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Commentary on Hebrews 13 verses 1–17
The design of Christ in giving himself for us is that he may purchase to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Now the apostle calls the believing Hebrews to the performance of many excellent duties, in which it becomes Christians to excel.
I. To brotherly love (Heb 13:1), by which he does not only mean a general affection to all men, as our brethren by nature, all made of the same blood, nor that more limited affection which is due to those who are of the same immediate parents, but that special and spiritual affection which ought to exist among the children of God. 1. It is here supposed that the Hebrews had this love one for another. Though, at this time, that nation was miserably divided and distracted among themselves, both about matters of religion and the civil state, yet there was true brotherly love left among those of them who believed on Christ; and this appeared in a very eminent manner presently after the shedding forth of the Holy Ghost, when they had all things common, and sold their possessions to make a general fund of subsistence to their brethren. The spirit of Christianity is a spirit of love. Faith works by love. The true religion is the strongest bond of friendship; if it be not so, it has its name for nothing. 2. This brotherly love was in danger of being lost, and that in a time of persecution, when it would be most necessary; it was in danger of being lost by those disputes that were among them concerning the respect they ought still to have to the ceremonies of the Mosaic law. Disputes about religion too often produce a decay of Christian affection; but this must be guarded against, and all proper means used to preserve brotherly love. Christians should always love and live as brethren, and the more they grow in devout affection to God their heavenly Father the more they will grow in love to one another for his sake.
II. To hospitality: Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for his sake, Heb 13:2. We must add to brotherly kindness charity. Here observe, 1. The duty required - to entertain strangers, both those that are strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to our persons, especially those who know themselves to be strangers here and are seeking another country, which is the case of the people of God, and was so at this time: the believing Jews were in a desperate and distressed condition. But he seems to speak of strangers as such; though we know not who they are, nor whence they come, yet, seeing they are without any certain dwelling place, we should allow them room in our hearts and in our houses, as we have opportunity and ability. 2. The motive: Thereby some have entertained angels unawares; so Abraham did (Gen. 18), and Lot (Gen. 19), and one of those that Abraham entertained was the Son of God; and, though we cannot suppose this will ever be our case, yet what we do to strangers, in obedience to him, he will reckon and reward as done to himself. Mat 25:35, I was a stranger, and you took me in. God has often bestowed honours and favours upon his hospitable servants, beyond all their thoughts, unawares.
III. To Christian sympathy: Remember those that are in bonds, Heb 13:3. Here observe,
1.The duty - to remember those that are in bonds and in adversity. (1.) God often orders it so that while some Christians and churches are in adversity others enjoy peace and liberty. All are not called at the same time to resist unto blood. (2.) Those that are themselves at liberty must sympathize with those that are in bonds and adversity, as if they were bound with them in the same chain: they must fell the sufferings of their brethren.
2.The reason of the duty: As being yourselves in the body; not only in the body natural, and so liable to the like sufferings, and you should sympathize with them now that others may sympathize with you when your time of trial comes; but in the same mystical body, under the same head, and if one member suffer all the rest suffer with it, Co1 12:26. It would be unnatural in Christians not to bear each other's burdens.
IV. To purity and chastity, Heb 13:4. Here you have, 1. A recommendation of God's ordinance of marriage, that it is honourable in all, and ought to be so esteemed by all, and not denied to those to whom God has not denied it. It is honourable, for God instituted it for man in paradise, knowing it was not good for him to be alone. He married and blessed the first couple, the first parents of mankind, to direct all to look unto God in that great concern, and to marry in the Lord. Christ honoured marriage with his presence and first miracle. It is honourable as a means to prevent impurity and a defiled bed. It is honourable and happy, when persons come together pure and chaste, and preserve the marriage bed undefiled, not only from unlawful but inordinate affections. 2. A dreadful but just censure of impurity and lewdness: Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (1.) God knows who are guilty of such sins, no darkness can hide them from him. (2.) He will call such sins by their proper names, not by the names of love and gallantry, but of whoredom and adultery, whoredom in the single state and adultery in the married state. (3.) He will bring them into judgment, he will judge them, either by their own consciences here, and set their sins in order before them for their deep humiliation (and conscience, when awakened, will be very severe upon such sinners), or he will set them at his tribunal at death, and in the last day; he will convict them, condemn them, and cast them out for ever, if they die under the guilt of this sin.
V. To Christian contentment, Heb 13:5, Heb 13:6. Here observe, 1. The sin that is contrary to this grace and duty - covetousness, an over eager desire of the wealth of this world, envying those who have more than we. This sin we must allow no place in our conversation; for, though it be a secret lust lurking in the heart, if it be not subdued it will enter into our conversation, and discover itself in our manner of speaking and acting. We must take care not only to keep this sin down, but to root it out of our souls. 2. The duty and grace that is contrary to covetousness - being satisfied and pleased with such things as we have; present things, for past things cannot be recalled, and future things are only in the hand of God. What God gives us from day to day we must be content with, though it fall short of what we have enjoyed heretofore, and though it do not come up to our expectations for the future. We must be content with our present lot. We must bring our minds to our present condition, and this is the sure way to contentment; and those who cannot do it would not be contented though God should raise their condition to their minds, for the mind would rise with the condition. Haman was the great court-favourite, and yet not contented - Ahab on the throne, and yet not contented - Adam in paradise, and yet not contented; yea, the angels in heaven, and yet not contented; but Paul, though abased and empty, had learned in every state, in any state, therewith to be content. 3. What reason Christians have to be contented with their lot. (1.) God hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, Heb 13:5, Heb 13:6. This was said to Joshua (Jos 1:5), but belongs to all the faithful servants of God. Old Testament promises may be applied to New Testament saints. This promise contains the sum and substance of all the promises. I will never, no, never leave thee, nor ever forsake thee. Here are no fewer than five negatives heaped together, to confirm the promise; the true believer shall have the gracious presence of God with him in life, at death, and for ever. (2.) From this comprehensive promise they may assure themselves of help from God: So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man shall do unto me, Heb 13:6. Men can do nothing against God, and God can make all that men do against his people to turn to their good.
VI. To the duty Christians owe to their ministers, and that both to those that are dead and to those that are yet alive.
1.To those that are dead: Remember those that have had the rule over you, Heb 13:7. Here observe,
(1.)The description given of them. They were such as had the rule over them, and had spoken to them the word of God; their guides and governors, who had spoken to them the word of God. Here is the dignity to which they were advanced - to be rulers and leaders of the people, not according to their own will, but the will and word of God; and this character they filled up with suitable duty: they did not rule at a distance, and rule by others, but they ruled by personal presence and instruction, according to the word of God.
(2.)The duties owing to them, even when they were dead.
[1.]"Remember them - their preaching, their praying, their private counsel, their example."
[2.]"Follow their faith; be stedfast in the profession of the faith they preached to you, and labour after the grace of faith by which they lived and died so well. Consider the end of their conversation, how quickly, how comfortably, how joyfully, they finished their course!" Now this duty of following the same true faith in which they had been instructed the apostle enlarges much upon, and presses them earnestly to it, not only from the remembrance of their faithful deceased guides, but from several other motives.
First, From the immutability and eternity of the Lord Jesus Christ. 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; and they should be stedfast and immovable, in imitation of Christ, and should remember that Christ ever lives to observe and reward their faithful adherence to his truths, and to observe and punish their sinful departure from him. Christ is the same in the Old Testament day, in the gospel day, and will be so to his people for ever.
Secondly, From the nature and tendency of those erroneous doctrines that they were in danger of falling in with.
a.They were divers and various (Heb 13:9), different from what they had received from their former faithful teachers, and inconsistent with themselves.
b.They were strange doctrines: such as the gospel church was unacquainted with foreign to the gospel.
c.They were of an unsettling, distracting nature, like the wind by which the ship is tossed, and in danger of being driven from its anchor, carried away, and split upon the rocks. They were quite contrary to that grace of God which fixes and establishes the heart, which is an excellent thing. These strange doctrines keep the heart always fluctuating and unsettled.
d.They were mean and low as to their subject. They were about external, little, perishing things, such as meats and drinks, etc.
e.They were unprofitable. Those who were most taken with them, and employed about them, got no real good by them to their own souls. They did not make them more holy, nor more humble, nor more thankful, nor more heavenly.
f.They would exclude those who embraced them from the privileges of the Christian altar (Heb 13:10): We have an altar. This is an argument of the great weight, and therefore the apostle insists the longer upon it. Observe,
(a.)The Christian church has its altar. It was objected against the primitive Christians that their assemblies were destitute of an altar; but this was not true. We have an alter, not a material altar, but a personal one, and that is Christ; he is both our altar, and our sacrifice; he sanctifies the gift. The altars under the law were types of Christ; the brazen altar of the sacrifice, the golden altar of his intercession.
(b.)This altar furnishes out a feast for true believers, a feast upon the sacrifice, a feast of fat things, spiritual strength and growth, and holy delight and pleasure. The Lord's table is not our altar, but it is furnished with provision from the altar. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us (Co1 5:7), and it follows, therefore let us keep the feast. The Lord's supper is the feast of the gospel passover.
(c.)Those who adhere to the tabernacle or the Levitical dispensation, or return to it again, exclude themselves from the privileges of this altar, from the benefits purchased by Christ. If they serve the tabernacle, they are resolved to subject themselves to antiquated rites and ceremonies, to renounce their right to the Christian altar; and this part of the argument he first proves and then improves.
[a.]He proves that this servile adherence to the Jewish state is a bar to the privileges of the gospel altar; and he argues thus: - Under the Jewish law, no part of the sin-offering was to be eaten, but all must be burnt without the camp while they dwelt in tabernacles, and without the gates when they dwelt in cities: now, if they will still be subject to that law, they cannot eat at the gospel-altar; for that which is eaten there is furnished from Christ, who is the great sin-offering. Not that it is the very sin-offering itself, as the papists affirm; for then it was not to be eaten, but burnt; but the gospel feast is the fruit and procurement of the sacrifice, which those have no right to who do not acknowledge the sacrifice itself. And that it might appear that Christ was really the antitype of the sin-offering, and, as such, might sanctify or cleanse his people with his own blood, he conformed himself to the type, in suffering without the gate. This was a striking specimen of his humiliation, as if he had not been fit either for sacred or civil society! And this shows how sin, which was the meritorious cause of the sufferings of Christ, is a forfeiture of all sacred and civil rights, and the sinner a common plague and nuisance to all society, if God should be strict to mark iniquity. Having thus shown that adherence to the Levitical law would, even according to its own rules, debar men from the Christian altar, he proceeds,
[b.]To improve this argument (Heb 13:13-15) in suitable advices. First, Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp; go forth from the ceremonial law, from sin, from the world, from ourselves, our very bodies, when he calls us. Secondly, Let us be willing to bear his reproach, be willing to be accounted the offscouring of all things, not worthy to live, not worthy to die a common death. This was his reproach, and we must submit to it; and we have the more reason because, whether we go forth from this world to Christ or no, we must necessarily go forth in a little time by death; for here we have no continuing city. Sin, sinners, death, will not suffer us to continue long here; and therefore we should go forth now by faith, and seek in Christ the rest and settlement which this world cannot afford us, Heb 13:14. Thirdly, Let us make a right use of this altar; not only partake of the privileges of it, but discharge the duties of the altar, as those whom Christ has made priests to attend on this altar. Let us bring our sacrifices to this altar, and to this our high priest, and offer them up by him, Heb 13:15, Heb 13:16. Now what are the sacrifices which we must bring and offer on this altar, even Christ? Not any expiatory sacrifices; there is no need of them. Christ has offered the great sacrifice of atonement, ours are only the sacrifices of acknowledgment; and they are, 1. The sacrifice of praise to God, which we should offer up to God continually. In this are included all adoration and prayer, as well as thanksgiving; this is the fruit of our lips; we must speak forth the praises of God from unfeigned lips; and this must be offered only to God, not to angels, nor saints, nor any creature, but to the name of God alone; and it must be by Christ, in a dependence upon his meritorious satisfaction and intercession. 2. The sacrifice of alms-deeds, and Christian charity: To do good, and to communicate, forget now; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased, Heb 13:16. We must, according to our power, communicate to the necessities of the souls and bodies of men; not contenting ourselves to offer the sacrifice of our lips, mere words, but the sacrifice of good deeds; and these we must lay down upon this altar, not depending upon the merit of our good deeds, but of our great high priest; and with such sacrifices as these, adoration and alms thus offered up, God is well pleased; he will accept the offering with pleasure, and will accept and bless the offers through Christ.
2.Having thus told us the duty Christians owe to their deceased ministers, which principally consists in following their faith and not departing from it, the apostle tells us what is the duty that people owe to their living ministers (Heb 13:17) and the reasons of that duty: (1.) The duty - to obey them, and submit themselves to them. It is not an implicit obedience, or absolute submission, that is here required, but only so far as is agreeable to the mind and will of God revealed in his word; and yet it is truly obedience and submission, and that not only to God, but to the authority of the ministerial office, which is of God as certainly, in all things belonging to that office, as the authority of parents or of civil magistrates in the things within their sphere. Christians must submit to be instructed by their ministers, and not think themselves too wise, too good, or too great, to learn from them; and, when they find that ministerial instructions are agreeable to the written word, they must obey them. (2.) The motives to this duty. [1.] They have the rule over the people; their office, though not magisterial, yet is truly authoritative. They have no authority to lord it over the people, but to lead them in the ways of God, by informing and instructing them, explaining the word of God to them, and applying it to their several cases. They are not to make laws of their own, but to interpret the laws of God; nor is their interpretation to be immediately received without examination, but the people must search the scriptures, and so far as the instructions of their minister are according to that rule they ought to receive them, not as the word of men, but, as they are indeed, the word of God, that works effectually in those that believe. [2.] They watch for the souls of the people, not to ensnare them, but to save them; to gain them, not to themselves, but to Christ; to build them up in knowledge, faith, and holiness. They are to watch against every thing that may be hurtful to the souls of men, and to give them warning of dangerous errors, of the devices of Satan, of approaching judgments; they are to watch for all opportunities of helping the souls of men forward in the way to heaven. [3.] They must give an account how they have discharged their duty, and what has become of the souls committed to their trust, whether any have been lost through their neglect, and whether any of them have been brought in and built up under their ministry. [4.] They would be glad to give a good account of themselves and their hearers. If they can then give in an account of their own fidelity and success, it will be a joyful day to them; those souls that have been converted and confirmed under their ministry will be their joy, and their crown, in the day of the Lord Jesus. [5.] If they give up their account with grief, it will be the people's loss as well as theirs. It is the interest of hearers that the account their ministers give of them may be with joy, and not with grief. If faithful ministers be not successful, the grief will be theirs, but the loss will be the people's. Faithful ministers have delivered their own souls, but a fruitless and faithless people's blood and ruin will be upon their own heads.
My child, him that speaketh to thee the word of God remember night and day; and thou shalt honour him as the Lord; for in the place whence lordly rule is uttered, there is the Lord. And thou shalt seek out day by day the faces of the saints, in order that thou mayest rest upon their words. Thou shalt not long for division, but shalt bring those who contend to peace.
If, therefore, you desire to be like these, imitate them with all your power. For the Scripture has said, "The elders who are among you, honour; and, seeing their manner of life and conduct, imitate their faith." [Hebrews 13:7] And again it says, "Imitate me, my brethren, as I imitate Christ." [1 Corinthians 11:1]
"Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God." In this place I think that he is speaking about assistance also. For this is implied in the words "who have spoken unto you the word of God."
"Whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation." What is "considering"? Continually revolving, examining it by yourselves, reasoning, investigating accurately, testing it as you choose. "The end of their conversation," that is, their conversation to the end: for "their conversation" had a good end.
"Remember them which have the rule over you." This he was laboring to say above: therefore "Follow peace with all men." (c. xii. 14.) He gave this exhortation also to the Thessalonians, to "hold them in honor exceedingly." (1 Thess. v. 13.)
"Remember" (he says) "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." What kind of following is this? Truly the best: for he says, beholding their life, "follow their faith." For from a pure life cometh faith.
Or else by "faith," he means steadfastness. How so? Because they believe in the things to come. For they would not have shown forth a pure life, if they had questioned about the things to come, if they had doubted. So that here also he is applying a remedy to the same evil.
“The leaders” are those who have proclaimed the word of godliness among them and were killed by the Jews on the spot. And there were many, not only Stephen and James who was killed by the sword, but also James, brother of our Lord, and very many others handed over in silence.
He referred to the saints long dead—Stephen the protomartyr, James the brother of John, James called Just; many others as well were done away with by the Jews’ fury. By having an eye to them, he is saying, and acquainting yourselves with their praiseworthy lifestyle, emulate their faith.
"Remember your leaders." Of the teachers. This Paul also advised the Thessalonians, so that they hold them in honor exceedingly. (1 Thess. 5:13) And just as they share in the word, so if it is possible, to help them in their bodily needs. For this is hinted at by the phrase, “remember”. It also encourages them to imitate them.
“consider the outcome of their.” Reflecting, examining. This can be said both about the deceased and the living; concerning the deceased: reflecting, Paul says, on how they exited life, what kind of conduct they had in the world, imitate their faith; for a pure life is based on faith. For if they had not believed in what was to come, but had hesitated, they would not have demonstrated the best way of life. Concerning their way of life: Reflecting, he says, on how they conduct themselves well in life, become imitators of their faith.
"the outcome of their way of life." The community until the end.
"Jesus Christ yesterday and today." Some among them were saying, The crucified one, the proclaimed and expected Christ does not exist. Another, they say, will come. Therefore, Paul says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." By "yesterday," he indicates the past ages; by "today," the present; by "the same forever," the future. As if he said: Another Christ will not come. For this one who has come is the one who was before, and he is and will be forever.
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SUMMARY
Hebrews 13:7 is a profound exhortation for believers to actively remember and emulate the faith of their spiritual leaders, particularly those who have faithfully proclaimed the word of God. It calls for a careful observation of their consistent conduct and the ultimate outcome of their lives, recognizing that their steadfast commitment to Christ provides a powerful and enduring example for the community to follow.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse primarily functions as an exhortation, directly commanding the readers to specific actions. It employs parallelism by linking the leaders' speaking of God's word with the believers' following of their faith, establishing a clear cause-and-effect relationship between faithful teaching and exemplary living. The phrase "the end of their conversation" uses metonymy or synecdoche, where "conversation" (conduct/life) stands for the entire life's journey, and "the end" signifies its culmination or ultimate outcome. This phrase also carries a strong sense of testimony, as the enduring example of these leaders serves as a witness to the power of God's sustaining grace. The overall tone is one of pastoral encouragement blended with authoritative instruction.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hebrews 13:7 profoundly connects the act of remembering and imitating faithful leaders to the very nature of Christian discipleship and the transmission of divine truth. It teaches that spiritual authority is intrinsically linked to the faithful proclamation of God's Word and that the lives of godly leaders serve as tangible, living sermons. The "end of their conversation" points to the eschatological hope and the enduring power of faith that sustains believers through life's trials, even unto death. This verse underscores the communal aspect of faith, where the legacy of past and present leaders provides a vital framework for current and future generations of believers to walk in steadfastness and truth. It emphasizes that while all human leaders are fallible, their faith in God, when consistently lived out, becomes a powerful and worthy model for emulation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hebrews 13:7 offers timeless guidance for believers in every generation. It calls us to a posture of active remembrance and discerning emulation towards those who have faithfully served as spiritual guides. This isn't a call to blind allegiance, but to a thoughtful observation of lives that have consistently demonstrated genuine faith and commitment to God's Word. In an age where leadership is often scrutinized and sometimes rightly critiqued, this verse reminds us of the profound value of godly examples. We are encouraged to seek out and learn from those who not only speak God's truth but whose lives bear witness to its transformative power, whose character reflects Christ, and whose perseverance inspires. By considering the "end of their conversation"—the culmination of their life's walk with God—we gain wisdom, encouragement, and a clearer vision for our own journey of faith, recognizing that true legacy is built on faithfulness to God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are "them which have the rule over you" in this verse?
Answer: In the context of the early church, "them which have the rule over you" refers to the spiritual leaders, elders, or overseers of the Christian community. These were individuals who had been entrusted with the responsibility of teaching, guiding, and shepherding the flock. The emphasis here is on their role as those who "have spoken unto you the word of God," indicating that their authority and worthiness of remembrance stemmed from their faithful proclamation and embodiment of divine truth. This would include those who established the church and those who continued to lead it, some of whom may have passed away or faced persecution, leaving behind a powerful legacy of faith for the current generation, as implied by the phrase "considering the end of [their] conversation."
What does "conversation" mean in "considering the end of their conversation"?
Answer: In the King James Version, the word "conversation" (Greek: anastrophḗ) does not refer to verbal communication as it does in modern English. Instead, it signifies one's conduct, manner of life, or overall lifestyle. Therefore, "considering the end of their conversation" means observing the culmination, outcome, or ultimate purpose of their entire life's walk with God. It encourages believers to reflect on the consistent character, moral integrity, steadfastness in faith, and ultimate perseverance of these leaders, even in the face of trials or death. Their enduring faithfulness, demonstrated through their life's journey, serves as a powerful testament and example for those who follow, much like the "great cloud of witnesses" mentioned in Hebrews 12:1.
Does this verse imply that believers should follow human leaders blindly?
Answer: No, this verse does not advocate for blind obedience or uncritical acceptance of human leaders. The command is to "whose faith follow," not merely their every action or opinion. The crucial qualifier is that these are leaders "who have spoken unto you the word of God." Their authority and worthiness of imitation are directly tied to their faithfulness to God's revealed truth. Believers are called to discern and emulate the faith and godly conduct that aligns with the divine Word. The emphasis on "considering the end of their conversation" suggests a thoughtful, reflective observation of the long-term fruit and integrity of their lives, rather than an unthinking adherence to every directive. Ultimately, all human leaders are fallible, and the ultimate object of our faith and imitation is Christ Himself, as seen in 1 Corinthians 11:1, where Paul says, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hebrews 13:7, while seemingly focused on human leaders, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The leaders mentioned are worthy of remembrance and imitation precisely because their lives and teaching faithfully pointed to Christ. They "have spoken unto you the word of God," and Jesus Himself is the eternal Word of God made flesh, the ultimate revelation of divine truth. Their "faith" is to be followed because it is a faith in Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith. The "end of their conversation"—the culmination of their lives and their steadfastness unto death—is a powerful testimony to the sustaining power of Christ, who conquered death and promises eternal life. Jesus is the supreme "Shepherd and Overseer of your souls" (1 Peter 2:25), the perfect example of leadership, obedience, and self-sacrifice. Therefore, when we remember and follow the faith of godly leaders, we are ultimately being drawn closer to Christ, the one true leader whose life, death, and resurrection provide the perfect model and the very source of our faith and salvation. His "conversation"—His life on earth—culminated in the cross and resurrection, offering the ultimate "end" that secures our hope and inspires our own journey of faith.