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 ESV

Back in Hebrews 10:19-25, the author gave us a series of three commands that were directly rooted in the sufficiency of Christ’s priestly work as described in chapters 7-10. Those three commands effectively serve as a table of contents for the final three chapters of Hebrews. The conclusion of 10 and all of 11 gave us numerous examples of those who drew near to God by faith rather than shrinking back in fear. Chapter 12 through its marathon imagery and spiritual vision of our present blessings and future hope, expounded upon the command: “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Now we come to chapter 13, which is largely a great series of practical exhortation for the Christian life. Indeed, here the author is modeling what he has commanded us to do through the Holy Spirit: “stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

LOVE & HOSPITALITY // VERSES 1-3

Let brotherly love continue.

So begins our final chapter of Hebrews. It is difficult to know where to begin when discussing such a simple yet profound command, but I think it best to first note how this command differs from the rest of the many commands in this chapter. As we will see with the four other commands that we will consider today, author has a pattern of following each command with an explanation that is meant to drive the exhortation further. Most often that explanation begins with the word “for.” Notice it in verse 2: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Or verse 4: Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Verse 3 follows the same pattern but uses the words “as though” and “since:” Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. And again, that pattern can be noted throughout this chapter.

Why then does this first and, I would argue, most fundamental command not follow that pattern? I believe we should see this command as the thesis and archetype for all that follow. Or perhaps we could say that all the other commands in this chapter are particular aspects of this overarching command. Indeed, we find that love for one another must be foundational to Christ’s church. John Owen wonderfully says:

And in vain shall men wrangle and contend about their differences in opinions, faith, and worship, pretending to advance religion by an imposition of their persuasion on others: unless this holy love be again re-introduced among all those who profess the name of Christ, all the concerns of religion will more and more run to ruin. The very continuance of the Church depends secondarily on the continuance of this love. It depends primarily on faith in Christ, whereby we are built on the Rock and hold the Head. But it depends secondarily on this mutual love. Where this faith and love are not, there is no Church. Where they are, there is a Church materially, always capable of evangelical form and order.[1]

Or as our Lord also says in John 13:34-35:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

This love is not an abstract ideal but a concrete necessity. Indeed, verses 2-3 display the first two tangible examples of such love. First, a Christian’s brotherly love must be hospitable: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

In the ancient world, hospitality was upheld as a chief virtue. Indeed, three times in the Odyssey, Odysseus inquires whether a country is civilized and godly by how they receive foreigners. Of course, it would be an entirely different question to ask how they lived up to that ideal. Yet if even pagans valued hospitality, how much more ought Christians?

And while we should certainly show hospitality to all men, I believe that the author is speaking particularly about being hospitable to fellow Christians. Remember the context of this letter. As 10:32-34 showed, the original readers had already endured one persecution in which many lost their property, and another persecution was rapidly approaching. Such trials likely left many Christians jobless or homeless and fleeing to other cities.

What better opportunity was there for displaying the love of Christ through their love for one another than by showing hospitality to their afflicted brothers and sisters? About this verse, John Brown writes, “The circumstances of Christians are greatly changed in the course of ages, but the spirit of Christian duty remains unchanged.”[2] While that is certainly still true today, I would also note that with the rise of neopaganism the circumstances of the original audience may not be foreign to us for long. As Christianity continues to lose influence and even provokes outright hostility in our culture, we should make ourselves ready to support those who are strangers for Christ’s sake.

Before moving on to verse 3, we must pause for a moment to consider this explanation: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. I agree with most commentators that Abraham’s lunch with the angels in Genesis 18 is most likely in the author’s mind, and we should take the author as meaning exactly what he says. Since we are not materialists, we should not marvel at the possibility of encountering heavenly beings without realizing it. However, I believe the overall point of mentioning angels here is to set our minds upon the greater spiritual depth that our simple acts of hospitality display. After all, we should remember that Jesus said that the love we show to the least of His brothers is the love that we are showing to Him (Matthew 25:34-40).

Verse 3 is intimately bound to verse 2: Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Here the author summons his readers not to forget those who were imprisoned for Christ’s sake. Ancient prisons were not nearly so humane as today’s prisons. If a person was to survive for any extended period of time, they would only do so through the provision of family. Thus, taking care of those in prison was a perfect way to show a Christian’s brotherly love. Of course, doing so was risky, since the visitor could easily be marked as a fellow Christian. But in answer to this risk, the author says that we should act as though in prison with them. We should count ourselves as already imprisoned whenever one of our brothers or sisters in Christ is imprisoned.

The second half of the verse then expands this loving identification to all those who are mistreated for Christ’s sake. Again, the original audience had already done this once before: “sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated” (10:33). They must do so again, for you also are in the body.

As at many points in this sermon-letter, I think the author uses that phrase in two ways. First, we all belong to the body of Christ; therefore, when one is mistreated, all are mistreated. But I believe he also means that we are still in our earthly bodies and that our race of faith is not yet complete. Therefore, we should show the same kind of love to our persecuted brethren that we would desire to be shown if we found ourselves similarly persecuted.

THE HONOR OF MARRIAGE // VERSE 4

In verse 4, the author gives us two commands that function together: Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Because we do not live in an honor-shame society (indeed, we live in a rather shameless society), we should take a moment to consider what honorable means and why marriage should be held in honor.

The Iliad gives us a glimpse at such a society, for the whole story revolves around Achilles’ lost honor. A warrior’s honor was messaged by the literal prizes that they took away from their defeated enemies, whether gold, armor, or women. At the beginning of the book, another king shames and dishonors Achilles by taking his concubine, who was a part of his honor. Likewise, jewels and riches were a thing of honor. Thus, honor was not so much an abstract notion but physical expressions of worth, value, and status.

In that sense, marriage is indeed honorable. It is a very tangible and visible honor that God has bestowed upon all of mankind. Of course, in Ephesians 5, Paul notes how marriage is a unique display of the gospel, yet even so marriage is not a Christian exclusive. Every culture has upheld marriage, however brokenly and poorly, and the most noble of pagans have at least intellectually acknowledged the importance of marriage for society as a whole. Caesar Augustus particularly attempted to promote marriage and children by enacting stricter laws against adultery and divorce. But those reforms did not stick, and the First Century Roman Empire looked rather like our present society under the motto of “no-fault divorce.” Thus, marriage was not held in honor, nor was the marriage bed kept undefiled.

As Christians, however, we know the origin and purpose of marriage. We know the general benefit that marriage is for society as a whole, and we also know the profound mystery of how marriage is a physical metaphor for how Christ loves His church and how His church submits to Him. Therefore, as Richard Phillips asks:

Who is to honor marriage? All of us, says Hebrews 13:4. The whole church. We have a special interest in upholding the institution of marriage and the actual marriages among us. Marriage is the first institution established by God and the basic building block of the church and society. There may be no better gauge today for the spiritual health of a congregation than the health of its marriages. Husbands and wives hold a precious trust before the Lord and the church. One of our greatest needs today is the example of strong and godly marriages to encourage those who have never seen true love and to provide them with a model. One of the greatest witnesses in our age will be Christian couples who faithfully meet the struggles of marriage with the grace and power of God. Along with that is the astonishing witness, as our world now judges it, of Christian singles who keep the marriage bed pure through self-control and godly restraint. Most importantly, God is honored when married couples honor the vows they made to him, and when all Christians honor marriage.[3]

Such honoring of marriage and keeping pure the marriage bed is an aspect of brotherly love because while our marriages only last a lifetime, Christian spouses are brother and sister in Christ for all eternity. Likewise, we love our fellow Christians by giving as clear of a picture of Christ and the church as we are able by the strength the Holy Spirit. And since God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous, we should take courage that it is not loving to either our fellow Christians or the world around us to affirm and celebrate anything that deviates from God’s design for marriage. Instead, because marriage is inherently good for society as a whole and (again) a display of the gospel, it is supremely loving to uphold marriage as honorable and to keep the marriage bed undefiled.

MONEY & CONTENTMENT // VERSES 5-6

Our final command is similar to verse 4 in that gives two paralleling commands:

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?”

As the two commands suggest, love of money and contentment are mutually exclusive. 1 Timothy 4:6-10 also ties the two together:

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

We should note that very few love money for money’s sake. Instead, most people love money for the worldly treasures and status that it provides and secures for them. Indeed, let us take a moment and link together four Proverbs that display the supposed security that wealth brings and the steadfast safety that comes only from the hand of the Lord.

Proverbs 10:15 says, “A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.” Of course, that security is not nearly as secure as one might believe. Proverbs 18:11 gives us another take on that same thought: “A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; and like a high wall in his imagination.” The security that money provides is imaginary. Why? Because they do give the ultimate security: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (Proverbs 11:4). How does righteousness rather than wealth deliver from death? Righteousness places its trust and security in the LORD: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).

And that is what contentment expresses. It displays our confidence in the Lord to care for us and that He alone is our true treasure.

God will often lead us into trials and difficulties to test us and make us more dependent upon Him; however, we have this mighty promise: I will never leave you nor forsake you. Indeed, if we are in Christ, how could He do otherwise? He has purchased our redemption through the blood of His Son, and He has adopted us a His sons and daughters. Even when darkness seems to hide His face and even when He leaves us to feel the consequences of our sins, He will never abandon those who belong to Him through Christ. And because He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

That is the confidence of those who do not trust in wealth but in the Lord. In Philippians, the imprisoned Paul was able to display such otherworldly contentment because of his security in Christ. His ability to say, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11) is rooted in his earlier declaration: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (1:21). Question 26 of the Heidelberg Catechism is also one of my favorite expressions of this confidence anywhere outside of Scripture:

Q. What do you believe when you say: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth?

A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them, who likewise upholds and governs the same by His eternal counsel and providence, is, for the sake of Christ His Son, my God and my Father; in whom I so trust, as to have no doubt that He will provide me with all things necessary for body and soul; and further, that whatever evil He sends upon me in this vale of tears He will turn to my good; for He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing also, being a faithful Father.

This too is an expression of brotherly love, for as we set our eyes not upon worldly gain but upon the everlasting treasure of God Himself we are also encouraging one another to do the same, “and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (10:25). Our contentment and faith are a living testament to our brothers and sisters around us to do the same: not “to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).

BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US

Again, since each of these commands falls under the overarching command to let brotherly love continue, let us return briefly to the importance of that command. In 1 John 4:20-21, the apostle makes it clear that no one can claim to follow Christ without also showing love to his brothers and sisters in Christ:

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

But where does that love come from? How do we obtain and grow in brotherly love? 1 John 4:19 is the answer: “We love because he first loved us.” God’s love initiates; our love imitates. That is why these commands come in chapter 13 rather than chapter 1. Without the understanding of the love that Christ has demonstrated for us by not being ashamed to call us His brothers even as He took the judgment of our sins upon Himself, we have no hope of even beginning to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Indeed, it is only our being the recipients of Christ’s love that enables us truly to have eyes to see the value and worth of loving one another, for the very fact that we call each other brother and sister ought to be a constant reminder that we are constantly interacting with fellow sons and daughters of God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. Lewis captures this glory well, saying:

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilisations—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously—no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner—no mere tolerance, or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses. If he is your Christian neighbor, he is holy in almost the same way, for in him also Christ vere latitat—the glorifier and the glorified, Glory Himself, is truly hidden.[4]

Lewis is certainly onto something that we would do well to think upon more often. As we come the Lord’s Supper, where are Lord is spiritual with us, so too should it remind us that He is with each member of His Church. Indeed, we often call this Communion, and it is just that. It is a sign of the communion that we now have with God through being cleansed once for all with the blood of Christ. But it is also a sign of the communion we have with one another locally and all the saints spiritually since now each belong to the body of Christ. Thus, as we eat this bread and drink this cup, let us taste and see the goodness of our God’s steadfast love for us, and let it stir within us a even deeper love for one another.

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[1] Cited in John Brown, Hebrews, 673-674.

[2] Brown, Hebrews, 675.

[3] Richard Phillips, Hebrews, 591.

[4] C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, 45-46.