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A speedy entrance into blessedness awaits those who endure to the end; of which the readers inspire a hope by the steadfastness which they have already evinced
Heb_10:32-39
[Heb_10:32.— ἀíáìéìíÞóêåóèå , Be calling, or, keep calling to remembrance, as a habit; so Pres. tense; not Aor. ἀíáìíÞóèçôå , call to remembrance, as a simple act.— ἄèëçóéí , struggle, contest, requiring exertion; not ìÜ÷çí , fight, battle.— ðáèçìÜôùí , sufferings, not afflictions ( èëßøåùí ) as in next verse.
Heb_10:33.— ôïῦôï ìÝí , on the one hand (lit., as to this indeed):— èåáôñéæüìåíïé , Pres. Part, being habitually made a spectacle, ãåíçèÝíôåò , Aor. being made, or becoming, as a single fact.— ôῶí ïὕôùò ἀíáóôåñåöïìÝíùí , of them who so walk, i. e., in reproaches and afflictions.,
Heb_10:34.— ôïῖò äåóìßïéò óõíåðáèÞóáôå , ye sympathized with the prisoners.— ãéíùó . ἔ÷åéí ἑáõôïῖò , knowing that ye have for yourselves; not, as E. V., knowing in yourselves.
Heb_10:35.— ἥôéò , characteristic, as one which hath=because it hath.
Heb_10:36.— ὑðïìïíῆò , of patient endurance.— ἵíá ôὸ èåë . ôïῦ èåïῦ ðïéÞóáíôåò êïìßóçóèå E. V. (In order) that after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promises. So Moll substantially, “after fulfilment of the will of God, ye may receive,” etc. Alford: “that ye may do the will of God and receive=that doing the will of God, ye may receive.” De Wette: durch Erfullung, by fulfilment of, by doing the will, etc. The sentence will equally well bear either of the three constructions: 1. “that, after doing the will, ye may receive;” 2. that, doing the will, ye may receive=ye may do the will and receive; 3. “that doing the will ye may receive=that, by doing the will, ye may receive.” Either, too, here makes perfectly good sense. For although Alford’s rendering, “ye may do and receive,” is entirely admissible, and may be the right one, vet his reason for rejecting the first, is scarcely decisive, viz. “No endurance, or patience would be wanted, when they had done the will of God, to receive the promise.” True, but endurance or patience would be wanted to bring about that state of things in which they, after having done the will of God, might receive the promise. For such, is the character of the sentence that the endurance might have reference exclusively to the participal clause, or to the finite verb, or to both together, and nothing but the connection could determine which.
Heb_10:37.— ìéêñὸí ὅóïí , ὅóïí , more emphatic than “a little,” as E. V.; “a little, a very little”—the repeated ὅóïí being a sort of double diminutive, “aliquantillum.”— ὁ ἐñ÷üìåíïò , he that cometh; not, as E. V., he that shall come; nor, as often rendered in the gospels, he that should come.
Heb_10:38.— ὁ äὲ äßêáéüò ìïõ , but my righteous one ( ìïõ here being guaranteed by the best authorities).— êáὶ Ýὰí ὑðõóõåßëçôáé , and if he shall have shrunk back, timidly drawn back (lit. ὑðïóôÝëëåóèáé , lower sail, take in sail, then, shrink back from danger, as often in the classics). Eng. ver. supplies (with many) ôéò , if any man, contrary to the spirit of the passage, although, if the exigencies of the connection required it, it would be quite defensible grammatically. ôὶò (with Middleton and Scholefield) is, I think, to be supplied at Joh_8:44, with ëÜëῃ , although the commentators generally decline to receive it. Here the reference of ὑðïóôåßëçôáé to the äßêáéïò , is only one more among many passages of like import in this Epistle.
Heb_10:39.— ïὐê ἐóìὲí ὑðïóôïëῆò , we do not belong to back-sliding.— åἰò ðåñéðïßçóéí øõ÷ῆò , for, or unto the procuring, gaining, preserving of the soul—or of our life in the sense, of Mat_10:39, he that findeth his life ( ôὴí øõ÷Þí ) shall lose it. And so better, I think, with Moll, Do Wette, etc., than soul, with Luther, Stier, Alford, etc.—K.].
Heb_10:36. After fulfilling the will of God.—Beng. erroneously refers the Aor. Part, ðïéÞóáíôåò to the previously mentioned Christian acts of the readers immediately after their conversion. [Grammatically considered, the passage might bear this, although I think the Perf. Part, would then be more natural. At all events, the ðïéÞóáíôåò undoubtedly refers to acts hereafter to be done under the influence of the ὑðïìïíÞ . But even then, whether the better rendering is, “after doing,” or “by doing,” or by two co-ordinate verbs, “may do and receive,” is doubtful. Substantially, they would here amount to the same thing; though in other cases of like construction, the difference might be important. But then the context would generally decide the right construction.—K.]. The will of God is here not as Heb_10:7 ff. God’s purpose and counsel of redemption, whose fulfilment became the great end of the life of Christ, but the will of God, as required to be fulfilled by the Saints, not, however, in its most general character, as a simple rule of life (Thol., and others); nor as restricted to the sanctification which is effected through the sacrifice of the Son (Bl.); but in special reference to steadfast endurance unto the end (Theophyl., Lün., Del.).
The promise ( ἐðáããåëßá ) is here, as in several other places, the substance of the promise, the thing promised.
Heb_10:37. For yet a little—how little time, etc.—The words ìéêñὸí ὄóïí ὄóïí =a little, how very, very little! which form one of the very few instances in which the superlative is expressed in Greek by repetition, are probably taken from Isa_26:20; and in their connection with ἔôé are in our passage, like ἔôé ìéêñüí , Joh_14:19, better regarded as an independent Subst. clause than as an Acc. of determinate time employed to introduce the freely cited passage, Hab_2:3-4. The original text runs: “If it delays (viz., the vision) wait for it; it comes, it comes, it will not linger.” The subject is the overthrow of the Chaldean world-dominion by the judgment of Jehovah. The Sept. itself suggests the turn of the passage, so as to apply it to a person by the rendering ὅôé ἐñ÷üìåíïò ἥîåé , which our author makes still more concrete by adding the def. article. The original then adds: “Lo! his soul is puffed up, is not upright within him (the Chaldean);” the Sept., on the contrary; “If he timidly draws back, my soul hath no pleasure in him” ( ÕðïóôÝëëåéí , used originally of lowering the sail, then of timidly shrinking back). On this follows the clause: “But the righteous will live, ἐê ðßóôåþò ìïõ ,” (Cod. Vat.); or, “But my righteous one will live,” ἐê ðßóôåùò (Cod. Alex.). Grot, supplies ôὶò , De W. ἄíèñùðïò . Calvin carries the fact that the passage aims not to be a direct and proper citation, but simply a free application of the original, to the extent of putting the concluding clause into the mouth of the author, and understanding by ἡ øõ÷Þ ìïõ the soul, not of God, or (as Œc.) of Christ, but of the author. With ἐóìÝí Grot., Carpz., and others supply ôÝêíá or õἱïß . It is better taken in the strictly classical Gr. construction of a Gen. of belonging. The allusion to æÞóåôáé , and the contrasted ἀðþëåéá shows that ðåñéðïßçóéò øõ÷ῆò is not, with Luth., Calv., etc., to be taken of the soul; while still we are not, with Ebr., to refer it to temporal bodily life in escaping from the impending destruction of Jerusalem, but, of eternal life, corresponding to the expression, 1Th_5:9, åἰò ðåñéðïßçóéí óùôçñßáò .
2. Conversion to Christ, inasmuch as it introduces into the soul the true light of life, gives, indeed, to the believer, through the beams of this gracious luminary, the certainty of reconciliation, and, along with the acknowledgment of the truth, at the same time, an experience of salvation; whence come at once quiet to the heart, repose to the conscience, and peace to the soul. But as even the converted man still remains in the world, there arises, ere long, a great and perpetually recurring struggle amid sufferings. By insults and afflictions, endured partly in their own persons, and partly by sympathy with those companions in faith who pursue their Christian walk amidst like circumstances of suffering, the children of God are made a spectacle of derision to the world.
3. In the case of apostasy the sacrifices already offered would have been offered in vain; and the sufferings hitherto endured, would have been endured to no purpose. He, on the contrary, who remains steadfast in the appointed conflict of suffering, not merely receives an experimental testimony of the power of faith, but also acquires thereby courage and strength, and the invigoration of hope, and final victory.
4. The assurance of imperishable and inalienable possessions, not only aids us in relation to the loss of our earthly goods, but renders believers even joyful sufferers under acts of violence, and willing sharers in the sufferings of the oppressed. For suffering for the name of Jesus, and on account of a conscience that owes allegiance to God, is an honor and a favor (Act_5:41; 1Pe_2:20).
5. The recompense of reward comes as certainly as the Lord Himself, who is already on the way. But as the securing of life is certain to those who persevere in the faith, equally certain is the destruction of those who timidly draw back. Faith thus, in its abiding confidence in the Lord, is the essential condition of the attainment of salvation, of which the coming of the Lord is the essential means. But believers are strengthened in their conflict of suffering, and in their waiting for the fulfilment of the promises of God, particularly by the assurance and clear view, that the period of waiting for the dawning of glory is a vanishing span of time.
Starke:—Christians are God’s combatants, and must be in perpetual conflict; hence, they also expect the wreath of honor which the heavenly calling holds out to them.—What is to comfort us in all trouble and persecution? The hope of eternal blessedness in heaven.—Trouble and persecution are badges of the Christian; where they do not bear these in themselves, there is something wanting in their Christianity (2Ti_3:12).—Christians are under obligation not merely to sympathize with the wretched, but, as far as possible, to help them.—Observe the characteristic of the kingdom, and of the members of the kingdom of Christ; which is to do good and to suffer evil. It is wonderful, but salutary; it must serve for great good (Psa_109:5).—In disease, pain, and suffering, confidence in our gracious God is better than all medicines; it is a tried means, and must bring aid.—Mark it, soul! it is not enough to have well begun the struggle; thou must also complete it, and arm thyself accordingly with patience. For he who falters, in him the Lord hath no pleasure; nay, he draws back to his condemnation.—A Christian must not by impatience make his cross heavier than it is, but in quiet and hope will be his strength, Jer_30:15.—The suffering of the present time is brief and light, 2Co_4:17; Isa_54:7; Psa_30:6; we must not, therefore, allow the time under the cross to seem to us long.—The faith that brings salvation is no dead thing, but a living essence, and productive of life, Gal_2:20.—Ah! this should be our greatest care in the world, to save our soul, and all the more, that we are in imminent peril of losing it.
Rieger:—Who shall be the persons with whom we in our time hold and seek fellowship, is a point that must involve important consequences, reaching down to the day of Jesus Christ.—He who does the will of God, and awaits with patience the promise, has contentment on earth, and yonder, as the end of his faith, salvation.
Ahlfeld:—The righteous will live by faith. We consider: 1, the nature and quality of faith; 2, the righteous by faith; 3, the blessing of faith.
Heubner:—The longer we practice, the easier becomes the conflict.—There are secret trials, but also public sufferings; the latter are all the more bitter, inasmuch as they take place before the eyes of those who have no sympathy.—On moments hangs the blessedness of eternity.—The expectations of a faithful teacher are powerful stimulants; they inflame our zeal.
Hedinger:—Impatience destroys all the fruit of the Cross.
Footnotes:
Heb_10:34.—Instead of the lect. rec. ôïῖò äåóìïῖò ìïõ , found in D***. E. K. L. (but recognized even by Este as an expanded gloss on the erroneous ôïῖò äåóìïῖò of Orig. Exhort, ad mart., 44) we are to read ôïῖò äåóìßïéò after A. D*., whoso testimony is the more important, as B. and C. are here defective. Sin. however, has the lect. rec.
Heb_10:34.—Instead of the illy attested lect. rec. ἐí ἑáõôïῖò we are either with Sin. and many minusc. to read ἑáõôïýò , or better, with D. E. K. L., ἑóõôïῖò : with this accords best also the circumstance that ἐí ïὐñáíïῖò is wanting in A. D*., 17, but on the contrary is found in D***. E. K. L.
Heb_10:38.—After äßêáéïò we are with Sin. A. Vulg., etc., and the Cod. Alex, of the Sept. to retain ìïõ . In D*., the two Syriac and other ancient versions and most MSS. of the Sept., it stands after ðßóôåùò . The Rec., without reason, omits it entirely. The failure of this pron. in the Heb. text does not decide for the Gr. text.