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Heb_12:25. The author has but just now, Heb_12:18-24, in order to enforce with reasoning his exhortation to the ἁγιασμός , Heb_12:14 ff., described, in a comparison of the Old Covenant with the New, the exalted nature of the communion into which the readers had entered by the reception of Christianity. As a conclusion therefrom, he warns them against falling away again from Christianity through laxity of morals (comp. also Heb_12:28 f.), in pointing out, similarly as Heb_2:2 ff., Heb_10:28 ff., that if the Israelites in old time incurred punishment by disobedience to the O. T. revelation of God, an incomparably severer judgment would overtake those Christians who should turn back again from the N. T. revelation of God.
The simple βλέπετε , without the addition of οὖν , renders the warning so much the more powerful. Entirely mistaken, Delitzsch: οὖν is not added, in order that one may not suppose the warning to attach itself to οὐ γὰρ προσεληλύθατε … ἀλλὰ προσεληλύθατε …, but, on the contrary, it should be manifest that the author thinks of the One speaking, against the refusing of whom he warns, as in most intimate connection with the speaking blood of the Mediator of the Covenant which has just been mentioned.
βλέπετε μὴ παραιτήσησθε τὸν λαλοῦντα ] take heed that ye do not beg off from Him that speaketh (to you), that ye turn not away from Him and despise Him. ὁ λαλῶν is not Christ (Oecumenius, Theophylact, Primasius, Vatablus, Böhme, Kuinoel, Ebrard, Bloomfield, al.), but that God who still continues to speak to the readers by means of the Christian facts of salvation. For by τὸν λαλοῦντα the same person must be designated, as subsequently by τὸν ἀπʼ οὐρανῶν , sc. χρηματίζοντα . By the latter, however, can be meant, on account of the οὗ referring back to it at Heb_12:26, and by reason of the ἐπήγγελται there occurring (comp. also Heb_12:29), only God. From this it follows, too, that by ἐπὶ γῆς ὁ χρηματίζων is meant, not Moses (Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Carpzov, and others), but likewise God,[122] so that there is not an insisting upon a diversity of persons in connection with the O. T. and the N. T. revelation, and thence a difference of degree inferred; but the diversity of the mode of revelation is accentuated, and thereby the higher value of the one revelation above the other on the one hand is marked, and on the other the higher culpability of apostasy from the one than from the other. To the Jews God spake upon the palpable earthly mountain Sinai, choosing as His interpreter an earthly man, Moses; to the Christians, on the other hand, He speaks from heaven, in sending to them His own Son from heaven as His interpreter.
οὐκ ἐξέφυγον ] did not escape, did not evade the divine punishment. Comp. Heb_2:3. Wrongly Delitzsch, even because the πολὺ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς κ . τ . λ . does not harmonize therewith: were not able to withdraw, but were obliged to stand fast.
ἐπὶ γῆς τὸν χρηματίζοντα ] the One speaking upon earth words of revelation. Belongs together, in that ἐπὶ γῆς was placed on account of the greater emphasis before the article. Similarly the post-posing of ἵνα , Gal_2:10, and the like.
ΠΟΛῪ ΜᾶΛΛΟΝ ἩΜΕῖς ] sc. οὐκ ἐκφευξόμεθΑ .
ἈΠΟΣΤΡΈΦΕΣΘΑΊ ΤΙΝΑ ] to turn away from any one, reject his fellowship.
[122] Ebrard will have us think of Christ as the second person of the Godhead!