VERSES 14 15.
The union of Christ and the children, in their relation unto one common root and participation of the same nature, being asserted, the apostle proceeds to declare the ends, use, and necessity of that union, in respect of the work which God had designed him unto, and the ends which he had to accomplish thereby. Of these, two he layeth down in these two verses, namely, the destruction of the devil, and the delivery thereby of them that were in bondage by reason of death; neither of which could have been wrought or effected but by the death of the captain of salvation; which he could not have undergone, nor would what he could otherwise have done been profitable unto them, had he not been of the same nature with the children; as will appear in the opening of the words themselves.
Ver. 14, 15.— Ere? ob) re roudia nexowayyne capnds ne) alwaroc, xai aris mupamrnsing meréoye ray adraiv, Iva dick rod Javdrou narapynon Tov rd updros exovra rod Savirov, rouréors, rby dic Coroy, nol drakraen rovrous, boo D6Cw Javdrov Oi wavrds rod Cry evorgo4 jouy dovrsias.
"Evel ovvy, V. L., “quia ergo;” Bez., “‘quoniam ergo;”—“because there- fore.” Syr., 4 a, “for seeing,” or, for because;” Eras., “ posteaquam igitur;” ours, ‘*forasmuch then.” °Eze/ is sometimes used for 2@ ov, ‘ post- quam,” “ex quo tempore,” “from whence;” so as to express no causality as to that which follows, but only the precedency of that which it relates unto. But it is notin that sense used with ody, which here is subjoined, but [in the sense of ] “quoniam,” “quandoquidem;” the particle ov», “ therefore,” plainly expressing a causality. They are well rendered by ours, “forasmuch then,” or “therefore.”
Tad wosdle xenoivovnne coepnos nel elworos. V. L.. “Pueri communicaverunt earni et sanguini;”—* The children communicated in flesh and blood.” Syr., 8723, “The sons were partakers,” or “do partake.” Eras., “Commereium habent cum carne et sanguine ;”—“ Have communion” (or “ commerce”) “ with flesh and blood.” Bez., “ Pueri participes sunt carnis et sanguinis;”—* The children are par- takers of flesh and blood;” as ours. The Vulgar expresseth the time past, which the original requireth. Ethiopic, “He made his children partakers of his flesh and blood;” with respect, as it should seem, to the sacrament of the eucharist.
VER. 14, 15.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 433
Kal adres rapamancing wertoxs rav airav. V. 1, “Et ipse similiter” (“con- similiter,” A. M.,) “ participavit eisdem,” Bez., “Ipse quoque consimiliter particeps factus et eorundem;” as ours, “He also himself took part of the same.” And the Syr., yen ma pra RINANON xnivat2 fa 1 FS; “ He himself’ also, in the same likeness” (or “ manner”), “was partaker” ‘(or partook”) “in the same,” (or “self-same things.”) Arab., “He also, like unto them, partook in the properties of the same;” that is, éraly partook of flesh and blood in all their natural or essential properties. Hthiop., “And he also was made as a brother unto them.”
"Tye die Savdrov. Syr., “4, “ut per mortem suam,” “that by his own death;” properly as to the sense. Karepyjoy, V. L., “destrueret;” all other Hatin translations, “ aboleret”—* that he might destroy;” so ours. But to destroy respects the person; “abolere,” in the first place, the power, ‘Tov rd xporos eyoure Tov Saverov. “ium qui tenebat mortis imperium,” Syy., Hras., Vul.;— “Him that held” (or “had”) “the rule of death.” Bez., “Hum penes quem est mortis robur ;’—“ Him that had the power of death,” thiop., “The prince of death.” Tovréors roy ditGorov, Syr., SIO NT, “which is Satan.” Kel ararnrnney (some copies read dwonararnrndey) rovrous b004. V., “et liberaret eos;” Bez., “et liberos redderet eos; ”—“and free them,” “and make them free.” Syr., “and loose them.”
Aid ravrds rou Civ. “Per omne vivere suum,”—“ whilst they lived,” “all their lives.”
"Evoyot joo dovrcias. Obnoxii erant servituti,’ Bez.; “Mancipati erant ser- vituti;” properly, “ Damnates erant servitutis;”—*“ obnoxious,” subject unto bondage.”
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood.” ‘This expression is not elsewhere used in the Scripture. Kosyovéw is to have any thing whatever in common with another; céxowévyros is he who hath nothing in fellow- ship or common with others. And this word is used in reference unto all sorts of things, good and bad; as nature, life, actions, qualities, works. Tere it inti- mateth the common and equal share of the children in the things spoken of. They are equally common to all.. These are cap xol alwc,—flesh and blood;” that is, human nature, liable to death, misery, destruction. Some would have,
not the nature of man, but the frail and weak condition of mankind to be intended in this expression. So Enjedinus, and after him Grotius, who refers us to chap. v. 7,1 Tim. iii. 16, 2 Cor. iv. 11, for the confirmation of this sense, But in none of those places is there mention of “ flesh and blood,” as here, but only of “ flesh,” which word is variously used both in the Old Testament and New. Yet inall the places referred unto, it is taken, not for the quality of human life as it is infirm and weak, but for human nature itself, which isso. As concerning that of 1 Tim. jii, 16, it hath at large been declared. And the design of this place rejects this gloss, which was invented only to defeat the testimony given in these words unto the incarnation of the Son of God: for the apostle adds a reason in these verses why the Lord Christ was so to be of one with the children as to take upon him- self their nature; which is, because that was subject unto death, which for them he was toundergo. And “flesh and blood” are here only mentioned, though they complete not human nature without a rational soul, because in and by them it is that our nature is subject unto death. We may only further observe, that the apostle having especial regard unto the saints under the old testament, expresseth their participation of flesh and blood in the preterperfect tense, or time past: which by proportion is to be extended to all that believe in Christ; unless we shall say that he hath respect unto the common interest of all mankind in the same nature, in the root of it; whence God is said of “one blood” to have made them all.