368
vids ὃν οὐ παιδεύει πατήρ; ὃ.
Num. xvi. μέτοχοι γεγόνασι πάντες, ἄρα νόθοι ἐστὲ καὶ οὐχ υἱοί.
22, et A
3
εἰ δὲ χωρίς ἐστε παιδείας. ἧς
9. “εἶτα
XXvii. 16; τοὺς μὲν τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν πατέρας εἴχομεν παιδευτὰς, καὶ ἐνετρε-
Eccl. xii.
1,7; Esa. πόμεθα * οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑποταγησόμεθα, τῷ πατρὶ τῶν πνευμάτων,
lvii. 16, ae A Zach. xii. καὶ ζήσομεν ; I.
το. οἱ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας, κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν
αὐτοῖς, ἐπαίδευον: ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ συμφέρον, εἰς τὸ μεταλαβεῖν τῆς
ἁγιότητος αὐτοῦ.
Il. πᾶσα δὲ] παιδεία πρὸς μὲν τὸ παρὸν οὐ
δοκεῖ χαρᾶς εἶναι, ἀλλὰ λύπης - ὕστερον δὲ καρπὸν εἰρηνικὸν τοῖς
1WH read μὲν with 3 Ε, 17, 21, d; δε is found in ΨΜΕΑΡΕΚΙ,, f, Vulg., etc. [None of the particles are satisfactory, though δέ was sure to be introduced”
(Hort).]
Ver. ο. With εἶτα a fresh phase of the argument is introduced. [Raphel im loc. is of opinion that εἶτα here as fre- quently in the classics is “ nota inter- rogantis cum vehementia et quasi indig- natione quadam”’; but it gives a better construction if we take it in the sense of “further” as in 1 Cor. xii. 5, 7, and Mark iv. 28, πρῶτον χόρτον, εἶτα στάχυν, εἶτα πλήρης σῖτος.] The argument is, “the fathers of our flesh we used to have as trainers, and we had them in reverence; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of our spirits and live?” The article before πνευμάτων makes it probable that there is no refer- ence to angels but only an antithesis to τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν. The position of the two words σαρκός and πνευμάτων con- firms this. καὶ ζήσομεν is unex- pected, and is inserted to balance καὶ ἐνετρεπόμεθα [on this verb see Anz. p. 269] in the rhythm of the sentence. The thought is that only by subjection to the Father of our spirit can we have life. Delitzsch maintains that this verse strongly favours the theory of Creationism and quotes Hugo de S. Victore, ‘‘ Nota diligenter hanc authoritatem, per quam manifeste probatur, quod animae non sunt ex traduce sicut caro”. It is safer to say with Davidson, “It is as a spirit, or on his spiritual side, that man enters into close relation with God; and this leads to the conception that God is more especially the Author of man’s spirit, or Author of man on his spiritual side, and to designations such as those in Num. xvi. 22”. Modern science scouts Creationism; although if Wallace’s idea of the evolution of man be accepted it might find encouragement.
Ver, τὸ. ot μὲν yap... . The reasonableness of the appeal of ver. 9 is further illustrated by a comparison of the character and end in the earthly and
heavenly fathers’ discipline respectively. The earthly fathers exercised discipline for a few days in accordance with what commended itself to their judgment as proper; a judgment which could not be infallible and must sometimes have hin- dered rather than helped true growth; but the heavenly Father uses discipline with a view to our profit that we may partake of his holiness. Two notes of imperfection characterise the discipline of the fathers of our flesh. (1) It is πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας, “for a few days,” i.e., during the brief period of youth. It must cease when manhood is
‘attained, whether or not it has attained
its end. (2) It is κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς, subject to misconception both of the end to be reached and the means by which it can be attained. In contrast to this second feature the discipline of the Father of our spirit is without fai) ἐπὶ τὸ συμφέρον, ‘for our advantage,” which is defined in ets τὸ μεταλαβ- εἲν τῆς ἁγιότητος αὐτοῦ, “that we may partake of His holiness,” in which the contrast to the incomplete Ver. 11. πᾶσα δὲ παιδεία... « Another encouragement to endure εἶας-' tening: if it is allowed to do its work righteousness will result. “Νου all chastisement for the present indeed seems matter not of joy but of grief, afterwards however it yields, to those who are disciplined by it, the peaceable fruit of righteousness”. [πᾶσα, as Chrys. says, τουτέστι καὶ 4 ἀνθρωπίνη, καὶ ἣ πνευματική. πρὸς τὸ παρόν, see Thucyd., ii. 22. οὗ δοκεῖ... λύπης, Chrys. καλῶς εἶπεν: οὐ δοκεῖ. οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστι λύπης ἡ παιδεία, ἀλλὰ μόνον δοκεῖ, see Bleek. Chastisement , is here viewed as an opportunity for cultivating faith and endurance and to those who use the opportunity and are exercised and trained by it, δι αὐτῆς