Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Heb 13:7 9). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

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1 Grow Up! April 9, 2017 Hebrews 13:7-9 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 13:7. Public speakers and moralists generally cited examples for imitation, especially those most closely known to both writer and readers. The past tense of the verbs here may indicate that some of them have died (though not by martyrdom 12:4). Led probably refers to local leaders rather than someone like Paul, who was likely martyred a few years before this letter was sent. 13:8. Philo and probably many Diaspora Jews particularly emphasized the Old Testament picture of God s changelessness (Ps 102:27; Mal 3:6; cf. Is 46:4), because they had to communicate the truth about God to Greeks, who felt that only what was changeless was truly eternal. 13:9. Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14:3 20 listed unclean foods that Jewish people were to avoid, thus differentiating them from the nations around them. Philo allegorized these food laws but argued that one should still keep them literally; at the same time, he also testifies that some extremely Hellenized Jewish people in his day viewed them as only symbolic and did not practice them. The writer of Hebrews does not reject them by interpreting them nonliterally; he simply believes that a new time has come, and the foods previously forbidden did not directly benefit those who abstained, making the prohibitions 1 no longer necessary. (13:7) The writer is still mindful of the danger which many of the Jewish recipients of this book were in, namely, that of renouncing their professed faith in Messiah, and of returning to the abrogated sacrifices of Judaism. He exhorts them to remember those which have the rule over them. The word remember is mnemoneuo (µνεµονευο), to be mindful of. Here it means to think of and feel for a person. The exhortation is, Remember, with a view to observing the admonitions of those who have the rule over you. The word follow is the 1 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Heb 13:7 9). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. 1 More study helps at

2 translation of mimnisko (µιµνισκο) to imitate. The word considering is anatheoreo (ἀναθεορεο) to observe attentively. The words end of their conversation are more clearly, the outcome or issue of their manner of life. The exhortation is to remember their deceased leaders, persons of such a nature that they spoke the Word of God to them (2:3, 4:2). Some of these had probably gone to heaven by way of martyrdom. They are urged to imitate their faith while they at the same time observe attentively the kind of lives they lived and the outcome and issue of their lives. They were to imitate their lives where the latter tallied with what they preached. Thus, they would be guarded against forsaking Messiah and going back to the temple sacrifices. Translation. Be constantly remembering those ruling over you, especially as they are those who spoke to you the Word of God, whose faith imitate as you closely observe the outcome of their manner of life. (13:8) This verse as it is commonly translated and interpreted, teaches that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And yet, in the light of the historical background of this book, the unchangeableness of Jesus Christ cannot be the subject of the faith of its recipients, although that doctrine is true. The thought of the writer is Jesus is Christ, the same, yesterday, today, and forever. The word Christ is the transliteration of the Greek word meaning anointed, which in turn is the translation of the Hebrew word meaning Messiah. That is, the Jehovah of the Old Testament is the Jesus of Nazareth of the New. And that Person is the Messiah, the unchangeable One. Those who had the rule over the recipients of this letter, those who had spoken the Word of God to them, they were the ones who had lived and died in the faith that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). Translation. Jesus is Messiah, yesterday and today the same and forever. (13:9) Be not carried about is the translation of me paraphero, (µε παραφερο,) the present tense indicating that this was a present and an active danger. It is Stop being carried away. Divers and strange doctrines refer to the various phases of one radical error; the denial of the Messiahship of Jesus, and of His Messianic sacrifice as superseding Judaism. The Greek text has Stop being carried away. Not only was the danger present, but some were being carried away. In the words It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace not with meats, the writer points out the fact that the meats (the system of ceremonial observances), emphasizes externalism, whereas the New Testament insists upon the purification of the heart and conscience. Translation. Stop being carried away with variegated and strange teachings. For it is good when the heart is established by grace, not with foods, in the 2 More study helps at

3 2 which they who walked were not profited. 13:7 8. Religious directions follow the moral ones and this segment of the Epilogue extends through verse 17. The call, Remember your leaders, perhaps referred to former leaders who had passed away. The outcome of their way of life could be contemplated with good effect and the readers were to imitate their faith. Those leaders were gone, but Jesus Christ of whom they spoke remains continuously the same. 13:9. That is why new doctrines which conflict with the unchanging message about Jesus Christ should be rejected. The author s reference here to all kinds of strange teachings does not sound at all like a reference to normative Judaism but as if the readers were confronting a peculiar, sectarian variation of that religion (cf. comments under 3 Background and Setting in the Heb. Introduction ). 7. Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Remember your leaders. The apostle means all who had spoken or preached the Word of God to them, whether apostles, evangelists, or pastors. Imitate their faith. Think of their work in preaching the Word of God, and follow or imitate them in their faith. To imitate is to follow someone else s example. The word is often translated as follow by the apostle. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow (2 Thessalonians 3:7, 9; see also 1 Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; Hebrews 4:12). We are to imitate their faith. We are not to follow mere men, not even the best of men, as our model and example in all things is Christ alone. But we can learn to emulate Christian graces where we see them displayed in Christian leaders. So the apostle says that he himself is an example to believers (1 Corinthians 4:16; Philippians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:6), but adds a limiting factor, that they should only follow him in as much as he followed Christ: Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). 8. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. The same. Christ does not change. In his work he is the same from first to last. While various changes were made in the institutions of divine worship, and there were many 2 Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Heb 13:5 9). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. 3 Hodges, Z. C. (1985). Hebrews. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp ). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 3 More study helps at

4 parts of divine revelation, yet in and through them all Jesus Christ was still the same. So we do not need to fix a specific moment to yesterday, or to today, or to forever. Through this proverbial speech the apostle is talking about all seasons, to denote the eternity and immutability of Christ in them all. The same purpose is behind the words, grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come (Revelation 1:4). The correct consideration of Jesus Christ, especially in his eternity, immutability, and complete power, as he is always the same, is the great encouragement of believers in their whole profession of the faith and in all the difficulties they may meet on account of this. A constant clinging to the truth about the person and work of Christ will stop us from listening to various strange teachings that damage our souls. Verses 9 14 These verses seem abstruse, and the apostle s thinking is not easy to follow. But expositors usually overlook this general thinking and only concentrate on the exposition of individual verses. To find out the mind of the Holy Spirit as a whole in these verses, we must consider the purpose of the apostle here and how he deduces one thing from another. Once this is done we can turn to expounding each verse. 1. There was at this time not only an obstinate adherence to Mosaic ceremonies among many of the Jews who professed the Gospel, but also an endeavor to reinforce their necessity and to impose their observation on others. The apostle is against these things throughout his letter. When he mentions Christ and his unchanging nature in the church, the apostle adds an exhortation not to continue to observe these rites from the old covenant, as was taught by some from Judea. Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved (Acts 15:1). 2. The apostle gives this reason for his warning: such belief and behavior is inconsistent with the Gospel, the nature of Christian religion, and its great principle that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (13:8). From this he moves on to various acknowledged principles that he takes for granted or explains. First, he supposes that the spring of all their observances about meals, eating or not eating, and consequently of the other rites of the same nature was from the altar. With reference to this, clean and unclean things were determined. What was allowed to be offered on the altar was clean, and what was not allowed to be offered on the altar was unclean. And there were various laws as to which sacrifices might be eaten by the priests and which ones might not be eaten. Second, the foundation of religion lies in an altar, for that is where atonement for sin was made. And through it all our worship is offered to God, which cannot be accepted in 4 More study helps at

5 any other way. So the apostle affirms that we also have an altar, but not one that makes a distinction between meats, verse 10. Third, whatever the benefits of our altar, the way to partake in them is not through the administration of the services of the old tabernacle. 3. The reason given by the apostle for this comes from the nature of our altar and its sacrifice. In its very type it was declared that there was no right of eating or any distinction between meats. For in the solemn sacrifices of expiation and atonement, the blood from them was taken into the holy place, and the bodies of the animal sacrifices were burned entirely outside the camp; so the priests themselves had no right to eat anything from them (verses 11 12). 4. In answer to this, the Lord Christ, who is himself both our altar and our sacrifice, as he offered himself, carried his own blood, in the efficacy of it for atonement, into the holy place of heaven, and suffered in his body outside the city gate (verse 12), or in the place answering to that outside the camp where the bodies of the animals that were sacrificed were burned. So this leaves no place for eating or any distinction between meats. 5. Here a new state of religion, answering to the nature of this altar and sacrifice, is introduced, in which those observances that depended on the nature and use of the altar in the tabernacle were utterly inconsistent. So, whoever adhered to them renounced our altar and the religion founded on our altar. Nobody can have an interest in two altars at the same time, as they are so different and involve such different religious observations. 6. He adds, in the last place, what we learn from the nature and use of our altar and sacrifice, in contrast with the meats that belonged to the old typical altar. Here the apostle mentions the patient bearing of the cross, or suffering for Christ (verse 13); self-denial, concerning any interest in temporal enjoyments (verse 14); the continual worship of God in and through spiritual sacrifices made acceptable in Christ, our altar, priest, and sacrifice (verse 15); and usefulness among men in all good deeds of piety and charity (verse 16). These are the only sacrifices that we are not called to make. 9. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is clear that these strange teachings were evident in the churches of the Hebrews. This is clear in the special instance given about ceremonial foods. Not by ceremonial foods. Literally, not by foods. The heart cannot be strengthened by ceremonial foods. For the apostle immediately says they are of no value to those who eat them. This does not mean that there are two ways to become spiritually strong, one by grace, the other through ceremonial foods. Rather, grace is the only way, though some people have stupidly supposed that it might happen through ceremonial foods. The apostle often makes the distinction between the value of grace and the lack of value in ceremonial foods. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of 5 More study helps at

6 righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do (1 Corinthians 8:8; 4 see also Colossians 2:16; Hebrews 9:10). 7. Remember, &c. What follows refers not so much to morals as to doctrine. He first sets before the Jews the example of those by whom they had been taught; and he seems especially to speak of those who had sealed the doctrine delivered by them by their own blood; for he points out something memorable when he says, considering the end of their conversation; though still there is no reason why we should not understand this generally of those who had persevered in the true faith to the end, and had rendered a faithful testimony to sound doctrine through their whole life as well as in death. But it was a matter of no small importance, that he set before them their teachers for imitation; for they who have begotten us in Christ ought to be to us in the place as it were of fathers. Since then they had seen them continuing firm and unmoved in the midst of much persecutions and of various other conflicts, they ought in all reason to have been deeply moved and affected. 8. Jesus Christ the same, &c. The only way by which we can persevere in the right faith is to hold to the foundation, and not in the smallest degree to depart from it; for he who holds not to Christ knows nothing but mere vanity, though he may comprehend heaven and earth; for in Christ are included all the treasures of celestial wisdom. This then is a remarkable passage, from which we learn that there is no other way of being truly wise than by fixing all our thoughts on Christ alone. Now as he is dealing with the Jews, he teaches them that Christ had ever possessed the same sovereignty which he holds at this day; The same, he says, yesterday, and to-day, and for ever. By which words he intimates that Christ, who was then made known in the world, had reigned from the beginning of the world, and that it is not possible to advance farther when we come to him. Yesterday then comprehends the whole time of the Old Testament; and that no one might expect a sudden change after a short time, as the promulgation of the Gospel was then but recent, he declares that Christ had been lately revealed for this very end, that the knowledge of him might continue the same for ever. It hence appears that the Apostle is not speaking of the eternal existence of Christ, but of that knowledge of him which was possessed by the godly in all ages, and was the perpetual foundation of the Church. It is indeed certain that Christ existed before he manifested his power; but the question is, what is the subject of the Apostle. Then I say he refers to quality, so to speak, and not to essence; for it is not the question, whether he was from eternity with the Father, but what was the knowledge which men had of him. But the manifestation of Christ as to its external form and appearance, was indeed different under 4 Owen, J. (1998). Hebrews (pp ). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. 6 More study helps at

7 the Law from what it is now; yet there is no reason why the Apostle could not say truly and properly that Christ, as regarded by the faithful, is always the same. 9. Diverse doctrines, &c. He concludes that we ought not to fluctuate, since the truth of Christ, in which we ought to stand firm, remains fixed and unchangeable. And doubtless, variety of opinions, every kind of superstition, all monstrous errors, in a word, all corruptions in religion, arise from this, that men abide not in Christ alone; for it is not in vain that Paul teaches us, that Christ is given to us by God to be our wisdom. The import then of this passage is, that in order that the truth of God may remain firm in us, we must acquiesce in Christ alone. We hence conclude that all who are ignorant of Christ are exposed to all the delusions of Satan; for apart from him there is no stability of faith, but innumerable tossings here and there. Wonderful then is the acuteness of the Papists, who have contrived quite a contrary remedy for driving away errors, even by extinguishing or burying the knowledge of Christ! But let this warning of the Holy Spirit be fixed in our hearts, that we shall never be beyond the reach of danger except we cleave to Christ. Now the doctrines which lead us away from Christ, he says, are divers or various, because there is no other simple and unmixed truth but the knowledge of Christ; and he calls them also strange or foreign, because whatever is apart from Christ is not regarded by God as his own; and we are hereby also reminded how we are to proceed, if we would make a due proficiency in the Scripture, for he who takes not a straight course to Christ, goes after strange doctrines. The Apostle farther intimates that the Church of God will always have to contend with strange doctrines, and that there is no other means of guarding against them but by being fortified with the pure knowledge of Christ. For it is a good thing, &c. He now comes from a general principle to a particular case. The Jews, for instance, as it is well known, were superstitious as to distinctions in meats; and hence arose many disputes and discords; and this was one of the strange doctrines which proceeded from their ignorance of Christ. Having then previously grounded our faith on Christ, he now says that the observance of meats does not conduce to our salvation and true holiness. As he sets grace in opposition to meats, I doubt not but that by grace he means the spiritual worship of God and regeneration. In saying that the heart may be established, he alludes to the word, carried about, as though he had said, It is the spiritual grace of God, and not the observance of meats, that will really establish us. Which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. It is uncertain to whom he here refers; for the fathers who lived under the Law had no doubt a useful training, and a part of it was the distinction as to meats. It seems then that this is to be understood rather of the superstitious, who, after the Gospel had been revealed, still perversely adhered to the old ceremonies. At the same time were we judiciously to explain the words as applied to the fathers, there would be no inconsistency; it was indeed profitable for them to undergo 7 More study helps at

8 the yoke laid on them by the Lord, and to continue obedient under the common discipline of the godly and of the whole Church; but the Apostle means that abstinence from meats was in itself of no avail. And no doubt it is to be regarded as nothing, except as an elementary instruction at the time when God s people were like children as to their external discipline. To be occupied in meats is to be taken as having a regard to them, so as to make a distinction between clean and unclean. But what he says of meats may be 5 extended to the other rites of the Law. 5 Calvin, J., & Owen, J. (2010). Commentary on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews (pp ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software. 8 More study helps at

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