Srorye?a are the “ first principles” of any thing, natural or artifi- cial, or the first ground of any science; as the letters of the alphabet are the oroye% of reading,—the principles, rudiments, elements.
Sromyeta ris &pyis,—that is, ra croyeia r& xpiira, the “ first principles,” as in our translation; “ the principles of the beginning.”
Tai doyiav rod Ocod, “ of the oracles of God,” “eloquiorum Dei.” Aéyia @zot are the Scriptures; usually in the New ree applied unto those of the Old Testament: Acts vii. 38, poegien “Oc idtEare Abyia Cowra dodvas juiv,—“ Who received the living oracles to give unto us;” that is, the law, “which if a man
Tiva Te OT Eee
,
Was
Lroitiov.
Ths apis.
574 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. V.
do, he shall live therein.” The Jews éasorevénouy r& royia rod Cod, —‘“were intrusted with the oracles of God,’ Rom. iii, 2; that is, all the scriptures of the Old Testament: so that what was not committed unto them in the same way is not to be reckoned among the “oracles of God” belonging unto the Old Testament. 1 Pet. iv. 11, E/ rig Aare as Adyie Ocot,— If any man speak, as the oracles of God;” that is, let them that teach, speak with gravity and authority, and every way conformably to the Serip- tures. And the Scriptures are thus called, because as oracles they were given out from God by inspiration, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 2 Pet. 1 21.
We may now, therefore, inquire what it is that the apostle intends by these “first rudiments” or “ principles of the oracles of God.” It is generally apprehended that he designs the catechetical prin- ciples of Christian religion,—which also, as it is supposed, he reckons up in the beginning of the next chapter; such principles as con- verts, or young children, are usually instructed and catechised in. And it may be he calls them “ principles,” as the Jews call the principal heads of their religion “ fundamenta legis,” the “founda- tions of the law;” as he also calls these principles Seuédvv, the “foundation,” Heb. vi. 1. But yet, upon the consideration of the words, and his use of them in other places, before declared, I judge that he hath another design. roye% he elsewhere declares to be the institutions of the law; and Aéyia rod @eod peculiarly denote the scriptures of the Old Testament. The use and end of these institu- tions, as appointed and declared in the oracles of God, was to type out Jesus Christ, as our apostle will more fully afterwards prove and confirm. This was the first thing that the Jews were to learn in them, by them, and from them; namely, that unto the Lord Christ, his person, his office, his death and sacrifice, testimony was given by Moses and the prophets; as also that these things alone were repre- sented in the institutions of the law. These were “the rudiments of the oracles of God” committed unto the Jews; and these,—that is, the meaning, sense, end and use of them,—they had not learned, but had need to be taught them again. This made them incline to their old Judaism, make little progress in the perception of the mysteries of the gospel, and desire to mix the ceremonies of the law with the ordinances thereof. But as this was peculiar unto them, so I deny not but that, by just analogy, it may be extended unto the first necessary principles of Christian religion, And from the whole of this discourse we may observe,—
Obs. IV. That the holy Scriptures are to be looked on, consulted, and submitted unto, as “the oracles of God.”
The consideration of their being so adds to our duty, and directs us in its discharge. For we are called by it to weigh aright what is
VER. 12-14.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 575
ascribed unto them and what belongs to them as such. And this will influence us with that due regard and reverence which is re- quired towards them. Thus we may consider,—1. Their efficacy and power. Stephen calls them r& Adyia Caivra, the “ living oracles” of God, Acts vii. 38. They are so in respect of their Author,—they are the oracles of “the living God;’ whereas the oracles wherewith Satan infatuated the world were most of them at the shrines and graves of dead men; whence, in their idolatries, the Israelites were charged to have “ate the sacrifices of the dead,” Ps. evi. 28. And they are so in respect of their use and efficacy ; they are “living,” be- cause life-giving oracles unto them that obey them. “Keep this word,” saith Moses, “ for it is your life,” Deut. xxxii. 47. And God says that he gave the people precepts, “which if a man do, he shall live in them,” Ezek. xx. 11. And it hinders not that Stephen speaks of the law given by Moses, concerning which our apostle says that it was “the ministry of death,’ 2 Cor. iii. 7; for it was not so in itself, but by reason of the sin and inability of men to keep it. So the law could not give life, in that it was weak through sin, Rom. viii. 3. Besides, Paul speaks only of the preceptive part of the law, with the curse annexed unto its transgression. Stephen treats of the whole, as it had respect unto Jesus Christ. They are words accompanied with divine power and efficacy, to quicken and give life unto them that obey them; which proceeds from their Author, and his power in them, as Heb. iv. 12. The Scriptures are not a “ dead letter,’ as some have blasphemed, but the “ living oracles of God,” —that is, life-giving, quickening; or they are accompanied with a living power, which they will put forth and exert toward the souls of men. For God still speaks in them unto us. So saith Stephen: “Moses received the living oracles of God to give unto us;”’—‘not to our fathers only, who lived in those days, but unto us also, now so many generations after.’ And in the same manner doth God, by his prophets and apostles, continue to speak to us; which gives power and efficacy unto their word. 2. Authority. They are the “ oracles of God,” who hath supreme authority over the souls and consciences of us all. So the Thessalonians are commended, that “when they received the word, they received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God,” 1 Epist. ii, 18; that is, absolutely submitting their souls and consciences unto the authority of God, speaking therein and thereby. And without this respect we can never read nor hear the Scripture ina due manner. 3. Infallible truth and absolute certainty. They are the “ oracles of God,” who is the first truth, whose being is truth, and who cannot lie. Every thing that may be false hath aa inconsistency with his being. To suppose that any thing which is not absolutely true can proceed from him, is to deny him to be God. Peter gives no other proof