Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Bengel Commentary - Hebrews 2:5 - 2:5
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Heb 2:5. Οὐ γὰρ ἀγγέλοις, for not to angels) The Ætiology [assigning of a reason; Append.], referring to Heb 2:3, where the terms salvation and Lord are skilfully introduced, serves the purpose of beginning a new paragraph. The greater the salvation, and the more glorious the Lord, that are despised, the more aggravated is the offence of them who despise them. God subjected both angels and all things, not to the angels, of whom nothing was written to that effect [implying any such intention], but to man, or the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. The angels had more to do in the Old Testament; but in the New Testament, when human nature was exalted by Christ, the angels are our fellow-servants. I ventured to say, more to do; and it may be also supposed from the antithesis, that greater reverence was due to the angels in the Old Testament than in the New Testament, where they are now our fellow-servants. And from this very circumstance, that they are our fellow-servants, we understand that they are not inactive under the New Testament, but merely that they act under a different relation from that under which they acted under the Old Testament. As in this passage angels are opposed to the Lord, so Heb 2:16, they are opposed to the brethren [Heb 2:11-12]. The apostle couples believers alone with Christ alone.-ὑπέταξε, subjected) This verb is now brought forward at once from the eighth verse. God subjected; for the language refers to ch. Heb 1:1.-τὴν οἰκουμένην τὴν μέλλουσαν, the world to come) There is but one earth, οἰκουμένη, belonging to all times, ch. Heb 1:6. Therefore the expression, the world to come, is used as we say to-morrow’s sun, although there is but the one sun of all days. הבא in Hebrew is expressed by μέλλουσα in Greek. The world is one (and the same world), under grace and under glory; the epithet, to come, is added to it, not because it is not already existing, but because it was formerly predicted. The newness which was introduced by Christ in the New Testament is considered of so much importance in Scripture, that there arises from it a twofold division (dichotomia), viz. between the times of the Old and those of the New Testament, with one and the same eternity depending upon them. These latter taken together are called ἡ οἰχουμένη ἡ μέλλουσα, the world to come. They are ever and anon μέλλοντα, about to come, when regarded from the Old Testament point of view, which prophetically looks forward to the New Testament; but in the New Testament they are present Good things, obtained by Christ; which commence while the world to come is in the course of being subjected to Him, at the time when first He was crowned with glory and honour. Concerning this expression of Paul, comp. note at Rom 3:30. Although, even in reference to the time of this epistle, it is to come, μέλλουσα, in its own way, viz. at the time when all things shall be made subject to Christ, even including death, 1Co 15:24-25. Consider the not yet, Heb 2:8, and the actual description of “the world to come,” ch. Heb 12:26, etc. The noun, world, is of very wide meaning. See the psalm which is presently quoted. Πατὴρ τοῦ ΜΕΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ αἰῶνος, Pater futuri seculi, Isa 9:6, in the Greek and Latin versions; the Father of the world to come; in our translation, “the everlasting Father.”-περὶ ἧς λαλοῦμεν, of which we speak) We speak, we teachers, ch. Heb 5:11, note. By this clause the force of a proposition is obtained for [is imparted to] this short verse. And the proposition is, all things shall be subjected to Jesus Christ.