Hebrews 13:16

16 beneficientiae autem et communionis nolite oblivisci talibus enim hostiis promeretur Deus

Hebrews 13:16 Meaning and Commentary

Hebrews 13:16

But to do good and to communicate forget not
Which is to be understood, not of doing good works in general, but of acts of beneficence, or communicating to "the poor", as the Syriac version renders it: the apostle proceeds to take notice of another sort of sacrifice, which continues under the Gospel dispensation; and that is, alms; which should be attended to: alms should be given, or beneficence be exercised to all men in need, even to our enemies, as well as to our friends and relations; and especially to poor saints, and ministers of the Gospel: and this believers should not "forget"; which shows that it is a duty of importance; and that men are too apt to neglect it, and should be stirred up unto it:

for with such sacrifices God is well pleased;
not that they are meritorious of the favour of God and of eternal life; for what a man gives in a way of charity is but what God has given him, and cannot be profitable to God, though it is to a fellow creature; nor is there any proportion between what is given, and grace and glory which the saints receive; yet doing good in this way, when it is done in faith, springs from love, and is directed to the glory of God, is well pleasing to him; yea, these sacrifices are preferred by him to legal ones, ( Hosea 6:6 ) and the Jews also say, that

``greater is he who does alms than (if he offered) all sacrifices ^F3.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 T. Bab. Succa, fol. 49. 2.

Hebrews 13:16 In-Context

14 non enim habemus hic manentem civitatem sed futuram inquirimus

15 per ipsum ergo offeramus hostiam laudis semper Deo id est fructum labiorum confitentium nomini eius

16 beneficientiae autem et communionis nolite oblivisci talibus enim hostiis promeretur Deus

17 oboedite praepositis vestris et subiacete eis ipsi enim pervigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri ut cum gaudio hoc faciant et non gementes hoc enim non expedit vobis

18 orate pro nobis confidimus enim quia bonam conscientiam habemus in omnibus bene volentes conversari