Jesus is the Superior Way of Life
We have worked through Hebrews for the last five months, and during this time we have seen Hebrews demonstrate the supremacy of Christ in all matters. In the past, the Lord worked through His people to bring about the nation of Israel, and through that nation He brought His Messiah. At each stage in history, though, the Lord also used these times to prepare us for the work of the Messiah.
Though angels have seen heaven and minister to humanity, Jesus is the Son of God who takes away sin.
Though Moses led God’s people out of the bondage of Egypt, Jesus leads humanity (Jew and Gentile) out of the bondage of sin and death.
In the past, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifice for the sins of the nation. Jesus has entered the Holiest of Holy places by going to heaven itself and making restitution for the sins of the whole world.
The sacrifices from the priests would have to offered regularly, but Jesus was able to finish the cycle of death and sacrifice by living a sinless life and giving that life up for us.
All of the past aspects of the Law was a “shadow of the good things to come” as Hebrews 10:1 says. Then, in 10:19, Hebrews gives us the crux of the matter. We can have confidence to enter the holy places because Jesus has made the way possible for us. And since he has given us such confidence, we can live confidently in our faith with clean consciences.
In chapter 11, Hebrews turns our attention to the long line of God’s people who shared in this journey. These Old Testament characters did not get to see the Messiah, but they knew God was moving them from a corrupted land to a greater land. It is the same land, our heavenly home, that we can boldly journey towards because Jesus has shown us the way.
And now, as Hebrews comes to a close, it will turn our attention towards our daily walk on the way to our new home. It is the way of love. It will be hard sometimes, but Jesus has given us His example in how to suffer well.
Jesus is the superior heavenly being. He is the superior Moses. He is the superior High Priest. He is the superior sacrifice. And now, we will read how he is the superior example for living well.
The Way of Brotherly Love | Hebrews 13:1-6
Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”Hebrews 13:1-6
The chapter begins with the overarching theme of this chapter—“let brotherly love continue.” Christian communities are to be known for their love for one another, as Jesus said in John 13:35. Here, Hebrews tells us to let that love “continue,” or “abide” as it is translated elsewhere. Love should be part of the culture of Christians in such a way that a lack of love seems bizarre. This love can be characterized, in part, with hospitality and fidelity.
First, Hebrews reminds us to show hospitality. In some cases, it may just be that our hospitality extends to angels, though the Greek is simply “messengers.” Regardless, the point is still the same:
Brotherly love extends to showing hospitality to strangers.
Now, each person has to decide for themselves what the extent of their hospitality can be. Wisdom still matters in these things, but if our default is “I can’t,” then it is time to reconsider our priorities. While our family served in Chilhowee, we had numerous times where travelers would be passing through town that needed a place to stay. Since there are no hotels in Chilhowee, the church would often get requests. Because we had three small children at home, my wife and I were not too thrilled with the idea of strangers in our house overnight, but I had no problem setting up the youth room for them at the church. Considering the number of travelers who were cross-country bikers used to sleeping on the ground at night, the couches and bathrooms were a welcome upgrade.
This same hospitality to strangers extends to the prisons, as well. For the first few centuries, Christians were to minister to those in prison because, chances were, their fellow Christians were the ones in prison. It wouldn’t be until the fourth century Christianity became a legal religion in Rome. Hebrews has a passing clause in verse 3, “you also are in the body.” This reference may just be to the body of Christ and is using the same principle Paul uses in 1 Corinthians. If one of our members suffer, we all suffer. If a Christian is facing prison, then we all are facing prison.
Brotherly love also extends to showing hospitality to prisoners.
Today, we tend to think of prison ministry as more of an outreach ministry. In either case, the command remains. When Jesus foretold of His Return, He talked about the Son of Man returning to judge, and part of that judgement was what the people did for those in prison.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
Matthew 25:31-36
The second part of brotherly love is fidelity. Hebrews gives us two forms of fidelity. The first is to our spouse. Marriage is a picture of God’s faithfulness to us in the Old Testament. When the Israelites chased after other gods, they were called adulterers by the prophets. In the New Testament, Paul says marriage is a mystery of Christ’s love for the Church revealed to us now. For Christians, marriage is far more than a contract for tax purposes. It is a sacred covenant of faithfulness and love between husband and wife. As such, it is to be honored in Christian households.
Brotherly love is also demonstrated in the home with loving and faithful families.
The other part of fidelity is fidelity to God. Hebrews talks about the love of money, but the principle is about where our faith lies. Do we trust in our wealth to get us through life or God? Jesus also said we cannot love both God and wealth (Matt 6:24).
When our faith is in wealth, we will fear what man can do to us. Someone may come and steal from us. If we evangelize or choose spiritual priorities, we may lose our job. Taking a rest on Sunday means losing valuable work time on business projects. We can find every excuse to not take part of what God is doing in and through the church because our priority is in wealth-building.
When our faith is in the Lord, we have no fear of what man can do because our hope is in the One who overcomes this world. Our home is heaven, and our treasure waits for us there.
How confident can you say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
Brotherly love flows from a love of God.
The more we experience the love of God, and the more our love for Him grows, the more willing we are to love those around us—including our family, friends, strangers, and prisoners.
The Way of Enduring Reproach | Hebrews 13:7-19
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 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. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Hebrews 13:7-19
Whereas the previous verses focused on brotherly love, which is a category of “right Christian practice” (or orthopraxy), Hebrews turns its attention on “right belief” (orthodoxy). It does so within the context of remembering our leaders who taught us the truth of the Gospel.
Who was it that first told you about Jesus? Was it a parent, a Sunday School teacher, a pastor? Perhaps it was a missionary, because you come from an area with very little believers. Here, Hebrews is telling its first readers to consider the ones who established their community of faith. They are to consider how their lives turned out and imitate their faith. We, too, can look at the forefathers of our faith community and consider how we can imitate their faith.
On the other hand, this same command is a warning to leaders. Is our life worth imitating? Have we lived the Truth that we teach to the church? The overarching principle is this:
Knowing the correct answer does not replace living a correct lifestyle—the two are forever linked in Christian living.
How Hebrews illustrates this point requires a bit of Levitical knowledge and a bit of knowledge about Jewish traditions not found in the Bible.
“For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them” may refer to a longstanding extra-biblical tradition of Jewish meals in which a ritual blessing would be prayed over the meal. In doing so, this made every meal a form of worship. The tradition grew to such importance that it was said “joy can only be found in the food of the temple,” and so each meal was an attempt to replicate that joy of the temple worship. When the the temple ceased to exist, it was said that joy could only be found in the wine of the meal. Much like the rest of Hebrews that has argued the superiority of Christ over Jewish customs, here, Hebrews once again says this joy is deficient if the focus is on the food rather than on the God whose grace gives the food.
Likewise, when it refers to animals that would be sacrificed on the altar and burned outside the camp, it refers to the Day of Atonement practice during the wilderness wandering. The High Priest would sacrifice the bull, present its blood on the altar of the Holy of Holies, and then the rest of the carcass was burnt outside the camp. Hebrews connects this practice with how Christ suffered on the cross outside the city of Jerusalem.
Jesus’ sacrifice and life is a true example of how our lives are to be lived.
Immediately, Hebrews returns to the idea of sharing goods and demonstrating love to others. This back and forth between theology and practical living only seems odd to us in the modern world because we are so used to separating what someone believes with how someone behaves. We are so used to inconsistency in leaders’ speech and practice that we find ways to excuse this phenomenon. Hebrews reminds us this ought not to be for Christians.
Christians are called to love because Christ loved us.
We are called to bear reproach from society because Christ suffered the same for us.
We do not count our earthly city as our home because our true home is with Christ in the future city of New Jerusalem.
Likewise, just as Christ counted his words and his deeds as a living sacrifice to God, so too, do we live willing to acknowledge His great Name and share what we have doing good to others.
Last, just as Christ submitted to humble obedience, so too are we called to humble obedience.
The last part of this section reminds us to obey our leaders, because they are keeping watch over our souls. They will give an account for how they handled their leadership, so there is no reason to make their jobs harder. In fact, it does us no good to make their jobs harder. Life is hard for everyone. It does us no good to make someone’s life harder than it needs to be.
The Way of Peace | Hebrews 13:20-25
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. Grace be with all of you.
Hebrews 13:19-25
As we close our reading of Hebrews, we must not gloss too quickly over this petition. Hebrews’ teaching is now summarized as a prayer for the people, and this prayer reinforces some key truths.
First, God is the God of peace.
The peace we so desire in this life can only come from the Lord. We will not be at peace until we are at peace with God.
Second, the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead, and through his death and resurrection, we have an eternal covenant with God. Forgiveness, salvation, and heaven are available to us because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Third, Jesus is our Great Shepherd. He is the one who will lead us to our home and supply our every need.
Fourth, Jesus will also supply “everything good” so that we may do his will. Jesus does not call us to obedience based on our own effort. He calls us to surrender to His Holy Spirit who guides and directs us.
Last, all of this is for His glory forever and ever. The sooner we realize we are not the center of the universe, the sooner we will see the larger picture of what God is doing. When we get a glimpse of that story and God’s glory, then we will find joy in the mundane of life because it is part of the tapestry of Creation.
We can experience peace in this life when we surrender to Jesus who will equip us to serve the God of peace who will bring us into the New Creation and everlasting peace.