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expression in the first record of death (Gen. 4:10), but the voice ‘of the blood of Jesus’ is doubly contrasted with the voice of the blood of Abel. That, appealing to God, called for vengeance, and making itself heard in the heart of Cain, brought despair; but the blood of Christ pleads with God for forgiveness and speaks peace to man.

For rJantismov" compare Heb. 9:19 f.; 10:22 ( rjerantismevnoi ta;" kardiva" ); 1 Pet. 1:2 rJantismo;n ai{mato" jIhsou' . Barn. 5.1 i{na th'/ ajfevsei tw'n aJmartiw'n aJgnisqw'men o{ ejstin ejn tw'/ ai{mati tou' rJantivsmato" aujtou' . For the idea of Blood in Scripture see Addit. Note on 1 John 1:7.
para; to;n {A. ] better than Abel. Comp. Heb. 11:4 ajpoqanw;n e[ti lalei' . It seems more natural to take the words thus quite simply than to render them ‘ better than that (the blood) of Abel ’ ( para; to; {A. L and some mss.).

Krei'tton is an adverb as in 1 Cor. 7:38 (Winer, p. 580). For kr. parav see Heb. 9:23; 1:4 note.

( b ) The duties of Christians which flow from their position (Heb. 12:25-
29).

The picture of the position of Christians has been drawn. Its dangers and glories have been set forth. The last application now follows.

The section consists of two parts. In the first ( a ) the writer emphasises the responsibility of Christians in respect of their position towards a final revelation (21:25-27); and then ( b ) he makes a practical appeal (12:28, 29).

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not, when on earth they refused him that dealt with them, much less shall we escape who turn away from him that dealeth with us from heaven. 26 Whose voice shook the earth then, but now he hath promised saying Yet once more will I make to tremble not only the earth but also the heaven. 27 And the word, Yet once more, signifieth the removal of the things which are shaken, as of things that have been made, that the things may abide which are not shaken.

28 Wherefore let us, as receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, feel thankfulness (or have grace ), whereby we may offer service to God, as is well-pleasing, with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

( a ) Heb. 12:25-27. The punishment of the Israelites may remind Christians of their responsibility. They rejected an earthly dispensation. He who speaks to us is ‘from heaven’ (12:25). The shaking of the earth then was but a symbol of the shaking of earth and heaven now (12:26), which is final, as introducing an order which cannot be shaken (12:27).

12:25. blevpete mh; parait. to;n lal. ] See that ye refuse not him that even now is speaking. The warning springs directly from the contemplation of the picture which the Apostle has drawn. The absence of a connecting particle gives greater force to the appeal: ‘you know what lies before us: see that you do not disregard it.’

For blevpete compare Heb. 3:12; and for paraithvshsqe 12:19 note. The words which follow ( eij ga;r... ajpostrefovmenoi ) are really a parenthesis; so that to;n lalou'nta goes closely with ou| hJ fwnhv (Heb. 12:26). However the intervening words may be interpreted, the speaker, through whatever agency, is God. He Who ‘spake in a Son’ (Heb. 1:2) still speaks in Him.


eij ga;r ... ejpi; gh'" ... to;n crhm. ... ajpostr. ] For if they —the people of the
Exodus whose history has just been recalled to us—
escaped not the


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