As to the first, it has never been doubted except by some of the strange heretics in the first ages. The parainetic or hortative, from the 19th verse of the tenth chapter to the end of the Epistle.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE
ROBERT EARLE OF SALISBURIE, VICOVNT
For where are the natures and offices of Christ so largely described; the doctrine of the free remission of sins in Christ’s blood better established, or faith with her effects more highly commended, than in this Epistle to the Hebrews. Unto which, if your Honor should be pleased to add a second favor in Patronizing these his labors, I thought it would be a special means to revive his memory again, now almost decayed amongst us.
TO THE READER
EPISTLE DEDICATORY
JOHN CALVIN
SIGISMUND AUGUSTUS,
Ambition as well as audacity has so far prevailed, that the truth of God lies buried under innumerable lies, that all his institutions are polluted by the basest corruptions; his worship is in every part vitiated, the doctrine of faith is wholly subverted, the sacraments are adulterated, the government of the Church is turned into barbarous tyranny, the abominable sale of sacred things has been set up, the power of Christ has been abused for the purpose of sustaining the tyranny of the ungodly, and in the place of Christianity is substituted a dreadful profanation, full of the grossest mummeries of every kind. Majesty, I shall at least effect this, that I shall wash away from the name of Poland the base filth of Eckius, so that it may not stick where it has been so unworthily fixed.
THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS
THE ARGUMENT
But the design of the writer was to prove what the office of Christ is. At the end of the fourth chapter he begins to explain the priesthood of Christ, which abolishes all the ceremonies of the Law.
COMMENTARIES
EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE HEBREWS
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son, whom he hath
Even Moses is to be also classed among the prophets, as he is one of the number of those who are inferior to the Son. He further adds that this honor of possessing all things belongs by right to the Son,.
Who being the brightness of [his]
But it is for the same reason that the Son is said to be “the brightness of his glory”, and “the impress of his substance:” they are words borrowed from nature. When he further says, by himself, there is to be understood here a contrast, that he had not been aided in this by the shadows of the Mosaic Law.
H EBREWS 1:10-14
The import of the whole is this, that the higher the dignity of Christ is than that of angels, the more reverence is due to the Gospel than to the Law. To this I answer, that it was not the Apostle’s design to give an exact explanation of the words.
H EBREWS 2:10-13
For both he that sanctifieth, etc. He proves that it was necessary that what he had said should be fulfilled in the person of Christ on account of
I will put my trust in him, or, I will confide in him. the calling of the Gentiles. In short, where was the solemn proclamation of God’s glory among the nations mentioned at the end of the Psalm.
H EBREWS 2:14-15
Forasmuch then as the children, etc., or, since then the children, etc
First, the destruction of the devil, of which he speaks, imports this — that he cannot prevail against us. That he preferred us to angels was not owing to our excellency, but to our misery.
Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his
And Moses verily [was] faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;. God being the builder, alone is to be set above his own work; but God dwells in Christ, so that whatever is said of God is applicable to him. God formerly spoke at different times and in various ways by the prophets, but he deferred to the fullness of time the complete revelation of the Gospel.
And it is useful for us to familiarize ourselves with such expressions, so that we may remember that the words adduced from the books of the prophets are those of God and not of men.
Then follows, Harden not your hearts. By which words is intimated that our rebellion against God flows from no other fountain than willful
It was the punishment of their madness, that theywere deprived of the rest promised them. But as to the present passage, we ought not to think that they were then for the first time denied entrance into the land by God’s oath, when they tempted him in Rephidim; for they had long before been excluded, even from the time they had refused to march forward at the report of the spies. The sum of the whole then is, that faith whose beginnings only appear in us, is to make constant and steady progress to the end.F64.
To this I answer, that the Apostle speaks of the whole community rather than of individuals.
Let us therefore fear, etc. He concludes that there was reason to fear lest the Jews to whom he was writing should be deprived of the blessing
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
For to us, etc. He reminds us that the doctrine by which God invites us to himself at this day is the same with that which he formerly delivered to
For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. However, the sum of the whole is this, that what God threatens in the Psalm as to the loss of his rest, applies also to us, inasmuch as he invites us also at this day to a rest. For we which have believed do enter into rest, or, for we enter into therest after we have believed, etc.
To define what our rest is, he reminds us of what Moses relates, that God having finished the creation of the world,.
But there is some more difficulty in what he immediately subjoins, that there is another today appointed for us in the Psalm, because the former
Then our first business always is, to teach that Christ is the end of the Law. For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The word of God, then, is far from being so efficacious towards them as to penetrate into them to the dividing of the.
Let us then know that the Apostle speaks generally of the truth of God, when he says, that it is living and efficacious.
He therefore makes a preface by saying that he had many things to say, but that they were to prepare themselves lest these things should be
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,. But we must notice in passing the names by which he signalizes the knowledge of the Gospel.
He calls it a tasting of the heavenly gift; intimating that the things which Christ confers on us are above nature and the world, and that they are yet tasted by faith.
H EBREWS 6:7-10
Blessed him, etc. This is the fifth comparison between Christ and
For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. sacerdotium, necessario etiam fit legis translatio. We must then remember, that the Law is that part of the ministration which Moses had as peculiarly his own, and different from. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Now this kind of institution was suitable to the nature of the priesthood; it hence follows, that the priesthood itself was liable to.
Wherefore he is able to save, etc. This is the fruit of an eternal
Then what was required for the real discharge of the office was wanting in the priests of the law. Then the old tabernacle was not the empty inventions of man, but the effigy of the heavenly tabernacle. What immediately follows some render thus, “He could not be a priest of the number of those who offer gifts according to the Law.”.
It is a common saying that the accessory is of the same character with his principal.
Not according to the covenant, etc. Here is expressed the difference between the covenant which then existed and the new one which he caused
After having spoken generally of the abrogation of the old covenant, he now refers specially to the ceremonies. But into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and [for] the errors of the people:. It is added as a reason, that all these rites were of the flesh or carnal.
But the particulars of the comparison between Christ and the ancient high priest, ought to be carefully noticed.
Who through the eternal Spirit, etc. He now clearly shows how
What then does the Apostle mean when he speaks of the purgations of the flesh. We must then return to the same point, that the covenant of God which was made with blood, may be fitly compared to a testament, as it is of the same kind and character. Thus the death of the testator is necessary, in order that the testament may be really consecrated.
He calls the kingdom of Christ heavenly things,F152 for it is spiritual and possesses a full revelation of the truth.
A remembrance again, etc. Though the Gospel is a message of
He expressly denies that the sacrifice which is repeatedly offered, though the same, is efficacious or capable of making an atonement. It is hence quite evident that the offering of Christ in the mass is sacrilegious.F159. There is also to be understood a contrast which is not expressed, as though he had said, “It is no wonder that the ancient sacrifices were insufficient, so that they were to be offered continually, for they had nothing in them but the blood of beasts, which could not reach the conscience; but far otherwise is the power of Christ’s blood: It is not then right to measure the offering which he has made by the former sacrifices.”.
We must, then, necessarily come to the kingdom of Christ, in order that the truth of God’s unwillingness to receive sacrifice may fully appear.
