Verse 1 Let brotherly love continue.
This final chapter in the book of Hebrews contains helpful instructions on living a Christian life that is pleasing to the LORD. The first commandment from the Apostle Paul, who is writing with the authority and with the inspiration of the Holy Ghost/Spirit, is to continue in brotherly love. The Greek word translated as “brotherly love” is “philadelphia” which means love of brothers and/or sisters, and the love which Christians should have for each other as brethren.
Application: So often a lack of brotherly love is found to be the case in churches whose congregants claim to be Christian. It is safe to say that if any believer claiming to be a Christian lacks brotherly love and does not display this love regularly and continually, then the spiritual condition of that individual’s heart is not right with the LORD. We cannot expect grace or undeserved love from Jesus Christ and then refuse to give that same grace or brotherly love to others.
Verse 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Angels manifest in the lives of mankind more than most people want to believe and accept. Fallen angels referred to as devils manifest regularly through those people they have either possessed or those people they are influencing. Righteous angels are messengers and can manifest in the form of men. Abraham met angels before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Scripture is full of stories of men and women who have had encounters with angels of the LORD. Every stranger has the potential to be an angel and so Christians are to be respectful and kind to all people, not only because they are to be Christ-like, but because they usually do not know they have been in the presence of an angel.
Verse 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
Application: Prisons are full of people who do not belong there, as well as people who do belong there. The Apostle Paul knew only too well what it was like to be in prison as he was frequently arrested, beaten, and confined in prison just for preaching the Gospel. Torben Sondergaard was held in a prison in Florida for over a year without any charges being filed before he was finally released and deported out of the US. His crime was that of leading people to Jesus Christ. Any Christian can at any time be the one who is in prison or who is under attack from Satan. Christians not in these situations need to empathize and pray for those who are. It is not necessary to know who or where these people are as God knows.
Verse 4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Marriage was ordained by God. Sexual activity outside of marriage is sin and will be judged and punished by the LORD, plain and simple. A sure way to not go to Heaven is to engage in fornication.
Verses 5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
The word, “conversation” comes from the Greek word “tropos” and it means manner of life or behavior. So Christians are not to be covetous but are to be satisfied with that which the LORD gives to them. “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10
Application: The LORD Jesus Christ is the provider and He will make sure that His children have what they need to get through this life on Earth. Unfortunately, mankind’s flesh has a propensity to want more and more and seems never satisfied and can lust for more money and more things. Christians have only one thing that they need in this earthly life, and that is more of the LORD Jesus Christ and His Spirit. Everything else will be provided as it is needed. This is not to say that Christians are not to work and earn a living. It simply means that Christians should be satisfied with what they have and not waste their time and treasure on getting more and more stuff that cannot follow them to Heaven and that will become someone else’s property when the Christian is physically dead and buried. Using their treasure to invest in things of the Kingdom is wise and rewarding in this life and in the life to come. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” Matthew 6:20
Application: This writer cannot comprehend how unsaved people can survive this earthy life without the presence and help of Jesus Christ as manifested as the Holy Ghost/Spirit. He is the only help anyone ever needs. No man or woman can come against a truly born again Christian who is walking in the Spirit. Jesus is our armour, our rock, and our fortress in times of trouble. “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust: my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Psalm 18:2
Verses 7-8 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Here the Apostle Paul is reminding the Hebrew Christians that they need to pray for those who God has called to shepherd the churches. Furthermore, they need to recognize that it was these servants and workers of the LORD who brought to them the message of the Gospel and therefore who brought them to Christ Jesus and the born again life. They are to follow their teachings and their actions and their way of living the Christian life. The Apostle Paul reminds them that Jesus Christ never changes and is the same Savior of the past, of the present, and of the future. Therefore, His Church should also be the same, yesterday, today, and for ever.
Application: Christians are to pray for their pastors and teachers who bring forth the Word of God in their churches as well as for all the missionaries who are teaching and preaching in other countries. And when possible, Christians are to share their treasures with those who are doing the work of the Kingdom.
Application: In today’s modern church world there are over 200 supposedly Christian denominations. The question that should be asked is are these denominations correct and acceptable to the LORD? In the apostolic churches that were established by the apostles there were no denominations. The word comes from the Greek word denomos and it means division. Each one of these denominational churches have their own doctrines, rituals, and structures. Why? If Jesus Christ is the same for ever and never changes, then should not His Church be the same forever patterned after the first churches established by the apostles? If the people attending these denominational churches are truly Christian or Christ-like, then should not they all have the same Holy Ghost/Spirit dwelling in them so that their doctrines are the same as that of the early church and remain consistant? Think about it.
Verse 9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Here the Apostle Paul gives a command, not a suggestion. The Greek word translated as “carried about” is “periphero” and it means to carry here and there, to be driven, or in doubt and hesitation to be led away now to this opinion, now to that. The Greek word translated as “divers” is “poikilos” and it means of various sorts. The Greek word translated as “strange” is “xenos” and it means alien or new or unheard of. Doctrines are teachings. So the Apostle Paul is commanding the Hebrew Christians to not to be led away from the Gospel message of truth by various new teachings that will come their way.
Application: Christians often forget that they have an enemy who is Satan and that he is a deceiver. They often do not recognize false doctrine because Satan always includes some truth with the false, and because most Christians do not know their Bible well enough to recognize truth from error. So they are carried about with divers and strange doctrines. The most destructive strange doctrine that is totally counter to the truth of Scripture is the Scofield doctrine which has been adopted by most mainstream, organized evangelical establishment churches in the USA. And now the strange doctrines of the sabbath keeper movement (other names are used also) is causing people referring to themselves as Christian to go back to the Old Testament Levitical laws and practice all the feast days and hold their sabbath from 6PM Fridays to 5:59PM Saturdays as was done by the Jews of old. They are no longer living under the law of Grace and the New Covenant, but they have placed themselves under the Mosaic law of the Old Covenant which the Apostle Paul said has passed away. This is actually blasphemy as it makes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ of no effect in their lives. They are basically saying and believing that Jesus’ death and resurrection is not enough, and therefore they need to practice the rituals and beliefs of the Old Covenant. So the commandment of the Apostle Paul above is more relevant today than ever.
Under the Old Covenant the Hebrew people had to bring offerings and sacrifices into the Temple to atone for their sins. The Apostle Paul states above that this did not profit them. Why? Because their sins were never paid for or remitted. Their sins were just pushed forward until the time of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. It was only after Jesus Christ paid for everyone’s sins as the Sacrificial Lamb of God that sins were actually remitted and gone.
Verses 10-11 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
Under the Old Covenant and the Mosaic law, only the high priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies once a year to offer a sin offering for all the people. The lamb’s blood was sprinkled on the Ark, but its body was burned completely outside of the camp in the wilderness, and later outside of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Verse 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
Because Jesus Christ, who was God manifested in the flesh, was the final sacrificial Lamb and He remitted sins, He too was crucified outside of the city of Jerusalem or outside the camp. The Greek word translated as “camp” is “parembole” and it means an encampment, the camp of Israel in the desert, and is used for the city of Jerusalem, inasmuch as that was to the Israelites what formerly the encampment had been in the desert.
Verse 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
The gathering of God’s people is not in cities with other unsaved people, but with Jesus Christ outside of where the majority of people are. This, of course, is metaphor as Christians physically live amongst pagans and will do so until the end of time. What the Apostle is telling the Hebrew people is that the Temple worship was no more and so in order to worship the one true LORD and Savior they must follow Jesus and possibly suffer as He did for the Faith. Their church was no longer the Temple in Jerusalem. Their church was with other Christians wherever they may gather. Remember that these Hebrew Christians were used to making journeys to Jerusalem for specific feast days and were used to all the rituals associated with the Old Covenant. But through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to the Gospel they were free from these ordinances and rituals. Their city was no longer physical Jerusalem, but was now a spiritual city that is in Heaven, the new Jerusalem. Their citizenship was now in Heaven. And because Jesus was persecuted by the Jews, they would most likely receive persecution from the Jews also even though they themselves were Jewish.
Application: The religious rituals of the Jews may have been participated in by the majority of the people living in Palestine, but that did not mean that the majority of people participating were doing so because they loved and feared the LORD. For many people the feast days and temple rituals were a cultural thing and not a spiritual thing. Likewise, today many of the people sitting in churches are there because going to church is a cultural and/or social thing to do and not because they are being obedient to the Word of God or because they even know Him. Jesus Christ often is not found in the churches, but is found in locations outside of churches or without the camp.
Verse 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Application: Here the Apostle Paul is showing that animal sacrifices are no longer needed and that the sacrifice the LORD really wants is praise from His people. And that sacrifice is to be continual. Does that mean that Christians are to spend every waking moment praying? Of course not. It means that at every opportunity sincere thanks is uttered out loud to the LORD. Did your alarm clock work this morning so you were not late? Praise the LORD and be thankful. Was there hot water for your shower? Praise the LORD and be thankful. Did you have clean clothes to wear? Praise the LORD and be thankful. Did you have an enjoyable breakfast? Praise the LORD and be thankful. Did you drive your car and get back home safely? Praise the LORD and be thankful. Did the cat vomit the hair ball on the linoleum instead of the carpet? Praise the LORD and be thankful. Get the picture? When Christians are praising the LORD and giving thanks they will also have good works and communicate a good testimony to the saved and unsaved alike. This is what makes God happy.
Verse 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
The Apostle Paul is not talking about secular rulers such as kings and governors. Secular rulers do not care about the souls of men. He is talking about church leadership – pastors, teachers, evangelists, prophets, and apostles. They are the ones watching for souls and they must give an account to the LORD Jesus Christ for whom they work when they stand before Him in judgement. The Apostle Paul is basically telling the Hebrew Christians to not give those called to these positions a hard time as it causes the church leaders grief, is distracting, and causes them not to be able to do all that the LORD wants them to do, thereby making their ministry less profitable for those to whom they are called to minister.
Verses 18-19 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Here the Apostle Paul is asking for prayer from the Hebrew Christians, specifically that he will be able to return to them once again and fellowship with them.
Verses 20-21 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The Apostle Paul ends this epistle or letter with a prayer for the Hebrew people that through the working of the Holy Ghost/Spirit they would be made perfect and be like Jesus Christ.
The Greek word translated as “God” is “theos” and it occurs 1343 times in the Bible and is translated as God 1320 times. Here, based on the context, it is referring to the Father who is Spirit. And it is God who raised Jesus Christ, our shepherd, from the dead. Does this mean there are three gods? The Catholics have three main gods as do most pagan religions. Christianity has only ONE GOD who manifests Himself in three different forms. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:” Deuteronomy 6:4 Jesus Christ was/is the flesh of God. He is God. He raised His flesh from the grave. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple (body), and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:19 There is no trinity in Scripture. Trinity means three. Christianity is not a polytheistic religion. It is a relationship with the only true God, who is the Creator, the sustainer, the provider, the shepherd, the Saviour and the Comforter.
Verses 22-25 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. 23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. 24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. 25 Grace be with you all. Amen. Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy. (Hebrews 13)
The Apostle Paul then adds a postscript letting the Hebrews know that Timothy is out of jail and ending with the word that identifies all of his epistles, grace.