The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 12

PAUL TO THE HEBREWS. EXPOSITION. the same reason) does it denote various CHAPTER I. degrees of prophetic inspiration, but (on Vere. 1-4.-ExoRDIUM, intimo.ting in e. etymologice.l as well as logical grounds) succession or choice e.nd progne.nt phrases, the various po.-tiom of the prepa.~tory reve- the drift of the Epistle ; a condensed sum- lation to "the fathers." It was not one mary of the comiag e.rgnment. It briefly utterance, but many utterances; given, in anticipates the w.ews to be set forth in the foct, o.t divers times, though it is to the sequel, of the revelation of God in Christ diversity of the utterances, and not of the excelling far, e.nd being destined to super- times, the.t the expression points. Then sede, all that he.d preceded it, as being the the second adverb denotes the various modes ultimate Divine manifestation in the SoN, of the severe.I former revele.tions-not neces- according to the foll meaning of the term sarily or exclusively the rabbinical dis- involved in ancient prophecy ;-of the tinction between dream, 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 e.nd the " mouth to as such, the reality signified by the ancieut mouth " revelation to Moses, referred to priesthood; and of his exo.lto.tion, as such, in Numb. xii. 6-9; but rather the varioU3 to his predestined glory and dominion on che.racters or forms of the ve.rious utterances high. We find in the introdnction 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 eo the Divine righteousness, as in tho Law finished and rhetorical us this. And if its given from l\Iount Sinai; some of significant style affords cm argument, as for us it goes, ritual, o.s in the same Law; some of typical against the immediate Paulino authorship history and typical persons, spoken of under of the Epistle, still more does it appear inspiration as representing e.n unfulfilled almost conclusive against the view of its ideal; some of the yearnings and aspira- being a translation. Not merely the allite- tions, or distinct predictions, of psalmists ration in 1ro>..vµ,pwr 1<al 1ro>..VTp&1r,.,r, but and of prophets. But all these were but the Greek structure of the whole, with its purtis.l, frngmente.ry, anticipatory utter- rhythmical flow, betokens an original com- ances, leading up to e.nd adumbrating the position. The rolling music of the language one complete, all-nbsorhing "spenk:ing of cannot, of course, be reproduced in o.n God to us in the SoN," which is placed iu English translation. contrast with them e.11. If the subsequent Ver. !.-Retaining the order of the words treatment in this Epistle of the Old Testa, in the original, we mD.y translate, In mlLlly ment utterances is to be ta.ken as e. kev for portiom, and in many modes of old God unlocking the meaning of the exordium, having spoken to the fathers in the prophets. such ideas were in the writer's mind wheu he no>..vµ,pwr 1<al .,,.ol\v.-p&1r,.,s-not o. mere alli- thus wrote. "no>..vµ,pwr pertinet ad mi.t'cl- terative redundancy, denoting variously:- riam, no>..v.-p&,r,.,, e.d forme.m" (Bengel). Of the writer's usuo.l choice use of words forbids old; i.e. in the ages comprised in the Old this supposition. Nor is the µ•pwr of the Testament record. Though it 1s true thllt first adverb to be to.ken (o.s in the A.V.) to God he.a revealed himself variously since denote portions of time :-this is not the the world was made to other the.n the snint. proper meaning of the compound. Nor (for of the Old Testament, and though he ceased DEBREWS. B  '!'HE EPIS1'LE TO THE HEBREWS. [cu. 1. 1-14