SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:15
Mirando bien que ninguno se aparte de la gracia de Dios; que ninguna raíz de amargura brotando os impida, y por ella muchos sean contaminados.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hebrew 12:15
Verse 15. Looking diligently] episkopountev? Looking about, over, and upon; being constantly on your guard. Lest any man fail of the grace of God] mh tiv usterwn apo thv caritov tou qeou? Lest any person should come behind, or fall off from, this grace or GIFT of God; this state of salvation, viz. the Gospel system or Christianity; for this is most evidently the meaning of the apostle. It is not the falling from a work of grace in their own souls, but from the Gospel, to apostatize from which they had now many temptations; and to guard them against this, the whole epistle was written.
Lest any root of bitterness springing up] A root of bitterness signifies a poisonous plant. The Hebrews call every species of poison a bitter, and with considerable propriety, as most plants are poisonous in proportion to the quantum of the bitter principle they possess. The root of bitterness is here used metaphorically for a bad man, or a man holding unsound doctrines, and endeavouring to spread them in the Church.
Trouble you] This alludes to the effects of poison taken into the body: the whole animal system is disturbed, sometimes violent retchings, great disturbances through the whole alimentary canal, together with the most fatal changes in the whole sanguineous system, are the consequences of poison taken into the stomach. The blood itself (the principle, under God, of life) becomes putrescent; and probably to this the intelligent apostle alludes when he says, and thereby many be defiled, mianqwsi, corrupted or contaminated.
Bad example and false teaching have corrupted thousands, and are still making desolation in the world and in the Church.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. Looking diligently , etc..] Acting the part of bishops, or overseers, as the word signifies; and so this exhortation either respects officers of the church of the Hebrews, whose business it was more especially to inspect into the principles and practices of the members of it, and take care that they did not imbibe false doctrines, or live immoral lives; or rather the several members of the church, whose business it is to watch over one another, since this epistle seems to be written to the whole church. Lest any man fail of the grace of God ; not the free favour and love of God in Christ, which is everlasting, unchangeable, and from whence there is no separation; nor the grace of God implanted in the heart in regeneration, which is incorruptible, never failing, but always remains, as do faith, hope, and love; but either the whole doctrine of the Gospel, which is a declaration of the grace of God; or particularly the doctrine of free justification by the righteousness of Christ, which men may receive in vain, and fall from, ( 2 Corinthians 6:1 Galatians 5:4) to which these Hebrews might be prone: and such fail of it, who either come short of it, do not come up to it, receive and embrace it; or who having professed it, drop it and deny it: now such should be looked after, and such a case should be diligently looked into; because the glory of God, the honour of Christ, the good of souls, and the well being, and even the continuance of the church state are concerned: lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, [and] thereby many be defiled ; the Alexandrian copy reads oi polloi , the many, the common people, the private members of the church; though it may intend either things or persons: it may design things; and these either the corruption of nature in general, which is a root that lies hidden in a man's heart; and is a root or gall of bitterness; and is apt to spring up, and bring forth bitter fruit, and gives trouble both to a man's self and others; and is of a defiling nature, in particular sins; such as malice, strife, and contention, covetousness, lust, pride, oppression, idleness, etc.. which make bitter work, and occasion great trouble in churches, oftentimes: or errors and heresies, which sometimes, like roots, lie under ground, secret and undiscovered; and are bitter ones in their effects, bringing ruin and swift destruction on the souls of men; and these sometimes spring up in churches, while ministers and members are asleep, or not so diligent and watchful as they should be; and occasion great trouble, and are very infectious, and defiling: moreover, persons may be designed; which agrees well with ( Deuteronomy 29:18) from whence this phrase is taken; and with the instance in the following verse, such as all immoral persons, and false teachers, particularly self-justiciaries, that preach the doctrine of justification by the works of the law: this was the capital mistake, and rooted error of the Jewish nation; and a bitter one it was; it produced many bitter fruits of pride and vain glory; and this sprung up in the church, and troubled and defiled many there and elsewhere, being spread by the abettors of it; (see Acts 15:24 Galatians 1:6 5:9,10). Now, care should be taken, that no such person be in churches, holding such an error; because of the glory of God, Father, Son, and Spirit; the comfort of souls; the peace of the church, and the growth and increase of it, which must be hurt by such men and doctrines; so riza amartwlov , a sinful root, is used for a wicked man, in the Apocrypha: In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow. (1 Maccabees 1:11) and yrmh rw , a root of bitterness, signifies, in Jewish writings f285 , an error, or heresy, in opposition to a root of faith, or a fundamental doctrine.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-17 - A burden of affliction is apt to make the Christian's hands hang down and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him; but against this he must strive, that he may better run his spiritual rac and course. Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace an holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure. Peace with men, of all sects and parties, will be favourabl to our pursuit of holiness. But peace and holiness go together; ther can be not right peace without holiness. Where persons fail of havin the true grace of God, corruption will prevail and break forth; bewar lest any unmortified lust in the heart, which seems to be dead, shoul spring up, to trouble and disturb the whole body. Falling away from Christ is the fruit of preferring the delights of the flesh, to the blessing of God, and the heavenly inheritance, as Esau did. But sinner will not always have such mean thoughts of the Divine blessing an inheritance as they now have. It agrees with the profane man' disposition, to desire the blessing, yet to despise the means whereb the blessing is to be gained. But God will neither sever the means from the blessing, nor join the blessing with the satisfying of man's lusts God's mercy and blessing were never sought carefully and not obtained.
Greek Textus Receptus
επισκοπουντες 1983 5723 μη 3361 τις 5100 υστερων 5302 5723 απο 575 της 3588 χαριτος 5485 του 3588 θεου 2316 μη 3361 τις 5100 ριζα 4491 πικριας 4088 ανω 507 φυουσα 5453 5723 ενοχλη 1776 5725 και 2532 δια 1223 ταυτης 3778 μιανθωσιν 3392 5686 πολλοι 4183
Vincent's NT Word Studies
15. Looking diligently ( episkopountev). A.V. gives diligently as the force of ejpi; but ejpi signifies direction rather than intensity. The idea is exercising oversight. Only here and 1 Pet. v. 2.
Fail of ( usterwn apo). Rend. "fall back from," implying a previous attainment. The present participle marks something in progress: "lest any one be falling back."
Root of bitterness (riza pikriav). From LXX, Deut. xxix. 18. A bad man in the church. Riza of a person, 1 Macc. i. 10.
Springing up (anw fuousa). The participle pictures the springing up in progress; the root gradually revealing its pernicious character.
Trouble (enoclh). Only here and Luke vi. 18, see note.
Many be defiled (mianqwsin oiJ polloi). Rend. "the many": the majority of the church. For the verb see on John xviii. 28.
