DEC 12 1938 20 AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. CHAPTER I. THE general scope and design of the apostle in this whole epistle hath been before declared, and need not here be repeated. In this first chapter he fixeth and improveth the principal consideration that he intends to insist on throughout the epistle,-to prevail with the Hebrews unto constancy and perseverance in the doctrine of the gospel. And this is taken from the immediate author of it, the promised Messiah, the Son of God. Him, therefore, in this chapter he at large describes; and that two ways,-1. Absolutely, declaring what he is in his person and offices, as also what he hath done for the church; and, 2. Comparatively, with respect unto other ministerial revealers of the mind and will of God, especially insisting on his excellency and pre-eminence above the angels, as we shall see in the explication of the several parts and verses of it. VERSES 1, 2. Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ Θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ἐπ' ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν Υἱῷ, ὅν ἔθηκε κληρονόμον πάντων, δι ̓ οὗ καὶ τοὺς αἰῶνας ἐποίησεν. Many of these words being variously rendered, their true grammatical sense and importance is to be considered before we open the meaning of the whole, and aim of the apostle in them; in which way we shall also proceed throughout the whole epistle. Пonvμepās. 1, Syr., "in all parts," or "by many parts." "Multifariam," Vulg. Eras., A. Montan., "diversely." "Multis vicibus," Beza; which ours render, "at sundry times." Meípoμar is " sortior," " divido," " to part," "to take part," ," "to divide :" whence is épos, "the part of any thing;" and wouμspás, "that which consisteth of many parts;" and oλμεрãs, “by many parts;" which is also used as iv tữ μépe‹, for "alternis vicibus," "sundry changes." The 66 word properly is, " by many parts," "fully," " by several parts at several times,” as our translation intimates; yet so that a diversity of parts and degrees, rather than of times and seasons, is intended. Kai zokutρózws. 1771, Syr., "in all forms." "Multisque modis," Vulg. Eras., A. Montan., Beza, "many ways;" or as ours, "divers manners.” 66 Пáλal. 12, Syr., " ab initio," "from the beginning." "Olim,” the Latin translation, "of old," "formerly," "in times past." Пáha is “olim,” "quondam," "pridem," " jamdudum," any time past that is opposed r äρti, or vy, to that which is present, properly time some good while past, as that was whereof the apostle treats, having ended in Malachi four hundred years before. Tois Tarρáo. 1, Syr., " with our fathers," "to the fathers." בנביא 'EY TOTS πрOQÚTαIS. 2, Syr., "in the prophets." So all the Latin translations, "in prophetis." 'ET' iσxάTwv tãy hμяρãy TоÚтWY. 1, Syr., "and in those last days." “Ultimis diebus hisce," "ultimis diebus istis," "in these last days." "Novissime diebus istis," Vulg.,—" last of all in these days." Some Greek copies have ἐπ' ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων, " in extremo dierum istorum,” “ in the end of these days." The reason of which variety we shall see afterwards. 'E, Ti, as before, "in the prophets;" not "by his Son," but "in the Son." The emphasis of the expression is necessarily to be retained, as the opening of the words will discover. "T: 9 Τοὺς αἰῶνας. "Mundos," "secula." ??, Syr., "the ages," " times," "worlds." In the remaining words there is no difficulty, as to the grammatical signification; we shall then read them,1 1 VARIOUS READINGS.-On the authority of manuscripts ABDEJK, most of the versions, and the majority of the fathers, Tischendorf, in his second edition of the New Testament, inserts iσxárov in the text. In most critical editions since the time of Bengel, the same reading has been preferred and adopted. Our author himself, to judge from a remark which he makes in the course of exposition, had a decided leaning to it. EXPOSITION.Π. καὶ π. "Of the two modes of interpreting these words, I rather prefer that which separates them, and gives a distinct meaning to each: 'God, who in ancient times made communications to the fathers by the prophets, in sundry parts and in various ways, has now made a revelation to us by his Son;' i. e., he has completed the whole revelation which he intends to make under the new dispensation by his Son, his Son only, and not by a long-continued series of prophets, as of old."-Stuart. They have been considered merely a rhetorical amplification."-Tholuck. "Ioλvμepas means, not 'many times,' but manifoldly, in many parts.' The antithesis is not that God has spoken often by the prophets, but only once by his Son; the opposition is between the distribution of the Old Testament revelation among the prophets, and the undivided fulness of the New Testament revelation by Christ.' -Ebrard. 66 ̓Επ ̓ ἐσχ. τῶν ἡμ. "Under the last period, viz., of the Messiah."-Stuart. "On the confines of the former period, and of the new everlasting epoch; not within the latter, and also not within the former."-Tholuck. "The end of this time, in reference to the by of the Jews, the period of the world which preceded the coming of Christ, whose work was to form the transition from it to the period terminating in the resurrection."- Ebrard. "The period of the gospel, the last dispensation of God."-Bloomfield. 66 E Ti. A specimen of the arbitrary use of the article, for "Ti is monadic: it designates one individual peculiarly distinguished, and the pronoun avrou is omitted after it; on all which accounts, according to theory, the article should be added."-Stuart. "God spake to us by one who was Son,' who stood not in the relation of prophet, but in the relation of Son to him. If it were T Ti, then Christ would be placed as this individual, in opposition to the individuals of the prophets; but as the article is wanting, it is the species that is placed in opposition to the species, although, of course, Christ is the single indi EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 5 Ver. 1, 2.-By sundry parts, and in divers manners, God having formerly [or, of old] spoken unto the fathers in the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us in the Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all, by whom also he made the worlds. The apostle intending a comparison between the Mosaical law and the gospel, referreth it unto two heads,-first, Their revelation and institution, whence the obligation to the observance of the one and the other did arise; and, secondly, Their whole nature, use, and efficacy. The first he enters upon in these words, and premising that wherein they did agree, distinctly lays down the severals wherein the difference between them doth consist; both which were necessary to complete the comparison intended. That wherein they agree is the principal efficient cause of their revelation, or the prime author from whom they were. This is God. He was the author of the law and gospel. He spake of old "in the prophets," he spake in the last days "in the Son." Neither of them was from men; not one from one principle, and the other from another, both have the same divine original. See 2 Tim. iii. 16; 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. Herein they both agree. Their difference in this respect, namely, in their revelation, he refers to four heads, all distinctly expressed, saving that some branches of the antithesis on the part of the gospel are only included in the opposite expressions that relate unto the law. Their difference, first, respects the manner of their revelation, and 66 vidual of his species.”—Ebrard. Χριστός, put for ̔Ο Χριστός τοῦ Θεοῦ) as an appellative converted into a sort of "Tiós may in this use be considered (like proper name."-See Middleton on the Greek article, note Matt. i. 1, and iv. 3; Bloomfield. Κληρονόμος. the demise of the possessor. Like the Hebrew, of which inherit is only a "The Son inherited the world neither by lot nor by secondary sense, it means to take into possession in any manner."-Stuart. prophets were heralds of the promised future inheritance; Christ is the heir himself. The principal idea is, not that of a possession which any one receives "The through the death of another, but a possession which he on his part can transfer as an inheritance to his posterity; consequently a permanent possession, over which he has full authority."-Ebrard. what precedes; the same being who, according to his divine-human nature, shall "Kal connects a new thought with possess all things in the world, is also, according to his divine nature, the author of all things."Tholuck. decisively shown by the parallel passage, Heb. xi. 3, and likewise by that in the "Aió must necessarily signify the world. This is Epistle to the Colossians, i. 15-17, and Péρwy тà Távra in verse 3."Tholuck. TRANSLATIONS.-Π. καὶ πο many portions, and in many ways."—Craik. "Often, and in various ways."—Stuart. Τοὶς πατ. "To our fathers."-De Wette. "Since primeval times."-Tholuck. Πάλι Επ' έσχ. κ. τ. λ. Κλ. Αιών. " In "In the end of these days."-Conybeare and Howson. son.-ED. "The universe."-Conybeare and How that in two particulars:-1. The revelation of the will of God under the law was given out by "divers parts;" that under the gospel at once, or in one dispensation of grace and truth. 2. That "in divers manners;" this one way only, by the Spirit dwelling in the Lord Christ in his fulness, and by him communicated unto his apostles. Secondly, The times and seasons of their revelation. That of the law was made "of old," "formerly," "in times past; " this of the gospel "in these last days." Thirdly, The persons to whom the revelation of them was made. That was to the "fathers," this to "us." Fourthly, and principally, The persons by whom these revelations were made. That was by "the prophets;" this by "the Son." God spake then in the prophets; now he hath spoken in the Son. The whole stress of the apostle's argument lying on this last instance, omitting the prosecution of all the other particulars, he enters upon the further description of this immediate revealer of the gospel in whom God spake, the Son, and lays down in general, 1. The authority committed unto him,-God made him "heir of all;" 2. The ground and equity of committing that great power and trust unto him, in these words, "By whom also he made the worlds:" whereby he opens his way to the further declaration of his divine and incomparable excellencies, wherein he is exalted far above all or any that were employed in the revelation or administration of the law of Moses, and the holy worship instituted thereby. All these particulars must be opened severally, that we may see the intendment of the apostle, and the force of his argument in the whole; and some of them must necessarily be somewhat largely insisted on, because of their influence into the ensuing discourse. That wherein the law and gospel do both agree is, that God was the author of them both. About this there was Ο Θεός. no difference as to the most of them with whom the apostle treated. This he takes for granted. For the professing Jews did not adhere to Mosaical institutions because God was their author, not so of the gospel; but because they were given from God by Moses in such a manner as never to be changed or abrogated. This the apostle lays down as an acknowledged principle with the most, that both law and gospel received their original from God himself; proving also, as we shall see in the progress of our discourse, to the conviction of others, that such a revelation as that of the gospel was foretold and expected, and that this was it in particular which was preached unto them. Now, God being here spoken of in distinction from the Son expressly, and from the Holy Ghost by evident implication, it being he by whom he spake in the prophets, that name is not taken overwows, substantially, to denote primarily the essence or being of |