3. Hence he resumes his exhortation with respect unto his expli- cation and vindication of the prophetical testimony by him pro- duced, verse 11.
4, This he again strengtheneth by a double argument or consider- ation:—(1.) In a way of caution, by proposing unto them the nature of the word of God wherein they were concerned, verses 12, 13. (2.) In a way of encouragement from the priesthood of Christ, whereby this rest was procured for believers; and therein makes a transition to the declaration and exposition of that priesthood, with the effects and consequents of it, in the six ensuing chapters.
VERSES 1, 2.
DoCydamev otv, wn wore, mururcrrouevns erayyerlas eloedbe sig ray naramravorw abrovd, doxn ris && ims borepnxtvas, Kad yep tomer ednyyeruc- Hever, xabdwep xcneivor GAN ovx wREANGEY 6 Adyos Tig HONS extivous, ur Cuy nex parevos TH wiores TOI AKOUCKTe
Ver. 1.—®obndawev ovv, “timeamus ergo,” “metuamus igitur,”—more pro- perly, “let us fear, therefore.”
My wore. Vulg. Lat., “ne forte.” Rhem., “lest perhaps,’—as though it in- tended the uncertainty of the event. Beza and Eras., “ne quando,” “lest at any time.” Ours omit the force of zoré, “lest.” If it have an especial signifi- cation, it respects the several seasons or occasions which in the “ fear” enjoined we ought to have regard unto.
Kerawarcimoueyns erayyeniac. Vulg. Lat., “ relicta pollicitatione:” “ pollicitatio” being an improper word in this matter, all modern translators have changed it into “promissio.” Rhem., “forsaking the promise.” But the words in the V. L. are capable of another sense,—namely, “ «a promise being left.” Beza and Eras., “ derelicta promissione ;” which determines the sense, “the promise being
VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 199
left,” “ forsaken,” “ neglected :” accordingly the Ethiopic, “let us not reject his command.” The Syriac otherwise, with respect to the continuance of a promise, n> ep 72 8221,—“ne forte stante promissione,” “ne forte dum stat promis- sio,”—* lest whilst the promise standeth,” “continueth,” or “is firm,” namely, of entering into rest. This is followed by the Arabic, “ whereas a certain promise re- maineth.” Of this difference in sense we must treat in our exposition of the words.
Eiaenbsiv sis rqv xaramauvow airov. See chap. iii. 11, 18.
Aoxn rig 2 bway dorepnxevas. Vulg. Lat., “existimetur aliquis é vobis deesse.”
Rhem., “some of you be thought to be wanting.” “ Deesse” neither expresseth the meaning of the original word nor hath any proper sense in this place, as both Erasmus and Beza observe. Arias, “ defici,” “fail.” Aox7: Eras., Bez., “videatur,” “should seem” or “ appear;” more properly than “ existimetur,’ it re- ferring to the persons spoken unto, and their deportment, not the opinion or judg- ment of others concerning them. ‘Yorspyxévas: Eras., “frustratus fuisse,” “to have been frustrated;” that is, in his hopes, expectations, profession, or of enter- ing. Men wil be deceived, if they hope to enter into God’s rest and yet neglect his promise; which is the sense he takes the wordsin. Beza, “ fuisse per tardi- tatem exclusus;” endeavouring to express the precise signification of the word he somewhat obscures the sense,—“ to have been excluded from it by keeping be- hind,” by slowness, in not going forward. Aoxi ris #8 Yuav: The Syriac, M272 222 B38, “a man should be found amongst you;” omitting that sense of the word toxm which many expositors insist on, as we shall see. Arab., “any one of you should think.” ‘Yorzpnxéve:: Syr. fills upthe sense, °22°7 7? vNe7, “that should cease from entering,” or “ fail of entering.” Ours, “seem to come short of it,” properly. - Ver, 2.—Kal yep tomey ebnyyeatcuevor. Vulg. Lat., “etenim et nobis nun- ciatum est.”” Erasmus, “ annunciatum est.” Rhem., “for unto us it was de- nounced,” Improperly all of them, nor is “ denounce” any way significant in this matter. Beza, “ etenim nobis evangelizatum est.” Ours, “ for unto us was the gospel preached,” and so the word signifies: “etenim sumus evangelizati,” “for we are evangelized;” of which construction afterwards. Syr., etree « nunciatum est;” more properly, “ evangelizatum est,” “the gospel is,” or “ was preached.”
“O rdyos rig dxoys. Vulg. Lat., “sermo auditus.” Rhem., “the word of hearing;” taking “ auditus” for a substantive and not a participle, which also the original requireth. Eras., “non profuit illis audisse sermonem,” “it profited them not to have heard the word.” Ours, “the word preached.” Syr., 8972 52287, “the word which they heard.” Of the meaning of the phrase of speech used in the original we shall treat afterwards.
M4 ovyxexpaptvoc. The Complutensian copy, which is followed by sundry vulgar editions, reads ovyzexpamévovc, making this word agree with éxe/vous, “those that heard,” and not with Acvos, “the word” that was heard. And this reading is followed by the Arabic and Ethiopic translations. uyxexpamévos : Vulg. Lat., “admistus;” Eras., “cum fide conjunctus;” Beza, “ contempera- tus;”—all to the same purpose, “ mixed,” “ joined,” “ tempered,” with faith.
Ti rior. “ Fide,” “cum fide,” “ fidei,’—* with faith,” “ unto the faith.”
Tois dxovouow. Vulg. Lat., “fidei ex iis que audiverant.” Rhem., “ with faith of those things which they heard;” referring rojs to the things heard, and not to the persons hearing; but that dxoveaov will not bear.’
1 Various Reapines.—2vyxexpauiv. Instead of the Attic form, some codices have ovyxexeoaopévos, which Ebrard deems the true reading. uyxexepaoustvous is the reading of codices A Bc D, as also of several important versions. Recent commentators, with the exception of Ebrard, prefer the latter ; in which ease the sense would be, “because they were not united in the faith with those who obeyed.”