John Bengel Commentary - Hebrews 1:3 - 1:3

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John Bengel Commentary - Hebrews 1:3 - 1:3


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Heb 1:3. Ὃς-ὑψηλο͂ς, who-on high) This is the third of those glorious predicates, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Again, three points of importance are introduced into this predicate, by the three participles. Paul mentions these points in the same order, Col 1:15; Col 1:17; Col 1:20. The first participle and likewise the second, from the finite verb ἐκάθισεν, sat down, being the aorist, have the meaning of an imperfect tense, and may be resolved into because, ὢν, φέρων τε, because (inasmuch as) He was, because (inasmuch as) He was upholding (comp. ὢν, ch. Heb 5:8); but the third, as being without the particle τὲ, and, cohering more closely with the same finite verb, is to be resolved into after that: ποιησάμενος, after that He made.-ὢν-φέρων τε, because [inasmuch as] He was-and upheld) That glory, on which the Son entered when He was exalted to the right hand of the Father, no angel was capable of taking, but the Son took it; for He also had it formerly in respect of God, whose glory shines refulgently in Him, and in respect of all things, which He upholds; Joh 6:62; Rev 1:18.-ἀπαύγασμα, the brightness) Wis 7:25-26 : For she (wisdom) is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the GLORY (ΔΟΞΗΣ) of the Almighty: therefore no defiled thing falls into her. For she is the BRIGHTNESS (ΑΠΑΥΓΑΣΜΑ) of the everlasting light, and the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of His goodness. Ἀπὸ has in this compound word an intensive power-as in ἀποστίλβω, ἀποκυέω, ἀποτίκτω, ἀπέχω,-not the power of diminishing. It does not imply less or greater, but propagation [extension of the Father’s glory].-τῆς δόξης, of the glory) Glory denotes the nature of God revealed in His brightness, the same as His eternal power and Godhead, Rom 1:20.-χαρακτὴρ, the impress, the express image) Whatever the hypostasis (personal essence) of the Father has, that is represented in the Son, as His express image.-ὑποστάσεως, of His hypostasis) [of His personal essence]. If we gather from the LXX. the meaning of this word, variously used by them-never however concerning GOD-it denotes here the immoveable everlastingness of the Divine life and power; comp. Heb 1:11. Therefore the parallels are δόξα, the glory, always undefiled [‘incorruptible’], Rom 1:23, and ὑπόστασις, the hypostasis or personal essence, which always holds as it were the same place. It was with this feeling that the old Rabbins, as it would seem, called God מקום, Place, or rather State.-τὰ πάντα, all things) [the universe]. The article is to be referred to πάντων, of all things, Heb 1:2. τῷ ῥήματι, by the word) The Son of GOD is a person; for He has the word.-αὑτοῦ) The same as ἑαντοῦ in the next clause.-διʼ ἑαυτοῦ) by Himself, i.e. without the external Levitical instrumentality or covenant. This power of His shines forth from the titles already given.-καθαρισμὸν, purification) There lies hidden here an anticipation.[5] When Christ lived in the flesh, it did not appear that so majestic things should be predicated of Him; but the apostle replies, that His sojourn in the weakness of the flesh was only for a time, for the purging of our sins. In this chapter he describes the glory of Christ, in that light chiefly, as He is the Son of GOD; then subsequently he describes the glory of Christ as man, ch. Heb 2:6. He mentions the actual glory of the Son of GOD before His humiliation in a summary manner; but His glory after His exaltation, most fully; for it was from this exaltation in particular, and not before, that the glory which He had from eternity began to be most clearly seen. And the purging of our sins, and subsequent sitting on the right hand of the Majesty, are most fully treated of in ch. 7, etc.-ἐκάθισεν, He sat down) by the will of the Father; comp. ἔθηκε, He appointed, Heb 1:2. On this sitting, see Heb 1:13-14. The ministering priests stood; the sitting therefore denotes the accomplishment of the sacrifice, and the glorious kingdom begun. By this finite verb, sat down, after the participles, is implied the scope, subject, sum of the epistle; comp. Heb 8:1.-τῆς μεγαλωσύνης) of the Majesty, i.e. of GOD.-ἐν ὑψηλοῖς, on high) in the heavens, Heb 8:1.

[5] ‘Occupatio.’ An anticipation of an objection that might be raised, and which is therefore answered beforehand. See Append.-ED.