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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Hebrews 6:16

Verse 16. Men verily swear by the greater] One who has greater authority; who can take cognizance of the obligation, and punish the breach of it.

An oath for confirmation] "This observation teaches us," says Dr. Macknight, "that both promissory oaths concerning things lawful and in our power, and oaths for the confirmation of things doubtful, when required by proper authority, and taken religiously, are allowable under the Gospel."

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See also Hebrews 6:16 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

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  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 6 _ 1. Return to Judaism the crucifixion of the Son of God afresh (Hebrews 6:1)_ 2. Persuaded of better things: Comfort and hope (Hebrews 6:9) Hebrews 6:1 A solemn warning follows, addresse...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    The mention of God's promise suggests the thought that it is absolutely sure, so that we may hold to it without misgiving. When God made His promise to Abraham He sealed it by an oath. Just as in huma...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE NECESSITY OF PROGRESS (Hebrews 6:1-3)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    When God made his promise to Abraham, since he was not able to swear by anyone greater, he swore by himself. "Certainly, he said, "I will bless you and I will multiply you." When Abraham had thus exer...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MEN. Greek. _anthrop_. _s_. App-123. VERILY. Omit. AN. the. CONFIRMATION. Greek. _bebaiosis_. See Philippians 1:1; Philippians 1:7. END. Greek. _peras._ See...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _men verily swear by the greater_ Genesis 21:23; Genesis 24:3; Genesis 26:30-31. The passage is important as shewing the lawfulness of Christian oaths (see our Article xxxix). _strife_ Rather, "for an...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    TO WHICH THEY ARE EXHORTED TO HOLD FAST...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἌΝΘΡΩΠΟΙ ΓΆΡ. Some MSS. read μὲν γάρ. But there is no subsequent δέ, and it is better to omit μέν. Winer, p. 719. ΚΑΤᾺ ΤΟΥ͂ ΜΕΊΖΟΝΟΣ. “_By a greater_.” The article is distributive, as also in ὁ ὅρκος....

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    AN ANCHOR FOR OUR SOUL -- HEBREWS 6:16-20 : God's promise of our heavenly hope provides an anchor for our soul. Two immutable things, God's promise and the oath of God should cause us to possess a str...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΌΜΝΎΟΥΣΙΝ _praes. ind. act. от_ ΌΜΝΎΩ (G3660) клясться. Гномический _praes._ ΆΝΤΙΛΟΓΊΑ (G485) противоречие, спор, несогласие (EGT). ΠΈΡΑΣ (G4009) конец, граница; "(как) в конце всех споров" (BAGD)....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _The example of Abraham. Hebrews 6:13-20_. _TEXT_ Hebrews 6:13-20 Hebrews 6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, since He could swear by none greater, He sware by Himself,...

  • Combined Bible Commentary

    THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL (Hebrews 6:16-20) In our last article we saw that the Holy Spirit through Paul exhorted the people of God to "be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patie...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. FOR CONFIRMATION. Greek order, 'Of all contradiction (among) them an end unto (with a view to) con...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    11 Brotherly kindness manifested in the service of the saints is several times commended in t his epistle (Heb_10:34, Heb_13:1), and will be rewarded in accord with the promise of Mat_10:40-42. 12 "T...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WARNING AND ENCOURAGEMENT 1. Leaving.. let us go on] RV 'let us cease to speak of.. and press on.' The words are either an exhortation to the readers to advance beyond the elementary stage of Christia...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    HOW CAN I GET TO HEAVEN? HEBREWS _IAN MACKERVOY_ CHAPTER 6 JESUS IS SUPERIOR IN PROMISES 6:1-20 GROW AS CHRISTIANS *FAITH 6:1-3 V1-2 So, let us leave behind the elementary teaching about Christ...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND AN OATH FOR CONFIRMATION. — Rather, _and of every dispute in their case the oath is an end_ (is final) _to settle the matter. _...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER VI. THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF FAILURE. "But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak: for God is not unrighteous to forget your wo...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἄνθρωποι γὰρ, κ. τ. λ. “For men swear by the greater.” The procedure of God in confirming His promise by an oath is justified by human custom, and the confident hope which God's oath warrants is justi...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    Reasons for diligently cultivating hope and exercising patience, thus becoming imitators of those who have patiently waited for the fulfilment of the promises, the reasons being that God has made the...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “THE HOPE SET BEFORE US” Hebrews 6:9 The keynote of this passage is _patient continuance_. We should seek not only faith but its accompaniments. It is not enough to manifest faith, hope and love, bu...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This chapter consists of the third appeal and warning. The appeal is that they should leave the first principles and press on to perfection. The things referred to were Jewish, and all have spiritual...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    THE EXAMPLE OF ABRAHAM Abraham had relied on the promise of God who swore by Himself (Genesis 22:15-18). God had promised to greatly bless and multiply Abraham. Lightfoot points out that Abraham was s...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (13) For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, (14) Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. (15) And so,...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The epistle to the Hebrews differs in some important respects from all those which have been before us; so much so that many have questioned whether it be the writing of the apostle Paul, of Apollos,...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    16._For men, etc. _It is an argument from the less to the greater; if credit is given to man, who is by nature false, when he swears, and for this reason, because he confirms what he says by God’s nam...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Now the Spirit will not stop at this point with Christians, but will go on to that full revelation of His glory which belongs to them that are of full age and indeed forms us for that state. We easily...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR MEN VERILY SWEAR BY THE GREATER,.... These words contain a reason why God swore by himself, and why his promises, having an oath annexed to them, ought to be believed. Men when they swear, they sw...

  • John Owen’s Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews(7 vols)

    In the close of the foregoing verse the apostle expresseth the end of all his exhortations, what they tended unto, and what would be the advantage of all that complied with them in faith and obedience...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation _is_ to them an end of all strife. Ver. 16. _Swear by the greater_] So do not they that swear by sundry creatures and qualities, God...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    HEB. 6:16-17. FOR MEN VERILY SWEAR BY THE GREATER: AND AN OATH FOR CONFIRMATION (IS) TO THEM AN END OF ALL STRIFE. WHEREIN GOD, WILLING MORE ABUNDANTLY TO SHEW UNTO THE HEIRS OF PROMISE THE IMMUTABIL...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For men verily swear by the greater_ By persons greater than themselves, whose vengeance they imprecate if they swear falsely; and particularly by Him who is infinitely greater than themselves; _and...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    FOR CONFIRMATION; to confirm treaties and agreements; the oath gives confidence and puts an end to contention....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The certainty of God's promises:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    FOR MEN VERILY SWEAR BY THE GREATER; AND AN OATH FOR CONFIRMATION IS TO THEM AN END OF ALL STRIFE...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Verse 1 of this chapter is not properly translated in the Authorized Version, and it should be evident that we must never leave "the principles of the doctrine of Christ." Divine principles and sound...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

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  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    FOR MEN VERILY SWEAR BY THE GREATER: _for_ here is only narrative, introducing the amplification of the argument drawn from God's promise and oath, for the quickening those and all believers to make o...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Hebrews 6:16 For G1063 men G444 indeed G3303 swear G3660 (G5719) by G2596 greater G3187 and G2532 oath...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Hebrews 6:16. FOR MEN SWEAR (‘verily,' or ‘indeed,' goes out on external authority) BY THE GREATER: by one who is above themselves, and can punish the wrong-doer; AND FOR CONFIRMATION, WHEN ANY STATEM...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

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  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

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  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    IN EVERY DISPUTE (πασης αντιλογιας). Objective genitive of old word several times in Hebrews (Hebrews 6:16; Hebrews 7:7; Hebrews 12:3). Talking back, face to face, in opposition.FINAL (περας). Lim...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Hebrews 6:4 Exhortation. I. The danger of apostasy. The Hebrews had become lukewarm, negligent and inert; the Gospel, once clearly seen and dearly loved by them, had become to them dim and vague; the...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    In the previous chapter, Paul was writing to some who ought to have been teachers, but who needed still to be taught the first principles of the gospel; they were such babes in grace that they needed...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Warning against mixture of law and grace. Danger of tasting the Spirit's work in grace and then going back to ceremonies. CHARACTERS: Christ, God, Holy Spirit, Abraham, Melchisedec. CONCLUS...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Hebrews 6:1. _Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,_ as a builder leaves the foundation to complete the superstructure, _let us go on to perfection,_ which he calls here, _telei...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    WHEN A MAN MAKES A VOW. A _vow_ is a promise made while calling on (invoking) a person, place, or thing as _witness_ (attestant) to the fact that you will fulfill your promise or commitment. This is a...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    HEBREWS—NOTE ON HEBREWS 6:16 Oaths were common legal devices in ancient times (DISPUTES implies a legal context). Oaths usually appealed to some higher authority (SOMETHING GREATER THAN THEMSELVES)....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ Hebrews 6:13.—The connection of thought may be thus given: “Follow the godly, I say. Take one such for an instance. Abraham. See how graciously God met his steadfast go...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION HEBREWS 6:1, HEBREWS 6:2 WHEREFORE (since it is so incumbent on us to advance out of the state of milk-fed infants), LEAVING THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, LET US PRESS ON UNTO...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, [that is the primaries, the word at the beginning of the gospel of Christ] let us go on to maturity; not laying again the foundation of repe...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Samuel 21:2; Exodus 22:11; Ezekiel 17:16; Genesis 14:22; Genes

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    And an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife [κ α ι π α σ η ς α υ τ ο ι ς α ν τ ι λ ο γ ι α ς π ε ρ α ς ε ι ς β ε β α ι ω ν ο ο ρ κ ο ς]. FOR "an oath," rend. "the oath" : generic. Con...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Men generally swear by him who is infinitely greater than themselves, and an oath for confirmation, to confirm what is promised or asserted, usually puts an end to all contradiction. This shows that a...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    These words contain. reason, why God, in gracious condescension to man's infirmity, is pleased to confirm his promise with an oath; it is to determine. controversy, and put an end to. strife depending...

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