Hebrews 13:9-25

 

13:9

“Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.  It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods which are of no value to those who eat them.”

 

Strange Teaching” refers to outlandish things taught in their day but repeated throughout church history and even today.

  1. in their day: the teaching that you must obey the law of Moses before you can be saved or accept Christ. Even the worldly philosophies of Colosse (Colossians 2:8)
  2. in church history: that Jesus would return to Phrygia, or that the bread turns into his body, or that Jesus was not really flesh.
  3. in our day: that there are many ways to be saved, or if you give money God is obligated to give you 100 times what you gave, or if you had enough faith you would overcome your problems and you would not be sick

Carried away” is present imperative passive.  Since it is a command in the passive voice it is a permissive passive.

 

Strengthened by Grace” – your confidence in God’s provision will strengthen you.  Not your confidence in yourself or some physical activity.

 

Note: this does not disqualify the importance or the value of being obedient to the word of God or to practicing fasting or other convictions that keep your heart right before God.

 

“Food” is not the answer.  See 1 Cor. 8:8  and Romans 14:17

 

13:10

“We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.”

You can not get to the table of the Lord by continuing to eat from and trust in the Levitical altar.  

 

Christians were often called atheists because they had no visible altar or image.

There is no connection here to the Lord ’s Supper.  The writer is not talking about the Christians sacraments or any physical thing they have.  He is talking about Christ’s sacrifice and the provision it provides.  This is the grace he spoke of and the teaching we are not to allow ourselves to be carried away from.

Notice the author avoids connecting the bread and the wine of Melchizedek here.

13:11

“The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp.”

Lev. 16:27 bodies of animal sacrifices were burnt outside the camp.

 

13:12

“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.”

The sacrifices were slaughtered in the tabernacle and later carried out.

The red heifer, a sin offering, was slaughtered outside the camp.

Jesus, the true sacrifice, was rejected and taken outside the camp.

 

13:13

“Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.”
The readers and us today should get used to being taken outside the camp.

At this time in history this is were the religious system and the world system want us.


13:14

“For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.”

  • But, Moses considered disgrace for the sake of Christ more worth while. (11:26)
  • Abraham was looking for the city of God
  • These things will be shaken (12:27)

 

Exodus 33:7 shows how after the golden calf, God took his tent outside the camp of the people and they had to leave the camp to come inquire of him.

 

13:15

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name.”

So these people who had grown up bring sacrifices and offerings to God, no longer had anything to bring, but yet they did.

  • Sacrifice of Praise comes right out of Psalms 50:12-15
    •  Sacrifice thank offerings
    • Call upon the name of the Lord in the day of trouble
  • Hosea 14:2

 

13:16

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

In addition to Sacrifice of thank offerings and confessing the name of the Lord a third sacrifice is given: Doing good and sharing with others

 

James 1:27

 

1 Peter 2:5

 

Romans 12:1

 

Christianities sacrifices:

1)     The offering of Christ

2)     The offering of the peoples:

a.      Praise

b.      Confession of Jesus

c.      Good Deeds and service

d.      Possessions and property

e.      Lives and minds

 

 

13:17

“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.  They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.  Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

These are the second generation of leaders since the first leaders have passed on (13:7)

The writer has confidence in these leaders

 

Keep Watch” means “to be without sleep, to seek after sleep, to be watchful”

 

The leaders, or guides, must give an “account” which is the word “apodwsonteV” and means “to give an account, to render account”

 

Philippians 2:16 Paul was considering the day of evaluation as a leader

 

13:18

“Pray for us.  We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.”

“Pray for us” since the writer was a leader.

 

“Clear Conscience” is reference to him fulfilling his role as a leader.  He has done his assigned duty and lived honorably.

 

13:19

“I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.”

 

13:20-21

“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

This appears to be an established and accepted formula for it has:

  1. Invocation . . . “Now may the God of peace”
  2. Basis of the petition  . . . “who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus”
  3. Main Petition . . . “fit you to do his will in everything that is good”
  4. Secondary Petition . . . “as he brings to pass in us whatever gives him pleasure”
  5. Mediator by which this is given . . . .”through Jesus Christ
  6. Doxology . . .  “to whom be the glory for ever and ever”
  7. Closing . . . . “Amen”

 

13:22

“Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter.”

 

13:23

“I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released.  If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.”

It is possible that when Timothy went to see Paul in Rome (2 Tim.4:9-13) he himself was arrested.  But, after Paul’s execution Nero committed suicide.  Often an emperor’s political enemies were released from prison upon their death or assassination.  Timothy may have been released at this time which puts the writing of this book around 68 AD.

 

13:24

“Greet all your leaders and all Gods’ people. Those from Italy send you their greetings.”

If Timothy is in Rome then this letter is being sent from Rome to some where else.

 

13:25

“Grace be with you all.”