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Selected Verse: Hebrews 13:21 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Heb 13:21 |
King James |
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Make you perfect--properly said of healing a rent; join you together in perfect harmony [BENGEL].
to do his will, working in you-- (Heb 10:36); rather as Greek, "doing in you." Whatever good we do, God does in us.
well-pleasing in his sight-- (Isa 53:10; Eph 5:10).
through Jesus Christ--"God doing (working) in you that . . . through Jesus Christ" (Phi 1:11).
to whom--to Christ. He closes as he began (Heb 1:1-14), with giving glory to Christ. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Make you perfect - The apostle here does not affirm that they were then perfect, or that they would be in this life. The word used here - καταρτιζω katartizō - means to make fully ready; to put in full order; to make complete. The meaning here is, that Paul prayed that God would fully endow them with whatever grace was necessary to do his will and to keep his commandments; see the word explained in the notes on Heb 11:3. It is an appropriate prayer to be offered at all times, and by all who love the church, that God would make all his people perfectly qualified to do all his will.
Working in you - Margin, "Doing." The idea here is, that the only hope that they would do the will of God was, that he would, by his own agency, cause them to do what was well-pleasing in his sight; compare notes on Phi 2:12. It is not from any expectation that man would do it himself.
Through Jesus Christ - The idea is, that God does not directly, and by his own immediate agency, convert and sanctify the heart, but it is through the gospel of Christ, and all good influences on the soul must be expected through the Saviour.
To whom be glory forever and ever - That is, to Christ; for so the connection evidently demands. It is not uncommon for the apostle Paul to introduce doxologies in this way in the midst of a letter; see the notes, Rom 9:5. It was common among the Jews, as it is now in the writings and conversation of the Muslims, when the name of God was mentioned to accompany it with an expression of praise. |
The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
perfect
(See Scofield) - (Mat 5:48).
|
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Make you perfect - Καταρτισια ὑμας· Put you completely in joint. See the note on Co2 13:9, where the meaning of the original word is largely considered. From the following terms we see what the apostle meant by the perfection for which he prays. They were to do the will of God in every good work, from God working in them that which is well pleasing in his sight.
1. This necessarily implies a complete change in the whole soul, that God may be well pleased with whatsoever he sees in it; and this supposes its being cleansed from all sin, for God's sight cannot be pleased with any thing that is unholy.
2. This complete inward purity is to produce an outward conformity to God's will, so they were to be made perfect in every good work.
3. The perfection within and the perfection without were to be produced by the blood of the everlasting covenant; for although God is love, yet it is not consistent with his justice or holiness to communicate any good to mankind but through his Son, and through him as having died for the offenses of the human race.
To whom be glory for ever - As God does all in, by, and through Christ Jesus, to him be the honor of his own work ascribed through time and eternity. Amen. |
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.