by William Gouge
It is here further said that φόβῳ δανάτου, metu mortis, 'through or by fear of death, they are subject to bondage.' The terror with which unregenerate persons are afflicted is aggravated by a kind of bondage whereinto it brings them; for the fear of death is like a scourge, which keeps them that are under it in bondage, so as they dare not speak, nor stir, nor attempt anything for their freedom. They who are in such a manner under the lash, as we speak are in a miserable bondage.
The word δουλεία, translated bondage, is a relative; it hath reference to a superior power which keeps one in awe. The noun δούλος, whence it ariseth, signifieth a servant. Servant, according to the master to whom he hath relation, implieth a dignity or a slavery. 'A servant of God,' Titus 1:1; 'of the Lord,' Luke 1:38; 'of Jesus Christ,' Rom. 1:1, are honourable titles: but 'a servant of sin,' Rom. 6:20; 'a servant of corruption,' 2 Peter 2:19; and 'of the devil,' Eph. 2:3, are base and servile titles. So the verb to serve is taken in a good and in a bad sense, as to serve the law of God and the law of sin, Rom. 7:25.
But the word here translated bondage, being five times used in the New Testament, is always taken in a bad or base respect, as here, and Rom. 8:15, 21; Gal. 4:24, and 5:1.
The bondage here meant is spiritual, under sin and Satan; it compriseth under it a miserable anxiety and perplexity of mind, upon a continual expectation of death and damnation.
The word ἔνοχος, translated subject, intendeth such an one as is bound or fast tied to a thing. The verb whence it is derived, ἐνέχεσθε is translated 'entangled,' Gal. 5:1. Here is implied such a subjection as a man cannot free himself from it. It is translated 'guilt,' Mark 14:64, 1 Cor. 11:27, James 2:10. He that is guilty of a penalty is bound to undergo it.
To the same purpose this very word is five times translated 'in danger of,' as Mat. 5:21, 22; Mark 3:29. Such danger is intended as he that is in it cannot free himself from it; like that wherein Joseph was, being cast into a pit, Gen. 37:24; and wherein Jeremiah was in the dungeon, Jer. 38:6.
Of the continuance of a man's bondage all his life
The aforesaid thraldom is aggravated by the continuance thereof, expressed in this phrase, 'all their lifetime.' There is a special græcism which intendeth a continuance of the aforesaid fear and bondage even so long as a man liveth, and that without intermision.
Quest. How can any be said to be delivered from that to which they are subject or fast tied unto all their lifetime?
Ans. This continuance all their lifetime is to be taken,
1. Of the time wherein men lived before they were delivered, even all the time of their life wherein they were in bondage.
2. Of such as never were, nor ever shall be, delivered.
3. Of the time of the bondage here intended. It is not for a set determined time, as an apprenticeship, but of a time without date, as of a bondslave.
This continued subjection to bondage doth further set out the miserable condition of natural men, who are in perpetual bondage. The apostle setteth it forth under a fit type, which was Agar, who, under a type, representeth the mother of all born after the flesh. Of her it is said, 'She gendereth unto bondage;' and again, 'She and her children are in bondage,' Gal. 4:24, 25.
Well weigh the masters under which such are in bondage, and it will evidently appear how woful a plight they are in.
1. They are servants of sin, whose wages is death, Rom. 6:17, 23.
2. They are 'of their father the devil, and the lusts of their father they do. He was a murderer from the beginning,' John 8:44.
3. They are in bondage under the law, Gal. 4:3; and that in regard of the rigour thereof, James 2:10, and of the curse thereof, Gal. 3:10.
4. They are children of wrath, Eph. 2:3, even of God's wrath, which is an insupportable burden.
5. They shall come forth to the resurrection of condemnation, John 5:29. This is it that will make them put themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, &c., Rev. 6:15, 16.
A due consideration of a natural man's bondage is of great force to beat down all high conceits that he may have of himself. What if he be as great a conqueror as Alexander was, as highly promoted as Haman, as deep a politician as Ahithophel, as rich as Dives, as mighty as Goliath, as comely as Absalom, yet so long as he remains in his natural condition he is a very base slave; God, as a just and severe judge, will exact the uttermost of him, which, because he performeth not, his wrath will lie heavy upon him. The law will be as a bond or obligation against him, the devil ready to arrest him and cast him into the prison of hell. Everything that the natural man enjoyeth makes his bondage the worse: the ambitious man is made the greater slave by his honours, the rich man by his wealth, the voluptuous man by his pleasure, the politician by his wit; so others by other things.
Of deliverance from spiritual bondage
From the foresaid evils, fear of death and bondage, deliverance is procured by the Lord Jesus.
The verb ἀπαλλὰξῃ, translated deliver, is a compound. The simple verb ἀλλὰττειν signifieth to change, 1 Cor. 15:51, Gal. 4:20. The compound ἀπαλλὰττειν signifieth to change from, namely, from one state or condition to another. They who, having been in bondage, are delivered, are changed from one state to another, from a miserable condition to a happy.
Three times is this compound word used in the New Testament, and in every of them it intendeth such a change or deliverance, as here, and Luke 12:58, and Acts 19:1, 2.
This deliverance presupposeth a former miserable condition. Men are not said to be delivered from a good and happy condition: they are willing to continue and abide therein; but from a bad and miserable condition to be delivered is acceptable to any one. As when the Israelites were delivered from the Egyptians, Exod. 18:10; and men from their spiritual enemies, Luke 1:74. Such a deliverance is that which the apostle here speaketh of, a deliverance from the worst bondage that any can fall into. Where the apostle, in reference to this bondage, thus complaineth, 'O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' he himself gives this satisfaction, 'I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord,' Rom. 7:24, 25. That for which he thanks God is, that Christ had delivered him from the foresaid bondage; which he further confirmeth in these words, 'There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus,' Rom. 8:1. That redemption which is frequently attributed to Christ intendeth this deliverance.
The word λὺτρωσις, which most usually setteth out that redemption, is derived from a verb, λύω, solvo, which signifieth to loose or unbind one. Now, there is a double bond whereby men may be said to be bound. One is the bond of law, as an obligation whereby a man stands bound to pay a debt. See Chap. 3:12, Sec. 62. The other is a bond of violence, as when a man is bound by cords, chains, or other like means, Acts 22:30.
In the former sense men are redeemed by payment of the debt, which is a point of justice. Thus Christ is said to 'redeem us by a price,' which was his own 'precious blood,' 1 Peter 1:18, 19. In this respect another word, ἀγοράζειν, is used, which signifieth to buy; and we are said to be bought, ἠγοράσθηπε, 1 Cor. 6:20 and 7:23. Thus Christ bought us of his Father; and by giving his blood for our redemption, satisfied the justice of his Father.
In the latter sense men are redeemed by might and force. This is an act of power. Thus Christ overcame that tyrant that held us in bondage, and so delivered us. Hereof see Sec. 141.
This deliverance is here amplified by the extent of it, for the benefit thereof extended to all of all sorts. This is implied under these indefinite relatives, 'them, who,' τούτους, ὅσοι. The correlative in Greek, ὅσοι, implieth a generality. It is translated sometimes 'as many as,' Mat. 14:36; sometimes 'all they that,' Luke 4:40; sometimes 'whosoever,' Luke 9:5.
This indefinite particle doth not intend that every one that was subject to the foresaid bondage was delivered; but that there were none so deeply implunged therein, and so fast held thereby, but might be delivered by Christ. Of Christ's dying for every man, see Secs. 81, 82.
Of all deliverances, this here spoken of is the most admirable in the kind, and most beneficial to us that partake of the benefit thereof. Was the Israelites' deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, or from the Babylonish captivity, a benefit worthy to be kept in perpetual memory? Surely then much more this. There is as great a difference betwixt them and this, as betwixt a tyrant that is but flesh and blood, and principalities and powers, as betwixt earth and hell, as betwixt temporary and everlasting. The difference is greater than can be expressed, whether we consider the bondage from which, or the means by which, we are delivered. This deliverance was it which made that good old priest which had been dumb, when his mouth was opened, thus to praise God: 'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: for he hath visited and redeemed his people,' Luke 1:68, &c.
How ill doth it become those who think and profess that they are delivered, to walk as slaves who are not delivered. With great vehemency thus doth the apostle protest to such: 'This I say, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles,' &c., Eph. 4:17. Having changed our master, it is most meet that we should change our service; the law of nature and of nations requireth as much. 'Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light,' Eph. 5:8. This was the principal end for which Christ 'delivered us out of the hand of our enemies,' namely, 'that we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life,' Luke 1:74, 75. We may not therefore any longer be servants of sin, Rom. 6:12; nor of Satan, 1 Peter 5:9; nor of men, 1 Cor. 7:23. They who do so make void that for which Christ hath taken flesh and blood, and therein by death destroyed the devil.
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William Gouge. A Commentary on the Whole Epistle to the Hebrews