520. AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. V.
about it is but phrases, canting, and fanatical. But such as are ad- mitted into the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ will not so easily part with their immortal interest and concern herein. Yea, I fear not to say, that he is likely to be the best, the most humble, the. most holy and fruitful Christian, who is most sedulous and diligent in spiritual inquiries into this great mystery of the reconciliation of God unto sinners by the blood of the cross, and in the exercise of faith about it. “Nor is there any such powerful means of pre- serving the soul in a constant abhorrency of sin, and watchfulness against it, as a due apprehension of what it cost to make atonement for it. And we may also learn hence,—
2. That a sight and sense of the wrath of God due unto sin will be full of dread and terror for the souls of men, and will put them to a great conflict, with wrestling, for deliverance.
We find how it was with the Lord Christ in that condition; and such a view of the wrath of God all men will be brought unto sooner or later. There is a view to be had of it in the curse of the law for the present; there will be a more terrible expression of it in the execution of that curse at the last day; and no way is there to obtain a deliverance from the distress and misery wherewith this prospect of wrath due to sin is atteuded, but by obtaining a spiri- tual view of it in the cross of Christ, and acquiescing by faith in that atonement.
Obs. VII. In all the pressures that were on the Lord Jesus Christ, in all the distresses he had to conflict withal in his suffering, his faith for deliverance and success was firm and unconquerable. This was the ground he stood upon in all his prayers and supplications.
Obs. VIII. The success of our Lord Jesus Christ, in his trials, as , our head and surety, is a pledge and assurance of success unto us in all our spiritual conflicts. .
VERSE 8.
The things discoursed in the foregoing verse seem to have an in- consistency with the account given us concerning the person of Jesus - Christ at the entrance of this epistle. For he is therein declared to be the Son of God, and that in such a glorious manner as to be deservedly exalted above all the angels in heaven. He is so said to _ be the Son of God, as to be “ the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of his person,” even partaker of the same nature with him; God, by whom the heavens were made, and the foundations of the earth were laid, chap. i. 8-10. Here he is repre- sented in a low, distressed condition, humbly, as it were, begging for _ his life, and pleading with “ strong cries and tears” before him who was able to deliver him. These things might seem unto the Hebrews to have some kind of repugnancy unto one another. And, indeed,
VER. 8.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 527
they are a “stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence,” unto many at this day; they are not able to reconcile them in their carnal minds and reasonings. Wherefore, since it is by all acknowledged that he was truly and really in the low, distressed condition here described, they will not allow that he was the Son of God in the way declared by the apostle, but invent other reasons of their own for which he should beso termed. Their pleas and pretences we have discussed elsewhere. The aim of the apostle in this place is, not to repel the objections of unbelievers, but to instruct the faith of them who do be- lieve in the truth and reason of these things. For he doth not only manifest that they were all possible, upon the account of his parti- cipation of flesh and blood, who was in himself the eternal Son of God; but also that the whole of the humiliation and distress thereon ascribed unto him was necessary, with respect unto the office which he had undertaken to discharge, and the work which was committed unto him. And this he doth in the next ensuing and followmg verses.
Ver. 8.—Kaswep div Vids, gucbev a” dv twabe rhv branogy.
I observed before that the Syriac translation hath transposed some words in these two verses, and thus reads this latter of them, “ And although he were a Son, from the fear and sufferings which he underwent he learned obedience.” That concerning “fear” is traduced out of the foregoing verse, where it is omitted. Some copies of the Vulgar read, “et quidem cum esset Filius Dei,” as do our old English translations, restoring it before its connection, as also in other places. The Rhemists only, “and truly, whereas he was the Son ;” no other translation ac- knowledgeth the addition of “God.” Arias, “existens Filius:” which some other translations add some epithet unto, to express the emphasis;—“a faithful Son,” Ethiop.; “a Son always,” Arab.}
Ver. 8.—Although he were a Son, yet learned he obedi- ence by [or from] the things which he suffered.
_Kasarep, “ quamvis,” “tametsi,” “although;” an adversative, with ’ a concession. An exception may be supposed unto what was before delivered, namely, ‘If he were “a Son,” how came he so to pray and cry, so to stand in need of help and relief?’ This is here tacitly inserted. Saith the apostle, ‘ Although he were so, yet these other things were necessary.’ And this gives us a con- nection= of the words unto those foregoing. But according to the apostle’s usual way of reasoning in this epistle, there is also a pro- spect in this word towards the necessity and advantage of his being brought into the condition described; which in our translation is sup- plied by the addition of “ yet.”