HEBREWS I. 2. 8 και τις αιωνας εποιησεν. THE 'HE common English translation of this is," by whom alfo he made the worlds." Doddridge renders it" by whom he alfo conftituted the ages." Wakefield's verfion is, "through whom alfo he eftablished the ages." The Latin Vulgate is, " per quem fecit et fecula." The Latin rendering of the Syriac is," et per quem condidit fecula." The Latin verfion of the Arabic is, "per quem creavit fecula." αιώνας All the above tranflations render anvas the ages, in the plural, excepting the common English, which renders it the worlds. We fhall endeavour to fhew that neither of these fenfes conveys the precife meaning of the original, and fhall then propose another method of explaining the claufe. Firft. Aavas cannot here be understood of the material world, and its inhabitants; because, 1. The term alwv, in the New Testament, whether in the fingular or the plural, never fignifies the material world. The connection in which it occurs, in the various inftances in which it is used, manifefts this. 2. In the verse which we are confidering, a Son is declared to be the perfon by whom τες αιώνας were made, or conftituted. In the ninth and tenth verfes, the God of this Son is addreffed as the creator of the heavens and the earth. See alfo John xx. 17. Now both Jesus and his apoftles teach that God the Father created the visible world, and all things therein: and both diftinguish him as the Creator of them, from Jefus Christ. See Acts iv. 24, 27, 30; xvii. 24 to 28,31; Luke x. 21; Matt. vi. 30; xix. 4. Isaiah, alfo, distinguishes the Meffiah whom he predicts, from the Creator of the heavens, and the earth, and its inhabitants: xlii. 1, 5, 6; xliv. 24; xlv. 18, 21, 22. Further; Mofes declares, that the word, or power, of God created the whole vifible world, and every thing in it. See Genefis, chapter first; and Exod. xx. 11, that Jehovah created them. The Pfalmift alfo afferts, that Jehovah created the world; xxxiii. 6 to 9; lxxxix. 8 to 11, 12; cxlvi. 5, 6. context. 3. Interpreting av here of the material world, and the beings that exist upon it, does not fuit the For both the immediately preceding and following paffages, and the Epiftle to the Hebrews in general, treat, not of the original creation of the world, but of the age of the Meffiah. See ii. 5. Secondly. Avas here does not fignify the ages, in the plural, meaning the feveral extraordinary divine difpenfations, and that all these were formed, con |