A Little Bible Q & A For Your Day

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Date: Jul 01 2016 12:15 PM

Hey Everybody,

What a beautiful day it is. I hope you are ready for the holiday. I also pray for your safety during this holiday weekend. Here is a little Q & A for your day.

The Question:

Dear Brother: Another brother and I were discussing Heb. 13:2, about entertaining angels. He thought that referred to our hospitality for other Christians, but I have always thought this referred to angels from heaven. What do you think about this?

The Answer:

Angels are a different class of beings than mankind, as Jesus shows clearly (Matt. 22:23-30). Much is revealed about angels in the first chapter of Hebrews. First, they are not on the same plane as Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:5,8), or even mankind (Heb. 2:5-8). Second, they are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation" (Heb. 1:14). There is much about angels that is not revealed, but it is clear that they are created beings who worship God (Heb. 1:6), their abode is in heaven (Matt. 18:10; 24:36) and their work on earth is to serve the children of God(Heb. 1:14).

Now to the text in question: "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" (Heb. 13:2). The context here is simple to establish. "Let brotherly love continue" (Heb. 13:1). How to encourage Christians to be hospitable? The inspired writer uses the example of "entertaining angels." This would surely be redundant if the "angels" he meant were really other Christians, for that is the use of the example. Therefore, the "example" cannot be identical with the conclusion or it is no example at all. I find no reason to think that "angels" in Heb. 13:2 means anything other than angels of heaven.

Notice the account in chapter 18 of Genesis. Abraham entertained "three men," (v. 1-2), one of whom is identified as "Jehovah" or "the LORD" (vs. 10,13,17). Abraham's hospitality included water to wash their feet and a sumptuous meal - including the “fatted calf” (vs. 3-7). Then we read that two of the men left: "Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord" (v. 22). The next chapter identifies these two "men" with these words: "The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening ... " A similar account about an angel's visit is found in Judg. 6:11-12,20-22. Gideon showed hospitality to a "man" who was later revealed to be an angel of God.

Based on the context of Heb. 13:1-3, and the above Scriptures, it seems to me that the Lord intends for us to understand the "angels" in Heb. 13 to mean angels of heaven. Notice that he doesn't tell us to entertain angels - others have done that - but to show hospitality to brothers and sisters in Christ. That is the message, and the example he uses to bolster that admonition is that such people as Abraham, Gideon and others "entertained angels unawares." In other words, they thought they were showing hospitality to people. And it seems clear to me that what the Lord intends here is what He stated in the judgment scene of Matt. 25:34-40, "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink ... inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."

I hope this helps.

Have a super-fantastic weekend!

Mitch Robison

Enon Church of Christ

1366 Enon Road

Webb, AL 36376

[email protected]

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