An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Vol. VI

_ THERE are two general parts of this chapter: 1. A further explication of the excellency of the priesthood of Christ, or of Christ himself as vested with that office,—that is, both in his personal glory and in the usefulness of his office unto the church,—above those of the order of Aaron. 2. A further confirmation hereof; wherein is introduced the consideration of the two covenants, the old and the new. For unto the former was the whole administration of the Levitical priests confined; of the latter, Christ, as our high priest, was the

thediator and surety. And therefore the apostle fully proves the

excellency of this new covenant above the old; which redounds unto

_ the glory of its mediator.

The first part is contained in the first five verses; the latter extends from thence to the end of the chapter.

In the first part two things are designed: 1. A recapitulation of some things before delivered. 2. The addition of some further arguments in the ‘confirmation of the same truth, so long before insisted on. Both of them he compriseth in three instances of the

_ excellency of Christ in his priesthood, or in the discharge of his office: ‘1. In his exaltation and the place of his present residence, verse 1. 2. In the sanctuary whereof he is a minister, and the tabernacle

fe wherein at present he doth administer, verse 2. 3. In the sacrifice

he had to offer, or which he offered before his entrance into that

sanctuary, verse 3; which he illustrates by two especial consideraVERSE 1.

Kepcirouov 2 de) rors Aeyowevors, rordrov exowev cprysepec, ag éxcebrocy

éy deEiG Tov Ipsvou ris mevyarucvyns ey rors ovpavors.

KeQerasov. Syr., 827, “caput.” Vulg., “ capitulum,” “summa.” Beza, “cxterum eorum quz diximus hec summa est,” “moreover this is the sum of

what we speak;” “ summatim autem <dicendo,” “to speak briefly.” “Ex? trois Acyouwevots. Syr., pres, “ of all these things;” the ‘head, chief, or principal of all these things. ‘Vulg., “super ea que dicuntur.” “‘Rhem., “ the sum concerning these things which he said.”

Toodrov Zyouev. Syr., “We have an high priest, him who sitteth;” omitting this word, or indluding it in'82°8, “is,” “ ille.”

Tis weyarwotyns. Vulg., “ magnitudinis;” which the Rhemists render by * majesty ;” and they retain “sedis” :for Spévov. Beza, “ majestatis illius;” or, 6 throni virtutis magnificandi.”?

Ver. 1.—Now of the things that are spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand.of the throne-of the Majesty in the heavens.

‘This first verse contains two things: 1. A preface unto that part of the ensuing discourse which immediately concerns the priesthood of Christ, unto the end of verse 5. 2. A declaration of the

first pre-eminence of our high priest; which the apostle would have

First, The preface is in these words, Kepaéausoy de ex) roils Aeyowsvorg.: Which may be considered either.as unto its design in general, or ag unto the sense-of the words:—

1. The.design -of the apostle in this interlocution (which is not unusual with him), is to stir up the Hebrews unto a diligent consideration of what he insisted on, and to leave an impression of it on their minds. And this he doth for two reasons:—

(1.) Lest the length and difficulty of his preceding discourse should have any way discomposed their minds, or wearied them in their attention,.so as that they-eould not well retain the substance of what he pleaded. In such .cases it was always usual with them who pleaded.important.causes before the wisest judges, to recapitulate what had been spoken at length before, and to show what hath been evinced by the arguments they had used in their plea. To this purpose speaks Quintilian, lib. vi. cap. i. “ Perorationis duplex ratio est posita, aut in rebus, aut in affectibus. Rerum repetitio et congregatio, que Greece dicitur dvaxepauraiwas, a quibusdam Latinorum enumeratio, et memoriam judicis reficit, et totam simul causam ante oculos ponit; et etiam si per singula minus moverat, turba valet. In hac, que repetemus quam brevissime dicenda sunt, et (quod Greco verbo patet) decurrendum per capita.” How this 7 TRANSLATIONS. — Ez! rois acy. Literally, “ of the things which are being spoken.”—Conybeare and Howson. “ Of which we are speaking.!’—OCraik. “Tn the course of being spoken.”—Turner. ‘To what'has been hitherto said.” —Lbrard. Kepér. “The prominent point.”——Turner. “The crowning point.” —Craik. *Sum?’ will do here,.if understood not of a recapitulation, but as a product resulting from all that goes before.” —Ebrard. “The most important thing in regard to what we.are.now treating of.”—,Stwart.—Ep.

VER. 1.] EPISTLE TO:THE HEBREWS. 5

whole ‘course is steered by the apostle in this place’is easy for any one to observe.

(2.) Because of the wmportance of the matter in hand. He is. treating of the very head of all the differences between. the law and. the gospel, between those who adhered unto Mosaical institutions and those who embraced the faith. Hence he calleth them unto a renewed attention unto what he delivered. For herein he set life and death before them, and was zealous for them, and earnest with them, that they would choose life, and not die in their unbelief.

2. The sense of the words is to be considered. KegdAasv is “ capitulum,” “caput;” properly the “ head” of any living creature. But the most frequent use of it is ina sense metaphorical, as it is here used by the apostle. And so:it hath a double sense and use, whereunto: it is principally applied (for it hath also other significations). For, (1.) It is taken for that which is chief and principal in any matter, business, or cause. Kepdédasoy SAou00 xpaymwaros, Isoc.;—“ The head of the whole business.” Kepdérason 67 rasdelac, REyouev ry dpdqjv rpooqv, Plato, de Legib., lib. i.;—%“ The principal thing in education or instruction.” And so is “caput” used among the Latins: “Caput est in omni procuratione: negoti et muneris publici, ut avaritize pellatur etiam minima suspicio ;”— “This is the chief or principal thing in the management of all publie affairs, that all suspicion of covetousness be far away.” (2.) It is taken for the sum and: substance of what hath been spoken or declared, reduced into a short scheme: ‘Og 62 év xeQaratw eireiv,— “‘ Ut summatim dicam,” Demosthenes. And so some render these words “‘summatim dicendo.” And Isocrates hath an expression: directly answering that of the apostle in this place, Nicoc.: KegdAasoy ds ro sipnuévav,— “The sum of what hath been spoken.” So wx, “caput,” the “head,” is used in the Hebrew: “32 UNT7NN NPN 13. DiI, Exod, xxx. 12 ;—“ When thou takest the head” (the « sum” of es children of Israel. ” §$o also Num. iv. 2. And in this sense is dvaxepurorovua: used by our apostle, as some think, Eph. i. 10; but it may have another sense in that place.