Hebrews 11:36. Others endured mockings and scourges, yea, moreover, bonds and prison. Ἕτεροι, in accordance with its verbal signification, introduces a heterogeneous class of heroes of the faith, i.e. a particular species of the ἄλλοι, mentioned as the genus Hebrews 11:35. As regards the subject itself, indeed, inexact, since, Hebrews 11:35, with ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν κ.τ.λ. reference was made not merely to 2 Maccabees 6., but—as the addition ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τύχωσιν clearly shows—at the same time to 2 Maccabees 7; the mention, however, of the scourging along with the mocking seems to admit of explanation only from the author’s referring to 2Ma 6:30 (μαστιγούμενος) and Hebrews 7:1 (μάστιξι καὶ νευραῖς αἰκιζομένους), as indeed the enduring of public mockery is expressly mentioned (in addition to 1Ma 9:26) at 2Ma 7:7 (τὸν δεύτερον ἦγον ἐπὶ τὸν ἐμπαιγμόν), and again 2Ma 7:10 (μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ὁ τρίτος ἐνεπαίζετο). On the other hand, however, it seems evident that it was the intention of the writer at Hebrews 11:36 in reality to draw attention to a dissimilar class of men; from the fact, even apart from the choice of the expression ἕτεροι, that in the case of the previous ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν κ.τ.λ. we are constrained to think of a death by martyrdom, while at Hebrews 11:36 the enhancing ἔτι δέ forbids our thinking of the martyr’s death, since, according to this, bonds and dungeon were a more severe trial than mocking and scourging. We must therefore suppose that the author designed further to refer to those, as forming a special category, who, without suffering actual death, were exposed to other kinds of tortures and miseries; that he still derived, however, the main colours for this new picture from the historic figure which but just now had been present to his mind in connection with the ἐτυμπανίσθησαν κ.τ.λ.

The enhancing ἔτι δέ is to be explained from the fact that ἐμπαιγμοὶ καὶ μάστιγες denotes the more transient suffering, in point of time more brief; δεσμοὶ καὶ φυλακή, on the other hand, the longer enduring sufferings.

πεῖραν λαμβάνειν] here in the passive sense: to have experience of something. Otherwise Hebrews 11:29.

δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς] Comp. 1Ma 13:12; 1 Kings 22:27; Jeremiah 37, 38., al.

Hebrews 11:36. ἕτεροι δέ … introducing a different class of victories achieved by faith, although ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων, “mockings and scourgings” were endured by the martyrs who have just been mentioned (2Ma 7:7; 2Ma 7:1). πεῖραν ἔλαβον, see Hebrews 11:29. ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν … “yea, moreover of bonds and prison”; as the examples in Bleek prove, ἔτι δὲ is commonly used to express a climax (cf. Luke 14:26); and such imprisonment as was inflicted, e.g., on Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:9) was certainly even more to be dreaded than scourging. ἐλιθάσθησαν, “they were stoned,” as was Zechariah, son of Johoiada, 2 Chronicles 24:20 (Luke 11:51). There was also a tradition that Jeremiah was stoned at Daphne in Egypt. ἐπρίσθησαν, “they were sawn asunder,” a cruel death sometimes inflicted on prisoners of war (2 Samuel 12:31; Amos 1:3, ἔπριζον πρίοσι σιδηροῖς). The reference is probably to Isaiah who according to the Ascensio Is. (Hebrews 1:9, Hebrews 5:1) was sawn asunder by Manasseh with a wooden saw. Cf. Justin, Trypho, 120, (πρίονι ξυλίνῳ ἐπρίσατε) and Charles’ Ascension of Isaiah. Within our own memory some of the followers of the Bâb suffered the same death. ἐπειράσθησαν, “were tempted”. Alford says, “I do not see how any appropriate meaning can be given to the mere enduring of temptation, placed as it is between being sawn asunder and dying by the sword”. He would therefore either omit the word as a gloss on ἐπρίσθησαν or substitute ἐπρήσθησαν. That is a tempting reading because not only was one of the seven brothers (2 Maccabees 6; 2Ma 7:5) fried, but those who sought to keep the Sabbath in a cave (2Ma 6:11) were all burned together by order of Philip, Antiochus’ governor in Jerusalem. At the same time, the reading, “were tempted” gives quite a good sense, for certainly the most fiendish element in the torture of the seven brothers was the pressure put on each individually to recant. ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρης ἀπέθανον, “died by sword-slaughter,” for ἐν φ. μαχ. see Exodus 17:13; Numbers 21:24, etc.; and for ἀπεθ. ἐν see Jeremiah 11:22; Jeremiah 21:9. Examples of this death abounded in the Maccabean period. περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, “they wandered about in sheepskins,” (as the mantle of Elijah is called in 2 Kings 2:8, ἔλαβεν Ἠλιοὺ τὴν μηλωτὴν αὐτοῦ), or even “in goatskins,” a still rougher material. This dress they wore not as a professional uniform, but because “destitute,” ὑστερούμενοι as in Luke 15:14. ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι, Php 4:12 καὶ περισσεύειν καὶ ὑστερεἷσθαι, “hard-pressed,” θλιβόμενοι, as in 2 Corinthians 4:8 θλιβόμενοι ἀλλʼ οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι, κακουχούμενοι, “maltreated,” see Hebrews 11:25. ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος, “of whom the world was not worthy”. “The world drove them out, thinking them unworthy to live in it, while in truth it was unworthy to have them living in it” (Davidson). Vaughan aptly compares Acts 22:22. After this parenthetical remark the description is closed with another participial clause, ἐπὶ ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι … “wandering over deserts and mountains, and in caves and in the holes of the earth,” verified 1 Kings 18:4; 2Ma 5:27 where it is related of Judas and nine others, ἀναχωρήσας εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, θηρίων τρόπον ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι διέζη. Cf. also 2Ma 10:6, ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι καὶ ἐν τοῖς σπηλαίοις θηρίων τρόπον ἦσαν νεμόμενοι. In the Ascensio Isaiae, ii. 7, 12, Isaiah and his companions are said to have spent two years among the mountains naked and eating only herbage.

36. mockings and scourgings] “Seven brethren and their mother … being tormented with scourges and whips … and they brought the second for a mocking-stock … And after him was the third made a mocking-stock … And … they tortured and tormented the fourth in like manner” (2Ma 7:1; 2Ma 7:7; 2Ma 7:10; 2Ma 7:13, &c.). “And they sought out … Judas’ friends … and he took vengeance on them and mocked them” (1Ma 9:26).

of bonds and imprisonment] Joseph (Genesis 39:20), Micaiah (1 Kings 22:26-27), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:2; Jeremiah 37:15), Hanani (2 Chronicles 16:10).

Hebrews 11:36. Ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων) The same words occur, 2Ma 7:7; 2Ma 7:1.—πεῖραν ἔλαβον, had trial) This phrase increases the praise of constancy. The bitterness of experience showed many their weakness, who thought themselves strong. The same form of expression occurs at Deuteronomy 28:56. The delicate and refined (the prosperous) are unacquainted with this experience, only let them not (it is well if they do not) flee from it.—ἔτι δὲ, yea, moreover) An increment in force (αὔξησις, advancing from weaker to stronger expressions); comp. Luke 14:26.—δεσμῶν, κ.τ.λ., of bonds, etc.) The apostle here seems to descend to recent examples, although these are also found in the canonical books.

Verses 36-38. - And others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented (rather, evil-entreated); (of whom the world was not worthy:) wandering in deserts, and mountains, and dens, and the eaves of the earth. In this general review particular cases may again have suggested some of the expressions used. The mention of "mockings" is prominent in the Maccabean history; "bonds and imprisonments" recall Hanani, Micaiah, and Jeremiah; "they were stoned" recalls Zachariah son of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24:20; cf. Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51; also Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34). "They wandered in sheepskins (μηλωταῖς) and in deserts" peculiarly suggests Elijah (his mantle being called μηλωτής in the LXX., 2 Kings 2:13, 14), though the Maccabean heroes also took refuge in "deserts and mountains" (1 Macc. 2.). "Sawn asunder" (denoting a mode of executing martyrs of which there is no instance in the Old Testament or Apocrypha) most probably refers to a well-known tradition about Isaiah, who is said to have so suffered under Manasseh. Alford thus gives the notices found elsewhere of this tradition: "Justin Martyr 'Trypho,' § 120; Tertullian, 'Cont. Guest. Scorpiac.,' 8, and 'De Patient.,' 14; Origen, Ep. ad African.;' Lactantius, 'Inst.,' 4:11; Ps-Epiphanius, 'Vit. Proph.; Augustine, 'De Civ. Dei,' 18:24; Jerome, on Isaiah 57:1." Jerome calls it a "certissima traditio apud Judaeos," and says that this passage in the Epistle was by most referred to the passion of Isaiah. The tameness and apparent inappropriateness of the verb ἐπειράσθησαν ("were tempted") in ver. 36, in the midst of an enumeration of cruel modes of death, has led to a prevalent view that it is a corruption of the original text. Various conjectures have been made, the most tenable being

(1) that it is an interpolation, arising kern the repetition by some copyist of ἐπρίσθησαν, which was afterwards altered to ἐπωιράσθησαν: or

(2) that it is a substitution for some other word through error in transcription, the most likely conjecture as to the word originally written being ἐπρήσθησαν or ἐπυράσθησαν, equivalent to "were burnt." Either form, especially the latter, might easily be changed to ἐπειράσθησαν: and thus death by fire would have been originally included in the enumeration, which was likely to have been the case, especially since it is mentioned prominently in the account of the martyrdom of the seven sons. But, as there is no authority of any manuscript for a different word, this is mere conjecture; though the omission of the word altogether in some few manuscripts and versions, and variations of reading in others, suggest some uncertainty as to the original text. The word ἐπειράσ θησαν if genuine, may possibly have been suggested by alliteration, and by thought of the temptations to apostatize prominent in the account both of Eleazar and of the seven sons. Hebrews 11:36Of cruel mockings (ἐμπαιγμῶν)

N.T.o , oClass. Rare in lxx. Cruel is an insertion of A.V. Rend. "of mockings." Ἐμπαιγμονὴ mockery (olxx, Class.) is found 2 Peter 3:3 (note); and ἐμπαίκτης mocker or scoffer, 2 Peter 3:3; Jde 1:18. Ἑμπαίζειν to mock is quite frequent in the Synoptic Gospels, and occurs also in lxx.

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