comp. 1 Cor. xv. 27 with the preceding, where Paul uses the same synonyms, xarapysTv, viroTdffffsiv. So Ps. viii. 3, IYQB>ni> rou xaraXvaai, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. — rb xpdros, power) great indeed, Matt. xii. 26, 29. — s^ovra) having [who had] by a certain law [right], namely, in so far as no injury was thereby done to the captives : comp. pHV, Is. xlix. 24, where the devil does not seem to be called just, morally, but a mighty tyrant, who had Igoutf/av, authority, over the captives ; Col. i. 13 ; 2 Pet. ii. 19, at the end : although here it is called power in a restricted sense, not authority. Death was the executioner and minister of the devil as a cruel master, delivering up men to him whom he led away in sin : but Jesus dying made them dying His own, Rom. xiv. 9. — roD Qavdrov, of death) by sin. — rovr'stri, that is) His power was manifest : who it was that lurked beneath this power as wielding it, escaped the notice of mortal men.
15. 'A-raXXa^) might deliver from the devil, who had the power of death. — rovrovg, these) A demonstrative with relation to what precedes. — pojSy, through fear) even before they experi enced the power itself, for that followed ; concerning fear, comp. ch. xii. 19, 20; Ex. xix. 21, 22 ; 2 Sam. vi. 9.— favdrou, of death) Sudden deaths were inflicted, in the time of Moses and after wards, even on unwary transgressors. — did cravroc, through all) This is an antithesis to for a little, ver. 9. There are many ages, and these coming one after another, of the brethren. — rot £rtv, life) That kind of life was not life. — 5ou>.g/aj, to bondage) The antithesis is, sons unto glory. Paul brings out the same anti thesis, Rom. viii. 15, 16. Politicians define liberty to be rb £5j» us (BovXerai ng, living as we choose ; slavery to be rb ffi ^ u$ (36v\erai, to live not as we choose.
16. ATJTOU) [you will grant, we may suppose]. A particle ex pressive of courtesy, and implying some degree of conjecture, ffTo^afffj,bv ; but by the oux being added, promoting peffaiuffiv, con firmation [ver. 3, assurance]. The whole verse has a wonderful power of explanation ; comp. vpofyXov, ch. vii. 14. Not angels, therefore us ; there is no third party. — ayy'sXuv, of angels) with out the article. That is, they are not angels without flesh and blood, of whom He lays hold. — Jcr/Xa^/Savsra/) Christ lays hold of, or takes, in the words quoted; about to bring assistance, about to deliver, ver. 15, 10, 11. The same word occurs, ch. viii. 9;