65 - Hebrews 13:17-25: Final Admonitions, Benediction and Postscript

Hebrews 13:17-25

“Continue to obey and be submissive to your leaders, for they are accountable to God as the watchful guardians of your souls. Do this in order that they may minister with joy and not with sorrow, for that would not be advantageous for you. Continue to pray for us, for we are convinced our conscience is clear before God, it is our desire to conduct ourselves honorably in every respect. I especially urge you to pray that I may return to you very soon. May God, the source of all peace, who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, through whose blood the everlasting was ratified, equip you thoroughly with everything necessary to accomplish His will. Through the power of Jesus Christ, may He work within you that which pleases Him, to whom be glory throughout the ages. Amen. Fellow Believers, I exhort you to listen patiently to my words of warning and encouragement in this short letter. You will be happy to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, we will come and visit you together. Greet all your leaders and our fellow Believers. The Christians from Italy send their love. May God’s grace be with you all. Amen.”     (paraphrased)

v. 17
This verse affirms the existence of effective ministerial leadership within the Jewish churches. God will always bless Believers who exemplify obedient, submissive and compliant spirits. The Thessalonians were admonished to esteem their leaders very highly (II Thess. 5:12-13).

Our leaders “watch” (agrupneo) over our spiritual lives. Jesus asked His sleeping disciples if they could not watch with Him one hour (Mt. 26:40). The word means “to exercise sleepless vigilance.” The watchfulness of under shepherds over their flocks includes accountability to God. God told Ezekiel he had appointed him as a watchman over Israel to pass along His warnings to the people. If Ezekiel failed to do so, he would be held accountable (Ez. 3:17-18).
The readers are asked to cooperate with their leaders. In so doing, they make their ministries joyful rather than sorrowful. Obedience and submission to their teachings is a blessing, enabling them to minister more effectively. On the other hand, grief follows rebelliousness. “Grief” (stenazontes) depicts an internalized, silent groaning with which one reluctantly performs tasks. Paul told the Romans both his own conscience and the Holy Spirit bore witness that his heart was continually sorrowful for his fellow Jews (Rom. 9:1-3). He expresses anxious concern for the Galatians, hoping his ministry among them had not been in vain (Gal. 2:2 & 4:11). Many parishioners have no idea of the grief their pastors endure for their sakes. “Unprofitable” means “that which does not pay.” Discouraged ministers are less effective. 

vv. 18-19
A clear conscience results when one’s life is holy, sincere and upright (II Cor. 1:12). The writer does not consider himself above the need for prayer. He is determined to conduct himself righteously and make good decisions.  Because he and his companions have conducted themselves in integrity, he feels confident the prayers of his readers will be effectual. The writer’s farewell note proves his letter was addressed to a group of Believers known to him. He is anxious to rejoin them and earnestly requests their prayers. Due to the lack of information in these final verses, the circumstances that hindered his reunion with his readers are a matter of speculation. Reasons could include imprisonment, sickness or lack of travel funds.

v. 20
The writer has requested prayer for himself (v. 18) and now closes his letter with a prayer for his readers. Listed in this single verse are five primary doctrines: God’s peace, Christ’s resurrection, God’s shepherding heart, Christ’s atoning blood and God’s eternal covenant.

Although this epistle frequently has numerous illustrations, types, and symbols, we are blessed with one more. The Lord is allegorized as a Shepherd (Isa. 40:11 & Ps. 23). The concept of sheep and shepherds are mentioned hundreds of times throughout the Bible. Inevitably, these references are figurative and concern Gods loving care for us. Because human beings tend to stray, the analogy is a natural one. Sheep have significant value, so the Good Shepherd always has them in His sight. He keeps them from danger and finds them food, water and shelter. Sheep are born to follow their shepherd, and Christ’s sheep are born again to follow Him.

Picturing Himself as the Good Shepherd, Jesus:

<> Views people as sheep without a shepherd (Mk. 6:34).
<> Calls His sheep by name, which listen and follow Him (Jn. 10:3-4,  27).
<> Seeks good things to feed His sheep (Jn. 10:9)
<> Lifts fallen sheep out of the pit (Mt. 12:11).
<> Looks for new sheep to add to His fold (Jn. 10:16).
<> Gives His life for His sheep (Jn. 10:11).
<> Rose from the dead to be our Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20).
<> Intercedes for us as the Shepherd of our souls (I Pet. 2:25)
<> Will return for us as our Chief Shepherd (I Pet. 5:4).

As a Shepherd knows His sheep intimately, so Christ knows us. Totally dependent upon Him, we follow in meekness and submission. Although we view our pastors as shepherds (v. 18),  the resurrected Christ is our Great Shepherd.

v. 21
Reflecting upon the truths just listed will mature us, allowing us to serve God and to please Him. To “perfect” (katartizo) is “to equip; to fit a thing perfectly for its purpose.” It is a medical term used regarding the adjustment of a limb or joint after dislocation. As we submit to the adjustments God wants to make in our spiritual lives, He will provide everything necessary to fulfill His will.

The phrase “to Him be glory forever and ever” should not be passed over quickly. The aim of the entire epistle is to glorify Christ. Angels join with Believers in heaven to praise the Lamb day and night (Rev. 4:8). “Amen” or “so be it” is the affirmation of his prayer. 

v. 22
From the writer’s viewpoint, the entire epistle is “a word of exhortation.” He asks them to bear with him as they read and benefit from his admonitions and warnings. To “suffer” his words means to bear with them or endure them. He pleads for his readers not to be impatient with his straightforwardness. “Exhortation” (parakleseos) is translated “consolation” in 6:18, where it means “to refresh through strong words of admonition.” After his stern warnings, he softens his tone by addressing them as “brothers” and asks them to consider his essay as a letter of encouragement.

Although it can be read in less than an hour, the writer refers to his epistle as “a few words.” Had he developed each doctrine fully, his letter would have been extremely lengthy. Considering the powerful teachings condensed into one short document, his modest description is appropriate. He had many things to say regarding the Melchizedekian priesthood, but because of their reluctance to read what he could write about him (5:11). He has stated time would fail him to write more concerning the heroes of the faith (11:32). Although he has boldly warned them against the dangers of apostasy, he is almost apologetic as he attempts to lighten the burden of such heavy doctrinal truth.

v. 23
It is uncertain whether the Timothy referred to here was the same young man with which Paul was so well acquainted. Doubtless there were numerous disciples bearing such a common name. The Timothy named here seems to be on equal terms with the writer, rather than subordinate to him. However, because church tradition holds this Timothy to the same man to whom Paul wrote two letters, we will assume this is the case. Paul warned Timothy to expect persecution (II Tim. 3:12) and the reference here seems to indicate he had been incarcerated at some point. If this is true, this is the only New Testament reference to his imprisonment. 

We first meet Timothy as a young disciple at Lystra on Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 16:1). Even then, Timothy had a good reputation in Athens, Derbe, and Lystra (Phil .2:22). We know he was the recipient of a godly heritage (II Tim. 1:5) and that he loved God’s Word (II Tim. 3:15). Few Christian workers are given such accolades as Timothy. Paul ranks him alongside the apostles (I Thess. 1:1 & 2:6). He regards him as a beloved brother, a fellow worker and his “son in the faith” (I Cor. 4:17; I Tim. 1:2 & II Tim. 1:2). His name is found in Acts, Romans, I & II Corinthians, Philippians, I & II Thessalonians, Colossians and Philemon. A survey of the New Testament shows Timothy active in Asia Minor, Macedonia, Lystra, Berea, Corinth, Athens, Thessalonica and Ephesus.
By the time the letter to the Hebrews was written, Paul had probably been martyred. Timothy would have since developed into an experienced minister. As a man who followed in the apostle’s footsteps, it is not surprising to find him incarcerated for the sake of Christ. The writer had learned of Timothy’s release before his readers did. He hoped Timothy will join him soon, allowing them to travel together to visit them.

v. 24
From these few personal notes and closing remarks it is impossible to determine the writer’s true relationship to his readers. Never in his letter does he assert ministerial or pastoral authority regarding them. “They of Italy salute you” could be interpreted “Greetings from natives of Italy.” The phrase seems to infer the writer was in Italy at the time of the writing and that this greeting came from Italian Believers who were with him. But it is possible this salutation to the leaders and saints may have come from Italians who are with the writer in another country. In the final analysis, it is unknown if the letter was written from Italy or to Italy.

v. 25
It is appropriate that because grace is one of the epistles dominate themes, the writer closes by wishing grace upon everyone.  We are to boldly approach God’s throne of grace (4:16). We should obey the Spirit of grace (10:29). We must have grace to serve God (12:28). We need our hearts established by grace (13:9). 
           
His final word is “Amen”, or “Let it be so.”  Amen is a transliteration of a Hebrew term meaning “to make firm or confirm.” It is a response that affirms an endorsement. It is often interpreted in Scripture as “certainly, truly, absolutely” or “I believe it.” The word is used more than 150 times in the Bible after announcements, blessings, prayers and promises. It is often employed to conclude a benediction (Heb. 13:21). It is utilized to confirm that statements made are true and reliable. When the word is attached to the beginning of a sentence, it emphasizes what is about to be said it true. Every time Jesus says “truly”, it is the word “amen”. He often used it back-to-back to doubly emphasize His statements (Jn.5:24-25).

The Lord is called “the God of truth” (Isa. 65:16), but the Hebrew is “the God of Amen.” One of the titles given to Christ in Revelation is “The Amen” (Rev.3:14). Amen! was originally used as an affirming verbal response to synagogue teachings. This Jewish tradition was adopted by the Christian community. In this connection, it is very appropriate this special word is the very last one used in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Amen.

Summation

The highly-visual Levitical system was specifically designed for only one nation on earth, yet it has had a global impact. It was given by God to graphically portray the only way in which man may approach Him. But despite its wondrous splendor, it was only a shadow of things to come. In the divine plan of God, the transitory Hebrew religion faded away to reveal God’s global plan of salvation.

The original recipients of the letter are asked to forsake the pomp and pageantry of temple services. As Christianity spread from Judea to the uttermost parts of the Gentile world, their leaders were no longer priests, but former fishermen, tax collectors and tentmakers. Though persecuted, ridiculed and lambasted for their new-found faith in Christ, they must not abandon their only hope of salvation. The first-century Church was in danger of discouragement (12:3), apostasy (3:12) and indoctrination by false teachers (13:9). However, this book has tremendous relevance today, for these same dangers exist in our current era of prevailing apathy.

Written in a symmetrical style, with excellent word arrangement and rhythmical sentence-structure, its eloquence demonstrates the very best of grammatical and rhetorical skills. This epistle is a doctrinal treatise with a pragmatic purpose. Without it, the relationship of Judaism to Christianity would be almost impossible to comprehend. For two millennia this epistle has remained the key that unlocks the mysteries of the Old Testament, providing us access to the New.   

QUESTIONS: FINAL ADMONITIONS, BENEDITION AND POSTSCRIPT

Hebrews 13:17-25

1. The word “watch” (13:17) means “sleepless vigilance” True or False?

2. From 13:17, we learn those in spiritual authority over us are guardians of our souls. In Philippians 3:18, what was Paul’s emotional response to those who led others astray through false doctrines?
A. weeping
B. laughter
C. indifference
D. gratitude
E. anger

3. A survey of the New Testament shows Timothy to be active in:
A. Athens
B. Berea
C. Corinth
D. Derbe
E. all of the above

4. Timothy is mentioned in:
A. Philemon
B. II John
C. II Peter
D. James
E. none of the above

5. According to John 10:4, what do sheep always know?

6. According to John 10:5, who will sheep not follow? 

7. What is a good shepherd willing to do? (John 10:11 & 15)

8. According to John 10:27-28, what will the Good Shepherd give His sheep?

9. The word “Amen” can mean:
A. so be it
B. let it be so
C. absolutely
D. I believe it
E. all of the above

10. Discuss with your spouse the most important truth you have learned from the book of Hebrews.

 

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