John Bengel Commentary - Hebrews 1:6 - 1:6

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John Bengel Commentary - Hebrews 1:6 - 1:6


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Heb 1:6. Ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, and again, when He brings His First-begotten into the world) Comp. with ὅταν, when, ὅταν in Jam 1:2, joined with the 2d Aor. subj. The particle δὲ, but, intimates that something more important is to follow. Not only is the Son greater than angels, but He is worshipped by angels. ἡ οἰκουμένη, is the world subject to Christ, ch. Heb 2:5, as the First-begotten; see the psalm last quoted, and presently about to be quoted. This introduction implies something more than a mission, or mere sending. Both, however, take for granted τὴν προΰπαρξιν, the pre-existence of the Son of GOD; and His entrance into the world corresponds to that pre-existence: ch. Heb 10:5. He entered, by the will of GOD, when He presented Himself to do the will of GOD, ch. Heb 10:5; with which comp. ch. Heb 9:11; when He came into the world, as He is everywhere said to have done. Πάλιν, again, is brought in, corresponding to the common word, likewise, where scripture upon scripture is quoted, Heb 1:5, ch. Heb 2:13, Heb 10:30; but the meaning of this particle is more clearly seen when it is enclosed in a parenthesis, the verb, I say, or some other of that kind, being supplied, in this manner: But when (I shall again state what GOD says concerning His Son) He brings in His First-begotten. So Joh 12:39, They could not believe, because (I shall again quote Isaiah) the same prophet says, He has blinded, etc. Mat 5:33, Ye have heard (I shall again bring forward an example) that it was said to the ancients. For the forms of quotation are somewhat freely introduced into a speech; ch. Heb 8:5, ὃρα γὰρ φησι, instead of For, He says, See.

The appellation, First-begotten, includes the appellation, Son, and further shows the force of its signification. For it involves the rights of primogeniture, which the Only-begotten most eminently possesses. Paul also uses similar language, Rom 8:29; Col 1:15; Col 1:18. In this passage, the appellation, First-begotten, includes the description of the subject of Whom the Psalm is treating, with the Ætiology[7] or reason given for the predicate, viz. He is brought in, for He is the First-begotten.-λέγει, He says) An abbreviated mode of expression. When the bringing in was predicted, the word was given; when the bringing in was accomplished, the same word was fulfilled. He says, viz. GOD; comp Heb 1:5. Therefore the word αὐτῷ, Him, presently after, refers to the Son.-καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ, and let all the angels of GOD worship Him) LXX., Deuteronomy 32, before Deu 1:43, has these words: εὐφράνθητε οὐρανοὶ ἅμα αὐτῷ καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ, which are wanting in the Hebrew text and in the Chaldee Paraphrase. Mill is of opinion that the omission was occasioned long ago by the recurrence of the verb הרנינו. Then [after the words in the LXX. at the beginning of Deu 1:43] there follows in Moses, εὐφράνθητε ἔθνη μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, הרנינו גוים עמו (where ב after מ is wanting), which Paul, Rom 15:10, also refers to the times of the Messiah. Moses, especially in the Song, wrote of Christ. Nevertheless, Psa 97:7 has, ΠΡΟΣΚΥΝΉΣΑΤΕ ΑὐΤῷ ΠΆΝΤΕς ΟἹ ἌΓΓΕΛΟΙ ΑὐΤΟῦ; and Paul refers to this psalm, for the bringing in of the First-begotten into the world, in this passage, corresponds to the inscription of the psalm in the LXX, τῷ Δαβὶδ, ὅτε ἡ γῆ αὐτοῦ καθίσταται, that is, of David, when the land is brought under his authority, as Oederus has observed.

[7] Ætiologia. See Append.