Alia rovro.
270 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [C1HAP. TI.
gospel by him. It cannot, then, be neglected without the contempt of all the authority of God. And this will be a sore aggravation of the sin of unbelievers and apostates at the last day. If we attend not unto the word 6n this account, we shall suffer for it. He that despiseth the word despiseth him; and he that despiseth him de- spiseth him also who sent him.
2. Because of the dove that is in it. There is in it the love of the Father in sending the Son, for the revealing of himself and his mind unto the children of men. There is also in it the love of the Son himself, condescending to teach and instruct the sons of men, who by their own fault were cast into error and darkness. Greater love could not God nor his eternal Son manifest unto us, than that he should undertake in his own person to become our instructor. See 1 John v. 20. He that shall consider the brutish stupidity and blindness of the generality of mankind in the things of God, the miserable fluctuating and endless uncertainties of the more inquiring part of them, and withal the greatness of their concernment in beg brought unto the knowledge of the truth, cannot but in some mea~ sure see the greatness of this love of Christ in revealing unto us the whole counsel of God. Hence his words and speech are said to be “oracious,” Luke iv. 22; and “ grace to be poured into his lips,” Ps. xly. 2. And this is no small motive unto our attention unto the word.
3. The fulness of the revelation rtself by him made unto us is of the same importance. He came not to declare a part or parcel, but the whole will of God,—all that we are to know, all that we are to do, all that we are to believe. “In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” Col. ii 8. He opened all the dark sen- tences of the will of God, hidden from the foundation of the world. There is in his doctrine all wisdom, all knowledge, as all light is in the sun, and all water in the sea, there being nothing of the one or the other in any other thing but by a communication from them, Now, if every word of God be excellent, if every part and parcel of it delivered by any of his servants of old was to be attended unto on the penalty of extermination out of the number of his people, how much more will our condition be miserable, as now are our blind- ness and obstinacy, if we have not a heart to attend unto this full revelation of himself and his will!
4, Because it is final. “ Last of all he sent his Son,” and hath “spoken unto us by him.” Never more in this world will he speak with that kind of speaking. No new, no further revelation of God is to be expected in this world, but what is made by Jesus Christ. To this we must attend, or we are lost for ever.
VI. The true and only way of honouring the Lord
Uspovorts Christ as the Son of God, is by diligent attendance and om pore yey. é < A ‘
obedience unto his word. The apostle having evidenced his glory as the Son of God, makes this his only inference from it.
VER, 2-4. ] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. rAreal
So doth he himself. “If ye love me,” saith he, “keep my com- mandments.” Where there is no obedience unto the word, there is neither faith in nor love unto Jesus Christ. But this whole argu- ment the apostle further pursues in the following verses:—
VERSES 2-4
In these three verses the apostle follows on his exhortation, laid down in that foregoing, and giveth many peculiar enforcements unto a due compliance with it, as we shall see in our exposition of them.
Ver. 2.—Ri yap 6 Or dyyéhuv AwANdEls Adyos syévero BECas0s, nal Thon TapaCuoss nud rapaxor) ¢hacey evOsnov picdamodociar
‘Ei yep, “si enim,” “ etenim,” “and if,” “for if.” ‘O Adyos rAwrAnbels, “ sermo dictus;” nbbaney, xn , Syr., “sermo qui dictus est,” or “ pronuntiatus,” “the word which was spoken or pronounced,”—properly, as we shallsee. As dyyéauy, Syr., NENDN 2, “by the hand of angels ;” a Hebraism for their ministry. “The word pronounced by the ministry of angels.” The Arabic refers these words to the testimonies before insisted on about angels, and renders them, “If that which is spoken concerning the angels be approved,” or confirmed to be true; that is, wep ayyerov, not of dyysawy. ’Eyevero BéCasos, “factus est firmus,” Ar., V. L., “ was made firm” or “ stable,” “ became sure;” “ fuit firmus,” Evas., Beza, “ was firm ;” or, as ours, “steadfast;” MTHYS, Syr., “ confirmatus fuit,” “ was confirmed or established.” Kal raouw rapacacis xal repaxoy, “et omnis prevaricatio et inobedientia,” V. L., Ar., “ prevarication and disobedience;” Rhem., “ omnisque transgressio et contumacia;” Beza, “ every transgression and stubborn disobe- dience;” the Syriac, a little otherwise, meg Mao Rey 221, “and every one that heard it and transgressed it,”—with peculiar respect, as it should seem, to zapaxo, which includes a disobedience to that which is heard. “EawGey evdixov perc beero- doofav, “accepit justam mercedis retributionem,” V. L., Bez. ; “retulit, preemii,” Eras.,—all to the same purpose, “ received a just recompence,” “ reward,” “ a just compensation;” Syr., ‘seceived a retribution in righteousness,”