Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:1

SEeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses] Gr. having such a cloud of witnesses compassing us about. Cloud]ie. Multitude. See Jeremiah 14:13. Ezekiel 38:9. Some are of opinion, that here the Apostle alludes to that cloud whereby the children of Israel were guided, Exodus 13:21. viz. That as that cloud guided the Israelites from Egypt to the Land of Canaan: So this company of the faithfull may direct all the right way from the kingdome of darknesse to the spirituall Canaan, the Kingdome of heaven.

let us lay aside] Gr. laying aside, or putting off. as Ephesians 4:22. It is an allusion unto the custome of those who being to run a race, put off and cast away all things burthensome and troublesome. The same word is used, James 1:21.

weight] That is, all worldly contents, so farre as they are a burthen unto us and do hinder us in our journey to heaven, Matthew 5:29. Secondly, all manner of sinne, and especially pride and conceit of self-sufficience, Romans 10:3.

easily] Entangleth or wraps about: It is a borrowed speech taken either from a net or a long garment. Some understand it of originall sinne, others of sinne in generall.

and let us] Gr. let us.

race that is set before us] 1 Corinthians 9:24. Galatians 5:7. 2 Timothy 4:7.

Hebrews 12:2

Looking] The originall word signifieth an averting or drawing off the eye from one object to another. In our christian race we must take off our minds from every thing which might divert and discourage us, and we must fix them upon Christ for our imitation.

author] Or, beginner, or, Captain, as Acts 5:15. 13. Hebrews 2:10.

right hand] Chap. 1. 3. & 8. 1. Philippians 2:9, &c.

Hebrews 12:3

consider] Seriously and diligently.

contradiction] Thereby understand all that Christ suffered from man in the dayes of his flesh or humiliation.

lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes] Or, lest fainting in your mindes ye be wearied.

wearied] Revelation 2:3.

faint] Vers. 5. Galatians 6:9.

Hebrews 12:4

Ye have not] Though ye have suffered much, Chap. 10. 32, &c. yet ye have not resisted unto death, as your Captain did: Or, may be herein the Apostle alludes to those Hethenish conflicts and combates which seldome were determined without bloud, or wherein it was a shame to yeeld before bloud was drawn.

striving] With all our might and main, as combaters and wrastlers were wont to do.

sin] Or, sinners; as Psalms 49:5. & Psalms 119:133.

Hebrews 12:5

the exhortation] Or, that consolatory exhortation.

which] Wherein God discourses or reasons with you, as with children.

My sonne] Job 5:17. Proverbs 3:11. See the Notes on Proverbs 11:12.

Hebrews 12:6

whom the Lord] Revelation 3:19.

Hebrews 12:7

If ye endure] That is, patiently, then thereby ye may know that God corrects you in mercy, for your good, as a father doth his sonnes: Or, if you be chastened, which may seem to be the scope of the place, by that which followes, Vers. 8.

Hebrews 12:8

all] That are sonnes. Vers. 7.

Hebrews 12:9

Furthermore] Or, what? seeing we have have had the fathers of our bodies chastisers, and have reverenced them, how much rather ought we to be, &c.

flesh] That is, bodies. Romans 2:28. 1 Corinthians 5:5. Ephesians 6:5. 1 Peter 4:6.

spirits] Souls. Numbers 16:22. & Numbers 27:16. Ecclesiastes 12:9. Esa. 57. 16. Zechariah 12:1. 2 Corinthians 7:1. 1 Peter 4:6.

live] The life of grace here, vers. 10. and the life of glory hereafter, Acts 14:22. affliction fitting, and preparing for both.

Hebrews 12:10

pleasure] Or, as it seemed good to them; or, judgement, which often is corrupt, whereby many times they doe more hurt then good.

be partakers] Or, partake.

holinesse] See Vers. 9.

Hebrews 12:11

seemeth] Or, is. See Chap. 4. 1.

joyous] Gr. of joy. 1 Peter 1:6.

grievous] Gr. of griefs.

yeeldeth] By training, disciplining, and fitting a man to a holy life, which bringeth peace of conscience, passing all understanding. Psal. 119. 67, 71.

Hebrews 12:12

lift] Esa. 35. 3. Job 4:43. Take heart & courage, faint not, or give not over, because of the sharpnesse of your afflictions: Or, may be here, as vers. 4. the Apostle alludes to those combates of the Heathen, wherein it was a token of yeelding, when a man hung down his hands: Or, to those who runne in a race, following the former similitude, vers. 1. Or, may be to both; lift up your hands to fight, and your feet to runne.

Hebrews 12:13

streight] Or, even. That is, walk seemly, or keep a right course. Prov. 4. 26, 27.

Hebrews 12:14

Follow peace] Romans 12:18. Psa. 34. 14.

holinesse] 2 Corinthians 7:1.

see the Lord] Matthew 5:8.

Hebrews 12:15

lest] Chap. 6. 4. & 10. 26.

fail] Or, fall from; or, come short. See Chap. 4. 1. Romans 3:23.

grace] That is, free favour and mercy of God, offered in the Gospel, 2 Corinthians 6:1. Titus 2:11. or the doctrine of grace in the Gospel.

root] Understand thereby either a corrupt and evill heart, which will send forth the bitter fruits of sin, Chap. 3. 12. Or, any Apostatising or backsliding person, who by his example may trouble and cause many to fall. Deuteronomy 29:18.

defiled] 1 Corinthians 5:6. Galatians 5:9.

Hebrews 12:16

profane] That is, impure person, or rather a despiser of, or trampler upon holy things; as upon Christ, and those benefits which are offered through him, Chap. 10. 29.

as Esau] Who in despising his birthright, which he sold at so low a rate, became a type of such, who despised Christ, of whom the first-born were a type.

who] Genesis 25:33.

one morsell] Or, one meals meat.

sold] Or, gave away.

birthright] Or, the right and priviledge of his being the first-born.

Hebrews 12:17

when] Genesis 27:38.

place of repentance] Or, way to change his minde.

repentance] That is, in his Father, to reverse or call back that blessing wherewith he had blessed his younger brother Jacob above him.

Hebrews 12:18

For ye] The Apostle further presseth on the Hebrews the exhortation begun vers. 12. from the excellency of their condition who are under the Gospel, or New Covenant, above others who were under the Law or Old Covenant. The same argument or motive, in substance, Saint Paul had used, Romans 6:14.

the mount] Exodus 19:12; Exodus 19:18-19. That is, Sinai, whereon the Law was given.

touched] In it self, though not in respect of Gods charge. Vers. 20.

burned] By this terrible manner of giving the Law, we are given to understand the slavish, servile, and fearfull condition of those who were under it.

Hebrews 12:19

voice] Understand thereby, either that terrible manner, wherewith the Law was given; or the Law it self, the rigour whereof they were not able to bear. See Exod. 20. 18, 19. Romans 8:3.

intreated] Exodus 20:19. Deuteronomy 5:5. & Deuteronomy 18:16.

Hebrews 12:20

And if so] Exodus 19:13.

Hebrews 12:21

Moses said] Some conceive that this may be gathered from Exodus 19:14. Others, that the Apostle had it either by tradition, as those names of Jannes and Jambres, 2 Tim. 3. 8. and the Prophesie of Enoch. Jude 14. or else by divine revelation, as Moses had the Historie of the Creation, and of other things, before his own time.

mount Sion] Galatians 4:26. That is, to the Church under the Gospel, whereof Mount Sion was a type, Psalms 14:7. & Psalms 50:20. Esa. 2. 3. and where the Gospel was first proclaimed, without that terrour wherewith the Law was delivered. Esa. 2. 3.

unto the citie of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem] Or, unto the heavenly Jerusalem, which is the Citie, &c.

heavenly] So called, first, because it cometh from heaven, through Gods effectuall calling, Revelation 3:12. & 21. 2, 10. Secondly, because it shall ascend into heaven. Colossians 3:4.

Angels] Who are both a part of the Church generally considered, and also Guardians and Ministers thereof. Chap. 1. 14. Psalms 34:7.

Hebrews 12:23

To the generall] Some understand this clause by way of explication or amplification, as if the Apostle hereby intended further to explaine and amplifie the last clause of the former verse: but more probably hereby we are to understand the church of the Elect styled the first-born, because of those speciall prerogatives which they enjoyed above those who are onely outwardly called, and onely make an outward profession of the Gospel: even as the first-born under the Law had some speciall prerogative.

written in heaven] Or, enrolled. Luke 10:20.

judge of all] Rom. 2. 6, 16. & 14. 10.

just men] The Elect here on earth may be said to be gathered to those departed, because they make but one Church, whereof one part is on earth, the other in heaven.

made perfect] That is, according to their soules, not bodies.

Hebrews 12:24

mediatour] Chap. 8. 6. & 9. 15.

covenant] Or, testament.

the bloud of] 1 Peter 1:2. That is, to the bloud of Jesus Christ sprinkled, as the word of hearing is the word heard, Chap. 4. 2. See 1 Peter 1:2. And this is added, because that Christ by his bloud confirmed the New Covenant, &c.

better] Christs bloud cries for mercy and pardon, whereas Abels cried for vengeance. Genesis 4:10.

Hebrews 12:25

See that] Chap. 2. 2. & 10. 28.

him that spake on earth] Or, from the earth. That is, Moses.

from heaven] That is, Christ, who came from heaven. John 3:13.

Hebrews 12:26

then shook] At the giving of the Law. Exodus 19:18.

Yet once] Haggai 2:6-7. The Hebrew particle signifieth both once and a little while, and the place of the Prophet may be understood of both; yet the Apostle makes use onely of the first, in the next verse, because that onely was to his purpose.

shake] Which was fulfilled in those prodigies and signes which appeared upon the earth, and in the heavens, before, and at our Saviours coming in the flesh, to proclaim and confirm the Gospel. Some understand it of Christs second coming, that is, to judgement, whereof Saint Peter speaks, 2 Peter 3:10. but it is plain, that the Prophet speaks of shaking the earth and the heavens which should be while the second Temple stood; for it is said, that the desire of all Nations, that is, the Messias should come, and fill the second Temple with glory. See Haggai 2:6-7.

Hebrews 12:27

once] From this word [once] the Apostle inferres the removing of the Law or Old Covenant, given by Moses, and the immutabilitie and unchangeablenesse of the Gospel, or New Covenant.

are shaken] Or, may be shaken.

Hebrews 12:28

kingdome] That is, the Gospel, often called the Kingdome of God. See Matthew 13:11. 24, 31. Mark 1:15. & Mark 15:13. Romans 14:17.

moved] That is, altered or changed. Luke 1:33.

let us have grace] Or, let us hold fast.

grace] See vers. 15.

with reverence] Psalms 2:11. Exodus 19:18.

Hebrews 12:29

our God is a consuming fire] Chap. 10. 31. Deuteronomy 4:24. & Deuteronomy 9:3. Psalms 50:3.