The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 97

eive term, including in its geneml meaning 2; 1 Cor. v. 6 : ix. 15; 2 Cor. i. 14 ; v. 12; the Law, the gospel, and the final consumma- ix. 3 ; Gal. vi. 4: Phil. i. 26; ii. 16). Its tion-the whole diepeusation of redemption, proper meaning is not (as is by many sup- beginning with the Lo.w, and completed o.t posed) the materies gloriandi, but the uttered the second advent. Moses held office in its boast itself (see note on 1 Cor. v. 6, in early stage, and there only as e. servant; in the 'Speaker's Commentary'). The con- its ultimate development it comprises "o.ll cluding words, µ•xp• .,.,>..011, {3,fJalav are things," and over "all things," thus com- omitted in the Codex Vatican, and, not~ith- prised, Christ, e.s SoN, ho.a been shown to be ste.nding the preponderance of authority in by inheritance 11beolute Lord. their favour, may have been interpolated (o.s Vera. 5, 6.-And Moses verily was faithful is supposed by Mill, Tischendorf, Alford, in all his house, e.s a serv11nt, for a testimony and Delitzsch) from ver. H, especially as of those things whioh were afterwards to be the reading is not {3,{3aiov, so as to agree spoken; but Christ, as Son over his house. with the substantive immediately preceding, We have :already 11nticipated the explana- but {3,{3alav, 118 in ver. 14. tion of this passage, which, 11ccording to the Vere. 7 -11.-Wherefore, as the Holy view ta.ken 11bove, is a setting forth of the Ghost eaith, To-day if ye will hear his voioe, distinction between Christ and Moses in- harden not your hearts. The werning, thus tended from the first; that of one being " Son led up to, is now introduced by a long quota- over," the other but "serv11nt in," the house tion from Pe. xcv., whioh is cited o.t length, of God. The rendering of the A.V., "hia because the writer is about to dwell on its own house," in ver. 6, where Christ is spoken whole signifioonce in the remainder of this of, is not justifiable. It is true that we and also in the succeeding ch11pter. The have no means of knowing whether avTov or we.ruing is connected by a,o with the con- avroii was intended, and that even abToii clusion of ver. 6. Since our continuing to might, according to the usage of Hellenistio be God's house is on the condition of our Greek, refer to Christ; but if the writer had steadfastness, therefore beware of failing, as so intended it, he might easily have avoided the Israelites referred to by the psalmist 11mbiguity by writing lauTOii, eto. He has did. With regard to the construction of the not done so; and, therefore, it is most passage, there is some difficulty in discover- ne.tural to take " his house" in the s11me ing the apodosis to the initiatory ,caOC:,s (" as sense throughout the passage; viz. as" God's snith the Holy Ghost"). It seems best to house," referred to in Numb. xii. 7, whence suppose one understood, being suggested by the expression is taken. Wo observe ful'lher "ho.rdon not yonr hearts,'' which occurs in that " the things th11t wore afterwurds to be the midst of the quotation. Sentences thus spoken (Tow >..a>.116-r,rrop.Evow)" must be lalrnn grammatically incomplete are in the style of 11s denoting the future " speaking" of God St. Pnul. Otherwise the apodosis must htJ to man "in his SoN" (of. eh. i. 1); not, 11s found in {3>..l-1r,n (ver. 12), the long inter- some interpret, the speo.'king through Moses vening passage being pnronthetical. It is, himself in the Law. Moses WIIB inferior to after :all, only a question of gmmnmticlll Obrist, not only in respect to his personal construction; in any cnso the general mean- position 11s a serv11nt, but also in respect to ing is clear. As to the successive clauses of his work 11S euoh; which was only to testify the quotation from Pa. xcv. (vers. 7-11), it beforehand, typically 11nd prophetically, to is to bo observed that (I) "If yo will henr a fuller revelation to come. Whose house hie voice" may probably mean in the we are. Here begins the transition to the Heb rnw, "Oh tho.t ye would hear his voice I" warning intended when the" holy brethren" But the Greek of tho LXX., cited in the were first c111led on to " consider the Apostle Epistle, is oapo.blo of the same meaning. and High Priest of our confession," who has Hero, uguin, tho meaning of the particular now been seen to be so much greater thrm phruse does not affect tho drift of tho p,,s- Moses. We Christians constitute this com- se.ge. (2) " Hnrdcn not your hearts" ex- pleted "house of God," over which Christ presses the obduration which ensues from reigns as Son; if only warned by the ex- resistance of grace. Elsewhere such judioial 11mple of the Israelites under Moses, we hardening is 11ttributed to God; as when h1, forfeit not our higher calling. Thie con- is said to have hardened Pharnoh's heart dition is expressed by U we hold fast the (cf. Isa.. vi. 9, etc.; J\fo.tt. xiii. 13). 'l'ho two oonfldenoe (or, our confidence) and the re- modes of expression involve no differonco of joioing (rather, boaat) of the ( i.e. our) hope doctrine. It is God's doing as being 1lrm unto the end. Dap~1Jrr"i (often rendered judioi11l; man's e.e being duo to his own ••boldness;" see below, eh. iv. 16; x. 19, perversity. Aa in the provocation, in tho 85) is the confidence felt by aesured be- day of the temptation in the wilderness. lieyers; 1<aox11µa is the boast thereupon Hero Ke&TC T¾/v i,µlpav, which is from the ensuing. This word (as also 1<avxii110a,) is LXX., may mean" o.t the timo of" (et". Acts often wed by St. Paul (of. llom. iv. 2; v. :r.vi. 25, ,c11Td Tb 1urrov~,cnov), 01· 11 according  TRE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [cu. m. 1-19,