The closing prayer is as worthy of this great Epistle as it corresponds with its character.
“Now the God of peace that brought up from [the] dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, in [virtue of] blood of an eternal covenant, perfect you in every good work to the doing of His will, doing in you what is well pleasing before Him through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] the glory for the ages of ages” (Heb. 13:20-2120Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20‑21)). There is no blessing of the gospel, no need of the unbeliever, more characteristic than peace. As to the Roman saints peace with God was assured, so here to the believing Jews as well as the believing Greeks of Philippi, God is proclaimed as the God of peace. The peace of God has its suited limits; the God of peace is unlimited. The departure of some disheartened others. Ere long city and temple would be destroyed. But wants, difficulties, and dangers only furnish Him the occasion to bring His children through, purged of earthly associations and more than conquerors. The proof and pledge they see in our Lord Jesus, Whom God brought up from the dead, not only the good and chief but the great Shepherd of the sheep, Whose blood is of no temporary covenant but of an eternal, avails not only for the present redemption and heavenly nearness of those who believe, but their sure title to be similarly brought up from death at His coming.
Nothing can move such a Savior, standing, and hope. The “better thing” we possess rests on the God of peace and a Shepherd so great that those of Israel are utterly small and weak in comparison. And God is no otiose or capricious being such as Pagans feigned, but active unceasingly according to the perfect and perfecting work of His Son. He lends an ear to His own in their perilous pilgrimage, and is ready to fully adjust them in every good work to the doing His will, even as Christ has shown us the example unfalteringly. Thus only can be what is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ; as He is the One Who does all the good in His saints who deny self and depend on Him by faith. To Him then be the glory forever and ever, Amen. For an end so holy, what can others, what can self do? “There is none good but One, God.” And the Son is the way to the Father, the truth, and the life. So the Holy Spirit works in glorifying Him, Whom the Father will have all to honor, even as they honor the Father. Thus only is His will done in principle and in detail.
“Now I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation; for also in few words have I written to you. Know that our brother Timothy hath been set at liberty, with whom if he come soon, I will see you. Salute all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy salute you. Grace [be] with you all, Amen” (Heb. 13:22-2522And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. 23Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. 24Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. 25Grace be with you all. Amen. <<Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy.>> (Hebrews 13:22‑25)).
The Epistle as a whole abounds in exhortation, based as ever on the truth of Christ, His work, and His offices, drawn from the O. T. with a skill and power and simplicity, which the Holy Spirit alone could give the inspired vessel; yet vast and profound and far-reaching as the result is, in what few words comparatively has all been conveyed! What scope for others to enlarge and enforce in their exhortations! and how subversive, without controversy, of all that Rabbinism loves to hear, not only hiding the waste to which their unbelief has reduced “the pleasant land,” but shutting out from their disciples the more than fulfillment of their highest aspirations in Him, Who as concerning flesh came of Judah and of David's lineage doubly, but is infinitely more—Who is over all, God blessed forever, Amen.
The Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets are seen in a N. T. setting, self-evidently intended to be so understood when the due time came, which also saw the blotting out even of the restored remnant, and most righteously; for they hated and rejected their own Messiah. And marvelous is the way in which all the unfolding of His person and work and offices is turned to practical profit in detail; so that it is with the best right styled “the word of exhortation,” about to yield unfailingly varied appeals for all the unfoldings of His servants, whose eye is simple to His glory, whose heart appreciates His grace, whose faith in the crucified Christ follows Him on high and approaches God in the holiest. And this is Christianity, the present living truth with its heavenly and everlasting issues, before a remnant in the latter day shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of Jehovah, before the Lord Jehovah too shall say to the dry bones in the open valley, Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. Yes, they shall surely live, those dry bones of Israel in that day, stand up an exceeding great army, and be placed in their own land. Yea more, the twelve tribes shall be one in Jehovah's hand, one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all; and that king the true Beloved, great David's greater Son; and there shall they dwell forever, and the Beloved, Jehovah's Servant, their prince forever.
This will be His kingdom, for His world-kingdom is not yet come, but will assuredly. But those that now share His rejection and wait for heavenly glory have the “better thing.” The reference to Timothy suits the Apostle Paul fully, while the omission of his own name is most intelligible, as writing outside his province of the uncircumsion, yet just the expression of his heart always toward his brethren after the flesh, and characterized by the knowledge of Christ dead, risen, and ascended as became him beyond other men. The allusion in 2 Peter 3 is decisive that the apostle Paul wrote an Epistle to the believers of the circumcision, to whom Peter addressed both his Epistles. That letter of Paul can only be the Epistle to the Hebrews, unless we suppose God allowed such a unique document to perish and someone else to do that work over again for a permanent place in the canon of scripture. Only speculative rationalism could receive suppositions so harsh, capricious, and unworthy; but those who do not give its true value to God's word are proverbially credulous of fancies such as these. No doubt the style differs strikingly; but even men of genius only have often shown themselves equal to some such difference in their works. And it would appear that saints from Italy, not of Rome only, were with the writer when and where he wrote. The greeting here desired embraces “all your leaders and all the saints.” This was emphatically called for then, but seasonable always. How many are apt to be narrow, if not alienated! Not so was his heart who wrote, “Grace be with you all, Amen.”
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