And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
It is an earnest appeal to patiently endure, receive and heed the counsel given in the epistle, which is set forth briefly though fully. Such counsel is to be urged with kindness and persuasion rather than harshness, and to be met with patience. A word of exhortation of this kind is meant to be taken seriously and acted upon as part of faithful living. It is to be borne meekly and with forbearance as a kindness that exposes and heals wrong, considered and applied where it fits even when it seems mistaken or lacks tact, and used as an occasion to examine oneself for other faults. Its burden is to awaken from spiritual sleep, to put away harmful habits and fashions by looking to Christ's humiliation and suffering, to live out professed truth and grow in grace by faithful duty, and to prepare quickly for Christ's appearing and the near judgment.
Words and Setting
The closing appeal is an earnest request to Hebrew Christians to accept the exhortation set out in the epistle. The word rendered suffer means to endure or bear, to patiently receive or allow, and to accept or heed a word of exhortation. Exhortation is to be offered as a plea with kindness and persuasion rather than with harshness or censoriousness, and it is to be received with patience.
The letter commends itself as written concisely and briefly, yet it carefully argues for Christ's supremacy and encourages faith through trials, presenting earnest counsel and warning that should be received rather than dismissed. It belongs with further instruction on the same topics as the course of life drawn out in Romans 12, meeting the desire of a truly converted soul to be taught the Lord's way and to have His will made known, and furnishing profitable themes for study and meditation for those who desire to be taught that way and to walk in it.
Receiving the Exhortation
A word of exhortation is a serious appeal to be received, heeded and acted upon, and attentiveness to such instruction belongs to faithful living. Such admonition is to be taken patiently, meekly and with forbearance as a kindness that exposes sin and helps heal its effects, without quarreling with the giver. Even when it seems mistaken or lacks tact, its counsel is to be weighed and applied where it fits, and when the named fault is not one's own it can still prompt examination of other faults. It is an appeal to receive and bear with the word spoken.
The exhortation calls for awakening from spiritual sleep, recognizing the urgent responsibilities entrusted to believers, living in keeping with the truths professed, and preparing for the final scenes of this world's history. The time is solemn and short, so preparation for Christ's appearing must be made quickly. It is an urgent appeal to prepare for the coming King, because the day of judgment is near and the finally impenitent face irreversible doom after rejecting pardon, mercy and obedience.
The exhortation also calls for turning from harmful habits and foolish fashions by thinking of Christ's self-humiliation, sorrow, suffering and death, so as to yield sincerely to God's will. It calls for growing in grace through faithful fulfillment of Christian duties.
The same language covers direct practical appeals, including advice to accept counsel about making a guest room healthier and more comfortable. It covers pressing a man named George to listen to a solemn appeal when he answers that he is already suffering unfair bargaining. It covers a stirring message delivered in only about twenty minutes that encouraged believers with brotherly kindness, reminded them of past experience, hope, disappointment and scattering, and pointed to signs of Christ's soon coming.
It is an earnest appeal to patiently endure, receive and heed the counsel given in the epistle, which is set forth briefly though fully.
Such counsel is to be urged with kindness and persuasion rather than harshness, and to be met with patience.
A word of exhortation of this kind is meant to be taken seriously and acted upon as part of faithful living.
It is to be borne meekly and with forbearance as a kindness that exposes and heals wrong, considered and applied where it fits even when it seems mistaken or lacks tact, and used as an occasion to examine oneself for other faults.
Its burden is to awaken from spiritual sleep, to put away harmful habits and fashions by looking to Christ's humiliation and suffering, to live out professed truth and grow in grace by faithful duty, and to prepare quickly for Christ's appearing and the near judgment.
Words and Setting
The closing appeal is an earnest request to Hebrew Christians to accept the exhortation set out in the epistle. The word rendered suffer means to endure or bear, to patiently receive or allow, and to accept or heed a word of exhortation. Exhortation is to be offered as a plea with kindness and persuasion rather than with harshness or censoriousness, and it is to be received with patience.
The letter commends itself as written concisely and briefly, yet it carefully argues for Christ's supremacy and encourages faith through trials, presenting earnest counsel and warning that should be received rather than dismissed. It belongs with further instruction on the same topics as the course of life drawn out in Romans 12, meeting the desire of a truly converted soul to be taught the Lord's way and to have His will made known, and furnishing profitable themes for study and meditation for those who desire to be taught that way and to walk in it.
Receiving the Exhortation
A word of exhortation is a serious appeal to be received, heeded and acted upon, and attentiveness to such instruction belongs to faithful living. Such admonition is to be taken patiently, meekly and with forbearance as a kindness that exposes sin and helps heal its effects, without quarreling with the giver. Even when it seems mistaken or lacks tact, its counsel is to be weighed and applied where it fits, and when the named fault is not one's own it can still prompt examination of other faults. It is an appeal to receive and bear with the word spoken.
The exhortation calls for awakening from spiritual sleep, recognizing the urgent responsibilities entrusted to believers, living in keeping with the truths professed, and preparing for the final scenes of this world's history. The time is solemn and short, so preparation for Christ's appearing must be made quickly. It is an urgent appeal to prepare for the coming King, because the day of judgment is near and the finally impenitent face irreversible doom after rejecting pardon, mercy and obedience.
The exhortation also calls for turning from harmful habits and foolish fashions by thinking of Christ's self-humiliation, sorrow, suffering and death, so as to yield sincerely to God's will. It calls for growing in grace through faithful fulfillment of Christian duties.
The same language covers direct practical appeals, including advice to accept counsel about making a guest room healthier and more comfortable. It covers pressing a man named George to listen to a solemn appeal when he answers that he is already suffering unfair bargaining. It covers a stirring message delivered in only about twenty minutes that encouraged believers with brotherly kindness, reminded them of past experience, hope, disappointment and scattering, and pointed to signs of Christ's soon coming.