Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 6:14
saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
14. blessing I will bless thee ] The repetition represents the emphasis of the Hebrew, which expresses a superlative by repeating the word twice.
I will multiply thee ] In the Heb. and LXX. we have “I will multiply thy seed.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee – That is, I will certainly bless thee. The phrase is a Hebrew mode of expression, to denote emphasis or certainty – indicated by the repetition of a word; compare Gen 14:23; Exo 8:10; Joe 3:14; Jdg 5:30; Jdg 15:16.
Multiplying I will multiply thee – I will greatly increase thee – I will grant thee an exceedingly numerous posterity.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Heb 6:14
Blessing I will bless thee
Gods abundant blessing
The blessing is amplified by doubling the phrase, thus, blessing I will bless.
1. The certainty of a thing (Exo 3:7).
2. Diligence and pains in a thing.
3. Celerity and speed in doing a thing: as where David saith, It is better that escaping I should escape (1Sa 27:1).
4. Abundance in giving a thing.
5. Success in doing a thing, or a thorough doing of it, or doing it to purpose: as where Saul saith to David, Doing thou shalt do, and prevailing thou shalt prevail (1Sa 26:25).
6. Finishing and perfecting a thing: as where Solomon saith to God, Building I have built Thee an house (1Ki 8:13). His meaning is, that he had perfectly finished it.
7. A wonderful increase of a thing, as in this phrase, Multiplying I will multiply.
8. Long continuance as, Waiting, I have waited (Psa 40:1), that is, I have long waited. This phrase, Blessing I will bless. gives us to understand that blessings appertaining to Abraham and to his seed are abundant blessings. God is no way scanty to the faithful. God proprtioneth His blessings according to His own greatness. He setteth forth His magnificence in blessing children of men. Who would not depend upon such a Lord for blessing? How ought we to enlarge our hearts, and open our mouths in blessing God for so blessing us! (W. Gouge.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 14. Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee] I will continue to bless thee.
Multiplying I will multiply thee.] I will continue to increase thy posterity. In the most literal manner God continues to fulfil this promise; genuine Christians are Abraham’s seed, and God is increasing their number daily. See the notes on Ge 22:12-18; and Ge 23:1.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Here is laid down the form and matter of Gods oath: the form, in Gen 22:16, is implied in the particle in this text well rendered surely, Heb 3:11. The other defective expressions are forms of swearing, as if, except, unless; but here it is positive, surely, or verily, which Christ frequently useth; it is a vehement assertion of what he saith. The whole matter of Gods oath is not repeated, but the substance and comprehensive part of it, which made for the apostles purpose here. By blessing, in the Hebrew manner of expressing, is carried the abundance and certainty of all that temporal and spiritual good, which he would convey unto him in and through the blessed and promised Seed, our Lord Jesus Christ, with the multiplicity, abundance, and certainty of the seed natural, and believing, to whom he should be related as a Father through Christ, as is evident, Gen 22:16-18; and all this so uttered, as if God could not express how much he loved him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. multiplying . . .multiplyHebraism for superabundantly multiply.
theeThe increase ofAbraham’s seed is virtually an increase of himself. Theargument here refers to Abraham himself as an example;therefore Paul quotes Ge 22:17,”thee,” instead of “thy seed.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Saying, surely blessing I will bless thee,…. Which is expressive of the certainty of the blessings; the reality and substantiality of them; the abundance of them, and the continuance of the same: and of this nature are all spiritual blessings; as to be chosen of God; to have God to be a covenant God and Father; to be justified, pardoned, adopted, and sanctified, and so have a right and title to eternal happiness:
and multiplying I will multiply thee; meaning both in his natural and spiritual seed, which has had its accomplishment.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Surely ( ). By itacism for (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 205). The quotation is from Ge 22:16f. (the promise renewed to Abraham with an oath after offering of Isaac).
Blessing (). Hebraism (present active participle) for the Hebrew infinitive absolute and so with (multiplying).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Surely blessing I will bless thee [ ] . Ei mhn as a formula of swearing N. T. o. In LXX, see Num 14:23, 28, 35; Isa 45:23; Eze 33:27; Eze 34:8. Blessing I will bless is a Hebraism, emphasizing the idea contained in the verb. Comp. LXX, Gen 22:17; Num 25:10; Deu 14:4. 1 97
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Saying, surely blessing,” (legon ei men eulogon) “If surely blessing; as surely as he is the Blessed God he promises to bless his people today as he blessed and multiplied Abraham and his natural seed, Deu 1:8-11.
2) “I will bless thee,” (eulogeso se) “I will bless you,” Abraham. And he did, Let it be continually remembered that these things are written, recorded, or recounted for our admonition and learning about Divine responses to human obedience; God’s special promise blessing to Abraham was first realized in the birth of Isaac, Gen 21:12; Rom 15:4; Rom 4:23-24; 2Ti 3:16-17.
3) “And multiplying I will multiply thee,” (kai plethunon plethuno su) “And continually multiplying I will multiply you,” Mat 5:15-16; Act 1:8; His promises to Abraham and his seed are no less true in character and fulfillment than his promise to those of his church in labors today, Ecc 11:6; Joh 4:35-38; Psa 126:5-6; Mat 28:18-20; Joh 20:21.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(14) Saying.The words of the oath itself, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord (Gen. 22:16), are not repeated, because they are almost identical with the writers own words introducing the citation (Heb. 6:13). It will be observed that one change is madein the last word; for in Genesis we read, I will multiply thy seed. The alteration may be made for brevity, as the quotation is abridged; but it will be seen that the effect of it is to direct greater attention to the first words, and to fix the thought on the blessing promised to Abraham himself.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Multiplying I will multiply thee By this promise Abraham is to be father of the Messianic race, including the Messiah, with all the blessing in the Messiah included, temporal and eternal. Says Stuart, “When Abraham was called by God out of Haran, and a promise of a numerous posterity made to him, he was seventy-five years old, Gen 12:1-4.
Twenty-four years elapsed after this, while he was a sojourner in a strange land without any fixed place of abode, before the manner in which this promise would be fulfilled was revealed to him. Gen 17:1-16. It was only when he was a hundred years old that the promised blessing of a son, from whom should spring a great nation, was obtained, Gen 21:1-5. The preternatural birth of such a son was deemed by Abraham a sufficient pledge, on the part of God, that all which he had promised respecting him would be fulfilled. Gen 22:15-18; Heb 11:8-12; Heb 11:17-19; Rom 4:17-22.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.’
And that promise was that He would certainly bless him, and would certainly multiply him, so that throughout the whole world God’s own chosen ones would be brought into being, those who would become sons of Abraham, who would walk as Abraham walked, and would be blessed through him (so that if necessary He would and could turn stones into sons of Abraham – Mat 3:9). His purpose was set and fixed and nothing could stop it. Thus those who enter into the blessing of Abraham through becoming God’s children by faith (Rom 4:12-13; Rom 4:24; Gal 3:7-9; Gal 3:14; Gal 3:29), have the assurance that they have come within the unchangeable promise of God, a promise which will never fail. When God made His oath to Abraham He made it to all who are His own.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Heb 6:14 . . . .] Adducing of the declaration, Gen 22:17 , with the difference, that in the case of the LXX. is in harmony with the original put in place of . This deviation is not to be explained by the supposition that the author chose instead of merely “for brevity’s sake” (Jac. Cappellus), or “in order to present the promise in a form as concentrated as possible” (Delitzsch), or that he cited from memory (Abresch), or that he wished to place in the background all thought of the merely physical descendants of Abraham, and direct the glance of the reader exclusively to the spiritual or heavenly posterity of Abraham, which was appointed to him through Christ (Bhme, Bisping, and others). It has its ground simply in the fact that the author was here occupied exclusively with the person of Abraham himself (Bleek, de Wette, Maier).
] in place of the Greek , or of the , formed after the Hebrew , is met with elsewhere in the LXX. (Eze 33:27 ; Eze 34:8 ; Eze 35:6 ; Eze 36:5 , al.), not, indeed, so far as concerns our passage in the Cod. Alex. and Cod. Vatic., but yet in other ancient MSS.; and in any case, our author found it in the copy of the LXX. used by him.
The combination of the participle with the tempus finitum of the same verb ( . . .) is a well-known Grecising of the Hebrew infin. absol., occurring exceedingly often in the LXX., and serving generally as here for the augmented and solemn emphasizing of the idea contained in the verb. See Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 332.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
Ver. 14. Bleasing I will bless thee ] Now he whom God blesseth shall be blessed, as Isaac said of Jacob,Gen 27:33Gen 27:33 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
14 .] saying, Surely (in reff., the editions vary between and , but the greater MSS. have : in fact, and are constantly interchanged by the copyists. The expression occurs in formul jurandi in several places in the LXX (as e. g. Eze 33:27 , , : see also ib. Eze 34:8 ; Eze 35:6 ; Eze 36:5 ; Eze 38:19 ), so that it could not be an unmeaning expression to the Hellenistic ear. Bleek thinks it came from the Hebraistic formula , which has sometimes been written and edited for it) blessing I will bless (thus frequently the LXX, for the Heb. idiomatic conjuction of the absolute infinitive with the finite verb: but sometimes they have it where the Heb. has no such conjunction, as in 1Ki 2:25 ; and something like it is found even in Greek writers, as e. g. Herod. v. 95, : Xen. Cyr. viii. 4. 9, : Lucian, Parasit. 43, (none of which however are quite analogous, the second verb in all being coupled with some additional predicate, as in ‘flying, he escapes, gets clear off’). See Winer, 45.8, edn. 6. At first the participle seems to have had a certain emphasis: but afterwards this was lost, and the expression became a mere formula) thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee (the LXX has for , . This the Writer alters, not from a wish to abbreviate (Jac. Cappell.) nor because he quoted from memory (Abresch), nor because he was unwilling to introduce Abraham’s bodily descendants, but wished to direct his readers’ thoughts to his spiritual seed (Bhme, Bisping, al.), but, as Bleek, De W., Lnem., al., because his concern here was with Abraham alone, and his spiritual example: or perhaps, as Delitzsch, seeing that . could only be understood of posterity , because he wished to concentrate the promise as much as possible):
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Heb 6:14 . The oath runs . “Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.” “Sentences which denote assurance are in classical Greek introduced by , which in the Hellenistic and Roman period is sometimes written in the form of (accent?) ; so in the LXX and in a quotation from it in Heb 6:14 ” (Blass, Gram. , p. 260); and cf. Jannaris, Hist. Greek Gram. , 2055. is used to strengthen asseveration, suitably therefore in oaths. On the emphatic participle in imitation of the Hebrew absolute infinitive, see Winer, sec. 45, 8, p. 445. The oath here cited was a promise to bless mankind, a promise that through all history God’s gracious purpose should run; that, let happen what might, God would redeem and bless the world.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Surely. Greek. e (the texts read ei) men. Only here.
blessing, &c. Quoted from the Septuagint of Gen 22:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
14.] saying, Surely (in reff., the editions vary between and , but the greater MSS. have : in fact, and are constantly interchanged by the copyists. The expression occurs in formul jurandi in several places in the LXX (as e. g. Eze 33:27, , : see also ib. Eze 34:8; Eze 35:6; Eze 36:5; Eze 38:19), so that it could not be an unmeaning expression to the Hellenistic ear. Bleek thinks it came from the Hebraistic formula , which has sometimes been written and edited for it) blessing I will bless (thus frequently the LXX, for the Heb. idiomatic conjuction of the absolute infinitive with the finite verb: but sometimes they have it where the Heb. has no such conjunction, as in 1Ki 2:25; and something like it is found even in Greek writers, as e. g. Herod. v. 95, : Xen. Cyr. viii. 4. 9, : Lucian, Parasit. 43, (none of which however are quite analogous, the second verb in all being coupled with some additional predicate, as in -flying, he escapes, gets clear off). See Winer, 45.8, edn. 6. At first the participle seems to have had a certain emphasis: but afterwards this was lost, and the expression became a mere formula) thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee (the LXX has for , . This the Writer alters, not from a wish to abbreviate (Jac. Cappell.) nor because he quoted from memory (Abresch), nor because he was unwilling to introduce Abrahams bodily descendants, but wished to direct his readers thoughts to his spiritual seed (Bhme, Bisping, al.), but, as Bleek, De W., Lnem., al., because his concern here was with Abraham alone, and his spiritual example: or perhaps, as Delitzsch, seeing that . could only be understood of posterity, because he wished to concentrate the promise as much as possible):
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Heb 6:14. ) , Gen 22:17, LXX., , , , …, I have sworn by Myself, saith the Lord, that blessing I will bless thee, etc. So , Gen 42:16. Devarius, when he had collected examples of the particle , infers that this word is used merely by the way of ornament, when it is applied to a promise or an oath: it is quite different in simple affirmations, in which it is necessarily (not merely ornamentally) used. But it may be resolved thus: , let there be, whatever shall happen, i.e. occur what may, , yet this shall be done.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Partakers of Christ
The text does not say, We are made partakers with Christ. That is a precious, comforting truth of Scripture. We are joint-heirs with Christ. Because all things are his, all things are ours. But that is not the teaching of our text.
The text does not simply say that We are made partakers of the rich benefits of Gods grace in Christ. That, too, is a fact in which we rejoice. All the grace of God in Christ is ours, fully, freely, and perfectly. In Christ, we are partakers of pardoning mercy, adopting love, regenerating grace, sanctification, preservation, and eternal glory. All the blessings of the covenant of grace are ours in Christ.
But the text goes further. It includes all this and much more. Here, Paul tells us that, We are made partakers of Christ. We are made partakers of Christ himself! This is a privilege no tongue can describe. It is beyond the thought of our finite minds. We are one with the Son of God, members of his body, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. Truly, this is a great mystery!
Yet, this is the privilege of all true believers. The moment any sinner believes on Christ, that sinner is so vitally and really joined to Christ that he becomes a partaker of Christ. To be partakers of Christ, what can this mean?
Legally
To be a partaker of Christ means that I have a share in his merits. Sinful, though I am, vile, wretched, and unclean, I come to the fountain filled with his blood, I am washed in it, and I am made as white as snow. In that moment I become a partaker of Gods eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Being a partaker of Christ, his merits are my merits.
That which Christ did as my Substitute is actually mine. Did he bear the wrath of God as my Substitute? Then all Gods wrath against me is gone. Did he take my sin upon himself? Then my sin is gone. Did he pay the debt I owed to the law and justice of God? Then my debt is paid, nothing more is owed. Yes, it is true!
Jesus paid it all, all the debt I owed,
Sin had left a crimson stain:
He washed it white as snow.
Since my debt has been paid, since in the Person of my Substitute, Jesus Christ, I have paid all that Gods law required, God cannot require me to pay more.
Payment God cannot twice demand,
First at my bleeding Suretys hand,
And then again at mine.
Being partakers of Christ, his righteousness has become ours. He is The Lord our Righteousness. Not only are we freed from sin by his atoning sacrifice, we are rendered righteous before God by Christs obedience in life as our responsible Representative. Christ, having obeyed Gods law as our Representative and fulfilling all righteousness for us, we have obeyed Gods law in him, fulfilling all righteousness. There is nothing which God in his law requires us to do which we have not done in Christ, our Surety.
With his spotless garments on,
Were as holy as the Holy One!
Being thus partakers of Christ, we are accepted in the beloved. Is Christ accepted of God? Is he fully, perfectly, completely, eternally accepted? Even so, all who are partakers of Christ are accepted in him. God looks upon all his people, all true believers in Christ, and says, These are my beloved sons, in whom I am well pleased.
Near, so very near to God, Nearer we cannot be,
For in the Person of His Son, Were as near as He!
Can you grasp what Paul is saying? We are made partakers of Christ!
Experimentally
All true believers have both an eternal union with Christ and an experimental union with him, a legal, covenant union, and a vital, living union of faith. We are partakers of Christ by Gods decree; and we are partakers of Christ by faith. We live and feed upon him. His life is our daily bread. It sustains our souls. His blood is the wine that makes our hearts glad. He is our meat and drink (Joh 6:53-56).
Still there is a deeper spiritual lesson for us. Our union with Christ is so real, so constant, so vital that He is our Life. To be a partaker of Christ is to derive life from him constantly. We live upon Christ, just as the walls of a building stand upon the foundation. We derive life from Christ, just like the branches derive life from the vine. We are partakers of Christ, just as the wife is a partaker of her husband. We are partakers of Christ, just like the members of my body are partakers of my heart and my head.
Eternally
We are so really and truly one with Christ that we are partakers of him in his destiny. When he comes again, his holy ones shall come with him. The fact that he is risen from the dead is the earnest and promise of our resurrection. At the day of his appearing, we shall rise and participate in the fruition of his mediatorial work. We will judge men and angels with Christ. We will join Christ in the destruction of his foes. We will join Christ in the marriage of the Lamb. We will stand with Christ before his Fathers throne. We will inherit the glory he has inherited as our Mediator (Joh 17:22).
Spurgeon said, All right and all might, all that can extol or delight, all that forever and ever shall contribute to the glory of Christ, shall be shared by all the faithful, for we are partakers not only with him, but of him – of Christ – therefore of all the surroundings of glory and honor that shall belong to him.
By Grace
This is all the work of divine grace. We are MADE partakers of Christ (1Co 1:30). God himself has made us to be partakers of Christ his Son by the work of his almighty grace. He put us in Christ in election. He put Christ in us in regeneration. He made us partakers of Christ by the gift of faith.
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
multiplying: Gen 17:2, Gen 48:4, Exo 32:13, Deu 1:10, Neh 9:23
Reciprocal: Gen 22:16 – General Psa 3:8 – thy blessing Isa 52:6 – I am he Eze 37:26 – multiply Heb 10:14 – them
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Heb 6:14. The particular blessing promised to Abraham meant in this verse was that he was to have a son with whom the covenant was to be established (Gen 17:19).
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Heb 6:14. Saying, Surely. The Hebrew of surely is equivalent to I swear. The unfamiliarity to the Greek translators of the Hebrew idiom for swearing has created various renderings of the Hebrew particles, and the meaning of the Greek particle has been misunderstood by the English translators in this Epistle (see chap. 4). But there is now no question as to the sense.
Blessing I will bless, etc. The repetition indicates, according to the order of the original words, either the certainty of the thing promised (Thou shalt surely die), or the continuousness and consequent completeness of it. In neither case is it unmeaning.
I will multiply thee. The full expression in Genesis is: I will multiply thy seed. Some think the change is significant, as if it was intended to connect the promise more closely with Abraham and his faith rather than with his seed (so De Wette and Bleek), and there may be force in this somewhat refined reasoning; but the multiplying is the essential thing, and, as Abraham could be multiplied only through his descendants, the promise in this shorter form leaves the meaning unchanged.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
6:14 Saying, Surely {e} blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
(e) I will heap many benefits on you.