ejpimarturei'n
occurs 1 Pet. 5:12;
summarturei'n
Rom. 2:15; 8:16; 9:1. The word is not uncommon in late writers: Clem. R. 1
Cor.
23, 43.
shm. te kai; tevr.
...] The
te
, which is not used in the common phrase
shm. kai; tevr.
, shews that all the forms of witness are probably regarded singly, Acts 13:1; 1 Cor. 1:30; Heb. 9:2; 11:32. Comp. Acts 2:22; 2 Thess. 2:9.
shmei'a kai; tevrata ] The combination is found in the Synoptic Gospels (Matt. 24:24; Mark 13:22), St John (4:48), in St Paul's Epistles (Rom. 15:9; 2 Cor. 12:12; 2 Thess. 2:9), and most frequently in the Acts (8 times chs. 1-15). It is not found in the Catholic Epistles or the Apocalypse. In the Synoptic passages and 2 Thess. 2:9 the phrase is used of the manifestation of evil powers.
Tevra"
is nowhere used by itself in the N. T., though it is so used in the
LXX. (comp. Acts 2:19; Joel 3:3).
Shmei'on
and
shmei'a
are common alone, and especially in St John in reference to Christ's works.
poik. dun.
]
by manifold powers
(Lat.
variis virtutibus
) shewing themselves in their characteristic results.
Duvnami"
expresses here the power itself and not the manifestation of the power. See Mark 6:14; 1 Cor. 12:10; Matt. 11:20 ff.; Heb. 6:4 ff.
pn. aJg. merismoi'"
] Vulg.
sp. s. distributionibus
(O. L.
divisionibus
). Comp. 1 Cor. 12:4, 11 (Acts 2:3
diamerizovmenai
). The Holy Spirit is in one sense the gift and in another the Giver. Here there can be no doubt that the thought is of the divine gift (
pn. a{g.
not
to; pn. to; a{g.
) as imparted in several measures by God. Compare John 3:34; 2 Cor. 10:13.
kata; th;n aujt. q.
]
according to His
, God's, not the Spirit's,
will
[
willing
]. Vulg.
secundum suam
[O. L.
ipsius
]
voluntatem.
The clause refers to all that has gone before. Comp. Eph. 4:7.
qevlhsi"
] The word, which occurs several times in the LXX. is found here only in the N.T. As distinguished from
qevlhma
(Heb. 10:7, 9, 36; 13:21), the definite expression of will, it describes the active exercise of will.
The use of these active verbal nouns is characteristic of the style of the Epistle. Among many others which occur the following are found in the N. T. only in this Book:
metavqesi"
(Heb. 7:12; 11:5; 12:27);
ajqevthsi"
(7:18; 9:26);
a[qlhsi"
(10:32);
provscusi"
(11:28);
ai[nesi"
(13:15).
iii.
The fulfilment of the divine desting of man in the Son of man through suffering
(Hebrews 2:5-18)
Two main thoughts are brought out in this section.
(1) The promise of sovereignty to man was fulfilled in Jesus (the Son of man): 2:5-9.
(2) The fulfilment of man's destiny, owing to the intrusion of sin, could only be brought about through suffering, made possible for Christ and effective for man through the Incarnation (2:10-18).
Throughout the section there is a tacit reference to the objections which were raised against the Lord's claims to Messiahship on the ground of the actual facts of His life and sufferings.
(1) The promise of man's sovereignty andits potential fulfilment