EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Hebrews 6:15.
Καὶ οὕτως]
and in this way, i.e. since God on His part had in such manner afforded documentary evidence for the solemnity of His resolve.
οὕτως belongs to
ἐπέτυχεν. The combining of it with
μακροθυμήσας, as is done by Stein, Tholuck,[79] and Bisping, and consequently taking the participle as an epexegesis of
ΟὝΤΩς, is inadmissible, because in that case the
ΜΑΚΡΟΘΥΜΊΑ of Abraham in particular must have been spoken of immediately before. The opinion of Delitzsch, however, who is followed by Maier, that “the combination of the two combinations” is “the right one,” refutes itself, since it requires that which is logically impossible.
ΜΑΚΡΟΘΥΜΉΣΑς]
because he showed [or:
had shown]
persevering stedfastness (
sc. in the faith, comp.
Hebrews 6:12), in particular by the fact that he had just now been so ready at God’s behest to sacrifice his son Isaac, although this soon appeared to afford the only hold for the realization of the divine promise.
ἐπέτυχεν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας]
he obtained the promise, i.e. the thing promised, inasmuch, namely, as not only Isaac was given back alive to Abraham, but he further lived to see the time when two sons were born to Isaac (comp.
Genesis 21:5;
Genesis 25:7;
Genesis 25:26), and thus the divine promise was fulfilled in its earlier stage. Not a fulfilment, which Abraham first witnessed in the life beyond the grave (Maier, Hofmann), is intended. Nor have we here to take
ἐπαγγελία, with Bleek, in the
active sense [the giving of a promise], and to refer it to the Messianic salvation placed in prospect. For, apart from the consideration that in this case
ἐπέτυχεν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας would, in relation to
ἘΠΑΓΓΕΙΛΆΜΕΝΟς,
Hebrews 6:13, indicate no advance, the emphatically preposed
ἘΠΈΤΥΧΕΝ can be understood only of the obtaining possession of the promised object itself. The promise repeated to Abraham,
Genesis 22:17-18, presented itself under a two fold point of view. His seed was to be multiplied, and in his seed were all nations of the earth to be blessed. Only the first of these in its earlier stage could Abraham, from the nature of the case, live to see; the fulfilment of the latter was attached to the appearing of Christ upon earth, which was to be looked for in the distant future. The first-named reference obtains
Hebrews 6:15. The last-named mode of contemplating the subject underlies the
ΚΛΗΡΟΝΌΜΟΙς Τῆς ἘΠΑΓΓΕΛΊΑς,
Hebrews 6:17. That, too, which we read
Hebrews 11:13;
Hebrews 11:39, is spoken from the last-named point of view, on which account there is not to be found in these passages a contradiction of ours.
[79] Who unaccountably advances, as an argument in support, the supposition that “then a parallel arises between the Christians, who, according to vv. 17, 18, are, on the ground of the divine oath, to hold fast the hope, and Abraham, who likewise did so.”
Hebrews 6:15.
καὶ οὕτω μακροθυμήσας … “and thus having patiently waited he [Abraham] obtained the promise”.
οὕτω, in these circumstances; that is, thus upheld by a promise and an oath. The oath warned him of trial. It would not have been given had the promise been a trifling one or had it been destined for immediate fulfilment.
f1μακροθυμήσας, having
long kept up his courage and his hope. Delay followed delay; disappointment followed disappointment. He was driven out of the promised land, and a barren wife mocked the hope of the promised seed, but he waited expectant, and at length
ἐπέτυχε τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, for although it was true of him, as of all O.T. saints, that he did
not obtain the promise, [
μὴ λαβόντες τὰς ἐπαγγελίας,
Hebrews 11:13;
οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν,
Hebrews 11:39], but could only wave his hand to it and salute it at a distance, yet the initial fulfilment he did see and was compensated for all his waiting by seeing the beginnings of that great history which ran on to the consummate performance of the promise in Christ. Bleek and Rendall understand by
ἐπέτυχε … “obtained from God a promise of future blessing,” and not the thing itself. But in this case
μακροθυμήσας would be irrelevant. He had not to wait for the promise, but for its fulfilment.
15.
after he had patiently endured] Lit., “having patiently endured,” which may mean “by patient endurance.” The participles in this passage are really contemporaneous with the principal verbs.
he obtained the promise]
Genesis 15:1;
Genesis 21:5;
Genesis 22:17-18;
Genesis 25:7, &c.;
John 8:56. There is of course no contradiction to
Hebrews 11:13;
Hebrews 11:39, which refers to a farther future and a wider hope.
Hebrews 6:15.
Μακροθυμήσας,
after he had patiently endured) This is evident from the life of Abraham.—
ἐπέτυχε τῆς ἐπαγγελίας,
he obtained the promise) he got what was promised;
Hebrews 6:14.
Hebrews 6:15
After he had patiently endured (μακροθυμήσας)
Pointing back to μακροθυμία long-suffering,Hebrews 6:12.
He obtained (ἐπέτυχεν)
The compounded preposition ἐπὶ has the force of upon: to light or hit upon. The verb indicates that Abraham did not personally receive the entire fulfillment of the promise, but only the germ of its fulfillment. It was partially fulfilled in the birth of Isaac. SeeRomans 4:18.
The security of the divine promise illustrated by the analogy of human practice.
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