Concerning vers 23
John Owen (1616-1683), the great Puritan church leader, academic administrator at the University of Oxford, theologian and commentator, in his massive commentary of the book of Hebrews quotes Hebrews 10:23 just as it stands in the King James Bible -"Let us hold fast the profession of our FAITH without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)" and then he comments: "Some copies read the “profession of our hope;” which the Vulgar follows, “the profession of the hope that is in us:” and so it may have a respect unto the exhortation used by the apostle, Hebrews 3:6. And it will come unto the same with our reading of it; for on our faith our hope is built, and is an eminent fruit thereof. Wherefore holding fast our hope, includes in it the holding fast of our faith, as the cause is in the effect, and the building in the foundation. But I prefer the other reading, as that which is more suited unto the design of the apostle, and his following discourse; and which his following confirmations of this exhortation do directly require, and which is the proper subject of our “profession.” “Faith” is here taken in both the principal acceptations of it, namely, that faith whereby we believe, and the faith or doctrine which we do believe. Of both which we make the same profession; of one as the inward principle, of the other as the outward rule."
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John Owen (1616-1683), the great Puritan church leader, academic administrator at the University of Oxford, theologian and commentator, in his massive commentary of the book of Hebrews quotes Hebrews 10:23 just as it stands in the King James Bible -"Let us hold fast the profession of our FAITH without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)" and then he comments: "Some copies read the “profession of our hope;” which the Vulgar follows, “the profession of the hope that is in us:” and so it may have a respect unto the exhortation used by the apostle, Hebrews 3:6. And it will come unto the same with our reading of it; for on our faith our hope is built, and is an eminent fruit thereof. Wherefore holding fast our hope, includes in it the holding fast of our faith, as the cause is in the effect, and the building in the foundation. But I prefer the other reading, as that which is more suited unto the design of the apostle, and his following discourse; and which his following confirmations of this exhortation do directly require, and which is the proper subject of our “profession.” “Faith” is here taken in both the principal acceptations of it, namely, that faith whereby we believe, and the faith or doctrine which we do believe. Of both which we make the same profession; of one as the inward principle, of the other as the outward rule."
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