Hebrews 4
¹Phobethomen oun me pote kataleipomenes epangelias
1 kataleip. ABCM?: katalip. 'D?* + tes' epang. D?.
(2) iv. 1—13. The promise remaining.
It follows from the consideration of the history of Israel that the promise of God to His people was not fulfilled by the entrance into Canaan.
There is, therefore, (a) a rest, a divine rest, a rest from earthly labour, promised still and not enjoyed (1—10). And (b) towards this rest Christians must strive, filled with the feeling of their responsibility (11—13).
(a) The rest of God is prepared for believers in Christ (1—10).
The development of this main thought is somewhat perplexed and formally incomplete. The promise of the entrance into the divine rest is first assumed to apply to Christians (1,2); the present reality of the rest is then established by the record of creation (3—5); and by the repetition of the promise to those who had entered into Canaan (6, 7); for that first rest could not satisfy the divine purpose (8—10). The writer takes for granted throughout that whatever God in His love has ever designed for man is brought within man's reach by Christ, 'the heir of all things,' the fulfiller of human destiny.
(1), (2). The fate of those who were rescued from Egypt had a direct meaning for those to whom the Epistle was addressed. The people that were delivered did not 'enter into the rest of God,' but perished in the wilderness. And the next generation who occupied Canaan still found the promise unaccomplished, and so it remained till the time when Christ again proclaimed it for the vital appropriation of believers by faith. Thus, in other words, under one aspect the Israelites in the wilderness and the first Christians were in the same position. Both had a message of glad tidings to make their own; and the end of the message in both cases was the same. But in the order of the Divine Providence Christians were placed in a more advantageous position (viii. 6 ff.) than Israel. Belief and obedience were more easily within their reach when the former discipline had done its work,
¹Let us fear, therefore, lest haply a promise being left of entering into His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. ²For indeed we have had good tidings preached to us, even as also they; but the word of the message did not profit them, because it was not incorporated by faith in them that heard.
(1). phobethomen oun...] Let us fear therefore, since Israel, redeemed from bondage, never entered into the rest which was prepared for them, for we have had good tidings preached to us even as they. Our position, like theirs, is one of trial. The position of privilege is the discipline of faith. To have been brought to Christ is a beginning and not an end. In such a case 'fear' is a motive for strenuous exertion.
The writer uses the first person (contrast ex humon) in sympathy with the whole Christian society.
kataleipomenes...] as there is still now left (v. 6) a promise (Vulg. pollicitatione) to enter (that one should enter)...The promise was left because no purpose of God can fall to the ground; and this was unfulfilled in the case of those to whom it was first given. Outwardly the promise was fulfilled afterwards, for the next generation did enter Canaan; but that fulfilment did not exhaust the meaning of the promise (v. 8); and so in fact the promise was repeated.
The tense of the participle (kataleipomenes) marks the present fact. There is a slight difference between
gelias aiselthein eis ten katapausin autou doke tis ex humon husterekenai. ²kai gar esmen euengelismenoi kathaper kakeinoi, all' ouk ophelesen ho logos tes akoes ekeinous,
dokei M?. 2 kai paresmen C*.
kataleipesthai and apoleipesthai (vv. 6, 9). Apoleipesthai is used from the point of sight of those who have gone away; kataleipesthai of that which retains its original position.
me...doke tis...] lest any one should seem...Vulg. ne existimetur aeliquis... The phrase is less stern in expression than the simple hustepe (Oecom. anepachthe ton logon poion ouk eipen husteresei (-e) alla doke husterizein), and yet it is more comprehensive in warning. It suggests that the mere appearance or suspicion of failure, even though it may not be fully justified, for man's judgment is necessarily fallible, is a thing to be earnestly dreaded. Other renderings, 'lest any should be shown to...' or 'be judged to...,' or 'think that he has...,' are less natural and less forcible.
husterekenai] to have come short, Vulg. doesse, to have failed to attain the promised rest in spiritual possession. The tense marks not only a present (Rom. iii. 23 husterountai) or past defeat (2 Cor. xii. usteresa) but an abiding failure.
(2). kai gar...] For indeed...Comp. v. 12; x. 34; xii. 29; xiii. 22. The omission of the pronoun (hemeis throws the emphasis upon esmen eueg. (comp. xiii. 10). 'For indeed we have received a message of good tidings—a promise of rest—even as also they (v. 6). For esm. eueng. see vii. 20; x. 20 notes.
For the construction see Matt. xi. 5 || Lk. vii. 22; 2 Sam. xviii. 31; Joel ii. 32; and compare viii. 5 kechpematistai Mouses: the perfect (esm. eueng.) marks the present continuation of the message, which was not simply one past announcement (v. 6 ohi pr. euangelisthentes).
The Vulg. renders the phrase very inadequately: etenim et nobis nuntiatum est. It may be added that the noun euangelion, which is found in all St Paul's Epistles except that to Titus, does not occur in the Epistle.
kathaper] Elsewhere in the N.T. (not v. 4) only in St Paul's Epistles (about 15 times).
alla...tois akousasin] It is possible that there is here some primitive corruption of the text (see Additional Note). At the same time the general drift of the passage is clear, and both the readings which have found acceptance on adequate authority, (1) sunkekerasmenous [-kekramenous], and (2) sunkekepasmenos [-kekramenos] can be brought into agreement with it.
(1) If the former (sunkekerasmenous) be adopted, the sense must be: 'But the mere hearing did not profit them because they were not united by faith with them that' truly heard, 'with the body of the faithful,' or, perhaps, 'with them that first heard, 'with those to whom the message was given' (comp. ii. 3), that is, Moses and Joshua and Caleb. The verb sunkerannusthai is used of the intimate association of familiar friendship in classical and late Greek; but this pregnant sense of ohi akousantes after ho logos tes akoes and ean akousete of the Psalm appears to be unnatural.
(2) If on the other hand we read sunkekerasmenos there is a choice of two constructions. We may either (a) take te pistei as the dative of the instrument joining tois akousasin closely with sunkekerasmenos: 'the word did not profit them because it was not incorporated by faith in them that heard,' 'because they were not vitally inspired with the divine message though they outwardly received it.' Or again (b) we may connect te pistei with sunkekerasmenos, and regard tois
me?sunkekerasmenos? te pistei tois akousasin. ³Eiserchometha
2 sunkekerasmenous sunkekerasmenos [-kekramenos]: sunkekerasmenous [-kekramenous]: ton akousanton D?* syr hl mg: see Additional Note.
akousasin as a dative of reference: 'the word did not profit them because it was not united with faith for them that heard, 'because the word itself was not quickened by the power of faith so as to effect its vital work.' Of these two interpretations the former seems to be the simpler and more expressive; but both are open to the serious objection that it is strange that ekeinous and tois akousasin should be applied to the same persons.
On the whole however, if it be supposed that the true reading has been preserved by our existing authorities, the former of those two renderings of the reading sunkekerasmenos appears to offer the least difficulty; and it may be urged that the addition of tois akousasin is required to bring out the reference to the Psalm, while ekeinous points the contrast with Christians.
ouk ophelesen] The familiar facts carry the thought of the reader beyond this negative result. The word heard and not welcomed involved those to whom it was addressed in a tragic fate.
ho logos tes akoes] Vulg. sermo auditus. Syr. the word which they heard. The phrase admits of two renderings. It may mean (1) 'the word of the message heard,' the simple proclamation of the divine tidings; or (2) 'the word of hearing,' that is, the word as heard only, according as akoe is taken passively or actively. The second sense which falls in perfectly with the context is justified by Ecclus. xli. 23 (xlii. 17) logos akoes 'a simple rumour'; but the former sense is more in accordance with the general (passive) usage of akoe itself for a message spoken and heard: Is. liii. 1 (Rom. x. 16; John xii. 38); Jer. x. 22 phone akoes (and in 1 Thess. ii. 13 logos akoes) seems to mean 'a message of hearing,' that is, a message not commended by any more authoritative form of delivery.
The argument remains the same in both cases whether the apostle speaks of 'the simple delivery of the message' or of 'the message which was simply heard.' me sunkek.] The subjective negative is naturally used with the participle which gives the suggested reason ('since they were not...'); comp. v. 15 note.
sunkekerasmenos] The compounds of kerannusthai are constantly used from early times of the moral (and spiritual) union of persons. So (sunkekr.) Xou. Cyr. i. 4, 1 tois helikiotais sunekekrato hoste oikeios diakeisthai, (enkekr.) Ign. Eph. 5 tous enkekramenous auto (to episkopo), (anakekr.) Plut. Rom. p. 36 D kainais anakrathenton epegamiais ton genon. They are used also of the union of things or qualities: l Cor. xii. 24 ho theos sunekerasen to soma. Plat. Legg. xii. c. 10, p. 961 M tas aistheseis to kubernetiko no sunkerasamenoi... Menander, ap. Stob. Anthol. 45, 8, speaks of logou dunamis hetei chresto sunkekramene. Plut. Non posse suav. vivi sec. Epic. ii. p. 1101, B beltion enuparchein ti kai sunkekrastthai te peri theon doxe koinon aidous kai phobou pathos... Comp. Ign. ad Smyrn. 3 krathentes te sarki autou kai to haimati (al. pneumati), and Lightfoot ad loc.
3—7. The present experience of Christians confirms the privilege of faith (3); The fact that the rest itself is already realised is witnessed by the record of creation (4); The fact that the promise of the rest still remains is implied by the exclusion of the
?gar? eis [ten] katapausin hoi pisteusantes, kathos eireken
Hos homosa en te orge mou
Ei eiseleusontai eis ten katapausin mou,
kaitoi ton ergon apo kataboleses kosmou genethenton, oun
3 eiserchometha 'BD?M?: eiserchometha A (iserch.) C (comp. vi. 3; Rom. v. 1; 1 Cor. xv. 49). gar BD? vg syr hl: oun 'ACM? me. ten (1°) 'ACM: om. BD?*. ei om. A: he C*. kat. mou: om. mou C*.
unfaithful from it (5); And a fresh word of God points to the end not yet reached (6, 7).
³For we that believe enter into the rent of God; even as He hath said,
As I sware in my wrath,
They shall not enter into my rest; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
?For He hath said as we know (somewhere) of the seventh day on this wise:
And God rested on the seventh day from all His works;
?And in this place again:
?They shall not enter into my rest,
Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter into it, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached entered not in because of disobedience,?He again defineth a certain day, Today, saying in David, after so long a time as hath been said before,
Today, if ye shall hear His voice, Harden not your hearts.
(3). eiserchometha gar...] The apostle assumes that actual experience establishes the reality of the promise and the condition of its fulfilment. 'I speak without hesitation' he seems to say 'of a promise left to us, for we enter, we are entering now, into the rest of God, we that believed...' The verb eiserchometha is not to be taken as a future (Vulg. ingrediemur), but as the expression of a present fact: John xiv. 3, 18; Matt. xvii. 11; 1 Cor. iii. 13; Col. iii. 6. Moreover the efficacy of faith is regarded in its critical action (pisteusantes) and not, as might have been expected, in its continuous exercise (isteuontes). Comp. Acts iv. 32; 2 Thess. i. 10; 1 Cor. xv. 2. At the same time he does not say simply 'we enter in having believed' (pisteusantes); but he regards 'believers' as a definite class who embraced the divine revelation when it was offered (ohi pisteusantes). Comp. c. vi. 18 hoi kataphugontes.
eis ten katapausin] not simply 'into rest but into the rest of which the Psalmist spoke, 'into the rest of God.' kathos eireken, Hos homosa...] The words of the realm, as used here, prove that there is a rest and that it has not been attained. It follows therefore, this the writer assumes, that Christ has brought the rest within the reach of His people, as indeed Christians know. This interpretation of the quotation seems to be more natural than to suppose that the reference is designed to contrast the faith of Christians with the want of faith which caused the rejection of the Jews of the Exodus.
eireken] Comp. v. 4; i. 13; x. 9 note; xiii. 5; Acts xiii. 34. The subject is simply, 'God,' or 'the Spirit,' and not 'the Scripture.' kaitoi ton ergon...] although the works (of God) were finished (done) from the foundation of the world. Vulg. et quidem operibus ab institutione mundi perfectis; Syr. although
?eireken gar pou peri tes hebdomes houtos Kai katepausen ho theos en te hemera te hebdome apo panton ton ergon autou,?kai en touto palin Ei eiseleusontai eis ten katapausin mou.?epei oun apoleipetai tinas eiselthein eis auten, kai hoi proteron
4 en te...ebd. om. A. 5 ei om. D?*.
the works of God...There was therefore no failure on the part of God. The divine rest was prepared. God Himself had entered into it, though it still remained that His people should share it according to His purpose. Thus the rest was at once in the past and in the future.
kaitoi] In the N.T. Acts xiv. 17 only; kaitoige John iv. 2. The word is used with a participle in all periods of Greek literature: Simon. ap. Plat. Protag. 26 p. 339 C kaitoi eiremenon. Epict. Diss. i. 8, 5.
apo kataboles k.] c. ix. 26. See Matt. xiii. 35 [Ps. lxxvii. (lxxviii.) ap' arches lxx.]; xxv. 34; Lk. xi. 50; Aroc. xiii. 8; xvii. 8. The phrase is not found in the lxx. Compare pro kataboles k. John xvii. 24; Eph. i. 4.
The writer of the Epistle by this reference completes the conception of the promised rest. 'The rest of God,' the rest which He had provided for His people, is no other in its last form than the rest which He Himself enjoyed. Of this the earthly inheritance was only a symbol.
(4), (5). The quotations in these verses establish in detail the two conclusions found in the words quoted in v. 3, that there is a rest already prepared (v. 4); and that Israel did not enter into it (v. 5).
(4). eireken] Comp. v. 3 note.
pou] Comp. ii. 6 note. This indefinite form of quotation is found nowhere else in the N.T. It occurs in other writers: Philo, Quod Deus immut. § 16, i. p. 284 M.; De prof. § 36, i. 575; De congr. er. gr. § 31, i. 544; Clem. R. ad Cor. i. 15. The sense of the particle is probably not local (somewhere) but general ('as we know,' 'to quote familiar words').
peri tes hebd.] It has been remarked that 'the six days' are defined in the record of creation by 'the evening and the morning,' but to the seventh no such limits are given. See v. 9 note.
katepausen] The verb is used in an intransitive sense (though rarely) in classical Greek; and in the lxx.: Ecclus. v. 6; 1 Macc. ix. 73 &c. It is used in the commoner transitive sense below v. 8.
(5). en touto palin] sc. eireken "l theos. The touto is neuter: in this place, or phrase.
palin] again, on the other side. The failure of those to whom the promise was originally made to attain it, is a second element in the argument There is a rest; and yet further it has not been realised by men.
(6). But when we recognise failure it is not that we acquiesce in it. The promise once made will have a fulfilment. Some must enter into the rest: those who were formerly called did not enter through disobedience; therefore another time was afterwards fixed when believers might gain by ready self-surrender that which God still offered. The conditional terms are thus two and not one; for the second clause (kai hoi prot. euangel.) cannot be considered to be only explanatory of the first.
epei oun] See c. v. 11 note.
apoleipetai] v. 9; x. 26. This certainty is left as a consequence of the unrepealed (though unfulfilled) promise.
ohiproteron euayy.] they to whom the good tidings were before preached...Vulg. quibus prioribus annunciatum est.
euangelisthentes ouk eiselthon di' apeithiian, 'palin tina horizei hemeran, Semeron, en Daueid legon meta tosouton chronon, kathos proeiretai,
Semeron ean tes phones autou akousete,
me sklerunete tas kardias humon.
ei phar autous Iesous katepausen, ouk an alles
proeireken
6 apeitheian: apestian '* vg. 7 tina horizo '*. proeiretai 'ACD?* vg syr hl me: proeireken B: aretai S. 8 han: ara B.
Only two generations are contemplated, that of Moses and that of Christ. The second generation of Israel who entered into Canaan are not considered to have received or enjoyed the fulness of the original promise.
di' apeitheian] O. L. propter contumaciam. The Vulgate rendering propter incredulitatem (and so v. 11; Rom. xi. 30, 32; Col. iii. 6 [O. L. dissidentia]; Eph. ii. 2; v. 6: in iii. 12, 19 apistia is so rendered) obscures the important difference between the state of mind and the active expression of it. Unbelief is manifested in disobedience (contrast iii. 19). The two are placed in close connexion Rom. xi. 20 ff., 30 ff.; comp. John iii. 36.
(7). horizei] O. L. prafinivit... Vulg. terminat... The Holy Spirit through the writer of the Psalm (c. iii. 7) defineth a certain day, 'Today,' saying... It seems more natural to take 'Today' as the explanation of 'a certain day,' than to connect it with 'saying' as part of the quotation.
en D. legon ] saying in the person of David, who was regarded as the author of the whole Psalter; and not 'in the book of David' (the phrases en Elia Rom. xi. 2, en to Hosne Rom. ix. 25, are not exactly parallel). The expression, which follows the common mode of speaking, is not to be regarded by itself as decisive of the authorship of the Psalm.
8—10. The words of the Psalmist convey also another lesson. In one sense it might be said that in the second generation those who were rescued from Egypt did enter into the rest which was refused to their fathers. But Canaan was not the rest of God. The rest of God is a Sabbath rest which man also is destined to share, a rest after finished labour. Therefore the Psalmist, in the troubled rest of Canaan, still points his hearers to an end unattained.
?For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken after this of another day.?There remaineth then a sabbath rest for the people of God, ¹?For he that is entered into His rest hath himself also rested from his works as God did from His own.
(8). ei gar...Iesous] For if Joshua...The Peshito defines the ambiguous name (Jesus): Jesus the son of Nun... (but not in Acts vii. 45).
autous] The antecedent is mentally supplied: 'those in whom Christians find their counterpart' Comp. viii. 8, xi. 28. See Winer p. 183.
katepausen] transitive (otherwise vv. 4 note, 10) as in Ex. xxxiii. 14; Deut. iii. 20 &c.
ouk an peri alles elalei...]He would not have continued to speak after this, after so long a time (v. 7), of another day. O. L. non de alio (?)
elalei meta tauta hemeras.?ara apoleipetai sabbatismos
meta tauta: met auta C. 9 om. vers. '* (suppl. A). apoleipetai: apoleitai B.
(Lef. de aliis) dixisset postera die. Vulg. nunquam de alia loqueretur posthac die. For the unusual and expressive combination ei katepausen ouk an...elalei, see Additional Note.
It is assumed that if Joshua did not gain an entrance into the rest of God, no later leader did up to the time of Christ. No earthly rest indeed can be the rest of God (xi. 9 f.).
(9). ara apol....] c. xii. 8. This unclassical use of ara in the first place of a sentence as defining a conclusion from the previous words is found in the Synoptists (Matt. xii. 28; Luke xi. 48) and in St Paul (Rom. x. 17; 1 Cor. xv. 18 &c.), especially in the form ara oun (Rom. v. 18 &c.), but it is not found in St John or in the Catholic Epistles.
sabbatismos] a sabbath rest (O. L. requies, Vulg. sabbatismus, Syr. to keep a Sabbath-rest)— a rest which closes the manifold forms of earthly preparation and work (the Hexaemeron of human toil): not an isolated sabbath but a sabbath-life. The change of term from katapausis is significant.
The word is not quoted as used by any earlier writer. Sabbatizo occurs not unfrequently in the lxx., and sabbatismos itself is used in an enumeration of superstitious observances by Plutarch: De superst. 3; ii. p. 166 A.
The Sabbath rest answers to the Creation as its proper consummation. Such is the thought of Augustine at the end of his Confessions (xiii. 35 f.): Domine Deus, pacem da nobis, omnia enim praestitisti, pacem quietis, pacem sabbati, sabbati sine vespera. Omnis quippe iste ordo pulcherrimus rerum valde bonarum modis suis peractis transitorius est; et mane quippe eis factum est et vespera. Dies autem septimus sine vespera est nec habet occasum, quia sanctificasti cum ad permansionem sempiternam; ut id quod tu post opera tua bona valde, quamvis ea quiete feceris, requievisti septimo die, hoc praeloquatur nobis vox libri tui, quod et nos post opera nostra, idee bona valde quia tu nobis ea donasti, sabbato vitae aeternae requiescamus in te.
And again after giving a brief parallel of the six days of Creation with the ages of the world, be closes his De civitate (xxii. 30, 5) with the striking conception of the 'seventh day,' the 'Sabbath,' passing into an eternal 'Lord's day': De istis porro aetatibus singulis nunc diligenter longum est disputare. Haec tamen septima erit sabbatum nostrum, cujus finis non erit vespera sed dominicus dies, volut octavus aeternus, qui Cristi resurrectione sacratus est, aeternam non solum spiritus verum etiam corporis requiem praefigurans. Ibi vacabimus et vidobimus; vidobimus et amabimus; amabimus et laudabimus. Ecce quod erit in fine sine fine. Nam quis alius noster est finis nisi pervenire ad regnum cujus nullus est finis?
The remarks of the Greek fathers are less suggestive: sabbatismon onomase ten ton somatikon ergon apallagen (Theodoret). And Chrysostom: osper gar en to sabbato panton men ton poneron apechesthai keleuei, ekeina de mona ginesthai ta pros latreiav tou theou, aper hoi hiereis epeteloun, kai hosa psuchen hophelei kai meden heteron, houto kai tote.
The Jewish teachers dwelt much upon the symbolical meaning of the Sabbath as prefiguring 'the world to come.' One passage quoted by Schoettgen and others may be given: 'The people of Israel said: Lord of the whole world, shew us the world to come. God, blessed be He, answered: Such a pattern is the Sabbath' (Jalk. Rub. p. 95, 4). In this connexion the double ground
to lao tou theou. 10 ho gar eiselthon eis ten katapausin autou kai autos katepausen apo ton ergon autou hosper apo ton idion ho theos. 11 Spoudasomen oun eiselthein eis ekeinen
11 eiselthein: + adelphoi D?*.
which is given for the observance of the Sabbath, the rest of God (Ex. xx. 11) and the deliverance from Egypt (Deut. v. 15), finds its spiritual confirmation. The final rest of man answers to the idea of Creation realised after the Fall by Redemption. Comp. Schoettgen ad loc. and on v. 3.
to lao tou theou] c. xi. 25. Comp. 1 Pet. ii. 10 (laos theou). The phrase often occurs by implication (Rom. ix. 25 f.; xi. 1 f. &c.). Comp. Gal. vi. 16 (epi ton Israel tou theou); and contrast c. ii. 17 (tou laou); xiii. 12 (note); Apoc. xviii. 4. Israel was the type of the divine commonwealth. Sabbatismus non pancis reservatur sed populo, id est magnae multitudini; nec tamen cuilibet populo, sed populo Dei (Herv.).
(10). ho gar eis.] for he that is entered (enters), whoever has once entered, into His rest, the rest of God (iii. 18; iv. 1)... The general statement gives the reason for the remarkable title which has been now given to the rest (sabbatismos) by reference to v. 4.
The words may also be understood (though this seems to be less likely) as unfolding the nature of the promised rest.
The form of construction (eiselthon, katepausen) marks the perfectness of the issue. The entrance and the rest are coincident and complete. Comp. Matt. xxv. 21, 23.
kat. apo ton ergon] Comp. Apoc. xiv. 13.
hosper apo ton idion ho th.] as God did from His own works, from the works which, as far as man can conceive, correspond with His Nature, and which are spoken of as works, though wrought without toil. Comp. 1 Cor. iii. 8 kata ton idion kopon.
(b) The responsibility of such as have received the promise of the rest of God (11—13).
11—13. Since the promise remains for Christians they must also heed the warning (v. 11). The Gospel must be received with a devotion which answers to the character of the Power by which it is offered (vv. 12, 13).
¹¹Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no one fall after the same example of disobedience. ¹²For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and quick to judge the feelings and thoughts of the heart. ¹³And there is no creature that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and laid open to the eyes of Him to whom we have to give account.
(11). spoudasomen oun...] Let us give diligence (Latt. Festinemus), strive earnestly...because 'the prize is noble and the peril is great.' There is need of active exertion that we may secure what God has promised. So Chrysostom: mega men he pistis kai soterion kai tautes aneu ouk eni sothenai tina. all' ouk arkei kath' heauten touto ergasasthai alla dei kai politeias horthes. And Primasius, following him: Festinomus inquit quoniam non sufficit sola fides sed debet addi et vita fidei condigna... Herveius marks the situation of the Hebrews more exactly: Festinemus ingredi nec in his terrenis quae nos impediunt immoremur. Festinemus fide et bonis operibus, quod illi non faciunt qui carnaliter adhuc legem observant et erga fidem et spiritualem conversationem negligentes existunt. ten katapausin hina me en to auto tis hupodeigmati pese tes apeitheias. ¹²Zon gar ho logos tou theou kai energes om. tis '*. apeitheias: aletheias D?*. 12 energes: enarges B.
eis ekeinen ten kat.] into that rest, that rest of God which is characterised by such absolute blessedness (comp. Matt. vii. 22 en ekeine te hemera; John xi. 49 note).
hina me en to auto...pese...] O. L. ne aliquis eodem exemplo cadat a veritate. Lcf. ne aliqui in idem ex. contumaciae cadant. Vulg. ne in id ipsum quis incidat incredulitatis exemplum. Syr. that we may not fall in the manner of those who did not believe. These two forms of rendering (Lcf., Vulg.; O. L., Syr.;) represent two possible interpretations of the words represented roughly by 'falling into' and 'falling after' the same example. According to the first interpretation pistein en hupod. is a compressed expression for 'falling into the same type of disobedience and thus exhibiting it.' But pistein eis hupodeigma, which is involved in this explanation, is, under any circumstances, an extremely strange expression.
Hence it is better to follow the second view, in which pistein is taken absolutely in the sense of 'falling' 'perishing' as opposed to 'standing' (comp. 1 Cor. x. 12; Rom. xi. 11), and en hupod. describes the lesson presented by the fall.
Those who so fall become, in their punishment, an example like that offered by the Jews in the Wilderness, an example, that is, of the fatal consequences of disobedience fitted to alarm others. Unbelief (iii. 12) is here seen in its practical issue (v. 6 note). The word hupodeigma occurs 2 Pet. ii. 6 with gen. pers. ('an example to deter them'). See also John xiii. 15; and for a different use of the word c. viii. 5 note.
The words tes apeitheias are placed at the end and isolated, so that attention is fixed and rests upon them (comp. ix. 15; xii. 11).
The parallel suggested by the words was the more impressive when the Apostle wrote, because the generation of the Exodus had borne much, like the Hebrew Christians, before they fell at last. And the spiritual trial of Jews and Christians was essentially the same: illi non crediderunt Deum sufficero ad dandam requiem terrae promissionis, et isti similiter Christum ad dandam requiem perpetuam sufficere non credebant sine carnalibus observantiis (Herv.).
(12). The necessity of earnest effort lies in the character of the divine revelation. It is not 'a vain thing for us: it is our life.'
The main thought in the description of 'the word of God' is not that of punishment, as it is taken by Chrysostom, but of its essential nature as it enters into, permeates, transforms, every element in man. There is no question of an external rest apart from the harmony of the believer with God or, in the figure of v. 2, apart from the vital union of the hearer with the word. The rest is the consummation of that divine fellowship of which the life in Canaan was a type.
Thus Philo also saw in the 'perfect light' of the seventh day a symbol of 'the light of virtue' in which the soul finds true rest: en taute te phusei pauetai he ton thneton sustasis. kai gar houtos echei. hotan anateile phengos tes aretes, to lampron kai theion ontos, epechetai (is checked) tes evantias phuseos he genesis (Leg. Alleg. i. § 8; i. 46).
The five successive epithets (zon...energes...tomoteros...diiknoumenos...kritikos...) applied to 'the word' mark with increasing clearness its power to deal with the individual soul. There is a passage step by step from that which is most general to that which is most personal. Life is characterised by activity: the activity takes the special form of an internal examination, which reaches to the very foundations of our organisation; and this is not physical only but inspired by a moral force, All-pervading, all-discerning, for it is indeed the force of God.
By 'the word of God' (ho logos tou theou) we must understand the word which He speaks through His messengers or immediately in the heart of each man. Here the thought is in the first instance necessarily of the word spoken by the Son Who has again offered to man the rest of God. Comp. John xii. 48 (Deut. xviii. 18 f.). This sense is required by the whole course of the argument (iii. 7 legei, v. 15 en to legesthai,* iv. 2 esmen euengelismenoi...ho logos tes akoes, v. 4 eireken, v. 7 en Daueid legon, v. 8 elalei).
The language is not directly applicable to the Personal Word Himself, He cannot properly be likened to the sword. The sword 'issues from his mouth' (Apoc. i. 16); and it may be concluded yet further that the author of the Epistle did not directly identify the divine logos with the Son (i. 2). At the same time, the truth that Christ is the Gospel which He brings is present to the writer's mind and influences his form of expression. Thus the passage shows how naturally the transition was made from the revelation of God to Him Who was at once the Revelation and the Revealer. Comp. 1 John i. 1 f. note.
It is not however surprising that the passage was commonly understood of the Personal Word by the Fathers: e.g. Eusebius Theoph. Cram. Cat. p. 460; Athanasius c. Ar. ii §§ 35, 72; Isidore, Cat. p. 459; OEcumenius; Theophylact; Primasius; Herveius. The transition to this sense is given in Apoc. xix. 13.
The passage offers an instructive parallel with Philo. Philo speaks at length (Quis rerum div. hær. §§ 26 ff.; i. 491 ff M.) of the Logos as 'the divider' (tomeue) of things, basing his teaching on an interpretation of Gen. xv. 10. So the Logos divides material things into their indivisible atoms, the soul into rational and irrational, speech into true and false, formless matter into the elements, and so on. Two things only are left undivided: 'the nature of reason (tou logismou) in man and that of the Divine Logos above us, and these being indivisible (atmetoi) divide other things innumerable. For the Divine Logos divides and distributes all things in nature, and our intellect (nous) divides into infinitely infinite parts whatsoever matters and bodies it receives intellectually, and never ceases cutting them...' (i. p. 506 M.).
So elsewhere the virtuous man is said to remove the sores of vice by logos tomeus, the knife of reason (Quod det. pot. insid. § 29, i. 212 M.). Compare De Cher. § 9 (i. p. 144 M.), where the flaming sword of the Cherubim is explained of the Logos used by the individual.
Thus as far as the 'cutting,' 'dividing' power of the Divine Logos is concerned, it is, according to Philo, exercised simply in the realm of being. It has no moral qualities. The moral divider is the human reason. Under other aspects however the Philonic Logos has a moral power (Quod Deus sit immut. § 28; i. p. 292 M.).
There is a yet more fundamental difference between the writer of the Epistle and Philo in the conception of the Divine Logos. With Philo it is characteristically the divine thought (the logos endiathetos): with the writer of the Epistle the divine word (the logos prophorikos), as it is with St John.
The action of the word is regarded in relation to (1) man (v. 12), and (2) to all created things. It deals with man in respect (a) to his constitution, kai tomoteros huper pasan machairan distomon kai diiknoumenos diiknoumenos: deiknomenos D?*.
both immaterial and material, and (b) to his activity, in feeling and reason.
(12). zon...kai energes kai tomoteros...] The Word—the revelation—of God is living (zon), not simply as 'enduring for ever,' but as having in itself energies of action. It partakes in some measure of the character of God Himself (iii. 12 theos zon note; x. 31). Comp. Acts vii. 38 logia zonta. John vi. 63 ta rhemata ha ego lelaleka humin pneuma estin kai zoe estin taken up by St Peter v. 68 rhemata zoes aioniou echeis.
With this 'living word' believers are incorporated.
Compare Orig. de Princ. i. 2, 3 Unde et recto mihi dictus vidotur sermo ille qui in Actibus Pauli scriptus est quia Hic (?) est verbum animal vivens (cf. Lipsius, Apokr. Apostelgesch. ii. 1, 70 f.).
Comp. Philo, Leg. Alleg. iii. §§ 59, 61 (i. 120, 122 M.) horas tes psuches trophen hoia esti. logos theou (Ex. xvi. 15)...to de rhema meros autou. trephetai de ton men teleioteron he psuche holo to logo, agapesaimen d' an hemeis ei kai merei trapheiemen autou.
The life of the Word is not only present, but it is also vigorously manifested. The Word is active (energes, O.L. validum, Vulg. efficax). For energes see 1 Cor. xvi. 9 thura...energes. Philem. 6 hopos he koinonia...energes genetai. The variant enarges (B, Hier. in Isai. lxvi. evidens) represents a very common confusion of forms.
The activity of the Word is not intellectual only but moral: it deals with conduct as well as with knowledge. It is shewn in the power of the Word to lay open the innermost depths of human nature. The Word has unrivalled keenness: it pierces in fact to the most secret parts of man; and that not as an instrument merely but as a judge of moral issues. It is sharper than the most formidable weapon of earthly warfare: it finds its way through every element of our earthly frame: it scrutinises the affections and thoughts of which our bodily members are the present organs.
The image of the sharp cutting power (tomoteros, Vulg. penetrabilior) of the Word finds a striking parallel in a line of Phocylides (v. 118), hoplon toi logos andri tomoteron esti siderou.
In this respect the word is compared with the sharpest of material arms, 'the two-edged sword.' Comp. Apoc. i. 16 ek tou stomatos autou rhomphaia distomos oxeia ekporeuomene, ii. 12. Is. xlix, 2; (xi. 4; ii. 16; Hos. vi. 5). Schoettgen quotes a Jewish saying to the effect that 'he who utters the Shema is as if he held a two-edged sword.'
The phrase is common in classical writers, e.g. Eurip. Hel. 989.
Other examples are given by Wetstein.
For machaira see Eph. vi 17 dexasthe...ten machairan tou pneumatos ho estin rhema theou (xiphos is not found in N.T.); and for tomoteros huper Luke xvi. 8; Jud. xi. 25; c. iii. 3; ix. 23 (para).
kai diiknoumenos achri merismou...] The 'dividing' operation of 'the Word of God' has been understood as reaching to the separation of soul from spirit, and of joints from marrow, or to the separation, in themselves, of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow. The latter interpretation seems to be unquestionably right. The Word of God analyses, lays bare, reveals in their true nature, reduces to their final elements, all the powers of man. Chrysostom mentions both views: ti esti touto; phoberon ti enixato. he gar hoti to peeuma diairei apo tes psuches, legei. he hoti kai auton (leg. di' achri merismou psuches kai pneumatos, harmon te kai mueloon, kai kritikos enthumeseon kai ennoion kardias psuches kai 'ABCH vg syrr me: ps. + te' kai S D?. enthumeseos: -seos C* D?*. kai enn.: enn. te D?*.
auton) ton asomaton diikneitai, ou kathos he machaira monon ton somatpon. deiknusin...hoti...holon di' holou diikneitas anthropon (leg. tou anthropou) (ad l.).
The omission of the te in the first of the two double clauses (ps. kai pn. har. te kai m.) causes some difficulty as to the construction. It has been supposed that the first clause (ps. kai pn.) depends on the second 'unto the division both of the joints and marrow of soul and spirit'; and again that the second clause, understood metaphorically, explains the extent of the penetrative power of the Word 'unto the division of soul and spirit, yea, of both spiritual joints and marrow in that internal frame.'
The first of these interpretations presupposes a most unnatural construction; and the second is harsh and forced, though Euripides (Hipp. 255) speaks of the arkos muelos psuches.
It is more simple, and free from objection, to regard the two compound clauses as coupled by the te, so that the first two terms taken together represent the immaterial elements in man; while the two which follow represent the material elements. Thus the four in combination offer a general view of the sum of man's powers in his present organisation. The divine revelation penetrates through all. No part of human nature is untouched by it.
For this use of te compare Acts xxvi. 30; Luke xxiv. 20.
psuches kai pneumatos] Vulg. animae ac spiritus. Compare 1 Cor. xv. 45; 1 Thess. v. 23. The broad distinction between the two is given forcibly by Primasius: Anima vivimus, spiritu rationabiliter intelligimus: vita nobis carnalis cum bestiis communis est, ratio spiritalis cum angelis...Comp. Additional Note.
ormon te kai muelon] Vulg. compagum quoque ac medullarum. Syr. Of joints and of marrow and bones, the most critical parts of the physical framework of man, and the inmost media of his physical force. The words are not found elsewhere in the N.T. Oecumenius notices their relation to what goes before: eipon ta asomata eipe kai ta somatika. The plural muelon expresses the idea of the separate members in which the 'marrow' is found. The rendering of the Peshito is a remarkable example of an interpretative gloss.
kritikos enthumeseon kai ennoion k.] Vulg. discretor (O. L. scrutator) cogitationum et intentionum cordis. The enumeration of the constituent elements of man is followed by a notice of his rational activity as a moral being. Over this, over the feelings and thoughts of his hearty the Word of God is fitted to exercise judgment. The first word (enthumeseon) refers to the action of the affections, the second (ennoion) to the action of the reason. Clement has a remarkable parallel: ereuneseon gar estin (ho theos) ennoion kai enthumeseon (1 Cor. xxi. 9).
For enthumesis see Matt. ix. 4; xii. 25; Acts xvii. 29; and for ennoia, 1 Pet. iv. 1.
(13). The thought of the pervading energy of the revelation of God in regard to man is now extended to ¹³kai ouk estin ktisis aphanes enopion autou, panta de gumna kai tetrachelismena tois ophthalmois autou, pros
13 ktisis: krisis D?*.
that of the universal Providence of God with regard to all created beings. Ti lego peri anthropon, phesin, kan gar angelous kan archangelous kan ta Xeroubim kai ta Seraphim kann oeandepote ktisin, panta ekkekaluetai to ophthalmo ekeino; (Chrys.). Comp. Philo Leg. Alleg. iii. 60 (i. 121 M.). Timeamus ejus praesentiam cujus scientiam nullatenus effugere valeamus (Primas. Atto).
There is some difficulty as to the antecedent of the two pronouns (enopion autou, tois ophthalmois autopu). They must evidently refer to the same subject; and since the subject in the second case is unequivocally personal ('Him to Whom we must render account'), there can be little doubt that we must understand 'God' in both places, suggested by the compound subject of the former sentence, 'the Word of God.' Nor is there anything unnatural in the transition from the manifestation of God through His Word to His Person.
For ktisis (creature) see Rom. i. 25; viii. 39; 2 Cor. v. 17. Aphanes does not occur again in N. T.
The negative statement that nothing is hidden from the sight of God is supplemented by a positive statement that all things are stripped of every disguise which might conceal their true nature (gumna) and brought by an overmastering power into full view before His eyes (tetrachelismena).
The general sense of tetrachelismena (Latt. aperta, Syrr. revealed, made manifest) is clear, as it is given in the old versions (Hesych. tetrachelismena. pephaneromena), but it is by no means certain from what image the meaning is derived. The word trachelizein is not found in the lxx. It is frequently used by Philo in the sense of prostrating, overthrowing; e.g. Quis rer. div. haer. § 55 (i. p. 512 M.) aner ontos trachelizon he (lege he) trachelizesthai dunatai: de vit. Mos., § 54 (ii. p. 127 M.) trachelizomenoi tais epithumiais panth' hupomerousi dran te kai paschein ('obtorto collo pertracti'); and, with a more general application, de exsecr. § 7 (ii. 433 M.) arxetai pote diapnein kai anakuptein he polla gumnastheisa kai trachelistheisa ge. So Jos. B. Jud. iv. 6, 2. Comp. Plut. de Curios. ii. p. 521 B horate ton athleten hupo paidiskariou trachelizomenon (where the idea is of the head turned round to gaze, parepistrephomenon, and so, in the next sentence, trachelizomenous kai periagomenous).
The Greek Fathers were evidently perplexed by the word. Chrysostom appears to understand it of victims hung up (by the neck) and flayed: to tetrachelismena eiretai apo metaphoras ton dermaton teo apo ton hiereion exelkomenon. hosper gar ekaina, epeidan tis sphaxas apo tes sarkos parelkuse to derma, panta ta endon apokaluetai kai dela ginetai tois hemeterois ophthalmois, houto kai to theo dela prokeitai panta.
Theodoret interprets the word of victims prostrate and lifeless: to de tetrachelismena tois ophthalmois autou ek metaphoras tetheike ton thuomenon zoon, ha pantelos aphona keitai, tes sphages ten phonen aphelomenes.
Oecumonius gives Chrysostom's meaning and anothor without deciding between them: tetrachelismena de phesi ta gumna apo metaphoras ton probaton ton ek trachelou ertemenon kai gegumnomenon tes doras. he to tetrachelismena anti tou kato kuptonta, kai ton trachelon epiklinonta dia to me ischuein atenisai te doxe ekeine tou Christou kai theou
hon hemin ho logos. ¹?Echontes oun archierea megan dieleluthota tous ouranous, Iesoun ton huion tou
humon (leg. hemon) Iesou. Theophylact prefers the interpretation of Chrysostom.
The word has been popularly explained as used of a wrestler who seizes the neck and thrusts back the head of his adversary (resupinare) so as to expose it fully to sight; but there is no direct evidence of the use of trachelizo in this sense; and the words of Oecumenius point to the sense of pressing down the head, which agrees with the general idea of prostration.
pros hon hemin ho logos] to whom we have to give account. (So Syr.) O. L. ante quem nobis oratio est. Vulg. ad quem (Hier. de quo) nobis sermo. Comp. Ign. ad Magn. 3. Compare Chrysostom Orat. ad illumin. 1 (ii. 274 ed. Gaume) ou gar pros tous sundoulous hemin alla pros ton Despoten ho logos esti, kai touto tas euthunas dosomen ton bebiomenon hapanton So he rightly gives the sense here: ho mellomen dounai euthunas ton pepragmenon. Primasius lays open the ground of the truth in impressive words: noc mirum si totus ubique totam suam agnoscat creaturam.
iii. Transition to the doctrine of the High-priesthood of Christ, resuming ii. 17 f. (14—16).
Having dealt with the relation of the Son of Man (iii. 1 Jesus) to Moses and Joshua; and with the relation of the promise which declares man's destiny to the people of God under the Old and New Dispensations, the writer now returns to the central thought of the High-priesthood, from which he has turned aside, and prepares for the full discussion of it in the following chapters (v.— x. 18). Briefly, he shews, we have a Highpriest who has Himself entered the rest of God (v. 14); who can perfectly sympathise with us (v. 15); so that we can ourselves draw near to God, with whom He is (v. 16).
¹?Having therefore a great High-priest, Who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us cling to our confession; ¹?for we have not a High-priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one that hath been tempted in all points like as we are, apart from sin. ¹?Let us therefore come with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
(14). echontes oun arch....] Comp. x. 19; xii. 1. The words point back to ii. 17; iii. 1. The fear of final failure, the consciousness of weakness and partial failure, turn the thoughts again to the Mediator.
Our High-priest, our Apostle, has done more than Aaron or Moses prefigured. He has entered into the rest which He foreshewed, so that He can also bring His people into it. He is seated at the right hand of God. But meanwhile man has his part to do; and as we strive to secure the promised rest we must cling firmly to the confession in which lies the assurance of success.
The simple fact that we have a High-priest is stated first (Having therefore a High-priest), and then His character and position are described: Having therefore a High-priest, great in His essential Nature (i. 1 ff.), and One Who hath passed through the heavens, and so come before the very Presence of God. The epithet piyat does not go to complete the notion of High-priest, but characterises his dignity. Comp. x. 21; (xiii. 20). Philo de somn. i. § 38 (i. p. 654 M.) ho megas archiereus [tes homologias]; de Abr. § 40 (ii. 34 M.) ho megas archiereus tou magistou theou.
diel. t. our.] who hath passed theou, kratomen tes homologias. ¹?ou gar echomen archierea through the heavens. O. L. egressum caelos. Vulg. qui penetravit caelos. Comp. Eph. iv. 10 (c. vii. 26 note). Christ not merely ascended up to heaven in the language of space, but transcended the limitations of space. Thus we say that He 'entered into heaven' and yet is 'above the heavens.'
The phrase points out the superiority of Christ over the Jewish high-priest and over the Jewish mediator. He has passed not through the veil only but through the heavens up to the very throne of God (comp. ix. 24; i. 3), and entered into the royal rest of God.
Theophylact well compares Christ and Moses; ou toioutos hoios Mouses, ekeinos men gar houte autos eiselthen eis ten katapausin houte ton laon eisegagen. houtos de dieleluthos tous ouranous sunedriazei to Patri kai dunatai hemin ten eis ouranous eisodon dounai kai tes en epangeliais katapauseos kleronomous poi. And Primasius brings out aspects of megas: Magnum pontificem eum appellat qui habet aeternum sacerdotium, semper vivens, ad interpellandum pro nobis (c. vii. 25). Sic enim dixit de illo angelus ad Mariam: Hic erit magnus et Filius altissimi vocabitur (Lk. i. 32).
Hiesoun ton huion tou theou] The two titles are placed side by side in order to suggest the two natures of the Lord which include the assurance of sympathy and power. For the use of Jesus see ii. 9 note; and for the Son of God see vi. 6; vii. 3; x. 29; and Additional Note on i. 4. And for the combination of the two see Acts ix. 20; 1 Thess. i. 10; 1 John i. 7; iv. 15; v. 5.
kratomen tes homol.] Let us cling to our faith in Him, Whom we openly confess, as truly human, truly divine (Latt. teneamus confessionem). Ou to pan to hierei didosin, alla kai ta par' hemon zetei, lege de ten homologian (Theophlct).
The phrase kratein tes homologias, as contrasted with katechomen ten homologian (c. x. 23), seems to mark the act of grasping and clinging to that to which we attach ourselves, as distinguished from the act of holding firmly that which is already completely in our possession. Comp. vi. 18. Thus the words imply danger and incite to effort.
For homologia compare c iii. 1; x. 23 note; 1 Tim. vi. 12 f.
The writer everywhere insists on the duty of the public confession of the faith. The crisis claimed not simply private conviction but a clear declaration of belief openly in the face of men. Comp. 1 John iv. 2 note.
(15). ou gar] The apostle calls for effort, and he encourages it. By the negative form of the sentence he recognises the presence of an objection which he meets by anticipation. The divine glory of Christ might have seemed to interpose a barrier between Him and His people. But on the contrary, the perfectness of His sympathy is the ground for clinging to the faith which answers to our needs. He is as near to us as the human high-priests (nay, nearer than they) whose humanity inspired the Jewish worshippers with confidence. For we have not a High-priest such as can not be touched...but one that hath been tempted...
me dunamenon...pepeirasmenon\ The power of Christ's sympathy is expressed negatively and positively. He is not such as to be unable to sympathise: nay rather He has been tried in all respects after our likeness, and therefore He must sympathise from His own experience.
me dunamenon] such that he cannot...For me with participles in this Epistle see iv. 2; vii. 3, 6; ix. 9; xi. 8, 13, 27; xii. 27; (vi. 1; x. 25; xiii. 17 are me dunamenon sunpathesai tais astheneiais hemon, pepeirasmenon sunpathesai] to be touched with the feeling of. Vulg. compati... c. x. 34 (sumpathes 1 Pet. iii. 8. Vulg. compatiens). The verb occurs in Symmachus Job ii. 11, and in classical writers from Isocrates downwards. It expresses not simply the compassion of one who regards suffering from without, but the feeling of one who enters into the suffering and makes it his own. So Christ is touched with the feeling of our weaknesses, which are for us the occasions of sins, as knowing them, though not with the feeling of the sins themselves. Such weaknesses can be characterised by the circumstances of the Lord's life, natural weariness, disappointment, the feeling of desertion, shrinking from pain (contrast the sing. astheneia c. vii. 28 note). From temptations through such weaknesses the Hebrew Christians were suffering. Comp. v. 2; vii. 28; xi. 34. Clement also combines the thought of Christ's High-priesthood with that of His help to man's weakness: ad Cor. i. c. 36 aute he hodos, agapetoi, en he euromen to soterion hemon, Iesoun Christon, ton archierea ton prosphoron hemon, ton prostaten kai boethon tes astheneias hemon. Compare Orig. in Matt. xiii. 2 Iesous goun phesin Dia tous asthenountas hesthenoun kai dia tous peinontas apeinon kai dia tous dipsontas edipson, and Resch Agrapha p. 244.
pepeirasmenon de...ch. hamartias] O. L. expertum in omnibus (omnia) secundum similitudinem sine peccato. Vulg. tentatum autem per omnia pro similitudine absque peccato. Syr. Pesh. tempted in everything as we (are), sin excepted.
The words are capable of two distinct interpretations. They may (1) simply describe the issue of the Lord's temptation, so far as He endured all without the least stain of sin (c. vii. 26). Or they may (2) describe a limitation of His temptation. Man's temptations come in many cases from previous sin. Such temptations had necessarily no place in Christ. He was tempted as we are, sharing our nature, yet with this exception, that there was no sin in Him to become the spring of trial. The first of these thoughts is not excluded from the expression, which is most comprehensive in form, but the latter appears to be the dominant idea. In this sense there is a reference to the phrase in the Chalcedonic definition: Iesoun Christon...ekdidaskomen...kata panta homoion hemin choris hamartias. Comp. c. ix. 28.
We may represent the truth to ourselves best by saying that Christ assumed humanity under the conditions of life belonging to man fallen, though not with sinful promptings from within. Comp. c. ii. 18 note.
Comp. Greg. Nyss. c. Eunom. ii. p. 545 Migne: ouden apheke tes phuseos hemon ho ouk anelaben ho kata panta pepeiraminos kath' homoioteta choris hamartias. he de psuche hamartia ouk estin alla dektike hamartias ex aboulias egeneto...c. Apoll. xi. id. p. 1144 hosper gar ta tou choikou idiomata tois ex ekeinou entheoreitai, houtos epanankes, kata ten tou apostolou apophasin, ton kata panta pepeiramenon tou hemeterou biou kath' homoioteta choris hamartias. ho de nous hamartia ouk esti, pros pasan hemon oikeios echein ten phusin. c. Eunom. vi. id. r. 721.
Atto, pursuing the thought of Primasius, says well: Venit per viam humanae conditionis per omnia sine peccato, nihil secum afferens unde morti debitor esset, sicut ipse in Evangelio testatur (St John xiv. 30). de kata panta kath' homoeoteta choris hamartias. ¹?proserchometha ros?rchombtha oun meta parresias to throno tes
The Greek Fathers generally interpret the words choris hamartias in relation to the facts of Christ's life: entautha kai allo ti ainittetai, hoti dunaton choris hamartias kai en thlipsesin onta dienenkein. hoste kai hotan lege 'tn homoiomati sarkos ou touto phesin hoti homoioma sarkos all' hoti sarka anelabe. dia ti aun eipen en homoiomati; peri hamartolou sarkos elegen. homoia gar hen te sarki te hemetera. te men gar phusei he aute hen hemin, te de hamartia ouketi he aute (Chrys.).
hos anthropos peiran ton hemeteron elabe pathematon mones tes hamartias diameinas amuetos (Theod.).
oute gar haplos hamartian eirgasato, oute hote tauta epaschen hamartetikon ti he eiren he edrassen. hoste dunasthe kai humeis en tais thlipsesin choris hamartias diagenesthai (Theophlct).
pepeirasmenon] For the perfect, see ii. 18; xii. 3 notes.
kata panta] in all things, as in nature so in life. Comp. ii. 17.
kath' homoi.] c. vii. 15. Comp. Gen. i. 11 f. The words may mean 'according to the likeness of our temptations,' i.e. like as we are tempted (secundum similitudinem 0. L.); or 'in virtue of His likeness to us,' i.e. homoiotheis hemin (ii. 17; pro similitudine Vulg.).
Primasius (compare Chrysostom quoted above) interprets the words as if they were kath' homoioteta sarkos [hamartias] (Rom. viii. 3): Pro similitudine carnis peccati absque peccato... In hoc enim quia homo factus est, veram carnom habuit: in hoc vero quia carnem peccati non habuit sed absque peccato, similitudinem nostrae carnis habuit, quae est caro peccati, nam peccatum non habuit...Illius caro non fuit peccati sed munditiae et castitatis atque innocentiae; quapropter non est tentatus in carne peccati ut peccatum faceret sed in similitudine carnis peccati ut absque peccato maneret; and again on c. v. 2; tentari potuit per omnia similitudine carnis peccati absque peccato.
(16). proserchometha oun...] The vision of the High-priest Who is not Priest only but King, Who is not only Son of God but Son of man, suggests the conclusion that believers, clinging to their confession, can and must use the infinite privileges which their Lord has gained for them. The minds of writer and readers are full of the imagery of the Levitical system, and of the ceremonial of the High-priestly atonement; and the form of the exhortation suggests the grandeur of the position in which the Christian is placed as compared with that of the Jew: 'Let us therefore, trusting the divine power and the human sympathy of 'Jesus the Son of God,' draw near, as priests ourselves in fellowship with our High-priest,—and not remain standing afar off as the congregation of Israel,—to the throne of grace, no symbolic mercy-seat, but the very centre of divine sovereignty and love...' proserchometha] The word occurs here for the first time in the Epistle (comp. vii. 25 note; x. 1, 22; xi. 6). It is used in the lxx. for the priestly approach to God in service: e.g. Lev. xxi. 17, 21; xxii. 3, though it has also a wider application. That right of priestly approach is now extended to all Christians. Comp. Apoc. i. 6; v. 10; (xx. 6); 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9, See also engizomen, vii. 19, note.
The power of sympathy in our High Priest is made effective by the power of help: per hoc enim quod similia passus est potest compati; et per hoc quod Deus est in utraque substantia potest misereri (Primas. ad c. v.).
meta parresias] Latt. cum fiducia. (The Syr. Pesh. gives, as elsewhere, charitos, hina labomen eleos kai charin heuromen eis eukairon boetheian.
16 heuromen: om. B. om. eis D?*.
'with eye (face) open.') So Acts ii. 29; iv. 29, 31; xxviii. 31. St Paul uses en parresia Eph. vi 19; Phil. i. 20; Col. ii. 15; St John parresia vii. 13 &c.; he meden pros ten pistin distazontes, he hoti nenikeke ton kosmon (John xvi. 33), delon oun hoti nikeses kai tous nun hemas thlibontas (Oecum.). The phrase is perhaps used here in the primary sense, 'giving utterance to every thought and feeling and wish,' though the word parresia is used more generally elsewhere in the epistle: iii. 6; x. 19, 35.
to throno tes charitos] The phrase is to be compared with thronos doxes (Matt. xix. 28; xxv. 31; 1 Sam. ii. 8; Jer. xiv. 21; xvii. 12; Ecclus. xlvii. 11); ho thronos tes megalosunes (c. viii. 1), thronos anomis (Ps. xciii. (xciv.) 20), thronos aistheseos (Prov. xii. 23). The gen. in each case seems to express that which is shewn in a position of sovereign power. Thus the 'throne of grace' is that revelation of God's Presence in which His grace is shewn in royal majesty. Of this revelation the glory over the mercy-seat was a faint symbol.
Philo speaks also of ho eleou bomos de exsecr. § 7 (ii. 434 M.); and Clement describes Christians as having come hupo ton zugon tes charitos [tou kuriou] (1 Cor. 16).
thronos charitos estin (Ps. CX. l) ou thronos kriseos nun...thronos charitos estin eos kathetai charizomenos ho basileus, hotan de he sunteleia genetai, tote egeiretai eis krisin (Chrys.).
On this 'throne of grace' Christ Himself is seated: hina me akousas auton archierea nomises estanai eutheos auton epi ton thronon hagei, ho de hiereus ou kathetai all' esteken (Chrys.).
hina labomen he. kai ch. euromen] that we may receive mercy and find grace.
The twofold aim corresponds with the twofold necessity of life. Man needs mercy for past failure, and grace for present and future work. There is also a difference as to the mode of attainment in each case. Mercy is to be 'taken' as it is extended to man in his weakness; grace is to be 'sought' by man according to his necessity. Ut misericordiam consequamur, id est, remissionem peccatorum, et gratiam donorum Spiritus Sancti (Primas.).
eis heukairon boetheian] Vulg. gratiam inveniamus in auxilio opportuno. The help comes when it is needed and not till then (ii. 18 tois peirazomenois boeuesai). Comp. Philo de migr. Abr. § 10 (i. p. 445 M.) oukoun hoti kai pros boetheian dunamis arogos eutrepes ephedreuei para theo kai autos ho hegemon engutero proseisin ep' opheleia ton axion opheleisthai dedelotai. The clause goes with all that precedes: 'mercy' and 'grace' are always ready at the present moment. An nun proselthes, phesi, phesi, lepse kai charin kai eleon. eukairos gar proserche. an de tote proselthes, ouketi. akairos gar tote he prosodos (Chrys. followed by the later commentators).
Comp. Gen. xxxv. 3. One of the names of Ahura Mazda is 'the One of whom questions are asked' (Zendavesta S. B. E. ii. p. 24 and note). Philo's description of 'the Divine Word' as High-priest in the soul of man is worthy of study: de prof. §§ 20, 21 (i. pp. 562 f. M.).
*Additional Note on the reading of* iv. 2.
Additional Note on the reading of iv. 2.
There is evidence of a twofold difference in the earliest authorities as to the reading of this verse. The difference in the forms snkiarasm-, snnkram- may be neglected. The substantial differences which affect the interpretation of the passage lie in (1) -menos, -menous, and (2) tois akousasio, ton akothsanton, (tois akoustheisi).
(1) (a) The nom. sing. (sunkekerasmenos) is read by K (vg non admistus) d (non temperatus) syr vg (because it was not mixed) Cyr. Alex., Lcfr. (non temperatus), (Prima.).
(b) The accus. plur. (sunkekerasmenous) is read by ABCD2M" the great mass of later mss., some Lat. mss. (am. non admixtis), syr hl (text for they were not mixed), me (quia non confusi sunt, Wilkins), Theod. Mops., Aug., Chrys., Theodt., Theophet.
(2) (a) tois akousasin is the reading of all the Greek mss. with the exception of D2 and 71.
(b) ton akousanton is read by D, (and this may be the original of auditorum in d Lcfr.), and by syr hl mg.
(c) tois akoustheisi which appears to have been a conjecture of Theodore of Mopsuestia is read by 71, but the sense is given by the vg en his quæ audierunt.
Thus four combinations which have early authority require to be considered.
(a) me sunkekerasmenos te pistei tois akousasin
(b) me sunkekerasmenos te pistei tois akousanton.
(g) me sunkekerasmenous te pistei tois akousasin.
(d) me sunkekerasmenoths te pistei tois [akoustheisin v. akousmasin].
Of these (b) may be set aside without hesitation. The variant ton akousanton is not unlike one of the mechanical changes of D2 (see vv. 1, 12, 16), and it gives no tolerable sense.
The other readings ((a), (g), (d)) give severally a good sense, though there are difficulties in each case (see Notes).
The external authority for (d) is relatively so slight1 that this reading can hardly be accepted unless the better attested readings are inadmissible. Moreover it simply gives in another form the thought which is conveyed by sunkekerasmenos te pistei tois akousasin.
Our choice then lies between (a) and (g). The authorities for (a) though few in number cover a very wide field, and reach in each case to the earliest accessible date. And further, while the change from -menos to -menous is natural both as a mechanical alteration and as the intentional correction of a scribe, the change from -menous to -menos is more difficult to account for. It would scarcely be made mechanically; and it is not obvious as a correction.
On the whole therefore it seems best to accept the reading sunkekerasmenos te pistei tois akousasin as attested by varied ancient authority, adequately explaining the other readings, and giving a satisfactory sense.
Some of the patristic explanations are worth quoting:
@Theodorus Mops@. (Cram. Cat. p. 177): ou gar hesav kata ten pistin tois epangeltheisi sunemmenoi, hothen outos anagnosteon, 'me sunkekerasmenous te pistes tois akoustheisin,' hina eipe tais ppos autous gegenemenais eangeliais tou theou dia Mouseos.
Theodoret: ti gar honesen he tou theou epangelia tous tauten dexamenous, me pistos dexaminous kai te tou theou dunamei tetharrekotas kai hoion tois theou logois anakrathentas;
@Chrysostom@: eita epagei All' ouk ophelesen ho logos tes akoes ekeinous me sunkekpaminous (so mss.; edd. -menes) te pistei tois akousasin,' deiknos pos ho logos ouk opheilesen, ek gar tou me sthnkrathenai ouk ophelesan. Then afterwards he goes on to say, ohi oun peri Chaleb kai Iesoun, epeide me sunekrathesan tois apistesasi, toutestin ou sthnephonesan, diephugon ten kat' ekeinon exenechtheisan timopian. kai hora ge ti thaumaston, ouk eipen, ou sunephonesan all' ou sthnekrathesan, toutestin, astasiastos diestesan, ekeinonmian panton mian kai ten auten gnomeo eschekoton.
This latter is the opinion which Theophylact quotes and criticises as Chrysostom's.
@Augustine@, in commenting upon Ps. lxxvii. (lxxviii.) 8 non est creditus cum Deo spiritus ejus, writes: ut autom cor cum illo sit et per hoc rectum esse possit, acceditur ad eum non pede sed fide. Ideo dicitur etiam in epistola ad Hebræos de illa ipsa generatione prava et amaricante, Non profuit sermo auditus illis non contemperatis (so mss.) fidei eorum qui obaudierunt (In Ps. lxxvii. § 10); and again: crant illic etiam electi quorum fidei non contemperabatur generatio prava et amaricans (id. § 18)2.
The note of Primasius is: non profuit illis, quia non fuit admistus et conjunctus fidei, et contemperatus fidei ex his promissionibus quas audiorunt. Tunc enim prodesset lis sermo auditus si credidissent quoniam tunc oesct contemperatus fide (i fidei). Quoniam vero non credidorunt, non fuit conjunctus fidei, ideoque nihil ois profuit quod audierunt...
*Additional Note on* iv. 8. *On some hypothetical sentences*.
Additional Note on iv. 8. On some hypothetical sentences.
It is worth while for the sake of some young students to illustrate a little in detail from the writings of the N.T. the various forms of the sentence which expresses the hypothetical consequence of an unfulfilled condition.
Two main cases arise. In one (I) the protasis expressed by ei with the indicative is followed by the imperfect indicative with av. The thought here is of a present or continuous result which would have been seen now if the unfulfilled supposition had been realised. In the other (II), the protasis expressed by ei with the indicative is followed by the aorist indicative with av. The thought here is of a past and completed result which would have ensued if the unfulfilled condition had been realised.
No uniform rendering in English is able to give the exact force of these two different forms of expression. It has become common to translate (I) by if (he) had...(he) would...; and (II) by if (he) had... (he) would have.... But if this rendering is adopted, the definite negation of the fact in the apodosis of (I) is commonly lost or obscured, and the statement appears to be simply hypothetical and to suggest a possible fulfilment in the future. On the other hand if (I) and (II) are translated in the same manner, the suggestion of the present or continuous fact in (I) is obliterated.
Each case therefore must be considered by itself in order that the translator may convey the truest impression of the original with regard to the context
If we look at the two main cases more closely we shall see that each has two divisions according as ei is joined with the imperfect or with the aorist in the protasis. Thus four types of expression must be distinguished.
I. (1) Ei imp. indic....imp. with han.
(2) Ei aor. indic.....imp. with han.
II. (1) Ei imp. indic.....aor. with han.
(2) Ei aor. indic......aor. with han.
I. (1) Ei with imp. ind. in protasis followed by imp. in apodosis.
In this case the hypothetic unfulfilled condition and the consequence of its non-fulfilment are both regarded (a) generally as present, or (b), if not as present, as continuous and not definitely complete in a specific incident.
(a) Hebr. viii. 4 ei hen...oud' han hen... (if he had been now invested with such an office...he would not be as he now is...).
Hebr. viii. 7 ei hen...ouk han ezeteito...
John v. 46 ei episteuete...episteuete han.
— viii. 42 ei hen...oud' han hen...
— ix. 41 ei hen...ouk han eichete.
— xiv. 7 ei egnokeite...han hedeite.
— xv. 19 ei hete...han ephilei.
— xviii. 36 ei hen...egonizonto han...
Luke vii. 39 ei hen...eginosken han...
1 Cor. xi. 31 ei diekrinomen...ouk han ekrinometha.
Gal i. 10 ei hereskon...ouk han hemen.
With these examples must be ranged also John viii. 19 ei hedeite...an hedeite...
(b) Hebr. xi. 15 ei emnemoneuon...eikon han...; (if they had continued to remember...they would all that time have had...).
Matt. xxiii. 30 ei hemetha...ouk han hemetha...
In this connexion may be noticed
1 John ii. 19 ei hesan...memenekeisan han... where the pluperfect suggests a continuous state limited at a point in the past.
Sometimes an interrogation takes the place of the apodosis.
Heb. vii. 11 ei...teleiosis...hen...tis eti chreia...;
1 Cor. xii. 19 ei de hen...pou to soma;
Sometimes the han of the apodosis is omitted (as indic. in Latin: Hor. Od. ii. 17, 27.
John ix. 33 ei me hen...ouk edunato...
— xix. 11 ouk eiches...ei me hen...
The unconditioned apodosis seems to emphasise what is implied in the protasis.
(2) Ei with the aor. indic. in protasis followed by imp. in apodosis.
The hypothetic unfulfilled condition Is placed as a definite incident in the past, while the result of the non-fulfilment is regarded as continuous in the present.
Hebr. iv. 8 ei katepausen...ouk han elalei... (if rest had been given at the entrance into Canaan, God would not have continued to speak as He does now...).
Gal. iii. 21 ei edothe...en nomo han hen...
So lxx. Jer. xxiii. 22 ei estesan...kai ei hekousan...han apesrephon.
In this case also the han of the apodosis is omitted: John xv. 22 ei me helthon...ouk eichosan...
Matt. xxvi. 24 kalon hen...ei ouk egennethe...
II. (1) Ei with the imp. indic. in protasis followed by aor. in apodosis.
The hypothetic unfulfilled condition is regarded as continuous and not definitely complete in the past, while the consequence of its non-fulfilment is specific and past:
John xiv. 28 ei egapate...echarete...han (if ye had now been loving me...ye would at the moment of my saying...).
John iv. 10 ei hedeis...su han hetesas.
— xi. 21, 32 ei hes...ouk han apethanen.
— xviii. 30 ei me hen...ouk han paredokamen.
Acts xviii. 14 ei hen...han aneschomen.
And here also we must place:
Matt. xii. 7 ei agnokeite (real imp.)... ouk han katedikasate.
— xxiv. 43 || Lk. xii. 39 ei hedei (real imp.)...egregoresen han...
Sometimes the han of the apodosis is omitted: Gal. iv. 15 ei dunaton...
(2) Ei with the aor. indic. in protasis followed by aor. in apodosis.
The hypothetic unfulfilled condition and the result of its non-fulfilment are regarded as definite incidents wholly in the past.
1 Cor. ii. 8 ei egnosan...ouk han estaurosan (if at the crisis of their trial they had known... they would not have crucified).
Matt. xi. 21 ei agenonto...palai han metenoesan || Lk. x. 13.
— xxiv. 22 || Mk. xiii. 20 ei me ekolobosen...ouk han esothe...
So in lxx. Is. i. 9 ei me...enkatelipen...han egenethemen. Rom. ix. 29.
Compare also:
Matt. xxv. 27 || Lk. xix. 23 dia ti ouk edokas...kago elthon...han...epraxa...
John xiv. 2 ei de me, eipon han hemin...
Hebr. x. 2 epei ouk han epausanto...
In some passages there appears to be a combination of two forms of expression:
Luke xvii. 6 ei echete...elegete an..., as if the sentence would naturally have continued legete, but then the echete was mentally corrected to eichete to meet the actual case. Comp. Winer p. 383 with Dr Moulton's note.
John viii. 39 ei...este...epoieite (if this reading be adopted).
It may be added that the construction is relatively more frequent in St John's Gospel than in any other Book of the N.T.
Additional Note on iv. 12. The origin and constitution of man.