76 AN EXPOSITION OF THE FCHAP.T.
vise the affairs of the earth: (3.) o%abin oby,—"the world of spheres:” and, (4.) woyn phy,—“the highest world ;” called by Paul “he third heaven,” 2 Cor. xii. 2; and by Solomon DOWN PY, “the heaven of heavens,” 1 Kings viii. 27; and mown ody, “olam hanneshamoth,’-—“ the world of spirits,” or souls departed. Inrespect of duration, they assign a fivefold world:—(1.) 7ay ny; called by Peter “the old world,” or the world before the flood, the world that perished: (2.) nn p>y,—the present world,” or the state of things under the Judaical church: (3.) Mwy AnN’an Dhy,—“the world of the coming of the Messiah ;” or “the world to come,” as the apostle calls it, chap. ii. 5: (4.) oynon nnn ory,—“the world of the resurrection of the dead:” and, (5.) os ndy,—“the prolonged world,” or life eternal. Principally with respect to the first distribution, as also
unto the duration of the whole world unto the last dispensation, —
mentioned in the second, doth the apostle here call it, rodg asdvas, “the worlds.”
Thus the apostle having declared the honour of the Son as medi- ator, in that he was made heir of all, adds thereunto his excellency in himself from his eternal power and Godhead; which he not only
asserts, but gives evidence unto by an argument from the works of _
creation. And to avoid all straitening thoughts of this work, he expresseth it in terms comprehending the whole creation in that distribution whereinto it was usually cast by themselves; as John contents not himself by affirming that he “made all things,” but adds to that assertion that “without him was not any thing made that was made,” John i. 3.
And this was of old the common faith of the Judaical church.
That all things were made and all things disposed by the Word of ©
God, they all confessed. Evident footsteps of this faith abide still in their Targums; for that by “the Word of God,” so often mentioned in them, they did not understand the word of his power, but an hypostasis in the divine nature, is manifest from the personal pro- perties which are everywhere assigned unto it: as, the Word of God did this, said that, thought, went, and the like; as, Ps. lxviii. 17, they affirm that Word which gave the law on mount Sinai to dwell in the highest heaven; yea, and they say in Bereshith Rabba, of these words, Gen. i. 2, “ The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters,” nmwon top Sy inn nmt,—“This is the spirit of the king Messiah ;” by which they cannot deny but that all things were formed. And the apostle in this expression lets the Hebrews know that Jesus, the Messiah, was that Word of God by whom all things were made. And so the influence of these words into his present argument is manifest; for the Son, in whom the Father had now spoken to them and declared the gospel, being his eternal Word, by whom the world and all ages were created, there could be no question
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VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 77
of his authority to alter their ceremonious worship, which he him- self had appointed for a season.
Before we pass to the next verses, we may mark out those in- structions which the words passed through afford us in common, as to the abiding interest of all believers.
V. The foundation of them is, That the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the great prophet of his church under the new testament, the only revealer of the will of the Father, as the Son and Wisdom of God, made the worlds, and all things contained in them. And therein,—
1. We have an illustrious testimony given to the eternal Godhead -and power of the Son of God; for “He who made all things is God,” as br apostle elsewhere affirms. And,—
. Unto the equity of his being made heir, lord, and judge of all. a roku can decline the authority or waive the tribunal of him that made them all. And;—
3. A stable bottom of faith, hope, contentment, and patience, is administered unto the saints ia all dispensations. He who is their Redeemer, that bought them, hath all that interest in all things wherein they are concerned that the sovereign right of creation can afford him; besides that grant which is made unto him for this very end, that they might be disposed of to his own glory, in their good and advantage. Isa. liv. 4,5. And,—
4, From this order of things, that Christ, as the eternal Son of God, having made the worlds, hath them and all things in them put under his power as mediator and head of the church, we may see what a subserviency to the interest of the saints of the Most High the whole creation is laid and disposed in. And,—
5. The way of obtainimg a sanctified interest in and use of the things of the old creation,—namely, not to receive them merely on the general account, as made by the Son of God, but on the more especial one of their being granted. unto him as mediator of the church. And,—_
- 6. How men on both these foundations are to be accountable for their use or abuse of the things of the first creation.