9:25 repeatedly: The continuous cycle of high priests offering sacrifices and going in and out of the Holy of Holies year after year stands in contrast to Christ, who appeared once for all (9:26), died once for all (7:27; 9:28), and entered the heavenly sanctuary once for all (9:12). Back to text.

9:26 end of the age: The final stretch of the Old Covenant era, which the author perceives is "ready to vanish away" (8:13). See introduction: Date. Back to text.

9:27 to die once: No man dies twice, and so neither does Christ, who shared fully in our humanity (2:14; Rom 6:9) (CCC 1013). judgment: Everyone will experience a personal judgment by God immediately after death (CCC 1021-22). Back to text.

9:28 bear the sins of many: An allusion to Is 53:12. • Isaiah describes the rejection and death of the Messiah, who makes himself a sin offering for the transgressions of his people (Is 53:10). The oracle resonates with several of the same themes that echo throughout Hebrews. a second time: Christ will come again from heaven to retrieve the saints destined for glory (1 Thess 4:16-17). Back to text.

10:1 a shadow: The sacrifices of the Law merely prefigured the perfect sacrifice of Christ (Col 2:16-17) (CCC 128). the true form: Or, "the true image". The expression implies that the liturgy of the New Covenant, which celebrates the saving work of Christ, still utilizes visible and sacramental signs for worship. So, for example, the ceremonial "food and drink", as well as the "baptisms" of the Levitical order (Heb 9:10), foreshadow the sacraments of the Eucharist (13:10) and Baptism (10:22) (CCC 1145-52). See notes on Heb 6:4 and 13:10. Back to text.

10:3 reminder of sin: The annual repetition of sacrifice on the Day of Atonement (10:4; Lev 16) is evidence that the Levitical cult was not a true solution to the problem of sin (Heb 10:2). Under the Old Covenant, sins are remembered but not removed; under the New Covenant, sins are removed and thus no longer remembered (8:12; 10:17) (CCC 1539-40). See word study: Remembrance at Lk 22:19. Back to text.

10:5-7 The Greek version of Ps 40:6-8. • The Psalmist views the human body as an instrument of sacrifice; it was created to be offered in obedience to the will of God. This is a form of worship more pleasing to the Lord than offering the flesh and blood of animals in the Temple (1 Sam 15:22). Jesus lives out the psalm to the utmost because his sinless life as a man, totally conformed to the divine will, made the priestly offering of his body and blood the perfect sacrifice that supersedes all others (Heb 9:12; 10:10) (CCC 614, 2100). • Four things must be considered with every sacrifice: to whom it is offered, by whom it is offered, what is offered, and for whom it is offered. Christ, the one Mediator, remained one with God, to whom he offered sacrifice, made those for whom he offered it one in himself, and acted as one in being both the one who offers and the offering (St. Augustine, On the Trinity 4, 19). Back to text.

10:7 to do your will: The will of the Father was the focus of the Son's mission in life, even to the point of death (5:8; Mk 14:36; Phil 2:8; CCC 606-7). Back to text.

10:9 the first . . . the second: The Old Covenant and the New (8:7, 13). Back to text.

10:11-13 The author contrasts the posture of Levitical priests (stands, 10:11) with that of Jesus (sat down, 10:12). His point: the work of the former was perpetually unfinished, while the work of the latter has been definitively accomplished. This applies to the earthly dimension of Christ's priesthood, since his ministry as a heavenly priest and intercessor is ongoing (7:25; 8:2). Back to text.

10:14 perfected: Christ accomplishes what the Mosaic ceremonies could not—the inward transformation of the worshiper (9:9-10; 10:1). This involves the cleansing of the conscience from guilt (9:14; 10:22) and the engraving of his Law on the heart (8:10; 10:16). See word study: Made Perfect at 5:9. Back to text.

10:15 the Holy Spirit: The divine author of the Scriptures (3:7; Acts 1:16; 2 Pet 1:21). Back to text.

10:16-17 Excerpts from the New Covenant prophecy of Jer 31:31-34. See note on Heb 8:8-12. Back to text.

10:19-25 Readers are urged to enter the heavenly sanctuary of God's presence. It is implied that this entry into heaven is a sacramental entry through the eucharistic flesh and blood of Jesus, whose glorified humanity gives us priestly access to the Father (4:16). Readers are also urged to grow in the virtues of faith, which perceives heavenly realities hidden to the eyes (11:1), hope, which is anchored in heaven and yearns to dwell there (6:18-19), and love, which reaches out to serve God and others (6:10; 13:1). Back to text.

10:20 the curtain: I.e., the humanity of Christ, which is the sanctuary veil that parts to give us entrance into the celestial Holy of Holies (9:3). Back to text.

10:22 draw near: I.e., into the presence of God, who sits enthroned in the innermost chamber of heaven (4:16). Believers draw near for prayer and worship, as the Israelites did in coming to the Mosaic Tabernacle (10:1). hearts sprinkled . . . bodies washed: An allusion to Baptism. Its waters make outward contact with the body but effect an inward cleansing of the heart (Acts 22:16; Eph 5:26; 1 Pet 3:21). • Sprinkling with blood and washing with water are liturgical rites associated with the ordination of Aaronic priests (Ex 29:4, 21; Lev 8:6, 30). In a similar way, Baptism consecrates us into the universal priesthood of believers (1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:5-6). This qualifies us to enter the heavenly Tabernacle (Heb 10:19) and enables us to make pleasing sacrifices to the Lord (13:15-16) (CCC 1268). Back to text.

10:25 meet together: As a liturgical assembly. Exclusively private worship apart from the family of faith is discouraged (CCC 2178). the Day: The Day of Judgment. In its original context, this may have particular reference to the approaching judgment of Israel and the passing away of the Old Covenant with its sanctuary and priesthood. Back to text.

10:26 sin deliberately: By reverting to the worship of traditional Judaism with its ineffectual ceremonies and sacrifices (9:9-10). This amounts to exchanging the perfect sacrifice of Christ (10:14) for the animal sacrifices of the Law, which had no power to take away sin (10:1-4). Back to text.

10:28 two or three witnesses: A reference to Deut 17:6 and 19:15. • Moses required corroborative testimony from several witnesses before a man could be charged with a capital crime and put to death. For the author of Hebrews, the penalty for rejecting the gospel is far worse than for any infraction of the Torah (2:1-3). Back to text.

10:30 Vengeance is mine. . . . The Lord will judge: Two citations from Deuteronomy. • The first, at Deut 32:35, reads like a translation of the Aramaic Targum Neofiti, which differs from the Hebrew and Greek versions but is identical to Paul's citation of the passage in Rom 12:19. The second is from the Greek version of Deut 32:36. Back to text.

10:32-36 A flashback to the days when readers suffered persecution (12:4). Back to text.

10:32 enlightened: Possibly an allusion to Baptism. See note on Heb 6:4. Back to text.

10:34 a better possession: A heavenly inheritance, beyond the reach of thieves and looters (9:15; 11:16; Mt 6:20). Back to text.

10:37-39 The Greek version of Hab 2:3-4. • Habakkuk, who prophesied the conquest of Judea in the sixth century B.C., taught that faith is a protection against the judgment of God. The point is now made to Christians who are tempted to shrink back from the gospel and return to a Jewish way of life. Back to text.

11:1-40 The faith of the OT saints is celebrated. The chapter follows the story of the Bible from creation (11:3), to the days before the flood (11:4-7), to the patriarchal age (11:822), to the Exodus (11:23-29), to the Conquest of Canaan (11:30-31), to the Judges and the Monarchy (11:32-34), all the way to Maccabean times (11:35-38). The author intends to show how faith looks upward as well as forward, perceiving the anagogical (things in heaven) as well as the eschatological (things in the future). Because it sees beyond the hardships of this life, faith can also conquer the fear of suffering and death (CCC 147, 163). For a similar survey of biblical heroes, see Sir 44:1-50:21. Back to text.

11:1 things not seen: Such as the heavenly Jerusalem (11:10, 16; 12:22), where Jesus ministers in the heavenly sanctuary (4:14; 8:1-2; 12:2). • Faith is distinct from all other acts of the intellect. It is defined as assurance, which distinguishes it from opinion, suspicion, and doubt; it adheres to things not seen, which distinguishes it from science, whose object is something apparent; and it is directed toward things hoped for, by which the virtue of faith is distinguished from popular notions of faith, which have no reference to the beatitude we hope to attain (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II, 4, 1). Back to text.

11:3 the world was created: The universe of time and space was not fashioned out of preexisting materials, but was spoken into existence by the Father (Gen 1:3; Ps 33:6-9) through the mediation of the Son (Heb 1:2) (CCC 286). Back to text.

11:4-7 The faithful who lived before the flood. • Abel was more righteous than his older brother, Cain, because he offered his sacrifice with faith, as testified by the voice of his innocent blood (11:4; Gen 4:1-10). Enoch walked by faith and not by sight for 300 years, as testified by his assumption into heaven (11:5; Gen 5:21-24). Noah put faith into action when he built the ark at a time when rain had not yet fallen on the earth (11:7; Gen 2:4-6; 6:5-22). Back to text.

11:6 must believe: Faith makes a relationship with God possible. • Faith is the foundation of everything and the beginning of human salvation. Apart from faith, one can neither be numbered among the sons of God nor obtain the grace of justification. Without faith, every human effort is empty (St. Fulgentius, On the Faith 1). Back to text.

11:8-22 The faithful of the patriarchal age. • Abraham stands out as the man of faith par excellence. He kept faith when the Lord called him to leave his homeland (Heb 11:8; Gen 12:1-4), to roam around Canaan like a nomad (Heb 11:9; Gen 12:5-9; 13:2-18), and to sacrifice his son as a holocaust (Heb 11:17-19; Gen 22:1-14). Sarah overcame doubts with faith, believing that God could reverse the barrenness of her womb with the blessing of a son (Heb 11:11; Gen 21:1-3). Isaac and Jacob blessed their sons and gave them visions of the future (Heb 11:20-21; Gen 27:26-40; 48:8-20). Joseph peered into the future by faith, foreseeing the Exodus and the transfer of his bones out of Egypt (Heb 11:22; Gen 50:24-25; Ex 13:19) (CCC 2570-73). Back to text.

11:13 exiles on the earth: The Patriarchs realized that earth was not their true home and so longed for a dwelling more glorious and lasting (11:10). Hebrews pictures this as a heavenly land (11:15-16), city (11:10; 12:22), and sanctuary (8:5; 9:24). These transcendent realities were symbolized by the concentric zones of sacred space revered in ancient Judaism: the land of Israel, encompassing the city of Jerusalem, encompassing the sanctuary of Moses. Back to text.

11:19 a symbol: Isaac's escape from death (Gen 22:9-12) on the third day after God decreed it (Gen 22:4) prefigures the third-day Resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:4). Abraham's faith in the power of God to rescue Isaac from death shines through his words spoken on the occasion: "I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you" (Gen 22:5). Back to text.

11:21 his staff: Follows the Greek version of Gen 47:31. The Hebrew reads "his bed". Back to text.

11:23-28 The faith of Moses and his parents. • Here the author brings out how faith conquers fear. This is seen when the parents of Moses dare to conceal his birth (11:23; Ex 2:1-2); when Moses himself chooses to side with his people instead of to commit sin (11:25-26; Ex 2:11-14); and when he leads them in the celebration of the Passover (11:28; Ex 12:21-28). Back to text.

11:25 fleeting pleasures: The luxuries of life open to Moses in the royal palace of Pharaoh. Back to text.

11:26 suffered for the Christ: Moses preferred to suffer with his people rather than cling to his possessions as an Egyptian prince. For the author, solidarity with the Hebrews is solidarity with the Hebrew Messiah destined to come from them. This speaks directly to the original readers, who also suffered affliction and sustained losses of their property (10:32-34). Back to text.

11:29-31 The faithful of the Exodus and Conquest periods. • It took faith for the people of Israel to walk across the floor of the Red Sea with walls of water on both sides (11:29; Ex 14:21-31), just as faith was needed to level the city of Jericho with a liturgical procession rather than a military operation (11:30; Josh 6:1-20). Rahab displayed faith when she hid the scouts of Israel and professed belief in the God of Israel (11:31; Josh 2:1-21; 6:23). Back to text.

11:32-38 The faithful judges, kings, prophets, and martyrs. • In addition to those named in 11:32, allusion is made to others: Daniel stopped the mouths of lions (11:33; Dan 6:16-24); Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood unharmed while fire danced around them (11:34; Dan 3:23-27, 24-27); the widow of Zarephath and the Shunammite woman received their children back from the dead (11:35; 1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:32-37); the Maccabean martyrs were tortured as they professed faith in the resurrection (11:35; 2 Mac 7); the priest Zechariah was stoned in the Temple (11:37; 2 Chron 24:20-22); the prophet Isaiah was sawn in two (11:37; follows Jewish tradition); and the prophet Elijah wore animal skins (11:37; 2 Kings 1:8). Back to text.

11:39 did not receive: Not until Jesus opened the way to glory did the righteous of the OT enter the inheritance they saw from a distance. See topical essay: Christ and "The Spirits in Prison". Back to text.

12:1 cloud of witnesses: The heroes of biblical history enumerated in Hebrews 11. They are pictured crowded into a stadium, looking down on believers still running the race of faith and urging them on to victory. At the finish line stands Jesus, waiting to reward us (12:2). • Images of the faithful departed cheering us on hints at the communion and intercession of the saints. It shows that the Church in heaven is neither cut off from nor disinterested in the pilgrim Church on earth but is actively solicitous of her salvation (CCC 2683). every weight: As a runner sheds whatever might restrict his movements or hamper his performance, so the believer must rid himself of every encumbrance in life that will jeopardize his chances for winning the eternal prize. run with perseverance: Life is more like a distance race than a short sprint. Endurance is therefore necessary to keep moving toward the finish without losing faith along the way (10:36). For the comparison between Christian living and athletic competition, See note on 1 Cor 9:24-27. Back to text.

12:2 looking to Jesus: Christ was victorious because he looked beyond the Cross to the crown of glory prepared for him by the Father (2:9). This is meant to encourage readers growing weary in the midst of persecution. the shame: Of the Crucifixion. See note on Mk 15:24. seated at the right hand: The position of the triumphant priest-king of Ps 110:1. Back to text.

12:5-6 A citation from Prov 3:11-12. • The proverb teaches that divine discipline is inspired by divine love. Without this wisdom, one might mistake the trials of life (such as persecution; Heb 10:32-36) for signs of God's anger hammering down on every fault and failure. On the contrary, God is a wise and caring Father who desires only to make his children better. It is because he loves them too much to overlook their sins and selfishness that he sends difficulties to train them in righteousness and to raise them to spiritual adulthood. In point of fact, the sons of God are being forged in the image of God the Son, who "learned obedience through what he suffered" (5:8) (CCC 2825). Back to text.

12:8 illegitimate children: Those with no rights of inheritance in Roman society. Back to text.

12:9 earthly fathers: Literally, "fathers of our flesh", which sets up a contrast with God as the Father of spirits. Back to text.

12:12-13 Continuing the race metaphor in 12:1, the author pictures his discouraged readers as a runner slouched over with exhaustion and swerving back and forth along the track. Like a coach, he urges them to summon their energies and charge ahead toward the finish line. • His words allude to the Greek versions of Is 35:3 (drooping hands, weak knees) and Prov 4:26 (straight paths). Isaiah encourages the fearful of Israel with news that God is coming to their rescue, and the proverb is a father's instruction to his son to follow the straight and narrow way of righteousness. Back to text.

12:14 Strive for peace: So far as it depends on the believer, who might be tempted to return evil for evil to his persecutors (Rom 12:14-18). holiness: Personal sanctification is required for attaining the vision of God in heaven (Mt 5:8; Rev 22:4). This includes being made holy or sanctified by the grace of God, first of all in Baptism (1 Cor 6:11). However, the Lord also wills us to "strive" for an increase in sanctification by the exertion of our will in living the gospel to the full (Rom 6:19; 1 Thess 3:12-13; 4:3). The text declares this second aspect of holiness to be indispensable for reaching heaven. Back to text.

12:15 root of bitterness: Someone who spreads discouragement and doubt among believers. Readers must guard against anyone having such an evil influence on others. • The expression comes from Deut 29:18, where it refers to an idolater who leads Israel away from the Lord. Back to text.

12:16 Esau: Despised his birthright and traded it in for momentary pleasure. • Esau, being a first-born, was entitled to the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant that passed through the line of Isaac (Gen 22:16-18; 26:1-5). However, he relinquished this inheritance when he exchanged his birthright for a mere meal (Gen 25:27-34), and though he later regretted his losses, he was never able to recover them (Gen 27:30-40). This tragedy stands as a warning for readers, who share in the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant (Heb 6:1318) but who are tempted to relinquish their faith for temporary relief from persecution. Back to text.

12:18-24 The Old Covenant is contrasted with the New: they are represented by different mountains (Sinai/Zion), different assemblies (Israel/Church), different responses (fear/ worship), different locations (earth/heaven), and different mediators (Moses/Jesus). The author is launching his final appeal to keep readers from sliding back into Judaism. See introduction: Destination and Purpose. Back to text.

12:18-21 Israel's experience at Mount Sinai. • What may be touched refers to the mountain itself as the Lord descended upon it with a dramatic display of fire and smoke and blaring trumpets (12:18; Ex 19:16-20; Deut 4:11). Terrified by this, the people begged to hear no further messages directly from Yahweh after he had uttered the Decalogue in a thunderous voice (12:19; Ex 19:19; 20:18-20; Deut 5:4). No man or beast was permitted to touch the mountain (Heb 12:20; Ex 19:12-13) except for Moses, who later admitted to trembling with fear (Heb 12:21; Deut 9:19). Back to text.

12:22-24 The celestial liturgy of heaven, where angels and saints are gathered to worship God and to celebrate the redeeming work of Christ (Rev 4-5; 7:9-17; 14:1-5; etc.). Readers are invited to join in this eternal liturgy (Heb 12:28) by entering the heavenly sanctuary through prayer and sacramental worship (10:19-22) (CCC 2188). Back to text.

12:22 Mount Zion: The heavenly summit (Rev 14:1) whose counterpart is the earthly mountain where Jerusalem has stood for centuries (Ps 76:2; Is 2:3). heavenly Jerusalem: Alluded to earlier as the city whose foundations were laid by God in eternity (11:10, 16). Other passages refer to this as the Jerusalem "above" (Gal 4:26) and the "holy city" from heaven (Rev 21:2, 10). Back to text.

12:23 the assembly: Or, "the Church". the first-born: The saints in heaven (the Greek is plural) united with Christ the first-born Son (1:6). enrolled: I.e., registered by name in the heavenly Book of Life (Lk 10:20; Rev 21:27). spirits of just men: Perhaps the righteous men and women of OT times who were perfected by Christ (11:40) and led into heaven (Eph 4:8). Like all the faithful departed, only their "spirits" are present with God as they await the resurrection of their bodies at the end of history (1 Cor 15:51-55). Back to text.

12:24 blood that speaks: The spilled blood of Abel cried out for vengeance (11:4; Gen 4:10), but the sprinkled blood of Jesus calls for forgiveness and peace (Heb 9:12; Col 1:20). Back to text.

12:25 The argument that a greater message lays greater responsibility on the hearers also appears in 2:1-3 and 10:2829, where the same contrast is made between the Law of Moses and the gospel of Christ. Back to text.

12:26 shook the earth: Mount Sinai quaked and rumbled in the presence of God (Ex 19:18; Ps 68:8). Back to text.

12:26 Yet once more: A citation from Hag 2:6. • Haggai speaks in apocalyptic terms about a dramatic intervention of God to overthrow the kingdoms of the earth (Hag 2:2122). The point here is that God is about to shake "the world" of the Old Covenant to the ground, so that only the unshakable kingdom of Christ will be left standing amidst the rubble (Heb 12:28). See note on Heb 8:13 and essay: End of the World? at Matthew 24. Back to text.

12:29 a consuming fire: God is a raging fire of love and holiness, which is warming and purifying to the saints (Lk 3:16; 1 Pet 1:6-7) but searing and punishing to the sinner (Heb 10:26-27). • The imagery comes from Deut 4:24. Back to text.

13:2 entertained angels: Hospitality is encouraged by recalling how OT figures such as Abraham (Gen 18:121), Lot (Gen 19:1-3), Gideon (Judg 6:11-24), and Tobias (Tob 5:4-9) welcomed heavenly messengers without realizing it. Back to text.

13:3 in prison: Visiting the imprisoned is a charitable work of mercy (Mt 25:36; CCC 2447). Back to text.

13:4 the marriage bed: Prohibits every form of sexual immorality inside (e.g., adultery) and outside (e.g., fornication) the boundaries of lawful wedlock. This standard of chastity applies to the married and unmarried alike. See note on Eph 5:3. Back to text.

13:5 love of money: A deadly vice that, left unchecked, can destroy our hope of salvation (Mt 6:24; 19:23). I will never fail you: Encouragement once given to Joshua (Deut 31:6, 8; Josh 1:5). It inspires contentment in the Providence of God, who can always be trusted to meet our needs (Mt 6:2534; 1 Tim 6:6-10). Back to text.

Word Study

Mediator (Heb 12:24)

Mesitēs (Gk.): a middleman who tries to resolve differences between two parties or help them work together toward a common end. The term is used six times in the NT, twice in reference to Moses (Gal 3:19-20) and four times for Christ (Heb 8:6; 9:15; 12:24; 1 Tim 2:5). Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant who stood in the gap between Israel and Yahweh. He spoke the word of God to Israel in the Law (Ex 20:19; Deut 5:5), and he spoke to God on behalf of Israel as an intercessor (Ex 32:30-32; Num 14:13-19). Christ is a more perfect mediator between God and his people because he unites in himself both humanity and divinity. He therefore mediates and administers a more excellent covenant than did Moses and the priests of Israel, a covenant that brings the Father and the human family together through an eternal redemption from sin (Heb 9:1114) and perpetual intercession in heaven (Heb 7:25).

13:6 The Lord is my helper: A citation from Ps 118:6. • Recalling how the Lord delivered him from distress in times past, the Psalmist bursts out with a prayer of confidence in God in the face of new enemy threats. Back to text.

13:7Remember your leaders: The original pastors of the community. Back to text.

13:8 the same: Jesus Christ is unchanging because he is divine, i.e., he is the Lord who is more ancient and more permanent than the visible universe (1:12). Back to text.

13:9 not by foods: The eaten portions of Temple sacrifices are probably in view (1 Cor 9:13; 10:18). Back to text.

13:10 an altar: Many interpret this as a reference to the Cross or to the sacrifice of Jesus in general. More likely, it refers to the eucharistic altar of the Church, which is off-limits to the non-Christian priests serving at the sanctuary altar in Jerusalem. In favor of this reading, several considerations suggest that the Eucharist is a significant, albeit submerged, element in the theology of Hebrews. (1) The towering importance of the New Covenant throughout the letter points in this direction, since Jesus mentioned "the new covenant" only in the context of the Last Supper (Lk 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25). This would not go unnoticed by readers familiar with the Gospels' traditions. (2) At one point, the author seems to allude to the eucharistic words of Jesus (See note on Heb 9:20). Not only so, but the allusion leads to a significant point about the relationship between shedding blood and the forgiveness of sins (9:22), a point that Jesus himself also made in the words of institution (Mt 26:27-28). (3) A reference to the Eucharist probably occurs in 6:4, where Christian initiation involves tasting a "heavenly gift". (4) The typology in 7:1-3 invites us to consider the links between Jesus and the priest Melchizedek. Christian readers would naturally see a prefigurement of the sacrament in the "bread and wine" offered by Melchizedek (Gen 14:18). (5) Hebrews teaches that we draw near to God and actually enter his heavenly sanctuary "by the blood of Jesus" (10:19) and "through his flesh" (10:20). It is difficult to know how the humanity of Christ enables us to accomplish this in the present apart from Eucharistic Communion (CCC 1182). Back to text.

13:12 outside the gate: A final connection is made between the sacrifice of Jesus and the Day of Atonement liturgy developed in Heb 9-10. • After the sin offerings were slain in the outer court of the Tabernacle, the carcasses of the victims were dragged outside the camp of Israel to be burned (Lev 16:27). This signifies how the body of Jesus was disgraced outside the city walls of Jerusalem (Mk 12:8; Jn 19:17-20). Readers are challenged to follow him out, leaving behind the city and sanctuary of the Old Covenant and ready to suffer for the gospel as he did (Heb 13:13-14). Back to text.

13:14 the city . . . to come: The heavenly Jerusalem (12:22; CCC 2796). Back to text.

13:17 Obey your leaders: The pastors who replaced the original leaders of the community remembered in 13:7 (CCC 1269). See note on 1 Thess 5:12. Back to text.

13:20 from the dead: The only explicit mention of Jesus' Resurrection in the letter, although the fact is often assumed (2:14; 5:7; 7:16; etc.). Back to text.

13:22 word of exhortation: The same expression is used in Acts 13:15 to refer to a synagogue sermon. For this and other reasons, many scholars maintain that the Letter to the Hebrews is a homily that came to be written down. See introduction: Themes and Characteristics. Back to text.

13:23 Timothy: A mutual friend of the author and his readers. He is commonly identified with Paul's missionary coworker of this name from Asia Minor (Acts 16:1-4). If that is who he is, this is the only indication in the NT that he spent time in prison. For his background, see note on 1 Tim 1:2. Back to text.

13:24 Those who come from Italy: This could mean that Hebrews was written either from Italy or to Italy, depending on the present location of the author's Italian companions. Traditionally it was held that Hebrews was sent from Italy to a community of believers in Palestine; many modern scholars, however, interpret the geographical reference the other way around. Back to text.