1Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 2Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realising it! 3Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. 4Give honour to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery. 5Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 6So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can man do to me?”
Hebrews 13:1-6
These last two exhortations or commands are fascinating in that they contrast with the ones that have gone before them. They still have the sense of being exhortations but now the statements include negatives, or prohibitions.
- Don’t be a lover of money.
- Don’t fear.
Both are fascinating for different reasons. The first is expressed by the word [ἀφιλάργυρος] – [a-phil-arguros]. I am sure you can see by the construction of this word what is in focus here. This word is a nice foil for the word φιλαδελφία – the love of brothers and sisters. The word is a compound of [phila] from [phileo] to love and [arguros] meaning money but the first [a] drops out. The word begins with an [a] which represents the negative prefix [to be without] as in “typical” / “atypical”; “moral” / “amoral” meaning to be “without morality” or “immoral”. The sense of this construction is for your [tropos] or your “way of life”, “your actions”, “what holds your attention”, “the things your mind focuses on” to be without “avarice or loving / longing”. There is a contrast between things and people. It fits well with the saying:- Use things and love people not the other way around. Be a lover of people and not a lover of money and things. Don’t use people and love things. In short, be satisfied with what you have already and don’t hanker after money and things. This was excellent advice in the midst of Roman and Greek culture. But perhaps even better advice to us in this present materialistic, throw-away culture enamoured by stuff.
Following the warning about being focused on money and things, the author of the letter turns to two Old Testament passages.
“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
With Adonai on my side, I fear nothing—what can human beings do to me? [Complete Jewish Bible]
Psalm 118:6
The only quote we are missing is something from the Prophets. We have the Law and Writings quoted so two out of three ain’t bad. Don’t put your trust in money and things and don’t put you trust in man. What can man do to you if the LORD is for you. It almost sounds like Paul, doesn’t it? What can separate us from the love of God? The verse is set with LORD [Kurios / YHWH] as the initial word and [man / anthrōpos] the last word. This too is contrastive. Loving people; not money and things ||: God contrasted with man. With God as my helper what can man do to me?
Don’t lose sight of the significance in this carefully crafted passage. The words φιλαδελφία – φιλοξενία – Αφιλάργυρος are not there by chance. I still agree with Neva Miller, it is like each of these exhortations holds a component of loving the brothers and sisters, each appears to be a way of building up the body and making the Christian community strong in the tough times coming. Not only that but this section closes with a strong reminder of God being our helper and therefore there is no need to fear man. A wonderful reminder in the midst of the coming persecution. God won’t desert you in times of trouble, He won’t leave you when He has promised to always be with you.
The Hebrew believers were being reminded of all they had been through already. Read again the end of chapter 10:-
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Hebrews 10:23-25
Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Hebrews 10:32-36
People were created to be loved, things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used.
Anonymous
“Love thy neighbour” is not a piece of advice, it’s a command.
Bono
JESUS is our ever present help. EVER and ALWAYS PRESENT. Put Him to the test; you won’t be disappointed.
Ian
God has been your help throughout your life, why would He forsake you now?
Ian