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appears to understand it of victims hung up (by the neck) and flayed: to; tetrachlismevna ei[rhtai ajpo; metafora'" tw'n dermavtwn tw'n ajpo; tw'n iJereivwn ejxelkomevnwn . w{sper ga;r ejkei'na, ejpeidavn ti" sfavxa" ajpo; th'" sarko;" parelkuvsh/ to; devrma, pavnta ta; e[ndon ajpokaluvptetai kai; dh'la givnetai toi'" hJmetevroi" ojfqalmoi'", ou{tw kai; tw'/ qew'/ dh'la provkeitai pavnta .

Theodoret interprets the word of victims prostrate and lifeless: to; de; tetrachlismevna toi'" ojfqalmoi'" aujtou' ejk metafora'" tevqeike tw'n quomevnwn zwvwn, a} pantelw'" a[fwna kei'tai, th'" sfagh'" th;n fwnh;n ajfelomevnh" .

OEcumenius gives Chrysostom's meaning and another without deciding between them: tetrachlismevna dev fhsi ta; gumna; ajpo; metafora'" tw'n probavtwn tw'n ejk trachvlou hjrthmevnwn kai; gegumnwmevnwn th'" dora'" . h] to; tetrachlismevna ajnti; tou' kavtw kuvptonta, kai; to;n travchlon ejpiklivnonta dia; to; mh; ijscuvein ajtenivsai th'/ dovxh/ ejkeivnh/ tou' Cristou' kai; qeou' uJmw'n ( leg. hJmw'n ) jIhsou' . Theophylact prefers the interpretation of Chrysostom.

The word has been popularly explained as used of a wrestler who seizes the neck and thrusts back the head of his adversary ( resupinare ) so as to expose it fully to sight; but there is no direct evidence of the use of trachlivzw in this sense; and the words of OEcumenius point to the sense of pressing down the head, which agrees with the general idea of prostration. pro;" o}n hJmi'n oJ lovgo" ] to whom we have to give account. (So Syr.) O. L. ante quem nobis oratio est. Vulg. ad quem (Hier. de quo ) nobis sermo. Comp. Ign. ad Magn. 3. Compare Chrysostom Orat. ad illumin. 1 (2.274 ed. Gaume) ouj ga;r pro;" tou;" sundouvlou" hJmi'n ajlla; pro;" to;n Despovthn oJ lovgo" ejstiv, kai; touvtw/ ta;" eujquvna" dwvsomen tw'n bebiwmevnwn aJpavntwn . So he rightly gives the sense here: w|/ mevllomen dou'nai eujquvna" tw'n pepragmevnwn . Primasius lays open the ground of the truth in impressive words: nec mirum si totus ubique totam suam agnoscat creaturam.

iii. Transition to the doctrine of the High-priesthood of Christ, resuming Hebrews 2:17 f. (4:14-16)

Having dealt with the relation of the Son of Man (3:1 Jesus ) to Moses and Joshua; and with the relation of the promise which declares man's destiny to the people of God under the Old and New Dispensations, the writer now returns to the central thought of the High-priesthood, from which he has turned aside, and prepares for the full discussion of it in the following chapters (5:1-10:18). Briefly, he shews, we have a High-priest who has Himself entered the rest of God (4:14); who can perfectly sympathise with us
(v. 15); so that we can ourselves draw near to God, with whom He is (v. 16).

14 Having therefore a great Highpriest, Who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us cling to our confession; 15 for we have not a High-priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one that hath been tempted in all points like as we are, apart from sin. 16 Let us therefore come with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

4:14. e[conte" ou\n ajrc. ...] Comp. 10:19; 12:1. The words point back to
2:17; 3:1. The fear of final failure, the consciousness of weakness and partial failure, turn the thoughts again to the Mediator.

Our High-priest, our Apostle, has done more than Aaron or Moses


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