{"commentary":{"id":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","website":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamieson-Fausset-Brown_Bible_Commentary","licenseUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/","licenseNotes":null,"licenseNotice":null,"englishName":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","language":"eng","textDirection":"rtl","sha256":"db3d4c8b3c1f32ef9d1430a57392e02bda3a17aac1f9bbe398461de021a3cb13","availableFormats":["json"],"listOfBooksApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/books.json","listOfProfilesApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/profiles.json","numberOfBooks":66,"totalNumberOfChapters":1187,"totalNumberOfVerses":17056,"totalNumberOfProfiles":0,"languageName":"English","languageEnglishName":"English"},"book":{"id":"HEB","commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Hebrews","commonName":"Hebrews","introduction":"CANONICITY AND AUTHORSHIP.--CLEMENT OF ROME, at the end of the first century (A.D), copiously uses it, adopting its words just as he does those of the other books of the New Testament; not indeed giving to either the term \"Scripture,\" which he reserves for the Old Testament (the canon of the New Testament not yet having been formally established), but certainly not ranking it below the other New Testament acknowledged Epistles. As our Epistle claims authority on the part of the writer, CLEMENT'S adoption of extracts from it is virtually sanctioning its authority, and this in the apostolic age. JUSTIN MARTYR quotes it as divinely authoritative, to establish the titles \"apostle,\" as well as \"angel,\" as applied to the Son of God. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA refers it expressly to Paul, on the authority of PantÃ&brvbrnus, chief of the Catechetical school in Alexandria, in the middle of the second century, saying, that as Jesus is termed in it the \"apostle\" sent to the Hebrews, Paul, through humility, does not in it call himself apostle of the Hebrews, being apostle to the Gentiles. CLEMENT also says that Paul, as the Hebrews were prejudiced against him, prudently omitted to put forward his name in the beginning; also, that it was originally written in Hebrew for the Hebrews, and that Luke translated it into Greek for the Greeks, whence the style is similar to that of Acts. He, however, quotes frequently the words of the existing Greek Epistle as Paul's words. ORIGEN similarly quotes it as Paul's Epistle. However, in his Homilies, he regards the style as distinct from that of Paul, and as \"more Grecian,\" but the thoughts as the apostle's; adding that the \"ancients who have handed down the tradition of its Pauline authorship, must have had good reason for doing so, though God alone knows the certainty who was the actual writer\" (that is, probably \"transcriber\" of the apostle's thoughts). In the African Church, in the beginning of the third century, TERTULLIAN ascribes it to Barnabas. IRENÆUS, bishop of Lyons, is mentioned in EUSEBIUS, as quoting from this Epistle, though without expressly referring it to Paul. About the same period, Caius, the presbyter, in the Church of Rome, mentions only thirteen Epistles of Paul, whereas, if the Epistle to the Hebrews were included, there would be fourteen. So the canon fragment of the end of the second century, or beginning of the third, published by MURATORI, apparently omits mentioning it. And so the Latin Church did not recognize it as Paul's till a considerable time after the beginning of the third century. Thus, also, NOVATIAN OF ROME, CYPRIAN OF CARTHAGE, and VICTORINUS, also of the Latin Church. But in the fourth century, HILARY OF POITIERS (A.D. 368), LUCIFER OF CAGLIARI (A.D. 371), AMBROSE OF MILAN (A.D. 397) and other Latins, quote it as Paul's; and the fifth Council of Carthage (A.D. 419) formally reckons it among his fourteen Epistles.\n\nAs to the similarity of its style to that of Luke's writings, this is due to his having been so long the companion of Paul. CHRYSOSTOM, comparing Luke and Mark, says, \"Each imitated his teacher: Luke imitated Paul flowing along with more than river fulness; but Mark imitated Peter, who studied brevity of style.\" Besides, there is a greater predominance of Jewish feeling and familiarity with the peculiarities of the Jewish schools apparent in this Epistle than in Luke's writings. There is no clear evidence for attributing the authorship to him, or to Apollos, whom ALFORD upholds as the author. The grounds alleged for the latter view are its supposed Alexandrian phraseology and modes of thought. But these are such as any Palestinian Jew might have used; and Paul, from his HebrÃ&brvbro-Hellenistic education at Jerusalem and Tarsus, would be familiar with PHILO'S modes of thought, which are not, as some think, necessarily all derived from his Alexandrian, but also from his Jewish, education. It would be unlikely that the Alexandrian Church should have so undoubtingly asserted the Pauline authorship, if Apollos, their own countryman, had really been the author. The eloquence of its style and rhetoric, a characteristic of Apollos' at Corinth, whereas Paul there spoke in words unadorned by man's wisdom, are doubtless designedly adapted to the minds of those whom Paul in this Epistle addresses. To the Greek Corinthians, who were in danger of idolizing human eloquence and wisdom, he writes in an unadorned style, in order to fix their attention more wholly on the Gospel itself. But the Hebrews were in no such danger. And his HebrÃ&brvbro-Grecian education would enable him to write in a style attractive to the Hebrews at Alexandria, where Greek philosophy had been blended with Judaism. The Septuagint translation framed at Alexandria had formed a connecting link between the latter and the former; and it is remarkable that all the quotations from the Old Testament, excepting two (Heb 10:30; Heb 13:5), are taken from the Septuagint. The fact that the peculiarities of the Septuagint are interwoven into the argument proves that the Greek Epistle is an original, not a translation; had the original been Hebrew, the quotations would have been from the Hebrew Old Testament. The same conclusion follows from the plays on similarly sounding words in the Greek, and alliterations, and rhythmically constructed periods. CALVIN observes, If the Epistle had been written in Hebrew, Heb 9:15-17 would lose all its point, which consists in the play upon the double meaning of the Greek \"diathece,\" a \"covenant,\" or a \"testament,\" whereas the Hebrew \"berith\" means only \"covenant.\"\n\nInternal evidence favors the Pauline authorship. Thus the topic so fully handled in this Epistle, that Christianity is superior to Judaism, inasmuch as the reality exceeds the type which gives place to it, is a favorite one with Paul (compare Co2 3:6-18; Gal 3:23-25; Gal 4:1-9, Gal 4:21-31, wherein the allegorical mode of interpretation appears in its divinely sanctioned application--a mode pushed to an unwarrantable excess in the Alexandrian school). So the Divine Son appears in Heb 1:3, &c., as in other Epistles of Paul (Phi 2:6; Col 1:15-20), as the Image, or manifestation of the Deity. His lowering of Himself for man's sake similarly, compare Heb 2:9, with Co2 8:9; Phi 2:7-8. Also His final exaltation, compare Heb 2:8; Heb 10:13; Heb 12:2, with Co1 15:25, Co1 15:27. The word \"Mediator\" is peculiar to Paul alone, compare Heb 8:6, with Gal 3:19-20. Christ's death is represented as the sacrifice for sin prefigured by the Jewish sacrifices, compare Rom 3:22-26; Co1 5:7, with Heb. 7:1-10:39. The phrase, \"God of Peace,\" is peculiar to Paul, compare Heb 13:20; Rom 15:33; Th1 5:23. Also, compare Heb 2:4, Margin, Co1 12:4. Justification, or \"righteousness by faith.\" appears in Heb 11:7; Heb 10:38, as in Rom 1:17; Rom 4:22; Rom 5:1; Gal 3:11; Phi 3:9. The word of God is the \"sword of the Spirit,\" compare Heb 4:12, with Eph 6:17. Inexperienced Christians are children needing milk, that is, instruction in the elements, whereas riper Christians, as full-grown men, require strong meat, compare Heb 5:12-13; Heb 6:1, with Co1 3:1-2; Co1 14:20 Gal 4:9; Col 3:14. Salvation is represented as a boldness of access to God by Christ, compare Heb 10:19, with Rom 5:2; Eph 2:18; Eph 3:12. Afflictions are a fight, Heb 10:32; compare Phi 1:30; Col 2:1. The Christian life is a race, Heb 12:1; compare Co1 9:24; Phi 3:12-14. The Jewish ritual is a service, Rom 9:4; compare Heb 9:1, Heb 9:6. Compare \"subject to bondage,\" Heb 2:15, with Gal 5:1. Other characteristics of Paul's style appear in this Epistle; namely, a propensity \"to go off at a word\" and enter on a long parenthesis suggested by that word, a fondness for play upon words of similar sound, and a disposition to repeat some favorite word. Frequent appeals to the Old Testament, and quotations linked by \"and again,\" compare Heb 1:5; Heb 2:12-13, with Rom 15:9-12. Also quotations in a peculiar application, compare Heb 2:8, with Co1 15:27; Eph 1:22. Also the same passage quoted in a form not agreeing with the Septuagint, and with the addition \"saith the Lord,\" not found in the Hebrew, in Heb 10:30; Rom 12:19.\n\nThe supposed Alexandrian (which are rather Philon-like) characteristics of the Epistle are probably due to the fact that the Hebrews were generally then imbued with the Alexandrian modes of thought of Philo, &c., and Paul, without coloring or altering Gospel truth \"to the Jews, became (in style) as a Jew, that he might win the Jews\" (Co1 9:20). This will account for its being recognized as Paul's Epistle in the Alexandrian and Jerusalem churches unanimously, to the Hebrews of whom probably it was addressed. Not one Greek father ascribes the Epistle to any but Paul, whereas in the Western and Latin churches, which it did not reach for some time, it was for long doubted, owing to its anonymous form, and generally less distinctively Pauline style. Their reason for not accepting it as Paul's, or indeed as canonical, for the first three centuries, was negative, insufficient evidence for it, not positive evidence against it. The positive evidence is generally for its Pauline origin. In the Latin churches, owing to their distance from the churches to whom belonged the Hebrews addressed, there was no generally received tradition on the subject. The Epistle was in fact but little known at all, whence we find it is not mentioned at all in the Canon of Muratori. When at last, in the fourth century, the Latins found that it was received as Pauline and canonical on good grounds in the Greek churches, they universally acknowledged it as such.\n\nThe personal notices all favor its Pauline authorship, namely, his intention to visit those addressed, shortly, along with Timothy, styled \"our brother,\" Heb 13:23; his being then in prison, Heb 13:19; his formerly having been imprisoned in Palestine, according to English Version reading, Heb 10:34; the salutations transmitted to them from believers of Italy, Heb 13:24. A reason for not prefixing the name may be the rhetorical character of the Epistle which led the author to waive the usual form of epistolary address.\n\nDESIGN.--His aim is to show the superiority of Christianity over Judaism, in that it was introduced by one far higher than the angels or Moses, through whom the Jews received the law, and in that its priesthood and sacrifices are far less perfecting as to salvation than those of Christ; that He is the substance of which the former are but the shadow, and that the type necessarily gives place to the antitype; and that now we no longer are kept at a comparative distance as under the law, but have freedom of access through the opened veil, that is, Christ's flesh; hence he warns them of the danger of apostasy, to which Jewish converts were tempted, when they saw Christians persecuted, while Judaism was tolerated by the Roman authorities. He infers the obligations to a life of faith, of which, even in the less perfect Old Testament dispensation, the Jewish history contained bright examples. He concludes in the usual Pauline mode, with practical exhortations and pious prayers for them.\n\nHIS MODE OF ADDRESS is in it hortatory rather than commanding, just as we might have expected from Paul addressing the Jews. He does not write to the rulers of the Jewish Christians, for in fact there was no exclusively Jewish Church; and his Epistle, though primarily addressed to the Palestinian Jews, was intended to include the Hebrews of all adjoining churches. He inculcates obedience and respect in relation to their rulers (Heb 13:7, Heb 13:17, Heb 13:24); a tacit obviating of the objection that he was by writing this Epistle interfering with the prerogative of Peter the apostle of the circumcision, and James the bishop of Jerusalem. Hence arises his gentle and delicate mode of dealing with them (Heb 13:22). So far from being surprised at discrepancy of style between an Epistle to Hebrews and Epistles to Gentile Christians, it is just what we should expect. The Holy Spirit guided him to choose means best suited to the nature of the ends aimed at. WORDSWORTH notices a peculiar Pauline Greek construction, Rom 12:9, literally, \"Let your love be without dissimulation, ye abhorring . . . evil, cleaving to . . . good,\" which is found nowhere else save Heb 13:5, literally, \"Let your conversation be without covetousness, ye being content with,\" &c. (a noun singular feminine nominative absolute, suddenly passing into a participle masculine nominative plural absolute). So in quoting Old Testament Scripture, the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews quotes it as a Jew writing to Jews would, \"God spoke to our fathers,\" not, \"it is written.\" So Heb 13:18, \"We trust we have a good conscience\" is an altogether Pauline sentiment (Act 23:1; Act 24:16; Co2 1:12; Co2 4:2; Ti2 1:3). Though he has not prefixed his name, he has given at the close his universal token to identify him, namely, his apostolic salutation, \"Grace be with you all\"; this \"salutation with his own hand\" he declared (Th2 3:17-18) to be \"his token in every Epistle\": so Co1 16:21, Co1 16:23; Col 4:18. The same prayer of greeting closes every one of his Epistles, and is not found in any one of the Epistles of the other apostles written in Paul's lifetime; but it is found in the last book of the New Testament Revelation, and subsequently in the Epistle of CLEMENT OF ROME. This proves that, by whomsoever the body of the Epistle was committed to writing (whether a mere amanuensis writing by dictation, or a companion of Paul by the Spirit's gift of interpreting tongues, Co1 12:10, transfusing Paul's Spirit-taught sentiments into his own Spirit-guided diction), Paul at the close sets his seal to the whole as really his, and sanctioned by him as such. The churches of the East, and Jerusalem, their center, to which quarter it was first sent, received it as Paul's from the earliest times according to Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem (A.D. 349). JEROME, though bringing with him from Rome the prejudices of the Latins against the Epistle to the Hebrews, aggravated, doubtless, by its seeming sanction of the Novatian heresy (Heb 6:4-6), was constrained by the force of facts to receive it as Paul's, on the almost unanimous testimony of all Greek Christians from the earliest times; and was probably the main instrument in correcting the past error of Rome in rejecting it. The testimony of the Alexandrian Church is peculiarly valuable, for it was founded by Mark, who was with Paul at Rome in his first confinement, when this Epistle seems to have been written (Col 4:10), and who possibly was the bearer of this Epistle, at the same time visiting Colosse on the way to Jerusalem (where Mark's mother lived), and thence to Alexandria. Moreover, Pe2 3:15-16, written shortly before Peter's death, and like his first Epistle written by him, \"the apostle of the circumcision,\" to the \"Hebrew\" Christians dispersed in the East, says, \"As our beloved brother Paul hath written unto you\" (Pe2 3:15), that is, to the Hebrews; also the words added, \"As also in all his Epistles\" (Pe2 3:16), distinguish the Epistle to the Hebrews from the rest; then he further speaks of it as on a level with \"other Scriptures,\" thus asserting at once its Pauline authorship and divine inspiration. An interesting illustration of the power of Christian faith and love; Peter, who had been openly rebuked by Paul (Gal 2:7-14), fully adopted what Paul wrote; there was no difference in the Gospel of the apostle of the circumcision and that of the apostle of the uncircumcision. It strikingly shows God's sovereignty that He chose as the instrument to confirm the Hebrews, Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles (Rom 11:13); and on the other hand, Peter to open the Gospel door to the Gentiles (Act 10:1, &c.), though being the apostle of the Jews; thus perfect unity reigns amidst the diversity of agencies.\n\nRome, in the person of CLEMENT OF ROME, originally received this Epistle. Then followed a period in which it ceased to be received by the Roman churches. Then, in the fourth century, Rome retracted her error. A plain proof she is not unchangeable or infallible. As far as Rome is concerned, the Epistle to the Hebrews was not only lost for three centuries, but never would have been recovered at all but for the Eastern churches; it is therefore a happy thing for Christendom that Rome is not the Catholic Church.\n\nIt plainly was written before the destruction of Jerusalem, which would have been mentioned in the Epistle had that event gone before, compare Heb 13:10; and probably to churches in which the Jewish members were the more numerous, as those in Judea, and perhaps Alexandria. In the latter city were the greatest number of resident Jews next to Jerusalem. In Leontopolis, in Egypt, was another temple, with the arrangements of which, WIESELER thinks the notices in this Epistle more nearly corresponded than with those in Jerusalem. It was from Alexandria that the Epistle appears first to have come to the knowledge of Christendom. Moreover, \"the Epistle to the Alexandrians,\" mentioned in the Canon of Muratori, may possibly be this Epistle to the Hebrews. He addresses the Jews as peculiarly \"the people of God\" (Heb 2:17; Heb 4:9; Heb 13:12), \"the seed of Abraham,\" that is, as the primary stock on which Gentile believers are grafted, to which Rom 11:16-24 corresponds; but he urges them to come out of the carnal earthly Jerusalem and to realize their spiritual union to \"the heavenly Jerusalem\" (Heb 12:18-23; Heb 13:13).\n\nThe use of Greek rather than Hebrew is doubtless due to the Epistle being intended, not merely for the Hebrew, but for the Hellenistic Jew converts, not only in Palestine, but elsewhere; a view confirmed by the use of the Septuagint. BENGEL thinks, probably (compare Pe2 3:15-16, explained above), the Jews primarily, though not exclusively, addressed, were those who had left Jerusalem on account of the war and were settled in Asia Minor.\n\nThe notion of its having been originally in Hebrew arose probably from its Hebrew tone, method, and topics. It is reckoned among the Epistles, not at first generally acknowledged, along with James, Second Peter, Second and Third John, Jude, and Revelation. A beautiful link exists between these Epistles and the universally acknowledged Epistles. Hebrews unites the ordinances of Leviticus with their antitypical Gospel fulfilment. James is the link between the highest doctrines of Christianity and the universal law of moral duty--a commentary on the Sermon on the Mount--harmonizing the decalogue law of Moses, and the revelation to Job and Elias, with the Christian law of liberty. Second Peter links the teaching of Peter with that of Paul. Jude links the earliest unwritten to the latest written Revelation. The two shorter Epistles to John, like Philemon, apply Christianity to the minute details of the Christian life, showing that Christianity can sanctify all earthly relations. \n\n\n\nNext: Hebrews Chapter 1\n\n","order":58,"numberOfChapters":13,"sha256":"e2432a664409bcc0cf92e670c2220bb5fc904394385d617eaafb6c9c5c24b6ca","firstChapterNumber":1,"firstChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HEB/1.json","firstChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HEB","chapter":1},"lastChapterNumber":13,"lastChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HEB/13.json","lastChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HEB","chapter":13},"totalNumberOfVerses":288},"chapter":{"number":2,"content":[{"type":"verse","number":2,"content":["(Compare Heb 2:3.) Argument a fortiori. \n\nspoken by angels--the Mosaic law spoken by the ministration of angels (Deu 33:2; Psa 68:17; Act 7:53; Gal 3:19). When it is said, Exo 20:1, \"God spake,\" it is meant He spake by angels as His mouthpiece, or at least angels repeating in unison with His voice the words of the Decalogue; whereas the Gospel was first spoken by the Lord alone. \n\nwas steadfast--Greek, \"was made steadfast,\" or \"confirmed\": was enforced by penalties on those violating it. \n\ntransgression--by doing evil; literally, overstepping its bounds: a positive violation of it. \n\ndisobedience--by neglecting to do good: a negative violation of it. \n\nrecompense-- (Deu 32:35).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":3,"content":["we--who have received the message of salvation so clearly delivered to us (compare Heb 12:25). \n\nso great salvation--embodied in Jesus, whose very name means \"salvation,\" including not only deliverance from foes and from death, and the grant of temporal blessings (which the law promised to the obedient), but also grace of the Spirit, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of heaven, glory, and eternal life (Heb 2:10). \n\nwhich--\"inasmuch as it is a salvation which began,\" &c. \n\nspoken by the Lord--as the instrument of proclaiming it. Not as the law, spoken by the instrumentality of angels (Heb 2:2). Both law and Gospel came from God; the difference here referred to lay in the instrumentality by which each respectively was promulgated (compare Heb 2:5). Angels recognize Him as \"the Lord\" (Mat 28:6; Luk 2:11). \n\nconfirmed unto us--not by penalties, as the law was confirmed, but by spiritual gifts (Heb 2:4). \n\nby them that heard him--(Compare Luk 1:2). Though Paul had a special and independent revelation of Christ (Gal 1:16-17, Gal 1:19), yet he classes himself with those Jews whom he addresses, \"unto us\"; for like them in many particulars (for example, the agony in Gethsemane, Heb 5:7), he was dependent for autoptic information on the twelve apostles. So the discourses of Jesus, for example, the Sermon on the Mount, and the first proclamation of the Gospel kingdom by the Lord (Mat 4:17), he could only know by the report of the Twelve: so the saying, \"It is more blessed to give than to receive\" (Act 20:35). Paul mentions what they had heard, rather than what they had seen, conformably with what he began with, Heb 1:1-2, \"spake . . . spoken.\" Appropriately also in his Epistles to Gentiles, he dwells on his independent call to the apostleship of the Gentiles; in his Epistle to the Hebrews, he appeals to the apostles who had been long with the Lord (compare Act 1:21; Act 10:41): so in his sermon to the Jews in Antioch of Pisidia (Act 13:31); and \"he only appeals to the testimony of these apostles in a general way, in order that he may bring the Hebrews to the Lord alone\" [BENGEL], not to become partisans of particular apostles, as Peter, the apostle of the circumcision, and James, the bishop of Jerusalem. This verse implies that the Hebrews of the churches of Palestine and Syria (or those of them dispersed in Asia Minor [BENGEL], Pe1 1:1, or in Alexandria) were primarily addressed in this Epistle; for of none so well could it be said, the Gospel was confirmed to them by the immediate hearers of the Lord: the past tense, \"was confirmed,\" implies some little time had elapsed since this testification by eye-witnesses.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":4,"content":["them--rather, \"God also [as well as Christ, Heb 2:3] bearing witness to it,\" &c., joining in attestation of it.\" \n\nsigns and wonders--performed by Christ and His apostles. \"Signs\" and miracles, or other facts regarded as proofs of a divine mission; \"wonders\" are miracles viewed as prodigies, causing astonishment (Act 2:22, Act 2:33); \"powers\" are miracles viewed as evidences of superhuman power. \n\ndivers miracles--Greek, \"varied (miraculous) powers\" (Co2 12:12) granted to the apostles after the ascension. \n\ngifts, &c.--Greek, \"distributions.\" The gift of the Holy Spirit was given to Christ without measure (Joh 3:34), but to us it is distributed in various measures and operations (Rom 12:3, Rom 12:6, &c.; Co1 12:4-11). \n\naccording to his own will--God's free and sovereign will, assigning one gift of the Spirit to one, another to another (Act 5:32; Eph 1:5).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":5,"content":["For--confirming the assertion, Heb 2:2-3, that the new covenant was spoken by One higher than the mediators of the old covenant, namely, angels. Translate in the Greek order, to bring out the proper emphasis, \"Not the angels hath He,\" &c. \n\nthe world to come--implying, He has subjected to angels the existing world, the Old Testament dispensation (then still partly existing as to its framework), Heb 2:2, the political kingdom of the earth (Dan 4:13; Dan 10:13, Dan 10:20-21; Dan 12:1), and the natural elements (Rev 9:11; Rev 16:4). and even individuals (Mat 18:10). \"The world to come\" is the new dispensation brought in by Christ, beginning in grace here, to be completed in glory hereafter. It is called \"to come,\" or \"about to be,\" as at the time of its being subjected to Christ by the divine decree, it was as yet a thing of the future, and is still so to us, in respect to its full consummation. In respect to the subjecting of all things to Christ in fulfilment of Psa 8:1-9, the realization is still \"to come.\" Regarded from the Old Testament standpoint, which looks prophetically forward to the New Testament (and the Jewish priesthood and Old Testament ritual were in force then when Paul wrote, and continued till their forcible abrogation by the destruction of Jerusalem), it is \"the world to come\"; Paul, as addressing Jews, appropriately calls it so, according to their conventional way of viewing it. We, like them, still pray, \"Thy kingdom come\"; for its manifestation in glory is yet future. \"This world\" is used in contrast to express the present fallen condition of the world (Eph 2:2). Believers belong not to this present world course, but by faith rise in spirit to \"the world to come,\" making it a present, though internal. reality. Still, in the present world, natural and social, angels are mediately rulers under God in some sense: not so in the coming world: man in it, and the Son of man, man's Head, are to be supreme. Hence greater reverence was paid to angels by men in the Old Testament than is permitted in the New Testament. For man's nature is exalted in Christ now, so that angels are our \"fellow servants\" (Rev 22:9). In their ministrations they stand on a different footing from that on which they stood towards us in the Old Testament. We are \"brethren\" of Christ in a nearness not enjoyed even by angels (Heb 2:10-12, Heb 2:16).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":6,"content":["But--It is not to angels the Gospel kingdom is subject, BUT . . . \n\none . . . testified--the usual way of quoting Scripture to readers familiar with it. Psa 8:5-7 praises Jehovah for exalting MAN, so as to subject all the works of God on earth to him: this dignity having been lost by the first Adam, is realized only in Christ the Son of man, the Representative Man and Head of our redeemed race. Thus Paul proves that it is to MAN, not to angels, that God has subjected the \"world to come.\" In Heb 2:6-8, MAN is spoken of in general (\"him . . . him . . . his); then at Heb 2:9, first JESUS is introduced as fulfilling, as man, all the conditions of the prophecy, and passing through death Himself; and so consequently bringing us men, His \"brethren,\" to \"glory and honor.\" \n\nWhat, &c.--How insignificant in himself, yet how exalted by God's grace! (Compare Psa 144:3). The Hebrew, \"Enosh\" and \"Ben-Adam,\" express \"man\" and \"Son of man\" in his weakness: \"Son of man\" is here used of any and every child of man: unlike, seemingly, the lord of creation, such as he was originally (Gen. 1:1-2:25), and such as he is designed to be (Psa 8:1-9), and such as he actually is by title and shall hereafter more fully be in the person of, and in union with, Jesus, pre-eminently the Son of man (Heb 2:9). \n\nart mindful--as of one absent. \n\nvisitest--lookest after him, as one present.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":7,"content":["a little--not as BENGEL, \"a little time.\" \n\nthan the angels--Hebrew, \"than God,\" \"Elohim,\" that is, the abstract qualities of God, such as angels possess in an inferior form; namely, heavenly, spiritual, incorporeal natures. Man, in his original creation, was set next beneath them. So the man Jesus, though Lord of angels, when He emptied Himself of the externals of His Divinity (see on Phi 2:6-7), was in His human nature \"a little lower than the angels\"; though this is not the primary reference here, but man in general. \n\ncrownedst him with glory and honour--as the appointed kingly vicegerent of God over this earth (Gen. 1:1-2:25). \n\nand didst set him over the works of thy hands--omitted in some of the oldest manuscripts; but read by others and by oldest versions: so Psa 8:6, \"Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands.\"\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":8,"content":["(Co1 15:27.) \n\nFor in that--that is, \"For in that\" God saith in the eighth Psalm, \"He put the all things (so the Greek, the all things just mentioned) in subjection under him (man), He left nothing . . . As no limitation occurs in the sacred writing, the \"all things\" must include heavenly, as well as earthly things (compare Co1 3:21-22). \n\nBut now--As things now are, we see not yet the all things put under man.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":9,"content":["But--We see not man as yet exercising lordship over all things, \"but rather, Him who was made a little lower than the angels (compare Luk 22:43), we behold (by faith: a different Greek verb from that for 'we see,' Heb 2:8, which expresses the impression which our eyes passively receive from objects around us; whereas, 'we behold,' or 'look at,' implies the direction and intention of one deliberately regarding something which he tries to see: so Heb 3:19; Heb 10:25, Greek), namely, Jesus, on account of His suffering of death, crowned,\" &c. He is already crowned, though unseen by us, save by faith; hereafter all things shall be subjected to Him visibly and fully. The ground of His exaltation is \"on accoumt of His having suffered death\" (Heb 2:10; Phi 2:8-9). \n\nthat he by the grace of God-- (Tit 2:11; Tit 3:4). The reading of ORIGEN, \"That He without God\" (laying aside His Divinity; or, for every being save God: or perhaps alluding to His having been temporarily \"forsaken,\" as the Sin-bearer, by the Father on the cross), is not supported by the manuscripts. The \"that,\" &c., is connected with \"crowned with glory,\" &c., thus: His exaltation after sufferings is the perfecting or consummation of His work (Heb 2:10) for us: without it His death would have been ineffectual; with it, and from it, flows the result that His tasting of death is available for (in behalf of, for the good of) every man. He is crowned as the Head in heaven of our common humanity, presenting His blood as the all-prevailing plea for us. This coronation above makes His death applicable for every individual man (observe the singular; not merely \"for all men\"), Heb 4:14; Heb 9:24; Jo1 2:2. \"Taste death\" implies His personal experimental undergoing of death: death of the body, and death (spiritually) of the soul, in His being forsaken of the Father. \"As a physician first tastes his medicines to encourage his sick patient to take them, so Christ, when all men feared death, in order to persuade them to be bold in meeting it, tasted it Himself, though He had no need\" [CHRYSOSTOM]. (Heb 2:14-15).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":10,"content":["For--giving a reason why \"the grace of God\" required that Jesus \"should taste death.\" \n\nit became him--The whole plan was (not only not derogatory to, but) highly becoming God, though unbelief considers it a disgrace [BENGEL]. An answer to the Jews, and Hebrew Christians, whosoever, through impatience at the delay in the promised advent of Christ's glory, were in danger of apostasy, stumbling at Christ crucified. The Jerusalem Christians especially were liable to this danger. This scheme of redemption was altogether such a one as harmonizes with the love, justice, and wisdom of God. \n\nfor whom--God the Father (Rom 11:36; Co1 8:6; Rev 4:11). In Col 1:16 the same is said of Christ. \n\nall things--Greek, \"the universe of things,\" \"the all things.\" He uses for \"God,\" the periphrasis, \"Him for whom . . . by whom are all things,\" to mark the becomingness of Christ's suffering as the way to His being \"perfected\" as \"Captain of our salvation,\" seeing that His is the way that pleased Him whose will and whose glory are the end of all things, and by whose operation all things exist. \n\nin bringing--The Greek is past, \"having brought as He did,\" namely, in His electing purpose (compare \"ye are sons,\" namely, in His purpose, Gal 4:6; Eph 1:4), a purpose which is accomplished in Jesus being \"perfected through sufferings.\" \n\nmany-- (Mat 20:28). \"The Church\" (Heb 2:12), \"the general assembly\" (Heb 12:23). \n\nsons--no longer children as under the Old Testament law, but sons by adoption. \n\nunto glory--to share Christ's \"glory\" (Heb 2:9; compare Heb 2:7; Joh 17:10, Joh 17:22, Joh 17:24; Rom 8:21). Sonship, holiness (Heb 2:11), and glory, are inseparably joined. \"Suffering,\" \"salvation,\" and \"glory,\" in Paul's writings, often go together (Ti2 2:10). Salvation presupposes destruction, deliverance from which for us required Christ's \"sufferings.\" \n\nto make . . . perfect--\"to consummate\"; to bring to consummated glory through sufferings, as the appointed avenue to it. \"He who suffers for another, not only benefits him, but becomes himself the brighter and more perfect\" [CHRYSOSTOM]. Bringing to the end of troubles, and to the goal full of glory: a metaphor from the contests in the public games. Compare \"It is finished,\" Luk 24:26; Joh 19:30. I prefer, with CALVIN, understanding, \"to make perfect as a completed sacrifice\": legal and official, not moral, perfection is meant: \"to consecrate\" (so the same Greek is translated Heb 7:28; compare Margin) by the finished expiation of His death, as our perfect High Priest, and so our \"Captain of salvation\" (Luk 13:32). This agrees with Heb 2:11, \"He that sanctifieth,\" that is, consecrates them by Himself being made a consecrated offering for them. So Heb 10:14, Heb 10:29; Joh 17:19 : by the perfecting of His consecration for them in His death, He perfects their consecration, and so throws open access to glory (Heb 10:19-21; Heb 5:9; Heb 9:9 accord with this sense). \n\ncaptain of, &c.--literally, Prince-leader: as Joshua, not Moses, led the people into the Holy Land, so will our Joshua, or Jesus, lead us into the heavenly inheritance (Act 13:39). The same Greek is in Heb 12:2, \"Author of our faith.\" Act 3:15, \"Prince of life\" (Act 5:31). Preceding others by His example, as well as the originator of our salvation.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":11,"content":["he that sanctifieth--Christ who once for all consecrates His people to God (Jde 1:1, bringing them nigh to Him as the consequence) and everlasting glory, by having consecrated Himself for them in His being made \"perfect (as their expiatory sacrifice) through sufferings\" (Heb 2:10; Heb 10:10, Heb 10:14, Heb 10:29; Joh 17:17, Joh 17:19). God in His electing love, by Christ's finished work, perfectly sanctifies them to God's service and to heaven once for all: then they are progressively sanctified by the transforming Spirit \"Sanctification is glory working in embryo; glory is sanctification come to the birth, and manifested\" [ALFORD]. \n\nthey who are sanctified--Greek, \"they that are being sanctified\" (compare the use of \"sanctified,\" Co1 7:14). \n\nof one--Father, God: not in the sense wherein He is Father of all beings, as angels; for these are excluded by the argument (Heb 2:16); but as He is Father of His spiritual human sons, Christ the Head and elder Brother, and His believing people, the members of the body and family. Thus, this and the following verses are meant to justify his having said, \"many sons\" (Heb 2:10). \"Of one\" is not \"of one father Adam,\" or \"Abraham,\" as BENGEL and others suppose. For the Saviour's participation in the lowness of our humanity is not mentioned till Heb 2:14, and then as a consequence of what precedes. Moreover, \"Sons of God\" is, in Scripture usage, the dignity obtained by our union with Christ; and our brotherhood with Him flows from God being His and our Father. Christ's Sonship (by generation) in relation to God is reflected in the sonship (by adoption) of His brethren. \n\nhe is not ashamed--though being the Son of God, since they have now by adoption obtained a like dignity, so that His majesty is not compromised by brotherhood with them (compare Heb 11:16). It is a striking feature in Christianity that it unites such amazing contrasts as \"our brother and our God\" [THOLUCK]. \"God makes of sons of men sons of God, because God hath made of the Son of God the Son of man\" [ST. AUGUSTINE on Psalm 2].\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":12,"content":["(Psa 22:22.) Messiah declares the name of the Father, not known fully as Christ's Father, and therefore their Father, till after His crucifixion (Joh 20:17), among His brethren (\"the Church,\" that is, the congregation), that they in turn may praise Him (Psa 22:23). At Psa 22:22, which begins with Christ's cry, \"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?\" and details minutely His sorrows, passes from Christ's sufferings to His triumph, prefigured by the same in the experience of David. \n\nwill I sing--as leader of the choir (Psa 8:2).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":13,"content":["I will put my trust in him--from the Septuagint, Isa 8:17, which immediately precedes the next quotation, \"Behold, I and the children,\" &c. The only objection is the following words, \"and again,\" usually introduce a new quotation, whereas these two are parts of one and the same passage. However, this objection is not valid, as the two clauses express distinct ideas; \"I will put my trust in Him\" expresses His filial confidence in God as His Father, to whom He flees from His sufferings, and is not disappointed; which His believing brethren imitate, trusting solely in the Father through Christ, and not in their own merits. \"Christ exhibited this \"trust,\" not for Himself, for He and the Father are one, but for His own people\" (Heb 2:16). Each fresh aid given Him assured Him, as it does them, of aid for the future, until the complete victory was obtained over death and hell Phi 1:16 [BENGEL]. \n\nBehold I and the children, &c.-- (Isa 8:18). \"Sons\" (Heb 2:10), \"brethren\" (Heb 2:12), and \"children,\" imply His right and property in them from everlasting. He speaks of them as \"children\" of God, though not yet in being, yet considered as such in His purpose, and presents them before God the Father, who has given Him them, to be glorified with Himself. Isaiah (meaning \"salvation of Jehovah\") typically represented Messiah, who is at once Father and Son, Isaiah and Immanuel (Isa 9:6). He expresses his resolve to rely, he and his children, not like Ahaz and the Jews on the Assyrian king, against the confederacy of Pekah of Israel, and Rezin of Syria, but on Jehovah; and then foretells the deliverance of Judah by God, in language which finds its antitypical full realization only in the far greater deliverance wrought by Messiah. Christ, the antitypical Prophet, similarly, instead of the human confidences of His age, Himself, and with Him GOD THE FATHER'S children (who are therefore His children, and so antitypical to Isaiah's children, though here regarded as His \"brethren,\" compare Isa 9:6; \"Father\" and \"His seed,\" Isa 53:10) led by Him, trust wholly in God for salvation. The official words and acts of all the prophets find their antitype in the Great Prophet (Rev 19:10), just as His kingly office is antitypical to that of the theocratic kings; and His priestly office to the types and rites of the Aaronic priesthood.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":14,"content":["He who has thus been shown to be the \"Captain (Greek, 'Leader') of salvation\" to the \"many sons,\" by trusting and suffering like them, must therefore become man like them, in order that His death may be efficacious for them [ALFORD]. \n\nthe children--before mentioned (Heb 2:13); those existing in His eternal purpose, though not in actual being. \n\nare partakers of--literally, \"have (in His purpose) been partakers\" all in common. \n\nflesh and blood--Greek oldest manuscripts have \"blood and flesh.\" The inner and more important element, the blood, as the more immediate vehicle of the soul, stands before the more palpable element, the flesh; also, with reference to Christ's blood-shedding with a view to which He entered into community with our corporeal life. \"The life of the flesh is in the blood; it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul\" (Lev 17:11, Lev 17:14). \n\nalso--Greek, \"in a somewhat similar manner\"; not altogether in a like manner. For He, unlike them, was conceived and born not in sin (Heb 4:15). But mainly \"in like manner\"; not in mere semblance of a body, as the DocetÃ&brvbr heretics taught. \n\ntook part of--participated in. The forfeited inheritance (according to Jewish law) was ransomed by the nearest of kin; so Jesus became our nearest of kin by His assumed humanity, in order to be our Redeemer. \n\nthat through death--which He could not have undergone as God but only by becoming man. Not by Almighty power but by His death (so the Greek) He overcame death. \"Jesus suffering death overcame; Satan wielding death succumbed\" [BENGEL]. As David cut off the head of Goliath with the giant's own sword wherewith the latter was wont to win his victories. Coming to redeem mankind, Christ made Himself a sort of hook to destroy the devil; for in Him there was His humanity to attract the devourer to Him, His divinity to pierce him, apparent weakness to provoke, hidden power to transfix the hungry ravisher. The Latin epigram says, Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte tu lisset, ÆternÃ&brvbr vitÃ&brvbr janua clausa foret. \"Had not death by death borne to death the death of Death, the gate of eternal life would have been closed\". \n\ndestroy--literally, \"render powerless\"; deprive of all power to hurt His people. \"That thou mightest still the enemy and avenger\" (Psa 8:2). The same Greek verb is used in Ti2 1:10, \"abolished death.\" There is no more death for believers. Christ plants in them an undying seed, the germ of heavenly immortality, though believers have to pass through natural death. \n\npower--Satan is \"strong\" (Mat 12:29). \n\nof death--implying that death itself is a power which, though originally foreign to human nature, now reigns over it (Rom 5:12; Rom 6:9). The power which death has Satan wields. The author of sin is the author of its consequences. Compare \"power of the enemy\" (Luk 10:19). Satan has acquired over man (by God's law, Gen 2:17; Rom 6:23) the power of death by man's sin, death being the executioner of sin, and man being Satan's \"lawful captive.\" Jesus, by dying, has made the dying His own (Rom 14:9), and has taken the prey from the mighty. Death's power was manifest; he who wielded that power, lurking beneath it, is here expressed, namely, Satan. Wisdom 2:24, \"By the envy of the devil, death entered into the world.\"\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":15,"content":["fear of death--even before they had experienced its actual power. \n\nall their lifetime--Such a life can hardly be called life. \n\nsubject to bondage--literally, \"subjects of bondage\"; not merely liable to it, but enthralled in it (compare Rom 8:15; Gal 5:1). Contrast with this bondage, the glory of the \"sons\" (Heb 2:10). \"Bondage\" is defined by Aristotle, \"The living not as one chooses\"; \"liberty,\" \"the living as one chooses.\" Christ by delivering us from the curse of God against our sin, has taken from death all that made it formidable. Death, viewed apart from Christ, can only fill with horror, if the sinner dares to think.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":16,"content":["For verily--Greek, \"For as we all know\"; \"For as you will doubtless grant.\" Paul probably alludes to Isa 41:8; Jer 31:32, Septuagint, from which all Jews would know well that the fact here stated as to Messiah was what the prophets had led them to expect. \n\ntook not on him, &c.--rather, \"It is not angels that He is helping (the present tense implies duration); but it is the seed of Abraham that He is helping.\" The verb is literally, to help by taking one by the hand, as in Heb 8:9, \"When I took them by the hand,\" &c. Thus it answers to \"succor,\" Heb 2:18, and \"deliver,\" Heb 2:15. \"Not angels,\" who have no flesh and blood, but \"the children,\" who have \"flesh and blood,\" He takes hold of to help by \"Himself taking part of the same\" (Heb 2:14). Whatever effect Christ's work may have on angels, He is not taking hold to help them by suffering in their nature to deliver them from death, as in our case. \n\nthe seed of Abraham--He views Christ's redemption (in compliment to the Hebrews whom he is addressing, and as enough for his present purpose) with reference to Abraham's seed, the Jewish nation, primarily; not that he excludes the Gentiles (Heb 2:9, \"for every man\"), who, when believers, are the seed of Abraham spiritually (compare Heb 2:12; Psa 22:22, Psa 22:25, Psa 22:27), but direct reference to them (such as is in Rom 4:11-12, Rom 4:16; Gal 3:7, Gal 3:14, Gal 3:28-29) would be out of place in his present argument. It is the same argument for Jesus being the Christ which Matthew, writing his Gospel for the Hebrews, uses, tracing the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham, the father of the Jews, and the one to whom the promises were given, on which the Jews especially prided themselves (compare Rom 9:4-5).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":17,"content":["Wherefore--Greek, \"Whence.\" Found in Paul's speech, Act 26:19. \n\nin all things--which are incidental to manhood, the being born, nourished, growing up, suffering. Sin is not, in the original constitution of man, a necessary attendant of manhood, so He had no sin. \n\nit behooved him--by moral necessity, considering what the justice and love of God required of Him as Mediator (compare Heb 5:3), the office which He had voluntarily undertaken in order to \"help\" man (Heb 2:16). \n\nhis brethren-- (Heb 2:11); \"the seed of Abraham\" (Heb 2:16), and so also the spiritual seed, His elect out of all mankind. \n\nbe, &c.--rather as Greek, \"that He might become High Priest\"; He was called so, when He was \"made perfect by the things which He suffered\" (Heb 2:10; Heb 5:8-10). He was actually made so, when He entered within the veil, from which last flows His ever continuing intercession as Priest for us. The death, as man, must first be, in order that the bringing in of the blood into the heavenly Holy Place might follow, in which consisted the expiation as High Priest. \n\nmerciful--to \"the people\" deserving wrath by \"sins.\" Mercy is a prime requisite in a priest, since his office is to help the wretched and raise the fallen: such mercy is most likely to be found in one who has a fellow-feeling with the afflicted, having been so once Himself (Heb 4:15); not that the Son of God needed to be taught by suffering to be merciful, but that in order to save us He needed to take our manhood with all its sorrows, thereby qualifying Himself, by experimental suffering with us, to be our sympathizing High Priest, and assuring us of His entire fellow-feeling with us in every sorrow. So in the main CALVIN remarks here. \n\nfaithful--true to God (Heb 3:5-6) and to man (Heb 10:23) in the mediatorial office which He has undertaken. \n\nhigh priest--which Moses was not, though \"faithful\" (Heb. 2:1-18). Nowhere, except in Psa 110:4; Zac 6:13, and in this Epistle, is Christ expressly called a priest. In this Epistle alone His priesthood is professedly discussed; whence it is evident how necessary is this book of the New Testament. In Psa 110:1-7, and Zac 6:13, there is added mention of the kingdom of Christ, which elsewhere is spoken of without the priesthood, and that frequently. On the cross, whereon as Priest He offered the sacrifice, He had the title \"King\" inscribed over Him [BENGEL]. \n\nto make reconciliation for the sins--rather as Greek, \"to propitiate (in respect to) the sins\"; \"to expiate the sins.\" Strictly divine justice is \"propitiated\"; but God's love is as much from everlasting as His justice; therefore, lest Christ's sacrifice, or its typical forerunners, the legal sacrifices, should be thought to be antecedent to God's grace and love, neither are said in the Old or New Testament to have propitiated God; otherwise Christ's sacrifices might have been thought to have first induced God to love and pity man, instead of (as the fact really is) His love having originated Christ's sacrifice, whereby divine justice and divine love are harmonized. The sinner is brought by that sacrifice into God's favor, which by sin he had forfeited; hence his right prayer is, \"God be propitiated (so the Greek) to me who am a sinner\" (Luk 18:13). Sins bring death and \"the fear of death\" (Heb 2:15). He had no sin Himself, and \"made reconciliation for the iniquity\" of all others (Dan 9:24). \n\nof the people--\"the seed of Abraham\" (Heb 2:16); the literal Israel first, and then (in the design of God), through Israel, the believing Gentiles, the spiritual Israel (Pe1 2:10).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":18,"content":["For--explanation of how His being made like His brethren in all things has made Him a merciful and faithful High Priest for us (Heb 2:17). \n\nin that--rather as Greek, \"wherein He suffered Himself; having been tempted, He is able to succor them that are being tempted\" in the same temptation; and as \"He was tempted (tried and afflicted) in all points,\" He is able (by the power of sympathy) to succor us in all possible temptations and trials incidental to man (Heb 4:16; Heb 5:2). He is the antitypical Solomon, having for every grain of Abraham's seed (which were to be as the sand for number), \"largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the seashore\" (Kg1 4:29). \"Not only as God He knows our trials, but also as man He knows them by experimental feeling.\"\n\n\n\n\nNext: Hebrews Chapter 3\n\n"]}],"introduction":"DANGER OF NEGLECTING SO GREAT SALVATION, FIRST SPOKEN BY CHRIST; TO WHOM, NOT TO ANGELS, THE NEW DISPENSATION WAS SUBJECTED; THOUGH HE WAS FOR A TIME HUMBLED BELOW THE ANGELS: THIS HUMILIATION TOOK PLACE BY DIVINE NECESSITY FOR OUR SALVATION. (Heb. 2:1-18)\n\nTherefore--Because Christ the Mediator of the new covenant is so far (Heb 1:5-14) above all angels, the mediators of the old covenant. \n\nthe more earnest--Greek, \"the more abundantly.\" \n\nheard--spoken by God (Heb 1:1); and by the Lord (Heb 2:3). \n\nlet them slip--literally \"flow past them\" (Heb 4:1).\n\n"},"thisChapterLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HEB/2.json","thisChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HEB","chapter":2},"nextChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HEB/3.json","nextChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HEB","chapter":3},"previousChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/HEB/1.json","previousChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"HEB","chapter":1},"numberOfVerses":17}