ἘΠῚ ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΛΕΓΟΜΈΝΟΙΣ. This is the undoubted reading for which ἐν (A) is a (correct) explanatory gloss. 1. ΚΕΦΆΛΑΙΟΝ ΔῈ Κ.Τ.Λ. Rather than A.V., “_the chief point in what we are saying is this_.” The word κεφάλαιον may mean, in its classical sense, “chief point,” and that must be the meaning here, b... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING COMPARED THE TWO PRIESTHOODS, AND SHEWN THE INFERIORITY OF THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD TO THAT OF CHRIST AS “A HIGH PRIEST FOR EVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEK,” THE WRITER NOW PROCEEDS TO CONTRAST THE TWO COVENANTS. AFTER FIXING THE ATTENTION OF HIS READERS ON CHRIST AS THE HIGH PRIEST OF THE... [ Continue Reading ]
CH. 8. Having compared the two Priesthoods, and shewn the inferiority of the Aaronic priesthood to that of Christ as “a High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek,” the writer now proceeds to contrast the two Covenants. After fixing the attention of his readers on Christ as the High Priest... [ Continue Reading ]
ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΌΣ. From this word (derived from λεώς, “people,” and ἔργον, “work”) comes our “liturgy.” ΤΩ͂Ν�, “_of the sanctuary_.” This (and not “of holy things,” or “of the saints”) is the only tenable rendering of the word in this Epistle. ΚΑΊ. The “and” does not introduce something new; it merely fu... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘΊΣΤΑΤΑΙ. “_Is appointed_.” ΔΩ͂ΡΆ ΤΕ ΚΑῚ ΘΥΣΊΑΣ. See note on Hebrews 5:1. ΚΑῚ ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟΝ. “_That He too_.” It would be better as in the R.V. to avoid introducing the word “man” which is not in the original, and to say “that this High Priest.” Ὃ ΠΡΟΣΕΝΈΓΚΗΙ. In Attic prose relatives with the conj. m... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸ ΜῈΝ ΟΥ̓͂Ν ἮΝ. “_Now if He were still on earth_.” ἘΠῚ ΓΗ͂Σ. His sanctuary _must_ be a heavenly one, for in the earthly one He had no standpoint. ΟΥ̓Δʼ ἊΝ ἮΝ ἹΕΡΕΎΣ. He would not even be so much as a _Priest_ at all; still less a High Priest; for He was of the Tribe of Judah (Hebrews 7:14), and t... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟἽΤΙΝΕΣ Κ.Τ.Λ. Namely, the priests—who are ministering in that which is nothing but a copy and shadow (Hebrews 10:1; Colossians 2:17) of the heavenly things. The verb λατρεύειν usually takes a dative of the _person to whom_ the ministry is paid. Here and in Hebrews 13:10 the dative is used of _the t... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΈΤΥΧΕΝ אADKL. The rec. has τέτευχε with B. Some MSS. have the correct Attic τετύχηκε. 6. ΝΥΝῚ ΔΈ, i.e. _but as it is_. ΤΈΤΥΧΕΝ. This form is often found in ancient grammarians. See Veitch, _Greek Verbs_, p. 578. ΔΙΑΦΟΡΩΤΈΡΑΣ Κ.Τ.Λ. “_A ministry more excellent in proportion as He is also_.” This p... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸ ΓᾺΡ … ἌΜΕΜΠΤΟΣ. Whereas it was as he has said ἀσθενής and ἀνωφελής and σαρκίνη (Hebrews 7:16; Hebrews 7:18). The difference between the writer’s treatment of the relation between Christianity and Judaism and St Paul’s mode of dealing with the same subject consists in this:—to St Paul the contrast... [ Continue Reading ]
THREEFOLD SUPERIORITY OF THE NEW TO THE OLD COVENANT, AS PROPHESIED BY JEREMIAH; BEING A PROOF THAT THE “PROMISES” OF THE NEW COVENANT ARE “BETTER.”... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤΟῪΣ אADK. αὐτοῖς BEL followed by the rec. and most editors, but not Westc. Hort. The αὐτοὺς must be construed with μεμφ. but αὐτοῖς with λέγει. 8. ΜΕΜΦΌΜΕΝΟΣ ΓᾺΡ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΙ͂Σ. The “_for_” introduces his proof that “place for a better covenant was being sought for.” The persons blamed are not expres... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΙΛΑΒΟΜΈΝΟΥ. See note on Hebrews 2:16. The construction is harsh but is taken from the LXX. of Jeremiah 31:32, and represents the infinitive. Winer, p. 714. ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΝΈΜΕΙΝΑΝ. The disobedience of the Israelites was a cause of nullifying the covenant which they had transgressed (Judges 2:20-21; 2 King... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠῚ ΚΑΡΔΊΑΣ. The gift of an _inner_ law, not written on granite slabs, but on the fleshen tablets of the heart, is the first promise of the New Covenant. It involves the difference between the Voice of the Spirit of God in the Conscience and a rigid external law: the difference, that is, between spi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓ ΜῊ ΔΙΔΆΞΩΣΙΝ. Dawes’s canon that only the second aor. subj. act. and mid. is used after οὐ μὴ is at any rate inapplicable to the N.T. (see Revelation 18:14), nor does Hermann’s canon on the difference of meaning between οὐ μὴ with the fut. and with the aor. subj. remain valid in Hellenistic Gree... [ Continue Reading ]
ἽΛΕΩΣ ἜΣΟΜΑΙ. Comp. Romans 11:27. The _third_ promise of the New Covenant is the forgiveness of sins, with a fulness and reality which could not be achieved by the sacrifices of the Old Covenant (see Hebrews 2:15; Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:1-2; Hebrews 10:4; Hebrews 10:22). Under the Old... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΕΠΑΛΑΊΩΚΕΝ. “_He hath rendered obsolete_.” The very expression, “a New Covenant,” used in the disparaging connexion in which it stands, superannuates the former covenant, and stamps it as _antiquated_. The verse is a specimen of the deep sense which it was the constant object of the Alexandrian int... [ Continue Reading ]