Hebrews 12:15

Looking diligently (ἐπισκοποῦντες) A.V. gives diligently as the force of ἐπὶ; but ἐπὶ signifies direction rather than intensity. The idea is exercising oversight. Only here and 1 Peter 5:2. Fail of (ὑστερῶν ἀπὸ) Rend. "fall back from," implying a previous attainment. The present participle marks something in progress: "lest any one be falling back." Root of bitterness (ῥίζα πικρίας) From lxx, Deuteronomy 29:18. A bad man in the church. Ῥίζα of a person, 1 Macc. 1:10. Springing up (ἄνω φύουσα) The participle pictures the springing up in progress; the root gradually revealing its pernicious character. Trouble (ἐνοχλῇ) Only here and Luke 6:18, see note. Many be defiled (μιανθῶσιν οἱ πολλοί) Rend. "the many": the majority of the church. For the verb see on John 18:28.

Hebrews 12:15 . ἐπισκοποῦντες μή τις ὑστερῶν … “watching” “taking the oversight” (thoroughly scrutinising as in the case of sick persons,” Chrys.) addressed not to the teachers or rulers but to all. The object of this supervision is to prevent the defection of any one of their number. “As if they were travelling together on some long journey, in a large company, he says, Take heed that no man be left behind; I do not seek this only, that ye may arrive yourselves, but also that ye should look diligently after the others” (Chrys.), and cf. M. Arnold’s In Rugby Chapel . μή τις ὑστερῶν … may be construed either by supplying ᾖ , or by supposing a break at θεοῦ (so Davidson), or by carrying on the τις ὑστερῶν to ἐνοχλῇ . The simplest seems to be the first: “lest any be failing (= fail) of the grace of God,” i.e. , lest he never reach the blessings which the grace of God offers. Cf. Hebrews 4:1 . Another contingency to be guarded against by careful watching is expressed in μή τις ῥίζα πικρίας … words borrowed from Deuteronomy 29:18 , μή τίς ἐστιν ἐν ὑμῖν ῥίζα ἄνω φύουσα ἐν χολῇ καὶ πικρίᾳ , “lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you”.

As in Deuteronomy so here the bitter root which might spring up and bring forth its poisonous fruit among them, was one of their own members who might lead them astray or introduce evil practises and so the whole community [ οἱ πολλοί ] might be defiled [ μιανθῶσιν ], i.e. , rendered unfit for that approach to God and fellowship with Him to which they were urged in the preceding verse. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, Galatians 5:9 , where also it is a person that is referred to.

Hebrews 12:15-16 . Looking diligently — With the greatest attention, watchfulness, and care, for yourselves and each other; for Christ hath ordained that the members of the same church or society should mutually watch over one another, and the whole body over all the members, to their mutual edification; lest any man fail of the grace of God — That is, come short of it, or do not obtain it, as the same verb is rendered, Romans 3:23 . It means also to be deficient in any thing, Matthew 19:20 ; sometimes to come behind, 1 Corinthians 1-7; and sometimes to be destitute, Hebrews 11:37 ; which different senses of the expression are nearly allied to each other, and seem all to be here included; lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you — The apostle here alludes to Deuteronomy 29:18 , Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away from the Lord, lest there should be a root that beareth gall and wormwood; and he primarily intends, lest there be any person whose heart is inclined to apostacy from the gospel. He may mean, however, also, lest any evil disposition, such as covetousness, ambition, anger, malice, envy, revenge, should spring up in any person or number of persons, and destroy the peace and harmony of the Christian society. In general, any corruption, either in doctrine or practice, is a root of bitterness, which, springing up, would trouble others, and might defile many. See note on Deuteronomy 29:18 .

Lest there be any fornicator — Lest any, not following after universal holiness, should be suffered to fall even into gross sin, particularly that of fornication, a sin which is most directly and particularly opposed to that holiness which the apostle has been exhorting the believing Hebrews to press after, as an attainment without which they should not see the Lord; or profane person — One who treats sacred things with contempt, or who despiseth or makes light of spiritual blessings; who neglects God’s worship, speaks irreverently of him, and of his word and ordinances; and who, in the whole of his behaviour, shows that he has no just sense of God and his attributes, or of religion, and therefore is ranked among the most flagitious sinners, 1 Timothy 1:9 . As Esau — “We do not read that Esau was a fornicator, nor does the apostle say that he was addicted to that vice. By putting a comma after the word fornicator, and by connecting the words, or profane person, with what follows, Esau will be called only a profane person: this he showed himself to be by selling his birthright for a mess of pottage. It is true, Jacob proposed to him to sell these, not, however, as taking advantage of his necessity, but,” as Macknight thinks, “because he had heard him on former occasions speak contemptuously of his birthrights. For what else could put it into Jacob’s mind to make the proposition?

Hebrews 12:15 . Μή τις ὑστερῶν , lest any one should fail ) through sloth in running.— μή τις ῥίζα πικρίας ἄνω φύουσα ἐνοχλῇ , lest any root of bitterness springing above [upwards] trouble you ) Deuteronomy 29:18 , LXX., lest any root of bitterness be in you, springing up in gall and bitterness . But the apostle wrote for ἐν χολῇ (in gall), ἐνοχλῇ , in exactly as many letters (though transposed). Ἐνοχλῇ may even formerly have been introduced in the LXX.: or the apostle first may have thus written. At all events, the expression has been thus appropriately inflected, to the recommendation of the study of peace. The apostle did not write ἐν χολῇ , as the transposition of the πικρίας [ ῥίζα πικρίας , instead of ῥίζα — ἐν — πικρίᾳ , in Deut.] shows. In the Hebrew, the man who thinks very wickedly is himself called שרש , a root, which also agrees with the context of the apostle. Sweet peace is utterly destroyed by bitterness. The adverb above (upwards) is opposed to root, which is below; comp. Isaiah 37:31 .— πολλοὶ , many) Deuteronomy 29:19 , “to add the drunken to (with) the thirsty,” namely, soil or ground, [answering to root, which is metaphorical. Wet and thirsty land answers to drunkenness and thirst.]

15 . lest any man fail of the grace of God ] Lit. “whether there be any man who is falling short of,” or possibly “falling back from the grace of God.” We have already noticed that not improbably the writer has in view some one individual instance of a tendency towards apostasy, which might have a fatal influence upon other weary or wavering brethren (comp. Hebrews 3:12 ). lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you ] The words “root of bitterness” are a reference to Deuteronomy 29:18 , “a root that beareth gall and wormwood,” or, as in the margin, “a poisonful herb.” Here the LXX. in the Vatican MS. has ἐν χολῇ , “in gall,” for ἐνοχλῇ , “should trouble you.” But the Alexandrian ms., which the writer habitually follows in his quotations, has ἐνοχλῇ . Some have supposed that there is a curious allusion to this verse, and to the reading “ in gall ” in the apparent reference to this Epistle by the Muratorian canon as “the Epistle to the Alexandrians current under the name of Paul, but forged in the interests of Marcion’s heresy,” which adds that “ gall ought not to be mixed with honey.” The allusion is, however, very doubtful. many be defiled ] Rather, “ the many.” Comp. 1 Corinthians 5:6 (“a little leaven”); 1 Corinthians 15:33 (“evil communications”); Galatians 5:9 .

(15) Lest any man fail. —Rather, whether any one be falling back from the grace of God. The defection of one member of the community brings loss and danger to the whole body. The last words of Hebrews 10:26 will show what is implied in this “falling back from the grace of God.” Any root of bitterness.—It is clear that Deuteronomy 29:18, though not formally quoted, is before the writer’s mind. In that chapter Moses had again brought before the people the covenant which, nearly forty years before, had been made and ratified “in Horeb” (see Hebrews 9:18-20). With especial solemnity he sets before them the sin and terrible punishment of idolatry, “Lest there should be among you man or woman . . . whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood.” The marginal note on the last words (“poisonful herb”) explains their true meaning—that which springs from the root is not merely bitter, it is also poisonous. Again, therefore (see Hebrews 10:27-28; Hebrews 10:30), the apostasy to which the Hebrew Christians were tempted is compared with the sin committed by those who by idolatry fell away from God’s ancient covenant; and as one idol-worshipper in a community might bring into it a root of bitter poison, so one apostate from the Christian faith would bring trouble and defilement on the Church. In Acts 8:23 St.

15. lest any … fall—Greek, "lest any (namely, through sloth in running) failing," or "falling short of the grace of God … trouble you." The image is taken from a company of travellers, one of whom lags behind, and so never reaches the end of the long and laborious journey [Chrysostom]. root of bitterness—not merely a "bitter root," which might possibly bring forth sweet fruits; this, a root whose essence is "bitterness," never could. Paul here refers to De 29:18, "Lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood" (compare Ac 8:23). Root of bitterness comprehends every person (compare Heb 12:16) and every principle of doctrine or practice so radically corrupt as to spread corruption all around. The only safety is in rooting out such a root of bitterness. many—rather, "the many," that is, the whole congregation. So long as it is hidden under the earth it cannot be remedied, but when it "springs up," it must be dealt with boldly. Still remember the caution (Mt 13:26-30) as to rooting out persons. No such danger can arise in rooting out bad principles.