Hebrews 10:34 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Hebrews 10:34
For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applicatio… · verb — present active participle, nominative plural masculine
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
yourselves
ἑαυτοὺςhe'autous
G1438
him- (her- · reflexive pronoun
have
ἔχεινechein
G2192
to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active infinitive
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in
heaven
οὐρανοῖςouranois
G3772
the sky · noun — dative plural masculine
a
ὕπαρξινhuparxin
G5223
existency or proprietorship · noun — accusative singular feminine
better
κρείττωνkreíttōn
G2909
stronger
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
enduring
μένουσαν.menousan
G3306
to stay (in a given place · verb — present active participle, accusative singular feminine
substance
ὕπαρξιςhýparxis
G5223
existency or proprietorship
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
Matthew 6:19-20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
2 Timothy 1:16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Luke 12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief appr…
Ephesians 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Hebrews 10:19–end
I. Here the apostle sets forth the dignities of the gospel state. It is fit that believers should know the honours and privileges that Christ has procured for them, that, while they take the comfort, they may give him the glory of all. The privileges are, 1. Boldness to enter into the holiest. They have access to God, light to direct them, liberty of spirit and of speech to conform to the direction; they have a right to the privilege and a readiness for it, assistance to use and improve it and assurance of acceptance and advantage. They may enter into the gracious presence of God in his holy oracles, ordinances, providences, and covenant, and so into communion with God, where they receive co…
ye had compassion on me in my bonds--The oldest manuscripts and versions omit "me," and read, "Ye both sympathized with those in bonds (answering to the last clause of Heb 10:33; compare Heb 13:3, Heb 13:23; Heb 6:10), and accepted (so the Greek is translated in Heb 11:35) with joy (Jam 1:2; joy in tribulations, as exercising faith and other graces, Rom 5:3; and the pledge of the coming glory, Mat 5:12) the plundering of your (own) goods (answering to the first clause of Heb 10:33)."
in yourselves--The oldest manuscripts omit "in": translate, "knowing that ye have for (or 'to') yourselves."
better--a heavenly (Heb 11:16).
enduring--not liable to spoiling.
substance--possession: pecul…
Ye had compassion of me in my bonds - Συνεπαθησατε· Ye suffered with me, ye sympathized with me, when bound for the testimony of Jesus. This probably refers to the sympathy they showed towards him, and the help they afforded him, during his long imprisonment in Caesarea and Jerusalem. But instead of τοις δεσμοις μου, my bonds, τοις δεσμιοις, the prisoners, is the reading of AD, and several others, both the Syriac, the Arabic of Erpen, the Coptic, Armenian, Vulgate, some of the Itala, and several of the Greek fathers. This reading appears to be so well supported, that Griesbach has admitted it into the text. If it be genuine, it shows that there had been, and perhaps were then, several bound…
The Church Fathers
"For you had compassion on my chains." He said, Not only did you not need relief, but you also extended helping hands to others who were bound. "the plundering." It is great to bear the plunder of resources. And when it is accepted even with joy, it is apostolic [ἀποστολικόν]. "and you joyfully accepted." He praises their voluntary patience. "knowing that you have." Behold, he also affirms that they have faith. "and enduring." This is firm, not as perishing, and passing from one to another.
First, then, they seized an old man of the name of Metras, and commanded him to utter words of impiety; and as he refused, they beat his body with clubs, and lacerated his face and eyes with sharp reeds, and then dragged him off to the suburbs and stoned him there. Next they carried off a woman named Quinta, who was a believer, to an idol temple, and compelled her to worship the idol; and when she turned away from it, and showed how she detested it, they bound her feet and dragged her through the whole city along the rough stone-paved streets, knocking her at the same time against the millstones, and scourging her, until they brought her to the same place, and stoned her also there. Then with one impulse they all rushed upon the houses of the God-fearing, and whatever pious persons any of them knew individually as neighbours, after these they hurried and bore them with them, and robbed and plundered them, setting aside the more valuable portions of their property for themselves, and scattering about the commoner articles, and such as were made of wood, and burning them on the roads, so that they made these parts present the spectacle of a city taken by the enemy. The brethren, however, simply gave way and withdrew, and, like those to whom Paul bears witness, they took the spoiling of their goods with joy. And I know not that any of them-except possibly some solitary individual who may have chanced to fall into their hands-thus far has denied the Lord.
"Ye had compassion on them that were in bonds." Thou seest that he is speaking concerning himself and the rest who were in prison. Thus ye did not account "bonds" to be bonds: but as noble wrestlers so stood ye: for not only ye needed no consolation in your own distresses, but even became a consolation to others. And "ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods." O! what "full assurance of faith"! Then he also sets forth the motive, not only consoling them for their struggles, but also that they might not be shaken from the Faith. When ye saw your property plundered (he means) ye endured; for already ye saw Him who is invisible, as visible: which was the effect of genuine faith, and ye showed it forth by your deeds themselves. Well then, the plundering was perhaps from the force of the plunderers, and no man could prevent it; so that as yet it is not clear, that ye endured the plundering for the faith's sake. (Although this too is clear. For it was in your power if you chose, not to be plundered, by not believing.) But ye did what is far greater than this; the enduring such things even "with joy"; which was altogether apostolical, and worthy of those noble souls, who rejoiced when scourged. For, it says, "they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name." But he that endures "with joy," shows that he has some reward, and that the affair is no loss but a gain. Moreover the expression "ye took" shows their willing endurance, because, he means, ye chose and accepted. "Knowing" (he says) "that ye have for yourselves in heaven a better and an enduring substance"; instead of saying, firm, not perishing like this.
Dictionary and topics
High priest — Aaron was the first who was solemnly set apart to this office (Ex. 29:7; 30:23; Lev. 8:12). He wore a peculiar dress, which on his death passed to his successor in office (Ex. 29:29, 30). Besides…
Immortality · 2:11; — 2:11;
Joy · 2:11;4:7;5:11;9:2,14;13:5;14:7;16:5,6,8,9,11;17:15;19:8;20:5;21:1,6;28:7;30:5,11,12;32:1,2,11;33:21;35:9;36:8;40:16;42:4;43:4;45:15;46:4;51:8,12;53:6;63:5-7,11;64:10;68:3;69:32;70:4;71:23;85:6;89:15,16;97:11,12;100:1,2;104:34;105:3,43;119:1,2,14,16,55,111,162,165;126:5,6;132:16;138:5;149:2,5; — 2:11;4:7;5:11;9:2,14;13:5;14:7;16:5,6,8,9,11;17:15;19:8;20:5;21:1,6;28:7;30:5,11,12;32:1,2,11;33:21;35:9;36:8;40:16;42:4;43:4;45:15;46:4;51:8,12;53:6;63:5-7,11;64:10;68:3;69:32;70:4;71:23;85:6;89:15,16;97:11,12;100:1,2;104:34;105:3,43;119:1,2,14,16,55,111,162,165;126:5,6;132:16;138:5;149:2,5;
Love To Man · Exemplified: The Church — Exemplified: The Church
Missionaries, All Christians Should Be As · In joyfully suffering for Christ — In joyfully suffering for Christ
Persecution · The hope of future blessedness supports under — The hope of future blessedness supports under
Resignation · 12:12; — 12:12;
Reward · 6:1-3; — 6:1-3;
Reward Of Saints, The · Described as: An enduring substance — Described as: An enduring substance
Zeal, Religious · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
For ye had compassion of me in my bonds,.... When he was bound at Jerusalem, by the chief captain Lysias, with two chains, Acts 21:33 or when he was in bonds elsewhere; which they did by sympathizing with him in their hearts; by their prayers for him, and in their letters to him; and by sending presents to him for his relief and support. The Alexandrian copy, and two of Stephens's, the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions, read, "had compassion on the prisoners"; or "them that were bound"; meaning prisoners in general, remembering them that were in bonds, as bound with them; or particularly such as were prisoners for the sake of Christ, and his Gospel; and it may be some of them, which the apo…
Hebrews 10:32-35
32. But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
32. Recordamini dierum superiorum, quibus illuminati multum certamen sustinuistis passionum;
33. Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
33. Partim dum probris et afflictionibus fuistis traducti, partim dum socii facti estis eorum qui sic conversabantur.
34. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
34. Etenim vinculis me…
those who were thrown into jail: Prisoners were dependent on friends and family for the most basic daily needs (cp. 13:3). • when all you owned was taken from you: At times, the Roman government evicted groups of people from their homes and forced them to leave a city (see Acts 18:2-3). These Christians had faced this kind of persecution in the past and accepted it with joy (cp. Rom 5:3; Jas 1:2-4; 1 Pet 1:6). They anticipated better things . . . that will last forever (see Heb 11:35). God promises rewards to those who persevere faithfully.