Hebrews 13:18

Here, I. The apostle recommends himself, and his fellow-sufferers, to the prayers of the Hebrew believers (Heb 13:18): "Pray for us; for me and Timothy" (mentioned Heb 13:23), "and for all those of us who labour in the ministry of the gospel."

1. This is one part of the duty which people owe to their ministers. Ministers need the prayers of the people; and the more earnestly the people pray for their ministers the more benefit they may expect to reap from their ministry. They should pray that God would teach those who are to teach them, that he would make them vigilant, and wise, and zealous, and successful - that he would assist them in all their labours, support them under all their burdens, and strengthen them under all their temptations.

2. There are good reasons why people should pray for their ministers; he mentions two: -

(1.) We trust we have a good conscience, etc., Heb 13:18. Many of the Jews had a bad opinion of Paul, because he, being a Hebrew of the Hebrews, had cast off the Levitical law and preached up Christ: now he here modestly asserts his own integrity: We trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. We trust! he might have said, We know; but he chose to speak in a humble style, to teach us all not to be too confident of ourselves, but to maintain a godly jealousy over our own hearts. "We trust we have a good conscience, an enlightened and well-informed conscience, a clean and pure conscience, a tender and faithful conscience, a conscience testifying for us, not against us: a good conscience in all things, in the duties both of the first and second table, towards God and towards men, and especially in all things pertaining to our ministry; we would act honestly and sincerely in all things." Observe, [1.] A good conscience has a respect to all God's commands and all our duty. [2.] Those who have this good conscience, yet need the prayers of others. [3.] Conscientious ministers are public blessings, and deserve the prayers of the people.

(2.) Another reason why he desires their prayers is that he hoped thereby to be the sooner restored to them (Heb 13:19), intimating that he had been formerly among them, - that, now he was absent from them, he had a great desire and real intention to come again to them, - and that the best way to facilitate his return to them, and to make it a mercy to him and them, was to make it a matter of their prayer. When ministers come to a people as a return of prayer, they come with greater satisfaction to themselves and success to the people. We should fetch in all our mercies by prayer.

II. He offers up his prayers to God for them, being willing to do for them as he desired they should do for him: Now the God of peace, etc., Heb 13:20. In this excellent prayer observe, 1. The title given to God - the God of peace, who was found out a way for peace and reconciliation between himself and sinners, and who loves peace on earth and especially in his churches. 2. The great work ascribed to him: He hath brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, etc. Jesus raised himself by his own power; and yet the Father was concerned in it, attesting thereby that justice was satisfied and the law fulfilled. He rose again for our justification; and that divine power by which he was raised is able to do every thing for us that we stand in need of. 3. The titles given to Christ - our Lord Jesus, our sovereign, our Saviour, and the great shepherd of the sheep, promised in Isa 40:11, declared by himself to be so, Joh 10:14, Joh 10:15. Ministers are under-shepherds, Christ is the great shepherd. This denotes his interest in his people. They are the flock of his pasture, and his care and concern are for them. He feeds them, and leads them, and watches over them. 4. The way and method in which God is reconciled, and Christ raised from the dead: Through the blood of the everlasting covenant. The blood of Christ satisfied divine justice, and so procured Christ's release from the prison of the grace, as having paid our debt, according to an eternal covenant or agreement between the Father and the Son; and this blood is the sanction and seal of an everlasting covenant between God and his people. 5. The mercy prayed for: Make you perfect in every good work, etc., Heb 13:21. Observe, (1.) The perfection of the saints in every good work is the great thing desired by them and for them, that they may here have a perfection of integrity, a clear mind, a clean heart, lively affections, regular and resolved wills, and suitable strength for every good work to which they are called now, and at length a perfection of degrees to fit them for the employment and felicity of heaven. (2.) The way in which God makes his people perfect; it is by working in them always what is pleasing in his sight, and that through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever. Observe, [1.] There is no good thing wrought in us but it is the work of God; he works in us, before we are fit for any good work. [2.] No good thing is wrought in us by God, but through Jesus Christ, for his sake and by his Spirit. And therefore, [3.] Eternal glory is due to him, who is the cause of all the good principles wrought in us and all the good works done by us. To this every one should say, Amen.

III. He gives the Hebrews an account of Timothy's liberty and his hopes of seeing them with him in a little time, Heb 13:23. It seems, Timothy had been a prisoner, doubtless for the gospel, but now he was set at liberty. The imprisonment of faithful ministers is an honour to them, and their enlargement is matter of joy to the people. He was pleased with the hopes of not only seeing Timothy, but seeing the Hebrews with him. Opportunities of writing to the churches of Christ are desired by the faithful ministers of Christ, and pleasant to them.

IV. Having given a brief account of this his letter, and begged their attention to it (Heb 13:22), he closes with salutations, and a solemn, though short benediction.

1. The salutation. (1.) From himself to them, directed to all their ministers who had rule over them, and to all the saints; to them all, ministers and people. (2.) From the Christians in Italy to them. It is a good thing to have the law of holy love and kindness written in the hearts of Christians one towards another. Religion teaches men the truest civility and good-breeding. It is not a sour nor morose thing.

2. The solemn, though short benediction (Heb 13:25): Grace be with you all. Amen. Let the favour of God be towards you, and his grace continually working in you, and with you, bringing forth the fruits of holiness, as the first-fruits of glory. When the people of God have been conversing together by word or writing, it is good to part with prayer, desiring for each other the continuance of the gracious presence of God, that they may meet together again in the world of praise.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(18) The following verses—containing personal notices relating to the writer himself and his readers (Heb_13:18-19; Heb_13:22-23), a prayer on their behalf (Heb_13:20-21), a doxology (Heb_13:21), and brief salutations (Heb_13:24-25)—present many points of resemblance to the concluding sections in some of St. Paul’s Epistles. The first words, “Pray for us,” are found in Col_4:3; 1Th_5:25; 2Th_3:1. That the writer does not use the plural pronoun of himself alone appears certain from the change in Heb_13:19; but it is not clear whether he is associating himself with the rulers of the Church (mentioned in Heb_13:17), or with the companions in labour who were with him as he wrote.

We trust.—A change in the reading of the Greek requires the translation: For we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring in all things to conduct ourselves well. Some prejudice against the writer, or some mistrust of his motives, must have existed in the Church; that amongst Hebrew Christians a disciple of St. Paul should be misrepresented or misunderstood, can cause us no surprise. But whatever suspicion might be cherished by a few, the next verse is proof that he knew himself to be beloved by the many.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pray for us: the closing duty becoming the subjects of the kingdom of Christ, is prayer, upon some special accounts, Heb 13:18,19, that they would with their renewed souls, influenced and assisted by the Spirit of grace and supplication, pour forth their desires to God with faith, fervency, and importunity, for his vouchsafing to the apostle himself, and for their spiritual guides and rulers, that the things they need, and God hath promised to them, as to the successful course of their ministry, may be bestowed on them, which the Spirit specifieth elsewhere, 2Co 3:5,6; Eph 6:18-20; Col 4:3,4; 2Th 3:1,2.

For we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly: he urgeth this on them, for that he was a fit subject to be prayed for, however any might accuse or charge him for rejecting Judaism out of singularity, prejudice, or some evil design; he assures them from the Spirit of God, that he had a rightly informed conscience by God’s word, and which testified his innocency and sincerity, and which did dictate and influence him to be communicating and promoting, with all and to all, the truth of the gospel; and that his own life and conversation in the world was agreeable to the gospel rule, in all godliness and honesty, Act 23:1; 24:14; compare 1Co 4:4; 2Co 1:12.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Heb_13:18

Pray for us

Prayer for ministers

I.

SOME CONSIDERATIONS TO ILLUSTRATE AND CONFIRM THE NECESSITY OF SUCH PRAYER.

1. The awful responsibility of the ministerial office.

2. We are men of like passions with yourselves, with bodies requiring to be kept under, and with souls to save.

II. SOME SUITABLE HEADS OF PRAYER.

1. First of all, pray that utterance may be given unto us, that we may open our mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel. The full and free declaration of the gospel of the grace of God is the crowning part of the Christian ministers office.

2. Again, pray for your minister, that in dispensing among you the Word of God, he may be enabled rightly to divide it. Much spiritual wisdom is required here.

3. But, again, pray for us, that the truths which we preach to you may be so deeply impressed upon our own souls by the Spirit of God that they may always exert a commanding influence over our life, conversation, and whole deportment, and thus become the springs of a holy and consistent walk.

4. Again, pray for us, that we may be made conquerors over our peculiar temptations as ministers--that we may never speak to you smooth things merely for the sake of pleasing you.

5. Yet, again, pray for us, that we are bold and faithful witnesses for Christ, God would keep us lowly and humble in ourselves, and enable us to ascribe all that we are, and have, and may become, to His free favour.

III. The truth is simply this: a minister cannot be blessed without his flock being made to experience a correspondent share of blessing. YOUR PRAYERS FOR ME WILL BE CROWNED WITH INTEREST TO YOURSELVES. You will find your own souls growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You will find yourselves daily becoming more ripe for the inheritance of the saints in light. Thus it is that God graciously orders that our labours of love for one another should be reflected upon ourselves. (H. Cadell, M. A.)

We trust we have a good conscience

Balm from Gilead to recover conscience

I. WHAT CONSCIENCE IS.

1. It is an inbred faculty of the soul, a noble and Divine power, planted of God in the soul, working upon itself by reflection: or thus, the soul of a man recoiling upon itself. A faculty, I call it, because it produceth acts, and is not got and lost as habits are, but is inseparable from the soul, immovable from the subject, as neither acts nor habits are. In the understanding part it is a judge, determining and prescribing, absolving and condemning de jure. In the memory it is a register, a recorder, and witness, testifying de facto. In the will and affections, a jailor and executioner, punishing and rewarding. Say we not in common use of speech, which is the emperor of words, My conscience tells me I did or did not such a thing, which is an action of the memory? My conscience bids me do, or forbids me to do this or this, which is but an action of the will. It smites me, it checks me, it comforts or it torments me: what are these but actions of the affections recoiling upon the soul?

2. God hath given it more force and power to work upon men than all other agents whatsoever. It, being internal and domestical, hath the advantage of all foreign and outward.

3. It being individual and inseparable, there is no putting of it to flight or flying from it. It was bred and born with us; it will live and die with us. Agues a man may shake off, tyrants and ill masters a man may fly from; but this saith (as Ruth to Naomi), I will go with thee whithersoever thou goest. It hath more immediate deputation and authority from God (of whom all principalities and powers receive theirs) than angels, kings, magistrates, father, mother, or any other superior. It is only inferior to God.

II. WHAT A GOOD CONSCIENCE IS.

1. The goodness of it is the peace of it; for stirring, accusing, and galling consciences are consequents of sin, and presuppose some evil.

2. They, secondly, prove good unto us only by accident, and Gods goodness, which maketh them as afflictions, gather grapes of thorns; yea, all things work to the best of His beloved, as physicians do poison in their confections

3. And thirdly, they do not always produce this effect. Sometimes as sicknesses and purgations, they are in order to health, as in the Jews (Act_2:1-47). Oftentimes as in Cain, Judas, Ahithophel, they destroy their owners. Good consciences, therefore, properly to speak, are only quiet ones, excusing and comforting; but here take heed the devil, the great impostor of our souls, put not upon our folly and simplicity, three sorts of quiet ones, as he doth to most: the blind, the secure, and the seared. What, then, is a good conscience? That which speaks peace with Gods allowance, which is a messenger of good things between God and us, that upon good grounds is in good terms with God. It lies in the lawful peace of it, and not in integrity and freedom from sin. (T. Adams.)

Take care of your conscience:

We remember the old story of the mariners who, because they followed the direction of their compass, thought they were infallibly right, until they arrived at an enemys port, and found themselves suddenly seized and made slaves. They did not take into consideration the possibility that any agency had tampered with the needle. Yet the wicked captain had, on purpose to betray the ship to enemies, so carefully concealed a large loadstone near the needle as to make it untrue to itself, and thus be the means of their ruin. Something not very unlike this is often true of conscience. Conscience may be perverted as truly as any other faculty of the soul--so perverted as even to mislead and destroy, while it is relied upon to direct in the path of safety. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways o! death. We are warned, then, to take care of the conscience. See that there is no prejudice, no passion, no evil influence that is perverting it, and gradually making it untrue to itself, and therefore unsafe. We must examine the basis of our conscientiousness. Is there a concealed loadstone which is attracting the needle from its true polarity heavenward, toward spiritual foes and spiritual bondage? This is a vital question for every man.

The comfort of a good conscience:

There is no friend so good as a good conscience. There is no foe so ill as a bad conscience. It makes us either kings or slaves. A man that hath a good conscience, it raiseth his heart in a princely manner above all things in the world. A man that hath a bad conscience, though he be a monarch, it makes him a slave. A bad conscience embitters all things in the world to him, though they be never so comfortable in themselves. What is so comfortable as the presence of God? What is so comfortable as the light? Yet a bad conscience, that will not be ruled, it hates the light, and hates the presence of God, as we see Adam, when he had sinned, he fled from God (Gen_3:8). A bad conscience cannot joy in the midst of joy. It is like a gouty foot, or a gouty toe, covered with a velvet shoe. Alas! what doth ease it? What doth glorious apparel ease the diseased body? Nothing at all. The ill is within. There the arrow sticks. (B. Sibbes.)

A good conscience

A good conscience is to the soul what health is to the body; it preserves a constant ease and serenity within us, and more than countervails all the calamities and afflictions which can possibly befall us. (T. Addison.)

Conscience aided by right sympathies

It will be found that men are sensitive to right and wrong, not so much by reason of the direct impact of intellectual decision as by reason of intellectual decision transmitted through another faculty or emotion. Take an illustration out of my own experience--for it is always allowable, I believe, for a man to dissect his own sins. When I came to Brooklyn, feeling a certain independence, I refused to return marriage certificates to the authorities. There was no law which compelled me to do it, and I was not going to return them for mere forms sake. By and by a law was passed that all clergymen should return marriage certificates to the Board of Health, but I did not do it then; I did not see any reason for it, and I was not going to trouble myself about it. But after the first year of the war, on two or three occasions it happened some woman would come to me and say, My husband was killed on the battlefield; the Government owed him for bounty and back pay; but I cannot get the money unless I can prove that I was married to him: will you not give me a certificate? I had none. I had made no return of their marriage, it did not take more than one argument like that to convince me that I ought to make returns of certificates of marriage. I said to myself, If the bread of the poor is often to be determined by the fact of a marriage; if the fact of a marriage is a question of humanity, and can settle what is right and what is wrong, then my duty in the matter is clear; and I believe I have not failed to return the certificate of a marriage since that day. The mere abstract law would not affect any conscience; but since my conscience was approached through sympathy, through benevolent feeling, you could not bribe me to neglect my duty in that regard. My conscience has strength on that side. (H. W. Beecher.)

Willing to live honestly

Honesty:

I. IN ORDER TO ILLUSTRATE THE EXCELLENCY AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS VIRTUE OF HONESTY, WE SHALL POINT OUT SOME OF THE FOUNTAINS FROM WHENCE THE OPPOSITE VICE FLOWS, OR SOME OF THE CHIEF CAUSES OF DISHONESTY. Opposites frequently illustrate each other to great advantage. The beauty and charms of Christian virtue gain strength by arousing in us an abhorrence of immoral practices. Honesty will appear more honourable by awakening a proper hatred of the odious deformity of dishonesty. With regard to the chief springs of dishonesty, they may be contemplated. Under a general consideration, dishonesty arises from the same common source with all other kinds of iniquities. It arises from the awful depravity of the human heart. But the more particular causes of dishonesty are such things as these

1. Slothfulness, idleness, and an aversion to labour and the business of our calling.

2. Avarice or covetousness.

3. Luxury and extravagance.

4. Pride and selfishness.

II. SOME CONSIDERATIONS AND MOTIVES TO INDUCE US TO BE CONSCIENTIOUSLY HONEST IN ALL OUR EMPLOYMENTS, BUSINESS, AND CONVERSATION WITH OUR FELLOW-MEN. Can we now think a dishonest thought, contrive a dishonest scheme, or be guilty of a dishonest action? Consider the right every man has to enjoy his own, by the laws of nature, reason, religion and society, in respect to his person, property, and character. These blessings are the benefactions of heaven to all. Their right to the undisturbed possession of them is founded upon the grant of the God of nature and of grace.

1. Will the Almighty Sovereign see His creatures and His children rifled of their immunities and blessings, which His goodness and bounty hath conferred upon them, and not conceive resentment? Will He not whet His glittering sword, and His hand lay hold on vengeance?

2. Further consider, sincerity and honesty are the very bonds which hold society together. The religious observation of these virtues are the great means to advance its real interests. A dishonest person is a public nuisance, and may be viewed as a common enemy to mankind.

3. Consider the practice of dishonesty is prohibited in a thousand instances in the Word of God. The Divine wrath is revealed against it, both in His declarations, and in many examples recorded in the sacred history. (A. Macwhorter, D. D.)

Honesty spiritually rewarded

The religious tradesman complains that his honesty is a hindrance to his success; that the tide of custom pours into the doors of his less scrupulous neighbours in the same street, while he himself waits for hours idle. My brother, do you think that God is going to reward honour, integrity, highmindedness, with this worlds coin? Do you fancy that He will pay spiritual excellence with plenty of custom? Now, consider the price that man has paid for his success. Perhaps mental degradation and inward dishonour. His advertisements are all deceptive: his treatment of his workmen tyrannical; his cheap prices made possible by inferior articles. Sow that mans seed mad you will reap that mans harvest. Cheat, lie, advertise, be unscrupulous in your assertions, custom will come to you. But if the price is too dear, let him have his harvest, and take yours. Yours is a clear conscience, a pure mind, rectitude within and without. Will you part with that for his? Then why do you complain? He has paid his price; you do not choose to pay it. (F. W. Robertson.)

Conscientiousness:

Of the Rev. S. F. Bridge, independent minister, his son says: His integrity was unbending. One circumstance in connection with domestic life demonstrated this sterling feature. A kind friend used sometimes to send a parcel of clothing, and on this occasion, in a coat pocket, a five-pound note was discovered. Many, even of the Lords people, might have appropriated the money, and thought it quite a providence. But father did not so. There are timely provisions and there are baits which test Gods family. He knew the donors habits, and would not take for granted that the note was intentionally submitted in a delicate manner, so he promptly sent it back with an explanation. I well remember how dear mother--her name was Martha--urged with tears that he should write first, and ascertain whether it had not been enclosed as a gift; but, although the value of five pounds was multiplied by the many mouths to be fed, she soon endorsed fathers way as the right one. I believe this matter was never known save to the Lord, the family, and the gentleman himself. That five pounds (lid not reach us again. (Sword and. Trowel.)

Honest under all circumstances

Some years before England abolished slavery in the West Indies, a negro, who was a slave, but who had learned to become a Christian, was put up for sale. A kind master, who pitied his condition, and did not want him to fall into the hands of a cruel owner, went up to him, and said, Sambo, if I buy you will you be honest? With a look that I have no power to describe, says the gentleman, the black man replied, Massa, I will be honest whether you buy me or not.

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heb 13:18-19. Pray for us — For our freedom and success in preaching the gospel, (see the margin,) and our deliverance from the enemies of the faith; for — Though our enemies may meanly insinuate the contrary, and though the doctrine inculcated in this epistle may not be pleasing to some of you; we trust we have a good conscience — Have acted, and continue to act, conscientiously before God, his people, and all men, and have executed our trust faithfully, declaring the whole counsel of God; willing — Θελοντες, desiring, and resolving; in all things — Or among all men, as εν πασι may signify, among the Jews as well as among the Gentiles; to live honestly — Or rather, to behave ourselves well, or honourably, as the original expression signifies; that is, always to act in the most fair and reputable manner, according to the obligations of our sacred profession and office, though this should be attended with the sacrifice of every thing. I beseech you the rather to pray earnestly for me, that I may be restored to you the sooner — From this confinement, and may have it in my power to render you those services, which have been and still are prevented by this unjust imprisonment.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES

Heb_13:20. God of peace.—Rom_15:33; Rom_16:20; Php_4:9; 1Th_5:23; 2Th_3:16. Translate the verse, “Who brought up from the dead Him, made through the blood of the everlasting covenant, great Shepherd of the sheep, the Lord, even Jesus.” Or as R.V. “Who brought again from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, with [by or in] the blood of the eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus.” See Heb_9:15-18, and compare Act_20:28; Zec_9:11. The meaning appears to be, that the great Shepherd is provided with, or (so to speak) carries along with Him, blood sanctioning a covenant which is of perpetual force.

Farrar’s note on Heb_13:13.—Let us go forth out of the city and camp of Judaism (Rev_11:8) to the true and eternal tabernacle (Exo_33:7-8) where He now is (chap, Heb_12:2). Bearing his reproach.—“If ye be reproached,” says St. Peter, “for the name of Christ, happy are ye” (compare Heb_11:26). As He was excommunicated and insulted and made to bear His cross of shame, so will you be, and you must follow Him out of the doomed city (Mat_24:2). It must be remembered that the cross, an object of execration and disgust even to Gentiles, was viewed by the Jews with religious horror, since they regarded every crucified person as “accursed of God” (Deu_21:22-23; Gal_3:13). Christians shared this reproach to the fullest extent. The most polished heathen writers, men like Tacitus, Pliny, Suetonius, spoke of their faith as an “execrable,” “deadly,” and “malefic” superstition; Lucian alluded to Christ as the “impaled sophist”; and to many Greeks and Romans no language of scorn seemed too intense, no calumny too infamous, to describe them, and their mode of worship. The Jews spoke of them as “Nazarenes,” “Epicureans,” “heretics,” “followers of the thing,” and especially as “apostates,” “traitors,” and “renegades.”

Moulton’s note on Heb_13:20.—Two passages of the prophets have contributed to the language of this remarkable verse.

1. Isa_63:11 : “Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock?” Here the shepherds are no doubt Moses and Aaron (Psa_77:20); the Greek translation, however, has, “Where is He that raised up out of the sea the shepherd of the sheep?” Moses, who led Israel through the sea, was brought up therefrom in safety to be the “shepherd” of his people Israel; by the same almighty hand the great Shepherd of the sheep has been brought up from among the dead.

2. Zec_9:11; in other words, “because of the blood which ratified thy covenant (Exo_24:8) I have released thy prisoners.” In (i.e. in virtue of) the blood of an eternal covenant God has raised up the Lord Jesus.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Heb_13:18-23

Requests for Prayer.—“Pray for us” is the frequent and natural request in Christian correspondence. See Rom_15:30; Eph_6:18; Col_4:3; 1Th_5:25; 2Th_3:1. This request for the people’s prayers is characteristically Pauline, and must be taken into due account in any discussion of the authorship of the epistle. The desire to stand well with his converts, and delight in their approbation, affection, and trust, were marked features in St. Paul’s character.

I. The interest of Christian teachers in their people’s prayers.—An interest felt and sustained partly—

1. For the people’s sake, because nothing opens the heart to the teacher’s influence, and keeps it sensitive and receptive to gracious influences, as prayer does. And it should be both

(1) private and personal, and

(2) collective, united, and public. The proper bond between ministers and people is only maintained by mutual prayer on each other’s behalf. And partly—

2. For the teacher’s own sake. Because he needs the kind of inspiration to do the highest and holiest work which only comes to a man when he knows that others are praying for him. There is a tone on Christian ministry which can only come as the response to intercessory prayer.

II. The sense of integrity may make a claim for prayer.—“We have a good conscience.” Whoever the writer was, one thing is evident—he was misunderstood and misrepresented and mistrusted, just as we know St. Paul was, by the Jewish, and even to some extent by the Jewish Christian, party. Some separation from him had been caused. This letter was in some sense written to remove wrong impressions, and make the standpoint of his teaching quite clear. It was fitting that he should assure them of his full loyalty to Christ and to them, of his genuineness, simplicity, and integrity. He meant nothing but their true spiritual good, and therefore he might honestly ask their prayers. Often we may be puzzled and disturbed by the teachings of the Christian teacher, but we can keep relations so long as we are fully confident of his integrity. What he is may keep us from offence at what he says.

III. The prayers of Gods people may influence God’s providence (Heb_13:19).—That has been the conviction of God-fearing men in all the ages. It is the absolute conviction of loyal and loving souls to-day. It never strikes them as for one moment unreasonable that God, who ever acts upon wise considerations, takes into account all facts, and forms good judgments, should let His people’s prayers influence His decisions and His arrangements. To think prayer could not affect God’s plans would be to assume that He could be apprehended through no rational or moral being that we ever heard of; it would be to refuse to recognise any reality in His Divine Fatherhood. A God who hears prayer, but takes no heed of it, and responds in no way to it, is inconceivable.

IV. The highest plea for prayer lies in the prayerfulness of him who makes the plea.—Heb_13:20-21, declare the prayerfulness of this writer, and indicate what he asks on the people’s behalf. It is summed up in the word “perfect.” He wants advance, growth, development, in the Christian life; for that he works, for that he prays. He can say, Pray for me, for I am always praying for you.

V. The prayer of him who asks for prayer may be a model for those whom he asks to pray for him.—The tone and substance of the prayer given in Heb_13:20-21, may be taken as a model of prayer. Impress that the act of prayer tends to put men in right relations with responsibility and with privilege. Prayer strengthens to bear responsibility and sanctifies the enjoyment of privilege.

SUGGESTIVE NOTES AND SERMON SKETCHES

Heb_13:18. Conscience.—Now, as conscience is nothing else but the knowledge which the mind has within itself, and the judgment, either of approbation or censure, which it unavoidably makes upon the successive actions of our lives, ’tis plain, you will say, from the very terms of the proposition, whenever this inward testimony goes against a man, and he stands self-accused, that he must necessarily be a guilty man. And, on the contrary, when the report is favourable on his side, and his heart condemns him not, that it is not a matter of trust, as the apostle intimates, but a matter of certainty and fact, that the conscience is good, and that the man must be good also. At first sight this may seem to be a true state of the case; and I make no doubt but the knowledge of right and wrong is so truly impressed upon the mind of man that, did no such thing ever happen as that the conscience of a man, by long habits of sin, might (as the Scripture assures us it may) insensibly become hard, and, like some tender parts of his body, by much stress and continual hard usage, lose by degrees that nice sense and perception with which God and nature endowed it—did this never happen—or was it certain that self-love could never hang the least bias upon the judgment—or that the little interests below could rise up and perplex the faculties of our upper regions, and encompass them about with clouds and thick darkness—could no such thing as favour and affection enter this sacred court—did Wit disdain to take a bribe in it, or was ashamed to show its face as an advocate for an unwarrantable enjoyment—or, lastly, were we assured that Interest stood always unconcerned whilst the cause was hearing, and that Passion never got into the judgment-seat, and pronounced sentence in the stead of Reason, which is supposed always to preside and determine upon the case—was this truly so, no doubt, then, the religious and moral state of a man would be exactly what he himself esteemed it, and the guilt or innocence of a man’s life could be known, in general, by no better measure than the degrees of his own approbation or censure.—Laurence Sterne.

Heb_13:20-21. The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant.—This everlasting covenant is the covenant of grace, or the gospel, made with Christ, as the Head and Representative of all His believing people. It is called “everlasting” in contradistinction to some transient outward forms of it that had already vanished, or were vanishing away. God had made legal, ceremonial, national covenants, which were temporary—which had not the elements of permanency. But this covenant touches, embraces everything, reaches up to God’s highest attributes, and down to man’s deepest needs—over all the breadth of law, and along all the line of existence. We do not rest on the mere word “everlasting,” which sometimes in the Scriptures has evidently a limited signification. No great doctrine or belief should rest on a mere term, unless the thing is taught clearly, by argument or precept or implication. But in this case we have the idea all through the Scriptures of absolute and unlimited duration. The “blood of the everlasting covenant.” That is the virtue of the death of Christ. It is that grand act of atonement and self-sacrifice by which He bore the penalty of sin for us, and secured the gospel as God’s method in this world for ever.

I. God is the God of peace.—The God who makes peace where it has been broken, and gives it where it is lost—the God who makes peace between heaven and earth, between law and conscience, between Himself and sinful men.

II. “He brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus.”—He wrought that mightiest work that has ever been wrought in this world—the resurrection of Christ. Again, “through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” The death is the germinating spring of the after-life—the humiliation is antecedent to and causal of the exaltation.

III. It is through the same act of self-sacrifice in death that He becomes “the great Shepherd of the sheep.” “The good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” That was the mark and criterion which He Himself gave by which men might know Him, and until this life was given the world could not have assurance that the good Shepherd has come. Now we come to the human side of the passage, and we have this blood of the covenant full of efficiencies on this side also.

1. The term “perfect”; giving us at once this high idea, the idea of perfection as a thing attainable now, by means of the blood and death of the Son of God. This perfection is not merely a thing ideal and distant, not only a thing to be hoped for beyond earth and time, in heaven and glory. It is a thing to be striven for and realised in measures in daily life and service—“perfect in every good work.” Nothing could be more practical, nothing further removed from a barren idealism and a visionary spirit. “In every good work,” in everything that benefits man, adorns the Christian profession, glorifies God in the fulfilment of His will.

IV. In this illustration of the power of the cross we have the inworking of the Spirit of God in the heart of the man who is thus seeking perfection—“working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight.” This secures simplicity and spirituality—God working within by the Spirit. Then all is right and good. The water is cleansed at the fountain, thought is touched as it springs, feeling purified as it begins to flow, affection lifted to its object, will bent to the will of God; the image of the heavenly beginning to shine, the likeness of the Resurrection dawning in the risen soul. Then

(1) let us come to this blood of the covenant, or to the death or to the cross of Christ, for cleansing;

(2) for motive;

(3) for speech.—A. Raleigh, D.D.

Heb_13:21. The Believer God’s Agent.—We often speak of ourselves as only “instruments in God’s hands.” It is our privilege to think of ourselves, if we are truly His servants, as agents. An instrument is a dumb, senseless, lifeless thing, which has no active, intelligent power even to co-operate with him who handles and uses it; but an agent (ago) is one who acts; in behalf of, and under control of, another, and yet acting intelligently and individually, as Aaron spoke under Moses’ dictation. Even the ox and ass yield a voluntary, intelligent obedience, and are far above the plough they drag, or the goad by which they are urged on. We are God’s agents, and He worketh not only by us, but in us, both to will and to work. (See Greek of Php_2:13.)

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

C

Personal communications

Heb_13:18-25

18Pray for us: for we trust6 [persuade ourselves] we have a good conscience, in all 19things willing to live honestly [wishing to conduct ourselves honorably]: But [And] I beseech you the rather [the more abundantly beseech you] to do this, that I may be 20restored to you the sooner. Now [And] the God of peace, that brought again [back] from the dead our Lord Jesus, that [the] great Shepherd of the sheep, through [in] the blood of the [an] everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work7 [in order] to do his will, working in you [himself]8 that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever.9 Amen. 22And I beseech you, brethren, suffer [bear with]10 the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. 23Know ye that our11 brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will [shall] see you. 24Salute all them that have the 25rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen.12

[Heb_13:18.—πειθόμεθα, we persuade ourselves; Moll, wir sind der Ueberzeugung, we are of the conviction; Alf., we are persuaded. Rec. πεποίθαμεν, we trust. Πεπείσμεθα is elsewhere rendered, we are persuaded, Heb_6:9.—ἀναστρέφεσθαι, to conduct ourselves.

Heb_13:19.—περισσοτέρως δέ, and I the more abundantly beseech you. The Eng. ver. weakly renders rather, which it seems to attach to ποιῆσαι. The Rec. ver., and Alf. both improperly render δέ adversatively but. The German aber, thrown in after several introductory words, is less objectionable. The adversative force of σέ is often, as here, too slight to admit of its being indicated in English.

Heb_13:20.—Ὁ δὲ θεὸς and the God: Eng. ver., now the God; Alf., but the God.—ὁ ἀγαγών, who brought back; or, perhaps, as Moll, Alf., etc., who brought up. I prefer the former, and back to again.—τὸν μέγαν ποιμ the (not, that) great shepherd.—ἐν αἵματι, in (not by) the blood, refers to ἀγαγών—διαθήκης αἰων, of an (not the) everlasting covenant.

Heb_13:22.—παρακαλῶ δέ and I beseech, not, but I beseech.—ἀνέχεσθε, bear with.ἔγραψα, I wrote: “the epistolary A mandabam, ἔγρψα. frequently in St. Paul” (Alf.).

Heb_13:23.—γινώσκετε, not so clearly indicated as imperative, by standing at the beginning of the sentence, as Alf., Moll, etc., deem. Its position rather determines the emphasis; and it is by no means certain that the Indic, form might not be quite as emphatic as the Imper. Bl., De W., etc., take it as Indic. We can hardly decide positively.—ἀπολελυμένον, taken predicatively, the Part, for Inf., with verbs of knowing, etc.; also undoubtedly released, not dispatched—K.].

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Heb_13:18. Pray for us.—In the same way as Paul (Rom_15:30; Eph_6:19; Col_4:3; 1Th_5:25; 2Th_3:1), the author now begs the prayers of the church on his own behalf, and appeals, against the suspicion of his enemies, to the testimony of his good conscience, as Paul, 2Co_1:12. Many, as recently Feilmoser and Bisping, assume for this reason, and because in the following verses the style seems more than hitherto to resemble that of Paul, that Paul has accompanied the letter of a pupil and confidential fellow-laborer, with this brief postscript, and thus adopted as his own the entire epistle. Others regard the plural περὶ ἡμῶν as embracing still other persons than the “author,” either Timothy (Seb. Schmidt, etc.), or the “leaders” mentioned, Heb_13:17 (Carpz.), or the co-workers who with the author are announcing the Gospel in heathen countries remote from the Hebrew Christians.

We persuade ourselves, etc.—The πεποίθαμεν of the lect. rec.=we have confidence, or trust, Beng., Böhme, etc., take absolutely, and then regard ὅτι as causal (“because”). According to the true reading πειθόμεθα, the author says [and substantially the same meaning might be educed with the reading πεποίθαμεν]; We persuade ourselves, i.e., we hold it as matter of conviction that, etc. He assigns a reason for his claim to their prayers, and expresses himself modestly on account of his relation to the readers. The participial clause following, is by some connected with πειθόμεθα assigning the ground on which he rests his persuasion; by others better with ἔχομεν thus stating the thing to which his conscience bears testimony. Ἐν πἄσιν belongs not to ἔχομεν (Œc. Theophyl.), and is not masc. (Chrys., Luth., Thol., etc.)

Heb_13:19. And I the more abundantly beseech you, etc.—Περισσοτέρως is connected by Seb. Schmidt, Ramb., Beng., with ποιῆσαι; by Lün., and the majority with παρακαλῶ; by Del. with both. Calov. and others have without reason inferred from this an imprisonment of the author. For although ἀποκαθιστάνειν τινἀ τινι points naturally to the removal of some serious hinderance, yet it by no means necessarily refers to the specific idea of imprisonment. Nor do the words shed any light on the specific relation which the author has previously sustained to the church in question.

Heb_13:20. And may the God of peace, etc.—This expression which is also familiar to Paul, is referred by many with Chrys., to a discordant relation between the author and his readers, which they conceive to be indicated in Heb_13:18; by Grot., Böhm., De W., Bisp., and others to dissensions among the readers, alluded to Heb_12:14; by Schlicht. and Riehm, to Paul’s mode of designating God as the dispenser of salvation. The words ἐν αἵματι αἰωνίου διαθήκης, and by Œc, Calv., Beng., Bl., Bisp., etc., connected with ὁ ἀναγαγών; by Baumgart. and others with μέγαν; but better by Bez., Grot., Este, Lün., Riehm, etc., are taken instrumentally as more exactly defining the collective clause τὸν ποιμένα τῶν προβάτων τὸν μέγαν. could we refer the ἀναγαγών to the ascension (Bl., De W., Bisp.), we might easily take ἐν in the sense of accompaniment as Heb_9:25 (Calv., Bl., Bisp., V. Gerlach, Kahnis). But the words ἐκ νεκρῶν restrict the participle to the resurrection, the distinct mention of which in our epistle is confined to this single passage. [“This is the only place where our author mentions the resurrection. Everywhere else he lifts his eyes from the depth of our Lord’s humiliation, passing over all that is intermediate, to the highest point of His exaltation. The connection here suggests to him once at least to make mention of that which lay between Golgotha and the throne of God, between the altar of the cross and the heavenly sanctuary, the resurrection of Him who died as our sin-offering,” Del., cited by Alf.]. Perhaps the author had Isa_63:11, or also Zec_9:11, floating before his mind. The Doxology is less naturally referred to the very remote ὁ θεός as being the principal subject of the sentence, (Limb., Beng., Chr. F. Schmidt, Del., Alf., etc). than to the immediately preceding Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ (Calv., Grot., Bl., Thol., Lün. and the majority).

Heb_13:22. In few words.—The expression διὰ βραχέων=δι’ ὀλίγων, 1Pe_5:12, furnishes no reason for referring the λόγος τῆς παρακλήσεως barely to the exhortations interspersed through the Epistle (Dind., Kuin.), or barely to the section from Heb_10:19 (Grot., Calov, etc.), or exclusively to the last chapter (Semler). Theophyl. rightly places the brevity of the Epistle in contrast with the fulness of thought and emotion which swells the breast of the writer who stood in no official relation to the readers, and employs the gentlest and tenderest forms of speech when he comes to speak in his own person. Ἐπιστέλλειν=writing a letter, as Act_15:20; Act_21:20.

Heb_13:23. Know that Timothy, etc.—There is no reason for taking γινώσκετε as Indic. (Vatabl., Bl., De W., etc.); and the absence of the article before ἀπολελυμένον is decisive against the rendering of Schultz=ye know our brother Timothy, the one who has been set free, as well as against the rendering of Storr, etc.: Hold in honor, or Receive kindly. The interpretation of ἀπολελυμένον, absent from, viz., the author (Este., Limb., Carpz., etc.), is forced and unnatural. The translation, sent away, viz., with the letter to the Hebrews (Theod., etc.), is possible (Act_13:3; Act_15:30; Act_15:33; Act_19:41; Act_23:22); and to this explanation of the participle conforms the subscription of the Epistle in many minusc. and ancient versions: Ἐγράφη ἀπὸ Ἰταλίας διὰ Τιμοθέου. The old interpreters, Chrys., Theoph., Œ., refer it, although hesitatingly, to a being freed from imprisonment. Since Beza, this has been decidedly the prevalent view.

Heb_13:24. Salute all, etc.—We cannot infer from this passage either that the Epistle was directed to a plurality of churches, or to mere private persons. Large churches had a number of leaders, and these must receive the salutation without exception, and so also the entire Church in all its members. May it perhaps also include all Christians with whom the receivers of the Epistle come into contact, independently of a connection with the Church? (Del).

They of Italy.—Since Semler, the majority of expositors have assumed that the οἱ ἀπὸ Ἰταλίας must have designated persons who had come from Italy, and were with the author outside of the limits of that country. They have been supposed in particular to be fugitives from the persecution under Nero; sometimes, however, simply, in general, Italian fellow-laborers with the author, perhaps in Corinth or Ephesus (Bl.), or in Asia Minor (Schwegler), or in a place where no Christian Church as yet existed (Lün.), which latter supposition would explain the absence of any greeting addressed to the Church. Cod. 66 names Athens, but adds ἄλλοι δὲ ἀπὸ Ἰταλίας. Special emphasis is laid upon the fact that the author, if he, while living in Italy, were conveying greetings from Italian Christians, would certainly have written οἱ ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ (1Ti_1:15; 1Pe_5:13); but we might explain the expression of our Epistle from an elliptical mode of expressing relations of place according to (Mat_24:17; Luk_11:13; Luk_16:26); as=οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰταλίᾳ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας, as formerly Winer, but see, on the other hand, Alex. Butt. Gramm. of the New Test. dialect, p. 323); and not only so, but many with Thol., Wieseler, Del., maintain that ἀπό as well as ἐκ is used to express paraphrastically independent substantive ideas, so that the expression in question merely indicates that the persons sending their greetings originated from Italy, without intimating any thing with regard to their present residence. We may not, therefore, either, from this expression, deduce with i certainty that the Epistle was written in Italy (Cod. K. and other Greek MSS. and versions with Tisch., Nov. Test., ed. 7.11,596) or even that it must have been written in Rome (with Primas. and the ancients generally, as also Cod. A.)—The closing benediction is precisely identical with Tit_3:15.—It may, however, be argued for the writing of the Epistle in Southern Italy (Wetstein) that Christian churches already existed, Act_28:13 (Thol.), and that Timothy, who apparently was in a different place from the author of our Epistle, and yet not far removed from him, could probably at this time have been imprisoned nowhere else than in Rome (Wieseler).

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. From the endeavor, in all our relations, to walk in the right way, in the right manner, we are permitted to derive the assurance of a good conscience. Such an assurance we are all permitted to express, and to find in this moral condition a commendation which draws us all the nearer into the love and sympathy of Christian friends, that we may become especially valuable to them, and awaken, quicken, and strengthen the desire for closer communion, and for personal intercourse.

2. We need prayer on our behalf, not merely in weakness, and under assaults, but also for the fulfilment of our hopes and wishes in the attestations of our joy, and our gratitude for the living and powerful exhibition of our faith, of our love, of our communion in the Lord. This sense of need we must not repress, but cherish, give utterance to, and satisfy.

3. The best thing that we can wish and pray for one another is the continuance of the work of God in ourselves, in order that through Jesus Christ we may attain to perfection of life in God.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

True Christians need, demand and render mutual intercourse on behalf of each other.—The value of a good conscience in difficult situations in life.—The greatness of Jesus, as the Shepherd of the fold of God, mirrors itself 1. in the greatness of the sacrifice by which He became Shepherd of this flock; 2. in the extent of the flock which He has to gather and to feed; 3. in the exaltedness of the position to which He has been elevated.—The new covenant is an eternal covenant, because 1. it has been concluded by the eternal Mediator; 2. it is stamped with eternal validity, and 3. it imparts eternal blessings.

Starke:—A good conscience is a great comfort, and gives us a good confidence before God and men; before God, to whom we are permitted filially to turn in all need and anxiety; before men, that we need not be shamefaced, but may be able to encounter with joyfulness the eyes of every man.—The standard of good works is not men’s self-will, but God’s will. This will believers must not only know, but also do.—God works both the willing and the accomplishing; therefore, we must, by all means, give ourselves up to Him for spiritual renewal.—Teachers must respect highly their fellow-laborers in the gospel of Christ, and desire for them the like blessings as for themselves.—We should, indeed, bless even our enemies, but greet preëminently those who are the friends of God, and our friends.

Rieger:—From the dealings of God with His saints, we shall observe how wonderfully He brings them out of suffering, how wonderfully He conducts them into it.

Heubner:—The grace of God, the highest wish for ourselves and others (Psa_106:4). Lord, remember me according to Thy grace, which Thou hast promised to Thy people. Amen!

Footnotes:

[6]Heb_13:18.—Instead of πεποἰθαμεν, trust, we are to read with A. C*. D*. D., lat., 17, 53, πείθόμεα. In Sin., also, πεποίθαμεν, is introduced as a correction.

[7]Heb_13:21.—The addition καὶ λόγω after ἔργῳ, in A., is a gloss from 2Th_2:17.

[8]Heb_13:21.—The αὐτός, self, with Lachm. ed. ster., rests only on D. lat. and 71; Wetstein also ascribes it to C., but erroneously. In his large ed. Lachm. reads αὑτῷ after A. C*., and Greg. Nyss. This reading is also found in Sin., but rejected by the corrector.

[9]Heb_13:21.—C***. D. and many minusc. omit τῶν αἰώνων.

[10]Heb_13:22.—The Imperf. ἀνέχεσθε is supported by Sin. A. C. B***. K., against the Infin. ἀνέχεσθαι, found in D*., 46, 67, Vulg., Pesh., Arm.

[11]Heb_13:23.—The ἡμῶν is to be received after Sin. A. C. D*., 17, 31, 37, 39. In the Sin. it has been thrown out by the corrector.

[12]Heb_13:25.—Ἀμήν Is found in Sin. only as a correction.

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13:18-19 Pray for us: The author asks for prayer for himself using the “authorial plural” (see also 5:11; 6:9). • our conscience is clear: Cp. 2 Cor 1:11-12; 4:2.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Heb 13:18. Προσεύχεσθε περὶ ἡμῶν, pray for us) So Paul is wont, and especially at the conclusion, to ask those to whom he writes: Rom 15:30.—πεποίθαμεν) we trust, that we ourselves shall be heard and delivered.—γὰρ, for) the force of the Ætiology properly falls on Heb 13:19.—ὅτι) that is, because; for, we trust, is used absolutely, as we are confident, 2Co 5:8. Conscience produces confidence: 1Jn 3:21; 2Co 1:12.—καλὴν, καλῶς, good, in a good way [well]) Conjugates.—πᾶσι, in all things) Neuter: see note on 2Co 11:6.—θέλοντες, willing) The conscience follows the will.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heb_13:18-19. Summons to the readers to intercession on behalf of the author. Comp. 1Th_5:25; 2Th_3:1; Rom_15:30; Eph_6:19; Col_4:3.

περὶ ἡμῶν] The plural has reference exclusively to the author of the epistle. In addition to himself, to think of Timothy (Seb. Schmidt, al.), or of the ἡγούμενοι spoken of Heb_13:17 (Carpzov, Kluge), or of the fellow-labourers in the gospel in the midst of the Gentile world, remote from the Hebrew Christians (Delitzsch, comp. also Alford), or of the companions in his vocation, with regard to whom it was to be made known that they wished to be looked upon as joint-representatives of the subject-matter of the epistle (Hofmann), is arbitrary. Forapart from the fact that no mention has been made of Timothy until now, and that the presupposition that the author wished himself to be numbered among the ἡγούμενοι spoken of in Heb_13:17 is a wholly baseless onethe singular, which in Heb_13:19 without any qualification takes the place of the preceding plural, is in itself decisive against this view. For, even if perchance at Heb_13:19 the person of the writer had to be brought into special relief, out of a plurality of persons indicated at Heb_13:18, a distinguishing ἐγώ as addition to the simple παρακαλῶ could not have been wanting.

πειθόμεθα γὰρ ὅτι κ.τ.λ.] for we persuade ourselves, i.e. we suppose or take it to be so (comp. Act_26:26), that[126] we have a good conscience, since we endeavour in all things to walk in a praiseworthy manner. Indication of the reason on the ground of which the author believes he is entitled to claim an interest on the part of the readers, manifesting itself in intercession on his behalf. But in the fact that he regards such explanation as necessary, there is displayed the consciousness that the Palestinian Christians took umbrage at him and his Pauline character of teaching; to remove this umbrage is therefore the object of the justificatory clause.

ἐν πᾶσιν] belongs to that which follows, not still, as Oecumenius and Theophylact suppose, to ἜΧΟΜΕΝ; and ΠᾶΣΙΝ is not masculine (Chrysostom: οὐκ ἐν ἐθνικοῖς μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν; Oecumenius, Theophylact, Luther, Er. Schmid, Tholuck, Hofmann, al.), but neuter.

[126] Bengel, Böhme, Kuinoel, Klee, and others take ὅτιin reading the received πεποίθαμεν γάρ, and then supposing this to be put absolutelyas the causal for or because, which, however, even supposing the correctness of the Recepta, is forced and unnatural. Yet more unsuitable, however, is it when Hofmann, even with the reading πειθόμεθα, will have ὅτι taken causally. The sense is supposed to be: if we believe that ye are praying for us, this has its ground in the fact that we have a good conscience. But to derive the more precise indication of contents for the dependent πειθόμεθα from that which precedes, is altogether inadmissible.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heb 13:18 . προσεύχεσθε περὶ ἡμῶν .… Both the next clause and the next verse seem to indicate that by ἡμῶν the writer chiefly, if not exclusively, meant himself; the next clause, for he could not vouch for the conscience of any other person; the next verse because one principal object or result of their prayer was his restoration to them. Request for prayer is common in the Epistles, 1Th 5:25 ; 2Th 3:1 ; Rom 15:30 ; Eph 6:18 ; Col 4:3 . The reason here annexed is peculiar. “The allusion to his purity of conduct, and strong assertion of his consciousness of it, in regard to them and all things, when he is petitioning for their prayers, implies that some suspicions may have attached to him in the minds of some of them. These suspicions would naturally refer to his great freedom in regard to Jewish practises” (Davidson). But notwithstanding Heb 13:23 it may be that he was under arrest and shortly to be tried and naturally adds to his request for prayer a protestation of his innocence of all civil offence. [ καλῶς ἀναστραφῆναι occurs in Perg. Inscrip. , v. Deissmann, p. 194, E. Tr.] The writer was conscious of a readiness and purpose to live and conduct himself rightly in all circumstances. This gives him confidence and will lend confidence to their prayers. He is more urgent in this request ( περισσοτέρως παρακαλῶ ) because he is desirous to be quickly restored to them; implying that he in some sense belonged to them and that the termination of his present exile from them would be acceptable to them as well as to him. [The verb ἀποκαθ . first occurs in Xenophon, see Anz. p. 338.]

While asking their prayers for himself the writer prays for them: ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης .… He prays to the God of peace ( cf. 1Th 5:23 ; 2Th 3:16 ; Rom 15:33 ; Rom 16:20 ; 2Co 13:11 ; Phi 4:9 ) because this attribute of God carries in it the guarantee that a termination shall be put to all misunderstanding, disturbance, and inability to do His will. His love of peace is shown in nothing more than in His concluding an eternal covenant with men. This covenant was sealed when “our Lord Jesus,” having laid down his life for the sheep, was brought up from the dead in virtue of the perfect and accepted sacrifice ( ἐν αἵματι διαθήκης ). Elsewhere in the Epistle the blood is spoken of as giving entrance to the presence of God, here as delivering from that which prevented that entrance. As Vaughan says: “The arrival in the heavenly presence for us in virtue of the atoning blood is here viewed in its start from the grave … It was in virtue of the availing sacrifice that Christ either left the tomb or reentered heaven.” ἐν αἵματι διαθήκης is therefore more naturally connected with ἀναγαγών than with τὸν ποιμένα , although the two connections are closely related. It was as the Great Shepherd that Jesus gave His life for the sheep and by this act established for ever His claim to be the Shepherd of His people. It is this claim also that guarantees that He will lose none but will raise them up at the last day ( cf. Joh 15 ). [It is probable that the phrasing of this verse was influenced by Zec 9:7 , σὺ ἐν αἵματι διαθήκης σου ἐξαπέστειλας δεσμίους σου ἐκ λάκκου οὐκ ἔχοντος ὕδωρ , and by Isa 63:11 , ποῦ ὁ ἀναβιβάσας ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης τὸν ποιμένα τῶν προβάτων .] The prayer follows, καταρτίσαι ὑμᾶς , “perfectly equip you” ( cf. Heb 11:3 ) ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ , “in every good work,” that is, enabling you to do every good work and so equipping you εἰς τὸ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ , “for the doing of His will,” “doing in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ” ( cf. Phi 2:13 ). The words διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ are apparently attached not exclusively to f1τὸ εὐάρεστον κ . τ . λ ., but to the whole clause and especially to καταρτίσαι ; it is through Jesus, now reigning as Christ, that all grace is bestowed on His people. The doxology may be to the God of peace to whom the prayer is addressed, more probably it is to Jesus Christ, last-named and the great figure who has been before the mind throughout the Epistle.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The last part of this Epistle, wherein he commendeth his ministry to the Hebrews, and wisheth them continuance and increase of graces from the Lord: and excuseth himself in that he hath used but few words to comfort them, having spent the Epistle in disputing: and saluteth certain brethren familiarly and friendly.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Pray for us--Paul usually requests the Church's intercessions for him in closing his Epistles, just as he begins with assuring them of his having them at heart in his prayers (but in this Epistle not till Heb 13:20-21), Rom 15:30. "Us," includes both himself and his companions; he passes to himself alone, Heb 13:19.

we trust we have a good conscience--in spite of your former jealousies, and the charges of my Jewish enemies at Jerusalem, which have been the occasion of my imprisonment at Rome. In refutation of the Jews' aspersions, he asserts in the same language as here his own conscientiousness before God and man, Act 23:1-3; Act 24:16, Act 24:20-21 (wherein he virtually implies that his reply to Ananias was not sinful impatience; for, indeed, it was a prophecy which he was inspired at the moment to utter, and which was fulfilled soon after).

we trust--Greek, "we are persuaded," in the oldest manuscripts. Good conscience produces confidence, where the Holy Spirit rules the conscience (Rom 9:1).

honestly--"in a good way." The same Greek word as "good conscience." Literally, "rightly," "becomingly."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 18. Pray for us] Even the success of apostles depended, in a certain way, on the prayers of the Church. Few Christian congregations feel, as they ought, that it is their bounden duty to pray for the success of the Gospel, both among themselves and in the world. The Church is weak, dark, poor, and imperfect, because it prays little.

We trust we have a good conscience] We are persuaded that we have a conscience that not only acquits us of all fraud and sinister design, but assures us that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have laboured to promote the welfare of you and of all mankind.

To live honestly.] Εν πασι καλως θελοντες αναστρεφεσθαι· Willing in all things to conduct ourselves well-to behave with decency and propriety.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. For we trust, etc. After having commended himself to their prayers, in order to excite them to pray, he declares that he had a good conscience. Though indeed our prayers ought to embrace the whole world, as love does, from which they flow; it is yet right and meet that we should be peculiarly solicitous for godly and holy men, whose probity and other marks of excellency have become known to us. For this end, then, he mentions the integrity of his own conscience, that is, that he might move them more effectually to feel an interest for himself. By saying, I am persuaded, or I trust, he thus partly shows his modesty and partly his confidence. In all, may be applied to things as well as to men; and so I leave it undecided.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

18. Pray for us] A frequent and natural request in Christian correspondence (1Th_5:25; 2Th_3:1; Rom_15:30; Eph_6:18; Col_4:3). The “us” probably means “me and those with me,” shewing that the name of the writer was well known to those addressed.

we trust] Rather, “we are persuaded.”

we have a good conscience] The writer, being one of the Paulinists, whose freedom was so bitterly misinterpreted, finds it as necessary as St Paul had done, to add this profession of conscientious sincerity (Act_23:1; Act_24:16; 1Co_4:4; 2Co_1:12). These resemblances to St Paul’s method of concluding his letters are only of a general character, and we have reason to suppose that to a certain extent the beginnings and endings of Christian letters had assumed a recognised form.

willing] i.e. “desiring,” “determining.”

honestly] Honourably.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pray for us,.... Who are in the ministry; your guides and governors; since the work is of so much moment, and so arduous and awful, and you have such a concern in it; See Gill on Th2 3:1.

for we trust we have a good conscience; there is a conscience in every man, but it is naturally evil: a good conscience is a conscience sanctified by the Spirit of God, and sprinkled by the blood of Jesus; here it chiefly respects the upright discharge of it in the ministerial work: this the apostle often asserts, and appeals to, and which he here expresses with modesty, and yet with confidence; and which he uses as an argument for prayer for them:

in all things willing to live honestly; not only as men, but as ministers; faithfully dispensing the word of truth, without any regard to the favour or frowns of men, as good stewards of the mysteries of God; which contains in it another reason for prayer: the phrase, "in all things", is so placed, that it may be read in connection with either clause; and the sense is either that they exercised a good conscience in all things, in which they were concerned with God, or man, and among all persons, Jews and Gentiles; or that they were willing to live honestly in every respect, as men, Christians, and ministers.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

Ver. 18. Willing to live honestly] Tantum velis, et Deus tibi praeoccurret. David could wish well to the keeping of God’s commandments, Psa 119:4-5, and affect that which yet he could not effect.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pray for us - This is a request which the apostle often makes in his own behalf, and in behalf of his fellow laborers in the gospel; see 1Th 5:25. notes, Eph 6:18-19.

For we trust we have a good conscience ... - see the notes on Act 24:16. The apostle here appeals to the uprightness of his Christian life as a reason why he might claim their sympathy. He was conscious of an aim to do good; he sought the welfare of the church; and having this aim he felt that he might appeal to the sympathy of all Christians in his behalf. It is only when we aim to do right, and to maintain a good conscience, that we can with propriety ask the prayers of others, or claim their sympathy. And if we are “willing in all things to live honestly,” we may expect the sympathy, the prayers, and the affections of all good people.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. For us—Uniting the leaders and himself as a common subject of their prayers. Paul alone, of all the New Testament writers, asks the prayers of his readers. 1Th_5:25; 2Th_3:1.

Live honestly—A slight reminiscence that his character had been questioned at Jerusalem.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pray for us: for we trust (rather, we are persuaded, peiyomeya) that we have a good conscience, in all things willing (i.e. desiring) to live honestly. When St. Paul uses the plural hmeiv he usually at least, if not always, includes his colleagues. (cf. 1Th_5:25 2Th 3:1Co 2Th 4:3) So probably the writer here, especially as there is a transition to the singular in the following verse. Whoever he was, he associates himself in sending the Epistle with his fellow-laborers, i.e. with others of what we may call the Pauline circle, who were engaged with him elsewhere. Both this and the request for prayer, and also the assertion of integrity, which seems to imply suspicion of possible mistrust, are quite in St. Paul"s way, and confirm the view that, though the author may not have been St. Paul himself, it was at any rate some one who was, or had been, closely connected with him.

Vers. 18, 19. A request for prayer

Here is a new and unexpected relation between the shepherd and the sheep; for as a shepherd the author of this Epistle must be viewed, whoever he may be. The shepherd instinct, striving to guard Christians from error and backsliding, is manifest in every page. But while there is authority, the authority of one who sees with a clear eye right into truth, there is also, as expressed in this request, a most touching sense of need. The guiding and comforting of Christians is an awful burden. To be in any way charged with the diffusion and enforcement of the truth keeps the heart continually on the strain. There are so many things to say, so little time in which to say them, and such lack of the best words, as makes one say, "Who is sufficient for these things?" Hence the earnestness with which one who is busy from the heart in working for Christ asks for the intercession of others. Only a man himself knowing the power of prayer could utter such a request. A prayerless man will never have an inward impulse prompting him to say, "Pray for us." Note where this request comes in just at the end of the Epistle. As if the writer intended his friends to feel that he would first of all do all he could for them before he asked anything from them. If indeed they had profited by his instructions then, both intellectually and spiritually, they would be in the fittest mood to pray for him. Y.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

An admonition to prayer and good works:

v. 18. Pray for us; for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

v. 19. But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

v. 20. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

v. 21. make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

The close of this letter, as those written by the Apostle Paul, breathes the spirit of intimacy which characterized the fellowship among the early Christians. The inspired author pleads: Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, in all things willing to conduct ourselves well. Paul also pleads for the intercession of the Christians to whom he addresses some of his letters, 1Th 5:25; 2Th 3:1-2; Rom 15:30-32; Eph 6:19-20; Col 4:3. Because the responsibility which rests upon the pastors is so great, therefore their parishioners will do well to include them and their work in their daily prayer. But incidentally, because the author was aware of the fact that the doctrine which he taught was not acceptable to the Judaizing Christians, he boldly declares that he is convinced that he has a clear conscience, that he is not conscious of any offense, that his conduct, so far as he knew, at all times was such as not to require an apology at this time. He had lived up to his intention of behaving with decency and propriety toward all men. For that reason his appeal is so urgent: I appeal to you all the more impressively to do this, in order that all the more quickly I may be restored to you. The writer was either imprisoned or else hindered in some way from coming to Palestine. But he felt that he and his labors belonged to them, and that they, as well as he, would welcome his return to them with open arms. The trust which the writer here shows in the power of prayer is that which ought to be found in the hearts of all Christians.

The sacred author, in turn, adds a prayer for his readers, which concludes with a doxology: But the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of an everlasting covenant, confirm you in every good thing to the doing of His will, working in us that which is well-pleasing before Him through Christ Jesus to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen. He calls God the God of peace, 1Th 5:23; 2Th 3:16; Rom 14:23, since through the relation and condition of peace which has resulted in consequence of the redemption of Christ there is once more peace between God and mankind, and because the believers are, by virtue of this knowledge, able to follow after peace with all their heart. That peace between God and man actually obtains is due to the fact that God restored, brought back from the dead Jesus, the great Shepherd of His sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant. See Joh 10:1-42 As Christ Himself informed the Jews, He, as the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for His sheep, He shed His holy blood in consequence of God’s covenant of mercy, the counsel of love which was made in eternity and has for its object the salvation of all mankind. This God of mercy also has the power to give the necessary strength to the believers, enabling them to be eager for the doing of every good work, for everything that pleases the heavenly Father This the Christians then do, not by their own reason and strength, but in Jesus Christ through the might which flows from their Savior into their hearts and minds by faith In this way, by the continued growth of all believers in sanctification, the end and aim of God’s work in them will be realized, Christ Himself being glorified, world without end.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In these words observe, 1. A 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 their prayers, and assurance that he whould receive them; We trust we have a good conscience in all things. Behold here with what modesty and humility the apostle speaks of himself, even in things of which he had the highest and fullest assurance: We trust have a good conscience in all things.

Question. What is a good conscience?

Answer. A good conscience is a conscience enlightened by the word of God, a conscience awakened by the Spirit of God, a conscience purified and pacified by the blood of Christ, a conscience universally tender of all God’s commands.

Observe, 3. The testimony given of his having a good conscience, Willing in all things to live honestly; a resolution and will, accompanied with constant endeavours to live honestly, is a fruit and evidence of a good conscience: the word willing denotes readiness, resolution, and endeavour.

Observe, 4. How he presses for an interest in their prayers, with respect to his present circumstances, and his design of coming to them; I beseech you the rather, &c.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. Pray for us. Paul often makes this request. He refers to his uprightness of life perhaps because he had been arrested as an evil doer in Jerusalem.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Connecting Statement:

The author closes with a blessing and greetings.

Pray for us

Here "us" refers to the author and his companions, but not to the readers. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive "We")

we are persuaded that we have a clean conscience

Here "clean" stands for being free from guilt. AT: "we are certain that we have no guilt" (See: Metaphor)

that I will be returned to you sooner

This can be stated in active form. AT: "that God will quickly remove the things that stop my coming to you" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

pray

conscience

courage

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

18–25. CONCLUDING NOTICES AND BENEDICTIONS

18. Προσεύχεσθε περὶ ἡμῶν. A frequent and natural request in Christian correspondence (1Th 5:25; 2Th 3:1; Rom 15:30; Eph 6:18; Col 4:3). The “us” probably means “me and those with me,” shewing that the name of the writer was well known to those addressed.

πειθόμεθα. “We are persuaded.”

καλὴν συνείδησιν. The writer, being one of the Paulinists, whose freedom was so bitterly misinterpreted, finds it as necessary as St Paul had done, to add this profession of conscientious sincerity (Act 23:1; Act 24:16; 1Co 4:4; 2Co 1:12). These resemblances to St Paul’s method of concluding his letters are only of a general character, and we have reason to suppose that to a certain extent the beginnings and endings of Christian letters had assumed a recognised form.

ἐν πᾶσιν. “Among all men.”

θέλοντες. I.e. “desiring,” “determining.”

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18.] Pray for us (here, as elsewhere, it is probably a mistake to suppose that the first person plural indicates the Writer alone. As Del. observes, the passage from the ἡγούμενοι to the Writer individually would be harsh. And when Bleek finds in ver. 19 a proof that the Writer only is meant, he misses the point, that this ἡμῶν, including the Writer and his companions, is in fact a transition note between ver. 17 and ver. 19. Cf. Eph 6:19: Rom 15:30: 2Co 1:11): for we are persuaded (πειθόμεθα, which is St. Luke’s way of speaking, cf. Act 26:26, has been changed into πεποίθαμεν, which is St. Paul’s, cf. Gal 5:10: Php 1:25; Php 2:24) that (Bengel, al. pause at πεποίθαμεν (rec.) γάρ, rendering ὅτι “quia: nam confidimus ponitur absolute, uti audemus, 2Co 5:8.” But the other is the better and more probable rendering, even with the rec.: and with πειθόμεθα, more necessary still) we have a good conscience (St. Luke’s expression, see reff.: and here chosen perhaps to correspond to καλῶς below), desiring in all things (not as Chrys., Erasm.(par.), Luth., al., masculine,—οὐκ ἐν ἐθνικοῖς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν,—but as in ver. 4) to behave ourselves with seemliness (τουτέστιν, ἀπροσκόπως διάγειν σπουδάζοντες καὶ ἀσκανδαλίστως. Thl. This appears to point at some offence of the same kind as we know to have been taken at the life and teaching of St. Paul with reference to the law and Jewish customs).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.