Hebrews 6:10

Heb_6:10

God is not unrighteous to forget your work

The guarantee of usefulness

I.

GOD KNOWS OF EACH ITEM OF OUR CHRISTIAN SERVICE. Our deeds of love populate the Divine mind with immortal images.

II. GODS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS AN ACTIVE FENCE IX HIS NATURE. It gives quality to all that He is, and thinks, and does. It is the guarantee of right becoming victorious; the pledge of the final supremacy of love; the rock on which faithful service may build its hopes.

III. GODS RIGHTEOUSNESS RENDERS CERTAIN THE FINAL USEFULNESS OF ALL CHRISTIAN SERVICE.

1. His righteousness creates interest in our service. He looks on our deeds with pleasure.

2. His righteousness creates sympathy with us in what we do. Because the holy feeling that prompts us to deeds of love is akin to that which dwells in God, He feels towards our work the same as we do, He enters into our longing to bless others, He shares in our yearning to cheer and guide and save men.

3. His righteousness ensures the using up of our deeds of love in the line of His own purpose. There is not a true prayer uttered, not a holy wish cherished, not a kind word spoken, not a deed of mercy performed, not a single Christian act in the service we daily seek to render to our Lord, in public or in private, known of men or out of sight, but that He knows it, holds it before His mind, graciously delights in it, enters into its spirit, and, as a consequence, actually lays hold of it as a precious element of good, to blend it with His own volitions, and make it harmonise with, and give impetus to, all that He once did when, on earth in the person of His dear Son, He laid the foundation that is to be both blessed and everlasting. (C. Chapman.)

Gods righteousness as an encouragement to Christian service

I. THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH. The work distributed amongst us may be very different in quality, in interest, in popularity, in result; yet God does not overlook any of it. He sees the mother talking of Jesus to her children at home, as well as the preacher who expounds Divine truth in the great congregation. The words which in weakness and fatigue are penned by a writer for the press, on the side of purity or national integrity, or peace among the nations, or fairness between the classes, are as much thought of by God as the society organised for the defence of theological truth. The medical man who heals the poor without reward, the employer who dares to give unto his servants what be knows to be just and equal, the merchant or tradesman who for the sake of the Lord he loves refuses to receive an advantage which his competitor would eagerly seek--all these, in time of disappointment, may remember the assurance, God is not unrighteous to forget your work. And what of work more directly religious? Is not the Lord mindful of that? Even we think sometimes with sympathy of our brothers in distant lands, exposed to hostility from the heathen, and to perils by land and by sea, perils from malaria, accident, and privation; but the all-seeing God knows them, and cares for them far more than we, and He will not forget their work. And if your service is less public than theirs, it is none the less regarded by Him, whose wisdom not only built the mountains, but clothed the lilies of the field. We know but little of each other, but He knows us altogether, and He is as pleased with the childs prayer as with the martyr death of the bravest soldier in His army.

II. THE FIDELITY OF THE LORD. The idea seems to be this; God will not overlook your work, so as to make no use of it; it will not be forgotten, but will find its place in the fulfilment of the Divine purpose. Man is unfaithful and forgetful in such matters. An editor may ask some one to write a paper, and when with toil and care it is finished, he may have forgotten all about it, and may issue his work without finding any place for the authors labour--men are often forgetful. The other day, in crossing a wild part of Dartmoor, I saw a magnificent block of stone, carefully and skilfully cut into a hexagon, and there it lay unheeded amid the heather, beaten by storms, bleached by sunshine--useless. Perhaps the builder had forgotten to fetch it, or perhaps he thought the block too heavy to carry over the rough roads; but, whatever the reason, some skilful stonemason had worked hard, but uselessly. Now, looking down upon our work in obscure homes, in nut-of-the-way offices, in quiet spheres of service, this inspired man says: God is not unfaithful to forget your work. (A. Rowland, LL. B.)

The present and future rewards of charity

I. HOW ACCEPTABLE GOOD WORKS ARE TO GOD, AND WHAT REWARDS HE HATH PROMISED TO THOSE WHO SHALL BE FOUND ABOUNDING IN THEM.

II. A PRINCIPLE OF CHRISTIAN LOVE AND CHARITY IS OF ALL OTHER THE MOST PREVALENT TO INDUCE MEN TO SUCH GOOD WORKS

III. BY THE EXPRESSION LABOUR OF LOVE IS PLAINLY SUGGESTED THAT GOOD WORKS ARE OFTEN ACCOMPANIED WITH MUCH TROUBLE AND DIFFICULTY.

IV. MINISTERING TO THE WANTS AND NECESSITIES OF OUR CHRISTIAN BRETHREN IS SHOWING-A REGARD TOWARDS THE NAME OF GOD.

V. WE HAVE PERSEVERANCE IN THOSE: DUTIES RECOMMENDED TO US, BY THE EXAMPLE OF THOSE HEBREWS, WHO ARE NOT ONLY MENTIONED AS

FORMERLY MINISTERING TO THE NECESSITIES OF THEIR INDIGENT BRETHREN, BUT AS CONTINUING TO DO THE SAME. (S. Knight, D. D.)

The righteous reward

I. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour Of love; INASMUCH AS HIS DOING SO WOULD RE UNGENEROUS, UNGRACIOUS, UNKIND. Were He not to acknowledge it, He might seem to be damping your zeal. In this view the statement is fitted seasonably to encourage you. Few and faulty your best services may be; unsatisfying to yourselves; much more to your God. Well might He reject them all. But would He be justified in doing so? Would it be in harmony with what He has revealed to you of the riches of His glory, and what lie has made you to taste of the fulness of His grace? No. He does not upbraid you with the value of His undeserved benefits to you. He will not upbraid you with the worthlessness of what you give to Him. All that He bestows, He bestows in good faith. All that you render, He will take in good part.

II. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love; INASMUCH AS HIS DOING SO WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH HIS FAITHFULNESS AND TRUTH. He is to be regarded as hiring you, and assigning to you your service. He does so in the exercise of His own requestionable discretion, according to His own good pleasure, and the freedom of His own will. Be does not leave it to you to devise a way in which you may, at your own discretion, manifest your loyalty. But He enlists you as His soldiers and subjects, under command. You are to offer service voluntarily. But when your offer is accepted, you are to obey orders. This consideration may seem, in one view to detract from any claim on your part for any recompense of reward. It divests your work and labour of love, which you show to His name, of the character of a spontaneous or strictly self-prompted and self-directed offering. What you do or suffer is not at your own hand, but by His appointment. But, in another view, the certainty of your being amply recompensed is thus placed on the highest possible ground. I feel, indeed, that I have nothing which, as from myself, I can offer to my God. I am myself His property, His purchased possession; not my own. All the store of talents and resources out of which I can offer comes from Him, and is all His own. And I, His servant, must offer it, not as I choose, but as lie desires and directs. But does that thought, I ask again, detract in the least from my confident persuasion that what I offer will be accepted and requited? Does it not, on the contrary, enhance my assurance tenfold? Would it be fair for a master enlisting servants in such a way, on such terms, under such obligations, to forget their work, to let it pass into oblivion unrequite? Be it that it is work or service to which they are indispensably bound, and which they have no discretionary liberty to accept or decline; for which, therefore, they have no title to stipulate for payment beforehand, or to demand payment afterwards. Be it even that they understand that condition of their engagement, and consent to it, that does not acquit the master, in his own judgment at least, whatever they may think. If he is honest, high minded, he will not suffer his servants to entertain a moments doubt of his intention to acknowledge their faithfulness, and make all ,he world know that he does so. And is God unrighteous? Is He who solemnly binds you in so strict a covenant of service to let it be supposed that He can act unfaithfully or unfairly? And is He unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love--the work and loving labour of His chosen and His redeemed? Surely it is no vain thing, but rather a very blessed thing, for you thus to serve the Lord, having such a simple, single-eyed, meek, and honourable confidence as this in the truth and faithfulness of Him whom you serve!

III. There are other CONSIDERATIONS OF A GENERAL SORT that might be brought forward to strengthen this quiet assurance. For instance, here is one. If, in one view, God commits Himself to you; in another view lie commits you and binds you to Himself. In the service of God, if loyal, you must make up your mind to relinquish not a few of those sources of pleasure which the world presents to you. And for whatever you may thus give up, He whom you serve may be expected, if He is to act worthily of Himself, to provide some kind of equivalent. If you lose the favour of men, you have the favour of God. If you cease to have the peace which the world gives, when, with its refuges of lies, it soothes your conscience, you have the peace of God which passes understanding. If you have to cut off a right hand, to pluck out a right eye, maimed as you are and wounded, you enter into life. If the good things of earth are to be your treasure no more, you have better treasure in heaven, where no moth corrupts and no thief breaks through to steal. Thus far I have spoken of the recompense of the reward, Gods not forgetting your work and labour of love, as simply righteous on His part. But, before leaving that topic, I must remind you that the righteousness is still always of grace. It is the righteousness, not of law, but of equity. It gives you no such claim or title as you might enforce in a court of justice by procedure of a legal sort. All your claim must rest upon the good faith or kind favour of the other party. This does not touch the certainty of your being rewarded. But it divests you of all title to reckon upon it as your due. How blessed a thing is it in this view, to disown all right of yours, and lean on the righteousness of God! Further, the righteousness in question is not that of express compact, but rather that of a fair and amiable understanding. It is not a case, as between debtor and creditor, to be adjusted upon a balance of business accounts and books. Your remuneration is rather an honourable acknowledgment of the spirit in which you work than an exact and formal discharge of the work itself. Hence this principle, while it leaves no room for presumption on your part, leaves abundant room for the most liberal discretion on the part of God. Lessons:

1. As God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, be not ye unrighteous to forget your duty to Him. As He is, so to speak, on honour with you, be you scrupulously and sensitively on honour with Him. Many motives should prompt this duty. Think on the way in which He receives you into His favour; on the amazing sacrifice of His Son, whom He gives to the death of the Cross, that He may reconcile you to Himself; receiving you graciously, and loving you freely. He opens His heart to you. Will you not give your hearts to Him?

2. If God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love towards His name, you need not care to remember it. You need not keep a record of your doings. Your record and theirs is on high. (R. S.Candlish, D. D.)

Good works not meritorious

I. IN WHAT SENSE GOD WOULD NOT BE UNRIGHTEOUS, THAT IS, UNJUST, THOUGH HE SHOULD FORGET OUR GOOD WORKS, that is, though He should not reward us with eternal life for them.

1. Whatsoever good action a man can perform, that he upon many accounts owes unto God, his Maker, his Preserver, his Benefactor. But no one, surely, who pays to another what he strictly owes him, can thereby oblige that other to bestow on him a reward, or can make him properly his debtor.

2. Even amongst equals no one is of right, and in strict justice, obliged to recompense the labour and pains of another, but he who hath voluntarily bound himself thereunto by some covenant, or who at least is enforced thereunto by the law of some superior. What consideration, therefore, can oblige God to bestow upon man eternal life but His own free and gracious promise, since He hath no superior; nor can any law be prescribed to Him but what He vouchsafes to prescribe to Himself, and to guide His own actions and dispensations by?

3. To this it may be farther added that all our good thoughts, words, and works proceed entirely from the grace of God, and are His free gifts bestowed upon us, out of His mere bounty and mercy. Should God, therefore, by bestowing on us one grace, be thereby in justice obliged, for that very reason, to bestow on us another?

II. But now, lest to avoid one extreme, we should foolishly run into another; lest for fear of carrying the value of our good actions too high, we should on the other side sink their price too low; it will be proper to show that, notwithstanding what has been said hitherto by way of abatement of their pretended worth, THEY ARE STILL IN MANY RESPECTS HIGHLY VALUABLE BEFORE GOD; and that though they cannot by way of purchase procure for us, yet upon other considerations they will secure to us eternal happiness. Now the least that can be said concerning the value of good works proceeding from the love of God, and designed to His glory, is this: that though we should not be made partakers of eternal happiness merely because of them, yet neither can we be saved without them; though they are not the meritorious causes, yet they are the necessary conditions, of our salvation; though where they are found, they do not give a legal title to salvation; yet where they are not found, the persons destitute of them have not so much as an equitable title to eternal bliss from the mercy of God. For virtuous and religious actions are the way chalked out by God, by which we must arrive at the glories which shall be revealed; they are the means ordained by Him, by which we may certainly and effectally, though not of right acquire, yet in fact obtain everlasting happiness. (Bp. Smalridge.)

Gods righteousness as it implies faithfulness

By the argument of the apostle, as righteousness is put for faithfulness, it is manifest that Gods righteousness is a prop to mans faith and hope. Man may and must believe and expect a reward of every good thing from the righteousness of God, even because He is righteous and will not tail to do what He hath promised. This righteousness of God assureth us of the continuance of His mercy. What grace moved Him to begin, righteousness will move Him to continue and finish.

1. This informs us in the wonderful great condescension of God to man; even so low as to bind Himself to man, and that so far as if He failed in what he had promised, He is willing to be accounted unrighteous Psa_7:17).

2. This doth much aggravate the sin of infidelity, which is not only against the grace and mercy of God, but also against His truth and righteousness.

3. This teacheth us how to trust to Gods mercy, even so as God may be just and righteous in showing mercy. (W. Gouge.)

Works of love

These Christians gave themselves to work. Active and practical exertions, indeed, when the case admits of them, are essential to personal Christianity. Their labour is here attributed to love; and this soft and sacred principle is well fitted alike to prompt, to sustain, to sweeten, and to sanctify active efforts for the glory of God and the good of man. The love specified had been shown towards Gods name. God Himself was one special object towards whom it had been directed; and in loving believers, the persons spoken of had loved them for the Fathers sake. Towards Him, then, they had exercised--towards Him, also, the) had shown--this love; for it did not sleep invisible among the secrets of their soul--it raised itself up for effort, it aimed at practical results and performed a practical work, and not, indeed, by ostentatious display, but, by its exertions and its fruits, it showed itself. And in what did their love appear? to what particular enterprise did it address itself? These Christian Hebrews had ministered, and still continued to minister, to saints--to pious persons who required their pecuniary or active aid. The wants of other followers of Christ who were in humble circumstances, or by whom, in some way, their help was needed, secured their sympathy and received their succour. A meet field for Christian love to occupy! An appropriate work for Christian kindness to perform. (A. S. Patterson.)

Known unto God

One evening a gentleman was strolling along a street to pass the time. His attention was attracted by the remark of a little girl to a companion in front of a fruit store, I wish I had an orange for ma. The gentleman saw that the children, though poorly dressed, were clean and neat, and calling them into the store, he loaded them with fruit and candies. Whats your name? asked one of the girls. Why do you want to know? queried the gentleman. I want to pray for you, was the reply. The gentleman turned to leave, scarcely daring to speak, when the little one added, Well, it dont matter, I suppose; God will know you, anyhow. (Baxendales Anecdotes.)

Encouragement for the less successful minister

Though God may grant more of spiritual in gathering to one minister than to another, this is no proof that the less successful minister is the less valuable with Him. Some surgical instruments are used constantly, others but occasionally; yet the latter may be as valuable as the former. If the falling of a tree require fifty strokes, and one man give three, another five and forty, and another finish the business with two strokes more, we do not debate which of these men did most to fell the tree, which of them ought to have most wages, or which, at least, know how much he has contributed to the work. Nor have we any more reason to be jealous about our own private importance in the great work of converting our fellow-sinners. (J. A. Bengel.)

A full reward expected

A military gentleman once said to an excellent old minister in the north of Scotland who was becoming infirm, Why, if I had power over the pension list, I would actually have you put on half-pay for your long and faithful services. He replied, Ah, my friend, your master may put you off with halfpay, but my Master will not serve me so meanly; He will give me full pay. Through grace I expect a fall reward. (Clerical Library.)

Certain reward

Dionysius caused musicians to play before him and promised them a great reward. When they came for their reward, he told them they had already had it in their hopes of it. God does not disappoint His servants. (New Encyclopaedia of Illustrations.)

Small efforts recognised by God

A certain king would build a cathedral; and that the credit of it might be all his own, he forbade any from contributing to its erection in the least degree. A tablet was placed in the side of the building, and on it his name was carved as the builder. But that night he saw, in a dream, an angel, who came down and erased his name, and the name of a poor widow appeared in its stead. This was three times repeated, when the enraged king summoned the woman before him, and demanded, What have you been doing, and why have you broken my commandment? The trembling widow replied, I loved the Lord, and longed to do something for His name and for the building up of His church. I was forbidden to touch it in any way; so, in my poverty, I brought a wisp of hay for the horses that drew the stones. And the king saw that he had laboured for his own glory, but the widow for the glory of God; and he commanded that her name should be inscribed upon the tablet. (Ralph Wells.)

God rewards His servants

When Calvin was banished from ungrateful Geneva, he said, Most assuredly if I had merely served man, this would have been a poor recompense; but it is my happiness that I have served Him who never fails to reward Ills servants to the full extent of His promise. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

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

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love (tou kopou in the Textus Receptus is ill supported, having, perhaps, been interpolated kern 1Th_1:3) which ye showed towards his Name, in that ye ministered to the saints, and do minister. It appears that the Hebrew Christians had formerly (some especial occasion being probably referred to) been active in their charity towards fellow-Christians in distress, and that such charity had not ceased. On this is grounded the persuasion that they will be kept steadfast in the faith. Those who had so shown their faith by their works would surely not be allowed to lose it. The very idea of the Divine justice implies that the use of grace, thus evidenced, will be rewarded by continuance of grace. Cf. Php_1:6, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perfect it (epitelesei) until the day of Jesus Christ; "where also there is reference to deeds of charity, shown in the case of the Philippians by their sympathy with the apostle in his bonds, which charity he prays may "abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all discernment." No difficulty need be felt in this reference to God"s justice, as though it involved the doctrine of human merit, de congruo or de condigno, claiming reward as of debt. The simple and obvious view, that God, in virtue of his justice, will be most gracious to those who have used his grace, by no means contravenes the doctrine of all grace being the free gift of his bounty. (cf. 1Jn_1:9 Rom_2:6, etc.) Observe, too, as bearing on the idea of this passage, how the will to do the will of God is said by our Lord to be followed by knowledge of the doctrine, (Joh_7:17) and how works of charity are the very tests of the final judgment. (Mat_25:31, etc.)

Ministering to the saints.

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, etc. Our text leads us to consider the ministry to the saints in three aspects.

I IN ITS EXEMPLARY EXERCISE. "Ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister.

1. The nature of this ministry.

(1) Probably pecuniary aid to the poor. Saints may be in secular poverty. Lazarus the saint was an afflicted beggar; the man who was not a saint was "rich, clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day." "Did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith?" etc. (Jam_2:5) The persons addressed in our Epistle probably sent contributions of money to certain of their fellow-Christians who were in poverty. (see Act_11:29, 30 Rom_15:25, 26 1Co_16:1 2Co 8, 1Co 9)

(2) Sympathy with the afflicted and persecuted. "Becoming partakers with them that were so used" (i.e. reproached and persecuted). "For ye both had compassion on them that were in bonds," etc. (Heb_10:32-34) A worthy tribute this to most noble and beautiful conduct. Such ministering to the saints was especially becoming in the disciples of him who "bore our griefs and carried our sorrows," and who "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister," etc.

2. The continuousness of this ministry. "And still do minister." Their kind feeling did not expend itself in one effort or in one contribution. Their conduct in this respect is exemplary. We shall do well if we imitate them. (Rom_12:13 Gal_6:10 Heb_13:16 1Jn_3:17)

II IN ITS EXALTED MOTIVE. "The love which ye showed towards his Name." They ministered to the saints because they loved God. This is the noblest of motives. Let us consider it. It involves:

1. Gratitude to God. They ministered to those who were his, because he had done so much for them. Gratitude eagerly inquires, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?" We serve him by serving his saints.

2. Devotion to God. This ministry was expressive of more than gratitude to God. The Christian"s love to God is more than gratitude to him. It includes reverent admiration of him, and willing consecration to him of the heart"s holiest feeling and the life"s best service. And ministry to his saints for the love which we have for him he accepts as ministry to himself. "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it," etc. (Mat_25:40, Mat_25:45)

3. Recognition of the common relationship to God of both the givers and the receivers of this help. They showed their love toward his Name by this ministry, because they felt that they and those to whom they ministered were alike his children. They realized their common brotherhood, hence they voluntarily shared their afflictions. This is the most exalted motive for Christian service love to God. It is most disinterested, most inspiring, most sustaining.

III IN ITS CERTAIN REWARD. "God is not unrighteous to forget your work," etc. But did this ministry to the saints give the ministers a claim upon God for reward? Would he have been unjust if he had not remembered and rewarded their works? Two facts compel us to answer, "No;" viz.

(1) that all the good works of Christians are imperfect;

(2) that the inspiration for every good work proceeds from him.

"The righteousness of God spoken of in our passage," says Ebrard, "is that which leads, guides, and governs every man according to the particular stage of development which he occupies. It is here affirmed of God that he does not give up to perdition a man who can still in any way be saved, in whom the new life is not yet entirely extinct, and who has not yet entirely fallen away; but that he seeks to draw every one as long as they will allow themselves to be drawn." It would not be just in God to withdraw his gracious assistance from one who was producing the fruits of Christian faith; for he has pledged his word that he will save such persons, tie will not forget their work and labor of love. "God will not forget you, for that would be ceasing to be God. If God were to forget for one moment, the universe would grow black vanish rush out again from the realm of law and order into chaos and night." Most encouraging are the declarations of this truth in the Bible. (see Deu_4:31 Isa_49:14-16 Heb_13:5) This not forgetting their work and the love which they showed toward his Name implies:

1. Preservation from apostasy. This is the point of connection with the main argument. Their production of the fruits of Christian faith was an evidence that they were not falling away from Christ. And God would keep those who out of love to him ministered to his saints.

2. Generous recognition of their services...Nothing is overlooked, nothing of Christian work is unrecognized or unacknowledged by him.

3. Gracious reward of their services. (See Mat_10:42 Mar_9:41)

CONCLUSION.

1. An example of Christian ministry. Imitate it.

2. An example of a sure method of guarding against apostasy. Do not think of apostasy, but of continuous progress. Produce the fruits of good works out of love to God, and you most effectively preclude spiritual defection or decline. W.J.

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

6:10 He will not forget how hard you have worked: In showing that they love God and his people, their works bear witness to their true relationship with God (Rom 2:6-7; 1 Cor 3:13-15; Jas 2:14-20). God remembers (Exod 2:24; 1 Chr 16:15; Ps 106:45) and acknowledges those who are truly his.

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

Heb 6:10. Οὐ γὰρ ἄδικος, for God is not unrighteous) i.e. He is entirely just and good.—ἀγάπης, of love) He is treating of hope, Heb 6:11: of faith, Heb 6:12: of love in this verse. So Paul, 1Co 13:13, and elsewhere often; likewise below, ch. Heb 10:22-24. He lays hold of their love, as an occasion for sharpening their faith and hope.—ἐνεδείξασθε, you have shown) Even where hope is somewhat small, from whatever cause, in present circumstances, the past is often calculated to be of great advantage: Rev 3:10. Paul uses the same word, 2Co 8:24.—εἰς τὸ ὀνόμα αὐτοῦ, toward His name) In like manner the Hebrews use שׁם. Comp. 3Jn 1:7; Mat 10:41. The name of GOD excites true love.—διακονήσαντες τοῖς ἁγίοις, in that ye have ministered to the saints) This is the phraseology of Paul, Rom 15:25; 1Co 16:15. It was to the poor saints at Jerusalem that the ministry of beneficence was afforded: it was the brethren in Greece and Asia who afforded it. See the passages quoted. It thus frequently happens with Paul, that although he be speaking to Jews and Gentiles indiscriminately, he nevertheless employs those motives which affected either party in particular.

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

Heb_6:10. Reason for the good confidence expressed Heb_6:9.

οὐ γὰρ ἄδικος ὁ θεός, ἐπιλαθέσθαι] for God is not unjust, that He should forget. God exercises retributive righteousness. Since, then, the readers have performed, and do still perform, actions worthy of Christian recognition, it is to be expected that God will be mindful thereof, and, provided they will only perform their own part fully (comp. Heb_6:11-12), will conduct them with His grace and lead them to the possession of salvation. A claim to demand salvation of God, on account of their behaviour, is not conceded by the words of Heb_6:10; only as a factor which God, by virtue of His retributive righteousness, will take into account in connection with the final result, is this brought forward for the consolation and encouragement of the readers; while, moreover, reference is at once made anew, Heb_6:11 f., to the still unsatisfactory character of their Christian state, and in general to the peril of falling again from their state of grace.

ἐπιλαθέσθαι] The infinitive aorist expresses the mere verbal notion, without respect to the relation of time. See Kühner, II. § 445, 2. It is to be taken neither in the sense of a preterite (Seb. Schmidt: ut oblitus sit) nor of a future (Bisping and others).

τοῦ ἔργου ὑμῶν] your work (as lying completed), i.e. that which you have done. The expression is quite general. A more precise limitation thereof may be found in the following καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης, by taking καί as the epexegetic and indeed, and that. So Peshito, as also Kurtz and Woerner. But since, in any case, the passage Heb_10:32 ff. is to be compared as a real (though not verbal) parallel to the statement Heb_6:10, and there, in addition to the love displayed, the stedfastness manifested by the readers under persecutions is lauded, it is most natural, with Schlichting, Grotius, and others, to suppose that just to this the general τοῦ ἔργου ὑμῶν in our passage also more especially alluded.

τῆς ἀγάπης] has not in itself alone the notion of love to the brethren, in such wise that εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ would have to be translated: for His name (Mat_10:41-42; Mat_18:20), i.e. to His honour (Vulgate: in nomine ejus; Böhme and others: ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ, Mat_18:5). On the contrary, τῆς ἀγάπης acquires its object in the εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, to be construed in relation to ἧς ἐνεδείξασθε (not to διακονήσαντες κ.τ.λ., to which Beza was inclined). Thus: the love which ye have shown to His name (sc. Gods name, not Christs, Ernesti and others). This is the more general object, which only then obtains its more special reference and indication of purport by διακονήσαντες κ.τ.λ. A love exercised towards Christian brethren, inasmuch as Christians, as Gods children, bear the name of God.

διακονήσαντες τοῖς ἁγίοις] in that ye have rendered service to the saints (the fellow-Christians), have aided them when they were in distress and affliction (not specially: in poverty). But that this was not merely a virtue exercised once for all, but one still continuously exercised, is clearly brought out by the addition καὶ διακονοῦντες.

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 6:10 . οὐ γὰρ ἄδικος .… “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye shewed toward His name in that ye ministered and still do minister to the saints.” He recognises in their Christian activities ( ἔργου ὑμῶν ) and in their practical charities ( τῆς ἀγάπης ) things that are associated with salvation, because God’s justice demands that such service shall not be overlooked. God will bless the field which already has yielded good fruit. He will cherish Christian principle in those that have manifested it. To him that hath shall be given. Cf. especially Phi 1:6 . On the doctrinal bearing of the words, see Tholuck in loc . It is impossible to think of God looking with indifference upon those who serve Him or affording them no help or encouragement. τῆς ἀγάπης ἧς … the love which found expression in personal service ( διακονήσαντες ) to Christians ( ἁγίοις ), and of which examples are specified in Heb 10:34 , was love εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ , because it was prompted not by natural relationship or worldly association but by the consideration that they were God’s children and people.

Heb 6:11 . ἐπιθυμοῦμεν δὲ .… You have manifested earnest love , cultivate as earnestly your hope ; that is what I desire. The translation should therefore be “ But we desire”. ἕκαστον ὑμῶν , “each one of you,” not merely as Chrysostom interprets πολλὴ ἡ φιλοστοργία · καὶ μεγάλων καὶ μικρῶν ὁμοίως κήδεται , not as Bruce, “The good shepherd goeth after even one straying sheep”; but directly in contrast to the whole body and general reputation of the Church addressed. The writer courteously implies that some already showed the zeal demanded; but he desires that each individual, even those whose condition prompted the foregoing warning, should bestir themselves. Cf. Bengel’s “non modo, ut adhuc fecistis, in communi”. τὴν αὐτὴν ἐνδείκνυσθαι σπουδὴν … τέλους . The same earnest diligence [ σπουδή in exact opposition to νωθροί of Heb 5:11 , Heb 6:12 ] which had been given to loving ministries, he desires they should now exercise towards a corresponding perfectness of hope a hope which should only disappear in fruition. πληροφορία “hic non est certitudo , sed impletio sive consummatio , quo sensu πληροφ . habemus, Col 2:2 , et 1Th 1:5 , πληροφορεῖν 2Ti 4:5 ; 2Ti 4:17 ” (Grotius). Alford insists that the subjective sense of the word is uniform in N.T. and therefore translates “the full assurance”. But the objective meaning, “completeness,” certainly suits Col 2:2 πᾶν τὸ πλοῦτος τ . πληροφορίας τ . συνέσεως and is not unsuitable in Heb 10:22 and 1Th 1:5 , while the verb πληροφορεῖν , at least in some passages, as 2Ti 4:5 , has an objective sense. Besides, in the case before us, the one meaning involves the other, for, as Weiss himself says, hope is only then what it ought to be when a full certainty of conviction (eine volle Ueberzeugungsgewissheit) accompanies it. See also Davidson, who says “fulness or full assurance of faith and hope is not anything distinct from faith and hope, lying outside of them and to which they may lead; it is a condition of faith and hope themselves, the perfect condition”. ἄχρι τέλους the hope was to be perfect in quality and was also to be continuous “to the end,” i.e. , until it had accomplished its work and brought them to the enjoyment of what was hoped for. The words attach themselves to ἐνδείκνυσθαι σπουδήν .

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

He praiseth them for their charity, thereby encouraging them to go forward, and to hold out to the end.

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

not unrighteous--not unfaithful to His own gracious promise. Not that we have any inherent right to claim reward; for (1) a servant has no merit, as he only does that which is his bounden duty; (2) our best performances bear no proportion to what we leave undone; (3) all strength comes from God; but God has promised of His own grace to reward the good works of His people (already accepted through faith in Christ); it is His promise, not our merits, which would make it unrighteous were He not to reward His people's works. God will be no man's debtor.

your work--your whole Christian life of active obedience.

labour of love--The oldest manuscripts omit "labor of," which probably crept in from Th1 1:3. As "love" occurs here, so "hope," Heb 6:11, "faith," Heb 6:12; as in Co1 13:13 : the Pauline triad. By their love he sharpens their hope and faith.

ye have showed--(Compare Heb 10:32-34).

toward his name--Your acts of love to the saints were done for His name's sake. The distressed condition of the Palestinian Christians appears from the collection for them. Though receiving bounty from other churches, and therefore not able to minister much by pecuniary help, yet those somewhat better off could minister to the greatest sufferers in their Church in various other ways (compare Ti2 1:18). Paul, as elsewhere, gives them the utmost credit for their graces, while delicately hinting the need of perseverance, a lack of which had probably somewhat begun to show itself.

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 10. God is not unrighteous] God is only bound to men by his own promise: this promise he is not obliged to make; but, when once made, his righteousness or justice requires him to keep it; therefore, whatever he has promised he will certainly perform. But he has promised to reward every good work and labour of love, and he will surely reward yours; God's promise is God's debt.

Every good work must spring from faith in the name, being, and goodness of God; and every work that is truly good must have love for its motive, as it has God for its end.

The word του κοπου, labour, prefixed to love, is wanting in almost every MS. and version of importance. Griesbach has left it out of the text.

Ministered to the saints] Have contributed to the support and comfort of the poor Christians who were suffering persecution in Judea. As they had thus ministered, and were still ministering, they gave full proof that they had a common cause with the others; and this was one of the things that proved them to be in a state of salvation.

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

10. For God is not unrighteous, etc. These words signify as much as though he had said, that from good beginnings he hoped for a good end.

But here a difficulty arises, because he seems to say that God is bound by the services of men: “I am persuaded,” he says, “as to your salvation, because God cannot forget your works.” He seems thus to build salvation on works, and to make God a debtor to them. And the sophists, who oppose the merits of works to the grace of God, make much of this sentence, “God is not unrighteous.” For they hence conclude that it would be unjust for him not to render for works the reward of eternal salvation. To this I briefly reply that the Apostle does not here speak avowedly of the cause of our salvation, and that therefore no opinion can be formed from this passage as to the merits of works, nor can it be hence determined what is due to works. The Scripture shows everywhere that there is no other fountain of salvation but the gratuitous mercy of God: and that God everywhere promises reward to works, this depends on that gratuitous promise, by which he adopts us as his children, and reconciles us to himself by not imputing our sins. Reward then is reserved for works, not through merit, but the free bounty of God alone; and yet even this free reward of works does not take place, except we be first received into favor through the kind mediation of Christ.

We hence conclude, that God does not pay us a debt, but performs what he has of himself freely promised, and thus performs it, inasmuch as he pardons us and our works; nay, he looks not so much on our works as on his own grace in our works. It is on this account that he forgets not our works, because he recognizes himself and the work of his Spirit in them. And this is to be righteous, as the Apostle says, for he cannot deny himself. This passage, then, corresponds with that saying of Paul, “He who has begun in you a good work will perfect it.” (Philippians 1:6.) For what can God find in us to induce him to love us, except what he has first conferred on us? In short, the sophists are mistaken in imagining a mutual relation between God’s righteousness and the merits of our works, since God on the contrary so regards himself and his own gifts, that he carries on to the end what of his own goodwill he has begun in us, without any inducement from anything we do; nay, God is righteous in recompensing works, because he is true and faithful: and he has made himself a debtor to us, not by receiving anything from us; but as Augustine says, by freely promising all things.

And labor of love, etc. By this he intimates that we are not to spare labor, if we desire to perform duty towards our neighbors; for they are not only to be helped by money, but also by counsel, by labor, and in various other ways. Great sedulity, then, must be exercised, many troubles must be undergone, and sometimes many dangers must be encountered. Thus let him who would engage in the duties of love, prepare himself for a life of labor.

He mentions in proof of their love, that they had ministered and were still ministering to the saints. We are hence reminded, that we are not to neglect to serve our brethren. By mentioning the saints, he means not that we are debtors to them alone; for our love ought to expand and be manifested towards all mankind; but as the household of faith are especially recommended to us, peculiar attention is to be paid to them; for as love, when moved to do good, has partly a regard to God, and partly to our common nature, the nearer any one is to God, the more worthy he is of being assisted by us. In short, when we acknowledge any one as a child of God, we ought to embrace him with brotherly love.

By saying that they had ministered and were still ministering, he commended their perseverance; which in this particular was very necessary; for there is nothing to which we are more prone than to weariness in well-doing. Hence it is, that though many are found ready enough to help their brethren, yet the virtue of constancy is so rare, that a large portion soon relax as though their warmth had cooled. But what ought constantly to stimulate us is even this one expression used by the apostle, that the love shown to the saints is shown towards the name of the Lord; for he intimates that God holds himself indebted to us for whatever good we do to our neighbors, according to that saying,

“What ye have done to one of the least of these, ye have done to me,” (Matthew 25:40;)

and there is also another,

“He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:17.)

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.

(10) In expressing the ground of his hope he does not directly say, “For I have heard of your fruitfulness;” he implies this, and then, in accordance with the parable of Heb_6:7, he declares that God will surely bestow the promised reward. Herein lies his hope. Man’s work cannot in itself merit reward from God, but (1Jn_1:9) the righteous God cannot neglect His own promise and law that such works shall receive reward.

Your work and labour of love.—The best MSS. omit “labour”; so that the words run thus: to forget your work, and the love which ye showed toward His name. The “fruit” consisted in brotherly love, but it was offered unto God (Heb_6:7); the bond of brotherhood was the joint relation to “His name” (Heb_2:10). With the last words compare Rom_15:26; Rom_15:31.

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

10. to forget] The aorist implies “to forget in a moment.” Comp. Heb_11:6; Heb_11:20. God, even amid your errors, will not overlook the signs of grace working in you. Comp. Jer_31:16; Psa_9:12; Amo_8:7.

and labour of love] The words “labour of” should be omitted. They are probably a gloss from 1Th_1:3. The passage bears a vague general resemblance to 2Co_8:24; Col_1:4.

toward his name] which name is borne by all His children.

in that ye have ministered to the saints] In your past and present ministration to the saints, i.e. to your Christian brethren. It used to be supposed that the title “the saints” applied especially to the Christians at Jerusalem (Rom_15:25; Gal_2:10; 1Co_16:1). This is a mistake; and the saints at Jerusalem, merged in a common poverty, perhaps a result in part of their original Communism, were hardly in a condition to minister to one another. They were (as is the case with most of the Jews now living at Jerusalem) dependent in large measure on the Chaluka or distribution of alms sent them from without.

and do minister] The continuance of their well doing proved its sincerity; but perhaps the writer hints, though with infinite delicacy, that their beneficent zeal was less active than it once had been.

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.

And we desire that everyone of you do show the same diligence,.... In the constant exercise of the graces of faith and love, and in ministering to the necessities of the saints: there is a spiritual labour, diligence, and industry to be used by the saints; and former diligence is a motive to future; and is a means of attaining to full assurance, as appears by what follows; and this is to be shown for the glory of God, for the evidence of the above graces, and for an example and encouragement to other saints: and the persons addressed being "everyone", this shows the apostle's impartiality in his exhortations, and served to remove all groundless suspicions in particular persons; and the manner of his addressing them shows his hearty concern for their welfare, his mildness and gentleness towards them, and his design to encourage them to go forward; and that his exhortation might have the greater weight, he uses the plural "we"; and this exhortation, put in this form, moreover shows that what he had said before had no tendency in some things to encourage despair, or in others carelessness and indolence: and what he had in view in the whole was, that they might arrive

to the full assurance of hope unto the end; not only that they might keep up an hope, but attain to the full assurance of it; as to interest in the love and grace of God; in the covenant of grace, its blessings and promises; in God, as a covenant God and Father; in Christ, as a Saviour and Redeemer; and as to the truth of the work of grace upon their souls, and their right and meetness for the possession of eternal glory and happiness: the phrase, "unto the end", may either respect the continuance of the grace of assurance; or refer to the showing forth of their diligence and industry in ministering to the saints, as they had done, to the end of their lives.

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

10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Ver. 10. For God is not unrighteous] That is, unfaithful, 1Jn 1:9. There is a justice of fidelity as well as of equity.

To forget your work.] The butler may forget Joseph, and Joseph forget his father’s house; but forgetfulness befalls not God, to whom all things are present, and before whom there is written a book of remembrance for them that fear the Lord, and think upon his name, Mal 3:16-17.

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.

For God is not unrighteous - God will do no wrong. He will not forget or fail to reward the endeavors of his people to promote his glory, and to do good. The meaning here is, that by their kindness in ministering to the wants of the saints, they had given full evidence of true piety. If God should forget that, it would be “unrighteous:

(1)Because there was a propriety that it should be remembered; and,

(2)Because it is expressly promised that it shall not fail of reward; Mat 10:42.

Your work - Particularly in ministering to the wants of the saints.

Labour of love - Deeds of benevolence when there was no hope of recompense, or when love was the motive in doing it.

Which ye have showed toward his name - Toward him - for the word “name” is often used to denote the person himself. They had showed that they loved God by their kindness to his people; Mat 25:40, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

In that ye have ministered to the saints - You have supplied their wants. This may refer either to the fact that they contributed to supply the wants of the poor members of the church (compare the note on Gal 2:10), or it may refer to some special acts of kindness which they had shown to suffering and persecuted Christians. It is not possible now to know to what particular acts the apostle refers. We may learn.

(1)That to show kindness to Christians, because they are Christians, is an important evidence of piety.

(2)It will in no case be unrewarded. God is not “unjust;” and he will remember an act of kindness shown to his people - even though it be nothing but giving a cup of cold water.

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

For introduceth the reason of the apostle’s former persuasion concerning them, which was the real graces of faith and love to God wrought in their hearts, and shown in their work, which was better than all enlightenings.

God is not unrighteous; the affirmative is implied, God is just, and faithful, and true, in performing what he promiseth, as well as not unrighteous: the certain truth is asserted in this emphatical negative; compare 2Th 1:6,7, with 1Jo 1:9; should he not perform he would be unjust.

To forget your work: God always remembers all things, because his knowledge is perfect; and he will take notice of grace in these Hebrews manifested by their works, so as to recompense and reward them for it, by perfecting his gracious work in them; which having promised, the apostle is confident of the good estate of them through grace, Phi 1:6. He will never forget the work of your faith in his name, your courageous profession of the gospel, Gal 5:6; Col 1:4; 1Th 1:3; a grace of God in them which made their souls delight in him, such as was purely Divine, beginning and ending in God, carried out in the labour and exercise of it to his glory, showing it in all the supplies they give his in his name, to Christians as they are his, Mar 9:41.

And labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister: their labour of love was evidenced by what they had done, and were doing, for Christ, in their using all effectual means for supplying, comforting, preserving, and delivering his members, giving their goods to them, and their lives for them, 1Jo 3:10-18. So the apostle asserts these did, Heb 10:32-34. So did Aquila and Priscilla love Paul, Rom 16:3,4. And this they did show to such as were God’s children, and bore his name, the present suffering Christians, who endured rifling, plundering, banishing, imprisonment, and death for their faith in Christ’s name: those brethren who, being loved in and for God, do evidence to these Hebrews that they are passed from death to life, 1Jo 3:14.

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

10. For—Grounds of this favourable hope. You have in some points done so well that God will afford you abundant enabling grace to persevere, if you use it.

Unrighteous—The word must not, with Stuart, be softened to unkind. God holds himself righteously bound to grant more grace for grace well used. The man who does a measure of sincere duty may lay hold of God’s righteousness as pledged to aid him, in accordance and without measure. And the writer goes on to show that God is pledged by both word and oath.

Forget—Not to be forgetful, but to consign to oblivion by an instant act.

Work… love—More authoritative reading, labour and love. Their labour was not dead works, (Heb_6:1,) but was animated with love.

His name—For God holds your labour as done to himself. The name of God often stands, reverently, for God himself. Rom_15:9; Act_19:17; Mat_12:21.

Ministered to the saints—Either to their own poor in Jerusalem, or to Christians visiting and sojourning there. Jerusalem was the Christian as well as Jewish metropolis, and crowds of Christians would visit it, especially on great festival days, needing hospitality. This rendered it desirable that the “poor saints” at Jerusalem should be aided by other churches. Note on Act_2:5.

Do minister— You still persevere; and, while you do so, there is strong ground of hope. Your real danger is, that the popular contempt of Christ will shake your faith.

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

For - Ye give plain proof of your faith and love, which the righteous God will surely reward.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

10. For God is not unrighteous to. Though the Hebrew Christians had not advanced in knowledge (5:12), yet they had shown the fruits of the love of Christ in ministering to the saints.

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.

10. τῆς ἀγάπης אABCDE. The beautiful phrase of the rec. τοῦ κόπου τῆς ἀγάπης is a gloss from 1Th 1:3.

10. ἐπιλαθέσθαι. The aorist implies “to forget in a moment.” Comp. Heb 11:6; Heb 11:20. God, even amid your errors, will not overlook the signs of grace working in you. Comp. Jer 31:16; Psa 9:12; Amo 8:7.

καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης. “And your love.” The words τοῦ κόπου of the Text. receptus should be omitted. They are probably a gloss from 1Th 1:3. The passage bears a vague general resemblance to 2Co 8:24; Col 1:4.

εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Which name is borne by all His children.

διακονήσαντες τοῖς ἁγίοις καὶ διακονοῦντες. “In your past and present ministration to the saints,” i.e. to your Christian brethren. It used to be supposed that the title “the saints” applied especially to the Christians at Jerusalem (Rom 15:25; Gal 2:10; 1Co 16:1). This is a mistake; and the saints at Jerusalem, merged in a common poverty, perhaps a result in part of their original Communism, were hardly in a condition to minister to one another. They were (as is the case with most of the Jews now living at Jerusalem) dependent in large measure on the Chaluka or distribution of alms sent them from without.

διακονοῦντες. The continuance of their well-doing proved its sincerity; but perhaps the writer hints, though with infinite delicacy, that their beneficent zeal was less active than it once had been.

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.

10.] For God is not unjust, (so as) to forget (first, of the construction, ἄδικος ἐπιλαθέσθαι. Cf. οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ἐδόξασεν γενηθῆναι ἀρχιερέα, ch. 5:5: it is epexegetic, and designates the act whereby or wherein the quality just predicated would be shewn. The aor. ἐπιλαθέσθαι must not be rendered “ut oblitus sit,” “so that He should have forgotten,” as Seb. Schmidt: neither can we say with Kühner, § 445. 2, that there are infinitives in which all relation of time is lost, and the aor. = the pres.: but the distinction seems to be as in other cases where aorists and presents appear to be convertibly put, that whenever the act is one admitting of being treated as a momentary one, or of being grasped as a whole, the aor. is used: when, on the other hand, habit, or endurance is indicated, the present. This is strikingly shewn in one of Kühner’s own examples: Xen. Cyr. v. 1. 2, καλέσας ὁ Κῦρος Ἀράσπην Μῆδον, τοῦτον ἐκέλευσε διαφυλάξαι αὐτῷ τήν τε γυναῖκα κ. τὴν σκηνήν—here is the whole act: as we say ‘to keep safe,’ and αὐτῷ binds the office as one solemn duty on Araspes; but below, ib. 3, we have, ταύτην οὖν ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Κῦρος διαφυλάσσειν τὸν Ἀράσπην, ἕως ἂν αὐτὸς λάβῃ, where by ἕως ἄν, the duration of time is introduced, and the habitual present rendered necessary. Here, the whole forgetfulness would be one act of oblivion, which the aor. expresses. There are many places in the O. T. where forgetfulness on the part of God is thus denied: cf. Psa 9:12, Psa 9:18; Psa 10:12: Amo 8:7: or deprecated, cf. 1Sa 1:11: Psa 13:1; Psa 42:9; Psa 44:24; Psa 74:19, Psa 74:23: Isa 49:14 ff.: Lam 5:20 al.) your work (i. e. your whole Christian life of active obedience: so ἔργον absolutely in the passage 1Co 3:13-15; so besides reff., in Gal 6:4, τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἑαυτοῦ δοκιμαζέτω ἕκαστος. See this work somewhat specified in ch. 10:32-34. It is a general term, including the labours of love mentioned below) and the love (the expressions nearly resemble those in 1Th 1:3, from which the τοῦ κόπου of the rec. seems to have come) which ye shewed (ἐνδείκνυμαι (see reff.) is used in classical Greek in this same sense, of exhibiting a quality or attribute of character: Aristoph. Plut. 785, ἐνδεικνύμενος εὔνοιαν: Plut. Cicero, p. 877, πᾶσαν ἐνδεικνύμενοι φιλοφροσύνην. See more examples in Bleek: and note on Eph 2:7. Here, as there, the dynamic middle gives the personal reference: but not here, as there, conscious and predetermined) towards His name (ἧς ἐνεδ. φησιν οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους, ἀλλʼ εἰς τὸν θεόν· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, ὡσεὶ ἔλεγε· διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ πάντα πεποιήκατε. ὁ τοίνυν τοσαύτης παρʼ ὑμῶν ἀπολαύων σπουδῆς κ. ἀγάπης, οὐ καταφρονήσει ποτὲ ὑμῶν οὐδὲ ἐπιλήσεται. Chrys. and similarly Œc. and Thl., Erasm., Calv., Luther, Justiniani, Seb. Schmidt, De W., al. And this seems better than with D-lat. and the vulg. (“in nomine ejus or ipsius”), and most Commentators, to suppose εἰς τὸ ὄν. αὐτ. a Hebraism for ἐν, or ἐπί, τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτ.: see Mat 10:41, Mat 10:42; Mat 18:20. The ἅγιοι were those who were called by His name, so that beneficence towards them was in fact shewn towards His name. αὐτοῦ refers to God, as the antecedent expressed above: not to Christ, as Ernesti, Stuart (alt.), al.) in having ministered (probably, see ref. and 2Co 8:4, 2Co 8:19, 2Co 8:20; 2Co 9:1: Act 11:29, if not exclusively, yet principally, in eleemosynary bestowals. It may hence perhaps be surmised that these Hebrews did not live in Judæa: see Prolegg. § ii. 15) to the saints, and still ministering (ὅρα δὲ πῶς θεραπεύει αὐτούς· οὐ γὰρ εἶπε διακονήσαντες και ἔστη, ἀλλὰ προσέθηκε καὶ διακονοῦντες, τουτέστι, καὶ ἔτι αὐτὸ ποιοῦντες. Thl. There is a fine touch here of that delicate compliment, which is also characteristic of St. Paul. “Necdum hæc pietas in vobis cessavit, licet forte remiserit,” as Schlichting: but the Writer leaves the defect to be understood and states the excellency at its utmost. On the Christian doctrine of reward, as declared in this passage, see note in Delitzsch, p. 242).

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

He is encouraged in this confidence by the fact that they are still as formerly engaged in Christian ministries.

Your work and labor of love [του εργου υμων και της αγαπης] . Omit labor. The A. V. follows T. R. tou kopou. Rend. your work and the love which ye shewed, etc.

Which ye have shewed toward his name [ης ενεδειξασθε εις το ονομα αυτου] . The verb means, strictly, to show something in one's self; or to show one's self in something. similar praise is bestowed in ch. 10 32. They have shown both love and work toward God 's name. That does not look like crucifying Christ. God is not unjust, as he would show himself to be if he were forgetful of this.

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

10. οὐ yap ἄδικος... ἀγάπη) The active exercise of love, which is itself a sign of the divine presence, carrics with it theassuranceof a divine reward. Tho deed and the result are regarded from the human side as cause and offoct, sorvice and reward, while cuscntially the on includes the othor. Tho thought is of character shewn in life, and not of any special works which have a morit of their own. Tho ‘reward’ is tho power of more perfect servico (9. 7).

The claim (so to speak) on God's righteousness (comp. Rom. iii. 5) is not an assertion of merit. Its ground lies in a perfect trust in His Nature

(6) The Apostle’s wish.

11, 12. The activity of practical love among the Hebrews fills the Apostle with the desire that tho spirit from which this springs may find a wider work among them in tho strengthening of hope and faith, through which ulone the divine promises can be realised.

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.