Hebrews 12:17

17. Ye know As Israelites you are all familiar with the memorable history.

No place of repentance That is, room or chance for successful or accepted repentance; repentance obtaining restoration. Such is the meaning of the phrase, locus penitentiae, place of repentance, even in the classic authors. Clemens Romanus says, “The Lord hath given a place of repentance (that is, a chance for accepted repentance) to those wishing to turn to him.” And Livy the historian, “Leaving a place of repentance” that is, a chance of repentance that would obtain pardon. The interpretation given by some modern commentators, that no favourable change in Isaac’s mind towards Esau is meant by repentance, is untenable; for repentance would be no proper term for such a change, as it would imply previous wrong in Isaac. The meaning here, then, is, that Esau’s tears and prayers afforded no chance for favour, or regaining his birthright. The divine will had fundamentally settled the Messianic line, and Isaac’s inflexibility was the expositor of that will. It was not, however, a question of Esau’s personal salvation, but of his place in the theocratic line. It was perfectly competent for Esau to repent of his sins and be saved; but no repentance could re-purchase his sold birthright. Yet it is probable that Esau’s repentance was as profane as his sale. No faith in the sacred Messianic family hope, no trust in Jehovah, inspired it. It was a selfish anxiety to recover a lost supremacy. The wild hunter, the fierce Edomite, had become by fixed habit his permanent nature. So was he appropriate type of that Judaism toward which these Hebrews were vibrating. There was plenty of Jewish tears, grief over fallen temple and nation, but no faith in her Messiah, and so no possible acceptable repentance.