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The writer of Hebrews is closing his letter of encouragement addressed to Jewish Christians, some who are considering turning away from faith in Jesus their new found Saviour. In his closing benediction to them, he shares about the need for them to please God. The focus is first on what the God of peace did in bringing Jesus back from the dead. He is their great Shepherd of the sheep. The exalted Lord Jesus is the one who remains forever as the ultimate Leader and Guide of Christians. Jesus’ resurrection confirms that his precious blood was fully effective in establishing the eternal Covenant by which they experience God’s peace and share in His Kingdom. They can now confidently ask God to equip them with everything good for doing His will in their lives. They can depend on Him to work in them what is good and pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ. They can then offer acceptable worship in all its dimensions, their living sacrifice offered through Jesus by God’s enabling.
Earlier the writer shared that he has things to say that are “hard to make“(Heb. 5:11). He now “urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly” (Heb. 13:22). His teaching covers many important Christian themes and he has only expressed himself briefly. His letter is essentially a word of exhortation for their encouragement in pressing on in their life of faith. The news of Timothy’s release and his final greetings from the company of Italian Christians seeks to encourage the Hebrew Christians he is writing to. He is very desirous for his hearers/ readers to live lives that are pleasing to God who has given them salvation that is “sure and steadfast”. Jesus’ blood has cleanse them from all their sin and forgiven them. There is absolutely no reason for them now to change their testimonies and way of living. They need simply to “trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus” knowing that He who started the good work in them will continue to do things in their lives that will perfect them to spend eternity with Him. “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Heb. 12:2).
