(7) Hebrews 13.
IT seems fitting that such a chapter as this should come at the close of such an epistle. In one sense it is like a postscript to a most remarkable letter, and one that we would not miss on any account. We have already observed that the first nine and a half chapters bring before us the glories of Christ: the magnitude of His work; and the value of His present priestly service in the presence of God. He Himself: all that He is; all that He has done, is doing, and will yet do; are seen to be better, infinitely better, than all that has gone before. In the portion we have been considering we have, we trust, seen the encouragement to those Hebrew believers in their days, and to us in this day, to follow on in the path of faith; to run the race, and to serve God. In the closing chapter we note three salient points: namely: —
SATISFACTION,
STABILITY and
SEPARATION.
There are details also which afford guidance for those who desire to be in the good of the earlier portion of the epistle, and to follow on in the line of faith. “Let brotherly love continue” (verse 1). Let us warn our dear young fellow-believers in particular against judging their brethren. This frequently means misjudging; and imagining in others blemishes prominent in ourselves, but which we fail to see there. “Brotherly love” is not only a fine word, but it is a desirable virtue; and we may well covet its possession and seek its continuance.
To “entertain strangers” is grateful to the Lord, and if we do not exactly entertain angels, as Abraham did, we may at least entertain those who may be angels, in the sense of being God’s messengers to us. If in Britain we are happily free from being in bonds for Christ’s sake, let us not forget those in less favored lands who suffer for His sake and let us remember them in our prayers. Marriage is to be held “every way in honor.” This, alas! does not obtain in the world today as the record of the divorce courts shows, but in this we are to be governed by the Word of God, and not the ideas of men, nor even the lax laws of so-called Christian countries. Not only in this chapter, but in not a few epistles, moral rectitude and purity are insisted upon. Evidently it was necessary when the Scriptures were written and it is necessary today. Let us heed it.
Now we come to our first point. We venture to reproduce verse 5 from the New Translation by J. N. Darby. “Let your conversation be without love of money. SATISFIED with your present circumstances.” What havoc has been wrought by love of money! It is not necessary to be wealthy in order to love money. A man might be poor indeed and yet love money. How many Christian lives have been blasted, and how many derelicts there are as the result of the love of money. “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some covered after, they have erred been seduced — margins from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:1010For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10)). The safeguard is “SATISFIED with your present circumstances.”
That is more than being content. A person who says “I suppose I must try to be content “means” I cannot alter it, so I must just put up with it.” That is fatalism, “SATISFACTION” means “I am in the circumstances that the Lord intends for me. If He considers a change necessary, He will do it. He is working out His own plan for my blessing, and associated with that, His glory. Therefore I will not attempt to take myself out of present circumstances but leave all to Him.” Why? “FOR HE HAS SAID, I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee.” So that. if we have Him with us in the circumstances what can we be but satisfied? But why has HE said this? “So THAT, TAKING COURAGE, WE MAY SAY, The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid; what will man do unto me?” (verse 5 and 6 New Trans.). Our circumstances are our training, our discipline, our being fitted to run the race to the glory of Him, who assures us of His presence with us all the way.
There is the call, repeated later in the chapter, to remember leaders. We live in democratic days, when the slogan is “Jack is as good as his master — perhaps better.” This does not come into the things of God, nor must we allow it to have a place in our hearts. Leaders are known by their “Conversation” or “conduct” which 13 evidence of their faith and these believers were, and are, to imitate.
Now comes a golden verse,
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (verse 8).
We can consider it in the light of what has gone before, and what follows after. Or we can view it in its solitary grandeur,
“Jesus Christ [is] THE SAME yesterday, and today and forever.”
“THE SAME” is a Name of God, and, in the very excellent New Translation to which we have frequently referred in these papers, it occurs sixteen times. In Hebrews 1, as setting forth the glory of Christ we have a quotation from Psalms 102, where Jehovah answering Him as a Man says, “Thou art THE SAME:” (verse 27). Then after His Person, His work, His service, and ever so much more, have been passed before us, he discovers this priceless nugget of pure gold. “Jesus Christ [is] THE SAME yesterday and today and forever.” Praise His Name! The self-existing One. He who “is, and was, and is to come”— and also who never changes, whose love can never die. We change, our nearest and dearest change, everybody changes, the world changes, but here we rest: “Jesus Christ [is] THE SAME yesterday and today and forever.” Hallelujah!
It is the knowledge of this that produces STABILITY. They were not to be, nor should we be, “carried about with divers and strange doctrines,” nor be influenced by current ideas set forth under the guise of truth; nor even run after new movements, started and carried on in all sincerity, and become associated with them, or seek to imitate them, but be “established with grace.” What we should go in for today is STABILITY.
The snare of the Hebrew Christians appears to have been meats. Then the writer tells those to whom he communicated God’s mind “We have an Altar.” That speaks of identification or fellowship, and obviously they could not have it both ways. Those who served the tabernacle could not claim a link with that Altar, and vice versa.
This bring us to the third point and that is SEPARATION. The Lord Jesus was the true sin offering and He “suffered without the gate,” but He did so that “He might sanctify the people with His own blood.” Further He suffered without the gate because the world — and its religious system at that — had no room for Him. Now comes the call: — “Let us go forth therefore UNTO HIM without the camp, bearing His reproach” (verse 13).
Let us read that verse again and again and then ask ourselves: have we have I, done it? Do we love Him? Yes. Do we love Him sufficiently to join Him in the outside place? Jonathan loved David as his own soul, but he chose the palace with its comfort rather than the cave with its hardship. Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, but he may have argued that he could do more good by maintaining his association with Ahab. Anyhow he remained with him rather than associate with the persecuted prophet of God. Love craves to be with its objects. Do we desire to be associated with Christ now? If so, where will we find him? “Outside the camp.” Hence this loud call to go forth.
The weakness of many of us in these days is the want of separation. Why? It means “bearing HIS reproach” Not bringing reproach upon His Name but “bearing HIS reproach.” As we have already noticed, Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. Those who answer to the call are conscious that like the patriarchs, they have here no continuing city, but they seek one to come. (verse 14). They are fitted to function as holy priests, (verse 15), and as royal priests. (verse 16).
And now, in closing, we must go on to the charming benediction in verse 20 and 21. Our readers will find profit in noting the number of times that “The God of peace” is mentioned in the New Testament. Here “our Lord Jesus, (this pulsates with affection), is spoken of as “The Great Shepherd of the Sheep.” The “Good Shepherd” in death (John 10:1111I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)). The “Great Shepherd” in resurrection (Heb. 13:2020Now 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, (Hebrews 13:20)). The “Chief Shepherd” in glory (1 Peter 5:44And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (1 Peter 5:4)): and He has been raised by, or in the power of, “the blood of the everlasting covenant.” We note a similarity between this and Ezekiel 37:26: “Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.”
Now the prayer, “Make you perfect in every good work to do His will.” How can poor, weak creatures do that? Read on: — “Working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ.” That explains it. Then the burst of praise: — “To whom be glory forever and ever.” As we close this paper, and conclude our meditation on the portion we have been considering; as He fills the vision of our souls, and we get a fresh impression of all that He is, and of what He has done, is doing, and proposes to do, and will vet do for-us, we may well add to this doxology our sincere and hearty AMEN.
W. Bramwell Dick.