ix. 17.

Version recognize the difficulty of finding an English equivalent for φέρεσθαι here, by rendering it be. Such translations as be adduced or alleged (in a forensic sense), by way of proving the will, are harsh and stiff, and it seems better to think of vaguer uses of the passive, such as to move, come, or go, and hence to be current, to be about, to be in the case, sufficiently indicated by the simple to be. The repeated occurrence of it in 2 Pet. i 17, 18, 21 φωνῆς ἐνεχθείσης ...ηνέχθη προφητεία), illustrates this looser passive.

τοῦ διαθεμένου] For the phrase διατίθεσθαι διαθήκην, compare viii. 1o. Acts iii. 25.

17. ἐπὶ νεκροῖς] Either (1) in reference to dead persons (see, for ἐπί, verse 15, τῶν ἐπὶ τῇ πρώτη διαθήκῃ. xi. 4, μαρτυροῦντος ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ), or (2) on the footing, groundwork, or supposition, of dead persons (see viii. 6, ἐπὶ κρείττοσιν ἐπαγγελίαις).

βεβαία] Valid. See note on ii. 2, βέβαιος.

ἐπεὶ μή] Since it never avails, &c. An unusual, perhaps unexampled, instance of μή, but thoroughly consistent with its Hellenistic use (and indeed

Οι μὴ τότε.

its proper definition) as the mental negative, the negative contemplated or reasoned upon. The justification of it lies in the ere, which is essentially subἐπεί, jective. Compare John iii. 18, ἤδη κέκριται, ὅτι μὴ πεπίστευκεν κ.τ.λ. Το make the clause interrogative (for doth it ever avail...?) seems a harsh and needless expedient, with the above passage (John iii. 18) in view. (The alternative reading τότε simply anticipates and prepares for the ὅτε.

ὅτε ζῇ] For ὅτε with a present indicative, see Mark xi. 1, ὅτε ἐγγίζουσιν (when they are in the act of drawing nigh). John ix. 4, ὅτε οὐδεὶς δύναται (when no one is in the state of being able). Here, when (while) the testator is living.

18. ὅθεν] Whence. In consequence of which principle; namely, that a testament presupposes a death. For ὅθεν, see note on ii. 17.

οὐδὲ ἡ πρώτη] Not even the first the Mosaic) διαθήκη. It might have seemed to be enough that the second (the Christian) διαθήκη should fulfil the condition of having a death antecedent to it. But it was not Even the Mosaic, typical

So.

of the Christian, recognized the same necessity. The question arises, Was it that the Mosaic διαθήκη was itself testament as well as covenant? Or, that the Mosaic διαθήκη typified the testamentary character of the Christian? I think the latter.

ἐνκεκαίνισται] Has been inaugurated. Either (1) the Scripture perfect. Thus it is written in the imperishable record. Or (2) the perfect of permanence. The inauguration is still in force while the Levitical system continues in operation. The word ἐγκαινίζειν, with its cognate and derived nouns, is post-classical (καινίζειν and καινοῦν are classical), and has the senses of (1) making new (as for the first time), as Ecclus. xxxvi. 6, ἐγκαίνισον σημεία κ.τ.λ., (2) making anew (remaking), as I Sam. xi. 14, καὶ ἐγκαινίσωμεν ἐκεῖ τὴν βασιλείαν. 2 Chron. χν. 8, καὶ ἐνεκαίνισε τὸ θυσιαστήριον Κυρίου. Psalm li. 1o, πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐγκαίνισον ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις μου, and (3) inaugu and (3) inaugurating (dedicating), as Deut. xx. 5. I Kings viii. 63, καὶ ἐνεκαίνισε τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου ὁ βασιλεὺς κ.τ.λ. And so here, and in x. 20. Hence ἐγκαίνισις (Num. vii. 88), and ἐγκαινισμός (Num. vii. ro), dedication. Also ἐγ καίνια, a feast of dedication, Ezr.

V. Η.

vi. 16, 17. Neh. xii. 27. Dan. iii. 2. John x. 22.

19. λαληθείσης γάρ] See Exod. xxiv. 3-8. The particulars given in Exodus are (1) the telling to the people πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα, (2) the answer of the people, Πάντας τοὺς λόγους οὓς ἐλάλησε Κύριος ποιήσομεν, (3) the writing of the words, (4) the rising early to build an altar under the mountain, (5) the sending young men to offer ὁλοκαυτώματα and to sacrifice a peace-offering (θυσίαν σωτηρίου) of μοσχάρια, (6) the sprinkling of half the blood upon the altar, (7) the reading of τὸ βιβλίον τῆς διαθήκης in the ears of the people, and their answer, (8) the sprinkling of (the other half of) the blood on the people, with the words, Ἰδοὺ τὸ αἷμα τῆς διαθήκης ἧς διέθετο Κύριος πρὸς ὑμᾶς περὶ πάντων τῶν λόγων τού

τράγοι to the μόσχοι may be regarded as a sort of formula of sacrifices; or it may have been suggested by the predominant thought of the whole sub-section, which is that of the ceremonial of the day of atonement. The details of (2) seem to come from Lev. xiv. 6 (the cleansing of the leper) and from Num. xix. 6 (the three ingredients of the burning of the δάμαλις, followed by verse 9 which mentions the water, and verse 18 which mentions the hyssop), but may be introduced as natural and customary circumstances of the sprinkling of blood, the water to liquefy and multiply the blood, the wool to bind the hyssop to the cedar stick. (3) The addition of the βιβλίον to the ads in the sprinkling is explained by the thought that, 'though containing divine words, it was written by human hands, and thus needed purify ing to qualify it for its abiding virtue.

καὶ τῶν τράγων] See note above. Compare verses 12 and 13.

μετὰ ὕδατος] See note above,

and note on verse 13. Com

pare Lev. xiv. 4-7 and Num. xix. 6, 9, 18.

τὸ βιβλίον] Εxod. xxiv. 4, 7, καὶ ἔγραψε Μωυσῆς πάντα τὰ ῥήματα Κυρίου.....καὶ λαβὼν τὸ βιβλίον τῆς διαθήκης ἀνέγνω εἰς τὰ ὦτα τοῦ λαοῦ κ.τ.λ.

πάντα τὸν λ. ἐράντισεν] Exod. xxiv. 8, λαβὼν δὲ Μωυσῆς τὸ αἷμα κατεσκέδασε τοῦ λαοῦ. For ῥαντίζειν, see note on verse 13.

20. λέγων] The only variations in the quotation from Exod. xxiv. 8 are (1) τοῦτο for ἰδού, (2) ἐνετείλατο for διέθετο, (3) ὁ Θεός for Κύριος.

τὸ αἷμα τῆς δ.] The blood of, belonging to, shed to ratify, the διαθήκη. The words are applied by our Lord to His own blood, and to the new διαθήκη, in the institution of the Supper. Matt. xxvi. 28, τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ αἷμά μου τῆς διαθήκης τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυννόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Mark xiv. 24 (with ὑπὲρ for περί, and omission of εἰς ἄφ. άμ.). Luke xxii. 20, τοῦτο τὸ ποτήριον ἡ καινή δια θήκη ἐν τῷ αἵματί μου (with ὑμῶν for πολλῶν). I Cor. xi. 25 (as in Luke, but with ἐμῷ for μου,

καὶ τὴν 21

and omission of words following it).

s] For v. The usual attraction of the relative to the antecedent. See vi. 10, Tηs ἀγάπης ἧς ἐνεδείξασθε.

ἐνετείλατο] Substituted for διέθετο, as συντελέσω for διαOnooμa in viii. 8, where see note. For ἐντέλλεσθαι, see xi. 22, περὶ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ ἐνε τείλατο. The full construction is ἐντέλλεσθαί τί τινι. Matt. xxviii. 20, ổσa éveteiλáμnv vμîv. Mark x. 3.

John xv. 14, 17. Sometimes the accusative is varied into περί τινος (Matt. iv. 6), or ouros (Acts xiii. 47), or iva (Mark xiii. 34), or is omitted (Acts i. 2). Sometimes the dative is changed into pós Tiva, πρός τινα, as here. The word occurs only about 12 times in the revised text of the New Testament, but more than 340 times in the Septuagint.

21. καὶ τὴν σκ. δέ] And (Se) the tabernacle also (kai), &c. This is a new and separate statement, for the tabernacle was not in existence at the time of the ceremony of Exod. xxiv. (1) It may be that the day of Atonement is again in the writer's mind, when the blood of the two victims was sprinkled first upon the mercy-seat (Lev. xvi. 14, 15), then upon the incense

altar (Exod. xxx. 10), then upon the brazen altar (Lev. xvi. 18), and when it is expressly said (Lev. xvi. 16) that atonement is made for rò άyɩov and for ʼn σκηνή. But to this view there is the obvious objection that the atonement of Lev. xvi. is made, not by Moses, but by Aaron. (2) Some suppose that verse 21 refers to the anointing of the σκηνὴ καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη avrns (Exod. xl. 9), and that, though only oil is there mentioned, as also in that account (Exod. xl. 13, 15) of the consecration of the priests, we must add in the case of the tabernacle that sprinkling of blood which is added in the case of the priests in Lev. viii. 24. (Josephus is quoted in confirmation of this last view.)

σκηνὴν καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη] Exod. xxv. 9, τὸ παράδειγμα τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ τὸ παράδειγμα πάντων τῶν σκευῶν αὐτῆς. XXX. 2628. xl. 9. &c.

τὰ σκ. τῆς λ.] I Chron. ix. 28, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὰ σκεύη τῆς λειτουργίας. xxiii. 26, τὴν σκηνὴν καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς εἰς τὴν λειτουργίαν αὐτῆς. For λειτουργίας, see note on i. 7, λειToupуous.

τῷ αἵματι] the article (r the same blood

At first sight aiuari) suggests as in verses 19,

23

20. This it cannot be. It must mean the (well known) blood. Appealing to the reader's knowledge of the Levitical ceremonial.

13.

ἐράντισεν] See note on verse

22. καὶ σχεδόν] And I may almost say that, &c. The σχεδόν qualifies the sweeping statement which it prefaces, and specially the πάντα. It occurs twice besides; both times in the Acts, and both times with πᾶς. xiii. 44, σχεδὸν πᾶσα ἡ πόλις συνήχθη. xix. 26, οὐ μόνον Ἐφέσου ἀλλὰ σχεδὸν πάσης τῆς ̓Ασίας.

ἐν αἵματι] The er has its usual semilocal idea. The cleansing of everything is contained in, lies in, consists in, blood. It is the direct opposite of χωρίς. The ἐν αἵματι of verse 25 has a slightly different tinge of meaning. See note there.

καθαρίζεται] See note on verse 14, καθαριεῖ.

καὶ χωρίς] This is not a separate statement, laying down as an axiom that atonement (in its availing sense) can only be made by blood, true as the fact is in its Christian application. It belongs to the clause above,

with its qualifying κατὰ τὸν νόμον. The sin-offering always involved the sacrifice of animal life.

αἱματεκχυσίας] A word used nowhere else in the New Testament or the Septuagint. Towards its composition we have ἔκχυσις αἵματος in 1 Kings xviii. 28. Ecclus. xxvii. 15.

ἄφεσις] In the Septuagint ἄφεσις stands specially for the release (from debt, slavery, &c.) of the sabbatical year (Deut. xv. I, &c. xxxi. 1o) and the year of jubilee (Lev. xxv. 28, &c. xxvii. 17, &c.). In the New Testament it is usually followed by ἁμαρτιῶν (παραπτωμάτων, Col. i. 14), but here, and in Mark iii. 29, the genitive is understood.

23. Ανάγκη οὖν] A good example of the effect of pèv in subordinating its clause to the one following with δέ. For the necessity spoken of applies only to the latter part of the verse. While animal sacrifices might suffice for the purifying of a material and typical sanctuary, an expiation of more intrinsic value was needed to purify heaven for man's entrance. The necessity