The book of Hebrews addresses Jewish believers who, under the pressure of persecution, were returning to their old faith. The argument of the book against such apostasy is that they will be abandoning the much better things accomplished by Christ and will be attaching themselves to things that have become obsolete and will vanish away (Heb. 8:13).
Chapters 10:19 through 13 are practical and filled with exhortations to these Jewish Christians to continue in the faith, hope and love (10:22–24) to which the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ called them.
The beginning of chapter 13 addresses relationships among believers in the church and to those outside: be hospitable (v. 2), remember prisoners (v. 3), keep the marriage bed undefiled (v. 4), and don’t covet (vv. 5–6).
Chapter 13:7–17 also contains a series of exhortations: remember those who lead you, do not be carried about by foreign doctrines, go to Jesus outside the camp bearing his reproach, offer to God the sacrifice of thanks, do not forget well-doing and fellowship, obey those who lead you. These exhortations are arranged in a chiastic pattern.
A Remember those who lead you (vv. 7–8)
B Service at the altar (vv. 9–10)
C The bodies of the sin offerings were burned outside the camp (v. 11)
D Jesus suffered outside the gate (v. 12)
C Let us go forth to Jesus outside the camp (v. 13–14)
B Service at the altar (right sacrifices, vv. 15–16)
A Obey those who lead you (v. 17)
Let’s begin at the center of the chiasm (vv. 11–14). See how the apostle, in verses 11 and 13, repeats the phrase, “outside the camp,” and alters it slightly in verse 12 (the central verse of the chiasm: “outside the gate.” Jesus suffered outside the gate. This is an historical fact. After Pontius Pilate condemned Jesus to death, the soldiers took him outside the city of Jerusalem to crucify him. But the author of Hebrews invests that historical fact with theological significance. First, this removal from the city follows the pattern of the sin offering described in Leviticus 4. The priest offered parts of the animal on the altar. Someone took whatever remained and brought it outside the camp to burn it (Lev. 4:11–12). Jesus is the true sin offering who suffered outside the gate to sanctify his people with his blood. His suffering outside the gate removed sin from the city. Second, Jesus came to his own things and his own people brought reproach on him by rejecting him (John 1:11). They treated him like the remains of the sin offering. They would not permit him to remain in their city or in their camp. Therefore, these Jewish Christians must also go outside the camp, outside the city of Jerusalem, outside the nation of Israel, to be with him. In thus going outside the camp, they will bear Jesus’ reproach, rejection by their own. But this is not cause for great sorrow. The earthly city of Jerusalem is not an abiding city. In fact, within a few years of the writing of this letter, the Romans destroyed it. Christians seek a city that is still coming, the heavenly Jerusalem. In going outside the camp, they come to the innumerable company of angels, the general assembly and church of the firstborn, the spirits of just men made perfect, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant (Heb. 12:22–24).
The next layer in the chiasm deals with service at the altar. In verses 9–10, the apostle urges these Christians not to be carried about by strange doctrines. The doctrines of the Jews who have not received Christ are foreign to the gospel. They teach adherence to temporary things, a way of life that belongs to the old covenant, and righteousness through the law. Especially, in this context, they teach the law’s use of various foods, the clean and unclean animals, and all the animals, grains, oil and wine that were part of the old covenant sacrifices. The heart cannot be established by these but only by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
However, this does not mean that they have no altar, no place to meet God. They do in Christ (v. 10). Those who served at and ate from the old altar (the old covenant priesthood) have no right to eat from the new altar, but every Christian is a priest and has access to it. Every Christian partakes of the body and blood of Christ.
Furthermore, every Christian, as a priest, has the obligation to offer sacrifices at this altar (vv. 15–16). These are not sin offerings; there is only one sin offering for them. They are thank offerings. And these thank offerings are not animals and other fruits of the ground, but the fruit of lips that confess the name of God, doing good, and maintaining fellowship in the church.
In the outer layer of the chiasm (vv. 7 and 17) the apostle exhorts the Christian Jews to remember and obey the elders, preachers and apostles of the church. In verse 7 the reference is to leaders who have already fallen asleep in Jesus. They are to remember them and the word of God heard from them, and imitate their way of life. In verse 17 the reference is to current leaders. These watch for their souls and there is blessing in yielding to them. All these leaders have shown the right way, the way of Christ and of salvation. They must not forsake it now.
Therefore, all these exhortations address the sins to which these Jewish Christians were being tempted: rebelling against the authorities of the church and thus against Christ himself, returning to old covenant practices which fundamentally deny the fulfillment of them accomplished in Christ, false teaching, reproach, setting affection on earthly things, and being drawn away from the life of thanksgiving.
For their strengthening in the faith they have this great truth: Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and to the ages. He is the one signified in all the old covenant ceremonies and practices and taught to them by their now glorified leaders. He is the one whose grace saves them today and is being ministered by their current leaders. He will continue forever to be the changeless savior to them and to many others.
And all of this is equally applicable to Gentile Christians today. Remember and obey your leaders. Do not forsake the confession of Christ. Do not return to your old way of life. Go forth to Jesus outside the camp, bearing his reproach. Partake of grace at the new altar and seek the heavenly Jerusalem.