Ver. 10. ov yap ἄδικος. . . . “ For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye shewed to- ward His name in that ye ministered and still do minister to the saints.” He recognises in their Christian activities (ἔργον ὑμῶν) and in their practical chari- ties (τῆς ἀγάπης) things that are asso- ciated with salvation, because God’s justice demands that such service shall
9--12.
A , a σαντες τοῖς ἁγίοις Kal διακονοῦντες.
11. ἐπιθυμοῦμεν δὲ ἕκαστον
ὑμῶν τὴν αὐτὴν ἐνδείκνυσθαι σπουδὴν πρὸς τὴν πληροφορίαν τῆς
ἐλπίδος ἄχρι τέλους:
12. ἵνα μὴ νωθροὶ γένησθε, μιμηταὶ δὲ
τῶν διὰ πίστεως καὶ μακροθυμίας κληρονομούντων τὰς ἐπαγγελίας.
not be overlooked. God will bless the field which already has yielded good
fruit. He will cherish Christian principle in those that have manifested it. To him that hath shall be given. Cf.
especially Phil. i. 6. On the doctrinal bearing of the words, see Tholuck in loc. It is impossible to think of God looking with indifference upon those who serve Him or affording them no help or encouragement. τῆς ἀγάπης ἧς . - . the love which found expression in per-
πλοῦτος τ. πληροφορίας τ. συνέσεως and is not unsuitable in Heb. x. 22 and t Thess. i. 5, while the verb πληροφορεῖν, at least in some passages, as 2 Tim. iv. 5, has an objective sense. Besides, in the case before us, the one meaning involves the other, for, as Weiss himself says, hope is only then what it ought to be when a full certainty of conviction (eine volle Ueberzeugungsgewissheit) ac- companies it. See also Davidson, who says ‘“‘fulness or full assurance of faith
sonal service (διακονήσαντες) to Chris- and hope is not anything distinct from tians (ἁγίοις), and of which examples faith and hope, lying outside of them are specified in x. 34, was love εἰς τὸ and to which they may lead; it is a con- ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, because it was prompted dition of faith and hope themselves, the not by natural relationship or worldly perfect condition”. ἄχρι τέλους the association but by the consideration that hope was to be perfect in quality and
they were God’s children and people. Ver 11. ἐπιθυμοῦμεν δὲ. . . . You have manifested earnest Jove, cultivate as earnestly your hope ; that is what I desire. The translation should therefore be “ But we desire”. ἕκαστον ὑμῶν, ‘each one of you,” not merely as Chrysostom interprets πολλὴ 4 φιλοστοργία" καὶ
was also to be continuous ‘‘to the end,” z.e., until it had accomplished its work and brought them to the enjoyment of what was hoped for. The words attach themselves to ἐνδείκνυσθαι σπουδήν. Ver. 12. ἵνα μὴ νωθροὶ γένησθε: “that ye become not sluggish,” “be not, misses the fine delicacy of the
μεγάλων καὶ μικρῶν ὁμοίως κήδεται, notwwriter” (Alford). ‘ The γένησθε, point-
as Bruce, “The good shepherd goeth
after even one straying sheep’’; but diction with γεγόνατε at v. 11.
directly in contrast to the whole body and general reputation of the Church addressed. The writer courteously im- plies that some already showed the zeal demanded; but he desires that each in- dividual, even those whose condition prompted the foregoing warning, should bestir themselves. Cf. Bengel’s ‘non modo, ut adhuc fecistis, in communi”. τὴν αὐτὴν ἐνδείκνυσθαι σπουδὴν .. . τέλους. The same earnest diligence [σπουδή in exact opposition to νωθροί of v. II, vi. 12] which had been given to loving ministries, he desires they should now exercise towards a corresponding
ing to the future, stands in no contra- There, the sluggishness of the intellect was spoken of; here, it is sluggishness in the retaining of the Christian hope” (Liinemann). Sluggishness would result if they did not ‘‘manifest diligence”. μιμηταὶ δὲ τῶν . . .: “but imitators of those who, through faith and patient waiting, are now inheriting the pro- mises”. The positive aspect of the conduct that should accompany culti- vation of hope. They were not the first who had launched into that ap- parently shoreless ocean. Others be- fore them had crossed it, and found solid land on the other side. There