TITLE. ΠΡῸΣ ἙΒΡΑΊΟΥΣ. This is the simple title of the Epistle in אABC (in subscr.) K. In L we have του αγιου και πανευφημου αποστ. παυλ. επιστ. προς εβρ. In M εγραφη απο ιταλιας δια τιμοθεου η προς εβρ. επιστ. εκτεθεισα ως εν πινακι. It need hardly be said that these titles have no particle of autho... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΟΛΥΜΕΡΩ͂Σ ΚΑῚ ΠΟΛΥΤΡΌΠΩΣ ΠΆΛΑΙ Ὁ ΘΕῸΣ … ΛΑΛΉΣΑΣ. This Epistle is unique in beginning without the author’s name (St John’s first Epistle is hardly an exception, for it was probably sent to the Churches as a treatise in elucidation of the Gospel). It is hardly possible in a translation to preserve th... [ Continue Reading ]
THESIS OF THE EPISTLE... [ Continue Reading ]
CH. 1. FINALITY AND TRANSCENDENCE OF GOD’S FINAL REVELATION IN CHRIST (1–4). ILLUSTRATIONS OF CHRIST’S PREEMINENCE ABOVE ANGELS (5–14). CH. 6. AN EXHORTATION TO ADVANCE BEYOND ELEMENTARY CATECHETICAL INSTRUCTIONS (1–3). A SOLEMN WARNING AGAINST THE PERIL OF APOSTASY (4–8). A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT A... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠʼ ἘΣΧΆΤΟΥ. So אABDEKLM. The rec. ἐσχάτων rose from the following τῶν. 2. ἘΠʼ ἘΣΧΆΤΟΥ ΤΩ͂Ν ἩΜΕΡΩ͂Ν ΤΟΎΤΩΝ, “_at the end of these days_.” This is the better reading of אABDE, &c. for the ἐπʼ ἐσχάτων of the _Textus receptus_. The phrase represents the technical Hebrew expression _be-acharîth ha-yâmîm... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘΑΡΙΣΜΌΝ. The preceding διʼ ἑαυτοῦ (EKLM) of the rec. is not found in אAB Vulg. Arm. It may have risen from the preceding αὐτοῦ, but would not have been added by so “faultlessly rhetorical” a writer, and is involved in the middle ποιησάμενος. ΤΩ͂Ν ἉΜΑΡΤΙΩ͂Ν. The ἡμῶν in the rec. is a needless dog... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΟΣΟΎΤΩΙ. The familiar classical ὅσῳ … τοσούτῳ (involving the comparison and contrast which runs throughout this Epistle, Hebrews 3:3; Hebrews 7:20; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:27; Hebrews 10:25) is not found once in St Paul. ΚΡΕΊΤΤΩΝ. This word, common as it is, is only thrice used by St Paul (and then... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΆΡ. The following paragraphs prove “the more excellent name.” By His work on earth the God-man Christ Jesus obtained that superiority of place in the order and hierarchy of salvation which made Him better than the Angels, not only in intrinsic dignity but in relation to the redemption of man. In ot... [ Continue Reading ]
ILLUSTRATIONS FROM SCRIPTURE OF THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST TO ANGELS... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΤΑΝ ΔῈ ΠΆΛΙΝ ΕἸΣΑΓΆΓΗΙ. The older and literal rendering is as in the margin of the R. V., “_and when he, again, shall have brought in …_” The A.V. takes the word “again” (πάλιν) as merely introducing a new quotation, as in Hebrews 1:5, and in Hebrews 2:13; Hebrews 4:5, &c. The word “again,” says Bp... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΠΡῸΣ ΜῈΝ ΤΟῪΣ�, “_and with reference to the Angels, He saith_.” The λέγειν πρὸς here resembles the Latin _dicere in aliquem_, Winer, p. 505. He has shewn that the title of “Son” is too special and too super-eminent to be ever addressed to Angels; he proceeds to shew that the Angels are but subor... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡῸΣ ΔῈ ΤῸΝ ΥἹΌΝ, “_but with reference to the Son_.” The Psalm (45) from which the quotation is taken, is called in the LXX. “A song for the beloved,” and has been Messianically interpreted by Jewish as well as Christian expositors. Hence it is chosen as one of the special Psalms for Christmas Day.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΝΟΜΊΑΝ. Rec. ἀδικίαν (אA), only a more obvious antithesis to δικαιοσύνην, and therefore unlikely to be altered by a copyist into ἀνομίαν. 9. ἩΓΆΠΗΣΑΣ, “_Thou lovedst_”—idealising the whole reign to one point. Comp. Isaiah 32:1, “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness”; and Jeremiah 23:5, “I w... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΊ, ΣῪ ΚΑΤʼ ἈΡΧᾺΣ ΚΎΡΙΕ. The quotation is from Psalms 102:25-27. The word “Lord” is not in the original, but it is in the LXX.; and the Hebrew Christians who already believed that it was by Christ that “God made the world” (see note on Hebrews 1:2) would not dispute the Messianic application of the... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤΟῚ�. Isaiah 34:4, &c.; 2 Peter 3:12; Revelation 21:1. ΔΙΑΜΈΝΕΙΣ, “_abidest through all times_.” This, and not the future διαμενεῖς, is the right reading, for it is parallel to σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ. Διαμένειν means to abide _through_ all changes. ὩΣΕῚ ΠΕΡΙΒΌΛΑΙΟΝ. ὡς ἱμάτιον is a common Scripture m... [ Continue Reading ]
ὩΣΕῚ ΠΕΡΙΒΌΛΑΙΟΝ. The ὡς ἱμάτιον of אObadiah 1:1 E and several versions is probably a gloss on the rarer word. ἙΛΊΞΕΙΣ, rec. ἀλλάξεις, which is less well supported. The title followed in the Authorised Version Παύλου τοῦ Ἀποστόλου ἡ πρὸς Ἑβραίους ἐπιστολὴ is wholly without authority. The original... [ Continue Reading ]
ὙΠΟΠΌΔΙΟΝ. This same passage from Psalms 110:1 had been quoted by our Lord, in its Messianic sense, to the Scribes and Pharisees, without any attempt on their part to challenge His application of it (Matthew 22:41-44). It is also referred to by St Peter in Acts 2:34 and by St Paul (1 Corinthians 15:... [ Continue Reading ]
ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΚᾺ ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΑ ΕἸΣ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΊΑΝ, “_ministering spirits … for service_.” Here as elsewhere the A.V. obliterates distinctions, which it so often arbitrarily creates out of mere love for variety in other places. The word λειτουργικὰ implies sacred (“liturgic”) service (Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:21); th... [ Continue Reading ]