Hebrews 13:8

Vulg., “Jesus Christus heri et hodie, ipse et in seculum;” “Jesus Christ, yesterday and to-day,” (where it placeth the comma,)” and he [is] the same for ever.” So Beza; “Jesus Christ yesterday, and to-day, and he is the same for ever.” Others, better, “Jesus Christus heri et hodie, idem etiam est in secula.” So the Syriac, וְהוּיוּ וַלְעָלַם, “is the same, and for ever.” [3]

[3] EXPOSITION. This is a distinct sentence, in which the substantive verb is understood. It is often read as if in grammatical construction with the preceding verse, and Jesus Christ were “the end” there mentioned. But the different cases of the two words in the Greek show that this is a mistake. Turner. Ebrard understands it as a motive to enforce the exhortation in verse 7, enjoinining the imitation of deceased rulers in the church, and adopts the interpretation of Calvin, “The same Christ, trusting in whom those died, still lives to-day, and is also our consolation.” ED.

Hebrews 13:8. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. Two things are to be considered in these words: first, the occasion of them; and then their sense and meaning. And as unto the occasion of their use in this place, some think that they refer to what went before, in confirmation of it; some unto what follows after, as a direction in it; and some observe their usefulness unto both these ends. But this will be the more clearly discovered when the sense of them is agreed upon. For to me they appear as a glorious light which the apostle sets up to guide our minds in the consideration of his whole discourse, that we may see whence it all proceeds, and whereunto it tends. He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginner and finisher of our faith, as we shall see.

There are various interpretations of the words; of these especially, “yesterday” and “to-day. By “to-day,” all understand the present time, or the time during the dispensation of the gospel. By “yesterday,” Enjedinus says that a short time before is intended; that which was of late, namely, since the birth of Christ, at most; which was not long before. He is followed by Schlichtingius and all the Socinians. Than this there cannot be a more absurd sense given of the words For when we say of any one that he is of yesterday, χθὲς καὶ πρώην, it is spoken of him in contempt. “We are of yesterday, and know nothing,” Job 8:9. But the design of the apostle is to utter that which tends to the honor of Christ, and not unto his diminution. And the Scripture expressions of him unto this purpose are constantly of another nature. “He was in the beginning, he was with God, and he was God;” “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way;” “Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” The same Holy Spirit doth not say of him he is of yesterday, a new god, whom their fathers knew not. Nor is such an intimation of any use unto the purpose of the apostle. Grotius, and he that follows him, would have “yesterday” to denote the time wherein the rulers before mentioned did live, as “today” is the present time of these Hebrews. But this sense also is jejune, and nothing to the mind of the apostle, invented only for an evasion from the testimony supposed to be here given unto the eternity of the person of Christ; which I wonder the other did not observe, who follows not Grotius in such things.

“Yesterday,” say some, is used here not only for all time that is past, but unto the spring of it in eternity; as “to-day” signifies the whole course of time to the end of the world; and “for ever,” that everlasting state that doth ensue. Neither is this unconsonant unto what the Scripture affirms of Christ in other places. See the exposition on Hebrews 1:10-12.

By “yesterday,” some understand the time of the old testament, that dispensation of God and his grace that was now ceased, and become like the day that is past. And a day it was, Hebrews 3; and it was now as yesterday. And so “to-day” denotes the times of the gospel. Neither is there any thing in this interpretation that is uncompliant with the analogy of faith.

But clearly to comprehend the mind of the Holy Ghost herein, sundry things are to be observed; as,

1. That it is the person of Jesus Christ that is spoken of. Nor is this whole name, Jesus Christ, ever used unto any other purpose but to signify his person. It is false, therefore, that it is here taken metonymically for his doctrine, or the gospel; nor is such a sense any way to the purpose of the apostle.

2. Where the person of Christ is intended, there his divine nature is always included; for Christ is God and man in one person.

3. The apostle speaks not of the person of Christ absolutely, but with respect unto his office, and his discharge of it; or he declares who and what he was therein.

4. It is from his divine person, that, in the discharge of his office, he was ὁ αὐτὸς, “the same.” So it is said of him, Σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς ει῏ Hebrews 1:12, “But thou art the same;” that is, eternal, immutable, indeficient. See the exposition of that place.

5. Being so in himself, he is so in his office from first to last; so that, although divers alterations were made in the institutions of divine worship, and there were many degrees and parts of divine revelation, yet in and through them all Jesus Christ was still the same. Wherefore,

6. There is no need to affix a determinate, distinct sense, as unto the notation of time, unto each word, as “yesterday,” “to-day,” and “for ever;” the apostle designing, by a kind of proverbial speech, wherein respect is had unto all seasons, to denote the eternity and immutability of Christ in them all. To the same purpose he is said to be ὁ ὧν, καὶ ὁ η῏ν, καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, Revelation 1:4; “he who is, and who was, and who is to come.”

7. This, then, is the sense of these words: Jesus Christ, in every state of the church, in every condition of believers, is the same unto them, being always the same in his divine person; and will be so unto the consummation of all things. He is, he ever was, all and in all unto the church. He is “the same,” the author, object, and finisher of faith; the preserver and rewarder of them that believe, and that equally in all generations.

Our last inquiry is concerning the connection of these words with the other parts of the apostle's discourse, and what is the use of the interposition of this assertion in this place. And it is agreed that it may have respect either unto what goes before, or what follows after, or unto both. And this we may comply with; though, as I observed before, there is a great appearance that it stands absolutely by itself, as directing believers, on all occasions of duty such as he insists on, whither they should retreat and repair in their minds for direction, relief, and supportment; namely, unto Jesus Christ, who is always the same for these ends. Whatever difficulties they may meet withal in the duties of their evangelical profession, let them but remember who it is that is concerned in them and with them, and it will give them both strength and encouragement.

But the words have a seasonable respect unto what goeth before, and what follows after them. In the preceding verse (for we have no reason to look higher in this series of duties, independent one on another) the Hebrews are enjoined to persevere in the faith of their first apostolical teachers, and to have the same faith in themselves as they had. Now, whereas they had by their faith a blessed and victorious end of their whole conversation, they might consider, that Jesus Christ, who is always the same in himself, would likewise be the same to them, to give them the like blessed end of their faith and obedience. As he was when they believed in him, so he is now unto them; because he is in himself always the same, and forever. No greater encouragement could be given them unto diligence in this duty:

‘You shall find Christ unto you what he was unto them.'As unto that part of his discourse which follows, it is a dehortation from strange doctrines and the observation of Judaical ceremonies. And unto both parts of it this declaration of the nature and office of Christ is subservient. For here a rule is fixed as unto trial of all doctrines, namely, the acknowledgment of Christ in his person and office; which in the like case is given us by the apostle 1 John 4:2-3. Let this foundation be laid, Whatever complies with the revelation hereof is true and genuine; what doth not, is various and strange. And as unto the other part of the dehortation, ‘To what end,'saith the apostle, ‘should men trouble themselves with the distinction of meats, and the like Mosaical observances, whereas in the time wherein they were enjoined they were in themselves of no advantage, though for a season they had their especial ends? for it was Christ alone that even then was all unto the church, as unto its acceptance with God.'

And so I hope we have restored these words unto their sense and use. And we may observe, that,

Obs. 1. The due consideration of Jesus Christ, especially in his eternity, immutability, and indeficiency in his power, as he is always the same, is the great encouragement of believers in their whole profession of the faith, and all the difficulties they may meet withal upon the account thereof.

Obs. 2. As no changes formerly made in the institutions of divine worship altered any thing in the faith of the church with respect unto Christ, for he was, and is still the same; so no necessitudes we may meet withal in our profession, by oppression or persecution, ought in the least to shake us, for Christ is still the same, to protect, relieve, and deliver us.

Obs. 3. He that can in the way of his duty on all occasions retreat unto Jesus Christ, and the due consideration of his person in the discharge of his office, will not fail of relief, supportment, and consolation.

Obs. 4. A steadfast cleaving unto the truth concerning the person and office of Christ, will preserve us from hearkening to various and strange doctrines perverting our souls. And,

Obs. 5. Jesus Christ from the beginning of the world was the object of the faith of the church; that is, from the giving of the first promise. And,

Obs. 6. It is the immutability and eternity of Jesus Christ in his divine person that renders him a meet object of the faith of the church in the discharge of his office.

All which truths are contained in this assertion of the apostle, with the occasion and use of it in this place.