Saying: Unless blessing I shall bless thee, and multiplying I shall multiply thee.

“Having boldly reflected on the faults of the Hebrews, and sufficiently alarmed them, he consoles them, first, by praises, and secondly (which also is the stronger ground), by the thought that they would certainly attain the object of their hope. Moreover he draws his consolation, not from things future, but again from the past, which indeed would the rather persuade them. For as in the case of punishment, he alarms them rather by those things future, so also in the case of the prizes set before them, he encourages them by these things past, showing herein God's way of dealing. And that is, not to bring in what has been promised immediately, but after a long time. And this He does, both to present the greatest proof of His power, and also to lead us to Faith, that they who are living in tribulation without having received the promises, or the rewards, may not faint under their troubles. And omitting all the rest, though he had many whom he might have mentioned, he brought forward Abraham both on account of the dignity of his person, and because this had occurred in a special way in his case. And yet at the end of the Epistle he says, that "all these, having seen the promises afar off, and having embraced them, received them not, that they without us should not be made perfect." "For when God made promise to Abraham" (he says) "because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." How then does he say at the end of the Epistle that "he received not the promises," and here, that "after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise"? How did he not receive? How did he obtain? He is not speaking of the same things in this place and in the other, but makes the consolation twofold. God made promises to Abraham, and after a long space of time He gave the things spoken of in this place, but those others not yet. "And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." Seest thou that the promise alone did not effect the whole, but the patient waiting as well? Here he alarms them, showing that oftentimes a promise is thwarted through faintheartedness. And this he had indeed shown through the instance of the Jewish people: for since they were faint-hearted, therefore they obtained not the promise. But now he shows the contrary by means of Abraham. Afterwards near the end of the Epistle he proves something more also: that even though they had patiently endured, they did not obtain; and yet not even so are they grieved.”

“Above, the Apostle showed the reason why he was confident concerning these things, and this was on account of the good things they had done; here he shows the same thing from the promise made to the fathers. Hence concerning this he does two things. For first he sets forth the promise; second he assigns the reason for what has been said, at the place, "For men." Concerning the first he does three things. For first he shows to whom the promise was made; second he shows that the manner of the promise is fitting, at the place, "since no one," etc.; third, the effect of the promise, at the place, "and so, with long patience." The promise was made to Abraham. Gal. 3:16: "To Abraham were the promises made," et cetera. And the reason for this is that through faith we cling to God, and therefore through faith we obtain the promises. For the first example of faith was in Abraham, and this because he was the first to withdraw from the company of unbelievers. Gen. 12:1: "Go forth from your land," et cetera. Second, because he was the first to believe something that was above nature. Rom. 4:18: "Who against hope believed in hope." Hence Gen. 15:6: "Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice." For he was the first to receive the seal of faith, namely circumcision, Rom. 4:11. The manner of the promise concerns two things: first, as to the oath interposed; second, as to the words of the promise, at the place, "unless blessing I shall bless you," et cetera. He says therefore: God, wishing to show his promise firm and stable, because he had no one greater than himself by whom he might swear — Ps. 112:4: "The Lord is high above all nations," etc. — swore by himself. Gen. 22:16: "By myself have I sworn, says the Lord," et cetera. In this you have an example that an oath is not of itself unlawful, because Scripture attributes nothing to God which is in itself a sin. For Scripture intends to order us and lead us to God. Eph. 5:1: "Be imitators of God as children," et cetera. Yet the frequency of swearing is forbidden. Ecclus. 23:9: "Let not your mouth be accustomed to swearing," et cetera. Likewise an oath in vain. Ex. 20:7: "You shall not take the name of your God in vain." Accordingly, when he says, "unless blessing," etc., he shows the manner of the promise; as if to say: let me not be believed, unless I bless you, so that the manner of swearing is, as it were, by execution. Now he says "blessing," which pertains to the conferring of goods. For the blessing of the Lord makes rich, as is said in Prov. 10:22. And "multiplying I shall multiply you," which also pertains to the numerousness of offspring. And both were promised to Abraham, as is clear from Gen. 14 and 25. Now he doubles the word, saying "blessing I shall bless," to designate temporal and spiritual goods, and the continuity of the blessing. Or, "blessing I shall bless" refers to the multitude of holy offspring, which in Gen. 15:5 is designated by the stars of heaven, where it is said, "Look up to heaven, and number the stars, if you can," et cetera. And "multiplying I shall multiply" refers to the numerousness of the evil and perverse offspring, which in the same place, namely chapter 22, is designated by the sand of the sea. The word "multitude" is also doubled, which is on account of the numerousness of the good or evil offspring; or on account of the continuity of the multitude. Or, "I shall bless" refers to the goods of grace, and "I shall multiply" to the goods of glory. Ps. 30:19: "How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord," et cetera. The effect of the promise was that, bearing with long patience, he obtained the promise. Long patience consists not only in doing something great, but also in waiting for a long time. Now Abraham had the promise, and yet he never possessed a foot's pace of ground, as is said in Acts 7:5. And even into old age he did not receive offspring, and yet he did not fall from hope. James 5:10: "Take as an example, my brothers, the prophets of evil outcome, and of long patience, and of labor, and of patience," et cetera. Is. 51:2: "Look unto Abraham your father," et cetera. Then, when he says, "for men swear by one greater than themselves," he sets forth the reason for what has been said, and concerning this he does three things. For first he sets forth human custom; second he assigns the reason for the custom, at the place, "wherein more abundantly"; third he adds the fruit of the reasoning, at the place, "that by two immutable things." Now human custom is set forth as twofold: one as to that by which one swears; the other as to the effect of the oath, at the place, "and of all controversy." Now that by which one swears is something greater, and this reasonably. For to swear is nothing other than to confirm what is doubtful. Therefore, just as in the sciences nothing is confirmed except through that which is more known, so, because nothing is more certain among men than God, it is by him, as by what is greater and more certain, that one swears. But on the contrary: sometimes one swears by the Son, who is lesser, as when it is said, "by Christ." And sometimes by a creature, as Joseph swore by the health of Pharaoh, Gen. 42:15. I answer. It must be said that there is a twofold manner of swearing by God: in one way, by simple attestation, as when it is said absolutely, "By God it is so," as if to say: God is my witness that it is so, as I say. Rom. 1:9: "God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit." And sometimes by execration, which happens when something is bound over to the vengeance of God, if it be not so — for instance one's head, or soul, or something of this kind — as the Apostle swore. 2 Cor. 1:23: "I call God to witness upon my soul," as if to say: I bind over my soul for this testimony, for which I take up the very name of God. And this is most weighty. Now one swears by a creature not insofar as it is such a creature, but insofar as some token of divine power shines forth in it. For since all power is from God, Rom. 13:1, insofar as someone exercises power over some multitude: if one swears by him, one swears by God, whose power shines forth in him. And thus Joseph swore by the health of Pharaoh. This, then, is what he means when he says, "Men swear by one greater than themselves." Now it must be known that those who have already perjured themselves are to be excluded from an oath, because the greatest reverence must be shown to an oath, and from their past deeds it is presumed that they will not show the reverence due to an oath. Likewise, children before the years of puberty are not to be compelled to it, because they do not yet have the perfect use of reason by which they might know how to show the reverence due to an oath. Likewise persons of great dignity, because an oath is required from those concerning whose word or deed there is doubt; and it derogates from men of great authority that the truth of what they say should be doubted. Hence also in the Decretals, question 2, chapter 4, it is said that a priest ought not to swear for a slight cause. Now the causes for which it is lawful to swear are these: for the confirming of peace, as Laban swore, Gen. 31:44 and following; second, for the preserving of one's reputation; third, for keeping fidelity, as vassals swear to their lords; fourth, for fulfilling obedience, if something honorable is commanded by a superior; fifth, for making security; sixth, for attesting the truth. Thus the Apostle swore, Rom. 1:9: "God is my witness," et cetera. Then, when he says, "and of all controversy," etc., he sets forth the effect of the oath, which consists in this: that through an oath every controversy is ended. For just as in the sciences, when the analysis is resolved back to the first demonstrable principles, one comes to rest, so it has been introduced by divine law that when one arrives at the first truth there is a standing point, which happens when that truth itself is called to witness. Ex. 22:8: "He shall be brought to the gods, and shall swear," and thus every question and controversy is put to rest. Then, when he says, "wherein more abundantly," he sets forth the reason why God wished to swear, namely, to show the firmness of his promise. Hence he says "wherein," that is, by that very fact God interposed an oath, wishing more abundantly to show, et cetera. For it was abundant that he promised, but it was more abundant that he swore. Wishing, I say, to show to the heirs the promise, that is, of the thing promised. Rom. 9:8: "They who are the children of the promise are counted for the seed." To show, I say, the immutability. It must be known that in those things which proceed from God, two things are to be considered: namely, the process itself of things, and the counsel of God from which such a process is caused. The counsel of God is altogether immutable. Is. 46:10: "My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done." But the disposition is indeed mutable. For the Lord sometimes pronounces something according to what the order and process of things demands, as is clear, Is. 31: "Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live." For he had the course of his illness, from which he would die. And likewise Jonah 3:4: "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed," because it had deserved its own destruction. Jer. 18:7-8: "I will suddenly speak against a nation, and against a kingdom, to root it up, and to pull it down, and to destroy it. If that nation shall repent of its evil, which I have spoken against it, I also will repent of the evil that I had thought to do to it." And then the prophecy is one of threat. But sometimes something is pronounced insofar as it regards the eternal counsel of God, and concerning this God never repents, nor does he withdraw it. 1 Kings 15:29: "The triumpher in Israel will not spare, and will not be bent by repentance." Yet it must be known that whenever the Lord promises something under oath, it is a prophecy of predestination, which is disclosive of the divine counsel; and this promise is utterly immutable. Then, when he says, "that by two things," etc., he shows the fruit of the promise: and first he shows what that fruit is; second, who obtains this fruit, at the place, "which as an anchor." Now the fruit is that our hope should be certain: hence he says, "that we may have" a most strong, that is, most firm, comfort of hope, through two immutable things, in which it is impossible to lie — namely, through God, who promises, who does not lie, Num. 23:19: "God is not as the son of man, that he should lie," and through the oath, in which there is a greater confirmation of the truth. Now it must be known that just as sensible delight is from sense experience, and memory is of the past, so hope is of the future. 1 Mach. 2:61: "All that hope in him shall not be weakened." Is. 40:31: "They that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall take wings as eagles, they shall run and not labor," et cetera. "That we may have," I say, we who flee from evils, namely of the world, and from the assault of the enemy, so as to hold fast the hope set before us. Ps. 89:1: "Lord, you have been our refuge." Prov. 18:10: "The name of the Lord is a most strong tower; the just runs to it, and shall be exalted." Then, when he says, "which as an anchor," he shows that the faithful obtain this promise, and he makes use of a certain likeness. For he compares hope to an anchor, which, just as it holds a ship immovable at sea, so hope firms the soul in God in this world, which is, as it were, a certain sea. Ps. 103:25: "This sea, great and wide of hand." Yet this anchor must be secure, so that it does not fail. Hence it is made of iron. 2 Tim. 1:12: "For I know whom I have believed, and I am certain," et cetera. Likewise it must be firm, so that it is not quickly removed from the ship: thus a man must be bound to this hope, just as an anchor is bound to a ship. But there is a difference between an anchor and hope, because an anchor is fixed in the depth below; but hope is fixed on high, namely in God. For nothing in the present life is firm, where the soul could be made firm and rest. Hence Gen. 8:9 says that the dove did not find where its foot might rest. And therefore he says that it must go in as far as the inner side of the veil. For by the "holy places," which were in the tabernacle, the Apostle understands the present state of the Church; but by the "holy of holies," which was distinguished from the holy places by the veil, he understands the state of future glory. In that, therefore, he wishes the anchor of our hope to be fixed, which is now veiled from our eyes. Is. 64:4: "Eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what you have prepared for them that wait for you." Ps. 30:19: "How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you have hidden for them that fear you." This anchor our forerunner has fixed there, who has entered there. Hence Jn. 14:2: "I go to prepare a place for you." Micah 2:13: "He ascended, opening the way to them." And therefore he says that he, as a forerunner, entered for us into the inner side of the veil, and there fixed our hope, as is said in the collect, on the vigil, and on the day of the Ascension. Yet because it was not lawful to enter within the veil except for the high priest alone, Lev. 16:2, therefore he says that Jesus, who entered for us, was made a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Behold how elegantly the Apostle returns to his purpose. For he had begun to speak of the priesthood, and yet had digressed a great deal; but now he returns to it, as is clear.”

“And so, after he had patiently endured,.... He waited long for a son, from whom the Messiah was to spring, after he had had the promise of one; and he endured many afflictions with patience, in his journeys from place to place, throughout his life to the end: he obtained the promise; he was greatly blessed in temporal things; he lived to see the son of the promise, and his sons; he saw the day of Christ by faith, and now inherits the heavenly glory, which is the thing chiefly designed.”

“Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee - I will continue to bless thee. Multiplying I will multiply thee - I will continue to increase thy posterity. In the most literal manner God continues to fulfill this promise; genuine Christians are Abraham's seed, and God is increasing their number daily. See the notes on Gen 22:12-18 (note); and Gen 23:1 (note).”