10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

11 For both he that sanc

10 Επρεπε γαρ αὐτῷ, δι' όν τα παντα, και δι' ὁ τα παντα, πολλους νιους εις δοξαν αγαγοντα, τον αρχηγον της σωτηρίας αυτών δια παθηματων τελειωσαι.

11 Ὁ τε γαρ ἁγιάζων και

tifeth, and they who are δι ἁγιαζομενοι, εξ ἑνος παντες· δἱ ὧν αιτιαν ουκ επαισ

sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not

ashamed to call them bre. χύνεται αδελφους αυτους και

λειν,

war, may be thus supplied, imeg wavт® ikv; on account of every son, namely of God, who is to be brought into glory.-It is true, however, that Christ died on account of every one, in the largest sense of the expression ; in as much as, all men without exception, derive great and manifold advantages from his death, although all are not to be saved thereby, as was shewed, 2 Cor. v. 15. note 1.—Since the apostle hath declared in this passage that Jesus was made for a little while less than angels, that he might be capable of dying for the salvation of mankind, it is evident that his being made for a little while less than angels, consisted in his being made flesh, in his appearing in the flesh on earth in the form of a servant, and in his dying

on the cross.

4. For the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour. In the original, these words are placed after the clause, We see Jesus who for a little was made less than angels; and before the clause, that by the grace of God he, &c. This inverted order the Greek language admits, by reason of its peculiar structure. But, in translating such passages into a language which, like the English, sparingly admits an inverted position of the words, they must be arranged according to their natural order, as is done in the new translation. The propriety of this arrangement, even the unlearned reader will perceive, if he attends to the translation of the verse, given in our Bible, which, by following the order of the words in the original, absurdly represents Jesus as crowned with glory and honour, that by the grace of God he might taste of death for every one.-Jesus was crowned with glory and honour, by his resurrection from the dead, whereby God demonstrated him to be his Son; by his ascension into heaven; and by his sitting down at the right hand of God, as the Ruler of the world. All this glory, we are in this passage told, Jesus received, as the reward of his having suffered death for the salvation of mankind. The same sentiment is delivered, Philip. ii. 9, 10, 11.-The apostles, and all the eye-witnesses of his resurrection, and every one who received the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which Jesus shed down from heaven, or who beheld them in others, saw Jesus thus crowned with glory and honour. So Peter told the Jews, Acts ii. 32, 33.

10 The salvation of mankind through the death of the Christ, need not surprise you. For it belonged to God, who is the last end as well as the first cause of all things, when bringing his many sons into heaven, to make the Captain of their salvation an effectual Saviour, through sufferings ending in death.

11 Wherefore, that he might be a perfect Saviour, both he who with his own blood sanctifieth or fitteth men. for appearing in the glorious presence of God, (ver. 10.) and they who are sanctified, are all of one father, namely Abraham, (ver. 16.) that, being his brethren, he might have a strong affection for them; for which cause, though Jesus be the Son of God, he is not ashamed to love mankind and to call them his brethren.

Ver. 10.-1. It became him, for whom are all things, &c. This is a description of the sovereignty of God. The like description we have, Rom. xi. 36. The apostle in this passage simply affirms, that it belonged to the sovereignty of God, to determine that mankind should be saved through the death of his Son. See the last note on this verse. But, chap. x. 7.-10. he proves from the Jewish scriptures, that God actually determined to save us in that manner, and in no other.

2. When bringing many sons into glory; namely believers, called God's sons, John i. 12. This is an allusion to the introduction of Israel, (whom God dignified with the title of his Son) into Canaan, which was a type of heaven called glory, because there God manifests his presence, by a light far more bright, than that by which he manifested his presence among the Israelites.

3. To make the Captain of their salvation perfect. The word aangor, here translated, Captain, is rendered a prince, Acts iii. 15. Afxngor The Cans, the Prince of life; that is, the Captain, who conducts men to eternal life.-Acts v. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be apxngov και σωτήρα, a Leader and a Saviour.—Heb. xii. 2. Αρχηγον της πιςεως, the Captain of the faith, that is, of the faithful; faith being put for those who have faith.-Micah speaking of Lachish saith, chap. i. 13. She is the begin ning of the sin of the daughter of Zion. In the LXX. it is, Apxgos duaρties MUTH 151 Th Duzarps Ziwv, She is the captain, or leader of sin to the daughter of Zion: Lachish marched in the front, like a captain, in the way of sin, and

12 Saying, I will de- 12 Λεγων Απαγγέλω το clare thy name unto my ονομα σου τοις αδελφοις μου,

brethren; in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

εν μεσω εκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε.

led on Zion in the same path, as Hallet explains it, in his note on Heb. xii. 2.-Wherefore in the clause under consideration, Apxyov As owinglas LUTQV, the Captain of their salvation, signifies the Captain who leads them to salvation; or, who saves them.-Peirce, in his note on this clause, saith apanes signifies, the first inventor, publisher, adviser, or procurer of any thing. In this sense our translators understood the word, Heb. xii. 2. where they have rendered apxagor ths wists, the author of the fai h.-According to this meaning of the word, αρχηγον της σωτηρίας may be translated, the author of our salvation. But I prefer the common translation; because the salvation of which the apostle is speaking here, means the introduction of the sons of God into glory, or heaven. See ver. 3. note 1.-The other word, vui, translated to make perfect, properly signifies, to make a thing complete, by bestowing upon it, in the highest degree, that perfection which is suitable to its nature. See Heb. v. 9. note 1. Applied to the Captain of our salvation, it signifies, his being made an effectual Captain of salvation, that is, an effectual Saviour.

4. Through sufferings. This verse contains an argument for the doctrine of the atonement, which ought to stop all mouths which reason against it. It belongs to the sovereignty of the Deity, to fix the conditions on which he will pardon sinners. Wherefore, having determined that they are to be pardoned through the death of his Son, Gal. i. 4. and having expressly declared his determination, Psal. cx. 4. Heb. v. 10. note, our duty is to rest satisfied with the knowledge of the fact, and thankfully to acquiesce in the appointment; although God hath neither made known the reasons, which induced him to save mankind through the death of his son rather than in any other method, nor explained to us, in what manner the death of his Son as a sin-offering hath accomplished our salvation. See Ess. vii. sect. 1. and Heb. x. 10. note 2.

Ver. 11.—1. They who are sanctified, namely, by the sacrifice of Christ; as is plain from Heb. ix. 14. x. 14. 29. xiii. 12.-As the Mosaic sacrifices and rites of purification, cleansed the Israelites from ceremonial defilement, and qualified them for worshipping God with the congregation. So the blood of Christ, which cleanseth believers from the guilt of sin, qualifies them for worshipping God with his people on earth, and for living with him in heaven eternally.

2. Are all of one Father. I have supplied here the word wargos, Father, because the apostle is speaking of our Lord's becoming flesh, by being

12 Saying, (Ps. xxii. 22.) I will declare thy name to my brethren: In the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to thee.2

13 And again, (Isa. viii. 17.) I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children whom God hath given me.2

12 Saying to his Father, when I appear in the human nature on the earth, I will declare thy perfections to my brethren of mankind: In the midst of the congregation of my brethren, I will sing praise to thee for thy good

ness to men.

13 And again, Messiah is introduced saying, I will put my trust in him. And again in the same prophecy, Behold I and the children, that is, the disciples, whom God hath given me "are for signs and for wonders in "Israel." This likewise shews that he was to appear in the flesh among the Israelites.

born, like other men, of parents who conveyed to him the human nature; that, as is observed, ver. 17. being made like his brethren in all things, he might be a merciful and faithful high priest.

Ver. 12.-1. I will declare thy name to my brethren. Psal. xxii. from which this passage is cited, was a prophetic description of the sufferings of Christ. For, the apostles and evangelists have applied many passages of that Psalm to him. Also, by repeating the first words of it from the cross, our Lord appropriated the whole of it to himself.-The ancient Jewish doctors likewise interpreted the xxiid Psalm of Messiah.

2. I will sing praise to thee. This our Lord did often during his ministry on earth, when he joined his brethren the Jews in the synagogue worship.

Ver. 13.-1. I will put my trust in him. Egw coqual weweidas ew' auTq. Because this is not precisely the LXX. translation of Isa, viii. 17. Peirce supposes, that the quotation is made from 2 Sam. xxii. 3. where the LXX. have the same words as here.-Our translators have rendered Isa. viii. 17. I will look for him, which, though different in words from those used by the apostle, is the same in sense: To look for a person to help one, being the same as, to trust in him for help.-Now since the Son, in his original state, could be in no situation which rendered looking for God to help him, necessary, this passage is quoted with much propriety to prove, that Messiah was to appear on earth in the flesh, and to be afflicted; and, under his af fliction, to behave as a devout man in distress: Just as the former passage from Psal. xxii. 22. in which he is represented as calling believers his brethren, was quoted to prove that he was to be born into the world after the manner of other men, and to be made like them in all things.-Peirce, imagining that the quotation in this verse was intended to prove Messiah a Son of Abraham, considers it as a prediction of his faith in God, whereby he became a Son of Abraham spiritually. But, I rather think Messiah's relation to Abraham as his Son, which is spoken of in the 11th verse, was his

14 Forasmuch then as

the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

14 Επει ουν τα παιδια κε κοινώνηκε σαρκος και αἱματος, και αυτος παραπλησίως μετ τεσχε των αυτων, ίνα δια του θανατου καταργηση τον το κρατος έχοντα του θανατου, τουτέςι τον διαβολον

relation to him according to the flesh; for the reason mentioned in the commentary on that verse.

2. Behold I and the children whom God bath given me. This passage being well known to the Hebrews, the apostle cites only the first part of it, notwithstanding his argument is founded on what immediately follows, namely, are for signs and for wonders in Israel.—The opposers of Christianity affirm, that the prophecy from which this is taken, doth not relate to Messiah; and that in applying it to Jesus, the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews hath erred; and from this they infer, that he was not inspired. But in answer, be it observed, that the application of this prophecy to Messiah, doth not rest on this writer's testimony alone. The 14th verse of the prophecy is applied to Jesus, both by Paul, Rom. ix. 33. and by Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 6. 8. and by Simeon, Luke ii. 34. nay our Lord hath applied the 15th verse to himself, Matth. xxi. 44. So that if the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews, hath erred in the application of that prophecy, all the others have erred in the same manner. Wherefore, to vindicate Christ and his apostles from this heavy charge, be it observed,—1. That it rests solely on an assumed meaning of the words quoted by Paul, Behold I and the children whom God bath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel. This passage, it is said, must be understood of Isaiah and his children, Shear-jashub and Maher-shalal-hash-baz. But if so, the whole of the prophecy must be understood of them. Now though it be true that Shear-jashub, Isa. vii. 3. 16. and Maher-shalal-hash-baz, Isa. viii. 3, 4. were signs in Israel, where is it said that they were for wonders in Israel? And where is it said, that Isaiah himself was for a sign and for a wonder in Israel ? It is therefore, not at all probable, that they are the subjects of this prophecy. Whereas, understood of Jesus and his disciples, it was exactly fulfilled. He was a sign which was spoken against, Luke ii. 34. And his disciples wrought many wonders in Israel.-2. Let it be observed, that the manner in which the prophecy is introduced at ver. 5. sheweth, that it is a distinct prophecy from the one, in the beginning of the chapter, concerning Isaiah and his son Mahershalal-hash-baz: consequently, from its being placed after that prophecy, no argument can be drawn to prove, that it relates to the same persons.— 3. If Isaiah, or as some pretend, Hezekiah, is the subject of the prophecy, it ought to be shewed, how either of them could be a sanctuary, and at the same time, a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence to both houses of Israel ; as the person who is the subject of the prophecy, is said to be, ver. 14.—In Messiah, this part of the prophecy was exactly fulfilled. He was a sant◄◄