CHAPTER 13. This final chapter begins with further exhortations to the people to whom the letter is addressed. The exhortation is to the love of fellow-Christians, followed by how that love can practically be revealed. They are especially to, 1) Show loving hospitality to ‘foreign' Christian visit... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CALL TO LOVE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST (HEBREWS 13:1). ‘Let love of the brothers and sisters (phil-adelphia) continue.' This is the third mention of Christian love in the letter, although here with a different Greek word. Compare Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 10:24 (both ‘agape'). As the first... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Do not forget to show loving hospitality to strangers, for as a result of that some have entertained angels unawares.' The first exhortation reveals that Christians should be always receptive of others. The second will show that they must be willing to go out to put themselves out for others. Our... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them; Those who are ill-treated, as being yourselves also in a body.' The second practical example of Christian love is that of caring for, and watching out for, those who are in bonds for Christ's sake (compare again Matthew 25:26; Matthew 25:40). Se... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Let marriage be had in honour among all, and let the bed be undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.' Thirdly they were all to honour marriage, such marriages being between couples who themselves were pure and had not previously indulged in sex. And even more importantly, marriage... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Let your way be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he himself has said, “In no way will I fail you, nor will I in any way forsake you.” ' Fourthly they were to beware of covetousness, especially the love of money. Nothing can destroy a man or woman, or a church,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So that with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What will man do to me?' And as a result of the certainty that we have that we know that He will not fail us or forsake us, we can say with good courage and confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What will man... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Remember those who had the rule over you, men who spoke to you the word of God; and considering the issue (or ‘end') of their life, follow (or ‘imitate') the faith, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and for ever”.' Fifthly they are to show their brotherly love by honouring their godly leade... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Do not be not carried away by divers and strange teachings: for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, wherein those who occupied themselves (literally ‘those who walked') were not profited.' Sixthly, especially therefore are they to beware of ‘many-coloured' and unusual... [ Continue Reading ]
‘We have an altar, of which they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle.' His reply is that we actually have an altar which provides us with spiritual food of which they know nothing and of which they cannot partake. For Jesus Christ was offered up as a sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:10... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR ALTAR IS A SPIRITUAL ONE WERE JESUS CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED AND IS OUTSIDE THE CAMP AND OUTSIDE THE CITY WHERE THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS HOLD SWAY AND OUR SACRIFICES ARE OF A DIFFERENT NATURE TO THEIRS (HEBREWS 13:10). His reference to sacrificial meals leads on into a reconsideration of the contrast... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holy place through (dia) the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. For which reason Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside the gate.' He now likens Jesus to the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Let us therefore go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.' Here then we are faced with the grand paradox. He was sent out of Jerusalem by the Jews as a reproach, just as the reproach of Israel was to fall on the great Servant of Yahweh (Isaiah 53). He was sent out to be cursed for b... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For we do not have here an abiding city, but we seek after the coming city.' So our eyes are not to be on the earthly Jerusalem. It had become a rejected and defiled city, a corrupt city (Revelation 11:8), a city which would not abide and would indeed shortly to be destroyed. For Christian's do not... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.' Therefore now when we wish to offer up a sacrifice to God we must do it through Him. For it is there, outside the camp that we can fulfil our priestly service,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But to do good and to fellowship together forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.' And along with this we are not to forget to ‘offer our sacrifices' by continually doing good, and by having fellowship one with another continually, communicating with each other, sharing with each... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Obey those who have the rule over you, and submit to them, for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they who will give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.' He stresses firstly that they, like all those who are in churches with godl... [ Continue Reading ]
FINAL EXHORTATION AND A PRAYER FOR HIS READERS (HEBREWS 13:17). So having finally made the great divide between Jerusalem and all that it had come to stand for, and Christianity with its whole concern centred on Christ, the writer closes his letter with personal exhortations and assurance. Rather t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Pray for us: for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honourably in all things. And I exhort you the more exceedingly to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.' He then asks prayer for himself and his fellow-workers. He does so on the grounds that their con... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory f... [ Continue Reading ]
LAST THOUGHTS (HEBREWS 13:22). ‘But I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. In these last thoughts he asks his readers, his ‘brothers and sisters', to bear with his words. He knows that he has spoken strongly, but he insists that he could... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Know that our brother Timothy has been set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.' This may indicate a personal note added at the end of the letter, commencing here in true Pauline fashion as though he had taken up his pen himself. It is clear that Timothy had recently been in... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Salute all those who have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.' He then calls on them to pass his greetings on to the leadership of their church, and all the other Christians who are there. This would seem to confirm that he is writing to a group within that church, pos... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Grace be with you all. Amen.' With a final flourish he prays that God's gracious and unmerited activity will be with them all. The words could again easily be Paul's or those of his trusted companions. Thus can he say his ‘Amen'.... [ Continue Reading ]