We can learn much from the last words of any book of the Bible. We often, however, skip over these lessons from the end of book of the Bible and miss out on the concluding thoughts of the writers of God’s word. Hebrews 13:7-25 contains many lessons from the end of the book of Hebrews, lessons we need to learn and take to heart.
There is much speculation about the identity of the writer of Hebrews. Some believe Paul is the author and others attribute it to Apollos or another early Christian leader. While we don’t know the identity of the writer, with certainty, and there are points in the book that make some scholars believe Paul was the author, and probably none more than the concluding paragraphs. Of all that is written in Hebrews, nothing sounds more like Paul than Hebrews 13:7-25. And while it is interesting to speculate about who wrote Hebrews and point to evidence like Hebrews 13:7-25 as proof of one author over another, to key is to remember the true author is the Holy Spirit. So, the lessons we can learn are lessons from none other than God Himself.
The writer of Hebrews, in the latter portion of Chapter 12 and the first portions of Chapter 13, has given his best effort, it seems, to convince his readers to not reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He urges his readers to look forward to the city of God that is to come and realize the invitation he’s issuing to them is not to Mount Sinai, but rather to Mount Zion, two totally different places with two totally different ways to access the presence of God. His urging is to not refuse the One speaking to us from Heaven and realize just how serious our relationship with God really is. The writer then goes on to give practical advice to the believer and begins the ending of Hebrews by exhorting the reader to be hospitable, to remember the persecuted, to remain pure, and to reject covetousness.
Hebrews 13:7 finds the writer beginning a focus on three themes as he brings the book of Hebrews to a conclusion. The first theme becomes clear in Hebrews 13:7: respect for Godly leadership. “Remember,” instructs the writer, “those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.” This theme is repeated, again, in Hebrews 13:17: “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them fo so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
This theme of respect for Godly leadership in our lives comes after all that the writer has said to the reader beforehand about following Christ with sincerity. It is almost as if the writer is saying, “If you follow Christ with a sincere heart, here are things you should do, behaviors you should engage in, attitudes you should embrace.” The writer of Hebrews wants his readers to remember those in leadership, who have invested in their lives the Word of God, and to follow the faith-example those in leadership set. Of course, we are to consider the outcome of any leader’s conduct–we must assess if a leader is a Godly leader or something more sinister–but for those leaders that we know are Godly, we are to remember them and respect them.
Throughout most of the Bible, Godly leadership has it pretty bad. To be honest, the leaders we known of in the Bible–and in history and contemporary settings–don’t get a lot of respect. There is an undercurrent in the church that seems to make believers not only not respect their leaders, but often to actively disrespect them as well. This disrespect leads to disfunction in a congregation and the writer of Hebrews is urging, in his closing remarks, that respect be given to those God has placed in leadership and authority over us. Rather than make a leader’s life difficult, the writer of Hebrews says that respect is in order and even obedience and submission. Lest a follower of Christ think that a leader to whom they are called to be obedient and submissive to gets off without and accountability, the writer points out, clearly, that leaders must give an account of their leadership to God (see Hebrews 13:27).
This first lesson from the end of Hebrews is simple and clear: respect those in leadership over you and by doing so, you will profit. As a leader, I can say that it would be deeply refreshing to myself and to other leaders for the modern church to embrace this lesson. How much more could we all accomplish together if we simply followed the instructions of God’s word? How much more profitable would leadership be for all of us if we could come to that place where we respect and obey the leaders God has given us? Remember, leaders must give an account of their leadership to God. When that accounting is given, what will your leadership have to say about your response to this first lesson from the end of Hebrews?
The second theme of the end of Hebrews is recognition of right doctrine and rejection of heresy. We see this theme become clear in Hebrews 13:8-9. First, the writer makes statement about Jesus: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” The writer then tells the reader to “not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which she not profited those who haven occupied with them.” Right doctrine and the recognition of it as right doctrine is essential for spiritual maturity and the rejection of heresy (strange doctrines) is a sign of that spiritual maturity. The statement that Jesus Christ is the same–always–is right doctrine. Jesus Christ and His gospel are not changing. We stand on the finished work of Christ and there is not coming any new revelation about Jesus that will change the right doctrine we have received.
Just as people were susceptible to “new” and “various” and even “strange” doctrines in the early church age, we are still susceptible to them today if we are not grounded in the right doctrine of God’s word. We are to remember that Jesus is unchanging and that His word will last forever (see 1 Peter 1:25). When we hear “new” things about Jesus or “new” revelations that alter the right doctrine we have received about grace and faith and God’s love, we must reject it and turn away from it.
The writer of Hebrews does not want his readers to be “carried about” by strange doctrines. It happens more than we’d like to admit. We hear something that sound interesting and because we are not grounded in the truth as we should be, we fail to recognize it as something heretical. An example of this would be the “word of faith” teachings that have become popular and the “prosperity gospel” that many have embraced in recent decades. These two “strange” doctrines take the basic concept of faith and turn it on its head, making God our servant rather than us being His servants. Many have failed to reject these wrong doctrines because they do not know right doctrine. It is imperative that we, as believers, know the truth of God’s word and stand on the unchanging character of the One who has saved us. Remember, Jesus is not going to change and we must not become carried away with extraneous doctrines that end up denying the very things right doctrine has taught us.
The third theme we find at the end of Hebrews is responding to God’s word with obedience. We see this theme developing in Hebrews 13:14-16, where the writer of Hebrews urges the reader to “offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” How should we respond to what God’s word has told us about Jesus and the glorious salvation He offers? In praise! With the fruit of our lips. We should give thanks to God for what He has done. And then, once we have done this, we must “not forget to do good and share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” The one who is seeking the city to come is one who praises God and does good. The sacrifices that God is looking for from us are not sacrifices of animals and grain offerings. Rather, He is looking for those who will sacrifice to Him through praise and obedience and to what they have heard and know is true.
This theme of responding to God’s word with obedience is repeated in Hebrews 13:22, where the writer appeals to the reader: “And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.” Here, the writer of Hebrews urges the reader to bear with what has been said, to allow the exhortation to do a work in the life of the reader. If we truly respond to God’s word with obedience, we must be willing to bear with the word and let it do the work it was intended to do. How many give up before God’s word can be profitable in their lives because they are unwilling to bear with the word of exhortation? Exhortation is not an easy thing to bear with. It requires a commitment that goes beyond “ease”. Indeed, many will not bear with any word of exhortation or correction because it is too hard and most do now want to be seen as “wrong.” But let me remind us all: As long as we are on this earth, we are sinners and need to be corrected, chastened, exhorted and encouraged. Our willingness to allow this to occur says much about our sincerity in following Jesus.
The fourth theme at the end of the book of Hebrews is this: remembering who we’re with and what He is doing to work in our lives. If we look back at Hebrews 13:10-13, we see this theme beginning to become clear: Jesus went “outside the camp” to die on our behalf, and we are to go to Him, there, and bear the same reproach He bore. The first readers of Hebrews would have understood the reference made here to the sacrificial system and taking of sacrificial animals outside the camp to be burned with fire and destroyed. Jesus, in order to be the perfect sacrifice and to fulfill the law, also “suffered outside the gate.” In doing so, Jesus took on the reproach of our sins and became sin on our behalf. Doing so required Jesus to take on the shame of the cross and the reproach of being taken outside the gate to crucified. And we are to go to Him there. We are to remember who we are with. And being with Jesus means that we must also bear the same reproach. If we are sincere in following Jesus and going to Him on the cross, we are doing to encounter all of kinds of reproach for our sincerity. We must not let this stop us from going to Him.
Moreover, when we remember who we are with–Jesus, the perfect sacrifice who takes away the sins of the world–we remember what He is doing to work in our lives. Hebrews 13:20-21 reminds us that Jesus is at work to make us “complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Jesus, who went outside the camp to die on our sins and to whom we must go and bear the reproach of that going, is also working to make us complete in good works and doing work in our lives that is well pleasing to Him. We must remember that Jesus is at work in us to glorify Himself. As we remember what He is doing in our lives and as we go with Him and follow Him and allow ourselves to challenged in changed by His word, we bring Him glory and honor, which is the highest work we can do on this earth.
In conclusion, I believe the lessons we can learn from the end of the book of Hebrews are the lessons of respecting those God has placed in leadership over us; recognizing right doctrine and rejecting heresy; responding to God’s word with obedience; and remembering who we’re with and what He is doing to work in our lives. These lessons from the end of Hebrews relate back to everything the writer of Hebrews has said before: Jesus is greater, Jesus is more glorious, the invitation into the Holy of Holies is open . . . now, what will you do with that information? Will you respect leadership? Will you recognize right doctrine and reject heresy? Will you, in light of all He has done for you, respond to God’s word with obedience? And moreover, will you bear the reproach of Christ and identify with Him in His work to save the world, remembering that we are with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that He is at work in our lives to bring glory and honor to Him?
The lessons from the end of Hebrews are lessons in commitment. My hope is that we will learn these lessons, embrace them, and live transformed lives because of our commitment to Jesus.