Hebrews Chapter 13
By
Jim Bomkamp
1. VS 13:1 - “13:1 Let love of the brethren continue.”
- The author exhorts us to love one
another
1.1.
The Jews had a peculiar
regard to each other, as distinguished from the Gentile nations, but here the
author encourages these Hebrew Christians to love their fellow brothers in
Christ. They were all "the children
of God by faith in Christ Jesus."
1.2.
All true Christians are
taught to love one another. The apostle
John wrote that, "He who loves Him who begat, must also love those who are
begotten of Him."
1.3.
He who does not love the children
of God, is not himself a child of God.
1.4.
"Iniquity,"
according to the Savior's prophecy, "was abounding, and the love of
many," both towards the Savior and towards one another, "was waxing
cold."
1.5.
The very continuance of the
Church depends upon the continuance of love of the brethren. Where this faith and love are not, there is
no Church.
1.6.
We in the church today have
got to get back to placing loving each other as Christians as being essential
to the life of the church. So many in
churches today are looking out just for themselves, and are selfish and
self-serving, and this will kill a church if it goes unchecked.
2. VS 13:2 - “2 Do not
neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained
angels without knowing it.” - The author exhorts us to show hospitality to
fellow Christians
2.1.
Having admonished
continuance of brotherly love, the author goes on to point out some of the ways
in which the existence and continuance of this principle are to be
manifested. In particular, he mentions
in verse 2 the appropriate display of love to brethren who are strangers.
2.2.
There is nothing that is
more attractive to people of this world than the body of Christ when it is
functioning as it should and everyone realizes that they are part of each other
and are thus loving each other by sharing and joining into each others’ joys
and sorrows. This occurs when we who are
in the body of Christ “rejoice with those who rejoice” and “weep with those who
weep.”
2.3.
Though there is virtue and
importance to entertaining family, friends, and those brethren who are our
close friends, the exhortation here primarily pertains to those brethren who
are itinerant preachers and church planters traveling in their ministry, and
who are in need of the hospitality of brothers in Christ to provide them a
place to stay, meals to eat, etc.
2.4.
This exhortation may extend
to Christians who are traveling to a strange land for the purpose of
business. We do not know what
inconveniences and trials Christians may have experienced in those days, but we
can imagine that they might be many.
2.5.
The motivation given here
for entertaining strangers is not primarily that they may end up entertaining
angels, as we know that Abraham and Lot experienced in
2.6.
We Christians should be
encouraged by the idea communicated here that some blessing sent from Heaven
may be in store for us if we will entertain brothers and sisters who are away
from their home. My family has always
been blessed when we have put up and entertained Christians who were passing
through town. These have been precious
times of ministry to us and to them.
3. VS 13:3 - “3 Remember
the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated,
since you yourselves also are in the body.” - The author exhorts us to remember prisoners as
if we were in prison with them
3.1.
Another way in which the
Hebrew Christians were to manifest their brotherly love was by
"remembering those who were in bonds, as bound with them and those who
suffer adversity, as being themselves in the body."
3.2.
"Those who were in
bonds" are the Christians who probably for their religion had been
committed to prison. This was a very
common occurrence during the first century of the church. These ones were to be remembered by their
brethren.
3.3.
Those who were in prison
were to be often thought of with affection and interest, prayed for, visited,
and supplied with food and clothing and other comforts. Likewise,
every lawful means was to be employed to reduce the suffering of their
confinement and to obtain their freedom.
3.4.
When Saul was persecuting
the Church, Jesus called to him from heaven, "Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me?" and in reply to the question, "Who art Thou,
Lord?" He replied, "I am Jesus
whom you are persecuting." Jesus
considered Himself as bound and persecuted with those who were bound and
persecuted in His cause. In like manner
Christians are to sympathize with their imprisoned brethren as if they
themselves were in bonds with them.
3.5.
The author is asking us to
do for those who are in prison what they would like to be done for themselves
if they were in the same circumstances.
Likewise, whenever brethren were "ill-treated," we are exhorted
to remember them as if we ourselves were experiencing the same
afflictions.
3.6.
These afflictions mentioned
here are also probably those undergone in the cause of Christ.
3.7.
The phrase ‘since you
yourselves are also in the body’ means either that since we are all
mystically in the same body with all of our suffering brethren we ought to feel
what our brothers are feeling, or that
we also are in a similar body and experiencing the same type of persecutions
and soon it may be our turn to suffer for the name of Christ. Remember, "all who shall live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
4. VS 13:4 - “4 Let
marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for
fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” - The author exhorts us to hold marriage in honor
and avoid sexual immorality
4.1.
At the period this Epistle
was written, and among those to whom it was addressed, there seem to have
prevailed a variety of mistaken notions respecting marriage, and some subjects
closely connected with it. In the corrupt
age of the Jewish as of the Christian Church, the philosophy of Gnosticism was
making headway. The Gnostics believed
that all matter was evil, while spirit was good. This led to two false practices, that of
asceticism (denying the flesh to fulfill any bodily lust by not marrying and
living away from civilization) and letting go and fulfilling every fleshly lust
(since matter is just evil in the first place there is no point in restraining
oneself).
4.2.
To both of these errors, the author counters
by teaching that marriage is a state which itself is honorable among all
classes of men and women, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled (There is to
be nothing of a sexual nature that is morally degrading or polluted that is to
be allowed into our lives). So, marriage
is worthy of respect, but the indulgence in any type of sex outside of
monogamous marriage (including adultery) is a sin, and thus to be avoided.
5. VS 13:5-6 - “5 Let
your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you
have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever
forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently
say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?”” -
5.1.
QUOTES:
5.1.1. Joshua 1:5, “5 “No
man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as
I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”
5.1.2. Psalm 118:6, “6 The
Lord is for me; I will not fear;
What can man do to me?”
5.2.
Paul told Timothy, "They
that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many hurtful and
foolish lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition,” and again in 1
Tim. 6:10 "For the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, which,
while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and have pierced
themselves through with many sorrows."
5.3.
In opposition to the love of
money which can be so dangerous and ruinous to a Christian, the New Testament
admonishes in several places the cultivation of contentment:
5.3.1. "Be content with such things as you have" (Heb. 13:5) means
literally to “be content with present things.”
5.3.1.1. If we cannot be content right now and where we presently are, we will
never be content no matter what our circumstances may be.
5.3.2. 1 Tim. 6:6-8, "6 But godliness actually is a means of
great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought
nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If
we have food and covering, with these we shall be content."
5.3.3. Paul says in Phil. 4:11 "…for I have learned to be content in
whatever circumstances I am."
5.4.
Numerous motives for the
repressing of covetousness and the cultivation of contentment might have been
used however the author uses just one, the Lord’s promise of, ‘I will never
desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’
5.5.
The promise here quoted was
originally made to Joshua alone in Joshua 1:5, but the author argues that the
unchangeable God will do like things in like cases. God promised to be constantly with Joshua
amid all the difficulties and trials of his situation and He will likewise be
with His people in every age, in all their difficulties and trials.
5.6.
The wording ‘for He
HIMSELF has said’ is emphatic in form.
It is as if He said He has said.
The One who has said these things is omnipotent, His wisdom
unsearchable, and His faithfulness unchanging.
"He is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should
repent: hath He said, and shall He not
do it? or “Hath He spoken, and shall He
not make it good?"
5.7.
It has also been said that
this verse in Joshua 1:5 is perhaps the strongest negation in the Bible. There are five negative particles,
"nots." This phrase brings to
memory Rom. 8:31-39, where Paul says nothing shall be able to separate us from
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
6. VS 13:7 - “7 Remember
those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result
of their conduct, imitate their faith.” - The author exhorts the readers to remember
those who originally led them and spoke the word of God to them
6.1.
The great design of the
Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, is to fortify those to whom it is
addressed against the numerous and powerful temptations to apostasy to which
they were exposed, and to induce them to continued healthy Christian
growth. This purpose is scarcely ever
lost sight of by the author. In the
passage before us, the author brings the motive derived from example to bear on
the minds of his readers, to motivate them away from apostasy. He brings before their mind the faithfulness
even unto the death of those venerable men who in former years had presided
among them, and calls upon them to go and do as these men had done.
6.2.
It is obvious that this
verse refers, not to their present church leaders, but to the former leaders
and evangelists who are now dead or possibly relocated. It is always important to remember so as to
follow the example of those who have served as Christian leaders and disciplers
in our lives.
6.3.
The persons in reference are
described as their rulers, and as having spoken to them the word of God. They were probably then the original pastors,
or elders, or bishops of the Hebrew Church.
These pastors are represented as both rulers and teachers.
6.4.
The duties the author
admonishes to regarding these pastors is to ‘remember’ them, in other
words to follow their faith, and, they were also to consider the results of
their conduct. These good men continued
faithful to the death, and died in the faith of Christ.
6.5.
Some of the early church
leaders, men like Stephen and James the brother of John, suffered martyrdom,
but they were "more than conquerors through Him that loved
them." The dying scenes of such men
were well fitted to confirm the faith of their surviving brethren.
6.6.
When the Christians returned
from witnessing Stephen's martyrdom, must they not have said within themselves,
“Jesus Christ is well worth dying for!”
Instead of fearing, must they not rather have coveted a similar end to
their lives and witness?
6.7.
The martyrdom stories in
Foxxe’s Book Of Martyrs show the incredible courage and grace the Christian
martyrs received from above in their hour of testing until death.
6.8.
When Christians on their
deathbed are enabled to exhibit an example of the power of the faith of the
Gospel to sustain and console their mind, amid horrible sickness and agonizing
pain, and perspective of the untried realities of an eternal and unchangeable
state, this very much serves to motivate believers to imitate their faith and
their commitment to Christ.
6.9.
Finally, the Hebrew
Christians are to imitate the faith of these departed pastors, and consider the
unchanging Jesus within the leaders as He was and is made an example to them.
6.10.
We Christians need to
realize that there is such an important principle in this exhortation, one of
gleaning everything we can from the memories of those whose lives have been an
encouragement and inspiration to us. We
need to think long about those whose lives have been an encouragement and
challenge to us. God has placed each of
His servants who come into our life for a specific reason (or reasons), and we
need to delve into what that may be.
7. VS 13:8 - “8 Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.” - The author tells us that
Jesus Christ never has changed and never will
7.1.
These departed pastors, who
the Hebrew Christians were to imitate in conduct and faith, had revealed the
Lord Jesus Christ and His mind unto them.
If any new doctrine might be brought to the Hebrews they should know to
reject it. Men's opinions are constantly
changing, but Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, today, and for
ever."
7.2.
Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever. He is the
same in Himself, His person is as certainly divine, His doctrine is as true,
His promises are as trustworthy, His laws as wise and good as ever they
were.
7.3.
Looking back into this
epistle tracing its great themes, we can see that the argument of this verse is
yet another persuasion of the superiority of Christianity to Judaism, but also
just an embellishment of what was said in the previous chapters :
7.3.1. Jesus was described as a priest who abides “forever” according to the
order of Melchisidek.
7.3.2. Jesus’ priesthood was one that abides “perpetually” because it is based
upon the power of an endless life.
7.3.3. Jesus “one sacrifice” was good enough to last for all time.
7.4.
Have you ever heard the
saying regarding the word of God and the Christian faith, “If its really
new, its probably not true, and if its really true its probably not new” ?
Jesus Christ IS God’s revelation of Himself to man ( see Heb. Chapter 1
), and every verse of the scripture reveals Him.
7.5.
We Christians must reject
everything that contradicts what we know of Jesus from the Bible.
8. VS 13:9 - “9 Do not be
carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to
be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were thus
occupied were not benefited.” - The author exhorts us not to be carried away
by varied and strange teachings
8.1.
Since Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today, and forever, the Hebrews are now exhorted to avoid ‘strange
teachings,’ or those doctrines which are foreign to the doctrines of pure
Christianity.
8.2.
‘To be carried away’
by these doctrines is to have your mind seduced or caught up with them, which
naturally produces an unsteadiness of Christian conduct.
8.3.
What ‘strange teachings’
was the author specifically having in mind at this point in time?
8.3.1. The doctrines in mind could be Jewish doctrines respecting clean or
unclean meats, to be or not to be offered on the altar, or in a larger sense
the view of the Judaiser sect which was trying to impose upon believers in
Christ the necessity of keeping of the law of Moses.
8.3.1.1. This view certainly fits the context of the verse as well as the
verse’s reference to foods.
8.3.2. Because the author calls these ‘strange’ teachings some have
suggested that he was thinking at this point in time specifically of some of
the Gnostic heresies that were beginning to permeate the world and the church.
8.3.2.1. Certainly both of these views fit the merit of the exhortation to avoid
these teachings.
8.4.
To have ‘the heart to be
strengthened’ by these meats is a phrase referring to the effect of food in
producing nourishment and refreshment, and used as equivalent to “obtaining
real satisfaction.”
8.5.
"Grace" is the
free favor of God to sinners as revealed in the Gospel. It is far more fitted to give solid, permanent
satisfaction to the mind and heart, than any superstitious regard to
distinction of meats.
8.6.
The Apostle adds that ‘those
who were thus occupied were not benefited.’
Every deviation from the understanding and proper application of purity
of Biblical truth must be hurtful to those who indulge in it. Plus, legalism in all of its forms can only
produce sin, death, and condemnation.
8.7.
The grace of God - the free
favor of God to sinners, manifested in the Gospel - understood and believed,
will do the heart more good than the use of any kind of food, however sacred...
8.8.
We Christians today must be
careful to avoid any supposed Christian teachings that tell us that we must add
something to our faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. All of the cults do this: add something to faith in Christ as necessary
for salvation.
9. VS 13:10-12 - “10 We
have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place
by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12
Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood,
suffered outside the gate.” - The author tells us that just as the bodies
of the animals whose blood is offered in sacrifice are burned outside the camp
so also Christ suffered outside the gate (i.e. outside of Jerusalem)
9.1.
Speaking of eating sacred
meats, Christians have a spiritual food that is far more holy than any which
the Jewish people, or even the Aaronical priesthood, were permitted to
taste. Jesus is the true meat and
spiritual food of His people. Our altar
as Christians is the cross, and the Levitical priesthood does not share in what
it gives.
9.2.
The Levitical priesthood
ministered in the tabernacle and when they offered sacrifices on the altar, for
most of those blood sacrifices which they offered, they were allowed to eat the
sacrifice after cooking it. However,
there were one type of the offerings which the priests were not allowed to
eat. This animal was considered as
entirely devoted to God and was to be wholly burned with fire, either on the
altar, or in a clean place outside the camp or city. So, the author is implying then that 'we
Christians are allowed to feast spiritually on a sacrifice of that class of
which not only no ordinary Israelite, but no priest, under the law was allowed
to taste. The sacrifice referred to is
the sacrifice which our Lord Jesus offered up once for all, the sacrifice of
Himself.
9.3.
Of this class of sacrifices
which the Apostle refers to (those burned outside of the camp), the sacrifice
for the sins of the people on the great Day of Atonement was the most
remarkable, and this sacrifice was most likely in view when he made the
statement we are considering. We Christians
are permitted spiritually to feast on this sacrifice, to do as Jesus said and,
"eat the flesh and to drink the blood of the Son of man." Thus, we have a far higher privilege in
reference to the sanctified meat, not merely than the Israelites, but even than
the priests themselves enjoyed. We are
allowed to feast on a sacrifice of the highest and holiest kind which they were
not. This can be seen because the
highest and holiest kind of sacrifice was that which was offered on the great
Day of Atonement for the sins of the people of God.
10.
VS 13:13 - “13 Hence, let us go out to Him
outside the camp, bearing His reproach.” - The author tells to go outside of the camp to
Jesus, bearing His reproach
10.1.
The importance of the
exhortation, ‘Let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach’
is not difficult to comprehend when we consider that Jesus, the incarnate Son
of God, in order to expiate our sins became incarnate and submitted Himself to
become a sin-offering and pay the debt of sin which we owed and could never
pay, and, because of His doing this on our behalf we can inherit eternal
life. We ought therefore to cheerfully
submit to whatever suffering and shame we may be exposed to in cleaving to Him
and His cause.
10.2.
The author did not mean to
suggest that an entire separation from unbelieving Jewish countrymen was
intended nor that they were never to go to synagogue or observe the feasts and
festivals, rather he simply intended that they were to devote themselves
completely to Jesus Christ, no matter what the cost even if it meant martyrdom.
10.3.
When we think of all that
Jesus has done for us on the cross, we should be willing to submit to whatever
shame and suffering we encounter for being His faithful witnesses.
10.4.
Because the body of the
sacrifice (JESUS) was brought outside the camp, this brings symbolism that we
Christians are to be in the world, but not of it. We are to live in Heaven, but to be of
earthly use in ministry to the lost and needy souls around us, as we bear His
reproach.
10.5.
The author has told us,
"Let us draw nigh” and “let us enter in," so here he tells us,
"Let us go forth." Within the
veil we worship, outside the veil we are witnesses for Jesus.
11.
VS 13:14 - “14 For here we do not have a
lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.” - The author tells us that on
earth we do not ‘have a lasting city’ but we are seeking a ‘city which is to
come’
11.1.
We who are God’s people are
but pilgrims and strangers here on earth.
We are merely “tent camping” and have no permanent home here. Here we have no continuing city for this is
not our home. We have a home in heaven,
at which in due time we shall arrive.
11.2.
What is important to the
author is to secure that each of us as readers get safely to our home in
heaven. This is what we truly desire and
that home will far more than make amends for all the toils and sufferings we
have met with here in this life.
12.
VS 13:15 - “15 Through Him then, let us
continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips
that give thanks to His name.” - The author tells us to offer up a continual
sacrifice of praise to God
12.1.
We learned in chapter 12
that God's loving hand was behind every affliction and suffering we His
children encounter, and knowing that He is causing all things to work together
for good in our lives, it is only natural to make the conclusion that the Lord
deserves a continual sacrifice of praise from our lips.
12.2.
We Christians are likewise
in desperate need of having a thankful heart that is filled with praise.
12.3.
Christians have no sacrifice
of atonement to offer for themselves for Christ’s “own sacrifice He has for
ever perfected" us. However, while
we have no sacrifice of atonement that we need to offer, we are still, are a
"spiritual priesthood" and required to offer spiritual sacrifices to
God.
12.4.
Because of what Jesus has
done for us upon Calvary’s cross we have great motivation to do what Paul
exhorts us to in Rom. 12:1-2 and present ourselves to God as a "living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable, which is our reasonable service.”
12.5.
The Jews were required to
offer not only sacrifices of expiation, but sacrifices of thanksgiving and we
Christians are likewise bound by obligations to present a thank-offering to
God, "the fruit of the lips, giving thanks to God's name." This spiritual sacrifice of thanksgiving we
are to present to God continually.
12.6.
The sacrifices under the Law
of Moses were only be presented at particular times, and in particular places,
however our spiritual services may be presented at any time, in any place.
12.7.
We as Christians are not to
be uninterruptedly engaged in praise rather it is intended by God that we are
frequently to praise the Lord while we constantly have a grateful sense of
God’s kindness and goodness on our behalf.
12.8.
All the sacrifices of the children of Israel
under the Law were offered by and through the medium of the priests, however
Jesus is the mediator of all of our sacrifices.
Likewise, it is only when viewed in connection with His atonement and
intercession that any of our religious services can be acceptable to God.
13.
VS 13:16 - “16 And do not neglect doing good
and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” - The author exhorts us to ‘not
neglect doing good and sharing’
13.1.
It is the duty of Christians
to express their gratitude to God for His goodness to them by doing good deeds
for others, i.e. perform acts of beneficence such as feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked, relieving the distressed, etc. The scripture tells us that we are to be
"doing good to all men, especially to those who are of the household of
faith."
13.2.
It is also the duty of
Christians to do good to their fellow-men by sharing the “good news” of Jesus
Christ and how that men and women may come to have eternal salvation through
Jesus Christ.
13.3.
The author tells us that,
"with such sacrifices God is pleased.’
13.4.
With these kinds of
sacrifices God has at all times been pleased, even above performing external
sacrifices and religious rites, for He told His people, "I will have mercy
and not sacrifice." Jesus also
said, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the
least of these My brethren, you have done it unto Me."
13.5.
We Christians ought to be
“do-gooders” in the true sense of the term.
We also ought to share what God has blessed us with when we run into
those who have needs.
14.
VS 13:17 - “17 Obey your leaders, and submit
to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an
account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be
unprofitable for you.” - The author exhorts us to obey our leaders in
the church
14.1.
The next duty which the
author exhorts the Hebrew Christians is obedience to their spiritual
rulers. He had formerly pointed out to
them their duty in reference to their deceased pastors in verse 7, now he
points out their duty to their living pastors.
14.2.
We are to obey our leaders
because we have been enlightened in regard to Christ's authority that has been
given to these leaders. We are to submit
ourselves, not only in receiving with humility their instructions, but also
their faithful reproofs and admonitions.
14.3.
The author encourages
obedience for good reason for these leaders, ‘They keep watch for your
souls, as those who will give an account.’
Christian pastors, if they are at all what they ought to be, "watch
for the souls" of those who have called them to take the oversight of them
in the Lord. The spiritual improvement
and everlasting salvation of their people, is the leader’s great object, and
thus they watch over their sheep.
14.4.
But so far as his people are
concerned, the account given by the pastor will be joyful or sorrowful just in
proportion to their obedient response to his faithfulness before the Lord in
watching over their spiritual progress.
Christian people do not realize how their pastors daily agonize before
the Lord on account of the people under their charge.
14.5.
If the members of a
Christian church do not obey their pastor in the Lord and submit themselves to
him, and if their souls are not prospering under his ministry, it will be with
a sad heart that he gives account to the Lord for them also on that day of
reckoning for deeds done in the body (the Bema Seat of Judgment for believers).
14.6.
There are a couple of things
that are important to realize concerning those who are spiritual leaders over
our lives :
14.6.1.
We are not always going to
agree with their decisions, yet we are not called to obey only if we happen to
agree.
14.6.2.
We are to realize that though
we may not agree with a leader’s decision that the Lord may be directing him in
ways that we have not yet ability to understand.
14.6.3.
We need to pray for those
who are spiritual leaders over our lives for the Lord to direct them.
14.6.4.
We need to realize that God
can change the hearts of spiritual leaders, as He can with any and all of us.
14.6.5.
We need to realize that our
place is to submit to our spiritual leaders as long as to do so we are not
going to be disobeying the Lord’s commands, and, it is the leaders themselves
who one day will have to give account of their decisions.
14.7.
It is very important for
spiritual leaders in the church to pray much about all of the things that they
do.
15.
VS 13:18-19 - “18 Pray for us, for we are sure
that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all
things. 19 And I urge you all the more to do this, that I may be restored to
you the sooner.” - The author asks for prayer for himself and
those with him
15.1.
The author solicits from the
Hebrew Christians their prayers on his behalf.
He realized his own weakness and frailty and also how able God was to
answer the prayers of His people beyond what they might ask or even think of.
15.2.
All of the blessings the
author stood in need of could be obtained from God, from God alone, and prayer
was the appointed means of obtaining these blessings.
15.3.
The apostle Paul frequently
requested the prayers of the churches.
If the apostles needed the prayers of the churches, how much more
ordinary pastors and Christians!
15.4.
The author has faith that
through their prayers he will be able to come to them sooner, verse 19. By soliciting the prayers of the Hebrew
Christians, he also intimates the high opinion he entertained of them as
righteous men, whose prayers would "avail much."
15.5.
The author writes, ‘
for we are sure that we have a good conscience
desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.’ Perhaps unfavorable reports
about the author had been circulating among the Jewish Christians, and he is
responding to them.
15.6.
We Christians must be sure
to pray for those who are spiritual leaders over us. They need it more than any.
16.
VS 13:20-21 - “20 Now the God of peace, who
brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of
the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to
do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus
Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” - The author begins his
benediction to end the letter
16.1.
The Epistle began by telling
us that in all that Christ is and does it is God speaking in us. The great work of Christ is to bring us to
God, to have "peace with the God of peace." Jesus’ death and His blood, His ascension and
sitting on the throne, and all of the rest that He did tell us that He is
supremely interested in our being brought near to dwell in God's presence.
16.2.
The object of the Lord
drawing us near to Him is that God may have us, perfect us, and work in us that
which is well-pleasing in His sight. You
see, the entrance into the Holiest is not the end, it is only the beginning of
the true Christian life.
16.3.
Because of what Jesus has
done for us and what He is in our life, the peace of God which surpasses all
understanding can now keep our hearts and minds by Christ Jesus.
16.4.
Peace, which is an end of
all fear and apprehension, has been proclaimed and the God of peace is now
waiting to do His work in us, if we will enter into His rest.
16.5.
The Epistle had nowhere
previously made direct mention of the Jesus’ resurrection, however here it
says, ‘who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep.’
16.6.
Here also we have an
explanation of how He perfects in us every good thing: "He works in us through Jesus
Christ."
16.7.
Notice that the three
persons of the Godhead are mentioned in these verses: the Father (the God of peace), the son (the
Great Shepherd), and the Holy Spirit.
16.8.
The author has not yet
sounded a note of praise, but here at last he calls us to look back to all that
God has done for us, to the present to what He is doing in us, and forward to
all that He will do in us, and thus the voice of adoration sounds forth: ‘to whom be the glory forever and ever.’
16.9.
The joy of heaven consists
in day and night worshipping and praising God and the Lamb, and if we have
truly come to spiritual Mount Zion and into the very presence of God Himself,
let our life and walk ever be in the spirit of adoration. After all, God has not done part, and left
part dependent on us in procuring and sustaining our salvation. God is all, and must in very deed do
all.
16.10.
As the God of peace, who
raised Christ from the dead, He must work in you every good thing that can be
pleasing in His sight, and He will do it.
What the Lord began in Christ, He will finish in you.
17.
VS 13:22-25 - “22 But I urge you, brethren,
bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 Take
notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon,
I shall see you. 24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from
Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with you all.” - The author urges the reader to bear with his
exhortation, then tells them that Timothy has been released and that if Timothy
comes to them then he (the author) shall also come to them
17.1.
To "suffer" or ‘bear’
this exhortation implies that in it there were many things opposed to their
prejudices, and which therefore they might be dissatisfied and displeased
with. One has written, "Let no
prejudices, no inveterate opinions, no apprehension of severity in its
admonitions and threatenings, provoke you against it, render you impatient
under it, and so cause you to lose the benefit of it. Christians should beware of turning away from
statements and exhortations merely because they are not very agreeable to
them. That may be the very reason why
they are peculiarly required by them."
17.1.1.
God’s Word sometimes cuts
against us, His people, being contrary to our hearts and being a judge of our
actions. However, we must be committed
to responding in submission to His Word in whatever way that it speaks to us,
and thus let His word do its work in our life.
17.2.
If this is one of the
author’s short letters, I wonder how long the long ones are?
17.3.
Actually, length and
shortness are comparative terms. A very
short letter on an unimportant subject may be too long, and a very long letter
on an important subject may be too short.
The author’s meaning is, "I have written to you
concisely." The force of the
conciseness of the author’s style is a reason why his brethren should ‘bear’
the word of exhortation."