Hebrews 2:12

2:12 This verse quotes Ps 22:22, commenting on the phrase brothers and sisters in Heb 2:11. Psalm 22 contains profound messianic prophecies concerning the sufferings of Christ (Ps 22:1, 7-8, 16-18; see Matt 27:35, 43; John 19:23-24, 31-36). Psalm 22:22 shows the solidarity of the righteous sufferer (Jesus) with the people of God in praising God for his help.

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

Heb 2:12. Λέγων, saying) Here three things are quoted from the Old Testament, by which the preceding discourse of the apostle is admirably confirmed, by Chiasmus, in retrograde order. For

the apostle mentions

Christ says, in the words of the Old Testament,

Heb 2:12, Sons.

Heb 2:13, at the end, I and the children.

Ibid., The perfecting, or consummation by sufferings.

Heb 2:13, at the beginning, I will put My trust.

Heb 2:11, The relationship of Him who sanctifies, and of those who are sanctified.

Heb 2:12, Unto My brethren.

And again, Heb 2:14-17, in inverted order, the children, and the successful work of Christ, and brethren, are mentioned. The two chains of quotations, ch. 1 on the Glory of Christ, ch. 2 on Redemption, most sweetly correspond to one another.—ἀπαγγελῶ—ὑμνήσω σε) Psa 22:23, LXX., διηγήσομαι: as to the rest, the words are the same. Messiah declares the name of the good Lord, which was unknown to His brethren, that the brethren may also praise Him. Ps. already quoted, ver. 24.—ὑμνήσω, I will sing) as the leader of the choir: comp. Psa 8:3.

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

Heb_2:12. First proof, taken from Psa_22:23 (22). In its historic sense the citation has reference to the composer of the psalm himself, who in the deepest distress supplicates God for deliverance, and promises to praise Him for the deliverance granted. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, on the other hand, interprets the psalm Messianically, and regards Christ as the subject speaking therein.

ἀπαγγελῶ] LXX.: διηγήσομαι.

Heb_2:12-13. Documentary proofs from Scripture for the οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοὺς καλεῖν, Heb_2:11.

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 2:12 . In proof that He is not ashamed to take his place among men as a brother three passages are adduced from the O.T. in which this relationship is implied. These passages are so confidently assumed to be Messianic that they are quoted as spoken by Christ Himself, λέγων . The fact that words of Jesus spoken while He lived on earth are not quoted can scarcely be accepted as proof that the Gospels were not in existence when this Epistle was written, for even after the middle of the second century, the O.T. was still the “Scripture” of the Christian Church. The first quotation is from the twenty-second Psalm applied to Himself by our Lord on the cross. The LXX διηγήσομαι is altered to ἀπαγγελῶ . The significant words in the first clause are τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου ; and the significance of the second clause consists in the representation of the Messiah as taking part in the worship of God in the congregation. This is one particular form in which His brotherhood manifests itself. For the passages cited not merely affirm the brotherhood, but also exhibit its reality in the participation by the Messiah of human conditions.

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

That which he taught before of the incarnation of the sanctifier, he applieth to the prophetical office.

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

(Psa 22:22.) Messiah declares the name of the Father, not known fully as Christ's Father, and therefore their Father, till after His crucifixion (Joh 20:17), among His brethren ("the Church," that is, the congregation), that they in turn may praise Him (Psa 22:23). At Psa 22:22, which begins with Christ's cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" and details minutely His sorrows, passes from Christ's sufferings to His triumph, prefigured by the same in the experience of David.

will I sing--as leader of the choir (Psa 8:2).

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 12. I will declare thy name] See Ps 22:22. The apostle certainly quotes this psalm as referring to Jesus Christ, and these words as spoken by Christ unto the Father, in reference to his incarnation; as if he had said: "When I shall be incarnated, I will declare thy perfections to mankind; and among my disciples I will give glory to thee for thy mercy to the children of men." See the fulfilment of this, Joh 1:18: No man hath seen God at any time; the ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON, which is in the bosom of the Father, HE HATH DECLARED HIM. Nor were the perfections of God ever properly known or declared, till the manifestation of Christ. Hear another scripture, Luk 10:21; Luk 10:22: In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes, &c. Thus he gave praise to God.

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

12. In the midst of the Church. It hence appears plainly, that the proclamation of God’s praises is always promoted by the teaching of the gospel; for as soon as God becomes known to us, his boundless praises sound in our hearts and in our ears; and at the same time Christ encourages us by his own example publicly to celebrate them, so that they may be heard by as many as possible. For it would not be sufficient for each one of us to thank God himself for benefits received, except we testify openly our gratitude, and thus mutually stimulate one another. And it is a truth, which may serve as a most powerful stimulant, and may lead us most fervently to praise God, when we hear that Christ leads our songs, and is the chief composer of our hymns.

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.

(12) I will declare thy name . . . .—The quotation is taken (with very slight variation) from the 22nd verse of Psalms 22 (Psa_22:22)—a Psalm remarkable for its close connection with the narratives of the Passion of our Lord. Whether the inscription which speaks of David as author is correct, or whether (from the difficulty of discovering any period in David’s history to which the expressions used can apply) we consider the Psalm to have been written after the Captivity, there can be no doubt of its Messianic character. Some would class this Psalm with Psalms 110 (see Note on Heb_1:13), as simply and directly prophetic, having no historic foreground; but the language of some of the verses is so definite and peculiar that we must certainly regard it as descriptive of actual experience, and must rather regard the Psalm (comp. Heb_1:8-9) as typically prophetic of Christ. Each division of this verse is in point as a quotation. (1) Those to whom the Messiah will declare God’s name He speaks of as “brethren;” (2) not alone, but in the “church” (or rather, in a congregation of God’s people; see Psa_22:22) will He sing the praise of God. The latter thought—community with men, as attested by a like relation to God—is brought out with still greater prominence in Heb_2:13.

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

12. I will declare thy name unto my brethren] Psa_22:22. This is a typico-prophetic Psalm, accepted in a Messianic sense, which was supposed to be mystically indicated by its superscription, “On the hind of the dawn.” The sense of its prophetic and typical character had doubtless been deepened among Christians by our Lord’s quotation from it on the Cross (Mat_27:46). It is one of our special Psalms for Good Friday. See the references to it in Mat_27:35; Joh_19:24.

in the midst of the church] Rather, “of the congregation.”

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.

These words are taken not from Isa 8:17 where, in the Septuagint version, is a like phrase; for they are not the words of the Messiah there, but of the prophet; and besides, the apostle disjoins them from the following words, which stand there, by saying, "and again"; but they are cited from Psa 18:2 in which psalm are many things which have respect to the Messiah, and his times; the person spoken of is said to be made the head of the Heathen, to whom unknown people yield a voluntary submission, and the name of God is praised among the Gentiles, Psa 18:43. The Targum upon it makes mention of the Messiah in Psa 18:32 and he is manifestly spoken of under the name of David, in Psa 18:50 and which verse is applied to the Messiah, by the Jews, both ancient and modern (i): and these words are very applicable to him, for as man he had every grace of the Spirit in him; and this of faith, and also of hope, very early appeared in him; he trusted in God for the daily supplies of life, and that he would help him in, and through the work of man's salvation; see Psa 22:9 he committed his Spirit into his hands at death, with confidence, and believed he would raise his body from the dead; and he trusted him with his own glory, and the salvation of his people: and this is a citation pertinent to the purpose, showing that Christ and his people are one, and that they are brethren; for he must be man, since, as God, he could not be said to trust; and he must be a man of sorrows and distress, to stand in need of trusting in God.

And again, behold I and the children which God hath given me; this is a citation from Isa 8:18 in which prophecy is a denunciation of God's judgments upon Israel, by the Assyrians, when God's own people among them are comforted with a promise of the Messiah, who is described as the Lord of hosts; who is to be sanctified, and be as a sanctuary to the saints, and as a stone of stumbling to others; and the prophet is ordered to bind and seal up the doctrine among the disciples, at which he seems astonished and concerned, but resolves to wait; upon which Christ, to encourage him, speaks these words; for they are not addressed to God, as the Syriac version renders them, "behold I and the children, whom thou hast given me, O God"; in which may be observed, that the saints are children with respect to God, who has adopted them, and with respect to Christ, who is their everlasting Father; that they were given to Christ as his spiritual seed and offspring, as his portion, and to be his care and charge; and that this is worthy of attention, and calls for admiration, that Christ and his people are one, and that he is not ashamed to own them before God and men.

(i) Echa Rabbati, fol. 50. 2. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 47. 3.

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

12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

Ver. 12. I will declare, &c.] Psa 22:22. A psalm of Christ’s sufferings, entitled upon Ajaleth Shachar, that is, "the morning stag," such a one as the huntsmen singleth out to hunt for that day. Christ thus hunted, and praying for deliverance, promiseth to praise God’s name amidst his brethren, that is, "his faithful servants."

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.

Saying - This passage is found in Psa 22:22. The whole of that Psalm has been commonly referred to the Messiah; and in regard to such a reference there is less difficulty than attends most of the other portions of the Old Testament that are usually supposed to relate to him. The following verses of the Psalm are applied to him, or to transactions connected with him, in the New Testament, Heb 2:1, Heb 2:8,Heb 2:18; and the whole Psalm is so strikingly descriptive of his condition and sufferings, that there can be no reasonable doubt that it had an original reference to him. There is much in the Psalm that cannot be well applied to David; there is nothing which cannot be applied to the Messiah; and the proof seems to be clear that Paul quoted this passage in accordance with the original sense of the Psalm. The point of the quotation here is not that he would “declare the name” of God - but that he gave the name brethren to those whom he addressed.

I will declare thy name - I will make thee known. The word “name” is used, as it often is, to denote God himself. The meaning is, that it would be a part of the Messiah’s work to make known to his disciples the character and perfections of God - or to make them acquainted with God. He performed this. In his parting prayer Joh 17:6, he says, “I have manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world.” And again, Heb 2:26, “And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it.”

Unto my brethren - The point of the quotation is in this. He spoke of them as “brethren.” Paul is showing that he was not ashamed to call them such. As he was reasoning with those who had been “Jews,” and as it was necessary as a part of his argument to show that what he maintained respecting the Messiah was found in the Old Testament, he makes his appeal to that, and shows that the Redeemer is represented as addressing his people as “brethren.” It would have been easy to appeal to “facts,” and to have shown that the Redeemer used that term familiarly in addressing his disciples, (compare Mat 12:48-49; Mat 25:40; Mat 28:10; Luk 8:21; Joh 20:17), but that would not have been pertinent to his object. It is full proof to us, however, that the prediction in the Psalm was literally fulfilled.

In the midst of the church - That is, in the assembly of my brethren. The point of the proof urged by the apostle lies in the first part of the quotation. This latter part seems to have been adduced because it might assist their memory to have the whole verse quoted; or because it contained an interesting truth respecting the Redeemer - though not precisely a “proof” of what he was urging; or because it “implied” substantially the same truth as the former member. It shows that he was united with his church; that he was one of them; and that he mingled with them as among brethren.

Will I sing praise - That the Redeemer united with his disciples in singing praise, we may suppose to have been in the highest degree probable - though, I believe, but a single case is mentioned - that at the close of the Supper which he instituted to commemorate his death; Mat 26:30. This, therefore, proves what the apostle intended - that the Messiah was among them as his brethren - that he spoke to them as such - and mingled in their devotions as one of their number.

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

Saying; this brings in the proof, that the great gospel Minister, Christ, God-man, did call his sanctified ones

brethren; and was by the same nature so related to them. The proof is in Psa 22:22, where the apostle asserts, Christ spoke what was said by the prophet there; and that this Psalm concerneth him, is evident by the application of other passages in it to him, both by himself and the Spirit; and who reads it, may see him crucified afresh there.

I will declare thy name unto my brethren; I, as the gospel Prophet, who have seen thee, and am of thee. Joh 1:18, and who only understand

thy name, will teach, and make it to be known and admired, as that whereby thou art described, distinguished, and set above all other beings and relations to them; a name suitable to their state and relation unto thee and me. Thee in all thy glorious attributes, related to them as to Moses, Exo 34:5-7, especially thy name of Father, whereby thou standest related to me and them as brethren, fulfilled, Joh 20:17;

My Father, and your Father; my God, and your God; when he sent this message by Mary Magdalene to his apostles and disciples, to whom he was related as a brother in his humanity, sonship and heirship, family and household and amongst whom he is the First-begotten and elder Brother. Brethren are one, and as one; and so is he and his sanctified ones, Heb 2:14; Luk 1:31,35; Joh 17:22,23; Ro 8:14; so Rom 8:17,29; Ga 4:5-7; Eph 3:14,15.

In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee; in the respective parts and congregations of his mystical body, implicitly his brethren. Christ and they are from one Father divine, he by nature, they by grace; and from one human parent, Luk 3:23,38, and both of one flesh: he solemnly sung and praised his Father with them at his supper, in that representative church, Mat 26:30; Mar 14:26.

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

12. Saying—Psa_22:22, where see note. The I refers to the Messiah, this being held by the Jewish Church as a Messianic psalm.

My brethren—Those whose nature he had assumed, and renewed by redemption.

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

I will declare thy Name unto my brethren, in the midst of the Church (or, congregation) will I sing praise unto thee. This first citation is from Psa_22:22, quoted, it would seem, from memory or from a text of the LXX different from ours, dihghsomai being changed to apaggelw , but with no difference of meaning. The psalm is attributed by tradition to David, being entitled "a psalm of David." Delitzsch and Ebrard accept it as certainly his, concluding, from its position in the first book of the psalms (1-72.), that it was included in the collection made by David himself (cf. 2Ch_23:18 with Psa_72:20). Others, as recently Perowne, think that the fact of the suffering and humiliation described, being beyond any experienced by David himself, points to some other unknown author. The conclusion, however, does not necessarily follow. David, writing in Spirit," when under persecution by Saul, may be conceived as drawing a picture, with regard both to present humiliation and to expected triumph, beyond the facts of his own case, taking his own experience as typical of a higher fulfillment. And the minute details of the suffering described, answering so remarkably to the circumstances of the Crucifixion, certainly suggest the idea of a distinct prophetic vision. Still, there is no reason for concluding that the psalm was not, like other Messianic psalms, suggested by and founded on the writer"s own circumstances and experience. Detitzsch says well, "The way of sorrows by which David mounted to his earthly throne was a type of that Via Dolorosa by which Jesus, the Son of David, passed before ascending to the right hand of the Father." There is no psalm of which the ultimate Messianic reference is to Christian believers more undoubted. The first words of it were uttered by Jesus himself from the cross; (Mat_27:46) and for its fulfillment in him, recognized by the evangelists, see Mat_27:39,joh Mat_19:23, Mat_19:28. The general purport of the psalm is as follows: A persecuted sufferer, under a feeling of being forsaken by God, pours out his complaint, and prays for succor; suddenly, at the end of ver. 21, the tone of the psalm changes into one of confident anticipation of deliverance and triumph, when the psalmist shall praise the Lord in the congregation of his brethren, when all that fear the Lord shall join him in praise, when the "ends of the earth" shall turn to the Lord, and "all the families of the nations" shall worship with Israel. The close agreement of the latter part of the psalm with the Messianic anticipations of prophecy is obvious, and would in itself determine its Messianic import. The marked difference between this psalm and those previously quoted is that the typical psalmist appears hero as a human sufferer previously to his triumph, thus anticipating the similar view of the Messiah in prophecy, as notably in Isaiah lilt. And hence this psalm is suitably quoted here as a striking and early anticipation of a Messiah "perfected through sufferings," and associated in sympathy with human "brethren," the verse actually quoted, in which he is not ashamed to call them brethren," being sufficient to remind the readers of the whole of this aspect of Messianic prophecy.

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

I will declare thy name to my brethren -- Christ declares the name of God, gracious and merciful, plenteous in goodness and truth, to all who believe, that they also may praise him. In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee - As the precentor of the choir. This he did literally, in the midst of his apostles, on the night before his passion. And as it means, in a more general sense, setting forth the praise of God, he has done it in the church by his word and his Spirit; he still does, and will do it throughout all generations. Psalm xxii, 22.

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

12. David says, “In the midst of the church I will sing praises unto Thee.” Ecclesia is the word for church throughout the Bible. It is from ek, out, and kaleo, to call. Hence, it means all the people who have heard the call of the Holy Ghost, come out of the world and separated themselves unto God. These, and these alone, constitute the Church of God. Sanctification, which means taking the world out of you, is a subsequent work performed in the hearts of the church members. Therefore, all true Christians desire to be sanctified wholly. Dr. Clarke says, “The man who is opposed to Christian perfection is no Christian.” Dr. Albert Barnes, the Presbyterian commentator, says, “When you ask your own heart, Would you like to be wholly sanctified to God now? and receive a negative answer, you may set it down that you are no Christian.” The Apostolic Church consisted of nothing but the simple Ecclesiai. Satan has subsequently laid under contribution all the wisdom of earth and hell to build on it and round it so many magnitudinous ecclesiasticisms as utterly to hide it from human vision: meanwhile he has millions of carnal creatures pointing the blind multitudes of all ages and nations to these mammoth human institutions and crying, “Behold the church!” Two hundred millions of martyrs have bled for their disloyalty to human ecclesiasticism and their loyalty to God and His Church.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. In the midst of the church. In the Psalm “Congregation” is the term used. The Revision has so rendered it here.

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.

12. Ἀπαγγελῶ κ.τ.λ. Psa 22:22. This is a typico-prophetic Psalm, accepted in a Messianic sense, which was supposed to be mystically indicated by its superscription, “On the hind of the dawn.” The sense of its prophetic and typical character had doubtless been deepened among Christians by our Lord’s quotation from it on the Cross (Mat 27:46). It is one of our special Psalms for Good Friday. See the references to it in Mat 27:35; Joh 19:24.

ἐκκλησίας, “of the congregation.”

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.

This acknowledgment as brethren the writer represents as prophetically announced by Messiah in Psa 22:22. The Psalm is the utterance of a sufferer crying to God for help in the midst of enemies. The Psalmist declares that God has answered his prayer, and that he will give public thanks therefore.

Unto my brethren [τοις αδελφοις μου] . His brethren in the worshipping assembly. This is applied by our writer to the human brotherhood at large, and Christ is represented as identifying himself with them in thanksgiving.

Will I sing praise unto thee [υμνησω σε] . Rare in N. T. Mt 26:30; Mr 14:26; Act 16:25. Lit. hymn thee. Often in the Greek liturgies.

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