versions give this sense here: Pesh. who have once descended to baptism. Hcl. who have once been baptized. The addition of a{pax ( once for all ) marks the completeness and sufficiency of the single act. The word is characteristic of the Epistle; 9:7, 26 ff.; 10:2; (12:26 f.). Compare 1 Pet. 3:18; Jude 3, 5; and ejfavpax Heb. 7:27 note; 9:12; 10:10; 1 Cor. 15:6; Rom. 6:10.
The force of the tense is carried on through
geusamevnou", genhqevnta", kalo;n geusamevnou"
, in contrast with
pavlin
v. 6.
geusamevnou" te
...
kai; metovcou" gen
....] This twofold blessingthe
substance of illuminationdescribes first the conscious possession of the principle of life and then the sense of fellowship in a vaster life. The first element is that which the believer has personally in himself: the second that which he has by partaking in something which has a far wider action.
geu". th'" dwrea'" th'" ejpouranivou
]
who tasted of the gift, the heavenly gift
, the gift of the divine life brought by Christ and in Him: John 4:10 note. Compare Rom. 5:15, 17; 8:32; 2 Cor. 9:15. Any special interpretation, such as the Eucharist or more generally forgiveness, peace and the like, falls short of the general idea which is required here.
The gift is described as heavenly ( ejpouravnio" ) not in the sense that it comes from heaven, or has the character of heaven, but that it is realised in heaven. It belongs to a higher sphere of existence than earth.
For dwreav see John 4:10 note. The word is used in the N. T. only of spiritual gifts (? Rom. 5:17), and especially of the gift of the Holy Spirit. For ejpouravnio" see Heb. 3:1 note.
Geuvsasqai
expresses a real and conscious enjoyment of the blessing apprehended in its true character (comp. John 6:56 ff.
trwvgein
). Philo
de Abr.
§ 19 (2:14 M.)
to; de; mevgeqo" aujtw'n ouj panti; dh'lon ajlla; movnon toi'" geusamevnoi" ajreth'"
. But at the same time the enjoyment as here described
(
geu". dwrea'"
) is only partial and inchoative. To feast, to live upon the fulness of the divine blessing belongs to another order.
Compare g. qanavtou Matt. 16:28; John 8:52; Heb. 2:9; g. o{ti crhsto;" oJ kuvrio" 1 Pet. 2:3. See also Ps. 33:9 (34:9).
The use of the gen. ( geu". dwrea'" ) here stands in sharp contrast with the use of the acc. in the following clause ( kalo;n geus. q. rJh'ma ). It is difficult to suppose that this repetition of the verb with a changed construction is without design and force. The difference which is inherent in the two cases (a part of, something of, and the thing as a simple object) falls in perfectly with the scope of the passage. The divine life is apprehended little by little to the end: the divine word is apprehended in its character as a whole, and so each separate manifestation of spiritual power ( dunavmei" not tw'n dunavmewn ). metovcou" genhq. pn. aJg. ] The compound expression ( metovc. gen. ), as distinguished from metascovnta" (Heb. 2:14), marks more than the simple fact of participation (Heb. 7:13; 1 Cor. 10:17). It brings out the fact of a personal character gained; and that gained in a vital development. Compare Heb. 12:8; 3:14; 10:33; 11:6, 7.
For
mevtoco"
see Heb. 3:1 note; and for
pneu'ma a{gion
see 2:4 note. The gift, the operation (
pn. a{g.
), is distinguished from the Person (3:7; 9:8; 10:15,
29).
Comp. Orig.
ap.
Athan.
Ep. ad Serap.
iv. § 10.
5. The fact of illumination including the two elements of the