Aozy, “should seem.” It refers unto wf wore, “lest at any time.” There is a threefold probable sense of this word or expression:—1. Some suppose it to be added merely to give an emphasis to the caution. And so there is no more intended but that “none of you come short of it.” And this manner of speech is not unusual,— Lest any seem to come short;” that is, lest any do so indeed. See 1 Cor. xi. 16, xii. 22; 2 Cor.x.9. 2. Some suppose that by this word the apostle mitigates the severity of the intimation given them of their danger, by a kind and gentle expression, — Lest any of you should seem to incur so great a penalty, fall under so great a destruction, or fall into so great a sin as that intimated; without this the admonition seems to have some harshness in it, And it is a good rule, that all such warnings as have threatenings for their motive, or any way included in them, ought to be expressed. with gentleness and tenderness, that the persons warned take no occasion of being provoked or irritated. “A soft answer” (and so a soft admonition) “turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger,” Prov.xv. 1. See the proceeding of our apostle in this case, chap. vi. 7-10, with what wisdom he alleviates the appearing sharpness of
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a severe admonition. But, 3. The apostle rather intends to warn them against all appearance of any such failing or falling as he cau- tioneth them against. He desires them to take heed that none of them do, by foregoing their former zeal and diligence, give any um- brage or appearance of a declension from or desertion of their pro- fession. This is his intention: ‘ Let there be no semblance or appearance of any such thing found amongst you.’
~ ‘Yorepnxévos,—< To come short;” “ To be left behind ;’ “ To have been left behind;” that is, in the work of first receiving the promise when proposed. If men fail in the be- ginning, probably they will quite give over in their progress. ‘Yorepéw is “posterior sum,” “to be behind,” in time, in place, in progress. Vulg. Lat., “deesse,” “to be wanting;” which renders not the word, nor gives any direct sense. Syr., MUNDI, “qui cesset,” “qui frus- tretur,” “qui deficeret,” so is it variously rendered,—any one that should “ cease,” “ fail,” “be frustrated,” “ give over:” whereunto it adds, yee }2, “ab ingressu,” “ from entering in ;”’—that is, into the rest contained in the promise; making that, and not the promise it- self, to be intended; and so the dehortation to be taken from the punishment of unbelief, and not the nature of the sin itself. ‘Yorepéw also signifies “ frustrari,” “non assequi,’—“ to be disappointed,” and not to attain the thing aimed at. So Thucydid. lib. iil, ’Exre:d) ris Mirvrgqyns torepyxer,—< After that he missed of Mitylene,” or was dis- appointed in his design of putting in there. And in Isocrates, ‘Yors- pelv raiv xpi, xu! xpcdyparwy, is “to be disappointed,” or to fail of occasions for the management of affairs. The word also signifies “ to want,” or “to be wanting.” T@ dcrspotvrs repscoorépay Sods riu7v, 1 Cor. xii. 24,“ Giving honour to that which wanteth,’ “is wanting.” "Yoreph cuvrog oivov, John ii. 3, “ When wine failed,” “was wanting,” “when they lacked wine.” So also to be “inferior,” ‘Yorepnnévas ray drip Alay drooréAwy, 2 Cor. xi. 5,—“To come behind the chiefest apostles;” that is, be inferior unto them in any thing.
Generally, expositors think there is an allusion unto them who runinarace. Those who are not speedy therein, who stir not up themselves, and put out their utmost ability and diligence, do fail, come behind, and so fall short of the prize. So dorepe? is “ ultimus esse,” “deficere in cursu,” “a tergo remanere,’—“to be cast,” “to faint or fail in the race,” “to be cast behind the backs of others.” And this is a thing which our apostle more than once alludes unto, and ex- plains, 1 Cor. ix. 24, 25.
But the allusion is taken from the people in the wilderness, and their passing into the land of Canaan. Most of them were heavy through unbelief, lagged in their progress, and were, as it were, left behind in the wilderness, where they perished and came short of entering into the promised land. These words, therefore, “ Lest
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any of you should come short of it,” are as if he had said, ‘ Lest it fall out with you in reference unto the promise left unto you, as it did with the people in the wilderness with respect unto the pro- mise as proposed and preached unto them. For by reason of their unbelief they fell short, and enjoyed not the promise, nor did enter into the land promised unto them, or the rest of God. And take you heed, lest by the same means you fall short of the promise now preached unto you, and of entering into the rest of God in the gos- pel.” The word, therefore, directly respects the promise, “ fall short of the promise,” consequentially the things promised, or the rest of God in the gospel. The scope and intention of this latter part of the verse may be summed up in the ensuing observations.