Hebrews 6:13

For when God The "for" implies "and you may feel absolute confidence about the promises; for," &c.

made promise to Abraham Abraham is here only selected as "the father of the faithful" (Romans 4:13); and not as the soleexample of persevering constancy, but as an example specially illustrious (Calvin).

because he could swear by no greater In the Jewish treatise Berachoth (f. 32.1) Moses is introduced as saying to God, "Hadst thou sworn by Heaven and Earth, I should have said Theywill perish, and therefore so may Thy oath; but as Thou hast sworn by Thy great name, that oath shall endure for ever."

he sware by himself "By myself have I sworn" (Genesis 22:16). "God sweareth not by another," says Philo, in a passage of which this may be a reminiscence "for nothing is superior to Himself but by Himself, Who is best of all" (De Leg, Alleg.iii. 72). There are other passages in Philo which recall the reasoning of this clause (Opp. i. 622, ii. 39).