COMPASSED ABOUT-CLOUD OF WITNESSES; the reference is to the Grecian games, in which the racers were surrounded by a vast multitude of spectators. Here the witnesses are those who have themselves run the heavenly race and obtained the reward of faith. EVERY WEIGHT; every thing which can hinder our p... [ Continue Reading ]
LOOKING UNTO JESUS; not merely as an example, but also as the author and finisher of faith and of all which was needed for perseverance in duty, even to eternal life. THE JOY; of redeeming multitudes which no man can number from eternal sinning and suffering, and raising them to eternal holiness an... [ Continue Reading ]
CONSIDER HIM; meditate much on the character and work of Christ, especially his patience under sufferings, that you may be strengthened and encouraged in following his example.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE NOT YET; been called as Christ was to suffer death for resisting sin.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EXHORTATION; PROVERBS 3:11-12; REVELATION 3:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHASTENING; trials designed to correct your faults and make you better.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL; the children of God. ARE YE BASTARDS; treated as such; your faults are not corrected, but you are left to go unreformed to ruin.... [ Continue Reading ]
FATHERS OF OUR FLESH; earthly parents. FATHER OF SPIRITS; God.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THEIR OWN PLEASURE; as they chose or thought best. BE PARTAKERS; become holy like him. God never sends trials because he has any pleasure in afflicting his people, but to make them more useful and happy than they would be without them. Hence a cheerful and hearty submission is required not on... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS; the chastisement yields, like a good tree, the good fruit of righteousness, which always has for its companion "the peace of God which passeth all understanding." Philippians 4:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
LIFT UP; encourage and animate the desponding. Isaiah 35:3-4.... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS FOR YOUR FEET; walk in the plain way of duty, and that not merely for your own sake, but for the sake of feeble and halting among your brethren; that they, by your good example, may be kept in the right way, and healed of their spiritual infirmities.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL; so far as duty will permit. SEE THE LORD; dwell with or enjoy him.... [ Continue Reading ]
ANY MAN; that is, as the connection shows, any man who belongs to your Christian community. FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD; of his grace which bestows eternal life, by being found at last unholy and unprepared for heaven. ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS; any doctrine or practice adapted to lead men to apostatize... [ Continue Reading ]
FORNICATOR-PROFANE PERSON; examples of the "root of bitterness" just referred to. A profane person is here one who, like Esau, despises sacred things and gives up spiritual blessings for sensual enjoyments. ONE MORSEL OF MEAT; Genesis 25:29-34. BIRTHRIGHT; right by birth to high temporal and spiri... [ Continue Reading ]
NO PLACE OF REPENTANCE; whether we refer the word repentance to Esau, as some do, or with others, to Isaac, the sense remains substantially the same. In the former case the meaning will be that Esau could not make his own repentance avail to change his father's mind; in the latter, that he could not... [ Continue Reading ]
Now follows an exhortation which contains, first, and encouragement drawn from the gracious character of the Christian dispensation, as contrasted with the severity of the Mosaic law; secondly, a warning against apostasy under such a glorious dispensation, in view of its greater guilt and severer pu... [ Continue Reading ]
IF SO MUCH AS A BEAST TOUCH THE MOUNTAIN; much more a man. Exodus 19:12-13; Exodus 19:21-24. This prohibition shadowed forth the distance from himself at which the holy God, under the Mosaic economy, kept sinful men. Compare chap Hebrews 9:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO MOUNT ZION-THE CITY OF THE LIVING GOD, THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM; to the true spiritual Zion and Jerusalem, of which the earthly Zion with its city was an emblem; that is, to the privileges, hopes, and blessings of the Christian dispensation and the holy family of God under it. Compare the words o... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CHURCH; here distinguished from "the spirits of just men made perfect"; probably meaning therefore the church on earth, so far as it consists of true believers. THE FIRST - BORN; the word in the original is plural. It describes either all God's true children, as each admitt... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BLOOD OF SPRINKLING; which cleanses our consciences from the guilt and defilement of sin, and thus speaks peace to them. Chap Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:22; 1 PETER 1:2. THAT OF ABEL; which called to God for vengeance. Genesis 4:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIM THAT SPEAKETH; in the revelations, the promises, and the threatenings of the gospel. REFUSED HIM THAT SPAKE ON EARTH; apostatized from the Jewish religion revealed by Moses. Deuteronomy 13:6-10. HIM THAT SPEAKETH FROM HEAVEN; God, by Jesus Christ. Chap Hebrews 1:2. The responsibilities of men... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN; when he gave the law at mount Sinai. Exodus 19:18. NOT THE EARTH ONLY, BUT ALSO HEAVEN; HAGGAI 2:6-7, where the words are, "I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come." It is a shaking and remov... [ Continue Reading ]
THINGS THAT ARE SHAKEN; that is, as the margin, things that can be shaken. See the note to the preceding verse. THINGS THAT ARE MADE; nearly equivalent to things "made with hands," and therefore transitory. Chap Hebrews 9:11. WHICH CANNOT BE SHAKEN; the kingdom of Christ and the eternal spiritual... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US HAVE GRACE; though the grace by which alone we can render acceptable service to God is his gift, yet we are responsible for possessing it, since it is freely offered to all, and all will have it who do not repel and reject it by a disobedient spirit. SERVE GOD; perseveringly, to whatever tro... [ Continue Reading ]
A CONSUMING FIRE; DEUTERONOMY 4:24. He is such to all rejecters of our Lord Jesus Christ, especially those who have apostatized from him. Hence all who have set out in the way to heaven should persevere, whatever trials may assail them, till faith is swallowed up in vision, and hope in endless joy.... [ Continue Reading ]