NOTES

ON

THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS:

IT is agreed by the general tenor of antiquity, that this epistle was written by St. Paul, whose other epistles were sent to the Gentile converts, this only to the Hebrews. But this improper inscription was added by some later hand. It was sent to the Jewish Hellenist Christians, dispersed through various countries. St. Paul's method and style are easily observed therein. He places, as usual, the proposition and division before the treatise, chap. ii. 17. He subjoins the exhortatory to the doctrinal part, quotes the same scriptnres, (chap. ii. 8, chap. x. 30, 38, chap. i. 6,) and uses the same expressions, as elsewhere. But why does he not prefix his name, which, it is plain, from chap. iii. 19, was dear to them to whom he wrote? Because he prefixes no inscription, in which, if at all, the name would have been mentioned. The ardour of his spirit carries him directly upon his subject, (just like St. John in his first epistle,) and throws back his usual salutation and thanksgiving to the conclusion.

This epistle of St. Paul, and both those of St. Peter, (one may add, that of St. James and of St. Jude also,) were written both to the same persons, dispersed through Pontus, Galatia, and other countries, and nearly at the same time. St. Paul suffered at Rome, three years before the destruction of Jerusalem; therefore this epistle likewise was written while the temple was standing. St. Peter wrote a little before his martyrdom, and refers to the epistles of St. Paul, this in particular.

The scope of it is, to confirm their faith in Christ; and this he does by demonstrating his glory. All the parts of it are full of the most earnest and pointed admonitions and exhortations. And they go on in one tenor, the particle therefore every where connecting the doctrine and the use.

THE SUM IS,

The Glory of Christ appears,

1. From comparing him with the Prophets and Angels, Therefore we ought to give Heed to him,

II. From his Passion and Consummation.

Here we may observe,

1. The Proposition and Sum,

2. The Treatise itself: We have a perfect Author of Sal-
vation, who suffered for our Sake, that he might be,
1. a merciful, and, 2. a faithful, 3. High-Priest,
These three are particularly explained, his Passion and Con-
summation being continually interwoven.

C. i. 1-14.
C. ii. 1-4.

5-9.

10-19.

Of the New Covenant,

C. vii. 119. 20-22, 23-28.

C. viii. 1-6.

7-13.

By whom we have an Entrance into the Sanctuary, C. ix, 1,-C. x. 18.

2. In Order to grow in these Graces, make Use of

The Remembrance of your former,

The Vigilance of your present Pastors:

18-20.

C. xiii, 1-6.

7-16.

17-19.

To this Period, and to the whole Epistle, answer,

The Prayer,

The Doxology, and

The mild Conclusion.

20-25.

There are many comparisons in this epistle, which may be nearly reduced to two heads: 1. The prophets, the angels, Moses, Joshua, Aaron, are great; but Jesus Christ is infinitely greater: 2. The ancient believers enjoyed high privileges; but Christian believers enjoy far higher. To illustrate this, examples both of happiness and misery are every where interspersed: so that, in this epistle, there is a kind of recapitulation, of the whole Old Testament. In this also, Judaism is abrogated, and Christianity carried to its height,

Hebrews.

CHAP. I. 1. GOD, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake of old to the fathers by the prophets, 2 hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son: Whom

he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom he also 3 made the worlds: Who being the brightness of his glory,

CHAP. I. Ver. 1. God, who at sundry times-The creation was revealed in the time of Adam, the last judgment in the time of Enoch; and so, at various times, and in various degrees, more explicit knowledge was given, in divers manners-In visions, in dreams, and by revelations of various kinds. Both these are opposed to the one entire and perfect revelation, which he has made to us by Jesus Christ. The very number of the prophets shewed, that they prophesied only in part: of old-There were no prophets for a large tract of time before Christ came, that the great Prophet might be the more earnestly expected; spake-A part is put for the whole, implying every kind of divine communication, by the prophets-The mention of whom is a virtual declaration, that the apostle received the whole Old Testament, and was not about to advance any doctrine in contradiction to it; hath in these last timesIntimating that no other revelation is to be expected; spoken-All things, and in the most perfect manner, by his Son-Alone. The Son spake by the apostles. The majesty of the Son of God is proposed, 1. Absolutely, by the very name of Son, ver. 1, and by three glorious predicates, whom he hath appointed, by whom he made, who sat down; whereby he is described, from the beginning to the consummation of all things, ver. 2, 3. II. Comparatively to angels, ver. 4. The proof of this proposition immediately follows the name of Son being proved, ver. 5. His being Heir of all things, ver. 6-9; his making the worlds, ver. 10-12; his sitting at God's right hand, ver. 13, &c.

V. 2. Whom he hath appointed heir of all things-After the name of Son, his inheritance is mentioned. God appointed him the heir, long before he made the worlds, Eph. iii. 11, Prov. viii. 22, &c. The Son is the first-born; born before all things. The heir is a term relating to the creation which followed, ver. 6. By whom he also made the worlds-Therefore the Son was before all worlds. His glory reaches from everlasting to everlasting, though God spake by him to us only in these last days.

V. 3. Who sat down-The third of these glorious predicates, with which three other particulars are interwoven, (which are mentioned likewise, and in the same order, Col. i. 15, 17, 20.) Who being-The glory which he received in his exaltation, at the right hand of the Father, no angel was capable of; but the Son alone, who likewise enjoyed it long before: the brightness of his glory-Glory is the nature of God revealed in its brightness; the express image, or stamp-Whatever the Father is, is exhibited in the Son, as a seal in the stamp on wax; of his person, or substance-The word denotes the unchangeable perpetuity of divine life and power; and sustaining all things-Visible and invisible, in being, by the word of his power-That is, by his powerful word; when he had by himself-Without any Mosaic rites or ceremonies, purged our sins-In order to which it was necessary he should, for a time, divest himself of his glory. In this chapter, St. Paul describes his glory, chiefly as he is the Son of God; afterwards, chap. ii. 6, &c. the glory of the man Christ Jesus. He speaks, indeed, briefly of the former, before his humiliation, but copiously after his exaltation; as from hence, the glory he had from eternity, began to be evidently seen. Both his purging our sins, and sitting on the right hand of God, are largely treated of in the seven following chapters: sat down

3

and the express image of his person, and sustaining all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty 4 on high, Being so much higher than the angels, as he hath by inheritance a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did he ever say, * Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee? And again, + I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6 And again, When he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship 7 him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his

* Ps. ii. 7.

+ 2 Sam. vii. 14.

Ps. xcvii. 7.

Ps. civ. 4.

-The priests stood while they ministered: sitting, therefore, denotes the consummation of his sacrifice. This word, sat, contains the scope, the theme, and the sum of the epistle.

V. 4. This verse has two clauses, the latter of which is treated of, ver. 5, the former, ver. 13. Such transpositions are also found in the other epistles of St. Paul, but in none so frequently as in this. The Jewish doctors were peculiarly fond of this figure, and used it much in all their writings. The apostle, therefore, becoming all things to all men, here follows the same method. All the inspired writers were readier in all the figures of speech, than the most experienced orators: Being-By his exaltation, after he had been lower than they, chap. ii. 9, so much higher than the angels-It was extremely proper to observe this, because the Jews gloried in their law, as it was delivered by the ministration of angels. How much more may we glory in the gospel, which was given, not by the ministry of angels, but by the very Son of God? As he hath by inheritance a more excellent name-Because he is the Son of God, he inherits that name, in right whereof he inherits all things. His inheriting that name, is more ancient than all worlds. His inheriting all things, as ancient as all things: than they-This denotes an immense preeminence. The angels do not inherit all things, but are themselves a portion of the Son's inheritance, whom they worship as their Lord.

V. 5. Thou art my Son-God of God, Light of Light; this day have I begotten thee I have begotten thee from eternity, which, by its unalterable permanency of duration, is one continued, unsuccessive day. I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son-I will own myself to be his Father, and him to be my Son, by eminent tokens of my peculiar love. The former clause relates to his natural sonship, by an eternal, inconceivable generation; the other to his Father's acknowledgment and treatment of him, as his incarnate Son. Indeed, this promise related immediately to Solomon, but in a far higher sense to the Messiah.

V. 6. And again-That is, in another scripture; He-God, saith, when he bringeth in his first-begotten-This appellation includes that of Son, together with the rights of primogeniture, which the first-begotten Son of God enjoys, in a manner not communicable to any creature; into the world-Namely, at his incarnation. He saith, Let all the angels of God worship him-So much higher was he, when in his lowest estate, than the highest angel!

V. 7. Who maketh his angels-This implies, they are only creatures, whereas the Son is eternal, ver. 8, and the Creator himself, ver. 10, spirits and a flame of fire-Which intimates, not only their office, but also their nature; which is excellent indeed, the metaphor being taken from the most swift, subtle, and efficacious things on earth; but, nevertheless, infinitely below the majesty of the Son.

2

8 angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son,* Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of righteousness: 9 Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil 10 of gladness above thy fellows. And, + Thou, Lord, hast

in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and 11 the heavens are the works of thy hands. They shall

perish, but thou endurest; yea, they all shall grow old 12 as a garment; And as a mantle shalt thou change them,

and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and 13 thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels did

he ever say, Sit at my right hand, till I make thine 14 enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering

spirits, sent forth to attend on them who shall inherit II. salvation? 1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at 2 any time we should let them slip. For if the word

spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression 3 and disobedience received a just recompence: How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation, which,

* Ps. xlv. 6, 7. † Ps. cii. 25, 26, &c.

Ps. cx. 1.

V. 8. O God-God, in the singular number, is never in Scripture used absolutely of any but the supreme God: thy reign, of which the sceptre is the ensign, is full of justice and equity.

V. 9. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity-Thou art infinitely pure and holy; therefore God, who, as thou art Mediator, is thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness-With the Holy Ghost, the fountain of joy; above thy fellows-Above all the children of men.

V. 10. Thou-The same to whom the discourse is addressed in the preceding

verse.

V. 12. As a mantle-With all ease. They shall be changed-Into new heavens and a new earth; but thou art eternally the same.

V. 14. Are they not all-Though of various orders, ministering spirits, sent forth-Ministering before God, sent forth to men; to attend on them-In numerous offices of protection, care, and kindness; who-Having patiently continued in well-doing, shall inherit everlasting salvation.

CHAP. II. In this and the two following chapters, the apostle subjoins an exhortation, answering each head of the preceding chapter.

Ver. 1. Lest we should let them slip-As water out of a leaky vessel. So the Greek word properly signifies.

V. 2. In giving the law, God spoke by angels-But in proclaiming the gospel, by his Son; steadfast-Firm and valid; every transgression-Commission of sin, every disobedience-Omission of duty.

V. 3. So great a salvation-A deliverance from so great wickedness and misery, into so great holiness and happiness. This was first spoken of (before he came it was not known,) by him who is the Lord-Of angels as well as men; and was confirmed to us-Of this age, even every article of it: by them that heard him-And had been themselves also both eye-witnesses and ministers of the word.