Biblical commentary on the New Testament - The Preterist Archive

629 Pages·2009·37.28 MB·English

by  Olshausen, Hermann, 1796-1839

BIBLICAL COMMENTARY
THE NEW TESTAMENT,
DR. HERMANN OLSHAUSEN,
PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ERLANGEN.
CONTINUKD AFTER HIS DEATH
BY
DR. JOHN HENRY AUGUSTUS EBRARD
AND
Lie. AUGUSTUS WIESINGER.
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN
FOR CLARK'S FOREIGN AND THEOIOaiCAL LIBRARY.
REVISED AFTER THE LATEST OERMAN EDITION,
BY
KENDRICK,
A. C. D.D.,
PEOFESBOE OP GREEK IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER.
VOL. VI.
NEW YORK:
HELD ON COMPANY.
&
885BROADWAY, cob. WOETD 8T.
1864.
PREFATORY NOTE.'
The presentvolumebringsdownthe Commentary continuously
to the close of the Epistle to the Hebrews. It completes—and
—
more than completes the original plan of the Publishers, which
was merely to republish the work so farasithad alreadyappeared
in English. It embraces in addition tothat, Wiesinger's Exposi-
tion ofthe Second Epistle to TimothyandtheEpistle to Philemon,
translatedbythe Editor. ItleavestheCatholicEpistles ofJames,
Peter, John and Jude, and the Revelation, which will be com-
prised in another volume when the German workshall be com-
pleted. The Editor cannot forbear to add his belief that the
present volume wiU not be found inferiorininterest and value to
anyof itspredecessors. Wiesinger is throughout thorough, exact
and judicious,displayingmost of the bestfeatures, withfew of the
faults, ofGerman exegesis: is clearinhisviews, and heartyin the
defence, bothof the divine authorityand the evangelical teachings
of the workswhich he expounds. Ebrard, with highergeniusand
greater breadth of view, is, indeed, sometimes over confident and
bold, yet in the main trustworthy, and often extremely happy in
hisinterpretations. Hehas the art, to which few Germans aspire,
of developing hisviewswith clearness, spirit and elegance. In his
translation of"Wiesinger, the Editorhasfoundit necessary to study
brevity, and has occasionally omittedaveryfew of the numerous
and sometimes scarcelynecessaryreferences to other commentators.
May the work thus far completed be made, in the hands of the
Divine Spirit, the means ofabundant blessing tothe Church.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.
THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY.
INTRODUOTIOK
Page
1. Timothy. 9
32.. TOchceasTiiomn,eDaensdigPnl,acaendofCCoonmtpeonstistiofontheEpistle 1n0
4. Genuineness 17
EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY.
1. Inscription and Charge given to Timothy,in Opposition tothose who Teach
otherwise 21
2. DirectionstoTimothywithregardtotheRegulationoftheChurch. A.Regard-
ing PubhcWorship 48
3. DirectionstoTimothywithregardtotheRegulationoftheChurch. B.Regard-
ingtheOfficesofPresbyterandDeacon 63
4. AdmonitionsaddressedtoTunothyasTeacherintheProspectofthefutureFall-
ingAway. 80
5. DirectionstoTimothywithrespecttohisConduct towards theMembers ofthe
Church,accordingtotheDistinctionsofAge,Sex,and Position within the
Church 115
6. Instructions toTimothywith regardto Slaves. Warningagainst theDesireto
becomeRichaftertheMannerofthosewhoTeachotherwise. Chargetobe
addressedtotheRich. Concluding Exhortation 146
THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY.
INTRODUCTION.
1. Contents 169
2. Occasionand Object 171
3. ThePlace,Time,andotherHistoricalRelationsintheCompositionoftheEpistle 172
4. Genuineness 179
n CONTENTS.
EXPOSITION OF THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY.
^ Pagh
§1. Introductory 183
§2. SummonstoTimothynottoShrinkfromthoToilsandSufferingsofhisCalling. 200
§3. DutyofTimothyinEeferencetothoprevailingTendencytowardsemptyLogo-
machy. 210
§4. Reference to the Phenomenaofthe Last Time,alreadydisclosingthemselves,
forthePurposeofInstructingTimothyinrelationtothem 219
§5. Concludingand EarnestAdmonitiontoTimothytoZealous,FaithfulFulfilment
ofhisCaUmg — 231
§6. DirectionsforTimothy'sspeedyComing Salutations 238
THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON.
INTRODUCTION.
EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON.
Ver.1,2, AddressandSalutation 25t
Ver.4-7. IntroductoryThanksgivingforPhilemon'sLoveandFaith 258
Ver. 21-25.ConclusionoftheEpistle. 269
THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.
INTRODUCTION 273
THE EXORDIUM 279
PART FIRST.
The Son and the Angels 295
§1. TheSonisinHimselfsuperiortotheAngels 297
APracticalIntermediatePart 323
§2. IntheSonManisraised abovetheAngels 328
PART SECOND.
The Son and Moses 364
§1. TheNewTestamentMessiahisinhimself;asSon,superiorto Moses 365
IntermediatePassageofaHortatoryKind 378
§•2. IntheSonIsraelhasenteredintoitstrueRest 385
PART THIRD.
Cheist and the High Priest 413
§1. ChristandAaron 414
IntermediatePartofaHortatoryKind .425
§2.TheMessiah,asaHighPriestaftertheOrderofMelchisedec,isasuperiorHigh
PriesttoAaron 444
CONTENTS.
Vll
PART FOURTH.
Pagb
The Mosaic Tabernacle and the Heavenly Sanctuary 471
1. ThetwoTabernaclescorrespondtothetwoCovenants All
2. TheConstructionoftheMosaicTabernacle 483
3. TheSerTiceoftheTabernacle. TheBloodoftheBullocksandtheBloodofChiist 501
PART FIFTH.
The Laying Hold on the New Testament Salvation 528
§1. ThemeoftheExhortation 529
§2. FirstMotive. DangerandConsequencesofFallingAway 534
§3. SecondMotive. CallingtoMindtheirformerFaith 537
§4. ThirdMotive. TheHistoricallydemonstratedPowerofFaith 541
§5. FourthMotive. TheBlessingofChastisement 561
§6. FifthMotive. ThoChoicebetweenGraceandLaw,aChoicebetweenSalvation
andJudgment 568
§7. ConcludingExhortations 573
APPENDIX.
/
ONTHE DATE,DESTINATION, AND AUTHOR OF THE EPISTLETO THE HEBREWS.
Chap. L TheCircleofEeaders 582
Chap. II. TimeofComposition 585
Chap.III. WhetherwrittenoriginallyinGreek 590
Chap.IV. The Writer. A)External Testimonies 595
Chap. V. Continuation. B)InternalReasons. 605
A)ParticularIntimations 605
B)TheDoctrinalImport 606
C)Wordsand Phrases 611
D)TheStyle 613
Chap.TI. Conclusion. TheParticularHypothesis 615
Literature. 623

THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY
INTRODUCTION
§ 1. Timothy.
Timothy is named as the receiverof theepistle, i. 2,iii.14. It
wasintended'forhimalone, notforthe churchat the same time, as
thiswould contradict the definite inscription, the character of the
epistle as an official letter, and its whole import; on iv. 12 see
the exposition. As to his personal history we learn from the
—
New Testament that Lycaonia was his native country whether
Lystra (De—Wette) or Derbe (Wieseler) was his birth-place isun-
determined that his fatherwas a Greek, andhis mother a Jewess
who embraced Christianity(Acts xvi. 1-3). Hismother's namewas
Eunice, his grandmother's Lois (2 Tim. i. 5). From thislastpas-
sagecompared withiii. 15, wemayinferthat Timothyhadenjoyed
thebenefit ofapious educationon the sideofhis mother. Already
atthe time of the apostle'ssecond stayinthat district, we findhim
mentionedasadisciple who hadagoodreport ofthe brethren(Acts
xvi. 1, 2). After he had been circumcised (Acts xvi. 3), and set
apart with the laying on of hands to the work of an evangelist
(1 Tim. i. 18, iv. 14, vi.12; 2 Tim.i. 6, ii. 2),hejoined the apostle
onhisjourneythrough LesserAsia and Macedonia, followed himto
Rome, after having remained behind in Bercea (Acts xvii. 14-16),
was deputed thence by him to Thessalonica, and returned to him
at Corinth (Acts xviii. 5; 1 Thess. iii. 6). We find him at a
laterperiod inEphesus again with the apostle, from whence he was
sent to Macedonia and Corinth (Acts xix. 22*; 1 Cor.iv. 17,xvi. 10,
11). The second epistle to the Corinthiansdoes not expresslysay
thathe had actuallybeen there. But we find him againwith the
apostle in Macedonia(2 Cor. i.1),and he went with him toCorinth
(Rom. xvi. 21). He was one of the apostle's travelling companions
onhis return thence, andhe went forward alongwith several others
from Philippi to Troas (Acts xx. 4, seq). According to Phil. ii.
;
10 " INTRODUCTION.
19-23, he wasto have gone to Philippi. Accordinglo our epistle,
he ahocle in Ephesus(i. 3), havingbeing chargedbytheapostlewith
the care of the affairs of the church there. In Heb. xiii. 23, we
have anotherhistorical noticeconcerninghim, to which however no
certain place can beassigned. Traditionmakes himthe first bishop
of Ephesus, and tohave suffered martyrdom there under Domitian.
More will be found in Bohl, p. 22, seq. Comp. Winer's K.W.B.
The passages in which the apostle speaks of Timothy are 1Cor. iv.
17; xvi. 10, 11; Phil. ii. 19-23;"1 Thess.iii. 1-6 ; theyshowwhat
love he bare to him, and what confidence he reposedinhim. In
theapostle's epistles, he is oftenest named alongwith the ajDostlein
the inscription, 2 Cor. i. 1; Phil. i. 1 ; Col. i. 1 ; 1 Thess. 1. 1
2 Thess. i. 1 ; Philem. 1, which is also atestimonyinhisfavour.
§ 2. Occasion, Design, and Contents of the Epistle.
Timothyhadbeenleft bythe apostle in Ephesus, with the spe-
cial charge of opposing a false form of Christian doctrine and
Christian life which was manifestingitselfthere, and ofgivingheed
to the settlement and administration ofthechurch. Asthe apostle
foreseesthe possibilityof his returnbeing delayed, he isinduced to
give instructions to his substitute for guiding him in his conduct,
chiefly with respect to this charge (iii. 14, 15). But the design of
theepistleis not limited-to this its immediate occasion. The apos-
tlehas also words ofadmonitionandwarningto address to Timothy
the evangelist; he sets before him what isincumbent onhim asa
good servant of Jesus Christ, both with reference tohimself as an
individual, and to the church, and gives him thenecessaryhintsfor
his guidance inthedischarge of these obligations. Whenwe take
this extendedview of the design of the epistle, we shall not merely
find thatits contents correspond to this designwhen viewedas a
whole, but we shall perceive also a regularmethodinitsplan, and
inthe succession of its particular parts. The epistle accordingly
divides itself into two parts. The first of these contains the in-
structions givento assist Timothyin thefulfilment ofhis temporary
commission; ch. i. 3, 15. More particularly, ch. i. treats of the
false teachingagainst which Timothyis to be on hisguard; ch. ii.
and iii. of the administration of the church; in ch. ii. are given
directions with respect to the assemblies of the church, in ch. iii.
for ordination to church offices. The second part, which extends
from iii. 15 to the end, contains instructions bearing on Timothy's
caUingas an evangelist, settingbefore himwhatisincumbent upon
him inthis respect. The conclusion of ch. iii. forms the transition
tothefuturefalling awayfrom the faith described in ch. iv., which
INTEODUCTION. 11
makes it the duty of Timothyas a teacher of the gospel all the
more faithfully to hold fast the apostolical doctrine, and to make a
conscientious improvement of the gifts bestowed on him (ch. iv).
In ch, V. Timothyis farther instructed howhe is to deal with the
particular members of the church, according to the distinctions of
sex, age, and according to other differences (in which from the na-
ture of the case it cannot he expected that the line of distinction
should be drawn between Timothy's position as representative of
the apostle, and as an evangelist). Finally, in ch. vi., special in-
junctionsare given him with respect'to slaves, and with respect to
therich. The transition to this last point is made bya warningad-
dressedto Timothy as anindividual,against the desire to be rich, a
warning which the apostle is induced to give from a regard to the
characterand pursuits of the false seducers.
The conclusion stands by itself, vers. 20-21, and contains a
reiterated comprehensive warning against that secret science which
isreferred to in otherparts ofthe epistle. For the confirmationand
further expansion of this, see the interpretation.
§ 3. The Time and Place of Composition.
The historical circumstances under which the epistle according
to its own statements was written, are the following. The apostle
had gonefrom Ephesus to Macedonia, and had left Timothytocon-
duct the affairs of the Ephesian church until he himself should re-
turn, which he hoped would not be long, but which might possibly
be delayed. The churchwas alreadyfullyorganized. It had not
onlypresbyters and deacons, but also an institution forwidowsbe-
longing to the church. Already a ve6(j}vto^ was ineligible to the
office of a bishop, and in general, a Christian test was applied in
the appointment to anyoffice, and to any ecclesiastical distinction,
V.9, seq. A corrupt tendency to vain speculation, and a false as-
ceticism, had prominently appeared in the church, which in the
case of some had even led to a complete apostacy from the faith
;
the present alreadydisplayed the germ ofanerror which threatened
thefuture with danger (iv. 1,seq). Even these circumstances show
that thedate of the epistle must belong to the later, nay, I might
say to the latest period of the apostle'shistory. It willbe difficult
to prove that the existence of Christianity for two or three years is
sufficient to explain the qualifications laid down in chap. iii. to be
looked for in the appointment of ecclesiastical office-bearers, the
rules laid down in chap. v. regardingwidows, and the experiences
of whichwehave there an account, as also the warnings pervading
the entire epistle against false teachingand error. Can this epistle