(2.) It is évepy%c, “powerful.” Power for operation is an act of life; and such as is the life of any thing, such is its power for ope- ration. These things, life, power, and operation, answer one another. And this power signifies actual power, power acted or exerted,—actu- ated power, or power effectual in actual operation. Having there- fore first assigned life to the Word of God, that is the principle of all power, life in himself, as being “ the living one,” our apostle adds that he exerts that power of life in actual operation, when, where, and how he pleaseth. He is évepyjs. ’*Evepyéw, I confess, is a com- mon word, signifying the efficacy of any thing in operation accord- ing to its principle of power; but it is that also whereby our apostle most frequently expresseth the almighty, effectual, operating power of God in and about spiritual things, 1 Cor. xii. 6, 11, Gal. ii. 8, iii. 5, Eph. i. 11, Phil. ii. 13, 1 Thess. ii 13, Eph. i. 19, Col. ii, 12, and elsewhere. And this was necessary to be added to the property of life, to manifest that the Lord Christ, the Word of God, would effectually put forth his power in dealing with professors according to their deportment; which afterwards is expressed in sundry in-
358 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [ CHAP. IV.
stances. And herein the apostle lets both the Hebrews and us know that the power that is in Christ lies not idle, is not useless, but is continually exercising itself towards us as the matter doth require. There is also, I acknowledge, an energy, an operative power in the word of God as written or preached; but it is not in it primarily, by virtue of a life or principle of power in itself, but only as a con- sequent of its being his word who is “the living one,” or “as it is indeed the word of the living God.”
The original of the power of Christ in life, and the efficacy of it in operation, being laid down, he further declares it,—(1.) By its properties ; (2.) By its effects.
(1.) The property of the Word, with respect unto the exercise of his power, is, that it 1s romudrepos imtp wkoay maxaipay dic- rowov. From réuva, to “cut” or “divide,” is rowég, “scin- dens,” “ incidens,”—“ cleaving,” “ cutting,” or that which is “ vi incisorid preeditus,” endued with a cutting power; roudrepog, in the comparative degree. Valla says he would render it “incidentior,” were that word used. So in Phocylides,—
Toparepos.
“Owdrov ros AdYos evdp) romarrepay tors CHdMpte
“ Telum ferro penetrantius;” “ acutior,’ “ penetrantior” (see the different translations of the word before); “ sharper,” “more pierc- ing.” ‘Yatp atiouy whyapay d/orowov. The preposition ‘txtp xéea» added to the comparative degree increaseth the signifi- Healey dic- . . . . ei ag ~ See cation; for it might have been said, rowbs batp wéouy, or rouwrepos rhons waxaipug: but the construction used ex- presseth the greatest distance between the comparates,—“ than any two-edged sword.” Aforouos, that is, dupforouos,— “ gladius biceps, anceps, utrinque incidens;” “double-edged or mouthed, cutting every way.” 2B, “the mouth of the sword,” isa Hebraism, with such an elegance in the allusion as most languages have admitted it. ‘The metaphor is doubtless taken from wild beasts, whom mankind first feared, that devour with their mouths; which when the sword began to be used for destruction, gave them occasion to call its edge by the name of its “mouth:” dforowog, “double-mouthed,” cutting each way, that leaves nothing unpierced whereunto it is applied. Christ in the exercise of his power is said to be “ more piercing than any two-edged sword;” for so doth God oftentimes set forth himself and his power, with an allusion to things sensible, thereby to convey a notion and apprehension of them to our understandings. So he is said to be “a consuming fire,” and that he will be “as a lion;” things of great terror to men. This of a “sword” is often mentioned with respect unto the Lord Christ, Isa. xlix. 2; Rev. i. 16, “Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.” And it is principally as- signed unto him with respect unto the exercise of his power in and
VER. 12, 18.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 359
by his word, which is called “the sword of the Spirit,” Eph. vi. 17; the “sword that is on his thigh,” Ps, xlv. 3, which he hath in readiness when he goeth forth to subdue the souls of men to him- self ; as it is also “ the rod of his power,” Ps.cx. 2. But it is Christ himself who makes the word powerful and sharp: the principal effi- ciency is in himself, acting in and with it. That then which is here intended, is the spiritual, almighty, penetrating efficacy of the Lord Christ, in his dealing with the souls and consciences of men by his word and Spirit. And whereas there is a twofold use of a sword; the one natural, to cut or pierce through all opposition, all armour of defence; the other moral, to execute judgments and punishments, whence the sword is taken for the right and authority of punishing, and ofttimes for punishment itself, Rom. xiii. 4; here is an allusion unto it in both senses. The Lord Christ, by his word and Spirit, pierceth into the souls of men (as we shall see in the next clause), and that notwithstanding all the defence of pride, security, obstinacy, and unbelief, which they wrap up themselves in, according to the natural use of the sword. Again, he by them exe- cutes judgments on wicked men, hypocrites, false professors, and apostates. He “smites the earth with the rod of his mouth, and slays the wicked with the breath of his lips,” Isa. xi.4. He cuts off the life of their carnal hopes, false peace, worldly security, what- ever they live upon, by the “two-edged sword” that proceeds out of his mouth. And the minding of the Hebrews hereof was ex- ceedingly suited to his present purpose, as hath been declared. And in the pursuit of this double allusion are the ensuing expressions accommodated to the matter intended.