Mga Komentaryo sa Bibliya

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

We should let them slip — Or, run out, παραρρυωμεν , as water runs through a cracked vessel. The word mingled with faith in the heart, asActs 16:14; Acts 16:14 , must be carefully kept, and it will safely keep us, Proverbs 6:20-22 . Some render it, Nequando procter fluamus, lest we pass by the things we have heard, as a river swiftly passeth by the side of a city, as the fashion of this world passeth away, as a picture drawn upon the ice soon vanisheth, … The Arabic rendereth it, "lest we fall," the Syriac, "lest we perish." They must needs fall and never rise again, perish without remedy, that reject the remedy, that hate to be healed, that spurn at the grace of the gospel, which is post naufragium tabula, the power of God to salvation. This is as if a condemned prisoner should reject a pardon.

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For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

For if the word, … — Moses’ law, Galatians 3:19 .

Was stedfast — Ratified with this sanction, Aut faciendum, aut patiendum, either do it, or die.

And every transgression and disobedience — That is, every commission and omission.

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How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him ;

If we neglect — He saith not, if we reject, renounce, persecute; but if we neglect, let slip, shift off, as the word παραιτησησθε is, Hebrews 12:25 , and as those recusant guests did, Matthew 22:1-14 . Say we rather with Samuel, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." And with that Dutch divine, Veniat, veniat verbam Domini, et submitremus illi, sexcenta si nobis essent colla. Let the Lord utter his mind, and he shall have ready obedience, whatever come of it.

So great salvation — The doctrine of the gospel, that "grace of God that bringeth salvation," Titus 2:11 . I am fully persuaded (saith a late learned light of our Church, Dr Preston) that in these days of grace the Lord is much more quick and peremptory in rejecting men; the time is shorter, he will not wait so long as he was wont to do. The ground is, "How shall we escape if we neglect, …? which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed," … This is somewhat like St Luke’s preface to his Gospel, Luke 1:2 . Hence some have thought that he also was the author of this Epistle.

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God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

And with divers miracles — Whereby, as by the wings of the wind, the doctrine of the gospel was divulged at first. But he that now requireth a miracle, is himself a miracle. The establishing of the present reformation is and will be that miracle which we are in these times to look for. It is that which the former age had despaired of, the present admireth, and the future shall stand amazed at.

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For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

For unto the angels, … — The Jews, as they had embraced the Pythagorean transanimation,Matthew 16:14; Matthew 16:14 , so the Platonic opinion of angels moving the heavens, and ordering the world; whom therefore they worshipped, intruding into those things whereof there was no sound either proof or profit, Colossians 2:18 . The angels (say Proculus the Platonist and Plutarch) are messengers that carry God’s mind to men and men’s requests to God. πορθμευοντες τα των Θεων προς ανθοωπους . But who told them all this? Egregie dicis, sed quomodo probas? said Aristotle of Moses, may we better say of these bold affirmers.

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But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

But one in a certain place — The full sense is, but he hath subjected it to Christ, as David testified,Psalms 8:4-5; Psalms 8:4-5 ; where whatsoever is spoken to man is here applied to the man Christ Jesus; and so is proper to the saints by virtue of their union with Christ. In which respect they are more glorious than heaven, angels, or any creature. a

a Accommodatio est facilis ad personam Christi, si interpretes non vellent esse nimis ingeniosi. Ames. in Psalms 8:5 .

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Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

A little lower — Or, for a little while, Paulisper, viz. Ab utero ad urnam, from the womb to the tomb, from his birth to his burial, from his abasement to his advancement.

And didst set him over the works — Lions hate apes, but fear men; whereof no other probable reason can be given, but this here in the text; insomuch as the most timorous men dare kick and beat the largest elephants.

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Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

Under his feet — It is not said, under his hands, but under his feet: 1. That he may trample upon them with his feet, and not dote upon them with his heart. 2. That by them, as by a step or stirrup, he may raise his heart to things above. A sanctified fancy can make every creature a ladder to heaven.

He left nothing — No, not angels.

Not yet all things put under him — The creature rebelleth against man, because he rebelleth against God. Rebellis facta est, quia homo numini, creatura homini. Aug. If the master be set upon, the servants will draw, and fight for him.

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