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Bible Study/Commentary
Hebrews 13: May God Make You Complete, In Every Good Work
Hebrews Chapter 13 concludes the letter with practical exhortations about love, hospitality, marriage, contentment, obedience, and worship.
It also includes requests for prayer, a closing benediction, and final greetings.
The teachings in this chapter provide guidance for living out the believers faith in everyday life.
Bible Study/Commentary
Verses 1-6: Show Hospitality, Remember Those In Prison, Honor Marriage, & Be Contented
The author begins by encouraging believers to continue in brotherly love, show hospitality to strangers, remember those in prison and those who are mistreated.
He says to honor marriage, and keep their lives free from the love of money, and to be content with what they have.
The exhortation to remember prisoners and those mistreated, underscores a focus on empathy and brotherly love.
Verses 7-9: Leadership And Doctrine
Believers are urged to remember their leaders who spoke God's word to them and to imitate their faith.
He tells them to be submissive to their leaders because they are watching over them, and will give an account for them to God.
The unchanging character of Jesus Christ is emphasized, and the believers are warned against being led astray, by diverse and strange teachings.
The author advises focusing on grace, not on foods, which have not benefited spiritually those devoted to them.
Verses 10-16: Worship & Sacrifice
The author discusses the sacrifices of the high priest, on the Day of Atonement, and compares these with the sacrifice of Jesus, who suffered outside of the gate of the city.
Believers are called to go to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. This means that believers are not to be hermits.
They are encouraged to continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, and to not neglect doing good and sharing what they have.
Verses 17-19: Obedience And Prayer
The author advises obedience to leaders, and to submit to them, as they keep watch over their souls, and will give an account to God.
The author requests prayer, expressing his clear conscience and eagerness to act honorably in all things.
Verses 20-25: Closing & Final Greetings
The letter closes, invoking the God of peace, and the resurrected Jesus, the great shepherd, who equips believers to do His will.
The author asks the believers to bear with his word of exhortation, informs them of Timothy's release, and sends greetings from those in Italy.
Overall Summary
Hebrews Chapter 13, serves as a reminder of the instructions laid out in previous chapters.
It provides guidance on ethical behavior, leadership, worship, and sacrificial living.
It underscores the importance of community, respect for leaders, and consistent prayer.
The chapter, and thus the book, concludes with final greetings, emphasizing the superiority of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant.
Hebrews 13
Sacrifices Pleasing to God
13 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
22 I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. 25 Grace be with all of you.
Q & A
Hebrews 13:1-2
Q1: What does the author encourage regarding brotherly love, and why? How is the hospitality to strangers connected to a unique possibility?
A1: The author encourages the continuation of brotherly love and advises not to neglect showing hospitality to strangers. Some have entertained angels unawares through such hospitality.
Hebrews 13:3-4
Q2: How are believers instructed to remember those in prison and those mistreated? What emphasis is placed on the honor of marriage, and why?
A2: Believers are instructed to remember those in prison and those mistreated as if they were in prison with them, emphasizing empathy. Marriage is to be held in honor among all, with an exhortation to keep the marriage bed undefiled, as God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
Hebrews 13:5-7
Q3: What is the exhortation regarding the love of money? How is Jesus described in terms of His constancy, and what is the encouragement regarding leaders?
A3: Believers are urged to keep their lives free from the love of money and to be content, for God will never leave nor forsake them. Jesus is described as the same yesterday, today, and forever. Believers are encouraged to remember and imitate their leaders who spoke the word of God.
Hebrews 13:8-10
Q4: What is the unchanging nature of Jesus Christ? How are believers warned against diverse teachings, and what is the significance of the altar mentioned?
A4: Jesus Christ is described as the same yesterday, today, and forever. Believers are warned against diverse teachings, emphasizing the strengthening of the heart by grace. They have an altar from which those serving the tent (Old Covenant) have no right to eat.
Hebrews 13:11-14
Q5: How does the author draw a parallel between Jesus and the sacrifices under the Old Covenant? What perspective does the author encourage concerning the earthly city?
A5: Jesus, like the sacrificial animals, suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people through His blood. Believers are urged to go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured. The author emphasizes that believers have no lasting city on earth but seek the city to come.
Hebrews 13:15-16
Q6: What sacrifices are believers encouraged to offer continually? How does the author connect doing good and sharing with pleasing sacrifices to God?
A6: Believers are encouraged to offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, the fruit of lips acknowledging His name. They are also urged not to neglect doing good and sharing, as such sacrifices are pleasing to God. .
Hebrews 13:17-19
Q7: What exhortation does the author give regarding leaders, and why? What specific request does the author make concerning prayer?
A7: The author exhorts believers to obey and submit to their leaders, as they watch over their souls and will give an account. The request is to pray for the author, expressing confidence in having a clear conscience and a desire to act honorably.
Hebrews 13:20-21
Q8: What blessing does the author invoke upon the believers? By what means does the God of peace equip them, and for what purpose?
A8: The author invokes the blessing of the God of peace, who brought back Jesus from the dead, to equip believers with everything good for doing His will. This equipping works in them what is pleasing in God's sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever.
Hebrews 13:22-25
Q9: What appeal does the author make to the believers? What information does the author share about Timothy and greetings from those in Italy?
A9: The author appeals to the believers to bear with his brief exhortation. Timothy has been released, and the author hopes to visit soon. Greetings are sent from all leaders and saints, particularly those from Italy. The final wish is for grace to be with all.