--- title: "Commentary on Hebrews" author: "John Calvin" translator: "John Owen" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 66 of 81 url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-hebrews/66/ cite: "John Calvin, tr. John Owen, Commentary on Hebrews, section 66. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-hebrews/66/" --- # Commentary on Hebrews *John Calvin, tr. John Owen* Calvin on the Epistle to the Hebrews. ## 66. Appendix Z2 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-hebrews/66/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-hebrews/66/#p-N [¶0] APPENDIX Z 2 [¶1] Chapter 12:28. let us have grace, etc So Beza, Grotius, Doddridge, and Scott. The Vulg. and Calvin are no doubt wrong. The authority as to MSS. is altogether in favor of the verb being in the imperative mood. Macknight gives this singular rendering, “Let us hold fast a gift whereby we can worship God,” etc. He explains the “gift” as denoting the dispensation of religion. No less unsuitable is the version of Stuart, though countenanced by some of the fathers, “Let us manifest gratitude (by which we may serve God acceptably) with reverence and godly fear.” When “χάρις” means gratitude, it is ever followed by a dative case, which is not the case here. To have faith, ἔχειν πίστιν is to possess it, (Matthew 17:20;) to have eternal life is to possess it, (Matthew 19:16;) to have hope is to enjoy or possess it, (Romans 15:4;) and so to have grace is to possess it. And this alone comports with what follows; it is the possession of that by which we may “serve God acceptably.” By “grace” we are to understand the gracious help and assistance which God promises to all who seek it. [¶2] To receive a kingdom is to obtain a right or a title to it; and having the promise of this kingdom we ought to seek, attain, and possess that grace, that divine help, by which we may in the meantime serve God acceptably. This is the obvious meaning of the passage. ### Appendix A3 [¶4] APPENDIX A 3 [¶5] Chapter 12:28. With reverence and godly fear The first word, αἰδως, means “modesty,” as rendered in 1 Timothy 2:9, and it is not found elsewhere in the New Testament. It has in the classics the meaning of respect and reverence. The second word, εὐλαθεία, properly means caution, circumspection, awfulness, and hence dread and fear. It is found only here, and chapter 5:7. It occurs as a passive participle twice, in Acts 23:10, and in chapter 11:7, and means to be influenced or moved with fear. Neither “godly” nor “religious” ought to be added to it. [¶6] It may seem difficult to reconcile this “fear” or dread with that love, and confidence, and delight with which God is to be served according to the evident testimony of Scripture, especially of the New Testament. But were we to take the first word as meaning “modesty,” (or humility,) as rendered by Beza, we might regard the words as describing what we ought to feel in considering what we are in ourselves, and what the danger is to which we are exposed. The meaning then would be, that we are to serve God under a deep consciousness of our own weakness, and under a fear or dread of the danger of apostasy, though that dread may arise in part from an apprehension of what God will be to apostates, according to what is said in the following verse. Without these two feelings it is indeed impossible for us in our present state to serve God acceptably; for without humility arising from a sense of unworthiness and weakness, we shall not be capable of appreciating his mercy; and without the dread of sin, and especially of apostasy, we shall never depend as we ought on God’s power to preserve us. [¶7] These feelings do not in the least degree interfere with the exercise of love, gratitude, or confidence, but on the contrary strengthen them. The weak shall be supported, but he must feel his weakness; and those who dread sin (not God) shall be kept and preserved; but they must feel this dread. And the more our weakness is felt, the stronger we shall be, as Paul says, “When I am weak, then am I strong;” and the more we fear and dread sin, the safer we shall be. But, like Peter, we shall stumble and fall if we become self­confident and exempt from the dread of sin. [¶8] No other meaning but that of fear or dread belongs to εὐλαθεία, wherever found, either as a noun or a participle. It is the fear of evil and not the fear of God. See the Sept., in Joshua 22:24; and 1 Macc. 3:30; 12:42. There is no place found where it denotes the fear of God. ### Appendix B3 [¶10] APPENDIX B 3 [¶11] Chapter 13:5 let your conversation, etc. It is rendered by Macknight “behavior;” and by Stuart “conduct.” But τρόπος; means not only way, manner, conduct, but also a turn as it were of the mind, disposition, ingenium, as given by Schleusner. Parkhurst quotes a passage from Demosthenes, in which it evidently bears this sense. This version may then be given, “Let there be no moneyloving disposition;” or, “Let your disposition be free from the love of money.” The Syr. is, “Let not your heart love money.” The Vulg. gives a loose version, “Let the conduct be without avarice.” Beza’s is nearly the same. “Be content,” or “be satisfied, with what you have;” that is, deem what you have sufficient or enough. ### Appendix C3 [¶13] APPENDIX C 3 [¶14] Chapter 13:5 I will never leave thee, etc There are three places where these words with some variety are found, Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20. In the first, they are the words of Moses to the people of Israel; in the second, the words of God to Joshua; and in the third the words of David to Solomon. The Hebrew in the three places is exactly the same, excepting the change of person; but in none is the version of the Sept. the same. The words, as here given, is literally the Hebrew in Joshua 1:5, where the Greek version is wholly different; only the Apostle introduces the treble negatives as found in that version in Deuteronomy 31:6, but not given in that version in either of the two other instances. Then the quotation is from Joshua 1:5, except that the Apostle follows the Sept. in Deuteronomy 31:6, as to the three negatives. [¶15] The Hebrew could not be rendered as to the verbs more correctly than what is done by the Apostle, which are the same in the Sept., except in Joshua 1:5. The first verb means to relax, and in a transitive sense, to let go, to dismiss, to give up, to surrender; and the second verb means to leave, to forsake, to desert. The verbs in Greek bear a similar meaning. To give a distinct sense to each, we may render the clause thus, — [¶16] “I will not dismiss thee, Nor will I by any means desert thee.” [¶17] That is, I will not give thee up so as to separate myself from thee; nor will desert thee, no, by no means, when thou art in difficulties and trials. [¶18] The three negatives with the last verb are remarkable. There is in Hebrew what somewhat corresponds with them. The ו when preceded by a negative may often be rendered and not, nor, neither. Then the version would be this, “I will not dismiss thee, nor will I, no, forsake thee.” It is indeed a promise, that God will continue to be our God, so as not to give us up, and that he will by no means forsake us in time of need. [¶19] The quotation in the next verse is from Psalm 118:6, and is literally the Sept. The Hebrew is somewhat different, “The Lord is mine, and I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Then the next verse shews that the Lord who was his was also a help to him, “The Lord, mine, is my help, (literally, for my help;) and I shall look on my haters;” a phrase which signifies that he should gain the victory over them. The word “help” is borrowed by the Sept. from the seventh verse; and as it was evidently the Apostle’s design to confirm the last clause of the previous citation, “I will not forsake thee,” he deemed it sufficient to quote the words of the Sept. ### Appendix D3 [¶21] APPENDIX D 3 [¶22] Chapter 13:7 Rule over you, etc. The word ἡγουμένοι means properly leaders, conductors, guides, such as lead the way, and according to its secondary meaning, presidents, chiefs, governors, rulers. It is rendered “prefects — praefectorum,” by the Vulg.; “leaders — ductorum,” by Beza and Stuart; and “rulers” by Macknight; Doddridge paraphrases it, “Who have presided over you.” The version most suitable to the context is “your leaders;” for they are spoken of as persons to be followed; they were such as took the lead in religion and were examples to others. But in verse 17 the idea of a ruler is most suitable, for they were to be obeyed. The specific meaning of a word which has various senses is ever to be ascertained from the context. The leaders here referred to were those who had finished their course; for they were to remember them, and not to observe their conduct then as though they were living; and contemplating the end or conclusion of their life, they were to follow their faith. [¶23] The word ἔχθασις; means an outlet, a way of escape, also the end, conclusion, or termination of a thing, or the issue; and ἀναστροφὴ signifies manner of life, intercourse, behavior, conduct, the way in which one lives. There is no English word that can suitably express it. It may be rendered here “life,” — “and contemplating the end of their life, follow their faith;” that is, what they believed. They ended their life in peace, and were enabled to triumph over all evils by means of the faith which they professed and possessed.