For unto us was the Gospel preached
The Gospel is the good news and glad tidings of salvation by
Christ; and this may be said to be preached, when men preach not
themselves, nor read lectures of morality, nor mix law and Gospel
together, nor make justification and salvation to be by works,
nor set persons to make their peace with God, or get an interest
in Christ; but when they preach Christ and salvation alone by
him; and so it was preached to the Hebrews, and that more fully,
and with more clearness, power, and success than formerly; and
which is a privilege and blessing; and is sometimes blessed for
the conviction of sinners, for regeneration, for the implanting
of faith, and the comfort of believers. The words may be
rendered, we were evangelized; as such may be said to be, who
have a spirit of liberty, in opposition to a spirit of bondage;
who live by faith on Christ alone; who derive their peace and
comfort, not from their works, but from him; whose repentance and
obedience are influenced by the love of God; and who desire to
perform all duties aright, and depend on none: now though this
was true of the apostle and others, yet is not the sense here,
because of what follows,
as well as unto them,
or "even as they"; for though the Gospel was preached to the
Israelites in the wilderness, in the ministry of Moses, and by
types and sacrifices; yet they were not evangelized by it, or
cast into a Gospel mould, or brought into a Gospel spirit:
however, it was preached unto them; which shows the antiquity of
it; the sameness of the method of salvation in all ages; the
necessity of salvation by Christ, and the unity of Christ's
church under different dispensations:
but the word preached did not profit them;
that is, the Gospel, which is here called the word of hearing, as
it may be rendered; because it is and may be heard; and there is
a necessity of hearing, in order to faith in Christ: the word
signifies a rumour, or report: the Gospel is a report of Christ,
his person and offices; of his great love to sinners, and of what
he has done for them; but though it is a word of hearing, a
report made, and the word preached, yet to some it is
unprofitable; it has no good effect upon them; yea, it is the
savour of death unto death to them, and the aggravation of
condemnation; and the reason of the inefficacy and
unprofitableness of the word to the Israelites was, its
not being mixed with faith in them that heard
it;
the Gospel is as food, and faith is the hand that receives it,
and takes it, and tastes of it, and eats it, and concocts and
digests it; and when this is the case, it is profitable and
nourishing; but when it is otherwise, it is not. The Alexandrian
copy, the Complutensian edition, and five of Beza's ancient
copies, and as many of Stephens's, with others, read, "they were
not mixed" referring it not to the word, but to persons; and so
read the Arabic and Ethiopic versions: and the sense is, that the
generality of the Israelites did not join themselves in faith, in
believing in God, to Caleb and Joshua; who hearkened to the Lord,
and received and obeyed his word; and so the word became useless
to them: there ought to be an union or conjunction of the saints,
and the bond of this union is love; and the thing in which they
unite is faith, believing in Christ, and the doctrine of faith,
which is but one; and though the word may be profitable to others
who are not in the communion of the saints; yet forsaking the
assembly of the saints, and not constantly attending with them,
or not mixing with them continually in public worship, is one
reason of the unprofitable hearing of the word when it is
preached to them.