Hebrews 10:28

Heb_10:28-29

Trodden under foot the Son of God

Aggravated apostasy

I.

THE APOSTATE TREADS UNDER FOOT THE SON OF GOD. The expression is metaphorical, and presupposeth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and affirmeth that He, though the Son of God, is trodden under foot. To tread a thing under foot is

1. To undervalue it, if it be of any worth.

2. To vilify it.

3. To vilify it very much.

4. To express this contempt by casting it upon the ground and trampling upon it, which is the greatest debasement, and is sometimes an expression of utter detestation.

Thus Jezebel was thrown down upon the earth, and trampled upon by Jehus horses. To vilify and debase things that are base is no fault; and to despise unworthy men is tolerable; but the apostate undervalues the Son of God; and the greater His dignity, the greater the indignity. He is not mere man, though man, yet as man the best of men; for He is the Son of God, and that not any kind of son, but the only begotten and beloved Son of God, the brightness of His Fathers glory, and the express image of His person; and so the Son of God, that He is God. Thus neither the Person and Deity of Christ, nor His natures, nor the personal union of them, nor His transcendent gifts, nor His heavenly wisdom, nor His glorious works, nor His rare virtues, nor His great work of expiation, nor His glory and power; which He enjoys at the right hand of God, could anyways move him; but he debaseth Him that was higher than the heavens, as low as the dust under his feet; yet this debasement was only an act of his base mind, but could not in the least degree obscure the excellency of Christ, This is the first aggravation of apostasy.

II. HE COUNTETH THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT, WHEREBY HE WAS SANCTIFIED, AN UNHOLY THING.

1. By the blood understand the sacrifice of Christ, so much magnified in the former chapter; for it is that blood by which Christ, entering the holy place of heaven, obtained eternal redemption; that blood which purgeth the conscience from dead works to serve the living God; that blood which confirmed the everlasting covenant, in which respect it is called the blood of the covenant. This covenant is called the covenant of grace, wherein God promiseth remission of sins, and the eternal inheritance of glory, upon condition of repentance and faith in Christ. And it is called the blood of this covenant because upon it the covenant was grounded, and by virtue of it all the promises thereof are made effectual.

2. This was the blood by which this apostate, upon his receiving the knowledge of the truth, was sanctified. For

(1) This blood, as offered and accepted of God, made his sin remissible.

(2) Upon the profession of his faith his sin was, at least conditionally, pardoned and purged.

(3) So long as he continued in his profession, and so far as he proceeded according to certain degrees in faith and the profession of it, so far he might be said to be in a state of justification, and not only to justification, but sanctification.

3. Yet this sanctifying blood the apostate counts unholy or common. To be common blood may be understood

(1) Such as hath no expiating and purging power.

(2) Such as is no better than the blood of bulls and goats sacrificed.

(3) Such as differs not from the blood of other men.

(4) Such as is the blood of a malefactor, guilty and vicious person, and that is impure and unholy blood. So that the apostate, though he had received some kind and measure of sanctification from it, yet ascribed no more virtue and excellency to it than to common blood; denied the sanctifying power of it, nay, did account it unholy. Yet you must note, that though it be so vile in his conceit, yet it is really in itself the only sanctifying blood to all such as do sincerely believe. This is the second aggravatior,.

III. THE APOSTATE DOTH DESPITE UNTO THE SPIRIT OF GRACE.

1. This Spirit is not the spirit of man, neither is it any angel, nor any created person of substance; but it is an uncreated Spirit, the Spirit of God, so as that it is God; therefore the perfections and operations of God are predicated of it.

2. This Spirit is said to be the Spirit of grace. Thus He may be called in opposition to the spirit of bondage and fear, which is the spirit proper to the law. For the Spirit by the law, which had no expiation for sin, no promise of power to keep it, nor of pardon if transgressed, could work nothing but fear, which was a continued slavery. The Spirit of the gospel, which is the Spirit of Christ, promised and given in the gospel, is a Spirit of comfort and confidence.

3. They do despite unto this Spirit. In this despite there are injury, reproach, contempt; and the greater the person to whom the despite is done, the more heinous it is. This here meant is not done to man, but God; because done to that Spirit which is so the Spirit of God, that He is God. This is committed

(1) By resisting the sanctifying power of God.

(2) By undoing all that God, by His Spirit, had done in him for his salvation.

(3) By accounting the gifts, notions, motions of this Spirit, the works, delusions, and impulses of the devil; and that not only in himself, but in others sanctified by this Spirit, and endued with His gifts. This is a sin against God the Father, who loved us, and sent Christ to redeem us; against God the Son, who had shed His precious blood for the expiation of our sins; against God the Holy Ghost, who had begun the work of sanctification and consolation in us. (G. Lawson.)

The folly of rejecting Christ:

It is as if a Venice glass should dispute against a marble wall. It is as if a little ship should run itself against a rock; the rock would soon split the ship, but the ship could not have hurt the rock. (Ralph Robinson.)

The murdered Christ

I do believe that a murderer would rather see the ghost of his murdered victim standing by his side, sitting at his table, looking at him through the curtains of his bed, confronting him in every society he visits, haunting him in solitude--I believe a man would rather see the ghost of a murdered victim following him everywhere than you would like to see the murdered Christ, whom your sins pierced on the Cross. (B. K. Noel.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heb 10:28-29. He that — In capital cases, such as by the sins of sabbath- breaking, disobedience to parents, blasphemy, adultery, murder; despised — Presumptuously transgressed; Moses’s law, died — Was put to death; without mercy — Without any delay or mitigation of his punishment, if convicted by two or three witnesses — See the margin. Of how much sorer punishment — Than that of the death of the body; shall he be thought worthy, who — By wilful, total apostacy; (to which only it appears that this passage refers;) hath, as it were, trodden underfoot the Son of God — A lawgiver far more honourable than Moses, and the true Messiah, the only Saviour of the world; him whom God hath exalted above principalities and powers, and whom therefore all mankind ought to exalt and adore in their souls; but who now, by this sort of persons, was esteemed an evil-doer, a seducer; one not in any sense sent of God, but a malefactor, justly condemned and executed for his crimes: herein they trod under foot the Son of God with all contempt and scorn. And hath counted the blood of the covenant — That is, the blood of Christ, whereby the new covenant was confirmed; wherewith he was sanctified — Dedicated to God, and taken into covenant with him, and even inwardly renewed in the spirit of his mind; an unholy — Κοινον, a common thing, of no value or virtue; a worthless thing; not even of so much use to the glory of God as the blood of beasts in legal sacrifices. Observe, reader, those by whom the efficacy of Christ’s blood, for the expiation of sin, is denied, may be truly said to make it a common thing; and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace — Ενυβρισας, having treated with contumely or reproach that Holy Spirit which the grace of God confers upon his people, and which is the author of saving grace to them. Macknight renders it, Hath insulted the Spirit of grace; observing, “the apostle means the Holy Spirit, whose gifts were bestowed in the first age on believers, for the confirmation of the gospel. Wherefore if one apostatized in the first age, after having been a witness to the miraculous gifts, much more, after having possessed them himself, he must, like the scribes and Pharisees, have ascribed them to evil spirits; than which a greater indignity could not be done to the Spirit of God.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10:28-29 The author argues from lesser to greater (see study note on 9:14). The lesser situation is the old punishment of death for a person who refused to obey the law of Moses (see Deut 13:6-11). The greater situation concerns those who reject Christ and treat him with contempt. • how much worse the punishment: Eternal damnation is the fate awaiting those who have rejected Christ. • The blood of the covenant, which made us holy, is Christ’s perfect sacrifice (9:11–10:18). • insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit: Those who reject the Spirit’s prompting and mercy deny the validity of the Good News and the superiority of Christ and his saving work (cp. Mark 3:22-30).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Heb 10:28. Ἀθετήσας, he that despised) not by any slight error, but by an enormous violation, in opposition to the whole law—a delinquency to be punished with death. Few so violated the law, as to be capitally punished.—χωρὶς οἰκτιρμῶν, without mercy) without any mitigation or delay of the prescribed punishment.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heb_10:28-29. That in reality the consequences of an ἑκουσίως ἁμαρτάνειν μετὰ τὸ λαβεῖν τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας are so terrible as was asserted at Heb_10:27, the author renders evident by a conclusion a minora ad majus. Apostasy from the Mosaic law itself is punishable with death; how much greater thus must be the punishment of him who, by apostasy from Christ, has treated with contumely the Son of God, of whose redeeming benefits he has already had experience! With the conclusion in Heb_10:28-29 we may compare, as regards the thoughts, Heb_2:2-3, Heb_12:25; as regards the form, however, the utterances just noticed differ from that before us, in the respect that there the first member of the comparison appears as a hypothetical premiss, here as an independent statement. ἀθετήσας τις νόμον Μωϋσέως κ.τ.λ.] He who has set at nought the Mosaic law, has in opposition to his better knowledge and conscience violated or broken it, dies, without any one compassionating him, upon the deposition of two or three witnesses. Although death was imposed as the punishment for many single transgressions of the Mosaic law (Exo_21:15 ff; Exo_31:14; Lev_17:14; Deu_22:22 ff., al.), yet the author certainly has reference, as is evident from the addition: ἐπὶ δυσὶν ἢ τρισὶν μάρτυσιν, and as is required also by the parallel relation to Heb_10:29, quite specially to the ordinance, Deu_17:2-7 [cf. also Num_15:30-31], in conformity with which the punishment of death was inflicted upon the man who, by idolatry, apostatized from Jehovah. Comp. l.c. Heb_10:6, LXX.: ἐπὶ δυσὶ μάρτυσιν ἢ ἐπὶ τρισὶ μάρτυσιν ἀποθανεῖται.

ἐπί] as Heb_9:17 : upon condition that two or three witnesses depose against him.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heb 10:28 . ἀθετήσας τις νόμον .… “Any one who has set aside Moses’ law dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses,” in accordance with the law laid down in Deu 17:6 regarding apostasy; although capital punishment was not restricted to this sin. For ἀθετεῖν cf. 1Th 4:8 ; and Isa 24:16 , οὐαὶ τοῖς ἀθετοῦσιν , οἱ ἀθετοῦντες τὸν νόμον , also Eze 22:26 . ἀθέτησις is used absolutely in 1Sa 24:12 . ἐπὶ … μάρτυσιν , cf. Heb 9:17 ; ἀποθνήσκαι , perhaps the tense does not carry with it the inference that the law was still being enforced. It may only mean “he dies” according to the law as it stands. χωρὶς οἰκτιρμῶν , to emphasise the inexorablenesa of the law and the inevitable character of the doom. Cf. Josephus, c. Apion , ii. 30, ὁ νόμος ἀπαραίτητος and Ignatius, ad Eph . c. 16.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If the breach of the Law of Moses was punished by death, how much more worthy death is it to fall away from Christ?

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Compare Heb 2:2-3; Heb 12:25.

despised--"set at naught" [ALFORD]: utterly and heinously violated, not merely some minor detail, but the whole law and covenant; for example, by idolatry (Deu 17:2-7). So here apostasy answers to such an utter violation of the old covenant.

died--Greek, "dies": the normal punishment of such transgression, then still in force.

without mercy--literally, "mercies": removal out of the pale of mitigation, or a respite of his doom.

under--on the evidence of.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 28. He that despised Moses' law] αθετησας. He that rejected it, threw it aside, and denied its Divine authority by presumptuous sinning, died without mercy-without any extenuation or mitigation of punishment; Nu 15:30.

Under two or three witnesses] That is, when convicted by the testimony of two or three respectable witnesses. See De 17:6.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. He that despised, etc. This is an argument from the less to the greater; for if it was a capital offense to violate the law of Moses, how much heavier punishment does the rejection of the gospel deserve, a sin which involves so many and so heinous impieties! This reasoning was indeed most fitted to impress the Jews; for so severe a punishment on apostates under the Law was neither new to them, nor could it appear unjustly rigorous. They ought then to have acknowledged that vengeance just, however severe, by which God now sanctions the majesty of his Gospel

Hereby is also confirmed what I have already said, that the Apostle speaks not of particular sins, but of the entire denial of Christ; for the Law did not punish all kinds of transgressions with death, but apostasy, that is, when any one wholly renounced religion; for the Apostle referred to a passage in Deuteronomy 17:2-7, where we find, that if any one violated God’s covenant by worshipping foreign gods, he was to be brought outside of the gate and stoned to death.

Now, though the Law proceeded from God, and Moses was not its author, but its minister, yet the Apostle calls it the law of Moses, because it had been given through him: this was said in order to amplify the more the dignity of the Gospel, which has been delivered to us by the Son of God.

Under two or three witnesses, etc. This bears not on the present subject; but it was a part of the civil law of Moses that two or three witnesses were required to prove the accused guilty. However, we hence learn what sort of crime the Apostle meant; for had not this been added, an opening would have been left for many false conjectures. But now it is beyond all dispute that he speaks of apostasy. At the same time that equity ought to be observed which almost all statesmen have adopted, that no one is to be condemned without being proved guilty by the testimony of two witnesses.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(28) He that despised Moses’ law.—Rather, A man that hath set at nought a law of Moses dieth without pity before two or three witnesses. The reference is to Deu_17:2-7, the last words being a direct quotation from Heb_10:6 in that section. There the subject is apostasy from Jehovah to the worship of idols. That sin which, by the acknowledgment of all, had in ancient time robbed Israel of the name of God’s people is tacitly placed by the side of the sin of those who for sake Christ. It will be seen how impressively the thought of the last verse is maintained in this.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

28. He that despised Moses’ law] Especially by being guilty of the sin of idolatry (Deu_17:2-7). Literally, it is “any one, on setting at nought Moses’ law.”

died] Lit., “dies.” Here is another of the favourite Jewish exegetical arguments a minori ad majus.

without mercy] The Mosaic law pronounced on offenders an inexorable doom. “The letter killeth” (2Co_3:6).

under two or three witnesses] i.e. by the testimony of at least two (Joh_8:17; 2Co_13:1).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For we know him that hath said,.... That is, God, whom the apostle and the Hebrews knew; not merely by the works of creation and providence, but by the Scriptures, which they were favoured with, and by which they were distinguished from the Gentiles, and by which they knew his being, nature, and perfections; particularly, that what he said he was able to perform, and that he was true and faithful to every word of his, and to what he has said, Deu 32:35

vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompence, saith the Lord. Vengeance belongs to God, not as to the affection, as if there was any such passion in him; but as to the effect, there being that produced by him, which answers to the effect of such a passion among men, namely punishment: and punishment for sin belongs to God, against whom it is committed; and not to Heathen deities, one of which goes by the name of Vengeance, Act 28:4 nor to Satan, and his spiteful angels; nor to men, to exercise it in a private and personal way; though civil magistrates, being in God's stead, are allowed to exercise it in a public way, according to the laws of God: and there is good reason to believe, that what the Lord here says, "I will recompence", or revenge sin, shall be done; which may be concluded from his hatred of sin; from his purity, holiness, and justice; from his faithfulness to his word; from his omnipotence; from the notice he takes of sin, in his own people, in a way of chastisement, and correction; and from the vengeance he has poured on his own Son, as their surety.

And again, in Deu 32:36 the Lord shall judge his people; such as are truly so, his chosen and covenant people, his redeemed and called ones; these he judges by chastising them in a fatherly way, that they may not be condemned with the world; and by governing and protecting them; and by vindicating and pleading their cause, and avenging them on their enemies: or else such as are only his people by profession; on these he will write a "Lo-ammi"; he distinguishes them from his own, and judges between them and his people, and will condemn them; nor will their profession screen them from his wrath and vengeance.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Ver. 28. He that despised] i.e. He that with a high hand violated it, or fell into any capital crime, and it came to light, died without mercy. As for those heinous offences, that not being discovered, and sufficiently proved, came not under the Judge’s cognizance, the Lord, for the easing of men’s consciences, and for the saving of their lives, appointed the yearly feast of expiations, Lev 16:29.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that despised Moses’ law - That is, the apostate from the religion of Moses. It does not mean that in all cases the offender against the Law of Moses died without mercy, but only where offences were punishable with death, and probably the apostle had in his eye particularly the case of apostasy from the Jewish religion. The subject of apostasy from the Christian religion is particularly under discussion here, and it was natural to illustrate this by a reference to a similar case under the Law of Moses. The Law in regard to apostates from the Jewish religion was positive. There was no reprieve; Deu 13:6-10.

Died without mercy - That is, there was no provision for pardon.

Under two or three witnesses - It was the settled law among the Hebrews that in all cases involving capital punishment, two or three witnesses should be necessary. That is, no one was to be executed unless two persons certainly bore testimony, and it was regarded as important, if possible, that three witnesses should concur in the statement. The object was the security of the accused person if innocent. The “principle” in the Law was, that it was to be presumed that two or three persons would be much less likely to conspire to render a false testimony than one would be, and that two or three would not be likely to be deceived in regard to a fact which they had observed.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

A man making void, &c. He brings this comparison from the manner that transgressors were dealt with under the law of Moses, to shew how much greater punishments Christians deserve when they are ungrateful to Christ after much greater benefits, when they may be said to have trodden under foot the Son of God by despising him, who was the author of their salvation, by shedding his blood upon the cross. (Witham) --- What is here said of the crime of apostacy, may in some measure be applied to every deadly sin committed after baptism or the sacrament of penance; for a Christian by returning to sin, treads under foot the Son of God, despises the adorable blood by which he was sanctified, and offers a henious affront to the spirit of grace. Apostacy, though enormous, like all other sins can be forgiven by true repentance; but the apostle declares, there is no victim for the guilt of a person who perseveres and dies in apostacy.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The punishment threatened on such sinners is illustrated by an instance proper to the Hebrews; For if the lesser sin against Moses’s law was punished by death, the greater sin against the gospel of Christ shall be more punished.

He that despised Moses’s law; any person, whoever he were, none excepted, cantemning, rejecting, nullifying, or making to have noplace or force, (suitable to forsaking, before prohibited), the law of God, given by the mediation of Moses, so as to have no power on the conscience by apostacy from it, and to do it openly, proudly, and presumptuously, in the face of the church, Num 15:30,31.

Died without mercy under two or three witnesses; was to be sentenced to death without any compassion or mercy, and indispensably executed without any pity, by stoning of the offender by two or three witnessess, which did evidence the fact, and convict him of it, according to the law, as Deu 13:6-11; 17:2-7.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. An argument from less, Moses, to greater, the Son.

Despised— Nullified, reduced it to nothing. The illustration is taken from Deu_17:2-7, where it is enacted that if an Israelite “hath gone and served other gods,” as “sun or moon,” Israel should “stone them with stones,” as apostates from Jehovah, “at the mouth of two or three witnesses.” Such an apostate has not only sinned, but has wholly rejected Moses’s law.

Without mercy—There was no expiating sacrifice, no executive pardon.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

One that hath despised (rather, set at naught) Moses" Law dieth without mercy under (i.e. at the word of) two or three witnesses. The reference is to Deu_17:2-7, as shown by the mention of the "two or three witnesses" (ver. 6). The sin there spoken of is that of one who "hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD, in transgressing his covenant, and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven." The significance of this in its bearing on the meaning of amartanontwn in ver. 26 has been already noted.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that, in capital cases, despised (presumptuously transgressed) the law of Moses died without mercy - Without any delay or mitigation of his punishment.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The apostle here confirms what he had before spoken, of the sad and certain destruction of apostates; and compares it with the punishment inflicted on the breakers of Moses’ law. If those, under the testimony of two or three witnesses, of that apostasy died without mercy; how much sorer plunishment is due to the contemners of Christ, who tread under foot, that is, vilify and undervalue our Lord Jesus Christ, esteeming him as one that died a public malefactor; counting the blood of the covenant an unholy thing; that is, a common thing; making nothing of the solemnest rite that ever was used in the world for the confirmation of any covenant, to wit, the shedding of the blood of the Son of God, and doing despite unto the spirit of grace: as if he were guilty of lying and falsehood, in bearing witness of the divine power of Christ.

Learn hence, 1. That although to transgress Moses’ law was an heinous offence, yet to sin wilfully against the gospel, after we have received the knowledge of it, is far more heinous.

Learn, 2. That to revolt from and rebel against God loving sinful man, against Jesus Christ ransoming and redeeming captive slaves, and against the Holy Spirit sanctifying and cleansing polluted souls, comes nearest the sin of devils; and as the sin is the more heinous, so the punishment must be far more grievous: For God has allotted different degrees of punishments unto different degrees and aggravations of sins.

Learn, 3. That the punishment of final apostasy is eternal without any hope of mercy, and without the least relaxation of punishment: For they shall have judgment without any mercy.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

28. He that despised Moses' law. He who wilfully rebelled against the law of Moses had no remission. When proved guilty by two or three witnesses his fate was death. See Num. 15:30–36; Deut. 13:6–10. There was mercy for the ignorant, the mistaken, those “overtaken,” but not for the deliberate despiser.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

of two or three witnesses

It is implied that this means "of at least two or three witness." (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

How much worse punishment do you think one deserves ... grace?

The author is emphasizing the greatness of the punishment for those who reject Christ. AT: "This was severe punishment. But the punishment will be even greater for anyone ... grace!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

has trampled underfoot the Son of God

Disregarding Christ and scorning him are spoken of as if someone had walked on him. AT: "has rejected the Son of God" (See: Metaphor)

the Son of God

This is an important title for Jesus. (See: Translating Son and Father)

who treated the blood of the covenant as unholy

This shows how the person has trampled the Son of God. AT: "by treating the blood of the covenant as unholy"

the blood of the covenant

Here "blood" stands for Christ's death, by which God established the new covenant. (See: Metonymy)

the blood by which he was sanctified

This can be stated in active form. AT: "the blood by which God sanctified him" (See: Active or Passive)

the Spirit of grace

"the Spirit of God, who provides grace"

translationWords

reject

law

die

mercy

testimony

testimony

punish

trample

Son of God

blood

covenant

holy

sanctify

Holy Spirit

grace

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

28. ἀθετήσας τις. Especially by being guilty of the sin of idolatry (Deu 17:2-7). Literally, it is “any one, on setting at nought Moses’ law.”

χωρὶς οἰκτιρμῶν. The Mosaic law pronounced on offenders an inexorable doom. “The letter killeth” (2Co 3:6).

ἐπὶ δυσὶν ἤ τρισὶν μάρτυσιν, i.e. by the testimony of at least two (Joh 8:17; 2Co 13:1). Comp. the use of ἐπὶ “on the condition of” in Heb 9:17.

ἀποθνήσκει. Lit., “dies.” Here is another of the favourite Jewish exegetical arguments a minori ad majus.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

28.] Any one having set at nought the (not, ‘a;’ see ch. 7:18, 19, both for ἀθετεῖν, and for the difference between νόμος and ἐντολή) law of Moses (we must not take this as a general assertion, as true of whoever in any way broke the Mosaic law: but as an alleging of a well-known fact, that in certain cases a breaker of that law was subject to the penalty following. The form of the sentence might be changed thus, ‘If Moses’ law could attach to violations of it the inexorable doom of death,’ &c. For the logical purpose of the ‘a minori ad majus,’ the greater punishment includes the less. The reference is especially to Deu 17:2-7, where the punishment of death is attached to the same sin as is here in question, viz. apostasy: ἐὰν εὑρεθῇ.… ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνὴ ὃς ποιήσει τὸ πονηρὸν ἐναντίον κυρίου τ. θεοῦ σου, παρελθεῖν τὴν διαθήκην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλθόντες (ἀπελθόντες Α) λατρεύσωσιν θεοῖς ἑτέροις κ.τ.λ.) dies (the normal present) without benefit of (χωρίς, apart from: not implying that no one felt compassion for him, but that such compassion, be it what it might, could not affect his doom) mercies (the merciful feelings of any who might be interested for him. οἰκτιρμός, see on ref. Rom., says Bleek, is a purely Alexandrine word, and in the LXX and N. T. is generally in the plural, answering to the Hebrew רַחֲמִים, bowels. χωρὶς οἰκτιρμῶν, φησί, ὥστε οὐδεμία συγγνώμη οὐδὲ ἔλεος ἐκεῖ. Chrys.) before two or three witnesses (ἐπί, as in ch. 9:17, ‘in the case of;’ his death is an event contingent on, added to, the fact of two or three witnesses appearing. As to the sense, cf. Thl., τουτέστιν, ἐὰν ὁμολογηθῇ ὑπὸ δύο ἢ τρίων μαρτύρων ὅτι παρέβη τὸν νόμον. The allusion is to Deut. as above, where it is said, ἐπὶ δυσὶν μάρτυσιν ἢ ἐπὶ τρισὶν μάρτυσιν ἀποθανεῖται):

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that despised [αφετησας τις] . Lit. one that despised; any transgressor. The verb only here in Hebrews. The kindred noun ajqethsiv only in Hebrews. See ch. Heb 7:18; Heb 9:26.

Died [αποθνησκει] . Lit. dieth. According to the ordinance as it now stands in the law.

Without mercy [χωρις οικτιρμων] . The phrase N. T. o. For the noun see on 2Co 1:3.

Under two or three witnesses [επι δυσιν η τρισιν μαρτυσιν] . As in LXX, Deu 17:6. jEpi with dative signifying on condition of two or three witnesses testifying. Comp. 1Ti 5:17, where the same phrase occurs with the genitive, before, in the presence of. Comp. also Deu 19:15.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. ἀθετήσας τις ν. Μ.] One that setbeth atnaught Moees' law... Vulg. Irritam quis faciens legem... O.L. Cem enim quidam relinqueret legem... The offenco like the correlatives (xaraπατήσας, ἡγησάμενος, dvuSpicas) is regarded in its isolated completeness; the culprit ‘set the law at naught.’ His act was final and decisive; and it is not presented in its present falfilment (ἀθετῶν ris) or in ite abiding permanence (7 θετηκώς ris).

The verb ἀθετεῖν occurs here only ix. 26 note). It describes not only the violation of an ordinance or authority in details, but the deninl of tho validity of the ordinance or the authority altogether. Comp. Gal. iil. 15; 1 Tim. ν. 12; Jude 8; John xii.

The unique absence of the article here in νόμον Μωυσέως (elsewhere ὁ yop. M. Luke ii. 22; xxiv. 44; John vif. 23; Acts xiii. 39; xv. 5; xxviil. 23 (1 Cor. ix. 9)) gives the sense of ‘that which was a prescription of Moses.’ The reference, as marked by the clause ἐπὶ δυσὶν 4 τρισὶν μ. ἀποθ. (Deut. xvii. 6), appears to be to the specific warning against idolatry (Deut. xvii. 2 ff). Not every offence against the Law was visited with death, but specially, among others, this offence to which the apostasy from Christ corresponded. In the case of the Old Covenant the sanction lay in the declaration of the Lawgiver: in the case of the New Oovenant the believer

had direct experience of the power of the Divine Presence.

χωρὶς olxrippér) All the people

in the infliction of the punishoy (Deut. xiii. 9; xvii. 7; Acta vii.

The word οἰκτιρμός (compassion) appears to be very rare in classical Gk. (Pind. Pyth. i. ὃς [164]) and the plural (Lxx. DIN is poculiar to ecclesiastical writers. Tho word oxpresscs tho feeling which witnesses to followship and natural sympathy, while ἔλεος (pity) describes the feeling which is called out by the sight of misery. Comp. Rom. xii. 1; 2 Oor. i 3; Phil ii. 1; Col. iii. 12; Luko vi. 36; James v. Ii.

ἀποθνήσκει] The Law is valid and effective. For ἐπί see ix. 10.

Brooke Foss Westcott (1825–1901), The Epistle to the Hebrews (1889) and The Epistles of St John (1883) — public domain (pre-1929). Text recovered from Internet Archive / Google Books OCR scans. Westcott’s Gospel of John commentary is not included (its OCR lost the chapter running-heads required for reliable verse-keying). Some Greek quoted in the Hebrews volume is imperfectly rendered by the OCR.