Transcript

Our Wisdom Journey through the book of Hebrews has revealed to us some amazing and challenging truths. It has declared the supremacy and greatness of our Savior in powerful ways, and it has cheered us along on our race of faith for the glory of God.

Frankly, I don’t want our study of this letter to end! I think the writer of Hebrews felt the same way. It appears to me that after twelve chapters, he is having a hard time wrapping his letter up in this final chapter. In reality, of course, the Holy Spirit is not finished. He is inspiring this anonymous author to keep writing.

Chapter 13 might appear to be a random collection of thoughts and admonitions, but they all focus on some very practical features of finishing our race of faith.

The first six verses highlight some social aspects of the Christian life. Verse 1 commands, “Let brotherly love continue.” A display among believers of genuine love and kindness is not a suggestion; it is a requirement for the church. In fact, such love should be clearly seen by the world.

Verse 2 indicates brotherly love includes “hospitality to strangers.” These would have been fellow Christians from outside the local assembly—traveling Christians, evangelists, and other believers who had been displaced by persecution and were in need of lodging. Providing hospitality was so critical in these days that it became one of the qualifications for elders and church leaders (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8).

The writer throws in an interesting incentive to hospitality by adding that “some have entertained angels unawares.” Imagine that possibility today.

Remembering those in prison is another expression of brotherly love, as we see in verse 3. Persecuted, suffering Christians are common to this very day, beloved. I wrote a missionary family recently who were sleeping in their bathroom, with their baby girl sleeping in the bathtub as bombs fell each night and soldiers advanced toward their city—targeting primarily Christians for persecution.

Verse 4 focuses on the marriage relationship: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled.” The bedroom today is essentially defiled with all kinds of immorality. Marriage itself no longer has any meaning in much of our world today that tramples on God’s design for one man and one woman to be faithfully committed to one another for life.

Next, we have a warning related to relationships in the financial world:

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.” (verse 5)

In other words, is the Lord enough for you today? Are you content with what He supplies?

This next set of commands focuses on doctrine and church life. We are told in verse 7, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.” We are to imitate their character and follow the content of their biblical teaching.

Then we are reminded, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (verse 8). We love to quote this verse—and it is a wonderful truth. But we need to connect it to the context of verse 9: “Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings.” The truths about Jesus Christ do not change, so do not be distracted from your race of faith by some strange ideas.[1]

Keep in mind that the original readers were Hebrew Christians who were being tempted to turn back to some form of Judaism, which involved dietary restrictions. The author warns against this, saying here in verse 9 that the believer’s heart is “strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.” Rules and rituals work on us outwardly, but the grace of God works in us internally, bringing genuine benefit and growth in the Christian life.

Verses 10-13 form a call to the Jewish believers to completely separate from Judaism and identify fully with Christ. Verse 10 reminds them that Jesus is the final fulfillment of the altar—their only altar now is Christ, who is in heaven.

An analogy between Judaism’s Day of Atonement ritual and Christianity’s atoning work of Christ is drawn in verse 11. The blood of sacrificial animals was brought into the Most Holy Place in the temple to be offered for sin. The bodies of those animals were then burned outside the city.

Verse 12 says, “Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.” Indeed, Jesus suffered as an outcast. He was literally taken outside the city and crucified on the altar of a wooden cross.

Then the author challenges his readers with this: “Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured” (verse 13).

These Jewish believers were feeling the heat for their faith in Jesus. Their countrymen considered them a disgrace—they were becoming outcasts!

And this passage effectively says, “Go out there and take your stand with your outcast and rejected Savior.” Now that was easier to say than to do. But it was necessary. The Lord deserves our complete allegiance.

I read some time ago of a pastor recalling his time in East Malaysia as a summer missionary. While there, Jim served in a Bible-believing church. At one of their worship services, a baptism was going to take place. A teenage girl shared with the congregation her faith in Christ and was then baptized. During the service, Jim noticed a couple of old, worn-out suitcases leaning against the wall of that little building that was used as a church. When he asked why the luggage was there, a church member quietly pointed to the young woman who had just been baptized and said, “Her father said that if she was baptized as a Christian, she could never go home again. So she brought her luggage.”[2]

Beloved, this is how we present our lives as an offering of praise to Christ. The writer puts it this way in verse 15: “Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”

The writer then presses on us the importance of honoring faithful pastors and church leaders. These are men who take their shepherding responsibilities seriously.

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. (verse 17)

This anonymous author then makes his own prayer request, writing in verse 18, “Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.” This unknown but humble writer does not consider himself better than his readers. He wants them to pray for him.

The letter ends in verses 22-25 with the author’s greetings from himself and the people who are with him. He even mentions the good news that Timothy has been released from imprisonment, though details of this unknown event are not given to us anywhere in Scripture.

As we draw our study to a close, let us contemplate the author’s concluding prayer. This final benediction is so rich in meaning and encouragement. We find truths and themes we have already covered now repeated in this prayer:

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, 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. (verses 20-21)

With that, we finish our Wisdom Journey through this wonderful letter to Jewish Christians in the first century. The truths revealed here, though, are just as meaningful to all of us today.