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Jews by nature and those who were Gentiles, but whether the writer was actually in Italy
at the time of writing cannot be decided from these words.
We now give out attention, in closing, to the prayer of the apostle for the Hebrews to
whom he had written this word of exhortation.
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great
Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the aionian covenant, make you perfect
in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His
sight, through Jesus Christ: to Whom be glory unto the ages of the ages. Amen"
(Heb. 13: 20, 21).
The apostle often speaks of the God of peace toward the close of an epistle:--
"Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen" (Rom. 15: 33).
"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly" (Rom. 16: 20).
"Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love
and of peace shall be with you" (II Cor. 13: 11).
"Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me,
do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (Phil. 4: 9).
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly" (I Thess. 5: 23).
"Now the Lord of peace Himself, give you peace always, by all means"
(II Thess. 3: 16).
It was the lot of the apostle Paul continually to stir up strife. He likens his whole life's
ministry to a conflict, yet he ever desired, and hoped for peace.
The emphasis here in Heb. 13: 20 is upon the resurrection, "that brought again from
the dead our Lord Jesus". This is the only place in the epistle where the resurrection of
Christ is specifically mentioned. In Romans the resurrection is prominent, and this is so
in I & II Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians, but in Hebrews the emphasis is upon the
ascension; the seated Priest Who has passed through the heavens to the right hand of
God. That there should be no occasion to say that the epistle to the Hebrews takes no
cognizance of the resurrection, however, this passage stands written. That resurrection is
acknowledged and essential to the doctrine of the epistle, a reference to Heb. 7: 16, 23,
24 and 28 will show, and its presence in the great examples of faith (11: 19, 22 and 35)
confirms its place in the scheme of the epistle.
Christ is here called "that great Shepherd of the sheep". This, it is suggested, is an
allusion to Moses: "Then He remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people,
saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock?"
(Isa. 63: 11). Moses was the shepherd of the sheep, Christ the great Shepherd of the
sheep. Moses was brought up out of the sea, Christ was brought up again from the dead.
As the Shepherd, Christ is presented to us in a threefold capacity in the N.T. As the
good Shepherd He gives His life for the sheep (John 10: 11). [The word "life" being
strictly "soul" has reference to the shedding of blood]. As the great Shepherd He is seen
as the One brought again from the dead (Heb. 13: 20). As the chief Shepherd He is yet
to appear and give a crown of glory to the faithful under-shepherds left in charge of the