The first verse, as was said, lays down the principal assertion in a negative proposition: “The world to come is not made subject unto angels.” One proof hereof is included in the words themselves; for that expression, “He hath not put in subjection,” is the same with our apostle as, ‘It is nowhere written or recorded in the Scrip- ture, ‘There is no testimony of it,’ ‘God is nowhere said to have done it.’ See chap. i. 5, with the exposition of it. And these nega- tive arguments from the authority of the Old Testament he esteemed in this matter cogent and sufficient.
‘In the proposition itself, 1. The subject of it, “The world to come;” with 2. Its limitation, “ Whereof we treat;” and 3. The predicate, negatively expressed, “Is not put in subjection to angels,” are to be considered.
The subject of the proposition is, “The world to come” (x37 oy), the new heavens and new earth (oixovuévy), which God promised to
324 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IT.
create, Isa. xv. 17, Ixvi. 22; which refers unto mwnn %», “the days of the Messiah.” The later Jews sometimes call it ny ny, “the future world,” though usually by that expression they intend the world of future bliss. But the world here intended is no other but the promised state of the church under the gospel. This, with the worship of God therein, with especial relation unto the Messiah, the author and mediator of it, administering its heavenly things before the throne of grace, thereby rendering it spiritual and heavenly, and diverse from the state of the worship of the old tes- tament, which was worldly and carnal, was “the world to come” that the Jews looked for, and which in this place is intended by the apostle. This we must further confirm, as the foundation of the ensuing exposition. That this then, is the intendment of the apostle appeareth,—
First, From the limitation annexed, wep! ig AwAodmev, “ concerning which we treat.” This is the world whereof he treats with the Hebrews in this epistle, namely, the gospel state of the church, the worship whereof he had in the words immediately foregoing pressed them unto the observation of; and not only so, but described it also by that state wherein the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost were given and enjoyed. And the mention of them in the words directly preceding is that description of the world to come which the apostle in these words refers unto, “concerning which we speak.” And the tradition of this new world, or the restoration of all things under the Messiah, was one of the principal reports of truth received among the Jews, which the apostle presseth them withal.
Some suppose that Awrotwer, “we speak,” is put for éAnAgjoapen, “we have spoken,” and would have it refer unto chap.i. 6. But what the apostle there intendeth by “the world” we have sufficiently evinced and declared. The “ world” there, by a usual synecdoche, is put for the habitable earth, the r& 7é:a, which the Son of God made and came unto, John i. 11. Here, a certain state and condi- tion of things in the world, about which he treated with the Hebrews, is intended.
Besides, they who would thus change the word (Grotius, Crellius, Schlichtingius), by the world, chap. 1. 6, understand heaven itself, the state of glory, which is not here insisted on by the apostle; for,—
Secondly, He treats of that which was already done, in the crown- ing of Jesus with glory and honour, as the words following do manifest. This crowning of him was upon his ascension, as we have before proved at large. Then was not the state of glory made sub- ject unto him, because it was not then nor is yet in being. And, therefore, they who turn “we speak” into “we have before spoken,” are forced also to pervert the following words, and to interpret, “He hath made all things subject unto him,” “ He hath purposed or de-
VER. 5-9.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 325
creed so to do;” both without cause or reason. The world whereof the apostle treats was immediately made subject to Jesus,—that is, the church of the new testament,—when God anointed him king upon his holy hill of Zion; and therefore in the psalm is there mention made of those other parts of the creation, to be joined in this subjection, that have no relation unto heaven.
Thirdly, The apostle doth not treat directly anywhere in this epistle concerning heaven, or the world of the blessed to come. He frequently mentions heaven, not absolutely, indeed, but as it be- longs unto the gospel world, as being the place of the constant residence of the high priest of the church, and wherein also the worship of it is through faith celebrated.
Fourthly, The apostle in these words insists on the antithesis which he pursueth in his whole discourse between the Judaical and evangelical church-state; for whatever power angels might have in and over things formerly, this world to come, saith he, is not made subject unto them. Now, it is not heaven and glory that he oppo- seth to the Judaical church-state and worship, but that of the gospel, as we shall find in the progress of the epistle; which is therefore necessarily here intended.
Fifthly, If by “the world to come,” the eternal, blessed state of glory be designed, to begin at or after the general judgment, then here is a promise that that blessed estate shall “de novo” be put in subjection to Jesus Christ as mediator; but this is directly con- trary unto what is elsewhere revealed by the same apostle, con- cerning the transactions between the Father and the Son as mediator at that day, 1 Cor. xv. 28: “ And when all shall be sub- dued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him who put all things under him, that God may be all in all;”—which words, if they do not absolutely assert the ceasing of the kingdom of the mediator, but only the order of all things unto eternity in their subjection unto God by Christ, yet they are plainly exclusive of the grant of a new power or authority unto him, or of a new making subject of all things unto him. Add unto all this, that the apostle proves the subjection of this world unto the Lord Christ, and not unto angels, by a testimony expressing directly the present things of this world, antecedent unto the day of judgment.