There is much to be said for the interpretation that makes the passage equivalent to, `For you also are still in the

flesh, and liable at any moment to similar adversity'.

The statement in verse 4 that marriage is honourable, and its most intimate relationships undefiled, seems to have

been necessitated by the presence of those who, like the Essenes, taught that marriage should be shunned. The word

`undefiled' in this particular is noteworthy, for it occurs in but one other place in Hebrews, namely 7:26, where it

speaks of our `undefiled' High Priest. This is a sufficient answer to those who would impose celibacy upon God's

ministers, and is a word in season for us on whom the night of 1 Timothy 4:1-3 is fast descending. The danger is all

the other way. The decrying of marriage cannot but lead many into the paths of Baal-Peor, the doctrine of Balaam

and the teaching of that woman Jezebel. George Bernard Shaw writes in John O'London's Weekly under the

heading The Right to Motherhood:

`No political constitution will ever succeed unless it includes the recognition of an absolute right to sexual

experience and is untainted by the Pauline or romantic view of such experience as simple in itself ... legalizing

polygamy, because there are more adult women in the country than men'.

Over against this insidious propaganda that fills the columns of certain periodicals, we must place with the

utmost resolution the words of Holy Scripture, remembering that Hebrews 13:4 is not `Pauline', but `given by

inspiration of God'. And however the evils that are advocated may be glossed under the titles `free love', `liberty of

the sexes' etc., it still stands written: `Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge'. We are still in sight of the

heavenly city, the new Jerusalem, and there, we have already seen, is `God, the Judge of all'. And of that city it is

`The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators, and

all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death ... And

there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth ... but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life'

(Rev. 21:8,27).

`The church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven' (Heb. 12:23 not AV JP).

`Our God is a consuming fire' (Heb. 12:29).

For certain purposes we speak of some sins as social sins. Some acts are crimes, some are civil offences, but for

the believer (as in the case of David) murder and adultery become sins against heaven and against God (Psa. 51:4).

This but anticipates the kingdom of God on earth, when God's will shall then be law, as it is in heaven.

We drew attention earlier to Deuteronomy 4 with its two-fold sin, and we have seen that marriage and its

travesty are brought before us in Hebrews chapter 13. Where is idolatry? Were the Hebrews warned against that

sin? And were they in any real danger of falling into it? The answer is that idolatry is mentioned, and the Hebrews

were in danger of committing it.

`Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have' (Heb. 13:5).

`Without covetousness' is aphilarguros = `not loving silver'. We have, therefore, philadelphia, philoxenia, and

philarguros in sequence, with true married love implied in verse 4. True service turns on love, and love out of place

or spent on the wrong object is at the bottom of all evil. `The love of money (philarguria) is a root of all evil'

(1 Tim. 6:10).

`Men shall be lovers of their own selves . philautoi.

Haters of good men

Lovers of pleasures

Rather than lovers of God'

(2 Tim. 3:2-4).

This catalogue of the evils that shall characterize the `last days' and the `perilous times' begins and ends with

false love, and has at its centre lack of love for the good.