are suoh as he would be likely to desire earnestly to address to his com- patriots, in whom he took so deep an interest (cf. Rom. x. I, etc.), in the peculiar circumstances of the time. And thus the conclusion, on other grounds also probable, that the Epistle was at any rate written by one who, whether directly instructed for the purpose by himself or not, had imbibed the spirit of his teaching, is very strongly confirmed. Nor is this conclusion inconsistent with the fact of his having felt himself to be peculiarly the apostle of the Gentiles, and been previously anxious not to invade the province of the apostles of the circumcision. For the original leaders of the Hebrews addressed were no longer with them to exhort and guide them (see eh. xiii. 7), and the peculiar circumstances of the time would account for and justify an exceptional appeal. And lastly we may observe that the sort of apology in the concluding chapter for addressing "the word of exhortation" to the readers, and the fear implied lest it might not be well taken by all, support the idea of the source of the Epistle having been such as is supposed.
The rendering of the text of the Epistle given in the fust place in the following Exposition is, as a general rule, that of the Authorized Version, other translations being reserved for notice in the comments. This rule has not, however, been uniformly followed in cases where an alteration has appeared necessary for bringing out the true sense of a passage.
HEilitEWS. d THE EPISTLE OF
PAUL TO THE HEBREWS. EXPOSITION, the so.me reason) does it denote various CHAPTER I. degrees of prophetic inspiration, but (on Vere. 1-4.-ExoRDIUM, intimo.ting in a etymological 118 well 118 logico.l grounds) succession of choice and pregnant phrases, the various porti<mB of the prepar'ltory reve- the drift of the Epistle ; a condensed sum- lation to "the fathers." It was not one mary of the coming argument. It briefly utterance, but many utterances; given, in anticipates the vfowe to be set forth in the fact, at divers times, though it is to the sequel, of the revelation of God in Christ diversity of the utterances, and not of the excelling fa.r, and being destined to super- times, that the expression points. Then sede, all that ha.d preceded it, as being the the second adverb denotes the various mode~ ultimate Divine manifesto.tion in the SoN, of the several former revelations-not neces- according to the full meaning of the term sarily or exclusively the rabbinical dis- involved in ancient prophecy ;-of the tinction between dree.m, vision, inspiration, eternal Divinity of him who was thus re- voices, angels; or that between the visions vealed in time as SoN-of his accomplishing, and dreams of prophets and the "moutli to 118 such, the reality signified by the cmcient mouth" revelo.tion to Moses, referred to priesthood; and of hie exalto.tion, as such, in Numb. xii. 6-9; but rather the vo.rioU3 to his predestined glory and dominion on characters or forms of the various ntterances high. We find in the introduction to some in themselves. Some were in the way of of St. Paul's Epistles somewhat similar primeval promises; some of glimpses into adumbrations of hie subject, but none so the Divine righteousness, 118 in tho Law finished and rhetorical as this. And if its given from l\Iount Sinai; some of significant style affords o.n argument, as far as it goes, rituo.l, 118 in the same Law; some of typico.l age.inst the immedio.te Pauliue authorship history and typical persons, spoken of under of the Epistle, still more cloee it appear inspiration as representing an unfulfilled almost conclusive a.go.inst the view of its ideal; some of the yearnings and o.spira- being e. translation. Not merely the e.Uite- tions, or distinct predictions, of peo.lmists re.tion in 1r0Avµ,epws teal ,roAVTp&..-,.,r, but and of prophets. But all these were but the Greek structure of the whole, with its parti:u, fragmentary, anticipatory utter- rhythmico.l flow, betokens e.n original com- ances, leading up to and adumbrating the llDBition. The rolling music of the language one complete, all-ahsorbing "spenking of cannot, of course, be reproduced in an God to us in the So?<," which is placed iu English translation. contrast with them all. If the subsequent Ver. !.-Retaining the order of the words treatment in this Epistle of the Old Testa- in the original, we may translate, In many ment utterances is to be taken as a kev for por1iou, and in many modes of old God unlocking the meaning of the exordium, having spoken to the fa.then in the prophets. such ideas were in the writer's mind when he TioJ,.,vµ,epiiis teal ..-0Av-rp&1ro,s-not a mere alli- thus wrote. "noAvµ,epws pertinet ad n:i.tP,- temtive redundancy, denoting tJariously:- riam, ,roAv-rp&.,,,.,, ad formam" (Bengel). Of the writer's usual choice use of words forbids old; i.e. in the ages comprised in the Old this supposition. Nor is the µ,epws of the Testament record. Though it 1s true that first adverb to be to.ken (as in the A.V.) to God has revealed himself variously since denote portions of time :-this is not the the world was made to other than the saint• proper meaning of the compound. Nor (for of the Old Testament, o.nd though he ce:i sed BEBllEWB, B THE EPISTLE OF