? Various Reapines.—Instead of the clause, od ércioucay..... Roxipmaccy , as it stands above, Tischendorf reads ob érsloacay of rarépes day tv Doxtmwacia. hmann concurs with him; and the manuscripts quoted in support of this
16 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IIL
Ver. 7-11.—Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation, in the wil- derness: where your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their hearts; but my ways they have not known. So I sware in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest.
The exhortation is here pursued which was engaged into at the beginning of the chapter, and which after some diversion is returned unto at the close of the sixth verse. The argument whereby it is confirmed and carried on in these words is taken “ab eventu per- nicioso,” from the pernicious event of the alike disobedience in others, which the Hebrews are dehorted from. And this the apostle shows by an eminent instance, or the induction of an example to that purpose. And this was such as those to whom he wrote knew to be so as it was by him reported; which they had especial reason to attend unto and consider, which had formerly been recommended to them, and which was purposely designed to be monitory unto them in their present condition: which things render an example cogent and effectual. Known it was to them, as being recorded in the Scripture, wherewith they were acquainted; and it was likewise of near concernment unto them, so deserving their consideration, inasmuch as it was their own progenitors or forefathers who so mis- carried as to be therein proposed unto them for an example of an evil to be avoided. It had also, after the first recording of it in the history of the times wherein it fell out, Num. xiv., been resumed and recommended unto their most diligent consideration, Ps. xev. And, as he afterwards informs them, there was a prophecy infolded, or a typical representation made of their present state and condi- tion, with directions for their wise and safe deportment under it. All these things render the example proper, and the exhortation from it cogent.
Now, whereas the example had been twice recorded,—once ma- terially, where the fact is first expressed, and then formally, as an example, where it is resumed and improved by the psalmist,—our apostle takes it together with its improvement out of the latter reading are such as ABCDE, CDE inserting / after ére/pacay. Both of these critics, moreover, read revry instead of exsivy.
Exposition.—Erasmus, Calvin, Grotius, Bengel, Wetstein, Carpzoy, Ernesti, Bleek, etc., connect all the quotations, verses 7-11, under the government of zabac, as the protasis, of which verse 12 is the apodosis. Schlichting, Cap- pellus, Heinrichs, Kuinoel, Klee, and Ebrard, understand zaéos..... ayioy as a&
parenthesis, and the citations as dependent upon the preceding dus. TRANSLATION.— Ka! eidov, “although they saw.” —De Wette.—Eb.
VER. 7-11.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 17
place. It lies therefore before us under both considerations,— as a fact recorded by Moses, as an example pressed by the psalmist.
First, We may consider in the words,—
First, The note of inference wherein the apostle engageth the whole unto his purpose, “ Wherefore.”
Secondly, The manner of his introduction of this persuasive ex- ample, both as to the fact and its former improvement, “As the Holy Ghost saith.”
Thirdly, The manner of its proposition, in way of exhortation; wherein we have,—
First, The general matter of it, which is obedience unto God; expressed,—1. By a supposition, including a positive assertion of the duty especially intended, “If ye will hear his voice.” 2. By a pro- hibition or removal of the contrary, “ Harden not your hearts.”
Secondly, The time or season of its due performance, “To-day.”
SECONDLY, There is in the words the ezample itself on which the exhortation is built or founded: and this consists of two parts or branches ;—First, The sin; and, Secondly, The punishment of the persons spoken of.
First, The sin: on the account whereof there are mentioned,—
1. The persons sinning; they were the “ fathers,” the fathers or progenitors of them to whom he wrote; “your fathers,” illustrated by their multitude,—they were a whole “ generation.”
2. The quality or nature of their sin, which consisted in two things;—(1.) Provocation, “As in the provocation;” (2.) Tempta- tion of God, “And in the day of temptation...... they tempted me and proved me.”
3. The aggravation of their sin;—(1.) From the place where it was committed,—it was “in the wilderness;” (2.) From the means of the contrary which they had to have preserved them from it,— they saw the works of God, “And saw my works;” (3.) From the duration and continuance of their sinning, and the means of the contrary, “ Forty years.”
Secondly, The punishment of their sin is expressed in the perni- cious event that ensued, whence the exhortation is taken; and therein is expressed,—
1. The “ causa procatarctica,” or procuring cause, in the sense that God had of their sin: it grieved him, “ Wherefore I was grieved with that generation.”
2. The expression that he gave of it, containing a double aggra- vation of their sin,—(1.) In its principle, “They did err in their hearts;” (2.) In their continuance in it, they did so always, “ And said, They do always err in their hearts;” (3.) In its effects, “ They did not know his ways.”