Hebrews chapter 13

vs 13

Now, before you think this verse is all about moving to the country, you have to read it in context. This author has consistently been quite picturesque in his metaphors. This is just another metaphor. It is about bearing the shame of Christ, not about leaving cities.

vs 14

And this is the reason why - because we look forward to a city (a life) in heaven. We can't build a life down here. What's the point? We will only die anyway, and in doing so we will have turned our backs on our Lord for the sake of making our short lives comfortable. Instead, we have to weather the pain and suffering of being a servant of Christ, and that then means we are building for ourselves a life in heaven.

Ok, that's the theory. How do we do it?

vs 15

This author suggests a fine way. The "sacrifice of praise", he calls it. Professing faith in Christ. We have to remember that they lived at a time where to stand up and be counted was a painful thing. It had severe ramifications regarding your position according to the government, your employer, and your family. Would it have such implications for you? What if you spoke up more? What if you offered a bit more "sacrifice of praise"?

vs 16

Other sacrifices included here that we are "not to forget", as if we do forget to do them. Which of course we do. I do, anyway. How hard can it be to remember that, as a Christian, we have to do good for people and share with them? And yet we can forget that.

vs 17

I think this is meaning church leaders. But it could mean just leaders generally. I think the word "rulers" would be used to talk about governing bodies though. Anyway, the point of Christians is not to frustrate leaders, but to have confidence in them and submit to their authority. We've pretty much forgotten that church leaders have authority. I am struggling with the "have confidence" bit, but I think I'm getting better.

vs 18

I'm guessing this praying is in the context of this author being some sort of leader.

vs 19

This bit sounds so Pauline. But so much of the letter hasn't.

vs 20

This verse is entirely descriptive. God is the God of peace. His action described was bringing Christ back from the dead. He did this, confusingly, through the blood of the eternal convenant. I don't know what that means. I mean, I know what the blood of the eternal covenant is - that's Christ's blood. But how did he bring Christ back to life through that blood? I don't get that bit.

And Jesus is the great shepherd of sheep, an enduring image that we all know.

vs 21

This prayer is all about equipping to do God's will, and then hoping that God's will is done to his satisfaction. And the only way to do God's will and to do it well is through Christ. We can't please God on our own.

vs 22

Ha. Ha ha ha. I always like this verse.

vs 23

This too sounds Pauline. But everyone loves Timothy, so why couldn't someone else write about him like this? Paul could have even gone further and said, "My dear son, whom I love like a son" or something. But at least we know by this that we're still in central orthodox Christian circles here - no craziness in this book.

vs 24

So we can assume this was written from Italy. Paul went there, but of course he might have died there too. Why Italy and not Rome? I just have to give the KJV here "Those of Italy salute you." Awesome.

vs 25

Indeed.