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appeal to a higher authority it stays the human denial of the statement which it affirms: ejk touvtou luvetai pavsh" ajntilogiva" ajmfisbhvthsi" (Chrys.). And on the other side it issues in confirmation. The oath which silences contradiction confirms that in favour of which it is taken ( bebaivwsi" , Phil. 1:7; Wisd. 6:19). For the sense of ajntil. see Heb. 7:7 (12:3; Jude 11). The sense of ‘controversy’ (Ex. 18:16; LXX.) is too vague. The issue raised is simple and direct. (Comp. Prov. 18:18.)

Compare Philo, de Somn. i. § 2, ta; ejndoiazovmena tw'n pragmavtwn o{rkw/ diakrivnetai kai; ta; ajbevbaia bebaiou'tai kai; ta; a[pista pivstin lambavnei .

Heb. 6:17. ejn w|/ ...] wherein, i.e. in this method of appeal to remove all doubt and gainsaying, God being minded to shew more abundantly to man's apprehension than by a simple promise.... Perissovteron is to be taken with
ejpidei'xai (Acts 18:28). The oath was given to bring home to men the certainty of the divine promise. Compare Philo, de Abr. 46 (2:39 M.) fhsiv, katj ejmautou' w[mosa, parj w|/ oJ lovgo" o{rko" ejstiv, e{neka tou' th;n diavnoian ajklinw'" kai; pagivw" e[ti ma'llon h] provteron ejrhrei'sqai .
boulovmeno" ] As distinguished from qevlein, bouvlesqai regards a purpose with respect to something else, while qevlein regards the feeling in respect of the person himself. Bouvlesqai is used of the divine purpose: Matt. 11:27 (Luke 10:22); 1 Cor. 12:11; James 1:18; 2 Pet. 3:9. For qevlein see Mark 14:36; Acts 18:21; Rom. 9:22; 1 Cor. 4:19; 15:38; Col. 1:27; 1 Tim. 2:4; James 4:15; 1 Pet. 3:17; Matt. 12:7 (LXX.); Heb. 10:5, 8 (LXX.).
toi'" klhr. th'" ejpagg. ] The oath to Abraham was not for himself alone even as the promise was not for himself alone. It was for him and his seed: for the father of the faithful and all faithful sons (Heb. 2:16). Thus the phrase
(
the heirs of the promise ) includes all who under different circumstances and different degrees succeeded to the promise, the Patriarchs (11:9), the prae- Christian Jews, Christians. The immediate application is ( e[cwmen ) to the generation of believers represented by the Hebrews who had need of the assurance.
to; ajmet. th'" boulh'" ] Vulg. immobilitatem consilii (Old Lat. voluntatis )

sui.

The counsel was that of bringing universal blessing through the seed of Abraham (comp. Acts 3:25). This part of the promise has not been directly quoted, but the reference to it is perfectly intelligible from Heb. 6:14.

For the use of the adj. ( to; ajmet. ) see Rom. 2:4; 8:3; 1 Cor. 1:25; 2 Cor. 4:17; Phil. 3:8.

The word boulhv is used of God Luke 7:30; Acts 2:23; 4:28; 13:36; 20:27; Eph. 1:11 kata; th;n b. tou' qelhvmato" aujtou' . ejmesivteusen o{rkw/ ] Latt. interposuit jusjurandum , interposed, as it were, between Himself and Abraham with an oath: took the position of one invoking a higher power.

The oath directly referred to is that to Abraham; but the mention of the oath carries the mind of the reader to the oath by which Christ's Priesthood was confirmed (Heb. 7:20 f.). The promise to Abraham confirmed by an oath is parallel to the promise to Christ—and through Him to Christians—confirmed by an oath. The latter oath shews how the first oath was to attain fulfilment.

Delitzsch observes that a similar thought lies in the prayer of Hezekiah


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