Hebrews 6

Hebrews 6:1-99

Διὸ — well then (as in 12:12, 28)— ἐπὶτὸντελειότηταφερώμεθα (6:1). It is a moral duty to grow up, and the duty involves an effort. The τελειότης in question is the mature mental grasp of the truth about Christ as ἀρχιερεύς , a truth which the writer is disappointed that his friends still find it difficult to understand. However, διὰτὸνχρόνον they ought to understand it. He has every reason to expect an effort from them, and therefore he follows up his remonstrance with a word of encouragement. Instead of the sharp, severe tone of vv. 11 f., he now speaks more hopefully.

The connexion is not easy. We expect “ however” instead of “ well then.” But the connexion is not made more easy by regarding 6:1f. as a resolve of the writer: “ since you are so immature, I am going on myself to develop the higher teaching.” It would be senseless for a teacher to take this line, and it is not facilitated by reading φερόμεθα .

The plural is not the literary plural as in 5:11. The writer wishes to carry his readers along with him. “ If you want anyone to instruct you over again in rudimentary Christianity, I am not the man; I propose to carry you forward into a higher course of lessons. Come, let us advance, you and I together.” The underlying thought, which explains the transition, is revealed in the next paragraph (vv. 4 f.), where the writer practically tells his readers that they must either advance or lose their present position of faith,1 in which latter case there is no second chance for them. In spite of his unqualified censure in 5:12, he shows, in 6:9f., that they are really capable of doing what he summons them to try in 6:1f., i.e. to think out the full significance of Jesus in relation to faith and forgiveness. Only thus, he argues, can quicken the faint pulse of your religious life. “ Religion is something different from mere strenuous thinking on the great religious questions. Yet it still remains true that faith and knowledge are inseparable, and that both grow stronger as they react on one another.

More often than we know, the failure of religion, as a moral power, is due to no other cause than intellectual sloth” (E. F.

Scott, p. 44). After the parenthesis of 5:13, 14, the writer resumes the thought with which he started in 5:11a “ you must make an effort to enter into this larger appreciation of what Christ means.” Ἄφεντες … φερώμεθα is a phrase illustrated by Eurip. Androm. 392-393, τὴνἀρχὴνἀφεὶς | πρὸςτὴντελευτὴνὑστέρανοὖσανφέρῃ : by ἀφέντες the writer means “ leaving behind,” and by φερώμεθα “ let us advance.” Ἀφίημι might even mean “ to omit” ; it is so used with λόγον (= to pass over without mentioning), e.g. in Plutarch’ s an seni respublica gerenda sit, 18, ἀλλ ʼ ἀφέντες , εἰβούλει , τὸνἀποσπῶντατῆςπολιτείαςλόγονἐκεῖνοσκοπῶμενἤδηκτλ ., and even independently (cp. Epict. iv:1. 15, τὸνμὲνΚαίσαραπρὸςτὸπαρὸνἀφῶμεν , and Theophrastus, prooem. ἀφεὶςτὸπροοιμιάζεσθαικαὶπολλὰπερὶτοῦπράγματοςλέγειν ). In what follows, τὸντῆςἀρχῆςτοῦΧριστοῦλόγον is a variant for τὰστοιχεῖατῆςἀρχῆςτῶνλογίωντοῦθεοῦ (5:12). ΤοῦΧριστοῦ is an objective genitive; the writer is not thinking of injunctions issued by Christ (so Harnack, Constitution and Law of the Church, p. 344). Blass follows L in reading λοιπόν after λόγον — needlessly.

The use of the θεμέλιον metaphor after τῆςἀρχῆς was natural; it occurs in Epictetus and in Philo . Indeed the θεμέλιον metaphor is particularly common in Philo, as, e.g., in the de vita contempl. 476 . This basis of Christian instruction is now described; the contents are arranged in three pairs, but, as the middle pair are not distinctively Christian ideas (v. 2), the writer puts in διδαχήν or διδαχῆς . The θεμέλιον of instruction consists of μετανοίας … καὶπίστεως (genitives of quality), while διδαχήν , which is in apposition to it , controls the other four genitives. Μετάνοια and πίστις , βαπτισμοί and ἐπιθέσιςχειρῶν , ἀνάστασις and κρίμααἰώνιον , are the fundamental truths. Μετάνοια 1 ἀπό is like μετανοεῖνἀπό (Acts 8:22), and πίστιςἐπὶθεόν like πιστεύεινἐπί . These two requirements were foremost in the programme of the Christian mission.

The other side of repentance is described in 9:14 πόσῳμᾶλλοντὸαἷματοῦΧριστοῦ … καθαριεῖτὴνσυνείδησινἡμῶνἀπὸνεκρῶνἔργωνεἰςτὸλατρεύεινθεῷζῶντι , where the last word indicates that νεκρὰἔργα mean the conduct of those who are outside the real life and service of God. Practically, therefore, νεκρὰἔργα are sins, as the Greek fathers assumed; the man who wrote 11:25 would hardly have hesitated to call them such.

He has coined this phrase to suggest that such ἔργα have no principle of life in them,2 or that they lead to death. The origin of the phrase has not been explained, though Chrysostom and Oecumenius were right in suggesting that the metaphor of 9:14 was derived from the contamination incurred by touching a corpse (see Numbers 19:1f, Numbers 31:19). Its exact meaning is less clear. The one thing that is clear about it is that these ἔργανεκρά were not habitual sins of Christians; they were moral offences from which a man had to break away, in order to become a Christian at all. They denote not the lifeless, formal ceremonies of Judaism, but occupations, interests, and pleasures, which lay within the sphere of moral death, where, as a contemporary Christian writer put it (Ephesians 2:1), pagans lay νεκροὶτοῖςπαραπτώμασινκαὶταῖςἁμαρτίαις . The phrase might cover Jewish Christians, if there were any such in the community to which this homily is addressed, but it is a general phrase.

Whatever is evil is νεκρόν , for our author, and ἔργανεκρά render any Christian πίστις or λατρεύειν impossible (cp. Expositor, Jan. 1918, pp. 1-18), because they belong to the profane, contaminating sphere of the world.

In v. 2 διδαχήν is read, instead of διδαχῆς , by B syrharkl and the Old Latin, a very small group— yet the reading is probably original; the surrounding genitives led to its alteration into διδαχῆς . However, it makes no difference to the sense, which reading is chosen. Even διδαχῆς depends on θεμέλιον as a qualifying genitive. But the change of διδαχήν into διδαχῆς is much more likely than the reverse process. Διδαχήν follows βαπτισμῶν like κόσμος in 1 P 3:3 . Βαπτισμοί by itself does not mean specifically Christian baptism either in this epistle (9:10) or elsewhere (Mark 7:4), but ablutions or immersions such as the mystery religions and the Jewish cultus required for initiates, proselytes, and worshippers in general. The singular might mean Christian baptism (as in Colossians 2:12), but why does the writer employ the plural here? Not because in some primitive Christian circles the catechumen was thrice sprinkled or immersed in the name of the Trinity (Didache 7:1-3), but because ancient religions, such as those familiar to the readers, had all manner of purification rites connected with water (see on 10:22).

The distinctively Christian uses of water had to be grasped by new adherents. That is, at baptism, e.g., the catechumen would be specially instructed about the difference between this Christian rite, with its symbolic purification from sins of which one repented, and (a) the similar rites in connexion with Jewish proselytes on their reception into the synagogue or with adherents who were initiated into various cults, and (b) the ablutions which were required from Christians in subsequent worship.

The latter practice may be alluded to in 10:22 . Justin (Apol. 1:62) regards these lustrations of the cults as devilish caricatures of real baptism: καὶτὸλουτρὸνδὴτοῦτοἀκούσαντεςοἱδαίμονες … ἐνήργησανκαὶῥαντίζεινἑαυτοὺςτοὺςεἰςτὰἱερὰαὐτῶνἐπιβαίνονταςκαὶπροσιέναιαὐτοῖςμέλλοντας , λοιβὰςκαὶκνίσαςἀποτελοῦνταςτέλεονδὲκαὶλούεσθαιἐπιόνταςπρὶνἐλθεῖνἐπὶτὰἱερά , ἔνθαἵδρυνται , ἐνεργοῦσι . The ἐπιθέσιςχειρῶν which often followed baptism in primitive days (e.g. Acts 8:17f. Acts 8:19:6), though it is ignored by the Didache and Justin, was supposed to confer the holy Spirit (see v. 4). Tertullian witnesses to the custom (de baptismo, 18, de carnis resurrectione, 8), and Cyprian corroborates it . The rite was employed in blessing, in exorcising, and at “ ordination,” afterwards at the reception of penitents and heretics; here it is mentioned in connexion with baptism particularly (ERE vi:494b).

The subject is discussed in monographs like A. J. Mason’ s The Relation of Confirmation to Baptism (1891), and J. Behm’ s Die Handauflegung im Urchristenthum (1911).

The final pair of doctrines is ἀναστάσεωςνεκρῶνκαὶκρίματος (2:14, 15, 9:27) αἰωνίου (as in Acts 24:15, Acts 24:25). Tε is added after ἀναστάσεως mechanically by א A C K L Lat arm syrhkl pesh, just as it is added after βαπτισμῶν by harkl. In the rather elliptical style and loose construction of the whole sentence, “ notwithstanding its graceful rhythmical structure,” it is possible to see, with Bruce (p. 203), “ an oratorical device to express a feeling of impatience” with people who need to have such principia mentioned. At any rate the writer hastens forward. V. 3 is not a parenthesis (“ I will do this,” i.e. go over such elementary truths with you, “ if God permits,” when I reach you, 13:23); the τοῦτο refers to the advance proposed in v. 1, and after ποιήσομεν the author adds reverently, “ if God permits,” ἐάνπερἐπιτρέπῃὁθεός , almost as a contemporary rhetorician might say in a pious aside: ἐὰνδὲσῴζητὸδαιμόνιονἡμᾶς (Dion. Halicarn.

De Admir. Vi dicendi in Dem. 58), or θεῶνἡμᾶςφυλαττόντωνἀσινεῖςτεκαὶἀνόσους (De Composit. Verborum, 1). The papyri show that similar phrases were current in the correspondence of the day (cp. Deissmann’ s Bible Studies, p. 80), and Josephus (Ant. xx:11. 2) uses κἂντὸθεῖονἐπιτρεπῇ .

ποιήσομεν (א B K L N 1. 2. 5. 6. 33. 69. 88. 216. 218. 221. 226. 242. 255. 337. 429. 489. 919. 920. 1149. 1518. 1739. 1758. 1827. 1867. 2127. 2143. Lat sah boh Chrys.) has been changed into ποιήσωμεν by A C D P arm, etc., though the latter may have been originally, like φερόμεθα in v. 1, an orthographical variant, ο and ω being frequently confused.

4 For in the case of people who have been once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly Gift, who participated in the holy Spirit, 5 who tasted the goodness of God’ s word and the powers of the world to come, 6and then fell away— it is impossible to make them repent afresh, since they crucify the Son of God in their own persons and hold him up to obloquy. 7 For “ land” which absorbs the rain that often falls on it, and bears “ plants” that are useful to those for whom it is tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 whereas, if it “ produces thorns and thistles,” it is reprobate and on the verge of being cursed— its fate is to be burned.

Vv.4-6 put the reason for τοῦτοποιήσομεν (v. 3), and vv. 7, 8 give the reason for ἀδύνατον … ἀνακαινίζεινεἰςμετάνοιαν (vv. 4-6). Ἀδύνατονγάρκτλ . (v. 4); there are four impossible things in the epistle: this and the three noted in vv. 18, 10:4 and 11:6. Τοὺς … αἰῶνος (4, 5a) is a long description of people who have been initiated into Christianity; then comes the tragic καὶπαραπεσόντας . What makes the latter so fatal is explained in (v. 6) ἀνασταυροῦντας … παραδειγματίζοντας . Logically πάλινἀνακαινίζεινεἰςμετάνοιαν ought to come immediately after ἀδύνατονγάρ , but the writer delayed the phrase in order to break up the sequence of participles. The passage is charged with an austerity which shows how seriously the writer took life. Seneca quotes (Ep. xxiii:9-11) to Lucilius the saying of Epicurus, that “ it is irksome always to be starting life over again,” and that “ they live badly who are always beginning to live.” The reason is: “ quia semper illis imperfecta vita est.” But our writer takes a much more sombre view of the position of his friends. He urges them to develop their ideas of Christianity. “ You need some one to teach you the rudimentary lessons of the faith all over again,” he had said. “ Yes,” he now adds, “ and in some cases that is impossible.

Relaying a foundation of repentance, etc.! That cannot be done for deliberate apostates.” The implication is that his readers are in danger of this sin, as indeed he has hinted already (in 3:7-4:14), and that one of the things that is weakening them is their religious inability to realize the supreme significance of Jesus.

To remain as they are is fatal; it means the possibility of a relapse altogether. “ Come on,” the writer bids them, “ for if you do not you will fall back, and to fall back is to be ruined.” The connexion between this passage and the foregoing, therefore, is that to rest content with their present elementary hold upon Christian truth is to have an inadequate grasp of it; the force of temptation is so strong that this rudimentary acquaintance with it will not prevent them from falling away altogether, and the one thing to ensure their religious position is to see the full meaning of what Jesus is and does. This meaning he is anxious to impart, not as an extra but as an essential. The situation is so serious, he implies, that only those who fully realize what Jesus means for forgiveness and fellowship will be able to hold out. And once you relapse, he argues, once you let go your faith, it is fatal; people who deliberately abandon their Christian confession of faith are beyond recovery. Such a view of apostasy as a heinous offence, which destroyed all hope of recovery, is characteristic of ΠρὸςἙβραίους . It was not confined to this writer.

That certain persons could not repent of their sins was, e.g., an idea admitted in rabbinic Judaism. “ Over and over again we have the saying: ‘ For him who sins and causes others to sin no repentance is allowed or possible’ (Aboth v. 26; Sanhedrin, 107b). ‘ He who is wholly given up to sin is unable to repent, and there is no forgiveness to him for ever’ (Midrash Tehillim on Psa_1 ad fin.).” 1 There is a partial parallel to this passage in the idea thrown out by Philo in de agricultura, 28, as he comments upon Genesis 9:20: “ Noah began to till the earth.” Evidently, says Philo, this means that he was merely working at the ἄρχαι of the subject. Ἀρχὴδ ʼ , ὁτῶνπαλαιῶνλόγος , ἥμισυτοῦπάντος , ὡςἂνἡμίσειπρὸςτὸτέλοςἀφεστηκυῖα , οὗμὴπροσγενομένουκαὶτὸἄρξασθαιπολλάκιςμεγάλαπολλοὺςἔβλαψεν . His point is that it is dangerous to stop short in any moral endeavour.

But our author is more rigorous in his outlook. His warning is modified, however. (a) It is put in the form of a general statement. (b) It contains a note of encouragement in v. 7; and (c) it is at once followed up by an eager hope that the readers will disappoint their friend and teacher’ s fear (v. 9). In the later church this feature of ΠρὸςἙβραίους entered into the ecclesiastical question of penance (cp. ERE ix:716, and Journal of Theological Studies, iv: 321 f.), and seriously affected the vogue of the epistle (cp. Introd. p. xx).

The fourfold description of believers (4, 5a) begins with ἅπαξφωτισθέντας , where φωτισθέντας corresponds to λαβεῖντὴνἐπίγνωσιντῆςἀληθείας (10:26), in the general sense of LXX , i.e. “ enlightened” in the sense of having their eyes opened (Ephesians 1:18) to the Christian God. Subsequently, earlier even than Justin Martyr, the verb, with its noun φωτισμός , came to be used of baptism specifically (cp. ERE viii:54, 55).Ἅπαξ is prefixed, in contrast to πάλιν (v. 6); once for all men enter Christianity, it is an experience which, like their own death (9:27) and the death of Jesus (9:28), can never be repeated. In καλὸνγευσαμένουςθεοῦῥῆμα the construction resembles that of Herod. vii:46, where the active voice is used with the accusative , and the adj. is put first: “ the deity, who let us taste the sweetness of life (or, that life is sweet), is found to be spiteful in so doing.” The similar use of the middle here as in Proverbs 29:36 and John 2:9 probably points to the same meaning (cp., however, Diat. 2016-2018), i.e., practically as if it were ὅτικτλ . (cp. Psalms 34:8 γεύσασθεκαὶἴδετεὅτιχρηστὸςὁκύριος , 1 P 2:3), in contrast to the more common construction with the genitive (v. 4, 2:9).

The writer uses genitive and accusative indifferently, for the sake of literary variety; and καλόν here is the same as καλοῦ in 5:14. Γευσαμένουςκτλ . recalls the partiality of Philo for this metaphor (e.g. de Abrah. 19; de Somniis, i:26), but indeed it is common (cp. e.g. Jos.

Ant. 4:6. 9, ἅπαξτὸνέονγευσαμένονξενικῶνἐθισμῶνἀπλήστωςαὐτῶνἐνεφορεῖτο ) throughout contemporary Hellenistic Greek as a metaphor for experiencing. Probably γευσαμένους … ἐπουρανίου , μετόχους … ἁγίου , and καλὸνγευσαμένουςαἰῶνος are three rhetorical expressions for the initial experience described in ἅπαξφωτισθέντας . “ The heavenly Gift” may be the Christian salvation in general, which is then viewed as the impartation of the holy Spirit, and finally as the revelation of the higher world which even already is partly realized in the experience of faith. Note that φωτισθέντας is followed by γευσαμένουςκτλ ., as the light-metaphor is followed by the food-metaphor in Philo’ s (de fuga et invent. 25) remarks upon the manna (Exodus 16:15, Exodus 16:16): ἡθείασύνταξιςαὕτητὴνὁρατικὴνψυχὴνφωτίζειτεκαὶὁμοῦκαὶγλυκαίνει … τοὺςδιψῶνταςκαὶπεινῶνταςκαλοκἀγαθίαςἐφηδύνουσα . Also, that δυνάμειςτεμέλλοντοςαἰῶνος  1 includes the thrilling experiences mentioned in 2:4. The dramatic turn comes in (v. 6) καὶπαραπεσόντας . Παραπίπτειν is here used in its most sinister sense; it corresponds to ἀποστῆναι (3:12), and indeed both verbs are used in the LXX to translate the same term פ ע ל . The usage in Wis 6:9 12:2 paves the way for this sense of a deliberate renunciation of the Christian God, which is equivalent to ἑκουσίωςἁμαρτάνειν in 10:26.

The sin against the holy Spirit, which Jesus regarded as unpardonable, the mysterious ἁμαρτίαπρὸςθάνατον of 1 John 5:16, and this sin of apostasy, are on the same level. The writer never hints at what his friends might relapse into.

Anything that ignored Christ was to him hopeless.

Ἀδύνατον is now (v. 6) taken up in ἀνακαινίζειν , a LXX term (e.g. Psalms 51:12) which is actually used for the Christian start in life by Barnabas , and naturally of the divine action. Πάλιν is prefixed for emphasis, as in Isokr. Areopag. 3, τῆςἔχθραςτῆςπρὸςτὸνβασιλέαπάλινἀνακεκαινισμένης .

There have been various, vain efforts to explain the apparent harshness of the statement. Erasmus took ἀδύνατον (like d = difficile) as “ difficult” ; Grotius said it was impossible “ per legem Mosis” ; others take ἀνακαινίζειν to mean “ keep on renewing,” while some, like Schoettgen, Bengel, and Wickham, fall back on the old view that while men could not, God might effect it. But even the last-named idea is out of the question. If the writer thought of any subject to ἁνακαινίζειν , it was probably a Christian διδάσκαλος like himself; but the efforts of such a Christian are assumed to be the channel of the divine power, and no renewal could take place without God. There is not the faintest suggestion that a second repentance might be produced by God when human effort failed. The tenor of passages like 10:28f. and 12:17 tells finally against this modification of the language. A similarly ominous tone is heard in Philo’ s comment on Numbers 30:10 in quod deter. pot. insid. 40: φήσομενδιάνοιαν … ἐκβεβλῆσθαικαὶχήρανθεοῦ , ἣτιςἢγονὰςθείαςοὐπαρεδέξατοἢπαραδεξαμένηέκουσίωςαὖθιςἐξήμβλωσε … ἡδ ʼ ἅπαξδιαζευκθεῖσακαὶδιοικισθεῖσαὡςἄσπονδοςμέχριτοῦπαντὸςαἰῶνοςἐκτετόξευται , εἰςτὸνἀρχαῖονοἶκονἐπανελθεῖνἁδυνατοῦσα .

The reason why a second repentance is impossible is given in ἀνασταυροῦντας … παραδειγματίζοντας , where ἀνασταυροῦντας is used instead of σταυροῦντας , for the sake of assonance , but with the same meaning. Ἀνασταυροῦν simply means “ to crucify,” as, e.g., in Plato’ s Gorgias, 28 ; Thucyd. 1:110 ; Josephus , etc. The ἀνα = sursum, not rursum, though the Greek fathers , and several of the versions , took it in the sense of re-crucify. Ἑαυτοῖς : it is their crucifixion of Jesus. “ The thought is that of wilfulness rather than of detriment” (Vaughan).

In the story of Jesus and Peter at Rome, which Origen mentions as part of the Acts of Paul (in, Joh. xx. 12), the phrase, “ to be crucified over again” occurs in a different sense (Texte u. Unters. xxx. 3, pp. 271-272). Καὶὁκύριοςαὐτῷεἶπεν · εἰσέρχομαιεἰςτὴνῬώμηνσταυρωθῆναι . ΚαὶὁΠέτροςεἶπεναὐτῷ · Κύριε , πάλινσταυροῦσαι ; εἶπεναὐτῷ · ναὶ , Πέτρε , πάλινσταυροῦμαι . Origen, quoting this as Ἄνωθενμέλλωσταυροῦσθαι , holds that such is the meaning of ἀνασταυροῦν in He Hebrews 6:5.

The meaning of the vivid phrase is that they put Jesus out of their life, they break off all connexion with him; he is dead to them. This is the decisive force of σταυροῦσθαι in Galatians 6:14. The writer adds an equally vivid touch in καὶπαραδειγματίζοντας ( = τὸνυἱὸνθεοῦκαταπατήσαςκτλ ., 10:29)— as if he is not worth their loyalty! Their repudiation of him proclaims to the world that they consider him useless, and that the best thing they can do for themselves is to put him out of their life. Παραδειγματίζειν is used in its Hellenistic sense, which is represented by τιθέναιεἰςπαράδειγμα in the LXX (Nahum 3:6). Possibly the term was already associated with impaling ,1 but our author does not use it in the LXX sense of “ make an example of” (by punishing); the idea is of exposing to contemptuous ignominy, in public (as in Matthew 1:19).

The Bithynians who had renounced Christianity proved to Pliny their desertion by maligning Christ— one of the things which, as he observed, no real Christian would do . “ Omnes … Christi male dixerunt.” When the proconsul urges Polykarp to abandon Christianity, he tells the bishop, λοιδόρησοντὸνΧριστόν (Mart. Polyk. ix. 3). The language of ΠρὸςἙβραίους is echoed in the saying of Jesus quoted in Apost. Const. vi. 18: οὗτοίεἰσιπερὶὧνκαὶὁκύριοςπικρῶςκαὶἀποτόμωςἀπεφήνατολέγωνὅτιεἰσὶψευδόχριστοικαὶψευδοδιδάσκαλοι , οἱβλασφημήσαντεςτὸπνεῦματῆςχάριτοςκαὶὰποπτύσαντεςτὴνπαρ ʼ αὐτοῦδωρεὰνμετὰτὴνχάριν , οἶςοὐκἀφεθήσεταιοὔτεἐντῷαἰῶνιτούτῳοὔτεἐντῷμέλλοντι . In Sir 31:30 (βαπτιζόμενοςἀπὸνεκροῦκαὶπάλινἁπτόμενοςαὐτοῦ , τίὠφελησεντῷλουτρῷ͂αὐτοῦ ;) the allusion is to the taboo-law of Num 19:11, Numbers 19:12; the parallel is verbal rather than real. But there is a true parallel in Mongolian Buddhism, which ranks five sins as certain “ to be followed by a hell of intense sufferings, and that without cessation … patricide, matricide, killing a Doctor of Divinity (i.e. a lama), bleeding Buddha, sowing hatred among priests.… Drawing blood from the body of Buddha is a figurative expression, after the manner of Heb 6:6” (J. Gilmour, Among the Mongols, pp. 233, 234).

In the little illustration (vv. 7, 8), which corresponds to what Jesus might have put in the form of a parable, there are reminiscences of the language about God’ s curse upon the ground (Genesis 3:17, Genesis 3:18): ἐπικατάρατοςἡγῆ … ἀκάνθαςκαὶτριβόλουςἀνατελεῖ , and also of the words in Genesis 1:12 καὶἐξήνεγκενἡγῆβοτάνηνχόρτου , though the writer uses ἐκφέρειν for ἀνατέλλειν , and prefers τίκτειν to ἐκφέρειν (in v. 7). The image of a plot or field is mentioned by Quintilian (Instit. Orat. v. 11, 24) as a common instance of the παραβολή : “ ut, si animum dicas excolendum, similitudine utaris terrae quae neglecta spinas ac dumos, culta fructus creat.” The best Greek instance is in Euripides (Hecuba, 592 f.: οὔκουνδεινόν , εἰγῆμὲνκακὴ | τυχοῦσακαιροῦθεόθενεὖστάχυνφέρει , | χρηστὴδ ʼ ἁμαρτοῦσ ʼ ὧνχρεὼναὐτὴντυχεῖν | κακὸνδίδωσικαρπόνκτλ .). Πιοῦσα of land, as, e.g., in Deuteronomy 11:11 γῆ … ἐκτοῦὑετοῦτοῦοὐρανοῦπίεταιὕδωρ : Isaiah 55:10f. etc. As εὔθετος generally takes εἰς with the accusative, it is possible that τίκτουσα was meant to go with ἐκεινοῖς . Γεωργεῖται , of land being worked or cultivated, is a common term in the papyri as well as in the LXX.

(a) Origen’ s homiletical comment (Philocalia, xxi. 9) is, τὰγινόμεναὑπὸτοῦθεοῦτεράστιαοἰονεὶὑετόςἐστιν · αἱδὲπροαιρέσειςαἱδιάφοροιοἰονεὶἡγεγεωργημένηγῆἐστὶκαὶἡἠμελημένη , μιᾷτῇφύσειὡςγῆτυγχάνουσα — an idea similar to that of Jerome (tractatus de psalmo xcvi., Anecdota Maredsolana, 3:3, 90: “ apostolorum epistolae nostrae pluviae sunt spiritales. Quid enim dicit Paulus in epistola ad Hebraeos? Terra enim saepe venientem super se bibens imbrem, et reliqua” ). (b) The Mishna directs that at the repetition of the second of the Eighteen Blessings the worshipper should think of the heavy rain and pray for it at the ninth Blessing (Berachoth, 5:1), evidently because the second declares, “ Blessed art thou, O Lord, who restorest the dead” (rain quickening the earth), and the ninth runs, “ Bless to us, O Lord our God, this year and grant us a rich harvest and bring a blessing on our land.” Also, “ on the occasion of the rains and good news, one says, Blessed be He who is good and does good” (Berachoth, 9:2). Cp. Marcus Aurelius, v. 7, εὐχὴἈθηναίων · ὗσον , ὗσον , ὦφίλεΖεῦ , κατὰτῆςἀρούραςτῆςἈθηναίωνκαὶτῶνπεδίων .

Μεταλαμβάνει ( = participate in) is not a LXX term, but occurs in this sense in Wis 18:9 etc.; εὐλογίας occurs again in 12:17 , and there is a subtle suggestion here, that those alone who make use of their divine privileges are rewarded. What the writer has in mind is brought out in v. 10; that he was thinking of the Esau-story here is shown by the reminiscence of ἀγροῦὃνηὐλόγησενΚύριος (Genesis 27:27).

The reverse side of the picture is now shown (v. 8).

Commenting on Genesis 3:18 Philo fancifully plays on the derivation of the word τρίβολος : ἓκαστονδὲτῶνπαθῶντριβόλιαεἴρηκεν , ἐπειδὴτριττάἐστιν , αὐτότεκαὶτὸποιητικὸνκαὶτὸἐκτούτωνἀποτέλεσμα (leg. alleg. iii. 89). He also compares the eradication of evil desires in the soul to a gardener or farmer burning down weeds (de Agric. 4, πάντ ʼ ἐκκόψω , ἐκτεμῶ … καὶε ʼ πικαύσωκαὶτὰςῥίζαςαὐτῶνἐφιεῖσ ʼ ἄχριτῶνὑστάτωντῆςγῆςφλογὸςῥιπήν ); but in our epistle, as in John 15:6, the burning is a final doom, not a process of severe discipline.

Ἀδόκιμος is used as in 1 Corinthians 9:27; the moral sense breaks through, as in the next clause, where the meaning of εἰςκαῦσιν may be illustrated by Deuteronomy 29:22 and by Philo’ s more elaborate description of the thunderstorm which destroyed Sodom (de Abrah. 27); God, he says, showered a blast οὐχὕδατοςἀλλάπυρός upon the city and its fields, by way of punishment, and everything was consumed, ἐπεὶδὲτὰἐνφανερῷκαὶὑπὲργῆςἅπαντακατανάλωσενἡφλόξ , ἤδηκαὶτὴνγῆναὐτὴνἔκαιε … ὑπὲρτοῦμηδ ʼ αὖθίςποτεκαρπὸνἐνεγκεῖνἢχλοηφορῆσαιτὸπαράπανδονηθῆναι . The metaphor otherwise is inexact, for the reference cannot be to the burning of a field in order to eradicate weeds; our author is thinking of final punishment ( = κρίματοςαἰωνίου , 6:2), which he associates as usual with fire (10:26, 27, 12:29). The moral application thus impinges on the figurative sketch. The words κατάραςἐγγύς actually occur in Aristides .1 There is no thought of mildness in the term ἐγγύς , it being used, as in 8:13, of imminent doom, which is only a matter of time. Meanwhile there is the ἐκδοχή (10:27).

Later on, this conception of unpardonable sins led to the whole system of penance, which really starts from the discussion by Hermas in the second century. But for our author the unpardonable sin is apostasy, and his view is that of a missionary. Modern analogies are not awanting. Thus, in Dr. G. Warneck’ s book, The Living Forces of the Gospel (p. 248), we read that “ the Battak Christians would have even serious transgressions forgiven; but if a Christian should again sacrifice to ancestors or have anything to do with magic, no earnest Christian will speak in his favour; he is regarded as one who has fallen back into heathenism, and therefore as lost.”

9 Though I say this, beloved, I feel sure you will take the better2 course that means salvation. 10 God is not unfair; he will not forget what you have done, or the love you have shown for his sake in ministering, as you still do, to the saints. 11 It is my heart’ s desire that each of you would prove equally keen upon realizing your full (πληροφορίαν , 10:22) hope to the very end, 12 so that instead of being slack you may imitate those who inherit the promises by their steadfast faith.

The ground for his confident hope about his “ dear friends” (Tyndale, v. 9) lies in the fact that they are really fruitful (v. 7) in what is the saving quality of a Christian community, viz. brotherly love (v. 10). The God who blesses a faithful life (v. 7) will be sure to reward them for that; stern though he may be, in punishing the disloyal, he never overlooks good service. Only (vv. 11, 12), the writer adds, put as much heart and soul into your realization of what Christianity means as you are putting into your brotherly love; by thus taking the better course, you are sure of God’ s blessing. As ἀγαπητοί indicates (the only time he uses it), the writer’ s affection leads him to hope for the best; he is deeply concerned about the condition of his friends, but he does not believe their case is desperate (v. 4). He has good hopes of them, and he wishes to encourage them by assuring them that he still believes in them. We may compare the remarks of Seneca to Lucilius, Ep. xxix. 3, about a mutual friend, Marcellinus, about whom both of them were anxious.

Seneca says he has not yet lost hope of Marcellinus. For wisdom or philosophy “ is an art; let it aim at some definite object, choosing those who will make progress (profecturos) and withdrawing from those of whom it despairs— yet not abandoning them quickly, rather trying drastic remedies when everything seems hopeless.” Elsewhere, he encourages Lucilius himself by assuring him of his friend’ s confidence and hope (Ep. xxxii. 2: “ habeo quidem fiduciam non posse to detorqueri mansurumque in proposito” ), and, in connexion with another case, observes that he will not be deterred from attempting to reform certain people (Ep. xxv. 2): “ I would rather lack success than lack faith.”

In καὶ (epexegetic) ἐχόμενασωτηρίας , ἐχόμενα , thus employed, is a common Greek phrase (cp. e.g. Marc. Aurel. 1. 6, ὅσατοιαῦτατῆςἙλληνικῆςἀγωγῆςἐχόμενα : Musonius (ed. Hence), 11., ζητεῖνπαιδείαςἐχόμενα : Philo, de Agric. 22, τὰδὲκαρτερίαςκαὶσωφροσύνης … ἐχόμενα ) for what has a bearing upon, or is connected with; here, for what pertains to and therefore promotes σωτηρία . The reason for this confidence, with which he seeks to hearten his readers, lies in their good record of practical service (τοῦἔργουὑμῶνκτλ .) which God is far too just to ignore. After all, they had some fruits as well as roots of Christianity (v. 10). Ἐπιλαθέσθαι is an infinitive of conceived result (Burton’ s Moods and Tenses, 371c; Blass, § 391, 4), instead of ἱνα c. subj., as, e.g., in 1 John 1:9, or ὥστε c. infinitive; cp.

Xen. Cyrop. iv. 1. 20, δίκαιοςεἶἀντιχαρίζεσθαι .1 The text of τοῦἔργουὑμῶνκαὶτῆςἀγάπης was soon harmonized with that of 1 Thessalonians 1:3 by the insertion of τοῦκόπου after καὶ (so Dc K L 69*, 256, 263, 1611*, 2005, 2127 boh Theodoret, etc.).

The relative ἣν after ἀγάπης has been attracted into the genitive ἧς (as in 9:20). One practical form of this διακονεῖν is mentioned in 10:33, 34. Here εἰςτὸὄνομααὐτοῦ goes closely with διακονήσαντεςκτλ ., as well as with ἐνεδείξασθε , in the sense of “ for his sake.” In Pirke Aboth, 2:16 R. Jose’ s saying is quoted, “ Let all thy works be done for the sake of heaven” (literally ל ְ ש ׁ ֵ ם , i.e. εἰςὄνομα , as here and in Ign. Romans 9:3 ἡἀγάπητῶνἐκκλησιῶντῶνδεξαμένωνμεεἰςὄνομαἼησοῦΧριστοῦ ). Τοῖςἁγίοις , the only place (except 13:24) where the writer uses this common term for “ fellow-Christians” ; God will never be so unjust as to overlook kindness shown to “ his own.”

The personal affection of the writer comes out not only in the ἀγαπητοί of v. 9, but again (v. 11) in the deep ἐπιθυμοῦμεν , a term charged with intense yearning , and in the individualizing ἕκαστον (cp. 3:12, 13). He is urgent that they should display τὴναὐτὴνσπουδήν with regard to their Christian ἐλπίς as they display in the sphere of their Christian ἀγάπη . This does not mean that he wishes them to be more concerned about saving their own souls or about heaven than about their duties of brotherly love; his point is that the higher knowledge which he presses upon their minds is the one security for a Christian life at all. Just as Paul cannot assume that the warm mutual affection of the Thessalonian Christians implied a strict social morality (see below on 13:4), or that the same quality in the Philippian Christians implied moral discrimination (Philippians 1:9), so our author pleads with his friends to complete their brotherly love by a mature grasp of what their faith implied. He reiterates later on the need of φιλαδελφία (13:1), and he is careful to show how it is inspired by the very devotion to Christ for which he pleads (10:19-24). Πληροφορία (not a LXX term) here is less subjective than in 10:22, where it denotes the complete assurance which comes from a realization of all that is involved in some object. Here it is the latter sense of fulness, scope and depth in their— ἐλπίς .1 This is part and parcel of the τελειότης to which he is summoning them to advance (6:1).

The result of this grasp of what is involved in their faith will be (v. 12) a vigorous constancy, without which even a kindly, unselfish spirit is inadequate. For ἐνδείκνυσθαισπουδήν compare Herodian’ s remark that the soldiers of Severus in a.d. 193 πᾶσανἐνεδείκνυντοπροθυμίανκαὶσπουδήν (2:10:19), Magn 53:61 (iii. b.c.), ἀπόδειξινποιούμενοςτῆςπερὶτὰμέγιστασπουδῆς , and Syll. 342:41 (i. b.c.) τὴνμεγίστηνἐνδείκνυταισπουδὴνεἰςτὴνὑπὲρτῆςπατρίδοςσωτηρίαν . The Greeks used the verb as we use “ display,” in speaking of some inward quality. This ardour has to be kept up ἄχριτέλους (cp. pseudo-Musonius, Epp. 1, in Hercher’ s Epistolog. Graeci, 401 f.: τηροῦνταςδὲἣνἔχουσινῦνπρόθεσινἄχριτέλουςφιλοσοφῆσαι ); it is the sustained interest in essential Christian truth which issues practically in μακροθυμία (v. 12), or in the confident attitude of hope (3:6, 14).

Aristotle, in Rhet. ii. 19. 5, argues that οὗἡἀρχὴδύναταιγενέσθαι , καὶτὸτέλος · οὐδὲνγὰργίγνεταιοὐδ ʼ ἄρχεταιγίγνεσθαιτῶνἀδυνάτων , a paradox which really means that “ if you want to know whether the end of any course of action, plan, scheme, or indeed of anything— is possible, you must look to the beginning: beginning implies end: if it can be begun, it can also be brought to an end” (Cope).

In v. 12 the appeal is rounded off with ἵναμὴνωθροὶγένησθε , that you may not prove remiss (repeating νωθροί from 5:11, but in a slightly different sense: they are to be alert not simply to understand, but to act upon the solid truths of their faith), μιμηταὶδέκτλ . Hitherto he has only mentioned people who were a warning; now he encourages them by pointing out that they had predecessors in the line of loyalty. This incentive is left over for the time being; the writer returns to it in his panegyric upon faith in chapter 11. Meanwhile he is content to emphasize the steadfast faith (πίστεωςκαὶμακροθυμίας , a hendiadys) that characterizes this loyalty. Μακροθυμία means here (as in James 5:7f.) the tenacity with which faith holds out. Compare Menander’ s couplet (Kock’ s Com. Attic.

Fragm. 549), ἄνθρωποςὢνμηδέποτετὴνἀλυπίαν | αἰτοῦπαρὰθεῶν , ἀλλὰτὴνμακροθυμίαν , and Test. Joshua 2:7 μέγαφάρμακόνἐστινἡμακροθυμία | καὶπολλὰἀγαθὰδίδωσινἡὑπομονή . But this aspect of πίστις is not brought forward till 10:35f., after the discussion of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. In κληρονομούντωντὰςἐπαγγελίας the writer implies that hope is invariably sustained by a promise or promises. He has already mentioned ἡἐπαγγελία (4:1). Κληρονομεῖντὰςἐπαγγελίας can hardly mean “ get a promise of something” ; as the appended διὰπίστεωςκαὶμακροθυμίας suggests, it denotes “ coming into possession of what is promised.” This is proved by the equivalent ἐπέτυχετῆςἐπαγγελίας in v. 15.

Taking Abraham as the first or as a typical instance of steadfast faith in God’ s promises, the writer now (vv. 13-19) lays stress not upon the human quality, but upon the divine basis for this undaunted reliance. Constancy means an effort. But it is evoked by a divine revelation; what stirs and sustains it is a word of God. From the first the supreme Promise of God has been guaranteed by him to men so securely that there need be no uncertainty or hesitation in committing oneself to this Hope. The paragraph carries on the thought of vv. 11, 12; at the end, by a dexterous turn, the writer regains the line of argument which he had dropped when he turned aside to incite and reprove his readers (5:11f).

13 For in making, a promise to Abraham God “ swore by himself” (since he could swear by none greater), 14 “ I will indeed bless you and multiply you.” 15 Thus it was (i.e. thanks to the divine Oath) that Abraham by his steadfastness obtained (so 11:33) what he had been promised. 16 For as1 men swear by a greater than themselves, and as an oath means to them a guarantee that ends any dispute, 17 God, in his desire to afford the heirs of the Promise a special proof of the solid character of his purpose, interposed with an oath; 18 so that by these two solid facts (the Promise and the Oath), where it is impossible for God to be false, we refugees might have strong encouragement (παράκλησιν , see on 12:5) to seize the hope set before us, 19 anchoring the soul to it safe and sure, as it “ enters the inner” Presence “ behind the veil.”

As usual, he likes to give a biblical proof or illustration (vv. 13, 14), God’ s famous promise to Abraham, but the main point in it is that God ratified the promise with an oath.

Our author takes the OT references to God’ s oath quite naively. Others had felt a difficulty, as is shown by Philo’ s treatise de Abrahamo (46): “ God, enamoured of this man [i.e. Abraham], for his faith in him, gives him in return a pledge , guaranteeing by an oath the gifts he had promised … for he says, ‘ I swear by myself’ (Genesis 22:16)— and with him a word is an oath— for the sake of confirming his mind more steadfastly and immovably than ever before.” But the references to God’ s oaths were a perplexity to Philo; his mystical mind was embarrassed by their realism. In de sacrif. Abelis et Caini (28, 29) he returns to the subject. Hosts of people, he admits, regard the literal sense of these OT words as inconsistent with God’ s character, since an oath implies God giving evidence in a disputed matter; whereas θεῷοὐδὲνἄδηλονοὐδὲἀμφισβητούμενον , God’ s mere word ought to be enough: ὁδὲθεὸςκαὶλέγωνπιστόςἐστιν , ὥστεκαὶτοὺςλόγουςαὐτοῦβεβαιότητοςἕνεκαμηδὲνὅρκωνδιαφέρειν .

He inclines to regard the OT references to God’ s oaths as a condescension of the sacred writer to dull minds rather than as a condescension upon God’ s part. In Leg.

Allegor. iii. 72 he quotes this very passage (Genesis 22:16, Genesis 22:17), adding: εὖκαὶτὸὅρκῳβεβαιῶσαιτὴνὑπόσχεσινκαὶὅρκῳθεοπρεπεῖ · ὁρᾷςγὰρὅτιοὐκαθ ʼ ἑτέρουὀμνύειθεός , οὐδὲνγὰραὐτοῦκρεῖττον , ἀλλὰκαθ ʼ ἑαυτοῦ , ὅςἐστιπάντωνἄριστος . But he feels bound to explain it. Some of his contemporaries had begun to take exception to such representations of God, on the ground that God’ s word required no formal confirmation— it confirmed itself by being fulfilled— and that it was absurd to speak of God swearing by himself, in order to bear testimony to himself.1 Philo (ibid. 73) attempts to meet this objection by urging that only God can bear testimony to himself, since no one else knows the divine nature truly; consequently it is appropriate for him to add confirmation to his word, although the latter by itself is amply deserving of belief. In Berachoth, 32. 1 (on Exodus 32:13), it is asked, “ What means ב ך R. Eleazar answered: ‘ Thus saith Moses to God (Blessed be He!), ‘ Lord of all the world, hadst thou sworn by heaven and earth, I would say, even as heaven and earth shall perish, so too thine oath shall perish. But now thou hast sworn by thy Great Name, which lives and lasts for ever and ever; so shall thine oath also last for ever and ever.’ ”

Εἶχε (v. 13) with infin. = ἐδύνατο as usual. Ὤμοσεν . … εἰμήν … εὐλογήσω . Both the LXX (Thackeray, pp. 83, 84) and the papyri (Deissmann, Bible Studies, 205 f.) show that εἶμήν after ὀμνύειν in oaths is common as an asseveration; in some cases, as here, the classical form ἦμήν , from which εἰμήν arose by itacism, is textually possible. The quotation (v. 14) is from the promise made to Abraham after the sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:16, Genesis 22:17): κατ ʼ ἐμαυτοῦὤμοσα … εἰμὴνεὐλογῶνεὐλογήσωσε , καὶπληθύνωνπληθυνῶτὸσπέρμασου . The practical religious value of God’ s promise being thus (v. 15) confirmed is now brought out for the present generation (vv. 16f.— another long sentence). Κατὰτοῦμείζονος , i.e. by God. Which, Philo argues, is irreverent: ἀσεβεῖςἂννομισθεῖενοἱφάσκοντεςὀμνύναικατὰθεοῦ (Leg. Allegor. iii. 73), since only swearing by the Name of God is permissible (cp.

Deuteronomy 6:13). But our author has no such scruples (see above).

And he is quite unconscious of any objection to oaths, such as some early Christian teachers felt (e.g. James 5:12); he speaks of the practice of taking oaths without any scruples. “ Hic locus … docet aliquem inter Christianos jurisjurandi usum esse legitimum … porro non dicit olim fuisse in usu, sed adhuc vigere pronuntiat” (Calvin). Ἀντιλογίας , dispute or quarrel (the derived sense in 7:7 χωρὶςπάσηςἀντιλογίας , there is no disputing). Εἰςβεβαίσωσιν only occurs once in the LXX (Leviticus 25:23), but is a current phrase in the papyri (cp. Deissmann’ s Bible Studies, 163 f.) for “ by way of guarantee” ; it is opposed to εἰςἀθέτησιν , and used here as in Wis 6:19 προσοχὴδὲνόμωνβεβαίωσιςἀφθαρσίας . In Philo (see on v. 13) it is the oath which is guaranteed; here the oath guarantees. The general idea of v. 17 is that of OGIS (2. b.c.), ὅπωςἂνεἰςτὸνἅπανταχρόνονἀκίνητακαὶἀμετάθεταμένηιτάτεπρὸςτὸνθεὸντίμιακαὶτὰπρὸςτὸνἈθήναιονφιλάνθρωπα . Ἐνᾧ ( = διό , Theophylact), such being the case. Περισσότερον , which goes with ἐπιδεῖξαι , is illustrated by what Philo says in de Abrahamo, 46 (see above): “ abundantius quam sine juramento factum videretur” (Bengel). It is an equivalent for περισσοτερῶς , which, indeed, B reads here. Ἐπιδεῖξαι (cp.

Elephantine-Papyri [1907] 1:7 (iv. b.c.) ἐπιδειξάτωδὲἩρακλείδηςὅτιἂνἐγκαλῆιΔημητρίαιἐναντίονἀνδρῶντριῶν ): the verb, which is only once used of God in the LXX (Isaiah 37:26 νῦνδὲἐπέδειξαἐξερημῶσαιἔθνηκτλ .), means here “ to afford proof of.” The writer uses the general plural, τοῖςκληρονόμοιςτῆςἐπαγγελίας ,1 instead of the singular “ Abraham,” since the Promise in its mystical sense applied to the entire People, who had faith like that of Abraham. The reference is not specifically to Isaac and Jacob, although these are called his συγκληρονόμοι in 11:9.

In τὸἀμετάθετοντῆςβουλῆς our author evidently chooses βουλῆς for the sake of the assonance with βουλόμενος . Ἀμετάθετος is a synonym for ἀκίνητος (cp. above on v. 17 and Schol. on Soph. Antig. 1027), and, as the papyri show, had a frequent connexion with wills in the sense of “ irrevocable.” Here, in connexion with βουλῆς , it implies final determination (cp. 3 Mac 5:11, 12); the purpose had a fixed character or solidity about it. The verb ἐμεσίτευσεν does not occur in the LXX, and is here used intransitively, instead of, as usual (cp. e.g. Dion. Halic. Ant. ix. 59. 5; OGIS 437:76 etc.), with some accusative like συνθήκας .

In Jos. Ant. vii. 8 .5 it is used intransitively, but in the sense of “ interceding” .

The oath is almost certainly that just mentioned. Less probable is the interpretation (Delitzsch, Hofmann, M. Stuart, von Soden, Peake, Seeberg, Wickham) which regards the oath referred to in vv. 16f. as the oath in the writer’ s favourite Psalms 110:4:

ὤμοσενΚύριοςκαὶοὐμεταμεληθήσεται

ΣὺεἶἱερεὺςεἰςτὸναἰῶνακατὰτὴντάξινΜελχισέδεκ .

This oath does refer to the priesthood of Jesus, which the writer is about to re-introduce (in v. 20); but it is not a thought which is brought forward till 7:20, 21, 28; and the second line of the couplet has been already quoted (5:6) without any allusion to the first.

In v. 18 καταφεύγειν and ἐλπίς are connected, but not as in Wis 14:6 . Here, as ἐλπίς means what is hoped for, i.e. the object of expectation, “ the only thought is that we are moored to an immoveable object” (A. B. Davidson). The details of the anchor-metaphor are not to be pressed (v. 19); the writer simply argues that we are meant to fix ourselves to what has been fixed for us by God and in God. To change the metaphor, our hope roots itself in the eternal order. What we hope for is unseen, being out of sight, but it is secure and real, and we can grasp it by faith.

(a) Philo (Quaest. in Exodus 22:20) ascribes the survival and success of the Israelites in Egypt διὰτὴνἐπὶτὸνσωτῆραθεὸνκαταφυγήν , ὃςἐξἀπόρωνκαὶἀμηχάνωνἐπιπέμψαςτὴνεὐεργέτινδύναμινἐρρύσατοτοὺςίκέτας . (b) τόν is inserted in v. 18 before θεόν (by א * A C R 33. 1245. 1739. 1827. 2005 Ath Chrys.), probably to harmonize with ὁθεός in v. 17 . But θεόν is quite apposite.

Παράκλησιν goes with κρατῆσαι (aor. = “ seize,” rather than “ hold fast to,” like κρατεῖν in 4:14), and οἱκαταφυγόντες stands by itself, though there is no need to conjecture οἱκατὰφυγὴνὄντες = in our flight (so J. J. Reiske, etc.). Is not eternal life, Philo asks, ἡπρὸςτὸὂνκαταφυγή (de fuga, 15) ? In τῆςπροκειμένηςἐλπίδος , προκειμένης must have the same sense as in 12:2; the colloquial sense of “ aforesaid,” which is common in the papyri , would be flat. Ἀσφαλῆτεκαὶβεβαίαν reflects one of the ordinary phrases in Greek ethics which the writer is so fond of employing.

Cp. Plutarch, de comm. not. 1061c, καίτοιπᾶσακατάληψιςἐντῷσοφῷκαὶμνήμητὸἀσφαλὲςἔχουσακαὶβέβαιονκτλ . : Sextus Empir. adv. log. ii. 374, ἐςτὸὑποτιθέμενονᾗὑποτίθεταιβέβαιονἐστικαὶἀσφαλές : and Philo, quis rer. div. 62, κατάληφιςἀσφαλὴςκαὶβεβαία . The ἄγκυρα of hope is safe and sure, as it is fixed in eternity. All hope for the Christian rests in what Jesus has done in the eternal order by his sacrifice.

Chrysostom’ s comment on the “ anchor” metaphor is all that is needed: ὥσπεργὰρὴἄγκυραἐξαρτηθεῖσατοῦπλοίου , οὐκὰφίησεναὐτὸπεριφέρεσθαι , κἂνμυρίοιπαρασαλεύωσινἄνεμοι , ἀλλ ʼ ἐξαρτηθεῖσαἑδραῖονποιε͂ ʼ οὕτωκαὶἡἐλπίς . The anchor of hope was a fairly common metaphor in the later Greek ethic (e.g. Heliod. vii. 25, πᾶσαἐλπίδοςἄγκυραπαντοίωςἀνέσπασται , and Epict. Fragm. (30) 89, οὔτεναῦνὲξἑνὸςἀγκυριουοὔτεβίονἐκμιᾶςἐλπίδοςὁρμιστέον ), but our author may have taken the religious application from Philo, who writes (de Somniis, i. 39),1 οὐχρὴκατεπτηχέναιτὸνἐλπίδιθείαςσυμμαχίαςἐφορμοῦντα (lies moored to). He does not use it as a metaphor for stability, however, like most of the Greeks from Euripides and Aristophanes onwards, as, e.g., in the most famous use of the anchor-metaphor,2 that by Pythagoras (Stob. Eclog. 3: πλοῦτοςἀσθενὴςἄγκυρα , δόξαἔτιἀσθενεστέρα … τίνεςοὖνἄγκυραιδυναταί ; φρόνησις , μεγαλοψυχία , ἀνδρία · ταύταςοὐθεὶςχειμεὼνσαλεύει ).

Suddenly he breaks the metaphor,3 in order to regain the idea of the priesthood of Jesus in the invisible world. Hope enters the unseen world; the Christian hope, as he conceives it, is bound up with the sacrifice and intercession of Jesus in the Presence of God, and so he uses language from the ritual of Lev 16:2f. about Aaron “ passing inside the veil,” or curtain that screened the innermost shrine. To this conception he returns in 9:3f. after he has described the vital functions of Jesus as ἱερεύς (6:20f.). For at last he has reached what he regards as the cardinal theme of his homily.

1 Compare the motto which Cromwell is said to have written on his pocket-bible, “ qui cessat esse melior cessat esse bonus.”

Blass F. Blass, Grammatik des neutestamentlichen Griechisch: vierte, vö llig neugearbeitete Auflage, besorgt von Albert Debrunner (1913); also, Brief an die Hebrä er, Text mit Angabe der Rhythmen (1903).

L [020: α 5] cont. 1:1-13:10.

Philo Philonis Alexandriai Opera Quae Supersunt (recognoverunt L. Cohn et P. Wendland).

1 According to Philo (de Abrah. 2, 3), next to hope, which is the ἄρχημετουσίαςἀγαθῶν , comes ἡἐπὶἁμαρτανομένοιςμετάνοιακαὶβελτίωσις . Only, he adds (ibid. 4), repentance is second to τελειότης , ὥσπερκαὶἀνόσουσώματοςἡπρὸςὑγιείανἑξἀσθενείαςμεταβολὴ … ἡδ ʼ ἀπότινοςχρόνουβελτίωσιςἴδιονἀγαθὸνεὐφυοῦςψυχῆςἐστιμὴτοῖςπαιδικοῖςἐπιμενούσηςἀλλ ʼ ἁδροτέροιςκαὶἀνδρὸςὄντωςφρονήμασινἐπιζητούσηςεὔδιονκατάστασιν [ψυχῆς ] καὶτῇφαντασίᾳτῶνκαλῶνἐπιτρεχούσης .

2 Cp. the use of νεκρός in Epict. iii:23. 28, καὶμὴνἃνμὴταῦταἐμποιῇὁτοῦφιλοσόφουλόγος , νεκρόςἐστικαὶαὐτὸςκαὶὁλέγων . This passage indicates how νεκρός could pass from the vivid application to persons (Matthew 8:22, Luke 15:32, cp. Colossians 2:13), into a secondary application to their sphere and conduct.

Expositor The Expositor. Small superior numbers indicate the series.

B [03: δ 1] cont. 1:1-9:18: for remainder cp. cursive 293.

ERE Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics (ed. J. Hastings).

א Ԡ [01: δ 2).

A [02: δ 4].

C [04: δ 3] cont. 2:4-7:26 9:15-10:24 12:16-13:25.

K [018:1:1].

Josephus Flavii Josephi Opera Omnia post Immanuelem Bekkerum, recognovit S. A. Naber.

N [0122: α 1030] cont. 5:8-6:10.

1 [δ 254]

2 [α 253]

5 [δ 453]

6 [δ 356] cont. 1:1-9:3 10:22-13:25

33 [δ 48] Hort’ s 17

69 [δ 505]

88 [α 200]

216 [α 469]

218 [δ 300]

221 [α 69]

226 [δ 156]

242 [δ 206]

255 [α 174]

337 [α 205]

429 [α 398]

489 [δ 459] Hort’ s 102

919 [α 113]

920 [α 55]

1149 [δ 370]

1518 [α 116]

1739 [α 78]

1758 [α 396] cont. 1:1-13:14

1827 [α 367]

1867 [α 154]

2127 [δ 202]

2143 [α 184]

sah The Coptic Version of the NT in the Southern Dialect (Oxford, 1920), vol. v. pp. 1-131.

boh The Coptic Version of the NT in the Northern Dialect (Oxford, 1905), vol. iii. pp. 472-555.

D [06: α 1026] cont. 1:1-13:20. Codex Claromontanus is a Graeco-Latin MS, whose Greek text is poorly * reproduced in the later (saec. ix.-x.) E = codex Sangermanensis. The Greek text of the latter (1:1-12:8) is therefore of no independent value (cp. Hort in WH, § § 335-337); for its Latin text, as well as for that of F=codex Augiensis (saec. ix.), whose Greek text of ΠρὸςἘβραίους has not been preserved, see below, p. lxix.

P [025: α 3] cont. 1:1-12:8 12:11-13:25.

1 C. G. Montefiore, in Jewish Quarterly Review (1904), p. 225.

LXX The Old Testament in Greek according to the Septuagint Version (ed. H. B. Swete).

1

Tertullian’ s translation, “ occidente iam aevo” (de Pudicitia, 20) shows that his Greek text had omitted a line by accident:

νουΣΘΥρημαδυν

αμειΣτεμελλ

οντοΣαιωνοσκαι ,

i.e. δυν [άμειςτεμέλλ ]οντοςαἰῶνος .

Erasmus Adnotationes (1516), In epist. Pauli apostoli ad Hebraeos paraphrasis (1521).

1 In alluding to the gibbeting law of Deu 21:22f., Josephus (Bell. Jud. iv. 5. 2) speaks of ἀνασταυροῖν .

1 Cp. Eurip. Hippolytus, 1070: αἰαῖ , πρὸςἦπαρ · δακρύωνἐγγὺςτόδε .

2 For some reason the softer linguistic form κρείσσονα is used here, as at 10:34, in preference to κρείττονα .

1 See Dolon’ s remark in the Rhesus of Euripides (161, 162): οὐκοῦνπονεῖνμὲνχρή , πονοῦνταδ ʼ ἄξιονμισθὸνφέρεσθαι .

2005 [α 1436] cont. 1:1-7:2

1 For ἐλπίδος , πίστεως is read in W 1867.

Magn Die Inschriften von Magnesia am Maeander (ed. Kern, 1900).

Syll. Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum2 (ed. W. Dittenberger).

1 To make the connexion clear, some inferior texts (C Dc K L 6, 33, 104, 1610, etc.) add μέν .

1 This is the point raised in John 8:13f.

Thackeray H. St J. Thackeray, A Grammar of the Old Testament in Greek (1909).

OGIS Dittenberger’ s Orientis Graeci Inscriptiones Selectae (1903-1905).

1 Eusebius once (Dem. iv. 15, 40) omits τῆςἐπαγγελίας , and once (ibid. v. 3. 21) reads τῆςβασιλείας , either accidentally or with a recollection of Jam 2:5.

1245 [α 158]

Ath Athanasius

1912 [α 1066]

c (Codex Colbertinus: saec. xii.)

1 The comparison between hope and a voyage in de Abrahamo, 9, is different: ὁδὲἐλπίζων , ὡςαὐτὸδηλοῖτοὔνομα , ἐλλιπής , ἐφιέμενοςμὲνἀεὶτοῦκαλοῦ , μήπωδ ʼ ἐφικέσθαιτούτουδεδυνημένος , ἀλλ ʼ ἑοικὼςτοῖςπλέουσιν , οἳσπεύδοντεςεἰςλιμέναςκαταίρεινθαλαττεύουσινἐνορμίσασθαιμὴδυνάμενοι . This is nearer to the thought of Rom 8:24, Romans 8:25.

2 For the anchor as a symbol on tombs, pagan and Christian, see Le Blant’ s Inscr. Chré t. de Gaule, ii. 158, 312. Contrast with Hebrews 6:18, Hebrews 6:19 the bitter melancholy of the epitaph in the Greek Anthology (ix. 49): ἐλπὶςκαὶσύ , Τύχη , μέγαχαίρετε · τὸνλιμέν ʼ εὗρον · | οὐδὲνἐμοίχ ʼ ὑμῖν · παίζετετοὺςμετ ʼ ἐμέ .

3 A similar mixture of metaphor in Ep. Aristeas, 230 (σὲμὲνοὐδυνατόνἐστιπταῖσαι , πᾶσιγάρχάριταςἔσπαρκαςαἵβλαστάνουσινεὔνοιαν , ἥτὰμέγιστὄτῶνὄπλωνκατισχύουσαπεριλαμβάνειτὴνμεγίστηνἀσφάλειαν ), and Philo, de praemiis, 2 .