THE EPISTLE TO THE EBROYEE. I. IN manifold portions,1 and in all manners, spake Aloha with our fathers by the prophets from the first: but in these last days he hath spoken with us by his Son; whom he constituted the heir of every thing, and by whom he made the worlds; who himself is the resplendence of his glory, and the image of his Being, and upholdeth all (things) by the power of his word; and he, in his (own) person, hath made purification of sins, and hath sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.2 And this (person) is altogether more excellent than the angels, by so much as the name he hath inherited (is) more excellent than theirs. For unto which one from (among) the angels at any time said Aloha, Thou art мY SON; I to-day have begotten thee? And again, I will be to him the Father, and he shall be to me the Son? But again, when bringing in the First-begotten into the world, he said, Let all the angels of Aloha worship him. But concerning the angels, thus hath he spoken: Who hath made his angels spirit, and his ministers a flaming fire. But concerning the Son he hath said, Thy throne, Aloha, (is) for ever and ever, a right 3 sceptre (is) the 1 B'cull manon, in all portions. omnifariam, multifariam.”—SCHAFF. 2 The Greatness in the high places. "Omnibus partibus, i. e., 3 Or, perfect, true. sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hast hated iniquity; therefore Aloha thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of exultation more (abundantly) than thy fellows. And again, Thou in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They pass away, but thou art enduring; and all they as vestments shall become old, and as a garment thou shalt fold them up, they shall be changed; but thou (shalt be) as Thou Art, and thy years shall not fail.4 But to which from (among) the angels hath he said at any time, Sit at my right hand, until I put thine adversaries a footstool beneath thy feet? Are not all they spirits of ministration, who (are) sent forth in service on behalf of those who are hereafter to inherit salvation? Therefore we are obligated to be more exceedingly heedful in what we have heard, that we fall not. For if the word which was uttered by angels was confirmed, and every one who heard it, and transgressed against it, received a just retribution,5 how shall we escape if we despise those (words) which themselves are our salvation? those [namely] which began by our Lord to be spoken, and by them who from him heard them in us were confirmed, when Aloha witnessed concerning them by signs, and by miracles, and by various powers, and by distributed gifts of the Spirit of Holiness, that were bestowed according to his will. 6 7 II. FOR it was not to the angels he subjected the world which is future, of which we discourse. But, as the scripture testifieth and saith, What is man, that thou 4 Or, shall not complete. 6 Distributions, or dividings. 5 A retribution in righteousness. rememberedst him, and the Son of man, that thou didst visit him? Thou didst humble him (to be) less than the angels; glory and honour hast thou placed upon his head, and hast empowered him over the work of thy hands, and every thing hast thou put in subjection under his feet. 8 [Now] in this, that he subjected every thing to him, he hath left nothing which he hath not subjected. Yet hitherto we see not that every thing is subjected to him. But him who was humbled to be less than the angels, we see to be JESHU himself, for the sake of the passion of his death; and glory and honour set upon his head; for He Aloha, in his grace, for every man hath tasted death! For it was proper to him by whose hand are all, and on account of whom all are, (and who) would lead many sons to his glory, that the Prince of their salvation by sufferings should be perfected. For he who sanctified, and they who are sanctified, are all from one: wherefore he has not been ashamed to call them his brethren. (As) when he saith, I will announce thy name unto my brethren, and in the midst of the church I will praise thee. And again, I will put my confidence in him. And again, Behold me, and the sons whom thou hast given me, Aloha. III. FORASMUCH as the sons have been made to participate in flesh and blood, he also likewise was made a partaker of these very things; that by his death he might abolish him who held the power of death, who is Satana, and set loose them who in the fear of death had been all their lives subjected to servitude. For not from the angels he took, but from the seed of Abraham he 8 Hu ger Aloho. 9 Or, Head. 1 Men malakee nasab. took. Therefore it was right that in every thing he should be rendered like unto his brethren, that he might be compassionate, and a High Priest faithful in [things pertaining] to Aloha, and become an expiation for the sins of the people. For in this, that he hath suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. Wherefore, my holy brethren, who have been called with the calling that [is] from heaven, contemplate this Apostle and High Priest of our confession, JESHU MESHIHA! who was faithful to him who made him, as (was) Musha in all his house. For greater is the glory of this (One) by far than (the glory) of Musha, even as the honour of him who built the house is far greater than [that of] his building. For every house by some man is builded; but He who built all [things] is Aloha. And Musha, as a servant, was faithful in all his house, for the testimony of those [things] that were to be announced by him; 2 but the Meshiha as THE SON Over his [own] house and his house are we, if, unto the end, we shall hold fast our confidence,3 and the triumph of his hope. Therefore the Spirit of Holiness hath said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts unto the angering of him, as (did) the embitterers,5 and as the day of temptation in the desert, when your fathers tempted me, and proved (and) saw my works forty years. On which account I was wearied with that generation; and said, It is a people that doth err (in) their heart, and that hath not known my ways. So that I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest. Beware, therefore, my brethren, lest there be in any man among you an evil heart which believeth not, and ye depart from Aloha the living. But examine yourselves 2 By his hand. 4 The glorying. 3 Retain our openness of faces. 5 Memarmaronee. all the days, until the day which is called THAT DAY,6 lest any one of you be hardened by the deceptiveness of sin. IV. FOR we are made participators with the Meshiha, if, from the beginning and unto the end, in this very standing we steadfastly persist. As that it is said, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts to provoke him. For who are they who heard and provoked him? Not all they who came out of Metsreen by the hand of Musha. And with whom was he wearied forty years, but with them who sinned, and whose bones fell in the desert? And of whom did he swear that they should not enter into his rest, but of them who would not be persuaded? And we see that they were not able to enter in, because they did not believe. : Let us fear, therefore, lest, while there is a confirmed promise of an entrance into his rest, any one shall be found among you remaining from entering in. For we have been evangelized as well as they but the word which they heard did not profit them, because not contempered with faith in them who heard it. But we enter into the rest, we (being of) those (who) have believed. But as He hath said, So I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest: for, behold, the works of Aloha from the beginning of the world were. As he said concerning the shabath, God rested on the seventh day from all his works. Yet here again he saith, They shall not enter into my rest. Therefore, because there was a place into which every one of them might have entered, and they who had it announced first did not enter in, 9 6 Yaumono, q. s. yaumo hono. 8 Bath-Koleh, the sound of his voice. 9 Athro, a region. 7 Or, are conjoined with. |