John Bengel Commentary - Hebrews 1:4 - 1:4

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John Bengel Commentary - Hebrews 1:4 - 1:4


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Heb 1:4. Τοσούτῳ, so much) This verse has two clauses, of which, by Chiasmus, the second is discussed in Heb 1:5, but the first in Heb 1:13; and the Interrogation gives a point to both. The Chiasmus,[6] σχῆμα χιαστὸν, oratio decussata, is so frequent in this epistle, that the observation of this figure alone contributes very much to the explanation of the epistle. See Heb 1:9, ch. Heb 2:9; Heb 2:12; Heb 2:17, Heb 3:1; Heb 3:8, Heb 4:14-16, Heb 5:7, Heb 6:7, Heb 7:6, Heb 8:4; Heb 8:10, Heb 9:1, Heb 10:20; Heb 10:23; Heb 10:33; Heb 10:38, Heb 11:1; Heb 11:33, Heb 12:22-24, Heb 13:10, with the annott. It may be asked, Why, in this one epistle, does that figure occur in every chapter? Ans. It is shown, at some of those passages which I have just now quoted, that Paul uses the Chiasmus even elsewhere, but more frequently to the Jews; and Surenhusius shows, in the βίβλος καταλλαγῆς, p. 78, etc., 607, 608, that their teachers greatly delight in this figure of speech in their writings. Therefore the apostle, who became all things to all men, has adapted his style to the Hebrews; and these men, who were guided by the Spirit, had quite ready at their command all the forms of discourse, in a greater degree than the most practised rhetoricians.-κρείττων γενόμενος, being made better) by His exaltation, Heb 1:3; Heb 1:13. The antithesis is ἠλαττωμένον, made lower or less, ch. Heb 2:9. This may be compared with Mar 10:18, note, [where Jesus, in His voluntary humiliation, saith, “Why callest thou Me good?” etc.] κρείττων, better, more excellent, more powerful: οἱ κρείττονες, the gods, among the ancient heathens.-τῶν ἀγγέλων, than the angels) whose excellence is elsewhere spoken of as great.-παρʼ αὐτοὺς) παρὰ denotes great pre-eminence above [as compared with] others. Comp. παρὰ, Heb 1:9, ch. Heb 3:3. Angels are excluded in part explicitly, Heb 1:5; Heb 1:13, and in part by implication; for while none of them has taken this name, the Son of GOD, from that very circumstance they are not the heirs of this name, and therefore not the heirs of all things; but they are a portion, no doubt a distinguished one, of the inheritance of the Son, whom they worship as Lord, Heb 1:6 : nor were the worlds created by them, but rather they themselves were created, Heb 1:7.-κεκληρονόμηκεν ὄνομα, He hath inherited a name) The name of Son is proper for the Son, because He is the Son; and in this name principally the inheritance consists. All things are an addition to the inheritance, Heb 1:2. The inheritance of the name is more ancient than the worlds themselves. The inheritance of all things is as old as all things themselves.

[6] See Appendix.