SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:39
Pero nosotros no somos tales que nos retiremos para perdicin, sino fieles para ganancia del alma.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hebrew 10:39
Verse 39. But we are not of them who draw back] ouk esmen upostolhv-, alla pistewv? "We are not the cowards, but the courageous." I have no doubt of this being the meaning of the apostle, and the form of speech requires such a translation; it occurs more than once in the New Testament. So, Gal. iii. 7: oi ek pistewv, they who are of the faith, rather the faithful, the believers; Rom. iii. x16: o ek pistewv, the believer; Rom. ii. 8: oi ex epiqeiav, the contentious; in all which places the learned reader will find that the form of speech is the same. We are not cowards who slink away, and notwithstanding meet destruction; but we are faithful, and have our souls saved alive. The words peripoihsiv yuchv signify the preservation of the life. See the note, "Eph. i. 14". He intimates that, notwithstanding the persecution was hot, yet they should escape with their lives. 1. IT is very remarkable, and I have more than once called the reader's attention to it, that not one Christian life was lost in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. Every Jew perished, or was taken captive; all those who had apostatized, and slunk away from Christianity, perished with them: all the genuine Christians escaped with their lives. This very important information, which casts light on many passages in the New Testament, and manifests the grace and providence of God in a very conspicuous way, is given both by Eusebius and Epiphanius. I shall adduce their words: "When the whole congregation of the Church in Jerusalem, according to an oracle given by revelation to the approved persons among them before the war, kata tina crhsmon toiv autoqi dokimoiv di apokaluyewv doqenta pro tou polemou, metanasthnai thv polewv, kai tina thv peraiav polin oikein kekeleusmenou, pellan authn onomazousin, were commanded to depart from the city, and inhabit a certain city which they call Pella, beyond Jordan, to which, when all those who believed in Christ had removed from Jerusalem, and when the saints had totally abandoned the royal city which is the metropolis of the Jews; then the Divine vengeance seized them who had dealt so wickedly with Christ and his apostles, and utterly destroyed that wicked and abominable generation." EUSEB. Hist.
Eccles, l. iii. c. v. vol. i. p. 93. Edit. a Reading.
St. Epiphanius, in Haeres. Nazaren, c. 7, says: "The Christians who dwelt in Jerusalem, being forewarned by Christ of the approaching siege, removed to Pella." The same, in his book Deuteronomy Ponderibus et Mensuris, says: "The disciples of Christ being warned by an angel, removed to Pella; and afterwards, when Adrian rebuilt Jerusalem, and called it after his own name, AElia Colonia, they returned thither." As those places in Epiphanius are of considerable importance, I shall subjoin the original: ekeiqen gar h arch gegone meta thn apo twn ierosolumwn metastasin, pantwn twn maqhtwn twn en pellh wkhkotwn, cristou fhsantov kataleiyai ta ierosoluma, kai anacwrhsai, epeidh hmelle pascein poliorkian. EPIPH. adver. Haeres., l. i. c. 7, vol. i. p. 123. Edit. Par. 1622. The other place is as follows: hnika gar emellen h poliv aliskesqai upo twn rwmaiwn, proecrhmatisqhsan upo aggelou pantev oi maqhtai metasthnai apo thv polewv, melloushv ardhn apollusqai. oi tinev kai metanastai genomenoi wkhsan en pellh-peran tou iordanou, h tiv ek dekapolewv legetai einai. Ibid. Deuteronomy Pon. et Mens., vol. ii. p. 171.
These are remarkable testimonies, and should be carefully preserved. Pella, it appears, was a city of Coelesyria, beyond Jordan, in the district of Decapolis. Thus it is evident that these Christians held fast their faith, preserved their shields, and continued to believe to the saving of their lives as well as to the saving of their souls. As the apostle gives several hints of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem, it is likely that this is the true sense in which the words above are to be understood.
2. I have already said a little, from verse 25, on the importance of social worship. PUBLIC worship is not of less consequence. Were it not for public, private worship would soon be at an end. To this, under God, the Church of Christ owes its being and its continuance. Where there is no public worship there is no religion. It is by this that God is acknowledged; and he is the universal Being; and by his bounty and providence all live; consequently, it is the duty of every intelligent creature publicly to acknowledge him, and offer him that worship which himself has prescribed in his word. The ancient Jews have some good maxims on this subject which may be seen in Schoettgen. I shall quote a few.
In Berachoth, fol. 8, it is written: "Rabbi Levi said, He who has a synagogue in his city, and does not go thither to pray, shall be esteemed a bad citizen," or a bad neighbour. And to this they apply the words of the prophet, Jer. xii. 14: Thus saith the Lord against all my evil neighbours-behold, I will pluck them out of their land.
In Mechilta, fol. xl8: "Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Jacob, said," speaking as from God, "If thou wilt come to my house, I will go to thy house; but if thou wilt not come to my house, I will not enter thy house. The place that my heart loveth, to that shall my feet go." We may safely add, that those who do not frequent the house of God can never expect his presence or blessing in their own.
In Taanith, fol. 11, it is said that "to him who separates himself from the congregation shall two angels come, and lay their hands upon his head and say, This man, who separates himself from the congregation, shall not see the comfort which God grants to his afflicted Church." The wisest and best of men have always felt it their duty and their interest to worship God in public. As there is nothing more necessary, so there is nothing more reasonable; he who acknowledges God in all his ways may expect all his steps to be directed. The public worship of God is one grand line of distinction between the atheist and the believer. He who uses not public worship has either no God, or has no right notion of his being; and such a person, according to the rabbins, is a bad neighbour; it is dangerous to live near him, for neither he nor his can be under the protection of God. No man should be forced to attend a particular place of worship, but every man should be obliged to attend some place; and he who has any fear of God will not find it difficult to get a place to his mind.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition , etc..] There is a drawing back which is not unto perdition; persons may be attended with much unbelief, may be very cold and indifferent to Gospel ordinances, may fall into great sins, and may greatly backslide, and yet be recovered, as David, Peter, and others: and there is a drawing back to perdition; when Christ is rejected as the alone Saviour; when he is not held to as the head; when false doctrines and damnable heresies are given into; and when men draw back, and never return, nor are they, nor can they be returned, and their apostasy is total, and final: but true believers do not, and cannot draw back in this sense; because they are held fast in the arms, and with the cords of everlasting love, are chosen of God unto salvation, are given unto Christ, and secured in him; they are redeemed and purchased by him; they are united to him, and built upon him; they are interested in his prayers and preparations, and are his jewels, and his portion; they are regenerated, sanctified, inhabited, and sealed by the Spirit of God, and have the promises and power of God, on their side. But of them that believe to the saving of the soul ; or of faith, to the salvation of the soul; not of faith of miracles, nor of an historical faith; but of that faith, which is the faith of God's elect, is the gift of God, and the operation of his Spirit; by which a soul sees Christ, goes to him, lays holds on him, commits all to him, and expects all from him: this stands opposed to drawing back; for by faith a man lives, walks, and stands; and with this is connected the salvation of the soul, as opposed to perdition; not as though it is a cause of salvation, but as a means of God's appointing to receive the blessings of salvation, and which is entirely consistent with the grace of God; and since salvation and faith are inseparably connected together, so that he that has the one shall have the other, it follows, that true believers can never perish. The nature and excellency of this grace is largely treated of in the following chapter.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 32-39 - Many and various afflictions united against the early Christians, an they had a great conflict. The Christian spirit is not a selfis spirit; it puts us upon pitying others, visiting them, helping them and pleading for them. All things here are but shadows. The happines of the saints in heaven will last for ever; enemies can never take i away as earthly goods. This will make rich amends for all we may los and suffer here. The greatest part of the saints' happiness, as yet, is in promise. It is a trial of the patience of Christians, to be conten to live after their work is done, and to stay for their reward til God's time to give it is come. He will soon come to them at death, to end all their sufferings, and to give them a crown of life. The Christian's present conflict may be sharp, but will be soon over. God never is pleased with the formal profession and outward duties an services of such as do not persevere; but he beholds them with grea displeasure. And those who have been kept faithful in great trails for the time past, have reason to hope for the same grace to help the still to live by faith, till they receive the end of their faith an patience, even the salvation of their souls. Living by faith, and dyin in faith, our souls are safe for ever __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ημεις 2249 δε 1161 ουκ 3756 εσμεν 2070 5748 υποστολης 5289 εις 1519 απωλειαν 684 αλλα 235 πιστεως 4102 εις 1519 περιποιησιν 4047 ψυχης 5590
Vincent's NT Word Studies
39. But we are not of them who draw back (hmeiv de ouk esmen upostolhv). Lit. we are not of shrinking back. JUpostolh N.T.o , o LXX, o Class. Einai with genitive marks the quality or peculiarity of a person or thing. Comp. ch. xii. 11 carav einai to be of joy, joyful. We do not partake of drawing back, which is characteristic of recreants.
Unto perdition (eiv apwleian). Or destruction. Drawing back makes for and terminates in (eiv) destruction.
Of them that believe (pistewv). Rend. of faith. The phrase einai pistewv to be of faith, N.T.o .
Saving (peripoihsin). See on 1 Thess. v. 9.
