Cylchgronau Cymru

January 22, 1892. TH£ WELSH WEEKLY, 11 SABBATH SCHOOL LESSONS. SPECIAL COURSE. Hebrews xiii. 1-6 (January 81, 1892). Connection.—Westcott regards this chapter as " a kind of appendix to the Epistle, like Eom. xv., xvi." In form it does resemble an appendix ; but it would be a great mistake to regard its substance as indepen¬ dent of, or even as only loosely, or generally dependent, upon the foregoing discussions. The duties here urged are very closely connected with the great aim of the whole Epistle; and especially will they be seen to arise out of the new relation of Christians which is described in the preceding chapter. To an Epistle so eminently practical in its aim this chain of exhorta- ions forms a most natural and appropriate close. Again, the designation of the contents of this chapter as "general" or "sundry exhortations" is mis¬ leading, for these are the very exhortations which naturally follow here, and which are fitted to serve the great purpose of the writer. Moreover, it will be seen that these exhortations are not mutually inde¬ pendent, but that they have connections and inter- dependencies which make the epithet " sundry" inappropriate. Outline.—Westcott gives a threefold division of the chapter:— (1) Social duties (1-6). (2) Religious duties (7-17). (3) Personal instructions of the writer (18-25). Again, he thus divides the duties of the first division : —Sympathy (1, 2); self-respect, and self-control (4, 5); confidence in spiritual support (6). Ver. 1. Brotherly love, or Love of the Brethren, i-e., of the Christian brethren, who are brethren in virtue of the one Father and the common brother, Christ. This doctrine of the brotherhood of believers lias been already taught in the Epistle (Chap. ii. 11, 12). The virtue of brotherly love has also been Urged, (iii. 12, x. 24, xii. 12). Continue. The word implies that this virtue existed among the Hebrews. At the same time, it appears that it had become enfeebled, or that the writer appre¬ hended a danger of its becoming so. Farrar thinks it possible that "the self-satisfaction of an egotistic and dogmatic orthodoxy, shewing itself in party rivalries," imperilled the brotherly love of this Church. But it is more natural to suppose that the danger lay in the risk of persecution, the discouragement, the Waning zeal, "and the wavering faith, which were the immediate occasions of the Epistle. Faith and zeal foster brotherly love, and themselves are promoted by it, Ver. 2. Be not forgetful. This implies that the Hebrews neglected this virtue. Entertain strangers. " Hospitality " to brethren of other communities. In the early Christian societies We can easily imagine the frequent opportunities offered'to practice this virtue. In times of toleration, bearers of messages between different churches would be frequent guests; while in times of persecution, the oppressed and exiled of one community would seek the hospitality of another. In such cases private sympathy alone could render the necessary re¬ lief. Usually this was given readily and gladly, and the prevalence of this virtue among the early Christians was the subject of much comment and mockery on the part of their Pagan enemies. The danger to this virtue, again, was the risk of persecution, to which it exposed those who practised it. On the other hand, the fulfilment of this duty could not but fortify the minds of these Hebrews against the per- secution which they, too, must face. Some haYe entertained Angels unawares.—The Writer refers to Abraham and Lot. Edwards thinks that there is here a reference to the ministry of angels. *' The constant going and coming of missionary brethren reminds the author of the ministry of angels, Who are like the swift breezes, and carry Christ's ttiessiges over the face of the earth (chap. i. 7)." This is very doubtful. The thought is, that appear¬ ances are deceitful; any humble stranger may be a Very Angel of God; a troublesome duty may be a glorious privilege ; and what come in the appearance of a burden may prove a blessing. In fact, every fulfilment of this duty, from the proper motive, viz., the brotherly love of the preceding verse, is an enter- taiuing n0t 0f angels merely, but of Christ Himself (Math. xxv. 40; John xiii. 20). Ver. 3. Remember. " Be mindfnl|of, with a view °* rendering assistance." Them that are in bonds. Victims of persecution, prisoners for the faith. Sympathy with these sufferers had been shown on former occasions (chap. x. 34). *8 bound with them, i.e., as if we were bound With them. A strong expression of that union in love aud sympathy which should exist among Christians. Them which suffer adversity, lit., the maltreated or tormented. Westcott distinguishes this class from the former as owing their distress, not to direct per¬ secution, but to " the chances and changes of this mortal life." There is no ground whatever for this distinction. The same word occurs in chap. xi. 37, and is there rendered tormented. The distinction which naturally occurs is that between those imprisoned and those otherwise oppressed by per¬ secution. Being yourselves in the body. Not " in the body of the Church" or "members in the one body of Christ;" the words should be taken literally, as meaning simply liability to similar sufferings. " The motives given for helpful remembrance of those in captivity, and of those in affliction are derived from the feeling of community in suffering ; in the former case spiritual, and in the latter case bodily." (Delitzsch.) Verses 2 and 3 are closely connected with ver. 1, as the duties of hospitality and sympathy with the afflicted are simply particular applications of the general duty of brotherly love. Ver 4. In the Eevised Version this verse takes the form of an exhortation: Let marriage be had in honour, &c. The warning is not against celibacy, but against unchastity. The frequency of this warning in the New Testament is explained by the prevailing tendency of the age to licentiousness. Among the Jews, the license of divorce had been greatly extended (Math. xix. 3, &c). In the corrupt Roman society of the dajs of the Empire, unchastity had almost ceased to be an offence. Moreover, there was the Jewish sect of the Essenes, which discouraged marriage (1. Tim. iv. 13). In the face of these corrupt tendencies, Christianity maintained and en¬ forced a high and unprecedented conception of the sanctity of marriage as the ordinance of God, and as a fundamental principle of social welfare. In all. In all respects and in all circumstances, so as to be guarded not only from graded violations, but from everything which lowers its dignity " (Westcott). Ver. 5. A warning against covetousness, " that national Bin of the Jewish people, the disposition to traffic which they have inherited from the natural life of their ancestor Jacob" (Comp. Gen. xxv. 31, &c. ; xxx. 31-43). [Ebrard]. It is usual in the N. T to place together the sins of unchastity and avarice (1 Cor. v. 10, vi. 9; Eph. v. 8, 5 ; Col. iii. 5). This connexion is natural, for they are simply manifesta¬ tions of the same principle of selfishness. Conversation. * Better, turn of mind or disposition, The exhortation points not to outward conduct, but to inward principle. For he hath said. B.V., Himself hath said. An emphatic appeal to the promise of God. I will never, dkc. B.V., 1 will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsalce thee. There is a difficulty in tracing this quotation, inasmuch as the exact words do not occur anywhere in the 0. T., though there are several passages which are similar (Gen. xviii. 15 ; Josh. i. 5). It is found in the very same words in Phils, and . . . it is probable that the writer derived it therefrom, unless it existed in some pro¬ verbial or liturgical form among the Jews. Ver. 6. So that we may, &c. B.V., So that with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper ; I will not fear ; What shall man do unto me ? INTERNATIONAL LESSON. THE SUFFERING SAYIOUR.—Isa. liii. 1-12. (LESSON Y.—JANUARY 31, 1892.) Golden Text.— The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.—Isa. liii. 6. Time.—This will depend on the view we take of the authorship. Unbroken tradition, for more than 20 cen¬ turies, regards Isaiah as the author of the whole. But even the shortest dates makes the prophecy of this chapter to have been written five and a half centuries before its fulfilment. The Prophetic Vision.—This prophecy is like the de¬ scription of a far-off scene, with certain great facts standing out most distinctly. The prophet saw the kingdom, and the man, the King, in His different relations. There was no possible means by which he could evolve this prophetic picture from his own consciousness or from his observation of the forces then working in the world. It must have been given him by Divine revelation. It was as necessary that people of tb.03e early days should look forward to a Messiah who should be their vicarious sacrifice, and their King, as it is for us to look back through the centuries upon the Messiah. In either case the faith in Him would have the same saving, cleansing, comforting effect.—Peloubet. Ver. 1. Who hath believed our report ? The speakers are the believing children of Israel, including the messengers who brought the report, in the time of the Messiah. " The prophet takes bis stand among the Israelites of a later da,y."—Cheyne. Our report: or as margin of Be v. Ver., that which ice have heard. And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ? The arm is a symbol of power, as it is the instrument by which we execute our purposes. It is put for the power of God (Isa. Ii. 9; Iii. 10). It hence means God's power in defending His people, in overcoming His enemies, and in saving the soul.—Barnes. Revealed. Made known, seen, understood. The questions in this verse are strong, but not total denials. " Who hath believed? " that is, hardly any have believed. This verse is twice quoted in the New Testament as finding iti fulfilment in the rejection of Christ by the Jews (John xii. 38; Bom. x. 16.)—Todd. 2. For. Giving the reason why the report was not believed. He. The Servant of Jehovah referred to in Iii. 13, in xiii. 1-7, and in many other parts of Isaiah. He shall grow (rather, He grew) up before Him. Before God, cared for and preserved by God even amid such unfavour¬ able circumstances. As a tender plant. That is, a slender plant, thin and insignificant.—Mattheiv Arnold. (See Lesson I., xi. 1.) Of no reputation, from a family nearly extinct, like a tender plant springing unnoticed from its root, hid in a barren and dry land, out of which nothing eminent wa3 expected.—Bishop Home. And as a root (springing) out of a dry ground. The root is a shoot which springs from the root left in the ground after the tree has been felled. The sprouts that come up from a root in the dry ground lack strength, beauty, comeliness, and present a strong contrast with other plants of the same sort, which may not be a yard away, but whose roots can reach the water. Such sights may be seen in any Oriental garden.—Prof. Isaac H. Hall. Both figures depict the lowly and unattractive character of the small though vigorous beginning. The expression " out of dry ground," which belongs to both figures, brings out in addition the miserable character of the external circum¬ stances in the midst of which the birth and growth of the Servant (the man Christ Jesus) had taken place—-the existing state of the enslaved and degraded nation ; in a word, " the dry ground " is the corrupt character of the age.—Delitzsch. He hath no form nor comeliness. Be- ferring to His state of abasement rather than to His own personal beauty. He had no robes of royalty, no diadem, no splendid retinue, no gorgeous army.—Barnes. No beauty that we should desire Him. There is nothing in His appearance to make us desire Him, or feel attracted to Him. 3. He is (was) despised. Looked down upon by the great, by the world at large. And rejected of men. " Deserted of jjmen," one from whom men held themselves aloof. A man of sorrows. The plural, because of th if number. Acquainted with grief. Bather with suffer¬ ing. He was " well acquainted with grief ; " no casual acquaintance, but its familiar friend.—Birks. .And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him. We turned our baca upon Him, refusing to hear or believe. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (John). Men avoided Him with as much disgust as if He had a disease like the leprosy.—Cheyne. And we esteemed Him not. Did not recognise His worth. In unrequited love there is the sharpest pang. The rejection of Jesus was the con¬ summation of His sorrow. Then His cup was full.—- R. Millman. 4. Surely He hath borne our griefs. Henderson makes his English version more expressive of the writer's main drift by employing the idiomatic form ; it was our griefs He bore, it was our sorrows He carried.—Alexander. Griefs, includes " sorrow," but it means something more, viz., the outward punishment of sin.—Cheyne. Carried our sorrows. Our pains. Yet we did esteem Him stricken. Although all He suffered was for us, and not for His own sins. Stricken, smitten of God. These phrases evi¬ dently allude to the disease of leprosy, which was called pre-eminently a "stroke," "plague," and regarded as a punishment for grievous sin.—Cheyne. 5. But. Still setting forth the contrast. He was wounded . . . bruised. "Pierced," "crushed." Both words imply that the sufferings voluntarily undergone by the Servant ended in death.—Cheyne. Transgressions. Going over the boundaries of right. Iniquities. In-equi- tie3, acting against the right of others. These are the common names of sin. The chastisement of our peace. The chastisement by which our peace is won.—Mathew Arnold. The word " peace" includes all health and blessedness.—Wordsivorth. 6. All we. Every human being. Like sheep haYe gone astray. Sheep without a shepherd which have lost their way, and that in a country where flocks are exposed to the ravages of wild beasts, are the very picture of helplessness ; and such was and is the condition of man, needing to be Eought as well as saved.—Keith. We have turned every one to his own way. Following hi3 own pleasure, and not what was right.—Peloubet. And the Lord. As part of His plan of redemption. Hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. The sorrows that were due for our iniquity, the punishment that we escape, has fallen on Him. 7. He was oppressed. All His ill-treatment was unjust and oppressive. He was afflicted. Bather, He submitted Himself to affliction; He accepted it voluntarily for the sake of saving men. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter. The essential truth taught here by the figures of the sheep and lamb is the quiet non-resistanca with which Christ submitted to all the indignity put upon Him.—-L. Abbott. 8. He was taken from prison, &c. Better as Rev. Ver., By oppression and judgment He teas taken away ; through a judgment accompanied with oppression "He was taken away by a violent death."—Cheyne. Who shall declare (or consider) His generation ? Meyer, Alford, and others understand this as equivalent to, " Who can describe the wickedness of the men of this time ? " Hengstenberg interprets it, "Who shall declare His posterity?" i.e., His spiritual children, born of the travail of His soul. Dr. Kay understands by "His generation," His lifetime or His life. Mr. Urwick suggests that it includes (1) His origin; (2) His earthly life; and (3) His everlasting reign in heaven. Others (Delitzsch, Gesenius, Cheyne) take " His generation " to mean " the men of His generation," and join the clause with what follows : " As for those of His generation, which of them considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living ? " ------------$_----------. That which you claim another might do for you that do for someone else. Where your heart is interested let your life take part: where your life takes part let your heart glow. Human beings are not your livals, for in God's human kingdom there is room. No human being was made to live without love ; no human love was meant for naught. Where you love serve, and where you serve love. —H. S. Carpenter.