The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 118

~lu~re in it, however long delayed, was no historical reference, but os denoting mhmated b~, the typical history of the hearkoners genernlly. Alford, however, Israelites under Moses, and by the warning though adopting this as the best solution nnd renewed invitation of the psalm. This of an acknowledged diffioulty, confesses renewed invitation makes it plain that it is himself not satisfied with it, as well he may. still attainable by God's peoplo. It has at A very serious objection to eithCJr view, last been made attainable by Christ. who, even apart from the strangeness of the as onr great High Priest, has himself whole expression if such be its meaning, entered it, and leads us into it if we are is that, though the verb a.1eo6w, is certainly but faithful. used elsewhere in the sense thus assigned Ver. 2.-For truly we have had good to it, the whole context here suggests a tidings ( or, 1t gospel) preached unto us, even different one. Cf. suprn (eh. iii. 16), -rwh as also they : but the word of hearing did -yo.p C1.1Cooua11ns 1rapnrl1tpava.v: and especially not profit them, not being mingled by faith <I Aoyos -rijs a.1eoijs immediately preceding. with those that heard it. The meaning 'A1eoijs, denoting hearing only, seems to have and purpose of the first p:..rt of t.his verse is suggested the use of the participle a.1eoouau,11, plain, as is also the general intention of the to which it would therefore be most un- second; viz. to account parenthetically for natural to assign a different meaning. If, the gospel to the Israelites under Moses then, nll devices for making sense of the having failed of its purpose, nnd at the best supported text prove unsatisfactory, same time to renew the warning of their and if the 'fextua Receptus gives an in- ..!Xample with respect to the gospel now telligible meaning, we might surely be preached to Christians. But the passage justified in adopting the latter, however is still one of singular difficulty, on account ill supported. Internal evidence (though both of the various readings of it, and of the great caution should be used in our estimate peculiarity of the lang-uage used whatever of it) need not yield entirely to externnl, reading be adopted. With respect to the nor common sense to authority, in the de- ,·ariollB readings, the main and indeed only termine.tion of true readings. But in this important question is between (1) uu;,1e,1epa- cnse the argument from internal probability uhos, agreeing ,vith Aoyos a.Koijs, and (2) hos now been strengthened by the discovery urry1e,1epaµevous, agreeing with i1e,ivous. The of the reading uv-y1e,1e• pauµ,vo, in the Sinai tic variation between uu;,1e,1epaµ. and uu;,1e•- Codex (ti). This, then, being adopted, 1«pauµ., being only different forms of the though the expression be peculiar, the participle, does not affect the meaning. meaning is no longer obscure, whether we Then the readings -,;;,., a.1eouu&v-ro,v and -rois take -rii trlu-r,i or -roi, a1eovuau,11 as governed QJCo1Ju6HuLv for -rolS CJ.,coVua.,n rest on such by uuy,c,,cpaµevos. It may be either that slight authority, and are so likely to have "the word of hearing did not profit them been substitutions (the latter to make the because it was not mingled with their faith rending urryKEKpaµ&ous intelligible), that to those that heard; " or "because it was not they need not be considered. (1) The min{!led by foith with those that heard it." reading of tile Textue Receptus, following In the latter case the idea is that of the the Vulgate, ie µ¾ uu;,1eupa.µevo, -rfi ,rlun, necessity of the spoken word entering the rn'i, a.,couuau,v. But (2) the great prepon- heart, and being (so to speak) assimilotcd derance of ancient authority (including by the hearers 1hrough the instrumentality that of all the uncial me.nuecripts except of faith, in order to profit them. 11) SUpporiS CTV'fKEKpaµEVDUS Or CTu-ylCEIC<paCT- Var. 3.-For we do enter into the rest, we µEllDtlY, The le.tter, then, must be e.c- who have believed (ol 1rtr1-r,vuav-r«, the his• cepted as tile true reading, if authority torice.l aorist, pointing to the time when ulone is to be our guide. But then comes Christians became believers ; with a refer- the difficulty of making a:::iy sense of it. ence also to "P wiun, in the preceding The only way of doing so is to understand verse: but the emphasis is on the first word -ro'i, a.,couuau,v (" those who heard") in the in the sentence, tiu,pxoµ,8a.: "I!'or we Cllris.- sense of" those who hearkened;" the sense tian be!ievore ha11e an entrance into the rest of the passage being "The word of hearing i u tended ") : even e.s he hath said, As I swaro did not profit them, because they were not in my wrath, If they shall enter into my united by faith with those who not only heard, rest ; although the works were finished from but hearkened and obeyod." MoRt of the the foundation of the world. This seems to Fa.there, reading uvy1e,1epaµlv.,us, talce -ro'is be a concise enunciation of the proof, un- a.Kouuau,v to refer in this sense to Caleb and folded in the verses thnt follow, of the true Joshua. Dut, if what has been said above rest being one into which Christians have be true as to ihede exceptions to the general still an en trance. The iden is that, though unbelief not having been in the writer's God's own rest had beeu from the beginning, mind, such an allubion is highly improl,ablc. und mo.n had not yet entered it, yet tho <:orn~ ( Alford, e.g.) take -rois (IJ(ouuauo, with possibility of his doing so hud not ceased to CH, IV. 1-16. THE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE HEBREWS. 109