Heb 10:32-36 | JFB | STEP | 32. As previously he has warned them by the awful end of apostates, so here he stirs them up by the remembrance of their own former faith, patience, and self-sacrificing love. So , . call to remembrance-- habitually: so the present tense means. illuminated-- "enlightened": come to "the knowledge of the truth" ( ) in connection with baptism (see on ). In spiritual baptism, Christ, who is "the Light," is put on. "On the one hand, we are not to sever the sign and the grace signified where the sacrifice truly answers its designs; on the other, the glass is not to be mistaken for the liquor, nor the sheath for the sword" [Bengel]. fight of-- that is, consisting of afflictions.

‏ Hebrews 10:32-36

32. As previously he has warned them by the awful end of apostates, so here he stirs them up by the remembrance of their own former faith, patience, and self-sacrificing love. So Re 2:3, 4.

call to remembrance--habitually: so the present tense means.

illuminated--"enlightened": come to "the knowledge of the truth" (He 10:26) in connection with baptism (see on He 6:4). In spiritual baptism, Christ, who is "the Light," is put on. "On the one hand, we are not to sever the sign and the grace signified where the sacrifice truly answers its designs; on the other, the glass is not to be mistaken for the liquor, nor the sheath for the sword" [Bengel].

fight of--that is, consisting of afflictions.

33. The persecutions here referred to seem to have been endured by the Hebrew Christians at their first conversion, not only in Palestine, but also in Rome and elsewhere, the Jews in every city inciting the populace and the Roman authorities against Christians.

gazing-stock--as in a theater (so the Greek): often used as the place of punishment in the presence of the assembled multitudes. Ac 19:29; 1Co 4:9, "Made a theatrical spectacle to the world."

ye became--of your own accord: attesting your Christian sympathy with your suffering brethren.

companions of--sharers in affliction with.

34. ye had compassion on me in my bonds--The oldest manuscripts and versions omit "me," and read, "Ye both sympathized with those in bonds (answering to the last clause of He 10:33; compare He 13:3, 23; 6:10), and accepted (so the Greek is translated in He 11:35) with joy (Jas 1:2; joy in tribulations, as exercising faith and other graces, Ro 5:3; and the pledge of the coming glory, Mt 5:12) the plundering of your (own) goods (answering to the first clause of He 10:33)."

in yourselves--The oldest manuscripts omit "in": translate, "knowing that ye have for (or 'to') yourselves."

better--a heavenly (He 11:16).

enduring--not liable to spoiling.

substance--possession: peculiarly our own, if we will not cast away our birthright.

35-37. Consequent exhortation to confidence and endurance, as Christ is soon coming.

Cast not away--implying that they now have "confidence," and that it will not withdraw of itself, unless they "cast it away" wilfully (compare He 3:14).

which--Greek, "the which": inasmuch as being such as.

hath--present tense: it is as certain as if you had it in your hand (He 10:37). It hath in reversion.

recompense of reward--of grace not of debt: a reward of a kind which no mercenary self-seeker would seek: holiness will be its own reward; self-devoting unselfishness for Christ's sake will be its own rich recompense (see on He 2:2; He 11:26).