John xviii. 11. — d-ro) An abbreviated expression, siataxwffQels avb, as eppavrutpevoi a<7ro, ch. x. 22. So Ps. cxviii. (cxvii.) 5, 'OJS SrnftH sKrixouffs |ttou tic ffXaruff/Aov. — «TO rric, suXafiziac; [not as Eng. Yer. in that He feared] from horror). The Greek word here has singular elegance and denotes something wore subtle than if one were to say fear. No Latin word more suitable than horror occurs to us. Comp. ivXaftriQeit, ch. xi. 7. He had lately used Qavdrou, without the article ; now he has rfg g&Xaj&/ag with the article, of which the relative power indicates that the significa tion of evXa&ias is included in the mention made of death, which was horrible in its assault.
8. Kafoep &v vibg, though He was a Son) This paragraph, in the days, etc. has two parts. The first is, in the days — obedience by the things which He suffered ; the second, and being made per fect — of eternal. The first part speaks of things very humble ; for death and to be in horror, and, although the horror of it be removed, to die, and to learn obedience from such suffering, may appear somewhat servile : wherefore, by this clause, although He was a Son, precaution is taken, that nothing said in that part, before and after, should be a stumbling-block to any. The second part is altogether joyful and glorious, and he insinuates (implies) that we must repeat from ver. 5, because He was the Son : comp. ch. vii. 28, at the end. In His agony in Geth- semane He so sweetly, so frequently, appealed to the Father, Matt. xxvi. 39, etc. : and from this fact we have the clearest confirmation of the truth that Jesus was not the Son of God merely because He rose from the dead, and not previously. — spafav, He learned) The word learning put before the word suf fering, elegantly points to Christ learning with the utmost readi ness and willingness. He learned obedience whilst He began to suffer, whilst He set Himself to drink the cup. The word to learn implies a kind of beginning, and the making perfect corre sponds to this beginning, of which we shall afterwards speak. There is a pleasant paronomasia1 in spaQev a<puv tirade. He also had experience of the adage, cra^/xara jj,a6foara [sufferings, the means of learning]. Christ alone fortified [secured] the path of obedience in a way consonant to the will of the Father. Obe-
1 See Append.
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dience may be performed without prayers.1 — a.<p uv) So Matt. xxiv. 32. — rr,v viraxoriv, obedience) That kind of humble obedience which is shown in suffering and dying. Phil. ii. 8, note. He says to the Father, as Thou wilt. — elffaxovffQeJg, and t/-raxo?jv, are conjugates. The Father hearkened to the Son, and the Son to the Father. In like manner Christ obeyed the Father ; 2 we obey Christ ; see the following verse.
9. Ka/ reXsiudeig, and being made perfect) by sufferings, ch. ii. 10. — ro?s uKaxovovffiv avrp, to them that obey Him) 2 Cor. x. 5. We must obey likewise through sufferings and death [as Christ obeyed the Father. — V. g.] and chiefly by faith, ch. xi. 8. — -s-atf/v, to all) Great power, ch. ii. 10, 11, 15. — a/V/og s^r^ptag a/uvfov, the author of eternal salvation) Dessen habe der liebe Herr Jesu Dank von uns in Ewigkeit. " For which the beloved Lord Jesus may have thanks from us in eternity." E. Schmidius, piously. Moreover «/V/o£ is a word extremely worthy of Him and (comp. 1 Sam. xxii. 22, a/r/os tyxuv) one by which it is intimated, that Christ, being made perfect, pleads the cause of the brethren, from this circumstance, because it now evidently belongs to Him to accomplish [to make good] their salvation ; for He is able : comp. dwapsvov, who was able, ver. 7, ch. vii. 25 : and ought (it behoved Him) to do so, comp. wpg/>.s, He ought, ch. ii. 17. [Der/tfr Etwas stehety an der man sich halten kann. He stands for something to which one can clino;. — V. £.1 We must also ob-