Hebrews 2:16 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

For verily he took not on him, &c.— The version of the margin is here to be preferred, wherewith the Vulgate agrees. The word επιλαμβανεται is used several times in the New Testament with a genitive case, as in this place, and always in the sense of taking hold. See ch. Hebrews 8:9. Matthew 14:31.Mark 8:23.Luke 9:47. 1 Timothy 6:12; 1 Timothy 6:19. The apostle's reasoning stands thus: "Christ took part in flesh and blood, because his design was to lay hold of, that is, to save, the seed of Abraham,—all the followers of the faith of Abraham, and not the angels; and upon that account it was highly requisite, that he should be made like unto the seed of Abraham, his brethren in sufferings and grace; in order to which, it was necessary for him to take part with them in flesh and blood; Hebrews 2:17." It may be here asked, why the apostle should say, that Christ came to help the seed of Abraham; and not the seed of Adam? The reason is, he was writing to persons zealous of the law, and who could not bear the notion of the Gentiles being admitted to equal privileges with themselves. Therefore, under the words the seed of Abraham, (which, in St. Paul's language, implied all that were of faith, be they of what nation soever,) he artfully, and without giving offence to the Hebrews, expresses the full truth. Abraham was the father of all them that believe, Romans 4:11 and in this sense is the expression here used, to take in all that followed the faith of Abraham, whether they were Jews or Gen