Hebrews 13:19

Heb 13:19. Περισστέρως, more abundantly [the rather]) Construed with ποιῆσαι, to do.—παρακαλῶ, I entreat) Paul for the first time writes something of himself alone, in this passage of this epistle.—τάχιον) the sooner.

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

Heb_13:19. Περισσοτέρως] is on account of its position more naturally referred to παρακαλῶ than, with Seb. Schmidt, Rambach, Bengel, and Hofmann, to ποιῆσαι.

ἵνα τάχιον ἀποκατασταθῶ ὑμῖν] that I may the sooner be restored to you, may be in a position to return to you. There is to be inferred from these words, neither that the author, at the time of the composition of the epistle, was a prisoner (Euthalius, Calov, Braun, Bisping, and others), nor yet that he belonged, as member, to the congregation of those to whom he was writing (R. Köstlin in the Theol. Jahrb. of Baur and Zeller, 1853, H. 3, pp. 423, 427, and 1854, H. 3, pp. 369, 406). The former not, because the notice, Heb_13:23 : μεθʼ οὗ, ἐὰν τάχιον ἔρχηται, ὄψομαι ὑμᾶς, shows beyond refutation that the writer at the time of the composition of the epistle was able to dispose freely of his own person. The latter not, because it is illogical to place the general notion of a being restored to a community upon a level with the special notion of the return of one who has been torn from his home. Only two things follow from the words, namely (1) from the τάχιον, that the author was still prevented, in some way or other which had nothing to do with his personal freedom, from quitting his temporary place of residence so quickly as he could wish; (2) from ἀποκατασταθῶ, that he had already, before this time, been personally present in the midst of his readers.

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.

the rather--Greek, "I the more abundantly beseech you."

to do this--to pray for me.

that I may be restored to you-- (Plm 1:22). It is here first in the letter he mentions himself, in a way so unobtrusive, as not to prejudice his Hebrew readers against him, which would have been the result had he commenced this as his other Epistles, with authoritatively announcing his name and apostolic commission.

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 19. The rather to do this] That is, pray for us, that, being enabled to complete the work which God has given us here to do, we may be the sooner enabled to visit you. It is evident, from this, that the people to whom this epistle was written knew well who was the author of it; nor does there appear, in any place, any design in the writer to conceal his name, and how the epistle came to lack a name it is impossible to say. I have sometimes thought that a part of the beginning might have been lost, as it not only begins without a name, but begins very abruptly.

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

19. But I beseech you, etc. He now adds another argument, — that the prayers they would make for him, would be profitable to them all as well as to himself individually, as though he had said, “I do not so much consult my own benefit as the benefit of you all; for to be restored to you would be the common good of all.”

A probable conjecture may hence perhaps be gathered, that the author of this Epistle was either beset with troubles or detained by the fear of persecution, so as not to be able to appear among those to whom he was writing. It might however be, that he thus spoke, though he was free and at liberty, for he regarded man’s steps as being in God’s hand; and this appears probable from the end of the Epistle.

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.

(19) But I beseech you.—Rather, And I exhort you the more (literally, the more abundantly) to do this. All that we can certainly infer from this verse (see Introduction) is that the writer had formerly been associated with those whom he now addresses, and that he is at present hindered from returning to them.

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

19. that I may be restored to you the sooner] So St Paul in Phm_1:22. We are unable to conjecture the circumstances which for the present prevented the writer from visiting them. It is clear from the word “restored” that he must once have lived among them.

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.

But I beseech you the rather to do this,.... To pray earnestly; to strive together in their prayers for them, Rom 15:30

that I may be restored to you the sooner: Christ's ministers are sometimes hindered from being with their people, through Satan, or his emissaries, creating troubles, or casting them into prison; which might be the apostle's case now; but God can make their way through all; and for this he should be prayed unto.

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

19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Ver. 19. That I may be restored] Prayer reigns over all impediments. See this excellently set forth by Mr Harris in his Peter’s Enlargemeat.

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.

That I may be restored to you the sooner - It is here clearly implied that the writer was deterred from visiting them by some adverse circumstances over which he had no control. This might be either by imprisonment, or sickness, or the want of a convenient opportunity of reaching them. The probability is, judging particularly from the statement in Heb 13:23, that he was then a prisoner, and that his detention was on that account; see Introduction, section 4 (6). The language here is such as Paul would use on the supposition that he was then a prisoner at Rome, and this is a slight circumstance going to show the probability that the Epistle was composed by him.

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

He is the more urging and pressing them to the exercise of this duty more fervently, instantly, and abundantly, at this time, that they might prevail with God to remove hinderances by his enemies, freeing him from his chain and restraint at Rome, and to speed his liberty for a return to them, that it might be in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel. So the church prayed for Peter, and prevailed, Act 12:12, and he had hopes that God would hear them for him also, Phm 1:22.

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

19. But I—Narrowing from us in the last verse to himself alone.

Restored—It was St. Paul who had once been with them, was snatched from them, is now detained from them, hopes to be restored to them. This entire passage to the end of the epistle demonstrates that it was written, not directly to a general section, as Palestine, but to a particular Church.

Yet though addressed to the mother city, it was intended to be treasured and read in all the churches.

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

And I beseech you the more abundantly (the Pauline word, perissoterwv) to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. The author of the Epistle proceeds here for the first time to speak of himself individually; and what he thus says shows that the Epistle was addressed to some definite circle of Hebrew Christians, and one which he had been among before. What circumstances, whether of imprisonment or other hindrances, were in the way of his revisiting them does not appear. We remark that this verse again reminds us strongly of St. Paul. (cf. Phm_1:22) The possibility may be here noted (see Introduction, p. 12) that, if the Epistle was composed by one of St. Paul"s friends, and sent under his authority, he may have himself dictated this concluding portion (beginning possibly at ver. 17) which is in a more epistolary style than the rest, and contains personal allusions.

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

19. I beseech you the rather for your prayers that I may be the sooner released and returned to you. Paul had been torn away from Jerusalem, and finally sent to Rome as a prisoner. The language here implies the imprisonment of the writer.

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.

19. ἵνα τάχιον ἀποκατασταθῶ ὑμῖν. So St Paul in Phm 1:22. We are unable to conjecture the circumstances which for the present prevented the writer from visiting them. It is clear from the word “restored” that he must once have lived among them.

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.

19.] But I the more abundantly (see on ch. 2:1) exhort you to do this (ποῖον τοῦτο; τὸ εὔχεσθαι περὶ ἡμῶν, Œc.), that I may be the sooner (τάχιον is the form of the comparative usual in later Greek: in Attic θᾶσσον is commoner: Herod. uses ταχύτερον: cf. Palm and Rost in ταχύς, and Lobeck on Phryn. p. 77, who adds “In vulgari dialecto quantopere hoc nomen viguerit, innumera Diodori, Plutarchi, Dionysii et æqualium, exempla docent, quæ sciens prætermitto”) restored to you (reff., and Polyb. iii. 98. 7, ἐὰν ἐξαγαγὼν τοὺς ὁμήρους ἀποκαταστήσῃ τοῖς γονεῦσι καὶ ταῖς πόλεσιν. Cf. St. Paul’s expression Phm 1:22, ἐλπίζω γὰρ ὅτι διὰ τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν χαρισθήσομαι ὑμῖν. On the inferences from this and the other notices in this concluding passage, see Prolegg.).

20,

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

19. περισσ. δὲ... Amplius autem deprecor tos hoc facere (hoc peto

JSaciatie d). The writor enforces the common request by a personal consideration, And the more exceedingly do I exhort you to do this... The transition from the plural to the singular, no less than the order, points to the connexion of repioc. with παρακαλῶ and not with ποιῆσαι.

ἵνα ray. ἀποκατ. v.] that I may be restored to you the sooner, Vulg. quo (ut guo am.) celerius restituar vobis. The expression does not necessarily imply a state of imprisonment, which is in fact excludod by tho language of v. 23, since the purpose thus declared presupposes, so far, freedom of action. All that the word requires is that the writor should have been kept from the Hebrews (in one sonse) against his will. It may have been by illness.

For the word see Matt. xii 13; xvii. 11; Acts £ 6. Oomp. Acts iil. 21. It is not unfroquent in Polybius:

By the use of it the writor suggests tho idea of service which ho had rondered and could render to his readers. Ilo was in some senso roquired for their completeness ; and by his presence he could remove the causes of prosont anxioty. Δείκνυσεν ὅτι θαρρεῖ τῷ συνειδύτι καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προστρέχει αὐτοῖς (Theophlct.).

Quo celerius restituar vobis, hoc est, amplius pro vestra quam pro mea

ἀκοῆς ψιλῆς (Theophiect.).

Tho thoughts which spring from the contomplation of tho genera! character of God aro deepened by the contemplation of His work for ‘our Lord Jesus.’ In the Resurrection of Christ wo have the decisive revelation of

(Theodt).

τὸν xup. ἥ. °L] The phrase expresses the sum of the earliest Creed: Rom. x. 9; 1 Cor. xii. 3.

The title ‘the Lord Jesus’ ls common in the book of the Acts (i. 21; iv.

xix. 13,17; XX. 24, 35; xxi. 13) In other books it is much more rare (1 Cor. v. § (); xi. 23; xvi. 23; 2 Cor. iv. 14 (1); xiii. 13 (1); Eph. i. 15; 2 Thess. i. 7; Phim. 5) and tho fuller title ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ is gonorally used. ‘Our Lord Jesus’ occurs 2 Cor. i. 14; viii. 9 (7); ‘Jesus our Lord’ Rom. iv. 24; 2 Pet. i. 2.

Here it is natural that the writer of the Epistle should desire to emphasise the simple thoughts of the Lord's sovereignty and humanity as ‘the Great Shepherd.’ For the contrast of Moses and ‘Jesus’ see 6. fii. 1 note.

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.