X.
Practical Points of Christianity (continued) ()
C.
Christian Sacrifice (continued) ()
4.
() Continued: In , Moses was said to have considered the "reproach of Christ (LORD in the Old Testament means the - - - - - - - - - - - - presence of Christ as part of the Triune Godhead in which either God the Father or God the Son is meant — if the Son is meant then the Holy Spirit and Father are in the background and the Son is in the front) greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." To align oneself with Christ is to subject oneself to scorn, reproach, and perhaps more. But consistently throughout this letter, the writer has argued that it is well worth it. (; ) The unbelieving Jews held that the way Christ died proved Him to be - - - - - - - - . The readers must be ready to stand with Christ who bore that curse for them.
5.
() The writer reinforces his appeal to go to Jesus by reminding Christians that they have no stake in any earthly city, Jewish or otherwise. For people with such an outlook, it is no great matter to be "outside the camp" () ( - - - - - - - - - - occurred outside the walls of a city). As in , the "city" stands for the highest and best in community life, the heavenly city; it is not to be found "here" on earth. No earthly city is "lasting." But Christians are looking for a city to come. People love to look for earthly security, but the best earthly security is insecure. The readers should pursue that which is really lasting and strive for the - - - - - - - city, letting go of any earthly one.
6.
() The verse begins with an emphatic "through Him." It is through Jesus and not the Jewish priests (or any other priests) that people "offer" to God acceptable sacrifices. "Offer" is a technical word for the offering of sacrifices of animals and the like. The author uses it of the only sacrifices Christians offer — - - - - - - - - - sacrifices (cf. ; ). So, he urges them to offer "a sacrifice of praise to God," i.e., a sacrifice consisting of praise. This sacrifice is to be offered "continually." In systems like Judaism, sacrifices were offered at set times but, for Christians, praise goes up all the time. Since a loving God is working out His purposes all the time, there are no circumstances in which praise should not be - - - - - - - (cf. ). The sacrifice is further explained in an expression from (cf. ), "the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name" (). In the light of the Cross, there is no room for sacrifices such as those the Jews offered. Now believers offer the sacrifice of praise and acknowledge Christ.
7.
() The divine writer gives two more examples of the sacrifices Christians offer. "Doing good" is a general term, while "sharing" is more specific. The latter signifies sharing with others such things as we have: money, goods, and, of course, those intangibles that make up “- - - - - - - - - - ” (koinonía)." Even though Christians had no animals to sacrifice, this did not mean they had nothing to offer. They had their sacrifices “of praise, doing good and sharing”, and it is "with such sacrifices" that God is well pleased. Christ's suffering "outside the camp" (13:13) has altered everything. Now God looks to people to take - - - - - - - - - - - - . And that means they offer no animals but make their response to what Christ has done for them in praise, good deeds, and works of love and charity.
D.
Christian Obedience ()
1.
() The author is mindful of the responsibility of the Christian leaders to whom he has already referred (vs. 7). In due course they must give - - - - - - - to God for their flock. So, he urges his readers to keep this in mind and not make things hard for their leaders. The readers must obey their leaders. In verse 7, the leaders were men who had died. Here, however, those alive and currently in positions of authority are meant. The reason for their submission is that the leaders "keep watch" (lit., "keep oneself - - - - - "). The imagery is of the leaders keeping awake at nights in their concern for their people. In "Over your souls," “souls” may be simply a periphrasis (Greek word “talking around”) for one's spiritual life and spiritual well-being. The leaders are concerned for the - - - - - - - - - - of their people, not simply for what lies on the surface, because they must “give an account.” The writer pleads with the readers to act in such a way that keeping watch will be a thing of joy for the leaders (cf. ; ; ). The alternative is for them to do it as "with grief" (lit., "with groaning"), which would be "unprofitable" for the readers.
E.
Prayer ()
1.
() A short appeal for prayer reveals both the writer's conviction that prayer is a powerful force and his hope that he will soon see his correspondents again. The imperative "Pray" implies a - - - - - - - - - - activity, one that they had already been doing. "Keep praying for us" is its force. The plural "us" is the plural form of "me" (cf. ; ). The writer has rebuked his readers from time to time; he has warned them of the dangers in their conduct and exhorted them. But he depends on them, too, and looks to them now to support him with their - - - - - - - . At the same time there is a problem arising from the way he puts his request. He says (literal translation), "Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience." Having a good conscience is a most unusual reason for requesting prayer. We could understand it if the writer spoke of his difficulties or the like. Lacking knowledge of the circumstances, we cannot be sure why he phrases it this way. Perhaps the readers have been accusing the writer of some fault. They may have attributed his absence from them to - - - - - - - - motives. The writer protests that he has a clear conscience and that this is a reason for asking for their fellowship in prayer. He goes on to affirm his determination "desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things." The Greek wording does not support “desiring” but actually “- - - - - - - - - - ourselves honorably.”
2.
() The author underlines the importance of the readers' doing as he asks. He "urges" them "all the more" or "more abundantly". It seems as though he had at one time been a leader in the group, for he desired to "be restored" to them. What was preventing him from this restoration is not said, but evidently the obstacle was considerable. Some have suggested that he had been - - - - - - - - - - for his faith. We know too little of the circumstances to rule this out. The language suggests that it was something outside the writer's control that separated him from others and that it needed a good deal of - - - - - - .
X.
Conclusion to Glorify God ()
The writer has finished what he has to say. It remains for him only to round off his letter, and he does so with a magnificent doxology and a few greetings, all to the glory of God.
A.
Doxology ()
1.
() God is called "the God of peace" a number of times in the Pauline writings (; ; ; ; ). "Peace" connotes the fullest prosperity of the whole man, taking up as it does the Old Testament concept of the Hebrew shalom (see ). Here it reminds us that all our - - - - - - - - - - is centered in God and that a well-rounded life depends on Him. The expression is especially suitable in view of what the letter discloses of the condition of the readers. They have had to cope with some form of persecution and were still not free from opposition. They were tempted to leave Christianity and have had to be warned of the dangers of - - - - - - - - . They may have had doubts about who their true leaders were. It is well for them to be reminded that real peace is in God. They still face persecution from Jews and Romans, and the Roman army entered Israel from A.D. 66 to 70. Hebrews was likely written in AD 66-67. The year 66 featured a Jewish rebellion against Rome in Jerusalem that was put down by the Roman army, who left troops in Israel to quell any more revolts.
a.
The doxology goes on to characterize God in terms of the Resurrection. In the New Testament, Jesus is occasionally said to have risen. It is, however, much more common in the New Testament for the Resurrection to be ascribed to - - - - - - - - - - - - - - , as here. The one whom God brought up from the dead is now described as "the great Shepherd of the sheep" (see ; ; ; cf. also ; ). It is a piece of imagery that stresses the care of our Lord for His own, for sheep are helpless without their shepherd. But an aspect we in modern times sometimes miss is that the shepherd has absolute - - - - - - - - - - - over his flock (cf. ; ; ). The adjective "great" is used because Christ is not to be ranked with other shepherds. He stands out.
b.
The Resurrection is linked with "the blood of the eternal covenant" (cf. ; ). It is interesting to see how the thought of covenant, one of the major themes of this letter, persists to the end. "Eternal" again brings out the point that this covenant will never be replaced by another as it replaced the - - - - - - - - - - - - . And it was established by "blood." The author never forgets that. For him the death of Jesus is central. At the same time, his linking it with the Resurrection shows that he did not have in mind a dead Christ but one who, though He shed His blood to establish the covenant, - - - - - - - - - - - - - . (; ) The expression "Jesus our Lord" is unusual outside of Acts, where it occurs a number of times as “Lord Jesus”. It combines the lordship of Christ and His real humanity, two themes of continuing importance: Christ and His real humanity.
2.
() The prayer is that God will "equip" the readers "with every good thing to do His will." "Equip" in this context means to supply one with what one needs to live the Christian life. "Every good thing" is comprehensive; the writer wants nothing to be lacking. Notice the emphasis on doing the - - - - - - - - - - - , a thought we have had before in this letter. It is also interesting to notice the juxtaposition to "do His will" and “working in us." From one point of view, any deed is the deed of a human being, but from another it is God working in and through His servant. We should not overlook the significance of the word "us," by which the writer again links himself with his readers. He looks for God to do His perfect work in them and in him alike. He needs the grace of God as much as they do. He wants God to do in us "what is pleasing” to Him," a word that usually refers to people being acceptable to God. We can do what is acceptable only through Jesus Christ. The doxology concludes with "forever and ever. Amen." “Amen” means - - - - - - - - - !”
B.
Final Exhortations ()
The author now rounds off the whole letter with a final appeal and a brief section of greetings. The greetings show that the letter was being sent to a definite, known group of - - - - - - - - - - with whom the author had ties.
1.
() "I urge" seems to mean something more like "I beg you." There is appeal in it, but also encouragement. The letter has had its share of rebukes and warnings, and the writer now softens the impact a little with this appeal and with the affectionate address "brethren." He calls his letter the "word of exhortation" ([optional reading] cf. , where this phrase clearly means a homily [a - - - - - - intended for spiritual edification]). So, the point here may be that this letter is rather like a written sermon with lots of "exhortation". The author goes on to say that he has written only “briefly.” This letter is short, considering the subject matter. Some of the subjects could have been dealt with much greater length (cf. ). There has been some straight speaking. So, before he finishes, the writer adds this brief section inviting the readers to take it in the - - - - - - - - - - - - .
2.
() The writer is giving new information in this verse. Timothy is no doubt the companion of Paul (no other Timothy is known to us from those times), and he seems to have had some ties with both the readers and the writer. Otherwise, we would expect a general expression instead of "our brother Timothy." It is not clear what "released" means, for the word can refer to starting off on a - - - - - - - ([optional reading] as in ; ) or making other beginnings. It is possible that Timothy started on a journey. or he had been released from some obligation. But it seems most likely that the term, used absolutely as it is here, means that he had been released from - - - - - - - - - - - - . All that we can say for certain is that Timothy had left the place where he was. The writer now expects Timothy to come to where he is and hopes that then the two of them can go on to visit the readers. But evidently, he intends moving fairly soon whether or not Timothy comes.
3.
() For the third time in this chapter, the "leaders" come to our attention. That they are to be greeted by the recipients of the letter makes it clear that they were not the recipients and, furthermore, that the letter was not sent to the - - - - - - - - - - - - . That greetings were to be sent shows that the recipients were on good terms with the leaders. The words "and all" may be significant — namely, there are no exceptions. "God's people" (lit., "the saints") means those consecrated to God, set apart to do him service. The greeting from "those from Italy" can mean either Italians living - - - - - - ([optional reading] cf. ) or living in their own country (cf. ).
4.
() The New Testament letters normally end with a prayer for "- - - - - " for the recipients. Grace is a fitting note on which to end a letter like this one, so full of what God has done for people in Christ. The author then closes by praying for God's grace for all his friends. He omits - - - - - - from his concern or from God's