<- Previous   First   Next ->

17; 7:8 (18) & ch. Num. 9:13; 18:22 ff. & ch. Ezek. 4:5; 23:49; comp. Ezek. 18:19 f.

The word ‘many’ does not (of course) imply ‘many out of the whole number of men’; but ‘many’ is simply contrasted with Christ's single person, and His single entrance. Compare Heb. 2:10 note; Matt. 20:28; 26:28.

Chrysostom's note is strangely wide of the meaning: dia; tiv de; pollw'n ei\pe kai; mh; pavntwn ; ejpeidh; mh; pavnte" ejpivsteusan . uJpe;r aJpavntwn me;n ga;r ajpevqanen eij" to; sw'sai pavnta", to; aujtou' mevro", ajntivrropo" ga;r h\n oJ qavnato" ejkei'no" th'" pavntwn ajpwleiva", ouj pavntwn de; ta;" aJmartiva" ajnhvnegke dia; to; mh; qelh'sai pavnta" .
ejk deutevrou ... swthrivan ] The ‘appearance’ of Christ corresponds in the parallel to the judgment of men. In this case the complete acceptance of Christ's work by the Father, testified by the Return in glory, is the correlative to the sentence given on human life. He rises above judgment, and yet His absolute righteousness receives this testimony. For Him what is judgment in the case of men is seen in the Return to bear the final message of salvation.

The fulness of this thought finds more complete expression by the description of Christ's Return as a return ‘for salvation’ and not (under another aspect) as a return ‘for judgment,’ which might have seemed superficially more natural. ‘Salvation’ emphasises the actual efficacy of His work, while ‘judgment’ declares its present partial failure.

Nothing indeed is said of the effect of Christ's Return upon the unbelieving. This aspect of its working does not fall within the scope of the writer; and it is characteristic of the Epistle that judgment is not directly referred to Christ, whom the writer regards peculiarly as the Royal High-priest. Compare Heb. 10:27 note.
ejk deutevrou ] in comparison with His first manifestation on earth: Acts 1:11.

cwri;" aJmartiva" ] Heb. 4:15. Here the words stands in contrast with eij" to; pollw'n ajnenegkei'n aJmartiva" . At His first manifestation Christ took on Him the sins of humanity, and, though Himself sinless, endured the consequences of sin. At His second coming this burden will exist no longer. Sin then will have no place. ( cwvran oujkevti ejcouvsh" kata; tw'n ajnqrwvpwn th'" aJmartiva" . Theodt.)
ojfqhvsetai ] Apoc. 1:7; 1 John 3:2. The vision is regarded from the side of man who sees, and not (Heb. 9:26 pefanevrwtai ) from that of God who reveals.

By the use of the word ojfqhvsetai the Return of Christ is presented as a historical fact (comp. Acts 1:10 f.). But it is to be noticed that the writer does not use the word parousiva , which is found in St Matthew, 2 Peter, St James, St Paul, St John. Nor does he use the word ejpifavneia which has a more limited range: 2 Thess. (2 Thes. 2:8 hJ ejpif. th'" parousiva" aujtou' ), 1, 2 Tim., Tit.

This revelation will be the completion of the transitory revelations after the Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:5 ff. w[fqh ). But, like those, it will be for such as wait for Him , even as the people of Israel waited for the return of the High- priest from the Holy of Holies after the atonement had been made.

The word ajpekdevcesqai appears to be always used in the N. T. with reference to a future manifestation of the glory of Christ (1 Cor. 1:7; Phil.


<- Previous   First   Next ->