Hebrews 13:16

16 And do not ye forget well-doing, and communing; for by such sacrifices God is well served [+forsooth by such hosts, God is well served, or pleased/or well satisfied].

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 For we have not here a city dwelling, but we seek a city to coming. [+Soothly we have not here a dwelling city, but we seek a city to come.]

15 Therefore by him offer we a sacrifice of praising evermore to God [By him therefore offer we an host of praising allway to God], that is to say, the fruit of lips acknowledging to his name.

16 And do not ye forget well-doing, and communing; for by such sacrifices God is well served [+forsooth by such hosts, God is well served, or pleased/or well satisfied].

17 Obey ye to your sovereigns, and be ye subject to them; for they perfectly wake [+Obey ye to your provosts, or prelates, and under-lay ye to them; they forsooth busily wake], as to yielding reason for your souls, that they do this thing with joy, and not sorrowing; for this thing speedeth not to you.

18 Pray ye for us, and we trust that we have good conscience in all things, willing to live well.