(5) In these two verses (Hebrews 13:4-5) we have the same connection of thought as in Hebrews 12:16; Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:3. “Impurity and covetousness may be said to divide between them nearly the whole domain of human selfishness and vice” (Lightfoot on Colossians 3:5). This appears from the only other verse in the N.T. Note the strong emphasis on the negatives which is there in the Greek. Paul quoted the Greek poets, Jude quotes the book of Enoch, and our author may have quoted Philo. In one of the sentences of Phocylides we have a sentiment in nearly the same words as that of the apostle: Αρκεισθαι παρεουσι, και αλλοτριων απεχεσθαι· Be content with present things, and abstain from others. ‘He Himself has said.’ Thus it is certain. I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee. The word for forsake means to abandon, to desert. So terrible is this sin and so great is its power that, one who is governed by it will trample upon the claims of justice, as Ahab did in seizing the vineyard of Naboth ( 1 Kings 21); he will disregard the call of charity, as David did in taking the wife of Uriah ( 2 Samuel 11); he will stoop to the most fearful lies, as did Ananias and Sapphira; he will defy the express commandment of God, as Achan did; he will sell Christ, as Judas did. 28:15; Втор. For as Jesus emphasised, ‘you cannot love both God and Mammon (wealth)’ (Matthew 6:24), and whichever one we choose will always take precedence over the other. Those who understand the genius of the Greek language, and look at the manner in which these negatives are placed in the sentence, will perceive at once how much the meaning is strengthened by them, and to what an emphatic and energetic affirmative they amount. Let your conversation - Your “conduct” - for so the word “conversation” is used in the Scriptures; notes, Philemon 1:27. λ.] But let us not be misunderstood on these points. Ὥστε θαῤῥοῦντας ἡμᾶς λέγειν κ. τ. Yet how difficult it is to strike the happy mean: to be provident without being prodigal, to be "not slothful in business" and yet not bury ourselves in it, to be thrifty without being miserly, to use this world and yet not abuse it. Ὥστε θαῤῥοῦντας ἡμᾶς λέγειν κ. τ. It’s not that we rely on feelings or that we seek after a sign, but we expect the Comforter to comfort His own—and we gladly acknowledge that we need His comfort. Hebrews 13:5 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Hebrews 13:5, NIV: "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5 [ Read Chapter | Listen to Audio | View Context | Multi-Translations | Interlinear Bible | Study Tools ] Make sure that your character is (h) free from the love of money, (i) being content with what … Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers (11) Debir.—See Joshua 15:15; Joshua 15:49.In Joshua 10:38-39, its conquest is assigned to Joshua.The name means “the oracle.” It afterwards became a Levitic town. Hebrews 13:5. It is a divine adage. The more we yield to this evil spirit, the more do we conduct ourselves as though we desired our portion in this world, and look no further than present things, contrary to "while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen" ( 2 Corinthians 4:18). There are still those the language of whose actions Isaiah, "I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. Here is an evil and its remedy set before us side by side, as was the case in the previous verse, though there the remedy is given before that which it counteracts. God's Word also sets before us some fearfully solemn examples of the judgments which fell upon covetous souls. [1] character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] [2] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor. In this chapter of Hebrews the apostle makes a practical application of the theme of the epistle. Lunemann says, “Possibly, as Bleek and De Wette believe, the author has quoted it directly from Philo. Быт. (RKJNT) It exposes to manifold temptations, whereby we are rendered an easy prey to many spiritual enemies. This Presence pervades the arrangements of our life, III. (6,7) Be strong and of a good courage . I. Covetousness in life SHOULD BE AVOIDED. — Not excluding proper effort to better your condition, but securing tranquillity in the condition that results, and meeting all disadvantages with equanimity. on StudyLight.org It has been called “The Fifth Gospel.” Four describe Christ’s ministry on earth, this describes His ministry in heaven.It was written to Hebrew disciples, probably of Jerusalem, to avert the danger of their drifting back into Judaism. For here he swore, not more for Abraham’s sake, than ours, as the apostle shows. Thus one, a modification, occurs (Septuagint) in Joshua 1:5: “I will never forsake thee nor overlook thee.” Yet it is remarkable that the exact words given by our author are found in Philo, 1:430, 26. But it is so contrary to the desires of our hearts by nature, and so superior to the actual attainments of the best Christians on earth, that it is very difficult to persuade them that God requires such perfection, and still more difficult to satisfy them that it is indispensable to the happiness of rational creatures, and most difficult of all to convince them that everything inconsistent with this or short of it is sin; that it deserves the wrath of God, and cannot be taken away, except by the mercy of God through the atonement of Christ" (T. Scott). 13:4–5). the Sunday editions of the newspaper. Covetousness in life is INCONSISTENT WITH CONFIDENCE IN GOD. ", To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Let your conversation be without covetousness, And be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, And be content with such things as ye have -, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee -, Αρκεισθαι παρεουσι, και αλλοτριων απεχεσθαι·, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee -, Obsolete or obscure words in the english av bible. Its latitude can be gathered from its employment in the Scriptures. 1700 28th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508. In Proverbs 1:21 wisdom at the gates of the city . "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have" (v 5). Be without covetousness - Desire nothing more than what God has given you; and especially covet nothing which the Divine Providence has given to another man, for this is the very spirit of robbery. Let your conversation - That is, the whole tenor of your conduct, τροπος, the manner of your life, or rather the disposition of your hearts in reference to all your secular transactions; for in this sense the original is used by the best Greek writers. Let us now go deeper and solemnly observe the comprehensiveness of God's searching law, "Thou shalt not covet" ( Exodus 20:17). How many today are possessed with an insatiable craving after "bargains," buying things "cheap," without any conscientious consideration of the real worth of the article: it is that which fosters so much fraud. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”” Twelve times in the book of Proverbs, we are given instruction regarding a friend. To be content does not deny one the right to "look out for a rainy day," or to acquire more of the good things of life than he needs for his own personal use; such a theory would contradict Ephesians 4:28. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; the words occur in Deuteronomy 31:6, as a promise to all Israel, and again in 1 Chronicles 28:20, as a promise to Solomon. 1. How the nations of Christendom are heaping up to themselves "wrath against the Day of Wrath!" Hebrews 13:5. Deuteronomy 13:5 - But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. The longing is caused by the heart's being enticed by the delight promised. 5.Conversation—Your daily course and character in life. To give a literal translation is scarcely possible; it would run in this way: "No, I will not leave thee; no, neither will I not utterly forsake thee." Fear, when not controlled, gives evidence that a person does not believe that God is telling the truth and that He cannot be trusted to have one's best interests at heart. Let your conversation be without covetousness. Here, and in many other passages of Scripture, we are cautioned against covetousness, and urged to be content with the situation and circumstances in which we are placed in the course of God's providence, and the motive to contentment is the promise of God, that He will never leave us nor forsake us. But God says to him "Keep thine heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" ( Proverbs 4:23), and makes him realize that every lusting after what He has forbidden or withheld is a species of self-will. Lust and lucre follow one another as closely akin, both seducing the heart from the Creator to the creature. This epistle’s title bears the traditional Greek title, “To the Hebrews,” which was attested by at least in the second century A.D. Trust in the Lord with thy whole heart, and never lean to thy own understanding; for he hath said, "No, I will never leave thee; not I: I will never, never cast thee off. Text: Hebrews 13:5,6. Thrice we are asked to remember those who bear office and rule in the church, Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 13:17; Hebrews 13:24. It is an insatiable lust, for when covetousness rules, the heart is never satisfied: "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase" ( Ecclesiastes 5:10). enkataleipo. Hebrews 13:5. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let … [ Read Chapter | Show Context | Study Tools | Multi-Translations ] [ Strong's Interlinear Bible ] Let your. So also it is a bounden duty to make provision for those who are dependent upon us: "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel" ( 1 Timothy 5:8). This takes on many forms: men lust after honors, wealth, pleasures, knowledge, for Scripture speaks of "the desires of the flesh and of the mind" ( Ephesians 2:3), and of "filthiness of the flesh and spirit" ( 2 Corinthians 7:1). This document has been generated from XSL (Extensible Stylesheet Language) source … [Hebrews 13:5] And hast not withheld thy son, thine only son. All irregular desires are forbidden. It is Good For Our Hearts To Be Strengthened By Grace (Hebrews 13:9-10) Hebrews 13:11-14. then the tenth prohibits our desiring anything which is our neighbor's. But it is not until after a person is regenerate that he takes notice of the inward motions of sin and takes cognizance of the state of his heart. Hebrews 10:25 says we are not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together.” “Assembling together” is from one Greek word. The apostle in this passage to the Hebrews restores the institution to its primitive honour as one of the first proofs of divine beneficence and goodness towards man. "Let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ" ( Philippians 1:27): this obviously means, Let your affections and actions correspond to the revelation of Divine grace you have received; conduct yourself in such a manner that those around will be impressed by the principles, motives, and sentiments which govern you. The love of money is a source of sin. —Your daily course and character in life. The Apostle teaches us that "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that "we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope," Romans 15:4; and as "all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us," 2 Corinthians 1:20, all believers are encouraged to appropriate this precious promise in all their straits and difficulties. But possibly, also, the expression, as here found and in Philo, may have been stereotyped into a proverb.” Delitzsch suggests that the passage had assumed this form in the liturgical service of the synagogue, and thence may have been used by both Philo and our author. "Let your conversation be without covetousness." For he hath said - That is, God has said. I will never, never leave thee; no, I will never, never forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5 Your lives should be untainted by love for money. Immoral. Therefore we are accountable to judge the first inclination toward evil and resist the very earliest solicitations. Jesus never promised us an easy life, and our hard work may not be rewarded in this life with wealth or luxury. Psalms 34:4-10. 9:22 The Scarlet Thread That Runs Through the Bible. "There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith Hebrews, For whom do I labor and bereave my soul of good? The covetous are branded with the most detestable character of idolaters ( Colossians 3:5)—no doubt this is because they who are ruled by this lust adore their gold and put their trust in it, making a god of it. Many professing Christians look upon covetousness as quite a trifling matter, while the world applauds it as legitimate ambition, as business shrewdness, as prudence, etc. By Rev Charles Seet. But exactly what is "covetousness"? Light is cast upon those words by, "I had not known sin, but by the Law; for I had not known lust (‘concupiscence,' margin) except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet or "lust" ( Romans 7:7)—"concupiscence" is an evil desire, an inordinate affection, a secret lusting after something. 3. Conversation, [ ho (Greek #3588) tropos (Greek #5158)] - 'manner of life.' More resources, better tools and easier navigation Test drive it and tell us about your experience. Jesus Christ is the Same Yesterday and Today and Forever (Hebrews 13:8) Hebrews 13:9-10. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee - These words were, in sum, spoken to Joshua, Joshua 1:5; : "As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." such things, &c. = the things that are present. Keep Yourself Free From the Love of Money and Be Content (Hebrews 13:5-6) Hebrews 13:7. Does the third commandment interdict any blasphemous oath upon the lips? [⇑ See verse text ⇑] In this passage, the writer of Hebrews has offered direct, practical instructions for Christian living. Loss of wealth was a common problem in those days for some who became Christians. Hebrews 5:13. American King James Version ×). Thus one, a modification, occurs (Septuagint) in. , as Delitzsch tells us, are used in post-biblical, —In substance this promise repeatedly occurs in the Old Testament, but never in exact words. It was the spirit of covetousness which prompted Israel of old to disregard the fourth commandment. Hebrews 13:5(ESV) Verse Thoughts. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Consider the awful case of Judas, who for thirty pieces of silver sold the Lord of glory. When therefore the Apostle is seeking to cure us of the disease of covetousness, he wisely calls our attention to God’s promises, in which he testifies that he will ever be present with us. It tells us that God will never lose His grip on us (John 10:29). 2. The particular reason here given for contentment is, that God has promised never to leave his people. 13:8). Neither idleness nor extravagance are to be condoned. Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you ,", To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Αρκεισθαι παρεουσι, και αλλοτριων απεχεσθαι·, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee -, And be content with such things as ye have -, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee -, And be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, hath said, I will not leave thee, no nor will I forsake thee, λόγιου τοῦ ἵλεω θεοῦ μεστὸν ἡμερότητος ἐλπίδας χρηστὰς ὑπογράφον τοῖς παιδείας ἐρασταῖς ἀνῄρηται τοιόνδε, I. Now some sins are more easily detected than others, and for the most part condemned by those professing godliness. Yet often these very men hold prominent positions in the churches and "make long prayers," while devouring widows' houses and grinding the face of the poor. It is an over-eager desire for the things of this world. Recently we read a faithful article wherein the writer took to task the lies and deceptions practiced by many shopkeepers and their assistants in palming off upon the public various forms of merchandise by misrepresenting their quality and value; the writer concluding with a solemn emphasis upon "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" ( Revelation 21:8). Tons more resources, better tools, NIV84 and easier navigation. Hebrews 13:6. where this word occurs, namely, 1 Timothy 3:3, in a passage which describes the qualifications of a bishop: "Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous." E. Christian love centers on the unchanging Christ (Hebrews 13:8). Quiet Time Ministries / myPhotoWalk / Hebrews 13:5. We who are his can be sure that we will never find ourselves abandoned and deserted. Now while it be true that the love of money or worldly possessions is one of the principal forms of covetousness, yet we are satisfied that the translation of the A.V. Neither the possession nor the retention of wealth is wrong in itself, providing it be acquired honestly and preserved with a justifiable motive. λ.] What the apostle means Isaiah, I had never discovered my inward depravity unless the Spirit had enlightened my understanding, convicted my conscience, and made me feel the corruptions of my heart. and other places. David repeated the promise to Song of Solomon, 1 Chronicles 28:20; and it is repeated in substance to Israel. The covetous man is ever running out into futurity with insatiable desires after secular good; and, if this disposition be not checked, it increases as the subject of it increases in years. В этом утверждении содержатся пять обещаний, которые подчеркивают, что Христос никогда не оставит верующих. Covetousness; inordinate regard for money or such things as money will procure. It is very probable that this thought supplies the link of connection between Hebrews 13:5-6, and Hebrews 13:7. How appropriate is the prayer, "Remove from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Those who believe the Scriptures must perforce expect that soon a far worse war than the last is likely to be sent as a scourge from Heaven upon the present Sabbath profaners. ( Mark 10:23). but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; Hunter properly discerned that the requirement here is about the same as that of Matthew 5:48, namely, perfection. Of course, plenty of faithful believers have experienced severe financial hardship, and many have even died from exposure, thirst, hun­ger, disease, and worse. A M Hodgkin (Christ in All the Scriptures) writes: The glories of our Savior are exhibited in this Epistle; it is one of the most precious books in the Bible. .’ The quotation is from Deuteronomy 31:5, where however the third person is used. The love within the marriage tie must be unsullied, and we must watch against the insidious lust of gold. Remember the case of Ananias and Sapphira ( Acts 5). Hebrews 12:19 - and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος;] is an independent direct question. (279). No longer finding in God the supreme object of his soul's delight and confidence, fallen man loves and trusts in the creature (mere things) rather than the Creator. Thus God’s faithfulness has continued throughout history. Its lexical form is episunagōgē. The votaries of Mammon are linked with "drunkards and adulterers," and such are excluded from the kingdom of God ( 1 Corinthians 6:10). "Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? It is the working of this evil lust which lies at the root of very much of the fearful Sabbath-desecration that is now so rife.