Religious directions follow the moral ones and this segment of the Epilogue extends through verse 17. The call, “Remember your leaders,” perhaps referred to former leaders who had passed away. The outcome of their way of life could be contemplated with good effect and the readers were to “imitate their faith.” The joy for us is that no matter what comes and goes in our life, Jesus Christ remains continuously the same. This is why new doctrines which conflict with the unchanging message about Jesus Christ should be rejected.
No blood sacrifices were needed in the light of Jesus’ death, but to offer constant praise and “to do good and to share” with others were indeed sacrifices that God desired (cf. 10:25).
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. (NASB)
Key Takeaways:
- In this section, the labor of love is seen in the stability of Christ (vv. 7-9), in the separation from Judaism (vv. 10-14), and in the sacrifice of worship (vv. 15-16).
- The sacrifices with which God is pleased are not the earthly sacrifices on an earthly altar, but the spiritual sacrifices that come from a pure heart.
- Be a leader like the Lord was. He was consistent in His walk before God.
- Commitment, worship, praise, and kindness to all people are spiritual responses God loves
Closer Look
Verse 7: Committed believers are to imitate the faith of their spiritual leaders and avoid unchristian doctrines. This chapter contains three references to leaders of churches (vv. 7, 17, 24). The reference in this verse appears to be leaders who had completed their service in a congregation and had died. The readers were to reflect on both the words and deeds of these former leaders, from beginning to end, and “imitate their faith.” A steady spiritual reflection on the life of a committed believer can teach us lessons of faith, commitment, and priority. Once we have seen the outcome of their devoted passion for God, we should follow persistently in their way.
Imitate. Notice that the leaders lead not only by word but also by example. Consider their conduct. All leaders will be the example and each of you is a leader in some way or is training to be a leader. You must recognize how important your conduct is. Even your attitudes. It is not just your conduct, but it is also seen in the attitudes of your conduct. Lead by conduct and be mindful of your attitude.
Verse 8: Now this verse lays out the great example of Christ. Those leaders were gone, but Jesus Christ of whom they spoke remains continuously the same. The constancy of Jesus enables us to follow Him and the faith of great Christian leaders. The lives of the former leaders declared memorably the changelessness of Christ. Both the readers of Hebrews and believers today have access to the power and example of the unchanging Christ. Because of His past and present work, Jesus Christ can meet our every need. Christ’s work of yesterday was to suffer and die for our sins on the cross as well as be resurrected. His work of today is to serve as our High Priest (Heb. 4:14–16; 7:25). His future work is to return and conclude God’s saving purposes (Heb. 9:28). Jesus never needs to be replaced, and His work needs nothing added to maintain its perfection.
Jesus is immutable. He is the great example of how we ought to live and I think that is why it is put in there to show that He is an example of consistency in life. It is not saying Jesus did miracles 2,000 years ago so therefore we should do miracles today. That is not in the context. The context is leadership. Be a leader like the Lord was. He was consistent in His walk before God.
Verse 9: In contrast to the constancy of Christ was the abundance of “diverse and strange teachings” from human beings. We have the idea of contrast again. Christ was consistent and did not change His conduct or doctrine. The author’s reference here to all kinds of strange teachings does not sound at all like a reference to normative Judaism but as if the readers were confronting a peculiar, sectarian variation of that religion.[1]
The reference to (ceremonial) “foods” suggests that some type of ritual observance was enticing these believers. God’s grace and not some tantalizing ritual provides a secure foundation for relating to God. Paul wrote that “food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do” (1 Cor. 8:8). Divine grace and not some meaningless rule about food provides the spiritual strength needed for walking along the journey of the Christian life.
Verse 10: If those who advertised “strange teachings” tended to idealize the wilderness experience and the tabernacle, the writer’s words now make a special point. This verse uses much symbolism to contrast the privileges of those Jews who were believers with those who were not. Faith in Jesus provides an approach to God from which unbelief separates. Those Jews who had become Christians had access to a special “altar,” most likely a figure of speech for Christ’s atoning death (although some see the altar referring to the Lord’s table). Believing Jews had eternal access to all the spiritual blessings Jesus could provide for them. Unbelieving Jews “serve the tent (tabernacle).” These Jews had no access to the benefits Christ made available. Those who minister at the tabernacle were not entitled to partake of that kind of spiritual food. If some people preferred a desert way of life and considered themselves “servants” of the ancient tabernacle they were, the writer pointed out, debarred from Christian privileges. Unbelieving Jews may have eaten the material food of the Jewish altar, but they enjoyed no link with Christ. Believers are linked to Christ Himself and live with a daily experience of His benefits. This subtle warning urged the readers not to turn away from Christ to the meaningless rituals of Judaism (or other religions) and so lose the privilege of access to Jesus.
Verse 11: This verse focuses on the offering of the blood of animals to God and the burning of the bodies of the animals outside the camp, a location deemed unholy in the years of the wilderness sojourn.[2] Once again the author is talking about the blood brought into the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur; cf. Lev. 16:27-28). Jewish high priests who brought sin offerings to God did not eat from the altar. The sacrifices were burned. The actions of the high priests symbolized the actions of unbelievers, for the priest was among those who served at the tabernacle. Again we see unbelievers do not have any real contact with Christ and the benefits He offers. Christians do have spiritual access to the great sin offering Jesus provided. This offering is their food, nourishing and refreshing their souls as they feed on Christ by faith.
Verses 12–13: These verses build on the knowledge that Jesus died outside the walls of Jerusalem (John 19:20). Jesus also suffered outside the city gate (i.e., outside Jerusalem), but the effect of His sacrifice was to make the people holy. Far from association with Him being unholy, as some unbelieving Jews regarded it, the readers were in fact “holy” (or sanctified; cf. 2:11; 10:10, 14) and should not hesitate to share in the reproach He endured (cf. 12:2) by abandoning the camp of Judaism and identifying with Him. Jesus died to make the people holy. If the readers actually were acquainted with sectarian encampments in their region this exhortation would have had special force.[3] The writer wanted to produce followers with pure consciences. Jesus’ death outside Jerusalem represented His rejection by religious Jerusalem.
Verses 12—13 also may be looking at the red heifer sacrifice of Numbers 19 which was killed outside the camp. Remember that, rather than on the Day of Atonement, the animals are killed right there by the brazen altar. They are taken outside the camp, which is a good illustration to indicate that Christ was not crucified in Jerusalem, He was evidently outside the city walls. He suffered outside, is what the author is saying. Those who went outside the camp in connection with these sacrifices were considered to be unclean and were something of a reproach. After the burning, they were required to take a bath before coming back into the camp. The writer, on the basis of this law, encourages the readers to leave the “camp of Judaism” and suffer reproach with Christ. Unbelieving Jews attached a stigma to Jesus’ exclusion from Jerusalem and His crucifixion. Instead of complaining about the circumstances, believers commit themselves to Christ. Thus, Hebrews urges us to go outside the camp of Judaism. We are to reject the fellowship and rituals of Judaism and cling only to Jesus. In so doing we surrender security and court danger. We must venture into new territory under the flag of Jesus without fearing ridicule from unbelievers. Bearing the disgrace of commitment to Jesus brings eternal reward.
I have heard of this verse being used at Christian camps with young people and sometimes older people. What would happen is the person would take a twig and throw it into the fire and give a testimony or a statement of some commitment to the Lord. Then there would be a brief devotional or message afterwards and the leader would say, “Now you’re in the camp today, tomorrow you’re going to go outside the camp bearing His reproach.” That is not what the passage is talking about. It is fine preaching but that is not what the passage is talking about.
The “camp” is the camp of Israel and Judaism. To leave that camp of Judaism was to bear reproach. Just as Christ suffered outside the gate like in the ashes of the red heifer or the bodies of those animals, which were sacrificed on the Day of Atonement. The author tells them to go outside the camp of Judaism, leave it, bearing the reproach. Do you follow what the picture is? It’s a beautiful picture of leaving Judaism. So the writer on the basis of this law encourages the readers to leave the camp of Judaism and thus suffer reproach with Christ.
Verse 14: The readers’ true home was no camp or city that then existed, but the city that is to come (cf. 11:10, 16; 12:22). This verse adds two features to the appeal for commitment to Christ. First, Christians live for the future, not the present. No matter how appealing life in the present is, believers are looking for the city that is to come. Christians look for a reward that lies ahead. Second, Christians enjoy togetherness. We must not allow our practice of Christianity to deteriorate into self-seeking individual choices. Believers who move forward for Christ, like a mighty army, find encouragement from common commitment and enthusiasm.
Verse 15: Christians must also offer up a continual “sacrifice of praise.” This praise is to be constant. We find no circumstances in which praise for God is inappropriate. Believers find no joy in dead animals but in the living Lord. God’s glory, not our comfort or earthly possessions, is to be our desire. God is not pleased by animal sacrifices, but by believers who acknowledge His goodness, greatness, and mercy (Ps. 51:15–17).
Verse 16: Hebrews calls us to commit to Christ, to praise for God, and to do good, and to share what we have. This demands that we share our material plenty with the needy. We are to be on the lookout for occasions where we can give spontaneous help. Christians respond to Christ’s atoning death with good deeds and praise, not with animals. God finds great pleasure in these responses.
Now it’s easy for us to say praise, thanksgiving being a sacrifice, but notice what else the author is saying: service to people is a sacrifice. Take a look at it again, it’s right there. “Do not neglect doing good and sharing for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Probably the author is talking about helping people financially or doing good financially. With those sacrifices, God is well pleased. The sacrifices with which God is pleased are not the earthly sacrifices on the earthly altar, but the spiritual sacrifices that come forth from a pure heart continually through everything.
[1] Hodges, Zane C. 1985. “Hebrews.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 2:812. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Lea, Thomas D. 1999. Hebrews, James. Vol. 10. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Hodges, Zane C. 1985. “Hebrews.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 2:812. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.