to "taste of death;" 3dly. The end of it,-it was for others; and, 4thly. Its extent,-for all: "That he by the grace of God might taste death for all." Τὸν δέ. [1.] Tòv de. As for ¿λλά, an adversative, intimating the introduction of one singular person in opposition to him or them spoken of in the end of the foregoing verse, "We see not yet all things put under his feet" (which some, against the whole context, apply unto Christ), "but we see Jesus." Had the same person been spoken of in both verses, the expression would have been, avròv dé, “but we see him;" but a new antecedent being here introduced, "but we see Jesus," another person is substituted as the subject spoken of; as the Syriac version declares, “We see him, that it is Jesus." How and in what sense he was made lower than the angels hath been declared in opening the words as they lie in the pódeos, comprised in that testimony of the psalmist. Only it may be inquired whether this exinanition of Christ, or minoration in respect of angels, did consist merely in his incarnation and participation of human nature, which in general is esteemed beneath angelical, or in the misery and anxiety which in that nature he conflicted withal. And the apostle seems not absolutely to intend the former,-1st. Because he speaks of "Jesus" as the subject of this minoration. Now that name denotes the Son of God as incarnate, who is supposed so to be when he is said to be made less than the angels. 2dly. Because the human nature, in the very instant of its union unto the person of the Son of God, was absolutely advanced above the angelical, and might have immediately been possessed of glory if other works in it had not been to be performed. And yet neither doth it intend the low condition wherein he was placed exclusively to his incarnation, though that be afterwards (verse 14) particularly spoken unto, but his being incarnate and brought forth, and in that condition wherein he was exposed to suffering, and so consequently to death itself. And thus was he made less than angels in part in that nature which he assumed. He was obnoxious unto all the infirmities which attend it, as hunger, thirst, weariness, pain, sorrow, grief; and exposed unto all the miseries from without that any person partaker of that nature is obnoxious unto; and, in sum, death itself: from all which miseries angels are excepted. This we see, know, and grant to have been the state and condition of Jesus. But saith he, This was but for a little while, during his conversation with us on the earth, ending at his death.' The apostle knew that he had now fixed upon that which of all things the Jews most stumbled at, the low and mean and despised condition of Jesus, they having inveterate prejudicate opinions of another manner of state and condition for the Messiah; wherefore he immediately subjoins the end why he was humbled into this condition, which he first explains, and then vindicates the necessity of it. Πάθημα τοῦ θανάτου. [2] The end, then, is, Пánua rou Savárou, "The suffering of death." He was so humbled that he might suffer death. This yet more displeased the Jews; the necessity whereof he immediately proves, adding by the way,[3.] To complete the application of the testimony produced, his exaltation upon his suffering, he was "crowned with glory and honour;" referring us to the testimony itself to declare what was contained in that exaltation, namely, an absolute dominion over all things, God only excepted, and so, consequently, over the world to come, that was not put in subjection to angels. And in these words the apostle closeth his argument for the excellency of Christ above the angels from the subjection of all things unto him, and proceeds, [4.] To the amplification of that end of the humiliation of Christ which he had before intimated, and that in four things:- 1st. In the impulsive and efficient cause, which in the acts of God's will are coincident: "Οπως χάριτι Θεοῦ. Όπως for ἵνα, denoting the final cause of what was before asserted, relating to the whole clause following. That which is here called zápis ɛou, “the grace of God," is elsewhere explained by σωτήριος. Χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ σωτήριος, Tit. ii. 11,—“The saving grace of God." And sometimes it is termed his Xenorórns and pikaveparía, chap. iii. 4,-his "goodness," "kindness," benignity," and "love of mankind;" absolutely, his άyázŋ, John iii. 16, Rom. v. 8, 1 John iii. 16,-" love," intense love; also his ɛidoxía, Eph. i. 5,-his "good pleasure," from "the riches of his grace," verse 7; and his pides, verse 9, Rom. viii. 28, or "purpose of his will,” being the same with his πρόγνωσις and προορισμός, Rom. viii. 29, 30,―his predesignation and predestination of men unto grace and glory. From all which it appears what this ups, or "grace" of God is, that was the moving and impulsive cause of the death of Christ; even the gracious, free, sovereign purpose of the will of God, suited unto and arising from his natural grace, love, goodness, benignity, pity, mercy, compassion, exerting themselves therein. It was not out of any anger or displeasure of God against Jesus, in whom his soul was always well pleased; not out of any disregard unto him, whom he designed hereby to be crowned with glory and honour; but out of his love, kindness, and goodness towards others, who could no otherwise be brought unto glory, as in the next verses the apostle declares, that he thus appointed him to die. 2dly. In the manner of his death: "Ows yεvonraι Javárou, “that he should taste of death,"-so die as to experience the sorrows, bitterness, and penalties of death. To "taste of death" is, first, really to die; not in appearance or pretence, in opinion or show, as some foolishly of old blasphemed about the death of Christ, which could have had no other fruit but a shadow of redemption, a deliverance in opinion. See the phrase used, Mark ix. 1, 03 μǹ yeúowvras Javárov, "Shall not taste of death;" that is, not die. And that which is called, to "see death," John viii. 51, is called to "taste of death," verse 52, where the phrase is applied to the second death, or death eternal. And it being death which was threatened unto those for whom he died, and which they should have undergone, he really tasted of that death also. So, secondly, it is intimated that there was bitterness in the death he underwent. Himself compares it unto a "cup," whose bitterness he declares by his aversation from it, considered absolutely and without reference unto that hand of the will of God wherein it was held out unto him, Matt. xxvi. 39; which Tornpiov, or Dia," cup," was his lot or portion, Ps. xvi. 5, that which was prepared for him by his Father. And by the same metaphor he calls the will of God his "meat," which he tasted of in the doing and suffering of it. To taste of death, as is known, is an Hebraism. So the rabbins speak, Beresh. Rab. sect. 9, 5 DIN 'N nn'b Dyb Diyb';—"The first Adam was worthy that he should not taste of death," or "die." And it compriseth somewhat more than merely to die; it expresseth also to find out and experience what is in death. And Dy is sometimes rendered by yvwxsi, "to know," 2 Sam. xix. 36; and sometimes the substantive by duveois, "understanding," Job xii. 20. So that Christ by tasting of death had experience, knew what was in death, as threatened unto sinners. He found out and understood what bitterness was in that cup wherein it was given him. To which purpose the rabbins have a proverb in ་་ He that -; מאן דאכיל קידרא ידע מה טעמה ותבשילין,265 .Jalkut. fol eateth of the pot knoweth the taste of the meat that is in it." Thus when Agag thought he should escape a violent death by the sword, he expresseth his joy by men, 1 Sam. xv. 32, "The bitterness of death is removed," or taken away. Though die he must, yet he thought he should not taste the bitterness of death, or die by the sword. Thirdly, His conquest over death may be also intimated in this expression: for though the phrase, to "taste of death," be used concerning other persons also, yet as applied unto Christ, the event showeth that it was only a thorough taste of it that he had; he neither was nor could be detained under the power of it, Acts. ii. 24. And so is the word "to taste" used, chap. vi. 4 of this epistle. And thus by the grace of God did he taste of death. 3dly. The end of this his tasting of death,—it was for others; 'Tip Tavris. Of the extent of this end of his death, expressed in that word avrís, we shall speak afterwards; for the present we consider how he died zip, "for" them, for whom he died. 'Tip, is either "pro," or "super," or "supra,"—"for," or "above," or "over." The latter signification belongs not unto this place. As it signifies pó, "for," it is used sometimes as diá, "propter," and with respect unto persons is as much as "alicujus causa," "for his sake," or "in alicujus gratiam," or "bonum," "for his good and advantage;" sometimes as άvrí, in the stead of another. And this is the constant and inviolable sense of Tép in Greek, "pro" in Latin, where the suffering of one for another is expressed by it. And that also is the constant sense of the Hebrew nnn, when used in that case. Some instances on each word will illustrate our intention. Thus David expresseth his desire to have died in the stead of Absalom, that he might have been preserved alive: 2 Sam. xix. 1, 7 "Who will grant me to die, I for thee, my son Absalom?" that is, " in thy stead," or "so that thou mightest be alive." So Isa. xliii. 4. And by that word is still expressed the succeeding of one to another in government, or reigning in the stead of him that deceased, 1 Kings iii. 7, xix. 16; 2 Sam. x. 1; and in general, children succeeding in the place and room of their fathers, Num. iii. 12. So that to die nn, "for another," is to die in his stead the death he should have died, that he might live, or in general to be substituted in the room and place of another. So when Jehu commanded his officers to slay the priests and worshippers of Baal, he tells them that if any one should let any one of them escape, i na iv, "his life should go for his life," or he should die in his stead, 2 Kings x. 24. So is ép used, Rom. v. 7, expressing the act of an avríuxos, one that lays down his life instead of another; as Damon for Pythias, and Nisus for Euryalus, "Me, me, adsum qui feci." See 1 Pet. i. 20, 21. And it is explained by ¿ví, perpetually denoting a substitution, where opposition can have no place. See Matt. xx. 28; Mark x. 45; 1 Tim. ii. 6, 'Avr.urpov TEρ Távτwv. "Pro," also, as up in this case is to be rendered, hath no other signification. So often in the poet : He slew the ox and sacrificed it to Eryx instead of Dares, who was taken from him. And Mezentius upon the death of Lausus his son, who undertook the fight with Æneas, upon the wounding of his father, being slain himself,— "Pro me," ""in my stead." And of Palinurus, by whose death the rest of his companions escaped, Æn. v. 815,— "Unum pro multis dabitur caput." So the Comedian, Ter. And. I. ii. 28, "Verberibus cæsum te in pistrinum, Dave, dedam usque ad necem; Ea lege atque omine, ut, si inde te exemerim, ego pro te molam :" 66 'grind in thy stead." And Juvenal to the same purpose of the Decii, Sat. viii. 254, "Plebeiæ Deciorum animæ, plebeia fuerunt Nomina. Pro totis legionibus hi tamen, et pro They were accepted in sacrifice for or instead of all the rest. So did they express their doing or suffering who cast themselves into danger in the stead of others, that they might go free, as those who sacrificed themselves, like Menaceus, for the safety of their country; as Papinius expresses his design, Thebaid. lib. x. 762, "Armorum superi, tuque ô qui funere tanto Indulges mihi, Phoebe, mori, date gaudia Thebis, of which afterwards. In the common constant use of these words, then, to die for another, signifies to die in his room and stead. And this the Jews understood in the use of their sacrifices, where the life of the beast was accepted in the stead of the life of the sinner. Thus Christ "tasted of death urip Tavros." He was, by the grace and wisdom of God, substituted as a mediator, surety, ȧvrí↓uxos, “in their stead," to undergo the death which they should have undergone, that they might go free, as we shall see in the following verses. 4thly. This dying of Christ is said to be mi avros. The word is either of the masculine or neuter gender; and in the latter it seems to have been taken by them who for χάριτι Θεοῦ, read χωρὶς Θεοῦ, as some Syriac copies do still, and Ambrose ad Gradianum, with some other of the ancients, intimating that Christ died for every thing, God only excepted,-alluding it may be unto Eph. i. 10, of which place we have spoken before. For we may not suppose it a corruption of the Nestorians, when some read so before their days; nor will the words so read give any countenance to their error, none affirming that Christ died any otherwise than in his human nature, though he who is God died therein. But this conjecture is groundless and inconsistent with the signification of the preposition ép insisted on, which will not allow that he be said to die for any but those in whose stead he died, and which, therefore, in themselves were obnoxious to death, as he declares, verses 14, 15. Пavrós, then, is put for Távw by an enallage of number, the singular for the plural, for all men; that is, all those many sons which God by his death intended to bring unto glory, verse 10; those sanctified by him, whom he calls his brethren, verses 11, 12, and children given him by God, verse 13; whom by death he delivers from the fear of death, verses 14, 15; even all the seed of Abraham, verse 16. (4.) And thus, we hope, our whole interpretation of these verses receives light from as well as brings some light unto the text; and |