Hebrews 13:24

13:24-25 The book closes with a formal greeting and a blessing. • The believers from Italy: The author is probably writing back to Rome from elsewhere in the Mediterranean world; some scholars, however, have thought that the author was writing from Rome.

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

Heb 13:24. Πάντας τοὺς ἡγουμένους ὑμῶν, all them that have the rule over you) They laboured under dulness of apprehension; but this epistle has solid food for them that are perfect. Therefore if any epistle needed to have been withdrawn from the general multitude, this certainly was that epistle. And yet this epistle too is directed to the general multitude, rather than to the ministers, to whom it was less necessary. [So the discourse is addressed to women, children, servants, young men, etc., Eph 5:22, etc.; 1Jn 2:18; 2Jn 1:1: and to all together, 1Pe 3:8; 1Pe 5:5. Paul gives an injunction to Archippus through the Col 4:17.—V. g.] The writings of the apostles were read in the public assembly, as those of the prophets formerly were: how much more ought it so to be left free to every individual to read them in private, as much as is requisite, so that it should not be granted only by a dispensation from the Pope! For it is more profitable often to read, what it is safe once to hear. Paul elsewhere mentions the bishops and deacons: Php 1:1. Here he only names ἡγουμένους, them that rule—the ministers: comp. 1Th 5:12; 1Ti 5:17. He sends salutations to them all; for those to whom he writes were in many places.—πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους, all the saints) believers, especially Israelites.

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

Heb_13:24. Request for the delivering of salutations, together with the conveying of salutations to the readers.

πάντας τοὺς ἡγουμένους ὑμῶν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους] This designation of persons has about it something surprising, since according to it the letter would have the appearance of being addressed neither to the presidents of the assembly, nor to the whole congregation, but to single members of the latter. Probably, however, the meaning of the author is only that those to whom the epistle is delivered, for reading to the congregation, should greet as well all the presidents as also all the other members of the congregation.

οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας] is not to be explained from the absorption of one local preposition into another; in such wise that it should stand for οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰταλίᾳ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας, which is thought possible by Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 584. It signifies: those from Italy, i.e. Christians who have come out of Italy, and are now to be found in the surroundings of the writer. The general expression: οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας, seems to point to a compact number of persons already known to the readers. It is highly probable, therefore, that those referred to are Christians who, on the occasion of the Neronian persecution, had fled from Italy, and had settled down for the time being at the place of the authors present abode. The expression shows, moreover, that the epistle was written outside of Italy. See p. 13.

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.

all--The Scriptures are intended for all, young and old, not merely for ministers. Compare the different classes addressed, "wives," Eph 5:22; little children, Jo1 2:18; "all," Pe1 3:8; Pe1 5:5. He says here "all," for the Hebrews whom he addresses were not all in one place, though the Jerusalem Hebrews are chiefly addressed.

They of Italy--not merely the brethren at Rome, but of other places in Italy.

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 24. Salute all them that have the rule over you] Salute all your leaders or guides, τους ἡγουμενους ὑμων. See Clarke on Heb 13:7 and "Heb 13:17".

And all the saints.] All the Christians; for this is the general meaning of the term in most parts of St. Paul's writings. But a Christian was then a saint, i.e. by profession a holy person; and most of the primitive Christians were actually such. But in process of time the term was applied to all that bore the Christian name; as elect, holy people, sanctified, c., were to the nation of the Jews, when both their piety and morality were at a very low ebb.

They of Italy salute you.] Therefore it is most likely that the writer of this epistle was then in some part of Italy, from which he had not as yet removed after his being released from prison. By they of Italy probably the apostle means the Jew's there who had embraced the Christian faith. These salutations show what a brotherly feeling existed in every part of the Christian Church even those who had not seen each other yet loved one another, and felt deeply interested for each other's welfare.

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

24. Salute, etc. As he writes his Epistle generally to the Hebrews, it is strange that he bids some, separate from the rest, to be saluted; but he sends this salutation, as I think, more particularly to the rulers, as a mark of honor, that he might conciliate them, and gently lead them to assent to his doctrine. And he adds, —

And all the saints. He either means the faithful from among the Gentiles, and refers to them that both Jews and Gentiles might learn to cultivate unity among themselves; or his object was to intimate, that they who first received the Epistle, were to communicate it to others.

END OF THE COMMENTARIES ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

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.

(24) That have the rule over you.—Better, that are your leaders: see Heb_13:7; Heb_13:17.

They of Italy salute you.—These much discussed words are consistent with either of two hypotheses:—(1) That the writer is in Italy, and salutes “the Hebrews” in the name of the Christians of Italy: (2) That the writer is addressing a Church of Italy, and sends greeting from Christians who have their home in Italy, but are now with him. (See Introduction.)

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

24. Salute all them that have the rule over you] This salutation to all their spiritual leaders implies the condition of Churches, which was normal at that period—namely, little communities, sometimes composed separately of Jews and Gentiles, who in default of one large central building, met for worship in each other’s houses.

They of Italy] This merely means “the Italians in the place from which I write,” just as “they of Asia” means Asiatic Jews (Act_21:27. Comp. Act_17:13, Heb_6:9, &c.). The phrase therefore gives no clue whatever to the place from which, or the persons to whom, the Epistle was written. It merely shews that some Christians from Italy—perhaps Christians who had fled from Italy during the Neronian persecution—formed a part of the writer’s community; but it suggests a not unnatural inference that it was written to some Italian community from some other town out of Italy. Had he been writing from Italy he would perhaps have been more likely to write “those in Italy” (comp. 1Pe_5:13).

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.

Salute all them that have the rule over you,.... The pastors and officers of the church of the Hebrews, the same with those in Heb 13:7 and all the saints; the several members of the church, who were set apart to holiness by God; whose sins were expiated by Christ; to whom Christ was made sanctification; and who were internally sanctified by the Spirit of God, and lived holy lives and conversations; to these the apostle wished all prosperity, inward and outward, spiritual and temporal; and he uses the word "all" in both clauses; and, including every officer and member, expresses his universal love to them, whether high or low, rich or poor, greater or lesser believers:

they of Italy salute you; that is, the brethren, as the Vulgate Latin version reads; the Italian brethren; such as were at Puteoli, and other places, in that country; see Act 28:13. Italy is a famous and well known country in Europe; a very fruitful and delightful one; of which Rome, where the apostle very likely now was, is the chief city: it has been called by different names, as Saturnia from Saturn; and Ausonia, Aenotria, and Hesperia Magna; and it had its name Italy, some say, from Italus, the son of Penelope and Telegonus; others, from Italus, a king of the Arcadians, or, as some say, the Sicilians; but, according to Timsaeus and Varro (e), it was so called from the multitude of oxen in it, which in the old Greek language were called "Italoi", to which comes near in sound the Latin word "vituli", used for "calves"; and Italy is frequently, by Jewish writers (f) called , "Italy of Greece"; and formerly it was inhabited by Greeks, and was called Great Greece (g): it is bounded on the east with the Adriatic sea; and on the west by the river Var, with the Alps, which separate France from Italy; and on the south with the Tyrrhene, or Tuscan sea, called the lower, and on the north, partly with the Alps, which are on the borders of Germany, and partly with the Adriatic sea, called the higher. There were Christians in this country before the Apostle Paul came to Rome, both at Rome, and other places, as before observed. It is said (h), that Barnabas was first at Rome, and planted the church there; that he went round Lombardy, and lived at Milain; that in the "first" century, Apollinaris preached at Ravenna, and Hermagoras at Aquileia; and there were Christian churches in the "second" century, not only at Rome, but in many other cities and places; and so likewise in the "third" century, as at Verona, Spoletum, Beneventum, &c. and in the "fourth" century, there were great numbers of churches in this country; as at Verona, and Capua, in Calabria, Campania, and Apulia; and which might be traced in following centuries.

(e) Apud Aul. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 11. c. 1. Vid. Apollodor. de Orig. Deorum, l. 2. p. 101. (f) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 67. fol. 59. 4. T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 56. 2. R. Sol. Jarchi in Gen. xxvii. 39. (g) lsidor. Hispal. Origin. l. 14. c. 4. (h) Hist. Eccl. Magdeburg. cent. 1. l. 2. c. 2. p. 17. cent. 2. c. 2. p. 4. cent. 3. c. 2. p. 4. cent. 4. c. 2. p. 6.

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

24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.

Ver. 24. Salute all them] This Epistle then was first read to the people, who are required to deliver the apostle’s comments to their ministers. The Papists debar the people, not of the Scriptures only, but of all books of the reformed religion; and for a terror not to retain such books prohibited, I have seen (saith Sir Edwin Sands) in their printed instructions for confession, the hearing or reading of books forbidden set in rank among the sins against the first commandment.

They of Italy salute you] Few saints there now; the Italians hold integrity for little better than silliness; they blaspheme oftener than swear, they murder more than revile or slander. And yet even in Italy there are fully four thousand professed Protestants. But their paucity and obscurity (saith mine author) shall enclose them in a cipher.

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.

Salute all them - see the notes on Rom 16:3 ff. It was customary for the apostle Paul to close his epistles with an affectionate salutation.

That have the rule over you - notes, Heb 13:7, 17. None are mentioned by name, as is usual in the Epistles of Paul. The cause of this omission is unknown. “And all the saints.” The common name given to Christians in the Scriptures; see the notes on Rom 1:7.

They of Italy salute you - The saints or Christians in Italy. Showing that the writer of the Epistle was then in Italy. He was probably in Rome; see the introduction, section 4.

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

He sends his salutations, which were good wishes and prayers for the peace, prosperity, health, and happiness of their souls and bodies, and success in all their concernments; first unto their excellent guides and rulers, Heb 13:7,17, that they may prosper and succeed in their work among the saints; and then unto

the saints themselves, conveying the gospel peace, according to Christ’s command, Mat 10:12; Luk 10:5. Which saints were all those Hebrews dispersed in several places, and there convening, and maintaining church society; and to whose hand the Epistle first came, they were to receive the salutations themselves, and transmit them to others. With his own he transmits the salutations of all that part of the church of Christ which was in Italy to them. Which salutations, though commonly abused, yet are of great weight and worth where communicated and received by the churches in which the Holy Spirit abideth.

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

24. Them that have the rule over you—Same word as in Heb_13:7; Heb_13:15, and signifying leaders. The antithesis here between leaders and all the saints implies a distinct and authorized drawn line between ministry and laity. The doctrine that such distinction is post-apostolical is inadmissible. And the duty of the latter to the former is expressed in Heb_13:17 (where see notes) in terms rarely used by modern Congregationalism.

They of Italy— That is, (as the best criticism now interprets the Greek,) the Italian Christians. The Greek phrase is, οι απο της ‘Ιταλιας, they from Italy. The German critic Bleek, in reviewing Stuart on Hebrews, maintained that the Greek απο signified that the they were away from Italy, and so the epistle could not have been written in Italy. But Stuart triumphantly quoted instances where the phrase simply implied origin, or birthplace, or residence. Thus Joh_11:1 : Lazarus, of (απο) Bethany; Lazarus being both a resident of the place, and at that time in Bethany. A salutation to the Hebrews at Jerusalem from so wide-spread a body as “Italian Christians” generally, might seem strange. But, 1. Paul says to the Corinthians, (1Co_16:19,) “The Churches of Asia salute you.” And St. Peter (1Pe_1:1) addresses the Churches in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. 2. The leading body of Christians in Italy were doubtless known to Paul; his writing this epistle was doubtless known to them; he was authorized in spirit to salute the Jerusalem Church in their name. 3. What Church was more suitable or more likely to be saluted from Rome than the mother Church of all, in whose streets Jesus had preached, and without whose gates he was crucified—Jerusalem? And in this we have a strong confirmation of the judgment of Christian antiquity, unwisely impugned by modern “criticism,” that this epistle was written to the Church of that city.

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

Salute all them that have the rule over you (tounouv , as before), and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. The fact that no names are here mentioned, as is usual with St. Paul in sending salutations to Churches he was personally well acquainted with, leads us to infer that there had been no such close association, at any rate recently, between the writer and the readers in this case; or else that a circle of Churches in some locality is addressed. Nothing certain can be concluded as to the writer"s whereabouts at the time of writing from the expression, "they of Italy (oi apo thv Italiav)," though it seems to favor the idea, rather than otherwise, that he was in Italy at the time, possibly at Rome. For the phrase means simply "natives of Italy"; (cf. Act_10:23 Act_10:38 Act_12:1 Act_17:13 Act_21:27 Act_18:13; all these being, we observe, expressions of St. Luke"s) it by no means implies that they had left Italy. In fact, as Delitzsch observes, "if the author was then in Italy, and at the same time was not a native of Italy, he could not have selected a more appropriate designation for the Italian Christians." The Epistle is concluded by St. Paul"s accustomed words, which, with some variations, seem to have been appended to all his letters as his authenticating autograph (see 2Th 3, etc.)

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

24. Salute all them, etc. Salute for me the elders, and saints, at Jerusalem and in Judea. They of Italy salute you. The epistle was, therefore, written from Italy, which harmonizes with Paul's long imprisonment there.

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.

Those from Italy greet you

Possible meanings are 1) the author is not in Italy, but there is a group of believers with him who have come from Italy or 2) the author is in Italy while writing this letter.

Italy

This is the name of a region at that time. Rome was the then-capital city of Italy. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

believe

grace

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

24. ἀσπάσασθε. This salutation to all their spiritual leaders implies the condition of Churches, which was normal at that period—namely, little communities, sometimes composed separately of Jews and Gentiles, who in default of one large central building, met for worship in each other’s houses.

οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας. This merely means “the Italians in the place from which I write,” just as “they of Asia” means Asiatic Jews (Act 21:27. Comp. Act 17:13, Heb 6:9, &c.). The phrase therefore gives no clue whatever to the place from which, or the persons to whom, the Epistle was written. It merely shews that some Christians from Italy—perhaps Christians who had fled from Italy during the Neronian persecution—formed a part of the writer’s community; but it suggests a not unnatural inference that it was written to some Italian community from some other town out of Italy. Had he been writing from Italy he would perhaps have been more likely to write “those in Italy” (comp. 1Pe 5:13), and some have explained the phrase as a constr. praegnans for οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰταλίᾳ ἀσπ. ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας. But this is quite needless, and as Winer says (p. 784) “a critical argument as to the place where the Epistle was written should never have been founded on these words.”

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.

24.] Salute all your leaders, and all the saints. They from Italy salute you (on this, see Prolegg. § ii. 13).

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

They of Italy [οι απο της ιταλιας] . This may mean, "those who are in Italy send greeting from Italy "; or," those of Italy (Italian Christians with the writer at the time) send greeting' from the place at which the letter is being written. See Introduction. The phrase affords no reliable indication as to the residence of the persons addressed.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. ἀσπάσασθε... A general salutation of this kind is found in most of the Epistles of the N. T. (Rom., 1, 2 Cor., Phil., Col., 1 Thess., Tit, 1 Pet.,

᾿Ασπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ ἀπὸ

ἔρχησθε ἰδ".

unique; and there appears to be an emphasis in the repetition πάντας... wavras...all...all... which probably points to the peculiar circumstances of the Church. Comp. Phil iv. 21 special salutation of ‘all that have the rule’ implies that the letter was not addressed officially to the Church, but to somo soction of it, The patristic commentators notice tho significance of tho clause :

Alvirreras ὁ λόγος ὡς ol προστατεύοντες αὐτῶν τοιαύτης διδασκαλίας οὐκ ἔχρῃζον" οὗ δὴ χάριν οὐκ ἐκείνοις ἐπέστειλεν ἀλλὰ τοῖς μαθηταῖς (Theodt.).

Ὅρα πῶς αὐτοὺς τιμᾷ elye δι' αὐτῶν τοὺς ἡγουμένους προσαγορεύει (Thoophict.).

dow. v. of awd τῆς τ.) They of Italy salute you, Vulg. Salutant vos de Italia. The phrase may mean either (1) ‘those who are in Italy send greeting from Italy,’ or (2) ‘those of Italy,’ that is Italian Christians who were with tho writer at tho time, ‘send greeting.” The former rendering is adequately illustrated by Matt. xxiv. 17; Luke xi. 13; Col. iv. 16; and it is adopted by the Fathers: ol ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Ιταλίας" ἔδειξε πόθεν γέγραφε his verbis nobis innuit quod Rone hanc epistolam scripeerit que in regione Italic sita est (Primas.).

The choice between tho two renderings will be determined by the view

ματος μετάληψις. And Primasius, more in detail: Gratiso nomine debemus hic accipere fidem perfectam cum exsecutione bonorum operum, remissioncm quoque peccatorum quam percipiunt fideles tempore baptismatis, donum etiam Spiritus Sancti quod datur in baptismato per impositionom manus episcoporum, 420 omnia gratis a Deo dantur. The changes in the revised texts of Haymo and Atto are worth notice.

Brooke Foss Westcott (1825–1901), The Epistle to the Hebrews (1889) and The Epistles of St John (1883) — public domain (pre-1929). Text recovered from Internet Archive / Google Books OCR scans. Westcott’s Gospel of John commentary is not included (its OCR lost the chapter running-heads required for reliable verse-keying). Some Greek quoted in the Hebrews volume is imperfectly rendered by the OCR.