Hebrews 13, verses 1 to 17, part 1, Let brotherly love continue

 

Hebrews 13:1 ¶  Let brotherly love continue. 2  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3  Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. 4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 7  Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11  For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17  Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Paul gives his closing remarks now to this remarkable letter filled with theology. He says to the Jews who would be followers of Christ and to us by extension that we should let brotherly love continue. This is expressed by the word charity in the Bible, most notably 1Corinthians 13. It is fundamental to the faith.

1Corinthians 13:1 ¶  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, [this shows that this is not referring to charity as we use the word today] and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

    4 ¶  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

    8 ¶  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

And remember Jesus’ own admonition.

John 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

A shocking statement is made in verse 2. Paul states that it is possible that unidentified persons to whom you minister may be spiritual beings in bodily form sent by God for your ministry. That you may have been compelled or urged by the Holy Spirit to talk to a stranger about Christ who was in all actuality was an angel sent by God, perhaps the angel of a person already in Heaven, is astounding. Bible characters did entertain angels but often were keenly aware of the supernatural nature of the individual they were entertaining. I think of one example being Samson’s parents and the angel or appearance of God Himself in Judges 13.

Paul asks his audience to remember those Christians who are suffering, are bound, possibly waiting to be executed. Today we have organizations such as Voice of the Martyrs that remind us of suffering Christians around the world. Imagine yourselves bound with them. This is an important part of Paul’s declaration of what it means to be a Christian, compassion for other Christians who are suffering, identifying with their suffering.

The honor and propriety of the institution of Christian marriage is lifted up in verse 4 and contrasted with whoremongers and adulterers.

Genesis 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

The union of one man and one woman is ordained by God as in marriage for life and there is no other definition suitable for Christian marriage. Christians should set the example for non-Christians. Living together in fornication without a marriage before God and man, shacking up as it has been called, adultery, casual divorce for any reason you claim that is not Biblical or no reason at all, a lust for pornography, incest, and all other forms of sexual expression outside of the marriage bond are wicked and part of what has brought this country to the point where so many are dependent upon the government and so many are mentally ill by virtue of the self-hatred and self-loathing that grew in them as they grew up in single family homes where a parent was rarely present and poverty was a way of life. I’m glad if you grew up in a single-family home to a Godly mother who raised you in the nurture and admonition of the Lord but you are a rare outcome of such conditions. Be grateful to God for His mercy.