The Everlasting HEBREWS, XIII. you the sooner. (20) Now the God of peace, that brought again from the that the writer had formerly been associated with those whom he now addresses, and that he is at present hindered from returning to them. (20) Now the God of peace. -See Rom. xv. 33; xvi. 20; 2 Cor. xiii. 11; Phil. iv. 9; 1 Thess. v. 23; 2 Thess. iii. 16. In almost all these places there is something in the context suggestive of strife or turmoil to be brought to rest by "the God of peace." Hence we may well believe that the writer here has in thought those divisions of thought and feeling which have been hinted at in verses 17-19, and which in truth were the expression of the deep-seated mental unrest which it is the object of the Epistle to remove. Our Lord Jesus. As in chaps. ii. 9, iii. 1, xii. 2, the name is introduced after the description, according to the order of the Greek: "Now the God of peace that brought up from the dead (Rom. x. 7) the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus Two passages of the prophets have contributed to the language of this remarkable verse: (1) Isa. lxiii. 11, "Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock?" Here the shepherds are no doubt Moses and Aaron (Ps. lxxvii. 20); the Greek translation, however, has, "Where is he that raised up out of the sea the shepherd of the sheep?" Moses, who led Israel through the sea, was brought up therefrom in safety to Covenant. dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blocd be the "shepherd" of his people Israel; by the same Almighty hand the great Shepherd of the sheep has been brought up from among the dead. (2) Zech. ix. 11, "As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water." In other words, "because of the blood which ratified thy covenant (Ex. xxiv. 8) I have released thy prisoners." As in the former case, the resemblance between the words in the LXX. and those here used is sufficient to convince us that the passage was in the writer's thought. In (i.e., in virtue of) the blood of an eternal covenant (chap. ix. 15-18) God has raised up the Lord Jesus. The covenant was ratified by His blood; the first of the blessings of the covenant, and that in which all blessings lay included, was this, that God raised Him up from the dead to be "the great Shepherd of the sheep." If these prophetic words respecting Him who brings peace to the world (Zech. ix. 10, et al.), were in the writer's mind, how natural is his appeal to the God of peace. It has been often observed that this is the only passage in the Epistle in which we read of the resurrection of our Lord apart from His ascension; elsewhere His exaltation is contemplated as one act (chap. ii. 9, et al.). It is not certain that we have an exception even here, for though the meaning of Rom. x. 7 is beyond doubt, the words may in this place be used with a wider meaning. Closing HEBREWS, XIII. of the everlasting cove- tament. 2 Or, (21) Make you perfect. To "make perfect" is the translation of two different words in this Epistle. In the one, which is of frequent occurrence (chaps. ii. 10; x. 1; xii. 23, et al.), "perfect" stands contrasted with that which is immature, which has not attained its end and aim. The other, which is used here (and in a somewhat different sense in chaps. x. 5, and xi. 3), rather conveys the thought of completeness, complete equipment or preparation. Every good work.-The best authorities read 66 every good thing;" and below, substitute 66 us " for "you." Working.-Literally, doing, or making. The words of Phil. ii. 12, 13, are different, but the general thought is the same. "Well pleasing" recalls chaps. xi. 5; xii. 28; verse 16. (Rom. xii. 2; Eph. v. 10.) Prayers (22) And I beseech you, test. brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. (23) Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, tion of praise is addressed to our Saviour (as in 2 Tim. iv. 18; Rev. i. 6; 2 Pet. iii. 18), it seems hardly possible to doubt. Glory. Rather, the glory. (See Gal. i. 5.) (22) And I beseech you.— Rather, But I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation; for indeed it is in few words that I have written unto you. How fitly the whole Epistle may be spoken of as an “exhortation" is obvious (See Note on chap. v. 11.). And if we take into account the subjects with which the writer has been dealing, we shall not wonder that a Letter which might have been read to the assembled Church in less than an hour should be described (Comp. 1 Pet. v. 12.) as brief. (23) It is clear that the Hebrew Christians knew of the imprisonment of Timothy, but had not Through Jesus Christ.- heard the news of his release. In That is, "working in us through 2 Cor. i. 1; Col. i. 1; Philem. Jesus Christ that which is well- verse 1, Timothy is spoken of as pleasing in His sight." In verse "the brother;" in 1 Thess. iii. 2, 20 (as in chap. ii. 9) we read of and here, as "our brother" (for the exaltation of "Jesus." Here, the word "our," printed in italics where the subject of thought is the in the Authorised version, belongs lasting mediation of our High to the true text). With him, the Priest, the writer introduces the writer adds, "if he come shortly complete name "Jesus Christ," [sooner than the date at which thus preparing for the doxology he himself must depart], I will see which follows. That this ascrip- you." and HEBREWS, XIII. I will see you. (24) Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy (24) That have the rule over you.-Better, that are your leaders: see verses 7, 17. : They of Italy salute you.These much-discussed words are consistent with either of two hypotheses:-(1) That the writer is in Italy, and salutes "the Hebrews" in the name of the Christians of Italy (2) That the writer is addressing a Church of Italy, and sends greeting from Christians who have their home in Italy, but are now with him. (See Introduction.) (25) Grace be with you all.This brief closing benediction is also found in Titus iii. 15, and, with the omission of "all," in Col. iv. 18; 1 Tim. vi. 21; 2 Tim. iv. 22. [As in the other Epistles, the subscription is destitute of authority, not being found (in the form given above) in any MS. of the Epistle earlier than the ninth century. No ancient MS. contains more than the simple notice, "To the Hebrews," except the Alexandrian, which adds "written from salute you. with you all. Salutations. (25) Grace be Amen. Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy. Rome." The mention of Rome or Italy is, no doubt, due to verse 24. It is possible also that verse 23 is the only authority for the reference to Timothy as the bearer of the Epistle: for an ancient interpretation understands that verse to speak, not of the release of Timothy from captivity, but of his departure on some official mission.] [The works chiefly used have been the commentaries on the Epistle by Bleek, Delitzsch, Hofmann, Lünemann, Kurtz, Bengel, Ewald, Alford, Wordsworth, McCaul, and Biesenthal; Westcott On the Canon; Lightfoot's Clement; Bleek's Einleitung in das N. T. (by Mangold); Ewald's Geschichte; Davidson's two Introductions to the New Testament; Reuss's History of Christian Theology; Riehm's special work on the Doctrinal System of this Epistle; Stanley's Sermons and Essays; the Commentaries on the Psalms by Delitzsch, Perowne, Jennings, and Lowe; and Carpzov's Sacrae Exercitationes.] |