Apron AaCovow AaArsiobas
VER. 2-4. ] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 279
himself, and carried on to perfection by those who were appointed and enabled by him thereunto, John i. 17, 18. Thus was it by him declared, in his own person, as the law was by angels.
And herein lies the stress of the apostle’s reasonings with refer- ence unto what he had before discoursed concerning the Son and angels, and his pre-eminence above them. The great reason why the Hebrews so pertinaciously adhered unto the doctrine of the’ law, was the glorious publication of it. It was “the word spoken by angels;” they received it “by the disposition of angels.’ ‘If,’ saith the apostle, ‘that were a sufficient cause why the law should be attended unto, and that the neglect of it should be so sorely avenged as it was, though in itself but the ministry of death and condemna- tion, then consider what is your duty in reference unto the gospel, which as it was in itself a word of life and great salvation, so it was spoken, declared, and delivered by the Lord himself, whom we have manifested to be so exceedingly exalted above all angels whatever.’
He further describes the gospel, (2.) From the way and means of its conveyance unto us. It was “confirmed unto us by them that heard him.” And herein also he prevents an objection that might arise in the minds of the Hebrews, inasmuch as they, at least the greatest part of them, were not acquainted with the personal ministry of the Lord; they heard not the word spoken by him. For hereunto the apostle replies, that though they themselves heard him not, yet the same word which he preached was not only declared, but “ confirmed unto them by those that heard him.” And herein he doth not in- tend all of them who at any time heard him teaching, but those whom in an especial manner he made choice of to employ them in that work, namely, the apostles. So that this expression, “Those that heard him,” is a periphrasis of the apostle’s, from that great privilege of hearing immediately all things that our Lord taught in his own person ; for neither did the church of the Jews hear the law as it was pronounced on Horeb by angels, but had it confirmed unto them by the ways and means of God’s appointment. And he doth not say merely that the word was taught or preached unto us by them; but €e€csidn,—it was “confirmed,” made firm and steadfast, being delivered infallibly unto us by the ministry of the apostles. There was a divine BeCu/wors, “ firmness,” certainty, and infallibility in the apostolical declaration of the gospel, like that which was’ in the writings of the prophets; which Peter, comparing with miracles, calls BeCasdrepov Adyov, “a more firm, steadfast, or sure word.” And this infallible certainty of their word was from their divine inspiration.
Sundry holy and learned men from this expression, “ Confirmed unto us,”—wherein they say the writer of this epistle placeth him- self among the number of those who heard not the word from the
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280 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [ CHAP. II.
Lord himself, but only from the apostles,—conclude that Paul can- not be the penman thereof, who in sundry places denieth that he received the gospel by instruction from men, but by immediate revelation from God. Now, because this is the only pretence which hath any appearance of reason for the adjudging the writing of this epistle from him, I shall briefly show the invalidity of it. And (1.) It is certain that this term, “us,” comprises and casts the whole under the condition of the generality or major part, and cannot re- ceive a particular distribution unto all individuals; for this epistle being written before the destruction of the temple, as we have de- monstrated, it is impossible to apprehend but that some were then living at Jerusalem who attended unto the ministry of the Lord himself in the days of his flesh, and among them was James himself, one of the apostles, as before we have made it probable: so that nothing ean hence be concluded to every individual, as though none of them might have heard the Lord himself. (2.) The apostle hath evidently a respect unto the foundation of the church of the Hebrews at Jerusalem by the preaching of the apostles, immediately after the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon them, Acts it. 1-5; which, as he was not himself concerned in, so he was to mind it unto them as the beginning of their faith and profession. (3.) Paul himself did not hear the Lord Christ teaching personally on the earth when he began to reveal the great salvation. (4.) Nor doth he say that those of whom he speaks were originally instructed by the hearers of Christ, but only that by them the word was confirmed unto them; and so it was unto Paul himself, Gal. ii. 1, 2. But, (6.) Yet it is apparent that the apostle useth an dévaxoivwor, placing himself among those unto whom he wrote, though not personally concerned in every particular spoken,—a thing so usual with him that there is scarce any of his epistles wherein sundry instances of it are not to be found. See 1 Cor.x. 8,9; 1Thess.iv.17. The like is done by Peter, 1 Epist. iv. 3. Having therefore, in this place, to take off all suspicion of jealousy in his exhortation to the Hebrews unto integrity and con- stancy in their protession, entered on his discourse in this chapter in the same way of expression, “'Therefore ought we,” as there was no need, so there was no place for the change of the persons, so as to say “you” instead of “us.” So that on many accounts there is no ground for this objection.