A53696:179
Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews
Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also concerning the Messiah wherein the promises concerning him to be a spiritual redeemer of mankind are explained and vindicated, his coming and accomplishment of his work according to the promises is proved and confirmed, the person, or who he is, is declared, the whole economy of the mosaical law, rites, worship, and sacrifice is explained : and in all the doctrine of the person, office, and work of the Messiah is opened, the nature and demerit of the first sin is unfolded, the opinions and traditions of the ancient and modern Jews are examined, their objections against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are answered, the time of the coming of the Messiah is stated, and the great fundamental truths of the Gospel vindicated : with an exposition and discourses on the two first chapters of the said epistle to the Hebrews / by J. Owen ...Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also concerning the Messiah wherein the promises concerning him to be a spiritual redeemer of mankind are explained and vindicated, his coming and accomplishment of his work according to the promises is proved and confirmed, the person, or who he is, is declared, the whole oeconomy of the mosaical law, rites, worship, and sacrifice is explained : and in all the doctrine of the person, office, and work of the Messiah is opened, the nature and demerit of the first sin is unfolded, the opinions and traditions of the antient and modern Jews are examined, their objections against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are answered, the time of the coming of the Messiah is stated, and the great fundamental truths of the Gospel vindicated : with an exposition and discourses on the two first chapters of the said epistle to the Hebrews / by J. Owen ...
London: printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder, 1668
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§ 3 From these Observations it appears, that the best guide we have to find out the certain time o• the Writing of this Epistle, is Pauls being sent Prisoner unto Rome. Now this was in the first year of the Government of Festus, after he had been two years detained in Prison at Caesarea by Felix, Acts 24.27. Chap. 25. v. 26, 27. This Felix was the Brother of Pallas who ruled all things under Claudius, and fell into some disgrace in the very first ye•• of Nero, as Tacitus informs us. But yet by the countenance of Agrippina the Mother of Nero, he continued in some regard, until the fifth or sixth year of his Reign, when together with his Mother he destroyed many of her Friends and Favourites. During this time of Pallas his declension in power, it is most probable that his Brother Felix was displaced from the Rule of his Province, and Festus sent in his room. That it was before his utter ruin in the sixth year of Nero is evident from hence, because he ⟨p. 41⟩made means to keep his Brother from punishment, when he was accused for Extortion and Oppression by the Jews. Most probably then Paul was sent unto Rome, about the fourth or fifth year of Nero, which was the fifty ninth year from the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ. There he abode as we showed at the least two years in custody, where the Story of the Acts of the Apostles ends, in the seventh year of Nero, and sixty first of our Lord, or the beginning of the year following. That year it is presumed, he obtained his liberty. And this was about thirteen years after the determination of the Controversy about Mosaical Institutions, as to their obligation on the Gentiles, made by the Syn•d at Jerusalem, Acts 13. Presently upon his liberty, whilst he abode in some part of Italy, expecting the coming of Timothy, before he entered upon the journey he had promised unto the Philippians, Chap. 2. v. 24. he wrote this Epistle. Here then we must stay a little, to consider what was the general state and condition of the Hebrews in those days, which might give occasion unto the writing thereof.
§ 3 From these Observations it appears, that the best guide we have to find out the certain time o the Writing of this Epistle, is Pauls being sent Prisoner unto Rome. Now this was in the first year of the Government of Festus, after he had been two years detained in Prison at Caesarea by Felix,