back to the
King James Bible |
Previous Chapter
13:1 Let
brotherly love continue.
13:2 Be not
forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares.
13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them
which suffer
adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
13:4 Marriage is
honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but
whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
13:5 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.
13:6 So that we may
boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not
fear what man shall do unto me.
13:7 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.
13:8 Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
13:9 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.
13:10 We have an altar,
whereof they have no right to eat which serve
the tabernacle.
13:11 For the bodies of those
beasts, whose blood is brought into the
sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might
sanctify the people with his
own blood, suffered without the gate.
13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his
reproach.
13:14 For here have we no
continuing city, but we seek one to come.
13:15 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.
13:16 But to do good and to
communicate forget not: for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased.
13:17 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.
13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all
things willing to live
honestly.
13:19 But I
beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored
to you the sooner.
13:20 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, 13:21 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.
13:22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of
exhortation: for
I have written a letter unto you in few words.
13:23 Know ye that our brother
Timothy is set at liberty; with whom,
if he come shortly, I will see you.
13:24
Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the
saints.
They of
Italy salute you.
13:25 Grace be with you all.
Amen.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Hebrews
Book: Hebrews
Chapter: 13
Overview:
Exhortations to various duties, and to be content with what
Providence allots.
(1-6) To respect the instructions of
Faithful
pastors, with cautions against being carried away
By strange
doctrines.
(7-15) Further exhortations to duties, that relate to
God, to our neighbour, and to those set over us in the
Lord.
(16-21) This epistle to be seriously considered.
(22-25)
1-6 The design of
Christ in giving himself for us, is, that he
may purchase to himself a
Peculiar people, zealous of good
Works; and true religion is the strongest
Bond of friendship.
Here are
Earnest exhortations to several
Christian duties,
especially
Contentment. The
Sin opposed to this
Grace and duty
is
Covetousness, an over-eager desire for the wealth of this
world, with envy of those who have more than ourselves. Having
treasures in
Heaven, we may be content with mean things here.
Those who cannot be
So, would not be content though
God raised
their condition.
Adam was in
Paradise, yet not contented; some
angels in
Heaven were not contented; but the
Apostle Paul,
though abased and empty, had learned in every state, in any
state, to be content. Christians have reason to be contented
with their present
Lot. This promise contains the sum and
substance of all the promises; "I will never,
No, never leave
thee,
No, never forsake thee." In the original there are
No less
than five negatives
Put together, to confirm the promise: the
true believer shall have the gracious presence of
God with him,
in
Life, at
Death, and for ever. Men can do nothing against
God,
and
God can make all that men do against his people, to turn to
their good.
7-15 The instructions and examples of ministers, who honourably
and comfortably closed their
Testimony, should be particularly
remembered
By survivors. And though their ministers were some
dead, others dying, yet the great Head and High
Priest of the
Church, the
Bishop of their souls, ever lives, and is ever the
same.
Christ is the same in the Old
Testament Day, as in the
Gospel Day, and will be
So to his people for ever, equally
merciful, powerful, and all-sufficient. Still he fills the
hungry, encourages the trembling, and welcomes repenting
sinners: still he rejects the proud and self-righteous, abhors
mere profession, and teaches all whom he saves, to
Love
Righteousness, and to hate iniquity. Believers should seek to
have their hearts established in simple dependence
On free
Grace,
By the Holy
Spirit, which would comfort their hearts, and
render them proof against delusion.
Christ is both our
Altar and
our
Sacrifice; he sanctifies the
Gift. The
Lord's
Supper is the
Feast of the
Gospel Passover. Having showed that keeping to the
Levitical
Law would, according to its own rules, keep men from
the
Christian Altar, the
Apostle adds, Let us go forth therefore
unto him without the
Camp; go forth from the ceremonial
Law,
from
Sin, from the world, and from ourselves. Living
By Faith in
Christ, set apart to
God through his
Blood, let us willingly
separate from this evil world.
Sin, sinners, nor
Death, will not
suffer us to continue long here; therefore let us go forth now
By Faith and seek in
Christ the
Rest and peace which this world
cannot afford us. Let us bring our sacrifices to this
Altar, and
to this our High
Priest, and offer them up
By him. The
Sacrifice
of praise to
God, we should offer always. In this are
Worship
and
Prayer, as
Well as thanksgiving.
16-21 We must, according to our power, give to the necessities
of the souls and bodies of men:
God will accept these offerings
with pleasure, and will accept and
Bless the offerers through
Christ. The
Apostle then states what is their duty to living
ministers; to obey and submit to them,
So far as is agreeable to
the mind and will of
God, made known in his
Word. Christians
must not think themselves too
Wise, too good, or too great, to
learn. The people must search the Scriptures, and
So far as the
ministers teach according to that rule, they ought to receive
their instructions as the
Word of God, which
Works in those that
believe. It is the interest of hearers, that the account their
ministers give of them may be with joy, and not with grief.
Faithful ministers deliver their own souls, but the ruin of a
fruitless and faithless people will be upon their own heads. The
more earnestly the people pray for their ministers, the more
benefit they may expect from their ministry. A good
Conscience
has respect to all
God's commands, and all our duty. Those who
have this good
Conscience, yet need the prayers of others. When
ministers come to a people who pray for them, they come with
greater satisfaction to themselves, and success to the people.
We should seek all our mercies
By Prayer.
God is the
God of
peace, fully reconciled to believers; who has made a way for
peace and reconciliation between himself and sinners, and who
loves peace
On Earth, especially in his churches. He is the
Author of spiritual peace in the hearts and consciences of his
people. How firm a
Covenant is that which has its foundation in
the
Blood of the
Son of God! The perfecting of the saints in
every good work, is the great thing desired
By them, and for
them; and that they may at length be fitted for the employment
and happiness of
Heaven. There is
No good thing wrought in us,
but it is the work of
God. And
No good thing is wrought in us
By
God, but through
Christ, for his sake and
By his
Spirit.
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.