Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church—The city of God having been mentioned, the mention of its citizens follows. Believers being like the angels (Job 1:6; Job 38:7), "sons of God," are so their "equals" (Luke 20:36); and being reconciled through Christ, are adopted into God's great and blessed family. For the full completion of this we pray (Matthew 6:10). English Version arrangement is opposed: (1) by "and" always beginning each new member of the whole sentence; (2) "general assembly and Church," form a kind of tautology; (3) "general assembly," or rather, "festal full assembly," "the jubilant full company" (such as were the Olympic games, celebrated with joyous singing, dancing, etc.), applies better to the angels above, ever hymning God's praises, than to the Church, of which a considerable part is now militant on earth. Translate therefore, "to myriads (ten thousands, compare Deuteronomy 33:2; Psalms 68:17; Daniel 7:10; Judges 1:14; namely), the full festal assembly of angels, and the Church of the first-born." Angels and saints together constitute the ten thousands. Compare "all angels, all nations" Matthew 25:31-32. Messiah is pre-eminently "the First-born," or "First-begotten" (Hebrews 1:6), and all believers become so by adoption. Compare the type, Numbers 3:12, Numbers 3:45, Numbers 3:50; I Peter 1:18. As the kingly and priestly succession was in the first-born, and as Israel was God's "first-born" (Exodus 4:22; compare Exodus 13:2), and a "kingdom of priests" to God (Exodus 19:6), so believers (Revelation 1:6).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Hebrews 12:22:
Song of Solomon 2:11
Zechariah 4:7
Galatians 3:20
Hebrews 10:21
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