8 A general introduction, &c. Joseph and Moses. (Chap. xi. 17-29.) Concluding his discourse with glancing on many other illustrious worthies; and besides those recorded in scripture, referring also to the case of several who suffered under the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes. (Chap. xi. 30; xii. 2.) And having thus executed his design in the argumentative part of the epistle, he applies the whole by exhorting the Hebrew Christians to sustain and improve the afflictions to which they were exposed, and to exert themselves vigorously to promote the united interests of peace and holiness. (Chap. xii. 3-14.) Cautioning them against disparaging the blessings of the gospel, and making them a sacrifice either to any secular views or sensual gratifications; representing the incomparable excellence of these blessings, and the wonderful manner in which they were introduced, which even the introduction of the Jewish economy, glorious and magnificent as it was, did by no means equal; (chap. xii. 15-29.) Exhorting them to brotherly affection, purity, compassion, dependence on the Divine care, steadfastness in the profession of the truth, and to a life of thankfulness to God, and benevolence to man, from the consideration of the inestimable privileges derived to us from Christ; which ought always to encourage us resolutely to endure any infamy and suffering which we may meet with in his cause; (chap. xiii. 1-16.) Concluding the whole, with recommending to them some particular regard to their pious ministers; and entreating their prayers; adding some salutations, and a solemn bene, diction. (Chap. xiii. 17, to the end.) A PARAPHRASE AND NOTES ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE HEBREWS. SECT. I. The apostle reminds the Hebrews to whom he writes, of the great favour God had done them in sending them a revelation by his own Son; on whose glory he expatiates as far superior to that of angels, intending by this representation to engage them to embrace and retain the gospel. Heb. I. 1, to the end. HEBREWS I. 1. GOD, who at sun dry times, and HEBREWS I. 1. a HE great and wise God, who in his won- SECT. derful condescension hath at many times, i. Heb. in divers manners, and in various manners, of old, spoken to the spake in time past unto the fathers by fathers of the Jewish nation, by the prophets 1 the prophets, whom he hath in successive ages raised up and employed as the messengers of his will to them, •God, who, &c.] Though St. Paul was b Many times, and various manners.] the author of this epistle, as we have al- The first word, as some apprehend, refers ready observed, yet he does not begin it, to the parcels by which God's will was as he does most of his other epistles, by delivered, in opposition to a complete reveprefixing his name to it; the reason of lation; and the last, to the manner in which probably was, that those to whom which it was made known, namely, by he was now writing were under strong dreams, visions, urim, prophets, voices, prejudices against his name; and he was signs. not willing to alarm those prejudices at the beginning of his letter. 10 God, in these last days, hath spoken unto us by his Son; to SECT. in these last days hath magnified his mercy in 2 Hath in these i. a yet more amazing manner; for he hath spok- last days spoken unen unto us by the Son, his only begotten, and whom he hath ap us by his Son, best beloved Son, whom he hath sent into our pointed heir of all world as the Ambassador of his mercy to us, things, by whom al Heb. i. 2 even that illustrious person, whom he hath ap- worlds; 3 tions of the church and world. I speak of that 3 Who being the great Emanuel, whom we have so long been brightness of his glotaught to know and adore; who being the efful- ry, and the express image of his person, gent ray of [his] glory, and the express delinea and upholding all tion of his person, on whom his likeness is in- things by the word stamped in living characters in a manner which of his power, when no created nature can admit, and upholding the purged our sins, sat he had by himself universe which he hath made by the efficacious down on the right word of his Father's power, which is ever res- hand of the Majesty ident in him, as his own, by virtue of that inti- on high. mate though incomprehensible union which By the Son.] This is no argument that God did not speak by Christ before; but only that it was not in so clear and express a manner. & Heir and possessor.] Mr. Peirce learnedly vindicates the latter of these interpretations. • Constituted the ages.] The sentiment, as thus expressed, is a very important one ; but if any insist upon rendering alavas, the world itself. I shall not oppose it; for it is certain, that St. Paul asserts this doctrine, Col. i. 15-17, if not here. Delineation of his person. That is, saith Leigh, answering to the Divine perfections, as the impressions of the wax does to the engraving of the seal. It is observable, that Philo calls the Logos xapese 7 ng nai unav Ors. See Scott's Christian Life, Vol. III. p. 559. & Word of his power.] Many explain this of the Father's power, which is the sense I have given in the paraphrase. Some copies read aurs, which would fully justify our version. But if the power of the Father be the power of Christ, to be used by him at pleasure for the security of his people, it seems to be all that the establishment of our faith in him requires. ↳ Sat down on the right hand.] Some un derstand this of the right hand of the Shechinah, in the most honourable place who was made so much better than the angels. 11 glorious and excellent Being, who reigns su- SECT. preme in the heaven of heavens. 4 Being made so To this exalted Redeemer would I now call much better than the your thoughts, of whom I have some very imangels, as he hath by inheritance obtained portant and sublime truths to deliver. Consida more excellent er, therefore, my brethren, what reverence, name than they. i. Heb. what fidelity, what zeal you owe to him who was made in exaltation and celestial glory as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited, and by which through many succeeding ages he hath been spoken of in the sacred ora5 For unto which cles, [is] more excellent than theirs. For to 5 of the angels said he which of the angels hath he ever said, as we at any time, Thou art know he hath said to the Messiah in that celemy Son, this day have I begotten thee? brated prophecy, (Psal. ii. 7,) Thou art my son, And again, I will be this day have I begotten thee ? And again, (2 to him a Father, and Sam. vii. 14,) I will be a father to him, and he shall be my son ? For if these words were immediately spoken of Solomon, it was chiefly as a type of Christ, the great son of David, and 6 And again, when Prince of peace. But so far is he from speaking 6 he bringeth in the of the angels in terms expressing equal dignity, first begotten into that when he again introduces his first begotten Son into the world, and speaks of him as coming with royal pomp to take possession of his king he shall be to me a Son? among men or angels; and quote 1 Pet. iii. 22; Eph. i. 20, 21; supposing there may be some glorious appearance of the Father's presence in heaven, as there was upon earth, which hath properly speaking a right or a left hand. But this I esteem no article of faith. Compare chap. viii. 1. i Superior to angels] Some have, I think, very precariously imagined, that the apostle, in this and the next chapter, insists so much on Christ's superiority to angels, in order to take off the Jews from that angel worship to which they were greatly inclined. But it is evident the apostle does not speak expressly on that subject. It is more certain, therefore, that his intention was to exalt their ideas of our blessed Redeemer; as indeed their entertaining high and honourable conceptions of him would be of great importance to their holding fast their Christian pro fession. It is plain the Jews considered the angels as concerned in the promulgation of their law, on which account they might be the more zealously attached to i. 4 it, and in this view there was a peculiar propriety in the apostle's labouring the argument he is here upon, namely, the superiority of our blessed Lord to all the angelic orders. Thou art my son.] These words are taken from Psalm ii. 7. And I think it is evident, (as others have observed,) that this and the rest of the passages here quoted, must refer to Christ in their original sense, and in the strictest propriety of interpretation; otherwise the argument would be entirely inconclusive; for it might be replied, that supposing these passages to be applicable to Christ, they will not prove him to be superior to the angels, since they originally refer to David and others confessedly inferior to those celestial spirits. It might be easily proved that this second psalm does originally belong to the Messiah. Compare Acts iv. 25; xiii. 33. He shall be my son.] Mr. Peirce hath laboured largely to prove, that these words can in their original and primary sense refer only to Christ. To him God saith, Thy throne is for ever and ever: SECT. dom, he saith, (Psal. xcvii. 7,) i. Heb. i. 6 And let all the the world, he saith, him. 7 And of the an Angels of God worship him. And accordingly And let all the anhe did actually demand their homage to him, gels of God worship as constituted their Lord and Sovereign, not only in regard to his originally superior glories, but in consideration of that fidelity and zeal with which he had discharged his import7 ant errand to our world. And concerning the angels he saith, (Psal. civ. 4,) he maketh his gels he saith, Who maketh his angels angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire. spirits, and his minHe, who rules the winds and the lightnings, isters a flame has his angels under equal command, and em- fire. ploys them with the strength of winds and the rapidity of lightnings in his service. m of 3 9 Thou hast loved 8 But to the Son [he] speaks in a very different 8 But unto the manner, and [saith] in those memorable words, Son, he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for which have an ultimate reference to Christ, ever and ever; (Psal. xlv. 6, 7.) Thy throne, O God" [is] for sceptre of righteousever and ever; the sceptre of thy kingdom [is] a ness is the sceptre of thy kingdom: 9 sceptre of righteousness. Thou hast in the most eminent degree, through the whole of thine ad- righteousness, and ministration, loved righteousness and hated ini- hated iniquity;therequity, and hast taken the most effectual meth- fore God, even thy God, hath anointed od to suppress it; therefore God, thy God, and thee with the oil of Father, hath anointed thee plentifully with the gladness above thy oil of gladness above thy associates :P thou art exalted to superior honour and happiness; so that none of thy brethren, none of the angels whom thou mayest in any instance or degree have condescended to join with thyself, and lead in thy train, can pretend to compare with He maketh his angels winds.] That is, saith Mr. Cradock (Apost. Hist. p. 363) He, the son, makes use of the angels as his ministers, in producing storms and lightning according to his pleasure. But I would not change the signification of the pronoun, He, which returns here, without absolute necessity. The rendering vuμala, winds, is very agreeable to the original and the context. Thy throne, O God, &c.] To render this, as some would do, God is thy throne for ever and ever, that is, God will establish thy throne, (according to 2 Sam. vii. 13, 14; Psalm lxxxix. 4,) appears to me very unnatural. • Loved righteousness, hated iniquity.] It may be objected, that, as all the angels have maintained this character, consequently this can be no just reason for preferring Christ to them. But I think the true fellows. answer is, not so much that the angels are chargeable with mistakes, though not with moral evil, (Job iv. 18; xv. 15,) as Mr. Peirce suggests, but rather that it refers to that unparalleled instance of the love of moral rectitude which Christ hath given in becoming a sacrifice for sin by his atonement; doing more than hath been ever done by any rational agent, towards displaying his love of righteousness, and hatred of iniquity. P Above thy associates: μeloxon] It seems to be intimated here, that as Christ took the special charge of Judea, angels were charged with the government of other countries; in reference to which it is that they are called his fellows or compan ions; for (as others have observed) if fellows do not signify angels, the quotation is nothing to the apostle's purpose. |