1._Wherefore, seeing we also, etc. _This conclusion is, as it were, an epilogue to the former chapter, by which he shows the end for which he gave a catalogue of the saints who excelled in faith under the Law, even that every one should be prepared to imitate them; and he calls a large multitude met... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Who for the joy that was set before him, etc. _Though the expression in Latin is somewhat ambiguous, yet according to the words in Greek the Apostle’s meaning is quite clear; for he intimates, that though it was free to Christ to exempt himself from all trouble and to lead a happy life, abounding... [ Continue Reading ]
3._For consider him, etc. _He enforces his exhortation by comparing Christ with us; for if the Son of God, whom it behaves all to adore, willingly underwent such severe conflicts, who of us should dare to refuse to submit with him to the same? For this one thought alone ought to be sufficient to con... [ Continue Reading ]
4._Ye have not yet, resisted unto blood, etc. _He proceeds farther, for he reminds us, that even when the ungodly persecute us for Christ’s sake, we are then contending against sin. Into this contest Christ could not enter, for he was pure and free from all sin; in this respect, however, we are unli... [ Continue Reading ]
5._And ye have forgotten, etc. _I read the words as a question; for he asks, whether they had forgotten, intimating that it was not yet time to forget. But he enters here on the doctrine, that it is useful and needful for us to be disciplined by the cross; and he refers to the testimony of Solomon,... [ Continue Reading ]
6._For whom the Lord loveth, etc. _This seems not to be a wellfounded reason; for God visits the elect as well as the reprobate indiscriminately, and his scourges manifest his wrath oftener than his love; and so the Scripture speaks, and experience confirms. But yet it is no wonder that when the go... [ Continue Reading ]
7._For what son is he, etc. _He reasons from the common practice of men, that it is by no means right or meet that God’s children should be exempt from the discipline of the cross; for if no one is to be found among us, at least no prudent man and of a sound judgment, who does not correct his childr... [ Continue Reading ]
9._Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, etc. _This comparison has several parts: the first is, that if we showed so much reverence to the fathers from whom we have descended according to the flesh, as to submit to their discipline, much more honor is due to God who is our spiritual Father;... [ Continue Reading ]
10._For they verily for a few days, etc. _The second amplification of the subject, as I have said, is that God’s chastisements are appointed to subdue and mortify our flesh, so that we may be renewed for a celestial life. It hence appears that the fruit or benefit is to be perpetual; but such a bene... [ Continue Reading ]
11._Now no chastening, etc. _This he adds, lest we should measure God’s chastisements by our present feelings; for he shows that we are like children who dread the rod and shun it as much as they can, for owing to their age they cannot yet judge how useful it may be to them. The object, then, of thi... [ Continue Reading ]
12._Wherefore, lift up, etc. _After having taught us that God regards our salvation when he chastises us, he then exhorts us to exert ourselves vigorously; for nothing will more weaken us and more fully discourage us than through the influence of a false notion to have no taste of God’s grace in adv... [ Continue Reading ]
13._And make straight paths, etc. _He has been hitherto teaching us to lean on God’s consolations, so that we may be bold and strenuous in doing what is right, as his help is our only support; he now adds to this another thing, even that we ought to walk prudently and to keep to a straight course; f... [ Continue Reading ]
14._Follow peace, etc. _Men are so born that they all seem to shun peace; for all study their own interest, seek their own ways, and care not to accommodate themselves to the ways of others. Unless then we strenuously labor to follow peace, we shall never retain it; for many things will happen daily... [ Continue Reading ]
15._Looking diligently, _or, _taking care, _or, _attentively providing, etc. _(256) By these words he intimates that it is easy to fall away from the grace of God; for it is not without reason that attention is required, because as soon as Satan sees us secure or remiss, he instantly circumvents us.... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Lest there be any fornicator or profane person, etc. _As he had before exhorted them to holiness, so now, that he might reclaim them from defilements opposed to it, he mentions a particular kind of defilement, and says, “Lest there be any fornicator.” But he immediately comes to what is general,... [ Continue Reading ]
17._When he would have inherited the blessing, etc. _He at first regarded as a sport the act by which he had sold his birthright, as though it was a child’s play; but at length, when too late, he found what a loss he had incurred, when the blessing transferred by his father to Jacob was refused to h... [ Continue Reading ]
18._For ye are not come, etc. _He fights now with a new argument, for he proclaims the greatness of the grace made known by the Gospel, that we may reverently receive it; and secondly, he commends to us its benign characters that he might allure us to love and desire it. He adds weight to these two... [ Continue Reading ]
19._They that heard entreated, etc. _This is the second clause, in which he shows that the Law was very different from the Gospel; for when it was promulgated there was nothing but terrors on every side. For everything we read of in the nineteenth chapter of Exodus 19:1 was of this kind, and intende... [ Continue Reading ]
22._Unto mount Sion, etc. _He alludes to those prophecies in which God had formerly promised that his Gospel should thence go forth, as in Isaiah 2:1, and in other places. Then he contrasts mount Sion with mount Sinai; and he further adds, _the heavenly Jerusalem, _and he expressly calls it heavenly... [ Continue Reading ]
23._The firstborn, etc. _He does not call the children of God indiscriminately the firstborn, for the Scripture calls many his children who are not of this number; but for the sake of honor he adorns with this distinction the patriarchs and other renowned saints of the ancient Church. He adds, which... [ Continue Reading ]
24._And to Jesus the Mediator, etc. _He adds this in the last place, because it is he alone through whom the Father is reconciled to us, and who renders his face serene and lovely to us, so that we may come to him without fear. At the same time he shows how Christ becomes our Mediator, even through... [ Continue Reading ]
25._See that ye refuse not him that speaketh, etc. _He uses the same verb as before, when he said that the people entreated that God should not speak to them; but he means as I think, another thing, even that we ought not to reject the word destined for us. He further shows what he had in view in th... [ Continue Reading ]
26._Whose voice then shook the earth, etc. _Though God shook the earth when he published his Law, yet he shows that he now speaks more gloriously, for he shakes both earth and heaven. He quotes on the subject the testimony of the Prophet Haggai, though he gives not the words literally; but as the Pr... [ Continue Reading ]
27._And this word, yet once more, etc. _The words of the Prophet are these, “Yet a little while;” and he means that the calamity of the people would not be perpetual, but that the Lord would succor them. But the Apostle lays no stress on this expression; he only infers from the shaking of the heaven... [ Continue Reading ]
29._For our God, etc. _As he had before kindly set before us the grace of God, so he now makes known his severity; and he seems to have borrowed this sentence from the Deuteronomy 4:24 of Deuteronomy. Thus we see that God omits nothing by which he may draw us to himself; he begins indeed with love a... [ Continue Reading ]