Bible Commentaries
Hebrews 13

Verses 1-25

7 The leaders were not official rulers, but men who were guides in ministry of the word and exemplary conduct.

8 It should be remembered that "the Same" is a pronoun, and has reference to His personality, not to His administrations or assumptions. The same One pours out grace upon us and indignation on the nations in the Lord's day. The same One Who was weary at Sychar's well is now all-powerful. He Who was once lowly is now exalted, Who healed hundreds when on earth, refused to remove Paul's thorn in the flesh, Who hung on Calvary's cross and lay lifeless in the tomb is now alive and has ascended to God's right hand. His person, service, and dispensations change to accord with God's purpose, but He Himself remains the Same.

9 It is evident that the strange teachings here referred to do not tend toward grace but physical gratification.

9 Foods and drinks, which were a part of the ritual of the first tabernacle, (Hebrews 9:9-10) cannot confirm the heart in grace. In connection with Christ's sacrifice there is no sacrificial meal. The carcass of the sin offering was not eaten either by priests or people, but was burned.

11 The camp can refer to nothing else than the established ritual of Judaism. The great Sin Offering suffered outside the city of Jerusalem. So it behooved His followers to forsake the city and the system of religion which cast Him out, and follow Him outside of it all. Jerusalem was not the permanent abode of God's saints. It was to be utterly destroyed. This was done not long after this epistle was written. The eye of faith looked forward to the heavenly Jerusalem on the earth.

13 This is the climax of the epistle. The choice is between faith and apostasy. The reference is to the ritual of the golden calf (Exodus33). It would have been apostasy to go outside the camp had there not been apostasy in the camp. Israel had again ceased to be "the congregation of the Lord", and they must either take sides with Messiah who suffered outside the gate or apostatize. An apostate recognizes truth and refuses to obey it.

20 The God of peace-what an anchor for the turbulent souls of the Hebrews in the tumult of the times in which they lived! Josephus could write a whole book on the subject of the Jewish War which kept Palestine in continual turmoil up to the destruction of Jerusalem under Titus. How fitting to close the epistle with this title! In the coming kingdom Christ will be King of Salem (peace, welfare) as well as King of righteousness. In perfect keeping with this is the pastoral picture of the great Shepherd. As the good Shepherd He gave His soul for the sheep. Now, as the great Shepherd, in resurrection, He still cares for and protects His own. Beautiful as this picture is; it finds its place on earth, and may be applied only to Israel, the nation of His choice. The church is not a sheepfold. Israel is not "one fold", as in A. V., but "one flock" (John 10:16). Within the fold sheep do not need the Shepherd's care, but when they are led out to pasture he guides and defends them. These Hebrews were far from the fold.