Hebrews 13:1

Heb. 13:1. Let brotherly love continue.

This text is but one in a litany of verses:

This love the apostles are often directing Christians to exercise towards fellow members of the visible church; as in Romans 12:10, "Be ye kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love." The words are much more emphatical in the original, and do more lively represent that peculiar endearment that there is between gracious persons, or those that look on one another as such. The expressions properly signify, cleaving one to another with brotherly, natural, strong endearment. With the like emphasis and energy does the Apostle Peter express himself, 1 Peter 1:22: "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." Again, Chap. 3:8, "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous." The words in the Greek are much more significant, elegant, and forcible. The same peculiar endearment the apostle has doubtless respect to in 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves." The Apostle Paul in his epistles, from time to time, speaks of the visible saints whom he writes to, as being united one to another with this affection, and considers it as a note of their piety, Colossians 1:4, "We heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love, which ye have to all saints." 1 Thessalonians 4:9, "As touching BROTHERLY LOVE, ye need not that I write unto you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another." So Philemon 1:5, "Hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus Christ, and towards all saints." And this is what he exhorts to, Hebrews 13:1, "Let BROTHERLY LOVE continue." 1 Thessalonians 5:26, "Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss." Compare 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12, and 1 Peter 5:14.

Heb. 13:2-8