Hebrews 13:1

Hebrews 13:1. The first admonition is to ‘brotherly love' a term used in the N. T. (not as in classic Greek to describe the love of brothers and sisters, but) to describe the love which Christians bear to one another in Christ, and as children of one Father (cp. Hebrews 2:11), part of the wider love which ἁγάπη describes (2 Peter 1:7). It was not extinct (Hebrews 10:32), the precept therefore is as in the case of their faith that it should continue, or abide. It is appropriately put first among earthly duties, as it is the first-fruit of faith and the beginning of all else. How the title here given to this grace struck the heathen is made very clear by a passage in Lucian: ‘Their most distinguished lawgiver (? Paul) has taught that they all become brethren one of another as soon as they are changed; that is, when they deny the Greek gods, and adore the crucified sophist.' He also enlarges on their sympathy with those in bonds, and on their hospitality. The sentiment struck the observer even while he scorned it as new and impracticable (see the passage in Delitzsch, ii. 371).