HEBREWS CHAPTER 13 HEBREWS 13:1 Exhortations to charity, HEBREWS 13:2 hospitality, HEBREWS 13:3 pity for the afflicted, HEBREWS 13:4 chastity, HEBREWS 13:5,6 contentment, HEBREWS 13:7,8 to regard the preachers of God's word, HEBREWS 13:9 to avoid strange doctrines,... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; The next duty suitable to Christ's kingdom, is hospitality to Christian strangers. BE NOT FORGETFUL TO ENTERTAIN STRANGERS; be neither ignorant nor unmindful: by which charge they are bound strongly and always not to have this out of mind, though it may be out of hand; and the negative confi... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER THEM THAT ARE IN BONDS, AS BOUND WITH THEM: a further duty of the subjects of Christ's kingdom, is sympathy with their Christian brethren, to remember to pray for, visit, and minister all necessary refreshment to those in bonds, fettered, manacled, and imprisoned for Christ's sake and the g... [ Continue Reading ]
MARRIAGE IS HONOURABLE IN ALL: the next duty charged on the subjects of Christ's kingdom, is chastity; the commendation of it is a precept to it. Marriage is that state which God instituted at the beginning, after the creation of Adam and Eve, which was by his law the making of them two to become on... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; Contentation with our state and condition is a fifth duty charged on the subjects of Christ's kingdom, and this is expressed privatively and positively, yet both propositions without a verb, which is best supplied by an imperative. LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE WITHOUT COVETOUSNESS: O tropov stri... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT WE MAY BOLDLY SAY; upon the account of which promise of God all the true subjects of Christ's kingdom, together with the apostle, may with an undaunted boldness of heart, above all fears and doubtings, and with a daring confidence, professing that which they believe, nor staggering, nor shri... [ Continue Reading ]
Imitation of their godly ministers, is another duty that Christ's law chargeth on his subjects, both here and HEBREWS 13:17. REMEMBER THEM WHICH HAVE THE RULE OVER YOU, WHO HAVE SPOKEN UNTO YOU THE WORD OF GOD; be mindful of your spiritual guides and rulers, firmly and constantly to retain their exc... [ Continue Reading ]
Though this hath no term of connection, yet it may be referred either to what precedeth or followeth it; for the apostle is not here dropping aphorisms, but pressing on the subjects of Christ's kingdom known duties. It is here interposed as a weighty reason of the duty foregoing, to remember their g... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines: the doctrine of Christ being immutable, it is but necessary to dehort his subjects from deserting it, which the apostle doth here; that they should not be wheeling or whirling about with an unstable and inconstant motion of judgment, faith, and... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE AN ALTAR: these strange doctrines are not only unprofitable, but perilous to Christians, since they disinterest all that entertain them, as to any participation of Christ; since his subjects, adhering to his simple and immutable doctrine, have a right and just claim to, and an actual use of,... [ Continue Reading ]
The illustration of the legal and gospel altar service is added as a typical proof of the foregoing reason; _for_ annexing it to it; that the Jews and Judaizing Christians had no right to eat of the Christian altar, for a law of their own excludes them from it, which is written, LEVITICUS 6:30, LEVI... [ Continue Reading ]
Because that sacrifice for sin was _burnt without the camp, therefore Jesus, _ to fulfil the type, SUFFERED WITHOUT THE GATE; and as they might not eat of that expiatory sacrifice, so neither of this. Jesus, therefore, to fulfil this type, suffered without the gates of Jerusalem, upon Mount Calvary,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE shows this to be a necessary duty, inferred from the former privilege; That since we have such an altar and sacrifice as Jesus, sanctifying us by his own blood, which he entered with to God, when he _suffered without the gate; _ we ought and must GO FORTH (from tabernacle service, consisti... [ Continue Reading ]
This is an enforcement of the foregoing duty, as the particle _for_ cleareth; That they have no reason to be discouraged from going forth from Judaism, and those erroneous doctrines, and the world, to him, though it should cost them their lives for it; _for_ at the best this world is not a place fit... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, introducing this duty, shows it not only to issue from the former privilege of having Christ our altar and sacrifice, _therefore_ we should use him, and sacrifice by him; and it is inferred as anticipating an objection of these Hebrews: That if the tabernacle service ceased, then they sho... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT TO DO GOOD AND TO COMMUNICATE FORGET NOT: the last duty which Christ sufferings without the gate for his subjects obligeth them to, is liberality and beneficence to others. In which is explicitly denied any carelessness of mind, aversation of affection, or omission of the duty; in which is impli... [ Continue Reading ]
OBEY THEM THAT HAVE THE RULE OVER YOU, AND SUBMIT YOURSELVES: the further duty required by Christ from the subjects of his kingdom, is their due demeanour to their present pastors, and church guides, or rulers. He chargeth them to esteem and account of them, as they are, and he hath constituted them... [ Continue Reading ]
PRAY FOR US: the closing duty becoming the subjects of the kingdom of Christ, is prayer, upon some special accounts, HEBREWS 13:18,19, that they would with their renewed souls, influenced and assisted by the Spirit of grace and supplication, pour forth their desires to God with faith, fervency, and... [ Continue Reading ]
He is the more urging and pressing them to the exercise of this duty more fervently, instantly, and abundantly, at this time, that they might prevail with God to remove hinderances by his enemies, freeing him from his chain and restraint at Rome, and to speed his liberty for a return to them, that i... [ Continue Reading ]
As the apostle desires the church's prayers for himself, so he poureth out his for them; with the which he introduceth the conclusion of this Epistle, HEBREWS 13:20,21. Now God the Father, the God and Author of peace and reconciliation of sinners to himself, the propagator and lover of peace among a... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE YOU PERFECT IN EVERY GOOD WORK TO DO HIS WILL: may this God dispose, incline, and fit you for, may he finish and perfect in you, grace to perform all the forementioned duties, and every other good work, which he enjoineth on you towards God, one another, and all men, 2 CORINTHIANS 13:9 EPHESIAN... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle now drawing to a close, desires them candidly to accept his Epistle; that, considering their relation to him as Christians and Hebrews, he doth affectionately entreat them, that they would fully receive, entertain, and hold fast, as well as bear with, or suffer, all the doctrine, reproof... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; He acquaints them with the good news of his dismissing Timothy to them, to acquaint them how it fared with him, as he dismissed and sent Tychicus to the Colossians, COLOSSIANS 4:7,8, Epaphroditus to the Philippians, PHILIPPIANS 2:25,28, as he intended to have sent Timothy with them, HEBREWS... [ Continue Reading ]
He sends his salutations, which were good wishes and prayers for the peace, prosperity, health, and happiness of their souls and bodies, and success in all their concernments; first unto their excellent guides and rulers, HEBREWS 13:7,17, that they may prosper and succeed in their work among the sai... [ Continue Reading ]
He closeth all with his wonted gracious valediction, wherewith he shutteth up all his Epistles, as he testifieth, 2 THESSALONIANS 3:17,18. He, like an apostle influenced by the Divine Spirit, admiring _grace_ vouchsafed to himself, and heartily and fervently wishing it down upon all to whom he write... [ Continue Reading ]