John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you , etc..] Christ's church is a kingdom, and he is King in it; pastors of churches are subordinate governors; who rule well when they rule not in an arbitrary way, according to their own wills, but according to the laws of Christ, with all faithfulness, prudence, and diligence. The word may be rendered guides or leaders; for such point out the way of peace, life, and salvation to men, and direct them to Christ; and guide them into the understanding of the Scriptures, and the truths of the Gospel; and lead them in the paths of faith and holiness, and are examples to them. The Greek word, here used, is what the Jews call Christian bishops by; and hgemonia , is, by Maimonides f310 , said to be the same as twdyqp , a bishopric: to remember them is to know, own, acknowledge, and respect them as their governors; to obey them, and submit to them; to treasure up in memory their doctrines and exhortations; to be mindful of them at the throne of grace, to pray for them; and to take care of their maintenance and outward supply of life: who have spoken unto you the word of God ; of which God is the author, being agreeably to the Scriptures, given by inspiration of God; the subject of which is the love and grace of God in Christ; and which God makes useful for conversion and comfort; and which, when spoken aright, is spoken freely, boldly, and faithfully: whose faith follow ; or imitate; meaning either their faithfulness, by owning the truths and ordinances of the Gospel before men; by reproving fellow Christians in love; by discharging the several duties of their place in the church; and by performing the private duties of life: or the grace of faith, their strong exercise of it, together with its fruits and effects, love, and good works; also the profession of their faith, which they hold fast unto the end; and the doctrine of faith, by embracing the same, as it appears agreeably to the word; by abiding by it, standing fast in it, striving for it, and persevering in it to the end. Considering the end of their conversation ; which may intend the whole of their conduct in the discharge of the several duties of their office; the end of which designs either the manner of it, as Deuteronomy Dieu explains it, agreeably to the sense of the Hebrew word, twaxwt in ( Psalm 68:20) or the drift and scope of it, which was Christ, his honour and glory, as in connection with the following verse; or the event of it in life, being for the glory of God, and the good of men; or rather the issue of it in death, or what a comfortable end they made; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, considering their last manner of living, in their exit out of the world; and this is to be considered for imitation and encouragement.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-15 - The instructions and examples of ministers, who honourably an comfortably closed their testimony, should be particularly remembere by survivors. And though their ministers were some dead, others dying yet the great Head and High Priest of the church, the Bishop of their souls, ever lives, and is ever the same. Christ is the same in the Ol Testament day. as in the gospel day, and will be so to his people for ever, equally merciful, powerful, and all-sufficient. Still he fill the hungry, encourages the trembling, and welcomes repenting sinners still he rejects the proud and self-righteous, abhors mere profession and teaches all whom he saves, to love righteousness, and to hat iniquity. Believers should seek to have their hearts established in simple dependence on free grace, by the Holy Spirit, which woul comfort their hearts, and render them proof against delusion. Christ is both our Altar and our Sacrifice; he sanctifies the gift. The Lord' supper is the feast of the gospel passover. Having showed that keepin to the Levitical law would, according to its own rules, keep men from the Christian altar, the apostle adds, Let us go forth therefore unt him without the camp; go forth from the ceremonial law, from sin, from the world, and from ourselves. Living by faith in Christ, set apart to God through his blood, let us willingly separate from this evil world Sin, sinners, nor death, will not suffer us to continue long here therefore let us go forth now by faith and seek in Christ the rest an peace which this world cannot afford us. Let us bring our sacrifices to this altar, and to this our High Priest, and offer them up by him. The sacrifice of praise to God, we should offer always. In this are worshi and prayer, as well as thanksgiving.
Greek Textus Receptus
μνημονευετε 3421 5720 V-PAM-2P των 3588 T-GPM ηγουμενων 2233 5740 V-PNP-GPM υμων 5216 P-2GP οιτινες 3748 R-NPM ελαλησαν 2980 5656 V-AAI-3P υμιν 5213 P-2DP τον 3588 T-ASM λογον 3056 N-ASM του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM ων 3739 R-GPM αναθεωρουντες 333 5723 V-PAP-NPM την 3588 T-ASF εκβασιν 1545 N-ASF της 3588 T-GSF αναστροφης 391 N-GSF μιμεισθε 3401 5737 V-PNM-2P την 3588 T-ASF πιστιν 4102 N-ASF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. Remember them which have the rule over you (mnhmoneuete twn hgoumenwn umwn). Remember, with a view to observing their admonitions. For twn hJgoumenwn those who lead or rule, see on 1 Thessalonians v. 13. Used of both civil and ecclesiastical rulers. Clement of Rome, among a great variety of names for church functionaries, has both hJgoumenoi and prohgoumenoi (see Ad Corinth. 1, 21). Comp. Acts xv. 22. In LXX frequently, of various forms of authority, and in later Greek of bishops and abbots. For "which have the rule," rend. "which had," etc.Who have spoken (oitinev elalhsan). Rend. "spake," and comp. ch. ii. 3, 4.
Follow (mimeisqe). Rend. "imitate." See on ch. vi. 12.
Considering (anaqewrountev). Only here and Acts xvii. 23, see note. The compound verb means to observe attentively. The simple verb qewrein implies a spiritual or mental interest in the object. See on John i. 18. The end of their conversation (thn ekbasin thv anastrofhv). Ekbasiv only here and 1 Cor. x. 13 (note). It means outcome or issue. See Wisd. viii. 8. In 1 Cor. x. 13, way out. Comp. Wisd. ii. 17. Anastrofh is life in intercourse with men. See on 1 Pet. i. 15. Conversation, in the older sense of that word, is a good rendering, as it is also a nearly literal rendering of the Greek word. The reference is to the end of their life; what kind of an end they made; possibly, but not necessarily, with an allusion to cases of martyrdom. What, now, was the subject of these teachers' faith which is commended to imitation? It is stated in the next verse.
