300
'ς Prov. xiv. pas ἐγγὺς, ἧς τὸ τέλος εἰς καῦσιν.
31; Matt.
X. 42, et ἀγαπητοὶ, τὰ κρείττονα |
ai ix. μεν. Io. ; Joan.
μα 20;
Rom. iii.
4; 1 Thess.i. 3; 2 Thess. i. 6, 7.
Να.
9. μια δὲ περὶ ὑμῶν,
καὶ ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας, εἰ καὶ οὕτω λαλοῦ- “οὐ γὰρ ἄδικος ὁ Θεὸς ἐπιλαθέσθαι τοῦ ἔργου ὑμῶν, καὶ τοῦ κόπου 3 τῆς ἀγάπης ἧς ἐνεδείξασθε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, διακονή-
1 κρεισσονα is better authenticated than κρειττονα.
2 T.R. in DcE**KL, Copt., Chrys., Thdrt., a gloss from r Thess. i. 3; του κοπου omitted in ΝΑΒΟΡΥΕΣΡ, d, e, f, vg., Basm., Syr., Arm., Aeth.
figure. κατάρας ἐγγύς with a reference to Gen. iii. 13 ἐπικατάρατος ἡ γῆ; and suggested by the εὐλογίας of the previous verse. Wetstein quotes from Aristides the expression κατάρας ἐγγύς, and from the ἐγγύς Chrys. and Theophyl. conclude, rightly, that the curse is not yet in action. 6 γὰρ ἐγγὺς κατάρας δυνήσεται καὶ μακρὰν γενέσθαι. ἧς τὸ τέλος. What is the antecedent? γῆς say the Geeek commentaries, Bengel, Riehm, Delitzsch, Liinemann, Alford ; “κατάρας, Say Stuart, Bleek, Weiss, von
Soden. The former seems distinctly preferable. Cf. Phil. iii. 19, Gv τὸ τέλος ἀπώλεια. But here it is εἰς καῦσιν
instead of καῦσις “for burning,’ it serves for nothing else, and is thus
contrasted with the use served by {πε
productive land. The burning has with an excess of literality been ascribed to the soil itself, and therefore the example of Sodom and Gomorrah has been adduced. But Grotius is right who finds a metonymy: “de terra dicitur quod proprie iis rebus convenit quae terrae superstant’’. Reference may be made to Philo, De Agric. Gy FA ἐπικαύσω “καὶ πὰς ῥίζας αὐτῶν ἐφιεῖσ᾽ ἄχρι τῶν ὑστάτων τῆς γῆς od ογὸς ῥιπήν. Cf. John xv. 6. Certainly it points not to a remedial measure, but to a final destruc- ‘tive judgment.
Verses g-12, sudden transition, char- acteristic of the author, from searching warning to affectionate encouragement. ‘“« Startled almost by his own picture” he hastens to assure the Hebrews that he is convinced it does not represent their present condition. On the contrary he recognises in their loving care of Christ’s people a service God cannot overlook and which involves ‘‘ salvation”’. They have only to abound in hope as already they are rich in love, and they ~will no longer be slothful and inanimate but will reproduce in their lives the faith and endurance which have brought others into the enjoyment of the promised and eternal blessing.
Ver. 9. πεπείσμεθα δὲ. . . . “ But of you, beloved, we are persuaded things that are better and associated with salva- tion, though we thus speak.” ‘‘ Alarm at the awful suggestion of his own pic- ture (vv. 4-8) causes a rush of affection into his heart” (Davidson). He hastens to assure them that he does not con- sider them apostates, although he has described the apostate condi- tion and doom. ‘‘ This is very like St. Paul’s way of closing and soften- ing anything he had said that sounded terrible and dreadful” (Pierce). Cf. 2 Thess. 1. 13; Eph. iv. 20; Gal. ν. το. “ The form [πεπείσμεθα] implies that the writer had felt misgivings and overcome them” (Westcott). περὶ ὑμῶν is emphasised, and the unique (in this Epistle) ἀγαπητοί is introduced to re- assure them and as the natural expres- sion of his own reaction in their favour. τὰ κρείττονα “ things better” than those he has been describing (neither limiting the reference to the condition, although necessarily it is mainly in view, nor to the doom, although the σωτηρίας indi- cates that it also is in view); and things indeed that so far from being κατάρας ἐγγύς are ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας closely allied to salvation. [Cf. Hamlet's “no relish of salvation in it.”] ἐχόμενα = next, from ἔχομαι. I hold myself to, adhere. So locally Mark i. 38, εἰς τὰς ἐχομένας κωμοπόλεις: temporally, Acts xxi. 26, τῇ ἐχομένῃ ἡμερᾷ, here, as in Herodotus, Plato, and Lucian, rs pertaining to,” so Herod., i. 120, τὰ τῶν ὀνειράτων ἐχόμενα. εἰ καὶ and καὶ εἰ generally retain in N.T. their distinctive meanings.