IT will be observed by the reader, that the Epistle to the Hebrews does not, like most of the other Epistles, contain within itself the name of its author, either at the commencement or at the conclusion. The title, however, which has been attached to the work from very ancient times, attributes it to Paul; and it was the general, though not the universal, opinion of the early church that he was the writer. The question of its authorship has, however, been a matter of discussion in every age, and countless hypotheses have been framed, and defended with great learning, research, and ability, to solve the supposed mystery of its origin.

      The Epistle is addressed to the Hebrew Christians, being intended apparently for that class of the Jewish nation most devoted to, and intimately connected with, the religion of their forefathers. That it was to be communicated to them through the medium of some local church, to which it was in the first instance directly addressed, is plain from the expressions in the concluding verses. The attempts to ascertain what local church this was, have given rise to conjectures as numerous and as laboriously maintained, as those in respect to the authorship of the work; but no one of the opinions advanced on this point, has been able to command any general assent among scholars.

      We know that Paul was very deeply, interested in resisting the attempts of the Jews that the Mosaic institutions should be acknowledged and obeyed in the Christian church; and that his efforts in this cause awakened the animosity of the more zealous Jews against him, as the advocate of opinions which came strongly into collision with their prejudices and feelings. Now, if we suppose that he conceived the design of writing this treatise, towards the close of his career, for the purpose of making an attempt, in a deliberate and decided, and yet mild and conciliatory manner, to settle this question by drawing a parallel between the Jewish and Christian dispensations, in full, treating the former with the utmost deference and respect, while yet he showed the superiority of the latter in every point of comparison; that he sent the Epistle [483] in the first instance, to some local church, near the central sea of the great influence which he intended to reach by it,--addressing to that church the particular communications in the last verses; that he refrained from attaching his name openly to the work, in order that he might not unnecessarily obtrude upon his readers the knowledge of an origin which might prepossess them unfavorably,--and that, in consequence of this, while it was generally understood to have been written by Paul, in the early church, it was not universally so understood; and, finally, that the discussion then commenced has been continued to the present time, through the fondness of men to speculate on what is not fully known, and to frame theories for the sake of the pleasure of ingeniously defending them;--if we make these suppositions, we perhaps account for the phenomena connected with the history of this Epistle, as satisfactorily as the nature of the case allows.

      2. In these last days; in these days of the last dispensation.--Appointed; constituted.--The worlds; the visible universe.

      3. The brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person; the visible manifestation by which his glory is revealed personally to mankind.--Purged our sins; purged them away, by making atonement for them.

      4. So much better than; so much superior to.--The angels. The writer brings Jesus into comparison with the angels, because the Jews regarded the Mosaic law as given by the ministration of angels, (Acts 7:53;) and he accordingly adopts this as one of the points of comparison between the two dispensations.--A more excellent name, that is, the name of Son, as specified in the next verse.

      5. These quotations are from Ps. 2:7, and 2 Sam. 7:14, and are here considered as applicable to the Messiah. The meaning is, that Jesus was the Son of God, and that, too, in a sense altogether distinctive and peculiar.

      6. The language here quoted is supposed to be taken from Ps. 97:7.

      7. Ps. 104:4. The word spirits in this passage means winds. In the original psalm, where the writer is [484] representing the power of God, as shown in the visible creation, the meaning has been supposed to be, Who maketh angels or messengers of the winds, and ministers, that is, servants of the lightning; which involves the idea that his angels, like the winds, are employed in subordinate stations to do his will. It is in this view of the meaning that the language is pertinent here.

      8, 9. Ps. 45:6, 7. The meaning is that, while, in the passage quoted above, it is implied that angels are only subordinate agents, to execute, like the winds, the commands of Jehovah, the Son is addressed as clothed with independent majesty and power.--Anointed thee. Anointing was the ancient ceremony of induction to the royal office. (1 Sam. 16:13.) The meaning therefore is, Thy God hath crowned thee, with rejoicings, as the monarch of the mediatorial kingdom.

      10. Ps. 102:25-27.

      12. A vesture; a garment.

      13. Ps. 110:1.

      14. Ministering spirits; that is, are not they (the angels) instead of being like the Son, at the head of the kingdom, only ministering spirits, employed altogether in executing a superior's commands?

      1. The things which we have heard, in respect to the gospel, as is shown in v. 3.

      2. The word spoken by angels, the law proclaimed through the instrumentality of angels.--Was steadfast; was fully maintained.

      3. To be spoken; to be announced. The gospel was first made known by Jesus himself, and afterwards by those to whom he committed it.

      5. The world to come; the kingdom of Christ.

      6. Ps. 8:4-6. [485]

      9. There is some obscurity in the original, in respect to the connection of the several clauses of this verse, which has given rise to somewhat varied interpretations. The general idea is, that, although Jesus, being made man, took a station somewhat lower than that of the angels, and suffered death in it, yet this was in the fulfilment of the divine designs to provide an atonement for human guilt; and Jesus, after accomplishing this object, was then crowned with glory and honor.--Taste death; suffer it.

      10. The Captain of their salvation; their Head and Leader, and the Author of their salvation. To make him perfect through sufferings, is to conduct him through sufferings to his final and perfect state of glory. A similar expression is used in 5:8, 9.

      11. He that sanctifieth; that is, by the expiation referred to in the close of v. 9.--Of one; of one father.

      12. Ps. 22:22.

      13. These expressions seem to be taken from Isa. 8:18. Considered as language used by the Messiah, they show a feeling of dependence on God, characteristic of the human condition, thus conspiring with the other considerations presented in this passage, (10-18,) to show that the promised Messiah, according to the representations of the Old Testament, was to share in his own person the nature of those whom he came to redeem.

      14. Took part of the same; that is, he was constituted human.--Destroy him, &c.; conquer him,--destroy his power.--That had the power of death. Satan is so designated, as it was through his agency that death was brought into the world.

      15. Subject to bondage, in a wretched and miserable condition.

      16. The seed of Abraham, the nature of the seed of Abraham, that is, the nature of man. Such is the meaning, as the passage stands [486] translated. There is reason to believe, however, that the original import of the passage is, He did not come to rescue and redeem the angelic race, but the seed of Abraham, that is, men.

      18. Being tempted; being tried; severely afflicted.--Them that are tempted; those that are in a state of suffering and trial.

      1. The writer now proceeds to compare Christ, as the executive head of the new dispensation, with Moses, as that of the old. An apostle is one sent to execute a commission. Christ was commissioned to carry into effect the gospel plan of salvation, as Moses was to establish and maintain the Jewish system of faith and service. Jesus is called the High Priest of the new dispensation, inasmuch as he offered its great sacrifice for sin, in giving up his own life a ransom for men.

      2. His house; his charge; the community imbodied under the system of institutions committed to his administration. It is called metaphorically a house, in the same manner as the Christian church is often spoken of as a building.

      3. This man; Christ.

      4. The language of this statement seems sufficiently clear, but its connection with the apostle's train of argument is considered very difficult to be explained.

      6. Whose house are we; that is, we, the community of believers under the gospel.--Confidence; faith.

      7. This passage (7-11) is quoted from Ps. 95:7-11.

      11. In my wrath; in my displeasure.--Into my rest; into the promised land of rest and plenty.

      14. Made partakers of Christ; united to him, (John 17:21-23,) and made sharers in the joys of his future kingdom. (Col. 3:4. Rev. 3:21.) [487] --The The beginning of our confidence; the strong faith which we first embraced the gospel.

      15. The meaning is, Since ye hear the same warning which was addressed to the children of Israel, do not, like them, harden your hearts against it.

      16. Did provoke; that is, instead of regarding the warning, they disobeyed God, and provoked his displeasure. It is probable that the two clauses of this verse, like those of the verses which follow, were intended as interrogative, thus: Who was it that, when they heard, did provoke? was it not all that came out of Egypt by Moses? Thus understood, the verse harmonizes in construction with what follows, and the whole presents the example of the defection and punishment of the Israelites as a very solemn warning.

      1. Into his rest. The term rest is now evidently used to denote the spiritual rest of the kingdom of Christ; and the object of the discussion which follows, occupying a considerable portion of this chapter, seems to be to show that the rest promised, on condition of obedience, to the Jews of old, did not refer either to the rest which God is spoken of as having taken on the seventh day of the creation, nor exclusively to the quiet possession of Canaan; but that it included a spiritual rest in heaven. It is to be observed that the apostle's object, in this argument, is, not to prove that there actually is a spiritual rest to come, but that this truth was recognized by the inspired writers of the Old Testament.--Should seem to come short of it; should be found to come short of it.

      2. The gospel; the offer of rest. The word gospel means any message or offer of kindness and favor.--The word preached; the offer made.--Mixed with faith; accompanied by faith.

      3, 4. This passage is somewhat obscure. The meaning may perhaps be, that the rest which God promised that his people should share with him, could not have been the rest after the creation, spoken of in the passage quoted in v. 4, for his threatening that they should not enter into his rest was made in the time of Moses, although his rest from the work of creation had been long since past, having taken place when the works were finished at the foundation of the world. [488]

      5. And in this place again; that is, this is another instance of his speaking of a rest as future, after the sabbatical rest had long been past.

      7. In the parenthesis, 7-10, the writer shows that the rest spoken of was not merely rest in the land of Canaan, as he had before shown that it was not the sabbatical rest of God.

      8. Jesus; Joshua, who led the children of Israel into the land of Canaan.--Then would he not; that is, the Holy Spirit, speaking in David, as it is expressed above.

      9. There remaineth therefore, &c. that is, a rest is yet to come.

      10. The meaning is, that, as God ceased from his works when he entered into his rest, so shall the believer, when the time for his rest shall come, reach the termination of all his labors and sufferings.

      11. The same example; the example of the ancient Israelites, (3:16-19.)

      12. Sharper, &c.; that is, in respect to the terrible energy with which its threatenings will be fulfilled.

      14. The writer now proceeds to consider Christ under the figure of the High Priest of the new dispensation, as he had proposed at the commencement of the last chapter.

      15. Tempted; tried; exposed to pain and suffering. The phrase in all points is not to be understood to mean that he suffered in every conceivable way in which any man can suffer; but only that, in a general sense, he fully participated in the trials and sufferings of humanity.

      1. The meaning is, that every human high priest is ordained for the [489] service and benefit of men in respect to their religious duties.

      4. This honor; the office of high priest.

      6. The quotation is from Ps. 110:4. It represents the Messiah as made a high priest by the declaration of God. The nature of the parallel intended to be drawn between Christ and Melchisedec is more fully explained in the seventh chapter.

      7. Who; that is, Christ.--In the days of his flesh; of his life upon the earth.--Heard, in that he feared; in respect to that which he feared. (Luke 22:41-43.)

      8. Yet learned he obedience, &c. he learned by experience the lesson of obedience in suffering.

      9. Being made perfect; being raised to his state of exaltation and glory.

      10. Called of God, &c.; as before explained, in v. 6.

      11. Dull of hearing; slow of understanding.

      12. The oracles of God; the revealed will of God.

      14. Strong meat; substantial food,--referring to the difficult truths alluded to in v. 11.

      1. The principles; the first principles, the elements.--Unto perfection; to an advanced state of religious attainment, and to the higher truths appropriate to it.

      2. Laying on of hands; the [490] ceremony by which the Holy Spirit was conferred upon new converts. (Acts 8:14-17. 19:6.)

      4. For it is impossible, &c. This passage (4-6) seems intended to induce those addressed to press forward in their Christian course, according to the injunctions of the preceding verses, by urging the danger and the fatal effects of apostasy, to which those who were remiss in their efforts were specially exposed.--Who were once enlightened; who have once been enlightened.

      6. If they shall fall away; apostatize, renounce Christ, and return again to unbelief and sin.--Put him to an open shame; expose his name and his cause to public reproach. The defection of one from any cause, who has been ranked as a friend to it, always tends to this result. There can be no doubt that this terrible warning against the guilt and the hopeless ruin attendant on apostasy, (4-6,) is well as many others of similar import, contained in the word of God, (10:26-29,) is addressed to real Christians. But they ought not to lead us to question the certainty of the final salvation of all who truly believe. Indeed, the moral influence which such warnings are designed to exert, is a part of the system of means by which God fulfils his design, very distinctly made known in other passages, (John 17:2. Rom. 8:29, 30. 1 Pet. 1:4, 5,) effectually to keep those who once truly give themselves up to his care.

      7. The earth, in this similitude, represents the Christian, and the rain the spiritual privileges which he enjoys.

      8. Is nigh unto cursing; will certainly be condemned.

      9. That accompany salvation; that lead to and attend salvation.

      10. Have ministered to the saints, have been active in relieving them, and in supplying their wants.

      11. Diligence to the full assurance of hope; diligence leading to the full assurance of hope. [491]

      15. He obtained the promise; that is, it was fulfilled in his posterity, according to the design of God.

      16. For confirmation; for confirming or establishing an agreement in respect to a subject of dispute.

      17. Wherein; in the same manner.

      18. Two immutable things; the two things referred to are usually understood to be the promise and the oath. That is, he confirmed the promise by an oath, to double, as it were, the strength of his assurance that the promise should be fulfilled.--To lie; to be false or unfaithful.

      19. The veil in the temple covered the inner sanctuary, which contained the special tokens of the divine presence, and which was accordingly a proper type or symbol of heaven. The hope which entereth into, &c., is a hope which lays hold on heaven.

      20. The forerunner; the one who has gone before us to prepare the way.--After the order of Melchisedec; as is more fully explained in the next chapter.

      1 This Melchisedec; that is, the one to whom the writer had referred. (5:6. 6:20.) In the history of Abraham, contained in the book of Genesis, there is an account of his meeting, on one occasion, with a king, of high rank and distinction, named Melchisedec, a worshipper of the true God, and a priest as well as a king; to whom Abraham paid a tenth part of the spoils which be had then recently taken from his enemies in acknowledgment of his spiritual superiority. In respect to this Melchisedec, no account is given of his ancestry or origin,--nor of the end of his life. He enters the field of view, and, after a brief appearance, leaves it again in the full possession and exercise, during the whole period, of all his royal and priestly powers. (Gen. 14:18-20.) The incident of his appearing in this manner, is employed by David, (Ps. 110:4,) and now by the writer of this Epistle, as furnishing an apt emblem or type of the permanence and perpetuity of the priesthood of Christ.--The slaughter of the kings. (Gen. 14:14-16.)--And blessed him; v. 19.

      2. Gave, &c. v. 20.--By interpretation; the interpretation of his name, Melchi-zedek.

      3. Without father, &c.; that is, so appearing in the sacred narrative.-- [492] Made like unto; made a type or emblem of.

      5. Have a commandment to take tithes; Deut. 14:22-29.

      7. Of the better; of the greater. The idea is, that Melchisedec's blessing Abraham, as well as his receiving tithes of him, was a mark or token of his superiority to Abraham.

      8. Here; under the Mosaic dispensation.--There; referring to Melchisedec.--It is witnessed that he liveth; he appears, so far as there is any witness or testimony concerning him, in life, and in the full possession of power.

      9. Levi; the tribe of Levi.

      10. The meaning is, that Abraham, as the ancestor, head, and representative, of his descendants, may be considered as including his descendants, as well as himself, under his acknowledgment of Melchisedec's superiority.

      11. For under it, &c.; that is, the law was so connected with the Levitical priesthood, that whatever imperfection or inferiority is shown to pertain to the one, attaches in like manner to the other.

      12. Also of the law; the law and the priesthood being parts of the same system.

      13. He of whom these things are spoken; that is, he who is the subject of this comparison with Melchisedec.--Another tribe; the tribe of Judah.--Gave attendance, &c.; served as priest. The priests were all of the tribe of Levi.

      15. Far more evident; still more evident; that is, the imperfect and temporary character of the Mosaic service is so.

      16. Made; constituted priest.--After the law of a carnal commandment; under a system of commandments of a ceremonial and temporal character.--After the power of an [493] endless life; on a new foundation, sure, and never to end.

      18. The commandment going before; the former commandment,--that is, the Mosaic law.

      19. Made nothing perfect; did not, in itself, really accomplish the salvation of men.

      21. These priests; the Levitical priests.--That said unto him; in Ps. 110:4, as referred to above.

      22. By so much; by the fact that his institution was declared with the solemnities of an oath, as shown in the two preceding verses.--Testament, covenant or dispensation.

      23. And they; referring to the Levitical line.

      28. Which have infirmity; who are themselves sinners.--Consecrated; holy.

      2. The true tabernacle. The spiritual kingdom of Christ is so designated in contradistinction from the tabernacle in which the religious services of the Israelites were performed, which was only ceremonial and temporary, and pitched by man.

      3. This man; Jesus.

      4. The meaning is, that his [494] priesthood, as spoken of in the passage upon which all this discussion rests, (Ps. 110:4,) cannot be an ordinary priesthood under the law of Moses, since he did not belong to the tribe to which the priestly office was confined.--There are priests; that is, of the tribe of Levi.

      5. Unto the example and shadow; that is, their ceremonies and services are intended to shadow forth and typify the higher spiritualities of the Christian dispensation.--See (saith he;) Ex. 25:40. In the directions given to Moses in Exodus, allusion is often made to a pattern which God showed him in the mount. The apostle seems to consider this conformity of the Mosaic tabernacle to the pattern by which it was made, as an emblem of the correspondence between the Jewish rites and the heavenly spiritualities which they were designed to prefigure.

      6. Ministry; priestly service.

      7. Faultless; complete and sufficient for the salvation of men.

      8. Finding fault with them, he saith. The idea is, that the language quoted (see Jer. 31:31-34) implies that God did not regard the first dispensation as permanent and complete; but, recognizing its insufficiency and imperfection, he promised a better one to come.

      13. He hath made the first old; that is, his language implies that it is old.

      1. A worldly sanctuary; an earthly sanctuary.

      2. The first; the outermost. For [495] the construction of the tabernacle, with its veil separating the outer sanctuary from the Holy of Holies, or the Holiest of all, see Ex. 26:--The candlestick; Ex. 25:31-39.--The table; Ex. 25:23-30.

      4. The ark; Ex. 25:10-16.--Manna; Ex. 16:33.--Aaron's rod; Num. 17:1-10.--The tables of the covenant; the two tables of stone, on which the ten commandments were engraven.

      5. The cherubims; Ex. 25:18-20.

      6. Thus ordained; thus arranged by divine appointment.--The priests; common priests, in contradistinction from the high priest, mentioned in the next verse.--The first tabernacle; the outer tabernacle.

      7. Not without blood; Lev. 16:14, 15.--The errors; the sins.

      8. Made manifest; opened.

      9. Which was a figure; a type or symbol.--That could not make, &c.; that is, could not spiritually redeem and save him.

      10. Which stood, which service stood.--Carnal ordinances; outward and ceremonial ordinances.--Reformation; the introduction of the new and better system of the gospel.

      12. By his own blood; shed in sacrifice for sin.

      13. The ashes of a heifer, &c.; alluding to a ceremony described in Num. 19:2-9.--Sanctifieth, &c.; is sufficient for the purposes of ceremonial purification. [496]

      15. For the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament. This language teaches us that the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ enures to the benefit of the penitent who lived before his day.

      16. A will, however fully executed, does not take effect until the death of the testator. The apostle takes occasion from this circumstance to represent the gospel as a will, made effective by the death of Christ, inasmuch as it was by his death that the blessings of salvation were sealed and secured.

      18. Whereupon, &c.; in a somewhat similar manner the first testament or covenant was ratified with blood.

      19. The account of the ceremonies which followed the giving of the law, is contained in Ex. 24:3, 8. All the particulars here alluded to are not there recorded. It would seem that Paul must have had access to some other source of information than the Mosaic account--perhaps tradition.

      20. Ex. 24:8.

      21. Of the ministry; of the service.

      22. Purged; purified.--No remission; from civil and ceremonial penalties, under the Mosaic law; and none from sin and its consequences now.

      23. The patterns of things in the heavens; that is, of spiritual things;--these ceremonial services being so considered, as represented in 8:5.--With these; with the blood of animal sacrifices.

      24. Holy places made with hands; such as the Mosaic tabernacle. [497]

      28. Without sin; without any further offering for sin.

      1. However a shadow; containing only a shadow or representation of the things.--The very image; the substance.

      5. When he cometh; when Christ cometh. The quotation extending from this verse to the seventh, is from Ps. 40:6-8.--Wouldst not; didst not desire.--But a body, &c. The corresponding expression in the original is, "Mine ears hast thou opened." It stands, however, as the writer has quoted it, in the Septuagint, a Greek version of the Old Testament, which was in common use in Paul's day. The circumstance of the writer's having followed in this, and in many other cases, the translation instead of the original, has given rise to much discussion.

      7. Lo, I come; I, the Savior, come.

      13. Expecting till, &c.; looking forward to the time when, &c. [498]

      20. His flesh; his mortal body. In what points of view, the writer considered the body of Christ as typified by the veil which separated the two sanctuaries, is not clear.

      22. Our bodies washed, &c.; referring to the rite of baptism. Were we to insist upon the principle of strict conformity to the letter, in interpreting the allusions to the rite of baptism in the New Testament, even immersion would not suffice. To wash is more than simply to immerse.

      24. Consider one another; be interested in one another.--To provoke; to animate and encourage.

      26. No more sacrifice; Christ having offered himself once for all (9:26-28.)

      28. Num. 15:30, 31.

      30. Deut. 32:35, 36.

      32. Illuminated; converted,--brought into the light of Christ's kingdom.

      34. In my bonds. This expression, and the passage with which it stands in connection, (32-34,) shows that this Epistle was addressed to a church, or to a class of Christians, which had, at a former period, experienced persecution; and it seems to imply that Paul was imprisoned among them. Both these were true of the churches in Judea. They were persecuted in [499] the time of Stephen, and Paul was imprisoned both at Jerusalem and at Cæsarea, before he went to Rome.

      35. Confidence; firm and steady faith.

      38. By faith; such as he had enjoined, v. 35. The passage appears to be quoted from Hab. 2:4.

      1. The substance of, &c.; strong confidence in respect to, &c.

      2. The elders; the persons living in former times; those enumerated in the sequel.

      3. We understand; that is, we believe.

      4. Of his gifts; of the nature and acceptableness of his offerings. (Gen 4:4.)

      5. By faith; in consequence of his faith. (Gen. 5:24.)

      7. Noah; Gen. 7:1-9.

      8. Abraham; Gen. 12:1-4.

      9. The land of promise; the land which had been promised him,--In tabernacles; in tents; that is, leading [500] a wandering life in it, without having any permanent possession.

      12. As good as dead; on account of his advanced age.

      13. Not having received the promises; not having realized the fulfilment of them.--Embraced them; confided in them.

      14. A country; another country; that is, a heavenly country, as explained in v. 16.

      17. Gen. 22:1-10.

      19. From whence also, &c.; that is, he did in fact receive him as from the dead. Whether the apostle here refers to the circumstances of his birth, as referred to in v. 12, or to the extraordinary interposition by which he was rescued from the sacrificial pile, is not certain.

      20. Gen. 27:27-40.

      21. Gen. 47:31. The word translated bed in our version of Genesis, is rendered by a word signifying staff in the Septuagint. See Heb. 10:5, and note.

      22. Gen. 50:24-26. Josh. 24:32.

      23. Ex. 2:2.--The king's commandment; Ex. 1:16, 22.

      24. To be called the son, &c. to be attached to the court and the royal family.

      25. The people of God; the Israelites. [501]

      26. The reproach of Christ; reproach like that which Christ endured; that is, contumely and suffering incurred for the benefit of others.

      29. Ex. 14:

      30. By faith; that is, the faith exercised by Joshua and his followers. (Josh. 6:12-20.)

      31. Josh. 6:22-25.

      32. Gedeon; Judg. 6: 7: 8:--Barak; Judg. 4: 5:--Samson; Judg. 14:-16:--Jephthae; Judg. 11:

      34. The aliens; the idolatrous tribes of Canaan.

      35. Women received, &c.; perhaps referring to the account commencing 2 Kings 4:8.--A better resurrection; a better salvation than deliverance from earthly sufferings.

      39. Received not the promise; they did not realize the promised coming of the Messiah.

      40. Some better thing; the gospel dispensation.--Without us; without our dispensation.--Be made perfect; have their desires and hopes fulfilled.

      1. Cloud of witnesses; that is, the [502] persons mentioned in the last chapter, who by their conduct bore witness so firmly for God. The word witness, as used in the New Testament, usually signifies, not a spectator, but one who bears testimony,--referring very frequently to a testimony borne by the life and conversation, as in Rev. 1:5.--Every weight; every obstruction to progress.

      2. Despising the shame; disregarding the shame.

      3. Contradiction of sinners; opposition of sinners.

      4. Resisted unto blood. It would seem that this language must be understood figuratively, that is, as designed to express the last extremity of spiritual contest with temptation; for the injunction is to resistance, and resistance was in no sense a duty in respect to outward persecutions. Our Savior's language, "If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off," may be considered somewhat analogous. Besides, what is said in 10:32, 33, seems to imply that the persons addressed in this Epistle had been exposed to the extreme of outward persecution.

      5. My son, &c. This passage, including v. 6, is quoted from Prov. 3:12, through the Septuagint.

      8. Bastards; pretended sons.

      10. After their own pleasure; that is, arbitrarily, or from caprice.

      12. Isa. 35:3.

      13. Perhaps from Prov. 4:26. The idea is, Adhere firmly to the strict rules of duty; if any deviation is allowed, it may prove a fatal snare to human frailty.

      15. Lest any man fail, &c.; lest he [503] apostatize, and lose the grace of God.--Any root of bitterness; any source of bitterness, that is, of sin and suffering.

      16. Fornicator; in a spiritual sense, one who forsakes God, whom he had once chosen, and devotes himself again to his idols; thus, like Esau, selling his birthright for pottage.

      17. Gen. 27:35-40.

      18. That might be touched. It would seem that this must contain an allusion to the prohibition recorded in Ex. 19:12, 13, where bounds were directed to be placed about Mount Sinai, which the people were forbidden to transcend;--a prohibition which added much to the effect produced by the other circumstances here alluded to, in investing the scene which accompanied the giving of the law on Sinai with its extraordinary terrors.

      24. That speaketh better things, &c. It speaks mercy and pardon. The blood of Abel cried for vengeance.

      26. Then shook the earth; at Sinai. The quotation is from Hag. 2:6.

      27. There is an obscurity in respect to some of the expressions of this verse. The general idea is, that, while the Jewish system was temporary and mutable, the dispensation by Christ is fixed and final, and shall never be moved. [504]

      2. Some have entertained, &c.; referring, perhaps, to Gen. 18:2-8. 19:1-3.

      3. Also in the body; and so liable to the same sufferings.

      5. Your conversation; your life and conduct.

      6. Ps. 118:6.

      7. Them which have the rule over you; meaning their pastors and teachers.--The end of their conversation; the object which it is the end and aim of their lives to promote.

      9. Not with meats. The meaning is, that the heart cannot be established,--that is, in holiness,--by attentions to distinctions of meats and other ceremonial rites.

      10. They have no right to eat, &c.; that is, those cannot claim any share in the redemption of Christ, who still cling to, and depend upon, the ceremonial observances of the Mosaic economy.

      11. Lev. 16:11, 14-16, 27.

      12. Without the gate; without the gates of Jerusalem.

      13. His reproach. The sending of the condemned beyond the gates of a city for execution, was considered as a token of additional reproach and in [505]

      23. Set at liberty. There has been much discussion in respect to the proper meaning of the words here rendered set at liberty. They might have been translated sent away. To what circumstances in the life of Timothy they allude, on either supposition, is not known.

      24. They of Italy; the Christians of Italy. Paul is supposed to have been at Rome when this Epistle was written. [506]

[AINT 483-506]