Hebrews 13, verses 18 to 25, Grace be with you all.

 

Hebrews 13:18 ¶  Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19  But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20  Now 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, 21  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 22  And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. 23  Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. 24  Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. 25  Grace be with you all. Amen. «Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy.»

2Thessalonians 3:1 ¶  Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

Paul wishes to return to them and perhaps that indicates, since the traditional postscript has Timothy writing this for Paul from Italy, it is written to the Jewish Christians in Judea and environs if not to the Jewish Christians in Rome itself where he is imprisoned. Romans 15 may be going the other way.

Romans 15:30 ¶  Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; 31  That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; 32  That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

Verse 20 is just filled with profound meaning. God made peace between Himself and mankind. I want to read Ephesians, chapter 2 here as that chapter bears a lot of significance to the first part of this verse in Hebrews.

Ephesians 2:1 ¶  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

    4 ¶  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

    11 ¶  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

 

    14 ¶  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Believing in the resurrection is fundamental to the Christian faith and, in fact, there is no salvation without that faith.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Jesus is the great shepherd, the good shepherd.

John 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

1Peter 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

 

The blood of the everlasting covenant was Jesus’ own blood.

Acts 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Romans 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Romans 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Ephesians 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Revelation 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

From verse 21 perfect is complete and finished, lacking nothing.

2Chronicles 8:16  Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected.

James 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Paul wants them to be complete and perfect, lacking nothing, in their service to God through Jesus Christ, which is most pleasing to God.

Timothy here is Paul’s amanuensis, a type of secretary who wrote at Paul’s dictation. This is sent from Italy to the Jewish Christians in the Ancient Near East, it would seem. And so ends this most profound theological letter.