might have appeared harsh. — mpt u//,wv, of you) An antithesis, in the hypothesis, to those, who are stigmatized in the thesis, ver. 6, 7, 8. — ra Kpsiaciova, better things) more consistent with godliness, ver. 10. — s^o^svoiffurviplag, which [accompany] are near to salvation) An admirable expression. GOD, conferring upon us salvation, e%ei, holds us : we, leaning upon Him by faith, are held, s^6/Msda ; in which way we say e%effdai ayxvpac, to hold one's self resting on the anchor : comp. ver. 19. Salvation itself will retain [hold safe] good men.
10. Ou yap eidixog, for God is not unrighteous) i.e. He is en tirely just and good. — a/acnjg, of love) He is treating of hope, ver. 11 : of faith, ver. 12 : of love in this verse. So Paul, 1 Cor. xiii. 13, and elsewhere often ; likewise below, ch. x. 22, 23, 24. He lays hold of their love, as an occasion for sharpen ing their faith and hope. — sndif%aff6t, you have shown) Even where hope is somewhat small, from whatever cause, in present circumstances, the past is often calculated to be of great advan tage : Rev. iii. 10. Paul uses the same word, 2 Cor. viii. 24. — etc rb ovopa, avrov, toward His name) In like manner the Hebrews use D£>. Comp. 3 John 7 ; Matt. x. 41 . The name of GOD excites true love. — d/ajcoi^tfavrgg roTg ayfoig, in that ye have minis tered to the saints) This is the phraseology of Paul, Rom. xv. 25 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 15. It was to the poor saints at Jerusalem that the ministry of beneficence was afforded : it was the brethren in Greece and Asia who afforded it. See the passages quoted. It thus frequently happens with Paul, that although he be speak ing to Jews and Gentiles indiscriminately, he nevertheless em ploys those motives which affected either party in particular.
11. 'EffidufjwvjMv ds, moreover we desire) therefore we thus speak. — sxaorov, every one) not merely as you have hitherto done, in common [jointly, but also individually]. — r^v eevr^y) the same in hope and faith, as in love. This epistle rather held the necessity of urging faith ; that of James, works : ch. x. 36, xiii. 7. — evfafavuaQai, to show) The verb is repeated from ver. 10. — Kpt>i) i.e. as far as concerns. — r^v KXqpopoptav rr,g sXtfidog, the full assurance of hope) Long-suffering is closely connected with it, ver. 12. So sv KXypopopiq KiffTsug, in full assurance of faith, ch. x. 22 : and Paul often, for example, Rom. iv. 21. uXwopopia, as it were, a full march, implies fulness either of employment,
400 HEBREWS VI. 12— Ifi.
2 Tim. iv. 5, 17, or [full persuasion] of the mind, 1 Thess. i. 5, and in this passage; Eccl. viii. 11, LXX. — ayji, even unto) Con strued with svdfiKvvffOai, to show.
12. NuQpol, slothful) There follows presently after the anti thesis, dia tfiffreusj by faith, etc. They were vuQpo! rafc, axoaTs, dull of hearing, ch. v. 11 : he now cautions them, not to be come slothful absolutely, viz. also in mind. — 3/a Kiffreug xul pampo- Qv^iag, through faith and patience) So Paul, 2 Tim. iii. 10, and James v. 8. There is the patience or long-suffering of love, 1 Cor. xiii. 4 : there is also the long-suffering of faith, ver. 15. — xXTjpovo/j-ouvrwv) The participle of the imperfect tense ; comp. ver. 15 : for Abraham is referred to. — IcrayysX/af, promises) By this very word their confidence is roused ; and ewy'ysiXaf&evos, hav ing promised, presently follows.
13. Kar ovdtvbs, by none) This epistle abounds in compari sons : here we are informed that no comparison [none to be compared with God] was to be found. — w/xoog, He swore) He now affords consolation by the oath of God's grace, to those whom, in ch. iii. and iv., he had admonished by the oath of God's wrath, although indeed the oath of His wrath did not extend its force beyond the wilderness for ever ; for David and Paul bring down nothing of that oath to their own times : but the oath of grace is in force for ever.