To roijourrs aire, “facienti ipsum,” “ ei qui fecit ipsum,’—“to him that made him.” Some Socinians from these words would’prove that Christ is a mere crea- ture, because God is said to make him. But it is not of the essence or nature of Christ that the apostle treateth, as Schlichtingius himself acknowledgeth, but of his office and work. See Acts il. 36, Kvpsov zal Xpiorcvy atrov 6 Od érolyos,— “God hath made him both Lord and Christ ;” the same with dye, Heb. i. 2,— he hath “ made,” “appointed,” “ designed,” “ exalted” him. So in the Hebrew, ne2, “ fecit,” “he made,” is used and applied 1 Sam. xii. 6, P°DS"AS] Twechs Hee MeN, tach the LXX. render, ¢ movqous roy Mavogy, “who made Moses and Aaron:” that is, 73 or M2, “raised up,” or “exalted,” or “appointed them,”—that is, to their office. For whom God raiseth up or exalteth, he doth it unto some work and service; and whom he appointeth unto any service, he doth therein exalt.
‘Og xal Mache gv trw co olxw avrov, “ Even as Moses in his whole house.” These words, “in his whole house,” may be referred unto the former expression concerning Christ, “ Faithful to him that appointed him in his whole house, even as was Moses.” So the Arabic translation disposeth the words. Thus a comma is to be placed after Moses, or, “ even as Moses,” is to be enclosed in a parenthesis. Or they may be referred unto Moses, and then they are to be rendered, as by ours, “as was Moses;” and then the sense is te be supplied by repeating érc> “faithful:” “As Moses was faithful in his whole house.” But as to the matter itself, both are intended, and the same words are used of Moses elsewhere, ‘Num. xii. 7.1
* Exposition.—Jesus is called éacoronoc, from the analogous relation in which
he stands to the 7” 4s>n, as ceeoae of God to men; dpxsepevs, from the
490 AN EXPOSITION OF THE | [CHAP, IIL
Ver. 1, 2.—Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider [diligently] the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful [being faithful] to him that appointed him [made him so], even as Moses in all his house [in his whole house. |
The apostle in these two verses entereth upon the application of the doctrine which he had declared and confirmed in the two fore- going chapters. Herewithal, according to his constant method in this epistle, he maketh way for what he had further to deliver of the same nature and importance.
The first word respects that which went before, “ wherefore,” or, ‘seeing things are as I have manifested,—namely, that he of whom I speak unto you is so excellent and so highly exalted above all, and that whereas he was humbled for a season, it was unspeakably for the benefit and advantage of the church,—it cannot but be your duty to consider him; that is, both what he is in himself, and what he is unto us. His design is to press upon them his general exhortation unto constancy and perse- verance in the profession of the gospel; but he doth not express it in these verses, insisting only upon an intermediate duty, subservient unto that principally intended. Now, this is their diligent consider- ation of Jesus Christ, with what he had delivered concerning him, and what he was yet further to declare unto them. And this he urgeth as the only way whereby they might be prevailed on unto and assisted in the stability aimed at. This is the connection of his discourse and the intention of his inference; whence observe, that,—
I. All the doctrines of the gospel, especially those concerning the person and offices of Christ, are to be improved unto practice in faith and obedience.
This course our apostle insists on: having before laid down the doctrine of the person and offices of Christ, here he applies it unto their duty and establishment in the profession of the truth. These things are not revealed unto us only to be known, but to be practi- cally used for the ends of their revelation. We are so to know Christ as to live to him in the strength of his grace, and unto the praise of his glory. “If ye know these things,” saith he, “ happy are ye if ye do them,” John xiii. 17. It is our privilege to know them, a great privilege; but it is our blessedness to do them. When
“Obey.
analogy between him and 7737 179, as representative of men before God.— Ebrard.
TRANSLATIONS.—Ti¢ o«0a. Confession.— De Wette, Wahl, Craik, Conybeare and Howson, Ebrard. Covenant.—Titmann, Tholuck. Whom we haye acknow ledged.— Storr, Stuart.—Eb. es reiker
VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 491
men content themselves with the notion of spiritual things, without endeavouring to express their power and efficacy in the practical conformity of their minds and souls unto them, it proves their ruin. That word which is preached unto us ought to dwell inus. See what it is to “learn Christ” in a due manner, Eph. iv. 20-24. There is a miserable profession, where some preach without application, and others hear without practice. ,
To hear that we may learn, to learn that we may learn, is but part of our duty; indeed, in and for themselves no part of it. To hear and to learn are good, but not for themselves, for their own sake, but only for the practice of what we hear and learn. The apostle tells us of some who are “always learning, but are never able to come «ig ériyywow d&Andeias,’ 2 Tim. iii. 7; that is, to a prac- tical acknowledgment of it, so as to have an impression of its power and efficacy upon their souls. And such are some who are réyrore povddvovres,—such as make it their business to hear and to learn, so _ that they scarcely do any thing else. Gospel truths are “ medicina anime,”—physic for a sin-sick soul. Now, of what use is it to get a store of medicines and cordials, and never to take them? No more is it to collect, at any price or rate, sermons, doctrines, instructions, if we apply them not, that they may have their efficacy in us and proper work towards us. There is in some a dropsy of hearing ;— _ the more they hear, the more they desire. But they are only pleased with it at present, and swelled for the future,—are neither really refreshed nor strengthened. But every truth hath, as the Hebrews express it, Y22 7S, “meat in its mouth,” something for our own nourishment. We should look unto sermons as Elijah did to the ravens, that “brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening,” 1 Kings xvii. 6. They bring food with them for our souls, if we feed on it; if not, they are lost. When the Israelites gathered manna to eat, it was a precious food, “ bread from heaven, angels’ meat,” food heavenly and angelical,—that is, excellent and precious; but when they laid it up by them, “it bred worms and stank,” Exod. xvi. 20. When God scatters truths amongst men, if they gather them to eat, they are the bread of heaven, angels’ food; but if they do it only to lay them by them, in their books, or in the notions of their mind, they will breed the worms of pride and hypocrisy, and make them an offensive savour unto God. When, therefore, any truth is proposed unto you, learn what is your concernment in it, and let it have its proper and perfect work upon your souls.