10. For--giving a reason why "the grace of God" required that
Jesus "should taste death."
it became him--The whole plan was (not only not derogatory to,
but) highly becoming God, though unbelief considers it a
disgrace [BENGEL]. An answer to the Jews,
and Hebrew Christians, whosoever, through impatience at the delay in
the promised advent of Christ's glory, were in danger of apostasy,
stumbling at Christ crucified. The Jerusalem Christians
especially were liable to this danger. This scheme of redemption was
altogether such a one as harmonizes with the love, justice, and wisdom
of God.
for whom--God the Father
(Ro 11:36;
1Co 8:6;
Re 4:11).
In
Col 1:16
the same is said of Christ.
all things--Greek, "the universe of things,"
"the all things." He uses for "God," the periphrasis, "Him for
whom . . . by whom are all things," to mark the becomingness
of Christ's suffering as the way to His being "perfected" as "Captain
of our salvation," seeing that His is the way that pleased Him whose
will and whose glory are the end of all things, and by whose
operation all things exist.
in bringing--The Greek is past, "having brought as He
did," namely, in His electing purpose (compare "ye are
sons," namely, in His purpose,
Ga 4:6;
Eph 1:4),
a purpose which is accomplished in Jesus being "perfected through
sufferings."
many--
(Mt 20:28).
"The Church"
(Heb 2:12),
"the general assembly"
(Heb 12:23).
sons--no longer children as under the Old Testament law,
but sons by adoption.
unto glory--to share Christ's "glory"
(Heb 2:9;
compare
Heb 2:7;
Joh 17:10, 22, 24;
Ro 8:21).
Sonship, holiness
(Heb 2:11),
and glory, are inseparably joined. "Suffering," "salvation," and
"glory," in Paul's writings, often go together
(2Ti 2:10).
Salvation presupposes destruction, deliverance from which
for us required Christ's "sufferings."
to make . . . perfect--"to consummate"; to bring to
consummated glory through sufferings, as the appointed avenue to it.
"He who suffers for another, not only benefits him, but becomes himself
the brighter and more perfect" [CHRYSOSTOM].
Bringing to the end of troubles, and to the goal full of glory:
a metaphor from the contests in the public games. Compare "It is
finished,"
Lu 24:26;
Joh 19:30.
I prefer, with CALVIN, understanding, "to make
perfect as a completed sacrifice": legal and
official, not moral, perfection is meant: "to
consecrate" (so the same Greek is translated
Heb 7:28;
compare Margin) by the finished expiation of His death, as our
perfect High Priest, and so our "Captain of salvation"
(Lu 13:32).
This agrees with
Heb 2:11,
"He that sanctifieth," that is, consecrates them by Himself being made
a consecrated offering for them. So
Heb 10:14, 29;
Joh 17:19:
by the perfecting of His consecration for them in His death, He
perfects their consecration, and so throws open access to glory
(Heb 10:19-21;
Heb 5:9; 9:9
accord with this sense).
captain of, &c.--literally, Prince-leader: as Joshua, not
Moses, led the people into the Holy Land, so will our Joshua, or Jesus,
lead us into the heavenly inheritance
(Ac 13:39).
The same Greek is in
Heb 12:2,
"Author of our faith."
Ac 3:15,
"Prince of life"
(Ac 5:31).
Preceding others by His example, as well as the originator of our
salvation.
JFB.
Picture Study Bible