The author of eternal salvation (aitvos cwrnpias aiwviov). "Airis, N. T.°, an adjective, causing. Comp. captain of sal- vation, Heb. ii. 10. The phrase cwrnpla aidvios eternal salva- tion N. T.°, but see LXX, Isa. xv. 17. Not everlasting salvation, but a salvation of which all the conditions, attain- ments, privileges, and rewards transcend the conditions and limitations of time.
Cu. V.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 437
Unto all them that obey him (adow tots traxovovow avT@). Obey points to obedience, ver. 8, and salvation to save, ver. 7. If the captain of salvation must learn obedience, so must his followers. Comp. 2 Th. i. 8.
10. Called of God (arpocayopevOels iad Tob Oeod). Rend. since he was addressed or saluted by God. God recognised and saluted him as that which he had become by passing through and completing his earthly discipline. Ipocayopevew to ad- dress N.T.°. A few times in LXX.
11. From this point the comparison of Christ with Melchise- dec would naturally be developed; but the author digresses into a complaint of the imperfect spiritual attainment of his readers, and a remonstrance and admonition extending to the end of ch. vi.
Of whom (epi 08). Rend. concerning which. Not Mel- chisedec, but the topie that Christ is a priest after the order of Melchisedec, a topic to which great importance is attached. Can it be imagined that the discussion of such a topic would appeal to a Gentile audience as a reason for not relapsing into paganism ?
We have many things to say (7roAvs 7uiv o Adyos). Lit. the discourse is abundant unto us. We refers to the writer himself.
Hard to be uttered (ducepunvevtos réyew). Lit. hard of interpretation to speak. The A.V. entirely misses the idea of interpretation. Rey. better, hard of interpretation. Avcep- pynvevtos N. T.°, CLXX. Class.
Ye are dull of hearing (vw@pol yeydvate Tats axoais). Rend. ye have grown dull in your hearing. For axon hearing see on 2 Tim. iv. 3. The verb implies a deterioration on the hearers’ part. NoOpot only here and ch. vi. 12. From vy not and
438 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. ([Cu.V.
obeiv to push. Hence slow, sluggish.* Mostly in later Greek, although Plato uses it much in the same sense as here. “ When they have to face study they are stupid (vwOpo/) and cannot remember.” Theaet. 144 B. In LXX, Prov. xxii. 29; Sir. iv. 29; xi. 12. Sometimes = low, mean, obscure. So in Proverbs, but in Sirach slack, slow.
12. When for the time ye ought to be teachers (ade/Aov- Tes evar SiddoKaror Sia Tov ypdvov). Rend. for when ye ought to be teachers by reason of the time. A.V. entirely obscures the true meaning, which is that, because of the time during which the readers have been under instruction, they ought to be able to instruct others.
Again (vad). Not with teach you, as A.V., but with ye have need. ‘The position of the word isemphatic. Again ye have need of being taught the very rudiments of divine truth which ye were taught long ago.
Which be (twa). A.V. takes the pronoun as interrogative (ra). Better indefinite as subject of SidacKewv teach. Rend. “ve have need that some one teach you.”
The first principles of the oracles (7a crovyeia ris apyis Tav royiwv). Lit. the rudiments of the beginning of the oracles. The phrase orovyeta ris apyjs N. T.°. It is= primary ele- ments. For orovyeia see on Gal. iv. 3. Adycov is a diminutive, meaning strictly a brief utterance, and used both in classical and biblical Greek of divine utterances. In Class. of prose oracles. Philo uses it of the O. T. prophecies, and his treatise on the Ten Commandments is entitled tept trav déea Aoylov. In LXX often generally —“ the word or words of the Lord,” see Num. xxiv. 16; Deut. xxxiii. 9; Ps. xi. 6; xvii. 30, ete. It was used of the sayings of Jesus, see Polycarp, Ad Piil. vii. From the time of Philo, of any sacred writing, whether dis-