Not Carried about with Strange Doctrines Hebrews 13:9

The writer of Hebrews declared to his readers that God will “never leave” nor “forsake you”, and he shared how Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever”. In chapter thirteen and verse nine of Hebrews, the writer shared how his readers were to “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines” where we read:

Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

The verse begins, “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace;”. The writer began with the words, “Be not carried about” which means “do not be driven by, in doubt or hesitate to be led away now to this opinion” “with divers” which means “different, various and variegated” “and strange” or “foreign, unheard of and new” “doctrines” or “teachings and instructions”. “For” which means “even as, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “it is a good thing” or “it is a beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable and admirable thing” “that the heart” which refers to “the soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions” “be established” or “made firm, confirmed and sure” “with grace” which means “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, unmerited favor and loveliness such as the grace of speech”. The readers of Hebrews were not to “be driven by” different “teachings” because it was “precious and commendable” for them to “be confirmed and sure” “with grace”.

The verse goes on to say, “...not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.”. The writer continued with the words, “not with meats” or “not with food that is eaten”, “which have not profited” which in the original language is “ōpheleō ou ōpheleō” and means “have not assisted, been useful, profitable or advantageous to” “them that have been occupied” or “the people who have regulated, conducted and passed their lives” “therein” which means “within those ways”. There was no “usefulness, profit or advantage” to people who engaged themselves in the non-spiritual nor eternal teachings of “dietary” laws.

When we think through these words in Hebrews, we understand the writer's exhortation not to stray from the “doctrine” or teaching the readers had received. Rather than continuing in “grace”, there were people among them who promoted living according to “the law” as a means of righteousness. No one except Jesus was able to keep the law, and abiding by the law was the reason He came. Jesus kept the law, died as a sinless man and rose from the grave the third day afterwards to provide “grace”, the “doctrine” of “grace” which is God's unmerited favor, to all who believe in Him as Savior and Lord. There was no reason to live according to the “law” for righteousness when it had been fulfilled by Jesus Christ, and so the readers of Hebrews were not to stray back into the law, “with meats”, or be “carried away” with “different and strange doctrines”. We too should heed the writer's warning, cling to the idea of “grace” and avoid thoroughly any other teaching that would instruct otherwise.

Next time the writer shares with his readers how “we have an altar”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.