Hebrews 11:28

Heb_11:28

Kept the Passover

Faith and Mystery:

There is scarcely one revelation of God in the Bible which does not involve mystery--which does not try, therefore, severely try, the submissiveness of our faith.

Notoriously is this the case with that revelation which was typified by the Passover. What connection, man asks, can be conceived of, between the Saviours crucifixion and the absolution of the sinner? What link of intelligible union can exist between the shedding of the life-blood of the Holy and sinless One, and the remission of the long and deep debt of the worlds, or of so much as one mans, transgressions? And a thousand suppositions have been hazarded by human speculation, of which the aim and object is to lighten the weight of this doctrine--to make it less of a submission to receive it, by taking out of it the unexpectedness and the peculiarity. Thus we seek to make fewer and to make easier the submissions of faith--not by assuring ourselves more thoroughly of the Divinity of Him who speaks with us--not by a more implicit reliance upon the wisdom, truth, and love of Him who thus, and not otherwise, sends us salvation--but, by offering modifications which may palliate and dilute the difficulty, and in the same degree take from the revelation itself its very salt and life and virtue. There is something of the same trial in every ordinance of worship. What real connection can be dreamed of, we might ask, between the kneeling, elsewhere or here, on a little spot of earth, to think a few thoughts, to speak a few words, alone by myself, or in the congregation--and the influx of grace, or the supply of strength, or the ministry of consolation--not to mention any special outward or bodily relief--which those thoughts have desired, or which those words have asked, of an invisible God in a far-off heaven? The only answer is that which satisfied the man of faith here commemorated--faith, assured of the command, argues not, nor gainsays, Hath He said, and shall He not do it? is a self-answering question, when God is the subject. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, and the destroyer passed over the houses upon which the sign of faith was. (Dean Vaughan.)

Faith in observance of ordinances:

By Moses example we are encouraged

1. To obedience in the right use of Gods signs.

2. To confidence that Gods ends shall be obtained in the use of those instituted signs, and that the ordinances shall be effectual unto the ends for which God hath appointed them. Therefore waiving all other points, I shall insist upon this one alone. Doct.: That rightly to celebrate the sacrament of the Lords supper, there is great need of the vigorous and lively work and exercise of faith. First, in general, whoever would have any commerce with God must have some faith. He must believe steadfastly those two primitive and supreme truths, Gods being and bounty, His essence and His providence; that there is a God, and that it is not in vain to serve God. Secondly, as this faith is necessary to religion in general, and all that respect we show to God, so all the duties of worship must be gone about in faith and obedience, otherwise they are not acceptable to God, for God accepts of nothing but what He hath appointed and instituted. Thirdly, there are special reasons why the work and exercise of faith is required in the use of these sacramental signs. I have hitherto showed you the necessity and use of faith to all acts of religion in the general, now I shall show it more particularly as to sacraments. There is faith in prayer, and faith in the Word, but especially in the use of the sacraments; and here they have a fourfold use.

1. To interpret the signs according to the use and end for which they were appointed, and to discern the mysteries represented thereby, namely, that God doth as effectually give Christ to the soul as He doth give bread and wine to the body; or, to use the apostles phrase, to help us to discern the Lords body, that the eye may affect the heart (1Co_11:25). It is such a discerning as stirs up suitable affections, a holy joy, and a delightful converse with Him. It is such a discerning as is not opposite to ignorance, but to irreverence and slightness; when a man doth not consider what he is about, he hath no true sight and sense of Christ in the duty.

2. Faith is necessary, that we may not be offended at the mean and despicable appearance in the sacraments. Here are excellent mysteries, veiled under the simplicity of a few outward rites that make no fair show in the flesh.

3. The nature of these signs is to excite and confirm faith. There are three uses of signs--to represent., to put in remembrance, and to confirm; and so signs are either significative, commemorative, or confirming and assuring. Now, since there are several sorts of signs, unto which of these shall we refer the sacraments? That must be determined by Gods institution; for mark, the sacraments are not natural signs, as smoke is a sign of fire, but instituted signs; bread doth not naturally signify the body of Christ, or wine the blood of Christ, but only by institution. Now, in all instituted signs we must look to the author and the end. Instituted signs in religion can have no author but God, therefore no creature can institute a sacrament, because they cannot give the grace that is signified thereby, nor bind God to give that grace by a sign of their own devising. But now to what end hath God instituted these signs? whether to signify or to admonish, or to certify and assure? I answer, In some sense for all these ends, but chiefly the latter.

4. There is this peculiar to sacraments above other duties, that they imply a closer application.

First, What to do before the supper.

1. Before we come to remember Christ, we must first consider ourselves, and reflect upon our own state.

2. For the manner in which you ought to come.

(1) Come judging and condemning yourselves, and humbled under the sense of your own vileness and unworthiness, that Jesus Christ may be more sweet to you.

(2) They must come with hunger and thirst after sacramental benefits, the comforts and saving graces of the Spirit, God invites such, whatever discouragements they have upon them (Isa_55:1).

(3) They are to bewail their unbelief, and to make what application of Christ they can; when they cannot apply Christ to themselves, they must apply themselves to Christ. They must go to Christ with that faith they have, and say (Mar_9:24).

(4) Renew thy consecration, and consent to surrender and give up thyself to the tuition and service of Christ; for the more we mind our duty the more ready is God to prepare our comfort for us. Secondly, What we are to do in the supper of the Lord. Oh, look that you excite and stir up faith! It is not enough to have it, but it must be exercised; ay, and that in a lively and vigorous manner (Son_1:12). There is a twofold faith to be exercised--a faith that respects the whole duty, and a faith that is more specially terminated on the person of Christ. Thirdly, What we are to do after the Lords Supper. Examine what exercise and increase of faith there hath been. Have I acted faith in this duty? How shall I know it? If you have in the acting of faith been waiting upon God for the blessings of the institution, the effects will show it.

The effects are these

1. It will stir up joy and thankfulness; you will find it will increase both Act_8:39).

2. It will produce a longing to meet with God another time, that we may be thus kindly refreshed, and have another good meal from God, and be feasted in His house (Psa_63:2).

3. There will be resolution to serve the Lord the more faithfully, and walk with Him in all the ways of holiness. You have been with God, and you go aside and say (Psa_116:12-14).

4. For the present the heart should be more warm and serious, and all those things omitted, for a time at least, which rather savour of the flesh than of the spirit, which, though they do not directly belong to the flesh, yet they border on it. And those things will be omitted which do not well agree with the lively sense and fervour of godliness, which should be stirred up in us in an action so important. (T. Manton, D. D.)

Faith securing deliverance from the destroyer

I. THE HISTORICAL FACTS CONNECTED WITH THE PASSOVER.

1. The hopeless bondage of the people (Exo_10:28).

2. The Divine method of deliverance.

3. This method a singular type of Christian redempiion.

II. THE FAITH BY WHICH MOSES KEPT THE PASSOVER.

1. Faith was manifested in believing that the judgment was about to come.

2. Faith was manifested in expecting deliverance through the simple means God appointed.

3. Faith was manifested in the assurance that this would be the means of their deliverance from Egypt.

III. THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THIS FAITH AND THAT NECESSARY FOR SPIRITUAL REDEMPTION.

1. The requirements of faith in each case are similar.

2. The ground of faith in each case is the Word of God.

3. The difficulty of faith in each case is the mystery of the method.

4. The result of faith in each case is a new and blessed life. (C. New.)

The best security against the day of wrath

I. SHOW WHAT IS THAT BELIEVING. MANAGEMENT OF THE SACRAMENT OF CHRISTS BODY AND BLOOD, WHICH IS THE BEST SECURITY FOR A SINNER AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH. We will be helped to a view of this by considering the ordinance pointed at in the text.

1. The Christian and communicant that would manage this ordinance so as he may be secured against the day of wrath, must have his bunch of hyssop ready; that is, he must have faith, by which alone that blood can be sprinkled on the soul.

2. He must believe his own desert of wrath, that he himself deserves to fall amongst them that fall.

3. He must, with an eye of faith, discern the sacrifice and the virtue of it, seeing that in the ordinance which a carnal eye cannot. And here faith will say two things

(1) Faith will look in through the ordinance, and seeing Christ in it, will say, There is a hiding-place from wrath (Joh_1:29).

(2) Faith will look more narrowly yet, even through the hiding-place itself; and where the fearful unbeliever sees many faults the believer will see none, but say, He is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them (Heb_7:25). In a word, he will believe

(a) That Christ is the appointed: Refuge against wrath; and

(b) That He is a safe Refuge, and that there is no other.

4. He must dip his bunch of hyssop in the bason where the blood of the Lamb is. Christ is our Paschal Lamb (1Co_5:7); the covenant is the bason wherein the blood of the Lamb is poured (Heb_13:20), and the cup the New Testament. The believing communicant will lay hold on the covenant made by sacrifice, that he may be safe in the day of wrath (Psa_1:3-5).

5. He must sprinkle this blood, make an effusion of it; apply it by faith, and receive the atonement.

6. He must sprinkle it on the lintel and side-posts, only not on the threshold. Look with an eye of faith on it as precious blood, and sprinkle it over your whole man, above you, on every side; only not under your feet. Despise it not (Heb_10:29).

7. He must not sprinkle it only on the back of the door, but on the outside, the lintel and side-posts, that the angel may see it. The Lord is coming to call the land to a sad account, and to examine every one. On with your mark this day, on your foreheads.

8. He must feed on the body and blood of Christ.

(1) On a whole Christ--Christ in all His offices.

(2) With the bitter herbs of repentance and sorrow for sin.

(3) Ye must eat in a departing posture; turning your backs on the world and your lusts, and setting your face stedfastly to Immanuels land.

II. SHOW WHAT SECURITY THIS WILL BE AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH.

1. Thus ye will be secured from eternal wrath.

2. In a day of wrath upon the land; though the storm blow never so hard, ye shall have a manifold security. Though ye must not promise yourselves security from trouble, yet

(1)Ye shall be kept from mixing with the generation under Gods wrath. Build ye the partition-wall, and God will build the protection-wall (Psa_12:7).

(2) It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger (Zep_2:3).

(3) Ye shall not be straitened for provision, though it be a scarce Psa_142:5).

(4) Though the weight of common calamity should bruise you, yea, and crush you, there shall no evil touch you (Job_5:19).

(a) No evil that is an only evil; mercy shall always be predominant in thy cup.

(b) The evil shall be taken out of the evils that come on thee.

(c) The evils that may come on thee shall be turned to good Rom_8:28).

III. COMFIRM THE DOCTRINE.

1. He that thus manageth this ordinance, unites with Christ, the Peace-maker. Christ is his; his security is in Him, for Christ is in him Gal_4:19), He cannot die. His blood is sprinkled on His people, and that marks them for the Lord.

2. He gets all this sealed under the broad seal of Heaven in this ordinance. Herein the covenant of peace between God and sinners is sealed in both hands; and all these, and much more, are promises and articles of the covenant. And what greater security can ye imagine in this world?

IV. THE APPLICATION.

Use 1. For information.

(1) The slighters of this ordinance are great fools and despisers of their own mercy.

(2) The mismanagers of this ordinance are great fools, who sit down at the Lords table but communicate not believingly. They do the outward work, but it is not in faith; they bring no faith, no discerning, &c.; and so instead of securing themselves against the day of wrath, do mark themselves out for wrath.

Use 2. Of exhortation.

(1) Ye that are not communicants, ye are in hazard of the day of wrath as well as others, though ye sit not at the table. Will ye by faith embrace the sacrifice exhibited there; receive and sprinkle the blood, the covenant sealed there.

(2) Communicants, manage this work so as ye may be secured against the day of wrath. All of you, flee into Christ Jesus as the city of refuge; and make sure work, and lay down your measures for time and for eternity.

(a) Let not the thoughts of wrath prevail to darken your view of the love of Christ in the gospel and in this ordinance. Particularly assure yourselves if ye be willing to be the Lords, and take Him for your God, the white side of the cloud is to you; and that though God were to destroy the whole land from off the face of the earth, if there were but one soul who would take shelter in the covenant of peace, he should be welcome.

(b) As ye give yourselves to the Lord, so give your families too. Take all yours that way, and lay them over on Him, and leave them with Him for the evil day.

(c) Let it be your main concern to get strength to be carried cleanly through; that ye be not led away with the sins and snares of the evil time, and so fall from your stedfastness.

(d) Be not peremptory and particular as to what otherwise may be your portion of common calamity; but leave that on the Lord. (T. Boston, D. D.)

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

Heb 11:28-29. Through faith — From a lively apprehension and firm persuasion of the benefits signified and sealed thereby, and especially that God would assuredly send his angel on the vindictive design predicted, and would spare the houses properly distinguished; see Exo 12:12; Exo 12:23; he kept the passover and the sprinkling — Or pouring forth, rather; of blood — Namely, that of the paschal lamb, which he sprinkled on the lintels and the posts of the doors, as the mark of committing those who dwelt under such roofs to the divine protection; that he who destroyed the firstborn — That is, the angel, whom God employed in that work as the executioner of his judgments, as he did afterward in the destruction of Sennacherib’s army, and of Sodom; should not touch them — That is, the Israelites or their cattle. By faith they — Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites; passed through the Red sea — That part of the Ethiopic ocean which lies between Egypt and Arabia. In the Hebrew it is constantly called ים שׂוŠ, the sea of sedges, reeds or canes, from the multitude growing on its shore, as to this day. The Greeks called it ερυθραιος, or ερυθρα, red, not from the red colour of the waters, appearing so from the sand or the sun, but because it washed the borders of Edom, which signifies red: as by dry land — As sedately as if they had marched on dry land, while its waters, by the divine command, divided and left the channel bare to them, so that they easily completed their march through it, and arrived safely on the opposite shore: which the Egyptians, assaying to do, were destroyed — Κατεποθησαν, were drowned, swallowed up. This attempt of the Egyptians was the greatest height of folly and presumption that ever obdurate sinners arrived at in this world. They had seen all the mighty works which God had wrought in behalf of his people among them; they and their country were almost consumed with the plagues and judgments that were inflicted on them; and yet now, beholding this wonderful work of God in opening the sea to receive his people from their pursuit, they would make a venture, (as the original expression, πειραν λαβοντες, signifies,) to follow them into it. Vain and desperate attempt! and a high evidence of infatuation! It is one of the most signal examples of blindness of mind, confirmed by judicial hardness of heart, that is upon record in the whole book of God; nor is there any monument of equal folly and infatuation among the annals of time. Thus far the examples are cited from Genesis and Exodus; those that follow are from the former and the latter prophets.

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

11:28 Moses commanded . . . the Passover: See Exod 12:1-27. The first Passover (Exod 12:28-30) initiated the Exodus (Exod 12:31-42, 50-51) and instituted the annual Passover observance as a memorial (Exod 12:43-49; 13:1-16). • to sprinkle blood: The sprinkling of the blood of sacrifices under the old covenant was parallel to the sprinkling of Christ’s blood (see Heb 9:12-14, 18-22).

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

Heb 11:28. Πρόσχυσιν, sprinkling) זרק is often translated by the LXX. by προχέω. In Exodus 12 that word is not found.—ὁ ὀλοθρεύων, the Destroyer) So LXX., Exo 12:23. He was undoubtedly a good angel. Comp. Act 12:23, note.

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

Heb_11:28. Comp. Exodus 12

Πίστει] in believing confidence, sc. in the word of God, at whose command he acted, that the blood of the paschal lambs would become the means of delivering the Israelites.

πεποίηκεν τὸ πάσχα] he ordained the Passover. In the perfect there lies the characterization of the regulation then adopted as something still continuing in force even to the present. With the notion of the meet ordering of the Passover blends consequently the idea of the institution thereof; although it is true only τὸ πάσχα, not likewise the addition καὶ τὴν πρόσχυσιν τοῦ αἵματος, is suitable thereto.

καὶ τὴν πρόσχυσιν τοῦ αἵματος] and the affusion of the blood. What is intended is the sprinkling or anointing of the door-posts and lintels of the Israelite houses with the blood of the slain paschal lambs, enjoined by Moses at the command of God, Exo_12:7; Exo_12:22 f.

πρόσχυσις] in Holy Scripture only here.

ἵνα μὴ ὁ ὀλοθρεύων τὰ πρωτότοκα θίγῃ αὐτῶν] that the slayer of the first-born might not touch them. By ὁ ὀλοθρεύων, the destroyer, the LXX. at Exo_12:23 have translated the Hebrew הַמַּשְׁחִית, the destruction, thinking in connection therewith of an angel of destruction sent forth by God. Comp. 1Ch_21:12; 1Ch_21:15 (ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐξολοθρεύων); 2Ch_32:21; Sir_48:21; 1Co_10:10 (ὁ ὀλοθρευτής).

τὰ πρωτότοκα] Exo_12:12 : πᾶν πρωτότοκον … ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους. Comp. ibid. Heb_11:29. We have to construe τὰ πρωτότοκα with ὁ ὀλοθρεύων, not, as Klee, Paulus, Ebrard, and Hofmann will, with θίγῃ, since the combination of θιγγάνειν with an accusative is not usual.

αὐτῶν] namely the Israelites. This reference of the αὐτῶν was self-evident from the connection, although the Israelites are not previously mentioned. See Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 138 f.

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.

kept--Greek, "hath kept," the Passover being, in Paul's day, still observed. His faith here was his belief in the invisible God's promise that the destroying angel should pass over, and not touch the inmates of the blood-sprinkled houses (Exo 12:23). "He acquiesced in the bare word of God where the thing itself was not apparent" [CALVIN].

the first-born--Greek neuter; both of man and beast.

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 kept the passover] God told him that he would destroy the first-born of the Egyptians, but would spare all those whose doors were sprinkled with the blood of the paschal lamb. Moses believed this, kept the passover, and sprinkled the blood. See the notes on Ex 12. One of the Itala adds here, Fide praedaverunt AEgyptios exeuntes. "By faith, when they went out, they spoiled the Egyptians." This is any thing but genuine.

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

28. Through faith he kept the Passover, etc. This ought to have availed much to commend faith to the Jews; for they held this first sacrifice of the Passover in the highest esteem. But, he says, that it was kept by faith, not because the Paschal lamb was a type of Christ, but because its benefit did not appear, when he sprinkled the doorposts with blood: when therefore the effect was yet hid, it was necessarily looked for by faith. Nay, it might have seemed strange, that Moses should set a few drops of blood, as a remedy, in opposition to God’s vengeance; but being satisfied with God’s word alone, that the people would be exempt from the scourge that was coming on the Egyptians, he did not hesitate. Hence the Apostle justly commends his faith in this respect.

They who explain that the Passover was by faith celebrated by Moses, because he had respect to Christ, say indeed what is true; but the Apostle here records simply his faith, because he acquiesced in God’s word alone, when the effect did not appear: therefore out of place here are philosophical refinements. And the reason why he mentions Moses alone, as celebrating the Passover, seems to be this, that God through him instituted the Passover.

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) Through faith he kept.—Rather, By faith he hath kept (see Heb_11:17). The celebration of the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood were acts of obedience, having reference to a danger as yet un seen, but present in God’s word (Exo_12:12).

Lest he that destroyed.—Better, that the destroyer of the first-born may not touch them. (See Exo_12:21-22; Exo_12:28-29.)

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

28. Through faith] Rather, “by faith,” as before.

he kept the passover] Lit. “he hath made,” or “instituted.” Another of the author’s characteristic tenses (see Heb_11:17).

and the sprinkling of blood] Exo_12:21-23. The “faith” consisted primarily in believing the promises and obeying the command of God, and secondarily, we may believe, in regarding the sprinkled blood as in some way typical of a better propitiation (Rom_3:25). The word for sprinkling is not rantismos, as in Heb_12:24, but πρόσχυσις, which is found here only (“effusion”), but is derived from the verb used in Lev_1:5 (LXX.).

he that destroyed] The term is derived from the LXX. The Hebrew (Exo_12:23) has mashchîth “destruction.” Comp. 1Ch_21:15; 2Ch_32:21; 1Co_10:10; Sir_48:21.

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.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down,.... Of themselves, not from any natural cause: the Jews say (n) they sunk right down into the ground, and were swallowed up; even the whole wall fell round about, as the Septuagint version in Jos 6:20 expresses it: or, it may be, only that which was over against the camp of Israel, as Kimchi observes; since Rahab's house was built upon the wall, and yet fell not. And this was by the faith of Joshua, and the Israelites, who believed the walls would fall, at the sound of the rams' horns, as God said they should: after they were compassed about seven days; which was a trial of their faith and patience: the Jews say (o) it was on the sabbath day that they fell: this was a preternatural act, and cannot be ascribed to any second cause; nothing is impossible with God; no defences, ever so strong, are anything against him; unlikely means are sometimes made use of by him; faith stops at nothing, when it has the word of God to rest upon; and what God does, be does in his own time, and in his own way. This may be an emblem of the fall of the walls of the hearts of unregenerate men; of their unbelief, hardness, enmity, and vain confidence; and of the conversion and subjection of them unto Christ, through the preaching of the Gospel; which, in the eyes of men, is as mean and despicable, and as unlikely to bring about such an event, as the sounding of the rams' horns might be to the inhabitants of Jericho: and it may be also an emblem of the fall of Babylon, and other antichristian cities, Rev 16:19.

(n) Targum Jon. Jarchi & Kimchi in Josh. vi. 5. (o) Jarchi & Kimchi in ver. 15.

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

28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Ver. 28. Through faith he kept the passover] It is the work of faith rightly to celebrate a sacrament. Speak therefore to thy faith at the Lord’s supper, as Deborah did to herself, "Awake, awake, Deborah, awake, awake, utter a song."

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.

Through faith he kept the passover - Greek, “he made - πεποίηκε pepoiēke - the passover,” which means more, it seems to me, than that he merely kept or celebrated it. It implies that he instituted this rite, and made the arrangements for its observance. There is reference to the special agency, and the special faith which he had in its institution. The faith in the case was confidence that this would be the means of preserving the first-born of the Israelites, when the angel should destroy the first-born of the Egyptians, and also that it would be celebrated as a perpetual memorial of this great deliverance. On the passover, see the notes on Mat 26:2.

And the sprinkling of blood - The blood of the paschal lamb on the lintels and door-posts of the houses; Exo 12:22.

Lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them - The first-born of the Egyptians; Exo 12:23. The apostle has thus enumerated some of the things which illustrated the faith of Moses. The strength of his faith may be seen by a reference to some of the circumstances which characterized it.

(1) It was such confidence in God as to lead him to forsake the most flattering prospects of worldly enjoyment. I see no evidence, indeed, that he was the heir to the throne; but he was evidently heir to great wealth; he was encompassed with all the means of worldly pleasure; he had every opportunity for a life of literary and scientific pursuits; he was eligible to high and important trusts; he had a rank and station which would be regarded as one of the most honored and enviable on earth. None of those who are mentioned before in this chapter were required to make just such sacrifices as this. Neither Abel, nor Noah, nor Enoch, was called to forsake so brilliant worldly prospects; and though Abraham was called to a higher act of faith when commanded to give up his beloved son, yet there were some circumstances of trial in the case of Moses illustrating the nature of faith which did not exist in the case of Abraham. Moses, in the maturity of life, and with everything around him that is usually regarded by people as objects of ambition, was ready to forego it all. So wherever true faith exists, there is a readiness to abandon the hope of gain, and brilliant prospects of distinction, and fascinating pleasures, in obedience to the command of God.

(2) Moses entered on an undertaking wholly beyond the power of man to accomplish, and against every human probability of success. It was no less than that of restoring to freedom two millions of down-trodden, oppressed, and dispirited. slaves, and conducting aged and feeble men, tender females, helpless children, with numerous flocks and herds, across barren wastes to a distant land. He undertook this against the power of probably the most mighty monarch of his time; from the midst of a warlike nation; and when the whole nation would be kindled into rage at the loss of so many slaves, and when he might expect that all the power of their wrath would descend on him and his undisciplined and feeble hosts. He did this when he had no wealth that he could employ to furnish provisions or the means of defense; no armies at his command to encircle his people on their march; and even no influence among the people himself, and with every probability that they would disregard him; compare Exo 3:11; Exo 4:1. He did this when the whole Hebrew people were to be aroused to willingness to enter on the great undertaking; when there was every probability that they would meet with formidable enemies in the way, and when there was nothing human whatever on which the mind could fix as a basis of calculation of success. If there ever was any undertaking commenced opposed to every human probability of success, it was that of delivering the Hebrew people and conducting them to the promised land. To human view it was quite as hopeless and impracticable as it would be now for a stranger from Africa, claiming to be a native prince there, and to have a commission from God to liberate the two and a half millions of slaves in the U. States and conduct them to the land of their fathers. In all the difficulties and discouragements of the undertaking of Moses, therefore, his only hope of success must have arisen from his confidence in God.

(3) It was an undertaking where there were many certain trials before him. The people whom he sought to deliver were poor and oppressed. An attempt to rescue them would bring down the wrath of the mighty monarch under whom they were. They were a people unaccustomed to self-government, and as the result proved, prone to ingratitude and rebellion. The journey before him lay through a dreary waste, where there was every prospect that there would be a want of food and water, and where he might expect to meet with formidable enemies. In all these things his only hope must have been in God. It was he only who could deliver them from the grasp of the tyrant; who could conduct them through the wilderness, who could provide for their wants in the desert; and who could defend a vast multitude of women and children from the enemies which they would be likely to encounter.

(4) There was nothing in this to gratify ambition, or to promise an earthly reward. All these prospects he gave up when he left the court of Pharaoh. To be the leader of a company of emancipated slaves through a pathless desert to a distant land, had nothing in itself that could gratify the ambition of one who had been bred at the most magnificent court on earth, and who had enjoyed every advantage which the age afforded to qualify him to fill any exalted office. The result showed that Moses never designed to be himself the king of the people whom he led forth, and that he had no intention of aggrandizing his own family in the case.

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

Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood: this Divine faith influenced him in all his work about God’s ordinances, receiving the law about them from God’s mouth, and obeying it. By it he made the Passover, i.e. as God’s instrument, he instituted it, and put it into being, Exo 12:21; he celebrated and solemnly managed in each particular, and finished it, reaching the end of it according to God’s law in that behalf, 1Co 5:7. Here he saw Christ, and testified of him, the true paschal Lamb of God; by whom God’s wrath passed over the children of Israel, when it rested upon the Egyptians, Exo 12:21, &c.

By faith he took a bunch of hyssop, and dipped it in the blood of the paschal lamb, and struck the lintel and two side posts of the doors with the blood, Exo 12:22. He used it as a signal of God’s sparing Israel, and passing over their houses by his angel, Heb 12:23; and he saw in it the true blood of sprinkling, of Christ our Passover, which saveth souls from the destroyer, Joh 5:46, and brings them out of the Egypt of this world into the heavenly Canaan.

Lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them: the end of both these was, that the destroying angel, who slew the first-born of the Egyptians, might not touch an Israelite, Exo 12:29,30. Under all this, faith evidenced to Moses God’s faithfulness in his promise, it ordered all his duty, and it realized to their hope in that time of danger, that God would save them, who were under that blood, working the assurance of it.

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

28. Passover—See our notes on Mat_26:2; Mat_26:26-29.

Kept— Literally, has made, or established; the term implying the permanency of the institution. Yet the Greek word was habitually used to designate the keeping, or celebration, of the passover.

Sprinkling of blood—Upon the posts and lintels of the Hebrew doors. He—The angel of Jehovah.

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

Vers. 28, 29. By faith he kept (literally, hath kept, pepoihken , the perfect being used rather than the historical aorist, as denoting an accomplished act, with continuing effect and significance (cf. prosenhnocen , ver. 17). But pepoihken does not mean, as some suppose, "hath instituted," (poiein to Pasca being the usual expression for the celebration) the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land; which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. The faith of Moses himself is still mainly intended here, though the conjunction of pistei with seems diebhsan to imply faith in the people too. Nor is this inconsistent with the narrative; for, though they are represented as having cried out in their sore fear, and even reproached their leader for bringing them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness, yet on his exhortation, "Fear ye not, stand still, dud see the salvation of the LORD," they may be supposed to have trusted him, and caught something of the inspiration of his faith. Moses, indeed, stands out as a prominent example (and this is one point in the moral teaching of his history) of the strong faith of one great man, not only availing in behalf of others, but also in some degree infecting a whole community, little disposed at first to make heroic ventures.

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

The pouring out of the blood - Of the paschal lamb, which was sprinkled on the door-posts, lest the destroying angel should touch the Israelites. Exod. xii, 12-18.

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

28–31. Through faith he kept the passover (Exod. 12:3–30). He kept it because God commanded and he believed all God promised. The sprinkling of blood. The blood of the lamb sprinkled on the door posts. He not only believed that this would protect Israel's first born, but his faith went beyond the type to the Lamb of God.

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.

28. ὀλοθρεύων. In ADE we find ὀλεθρεύων (from ὄλεθρος).

28. πεποίηκεν. Lit., “he hath made,” or “instituted.” Another of the author’s characteristic tenses (see Heb 11:17). Ποιεῖν is also used for celebrating the passover (Deu 16:1, &c.).

τὴν πρόσχυσιν τοῦ αἵματος. “The effusion of the blood.” Exo 12:21-23. The “faith” consisted primarily in believing the promises and obeying the command of God, and secondarily, we may believe, in regarding the sprinkled blood as in some way typical of a better propitiation (Rom 3:25). The word for sprinkling is not ῥαντισμός, as in Heb 12:24, but πρόσχυσις, which is found here only, but is derived from the verb used in Lev 1:5 (LXX.).

ὁ ὁλοθρεύων. The term is derived from the LXX. The Hebrew (Exo 12:23) has mashchîth, “destruction.” Comp. 1Ch 21:15; 2Ch 32:21; 1Co 10:10; Sir 48:21.

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.] By faith he hath celebrated (ποιεῖν τὸ πάσχα is ever used simply for to keep the passover, and though Bl. and Lünem. see here a mingling of the ideas of celebrating and instituting, it seems better to keep to universal usage. The perf. is used, on account of the Passover being a still enduring feast) the Passover (not as some interpret πίστει, in faith of the Redeemer to come, which point does not enter into consideration here: but by that faith which was to him the evidence of things unseen, viz. of the promise that the Destroyer should pass over and not hurt them. So Calvin well, “Qui fide celebratum fuisse pascha interpretantur, quia Moses in Christum respexerit, verum quidem dicunt: sed apostolus simpliciter hic fidei meminit, quatenus in solo Dei verbo acquiescit, ubi res ipsa non apparet: ideo intempestivum est subtilius philosophari”) and the affusion of the blood (viz. of the blood of the paschal lamb on the lintel and door-posts: πρόσχυσιν αἵματος ἐκάλεσε τὴν κατὰ τῶν φλιῶν τῶν θυρῶν χρίσιν, Œc. The word προσχέειν is the common rendering by the LXX of the Heb. זָרַק, to sprinkle, and is ordinarily used of those cases where the blood was sprinkled round the altar, e. g. Lev 1:5; Lev 16:32 al. fr. So that the word applies well to this ordinance, where the blood was sprinkled by means of a bunch of hyssop), that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them (the ἵνα μή belongs to both the preceding clauses, not to the latter only, as Del., for though it is true that it was the sprinkling of the blood only which caused the destroyer to pass over, yet this sprinkling itself was only a subordinate part of ποιεῖν τὸ πάσχα.

The ὀλεθρεύων τὰ πρ., the destroying angel, see reff. and cf. Sir. 48:21, is the הַמַּשְׁחִית of Exo 12:23, the πληγὴ τοῦ ἐκτριβῆναι of ib. ver. 13; understood by Asaph, Psa 78:49, of evil angels. The verb ὀλεθρεύειν is Alexandrine, and with its compound ἐξολ- frequently found in the LXX. The neuter πρωτότοκα includes all of both sexes of man and beast: so Exo 12:12, πᾶν πρωτότοκον … ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους: and in ref. Ps. It is hardly necessary to observe, that the connexion of the words is as above, and not ἵνα μὴ ὁ ὀλε θρεύων θίγῃ τὰ πρωτότοκα αὐτῶν. The common construction of θιγγάνω is with the partitive genitive: it is (reff.) of rare use in the Greek Scriptures.

αὐτῶν, of a subject not before expressed, is to be understood out of the context as meaning the Israelites, who sprinkled the blood. It prepares the way for the change into the plur. at the next verse).

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

28. π. wewol. τὸ w....ais.] By faith he kept (he hath kept) the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood.... The firat celebration of the Passover was not only a single act. The Passover then instituted and kept remained as a perpetual witness of the great deliverance, For the pers. see o. vii. 6 note. The sacrifice of the lamb and the open sprinkling of the blood was a signal act of faith challenging the superstition of the Egyptians (Ex. viii. 22). Compare Midr. Shemoth R. b. c. (Wiinsche, p. 132).

The phrase ποιεῖν τὸ πάσχα (Matt.

*xxvi. 18) is not unfrequent in the Lxx. for the observance of the Passover (Ex. xii. 48; Num. ix. 2; 2 K. xxiii, 21 &c.). It does not appear to be used of the institution.

The special ceremony of ‘the sprinkling of the blood’ (Kx. xii 7, 22 f.) is montioned as foreshadowing tho deeper mystery involved in the deliverance from Egypt (c. ix. 22).

The word πρόσχυσις is not found in the Lxx. and occurs here only in N. T. (wp. αἷμ. ἐκάλεσε τὴν κατὰ τῶν φλιώῶν τῶν θυρῶν χρίσιν Cicum.). But the verb προσχέω is commonly usod in the Lxx. of the sprinkling of blood upon the altar (P3}).

ἵνα μὴ ὁ GA....adreav] The phrase ὁ ὀλοθρεύων (Vulg. gui vastabat [primitiva]) is used in Ex. xii. 23 by the

Lxx. for NYO according to tho

strict participial sense. The translators realised the action of God through a destroying angel: 1 Cor. x. 10 (ὁ dAoOpevrijs); and this seems to be the most natural sense of the original text. Oompare 1: Ohron. xxi, 12, 15; 2 Ohron. xxxii. 21; Eoclus. xlviii. 21; Ps. lxxviii. 49.

θίγῃ αὐτῶν] The object is naturally supplied by the reader.

Primasius sees a foreshadowing of Christian practice in the detail: Sanguine agni illinuntur Israelitarum postes no vastator angelus audcat Inferre mortem: signantur dominicse mortis signo fidoles popuili in frontibus ad tutclam salutis ut ub intoritu libe-

rentur. (Ὁ) The Faith of the people (29—

The great leader, like Abraham, communicated to others the Faith by which he was inspired. Just as the Faith of Abraham was united with that of his wifo and of his children, ao the Faith of Moses was bound up with that of Israel. By Faith they overcame difficulties of nature (29), and the force of enemies (30); and

“er ζ΄.

called out responsive Faith evon in aliens, so that a remnant of them was snvod (31).

"Ἐν faith they passed over the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians essaying to do were swallowed up.

Ὁ By faith the walls of Jericho Sai, after they had been compassed Sor seven days.

* By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies toith peace.

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.