INTRODUCTION TO HEBREWS 13 The apostle having finished the doctrinal part of this epistle, closes it with practical exhortations to these Hebrews, puts up prayers for them, and sends salutations to them. The exhortations are to brotherly love, and the continuance of it, Hebrews 13:1 to hospitality,... [ Continue Reading ]
LET BROTHERLY LOVE CONTINUE. The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions add, "in you"; or among you, as a church and society of Christians; for this is not to be understood of love to all mankind, or to those of the same nation, or who are in a strict natural relation brethren, though they are all in a s... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT FORGETFUL TO ENTERTAIN STRANGERS,.... By whom are meant, not unconverted men, who are strangers to God and Christ, and the covenants of promise; nor saints, who are as pilgrims and strangers in this world; but such as are of another country, and are unknown; and even though wicked men, they a... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER THEM THAT ARE IN BONDS,.... Not for criminal actions, or for debt, though such should be remembered, and pity showed them, especially the latter; but such as are in bonds for the sake of Christ, and the Gospel. This has been often the lot of God's people, who should be remembered, by prayin... [ Continue Reading ]
MARRIAGE IS HONOURABLE IN ALL,.... Some read these words as an exhortation, "let" it "be so"; others as an assertion, it is so. "Marriage" is the union of one man and one woman in wedlock, whereby they become one flesh; it is a joining together of male and female in this relation, and of two only, a... [ Continue Reading ]
LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE WITHOUT COVETOUSNESS,.... Which is an immoderate desire, of riches, an over anxious care for worldly things, attended with dissatisfaction, and discontent with their present state: it discovers itself many ways; in preferring the world to religion; in laying up treasure for... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT WE MAY BOLDLY SAY,.... Or confidently assert; for nothing is more true than this, THE LORD IS MY HELPER; he is able to help, and does help, when none else can; he has promised to be the helper of his people; he has laid help for them on Christ, who is mighty; and he has helped him as man, t... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER THEM WHICH HAVE THE RULE OVER YOU,.... Christ's church is a kingdom, and he is King in it; pastors of churches are subordinate governors; who rule well when they rule not in an arbitrary way, according to their own wills, but according to the laws of Christ, with all faithfulness, prudence,... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS CHRIST, THE SAME YESTERDAY, AND TODAY, AND FOR EVER. Who is the substance of the word spoken by the above mentioned rulers, the author and object of their faith, and the end in which their conversation terminated. These words may be expressive of the duration of Christ: he was "yesterday", whi... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT CARRIED ABOUT WITH DIVERS AND STRANGE DOCTRINES,.... The word "divers" may denote the variety and multitude of other doctrines; referring either to the various rites and ceremonies of the law, or to the traditions of the elders, or to the several doctrines of men, whether Jews or Gentiles; wh... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE AN ALTAR,.... By which is meant, not the cross of Christ, on which he was crucified; nor the Lord's table, where his flesh and blood are presented to faith, as food, though not offered; but Christ himself, who is altar, sacrifice, and priest; he was typified by the altar of the burnt offerin... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE BODIES OF THOSE BEASTS,.... Not the red heifer, Numbers 19:1 nor the sin offering in general, Leviticus 6:30 nor those for the priest and people, Leviticus 4:11 but the bullock and goat, on the day of atonement, Leviticus 16:11 which were typical of Christ, in the bringing of their blood in... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE JESUS ALSO,.... In order to answer the type of him; THAT HE MIGHT SANCTIFY THE PEOPLE WITH HIS OWN BLOOD: by "the people" are meant the people who are the objects of divine love and favour; a chosen and covenant people; a distinct and peculiar people; Christ's own special people, by the g... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US GO FORTH THEREFORE UNTO HIM WITHOUT THE CAMP,.... Either of legal ceremonies, which are to be quitted; or of this world, which may be compared to a "camp"; for its instability, a camp not being always in one place; and for its hostility, the world being full of enemies to Christ and his peopl... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HERE HAVE WE NO CONTINUING CITY,.... Neither for religious worship, the city of Jerusalem being quickly to be destroyed, nor for civil life to dwell in; and so may have a peculiar regard to the Hebrews, whose temple and city would, in a short time, become desolate; though it was the general case... [ Continue Reading ]
BY HIM THEREFORE LET US OFFER THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE,.... For temporal and spiritual mercies; particularly for sanctification, or expiation of sin, by the blood of Christ; and for heaven, the continuing city, that is to come: this sacrifice is not a proper, nor a propitiatory one, but spiritual and... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT TO DO GOOD AND TO COMMUNICATE FORGET NOT,.... Which is to be understood, not of doing good works in general, but of acts of beneficence, or communicating to "the poor", as the Syriac version renders it: the apostle proceeds to take notice of another sort of sacrifice, which continues under the G... [ Continue Reading ]
OBEY THEM THAT HAVE THE RULE OVER YOU,.... Not the ecclesiastical rulers among the Jews, for to these they were no longer obliged, they being no longer under such tutors and governors; nor civil magistrates, though it was their duty to obey them, even Heathen ones; for as for Christian magistrates,... [ Continue Reading ]
PRAY FOR US,.... Who are in the ministry; your guides and governors; since the work is of so much moment, and so arduous and awful, and you have such a concern in it; 2 Thessalonians 3:1. FOR WE TRUST WE HAVE A GOOD CONSCIENCE; there is a conscience in every man, but it is naturally evil: a good co... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I BESEECH YOU THE RATHER TO DO THIS,.... To pray earnestly; to strive together in their prayers for them, Romans 15:30 THAT I MAY BE RESTORED TO YOU THE SOONER: Christ's ministers are sometimes hindered from being with their people, through Satan, or his emissaries, creating troubles, or casti... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE GOD OF PEACE,.... This is the concluding part of the epistle, which is ended with a prayer, made up of very suitable petitions for the Hebrews; and as the apostle desires them to pray for him and other ministers, he, in turn, and by way of example, prays for them: and he addresses God, as "t... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE YOU PERFECT IN EVERY GOOD WORK TO DO HIS WILL,.... The Alexandrian copy reads, "in every good work and word"; as in 2 Thessalonians 2:17 every good work is to be done: a good work is what is done in obedience to the command of God, and in faith, and from a principle of love, in the name and str... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN,.... The apostle closes his epistle to the Hebrews in a very tender and affectionate manner, calling them "brethren", as he often does; and speaking to them, not in an authoritative way, nor by way of advice, but by entreaty: the reason may be, because he was the apostle... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOW YE THAT [OUR] BROTHER TIMOTHY IS SET AT LIBERTY,.... This is the same person to whom the Apostle Paul wrote two epistles, and whom he often calls his son, though sometimes his brother, as here, 1 Thessalonians 1:1 of him he says, that he was set at liberty, or "dismissed"; either by the apostle... [ Continue Reading ]
SALUTE ALL THEM THAT HAVE THE RULE OVER YOU,.... The pastors and officers of the church of the Hebrews, the same with those in Hebrews 13:7 and all the saints; the several members of the church, who were set apart to holiness by God; whose sins were expiated by Christ; to whom Christ was made sancti... [ Continue Reading ]
GRACE BE WITH YOU ALL, AMEN. Which is the apostle's usual salutation in all his epistles, 2 Thessalonians 3:17 in which he wishes renewed discoveries of the love and favour of God; fresh communications of grace from Christ; an abundant supply of the spirit of grace; an increase of internal grace and... [ Continue Reading ]