Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, THEREFORE - Wherefore: seeing that ye ought not to be still 'babes' (Hebrews 5:11). LEAVING - getting further than e... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS - paired with "laying on of hands," as the latter followed Christian baptism, and answers to confirmation in Episcopal churches. Jewish believers passed, by a... [ Continue Reading ]
And this will we do, if God permit. WILL WE DO. So 'Aleph (') B f, Vulgate, read. But A C Delta, 'let us do.' "This," i:e., 'go on unto perfection.' IF GOD PERMIT - for even good resolutions we cannot carry into effect, except through God 'working in us both to will and to do of His good pleas... [ Continue Reading ]
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, We must 'go on toward perfection;' "For," if we fall away, after having received enlightenment, God will not "permit" - it will be impossible to renew us agai... [ Continue Reading ]
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD - distinct from "tasted OF (genitive) the heavenly gift." We do not yet enjoy all the fullness of Christ, but only a taste OF "the heavenly gift;" but believers may taste the whole of God's "goo... [ Continue Reading ]
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. IF, [ kai (G2532) parapesontas (G3895)] - 'And (yet) have fallen away' (cf. a less extreme declension, Galatians 5:4). Here a total apostasy is mea... [ Continue Reading ]
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: THE EARTH - rather (no article), 'land.' WHICH DRINKETH IN - not merely receiving it on the surface: those who enjoy, objectively, Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. THAT WHICH rather (Greek, no article), 'but if it (the "land," Hebrews 6:7) bear' [ ekferousa (G1627), not so good as tiktousa (G5088)]; "bringeth forth," Hebrews 6:7; said of the good soil... [ Continue Reading ]
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. BELOVED. Appositely introduced: LOVE prompts me in the strong warnings I have just given; not that I entertain unfavourable thoughts of you; nay, I anticipate better things of you ('th... [ Continue Reading ]
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. NOT UNRIGHTEOUS - not unfaithful to His promise. Not that we have any inherent right to claim reward; because: (1) a servant has no... [ Continue Reading ]
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: AND, [ De (G1161)] - 'But.' DESIRE, [ epithumoumen (G1937)] - 'earnestly desire.' The language of fatherly affection, rather than command. EVERY ONE OF YOU - implying that all had not sh... [ Continue Reading ]
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. BE NOT, [ geneesthe (G1096)] - 'become not.' In Hebrews 5:11, 'ye have become dull [ noothroi (G3576), "slothful" of hearing];' here he warns them not to become "slothful" absolutely-namely, also... [ Continue Reading ]
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, FOR - Reasonableness of resting on "the promises" as infallibly sure; for they rest on God's oath: instance of Abraham. 'Consolation, by the oath of God's grace, to those whom, in Hebrews 3:1; Hebrew... [ Continue Reading ]
Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. MULTIPLYING ... MULTIPLY - Hebraism for superabundantly multiply. THEE. The increase of Abraham's seed is virtually an increase of himself. Paul's argument refers to Abraham himself: therefore he quotes , "thee,... [ Continue Reading ]
And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. SO - relying on the promise.... [ Continue Reading ]
For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. FOR CONFIRMATION. Greek order, 'Of all contradiction (among) them an end unto (with a view to) confirmation (of one's solemn covenant: as God's) (is) the oath.' So [ antilogia (G485)], 'contradicti... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: WHEREIN - i:e., Which being the case among men, God, in accommodation to their manner of confirming covenants, added to His word His oath: the "TWO immutable things" ... [ Continue Reading ]
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: IMPOSSIBLE ... TO LIE - `ever to lie' [ pseusasthai (G5574): the Greek aorist] (Alford). His not being able to deny Himse... [ Continue Reading ]
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Hope is represented on coins by an anchor. SURE AND STEDFAST - sure [ asfalee (G804): not disappointing] in respect to us: stedfast [ bebaian (G949)] in itself. Not an anchor that... [ Continue Reading ]
Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. The absence of the Greek article requires (Alford) 'Where, AS forerunner in behalf of [ huper (G5228)] us, entered Jesus' (and is now; implied in the 'where' [ hopou (G3699)]: "Whith... [ Continue Reading ]