2. The matter of his offering is expressed by dejosig xa) inernpiag, “prayers and supplications.” Both these words have the same general signification. And they also agree in this, that they respect an especial kind of prayer, which is for the averting or turning away of impendent evils, or such as are deserved and justly feared. For whereas all sorts of prayers may be referred unto two heads,—(1.) Such as are petitory, for the impetration of that which is good ; (2.) Such as are deprecatory, for the keeping off or turning away that which is evil; the latter sort only are here intended. Acjoesg are everywhere “preces depreca- toriz ;” and we render it “supplications,” 1 Tim. ii. 1. And “supplica- tiones” are the same with “supplicia,” which signifies both “ punish-
Tpovsveynees.
Ashoes xa) ixernpias.
500 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. V.
ments,” and “ prayers” for the averting of them; as in the Hebrew, NNXDN is both “sin” and a “ sacrifice” for the expiation of it,
‘Ixernpia is nowhere used in the Scripture but in this place only. In other authors it originally signifies “a bough, or olive-branch, wrapped about with wool or bays,” or something of the like nature; which they carried in their hands, and lifted up, who were suppli- cants unto others for the obtaining of peace from them, or to avert their displeasure. Hence is the phrase of “velamenta pretendere,” to hold forth such covered branches. So Liv. de Bell. Punic. lib. xxiv. cap. xxx.: “Ramos olez ac velamenta alia supplicum porri- gentes, orare, ut reciperent sese;’— “ Holding forth olive branches, and other covered tokens used by supplicants, they prayed that they might be received into grace and favour.” And Virgil, of his Aineas, to Evander, An. lib. viii. 127:—
“ Optime Grajugenim, cui me fortuna precari, Et vitta comptos voluit pretendere ramos.”
And Herodian calls them ixernpiag SuAdobs,— branches of suppli- cation.” Hence the word came to denote a supplicatory prayer; the same with ixérevwa. And it is in this sense usually joined with dejozs, as here by our apostle. So Isoc. de Pace, cap. xlvi.: MoAAds inernpiag nai degozig rorotevo,—* Using many deprecatory entreaties and sup- plications.” So constantly the heathen called those prayers which they made solemnly to their gods, for the averting of impendent evils, “sup- plicia,” and “supplicationes.” Liv. lib. x.cap.xxiil.: “Ho anno prodigia multa fuerunt: quorum averruncandorum causa supplicationes in biduum senatus decrevit;” that is, “Iree dem averruncands,” as he speaks lib. vill. cap. vi.—to turn away the wrath of their gods, And such a kind of prayer is that whose form is given in Cato de re Rustic. cap. xiv.: “Mars pater, te precor, quesoque, ut calamitates intem- periasque prohibessis, defendas, averrunces.” Hesychius explains inernpia by wrapéxdnors, a word of a much larger signification; but ixerdouva, a word of the same original and force, by xaduprapice, Aur pra.,—“expiations and purgations,” from guilt deserving punish- ment. ‘Ixernpia, Gloss. Vet., “Oratio, precatio supplicum ;’—“ the prayer of suppliants.” The word being used only in this place in the Scripture, it was not unnecessary to inquire after the signification of it in other authors. It is a humble supplication for peace, or deprecation of evil, with the turning away of anger. And this sense singularly suits the scope of the place; for respect is had in it to the sufferings of Christ, and the fear which befell him in the appre- hension of them as they were penal, as we shall see afterwards.
But it must also be here further observed, that however this word might be used to express the naked supplication of some men in distress unto others, yet whenever it is used in heathen authors, with respect unto their gods, it is always accompanied with expiatory
VER. 7.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 501
sacrifices, or was the peculiar name of those prayers and supplications which they made with those sacrifices. And I have showed before that the solemn expiatory sacrifice of the high priest among the Jews was accompanied with deprecatory supplications ; a form where- of, according to the apprehensions of their masters, I gave out of the Mishna. And so he was appointed, in the great sacrifice of expia- tion, to confess over the head of the scape-goat “ all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins,” Ley. xvi. 21; which he did not without prayers for the expiation of them, and deliverance from the curse of the law due to them. And they are not the mere supplications of our blessed Saviour that are here intended, but as they accompanied and were a necessary adjunct of the offering up of himself, his soul and body, a real propitiatory sacrifice to God. And therefore, wherever our apostle elsewhere speaks of the “offering” of Christ, he calls it the “offering of himself,” or of his “body,” Eph. v. 2, Heb. ix. 14, 25, 28, x.10. Here, there- fore, he expresseth the whole sacrifice of Christ by the “prayers and supplications” wherewith it was accompanied ; and therefore makes use of that word which peculiarly denotes such supplications, And he describes the sacrifice or offering of Christ by this adjunct for the reasons ensuing :—
1. To evince what he before declared, that in the days of his flesh, when he offered up himself unto God, he was encompassed with the weakness of our nature, which made prayers and supplica- tions needful for him, as at all seasons, so especially in straits and distresses, when he cried from “the lion’s mouth,” and “ the horns of the unicorns,” Ps. xxii. 21. He was in earnest, and pressed to the utmost in the work that was before him. And this expression is used,—