Love being the fountain and foundation of all moral duties, our apostle begins with it, and places it at the head of all the rest, as comprehending our whole duty towards our neighbour. Note here, The duty commanded is LOVE; the special duty recommended is BROTHERLY LOVE, or that brotherly affection... [ Continue Reading ]
The second duty here exhorted to is hospitality, especially towards strangers, which consisted in receiving them into their houses, and furnishing them with all needful accommodations. In those eastern countries inns were not so ready as with us, and Christians were generally poor, not able to bear... [ Continue Reading ]
Hospitality towards strangers was expressed in the forgoing verse; here, compassion towards sufferers, such as are captives, prisoners in bonds, either upon. religious or civil account. Here note, 1. That bodily bondage is. bitter bondage; captivity is. most grievous calamity. 2. That we are very... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having, in the former verses, directed Christians to their duty on towards another, in this and the following verses, he directs them to perform their duty towards themselves; and because the two radical comprehensive lusts of corrupted nature are uncleanness and covetousness, he therefo... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here,. dehortation, or negative precept, LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE WITHOUT COVETOUSNESS. By CONVERSATION, we are first to understand the disposition of the mind, then the actions of the life, both ought to be free from all inordinate love to, and endeavours after, more of this world than God... [ Continue Reading ]
The next duty recommended to them, is respect to the spiritual guides and ecclesiastical governors, whom God by death or persecution at any time removes from them, and that is, to preserve their memory fresh amongst them as. precious treasure: REMEMBER THEM THAT HAVE THE RULE OVER YOU. Secondly, To... [ Continue Reading ]
These words may be understood three ways; with respect to the person of Christ to the office of Christ, and to the doctrine of Christ. 1. With respect to the person of Christ, he is eternal and immutable in every state of the church, and in every condition of believers he is the same, and always wi... [ Continue Reading ]
There is an inference in these words from what was asserted in the former, concerning the immutability of Christ and his doctrine; namely, thus; Seeing that the doctrine of Christ taught by the apostles is as Christ himself, THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER, there the apostle dehorts them from... [ Continue Reading ]
These words are brought in as. farther reason why the Christian Hebrews should not return to Judaism, or any other doctrine different from the gospel of Christ: WE Christians, says the apostle, HAVE AN ALTAR: that is,. sacrifice,. priest offered upon, and sanctified by, the altar of the cross. Note... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, "As the beasts slain for atonement, whose blood was brought into the sanctuary, were not to be eaten by the priest, but burnt without the bounds of the camp of Israel; in like manner Christ, when he was to be offered up, to sanctify the people with his own blood, went wit... [ Continue Reading ]
These words may be considered either relatively or absolutely: consider them with relation to the context, and their sense is this: "How cheerfully ought believers, according to the advice in the foregoing verse, TO GO FORTH TO CHRIST WITHOUT THE CAMP, BEARING HIS REPROACH, when they consider their... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having, at the tenth verse, declared, that we Christians have an altar, to wit, Jesus Christ; here we are directed to offer. sacrifice, without which an altar is of no use: BY HIM LET US OFFER THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE TO GOD CONTINUALLY. Where note, 1. Christians are to offer. sacrifice... [ Continue Reading ]
Two things are here observable: 1. The minister's duty towards his people. 2. The people's duty towards their ministers. In the former note, 1. The duty required, TO RULE, TO WATCH. God makes the bishops and pastors of his church here guiding rulers in the church affairs; they rule not with rigou... [ Continue Reading ]
In these words observe, 1. request made by the apostle to these Hebrews for prayer, PRAY FOR US. The prayers of the meanest saints may be useful to the greatest apostles, both with respect to their persons, and the discharge of their office. Observe, 2. The ground which gave him confidence to ask t... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having in the former verse desired their prayers for him, in this verse he adds thereunto his own prayer for them,. most glorious and excellent prayer, inclosing the whole mystery of divine grace in its original, and the way of its communication by Jesus Christ,. prayer, inclosing the wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle had shut up and closed his epistle before: he adds these verses by way of postscript. Now he begs of them kindly to accept, and wisely to improve, the exhortations given them in this epistle, wherein he has handled many weighty matters in few words. He lets them know that Timothy was set... [ Continue Reading ]