Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hebrew 13:24
Verse 24. Salute all them that have the rule over you] Salute all your leaders or guides, touv hgoumenouv umwn. See on verses 7 and 17. And all the saints.] All the Christians; for this is the general meaning of the term in most parts of St. Paul's writings. But a Christian was then a saint, i.e. by profession a holy person; and most of the primitive Christians were actually such. But in process of time the term was applied to all that bore the Christian name; as elect, holy people, sanctified, &c., were to the nation of the Jews, when both their piety and morality were at a very low ebb.
They of Italy salute you.] Therefore it is most likely that the writer of this epistle was then in some part of Italy, from which he had not as yet removed after his being released from prison. By they of Italy probably the apostle means the Jew's there who had embraced the Christian faith.
These salutations show what a brotherly feeling existed in every part of the Christian Church; even those who had not seen each other yet loved one another, and felt deeply interested for each other's welfare.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 24. Salute all them that have the rule over you , etc..] The pastors and officers of the church of the Hebrews, the same with those in ( Hebrews 13:7,17) and all the saints; the several members of the church, who were set apart to holiness by God; whose sins were expiated by Christ; to whom Christ was made sanctification; and who were internally sanctified by the Spirit of God, and lived holy lives and conversations; to these the apostle wished all prosperity, inward and outward, spiritual and temporal; and he uses the word “all” in both clauses; and, including every officer and member, expresses his universal love to them, whether high or low, rich or poor, greater or lesser believers: they of Italy salute you ; that is, the brethren, as the Vulgate Latin version reads; the Italian brethren; such as were at Puteoli, and other places, in that country; (see Acts 28:13,14). Italy is a famous and well known country in Europe; a very fruitful and delightful one; of which Rome, where the apostle very likely now was, is the chief city: it has been called by different names, as Saturnia from Saturn; and Ausonia, Aenotria, and Hesperia Magna; and it had its name Italy, some say, from Italus, the son of Penelope and Telegonus; others, from Italus, a king of the Arcadians, or, as some say, the Sicilians; but, according to Timsaeus and Varro f318 , it was so called from the multitude of oxen in it, which in the old Greek language were called italoi , “Italoi”, to which comes near in sound the Latin word “vituli”, used for “calves”; and Italy is frequently, by Jewish writers f319 called ˆwy lç ayljya , “Italy of Greece”; and formerly it was inhabited by Greeks, and was called Great Greece f320 : it is bounded on the east with the Adriatic sea; and on the west by the river Var, with the Alps, which separate France from Italy; and on the south with the Tyrrhene, or Tuscan sea, called the lower, and on the north, partly with the Alps, which are on the borders of Germany, and partly with the Adriatic sea, called the higher.
There were Christians in this country before the Apostle Paul came to Rome, both at Rome, and other places, as before observed. It is said f321 , that Barnabas was first at Rome, and planted the church there; that he went round Lombardy, and lived at Milain; that in the “first” century, Apollinaris preached at Ravenna, and Hermagoras at Aquileia; and there were Christian churches in the “second” century, not only at Rome, but in many other cities and places; and so likewise in the “third” century, as at Verona, Spoletum, Beneventum, etc.. and in the “fourth” century, there were great numbers of churches in this country; as at Verona, and Capua, in Calabria, Campania, and Apulia; and which might be traced in following centuries.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 22-25 - So bad are men, and even believers, through the remainders of their corruption, that when the most important, comfortable doctrine i delivered to them for their own good, and that with the most convincin evidence, there is need of earnest entreaty and exhortation that the would bear it, and not fall out with it, neglect it, or reject it. It is good to have the law of holy love and kindness written in the heart of Christians, one towards another. Religion teaches men true civilit and good breeding. It is not ill-tempered or uncourteous. Let the favour of God be toward you, and his grace continually working in you and with you, bringing forth the fruits of holiness, as the first-fruits of glory __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ασπασασθε 782 5663 παντας 3956 τους 3588 ηγουμενους 2233 5740 υμων 5216 και 2532 παντας 3956 τους 3588 αγιους 40 ασπαζονται 782 5736 υμας 5209 οι 3588 απο 575 της 3588 ιταλιας 2482
Vincent's NT Word Studies
24. They of Italy (oi apo thv Italiav). This may mean, "those who are in Italy send greeting from Italy"; or, "those of Italy (Italian Christians with the writer at the time) send greeting' from the place at which the letter is being written. See Introduction. The phrase affords no reliable indication as to the residence of the persons addressed.
