OceanSide church of Christ

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FINAL COMMANDS AND FINAL WORDS

Hebrews 13:3b-5a

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    The writer is nearing the conclusion of his epistle to the Hebrews.

 

B.      There are lots of things that he longs for them to know and do.  Thus, he gives them a list of twelve commands before closing the chapter.

 

C.     As we read these last twenty-five verses, we find the writer still draw to his theme (Heb. 13:9-14).

 

D.    We have divided the chapter into two sections:

 

i.                    FINAL COMMANDS (Heb. 13:1-19)

 

ii.                  FINAL WORDS (Heb. 13:20-25)

 

I.             FINAL COMMANDS (Heb. 13:1-19)

 

A.    Brotherly love (Heb. 13:1)

B.      Hospitality (Heb. 13:2)

C.     Those in affliction (Heb. 13:3)

1.        The prisoner (Heb. 13:3)

a.       The command to “remember” (Heb. 13:3a)

b.      The compassion to be manifested (Heb. 13:3b)

1)       We are to identify with their sufferings:  “…as bound with them…”

a)      It is not just enough to think of them.

b)     We are to think of them as if we were bound with them:  cold, hungry, lonely, and fearful.  Another word for this reaction is compassion (to suffer with).

c)      When we feel what another is feeling, we are more likely to respond to their needs.

2)      Hebrews 10:34

 

For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods…

 

2.       The persecuted (Heb. 13:3)

 

…and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

 

a.       The charge to remember the suffering (Heb. 13:3c)

1)       Suffer adversity

a)      Strong (2558):  maltreat

b)     Thayer:  ill treat, oppress, plague

2)      As we sometimes live comfortably, others are suffering affliction.

3)      The old saying is true:  “Out of sight; out of mind.”

4)      Thus, we must intentionally remind ourselves of these individuals.

b.      The connection shared in the body:  as being yourselves also in the body (Heb. 13:3d)

1)       The church is often called the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18).

2)      Individual Christians are members of that body (I Cor. 12:27).

 

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

 

3)      Just as our physical body suffers when one of its members suffer, the same should be true in the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:26).

And whether one member suffer, all the members should suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

 

4)      NOTE: 

a)      We want others to suffer and rejoice with us.

b)     However, we do not always do a very good job suffering and rejoicing with others.

c)      Question:  How do we become more conscientious?  How do we become more intentional in our care for one another?

 

D.    Marriage (Heb. 13:4)

1.        Proper sexual fulfillment (Heb. 13:4a)

 

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled…

 

a.       The family unit is a very important part of the church.  Most churches are composed of families.  We must continue to advocate for a very high ideal within this institution and never let it be perverted.

b.      All sexual fulfillment is good and proper in the marriage relationship.

1)       God created man.  He is fully aware of man sexual needs.  He did not overlook them.  He placed them in a safe and secure location, marriage.

2)      Sadly, we must define marriage today because Satan has perverted it.

a)      Marriage is a committed relationship between a man and a woman.

b)     Marriage is a joining of a man and a woman as one by God.

c)      In a marriage, both parties must be lawful to be married.

d)     Wacaster:  “Homosexual unions do not honor marriage (Rom. 1:26-27).  Co-habitating with someone out of marriage does not honor the marriage institution (John 8:16-18).  Adulterous marriages (wherein someone had divorced and remarried without scriptural authority) do no honor marriage (Rom. 7:2-3)” (Studies in Hebrews, 542).

3)      Marriage is honourable.

a)      Strong (5093):  valuable, costly, honored, esteemed, beloved

b)     Thayer:  as of great price, precious, held in honour, esteemed, especially dear

c)      NOTES: 

-          This could have been written against views held by groups such as the Essenes who did not highly favor marriage.  Instead, they opted for celibacy.

-          Sometimes it is how we live within our marriages that takes the honor out of it.  If we practiced marriage as God intended, it would truly be precious to all:  spouses, children, and society.

4)      The bed undefiled.

a)      The bed is symbolic of the place where a husband and wife have their sexual relationship.

b)     The bed is undefiled.

-          Strong (283):  unsoiled, pure

-          Thayer:  not defiled, unsoiled, free from that which by the nature of a thing is deformed and debased

2.       Improper sexual fulfillment (heb. 13:4b)

 

…but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

 

a.       The writer uses two words to define improper sexual fulfillment.

1)       Whoremongers

a)      Strong (4205):  a male prostitute, a debauchee (a person addicted to excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures) (libertine)   :- fornicator

b)     Thayer:  a man who prostitutes his body to another’s lust for hire, a male prostitute, a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse

c)      Vine:  a man who indulges in fornication

2)      Adulterers

a)      Strong (3432):  a male paramour (an illicit lover, especially of a married person)

b)     Thayer:  an adulterer

c)      Vine:  one who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of another

3)      NOTE:  Both words involve sexual relationships outside the marriage

relationship. 

a)      The first is a broad term involving many sexual relationships: homosexuality, bestiality, pedophilia, etc.

b)     The second term involves sexual relationships involving one or more who are married to another.

b.      The text does not say these relationships are honorable.  No, God will judge those who engage in such practices.

1)       Judge

a)      Strong (2919):  try, condemn, punish

b)     Thayer:  to pronounce judgment, subject to censure

2)      It will not be those in the relationship that will judge.

It will not be a therapist who will judge.

It will not be a parent or family member who will judge.

It will not be a politician or political activist who will judge.

3)      God, who created marriage and wrote the laws for the institution, will be the judge.

a)      Barnes:  “All licentiousness of life, and all violations of the marriage covenant, will be severely punished by God” (e-sword).

b)     Vincent:  “He will judge and condemn infractions of the marriage-bond, however social sentiment may condone them” (e-sword).

 

E.      Contentment and Reliance (Heb. 13:5-6)

1.        Covetousness to be eliminated (Heb. 13:5a)

 

Let your conversation be without covetousness…

 

a.   Our conversation is simply our manner of life.

b.   It is to be without covetousness.

1)  Strong (866):  unavaricious (avarice is an insatiable greed for riches, miserly desire

     to gain and hoard wealth)

                                    2)  Thayer:  not loving money

                                    3)  Ephesians 5:3

 

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh saints.

 

c.       This is difficult in our society.

1)       We have plenty of money that will allow us to have more than we need.

2)      The marketers are constantly tempting our desires with more products.

3)      We have a tendency to justify things that we want, thinking we “need” them.

4)      There are others of our age and within our socio-economic position with more than we have.

5)      We yield to the flesh (get our things) and rebel against the spiritual (an urgent need by the church or a missionary).

2.       Contentment is to be embraced (Heb. 13:5b)

 

…and be content with such things as ye have…