26 Esteeming the reproach of a Christ greater riches than
inconsiderable enjoyment in thes things. They say they do; and there is no reason to doubt the truth of their own testimony in the case. They call it a 'life of pleasure;' and it is not proper to withhold from it the appellation which they choose to give it. It is not the most pure or eleva ted kind of enjoyment, but it woulc be unjust to deny that there is any enjoyment in such a course. (2.) II is only ' for a season.' It will all soon pass away. Had Moses lived at the court of Pharaoh all his days, it would have been only for a little ' season.' These pleasures soon vanish, for (a) life itself is short at best, and if a career of pleasure' is pursued through the whole of the ordinary period al lotted to man, it is very brief, Those who live for pleasure often abridge their own lives. Indulgence brings disease in its train, and the votaries of sensuality usually die young. The art has never been yet discovered of combining intemperance and sensuality with length of days. If a man wishes a reasonable pros pect of long life, he must be temper ate and virtuous. Indulgence in vice wears out the nervous and muscular system, and destroys the powers of life — just as a machine without bal ance-wheel or governor would soon tear itself to pieces, (c) Calamity, disappointment, envy, and rivalship mar such a life of pleasure — and he who enters on it, from causes which he cannot control, finds it very short. And, (rf) compared with eternity, O how brief is the longest life spent in the ways of sin? Soon it must be over — and then the unpardoned sin ner enters on an immortal career where pleasure is for ever unknown! (3.) In view of all the ' pleasures' which sin can furnish, and in view of the most brilliant prospects which this world can hold out, religion ena-
the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recom pense b of the reward.
bles man to pursue a different path. They who become the friends of God are willing to give up all those fair and glittering anticipations, and to submit to whatever trials may be in cident to a life of self-denying piety. Religion, with all its privations and sacrifices, is preferred, nor is there ever occasion to regret the choice. Moses deliberately made that choice: — nor in all the trials which succeed ed it — in all the cares incident to his great office in conducting the child ren of Israel to the promised land — in all their ingratitude and rebellion — is there the least evidence that he ever once wished himself back again that he might enjoy ' the pleasures of sin' in Egypt.
26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ. Marg. ' For; ' that is, on account of Christ. This means either that he was willing to bear the reproaches incident to his belief that the Mes siah would come, and that he gave up his fair prospects in Egypt with that expectation; or that he endured such reproaches as Christ suffered; or the apostle uses the expression as a sort of technical phrase, well under stood in his time, to denote sufferings endured in the cause of religion, hristians at that time would natu rally describe all sufferings on account if religion as endured in the cause ->f Christ; and Paul, therefore, may lave used this phrase to denote sufering in the cause of religion — meanng that Moses suffered what, when he apostle wrote, would be called the reproaches of Christ.' It is not:asy, or perhaps possible, to deternine which of these interpretations s the correct one. The most respect-,ble names may be adduced in favour f each, and every reader must be eft to adopt his own view of that rhich is correct. The original will dmit of either of them. The gene-
27 By faith he forsook E not fearing a the wrath o
ral idea is, that he would be reproach ed for the course which he pursued. He could not expect to leave the splen dours of a court and undertake what he did, without subjecting himself to trials. He would be blamed by the Egyptians for his interference in free ing their ' slaves,' and in bringing so many calamities upon their country, and he would be exposed to ridicule for his folly in leaving his brilliant prospects at court to become identi fied with an oppressed and despised people. It is rare that men are zeal ous in doing good without exposing themselves both to blame and to ridi cule, ^f Greater riches. Worth more; of greater value. Reproach itself is not desirable; Ixit reproach, when a man receives it in an effort to do good to others, is worth more to him than gold. 1. Pet. iv. 13, 14. The scars which an old soldier has received in the defence of his country are more valued by him than his pension; and the reproach which a good man re ceives in endeavouring to save others is a subject of greater joy to him than would be all the wealth which could be gained in a life of sin. ^[ Than the treasures in Egypt. It is implied here, that Moses had a prospect of inheriting large treasures in Egypt, and that he voluntarily gave them up to be the means of de livering his nation from bondage. Egypt abounded in wealth; and the adopted son of the daughter of the king would naturally be heir to a great estate. ^f For he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. The ' recompense of the reward ' here re ferred to must mean the blessedness of heaven — for he had no earthly re ward to look to. He had no prospect of pleasure, or wealth, or honour, in his undertaking. If he had sought these, so far as human sagacity could foresee, he would have remained at the court of Pharoah. The declaration here proves tha«fc it is right to have respect to the rewards of hea ven in serving God. It does not prove that this was the only or the main motive which induced Moses to aban don his prospects at court; nor does it prove that this should be our main or only motive in leading a life of piety. If it were, our religion would be mere selfishness. But it is ri^ht that we should desire the rewards and joys of heaven, and that we should allow the prospect of those re wards and joys to influence us as a motive to do our duty to God, and to sustain TIS in our trials. Comp. Phil, iii. 8—11. 13. 14.
27. By faith he forsook Egypt. Some have understood this of the first time in which Moses forsook Egypt, when he fled into Midian, as record ed in Ex. ii.; the majority of exposi tors have supposed that it refers to the time when he left Egypt to con duct the Israelites to the promised land. That the latter is the time re ferred to is evident from the fact that it is said that he did ' not fear the wrath of the king.' When Moses first fled to the land of Midian it is expressly said that he went because he did fear the anger of Pharaoh for his having killed an Egyptian. Ex. ii. 14, 15. He was at that time in fear of his life; but when he left Egypt at the head of the Hebrew people, he had no such apprehensions. God conducted him out with ' an high hand,' and throughout all the events connected with that remarkable de liverance, he manifested no dread of Pharaoh, and had no apprehension from what he could do. He went forth, indeed, at the head of his peo ple when all the power of the king was excited to destroy them, but he went confiding in God: and this is the faith referred to here. e|[ For he endured. He persevered, amidst all the trials and difficulties connected
28 Through faith he kept the passover and the sprink-
with his leading forth the people from bondage. ^[ As seeing him who is in visible. As if he saw God. He had no more doubt that God had called him to this work, and that he would sustain him, than if he saw him with his bodily eyes. This is a most ac curate account of the nature of faith. Comp. Notes on ver. 1.
28. Through faith he kept the passover. Greek, ' he made — 77671-0177x6 — the passover,' which means more, it seems to me, than that he merely kept or celebrated it. It implies that he insti tuted this rite, and made the arrange ments for its observance. There is reference to the special agency, and the special faith which he had in its institution. The faith in the case was confidence that this would be the means of preserving the first-born of the Israelites, when the angel should destroy the first-born of the Egyp tians, and also that it would be ce-.ebrated as a perpetual memorial of this great deliverance. On the Pass over, see Notes on Matt. xxvi. 2. S And the sprinkling of blood. The ood of the paschal lamb on the lin tels and door-posts of the houses. Ex. xii. 22. ^ Lest he that destroyed the Jirst-born should touch them. The first-born of the Egyptians. Ex. xii.2.3. The apostle has thus enumerated some of the things which illustrated the faith of Moses. The strength of his faith may be seen by a reference to some of the circumstances which characterised it. (1.) It was such con fidence in God as to lead him to for sake the most flattering prospects of worldly enjoyment. I see no evi dence, indeed, that he was the heir to the throne, but he was evidently heir to great wealth; he was encompassed with all the means of worldly plea sure; he had every opportunity for a life of literary and scientific pursuits; he was eligible to high and important trusts; he had a rank and station which would be regarded as one of the most honoured and enviable on earth. None of those who are men tioned before in this chapter were re quired to make just such sacrifices as this. Neither Abel, nor Noah, nor Enoch, was called to forsake so bril liant worldly prospects; and though Abraham was called to a higher act of faith when commanded to give up his beloved son, yet there were some circumstances of trial in the case of Moses illustrating the nature of faith which did not exist in the case of Abraham. Moses, in the maturity of life, and with every thing around him that is usually regarded by men as objects of ambition, was ready to forego it all. So wherever true faith exists, there is a readiness to abandon the hope of gain, and brilliant pros pects of distinction, and fascinating pleasures, in obedience to the com mand of God. (2.) Moses entered on an undertaking wholly beyond the power of man to accomplish, and against every human probability of success. It was no less than that of restoring to freedom two millions of down-trodden, oppressed, and dispi rited slaves, and conducting aged and feeble men, tender females, help less children, with numerous flocks and herds, across barren wastes to a distant land. He undertook this against the power of probably the most mighty monarch of his time; from the midst of a warlike nation; and when the whole nation would be kindled into rage at the loss of so many slaves, and when he might ex pect that all the power of their wrath would descend on him and his undis ciplined and feeble hosts. He did this when he had no wealth that he could employ to furnish provisions or the means of defence; no armies at his command to encircle his people on their march; and even no influence among the people himself, and with
29 By faith
every probability that they would dis regard him. Comp. Ex. iii. 11; iv. 1. He did this when the whole Hebrew people were to be aroused to willing ness to enter on the great undertak ing; when there was every probabi lity that they would meet with formi dable enemies in the way, and when there was nothing human whatever on which the mind could fix as a basis of calculation of success. If there ever was any undertaking commenced opposed to every human probability of success, it was that of delivering the Hebrew people and conducting them to the promised land. To human view it was quite as hopeless and im practicable as it would be now for a stranger from Africa, claiming to be a native prince there, and to have a commission from God, to liberate the two and a half millions of slaves in this country, and conduct them to the land of their fathers. In all the diffi culties and discouragements of the undertaking of Moses, therefore, his only hope of success must have arisen from his confidence in God. (3.) It was an undertaking where there were many certain trials before him. The people whom he sought to deliver were poor and oppressed. An attempt to rescue them would bring down the wrath of the mighty monarch under whom they were. They were a peo ple unaccustomed to self-government, and as the result proved, prone to in gratitude and rebellion. The journey before him lay through a dreary waste, where there was every pros pect that there would be a want of food and water, and where he might expect to meet with formidable ene mies. In all these things his only hope must have been in God. It was he only who could deliver them from the grasp of the tyrant; who could conduct them through the wilderness; who could provide for their wants in the desert; and who could defend a vast multitude of women and children from the enemies which they would be likely to encounter. (4.) There was nothing in this to gratify ambi tion, or to promise an earthly re ward. All these prospects he gave up when he left the court of Pharaoh. To be the leader of a company of emancipated slaves through a path less desert to a distant land, had no thing in itself that could gratify the ambition of one who had been bred at the most magnificent court on earth, and who had enjoyed every ad vantage which the age afforded to qualify him to fill any exalted office. The result showed that Moses never designed to be himself the king of the people whom he led forth, and that he had no intention of aggrandising his own family in the case.
29. By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land. Ex. xiv. 22. 29. That is, it was only by con fidence in God that they were able to do this. It was not by power which they had to remove the waters and to make a passage for themselves; and it was not by the operation of any natural causes. It is not to be sup posed that all who passed through the Ked Sea had saving faith. The assertion of the apostle is, that the passage was made in virtue of strong confidence in God, and that if it had not been for this confidence the pas sage could not have been made at all. Of this no one can entertain a doubt who reads the history of that remark able transaction. ^[ Which the Egyp< tians assaying to do, were drowned* Ex. xiv. 27, 28. Evidently referred to here as showing the effects of not having faith in God, and of what must inevitably have befallen the Is raelites if they had had no faith. The destruction of the Egyptians by the return of the waters in accordance with natural laws, showed that the Israelites would have been destroyed in the passage, if a divine energy had not been employed to prevent
30 By faith the walls of Je richo a fell down after they were compassed about seven days.
30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, &c. Josh. vi. 12— 20. That "is, it was not by any natural causes, or by any means that were in them selves adapted to secure such a result. It was not because they fell of them selves; nor because they were assailed by the hosts of the Israelites; nor was it because there was any natural tendency in the blowing of horns to cause them to fall. None of these things were true; and it was only by confidence in God that means so little adapted to such a purpose could have been employed at all; and it was only by continued faith in him that they could have been persevered in day by day, when no impression whatever was made. The strength of the faith evinced on this occasion appears from such circumstances as these: — that there was no natural tendency in the means used to produce the effect; that there was great apparent impro bability that the effect would follow; that they might be exposed to much ridicule from those within the city for attempting to demolish their strong walls in this manner, and from the fact that the city was encircled day after day without producing any result. This may teach us the pro priety and necessity of faith in simi lar circumstances. Ministers of the gospel often preach where there seems to be as little prospect of beating down the opposition in the human heart, by the message which they de liver, as there was of demolishing the walls of Jericho by the blowing of ram's horns. They blow the gospel trumpet from week to week and month to month, and there seems to be no tendency in the strong citadel
31 By faith the harlot Rahabb perished not with them that: believed not, when she had received the spies c with peace.
of the heart to yield. Perhaps the only apparent result is to excite ridi cule and scorn. Yet let them not despair. Let them blow on. Let them still lift up their voice with faith in God, and in due time the walls of the citadel will totter and fall. God has power over the human heart as he had over Jericho; and in our darkest day of discouragement let us remem ber that we are never in circumstan ces indicating less probability of suc cess from any apparent tendency in the means used to accomplish the result, than those were who encom passed this heathen city. With similar confidence in God we may hope for similar success.
31. By faith the harlot Rahab. She resided in Jericho. Josh. ii. 1. When Joshua crossed the Jordan, he sent two men as spies to her house, and she saved them by concealment from the enemies that would have destroy ed their lives. For this act of hospi tality and kindness, they assured her of safety when the city should be de stroyed, and directed her to give an indication of her place of abode to the invading Israelites, that her house might be spared. Josh. ii. 18, 19. In the destruction of the city, she was accordingly preserved. Josh. vi. The apostle seems to have selected this case as iUustrating the nature ol faith, partly because it occurred at Jericho, of which he had just made mention, and partly to show that strong faith had been exercised not only by the patriarchs, and by those who were confessed to be great and good, but by those in humble life, and whose earlier conduct had been far from the ways of virtue. — Calvin, Much perplexity has been felt m reference to this case, and many at tempts have been made to remove the difficulty. The main difficulty has been that a woman of this character should be enumerated among those who were eminent for piety, and many expositors have endeavoured to show that the word rendered harlot does not necessarily denote a woman of aban doned character, but may be used to denote a hostess. This definition is given by Schleusner, who says that the word may mean one who prepares and sells food, and who receives strangers to entertain them. Others have supposed that the word means an idolatress, because those devoted to idolatry were frequently of aban doned character. But there are no clear instances in which the Greek word and the corresponding Hebrew word — J~OiT — is used in this sense. The usual and the fair meaning of the word is that which is given in our translation, and there is no good reason why that signification should not be retained here. It is not im plied by the use of the word here, however, that Eahab was an harlot at the time to which the apostle re fers; but the meaning is, that this had been her character, so that it was proper to designate her by this ap pellation. In regard to this case, therefore, and in explanation of the difficulties which have been felt in re ference to it, we may remark, (1.) that the obvious meaning of this word here and of the corresponding place in Josh, ii, 4. is, that she had been a woman of abandoned character, and that she was known as such. That she might have been also a hostess, or one who kept a house of entertain ment for strangers, is at the same time by no means improbable, since it not unfrequently happened in an cient as well as modern times, that females of this character kept such houses. It might have been the fact that her house was known merely as a house of entertainment that led the spies who went to Jericho to seek a lodging there. It would be natural that strangers coming into a place should act in this respect as all other travellers did, and should apply for entertainment at what was known as a public house. (2) There is no im probability in supposing that her course of life had been changed either before their arrival, or in consequence of it. They were doubtless wise and holy men. Men would not be selected for an enterprise like this, in whom the leader of the Hebrew army could not put entire confidence. It is not unfair then to suppose that they were men of eminent piety as well as sa gacity. Nor is there any improbability in supposing that they would acquaint this female with the history of their people, with their remarkable deliver ance from Egypt, and with the design for which they were about to invade the land of Canaan. There is evidence that some such representations made a deep impression on her mind, and led to a change in her views and feelings, for she not only received them with the usual proofs of hospitality, but jeoparded her own life in their de fence, when she might easily have betrayed them. This fact showed that she had a firm belief that they were what they professed to be — the people of God, and that she was wil ling to identify her interests with theirs. (3.) This case — supposing that she had been a woman of bad character but now was truly convert ed — does not stand alone. Other females of a similar character have been converted, and have subsequent ly led lives of piety; and though the number is not comparatively great, yet the truth of God has shown its power in renewing and sanctifying some at least of this, the most aban doned and degraded class of human beings. " Publicans and harlots," said the Saviour, " go into the king dom of God." Matt. xxi. 31. Eahab seems to have been one of them; and her case shows that such instances of depravity are not hopeless. This record, therefore, is one of encourage ment for the most abandoned sinners; and one too which shows that stran gers, even in a public house, may do good to those who have wandered far
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of a Gedeon, and of Barak, b and of Samson, c and
from God and virtue, and that we should never despair of saving the most abandoned of our race. (4.) There is no need of supposing that the apostle in commending this woman approved of all that she did. That she was not perfect is true. That she did some things which cannot be vindicated is true also— and who does not? But admitting all that may be said about any imperfection in her character (comp. Josh. ii. 4), it was still true that she had strong faith— and that is all that the apostle com mends. We are under no more ne cessity of vindicating all that she did, than we are all that David or Peter did — or all that is now done by those who have the highest claims to virtue. (5.) She had strong faith. It was only a strong belief that Jehovah was the true God, and that the children of Is rael were his people, which would have led her to screen these strangers at the peril of her own life; and when the city was encompassed, and the walls fell, and the tumult of battle raged, she showed her steady confidence in their fidelity, and in God, by using the simple means on which she was told the safety of herself and her fa mily depended. Josh. vi. 22, 23. With them that believed not. The in habitants of the idolatrous city ol Jericho. The margin is, ' were diso bedient.' The more correct rendering. hovever, is, as in the text, believed not. They evinced no such faith as Eahab had, and they were therefore destroyed, ^f Received the spies with peace. With friendliness and kind ness. Josh. ii. 1, seq.
32. And what shall I more say? * There are numerous other instances showing the strength of faith whict there is not time to mention.' ^[ Fot the time would fail me to tell. To re count all that they did; all the ill us of Jepthae; d of David e also, and Samuel f and of the pro phets.
trations of the strength and power of faith evinced in their lives. ^ Of Gedeon. The history of Gedeon is detailed at length in Judges vi. vii., and there can be no doubt that in his Avars he was sustained and animated by strong confidence in God. ^[ And of Barak. Judges iv. Barak, at the command of Deborah the prophetess, who summoned him to war in the name of the Lord, encountered and overthrew the hosts of Sisera. His yielding to her summons, and his valour in battle against the enemies of the Lord, showed that he was animated by faith. ^[ And of Sam son. See the history of Samson in Judges xiv — xvi. It is not by any means necessary to suppose that in making mention of Samson, the apostle approved of all that he did. All that he commends is his faith, and though he was a very imperfect man, and there were many things in his life which neither sound morality nor religion can ap prove, yet it was still true that he evinced on some occasions remark able confidence in God, by relying on the strength which he gave him. This was particularly true in the instance where he made a great slaughter of the enemies of the Lord and of his country. See Judges xv. 14; xvi. 28. ^[ And of Jepthae. The story of Jephtha is recorded in Judges xi. The mention of his name among those who were distinguished for faith, has given occasion to much perplexity among expositors. That a man of so harsh and severe a character, a man who sacrificed his own daugh ter in consequence of a rash vow, should be numbered among those who were eminent for piety as if he were one distinguished for piety also, has seemed to be wholly inconsistent and improper. The same remark, how-
33 Who through faith sub- j dued kingdoms, wrought right*
| specting him in Judges xi. 30, leads j us to suppose he made, he did it as an offering to the Lord, and under these mistaken views of duty, he showed by the greatest sacrifice which a man could make — that of an only child — that he was disposed to do what he believed was required by religion. A full examination of the case of Jephtha, and of the question whether he really sacrificed his daughter, may be found in Warburton's Divine Le gation of Moses, Book ix. Notes; in Bush's Notes on Judges xi; and in the Biblical Repository for January, 1843. It is not necessary to go into the much litigated inquiry here whether he really put his daughter to death, for whether he did or not, it is equally true that he evinced strong confidence in God. If he did do it, in obedience as he supposed to duty and to the divine command, no higher instance of faith in God as having a right to dispose of all that he had, could be furnished; if he did not, his eminent valour and success in bat tle show that he relied for strength and victory on the arm of Jehovah. The single reason why the piety of Jephtha has ever been called in ques tion, has been the fact that he sacri ficed his own daughter. If he did not do that, no one will doubt his claims to an honoux-ed rank among | those who have evinced faith in God. ^f Of David also. Commended justly as an eminent example of a man who had faith in- God, though it cannot be supposed that all that he did was ap proved. ^[ And Samuel. In early youth distinguished for his piety, and manifesting it through his life. See I. Sam. ^T And of the prophets. They were men who had strong confidence in the truth of what God directed them to foretell, and who were ever ready, depending on him, to make known the most unwelcome truths to their fellow-men, even at the peril of their lives.
ever, may be made respecting Jeph tha which has been made of Samson and others. The apostle does not com mend all which they did. He does not deny that they were very imper fect men, nor that they did many things which cannot be approved or vindicated. He commends only one thing — their faith • and in these in stances he particularly alludes doubt less to their remarkable valour and success in delivering their country from their foes and from the foes of God. In this, it is implied, that they regarded themselves as called to this work by the Lord, and as engaged in his service; and that they went forth to battle depending on his protection and nerved by confidence in him as the God of their country. Their views of God himself might be very erroneous; their notions of religion — as was the case with Jephtha — very imperfect and obscure; many things in their lives might be wholly incon sistent with what we should now re gard as demanded by religion, and still it might be true that in their ef forts to deliver their country, they re lied on the aid of God, and were ani mated to put forth extraordinary efforts, and were favoured with extra ordinary success from their confidence in him. In the case of Jephtha, all that it is necessary to suppose in order to see the force of the illustration of the apostle is, that he had strong con fidence in God— the God of his na tion, and that, under the influence of this, he made extraordinaiy efforts in repelling his foes. And this is not unnatural, or improbable, even on the supposition that he was not a pious man. How many a Greek, and Ro man, and Goth, and Mohammedan has been animated to extraordinary courage in battle, by confidence in the gods which they worshipped! That Jephtha had this, no one can doubt. Sec Judges xi. 29—32. Even in the great and improper sacrifice of his only daughter, which the ob vious interpretation of the record re-
34 Quenched the violence of fire, c escaped (1 the edge of the sword, out of weakness were
previous verses, and others like them. The meaning is, that some of them subdued kingdoms, others obtained promises, &c. Thus, Joshua subdued the nations of Canaan; GHeon the Midiauites; Jephtha the Ammonites; David the Philistines, Amalekitcs, Jebusites, Edomitcs, &c. *§ Wrought righteousness. Carried the laws of justice into execution, particularly on guilty nations. They executed the great purposes of God in punishing the wicked, and in cutting off his foes. *j[ Obtained promises. Or obtained promised blessings (Uloom field, Stuart); that is, they obtained, as a result of their faith, promises of blessings on their posterity in future times. *$ Stopped tJie mouths of lions. As Samson, Judges xiv. G; David, I. Sam, xvii. 34, seq.; and particularly Daniel. Dan. vi. 7, seq. To be able to subdue and render harmless the king of the forest— the animal most dreaded in early times — was regarded as an eminent achievement.
34. Quenched the violence of fire. As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. Dan.iii. 15— 26. *§ Escaped the edge of the sword. As Elijah did when he 'fled from Ahab, I. Kings xix. 3; as Elijah did when he was delivered from the king of Syria, II. Kings vi. 16; and as David did when he fled from Saul. «f Out of ivcakness were made strong. Enabled to perform exploits beyond their natural.strength, or raised up from a state of bodily infirmity and invigorated for conflict. Such a case as that of Samsou may be referred to, Judges xv. 15; xvi. 26—30; or as that of Hezekiah, IT. Kings xx., who was restored from dangerous sickness by the imjnediate interposition of God. See Notes on Isa. xxxviii. «[ Waxed va- \
made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women e received their dead raised to life again: and
liant in fight. Became valiant. Like Joshua, Barak, David, £c. The books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel," and Kings supply instances of this in abundance. *[f Turned to flight the armies of the aliens. The foreigners — as the in vading Philistines, Ammonites, Moabites, Assyrians, &c.
35. Women received their dead raised to life again. As in the case of the woman of Zarephath, whose child was restored to life by Elijah, I. Kings xvii. 19—22; raid of the son of the Simnamite woman, whose child was restored to life by Elisha. II. Kings iv. 18 — 37. ^[ And others were torj tured. The word which is here used — TVfjLTravlfa — to tympanise, refers to a form of severe torture which was sometimes practised. It is derived from TvpTTuvov— tympanum — a drum, tabret, timbrel; and the instrument was probably so called from resem bling the drum or the timbrel. This instrument consisted in the East of a thin wooden rim covered over with skin, as a tambourine is with us. See it described in the Notes on Isa. v.. 12. The engine of torture here "referred to probably resembled tho drum in form, on which the body of a crimi nal was bent so as to give greater se verity to the wounds which were in flicted by scourging. The lash would cut deeper when the body was so ex tended, and the open gashes exposed to the air would increase the torture. See II. Mac. vi. 19—29. The punish ment here referred to seems to have consisted of t\vo things— the stretch ing upon the instrument, and the scourging. See Robinson's Lex., and Stuart in loc. Bloomfield, however, supposes that the mode of the torture can be best learned from the original meaning of the word
37 They were stoned. d they were sawn asunder, were tempt-
36 And others had trial of
pamun — as meaning (1.) a beatingstick, and (2.) a beating-post, winch was in the form of a T, thus suggest ing the posture of the sufferer. This beating, says he, was sometimes ad ministered with sticks or rods; and sometimes with leather thongs enclos ing pieces of lead. The former ac count, however, better agrees with the usual meaning of the word. ^[ Not accepting deliverance. When it was offered thorn; that is, on condition that they would renounce their opin ions, or do what was required of them. This is the very nature of the spirit of martyrdom. ^[ That they miaht obtain a better resurrection. That is, when they were subjected to this kind of torture they were looked upon as certainly dead. To have accepted de liverance then, would have been a kind of restoration to life, or a species of re surrection. But they refused this, and looked forward to a more honourable and glorious restoration to life; a re surrection, therefore, which would be better than this. It would be in it self more noble and honourable, and would be permanent, and therefore better. No particular instance of this kind iy mentioned in the Old Testa ment; but amidst the multitude of cases of persecution to which good men were subjected, there is no im probability in supposing that this may have occurred. The case of Eleazer, recorded in IT. Mac. vi., so strongly resembles what the apostle says here, that it is very possible he may have had it in his eye. The passage be fore us proves that the doctrine of the resurrection was understood and be lieved before the coming of the Saviour, and that it was one of the doctrines which sustained and animated those who were called to suffer on account of their religion. In the prospect of death under the infliction of torture on account of religion, or under the pain produced by disease, nothing will better enable us to bear up under the suffering than the expectation that the body will be restored to immortal vigour, and raised to a mode of life where it will be no longer suscepti ble of pain. To be raised up to that life is a ' better resurrection' than to be saved from death when persecuted, or to be raised up from a bed of pain.
36. And. others had trial of cruel mockings. Referring to the scorn and derision which the ancient victims of persecution experienced. This has been often experienced by martyrs, and doubtless it was the case with those who suffered on account of their religion before the advent of the Sa viour as well as afterwards. Some instances of this kind are mentioned in the Old Testament (II. Kiugs ii. 23; I. Kings xxii. 24); and it was frequent in the time of the Maccabees. ^[ And scourging. Whipping. This was a common mode of punishment, and was usually inflicted before a martyr was put to death. See Notes on Matt. x. 17; xxvii. 26. For in stances of this, see Jer. xx. 2; II. Mac. vii. 1; v. 17. ^f Of bonds. Chains. Gen. xxxix. 20. ^ And imprisonment. See I. Kings xxii. 27; Jer. xx. 2.
37. They were stoned. A common method of punishment among the Jews. See Notes on Matt. xxi. 3o. 44. Thus Zechariah, the Son of Jehoiada the priest, was stoned. See II. Chron. xxiv. 21; comp. I. Kings xxi. 1—14. It is not improbable that this was often resorted to in times of popular tumult, as in the case of Stephen. Acts vii. 59; comp. John x. 31; Acts xiv. 5. In the time of the terrible persecutions under Antiochus Epiphanes, and under Manasseh, such in- ed, were slain with the s \vord; ' skins and goatskins; being desthey "wandered about in sheep- titute, afflicted, tormented;
stances also probably occurred. ^[ They were sawn asunder. It is commonly supposed that Isaiah was put to death in this manner. Eor the evidence of this, see Introduction to Isaiah, § 2. It is known that this mode of punish ment, though not common, did exist in ancient times. Among the Ro mans, the laws of the tAvelve tables affixed this as the punishment of cer tain crimes, but this mode of execu tion was very rare, since Aulius Gellius says that in his time no one re membered to have seen it practised. It appears, however, from Suetonius that the emperor Caligula often con demned persons of rank to be sawn through the middle. Calmet, writing j above a hundred years ago, says, " I j am assured that the punishment of the saw is still in use among the Swit- j zers, and that they put it in practice j not many years ago upon one of their countrymen, guilty of a great crime, in the plain of Grenelles, near Paris. I They put him into a kind of coffin, j and sawed him lengthwise, beginning \ at the head, as a piece of wood is ' sawn." Pict Bib. It Avas not an un usual mode of punishment to cut a person asunder, and to suspend the j different parts of the body to walls | and towers as a warning to the liv ing. See I. Sam. xxxi. 10, and Morier's Second Journey to Persia, p. 96. ^ Were tempted. On this expression, which has given much perplexity to critics, see the Notes of Prof. Stuart, Bloomfield, and Kuinoel. There is a great A^ariety of reading in the MSS. and editions of the New Testament, and many have regarded it is an in terpolation. The difficulty which has been felt in reference to it has been, that it is a much milder word than those just used, and that it is hardly probable that the apostle would enu merate this among those which he had just specified, as if. to be tempted deserved to be mentionod among suf ferings of so severe a nature. But it seems to me there need lie no real difficulty in the case. The apostle here, among other sufferings which they Avere called to endure, may haA'e referred to the temptations Avhich were presented to the martyrs Avhen about to die to abandon their religion and live. It is very possible to conceive that this might haA'e been among the highest aggravations of their suffer ings. We know that in later times it was a common practice to offer life to those who Avere doomed to a horrid death on condition that they Avould throw incense on the altars of a hea then god, and AVC may easily suppose that a temptation of that kind, art fully presented in the midst of keen tortures,Avould greatly aggravate their sufferings. Or suppose when a father Avas about to be put to death for his religion, his Avife and children Avere placed before him and should plead Avith him to save his life by abandon ing his religion, AVC can easily ima gine that no pain of the rack Avould cause so keen torture to the soul as their cries and tears would. Amidst the sorrows of martyrs, therefore, it Avas not improper to say that they Avere tempted, and to place this among their most aggravated Avoes. For in stances of this nature, see IL Mac. \i. 21, 22; vii. 17, 24. -f Were slain with the sword. As in the case of the eighty-five priests slain by Docg (L Sam. xxii. 18); and the prophets, of whose slaughter by the sword Elijah complains, I. Kings xix. 10. ^[ They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins. Driven away from their homes, and compelled to clothe them selves in this rude and uncomfortable manner. A dress of this kind, or a dress made of hair, was not uncom mon with the prophets, and seems in deed to have been regarded as an ap propriate badge of their office. See II. Kings, i. 8; Zech. xiii. 4. ^[ Being destitute, afflicted, tormented. The Avorcl tormented here means tortured.
38 (Of whom the world was j faith, received not the pronot worthy:) they wandered in j mise: deserts, and in mountains, and | 40 God having- l provided in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having ob tained a good report through
The apostle expresses here in general •what in the previous verses he had specified in detail.
38. Of whom the icorld was not worthy. The world was so wicked that it had no claim that such holy men should live in it. These poor, despised, and persecuted men, living as outcasts, and wanderers, were of a character far elevated above the world. This is a most beautiful expression. It is at once a statement of their emi nent holiness and of the wickedness of the rest of mankind. ^[ They wan dered in deserts, &c. On the Scrip ture meaning of the word desert or wilderness, see Notes on Matt. iii. 1. This is a description of persons driven away from their homes, and wander ing about from place to place to pro cure a scanty subsistence. Comp. I. Mac. i. 53; II. Mac. v. 27; vi. 7. The instances mentioned in the Books of Maccabees are so much in point, that there is no impropriety in sup posing that Paul referred to some such cases, if not these very cases. As there is no doubt about their his toric truth, there was no impropriety in referring to them, though they are not mentioned in the canonical books of Scripture. One of these cases may be referred to as strikingly illustrating what is here said. " But Judas Mac cabeus with nine others, or there about, withdrew himseV into the wil derness, and lived in the mountains after the manner of beasts, with his company, who fed on herbs continu-.ally, lest they should be partakers of the pollution. II. Mac. v. 27.
39. And these all having obtained a good report, through faith. They were all commended and approved on account of their confidence in God. See Notes on ver. 2. Received not
some hetter thing for us, that they without a us should not be made perfect.
the promise. That is, did not receive the fulfilment of the promise; or did not receive all that was promised. They all still looked forward to some future blessings. Notes ver. 13.
40. God having provided some bet ter thing for us. Marg. foreseen. That is, ' God having provided or deter mined on giving some better tiling than any of them realised, and which we are now permitted to enjoy.' That is, God gave them promises: but they were not allowed to see their fulfilment. We are permitted now to see what they referred to, and in part, at least, to witness their completion; and though the promise was made to them, the fulfilment more particularly pertains to us. ^[ That they without us should not be made perfect. That is, complete. The Avhole system of revelation was not complete* at once, or in one generation. It required successive ages to make the system complete, so that it might be said that it WQAJituskedj or perfect. Our exist ence, therefore, and the developments in our times, were as necessary to the perfection of the system as the pro mise made to the patriarchs. And as the system would not have been complete if the blessings had been simply conferred on us without the previous arrangements and the long scheme of introductory measures, so it would not have been complete if the promises had been merely given to them without the corresponding fulfilment in our times. They are like the two parts of a tally. " The fathers had one part in the pro mises, and we the other in the fulfil ment, and neither would have been complete without the other. The * better things' then referred to here as possessed by Christians, are the privilege of seeing those promises fulfilled in the Messiah; the blessings resulting from -the atonement; the more expanded views which they have under the gospel, the brighter hopes of heaven itself, and the clearer apprehension of what heaven will be, which they are permitted to enjoy. This, therefore, accords entirely with the argument which the apostle is pursuing— which is, to show that the Christians whom he addressed should not apostatise from their religion. The argument is, that in numerous instances, as specified, the saints of ancient times, even tinder fiery trials, were sustained by faith in God, and that too when they had not seen the fulfilment of the promises, and when they had much more obscure views than we are permitted to enjoy. If they, under the influence of the mere promise of future blessings, were en abled thus to persevere, how much more reason is there for us to perse vere who have been permitted, by the coining of the Messiah, to witness the perfection of the system!
There is no part of the New Tes tament of more value than this chap ter; none which deserves to be more patiently studied, or which may be more frequently applied to the cir cumstances of Christians. These in valuable records arc adapted to sus tain us in times of trial, temptation, and persecution; to show us what faith has done in days that are past, and what it may do still in.similar circumstances. Nothing can better show the value and the power of faith or of true religion, than the records in this chapter. It has done what nothing else could do. It has enabled men to endure what nothing else would enable them to bear, and it has shown its power in inducing them to give up, at the command cf God, what the human heart holds most dear. And among the lessons which we may derive from the study of this portion of divine truth, let us learn from the example of Abel to continue to offer to God the sacrifice of true piety which he requires, though we j may be taunted:>r opposed by our nearest kindred; from that of Enoch to walk with God though surrounded by a wicked worll, and to look to the blessed translation to heaven which awaits all the righteous; from that of Noah to comply with all the direc tions of God, and to make all needful preparations for the future events which he has predicted, in which we are to be interested — as death, judg ment, and eternity— though the events may seem to be remote, and though there may be no visible indications of their coming, and though the world may deride our faith and our fears; from that of Abraham to leave coun try, and home, and kindred, if God calls us to, and to go just where he commands, through deserts and wilds, and among strange men, and like him also to be ready to give up the dearest objects of our earthly affec tion, even when attended with all that can try or torture our feelings of af fection — feeling that God who gave has a right to require their removal in his own way, and that however much we may iix our hopes on a dear child, he can fulfil all his purposes and promises to us though such a child should be removed by death; from that of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to regard ourselves as stran gers and pilgrims on earth, having here no permanent home, and seek ing a better country; from that of Moses to be willing to leave all the pomp, and splendour of the world, all our brilliant prospects and hopes, and to welcome poverty, reproach, and suffering, that we may identify our selves with the people of God; by the remembrance of the host of worthies who met danger, and encountered mighty foes, and vanquished them, let us learn to go forth in our spiritual conflicts against the enemies of our souls and of the church, assured of victory; and from the example of those Avho were driven from the abodes of men, and exposed to the storms of persecution, let us learn to bear every trial, a: d to be ready at any moment to lay down our lives u* the cause of truth and of God. Of all those holy men who made these sa orifices, which of them ever regret ted it, when he came calmly to look over his life, and to review it on the •borders of the eternal world? None. JSTot one of them ever expressed re gret that he had given up the world; 'j>r that he had obeyed the Lord too Sari y, too faithfully, or too long. Not Abraham who left his country and kindred; not Moses who abandoned.his brilliant prospects in Egypt; not Noah AY ho subjected himself ft) ridi cule and scorn for a hundred and twenty years; and not one of those who were exposed to lions, to fire, to the edge of the sword,.or who were driven away from society as outcasts to wander in pathless deserts or to take up their abodes in caverns, ever regretted the course which they had chosen. And who of them all' noiv regrets it? Who, of these worthies, now looks from heaven and feels that he suffered one privation too much, or that he has not had an ample re compense for ail the ills he experi enced in the cause of religion? So we shall feel when from the bed of death we look over the present life, and look out on eternjty. Whatever our religion may have cost us, we shall not feel that we began to serve God too early, or served him too faith fully. Whatever pleasure, gain, or splendid prospects we gave up in or der to become Christians, we shall feel that it was the way of wisdom, and shall rejoice that wre were able to do it. Whatever sacrifices, trials, persecution, and pain, we may meet with, we shall feel that there has been more than a compensation in the con solations of religion, and in the hope />f heaven, and that by every sacrifice we have been the gainers. When we reach heaven, we shall see that we have not endured one pain too much, and that through whatever trials we may have passed, the result is worth all which it has cost. Strengthened then in our trials by the remembrance of what faith has done in times that are past; recalling the example of those who through faith and patience have inherited the promises, let us go cheerfully on our way. Soon the journey of trials will be ended, and soon what are now objects of faith will become objects of fruition, nnd in their enjoyment how trifling and brief will seem all the sorrows of our pilgrimage below!
The apostle having illustrated the nature and power of faith in the pre vious chapter, proceeds in this to ex hort those to whom he wrote to apply the same principles to their own case, and to urge them to manifest the same steady confidence in God, and perseverance in their holy walk. For this purpose, he adverts to the follow ing arguments or considerations:
I. He represents the ancient wor thies who had so faithfully persevered and so gloriously triumphed, as wit nesses of their strife in the Christian race, and as cheering them on to vic tory. Ver. 1.
II. He appeals to the example of the Saviour. Vs. 2 — 4. This was a more illustrious instance than any of those which had been adverted to, and is not referred to with theirs, but is adduced as deserving a separate and a special specification. v The circum stances in his case which arc an en couragement to perseverance in the Christian conflict are these. (1.) He endured the cross, and is now exalted to the right hand of God. (2.) He bore the contradiction of sinners against himself, as those were called to do to whom Paul wrote. (-3.) He went beyond them in his trials and temptations— beyond any thing which they could have reason to apprehend — for he had 'resisted unto blood, striving against sin.'
III. lie encourages them by show ing that their trials would result in their own good, and particularly that the hand of a Father was in them. Vs. 5—13. Particularly he urges (1.) that God addressed those who suffer ed as his sons, and called on them not
WHEREFORE seeing we also are compassed about with to receive with improper feeling the chastening of the Lord. ver. 5; (2.) that it was a general principle that the Lord chastened those whom he loved, and the fact that we received chastening was to be regarded as evi dence that we are under his parental care and that he has not forsaken us, vp. 6 — 8; (3) that they had been sub ject to the correction of earthly fa thers and had learned to be submis sive, and that there was much higher reason for submitting to God, vs. 9, 10; (4.) and that however painful chas tisement might be at present, yet it would ultimately produce important benefits. Ver. 11. By these consid erations" he encourages them to bear their trials with patience, and to as sume new courage in their efforts to live a Christian life. Vs. 12, 13.
IV. He exhorts them to persever ance and fidelity by the fact that if they should become remiss, and re nounce their confidence in God, it would be impossible to retrieve what was lost. Vs. 14 — 17. In illustrat ing this, he appeals to the case of Esau. For a trifling consideration, when in distress, he parted with an invaluable blessing. When it was gone, it was impossible to recover it. No consideration could induce a change, though he sought it earnestly with tears. So it would be Avith Chris tians, if, under the power of tempta tion, they should renounce their reli gion, and go back to their former state.
V. He urges them to perseverance by the nature of the dispensation un der which they were, as compared with the one under which they had formerly been — the Jewish. Vs. 18 — 29. Under the former, every tiling was fitted to alarm and terrify the fioul. Vs. 18 — 21. The new dispen sation was of a different character. It was adapted to encourage and to win the heart. The real Mount Zion i so great a ses, let us
— the city of the living God^the New Jerusalem — the company of the an gels — the church of the first-born — the Judge of all — the great Mediator — to which they had come under the new dispensation, all these were fitted to encourage the fainting heart, and to win the affections of the soul. Vs. 22 — 24. Yet, in proportion to the sacredness and tenderness of these considerations, and to the light and privileges which they now enjoyed, would be their guilt if they should renounce their religion — for under this dispensation, as under the old, God was a consuming fire. Vs. 25 —29.
1. Wherefore. In vieAv of what has been said in the previous chap ter. ^ Seeing we also are compassed about ivith so great a cloud of wit nesses. The apostle represents those to whom he had referred in the pre vious chapter as looking on to witness the efforts which Christians make, and the manner in which they live. There is allusion here, doubtless, to the ancient games. A great multitude of spectators usually occupied the cir cular seats in the amphitheatre, from which they could easily behold the combatants. See Notes on 1. Cor. ix. 24—27. In like manner, the apostle represents Christians as en compassed with the multitude of wor thies to whom he had referred in the previous chapter. It cannot be fairly inferred from this that he means to say that all those ancient worthies were actually looking at the conduct of Christians, and saw their conflicts. It is a figurative representation, such as is common, and means that we ought to act as if they were in sight and cheered us on. How far the spirits of the just who are departed from this world are permitted to betiold what is done on earth — if at all —is not revealed in the Scriptures. The phrase 'a cloud of witnesses,' weight, and the sin which doth j run with patience the race that so easily beset us, and let us j is set before us, means many witnesses, or a number so great that they seem to be a cloud. The comparison of a multitude of per sons to a cloud is common in the classic writers. See Homer, II. iv. 274, xxiii. 133; Statius, i. 340, and other instances adduced in Wetstein, in loc. Conip. Notes en I. Thes. iv. 1 7. *,[ Let us hit/ aside every weight. The word rendered weight — OJKOV — means that which is crooked or hook ed, and thence any thing that is at tached or suspended by a hook — that is, by its whole weight, and hence means weight. See Passow. It does not occur elsewhere in the New Tes tament. The word is often used in the classic writers in the sense of swelling, tumour, pride. Its usual meaning is that of weight or burden, and there is allusion here, doubtless, to the runners in the games who were careful not to encumber themselves with any thing that was heavy. Hence their clothes were so made as not to impede their running, and hence they were careful in their training not to overburden themselves with food, and in every way to remove what would be an impediment or hindrance. As applied to the racers, it does not mean that they began to run with any thing like a burden and then threw it away — as persons sometimes aid their jumping by taking a stone in their hands to acquire increased momen tum — but that they were careful not I to allow any thing that would be a j weight or an encumbrance. As ap- j plied to Christians, it means that they should remove all which would ' obstruct their progress in the Chris- j 4ian course. Thus it is fair to apply | it to whatever would be an impedi- j ment in our efforts to win the crown of life. It is not the same thing in all persons. In one it may be pride; in another vanity; in another world-) liness; in another a violent and;d- | -most ungovernable temper; in an- ] other a corrupt imagination; in an-!
other a heavy, leaden,insensible heart; in another some improper and unholy attachment. Whatever it may be, we are exhorted to lay it aside; and this general direction may be applied to any thing which prevents our mak ing the highest possible attainment in the divine life. Some persons would make much more progress it they would throw away many of their personal ornaments; some if they would disencumber themselves of the heavy weight of gold which they are endeavouring to carry with them. So some very light objects, in them selves considered, become material encumbrances. Even a feather or a ring — such may be the fondness for these toys — may become such a weight that they will never make much progress towards the prize, ^j" And the sin ivhich doth so cast'/// beset us. The word which is here rendered ' easily beset1 — evTrfptoraroi/ — ctipcristaton—docs not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It properly means, ' standing well around;' and hence denotes that which is near, or at hand, or readily occurring. So Chrysostom explains it. Passow defines it as meaning, ' easy to encircle.' Tindal renders it ' the sin that hangeth on us.' Theoderet and others explain the word as if derived from Trfpia-rao-ts — peristasis — a word which some times means affliction, peril — and hence regard it as denoting that which in full of peril, or the sin which so easily subjects one to calamity. Bloomfield supposes, in accordance •with the opinion of Grotius, Crellius, Kypke, Kuinoel and others, that it means " the sin which especially winds around us and hinders our course," with allusion to the long Oriental garments. According to this, the meaning Avould be, that as a runner would be careful not to en cumber himself with a garment which would be apt to wind around his legs in running and hinder him, so it
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; i or, beginner. » LU. 24. so. j who, for the ajoy that was set
should be with the Christian, who es pecially ought to lay aside every thing -which resembles this; that is, all sin which mmt impede his course. The former of these interpretations, how ever, is most commonly adopted, and best agrees with the established sense of the word. It will then mean that Ave are to lay aside every encum brance, particularly or especially — for so the word «at ' and,' should be rendered here— the sins to which we are most exposed. Such sins are ap propriately called ' easily-besetting sins.' They are those to which ice are particularly liable. They are such sins as the folhnving. (1.) Those to which we are particularly exposed by our natural temperament, or dis position. In some this is pride, in others indolence, or gaiety, or levity, or avarice, or ambition, or sensuality. (2.) Those in which AVC freely indulged before we became Christians. They will be likely to return with power, and we are far more likely, from the laws of association, to fall into them than into any other. Thus a man who has been intemperate, is in spe cial danger from that quarter; a man who has been an infidel, is in special danger of scepticism; one who has been avaricious, proud, gay, or ambi tious is in special danger, even after conversion, of again committing these sins. (3.) Sins to which we are ex posed by our profession, by our re lations to others, or by our situation in life. They whose condition will entitle them to associate with what are regarded as the more elevated classes of society, are in special dan ger of indulging in the methods of living and of amusement tiiat are common among them; they who are prospered in the world are in danger of losing the simplicity and spirit uality of their religion; they who hold "a civil office are in danger of be coming mere politicians, and of losing the very form and suostance of piety. (4.) Sins to which we are exposed from some peculiar weakness in our character. On some points AVC mav be in no danger. We may be consti tutionally so firm as not to be espe cially liable to certain forms of sin. But every man has one or more weak points in his character; and it is there that he is particularly exposed. A bow may be in the main very strong. All along its length there may be no danger of its giving way — save at one place \vhcre it has been made too thin, or where the material was defective — and if it ever breaks, it will of course be at that point. That is the point, therefore, Avhich needs to be guarded and strengthened. So in reference to character. There is ahvays some weak point which needs specially to bo guarded, and our prin cipal danger is there. Self-knowledge, so necessary in leading a holy life, consists much in searching out those weak points of character where Ave are most exposed; and our progress in the Christian course Aviil be deter mined much by the fidelity with which we guard and strengthen them. ^[ And let us run with patience the race that is set before us. The word rendered 'patience' rather means in this place perseverance. We are to run the race Avithout alloAving our selves to be hindered by any obstruc tions, and without giving out or faint ing in the way. Encouraged by the example of the multitudes who have run the sanle race before us, and who are noAV looking out upon us from heaven where they dwell, we are to persereve as they did to the end.
2. Looking unto Jesus. As a further inducement to do this, the apostle ex horts us to look to the Saviour. We are to look to his holy life; to his pa tience and perseverance in trials; to what he endured in order to obtain the croAvn, and to his final success and triumph, **[ The author ami finishcr of our faith. The word ' our1 is not in the original here, and ob scures the sense. The meaning is> before him, endured the cross,! down at the right hand of thedespising the shame, and is set throne of God.
he is the first and the last as an ex ample of faith or of confidence in God, — occupying in this, as in all other tilings, the pre-eminence, and being the most complete model that can be placed before us. The apostle had /lot remunerated him among those who had been distinguished for their faith, but who now refers to him as above them all; as a case that de served to stand by itself. It is pro bable that there is a continuance here of the allusion to the Grecian games which the apostle had commenced in the previous verse. The word author — ap^rjyov — (marg. beginner^) — means properly the source or cause of any thing, or one who makes a begin ning. It is rendered in Acts iii. 15, v. 31, Prince; in Ileb. ii. 10, Captain; and in the place before us, Author. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament, The phrase ' the begin ner of faith,' or the leader on of faith, would express the idea. lie is at the head of all those who have furnished an example of confidence in God, for he was himself the most illustrious instance of it. The expression, then, docs not mean properly that he pro duces faith in us, or that we believe because lie causes us to believe — what ever may be the truth about that — but that he stands at the head as the most eminent example that can be referred to on the subject of faith. We are exhort-ed to look to him, as if at the Grecian games there was one who stood before the racer who had previouslycarried away every palm of vic tory;who had always been triumphant, an 1 with whom there was no one who could be compared. The wordymisAer — reAftcorr/i' — corresponds in mean ing with the word author. It means that he is the compieter as well the beginner; the last as well as the first. As there has been no one hitherto who could be compared with him, so there will be no one hereafter. Comp. Rev. i. 8. 1 1. "I am Alpha and Ome ga, the beginning and the en^inti the first and the last." The word does not mean that he was the 'finisher' of faith in the sense that lie makes our faith complete or perfects it — whatever may be true about that — but that he occupies this elevated po sition of being beyond comparisonabove all others. Alike in the com mencement and the close, in the be ginning of faith and in its ending, he stands pre-eminent. To this illustri ous model we should look— as a racer would on one who had been always so successful that he surpassed all competitors and rivals. If this be the meaning, then it is not properly ex plained, as it is commonly (see Bloomfield and Stuart in /of.), by say ing that the word here is synonymous with reicardcr, and refers to the fipcifievrrjs — brabeufes — or the distributor of the prize. Comp. Notes on Col. iii. 1;5. There is no instance where the word is used in this sense in the New Testa ment (comp. Fassow}, nor would such an interpretation present so beautiful and appropriate a thought as the one suggested above. ^f Who for the joy that rcas set before him. That is, who in view of all the honour Avhich hewould, have at the right hand of God, and the happiness which he would ex perience from the consciousness that he had redeemed a world, AVUS willing to bear the sorrows connected with the atonement. ^[ Endured the cross. Endured patiently the ignominy and pain connected with the suffering of death on the cross. ^[ Despising the shame. Disregarding the ignominy of such a mode of death. It is diffi cult for us now to realise the force of the expression, 'enduring the shame of the cross,' as it was understood in the time of the Saviour and the apos tles. The views of the world have changed, and it is now difficult to di vest the ' cross' of the associations of honour and glory which the word suggests, so as to appreciate the ideas which eneomparised it then. There is a degree of- dishonour which we
3 For consider him that en dured such contradiction of sin-
ners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
attach to the guillotine, but the igno miny of a death on the cross was greater than that; there is disgrace attached to the block, but the igno miny of the cross was greater than that; there is a much deeper infamy attached to the gallows, but the igno miny of the cross was greater than that. And that word — the cross — which when now proclaimed in the ears of the refined, the intelligent, and even the gay, excites an idea of ho nour, in the ears of the people of Athens, of Corinth, and of Rome, ex cited deeper disgust than the word gallows does with us — for it was re garded as the appropriate punishment of the most infamous of mankind. We can now scarcely appreciate these feelings, and of course the declaration that Jesus ' endure:! the cross, despis ing the shame,' does not make the impression on our minds in regard to the nature of his sufferings and the value of his example which it should do. When we now think of the ' cross,' it is not of the multitude of slaves and robbers, and thieves, and rebels, who have died on it, but of the one great victim whose death has enno bled even this instrument of torture, and encircled it with a halo of glory. We have been accustomed to read of it as an imperial standard in war in the days of Constantine, and as the banner under which armies have marched to conquest; it is intermin gled with the sweetest poetry; it is a sacred tiling in the most magnificent cathedrals; it adorns the altar, and is even an object of adoration; it is in the most elegant engravings; it is worn by beauty and piety as an orna ment near the heart; it is associated with all that is pure in love, great in self-sacrifice, and holy in religion. To see the true force of the expression here, therefore, it is necessary to di vest ourselves of these ideas of glory which encircle the ' cross,' and to place ourselves in the times and lands in which, when the most infairous of mankind were stretched upon it, it was regarded for such men as an ap propriate mode of punishment. That infamy Jesus wras willing to bear, and the strength of his confidence in God, his love for man, and the depth of his humiliation, was shown in the readiness and firmness with which he went forward to such a death. ^f And is set down at the rujlit hand of the throne of God. Exalted to the highest place of dignity and honour in the universe. Notes, Mark xvi. 19; Eph. i. 20—22. The sentiment here is, ' Imitate the example of the great Author of our religion. He, in view of the honour and joy before him, en dured the most severe sufferings to which the human frame can be sub jected, and the form of death Avhich is regarded as the most shameful. So amidst all the severe trials to which you are exposed on account of reli gion, patiently endured all — for the glorious rewards, the happiness and the triumph of heaven, are before you.'
3. For consider him. Attentively reflect on his example, that you may be able to bear your trials in a proper manner. ^[ That endured such con tradiction of sinners. Such opposition. The reference is to the Jews of the time of the Saviour, who opposed his plans, perverted his sayings, and ridi culed his claims. Yet, regardless of their opposition, he persevered in the course which he had marked out, and went patiently forward in the execu tion of his plans. The idea is, that we are to pursue the path of duty and follow the dictates of conscience, let the world say what they will about it. In doing this we cannot find a better example than the Saviour. No opposition of sinners ever turned him from the way which he regarded as right; no ridicule ever caused him to abandon any of his plans; no argu ment or expression of scorn, ever caused him for a moment to deviate from his course. ^T Lest ye be iveariea
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto
and faint in your minds. The mean ing is, that there is great danger of being- disheartened and wearied out by the opposition which you meet with. But with the bright example of one Avho was never disheartened, and Avho never became weary in doing the will of God, you may persevere. The best means of leading a faithful Christian life amidst the opposition which we may encounter, is to keep the eye steadily fixed on the Saviour. 4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, stricinq against sin. The gen eral sense of this passage is. ' you have not yet been called in your Chris tian struggles to the highest kind of sufferings and sacrifices. Great as your trials mny seem to have been, yet your faith has not yet been put to the severest test. And since this is so, you ought not to yield in the conflict with evil, but manfully resist it.' In the language here used there is un doubtedly a continuance of the allu sion to the agonistic games— the strugglings and wrestlings for mastery there. In those games, the boxers were accustomed to arm themselves for the fight with the castus. This at first consisted of strong leathern thongs wound around the hands, and extending only to the wrist, to give greater solidity to the fist. After wards these were made to extend to the elbow, and then to the shoulder, and finally, they sowed pieces of lead or iron in them that they might strike a heavier and more destructive blow. The consequence was, that those who were engaged in the fight were often covered with blood, and that resist ance ' unto blood ' showed a determin ed courage, and a purpose not to yield. But though the language here may be taken from this custom, the fact to which the apostle alludes, it seems to me, is the struggling of the Savknir in the garden of Gethsemane, when his conflict was so severe that great drops of blood fell down to the ground, See Notes on Matt. xxvi. 42 —44. It is, indeed, commonly understood to mean that they had not yet been call ed to shed their blood as martyrs in the cause of religion. See §tuartr Bloomfield, Doddridge, Clarke, \Vhitby, Kuinoel, &c. Indeed, I find in none of the commentators what seems to me to be the true sense of this pas sage, and what gives an exquisite beauty to it, the allusion to the suf ferings of the Saviour in the garden. The reasons which lead me to believe that there is such an allusion, are briefly these. (1.) The connexion. The apostle is appealing to the exam ple of the Saviour, and urging Chris tians to persevere amidst their trials by looking to him. Nothing would be more natural in this connexion, than to refer to that dark night, when in the severest conflict with temptation which he ever encoun tered, he so signally showed his own firmness of purpose, and the effects of resistance on his own bleed ing body, and his signal victory— in the garden of Gethsemane. (2.) The expression 'striving against sin' seems to demand the same interpre tation. On the common interpreta tion, the allusion would be merely to their resisting persecution; but here the allusion is to some struggle in their minds against committing sin. The apostle exhorts them to strive manfully and perseveringly against sin in every form, and especially against the sin of apostacy. To en courage them he refers them to the highest instance on record Avhere there was a ' striving against sin ' — the struggle of the Kedeemer in the gar den with the great enemy who there made his most violent assault, and where the resistance of the Kedeemer was so great as to force the blood through his pores. What was the exact form of the temptation there, we are not informed. It may have been to induce him to abandon his work even then and to yield, in view of the severe sufferings of his ap-
5 And ye have forgotten the 1 son, despise not them the chascxliortation a which speaketh j tening of the Lord, nor faint unto you as unto children, My * Pr. 3. u, 12.
-ticn Avould he powerful, it would he j there. When a man is ahout to he put to death, how strong is the in ducement to abandon his purpose, his plans, or his principles, if he may save his life! How many, of feehlc virtue, have yielded just there! If to this consideration we add the thought that the Redeemer was engaged in a work never hefcre undertaken; that he designed to make an atonement never heforc made; that he was about to endure sorrows never before en dured; raid that on the decision of that moment depended the ascendency of | sin or holiness on the earth, the tri umph or the fall of Satan's. kingdom, the success or the defeat of all the
. plans of the great adversary of God and man, and that on such an occa sion as tliis, the tempter would use all his poAver to crush tiie lonely and unprotected man of sorrows in the garden of Gethsemane, it is easy to imagine what may have hecn the ter ror of that fearful conflict, and Avhat virtue it would require in him to re sist the concentrated energy of Satan's might to induce him even then to abandon his Avork. The apostle says of those to Avhom ho wrote, that they had not yet reached that point. Comp. Notes on ch. \. 7. (3.) This view furnishes a proper climax to the ar gument of the apostle for persever ance. It presents the Redeemer be fore the mind as the great example; directs the mind to him in various scenes of his life— as looking to the joy before him — disregarding the ignominy of his sufferings— enduring the opposition of sinners — and then in the garden as engaged in a con flict Avith his great foe, and so resist ing sin that rather than yield he en- j dured that fearful mental struggle! which Avas attended Avith such re-!
markable consequences. This is the highest consideration Avhich could be presented to the mind of a believer to keep him from yielding in the con flict Avith evil; and if AVC could keep him in the eye resisting cAren unto blood rather than yield in the least degree, it would do more than all oilier things to restrain us from sin. IIoAV different his case from ours! IIOAV readily AVC yield to sin! We offer a faint and feeble resistance, and then surrender. We think it Avill be unknown; or that others do it; or that AVC may repent of it; or that we have no power to resist it; or that it is of little consequence, and our reso lution gives Avay. Not so the Re deemer. Rather than yield in any form to sin, he measured strength Avith the great adversary Avhen alone Avith him in the darkness of the night, and gloriously triumphed! And so would we always triumph if AVC had the same settled purpose to resist sin in every form even unto blood.
5. And i/e have forgotten the, exhor* tation. This exhortation is found in Prov. iii. 11, 12. The object of the apostle in introducing it here is, to shoAV that afflictions Avere designed on the part of God to produce some hap py effects in the lives of his people, and that they ought, therefore, to bear them patiently. In the previous verses, he directs them to the exam ple of the Saviour. In this verse and the following, for the same object he directs their attention to the design of trials, showing that they are ne cessary to our welfare, and that they are in fact proof of the paternal care of God. This verse might be render ed as a question. * And haAre ye for gotten?' &c. This mode of render ing it Avill agree someAvhat better with the design of the apostle. ^[ Which speaketii unto you. Which may be regarded as addressed to you j or wMch invokes a principle as applica ble to you as to others. He does not mean that when Solomon used the words, he had reference to them par ticularly but that he used them with reference to the children of God, and they might therefore be applied to them. In this way we may regard the language of the Scriptures as ad dressed to us. «jf As unto children. As if he were addressing children. The language is such as a lather uses. ^ My sen. It is possible that in these words Solomon may have intended to address a son literally, giving him paternal counsel; or he may have spoken as the head of the Jewish peo ple, designing to address all the pious, to whom he sustained, as it were, the relation of a father. Or it is possi ble also that it may be regarded as the language of God himself address ing his children. Whichever suppo sition is adopted, the sense is substan tially the same. ^[ Despise not thou the chastening of tlte Lord Literally, Do not regard it as a small matter, or as a trivial thing, — okvytopn. The Greek word here used does not occur i elsewhere in the New Testament. I The word here rendered chastening — Traidfia — and also in vs. G, 7, 8, and in ver. 9, 'corrected' — TraiSfuras- — does not refer to affliction in general, but that kind of affliction which is de signed to correct us for our faults, or which is of the nature of discipline. The verb properly relates to the train ing up of a child — including instruc tion, counsel, discipline, and correc tion (see this use of the verb in Acts vii. 22; II. Tim. ii. 25; Titus ii. 12), and then especially discipline, or cor rection for faults — to correct, chastise, j chasten. I. Cor. xi. 32; II. Cor. vi. ' 9; Kev. iii. 19. This is the meaning; liere;. and the idea is, not that God ' will afflict his people in general, but j that if they wander away he will cor- \ rect them for their faults. He will biiiig calamity upon them as a pun ishment for their offences, and in or der to bring them back to himself. He will not suffer them to wander away unrebuked and unchecked, but will mercifully reclaim them thougV by great sufferings. Afflictions have many objects, or produce many happy effects. That referred to here is, that they are means of reclaiming the wandering and erring children of God, and are proofs of his paternal care and love. Comp. II. Sam. vii. 14; xii. 13, 14; Ps. Ixxxix. 31—34; Prov. iii. 11, 12. Afflictions, which are always sent by God, should not be regarded as small matters, for these reasons. (1.) The fact that they are sent by God. Whatever he does is j of importance, and is worthy the pro found attention of men. (2.) They are sent for some important purpose, and they should be regarded, there fore, with attentive concern. Men despise them when (1.) they treat them with affected or real unconcern; (2.) when they fail to receive them as di vine admonitions, and regard them as without any intelligent design; and (3.) when they receive them with ex pressions of contempt, and speak of them and of the government of God with scorn. It should be a matter of deep concern when we are afflicted in any manner, not to treat the matter liyhtly, but to derive from our trials all the lessons which they are adapted to produce on the mind. *[ Nor faint, &c. Bear up patiently under them. This is the second duty. We are first to study their character and design; and secondly, to bear up under them, however severe they may be, and however long they may be continued. " Avoid the extremes of proud insensibility and entire dejec tion." Doddr'ulye.
6. For whom the Lord lovcth he chasteneth. This is also a quotation from Proverbs iii. It means that it is a 'universal rule that God sends tri als on those whom he truly lores. II
7 If ye endure chastening, ] 8 But if ye be without chas- God dcoleth with you as with I tisement, whereof all are par sons; fora what son is he whom | takers, then are ye bastards, and does not, of course, mean that he sends chastisement which is not de served; or that he sends it for the mere purpose of inflicting pain. That cannot be. But it means that by his chastisements he shows that he has a paternal care for us. He does not treat us with neglect and unconcern, as a father often docs his illegitimate child. The very fact that he corrects us shows that he has towards us a father's feelings, and exercises to wards us a paternal care. If he did not, he would let us go on without any attention, and leave us to pursue a course of sin that would involve us in ruin. To restrain and govern a child; to correct him when he errs, shows that there is a parental solici tude for him, and that he is not an outcast. And as there is in the life of every child of God something that deserves correction, it happens that it is universally true that ' whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.' <j[ And scourgcth every son whom he receiveth. Whom lie receives or acknowledges as his child. This is not quoted lite rally from the Hebrew, but from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is, ' even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.' The general sense of the passage is retained, as is often the case in the quotations from the Old Testament. The meaning is the same as in the former part of the verse, that every one who becomes a child of God is treated by him with that watchful care which shows that he sustains towards him the paternal relation.
7. If ye endure chastening. That is, if you undergo, or are called to experience correction. It does not mean here, ' if you endure it patient ly; or if you bear up under it;' but, ' if you are chastised or corrected by God.' The affirmation does not relate to the manner of bearing it, but to the fact that we are disciplined. ^f God dcaletk with you as with sons, He does not cast you off and regard you as if you were in no way related to him. «j[ For u-hat son is he whom the father chasteneth not. That is, he evinces towards his son the care which shows that he sustains the relation of a father. If he deserves correction he corrects him; and he aims by all proper means to exhibit the appropri ate care and character of a father. And as we receive such attention from an earthly parent, we ought to expect to receive similar notice from our Fa ther in heaven.
8. But if ye be without chastisement. If you never meet with any thing that is adapted to correct your faults; to subdue your temper; to chide your wanderings, it would prove that you were in the condition of illegitimate children — cast off and disregarded by their father. ^[ Whereof all are par takers. All who are the true children of God. ^[ Then are ye bastards and not sons. The reference here is to the neglect with which such children are treated, and to the general want of care and discipline over them:
In the English law, a bastard is termed nullius filius. Illegitimate children are usually abandoned by their father. The care of them is left to the mother, and the father endeavours to avoid all responsibility, and usually to be con cealed and unknown. His own child he does not wish to recognise; he neither provides for him; nor instructs him; nor governs him; nor disciplines him; A father, who is worthy of the name, will do all these things. So Paul says it is with Christians. God has not
9 Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which cor rected its: and we gave them
cast them off. In every way he evinces towards them the character of a father. And if it should be that they passed along through life without any occurrence that would indicate the paternal care and atten tion designed to correct their faults, it would show that they never had been his children, but were cast off and wholly disregarded. This is a beautiful argument; and we should receive every affliction as full proof that ve are not forgotten by tne High and Holy One who condescends to sustain to us the character, and to evince towards us, in our wanderings, the watchful care of a Father.
9. Furthermore. As an additional consideration to induce us to receive chastisement with submission. The argument in this verse is derived from the difference in the spirit and design with which we are corrected by God and by an earthly parent. In God every thing is without any intermin gling of passion or any improper feel ing. In an earthly parent there is often much that is the result of hasty emotion, of an irascible temper, per haps of the mere love of power. There is much that is inflicted without due reflection, and that produces only pain in the bosom of the parent himself in the recollection. Yet with all this imperfection of parental government, we were patient and unmurmuring. How much more should we submit to one whose paternal discipline is caused by no excited feelings; by no love of power; by no want of reflec tion, and which never furnishes occa sion for regret! ^[ Fathers of our flesh. Earthly fathers; those from whom we have derived our being here. They are contrasted here with God, who is called « the Father of spirits,' not because the father does not sus tain the paternal relation to the soul as well as the body, but to designate reverence: shall we not much rather he in subjection unto the Father a of spirits, and live?
the nature of the dominion over us. The dominion of God is that which pertains to a spiritual kingdom, hav ing mere direct reference to the dis cipline of the soul, and being designed to prepare us for the spiritual world; that of the earthly father pertains primarily to our condition -here, and the discipline is designed to subdue our unruly passions, to teach us to restrain our appetites, to inculcate maxims of health and prosperity, and to prevent those things which would impede our happiness in the present world. See, however, many curious instances of the manner in which these phrases were used by the Jew ish writers, collected by Wetstein. ^[ We gace them reverence. We sub mitted to them; honoured them; loved them. Painful at the time as correction may have been, yet when we have fully understood the design of it, we have loved them the more. The effect of such discipline, properly administered, is to produce real vene ration for a parent — for he who in a timely and appropriate manner re strains his child is the only one who will secure ultimate reverence and respect, ^f Shall ice not much rather be in subjection. Since God's govern ment is so much more perfect; since he has so much better right to con trol us; and since his administration is free from all the defects which at tend parental discipline on earth, there is a much higher reason for bowing with submission and reve rence to him. ^[ The Father of spirits. Thus in Numbers xvi. 22, God is called " the God of the spirits of all flesh." So also Num. xxvii. 16; comp. Job xxxiii. 4. The idea seems to be that, as the soul is the most important part of man, this name is given to God by way of eminence, or he is eminently and supremely our Father. It was his to create the immortal
10 Por they verily for a few ' own pleasure: but lie for days chastened us l after their j profit that we might be partak-
part, and to that spirit which is never to die he sustains the relation of Fa ther. The earthly lather is parent to the man as mortal; God is the Father | of man as immortal. God is himself a spirit. Angels and human souls, therefore, may be represented as pe culiarly his offspring. It is the highest designation which could he given to God to say that he is at the head of the universe of mind; not implying that he is not also at the Lead of the material universe, but de signing to bring into view this high characteristic of the Almighty, that all created minds throughout the uni verse sustain to him the relation of children. To this Great Being we should, therefore, more cheerfully sub ject ourselves than to an earthly pa rent. *§ And live. Meaning that his fatherly chastisements are adapted to secure our spiritual life. He corrects us that he may promote our final happiness, and his inflictions arc the means of saving us from eternal death.
10. For they verily for a few days. That is, with reference to a few days (Trpoy); or it was a chastisement that had reference mainly to this short life. The apostle seems to bring in this circumstance to contrast the deal ings of earthly parents Avith those of Gocl. One of the circumstances is, that the corrections of earthly parents £acl a much less important object than those of God. They related to this life — a life so brief that it may be said to continue but a ' few days.' Yet, in order to secure the benefit to be derived for so short a period from fa therly correction, we submitted with out murmuring. Much more cheer fully ought AVC to submit to that dis cipline from the hand of our heavenly Father Avhich is designed to extend its benefits through otcrnity. This seems to me to afford a better sense than that adopted by Prof. Stuart and others, that it "'cans ' during our childhood or minority;' or than that proposed by Doddridge, that it refers both to our earthly parents and to our heavenly Father. *§ After their own pleasure. Marg. * as seemed good, or meet to them.' Meaning that it was sometimes done arbitrarily, or from caprice, or under the influence of pas sion. This is an additional reason Avhy AVC should submit to God. \Ve submitted to our earthly parents, though their correction Avas some times passionate, and was designed to gratify their own pleasure rather than to promote our good. There is much of this kind of punishment in families; but there is none of it under the administration of God. «f But be for our profit. Never from passion, from caprice, from the love of power or superiority, but always for our good. The exact benefit _ which he designs to produce AVC may not be able always to understand, but we may be assured that no other cause influences him than a de.sire to pro mote our real welfare, and he can never be mistaken in regard to the proper means to secure that, AVC may be assured that our trials are always adapted to that end. ^ That AVC micjlit be partakers of his hoffnes*. Become so holy that it may be said that we are partakers of the very holiness of God. Comp. II. Pet. i. 4. This is the elevated object at Avhich God aims by our trials. It is not that he delights to produce pain; not that he envies us and Avould rob us of our little com forts; not that he needs Avhat Ave prize to increase his own enjoyment, and therefore rudely takes it aAvay; and' not that he acts from caprice— IIOAV conferring a blessing and then withdrawing it without any reason: it is, that he may make us more pure and holy, and thus promote our own best interest, To be holy as Gocl is holy; to be so holy that it may be said that AVC * are partakers of his holiness,' is a richer blessing than
11 Now 10 chastening for! the present neemeth to be joy ous, but grievous: neverthe less, afterward it yieldeth the
health, and property, and friends with out it; and when by the exchange of the one we acquire the other, we have secured infinitely more than we have lost. To obtain the greater good we should be willing to part with the less; to secure the everlasting friend ship and favour of God we should be willing;, if necessary, to surrender the last farthing of our property; the last friend that is left us; the last feeble and fluttering pulsation of life in our vjins.
11. Now no chastening for the pre sent secmeth to be joyous, but grievous. It does not impart pleasure, nor is this its design. All chastisement is intended to produce pain, and the Christian is as sensitive to pain as others. His religion does not blunt his sensibilities and make him a stoic, but' it rather increases his susceptibi lity to suffering. The Lord Jesus, probably, felt pain, reproach, and con tempt more keenly than any other human being ever did; and the Chris tian feels the loss of a child, or bodily suffering as keenly as any one. But while religion does not render him insensible to suffering, it does two things — ( 1.) it enables him to bear the pain without murmuring; and (2.) it turns the affliction into a blessing on his soul, ^f Nevertheless afterward. In future life. The effect is seen in a pure life, and in a more entire de voted ness to God. We are not to look for the proper fruits of affliction while we arc suffering, but afterwards. ^[ It yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness. It is a tree that bears good fruit, and we do not expect the fruit to form and ripen at once. It may bo long maturing, but it will be rich and mellow when it is ripe. It freqrently requires along time before ail the results of affliction appear — as it requires months to form and ripen
12 Wherefore lift b up the
fruit. Like fruit it may appear at first sour, crabbed, and unpalatable; but it will be at last like the ruddy j peach or the golden orange. When I those fruits are ripened they are (1.) j fruits ' of righteousness.' They make us more holy, more dead to sin and the world, and more alive to God. And they are (2.) 'peaceable.' They produce peace, calmness, submission in the soul. They make the heart more tranquil in its confidence in God, and more disposed to promote the religion of peace. The apostle speaks of this as if it were a universal truth in regard to Christians who are afflicted. And it is so. There is no Christian who is not ultimately bene fited by trials, and who is not able at some period subsequently to say, " It was good for me that I was afflicted. Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word." When a Christian comes to die, he does not feel that he has had one trial too many, or one which he did not deserve. " He can then look back and see the effect of some early trial so severe that he once thought he could hardly endure it, spreading a hallowed influence over his future years, and scattering its golden fruit all along the pathway of life. I have never known a Christian who was not bene fited by afflictions; I have seen none i who was not able to say that his I trials produced some happy effect on | his religious character and on his real happiness in life. If this be so, I then no matter how severe our trials, AVC should submit to them without a murmur. The more severe they are, the more we shall yet be blessed— on earth or in heaven.
12. Wherefore. In view of the facts which have been now stated — that afflictions are sent from God and are evidences of his paternal
hands which hang down, and the feeble knees:
13 And make 1 straight a paths for your feet, lest that
which is lame be turned out of the way; but b let it rather be healed.
watchfulness. <f Lift up the hanck which hang down. As if from weari ness and exhaustion. Renew your courage; make a new effort to bear them. The hands fall by the side when we are exhausted with toil, or worn down by disease. See Notes on Isa. xxxv. 3, from which place this exhortation is taken. *j[ And the feeble knees. The knees also become en feebled by long effort, and tremble as if their strength were gone. Courage and resolution may do much, how ever to make them firm, and it is to this that the apostle exhorts those to whom he wrote. They were to make every effort to bear up under their trials, "i'he hope of victory will do much fco strengthen one almost ex hausted in battle; the desire to reach home invigorates the frame of the weary traveller. So it is with the Christian. In persecution and sick ness and bereavement, he may be ready to sink under his burdens. The 'hands fall, and the knees trem ble, and the heart sinks within us. But confidence in God, and the hope of heaven, and the assurance that all this is for our good, will reinvigorate the enfeebled frame, and enable us to bear what we once supposed would crush us to the dust. A courageous mind braces a feeble body, and hope makes it fresh for new conflicts.
13. And make straight paths for i/our feet. Marg. even. The word here used means properly straight, in the sense of upright, erect. Acts xiv. 10; but it is here used in the sense of straight horizontally, that is, level, plain, smooth. The meaning is, that they were to remove all obstacles out of the way, so that they need not stumble and fall. There is probably an allusion here to Prov. iv. 25 — 27. ''Let thine eyes look right on, and Jet thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand, nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil." The idea is, that by every proper means, they were to make the way to heaven as plain and easy as possi ble. They were to allow no obstruc tions in the path over which the lame and feeble might fall, ^f Lett that which is let me be turned out of the way. A lame man needs a smooth path to walk in. The idea is here, that every thing which wrould prevent those in the church who were in any danger of falling — the feeble, the unestablished, the weak — from walking in the path to heaven, or which might be an occasion to them of falling, should be removed. Or it may mean, that in a road that Avas not level, those who were lame \vould be in danger of spraining, distorting, or wrenching a lame limb; and the counsel is, that whatever would have a tendency to this should be removed. Divested of the figure, the passage means, that every thing should be removed which would hinder any one from walking in the path to life. ^ But ht it rather be healed. As in the case of lame-. ness, pains should be taken to heal it rather than to suffer it to be increased by careless exposure to a new sprain or fracture, so it should be in our re ligious and moral character. "What ever is defective we should endeavour to restore to soundness, rather than suffer the defect to be increased. Whatever is feeble in our faith or hope; whatever evil tendency there is in our hearts, we should endeavour to strengthen and amend, lest it!• should become worse and we should | entirely fall.