I. Absolutely, — a) by the very name of Son, ver. 1 ; j3) by three glorious predicates, expressed by as many finite verbs along with the pronoun who : Whom He lias appointed, by Whom He made, Who sat down ; and in this way His course, as it were, is described from the beginning of all things till He reached the goal, ver. 2, 3. II. In comparison with the angels, ver. 4. The CONFIRMATION presently after corresponds to this proposition, and the very name of Son is presently proved at ver. 5 ; as also the inheritance, at ver. 6—9 ; the making of the worlds, ver. 10-12 ; the sitting on the right hand^oi ver. 13, 14. Let us consider them one by one.
2. "Ov sOqxs xXvipwofLov Trdvruv, ivhom lie appointed heir of all things) Immediately following the name of Son, mention is appro priately made of the inheritance or heirship ; and God really ap pointed Him heir, before that He made the worlds, Eph. hi. 11 ; Prov. viii. 22, 23 ; hence in the text the making of the worlds follows after the heirship. As the Son, He is the first-begotten : as the Heir, He is the heir of the whole universe, ver. 6. — <3/ ou xai s-Troiyas TO-JC, aluvag) This is the ancient order of the words : by whom also lie made the ivorlds. The emphasis of the particle xafy also, falls on the verb made in this sense : He not only ap pointed the Son heir of all things before creation, but also made the worlds by Him.1 The particle dia, by, takes away nothing from the majesty of the Son. On the fact, see ver. 10; and on the particle, comp. eh. ii. 10. By the Son He made the vwrlds, and all things that are therein ; ch. xi. 3. Therefore the Son was before all worlds ; and His glory is evident, looking back wards to anterior times, although it is not until these last days that God has spoken to us in Him. Indeed in this way He has conferred on these last days complete salvation.
3. "Og — 64^X0%, who — on high) This is the third of those glorious predicates, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Again, three points of importance are introduced into
1 Therefore in the Germ. Vers., which has put the word gemacht last, we must compensate by pronunciation for what the author has here conceded to convenience of arrangement. — E. B.
ABD(A) corrected, f Vulg. Memph. Syr. read the order as Bengel does. But Rtc. Text, without any very old authority, save Orig. 4, 60c. and later Syr., read TOV$ a,luuetg ivroiviffsit. — ED.