Hebrews 13:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Through Him," that is, through the High Priest, in relation to the flesh. "Lips that glorify His name": he speaks as if saying, if we must confess Him, then let us say nothing blasphemous, shameful, bold, senseless, or arrogant. Rather, let us do and say everything with fear and reverence.

He says this not without cause, but because he knew their sufferings. In sufferings the soul becomes despondent and irritated. But we, he says, must not act so.

Here the Apostle again says what he said above: "Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together" (Heb 10:25). Thus we shall be able to do everything with fear. Often, out of shame before men, we refrain from many evil things.

Through Him, as through the High Priest according to the flesh, we offer to the Father the sacrifice of praise, that is, the Eucharist. For we give thanks to the Father because He gave His Son for our sanctification.

This is said for the sake of the weak. That the Son has grace is evident from His having equal honor with the Father. "That all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father" (Jn 5:23).

Thus the Eucharist itself is the fruit of lips that glorify His name. Therefore the high priests of the Old Testament law cannot partake of this sacrifice. Those who have not been sanctified by the Blood of Christ cannot give thanks for it, because they remain in the same unbelief.

See, then, how again he urges them to thanksgiving, and not to murmur or say anything bold and insolent out of faintheartedness.

For hymnody offered to God without faith in the Son is of no benefit to us. Since the Apostle was writing to Hebrews, who were accustomed to honor the Father alone, he necessarily added, “through Him.”

“Therefore through Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God.” Without doubt, we offer through Christ, as our High Priest, the sacrifice of praise to the Father. We glorify and hymn Him as the One who has wrought such great benefits for us. The expression “let us offer” is an exhortation. But lest anyone think he is speaking of a bloody and irrational sacrifice, he adds, in explanation of what he has said, “that is, the fruit of lips.” He speaks of the sacrifice borne as fruit by our lips. This means hymns, doxologies, thanksgivings, and the like. “Confessing His name” means the lips that thank Him. For thanksgiving is also confession. It is said, “I will confess Thy name, O Lord” (Ps 53:8).

In the Church sacrifices of praise and beneficence are offered to God. Does it follow from this that the Eucharistic sacrifice is unnecessary? Or did the Apostle not know of this sacrifice and not require its celebration? No.

Here he limits his speech only to those sacrifices which men offer from themselves, as from what belongs to them. In the Eucharist, by the hands of the priest, Christ Himself offers Himself in sacrifice.

He offers what belongs to Him: the humanity assumed in the Incarnation and made to suffer on Golgotha. "Thine own of Thine own we offer," the priest proclaims. Therefore the Apostle is silent here about the sacrifice of the Body and Blood.

Having separated ourselves from communion with Judaism, we must also perform our worship through Jesus and place this worship in the praising confession of God’s name and in beneficence.