ACC ~ Hebrews 13 v8 - 19

OVERVIEW:

In the passage “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,” the early writers saw a witness to the humanity and divinity of Christ, “God by nature even when incarnate, truly, not purely man like us, remaining what he was even when he had become flesh.” As such, he is the mediator of our salvation (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). As God he is one and the same Son of the Father (THEODORET). Although the titles of Christ are many, he is the same in the incarnation and in the Spirit forever (GREGORY OF NAZIANZUS). “Today” signifies the present age or this life, while “yesterday” points out the past age (ORIGEN), yet Jesus Christ is always the same as there is no other to come (CHRYSOSTOM, AMBROSE). “Strange teachings” and diverse practices do not benefit those who hold them (CHRYSOSTOM, EPHREM).

The cross turns everything inside out. Since Jesus was crucified outside the city (PHOTIUS), Christians are always called upon to be on the outside of society to live with less and to bear abuse. “The cross of Christ would be the altar not of the temple but of the world” (LEO THE GREAT). It is through separation from worldly things that the Christian ascetical ideal is fulfilled (ISAAC). However, Ephrem points out that we are also called into the world, but only for the purpose of preaching Christ’s gospel.

Our sacrifice to God is thankfulness and perseverance; they bring us closer to God (CHRYSOSTOM). Mercy is another sacrifice pleasing to God (AUGUSTINE). According to Chrysostom, even wicked leaders should be obeyed with regard to civic matters, as anarchy is evil, yet with regard to the matters of faith such obedience is deadly. The commandments of the Lord must be obeyed; preaching them is a great and grave responsibility (EPHREM, AUGUSTINE). We are to be good to one another and know that mercy is the true sacrifice. We have a mutual need for one another’s prayers. If the apostles used to ask for prayers on their behalf, how much more does it behoove us to do so (AUGUSTINE)? A good conscience is a consequence of righteous living (EPHREM).

13:8 | Yesterday, Today, Forever

ETERNAL EXISTENCE. THEODORET OF CYR: This, too, he does not simply put down, but he fits it to the argument that has been interrupted, teaching that he was crucified by the Jews. And he also demonstrates his eternal existence, for he calls the human nature “yesterday and today” and names the divinity “forever.” And he says that the two are the same, since the only begotten and the firstborn are one and the same Son. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 13.8.

NO BROKENNESS IN WHAT IS THE SAME. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The natural properties of the Word who came forth from the Father were maintained even when he became flesh. It is foolish therefore to dare to introduce a breach. For the Lord Jesus Christ is one and through him the Father created all things. He is composed of human properties and of others that are above the human, yielding a kind of middle term. He is, in fact, a mediator between God and humankind, according to the Scriptures, God by nature even when incarnate, truly, not purely man like us, remaining what he was even when he had become flesh. For it is written, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” ON THE INCARNATION 709.

THE SAME YESTERDAY? CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: How then could he be the same in the past when he had not yet assumed generation according to the flesh? … It is of Jesus Christ and not just of the Word that the text affirms that he is the same today, yesterday and forever, but how could the human nature possess immutability and unaltered identity when it is subject to movement and, above all, to that movement that made it pass from nothingness to being and to life? … In virtue of the union with flesh that is proper to him, it is still he himself who is described as existing yesterday and as preexistent. ON THE INCARNATION.

REMAINING WHAT HE WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Son of God, assuming our likeness and becoming human, not taking up what he was but taking on what he was [i.e., the divine condition] effects our salvation. For he remains, as Paul put it, the same yesterday and today and forever, without undergoing any change in his divinity by reason of his incarnation, but remaining what he was and will always be. EASTER HOMILY 1.6.

TITLES OF THE SON. GREGORY OF NAZIANZUS: These names—righteousness, sanctification, redemption, resurrection … are still common to the one who is above us and to the one who came for our sake. But others are peculiarly our own and belong to that nature which he assumed. So he is called man, not only that through his body he may be apprehended by embodied creatures, whereas otherwise this would be impossible because of his incomprehensible nature; but also that by himself he may sanctify humanity and be, as it were, a leaven to the whole lump. Then, by uniting to himself that which was condemned, he may release it from all condemnation, becoming for all people all things that we are, except sin—body, soul, mind, and all through which death reaches. Thus he became man, who is the combination of all these; God in visible form, because he retained that which is perceived by mind alone. He is son of man both on account of Adam and of the Virgin from whom he came, from the one as a forefather, from the other as his mother, both in accordance with the law of generation and apart from it. He is Christ because of his Godhead. For this is the anointing of his manhood and does not, as is the case with all other anointed ones, sanctify by its action but by the presence in his fullness of the anointing one; the effect of which is that that which anoints is called human and makes that which is anointed God. He is the way, because he leads us through himself; the door as letting us in; the shepherd, as making us dwell in a place of green pastures and bringing us up by waters of rest, and leading us there and protecting us from wild beasts, converting the erring, bringing back that which was lost, binding up that which was broken, guarding the strong, and bringing them together in the fold beyond, with words of pastoral knowledge. The sheep, as the victim; the lamb, as being perfect; the high priest as the offerer; Melchizedek, as without mother in that nature which is above us and without father in ours; and without genealogy above for who, it says, shall declare his generation? and, moreover, as king of Salem, which means peace, and king of righteousness, and as receiving tithes from patriarchs, when they prevail over powers of evil. They are the titles of the Son. Walk through them, those that are lofty in a godlike manner; those that belong to the body in a manner suitable to them; or rather, altogether in a godlike manner, that you may become a god, ascending from below, for his sake who came down from on high for ours. In all and above all keep to this, and you shall never err, either in the loftier or the lowlier names. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today in the incarnation, and in the Spirit forever and ever. Amen. ON THE SON, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 4 (30).21.

“TODAY” SIGNIFIES THIS LIFE. ORIGEN: The “today” signifies this life; for it says, “Jesus Christ yesterday and today and forever” and again “while it is called today.” SELECTIONS FROM THE PSALMS 94.8.

THE AGE WHICH IS PAST. ORIGEN: And if “today” means the whole present age, “yesterday” is probably the bygone age. This what I have understood to be the meaning in the psalm and in Paul’s epistle to Hebrews. In the psalm it says: “A thousand years are in your eyes as a yesterday that has passed.” Whatever the much talked of millennium means, it is likened to yesterday as opposed to today. And in the apostle writes, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” No wonder that the whole of an age counts with God as the space of a single day with us, and I think even less. ON PRAYER 27.13.

ANOTHER WILL NOT COME. CHRYSOSTOM: In these words, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever,” “yesterday” means all the time that is past; “today,” the present; “forever,” the endless which is to come. That is to say, “You have heard of a high priest, but not a high priest who fails.” He is always the same. As though there were some who said, “He is not, another will come,” he says this, that he who was “yesterday and today,” is “the same also forever.” ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 33.3.

PROMISE AND FULFILLMENT. AMBROSE: The words of Scripture include all days in two days, yesterday and today, as in the words, “Imitate their faith in Jesus Christ; he is the same yesterday and today and forever.” The promise is made the first day; the following day it is fulfilled. LETTER 50.

13:9 | Strange Teachings

BY FAITH ALL THINGS ARE PURE. CHRYSOSTOM: Not “with strange teachings” only, but neither with “diverse ones.” “For it is well that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited their adherents.” Here he gently hints at those who introduce the observance of “foods.” For by faith all things are pure. There is need then of faith, not of “foods.” ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 33.3.

STRANGE DOCTRINES ARE OF NO BENEFIT. EPHREM THE SYRIAN: That is, the doctrines of the [levitical] priests and their offerings. “It is well that the heart is strengthened by grace,” that is, is made firm by the new gospel, not by the restrictions of the priests about food. Those who practiced this way of life obtained no profit in these rules; that is, those who observed them were not purified nor had eternal life in them. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

GRACE EMBRACED BY GOOD WORKS. CHRYSOSTOM: Who … can preserve grace by prideful conduct? How then will grace, that is, good pleasure or the energy of the spirit, be with you, unless you embrace it by good deeds? Indeed, the very cause of all good things is our constant abiding in the grace of the Spirit, for he guides us to everything. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 34.6.

PERSEVERE IN THE TEACHINGS OF GRACE. THEODORET OF CYR: By “strange teachings” he referred to what was at variance with the evangelical teachings. So he bids them persevere in the teaching of grace and abandon the observances of the law: No one reaped any benefit from them. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 13.

13:11-14 | Outside the Camp

HE SUFFERED OUTSIDE THE GATE. PHOTIUS: This is spoken to those who would still be at a loss, asking, “How do you say, ‘you have an altar’? For what was offered on it?” It is Christ himself whom you neglect above and below and fail to see that he was sacrificed, since his sacrifice and offering took place for the world, although he himself has not been sacrificed on your altar. For it is manifest that “he suffered outside” the city of Jerusalem. Therefore he says to them, “Yes, he suffered outside, but through this very fact it has rather been accomplished that ‘we have an altar.’ For even among you ‘the bodies’ of the sacrificial victims ‘are burned’ not on the altars themselves, but ‘outside the camp.’ And still for this reason ‘he suffered outside the gate,’ so that he might sanctify all and not merely the priests. And if the sacrifice took place for all, how could it not have been an altar?” But the statement “in order to sanctify the people” gives a different interpretation. He says, “I said that ‘those serving the temple do not have authority to eat’ from our altar, not because this is impossible for them, but because in their opinion they reject themselves as unworthy, since—due to the mercy of Christ—not only is it not forbidden, but for this very reason he once suffered.” He says, “ ‘He suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people,’ not this people or that one but all the people and to grant them to have the authority to eat also from this altar.” FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 13.10-13.

THE CROSS IS THE ALTAR OF THE WORLD. LEO THE GREAT: “Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed,” as the apostle says. Offering himself to the Father as a new and real sacrifice of reconciliation, he was crucified—not in the temple whose due worship is now completed, nor within the enclosure of the city which was to be destroyed because of its crime, but “outside the camp.” That way, as the mystery of the ancient sacrifices was ceasing, a new victim would be put on a new altar, and the cross of Christ would be the altar not of the temple, but of the world. SERMON 59.5.

OUTSIDE THE CAMP. THEODORET OF CYR: “Outside the camp” means, Let our way of life be beyond the law, and let us bear the reproaches for the one who saved us. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 13.

JESUS CALLS US AWAY FROM THE WORLD. ISAAC OF NINEVEH: The Lord Redeemer very rightly commanded whoever would follow Him to strip himself and leave the world; for a man ought first to cast off from himself the causes of slackness, and then approach the work. When the Lord Himself began to wage war with the devil, He fought him in the arid desert. Paul also exhorts those who take up the cross of Christ to go forth from the city, saying: “Let us go forth unto Him without the city and take up His reproach, for He suffered without the city.” For by setting himself apart from the world and what pertains to it, a man speedily forgets his former habits and his mode of life and he will not struggle long with these. But if he should draw near to the world and its possessions, he will speedily enfeeble the strength of his mind. Wherefore one must know that separation from the world greatly aids a man and guides him on the way of progress in the fierce and saving struggle. It is proper, then, and helpful in this struggle if a monk’s cell be in a poor and mean condition, and if his cell be empty and devoid of everything that could incite in him the desire of ease. For when the causes of slackness are distant from a man, he is not endangered by the twofold warfare, that is, the one which is both inward and outward. See how much easier is the struggle when a man desires things that are afar off than when the very things themselves are close at hand and by their sight inflame the thoughts; for the struggle in the latter case is twofold. ASCETICAL HOMILIES 37.

JESUS CALLS US INTO THE WORLD. EPHREM THE SYRIAN: The body of the beasts was an example for our Lord, and our Lord is an example for us, so that “we may go forth outside the camp,” that is, go out and become evangelists of his preaching, “and bear the abuse he endured.” COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 13.

THE BLOOD OF A RED HEIFER. THEODORET OF CYR: Look at the type, compare it with the reality and perceive the similarity. The law required a red heifer to be sacrificed, and the high priest to take some of its blood and sprinkle the mercy seat seven times with his finger. Burning the heifer itself outside the camp, they took the ashes and with them purified those people called impure. This acted as a type of the saving passion. The word red here means the body from Adam in the Hebrew language. He was fixed to the cross outside the gate. His blood purifies our souls; in place of the dust we have the life giving body. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 13.

WE HAVE NO LASTING CITY. THEODORET OF CYR: So let us despise things of this life and look forward to those that are stable and permanent. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 13.

13:15-16 | Continually Offer a Sacrifice of Praise

BEAR ALL THINGS THANKFULLY. CHRYSOSTOM: Let us bear all things thankfully, be it poverty, be it disease, be it anything else whatever, for God alone knows the things expedient for us, “for we do not know how to pray as we ought.” We, then, who do not know even how to ask for what is fitting unless we have received of the Spirit, let us take care to offer up thanksgiving for all things, and let us bear all things nobly. Are we in poverty? Let us give thanks. Are we in sickness? Let us give thanks. Are we falsely accused? Let us give thanks. When we suffer affliction, let us give thanks. This brings us near to God. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 33.8.

BEING CONCERNED ABOUT FELLOW BELIEVERS. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: He calls it “doing good” in order to praise what takes place and “fellowship” because they are concerned about their fellow believers … and so with zeal they seek to meet their needs. FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 13.16.

MERCY IS THE TRUE SACRIFICE. AUGUSTINE: In the words of the prophet Micah, a distinction is clearly drawn between the fact that God does not require sacrifices as they are in themselves and the fact that God does desire the offerings that are symbolized by these sacrifices. … That is why the words “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice” must be understood to mean that one sacrifice is to be preferred to another, since what is commonly called a sacrifice is merely a symbol of the true sacrifice. For, mercy is the true sacrifice. Hence, “such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” CITY OF GOD 10.5.

HYMNS ONLY THROUGH HIM. THEODORET OF CYR: Hymn singing offered to God is of no benefit to us apart from faith in the Son. Since it was to the Hebrews he wrote, who were in the habit of honoring the Father alone, he felt he had to add “through him.” INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 13.

SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE. THEODORET OF CYR: He brought out the sacrifice of praise that is pleasing to God. To it he linked also that of doing good, which he was right to refer to as sharing.. . . Elsewhere the divine apostle says, “Our abundance supplies for their need so that their abundance may be for your need for a balance to be achieved.” Sharing, then, is also repayment: one person gives money, another returns a blessing, and the person in need is in the stronger position. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 13.

13:17 | Obey Your Leaders

IT IS BETTER TO BE LED BY NO ONE THAN BY ONE WHO IS EVIL. CHRYSOSTOM: Anarchy is an evil and the occasion of many calamities and the source of disorder and confusion. For as, if you take away the leader from a chorus, the chorus will not be in tune and in order. If from a phalanx of an army you remove the commander, the evolutions will no longer be made in time and order. If from a ship you take away the helmsman, you will sink the vessel. So too, if from a flock you remove the shepherd, you have overthrown and destroyed all.

Anarchy, then, is an evil and a cause of ruin. But no less an evil is disobedience of rulers, for it comes again to the same. For a people not obeying a ruler is like one which has none, and perhaps even worse. For, in the former case, they have at least an excuse for disorder but no longer in the latter, but are punished.

But perhaps someone will say that there is also a third evil, when the ruler is bad. I myself know it, and no small evil it is, but even a far worse evil than anarchy. It is better to be led by no one than to be led by one who is evil, for the former indeed are sometimes saved and sometimes in peril, but the latter will be altogether in peril, being led into the pit of destruction. . . .

What then, you say, when he is wicked—should we obey? Wicked? In what sense? If in regard to faith, flee and avoid him, whether he is a man or an angel come down from heaven. But if in regard to life, be not overcurious. And this instance I do not allege from my own mind but from the divine Scripture, for hear Christ saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat.” Having previously spoken many fearful things concerning them, he then says, “So practice and observe whatever they tell you but not what they do.” They have, he means, the dignity of office but are of unclean life. Attend not to their life but to their words. For as regards their characters, no one thus would be harmed. How is this? Both because their characters are manifest to all, and also because, though a ruler were ten thousand times as wicked, he would not be teaching wickedness. But in matters of faith if the wicked ruler is teaching evil, the evil is harder to recognize. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 34.1.

RESPECT THOSE RULES THAT BELONG TO CHRIST. EPHREM THE SYRIAN: Leave behind the rules which belong to the law, and respect those which belong to Christ. “They will give account” and a reply to God if they fail to guide you. Therefore, obey them, so that they may give account “with joy” and not with afflictions and tears. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 13.

TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF YOU. AUGUSTINE: In all my sermons I am presenting you with a mirror. These are not my sermons, anyway; I only speak at the Lord’s command. It is only dread of him that stops me from keeping quiet. I mean to say, who would not much rather keep quiet and not have to give an account of you? But it is quite a time since I accepted this burden, and now I neither can nor should shrug it off my shoulders. You heard, my brothers and sisters, when the letter to the Hebrews was being read. SERMON 82.15.

13:18 | Pray for Us

CLEAR CONSCIENCE. THEODORET OF CYR: Paul had been misrepresented to them as preaching the opposite of the law; so he impresses on them that he acted for no other reason than obedience to the divine word—hence his calling his conscience to witness. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 13.

RECIPROCAL PRAYERS ARE ENLIVENED BY CHARITY. AUGUSTINE: We have mutual need of one another’s prayers, for those reciprocal prayers are enkindled by charity and—like a sacrifice offered on the altar of piety—are fragrant and pleasing to the Lord. If the apostles used to ask for prayers on their own behalf, how much more does it behoove me to do so? SERMON 305A.10.

A GOOD CONSCIENCE. EPHREM THE SYRIAN: And so we are confident that you will have “a good conscience,” that is, a perfect opinion on everything. We must live righteously in everything which concerns us. But I invite you to do more, “that is, to encourage us to this task.” COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 13.