Verse by Verse

7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

rule (v.7) = guide, leadership

follow (v.7) = imitate

outcome of their conduct (v.7) — the way they lived, probably including those in chapter 11 and more recent leaders

Verse 8 shows Christ as the object of the faith in verse 7.

Clearly Hebrews 13:8 and similar verses such as Malachi 3:6 (For I am the LORD, I change not) are not intended to be applied to physical truths, but rather to the unchangeable nature of the Godhead. Always holy, always perfect, God demonstrates His attributes in verses such as Isaiah 11:2. God is love, and so much more: and it is those attributes which are the same yesterday, today and forever. — McLean, page 192.

do not be carried (v.9) — tense indicates present danger — (here) rejecting Christ as Messiah and returning to Judaism

grace (v.9) — the inward purification of the new covenant

foods (v.9) — the ceremonial observances of Judaism

Previously, meats were said to belong to them that are of full age, and strong meat was spoken of favorably (Hebrews 5:13-14), unlike the verse above. — McLean, page 192.

1 Let brotherly love continue.

2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them — those who are mistreated — since you yourselves are in the body also.

4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

6 So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

entertained angels (v.2) — Abraham (Genesis 18:1-3); Lot (Genesis 19:1-2)

It is important to notice that Israel must endure to the end of their Great Tribulation while keeping the faith of Christ and the commandments, which is referred to as the “everlasting gospel,” the source of which is angels (Revelation 14:6, 12).

And it is of the utmost importance for remnant Israel to pay attention to angels, hence this instruction to entertain strangers because those strangers might actually be angels; and angels have the everlasting gospel to preach to remnant Israel.

These instructions are very much opposite the apostle Paul’s clear teaching that we in our dispensation are not under the commandments (Romans 6:14; Colossians 2:16; Galatians 5:1) and that we are not to listen to angels (Galatians 1:8). — McLean, pages 186-187

in the body (v.3) — in a condition in which they might also have to suffer

Marriage is (v.4) = “let marriage be”

honorable (v.4) = held as of great price, esteemed

content (v.5) — satisfied with what meets your needs and not wanting extra

such things as you have (v.5) = one’s circumstances

I will never leave you (v.5) — quote from Deuteronomy 31:6

leave (v.5) = loosen, let sink, neglect to uphold

forsake (v.5) = abandon in troubles, let one down

boldly (v.6) — in the habit of being courageous

The LORD is my helper (v.6) — quote from Psalm 118:6

25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,

26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.”

27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Those who rejected God’s message from Mt. Sinai through angels, didn’t escape judgment. Those who reject God’s message in Christ (Hebrews 1:2) won’t either.

see (v.25) = see to it — continuous action

they (v.25) — Israel in the Exodus

if we turn away (v.25) — action then going on

shook the earth (v.26) — Exodus 19:18 — Haggai 2:6 — judgment at Christ’s second coming (2 Peter 3:10, 12; Revelation 20:11; 21:1-5; Isaiah 65:17; 66:22)

The writer quotes the prophecy of Haggai 2:6. This will be fulfilled during the Great Tribulation period at which time the movements and functions of the heavenly bodies will be disorganized (Revelation 6:12-17; 8:12), and an earthquake will shake the entire earth, occurring at the moment the Messiah’s feet touch the Mount of Olives at the close of the Great Tribulation (Zechariah 14:4-5; Revelation 6:12; 11:13; 16:18) — Wuest, page 230.

things that are made (v.27) — temporary things — The destruction of temporary things highlights permanent things

have grace (v.28) — be grateful

reverence (v.28) = caution, discretion

godly fear (v.28) = apprehension of danger (not terror) — regard for God and His standards

Verse 29 is a quote from Deuteronomy 4:24

18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest,

19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.

20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.”

21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,

23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

mountain (v.18) — Sinai (Exodus 19:9-25; 20:18-21; Deuteronomy 4:10-24)

may be touched (v.18) — tangible

God’s purpose for that day is expressly recorded in the Old Testament: “... I will make them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth …” (Deuteronomy 4:10; cf. Exodus 20:20). God was warning them from heaven with an awesome demonstration in order that they might fear and obey Him. — KJV Commentary, page 1709.

beast (v.20) — If an animal touched the mountain, the people could not touch it but had to kill it by stoning or with a spear.

shot with an arrow (v.20) — not in best manuscripts

general assembly (v.23) — most commentators think this refers to the angels in verse 22 — a festive gathering

spirits of just men (v.23) — those saved before Christ’s death who were not, until that point, made perfect and who had still not been resurrected.

Abel (v.24) — His blood cried for vengeance. Christ’s blood is better — it cries for mercy

12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,

13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

Verses 12 and 13 take up the athletic image from verses 1 and 2. They exhort the Hebrews not to fall prey to weariness or discouragement.

Therefore (v.12) — based on what was just written about chastisement

strengthen (v.12) = straighten up — from the same word as “straight” in verse 13 — set upright

straight (v.13) — right, smooth

lame (v.13) — those inclined to give up and return to law — Make the path smooth so as not to cause the lame to stumble.

While Isaiah 35:3 is a sound cross reference for these verses, as most every commentary and study Bible notes, it may well be that the foundation for both the Isaiah and Hebrew references is Moses:

And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun (Exodus 17:11-12).

The Hebrew reader will need all the help he can get from other members of remnant Israel to endure to the end of the Great Tribulation, just as Moses needed help to persist and prevail. — McLean, page 178.

Wuest gets around the problem of these verses by claiming the individuals who fall away were never really saved. McLean (below) sees it differently. I lean toward McLean’s view.

The exhortation is to the born-again Jews who had left the temple, to live such consistent saintly lives, and to cling so tenaciously to their new-found faith, that the unsaved Jews who had also left the temple and had outwardly embraced the New Testament truth, would be encouraged to go on to faith in Messiah as High Priest, instead of returning to the abrogated sacrifices of the Levitical system. These truly born-again Jews are warned that a limping Christian life would cause these unsaved Jews to be turned out of the way. — Wuest, page 222.

looking (v.15) = exercising oversight — watching out for each other

fall short (v.15) = arrive late, fall back from

root of bitterness (v.15) — perhaps a reference to Deuteronomy 29:18

profane (v.16) — regard something as common which should be considered holy — in Esau’s case, his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34)

This is neither a Christian nor an unsaved pretender but rather a Tribulation Hebrew being exhorted to keep himself from falling away.

No Christian inherits a blessing in that we are told we have all spiritual blessings in heavenly places now (Ephesians 1:3). However Israel’s blessed yet future inheritance has been a recurrent theme of this book (Hebrews 1:4, 13, 2:5, 8; 3:6, 18; 4:6, 9; 6:11, 15; 8:10; 10:25; 11:8-10; 11:39 and here). — McLean, page 180.

9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.

11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Chastening by our human fathers is brief (comparatively) and sometimes done with wrong motives. God’s chastening has only their (the Jews) highest good in mind. The chastening referred to here is probably the Tribulation.

Father of spirits (v.9) — in contrast with “human fathers”

for a few days (v.10) — during youth. It ends with adulthood, whether the child still needs it or not.

as it seemed best to them (v.10) = opinion, supposition — subjective judgment

yields (v.11) = gives back, produces in return

peaceable (v.11) = bestows happiness and welfare

3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;

6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?

8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

consider (v.3) — reflect upon — Christ’s example

hostility (v.3) = to speak or act against

These persecuted Jews, mistreated by their brethren after the flesh who were still clinging to the temple sacrifices, are exhorted to thus contrast this opposition which they were meeting, with that endured by Messiah, and to do this in order that they would not be weary, fainting in their souls. — Wuest, page 217.

Himself (v.3) — some manuscripts read “themselves” (see Numbers 16:38)

discouraged in your souls (v.3) — weariness of soul

resisted to bloodshed (v.4) — They hadn’t yet been tried and persecuted for their faith to the death (as many had and as Jesus did).

forgotten (v.5) — Proverbs 3:11-12; 13:24 (Job 5:17; Psalm 94:12)

despise (v.5) — make little of, treat carelessly

chastening (v.5) — used for the training and education of children — instruction to increase virtue — not punishment, but correcting

When the time of chastising, the Great Tribulation, takes place, Hebrews must suffer even unto blood, even unto the death of a martyr. To despise what was taking place would be evidence of rebellion rather than submission, and that would be unacceptable. To faint during what was taking place would be evidence of not enduring to the end, and that would be unacceptable as well.

How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him (Hebrews 2:3).

The answer to the rhetorical question of Hebrews 2:3 has been confirmed in this passage: there is no escape and the chastening is to be endured, not despised. — McLean, page 174.

love (v.6) — agape

receives (v.6) — recognizes as a son

Verse 7 should read “It is for chastening you are enduring … “

endure (v.7) — The Hebrews should “remain under” the chastening hand of God.

Those who would reject the Messiah and return to the Old Testament religion would prove themselves not sons.

In the Old Testament, Israel was taught to regard any visitation of God’s disciplinary measures such as drought and famine or enemy attack, as a sign of His displeasure with His people because of their sins. Hence, these Hebrews in the first-century would naturally regard this persecution in the same light. The writer hastens to assure them that instead of this chastening being an indication that they were not right with God, it was a proof of their sonship, for all sons are partakers of chastening. Those among them who would not submit to this chastening were, therefore, unsaved. — Wuest, pages 218-219.

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

we (v.1) — Hebrews

we also (v.1) — refers to running a race, not the witnesses

cloud of witnesses (v.1) — those referred to in chapter 11

cloud (v.1) = one covering the entire sky

witnesses (v.1) — those testifying about faith — examples of faith, not spectators

weight (v.1) — not just sin, but anything that burdens the runner

snares (v.1) = cleverly placed around — trip up

race (v.1) — Psalm 19:5

set before (v.1) — lie in full view

looking (v.2) = looking earnestly — looking away from everything else — Jesus is the perfect example of faith.

our (v.2) — not in the original

author and finisher (v.2) — leader (author), one who completes (finisher) — chief leader — Jesus Christ is the pattern and motivation for our faith.

for the joy (v.2) = instead of — Jesus renounced the joy He had for the shame and suffering of the cross. — Philippians 2:6-8

sat down (v.2) — tense indicates action with permanent effects — a finished work

35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented —

38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,

40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

dead raised to life again (v.35) — 1 Kings 17:22-24; 2 Kings 4:36

tortured (v.35) — stretched on a wheel and beaten

deliverance (v.35) — offered if they gave up their faith

better resurrection (v.35) — better than those mentioned earlier in the verse who were raised but died again

imprisonment (v.36) — Jeremiah (for example) — Jeremiah 38:9

stoned (v.37) — Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-22)

sawn in two (v.37) — Isaiah (tradition)

tempted (v.37) — pressured to abandon their faith

caves (v.38) — 1 Kings 18:4

something better (v.40) — those things given to believers after and because of the cross — union with Christ, individual access to God

Verse 40 seems to be saying that God did not fulfill His promise to the Old Testament believers while they were alive because He wanted to include the Hebrew believers of the first century (the Pentecost church) and, probably, also the believers of the Tribulation together in the promise which is now a better fulfillment because of What Christ has done.

All those listed or referred to in the chapter kept their faith even though they did not realize God’s promise.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.

31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:

33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

did not believe (v.31) — disbelief manifested by disobedience

subdued kingdoms (v.33) — David (2 Samuel 8:1-14)

worked righteousness (v.33) — David (2 Samuel 8:15)

obtained promises (v.33) — 2 Kings 19:15; 20:2, etc.

stopped the mouths of lions (v.33) — Daniel (Daniel 6:16-23); Samson (Judges 14:5-6); David (1 Samuel 17:34-36)

quenched the violence of fire (v.34) — Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego (Daniel 3:19-30)

escaped the edge of the sword (v.34) — Jehoshaphat, David, Elijah, etc.

The writer skips the 40 years in the wilderness, a time not marked by faith