dered. This is eternal, natural, co-existent with the being of all
KAnpovouov.
42, AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. L
things; that new, created by grant and donation, by whose erection and establishment the other is not at all impeached... For whereas it is affirmed that “the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son,” John v. 22, 27, 30, it respects not title and rule, but actual administration.
In the latter sense of the word, as it denotes any rightful pos- sessor by grant from another, it is properly ascribed unto the Son. And there are three things intended in this word :—
(1.) Title, dominion, lordship. “Heeres est qui herus;” for thence is the word, and not from “ ere,” as Isidore supposeth. The heir is the lord of that which he is heir unto. So the apostle, Gal. iv. 1, KAnpovsuog 18 xbpsog acévruy, “ The heir is lord of all.” And in this sense is Christ called 7122, “ the first-born,” Ps. Ixxxix. 28, “I will give him to be my first-born, higher than” (or, “and high above”) “the kings of the earth;” “ prineeps, dominus, caput familize,”—“ the prince, lord, and head of the family,” that hath right to the inherit- ance, and distributes portions to others. Hence 23 is used for every thing that excelleth, and hath the pre-eminence in its own kind, Job xxviii. 11;. Isa. xiv. 80; Ezek. xlvii. 12. So Col. i. 15.
(2.) Possession. Christ is made actual possessor of that which he hath title unto. As he is 123, so he is ¥7i',—such a possessor as comes to his possession by the surrender or grant of another. God in respect of his dominion is called 73P, the absolute possessor of heaven and earth, Gen. xiv. 22. Christ as mediator is 7", a pos- sessor by grant. And there was a suitableness that he that was the Son should thus be heir. Whence Chrysostom and Theophylact affirm that the words denote xai rd rig vidrnros yuhorov, nal od rig nupiirnros avarboraucroy, —“ the propriety of his sonship, and the im- mutability of his lordship.” Not that he was thus made heir of all as he was wovoyevgs, “the only-begotten” Son of the Father, John i. 14; but it was agreeable and consonant that he who was eternally povoyevgs, and had on that account an absolute dominion over all with his Father, becoming cpwréroxog ev worrois &dcApors, Rom. viii. 29, “the first-born amongst many brethren,” should have a dele- gated heirship of all, and be given to be “the head over all to the church,” Eph. i. 22.
(3.) That he hath both this title and possession by grant from the Father; of which afterwards. Christ, then, by virtue of a grant from the Father, is made Lord by a new title, and hath possession given him according to his title. He is xAnpovdmos, “ the heir.”
3. Tidvray, “of all.” This is the object of the heir- ship of Christ, his inheritance. The word may be taken in the masculine gender, and denotes all persons, all those of whom — he had spoken before, all the revealers of the will of God under the — old testament, The Son was Lord over them all; which is true. :
Tdyrwy.
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VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 43
But the word in the neuter gender denotes all things absolutely ; and so it is in this place to be understood: for,—
(1.) It is so used elsewhere to the same purpose: 1 Cor. xv. 27, Mdévra iréraze-— He hath subjected all things unto him.” So Rom. ix, 5, ‘O dy én? rdvrwy @eég-—“ Who is God over all.”
(2.) This sense suits the apostle’s argument, and adds a double force to his intention and design. For,—[1.] The Author of the gospel being heir and lord of all things whatever, the sovereign disposal of all those rites and ordinances of worship about which the Jews contended must needs be in his hand, to change and alter them as he saw good. [2.] He being the heir and lord of all things, it was easy for them to conclude, that if they intended to be made partakers of any good in heaven or earth, in a way of love and mercy, it must be by an interest in him; which without a constant abode in obedi- ence unto his gospel cannot be attained.
(8.) The next words evince this sense, “By whom also he made the
worlds.” Probably they render a reason of the equitableness of this
great trust made to the Son. He made all, and it was meet he should be Lord of all. However, the force of the connection of the words, 6/ of xa! rods aidivas, “by whom also he made the worlds,” equals the rdyru», the “all” foregoing, to the aidvag, or the “ worlds” following.
(4.) The inheritance given answers the promise of it unto Abraham, which was that he should be “ heir of the world,” Rom. iv. 13, namely, in his seed, Gal. iii. 16; as also the request made by Christ on that promise, Ps. i. 8: both which extend it to the whole world, the
ends of the earth.
(5.) The original and rise of this inheritance of Christ will give us its true extent, which must therefore more especially be considered.