Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Heb 13:1 and following. Indeed, fraternal love can be exercised in many forms: hospitality that turns to the benefit of the one who practices it, sympathy that identifies with those who suffer (Hb 10:32-39), beneficence in which God Himself takes pleasure. Avarice, alas, also has many faces. We can love the money we have, but also the money we want to have. Let us be content with what we have now. And for the needs or dangers of tomorrow, let us rely “full of trust” on the Lord’s faithfulness (Mat 6:25-34). He who is our helper cannot change. “You are the Same,” proclaimed the author in Hb1:10-14. He adds this statement of unfathomable significance: “Jesus Christ is the Same yesterday, today, and eternally.” If it is enough for us, the “diverse and foreign doctrines” will have no hold on us. And we will be ready to leave the formalistic religious camp (Ex 33:7-11) to go to Jesus alone, where His presence is promised. Offered him the supreme sacrifice. Our privilege is to offer God in return, not only on Sunday but without ceasing, a sacrifice of praise, that fruit of our lips that matures first in our hearts (Ps 45:1-3).
He had written to them “in a few words,” and yet it is one of the longest epistles of the New Testament. But before the glories of the Person and work of Christ, before these infinite riches of heavenly things, what would he not have had to say? It is therefore by contrast that he believes that it is few words. To say the infinity of God’s love and thoughts revealed in Christ, eternity will not be too long. The apostle was penetrated by it; what He said is just a few words (John 21:25). The author of the epistle wants the saints to whom he writes to know that Timothy is delivered. He has no doubt that their hearts rejoice, for they had shown sympathy for the prisoners (Hb 10:34); he himself was no longer in prison and he rejoiced to see them with Timothy.
The greeting is for the drivers and then for the saints. The letter was to all. Those of Italy, in whose midst was the author of the epistle, also sent their greetings to their Hebrew brethren. The same faith united them to the same Savior, and their Christian affection was to encourage these believers on the eve of seeing the destruction of this temple and city that were so dear to them.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
Various exhortations; Jesus out of camp:
- Teachings relating to brotherly love
-Impartial Dt 10:19 You will love the stranger, because you have been strangers in the land of Egypt.
-Altruistic Mt 22:39 And here is the second, which is similar to him: You will love your neighbor as yourself.
-The proof of the true disciple Jn 13:35 To this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
-Model of Christ’s love Jn 15:12 This is my commandment: Love one another, as I have loved you.
-Sincere Rom 12:9 Let charity be without hypocrisy. Abhor evil; attach yourself strongly to the good.
-Abundant 1 Thess 3:12 May the Lord increase more and more among you, and towards all, that charity that we ourselves have for you,
-Fervent 1 Pet 1:22 Having purified your souls by obeying the truth to have sincere brotherly love, love one another ardently, with all your heart,
- Good example
Jn 13:15 for I have given you an example, that you may do as I have done to you. 1 Tim 4:12 Let no one despise your youth; but be a model for the faithful, in word, in conduct, in charity, in faith, in purity. Hb 11:4 It was by faith that Abel offered God a sacrifice more excellent than that of Cain; it was through her that he was declared righteous, God approving his offerings; and it was through her that he still speaks, though dead. John 5:10 Take, my brethren, as models of suffering and patience the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
- Suffering stigma
Luke 6:22 Blessed will you be, when men hate you, when you are chased away, when you are insulted, and your name is rejected as infamous, because of the Son of man! 1 Tim 4:10 We work, indeed, and we fight, because we put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially believers. Hb 13:13 So let’s go out to go to him, out of the camp, bearing his opprobrium. 1 Pet 4:14 If you are outraged by the name of Christ, you are happy, because the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God, rests upon you.
- The authority of the Church
Mt 16:19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven: what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what you untie on earth will be untied in heaven. John 20:23 Those to whom you forgive sins will be forgiven; and those to whom you will hold them, they will be held away from them. Acts 16:4 As they passed through the cities, they counseled the brethren to observe the decisions of the apostles and elders of Jerusalem. Hb 13:17 Obey your leaders and have deference for them, for they watch over your souls as if to account; so be it, that they may do so with joy, and not with groaning, which would be of no benefit to you.
From all the above, we note that the apostle ends with these words: “May grace be with all of you!” His last farewell is to wish them that the grace of which he spoke to them, the grace of God, of which he exhorted them not to miss, guards them, leads them, sustains them in the trials through which they will have to pass. May this same grace also be with all of us now! We had noticed that the inspired author proceeded towards the Hebrew believers by taking away their Judaism piece by piece, and substituting Christ for everything. He goes all the way to this chapter where he gives the last shot, saying: “Now is the time to leave all these types and all these figures, because one cannot be a Christian and a Jew at the same time. It is necessary to go out to Jesus out of the camp bearing his opprobrium. We had loyal drivers. Let us venerate their memory, let us imitate their faith… and read their writings(Hb 13:7-8). But God also gives us drivers today. What is our duty to them? Obey them, pray for them, make sure that they can fulfill their service with joy – they watch for our own souls. And also to bear the word of exhortation when it is addressed to us by them. However, let no worker of the Lord make us lose sight of the great Shepherd of the sheep. He alone put His life for them and now He leads them with Him outside the camp of human religion. From now on all Christians constitute a single flock headed by a single Shepherd (John 10:1-18). The glorious Christian truths. They are all summarized in Jesus Christ. And this is ultimately the work that God does in us: He frees us from every bond, strips us of every form, to bind us to His resurrected and glorified Son. While waiting for his imminent appearance, may this epistle have already taught us by faith to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to react to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “trials and temptations; put god’s word into practice.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.