PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews
James Barmby [1822-1897] · 397,008 words · 427 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 301
end, to take imperfect men (men in whom there arc all sorts of imperfections physicnl, intellectual, spiritual, men who have mixed with their nature a corrupt and dobnsing element) and make them perfect-. .And this is to be done according to a Divine stan- dard of perfection, not a human one. Iodoed, tbat human exce…
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irertainly he is in a very different position from one who lets lust and pride lead him against truth and light. But the evil done in ignorance is evil none the less and men !1eed to be wakened up_ to consider ~ow much t~u~h and rifhteousness they are still ignorant of. The past 1s not done WI th because 1t 1s past. rh…
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Ver. 23.-The Ohristian's steadfast acknowledgment of his hope. L THE EXISTENCE 01' ACTUAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS ASSUMED. 'l'he writer is addressing those who are avowedly Christians. Jesus has already been acknowledged as Apostle and High Priest (eh. iii. 1), and already an exhortation has been given to hold fast the ack…
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I. WE HAVE TO 0ONSIDEB ONE ANOTHER, i.e. we must look well into the character, the habits, the position, the abilities, the needs of all whom we have sufficient oppor• tunity to estimate. We must get an honest and adequate view. We must not expect too much from them, neither must we let them off with too little. Thi…
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Ver. 34.-The right estimate of temporal possession. I. THE RIGHT ESTmATE ITBELY. This is a mean between extremes. 'l'o despise worldly pussessions, to speak of them as if they were to be trampled underfoot as always worthless, is not a Christian state of mind. The worldly man overvalues and the ascetic undervalues. …
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Vers. 38, 39.-The ;'ust man, his character and safety. I. THE CHARACTER OF THE JUST JIIAN. It was inevitable, in an Epistle to Jewish Christians, that there should be some reference to that Pharisaic righteousness which consisted in a conformity to certain ritual regulations. There was the man just after the Pharisee f…
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rncterietlca of falth are here laid down " to them than "the things that do appeRr." (Dolitzeoh); i.e. of faith in its most general It cannot be said that to accept such faith sonso-that of belief in such things, whether as _evidence is contrary to renson ; our not past, pr~sont, or future, as are not known dornlj\' so…
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Divine mind, read into the text what ia not dend," etc., 1·efon plainly to Gen. iv. 10, tnere. "The voice of thy brother•~ blood crieth Ver. 4.-By faith Abel ofFered unto God a unto me from the ground." The same voice more e:a::oellent aaoritloe than Cain, through of innooent blood, which appealed nt the whioh (i.e…
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ginnl import of caution or ciroumspection, instrmce of Pauline thou.,.ht in this Epistle, there is 110 need to suppose here a further while the difference of phr11Se nffords a pre- meouiug (cf. Aots uiii. 10, the only other sumption, though by no means in itself pasea.ge in the New Testament where the cone.lusive, aga…
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1ea-ahore innumerable. The vitality of beforo us as the great examJ?le of faith ; Abmbe.m'e faith is represented as evinced Sarah is only introduced by his side (with by its. sur\'ivinlj: and triumphing over a the words ,ea.I a.J.,.~) as sharing it and oo · suooe8s1on of tne.ls, over apparent impos- operating to the…
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tents o.s elro.ngers, o.nd the home o.nd city Bnt though such void there is, however to seen o.fo.r off, are o.pt emblems of the be o.ccounted for, there are still, even in the present life o.nd the heo.venly citizenship Pentateuch (as certainly in the Pso.lme and of Chrietia.ne. It mo.y be tba.t this ie all prophet…
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thnt his God required him to express hie other with that of Joseph's which f111lows. ucknowledgmont of this need e.nd this claim For thc benedictions of Isoe.c and .Ja~ob, by not withholding from him e.e much as when a-dying, PX pressed faith in revelations even the hentlien were e.ccustomed to offer me.de to them abo1…
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in Acts vii. 20, "fair ") ohild; and they pccially as the very same is used below (oh. were not e.fre,id of the king's commandment. xiii. 13) with reference to Christinns, it must Here t'110 usual following of tho LXX. -surely be somehow involved iu this passllge. nguin appears in the hiding being attri- But bow so,…
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I Israel. In puraunnce of this course, it pnrsuecl in rletail, this beinr, sufficient to become necessary for him to lenve Egypt sn~gest it nil. Only, for o. special reason, for CL time, In this, aa well aa in atuying, the case of Itahab has attentinn drawn to it. there was danger; for the king might pur- Ver. 81. - By…
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for whnt might seem ami~e in her are VRlid. and prophets. The deeds enumrrated in Ilnt the main point to be ohserYed is this- the following verses need not be appropri- 1h:it, whatever her enlightenment, as a ated exclusively to particular heroes, but heathen, in principles of morality fami.linr mRy be rnther ta.ken…
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tortured, not aooepting deliveranoe, that cRsoa mny ogo.in have sug~ested aome or they might obtain a better resurreotion. the expressions useri. Tbe mention of 'fhe first pnrt of this verse eviclently refers "mockings" is prominent in the Maccabean to I Kings xvii. 22 ancl 2 Kings iv. 36-the history; "bonda and impris…
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tained a good report (literally, hm•ing been believcre, still future (for cf. oh. :r. 88, u,itne11,ed of, as in ver. 2) through f&ith, fva ,coµ.ln,o-8• .,.~., l,ran••'-lav). Nov, it la received not the promille: God having pro- future also in its fulness, even to tho sBinta vided (or ,jorMeen) 1ome better thing for (li…
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II. TIIE F0UNDATION-D00TRINE OF FAITH. (Ver. 3.) Here the author specifies, !I.II one of the great objects of faith, what is really the fundamental truth of all reli!rion, as it is also the first utterance of revelation (Gen. i. 1)-the doctrine of the creatio~ of the world by the living God. For our knowledge of thi…
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alBo more carefully sel<'cterl. 011in p~esented an oblation of vegotablee, takina tho first that ce.m<' to hand; while Abel offered an animal sacrifice, 11nd the choicest which his flock could supply. 2. Othel"II judge th11t Abel's ee.crifice we.s "more excellent" bece.use or the living liiith of which it 11•as the …
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Vere. 8-19.-Faith of the Hebrew Pilgrim Fathers. What An_glo-Saxon conltt look without emotion on the iiranite boulder at New Plymonth-" the corner-stone of a nntion "-upon which the Pilgrim Fathers of New Englancl stepped ashore from the Mayflower 1 And, in like manner, what Jew can think but with enthusiasm of tho…
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their faith, accordingly, Sarah's son IsRRc would neverh&ve been born; and the promise could not have been realized that Abraham should have a posterity-both natural and 1,piritual-numerous as the stars in the Eastern sky, or as the sand-grains upon the &bore of ocean. IV. ABRAHAM'S FAITn WAS SHOWN IN THE SACRIFICE OF…
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Vers. 23-29.-The faith of Moses. These verses exhibit specimen deeds of faith done in connection with the redemption of Israel from Egypt. None of the heroes of faith in this illustrious roll is more eminent than Moses, and no other biography is more dramatic. He shines amongst the constellations of "the elders" as a. …
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(~cts vii. 22). Wealth, refinement, ease, pleasure, power, were within his reach. He might have become a greRt statesman-perhaps Pharaoh's grand vizier. Josephus eayN that he was destined for the throne itself; and in those days Egypt was the most powerful of kingdoms. Yet, without any misgiving, he forsook the cour…
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Vere. 30-38.-Exploits and endurances of faith. The last two specific exampl,·s ]1ere cited are connected with the entrance ot Israel into Canaan under Joshna. 1. Thef<lll of Jericho. (Ver. 30.) That stronghold was not reduced as the result of a. long siege. It was not successfully assaulted with engines of wnr. The on…
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darkness, with a coronal of epiritnal light. The apostle's design in this chapter le to convince bis readers that in trusting Christ, and daring and bearing all things for him, ther are exercising the very same principle that made "the elders" of the Jewish nation the men they were. The apostle stops at the time of …
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xii. 23) under the Jewish economy were not "ma,le perfect" nntil the accomplishment of Christ's a tuning work, at the beginning of the Chri~tian era. IJJ. THE OORRESPONDING ADVANTAGE ENJOYED BY NEW TEBTAME~T BELIEVETI9. God has "provided some better thing concerning us" (ver. 40). 'l'hat is we have received the fulfil…
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irreBtest importBnce to us which nre conncctro with the life :md work, tho suffering and denth, the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ-the great facts in the nccomplishments of humnn redemption. These were witnessed by many, but to us they nre invisible. Our attitude in relation to them is a thing of …
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universe is neither self-originated nor the product of chance. On this point Arch bi~bnp Tillotson forcibly observes, "How often might a m;in, after he had iumbled a set of letters in 11. bag, fling them out upon the gronnd before they would fall into an exact poem? How long might one sprinkle colourd upon canvas, with…
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Ver. 4.-The sac,·,:fice of Abel. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacri~~c," etc. The t.ext brings before our notice three chief points. I. lHE surERI0il!TY OF AnEL's SACRIFICE. "Dy faith Abel offered unto God 6 mo:e excellen~ sacrifice ~ban Cain." This superiority was manifest: 1. In the sacrifi,CtJ…
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Ver. 5.-The character and the translatim of Enoch. "By faith Enoch was trans- lated that he should not see death," etc. That Enoch should immediately su~eed Abel in this record of the ancient heroes of faith is not a little significant. How remarkable is "the contrast between the fate of Abel and Enoch I The one was …
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But his bocly must have undergone some great cbe.nge; for II flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven." This change was probably similar to that which ie resen·ro for those who a.re alive at the coming of our Lord, " We shall not nil sleep, but we shAll e.11 be changed," etc. (1 Cor. xv. 50-54). St. Paul…
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It is tho soul drawing near to him in thought and desire, in affection and devotion. The peni~ont th?~ comes to him with confession and prayer for pardon. The poor ano. needy, with pct1tlons for succour and supply. The thankful, with warm tributes r,f gratitude and praise. The pious, with lowly loving adoration. 3. …
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"Not but by a miracle Can this thing be. The fashion of the world We heretofore have never known to change ; And will God change it now?" (3) His own soul might have suggested serious doubts, Would God destroy all hie human creatures-the creatures whom he had created in his own likeness? True the race had become …
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accepted the Divine testimony and nobly acted upon it, and as a consequence Goel accepted him as righteous. "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." And he who believes in God now will accept his Son whom he hath sent. "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath …
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c'<'"ery man. It is addressed by various voices and at different times; to some it comes agnin and age.in; and it is variously treated by those who hear it, Be it ours liko Abraham to attentiYely hoar, heartily believe, and promptly obey the heavenly mandate. If we have belicvingly received the summons, let us not h…
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Vers. 13, 14.-77ie Christian's condition in this world. "These all died in faith, not having received the promises," etc. By "these all'' we understand Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Jacob. They died in faith. 'l'heir faith, though at times it was sorely tried, continued unto death. And their death was according to or co…
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Attempt to settle down, eome sharp shock soon reminds them that their condition here is not stationary, but itinerant and changeable. The Christian cheerfully recognizes the fact that he has no continuing city here; he confesses that he is a pilgrim on the earth. Mark some of the features of this pilgrimage. 1. It is i…
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desire 6 better country, that is, a heavenly." Heaven is better than the best of earthly countries or homes. It is better: (1) In its society. 'fhe Christian will not feel himself a stranger there; for he will be with kindred spirits. Good people here are not al ways agreeable; but in heaven the society ie always genia…
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from that God whoRe "~ifts are not repented of"? Can it 110 that he should try his ~ervant thus? 3. To offer up his son upon wltose life the fulfilment of the h1Jpes wl1ich God had inspired seemed to depend. Isaac we.s not only the son of promise but the other promises made to Abraham were connected with him as to t…
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Ver, 21.-Faieh giving serenity and magnanimity in death. "By faith Jacob when he was a-dying," etc. Let us notice- ' I. 'l'HE IMPORTANT EVENT. "Ho was a-dying." In any circumstances and in any cnso death is an importnnt and solemn event. It is so for several reasons. 1. Think of the mysteriousness of death. There is t…
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Ver. 22.-The faith of Joseph; or, assured confidence in the close of life. "By faith Joseph, when be died, made mention," etc. We have here- I. PHYSICAL LIFE EKDrNG IN ASSURED HOPE OF THE FULFILMENT OF THE PROMISES OF Goo To ms PEOPLE. The end of Joseph's life upon earth was at hand, and he was well aware that such…
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to be nnm bcrecl nmongst the Isrnelites. Hence he "gave commanrlment concern in, his bon~s;" " Ancl Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely VIBlt you, ancl ye shall cnrry up my bones from hence." We discover in this an evidence of: 1. llis warm af!ection for his family. For some years of …
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designed him for the accomplishment of some important work. His beauty was to them a presage of his illustrious career. H awakened or strengthened their confidence in the Divine interest in the life of the obild. A truth of unspeakable preciousness is this. God is interested deeply and graciously in every human life…
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discipline BO thorough. "By means of this princely education," says Kitto, "he became o. person most accomplished in his temper, demeanonr, and intellect; he was also trnined in that lo.rgeness of view and generosity of spirit which aro supposed to result. from such relations, and which qualified him to sustain with di…
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treasures of Egypt." It seems beyond ooubt that ho must have lived in affiuence in Egypt; Rnd RS the son of Pharaoh's dauo-hter, be must have had prospects of great wealth ~or his _ow~ por:tion. How strong t°he fascination of riche8 is for many persona I And this fascmat10n 1s more fully rei1li:,:ed when men have re…
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form nor visible colour. Noither can the Infinite Spirit be seen hy om finite sense. When he is reprosonfed 11s manifesting himself to man (Gen. xii. 7; xvii. 1 ; xviii. 1), It does not mean that the essence or substance of God was seen by human eye, but that he assumed some visible form in which he communicated with…
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of action prescribed and the consequence promised cannot possibly bo regarded ea cause and effect. 'l'he marching round the city, the blowing of rams' horns and the uttering of great shouts, cannot by any stretch of imagination be looked upo~ even as meR~s for !evelling strong city walls to the ground. Sn?h p_roceeding…
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had not been blessed with po.rental instrnctions and home influences inclinin,,. her hen.rt to faith in the true o.nd holy God; but the reverse. She was the dauahtcr uf heathen parents, instructed in a loathsome and degrading idolatry, and belonged to ,~ people whose "abominations and iniquities had become full, so tha…
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1!-xt teRches thnt the world could not bear compariAon in respect to worth with the per~o □~ Illtnll'd and referred to in this chRpter; their clrnracter was elevated fe.r above that of the world in general. Let us look at our text- I. Ar; 'l'HE STATEMENT oF AN HISTORICAL FACT. lo all a.gee there have been men "of w…
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and oversight, of spiril.tuil forgiveness and help, et.o. These promises encoura"'ed their hopes1 nnd mised t?e tone a?d charac~er of their li~es. 2, Fulfilment~ of Divine p,·omises. Many ot the blessmgs promised to the samts of the earlier dispensation were received ond enjoyed by t.hem. They "obtained promises" (v…
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it._ They think it is quite as likely chance mav bring to them success as failure. Dul this sort of hope never can become a duty, n feeling which a man ought to have potent and go'l"erning in his breast. We do not want a future dependent on chance, or ~atural ,•nrlo"l•,ments, or favourable circumstances. We want a f…
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Ver. 3.-Faith beginning where science ends. In the first verse of the chapter things not seen are spoken of. Faith is the evidence or these things not seen. There can be no other evidence, for things not seen are eternal ; they are beyond the ken of our senses; if we cannot be certified of them by spiritual intuitions,…
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Ver. 5.-Thefaith of Enoch. Of Enoch we know next to nothing in one sense. W& are ignorant of the details of his life; not even one great striking event is preserved to us. But of the great principle and result of his life we are not ignorant, and it is quite permissible for us to make conjectures by way of illustration…
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moment th11t we hRd set before us for ~earcl1 e.nd discovery Rn object perceptible by the 1<enses. Tiefore beginning the se11rch, should we not be wise in assuring ourselves on tho following points_? 1. 'l'he real existence of the object. 2. The probability or findin" it. 3. A corresponding rewRrd for the possible t…
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Ver. B.-T!1efailh of Abraham going forth info the unknown. We have to notice what Abraham's faith rested on. I. ON A DIVINE CALL. It was not an impulse of his own. Not in ambition, not in discontent, not in self-will, did he go forth. Kor was it a suggestion fo,m some other human being. The voice came from above, spea…
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provide f'or the wishes of the heart. But he rises above the indiviJual nnd the present. As he advances in obedience, the aims of God, the possibilities of his own life, the needs of all his posterity, rise more distinctly before his mind. For himself and his children, and all the families of the earth that are to be …
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nn illustrntion of faith. All our modern difficulties as to the right an<l wrong of Abraham's conduct never occurred to the writer of this Epistle. A human sacrifice was not nbhorrent to Abrnham's views of religious necessity. Here we have simply to look at the faith a father showed when called to give up his only son.…
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Ver. 22.-T/ie faith of the dying Joseph. I. FAITH OCCUPYING ITSELF WITH THE PERSONAL FuTURE. Joseph had lived long in Egypt, been held in great honour there, and had brought his kinsfolk into great comfort. All the ordinary probabilities pointed to a continued residence of the descendants of Jacob in Egypt. Who had b…
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Vers. 24, 25.-Moses relinquishing eartltly advantages. I. THE CRITICAL MOME:!',"T rn EVERY BUMAN LIFE. Moses bas come to manhood, has passed through all the perils of infancy and childhood, perils in which the prudence and courage of others count for the effective safeguards, to find himself at last face to face with t…
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Ver. 29.-Faith and p1·esuinption in tci-rible contrast. I. A WAY MADE WHERE NOJ\F. ~EEMS POSSIDLE. It must be remembered how completely the Israelites were shut in. 'l'he land had shut them in; mountains on each side which they could not over- pa~~; the sea in front of them; the Egyptian host behind. Something they …
1,176 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.