Hebrews 13:22

And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. SUFFER THE WORD. The Hebrews not being the section assigned to Paul (but the Gentiles), he uses gentle entreaty rather than authoritative command. FEW WORDS - compared with what might be said on so important a subject. Few, in an letter more a treatise than an letter (cf. ). On the seeming inconsistency with , cf. note....

22._And I beseech you, etc. _Some understand this as though he was soliciting them to hear him; but I take another view; for he mentions, as I think, that he had written in a _few words, _or briefly, in order that he might not appear as though he wished to lessen in any degree the ordinary practice of teaching. Let us hence learn that the Scripture has not been committed to us in order to silence the voice of pastors, and that we are not to be fastidious when the same exhortations often sound in our ears; for the holy Spirit has so regulated the writings which he has dictated to the Prophets and the Apostles, that he detracts nothing from the order instituted by himself; and the order is, that constant exhortations should be heard in the Church from the mouth of pastors. And probably he recommends the _word of exhortation _for this reason, that though men are by nature anxious to learn,...

22-25 So bad are men, and even believers, through the remainders of their corruption, that when the most important, comfortable doctrine is delivered to them for their own good, and that with the most convincing evidence, there is need of earnest entreaty and exhortation that they would bear it, and not fall out with it, neglect it, or reject it. It is good to have the law of holy love and kindness written in the hearts of Christians, one towards another. Religion teaches men true civility and good breeding. It is not ill-tempered or uncourteous. Let the favour of God be toward you, and his grace continually working in you, and with you, bringing forth the fruits of holiness, as the first-fruits of glory....

Verse 22. _SUFFER THE WORD OF EXHORTATION_] Bear the word or doctrine of this exhortation. This seems to be an epithet of this whole epistle: and as the apostle had in it shown the insufficiency of the Levitical system to atone for sin and save the soul; and had proved that it was the design of God that it should be abolished; and had proved also that it was now abolished by the coming of Christ, whom he had shown to be a greater priest than Aaron, higher than all the angels, the only Son of God as to his human nature, and the Creator, Governor, and Judge of all; and that their city was shortly to be destroyed; he might suppose that they would feel prejudiced against him, and thus lose the benefit of his kind intentions toward them; therefore he entreats them to bear the exhortation which, notwithstanding the great extent of the subject, he had included in a short compass. _I HAVE WRIT...

SUFFER THE WORD OF EXHORTATION - Referring to the arguments and counsels in this whole Epistle, which is in fact a practical exhortation to perseverance in adhering to the Christian religion amidst all the temptations which existed to apostasy. FOR I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER UNTO YOU IN FEW WORDS - This does not mean that this Epistle is short compared with the others that the author had written, for most of the Epistles of Paul are shorter than this. But it means, that it was brief compared with the importance and difficulty of the subjects of which he had treated. The topics introduced would have allowed a much more extended discussion; but in handling them he had made use of as few words as possible. No one can deny this who considers the sententious manner of this Epistle. As an illustration of this, perhaps we may remark that it is easy to expand the thoughts of this Epistle into ample...

CONCLUDING EXHORTATIONS EXPOSITION As in St. Paul's Epistles, practical directions as to conduct conclude the treatise, such as the readers may be supposed to have especially needed. They are urged to evince and confirm the faith which was the subject of Hebrews 11:1, and to maintain their communion with the world invisible spoken of in Hebrews 12:1, by attending especially to those daily duties which they might be in danger of forgetting. By perseverance in a life consistent with profession faith is not only evidenced, but also kept from faltering. In the course of these hortations (Hebrews 12:10), being suggested by one of them, there is introduced a ye

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 of the Gentiles, and because the Jews were not so well pleased with him, on account of his preaching down the ceremonies of the law; though such language is used by him in other epistles; he became all things to all, that he might gain some. The subject matter of his entreaty is, that they would SUFFER THE WORD OF EXHORTATION; either from one another, as to prayer, to attendance on the word and ordinances, to a regard to their lives and conversations, and to a close adherence to the Gospel, and the profession of it; or from their ministers, their guides, and governors, whose business it was t...

Hebrews 13:1. _Let brotherly love continue._ It is supposed to be there already; let it continue, not only love of a common kind, such as we are to have to all men, but that special «brotherly love» which Christians bear to one another as members of one family. «Let brotherly love continue.» Hebrews 13:2. _Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares._ Abraham did so, and Lot did so; they thought they were entertaining ordinary strangers, and they washed their feet; and prepared their food but it turned out that they had entertained angels. Some people will never entertain angels unawares, for they never entertain anybody. May we be given to hospitality, for that should be part of the character of saints....

CHAPTER 13 _ 1. The practical walk (Hebrews 13:1)_ 2. The call to separation (Hebrews 13:7) 3. Conclusions (Hebrews 13:17) Hebrews 13:1 No comment is needed on the simple exhortations with which this concluding chapter of this Epistle begins. Brotherly love stands in the foreground. Hospitality and loving kindness to prisoners and those who suffer adversity is especially enjoined. The great high priest in glory sympathizes with such a condition of His saints and we too are to be sympathizers as well as intercessors with Him. The life is to be clean and undefiled. Walking in faith there should be

A postscript. The readers are asked to give patient attention to the foregoing epistle, which is described as a word of exhortation,-' thus clearly indicating its practical aim. Their patience is all the more necessary as the argument is in few words_ i.e._ highly condensed, and difficult at times to follow. They are informed of Timothy's release from prison, and of the writer's intention to visit them in his company. Greetings are sent from the Italian Christians. This is the only definite clue which is afforded us of the destination of the epistle, and unfortunately it can lead in two directions. The writer may be sojourning with an Italian church, whose members offer their greetings to brethren elsewhere; or he may be addressing an Italian church, whose exiled members join with him in his salutations (_cf._ Exp. Jan. 1917). A second and briefer doxology brings the epistle to a close....