Today’s Reflection:
Such prayers might go something like this:
May the wisdom of the Spirit be with each of you.
May your hearts be open to the grace of healing.
O God, our refuge, protect and guide them.
God of love, show them the way to love.
Prayer addresses the helplessness we feel when relationships seem to be unraveling. Each time we hear more of the pain and impasse, we can take the matter to prayer once again. Amen. (Kathleen Fischer, Forgiveness)
From page 67 of Forgiveness: Perspectives on Making Peace with Your Past, compiled and introduced by Amy Lyles Wilson. Excerpt is from “It Often Happens By Inches” by Kathleen Fischer. Copyright © 2008 by Fresh Air Books. All rights reserved. Used by permission. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question: Pray today’s prayer for persons who you know are in conflict. WE DON’T ALWAYS think of praying for those locked in a dispute. When we hear that a brother is divorcing or two friends aren’t speaking, we may get caught up in taking sides. Instead we can lift them up to God, sending each one love and strength in the Spirit.
Such prayers might go something like this:
May the wisdom of the Spirit be with each of you.
May your hearts be open to the grace of healing.
O God, our refuge, protect and guide them.
God of love, show them the way to love.
Prayer addresses the helplessness we feel when relationships seem to be unraveling. Each time we hear more of the pain and impasse, we can take the matter to prayer once again.
Today’s Scripture: There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. (Job 1:1, NRSV)
This Week: pray For Persons in Conflict
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
This week we remember: Thérèse of Lisieux (October 1).
Thérèse of Lisieux
October 01
Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-97), French Carmelite. Also called "Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face" and the "Little Flower," Thérèse was born in Alençon, France. Her parents, having each had aspirations for monastic life, began married life in holy celibacy until a priest convinced them otherwise; thus, it is easy to imagine Thérèse's home life was one of intense Catholic piety. Her mother died when Thérèse was only four. She was left to the care of her eldest sister, Pauline, who five years later left her to enter the Carmelite convent at Lisieux. When two other sisters entered monastic life, Thérèse desired to follow them to Lisieux, but she was still too young. Following a conversion experience on Christmas Day 1888, at the age of fifteen an idealistic Thérèse entered Lisieux.
Thérèse drank deeply from the well of contemplative writings of another Carmelite, John of the Cross. Thérèse also began to realize that though great deeds were not possible in cloistered life, she could offer small deeds of sacrificial love to Jesus. She sought to perform these acts of kindness in secret. In one case, she was falsely accused of breaking a vase-and instead of trying to clear her name, she knelt in contrition. In another case, Thérèse was so loving toward an irritable sister that the latter asked Thérèse why she liked her so much. Thérèse wrote, "I will look for some means of going to heaven by a little way which is very short and very straight, a little way that is quite new." It was this "little way" that would become Thérèse's spiritual legacy. Although she very much wanted to be a priest, when she asked God for the meaning of her vocation, Thérèse was given the answer that love was her vocation. Others saw this depth in Thérèse. Her sister, Pauline, now the prioress, directed Thérèse to write her spiritual autobiography.
In 1896 Thérèse continued to write her story in spite of serious illness. The last chapters reveal a maturing young woman struggling in the journey to her own death. She experienced the "dark night" of the soul, an impasse of doubt and emptiness. This she described as a bird flying toward the sun, who, encountering a terrible storm, sees only clouds around it and yet continues on in hope, "gazing at the Invisible Light which remains hidden from its faith." In her dying, she felt deeply Christ's prayer for his disciples in John 17, as she let go of the souls for whom she had regularly interceded. Thérèse died on September 30, 1897, leaving behind a stirring account hardly conceivable from one so young.Story of a Soul became popular among Catholic laity and continues to be a standard, readable testimony to the life of faith. Within twenty years of her death, Thérèse was canonized. Her wisdom has been so esteemed that she was declared a Doctor of the Church (an authoritative teacher) in 1998.
If Thérèse of Lisieux had taken the Spiritual Types Test, she probably would have been a Mystic. Thérèse is remembered on October 1.
[Excerpted with permission from the entry on Thérèse of Lisieux by Stephanie A. Ford, from The Upper Room Dictionary of Christian Spiritual Formation, edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe. Copyright © 2003 by Upper Room Books®. All rights reserved.]
Image is photograph of Saint Thérèse at age 15, before entering the Carmelite order. Source: Wikipedia.
Lectionary Readings for Sunday, 7 October 2018
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)Job 1:1, 2:1-10
Psalm 26
Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12
Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12
***
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of ‘Utz whose name was Iyov. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil., 2:1 Another day came when the sons of God came to serve Adonai, and among them came the Adversary to serve Adonai.2 Adonai asked the Adversary, “Where are you coming from?” The Adversary answered Adonai, “From roaming through the earth, wandering here and there.” 3 Adonai asked the Adversary, “Did you notice my servant Iyov, that there’s no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil, and that he still holds on to his integrity, even though you provoked me against him to destroy him for no reason?” 4 The Adversary answered Adonai, “Skin for skin! A person will give up everything he has to save his life. 5 But if you reach out your hand and touch his flesh and bone, without doubt he’ll curse you to your face!” 6 Adonai said to the Adversary, “Here! He is in your hands, except that you are to spare his life.”
7 Then the Adversary went out from the presence of Adonai and struck Iyov down with horrible infected sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 He took a piece of a broken pot to scratch himself and sat down in the pile of ashes. 9 His wife asked him, “Why do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God, and die!” 10 But he answered her, “You’re talking like a low-class woman! Are we to receive the good at God’s hands but reject the bad?” In all this Iyov did not say one sinful word.
Psalm 26:1 (0) By David:
(1) Vindicate me, Adonai,
for I have lived a blameless life;
unwaveringly I trust in Adonai.
2 Examine me, Adonai, test me,
search my mind and heart.
3 For your grace is there before my eyes,
and I live my life by your truth.
4 I have not sat with worthless folks,
I won’t consort with hypocrites,
5 I hate the company of evildoers,
I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will wash my hands in innocence
and walk around your altar, Adonai,
7 lifting my voice in thanks
and proclaiming all your wonders.
8 Adonai, I love the house where you live,
the place where your glory abides.
9 Don’t include me with sinners
or my life with the bloodthirsty.
10 In their hands are evil schemes;
their right hands are full of bribes.
11 As for me, I will live a blameless life.
Redeem me and show me favor.
12 My feet are planted on level ground;
in the assemblies I will bless Adonai.
Hebrews 1:1 In days gone by, God spoke in many and varied ways to the Fathers through the prophets. 2 But now, in the acharit-hayamim, he has spoken to us through his Son, to whom he has given ownership of everything and through whom he created the universe. 3 This Son is the radiance of the Sh’khinah, the very expression of God’s essence, upholding all that exists by his powerful word; and after he had, through himself, made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of HaG’dulah BaM’romim.[Hebrews 1:3 Psalm 110:1]
4 So he has become much better than angels, and the name God has given him is superior to theirs., 2:5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the ‘olam haba — which is what we are talking about. 6 And there is a place where someone has given this solemn testimony:
“What is mere man, that you concern yourself with him?
or the son of man, that you watch over him with such care?
7 You made him a little lower than the angels,
you crowned him with glory and honor,
8 you put everything in subjection under his feet.”[Hebrews 2:8 Psalm 8:5–7(4–6)]
In subjecting everything to him, he left nothing unsubjected to him. However, at present, we don’t see everything subjected to him — at least, not yet. 9 But we do see Yeshua — who indeed was made for a little while lower than the angels — now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God’s grace he might taste death for all humanity. 10 For in bringing many sons to glory, it was only fitting that God, the Creator and Preserver of everything, should bring the Initiator of their deliverance to the goal through sufferings. 11 For both Yeshua, who sets people apart for God, and the ones being set apart have a common origin — this is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers 12 when he says,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”[Hebrews 2:12 Psalm 22:23(22)]
Hebrews 1:1 In days gone by, God spoke in many and varied ways to the Fathers through the prophets. 2 But now, in the acharit-hayamim, he has spoken to us through his Son, to whom he has given ownership of everything and through whom he created the universe. 3 This Son is the radiance of the Sh’khinah, the very expression of God’s essence, upholding all that exists by his powerful word; and after he had, through himself, made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of HaG’dulah BaM’romim.[Hebrews 1:3 Psalm 110:1]
4 So he has become much better than angels, and the name God has given him is superior to theirs., 2:5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the ‘olam haba — which is what we are talking about. 6 And there is a place where someone has given this solemn testimony:
“What is mere man, that you concern yourself with him?
or the son of man, that you watch over him with such care?
7 You made him a little lower than the angels,
you crowned him with glory and honor,
8 you put everything in subjection under his feet.”[Hebrews 2:8 Psalm 8:5–7(4–6)]
In subjecting everything to him, he left nothing unsubjected to him. However, at present, we don’t see everything subjected to him — at least, not yet. 9 But we do see Yeshua — who indeed was made for a little while lower than the angels — now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God’s grace he might taste death for all humanity. 10 For in bringing many sons to glory, it was only fitting that God, the Creator and Preserver of everything, should bring the Initiator of their deliverance to the goal through sufferings. 11 For both Yeshua, who sets people apart for God, and the ones being set apart have a common origin — this is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers 12 when he says,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”[Hebrews 2:12 Psalm 22:23(22)]
Job 1:1,
Verse 1
[1] There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Uz — Part of Arabia.
Perfect — Not legally or exactly, but as to his sincere intentions, hearty affections, and diligent endeavours to perform all his duties to God and men.
Upright — Heb. right, exact and regular in all his dealings, with men; one of an unblameable conversation.
Feared — One truly pious, and devoted to God.
Eschewed — Carefully avoiding all sin against God or men. 2:1-10
Verse 3
[3] And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
Still — Notwithstanding all his afflictions, and thy suggestion to the contrary.
Movedst — This, as the rest of this representation, is not to be understood literally: But the design is to signify both the devil's restless malice in promoting man's misery and God's permission of it for wise and holy ends.
Verse 4
[4] And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
Skin, … — The sense is, this is so far from being an evidence of Job's sincere and generous piety, that it is only an act of mere self-love; he is contented with the loss of his estate, and children too, so long as he sleeps in a whole skin; and he is well pleased, that thou wilt accept of these a ransom in his stead; and it is not true patience which makes him seem to bear his crosses so submissively, but policy, that he may appease thy wrath against him, and prevent those farther plagues, which, for his hypocrisy, he fears thou wilt otherwise bring upon his own carcase.
Verse 6
[6] And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
In thine hand — If God did not chain up the roaring lion, how soon would he devour us! As far as he permits the wrath of Satan and wicked men, to proceed against his people, he will make it turn to his praise and theirs, and the remainder thereof he will restrain. Job, in being thus maligned of Satan, was a type of Christ. He had permission to bruise his heel, to touch his bone and his flesh; yea, and his life also; because by dying he was to do what Job could not do, to destroy him that had the power of death.
Verse 7
[7] So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
Boils — Like those inflicted upon the Egyptians, which are expressed by the same word, and threatened to apostate Israelites, Deuteronomy 28:27, whereby he was made loathsome to himself, and to his nearest relations, and filled with consuming pains in his body, and no less torments and anguish in his mind.
Verse 8
[8] And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
Scrape — This he did not with soft linen clothes, either because he had not now a sufficient quantity of them; or because therein he must have had the help of others who abhorred to come near him. Nor with his own hands or fingers, which were also ulcerous, and so unfit for that use; but with potsherds, either because they were next at hand, and ready for his present use; or in token of his deep humiliation under God's hand, which made him decline all things that favoured of tenderness and delicacy. Heb. in dust or ashes, as mourners used to do. If God lay him among the ashes, there he will contentedly sit down. A low spirit becomes low circumstances, and will help to reconcile us to them.
Verse 9
[9] Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Then said his wife — Whom Satan spared, to be a troubler and tempter to him. It is his policy, to send his temptations by the hands of those that are dear to us. We must therefore carefully watch, that we be not drawn to any evil, by them whom we love and value the most.
Die — I see thou art set upon blessing of God, thou blessest God for giving, and thou blessest God for taking away, and thou art still blessing God for thy loathsome diseases, and he rewards thee accordingly, giving thee more and more of that kind of mercy for which thou blessest him. Go on therefore in thy generous course, and bless God, and die as a fool dieth.
Verse 10
[10] But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Shall we — Shall we poor worms give laws to our supreme Lord, and oblige him never to afflict us? And shall not those great and manifold mercies, which from time to time God hath given us, compensate these short afflictions? Ought we not to bless God for those mercies which we did not deserve; and contentedly bear those corrections which we do deserve. And if we receive so much good for the body, shall we not receive some good for our souls? That is, some affliction, whereby we may be made partakers of his holiness? Let murmuring therefore, as well as boasting, be forever excluded.
Sin with his lips — By any reflections upon God, by any impatient or unbecoming expression.
Psalm 26
Verse 1
[1] Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
Trusted — I have committed my cause and affairs to thee.
Verse 3
[3] For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
For — I dare appeal to thee, because thou knowest I have a deep sense of thy loving-kindness, by which I have been led to love and obey thee.
Verse 4
[4] I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
Sat — Continued with them. I have been so far from an imitation of their wicked courses, that I have avoided their company.
Vain — With false and deceitful persons.
Go in — Into their company.
Verse 6
[6] I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:
Compass — Approach to thine altar with my sacrifices: which I could not do with any comfort, if I were conscious of those crimes, whereof mine enemies accuse me.
Verse 8
[8] LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
House — Thy sanctuary and worship.
Honour — Thy glorious and gracious presence.
Verse 9
[9] Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:
Gather not — Do not bind me up in the same bundle, or put me into the same accursed condition with them.
Verse 12
[12] My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.
Standeth — I stand upon a sure and solid foundation, being under the protection of God's promise, and his almighty and watchful providence.
Congregations — I will not only privately, but in the assemblies of thy people celebrate thy praise.
Hebrews 1:1-4,
Verse 1
[1] God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
God, who at sundry times — The creation was revealed in the time of Adam; the last judgment, in the time of Enoch: and so at various times, and in various degrees, more explicit knowledge was given.
In divers manners — In visions, in dreams, and by revelations of various kinds. Both these are opposed to the one entire and perfect revelation which he has made to us by Jesus Christ. The very number of the prophets showed that they prophesied only "in part." Of old - There were no prophets for a large tract of time before Christ came, that the great Prophet might be the more earnestly expected.
Spake — A part is put for the whole; implying every kind of divine communication.
By the prophets — The mention of whom is a virtual declaration that the apostle received the whole Old Testament, and was not about to advance any doctrine in contradiction to it.
Hath in these last times — Intimating that no other revelation is to be expected.
Spoken — All things, and in the most perfect manner.
By his Son — Alone. The Son spake by the apostles. The majesty of the Son of God is proposed, 1. Absolutely, by the very name of Son, verse 1, and by three glorious predicates,-"whom he hath appointed," "by whom he made," who "sat down;" whereby he is described from the beginning to the consummation of all things, Hebrews 1:2,3 2. Comparatively to angels, Hebrews 1:4. The proof of this proposition immediately follows: the name of Son being proved, Hebrews 1:5; his being "heir of all things," Hebrews 1:6-9; his making the worlds, Hebrews 1:10-12 his sitting at God's right hand, Hebrews 1:13, etc.
Verse 2
[2] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Whom he hath appointed heir of all things — After the name of Son, his inheritance is mentioned. God appointed him the heir long before he made the worlds, Ephesians 3:11; Proverbs 8:22, etc. The Son is the firstborn, born before all things: the heir is a term relating to the creation which followed, Hebrews 1:6.
By whom he also made the worlds — Therefore the Son was before all worlds. His glory reaches from everlasting to everlasting, though God spake by him to us only "in these last days."
Verse 3
[3] Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Who sat down — The third of these glorious predicates, with which three other particulars are interwoven, which are mentioned likewise, and in the same order, Colossians 1:15,17,20.
Who, being — The glory which he received in his exaltation at the right hand of the Father no angel was capable of; but the Son alone, who likewise enjoyed it long before.
The brightness of his glory — Glory is the nature of God revealed in its brightness.
The express image — Or stamp. Whatever the Father is, is exhibited in the Son, as a seal in the stamp on wax.
Of his person — Or substance. The word denotes the unchangeable perpetuity of divine life and power.
And sustaining all things — Visible and invisible, in being.
By the word of his power — That is, by his powerful word.
When he had by himself — Without any Mosaic rites or ceremonies.
Purged our sins — In order to which it was necessary he should for a time divest himself of his glory. In this chapter St. Paul describes his glory chiefly as he is the Son of God; afterwards, Hebrews 2:6, etc., the glory of the man Christ Jesus. He speaks, indeed, briefly of the former before his humiliation, but copiously after his exaltation; as from hence the glory he had from eternity began to be evidently seen. Both his purging our sins, and sitting on the right hand of God, are largely treated of in the seven following chapters.
Sat down — The priests stood while they ministered: sitting, therefore, denotes the consummation of his sacrifice. This word, sat down, contains the scope, the theme, and the sum, of the epistle.
Verse 4
[4] Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
This verse has two clauses, the latter of which is treated of, Hebrews 1:5; the former, Hebrews 1:13. Such transpositions are also found in the other epistles of St. Paul, but in none so frequently as in this. The Jewish doctors were peculiarly fond of this figure, and used it much in all their writings. The apostle therefore, becoming all things to all men, here follows the same method. All the inspired writers were readier in all the figures of speech than the most experienced orators.
Being — By his exaltation, after he had been lower than them, Hebrews 2:9.
So much higher than the angels — It was extremely proper to observe this, because the Jews gloried in their law, as it was delivered by the ministration of angels. How much more may we glory in the gospel, which was given, not by the ministry of angels, but of the very Son of God! As he hath by inheritance a more excellent name - Because he is the Son of God, he inherits that name, in right whereof he inherits all things His inheriting that name is more ancient than all worlds; his inheriting all things, as ancient as all things.
Than they — This denotes an immense pre-eminence. The angels do not inherit all things, but are themselves a portion of the Son's inheritance, whom they worship as their Lord. 2:5-12
Verse 5
[5] For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
This verse contains a proof of the third; the greater the salvation is, and the more glorious the Lord whom we despise, the greater will be our punishment.
God hath not subjected the world to come — That is, the dispensation of the Messiah; which being to succeed the Mosaic was usually styled by the Jews, the world to come, although it is still in great measure to come Whereof we now speak - Of which I am now speaking. In this last great dispensation the Son alone presides.
Verse 6
[6] But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
What is man — To the vast expanse of heaven, to the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained! This psalm seems to have been composed by David, in a clear, moonshiny, and starlight night, while he was contemplating the wonderful fabric of heaven; because in his magnificent description of its luminaries, he takes no notice of the sun, the most glorious of them all. The words here cited concerning dominion were doubtless in some sense applicable to Adam; although in their complete and highest sense, they belong to none but the second Adam.
Or the son of man, that thou visitest him — The sense rises: we are mindful of him that is absent; but to visit, denotes the care of a present God. Psalms 8:4.
Verse 7
[7] Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Thou hast made him — Adam.
A little lower than the angels — The Hebrew is, a little lower than (that is, next to) God. Such was man as he came out of the hands of his Creator: it seems, the highest of all created beings. But these words are also in a farther sense, as the apostle here shows, applicable to the Son of God. It should be remembered that the apostles constantly cited the Septuagint translation, very frequently without any variation. It was not their business, in writing to the Jews, who at that time had it in high esteem, to amend or alter this, which would of consequence have occasioned disputes without end.
Verse 8
[8] Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Now this putting all things under him, implies that there is nothing that is not put under him. But it is plain, this is not done now, with regard to man in general.
Verse 9
[9] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
It is done only with regard to Jesus, God-Man, who is now crowned with glory and honour - As a reward for his having suffered death.
He was made a little lower than the angels — Who cannot either suffer or die.
That by the grace of God, he might taste death — An expression denoting both the reality of his death, and the shortness of its continuance.
For every man — That ever was or will be born into the world.
Verse 10
[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.
In this verse the apostle expresses, in his own words, what he expressed before in those of the Psalmist.
It became him — It was suitable to all his attributes, both to his justice, goodness, and wisdom.
For whom — As their ultimate end.
And by whom — As their first cause. Are all things, in bringing many adopted sons to glory - To this very thing, that they are sons, and are treated as such To perfect the captain - Prince, leader, and author of their salvation, by his atoning sufferings for them. To perfect or consummate implies the bringing him to a full and glorious end of all his troubles, Hebrews 5:9. This consummation by sufferings intimates, 1. the glory of Christ, to whom, being consummated, all things are made subject. 2. The preceding sufferings. Of these he treats expressly, Hebrews 2:11-18; having before spoken of his glory, both to give an edge to his exhortation, and to remove the scandal of sufferings and death. A fuller consideration of both these points he interweaves with the following discourse on his priesthood. But what is here said of our Lord's being made perfect through sufferings, has no relation to our being saved or sanctified by sufferings. Even he himself was perfect, as God and as man, before ever be suffered. By his sufferings, in his life and death, he was made a perfect or complete sin-offering. But unless we were to be made the same sacrifice, and to atone for sin, what is said of him in this respect is as much out of our sphere as his ascension into heaven. It is his atonement, and his Spirit carrying on "the work of faith with power" in our hearts, that alone can sanctify us. Various afflictions indeed may be made subservient to this; and so far as they are blessed to the weaning us from sin, and causing our affections to be set on things above, so far they do indirectly help on our sanctification.
Verse 11
[11] For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
For — They are nearly related to each other.
He that sanctifieth — Christ, Hebrews 13:12.
And all they that are sanctified — That are brought to God; that draw near or come to him, which are synonymous terms.
Are all of one — Partakers of one nature, from one parent, Adam.
Verse 12
[12] Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
I will declare thy name to my brethren — Christ declares the name of God, gracious and merciful, plenteous in goodness and truth, to all who believe, that they also may praise him.
In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee — As the precentor of the choir. This he did literally, in the midst of his apostles, on the night before his passion. And as it means, in a more general sense, setting forth the praise of God, he has done it in the church by his word and his Spirit; he still does, and will do it throughout all generations. Psalms 22:22.
Hebrews 1:1-4,
Verse 1
[1] God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
God, who at sundry times — The creation was revealed in the time of Adam; the last judgment, in the time of Enoch: and so at various times, and in various degrees, more explicit knowledge was given.
In divers manners — In visions, in dreams, and by revelations of various kinds. Both these are opposed to the one entire and perfect revelation which he has made to us by Jesus Christ. The very number of the prophets showed that they prophesied only "in part." Of old - There were no prophets for a large tract of time before Christ came, that the great Prophet might be the more earnestly expected.
Spake — A part is put for the whole; implying every kind of divine communication.
By the prophets — The mention of whom is a virtual declaration that the apostle received the whole Old Testament, and was not about to advance any doctrine in contradiction to it.
Hath in these last times — Intimating that no other revelation is to be expected.
Spoken — All things, and in the most perfect manner.
By his Son — Alone. The Son spake by the apostles. The majesty of the Son of God is proposed, 1. Absolutely, by the very name of Son, verse 1, and by three glorious predicates,-"whom he hath appointed," "by whom he made," who "sat down;" whereby he is described from the beginning to the consummation of all things, Hebrews 1:2,3 2. Comparatively to angels, Hebrews 1:4. The proof of this proposition immediately follows: the name of Son being proved, Hebrews 1:5; his being "heir of all things," Hebrews 1:6-9; his making the worlds, Hebrews 1:10-12 his sitting at God's right hand, Hebrews 1:13, etc.
Verse 2
[2] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Whom he hath appointed heir of all things — After the name of Son, his inheritance is mentioned. God appointed him the heir long before he made the worlds, Ephesians 3:11; Proverbs 8:22, etc. The Son is the firstborn, born before all things: the heir is a term relating to the creation which followed, Hebrews 1:6.
By whom he also made the worlds — Therefore the Son was before all worlds. His glory reaches from everlasting to everlasting, though God spake by him to us only "in these last days."
Verse 3
[3] Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Who sat down — The third of these glorious predicates, with which three other particulars are interwoven, which are mentioned likewise, and in the same order, Colossians 1:15,17,20.
Who, being — The glory which he received in his exaltation at the right hand of the Father no angel was capable of; but the Son alone, who likewise enjoyed it long before.
The brightness of his glory — Glory is the nature of God revealed in its brightness.
The express image — Or stamp. Whatever the Father is, is exhibited in the Son, as a seal in the stamp on wax.
Of his person — Or substance. The word denotes the unchangeable perpetuity of divine life and power.
And sustaining all things — Visible and invisible, in being.
By the word of his power — That is, by his powerful word.
When he had by himself — Without any Mosaic rites or ceremonies.
Purged our sins — In order to which it was necessary he should for a time divest himself of his glory. In this chapter St. Paul describes his glory chiefly as he is the Son of God; afterwards, Hebrews 2:6, etc., the glory of the man Christ Jesus. He speaks, indeed, briefly of the former before his humiliation, but copiously after his exaltation; as from hence the glory he had from eternity began to be evidently seen. Both his purging our sins, and sitting on the right hand of God, are largely treated of in the seven following chapters.
Sat down — The priests stood while they ministered: sitting, therefore, denotes the consummation of his sacrifice. This word, sat down, contains the scope, the theme, and the sum, of the epistle.
Verse 4
[4] Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
This verse has two clauses, the latter of which is treated of, Hebrews 1:5; the former, Hebrews 1:13. Such transpositions are also found in the other epistles of St. Paul, but in none so frequently as in this. The Jewish doctors were peculiarly fond of this figure, and used it much in all their writings. The apostle therefore, becoming all things to all men, here follows the same method. All the inspired writers were readier in all the figures of speech than the most experienced orators.
Being — By his exaltation, after he had been lower than them, Hebrews 2:9.
So much higher than the angels — It was extremely proper to observe this, because the Jews gloried in their law, as it was delivered by the ministration of angels. How much more may we glory in the gospel, which was given, not by the ministry of angels, but of the very Son of God! As he hath by inheritance a more excellent name - Because he is the Son of God, he inherits that name, in right whereof he inherits all things His inheriting that name is more ancient than all worlds; his inheriting all things, as ancient as all things.
Than they — This denotes an immense pre-eminence. The angels do not inherit all things, but are themselves a portion of the Son's inheritance, whom they worship as their Lord. 2:5-12
Verse 5
[5] For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
This verse contains a proof of the third; the greater the salvation is, and the more glorious the Lord whom we despise, the greater will be our punishment.
God hath not subjected the world to come — That is, the dispensation of the Messiah; which being to succeed the Mosaic was usually styled by the Jews, the world to come, although it is still in great measure to come Whereof we now speak - Of which I am now speaking. In this last great dispensation the Son alone presides.
Verse 6
[6] But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
What is man — To the vast expanse of heaven, to the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained! This psalm seems to have been composed by David, in a clear, moonshiny, and starlight night, while he was contemplating the wonderful fabric of heaven; because in his magnificent description of its luminaries, he takes no notice of the sun, the most glorious of them all. The words here cited concerning dominion were doubtless in some sense applicable to Adam; although in their complete and highest sense, they belong to none but the second Adam.
Or the son of man, that thou visitest him — The sense rises: we are mindful of him that is absent; but to visit, denotes the care of a present God. Psalms 8:4.
Verse 7
[7] Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Thou hast made him — Adam.
A little lower than the angels — The Hebrew is, a little lower than (that is, next to) God. Such was man as he came out of the hands of his Creator: it seems, the highest of all created beings. But these words are also in a farther sense, as the apostle here shows, applicable to the Son of God. It should be remembered that the apostles constantly cited the Septuagint translation, very frequently without any variation. It was not their business, in writing to the Jews, who at that time had it in high esteem, to amend or alter this, which would of consequence have occasioned disputes without end.
Verse 8
[8] Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Now this putting all things under him, implies that there is nothing that is not put under him. But it is plain, this is not done now, with regard to man in general.
Verse 9
[9] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
It is done only with regard to Jesus, God-Man, who is now crowned with glory and honour - As a reward for his having suffered death.
He was made a little lower than the angels — Who cannot either suffer or die.
That by the grace of God, he might taste death — An expression denoting both the reality of his death, and the shortness of its continuance.
For every man — That ever was or will be born into the world.
Verse 10
[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.
In this verse the apostle expresses, in his own words, what he expressed before in those of the Psalmist.
It became him — It was suitable to all his attributes, both to his justice, goodness, and wisdom.
For whom — As their ultimate end.
And by whom — As their first cause. Are all things, in bringing many adopted sons to glory - To this very thing, that they are sons, and are treated as such To perfect the captain - Prince, leader, and author of their salvation, by his atoning sufferings for them. To perfect or consummate implies the bringing him to a full and glorious end of all his troubles, Hebrews 5:9. This consummation by sufferings intimates, 1. the glory of Christ, to whom, being consummated, all things are made subject. 2. The preceding sufferings. Of these he treats expressly, Hebrews 2:11-18; having before spoken of his glory, both to give an edge to his exhortation, and to remove the scandal of sufferings and death. A fuller consideration of both these points he interweaves with the following discourse on his priesthood. But what is here said of our Lord's being made perfect through sufferings, has no relation to our being saved or sanctified by sufferings. Even he himself was perfect, as God and as man, before ever be suffered. By his sufferings, in his life and death, he was made a perfect or complete sin-offering. But unless we were to be made the same sacrifice, and to atone for sin, what is said of him in this respect is as much out of our sphere as his ascension into heaven. It is his atonement, and his Spirit carrying on "the work of faith with power" in our hearts, that alone can sanctify us. Various afflictions indeed may be made subservient to this; and so far as they are blessed to the weaning us from sin, and causing our affections to be set on things above, so far they do indirectly help on our sanctification.
Verse 11
[11] For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
For — They are nearly related to each other.
He that sanctifieth — Christ, Hebrews 13:12.
And all they that are sanctified — That are brought to God; that draw near or come to him, which are synonymous terms.
Are all of one — Partakers of one nature, from one parent, Adam.
Verse 12
[12] Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
I will declare thy name to my brethren — Christ declares the name of God, gracious and merciful, plenteous in goodness and truth, to all who believe, that they also may praise him.
In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee — As the precentor of the choir. This he did literally, in the midst of his apostles, on the night before his passion. And as it means, in a more general sense, setting forth the praise of God, he has done it in the church by his word and his Spirit; he still does, and will do it throughout all generations. Psalms 22:22. (John Wesley's Explanatory Notes).
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