Notice that though the ancient sacrifices have been abolished, there is one which can never grow old-the sacrifice of praise. This incense must ever ascend from the heart-altar. And to this we must add the sacrifices of doing good and distributing our goods.
Perfection in the closing paragraph, Hebrews 13:21, means adjustment, the setting of a dislocated bone. We may be in the body of which Jesus is the Head, and yet be out of touch with Him. We need setting; and this is work which God will delegate to no angel, however exalted. He will do it Himself as tenderly and gently as possible, because He is the God of peace. Do you doubt it? Did He not bring the Shepherd to glory, and is He not able to bring the sheep also? Never rest until you are in living organic union with Jesus, that He may be able to work His will through you to your own great joy and for the hastening of the Kingdom [source]
Chapter Summary: Hebrews 13
1Various admonitions as to love; 4to honest life; 5to avoid covetousness; 7to regard God's preachers; 9to take heed of strange doctrines; 10to confess Christ; 16to give alms; 17to obey governors; 18to pray for the apostles 20The conclusion
Greek Commentary for Hebrews 13:14
An abiding city [μενουσαν πολιν] Jerusalem has lost its charm for followers of Christ. Vincent rightly argues that the Epistle must have been written before the destruction of Jerusalem else a reference to that event could hardly have been avoided here. We are now where Abraham was once (Hebrews 11:10). [source]
One to come [τὴν μέλλουσαν] Rend. “that which is to come.” The heavenly Jerusalem. Comp. Hebrews 11:10,Hebrews 11:13-16. -DIVIDER-
The course of thought in Hebrews 13:9-14is as follows: Be not carried away with divers and strange teachings, for example, those concerning meats and drinks and sacrificial feasts. It is good that the heart be established, rather than that the body should be ceremonially pure; and that the heart be established by the grace of God in Christ, which alone can give inward peace, a pure conscience, an established rest and security - rather than by the consciousness of having partaken of meats ceremonially clean: for those whose religious life was under the regimen of this ceremonial system derived no permanent profit from it. Not only so, the two systems exclude each other. You cannot hold by the Levitical system and enjoy the blessings of Christian salvation. It is the sacrifice of Christ through which you become partakers of grace. It is impossible to obtain grace through meats; for meats represent the economy which denies Christ; and, by seeking establishment through meats, you exclude yourselves from the economy which is the only vehicle of grace. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Accordingly, we have an altar and a sacrifice from which the votary of Leviticalism is excluded. By the Levitical law it was forbidden to eat the flesh of the victim offered on the Great Day of Atonement; so that, if the Levitical law still holds for you, you cannot partake of the Christian's atoning victim. The law under which you are prohibits you. According to that law, there is nothing to eat of in an atoning sacrifice, since the body of the victim is burned. Neither priest nor people have anything more to do with it, and, therefore, it is carried outside of the camp or city, outside of the region of O.T. covenant-fellowship. Similarly, so long as you hold by Judaism, participation in Christ's atoning sacrifice is impossible for you. It is outside your religious sphere, like the body of the victim outside the gate. You cannot eat of our altar. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The blood of the Levitical victim was carried into the holy of holies and remained there. If you seek the benefit of that blood, it must be within the camp, at the Levitical tabernacle or temple. And you cannot have the benefit of Christ's blood, for that compels you to go outside the gate, where he suffered. According to the O.T. law, you could partake of the benefit of the blood, but you could not eat of the body. Christ's sacrifice gives you both body and blood as spiritual food; but these you must seek outside of Judaism. Thus, by means of the O.T. ritual itself, it is shown that the Jewish and the Christian systems exclude each other. Christ must be sought outside of the Jewish pale. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]
For here have we no continuing city [οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν ὧδε μένουσαν πόλιν] Here, on earth. Continuing city. Let us go forth without the gate to Jesus; for the system which has its center in Jerusalem, the Holy City, is no more ours. We are excluded from its religious fellowship by embracing the faith of him who suffered without the gate. The city itself is not abiding. As a holy city, it is the center and representative of a system of shadows and figures (Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 9:9,Hebrews 9:23,Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 10:1), which is to be shaken and removed, even as is the city itself (Hebrews 12:27); Hebrews 8:13; Hebrews 9:10; Hebrews 10:9,Hebrews 10:18. If the epistle had been written after the destruction of Jerusalem a reference to that event could hardly have been avoided here. [source]
Galatians 4:26Jerusalem which is above [ἡ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ] Paul uses the Hebrew form Ἱερουσαλὴμ in preference to the Greek Ἱεροσόλυμα , which occurs Galatians 1:17,Galatians 1:18; Galatians 2:1. The phrase Jerusalem which is above was familiar to the rabbinical teachers, who conceived the heavenly Jerusalem as the archetype of the earthly. On the establishment of Messiah's kingdom, the heavenly archetype would be let down to earth, and would be the capital of the messianic theocracy. Comp. Hebrews 11:10; Hebrews 12:22; Hebrews 13:14; Revelation 3:12,Revelation 21:2. Paul here means the messianic kingdom of Christ, partially realized in the Christian church, but to be fully realized only at the second coming of the Lord. For ἄνω , comp. Philemon 3:14; Colossians 3:1,Colossians 3:2. [source]
Hebrews 3:1Partakers of a heavenly calling [κλήσεως ἐπουρανίου μέτοχοι] Μέτοχοι partakersonly in Hebrews except Luke 5:7. See on μετέσχεν tookpart, Hebrews 2:14. The phrase heavenly calling N.T.oComp. τῆς ἄσω κλήσεως theupward calling, Philemon 3:14. The expression points to the lordship of the world to be (Hebrews 2:5); and the world to be is the abiding world, the place of realities as contrasted with types and shadows. The calling comes from that world and is to that world. See Hebrews 13:14. [source]
Hebrews 11:10For he looked for a city which hath foundations [ἐξεδέχετο γὰρ τὴν τοὺς θεμελίους ἔξουσαν πόλιν] The sense is impaired in A.V. by the omission of the articles, the city, the foundations. Passing over the immediate subject of God's promise to Abraham - his inheritance of the land in which he sojourns - the writer fastens the patriarch's faith upon the heavenly fulfillment of the promise - the perfected community of God, which, he assumes, was contained in the original promise. By the city he means the heavenly Jerusalem, and his statement is that Abraham's faith looked forward to that. The idea of the new or heavenly Jerusalem was familiar to the Jews. See Hebrews 12:22,Hebrews 13:14; Galatians 4:26; Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2. The Rabbins regarded it as an actual city. For the foundations comp. Revelation 21:14. In ascribing to the patriarchs an assured faith in heaven as the end and reward of their wanderings, the writer oversteps the limits of history; but evidently imports into the patriarchal faith the contents of a later and more developed faith - that of himself and his readers. [source]
Hebrews 2:5For not unto angels [ου γαρ αγγελοις] The author now proceeds to show (Hebrews 2:5-18) that the very humanity of Jesus, the Son of Man, likewise proves his superiority to angels. The world to come The new order, the salvation just described. See a like use of μελλω mellō (as participle) with σωτηρια sōtēria (Hebrews 1:14), αιων aiōn (Hebrews 6:4.), αγατα agatha (Hebrews 9:11; Hebrews 10:1), πολις polis (Hebrews 13:14). Whereof we speak The author is discussing this new order introduced by Christ which makes obsolete the old dispensation of rites and symbols. God did not put this new order in charge of angels. [source]
Revelation 3:12A pillar [στυλον] Old word for column, in N.T. only here, Revelation 10:1; Galatians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:15. Metaphorical and personal use with a double significance of being firmly fixed and giving stability to the building. Philadelphia was a city of earthquakes. “Temple” Strong double negative ου μη ou mē with the second aorist active subjunctive of ερχομαι erchomai The subject is ο νικων ho nikōn (the one overcoming). “Fixity of character is at last achieved” (Charles). He, like the στυλος stulos (pillar), remains in place.Upon him Upon ο νικων ho nikōn (the victor), not upon the pillar He receives this triple name (of God, of the city of God, of Christ) on his forehead (Revelation 14:1; Revelation 7:3; Revelation 17:5; Revelation 22:4) just as the high-priest wore the name of Jehovah upon his forehead (Exodus 28:36,Exodus 28:38), the new name (Revelation 2:17), without any magical or talismanic power, but as proof of ownership by God, as a citizen of the New Jerusalem, with the new symbol of the glorious personality of Christ (Revelation 19:12), in contrast with the mark of the beast on others (Revelation 13:17; Revelation 14:17). For citizenship in God‘s city see Galatians 4:26; Philemon 3:20; Hebrews 11:10; Hebrews 12:22; Hebrews 13:14.The new Jerusalem (της καινης Ιερουσαλημ tēs kainēs Ierousalēm). Not νεας neas (young), but καινης kainēs (fresh). See also Revelation 21:2,Revelation 21:10 and already Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22. Charles distinguishes between the Jerusalem before the final judgment and this new Jerusalem after that event. Perhaps so! In the Apocalypse always this form Ιερουσαλημ Ierousalēm (Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2,Revelation 21:10), but in John‘s Gospel ιεροσολυμα Hierosoluma (Revelation 1:19, etc.).Which cometh down Nominative case in apposition with the preceding genitive πολεως poleōs as in Revelation 1:5; Revelation 2:20, etc.Mine own new name (το ονομα μου το καινον to onoma mou to kainon). For which see Revelation 2:17; Revelation 19:12,Revelation 19:16. Christ himself will receive a new name along with all else in the future world (Gressmann). [source]
Greek Commentary for Hebrews 13:14
Jerusalem has lost its charm for followers of Christ. Vincent rightly argues that the Epistle must have been written before the destruction of Jerusalem else a reference to that event could hardly have been avoided here. We are now where Abraham was once (Hebrews 11:10). [source]
Rend. “that which is to come.” The heavenly Jerusalem. Comp. Hebrews 11:10, Hebrews 11:13-16. -DIVIDER- The course of thought in Hebrews 13:9-14is as follows: Be not carried away with divers and strange teachings, for example, those concerning meats and drinks and sacrificial feasts. It is good that the heart be established, rather than that the body should be ceremonially pure; and that the heart be established by the grace of God in Christ, which alone can give inward peace, a pure conscience, an established rest and security - rather than by the consciousness of having partaken of meats ceremonially clean: for those whose religious life was under the regimen of this ceremonial system derived no permanent profit from it. Not only so, the two systems exclude each other. You cannot hold by the Levitical system and enjoy the blessings of Christian salvation. It is the sacrifice of Christ through which you become partakers of grace. It is impossible to obtain grace through meats; for meats represent the economy which denies Christ; and, by seeking establishment through meats, you exclude yourselves from the economy which is the only vehicle of grace. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Accordingly, we have an altar and a sacrifice from which the votary of Leviticalism is excluded. By the Levitical law it was forbidden to eat the flesh of the victim offered on the Great Day of Atonement; so that, if the Levitical law still holds for you, you cannot partake of the Christian's atoning victim. The law under which you are prohibits you. According to that law, there is nothing to eat of in an atoning sacrifice, since the body of the victim is burned. Neither priest nor people have anything more to do with it, and, therefore, it is carried outside of the camp or city, outside of the region of O.T. covenant-fellowship. Similarly, so long as you hold by Judaism, participation in Christ's atoning sacrifice is impossible for you. It is outside your religious sphere, like the body of the victim outside the gate. You cannot eat of our altar. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- The blood of the Levitical victim was carried into the holy of holies and remained there. If you seek the benefit of that blood, it must be within the camp, at the Levitical tabernacle or temple. And you cannot have the benefit of Christ's blood, for that compels you to go outside the gate, where he suffered. According to the O.T. law, you could partake of the benefit of the blood, but you could not eat of the body. Christ's sacrifice gives you both body and blood as spiritual food; but these you must seek outside of Judaism. Thus, by means of the O.T. ritual itself, it is shown that the Jewish and the Christian systems exclude each other. Christ must be sought outside of the Jewish pale. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- [source]
Here, on earth. Continuing city. Let us go forth without the gate to Jesus; for the system which has its center in Jerusalem, the Holy City, is no more ours. We are excluded from its religious fellowship by embracing the faith of him who suffered without the gate. The city itself is not abiding. As a holy city, it is the center and representative of a system of shadows and figures (Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 9:23, Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 10:1), which is to be shaken and removed, even as is the city itself (Hebrews 12:27); Hebrews 8:13; Hebrews 9:10; Hebrews 10:9, Hebrews 10:18. If the epistle had been written after the destruction of Jerusalem a reference to that event could hardly have been avoided here. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 13:14
Lit., we live abroad. Only in this chapter. Compare Philemon 1:23; Philemon 3:20; Hebrews 11:13; Hebrews 13:14. There is a play upon the words which might be expressed by at home, from home. [source]
Paul uses the Hebrew form Ἱερουσαλὴμ in preference to the Greek Ἱεροσόλυμα , which occurs Galatians 1:17, Galatians 1:18; Galatians 2:1. The phrase Jerusalem which is above was familiar to the rabbinical teachers, who conceived the heavenly Jerusalem as the archetype of the earthly. On the establishment of Messiah's kingdom, the heavenly archetype would be let down to earth, and would be the capital of the messianic theocracy. Comp. Hebrews 11:10; Hebrews 12:22; Hebrews 13:14; Revelation 3:12, Revelation 21:2. Paul here means the messianic kingdom of Christ, partially realized in the Christian church, but to be fully realized only at the second coming of the Lord. For ἄνω , comp. Philemon 3:14; Colossians 3:1, Colossians 3:2. [source]
Μέτοχοι partakersonly in Hebrews except Luke 5:7. See on μετέσχεν tookpart, Hebrews 2:14. The phrase heavenly calling N.T.oComp. τῆς ἄσω κλήσεως theupward calling, Philemon 3:14. The expression points to the lordship of the world to be (Hebrews 2:5); and the world to be is the abiding world, the place of realities as contrasted with types and shadows. The calling comes from that world and is to that world. See Hebrews 13:14. [source]
The sense is impaired in A.V. by the omission of the articles, the city, the foundations. Passing over the immediate subject of God's promise to Abraham - his inheritance of the land in which he sojourns - the writer fastens the patriarch's faith upon the heavenly fulfillment of the promise - the perfected community of God, which, he assumes, was contained in the original promise. By the city he means the heavenly Jerusalem, and his statement is that Abraham's faith looked forward to that. The idea of the new or heavenly Jerusalem was familiar to the Jews. See Hebrews 12:22, Hebrews 13:14; Galatians 4:26; Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2. The Rabbins regarded it as an actual city. For the foundations comp. Revelation 21:14. In ascribing to the patriarchs an assured faith in heaven as the end and reward of their wanderings, the writer oversteps the limits of history; but evidently imports into the patriarchal faith the contents of a later and more developed faith - that of himself and his readers. [source]
The author now proceeds to show (Hebrews 2:5-18) that the very humanity of Jesus, the Son of Man, likewise proves his superiority to angels. The world to come The new order, the salvation just described. See a like use of μελλω mellō (as participle) with σωτηρια sōtēria (Hebrews 1:14), αιων aiōn (Hebrews 6:4.), αγατα agatha (Hebrews 9:11; Hebrews 10:1), πολις polis (Hebrews 13:14). Whereof we speak The author is discussing this new order introduced by Christ which makes obsolete the old dispensation of rites and symbols. God did not put this new order in charge of angels. [source]
Old word for column, in N.T. only here, Revelation 10:1; Galatians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:15. Metaphorical and personal use with a double significance of being firmly fixed and giving stability to the building. Philadelphia was a city of earthquakes. “Temple” Strong double negative ου μη ou mē with the second aorist active subjunctive of ερχομαι erchomai The subject is ο νικων ho nikōn (the one overcoming). “Fixity of character is at last achieved” (Charles). He, like the στυλος stulos (pillar), remains in place.Upon him Upon ο νικων ho nikōn (the victor), not upon the pillar He receives this triple name (of God, of the city of God, of Christ) on his forehead (Revelation 14:1; Revelation 7:3; Revelation 17:5; Revelation 22:4) just as the high-priest wore the name of Jehovah upon his forehead (Exodus 28:36, Exodus 28:38), the new name (Revelation 2:17), without any magical or talismanic power, but as proof of ownership by God, as a citizen of the New Jerusalem, with the new symbol of the glorious personality of Christ (Revelation 19:12), in contrast with the mark of the beast on others (Revelation 13:17; Revelation 14:17). For citizenship in God‘s city see Galatians 4:26; Philemon 3:20; Hebrews 11:10; Hebrews 12:22; Hebrews 13:14.The new Jerusalem (της καινης Ιερουσαλημ tēs kainēs Ierousalēm). Not νεας neas (young), but καινης kainēs (fresh). See also Revelation 21:2, Revelation 21:10 and already Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22. Charles distinguishes between the Jerusalem before the final judgment and this new Jerusalem after that event. Perhaps so! In the Apocalypse always this form Ιερουσαλημ Ierousalēm (Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2, Revelation 21:10), but in John‘s Gospel ιεροσολυμα Hierosoluma (Revelation 1:19, etc.).Which cometh down Nominative case in apposition with the preceding genitive πολεως poleōs as in Revelation 1:5; Revelation 2:20, etc.Mine own new name (το ονομα μου το καινον to onoma mou to kainon). For which see Revelation 2:17; Revelation 19:12, Revelation 19:16. Christ himself will receive a new name along with all else in the future world (Gressmann). [source]
Upon ο νικων ho nikōn (the victor), not upon the pillar He receives this triple name (of God, of the city of God, of Christ) on his forehead (Revelation 14:1; Revelation 7:3; Revelation 17:5; Revelation 22:4) just as the high-priest wore the name of Jehovah upon his forehead (Exodus 28:36, Exodus 28:38), the new name (Revelation 2:17), without any magical or talismanic power, but as proof of ownership by God, as a citizen of the New Jerusalem, with the new symbol of the glorious personality of Christ (Revelation 19:12), in contrast with the mark of the beast on others (Revelation 13:17; Revelation 14:17). For citizenship in God‘s city see Galatians 4:26; Philemon 3:20; Hebrews 11:10; Hebrews 12:22; Hebrews 13:14.The new Jerusalem (της καινης Ιερουσαλημ tēs kainēs Ierousalēm). Not νεας neas (young), but καινης kainēs (fresh). See also Revelation 21:2, Revelation 21:10 and already Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22. Charles distinguishes between the Jerusalem before the final judgment and this new Jerusalem after that event. Perhaps so! In the Apocalypse always this form Ιερουσαλημ Ierousalēm (Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2, Revelation 21:10), but in John‘s Gospel ιεροσολυμα Hierosoluma (Revelation 1:19, etc.).Which cometh down Nominative case in apposition with the preceding genitive πολεως poleōs as in Revelation 1:5; Revelation 2:20, etc.Mine own new name (το ονομα μου το καινον to onoma mou to kainon). For which see Revelation 2:17; Revelation 19:12, Revelation 19:16. Christ himself will receive a new name along with all else in the future world (Gressmann). [source]