ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Monite Siulai 19, 2021

ko e tupu‘anga ‘o ha fakamo‘ui ‘oku laui ‘ītāniti

the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him  

Hepelu 5 (Hebrews 5)

 (v. 8-9) Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

 (v. 8-9) ‘Io, neongo ko e ‘Alo ia, ka na‘a ne lava ‘i ‘ene talangofua, ko e ako ‘e he‘ene ngaahi mamahi. Pea kuo fakahaohaoa leva, na‘a ne hoko ma‘anautolu fua pē ‘oku talangofua kiate ia, ko e tupu‘anga ‘o ha fakamo‘ui ‘oku laui ‘ītāniti;

 GOD IS . . . (KO E ‘OTUA´, ‘OKU . . )

 5.         GOD IS ETERNAL

              KO E ‘OTUA´ ‘OKU LAUʻITANITI

              Ko Hono Fakahoko ki he mo'ui (hoko atu)

 Tau vakai ki ha ongo me’a ‘e ua ‘oku na fekau’aki:

 ‘I hevani, ko ‘etau fiefia´, ‘oku tupu fakalakalaka pe - ‘e ‘ikai toe holo. Ko ‘etau ‘ilo ko ēe, ‘e ‘ikai toe holo ‘etau fiefia´, ‘oku ne langa’i ‘etau fiefia ‘i he taimi lolotonga. ‘I he mo'ui ko eni, ‘oku tau fa’a ongo’i mamahi (ta’eoli’ia) ‘i he’etau ‘ilo ko e fiefia (malie) ‘o e lolotonga ni, ‘e ‘osi (hangē ko ha taimi ‘eva fakalata ka ‘e ngata pe ‘apongipongi). ‘Oku ‘ikai pehee ‘a hevani. ‘I ai, ‘e ‘ikai ‘aupito ke toe ngata ‘a e fiefia, pea ‘oku ne fakaake ‘a e ongo’i fiefia ‘oku tupu ‘i he fo’i momeniti kotoa pe.

Ko kinautolu te nau iku ki heli, ko ‘enau mamahi ‘e tupulaki mo ia, ‘e ‘ikai toe holo. ‘E ‘ikai te nau toe a’usia ‘a e fiemalie ‘oku tau ma’u ‘i mamani ‘i he taimi ‘oku tau tofanga ai ‘i ha mamahi pe faingata’a, he ‘oku tau ‘ilo kuopau pe ke ngata (hange tofu pe ko ha neesi ‘oku fakatu’otu’a ki he ‘osi ‘a e ha’aha’a ‘a ‘ene taimi ngaue ‘i ha houa 12). ‘I he mahino’i ‘e he tokotaha mo’ui mamahi ‘i heli, ‘oku tupu fakautuutu pe ‘ene mamahi, ‘oku toe ‘amo ange ‘ene ongo’i ‘a hono fakamaau tautea. Kuo mole ‘a e ‘amanaki kotoa. ‘I he’etau ngaahi mamahi ‘i mamani, ‘oku tau kei ma’u pe ‘a e ngaahi palomesi ‘a e ‘Otua ke tau fakamama’u ki ai (Loma 8:18, 28-30). Ka ko kinautolu ‘i heli, ‘oku ‘ikai ha palomesi, pea ‘ikai leva ha ‘amanaki, pea ‘asili ai pe ‘a e ongo’i kuo siva e me’a kotoa. 

             Application

 We can note two related observations:

 1. In heaven, our joy can only increase, not decrease. Knowing that our joy will grow heightens the joy experienced at that moment. In this life, we can feel sadness in knowing that a current joy will come to an end (e.g.,my vacation of a lifetime ends tomorrow). Not so in heaven. There, our joys will never end, which will therefore elicit even greater joy in each successive moment.

 2. For those consigned to hell, their despair will also increase, not decrease. They will never again experience the relief we get in this life of knowing that a difficulty will soon pass (e.g., the nurse who anticipates the end of a stressful twelve-hour shift). As the creature in hell realizes more and more that he or she will suffer forever, the despair of eternal judgment can only increase. Hope has utterly vanished. In our sufferings here on earth, we always have the promises of God to look to (Rom. 8:18, 28-30). But those in hell have no promises and thus no hope, which only increases despair.

 

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

 * The office and duty of a high priest abundantly answered in Christ. (1-10) The Christian Hebrews reproved for their little progress in the knowledge of the gospel. (11-14)

 Verses 1-10

The High Priest must be a man, a partaker of our nature. This shows that man had sinned. For God would not suffer sinful man to come to him alone. But every one is welcome to God, that comes to him by this High Priest; and as we value acceptance with God, and pardon, we must apply by faith to this our great High Priest Christ Jesus, who can intercede for those that are out of the way of truth, duty, and happiness; one who has tenderness to lead them back from the by-paths of error, sin, and misery. Those only can expect assistance from God, and acceptance with him, and his presence and blessing on them and their services, that are called of God. This is applied to Christ. In the days of his flesh, Christ made himself subject to death: he hungered: he was a tempted, suffering, dying Jesus. Christ set an example, not only to pray, but to be fervent in prayer. How many dry prayers, how few wetted with tears, do we offer up to God! He was strengthened to support the immense weight of suffering laid upon him. There is no real deliverance from death but to be carried through it. He was raised and exalted, and to him was given the power of saving all sinners to the uttermost, who come unto God through him. Christ has left us an example that we should learn humble obedience to the will of God, by all our afflictions. We need affliction, to teach us submission. His obedience in our nature encourages our attempts to obey, and for us to expect support and comfort under all the temptations and sufferings to which we are exposed. Being made perfect for this great work, he is become the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him. But are we of that number?