, with the conscience still not clear, the cycle of sin and atonement begins again. What, one might ask, will become of the man who dies three days before the Day of Atonement? 9:10 “ . . . being only, on the basis of foods and drinks and various washings, carnal ordinances . . .” The very nature of those sacrifices were carnal, material, fleshly, earthly. The God of Israel had no need of them and viewed them as temporary substitutes for the coming blessings of His own choosing, which alone could be satisfactory, and fully pay the price for sin. 9:10 “ . . . imposed until the time of reformation.” This coming of His perfect sacrifice was the time of the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies, and is here called the “time of reformation.” The notion of “reformation,” is of “putting things right,” of putting such matters into their proper state. This, of course, means the superceding of the old system with a new one. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS No new ethical or theological teaching in this pericope. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL If you are a Christian and your conscience is not clear, it is not the fault of God, who sent His only Son to be our efficacious and eternal sacrifice and High Priest. I. PARAPHRASE 9:6 Now when these things had been prepared in this way, the priests continually enter the first tabernacle performing the services, 7 but into the second, the high priest enters alone once a year, 249 and not without blood, which he offers for himself and the people’s errors committed in ignorance. 8 By this means the Holy Spirit reveals to us that the way into the Sanctuary is not yet manifested, while the first tabernacle still bars entrance, 9 which is a parable unto the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot, as pertaining to the conscience, make the worshiper perfect, 10 being only, of foods and drinks and various washings – carnal ordinances imposed until the prophesied time of reformation. 250 THIRTY SECOND PERICOPE (Heb 9:11-15) 9:11 CristoV" deV paragenovmeno" ajrciereuV" tw'n genomevnwn ajgaqw'n diaV th'" meivzono" kaiV teleiotevra" skhnh'" ouj ceiropoihvtou, tou't' e[stin ouj tauvth" th'" ktivsew", 12 oujdeV di' ai{mato" travgwn kaiV movscwn diaV deV tou' ijdivou ai{mato", eijsh'lqen ejfavpax eij" taV a{gia, aijwnivan luvtrwsin euJravmeno". 13 eij gaVr toV ai|ma travgwn kaiV tauvrwn kaiV spodoV" damavlew" rJantivzousa touV" kekoinwmevnou" aJgiavzei proV" thVn th'" sarkoV" kaqarovthta, 14 povsw/ ma'llon toV ai|ma tou' Cristou', o}" diaV pneuvmato" aijwnivou eJautoVn proshvnegken a[mwmon tw'/ qew'/, kaqariei' thVn suneivdhsin hJmw'n ajpoV nekrw'n e[rgwn eij" toV latreuvein qew'/ zw'nti. 15 kaiV diaV tou'to diaqhvkh" kainh'" mesivth" ejstivn, o{pw" qanavtou genomevnou eij" ajpoluvtrwsin tw'n ejpiV th'/ prwvth/ diaqhvkh/ parabavsewn thVn ejpaggelivan lavbwsin oiJ keklhmevnoi th'" aijwnivou klhronomiva". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 9:11 genome,nwn. Although both readings are well supported, on the whole genome,nwn appears to have superior attestation on the score of age and diversity of text type ((î46) B D* 1739 itd syrp, h, pal Origen al). The presence of the expression tw/n mello,ntwn avgaqw/n in 10.1, where the text is firm, seems to have influenced copyists here. 9:14 h`mw/n. The external evidence for the two readings h`mw/n (A D* K P 1739* al) and u`mw/n (a Dc 33 81 1739c al) is rather evenly balanced. The former was preferred because the author uses the direct address only in the hortatory sections of his Epistle. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 9:12 luvtrwsin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from lu,trwsij ) ransoming, releasing, redemption Lk 1:68; 2:38; Hb 9:12. 9:12 euJravmeno" (participle, aorist, middle, nominative, masculine, singular, from eu`ri,skw) to find that, Hdt.; and in Pass., h'n eu`reqh/|j di,kaioj w;n Soph. 2. c. inf., eu[riske prh/gma, oi` ei=nai found that the thing for him was, Hdt. II. to find out, discover, Hom., etc.; cf. eu[rhma ii.:-so in Med. to find out for oneself, Od. III. to devise, invent, Aesch., etc.:-Med., ta. dV e;rga tou.j lo,gouj eu`ri,sketai deeds make themselves words, i.e. speak for themselves, Soph. IV. to find, get, gain, procure, Pind., Soph., etc.:-Med. to get for oneself, bring on oneself, kako.n eu[reto Od.; auvto.j eu`ro,mhn po,nouj Aesch. V. of merchandise, to find a purchaser, to fetch, earn, pollo.n crusi,on eu`rou/sa having fetched a large sum, Hdt.; avpodi,dotai tou/ eu`ro,ntoj sells, for what it will fetch, Xen. [Liddell-Scott] 251 9:13 spodoV" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from spodo,j) ashes Mt 11:21; Lk 10:13. 9:13 damavlew" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from da,malij) heifer, young cow Hb 9:13 9:13 rJantivzousa (participle, present, active, nominative, feminine, singular, from r`anti,zw) 1. (be)sprinkle for purposes of purification Hb 9:13, 19, 21; Rv 19:13 v.l. 2. mid. cleanse, purify: wash oneself Mk 7:4 v.l.; purify for oneself Hb 10:22. 9:13 kekoinwmevnou" (participle, perfect, passive, accusative, masculine, plural, from koino,w) make common or impure, defile ceremonially Mt 15:11, 18, 20; Mk 7:15, 18, 20, 23; Hb 9:13. Profane, desecrate Ac 21:28. Consider or declare unclean Ac 10:15; 11:9. 9:13 aJgiavzei (verb, indicative, present, active, 3rd, singular, from a`gia,zw) make holy, sanctify, consecrate, dedicate, purify: of things Mt 23:17, 19; of persons J 10:36; 1 Cor 7:14; Hb 9:13. oi` h`giasme,noi = the Christians as sanctified, purified Ac 20:32. Treat as holy, hold in reverence Mt 6:9; 1 Pt 3:15. 9:13 kaqarovthta (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from kaqaro,thj) purity Hb 9:13. 9:14 proshvnegken (verb, indicative, aorist, active, 3rd, singular, from prosfe,rw) 1. act. and pass. bring (to) Mt 4:24; 9:2, 32; 17:16; 19:13; 25:20; Mk 2:4; Lk 18:15; 23:14, 36; J 19:29; Ac 8:18. 2. bring, offer, present. a. lit. Mt 2:11; 5:23f; Mk 1:44; Ac 7:42; Hb 5:1, 3; 8:3f; 9:7, 9, 14, 25, 28; 11:4, 17. b. fig. J 16:2; Hb 5:7.—3. pass. meet, deal with Hb 12:7. 9:14 kaqariei ' (verb indicative future active 3rd person singular from kaqari,zw) make clean, cleanse, purify lit. and fig. Mt 23:25f; Mk 7:19; Ac 10:15; 15:9; 2 Cor 7:1; Tit 2:14; Hb 9:22f; 10:2; Js 4:8. Heal Mt 8:3. 9:15 parabavsewn (noun, genitive, feminine, plural, from para,basij) overstepping, transgression, violation Ro 2:23; 4:15; 5:14; Gal 3:19; 1 Ti 2:14; Hb 2:2; 9:15. [Gingrich] a going aside, deviation, Arist. II. an overstepping, tw/n dikai,wn Plut.:-absol. a transgression, Id. III. the parabasis, a part of the Old Comedy, in which the Chorus came forward and addressed the audience in the Poet’s name. [Liddell-Scott] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 252 9:13 Ashes of a Heifer. The teaching concerning the Red Heifer is found in Numbers 19. Like the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement, the Red Heifer was considered a sin offering. The Red Heifer was to be “without spot,” or blemish, and was never to have borne a yoke. The priest brought the Red Heifer outside the camp where it was slain before him. The priest then took some of its blood and sprinkled it with his finger in front of the tabernacle seven times. The Red Heifer was then burned entirely. The priest threw cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet into the flame. Both the priest and the one who burned the Red Heifer then washed their clothes and bathed, but remained ceremonially unclean until evening. One who was ceremonially clean gathered the ashes of the Red Heifer and stored them in a clean place outside the camp. The ashes were then to be used, as occasion dictated, in preparation of the “water of separation,” to be used as a purification for sins. Then the one who gathered and stored the ashes washed his clothes and bathed and remained unclean until evening. The water of purification was prepared with running water. It was administered to the unclean by a clean person on the third and seventh day of defilement from touching a dead body, a human bone, or a grave. Failure to be cleaned in this way resulted in the unclean offender being “cut off from among the congregation” because he defiled the Tabernacle. On the seventh day the clean person who had administered the water of separation was to wash his clothes and bathe. E. TRANSLATION 9:11 But Christ, having come High Priest of the good things coming through the greater and more perfect Tabernacle (not handmade – that is, not of this creation – 12 nor by blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood) entered once for all into the Holy of Holies procuring eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and ashes of a heifer besprinkling those having become defiled sanctify unto the purity of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works unto the service of living God? 15 And for this reason He is mediator of a New Covenant so that, a death having taken place for redemption from the transgressions against the first Covenant, those being called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. F. EXPOSITION 9:11 “But Christ, having come High Priest . . .” is the fulfillment of the phrase “until the time of reformation,” (verse 10). The New Tabernacle, Covenant, and High Priest, it is to be understood, are that reformation. 253 The title “High Priest of the good things coming” sets the Priesthood of Christ apart from all others in its results. 9:11 “ . . . of the good things coming through the greater and more perfect Tabernacle, . . .” The preposition rendered through is used here in an instrumental sense, not, as so frequently, in a local sense. It is true that the High Priest had to pass through the Holy place in order to enter the Holy of Holies, but the instrumental sense already incorporates that sense. He is the “High Priest of those good things coming through (almost by means of) the heavenly tabernacle,” assumes that Christ had passed through the Holy place in order to accomplish those things. The “good things” are the result of Christ being in the Holy of Holies. It is important to notice the use of the article with the adjective greater, in reference to the Tabernacle. The author speaks of the greater tabernacle, not a greater Tabernacle. Emphasis is added by the modifying phrase “more perfect.” The reference is clearly to the heavenly Tabernacle contrasted already to the earthly Tabernacle for which the heavenly was the pattern. This “greater Tabernacle” also elevates the High Priesthood of Christ above all others. 9:11 “ . . . not handmade (that is, not of this creation) . . .” See Mark 14:57-58 cf. Hebrews 8:2. The nature of the contrast must be neither forgotten nor overstated. The Tabernacle of Moses, was according to the pattern given by God, and thus witnessed to an archetype, or ideal Tabernacle. It is this archetypal, ideal Tabernacle to which the Tabernacle of Moses bore witness, and in which Christ now serves as High Priest. The phrase “that is, not of this creation” is designed, perhaps, to extend to the maximum the degree of contrast between the mundane, and the spiritual. Whatever else it might do, the phrase emphasizes the fact that the Tabernacle in which Christ ministers, has nothing in common with the physical creation. 9:12 “ . . . nor by (means of) blood of goats and calves, . . .” The “nor” (and not, neither, not yet, etc.) joins the following clause to the former. The idea is “neither handmade . . . nor (entered) by means of blood of . . .” The problem is not with the Greek, but with a smooth English equivalent. 9:12 “ . . . but by His own blood, . . .” As the Eternal Son, He had the right to be in the Sanctuary, and as our High Priest, He entered by virtue of the blood of His self-sacrifice. The blood shed in His sacrifice, being eternally efficacious, also elevates Christ’s ministry above all others. 9:12 “ . . . entered once for all into the (that) Holy of Holies . . .” “Once for all” stands in contrast to the annual appearance in the earthly Tabernacle by the Levitical High Priest to roll the sins of Israel forward another year. And as such, it prepares us for the distinction in the results of those two High Priestly ministries. 254 9:12 “ . . . procuring eternal redemption.” The result of Christ’s entering once for all is the procuring of eternal redemption. The participle is here taken as a participle of identical action, whereby it merely puts into a concise phrase a summing up the entire High Priestly act. Redemption here, is the deliverance from guilt that is necessary for the worshiper can enter the presence of God. But the contrast between the eternal redemption provided by Christ’s sacrifice with the annual “roll-back” provided by the Levitical system is another witness to the superiority of Christ’s New Covenant. 9:13 “For if the blood of goats and bulls and ashes of a heifer besprinkling those having become defiled . . .” The blood of goats and bulls we have already seen. These were offered, according to Hebrews 9:7, for errors or transgressions committed in ignorance. To these sacrifices the author now adds the sprinkling of the ashes of the Heifer. This sacrifice was made in order to ceremonially cleans the flesh of those who had become defiled by contact with a dead body, or a bone. This was clearly an occurrence that did not happen unknowingly, but deliberately, as in the case of caring for the dead bodies of relatives. 9:13 “ . . . sanctify unto the purity (purification) of the flesh, . . .” The sacrifices of goats and bulls as well as the more picturesque besprinkling of the ashes of the Heifer, sanctified or purified only the flesh. The sprinkling of the Heifer is illustrative of the whole Levitical system, for it is needed for touching dead flesh, and is cleanses by sprinkling the ashes of a dead Heifer upon the flesh of the offender. The flesh is first defiled by flesh, and then purified by flesh, both by application to flesh. The flesh represents, in Hebrews, the outer covering of the person, the visible, physical, material body, in contrast to the conscience, or, in other contexts, the mind, the heart, and so forth. As the Old Covenant is concerned, no sacrifice reaches any deeper than the flesh. Even the annual Day of Atonement goes no deeper. 9:14 “ . . . how much more shall the blood of Christ . . .” Yet if the Levitical sacrifices were at all efficacious in the cleansing of the flesh, given the superiority with which it has been contrasted for many verses, how much more efficacious is the blood of the Messiah? The Jewish Christians to whom this epistle was addressed were doubtless aware that the sacrifice of Christ was wholly different in kind, and they might has supposed that it differed as widely in its results. As Westcott notes, the sacrifice of Christ was 1. Voluntary, not by constraint as in the case of the animal sacrifices of the Law. 2. Rational, and not animal. 3. Spontaneous, not in obedience to a direct commandment. 4. Moral, an offering of Himself by the action of the highest power in Himself, whereby He stood in connection with God, and not in a mere mechanical performance of a prescribed rite.” [Westcott, p. 261.] 9:14 “ . . . who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without blemish to God, . . .” The eternal spirit is to be understood as His own spirit. He was at length treated as the eternal Son of God, and it was this spiritual exercise that gave the sacrifice spiritual and eternal efficacy, 255 Again, the contrast between the “without spot or blemish” of the Old testament sacrifices pertains only to the flesh of the victims. Christ was without moral or spiritual blemish, and thus could provide for a moral and spiritual redemption. 9:14 “ . . . purify (cleanse) your conscience from dead works . . .” Here, the contrast, is not only between flesh and conscience, but also between dead bodies and dead works. Not defiled by contact with dead bodies, but from contact with dead works; not that which afflicts the flesh, but that which afflicts the conscience. Repentance from such dead works was one of the “basic principles” not to be repeated in Hebrews 6:1. The expression “dead works,” occurs only in Hebrews. Because popular treatments of the notion abound, it may be helpful to see what the phrase means in the context in which it occurs. Dead works, is, in some sense, sin or sinful behavior, because the Old Testament parallel (implied by the sprinkling of the ashes of a Heifer) is based upon the notion of having knowingly become “defiled” by coming in contact with a dead body. Hence, the recognition of the need for sacrifice. The point made in the present text is that the sacrifices rendered under the Old Covenant only “sanctified the flesh.” The conscience of the godly, which is untouched by the Old Testament sacrifices, remains defiled by the dead works. That is, as the term is used here, dead works are not those done in ignorance, but they afflict the conscience in a way not relieved by the external rights of sacrifice. The implication is clearly that “dead works” at least include outright sin. But so long as the conscience is hurt and no outward, ritual cure can be found, other behaviors, whether acts of commission or (more likely) acts of omission, may be termed dead works; and these may include any daily behavior, which, while not outwardly immoral, is spiritually empty. Often it’s springs from recourse to unexamined behavior which, although it hurts no one, is not vitally connected to the living God. Although the Old Testament had little to say about conscience, it is evident from many Old Testament texts that it was a real consideration to those sensitive to God. One senses in the case of Paul, for example, that his failure in regard to covetousness (Romans 7:7) played rigorously upon his conscience. For no one other than Paul himself was aware of this inner sin that corrupted his fleshly perfection. “Purity is not the end, but the means of the new life . . . The thought of performing certain actions is replaced by that of fulfilling a personal relation.” [Westcott P. 263] For the Christian, then (and this is tacitly included in the contrast between the Old Covenant and the New), works done for any reason other than as expressions of his filial relationship to God, and which prick his conscience, are therefore as sinful as the idolatry so abhorrent in the Old Testament. 9:14 “ . . . unto the service of the living God? The contrast between dead bodies and dead works now extends to another contrast. For only one whose conscience has been freed from the blight of dead works can now serve the living God. 256 The lack of an article with either dead works or living god emphasizes the contrast by putting both ideas in the category of quality, rather than that of specifics. While it is true that we know of only THE living God, the contrast works without the article, just as the first thought of Hebrews used “Son” without the article: “. . . in these last days has spoken to us in Son” (Hebrews 1:2). There, the contrast was not only between the Prophets and the Son, but between the prophecies as particulars and the Son as Eternal and Universal. Here, the contrast is between the way of life characterized as consisting of “dead works,” and the way of life characterized as serving “Living God.” 9:15 “And for this reason He is mediator of a New Covenant, . . .” i.e., because the sacrifice of Christ procures an eternal redemption so superior to the Old Covenant that it cleanses the conscience, He is ipso facto Mediator of a New Covenant provided only that there was a death for confirmation of that Covenant. It should not be missed that even God, when He made a covenant with Abraham, ratified the covenant with slaughtered animals, “covenant-victims.” Jesus, on the other hand, was the substitutionary death of the covenant He mediated. 9:15 “ . . . so that, a death having taken place . . .” And there was indeed, a death “achieved.” Covenants were confirmed, or validated by the sacrificial death of one or more slaughtered animals. The Old Testament sometimes refers to “cutting a covenant,” i.e., cutting a sacrificial animal in half and walking between the halves (cf. Genesis 15:9-17; Jeremiah 34:18-20). Once a covenant was confirmed, its terms were binding. The oath made the covenant binding, but it was the visible, if figurative, self-cursing of death that made the profoundest impression. 9:15 “ . . . for redemption from the transgressions against the first Covenant, . . .” The death that validated the New Covenant had the effect of annulling, or setting aside, the first Covenant by redeeming believers from the very transgressions that the Old Covenant could only allow to accumulate. There is now nothing for the Old Covenant to do! It is like a bookkeeper that is always reminding us that we are in arrears, but never willing or able to help us, when a benefactor shows up and pays all our bills for us. The bookkeeper is now worthless! Whereas before the bookkeeper was merely unable to help, now it is unable to do anything of importance at all! If we remember that the Mosaic Covenant and Law were preparatory, and that for which they were to prepare men had now arrived, the “annulment” of the Old is now made clear. It was not recanted, recalled, or proclaimed by God to have been wrong. It had become null by having been made empty. There is simply no longer anything for the Old Covenant to do. That, of course, is why the desire to return to it (in the case of the Jewish Christians Hebrews addresses) or to adopt it as an adjunct to Christianity (as the Galatians considered doing) is so dangerous. 9:15 “ . . . those being called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” Those being called (including those of the Old Testament period to whom the promises were made) unto God’s rest, to fellowship with God, to eternal blessedness, are now able to claim this promised inheritance. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 257 The old covenant has been superseded because its consequences have been annulled. We are still free to live under a system of legalism if we choose. Indeed. Paul, hearing that his recent converts in Galatia were considering the adoption of a legalistic system, penned the epistle bearing their name. He did not claim that it is impossible to adopt a legalistic, Jewish belief system or lifestyle. He claimed that such beliefs and lifestyles were meaningless in terms of redemption because Christ had set them free from that system and that lifestyle. So the old covenant still exists, but no one is any longer required to live in it. In fact the New Testament authors discourage it and Paul pronounced a curse on anyone who would preach a gospel of salvation by anything other than grace. Here in the book of Hebrews, the whole purpose of the letter is to discourage the Jewish Christians from returning to that legalistic system by showing that it was merely preparatory for the new covenant which had so recently been effected, and that the old covenant could not accomplish what the new covenant did. We might liken what the Hebrew Christians contemplated to a desire to return to crawling and slithering after having learned how to fly; it’s always possible, but never desirable. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 9:11 But Christ, having become High Priest of the good things to flow from the greater and more perfect Tabernacle (not handmade – that is, not of this creation – 12 and not by means of the sacrificial blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood) entered once for all into that Holiest Place securing our eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, by being sprinkled upon those who have become defiled cleanse the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ who, through His eternal Spirit, offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works unto the service of the living God? 15 And for this reason He is mediator of a New Covenant, a substitutionary death of validation being achieved for release from the transgressions against the first Covenant, that those being called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 258 THIRTY THIRD PERICOPE (Heb 9:16-22) 16 o{pou gaVr diaqhvkh, qavnaton ajnavgkh tou' diaqemevnou. 17 diaqhvkh gaVr ejpiV nekroi'" bebaiva, ejpeiV mhvpote ijscuvei o{te zh'/ oJ diaqevmeno". 18 o{qen oujdeV hJ prwvth cwriV" ai{mato" ejgkekaivnistai: 19 lalhqeivsh" gaVr pavsh" ejntolh'" kataV toVn novmon uJpoV Mwu>sevw" pantiV tw'/ law'/, labwVn toV ai|ma tw'n movscwn meq u{dato" kaiV ejrivou kokkivnou kaiV uJsswvpou aujtov te toV biblivon kaiV pavnta toVn laoVn ejravntisen, 20 levgwn, Tou'to toV ai|ma th'" diaqhvkh" h|" ejneteivlato proV" uJma'" oJ qeov": 21 kaiV thVn skhnhVn deV kaiV pavnta taV skeuvh th'" leitourgiva" tw'/ ai{mati oJmoivw" ejravntisen. 22 kaiV scedoVn ejn ai{mati pavnta kaqarivzetai kataV toVn novmon, kaiV cwriV" aiJmatekcusiva" ouj givnetai a[fesi". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 9:17 mh,pote. Instead of mh,pote, three Greek manuscripts (a* D* 075* vid) read mh. to,te, which then requires the reader to understand the sentence as a question (“… since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive, is it?”). In all three manuscripts, a later hand has changed tote to pote. [Metzger] 9:19 mo,scwn @kai. tw/n tra,gwn#. Although the text without kai. tw/n tra,gwn is supported by an impressive combination of witnesses (î46 ac K L Y 181 1241 1739 syrp, h, pal Origen), a majority of the Committee thought it probable that the words had been omitted either accidentally (through homoeoteleuton) or deliberately (to conform the statement to Ex 24.5). Since, however, it is possible that the shorter reading may have been expanded by copyists in imitation of ver. 12 dia. ai[matoj tra,gwn kai. mo,scwn (the sequence of which has influenced the reading of D 365 in the present passage), it was decided to enclose the words within square brackets in order to indicate a certain doubt that they belong there. [Metzger] The addition is omitted here because it appears to be missing from the earliest texts. The reading adopted is movscwn meq u{dato". B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 9:16-18, 20. Testament or Covenant? There are 13 occurrences in the New Testament of diaqhkh that are rendered “Testament.” Of those, 6 occur in Hebrews, five in our present context of Hebrews 9:15-20, where, for some reason KJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV and NIV seem to think the subject changes in vv. 16-17 and then changes back again in v. 20. Yet the present context is such that even if the word in question were “bicycle,” we should still be compelled to figure out how it could refer to a testament, and not to a covenant. 259 Westcott and Moulton suggest that the word diaqhkh be translated “covenant” at every occurrence in the New Testament, following the overwhelming use in the Septuagint to translate the word tyrIB (berith). Deismann, however, believes that all New Testament occurrences of the word should be translated “testament.” Although the word did have other connotations in Greek, the overwhelming number of surviving texts do indeed refer to “Last Will and Testament.” But to apply that understanding to an Old Testament concept taken up in the New Testament, is to read Hellenism back into a well-established Hebrew concept. Johannes Behm, in his article on the word diaqhkh for Kittle’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament [TDNT], shows that the Hebrew word tyrIB] {(berith) so often translated “covenant,” had other meanings as well, and that “the remarkable fact that diaqhkh is not an unequivocal concept in the Septuagint, but hovers between the senses of ‘covenant’ and ‘disposition,’ is not based solely on the fact that the Greek term embraces both possibilities; it is to be explained finally in terms of the complex content of the word tyrIB (berith) which the translators were seeking to grasp.” [TDNT, Vol. 2.] But while there were overlaps between the Hebrew word tyrIB (berith) and the Greek diaqhkh, the very concept of “Last Will and Testament” was completely missing in the Hebrew ethos, again suggesting that to translate the word diaqhkh as “Testament,” is merely to introduce a contemporary Greek idea into the Biblical mindset where it had no counterpart. The reason for these mistranslations seems to lie in a difficulty of handling the Greek diaqemevnou in 9:16, and an incomplete understanding of the notion of “covenant,” and the varieties of its types and formations. The term “cut,” in the phrase “to cut a covenant,” (tyrIB] tr;K) may well be “used in summary description of the whole transaction recorded,” [TDNT vol 2, p. 113.] but the slaughtered animals, which are never called sacrifices, were intended “to establish a fellowship of substance between the covenant partners.” If the oath is the essence of the covenant, the identification of the covenant-initiator with the slaughtered animal is the very picture of identifying with the self-cursing aspect of that oath. Thus, the Covenant between God and Abraham involved the halving of several animals and God symbolically walking between them. This was “no free invention,” being “an exact description of the procedure customarily followed in making a covenant . . .” and the “meaning of the action, when taken in connection with Jeremiah 34:18a, is thus to be sought in self-cursing, which is the central part of an oath.” Indeed, in the Jeremiah passage, the “curse stands between the participants . . . and is portrayed in the analogous action of the cutting apart of the animals. They see themselves as bloody corpses at the thought of a breech of the covenant.” [TDNT vol. 2, p. 116.] It must be noted that covenants, and not last wills and testaments, have mediators in the sense the author has been at pains to develop. Neither God, nor Moses died in order for a “Testament” to take effect. There were substitutionary deaths for the purposes of showing the severity of the situation, and as substitutes for the deaths that were truly required, i.e., those of potential covenant breakers. Moffatt paraphrases the passage as follows: “thus, in the case of the will, the death of the testator must be announced, for a will only holds in cases of death; it is never valid so long as the testator is alive.” This is a good paraphrase of a wrong translation. But it is instructive nonetheless. For it 260 is precisely the “death of the testator, that refutes the translation. For in a covenant, the victim must die; if one of the parties to a covenant dies, it may be remade with the sons or survivors of the original partners. The covenant with Abraham is a good example; when Abraham died the covenant had to be reaffirmed with Isaac. When Isaac died it had to be reaffirmed again with Jacob. Why? Because the covenant does not hold once a covenanter dies. If it had been the Abrahamic Testament, rather than the Abrahamic Covenant, it would only have taken effect when Abraham died, instead of having to be remade with his successor when he died. But the author of Hebrews has been dealing all along with covenants, not wills. The whole train of thought is derailed when, out of the blue, we introduce wills where we have been talking about covenants. The whole point is that Jesus was both the covenant victim, whose death ushered in a new agreement between God and his followers, but equally, he is now the high priest in the heavenly tabernacle and the mediator of this new covenant. The entire thrust of the context is that Jesus was both the covenant-victim, and, as the new High Priest, the covenant mediator as well. His death ushered in a new agreement between God and His followers; but equally, His life now mediates that agreement from the Heavenly Tabernacle. The items of comparison are still covenants, not last wills and testaments. There is no stretch of the imagination that can seriously define the behavior of Moses recounted in Hebrews 9:19-21, nor the conclusion of verse 22 as resulting from a last will and testament. These clearly present the inauguration of the Mosaic Covenant by means of substitutionary deaths of covenant-victims. As we have seen, “covenant-victims” provided substitutionary deaths for the makers of the Covenants. The introduction to the idea of “testament,” probably arose as a result of failure to square the language with the situation. Such clauses as “death of the testator” (instead of one making a covenant) in verse 16 and “while the testator (instead of one effecting a covenant) lives,” fails to do justice to the context. These are decidedly difficult phrases to handle, the translation way here defended being just as difficult as those presented in the major Bible versions. In verse 18, all the major versions except the KJV return to the notion of covenant, and that word is supplied. The KJV continues in its rut and supplies the word testament instead. One is left to wonder about the point of the 20 words in verses 16 and 17. Despite the difficulties of the passage, nothing is gained and a great deal of confusion is introduced, by changing the subject from covenant to testament for two verses. There are three things contributing to a proper translation of the passage, all being mildly periphrastic, but all being contextually solid. First, we may translate the anarthrous Greek word “death” in verse 16 as “a figurative death,” or as “a substitutionary death.” Second, we may translate the word “testator” (KJV).or the phrase “the one who made it” (i.e., the covenant) in verses 16 and 17 as “covenant-victim,” as Young’s Literal Translation does. Third, we must notice that nekroi" in verse 17, is plural, anarthrous, and may as easily be neuter as masculine. Thus the participial phrase should be translated “on the basis of the dead (ones, things, bodies, victims),” so that the 261 entire clause would read something like “for a covenant is (or becomes) valid on the basis of dead victims,” echoing what we have already seen with regard to covenants. This makes sense of the fact that a covenant (singular) becomes valid on the basis of dead victims (plural). How many men must die for a testament to become effective? Certainly not more than one. It is to the point that Young’s Literal Translation translates the passage as follows: Hebrews 9:16-17 “for where a covenant is, the death of the covenant-victim to come in is necessary, for a covenant over dead victims [note the plural] is steadfast, since it is no force at all when the covenant-victim liveth.” 9:16 fevresqai (infinitive, present, passive, from fe,rw) A. to bear or carry a load, Hom., Att.; of a woman with child, Aesch., Soph. II. to bear, bear along, implying motion, po,dej fe,ron Il.; horses are said a[rma fe,rein Ib.; of a wind, Hom.; o` bore,aj eivj th.n+Ella,da fe,rei is fair for Greece, Xen. III. to bear, endure, suffer, Od., etc.; of wine, ta. tri,a fe,rwn bearing three parts of water, instead of i;son i;sw|, Ar.:-often with Advs., bare,wj( deinw/j( calepw/j fe,rein ti, like Lat. aegre, graviter ferre, to bear impatiently, take ill or amiss, opp. to kou,fwj( r`a|di,wj fe,rein, Lat. leviter ferre, to bear patiently, take easily, Hdt., Att.:-such phrases are constructed mostly c. acc. rei; sometimes, c. dat. only, bare,wj fe,rein toi/j parou/si Xen. IV. to bring, fetch, Hom., Att.:-Med. to bring with one, or for one’s own use, Od., etc. 2. to bring, offer, present, dw/ra Ib.; ca,rin tini. f. to grant any one a favour, do him a kindness, Hom., Att. 3. to bring, produce, work, cause, Hom.; fÅ kako,n( ph/ma( a;lgea to work one woe, Id.:-to produce, bring forward, cite, Dem. 4. to bring one word, to tell, announce, Aesch., etc.:-so in Med., lo,gouj f. Eur.; but also, e;poj fe,resqai to have word brought one, receive, Id. 5. to pay something due or owing, fo,ron fe,rein to pay as tax or tribute, Thuc.; misqo.n f. Xen. (but also to receive pay, Ar., Thuc.):-of property, to bring in, yield as rent, Isae. 6. yh/fon f. to give one’s vote, Lat. ferre suffragium, Aesch.; yh/foj kaqV h`mw/n oi;setai (as Pass.) Eur.:-hence fe,rein tina,, to appoint to an office, Dem. V. to bear, bring forth, produce, of the earth or of trees, Od., Hdt., etc.:-absol. to bear, bear fruit, be fruitful, Hdt. VI. to carry off or away, Il.: of stormy winds, Od.; of a river, Hdt.:-Med. to carry off with one, Od., Xen., etc. 2. to carry off as booty or plunder, Il., etc.:-often in the phrase fe,rein kai. a;gein, v. a;gw 1. :- fe,rein alone, to rob, plunder, qew/n i`era, Eur.; avllh,louj Thuc.:-Med. in same sense, Hom. 3. to carry off, gain, win, achieve, Il., Soph., etc.; misqo.n fe,rein (v. supr. iv. 5):-so in Med. to win for oneself, Il., Att.:- metaph., ta. prw/ta( ta. deu,tera fe,resqai to win and hold the first, the second rank, Hdt.; ple,on or plei/on fe,resqai to gain the advantage over any one, tinoj Id., etc.;-the Med. being used of that which one gets for one’s own use, esp. to take home, Id. VII. absol., of roads, to lead to a place, h` o`do.j fe,rei eivj. . , like Lat. via fert or ducit ad. . , Id., Thuc., etc. 2. of a tract of country, to stretch, extend to or towards, like Lat. vergere or spectare ad. . , fe,rein evpi, or evj qa,lassan Hdt., etc. 3. metaph. to lead to, be conducive to, evj aivscu,nhn fe,rei Id.; evj bla,bhn fe,ron Soph. b. to aim at a thing, hint or point at, refer to it, eivj or pro,j ti Hdt., Plat.; so, tou/ dh,mou fe,rei gnw,mh( w`j. . , the people’s opinion inclines to this, that. . , Hdt.; tw/n h` gnw,mh e;fere sumba,llein their opinion inclined to giving battle, Id. c. impers. much like sumfe,rei, it tends (to one’s interest), is conducive, fe,rei soi tau/ta poiei/n; Id. d. intr., v. B. 1. 2. VIII. to carry in the mouth, i.e. to speak much of, Aeschin.: Pass., eu=( ponhrw/j fe,resqai to be well or ill spoken of, Xen.: also absol. fe,retai, like Lat. fertur, 262 [the report] is carried about, i.e. it is said, toio,nde fe,retai prh/gma gi,gnesqai Hdt. IX. imper. fe,re, like a;ge, used as Adv. come, now, well, fe,rV eivpe. dh, moi Soph.; so, before 1 pers. sing. or pl. subj. used imperatively, fe,re avkou,sw Hdt.; fÅ dh. i;dwmen( fÅ dh. skeyw,meqa Plat. 2. before a question, fe,re tropai/a pw/j a;ra sth,seij; well then, how wilt thou erect trophies? Eur. X. part. neut. to. fe,ron, as Subst. fortune, fate, to. fe,ron evk qeou/ fe,rein crh, ye must bear what heaven bears to you, awards you, Soph. B. Pass. is used in most of the above senses, esp., I. to be borne along by waves or winds, to be swept away, Od.; h-ke fe,resqai he sent him flying, Il.; h-ka po,daj kai. cei/re fe,resqai I let go my hands and feet, let them swing free [in the leap], Od. 2. often in part. with another Verb of motion, fero,menoi evse,pipton they fell on them with a rush, Hdt.; wv|co,mhn fero,menoj Plat.;-so, in part. act. used intr., fe,rousa evne,bale nhi, she bore down upon the ship and struck it, Hdt.; fe,rwn hurriedly, in haste, Aeschin. II. of voluntary motion, ivqu.j fe,retai Il.; o`mo,se tini. fe,resqai to come to blows with him, Xen., etc. III. metaph., eu=( kakw/j fe,resqai to turn out well or ill, succeed or fail, no,moi ouv kalw/j fe,rontai Soph.; ta. pra,gmata kakw/j fe,retai Xen.; eva/n tau/ta fe,resqai to let these things take their course, Dem.:-of persons, eu= fero,menoj evn strathgi,aij being successful in his commands, Thuc. [Liddell-Scott] 9:16 diaqemevnou (participle, aorist, middle, genitive, masculine, singular, from diati,qhmi) 1. to arrange, dispose of, one’s own affairs; a. ti, of something that belongs to one (often so in secular authors from Xenophon down); with the dative of person added, in one’s favor, to one’s advantage; hence, to assign a thing to another as his possession: ti,ni basilei,an (to appoint), Luke 22:29. b. to dispose of by will, make a testament: Heb. 9:16f; (Plato, legg. 11, p. 924 e.; with diaqh,khn added, ibid., p. 923 c., etc.). 2. diati,qemai diaqh,khn ti,ni (P ta, tyrIB] tr;K', Jer. 38:31ff (Jer. 31:31ff)), to make a covenant, enter into covenant, with one, (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 225 (211); Buttmann, 148 (129f)): Heb. 8:10, (Gen. 15:18); pro,j tina, Acts 3:25; Heb. 10:16 (Deut. 7:2); meta, ti,noj, 1 Macc. 1:11. The Greeks said sunti,qemai pro,j tina, ai` pro,j tina sunqhkai, Xenophon, Cyril 3, 1, 21. (Compare: avntidiati,qhmi.) [Thayer] 9:17 bebaiva (adjective, normal, nominative, feminine, singular, from be,baioj ) firm, strong, secure lit. Hb 6:19. Fig. firm, reliable, dependable, certain Ro 4:16; 2 Cor 1:7; Hb 2:2; 3:14; 2 Pt 1:10, 19; valid Hb 9:17. 9:17 ijscuvei (verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from ivscu,w ) be strong, powerful, able Mt 8:28; Mk 14:37; Lk 14:6, 29f; J 21:6; Ac 15:10. Be strong enough Lk 16:3. Be in good health Mk 2:17. Win out, prevail Ac 19:16; Rv 12:8. Have meaning, be valid Gal 5:6; Hb 9:17. i,) polu, be able to do much Js 5:16.eivj ouvde,n be good for nothing Mt 5:13. 9:18 ejgkekaivnistai (verb, perfect, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular from evgkaini,zw) lit. ‘renew’; inaugurate, dedicate Hb 9:18; open 10:20. See Grammatical entry. 9:19 ejrivou (noun, genitive, neuter, singular, from e;rion) wool Hb 9:19; Rv 1:14. 9:19 kokkivnou (adjective, normal, genitive, neuter, singular, from ko,kkinoj) red, scarlet Mt 27:28; 263 Hb 9:19; Rv 17:3; scarlet cloth or garment 17:4; 18:12, 16. 9:19 uJsswvpou (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, common, OR noun, genitive, masculine, singular, from u[sswpoj) the hyssop (Heb. loanword), a small bush with highly aromatic leaves, used in purification J 19:29; Hb 9:19. 9:21 skeuvh (noun, accusative, neuter, plural,from skeu/oj) a. generally thing, object Mk 11:16; Ac 10:11, 16; 11:5; Hb 9:21; Rv 18:12. Pl. property Mt 12:29; Mk 3:27; Lk 17:31. Perh. kedge or driving anchor Ac 27:17. b. vessel, jar, dish, etc. Lk 8:16; J 19:29; Ro 9:21; 2 Ti 2:20f; Rv 2:27. 2. fig., often of the human body, vessel, etc. Ro 9:22f; 2 Cor 4:7; 1 Pt 3:7. skeu/oj evklogh/j a chosen instrument Ac 9:15. to. e`autou/ skeu/oj 1 Th 4:4 may refer either to one’s own body or one’s own wife. 9:22 scedoVn (adverb, from scedo,n) nearly, almost Ac 13:44; 19:26; Hb 9:22. 9:22 aiJmatekcusiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from ai`matekcusi,a) shedding of blood: Heb. 9:22. Several times also in ecclesiastical writings. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 9:16-18 “It is clear that it is a ‘covenant’ to which these words refer, and not a testamentary document. The reference to the ‘first’ covenant at Sinai mentioned in the verses which immediately follow, decides this for us.” See Exodus 24:5-8. “And the mention also of the sprinkling of the blood shows that sacrifices are referred to.” The word translated ‘testator’ [KJV] is the participle: diaqevmeno" (diathemenos), and means appointed. Its use shows that the sacrifice by which the covenant was made is really contained in the word. [Bullinger, p. 69.] This form of ellipsis, where the word omitted is to be supplied from another word in the context, is clear. Here, the verbal form “covenant-maker,” “appointed,” or “covenant-victim” refers to the animal to be slaughtered in order to ratify the covenant, not to the ones drawing up or defining the covenant. And the context as a whole attests the subject matter to be “covenant,” not “testament.” 9:18 ejgkekaivnistai The question arises as to whether this form is an “aoristic perfect,” in which it is the finality of the action that is emphasized, or a pure perfect, in which the abiding results are in view. Even Burton recognizes this possibility, but leans toward the aoristic interpretation. Yet the entire context is explicable only in terms of lasting result, of the change in reality occasioned by the acts recorded. Verse 9:11 But Christ, having come High Priest (aorist) . . . 9:12 entered (aorist) once for all 264 (continuing result) into the Holy of Holies procuring (aorist) eternal redemption (continuing result). Verse 9:15 “. . . a death having taken place (aorist) for redemption from the transgressions against the first Covenant (continuing result), that those being called might receive (aorist) the promise of the eternal inheritance (continuing result).” 9:20 “. . . this is the blood of the covenant permanent state resulting from) which God has commanded (aorist).” The entire context bleeds punctiliar action followed by lasting results accomplished by using aorist verbs or participles for the inaugurating action, followed by the present tense to show a continuing state. Why would the author drop a lone perfect tense verb in the middle of all this except to identify the basic mechanics of the inauguration of the Mosaic covenant with the general statements concerning the very nature of covenants except to emphasize the fact that the case of Moses clearly follows the cases being given here in such detail? In the end, Burton is right – it may go either way. But perhaps we should lean slightly in favor of the perfect tense being understood in the normal way. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 9:19 Cf. Exodus 24:3-8. Here is the record of Moses “telling the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances.” Here also is recorded the first verbal agreement of the people to abide by those precepts having just been explained to the. Moses arose early in the morning and “built an altar” and “set up twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.” Then he sent “young men,” presumably to provide or acquire the needed sacrifices, and thereupon they “offered burnt offerings and peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord.” “And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.” Then he took the “book of the covenant” and read it to the people, and (agreeing with the terms of the covenant) they again said “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient,” whereupon, he “took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said,’Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words’.” Clearly both parties were present, clearly all saw the death of the victims, or at least were present to be sprinkled by the blood. And Moses pronounced the benediction, noting 1. The blood of the covenant, 2. Made by God, 3. Concerning “these words,” whether of the law, or the agreement by the people to keep them. 9:21 We see in Exodus 40:9-11, Leviticus 8:10 f, and Numbers 7:1 that the Tabernacle, inside and out, as well as all their furnishings, were consecrated by being anointed with oil. Missing is any mention of blood. 265 We also see that Aaron and his sons were consecrated with the blood of a sacrificial ram as well as with oil when they were dedicated (Leviticus 8:23 f, 30), suggesting that perhaps the Tabernacle was also consecrated with both oil and sacrificial blood. Normally we would tend to see this as a conflation of events, but Josephus “says that Moses spent seven days purifying the priests and their vestments, ‘as also the tabernacle and its vessels, both with oil . . . and with the blood of bulls and rams’,” (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 3:206. But cf. Philo, Life of Moses 2:146 ff.). [Bruce, p. 216.] This suggests at least the possibility of an extra-Biblical tradition. E. TRANSLATION 9:16 For where there is a covenant, there is the necessity to cause the death of the covenant-victim (guarantor, initiator). 17 For a covenant is (only) valid on the basis of substitutionary deaths, since it is in no way effective while the covenant-victim (one making, or guaranteeing the covenant) is yet alive. 18 Thus, even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood, 19 for every command having been spoken according to the law by Moses to all the people, taking the blood of calves with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, he sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying this is the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined on you. 21 Moreover, both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry (service?) he likewise sprinkled with the blood. 22 and almost everything is purified with blood according to the law and without shedding of blood there is no remission. F. EXPOSITION 9:16-17 Dods points out that the text is to be understood as referring to covenants instead of Testaments because, 1. The constant Biblical usage by which, with one doubtful exception in Galatians 3, diaqhvkh stands for “covenant,” not for “will.” 2, The author’s “argument regarding covenants receives no help from usages which obtain in connection with testaments which are not covenants.” 3. “The argument of verse 18 is destroyed if we understand vv. 16,17 of wills; for in this verse it is the first covenant that is referred to.” [Dods, p. 336.] 9:16 “For where there is a covenant, . . .” That is, “wherever one may look (at least in the ancient Near East) if a covenant is anywhere in force, or is being considered, . . .” 9:16 “ . . . there is the necessity to cause the death of the covenant-victim (guarantor, initiator).” There is the necessity of causing the death of a covenant victim in order to validate, inaugurate, or ratify the covenant. For the two best translations of “be” (KJV), “established,” (RSV, NRSV), and “prove” (NIV), see Lexical and Topical Studies, entry VI 2 for “to present,” and VI.3 for sense of “to cause.” 266 Westcott and the NIV prefer the notion of being “brought forth,” or “produced” as proof. Dods concurs. However, there was nothing secret about the death of the covenant-victim; The only parties needing “proof” were both present at the death of the victim. We will maintain the translation “cause,” as in the popular jargon of “bring it on.” “Covenant-victim” is “contained in” and therefore stands in for the genitive “Covenant-initiator,” which in English is ambiguous. The death caused by the initiator of the covenant is the death of the covenant-victim appointed (cf. Luke 22:29) by the covenant-initiator. See Bullinger in Grammatical Notes and Literary Devices. 9:17 “For a covenant is only valid on the basis of substitutionary deaths, . . .” . In our culture, if there is no signature on a contract, it is nothing but empty promises and verbiage. Once a document is signed, however, it becomes binding and default in any of its provisions is actionable in a court of law. Here, we sign papers in order to make promises binding. In the ancient Near East, they slaughtered “covenant-victims.” 9:17 “ . . . since it is in no way effective while the covenant-victim (one making, or guaranteeing the covenant) is yet alive.” To return to our analogy, the contract does not become “official,” or binding, without the appropriate signatures. 9:18 “Thus, even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood, . . .” Thus, “since every absolute, inviolable, covenant is based upon a death, and, further, since every covenant of God with man requires complete self-surrender on the part of man, not even hath the first covenant, though it failed in its issue, been inaugurated without blood.” [Westcott, p. 266.] This nicely sums up the argument concerning the “first” Covenant thus far. Note again, that this cannot be said of a testament. 9:19 “ . . . for every command having been spoken according to the law . . .” i.e., precepts were explained in terms of the overall will of God, or the will of God was explained as eventuating in the commands. Either way, the individual commandments were related to the will of the God who had let the people out of the desert. 9:19 “ . . . by Moses to all the people, . . .” Thus, Moses is the intermediary between God and the people. We may recall that the people were frightened of the phenomena on the mountain, and had no desire to approach God. And for His part, God forbade any should approach Him closely but Moses. But having received the Law and the ordinances, and the will of God, Moses recited them to the people (Exodus 24:3) and the next day recited them to the people from the book (Exodus 24:7). 9:19 “ . . . taking the blood of calves . . .” Having spoken for God concerning the requirements enjoined upon the people, and their having agreed to them, Moses “took the blood of calves.” The 267 sacrifices were not typical sin offerings, but “burnt offerings and peace offerings” -- the slaughter of the covenant-victims. 9:19 “ . . . with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, . . .” These details, while not foreign to the Old testament, are not mentioned in the Exodus passage upon which the current text draws. This may have been a conflation of detail, or perhaps reliance upon another tradition beside the LXX. 9:19 “ . . . he sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, . . .” Nor does the Exodus narrative supply the detail about sprinkling “the book” of the covenant. This too may have come from some other source than the LXX, but symbolically, it would appear to contribute “life” to “the Book.” Although the words were God’s, the Book itself was the work of man, and so needed to be purified. Sprinkling all the people could not have been accomplished in a literal sense, because there would not have been enough blood, and because by the time every individual had paraded before Moses to receive his sprinkling, the blood would have been dried. We do not know how “all” the people were sprinkled, whether Moses merely sprinkled vigorously several times toward different parts of the crowd, or whether the twelve pillars set up represented the people. 9:20 “ . . . saying this is the blood of the covenant . . .” That is, “this blood thus shed and sprinkled on you is a witness to the validity of the covenant into which you have entered with God.” 9:20 “ . . . which God has enjoined on you.” Most major versions have “commanded you.” NRSV has “ordained for you.” Westcott prefers a stricter “commanded toward you.” The notion in the latter case seems to be that Moses was commanded to take His covenant to these specific people, i.e., the Children of Israel. The sense does seem to be that the covenant, of which God was the author and Moses the mediator, was prepared for Israel. The blood sprinkled identified the covenant they had just entered as that which God had prepared for them. 921 “Moreover, both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry (service?) he likewise sprinkled with the blood . . .” This sprinkling came later, as the tabernacle did not yet exist. This is just a passing note. 9:22 “ . . . and almost everything is purified with blood according to the law . . .” The author has shared the vital information, but wishing to emphasize the importance of the shedding of blood, particularly with the added advantage to be found in Christ’s shed blood, notes that virtually everything having to do with Hebrew religious services whether altar or priest, was sprinkled with blood. 9:22 “ . . . and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” The word remission almost always takes some object (usually in the genitive, and usually “sin”). Here it seems to mean something on the order of release, or deliverance not only from the individual sins committed, or even the broader sense of the bondage to sin, but from the old economy of annual sacrifice for national sin, and frequent sacrifices for personal sins as well. It is release from sin and the sacrificial system it 268 necessitated. This clause presents a point of transfer to the new covenant where something more was gained by shedding of blood than just a covenant, to wit, the remission of sins. It is true that the sprinkling of blood was an act of purifying from uncleanness contracted in one way or another. This was so true that blood was even applied to inanimate objects in order that they might be fit for service in worship. But more importantly, is the uncleanness that comes not from contact, but from the heart. By this passage the author passes from the ceremonially unclean to the ethically ruined. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS No new ethical or theological teaching in this pericope. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Often, Christian writers, including the author of Hebrews, compare the Covenant mediated by Christ with that mediated by Moses; of Christ’s sacrifice with the animal sacrifices of the Old Treatment; of the finality of Christ’s sacrifice compared with those annual sacrifices of the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple. We are encouraged by our standing on this side of the final sacrifice instead of the darker, seemingly less sure side of it. We would be wrong not to be encouraged. But the danger we face is that of minimizing that holy blood. It can be minimized by forgetting about it, or not meditating upon its merits often enough, or relegating it to the realm of ritual or ceremony without letting the cosmic importance of it into our souls. We may be, in short, susceptible to the very same ways of thinking about Christ’s sacrifice that the jews were to whom this epistle was addressed. It is not that we will “return” to Judaism – for most of us were never part of Judaism. But that facile thinking (or worse, lack of thinking) about the meaning of Christ’s shed blood, and the price He paid, allows us to live lives not focused upon God’s love and our proper response. Perhaps having to rush out and buy a bull to sacrifice every time we realized we had sinned would help focus our attention on what we have. I. PARAPHRASE 9:16 For wherever a covenant exists or is prepared, there is the necessity to bring forth the death of the covenant-victim. 17 For a binding covenant is based upon dead covenant-victims, since it remains ineffective while the covenant-victim is still alive. 18 Thus, even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood, 19 for after Moses explained every command to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both 269 the book itself and all the people, 20 saying “this is the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined on you.” 21 Moreover, he then sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the divine service. 22 And almost everything coming into relationship with God must be cleansed with blood according to the law; and without shedding of blood there is no release from bondage. 270 THIRTY FOURTH PERICOPE (Heb 9:23-28) 9.23 jAnavgkh ou\n taV meVn uJpodeivgmata tw'n ejn toi'" oujranoi'" touvtoi" kaqarivzesqai, aujtaV deV taV ejpouravnia kreivttosin qusivai" paraV tauvta". 24 ouj gaVr eij" ceiropoivhta eijsh'lqen a{gia Cristov", ajntivtupa tw'n ajlhqinw'n, ajll' eij" aujtoVn toVn oujranovn, nu'n ejmfanisqh'nai tw'/ proswvpw/ tou' qeou' uJpeVr hJmw'n: 25 oujd' i{na pollavki" prosfevrh/ eJautovn, w{sper oJ ajrciereuV" eijsevrcetai eij" taV a{gia kat’ ejniautoVn ejn ai{mati ajllotrivw/, 26 ejpeiV e[dei aujtoVn pollavki" paqei'n ajpoV katabolh'" kovsmou: nuniV deV a{pax ejpiV sunteleiva/ tw'n aijwvnwn eij" ajqevthsin aJmartiva" diaV th'" qusiva" aujtou' pefanevrwtai. 27 kaiV kaq' o{son ajpovkeitai toi'" ajnqrwvpoi" a{pax ajpoqanei'n, metaV deV tou'to krivsi", 28 ou{tw" kaiV oJ Cristov", a{pax prosenecqeiV" eij" toV pollw'n ajnenegkei'n aJmartiva", ejk deutevrou cwriV" aJmartiva" ojfqhvsetai toi'" aujtoVn ajpekdecomevnoi" eij" swthrivan. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 9:24 ajlhqinw'n (adjective, genitive, neuter, plural, from avlhqino,j) 1. that which has not only the name and semblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name (Tittmann, p. 155; (“particularly applied to express that which is all that it pretends to be, for instance, pure gold as opposed to adulterated metal” Donaldson, New Crat. sec. 258; see, at length, Trench, sec. viii.)), in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name, real and true, genuine; a. opposed to what is fictitious, counterfeit, imaginary, simulated, pretended: Qeo,j (tm,a/ yh;l{a/, 2 Chr. 15:3), 1 Thess. 1:9; Heb. 9:14 Lachmann; John 17:3; 1 John 5:20. (avlhqinoi, fi,loi, Demosthenes, Phil. 3, , p. 113, 27.) b. it contrasts realities with their semblances: skhnh,, Heb. 8:2; the sanctuary, Heb. 9:24. (o` i[ppoj contrasted with o` evn th/| eivko,ni, Aelian v. h. 2, 3.) c. opposed to what is imperfect, defective, frail, uncertain: John 4:23,37; 7:28; used without adjunct of Jesus as the true Messiah, Rev. 3:7; fw/j, John 1:9; 1 John 2:8; kri,sij, John 8:16 (L T Tr WH; Isa. 59:4); kri,seij, Rev. 16:7; 19:2; a;rtoj, as nourishing the soul unto life everlasting, John 6:32; a;mpeloj, John 15:1; marturi,a John 19:35; ma,rtuj, Rev. 3:14; despo,thj, Rev. 6:10; o`doi, Rev. 15:3; coupled with pisto,j, Rev. 3:14; 19:11; substantively, to, avlhqino,n the genuine, real good, opposed to external riches, Luke 16:11 ((oi-j me,n ga,r avlhqino,j plou/toj ouvranw/|, Philo de praem, et poen. sec. 17, p. 425, Mang. edition; cf. Wetstein (1752) on Luke, the passage cited); a,vqlhtai, Polybius 1, 6, 6). 2. equivalent to avlhqh,j, true, veracious, sincere, (often so in the Septuagint): kardi,a, Heb. 10:22 (metV avlhqei,aj evn kardi,a avlhqinh,, Isa. 38:3); lo,goi, Rev. (19:9); 21:5; 22:6 (Plutarch, apoph, p. 184 e.). (Cf. Cremer, 4te Aufi. under the word avlh,qeia.) [Thayer] 271 9:27 ajpovkeitai (verb, present, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from avpo,keimai) be stored up, put away lit. Lk 19:20. Fig. Col 1:5; be reserved 2 Ti 4:8. Impers. avpo,keitai, tini it is reserved or certain for someone, one is destined to w. inf. Hb 9:27. 9:27 ajpoqanei'n (infinitive, aorist, active, from avpoqnh,|skw) 1. lit., of physical death Mt 8:32; 9:24; Ro 14:8; Hb 10:28; Rv 14:13. Decay 1 Cor 15:36. 2. fig. be freed from Ro 6:2; Gal 2:39; Col 2:20. Of mystical death with Christ Ro 6:8. Of losing the true, eternal life Ro 7:10; Rv 3:2; oft. in J: 6:50, 58; 8:21, 24; 11:26. 3. be about to die, face death, be mortal 1 Cor 15:31; 2 Cor 6:9; Hb 7:8. 9:28 prosenecqeiV" (participle, aorist, passive, nominative, masculine, singular, from prosfe,rw) 1. act. and pass. bring (to) Mt 4:24; 9:2, 32; 17:16; 19:13; 25:20; Mk 2:4; Lk 18:15; 23:14, 36; J 19:29; Ac 8:18. 2. bring, offer, present a. lit. Mt 2:11; 5:23f; Mk 1:44; Ac 7:42; Hb 5:1, 3; 8:3f; 9:7, 9, 14, 25, 28; 11:4, 17. b. fig. J 16:2; Hb 5:7. 3. pass. meet, deal with Hb 12:7. 9:28 ojfqhvsetai (verb, future, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from o`ra,w) 1. take or lead up Mk 9:2. 2. offer up (as) a sacrifice Hb 7:27; 1 Pt 2:5. 3. bear, assume (as of one who incurs danger) sins Hb 9:28 (cf. Is 53:12). (English derivative: anaphora) 9:28 ajpekdecomevnoi" (participle, present, middle, dative, masculine, plural, from avpekde,comai) assiduously and patiently to wait for (cf. English wait it out): absolutely, 1 Pet. 3:20 (Rec. evkde,comai); ti, Rom. 8:19,23,25; 1 Cor. 1:7; Gal. 5:5 (on this passage cf. evlpi,j at the end); with the accusative of a person, Christ in his return from heaven: Phil. 3:20 ; Heb. 9:28. Cf. C. F. A. Fritzsche in Fritzschiorum Opuscc., p. 155f; Winer’s De verb. comp. etc. Part iv., p. 14; (Ellicott on Galatians, the passage cited). (Scarcely found out of the N. T.; Heliodorus Aeth. 2, 35; 7, 23.) C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 9:26 This verse contains a “contrary to fact” condition without the word an. The idea was not that it was, in fact, necessary for Christ to have suffered often, but that had Christ not been better than the High Priests, and served in the heavenly and eternal Holy of Holies, such might have been expected. As it is, Christ needed to suffer but once, and now is about His own High Priestly office. [cf. Burton, sections 30, 32, and 249.] 9:28 Note the metonymy in which Christ is said “to bear the sins of many,” the meaning is that He bore the “punishment which was due to them.” [Bullinger, p. 551.] D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. 272 E. TRANSLATION 9:23 Therefore, on the one hand, it is necessary that the replicas of those heavenly things should be purified with these things; but on the other hand the heavenly things themselves with a better sacrifice than these. 24 For Christ entered not into the Holy of Holies made with hands which are antitypes of the real, but into heaven itself, now to be made manifest before the face of God for us, 25 but not to offer Himself often, as the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies annually with the blood of another, 26 for then he were behooved to suffer often since the foundation of the universe, but now is manifested once for all at the end of the ages for the annulment of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is reserved for men once to die, but after that, judgment, 28 So also Christ, having once for all been offered to bear the sins of many, will be seen a second time without sin unto salvation to the ones eagerly awaiting Him. F. EXPOSITION Verse 23 picks up the thread begun in verses 11-12. To get the idea of the text without the intervening material, read verses 11-12 and skip immediately to verses 23-28. The logic of the argument then becomes clear, and the nature of the parenthetical statement is better understood,. 9:23 “Therefore, on the one hand, it is necessary that the replicas of those heavenly things should be purified with these things; . . .” i.e., the blood of goats and calves (9:12) are necessary for purifying the earthly Tabernacle – what else is there but earthly material with which to purify an earthly tabernacle? The full importance of purification by means of blood having been given, the text now resumes its contrast of the two Tabernacles and corresponding kinds of sacrifices. If blood purifies from sin and contamination from contact with sin, in the form of humanity, some form of sacrificial,, substitutionary blood must be supplied, since if every man were to pay for his own sin with his own blood, there would not be a human race. 9:23 “ . . . but on the other hand the heavenly things themselves . . .” How can the heavenly Tabernacle be purified? Why should it need purification? Just as the earthly Tabernacle was purified because of its attachment to and pollution by sinful men, the heavenly Tabernacle is to be a place for fallen men, who have access to it now through their head, Jesus the Christ. 9:23 “ . . . with a better sacrifice than these.” The heavenly Tabernacle is purified by the blood of Christ, once for all, with no need for repeated sacrifices. For this reason alone, the Sacrifice of Christ was superior to those of calves and goats. But, as we have seen, the blood of Christ is on a completely different plane than that of calves and goats, as the savior is greater than animals, the creator than the creation. 9:24 “For Christ entered not into the Holy of Holies made with hands . . .” In providing once for all 273 the salvation without which no man may see God, Christ fulfilled completely all the requirements to which the symbolic sacrifices only pointed. This was not accomplished by entrance into the Tabernacle made with hands, but into the very type itself, i.e., the heavenly tabernacle. 9:24 “ . . . which are antitypes of the real, . . .” That is, the earthly Tabernacle and its furnishings were copies of the heavenly things. The type may be an archetype, of which the antitype is a provisional Ireplica or example, or it may refer to that which is not clearly seen, but which the antitype makes clearer. We are dealing here with the former sort of type and antitype. 9:24 “ . . . but into heaven itself, now to be made manifest before the face of God for us, . . . .” not merely into the heavenly things, i.e., the heavenly Tabernacle alone, with its furnishings, but into the heaven itself, into that location beyond which there is nothing. Here, Christ appears on our behalf as High Priest (and advocate) in the presence of him whom none has seen since Adam. This appearance is to be contrasted with the semi darkness in which the High Priest approached the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was shrouded in the cloud of incense, and where no light shone (Leviticus 16:12 f.). The notion of appearing here translates the word (ejmfanisqh'nai) that means becoming the object of clear sight in some way that is not normally so. The word is an aorist passive infinitive. The passive voice is difficult to bring out in English, but it seems theologically important to do so. It follows the adverb “now” (nu'n) which refers to the continuing present, or continuous present. It is an ongoing present. The author is insisting that what is continuously present (Christ’s being made manifest before God) happened once, but continues to be the case in the ongoing present moment. One may wonder why a perfect tense was not used. The face of God is to be understood as a direct mutual, face-to-face vision unlike “the glory of the Lord” (Exodus 40:34 ff.) or the vision granted to Moses (Exodus 33:18 ff.). 9:25 “ . . . but not to offer Himself often, . . .” Christ, like the earthly High Priest, enters the Holy of Holies, but not to offer himself annually or daily, as the earthly sacrifices are offered. 9:25 “ . . . as the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies annually . . .” again speaking of the Day of Atonement, an annual event in the history of Israel. 9:25 “ . . . with the blood of another, . . .” i.e., the blood of the sacrificial victims. The High Priest of Israel was viewed as coterminous with the sacrifice, and it was by means of the death of the sacrifice that he was able to enter the Holy of Holies. That is, the purified High Priest was symbolically able to enter the presence of God on behalf off his people through the shed blood of the sacrifice. Christ, having survived death, entered wholly, personally, and truly into the presence of God and had no need to repeat the sacrifice, because once entered, He never will depart. 9:26 “ . . . for then he were behooved to suffer often since the foundation of the universe, . . .” Had 274 Christ’s sacrifice been like those of the High Priest, He would have had to repeat it annually from the foundation of the universe, or at least from the beginning of the human world. The author is asserting that Christ did not enter the Holy of Holies in order to secure an access to God that would have to be repeated through the annual sacrifice of Himself, but to secure an eternal access based upon a single event and entrance. Such a case of numerous sacrifices and entrances is impossible. 9:26 “ . . . but now is manifested once for all at the end of the ages . . .” Christ’s “being made manifest” is, therefore, “once for all,” i.e., never to be repeated (cf. Hebrews 6:6 and commentary on same) and “at the end of the ages.” 9:26 “ . . . for the annulment of sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Moreover, His sacrifice did not “roll the sins of the people forward” year by year, but annulled sin forever. And this annulment is not merely justification, sanctification, forgiveness, or remission. It is the complete setting aside of the syndrome of sin as a barrier to access to God. No longer is sin what separates men from God, but lack of appropriation by trust in Christ of that access hideously paid for, but now freely granted. if the Law was inefficient because of sin, that situation is remedied by the complete refusal to consider any longer as a bar to access to God, because sin no longer need be considered by God. It has all been paid for. Indeed, that is the force of placing the word “sin” in the singular. It is considered here in the abstract, as a condition, not as so many particular actions. 9:27 “And inasmuch as it is reserved for men once to die, . . .” The complex figure here introduced is to be understood both in terms of the contrast between the earthly High priest, and of the fulfillment of their ministries. As the sacrificial victims bore the sins of the high Priest and the people by the death of the victim, and allowed communion with God to proceed, so Christ’s sacrifice and High Priestly ministry also provides, on a free basis, access to God. And yet all men still die. They die because of the age old promise of death for sin. Indeed, that is what sacrificial death is meant to temporarily remedy in the Levitical sacrifices. So just as the Jews, who were granted fellowship with God on a temporal basis year by year through the Levitical sacrifices, so we are granted temporal access to and communion with God through the sacrifice of Christ to which the Levitical sacrifices pointed. Yet the Jews still died, and so do we.. 9:27 “ . . . but after that, judgment, . . .” After death, the next thing on the agenda is judgment. This is not a statement about time, but about sequence. We are not told when we will face judgment, only that the next thing after death is judgment. That judgment will be either to Life with God, or life apart from Him. 9:28 “ . . . so also Christ, having once for all been offered to bear the sins of many, . . .” That is, even Christ, died. But it was the death of the perfect man, the man whose death was brought about for the benefit of others. It was a sacrificial death, by means of which He was able to be our High 275 Priest, ministering on our behalf before God. That He bore “the sins of many” is not intended to provide a contrast to all, but to one, i.e., Himself. That is, it is not the purpose of the author to say that Christ died only for some but not all, but to say that He bore in Himself, alone, the sins of others. 9:28 “ . . . will be seen a second time without sin unto salvation . . .” Having died, and having permanently performed His priestly duties on our behalf, just as the High Priest of Israel performed his priestly duties annually, Christ will appear again after performing those duties just as the High Priest of the Jews did. And just as the High Priest’s appearance signified the completion of the sacrifices, and the renewed communion with God now made possible, so will Jesus appear, signifying the completion of His duties and the fullness of time. At that time, the salvation we know in principle will be delivered in their fullness to us. The contrast is not only between what is annual and what is once done permanently, but a between communion that is temporal and a communion that is eternal, personal and direct, as wit is now for Christ. 9:28 “ . . . to the ones eagerly awaiting Him.” But there is a caveat. He appears unto (complete) participation in eternal salvation and communion with God only to those who “eagerly await His coming. Our High Priest is currently in the presence of God on our behalf. Judgment, for those who “eagerly await him,” as the Jews awaited the return of the High Priest from the Tabernacle, will be eternal participation in perfection, not merely that the sacrifices have been performed for more year. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The more we understand about the Covenant between God and Israel and the Levitical sacrifices, the more we will be able to understand how completely Christ’s death, resurrection, ministry as High Priest, and our identity with Him meet our needs. The fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ of all the Old Testament forms on behalf of all believers, Gentile as well as Jew, can scarcely be gathered up in one mind. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Appearances in Hebrews For Christ entered not into the Holy of Holies made with hands which are antitypes of the real, but 276 into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us.” (Hebrews 9:24) Although we usually think in terms of two appearances of Christ, once at His first coming and again at His second coming, the ninth chapter of Hebrews specifically refers to three “appearings,” each involving a different Greek word. With reference to His first appearing, we read: “Now once in the end of the [age] hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (v. 26). The word used here means “to make manifest.” It is the word used in 1 John 3:5: “He was manifested to take away our sins.” His second coming is the topic in Hebrews 9:28, where the word means to show oneself visibly. “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” But there is also a third appearing mentioned in Hebrews 9, and this is the one in our text referring to Christ’s present and perpetual appearance on our behalf before the face of God in heaven. The word here means “to inform,” referring to His advocacy on our behalf as our “defense attorney,” so to speak. Not only did Christ die for us; not only will He come for us; right now, He is interceding for us! He is making a court appearance on our behalf. This work of Christ on our behalf is vitally important, although we do not think of it nearly as much as we do His two other appearings. This appearing affects us right now, every day, and is of infinite value. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:1-2). “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). HMM Acts and Facts. 9:28 Let us be sure that we continue to “wait eagerly” for His return. On that day, we will become if fullness what we are now but provisionally and unclearly, i.e., participants in our High Priest, and in His salvation. I. PARAPHRASE 9:23 Therefore, on the one hand, it is necessary that the earthly replicas of those heavenly things should be purified with such earthly sacrifices as these; but on the other hand the heavenly things themselves must be purified with a better sacrifice than these. 24 For Christ entered not into the Holy of Holies made with hands which are antitypes of the true, but into heaven itself, now to be manifested openly before the face of God on our behalf; 25 but He did not enter for the purpose of offering Himself often, as the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies once a year with the blood of another, 26 because then he would have been required to suffer often since the foundation of the universe, but instead is now manifested once for all at the end of the ages for the complete annulment of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men once to die, and then to face the judgment, 28 So also Christ, having once died bearing the sins of many, will be seen a 277 second time without sin being the point in consideration, but to complete the salvation of those eagerly awaiting Him. 278 THIRTY FIFTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:1-4) 10:1 SkiaVn gaVr e[cwn oJ novmo" tw'n mellovntwn ajgaqw'n, oujk aujthVn thVn eijkovna tw'n pragmavtwn, kat’ ejniautoVn tai'" aujtai'" qusivai" a}" prosfevrousin eij" toV dihnekeV" oujdevpote duvnatai touV" prosercomevnou" teleiw'sai: 2 ejpeiV oujk a]n ejpauvsanto prosferovmenai, diaV toV mhdemivan e[cein e[ti suneivdhsin aJmartiw'n touV" latreuvonta" a{pax kekaqarismevnou"; 3 ajll' ejn aujtai'" ajnavmnhsi" aJmartiw'n kat’ ejniautovn, 4 ajduvnaton gaVr ai|ma tauvrwn kaiV travgwn ajfairei'n aJmartiva". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 10:1 ouvk auvth,n. The substitution of kai, for ouvk auvth,n in the earliest known copy of the Epistle (î46) has produced an interesting reading, but one that certainly cannot be original, for the construction of the sentence implies a contrast between eivkw,n and skia,. The other readings, supported by individual minuscule manuscripts and the Armenian version, are scribal (or translational) idiosyncrasies. [Metzger] 10:1 du,natai. Although the reading du,nantai (a A C Db P 33 81 al) is strongly supported, it appears to have been introduced by copyists who were influenced by prosfe,rousin. After some hesitation, partly because of the presence of other variant readings in the same verse, the Committee preferred du,natai, which is supported by î46 D*, c H K Yvid 1739 al. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 10:1 SkiaVn (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from skia,) shadow, Od.; skia. avnti,stoicoj w[j like the shadow that is one’s double, Eur. 2. the shade of one who is dead, a phantom, Od., Trag.; so of one worn to a shadow, Aesch.:-in proverbs of man’s mortal estate, skia/j o;nar a;nqrwpoj Pind.; ei;dwlon skia/j Aesch., etc. II. the shade of trees, etc., petrai,h skih, the shade of a rock, Hes.; evn skih/| Id.; u`po. skih/| Hdt.; u`po. skia/j Eur.; skia.n Seiri,ou kuno,j shade from it’s heat, Aesch. [Liddell- Scott] 1. shade, shadow lit. Mk 4:32; Ac 5:15. Fig. Mt 4:16; Lk 1:79; 1 J 2:8 v.l. 2. shadow, foreshadowing Col 2:17; Hb 8:5; 10:1. 10:1 eijkovna (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from eivkw,n) a likeness, image, portrait, Hdt., Aesch. 2. an image in a mirror, Eur., Plat. II. a semblance, phantom, Eur., Plat., etc.: an image in the mind, Id. III. a similitude, similé, Ar., Plat. 10:2 ejpauvsanto (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd, plural, from pau,w) 1. act. stop, cause to stop, 279 hinder, keep 1 Pt 3:10.—2. mid. stop (oneself), cease Lk 5:4; 8:24; 11:1; Ac 5:42; 6:13; 13:10; 20:1, 31; 21:32; 1 Cor 13:8; Eph 1:16; Col 1:9; Hb 10:2. Cease from w. gen. 1 Pt 4:1. [English derivative: pause] 10:3 ajnavmnhsi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from avna,mnhsij) a remembering, recollection: eivj th,n evmh,n avna,mnhsin to call me (affectionately) to remembrance, Luke 22:19 (WH reject the passage); 1 Cor. 11:24f, evn auvtai/j (namely, qusi,aij) avna,mnhsij a`martiw/n in offering sacrifices there is a remembrance of sins, i. e. the memory of sins committed is revived by the sacrifices, Heb. 10:3. In Greek writings from Plato down. [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 10:2 Note the causal protasis with assumed protasis. Verse one makes the assertion that “the Law . . .can never perfect those drawing near.” Verse 2 assumes that if verse 1 were false, i.e., that if the Law could indeed “perfect those drawing near,” it would be the case that the sacrifices would have “ceased.” The logic is an example of a hypothetical syllogism with an implied antecedent, and is of the form “if p, then q. Not q, therefore, not q” (Modus Tollens). If the Law had made men perfect, then the sacrifices would have ceased. They have not ceased. Therefore, the Law does not make anyone perfect. This is the affirmation of verse 1. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 10:1 For the Law, having (only) a shadow of the good things about to be [coming], not the image itself of the matters, by the same annual sacrifices which they offer perpetually, can never perfect those drawing near, 2 since would not the sacrifices have ceased because the worshipers, being purified once for all, no longer have a conscience of sins? 3 But there is, in those sacrifices, an annual reminder of sins. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. F. EXPOSITION 10:1 “For the Law, having (only) a shadow of the good things about to be [coming], . . .” This is Platonic language. Even if we agree with P46 and read “and the image itself” and make the shadow and image refer to the Law, the language is still Platonic. We are dealing with an assertion that the Law had only a foreshadowing of reality, an outline, so to speak, of the full glory to come. An Icon, or image, likewise is but a representation of the fuller reality. 280 It is a horrible thing to be cast back upon theology to render a judgment on textual criticism, but as great as the Christian reality is, it is still not the fullness of which Plato would have urged, not the author of Hebrews intends. For in the last verse (Hebrews 9:28) we read that Christ “will be seen a second time without sin unto salvation to the ones eagerly awaiting Him.” That is, He will not deal again with sin; at that time, the salvation we know in principle will be delivered in their fullness to us. In that sense, we are also still waiting for salvation. We are waiting for salvation in its true, final, eternal reality. So just as the Law was an outline, a black and white drawing, a cartoon (an artistic sketch of a work to be executed) of what we have in the work of Christ, so what we have is but in principle. The fullness of the reality is yet to come. 10:1 “ . . . not the image itself of the matters, . . .” When Michelangelo (or any other great artist, from antiquity down) planned a work of art, he first drew a cartoon, a sketch (later in pencil) of the subject to be rendered. It was not the subject itself, but a preparation for a detailed portrait or some other painting. Jesus provided the actual portrait or painting of which the Law was the cartoon. But the painting is not the reality either, only a much mor realistic or “lifelike” representation. The fullness of the reality escapes the icon or painting just as Mona Lisa escaped the canvas and went about her life. The painting of Mona Lisa is not Mona Lisa, but a detailed representation of her. And our salvation is not yet the full, eternal, incorruptible state we will enjoy later, but a full color representation of the future salvation. We have salvation in truth, but only in principle, just as the Israelites, in the Law, had Jesus the Messiah in principle, but not in “reality.” 10:1 “ . . . by the same annual sacrifices which they offer perpetually, . . .” Christ was shown forth, “personified” one might almost say, in such things as the Passover lamb, and the Types of Christ found in Genesis – and in all the voices by which God spoke to the fathers of old. Most especially and deliberately was He shown forth in the sacrifices in the Tabernacle, particularly in those of the annual Day of Atonement. These sacrifices were nothing less than a sketch of the coming messiah, whose work now presents a fuller picture of humanity as it was meant to be, and as it will be when next Messiah appears. The repetition of the sacrifices demonstrates their inefficacy. And the sacrifices which produce lasting atonement cannot be repeated (cf. Hebrews 6:4-6). 10:1 “ . . . can never perfect those drawing near, . . .” The difference is this: Those sacrifices could never perfect those drawing near, those whose hope was in The Lord. Being a mere sketch of the coming Messiah and His earthly ministry rendered it unable actually to do what the reality at which it pointed could. 10:2 “ . . . since would not the sacrifices have ceased . . .” Had the sketch that was the Law actually been efficacious in the matter of sin, and brought those seeking God to perfection, would they not have ceased when perfection had been attained? What would have been the advantage of continuing the sacrifices if they had, in themselves, produced salvation? After the first sacrifice, salvation 281 would have come and those who sought God would have been made perfect, so why retain the sacrifices? 10:2 “ . . . because the worshipers, being purified once for all, . . .” If the ones bringing the sacrifices had been purified once for all, they would have no need whatsoever for more sacrifices. 10:2 “ . . . no longer have a conscience of sins?” There would have been no further need of sacrifices because they would no longer have any consciousness of, or burden upon their consciences, of sin. They would have been pure and they would have known it. 10:3 “But there is, in those sacrifices, an annual reminder of sins.” Instead, what we find is an annual reminder of sin. Every turning year produces not only another year’s worth of sins for which to pay, but the reminder of the many years fo sin already gone. Far from removing sins, the annual sacrifices reminded the worshipers of their sins. “That is: “so far from the sacrifices being discontinued because they have fulfilled their work, they serve in fact to keep alive the recollection of sin as a present burden.” [Westcott, ad loc., p. 306.] One is reminded of the “curse jar.” That was the jar many households used to employ to make their young sons quit using the profanity they learned at school or on the playgrounds. Every time a parent heard a son cuss, swear, or curse, he had to put a quarter in the curse jar. A quarter was a lot of money for kids at that time. The fervent wish of the parents was that by such means junior might be persuaded to use proper language and not resort to having a “foul mouth.” But after several months, as the jar began to fill, the lesson junior learned was that he had a foul mouth. What the parents learned was that quarters could not cleanse Junior’s mouth. Both lessons are invaluable. For Junior needed to see that he had a dirty mouth, and that neither the sacrifice of quarters nor the mere conviction that he had a dirty mouth could overcome his propensity to swear. It is the lesson the parents learned, however, that is foremost in the mind of the author. 10:4 “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” It is even more impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins than it is for the sacrifice of quarters to sweeten Junior’s speech. The inefficacy of animal sacrifice is shown not only to be impossible on the basis of their annual performance, but by the nature of the blood itself; for no animal blood can atone for human sin. It cannot possibly be anything more than a symbol. Animal sacrifices must be repeated because animal blood cannot make worshipers perfect. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The Law, far from providing the remission of sins, provided an annual reminder of those sin, leading 282 also to the conclusion that the Law and the sacrifices had the shadow and image of the true, but could not bring to perfection those who offered the sacrifices. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 10:1 For the Law, having only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the full image itself of the matters, can never perfect worshipers by the same annual sacrifices which they offer perpetually; 2 otherwise would the sacrifices not have ceased being offered if they, being purified from sin once for all, no longer had a conscience of sins? 3 But those sacrifices, provide an annual reminder of sins. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 283 THIRTY SIXTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:5-10) 10:5 DioV eijsercovmeno" eij" toVn kovsmon levgei, Qusivan kaiV prosforaVn oujk hjqevlhsa", sw'ma deV kathrtivsw moi: 6 oJlokautwvmata kaiV periV aJmartiva" oujk eujdovkhsa". 7 tovte ei\pon, jIdouV h{kw, ejn kefalivdi biblivou gevgraptai periV ejmou', tou' poih'sai, oJ qeov", toV qevlhmav sou.36 8 ajnwvteron levgwn o{ti Qusiva" kaiV prosforaVs kaiV 1oJlokautwvmata kaiV periV aJmartiva" oujk hjqevlhsa" oujdeV eujdovkhsa", ai{tine" kataV novmon prosfevrontai, 9 tovte ei[rhken, 1jIdouV h{kw tou' poih'sai toV qevlhmav sou. ajnairei' toV prw'ton i{na toV deuvteron sthvsh/: 10 ejn w|/ qelhvmati hJgiasmevnoi ejsmeVn diaV th'" prosfora'" tou' swvmato" jIhsou' Cristou' ejfavpax. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 10:9 poih/sai. After poih/sai the Textus Receptus adds o` qeo,j, with ac L* 81 104 206 462 489 913 919 1739 2127 vg syrp, h with * al. This addition, which is clearly a secondary assimilation to ver. 7 and/or to the Septuagint text of Ps 39.9, is absent from î13, 46 a* A C D K P 5 33 383 467 623 794 1319 2004 itd syrhtxt copsa, bo, fay eth. [Metzger] B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 10:6 oJlokautwvmata (noun, accusative, neuter, plural, from o`lokau,twma) whole burnt offering Mk 12:33; Hb 10:6, 8. (English derivative: holocaust) 10:6 eujdovkhsa" (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 2nd, singular, from euvdoke,w) consider good, consent, resolve Lk 12:32; Ro 15:26f; 2 Cor 5:8; Col 1:19; 1 Th 2:8. Be well pleased, take delight 36 Psalm 40:6-8. ^yl,ªae %roì[] Ÿ!yaeÛ Wnyleîaeñ ^yt,ªbov.x.m;W ^yt,îaol.p.nI) éyh;l{a/ hw"åhy> ŸhT'Ûa; Ÿt'yfi'[' tABÜr: 6 `rPe(S;mi Wmªc.['÷ hr"BE+d:a]w: hd"yGIïa; `T'l.a'(v' al{å ha'ªj'x]w:÷ hl'îA[ yLi_ t'yrIåK' ~yIn:z>a'â T'c.p;ªx'-al{) Ÿhx''n>miW xb;z<Ü 7 `yl'([' bWtïK' rp,seª÷-tL;gIm.Bi ytiab'_-hNEhi yTir>m;a'â za'ä 8 284 Mt 3:17; 12:18; 1 Cor 10:5 ; 2 Pt 1:17. Delight in, approve, like 2 Cor 12:10; 2 Th 2:12; Hb 10:6, 8. [Gingrich] As showing the difficulty of getting an adequate translation for the verb, it may be mentioned that Plummer (2 Cor. p. 153) has pointed out that the Vg renders it in ten different ways in its fifteen occurrences in the Epp., and five different ways in the six occurrences in the Gospels, three of which differ from all the renderings in the Epp. On the derivation of euvdoke,w straight from eu= dokei/, “it pleases me well,” fused into a closer union by usage, see Moulton Gr. ii, § 109 [Moulton-Milligan] 10:7 kefalivdi (noun, dative, feminine, singular, from kefali,j) 1. a little head (Latin capitellum, capitulum). 2. the highest part, extremity or end of anything; as the capital of a column, 1 Kings 7:9, 31 etc.; Geoponica 14, 6, 6; hence, the tips or knobs (the umbilici of the Romans (or rather the cornua; see Gardthausen, Griech. Palaeogr., p. 52f; Rich, Dictionary, under the word umbilicus)) of the wooden rod around which parchments were rolled seem to have been called kefali,dej, because they resembled little heads; so that 3. the Alexandrian writers transferred the name kefali,j to the roll or volume itself: evn kefali,di bi,blou, Heb. 10:7 (from the Septuagint of Ps. 39:8 (Ps. 40:8) for rp,se-tL;gIm.Bi, as in Ezek. 2:9, and without bibli,ou, 3:1-3; 2 Esdr. 6:2 (cf. Birt, Antikes Buchwesen (Berl. 1882), p. 116)), Itala: in volumine libri, in the roll of the book (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 23 (22)). The different opinions are noticed by Bleek at the passage. [Thayer] 10:8 ajnwvteron (adjective, accusative, neuter, singular, comparative from avnw,teroj) higher, i.e. to a better place Lk 14:10; above, earlier Hb 10:8. 10:8 ai{tine" (pronoun, relative, nominative, feminine, plural, from o[stij) whoever, whatever, every one who, everything that Mt 5:39, 41; 13:12; 23:12; Lk 14:27; Ro 11:4; Gal 5:4, 10; Js 2:10. Often equivalent to o[j, h[, o[ who Mt 27:62; Mk 15:7; Lk 2:4; 8:26; Ac 16:12; 21:4; 23:14, 21, 33; Hb 9:2, 9, though at times o[stij emphasizes a characteristic quality oi[tinej meth,llaxan since indeed they had exchanged Ro 1:25; cf. 2:15; 6:2. oi[tinej ouvk e;gnwsan who, to be sure, have not learned Rv 2:24. 10:9 ajnairei ' (verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd, singular from avnaire,w) 1. take away, abolish Hb 10:9. Do away with, kill, murder Mt 2:16; Ac 16:27; 2 Th 2:8. Pass. be condemned to death Ac 26:10.—2. mid. take up (for oneself), adopt Ac 7:21. 10:9 sthvsh/ (verb, aorist, active, subjunctive, 3rd, singular, from i[sthmi) 1. trans. (pres., impf., fut., 1 aor. act.) put, place, set, bring Mt 25:33; Mk 9:36; Lk 4:9; Ac 5:27. Put forward, propose Ac 1:23; 6:13. Establish, confirm Ro 3:31; 10:3; Hb 10:9. Cause to stand Ro 14:4. Set, fix Ac 17:31. Set out or weigh out Mt 26:15.—2. intrans. (2 aor., pf., plupf. act.; fut. mid. and pass.; 1 aor. pass.) aor. and fut. stand still, stop Mt 20:32; Mk 10:49; Lk 6:17; 8:44; Ac 8:38; Js 2:3. Come up, stand, appear Mt 27:11; Mk 13:9; Lk 24:36; Ac 10:30; 11:13. Resist Eph 6:11, 13, Stand firm, hold one’s ground Mt 12:25f; Mk 3:26; Ro 14:4a; Eph 6:14; Rv 6:17. Pf. and plupf. I stand, I stood Mt 27:47; Lk 23:10; J 7:37; Ac 1:11. Be, exist Mt 12:46f; 26:73; Lk 18:13; J 11:56; Ac 7:55f; 21:40; Rv 18:10. Fig. stand, stand firm Ro 11:20; 1 Cor 7:37; 2 Ti 2:19. Stand or be Ro 5:2; 1 Cor 15:1; 2 Cor 1:24. Attend 285 upon, be in the service of Rv 8:2. 10:10 hJgiasmevnoi (participle, perfect, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from a`gia,zw) 1. to render or acknowledge to be venerable, to hallow: to, o;noma tou/ Qeou/, Matt. 6:9 (so of God, Isa. 29:23; Ezek. 20:41; 38:23; Sir. 33:4 (Sir. 36:4)); (Luke 11:2); to,n Cristo,n, 1 Pet. 3:15 (R G Qeo,n). Since the stamp of sacredness passes over from the holiness of God to whatever has any connection with God, a`gia,zein denotes 2. to separate from things profane and dedicate to God, to consecrate and so render inviolable; a. things (pa/n prwto,tokon, ta, avrsenika,, Deut. 15:19; h`me,ran, Exo. 20:8; oi=kon, 2 Chr. 7:16, etc.): to,n cruso,n, Matt. 23:17; to, dw/ron, Matt. 23:19; skeu/oj, 2 Tim. 2:21. b. persons. So Christ is said by undergoing death to consecrate himself to God, whose will he in that way fulfills, John 17:19; God is said a`gia,sai Christ, i. e. to have selected him for his service (cf. avfori,zein, Gal. 1:15) by having committed to him the office of Messiah, John 10:36, cf. Jer. 1:5; Sir. 36:12 (evx auvtw/n h`gi,ase, kai, pro,j auvto,n h;ggisen, of his selection of men for the priesthood); Sir. 45:4; 49:7. Since only what is pure and without blemish can be devoted and offered to God (Lev. 22:20; Deut. 15:21; 17:1), a`gia,zw signifies 3. to purify (avpo, tw/n avkaqarsiw/n is added in Lev. 16:19; 2 Sam. 11:4); and a. to cleanse externally (pro,j th,n th/j sarko,j kaqaro,thta), to purify levitically: Heb. 9:13; 1 Tim. 4:5. b. to purify by expiation, free from the guilt of sin: 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 5:26; Heb. 10:10,14,29; 13:12; 2:11 (equivalent to rp,Ki, Exo. 29:33,36); cf. Pfleiderer, Paulinismus, p. 340ff (English translation 2:68f). c. to purify internally by reformation of soul: John 17:17,19 (through knowledge of the truth, cf. John 8:32); 1 Thess. 5:23; 1 Cor. 1:2 (evn Cristw/| VIhsou/ in the fellowship of Christ, the Holy One); Rom. 15:16 (evn pneu,mati a`gi,w| imbued with the Holy Spirit, the divine source of holiness); Jude 1:1 (L T Tr WH hvgaphme,noij (which see)); Rev. 22:11. In general, Christians are called h`giasme,noi (cf. Deut. 33:3), as those who, freed from the impurity of wickedness, have been brought near to God by their faith and sanctity, Acts 20:32; 26:18. In 1 Cor. 7:14 a`gia,zesqai is used in a peculiar sense of those who, although not Christians themselves, are yet, by marriage with a Christian, withdrawn from the contamination of heathen impiety and brought under the saving influence of the Holy Spirit displaying itself among Christians; cf. Neander at the passage. [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 10:7 kefalivdi, literally a “little head,” or knob on the rods upon which scrolls were wound. By synecdoche it came to stand for the scroll itself. [Bullinger] D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 286 10:5 Therefore, coming into the world He says “sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you were not satisfied. 7 Then I said ‘behold, I come (in the roll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God’.” 8 After first saying “sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you neither desired nor were you satisfied (which are offered according to Law),” 9 He then said “Behold, I am come to do Thy will;” he abolishes the first in order to establish the second, 10 by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. F. EXPOSITION 10:5 “Therefore, coming into the world He says . . .” This assumes the eternal being of Christ consistent with Hebrews 1:3. This “coming into the world” may, as Westcott says, apply to “each manifestation of Christ in human life,” but it most pointedly and profoundly points to the incarnation, which was the complete fulfillment. 10:5 “ . . . ‘sacrifice and offering you did not desire, . . .” “Sacrifice and offering” denote animal sacrifices, and meal offerings. The statement seems somewhat paradoxical if we are not granted some interpretational latitude, because God ordained and ordered all the sacrifices encountered in the Mosaic Law. We can only explain this seeming discrepancy by seeing that the sacrifices were symbolic of something which God did desire and in and of themselves imperfect and inefficacious. 10:5 “ . . . but a body you prepared for me’; . . .” The body prepared for Christ had several functions. Wee may recall that it allowed Him to call men His brothers, that it allowed Him to experience Human temptation and pain. It allowed Him to represent the perfect God to man, and the perfect man to God. It allowed him to “learn obedience.” It allowed Him to be perfectly obedient not merely to the external Law of God, but to the very will of God – it allowed Him, as the ideal man, to behave in the ideal way, i.e., in submission to God, and therefore, sinlessly. 10:6 “ . . . with whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you were not satisfied.” Burnt offerings and sin offerings denote the two major types of offering, corresponding to the formation of the covenant, and the restoration of the life and functioning of the covenant (cf. Westcott, ad loc.). And again, we are faced with the seeming paradox. How can the very sacrifices commanded by God fail to be satisfactory to Him? Only if their value lies in prophecy, typology, or some other symbolism can these things both be true. 10:7 “Then I said ‘behold, I come (in the roll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God’.” And again the seeming paradox is followed by a statement concerning Christ. First we are told that God did not “desire” the sacrifices and offerings of animal or agricultural entities but that God “had prepared a body” for Him. Then we are given notice that burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin did not satisfy God’s requirement, and this is followed by the statement that “I am come to do thy will.” 287 10:8 “After first saying ‘sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you neither desired nor were you satisfied . . .” This summarizes the Old Covenant sacrificial system and God’s lack of regard for it, at least as an end in itself. Such rites, rituals and symbols frequently take on a life and importance not their own, and then a sort of idolatry develops wherein the symbol becomes so closely identified with the reality it symbolizes that a distinction between the two is no longer made. This was clearly evident during the time of Jesus and at several times in Israel’s history. 10:8 “ . . . (which are offered according to law),’ . . .” Although the term “law” occurs without the article here, ans is therefore abstract, meaning only that sacrifices were ordained and legally carried out, the point here is to underscore the paradox. The sacrifices were commanded by God, and were offered for centuries according to the divinely ordained Law of Moses. Yet they were neither what He desired nor what He required. 10:9 “ . . . He then said ‘Behold, I am come to do Thy will;’ . . .” Whatever else the theologians wish to make of these verses, they cannot deny that the lack found in the legal sacrifices and offerings of the old covenant were supplied in the person and obedience of Christ. That He had a body implies that a kind of sacrifice may be made that God does desire. That He “came to do God’s will,” implies the moral perfection of the sacrifice. Thus, we can see how the sacrificial victims “without spot” symbolized the perfect sacrifice of the morally perfect human being, a sacrifice that alone could be efficacious in dealing with the issue of sin. In the words of J. Denney, “It is the atonement that explains the incarnation. The incarnation takes place in order that the sin of the world may be put away by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.” And this was possible only after a blameless human life. 10:9 “ . . . he abolishes the first in order to establish the second, . . .” That is, He abolishes the sacrifices that do not please God, that cannot take away sin, and that are wholly symbolical of the intended sacrifice of Christ as well as the Covenant that goes with them. These He replaces with the true sacrifice that does please God, that do remove sin, and He establishes a New Covenant upon them. The quotation of Psalm 40, as interpreted by the author of Hebrews, is a declaration of the annulment of the Old Covenant, and its replacement by the New. 10:10 “ . . . by which will we are sanctified . . .” Under this covenant, we are sanctified, because sin is abolished as the determinative factor in salvation 10:10 “ . . . through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” This is the result of the implied obedience and the explicit sacrifice that are involved in “doing God’s will.” And both the sacrifice and the sanctification are “once for all.” G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 288 “His incarnation itself is viewed as an act of submission to God’s will and, as such, an anticipation of His supreme submission to that will in death. The psalmist’s words ‘Lo, I am come to do thy will, O God’, sum up the whole tenor of our Lord’s life and ministry, and express the essence of that true sacrifice which God desires. But what of the parenthetic clause: ‘in the roll of the book it is written of me’? It’s meaning is clarified by the clause which immediately follows the clauses which are quoted here: ‘Yea, thy law is written in my heart.’ The ‘roll of the book’ is the written torah of God; what was written there the speaker recognized to be written concerning him, to be God’s prescription for him. His life would accordingly be the active counterpart of the written law; the will of God, which was set down in the ‘roll of the book’, would be equally manifested in his obedience. . . . Yet it was not simply that He found His duty set down plainly in the written record and set Himself to carry it out: it was at the same time the dearest desire of His heart to fulfill that special service which was His Father’s will for Him.” [F.F. Bruce, p. at any rate is a made in& 234f.] The claim that “Yea, thy law is written in my heart,” left unspoken, but certainly well known to the readers, resonates with Hebrews 8:10. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 10:5 Therefore, coming into the world He says “sacrifice and offering you did not want, but you prepared a body for me; 6 with whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you were not satisfied. 7 Then I said ‘behold, I come to do your will, O God’ (in the roll of the book it is written of me).” 8 After first saying “sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you neither desired nor were you satisfied with them (which are offered according to law),” 9 then afterward saying “Behold, I am come to do Thy will,” he abolishes the first in order to establish the second, 10 by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 289 THIRTY SEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:11-14) 10:11 KaiV pa'" meVn iJereuV" e{sthken kaq' hJmevran leitourgw'n kaiV taV" aujtaV" pollavki" prosfevrwn qusiva", ai{tine" oujdevpote duvnantai perielei'n aJmartiva". 12 ou|to" deV mivan uJpeVr aJmartiw'n prosenevgka" qusivan eij" toV dihnekeV" ejkavqisen ejn dexia'/ tou' qeou', 13 toV loipoVn ejkdecovmeno" e{w" teqw'sin oiJ ejcqroiV aujtou' uJpopovdion tw'n podw'n aujtou': 14 mia'/ gaVr prosfora'/ teteleivwken eij" toV dihnekeV" touV" aJgiazomevnou". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 10:11 i`ereu,j The reading avrciereu,j (A C P 88 614 syrp, h with * copsa, fay arm eth) appears to be a correction introduced by copyists who recalled 5:1 or 8:3. In any case, the reading i`ereu,j is well supported by early and diverse witnesses (î13, 46 a D K Y 33 81 1739 it vg syrh copbo Ephraem Chrysostom al). [Metzger] B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 10:11 perielei'n (Iinfinitive, aorist, active, from periaire,w) to take off something that surrounds, take off an outer coat, take away, strip off, ta. tei,ch Hdt., Thuc.; pÅ to.n ke,ramon taking off the earthen jar into which the gold had been run, Hdt.:-Med. to take off from oneself, pÅ th.n kune,hn to take off one’s helmet, Hdt.; bibli,on periaireo,menoj taking [the cover] off the letter, i.e. opening it, Id.:-but Med. often just like Act. to strip off, take away, Xen., Plat.:-Pass. to be taken off, tou/ a;llou perih|rhme,nou when the rest has been taken away, Thuc. II. Pass. also c. acc. rei, to be stript of a thing, perih|rhme,noi crh,mata kai. summa,couj Dem; tou.j stefa,nouj perih,|rhntai. [Liddell-Scott] 10:12 loipoVn (adjective, neuter, singular, from loipo,j) 1. left Rv 8:13; 9:20; 11:13. 2. other, sometimes in pl. the rest Ac 2:37; Ro 1:13; 1 Cor 9:5; Gal 2:13; Phil 4:3. As noun Mt 22:6; Lk 8:10; 12:26; Ac 5:13; Ro 11:7; 2 Cor 13:2; 1 Th 4:13; 5:6; Rv 3:2; 19:21.—3. adverbial uses (to.) loipo,n from now on, in the future, henceforth 1 Cor 7:29; 2 Ti 4:8; Hb 10:13; finally Ac 27:20; perh. still Mk 14:41. to. loipo,n can also mean as far as the rest is concerned, beyond that, in addition, finally 1 Cor 1:16; 2 Cor 13:11; Phil 4:8; 1 Th 4:1. Furthermore 1 Cor 4:2. tou/ loipou/ from now on, in the future Gal 6:17; finally Eph 6:10. 10:12 ejkdecovmeno" (participle, present, middle, nominative, masculine, singular, from evkde,comai) 1. to receive, accept ((Homer), Aeschylus, Herodotus, and following). 2. to look for, expect, wait for, await: ti, John 5:3 R L; Heb. 11:10; James 5:7; tina, Acts 17:16; 1 Cor. 16:11; avllh,louj evkde,cesqe wait for one another, namely, until each shall have received his food, 1 Cor. 11:33, cf. 1 Cor. 11:21; followed by e[wj etc. Heb. 10:13; (absolutely, 1 Pet. 3:20 Rec., but see Tdf.’s note at the 290 passage). Rarely with this meaning in secular authors, as Sophocles Phil. 123; ; Apollod. 1, 9, 27 sec. 3; e[wj a;n ge,nhtai ti, Dionysius Halicarnassus 6, 67. (Compare: avpekde,comai. Cf. de,comai, at the end.) [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 10:11 And, on the one hand, every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never divest/dispossess/strip away/disencumber sins, 12 but on the other hand, that one, having offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, 13 waiting henceforth until His enemies should be made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He perfected forever those being sanctified. F. EXPOSITION 10:11 “And, on the one hand, every priest stands ministering daily . . .” The contrast is again between the Aaronic priests and Christ. It is not merely the Levitical High Priest, but all priests, the priesthood as an institution. We may note that the “priests” are said to offer “daily,” as opposed to the High Priest whose primary duty lay in the “yearly” sacrifices on the Day of Atonement. Furthermore, the priests and High Priests, never sat down. They stood. The author of Hebrews sees in this the idea that so long as one remains standing, the procedure is not complete, the contract not finished. Standing implies work still to be done. 10:11 “ . . . and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices . . .” The sacrifice of the priests, even more than those of the High Priest, are “offered repeatedly,” or “frequently.” 10:11 “ . . . which can never divest/dispossess/strip away/disencumber sins, . . .” These sacrifices have already been described as ineffectual. The word used here is used in several related senses. It can be used to mean unwrap, take off, divest, dispossess, strip away, and disencumber. The sense is literally to un-encase, or to dis-envelope. It is used of taking off one’s helmet (which surrounds the head), and has a sense on the order of removing a letter from its surrounding envelop. The image is somewhat like peeling a banana, or taking the shell off a nut. The image strikingly pictures man 291 as being incased (entombed?) in a shell of sins of his own making. A similar image is presented in Hebrews 5:2 speaking of Christ as “compassed with infirmity (ASV). 10:12 “ . . . but on the other hand, He, having offered one sacrifice for sins forever, . . .” Here, instead of many priests, we have Christ. Instead of many sacrifices, here we have one. Instead of repetition, we have the unrepeatably unique. Instead of being ineffectual is “stripping away sin, “ we have sanctification (10:10). 10:12 “ . . . sat down on the right hand of God, . . .” And instead of standing, Jesus sat. The job was, and remains, finished. Therefore, He could sit down. “A seated priest is the guarantee of a finished work and an accepted sacrifice.” [Bruce, p. 239.] 10:13 “ . . . waiting henceforth until His enemies should be made His footstool.” But while the priests stand, seemingly in anticipation of yet another round of the same sacrifices, Jesus is seated, waiting until His enemies are made His footstool (literally “placed as His footstool). The fearful admonition in vv 26-31 makes it seem likely that the readers are here being told not to place themselves among those enemies, but to remain true to their friend and savior. One of the outstanding motifs of the book is summed up in the admonition to “hold fast!” (Cf. 3:6, 4:14, 10:23.) 10:14 “For by one offering He perfected forever those being sanctified.” The word “offering” is wider than sacrifice. “The offering of Christ, His perfect life crowned by a willing death, in which He fulfilled the destiny of man and bore the punishment of human sin, is that by and in which every human life finds its consummation.” Furthermore, “it is significant that Christ Himself is said to perfect ‘by offering’: it is not said that ‘the offering’ perfected. His action is personal in the application of Hos own work.” [Westcott, p. 315.] G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS We have seen that by the sacrifice of Christ, believers have had their consciences cleared, and have been prepared to approach God. Being sanctified, i.e., being brought into that relationship to God involved in the New Covenant, is a third practical effect of that one perfect offering. “His one offering gathers up into itself both the sacrifice that inaugurates the covenant, and all the many sacrifices offered year by year to maintain it and to realize it; it reaches the idea which they strove towards in vain, and by reaching it for ever sets them aside.” [Davidson] H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL 292 Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 10:11 And, on the one hand, every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never divest/dispossess/strip away sins, 12 but on the other hand, that one, having offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, 13 waiting henceforth until His enemies should be made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He perfected forever those being sanctified. 293 THIRTH EIGHTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:15-18) 10.15 Marturei' deV hJmi'n kaiV toV pneu'ma toV a{gion: metaV gaVr toV eijrhkevnai, 16 Au{th hJ diaqhvkh h}n diaqhvsomai proV" aujtouV" metaV taV" hJmevra" ejkeivna", levgei kuvrio", didouV" novmou" mou ejpiV kardiva" aujtw'n, kaiV ejpiV thVn diavnoian aujtw'n ejpigravyw aujtouv", 17 kaiV tw'n aJmartiw'n aujtw'n kaiV tw'n ajnomiw'n aujtw'n ouj mhV mnhsqhvsomai e[ti. 18 o{pou deV a[fesi" touvtwn, oujkevti prosforaV periV aJmartiva". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 10:18 a[fesi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from a;fesij) a letting go, dismissal, Philipp. ap. Dem.: a quittance or discharge from a bond, Id.: exemption from service, Plut.: a divorce, Id. 2. a letting go (Lat. missio) of horses from the starting-post, and then the starting-post itself, ivsw,saj tavfe,sei ta. te,rmata having made the winningpost one with the starting-post, i.e. having come back to the starting-post, Soph. [Liddell-Scott][English derivative: aphesis] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 10:15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after having said 16 “this is the covenant that I will make” with them “after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws upon their hearts and I will write them upon their mind,” 17 He also said “I will no longer be reminded of their sins and their 294 lawless deeds.”37 18 Now where there is remission of these there is no longer an offering for sin. F. EXPOSITION 10:15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after having said . . .” The witness of the Holy Spirit is here added to the witness of Christ in the quotations of Psalms and Jeremiah 31:31-34. 10:16 “ . . . ‘this is the covenant that I will make’ with them ‘after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws upon their hearts and I will write them upon their mind,’ . . .” Notice the substitution of “with them” for “with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.: Notice also the exchange of position of the words “hearts” and “mind.” 10:17 “ . . . He also said ‘I will no longer be reminded of their sins and their lawless deeds’.” That is, after the establishment, or as a result of the establishment of the New Covenant, sins will no longer be remembered. What is no longer remembered does not call forth the need of repeated sacrifices. This stands in stark contrast to the annual remembrance of sins seen in the sacrifices of the Old Covenant. 10:18 “Now where there is remission of these there is no longer an offering for sin.” The need for sacrifices ends when their inefficacy is realized. It is worth noting here that both the NIV and the Living Translation have both omit the word “remission” in every case where the word appears, thus deleting an entire theological category. The RSV retains the word only at Esther 2:18. The NASV and NRSV retain the word in Deuteronomy. All but the KJV and ASV render it “forgiveness” in Hebrews. Sin is no longer the determining factor in the establishment and maintenance of relationship with God! Accepting God’s sacrifice of His son on our behalf is. Cf. Ephesians 2:8. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The doctrine of remission should not be overcooked. Had thee author of Hebrews, in his treatment of the sacrifices of the Old Covenant, particularly those of the Day of Atonement, chosen to include the scapegoat, the laying on of the hands that represent the sins of the people, and the leading it forth into the wilderness and set free, we should see the picture of “sending away” the sins, to be seen no more. To render this word “forgiveness” is not only to confuse forgiveness with remission, in this case it is to deliberately rid the Bible of an important doctrine. May God send this sin away too! H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL 37 For the Hebrew Text, see note at Hebrews 8:10 ff. 295 Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 10:15 And the Holy Spirit confirms this testimony to us, for after having said 16 “this is the covenant that I will make” with them “after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws upon their hearts and I will write them upon their mind,” 17 He added “I will no longer be reminded of their sins and their lawless deeds.” 18 Now where there is remission of these there is no longer an offering for sin. 296 THIRTY NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 10:19-25) 10:19 [Econte" ou\n, ajdelfoiv, parrhsivan eij" thVn ei[sodon tw'n aJgivwn ejn tw'/ ai{mati jIhsou', 20 h}n ejnekaivnisen hJmi'n oJdoVn provsfaton kaiV zw'san diaV tou' katapetavsmato", tou't' e[stin th'" sarkoV" aujtou', 21 kaiV iJereva mevgan ejpiV toVn oi\kon tou' qeou', 22 prosercwvmeqa metaV ajlhqinh'" kardiva" ejn plhroforiva/ pivstew", rJerantismevnoi taV" kardiva" ajpoV suneidhvsew" ponhra'" kaiV lelousmevnoi toV sw'ma u{dati kaqarw'/: 23 katevcwmen thVn oJmologivan th'" ejlpivdo" ajklinh', pistoV" gaVr oJ ejpaggeilavmeno": 24 kaiV katanow'men ajllhvlou" eij" paroxusmoVn ajgavph" kaiV kalw'n e[rgwn, 25 mhV ejgkataleivponte" thVn ejpisunagwghVn eJautw'n, kaqwV" e[qo" tisivn, ajllaV parakalou'nte", kaiV tosouvtw/ ma'llon o{sw/ blevpete ejggivzousan thVn hJmevran. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 10:19 ei[sodon (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from ei;sodoj) a way in, entrance, i.e.,place of entrance, entry, Od., Hdt., etc. II. entrance, a right or privilege of entrance, Id., Xen. [Liddell- Scott] Entryway. 10:20 ejnekaivnisen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from evgkaini,zw) lit. ‘renew’; inaugurate, dedicate Hb 9:18; open 10:20. 10:20 provsfaton (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular, from pro,sfatoj) 1. properly, lately slaughtered, freshly killed: Homer, Iliad 21, 757. 2. universally, recently or very lately made, new: o`do,j, Heb. 10:20 (so from Aeschylus down; fi,loj pro,sfatoj, Sir. 9:10; ouvk evsti pa/n pro,sfaton u`po, to,n h[lion, Eccl. 1:9). Cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 374f. [Thayer] This is the only occurrence of this word in the New Testament. 10:22 lelousmevnoi (participle, perfect, middle or passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from lou,w) wash, bathe 1. act., lit. Ac 9:37; 16:33; Rv 1:5 v.l. 2. mid. I wash myself or for myself J 13:10; Hb 10:22; 2 Pt 2:22. 10:23 ajklinh (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular, from avklinh,j) unwavering t) o`mologi,an av) kate,cein hold fast the confession without wavering Hb 10:23. 297 10:24 paroxusmoVn (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from paroxusmo,j) irritation, exasperation, Dem., N.T.: a provoking, N.T. [Liddell-Scott] 10:24 paroxusmoVn (noun accusative masculine singular common from paroxusmo,j) 1. an inciting, incitement: eivj paroxusmo,n avga,phj (A. V. to provoke unto love), Heb. 10:24. 2. irritation (R. V. contention): Acts 15:39; the Septuagint twice for @c,q, violent anger, passion, Deut. 29:28; Jer. 39:37 (Jer. 32:37); Demosthenes, p. 1105, 24. [Thayer] 10:25 ejgkataleivponte" (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, plural, from evgkatalei,pw) 1. leave behind Ro 9:29; leave, allow to remain Ac 2:27, 31. 2. forsake, abandon, desert Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34; 2 Cor 4:9; 2 Ti 4:10, 16; Hb 10:25; 13:5. 10:25 ejpisunagwghVn (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from evpisunagwgh,) meeting Hb 10:25; assembling 2 Th 2:1. 10:25 e[qo" (noun, nominative, neuter, singular, from e;qoj) habit, usage Lk 22:39; J 19:40; Ac 25:16; Hb 10:25. Custon, law Lk 1:9; Ac 6:14; 21:21; 28:17. [English derivative: ethics] 10:25 tosouvtw/ (adjective, demonstrative, dative, neuter, singular, from tosou/toj ) so great, so large, so far, so much, so strong, etc. 1. used with a noun Mt 8:10; J 14:9; Hb 12:1; Rv 18:7, 17. Pl. so many Mt 15:33; Lk 15:29; J 12:37; 1 Cor 14:10. 2. without a noun a. pl. tosou/toi so many people J 6:9. Cf. Gal 3:4. b. sing. tosou,tou for so much Ac 5:8. Correlative tosou,tw|…o[sw| (by) so much (greater, more, etc.)…than or as Hb 1:4; 10:25. Cf. 7:20-22. As Neuter, both as a substantive and (here) as an adverb. 10:25 ejggivzousan (participle, present, active, accusative, feminine, singular, from evggi,zw) come near, approach Mt 21:1; 26:45; Mk 1:15; Lk 7:12; 10:9, 11; 18:35; Ac 9:3; Ro 13:12; draw near Hb 7:19; come close Phil 2:30. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 10:19 The objective genitive “entryway of the Holy Place” may be translated “for entering the Holy Place.” [Blass-Debrunner, p. 90.] But this seems to be an inappropriate and unnecessary use of the preposition, which may, on occasion, be translated “in.” “Having full assurance in the entryway” seems to be the best fit, but is best seen by translating “in the blood of Jesus” as a rare, but permissible causal “by the blood of Jesus.” Cf. Matthew 26:52 and Romans 5:9. 10:20 A case of synecdoche is found in the use of the word “flesh” for the whole of Jesus. [Bullinger, p. 643.] 10:21 contains an example of Heterosis of Degree (in adjectives, where the text says “a great Priest,” 298 but means to convey “the greatest Priest,” or “the Highest Priest.” [Bullenger, p. 527.] 10:22 Note ajpo with the genitive of separation. [Blass-Debrunner] 10:22 provides an example of a Hebrew or Aramaic “distributive singular, where a feature or characteristic of every individual within a group is designated by the singular rather than the plural. After mentioning (Lit) “having sprinkled the hearts,” all plural), the author continues (lit) “and washings (pl.) of the body (sing.).” Having begun with Greek usage, he finishes with an Aramaic phrase, the participle being plural, but the article and noun in the singular. All of which refers to the readers as a group. An adequate translation might be “having sprinkled the hearts . . . and having washed the bodies . . .” The change from “the” to “our” makes it even clearer in English what the author was saying. Thus we translate “having our hearts sprinkled . . . and our hearts washed . . .” [Turner, p. 23.] D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 10:19 Therefore, brothers, having full assurance in the entryway of the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 which new and living way through the veil He inaugurated for us (that is, His flesh) 21 and having a great Priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart and in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with clean water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering (for the One promising is trustworthy). 24 And let us consider one another unto provoking love and good works, 25 not forsaking the gathering of yourselves as is the custom of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. F. EXPOSITION Hebrews 10:19-25 comprises only two sentences and something akin to a parenthetical. Abbreviated to their main points they run as follows: 19 Having full assurance into the entryway to the Holy place 20 by the new and living way, 21 and (having) a great Priest, 22 let us draw near, 23 let us hold fast (for the One promising is trustworthy). 24 And let us consider one another, 25 not forsaking the gathering together. 10:19 “Therefore, brothers, having full assurance in the entryway of the Holy Place . . .” Christians now enjoy full and free access to God at all times. The entryway which once stood as an impenetrable barrier has been breached. What was once available to but one, and that but once a 299 year, is now open to those in Jesus. We are told to have boldness, or full assurance, of the entryway. This we do despite our constant awareness of our sin. This phrase reminded the readers both of the High Priest and of Christ in His High Priestly work. The word translated “entryway,” ei[sodon (odon – way, road, path, with the preposition ei[s– into appended) can mean either the entrance or use of the entrance, i.e., the actual entering. The New Treatment has examples of both, but the further explication of the word in verse 20 indicates that the word has the meaning of entryway. 10:19 “ . . . by the blood of Jesus, . . .” That is, the blood of Jesus in His sacrifice, which parallels the sacrifice of the High Priest under the Levitical system, has penetrated the veil. His sinless life, sacrificed for the sins of man, made it possible to enter the presence of God as High Priest. It is worth note that in every case where the name of Jesus is used in this epistle it refers to His earthly work, accomplished while He was “in the flesh.” In every case, the argument being made hangs on that very fact. 10:20 “ . . . which new and living way through the veil . . .” That entrance, or way in, is described as both living and new. It remains perpetually new because it is more recent than the Levitical method and because Jesus is to be perpetually the High Priest. It can only be described as living because “He ever liveth to make intercession for” us (Hebrews 7:25). “His flesh” refers not to the “veil” itself, but to “way’ through the veil. 10:20 “ . . . He inaugurated for us . . .” This word is often used in LXX for the dedication of the temple, the altar, the kingdom and so forth. The idea is that of establishment. Jesus did not enter for Himself alone and then seal the veil back up, it was opened permanently for those who will follow. 10:20 “ . . . (that is, His flesh) . . .” It is important to note that “His flesh” refers back to “the way,” not to the veil. Christ’s flesh, or His humanity, does not constitute a new veil, but “a way in. 10:21 “ . . . and having a great Priest over the house of God, . . .” The word “great is not a synonym for High, but is to be understood as it stands. We have a great (High) Priest who rules over the House of God, “whose house we are” (Hebrews 3:6). 10:22 “ . . . let us approach with a true heart and in full assurance of faith, . . .” The approach to God is with a true heart without guile or pretense, and in mature faith. 10:22 “ . . . having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience . . .” Westcott sees this as a reference to the sacraments, although he does admit that the reference to th the Eucharist is somewhat veiled. It seems more likely to refer to the sprinkling of blood on the holy instruments and upon the people at the inauguration of the Tabernacle. 300 10:22 “ . . . and having our bodies washed with clean water.” This may well refer to baptism, which was a symbolic cleansing. The approach being “with a true heart and in full assurance of faith” seems to be summed up in the words “having our hearts sprinkled,” and the reference to baptism indicates the rite undergone to symbolize such cleansing. Being clean inside and out does not miss the mark when taken in a metaphysical sense. 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering . . .” The notion of holding fast, connotes keeping secure, to persevering in the possession of. It is a call to perseverance to the very end. The object of this perseverance is the confession is “our hope.” “Hope gives a definite shape to the absolute confidence of Faith. Faith reposes completely in the love of God: Hope vividly anticipates that God will fulfil His promises in a definite way.” [Westcott, p. 323.] This hope, like the hope mentioned in Hebrews 3:6, 6:11 & 18-19,and 7:19 is “fixed upon the realization of a complete Devine fellowship under new conditions . . .” [Westcott, p. 324.] The word translated “without wavering” means holding steady, without leaning either to one side or the other; to maintain position, to avoid any unsteadiness. The picture is that of perseverance in the exercise of faith in such a way as to keep hope firm and unbending. It taps into the original hope of those who initially found its perfect expression in the life, teachings and promises of Jesus. This sentence is preparatory to coming change of emphasis from the possibility of apostasy to the illustrations of faith given in chapter 11. To that end, the Hebrew readers are admonished to cling tenaciously, fervently, completely, and persistently to that hope that originally was kindled within them at the presentation of the Gospel without tolerance for vacillation or hesitation. 10:23 “ . . . (for the One promising is trustworthy).” This perseverance in the confession of hope is squarely based upon the promises of God and clarified and reiterated by Jesus. For He is faithful. The notion of faith, as will be seen in Chapter 11 is trust. And just as one who has faith is one who exercises trust, one who is “faithful” is trustworthy. 10:24 “And let us consider one another unto provoking love and good works, . . .” The author turns now to the outward manifestations of this trust. The word translated “provoking” literally means to irritate, to annoy. Its juxtaposition with “love” and “good works” is intriguing. We are to annoy each other to good works. Obviously this must be softened by the context, but the notion of causing or inspiring one another to love and good works by word and deed is to be characteristic of the Hope of “the confession of our hope.” 10:25 “ . . . not forsaking the gathering of yourselves as is the custom of some, . . .” That is, “not abandoning the assembly.” Although the word “gathering” is a noun meaning convocation or 301 assembly, and the stronger reflexive pronoun “of yourselves” makes clear that the assembly is one strictly of Christians, it is difficult to find an adequate English phrase to communicate it adequately without recourse to paraphrase. In the case of the Hebrew readers such “forsaking” might be caused by the fear of arousing the Jewish authorities. But in the case of many Christians down the ages both complacency and self confidence might have the same effect. These do not provide adequate justification to forego the meeting with one another in the worship service. 10:25 “ . . . but exhorting one another . . .” Here is another characteristic of holding one’s faith firm, namely “exhorting one another,” both within the assembly and privately. It is of the essence of corporate belief and maintenance of one’s own faith, of “holding the Hope tenaciously. 10:25 “ . . . and so much the more as you see the day approaching.” And obviously this injunction is the more necessary when times are hard or when the end is approaching. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS There are several theological topics to which this vers contributes. First, the way to the presence of God is now open, free and permanent. Second that way is none other than the blood of Jesus who, in His humanity breached the veil for us. Third, the one making the promises is trustworthy. Forth, we enter that presence in purity of mind and body. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL It ought to be a huge relief to those concerned with the welfare of their soul not only that their sins are forgiven, but that they may now “enter with confidence (or “boldness” KJV, ASV) into the very presence of God. However, in order to maintain this sense of repose, we must refer to the hope it engendered in us at the first, and maintain it by supporting others in their faith and allowing them to strengthen our own faith. I. PARAPHRASE 10:19 Therefore, brothers, having full assurance in the entryway of the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 which new and living way through the veil He inaugurated for us (that is, His flesh) 21 and having a great Priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart and in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with clean water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering (for the One promising is trustworthy). 24 And let us consider one another unto provoking love and good works, 25 not forsaking your assembly as is the custom of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more 302 as you see the day approaching. 303 FORTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 10:26-31) 10:26 JEkousivw" gaVr aJmartanovntwn hJmw'n metaV toV labei'n thVn ejpivgnwsin th'" ajlhqeiva", oujkevti periV aJmartiw'n ajpoleivpetai qusiva, 27 foberaV dev ti" ejkdochV krivsew" kaiV puroV" zh'lo" ejsqivein mevllonto" touV" uJpenantivou". 28 ajqethvsa" ti" novmon Mwu>sevw" cwriV" oijktirmw'n ejpiV dusiVn h] trisiVn mavrtusin ajpoqnhv/skei: 29 povsw/ dokei'te ceivrono" ajxiwqhvsetai timwriva" oJ toVn uiJoVn tou' qeou' katapathvsa", kaiV toV ai|ma th'" diaqhvkh" koinoVn hJghsavmeno" ejn w|/ hJgiavsqh, kaiV toV pneu'ma th'" cavrito" ejnubrivsa"; 30 oi[damen gaVr toVn eijpovnta, jEmoiV ejkdivkhsi", ejgwV ajntapodwvsw: kaiV pavlin, Krinei' kuvrio" toVn laoVn aujtou'. 31 foberoVn toV ejmpesei'n eij" cei'ra" qeou' zw'nto". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 10:26 JEkousivw" (adverb from e`kousi,wj) willingly 1 Pt 5:2. Without compulsion, i.e. deliberately, intentionally Hb 10:26. 10:27 ejkdochV (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from evkdoch,) the act or manner of receiving from; hence, in secular authors. 1. reception. 2. succession. 3. (a taking in a certain sense, i. e.) interpretation. 4. once in the sacred writings, expectation, awaiting (cf. evkde,comai, 2): Heb. 10:27. [Thayer] 10:27 zh'lo" (noun, nominative, masculine, singular, OR noun, nominative, neuter, singular, from zh/loj) 1. in a good sense zeal, ardor Ro 10:2; 2 Cor 7:11; 9:2; Phil 3:6. 2. in a bad sense jealousy, envy Ac 5:17; Ro 13:13; Js 3:14, 16; factionalism, party strife 1 Cor 3:3; 2 Cor 12:20; Gal 5:20 [English deriative: zeal] 10:27 ejsqivein (infinitive, present, active, from evsqi,w) eat—1. lit. Mt 15:32; Mk 2:26; 7:28; Lk 22:30; Ac 10:14; Ro 14:2; 1 Cor 10:25, 27; 2 Th 3:12; Rv 19:18; get sustenance 1 Cor 9:7 . 2. fig. consume, devour Hb 10:27; Js 5:3. 10:27 uJpenantivou" (adjective, normal, accusative, masculine, plural, from u`penanti,oj) opposed, in Col 2:14 against. oi` u`penanti,oi the adversaries Hb 10:27. 10:28 ajqethvsa" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from avqete,w) a word met with first (yet very often) in the Septuagint and Polybius; a. properly, to render a;qeton; do away with 304 qeto,n ti, i. e. something laid down, prescribed, established: diaqh,khn, Gal. 3:15 (1 Macc. 11:36; 2 Macc. 13:25, etc.); according to the context, `to act toward anything as though it were annulled’; hence, to deprive a law of force by opinions or acts opposed to it, to transgress it, Mark 7:9; Heb. 10:28 (Ezek. 22:26); pi,stin, to break one’s promise or engagement, 1 Tim. 5:12; (Polybius 8, 2, 5; 11, 29, 3, others; Diodorus excerpt. (i. e. de virt. et vit.), p. 562, 67). Hence, b. to thwart the efficacy of anything, nullify, make void?, frustrate: th,n boulh,n tou/ Qeou/, Luke 7:30 (they rendered inefficacious the saving purpose of God); th,n sune,sw to render prudent plans of no effect, 1 Cor. 1:19 (Isa. 29:14 (where kru,yw, yet cf. Bos’s note)). c. to reject, refuse, slight; th,n ca,rin tou/ Qeou/, Gal. 2:21 (others refer this to b.); of persons: Mark 6:26 (by breaking the promise given her); Luke 10:16; John 12:48; 1 Thess. 4:8; Jude 1:8 (for which katafro,nein is used in the parallel passage 2 Pet. 2:10). [Thayer] 10:28 oijktirmw'n (noun, genitive, masculine, plural, from oivktirmo,j) pity, mercy, compassion Ro 12:1; 2 Cor 1:3; Col 3:12; Phil 2:1; Hb 10:28. 10:28 ajpoqnhv/skei (verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from avpoqnh,|skw) To die off, die, Hom., Att.:-to be ready to die of laughter, Ar. II. serving as Pass. of avpoktei,nw, to be put to death, to be slain, u`po, tinoj Hdt., Plat. 10:29 ceivrono" (adjective, normal, genitive, feminine, singular, comparative, from kako,j) bad, evil Mt 21:41; 24:48; 27:23; Mk 7:21; J 18:23; Ro 7:19, 21; 1 Cor 15:33; Rv 2:2. Evil, wrong, harmful, as noun harm Ac 9:13; 16:28; 28:5; Ro 12:17; 13:10; 14:20; Js 3:8; 1 Pt 3:9. 10:29 ajxiwqhvsetai (verb, future, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from avxio,w) a. to think meet, fit, right: followed by an infinitive, Acts 15:38; 28:22. b. to judge worthy, deem deserving: tina with an infinitive of the object, Luke 7:7; tina ti,noj, 2 Thess. 1:11; passive with the genitive of the thing, 1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 3:3; 10:29. 10:29 timwriva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from timwri,a) help, aid, assistance, succour, Hdt., Thuc. II. assistance to one who has suffered wrong, retribution, vengeance, punishment, Hdt., etc.; patro.j t. vengeance taken for him, Eur.; evpi. th/| h`mete,ra| t. for the purpose of punishing us, Thuc.; poiei/sqai timwri,an to execute vengeance, Dem.; tÅ eu`rei/n tinoj to find vengeance at his hand, Aesch.; timwri,an lamba,nein( timwri,aj tugca,nein are used both of the avenger and the sufferer, Plat., Thuc.:-in pl., penalties. [Liddell-Scott] 10:29 katapathvsa" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from katapate,w) “to tread down (see kata,, III. 1), trample under foot”: ti, and tina, Matt. 5:13; 7:6; Luke 8:5; 12:1 (Herodotus and following; the Septuagint); metaphorically, like the Latin conculco, to trample on equivalent to to treat with rudeness and insult, 2 Macc. 8:2, etc.; cf. Grimm on 1 Maccabees, p. 61 (where its use to denote desecration is illustrated); to spurn, treat with insulting neglect: to,n ui`o,n, tou/ Qeou/, Heb. 10:29; o`rkia, Homer, Iliad 4, 157; tou,j no,mouj, Plato, legg. 4,714 a.; ta, gra,mmata, Gorgias, p. 484 a.; tou,j lo,gouj, Epictetus 1, 8, 10; ta, r`h,mata mou, Job 6:3 Aquila. [Thayer] 305 10:29 hJghsavmeno" (participle, aorist, middle, nominative, masculine, singular, from h`ge,omai) 1. lead, guide pres. participle o` h`gou,menoj ruler, leader Mt 2:6; Lk 22:26; Ac 7:10; Hb 13:7, 17, 24. o` h`gou,menoj tou/ lo,gou the chief speaker Ac 14:12. 2. think, consider, regard Ac 26:2; 2 Cor 9:5; Phil 2:3; 3:8; Hb 10:29; Js 1:2; w. di,kaion consider it a duty or responsibility. 2 Pt 1:13. 10:29 ejnubrisv a" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from evnubri,zw) to insult or mock one in a thing, c. dat., Soph.; tina. evn kakoi/j Eur. [Liddell-Scott] 10:30 ejkdivkhsi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from evkdi,khsij) vengeance, punishment Lk 21:22; 2 Cor 7:11; 2 Th 1:8; 1 Pt 2:14. evmoi. ev) vengeance belongs to me Ro 12:19; Hb 10:30. ev) poiei/n see to it that justice is done Lk 18:7f; Ac 7:24. 10:30 ajntapodwvsw (verb, future, active, indicative, 1st, singular, from avntapodi,dwmi) give back, repay, return Lk 14:14; Ro 12:19; 1 Th 3:9. 10:31 foberoVn (adjective, nominative, neuter, singular, from fobero,j) fearful, whether act. or pass.: I. act. causing fear, dreadful, terrible, formidable, Hdt., Aesch., etc.; plh,qei f. fromidable only from numbers, Thuc.; c. inf., fÅ ivdei/n( fÅ proside,sqai fearful to behold, Aesch., Eur.: to. xu,nhqej toi/j poli,taij fobero,n the terror habitual to the people, Thuc. 2. matter for fear, regarded with fear, ouvde. o[rkoj f. Id.; foberoi. h=san mh. poih,seian they gave cause for fear lest. . , Xen.; to. f. terror, danger, Id.; fobero,n ÎevstiÐ mh.. . there is reason to dread that. . , Id. II. pass. feeling fear, afraid, timid, Soph., Thuc., etc. 2. caused by fear, panic, Thuc.; fÅ fronti,dej anxious thoughts, Plat. III. Adv. &rw/j, in both senses, Xen., etc.; Comp., foberw,teron, Sup., &w,tata, Id. Hence fobero,thj 10:31 ejmpesei'n (infinitive aorist active from evmpi,ptw) o fall into: eivj bo,qunon, Matt. 12:11, and L text T Tr WH in Luke 6:39; eivj fre,ar, Luke 14:5 (R G); to fall among robbers, eivj tou,j lh|sta,j, Luke 10:36, and in metaphorical phrases, 1 Tim. 3:6f; 6:9; eivj cei/raj ti,noj, into one’s power: tou/ Qeou/, to incur divine penalties, Heb. 10:31, as in 2 Sam. 24:14; 1 Chr. 21:13; Sir. 2:18. [Thayer] [English derivative: impetus] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 306 10:26 For us, if we continue to sin deliberately after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain foreboding fear of judgment and a fire of fury soon to consume the adversaries. 28 One who rejects the Law of Moses dies upon the testimony of two or three. 29 Of how much sorer punishment do you think one having trampled underfoot the Son of God, and having regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and having outraged the Spirit of grace, will be judged worthy? 30 For we know the One having said “vengeance is mine – I will repay!” and again, “The Lord will judge His people!” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a/the living God. F. EXPOSITION 10:26 “For us, if we continue to sin deliberately . . .” Here we are again confronted with the topic of apostasy. Although many take exception to this notion on the basis of the opening words of this verse (“continue to sin deliberately”) and maintain that we are speaking about sin itself, and the loss of salvation, the context is abundantly clear that we are speaking of apostasy. The notion of sinning deliberately carries with it two assumptions, i.e., it is voluntary nature and it is habitual. The author is speaking here of one who “sins with the high hand.” That is, he sins with no concern for the sin and no repentance is forthcoming. Quite simply this is the behavior of an apostate. The assumption in this context is that the sacrifice of Christ has at last been fully rejected. 10:26 . . . after we have received the knowledge of the truth, . . .” Nor is he speaking here of sins committed in ignorance but of those committed deliberately, and without repentance after he has gained a full knowledge of sin and the nature of sin to his relationship with God. The use of the word “received,” shows both that the knowledge was both given (by God) and received (by man). There can be no confusion and no excuses. The word translated “knowledge” is emphatic in the Greek text. This refers to a sure, firm, knowledge, a certainty, not a mere assumption. The full weight of the phrase shows the grotesque proportions of the contemplated fall. It comes not merely in the face of, and despite “so great salvation, but in total disregard for the certain knowledge of the truth which God granted and the apostate received. Only apostasy, and only of such a magnitude can be equaled with what follows. 10:26 “ . . . there no longer remains sacrifice for sins, . . .” And therefore, there is no further sacrifice for sin. (Cf. Hebrews 6:4-6.) Clearly this is not a case of “garden-variety” sin, for which repentance and confession cleanses the sinner and renews his fellowship with God. The author is speaking fervently and unambiguously of apostasy. 10:27 “ . . . but a certain foreboding fear of judgment . . .” While no sacrifice remains for apostasy, what does remain, is a deep, foreboding fear. This is the function of sure knowledge rejected. This is the natural state of the apostate mind, whether conscious, or subconscious. This constitutes the apostate’s expectation. This expectation may be ill-defined, but it is negative in the extreme, and 307 more terrifying for its vagueness. 10:27 “ . . . and a fire of fury soon to consume the adversaries.” parallels the apostate’s expectations, with God’s provision, i.e., a fire that rages with zeal in its consumption of “the adversaries,” among whom the apostate has deliberately placed himself, either by a explicit renunciation, or by the “high- handed,” deliberate, and habitual sin he practices. 10:28 “One who rejects the Law of Moses dies without mercy upon the testimony of two or three.” The notion of rejecting God salvation implies a “setting aside.” One may glimpse the permanence and the awfulness implied in such a rejection in Galatians 3:15 saying “no man annuls (or sets it naught; refuses, renounces) a covenant once confirmed.” First Timothy 5:12 speaks of those who are condemned “because they have cast off (set it naught; refused) their first faith.” Jude 8 speaks of those who “despise (set at naught; renounce, refuse) dominion.” The verb translated “rejected” “describes not only the violation of an ordinance or authority in details, but the denial of the validity of the ordinance or authority altogether.” [Westcott, p. 329, emphasis added.] The specific law referred to in this verse seems to be that of idolatry. The “testings” of God referred to earlier in the epistle in which the Hebrews sought to abandon God and return to Egypt, and the worshiping of the Golden calf reinforces this idea. For clearly the Israelites desired to return to Egypt and have nothing more to do with God or the salvation He provided. This is clearly apostasy. And like the apostates of Moses’ time, later apostates have forfeited any claim upon divine mercy. 10:29 “Of how much sorer punishment do you think one having trampled underfoot the Son of God, . . .” Here, the readers are invited to ponder the situation deeply. For the offense of the apostate is given three different aspects. The first of these is given as an action i.e., it is seen in the fact that they have “trampled underfoot the son of God.” 10:29 “ . . . and having regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, . . .” The second aspect is that of an opinion or a mental state. It is seen here in the statement that the very “blood of the covenant,” about which the author has spent much ink, is treated as common, or “unclean,” by the very one who had been sanctified by it. The apostate believes the holy blood to be unclean, or common, and the death of Christ no different than the death of anyone else. “In connection with hJgiavsqh the preposition (ejn) expresses in various forms the idea of the complete introduction (immersion) of that which is hallowed into that element which by embracing hallows.” [Westcott, p. 331.] The irony is titanic, involving the tacit statement that the very blood by which one had been sanctified were itself unclean. 10:29 “ , , , and having outraged the Spirit of grace, . . .” The third aspect of which the apostate is 308 guilty is that he has “outraged” (insulted or assaulted) “the spirit of grace.” The use of the word “grace,” in this context, emphasizes the fact that salvation was a free gift. It was not an item paid for with money or work with which the owner could do as he pleased. It was the single gift of inestimable value which was rejected and treated with contempt. The word translated “outraged,” comes from the Greek word hubris, and is “that insulant self- assertion which disregards what is due to others. It combines arrogance with wanton injury.” [Westcott, p. 331.] This confirms the notion of “continuing to sin deliberately,” as being high- handed rejection. 10:29 “ . . . will be judged worthy?” And now the question can be more fully explored. How much more grievous is this than the apostasy of the Hebrews in the wilderness? And what can possibly be a fitting punishment? For perfect justice requires a perfect penalty. 10:30 For we know the One having said ‘vengeance is mine – I will repay’! and again, ‘The Lord will judge His people’!” We know not only “who He is” but “we know his character” as well. Cf. Deuteronomy 32”35-36. 10:31 “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a/the living God.” He is the “living God,” and his judgment will carry strict requital. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Theological topics include Apostasy, Judgment, Hell for the adversaries, H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The need for persevering faith is writ large in this passage. One must flee every impulse to turn back from which there can be no happy ending for doing so. I. PARAPHRASE 10:26 For us, if we continue to sin recklessly or high-handedly, after we have been given and gladly accepted the knowledge of the truth, there is then no longer a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain gnawing fear of Divine condemnation and a furious, unquenchable fire soon to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy upon the testimony of two or three. 29 Of how much more severe punishment do you think one having trampled underfoot the Son of God, and having regarded as common the Blood of the Covenant by which he was sanctified, and having profaned the Spirit of grace, will be pronounced worthy? 30 For we know the 309 One having said “vengeance is mine – I will repay!” and again, “The Lord will judge His people!” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a/the living God. 310 FORTY FIRST PERICOPE (Heb 10:32-39) 10.32 jAnamimnhv/skesqe deV taV" provteron hJmevra", ejn ai|" fwtisqevnte" pollhVn a[qlhsin uJpemeivnate paqhmavtwn, 33 tou'to meVn ojneidismoi'" te kaiV qlivyesin qeatrizovmenoi, tou'to deV koinwnoiV tw'n ou{tw" ajnastrefomevnwn genhqevnte": 34 kaiV gaVr toi'" desmivoi" sunepaqhvsate, kaiV thVn aJrpaghVn tw'n uJparcovntwn uJmw'n metaV cara'" prosedevxasqe, ginwvskonte" e[cein eJautouV" kreivttona u{parxin kaiV mevnousan. 35 mhV ajpobavlhte ou\n thVn parrhsivan uJmw'n, h{ti" e[cei megavlhn misqapodosivan, 36 uJpomonh'" gaVr e[cete creivan i{na toV qevlhma tou' qeou' poihvsante" komivshsqe thVn ejpaggelivan. 37 e[ti gaVr mikroVn o{son o{son, oJ ejrcovmeno" h{xei kaiV ouj cronivsei: 38 oJ deV divkaiov" mou ejk pivstew" zhvsetai, kaiV ejaVn uJposteivlhtai, oujk eujdokei' hJ yuchv mou ejn aujtw'/. 39 hJmei'" deV oujk ejsmeVn uJpostolh'" eij" ajpwvleian, ajllaV pivstew" eij" peripoivhsin yuch'". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 10:34 desmi,oij. The reading that best explains the origin of the others is desmi,oij, which is supported by good representatives of both the Alexandrian and the Western types of text, as well as by several Eastern witnesses (A Dgr* 33 (81) 1739 itar, b vg syrp, h, pal copsa, bo arm Ephraem al). Through transcriptional oversight the first iota was omitted, resulting in the reading desmoi/j (î46 Y 104 Origen). Then, in order to improve the sense, copyists added a personal pronoun, either auvtw/n itd, (r), z), referring to those mentioned in ver. 33b, or mou (a Dc K P 88 614 Byz Lect al), in imitation of the statements in Php 1.7, 13, 14, 17; Col 4.18. The reading adopted for the text is confirmed by 13.3. [Metzger] B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 10:32 jAnamimnhv/skesqe (verb, present, passive, imperative, 2nd, plural, from avnamimnh,|skw) remind tina, ti someone of something 1 Cor 4:17; cf. 2 Ti 1:6. Mid. and pass. remember Mk 11:21; 14:72; Ac 16:35 v.l.; 2 Cor 7:15; Hb 10:32. 10:32 a[qlhsin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from a;qlhsij) contest, struggle fig. Hb 10:32. [English derivative: athlete] 10:32 uJpemeivnate (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 2nd, plural, from u`pome,nw) emain, stay (behind) Lk 2:43; Ac 17:14.—Remain, stand one’s ground, hold out, endure Mk 13:13; Ro 12:12; 1 Cor 13:7; Hb 12:2, 7; Js 5:11; 1 Pt 2:20. 311 10:33 ojneidismoi'" (noun, dative, masculine, plural, from ovneidismo,j) reproach, reviling, disgrace, insult Ro 15:3; 1 Ti 3:7; Hb 10:33; 11:26; 13:13. 10:33 qlivyesin (noun, dative, feminine, plural, from qli/yij) oppression, affliction, tribulation Mt 24:9, 21; Ac 11:19; Ro 12:12; 2 Cor 4:17; Col 1:24; 2 Th 1:6; Rv 2:9, 22; 7:14. Difficult circumstances 2 Cor 8:13; Js 1:27. Trouble 2 Cor 2:4; Phil 1:17. 10:33 qeatrizovmenoi (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from qeatri,zw) to bring on the stage:-Pass. to be made a show of, a gazing-stock, N.T. [Liddell-Scott] 10:33 ajnastrefomevnwn (participle, present, passive, genitive, masculine, plural, from avnastre,fw) 1. to turn upside down, overturn: ta,j trape,zaj, John 2:15, (di,frouj, Homer, Iliad 23, 436). 2. to turn back; intransitive, (Winer’s Grammar, 251 (236)] to returns, like the Latin reverto equivalent to revertor (as in Greek writings; in the Septuagint equivalent to bWv): Acts 5:22; 15:16 (here avnastreya kai, has not like the Hebrew bWv the force of an adverb, again, but God in the Messiah’s advent returns to his people, whom he is conceived of as having previously abandoned; cf. Winer’s Grammar, 469 (437)). 3. to turn hither and thither; passive reflexively, to turn oneself about, sojourn, dwell, evn in a place; a. literally: Matt. 17:22, where L T WH Tr text sustrefome,nwn, cf. Keim, ii., p. 581 (English translation, iv., p. 303). (Josh. 5:5; Ezek. 19:6, and in Greek writings) b. like the Hebrew %l;h' to walk, of the manner of life and moral character, to conduct oneself, behave oneself, live: 2 Cor. 1:12 (evn tw/| ko,smw|); 1 Tim. 3:15 (evn oi;kw| qeou/); Eph. 2:3 (evn oi-j among whom); 2 Pet. 2:18 (evn pla,nh). simply “to conduct or behave oneself, `walk’,” (German wandeln): 1 Pet. 1:17; Heb. 10:33; (kalw/j) 13:18. (Cf. its use e. g. in Xenophon, an. 2, 5, 14; Polybius 1, 9, 7; 74, 13; 86, 5 etc. (see avnastrofh,, at the end); Prov. 20:7 the Septuagint; Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 1, 21, 8; ; etc.) [Thayer] 10:34 desmivoi" (adjective, dative, masculine, plural, from des, mioj) binding: metaph. binding as with a spell, enchaining, c. gen., u[mnoj dÅ frenw/n Aesch. II. pass. bound, in bonds, captive, Soph., Eur., etc. 10:34 aJrpaghVn (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from a`rpagh,) seizure, rapine, robbery, rape, Solon, Hdt., Att. 2. the thing seized, booty, prey, Aesch., Eur.; a`rpagh.n poiei/sqai, ti to make booty of a thing, Thuc.; cf. lei,a. II. greediness, rapacity, Xen. 10:34 uJparconv twn (participle, present, active, genitive, neuter, plural, from u`pa,rcw) 1. (really) exist, be present, be at one’s disposal Ac 3:6; 4:34; 19:40; 28:7, 18; 1 Cor 11:18. ta. u`pa,rconta property, possessions Mt 19:21; Lk 8:3; 11:21; 19:8; 1 Cor 13:3 2. to be, as a substitute for ei=nai Lk 8:41; 9:48; 16:14; Ac 7:55; 21:20; 22:3; Ro 4:19; 1 Cor 7:26; Gal 1:14; Phil 2:6; Js 2:15. 10:34 prosedevxasqe (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, 2nd, plural, from prosde,comai) 1. take up, receive, welcome Lk 15:2; Ro 16:2; Phil 2:29. Receive willingly, put up with Hb 10:34; accept Hb 312 11:35. 2. wait for, anticipate Mk 15:43; Lk 2:25, 38; 12:36; 23:51; Ac 23:21; 24:15: Tit 2:13; Jd 21; Lk 1:21 v.l.; Ac 10:24 v.l. 10:36 uJpomonh'" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from u`pomonh,) 1. patience, endurance, fortitude, steadfastness, perseverance Lk 21:19; Ro 2:7; 5:3f; 8:25; 2 Cor 12:12; 2 Th 3:5; Js 1:3f; 5:11; Rv 2:2f; 13:10. 2. (patient) expectation Rv 1:9. 10:36 komivshsqe (verb, aorist, middle, subjunctive, 2nd, plural, from komi,zw) 1. act. bring Lk 7:37. 2. mid. carry off, get, receive, obtain 2 Cor 5:10; Eph 6:8; Col 3:25; Hb 10:36; 11:13 v.l., 39; 1 Pt 1:9; 5:4; 2 Pt 2:13 v.l. Get back, recover Mt 25:27; Hb 11:19. 10:38 uJposteivlhtai (verb, aorist, middle, subjunctive, 3rd, singular, from u`poste,llw) 1. act. draw back, withdraw Gal 2:12. 2. mid. draw back in fear Hb 10:38. Shrink from, avoid Ac 20:27. Keep silent about 20:20. 10:39 apj wlv eian (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from avpw,leia) destruction, ruin, annihilation Ac 8:20; esp of the eternal destruction of the wicked Mt 7:13; Phil 1:28; Hb 10:39; 2 Pt 3:7; Rv 17:8, 11. Waste Mk 14:4. 10:39 peripoivhsin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from peripoi,hsij) saving Hb 10:39. Gaining 1 Th 5:9; 2 Th 2:14. Possession, property Eph 1:14; 1 Pt 2:9. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 10:33 tou'to meVn . . . tou'to deV is properly translated “not only” . . .”but also.” 10:37 Note the duplication of the Greek o{son. This is a case of Epizeuxis, and is a means of expressing emphasis. English does the same thing in expressions such as “in a very, very short time.” 10:37 Note the omission of “is,” a common occurrence in Greek. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Here we have a passage for which there is not only biblical background, but extra Biblical as well, helping us to see both the intended recipients and the date of composition. These are under several points. 1. The epistle had to have been written before 70 ad, and more likely before 67 AD, because the temple services were still being performed at the time of the writing. All the references to the Levitical priesthood are presented as currently being practiced. The argument of Hebrews 10:1-12 313 relies upon the fact that if the Old Covenant had made men perfect, “then would they not have ceased to be offered,” implying that the sacrificial system was still in place at the time of the writing. And in verse 10:28 we see that anyone who rejected the Law of Moses is put to death on the “testimony of two or three witnesses.” This certainly was the way those who stoned Stephen as late as ca. 33 AD responded to his “blasphemy.” 2. Because Stephen was stoned to death for his Christian witness in ca. 33 AD, and Paul implies that there were, as a result, more martyrdom that followed,38 and because Josephus tells us that a general persecution followed the persecution of James the Just in 62 AD,39 , the statement of Hebrews 10:32- 33 “remember the former days in which, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly being made a spectacle by reproach and even by tribulation, and partly for having become partners with those so living.” Nothing is said about loss of life. Indeed, Hebrews 12:4 explicitly states that the readers “had not resisted unto blood.” Therefore, the epistle could not have been written to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem after ca. 33 AD, because as we have seen, Stephen was martyred then.(cf. Acts 7:57-60). Thus, the recipients cannot have been residents of Rome, because no writing whatsoever was being circulated so soon after the death of Christ as ca. 33 AD. 3. The epistle could not have been addressed to the Jewish Christians of Rome before 41 AD, when the Jews first came to the notice of Claudius, who put restrictions on them.40 Even then, no actual persecutions took place that involved the “confiscation of property”. This only happened in 49 AD, when Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome because of their rioting.41 Furthermore, if we allow three or four years for Prisca and Aquila to get settled in Corinth and to take Apollos under their wings, the earliest date becomes ca. 54 AD. During the time after the Jews were banished from Rome in 49 AD, many Jews and Jewish Christians likely saw the confiscation of their property (Hebrews 10:34).42 4. Nor could it have been addressed to the Roman Church after 64 AD when Nero put Christians to death in the arena. For then, the Jewish Christians most assuredly “resisted unto blood.” The author warns his readers that they “are in need of endurance.” Like the foreboding atmosphere in Jerusalem, the coming trials were probably seen on the horizon even (or perhaps especially) in 38 Acts 8:1. 39 Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 20, Chapt. 9, Section 1. 40 Dio Cassius, Hist. 60:6. “He [Claudius] did not directly banish them, but forbade them to gather in accordance with their ancestral way of life.” Perhaps the Christian Jews were too vociferous about the Messiah, causing riots? 41 Suetonius, Claudius, 25:4 42 Philo Flaccus, 56, tells us that this is exactly what happened in Alexandria when the Jews were moved from four wards into the fifth ward in 38 AD.. 314 Rome. 5. Therefore we must conclude that the epistle could not have been written to the Jerusalem Church at all, and must have been addressed to Rome, or perhaps some other city. But Rome fits the context admirably for its Jewish community, the riots against the Christians by the Jews, and so forth. And if the epistle was indeed written to Rome, the date of composition can be fairly established as between 54 AD and just before 64 AD. E. TRANSLATION 10:32 But remember the former days in which, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 not only for being made spectacles by reproaches and even by tribulations, but also for having become partners with those so living. 34 For you both sympathized with those in bonds, and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, knowing yourselves to have a better and abiding possession. 35 Therefore, you should not cast aside your confidence, which has great recompense. 36 for you have need of endurance in order that having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. 37 For yet “in a very short time,” He “who is coming will come and shall not tarry; 38 but the righteous shall live by faith” and “if he should draw back, then my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who draw back unto destruction, but of faith/those who believe unto the preservation of the soul. F. EXPOSITION 10:32 “But remember the former days in which, after being enlightened, . . .” The phrase former days is use relatively, not absolutely. It does not refer to a specific calendar date or era, but that stage in the lives of the Hebrew believers when they were first “enlightened.” It corresponds roughly to “spiritually young,” or perhaps, “newbie Christians.” The word enlightened reminds us of Hebrews 6:4 where those who were “enlightened,” cast aside their salvation in apostasy. Here, as there, the author is convinced of better things for his readers. 10:32 “ . . . you endured a great conflict of sufferings, . . .” The word here translated “conflict” is the root of the English word athlete, giving pointed emphasis to the struggle. However, the main point, heightened by the use of “conflict,” is the endurance of the Hebrew Christians. The real enemy here is not the authorities, whether Roman or Jewish, but the temptation to let go, to disengage from the battle. That, after all, is what the epistle is about. Warning after warning is issued to “hold fast,” and so forth. The apostates were denounced precisely for their failure to hold on to the promises and the One making them. 10:33 “ . . . not only for being made spectacles by reproaches and even by tribulations, . . .” The notion of being a “spectacle,” implies some form of public humiliation. Commonly, it would seem, 315 all the Hebrew Christians suffered reproach. This might well come under the heading of “suffering for the name” of Jesus. This, most likely, refers to the antipathy felt by the non-Christian Jews. The use of the word “even,” suggest that tribulation may not have been as universally suffered as was reproach. Seemingly, all the Hebrew Christians suffered reproach, while some suffered personal tribulation as well. And while the universal reproach was likely suffered at the hands of the Jews, tribulation had to come at the hands of those with political power; if the addressees are Romans, by the Roman authorities. For as we have seen, if the addressees lived in Rome, the edicts of Claudius could certainly have been considered tribulations, but may possibly have been avoided by a few of the Hebrew Christians. The present tense of the participle “being made” indicates a continuous state of being. That is, the Hebrew Christians were, and still are, spectacles of reproach and tribulation. 10:33 ‘ . . . but also for having become partners with those so living (being so used).” The tense of the participle “having become” points to a particular, historical occurrence in which the Hebrew Christians were caught up. The nature of that occurrence involved deliberately identifying themselves with others who suffered such reproach and tribulation, or were worthy of such. The Hebrew Christians, did not abandon their fellows, but in claiming connection with them, showed great courage and a willingness to share their difficulties. 10:34 “For you both sympathized with those in bonds, . . .” These two items, “being made a spectacle,” and “having become partners,” are now more closely defined in reverse order. “Becoming partners with” others, is here defined as having “sympathized with those in bonds,” or “prisoners.” The use of the definite article points to a specific event with which the Hebrew Christians were familiar. 10:34 “ . . . and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, . . .” The “tribulations” suffered by the Hebrew Christians involved “the confiscation of your possessions.” It is interesting to note that the reproaches were directed at the character of the Hebrew Christians while the tribulations were directed at their physical well-being. It is important to emphasize that this confiscation was “accepted with joy.” This confiscation also implies an action carried out by authorities. 10:34 “ . . . knowing yourselves to have a better and abiding possession. “Stripped of their goods the Christians learned better than before that their true self remains unchangeable. That was not marred but purified: they had ‘won their souls in patients’ (Luke 21:19). This possession they had so that they could never lose it . . . Through that the confessors came to know the value of their faith.” [Wescott, P. 335] As with Christ being “better” than the Angels, and the new covenant being “better” than the old covenant, so that new possession is “better” than the old, earthly possessions they had lost. 10:35 “Therefore, you should not cast aside your confidence, . . .” The lives and sacrifices of the Hebrew Christians had demonstrated their confidence in an uncertain future. The author, using this fact, encourages them to further endurance, and deeper faith. This he does by admonishing the readers not to throw their faith away. This, of course, is a reference to the notion of returning to 316 Judaism, which has already been equated to apostasy. It may, in fact, assume that there is more persecution to follow in the near future. The word is translated “boldness” in the ASV, and elsewhere as “confidence.” 10:35 “ . . . which has great recompense.” The contrast between maintaining the faith on the one hand, and apostasy on the other, is emphasized by the fact that remaining faithful carries with it a “great recompense,” or reward” 10:36 “ . . . for you have need of endurance . . .” The supposition that there may be more suffering to come is bolstered by the use of the present tense here. The Hebrew Christians are said to be in need of endurance. Having suffered reproach and tribulation, the author implies, should be followed with a willingness to endure even more of the same. 10:36 “ . . . in order that having done the will of God, . . .” In this context, doing the will of God, is more than mere obedience to ethical standards. It includes the exercise of faith and the willingness to endure such persecution as the readers had already experienced. The will of God may, from time to time, involve just such suffering as a Hebrews had endured. Doing the will of God, frequently involves the discipline of suffering, and we are reminded here of what was said of Christ’s work in Hebrews 10:5 and following as “the fulfillment of the will of God.” 10:36 “ . . . you may receive the promise.” The result of such compliance with the word of God is the reception “the promise” of the blessings of the new covenant, both present and future. “The promise,” includes all the Christ made available to His followers by means of His own fulfillment of the will of God. 10:37 “For yet ‘in a very little/short time/while,’ . . .” And following quotation from Habakkuk is here prefaced by reference to Isaiah 26:20 (LXX), where the prophet charges the people to hide themselves “for a short time until the indignation should pass.” 10:37 “ . . . He ‘who is coming will come and shall not delay/tarry; . . .” These words, and those that follow in verse 38, are transposed and somewhat modified from the LXX of Habakkuk 2:3 and following. “In the original context that which is expected is the fulfillment of the prophetic vision of the destruction of the Chaldeans, the enemies of God’s people, to be followed by the revelation of His glory. The judgment was executed and the promise was accomplished in due time, but not as men had hoped. The lesson had a significant application to the condition of the early church.” [Wescott, P. 337.] The One “coming” is an obvious reference to Christ at His second coming. The notion of “coming” represents a palpable fact, accessible to all. 10:38 “ . . . but the righteous/just shall live by faith’ . . .” This is a descriptive statement, not a prescriptive one. It is not an admonition to live by faith, but a simple statement that the “righteous,” or “just” are those who, in fact, live their lives on the basis of faith. That is, those who are righteous in God’s eyes, are the ones who live according to faith. 317 10:38 “ . . . and ‘if he should draw back, then my soul has no pleasure in him’.” The notion of “drawing back,” is specifically related to the one who is “righteous” or “just.” It is precisely the “drawing back,” of the righteous that so closely parallels the situation to which the author addresses himself, i.e., the maintenance of faith and the refusal to “cast aside your confidence.” In such a person, God has “no pleasure.” 10:39 “But we are not of those who draw back/apostatize unto destruction, . . .” Here the author of the epistle identifies himself with his readers and states literally, “we are not of drinking back.” 10:39 “ . . . but of faith/those who believe unto the preservation of the soul.” We are those who maintain our faith, and by patience “possess” our “souls” (Luke 21:19). G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The warning not to cast away one’s confidence after having gone through trials of various severity runs a close, but perhaps more dangerous, parallel to Paul’s question in Galatians 3:3: “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect in the flesh?” The admonition is to build upon past Christian experiences, not to abandon them. For abandonment is apostasy in the case of Hebrews. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Reproaches and persecutions are tying, and tempt us to abandon our beliefs, or at least to modify them to suit our needs. Hence, the call to patience. We, like the Hebrew Christians need endurance. I. PARAPHRASE 10:32 But remember the former days in which, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 not only for being made spectacles by reproaches and even by tribulations, but also for having become partners with those so living. 34 For you both sympathized with those in bonds, and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, knowing yourselves to have a better and abiding possession. 35 Therefore, you should not cast aside your confidence, which has great reward. 36 for you have need of endurance in order that having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. 37 For yet “in a very short while, He who is coming will come and shall not delay; 38 but the justified man shall live by faith” and “if he should draw back, then my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who draw back/apostatize unto destruction, but of faith/those who believe unto the preservation of the soul. 318 319 FORTY SECOND PERICOPE (Heb 11:1-3) 11:1 [Estin deV pivsti" ejlpizomevnwn uJpovstasi", pragmavtwn e[legco" ouj blepomevnwn. 2 ejn tauvth/ gaVr ejmarturhvqhsan oiJ presbuvteroi. 3 pivstei noou'men kathrtivsqai touV" aijw'na" rJhvmati qeou', eij" toV mhV ejk fainomevnwn toV blepovmenon gegonevnai. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 11:1 uJpovstasi" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from u`po,stasij) that which settles at the bottom, sediment, Arist. II. anything set under, subject-matter of a speech or poem, Polyb., etc. 2. the foundation or ground of hope, confidence, assurance, N.T. III. substance, the real nature of a thing, essence. [English derivative: Hypostasis] [Liddell-Scott] 11:1 pragmavtwn (noun, genitive, neuter, plural, from pra/gma) 1. deed, thing, event, occurrence Lk 1:1; Ac 5:4; Hb 6:18; matter 2 Cor 7:11. 2. undertaking, occupation, task Ro 16:2. 3. thing, affair Mt 18:19; Hb 10:1; 11:1; Js 3:16. 4. lawsuit 1 Cor 6:1. 5. perh. as a euphemism for illicit sexual intercourse 1 Th 4:6. [English derivative: pragmatic] 11:1 e[legco" (noun, nominative, masculine, singular,from e;legcoj) a cross-examining, testing, for purposes of disproof or refutation, e;cein e;legcon to admit of disproof, Hdt., Thuc.; e;lÅ dido,nai tou/ bi,ou to give an account of one’s life, Plat.; eivj e;lÅ pi,ptein to be convicted, Eur.; oi` peri. Pausani,an e;l. the evidence on which he was convicted, Thuc. [Liddell-Scott] 1. a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested (to, pra/gma to,n e;legcon dw,sei, Demosthenes 44, 15 (i. e. in Phil. 1:15); th/j euvyuci,aj, Euripides, Herc. fur. 162; evnqadV o` e;legcoj tou/ pra,gmatoj, Epictetus diss. 3, 10, 11; others): tw/n (or rather, pragma,twn) ouv blepome,nwn, that by which invisible things are proved (and we are convinced of their reality), Heb. 11:1 (Vulgate argumentum non apparentium (Tdf. rerum arg. non parentum)); (others take the word here (in accordance with the preceding u`po,stasij, which see) of the inward result of proving viz. a conviction; see Lünem, at the passage). 2. conviction (Augustine, convictio): pro,j e;legcon, for convicting one of his sinfulness, 2 Tim. 3:16 R G. (Euripides, Plato, Demosthenes, others; the Septuagint chiefly for tx;k;AT.) [Thayer] 11:2 ejmarturhvqhsan (verb, indicative, aorist, passive, 3rd, plural, from marture,w) a. bear witness, be a witness, testify Mt 23:31; J 1:7f, 15; 5:33; 8:13f, 18; 15:27; Ac 22:5; 26:5; 2 Cor 8:3; Gal 4:15; 1 Ti 6:13; Hb 11:4; Rv 22:18. b. bear witness to, declare, confirm J 3:11, 32; 1 J 1:2; 5:10; Rv 1:2; 22:20. c. testify favorably, speak well (of), approve (of) w. dat. Lk 4:22; J 3:26; Ac 13:22; 14:3; 3 320 J 12b. 2. pass. a. be witnessed, have witness borne Ro 3:21; Hb 7:8, 17. b. be well spoken of, be approved Ac 6:3; 10:22; 16:2; 22:12; Hb 11:2, 4f, 39; 3 J 12a. [English derivative: martyrize] To understand the word in this context, and its various translations we must first recognize the fact that the Greek does not make as strong a distinction between the speaker and what is spoken as the English does. In the Greek of the New Testament, the word may mean either witness (as the person giving it), or testimony (as in that which is spoken by the witness). English speaks of a witness as one who gives testimony. Greeks spoke of a witness who gave witness. Both are nouns in English, but one refers to a person, the other to the content of his speech. [Thayer] As a verb, that is as “to witness,” or “to testify,” another difficulty arises when the word occurs in the passive voice, as it does in this context. Other verbs, by their very nature, do not pose such a problem. “I hit” (active); “I am hit” (passive). “I fear” (active); “I am feared” (passive). “I speak well of others” (active); “I am spoken well of by others.” “You drive your car” (active); “you are driven by your passions” (passive). Here (cf. 2.a., above) we must determine how to deal with the passive voice of to witness. The active voice is simply “I testify,” or “I witness to the fact.” Here, the elders are the subjects of the verb. But they do not testify, because the verb is in the passive voice, meaning that either 1) they did not give the testimony, but received it. That is, someone testified to the elders, and they heard and believed the testimony; i.e., they were the objects of testimony, or 2) that the testimony was about them, that it was testified they had done something, or believed something; i.e., they were the subjects of the testimony. The American Standard Version is the only major version to indicate that the elders received the testimony in the sense of “being told.” The King James, the Revised Standard, the New Revised Standard, the New American Standard, and the New International Version all indicate that the elders received a good report, or approval. What is at issue here is belief that results in action. What we see in Hebrews 11 is a disposition to hear, ponder, and accept as true the testimony or revelation furnished. What is clearly meant, the more so when compared to the character of the apostates of Chapters 3 and 6, is the acceptance as true of testimony received, and an accompanying willingness to act upon that belief, particularly in cases where either the basis or the results implied in the testimony may not be visible. The compelling argument about how to translate the word does not lie in the word itself, but in the context, where the expression “by faith” is definitive. Thus, depending upon the immediate context, the verse must be understood to mean either 1. “By faith the elders received (accepted) testimony (or revelation), or 2. “On account of this (faith) the elders received approval (commendation, a good report, etc.). That is, the elders either believed what they were told and acted upon it, or they were vindicated for having done so. Perhaps this problem results from having to translate one way or the other into English, where the Greek could be taken either way, depending on the content of the testimony given. If the testimony was “build an ark, I am sending a flood,” the meaning would clearly be that Noah “accepted” the testimony. If we are told that because of his better sacrifice, Abel obtained testimony that he was 321 righteous, the meaning would be that Abel was vindicated for his belief and action. Both sorts of testimony occur in the following passages. Because the word receive can connote either acceptance of revelation or testimony, or attainment of a good report, or vindication, that seems the best way to proceed. The first two “heros of Faith,” Abel and Enoch, “received testimony” in the sense of “attaining a good report,” or “vindication.” The rest of them are specifically said to have responded to what they were told. Hence, they “received testimony” in the sense of an “acceptance of revelation or testimony.” The latter is the most frequent connotation of “receiving testimony” in the verses that follow this pericope. 11:3 noou'men (verb,present, active, indicative, 1st, plural, from noe,w) distinguished from mere sight, to.n de. ivdw.n evno,hse Ib.; ouvk i;den ouvdV evno,hse Hom.:-hence, qumw/| noe,w kai. oi=da e[kasta Od., etc.:- so in Med., Theogn., Soph. II. absol. to think, suppose, Hom., Hdt., etc.; a;lla n. to be of another mind, Hdt.:-part. noe,wn( e,ousa thoughtful, wary, discreet, Hom. III. to think out, devise, contrive, purpose, intend, Od., Hdt. 2. c. inf. to be minded to do a thing, Il., Soph., etc.:-so in Med., Il., Hdt. IV. to conceive of or deem to be so and so, w`j mhke,tV o;nta kei/non no,ei Soph. V. of words, to bear a certain sense, to mean so and so, puqoi,meqV a'n to.n crhsmo.n o[ ti noei/ Ar., Plat. Hence no,hma. [Liddell-Scott] 11:3 kathrtivsqai (infinitive, perfect, passive, from katarti,zw) 1. put in order, restore 2 Cor 13:11; Gal 6:1; mend Mt 4:21; Mk 1:19. Complete, make complete 1 Cor 1:10; 1 Th 3:10; Hb 13:21; 1 Pt 5:10. kathrtisme,noj fully trained Lk 6:40.— 2. prepare, make, create, design Mt 21:16; Ro 9:22; Hb 10:5; 11:3. 11:3 rJhvmati (noun, dative, neuter, singular, from r`h/ma) 1. that which is said, word, saying, expression Mt 12:36; Mk 9:32; Lk 2:17, 50; J 5:47; 6:68; Ac 2:14; 28:25; Ro 10:8, 17; 2 Cor 12:4; Eph 6:17; Hb 1:3; 12:19; Jd 17. Threat Ac 6:13. 2. thing, object, matter, event Mt 18:16; Lk 1:37, 65; 2:15, 19, 51; Ac 5:32; 10:37; 13:42; 2 Cor 13:1. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 11:1 “Now faith is the conviction of hope, the test of matters not seen. 2 For in this the elders received testimony. 3 By faith we suppose that the ages have been prepared by God’s word, (insofar 322 as to believe that) the condition of being seen arose from the condition of not appearing. F. EXPOSITION 11:1 “Now faith is the conviction of hope, . . .” “Substance” (KJV) is a difficult word to define. It is frequently found as a philosophical technical term meaning “essence,” (an equally difficult word), meaning “that without which a thing cannot be what it is,” the sine qua non of something, the very defining characteristic of something. This philosophical definition obviously does not work here, and we must settle on something more like “basis,” “foundation,” or “conviction.” Equally, “assurance” (ASV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, and ESV) is a poor word to use. Assurance is the very opposite of what faith is. Faith is belief in a person, promise, or process before it is verified; something is merely believed before there is any assurance of it. When spoken of as the object of a verb (he assured me that . . .), assurance is just a restatement of the promise which is to be the object of faith. Assurance is objectively based. Assurance is of the promise itself, not of its reception. Someone gives us assurance, it is not part of the hope or faith that is to characterize our mental state. It may help if we begin by noting that faith is not mere belief. As James points out, even the demons believe in that sense. Search as we might, we will not find in the New Testament a faith that is divorced from behavior. And behavior that is predicated upon belief is trust. Put another way, only such belief as alters our behavior can be called faith in the New Testament sense. Faith alters behavior. So because our culture is immersed in the notion that faith is mere belief, we must insist upon the notion of trust being the subject of discussion. The word matters occurs only once in the Greek text and is situated right between the two phrases it might be thought to modify. In diagraming the sentence, it is convenient and permissible to allow it to modify both phrases. But this results in a very awkward English sentence, so it may be inserted once or twice without ambiguity, or omitted entirely. Hoping may helpfully be contrasted to wishing. For there is no semblance of faith in wishing; rather, there is a certain fear of impossibility. We neither hope for, nor trust in, the impossible, we hope for what we have even a slight belief may actually occur. If out team is the underdog in a world series, we may have reason to hope that the odds will not determine the outcome. After all, the underdogs have won before, our team has the home field advantage, and so forth. That is, we have a foundation upon which to base our hopes in such statistical situations. It is different in situations of direct revelation. If someone tells you that the world will end on such and such a day, or that he can ride a unicycle over Niagra Falls on a tightrope, we may not have any statistics upon which to rely. Then, it is a matter of finding a rational reason to suppose the assertion is either true of false, and then, to behave accordingly. CF. John Calvin in Commentary ad loc. 323 11:1 “ . . . the test of matters not seen.” That is, faith tests beliefs by “betting on them.” Gamblers do it every day in Las Vegas, assessing the risks and possible gains and determining just how much “faith” they are willing to exercise. In regard to such a promise as “I will give this land to you and your posterity . . .” there is only faith, and lack of faith. Faith lives as if the promise were as good as delivered. The lack of faith lives as if the promise had been given by the same sort of person who says the world will end on such and such a day. (Does this sound like the sort of promise Noah received?) In several of the examples of faith given in Hebrews 11, faith tests (and proves) the promises. 11:2 “For in this the elders received testimony.” Alternatively, “had wetness borne to them” (ASV) or “were approved” (KJV, RSV, NRSV, NASV, NIV) – both good, both contextually supported by what follows – but the expression is an example of the definition given in v. 1 and an example of what follows in v. 3, to wit, acceptance of belief in matters revealed but not seen. Furthermore, it stands in stark contrast to the belief and behavior of the followers of Moses described in Hebrews 3:8, 12, 15, 16, and 18. Far from faith, this attitude and accompanying behavior is called a “hardened heart,” of “unbelief” (or disbelief) and resulted in apostasy. Having spent several verses dealing with disbelief and apostasy, both as unbelief and as ungodly behavior, the author now, by way of contrast, defines the godly disposition of belief and its resultant godly behavior. The followers of Moses heard and saw revelation and miracles from the signs in Egypt, to the door of the promised land – and they rejected them. That is, they rejected Moses, what he said, and the God who stood behind him. Contrariwise, those who follow this brief definition of faith, did not reject the testimony, they accepted it. 11:3 “By faith we suppose that the ages have been prepared by God’s word, . . .” Here is an example of belief in something from the irretrievable past, for there were no records and no living witnesses. 11:3 “ . . . (into) the condition of being seen arose from the condition of not appearing.” I.e., “even to the point of believing that the condition of being seen arose from the condition of being invisible.” In the verses that follow, concerning the “heros of faith,” we will be mindful of the definition of faith presented here. We will look for 1) what testimony concerning invisible matters was accepted, 2) the nature of that matter, and 3) the resulting behavior that demonstrates that the testimony was accepted. Such matters are “invisible,” coming from a belief about the invisible past, the invisible future, or the invisible will of God – even the invisible nature of God. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS In Hebrews 3:7-19 the author gives an example of apostasy, or faith renounced, and plays on it for all it is worth. The need for avoidance of apostasy is brought to a crescendo in 6:4-6. Here in chapter 11, the author begins a catalogue of the faithful, any one of whose example can be followed with profit by Christians. The shadow of apostasy is gone now, and the light of salvation shines 324 brightly in this context. But there are instructive contrasts to be noted in these two examples. The apostasy noted in chapter 3 involved virtually every man and woman with the exceptions of Moses, Caleb, and Joshua. Perhaps there were others, but they remained unnamed. The apostasy covered an entire generation of Hebrews, people who had left Egypt with joy and in faith, but were soon swallowed up by the desire to return to slavery. Chapter 11 is peopled with the “heros” of faith. But despite the fact that it seems like a lot of people are covered here, we must remember that they were, and remain, the few. We must remember that the author could not possibly have named all the hundreds of thousands of apostates from that one generation, even had he wanted to. They were all lost. And he did not even include the Jews who later went into the exile in Assyria or Babylon. So we should keep our sense of perspective about us when we consider this glorious chapter of the heros of the faith. They were, indeed, great – but they were exceedingly few. And we are to be among the few. Henceforth, the author is concerned not so much with faith rejected (apostasy), but with faith maintained (perseverance). And it is here that we receive his definition of faith, the definition that we are to look for in the following list of the “heros” of the faith. Apostasy was shown to be possible only for those who have begun in faith,43 but renounced it and returned to a former state of existence. For this, there is no hope of repair. This gives urgency to the definition of faith given in 11:1-3. It is the acceptance of testimony or revelation concerning matters not present to the senses, not sensible. These include things such as metaphysical statements, interpretation of the past, or prophecy of the future. Such faith must be strong enough to mold behavior that reveals that belief. Hebrews seems a difficult book not only for its polished Greek and extensive vocabulary, but because of our less than perfect translations of pivotal passages by which what follows is to be interpreted, most notably those translations dealing with apostasy and faith. In both cases, the emphasis is upon the actions that accompany, and flow from, the mind-set in question. To ignore this fact results, of necessity, in disjointed narrative, examples being separated from mental states and so forth. We can use the definition of faith given here to analyze the heros of faith and see them as personal examples of faith thus defined. But we can also return to the apostates and see that faith, as here defined, was precisely what they abandoned. For those who have begun in faith, there can be no turning back. That, indeed, is the burden of Hebrews. For once one becomes a Christian, the only two options are to continue, or to fall into irremediable apostasy. 43 Cf. Paul’s handling of a similar situation in Galatians 1-3, especially 3:3. 325 H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The kind of belief, or faith, expected of Christians is that which relies upon the fulfillment of God’s promises. I. PARAPHRASE 11:1 “Now trust is the conviction of hoping, the test of matters not capable of being seen. 2 For by this faith the elders accepted testimony or were vindicated for having done so. 3 By faith we suppose that the visible aspects of the ages have been formed by God’s unseen word, inferring that the condition of being seen arose from that which is invisible by its nature. 326 FORTY THIRD PERICOPE (Heb 11:4-7) 11.4 Pivstei pleivona qusivan {Abel paraV Kavi>n proshvnegken tw'/ qew'/, di' h|" ejmarturhvqh ei\nai divkaio", marturou'nto" ejpiV toi'" dwvroi" aujtou' tou' qeou', kaiV di' aujth'" ajpoqanwVn e[ti lalei'. 5 Pivstei JEnwVc metetevqh tou' mhV ijdei'n qavnaton, kaiV oujc huJrivsketo diovti metevqhken aujtoVn oJ qeov": proV gaVr th'" metaqevsew" memartuvrhtai eujaresthkevnai tw'/ qew'/, 6 cwriV" deV pivstew" ajduvnaton eujaresth'sai, pisteu'sai gaVr dei' toVn prosercovmenon tw'/ qew'/ o{ti e[stin kaiV toi'" ejkzhtou'sin aujtoVn misqapodovth" givnetai. 7 Pivstei crhmatisqeiV" Nw'e periV tw'n mhdevpw blepomevnwn eujlabhqeiV" kateskeuvasen kibwtoVn eij" swthrivan tou' oi[kou aujtou', di' h|" katevkrinen toVn kovsmon, kaiV th'" kataV pivstin dikaiosuvnh" ejgevneto klhronovmo". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 11:4 pleivona (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular, comparative, from polu,j) I. positive degree of comparison much, many. 1. adj a. with a noun, etc., in the plural many, numerous, large, great Mt 4:25; 7:13, 22; Mk 6:13; Lk 15:13; J 20:30; Ac 1:3; 24:10; Ro 4:17f; 1 Cor 8:5; Hb 2:10; Rv 5:11. kth,mata polla, a great deal of property Mk 10:22. polloi. cro,noi long periods of time Lk 8:29. b. with a noun in the singular much, large, great, strong, severe Mt 20:29; Ac 6:7; 11:21; 18:10; 23:10; 27:21; Ro 9:22; Eph 2:4; 1 Th 2:2. Long J 5:6; Ac 15:32. w[ra pollh, late hour Mk 6:35. 2. substantively — a. polloi, many persons Mk 2:2; 10:45; Lk 1:1, 14, 16; Gal 3:16; 2 Cor 12:21; 2 Pt 2:2. oi` polloi, the many Mk 6:2; Ro 12:5; 1 Cor 10:33; the majority, most Mt 24:12; Hb 12:15; the crowd 2 Cor 2:17. b. polla, many things, much, at length Mt 13:3; Mk 4:2; Lk 9:22; 2 Cor 8:22a.—polla, in the acc. as adv. greatly, earnestly, strictly, loudly, often, etc. Mk 5:38, 43; 6:20; 1 Cor 16:12, 19; Js 3:2; hard Ro 16:6, 12.—c. polu, much Mt 6:30; Lk 12:48; Ac 28:6; Ro 3:2; Phil 2:12; Hb 12:9, 25. pollou/ gen. of price for a large sum of money Mt 26:9. polu, acc. as adv. greatly, very much Mk 12:27; Lk 7:47b. II. comparative degree plei,wn, neut. plei/on or ple,on, genitive of all genders plei,onoj; nom. pl. masc. and fem. plei,onej, contracted plei,ouj; neut. plei,ona, contracted plei,w; more. 1. adj. Mt 21:36; J 4:1; 7:31; 15:2; Ac 2:40; 4:22; Hb 3:3; Rv 2:19; longer Ac 18:20; many 13:31. 2. subst . —a. (oi`) plei,onej, (oi`) plei,ouj the majority, most Ac 19:32; 27:12; 1 Cor 10:5; 15:6.—(Even) more J 4:41; Ac 28:23. b. plei/on, ple,on more to. plei/on the greater sum, etc. Mt 6:25; Mk 12:43; Lk 7:43; 9:13.—Acc. as adv. more, to a greater degree Mt 5:20; Lk 7:42; J 21:15. III. superlative plei/stoj, h, on most. 1. adj. most of Mt 11:20. Very great, very large Mt 21:8; Mk 4:1. 2. subst. oi` plei/stoi the majority, most Ac 19:32 v.l. Neut. acc. as adv. to. plei/ston at the most 1 Cor 14:27. [English derivatives – poly-, combining form in such words 327 as polygamy, polymath] 11:5 meta,qesij = “changed” in Hebrews 7 – here usually “translated.” 11:5 eujaresth'sai (infinitive, perfect, active, from euvareste,w) please, be pleasing Hb 11:5f; be pleased, be satisfied 13:16. 11:6 ejkzhtou'sin (participle, present, active, dative, masculine, plural, from evkzhte,w) seek out, search for Ac 15:17; Ro 3:11; Hb 11:6; 12:17; 1 Pt 1:10. Charge with, require of Lk 11:50f. 11:6 misqapodovth" (noun, nominative, masculine, singular, from misqapodo,thj) one who pays wages, a rewarder: Heb. 11:6. (Several times in ecclesiastical writings.) [Thayer] 11:7 crhmatisqeiV" (participle, aorist, passive, nominative, masculine, singular, from crhmati,zw) 1. of God impart a revelation or injunction or warning Mt 2:12, 22; Lk 2:26 and 26 v.l.; Ac 10:22; Hb 8:5; 11:7; 12:25. 2. bear a name, be called or named Ac 11:26; Ro 7:3. 11:7 eujlabhqeiV" (participle, aorist, passive, nominative, masculine, singular, from euvlabe,omai) be afraid, be concerned Ac 23:10 v.l. For Hb 11:7 take care and reverence, respect are also possible. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 11:5 The expression “should not see death” is an example of synecdoche, wherein the genus (death) is stated instead of the species (died). “Should not see death” stands for “he did not die.” 11:5 Notice that the word translated “righteous” is in the nominative case. Because Able (in the nominative) is contrasted with Cain (in the accusative), the object of the infinitive must be in the nominative. This rare construction is necessary in order to avoid saying that Cain was pronounced righteous. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Abel Abel was a righteous man (Matthew 23:35, I John 3:12), and as a shepherd, brought offerings of the firstlings of his flock. God accepted his offering. Genesis 4:2-4 represents Abel as offering a blood sacrifice. It is notable that a “firstling” is a reference to the firstborn, about which we read more in Exodus, where the firstborn, both of man and beast, of all houses were to be slain if not protected by having the blood of a lamb of the first year applied to the door posts and lintels of the houses in which they lived (Exodus 12:12-13, 23, 29). 328 All the firstborn males, of both men and beasts, were consecrated to the Lord (Exodus 13:2; 34:19); the first born of beasts were not to be used by man, but belonged to the sanctuary as a sacrifice (Leviticus 27:26). The firstborn of men were presented to God at the sanctuary and redeemed with a lamb or a pair of turtledoves or pigeons. Later, the Levites were substituted for the firstborn Hebrew males for service in the sanctuary (Numbers 3:12, 41, 46; 8:13-19. Cf. the case with Jesus, Luke 2:22-24). The lamb, being innocent and docile, by the shedding of his blood for redemption, is a type of Christ, who, Himself being firstborn, innocent and docile, is the antitype. His redemption was universal in scope. Thus, Abel’s sacrifice was a graphic lesson in redemption by means of the shedding of sacrificial blood. Abel’s sacrifice presaged the sacrifice of “the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:9). Enoch The name Enoch refers to three distinct entries in the Old Testament: (1) the son of Cain and father of Irad. (2) The city built by Cain and named for his son. (3) The son of Jared and father of Methuselah (the grandfather of Noah). We are interested in Enoch, the son of Jared. Enoch was in the line of Seth, the line in which the knowledge of God was preserved. Luke 3:37, part of the longer genealogy of Jesus, mentions Enoch as being in the line of Jesus. Jude 14-15 cites I Enoch 1:9 in regard to God’s coming judgment of the world. Little is known about him, but he apparently lived in such close relationship to God that he was “translated” directly to heaven without dying. The word rendered translated, (metathesis, which is used only in Hebrews in the New Testament) is the same word used in Hebrews 7:12 of the change of the law that of necessity follows the change (or transference) of the priesthood. It is used again in Hebrews 12:27 of the translation, or removal of those things “that can be shaken.” The only other Old Testament figure to have been thus translated was Elijah. These two Old Testament types illustrate the fact that God is the “God of the living” (Luke 20:38, cf. Matthew 22:31-2), and that the grave is not the final disposition of the righteous. The expression “he walked with God” is used only of Enoch and Noah (another in the godly line of Seth). Before being translated, Enoch lived only 365 years, an unprecedentedly short life for an antediluvian patriarch, and is the only patriarch not said to have “died.” Genesis 5:6-31 gives the following ages for the antediluvian patriarchs: 1. Adam lived 939 years “and he died.” 2. Seth lived 912 years “and he died.” 3. Enosh lived 905 years “and he died.” 329 4. Kenan lived 910 years “and he died.” 5. Mahalalel lived 895 years “and he died.” 6. Jared lived 962 years “and he died.” 7. Enoch lived 365 years “God took him.” 8. Methuselah lived 969 years “and he died.” 9. Lamech lived 777 years “and he died.” 10. Noah lived 950 years “and he died.” A close study reveals that nowhere else in the Bible are life spans so long (average of those patriarchs who died = just over 913 years). In fact, Methuselah lived right up until the time of the Great Flood. Enoch, alone, disappeared from life so “early.” He disappeared because he “walked with God and was not; for God took him.” Noah The etymology of the name Noah is uncertain. Older scholars associated it with “rest.” More modern scholars tend to view it as a derivation from the word “comfort.” However that may be, Noah was the last of the 10 antediluvian patriarchs, the son of Lamech and the father of Ham, Shem, and Japheth. He was a man of faith who “walked with God,” and was “perfect in all his ways” (Genesis 6:9), among contemporaries who had declined to moral perversity. To them, he preached righteousness, because in his day, “every imagination and scheme of man’s heart was evil” (Genesis 6:5). He was 480 years old when he was informed of the coming flood, which followed after a “grace period” of 120 years. He was 600 years old when the flood came. There are parallels to the account of the great flood in Akkadian, Sumerian, and Babylonian. Prior to the Genesis flood, we read “the sons of God “had relations with the “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:4). The theories dealing with this are as follows: 1. The “sons of God” were fallen Angels, and the “daughters of men” were mortals. But Angels are always portrayed as without gender, making marriage impossible. 2. The “sons of God” were members of the godly line of Seth, and the “daughters of men” members of the ungodly line of Cain. It would appear in any case that Satan was trying, even at this early date, to corrupt God’s plan for preserving godliness among men by corrupting the lineage of the promised Messiah. Additionally, there were “giants in the land,” so that the children of these unions numbered among them “mighty men of renown.” (It may be noted that they were not “men of great godliness,” but men of great repute - probably for reasons unrelated to godliness. God’s grief at that state of affairs resulted in his determination to destroy the earth - yet Noah “found grace in the eyes of God” (Genesis 6:8). Consequently, Noah was commanded to build the ark according to God’s plan, and save members of the land-dwelling species. When Noah was 600 years old, the flood waters came. It is of some interest that until the flood there was no rainfall on Earth. The herbs of the field were watered by a mist that “went up from the earth” (Genesis 2:6). The garden of Eden was itself watered by a River that “went out of Eden to water the garden” (Genesis 330 2:10). But it is explicitly stated that “God had not caused it to rain upon the earth” (Genesis 2:5). Noah had to have seemed crazy to his contemporaries for building such a huge “boat” so far from any sizable body of water (if there even was one). 1. After being shut up in the ark for seven days, the rain commenced. It fell for 40 days and nights (Genesis 7:4), and “the foundations of the great deep were broken up” (Genesis 7:11). 2. The rains “prevailed” for 40 days (Genesis 7:17). And “the waters prevailed upon the earth” for 150 days (Genesis 7:24). After the 150 days, “the waters returned from off the earth continually” (Genesis 8:3). 3. After 40 days, Noah sent forth a raven and a dove (Genesis 8:7). The dove returned, Noah remained in the ark for seven more days and sent forth another dove (Genesis 8:10-11). And Noah remained yet another seven days and sent forth the third dove (Genesis 8:12). Eventually Noah left the ark and brought out the animals. He built an altar and made a sacrifice to God and God declared that he would no longer curse the ground or kill every living thing (Genesis 8:21). Then God “blessed Noah and his sons,” charging them “to be fruitful and fill the earth” (Genesis 9 :1). Additionally, the fear of man was now upon the animal kingdom, blood was not to be eaten, and murder was made a capital crime (Genesis 9:5-6). God established His covenant with Noah, promising never again to destroy all life, and sealed his promise with a new phenomenon, the rainbow (Genesis 9:11-12). Sometime after this, Noah planted a vineyard. His grape juice fermented and when he drank it, he became drunk. As a result of sin, Noah cursed Canaan, the son of Ham (Genesis 9:20-27). Noah lived another 365 years and “he died” at 950 years of age (Genesis 9:29). The New Testament makes use of the Genesis flood in four ways. 1. Jesus compares the end times to the age preceding the flood (Matthew 24:37-39; Luke 17:26-27). 2. Noah is given as an example of faith (Hebrews 11:7). 3. The flood is described as a type of baptism (I Peter 3:19-21). 4. And Noah is said to have been a “preacher of righteousness” (II Peter 2:5). E. TRANSLATION 11:4 By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous (God testifying concerning his gifts), and through it, being dead, he yet speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was translated so as not to see death, and was not found, because God translated him: for before the change he had been attested to have been well-pleasing to God. 6 Because without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to Him, for it is necessary for the one coming to God to believe that He is, and becomes a rewarder to the one diligently seeking Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned concerning the things not yet seen, being moved with reverence, prepared an ark unto the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world and became 331 heir of the righteousness according to faith. F. EXPOSITION 11:4 By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, . . .” Some commentators prefer to translate the adjective in a qualitative sense, i.e., more, or more abundant. But there are numerous examples of its qualitative use in the New Testament. There are also examples of its use as a comparative adjective, and some examples of its use as a superlative. The sacrifice of Abel was “better,” because it was offered in faith. It is interesting to note that meat had not yet been given to man for food, so the sacrifice was not for food, either figuratively for God, or literally for Abel. Nor had sacrifice for sin yet been commanded, so the offering was not for sin. That leaves an offering of thanksgiving, and the recognition of life being the gift of God, as the best explanation of the offering. Even God’s statement to Cain that “sin lieth at the door,” need not refer to a sin offering. However, if we are able to see Enoch as being pronounced righteous without a word of explanation as to what he had done in faith to allow him to receive such testimony, we must also accord the same possibility to Abel. Thus, their may have been a prior divine revelation given to Cain and Abel concerning sacrifice that was not recorded. Perhaps it was a sin offering. Perhaps the merit of Abel’s offering did, in fact, lie in the fact that it was a blood sacrifice. We are left to speculation and the statement that Abel’s sacrifice was, in some way, better than that of Cain. 11:4 “ . . . through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous . . .” It was through the offering of the sacrifice itself that Abel was pronounced righteous. His sacrifice was the sign of his (faithful) relationship to God. Although the phrase “through which” may refer to either Abel’s faith or to his righteousness (as can the later phrase “through it”) it seems much more likely that we should understand “through which sacrifice.” The whole point of the comparison between Abel and Cain is based upon their sacrifices. It is only on the basis of the sacrifices that God had objective grounds for pronouncing Abel “righteous” by accepting his sacrifice. 11:4 “ . . . (God testifying concerning his gifts), . . .” Here is the explicit statement of God pronouncing Abel “righteous” on the basis of “his gifts.” The structure of the verse is instructive. For before Abel offered a sacrifice he was merely “faithful.” After the sacrifice, he was pronounced “righteous.” Righteousness was God’s pronouncement after belief had led to behavior on the part of Abel that was qualitatively different than that of Cain. This is precisely the distinction we have been trying to make in the notion of faith. Faith that pleases God behaves differently than mere belief. In Genesis, God confronts Cain concerning his life and sacrifice. It is 332 evident that Cain had “mental assent faith,” but not the “altered behavior” sort of faith regarding the nature of his sacrifice. 11:4 “ . . . and through it, being dead, he yet speaks.” That is, through the exercise of genuine faith, faith that alters behavior, Abel “yet speaks” to us. That is, his example is still of such character as to prompt us to emulate him. Here, the case is somewhat different. Here, the phrase “through it” most likely refers to Abel’s faith. For by God’s acceptance of his sacrifice, he was pronounced righteous, and as we shall see, only by faith can one be pronounced righteous. This places Abel in the company of the other heros of the faith treated here, and so is likely to be the ground for his “still speaking” to us. 11:5 “By faith Enoch was translated so as not to see death, . . .” Literally, Enoch was changed in such a way as not to die.” Although the word means “changed, it is noted that “he was not found, i.e., he was gone. This identifies the change in nature as occurring with it a change of location. There a contrast to be drawn between Adam and Enoch. Whereas Adam, and all humanity with him, was expelled from, or cast out of God’s presence, Enoch is pictured as being taken out of the world of humanity and directly into the presence of God. As such, he provides a type of the rapture. The explanatory gloss “so as not to see death,” is not found in the Hebrew text, but in the Septuagint. 11:5 “ . . . and was not found, because God translated him: . . .” Here, the change is made specific. Enoch was not found because God had changed both his nature and his location. As with able sacrifice, Enoch’s “walking with God”was the visible representation of his faith. It was not merely an inward disposition, but had effects in outward behavior visible to others. The word here “translated” is the same word as appears twice in Hebrews 7:12, once in a verbal form and once as a noun. To revisit that passage, it could be translated “For a translation of the priesthood of necessity requires a translation of law also.” One may recall that this is precisely what the author of Hebrews was describing – a change from the earthly temple, priesthood and High Priest to a heavenly temple, priesthood and High Priest. 11:5 “ . . . for before the change he had been attested to have been well-pleasing to God.” The testimony concerning Enoch took place prior to his translation. The content of that testimony, however, has not been recorded. As in the case with Able, we can only speculate as to the nature and content of his faith. The phrase “walked with God,” (from the event as recorded in Genesis 5:22) is intended to portray a life characterized as in constant accord with the nature and will of God. Such a “walk” is possible only by faith. 333 11:6 “Because without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to Him, . . .” again, we must remember that the faith in question is trust, i.e., faith made visible in behavior. Mere mental assent is not what is pleasing to God. As we are reminded in James 2:14-20, even the demons have mental-assent-faith. 11:6 “ . . . for it is necessary for the one coming to God to believe that He is, . . .” that is, any person who seeks God must first of all believe that he is. This mental disposition is not alone, but is the basis of that faith which we have called trust. One cannot seek anything he does not believe to be real. 11:6 “ . . . and becomes a rewarder to the one diligently seeking Him.” the practical side of the matter involves the fact of God’s personal and moral makeup. It is not just mental assent to his being, but that he rewards those who seek him. It is noteworthy that the word translated “seek” (zhte,w) is intensified and directed by the prefix of a preposition. Thus we have “to seek again,” or “to search out,” among others. The word here is literally “seek out,” a term not unusual to those familiar with the lengths to which mortals, in various pagan religions, had gone in order to deal directly with one god or another. All of these attempts to “seek out” a god were enmeshed in various deeds and rituals. In other words, seeking out a god required not merely believing that the god was real, but in doing something to approach him. And thus it is here. This is the aspect of faith that adds a practical dimension to the mental assent of mere belief. The KJV and NIV alone, of the major versions, stress this fact. The KJV has “them that diligently seek Him.” The NIV has “those who earnestly seek Him.” 11:7 “By faith Noah, being warned concerning the things not yet seen, . . .” Here we have the first example of prior, explicit communication from God. Whereas Abel’s sacrifice and Enoch’s “walk with God,” dealt with personal relationships with God, here we have a warning concerning the near future. As with God’s presence and character, the future is unseen. Reactions to prophetic pronouncement is as much characterized by faith or unbelief as relationship to an invisible God. Notice that the passage speaks of “the things not yet seen, and not merely “things unseen.” There was specific content to God’s revelation to Noah. The events concerned the coming judgment on mankind by mens of the great flood. It was the specific content of God’s revelation to which Noah responded in faith. Noah plainly recognized and agreed with God’s assessment of the sinful condition of the world in which he lied. But would he agree to give up everything and build an ark in the middle of nowhere in order to faithfully comply with God’s commands? 11:7 “ . . . being moved with reverence, . . .” The “being warned” and the “being moved with reverence (or “pious care”) are coterminous. That is, they are temporally identical. God”s warning was immediately accepted and acted upon. 11:7 “ . . . prepared an ark unto the saving of his house, . . .” The preparation of the ark was the 334 visible aspect of Noah’s faith. It was no mere inward belief, but an outward action visible to the world whose just condemnation had, at last, come upon it. The definition of faith given in the first verses of this chapter meant not merely mental agreement, but with outward behavior in conformity to that belief. The notion behind the word translated prepared includes both building and furnishing. Cf. I Peter 3:20. 11:7 “ . . . through which he condemned the world . . .” As in the first two examples of faith, the prepositional phrase “through which” refers not simply to faith, but to the faith as it was visibly expressed. Noah’s expression of faith served as a condemnation of the faithless world. 11:7 “ . . . and became heir of the righteousness according to faith.” In Genesis 6:9, Noah was the first man pronounced “just,” or “righteous.” Here, Noah is said to have become an “heir,” or son. As such, the righteousness asserted of him, although it was external to himself, was something to which his behavior “by faith” entitled him. For this righteousness was that which came “according to faith.” So by his faith, Noah achieved three things. He condemned the world, he was pronounced “righteous,” or “just, and he saved his family. It is interesting that the theological terms so characteristic of the New Testament, grace (Genesis 6:8) and righteousness (just – Genesis 6:9) are first used of Noah. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Here is another example of that faith , (as God prescribes it) which is to be visible. No mere mental assent is admissible as true faith. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL It is imperative that those who believe also act accordingly. This means departing from worldliness and doing the positive righteousness prescribed to Jesus. This is nothing less than doing things God’s way, and thereby condemning the World. I. PARAPHRASE 11:4 By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous (God testifying in regard to his gifts), and through that sacrifice, although he is dead, he yet speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was translated so as not to die, and was not found, 335 because God translated him: for before the translation he had been attested to have been well- pleasing to God. 6 Because without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to Him, for it is necessary for the one coming to God to believe that He is, and that He honors to the one who earnestly seeks Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned concerning the things to come, and being moved with reverence, prepared an ark for the salivation of his house, through which he condemned the world and became heir of the that righteousness which is the result of faith. 336 FORTY FOURTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:8-12) 11:8 Pivstei kalouvmeno" jAbraaVm uJphvkousen ejxelqei'n eij" tovpon o}n h[mellen lambavnein eij" klhronomivan, kaiV ejxh'lqen mhV ejpistavmeno" pou' e[rcetai. 9 Pivstei parwv/khsen eij" gh'n th'" ejpaggeliva" wJ" ajllotrivan, ejn skhnai'" katoikhvsa" metaV jIsaaVk kaiV jIakwVb tw'n sugklhronovmwn th'" ejpaggeliva" th'" aujth'": 10 ejxedevceto gaVr thVn touV" qemelivou" e[cousan povlin, h|" tecnivth" kaiV dhmiourgoV" oJ qeov". 11 Pivstei – kaiV aujthV Savrra stei'ra – duvnamin eij" katabolhVn spevrmato" e[laben kaiV paraV kairoVn hJlikiva", ejpeiV pistoVn hJghvsato toVn ejpaggeilavmenon: 12 dioV kaiV ajf' eJnoV" ejgennhvqhsan, kaiV tau'ta nenekrwmevnou, 1kaqwV" taV a[stra tou' oujranou' tw'/ plhvqei 1kaiV wJ" hJ a[mmo" hJ paraV toV cei'lo" th'" qalavssh" hJ ajnarivqmhto".44 A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 11:11 pi,stei kai. auvth. Sa,rra stei/ra du,namin. The difficulties of this verse are well known (for example, in Greek the expression du,namin eivj katabolh.n spe,rmatoj e;laben is regularly used of the male in begetting, not the female in conceiving) and have led some scholars (including F. Field, Windisch, Zuntz) to suggest that kai. auvth. Sa,rra stei/ra is an early gloss that somehow got into the text. Appreciating the lexical difficulty, but unwilling to emend the text, a majority of the Committee understood the words kai. auvth. Sa,rra stei/ra to be a Hebraic circumstantial clause,9 thus allowing VAbraa,m (ver. 8) to serve as subject of e;laben (“by faith, even though Sarah was barren, he [Abraham] received power to beget …”). It is also possible to construe the words auty carra cteira as a dative of accompaniment (in uncial script iotas subscript are ordinarily not indicated), so that the sentence runs, “By faith he [Abraham] also, together with barren Sarah, received power to beget …” A second problem involves stei/ra, which is absent from several important witnesses (î13vid a A Dc 33 614 al). Although admitting that the word might have been added as an interpretative gloss in an ancestor of î46 D* P Y 81 88 1739 it vg syrp, h al, a majority of the Committee regarded it as more likely that the word dropped out through transcriptional oversight (carracteira). It was agreed that h` (Db vid 81 88 1739 Euthalius al) and ou=sa (P 104 436 1984 2127 al) are obviously secondary. [Metzger] 44 rv,Þa] lAx§k;w> ~yIm;êV'h; ybeäk.AkK. '^[]r>z:-ta,( hB,Ûr>a; hB''r>h;w> ^ªk.r 337 B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 11:8 ejpistavmeno" (participle, present, middle, nominative, masculine, singular, from evpi,stamai) understand Mk 14:68; 1 Ti 6:4. Know, be acquainted with Ac 15:7; 19:15; 26:26; Hb 11:8; Jd 10. 11:9 parwv/khsen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from paroike,w) to dwell beside, c. acc., pÅ th.nVAsi,an dwell along the coast of Asia, Isocr.: c. dat. to live near, Thuc.: to dwell among, tisi,n Id.; of places, to lie near, Xen. II. (pa,roikoj ii) to live in a place, sojourn, N.T. Hence paroi,khsij] [Liddell-Scott] 11:9 ajllotrivan (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular, from avllo,trioj) belonging to another, strange, foreign Lk 16:12; Ac 7:6; 2 Cor 10:15; Hb 11:9. avllotri,oij evpi,skopoj meddling in other people’s affairs 1 Pt 4:15 v.l. Hostile, enemy Hb 11:34. 11:9 katoikhvsa" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from katoike,w) 1. intrans. live, reside, settle Mt 2:23; 12:45; Ac 1:20; 2:5; 7:2, 4a, 48; 17:24, 26; 22:12; Eph 3:17; Col 2:9; Hb 11:9; 2 Pt 3:13; Rv 3:10 ; 17:8. 2. trans. inhabit, dwell in Mt 23:21; Lk 13:4; Ac 1:19; 2:14; Rv 17:2. 11:10 ejxedevceto (verb, imperfect, middle, indicative, 3rd, singular, from evkde,comai) wait for, expect J 5:3 v.l.; Ac 17:16; 1 Cor 11:33; 16:11; Js 5:7; look forward to Hb 11:10; followed by e[wj wait until 10:13. 11:10 qemelivou" (noun, accusative, masculine, plural, from qeme,lioj) of or for the foundation, Ar.:- as Subst., qeme,lioj (sub. li,qoj) a foundation, oi` qeme,lioi the foundations, Thuc.; evk tw/n qemeli,wn from the foundations, Id. Hence qemelio,w. [Liddell-Scott] 11:10 tecnivth" (noun, nominative, masculine, singular, from tecnit, hj) craftsman, artisan, designer Ac 19:24, 25 v.l., 38; Hb 11:10; Rv 18:22. 11:10 dhmiourgoV" (noun, nominative, masculine, singular, from dhmiourgo,j) artisan, maker, Creator Hb 11:10.* [English derivative: demiurge] 11:11 stei'ra (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from stei/ra) barren (woman), one incapable of bearing children Lk 1:7, 36; 23:29; Gal 4:27; Hb 11:11. 11:11 katabolhVn (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from katabolhv) a throwing or laying down, N.T. II. metaph., 1. a foundation, beginning, Pind., N.T. 2. a paying down, by instalments, Dem. III. a periodical attack of illness, a fit, access, Plat. [Liddell-Scott] 11:11 spevrmato" (noun, genitive, neuter, singular, from spe,rma) seed 1. lit. Mt 13:24, 27, 37f; Mk 4:31; J 7:42; 1 Cor 15:38; 2 Cor 9:10 v.l.; Hb 11:11. 2. fig. survivors Ro 9:29. Descendants, children, posterity Mt 22:24; Mk 12:20, 22; Lk 1:55; J 8:33, 37; Ac 13:23; Ro 9:7f; 11:1; Gal 3:16, 338 19; Hb 2:16. Nature 1 J 3:9. [English defivative: sperm] 11:11 hJlikiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from h`liki,a) 1. age, time of life. This sense is possible in Mt 6:27 = Lk 12:25, but it is probable that hyperbolic humor about increasing one’s height underlies the maxim; see 2. Mature age Eph 4:13. Years Lk 2:52. h`liki,an e;cein be of age J 9:21, 23. para. kairo.n h`liki,aj past the normal age Hb 11:11. 2. bodily stature Lk 19:3. This mng. is also possible for Lk 2:52 and Eph 4:13 above and is probable for Mt 6:27 = Lk 12:25. 11:11 hJghvsato (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd, singular, from h`ge,omai) 1. lead, guide pres. participle o` h`gou,menoj ruler, leader Mt 2:6; Lk 22:26; Ac 7:10; Hb 13:7, 17, 24. o` h`gou,menoj tou/ lo,gou the chief speaker Ac 14:12. 2. think, consider, regard Ac 26:2; 2 Cor 9:5; Phil 2:3; 3:8; Hb 10:29; Js 1:2; w. di,kaion consider it a duty or responsibility. 2 Pt 1:13. 11:12 a[stra (noun, nominative, neuter, plural, from a;stron) star, constellation Ac 7:43; 27:20; Hb 11:12; Lk 21:25.* [English derivative: astro-, combining form in numerous words] 11:12 oujranou (noun, genitive, masculine, singular, from ouvrano,j) heaven Mt 5:16, 18, 45; 23:22; Mk 1:10; 13:31; Lk 2:15; J 3:13, 31; Ac 7:55f; Hb 12:23; Col 1:5; Rv 3:12; of more than one heaven 2 Cor 12:2; Eph 4:10; Hb 1:10. Sky Mt 11:23; 16:2f; Lk 4:25; 10:18; 17:29; Ac 2:19; Rv 16:21. Fig., synonymous with God Mt 3:2; 21:25; 22:2; Lk 15:18, 21. [English derivative: uranium] 11:12 a[mmo" (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from a;mmoj) sand Mt 7:26; Ro 9:27; Hb 11:12; Rv 12:18; 20:8. 11:12 cei'lo" (noun, accusative, neuter, singular, from cei/loj) the lips Mt 15:8; Mk 7:6; Ro 3:13; 1 Cor 14:21; Hb 13:15; 1 Pt 3:10.—2. shore of the sea Hb 11:12. 11:12 qalavssh" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from qa,lassa) sea Mt 23:15; Mk 9:42; Ac 7:36; 10:6, 32; 2 Cor 11:26; Rv 8:8f; Lake (of Galilee) Mt 4:18; 8:24; J 6:1. [English derivative: thalassic] 11:12 ajnarivqmhto" (adjective, nominative, feminine, singular, from avnari,qmhtoj) nnumerable Hb 11:12.* [English derivative: (-ari,qmhtoj), arithmetic] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 339 Abraham Abraham, whose name means “the father is exalted” (or “high”) was the son of Tarah, the husband of Sarah, the father of Isaac and Ishmael (and others as well), the progenitor of the Hebrew race, and the father of the faithful. He was called a “friend of God” and was a man of great, but not unwavering, faith. His travels carried him from Ur, through the Fertile Crescent, to Egypt, and back to Canaan. The most notable features of his life comprised various demonstrations of faith. The Old Testament repeatedly speaks of him as the father of the race and often refers to the “God of Abraham” (often extending the expression to include Isaac and Jacob). In the Gospels he is recognized as the personification, or first person, of paradise as in the expression “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22). In the book of Romans, Paul establishes the fact that “justification comes by faith by noting the fact that the promises made to Abraham came before the institution of circumcision was put in place (Romans 4:10). This faith was reckoned to him as righteousness (Romans 4:13-25 and Galatians 3:6. Cf. Genesis 15:6). The example of faith shown in Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac shows that his faith rested on his belief in the resurrection (Romans 4:17). Salvation is not predicated of “do nothing” belief, but of the “faith that works.” It has been said that “grace is theology and gratitude is ethics,” and here, James, in refuting “easy believeism,” shows that Abraham was justified in God’s eyes after the sacrifice of Isaac (James 2:22 ff). Therefore, not only do we remember that Abraham was promised a son by Sarah, we may infer that he took the necessary action to produce one. This point is made explicitly in our passage in Hebrews. Abraham’s life was a running commentary on the victory of a practiced faith. The first example is that “by faith Abraham believed the promise of the land and left Ur (and later, Haran). Indeed God’s first command and promise was that he would make a great nation Abraham and greatly bless him. Abraham’s reaction was that he departed from Haran with his wife and nephew, Lot, at the age of 75. The second promise was made to Abraham when he was at the Oak of Moreh, Southwest of the Chennerah Sea when He told Abraham in effect “this is the land I said I would show you and it shall be yours” (Genesis 12:7). From there, Abraham moved to Shechem, just west of a point midway between the Sea of Chennerah and the Salt Sea (Genesis 12:8). Then Abraham traveled southward toward the Negev, an area just west of the North end of the Salt Sea and extending to the Arabian desert (Genesis 12:9). A great famine then forced Abraham into Egypt (Genesis 12:10). Here, Abraham had his first failure of faith; he had Sarai agree to present herself as his sister, a half truth (Genesis 12:11-20). From there he returned to the Negev and then to the altar he had built near Bethel. His prosperity, and that of his nephew Lot, forced them to separate, Lot taking the flat lands near Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham turning toward Canaan (Genesis 13:5-13). Here he received the third promise of God concerning his inheritance of the land. It was much more specific, and 340 included all of the land visible in all directions from where Abraham stood. It also included the promise of innumerable descendants (Genesis 13:14-18). Sometime later, Abraham fought and defeated the Kings who had overrun Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities of the plain, for the return of his nephew Lot (Genesis 14:14 ff.). After the battle, Abraham offered tithes to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20). The fourth promise of God and the second failure of Abraham’s faith occurred next. For God promised to be Abraham’s “shield and exceeding great reward.” But Abraham asked for a child to be his heir. God responded with his fifth promise, which was but a more specific confirmation of the third promise he had made. He told Abraham that his slave would not be heir, but that his own son would be. He reiterated the promise of countless descendants (Genesis 15:1-5). It was here that “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Abraham’s elicited from God a confirmation of his promise of the land. Here, God confirmed his oath by cutting a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:7-21). A noteworthy failure of Abraham’s faith came with the execution of “Plan B,” in the attempt to have a natural heir. Sarai gave Abraham her handmaiden as a wife. Hagar, the handmaid, conceived and bore Ishmael when Abraham was 86 years old (Genesis 16). When Abraham reached the age of 99 and Ishmael was about 13, God reiterated his promise for the sixth time, promising to multiply Abraham “exceedingly.” At this point Abraham (who to this point had been called Abram, received his new name. God revealed that the covenant he had cut with Abraham was to extend to Abraham’s heirs as well (Genesis 17:1-8). It was only then that the rite of circumcision was instituted (Genesis 17:9-14). The seventh reiteration of the promise revealed that Abraham was to have a son with his wife Sarah. It was at this time that Sarah, heretofore called Sarai, received her new name. Abraham’s fifth failure of faith came when he laughed at God for such a promise (Genesis 17:17-19). Later, Abraham interceded before God for the city of Sodom (Genesis 18:22-33). Yet another failure of Abraham’s faith came at Gerar when Abraham again passed Sarah off as his sister (Genesis 20). But soon thereafter God vindicated his fourth promise, and Isaac was born of Sarah (Genesis 21:1-8). Eventually, Hagar and Ishmael were cast out of Abraham’s presence (Genesis 21:9-21). Thereafter Abraham sealed the covenant with Abimelech (Genesis 21:22-34). Sometime afterward, Abraham was commanded to offer up his son Isaac. He was, in fact, prepared to do so, but God provided a ram as a substitute (Genesis 22:1-14). As a result, God’s covenant with 341 Abraham was reaffirmed (Genesis 22:15). The last detail of Abraham’s life important for us, reveals Abraham as an old man. On this occasion he sent his servant to get a wife for Isaac. Isaac was not permitted to go with the servant. This kept Isaac from the seduction of Canaanite religion and it also kept him from the temptation of leaving the promised land. (Genesis 24). Sarah Sarah (princess), was the wife of Abraham and his half-sister on his father’s (Tarah) side (Genesis 20:12). She traveled with Abraham from Ur, through Haran, to Canaan. When a famine came upon them they went down to Egypt (Genesis 12:11). Sarah was a beautiful woman and Abraham feared that he might be killed for her (Genesis 12:12). As per Abraham’s instructions, she posed as his sister, and was taken into Pharaoh’s harem. As a result, Abraham was treated well. He received cattle and servants (Generis 12:16). When a plague came upon Pharaoh’s house, and he discovered the ruse, he returned Sarah to Abraham and sent them away (Genesis 12:20). In order for Abraham to have a legal air, Sarah, knowing that she was beyond child-bearing age, gave Abraham Hagar, her handmaiden, as a wife (Genesis 16:1-2). But she treated Hagar with contempt as a result of Hagar’s pregnancy and her resultant pride (Genesis 16:5-6). There is a possibility that at least during the time during which Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham and the time when Hagar became aware of her pregnancy, sexual relations between Abraham and Sarah ceased (Genesis 16:5). At the age of 90 years, Sarah’s name was changed from Sarai. At the same time, Abraham’s name was changed from Abram (Generis 17:15). Later, at the court of Abimelech, Abraham again passed Sarah off as his sister (Genesis 20:2). His words “everyplace whether we shall come, say of me ‘he is my brother’” (Genesis 20:13), suggest that this might have been a settled behavior. Abimelech, because he did not have relations with Sarah, was visited by God in a dream and warned of his doom, should he do so (Genesis 20:3-7). He, too, heaped riches upon Abraham and rebuked Sarah, but allowed them to settle anywhere in his land that they desired (Genesis 20:15). God said that Sarah would bear a son in her old age and become the “mother of many nations” (Genesis 17:16). When the Angel of the Lord appeared to Abraham, she overheard the prophecy reiterated to him, and “laughed within herself” (Genesis 18:10-14), and was rebuked. But at last, Sarah conceived and bore Isaac, (Genesis 21:1-3) and at the celebration of his weaning, asked that Hagar and Ishmael be expelled (Genesis 21:9-14). Sarah gave her handmaiden to Abraham as his wife because she had been barren, and in all likelihood, had also passed the age of fertility even among fruitful women; certainly by the time she conceived this was the case (Genesis 16:1-2). 342 It seems likely that after “giving Hagar” to Abraham, there was probably little or no sexual contact between Abraham and Sarah, because 1) both were eager for a legitimate heir, and 2) Sarah was “too old” to bear, they may well have foregone sexual activity. Abraham’s attention was directed to Plan B, and Sarah may well not have missed the encounters. When God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah, He promised that a child would be born to Sarah; this caused laughter from Abraham (Genesis 17:15-17). When God next visited Abraham He reiterated His promise of a son by Sarah. This time, Sarah overheard the promise and she laughed (“within herself”). It is said that “it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.” This may not be a reference merely to the inability to conceive, because the text does not refer to the ability to conceive but to the “manner of women.” That is, Sarah had been barren even when she was young and might have expected to bear children. But now, she was not only barren, but was beyond the age when women normally are able to have children. As long as she was young and merely barren, there remained hope. But now, that hope was gone. She was beyond “the manner of women.” Even her hopes had ceased. This “manner of women” may well include the enjoyment of sexual encounter (Genesis 18:10-14). But even if the promise of an heir did not imply a return to sexual activity (and I believe that it does) it does imply a commitment to having a child of her own by her own agency and no longer relying on surrogacy to produce an heir. The author of Hebrews did not waste words. He stayed on point (except for the needed parenthetical statements; but even these are straightforward and don’t waste words). He banged his point home unrelentingly and without diversion. If he had not meant to include Sarah, she would not have been included -- she would have found herself among that nameless “cloud of witnesses” whom the author did not have time to enumerate. So far as the promise of a son is concerned, Sarah’s faith was every bit as laudable to the author as Abraham’s was. Either way, the faith spoken of was at least as much Sarah’s as Abraham’s. For in such a case as this, it took two people, acting in concert, and despite the obvious obstacles, and sharing the same goal, to produce the Child that God had promised them. Sarah died at the age of 127 (Genesis 23:1-2). She is mentioned in Isaiah 51:2 as the mother of the Hebrew nation. In Romans 9:9, Paul refers to her as the mother of the “children of promise.” Paul uses her as an allegory of promise (as opposed to Hagar, the mother of bondage) in Galatians 4:21- 31. Hebrews 11:11 includes her in the list of the heroes of faith. And in I Peter 3:6 Peter uses her as an example of a wife’s proper reverence for her husband. E. TRANSLATION 11:8 By faith Abraham, being called to go out into a place he would afterward receive as an 343 inheritance, obeyed, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as an alien, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise. 10 For he awaited the city that has the foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he (and barren Sarah herself) received power to cast seed beyond the time of potency, since he reckoned the One promising as faithful. 12 Wherefore from one (and him as good as dead) there arose – as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand on the seashore – the innumerable. F. EXPOSITION 11:8 “By faith Abraham, being called to go out . . .” The first item is that Abraham was “called to go out.” He was told to leave his land and his kindred and from his father’s house. Starting with the largest group and digressing to the smallest, Abraham was told to abandon everything to which he had grown accustomed and where he had a place. We do not know how this revelation took place, whether it was direct verbal communication from God, or a dream or vision. Whatever form it took, was strong enough and convincing enough that Abraham immediately complied. This is a picture of faith in action. This is not completely unlike the call to conversion that God issues to every man, woman and child, aside from the actual physical departure from one location to another. 11:8 “ . . . into a place he would afterward receive as an inheritance, . . .” The departure was not only from kin and country, but to another place. This place, wherever it was, was to become his inheritance. Now an inheritance cannot be obtained without the death of the one bequeathing it. As we shall soon see, The promised land, while it was to become the gift to Abraham’s descendants, was not the whole story. For it was, after all, only another place. 11:8 “ . . . obeyed, not knowing where he was going.” Here the author finishes the thought introduced by the opening words “by faith, Abraham.” Bu faith, Abraham obeyed. The only thing Abraham knew was that he was leaving home. He did not know where he was going. Completely ignorant of where he was going, he left home anyway. 11: 9 “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as an alien, . . .” The second statement takes up the notion of faith in another sense. For when Abraham reached “the promised land”, the destination God gave him, he “sojourned” there “as an alien.” That is, when he reached the “other place.” he still was not at home. He lived the life of a foreigner, a pilgrim, an alien. Even the promised land was not his home in the real sense of the word. What he left was worldly security and familial comfort. Did he find these things in another mere place? It is clear from his lifestyle that he did not. If this passage were to be construed as the promised land being the total and final fulfillment of God”s promise, why did Abraham not move into comfortable surroundings and make himself at home? 11:9 “ . . . living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise.” It is true that he had his family with him, but he (and they) continued the life of nomads, even in the “promised land,” living in tents, and moving about with their herds and servants. How can living in the 344 “promised land” as an “alien” be considered a faithful response to God’s promise of an inheritance of land? And apparently, Isaac and Jacob, Abrahams son and grandson, were just as nomadically inclined as Abraham, for although they were “fellow heirs,” they were also fellow aliens, fellow pilgrims in the land. 11:10 “For he awaited the city that has the foundations, . . .” It all becomes clear when we know that Abraham expected more than a new earthly residence, more than just another place under the sun Either God’s revelation had contained a great deal more than a mere promise of land, or Abraham inferred so much more. For rather than moving in and acclimating himself to his new surroundings, and accepting his new environment, he :lived in tents and led the life of a wandered. He clearly expected more, whether or not he was told to. What did he expect? What was he waiting for? He “awaited” the city that has the foundations.” He was constantly awaiting that as yet unseen city that perpetually “has the foundations.” That is, the city in which Abraham could make himself at home, which was the object of his continual expectation, already had, and will always have the foundations, but has not yet become the experience of tangible, daily life. So while Abraham, by faith, abandoned his country, kindred and his father’s house, it was also by faith that even when he arrived in the promised land he could only live the life of one not yet at home. 11:10 “ . . . whose architect and builder is God.” We have seen several examples of the author’s “quasi-Platonism in such things as the High Priesthood of Jesus, the heavenly tabernacle, and the new covenant. Here we see it again in the city designed and built by God. Neither Abraham nor any other man had actually seen such a city. But Abraham believed in it to such an extent that he lived the rest of his life as a pilgrim. The cit that has the foundations is clearly not a city of this world. Abraham’s sojourn in tents, even while in the promised land, demonstrates that the eternal and perfect had not yet been realized. Abraham’s life in Canaan “was the very “symbol of what is temporary,” just as the city is the symbol of settled life. [Dods, p. 356.] This verse demonstrates that Abraham (and others in the Old Testament, as well as the early Church monastics) regarded earthly gifts as but temporal manifestations of God’s eternal blessings. 11:11 By faith he (and barren Sarah herself) received power to cast seed beyond the time of potency . . .” Note the difference in “foundations.” in v. 10 and v. 11. In verse 10 it is speaking of a literal foundation upon which such things as walls, houses and cities are built. But in verse 11, the word is a different Greek word, and is a circumlocution. In impregnating his wife, a man was said to “lay (or cast) down a foundation.” Casting down a foundation (the literal meaning of the phrase) is used of the male’s part in the act of procreation, and is never used of female conception. Sarah is included here because her part in the story was just as much an act of faith as was that of Abraham. The readers of the epistle would have been well aware of Sarah’s lamentable condition regarding the provision of an heir for Abraham and her resort to plan B, using Hagar as a surrogate. 345 Furthermore, without the faith of Sarah, who had to again become a partner in the attempt to bring forth an heir was absolutely necessary. And “for a woman who in her prime had been barren, to believe that in her decay she could bear a son was a triumph of faith. [Dods, p. 357.] Our passage tells us that Abraham was “as good as dead,” implying that he was sexually impotent. Genesis 18:11 states that “it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.” Being past the “manner of women” probably is a circumlocution for being postmenopausal, or it may imply the cessation of libido. It may imply both. In any case, it was a situation where both parties were well beyond sexual desire or ability. And the thought of bearing a child for either one of them was beyond imagination. Yet Abraham received the power to perform, and Sarah received the ability to conceive. And the promised heir was born! 11:11 “ . . . since he reckoned the One promising as faithful.” The text reads that either Sarah or Abraham (the third person singular of the verb) “received power.” It might justifiably have been written that “they received power,” For they both took part, against all hope in “the odds,” in the creation of the heir. But this passage (11:8_19) is about Abraham. It deals with all three of the titanic manifestations of Abraham’s faith, the call to the promised land, the birth of an heir, and later, the sacrifice of that heir. We must regard the mention of Sarah as a parenthetical insertion to highlight both Sarah’ part in the story and the monumental miracle involved in that story. 11:12 “Wherefore from one (and him as good as dead) . . .” The text reads literally “and that one being dead.” I.e. From that one man, Abraham, who was sexually as good as dead. 11:12 “ . . . there arose – as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand on the seashore – . .” That is, there came into being, in the course of time, uncountable descendants. The modifier “in multitude” applies to both “the stars of heaven” and “the sand on the seashore.” 11:12 “ . . . the innumerable.” “Innumerable” is in the nominative case, so it cannot refer to the sands on the seashore, but to those that “arose.” It is the direct object of the verb “arose.” In other words, “the innumerable” is a synonym for the descendants themselves. Otherwise, we must ask what was it that arose from that one man who was as good as dead? The entire nation of Israel, and all Jews that have ever lived owe their very existence to the faith of Abraham and Sarah. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS “The seed of Abraham” is first and foremost, Jesus (Gal 3:16 cf. Heb 2:16). But theologically, as the father of faith, see the following: Romans 4:13 f, 9:7 f, and Galatians 3:29. But in another sense, the children of the promise are “the seed” (Romans 9:8-9, Gal 4:23,28) because 346 they exhibit the same faith that Abraham and Sarah exhibited (Romans 4:13-16). This is the faith recorded in Hebrews 11, a chapter that records the heros of faith. This faith, and its relationship to Abraham, is summed up in Romans 4:10-16 and Gal 3:13-18). Particularly in Heb 11:9 and 29 we may note the fact that salvation was promised, and those promises were acquired by faith. All three books Romans, Galatians and Hebrews, summarize the relationship of the man who is justified before God to the means of receiving such justification, to wit, the exercise of faith. All three sources quote Hab 2:3-4.”The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38). There is, in the person and pilgrimage of Abraham, a perfect picture of separation from the world. He clearly “among them, but not of them.” Like the monks of the ancient Church, he saw the world, but left it, holding out for something better, and not becoming embroiled in the scene or culture of the world. Christians should remember this and not only hold out for something better, but display something better. There is simply no possibility of witness without separation. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The obedience of Abraham is not unlike the faith enjoined upon men. He was told to get up and get out of his home, his world, his comfort zone, He was to abandon all with which he was familiar. So, too, are men. They are called to leave their comforts, and their security. It is a powerful force that can make a man do such a thing. With Abraham, getting up and getting out entailed a physical departure from his homeland, But it also involved him in the expectation of finding the city with “the foundations.” This is of the essence of God’s call to every living person. Whether we are called to physically leave our home or not, we are to “count as loss” all those “things that charm us most.” We are to seek that city that has the foundations, just as Abraham did. While in one sense, his home represented the world, when he reached the promised land he lived there as a pilgrim, or foreigner. Christians are to treat the world and its vain enticements as part of a culture in which he can never feel at home. They will dwell in tents, figuratively speaking, with those who seek the same city. I. PARAPHRASE 11:8 By faith Abraham, being called to go out into a place he would afterward receive as an inheritance, obeyed, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as a foreigner, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise. 10 For he was expecting the city that has the foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he (and barren Sarah herself) received power to bring forth an heir past the normal time of 347 procreation, since he reckoned the One promising as faithful. 12 Wherefore from one (and him as good as dead) there arose – in multitude as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the seashore – the innumerable. 348 FORTY FIFTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:13-16) 11.13 KataV pivstin ajpevqanon ou|toi pavnte", mhV labovntes taV" ejpaggeliva", ajllaV povrrwqen aujtaV" ijdovnte" kaiV ajspasavmenoi, kaiV oJmologhvsante" o{ti xevnoi kaiV parepivdhmoiv eijsin ejpiV th'" gh'": 14 oiJ gaVr toiau'ta levgonte" ejmfanivzousin o{ti patrivda ejpizhtou'sin. 15 kaiV eij meVn ejkeivnh" ejmnhmoneuvon ajf' h|" ejxevbhsan, ei\con a]n kairoVn ajnakavmyai: 16 nu'n deV kreivttono" ojrevgontai, tou't' e[stin ejpouranivou. dioV oujk ejpaiscuvnetai aujtouV" oJ qeoV" qeoV" ejpikalei'sqai aujtw'n, hJtoivmasen gaVr aujtoi'" povlin. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 11:13 labovntes (participle aorist active nominative masculine plural from lamba,nw) 1. in a more or less active sense take, take hold of, grasp Mt 26:26a; Mk 12:19–21; 15:23; J 19:30; Js 5:10; Rv 5:8f. Seize Mt 21:35, 39; Lk 5:26; 9:39; 1 Cor 10:13. Catch Lk 5:5. Draw Mt 26:52. Put on J 13:12; Phil 2:7. Take up, receive Mt 13:20; J 6:21; 12:48; 13:20; 19:27. Collect Mt 17:24; 21:34; Mk 12:2; Hb 7:8f. Choose, select Hb 5:1. Sometimes the ptc. can be translated with labw.n th.n spei/ran e;rcetai he came with a detachment J 18:3. 2. in a more or less passive sense receive, get, obtain Mk 10:30; 12:40; Lk 11:10; Ac 1:20; 10:43; 20:35; 1 Cor 4:7; 9:24f; Js 1:12; Rv 22:17. Accept a bribe Mt 28:15. As a periphrasis for the pass. oivkodomh.n l) be edified 1 Cor 14:5. Cf. J 7:23; Ro 5:11. [ 11:13 povrrwqen (adverb from po,rrwqen) from a distance Hb 11:13. At a distance Lk 17:12. 11:13 ajspasavmenoi, (participle aorist middle nominative masculine plural from avspa,zomai) greet, welcome Mk 9:15; Lk 1:40; take leave of Ac 20:1; hail, acclaim Mk 15:18; pay one’s respects to Ac 25:13; like, be fond of, cherish Mt 5:47. Imperative, w. acc. greetings to someone, remember me to someone Ro 16:3, 5ff; Phlm 23; Hb 13:24; 3 J 15. 11:13 oJmologhvsante" (participle aorist active nominative masculine plural from o`mologe,w) 1. promise, assure Mt 14:7; Ac 7:17. 2. agree, admit Hb 11:13. 3. confess J 1:20; Ac 24:14; 1 J 1:9. 4. declare (publicly), acknowledge, confess Lk 12:8; J 9:22; Ac 23:8; Ro 10:9; 1 Ti 6:12; 1 J 4:2f, 15; Rv 3:5; say plainly Mt 7:23; claim Tit 1:16.—5. praise, w. dat. Hb 13:15. [English derivative: homologate, approve, be in accord] 11:13 xevnoi (adjective normal nominative masculine plural no degree from xe,noj) 1. adj. strange, 349 foreign Ac 17:18; Hb 13:9; surprising, unheard of 1 Pt 4:12. x) tw/n diaqhkw/n estranged from the covenants Eph 2:12 .—2. as noun o` xe,noj the stranger, alien Mt 25:35, 38, 43f; 27:7; Ac 17:21; Eph 2:19; Hb 11:13; 3 J 5. Host, one who extends hospitality Ro 16:23.* [English derivative: xenophobia] 11:13 parepivdhmoi (adjective normal nominative masculine plural no degree from parepi,dhmoj) sojourning as noun o` p) stranger, exile, visiting stranger Hb 11:13; 1 Pt 1:1; 2:11 11:14 ejmfanivzousin (verb indicative present active 3rd person plural from evmfani,zw) 1. to manifest, exhibit to view: e`auto,n ti,ni, properly, to present oneself to the sight of another, manifest oneself to (Exo. 33:13), John 14:22; metaphorically of Christ giving evidence by the action of the Holy Spirit on the souls of the disciples that he is alive in heaven, John 14:21. Passive to Show oneself, come to view, appear, be manifest: ti,ni (of spectres, Sap. 17:4; auvtoi/j Qeou,j evmfani,zesqai le,gontej, Diag. Laërtius prooem. 7; so of God, Josephus, Antiquities 1, 13, 1), Matt. 27:53; tw/| prosw,pw| tou/ Qeou/, of Christ appearing before God in heaven, Heb. 9:24; (of God imparting to souls the knowledge of himself, Sap. 1:2; Theoph. Ant. ad Autol. 1, 2, 4). 2. to indicate, disclose, declare, make known: followed by o[ti, Heb. 11:14; with the dative of person Acts 23:15; ti, pro,j tina, Acts 23:22; ti, kata, ti,noj, to report or declare a thing against a person, to inform against one, Acts 24:1; 25:2; peri, ti,noj, about one, Acts 25:15. [Thayer] 11:14 patrivda (noun accusative feminine singular common from patri,j) one’s native country; a. as in classical Greek from Homer down, one’s fatherland, one’s (own) country: John 4:44 (cf. ga,r, II. 1); equivalent to a fixed abode (home (R. V. a count (own) place i. e. city: Matt. 13:54,57; Mark 6:1,4; Luke 4:23,(24); so Philo, leg. ad Gaium sec. 36 (evsti de, moi ~Ieroso,luma patri,j); Josephus, Antiquities 10, 7, 3; 6, 4, 6; w-| patri,j h` VAkulhia h=n, Herodian, 8, 3, 2. [Thayer] 11:15 ejmnhmoneuvon (verb indicative imperfect active 3rd person plural from mnhmoneu,w) remember, keep in mind, think of, mention w. gen. or acc. Mt 16:9; Lk 17:32; J 15:20; Ac 20:31, 35; Gal 2:10; 1 Th 1:3; 2 Ti 2:8; Hb 13:7; Rv 2:5. [English derivative: mnemonic] 11:15 ajnakavmyai (infinitive aorist active from avnaka,mptw) return Mt 2:12; Lk 10:6; Ac 18:21; Hb 11:15. Turn back again 2 Pt 2:21 11:16 ojrevgontai, (verb indicative present middle 3rd person plural from ovre,gw) mid. aspire to, strive for, desire, long for w. gen. 11:16 ejpaiscuvnetai (verb indicative present middle 3rd person singular from evpaiscu,nomai) be ashamed (of) Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26; Ro 1:16; 6:21; 2 Ti 1:8, 12, 16; Hb 2:11; 11:16. 11:16 hJtoivmasen (verb indicative aorist active 3rd person singular from e`toima,zw) to make or get ready, prepare, provide, Il., Hdt., Att.; c. inf., ka,pron e`toimasa,tw tame,ein. II. Med. to cause to be prepared, Ib. 2. with pf. pass. h`toi,masmai, to prepare for oneself, ta;lla h`toima,zeto made his other 350 arrangements, Thuc.; h`toimasme,noi Xen. 3. to prepare oneself, c. inf., Id. [Liddell-Scott] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 11:15 Note the second class conditional, or supposition contrary to fact, here. “If they were concerned about the land they had left (which they were not) they could have returned (which they did not). D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 11:13 Sojourners and aliens, cf. 1 Peter 2:11 contains much the same thought. paroivkous is used in 1 Peter synonymously for zevnoi in Hebrews 11:13. The word is closer in thought to neighbor, and by extension came to mean stranger. The second word, parepivdhmoi, is the same word as used in Hebrews 11:13, and is translated variously as pilgrims (KJV, ASV), strangers (NASV, NIV), and exiles (RSV, NRSV). Exiles is a poor choice as it has political overtones as one who is banished as a result of political action. Strangers is too vague. In today’s parlance, the word pilgrims does not convey the temporary nature of the stay. As with Hebrews 11:13, the word sojourners connotes resident aliens, visitors, those merely passing through. E. TRANSLATION 11:13 According to faith all these (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah) died without obtaining the promises, except having seen and embraced them from afar (at a distance), and having confessed that they were aliens and sojourners on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare that they seek a fatherland (their homeland). 15 And if indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return (might have returned). 16 But as it is (instead/but as a matter of fact) now they long for a better – that is a heavenly – country: wherefore (for which reason) God is not ashamed of them or to be called their God; for He (has) prepared a city for them. F. EXPOSITION 11:13 “According to faith, all these . . .” The preposition with the accusative literally means “in accordance with, or “equally.” The sense would be, “equally in faith,” or “in accordance with their faith . . .” The contrast is between all the other examples of faith that begin “by faith,” and describe how faith impacted life. Here it is maintained that the faith that governed their lives did not diminish at the approach of death. “All these” maintained their faith. The expression “all these” refers to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah, as the context makes clear. 351 Whatever may be said of Abel, Enoch and Noah, they cannot be understood to be aliens and sojourners. They were not promised a land as an inheritance, but in which they lived as resident aliens and sojourners. 11:13 “ . . . died without obtaining the promises, . . .” brings a contrast and sharp relief. As they had lived in faith, and govern their lives on the basis of the promises, so they died still clinging to those promises. For they did not live to see the fulfillment of the promises; they did not actually live as citizens in the promised land. Most of the major translations speak of “not receiving the promises.” The NIV alone indicates that they “did not receive the things promised.” It’s important to note that these people did indeed receive the promises in the sense that the promises were made to them. But they did not receive the fulfillment of those promises. 11:13 ‘ . . . except having seen and embraced them from afar, . . .” The closest that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah came “receiving” the promises was to believe in them, and count them as fulfilled; that is, they “embraced them from afar” in the depths of their imagination and the faith that God would bring them to fruition. 11:13 “ . . . and having confessed that they were aliens and sojourners on the earth.” Aliens and pilgrims are not synonyms. The first term speaks of separation – of not being from here; foreign. The second term speaks of the nature of the relationship. A pilgrim neither wants nor needs to settle where he is. They were foreigners not seeking citizenship, but were just passing through – seeking their fatherland. 11:14 “For those say such things declare that they seek a fatherland.” That is, confessing “that they were aliens and sojourners on the earth” was to admit that they did not belong here, that they were still looking for something better, a homeland, or fatherland. The contrast between being called “into a place (Hebrews11:7), and being aliens on (or upon) the earth, is instructive. Faith, perhaps not without revelation, had made Abraham and his family regard themselves as aliens not just in the promised land, but upon earth as a whole, as the following argument makes clear. 11:15 “And if indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they had gone out, . . .” Here we see a conditional sentence that is contrary to fact. It begins by indicating that if, when they confessed themselves to be “aliens,” they meant their status as aliens to refer merely to the promised land because they were native to Ur of the Chaldees. The word “if” in such a construction implies that such is not the case. 11:15 “ . . . they would have had opportunity to return.” That is, if they had regarded Ur of the Chaldees as their home, instead of complaining about being aliens, they could simply have returned. As noted above, this is known as a “contrary to fact conditional.” Logically, the argument is a hypothetical syllogism. The hypothetical syllogism takes the form of “if P, then Q.” In order to be valid the following statement or unavoidable inference must either confirm the antecedent (P), or deny the consequent (Q). Hypothetical syllogisms are often expressed as an enthymeme, a logical argument in which the conclusion is not expressed. That is, many conditional sentences are so 352 straightforward as to make it unnecessary to explicitly state the conclusion. “If that horse wins this race, I’ll eat my hat.” Here, it is clear that the one making the statement does not believe that a certain horse is going to win this race, because he can’t be taken seriously in the statement that he will eat his hat. The point here is that they could not have meant that they were aliens only in the promised land, but that they were aliens upon the earth, because they could have returned to their native land. 11:16 “But as it is, they long for a better – that is a heavenly – country: . .” This premiss does, in fact, explicitly state the conclusion, i.e., that they did not regard any earthly home as their homeland, because they sought a heavenly country. Thus, the argument is not an enthymeme, but a fully expressed hypothetical syllogism. Having confessed themselves to be aliens upon the earth cannot refer merely to their native land, because they could’ve returned to that. But instead of returning, they were seeking a heavenly country, not their native land. And such a country could be sought anywhere on earth, because it is not of the earth. While God’s promise of the holy land (and by extension, the “city that has the foundations) was not obtained in the lives of the patriarchs, Their certainty of it was with them until death. And it cost them everything in the way of an earthly homeland. Notice that there are three aspects of Abraham”s response to God’s promise of a land. He has “seen” it from afar; he embraced it; he believed it to mean more than merely an earthly place. 11:16 “ . . . wherefore God is not ashamed of them . . .” That is to say, “because of this faith which compelled them to live as aliens even in the promised land, while seeking a heavenly country,” God was not ashamed of them,” but accepted them. 11:16 “ . . . or to be called their God; . . .” Nor was he ashamed to be called their God, for they had manifested the kind of faith which He expects in those who seek Him. 11:16 “ . . . for He has prepared a city for them.” This “city,” which “God had prepared for them” was none other than that “city that has the foundations.” G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS There is, in the story of Abraham search for “the city that has foundations,” a vivid illustration of Christian separation from the world. Even though Abraham lived in the promised land, he never behaved as if he was of the promised land. He could have lived in any city of his choice, as his nephew Lot did in Sodom. But he chose instead to remain separate from the world and unto God. It is this alone that allows Abraham’s life to truly bear witness to God’s promises. Abraham could have lived the life so characteristic of the world in any city of his choice, including back home in Ur of the Chaldees. His separation from worldly existence gave strength to his story as witness. Not only is this lesson sorely needed by today’s Church in America, it is a lesson almost never heard. 353 H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL This is a powerful demonstration and compelling story of faith to be emulated by all those who would see God. I. PARAPHRASE 11:13 In accordance with this faith, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah all died without obtaining the promises, except as having seen and embraced them at a distance, and having confessed that they were aliens and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they seek their homeland. 15 And if indeed they had been thinking of the country they had left, they might have returned. 16 But instead, they long for a better – a heavenly – country: which is why God is not ashamed of them or to be called their God;; for He has prepared a city for them. 354 FORTY SIXTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:17-22) 11:17 Pivstei prosenhvnocen toVn jIsaaVk peirazovmeno", kaiV toVn monogenh' prosevferen oJ taV" ejpaggeliva" ajnadexavmeno", 18 proV" o}n ejlalhvqh o{ti 1jEn jIsaaVk klhqhvsetaiv soi spevrma, 19 logisavmeno" o{ti kaiV ejk nekrw'n ejgeivrein dunatoV" oJ qeov": o{qen aujtoVn kaiV ejn parabolh'/ ejkomivsato. 20 Pivstei kaiV periV mellovntwn eujlovghsen jIsaaVk toVn jIakwVb kaiV toVn jHsau'. 21 Pivstei jIakwVb ajpoqnhv/skwn e{kaston tw'n uiJw'n jIwshVf eujlovghsen, kaiV 1prosekuvnhsen ejpiV toV a[kron th'" rJavbdou aujtou'. 22 Pivstei jIwshVf teleutw'n periV th'" ejxovdou tw'n uiJw'n jIsrahVl ejmnhmovneusen, kaiV periV tw'n ojstevwn aujtou' ejneteivlato. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 11:17 prosenh,nocen VAbraa.m to.n VIsaa.k peirazo,menoj The evidence for the inclusion and for the position of the name VAbraa,m fluctuates curiously: (a) most witnesses read prosenh,nocen VAbraa.m…; (b) a few Western witnesses (D itd) read…peirazo,menoj VAbraa,m; (c) 1912 reads VAbraa.m prosenh,nocen…; (d) 1245 1611 arm read…VAbraa.m peirazo,menoj; and (e) the name is omitted by î46 Y 330 2005 syrh Chrysostom. On the one hand, if the name were not original, the fact that verses 13-16 constitute a parenthesis may have led copyists to insert it in ver. 17, which resumes the narrative concerning Abraham; the variety of positions of the name suggests that it is secondary. On the other hand, if the omission of the name is not accidental, copyists may have felt that the subject of ver. 17 was so obvious that VAbraa,m was unnecessary. In any case, the Committee did not see its way clear to disregard the weight of the mass of evidence supporting the reading adopted as text. [Metzger] Relying on the ancient character of P46 and the stronger evidence of Metzger’s first arguments, that the inclusion to the name seemed haphazard, and that copyists inserted the name Abraham in order to bring the subject clearly back to the fore, as well as the fact that copyists frequently had a greater tendency to add words than to drop them, we adopt the text without the name Abraham. Everyone knew who sacrificed Isaac, and his identity is confirmed by the statement “the one having received the promises. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 11:17 monogenh' (adjective, accusative, masculine, singular, from monogenh,j) only Lk 7:12; 8:42; 9:38; Hb 11:17. Only, unique J 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 J 4:9. 11:17 ajnadexavmeno" (participle, aorist, middle, nominative, masculine, singular, from avnade,comai) 355 accept, receive Hb 11:17; welcome Ac 28:7. 11:19 logisavmeno" (participle, aorist, middle, nominative, masculine, singular, from logi,zomai) reckon, calculate, a. count, take into account Ro 4:8; 1 Cor 13:5; 2 Cor 5:19; 2 Ti 4:16. Credit Ro 4:3f, 5f, 9, 11; 2 Cor 12:6; Js 2:23. b. evaluate, estimate, look upon as, consider Ac 19:27; Ro 2:26; 9:8; 1 Cor 4:1; 2 Cor 10:2b. Class Lk 22:37. 2. think (about), consider, let one’s mind dwell on J 11:50; 2 Cor 10:11; Hb 11:19. Propose 2 Cor 10:2a. Reason, make plans 1 Cor 13:11 3. think, believe, be of the opinion Ro 2:3; 3:28; 14:14; 2 Cor 11:5; Phil 3:13; 1 Pt 5:12. 11:19 ejgeivrein (infinitive, present, active, from evgei,rw) 1. trans. wake, rouse Mt 8:25. Raise, help to rise Mt 12:11; Mk 1:31; Ac 3:7. Raise the dead Mt 10:8; J 12:1, 9, 17; 1 Cor 15:15ff; Gal 1:1. Raise up, bring into being Mt 3:9; Ac 13:22; cause Phil 1:17. Passive: awaken Mt 1:24; Ro 13:11. Be raised, rise Lk 9:7; 11:8; J 2:22; 1 Cor 15:12. Appear Mt 11:11; Mk 13:22; J 7:52.—2. intr., only in imperative get up!, come! Mk 2:9, 11; 14:42; Lk 5:23f; J 5:8; Eph 5:14; Rv 11:1. 11:19 parabolh' (noun, dative, feminine, singular, from parabolh,) 1. symbol, type, figure Hb 9:9; 11:19. 2. parable, illustration Mt 13:18; 21:45; Mk 4:2; 7:17; Lk 8:9; 13:6; 18:1. [English derivative: parable; parabola] 11:21 a[kron (noun, accusative, neuter, singular, from a;kron) top Hb 11:21; tip Lk 16:24; extreme limit, end Mt 24:31; Mk 13:27. [English derivative: acrobat, a;kroj + bai,nw] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Isaac The name Isaac means “one laughed.” The referent is unknown, for both Abraham and Sarah laughed at God’s announcement of his birth (Genesis 17:17; 18:12-15). But in the end it was God who laughed, and at Isaac’s birth, Sarah confessed that God had made her laugh “so that all that hear will laugh with me” (Genesis 21:6). There are four great incidents in the life of Isaac: 1. His conception (Genesis 21:1-3), 2: Abraham’s offering of him in the mount of the Lord (Genesis 22:1-14), 3. His marriage (Genesis 24), and 4. His blessing of Jacob (Genesis 27:1-29). His conception came after an oft repeated promise by God and after considerable delay, and is treated in the section on Abraham. His sacrifice at the hands of Abraham occurred when he was a young 356 man, roughly 25 years of age. For we read that Abraham “took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac his son” (Genesis 22:6). That much wood could not have been a light load to carry on an extended hike (Genesis 22:4). At the moment when Isaac was to be killed, God intervened and provided the sacrifice, a ram caught by his horns in a thicket (Genesis 21:13). Isaac’s marriage has also been treated in the section on Abraham, but is worth review (Genesis 24). Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, like Sarah, had been barren for 20 years when Isaac “entreated the Lord for his wife” (Genesis 25:21). As a result, Rebekah conceived twins, Esau and Jacob, Esau being born first, and thereby receiving the birthright. Yet it had been foretold by God that “The elder shall serve the younger (Genesis 25:23)” When the boys were older, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for some bread and soup (Genesis 25:27-34). Later, when Isaac was old and very nearly blind, Rebekah, with the aid of her son, Jacob, tricked Isaac into bestowing his blessing on Jacob instead of on Esau (Genesis 27:1-29). Henceforth, the promises that had been made to Abraham and passed on to Isaac, were fulfilled through Jacob. Isaac is considered typical in four ways. 1. He was a type of the church as composed of the “spiritual” children of Abraham (Galatians 4:28), 2. The type of Christ as “obedient unto death” (Genesis 21:1-10, cf. Philippians 2:5-8), 3. A type of Christ as the bridegroom of the bride “called out” from among her people (Genesis 24), and 4. A type of the believer’s new nature as “born of the spirit” (Galatians 4:28-29). The mention of Isaac as a hero of faith in Hebrews 11:20 is brief: “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” Jacob received the better blessing, the continuation of the Abrahamic promise. These blessings, however were uttered by Isaac in the certainty of the God who would bring them to pass. Furthermore, by faith they remained unchanged, for Abraham apparently recognized not only the nature of patriarchal blessings, but also God’s unalterable will in the treachery of the “stolen” blessing, for he ends by saying “yea, and he [Jacob] shall be blessed (Genesis 27:33). Jacob Jacob was born clasping Esau’s heel. Indeed his name means “he clutches,” or “he clutched.” His purchase of Esau’s birthright for some bread and soup has been treated under Isaac because it is parallel to the “stolen” blessing. After this “theft,” (and perhaps because of it) Rebecca convinced Isaac to let Jacob travel to Padanaram in order to secure a bride from her clan and thus to avoid a mixed marriage, such as Esau had (Genesis 27:45-28:5). It was on his way to the household of Laban that Jacob had the dream of the ladder extending to heaven. Upon his arrival in Haran, Jacob made inquiries as to Laban. He also met Rachael and watered the sheep she was tending. After being with his uncle, Laban, for a month, Jacob agreed to work for him for seven years, after which time he was to receive Rachel as his wife, for he loved her (Genesis 29:18, 30). But after seven years, Laban sent Leah, Rachel’s elder sister, to Jacob’s tent. 357 Upon his discovery of the trick (for Laban’s culture apparently required that the eldest daughter be married first), Jacob acquired Rachel from Laban for seven additional years of labor. In the course of time Leah bore Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Rachel, bitter at being barren, sent her handmaiden Bilhah, into Jacob, and she conceived and bore Dan and Naphtali. Thereupon, Leah sent Zilpah, her handmaiden, into Jacob. She bore Gad and Asher. Leah then bore Issachar, Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah. But at last Rachel conceived and bore Joseph (Genesis 29:30- 30:24). After the second seven year period during which he worked to pay for receiving Rachel as his wife, Jacob continued to work for Laban for six more years. His payment for this extra labor was to be the spotted cattle, striped cattle, and brown cattle; Laban was to keep all the white cattle. Jacob thus amassed a fortune (Genesis 3:27-43). Then Jacob returned home with his wives, servants, and cattle. He was overtaken by Laban and reproached for leaving unannounced, and asked about his stolen household gods. Unknown to Jacob, Rachel had stolen them, and they remained undetected (Genesis 31:14). Jacob and Laban made a covenant with one another and set up a pillar. Jacob was not to mistreat Leah or Rachel, or to take any more wives. And the pillar was to serve as a boundary beyond which neither man would pass to harm the other (Genesis 31:44-55). After fearful preparations to meet his brother, Esau, Jacob wrestled with a “man until the breaking of day.” As a result of prevailing in the match with the man, Jacob demanded that the man bless him. Thereupon the man renamed Jacob, calling him Israel (Genesis 32:24-32). When Jacob finally met Esau he was welcomed; his hostility toward Jacob (now Israel – cf. Genesis 32:28 and 34:7) was clearly over. Jacob presented Esau with gifts because he had “found grace in his eyes” (Genesis 33:1 – 16). Jacob came to Shalem, “a city of Shechem,” and there, his daughter, Dinah, was raped by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the Hivite. Shechem was delighted with Dinah and asked Hamor, his father, to get her for him as his wife. The negotiations included a “treaty,” in which the two peoples would occupy the land peaceably and intermarry on the condition that Hamor”s male relatives would be circumcised. But on the third day after their circumcision, “when they were sore,” Simeon and Levi, two of Dinah’s brothers, came upon the city and killed all the males. The other brothers then spoiled the city and took the women and children. (Genesis 34:1-31). God then ordered Jacob to dwell in Bethel and there, to sacrifice to God. Jacob took his people to Bethel after burying their household gods and earrings. In Bethel, God confirmed Jacob’s new name, Israel, and reaffirmed the covenant he had made with Abraham and Isaac before (Genesis 35:1-15). Soon thereafter, Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin, Jacob’s 12th son, in Bethlehem (Genesis 35:16-20). There follows the story of Joseph, who, after being sold into slavery in Egypt, eventually rose to the 358 position of Pharaoh’s second-in-command and later saved his father’s house from famine (Genesis 37:2-48:22). At last, Jacob pronounced his blessings on his sons (Genesis 49:1-28), and died” (Genesis 49:30-33). The incident of blessing Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, is given in Genesis 48:1-20. There it is stated that Jacob, who was ill, “strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.” Yet Hebrews 11:21 claims that he “blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning upon his staff.” Lest confusion should arise, it must be noted that Hebrews 11:21 refers to two distinct events. The “leaning upon the staff” refers to Genesis 47:31. There, Joseph swore to bury Jacob (Israel) with Abraham and Isaac. After Joseph swore, “Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.” The Septuagint renders “bed’s head,” as “staff.” The Hebrew words are the same so far as the consonants are concerned. The LXX was translated from an unpointed text, and therefore used the word staff instead of bed. It should be mentioned that worship is kneeling or bending down, assuming the position of an inferior, or suppliant. If one “bowed down,” he was worshiping, and if he were worshiping, he was “bowed down.” Soon thereafter Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons. The two events are mentioned in reverse order in Hebrews 11:21. Joseph Joseph (“May he add sons”) was born in Jacob’s old age, his 11th son, and the first by his favorite wife Rachel (Genesis 30:24; 35:24). A likely date for Joseph’s life was during the reign of the Hyksos Kings in Egypt (ca. 1720 BC to 1570 BC). Being Jacob’s favorite son brought hardships to counter the blessings. Jacob made for Joseph what has traditionally been called a “coat of many colors,” but which may have been a long-sleeved robe or dust-jacket. In either case, that a young boy should have such a coat excited envy and malice among his brothers (Genesis 37:34). Further enmity was evoked by two dreams Joseph had which predicted a time when his parents and brothers would bow down and worship him (Genesis 37:5-10). Sometime after revealing his dream to his brothers Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers who were tending their flocks near Shechem. But his brothers had moved on to Dothan. When his brothers saw Joseph in the distance, they conspired to kill him. But Reuben convinced the others not to kill Joseph, but to put him into a cistern, thinking that he could later come back and retrieve the lad (Genesis 37:12-22). When Joseph arrived, his brothers took his coat off and threw him into the cistern. As they were eating they saw an approaching caravan of merchants. Judah convinced the others to sell Joseph to the merchants (Genesis 37:23-28). When Reuben returned (probably from guarding the flock from the caravan) he found Joseph gone. So they killed an animal of the flock and smeared its blood on Joseph’s coat and brought it to Jacob (Genesis 37:29-32). Upon recognizing Joseph’s coat, Jacob surmised that Joseph had been eaten by a beast, and he tore his clothes and “mourned his son many days” (Genesis 37:33-34). 359 Joseph was purchased from the merchants of the caravan by Potiphar, who was the captain of the Pharaoh’s guard. Joseph prospered, and Potiphar recognized that “the Lord was with him” (Genesis 39:3). So Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his house and his possessions, and “the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake” (Genesis 39:5). After some time, Potiphar’s wife “cast her eyes upon Joseph,” and suggested a sexual liaison. Joseph refused, both from gratitude for Potiphar’s grace and for fear of sinning against God (Genesis 39:7-9). But later, when Joseph came into the house while Potiphar’s wife was the only other person there, she again attempted to effect a liaison. Recognizing the situation for what it was, Joseph fled, leaving his “garment in her hand” (Genesis 39:12). Potiphar’s wife, seizing the opportunity for revenge, called the men of the house and accused Joseph of attempted rape. Later on hearing the story from his wife, Potiphar’ had Joseph put into the Royal prison, where Joseph again prospered (Genesis 39:13-23). Some time passed, and Pharaoh’s butler and baker offended Pharaoh in some way, and were put in the Royal prison where Joseph was. Both the butler and the baker had dreams that Joseph accurately interpreted, that in three days the Butler would be restored to his former job by Pharaoh and that in three days the Baker would be hanged by Pharaoh. Three days later on Pharaoh’s birthday, both butler and baker met the fate predicted by Joseph’s interpretation of their dreams (Genesis 40:1-23). It happened that two years later, Pharaoh himself had a pair of dreams that he could not understand. Nor could any of the Egyptian magicians. At this point, the butler remembered Joseph, who had correctly interpreted his own dream while he had been in prison. Pharaoh sent for Joseph and told him his dreams. Joseph interpreted both dreams as predicting seven years of plenty to be followed by seven years of grievous famine. Pharaoh made Joseph the next most powerful man in Egypt after himself, and assigned him to prepare the country for the coming famine (Genesis 41:1-44). Joseph oversaw the storage of food during the plenteous years and its distribution during the famine. During the years of plenty Joseph was given a wife and by her had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. During the years of famine, hunger spread over “all the face of the earth” and “all the countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain” (Genesis 41:45-57). When Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt for relief from the famine they did not recognize him . . . but he recognized them. At length, Jacob and all his family joined Joseph in Egypt at the invitation of Pharaoh (Genesis 42:1-46:34). When Jacob had lived in Egypt for 17 years and saw his death was approaching, he called Joseph and made him swear to bury his body with his fathers in Canaan and not to bury him in Egypt. Soon thereafter Jacob blessed Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph. Just before he died, Joseph told his brothers that “God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which He swore to give to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying God will surely visit you and you shall carry up my bones from here” (Genesis 50:24-25). 360 E. TRANSLATION 11:17 By faith he, being tested, offered up Isaac; even he who had received the promises was offering up the uniquely begotten, 18 (to whom it was said “in Isaac shall your seed be called”)45 19 reckoning that God is able to raise up even from the dead, whence he also received him in a figure. 20 By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.46 22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the exodus of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning his bones. F. EXPOSITION In previous passages, the author has pointed out the types and antitypes he used. Here, there are several of them, but the author lets the readers notice them without comment. These “heros of faith” might, following the last pericope, be thought of as showing “faith in the face of death.” 11:17 “By faith he, being tested, . . .” “He” refers to Abraham, as many later manuscripts make plain. They are unanimous concerning to whom the reference is made. But the word “Abraham” is inserted at various points, as if it were an impulse shared by many scribes, but without a master copy before them from which to copy. The earliest text does not have the name Abraham, something it would be very hard to explain scribal omission. The “testing” spoken of here is the testing of faith. It appears to be a deliberate attempt bu God to see Abraham’s faith “in action.” 11:17 “ . . . offered up Isaac; . . .” The test was in the command to sacrifice Isaac. This strikes the Western mind as barbaric, but in the ancient near east, at least of a somewhat later time, there are Biblical reports of just such a practice. However, this could not have been Abraham’s idea, longing as he had, for an heir, and struggling with God’s promise of an heir who would come through Sarah. 11:17 “ . . . even he who had received the promises . . .” The “promises” spoken of here most explicitly are those of a land and an heir. These promises had been given by God to Abraham, and Abraham had literally “done his part.” 11:17 “ . . . was offering up the uniquely begotten, . . .” There is a contrast here in the tense of the 45 Genesis 21:12 `[r;z") ^ßl. arEïQ'yI qx'êc.yIb. 46 Genesis 47:31. `hJ'(Mih; varoï-l[; laeÞr"f.yI WxT;îv.YIw: (Genesis (((( 361 verb. Before the verb was in the perfect tense, indicating that the sacrifice had been made. Here it is in the imperfect, as an action viewed as in progress and not yet complete. This might indicate that Abraham immediately responded to God in obedience, without question. In his mind, the sacrifice was made. In the moment of the command he gave up his son. The imperfect recorded here shows the actual progress of gathering the wood, calling Isaac, and journeying to the place where they were to build the altar. Here, Isaac is not mentioned by name, but is referred to as “the only begotten son,” or better, as “the uniquely begotten son.” This title was used of Jesus, as God’s “only begotten son (cf. John 1:14, 18, 3:16, 18 and 1 John 4:9).” It will be remembered that Abraham had a son by Hagar, Ishmael. But that was the result of the flesh – of man helping the God who needed no help. As God knew, and Abraham discovered, Isaac was the child God was literally waiting to give at a time when his birth would be unique. Isaac was begotten when Abraham “was as good as dead,” and Sarah was past “the manner of women.” There was literally no human hope that a child could be born to such a couple, Yet here was Isaac. The miraculous birth of Isaac is deliberately called to prominence in order to point also to the Messiah. 11:18 “ . . . (to whom it was said “in Isaac shall your seed be called”) . . .” God specifically told Abraham that Isaac would be the progenitor of Abraham’s seed (Genesis 21:12). The notion of “seed,” can equally be predicated of all one’s descendants, or of a single person in the lineage. Indeed, Paul uses the term both ways (compare Romans 9:7 with Galatians 3:16). The author of Hebrews, however, does not specify, leaving the readers to see both the nation of Israel and the person of Christ as the substance of the promise. They are juxtaposed deliberately. 11:19 “ . . . reckoning that God is able to raise up even from the dead, . . .” Abraham was able to sacrifice Isaac for the simple reason that he reckoned that God could raise even the dead. Again, there is here a deliberate ambiguity which is missed by most English Bibles. God had enabled Abraham “to cast seed,” at a time in his life when he was “as good as dead.” Now Abraham is struck by the idea that the God who could do that could as easily raise something from the genuinely dead. The text reads “able to raise up from dead.) The anarthrous construction makes the sentence a generalization without a direct object. Most of the major versions of the English Bible supply a direct object for this clause. The ASV alone refuses to read this passage as a case of ellipsis, reading “able to raise up even from the dead.” The NIV comes close, changing the preposition “from” to the article, thus making the prepositional phrase “from dead,” to the object “the dead.” All the other versions supply either “men,” or “someone.” This is clearly a case of “from faith to faith” in the sense of faith begetting deeper faith, or by faith seeing new implications in old beliefs. “Reckoning” is an aorist participle. It is probably to be understood as conterminous with the main verb “sacrificed” (in the perfect). That is, Abraham may not have had any misgivings about the sacrifice of Isaac because he immediately saw that God could “raise up from the dead.” 362 The conclusion Abraham drew should not be surprising, because it is wholly logical. He had been promised a son by the God he trusted implicitly. God waited until Abraham was “as good as dead” and Sarah was “beyond the manner of women” before he sent Isaac. Nations were to come from Abraham, but the nation (and “the seed”) – Genesis 21:12 – was to come in the person of Abraham’s son, Isaac. This, too, Abraham believed implicitly. Now if God gives a miraculous birth of one who is to stand in the line of God’s people and the redeemer, then asks that that son should be sacrificed, what other conclusion could Abraham draw? “The circumstances of Isaac’s birth . . . were such as to lead him [Abraham] to look beyond the mere fact. It evidently contained a divine lesson and had a spiritual meaning. That giving of a son beyond nature included a larger hope.” [Westcott, p. 367.] Faith is not irrational, but it can be placed in the wrong things. Nor is faith beyond the use of evidence. Abraham received the promises of a land and an heir, and he believed them – without evidence at first – which shows faith as beginning with trust. If that trust is betrayed or violated, two courses lie open. One can admit that his faith was misplaced, or he can hold on to it despite its failures. This latter is one form of mysticism. But when faith is verified by events, it is strengthened. Abraham had seen the promised land and he had received a uniquely begotten son. Why should he now doubt that God would restore Isaac? “Indeed, the impression which we get from the Biblical narrative is that Abraham treated it [the reconciliation of God’s Promise and God’s command] as God’s problem; it was for God, and not for Abraham, to reconcile His promise and His command. So, when the command was given, Abraham promptly set about obeying it; his only duty was clear, and God could be trusted to discharge His responsibility in the matter.: [Bruce, p. 311] 11:19 “ . . . whence he also received him in a figure.” Again, the ambiguity is instructive. For Abraham received him (Isaac) “in a figure.” But when? At Isaac’s birth, or after the sacrifice of the ram caught in the thicket? The figure is that of death. Abraham first received the real, flesh-and- blood child, Isaac, when he, himself, was “as good as dead.” Later, he received Isaac without having to sacrifice him; for Isaac was also, as far as Abraham could tell, “as good as dead.” The word translated “whence” is usually translated “wherefore” in this epistle. But “Such a connection of the clauses here whether the words which follow are supposed to express the reward of circumstances of his faith, is altogether unnatural, and the local sense is common.” [Westcott, p. 366-367.] 11:20 “By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, . . .” Genesis 27 records this event. Jacob, in collusion with his mother, Rebekah, deceived his father into giving him the blessing intended for Esau. Esau had been sent to fetch venison, and Isaac presented himself to his nearly blind father as his brother. Isaac was fooled and gave the blessing to Jacob. Apart from the blessing of the fatness of the earth and the servitude of his brethren, he was also told “cursed is everyone that curses you, and blessed is everyone who blesses you.” Christians need to pay special attention to this part of the 363 blessing. 11:20 “ . . . even concerning things to come.” These blessings concerned temporal matters and so they were obviously in regard to things to come.. They were predictive of the status of Israel. The Jews have always thrived. And throughout history, those who have blessed Israel have received blessings themselves, and everyone who has mistreated Israel has suffered dire consequences. 11:21 “By faith Jacob, when he was dying, . . .” that is, when he recognized, as Isaac had before him, that he was soon going to die, like his father, he also realized that it was time to pronounce his blessings. 11:21 “ . . . blessed each of the sons of Joseph, . . .” And, like his father before him, he gave the greater blessing to the younger, crossing his hands as he laid them upon the heads of his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh. The effect was to give Joseph the double portion reserved for the firstborn. And in Genesis 48:5, Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh were claimed by Jacob as his own and were likened to Reuben and Simeon. 11:21 “ . . . and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.” This incident took place earlier, and is recorded in Genesis 47:31. There, Jacob, realizing that the time of his death was approaching, called Joseph to his bed and made him swear that he would bury him with his fathers, and not in Egypt. When Joseph swore, Jacob “bowed himself upon the bed’s head.” Notice again, that bowing down is worshiping, and worshiping is bowing down. The terms are synonymous. Even where the two terms are used together and we might be inclined to see worship as the verbal aspect of worship, the part of worship that was spoken was in accord with the posture of bowing down. That is to say that the essence of worship is humility, both in posture and in speech. 11: 22 “By faith Joseph, when he died, . . .” And so, when it came time for Joseph to die, he also predicted future events. He believed the promises given to Abraham (some of which had come to pass) and like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, truly believed that the land of Canaan would be given to his posterity. For Joseph, this promise was as good as fulfilled already. 11:22 “ . . . made mention of the exodus of the children of Israel . . .” Hence, he reminded those around him of this promise, and the exodus that was sure to follow. The word exodus is literally “the way out” and is used here in Hebrews of the departure of the Jews from Egypt that would not occur for a few hundred years hence. 11:22 “ . . . and gave commandment concerning his bones.” Indeed, so sure was Joseph of the coming exodus that he charged the his brethren that they should take his bones up from Egypt with them when they left (Genesis 50:22-26). 364 G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS An interesting sidelight upon these events can be gathered from Romans 9:8-16. It is clear that it is not the children of flesh, but the children of promise, who are the “children of God. That is not only to say that those who believe in the promises are the children of God, but those whom God has placed in the line of the promises. This is seen in Isaac’s statement after he realized that he had bestowed the blessing on the “wrong” son when he said “yea, and he [Jacob] shall be blessed (Genesis 27:33). Clearly Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph not only believed the promises were God’s blessings, but that they had been divinely placed in the lineage of those promises. This was the essence of their faith, or trust. In Romans 9:16 it is said that such blessings are “not of him who wills nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” He “who wills” can be seen in the person of Isaac, who had very definite (fleshly) desires regarding whom should be blessed, and in what manner. He “who runs,” that is who desires the blessing, can be seen in Esau, who wept when he realized that the blessing had “mistakenly” given to his brother. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL We need always to be mindful of the fact that blessings are from God; that our part is trust. We are not responsible for God’s choices, but we should marvel at one whose blessings continue through the ages, and who guides history. Let us rejoice in being sons of promise and exercise that faith here displayed. I. PARAPHRASE 11:17 By faith he, when he was being tested, Abraham sacrificed Isaac; even after receiving the promises he was in the process of sacrificing the uniquely begotten son, 18 (to whom it was said “in Isaac shall your seed be called”) 19 concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead, whence he also received him in a figure. 20 By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the exodus of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning the reburial of his bones. 365 FORTY SEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:23-31) 11:23 Pivstei Mwu>sh'" gennhqeiV" ejkruvbh trivmhnon uJpoV tw'n patevrwn aujtou', diovti ei\don ajstei'on toV paidivon, kaiV oujk ejfobhvqhsan toV diavtagma tou' basilevw". 24 Pivstei Mwu>sh'" mevga" genovmeno" hjrnhvsato levgesqai uiJoV" qugatroV" Farawv, 25 ma'llon eJlovmeno" sugkakoucei'sqai tw'/ law'/ tou' qeou' h] provskairon e[cein aJmartiva" ajpovlausin, 26 meivzona plou'ton hJghsavmeno" tw'n Aijguvptou qhsaurw'n toVn ojneidismoVn tou' Cristou', ajpevblepen gaVr eij" thVn misqapodosivan. 27 Pivstei katevlipen Ai[gupton, mhV fobhqeiV" toVn qumoVn tou' basilevw", toVn gaVr ajovraton wJ" oJrw'n ejkartevrhsen. 28 Pivstei pepoivhken toV pavsca kaiV thVn provscusin tou' ai{mato", i{na mhV oJ ojloqreuvwn taV prwtovtoka qivgh/ aujtw'n. 29 Pivstei dievbhsan thVn jEruqraVn Qavlassan wJ" diaV xhra'" gh'", h|" pei'ran labovnte" oiJ Aijguvptioi katepovqhsan. 30 Pivstei taV teivch jIericwV e[pesan kuklwqevnta ejpiV eJptaV hJmevra". 31 Pivstei JRaaVb hJ povrnh ouj sunapwvleto toi'" ajpeiqhvsasin, dexamevnh touV" kataskovpou" met' eijrhvnh". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 11:23 basile,wj). After ver. 23, certain witnesses (chiefly Western) add the equivalent of a whole verse recounting an additional feat of Moses: Pi,stei me,gaj geno,menoj Mwu?sh/j avnei/len to.n Aivgu,ption katanow/n th.n tapei,nwsin tw/n avdelfw/n auvtou/ (“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, destroyed the Egyptian when he observed the humiliation of his brothers”). The interpolation, which is read by D* 1827 itd vgmss, was probably inspired by Ac 7.24 and/or Ex 2.11-12. [Metzger] B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 11:23 ejkruvbh (verb, aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from kru,ptw) hide, conceal, cover lit. Mt 13:44; 25:18, 25; Lk 13:21; J 12:36; Rv 6:15f. Fig. Mt 11:25; Lk 18:34; J 19:38; Col 3:3; 1 Ti 5:25. 11:23 trivmhnon (adjective, accusative, neuter, singular, from tri,mhnoj) of three months subst. to. tri,mhnon (a period of) three months Hb 11:23. 11:23 ajstei'on (adjective, accusative, neuter, singular, from avstei/oj) beautiful, well-formed Hb 11:23. In Ac 7:20 av) may mean acceptable, well-pleasing. However, if tw|/ qew|/ is to be taken as a superlative, the meaning would be a wonderfully beautiful child. 11:23 ejfobhvqhsan (verb, indicative, aorist, passive, 3rd, plural, from fobe,w) 1. be afraid, aor. often become frightened; a. intrans. Mt 1:20; 9:8; 17:6f; Mk 5:36; 16:8; Lk 2:9f; 12:4, 7; Ac 16:38; 23:10; Gal 4:11. b. trans, fear something or someone Mt 10:26; Mk 6:20; 11:32; Lk 12:5; 22:2; J 9:22; Ac 366 5:26; Ro 13:3; Gal 2:12; Hb 11:23, 27, 2. fear in the sense reverence, respect Lk 1:50; 18:2, 4; Ac 10:2, 22, 35; 13:16, 26; Col 3:22; 1 Pt 2:17; Rv 11:18; 14:7; 19:5. 11:23 diavtagma (noun, accusative, neuter, singular, from dia,tagma) edict, command Hb 11:23. 11:24 hjrnhvsato (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd, singular, from avrne,omai) deny Lk 8:45; J 1:20; 2 Ti 3:5; 1 J 2:22. av) e`auto,n disregard oneself Lk 9:23, but be untrue to oneself 2 Ti 2:13. 2. repudiate, disown Mt 10:33; 1 Ti 5:8; 2 Ti 2:12; Tit 1:16. 3. refuse Hb 11:24. 11:24 qugatroV" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from quga,thr) daughter lit. Mt 10:35, 37; Mk 5:35; Lk 2:36; Ac 7:21; Hb 11:24. Fig. Mk 5:34; Lk 1:5; 23:28; J 12:15; 2 Cor 6:18. 11:25 eJlovmeno" (participle, aorist, middle, nominative, masculine, singular, from ai`re,w) 1. raise, lift, take up, pick up Mt 16:24; Lk 17:13; J 8:59; keep in suspense J 10:24; weigh (anchors) Ac 27:13; take or carry along Mt 16:24; 27:32; w. fwnh, cry out loudly Lk 17:13. The transition to mng. 2 may be seen in J 1:29, where ai;) means both take up and remove. 2. take or carry away, remove Lk 6:29; J 2:16; 19:38. Do away with, kill J 19:15 (s. a=ron); sweep away Mt 24:39; conquer, take over J 11:48; expel 1 Cor 5:2; cut off J 15:2. Supply ti something Mt 9:16. [arsis] 11:25 sugkakoucei'sqai (infinitive, present, middle, from sugkakouce,omai) suffer or be mistreated with Hb 11:25. 11:25 provskairon (adjective, normal, accusative, feminine, singular, from pro,skairoj) lasting only for a time, temporary, transitory Mt 13:21; Mk 4:17; 2 Cor 4:18; Hb 11:25. 11:25 ajpovlausin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from avpo, lausi)j enjoyment 1 Ti 6:17; Hb 11:25. [English derivative: apolaustic, self-indulgent] 11:26 plou'ton (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from plou/toj) wealth, riches 1. lit. Mt 13:22; Mk 4:19; Lk 8:14; 1 Ti 6:17; Js 5:2; Rv 18:17. 2. fig. a wealth, abundance Ro 9:23; 11:12, 33; 2 Cor 8:2; Eph 1:7, 18; 3:8, 16; Phil 4:19; Hb 11:26; Rv 5:12. [English derivative: plutocrat, plou/toj + kratei/n] 11:26 hJghsavmeno" (participle, aorist, middle, nominative, masculine, singular, from h`ge,omai) 1. lead, guide pres. participle o` h`gou,menoj ruler, leader Mt 2:6; Lk 22:26; Ac 7:10; Hb 13:7, 17, 24. o` h`gou,menoj tou/ lo,gou the chief speaker Ac 14:12. 2. think, consider, regard Ac 26:2; 2 Cor 9:5; Phil 2:3; 3:8; Hb 10:29; Js 1:2; w. di,kaion consider it a duty or responsibility. 2 Pt 1:13. 11:26 qhsaurw'n (noun, genitive, masculine, plural, from qhsauro,j) treasure lit. Mt 6:19, 21; 13:44; Lk 12:34; Hb 11:26. Fig. Mt 6:20; Mk 10:21; Lk 6:45; 2 Cor 4:7; Col 2:3. Treasure box or chest Mt 2:11; storehouse 13:52. [English derivative: thesaurus] 11:26 ojneidismoVn (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from ovneidismo,j) reproach, reviling, 367 disgrace, insult Ro 15:3; 1 Ti 3:7; Hb 10:33; 11:26; 13:13. 11:26 ajpevblepen (verb indicative imperfect active 3rd person singular from avpoble,pw) to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on some one thing; to look at attentively: eivj ti, (often in Greek writings); tropically, to look with steadfast mental gaze: eivj th,n misqapodosi,an, Heb. 11:26 11:26 misqapodosivan (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from misqapodosi,a) reward Hb 10:35; 11:26; punishment, penalty 2:2. [misqo,j + avpodi,dwmi] 11:27 katevlipen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from katalei,pw) leave (behind) Mt 16:4; 19:5; 21:17; Mk 12:19, 21; Lk 15:4; 20:31; Ac 18:19; 24:27; Hb 11:27. Abandon, give up Mk 14:52; Lk 5:28. Neglect Ac 6:2. Keep Ro 11:4. Pass. remain behind J 8:9; 1 Th 3:1; be open Hb 4:1. 11:27 fobhqeiV" (participle, aorist, passive, nominative, masculine, singular, from fobe,w) 1. be afraid, aor. often become frightened; a. intrans. Mt 1:20; 9:8; 17:6f; Mk 5:36; 16:8; Lk 2:9f; 12:4, 7; Ac 16:38; 23:10; Gal 4:11. b. trans, fear something or someone Mt 10:26; Mk 6:20; 11:32; Lk 12:5; 22:2; J 9:22; Ac 5:26; Ro 13:3; Gal 2:12; Hb 11:23, 27, 2. fear in the sense reverence, respect Lk 1:50; 18:2, 4; Ac 10:2, 22, 35; 13:16, 26; Col 3:22; 1 Pt 2:17; Rv 11:18; 14:7; 19:5. 11:27 ajovraton (adjective, normal, accusative, masculine, singular, from avo,ratoj) unseen, invisible Ro 1:20; Col 1:15f; Hb 11:27. 11:27 ejkartevrhsen (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from kartere,w) endure, persevere Hb 11:27. [avpo.] Karuw,tou (from) Kerioth J 6:71. 11:28 pavsca (noun, accusative, neuter, singular, from pa,sca) the Passover 1. a Jewish festival Mt 26:2; Mk 14:1; Lk 2:41; 22:1; J 2:13, 23; 6:4; 11:55; 12:1; 13:1; 18:39; 19:14; Ac 12:4. 2. the Paschal lamb Mt 26:17; Mk 14:12, 14; Lk 22:7, 11, 15; J 18:28. Fig. 1 Cor 5:7.—3. the Passover meal Mt 26:18f; Mk 14:16; Lk 22:8, 13; Hb 11:28. [English derivative: paschal] 11:28 provscusin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from pro,scusij) pouring, sprinkling Hb 11:28. 11:28 ojloqreuvwn (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from ovloqreu,w) destroy Hb 11:28. 11:28 prwtovtoka (adjective, accusative, neuter, plural, from prwto,tokoj) firstborn; 1. lit. Mt 1:25 v.l.; Lk 2:7; Hb 11:28. 2. fig. of Christ Ro 8:29; Col 1:15, 18; Hb 1:6; Rv 1:5; 2:8 v.l. Of people Hb 12:23 . 11:28 qivgh/ (verb, aorist, active, subjunctive, 3rd, singular, from qigga,nw) touch Col 2:21; Hb 11:28; 12:20. 368 11:29 dievbhsan (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, plural, from diabai,nw) go through, cross, come over Lk 16:26; Ac 16:9; Hb 11:29. [Cf. diabase, diabetes.] 11:29 jEruqraVn (adjective, accusative, feminine, singular, from evruqro,j) red Ac 7:36; Hb 11:29. [erythrism, excessive redness] 11:29 xhra'" (adjective, genitive, feminine, singular, from xhro,j) dry, dried (up) Lk 23:31; Hb 11:29; dry land Mt 23:15. Withered, paralyzed 12:10; Mk 3:3; Lk 6:6, 8; J 5:3. [English derivative: xerophagy, xhro,j + fagei/n, strict diet of dry food] 11:29 pei'ran (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from pei/ra) attempt, trial Hb 11:29. Experience 11:36. [English derivative: empirical, evn + pei/ra] 11:29 labovnte" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, plural, from lamba,nw) 1. in a more or less active sense take, take hold of, grasp Mt 26:26a; Mk 12:19–21; 15:23; J 19:30; Js 5:10; Rv 5:8f. Seize Mt 21:35, 39; Lk 5:26; 9:39; 1 Cor 10:13. Catch Lk 5:5. Draw Mt 26:52. Put on J 13:12; Phil 2:7. Take up, receive Mt 13:20; J 6:21; 12:48; 13:20; 19:27. Collect Mt 17:24; 21:34; Mk 12:2; Hb 7:8f. Choose, select Hb 5:1. Sometimes the ptc. can be translated with labw.n th.n spei/ran e;rcetai he came with a detachment J 18:3. 2. in a more or less passive sense receive, get, obtain Mk 10:30; 12:40; Lk 11:10; Ac 1:20; 10:43; 20:35; 1 Cor 4:7; 9:24f; Js 1:12; Rv 22:17. Accept a bribe Mt 28:15. As a periphrasis for the pass. oivkodomh.n l) be edified 1 Cor 14:5. Cf. J 7:23; Ro 5:11. 11:29 katepovqhsan (verb, aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd, person, plural, from katapi,nw) swallow up 1. lit. though more or less transferred Mt 23:24; Rv 12:16. Devour 1 Pt 5:8. Pass. be drowned Hb 11:29; be overwhelmed 2 Cor 2:7. 2. fig. swallow up 1 Cor 15:54; 2 Cor 5:4. 11:30 teivch (noun, nominative, neuter, plural, from tei/coj) wall, city wall Ac 9:25; 2 Cor 11:33; Hb 11:30; Rv 21:12, 14f, 17–19. 11:30 e[pesan (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, plural, from pi,ptw) fall, the passive of the idea conveyed in ba,llw 1. lit. Mt 15:27; Mk 9:20; Lk 8:7; 21:24; Ac 20:9; Rv 1:17. Fall down as a sign of devotion Mt 2:11; 18:26, 29; Rv 5:14. Fall to pieces, collapse Mt 7:25, 27; Lk 13:4; Hb 11:30; Rv 11:13. 2. fig. Ac 1:26; 13:11; Rv 7:16. Fail, become invalid Lk 16:17; 1 Cor 13:8. Be destroyed Rv 14:8; 18:2. In a moral or cultic sense go astray, be ruined, fall Ro 11:11, 22; Hb 4:11; 1 Cor 10:12; Rv 2:5. 11:30 kuklwqevnta (participle, aorist, passive, nominative, neuter, plural, from kuklo,w) surround, encircle Lk 21:20; J 10:24; Ac 14:20. Go around, circle round pass. Hb 11:30. 11:31 povrnh (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from po,rnh) prostitute, whore. 1. lit. Mt 21:31f; Lk 15:30; 1 Cor 6:15f; Hb 11:31; Js 2:25. 2. fig. Rv 17:1, 5, 15f; 19:2. [English derivative: porno-, as prefix in pornographic] 369 11:31 sunapwvleto (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd, singular, from sunapo,llumi) destroy with mid. perish with Hb 11:31. 11:31 ajpeiqhvsasin (participle, aorist, active, dative, masculine, plural, from avpeiqe,w) disobey, be disobedient or disloyal Ro 10:21; 11:30f; Hb 3:18; 11:31. The mng. disbelieve (in the Christian gospel), be an unbeliever is probable for such passages as J 3:36; Ac 14:2; Ro 15:31. 11:31 dexamevnh (participle, aorist, middle, nominative, feminine, singular, from de,comai) take, receive Mt 18:5; Lk 16:4, 6f; 22:17; Ac 7:59; 22:5; 2 Cor 7:15; 11:4; Phil 4:18. Welcome Mk 6:11; J 4:45; Col 4:10. Accept, approve Mt 11:14; Mk 10:15; Lk 8:13; 2 Cor 6:1; 8:17. Put up with, tolerate 2 Cor 11:16. 11:31 kataskovpou" (noun, accusative, masculine, plural, from kata,skopoj) a spy Hb 11:31; Js 2:25 v.l. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 11:28 The word pepoivhken, here translated “instituted,” is an example of the perfect tense where the lasting results are essential to properly understanding the text. The word, literally “did,” or “made,” does not connote a mere past fact, but emphasizes the continuing result. Hence, Moses did not simply observe the Passover and the “Sprinkling,” he instituted them. These rites are of the very essence of ancient Judaism, and the Sprinkling has been dwelt upon earlier in this epistle (Hebrews 9:13-14). D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Parents of Moses This story begins with a new Pharaoh who feared the growing multitude of Hebrews within Egypt. In order to eliminate the imagined threat to his land, Pharaoh reduced the Hebrews to slavery, wherein the Hebrews “served with rigor” (Exodus 1:13). Among their many labors, they built the Egyptian treasure cities of Pithom and Raamses (Exodus 1:11). Yet the Hebrews continued to grow, seemingly in proportion to their sufferings. So Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives, Siphrah and Puah, to kill all male Hebrews as soon as they were born. But the midwives “feared God,” and did not kill the Hebrew babies, for which God later reward them with their own families (Exodus 1:18-21). Because of the midwives behavior, Pharaoh commanded all Hebrew women who bore male children to throw them into the Nile River (Exodus 1:22). But Moses’ parents hid Moses for three months. When his mother could no longer hide the child 370 she “built an ark of bulrushes” and made it waterproof and put Moses in it. Then she set it adrift in the Nile. Moses’ sister stood back at a distance in order to watch what became of the little ark (Exodus 2:3-4). Pharaoh’s daughter and her attendants, who had come down to the Nile to bathe, saw the ark and discovered the baby Moses, who was crying. And they recognized Moses as a Hebrew baby (Exodus 2:5-6). Moses’ sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter if she should go call “a nurse of the Hebrew women” to nurse the child for her (Exodus 2:7-8). Pharaoh’s daughter agreed and Moses’ sister ran and called his mother to be his nurse. Moses’ mother was then paid to raise Moses who later became the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:910). This case of civil insubordination, unlike the midwives outright disobedience, was born of personal love for her child. In both cases, the commands of Pharaoh were disregarded, the former because the midwives “feared God,” the latter because Moses his mother saw that Moses was a “goodly” child (Exodus 2:2), her own child – the child she could not but love. In both cases the government orders were disobeyed. But in neither case was the object of the civil disobedience aimed at bringing about a reversal of government policy. The midwives were willing to suffer the consequences of their behavior, as we must suppose Moses’ mother was as well. Finally, both cases of civil disobedience were rewarded by God. This well illustrates the godly response to government. Because they felt compelled to disobey, they put their faith in God, not in the likelihood that the government would change. The tacit position is that of nonparticipation in ungodly behavior, regardless of the personal consequences. Moses Moses’ life can be divided neatly into three periods of 40 years each. The first 40 years comprise his birth (see treatment on The Parents of Moses), the adoption by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:10), the very great likelihood of an extensive court education, (common at that time among royal children), and later, his determination to stand with his kinsman and abandon his court life (Exodus 2:11 cf. Hebrews 11:24-26). The final event of this first 40 year period was his murder of an Egyptian overseer who (was beating a Hebrew slave) and his subsequent flight to Midian (Exodus 2:16). During the second 40 year period, Moses was given Zipporah as his wife (Exodus 2:21) and watched his father-in-law’s flock (Exodus 3:1). Other than becoming familiar with the terrain, the flocks, and other descendants of Abraham, this middle period of Moses’ life is somewhat less important than the other two. The final event of the second 40 year period was the appearance of the bush that burned without being consumed from which God revealed himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appointed Moses to lead the Hebrews out of bondage, and revealed, for the first time, his name – “I am” (Exodus 3:2-4:23). The third 40 year period receives fuller treatment in the text, and moves with greater urgency. The 371 main events include the wonders God performed through Moses as a result of Pharaoh’s intractable refusal to let the Hebrews go. These signs included: 1. Turning the water into blood (Exodus 7:14- 25), 2. The plague of frogs (Exodus 8:1-15), 3. The plague of gnats (Exodus 8:16-19), 4. The swarms of flies (Exodus 8:20-32), 5. The plague upon the cattle (Exodus 9:1-7), 6. The plague of boils (Exodus 9:8-12), 7. Destruction by hail and fire (Exodus 9:13-26; 31-32), 8. The plague of locusts (Exodus 10:12-20), 9. Darkness on the land for three days (Exodus 10:21-23). Through all of this, when God did not harden Pharaoh’s heart, he hardened it himself, until judgment came. Judgment came upon Egypt in what came to be known as the Passover, wherein the firstborn of every man and beast not under the sign of the blood of the Passover lamb, died when the “destroyer” passed over. This included Pharaoh’s firstborn (Exodus 12:29). Upon Pharaoh’s agreement to release the Hebrews, Moses led them away and they camped near the sea (Exodus 14:1). Soon thereafter, Pharaoh repented of having released the Hebrews. He took 600 chariots after them. The Hebrews were trapped with their backs against the sea, when God parted the waters. Moses and all the Israelites passed through the sea to the other side on dry ground. But when Pharaoh’s chariots followed the Israelites, the walls of water were released upon them and none of them survived (Exodus 14:21-28). It was at Sinai that the Mosaic Covenant was instituted (Exodus 19:5-8), that God gave Moses the 10 Commandments, their supplementary laws, and the dimensions of the tabernacle which he was to build (Exodus 25:1-31:18). While Moses was receiving the stone tablets containing the terms of the covenant, the Israelites returned to idolatry, making a golden calf and sacrificing to it (Exodus 32:1-6). When Moses, returning from Sinai, saw this abomination, he threw the tablets on the ground (Exodus 32:19). But even before his “anger burned” at the Israelites (Exodus 32:19) he had interceded on their behalf before an angry God. God was apparently ready to destroy Israel and begin anew with Moses. But Moses “reminded” God of who He is, and of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God “repented” and did not destroy Israel. Other times as well, Moses intervened on behalf of a rebellious and whiny Israel (Exodus 32:11-14). It was during this time in the wilderness that Moses committed his great sin. Numbers 20:10-13 shows Moses in a sin against God that may appear to be trivial, or over-punished. The incident involved the great thirst of Israel at Kadesh. Moses and Aaron went to the tabernacle and “fell upon their faces.” The text does not indicate that Moses interceded on behalf of Israel this time. That he was instructed to “take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou and Aaron, thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth its water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so shalt thou give the congregation and their beasts drink” (Numbers 20:8). Instead, Moses gathered the congregation together before the rock, and (1) called them “rebels,” (2) and asked them “must we fetch you water out of this rock?”, (3) struck the rock twice, instead of speaking to it. Because Moses disobeyed and did not glorify God in his handling of this event, God prohibited him from entering the promised land. Because Aaron, his brother, was involved in the incident, he too was to die before entering Canaan. The final event of this 40 year period was the death of Moses. Having ascended the mountain of 372 Nebo, the Lord showed him the land which had been promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.. He finished by telling Moses “I have caused you to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over there” (Deuteronomy 34:4). So Moses died in Moab and was buried there in an unmarked grave (Deuteronomy 34:5-6). Throughout Biblical history, the name of Moses has been synonymous with the Law and with deliverance. In this latter connection, Moses is a type of Christ. Like Christ, he was divinely chosen for the task of delivering God’s people (Exodus 3:7-1; Acts 7:25; John 3:16). Like Christ he was rejected by his people (Exodus 2:11-15; Acts 7:23-29 and 18:5-6. Cf. Acts 28:17-28). Like Christ, during his rejection he gained a bride (Exodus 2:16-21; Matthew 12:14-21; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:30-32). Moses appeared again as Israel’s deliverer and was accepted (Exodus 4:29-31; Romans 11:24-26, cp. Acts 15:14-17), as Christ will be also. Moses typifies Christ as prophet, advocate, intercessor, and leader. Red Sea The Red Sea is a translation of the Greek term for the body of water that separates Africa from Asia Minor which includes the Gulf of Aqaba on the Northeast and the Gulf of Suez on the West between which is located the Sinai Peninsula. The Red Sea, in the ancient world, included what is now known as the Indian Ocean. The exodus of the Hebrews from the land of Egypt involved only that part of the Red Sea to the west of the Sinai Peninsula, i.e., the Gulf of Suez. The Hebrews, not a seagoing people, spent 400 years in Egypt, and were most familiar only with the northern part of the Gulf of Suez, which they named the Sea of Reads (or Sea of Rushes) because of the many reads that grew in that part of the sea. Some experts believe that the northern tip of the Gulf of Suez at one time reached further north into or beyond what later became the Bitter Lakes. The path taken during the Exodus is difficult to reconstruct, and at least three major theories have supporters. Only the theories of traditional southern rout and of the central route seem to match the Biblical descriptions well, although most of the Biblical references to camp sites and some of the References to towns along the route have not been identified positively, leaving several possibilities open. Joshua Joshua means “Savior,” or “God’s salvation.” Joshua was a young man at the time of the Exodus (Exodus 33:11). But he must have had the truth strongly impressed upon him. For not only was he an attendant to Moses, but Moses gave Joshua command of the military detachment from the still unorganized Israelites to meet the threat of the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-16). `He was selected as one of the 12 spies sent to size up the opposition in Canaan. He was in agreement with Caleb when he gave his report that Israel should proceed with the conquest of the promised land (Numbers 13:8; 14:6-9; Joshua 14:7). For their support of occupying Canaan 373 immediately, Joshua and Caleb were almost stoned to death by the partisans of the other 10 spies (Numbers 14:10). Joshua accompanied Moses, at least for some distance, when he ascended the mountain to receive the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:13). On their way down the mountain, the sound of revelry came from the idolatrous Israelites below. Joshua thought it was the sound of warfare (Exodus 32:17). When finally it was time to enter the promised land, and Moses knew that he could go no further, he named Joshua his military or political successor (Numbers 27:18-23). Joshua’s life and exploits are recorded in the book that bears his name. But mention of the fall of Jericho in Hebrews 11 necessitates a brief survey here The fall of Jericho is remarkable for its lack of a military siege. For Joshua was instructed to take “the men of war, encircle the city, and walk around the city one time.” This was to be done on six successive days. Seven priests were to bear trumpets before the ark. On the seventh day the people were to walk around the city seven times, whereupon the priests were to blow their trumpets. At this sound the people were to raise a mighty shout, and the wall of the city would fall (Joshua 6:1-5). On the seventh day the city wall fell exactly as predicted. It fell so flat and so completely that all the men surrounding the city “went up into the city, every man straight before him” (Joshua 6:20). Rahab Rahab is an interesting short study in faith and ethics. Soon after Joshua assumed the leadership of the Israelites, he sent two men to “view the land,” (and Jericho in particular) for purposes of conquering and occupying the area (Joshua 2:1). The spies lodged in the house of Rahab, a local harlot. When the King of Jericho was notified that some Israelites had come into the city to “search it out,” he sent a messenger to Rahab demanding that she “bring the men out” (Joshua 2:3). But she hid the Israelites under some drying flax stalks on the roof of her house and lied to the King’s messenger, claiming that she did not know where the men came from nor were they went. Then she urged the messenger to pursue the Israelites for if they hurried they might overtake them; and the messenger and his men left to pursue the Israelite spies (Joshua 2:4-7). Then Rahab told the Israelite spies three things: 1. “I know that the Lord has given you the land;” 2. “The terror of the Israelites has fallen upon us,” and 3. “All the inhabitants of the land faint because you (Joshua 2:9). Rahab’s explanation of her belief followed (in the plural). She explained that they had come to these beliefs because they had heard about how the Lord had dried up the water of the sea when the Israelites fled the Egyptians on dry land, and how the Israelites had utterly destroyed two Amorite kings. “As soon as we heard these things our hearts did melt . . . For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and in the earth beneath” (Joshua 2:10-11). Rahab then extracted a promise from the Israelite spies that they would save her and all her family on account of the kindness she had shown them. Then she let them down through her window, which was in the city wall, giving them instructions concerning their escape (Joshua 2:15-16). 374 When Joshua and the Israelites went into the fallen city he instructed the spies to go to Rahab’s house and bring out all they had sworn to protect, and they were spared (Joshua 6:22-25). Apparently Rahab became a naturalized Israelite, for she continued to live with them. Matthew mentions her (although he spells her name differently) as the wife of Salmon and mother of Boaz, placing her in the ancestry of King David, and of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). E. TRANSLATION 11:23 By faith, Moses, having been born, was concealed for three months by his parents because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith, Moses, having become great, refused to be called “son of Pharaoh’s daughter,” 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin, 26 reckoning the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasuries of Egypt, for he was looking for the recompense. 27 By faith he abandoned Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he persisted as if seeing the invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood in order that the one destroying the firstborn might not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as upon dryland, which, the Egyptians making an attempt were swallowed up 30 By faith the walls of Jericho collapsed, being encircled for seven days. 31 By faith, Rahab the harlot did not perish with the unbelieving, having received the spies with peace. F. EXPOSITION 11:23 “By faith, Moses, having been born, . . .” A smoother English rendering would be “after he was born,” as per the paraphrase. This clause introduces a contrast between the baby Moses, and Moses when he “grew up,” but more specifically when he “became great.” 23 “ . . . was concealed for three months by his parents . . .” As a helpless baby, he “was hidden” by his parents for three months. We know from Exodus 2:2 that the mother hid Moses. Here the word for “parents” is the word “father,” in the plural, indicating both parents. The mother of Moses would almost certainly have done nothing of the kind without the Father’s knowledge and approval. This phrase, too, sets up a contrast between “being hidden,” and his later disposition of “not fearing” the wrath of the king.. 23 “ . . . because they saw that the child was beautiful, . . .” Every parent sees his child as “beautiful,” or “comely.” But there is here something beyond physical attractiveness, a sense of destiny, or a belief that great things would come from this baby. One cannot miss the parallel to the Baby Moses and the baby Jesus, who also had authority wishing to kill Him. Although there is no statement concerning this parallel, it could not have been missed by the readers of Hebrews. 23 “ . . . and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” Their being unafraid of the Kings edict may 375 well be questioned. It may not e that they were completely oblivious to the danger, but that they were more afraid of the consequences of not seeing to it that Moses lived. Whatever the case, we should not attribute to the parents a complete lack of concern, for if this had been the case, they would merely have kept the child at home. It is here that we see faith in action. For the parents, in placing the baby in a basket exercised faith that God would see to their baby in a way far beyond their ability to do so. The gesture can be read as “God, this , as you know, is a baby who will do your bidding. He will do great things. But we can no longer keep him, much as we would like to. So here he is, for you to look after. Please help us.” 24 “By faith, Moses, having become great, . . .” The Greek text is literally “having become great.” The standard versions all indicate nothing more than reaching adulthood. This is quite a permissible translation, but may miss the subtle flavoring of Moses’ Character and position. Here we are talking not about a mere helpless baby who had to be hidden, but one who was not only a member of the court, but was known as the son of Pharaoh” daughter. In his “greatness,” that is, at the time of his spiritual maturity and local standing, he was someone to fear, someone with power, someone whose orders were to be obeyed. He perhaps was not a superior power in Egypt, as Joseph had been, but he was not to be taken lightly. 24 “ . . . refused to be called ‘son of Pharaoh’s daughter’,” . . .” At this stage in his life, Moses no longer needed to hide. Now he made his own decisions, and he tired of the title “son of Pharaoh’s daughter. This was indicated by his deliberate choice to stand with his oppressed kinsmen rather than with his adoptive parent. 25 “ . . . choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God . . .” The decision could not possibly have been in ignorance of his own status at court, or of the afflictions suffered by his kinsmen. He had seen both and knew what his choice implied. He chose poverty over affluence, labor over leisure, suffering over pandering to his appetites. 25 “ . . . than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin, . . .” The “fleeting pleasure does not refer to particular sins of the flesh (although these may well have been included) but to spending his life doing anything other than God’s will. Moses could have lived the life of a monk in the palace of the Pharaoh, and it would have been sin. Such a life would have been, at best, the avoidance of God’s will. While court life for a few more years would have been pleasant, but it was fleeting; and it was sin. Moses chose the path that would deliver his people from bondage and make his name a household word for millennia to come. 26 “ . . . reckoning the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasuries of Egypt, . . .” Why did he do it? What drove him to what would seem to most an act of sheer folly? Here the “reproach of Christ” is that reproach which others suffer because of Him, not the reproach Christ Himself endured. The word Christ, meaning “anointed,” might be applied to any servant of God faithfully discharging his God appointed task. As such, Moses was a Christ. So was the nation 376 of Israel, at least in principle. And so was the promised deliverer, the coming of whose ministry was first prophesied in God’s pronouncement to the serpent in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:14-15) It is impossible to speak with certainty about how much Moses knew, or which Christ he believed himself to be suffering with, but he knew better than any Egyptian the sufferings of the Hebrews; but the readers of Hebrews, with their retrospective view, could see plainly as history what Moses might only have suspected from prophecy. Furthermore, few people in Egypt had a better idea of the unimaginable wealth contained in various treasuries in Egypt (including Pithom and Raamses, which were built by the Hebrews – Cf. Exodus 1:11) The word translated “treasures” (KJV, ASV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NIV) is literally “storehouse,” or, on occasion, “treasure chest.” We read in Exodus 1:11 that the Hebrews were assigned to task masters who were to make their lives bitter. Part of their labors was the construction of Pithom and Raamses. Of all the people in Egypt, Egyptian or Hebrew, None better knew the magnitude of his choice. 26 “ . . . for he was looking for the recompense.” Why did he make such a choice? Most of the major versions (ASV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, and NIV) translate the word here rendered “recompense,” as “reward.” This is far too narrow, and for English speakers, carries a pecuniary inference. It was not the case that Moses was looking for a reward in the normal sense of the word. He was looking for a situation. Without a doubt Moses knew of the promise given Abraham, Isaac and Jacob concerning Land and Heirs. He could plainly see that the heirs had been supplied, for the Hebrews were now so many that Pharaoh felt threatened by their numbers (Exodus 1:7-9). He just as certainly knew the location of the promised land. The heirs living in the land was perhaps the first draft of the recompense he sought. But this recompense is easily described. There was probably a second draft of which Moses himself did not understand well enough to describe. If we recall Abraham, who dwelt in tents as sojourners even in the promised land because he looked for the “City than has the foundations,” we can get a better understanding of his situation. He had been given a ticket to a place he had never been, and could not describe, but he got on the train any way. One can imagine that Moses, when he viewed the promises land (which he was not prohibited from entering) felt much as Abraham did. “This is great . . . and yet, it is not all.” The notion of “looking for,” (ASV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NIV) is here translated by the word “anticipating.” Because the overriding principle, as spelled out in Hebrews 11:1 as “the test of matters not seen,” in order to more adequately illuminate “faith in action,” must relate behavior to belief. Moses threw in his lot with the Hebrews and eschewed the treasuries of Egypt because he anticipated (looked on with keen attention) to “the recompense.” 27 “By faith he abandoned Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, . . .” Scholars are divided as to the event to which this passage refers. Some take it to indicate Moses’ flight from Egypt after killing the Egyptian. Others ascribe it to the Exodus itself. The difficulties are pretty well explained, making an easy choice impossible. 377 If the passage refers to Moses’ flight to Midian, it has the strength of being in the proper chronological order with what precedes and what follows. But the text clearly states that “Moses feared.” It may be too fine a distinction to say that Moses merely feared that his deed “was known,” because that knowledge would certainly have led to consequences, as the following verses show. It seems doubtful that had Moses been guilty of a lesser offense he would have found it necessary to flee the country. The very essence of the problem that “this thing is known,” (Exodus 2:14) is that it was a capital crime that required punishment which even a prince of Egypt could not sidestep. This is made painfully obvious by Exodus 2:15. On the other hand, if the verse indicated the Exodus itself, we can confidently say that Moses was certainly unafraid of Pharaoh or anything else. However, the Exodus is not in Chronological order within the list of faith-events. It came after the Passover and Sprinkling of the Blood. But it is possible to see in these two items the specific proof of the next clause, i.e., persisting as if seeing the invisible. That is, Moses was able to flee without fear because of all that he had seen of God, which culminated in the Passover and Sprinkling – representing the power off Him whom he did fear. 27 “ . . . for he persisted as if seeing the invisible.” Commentators refer to miracles such as the burning bush and the Passover as examples of “seeing the invisible.” But we must beware not to make more of these miracles than we should. While they were manifestations of God and His activity, they were not God Himself. The context defined in Hebrews 11:1-2, specifically the “testing of things not seen,” still governs this passage. There is a subtle difference in nuance in the word usually translated “endured.” This is the only occurrence of the word in the New Testament, so its meaning here a little more difficult to pin down. It is true that Moses “endured” (KJV, ASV, NASV, RSV), or “persevered” (NRSV, NIV) during forty years of uselessness, through Pharaoh’s heard-hearted behavior and refusal to comply with God’s demands, and the “stiff-necked” behavior of the Hebrews in the wilderness. But given the context of “proving the unseen,” a better translation might be “persisted.” This shows Moses moving from one test of the unseen to enough faith in God to test the unseen once again. Viewed from this perspective, Moses moved from one act of faith (at the Burning Bush) to another in his return to Egypt, to yet another in the confrontation with pharaoh, and so to the Passover, and then to Leaving Egypt for the Promised land. Each of these represents not a passive endurance, but an active persistence in his growing faith in God. This also implies that Moses saw clearly that the unseen was the true reality, of which the transient nature of the here-and-now is but a shadow. 28 “By faith he instituted the Passover . . .” If the foregoing represents an accurate picture of what the Author is trying to convey, we come to a new sub-topic of faith, that is, inculcating faith in the community. For thus far, faith has been an individual exercise. Here, faith begins to develop a national character. Not every Hebrew will exercise faith, and there will be times when none of them did. But in their strength, Israel was known as the product and vehicle of faith (cf. Joshua and Rahab). 378 The first examples of national faith was not the signs against Pharaoh, but the Passover and the Sprinkling. For the signs against Pharaoh were not dependent upon national faith. That is, the nation of Israel was not exercising faith, but merely witnessing God at work. But here, the Hebrews are presented with the opportunity to show and grow their faith, the quality that was to mark God’s people. They were told what going to happen, and what they were to do, and they were given the opportunity to test God’s prediction. They were given the opportunity to exercise faith as Moses had already exercised it. All the major versions state that Moses kept the Passover. But in the first place, one cannot keep something that is not already in place. In the second place, as noted above, the perfect tense here wonderfully illustrates the enduring state of an action once performed. 28 “ . . . and the Sprinkling of the blood . . .” This, in contrast to the Passover meal, was the test of the unseen in regard to God’s promise. This, too, was not merely kept, but instituted. It refers to the striking of the blood to the doorposts and lintel of the house. 28 “ . . . in order that the one destroying the firstborn might not touch them.” This was the proposition in which the Hebrews could exercise faith, or forego it. If they believed that God spoke through Moses; if they believed that the God who spoke through Moses was the God who had visited the signs upon Pharaoh; it they believed that this same God was going to take the firstborn of every household not protected by the blood sprinkled on the door posts and lintel, they could exercise that faith by protecting their families in the prescribed way. If not, they were not of faith, and their firstborn would be sacrificed to their lack of trust. Neither Moses nor the Hebrews could see the future, so they did not know what was coming. But if they believed that God did know, and that He was going to bring something to pass, they could treat the proposition (or revelation) as if it were indeed an item of knowledge, by taking the prescribed steps to avoid the consequences. Thus, the nation was given the opportunity of joining Moses in relying on faith in God. 29 “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as upon dryland, . . .” They were again able to demonstrate faith when they were caught between the Red Sea and the oncoming chariots of Pharaoh (cf. Exodus 14:13-31). 29 “ . . . which, the Egyptians making an attempt were swallowed up.” Literally “of which, making trial, . . .” That is, when the Egyptians “made trial” of the sea,” they were swallowed up. It is noteworthy that only the ASV translates “swallowed up” where the others (KJV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, and NIV) translate “drowned.” The word is literally swallowed up. Because it was the sea which “swallowed them up,” it is presumed that they downed. 30 “By faith the walls of Jericho collapsed, being encircled for seven days.” This again demonstrates a “national faith.” The priests and people were all involved in the exercise of faith. They all walked 379 around the city. Again, nobody knew what was going to happen; it was in the future. But they believed that what God had promised would come to pass, and they were willing to do their part, no matter how strange it might appear. They were even willing to do it for seven consecutive days. Thus, they acted as if their belief in God’s promise was the same as genuine knowledge. The walls collapsed. That is they fall straight down, enabling the Hebrews to “go straight into” the city from wherever they were in the encircling company. 31 “By faith, Rahab the harlot did not perish with the unbelieving, . . .” Rahab confessed that she (like her fellow townspeople) had heard the might things God done for the Hebrews, and that (like her fellows) she knew that They were going to lose their land to the Hebrews, and that (like her fellows) she was filled with terror. Unlike her fellow townsmen, Rahab took the opportunity to act upon her faith and Bargain with the spies for her safety and the safety of her family. To say that Rahab did not perish “with the disobedient” (ASV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NIV) misses the guiding point of the larger context, which is faith, i.e., “the conviction of things hoped” (or feared), and “the test of the unseen.” The citizens of Jericho were not merely disobedient, because they had not been given a command that they were to obey. Rather, they did not act in accordance with the knowledge they received and the belief they had formed. They had evidence of a coming calamity and believed it enough to fear – but not enough to change their behavior. That is, they had no trust, or “faith that behaves.” The contrasts provided by Rahab are interesting and instructive. She was a woman, a Gentile, an outcast, and a stranger. The only other women mentioned in this chapter are Sarah and the mother of Moses. The only Gentiles mentioned have been enemies (or at least not friends). None of the people treated were social outcasts. And the only strangers we have encountered is Abraham, who “lived as an alien in the land he had been promised, and Pharaoh. Yet here is Rahab, sustained by her faith and poised to take her place in the physical line of the Messiah. 31 “ . . . having received the spies with peace.” Peace, in the Hebrew notion is somewhat hardier than mere absence of anxiety. It connotes friendship. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS In every case shown above, faith provided a better way of behavior, than knowledge or “common sense.” In every example we discern that behavior was predicated upon the “conviction of hope,” rather than knowledge of natural law, threatened human retribution, or personal comfort. The behavior produced by such conviction, in every case, resulted in “testing,” or “proving,” the unseen. Faith easily behaves on the basis of what might happen, or what ought to happen, rather than what is threatened, or likely, or natural. 380 H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL In this passage we learn that there are many “applications” of faith, or what we have termed “belief that behaves.” The faith of the parents of Moses cut across political commands and the demands of human authority. The faith of Moses himself overcame the rewards of mere human advantage, allowing him to choose suffering over safety, the eternal over the temporal. He was able to persevere in his walk by faith because he could see, with the eyes of faith, that which can be seen in no other way. Through his faith, he honored God, and passed his faith on to an entire nation. The entire nation of faith followed God into an “impossible” situation relying on an “impossible” deliverance. That nation, in faith, obeyed God in what must have appeared a foolish exercise, only to see the absolutely unthinkable happen. By faith, an immoral outcast Gentile received mercy by showing mercy. There are not very many areas of concern where faith is not the demonstrably better way fo behavior. I. PARAPHRASE 11:23 By faith, Moses, after he was born, was concealed for three months by his parents because they saw that he was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s decree. 24 By faith, Moses, after becoming great, refused to be called “son of Pharaoh’s daughter,” 25 choosing instead to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin, reckoning the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasuries of Egypt, for he was looking for the compensation. 27 By faith he abandoned Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he persisted as if seeing the invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the Sprinkling of the blood in order that the one destroying the firstborn might not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as upon dryland, which, the Egyptians when they made the attempt were swallowed up. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after being encircled for seven days. 31 By faith, Rahab the harlot did not perish with her unbelieving neighbors, because in faith she had received the spies with peace. 381 FORTY EIGHTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:32-38) 11:32 KaiV tiv e[ti levgw; ejpileivyei me gaVr dihgouvmenon oJ crovno" periV Gedewvn, Baravk, Samywvn, jIefqave, Dauivd te kaiV SamouhVl kaiV tw'n profhtw'n, 33 oi} diaV pivstew" kathgwnivsanto basileiva", eijrgavsanto dikaiosuvnhn, ejpevtucon ejpaggeliw'n, e[fraxan stovmata leovntwn, 34 e[sbesan duvnamin purov", e[fugon stovmata macaivrh", ejdunamwvqhsan ajpoV ajsqeneiva", ejgenhvqhsan ijscuroiV ejn polevmw/, parembolaV" e[klinan ajllotrivwn: 35 e[labon gunai'ke" ejx ajnastavsew" touV" nekrouV" aujtw'n: a[lloi deV ejtumpanivsqhsan, ouj prosdexavmenoi thVn ajpoluvtrwsin, i{na kreivttono" ajnastavsew" tuvcwsin: 36 e{teroi deV ejmpaigmw'n kaiV mastivgwn pei'ran e[labon, e[ti deV desmw'n kaiV fulakh'": 37 ejliqavsqhsan, ejprivsqhsan, ejn fovnw/ macaivrh" ajpevqanon, perih'lqon ejn mhlwtai'", ejn aijgeivoi" devrmasin, uJsterouvmenoi, qlibovmenoi, kakoucouvmenoi, 38 w|n oujk h\n a[xio" oJ kovsmo", ejpiV ejrhmivai" planwvmenoi kaiV o[resin kaiV sphlaivoi" kaiV tai'" ojpai'" th'" gh'". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 11:37 evpri,sqhsan The presence in most manuscripts of the rather general statement evpeira,sqhsan (“they were tempted”) amid the author’s enumeration of different kinds of violent death has long been regarded by commentators as strange and unexpected. Many have suggested that evpeira,sqhsan is the corruption of some other word more suitable to the context, or that it entered the text as the result of inadvertent scribal dittography of evpri,sqhsan. Among the conjectural emendations of evpeira,sqhsan the following have been proposed (the name of the scholar who, it appears, first proposed it is enclosed within parentheses): evprh,sqhsan (Gataker), avneprh,sqhsan (Lücke), evpurw,qhsan (Bezae, edd. 3, 4, 5), evpura,sqhsan (Junius and Piscator), evpuri,sqhsan (Sykes), all of which mean “they were burned”; evpa,rqhsan (Bezae, edd. 1, 2), “they were pierced” (cf. Luther’s “zerstochen”); evphrw,qhsan (Faber), “they were mutilated”; evpra,sqhsan (le Moyne), “they were sold”; evspeira,sqhsan or evspeira,qhsan (Alberti), “they were strangled” or “they were broken on the wheel”; evphreia,sqhsan (Reiske), “they were ill-treated”; evpe,rqhsan (Kypke), “they were pierced through”; evpera,qhsan (Bryant), “they were stabbed”; evpeira,qhsan (Wakefield), “they were impaled”; evsfairi,sqhsan (reported by Griesbach), “they were broken on the wheel”; and even evtariceu,qhsan (Matthäi), “they were pickled”! Several singular readings in individual manuscripts are due to carelessness and/or to itacistic confusion: thus Dgr* reads evpira,sqhsan( evpira,sqhsan (sic), which stands for the aor. pass. ind. of peira,zw, and ms. 1923 reads evprh,sqhsan( evpeira,sqhsan, of which evprh,sqhsan is an itacistic spelling of evpri,sqhsan (“they were burned”). With some hesitation, but partly on the strength of the uncertain position of evpeira,sqhsan in the witnesses (sometimes standing before evpri,sqhsan, sometimes after it),11 the Committee decided to adopt the shorter reading preserved in î46 1241 1984 ù44, 53 syrp (copsa) ethro, pp Origengr2/7, lat Eusebius 382 Acacius Ephraem Jerome Socrates Ps-Augustine Theophylact, and to print only evpri,sqhsan. [Metzger] And so it stands. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 11:32 Gedewvn (Gideon) A son of Joash (of the tribe of Manasseh) regarded as one of the judges of Israel, although there is no formal designation as such. In his defense of Israel against the Midianites occupying the area, he rallied the children of God from Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali. Having ben designated by God to deliver Israel from the Midianites, he asked for a sign, and it was given him. At God’s command, he pared his forces from 3200 to 300 in order that all should know that the victory was God’s and not Gideon’s. By faith, Gideon led a force of 300 against the unnumbered Midianites in a night attack that sent the Midianites running in confusion and killing one another (Judges 7:19-25). 11:32 Baravk (Barak) By faith, Barak, the son of Abinoam, and the fifth judge in Israel, assembled 10,000 men and took up the task of the prophetess Deborah (the fourth judge in Israel) to lead the tribes of Israel against Sisera, the commander of King Jabin’s Canaanite forces (Judges 4:1-24). 11:32 Samywvn (Sampson) Samson was the thirteenth judge in Israel. His life was marked by emotional and behavioral extremes. Like Isaac, Samuel, and John the Baptist, Samson was born to a formerly barren woman. The angelic annunciation of his birth made it clear that he was to “be a Nazirite from birth.” There were times when Samson took his Nazirite vows lightly, and he apparently had trouble controlling his mouth. But in the end, after revealing the source of his strength to Delilah (and through her to the Philistines) he was captured. Some time after being captured, blinded, and made a slave, he was summoned to “make sport for the Philistines.” By faith, he brought down the house (Judges 13:1-16:31). 11:32 jIefqave (Jephthah). Jephthah (the ninth Judge in Israel) was the illegitimate son of Gilead and a harlot. He was later dispossessed by his younger, legitimate, brothers. He went to the “land of Tob,” where he attracted a band of misfits and miscreants. When the Ammonites threatened war to take possession of territory they had come to believe was theirs, the Jews approached Jephthah and requested that he be their commander in the dispute with the Ammonites. By faith, Jephtha, defeated the Ammonites “withe a very great slaughter” (Judges 11:1-40). 11:32 Dauivd (David) David was a shepherd, singer and psalm writer, and the second king of Judah and Israel. Time would fail us, as it would have failed the author of Hebrews, to detail David’s life. It was by faith that he “walked through the valley of the shadow of death,” for he knew God was with him (Psalm 23). By faith, David slew Goliath with a sling (I Samuel 17:32-52). By faith he twice spared Saul’s life when he could have slain him (1 Samuel 24 and 1 Samuel 26). 383 11:32 SamouhVl (Samuel), the last and the greatest of the judges of Israel, and was reckoned the first prophet after Moses. His life was connected with both Saul and David. By faith he anointed David as king after Saul was rejected. The kingship was not immediately taken from Saul, so he remained king until his death. Samuel did not live to see the death of Saul or the ascendancy of David, but he “died in faith.” 11:32 profhtw'n (the prophets). The prophets were those who had received a specific and personal call from God, which involved the introduction of the prophet into the presence of God. He then stood before men as one who had stood before God. His understanding of the past gave his proclamation of the future an immediate context; thus foretelling grew out of, or provided commentary on “forthtelling.” 11:32 ejpileivyei (verb, future, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from evpilei,ative: pw) to leave behind, Od., Xen. 2. to leave untouched, Plat. II. of things, to fail one, Lat. deficere, c. acc. pers., u[dwr min evpe,lipe the water failed him, Hdt.; evpilei,yei me le,gonta h` h`me,ra Dem. 2. in Hdt., often of rivers, evpÅ to. r`e,eqron to leave their stream empty, run dry, Hdt.; and so without r`e,eqron, to fail, run dry, Id. 3. generally, to fail, be wanting, Id., Xen., etc. Hence evpi,leiyij.. [Liddell-Scott] 11:32 dihgouvmenon (participle, present, middle, accusative, masculine, singular, from dihge,omai) tell, relate, describe Mk 9:9; Lk 9:10; Ac 8:33; 12:17; Hb 11:32. 11:33 kathgwnivsanto (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd, plural, from katagwni,zomai) conquer, defeat, overcome Hb 11:33. 11:33 eijrgavsanto (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd, plural, from evrga,zomai) 1. intr. work, be active Mt 21:28; 25:16; Ro 4:4f; 1 Cor 4:12; 9:6; 1 Th 2:9. 2. trans. do, accomplish, carry out Mt 26:10; J 3:21; 6:28; Ac 13:41; Ro 2:10; 13:10; 1 Cor 16:10; Gal 6:10; 2 Th 3:11. Practice, perform 1 Cor 9:13. Bring about, give rise to 2 Cor 7:10; Js 1:20. Work (on) Rv 18:17. Work for, earn or prepare, assimilate J 6:27. 11:33 e[fraxan (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, plural, from fra,ssw) shut, close, stop 1. lit. Hb 11:33. 2. fig. silence Ro 3:19; 2 Cor 11:10. 11:33 stovmata (noun, accusative, neuter, plural, from sto,ma) 1. mouth Mt 4:4; 12:34; 15:11, 17f; Lk 1:64; 4:22; 21:15; Ac 8:32; 2 Cor 13:1; Col 3:8; Hb 11:33; Js 3:3, 10; Rv 9:17–19; 14:5. 2. edge of a sword Lk 21:24; Hb 11:34. [English derivative: stoma, mouthlike opening in lower animals or in the epidermis of plants] 11:34 e[sbesan (verb indicative aorist active 3rd person plural from sbe,nnumi) extinguish, put out 1. lit. Mt 12:20; 25:8; Mk 9:44, 46, 48; Eph 6:16; Hb 11:34. 2. fig. quench, stifle, suppress 1 Th 5:19. [English derivative: asbestos] 11:34 e[fugon (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, plural, from feu,gw) 1. lit. flee, seek safety in flight 384 Mt 8:33; Mk 14:50; 16:8; Lk 21:21; J 10:5, 12; Ac 27:30; Js 4:7; Rv 9:6. 2. escape Mt 23:33; Lk 3:7; Hb 11:34; 12:25 v.l. 3. flee from, avoid, shun 1 Cor 6:18; 10:14; 1 Ti 6:11; 2 Ti 2:22. 4. vanish, disappear Rv 16:20; 20:11. [English derivative: fugitive, via Latin] 11:34 macaivrh" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from ma,caira) sword, saber lit. Mt 26:52; Mk 14:43, 47f; Lk 21:24; 22:36, 38, 49; J 18:10f; Ac 16:27; Hb 4:12; 11:34, 37; Rv 13:10, 14. Fig. Mt 10:34; Ro 8:35 of violent death; 13:4; Eph 6:17. 11:34 ejdunamwvqhsan (verb, aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd, plural, from dunamo,w) strengthen Col 1:11; Hb 11:34; Eph 6:10 v.l. 11:34 ajsqeneiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from avsqe,neia) weakness 1 Cor 15:43; 2 Cor 11:30; Hb 5:2; 11:34. Sickness, disease Mt 8:17; Lk 5:15; J 5:5; Ac 28:9; Gal 4:13. Fig. timidity Ro 6:19; 1 Cor 2:3. [English derivative: asthenia, a priv. + sqe,noj, strength] 11:34 ijscuroi V (adjective, normal, nominative, masculine, plural, from ivscuro,j) strong, mighty, powerful Mt 3:11; Mk 3:27; 1 Cor 1:25; 4:10; 10:22; Rv 6:15; 18:8. Severe Lk 15:14; loud Hb 5:7; Rv 18:2; 19:6. Effective 2 Cor 10:10. 11:34 polevmw/ (noun, dative, masculine, singular, from po,lemoj) 1. lit. armed conflict a. war Mt 24:6; Lk 14:31; Hb 11:34; Rv 11:7; 13:7. b. battle, fight 1 Cor 14:8; Rv 9:7, 9; 16:14.—2. fig. strife, conflict, quarrel Js 4:1. [English derivative: polemic] 11:34 parembolaV" (noun, accusative, feminine, plural, from parembolh,) 1. a (fortified) camp Hb 13:11, 12 v.l., 13; Rv 20:9. 2. barracks, headquarters Ac 21:34, 37; 22:24; 23:10, 16, 32; 28:16 v.l. 3. army, battle line Hb 11:34. 11:34 e[klinan (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, plural from kli,nw) 1. trans. incline, bend, bow Lk 24:5; J 19:30. Lay (down) Mt 8:20; Lk 9:58. Turn to flight Hb 11:34. 2. intrans. decline, be far spent Lk 9:12; 24:29. [English derivative: enclitic, evn + kli,nein] 11:35 ajnastavsew" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from avna,stasij) I. act. (avni,sthmi) a raising up of the dead, Aesch. 2. a making men rise and leave their place, removal, as of suppliants, Thuc.; avnÅ th/sVIwni,aj the removal of all the Greeks from Ionia, Hdt.:-an overthrow, destruction, ruin, Aesch., Eur. 3. a setting up, restoration, teicw/n Dem. II. (avni,sta±mai) a standing or rising up, in token of respect, Plat. 2. a rising and moving off, removal, Thuc. 3. a rising up, evx u[pnou Soph. 4. a rising again, the Resurrection, N.T. [Liddell-Scott] 11:35 ejtumpanivsqhsan (verb, aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd, plural, from tumpani,zw) torment, torture pass. Hb 11:35. [English derivative: tympani (Music); tympany (Medica)] 11:35 prosdexavmenoi (participle, aorist, middle, nominative, masculine, plural, from prosde,comai) 1. take up, receive, welcome Lk 15:2; Ro 16:2; Phil 2:29. Receive willingly, put up with Hb 10:34; 385 accept Hb 11:35. 2. wait for, anticipate Mk 15:43; Lk 2:25, 38; 12:36; 23:51; Ac 23:21; 24:15: Tit 2:13; Jd 21; Lk 1:21 v.l.; Ac 10:24 v.l. 11:35 ajpoluvtrwsin (noun, accusative, feminine, singular, from avpolu,trwsij) release Hb 11:35. Fig, redemption (lit. ‘buying back’), deliverance, acquittal, ransoming Lk 21:28; Ro 3:24; 8:23; Eph 1:7; Hb 9:15. Redeemer 1 Cor 1:30. [Gingrich] [A] releasing effected by payment of ransom; redemption, deliverance, liberation procured by the payment of a ransom; 1. properly: po,lewn aivcmalw,twn, Plutarch, Pomp. 24 (the only passage in secular writings where the word has as yet been noted; (add, Josephus, Antiquities 12, 2, 3; Diodorus fragment l. xxxvii. 5, 3, p. 149, 6 Dindorf; Philo, quod omn. prob. book sec. 17)). 2. everywhere in the N. T. metaphorically, viz. deliverance effected through the death of Christ from the retributive wrath of a holy God and the merited penalty of sin: Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14 (cf. evxagora,zw, avgora,zw, lutro,w, etc. (and Trench, sec. lxxvii.)); avpolu,trwsin tw/n ... paraba,sewn deliverance from the penalty of transgressions, effected through their expiation, Heb. 9:15 (cf. Delitzsch at the passage and Fritzsche on Romans, vol. ii., p. 178); h`me,ra avpolutrw,sewj, the last day, when consummate liberation is experienced from the sin still lingering even in the regenerate, and from all the ills and troubles of this life, Eph. 4:30; in the same sense the word is apparently to be taken in 1 Cor. 1:30 (where Christ himself is said to be redemption, i. e. the author of redemption, the one without whom we could have none), and is to be taken in the phrase avpolu,trwsin th/j peripoih,sewj, Eph. 1:14, the redemption which will come to his possession, or to the men who are God’s own through Christ (cf. Meyer at the passage); tou/ sw,matoj, deliverance of the body from frailty and mortality, Rom. 8:23 (Winer’s Grammar, 187 (176)); deliverance from the hatred and persecutions of enemies by the return of Christ from heaven, Luke 21:28, cf. Luke 18:7f; deliverance or release from torture, Heb. 11:35. [Thayer] 11:36 ejmpaigmw'n (noun, genitive, masculine, plural, from evmpaigmo,j) scorn, mocking, or derisive torture Hb 11:36. 11:36 mastivgwn (noun, genitive, feminine, plural, from ma,stix) whip, lash lit. Ac 22:24; Hb 11:36. Fig. torment, suffering, illness Mk 3:10; 5:29, 34; Lk 7:21. 11:36 desmw'n (noun, genitive, masculine, plural, from desmo,j) bond, fetter of a physical defect Mk 7:35; Lk 13:16. Lit., pl. Lk 8:29; Ac 26:29, 31; Hb 11:36. Imprisonment, prison Phil 1:7, 13f; 2 Ti 2:9; Phlm 10, 13. [English derivative: desmoid, as noun a dense connective-tissue tumor] 11:36 fulakh'" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from fulakh,) watch, guard 1. guarding, watch as an action Lk 2:8. 2. guard, sentinel as a person Ac 12:10. 3. prison, the place of guarding Mt 5:25; 25:36, 39, 43f; Mk 6:17; Lk 12:58; 22:33; J 3:24; Ac 5:19, 22; 12:4, 6, 17; 22:4; Hb 11:36; 1 Pt 3:19. Haunt Rv 18:2. 4. a watch (of the night); the time between 6 P.M. and 6 A.M. was divided into four watches of three hours each Mt 14:25; 24:43; Mk 6:48; Lk 12:38 (the watches are named in Mk 13:35). 386 11:37 ejliqavsqhsan (verb, aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd, plural, from liqa,zw) to stone J 8:5; 10:31–33; 11:8; Ac 5:26; 14:19; 2 Cor 11:25; Hb 11:37. 11:37 ejprivsqhsan (verb, aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd, plural, from pri,zw) saw (in two) Hb 11:37. 11:37 fovnw/ (noun, dative, masculine, singular, from fo,noj) murder, killing Mk 7:21; 15:7; Lk 23:19; Ac 9:1; Ro 1:29. 11:37 perih'lqon (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd, plural, from perie,rcomai) go from place to place Ac 19:13; wander about Hb 11:37; cf. Ac 13:6 v.l. p) ta.j oivki,aj go about from house to house 1 Ti 5:13. Sail around Ac 28:13. 11:37 mhlwtai'" (noun, dative, feminine, plural, from mhlwth,) sheepskin Hb 11:37. 11:37 aijgeivoi" (adjective, normal, dative, neuter, plural, from ai;geioj) of a goat Hb 11:37. 11:37 devrmasin (noun, dative, neuter, plural, from de,rma) skin Hb 11:37. [English derivative: dermatology] 11:37 uJsterouvmenoi (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from u`stere,w) 1. act. a. come too late, miss, be excluded Hb 4:1; 12:15. b. be in need of, lack Lk 22:35. c. be less than, be inferior to w. gen. of comparison 2 Cor 11:5; 12:11. Be inferior, lack Mt 19:20; 1 Cor 12:24. d. fail, give out, lack J 2:3. e[n se u`sterei/ you lack one thing Mk 10:21. 2. pass. lack, be lacking, go without Lk 15:14; Ro 3:23; 1 Cor 1:7; 8:8; 12:24; 2 Cor 11:9; Phil 4:12; Hb 11:37. 11:37 qlibovmenoi (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from qli,bw) press upon, crowd Mk 3:9; make narrow Mt 7:14. Oppress, afflict pass. 2 Cor 1:6; 7:5; 1 Th 3:4; 1 Ti 5:10; Hb 11:37. 11:37 kakoucouvmenoi (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from kakouce,w) maltreat, torment Hb 11:37; 13:3. 11:38 ejrhmivai" (noun, dative, feminine, plural, from evrhmi,a) uninhabited region, desert Mt 15:33; Mk 8:4; 2 Cor 11:26; Hb 11:38. 11:38 planwvmenoi (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from plana,w) 1. lead astray, cause to wander fig. mislead, deceive Mt 24:4f, 11; J 7:12; 1 J 1:8; Rv 2:20; 20:3, 8, 10. 2. go astray, be misled or deluded, wander about lit. and fig. Mt 18:12f; Lk 21:8; 1 Cor 15:33; 2 Ti 3:13; Tit 3:3; Hb 11:38; Js 5:19; 1 Pt 2:25; 2 Pt 2:15; Rv 18:23. Be mistaken, deceive oneself Mk 12:24, 27; Gal 6:7. 11:38 sphlaivoi" (noun, dative, neuter, plural, from sph,laion) cave, hideout Mt 21:13; Mk 11:17; Lk 19:46; J 11:38; Hb 11:38; Rv 6:15. [English derivative: speleology] 387 11:38 ojpai'" (noun, dative, feminine, plural, from ovph,) opening, hole Hb 11:38; Js 3:11. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 11:32 The verse begins with a statement that there is not enough time to provide an adequate treatment of the following “heros of faith.” This figure is known as paraleipsis, a hurrying over. 11:32 The list of the faithful is an example of epitrachasmos, or a running list in order to avoid saying more. Even the conjunction “and” is omitted in the Greek text, although it is suppled by KJV, RSV, NRSV, NRSV and NIV. 11:34 “The mouth of the sword,” is a pleonasm, emphasizing not merely the sword itself, but its devouring nature. That is, the sword that “swallows life,” or “devours a person.” The redundancy is for the purpose of emphasis. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 11:32 And what shall I yet say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and even of Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouth/edge of the sword, from weakness/infirmities were made strong, became mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection: and others were beaten to death (tortured), not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 And others received trial of mockings and scourgings, and moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, by the slaughter of the sword they were murdered. They wandered about in sheepskins and the skins of goats; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. F. EXPOSITION Several changes in the author’s approach begin here. In examples of faith given so far, the results of faith were included with the person exhibiting the faith. The repetitive formula, used with such force was “By faith . . .” Here, not only has the formula changed, but the exemplars of faith and the results of faith are separated and given in summary style. The list of heros is relatively short by 388 comparison to the results of faith, which seem to extend well into the time of the Maccabees. Of interest, too, is the fact that the results of faith showed two distinct kinds of outcomes. The faith of some was made manifest in great achievements, while the faith of others were shown in great suffering 11:32 “And what shall I yet say? . . .” Or “what more shall I say?” Confronted with the number of examples from which he might choose, it becomes clear that neither the author (nor, he supposes) his readers) have the time to pursue this line of admonition, at least not is such detailed form. 11:32 “ . . . for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and even of Samuel and the prophets, . . .” These names fall neatly, though not chronologically, into the categories of Judges, King, and Prophets. There is some disproportion and some overlap in matching the believers with the results of faith. 11:33 “ . . . who through faith subdued kingdoms, . . .” The faith that was manifested in great achievements include the following. The Judges mentioned above all “subdued kingdoms,” as did King David. In the case of the Judges, they included the Midianites (Gideon), the Canaanites (Barak), and the Ammonites (Jephthah). David was at war often and with a variety of foes. In each of these cases, the Hebrew forces were numerically inferior to those of the enemy. 11:33 “ . . . administered justice, . . .” The administration of justice was the responsibility of the judges, but with the coming of the kingdom, became the responsibility of the king and his court. However, there were cases when the prophets “administered justice as well. Theirs was the voice that spoke for the poor, the downtrodden, and the disenfranchised. And it was Nathan the prophet who showed David the need for justice in the case of Uriah and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-120, something no other human being could or would have done. 11:33 “ . . . obtained promises, . . .” For example, each of the judges received God’s promise of victory. David received the promise that the throne would belong to him and to his posterity forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). 11:33 “ . . . stopped the mouths of lions, . . .” This is probably a reference to Daniel, whose refusal to petition King Darius instead of God ensnared him in a trap set by his enemies and resulted in his being “thrown to the lions” (Daniel 6:4-24). 11:34 “ . . . quenched the power of fire, . . .” This probably also refers to the time of the Babylonian Captivity when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were fed to the fire for their refusal to worship the image of gold set up by Nebuchadnezzer (Daniel 3:8-25). But there may also be a reference to Samson (Judges 14:6). 11:34 “ . . . escaped the mouths/edges of the sword, . . .” Included here are Moses (figuratively) at his birth (Exodus 2:1-10, and (literally) at the parting of the Red Sea, Exodus (Exodus 14:10 cf. 389 Exodus 18:4); David (1 Samuel 18:11, 19:10 ff., 21:10, Psalms 144:10); Elijah (1 Kings 19:1 ff.); Elisha (2 Kings 6). The phrase is literally “escaped mouths of sword,” and is common in the LXX. The figure is of the mouth drinking the victim’s blood. The use of the plural “mouths” denotes more than one instance. The figure is sometimes used in a figurative sense for any judicial death, no matter how administered. 11:34 “ . . . from weakness/infirmities were made strong, . . .” This is a general statement, and covers such cases as those of Samson (Judges 16:28 ff.), Hezekiah (Isaiah 38), as well as of moral distress. 11:34 “ . . . became mighty in war, . . .” This may include anything from training, or preparation, to the actual execution of warfare. One could almost connect this clause to the following clause with the word “and,” (“became mighty in war and put to flight armies of aliens”) or make the following clause participial (“became mighty in war, turning to flight armies of aliens”). The author did not have this in mind, but such comparisons illustrate the range of possibilities of the phrase “became strong” in this context. 11:34 “ . . . turned to flight armies of aliens.” There are many examples of such battles, for some of which, see the examples of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, above. The use of the term “aliens” suggests the religious and cultural differences of those against whom wars were fought. We remember that Abraham lived in the Promised Land as an alien, religious and cultural. After the attainment of the Promised Land, even those of the old peoples who remained were then considered aliens. 11:35 “Women received their dead by resurrection: . . .” The Old Testament examples are found in 1 Kings 17:17 (Elijah) and 2 Kings 4:17 ff (Elisha). While these may have been foremost in the author’s mind, the New Testament examples found at Luke 7:11 ff. (Jesus), John 11 (Jesus) and Acts 9:36 fit the category as well. In most of these examples, widows are noteworthy. Widows do not figure in the 2 Kings passage, or in John 11. But in every case it was a woman or women who “received their dead by resurrection.” 11:35 “ . . . and others were beaten to death (tortured), not accepting their deliverance, . . .” Here, the change of category turns on a dime in the middle of a comparison. Thus far we have encountered those who received positive outcomes in relation to faith. Now the author turns to those who endured negative outcomes. While the former were obviously and unquestionably “blessed,” those we will now see were less obviously blessed, and then only after suffering. The notion of being “beaten to death” comes from the use of the word from which we get “tympani.” It, like the English word drum, has both a noun form and a verb form. We speak of “drumming on a counter-top,” or “beating the drum” for a cause. Here we are dealing with the passive verbal form; the action of drumming was performed upon the “others” mentioned. The verbal form of the word 390 often means tormented, or tortured. The notion that they were not merely beaten, but beaten to death, seems to be implied in the clause “not accepting their deliverance.” It is made unmistakable by the following clause concerning “a better resurrection.” No one is resurrected from a mere beating. The reference to being beaten to death finds an example in Eleazar, and with him, the death of the seven brothers are examples of “not accepting their deliverance.” If one has the stomach for such things, the stories are to be found in 2 Maccabees chapters 6 and 7. 11:35 “ . . . that they might obtain a better resurrection.” The “better resurrection” is that resurrection body that will not die again. The women who “received their dead by resurrection, received them back to earthly life, only to die again. Others did not accept deliverance from bodily death in order that afterward, at that day, they might have a “better (eternal) resurrection.” 2 Maccabees gives the testimony of the seven brothers who held out for “a better resurrection.” As noted, this is where the subject changes from receiving outward blessings to enduring outward trials. Women received, . . . others accepted not deliverance but were tortured..This failure to accept deliverance when offered implies that the torture was fatal. 11:36 “And others received trial of mockings and scourgings, . . .” Mocking was a frequent form of abuse at public trials and at the execution of corporal punishment as well. Such mocking was, in some contexts, considered mere sport. One may see examples of mocking in the Old Testament, e.g., Jeremiah 20:7, 38.19 and Lamentations 1:7. But one need look no further than the Gospel accounts. For Jesus was mocked (Matthew 26:67-68; Mark 14:65, and John 18:22-23). At His trial, the crowds yelled “Crucify Him! (Matthew 27:22-23; Mark 15:12-14; Luke 23:16-23; John 18:40. Furthermore, the Roman Soldiers mocked Him, saying “Hail, the King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:27- 31; John 19:3. Scourging was a form of corporal punishment common throughout the Ancient Near East and the Ancient Mediterranean world. Even Jesus himself used a scourge (John 2:15). It was one of several kinds of beatings administered by agents of the Roman Government. 11:36 “ . . . and moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: . . .” E.g., Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:11-38:13). 11:37 “ . . . They were stoned, . . .” Stoning was the common way of carrying out the death penalty in Israel. It was instituted in Deuteronomy 21:21. Examples are found in Joshua 7:20-26, 1 Kings 12:18, 1 Kings 21:13, 2 Chronicles 10:18, 24:20-21, and Acts 7:58, 14:19. 11:37 “ . . . they were sawn asunder, . . .” According to tradition, Isaiah was sawn asunder by Manasseh with a wood saw. See The Ascension of Isaiah (or The Martyrdom of Isaiah) 1:9; 5:1. 11:37 “ . . . by the slaughter of the sword they were murdered.” This expression, difficult to render word for word into English, can be understood as “sword slaughter.” One example is to be found 391 in Jeremiah 26:20-23. This type of death was fairly common in the Maccabean era. 11:37 “They wandered about in sheepskins and the skins of goats; . . .” The author now turns from faith unto death to faith unto a life of suffering. Skins of sheep and goats were rough, and became the “standard” clothing of prophets and later became the garb of monastics (cf. Westcott, p. 381). But it should not be thought of as some kind of uniform. It was all that the destitute could afford (cf. The “mantle” of Elijah in 2 Kings 2:8. 11:37 “ . . . being destitute, afflicted, tormented; . . .” They had neither permanent home, ease of existence, nor assurance that human agency would see to their needs. On can pick a major prophet at random and see examples of these things. 11:38 “ . . . (of whom the world was not worthy), . . .” The irony is biting. These unsung heros of faith were persecuted tormented and destroyed as the off-scouring of society, as those not worthy to eat or breathe or be part of society. Yet it was the world that was not worthy of them. 11:38 “ . . . wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.” David (1 Samuel 22:1); Obadiah and the prophets (1 Kings 18:4); Elijah (1 Kings 19:9); Judas et al 2 Maccabees 5:27). Other examples include Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and Jesus. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Faith is to be the mode of life and behavior regardless of the “outcome.” Some received blessings and promises, some were tortured to death. If ever there is an answer to the dictum that “the ends justify the means,” it is here. Faith provides the only guide to behavior that is always right. The rightness of that behavior lies with God, not in the consequences of the behavior. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL It must surely be obvious that living by faith can be a frightening thing. Not only is it counterintuitive, the natural cause and effect relationship implicit in the “means-end” relationship is not the normative way of thinking. I. PARAPHRASE 11:32 And what more can I say? time will not allow me to speak in detail of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and even of Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through their faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the sword, from various infirmities were made strong, became mighty in war, 392 turned to flight the armies of their enemies. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection: and others were beaten to death, not accepting the offered deliverance, so that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 And others were tested with mockings and scourgings, and moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were judicially murdered. They wandered about in sheepskins and the skins of goats; being impoverish, greatly distressed, and bedeviled; 38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 393 FORTY NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 11:39-40) 11:39 KaiV ou|toi pavnte" marturhqevnte" diaV th'" pivstew" oujk ejkomivsanto thVn ejpaggelivan, 40 ou' qeou' periV hJmw'n krei'ttovn ti probleyamevnou, i{na mhV cwriV" hJmw'n teleiwqw'sin. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 11:39 ejkomivsanto (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd, plural, from komi,zw) 1. act. bring Lk 7:37. 2. mid. carry off, get, receive, obtain 2 Cor 5:10; Eph 6:8; Col 3:25; Hb 10:36; 11:13 v.l., 39; 1 Pt 1:9; 5:4; 2 Pt 2:13 v.l. Get back, recover Mt 25:27; Hb 11:19. 11:40 probleyamevnou (participle, aorist, middle, genitive, masculine, singular, from proble,pw) select, provide Hb 11:40. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 11:39 This is a figure known as semperasma, and is used in concluding an argument of several statements. It is a summing up, as in summarizing similarities or drawing together the common features of the cases cited. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 11:39 And all these, having had witness borne to them of their faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. 394 F. EXPOSITION 11:39 “And all these, having received testimony through their faith, . . .” We meet here the same problem seen in 11:2. Does this “witness” refer to what the “heros of faith” heard and accepted themselves, or does it refer to testimony concerning them? The notion of “having witness borne to them” (ASV) or “receiving testimony,” clearly refers back to 11:2, where the same word is used. Again, the ASV translates the word in such a way as to allow the ambiguity to remain, whereas the other major versions paraphrase the passage in such a way as to unambiguously mean testimony concerning the heros of the faith. The verse reads “and these all, having been testified to through the faith, . . .”. This either means that the these heros of faith received testimony (or revelation) through faith, or that they received witness and praise through “the faith” conceived of as the body of believers down through the ages. Here, it is a different point that is ambiguous, namely the meaning of “the faith.” But the context, being a summation, and not the introduction of new material, seems utterly unlikely to refer to testimony borne over the centuries by practitioners of “the faith.” 11:39 “ . . . did not receive the promise, . . .” English usage would say “none of these . . . received the promise. This is not in contradiction to 11:33, where it is reported that they “obtained promises.” What is at issue here is not one or another temporal promise received within the historical context of the believers, but the one, great, overriding promise underlying all else. The Promise was not the Promised Land in which Abraham lived as an alien. For he was looking for something greater – “the City with the foundations” (11:10 cf 11:13-16). Moses abdicated the temporal blessings of being called “son of Pharaoh’s daughter,” seeking instead the “recompense” that seemed to be attached to the “reproach of the Christ.” In short, The Promise has to do with the eternal High Priest, and the Eternal sanctuary, and the eternal covenant, and the eternal fellowship available only to and contingent upon, faith – Belief which has conviction for what is hoped, and is willing to test the unseen. 11:40 “ . . . God having provided some better thing concerning us, . . .” That is, that we, too, might partake of The Promise by learning and emulating the faith of those exemplars just examined. 11:40 “ . . . that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” The Promise is that we shall be “made perfect.” This may well include moral perfection at some time in the future, but more basically it denotes that completion, that perfection of being, that is centered in communion with God and His rest (4:9-11) through our High Priest (5:5-10) and guaranteed by the New Covenant (8:6-13). G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS These verses provide something of a conclusion to chapter 11. Although the author is not quite 395 finished with the topic of faith, he pauses here to conclude this section. In Hebrews 11:3, where the author began this intensive treatment of faith, we read “By faith we suppose that the ages have been prepared by God’s word . . .” That is, the single most common element of our faith lies in the fact that we believe something about the unseen past, i.e., the creation, and the God of creation. This, indeed, is an example of faith as that which shows “conviction of things hoped,” but does not fall into the category of “testing matters not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Abel and Enoch appear to have been such believers because nothing is told us of their “testing” these matters of conviction. The next section, commencing with Hebrews 12:1, admonishes the reader to go on to allowing their faith to grow to the point at which they will test, or prove things unseen. Here, however, the readers are identified with those who have faith as belief in what is unseen, but hoped for. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL With deepest awe and reverence must we understand that we have been made sharers in the promise given to those who have gone before, and many of whom have taught us faith through suffering and death. They believed in the Promise enough to believe that their temporal existence, whether blissful or tormented, was but a puny thing in comparison to the hope of seeing that promise. And they were so convinced of their hope that they put it to the test by living as if it were certain. I. PARAPHRASE 11:39 And all these, having had witness borne to them of their faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. 396 FIFTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 12:1-2) 12:1 Toigarou'n kaiV hJmei'", tosou'ton e[conte" perikeivmenon hJmi'n nevfo" martuvrwn, o[gkon ajpoqevmenoi pavnta kaiV thVn eujperivstaton aJmartivan, di' uJpomonh'" trevcwmen toVn prokeivmenon hJmi'n ajgw'na, 2 ajforw'nte" eij" toVn th'" pivstew" ajrchgoVn kaiV teleiwthVn jIhsou'n, o}" ajntiV th'" prokeimevnh" aujtw'/ cara'" uJpevmeinen stauroVn aijscuvnh" katafronhvsa", ejn dexia'/ te tou' qrovnou tou' qeou' kekavqiken. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 12:1 euvperi,staton. The reading euvperi,spaston (“easily distracting”), which occurs in î46 and 1739 (and perhaps lies behind itd, z), is either a palaeographical error or a deliberate modification of euvperi,staton, which is supported by all the other known witnesses. [Metzger] At the risk of being accused of slavish adherence to P 46, we must adopt the reading spas. It may not be a more difficult reading, but the term is somewhat more obscure or and would lend itself to either visual or aural scribal error or emendation. It is very difficult to differ with P 46 because of its antiquity and characteristic accuracy at so many points. It’s antiquity assumes you work opportunities for textual corruption. It’s demonstrated accuracy in other areas when is it a slight presumption of accuracy here, which, when tested, is a little more likely thanstat, the reading adopted by Metzger. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 12:1 Toigarou'n (particle from toigarou/n) inferential particle for that very reason, then, therefore 1 Th 4:8; Hb 12:1. 12:1 nevfo" (noun, accusative, neuter, singular, from ne,foj) a cloud, mass or pile of clouds, Hom., etc. 2. metaph., qana,tou ne,foj the cloud of death, Id.; so, sko,tou n., of blindness, Soph.; nÅ oivmwgh/j( stenagmw/n Eur.; nÅ ovfru,wn a cloud upon the brows, Id. II. metaph. also a cloud of men or birds, Il., Hdt.; nÅ pole,moio the cloud of battle, Il [Liddell-Scott] 12:1 o[gkon (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from o;gkoj) weight, burden, impediment Hb. 12:1. 12:1 ajpoqevmenoi (participle, aorist, middle, nominative, masculine, plural from avpoti,qhmi) mid. take off; lit. take off and lay down Ac 7:58; fig. lay aside, rid oneself of Ro 13:12; Hb 12:1. Put in prison Mt 14:3 [English derivative: apothecary] 397 12:1 eujperivstaton (adjective, normal, accusative, feminine, singular, from euvperi,statoj) easily ensnaring, constricting, obstructing Hb 12:1. – or – 12:1 eujperivspaston (adjective, normal, accusative, feminine, singular) From euj (good) periv (around) spavw (aorist – espavsa) draw, pull, hoist away. II pluck off or out; tear, rend. Pass. wrench, sprain. Metaph. carry away, draw aside. III draw in; suck in. [Liddell-Scott] From this we get eujperivspaston, easy to pull away. [Liddell-Scott] In the immediate context of fighting a difficult fight, or running an arduous race, we have been told that the cloud of witnesses “laid aside every encumbrance,” or “impediment,” which might make fighting or running inefficient. Here they are said to have laid aside, or divested themselves of the sin, which might easily have distracted, diverted attention, or turned or drawn them away from their fight or race. This, and not the more abstract notion of “besetting,” is what the distant context (the Hebrew apostasy in the desert), the contemporary context (the contemplated return of the readers to Judaism) and the literary context (the physical contest such as a fight or race) demand. Such a term is entirely consistent with the vocabulary of Hebrews, fits the context better, and easily explains the emendation to the more general “besetting.” 12:1 trevcwmen (verb, subjunctive, present, active, 1st, plural, from tre,cw) 1. lit. Mt 27:48; Mk 5:6; Lk 15:20; J 20:2, 4; 1 Cor 9:24a, b. 2. fig. strive to advance, make progress Ro 9:16; 1 Cor 9:24c, 26; Gal 2:2; 5:7; Phil 2:16; Hb 12:1. Spread rapidly 2 Th 3:1. 12:1 prokeivmenon (participle, present, passive, accusative, masculine, singular, from pro,keimai) be set before 1. be exposed to public view Jd 7. 2. lie before, be present, be set before 2 Cor 8:12; Hb 6:18; 12:1f. 12:1 ajgw'na (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from avgw,n) athletic contest, race fig. Hb 12:1; struggle, fight Phil 1:30. evn pollw|/ avgw/ni under a great strain 1 Th 2:2. Care, anxiety, concern Col 2:1. 12:2 ajforw'nte" (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, plural, from avfora,w) to look away from all others at one, to have in full view, to look at, ti or pro,j ti Thuc.; also in Med., Ar. 2. to view from a place, avpo. dendre,ou Hdt. II. to look away, have the back turned, Xen. [Liddell- Scott] 12:2 teleiwthVn (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from teleiwth,j) an accomplisher, finisher, N.T. [Liddell-Scott] 12:2 stauroVn (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from stauro,j) the cross 1. lit. Mt 27:32, 40, 42; Mk 15:21, 30, 32; Lk 23:26; J 19:17, 19, 25, 31; Phil 2:8; Hb 12:2. 2. symbolically, of suffering and death Mt 10:38; 16:24; Mk 8:34; 10:21 v.l.; Lk 9:23; 14:27. 3. the cross of Christ as one of the most important elements in Christian teaching 1 Cor 1:17f; Gal 5:11; 6:12, 14; Eph 2:16; Phil 2:8; 3:18; Col 1:20; 2:14. 398 12:2 aijscuvnh" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from aivscu,nh) modesty, shame 2 Cor 4:2; shame, disgrace, ignominy Phil 3:19; Hb 12:2; Rv 3:18; disgrace Lk 14:9. Shameful deed Jd 13. 12:2 katafronhvsa" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from katafrone,w) 1. look down on, despise, scorn w. gen. Mt 6:24; 18:10; Lk 16:13; 1 Cor 11:22; 1 Ti 4:12; 2 Pt 2:10; Tit 2:15 v.l. Entertain wrong ideas about Ro 2:4; 1 Ti 6:2. 2. care nothing for, disregard, be unafraid of Hb 12:2. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 12:1 Consequently, having set about us so great a cloud of witnesses, having laid aside every encumbrance and the easily encircling sin, we also should run with endurance the race being set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the initiator and perfecter of the faith, who, for the joy being set before Him, endured a cross, disregarding the shame, and is seated on the right hand of the throne of God. F. EXPOSITION In the two verses of this pericope we encounter several difficulties. An important text critical problem must be resolved, and a number of lexical problems either conceal or reveal items of interest in the text. But revealing them makes for fairly rough English, whereas bringing the translation into line with smooth English tends to obscure some off the niceties of the text. And at this point, even the major versions are more or less periphrastic. Before we consider the explication of the text, we will break it down into manageable pieces and try to discover the best way to make sense of the whole. We may begin by isolating the core statements of the three verses by finding the subject, main verb, and objects. Then we will be able to look at clauses that serve as transitions or joining phrases, and as modifying clauses. 12:1 “Let us also run the race being set before us. 2 Who endured the cross and is seated on the right hand of the throne of God. 3. Consider the One lest you should be wearied/distressed. 399 The connective clause between v. 1 and v. 2 is “fixing our eyes on Jesus” as something to do while running our race, or as something to help us run that race. Thus we have 1 “Let us also run the race being set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, who endured the cross and is seated on the right hand of the throne of God. We are surrounded by a host of witnesses, who ran but did not receive the promise, and by the One who not only ran the race, but Who engineered the promise and went to the place from which He will administer it, i.e., Jesus, the High Priest of the New Covenant. Our faith is to be exercised as it was by those among the cloud of witnesses, but with the end (and administrator) in sight, so 3 Consider the One having endured. lest you should become wearied. There remains the determination and assignment of the modifying participial clauses. In verse 1 we have the clauses, “having set about us so great a cloud of witnesses,” and “having laid aside every encumbrance and the easily enticing sin,” as well as “being set before us.” There can be no question about the last of these referring to “the race” we are to run. Nor is it a problem to see the “cloud of witnesses,” i.e., those “being set about,” as a reference to “we,” that is, the author and readers of Hebrews. But the assignment of the clause “having laid aside every encumbrance and the easily enticing sin,” is more difficult. The participles having (a cloud of witnesses) and fixing (eyes on Jesus – v. 2) are present active nominative plurals modifying “we”, who “should also run.” The clause “having laid aside every encumbrance and the easily enticing sin,” is formed around an aorist middle nominative plural participle. As such, it could also refer to “we,” who are to “run the race.” But one might have expected it also to have been present, rather than aorist. It seems more likely to refer to the “cloud of witnesses” by whom we are surrounded. That is, the cloud of witnesses laid aside every entanglement. The punctiliar action could refer to either entity, but the context of present participles would seem to imply that the aorist refers to something already done (i.e., in the past). If we assign the aorist participle to the cloud of witnesses, instead of “we” who are to run, nothing is lost by way of admonition.. For we are “also (that is, in like manner) to run with endurance the race being set (also a present participle) before us.” In fact, it would be strange to refer this clause to “we,” as if we would be running a race in a way qualitatively distinct from those in the “cloud of witnesses.” We are to emulate those among the cloud of witnesses, not to avail ourselves of methods they did not use. The sense seems to be, then, “having (i.e., ‘there being’) set about us so great a cloud of witnesses having laid aside every encumbrance and the easily enticing sin, let us also run . . .” Put simply, “we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who laid aside every encumbrance. We should also run, with (such) endurance, the race that is now being set before us.” The remaining clauses will be treated in the following exposition. 12:1 “Consequently, having set about us so great a cloud of witnesses, . . .” The sense of “setting” is passive – That is the cloud of witnesses has been set before us by God, and is contained in the Old Testament, and the memory of these witnesses has just been provided y the author. It is not the case that “we set about ourselves a cloud of witnesses.” 400 In order for the passage to work its maximum effect, it must be remembered throughout, that the “cloud” of individuals “witness” to faith, or are exemplars of that quality (faith) we are to emulate. Indeed, “faith” is one of the things that Link Jesus to the cloud of witnesses (the other being endurance). 12:1 “ . . . having laid aside every encumbrance . . .” Let us recall that while it is possible that this phrase may refer to the readers, it seems more likely that it refers to the cloud of witnesses and provides the quality the readers are to imitate in their own races. The weight, burden, impediment or encumbrance to be laid aside is anything that might hinder one’s progress. It is not necessary that it be perverse of sinful, but it is not conducive to efficiently engaging in a race or other contest. One’s job, personal responsibilities or volunteer work, that gets out of hand, and becomes a hindrance to the main purpose of winning the contest is “to be laid aside,” – taken off and put down. 12:1 “ . . . and the easily encircling sin, . . .” The notion is difficult to contain in one English word. Enmesh, entangle, encircle, and surround all come to mind. The idea may be linked to sins that have become, or may become, habitual, as in one’s personal vices against which he struggles more than against the sins to which he has not been prone. In any case, the clear contrast is between the “cloud of witnesses” with which we are surrounded, and the sin (singular) by which we are encircled. So in addition to the things of life which, while not sinful in themselves, may act as an unnecessary burden, or hindrance, so the readers are to divest themselves of sin, specifically that sin that is not so easily recognized, but which may easily distract, divert attention, or draw them away from their fight or race. We remember the Hebrews in the wilderness with Moses, who missed the onions and garlics and leeks, and yearned to return to Egypt. They were easily enticed, and permanently overthrown. We will soon reminded of Esau (12:16-17), who, for a bowl of soup, sold his birthright and never recovered it. 12:1 “ . . . we also should run with endurance the race being set before us, . . .” The cloud of witnesses to faith are our examples. We are to do as they did. They laid aside every weight and diverting sin and focused upon the race at hand. 12:2 “ . . . fixing our eyes on Jesus, the initiator and perfecter of the faith, . . .” Whereas the exemplars of faith had only a dim understanding of the meaning of the promises, they focused intently on the future fulfillment of those promises and ran their races with single minded purpose. We, on the other hand, have the very recent and compelling example of Jesus, who is the first fruits off that promise, and who, alone, can see the promise through to its end. For as the pre-incarnate “son of God,” he became the starter of faith, and as the resurrected High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, he is the finisher of faith. The terms author (KJV, ASV, NASV, NIV), and pioneer (RSV, NRSV) are paraphrases of the word for “starter,” or initiator. The term perfecter (ASV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NIV) is an adequate translation of finisher (KJV), meaning the one who completes, finishes, or perfects something once 401 begun. Recalling the book of Revelation, we might call Jesus “the Alpha and the Omega of faith.” 12:2 “ . . . who, for the joy being set before Him, endured a cross, . . .” The joy,” in the larger context of Hebrews, must include the provision of those He calls “brethren,” the initiation of the New Covenant, and entering upon His office of High Priest on behalf of the faithful. These are eternal results of temporal events. “The joy set before Him” is another way of saying the final and perfect accomplishment of his mission to mankind. This is the only reference in Hebrews to the cross. 12:2 “ . . . disregarding the shame, . . .” The joy was so complete, and so far reaching in its effects that Jesus was able and willing to scorn (NIV), disregard, (NRSV) or even “despise” (KJV, ASV, NASV, RSV) the shame of the crucifixion, the shame of being treated like a common criminal, the shame of being treated like an enemy of humanity by Roman soldiers, the shame of being sold by one of His disciples, the shame of being abandoned and betrayed by his own countrymen – the shame of becoming sin before the eyes of His Father. 12:2 “ . . . and is seated on the right hand of the throne of God.” Sitting at God’s right hand provides the explicit identification of Jesus as the pre-incarnate Son of God (1:3), superior to all created beings (1:13), the eternal High Priest (8:1), and the efficacious sacrifice of the New Covenant (10:12). The admonition to run the race being set before us “fixing our eyes on Jesus” serves as a reminder that this Jesus, who “disregarded the shame” and “endured the cross” was none other than the central figure of the sacrifice, the covenant, and of eternity. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The readers off Hebrews were to “run the race set before them.” They were to “emulate those in the cloud of witnesses.” Like the witness who had gone before, they were to “lay aside every encumbrance, or impediment, and the sin that so easily diverts” from the course. The difference between the “cloud of witnesses” and the Hebrew readers who were to emulate them did not inhere in a different sort of “running.” The sole difference was that the Hebrew readers had a much cleared, and more recent, example in the person of Jesus. The author of Hebrews has taken pains to build an unforgettable picture of Jesus. He is the eternal son of God, the one through whom all creation came into being, the True High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, who administers a new and better covenant from a heavenly Temple where He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, the very prospect of which gave Him such joy that he was able to disregard the shame in His crucifixion and bear the Cross. The cloud of witnesses had but a dim view of distant promises. Our advantage is that the promise, in what Paul would call its “first fruits,” is being fulfilled in a way that those in the cloud of witnesses could but dimly fathom. Small wonder that we are told to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” He, after all, was the One who Subjected himself to, and overcame the same hostility of evil men toward that cloud of witnesses. 402 H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Two words recur in the text before us, the word “set,” and the word “endure.” What was “set”? First, we read of being literally “set about,” by a cloud of witnesses. The major translations use “compassed about,” or “surrounded,” and in so doing miss the notion of being “set.” Furthermore, a race (or contest of one sort or another) is “set before” us. The goal of this race, or contest, is the “recompense of reward, or the “inheritance” of the promise. Being able at last to provide this recompense of reward, this inheritance, by the inauguration of the New Covenant, was “the joy” that was “set before” Jesus. The race of the cloud of witnesses “set before us,” as well as the race that is “set before” us is worth running because Jesus was able to endure the Cross because of “the joy” that was “set before Him.” The race set before us is to be run “with (or by) endurance.” We have already read of the things that a few of the witnesses “endued,” but our attention is now directed to Jesus. It is important to remember that , while He “endured,” the cross, he also endured the hostility of evil men, unbelievers who could not abide the truth. Throughout His public ministry (and probably well before) he endured misunderstanding, hatred, and opposition from all quarters. He even endured the ignorance of His disciples. But in the end, it was the endurance of evil men that provided the necessity to endure the cross. If we pause, and remember that Jesus, the Son of God, was eternal, we see that He had “endured” evil men (or at the very least, evil deeds) since the Fall of Man. And was it not this that ultimately resulted in His endurance of the cross? I. PARAPHRASE 12:1 Consequently, being surrounded by such a cloud of faithful witnesses who laid aside every encumbrance and sin that so easily draws one away, let us also run with endurance the race now being set before us, 2 considering Jesus, the beginning and end of the faith, who, for the joy being set before Him, having ignored the shame, endured a cross and is now seated on the right hand of the throne of God. 403 FIFTY FIRST PERICOPE (Heb 12:3-8) 12:3 ajnalogivsasqe gaVr toVn toiauvthn uJpomemenhkovta uJpoV tw'n aJmartwlw'n eij" aujtouv" ajntilogivan, i{na mhV kavmhte tai'" yucai'" uJmw'n ejkluovmenoi (Generally accepted reading.) 12:3 ajnalogivsasqe gaVr toiauvthn uJpomemenhkovta uJpoV tw'n aJmartwlw'n eij" aujtouv" ajntilogivan, i{na mhV kavmhte tai'" yucai'" ejkleluvmenoi (reading of p13,46) 4 Ou[pw mevcri" ai{mato" ajntikatevsthte proV" thVn aJmartivan ajntagwnizovmenoi, 5 kaiV ejklevlhsqe th'" paraklhvsew", h{ti" uJmi'n wJ" uiJoi'" dialevgetai, UiJev mou, mhV ojligwvrei paideiva" kurivou, mhdeV ejkluvou uJp' aujtou' ejlegcovmeno": 6 o}n gaVr ajgapa'/ kuvrio" paideuvei, mastigoi' deV pavnta uiJoVn o}n paradevcetai. 7 eij" paideivan uJpomevnete: wJ" uiJoi'" uJmi'n prosfevretai oJ qeov": tiv" gaVr uiJoV" o}n ouj paideuvei pathvr; 8 eij deV cwriv" ejste paideiva" h|" mevtocoi gegovnasin pavnte", a[ra novqoi kaiV oujc uiJoiv ejste. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 12:3 eivj e`auto,n. Although external evidence strongly favors either eivj e`autou,j (a* Dgr* syrp Ephraem) or eivj auvtou,j (î13, 46 ab Yc 048 33 1739* Origen al), the difficulty of making sense of the plural led a majority of the committee to prefer the singular number, choosing eivj e`auto,n as the least inadequately supported reading (A P 104 326 1241 John-Damascus). Several versions handle the passage freely, itd reading in vobis and copsa arm omitting the phrase entirely. [The plural is the qualitatively best supported and the more difficult (though meaningful) reading, and the one more likely to be altered. A.W., in Metzger] Both P13 and P46 show the plural reading. And as noted by Allen Wikgren, it is “the more” difficult reading, and “the one more likely to be altered.” Because alternative translations are difficult to imagine, “the difficulty of making sense of the plural led the committee to prefer the singular number,” means simply that because it was difficult, the committee fell back on “Majority Text” reasoning. There is only a very slight chance of accidentally writing either e`autou,j or auvtou,j from an original e`auto,n. Nor is it likely that any scribe would substitute the difficult term auvtou,j for either of the other terms. Both e`auto,n and e`autou,j smack of scribal emendation. This is a watershed test for the principle that the difficult reading is to be preferred. Nearly all the major English versions choose the easy text, and the NIV simply ignores it and does not translate it at all. We shall retain the plural, auvtou,j which must refer to more than merely Jesus. It must refer to the “cloud or witnesses,” named and unnamed, mentioned in 12:1. 404 B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 12:3 ajnalogivsasqe (verb, imperative, aorist, middle, 2nd, plural, from avnalogi,zomai) deponent middle to think over, ponder, consider: commonly with the accusative of the thing, but in Heb. 12:3 with the accusative of the person “to consider by weighing, comparing,” etc. (3 Macc. 7:7. Often in Greek writings from Plato and Xenophon down.) [Thayer] 12:3 kavmhte (verb, subjunctive, aorist, active, 2nd, plural, from ka,mnw) I. trans. to work. of smith’s work, skh/ptron( to. me.n {Hfaistoj ka,me which he wrought, Il.; kÅ nh/aj Od. II. Med. to win by toil, ta.j (sc. gunai/kaj) auvtoi. kamo,mesqa Il. 2. to work or till by labour, Od. III. intr. to work, labour, Thuc.: then, to be weary, avndri. de. kekmhw/ti me,noj oi=noj ave,xei Il.; ouvde, ti gui/a ka,mnei nor is he weary in limb, Ib.; peri. dV e;gcei? cei/ra kamei/tai he will have his hand weary in grasping the spear, Ib.:-c. part., ka,mnei polemi,zwn( evlau,nwn is weary of fighting, rowing, Ib.; ouvk e;kamon tanu,wn I found no trouble in stringing the bow, i.e. did it without trouble, Od.; ou;toi kamou/mai le,gousa I shall never be tired of saying, Aesch., etc. 2. to be sick or ill, suffer under illness, oi` ka,mnontej the sick, Hdt., etc.; so, ka,mnein no,son Eur.; kÅ tou.j ovfqalmou,j Hdt. 3. generally, to suffer, be distressed or afflicted, stratou/ kamo,ntoj Aesch.; ouv kamei/ will not have to complain, Soph.; ouvk i;son kamw.n evmoi. lu,phj not having borne an equal share of grief with me, Id. 4. oi` kamo,ntej (aor. part.) those who have done their work, Lat. defuncti, i.e. the dead, Hom.; so, kekmhko,tej Eur. Thuc. [Liddell- Scott] 12:3 ejkluovmenoi (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from evklu,w) to loose, release, set free, from a thing, c. gen., Aesch., Soph.:-Pass. to be set free, Plat.:-Med. to get one set free, to release from, c. gen., Od., etc. II. to unloose, unstring a bow, Hd. 2. to put an end to, Id., Eur. 3. to relax, enfeeble:-Pass. to be faint, fail, give way, Dem. 4. to pay in full, Plut. [Liddell- Scott] 12:4 ajntikatevsthte (verb, aorist, active, indicative, 2nd, plural, from avntikaqi,sthmi) 1. to put in place of another. 2. to place in opposition (to dispose troops, set an army in line of battle); in the intransitive tenses, to stand against, resist: Heb. 12:4, (Thucydides 1, 62. 71). [Thayer] 12:5 dialevgetai (verb, present, middle, indicative, 3rd, singular, from diale,gomai) 1. discuss, conduct a discussion Mk 9:34; Ac 19:8f; 20:7; 24:12. 2. speak, preach 18:4; Hb 12:5. 12:5 olj igwrv ei (verb, present, active, imperative, 2nd, singular, from ovligwre,w) think lightly of, make light of w. gen. Hb 12:5. 12:5 paideiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from paideia, ) 1. the whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment): Eph. 6:4 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 388 (363) note); (in Greek writings from Aeschylus on, it includes also the care and training of the body.) (See especially Trench, Synonyms, sec. xxxii.; cf. Jowett’s Plato, index under the word Education). 405 2. “whatever in adults also cultivates the soul, especially by correcting mistakes and curbing the passions “; hence, a. instruction which aims at the increase of virtue: 2 Tim. 3:16. b. according to Biblical usage chastisement, chastening (of the evils with which God visits men for their amendment): Heb. 12:5 (Prov. 3:11),7f (see u`pome,nw, 2 b.), 11; (Prov. 15:5, and often in the O. T.; cf. Grimm, Exgt. Hdbch. on Sap., p. 51; (cf. (Plato) definition paidei,a. du,namij qerapeutikh. [Thayer] 12:5 ejlegcovmeno" (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, singular, from evle,gcw) 1. bring to light, expose, set forth J 3:20; Eph 5:11, 13; Tit 2:15. 2. convict, convince, point out J 8:46; Js 2:9; Tit 1:9, 13; Jd 15. 3. reprove, correct Mt 18:15; Lk 3:19; 1 Ti 5:20; discipline, punish Hb 12:5; Rv 3:19. 12:6 paideuvei (verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from paideu,w ) 1. instruct, train, educate Ac 7:22; 22:3. 2. correct, give guidance to 2 Ti 2:25; Tit 2:12. 3. discipline with punishment 1 Cor 11:32; 2 Cor 6:9; 1 Ti 1:20; Hb 12:6f, 10; Rv 3:19. Whip, scourge Lk 23:16. 22 (Jesus is to be ‘taught a lesson’). 12:6 mastigoi (verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd, singular, from mastigo,w) whip, flog, scourge lit. Mt 10:17; 20:19; 23:34; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33; J 19:1. Fig. punish, chastise Hb 12:6. 12:6 paradevcetai (verb, present, middle, indicative, 3rd, person, singular, from parade,comai) receive, accept, acknowledge (as correct) Mk 4:20; Ac 15:4; 16:21; 22:18; 1 Ti 5:19. Receive favorably = love Hb 12:6. 12:8 paideiva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from paidei,a ) training, discipline Eph 6:4; 2 Ti 3:16; Hb 12:5, 7, 8, 11. 12:8 novqoi (adjective, normal, nominative, masculine, plural, from no,qoj) born out of wedlock, illegitimate Hb 12:8. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION Historical references are to the “heros of faith” on Chapter 11 and summed up as the “cloud of witnesses of 12:1. Christ is included as the latest and most perfect exemplar of faithfulness unto martyrdom in 12:2. 406 E. TRANSLATION 12:3 For consider the One having endured such opposition [hostility] by sinners toward them, lest, becoming enfeebled, you should grow weary in your souls. [The shorter, critical, text is retained (below) for those who prefer the critical reading rather than the Generally accepted reading.] 12:3 For consider having endured such hostility of the sinners against them, lest having become enfeebled, you become weary in your souls. (Following p13,46) 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of blood struggling against sin, 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation that reasons with you as with sons “my son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor grow weary under His reproving. 6 For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 You must endure discipline; God is disposed toward you as toward sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, you are illegitimates/misbegotten and not sons. F. EXPOSITION Note: In this pericope and the next, we encounter a word (in three forms) used a total of eight times in seven versus. It’s meaning is difficult to narrow down to a single English equivalent. It conveys a wide range of meanings, as Thayer rightly shows. Its basic meaning is “to raise children,” with all that entails; to discipline, teach, correct, prepare, and train. The three forms comprise the verb, and two noun forms, that which designates the result of the action, and that which designates the person providing the action. Examples might include the verb to train, the noun training, and the noun trainer. Similarly it might be translated to discipline, discipline, and disciplinarian. Or perhaps we might think of to instruct, instruction, instructor; to chastise, chastening, chastener. Or perhaps to correct, correction, corrector; or to teach, teaching, teacher. The problem is to find a term that is sufficiently broad to do justice to the context and, versatile enough in English to have the appropriate word forms. We notice that the RSV, ESV, and NIV use the group based upon the word discipline. The KJV, NKJV, and ASV use the group based upon the word chastise. We further note that all these versions show some slippage in v. 9, translating the noun as a verb. With the RSV, ESV, and NIV we will use the word group based upon the word discipline; it shows a little more of the wide range of meanings seen in the Greek word it translates, is versatile enough, and fits nicely with the overall sense of unpleasantness suggested in verse 11. We also notice three uses of the word “endure,” or endurance,” in vv2, 3, and 7. In the difficult textual problems that occur in v. 3, we will follow the reading of p 13,46. They are our earliest witnesses to Hebrews, probably only being about 100 years removed from the time of Jesus. The reading is slightly more elegant, in keeping with the style of the author, is a little bit shorter and a little more difficult than the later texts, and one can easily see why scribes of a later day might want to accommodate the text to the person and suffering of Christ (from v. 2) instead of to the “cloud of 407 witnesses” (from v. 1 and Chapter 11). It is not that Jesus is not the ultimate exemplar, but that the author has taken great pains to counterpose the apostates and the stern admonitions not to follow them into condemnation against the faithful and the accompanying admonitions to follow them into eternal blessing. This is a simple case of monks attempting to “clarify” a text in the direction they feel is more to the point. Explication of the Generally accepted reading: 12:3 “For consider [one] having endured . . .” that is, having endured the shame and the cross. We should probably have rendered it “submitted to” rather than “endured.” The identification of Jesus with the Son of God, with the New Covenant, and with the High Priesthood, demands an “endurance” of a higher order than mere human martyrdom, and in this case, one that was undertaken voluntarily. The author has just linked the Jesus who ignored shame and endured the cross with eternity and majesty; such messiahship probably demands a deeper understanding of the concept of “endurance,” if for no other reason than that His was the deliberate submission to the power of, and for the sake of, a lower order. For this reason, the admonition to “consider” is more than an invitation to think about it a little bit. It is an invitation to try to wrap the mind around the unfathomable until it is awestricken. The readers have already been told to “fix eyes of Jesus.” “Considering” Jesus is something different. The two ideas are on the order of “watch closely and absorb.” 12:3 “ . . . this sort of hostility toward them by sinners, . . .” We have adopted the reading of P46 “them” instead of “Him.” This is for sound text-critical reasons. The meaning is not that Jesus merely submitted to those hostile to Himself, but that to “such hostility” as was shown many of the heros of faith just treated. Whereas “sitting at the right hand of the throne of God” identified Jesus with His Messianic office, suffering “such hostility toward them by sinners,” identifies Him with those earlier martyrs and witnesses. This reminds us of 2:11 where Jesus is intimately identified with His “brethren.” The participation of “them” (plural) in “such hostility” (singular) is a case of numerous participants under a singular category. In Romans 12:2 Paul admonishes the Roman readers not to be fashioned by (or conformed to) the World, but “be you (plural) transformed by the renewal of the mind (singular). It is not “you guys be transformed by renewing your minds,” (all plural), whereby each person renews his own mind willy-nilly. Rather, it is the case that “you guys (plural) should submit yourselves to that which will renew the mind” (singular). There is one common, objective, thing to which the Roman believers, all of them, are to submit. 408 Similarly, we have here a single, common, objective practice (endurance of hostility) to which many of the heros of faith were subjected, and to which Jesus Christ had so recently submitted. In one sense, He was one of those who endured “such hostility toward them by sinners.” But in another sense, He is the one upon whom we are to focus most intently. 12:3 “ . . . lest having become enfeebled you should grow distressed in your souls.” The reason for such “consideration,” and dwelling on the offices and identification of Jesus is to avoid “being enfeebled.” This condition, which is here said to make one liable to becoming “weary in your souls” points in two directions. First, it points to the condition discusses in 5:11-14, the stagnation of spirituality and to the apparent consideration on the part of some to return to Judaism. But it also points to the possibility of not being able to withstand persecution (12:4). End of Explication of the Generally accepted reading. 12:3 “For consider having endured . . .” That is, consider not only Jesus, but the host of those who were faithful witnesses even to suffering and death, of whom Jesus was the last and greatest. The imperative is to think over, ponder, or consider. There is a point to be made, and it must begin with a deep consideration of what follows. 12:3 “ . . . such opposition of the sinners against them, . . .” The object of consideration enjoined is the bitter opposition and hostility, and the utter rejection the “cloud of witnesses” suffered at the hands of “the sinners against them.” From Abel onward, those witnesses named in Chapter 11 and including Jesus, followed God and were hated, reviled, persecuted, and/or tortured or killed for their witness. This verse is a challenge “to count the cost” of discipleship (cf. Luke 14:28). This may be a very sobering and somber endeavor. The author of Hebrews does not doubt the willingness of the Hebrews so much as he doubts their preparation. And upon the dating of the book before the destruction of Jerusalem, the signs of the coming trouble may well have started appearing. 12:3 “ . . . lest having become enfeebled, . . .” The challenge is not to consider something that will make the readers change their minds so much as to make them consider what they need in order to prepare for what has been shown to be a common experience among those who follow God. Lack of exercise results in feebleness. Lack of spiritual calisthenics may just as easily result in spiritual feebleness and inability. 12:3 “ . . . you become weary in your souls” (Following p13,46).” Just as running a five mile race would “weary” one who had not prepared for it, or who had never done much physical exercise, so encountering temptation and persecution for those not prepared for such encounters will result in “weariness” in the soul. The unprepared runner in the five mile race will not make it a mile before he has to quit. What is likely to be the outcome for the unprepared when he encounters temptation and persecution? 12: 4 “You have not yet resisted to the point of blood . . .” is the reminder of why they are to consider the witness of the cloud of witnesses. Many of those, including, and especially, Jesus, witnessed with the last drop o their blood. They deemed their lives to be unimportant by comparison to the 409 truth which they sought to embody, the truth that was, and is, God. Such witnesses testified to the fact that mere life without the Truth, was not worth living. I am frightened to add, God grant us this conviction and the strength to live it. 12:4 “ . . . struggling against sin, . . .” The author shifts from “sinners,” to sin. This is an interesting dynamic. The readers were told in v. 3 to consider the endurance against sinners. Here, in the same context, they are reminded that they themselves have not yet had to resist sin unto the shedding of blood. There is an intimate connection here, between “enduring,” and “resisting.” And that connection lies in the parallel between the words “sinners,” and “sin.” Clearly, the sin spoken of here is that of “the sinners.” That is, the sinners against which the martyrs had endured were demanding that they cease their prophetic (or evangelistic) activities, and either believe, or at the very least, to behave as they did. That is, the sin spoken of is clearly apostasy. The sinners were, in effect, demanding of the faithful that they “change their ways, or keep silence.” This is confirmed by the fact that all Christians commit sins of various sorts, but the sin spoken of here resulted in martyrdom, or testimony to righteousness. That is, many in “the cloud of witnesses” became martyrs for espousing righteousness, not for overt acts of sinful behavior. What group of “sinners” will kill a person for telling the truth? For not passing gossip? For not committing adultery? All that is required of the righteous by the mob is to keep silence about sin, guilt, and judgment. This was the “opposition of the sinners against them.” In “considering the endurance against sinners” the obvious conclusion upon which the readers were to dwell was that the righteous not only live righteously, they proclaim righteousness, and are, in their very existence, indictments of sin. Their witness condemned sin and guilt and proclaimed judgment. Hence, the reason the readers of Hebrews had not yet had to become martyrs was either because their witness was not yet sharp enough, or they had not come into conflict with the mob of (the faithless) sinners. The readers were in the position of being tempted to apostasy, but their opponents had not yet demanded their apostasy, either by repudiation or by silence. The readers were “not making waves” with their righteousness! 12:5 “ . . . and you have forgotten the exhortation that reasons with you as with sons . . .” Introduces a new subject by way of contrast. The Hebrews, whatever their temptations and complaints may have been, had not yet been called upon to resist “to the point of blood.” In fact, as we shall see, they were merely being treated as sons in the child rearing stage of their development (recall Hebrews 5:11-14). In this manner, the author passes from the subject of the less than bloody trials of the Hebrews to that of discipline, without leaving the controlling motif of faith. The argument is as follows: You need to ponder the endurance of the cloud of witnesses. Not only have you not had to endure to the shedding of blood, you have forgotten the exhortation that treats you as sons. That is, not only have you not had to deal with the severe temptations of sinners demanding your apostasy, you have forgotten the very exhortation to sons which better explains the little trials you have endured thus far. 410 12:5 “ . . . ‘my son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, . . .” Such as the readers of Hebrews had seen may best be understood as the discipline common to all sons. The sons have yet to encounter the real trials and persecutions for which they need to be prepared, they have only received such discipline as God requires of all His sons. 12:5 “ . . . nor grow weary under His reproving.” Again we see the notion of growing weary. In v. 3 it is implied that the lack of pondering the nature and possible penalties for godliness will result in weariness (ejkluvomai) of soul. Here the readers are admonished not to grow weary (ejkluvomai) under discipline. 12:6 “ . . . For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, . . .” The contrast is that persecution may result in death, but that what the Hebrews had thus far experienced was nothing more than God preparing them for life. 12:6 “ . . . and scourges every son whom He receives’.” Even what seems to be the scourging by God is the preparation for life and witness. 12:7 “You must endure discipline; . . .” Contrary to all the major English translations, this verse contains two statements and a question. There are no indications of “ifs, ands or buts;” there are no explanatory or conditional phrases. The first three words may be understood as being either in the imperative mood or in the indicative mood. It must read either “you are enduring into discipline,” or “you must endure into discipline.” And this alone is difficult to decide on the merits of the clause alone, and what follows helps very little. 12:7 “ . . . God is disposed toward you as toward sons. The reason for having to endure discipline is seen in the fact that God is “bearing Himself toward” the readers as He does to sons. God is treating those whom He disciplines as His sons. The notion of “being disposed toward” results from the passive voice of the verb “to offer. 12:7 “For what son is there whom a father does not discipline?” This is either the proof that the readers were regarded as sons, or an admonition to the readers that they are to endure discipline as the marks of sonship. 1. “You must endure discipline – because – God is disposed toward you as toward sons; – For what son is there whom the father does not discipline?” 2. “You are merely enduring discipline; God is disposed toward you as toward sons. For what son is there whom the father does not discipline?” Another problem is the anarthrous construction of “father.” The question might be “What son is there whom a father does not discipline?” For the analogy between earthly fathers and the heavenly father, the anarthrous construction would seem to be necessary. But “What son is there whom father does not discipline,” is awkward in English. Placing the indefinite article before the word father works to make the connection between the discipline the readers had at the hands of their earthly fathers, and inclines us to render the first clause as in the imperative voice. Just as you have endured the discipline of an earthly father, so you must endure the discipline of the heavenly Father! 411 12:8 “But if you are without discipline, . . .” or the inconvenient trials that bring maturity knowledge or wisdom, and about which many complain, That is, if your life has no occurrences by which growth might be fostered . . .” 12:8 “ . . . of which all have become partakers, . . .” i.e., those disciplines, instructions, teachings and so forth. All have partaken of a father’s discipline, to one degree or another, except the following class. 12:8 “ . . . you are illegitimate, and not sons.” Those who are not true sons, but illegitimate. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The teaching regarding apostasy is particularly needful today. It is so easy to slide into apostasy because the World is seated in church with the Christians, and much of their behavior has been “sanctified” by the democratic processes within Protestantism. We can see, from our historical perspective, the apostasy of the Catholic Church. But we are absolutely oblivious to our own slide into apostasy. Our doctrines have been watered down (or dumbed d0wn). What is suitable materia for sermons is frequently determined by the impulse not to offend anyone in order to get more people into the church. And our church services often seem like nothing more that rock concerts. We have welcomed the World into our Churches, and must not be surprised that now the World is calling the shots. Is “righteousness” now just an invitation to come to church, or is it a life which at every point condemns sin? Are we “making waves” with our righteousness, or just making friends with the World? H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL In the light of the subject of apostasy and witness, it is comforting to remember that trials will come, but that they are to be considered the discipline of a loving Father who will “receive us as sons.” I. PARAPHRASE 3 For focus your thought on the One having endured such a kind of hostility by the unbelievers toward them, lest, becoming weakened, you should grow weary in your souls. [Generally accepted reading] 3 For consider having endured such hostility against them at the hands of sinners, lest already having become feeble for lack of spiritual exercise, you become weary in your souls. (Critical reading) 4 You have not yet encountered or resisted apostasy to the point of bloodshed, 5 and you have 412 forgotten the exhortation that reasons with you as with sons concerning trials “my son, do not disregard the discipline of the Lord, nor grow weary under His reproof. 6 For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 You must endure discipline; God is disposed toward you as toward sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, you are misbegotten and not sons. 413 FIFTY SECOND PERICOPE (Heb 12:9-11) 12:9 ei\ta touV" meVn th'" sarkoV" hJmw'n patevra" ei[comen paideutaV" kaiV ejnetrepovmeqa: ouj poluV [deV] ma'llon uJpotaghsovmeqa tw'/ patriV tw'n pneumavtwn kaiV zhvsomen; 10 oiJ meVn gaVr proV" ojlivga" hJmevra" kataV toV dokou'n aujtoi'" ejpaivdeuon, oJ deV ejpiV toV sumfevron eij" toV metalabei'n th'" aJgiovthto" aujtou'. 11 pa'sa deV paideiva proV" meVn toV paroVn ouj dokei' cara'" ei\nai ajllaV luvph", u{steron deV karpoVn eijrhnikoVn toi'" di' aujth'" gegumnasmevnoi" ajpodivdwsin dikaiosuvnh". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 12:9 ei\ta (adverb from ei=ta) then, next Mk 4:17; J 13:5; 1 Cor 15:7, 24; 1 Ti 2:13 furthermore Hb 12:9. 12:9 paideutaV" (noun, accusative, masculine, plural, from paideuth,j) instructor, teacher Ro 2:20; one who disciplines, a corrector Hb 12:9.* [Cf. propaedeutic, preliminary instruction.] 12:9 ejnetrepovmeqa (verb, indicative, imperfect, passive, 1st, plural, from evntre,pw) to turn about ta. nw/ta Hdt.: to alter, Luc. II. Med. or Pass., aor. 2 evnetra,phn Îa±Ð, to turn about, linger, hesitate, Soph. 2. c. gen. pers. to turn towards, give heed to, pay regard to, to respect or reverence, Hom., Trag. 3. c. inf. to take care that, Theogn. 4. absol. to feel shame or fear, N.T. [Liddell Scott] The Latin reverebamur means essentially the same thing, but when translated as reverence, as per the English cognate, the sense is somewhat altered. “We gave heed,” or “we showed respect” is better. The contrast is between “paying heed” to our earthly fathers and “being subject to the Father.” Neither paying heed nor being subject entails perfect obedience, but concern themselves with the mental disposition of the believer to his father, and The Father, and so they make a good contrast. The same cannot be said for the pair reverence and be subject to, or the pair respect and be subject to. 12:10 sumfevron (participle present, active, accusative, neuter, singular, from sumfe,rw) to bear or bring together (Latin confero), i. e. 1. with a reference to the object, to bring together: ti, Acts 19:19. 2. with a reference to the subject, “to bear together or at the same time; to carry with other’s; to collect or contribute in order to help, hence, to help, be profitable, be expedient”; sumfe,rei, it is expedient, profitable, and in the same sense with a neuter plural: with the subject pa,nta, 1 Cor. 6:12; 414 10:23; ti, ti,ni, 2 Cor. 8:10; with an infinitive of the object (as in Greek writings), Matt. 19:10; 2 Cor. 12:1 (where L T Tr WH have sumfe,ron); with the accusative and infinitive John 18:14; sumfe,rei ti,ni followed by i[na (see i[na, II. 2c. (Buttmann, sec. 139, 45; Winer’s Grammar, 337 (316))), Matt. 5:29f; 18:6; John 11:50; 16:7. to, sumfe,ron, that which is profitable (Sophocles, Euripides, Xenophon, Demosthenes, others): 1 Cor. 12:7; plural (Plato, de rep. 1, p. 341 e.), Acts 20:20; advantage, profit, Heb. 12:10; to, ... su,mforon ti,noj (often in Greek writings) the advantage of one, one’s profit, 1 Cor. 7:35; 10:33 (in both passaagaes, L T Tr WH read su,mforon, which see). [Thayer] 12:10 aJgiovthto" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from a`gio,thj) sanctity, in a moral sense; holiness: 2 Cor. 1:12 L T Tr WH; Heb. 12:10. (Besides only in 2 Macc. 15:2). ]Thayer] The word holy translates a Hebrew word that means consecrated; set apart. It is used of things set apart for special use, as the religious items (and practices) of the cultus, as opposed to public, common, or profane usage. When applied to God (and only then) the word takes on an ethical or moral meaning. When used of God, the reason for such separation, i.e., His righteousness, is drawn to the fore and the term begins to exhibit a moral sense that demands and produces a sense of reverence. 12:11 paroVn (participle, present, active, accusative, neuter, singular, from pa,reimi) 1. be present J 7:6; 11:28; Ac 10:33; 24:19; 1 Cor 5:3; Gal 4:18, 20; Col 1:6; Rv 17:8. The pres. ‘be here’ can take on the perfect sense have come Mt 26:50; Lk 13:1; Ac 10:21; 12:20; 17:6. to. paro,n the present Hb 12:11. 2. pa,resti,n ti, moi something is at my disposal, I have something 2 Pt 1:9, 12. ta. paro,nta one’s possessions Hb 13:5. 12:11 luvph" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from lu,ph) grief, sorrow, pain, affliction Lk 22:45; J 16:6, 20–22; Ro 9:2; 2 Cor 2:1, 3, 7; 7:10; 9:7; Phil 2:27; Hb 12:11; 1 Pt 2:19. 12:11 u{steron (adverb from u[steroj) used as a comparative and superlative—1. as adj., comp. latter, second Mt 21:31. Superl. last 1 Th 4:1, though later is also possible.—2. neut. u[steron as adv., comp. in the second place, later, then, thereafter Mt 21:29, 32; Mk 16:14; J 13:36; Hb 12:11. Superl. finally Mt 21:37; 26:60; Lk 20:32; last Mt 22:27. [Cf. hysteron proteron.] 12:11 eijrhnikoVn (adjective, normal, accusative, masculine, singular, from eivrhniko,j) peaceable, peaceful Hb 12:11; Js 3:17. 12:11 gegumnasmevnoi" (participle, perfect, passive, dative, masculine, plural, from gumna,zw) exercise, train fig. 1 Ti 4:7; Hb 5:14; 12:11; 2 Pt 2:14. 12:11 ajpodivdwsin (verb, indicative, present, active, 3rd, person, singular, from avpodi,dwmi) 1. give away, give (up) or (out) Mt 27:58; Lk 16:2; Ac 4:33; pay (out) Mt 20:8; Mk 12:17; fulfill 1 Cor 7:3; keep Mt 5:33; yield Rv 22:2 . 2. give or pay back, return Lk 9:42; 12:59; 19:8. Render, recompense 415 Mt 6:4, 6, 18; Ro 2:6; 12:17; Rv 18:6. 3. mid. sell Ac 5:8; 7:9; Hb 12:16. [English derivative: apodosis] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 12:9 Indeed, we had disciplinarian fathers of our flesh and we heeded them; shall we not much more be subject to the father of spirits and live? 10 For on the one hand they disciplined for a few days according to their wishes, but He for the purpose of assisting us for the purpose of a share of His holiness. 11 Indeed, all discipline seems to be not joyful, but sorrowful at the moment, but afterward yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to the ones exercised through it. F. EXPOSITION This pericope is a series of contrasts centering on the notion of discipline. There are a couple of tough choices to be made in rendering the Greek into English. A slightly different rendering is given here with more strict adherence to the grammar than is usually the case. The contrasts are very helpful in deciding how to render the somewhat difficult phrase in Verse 10, but they cannot be allowed to have the final say in the matter. 12:9 “Indeed, we had disciplinarian fathers of our flesh . . .” That is, we all have had, or still have, earthly, human fathers who are our instructors, teachers and disciplinarians. 12:9 “ . . . and we heeded them; . . .” The word rendered here as heeded may also be given as feared, respected (NASV, RSV, NRSV, NIV, NLT, and ESV) or reverenced (KJV and ASV). The contrast is with “be subject” in the following clause. Heeding provides a better counterpart to subjection than either respecting or reverencing, although respecting seems to be almost as good. The point as it stands so far is that we all had human fathers, or fathers who guided our flesh, whom we heeded. 12:9 “ . . . shall we not much more be subject . . .” The question is that having heeded our human 416 fathers, might we not be expected to be more mindful, and submissive, to God? The contrast is expressed in stark language to the effect “are we not best served to be much more submissive to God?” Being “subject,” in this context is also in stark contrast to the “heed” we paid our earthly fathers. 12:9 “ . . . to the father of spirits and live?” Here the expressed contrast is between the fathers of our flesh and the Father of the spirits. Clearly our human fathers were concerned primarily with outward appearances, of getting along with others, and making our way peacefully in the world, Whereas God is interested in the spiritual well-being of His saints. But there is another contrast here that is only implied. For the Father of the spirits not only concerns Himself with our spiritual standing, but in being subject to him, we may “live.” No such promise was given by our earthly fathers. They could neither see within us nor guarantee our spiritual well-being. All they could do was to prepare us for this life. 12:10 “For on the one hand they disciplined for a few days . . .” That is, the fathers of our flesh disciplined us for a few short days during our youth, and were finished when we were able to make our own way in this life. 12:10 “ . . . according to their wishes, . . .” Moreover, their discipline was according to their own wishes. That is, their discipline ran the gamut from recklessness to deep concern, but never was able to leave the realm of the temporal. If their wish was that we should keep silence while they slept, they disciplined us accordingly. If their wishes were that we should be kind to others and that we should try to practice high morality, they disciplined us accordingly. The nature of the following contrast makes it clear that we are to see here the temporal, personal, and fallible desires of our earthly fathers for themselves. What follows has required a little grammatical license us for the purpose of a preserve the word order of the Greek. 12:10 “ . . . but He for the purpose of assisting us for the purpose of a share of His holiness.” But just as God does not discipline with an eye merely to the temporal or the visible, nor are his wishes whimsical. God has a distinct reason for disciplining His saints and that is the inculcation of His own holiness. “Be you holy as I am holy (Leviticus 11:44, I Peter 1:15-16, cf. Matthew 5:48)” is the reason for bringing the saints into contact with Himself. The stated contrast is seen in the sphere and purpose of the discipline received by our different fathers. But there is another tacit contrast, that between the discipline of our earthly fathers “for a few days,” and the ongoing discipline of God unto holiness for the rest of our natural lives. The contrast to the discipline of our earthly fathers is said to be “bring/gathering [us] together into/unto [the purpose of] sharing/receiving/partaking/gaining a share of His righteousness.” However, the word translated ‘gathering together is used when the object of the gathering (us) is present in the text, which here, it is not. The major versions translate the word “for our profit,” or 417 “for our good,” thus supplying the object of the gathering. Furthermore, the word is a participle and difficult to render in English without changing it to a noun or an adjective. The notion, in such a grammatical structure, would be “profiting.” Again the object must be supplied. But the sense can be conveyed literally and the contrast heightened by the use of the equally valid translation “contributing” or “assisting.” So, instead of demanding something of us, as our earthly fathers did, God is shown contributing something to us, i.e., the opportunity to share in His own holiness. He is assisting unto the purpose of (an infinitive of purpose) sharing His holiness. Because the article preceding the infinitive is present exclusively to make the infinitive neuter (and thus an infinitive of purpose) we may escape the necessity of translating the article and supply the English indefinite article. 12:11 “Indeed, all discipline seems to be not joyful, but sorrowful at the moment, . . .” That is, at the moment it is received, no discipline seems pleasant or joyful. Indeed, it is the fear of further discipline that allows us to learn from our experience. 12:11 “ . . . but afterward yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to the ones exercised through it.” it is implied that discipline is an opportunity to cultivate faith. Having once learned from our experience under discipline what is required, we can internalize the demands and henceforth require less discipline. Eventually, it is hoped, the lessons from the exercise of discipline will become habits. For those who are willingly exercised and trained by discipline the result is not merely righteousness, the “the peaceful fruit of righteousness, a clear conscience and peace with God. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 112:10 Holiness. The basic notion of the word holy is that of being “set apart,” usually for service to a god. Aristophanes does use the word with the moral connotation of “pure,” but the basic notion, in both the Old testament and the New is that of being set apart for a purpose. It is used repeatedly of the tabernacle, the sacrifice, and it is used twice for the inner sanctuary (the Holy of Holies). It is used of the priests and even as the nation of Israel in general. In every case it connotes separation, a being set apart for special service or for a special occasion. Women used to have table service for everyday use, and real silverware for special use. In other words, the silver was holy, i.e., set apart for special use. It is not for public, or profane or common use, but for more or less private use under special circumstances. The word may even be used as “set apart for a curse (cf. Romans 9:21).” Only when the word is used in relationship to God does it take on the moral quality with which we are so familiar. The story of Adam and Eve well illustrates Gods holiness, both as being set apart and as being righteous. Because god is righteous and cannot be touched or have commerce with what is less than righteous, He withdrew fellowship with Adam and Eve and departed. His righteousness was such that it demanded His separation rom sin and rom sinners. The present context gives a magnificent illustration of both meanings of the word holy. First, it is noted that His purpose in disciplining us is “assisting,” (with Him, i.e., in His separation from the 418 World), in order that we might become holy in the same moral sense in which He is holy, i.e., separated and righteous. The notion of being “set apart” has two implications. To be set apart, or devoted, means to be set apart from something, and it means to be set apart to or for something. The silver table service mentioned above is set apart from daily, common, or profane use. We do not use it every day. We do not use it to eat hot dogs or hamburgers. And we do not use the butter knives as screw drivers. It is seta part for company, special meals or celebrations, is polished before use, and is set meticulously at each place. Another word for being set apart is devotion. Like the basic meaning of the word holy, devotion speaks of the setting apart of a thing either for blessing or cursing. In Leviticus the word “devotion” is used to translate the word almost universally translated elsewhere in the Old Testament as “Holy.” The word devotion is synonymous with the basic meaning of holy, that is, set apart. It is from this notion of Gods holiness, and our being set apart unto Him, coupled with a fair number of Biblical admonitions, from which the Christian Church derives its doctrine of Separation. The doctrine of separation is the belief among Bible believers that Christians should be separate from “the world” and not have close personal associations with those who are “of the world.” The Biblical admonitions that provide the basis for this doctrine of separation include the following examples Amos 3:3 – “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” Ephesians 5:11 – “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness . . .” II Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers . . .” John 17:13–16 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” Different churches have somewhat different ideas about what constitutes separation and how far it is to be observed. Perhaps is should be left to the individual as he stands before God and is convinced and convicted as he grows. It should not be reduced to yet another legalism. But it is important to note that the Bible admonishes us to separation in several areas, such as mental (thoughts, reading material, attitudes), physical (dress, physical contact, entertainment, speech), personal relationships, vocations, and spiritual and moral life. The difference between being set apart and being separated is this: We speak of setting something 419 else apart, of assigning it a specific role or relationship. We speak of being separated when we are speaking of setting ourselves apart. Separation is like the Greek middle voice where he speaker is included in the action of the verb, whereas being set apart is like the Greek simple active voice. We set apart a church building, class room, buss, or love offering for special service to God. We separate ourselves for the same reason. In both cases the separation is from the common or profane and unto God. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL Non Emotive Text I. PARAPHRASE 12:9 Indeed, we had human fathers as disciplinarians of our physical lives and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the will of our heavenly father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a few days according to their own wishes, but He for the purpose of separating us unto Himself for the purpose of sharing His holiness. 11 Indeed, all discipline seems to be not joyful but sorrowful at the moment; but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to the ones who are shaped by it. 420 FIFTY THIRD PERICOPE (Heb 12:12-17) 12:12 DioV 1taV" pareimevna" cei'ra" kaiV taV paralelumevna govnata ajnorqwvsate,47 13 kaiV trociaV" ojrqaV" poiei'te toi'" posiVn48 uJmw'n, i{na mhV toV cwloVn ejktraph'/, ijaqh'/ deV ma'llon. 14 Eijrhvnhn diwvkete metaV pavntwn, kaiV toVn aJgiasmovn, ou| cwriV" oujdeiV" o[yetai toVn kuvrion, 15 ejpiskopou'nte" mhv ti" uJsterw'n ajpoV th'" cavrito" tou' qeou', mhv ti" rJivza pikriva" a[nw fuvousa ejnoclh'/ kaiV di' aujth'" mianqw'sin polloiv, 16 mhv ti" povrno" h] bevbhlo" wJ" jHsau', o}" ajntiV brwvsew" mia'" ajpevdoto taV prwtotovkia [aujtou']. 17 i[ste gaVr o{ti kaiV metevpeita qevlwn klhronomh'sai thVn eujlogivan ajpedokimavsqh, metanoiva" gaVr tovpon oujc eu|ren, kaivper metaV dakruvwn ejkzhthvsa" aujthvn. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 12:17 Both P46 and P13 omit the 3rd person possessive pronoun (aujtou'). It was probably added sometime later in order to underscore the notion of the “sale” of this particular birthright. It makes the abstract notion of “birthright” a little more particular to speak of it as a personal property. In any case, its relation to Esau would have been understood. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 12:12 pareime,naj (participle, perfect, passive, accusative, feminine, plural, from pari,hmi) leave undone, neglect Lk 11:42. Slacken, weaken pf. pass. ptc. pareime,noj weakened, listless, drooping Hb 12:12. 12:12 paralelume,na (participle, perfect, passive, accusative, neuter, plural, from paralu,w) properly, to loose on one side or from the side (cf. para,, IV. 1); to loose or part things placed side by side; to loosen, dissolve, hence, to weaken, enfeeble: paralelume,noj, suffering from the relaxing of the nerves, unstrung, weak of limb (palsied), Luke 5:18,24 ((not L WH marginal reading) see paralutiko,j); Acts 8:7; 9:33; paralelume,na go,nata, i. e. tottering, weakened, feeble knees, Heb. 12:12; Isa. 35:3; Sir. 25:23; cei/rej paralelume,na Ezek. 7:27; Jer. 6:24; (Jer. 27:15,43 (Jer. 50:15,43)); parelu,onto ai` dexiai, of combatants, Josephus, b. j. 3, 8, 6; parelu,qh kai, ouvk evdu,nato e;ti lalh/sai lo,gon, 1 Macc. 9:55, where cf. Grimm; swmatikh, duna,mei paralelume,na, Polybius 32, 23, 1; toi/j swmasi kai, tai/j yucai/j, id. 20, 10, 9. [Thayer] 47 WcMea; tAlv.Ko ~yIK;r>biW tApr" ~yId:y" WqZ>x; Isaiah 35:3 48 WnKoyI ^yk,r"D>-lk'w> ^l,g>r: lG:[.m; sLeP; Proverbs 4:26 421 12:12 govnata (noun, accusative, neuter, plural, from go,nu) knee Lk 5:8; Eph 3:14; Hb 12:12. tiqe,nai ta. g) bow the knees Mk 15:19; Lk 22:41; Ac 9:40. [Cf. genuflect, via Latin.] 12:12 ajnorqwvsate (verb, aorist, active, imperative, 2nd, plural, from avnorqo,w) rebuild, restore lit. make erect again Ac 15:16. Of a crippled woman Lk 13:13; strengthen Hb 12:12. 12:13 trociaV" (noun, accusative, feminine, plural, from trocia,) wheel track, course, way fig. Hb 12:13. 12:13 cwloVn (adjective, nominative, neuter, singular, from cwlo,j) lame, crippled Mt 11:5; 15:30f; Mk 9:45; Lk 14:13, 21; J 5:3; Ac 3:2; 14:8. to. cwlo,n the lame leg(s) Hb 12:13. 12:13 ejktraph (verb, aorist, passive, subjunctive, 3rd, singular, from evktre,pw) mid. and pass. turn, turn away 1 Ti 1:6; 5:15; 2 Ti 4:4; avoid 1 Ti 6:20. For Hb 12:13 turn away is possible, but be dislocated is perhaps better. 12:13 ijaqh (verb, aorist, passive, subjunctive,3rd, singular, from iva,omai) a deponent verb, whose present, imperfect ivwmhn, future iva,somai, and 1 aorist middle ivasa,mhn have an active significance, but whose perfect passive i;amai, 1 aorist passive iva,qhn, and 1 future passive ivaqh,somai have a passive significance (cf. Krüger, sec. 40, under the word; (Veitch, under the word; Buttmann, 52 (46); Winer’s Grammar, sec. 38, 7 c.)); (from Homer down); the Septuagint for ap'r'; to heal, cure: tina, Luke 4:18 R L brackets; 5:17; 6:19; 9:2 (here T WH omit; Tr brackets the accusative), Luke 9:11,42; 14:4; 22:51; John 4:47; Acts 9:34; 10:38; 28:8; passive, Matt. 8:8,13; 15:28; Luke 7:7; 8:45; 17:15; John 5:13 (Tdf. avsqenw/n); and Acts 3:11 Rec.; tina avpo, ti,noj, to cure (i. e. by curing to free) one of (literally, from; cf. Buttmann, 322 (277)) a disease: passive, Mark 5:29; Luke 6:18 (17). tropically, to make whole i. e. to free from errors and sins, to bring about (one’s) salvation: Matt. 13:15; John 12:40; Acts 28:27 (from Isa. 6:10); passive, 1 Pet. 2:24; James 5:16; in figurative discourse, in passive: Heb. 12:13. [Thayer] 12:15 evpiskopou/ntej (participle, present active, nominative, masculine, plura, from evpiskope,w) to look upon, inspect, oversee, look after, care for: spoken of the care of the church which rested upon the presbyters, 1 Pet. 5:2 (T WH omit) (with th,n evkklhsi,an added, Ignatius ad Rom. 9, 1); followed by mh, (which see II. 1 a.) equivalent to Latin caveo, to look carefully, beware: Heb. 12:15. (Often by Greek writings from Aeschylus down.) [Thayer] 12:15 u`sterw/n (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from u`stere,w) 1. Active, “to be u[steroj i. e. behind; i. e. a. to come late or too tardily” (so in secular authors from Herodotus down): Heb. 4:1; to be left behind in the race and so fail to reach the goal, to fall short of the end; with avpo, and the genitive indicating the end, metaphorically, fail to become a partaker: avpo, th/j ca,ritoj, Heb. 12:15 (others render here fall back (i. e. away) from; cf. Winer’s Grammar, sec. 30, 6 b.; Buttmann, 322f (276f) cf. sec. 132, 5) (Eccl. 6:2). b. to be inferior, in power, influence, rank, 1 Cor. 12:24 (where L T Tr WH passive, u`steroume,nw|); in virtue, ti, e;ti u`sterw/; in what am I still deficient (A. V. what lack I yet (cf. Buttmann, sec. 131, 10)), Matt. 422 19:20 (Sir. 51:24; i[na gnw/| ti, u`sterw/ evgw,, Ps. 38:5 (Ps. 39:5); mhdV evn a;llw| mhdeni, me,rei avreth/j u`sterountaj, Plato, de rep. 6, p. 484 d.); mhde,n or ouvde,n followed by a genitive (depending on the idea of comparison contained in the verb (Buttmann, sec. 132, 22)) of the person, to be inferior to (A. V. to be behind) another in nothing, 2 Cor. 11:5; 12:11. c. to fail, be lacking (Dioscorides (100 A. D.?) 5, 86): John 2:3 (not Tdf.); e[n soi (T WH Tr marginal reading se (cf. Buttmann, as above)) u`sterei/, Mark 10:21. d. to be in want of, lack: with a genitive of the thing (Winer’s Grammar, sec. 30, 6), Luke 22:35 (Josephus, Antiquities 2, 2,1). 2. Passive to suffer want (Winer’s Grammar, 260 (244)): Luke 15:14; 2 Cor. 11:9 (8); Heb. 11:37 (Sir. 11:11); opposed to perisseu,ein, to abound, Phil. 4:12; ti,noj, to be devoid (R. V. fall short) of, Rom. 3:23 (Diodorus 18, 71; Josephus, Antiquities 15, 6, 7); evn ti,ni, to suffer want in any respect, 1 Cor. 1:7, opposed to plouti,zesqai evn ti,ni, 1 Cor. 1:5; to lack (be inferior) in excellence, worth, opposed to perisseu,ein (A. V. to be the worse ... the better), 1 Cor. 8:8. (Compare: avfustere,w.) [Thayer] 12:15 r`i,za (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from r`i,za) 1. root a. lit. Mt 3:10; 13:6; Mk 4:6; 11:20; Lk 3:9. b. fig. Mt 13:21; Mk 4:17; Lk 8:13; Ro 11:16–18; 1 Ti 6:10; Hb 12:15. 2. shoot, scion Ro 15:12; Rv 5:5; 22:16. [English derivative: rhizome, underground rootlike stem] 12:15 pikri,aj (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from pikri,a) bitter gall, equivalent to extreme wickedness, Acts 8:23; r`i,za pikri,aj (references as above), a bitter root, and so producing bitter fruit, Heb. 12:15 (from Deut. 29:18, the Alexandrian LXX manuscript), cf. Bleek at the passage; metaphorically, bitterness, i. e. bitter hatred, Eph. 4:31; of speech, Rom. 3:14 after Ps. 9:28 (10:7). (In various uses in the Septuagint (Demosthenes, Aristotle), Theophrastus, Polybius, Plutarch, others.) [Thayer] 12:15 fu,ousa (participle, present, active, nominative, feminine, singular, from fu,w) 1. to beget, bring forth, produce; passive, to be born, to spring up, to grow: Luke 8:6,8; 2. intransitive, to shoot forth, spring up: Heb. 12:15 (Winer’s Grammar, 252 (237). Compare: evkfu,w.. [Thayer] 12:15 evnoclh/| (verb, present, active, subjunctive, 3rd, singular, from evnocle,w) to excite disturbance, to trouble, annoy, (evn, in a person); in Greek writings followed by both tina and ti,ni; passive with avpo, ti,noj, Luke 6:18 T Tr WH; absolutely of the growth of a poisonous plant, figuratively representing the man who corrupts the faith, piety, character, of the Christian church: Heb. 12:15 from Deut. 29:18 after manuscript Alexandrian LXX which gives evnoclh/| for evn colh,, which agreeably to the Hebrew text is the reading of the Vaticanus manuscript (Gen. 48:1; 1 Sam. 19:14, etc.) (Compare: parenocle,w.) [Thayer] 12:15 mianqw/sin (verb, aorist, passive, subjunctive, 3rd, plural, from miai,nw) 1. to dye with another color, to stain: evle,fanta foi,niki, Homer Iliad 4, 141. 2. to defile, pollute, sully, contaminate, soil (the Septuagint often for aMeji): in a physical and a moral sense, sa,rka (of licentiousness), Jude 1:8; in a moral sense, to,n sunei,dhsin, to,n nou/n, passive Titus 1:15; absolutely, to defile with sin, passive ibid. and in Heb. 12:15; for ayjix/h,, Deut. 24:6(4); in a ritual 423 sense, of men, passive John 18:28 (Lev. 22:5,8; Num. 19:13,20; Tobit 2:9). (Synonyms: miai,nw, molu,nw: according to Trench (N. T. Synonyms, sec. xxxi.) miai,nw to stain differs from molu,nw to smear not only in its primary and outward sense, but in the circumstance that (like English stain) it may be used in good part, while molu,nw admits of no worthy reference.) [Thayer] 12:16 po,rnoj (noun, nominative, masculine, singular, from po,rnoj) one who practices sexual immorality, a fornicator 1 Cor 5:9–11; Eph 5:5; 1 Ti 1:10; Hb 12:16; Rv 22:15. 12:16 be,bhloj (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular, from be,bhloj) 1. accessible, lawful to be trodden; properly, used of places; hence, 2. profane, equivalent to lxo (i. e. unhallowed, common), Lev. 10:10; 1 Sam. 21:4; opposed to a[gioj (as in (Ezek. 22:26); Philo, vit. Moys. iii., sec. 18): 1 Tim. 4:7; 6:20; 2 Tim. 2:16; of men, profane i. e. ungodly: 1 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 12:16. (Often in Greek writings from Aeschylus down.) (Cf. Trench, sec. 101.) [Thayer] 12:16 brw,sewj (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from brw/sij) 1. eating Ro 14:17; 1 Cor 8:4. As a general term for consuming, b) may mean corrosion or a destructive insect or worm Mt 6:19f. 2. food lit. Hb 12:16; fig. J 6:27, 55. 12:16 avpe,deto (verb,aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd singular, from avpodi,dwmi) to give up or back, restore, return, ti, tini Hom., Att.: esp. to render what is due, to pay, as debts, penalties, submission, Il.; avpÅ tini. lw,bhn to give him back his insult, i.e. make atonement for it, Ib.; avpÅ avmoibh,n tini Theogn., etc. 2. to return, render, yield, of land, evpi. dihko,sia avpodou/nai (sc. karpo,n) to yield fruit two hundred-fold, Hdt. 3. c. inf. to suffer or allow a person to do a thing, avpÅ tisi. au.tonomei/sqai Thuc., etc.:-so in Pass., o` lo,goj avpedo,qh auvtoi/j right of speech was allowed them, Aeschin. 4. to render so and so, avpÅ th.n te,ryin bebaiote,ran Isocr. 5. to deliver over, give up, as a slave, Eur.; avpÅ evpistolh,n to deliver a letter, Thuc. 6. lo,gon avp. to render or give in an account, Lat. rationes referre, Dem.: to give an account of a thing, Eur. 7. avpÅ o[rkon, v. o[rkoj. II. intr. to increase, much like evpidi,dwmi iii, h'n h` cw,rh evpididw/| evj u[yoj kai. avpodidw/| evj au;xhsin Hdt.;-unless here it means the contrary, if the land increase in height and decrease in productiveness. III. Med. to give away of one’s own will, to sell, Hdt., Att.; avpÅ ti evj+Ella,da to take to Greece and sell it there, Hdt.; avpÅ tou/ eu`ri,skontoj to sell for what it will fetch, Aeschin.: at Athens, to farm out the public taxes, Dem. [Liddell-Scott] The word was rendered “yield” in 12:11 12:16 prwtoto,kia (noun, accusative, neuter, plural, from prwtoto,kia) the birthright of the oldest son, right of primogeniture Hb 12:16. 12:17 mete,peita (adverb from mete,peita) afterward Hb 12:17. 12:17 qe,lwn (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, singular, from qe,lw) 1. wish of desire, wish to have, desire, want Mt 20:21; Mk 10:43; Lk 5:39; J 9:27; Ro 1:13; Gal 4:20. Js 424 2:20. ti, qe,lw how I wish Lk 12:49. ti, qe,lete poih,sw u`mi/n; what do you want me to do for you? Mt 20:32. 2. wish, will of purpose or resolve, wish to do Mt 20:14; Mk 3:13; J 6:21, 67; Ac 18:21; Ro 7:15f, 19f; 2 Cor 8:10; Col 1:27; Rv 11:5. ouv qe,lw I will not Mt 21:30 v.l. 3. ti, qe,lei tou/to ei=nai what does this mean? Ac 2:12; cf. 17:20; Lk 15:26 v.l. 4. take pleasure in, like Mt 27:43; Mk 12:38; Lk 20:46; Col 2:18. 5. maintain 2 Pt 3:5. [English Derivative: monotheletism, mo,noj + qe,lein] 12:17 avpedokima,sqh (verb, indicativem, aorist, passive, 3rd, singular, from avpodokima,zw) to reject on scrutiny, to reject for want of qualification, Hdt., Att.:-generally, to reject as unworthy or unfit, Plat., Xen. Hence avpodokimaste,on. [Liddell-Scott] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 12:16 Note the elided verb ginomh/ (should become) or h/ (should be). D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 12:17 Birthright. A birthright is whatever might be passed on to a child (a male heir in Near Eastern tradition), usually, but not always, upon the death of the father. Paul’s Roman citizenship came to him through his father. It was his by virtue of being born to a Roman citizen. Birthrights often included property. But when we speak of the birthright we are speaking of the well-established tradition that normally applied to the firstborn son. The birthright included not only a double share of property, but the right to bear the family name and be its head (and in the case of the godly line, exercise the office of priest on behalf of the family). The Old Testament has a case in which the birthright was forfeited for sin (Genesis 49:4 cf. I Chronicles 5:1) and a case in which it was sold (cf. Genesis 25:30-31). In the latter case, that of Esau, the author of Hebrews is not primarily interested in the transaction per se, but the profane attitude underlying the “sale,” and it’s irrevocable nature. The transfer of the birthright was usually the prerogative of the father, and was perhaps not always irrevocable. But Esau’s was, because from the divine perspective it involved apostasy, renunciation of the free and unmerited blessing for a meal, of the holy for the profane, of the spiritual for the fleshly. Cross References: Cf. Genesis 25:27-34; 27:1-40 Numbers 14 cf. Hebrews 4:9-12 Hebrews 6:4-6 425 Hebrews 10:26 E. TRANSLATION 12:12 Wherefore, strengthen the weakened hands and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight the paths for your feet, in order that the lame should not be disjointed but rather healed. 14 Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord, 15 watching diligently lest any man be failing of the Grace of God; lest some root of bitterness springing up might excite disturbance, and the many should be stained, 16 lest anyone should become a fornicator or a worldly person like Esau, who, for one meal, repudiated the birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, also wishing to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no sufferance from his repentance, though he sought it with tears. F. EXPOSITION 12:12 “Wherefore, strengthen the weakened hands and the feeble knees, . . .” The introductory word “wherefore” tightly binds what is to follow to what has just been said. Discipline seems unpleasant for the moment, but later yields “the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” Wherefore steel yourselves against discipline and make it work for you. Indeed, “strengthen the weakened hands and the feeble knees” on the point of giving way beneath the load of grief and seeming hopelessness of extended discipline. Hands and legs are figures of work and walk. The hands are pictured as hanging helplessly at the side and the knees are presented as enfeebled or exhausted from a difficult walk after Jesus with nothing but frustrated hopes, the threat of persecution, and the growing hostility of the Jewish community to show for it. But the readers are enjoined to “strengthen” these weakened hands and feet. 12:13 “ . . . and make straight the paths for your feet, . . .” Furthermore, they are to be receptive to the discipline they are enduring by heeding it and in fact, reenforcing it. They are to eliminate or ignore paths that run to sin and bad habits. They are to avoid going where there is likely to be sin or trouble. They are, as Paul says, to “make no provision for the flesh.” They are to walk the straight and narrow. 12:13 “ . . . in order that the lame should not be disjointed . . .” The “lame” are the Jewish Christians to whom the author has addressed this book. They are having trouble with their “walk.” A crooked path, negotiated by the lame will quickly put knees and ankles out of joint. Anyone who has had the misfortune to walk on uneven, crooked, treacherous terrain after having walked all day long, has experienced the uncertainty of, and the worry accompanying, each step. Soldiers know this. The point of the discipline they are to endure and embrace is to prevent spiritual disaster. The lame are precisely those who feel the discipline the most keenly, the ones closest to surrender. Those most hotly tempted to return to the Jewish traditions. 426 12:13 “ . . . but rather healed.” A straight, even, smooth path, even if walked for hours, does not produce added tension on the joints but allows them to heal by not further inflaming them or by exerting unnecessary stress on them. It is the use of the word “healed” in this context that demands that the translation “disjointed” be used instead of “turned out of the way,” or “turned aside,” neither of which requires to be healed. Verses 12 and 13 expand the idea from verse 11 that “discipline does not seem pleasant.” 12:14 “Pursue peace with all men . . .” This is commensurate with all biblical teaching about the relationship of man to neighbor. Here, it includes peace without compromise with others in the Jewish community. “Peace” here answers to the “peaceable fruit” of verse 11. 12:14 “ . . . and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord, . . .” Young translates the essential word of the clause “separation;” KJV translates it “holiness;” ASV translates it “sanctification.” These three are synonyms. As we have noted, holiness is nothing but being set apart for special use, although a moral implication attaches to the word in Christian works giving it a sense of quality. Separation emphasizes the key feature of not being a part of the profane world or the profane usage to which things may be put. It clearly denotes the manner in which the quality is attained and maintained. Sanctification seems to ring with both. The admonition does not pertain to the eternal sanctification in Christ, but the day to day life separated from the world and unto godliness that all Christians are to exhibit. Peace and sanctification are not options, they are of the very essence of visible Christianity. The author is speaking about Christian life, not about abstract doctrine. Whatever the specifics of the trials and temptations of the Hebrews may have been, they called forth the admonition to peace and sanctity. No matter how scary things may have become, they were neither to exhibit bellicose behavior, nor to compromise with the world. This peace with all men and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord” expands the expression “the peaceable fruit of holiness” in verse 11. 12:15 “ . . . watching diligently. . .” literally “overseeing,” from which we derive the term episcopal, invites the body of believers, at least the stronger among them, to see to it that discipline has its proper result. This is not addressed to the pastors alone, or to the deacons or elders. It is addressed to the readers. They are, in short, to be their brothers’ keepers. The point of watching carefully is to forestall any tendency that might compromise or nullify such peace and sanctity. 12:15 “ . . . lest any man be failing of the Grace of God; . . .” To “fail” of the Grace of God (KJV) should certainly cause concern within the body of believers. The ASV has “fall short” of the Grace of God.” In any case it seems plain that it ultimately involves failure of obtaining the final goal and fullness of the promised salvation. One cannot escape the finer nuances of the earlier admonition in this regard found in Hebrews 3:12-15; 427 “Beware, brothers, lest perchance there arise in any of you an evil heart of disbelief in withdrawing from the living God. But exhort one another throughout each day, while it is still called “today” lest any of you should be hardened by the deception of sin (for we have become partakers of Christ if only we retain the beginning of our confidence firmly until the end); while it is said ‘today, if you shall hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion’.” The notion of “falling short” of the Grace of God, or falling behind, implies a failure to “keep pace with the grace being shown. Again, the Israelites in the Desert offer examples of just such failure. 12:15 “ . . . lest some root of bitterness springing up might excite disturbance, . . .” In the case of the Hebrews following Moses, it was several times mentioned that there arose “murmurings” against Moses. 12:15 “ . . . and the many should be stained, . . .” The major English versions translate the word “defiled.” Defilement seems to fall into two categories, permanent and transitory. Sexual defilement seems to have carried permanent effects, whereas ceremonial defilement either passed with time (one day, seven days, etc) or required ceremonial cleansing. The overriding purpose of the book of Hebrews as well as the immediate context calls for a permanent condition. The word used is for dying or staining material. It is true that John 18:28 uses the term as a temporary condition, but Titus 1:15 gives us a pretty clear example of how it might best be understood. Being stained, so far as man is concerned, is a permanent condition. God only can change what is permanent. It is the need of a recurring picture or illustration of such a divine transaction that resulted in the notion of the ceremonial uncleanness which required a divine cleansing. Salvation and sanctification are cases of God overcoming our otherwise permanent state of defilement. Alas, apostasy is the picture of those who prefer to return to their permanent stain or state of defilement, from which even God will not again rescue them. This is the state the author wishes his readers to avoid, and it is the focus of the example of Esau that follows. Taking these warnings in order, we may say that pursuing peace and sanctification will also entail “watching diligently” lest there be any who do not keep pace with God’s grace, who “fall short” of it, or “fail” of it. For as soon as a cause of discontentment arises, such people begin to “murmur.” And soon, this erupts into a widespread “root” of bitterness that excites a considerable disturbance, and at last “stains many.” Thus far, watching diligently may serve to catch and correct a condition which if left unattended will result in loss. Exodus 15:22-24, 16:2-3, 17: 3, 6-7, 32:8-10, Numbers 14:22-24 and Deuteronomy 29:18 show these same phenomena, and they culminate with divine judgment and loss. For these cases, like that warned against by the author of Hebrews, progressed beyond forgiveness. 12:16 “ . . . lest anyone should become a fornicator or a worldly person like Esau, . . .” The two types we are to avoid becoming are the fornicator and the worldly person. The fornicator may be taken literally as one who engages indiscriminately in sexual immorality without remorse. Or it may be taken figuratively as an idolater, exhibiting his lack of faithfulness not so much in sexual encounters, 428 but in pursuing and coveting creations rather than the Creator. The Old and New Testament are full of both the literal and the figurative use of the term. The essential feature, the reason the term may be used so easily for both literal and figurative applications, is the lack of faithfulness. Any sexual behavior between two people who are not biblically married to each other, even fornication, is unfaithfulness. Thus the faithless “fornicator” is one who pursues or worships an unworthy entity. The word translated “worldly” is the antonym of the word “holy” (be,bhloj vs. a[gioj). The implication is not that Christians never do wrong, or engage in worldly activity, but that he is not to be characterized as such. He is not to be seen as one who makes no distinction between the Kingdom and the World; he is to be separated from the world in thought always, and in practice perpetually, knowing that lapses are likely. One might almost say that while a fornicator is unfaithful in one or more idolatries, a worldly person sees no other alternative than the way of the world. If the world says theft is permissible in order to meet one’s needs, or that sexual gratification is to be gained in any way one wishes, or that the ills of the world can be made right through political means, or that economics holds the only hope for a just world, or that science is the way to a better future, the worldly or profane person acquiesces and lives accordingly, never questioning the wisdom of the world. The worldly person has no understanding of or care for the holy, the profane no use for the sacred. And such a person was Esau. 12:16 “ . . . who, for one meal, repudiated the birthright.” The earliest MSS of Hebrews did not have the pronoun “his” attached to the birthright. It is important to realize that Esau disdained not merely his birthright, but the birthright – the very concept of primogeniture – for which he felt himself in no need. When it is remembered that the head of the family exercised the office of priest for the members of the family until the day when the Aaronic priesthood was instituted the spiritual nature of the birthright is apparent. Obviously Esau cared nothing for that. Perhaps he thought it was silly, or for mama’s boys. But it certainly it was not for him. Nor did the fact that his line was to be the line of Him who would “bruise Satan’s head” (Genesis 3:15) or the one who would “bless the earth (Genesis 12:3) mean anything to him. All that mattered to the “man’s man” was that he was hungry, and there was a mamma’s boy cooking at the stove. What did all that religious stuff matter when he was hungry? 12:17 “For you know that afterward, . . .” It is paramount in not mistranslating this verse to emphasize this clause. The author is not going to pull out a slightly different implication or application to this well known Old Testament story; he is only going to relate the (already well known facts) of his choosing so as to make his point. The salient point being made is based upon an event that happened “afterward,” or “later,” that is, after his repudiation of the birthright. The birthright was his by tradition. It was freely bestowed. He did nothing to earn it, or merit it. It was his. Thinking it but a little thing, he repudiated it for a single meal. But “afterward, . . .” 17 “ . . . also wishing to inherit the blessing, . . .” as once he would have received by default, was now beyond his reach. Cf. ASV “ . . . when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing . . .” 429 17 “ . . . he was rejected, . . .” This is the sad end of “falling short of” or “failing the Grace of God” and being overcome by some “root of bitterness” if they go uncorrected. The warning is clear: renouncing what you have been given, whether by tradition or by God, results in rejection just as Esau did, . . . 17 “ . . . for he found no sufferance from his repentance, . . .” The verse becomes easier to handle and needs no paraphrasing, if we but get one word right. That word is usually translated literally as “place.” But in this passage, it is obvious that a literal translation is not possible, for repentance is not a physical thing, and hence has no physical place. The meaning must be metaphorical. Seeking a word that does justice to the text, is in exact compliance with the well known story, and does no violence to the metaphorical meaning of the word “place,” we find a few likely candidates. These include reception, chance, toleration, and sufferance. Of these, sufferance is probably the best, although substituting the others one by one gives a very good picture of the psychological and ethical situation encountered by Esau. The Oxford English Dictionary defines sufferance as: “ n. 1 absence of objection rather than genuine approval; toleration. 2 archaic, patient endurance. 3 archaic, the suffering or undergoing of something bad or unpleasant.” Esau found his father to be confused, but unwilling to show sufferance. Isaac did not show so much as an “absence of objection.” Indeed, he told Esau that “I . . Have blessed him . . . yea, and he shall be blessed.” Using the words mentioned above we can say that Esau “found no reception from [his] repentance; he found no chance, no toleration, from repentance.” Repentance was utterly useless for him, for he had forfeited what was his by default and without merit. The ASV has the right idea concerning the role of the father, but mistakenly makes the act of repentance his, rather than the son’s, and must fall back on paraphrase. The NIV does the same thing. The KJV translates it literally, and fails to do justice to the genitive case of “repentance,” as does the NASV. Both the RSV and the NRSV simply deny that repentance took place. It should be noted that the condition of repentance, whether in Hebrew (to turn back) or Greek (to change one’s mind), had plainly been met in the case of Esau. His problem was not that he was unrepentant, but that it was too late for repentance to avail anything with his father. The present translation treats “place” as metaphorical, and can thus treat the genitive (“from repentance”) as a genitive and not as a dative, and completely eliminates the need to supply words to the text. Cf the versions above. 17 “ . . . though he sought it with tears.” That is, he sought the blessing of the birthright, with tears. The tears of the favorite son gained him nothing from his doting father after the blessing had been bestowed on another. Repentance does not regain privilege or standing once rejected. Apostasy is irremediable. A review of Hebrews 3:8-14, 6:4-6, and 10:23-26 will help put this passage in its proper perspective. It is worth noting that Hebrews 3:12-14 makes the points that apostasy is a disbelief that is demonstrated by withdrawing from an established relationship with God, that believers are to exhort one another . . . lest any . . . should be hardened by the deception of sin, and that the relationship must be maintained in order to become fully efficacious. 430 Hebrews 6:4-6 emphasizes the fact that the apostates had been true Christians, but that, having renounced their faith, their salvation is forever lost. Hebrews 10:23-26 again emphasizes unwavering faith, provoking one another to love, the irremediable status of apostasy. The emphasis here is on the process of apostasy. It is illustrated in the hardened hearts and the Grieved God in Hebrews 3:8-10, and the permanence of renunciation in 3:11. Apostasy begins with those who are saved, and have experienced the work of God when they become dissatisfied with some aspect of life. It becomes visible when some dissatisfaction becomes a “cause” for murmuring and open strife with God. These phenomena can be remedied. They can be addressed by watchful Christians, who may exhort and encourage. But if the following step is the open repudiation of the relationship with God there no longer exists any means of recovering it. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS It bears reiteration that while Hebrews was, in its early chapters, concerned to demonstrate that there was “a better way,’ or that Jesus was “the better way,” it did so only because at least some of the Jewish Christians addressed were themselves on the verge of apostasy, or were at least somewhere on the road to becoming apostate. It is the possibility of apostasy that required the author to remind the readers why Jesus was the “better way.” Because Jesus is the better way, there is nothing to gain by ‘turning back,” or “standing down” (apostasy). Indeed, everything will be irretrievably lost by doing so. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL The New Testament did not have a clearly established doctrine of apostasy. There are exhibited in the New Testament a number of admonitions to continued faithfulness and avoidance of renunciation of Christian beliefs and practices. A clear doctrine of apostasy was developed somewhat later, and was generally restricted to deliberate renunciation of the Christian faith and life. We therefore encounter difficulty when perusing the New Testament in search of the standardized doctrine of apostasy. we either limit it to renunciation of faith, or we read it into (or out of) other contexts. What we see in the New Testament is a variety of situations that may be characterized as resignation or abandonment. We can go a long way to understanding the New Testament perspective on defection by noting two things. The first, and most terrifying, is the fact that such departure is irremediable. It is not only renunciation of Christian faith that is irremediable. For example, in the case of Esau, we are not speaking of apostasy in the restricted sense of desertion of belief, but of an abandonment of a position of privilege. Such cases are treated by such words as the Greek terms parapipto [parapivptw], and aphistemi [ajfivsthmi]. 431 The second is that apparently such defection may take place either on the part of individuals, or by groups of people. The actual word apostasy (Greek apostasia [ajpostasiva]) occurs but twice, in acts 21:21 and in second Thessalonians 2:3. In both cases a major defection by a group of people is the concern of these passages. In such cases, fellowship may be restored to the group, but only at a later date, when the original agents of the apostasy are gone. This is seen particularly in the call of God to the Hebrews to the promised land. Israel’s apostasy resulted in forty years of wandering in the desert until all the guilty parties were dead. Only then could Israel be restored and the promises once again held forth. These Greek terms within the contexts in which they are found, speak of willful desertion, defection, resignation, or departure from the way of life for belief. One cannot abandon or reject a mode of life he wants excepted without becoming an apostate from the perspective of that mode of life. In many situations such a defection may be viewed as temporary, and therefore remediable. An ardent baseball fan may get married and have children and renounce his former life of hanging on every pitch of every game. When he retires, however he may return without penalty to the life of being a baseball fan. No harm no foul. But we are warned repeatedly in the strongest language possible to avoid abandoning the things of God which admit of no restitution, correction, or remedy. We should be especially on our guard against making the physical, the here and now, the satisfaction of our appetites secondary to spiritual pursuits or maintenance. Sacrificing our spiritual well-being, or spiritual blessings for physical or temporal satisfaction is another application of pearls before swine. I. PARAPHRASE 12:12 So, strengthen the weakened hands and feeble knees, 13 and make straight the paths for your feet, in order that the lame should not become disabled but rather be healed. 14 Seek peace with all men and the moral separation without which no man shall see the Lord, 15 being always watchful lest anyone should fall short of God’s grace, then some root of bitterness overshadowing the one might excite disturbance, and the many should be stained, 16 and someone should become a fornicator or profane, like Esau, who, for one meal, relinquished the birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, wishing to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no acceptance from his repentance, though he sought it with tears. 432 FIFTY FOURTH PERICOPE (Heb 12:18-24) 12:18 Ouj gaVr proselhluvqate yhlafwmevnw/ kaiV kekaumevnw/ puriV kaiV gnovfw/ kaiV zovfw/ kaiV quevllh/ 19 kaiV savlpiggo" h[cw/ kaiV fwnh'/ rJhmavtwn, h|" oiJ ajkouvsante" parh/thvsanto mhV prosteqh'nai aujtoi'" lovgon: 20 oujk e[feron gaVr toV diastellovmenon, Ka]n qhrivon qivgh/ tou' o[rou", liqobolhqhvsetai: 21 kaiv, ou{tw foberoVn h\n toV fantazovmenon, Mwu>sh'" ei\pen, [Ekfobov" eijmi kaiV e[ntromo". 22 ajllaV proselhluvqate SiwVn o[rei kaiV povlei qeou' zw'nto", jIerousalhVm ejpouranivw/, kaiV muriavsin ajggevlwn, panhguvrei 23 kaiV ejkklhsiva/ prwtotovkwn ajpogegrammevnwn ejn oujranoi'", kaiV krith'/ qew'/ pavntwn, kaiV pneuvmasi dikaivwn teteleiwmevnwn, 24 kaiV diaqhvkh" neva" mesivth/ jIhsou', kaiV ai{mati rJantismou' krei'ttona lalou'nti paraV toVn {Abel. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 12:18 yhlafwme,nw|. External evidence strongly supports the reading yhlafwme,nw| without o;rei (î46 a A C 048 33 (81) vg syrp copsa, bo eth al). Moreover, the diversity of position of o;rei in the witnesses that read the word (it stands before yhlafwme,nw| in 69 255 462 syrh, and after it in Dgr K P Y 88 614 1739 Byz Lect) suggests that it is a scribal gloss derived from ver. 22. [Metzger] 12:24 P46 and a few others have krei'ttona whence the (probably better) reading “better things.” We have retained this reading. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 12:18 proselhluvqate (verb, perfect, active, indicative, 2nd, plural, from prose,rcomai) come or go to, approach 1. lit. Mt 4:3, 11; 5:1; 9:14; 24:1; Mk 6:35; Lk 23:52; J 12:21; Ac 9:1; Hb 12:18, 22. 2. fig. a. of coming to a deity Hb 4:16; 7:25; 10:1, 22; 11:6; 1 Pt 2:4. b. agree with, accede to 1 Ti 6:3. 12:18 yhlafwmevn (participle, present, passive, dative, neuter, singular, from yhlafa,w (feel (about for), touch, handle, grope after Lk 24:39; Ac 17:27 (yhlafh,seian 1 aor. act. opt. 3 pl.); Hb 12:18; 1 J 1:1. 12:18 kekaumevnw (participle, perfect, passive, dative, neuter, singular, from kaiw, ) 1. light something, have or keep something burning lit. Mt 5:15; Lk 12:35; J 5:35; Hb 12:18; Rv 8:8, 10; 21:8. Fig. Lk 24:32. 2. pass. be burned J 15:6; 1 Cor 13:3 v.l. [English derivative: caustic] 12:18 gnovfw (noun, dative, masculine, singular, from gno,foj) darkness Hb 12:18. 433 12:18 zovfw/ (noun, dative, masculine, singular, from zo,foj) gloom Hb 12:18; in the nether regions, hell 2 Pt 2:4, 17; Jd 6, 13. 12:18 quevllh (noun, dative, feminine, singular, from qu,ella) storm, whirlwind Hb 12:18. 12:19 savlpiggo" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from sa,lpigx) trumpet 1. the instrument itself 1 Cor 14:8; Hb 12:19; Rv 1:10; 4:1; 8:2, 6, 13; 9:14; Mt 24:31 v.l. 2. the sound made by the instrument, trumpet call, (sound of the) trumpet Mt 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Th 4:16. [English derivative: salpinx, a Eustachian or a Fallopian tube] 12:19 h[cw/ (noun, dative, masculine, singular, from h=coj) sound, tone, noise Ac 2:2; Hb 12:19. Report, news Lk 4:37. 12:19 rJhmavtwn (noun, genitive neuter, plural, from r`h/ma) 1. that which is said, word, saying, expression Mt 12:36; Mk 9:32; Lk 2:17, 50; J 5:47; 6:68; Ac 2:14; 28:25; Ro 10:8, 17; 2 Cor 12:4; Eph 6:17; Hb 1:3; 12:19; Jd 17. Threat Ac 6:13. 2. thing, object, matter, event Mt 18:16; Lk 1:37, 65; 2:15, 19, 51; Ac 5:32; 10:37; 13:42; 2 Cor 13:1. 12:19 parh/thvsanto (verb, aorist, middle, indicative, 3rd, plural, from paraite,omai) 1. ask for, request, intercede for Mk 15:6. Excuse e;ce me parh|thme,non consider me excused Lk 14:18b, 19; cf. 18a. 2. decline a. reject, refuse 1 Ti 5:11; Tit 3:10; Hb 12:25. b. reject, avoid Ac 25:11; 1 Ti 4:7; 2 Ti 2:23. c. beg Hb 12:19. 12:19 prosteqh'nai (infinitive, aorist, passive, from prosti,qhmi) 1. add, put to a. gener. Mt 6:27; Mk 4:24; Lk 3:20; 12:25; Ac 2:41, 47 v.l.; 5:14; 13:36; Gal 3:19; Hb 12:19; pass. be brought Ac 11:24. b. in accordance with Hebrew usage p) is used as a paraphrase for again, further, etc. prosqei.j ei=pen parabolh,n again he told a parable, or he proceeded to tell a parable Lk 19:11. Cf. 20:11f; Ac 12:3; Mk 14:25 v.l. 2. provide, give, grant, do Mt 6:33; Lk 12:31; 17:5. [English derivative: prosthesis] 12:20 diastellovmenon (participle, present, passive, accusative, neuter, singular, from diaste,llw) mid. order, give orders Mk 5:43; 7:36; Ac 15:24; pass. to. diastello,menon the command Hb 12:20. 12:20 qhrivon (noun, nominative, neuter, singular, from qhri,on) (wild) animal, beast lit. Mk 1:13; Hb 12:20; Js 3:7; of animal-like beings Rv 11:7; 13:1ff; 20:4, 10. Fig. of persons, beast, monster Tit 1:12. [English derivative: therianthropic, qh,rion + a;nqrwpoj; theriomorphic, q) + morfh,] 12:20 qivgh (verb, aorist, active, subjunctive, 3rd, singular, from qigga,nw) touch Col 2:21; Hb 11:28; 12:20. 12:20 liqobolhqhvsetai (verb, future, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from liqobole,w) throw stones at Mt 21:35; Mk 12:4 v.l.; Ac 14:5. Stone (to death) Mt 23:37; Lk 13:34; J 8:5 v.l.; Ac 7:58f; 434 Hb 12:20. 12:21 fantazovmenon (participle, present, passive, nominative, neuter, singular, from fanta,zw) make visible, pass. become visible, appear to. fantazo,menon sight, spectacle Hb 12:21. 12:21 [Ekfobov" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular, from e;kfoboj) terrified Mk 9:6; Hb 12:21. 12:21 e[ntromo" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular, from e;ntromoj) trembling Lk 8:47 v.l.; Ac 7:32; 16:29; Hb 12:21. 12:22 muriavsin (noun, dative, feminine, plural, from muria,j) myriad (ten thousand) lit., as a number Ac 19:19. A very large number, not exactly defined, pl. myriads Lk 12:1; Ac 21:20; Hb 12:22 ; Jd 14; Rv 5:11; 9:16. 12:22 panhguvrei (noun dative feminine singular from panh,gurij) festal gathering Hb 12:22. [English derivative: panegyric] 12:23 prwtotovkwn (adjective, genitive, masculine, plural, from prwto,tokoj) firstborn—1. lit. Mt 1:25 v.l.; Lk 2:7; Hb 11:28.—2. fig. of Christ Ro 8:29; Col 1:15, 18; Hb 1:6; Rv 1:5; 2:8 v.l.—Of people Hb 12:23 . 12:23 ajpogegrammevnwn (participle, perfect, passive, genitive, masculine, plural, from avpogra,fw) register, record Lk 2:1, 3, 5; Hb 12:23. 12:23 teteleiwmevnwn (participle, perfect, passive, genitive, masculine, plural, from teleio,w) 1. complete, finish, accomplish, bring to its goal, perfect J 4:34; 5:36; Ac 20:24; Hb 2:10; 5:9; 7:28. —Make perfect J 17:23; Hb 9:9; 10:1; 11:40; 12:23; Js 2:22; 1 J 2:5; 4:12, 17. —Spend Lk 2:43. Fulfill J 19:28.—Pass. reach one’s goal Lk 13:32. 2. consecrate, initiate Phil 3:12; such passages as Hb 2:10; 5:9; 7:28 may perhaps be classed here. 12:24 rJantismou' (noun, genitive, masculine, singular, from r`antismo,j) sprinkling Hb 12:24; 1 Pt 1:2. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 12:18 The participle yhlafwmevnw/ is used as a substitute for a verbal adjective. [Blass-Debrunner] This is a figure of speech known as Antimereia. [Bullinger] The participle does not have an object here, and the major versions, many commentators, and even Bullinger, cited above, supply the word “mountain” on the basis of the word being used in the contrast beginning in 12:22. But the sense of the passage is that “you have not arrived at anything perceptible, such as a kindled fire, etc.” The reference to Exodus 19-20 remains the same, and what follows is still in contrast to these items. But 435 the point of contrast in not Mount Sinai and Mount Zion; The contrast is between the sensible, physical, temporal, earthly condition exhibited on Mount Sinai and that to which the Hebrew readers have come, i.e., “the heavenly Jerusalem.” The contrast between the seen and unseen, the temporal and the eternal, the earthly and the heavenly have been the burden of the entire book. Here, we revisit the contrast between what we have, and take as normative, i.e., our earthly pilgrimage, and the City of God, which was introduced in 11:10,16 and is seen again in 13:14. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION The historical background for this pericope is to be found in Exodus 19 – 20, and Deuteronomy 4:9- 13; 5:22. There, Moses met with God on Mount Sinai and the Israelites experienced a wide variety of phenomena resulting from that meeting. There the Law was received. And there, the Israelites became involved in idolatry. It cannot be coincidental that the author contrasts the earthly phenomena associated with Sinai and the Law after having pointed out that the Israelites failed to find God’s rest (Hebrews 3:11, 18; 4:1-11), for he has disparaged the old economy at every step. Here, it could not have been forgotten that the Israelites failed in precisely the same way being contemplated by the readers of Hebrews. The Israelites committed apostasy within an earthly economy. This background implicitly warns the readers not to make the same mistake with regard to this new, heavenly, economy. In the next pericope the warning implicit here becomes the subject of discussion. E. TRANSLATION 12:18 For you have not arrived at a palpable place, and a kindled fire, and darkness and gloom, and tempest, 19 and blare of trumpet, and the sound of words such that those hearing desired that not another word be added to them. 20 For they could not bear being enjoined that “if even a beast should touch the mountain it shall be stoned.” 21 And so fearful was the appearance that Moses said “I am exceedingly terrified and trembling.” 22 But you have arrived at Mount Zion and the city of the living God, Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and to a judge, the God of all men, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 and to a mediator of a new covenant, Jesus, and to blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than Abel. F. EXPOSITION What remains of Chapter 12 summarizes and recapitulates the teaching of the Epistle to this point. This pericope begins by reminding the readers of a tragic part of Jewish history, and by way of contrast recapitulates some of the major points made elsewhere in the epistle. The implicit warning against apostasy is clear, but is made explicit in the next pericope of chapter 12. Doctrine and argument alike end between 12:18 and 12:29. 436 Notice that the word and connects the items of a list of things from which the definite article is missing. This serves the purpose of providing a set of general characteristics, rather than specific occurrences. It is true that these items all were recorded as having taken place at Sinai. But it is not particular mountains themselves that are contrasted, but the general characteristics of the tangible and the heavenly. “Ye are not brought face to face with any repetition of the terrors of Sinai; but ye are even now still standing in a heavenly presence, not material but spiritual, not manifested in elemental powers but in living hosts, not finding expression in threatening commands but in means of reconciliation, inspiring not fear but hope. Yet, it is implied that the awfulness of the position is not less but greater than that of the Israelites.” [Westcott, p. 412 f.] 12:18 “For you have not arrived at a palpable place, . . .” As noted above in the section on Textual Criticism, the word translated “mount”, or “mountain,” is missing from P46 and other good texts and when it appears, does so in various locations. Clearly the passage refers to Exodus 19 and the terrifying scene at Mt. Sinai. However, the text does not intend to contrast the mountains per se, but the qualities of the two mountains. Given the occasional repetition of the contrast between the earthly and the heavenly throughout the epistle, as well as the wording of the present clause, it is unthinkable that the contrast is not between the terrifying earthly realities in which the Israelites of Exodus lived and the blissful, heavenly rest to which the readers of Hebrews had come. The Israelites had literally come to a palpable place. The Greek word is a passive neuter participle, indicating something that can be handled, felt, or “groped after.” The term plainly refers to nothing but that which is sensible, tactile, palpable, or tangible. Everything in the list that follows shares this characteristic. 12:18 “ . . . and a kindled fire, . . .” A kindled fire, is certainly palpable, and in Exodus 19 that empirical quality was used to prevent the Israelites from approaching God. The kindled fire worked to produce a sense of dread and fear because it was palpable. For the palpable (and fearful) use of the word “fire,” see Exodus 19:18 and cf. Hebrews 1:7, 10:27, and 11:34. 12:18 “ . . . and darkness and gloom, and tempest, . . .” For the Darkness, see Exodus 19:16f, 20:21Deuteronomy 4:11, 5:22. The list continues with additional items that are palpable. It is true that gloom might aptly be considered a psychological state, but it is equally true that such a state can be produced by physical realities such as the Israelites experienced at Sinai. Both “darkness” and “tempest” are certainly palpable qualities. 12:19 “ . . . and blare of trumpet, . . .” as seen in Exodus 19:13,16 and 19, was audible, and hence an item of empirical perception. 12:19 “ . . . and the sound of words such that those hearing desired that not another word be added to them.” The experience is related in Exodus 20:19. The words were audible, and their content clear and terrifying. 437 The phrase the “sound of words” is a phrase from Deuteronomy 4:12. 12:20 “For they could not bear being enjoined that ‘if even a beast should touch the mountain it shall be stoned’.” A contrast begins here. The Israelites were here associated with the beasts of their earthly livelihoods. They were to be treated no better or worse than their beasts. This will be answered by the Church of the firstborn, who are in company with the angels and the redeemer. 12:21 “And so fearful was the appearance that Moses said “I am exceedingly terrified and trembling.” It is worth noting that the fear affected first the people, and then Moses. It is ironic that God had taught Pharaoh and the Egyptians to fear Him by means of the judgments He sent upon their land, yet Moses and the Israelites had to be taught the lesson separately at Sinai. 12:22 “But you have arrived at Mount Zion . . .” The term translated “arrived at” (12:18,22) is of a common and unexceptional verb. But in the perfect tense, it constitutes the form from which we get the term proselyte. The notion boarders upon the sense that “you have not been converted to” the earthly, “but you have been converted to” the heavenly. . .” In the LXX the pattern is invariably Mount Zion, not, as here, Zion Mountain. This may well be the authors attempt to warn his readers that even here he is not speaking of a literal mountain. The place called Sinai is not mentioned, but is represented only by its palpable characteristics, and Zion is mentioned with the words in a unique order. Again, the contrast is not between Mt. Sinai and Mt. Zion, as earthly mountains, but of the scenes of contrasting economies, the earthly and the heavenly. The author is not speaking about there or here, but about those qualities as opposed to these qualities, i.e., terror or grace. The description of “heavenly” Mt. Zion follows immediately. The mountain represents the foundation (cf. Hebrews 11:10) of which “the City of God, heavenly Jerusalem,” in the next clause, provides the structure of God’s residence. 12:22 “ . . . and the city of the living God, Heavenly Jerusalem, . . .” The phrase the living god, would have reminded the Hebrew readers of the admonition given them in Hebrews 3:12 “Beware, brothers, lest perchance there arise in any of you an evil heart of disbelief in withdrawing from the living God.” The context was that of the rebellion and apostasy of the Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt, but were unable to enter God’s rest. The first occurrence of the phrase, in 3:12, pictures what the apostates failed to gain. The present context pictures what the Hebrew readers have, in principle, already gained. The contrast is instructive not least in the reminder of the earlier admonition. “Heavenly” – Hebrews 3:1, 6:4, 8:5, 9:23, 11:16. There is a remarkable development of thought regarding the concept of the heavenly. In Hebrews 3:1 the readers are said to be partakers of a “heavenly calling,” a phrase implying a contrast. The contrast is between the earthly house over which Moses was the superintendent, and the House of Christ, “which house we are.” Our heavenly calling is to be the house of Christ. In 6:4 f. we are warned that turning away from the heavenly gift, 438 once accepted and experienced, is irremediable apostasy. In 8:5, in language reminiscent of Platonism, the priesthood and sacrifices of Israel are said to correspond to “a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” In 9:23 it is set forth that “the copy” must be cleansed by earthly means, whereas “the heavenly” requires a better means, “a better sacrifice,” – that of The Christ. The word city is first introduced in 11:10. Abraham is said to have “awaited the city that has the foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” In 11:16, that city is called “the city of the Living God.” Here it is given a new identity, “heavenly Jerusalem.” The contrast throughout has been between the heavenly and the earthly, but the culmination of the teaching places us in the “heavenly Jerusalem.” Mountain and city provide a pair of complementary terms. 12:22 “ . . . and to myriads of angels in a festal gathering, . . .” The passages dealing with angels are Hebrews 1:4-7, 13, 2:2, 5, 7, 9, 16. Hebrews 1:4-7 shows something of the basis of the relationship between the Angels and the Christ. Angels, traditionally said to have mediated the Law (Deuteronomy 33:2), are pictured as present in huge numbers at the judgment (Daniel 7:9-10) are here said to be in “a festal gathering, reminding the readers of the general atmosphere described in Hebrews 1:6, (cf. Revelation 5:11-12). The presence of angels frequently marked the presence of God. Here, at the consummation of history, just as at the beginning of history, (Job 38:7) we have a scene in which the angels are not agents of awe, but of praise and joy. The RSV, NRSV and NIV ascribe the “festal gathering” to the angels rather than including it in the mention of the Church. Because of the presence of the copula (and) this translation seems preferable; but the case in which both gathering and assembly (church) are applied to the “firstborn” (KJV, ASV, NASV) while not impossible, seems highly unlikely stylistically. Cf. Westcott loc. cit. 12:23 “ . . . and to an assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven . . .” The RSV and NRSV interpret the verse to speak of the Church. The NIV joins the KJV, ASV, and NASV in interpreting it as an assembly. Viewed proleptically, this is not unreasonable. But the vision is of that to which the readers of Hebrews have come, to which they have been converted, which they now possess only in principle. The saints presented there are still disembodied spirits. However, since the vision is explicitly heavenly, and not earthly, understanding the assembly as the Church is permissible. The verse does not purport to teach an eschatological doctrine, and one should not be foisted upon it. It is noteworthy that what is in view here is a fellowship of firstborn sons. They are firstborn because they are, in the words of Paul, “in Christ.” “The angels” and the “firstborn enrolled in heaven,” provides another pair of complimentary terms. On the “enrollment,” cf. Exodus 32:32 f., Psalms 69:28, Isaiah 4:3 and Daniel 12:1. 439 12:23 “ . . . and to a judge, the God of all . . .” This is the literal translation of the clause. The readers are said to be in the presence of “a judge” who happens to be the “God of all things,” and not vice versa. Concerning the “judge,” as the “God of all,” it is worth noting that as the God of all, there is no appeal from His judgments. The readers would have been reminded of the content of Hebrews 10:26-31. 12:23 “ . . . and to spirits of righteous men made perfect. . .” A progression or development of thought, is noticeable in the author’s recurring use of the word “perfect.” Hebrews 2:10 shows us that it was God’s plan “to perfect (i.e., to make perfect) the Captain” of our “salvation through sufferings.” Chapter 5:9 tells us that “having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all the ones obeying Him.” Hebrews 7:19 reminds us that “because the Law perfected nothing (i.e., made nothing perfect) . . . the introduction of a better hope did, through which we,” unlike the Israelites at Sinai, “draw near to God.” Then, in regard to the old economy, Hebrews 9:9 asserts that “both gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot, as pertaining to the conscience, make the worshiper perfect,” but by way of contrast, Hebrews 9:11, tells the readers that Christ, is the “High Priest of the good things coming through the greater and more perfect Tabernacle.” Then, at the climax of “the Faith Chapter, Hebrews 11:40, we are told that “God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they ( the Old Testament heros of faith) should not be made perfect.” It seems likely that these “spirits of righteous men made perfect,” include those referred to in Hebrews 11:40. If so, two observations must be made. First, the “spirits of righteous men made perfect,” refers to the spirits, for they have not yet been clothed with bodies. Therefore, spiritually they are perfect, i.e., at the end for which they were created, but lacking bodies. Second, being perfect in principle only, the implication is that the readers of Hebrews, are also perfect in principle only, but spiritually perfect, nonetheless. This may provide an illustration of Hebrews 6:4-5, where having “once and for all been enlightened – having both tasted of the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and having tasted the good word of God and the coming eternal power” must include the notion of having “been made perfect in principle.” That is, the readers of Hebrews “have arrived,” i.e., are present with the “spirits made perfect.” Hence, the Readers are also perfect in principle. “The Judge . . . of all” and “the spirits of righteous men,” form a third pair of complimentary terms. 12:24 “ . . . and to Jesus, mediator of a new covenant. . .” Here, the personal name Jesus, rather than Christ, is used in reference to the mediator. This is probably because the author already has in mind the blood of the sacrifice in which the new covenant is established. The subject of the mediator is treated in Hebrews 8:6 and 9:15. That of Covenant is introduced in Hebrews 8:6 and treated in detail in 8:7-10. The completion of that of which this was but a sign is seen in Hebrews 10:16, and is followed by the fearsome admonition in 10:29. 440 This is the only place in the New Testament where the term “new Covenant” is used. 12:24 “ . . . and to blood of sprinkling. . .” The blood is treated in Hebrews 9:7-25, and that treatment is assumed when the word is later used instructively in Hebrews 10:4, 19-22, 29 and 11:28. Specifically, the Blood of Christ bears the same relationship to the blood of goats and bulls as reality bears to shadows. It is efficacious, and is symbolized by the temporal, never fully satisfactory, blood of animal sacrifices. 12:24 “ . . . that speaks better things than Abel.” Abel’s blood (Hebrews 11:4 cf. Genesis 4:10) cried out for human vengeance. But the Hebrew readers had just been asked”how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works unto the service of living God?” . . . (Hebrews 10:29.) The blood of sprinkling provided by Jesus called forth divine grace and peace, thus speaking better things. The blood of Jesus and that of Abel form the fourth pair of complimentary terms in this passage. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 12:22 Either those spirits “made perfect” are perfect only in principle, having not received new bodies, or the readers are not truly come,” i.e., have not arrived. But the text makes it clear that the readers of Hebrews “are come to,” (perfect tense) or “have arrived at” the place where others, who are apparently no longer physically alive, are said to have been “made perfect” (also perfect tense). Clearly, possession of a physical body is irrelevant in this context. Clearly, those who have been “made perfect” are so only because they are no longer capable of sin, or worse, of apostasy. Thus, so long as the readers of Hebrews do not commit apostasy, they have, in principle, arrived at the same perfection as those spirits. It has already been noted that “they, without us should not be made perfect.” “They” were made perfect through faith by seeking the heavenly behind the earthly. We are made perfect through faith by being placed in that eternal “assembly,” the Church. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL It is an amazing thing to be counted perfect even while we struggle with the evil impulses that beset our ways every day. It is humbling to think that we might take our place alongside of all those saints who have gone before. It is a matter of great and continuous thanksgiving to be counted among “the perfect.” But it is a matter for keen watchfulness as well, lest we abandon our position, or belittle our savior by uncontrolled, unbridled sin, or failure to curb our impulses to sin. 441 I. PARAPHRASE 12:18 For you have not arrived at a palpable place, a kindled fire, or darkness or gloom, or tempest, 19 or blare of trumpet or the sound of words such that those hearing desired that not another word be spoken to them. 20 For they were unable to bear being told that “if even a beast touches the mountain it shall be stoned.” 21 And so fearful was the appearance that Moses said “I am exceedingly terrified and trembling.” 22 But you are present in principle, at that which is holy, heavenly, and immaterial, the city of the living God, Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels in a festal gathering, 23 and to the Church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven and to a judge, the God of all men, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect 24 and to a mediator of a new covenant, Jesus, and to blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than Abel. 442 FIFTY FIFTH PERICOPE (Heb 12:25-29) 12.25 Blevpete mhV paraithvshsqe toVn lalou'nta: eij gaVr ejkei'noi oujk ejxevfugon ejpiV gh'" paraithsavmenoi toVn crhmativzonta, poluV ma'llon hJmei'" oiJ toVn ajp' oujranw'n ajpostrefovmenoi: 26 ou| hJ fwnhV thVn gh'n ejsavleusen tovte, nu'n deV ejphvggeltai levgwn, [Eti a{pax ejgwV seivsw ouj movnon thVn gh'n ajllaV kaiV toVn oujranovn.49 27 toV dev, [Eti a{pax dhloi' tw'n saleuomevnwn metavqesin wJ" pepoihmevnwn, i{na meivnh/ taV mhV saleuovmena. 28 DioV basileivan ajsavleuton paralambavnonte" e[cwmen cavrin, di' h|" latreuwmen eujarevstw" tw'/ qew'/ metaV eujlabeiva" kaiV devou": 29 kaiV gaVr oJ qeoVs hJmw'n pu'r katanalivskon. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 12:25 ajpostrefovmenoi (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from avpostre,fw) 1. trans. turn away 2 Ti 4:4; remove Ro 11:26; mislead Lk 23:14; return, put back Mt 26:52. In Ac 3:26 the usage may be trans. or intrans. 2. mid. and pass. turn away from, reject, repudiate Mt 5:42; Tit 1:14; Hb 12:25; desert 2 Ti 1:15. [English derivative: apostrophe] 12:26 ejsavleusen (verb, indicative, aorist, active, 3rd, singular, from saleu,w) shake, cause to move to and fro, cause to waver or totter, disturb 1. lit. Mt 11:7; 24:29; Mk 13:25; Lk 6:38, 48; 7:24; 21:26; Ac 4:31; 16:26; Hb 12:26; Rv 6:13 v.l. 2. fig. Ac 2:25; 2 Th 2:2; Hb 12:27. Upset, incite Ac 17:13. 12:26 seivsw (verb, indicative, future, active, 1st, singular, from sei,w) shake, cause to quake, agitate—1. lit. Hb 12:26. Pass. Mt 27:51; Rv 6:13.—2. fig. stir up pass. be stirred Mt 21:10. Tremble 28:4. 12:28 eujarevstw" (adverb from euvare,stwj) adv. in an acceptable manner Hb 12:28. 12:28 eujlabeiva" (noun genitive feminine singular common from euvla,beia) awe, reverence, fear of God Hb 12:28; piety 5:7. 49 ~yIm;V'h;-ta, vy[ir>m; ynIa]w: ayhi j[;m. tx;a; dA[ tAab'c. hw"hy> rm;a' hko yKi hb'r"x'h,-ta,w> ~Y"h;-ta,w> #r 443 12:28 devou" (noun genitive neuter singular common from de,oj) fear, awe Hb 12:28. 12:29 katanalivskon (participle present active nominative neuter singular from katanali,skw) consume Hb 12:29. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 12:27 Note the neuter singular article with the quotation, lit. “the ‘yet once more’.” [Moulton -Greek Grammar, p. 182] 12:27 Notice also in the i{na clause the plural neuter subject (viewed as a collective) has the verb in the singular. [H. W. Smyth, Greek Grammar, para. 958] D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION In the introduction to this work it was mentioned that there almost seems to be a “straight line” from Stephan to Hebrews. So much seems plain by the time we reach the summation here in 12:18-29. We are reminded of those who “rejected the one speaking upon earth,” and wonder if the author had not been present at the stoning of Stephen. Compare Acts Chapter 7 with the main narrative of Hebrews, particularly Acts 7:37-38 (speaking through the fathers and speaking through the Son); 7:39-42 (apostasy) and 7:56 “at the right hand of God” the oft repeated phrase of Hebrews. Hebrews begins in the misty past, and refers to realities of eternity past, in order to establish the prominence of the “Son” as the Christ, and later as Jesus; but it treats some of the earthly “antiquities” as hints at ultimate reality in eternity future. These antiquities deal with overcoming man’s alienation from God on the basis of a covenant He established with “the Fathers” of the readers of Hebrews. The means of this communion with God was revealed by “the voice heard upon earth” through prophet and priest, and the “ultimate reality in eternity future” was heard “from heaven” through the Son. It was God’s voice and became known as God’s word. Until the appearance of the book of Hebrews itself, the readers had only one certain, canonical source from which to hear that word, the Old Testament. What did that voice say that needed here to be summarized? First, let it be noted that Hebrews is not concerned with evangelism, but is fearful of apostasy; its concern is not so much with the unsaved as with maintaining the faith of believers. This is made frighteningly clear from the notice that rejection by those who had once been “partakers” of the truth is literally and eternally unforgivable (Hebrews 6:4-6, but cf. 3:7-12; 10:26-29; 12:17). That which had been spoken “of old through the fathers” and of late had been spoken through His “Son” (Hebrews 1:1 ff), provides the content of the pedagogic portion of the epistle, as well as the 444 contrast between the two. Here, in the summation, this contrast is seen as “the voice who spoke on Earth” and the “voice that speaks from heaven.” The voice is that of Him who is a perfect, sympathetic, merciful, Savior. That “God spoke of old through the fathers” is seen repeatedly in the author’s references to the Old Testament. The voice of God as it came to the fathers bore promises which were to be fulfilled, and pointed to “better things” beyond the temporal. The author is clear in regard to the message of the voice that “spoke through the fathers” and specific in regard to the tragic response of the rejection of that voice by the Israelites, whom God would not allow to enter “into His rest.” On the other hand, several of the “heros of faith” treated in Hebrews 11 were commended precisely because they looked past the temporal to an immutable, future fulfillment of the promises made to them by the voice “heard upon the earth.” Not one of them believed that what he saw was the complete and ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to him (unless, perhaps, it was Enoch). Apparently they saw beyond the temporal manifestations of God’s power, to an ultimate fulfillment not of this temporal order. As much is implied in Hebrews 11:1-2, and mentioned most pointedly in reference to Abraham. The possibility of such a rejection of God’s voice by the readers of Hebrews because of an overweening interest in a purely temporal fulfillment of His promises is the basis of the several warnings regarding apostasy. That “God has now spoken through His son,” explains these “better things” as the realities to which the earthly things pointed. These were specifically the “better” High Priest, the new Covenant, the heavenly tabernacle, the efficacious sacrifice, basic topics (or sermons) that were developed with precisely the same logic. The proper and expected response to the voice was that of trust as exemplified in Chapter 11. Yet the warning against apostasy is sounded again even here, in the summation, when the readers are admonished not to reject the voice that “speaks from heaven” as their fathers had the voice that “spoke upon the earth.” E. TRANSLATION 12:25 See that you do not reject Him who is speaking. For if those having rejected Him who was warning them upon earth did not escape, much more shall we not escape who repudiate Him who warns from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth, but who now has promised, saying “yet once more will I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven. 27 But this phrase “yet once more” indicates a removal of the things being shaken as of things having been created, in order that the things not shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have gratitude, through which we may worship acceptably with reverence and awe. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. 445 F. EXPOSITION This final pericope of chapter 12 contains an implicit summary of the earlier teaching. But it also reiterates the warning that has sounded periodically throughout the epistle. 12:25 “See that you do not reject Him who is speaking.” All the major versions translate the word here rendered reject as refuse. First, such a translation connotes mere disobedience to a command. But as serious as such refusal is, something much more serious is contemplated here, as throughout the epistle, i.e., apostasy. The author writes from a fear that the Jewish Christians are contemplating a return to Judaism, not because he feels some disobedience is afoot. Second, it is not impossible to understand the expression “refuse Him who is speaking” as “do not disobey the one speaking,” but a better case can be made that it is the speaker Himself who is not to be rejected, rather than something He has said or is saying. 12:25 “For if those having rejected Him who was warning them upon earth did not escape, . . .” The same is true here. The text is not speaking merely of disobedience, but of apostasy. Those in the wilderness with Moses had seen the judgment upon Egypt, the miraculous escape from Pharaoh’s army through the sea, and had heard the Voice from Sinai. Yet their repeated denial of God’s wisdom, Moses’ authority, and their continuing doubts and yearning for the earthly blessings of Egypt aroused in God such fierce displeasure that He kept that generation of Israelites from entering “His rest” in the promised land. This fact is decisive in determining that the situation addressed is one of apostasy instead of mere disobedience, or breach of faith. Those can be forgiven; apostasy, as we have seen, cannot. The point of the warning is that if those God led out of Egypt did not escape judgment, neither will those who abandon the new covenant, priesthood, and sacrifice. 12:25 “ . . . much more shall we not escape who repudiate Him who warns from heaven, . . .” One wonders what might need to be escaped. Is it God’s anger, or His judgment? Is it His displeasure, or death? The very use of the word “escape” seems to indicate judgment and death. The death of the Israelites permanently separated from the promise of “God’s rest” provides a temporal picture of the death and separation of those who reject God’s salvation. 12:26 “ . . . whose voice then shook the earth, . . .” Continues the parallelism between the voice having spoken “through he fathers” (cf. 1:1 ff.) and the voice that spoke “through the Son.” This clearly refers immediately to the “voice of words” of v. 19 that were spoken at Sinai.. This was the voice that the Israelites could not bear to hear. 12:26 “ . . . but who now has promised, . . .” The contrast is carried by the word “now.” That is, the voice of God “once shook the earth, “but now,” has promised. 446 12:26 “ . . . saying “yet once more will I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” That is, the next time God’s voice shakes the earth it will also shake heaven. The purpose of this is explained in the following words. 12:27 “But this phrase ‘yet once more’ indicates a removal of the things being shaken . . .” i.e., the next shaking, more extensive than the first, will result in the removal of all things thus shaken. The word here rendered “remove” is usually translated change, or repositioning. The word only occurs three times in the New Testament, all three of them in Hebrews. In Hebrews 7:12 (For a transfer of the priesthood of necessity makes a change of law also), it is translated change. In Hebrews 11:5 (By faith Enoch was translated so as not to see death) it is used of the “translation” (repositioning) of Enoch. Here it means “removed,” as is necessitated by the notion that what is not shaken “may remain.” 12:27 “ . . . as of things having been created, . . .” The notion is quite clearly that the physical universe will be removed or destroyed. It might have come as something of a shock to those who viewed the old priesthood, covenant, sanctuary and sacrifice as of permanent importance to be told that they were nothing but pointers to something else beyond the physical that was, in fact, permanent. 12:27 “in order that the things not shaken may remain.” This is so that what we have called “the eternal realm,” and the “ultimate reality” to which the earthly institutions pointed, may be the only reality. It is important to recognize the fact that the voice that said “yet again I will shake the earth,” was not the voice from heaven, but the voice upon the earth. It was among the prophecies received “from the fathers.” 12:28 “Therefore, receiving an unshakable kingdom, . . .” It is the Kingdom to which the earthly kingdom pointed, that those who persevere receive, now in principle, later (after the “shaking”) in the fullest reality. It is not perishable, for it has survived the “shaking” by God. 12:28 “ . . . let us have gratitude, . . .” Rather than suspicion that they might be missing something in Judaism, or fear that they might undergo persecution, the readers were charged to have grace, or gratitude. It is clearly to be the reader’s answer to the attitude of Christ described in 12:2, wherein Christ “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame . . .” 12:28 “ . . . through which we may worship acceptably with reverence and awe.” But just as important as the gratitude is in itself, it with the accompanying humility, is the basis for our worship. Such worship, it has long been forgotten by our age, is done in reverence and awe, not by means of rock-‘n’-roll and false familiarity. 12:29 “For our God is a consuming fire.” The notion of our God ensures the readers that it is still the same God they worshiped as Jews. One God spoke “upon the earth.” It is the same God that now speaks from heaven, despite the wide differences that exist between the earthly and the heavenly realities that have been treated. 447 God as a consuming fire is a quotation from Deuteronomy 4: 23, and that is taken up by the prophet at Malachi 4:1. In Deuteronomy 4:24 it is recorded “ For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (NASV). Remembering the Israelites who followed Moses out into the wilderness, about whom the author has had so much to say, the readers would have remembered, and we may read with profit the preceding verse (23): “So watch yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you (NASV). The words of Malachi 4:1, “‘For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘so that it will leave them neither root nor branch’.” But the readers would have remembered the following verse (v. 2) “But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.” We must remember (because our age has had a tendency to forget) that God is a consuming fire, whose own presence burns up evil. Only then do the blessings that follow faith have the proper balance. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS “Reverence and Awe” should be placed above the doorways leading into our sanctuaries. Worship is not a particularly happy time; nor is it unusually sad. It is merely time spent before the majesty of God. It is not a dance, or a party, or a business meeting. It is worship. What we cannot seem to comprehend is that worship is not about ourselves, and God has told us how we are to worship him. And we refuse. Are we not, in fact, rejecting God in precisely the same way the Children of Israel did in the wilderness? And if that whole concept of worship has been lost on our generation, it is my suggestion that we do what we must to rediscover it. It is one of the areas of theology in which our society has been so thoroughly dumbed down that we do not realize it has happened. But failure to recover it is sheer rejection of God’s pattern. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL veneration It is unusual that the theological importance of a verse also supplies the subjective importance. But “Reverence and Awe” is intended to describe the inner status of the worshiper, his basic psychological profile in reference to his God. It is true that we can “be happy in the Lord.” There is a time for upbeat “praise’ the happiness of the believer should know no bounds. But in the formal worship service, it is good that he center his attention on Him in whom his happiness is based, and upon the horrendous price that was paid for it. One should not merely pass over the suffering of Christ on the cross, nor forget that His divine “Father” watching as sinners mercilessly abused Him. One might justly wonder whether such glib “worshipers” are really saved or have ulterior motives in being in the service. At the very least we must ask how the ugly magnitude of what happened at 448 Calvary has escaped them. And just because He was resurrected, and just because it was all “according to plan,” does not give us license to forget that such miseries still occurred to the very most perfect and least deserving being who ever lived. “Let us have gratitude, indeed. And let it either produce in us “Reverence and Awe” during the worship service, or let us stay home and eat toast. I. PARAPHRASE 12:25 See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those having refused Him who was warning them upon earth did not escape, much less shall we escape who repudiate Him who warns from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth, but who now has promised, saying “yet once more will I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” 27 But this phrase “yet once more” indicates a removal of the things being shaken as of things having been created, in order that the things not shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, receiving an imperishable kingdom, let us have gratitude, through which we may worship acceptably with reverence and veneration. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. 449 FIFTY SIXTH PERICOPE (Heb 13:1-7) 13:1 JH filadelfiva menevtw. 2 th'" filoxeniva" mhV ejpilanqavnesqe, diaV tauvth" gaVr e[laqovn tine" xenivsante" ajggevlou". 3 mimnhv/skesqe tw'n desmivwn wJ" sundedemevnoi, tw'n kakoucoumevnwn wJ" kaiV aujtoiV o[nte" ejn swvmati. 4 Tivmio" oJ kakoucoumevnwn ejn pa'sin kaiV hJ koivth ajmivanto", povrnou" gaVr kaiV moicouV" krinei' oJ qeov". 5 jAfilavrguro" oJ trovpo": ajrkouvmenoi toi'" parou'sin: aujtoV" gaVr ei[rhken, Ouj mhv se ajnw' oujd' ouj mhv se ejgkatalivpw: 6 w{ste qarrou'nta" hJma'" levgein, Kuvrio" ejmoiV bohqov", [kai]V ouj fobhqhvsomai: tiv poihvsei moi a[nqrwpo"; 7 Mnhmoneuvete tw'n hJgoumevnwn uJmw'n, oi{tine" ejlavlhsan uJmi'n toVn lovgon tou' qeou', w|n ajnaqewrou'nte" thVn e[kbasin th'" ajnastrofh'" mimei'sqe thVn pivstin. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 13:6 kai V (braketed) is not present in P46, and so is not translated. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 13:2 filoxeniva" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from filoxeni,a) hospitality Ro 12:13; Hb 13:2. 13:2 ejpilanqavnesqe (verb, imperative, present, middle, 2nd, plural, from evpilanqa,nomai) forget Mk 8:14; Phil 3:13; Js 1:24. Neglect, overlook Lk 12:6; Hb 13:2, 16. 13:2 e[laqovn (verb, indicative, aorist, active, 3rd, plural, from lanqa,nw) to be hidden: Mark 7:24; Luke 8:47; tina, to be hidden from one, Acts 26:26; 2 Pet. 3:5 (on which see qe,lw, 1 under the end), 8; accusative to the well-known classic usage, joined in a finite form to a participle equivalent to secretly, unawares, without knowing (cf. Matthiae, sec. 552 b.; Passow, under the word, ii., p. 18{b}; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, A. 2); Winer’s Grammar, sec. 54, 4; (Buttmann, sec. 144, 14)): e;laqo,n xeni,santej, have unawares entertained, Heb. 13:2. (Compare: evklanqa,nw, evpilanqa,nw (lanqa,nomai).) [Thayer] 13:2 xenivsante" (participle, aorist, active, nominative, masculine, plural, from xeni,zw) 1. receive as a guest, entertain Ac 10:23; 28:7; Hb 13:2. Pass. be entertained, stay Ac 10:6, 18, 32; 21:16; 1 Cor 16:19 v.l. 2. surprise, astonish Ac 17:20. Pass. be surprised, wonder 1 Pt 4:4, 12. 13:3 mimnhv/skesqe (verb, imperative, present, middle, 2nd, plural, from mimnh,|skomai) 1. reflexive remind oneself, recall to mind, remember w. gen. Mt 5:23; 27:63; Lk 24:6, 8; J 2:17, 22; Ac 11:16; 1 Cor 11:2; 2 Ti 1:4. Remember in the sense think of, be concerned about Lk 1:72; 23:42; Hb 2:6; 8:12. 2. pass. be mentioned or be called to remembrance Ac 10:31; Rv 16:19. 450 13:3 desmivwn (adjective, normal, genitive, masculine, plural, from de,smioj) bound, in bonds, a captive, a prisoner (from Sophocles down): Matt. 27:15f; Mark 15:6; Acts 16:25,27; 23:18; 25:14,27; 28:16 (R G), 17; Heb. 10:34 G L T Tr text WH; 13:3; o` de,smioj tou/ Cristou/ VIhsou/, whom Christ, i. e. his truth which I have preached, has put in bonds (Winer’s Grammar, 189 (178); (Buttmann, 169 (147))), Eph. 3:1; 2 Tim. 1:8; Philemon 1:1,9; in the same sense o` de,smioj evn kuri,w|, Eph. 4:1; (cf. Lightfoot on Philemon 1:13). [Thayer] 13:3 sundedemevnoi (participle, perfect, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from sunde,w) bind (with) or imprison (with) Hb 13:3. [Wenglish derivative: syndetic, connecting] 13:4 koivth (noun, nominative, feminine, singular, from koi,th) 1. bed Lk 11:7; marriage bed Hb 13:4. 2. euphemistically for sexual intercourse pl. sexual excesses Ro 13:13. Conception of a child 9:10. 13:4 ajmivanto" (adjective, nominative, feminine, singular, from avmi,antoj) undefiled, pure, unsullied Hb 7:26; 13:4; Js 1:27; 1 Pt 1:4. 13:4 povrnou" (noun, accusative, masculine, plural, from po,rnoj) a man who prostitutes his body to another’s lust for hire, a male prostitute, ((Aristophanes), Xenophon, Demosthenes, Aeschines, Lucian); universally, a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a fornicator (Vulgate fornicator, fornicarius (Rev. 22:15 impudicus)): 1 Cor. 5:9-11; 6:9; Eph. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:10; Heb. 12:16; 13:4; Rev. 21:8; 22:15. (Sir. 23:16f.) [Thayer] 13:4 moicouV" (noun, accusative, masculine, plural, from moico,j) an adulterer: Luke 18:11; 1 Cor. 6:9; Heb. 13:4. Hebraistically (see moicali,j, b.) and figuratively, faithless toward God, ungodly: James 4:4 R G. (Sophocles, Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plutarch, and following; the Septuagint.). [Thayer] 13:5 jAfilavrguro" (adjective, nominative, masculine, singular, from avfila,rguroj) not loving money, not greedy 1 Ti 3:3; Hb 13:5. 13:5 ajrkouvmenoi (participle, present, passive, nominative, masculine, plural, from avrke,w) be enough, sufficient Mt 25:9; J 6:7; 14:8; 2 Cor 12:9. Pass. w. dat. be satisfied or content with Lk 3:14; 1 Ti 6:8; Hb 13:5; 3 J 10. 13:5 ajnw (verb, aorist, active, subjunctive, 1st, singular, from avni,hmi) 1. unfasten, untie Ac 16:26; 27:40. 2. abandon, desert Hb 13:5. 3. give up, stop Eph 6:9 13:5 ejgkatalivpw (verb, subjunctive, aorist, active, 1st, singular, from evgkatalei,pw) 1. leave behind Ro 9:29; leave, allow to remain Ac 2:27, 31. 2. forsake, abandon, desert Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34; 2 Cor 4:9; 2 Ti 4:10, 16; Hb 10:25; 13:5. 13:6 qarrou'nta" (participle, present, active, accusative, masculine, plural, from qarre,w) be 451 confident, be courageous 2 Cor 5:6, 8; have confidence in someone 7:16; (speak) with confidence Hb 13:6; q) ei;j tina be bold toward someone 2 Cor 10:1. 13:6 bohqov" (noun, nominative, masculine, singular, from bohqo,j) helpful, as noun helper Hb 13:6. 13:6 fobhqhvsomai (verb, indicative, future, passive, 1st, person, from fobe,w) 1. be afraid, aor. often become frightened a. intrans. Mt 1:20; 9:8; 17:6f; Mk 5:36; 16:8; Lk 2:9f; 12:4, 7; Ac 16:38; 23:10; Gal 4:11. b. trans, fear something or someone Mt 10:26; Mk 6:20; 11:32; Lk 12:5; 22:2; J 9:22; Ac 5:26; Ro 13:3; Gal 2:12; Hb 11:23, 27, 2. fear in the sense reverence, respect Lk 1:50; 18:2, 4; Ac 10:2, 22, 35; 13:16, 26; Col 3:22; 1 Pt 2:17; Rv 11:18; 14:7; 19:5. 13:7 h`goume,nwn (participle, present, middle, genitive, masculine, plural, from hg` e,omai) 1. lead, guide pres. participle o` h`gou,menoj ruler, leader Mt 2:6; Lk 22:26; Ac 7:10; Hb 13:7, 17, 24. o` h`gou,menoj tou/ lo,gou the chief speaker Ac 14:12. 2. think, consider, regard Ac 26:2; 2 Cor 9:5; Phil 2:3; 3:8; Hb 10:29; Js 1:2; w. di,kaion consider it a duty or responsibility. 2 Pt 1:13. [(English derivatives: hegemony; exegesis] 13:7 avnaqewrou/ntej (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, plural, from avnaqewre,w) properly, `to survey a series of things from the lowest to the highest, German daran hinsehen, längs durchsehen’ (to look along up or through) (Winer’s De verb. comp. Part iii., p. 3); hence, to look at attentively, to observe accurately, consider well: ti, Acts 17:23; Heb. 13:7. (Diodorus Siculus 12, 15 evx evpipolh/j me,n qewrou,menoj ... avnaqewrou,menoj de, kai, metV avkribei,aj evxetazo,menoj; 14, 109; 2, 5; Lucian, vit. auct. 2; necyom. 15; Plutarch, Aem. P. 1 (uncertain); Cat. min. 14; [Thayer] 13:7 e;kbasin (noun, accusative, singular) a way out 1 Cor 10:13; end, perh. outcome, result Hb 13:7. 13:7 avnastrofh/j (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from avnastrofh,) way of life, conduct, behavior Gal 1:13; Js 3:13; 1 Pt 2:12. [English derivative: anastrophe] 13:7 mimei/sqe (verb, present, active, imperative, 2nd, plural, from mime,omai) imitate, emulate, follow, use as a model 2 Th 3:7, 9; Hb 13:7; 3 J 11. [English derivative: mime] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 13:4-5 presses an adjective and two participles into service as imperatives. Verse 4 literally reads “the bed undefiled,” without a verb. Verse 5 reads “things being present sufficient.” [Moule, Idiom Book, p. 179-80.] 13:5 The double negative ouj mhv may or may not be emphatic, although it probably is. [Moule, Idiom Book, p. 157.] The triple negative oujd' ouj mhv will require a positive translation if the first word (oujd') is translated at all. Cf. Deuteronomy 31:6,8, Joshua 1:5. 452 D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some unknowingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the ones in bonds as bound with them, the ones being tormented as also being in the body. 4 Let marriage be respected by all and the bed undefiled, for God will judge prostitutes and adulterers. 5 Let your character be without love of money, being content with the present circumstances, for he has said “I will in no way fail you, neither will I in any way abandon you,” 6 so that being confident we may say “the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid; what will man do to me?” 7 Be mindful of those leading you, whoever spoke to you the word of God, of whom, scrutinizing the outcome/example of their conduct, imitate the faith. F. EXPOSITION The 13th chapter is something like a an appendix to the epistle. The argument of the work ended with chapter 12. Here we have some encouragement and parting personal remarks. As the epistle is written in order to forestall apostasy and the decay of their faith by contrasting the Israelites who fell in the desert for failure to “hear the voice spoken on earth,” with the men of faith who did not fail to exercise faith in the “voice from heaven,” and because of the “better” tabernacle, priest and sacrifice, it can be no surprise that the fundamentals of Christianity must not be abandoned. At the time of the writing of this epistle, the recipients of the epistle had “not yet suffered unto blood,” but there were likely signs that such suffering might not be far in the future. But there had been some form of persecution, however brief (cf. 10:32-34), which may have intensified the impulse to return to the relative safety of Judaism. Having treated of the “better,” the author at last deals with the good that must continue and with other matters. This pericope moves from admonitions involving the widest application of Christian love (neighbors and strangers), to the narrowest relationship of marital love (sexual purity), and from there to the innermost condition of the soul (contentment with what one has). Note that almost all of the editions of major translations (the New English Version being an exception) that arrange the text in paragraphs, attach v. 7 to the following rather than to the present paragraph. But verse 7 clearly belongs here rather than attached to the statement “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today . . .” We have here a long string of practical, or ethical, admonitions. The readers are admonished to: 1. Love their brothers, 2. Be hospitable to strangers, 3. Remember prisoners, 4. Remember the ill-treated, 5. Hold marriage in honor, 6. Keep the marriage bed 453 undefiled, 7. Have no love of money, 8. Be content, 9. And here, to be mindful of those who spoke God’s word to them. It is only with verse 8 that a new section opens, dealing with Jesus Christ and the theological implications of His office. 13:1 “Let brotherly love continue.” This command, in the imperative voice, is the first element of an admonitory pair. The Hebrew readers are not told to love one another, but to continue the practice; apparently they already practiced brotherly love. Yet the verb is in the imperative, as if there were some possibility that such brotherly love might be forgotten under the strains of persecution or cultural unpopularity. Persecution from within the ranks of the Jews had been endured, and almost certainly remained an unpleasant fact of life. But now (after Nero), even the Gentiles might not hesitate to seize upon opportunities to persecute Christians. The notion conveyed by the term “continue” suggests that there may have been a tendency to forget brotherly love in the face of whatever cultural pressures there may have been, but the author seems to use such circumstances to press for continued brotherly love, rather than a lessening of it (cf. 6:10; 10:24-25). 13:2 “Do not neglect hospitality to strangers . . .” The second element of the pair enjoins hospitality to strangers. Hospitality to visitors and strangers was considered a virtue in the Ancient Near East as well as in Greek culture. The negation of the imperative middle voice of the verb, rather than the simple word “remember” implies that hospitality was also becoming less important to the mindset of the readers. Note the correspondence between filadelfiva – love of brother (v. 1) and filoxeniva" – love of stranger = hospitality (v. 2). 13:2 “ . . . for by this some unknowingly entertained angels.” The Biblical precedents for such an admonition can be found in Genesis 18:19; Judges 6:11-24; 13:2-23. But The Greeks also held hospitality to be a religious duty. Strangers were under the protection of Zeus, and there was at least one story of a Greek god in disguise rewarding a mortal for showing hospitality. 13:3. “Remember the ones in bonds as bound with them, . . .” This commences a second admonitory pair. The remembrance here called for is more than prayer, but includes physical help and comfort. Early Christian literature has a number of reports of such help. Prayer for the persecuted and imprisoned has been part of various Church Litanies since the earliest days. [Cf. Apology of Aristides, the account of the martyrdom of Perpetua, and the pagan satire of Lucian, The Death of Peregrinus.] “Bound with them” is a statement of spiritual solidarity in the physical world. The sense is not “as if your were bound with them, but “as actually being bound with them.” Such identification with those who suffer places their plight at the very top of the list of our concerns and demands direct response. This is to be of the kind seen in Hebrews 6:10, and recalls the nature and behavior of Christ as “merciful and faithful in Hebrews 2:17. 454 13:3 “ . . . the ones being tormented as also being in the body.” That is, still in physical bodies, and thus susceptible to physical torment. For “tormented,” or “ill treated,” cf.” maltreated,” Hebrews 11:37. 13:4 “Let marriage be respected by all . . .” A third admonitory pair deals with marriage and sexual misbehavior. It is best interpreted as prescriptive (“let marriage be . . .”) rather than merely descriptive, with KJV (“marriage is . . .”) not the least because of the admonitory character of the greater context. Marriage is the first divinely instituted human relationship and is in no way inferior to celibacy. Such an admonition as we have here may have been necessary partly because of Hillel’s loose interpretation of Jewish divorce laws. But it may also have been occasioned by the Hellenistic Jewish Christians whose pagan notions of sexuality might have been still in evidence, or by the moral temptation occasioned by the larger pagan culture in which the recipients of the letter lived. Would it be so hard to believe that sexual problems might have been a real problem among the readers when Christians in our time follow the tenets of secular humanism like mice after the piper? The KJV reads honored “in all,” as in “honored in all things.” ASV, NASV, and RSV read “among all,” as in “honored among all the addressees (at least). NRV and NIV read “by all,” as in “honored by all the addressees (at least). “In all (things) is far too general to be so tightly tied to the very narrow consideration that follows, i.e., “the bed.” The author is clearly not talking about helping with housework, taking long walks together, and fixing each other’s lunch. He is unambiguously referring to sexual practices, specifically pointing out that every marriage is to be kept in honor by both participants, and that this established relationship is to be kept strictly off limits to all others under all circumstances. One recalls reflexively the teaching about marriage in Genesis and about the sanctity of marriage and the ruinous effects of divorce upon those who dishonor that institution as taught by Jesus. But the admonition includes all marriage, so that each person is to honor not simply his own marriage, but the marriages of every other person. 13:4 “ . . . and the bed undefiled,” . . .” This phrase is what narrows the consideration of marriage to its sexual component. It is tightly coupled with marriage, and partakes of the admonitory character of the verse. Therefore, it is to be interpreted “Let the bed be undefiled.” Marriage is in the singular and even with the article refers to an abstraction of relationship. Here, bed is in the singular, again referring to an abstraction, that of proper sexual behavior. The verse then insists “let marriage be honored (generally) and (specifically) the bed undefiled. Just as the phrase “the bed” narrows the scope of marriage yet remains part of the object of the general sense of admonition, so also the scope of the admonition applies to both parts of it. That is, the bed is to be undefiled “by all.” So the verse, narrowed to its pith means “Let everyone respect the institution of marriage by keeping all marriages pure.” It is not merely a call to keep others out of our beds, but to stay out of the beds of others. 455 13:4 “ . . . for God will judge prostitutes and adulterers.” If the Golden Rule were too difficult to apply to sexual behavior, the author provides another, more compelling reason for honoring marriage. God will judge prostitutes and adulterers, i.e., those who indulge their sexuality outside of marriage (prostitutes) as well as those who defile a marriage, his own or another’s (adulterers). It must be remembered that the Bible always speaks of adultery as sexual impurity within marriage. The word translated “prostitute,” however, is more nebulous, referring to a variety of sexual behaviors outside marriage, and not merely the exchange of sexual favors for money. As a result of the wide use of this word, it is clear that the author of Hebrews echos the teaching both of the Old Testament and of Jesus in insisting that sexual behavior has no other place than within marriage. Sexuality is to be indulged between one man and one woman until death separates them. Nowhere else in the Bible is the teaching so clearly taught in so short a space. 13:5 “Let your character be without love of money, . . .” A fourth admonitory pair commences here. The author passes from the exercise of love in various contexts to the acceptance of outer circumstances. Sexual impurity and covetousness are linked together and strongly condemned by Paul in Ephesians 5:5. Both are examples of self-seeking or selfishness. The Greek, transliterated reads “without love of money the character being content with the present circumstances . . .” Again, we notice the lack of a linking verb. The presence of this text in a list of admonitions allows us to supply an implicit linking verb. It may be indicative or imperative. But an indicative fits this verse even less that it fits 13:4. The imperative neatly fits the verse in the context of admonition, and is consonant with the reason for the admonition which follows in verse5b and 6. Hence “Let your character be without love of money.” The word translated “without love of money” occurs elsewhere in the New Testament only at 1 Timothy 3:3 in relation to those who would be bishops. In spite of the warnings concerning trying to serve both God and Mammon (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13), there were still those who were led astray by love of money and suffered the consequences of their cravings (1 Timothy 6:10). 13:5 “ . . . being content with the present circumstances, . . .” This participial phrase modifies the subject, “character.” The thought, then, is “let your character, being content with your present circumstances, be without love of money.” A seeming difficulty arises because contentment with one’s circumstances is itself antithetical to love of money and covetousness, so an admonition to avoid the love of money for one who is already content with his lot in life seems pointless. This can only be resolved if we understand the present participle (being content) to supply an antithetical phrase as emphasis of the point. The author apparently felt it not enough merely to say “do not love money.” The antithetical modifier supplies the alternative to the admonition, leaving no room whatever for covetousness. 13:5 “ . . . for he has said ‘I will in no way fail you, neither will I in anyway abandon you’50 . . . ,” 50 Deuteronomy 31:6 (cf. Genesis 28:15, Deuteronomy 31:8; Joshua 1:5.) &'b,z>[;y: al{w> ^P.r>y: al{ %M'[i %lehoh; aWh ^yh,l{a/ hw"hy> yKi ~h,ynEP.mi Wcr>[;T;-la;w> 456 According th Westcott, “the exact source of this quotation is not certain.” He notes that there is a statement in exactly this form to be found in Philo (de config. ling. Item 32) although he does not see any reason for supposing that the author of Hebrews was quoting Philo. The quotations cited in the footnote are sufficient to support his contention that the words had “been moulded to this shape by common use.” The double negative translated “in no way,” is easy enough to translate. The second double negative follows the word meaning “neither,” or “and nor,” or better, “nor.” This, in effect, produces a triple negative, and there is no way to bring this into smooth English without rewording it into a negative and a positive. Thus, we translate “neither will I in any way . . .”. The ideas are that God will not release His hold on us or leave us alone to await whatever may occur. 13:6 “ . . . so that being confident we may say ‘the Lord is my helper; . . .’” is God’s promise. As such, we may have confidence without having to trust to our own devices or to money. If we are able to understand that we are in God’s hands, we can go about our daily business without ever having to strive for more money, or better position, or greater power. 13:6 “ . . . I will not be afraid; what will man do to me’?” As Paul puts this notion in Romans 8:31, “if God is for me, who can be against me?” The idea here is that love of money or covetousness ill becomes one whose every strength and blessing resides in God. For such a person, perfect contentment in his present circumstances should be a normal part of his attitude. This quotation of Psalm 118:6 was part of the Jewish thanksgiving and early Christian praise. It would have called to Christian minds “the Stone the builders rejected” found in Psalm 118:22 and the fact that if such a “marvelous thing” was the Lord’s doing” (Psalm118:23), surely He could be trusted to guide and protect us in our present circumstances. 13:7 “Be mindful of those leading you, . . .” That is, think about, dwell upon, and heed those leading you. There is no necessity to understand these people as now being dead (as do some commentators), much less as having been martyred (as do a few commentators). The author has already stated that the addressees had not yet suffered “unto blood;” furthermore, there follow two reasons why “those leading” are either yet alive, or only recently deceased. 13:7 “ . . . whoever spoke to you the word of God, . . .” The first reason is that those “leading” the readers are precisely those who spoke the word of God, whether at their conversion, or repeatedly in the various capacities as teachers or shepherds. These may be either living or recently deceased. 457 13:7 “ . . . of whom, scrutinizing the issue of their conduct, imitate the faith.” The readers are told (in the imperative voice) to “imitate” the ones “leading” them, i.e., whoever they might have been who “spoke the word of God” to them. These were to be scrutinized, looked at attentively, observed accurately, or considered well. No person of the distant past can be seen so thoroughly as a personal acquaintance can be. “[T]here is something in the vivid recollection of a life that we have seen which cannot be conveyed by a record that has come to us by reading or hearing.” [Bruce, p. 395.] This is not a reference to Hebrews 1:1 or to Hebrews 11. What does refer to Hebrews 11 is the fact that the readers are to imitate the faith (or trust) of these leaders only while carefully considering “the issue of their conduct,” as was done by the author in that chapter. The readers were not to imitate the conduct of the ones leading them, but the faith that produced the conduct. The “consideration” the readers are enjoined to give their leaders is precisely the issue of whether the trust preached by the leaders actually resulted in, or issued in behavior consonant with salvation and sanctification. The admonition to “be mindful of those leading you,” is in the present tense. Whoever these people may be, they were alive at the time of the admonition. That they were not is a gratuitous assumption. Because there had, as yet, been no persecution of the Hebrew believers addressed in this epistle (12:4) and the letter had been written before 70 A.D., it is doubtful that very many of the leaders and teachers had died. These had, (aorist tense) “spoken the word of God” to the readers. This is the only verb in the context that is not present tense. Indeed, the readers are told 1. To be mindful of those leading, (present tense, probably an progressive present in which the action is to be habitual into the future), 2. Scrutinize their behavior (present tense, also probably an progressive present), and 3. Emulate their faith (present tense). If we are to understand these teachers as being dead simply on the basis of having spoken the word in the past, we may, with equal justification include all the heros of the faith in chapter 11 in the number of those who “spoke the word of God.” But as 13:17 reminds us, on this interpretation, the object of these verses consists of those living teachers from whom the readers had heard the Gospel message. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 13:1-4 Love is to extend to brothers, strangers, prisoners, and the persecuted. It is to extend to one’s spouse by honoring the institution of marriage and keeping it holy. Love explicitly does not extend to money. Contentment in present circumstances is to mark all Christians. Our cares are outward, toward others, not inward toward any supposed betterment of our lives by more money, or gain (verse 5). 13:7 Mark the behavior of those who teach you, and judge it by the message they preach. Remembering Hebrews 11 as alist of exemplars of faith-as-trust, whose sincere beliefs dictated a very different sort of life for them, let us scrutinize our leaders accordingly. When we find Christianity personified in one or more of our leaders, let us imitate their faith. And as their faith resulted in God’s reaction to their personal situations, so that faith will result in God’s reaction to 458 our personal situations. It is to this character that the author calls his readers in verse 7. They are to scrutinize the character, as revealed in the behavior of those who “spoke the word of God to them” and to infer its cause to be the character of Christ, appropriated by their faith. This faith, not the specific behavior was to be adopted. The same faith reveals the Character of Christ differently in different situations H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL It is interesting to note that not all of these admonitions were followed by reasons for them. Verses 13:2 admonishes us to entertain strangers, because some have thus entertained angels. Verse 13:3 has no reason attached to it. Verse 13:4 admonishes sexual purity, explicitly within marriage, because God will judge prostitutes and adulterers. It might be worth noting here that the word rendered prostitutes is literally male prostitutes, cf. Vocabulary. While this does not mean that female prostitutes are not judged, it does indicate that the words used here cover a very much greater linguistic territory than we may suppose. 13:5-6 It is important to recognize that the admonition about money and contentment is to result in a state of fearlessness because He will not fail us. Not the love of money (which is usually the same thing as an abiding discontent with what God has provided for us) but the state of contentment in which money cannot be the cause focuses our attention on the fact that having God we will always have everything; not having money is usually only to lack a temporal advantage that, having, would only divert our attention from the eternal. I. PARAPHRASE 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not overlook hospitality to strangers, for by this some have unknowingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the ones in bonds as bound with them, the ones being ill treated as also being in the body. 4 Let marriage be highly esteemed by all and see to it that the bed remains undefiled, for God will judge prostitutes and adulterers. 5 Let the manner of life be free from the love of money, being content with what you have, for He has said “I will never let you go, nor will I ever abandon you,” 6 so that being confident we may say “the Lord is my helper; I will not be fearful; what will man do to me?” 7 Be mindful of your leaders, whoever spoke to you the word of God; scrutinizing the example of their conduct, imitate their faith. [Imitate the faith that issued in their godly behavior.] 459 FIFTY SEVENTH PERICOPE (Heb 13:8-9) 13:8 jIhsou'" CristoV" ejcqeV" kaiV shvmeron oJ aujtov", kaiV eij" touV" aijw'na". 9 didacai'" poikivlai" kaiV xevnai" mhV parafevresqe: kaloVn gaVr cavriti bebaiou'sqai thVn kardivan, ouj brwvmasin, ejn oi|" oujk wjfelhvqhsan oiJ peripatou'nte". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 13:9 poikivlai" (adjective, dative, feminine, plural, from poiki,loj) of various kinds, diversified, manifold Mk 1:34; 2 Ti 3:6; Js 1:2; 1 Pt 4:10. W. connotation of ambiguous, crafty, deceitful Hb 13:9. [English derivative: poikilitic, mottled, of rock] 13:9 xevnai" (adjective, dative feminine, plural, from xe,noj) 1. adj. strange, foreign Ac 17:18; Hb 13:9; surprising, unheard of 1 Pt 4:12. x) tw/n diaqhkw/n estranged from the covenants Eph 2:12 . 2. as noun o` xe,noj the stranger, alien Mt 25:35, 38, 43f; 27:7; Ac 17:21; Eph 2:19; Hb 11:13; 3 J 5. Host, one who extends hospitality Ro 16:23. [English derivative: xenophobia] 13:9 parafevresqe (verb, present, passive, imperative, 2nd, plural, from parafe,rw) take or carry away Hb 13:9; Jd 12. Take away, remove Mk 14:36; Lk 22:42. 13:9 bebaiou'sqai (present, passive ,infinitive from ,bebaio,w) to make firm, confirm, establish, secure, warrant, make good, Plat., Xen.; e;rgw| bebaiou,mena things warranted by fact, opp. to avkoh/| lego,mena, Thuc. 2. bÅ ti, tini to secure one the possession of a thing, Id.:-Med. to establish for oneself, to confirm, secure, Id. II. Med. also to secure one’s ground in argument, to asseverate, maintain, make good, Plat. 2. to guarantee a title, Isaeus. Hence bebai,wsij. [Liddell-Scott] 13:9 brwvmasin (noun, dative, neuter, plural, from brw/ma) food, solid food lit. Lk 3:11; Ro 14:15; 1 Cor 6:13; Hb 9:10; 13:9; fig. J 4:34; 1 Cor 3:2. 13:9 wjfelhvqhsan (verb, aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd, plural, from wvfele,w) help, aid, benefit, be of use (to) Mt 16:26; Mk 7:11; 8:36; 1 Cor 13:3; 14:6; Gal 5:2; Hb 4:2. Accomplish Mt 27:24; J 12:19. Be of value J 6:63 ; Ro 2:25. 460 13:9 peripatou'nte" (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, plural, from peripate,w) go about, walk around; 1. lit. walk around, go about, walk, go Mt 9:5; Mk 11:27; Lk 11:44; J 6:19; 1 Pt 5:8; Rv 2:1; 3:4. 2. fig. walk in the sense live, conduct oneself Mk 7:5; J 8:12; Ac 21:21; Ro 6:4; 8:4; 1 Cor 7:17; 2 Cor 5:7; Gal 5:16; Eph 4:1; Col 3:7; 1 Th 2:12; 2 Th 3:6; Hb 13:9; 1 J 2:6; 2 J 4; 3 J 4. [English derivative: peripatetic] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 13:8 The use of polysyndeton (use of “and” to join thins to be considered) emphasizes and encourages us to dwell upon, all three aspects. It is more than merely saying “Christ is always the same;” it is an invitation to consider individually the aspects enumerated. [Bullinger] 13:8 The word aijw’na” is plural but represents a singular, whether translated “age (eternity),” or “world.” [Moulton, vol. 3 (Nigel Turner)] D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and into the ages. 9 Do not be borne away by diverse and strange doctrines, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, by which those practicing (lit. “in which the ones walking”) were not benefitted. F. EXPOSITION Verse 13:8 presents an awkward situation. Most o the versions that are formatted in paragraphs pair verse 8 with verse 7. Structurally, that makes sense. But topically it is not nearly as relevant to verse 7 as it is to what follows. The previous pericope contained a series of statements containing either verbs in the imperative voice or nominal sentences (sentences not having main verbs). These admonished the readers to the ethical ends of Christian faith. In those admonitions that were logically justified, the justification always followed the admonitions. They were as follows: 13:1 Brotherly love (imperative verb), 13:2 Care of strangers (imperative verb), 13:3 Remember prisoners and those mistreated (imperative verb), 13:4 Marriage to be honoured (Nominal sentence), 13:4 Bed to be undefiled (nominal sentence), 13:5 have no love of money (Nominal sentence), 13:7 Remember those who spoke God’s word (imperative verb). These are clearly ethical concerns. 461 Here, the author begins a parenthetical review of the theological teachings involving the office of Jesus Christ and their implications, and the justification for the verses that follow is given first. The sentence of verse 8 may have been suggested by the admonition of verse 7, wherein the readers are admonished to imitate the faith of “those who first spoke the word of God to them,” as it resulted in Christlike behavior. The subject matter of the next seven verses (verses 9-15) is theological in nature. Hebrews 13:8 begins with a nominal sentence and verse 9 begins with an imperative verb. As a segue from the admonition to imitate the faith of the godly, or Christlikeness, seen in verse 7, to that of not being led astray by false doctrine in verse 9, the assertion that Christ (and therefore Christlikeness) never changes is perfect. It allows the Christian to appropriate for emulation the examples of faith of the Old Testament (Hebrews 11) as well as those who “spoke the word of God” to them (Hebrews 13:7). 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, . . .” This is an idiom for “the past and the present.” The author has had much to say about the work of Christ in ages pasts, as the son of God. He assumes that his readers know of the recent work of Christ in his earthly ministry, and he speaks at some length of Christ’s ministry before God on our behalf, known as His “present session,” all of which is bound up in the “profession of Christ” (cf. Hebrews 3:1; 6:1). 13:8 “ . . . and into the ages.” This represents the Hebrew “to the ages” or “to the ages of ages,” but it can also be translated by the term “world” in some contexts (e.g., Romans 12:2). Here, all the things predicated of the Christ throughout the book of Hebrews are represented as being eternal. The character of Christ we have seen in His work in creation, in history, and as the son of Mary, is predicated of Jesus into eternity. As we have seen, it is to this character that the author calls his readers in verse 7. They are to scrutinize the character, as revealed in the behavior of those who “spoke the word of God to them” and to infer its cause to be the character of Christ, appropriated by their faith. This faith, not the specific behavior was to be adopted. The same faith reveals the Character of Christ differently in different situations, just as money can be spent on different things depending on the need. 13:9 “Do not be borne away . . .” An antithesis is formed between imitating the faith of those who “spoke the word of God,” and not being borne away by “diverse and strange doctrines.” This is exactly the opposite of inculcating through faith the character of Christ. 13:9 “ . . . by diverse and strange doctrines, . . .” These are specifically related to Jewish traditions, as the following clause indicates. But if these Jewish Christians were told that the traditional rites and rituals concerning food were diverse and strange,” what might the author have said about our modern cults and doctrines? 13:9 “ . . . for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, . . .” provides the objective counterpart to faith in verse 7. Faith is what man exercises, and is what the readers were to emulate. Grace is the means through which God works on men’s hearts, not foods, or rites. This 462 is not quite so crisp as Paul’s “by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,” (Ephesians 2:8but it is the same message. 13:9 “ . . . by which those practicing were not benefitted.” One scarcely needs to belabor the point that the point of this last clause provides a rough parallel to Ephesians 2:9, “not of works, lest any man should boast.” G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 13:8 is a Christological statement. Jesus, who changed physically as a man, but remained morally sinless, is here linked with the term “Christ” in such a way that he shares the attributes of the Christ, specifically, changelessness. This man Jesus is the changeless Christ about which so many eternal things have been taught throughout the epistle (cf. Hebrews 3:6, 14; 5:5-6; 9:11-15). H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL 13:9 The need is for grace. There is nothing spiritual to be gained by rite, ritual, or diet. That does not mean that grace will not change a man’s outlook and behavior, but the outlook and behavior are the results, not the causes of the heart’s being “established.” We need to be careful not to confuse these two categories. I. PARAPHRASE 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forevermore. 9 So do not be misled by various strange teachings, for it is good that a man character be established by grace, not by ceremonies or foods, by which those who practice them have never benefitted. 463 FIFTY EIGHTH PERICOPE (Heb 13:10-16) 13:10 e[comen qusiasthvrion ejx ou| fagei'n oujk e[cousin ejxousivan oiJ th'/ skhnh'/ latreuvonte". 11 w|n gaVr eijsfevretai zwv/wn toV ai|ma periV aJmartiva" eij" taV a{gia diaV tou' ajrcierevw", touvtwn taV swvmata katakaivetai e[xw th'" parembolh'". 12 dioV kaiV jIhsou'", i{na aJgiavsh/ diaV tou' ijdivou ai{mato" toVn laovn, e[xw th'" puvlh" e[paqen. 13 toivnun ejxercwvmeqa proV" aujtoVn e[xw th'" parembolh'", toVn ojneidismoVn aujtou' fevronte": 14 ouj gaVr e[comen w|de mevnousan povlin, ajllaV thVn mevllousan ejpizhtou'men. 15 di' aujtou' [ou\n] ajnafevrwmen qusivan aijnevsew" diaV pantoV" tw'/ qew'/, tou't' e[stin karpoVn ceilevwn oJmologouvntwn tw'/ ojnovmati aujtou'. 16 th'" deV eujpoii?a" kaiV koinwniva" mhV ejpilanqavnesqe, toiauvtai" gaVr qusivai" eujarestei'tai oJ qeov". A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 13:15 diV auvtou/ @ou=n# Although most witnesses include ou=n (ac A C D2 K 056 0121b 0142 81 88 614 1739 most minuscules vg syrh copsa, bo arm eth al), it is absent from several early and important witnesses (î46 a* D* P Y (itd) syrp). It is difficult to decide whether copyists added the word, which seems to be needed at this point, or whether it was accidentally omitted in transcription (autouou=ana–). In order to reflect the balance of probabilities a majority of the Committee decided to include the word in the text, but to enclose it within square brackets. [Metzger] It appears to us that the insertion of the word “therefore” was a scribal addition for the purpose of providing continuity of thought, as though verse 14 calls for a conclusion. But the verse seems more likely an additional thought parallel to “bearing His reproach.” We will not translate the word. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 13:10 fagei'n (infinitive, aorist, active, from evsqi,w) Excerpt from a long treatment by Thayer: draw their support from the temple, I. e. from the sacrifices and offerings, 1 Cor. 9:13 (but T Tr WH read ta, evk tou/ i`erou/); also evk qusiasthri,ou, I. e. from the things laid on the altar, Heb. 13:10 (Winer’s Grammar, 366 (344)). [Thayer, emphasis added] 13:11 eijsfevretai (verb, present, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from eivsfe,rw) bring or lead (in) Mt 6:13; Lk 5:18f; 11:4; Ac 17:20; 1 Ti 6:7; Hb 13:11; drag in Lk 12:11. 13:11 katakaivetai (verb, present, passive, indicative, 3rd, singular, from katakai,w) burn up, burn down, consume by fire Mt 3:12; 13:30, 40; Ac 19:19; Hb 13:11; Rv 8:7; 18:8; 2 Pt 3:10 v.l. 464 13:12 puvlh" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from pu,lh) gate—1. lit. Mt 16:18; Lk 7:12; Ac 3:10; 9:24; 12:10; 16:13; Hb 13:12.—2. fig. and symbolically Mt 7:13f; Lk 13:24 v.l. 13:13 toivnun (conjunction, coordinating, from toi,nun) inferential particle hence, so, indeed Lk 20:25; 1 Cor 9:26; Hb 13:13; Js 2:24 v.l. 13:13 ojneidismoVn (noun, accusative, masculine, singular, from ovneidismo,j) reproach, reviling, disgrace, insult Ro 15:3; 1 Ti 3:7; Hb 10:33; 11:26; 13:13. 13:15 aijnevsew" (noun, genitive, feminine, singular, from ai;nesij) praise: qusi,a aivne,sewj (dd'ATh; xb;z<, Lev. 7:13), Heb. 13:15 a thank-offering, (A. V. `sacrifice of praise’), presented to God for some benefit received; see qusi,a, b. (ai;nesij often occurs in the Septuagint, but not in secular authors.) [Thayer] 13:16 koinwniva" (noun, genitive, feminine. singular, from koinwni,a) 1. association, communion, fellowship, close relationship Ac 2:42; Ro 15:26; 1 Cor 1:9; 2 Cor 6:14; 13:13; Gal 2:9; Phil 1:5; 2:1; 1 J 1:3, 6f. 2. generosity, fellow feeling 2 Cor 9:13; Hb 13:16; perh. Phil 2:1. 3. sign of fellowship, gift perh. Ro 15:26 and 1 Cor 10:16. 4. participation, sharing 2 Cor 8:4; Phil 3:10; Phlm 6; perh. 1 Cor 1:9; 10:16; 2 Cor 13:13.* [English derivative: koinonia] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 13:10 “We have an altar” in which, by metonymy, the word “altar” actually means that which was sacrificed on the altar. That this is a figurative use of the word altar is seen in the following clause: “where of those who still serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.”since people do not eat alters, but that which is sacrificed thereon, the idea here must be fit. “We have a sacrifice of which those who continue in the tabernacle have no right partake (eat).” But because the sacrifice referred to here is that of the sin offering, of which no one could eat, the clear teaching is that those of the tabernacle could have no part in the sin offering of Christ. They were afforded no access to the benefits of Christ so long as they continued in the service of the tabernacle. This is a reiteration of the authors insistence upon the superiority of the Christian tabernacle, alter, High Priest, and sacrifice of the Christian. The fact that those who insisted on maintaining their relationship to the tabernacle would be highly unlikely to seek fellowship with the Christians, or to participate in the worship service, the point being made here is that they cannot so participate. This is the separation making observant Jews and other non-Christians in eligible for Christian fellowship and worship. [Bullinger] 13:13 toivnun would normally stand behind the first word of a clause, but occasionally in Greek, and particularly in Greek behind which there is a Hebrew mode of expression, the work may stand first, as it does here. 465 D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 13:12 Although the Gospels do not explicitly specify that Jesus was crucified outside the City, the texts imply as much. Both Matthew (27:31) and Luke (23:26) mention that from the place where Jesus was mocked by the Roman soldiers He was “led away,” and Matthew (27:32) also says that “as they came out,” they encountered Simon of Cyrene, (mentioned also in Mark 15:21, and Luke 23:26) whom they compelled to bear the Cross of Jesus. Logically, this “led out” might mean being taken out of the city, it could just as easily mean nothing more than being taken out of the building where He had been so mistreated. But in either case, the “coming out” of Matthew 27:32 most likely refers to a city gate, for Mark 15:21 relates the fact that Simon was “coming in from the field,” and Luke tells us that Simon was “coming in from the country.” It would not have been known or aroused comment had Simon merely been passing by within the city precincts. We get the feeling that Simon was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, that he had just come into the city from the country, and before he knew it, Roman soldiers were making him carry a cross for a condemned man. Apparently he had to turn around and go back the way he came, because the business of the crucifixion was, according to John 19:20 “near the city.” This clearly implies a “gate.” John 19:17 says that He “went out, bearing the cross for himself (ASV)” This, we feel, refers to his exit from the building wherein he had been mistreated by the Roman soldiers. That eve3ntually He was assigned some help with His burden suggests that this was not a short trek, but a longer walk for someone who had already suffered so much. Seems that Jesus let the building bearing His own cross, walked some fair distance, and received help from one coming in from the field. This also clearly implied a “gate.” Both Alfred Edersheim and R. C. Foster cite the Hill just beyond the Damascus gate as Golgotha, Edersheim giving detailed reasons for that location. E. TRANSLATION 13:10 We have an altar from which the ones serving the tabernacle have no authority to eat. 11 For the blood of those lives are brought into the Holy Place by the High Priest on account of sin – whose bodies are burned outside the camp (cf. Leviticus 16:27). 13:12 So also Jesus, in order that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13:13 Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach, 13:14 for we have not here an abiding city, but we seek the one to come. 13:15 Through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips giving thanks in his name. 13:16 But do not neglect benevolence and fellowship, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. F. EXPOSITION 13:10 “We have an altar . . .” here we return to the division of heavenly reality from earthly shadow, 466 of the real from that which points to the real, of the eternal from the temporal. But why the use of figurative language here? This is an excellent example of the application of the hermeneutic principle of asking of the text “why this word?” It is ascertaining “why is this word here?” It is an exercise in determining the mutual modification of the larger text and the given word. So, why does the author use figurative language with reference to our “alter?” First, because he is calling to remembrance the entire spectrum of the quasi-platonic like pattern he has used throughout the epistle. Second, he is summarizing much of his work, so he needs a very general or figurative term. The author was reminding his Jewish-Christian readers of all that he has already said, the gist of which is that we have a better alter and upon that alter we have a better sacrifice. Our alter was, and is the cross. Because the term refers to a means of sacrifice – since that is what alters are for – we are reminded not so much of the altar itself as of the reality-altering sacrifice that took place on that alter. So the author means by this to remind his readers that we have an eternal, propitious, sacrifice in enduring and efficacious blood, that was shed but once, and that instituted a new covenant, none of which was possible under the old covenant, or in the old tabernacle, or by the old High Priest. One might imagine that the Jewish readers would easily have been desirous of returning to the comforts of the well known sacrificial system, while failing to see or remember that Christianity is the result of that final sacrifice. But comfort in rites is no substitute for the reality gained by that final sacrifice. To such perspectives, the author assures his readers that, yes, we in fact do have an alter. And because this statement is to remind the readers of all that has gone before, it sounds like an understatement, even in figurative language. The notion includes (at this point) all sacrifices made upon that altar. And the readers are reminded of all the various results of that sacrifice by remembrance of all to which the old sacrifices pointed. 13:10 “ . . . from which the ones serving the tabernacle have no authority to eat.”. . .” Furthermore, it is not merely that the author does not wish to see any apostasy go forth within the ranks of his Jewish-Christian readers, by admonishing them not to return to a temporal system of signs, he is keen to state in bold terms, that not only do we have an altar, and not only should there be no consideration to returning to the old system, those who remain in the old system have no authority to eat from our (Christian) sacrifice. Specifically the priests and functionaries of the tabernacle were without sanction in the Church. It may have been just this statement, and others like it, that eventually led to the complete separation of the Christians from the Jews. It is as if the author is telling his readers that the time of calling themselves Jews has passed, and that being Christian is to be a member of a completely different system, to which the old system could do no more than point. The outstanding sacrifice will be treated next by the narrowing of the topic to the sacrifice for sin. The word translated “authority,” also means “right,” or “license.” Those who did not become Christians, but wished instead to remain in traditional Judaism have no sanction to partake of the Christian sacrifice, nor hope of sharing the results thereof. In effect this adds to the warning to the 467 readers not to return to Judaism, the notion that the Jews have no business in a Christian meeting, and no understanding of the Christian doctrine constitutes a “double separation. Neither are the Jewish-Christian readers to return from the reality to the pointer, nor may those who will not leave the system of pointers avail themselves of the advantages of Christianity. This too, has wider implications. For today we see the world incarnate in many of our “churches.” It is so bad that it is difficult in some cases to see anything particularly Christian in some of these bodies. 13:11 “For the blood of those lives . . .” Another hermeneutic exercise is obvious here, one that the translators of the major versions have not remembered. The word here rendered “lives”means “living being.” The KJV, ASV, NASV, RSV hijacked the word “bodies” from a later clause and leave the word zwv/wn untranslated altogether. The NIV does the same thing in a slightly different way. We must ask the text before us “why is this word here?” Clearly it evokes the teaching of Leviticus 17:10-14 concerning the fact that ‘the life is in the blood,” and no man is to eat the blood of a sacrificed animal, perhaps because God expects to not partake of animal life. This teaching is not brought to mind by any of our great translations. 13:11 “ . . . is brought into the Holy Place by the High Priest on account of sin . . .” The contrast is clear. It is between the blood of the living as opposed to the lifeless bodies. The picture is that life (as present in the blood) must be shed sacrificially for sin. Whatever body no longer has blood may be eaten, or burned. 13:11 “ . . . – whose bodies are burned outside the camp.” (cf. Leviticus 16:27).in the case of the sacrifice for sin on the day of Atonement the bodies of the sacrificed animals are not eaten, neither by the people, nor even by the High Priest. Of this particular sacrifice nothing at all is eaten by anyone. The blood, which is forbidden to all, is sprinkled on the altar, and the lifeless bodies are hauled outside the camp and burned, flesh, bones, and dung (cf. inter alia Exodus 29:14, Leviticus 4:11). 13:12 “So also Jesus, in order that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, . . .” Here the perfect and eternal is juxtaposed with the temporal tabernacle. Again, the life is in the blood, and it was poured out upon our alter. If the parallel of the Cross to the Old Altar seems less than perfect because the usual sin offering of the Tabernacle was slaughtered within the tabernacle, while our Sacrifice was crucified “outside the gate,” it might be remembered that the Red Heifer was a sort of sin offering (purification), and it was slaughtered outside the camp and tabernacle. 13:12 “ . . . suffered outside the gate.” Again the parallel of the new and perfect reality to the old and imperfect pointer. The Christian is symbolically both to eat Christ’s flesh, and drink His blood. Why? The priests of the old tradition were not allowed to ingest the blood in any sacrifice, but were to eat the meat of certain sacrifices. Perhaps it is just the point that no aspect of the sacrificial system of the tabernacle could effect anything permanent, was a mere pointer to what was to come. And because it involved only animals it was in no way to be viewed as perfect. We, on the other hand, 468 were told by our Sacrifice Himself that we were to eat His flesh and drink His blood, in remembrance of Him. This symbolizes to Christians the communion service. We put on his body and partake of his life. This too, is symbolic of what our lives are to be in our daily living. If the sacrifice of Jesus was the ultimate realization of all the signs and symbols in the Old Testament sacrificial system, Christian communion signifies that there are no more barriers between God and man, and that believers enjoy symbolically a position and intimacy undreamed of by the High Priests down the centuries. 13:13 “Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, . . .” The figure changes slightly here, but the admonition to separation remains. We are to “go outside the camp,” because that is where our altar is. It is no longer in the temporal and failing tabernacle, but in heaven, and in the person of our sacrifice. 13:13 “ . . . bearing his reproach, . . .” This “reproach” has two aspects. First, the messiah was rejected by His own people, the nation that was prepared specifically for His appearance. It would be impossible to gauge the height and depth of such insult, particularly for such a lovely and loving person as Jesus. But the second aspect was even worse. For He was not only rejected, he was forced out of the very city for which he had wept so recently, where he was not only put to the ultimate death of an incorrigible criminal, but was placed between two genuine miscreants and made a spectacle. This same Messiah bid his followers to “take up your cross and follow me.” This is not a topic for happy, trendy sermons, and we hear little of it today. But the early Christians were under no illusions as to what this meant, or might come to mean under the right set of circumstances. We might well wonder, as the unregenerate do, why would someone want to follow such a potentially deadly, but in any case unpopular path. 13:14 “ . . . for we have not here an abiding city, . . .” Here where? Inside the gate! This is by definition, the earthly city, whatever city is under consideration. The Christian goes forth outside the gate of the city, because he recognizes the city’s impermanence. To the unregenerate, the city is normal, and culture reigns. They are at ease among fellow citizens, co-religionists, kindred spirits and material blessings. For the unregenerate, the city has always represented the highest achievement of mankind. And we may agree. But the unregenerate is satisfied there and the Christian is not. The Christian is seeking something better. But for the Christian, the City is morally, spiritually and culturally synonymous with the World. In the text before us city represents first and foremost Jerusalem, as the city that persecuted the prophets, and crucified its messiah, the city that preferred its institutions to its God and had settled down to serious worldliness. For it was the comfort of this city and its comfortable institutions and community to which the author sensed the tendency of his Jewish-Christian readers to apostatize. But by such extension as is often granted by abstractions, generalizations, signs and symbols, we may include whatever else is at home in this World, Jewish or Gentile, religious or political, social 469 or cultural, in short all that is comfortable and seems good, but which is at its, very best, nothing more than a mere shadow of God’s city, for which Abraham sought. Two further points of interest bear upon this clause. First, the original Tabernacle, as Moses oversaw it, was “outside the camp.” Whatever the camp represented (and it is highly unlikely that permanence was part of it!) one had to “go outside the camp” to “meet” God, or to worship Him. Second, the “gate” was part of a city, which was itself an attempt at permanence by men. The term “camp” is used in both verses 11 and 13, bracketing the word “gate” of verse 12, and appearing in the same sort of semantic structure. It is interesting that the word “gate” should appear in this context at all. Speaking figuratively, as the author has been doing, he might have said the same thing using the word camp in verse 12. The word “gate,” then is not figurative, but literal, and one cannot but wonder if its presence is not a tacit warning to the readers against apostasy especially because a return to Judaism would not only entail trading the reality for the sign, but because Israel herself had ceased to be wandering aliens in the world, and instead becoming settled citizens of the World. Herein is a definition of Christian apostasy. We are bidden to depart from the city (the World) and go forth outside the camp, there to share and bear the “reproach” of our Savior. Apostasy is that re- adoption of the old frame of mind in which the life and ways of the city (the World) are again deemed to be more important than the savior. Apostasy is re-approaching the gate and seeking readmittance. It is the abandonment of the search for “the city that has the foundations.” 13:14 “ . . . but we seek the one to come.” That is, the “the city of the living God,” (12:22), the “city that has the foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (11:10). The quality sought cannot have any residue of sin nor reside in anything that suffers from the passage of time. Christians will always be, and ought to feel, alien to this world, and be in constant anticipation of the coming city for which they seek. 13:15 Through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, . . .” As if in answer to a contemporary charge that Christians have no sacrifices (the very essence of a good many religions of the Mediterranean and ancient Near Eastern world) the author adds to the sacrifice made on the cross the sacrifice of praise to God. The prepositional phrase, standing first in the Greek, is given great emphasis. This phrase brings bak to the fore our great sacrifice, Jesus the Messiah, and the contrast of his priesthood and that of the old system. We do not praise, think, or acknowledge God through the old sacrifices, but through The Great Sacrifice. “Continually,” in this text, means as need dictates and as opportunity permits; both frequently and without hesitation. 13:15 “ . . . that is, the fruit of lips giving thanks in his name.” The term translated in the major versions variously as a form of “giving thanks” (KJV, NASV), a form of “confession” (ASV, NRSV, NIV) a form of “acknowledge” (RSV, NET) is difficult here. The notion of “confess,” or “profess,” seems too formal, and focuses our attention on statements given during baptismal services and so 470 forth. Clearly that is not meant, because the fruit of the lips is to be a form of praise, and is to be given “continually,” but presumably not necessarily in the presence or for the benefit of others, as it is directed “to God,” through the name of our Sacrifice. At this point the similarity of “acknowledging,” and “giving thanks” blend seamlessly into one concept. We are to praise God by acknowledging his power and direction in our lives, and to thank Him for His many blessings, in the name of that greatest of Gifts, His Son. The overall sense of the verse seems to be as follows: “Through Him (Christ – our sacrifice) let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips giving thanks in His (Christ’s) name.” 13:16 “But do not neglect benevolence and fellowship, . . .” The word translated “to do good,” by all the major translations is a noun roughly meaning “having, or showing the character of generosity,” hence doing good. Likewise, the word translated “communicate,” (KJV, ASV) or “Share,” (NASV, RSV, NRSV, ESV, and NIV) is also a noun meaning “fellowship, partnership, association or community.” Community is a poor choice because of the current overuse of the word for all sorts of things. Partnership sounds too much like a business arrangement, and association sounds too much like trade specialties or home owners groups. Fellowship, although terribly overworked today, still carries the connotation of mutual help, encouragement and concern that gives rise to sharing. It must be noted that such a translation may seem abstract to the point of uselessness, or at least of extreme subjective interpretation. The next clause will more tightly focus the intent. 13:16 “ . . . for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” The nature of the benevolence and fellowship to which Christians are enjoined is now put in the category of “sacrifice,” along with “the fruit of lips.” Benevolence, that is to say, is more than a warm smile or a pat on the back, and fellowship is more than friendly words around coffee and donuts. Benevolence and fellowship, being of the nature of sacrifice, are to have profound practical import. They are to be godly attributes made visible in Christian behavior. It will be well pleasing to God, who expects to see His own attributes displayed in His followers. James 1:27 expresses the same thought in this way: “Religion, pure and unspotted before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unblemished from the world” G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 13:11-13 Separation. These verses teach a “double separation.” They are told to go “outside the camp,” and to bear “the reproach of Christ.” This is obviously an admonition to separation of the Christians from the Jews (recalling that the occasion of epistle is to forestall apostasy to Judaism). But does not the principle apply with at least as much rigor to pagan religions an civic righteousness? This is a fairly conventional notion of separation. 471 But this whole teaching comes on the heals of the statement of verse 10 that “We have an altar from which the ones serving the tabernacle have no right to eat. This, too, applies with even more rigor to paganism, Secular Humanism, and, let us note well, to all the worldly items adopted by the modern Church to make it palatable to the world, including rock and roll music, and all the rest of the Madison Avenue paraphernalia that charms today’s “hip” churches so much. Put in the bluntest possible terms, neither the priests of old Judaism, nor the practitioners of pagan religions, nor the cultural idols of our society have any place within the Church of Jesus Christ. And if such is true of the unregenerate themselves, it is a fortiori truer of their practices being mimicked by Christians. There is scarcely a doctrine in the Bible more needed by the Church in America today than the doctrine of Christian Separation from the World. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL 13:13 The notion of “bearing His reproach” may cover a variety of personal circumstances. That is why Jesus says “take up your cross and follow me.” Each person’s cross may be different, but they share the same essential features. A deep study of how these admonitions may show a variety of characteristics, but they will all be based upon an unswerving loyalty to and dependence upon Truth, resulting in a steadfast refusal to join the World in either its immoral behavior or its purely temporal perspectives – even to the point of being persecuted “for the Name.” In short, bearing his reproach means not only sharing Christ’s antipathy to the evils of worldly culture, but believing in striving for, and eagerly awaiting that “city that has the foundations.” 13:16 Let us remember to behave in accordance with what we give thanks for “through it all,” that is, “continually.” I. PARAPHRASE 13:10 We have an eternal sacrifice from which the ones serving the temporal tabernacle have no right to partake. 11 For the blood of all those living beings are brought into the Holy Place by the High Priest on account of sin – and their bodies are burned outside the camp as that which woul defile the camp (cf. Leviticus 16:27). 12 So also Jesus, in order that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside the gate, treated as a miscreant and defilement. 13 Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach, 14 because we do not have here in the temporal city anything eternal value; but we are seeking the city to come. 15 Through Him let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips giving acknowledgement in His name. 16 But do not neglect giving to others and the deep commitmnt to believers, for God is well pleased with such sacrifices. 472 FIFTY NINTH PERICOPE (Heb 13:17-19) 13:17 Peivqesqe toi'" hJgoumevnoi" uJmw'n kaiV uJpeivkete, aujtoiV gaVr ajgrupnou'sin uJpeVr tw'n yucw'n uJmw'n wJ" lovgon ajpodwvsonte", i{na metaV cara'" tou'to poiw'sin kaiV mhV stenavzonte", ajlusiteleV" gaVr uJmi'n tou'to. 18 Proseuvcesqe periV hJmw'n, peiqovmeqa gaVr o{ti kalhVn suneivdhsin e[comen, ejn pa'sin kalw'" qevlonte" ajnastrevfesqai. 19 perissotevrw" deV parakalw' tou'to poih'sai i{na tavcion ajpokatastaqw' uJmi'n. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM No major variants in this pericope. B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 13:17 Peivqesqe (verb, present, passive, imperative, 2nd, plural, from pei,qw) I. Act. to prevail upon, win over, persuade, tina, Hom., etc.:-c. acc. pers. et inf. to persuade one to do, Il., etc.; also, pÅ tina. w[ste dou/nai, etc., Hdt.; pÅ tina w`j crh, Plat.; pÅ tina. ei;j ti Thuc.; in part., pei,saj by persuasion, by fair means, Soph. II. Special usages: 1. to talk over, mislead, e;lhqe do,lw| kai. e;peisenVAcaiou,j Od. 2. to prevail on by entreaty, Hom. 3. pÅ tina. crh,masi to bribe, Hdt.; so, pÅ evpi. misqw/| or misqw/| Id., Thuc.: so, pei,qein tina, alone, Xen., N.T. 4. c. dupl. acc., pei,qein tina, ti to persuade one of a thing, Hdt., Aesch., etc. B. Pass. and Med. to be prevailed on, won over, persuaded, absol., Hom., Att.; the imperat. pei,qou or piqou/ listen, comply, Trag.; c. inf. to be persuaded to do, Soph.; also, pei,qesqai w[ste. . Thuc. 2. pei,qesqai, tini to listen to one, obey him, Hom., etc.; nu/n me.n peiqw,meqa nukti. melai,nh|, of leaving off the labours of the day, Il.;- pa,nta pei,qesqai, tini to obey him in all things, Od., etc. 3. pei,qesqai, tini, also, to believe or trust in a person or thing, Hom., etc.:-c. acc. et inf. to believe that, Od., etc.: with an Adj. neut., pÅ ta. peri. Ai;gupton Hdt.; tau/tV evgw, soi ouv pei,qomai I do not take this on your word, Plat. II. pf. 2 pe,poiqa, like the Pass., to trust, rely on, have confidence in a person or thing, Hom., etc.; c. inf., pe,poiqa tou/tV evpispa,sein kle,oj I trust to win this fame, Soph.; pe,poiqa to.n purfo,ron h[xein Aesch.;- pepÅ ei;j tina( evpi, tina N.T. III. pf. pass. pe,peismai to believe, trust, c. dat., Aesch., Eur.: c. acc. et inf., pepÅ tau/ta sunoi,sein Dem. Hence Peiqw, . [Liddell and Scott] 1. Active; a. to persuade, i. e. to induce one by words to believe: absolutely pei,saj mete,sthsen i`kano,n o;clon, Acts 19:26; ti, to cause belief in a thing (which one sets forth), Acts 19:8 R G T (cf. Buttmann, 150 (131) n.) (Sophocles O. C. 1442); with the genitive of the thing, ibid. L Tr WH; tina, one, Acts 18:4; tina ti, one of a thing, Acts 28:23 Rec. (Herodotus 1, 163; Plato, Apology, p. 37 a., and elsewhere; (cf. Buttmann, as above)); tina peri, ti,noj, concerning a thing, ibid. G L T Tr WH. b. as in classical Greek from Homer down, with an accusative of a person, to make friends 473 of, win one’s favor, gain one’s good-will, Acts 12:20; or to seek to win one, strive to please one, 2 Cor. 5:11; Gal. 1:10; to conciliate by persuasion, Matt. 28:14 (here T WH omit; Tr brackets auvto,n); Acts 14:19; equivalent to to tranquillize (A. V. assure), ta,j kardi,aj h`mw/n, 1 John 3:19. c. to persuade unto i. e. move or induce one by persuasion to do something: tina followed by an infinitive (R sec. 139, 46), Acts 13:43; 26:28 (Xenophon, an. 1, 3, 19; Polybius 4, 64,2; Diodorus 11, 15; 12, 39; Josephus, Antiquities 8, 10, 3); tina followed by i[na (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 338 (317); Buttmann, sec. 139, 40), Matt. 27:20 (Plutarch, apoph. Alex. 21). 2. Passive and middle (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 253 (238)); a. to be persuaded, to suffer oneself to be persuaded; to be induced to believe: absol, Luke 16:31; Acts 17:4; to have faith, Heb. 11:13 Rec.; ti,ni, in a thing, Acts 28:24; to believe, namely, o[ti, Heb. 13:18 L T Tr WH. pe,peismai ti, (on the neuter accusative cf. Buttmann, sec. 131, 10) peri, ti,noj (genitive of person), to be persuaded (of) a thing concerning a person, Heb. 6:9 (A. V. we are persuaded better things of you, etc.); pepeisme,noj eivmi, to have persuaded oneself, and pei,qomai, to believe (cf. English to be persuaded), followed by an accusative with an infinitive, Luke 20:6; Acts 26:26; pe,peismai o[ti, Rom. 8:38; 2 Tim. 1:5,12; with evn kuri,w| added (see evn, I. 6 b.), Rom. 14:14; peri, ti,noj o[ti, Rom. 15:14. b. to listen to, obey, yield to, comply with: ti,ni, one, Acts 5:36f, 39(40); 23:21; 27:11; Rom. 2:8; Gal. 3:1 Rec.; 5:7; Heb. 13:17 ; James 3:3. 3. 2 perfect pe,poiqa (the Septuagint mostly for xj;B', also for hs'x', ![;v.nI Niphal of the unused ![;v'), intransitive, to trust, have confidence, be confident: followed by an accusative with an infinitive, Rom. 2:19; by o[ti, Heb. 13:18 Rec.; by o[ti with a preparatory auvto, tou/to (Winer’s Grammar, sec. 23, 5), Phil. 1:6; tou/to pepoiqw,j oi=da o[ti, Phil. 1:25; pe,poiqa with a dative of the person or the thing in which the confidence reposes (so in classical Greek (on its construction in the N. T. see Buttmann, sec. 133, 5; Winer’s Grammar, 214 (201); sec. 33, d.)): Phil. 1:14; Philemon 1:21 (2 Kings 17:20; Prov. 14:16; 26:26; Isa. 28:17; Sir. 35:24 (Sir. 32:24); Sap. 14:29); e`autw/| followed by an infinitive 2 Cor. 10:7; evn ti,ni, to trust in, put confidence in a person or thing (cf. Buttmann, as above), Phil. 3:3,4; evn kuri,w| followed by o[ti, Phil. 2:24; evpi, ti,ni, Matt. 27:43 L text WH marginal reading; Mark 10:24 (where T WH omit; Tr marginal reading brackets the clause); Luke 11:22; 18:9; 2 Cor. 1:9; Heb. 2:13 (and very often in the Septuagint, as Deut. 28:52; 2 Chr. 14:11; Ps. 2:13; Prov. 3:5; Isa. 8:17; 31:1); evpi, tina, Matt. 27:43 where L text WH marginal reading evpi, with the dative (Isa. 36:5; Hab. 2:18; 2 Chr. 16:7f, etc.); evpi, tina followed by o[ti, 2 Cor. 2:3; 2 Thess. 3:4; eivj tina followed by o[ti, Gal. 5:10. (Compare: avnapei,qw.) [Thayer] 13:17 uJpeivkete (verb, present, active, imperative, 2nd, plural, from u`pei,kw) from Homer down; to resist no longer, but to give way, yield (properly, of combatants); metaphorically, to yield to authority and admonition, to submit: Heb. 13:17. [Thayer] Only occurrence in NT. 13:17 ajgrupnou'sin (verb, indicative, present, active, 3rd, plural, from avgrupne,w) keep oneself awake, fig. be on the alert Mk 13:33. Keep watch (over), guard, care for Eph 6:18; Hb 13:17. 13:17 stenavzonte" (participle, present, active, nominative, masculine, plural, from stena,zw) sigh, groan Mk 7:34; Ro 8:23; 2 Cor 5:2, 4; Hb 13:17; complain Js. 5:9. 13:17 ajlusiteleV" (adjective, nominative, neuter, singular) unprofitable, of no help, perhaps harmful 474 Hb 13:17. Only occurrence in NT. 13:18 ajnastrevfesqai (infinitive, present, passive, from avnastre,fw) 1. overturn, upset J 2:15 v.l. 2. return, come back Ac 5:22; 15:16. 3. mid. and pass. turn here and there, stay, live in a place Mt 17:22 v.l. Thus conduct or behave oneself, live, act, always with moral or religious coloring 2 Cor 1:12; 1 Ti 3:15; Hb 13:18; 2 Pt 2:18. 13:19 tavcion (adverb from tace,wj) 1. positive tace,wj quickly, without delay, soon Lk 14:21; 16:6; J 11:31; 1 Cor 4:19; Phil 2:19, 24; 2 Ti 4:9. Too quickly, too easily, hastily Gal 1:6; 2 Th 2:2; 1 Ti 5:22. 2. comparative ta,cion a. more quickly, faster Hb 13:19. With gen. of comparison J 20:4. b. without comparative meaning quickly, soon, without delay J 13:27; 1 Ti 3:14 v.l.; Hb 13:23. 3. superlative ta,cista w`j ta,cista as soon as possible Ac 17:15 . 13:19 ajpokatastaqw' (verb, aorist, passive, subjunctive, 1st, singular, from avpokaqista,nw) restore, reestablish Mk 9:12; Ac 1:6. Cure Mk 3:5; intr. 2 aor. act. be cured 8:25; bring back, restore Hb 13:19. C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES No grammatical anomalies. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 13:17 Be persuaded by the ones leading you and submit, for they keep watch over your souls (as those who will be giving an account) in order that they may do so with joy and not grieving; for this were unprofitable for you. 18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience in all things, desiring to live rightly. 19 But I urge you more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you without delay. F. EXPOSITION 13:17 “Be persuaded by the ones leading you and submit, . . .”In Hebrews 4:6, term here translated “obey” by all the major English versions is prefixed by the alpha privative, is translated “disobedience.” Behavior (or misbehavior) is almost always at the center of the term when it has the alpha privative affixed. But here, without the alpha privative, the word has a variety of 475 meanings, most of which center in the mental state of belief. Put another way, the normal word has such meanings as persuade, trust, rely on, have confidence in. Occasionally this carries over into such meanings as yield to and finally to comply with or obey. There arises a problem in this text because the term here under discussion is in the passive voice, and because it is coupled with another term meaning “submit.” Submit does not mean obey, but to yield wherever there is no conflict. It is the old obedience/submission problem. We are to submit with the understanding that submission does not always mean blind obedience, but has a wider scope. It may mean obey until it is plain that obedience can no longer be justified, and then take whatever punishment is meted out. In this context, if the term is translated “obey,” there is no longer any basis upon which to admonish the readers to “submit,” since to submit is wider in scope than the obedience already charged. If one is already obeying an authority, what would the meaning be to tell him to submit? How does “submit” narrow or further define the concept of “obey?” To admonish the readers both to obey and submit is meaningless, because submission is a broader category that must be pruned to the size of obedience. It is like saying make an oration and groan. A groan is a far more general behavior than making a speech. You can groan when you realize that it is Monday, but that hardly conveys the information that a spoken complaint would. Additionally, the verb is in the passive voice, which is much more often seen in the sense of persuasion than it is of obedience. In Romans 8:38, Paul using this same word, says “I am persuaded,” in the perfect passive. Hebrews calls the readers “to be persuaded” using the present passive imperative. Here we have the same sort of dynamic seen in chapter 11. “Trust and follow,” or “believe and behave,” is the New Testament dynamic. Here text seems to say “be persuaded” and “submit,” or “be convinced,” and “submit.” By way of comparison, Paul, in Romans 8:38, uses this same Greek word as follows: “For I am persuaded . . .” In Hebrews 13:18, (the very next verse we shall consider here!) The author uses the word as follows: “for we are persuaded . . .” Verse 17 takes up the teaching of 13:7 after the theological parenthetical of verses 8-16. In verse 7 we are told to “be mindful of those leading you, whoever spoke to you the word of God, of whom, scrutinizing the outcome/example of their conduct, imitate the faith.” Here is no blind obedience, but a following based upon a critical appraisal of the lives those who “spoke to you the word of God.” The term for “leading” is the same in verse 7 as it is here. On this interpretation, verse 17 is a reiteration of verse 7. In verse 7 we learn that those “leading you” were those who “spoke the word of God to you,” and the readers are to imitate their “faith,” based upon a close scrutiny of their lives. Here we learn that these leaders “keep watch over your souls,” and that they may be called to account for their oversight. In verse 7 we were told to scrutinize their faith, and consider their conduct. In verse 17 we learn that by these the readers were to be persuaded, and that to these they were to submit. But only so far as persuasion allows. 476 13:17 “ . . . for they keep watch over your souls . . .” The emphatic pronoun has the force of “They, and no one else, watch over your soul; it is they who do this.” “Keeping watch” is literally staying awake, or going sleepless, and many a pastor knows what that is all about, as do parents whose children become sick. The full expression, instead of simply watch “over you,” indicated the wide variety of issues that may confront the sheep, from psychic problems, to sinfulness, to physical maladies. The soul represents the whole person, not merely his spirit. 13:17 “ . . . as those who will be giving an account, . . .” That is, those who “spoke the word of God,” who “watch over your souls,” do so as under-shepherds who will eventually be called upon to render an account of his ministry. This explains the godly zeal they are to have for the sheep. 13:17 “ . . . in order that they may do so with joy and not grieving; . . .” That is, “be persuaded and submit” . . . in order that the shepherds may “watch over your souls with joy.” The point is that those charged with watching out for the sheep have responsibility enough without the sheep themselves causing problems. They should be able to discharge their obligations with joy, not grieving. The statement can scarcely refer to the rendering of account because, at that point he will be no grief, and if here were, it would be of trivial concern. 13:17 “ . . . for this were unprofitable for you.” However, failure to be persuaded and submit without causing problems by listening to every new doctrine, wandering off, or considering a return to Judaism will not only be “unprofitable for you,” it may well be disastrous. The term “unprofitable is a deliberate understatement in general terms, so as to include many possible problems and a wide variety of poor outcomes. 13:18 “Pray for us, . . .” This leads, naturally enough, to an admonition for the readers to pray for the author. 13:18 “ . . . for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience in all things, . . .” The word translated “persuaded” in verse 18 is present again, clearly not meaning obedience. As in verse 18, the word here speaks of conviction, or belief founded upon critical consideration and awareness. 13:18 “ . . . desiring to live rightly.” Desiring, not merely being willing to live rightly. This phrase gives the impetus for having a good will. The author, well aware of the Biblical precepts regarding his relationship to both God and neighbor, seeks to “live rightly.” The use of the term “honestly” (KJV) and “honorably (all other major English translations) are perfectly fine. They all recognize the fact that in this context, as very frequently, the word thus translated has a moral connotation. And the reference here to a “good conscience,” demands a moral connotation. Since few today remember what honor is, and many do not know what honesty is, the term “rightly” 477 recommends itself. 13:19 “But I urge you more earnestly to do this . . .” The verb “I urge” marks a change from the plural in the foregoing to the singular here. The author is adding his own reason to the obvious ones already given. “Pray for us, because we have a clear conscience.” But in addition, “I more urgently exhort you to pray for me . . .” 13:19 “ . . . in order that I may be restored to you without delay. Unlike Paul, the author is not imprisoned. Verse 23 makes it clear that whatever hindrance besets the author, it is not imprisonment. Timothy seems to have been imprisoned, but he “has been set at liberty.” And I Timothy comes quickly, the author will soon be restored to the readers. It is conceivable that he was hampered in his efforts to return by illness, or expediency. In any case, the notion of “being restored to” the readers implies a strong or at least very familiar relationship between them, one in which the author might be of service in removing the causes of his anxiety about them. “Without delay” seems to indicate that there was no physical hindrance to the author’s return, but only circumstances that might be cued by prayer. G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 13:17 “Be persuaded and submit.” If people insisted upon withholding blind obedience, and instead insisted upon submission based upon scrutiny of faith and behavior before submitting, there would be virtually no denominational divisions in the world. That is not to say that every person would agree with everyone else on every point of dogma before aligning himself with a local body or following a particular teacher. First of all, the admonition is not o scrutinize the teachers for their theological positions, but for the outworking of their faith in their behavior. We are charged with examining behavior as a result of faith, and to imitate that faith. This is not to say that Biblical theology is unimportant, it is not. But it is not the primary basis for submitting to a leader. Not every person can be as theologically adept as the scholars, and not every preacher is as gifted as every other preacher. But in any case, the faith preached should be the same, and the lives of those who preach it should be consonant with the Biblical teachings. 13:17 Do not cause problems or divisions within the body needlessly, for it adds a great burden for those who look after your soul. Make them glad to watch over you, not as it were a huge chore. 13:18 Pray for leaders, those teachers and preachers who lead the local church, or classes. Pray for leaders of larger units. They are not perfect and greatly need the help. H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL 478 If it is a comfort that God loves us, and that He sent His Son to die for our sins, it should also be a comfort that there are those who watch after our souls, and the instruments of God, and that they have an office that will require giving an account of their handling of their responsibility. This should not only be a comfort, but should guide how we treat our leaders. They must be scrutinized, but their faith should be imitated, and they should be honored, we should submit to them and we should pray for them. I. PARAPHRASE 13:17 Be convinced and convicted by message and behavior of those leading you and submit to them, for they spend wakeful nights on behalf of your souls (as those who will be giving an account) in order that they may watch over you with joy and not with grieving; failure to do so will return to your own disadvantage. 18 Pray for us, for we are certain that we have a clear conscience in all things, desiring to live righteously before God and man. 19 But I am compelled to urge you more earnestly to do this so I may be restored to you without delay. 479 SIXTIETH PERICOPE (Heb 13:20-25) 13:20 JO deV qeoV" th'" eijrhvnh", oJ ajnagagwVn ejk nekrw'n toVn poimevna tw'n probavtwn toVn mevgan ejn ai{mati diaqhvkh" aijwnivou, toVn kuvrion hJmw'n jIhsou'n, 21 katartivsai uJma'" ejn pantiV ajgaqw'/ eij" toV poih'sai toV qevlhma aujtou', poiw'n ejn hJmi'n toV eujavreston ejnwvpion aujtou' diaV jIhsou' Cristou', w|/ hJ dovxa eij" touV" aijw'na" ajmhvn. 22 Parakalw' deV uJma'", ajdelfoiv, ajnevcesqe tou' lovgou th'" paraklhvsew", kaiV gaVr diaV bracevwn ejpevsteila uJmi'n. 23 Ginwvskete toVn ajdelfoVn hJmw'n Timovqeon ajpolelumevnon, meq' ou| ejaVn tavcion e[rchtai o[yomai uJma'". 24 jAspavsasqe pavnta" touV" hJgoumevnou" uJmw'n kaiV pavnta" touV" aJgivou". ajspavzontai uJma'" oiJ ajpoV th'" jItaliva". 25 hJ cavri" metaV pavntwn uJmw'n. A. TEXTUAL CRITICISM 13.21 panti. avgaqw|/. After panti, the Textus Receptus, in company with C Dc K M P almost all minuscules and syrp, h copsa eth al, adds e;rgw|, an obvious homiletic gloss. If the word had been present originally, no good reason can account for its absence from î46 a D* Y itar, b, d vg copbo al. The singular reading panti. e;rgw| kai. lo,gw| avgaqw|/, in codex A, is from 2 Th 2.17. [Metzger] 13.21 poiw/n. Although the reading auvtw|/ poiw/n is strongly attested (a* A C 33* 81 1739mg copsa), the Committee was disposed to regard the unintelligible pronoun as a dittograph of the preceding auvtou/ (as also auvto, in î46).12 The reading auvto.j poiw/n (451 2492 itd, 65) may be a homiletic expansion. The shorter reading poiw/n, which was preferred by the Committee, is supported by ac Dgr K P Y 88 614 1739* Byz Lect it61 vg syrp, h copsams, boms arm al. [Metzger] 13.21 h`mi/n. In view of the preceding u`ma/j it is easy to understand why h`mi/n, which is strongly supported by î46 a A Dgr K M 33 81 614 1739 syrp copsa, bo arm al, was altered to u`mi/n (C P Y 88 itd, 61, 65 vg syrh eth al). [Metzger] 13.21 @tw/n aivw,nwn#. The phrase eivj tou.j aivw/naj tw/n aivw,nwn, which occurs only here in the Epistle to the Hebrews, is attested in all manuscripts in 1 Tm 1.17; 2 Tm 4.18, and in eleven of its twelve occurrences in Revelation. In the doxologies in Ga 1.5; Php 4.20; 1 Pe 4.11; 5.11; and Re 1.6 the words tw/n aivw,nwn are omitted by several (mostly later) manuscripts. In He 5.6; 6.20; 7.17, and 21 (all quoting Ps 110.4 [= LXX 109:4]) we find the short form eivj to.n aivw/na, as also in 2 Cor 9.9 (where F G K 1739 al expand by adding tw/n aivw,nwn) and 1 Pe 1.25. None of these instances of the short form occurs in a doxology. A quasi-doxology in He 13.8 reads eivj tou.j aivw/naj, with no variations (except the addition of avmh,n in D* itd). In view of these data it is difficult to decide whether copyists, influenced by familiarity with the longer form in doxologies elsewhere in the New Testament as well as in current liturgical usage, 480 added tw/n aivw,nwn (a A (C*) K P 33 81 614 1739 itar, b, comp, z vg syrp copsamss, bo eth al), or whether other copyists, either through carelessness or in imitation of eivj tou.j aivw/naj in He 13.8, omitted tw/n aivw,nwn (î46 C3 Dgr Y 1241 Lect syrh copsamss arm al). On the whole the Committee was disposed to prefer the shorter text as original, yet because of the weight of such witnesses as a A (C*) 33 614 1739 al, it was decided to retain the words tw/n aivw,nwn, but to enclose them within square brackets as an indication that they might well be a gloss. [Metzger] Again, if deference to P46, we will omit the phrase. The meaning is not changed, the shorter reading is preferable, particularly where it explains the changes, and where the earlier manuscripts bear witness to it. 13.25 pa,ntwn u`mw/n. The later liturgical use of the concluding words (“Grace be with all of you”) must have made it difficult for scribes not to add avmh,n when copying the epistle. Several important witnesses, however, including î46 a* Ivid 33 vgms copsa arm, have resisted the intrusion. Instead of u`mw/n ms. 1241 reads h`mw/n, and Dgr* reads tw/n a`gi,wn. [Metzger] 13.25 Subscription. (a) The subscription in a C 33 is pro.j ~Ebrai,ouj. Other subscriptions include the following: (b) pro.j ~Ebrai,ouj evgra,fh avpo. ~Rw,mhj A; (c) pro.j ~Ebrai,ouj evgra,fh avpo. VItali,aj P 1908; (d) pro.j ~Ebrai,ouj evgra,fh avpo. (460 Euthaliusms add th/j) VItali,aj dia. Timoqe,ou K 102 460 1923 Euthaliusms, followed by the Textus Receptus; (e) h` pro.j ~Ebrai,ouj evpistolh. evgra,fh avpo. VItali,aj dia. Timoqe,ou 425 464 al; (f) Pau,lou avposto,lou evpistolh. pro.j ~Ebrai,ouj evgra,fh avpo. VItali,aj dia. Timoqe,ou 404 al; (g) as (f) but instead of avpo. VItali,aj it reads avpo. VAqhnw/n\ a;lloi de,\ avpV VItali,aj 1911; (h) h` pro.j ~Ebrai,ouj au[th evpistolh. evgra,fh avpo. VItali,aj dia. Timoqe,ou tou/ avposto,lou tou/ kai. eivj auvtou.j pemfqe,ntoj dia. tou/ makari,ou Pau,lou i[nV auvtou.j diorqw,shtai 431; (i) as (h) but after evgra,fh add ~Ebrai?sti, 104. [Metzger] B. LEXICAL AND TOPICAL STUDIES 13:20 probavtwn (noun, genitive, neuter, plural, from pro,baton) 1. lit. Mt 7:15; 12:11f; Mk 14:27; Lk 15:4, 6; J 2:14f; Ro 8:36; Rv 18:13. 2. symbolically and allegorically Mt 25:32f; J 10:1–16, 26f; Hb 13:20; 1 Pt 2:2 13:21 eujavreston (adjective, accusative, neuter, singular, from euva,restoj) pleasing, acceptable Ro 12:1f; 2 Cor 5:9; Eph 5:10; Tit 2:9; Hb 13:21. 13:22 ajnevcesqe (verb, imperative, present, middle, 2nd, plural, from avne,cw) in the N. T. only in the middle avne,comai; future avne,xomai (Winer’s Grammar, 83 (79)); imperfect hvneico,mhn 2 Cor. 11:4 (Rec.) (2 Cor. 11:1 Rec.^elz) (G T Tr WH marginal reading avneicomhn (cf. Moeris, Piers. edition, p. 176; (but L WH text in 2 Cor. 11:4 avne,cesqe); cf. WH’s Appendix, p. 162; Winer’s Grammar, 72 (70); Buttmann, 35 (31))); 2 aorist hvnesco,mhn Acts 18:14 (L T Tr WH avnesco,mhn, references as 481 above); to hold up (e. g. kefalh,n, cei/raj, Homer and others); hence, in middle to hold oneself erect and firm (against any person or thing), to sustain, to bear (with equanimity), to bear with, endure, with a genitive of the person (in Greek writings the accusative is more common, both of the person and of the thing), of his opinions, actions, etc.: Matt. 17:17; Mark 9:19; Luke 9:41; 2 Cor. 11:19; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13. followed by the genitive of the thing: 2 Thess. 1:4 (WH marginal reading evne,cesqe) (ai-j by attraction for w-n, unless a[j be preferred (Buttmann, 161 (140); cf. Winer’s Grammar, 202 (190))). followed by mikro,n ti, with the genitive of both person and thing, 2 Cor. 11:1 (according to the reading mou mikro,n ti, avfrosu,nhj (R.^bez R.^elz L T Tr WH); cf. Meyer at the passage). without a case, 1 Cor. 4:12 (we endure). followed by eiv ti,j, 2 Cor. 11:20. Owing to the context, to hear with i. e. to listen: with the genitive of the person, Acts 18:14; of the thing, 2 Tim. 4:3; Heb. 13:22. (Compare: prosane,cw.) [Thayer] C. GRAMMATICAL NOTES AND LITERARY DEVICES 13:21 Notice the Optative of wishing (katartivsai) in the benediction. 13:23 Notice tavcion, an adverb capable of being used as positive, comparative, or superlative. Here we translate it as a positive, although it may as easily be understood as a comparative. D. HISTORICAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION No relevant data available. E. TRANSLATION 13:20 Now may the God of peace, the One having brought up from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, 21 prepare you in every good thing to do His will, doing in us what is well-pleasing before Him, through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory into the ages. Amen. 22 And I beseech you, brothers, bear with the word of exhortation, for even I have written to you in a short letter. 23 Know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I shall see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with all of you. F. EXPOSITION F. F. Bruce points out that verses 20-21 is known as a collecta oratio, or a “collected prayer. This 482 was a common prayer form in the Western Church. Here it comprises 1. The invocation, 2. A ground upon which to base a petition, 3. The main petition, 4. A subsidiary petition, 5. A pleading of the merit of Christ, 6. A doxology, and 7. The Amen. 13:20 “Now may the God of peace, . . .” [The invocation] The appeal is probably directed to the “God of peace” because whatever else may have been a problem, for the readers, the result was a lack of peace. We have seen that the readers were ‘babes,” probably in need of more attention than just milk. They have been admonished several times, and have just been told to submit to their leaders who watched over their souls in such a manner as not to cause consternation, because such is catastrophic for the readers. The temptations to the readers, as we can discern from the epistle itself included some form of resistance to their leaders, or tho “chastisement, as chapter 12 demonstrates. This chastisement may itself have been occasioned by the an even greater problem, that of the potential apostasy of some of the readers (cf. 6:4-6; 10:26-36). 13:20 “ . . . the One having brought up from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep . . .” [The ground for petition] The picture corresponds to the mosaic passage on dry land through the sea. Those who followed Moses were literally “brought up” from the depths. Just so, Jesus was “brought up” from the grave, a seemingly impossible depth. 13:20 “ . . . by the blood of the eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, . . .” The determining factor in the resurrection of Christ , upon which was founded an everlasting covenant, was the acceptance of His sacrificial blood by God. This is the only passage in Hebrews that refers to the resurrection. 13:21 “ . . . prepare you in every good thing to do His will, . . .” [The main petition] That is, may God prepare you in every way, spiritually, intellectually, volitionally and perhaps even physically, as well as in every circumstance, to do His will. This is the preparation of the human side ob behavior. Throughout the Bible, man is called to do God’s will, to do what pleases Him. Of course that call has been followed almost exclusively by failure, or a variety of reasons that may all be summed up under the rubric “Sin.” As Paul tells the Galatians, however, because of Christ’s atoning Death on the cross, those “in Christ” are now free. By that Paul means that he is now free to do God’s will, because the Spirit is no longer the mere pawn of the flesh. 13:21 “ . . . doing in us what is well-pleasing before Him, . . .” [The subsidiary petition] The result of the Christian’s position in Christ is that he can now do what is pleasing to God. But there is a catch. 13:21 “ . . . through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory into the ages. Amen. [The pleading, the doxology. And the Amen] The catch is that the good we do we do by means of transparency. That is, God “works in” us both to will and to do His good pleasure.” The Holy Spirit moves us as 483 imitates God and glorifies Jesus Christ. This is what Paul means in Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” The upshot is often neglected or forgotten. Our new life is to echo into eternity the glory of God. We do not become children o God for any other reason than to glorify Him. 13:22 “And I beseech you, brothers, bear with the word of exhortation, . . .” This may indicate that the Hebrew readers, or those who occasioned the epistle, were not merely “babes,” (5:11-14) but might well have been a little defensive about it as well. A common view holds (with little or no discussion) that the “word of exhortation” refers exclusively to this letter. But the epistle his a great deal more than exhortation, containing, as it does, teaching concerning the typology of many of the Mosaic realities. The word of exhortation more likely, it seems, is the word of truth they had probably heard from their leaders, but which they received half- heartedly if at all. There was evident in these Hebrew readers little or no sign of growth, little or no understanding of the office of the risen Lord, and perhaps more than a little longing to return to Judaism. It would be naive to think that this epistle was the first they had heard concerning their status and the danger of their contemplated apostasy. 13:22 “ . . . for even I have written to you in a short letter.” This situation, if it is rightly understood, would explain why the word “kai,”V (meaning and, even, too, or also remains untranslated in every major version of the New Testament, as well as why commentators ignore it and interpret “the word of exhortation” as referring simply to the epistle itself. The sense seems to be “bear with and accept the word of exhortation (to grow up, and abandon notions of apostasy) you have heard, for even I have written you briefly concerning it. This is in keeping with the admonition in 13:7 to “Be mindful of those leading you, whoever spoke to you the word of God, of whom, scrutinizing the outcome/example of their conduct, imitate the faith.” and 13:17 to “Be persuaded by the ones leading you and submit, for they keep watch over your souls (as those who will be giving an account) in order that they may do so with joy and not grieving; for this were unprofitable for you.” Obviously they were having enough trouble with their temptation that they needed “persuasion,” and “to submit.” Clearly this was not a problem that had gone completely unaddressed. 13:23 “Know that our brother Timothy has been released, . . .” The sense is probably almost imperative. The likelihood is that Timothy’s release (from prison?) was unknown to the readers because The author was in closer proximity to the event, and thus had news of the release first, while the readers, living at a greater remove, had probably not yet heard. 13:23 “ . . . with whom, if he comes soon, I shall see you.” In any event it appears that the Author will soon see the recipients of his epistle. Hazarding a guess consistent with our working hypothesis, we know that Timothy went on many missions for Paul, and perhaps others as well. From acts we 484 know that Apollos spent a lot of time in both Ephesus and Corinth. If timothy had been waylaid in Jerusalem, or some other major city of Asia minor, and Apollos was living at the time in either Ephesus or Corinth, and the letter were directed to Rome, these conditions are neatly met. But let it be remembered that this is mere speculation at best. 13:24 “Greet all your leaders and all the saints.” This my mean that the epistle is addressed to a relatively small group of believers in a much larger body, or it may indicate one small house church among several. In any event, it seems that greetings are sent to all. Both groups are preceded by the word “all.” 13:24 “Those from Italy greet you.” There is no way of knowing with certainty whether this means “those who are with me and who are from Italy send their greetings to those in Italy,” or “those here in Italy send their greetings to those in your congregation who are from Italy. The usual way of speaking of expatriates would be as it appears here, “those from Italy.” This at least accords with the working hypothesis that the book was addressed to The Roman Church. This Church, most likely was originally made up of Jews converted at Pentecost. Prisca and Aquila (among many other Jews) were expelled from Rome in 49-50, after which they became acquainted with Paul and Apollos. This epistle, coming at least 20 years later, would have been addressed to some of the remaining Jewish Christians, within a Church that had doubtless grown considerably and that now had a greater number of Gentile Christians. Whether all the Jewish Christians were addressed, or only a small group, cannot be known with certainty. But one wonders if the penchant for Gentile philosophy and theology might not have presented the Jewish Christians with what they considered questionable tenets, causing them to “lay back,” and not take the initiative in worship or evangelism. 13:25 “Grace be with all of you.” This is a somewhat shortened version of the “standard” Christian closing. Paul uses it throughout his epistles. The longer, “standard” version is “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (all). G. ETHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 13:20 Returns the thought of the readers to Hebrews 9, where we read extensively about the Tabernacle, the blood sacrifice, and the eternal nature of the new covenant, of which the old was a mere pointer. This reminder probably indicates the sticking point for some of the readers. For it might have been difficult for them to have abandoned their traditions, particularly if their expectations in so doing were for an immanent parousia, or some immediate indication of things to come. Indeed, the early Church was ridiculed for being a religion without sacrifice. For virtually every religion known in the Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean world had sacrifices. One might say that sacrifice was the very essence of such religions. Several Church writers in the first three centuries responded to these charges in writing, following the outlines of Hebrews. There is, in Christianity one sacrifice. It was accomplished physically through the death and the shedding of the blood of a perfect sacrificial victim within a specific historical setting. And it had eternal consequences. Hence, there was neither need nor possibility of any further sacrifice. Further sacrifice was superfluous. 485 H. SUBJECTIVE IMPLICATIONS – PSYCHOLOGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL 13:21 Many people feel, just as the Jewish Christian readers of this book nay have felt, that the admonition to good works without a visible means of dealing with failure was psychologically perilous. For nothing so marked human effort as failure. And in the new economy, wherein the deed itself was only as good as the intent behind it, it was disastrous. There seemed neither a way to achieve the right (selfless) mentality, or to do the good required of them. Surely nothing was quite so clear to one and all that doing what appeared to be good could be done with very selfish motives, thus nullifying the (true, godly) good of the deed itself. Two problems become immediately apparent. First, how do failures receive forgiveness, and second, how can one possibly know when attitudes, motivations, and behavior properly align to accurately show the goodness of Christ? Enough had been said throughout Hebrews regarding the nature of Christ, His sacrifice, the eternal nature of his sacrifice, and the oft repeated statement that He now sits at the right hand of God, for the forgiveness of failure to have gone unaddressed. But the second problem receives mention here in verse 21. The author petitions “the God of Peace” to “prepare you in every good thing to do His will, . . .” That is, God was to prepare the believer. And it either happens, or God is a liar. If we do not see it, or understand it, the problem lies in our expectations or understanding. The believer is prepared “to do His will.” What is His will? To know God’s only requires knowledge of His will, and that we get from the Bible. And how many times must it be repeated that God’s will is “to love God, and love neighbor?” It is not the knowing that is the problem, but the performing. Here, it is instructive to read Romans 7:14-25 to see the nature of the problem. But for human beings, doing what we know is still problematical. That is why the author of Hebrews continues his petition asking the God of Peace to do “in us what is well-pleasing before Him, through Jesus Christ.” This is the aspect of Christianity that seems to receive the least attention. Recalling Paul’s statement in Galatians 2:20, the Christian life is nothing less than the life of Christ Himself, who is now uniquely situated to live His own sinless life through any and all who will allow Hm to do so. Through Christ, it is indeed up to no less than God Himself “both to will and to do” in us His good pleasure. For Humans, behavior is usually calculated. That is, we decide what to do, when to do it, and why to do it. We often carefully calculate our actions on the basis of our won expectations. This makes it almost impossible to do God’s will. The secret is to give up calculation and simply do what is best for others in any context that arises. It is simply to turn loose of ourselves. We may never know we are doing the will of God while we are doing it, but we may see clearly in retrospect that we did the will of God. 486 I. PARAPHRASE 13:20 Now may the God of peace, who brought the Lord Jesus, our great Shepherd, up from the dead by the blood of the permanent and everlasting covenant, 21 prepare you in every good thing to do His will, doing through us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory into the ages. Amen. 22 And I entreat you, brothers, accept the admonition to faithfulness, for even I have written to you in a short letter. 23 Know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send their greetings. 25 Grace be with you all. 487 Translation 1:1 In many parts and by various means having spoken of old to the fathers in the prophets, God 2 spoke in these last days to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom, also, He created the ages, 3 who, being the effulgence of His glory and the exact representation of His essence [being; reality, substance] , and [so, thus] upholding all things by the word of His power, [and] having Himself made purification of sins, sat down on he right hand of majesty on high; 4 by having become so much superior to the messengers, He inherited a name as much more excellent than theirs. 1:5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are my Son, This day I have begotten you?” [Psa 2:7] And again, “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to me a Son?” [2 Sam 7:14] 1:6 And whenever He again brings His Firstborn into the world, He says “Let all the angels of God worship Him!” [Deut 32:43 (LXX)] 1:7 And on the one hand, concerning the angels He says “He makes His angels winds And His ministers a flame of fire.” [Psa 104:4] 1:8 But on the other hand, concerning the Son He says “Your throne, oh God, is into eternity [age of the age] And the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. 1:9 You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness And because of this, God, your God, anointed you with the oil of exultation above your partners.” [Psa 45:6-7] 1:10 And you, Lord, from the beginning, founded the earth; and the heavens are works of your hands. 11 They shall pass away, but you remain; and all things shall become old as a garment, 12 and you shall fold them up as a cloak, and like a garment, they shall be changed. But you are the same and your years shall not cease. 1:13 But to which of the angels has He ever said “sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?” 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, being sent forth into service on account of those about to inherit salvation? 2:1 Because of this, it is more urgently necessary for us to attend to the things having been heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken by messengers was binding, and every transgression and act of disobedience received a just recompense, 3 How shall we escape, having neglected such great salvation, inasmuch as it began at first to be spoken through the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those having heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness with them by signs and wonders and by various 488 [works of] power and by the distribution of the Holy Spirit according to His will? 2:5 For He did not subject to angels the coming world of which we speak, 6 but one testified somewhere saying “what is man that you remember him or the Son of Man that you visit him? 2:7 You made him a little lower than angels and crowned him with glory and honor 2:8 you subjected all things beneath his feet.” For insofar as he subjected all things, there remained nothing not so subjected. But we do not yet see all things having been subjected thus. 9 But we see Jesus, “having been made a little lower than angels” for the suffering of death; and “having been crowned with glory and honor” in order that, by the grace of God, He might taste death for the sake of all men. 2:10 For it was fitting for Him on account of whom are all things and through whom are all things, leading many sons into glory, to perfect the Captain of their salvation through sufferings, 11 for both the one sanctifying and the ones being sanctified are all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, I will proclaim your name to my brothers, I will hymn you in the middle of the congregation; 2:13 and again, “I will continue to trust Him,”51 and again, “behold, I and the children God gave to me . . .” 2:14 Since, then, the Children share blood and flesh, accordingly He Himself also partook of the same, in order that through (His) death He might render powerless the one having the power of death (that one being the Devil) 15 and might deliver them who throughout life were subject to bondage by fear of death. 16 For surely, He did not rescue angels, but He rescued Abraham’s seed. 17 Therefore, it behooved Him to be made like His brothers in all things in order that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in the things pertaining to God so as to expiate the sins of the people. 18 For wherein He suffered, having himself been tempted, He is able to help those being tempted. 3:1 Wherefore holy brothers, partakers in the heavenly calling, contemplate (study, consider) the apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus, 2 being faithful to the one having appointed Him as also Moses was in His household. 3 For this one was deemed worthy of more glory than Moses by so much as the one having established it has more honor than the household. 4 For every household is established by someone, but the one having established everything is God. 5 And Moses, on the one hand, was faithful in all His household, as an attendant (servant or, better, retainer) of the things that would be spoken in the future as testimony. 6 Christ, on the other hand, was faithful as a son over His household, whose household we are, if we retain our confidence and 51 `Al)-yti(yWEßqiw> (Isa 8:17 WTT). Literally “and I will wait for Him.” kai. pepoiqw.j e;somai evpV auvtw/| (Isa 8:17 BGT). “I will be persuaded upon Him.” 489 the boast of our hope. 3:7 Wherefore, (even as the Holy Spirit says, “today, if you shall hear His voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion during the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where, in proving me, your fathers tested me and saw my work 10 for forty years. Wherefore I was angry with that generation and said ‘they are always led astray in their heart, and did not know my ways’. 11 Accordingly, I swore in my wrath ‘they shall not enter into my rest’.”) 3:12 Beware, brothers, lest perchance there arise in any of you an evil heart of disbelief in withdrawing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another throughout each day, while it is still called “today” lest any of you should be hardened by the deception of sin 14 (for we have become partakers of Christ if only we retain the beginning of our confidence firmly until the end); 15 while it is said “today, if you shall hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 3:16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Was it not all the ones having come out of Egypt with Moses? 17 But with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with the ones having sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they shall not enter into his rest if not to the ones having been rebellious? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of disbelief. 4:1 Therefore, while the promise of entering into His rest still remains, let us fear lest any one of you seem to be excluded. 2 For we also had the good news preached to us, even as they had; but the report of the news did not profit them, not being united in belief with those hearing. 3 For we, having believed, enter into [that] rest just as he said, “as I swore in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest” despite His works being finished from the foundation of the universe. 4 For He spoke somewhere concerning the seventh day in this way; “and God rested on the seventh day from all His works.” 5 And in this place again, “if they shall enter into my rest.” 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter into it, and those having first heard the good news did not enter because of disobedience, 7 He again set another day – Today – saying in David, after so long a time (just as has been said before) “today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken afterward concerning another day. 4:9 So, then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. 10 For he who enters into His rest also rests from his works, just as God rested from His own. 11 Let us, therefore, strive to enter into that rest lest any one of you should fall after the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double edged sword, piercing even as far as the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature invisible before Him; but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 4:14 Accordingly, having a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us cling to our profession. 15 Since we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our infirmities, but one who has been tempted in all points as we are, yet without 490 sin, 16 let us therefore draw near to the throne of Grace with confidence, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace in timely help. 5:1 For every High Priest chosen from among men is appointed on behalf of men in the things pertaining to God, that he might bring gifts and sacrifices for sins, 2 being able to deal gently with the ignorant and with those being led astray, since he also is surrounded by infirmities. 3. For this reason he is obliged to offer for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4. No one acquires the honor for himself, but when called by God, even as Aaron. 5:5 So also Christ did not glorify himself to become High Priest, but the one saying to Him “you are my son, this day I have begotten you,” 6 as also He says in another place, “you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek;” 7 who, in the days of His flesh, having offered up both prayers and supplications with a loud cry and tears, to the One able to save Him from death, and having been heard because of His godly reverence; 8 even so, Son though He was (cf 1:2), He learned obedience through the things that He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all the ones obeying Him, 10 being designated by God, High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. 5:11 Concerning whom the teaching for us is great and difficult of interpretation, since you are become dull of hearing. 12 For indeed, when, because of the time, you ought to be teachers, you again have need of someone to teach you the basics of the elementary principle of the teachings given by God, and are become such as have need of milk and not of solid food. 13 For every one living on milk is without experience of the teaching of righteousness, for he is a baby. 14 But solid food is for the mature, the ones who , because of training, have their faculties developed for the discernment both of right and wrong. 6:1 Wherefore, having left aside the account of the elementary principle of Christ, let us bring ourselves to maturity, not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God, 2 of doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands, of both resurrection of dead, and eternal judgment. 6:3 And we will do this if only God permit, 4 because it is impossible for those having once and for all been enlightened – having both tasted of the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and having tasted the good word of God and the coming eternal power – 6 and then having turned away, to be restored again to repentance who are thus crucifying [again] for themselves and exposing to a public shame, the Son of God. 6:7 For the land that drank the rain often coming upon it, and bearing vegetation useful to those for whom it is also cultivated, partakes of a blessing from God, 8 but bringing forth thorns and thistles is worthless and of a curse, near those whose end is unto burning. 9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things of you, and things accompanying salvation, though we speak thus. 10 For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your works and the love you demonstrated toward His name, having ministered and continuing to minister to the saints. 11 But we desire each one of you to demonstrate 491 the same diligence toward the certainty of the hope until the end, 12 in order that you may not become slothful, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 6:13 For God, when making promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, swore by himself, 14 saying “certainly, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And thus, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 For men swear by the greater, and the oath for confirmation is to them the end of all dispute. 17 Whereby, being exceedingly desirous to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, He interposed with an oath, 18 in order that, on account of two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we, having fled for refuge to cling to the hope set before us, might have absolute encouragement. 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both safe and secure, and entering within the veil 20 where a forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, made forever a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. 7:1 For this Melchizedek, King of Salem, priest of the most high God, who, having met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, and having blessed him; 2 and to whom Abraham divided a tenth part of everything, is first interpreted as King of righteousness, but then also as King of Salem, that is, King of peace; 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but being made like the Son of God, remains a priest unto perpetuity. 7:4 Now observe how great this priest was, to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave the best tenth of the spoils. 5 On the one hand, even those of the sons of Levi receiving the priesthood have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, although being from the loins of Abraham. 6 On the other hand, the one not being descended from them has received tithes from Abraham, and has blessed the one having the promises. 7 Now without any dispute, the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 And here, on the one hand, dying men receive tithes, but there, on the other hand, it being testified, one who lives. 9 And, so to speak, even Levi, receiving tithes, has paid a tithe in Abraham, 10 for he was yet in the loins of the father when Melchizedek met him. 7:11 If indeed, then, perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for the people received the law by it), what need remained that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For a transfer of the priesthood of necessity makes a change of law also. 13 For these things are spoken of Him who belonged to another tribe, of which no man attended to the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord descended from Judah, of which tribe, Moses said nothing of priests. 7:15 And it is yet more abundantly evident if another priest arises after the similitude of Melchizedek, 16 who came not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17 For He testifies that “you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. 18 For, on the one hand, there comes an annulment of the foregoing commandment on account of its weakness an uselessness, 19 because the Law perfected (fulfilled) nothing; on the 492 other hand, the introduction of a better hope did, through which we draw near to God. 7:20 And that inasmuch as not without an oath. (For on the one hand, they are become priests without an oath, 21 but on the other hand, He is a priest with an oath through the One saying to Him “the Lord swore and will not repent, you are a priest forever.”) 22 By so much Jesus became the surety [guarantee] of a better covenant. 23 And on the one hand, many were those becoming priests because of being prevented by death from remaining, 24 but on the other hand, that One, because He remains forever, has a permanent priesthood; 25 hence, also, He is able to save to the uttermost those coming to God through Him, living forever to make intercession for them. 7:26 For such a high priest was fitting even for us, pious, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted higher than the heavens; 27 who has no daily necessity, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, then for those of the people, for he did this once for all having offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men high priests having infirmity, but the word of the oath which came after the law, appoints the Son, having been perfected forever. 8:1 Now the main point of the things being said is we have just such a high priest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven, 2 a minister of the holy things and of the true tabernacle, which God made, not man. 3 Because every high priest is ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices, therefore it was necessary that this one also have something He might offer. 4. If He was on earth, then He would not be a priest, there being priests who offer the gifts according to law, 5 whoever serve in a copy and shadow of the heavenly things; even as Moses was instructed, for, “see,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain. 6 But now, He has obtained a more excellent ministry by so much also He is mediator of a better covenant which has been established on better promises. 8:7 For if that first had been blameless no place would have been sought for a second. 8 For finding them faulty He says “The Lord says ‘Behold, the days are coming when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 not according to the covenant I made with their fathers, in the day of my taking them by their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not remain in my covenant and I disregarded them’ says the Lord. 10 ‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days; giving my laws to their mind, I will also write them on their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. 11 And they shall not teach every man his fellow and every man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their iniquities and I will no longer be reminded of their sins.” 13 In that He speaks of a new, He makes obsolete the first. Now that, being obsolete, is grown old and is near disappearance. 9:1 “Now even the first had regulations of service and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was established; the first part, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the presence, which is called the Holy place, 3 and after the second veil, a tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant being overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the gold pot containing the manna and the budding rod of Aaron and the tablets of the 493 covenant, 5 and above it being Cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat, concerning which we are now not to speak in particular. 9:6 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests continually enter the first tabernacle accomplishing the services, 7 but into the second, the high priest enters alone once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and the unknowing errors of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit signifies that the way into the Holy of Holies (Sanctuary) is not yet manifested, while the first tabernacle still bears opposition, 9 which is a parable unto the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot, as pertaining to the conscience, make the worshiper perfect, 10 being only, on the basis of foods and drinks and various washings, carnal ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. 9:11 But Christ, having come High Priest of the good things coming through the greater and more perfect Tabernacle (not handmade – that is, not of this creation – 12 nor by blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood) entered once for all into the Holy of Holies procuring eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and ashes of a heifer besprinkling those having become defiled sanctify unto the purity of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works unto the service of living God? 15 And for this reason He is mediator of a New Covenant so that, a death having taken place for redemption from the transgressions against the first Covenant, those being called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 9:16 For where there is a covenant, there is the necessity to cause the death of the covenant-victim (guarantor, initiator). 17 For a covenant is (only) valid on the basis of substitutionary deaths, since it is in no way effective while the covenant-victim (one making, or guaranteeing the covenant) is yet alive. 18 Thus, even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood, 19 for every command having been spoken according to the law by Moses to all the people, taking the blood of calves with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, he sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying this is the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined on you. 21 Moreover, both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry (service?) he likewise sprinkled with the blood. 22 and almost everything is purified with blood according to the law and without shedding of blood there is no remission. 9:23 Therefore, on the one hand, it is necessary that the copy of those heavenly things should be purified with these things; but on the other hand the heavenly things themselves with a better sacrifice than these. 24 For Christ entered not into the Holy of Holies made with hands which are antitypes of the real, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us, 25 but not to offer Himself often, as the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies annually with the blood of another, 26 for then he were behooved to suffer often since the foundation of the universe, but now is manifested once for all at the end of the ages for the annulment of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is reserved for men once to die, but after that, judgment, 28 So also Christ, having once for all been offered to bear the sins of many, will be seen a second time without sin unto salvation to the ones eagerly awaiting Him. 494 10:1 For the Law, having (only) a shadow of the good things about to be [coming], not the image itself of the matters, by the same annual sacrifices which they offer perpetually, can never perfect those drawing near, 2 since would not the sacrifices have ceased because the worshipers, being purified once for all, no longer have a conscience of sins? 3 But there is, in those sacrifices, an annual reminder of sins. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 10:5 Therefore, coming into the world He says “sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you were not satisfied. 7 Then I said ‘behold, I come (in the roll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God’.” 8 After first saying “sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you neither desired nor were you satisfied (which are offered according to Law),” 9 He then said “Behold, I am come to do Thy will;” he abolishes the first in order to establish the second, 10 by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 10:11 And, on the one hand, every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never divest/dispossess/strip away/disencumber sins, 12 but on the other hand, that one, having offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, 13 waiting henceforth until His enemies should be made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He perfected forever those being sanctified. 10:15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after having said 16 “this is the covenant that I will make” with them “after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws upon their hearts and I will write them upon their mind,” 17 He also said “I will no longer be reminded of their sins and their lawless deeds.”52 18 Now where there is remission of these there is no longer an offering for sin. 10:19 Therefore, brothers, having full assurance in the entryway of the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 which new and living way through the veil He inaugurated for us (that is, His flesh) 21 and having a great Priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart and in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with clean water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering (for the One promising is trustworthy). 24 And let us consider one another unto provoking love and good works, 25 not forsaking the gathering of yourselves as is the custom of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. 10:26 For us, if we continue to sin deliberately after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain foreboding fear of judgment and a fire of fury soon to consume the adversaries. 28 One who rejects the Law of Moses dies upon the testimony of two or three. 29 Of how much sorer punishment do you think one having trampled underfoot the Son of God, and having regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and having outraged the Spirit of grace, will be judged worthy? 30 For we know the One having said “vengeance is mine – I will repay!” and again, “The Lord will judge His people!” 31 It is a fearful 52 For the Hebrew Text, see note at Hebrews 8:10 ff. 495 thing to fall into the hands of a/the living God. 10:32 But remember the former days in which, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 not only for being made spectacles by reproaches and even by tribulations, but also for having become partners with those so living. 34 For you both sympathized with those in bonds, and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, knowing yourselves to have a better and abiding possession. 35 Therefore, you should not cast aside your confidence, which has great reward. 36 for you have need of endurance in order that having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. 37 For yet “in a very short time,” He “who is coming will come and shall not tarry; 38 but the righteous shall live by faith” and “if he should draw back, then my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who draw back unto destruction, but of faith/those who believe unto the preservation of the soul. 11:1 “Now faith is the conviction of hope, the test of matters not seen. 2 For in this the elders received testimony. 3 By faith we suppose that the ages have been prepared by God’s word, (insofar as to believe that) the condition of being seen arose from the condition of not appearing. 11:4 By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous (God testifying concerning his gifts), and through it, being dead, he yet speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was translated so as not to see death, and was not found, because God translated him: for before the change he had been attested to have been well-pleasing to God. 6 Because without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to Him, for it is necessary for the one coming to God to believe that He is, and becomes a rewarder to the one diligently seeking Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned concerning the things not yet seen, being moved with reverence, prepared an ark unto the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness according to faith. 11:8 By faith Abraham, being called to go out into a place he would afterward receive as an inheritance, obeyed, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as an alien, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise. 10 For he awaited the city that has the foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he (and barren Sarah herself) received power to cast seed beyond the time of potency, since he reckoned the One promising as faithful. 12 Wherefore from one (and him as good as dead) there arose – as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand on the seashore – the innumerable. 11:13 According to faith all these (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah) died without obtaining the promises, except having seen and embraced them from afar (at a distance), and having confessed that they were aliens and sojourners on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare that they seek a fatherland (their homeland). 15 And if indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return (might have returned). 16 But as it is (instead/but as a matter of fact) now they long for a better – that is a heavenly – country: wherefore (for which reason) God is not ashamed of them or to be called their God; for He (has) prepared a city for them. 496 11:17 By faith he, being tested, offered up Isaac; even he who had received the promises was offering up the uniquely begotten, 18 (to whom it was said “in Isaac shall your seed be called”)53 19 reckoning that God is able to raise up even from the dead, whence he also received him in a figure. 20 By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.54 22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the exodus of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning his bones. 11:23 By faith, Moses, having been born, was concealed for three months by his parents because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith, Moses, having become great, refused to be called “son of Pharaoh’s daughter,” 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin, 26 reckoning the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasuries of Egypt, for he was looking for the recompense. 27 By faith he abandoned Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he persisted as if seeing the invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood in order that the one destroying the firstborn might not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as upon dryland, which, the Egyptians making an attempt were swallowed up 30 By faith the walls of Jericho collapsed, being encircled for seven days. 31 By faith, Rahab the harlot did not perish with the unbelieving, having received the spies with peace. 11:32 And what shall I yet say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and even of Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouth/edge of the sword, from weakness/infirmities were made strong, became mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection: and others were beaten to death (tortured), not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 And others received trial of mockings and scourgings, and moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, by the slaughter of the sword they were murdered. They wandered about in sheepskins and the skins of goats; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 11:39 And all these, having had witness borne to them of their faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. 53 Genesis 21:12 `[r;z") ^ßl. arEïQ'yI qx'êc.yIb. 54 Genesis 47:31. `hJ'(Mih; varoï-l[; laeÞr"f.yI WxT;îv.YIw: (Genesis (((( 497 12:1 Consequently, having set about us so great a cloud of witnesses, having laid aside every encumbrance and the easily encircling sin, we also should run with endurance the race being set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the initiator and perfecter of the faith, who, for the joy being set before Him, endured a cross, disregarding the shame, and is seated on the right hand of the throne of God. 12:3 For consider the One having endured such opposition [hostility] by sinners toward them, lest, becoming enfeebled, you should grow weary in your souls. [The shorter, critical, text is retained (below) for those who prefer the critical reading rather than the Generally accepted reading.] 12:3 For consider having endured such hostility of the sinners against them, lest having become enfeebled, you become weary in your souls. (Following p13,46) 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of blood struggling against sin, 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation that reasons with you as with sons “my son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor grow weary under His reproving. 6 For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 You must endure discipline; God is disposed toward you as toward sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, you are illegitimates/misbegotten and not sons. 12:9 Indeed, we had disciplinarian fathers of our flesh and we heeded them; shall we not much more be subject to the father of spirits and live? 10 For on the one hand they disciplined for a few days according to their wishes, but He for the purpose of assisting us for the purpose of a share of His holiness. 11 Indeed, all discipline seems to be not joyful, but sorrowful at the moment, but afterward yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to the ones exercised through it. 12:12 Wherefore, strengthen the weakened hands and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight the paths for your feet, in order that the lame should not be disjointed but rather healed. 14 Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord, 15 watching diligently lest any man be failing of the Grace of God; lest some root of bitterness springing up might excite disturbance, and the many should be stained, 16 lest anyone should become a fornicator or a worldly person like Esau, who, for one meal, repudiated the birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, also wishing to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no sufferance from his repentance, though he sought it with tears. 12:18 For you have not arrived at a palpable place, and a kindled fire, and darkness and gloom, and tempest, 19 and blare of trumpet, and the sound of words such that those hearing desired that not another word be added to them. 20 For they could not bear being enjoined that “if even a beast should touch the mountain it shall be stoned.” 21 And so fearful was the appearance that Moses said “I am exceedingly terrified and trembling.” 22 But you have arrived at Mount Zion and the city of the living God, Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and to a judge, the God of all men, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 and to a mediator of a new covenant, Jesus, and to blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than Abel. 498 12:25 See that you do not reject Him who is speaking. For if those having rejected Him who was warning them upon earth did not escape, much more shall we not escape who repudiate Him who warns from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth, but who now has promised, saying “yet once more will I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven. 27 But this phrase “yet once more” indicates a removal of the things being shaken as of things having been created, in order that the things not shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have gratitude, through which we may worship acceptably with reverence and awe. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some unknowingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the ones in bonds as bound with them, the ones being tormented as also being in the body. 4 Let marriage be respected by all and the bed undefiled, for God will judge prostitutes and adulterers. 5 Let your character be without love of money, being content with the present circumstances, for he has said “I will in no way fail you, neither will I in any way abandon you,” 6 so that being confident we may say “the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid; what will man do to me?” 7 Be mindful of those leading you, whoever spoke to you the word of God, of whom, scrutinizing the outcome/example of their conduct, imitate the faith. 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and into the ages. 9 Do not be borne away by diverse and strange doctrines, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, by which those practicing (lit. “in which the ones walking”) were not benefitted. 13:10 We have an altar from which the ones serving the tabernacle have no authority to eat. 11 For the blood of those lives are brought into the Holy Place by the High Priest on account of sin – whose bodies are burned outside the camp (cf. Leviticus 16:27). 12 So also Jesus, in order that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach, 14 for we have not here an abiding city, but we seek the one to come. 15 Through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips giving thanks in his name. 16 But do not neglect benevolence and fellowship, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 13:17 Be persuaded by the ones leading you and submit, for they keep watch over your souls (as those who will be giving an account) in order that they may do so with joy and not grieving; for this were unprofitable for you. 18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience in all things, desiring to live rightly. 19 But I urge you more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you without delay. 13:20 Now may the God of peace, the One having brought up from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, 21 prepare you in every good thing to do His will, doing in us what is well-pleasing before Him, through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory into the ages. Amen. 22 And I beseech you, brothers, bear with the word of exhortation, for even I have written to you in 499 a short letter. 23 Know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I shall see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with all of you. 500 Paraphrase 1:1 God, whose revelation was given in many parts and in many ways when in times past speaking to the fathers through the prophets, 2 spoke at last to us through His son who is the designated heir of all things, and by whom God created everything; 3 who, being the full radiance of His glory and revealing perfectly His character, and thus maintaining the being and processes of all things by his dynamic word, and having himself legally satisfied the debt for sins, took his appointed place of highest honor at the side of God. 4 By having become so much greater than all of God’s other messengers, he inherited a name that much greater than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels does the Old Testament record God as having said “You are my Son; I have begotten you this very day!” as He does to Messiah in Psalm 2:7? Or “I will be His Father, and He shall be my Son!” as He does in 2 Samuel 7:14? 6 And referring to the occasion when He will next bring His Son into the world, He is on record in Deuteronomy 32:43 as having said “Let all God’s angels worship Him!” 7 And concerning those angels Psalm 104:4 says that “He makes His angels winds, and His ministers flaming fires.” 8 But concerning His Son He says in Psalm 45:6-7 “Your throne, oh God, is eternal, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of righteousness. 9 In your earthly work, you loved righteousness and hated sin. That is why your God anointed you with the oil of exultation beyond those who aided your cause. 10 And again He says of the Son, ‘you, Lord, from the very beginning, formed the earth and put it on its foundation; and the entire expanse of the heavens are the work of your own hands 11 They shall pass away, but you will always be; and all material things shall wear out like a garment, 12 and you shall deal with them like one would a coat; and like a garment, they shall be changed. But you remain the same and have no end. 13 But to which of the angels has He ever said “for now, seat yourself in the place of honor until I put your enemies beneath your feet? 14 Are not all the angels servants sent from God to minister to the temporal situations of those who will be brothers of the first Begotten? 2:1 Because of all this, it is imperative that we heed the things we have heard, lest from inattention, we drift away from our concern. 2. For if the things spoken by His messengers were absolutely binding, and every overstepping and act of disobedience received its just punishment, 3. how shall we survive the neglect of such great salvation as we have accepted, remembering that it was first revealed by the Lord, and was subsequently certified to us by those who had heard Him, 4 God himself verifying their message by signs and wonders and by many works of great power, and by the granting of the Holy spirit as He saw fit? 2:5 For He did not subject the coming world of which we speak to angels; 6 instead, one wrote somewhere saying, “what is man that you are mindful of him or the Son of Man that you nurture him? 501 7 You made him a little lower than angels and crowned him with glory and honor; 8 you put all things beneath his feet.” And insofar as he subjected all things, there remained nothing that was not included in that subjection. But we do not yet see all things beneath His feet. 9 But the “made a little lower than angels,” we see in Jesus because He suffered death; and the “crowned with glory and honor” in that, by the grace of God, He might taste death for the sake of all people. 2:10 For it was fitting for Him for whom and by whom all things were made, leading many sons into glory, to perfect the Captain of their salvation through sufferings, for both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of one, so that He is not ashamed to call them His brothers, saying,” I will proclaim your name to my brothers – I will hymn you in the middle of the congregation,” and, “I will continue to trust Him,” and, “behold, I and the children God gave to me,” and so forth. 3:1 On this account, holy brothers, participants in the heavenly calling, study with care the apostle and High Priest of our profession, Jesus, who was faithful to the one who appointed Him as also Moses was in His household. For this one was considered worthy of more glory than Moses by so much as the one setting up a household has more honor than the household itself. For every household is set up by someone, but the one who set up everything is God. And Moses, on the one hand, was faithful in all His household, as a retainer, of the things that would be spoken in the future as testimony. Christ, on the other hand, was faithful as a Son over His household, whose household we are, if we maintain our confidence and the boast of our hope. 3:7 Thus, (just as the Spirit says in Psalms 95:7-11, “today, if you hear God’s voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as your ancestors did in the place of rebellion during the period when they tested me in the wilderness, where, in proving me, they tested me and saw my mighty works 10 for forty years, for which reason I was furious with that generation and said ‘they always deceive their own hearts and they did not learn my ways.’ 11 therefore, I swore in my anger ‘they shall not enter into the blessings of my rest’,” 3:12 be on your guard, brothers, against the possibility that an evil heart of disbelief might arise in any of you, tempting you to turn away from the living God. 13 Instead, exhort one another throughout each day, while it is still called “today” to pay heed to the voice of God lest any of you should be hardened by the deception of sin 14 (for we are partakers of Christ only in so far as we retain the beginning of our confidence firmly until the end); 15 while it may still be said “today, if you shall hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 3:16 For who, having known of God, rebelled against Him anyway? Was it not all the ones who followed Moses out of Egypt? 17 But with whom was God so furious for forty years? Was it not with the ones having so grievously sinned, who died and were buried in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they should not enter into his rest (symbolized by the Holy Land) if not to the ones having raised an insurrection? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of the apostasy caused by their disbelief. 502 4:1 So while the promise of entering into His rest is still open, let us fear lest any one of you should fail to obtain it. 2 For we also have had the promise extended to us, just as they had; but the word of Caleb’s report gained them nothing, not being united in belief with those hearing. 3 We, on the other hand, having believed, enter into that rest just as he said, “as I swore in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest” despite the fact that His works had been finished from the foundation of the universe. 4 For God spoke through the Psalmist concerning the seventh day saying “and God rested on the seventh day from all His works.” 5 And, returning to our text, “if they shall enter into my rest.” 6 So, since it is still possible for some to enter into it, and those having first received the promise did not enter because of disobedience, 7 He again set another day – Today, saying by the Psalmist, after so long a time (just as has we have already said) “today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken so much later concerning another day. 4:9 So a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. 10 For he who enters into God’s rest also rests from his works, in the same way God rested from His own. 11 So let us show diligence to enter into that rest lest any one of you should fall in the same manner of the Israelites’ apostasy. 12 For God’s word is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword, penetrating to the boundary between the soul and the spirit and that of joints and marrow, and is a judge of the very notions and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from Him; but all are bare and exposed in the sight of Him to whom we are accountable. 4:14 Accordingly, having a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens to rest at the right hand of God, Jesus, the Son of God, let us seize upon our confession. 15 Since we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our various weaknesses, but one who has borne temptation in all things, just as we are, yet without sin, 16 let us therefore approach the throne of Grace with confidence, for the purpose of receiving mercy and finding grace for help in times of need. 5:1 For every High Priest chosen from among men is authorized to represent men in the things rendered to God, that he might bring their gifts and sacrifices for sins, 2 and able to deal gently with the ignorant and with those being led astray, since he also is beset with weaknesses. 3. For this reason he is obliged to offer for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4. No one assumes the honor for himself, but when called by God, as Aaron also was. 5:5 So also Christ did not seek to exalt himself by becoming High Priest -- instead, the one who says to Him “you are my son, this day I have begotten you,” exalted Him 6 as He says in another place, “you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek;” 7 who, in the days of His earthly life, having offered up both prayers and supplications with a loud cry and tears, to the One He knew was able to save Him from death, and having been heard because of His reverential submission, 8 yet, Son that He was, yet He learned obedience through the things that He suffered. 9 And having been made complete and suitable by that suffering, He became the fountain of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him, 10 being acclaimed by God High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. 503 5:11 Concerning whom we have a lot to say, and difficult to explain, since you are tone deaf to truth. 12 For indeed, when, you ought to be teachers, because of the long time you have been Christians, you again need someone to teach you the “‘s of the teachings given by God, and are become like those who can only drink milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For every one living on milk is without experience of the teaching of righteousness, because he is a baby. 14 Solid food is for the mature, the ones who, as a result of constant training, have their senses exercised in the discernment both of right and wrong. 6:1 So, having for the moment put aside the teaching of the basic idea of the Messiah, let us be borne on to maturity, by not continually preaching to the choir concerning the threadbare topics of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of such things as the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands, and of the resurrection, and of eternal judgment. 3 And we will do this if it is God’s will. 6:3 And this is what we will do if God permits, 4 since it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who, once for all, having been enlightened, 5 having both tasted the heavenly gifts and become partakers in the Spirit of God, and having both tasted the good word of God and the coming eternal power, 6 and then having committed apostasy, seeing they re-crucify for themselves and put to an open mockery the son of God who had already died once for them. \ 6:7 For land receiving seasonal rains, and bearing crops useful to those for whom it was tilled receives a blessing from God, 8 but bringing forth weeds is both worthless and cursed and soon to be burned. 9 But beloved, we believe better things of you, things that manifest salvation, even though we speak in this way. 10 For God is not unjust and does not forget your works or the love you have demonstrated toward his name, having served, and continuing to serve the Saints. 11 But we fervently wish that each one of you exercise to the very end the same diligence toward the realization of your hope, 12 so as not to become lazy, but to imitate ever more closely those who by their faith and patience inherit the promises. 6:13 For God, when He made His promise to Abraham had no one greater than Himself by whom to swear, so He swore by himself, 14 saying certainly, and without doubt, I will bless you multiply you. 15 And Abraham, after waiting patiently, saw the promises fulfilled. 16 Now men swear by someone greater than themselves; and an oath for confirmation of a statement is to them the end of all dispute. 17 So, being determined to show to the heirs of His promise the permanence of his intent, He confirmed it with an oath, 18 so that, on account of two unchangeable things in which God cannot lie, we – those of us who have fled the world to cling for refuge to the hope set before us – might have absolute encouragement. 19 This hope is as an anchor for the soul, both safe and secure, and it dares to venture within the veil 20 where a forerunner has already entered on our account, even Jesus, made a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. 7:1 For this Melchizedek, King of Salem, priest of the most high God, who, having met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, and having blessed him; 2 and to whom Abraham gave the best tenth of everything, is first explained as King of righteousness, but then also as King of 504 Salem, that is, King of peace; 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but being made like the Son of God, remains a priest unto perpetuity. 7:4 Now observe how great this priest was, even as Abraham the patriarch did when he gave him the best tenth of the spoils. 5 On the one hand, even those of the sons of Levi who received the priesthood are commanded to take tithes of the people according to the law, from their own brothers, although they, too, are descendants of Abraham. 6 On the other hand, the One not being related to any of them has received tithes from Abraham, and has blessed the one who had already received God’s promises. 7 Now without question, the one who receives the blessing is inferior to the one giving the blessing. 8 And here, on the one hand, the tithe is collected by men who die, but there, on the other hand, it was collected by one who it is declared to be alive. 9 And it may even be said that Levi, who collects tithes, has yet paid a tithe through Abraham, 10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loins of his ancestor. 7:11 Now if the attainment of moral perfection were possible through the offices of the Levitical priesthood (for the people were governed by the Law that established that priesthood), why would there ever be a need for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek and not be called after the traditional order of Aaron? 12 For the transfer of the authority and dignity of the priesthood necessarily brings about a change of law also. 13 For these things are spoken of Him who was descended from another tribe, no member of which ever attended at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, in regard to which tribe, Moses mentioned nothing pertaining to priests. 7:15 And it is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who came not according to the carnal commandment of the Levitical Law, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17 For He testifies that “you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For in the case of the old Law there comes a repeal on account of its weakness an uselessness, 19 because the Law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, the subsequent introduction of a better hope did, and through this hope we draw near to God. 7:20 And all that did not come about without an oath. (For on the one hand, all those they have become priests without an oath, 21 but on the other hand, He is a priest with an oath through the One saying to Him “the Lord swore and will not repent, you are a priest forever.”) 22 By just so much Jesus became the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 And on the one hand, many were those becoming priests because of being prevented by death from remaining, 24 but on the other hand, that One, because He remains forever, has a permanent priesthood; 25 hence, also, living forever to make intercession for them, He is able to save to the uttermost those coming to God through Him,. 7:26 For such a high priest was perfectly matched for us, devout, blameless, and untouched by sin, who is now separated from sinners, and raised higher than the heavens; 27 who has no daily need, as those high priests had, to offer sacrifices, first for their own sins, then for those of the people, for he did this once for all when He offered himself for sin. 28 For in the ld economy as the law appoints 505 men high priests who themselves have weaknesses, but the word of the God’s oath (which came after the establishment of the Law), appoints the Son, having been perfected forever. 8:1 Now the point of the things being said is we have just such a royal high priest as becomes us, who took His seat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven, 2 a minister of the holy things and of the true tabernacle, which God made, not man. 3 Because every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, therefore it was necessary that this one also have something He might offer. 4. If He was on earth, then He would not even be a priest, there being priests who offer the gifts according to law, 5 whoever serve in a mere copy and shadow of the heavenly things; even as Moses was instructed, for He says, “see that you make all things according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain. 6 But now that He has obtained a more excellent ministry by so much is He also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises. 8:7 For if that first covenant had been effective, there would have been no need for a second. 8 For finding them ineffectual He says “The Lord says ‘Behold, the days are coming when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 not according to the covenant I made with their fathers, in the day of my taking them by their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not remain in my covenant and I disregarded them’ says the Lord. 10 ‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days; giving my laws to their minds, I will even write them on their hearts, and I will be their a God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach every man his fellow and every man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know me, from the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In that He speaks of a new covenant, He makes the first covenant obsolete. Now that covenant, being obsolete, is even now grown old and is ready to disappear. 9:1 Now even the first covenant had regulations of service and a temporal sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was established for it; the first room, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the presence, which is called the Holy place, 3 and after the second veil, a tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant being encased on all sides with gold, in which were the gold pot containing the manna and the budding rod of Aaron and the tablets of the Lawt, 5 and above which were Cherubim of God’s glory, shadowing the mercy seat, about which we will not now going to speak in detail. 9:6 Now when these things had been prepared in this way, the priests continually enter the first tabernacle performing the services, 7 but into the second, the high priest enters alone once a year, and not without blood, which he offers for himself and the people’s errors committed in ignorance. 8 By this means the Holy Spirit reveals to us that the way into the Sanctuary is not yet manifested, while the first tabernacle still bars entrance, 9 which is a parable unto the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot, as pertaining to the conscience, make the worshiper perfect, 10 being only, of foods and drinks and various washings – carnal ordinances imposed until the prophesied time of reformation. 506 9:11 But Christ, having become High Priest of the good things to flow from the greater and more perfect Tabernacle (not handmade – that is, not of this creation – 12 and not by means of the sacrificial blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood) entered once for all into that Holiest Place securing our eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, by being sprinkled upon those who have become defiled cleanse the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through His eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works unto the service of the living God? 15 And for this reason He is mediator of a New Covenant, a substitutionary death of validation being achieved for release from the transgressions against the first Covenant, that those being called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 9:16 For wherever a covenant exists or is prepared, there is the necessity to bring forth the death of the covenant-victim. 17 For a binding covenant is based upon dead covenant-victims, since it remains ineffective while the covenant-victim is still alive. 18 Thus, even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood, 19 for after Moses explained every command to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying “this is the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined on you.” 21 Moreover, he then sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the divine service. 22 And almost everything coming into relationship with God must be cleansed with blood according to the law; and without shedding of blood there is no release from bondage. 9:23 Therefore, on the one hand, it is necessary that the copy of those heavenly things should be purified with these things; but on the other hand the heavenly things themselves with a better sacrifice than these. 24 For Christ entered not into the Holy of Holies made with hands which are antitypes of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us, 25 but not for the purpose of offering Himself often, as the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies year after year with the blood of another, 26 for then he were behooved to suffer often since the foundation of the universe, but instead is now manifested once for all at the end of the ages for the annulment of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men once to die, but after that, the judgment, 28 So also Christ, having once for all been offered to bear the sins of many, will be seen a second time without sin unto salvation to the ones eagerly awaiting Him. 10:1 For the Law, having only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the full image itself of the matters, can never perfect worshipers by the same annual sacrifices which they offer perpetually; 2 otherwise would the sacrifices not have ceased being offered if they, being purified from sin once for all, no longer had a conscience of sins? 3 But those sacrifices, provide an annual reminder of sins. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 10:5 Therefore, coming into the world He says “sacrifice and offering you did not want, but you prepared a body for me; 6 with whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you were not satisfied. 7 Then I said ‘behold, I come to do your will, O God’ (in the roll of the book it is written of me).” 8 After first saying “sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you 507 neither desired nor were you satisfied with them (which are offered according to law),” 9 then afterward saying “Behold, I am come to do Thy will,” he abolishes the first in order to establish the second, 10 by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 10:11 And, on the one hand, every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never divest/dispossess/strip away sins, 12 but on the other hand, that one, having offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, 13 waiting henceforth until His enemies should be made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He perfected forever those being sanctified. 10:15 And the Holy Spirit confirms this testimony to us, for after having said 16 “this is the covenant that I will make” with them “after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws upon their hearts and I will write them upon their mind,” 17 He added “I will no longer be reminded of their sins and their lawless deeds.” 18 Now where there is remission of these there is no longer an offering for sin. 10:19 Therefore, brothers, having full assurance in the entryway of the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 which new and living way through the veil He inaugurated for us (that is, His flesh) 21 and having a great Priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart and in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with clean water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering (for the One promising is trustworthy). 24 And let us consider one another unto provoking love and good works, 25 not forsaking your assembly as is the custom of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. 10:26 For us, if we continue to sin recklessly or high-handedly, after we have been given and gladly accepted the knowledge of the truth, there is then no longer a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain gnawing fear of Divine condemnation and a furious, unquenchable fire soon to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy upon the testimony of two or three. 29 Of how much more severe punishment do you think one having trampled underfoot the Son of God, and having regarded as common the Blood of the Covenant by which he was sanctified, and having profaned the Spirit of grace, will be pronounced worthy? 30 For we know the One having said “vengeance is mine – I will repay!” and again, “The Lord will judge His people!” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a/the living God. 10:32 But remember the former days in which, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 not only for being made spectacles by reproaches and even by tribulations, but also for having become partners with those so living. 34 For you both sympathized with those in bonds, and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, knowing yourselves to have a better and abiding possession. 35 Therefore, you should not cast aside your confidence, which has great reward. 36 for you have need of endurance in order that having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. 37 For yet “in a very short while, He who is coming will come and shall not delay; 38 but the justified man shall live by faith” and “if he should draw back, then my soul has no 508 pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who draw back/apostatize unto destruction, but of faith/those who believe unto the preservation of the soul. 11:1 “Now trust is the conviction of hoping, the test of matters not capable of being seen. 2 For by this faith the elders accepted testimony or were vindicated for having done so. 3 By faith we suppose that the visible aspects of the ages have been formed by God’s unseen word, inferring that the condition of being seen arose from that which is invisible by its nature. 11:4 By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous (God testifying in regard to his gifts), and through that sacrifice, although he is dead, he yet speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was translated so as not to die, and was not found, because God translated him: for before the translation he had been attested to have been well- pleasing to God. 6 Because without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to Him, for it is necessary for the one coming to God to believe that He is, and that He honors to the one who earnestly seeks Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned concerning the things to come, and being moved with reverence, prepared an ark for the salivation of his house, through which he condemned the world and became heir of the that righteousness which is the result of faith. 11:8 By faith Abraham, being called to go out into a place he would afterward receive as an inheritance, obeyed, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as a foreigner, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise. 10 For he was expecting the city that has the foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he (and barren Sarah herself) received power to bring forth an heir past the normal time of procreation, since he reckoned the One promising as faithful. 12 Wherefore from one (and him as good as dead) there arose – in multitude as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the seashore – the innumerable. 11:13 In accordance with this faith, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah all died without obtaining the promises, except as having seen and embraced them at a distance, and having confessed that they were aliens and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they seek their homeland. 15 And if indeed they had been thinking of the country they had left, they might have returned. 16 But instead, they long for a better – a heavenly – country: which is why God is not ashamed of them or to be called their God;; for He has prepared a city for them. 11:17 By faith he, when he was being tested, Abraham sacrificed Isaac; even after receiving the promises he was in the process of sacrificing the uniquely begotten son, 18 (to whom it was said “in Isaac shall your seed be called”) 19 concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead, whence he also received him in a figure. 20 By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the exodus of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning the reburial of his bones. 11:23 By faith, Moses, after he was born, was concealed for three months by his parents because they 509 saw that he was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s decree. 24 By faith, Moses, after becoming great, refused to be called “son of Pharaoh’s daughter,” 25 choosing instead to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin, reckoning the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasuries of Egypt, for he was looking for the compensation. 27 By faith he abandoned Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he persisted as if seeing the invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the Sprinkling of the blood in order that the one destroying the firstborn might not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as upon dryland, which, the Egyptians when they made the attempt were swallowed up. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after being encircled for seven days. 31 By faith, Rahab the harlot did not perish with her unbelieving neighbors, because in faith she had received the spies with peace. 11:32 And what more can I say? time will not allow me to speak in detail of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and even of Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through their faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the sword, from various infirmities were made strong, became mighty in war, turned to flight the armies of their enemies. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection: and others were beaten to death, not accepting the offered deliverance, so that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 And others were tested with mockings and scourgings, and moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were judicially murdered. They wandered about in sheepskins and the skins of goats; being impoverish, greatly distressed, and bedeviled; 38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 11:39 And all these, having had witness borne to them of their faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. 12:1 Consequently, being surrounded by such a cloud of faithful witnesses who laid aside every encumbrance and sin that so easily draws one away, let us also run with endurance the race now being set before us, 2 considering Jesus, the beginning and end of the faith, who, for the joy being set before Him, having ignored the shame, endured a cross and is now seated on the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For focus your thought on the One having endured such a kind of hostility by the unbelievers toward them, lest, becoming weakened, you should grow weary in your souls. [Generally accepted reading] 3 For consider having endured such hostility against them at the hands of sinners, lest already having become feeble for lack of spiritual exercise, you become weary in your souls. (Critical reading) 4 You have not yet encountered or resisted apostasy to the point of bloodshed, 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation that reasons with you as with sons concerning trials “my son, do not disregard the discipline of the Lord, nor grow weary under His reproof. 6 For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 You must endure discipline; God is 510 disposed toward you as toward sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, you are misbegotten and not sons. 12:9 Indeed, we had human fathers as disciplinarians of our physical lives and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the will of our heavenly father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a few days according to their own wishes, but He for the purpose of separating us unto Himself for the purpose of sharing His holiness. 11 Indeed, all discipline seems to be not joyful but sorrowful at the moment; but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to the ones who are shaped by it. 12:12 So, strengthen the weakened hands and feeble knees, 13 and make straight the paths for your feet, in order that the lame should not become disabled but rather be healed. 14 Seek peace with all men and the moral separation without which no man shall see the Lord, 15 being always watchful lest anyone should fall short of God’s grace, then some root of bitterness overshadowing the one might excite disturbance, and the many should be stained, 16 and someone should become a fornicator or profane, like Esau, who, for one meal, relinquished the birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, wishing to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no acceptance from his repentance, though he sought it with tears. 12:18 For you have not arrived at a palpable place, a kindled fire, or darkness or gloom, or tempest, 19 or blare of trumpet or the sound of words such that those hearing desired that not another word be spoken to them. 20 For they were unable to bear being told that “if even a beast touches the mountain it shall be stoned.” 21 And so fearful was the appearance that Moses said “I am exceedingly terrified and trembling.” 22 But you are present in principle, at that which is holy, heavenly, and immaterial, the city of the living God, Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels in a festal gathering, 23 and to the Church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven and to a judge, the God of all men, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect 24 and to a mediator of a new covenant, Jesus, and to blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than Abel. 12:25 See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those having refused Him who was warning them upon earth did not escape, much less shall we escape who repudiate Him who warns from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth, but who now has promised, saying “yet once more will I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” 27 But this phrase “yet once more” indicates a removal of the things being shaken as of things having been created, in order that the things not shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have gratitude, through which we may worship acceptably with reverence and veneration. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not overlook hospitality to strangers, for by this some have unknowingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the ones in bonds as bound with them, the ones being ill treated as also being in the body. 4 Let marriage be highly esteemed by all and see to it that the bed remains undefiled, for God will judge prostitutes and adulterers. 5 Let the manner of life be free from the love of money, being content with what you have, for He has said “I will never let you go, 511 nor will I ever abandon you,” 6 so that being confident we may say “the Lord is my helper; I will not be fearful; what will man do to me?” 7 Be mindful of your leaders, whoever spoke to you the word of God; scrutinizing the example of their conduct, imitate their faith. [Imitate the faith that issued in their godly behavior.] 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forevermore. 9 So do not be misled by various strange teachings, for it is good that a man character be established by grace, not by ceremonies or foods, by which those who practice them have never benefitted. 13:10 We have an eternal sacrifice from which the ones serving the temporal tabernacle have no right to partake. 11 For the blood of all those living beings are brought into the Holy Place by the High Priest on account of sin – and their bodies are burned outside the camp as that which woul defile the camp (cf. Leviticus 16:27). 12 So also Jesus, in order that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside the gate, treated as a miscreant and defilement. 13 Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach, 14 because we do not have here in the temporal city anything eternal value; but we are seeking the city to come. 15 Through Him let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips giving acknowledgement in His name. 16 But do not neglect giving to others and the deep commitmnt to believers, for God is well pleased with such sacrifices. 13:17 Be convinced and convicted by message and behavior of those leading you and submit to them, for they spend wakeful nights on behalf of your souls (as those who will be giving an account) in order that they may watch over you with joy and not with grieving; failure to do so will return to your own disadvantage. 18 Pray for us, for we are certain that we have a clear conscience in all things, desiring to live righteously before God and man. 19 But I am compelled to urge you more earnestly to do this so I may be restored to you without delay. 13:20 Now may the God of peace, who brought the Lord Jesus, our great Shepherd, up from the dead by the blood of the permanent and everlasting covenant, 21 prepare you in every good thing to do His will, doing through us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory into the ages. Amen. 22 And I entreat you, brothers, accept the admonition to faithfulness, for even I have written to you in a short letter. 23 Know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send their greetings. 25 Grace be with you all. 512 513 Appendices Brief Chronology of Old Testament Events Referred to in Hebrews (Closely follows the account of Stephen’s defense in Acts 7:2-5355) First Promise to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3) “ . . . To a land that I will show thee . . . I will make of you a great nation.” Tithes given Melchizedek (Gen 14:13-24) Second Promise to Abraham – an Heir and a Heritage (Gen 15:3-6) Covenant with Abraham (Gen 15:7-17) Circumcision a sign of the Covenant (Gen 17:9-14) Sojourn of Hebrews in Egypt (430 years) Rise of Moses (Ex 2:1-10) Miraculous Plagues on Egypt Nile turned to Blood (Ex 7:14-25) Plague of Frogs (Ex 8:1-15) Plague of Gnats (Ex 8:16-19) Plague of Flies (Ex 8:20-32) Plague upon Cattle (Ex 9:1-7) Plague of Boils (Ex 9:8-12) 55 Stephen’s defense used well known Bible teachings to establish that his accusers had ended the past, earthly ministry of Jesus. Hebrews, goes on to the advanced teaching of Jesus’ current, heavenly ministry. 514 Hail and Fire (Ex 9:13-26) Plague upon Flax and Barley (Ex 9:30-32) Plague of Locusts (Ex 10:12-20) Three Days of Darkness (Ex 10:21-23) Passover (Ex 11:4-12:32) Exodus – Miraculous Deliverance and Preservation Pharaoh Pursues Israel and the Parting of the Sea (Ex 14:1-31) Manna from Heaven (Ex 16:1-22) Water from the Rock (Ex 17:1-7) Covenant with Moses (Ex 19:5-8) Moses on Mt. Sinai (Ex 19:1 ff.) Aaron and the Golden Calf (Ex 32: 1-35) Spies sent (Num 13:1-33) “Murmuring” in the Desert – Apostasy (Num 11:5; 14:1-13) Judgment on Apostates (Num 14:20-24) 515 The Gospel to the Israelites under Moses The promise of land Genesis 12:7 inter alia The promise of rest Exodus 31:15; Deut 12:10 The accompanying miracles in Egypt Exodus 7:8-12:30 Pillars of fire and cloud Exodus 13:21-22 The parting of the sea Exodus 14:13-31 Manna from Heaven Exodus 16:2-13 Water from the Rock Exodus 17:1-7 Defeat of Amalek Exodus 17:8-Moses commanded to make a memorial. More miracles promised Exodus 34:10-12 Response of the Israelites Came out of Egypt with faith and great joy Exodus 15:1-21 The Golden Calf Exodus 32:1-24 “Set on mischief” Exodus 32:21-22 afistemi -- Hebrews 3:12. apostasia -- Acts 21:21, 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Apostasy is the deliberate turning from God to “faith of convenience,” or believing what makes one happy. Hebrews 3:13 cf. Bruce p. 66; Hebrews 6:4-6, cf. Bruce p. 64. uJpostasis -- Hebrews 1:3, 3:14, 11:1; elsewhere only in 2 Corinthians 9:4, 11:17 516 Paul Compared to the Author of Hebrews Similarities of kindred spirits on less fully developed ideas. (1) Christ is the “Image of God” (Col 1:15 cf. Heb 1:3) Who holds all things together (Col 1:16-17 cf. Heb 1:3). (2) Christ learned obedience (Phil 2:8 cf. Heb 5:8). (3) Run the race set before me (I Cor 9:24 cf. Heb 12:1). (4) Access to the throne of God (Eph 2:18 cf. Heb 10:19-22). (5) The parallel between the Pauline method of argumentation (e.g., Paul on Law) and the author’s cf. Heb 4:6-8 (on Rest), 7:1:11, 7:19. and 8:7. (6) Method of progressing from theological truth to Christian practice. (7) nature of salvation “the Just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38. Non-doctrinal Similarities. (8) Historical reality that necessitated Epistles and warnings. The tendency of people to “remain babes,” i.e., not to thrive or go on to maturity, and the sort of easy prey this makes them to the predators circling the camp of the Church (even in the inner circles) were dealt with in the New Testament. Two trends are important to remember for what was happening on the periphery. a. The tendency to remain babes “in need of “milk,” is a commonplace even today; perhaps even more so than in apostolic times (cf. I Cor 3:1-3, Eph 4:14 and Heb 5:12). b. The Judaizers and theological marauders circling the camp and infiltrating the local congregations of the faithful in order to bring them into conformity with their philosophies, or back into the fold of legalism, was not rare, and the same tendencies are everywhere seen today (cf. Galatians 1:6-9, 2:3-5, 2:11-14). This sort of activity likely provides the occasion for the warning at Hebrews 6:4-6). Profound similarities on foundational teachings It is difficult to separate any segment of the following doctrines from the others because they are tightly intertwined, coextensive, and mutually determinative. We must see them all together, but constantly bear in mind their separate identities. 517 A. Abraham Romans 4:20-22 Abraham “staggered not” at God’s promise” but “was fully persuaded” that God could do what He promised. This persuasion is called “faith,” or better yet.”trust,” and it was “imputed to Abraham as righteousness.” Righteousness was always based upon the response to Promise, even under the Law. So if a misapprehension of Law subverts Promise, then the Works of Law destroy Faith as well. Cf. Galatians 3:17-18; also James 2:21-23. (9) Abraham and Promise in Romans ( ), Galatians 3:14, and Heb 6:13 B. Promise (10) The promises made to Abraham included a land, a son, and descendants. The land (Israel) he occupied “as a stranger” and sojourner. His son, Isaac, was born late in his life to his wife who was past the usual child bearing age. The descendants of Abraham include the Jewish nation (through his wife, Sarah) as well as the Arab nations, through Hagar. But his spiritual descendants.”heirs of promise,” children of the free woman (Sarah), are all those who, by faith, receive the promises of salvation. (11) Promise variously defined (Hebrews 4:1; 6:13-17; 10:36) We notice, in Heb 6:13-17 that (a) God promised an heir to Abraham, (b) after patiently enduring (i.e. having faith, or trusting God) he received the promise, and © that God promised “the heirs of the promise” with an oath. Compare this with Heb 10:36-37, where we are told that we have need of patience. C. Law/Covenant (12) Paul deals with the new economy most prominently as Law vs. Grace, or as Law vs. Promise. The Author of Hebrews deals with it as the old covenant being superseded by the new. The law cannot nullify the promise because (a) it came 430 years after the promises were made (Gal 3:17), and (b) because the Covenant under which the Law was given, was itself superceded (Heb 7:11). (13) “The Law made nothing perfect.” The Law “was weak” because of the flesh, and could not make one righteous (Rom 8:3) and could therefore, not give us life (Gal 3:21); no wonder then, that Hebrews tells us that “the Law made nothing perfect (Heb 7:19). 518 The Order of the Warnings to the Israelites in Hebrews 1. (2:1-4) Truth neglected soon becomes truth forgotten. The Israelites had enough faith to get out of Egypt but soon and easily neglected that faith and their blessings. Consider the Billy Graham crusades. How many thousands went forward? How rarely you ever hear of any of them? In dealing with Hebrews 2:1-4, we must remember that 1. The author is speaking about the Old Testament economy as compared with the new message of grace. That is the contrast provided between “word” and “salvation.” 2. He speaking to those who are already saved. 3. And he is concerned that they may “drift away.” Therefore, we conclude that the author is not concerned with his readers getting saved, (as if they were lost) nor apostasy (as if mere neglect were equal to a deliberate renunciation). The meaning is accurately paraphrased as “if we neglect the exercise and refinement of all the teaching that has gone before . . .” 2. (3:7 –-19, especially verse 10 and 19) truth forgotten sooner or later results in error (deliberately?) Embraced open parentheses in spite of prior knowledge). 3. (6:4-6) error embraced may well include apostasy; and apostasy has no cure. 4. (10:26-39, especially verse 29 – clearly apostasy; 35 – confidence/faith – i.e., Do not neglect it. And in verse 38. 5. (12:15-17) Esau as an apostate 6. ( 12:25-29) Galatians 3:14, 17 519 Quasi Platonism Jesus the image of God’s person – Heb 1:3 cf. Col 1:15??? “Partakers (“instantiations”) of flesh and blood,” Heb 2:14 The “true” (i.e., “real” or “ideal”) tabernacle Heb 8:2 the “example and shadow” of heavenly things Heb 8:5 according to the “pattern” Heb 8:5 “patterns” of things in the heavens Heb 9:23 which are “figures of the true” Heb 9:24 The Law, having a “shadow of good things” Heb 10:1 the “heavenly Jerusalem” Heb 12:22 520 Apostasy In the usage found in the following passages, we see the following meanings. Heb 3:12 ajposth'nai (aorist Active, infinitive, from avfi,sthmi) in the passive, or intransitive sense, to stand away or aloof from, keep far from; to lose one's wits, to withdraw from business, absolutely. to stand aloof. [Liddell-Scott] Intransitively, in perfect, pluperfect, 2 aorist active, to stand off, stand aloof; with the genitive of person to go away, depart, from anyone; to desert, withdraw from, one, to cease to vex one; to fall away, become faithless; to shun, flee from. Middle voice, to withdraw oneself from: absolutely, to fall away; to keep oneself away from, absent oneself from. [Metzger] Intransitive. (middle, and 2 aor., pf., and pluperfect. act.) go away, withdraw; Fall away, become apostate; Keep away; abstain. [BA&G] Heb 6:6 parapeso,ntaj (aorist, active, participle, accusative, masculine, plural, from parapi,ptw) to fall in one’s way; to fall aside or away from; absolutely to fall away. [Liddell-Scott] To fall beside a person or thing; to slip aside; hence, to deviate from the right path, turn aside, wander. In the Scriptures, to fall away (from the true faith. Fall away, commit apostasy. [BA&G] English equivalents: turn aside, turn away, turn back (very similar to the Hebrew conception of repentance), step aside, step back, stand down, divorce, depart, leave. In any case, it is a jump, not a “fall,” as if some bizarre accident were involved, despite the figurative usage. It is always a deliberate premeditated (and in some cases, spiteful) act. In Hebrews we learn that it has permanent consequences. The opposite of apostasy is to “hold fast,” to “stand fast.” (Heb 2:1; 3:2) The concept is easier to understand if we remember that there are only two realms, that belonging to God and entered by faith, and that peopled by those without faith. Salvation is that by which one passes from the realm of the condemned into that of the blessed. This is done by faith. Apostasy is what happens when one in the realm of the blessed seeks to return to the realm of the condemned. So the danger for those who “neglect,” of fail “to consider”what they have heard, when they are met by trials and temptations, is that they will blame their faith, or the object of their faith, and seek to return to their old realm. This is illustrated in Hebrews 3 by the Israelites who provoked God by seeking to return to Egypt. The fact is that they had already returned to Egypt in their minds and hearts, 521 Apostasy is always a deliberate act, and Hebrews 6:6 teaches that its results are irreversible. 522 A brief word on the word “word” The Greek word lovgo" is a word of many uses. Checking the Greek lexicon gives such various definitions as: A word, saying, statement, oracle, assertion, promise, resolution, condition, command, speech, discourse, conversation, oration, report, repute, language, a saying, tale, or story, a narrative, the subject matter, that which is stated, a proposition, position, principal, opinion, ground, plea, account. What is perhaps surprising is that the English word word is just as versatile. In Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary one finds the following major entries: 1. Something that is said. 2. A speech sound or series of speech sounds that symbolizes and communicates a meaning without being divisible into smaller units capable of independent use. 3. Order or command, e.g. “don’t move till I give the word.” 4. When capitalized – lovgo" or Gospel. 5. News information, e.g., “he sent word that he would be late.” [This includes rumor as well, e.g., “the word on the street is . . .”]. 6. The act of speaking. 7. A saying or proverb. 8 A promise or declaration, e.g. “he gave me his word.” 9 a quarrelsome utterance (used in the plural), e.g. “they had words.” 10. A verbal signal or password. 11. A favorable statement, e.g. “put in a good word for me.” The dictionary goes on, but enough is been said that the point has likely been made. We can think of our own examples such as “what’s the word?” Or “a word to the wise.” The points under consideration are these: 1. The word word has many meanings in English, just as the Greek word lovgo" does in Greek. 2. Unlike Greek term lovgo", we hear the English term word and know immediately and without thinking what is meant. Translating the Greek term lovgo" into English, however, often take some thought. While there are notable points of overlap, the Greek and English words are not exact synonyms across the board, and properly translating the Greek lovgo" into English often takes some effort. And it is possible that the word settled upon to do the work of the specific occurrence of the Greek term will be wholly unrelated to the English term word. But translating lovgo" as account, statement, or some other word that fits the context, is still translation, not paraphrase, although it may appear that liberties have been taken. The situation is not helped by the fact that the term word, has been given such a heavy theological burden to bear in the Christian world, coming almost to bear special mystical properties. And for this reason, it is difficult not to translate lovgo" as word whenever it occurs. This makes the problem worse, by granting to the word connotations the original writers never intended for it to have. Below is a chart showing the use of Logos in Hebrews, and the way it has been translated by the major versions. A quick assessment allows us to suspect that in 2:2, either word or message is permissible. But in 4:2, while message might not be the best translation, it is clearly better than word. In 4:13, only the New Revised Standard and the New International Version actually translate word, the other versions paraphrasing it. In 5:13, only the NIV “gets it right. In 6:1, doctrine or 523 teaching works. Note the versions that translate using a plural, permissible under certain circumstances, but unnecessary here. It is not the case that we should try to find a new word any more than it is that we should be slavishly tied to the term word. The idea is to let the text say what its original readers read. Hebrews Passage KJV ASV RSV NRSV NASV NIV ChapterVerse 2:2 word word message message word message 4:2 word word message message word message 4:12 word word word word word word 4:13 have to do have to do have to do account have to do account 5:11 to say to say to say to say to say to say 5:13 word word word word word teaching 6:1 principles (pl) principles (pl) doctrine teaching teaching teachings (pl) 7:28 word word word word word (omitted) 12:19 word word messages (pl) word word word 13:7 word word word word word word 13:17 account account account account account account 13:22 word word word word word word 524 Greek Words that Appear only in the Book of Hebrews The following words are found in the New Testament only in the book of Hebrews. ajpauvgasma Effulgence 1:03 carakthVr Impress, imprint 1:03 leitourgkov" engage in service 1:14 pararuw'men drift away; flow 2:01 merismou separation, appportionment 2:04 4:12 sunepimarturou'nto" Attest together 2:04 paraplhsivw" likewise, similarly 2:14 qeravpwn servant 3:05 parapikrasmw'/ embitterment, revolt 3:08 3:15 proswvcqisa be angry, provoked 3:10 3:17 prosocqivzw to be angry 3:10 3:17 parepivkranan disobedient, rebellious 3:16 kw'la dead body limbs of a body 3:17 ajkroqinivwn topmost, firstfruits 4:04 muelw'n marrow 4:12 kritikoV" Able to discern, judge 4:12 tomwvtero" sharp 4:12 ejnnoiw'n thought,knowledge, insight 4:12 dii>knouvmeno" pierce, penetrate 4:12 aJrmw'n joint 4:12 ajfanhV" invisible, hidden 4:13 tetrachlismevna laid bare 4:13 oJmoiovthta likeness, similarity 4:15 7:15 sumpaqh'sai sympathize with 4:15 10:34 metriopaqei'n moderate one's feelings 5:02 Melcisevdek Melchisedek 5:06 5:10 6:207:1, 10,15, 17 eujlabeiva" Awe, reverence, fear of God 5:07 12:28 iJkethriva" prayer, supplication 5:07 prosagoreuqeiV" call, name, designate 5:10 nwqroiV lazy, sluggish; hard of hearing 5:11 6:12 dusermhvneuto" difficult to explain, or interpret 5:11 a[peiro" unacquainted with 5:13 e{xin practice, exercise 5:14 aijsqhthvria sense, faculty 5:14 ajnakainivzein renew, restore 6:06 parapesovnta" fall away, commit apostasy 6:06 ajnastaurou'nta" crucify again 6:06 gewrgei'tai till, plough, cultivate 6:07 kau'sin burning 6:08 ajmetavqeton Unchangeable 6:17 6:18 ejmesivteusen mediate, guarantee 6:17 525 provdromo" forerunner 6:20 koph'" cut down,defeat, slaughter 7:01 dihnekeV" Continuous 7:03 10:01 10:12 10:14 ajfwmoiwmevno" make like, similar 7:03 ajgenealovghto" without genealogy 7:03 nenomoqevthtai act as lawgiver; be enacted 7:11 8:06 metavqesi" change 7:12 11:05 12:27 katavdhlovn very clear, quite plain 7:15 ajkataluvtou indestructable, indissoluble 7:16 ajqevthsi" annulment 7:18 9:26 ajqevthsi" annulment, removal 7:18 9:26 ejpeisagwgh a bringing in, an introduction 7:19 e[gguo" guarantee 7:22 e[phxen fix, fasten, make secure 8:02 stavmno" Jar 9:04 plavke" Stone Tablet 9:04 qumiathvrion altar of incense 9:04 stavmno" jar 9:04 CeroubeiVn Cherub 9:05 kataskiavzonta Overshadow 9:05 ajgnohmavtwn Sins of ignorance 9:07 diorqwvsew" Reformation 9:10 rJantivzousa (Be)sprinkle 9:13 kaqarovthta purity 9:13 damavlew" heifer, young cow 9:13 ejgkekaivnistai renew, dedicate, inaugurate; open 9:18 aiJmatekcusiva" Shedding of Blood 9:22 ajntivtupa figure 9:24 provsfaton lately slaughtered; new, fresh 10:20 ajklinh unwavering 10:23 ajvqlhsi" conflict, contest 10:32 diavtagma edict, command 11:23 ejtumpanivsqhsan torment, torture 11:35 ejmpaigmw'n scorn, mocking 11:36 devrmasin skin 11:37 ejprivsqhsan saw (in two) 11:37 aijgeivoi" of a goat 11:37 mhlwtai'" sheepskin 11:37 probleyamevnou see beforehand; select, provide 11:40 nevfo" a cloud, mass or pile of clouds 12:01 eujpeivstaton easily ensnaring, constricting, obstructing 12:01 ojvgkon weight, burden, impediment 12:01 ajnalogivsasqe to think over, ponder, consider 12:03 ajntikatevsthte to substitute, oppose, resist 12:03 gnovfw/ darkness 12:04 ejkluovmenoi expose; convince, convict; reprove 12:05 paradevcetai receive, accept, acknowledge 12:06 paradevcetai receive, accept, acknowledge 12:06 novqoi born out of wedlock, illegitimate 12:08 ajnorqwvsate rebuild, restore lit. make erect again 12:12 526 trociaV" wheel track, course, way 12:13 prwtotovkia birthright of oldest son; primogeniture 12:16 metevpeita afterward 12:17 quevllh/ storm, whirlwind 12:18 [Ekfobov" Terrified 12:21 fantazovmenon, make visible; sight, appearance 12:21 panhguvrei festal gathering 12:22 rJantismou' sprinkling 12:24 uJpeivkete, yield, give way, submit +13/17 aijnevsew" praise +13/15 527 Hebrews, The Second Time Through Having been through Hebrews at least once, it will be helpful to read it again with the following exercises in mind. 1. Connect the “speakers” of the voice spoken of in Hebrews 1:1-2 as “prophets” or “son” and in 12:25 as the warning “upon earth” or the warning “from heaven” to the entities (earthly or heavenly, temporal or eternal) examined in the intervening chapters and verses. What realities did the voice of the prophets reveal or produce? What realities does the voice (and ministry) of the son provide? 2. Determine from the text, in what ways the earthly realities were viewed as inferior to the heavenly realities. Can these various inferiorities be categorized or characterized in more general way? 3. The parallels between the speakers of the voice and between the types of realities they reveal may create yet another parallel. But they are intended to create a stark contrast. What is it? To begin, let us equate the speaking “through the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1) with him that “spoke upon the earth.” (Hebrews 12:25) and “through his son,” (Hebrews 1:1) with him that “spoke from heaven.” (Hebrews 12:25). Put simply, the prophets spoke God’s words on Earth, to the earthly people and were intimately tied to the earthly institutions that were intended to be “pointers” to ultimate reality. Thus, the prophets, who spoke with God’s voice “upon the earth,” might be regarded as strictly human media, not Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Their voices are seen in the pages of the Old Testament, and in the citations and quotations in Hebrews, specifically the record of Moses at Sinai and the prophets quoted such as Moses, David, Haggai, Malachi, and the others, as well as the record of Melchizedek, and the teachings regarding the sanctuary of the tabernacle. The voice of the son, who “speaks from heaven,” is most visible in the admonitions and warnings given in the book of Hebrews. These are either fresh insights or reiterations of what the Son, or “the voice from heaven” has said before. Another way of remembering this is that the voices “upon the earth,” provided “pointers” toward ultimate reality and righteousness, to the character of God and godliness. The voice that speaks “from heaven,” explains the ultimate nature to which the pointers refer. What it is vital to remember in the study of Hebrews is that the voice, whether it “spoke upon Earth,” or spoke “from heaven,” was only one voice, i.e., the voice of God. And the “pointers” provided by the prophets, or those who spoke, “upon the earth,” bore the same relationship to ultimate reality as a map does to the terrain it represents. The map is good and perfect. The 528 problem arises when we begin to confuse the map with its terrain, when we satisfy ourselves with looking at the map and forgetting the terrain, or when we are satisfied with never going out into the real world to search out and enjoy the features at which the map can only point. It was never the intent of the author of Hebrews to belittle as meaningless the Old Testament realities. His purpose was to show that the Old Testament pointed unequivocally at the final reality seen in, and provided by the son of God, on the one hand, and to admonish his readers not to reject the ultimate reality as the Israelites in the wilderness had rejected the pointers provided them through Moses. He presupposes the importance of the pointers, he doe not diminish them. But he does insist upon the nature of the pointers as being nothing more than pointers, and not to be confused with their referents. As such, the pointers are now as useless to the readers of Hebrews as a map is useless once the journey has ended where it was supposed to end. The pointers treated in Hebrews and the realities to which they point include 1) the promised land and God’s rest, 2. The High Priest of the tabernacle and our High Priest who has passed into the heavens; 3. The temporal priesthood of the tabernacle and the priest “after the order of Melchizedek;” 4. The earthly tabernacle, which was only based upon “the pattern” of the heavenly tabernacle; 5. the “old covenant,” which was faulty because not “written upon the heart,” as the new covenant would be; 6. The old sanctuary and its rites which pointed at a “better” sanctuary “not made with hands,” and having a “better sacrifice,” and its “law,” which was but a “shadow” of the righteousness at which it pointed. 529 Implications of Hebrews for America One thing Hebrews tells America in our age is that individual apostasy is final and irremediable. And it seems unlikely that a nation so swept up with Darwin, Nietzsche, Marx, and Freud will ever find the moral strength to repent. It seems destined to end up on the ash heap of history It is true that God did not punish the second generation of Israelites, but allowed them into the promised land. Perhaps our next generation will repent. But before we put our rose-colored glasses back on, we should note the fact that God chose Israel. If Israel was finally allowed into Canaan, it was because God had chosen her for a special reason. God did not choose America, America chose Him. And now we have rejected Him. If we ever had any sort of holy mandate, it has either been realized or it has failed. In either case, we no longer have any claim on the Grace of God, having renounced it as a nation. It would not be unreasonable to suppose that all bets are off concerning both a national revival, and a return to spiritual prominence on the world stage. 530