Hebrews 4:13

ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, i. e. in the Sight of God, not of “the Word of God.” “He seeth all man’s goings,” Job 34:21. “Thou hast set our … secret sins in the light of Thy countenance,” Psalms 90:8; comp. Psalms 139:1-12. ἐνώπιον like coram is only used of persons.

πάντα δέ. The δὲ is emphatic as in Hebrews 2:6.

τετραχηλισμένα, “laid bare.” The word must have some such meaning, but it is uncertain what is the exact force of the metaphor from which it is derived. It comes from τράχηλος, “the neck,” and has been explained to mean: (1) “seized by the throat and thrown on the back”; or (2) “with the neck forced back like that of a malefactor compelled to shew his face” (Sueton. Vitell. 17; Plin. Paneg. 34. 3); or (3) “with the neck held back like that of animals in order that the Priest may cut their throats” (the Homeric αὖ ἔρυσαν); or (4) “flayed”; or (5) “anatomised” (comp. Leviticus 1:6; Leviticus 1:9). This anatomic examination of victims by the Priests was called μωμοσκοπία since it was necessary that every victim should be “without blemish” (ἄμωμος), and Maimonides says that there were no less than 73 kinds of blemishes. Hence Polycarp (ad Phil. IV.) says that “all things are rigidly examined (πάντα μωμοσκοπεῖται) by God.” The usage of Philo, however (De Cher. § 24) shews that the word probably means “laid prostrate.” Τραχηλισμὸς meant a wrestler’s victorious grip on the back of his adversary as in Plutarch (ὁρᾶτε τὸν�). For the truth suggested see Proverbs 15:11; “I try the reins,” Jeremiah 17:10; Psalms 51:6; Proverbs 20:27, “the candle of the Lord searching all the inner parts of the belly.”

τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ. “The Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire.” Revelation 2:18.

πρὸς ὃν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος. This might be rendered, “to whom our account must be given.” Thus in Luke 16:2, “render thy account” (τὸν λόγον). Perhaps, however, our A. V. correctly represents it, “Him with whom we have to do.” Comp. 1 Kings 2:14; 2 Kings 9:5 (LXX.), where a similar phrase occurs in this sense.