This the scribes thought incompatible with the greatness of Christ the Son of God. Hence, in confutation of our Lord's pretensions to be the Christ, the Jews said to one another, John vii. 27. We know this man whence he is. But when the Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. Farther, because the Christ was foretold, Dan. vii. 13, 14. to come with the clouds of heaven to receive dominion, the Jews expected that he would make his first appearance among them, in the clouds. This they called a sign from heaven, and desired Jesus to shew it, Matt. xvi. 1. But, to remove these false opinions, the apostle observed, that since the children or disciples given to Messiah to be saved, partake of flesh and blood, by being born of parents who are flesh and blood, Messiah also partook of the flesh and blood of men, by being born of a woman, that through death he might, according to God's promise concerning the seed of the woman recorded by Moses, destroy the devil who had the power of death, ver. 14.-and deliver mankind from the fear of death, by giving them the assurance of pardon, and resurrection from the dead, ver. 15.-So that our Lord's claim to be the Christ, instead of being overthrown, was strongly established, by his birth of a virgin. A fourth objection was taken from our Lord's being subject | to all the miseries and calamities incident to men. This the Jews thought inconsistent with the divine nature of the Christ. But in answer, the apostle told the Hebrews, that Jesus did not lay hold on angels to save them, but on the seed of Abraham, ver. 16. For which reason it was necessary, that in all things he should be made like his brethren whom he was to save; that being their brother, and having the affection of a brother for the whole human race, he might exercise the office of an high priest mercifully towards men, as well as faithfully towards God, by making propitiation for their sins through his death, ver. 17.— This however is not all. He was subjected to affliction and temptation like his brethren, that he might have such a fellow feeling of their infirmity and of the difficulty of their trial, as would dispose him, in the exercise of his kingly power, not only to succour them when tempted, but in judging them at last, to make them such gracious allowances, as the weakness of their nature and the strength of the temptations to which they were exposed, may require, ver. 18.-These being considerations of great importance, they are suggested a second time, chap. iv. 15. Such are the answers made by the writer of this epistle, to the objections whereby the scribes endeavoured to confute the claim of Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ the Son of God, taken-1. From his being a man.-2. From his never having `possessed any kingdom, and from his having suffered death.- 3. From his having become man, by being born in the helpless -state of an infant.-4. From his having been liable to all the miseries and calamities incident to men. Wherefore after hearing these answers, the offence of the cross, ought with the OLD TRANSLATION. we ought to give the more 2 For if the word spo GREEK TEXT. 1 Δια τουτο δει περισσο τερως ἡμας προσέχειν τους ακουσθεισι, μη ποτε παραρ ρυωμεν. 2 Ει γαρ ken by angels was stedfast, λαληθείς λόγος εγενετο βεὁ δι' αγγέλων and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward ; 3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; βαιος, και πασα παραβασις και παρακοή ελαβεν ενδικον μισθαποδοσίαν 3 Πως ήμεις εκφευξομε θα τηλικαύτης αμελήσαντες σωτηρίας; ἥτις αρχην λα βουσα λαλεισθαι δια του Κυριου, υπο των ακουσαντων εις ἡμας εβεβαιωθη Ver. 1,—1. Let them slip. Παραῤῥνωμεν ; literally, should run out, as leaky vessels. This word is used in the same sense, Prov. iii. 21. LXX. μη παραῤῥνης, my son, let them not depart. Ver. 2. 1. For if the word. Here λογος, the word, signifies the law of Moses, and all the other commands given to the Israelites, but especially the command to enter into Canaan; as is plain from the contrast in this passage, between the salvation of believers by their introduction into heaven, and the salvation of the Israelites by their introduction into Canaan. 2. Spoken by angels. That the law of Moses was spoken by angels, is affirmed likewise by Stephen, Acts vii. 53. and by Paul, Gal. iii. 19. And that one angel in particular spake to Moses from the bush, and on Mount Sinai, the same Stephen informs us, Acts vii. 30.-38. Yet we are told, Heb. i. 1. xii. 25. that the law was spoken by God himself. Το reconcile these seemingly opposite accounts, we may suppose, That as Moses, afterwards, was employed to speak to the Israelites in the name of God, the words which God spake to him, so when the ten commandments were spoken, an angel was employed to repeat, in a loud and terrible voice, the words which Jews, to have ceased for ever. And if any others reject the gospel, on account of the high titles given therein to Jesus, fancying his greatness as the Son of God is inconsistent with his manifestation and sufferings in the flesh, the reasonings in this chapter are highly worthy of their consideration, as they afford a satisfactory solution of their doubts. COMMENTARY. CHAP. II. 1 Because the Son, by whom God hath spoken to us in these last days, is greatly superior to all the angels both in his nature and office, we ought to pay the more attention to the things which the ministers of the word heard him speak, (ver. 3.) Lest at any time we should let them slip out of our minds. 2 For, if the law which God spake to the Israelites by the ministry of angels, was so confirmed by the miracles which accompanied it, that every presumptuous transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, 3 How shall we escape unpunished, if we disbelieve and despise the news of so great a salvation? which began to he preached by the Lord himself, and hath been fully published and confirmed to us Jews, not by a vague report, but by the credible testimony of the apostles and others who heard him;` God pronounced, I am the Lord thy God, with what follows. And that other angels, as Chrysostom observes, excited the thunderings, the lightnings, the smoke, the earthquake, and the sounding of the trumpet, which preceded God's speaking. 3. Transgression and disobedience. Transgression, is the leaping over the bounds which the law hath set, by doing the things it forbids.-Disobedi ence, is the refusing to do the things it enjoins. Ver. 3.-1. Neglect so great a sulvation. As the salvation preached in the gospel, consists in delivering mankind from their spiritual enemies, and in putting them in possession of rest in the heavenly country, it justly merits God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? 5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. 6 But one in a certain 4 Συνεπιμαρτυρούντος του Θεου σημείοις τε και τέρασι, και ποικίλαις δυνάμεσι, και πνευματος ἅγιον μερισμοις, κατα την αὑτον θελησιν. 5 Ου γαρ αγγελοις ὑπε ταξε την οικουμένην την μελ λουσαν, περι ἧς λαλουμεν. 6 Διεμαρτύρατο δε που place testified, saying, τις, λεγων· Τι εςιν ανθρω What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? πος, ότι μιμνήσκη αυτου διος ανθρωπου, ότι επισκεπ τῇ αυτόν; the epithet of great, being unspeakably greater than the salvation which God wrought for the Israelites; which consisted in their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, Exod. xx. 2. and in their being made to rest in Canaan, from all their enemies round about. 2. Which beginning to be spoken by the Lord. Jesus is called the Lord, because as maker and governor of the worlds, he is Lord of all, Acts x. 36. consequently he is able both to reward those who obey him, by bestowing on them eternal salvation, and to punish with everlasting destruction those who disobey him.—This salvation was formerly preached to the Israelites in the covenant with Abraham, under the figure of giving them the everlasting possession of Canaan: but was preached plainly, by the Lord and by his apostles, in the gospel. 3. Was confirmed to us by them who heard him. The apostle having observed in ver. 2. that the law spoken by angels was confirmed by the miracles which accompanied its delivery, he judged it proper to mention, that the gospel was equally confirmed by the great miracles which accompanied the preaching, both of Jesus himself and of his apostles. Wherefore, such of the Hebrews as had not heard Jesus preach the great salvation, were nevertheless bound to give heed to the things which he had preached, since they were sufficiently declared and proved to them, by the apostles and the other ministers of the word, who had heard him preach these things.Though the writer of this epistle ranks himself among those, to whom the apostles confirmed the preaching of Jesus, it does not follow that he was himself no apostle. See this proved, pref. sect. 1. art. 2. paragr. 3. Ver. 4.1. And distributions of the Holy Ghost. Moses wrought many signs and wonders and miracles, Deut. xxxiv. 11. But the distributions of the Holy Ghost he knew nothing of. They were peculiar to the gospel dispensation, and consisted of the internal gifts of wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, 4 God bearing joint witness both by signs and wonders, and divers miracles, (see Rom. xv. 19. note 1.) and distributions of the Holy Ghost,1 according to his own pleasure? 5 For to the angels he kath not subjected the world which is to come,1 concerning which we speak. 6 Now one in a certain place, plainly testified, Saying, What is man that thou shouldst remember him? or the son of man, that thou shouldst look upon him? 4 God himself bearing joint witness, to the salvation preached of the Lord and his apostles, both by signs and wonders and miracles of divers kinds, which he enabled these preachers to perform, and by distributions of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which they bestowed, not according to their will, but according to his own pleasure? 5 For although the angel (Exod. xxiii. 20.) who conducted the Israelites, had Canaan subjected to him, to the angels God hath not subjected the world which is to come, the possession of which is the salvation, of which we speak. 6 Now, that the Son of God was to be made flesh, and in the flesh was to be appointed King universal, David in a certain place, Ps. viii. 4. plainly testified, Saying, What is the first man that thou shouldst remember him; or the posterity of the first man, that thou shouldst take such care of them! faith, the discernment of spirits, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. These are called, distributions of the Holy Ghost, because he divided them to every one as he pleased, 1 Cor. xii. 11. Ver. 5.-1. Hath not subjected the world which is to come. Οικεμένην την μελλέσαν. The gospel dispensation is called αιωνος μελλοντος, the age to come, Heb. vi. 5. but never onsμevnv persoav, the habitable world to come. That phrase, if 4 mistake not, signifies the heavenly country promised to Abraham and to his spiritual seed. Wherefore, as ouer the world, Luke ii. 1. and elsewhere, by an usual figure of speech, signifies the inhabitants of the world, the phrase cxxμery μλσav, may very well signify, the inhabitants of the world to come, called, Heb. i. 14. Them who shall inherit salvation. If so, the apostle's meaning will be, that God hath not put the heirs of salvation, who are to inhabit the world to come the heavenly Canaan, in subjection to angels, to be by them conducted into that world, as the Israelites were conducted into the earthly Canaan by an angel, Exod. xxiii. 20. They are only ministring spirits, sent forth by the Son to minister for the heirs of salvation, but not to conduct them. The heirs who are to inhabit the world to come, God hath put in subjection to the Son alone, Hence he |