SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:20
Y el Dios de paz que sac de los muertos al Gran Pastor de las ovejas por la sangre del Testamento eterno, al Seor nuestro Jess,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hebrew 13:20
Verse 20. Now the God of peace] We have often seen that peace among the Hebrews signifies prosperity of every kind. The God of peace is the same as the God of all blessedness, who has at his disposal all temporal and eternal good; who loves mankind, and has provided them a complete salvation. Brought again from the dead our Lord] As our Lord's sacrificial death is considered as an atonement offered to the Divine justice, God's acceptance of it as an atonement is signified by his raising the human nature of Christ from the dead; and hence this raising of Christ is, with the utmost propriety, attributed to God the Father, as this proves his acceptance of the sacrificial offering.
That great Shepherd of the sheep] This is a title of our blessed Lord, given to him by the prophets; so Isa. xl. 11; He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those which are with young: and Ezek. xxxiv. 23; I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them; even my servant David, (i.e. the beloved, viz. Jesus,) and he shall feed them, and be their shepherd: and Zech. xiii. 7; Awake, O sword, against my shepherd-smite the shepherd, and the flock shall be scattered. In all these places the term shepherd is allowed to belong to our blessed Lord; and he appropriates it to himself, John x. 11, by calling himself the good Shepherd, who, lays down his life for the sheep.
Through the blood of the everlasting covenant] Some understand this in the following way, that "God brought back our Lord from the dead on account of his having shed his blood to procure the everlasting covenant." Others, that the Lord Jesus became the great Shepherd and saviour of the sheep by shedding his blood to procure and ratify the everlasting covenant." The sense, however, will appear much plainer if we connect this with the following verse: "Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, make you, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, perfect in every good work to do his will." The Christian system is termed the everlasting covenant, to distinguish it from the temporary covenant made with the Israelites at Mount Sinai; and to show that it is the last dispensation of grace to the world, and shall endure to the end of time.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. Now the God of peace , etc..] This is the concluding part of the epistle, which is ended with a prayer, made up of very suitable petitions for the Hebrews; and as the apostle desires them to pray for him and other ministers, he, in turn, and by way of example, prays for them: and he addresses God, as the God of peace; who is so called, because of his concern in the peace and reconciliation of his people; because he is the giver of conscience peace to them; because he is the author of all felicity and prosperity, temporal and spiritual; the promoter of peace and concord among saints, and at last brings them to eternal peace; (see Gill on Romans 15:33), a consideration of this gives boldness at the throne of grace; furnishes out a reason why blessings asked for may be expected; has a tendency to promote peace among brethren; may bear up saints under a sense of infirmity and imperfection, in prayer and other duties; and be an encouragement to them under Satan's temptations, and all afflictions. The Arabic version makes the God of peace to be Christ himself; whereas Christ is manifestly distinguished from him in the next verse; and even in that version, reading the words thus, now; the God of peace raised from the dead Jesus the Shepherd of the sheep, magnified by the blood of the everlasting covenant; Jesus, I say, our Lord confirm you, etc.. through Jesus Christ; for which version there is no foundation in the original text.
The God of peace is manifestly God the Father, who is distinguished from Christ his Son: that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus ; who died for the sins of his people; was buried, and lay under the power of death for some time; but was raised from the dead by his Father; though not exclusive of himself, and the Spirit of holiness; in the same body in which he suffered and died; as the firstfruits of his people, and as their Lord and Saviour, head and surety, for their justification, and as a pledge of their resurrection.
The apostle addresses the God and Father of Christ in prayer, under this consideration, to observe his power and ability to help in the greatest distress, and in the most difficult and desperate case; to encourage faith and hope in him, when things are at the worst, and most discouraging; to comfort the saints under afflictions, in a view of their resurrection; to engage them to regard a risen Christ, and things above, and to expect life and immortality by him: that great Shepherd of the sheep : the people of God, whom the Father has chosen, and given to Christ; for whom he has laid down his life; and whom the Spirit calls by his grace, and sanctifies; to whom Christ has a right, by his Father's gift, his own purchase, and the power of grace: these being partakers of his grace, are called sheep, because they are harmless and inoffensive in their lives and conversations; and yet are exposed to danger; but meek and patient under sufferings; are weak and timorous of themselves; are clean, being washed in the blood of Christ; are sociable in their communion with one another; are profitable, though not to God, yet to men; are apt to go astray, and are liable to diseases: they are also called sheep, and are Christ's sheep before conversion; (see John 10:16) and Christ, he is the Shepherd of them, who in all respects discharges the office of a shepherd to them, diligently and faithfully; (see Gill on John 10:16), here he is called, that great Shepherd; being the man, God's fellow, equal to him, the great God and our Saviour; and having a flock which, though comparatively is a little one, is a flock of souls, of immortal souls, and is such a flock as no other shepherd has; hence he is called the Shepherd and Bishop of souls: and his abilities to feed them are exceeding great; he has a perfect knowledge of them; all power to protect and defend them; a fulness of grace to supply them; and he takes a diligent care of them: and this great Person so described was raised from the dead, through the blood of the everlasting covenant : for the sense is not, that God is the God of peace, through that blood, though it is true that peace is made by it; nor that Christ becomes the Shepherd of the sheep by it, though he has with it purchased the flock of God; nor that the chosen people become his sheep through it, though they are redeemed by it, and are delivered out of a pit wherein is no water, by the blood of this covenant; but that Christ was brought again from the dead through it; and it denotes the particular influence that it had upon his resurrection, and the continued virtue of it since. The covenant spoken of is not the covenant of works made with Adam, as the federal head of his natural seed; there was no mediator or shepherd of the sheep that had any concern therein; there was no blood in that covenant; nor was it an everlasting one: nor the covenant of circumcision given to Abraham; though possibly there may be some reference to it; or this may be opposed to that, since the blood of circumcision is often called by the Jews tyrb d , the blood of the covenant f317 : nor the covenant on Mount Sinai, though there may be an allusion to it; since the blood which was then shed, and sprinkled on the people, is called the blood of the covenant, ( Exodus 24:8) but that was not an everlasting covenant, that has waxed old, and vanished away; but the covenant of grace is meant, before called the new and better covenant, of which Christ is the surety and Mediator; (see Hebrews 7:22 8:6).
This is an everlasting one; it commenced from everlasting, as appears from the everlasting love of God, which is the rise and foundation of it; from the counsels of God of old, which issued in it; from Christ's being set up from everlasting, as the Mediator of it; from the promises of it which were made before the world began; and from the spiritual blessings of grace in it, which were given to God's elect in Christ before the foundation of it: moreover, it will endure for ever; nor will it be succeeded by any other covenant: and the blood of Christ may be called the blood of it, because the shedding of it is a principal article in it; by it the covenant is ratified and confirmed; and all the blessings of it come through it, as redemption, peace, pardon, justification, and even admission into heaven itself; and Christ, through it, was brought again from the dead, because by it he fulfilled his covenant engagements, satisfied divine justice, and abolished sin, yea, death itself.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-21 - We must, according to our power, give to the necessities of the soul and bodies of men: God will accept these offerings with pleasure, an will accept and bless the offerers through Christ. The apostle the states what is their duty to living ministers; to obey and submit to them, so far as is agreeable to the mind and will of God, made known in his word. Christians must not think themselves too wise, too good, or too great, to learn. The people must search the Scriptures, and so fa as the ministers teach according to that rule, they ought to receiv their instructions as the word of God, which works in those tha believe. It is the interest of hearers, that the account their ministers give of them may be with joy, and not with grief. Faithfu ministers deliver their own souls, but the ruin of a fruitless an faithless people will be upon their own heads. The more earnestly the people pray for their ministers, the more benefit they may expect from their ministry. A good conscience has respect to all God's commands and all our duty. Those who have this good conscience, yet need the prayers of others. When ministers come to a people who pray for them they come with greater satisfaction to themselves, and success to the people. We should seek all our mercies by prayer. God is the God of peace, fully reconciled to believers; who has made a way for peace an reconciliation between himself and sinners, and who loves peace of earth, especially in his churches. He is the Author of spiritual peac in the hearts and consciences of his people. How firm a covenant is that which has its foundation in the blood of the Son of God! The perfecting of the saints in every good work, is the great thing desire by them, and for them; and that they may at length be fitted for the employment and happiness of heaven. There is no good thing wrought in us, but it is the work of God. And no good thing is wrought in us by God, but through Christ, for his sake and by his Spirit.
Greek Textus Receptus
καταρτισαι 2675 5659 V-AAO-3S υμας 5209 P-2AP εν 1722 PREP παντι 3956 A-DSN εργω 2041 N-DSN αγαθω 18 A-DSN εις 1519 PREP το 3588 T-ASN ποιησαι 4160 5658 V-AAN το 3588 T-ASN θελημα 2307 N-ASN αυτου 846 P-GSM ποιων 4160 5723 V-PAP-NSM εν 1722 PREP υμιν 5213 P-2DP το 3588 T-ASN ευαρεστον 2101 A-ASN ενωπιον 1799 ADV αυτου 846 P-GSM δια 1223 PREP ιησου 2424 N-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM ω 3739 R-DSM η 3588 T-NSF δοξα 1391 N-NSF εις 1519 PREP τους 3588 T-APM αιωνας 165 N-APM των 3588 T-GPM αιωνων 165 N-GPM αμην 281 HEB
Vincent's NT Word Studies
20. The God of peace. Not an O.T. phrase, and found only in Paul and Hebrews. See Rom. xv. 33; xvi. 20; 1 Cor. xiv. 33; Philip. iv. 9, 1 Thess. v. 23; 2 Thess. iii. 16. The phrase signifies God who is the author and giver of peace.Who brought again from the dead (o anagagwn ek nekrwn). The only direct reference in the epistle to the resurrection of Christ. Ch. vi. 2 refers to the resurrection of the dead generally. Anagein of raising the dead, only Rom. x. 7. Rend. "brought up," and comp. Wisd. xvi. 13. Ana in this compound, never in N.T. in the sense of again. See on Luke viii. 22; Acts xii. 4; xvi. 34; xxvii. 3. The verb often as a nautical termt to bring a vessel up from the land to the deep water; to put to sea.
That great shepherd of the sheep ( ton poimena twn probatwn ton megan). The Greek order is, "the shepherd of the sheep the great (shepherd)." Comp. John x. 2, 11, 14; 1 Pet. ii. 25, and see Isa. lxiii. 11. Of God, Ezekiel 34.
Through the blood of the everlasting covenant (en aimati diaqhkhv aiwniou). Rend. "in the blood of an eternal covenant." See Zechariah ix. 11. The phrase eternal covenant N.T.o . Common in LXX; see Genesis ix. 16; xvii. 19; Lev. xxiv. 8; 2 Sam. xxiii. 5; Jer. xxxix. 40; Ezek. xvi. 60. Const. with the great shepherd of the sheep. It may be granted that the raising of Christ from the dead, viewed as the consummation of the plan of salvation, was in the sphere of the blood of the covenant; nevertheless, the covenant is nowhere in the N.T. associated with the resurrection, but frequently with death, especially in this epistle. See Matt. xxvi. 28; Luke xxii. 20; Heb. ix. 15, 16, 17, 20. The connection of the blood of the covenant with Christ's pastoral office gives a thoroughly scriptural sense, and one which exactly fits into the context. Christ becomes the great shepherd solely through the blood of the covenant. Comp. Acts xx. 28. Through this is brought about the new relation of the church with God described in ch. viii. 10 ff. This tallies perfectly with the conception of "the God of peace"; and the great Shepherd will assert the power of the eternal covenant of reconciliation and peace by perfecting his flock in every good work to do his will, working in them that which is well pleasing in his sight. With this agree Jer. l. 5, 19; Ezek. xxxiv. 25, and the entire chapter, see especially vers. 12-15, 23, 31. In these verses the Shepherd of the Covenant appears as guiding, tending his flock, and leading them into fair and safe pastures. Comp. Isa. lxiii. 11-14, and Apoc. vii. 17, see note on poimanei shall shepherd. En aimati "in the blood," is in virtue of, or in the power of the blood.
