His glory and fame are always to be the aim of our good works initiated and energized by His Spirit. Let brotherly love continue (Heb. That was defined by the early Christ-followers as acts of generosity toward strangers. Through your generosity you will be serving Christ—and perhaps, you may be serving an angel in disguise (Heb. Henry Morris comments: Here is another test for knowing whether we are truly saved and have "passed from death unto life" (Jn 5:24; 1Jn 2:3,5; 3:24; 5:2,13). Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. To lodge with or be entertained by (Acts 10:6). Some of the brethren had grown weary of each other. Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies. On the ordinary business of life, Christians had journeys to make. g 13:24 Greek all of God’s holy people. Remember that God's commands always include His enablement, specifically the power of the Holy Spirit to prompt this desire in us and then to enable us to obey in love. Go to. Here is a searching question which each of us should honestly face: Is my love for the brethren keeping pace with my growing (intellectual) knowledge of the Truth? every good thing that is pleasing to him. Instead, you should be inclusive—inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. It is to be shown towards: 1. 6. Whether brotherliness shall be a deep and abiding thing depends on the state of our hearts. They disputed who should be greatest. (Dt 10:18, 19), Job was a man who was "blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil" (Job 1:1) and thus it is not surprising that he gives us his example (to imitate) by practicing hospitality even before hospitality had been commanded by God (most authorities feel that Job pre-dates Moses)…, The alien (Hebrew = ger = someone who did not enjoy rights usually possessed by residents) has not lodged outside, for I have opened my doors to the traveler. Hospitality, as Moffatt says, was an article of ancient religion. The exhortations in Heb 3:12, 13.; Heb 10:24, 25.; Heb 12:12, 13, 14, point the same way). That's where I (we) need to obey this command empowered by the Spirit of grace and motivated by a desire (Php 2:13NLT-note) and ambition to be pleasing to Him (2Co 5:9-note), knowing that we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat (bema) of Christ and be recompensed for the deeds we have done in the our body, including how we demonstrated love to the brethren. 3. John Owen writes on the preservation of brotherly love: Brotherly love is very apt to be impaired if we do not endeavor continually to preserve it. In amazement the man would gasp, “For me?” “Yes,” Edith would answer, “and coffee will be ready in a minute. Brethren who are sufferers. And so it is not surprising that this chapter ends with a number of exhortations related to a believer's conduct…, M R De Haan has an interesting introduction to chapter 13 writing that "AT the close of a school semester, or upon completion of a prescribed course of study it is customary for the teachers to subject the students to a test or examination to determine how much the pupil has absorbed and retained of that which was taught in the daily class sessions. Gromacki - Most people are naturally suspicious of strangers, especially those who knock on the front door of a private residence. III. And every prophet that speaks in the Spirit you shall neither try nor judge; for every sin shall be forgiven, but this one sin shall not be forgiven. 7. Is the reader startled by that adjective?—a needful and humbling one, but scarcely a “solemn.” Ah, have we forgotten the context? Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them. Hebrews 13:1-8 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 25:35). 13 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. It is the product of His own grace: the immediate fruit of His Spirit. He then asked if perhaps the meal didn’t appeal to me. ... a 13:1 Greek Continue in brotherly love. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by. (Amplified: LET LOVE for your fellow believers continue and be a fixed practice with you [never let it fail]. 6. THE BEST ROOM - During a January research trip to Germany, I was dismayed to learn that we would be staying at a monastery. Love of the brethren (5360) (philadelphia from phílos = beloved, dear, friendly + adelphós = brother, from the same womb) means "fraternal love", brotherly love (kindness), love of the brethren. But the deepest fellowship is not based on race or family ties (blood is not really "thicker than water" in the spiritual realm) but is based on the life we share in Christ. All rights reserved). It has this to say about how to tell if a false prophet is abusing the hospitality of those in the church: Let every apostle that comes to you be received as the Lord. Greek: tes philoxenias me epilanthanesthe, (2PPMM) dia tautes gar elathon (3PAAI) tines xenisantes (AAPMPN) aggelous. In the OT we see that not only might one entertain angels but one might entertain a prophet of God…, Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat food. Hebrews 13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Wuest: Let the brotherly affection continue. Just as one is enabled to obey all God's commands -- A personal choice of our will which is enabled and empowered by grace (Heb 12:28), which is God's supernatural power to transforms naturally selfish individuals into to the supernaturally empowered giving individuals who think more of others than they do of themselves! May God be greatly glorified by Spirit filled saints who seek to supernaturally love the brethren for the sake of the One Who loved us supremely in Christ (1Jn 3:16, Ro 5:8-note). Often overlooked and sometimes unappreciated, the ministry of the “hospitality manager” is a great gift, and it brings with it the added possibility of surprising blessings along the way! Although such people would not be able to pay the host back, Jesus assured him that he would be blessed and that God would reward him (Luke 14:12-14). That it had been exercised in former times is clear from Heb 10:32, 33, 34. Actions are estimated according to what a man does, not merely according to what he thinks he does. 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. And if we judge not this duty of such importance as to be constant in the use of these means for the maintenance of it, it will not continue. One swallow makes not a spring. Young's Literal: of the hospitality be not forgetful, for through this unawares certain did entertain messengers; DO NOT NEGLECT TO SHOW HOSPITALITY TO STRANGERS: tes philoxenias me epilanthanesthe: (2PPMM): Do not neglect to show hospitality - The Greek reads more literally "of the hospitality be not forgetful". God make us sensitive to the needs of people who require encouragement and love. 1:13; Lk. Each of us, therefore, is under certain obligations; each of us may prefer certain claims. Inwardly, this requires that we will to consider the stupendous implications of our shared generation—that we truly are “brothers” and sisters (the terms are not merely sentimental but are objective fact)—that though we are millions, we share only one Father—that we will still be brothers and sisters when the sun turns to ice—that God is pleased when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity (cf. The hospitable man gives practical help to anyone who is in need, friend or stranger, believer or unbeliever, freely offers his time, his resources, and his encouragement to meet the needs of others. (Phillips: Touchstone). But not only is the exercise of Christian love a testimony unto the world of our Christian discipleship, and a sure evidence of our own regeneration, but it is also that which delights God Himself. Wandering preachers and prophets were always on the roads. Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. The author wanted them to resume and to maintain their hospitality. Inns tended to be dirty and expensive and, above all, immoral. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. Go to the visitor and make him feel welcome! If we have but a little, let them have a little, as the widow of Sarepta dealt with Elias. GOD'S LOVE ON A PLATE - During His life on earth, Jesus chose to identify with poor and destitute people. 16:22; 22:43 [L br. 1 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! (1Jn 4:20), Peter echoes John's point writing "Since you have in obedience (faith that obeys) to the truth purified your souls for (faith that saves leads to brotherly love) a sincere love of the brethren (philadelphia), fervently love one another from the heart for (Peter explains why we should and how we can love one another declaring that) you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God. They were to be given hospitality for several days, and then encouraged to move on to another place (e.g. Will the Savior’s love display. An endeavour to grow and thrive in the principle of it, or the power of adopting grace. (David Dickson - Commentary on Hebrews 1632 - downloads 11MB Pdf). ]; Acts 7:35; 12:23; Gal. — by Bill Crowder (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Crossway; Volume 2), Apology of Aristides The Philosopher (Written circa 125AD when Hadrian visited Athens - the translation below is from the Syriac versio) recorded the following observations concerning the first and second century followers of Christ…, But the Christians, O King, while they went about and made search, have found the truth; and as we learned from their writings, they have come nearer to truth and genuine knowledge than the rest of the nations.