Bible Gem 2183 – This Brief Exhortation (Hebrews 13:22)

²²I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation.

Hebrews 13:22

The Views of the Commentators

1. There are those who think ‘this brief exhortation’ applies to the exhortations found in the closing paragraph beginning ‘¹⁸Pray for us . . .’
2. Others believe ‘this brief exhortation’ refers to the collection of exhortations found in Chapter 13.
3. Still others feel ‘this brief exhortation’ refers to all exhortations following the listing of the heroes of faith.
4. Finally there are those who believe the whole letter is ‘this brief exhortation’.

I think you will have sensed already that I don’t place all that much confidence in commentaries. I find myself disagreeing with the commentaries more often that I find them useful. As the Deeper Bible participants know, the commentaries are simply the opinions or best educated guess of people. Some are scholarly and well thought through and others are trite shallow guess work. But in the case before us, at least one of the above four options has to be right. I will opt for / guess that Number Four is the best educated guess. As to whether it is a letter, a sermon, several sermons, an epistle or a tome I choose a tome.

A ‘tome’ is by definition “a book; an especially large, heavy scholarly book.” The Oxford Dictionary has “A large heavy book, especially one dealing with a serious topic.”

Well by definition Hebrews is then a brief epistle or a collection of exhortations on a serious topic. It cannot technically be called a tome, as it is not large and heavy, but it is certainly scholarly. Whatever we may call it, the author called it a Brief Exhortation. You might object to calling Hebrews brief. You would be right if comparing it with Paul’s shorter letters:-

And of course you are waiting for the comparison between the shorter letters of Paul with the letter to the Hebrews.

It is interesting that the author of Hebrews himself calls his letter or epistle a SHORT exhortation. But he is correct in saying it is an exhortation. By my reckoning there are twenty-five exhortations spread throughout the letter to the Hebrews.

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?

Hebrews 2:1-3

And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. . . But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.

Hebrews 3:1, 6

That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness.

Hebrews 3:7-8

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. . . . Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.”

Hebrews 3:12-13, 15

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. . . .

Hebrews 4:1,3

So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. . . So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. . . So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:11, 14, 16

You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

Hebrews 5:12

So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

Hebrews 6:1-3 . . .6

Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

Hebrews 6:9-12

And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 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 10:21-25

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.

Hebrews 10:26-29

Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.

Hebrews 10:32

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!

Hebrews 10:35

But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.

Hebrews 10:39

All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

Hebrews 11:39-40

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

Hebrews 12:1-3

For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

Hebrews 12:6-9

 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Hebrews 12:12-15

Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!

Hebrews 12:25

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.

Hebrews 12:28

Keep on loving each other . . . Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers . . . Remember those in prison . . . Remember also those being mistreated . . . Give honoUr to marriage, and remain faithful to one another . . . Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

Hebrews 13:1-7

So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.

Hebrews 13:9

So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Hebrews 13:13-14

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls . . . Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow.

Hebrews 13:15-17

I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation.

Hebrews 12:22

I would say unequivocally that the author of Hebrews was encouraging his readers to pay attention to each one of the exhortations he included in his letter. I believe it was most certainly not a letter from Paul as I have stated in Gem 2022 – Who was the Author of Hebrews? In Gem 2023 I addressed the matter as to whether Hebrews was a letter, an epistle, a treatise or sermon notes. In Gem 2024 I addressed the nature of the recipients of the letter and why it was written. After having thoroughly analysed this letter over 162 Gems spread over 13 months I am even more convinced that the letter was written to Hebrew Christians facing the onslaught of the coming persecution during the reign of Nero. While the author appears to be pleading with Jewish Christians not to return again to Judaism, the church in Rome at the time of Nero was not solely a Jewish church but was a mixture of Jewish and Gentile believers. The writer of Hebrews was strongly exhorting his readers not to forsake Christ and return or turn for the first time to the synagogue. Given the fact that Judaism under Nero was still a religio-licita and the Jews had been allowed to return to Rome under a degree of safety, there was some appeal to Christians and Jews to wait out the anti-Christian persecution under the umbrella of the synagogue. However, the writer of Hebrews makes it clear to his readers that they should not forsake Christ and go back to the Old Covenant. Setting their eyes on Judaism or Jerusalem was not an option. They needed to leave the synagogue, the Tabernacle and the Holy City of Jerusalem and firmly hold tight to their faith in Christ to save them. There was and there is no other option.

I don’t believe as some claim that ‘this brief exhortation’ refers only to the “exhortations” beginning with verse 18 and “Pray for us. . .”. What follows cannot be considered to be classed as an exhortation. Rather the author lists a series of specific requests for prayer. The exhortations the writer is referring to in verse 22 are the twenty five exhortations spread across the thirteen chapters in the body of the letter. If anyone were to pay attention to the exhortations expressed in this letter it ought to hold them firm in the midst of any persecution. We modern day Christians in the 21st Century ought to commit the exhortations found in the Letter to the Hebrews to memory so the words may hold us firm in whatever persecution lies before us.

In this Gem I have chosen as quotes four of the author’s exhortations to his readers, which includes us. Take up my challenge and commit them to memory.

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?

Hebrews 2:1-3

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

Hebrews 10:23

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 10:24-25

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2