Hebrews Chapter 5:7-11 | |
7. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; | 7. Qui in diebus carnis suae, quum et precationes et supplicationes obtulisset cum clamore valido et lachrymis ei qui poterat eum ex morte servare, et exauditus esset ex suo metu: |
8. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; | 8. Tametsi Filius erat, didicit ex iis quae passus est, obedientiam; |
9. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; | 9. Et sanctificatus omnibus qui illi obediunt, factus fuit causa aeternae salutis, |
10. Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. | 10. Cognominatus a Deo sacerdos secundum ordinem Melchisedec: |
11. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. | 11. De quo nobis multus sermo et difficilis explicatu, quandoquidem tardi facti estis auribus. |
7.
He points out two causes why it behooved Christ to suffer, the proximate and the ultimate. The proximate was, that he might learn obedience; and the ultimate, that he might be thus consecrated a priest for our salutation.
Let us now look into the subject. Christ who was a Son, who sought relief from the Father and was heard, yet suffered death, that thus he might be taught to obey. There is in every word a singular importance. By
And what application is to be made of this? Even this, that whenever our evils press upon us and overwhelm us, we may call to mind the Son of God who labored under the same; and since he has gone before us there is no reason for us to faint. We are at the same time reminded that deliverance from evils can be found from no other but from God alone, and what better guidance can we have as to prayer than the example of Christ? He betook himself immediately to the Father. And thus the Apostle indicates what ought to be done by us when he says that he offered prayers to him who was able to deliver him from death; for by these words he intimates that he rightly prayed, because he fled to God the only Deliverer. His
Now he added this third particular, lest we should think that Christ's prayers were rejected, because he was not immediately delivered from his evils; for at no time was God's mercy and aid wanting to him. And hence we may conclude that God often hears our prayers, even when that is in no way made evident. For though it belongs not to us to prescribe to him as it were a fixed rule, nor does it become him to grant whatsoever requests we may conceive in our minds or express with our tongues, yet he shows that he grants our players in everything necessary for our salvation. So when we seem apparently to be repulsed, we obtain far more than if he fully granted our requests.
But how was Christ heard from what he feared, as he underwent the death which he dreaded? To this I reply, that we must consider what it was that he feared; why was it that he dreaded death except that he saw in it the curse of God, and that he had to wrestle with the guilt of all iniquities, and also with hell itself? Hence was his trepidation and anxiety; for extremely terrible is God's judgment. He then obtained what he prayed for, when he came forth a conqueror from the pains of death, when he was sustained by the saving hand of the Father, when after a short conflict he gained a glorious victory over Satan, sin, and hell. Thus it often happens that we ask this or that, but not for a right end; yet God, not granting what we ask, at the same time finds out himself a way to succor us.
8.
It is then but right that we also should by his example be taught and prepared by various sorrows, and at length by death itself, to render obedience to God; nay, much more necessary is this in our case, for we have a disposition contumacious and ungovernable until the Lord subdues us by such exercises to bear his yoke. This benefit, which arises from the cross, ought to allay its bitterness in our hearts; for what can be more desirable than to be made obedient to God? But this cannot be effected but by the cross, for in prosperity we exult as with loose reins; nay, in most cases, when the yoke is shaken off, the wantonness of the flesh breaks forth into excesses. But when restraint is put on our will, when we seek to please God, in this act only does our obedience show itself; nay, it is an illustrious proof of perfect obedience when we choose the death to which God may call us, though we dread it, rather than the life which we naturally desire.
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11. He therefore makes a preface by saying that he had
1 "Prayers and supplications" are nearly of the same meaning; the first word means a request, a petition, strictly a prayer; and the last an earnest or humble entreaty. The last word is found only here in the New Testament; once in the Septuagint, in Job 41:3; and once in the Apocrypha, 2 Macc. 9:18. Hesychius, as quoted by Schleusner, gives para>klhsiv, request, entreaty, as its meaning: it comes from iJke>thv, a suppliant. The word iJkethri>a, which is here used means first an olive branch wrapped in wool, carried by suppliants as a symbol of entreaty and hence used often in the sense of entreaty and supplication. -- Ed.
2 Stuart on this passage very justly observes, "If Jesus died as a common virtuous suffered, and merely as a martyr to the truth, without any vicarious suffering laid upon him, then is his death a most unaccountable event in respect to the manner of his behavior while suffering it; and it must be admitted that multitudes of humble, sinful, meek and very imperfect disciples of Christianity have surpassed their Master in the fortitude, and collected firmness and calm complacency which are requisite to triumph over the pangs of a dying hour. But who can well believe this? Or who can regard Jesus as a simple sufferer in the ordinary way upon the cross, and explain the mysteries of his dreadful horror before and during the hours of crucifixion?"
What is referred to is certainly inexplicable, except we admit what is often and in various ways plainly taught us in God's word, that Christ died for our sins. -- Ed.
3 The idea of the effect of hearing, that is deliverance, is no doubt included in eijsakousqei<v, "having been heard," as it is sometimes in the corresponding word in Hebrew; so that Stuart is justified in the rendering it delivered, -- "and being delivered from that which he feared." It is rendered the same by Macknight, "and being delivered from fear." Both Beza and Grotius render the last word fear; and this is its meaning as used in the Septuagint. -- Ed.
4 The word teleiwqei<v, means here the same as in chapter 2:10. Stuart gives it the same meaning here as in the former passage, "Then when exalted to glory," etc.; but this does not comport with what follows, for it was not his exaltation to glory that qualified him to be "the author (or the causer or effecter) of eternal salvation," but his perfect or complete work in suffering, by his having completely and perfectly performed the work of atonement. And that his suffering in obedience to God's will, even his vicarious suffering, is meant here, appears also from the following reference to his being a priest after the order of Melchisedec. The meaning then seems to be, that Christ having fully completed his work as a priest, and that by suffering, became thereby the author of eternal salvation. -- Ed.
5 The literal rendering is "Of whom we have many a word to say, and hardly explainable," or hard to be explained. This hardness of explanation was however owing to their dullness of comprehension, as Calvin justly observes. "Hard to be uttered" of our version is not correct; nor is "hard to be understood" of Doddridge right. Macknight gives the true meaning, "difficult to be explained." Beza's is the same. The reason is added "Since dull (or sluggish) ye are become in ears," or in hearings. To be dull in ears is to be inattentive; but to be sluggish in ears seems to mean stupidity, slowness of comprehension. The latter is evidently meant here; that is, a tardiness or slowness in understanding. To hear with the ear is in the language of Scripture to understand. (Matthew 11:15; John 8:43; 1 Corinthians 14:2.) Hence to be sluggish in ears is to be slow or tardy in understanding the Word of God. Stuart therefore gives the sense, "Since ye are dull of apprehension." -- Ed.
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