2:10; John 3:12 note; and, for the LXX. Ps. 67:15; (Dan. 4:23); 2 Macc. 3:39. mevtocoi ] Vulg. participes. The word occurs again Heb. 3:14 ( tou' Cristou' ); 6:4 ( pneuvmato" aJgivou ); 12:8 ( paideiva" ) (elsewhere in N. T. Luke 5:7); Clem. 1 Cor. xxxiv. Comp. Heb. 2:14 metevscen (note).
As distinguished from
koinwnov"
, which suggests the idea of personal fellowship (comp. Heb. 10:33 note),
mevtoco"
describes participation in some common blessing or privilege, or the like. The bond of union lies in that which is shared and not in the persons themselves.
katanohvsate
...
pisto;n o[nta
] O. L.
intuimini...fidelem esse
(
fidelem existentem
). Vulg.
considerate......qui fidelis est.
The sense is not simply: Regard Jesus...who was...; but Regard Jesus...as being.... Attention is fixed upon the perfect fidelity with which He
fulfilled His work, and that essentially, both now and always (
o[nta
not
genovmenon
). Comp. Heb. 1:3
w[n
.
For the verb katanoei'n , which expresses attention and continuous observation and regard, see Heb. 10:24; James 1:23 f.; Luke 12:24, 27. Philo, Leg. Alleg. iii. § 32 dia; tw'n e[rgwn to;n tecnivthn katanoou'nte" . 1 Clem. 37:2.
The use of the second person ( katanohvsate ) is rare in the Epistle in such a connexion (comp. Heb. 7:4 qewrei'te ). The writer generally identifies himself with those to whom he gives counsel (4:1, 11, 14, 16; 6:1; 10:22 ff.; 12:28; 13:13, 15).
to;n ajpovstolon kai; ajrciereva ] Him who occupies the double position of legislatorenvoy from Godand Priest. In Christ the functions of Moses an Aaron are combined, each in an infinitely loftier form. The compound description ( oJ ajpovst. kai; ajrc. ) gathers up what has been already established as to Christ as the last revealer of God's will and the fulfiller of man's destiny. Comp. Heb. 8:6 note.
Here the double office of Christ underlies the description of Christians which has been given already. jApovstolo" gives the authority of the klh'si" ejpouravnio" and ajrciereuv" the source of the title a{gioi .
Bengel says admirably of Christ: qui Dei causam apud nos agit, causam nostram apud Deum agit.
ajpovstolon
] Comp. John 17:3 & c. Theodoret, referring to Gal. 4:4, calls attention to the fact that the Father is said to have sent forth the Son
genovmenon ejk gunaikov"
and not
genevsqai ejk gunaikov"
. He is
ajpovstolo"
in respect of His perfect manhood. For the idea of
ajpovstolo"
compare Just. M.
Dial.
75. Lightfoot
Galatians
pp. 89 ff.
ajrc. th'" oJmologiva" hJmw'n
] Old Lat.
principem constitutionis nostrae. The apostle and high-priest
who belongs to, who is characteristic
of our confession.
In Christ our confession, the faith which we hold and openly acknowledge, finds its authoritative promulgation and its priestly application.
The sense whom we confess or who is the subject and sum of our confession falls short of the meaning.
oJmol.
] Heb. 4:14; 10:23; 1 Tim. 6:12 f. Comp. 2 Cor. 9:13 (Rom. 10:9). Comp. Philo
de Somn.
i. § 38 (1.654 M.)
oJ mevga" ajrciereu;"
[
th'" oJmologiva"
]. Clem. 1
Cor.
xxxvi.
jIhsou'n Cristovn, to;n ajrciereva tw'n prosforw'n hJmw'n
...
id.
lxi.
dia; tou' ajrcierevw" kai; prostavtou tw'n yucw'n hJmw'n jIhsou' Cristou'
...
id.
lxiv.
dia; tou' ajrcierevw" kai; prostavtou jIhsou' Cristou'
. The word is objective here like
pivsti"
. Theod.
oJmol. de; hJmw'n th;n