《Simeon ’s Horae Homileticae - Hebrews》(Charles Simeon)
Commentator
Charles Simeon (September 24, 1759 - November 13, 1836), was an English evangelical clergyman.
He was born at Reading, Berkshire and educated at Eton College and King's College, Cambridge. In 1782 he became fellow of King's College, and took orders, receiving the living of Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge, in the following year. He was at first so unpopular that services were frequently interrupted, and he was often insulted in the streets. Having overcome public prejudice, he subsequently gained a remarkable and lasting influence among the undergraduates of the university.
He became a leader among evangelical churchmen, was one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society in 1799, the London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews (now known as the Church's Ministry Among Jewish People or CMJ) in 1809, and acted as adviser to the British East India Company in the choice of chaplains for India.
In 1792 he read An Essay on the Composition of a Sermon by the French Reformed minister Jean Claude. Simeon found that their principles were identical and used the essay as the basis for his lectures on sermon composition. Claude's essay also inspired Simeon to make clear his own theological position, the result being Horae Homileticae, his chief work.
He published hundreds of sermons and outlines of sermons (called "sermon skeletons"), still in print, that to some were an invitation to clerical plagiarism. His chief work is a commentary on the whole Bible, entitled Horae homileticae (London). The Simeon Trust was established by him for the purpose of acquiring church patronage to perpetuate evangelical clergy in Church of England parishes. It continues to operate to this day.
Charles Simeon is often hailed as something of an ancestor of the evangelical movement in the Church of England.
According to the historian Thomas Macaulay, Simeon's "authority and influence...extended from Cambridge to the most remote corners of England, ...his real sway in the Church was far greater than that of any primate." He is remembered in the Episcopal Church of the United States with a Lesser Feast and in the Anglican Church of Canada with a Commemoration on 12 November. In the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 13 November. His memorial by the monumental mason Hopper in Holy Trinity Church (Cambridge), was described by architectural critic Nikolaus Pevsner as an "epitaph in Gothic forms."
00 Introduction
CONTENTS TO VOL. XIX
Discourse / Text / SubjectHebrews
2268. / Hebrews 1:3. / Christ’s Ascension to Glory
2269. / Hebrews 1:6. / Christ’s Incarnation
2270. / Hebrews 1:8. / Excellency of Christ’s Person and Government
2271. / Hebrews 1:10-12. / Christ’s Superiority to Angels
2272. / Hebrews 1:14. / The Ministry of Angels
2273. / Hebrews 2:3. / Greatness of the Gospel Salvation
2274. / Hebrews 2:6-8. / Christ’s Superiority to Angels
2275. / Hebrews 2:10. / Sufferings of the Messiah necessary
2276. / Hebrews 2:14-15. / The Ends of Christ’s Incarnation
2277. / Hebrews 2:18. / Christ’s Power to succour the Tempted
2278. / Hebrews 3:1. / Names and Offices of Christ
2279. / Hebrews 3:5-6. / Christ’s Superiority to Moses
2280. / Hebrews 3:12-14. / Against departing from God
2281. / Hebrews 4:1. / Canaan typical of the Believer’s spiritual and eternal Rest
2282. / Hebrews 4:2. / The Reason why Men are so little profited by the Gospel
2283. / Hebrews 4:9. / The Rest that remains for God’s People
2284. / Hebrews 4:12. / The Word of God quick and powerful
2285. / Hebrews 4:13. / God sees oar inmost Thoughts
2286. / Hebrews 4:15-16. / Encouragement derived from the Character of Christ
2287. / Hebrews 5:7-9. / Christ benefited by his own Sufferings
2288. / Hebrews 5:11-14. / The slow Progress of many reproved
2289. / Hebrews 6:1-3. / Going on to Perfection
2290. / Hebrews 6:4-6. / The Danger of Apostasy
2291. / Hebrews 6:7-8. / The Difference between fruitful and barren Professors
2292. / Hebrews 6:9-11. / The Things that accompany Salvation
2293. / Hebrews 6:12. / Exhortation to Diligence
2294. / Hebrews 6:17-18. / The City of Refuge
2295. / Hebrews 6:19-20. / The Christian’s Anchor
2296. / Hebrews 7:1-3. / Melchizedec a Type of Christ
2297. / Hebrews 7:19. / The Superiority of the Christian above the Mosaic Dispensation
2298. / Hebrews 7:25. / Christ’s Priesthood, and Ability to Save
2299. / Hebrews 7:26. / Christ, a suitable High-priest
2300. / Hebrews 8:6. / Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant
2301. / Hebrews 9:11-12. / Christ above the Levitical Priests
2302. / Hebrews 9:13-14. / Jewish Sacrifices typical of Christ’s
2303. / Hebrews 9:22. / No Remission without Blood
2304. / Hebrews 9:23. / Use of Typical Purifications
2305. / Hebrews 9:24. / The Holy of Holies, a Type
2306. / Hebrews 9:26. / Christ’s Appearance to take away Sin
2307. / Hebrews 9:27-28. / Christ’s second Coming
2308. / Hebrews 10:3. / Seasons of Penitence recommended
2309. / Hebrews 10:5-10. / Christ superseding the legal Sacrifices
2310. / Hebrews 10:14-17. / The Perfection of Christ’s Sacrifice
2311. / Hebrews 10:19-22. / The Way of Access to God through the Vail
2312. / Hebrews 10:23-25. / Steadfastness and Activity in God’s Service inculcated
2313. / Hebrews 10:26-31. / The Evil and Danger of Apostasy
2314. / Hebrews 10:32. / The Benefit of fast Experience
2315. / Hebrews 10:35-36. / Patient Fortitude required
2316. / Hebrews 10:38-39. / True Means of Persevering to the End
2317. / Hebrews 11:1. / The Nature of Faith
2318. / Hebrews 11:4. / Abel’s Offering instructive to us
2319. / Hebrews 11:5. / Enoch’s Translation
2320. / Hebrews 11:6. / The Necessity of Faith
2321. / Hebrews 11:7. / Noah’s Faith
2322. / Hebrews 11:8-10. / Abraham’s Life a Pattern for ours
2323. / Hebrews 11:13. / The Practical Efficacy of Faith
2324. / Hebrews 11:16. / The Christian’s Desire
2325. / Hebrews 11:17-19. / Abraham offering up Isaac
2326. / Hebrews 11:24-26. / Moses’ Choice
2327. / Hebrews 11:27. / Faith seeing the invisible God
2328. / Hebrews 11:28. / Moles’ Faith in relation to the Passover
2329. / Hebrews 11:30. / The Walls of Jericho thrown down by Faith
2330. / Hebrews 11:31. / Rahab concealing the Spies
2331. / Hebrews 11:32-35. / Power of Faith
2332. / Hebrews 11:38. / God’s Estimate of his People
2333. / Hebrews 11:39-40. / The Advantages enjoyed under the Christian Dispensation
2334. / Hebrews 12:1-2. / Christ’s persevering Diligence
2335. / Hebrews 12:3. / Christ’s Patience under Sufferings
2336. / Hebrews 12:4-13. / Afflictions the Fruit of God’s Love
2337. / Hebrews 12:14. / The Necessity of Holiness
2338. / Hebrews 12:15-17. / The Danger of despising or dishonouring the Gospel
2339. / Hebrews 12:18-25. / Transcendent Excellence of the Christian Dispensation
2340. / Hebrews 12:22; Hebrews 12:24. / Abel’s Sacrifice and Christ’s compared
2341. / Hebrews 12:28-29. / God to be served with reverential Fear
2342. / Hebrews 13:3. / Compassion to the Distressed inculcated
2343. / Hebrews 13:5-6. / God’s promised Presence an Encouragement to Duty
2344. / Hebrews 13:8. / The Glory of Christ
2345. / Hebrews 13:9. / Caution against false Doctrines
2346. / Hebrews 13:10. / The Christian’s Altar
2347. / Hebrews 13:11-13. / The Burnt-sacrifices typical of Christ
2348. / Hebrews 13:14. / The Christian’s Portion
2349. / Hebrews 13:15-16. / Sacrifices to be offered by Christians
2350. / Hebrews 13:17. / The Duty of People, and the Responsibility of Ministers
2351. / Hebrews 13:20-21. / Christian Principles improved in Prayer
01 Chapter 1
Verse 3
DISCOURSE: 2268
CHRIST’S ASCENSION TO GLORY
Hebrews 1:3. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
A REVELATION of God, by whatever means or instrument it may be communicated, demands our solemn attention. But Christianity requires the highest possible degree of reverence, because the Messenger, by whom it was promulgated, as far surpassed all other instruments in excellence, as the truths delivered by him are of deeper and more mysterious import. It is in this view that the Apostle introduces this sublime description of Christ; in which we may notice,
I. The dignity of his person—
We cannot conceive any expressions more grand than these which are here applied to Christ, and which set forth,
1. His essential dignity—
[The Father is the fountain, and the archetype of all perfection. Of him Jesus is a perfect copy. As the impression on the wax corresponds with all the marks and lineaments of the seal, so is Jesus “the express image” of the Father in every particular, insomuch that “he who hath seen him hath seen the Father [Note: John 14:9.].” But the Father is, in himself, invisible to mortal eyes [Note: 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:16.]; it is in Christ only that he is seen: on which account Christ is called “the image of the invisible God [Note: Colossians 1:15.].” And as all the glory of the sun is seen in the bright effulgence of its rays, so is all the glory of the Godhead seen in the face of Jesus Christ [Note: Colossians 2:9. 2 Corinthians 4:6.].]
2. His official dignity—
[It was Jesus who made the worlds [Note: ver. 2 and John 1:3.]: and he it is who upholds them by the same “powerful word” that first spake them into existence [Note: Colossians 1:17.]. By him all things maintain their proper courses, and the order first assigned them. Nor is there any thing that happens either in the kingdom of providence or of grace, which does not proceed from his will, or tend to his glory. There is nothing so small but it occupies his attention, nothing so great but it is under his controul [Note: Matthew 10:29-30.]. Every thing that is good owes its existence to his immediate agency, and every thing that is evil, to his righteous permission.]
Intimately connected with this is,
II. The diversity of his ministrations—
As in the Church there are “diversities of administrations and of operations [Note: 1 Corinthians 12:4-6.]” under Christ, who is the author of them, so in the work of Christ himself there is a diversity of ministrations.
1. He “purged our sins” by his blood on earth—
[Sin needed an atonement, and such an atonement as no created being could offer. Jesus therefore, the Creator himself, undertook to make an atonement for us, and such an one as should satisfy divine justice on our behalf, and put honour on that law which we had violated. For this end he assumed that nature which had sinned, and endured the curse due to our iniquities. When he had only to create or to uphold the universe, his word was sufficient: but when he came to redeem the world, nothing would suffice but his own precious blood. Other priests offered the blood of bulls and of goats as typical expiations: but, to make a true and proper atonement, Jesus was forced to offer up “himself.” His prayers and tears were insufficient: if he would purge away our sins, he must do it “by himself,” by “pouring out his soul unto death.”
This is what Jesus undertook to do; nor did he ever draw back till he could say, “It is finished.”]
He ascended to complete his work in heaven—
[The high-priest, after offering the sacrifice, entered within the vail, to present it there. Thus Jesus “passed into the heavens,” the place where he was to finish his ministrations. In the presence of all his disciples he ascended thither, giving thereby a decisive evidence that nothing further remained for him to do on earth. But a further evidence of this arises from the posture in which he ministers in heaven. The priests under the law stood, because they needed to repeat the same sacrifices continually: but Jesus having offered one sacrifice once for all, “sat down at the right hand” of God, the place of supreme dignity and power. From this we inter the perfection of his sacrifice on earth [Note: Hebrews 10:11-12.]; and are assured, that whatever remains to be done by him within the vail, is transacted in an authoritative manner, all power being given to him to “save to the uttermost” them that trust in him.]
We may learn from hence,
1. The security of those who believe in Christ—
[Who is it that interests himself for them? “Jehovah’s Fellow [Note: Zechariah 13:7.].” Who bought them with his blood? The God of heaven and earth [Note: Acts 20:28.]. Who has undertaken to keep them? He that “upholdeth all things by his word [Note: Colossians 1:17-18].” Who is continually engaged in completing their salvation? He that is constituted Head over all things for this very purpose [Note: Ephesians 1:22-23.]. What then have they to fear either from their past guilt, or their present weakness? Let them only be strong in faith, and “none shall ever pluck them out of his hand [Note: John 10:28.].”]
2. The danger of those who are yet in unbelief—
[In proportion to the dignity of this adorable Saviour must be the guilt of rejecting him. This is frequently insisted on in this epistle [Note: Hebrews 2:3-4; Hebrews 10:28-29.]. Let us lay it to heart. To neglect this Jesus is such a mixture of folly and ingratitude, of impiety and rebellion, as involves in it the highest degree of criminality, and subjects us to the heaviest condemnation [Note: Deuteronomy 18:18-19.]. Let those who are guilty of this neglect remember that “the enemies of Jesus shall all become his footstool:” and let them kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and they perish without a remedy [Note: Psalms 2:6; Psalms 2:9-10; Psalms 2:12.].]
Verse 6
DISCOURSE: 2269
CHRIST’S INCARNATION
Hebrews 1:6. When he bringeth in the First-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
IF God had been pleased to try our faith, he might have required us to believe whatsoever he should reveal, even though he should mention it but once: but, in condescension to our weakness, he has given us a great variety of testimonies to confirm every fundamental doctrine of our holy religion. The doctrine of the divinity of Christ is as important as any in the whole Bible: and it stands, not on one or two doubtful passages of Scripture, but on the plainest, and almost numberless declarations of the inspired writers. In the passage before us the Apostle is shewing the infinite superiority of Jesus above the highest orders of created beings; and he adduces a whole series, as it were, of testimonies in proof of this point. The one which we have now read is taken from the 97th Psalm, and confessedly relates to Jesus [Note: It speaks of Christ’s kingdom, ver. 1; and the duty of angels, here called gods, to worship him, ver. 7.].
In discoursing upon it we are led to observe,
I. That Christ is a proper object of divine worship—
The command contained in the text is itself decisive upon the point—
[God is a jealous God, and claims divine worship as his unalienable prerogative [Note: Matthew 4:10.]; yet he at the same time requires it to be given to his Son. Would he do this, if his Son were not worthy of that high honour? Would he, contrary to his express declaration, give his glory to another [Note: Isaiah 42:8.]? We are assured he would not; and therefore his Son must be a proper object of our supreme regard.]
The practice of the Christian Church confirms it beyond a doubt—
[Stephen, when he was full of the Holy Ghost, and his face shone like that of an angel, at the very instant that he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, addressed himself, not to the Father, but to Jesus; and that too in terms precisely similar to those in which Jesus in his dying hour had addressed the Father [Note: Compare Acts 7:59-60. with Luke 23:34; Luke 23:46.]. Can we wish for any plainer example? The Apostle Paul, under the buffetings of Satan, applied to Jesus for relief, and was expressly answered, as he himself tells us, by Jesus; in consequence of which answer he from that time “gloried in his infirmities, that the power of Christ might rest upon him [Note: 2 Corinthians 12:8-9.].” The whole Church of God, not only at Corinth, but “in all other places,” are described and characterized by this very thing, the worshipping of Christ [Note: 1 Corinthians 1:2.]. But the Church triumphant no less than the Church militant are incessantly presenting before him their humble and grateful adorations [Note: Revelation 7:9-10.].
Surely if worship be not to be paid to Christ, the Scriptures are not calculated to instruct, but to deceive and ensnare us.]
Nor must it be forgotten, that to worship Christ is the highest act of obedience to the Father—
[It is the Father who enjoins it in the text; and that, not to men only, but to angels also: “He has committed all judgment to his Son for this very purpose, that all men may honour the Son even as they honour the Father [Note: John 5:22-23.];” he even swears that all, at the peril of their souls, shall bow to Jesus [Note: Romans 14:10-11.]; and, so far from thinking himself dishonoured by it, he expressly requires it, in order that he himself may be more abundantly glorified [Note: Philippians 2:10-11.].]
The text leads us further to observe respecting Christ,
II. That his incarnation affords a special call to all both in heaven and earth to worship him—
“The bringing in of the First-begotten into the world,” may comprehend the whole period of his reign under the Gospel dispensation; in which case the command to worship him is general: but if we confine the expression to the time of his incarnation, the command to worship him will be a special call, arising from the circumstance of his incarnation, and founded on it. To elucidate it in this latter view we may observe that,
1. It (his incarnation) affords the brightest discovery of the Divine perfections—
[The angels had doubtless seen much of the Divine glory before: they had seen God’s wisdom, power, and goodness in the creation and government of the world. But they never before had such a view of his condescension and grace as when they beheld him lying in the manger, a helpless babe. Now also the design of God to glorify all his perfections in the work of redemption was more clearly unfolded. Hence the whole multitude of the heavenly choir began to sing, “Glory to God in the highest.” And if their hosannas increased with their discoveries of the Divine glory, should not ours also? Have not we also abundant reason to magnify our incarnate God; and to exalt our thoughts of him in proportion as he has debased himself for our sakes?]