《Exposition of Hebrews (Ch. 2)》(John Owen)

02 Chapter 2

Verse 1

The first verse contains the exhortation itself intended by the apostle, those following the especial enforcements of it.

Hebrews 2:1. — διὰ τοῦτο δεῖ περισσοτέρων ἡμᾶς προσέχειν τοῖς ἀκουσθεῖσι, μήποτε παραῤῥυῶμεν.

περισσοτέρως, “abundantius,” V. L., Arias, “more abundantly;” “eo amplius,” Beza, “so much the more;” דּיְתִירָאִית, Syr., “magis,” “the rather;” “ut magis,” “ut abundantius,” — “as the rather,” “as more abundantly;” “summa attentione,” Arab., “with all attention.” The word denotes somewhat more than ordinary in the act it relates unto, or the persona to whom it is applied. And diligence being especially required in attention unto any thing, or in those that attend, which extends itself unto the whole deportment of the mind in that work (if that be respected herein, which we shall consider), it may be not unmeetly rendered “more diligently,” directly; “more abundantly.” ῝προσέχειν, “observare,” V. L., “to observe,” — improperly; “adhibere,” Ar. M.: a word of an imperfect sense, unless supplied with our minds, or understandings, or diligence, — “ adhibere animum,” “adhibere diligentiam;” but immediately affecting the object, as “adhibere auditis,” it gives no perfect sense. “Attendere,” Beza, “to attend unto,” “to give heed;” נֶהָזֵא זְהִירִין, “simus cauti, attenti,” Syr., “that we be wary,” or “heedful.” προσέχω is usually in other authors, when it refers to persons, “ausculto,” or “obtempero,” to hearken, attend, and give heed to any one with an observant or obedient mind. And sometimes it signifies to hope, or place trust or confidence in him that is attended unto. It is also used for to assent, to agree, or subscribe unto what is spoken by another. In the New Testament it is principally used in two senses: —

1. To beware, or look to ourselves, as to things or persons that might hurt us; and then it is attended with ἀπό or ἐπί, as Matthew 7:15; Matthew 10:17; Matthew 16:6; Matthew 16:11-12; Luke 12:1; — or so to beware as to look diligently unto our own concernments absolutely, Luke 17:3, Matthew 6:1; Acts 20:28.

2. To attend with diligence and submission of mind unto the words of another, or unto any business that we are employed in, Acts 8:6, 1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 Timothy 4:13; Titus 1:14. So it is said of the Samaritans, that they much heeded Simon Magus: προσεῖχον αὐτῷ τάντες, Acts 8:10. And it is the same word whereby the reverential obedience of that people unto the preaching of Philip is expressed, Acts 8:6. An attendance, then, with a mind ready for obedience is that which the word imports.

τοῖς ἀκουσθεῖσι, “auditis,” “to the things heard;” בְּמֵדֵם דַּשְּׁמַעַן, Syr., “in eo quod audivimus,” “in that which we have heard,” — to the things heard, that is by us, who are required to attend unto them.

Hebrews 2:1. — Therefore [for this cause] the more abundantly ought we to attend [or, give heed] to the things heard [by us], lest at any time we should flow out [or, pass away].

διὰ τοῦτο, “for this cause;” as much as διό, “therefore,” “wherefore.” There is in the words an illation from the precedent discourse, and the whole verse is a hortatory conclusion from thence. From the proposition that he hath made of the glory and excellency of the Author of the gospel he draws this inference, “Therefore ought we,” — for the reasons and causes insisted on. And thus the word ταραῤῥυῶμεν, “flow out,” expresseth their losing by any ways or means the doctrine of the gospel wherein they had been instructed, and the benefits thereof. Seeing the gospel hath. such a blessed Author, we ought to take care that we forfeit not our interest in it. But if we take παραῤῥυῶμεν in the sense chosen by Chrysostom, to express the fall and perishing of them that attend not as they ought unto the word (which interpretation is favored by the Syriac translation), then the word, “therefore,” “for this cause,” respects the commination or threatening included therein. As if the apostle had said,

‘Therefore ought you to attend;’that is, ‘Look to it that you do attend, lest you fall and perish.’I rather embrace the former sense, both because the interpretation of the word used by Chrysostom is strained, as also because the apostle doth evidently in these words enter upon an exhortation unto obedience, upon his former discourse about the person of Christ; nor without an especial regard thereunto had he laid any foundation for such a threatening unto disobedience as is pretended to be in the words; of which yet further afterwards. δεῖ ἡμᾶς, “Ought we,” — the persons unto whom he makes the application of his doctrine, and directs his exhortation. Some think that Paul joins himself here with all the Hebrews upon the account of cognation and country, as being himself also a Hebrew, Philippians 3:5, and therefore affectionately respecting them, Romans 9:3; but the expression is to be regulated by the words that follow, ‘All we, who have heard the gospel preached, and made profession thereof.’And the apostle joins himself with them, not that there was any danger on his part lest he should not constantly obey the word, or [as if he] were of them whose wavering and instability gave occasion to this caution; but,

1. To manifest that the duty which he exhorts them unto is of general concernment unto all to whom the gospel is preached, — so that he lays no singular burden on them; and,

2. That he might not as yet discover unto them any jealousy of their inconstancy, or that he had entertained any severe thoughts concerning them, — apprehensions whereof are apt to render exhortations suspected, the minds of men being ready enough to disregard that which they are persuaded unto, if they suspect that undeserved blame lies at the bottom of the exhortation. The like condescension hereunto, upon the like account, we may see in Peter, 1 Peter 4:3.

These are the persons spoken unto. That which is spoken to them consists in an exhortation unto a duty, and an especial enforcement of it. The exhortation and duty in the first words, — “The more abundantly to attend unto the things heard ;” and the enforcement in the close of them, “Lest at any time we should flow out.”

In the exhortation is expressed an especial circumstance of it, the duty itself, and the manner of its performance.

The first is included in that word,” more abundantly;” which may refer either unto the causes of the attendance required, or unto the manner of its performance.

In the words as they lie in the text, διὰ τοῦτο περισσοτέρως δεῖ ἡμας προσέχειν, the word περισσοτέρως, “more abundantly,” is joined unto διὰ τοῦτο, “therefore,” “for this cause,” and seems immediately to respect it, and so to intimate the excellent and abundant reason that we have to attend unto the gospel. But if we transpose the words, and read them as if they lay thus, δεῖ ἡμᾶς περισσοτέρως, then the word περισσοτέρως, “more abundantly,” respects the following word προσέχειν, “to attend unto,” and so expresseth somewhat of the manner of the performance of the duty proposed. And so our translators report the sense, “We ought to give the more diligent heed,” or “give heed the more diligently.” The reader may embrace whether sense he judgeth most agreeable to the scope of the place. The former construction of the word, expressing the necessity of our attention to be intimated from the cogency of the reasons thereof before insisted on, is not without its probability. And this the meaning of the word agrees unto, whether we take it absolutely (for so, as Chrysostom observes, it may be taken, though of itself it be of another form) or comparatively, in which form it is. Take it absolutely, and the apostle informs them that they have abundant cause to attend unto the things spoken or heard, because of him that spake them; for concerning him alone came that voice from the excellent glory, “This is my beloved Son, hear him.” So also in the other sense, the apostle is not comparing the manner of their attending unto the doctrine of the law (which certainly they ought to have done with all diligence) and their attendance unto the gospel, but shows the reasons which they had to attend unto the one and the other, as the following verses clearly manifest. This, then, may be that which the apostle intimates in this word, namely, that they had more abundant cause and a more excellent reason for their attending unto the doctrine of the gospel than they had unto that of the law, on this account, that he by whom the gospel was immediately preached unto us was the Son of God himself. But the other application of the word is more commonly received, wherein it intends the duty enjoined.

In reference unto the duty exhorted unto, there is expressed the object of it, “the things heard.” Thus the apostle chooseth to express the doctrine of the gospel, with respect unto the way and manner whereby it was communicated unto them, namely, by preaching; for

“faith cometh by hearing, and hearing is of the word preached,” Romans 10:14-15; Romans 10:17.

And herein doth he magnify the great ordinance of preaching, as everywhere else he maketh it the great means of begetting faith in men. The Lord Christ himself first preached the gospel, Acts 1:1, and Acts 1:3 of this chapter. Concerning him it was said from heaven, “Hear him,” Matthew 17:5, as he who revealed the Father from his own bosom, John 1:18. From him the gospel came to be the word heard. When he had finished the course of his personal ministry, he mitred the same work unto others, sending them as the Father sent him. They also preached the gospel, and called it “the word;” that is, that which they preached. See 2 Corinthians 1:18. So in the Old Testament it is called שְׁמֻעָה, Isaiah 53:1, “auditus,” “a hearing,” or that which was heard, being preached. So that the apostle insists on and commends unto them not only the things themselves wherein they had been instructed, but also the way whereby they were communicated unto them, namely, by the great ordinance of preaching, as he further declares, Isaiah 53:3. This as the means of their believing, as the ground of their profession, they were diligently to remember, consider, and attend unto.

The duty itself directed unto, and the manner of its performance, are expressed in the word προσέχειν, to “attend,” or “give heed.” What kind of attendance is denoted by this word was in part before declared. An attendance it is with reverence, assent, and readiness to obey. So Acts 16:14, “God opened the heart of Lydia, προσέχειν τοῖς λαλουμένοις,” — “to attend unto the things that were spoken;” not to give them the hearing only; there was no need of the opening of her heart for the mere attention of her ear; but she attended with readiness, humility, and resolution to obey the word. The effect of which attention is expressed by the apostle, Romans 6:17. To attend, then, unto the word preached, is to consider the author of it, the matter of it, the weight and concernment of it, the ends of it, with faith, subjection of spirit, and constancy, as we shall with our apostle more at large afterwards explain. The duty exhorted unto being laid down, a motive or enforcement unto it is subjoined, taken from the danger that would ensue from the neglect thereof. And this is either from the sin or punishment that would attend it, according unto the various interpretations of the word παραῤῥυῶμεν, “flow out,” or” fall,” before mentioned. If it signify to “fall” or “perish,” then the punishment of the neglect of this duty is intimated. We shall perish as water that is poured on the earth. Thereunto is the frail life of man compared, 2 Samuel 14:14. This sense of the word is embraced by few expositors, yet hath it great countenance given unto it by the ensuing discourse, 2 Samuel 14:2-3, and for that reason it is not unworthy our consideration. For the design of the apostle in those verses is to prove that they shall deservedly and assuredly perish who should neglect the gospel. And the following particles, εἰ γάρ, “and if,” in 2 Samuel 14:2, may seem to relate unto what was before spoken, and so to yield a reason why the unbelievers should so perish as he had intimated; which, unless it be expressed in this word, the apostle had not before at all spoken unto. And in this sense the caution here given is, that we should attend unto the word of the gospel, lest by our neglect thereof we bring upon ourselves inevitable ruin, and perish as water that is spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.

But the truth is, that the word ποτέ prefixed will not be well reconciled unto this sense and interpretation, unless we should suppose it to be redundant and insignificative, and so μή ποτε παραῤῥυῶμεν, “lest at any time we should flow out,” should be the same with μή παραῤῥυῶμεν, absolutely, “that we fall not.” But there is no just reason to render that word so useless. Allow it, therefore, to be significative, and it may have a double sense, —

1. To denote an uncertain time, “quando,” “aliquando,” “at any time;”

2. A conditional event, “forte,” “ne forte,” “lest it should happen.”

In neither of these senses will it allow the words to be expounded of the punishment that shall befall unbelievers, which is most certain both as to the time and the event. Neither doth the apostle in the next verses threaten them that neglect the gospel, that at some time or other they may perish, but lets them know that their destruction is certain, and that from the Lord.

It is, then, our sinful losing of the word and the benefits thereof which the apostle intendeth. And in the next verses he doth not proceed to prove what he had asserted in this verse, but goes on to other arguments to the same purpose, taken from the unquestionable event of our neglect of the word, and losing the benefits thereof. The especial reason, therefore, why the apostle thus expresseth our losing of the doctrine of the gospel by want of diligent attendance unto it, is to be inquired after. Generally the expression is looked on as an allusion unto leaking vessels, which suffer the water that is poured into them one way to run out many: as he speaks in the “Comedian” who denied that he could keep secret some things if they were communicated unto him: “Plenus rimarum sum, huc atque illuc effluo;” — “I am full of chinks, and flow out on every side.” And the word relates unto the persons, not to the things, because it contains a crime. It is our duty to retain the word which we have heard; and therefore it is not said that the word flows out, but that we as it were pour it out. And this crime is denoted by the addition of παρά to ῥυεῖν: for as the simple verb denotes the passing away of any thing as water, whether it deserve to be retained or no, so the compound doth the losing of that perversely which we ought to have retained.

But we may yet inquire a little further into the reason and nature of the allegory. The word or doctrine of the Scripture is compared to showers and rain: Deuteronomy 32:2,

“My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.”

Hence the same word, מוֹרֶה, signifies “a teacher” and “rain:” so that translators do often doubt of its special sense, as Psalms 84:7, בְּרָכוֹת יַעְמֶה מוֹרֶח, — “The rain filleth the pools,” as in our translation; others, as Jerome and Arias Montanus, render them, “Benedictionibus operietur docens,” — “The teacher shall be covered with blessings;” both the words being ambiguous. So also Isaiah 30:20, מוֹרֶיךָ, which we translate “thy teachers,” is by others rendered “thy showers,” or “rain.” So these words, Joel 2:23, אֶתאּהמּוֹרֶה לִצְדָקָה כִּיאּנָתַן לָכֶם, which our translators render in the text, “He hath given you the former rain moderately,” in the margin they render, “a teacher of righteousness.” And the like ambiguity is in other places. And there is an elegant metaphor in the word; for as the drops of rain falling on the each do water it and make it fruitful, whilst it takes no notice of it, so doth the doctrine of the word insensibly make fruitful unto God the souls of men upon whom it doth descend. And in respect unto the word of the gospel it is that the Lord Christ is said to come down as the showers on the mown grass, Psalms 72. So the apostle calls the preaching of the gospel unto men the watering of them, 1 Corinthians 3:6-7; and he compares them unto whom it is preached unto the earth that drinketh in the rain, Hebrews 6:7. In pursuit of this metaphor it is that, men are said to pour out the word preached unto them, when by their negligence they lose all the benefits thereof. So when our Savior had compared the same word unto seed, he sets out men’s falling from it by all the ways and means whereby seed cast into the earth may be lost or become unprofitable, Matthew 13. And as he shows that there are various ways and means whereby the seed that is sown may be lost and perish, so there are many times and seasons, ways and means, wherein and whereby we may lose and pour out the water or rain of the word which we have received. And these the apostle regards in that expression, “lest at any time.”

We are now entered on the practical part of the epistle, and that which is of great importance unto all professors at all times, especially unto such as are, by the good providence of God, called into the condition wherein the Hebrews were when Paul thus treated with them; that is, a condition of temptation, affliction, and persecution. And we shall therefore the more distinctly consider the useful truths that are exhibited unto us in these words, which are these that follow: —