Summary of Hebrews 13:
Love each others as brothers and do not forget strangers. Remember prisoners and others who are suffering. Keep the marriage bed pure. Be content with what you have, and be free from the love of money. Remember the leaders who spoke of God and imitate their faith as Jesus is the same forever.
Be strengthened by grace and do not listen to strange teachings. Jesus made the people holy through his blood. Keep your goal as the eternal city and do not be afraid to be disgraced. Continually praise God and share with others.
Obey your leaders as they must give an account so their work may be a joy and not a burden. Pray for them.
May God equip you with everything you need to do His will and may He work in us for what is pleasing to him.
Grace to all.
BSF Study Questions Acts Lesson 16, Day 5: Hebrews 13
12) Part personal Question. My answer: Love each others as brothers and do not forget strangers. Remember prisoners and others who are suffering. Keep the marriage bed pure. Be content with what you have, and be free from the love of money. Remember the leaders who spoke of God and imitate their faith as Jesus is the same forever.
Be strengthened by grace, and do not listen to strange teachings. Jesus made the people holy through his blood. Keep your goal as the eternal city, and do not be afraid to be disgraced. Continually praise God, and share with others.
Obey your leaders as they must give an account so their work may be a joy and not a burden. Pray for them.
Me: continually praise God will the one I will work on most everywhere I go.
13) Personal Question. My answer: What Jesus endured is hard to imagine. I try to keep the fact in the forefront of my mind that he suffered needlessly so why shouldn’t I suffer. And through it all, he was faithful, as I should be.
BSF Study Questions Acts Lesson 16, Day 5: Hebrews 13
Hebrews is always a great book to re-read. It offers great advice and perspective on Jesus and on your life today.
BSF Study Questions Acts Lesson 16, Day 5: Hebrews 13
In the ancient Greek language of the New Testament, there were four words that could be translated love:
- Eros — erotic love, referring to sexual love.
- Storge — family love, the kind of love there is between a parent and child or between family members in general.
- Agape — the most powerful word for love in the New Testament, and was often used to describe God’s love towards us. It is a love that loves without changing. It is a self-giving love that gives without demanding or expecting re-payment. It is love so great that it can be given to the unlovable or unappealing. It is love that loves even when it is rejected. Agape love gives and loves because it wants to; it does not demand or expect repayment from the love given – it gives because it loves, it does not love in order to receive. Agape love isn’t about feelings; it is about decisions.
- Philia — brotherly love and friendship used in Hebrews 13:1 It is the love of deep friendship and partnership.
Christian Hospitality
Hospitality is an important virtue, and often it is commanded of Christians and leaders (Romans 12:10-13, 1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:7-8, 1 Peter 4:9). In the ancient world, inns were notorious for immorality. It was important for traveling Christians to find open homes from other Christians.
Because of this command of hospitality, Christians had to watch out for people just masquerading as Christians so they could leech off the generosity of God’s people. As time went on, Christian leaders taught their people how to recognize these deceivers.
The ancient Greek word for hospitality (used in passages like Romans 12:13) is literally translated, “love for strangers.” Brotherly love means love for all our brothers and sisters in Jesus, not just those who are currently our friends.
When we are hospitable to others, we really welcome Jesus (Matthew 25:35), and perhaps angels. Abraham (Genesis 18:1-22) and Lot (Genesis 19:1-3) are examples of those who entertained angels.
Sex As God Commands
The main purpose of sex is to bond together a one-flesh relationship. This is what gives sex meaning, beyond a pleasurable experience; this is what God offers in sexual expression according to His will, what the world can’t offer or match.
Fornicators refers to those who have sex without the commitment of marriage.
Adulterers refers to those who are not faithful to their marriage vows and have sex outside of their marriage vows.
Covetousness is the opposite of contentment. Often covetousness and greed are excused or even admired in today’s culture, and are simply called ambition.
Five negatives in the Ancient Greek here: ‘I will not, not leave thee; I will never, no never, forsake thee.’”
The quotation from Psalm 118:6 points to the truth that real contentment comes only when we trust in God to meet our needs and to be our security — not things.
The unchanging nature (which theologians call immutability) of Jesus Christ could be inferred from His deity, even if it were not explicitly stated. God doesn’t change over the ages, so neither does Jesus, who is God.
The camp refers to institutional Judaism, which rejected Jesus and Christianity. Though these Christians from Jewish backgrounds were raised to consider everything outside the camp as unclean and evil, now they had to follow Jesus outside traditional, institutional Judaism of that time.
Praise that pleases God is offered by Him, that is by Jesus Christ, on the ground of His righteousness and pleasing God. It is continual, it may be costly or inconvenient, and it will be fruitful.
We are to be submissive to the leaders God gives us (assuming they have the character mentioned in Hebrews 13:7). We are simply told to obey those who rule over us. When speaking on the authority of God’s Word, leaders do have a right to tell us how to live and walk after God.
We obey and submit to our leaders because God put them in a place of responsibility and accountability over us. This does not relieve individual responsibility on the part of leaders to be moral, but it puts an additional accountability and responsibility upon leaders.
Praying for Others
The writer to the Hebrews considered it important that others pray for him. We all need and should welcome the prayers of others.
In the grammar of the ancient Greek language, pray is in the present imperative verb tense. It indicates continuous activity and implies that they were already praying for him.
We pray for him; he prays for us
This is a fitting end for a book that documents the passing of the Old Covenant and the institution of the New Covenant. Grace be with you all indeed!