圣经注释书

在本章中，使徒将前一章所汇集的内容加以应用，以此作为在基督徒信仰与地位中恒忍与坚忍的极大动力，并从三方面将论证有力地陈明：一、从比他此前所提更大的榜样，即基督自己，来 12:1-3。二、从他们在基督徒道路上所忍受之患难的温和与恩慈性质，来 12:4-17。三、从地上福音教会与天上得胜教会之间的相交与相符，来 12:18-29。

本章分析

使徒在前一章（希伯来书第十一章）阐明了信心的性质与能力之后，在本章（希伯来书第十二章）劝勉受书人把这些原则应用到自己身上，敦促他们对神显出同样坚定的信靠，并在圣洁的道路上同样坚持到底。为此，他提出以下论证或考虑：

I. 他把那些如此忠心坚持、如此荣耀得胜的古时圣徒，描绘成他们基督徒竞赛中奋斗的见证人，描绘成激励他们奔向胜利的人；Hebrews 11:1。

II. 他诉诸救主的榜样；Hebrews 12:2-4。这是比前面所提的任何一个都更光辉的事例，并没有与他们的一并列出，而是单独地、特别地提出来。他身上那些足以鼓励人在基督徒争战中坚持到底的情形有这些：

（1）他忍受了十字架，如今已升到神的右边；

（2）他忍受了罪人对自己的顶撞，像保罗写信的对象所蒙召去行的那样；

（3）他在试炼和试探上超过了他们——超过他们可能惧怕遭遇的任何事——因为他“抵挡罪恶，还没有抵挡到流血的地步”。

III. 他向他们指明，他们的试炼终必叫自己得益，特别是其中有着父的手，以鼓励他们；Hebrews 12:5-13。他特别提出：

（1）神称那些受苦的人为儿子，呼吁他们不要以不当的心态领受主的管教（Hebrews 12:5）；

（2）主所爱的他必管教，这是一项通则；我们既受管教，就当视之为我们蒙他父亲般看顾、他未曾丢弃我们的证据（Hebrews 12:6-8）；

（3）他们既曾服在肉身父亲的管教之下，学会了顺服，就更有充分的理由顺服神（Hebrews 12:9-10）；

（4）管教目前无论怎样痛苦，至终却要结出重要的益处（Hebrews 12:11）。他藉这些考虑鼓励他们以忍耐承受试炼，并在过基督徒生活的努力中鼓起新的勇气；Hebrews 12:12-13。

IV. 他以这样一个事实劝勉他们坚持与忠心：他们若变得懈怠，弃绝对神的信靠，所失去的便再也无法挽回；Hebrews 12:14-17。在阐明这一点时，他引以扫的事为例。他曾在困苦之际，因一点微不足道的东西，放弃了一个无价的祝福。失去之后，便再也无法找回。尽管他流泪切切地寻求，也没有什么能使情况改变。基督徒若在试探的权势之下弃绝自己的宗教、回到从前的光景，也必如此。

V. 他以他们现今所处体制的性质，与他们从前所处的体制——犹太体制——相比，劝勉他们坚持到底；Hebrews 12:18-29。在后者之下，一切都是叫人惊恐、令魂惧怕的；Hebrews 12:18-21。新体制则性质不同，它适合鼓励人、赢得人心。那真正的锡安山——永生神的城邑——新耶路撒冷——众天使的集会——长子之教会——审判众人的——伟大的中保——他们在新体制之下所来到的这一切，都适合鼓舞灰心的人，赢得人的爱心；Hebrews 12:22-24。然而，与这些考虑的圣洁与温柔相称、与他们如今所享的光照与特权相称，他们若弃绝自己的宗教，他们的罪也必照样加重——因为在这体制之下，如同在旧体制之下一样，神乃是烈火；Hebrews 12:25-29。

Having so many incitements to holiness, patience, and perseverance, we should lay aside every hinderance, and run with patience the race that is set before us, taking our blessed Lord for our example, Hebrews 12:1-4. These sufferings are to be considered as fatherly chastisements from God, and to be patiently submitted to on account of the benefits to be derived from them, Hebrews 12:5-11. They should take courage and go forward, Hebrews 12:12, Hebrews 12:13. Directions to follow peace with all men, and to take heed that they fall not from the grace of God, Hebrews 12:14, Hebrews 12:15. References to the case of Esau, Hebrews 12:16, Hebrews 12:17. The privileges of Christians, compared with those of the Jews, by which the superior excellence of Christianity is shown, Hebrews 12:18-24. They must take care not to reject Jesus, who now addressed them from heaven, and who was shortly to be their Judge, Hebrews 12:25-27. As they were called to receive a kingdom, they should have grace, whereby they might serve God acceptably, Hebrews 12:28, Hebrews 12:29.

INTRODUCTION TO Hebrews 12

In this chapter the apostle presses to a constant exercise of faith and patience, amidst the various afflictions the saints are exercised with; delivers out several exhortations useful in the Christian life; and shows the difference between the legal and Gospel dispensations. Having in the preceding chapter given many illustrious instances and examples of faith, he makes use of this cloud of witnesses, as he calls them, to engage the Hebrews to drop their unbelief, and run with faith and patience the race set before them, Hebrews 12:1, and which he further urges from the example of Christ; from his concern in faith, being the author and finisher of it; from what he suffered when here on earth, both the contradiction of sinners, and the death of the cross, for the joy of having his people with him in heaven; and from his glorious state, being set down at the right hand of God. Whereas, as yet, they had not been called to shed their blood in their warfare against sin, Hebrews 12:2. And that they must expect chastisement, and should bear it patiently, he cites a passage of Scripture out of Proverbs 3:11 which suggests, that those who are the children of God, and are loved and received by him, are chastened and scourged, Hebrews 12:5. Wherefore this was no other than dealing with them as children; and should they not be thus dealt with, it would be an argument that they were bastards, and not sons, Hebrews 12:7. And next the apostle argues from the right of parents to chastise their children, and the subjection that is yielded to them; that if the corrections of them, who were the fathers of their bodies, were quietly submitted to; then much more should those of the Father of their souls; and the rather, since the chastenings of the former are only for temporal good, and according to their fallible judgments; whereas the latter are for spiritual profit, and an increase of holiness, Hebrews 12:9. And though it must be allowed, that no chastening, for the present time, is matter of joy, but of grief; yet the effects of them are the peaceable fruits of righteousness, to them that are exercised by them, Hebrews 12:11. Wherefore the apostle exhorts the believing Hebrews to encourage themselves and others under afflictions; and to behave in such manner, and carry it so evenly, that they might not be an occasion of stumbling to weak believers, Hebrews 12:12. He exhorts them in general to follow peace with all men, and particularly holiness; which is absolutely necessary to the beatific vision of God, Hebrews 12:14, and to take care that no heresy or immorality spring up among them, and be connived at, and cherished by them, to the troubling of some, and defiling of others, Hebrews 12:15, and particularly, lest the sin of uncleanness, or any sort of profaneness, should be found among them; of which Esau, the brother of Jacob, from whence they sprung, was guilty; whose profaneness lay in selling his birthright for a morsel of meat, and whose punishment was, that he should be deprived of the blessing; which decree was irrevocable, notwithstanding his tears, Hebrews 12:16 and to enforce these exhortations, the apostle observes to these believers, that they were not now under the law, but in a Gospel church state. The terror of the legal dispensation they were delivered from is described by the place where the law was given, a mount burning with fire; by circumstances attending it, blackness, darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet; by the matter of it, a voice of words, which they that heard, entreated they might hear no more; and by the effect the whole had upon. Moses himself, who quaked and trembled at what he saw and heard, Hebrews 12:18. The happiness of the Gospel dispensation, or of the Gospel church state, is expressed by the names of it, called Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the new Jerusalem; and by the company the saints have there, and their fellowship with them; angels innumerable; elect men, whose names are written in heaven, and whose spirits are made perfectly just; God the Judge of all, and Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant; whose blood being sprinkled on their consciences, spoke peace and pardon to them; such as neither Abel's blood nor sacrifice could speak, Hebrews 12:22. From whence the apostle argues, that care should be taken not to neglect and despise the voice of Christ, who is now in heaven, and speaks from thence in his Gospel and ordinances; seeing they escaped not who rejected him that spoke on earth, at Mount Sinai, which was shaken by his voice; and the rather, since it appears from a prophecy in Haggai 2:6, that under the Gospel dispensation, not only the earth but the heavens would he shaken, Hebrews 12:25 which is an emblem of the shaking and removing the ordinances of the ceremonial law, that Gospel ordinances might take place, and remain for ever, Hebrews 12:27. Upon the whole, the apostle exhorts the believing Hebrews, that seeing they had received the immovable kingdom of grace, and were admitted into the Gospel dispensation, or church state; that they would hold fast the Gospel of the grace of God, and serve the Lord, according to his revealed will, with reverence and godly fear, which would be acceptable to him; or otherwise he would be a consuming fire; as he is to all the despisers and neglecters of his Gospel and ordinances, Hebrews 12:28.

XII.

In this chapter the writer takes up again the exhortation of Hebrews 10:19-39, pointing to the example of Jesus, encouraging those who are in trial, warning against sin, and especially the sin of rejecting Him who speaks to us from heaven.

Ch. 12. An exhortation to faithful endurance (1–3) and a reminder that our earthly sufferings are due to the fatherly chastisement of God (4–13). The need of earnest watchfulness (14–17). Magnificent concluding appeal founded on the superiority and grandeur of the New Covenant (18–24), which enhances the guilt and peril of apostasy (25–29).

CHAPTER 12

Hebrews 12:2. κεκάθικεν] Elz.: ἐκάθισεν. But the perfect, adopted into the Editt. Complut. Genev. Plant., as also by Bengel, Griesb. Matth. Lachm. Scholz, Bleek, Tisch. Bloomfield, Alford, Reiche, and others, has the preponderant attestation of all the uncials, most cursives, and many Fathers in its favour; and is likewise preferable on internal grounds, since it represents the having sat down as a result extending into the present time.

Hebrews 12:3. In place of the Recepta εἰς αὑτόν or εἰς αὐτόν, which has the support of D*** K L, almost all the cursives and many Fathers, there is found εἰς αὐτούς in א***, with Theodoret (τὸ εἰς αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ εἰς ἑαυτούς), and in Cod. 17; εἰς ἑαυτούς, however, in א*, in the Peshito (quantum sustinuerit a peccatoribus, qui fuerunt adversarii sibi ipsis), in D* E*, together with their Latin version (recogitate igitur, talem vos reportasse a peccatoribus in vobis adversitatem), and in some mss. of the Vulgate; while the Sahidic and Armenian vss. entirely omit the words, and Lachm. Bleek, Tisch. 1 and 8, de Wette write εἰς ἑαυτόν. The latter, which is attested by A and the Vulgate (in semetipsum), indirectly also by D* E*, is to be held the original reading; the plural, on the other hand, to be rejected as devoid of sense.

ἀντικατέστητε] In place of this, Tisch. 2 writes, after L* 46, al., Chrys. ms. Theodoret, Theophyl. ms.: ἀντεκατέστητε. This form of the word (see on the twofold augment, Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 69 f.) must, it is true, be adopted upon strong attestation, but is not in a position here to set aside the Recepta ἀντικατέστητς, where ἀντεκ. has against it the preponderating testimony of A D E L** א, etc. Rightly, therefore, has Tisch. restored ἀντικ. in the editt. vii. and viii.

Hebrews 12:5. Elz.: Υἱέ μου. D*, some seven cursives, as also the Latin translation in D E, have only Υἱέ. Bleek has on that account suspected μου, and enclosed it within brackets. External authority, however, does not warrant our deleting the pronoun. The occasion for its omission might be afforded by the occurrence of a similar initial letter in the following word, or by the text of the LXX. in which it is wanting.

Hebrews 12:7. εἰ παιδείαν ὑπομένετε] Instead of this, Matth. Lachm. Tisch. 1, 7 and 8, Delitzsch, Riehm (Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 758), and Alford read εἰς παιδείαν ὑπομένετε, and Griesbach has placed εἰς upon the inner margin. In favour of εἰς pleads, it is true, the greatly preponderating authority of A D E (?) K L א, of more than thirty cursives, Vulg. It. Syr. Copt. Sahid. Aeth. Arm. Damasc. Procop., while εἰ is found only with Chrys. Theodoret, Theophyl. Slav. (?), and, as it seems, in many cursives. Nevertheless εἰς is inadmissible. For, whether εἰς παιδείαν is taken still with παραδέχεται, or, as Hofmann will have it, with μαστιγοῖ,—whereby, however, that which follows would become deformed,—or it be combined with ὑπομένετε, in any case παιδεία must be understood in the sense of “education,” whereas of a certainty, alike from that which precedes as from that which follows, the signification “chastisement” becomes a necessity. Consequently the Recepta εἰ παιδείαν ὑπομένετε is to be looked upon as that written by the author. The originality and correctness of this reading (defended also by Reiche, p. 115 sqq.) becomes manifestly apparent from the fact that upon its recognition Hebrews 12:7-8, in accordance with the usual accuracy of diction prevailing in the Epistle to the Hebrews, are in perfect mutual correspondence as type and antitype, alike as regards the protasis as also the apodosis.

In place of the Recepta τίς γάρ ἐστιν, we have, with Lachm. and Tisch., after A, א* Vulg. Sahid. Orig., to write merely: τίς γάρ.

Hebrews 12:8. Elz.: νόθοι ἐστὲ καὶ οὐχ υἱοί. With Lachm. Bleek, Tisch. 1 and 8, Delitzsch, Alford, we have to transpose into: νόθοι καὶ οὐς υἱοί ἐστε, after A D* and D*** [in Cod. E all the rest is wanting from πάντες, Hebrews 12:8, to the close of the Epistle] א, 17, 37, 80, al., Vulg. It. Chrys. (codd.) and Latin Fathers.

Hebrews 12:9. Elz.: οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον. But A D* א (D* א*** with the addition of δέ) have οὐ πολὺ μᾶλλον. Rightly preferred by Lachm. Bleek, Tisch. Alford.

Hebrews 12:15. In place of the received διὰ ταύτης, we have to adopt, with Lachm. Bleek, Tisch. 1 and 2, and Alford, after A, 17, 67** 80, 137, 238, Copt, etc., Clem. Chrys. (comment.): διʼ αὐτῆς; and in place of the Recepta πολλοί, with Lachm. Tisch. and Alford, after A א, 47, Clem. Theodoret: οἱ πολλοί. The article was lost sight of in the homoioteleuton πολλοί.

Hebrews 12:16. Lachm. (and Tisch. 2 and 7, as well as Alford, have followed him therein!) has placed in the text, from A C, the form of the word ἀπέδετο; but this, although not altogether unexampled (see Buttmann, Gramm. des neutestam. Sprachgebr. p. 40 f.), is manifestly corruption of the Recepta ἀπέδοτο, which is confirmed by the Cod. Sinait.

On the other hand, the reading ἑαυτοῦ, given by Lachm. Tisch. and Alford, merits, on account of its more decided attestation by A C D** and D*** א*, the preference over the Recepta αὑτοῦ or αὐτοῦ.

Hebrews 12:18. Elz.: ψηλαφωμένῳ ὄρει. ὄρει, furnished by D K L, in like manner, as it seems, by almost all cursives, Vulg. (ed. Clem.) Arab. Polygl. Slav. Athan. Theodoret, Damasc. Oecum., is wanting indeed in A C א, 17, 47, in many mss. of the Vulg., in Copt. Sahid. Syr. Arab. Erp. Aeth., with Chrys. (comment.), Theophyl. Mart. pap. Bed., and was already suspected by Mill (Prolegg. 1071) as a gloss, and then deleted by Lachm. and Tisch. 1 and 8, as likewise by Alford, is, however, indispensable, and is naturally called for by the opposition ἀλλὰ προσεληλύθατε Σιὼν ὄρει, Hebrews 12:22 (comp. also τοῦ ὄρους, Hebrews 12:20), as well as the confusion of idea in a πῦρ ψηλαφώμενον. Rightly, therefore, has Tisch. 2 and 7 placed ὄρει again in the text.

καὶ ζόφῳ] Elz.: καὶ σκότῳ. Against A C D* א* 17, 31, 39. al. Suspected by Griesb. Rightly rejected by Lachm. Bleek, de Wette, Tisch. Delitzsch, Alford. σκότῳ was introduced from the LXX. Deuteronomy 4:11; Deuteronomy 5:22.

Hebrews 12:19. In place of the Recepta προστεθῆναι, Lachm. in the stereotype edition had adopted προσθεῖναι, after A. Rightly, however, has he retained the Recepta in the larger edition. This reading is borne out by C D K L א, by, as it seems, all the cursives and many Fathers.

Hebrews 12:20. After λιθοβοληθήσεται, Elz. adds further: ἢ βολίδι κατατοξευθήσεται. Against all uncials (A C D K L M א), most min., all translations, and many Fathers. The words, deleted by Griesbach, Scholz, and all later editors, are a gloss from LXX. Exodus 19:13.

Hebrews 12:23. Elz.: ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἀπογεγραμμένων. But the decisive testimony of A C D L M א, 37, al. m., Syr. Copt. Vulg. and many Fathers demands the transposition adopted by Griesb. Scholz, Lachm. Bleek, Tisch. Alford, and others: ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς.

Hebrews 12:24. κρεῖττον λαλοῦντι] Elz.: κρείττονα λαλοῦντι. Against A C D K L M א, most min. Syr. Arr. Copt. Sahid. Armen. Vulg. al., and many Fathers.

Hebrews 12:25. Elz.: ἔφογον τὸν ἐπί τῆς γῆς παραιτησάμενοι χρηματίζοντα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον. Instead of this, however, we have to read, with Lachm. Bleek, de Wette, Tisch. (who, however, in the edit. vii. has given the preference to the verbum simplex ἔφυγον, over the verbum compositum ἐξέφυγον) Alford: ἐξέφυγον ἐπὶ γῆς παραιδησάμενοι τὸν χρηματίζοντα, πολὺ μᾶλλον, in that ἐξέφυγον (already approved by Grotius) is demanded by A C א* 57, 118, al. (Vulg. D, Lat. Slav. Epiph. in cant. cantic.: effugerunt), Cyr. Chrys. Philo Carpas. Oecum.; the deleting of the article τῆς before γῆς (already omitted in the Editt. Erasm. Complut. Colin., afterwards also by Bengel, Griesb. Matth. Scholz) is required by all the uncial mss. (including א), most min., and very many Fathers; further, the placing of the article τόν only after παραιτησάμενοι is required by A C D M א* Cyril. Damasc.; finally, πολύ is required by A C D* א, Sahid.

Hebrews 12:26. Elz.: σείω. But A C M א, 6, 47, al., Syr. Vulg. Copt. Sahid. Slav. Athan. Cyril. Cosm. Andr. Areth. have σείσω. Approved by Grotius, recommended by Griesb., rightly adopted by Lachm. Scholz, Bleek, Tisch. Alford, Reiche.

Hebrews 12:27. Recepta: τῶν σαλευομένων τὴν μετάθεσιν. Better accredited, however (by A C א*), is Lachmann’s order of the words: τὴν τῶν σαλευομένων μετάθεσιν, which on that account is to be preferred. Bleek and Tisch. 1 have entirely rejected the article τήν. It is wanting, however, only in D* and M.

Hebrews 12:28. The reading ἔχομεν, which Calvin, Mill (Prolegg. 750), Heinrichs, and others approve, and which Luther also followed in his translation, is unsuitable, and insufficiently attested by K א, more than twenty min., most mss. of the Vulg., Aeth. Cyr. Antioch., while the reading ἔχωμεν rests upon the testimony of A C D L M, etc., Copt. Syr. Aeth. al., Chrys. Theodoret, Damasc. al., as also a ms. of the Vulg.

In that likewise which follows, the indicative λατρεύομεν, which Griesbach has placed on the inner margin, stands in point of external attestation below the Recepta λατρεύωμεν. The former is found in K M א, about fifty min., with Athan., in mss. of Chrys., with Oecum. and Theophyl. On the other hand, A C D L, very many min. and many Fathers have λατρεύωμεν.

At the close of the verse the Recepta reads: μετὰ αἰδοῦς καὶ εὐλαβείας, instead of which, however, we have, with Lachm. Bleek, Tisch. and Alford, to adopt the reading (recommended also by Griesb.): μετὰ εὐλαβείας καὶ δέους, after A C D* א* 17, 71, 73, 80, 137, Copt. Sahid. Slav. ed. (al.: μετὰ δέους καὶ εὐλαβείας. Vulg.: cum metu et reverentia. D, Lat.: cum metu et verecundia).