Hebrews 13:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Lack of order is an evil and the cause of tumult. Yet the disobedience of those subject to authority is no lesser evil, since the same thing comes from it. A people that does not obey its leader is the same as a people that has none, and perhaps worse.

In the first case, those who have no leader may be excused for disorder. In the second, those who have one are without excuse and worthy of punishment.

But someone will say that there is still a third evil: when the leader is bad. I know this. It is no small evil, and even far greater than having no leader. It is better to be governed by no one than to be governed by a bad leader.

In the first case the people are sometimes in danger, and sometimes they are saved. In the latter case they are always in danger and are dragged into the abyss.

Why, then, does Paul say, “Obey your leaders and submit to them”? Earlier he said, “considering the end of their life, imitate their faith.” Then he says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them.”

And what, you will say, if the leader is bad? Is it then unnecessary to obey him? Bad in what sense do you mean? If in regard to the faith, flee from him and have no communion with him, even if he were not only a man but an angel come down from heaven.

But if he is bad in regard to life, do not trouble yourself over this. I will give you an example, not from myself, but from the divine Scripture. Listen to what Christ says: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat.”

After first saying many things against them, He then says: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do; but do not do according to their works” (Mt 23:2-3).

They possess dignity, He says, but they are unclean in life. Attend, therefore, not to their life, but to their words. No one will suffer harm from the conduct of others. Why? Because it is evident to all.

Such a man, even if he were bad a thousand times over, will never teach evil. But failings concerning the faith are not evident to all, and one who is bad in this respect will not be ashamed to teach others.

Likewise, the words, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Mt 7:1), refer to life, not to faith. This is shown by what follows: “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?” (Mt 7:3).

“Whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do” refers to conduct, not to faith. “But do not do according to their works.” Do you see that the discussion here is not about dogmas, but about life and deeds?

Paul, however, first presented them from the side of their dignity, and then says: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls, as those who must give account.”

Let not only those subject to authority hear this, but also those in authority. Just as the former must be obedient, so the latter must be watchful and sleepless.

And what do you say? The leader keeps watch, brings dangers upon his own head, is liable to punishments for your sins, and experiences such fear on your account. Yet you are lazy, resistant, vainglorious, and unwilling to obey.

Therefore the Apostle adds, “that they may do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.” Do you see that, if the leader is despised, he must not avenge himself? His tears and groans serve as the best vengeance.

And rightly so. A physician, when he meets contempt from the sick man, must not avenge himself, but weep and groan. If your leader groans, God will avenge you.

For if, when we groan over our own sins, we move God to compassion, how much more when we groan over the pride of others and their contempt for us?

Do you see that He will not allow the leader to endure insults? Do you see what philosophy this is? The one who is dishonored, despised, and spat upon must groan.

But you, who are subject to authority, do not dare think that you will go unavenged. The groaning of the leader is worse than any vengeance. When the one who groans can do nothing himself, he summons the Master.

As with a teacher and tutor, when a child does not obey him, another, more severe one is called. So it is here also.

O, what danger! What shall we say of those wretched men who cast themselves into such an abyss of sufferings? You, the leader, must give account for all over whom you preside, for women, men, and children. Into such fire you cast your head.

I doubt whether any of those in authority can be saved. I am astonished when I see that, despite such threats and the present negligence, some still seek and rush toward this burden of governance.

For if those compelled by necessity to accept authority receive no forgiveness or justification when they perform their work badly and carelessly, what shall be said of those who are eager for it?

Aaron accepted authority by necessity and was in danger. Moses was in danger, though he repeatedly refused authority. Saul, after refusing it, received a special authority and was in danger because he managed it badly.

How much more, then, are those in danger who make every effort and seek it for themselves? Such a man deserves far less any sort of justification.

One must fear and tremble, both because of conscience and because of the burden of authority. One should neither refuse when drawn to it, nor pursue it oneself when not drawn to it.

Rather, one should flee, setting before oneself the greatness of the dignity. When someone has been held fast, he should show reverence.

There must be excess in nothing, but “all things should be done decently and in order” (1 Cor 14:40). Before you have become a leader, if you foresee this, flee, judging yourself unworthy of the work. But if you have been held fast, be reverent, showing prudence in all things.

Why is this so? Because one who acts wickedly perhaps will not advise others to live wickedly. He himself is ashamed of evil deeds, and this is clear from his every effort to hide his deeds. But one evil in faith will instill his own way of thinking into the people.

"And submit yourselves." By the expression "submit yourselves," he indicates so strong an obedience that, if necessary, they should serve them in deed.

"For they keep watch over your souls, as those who must give account." Let leaders hear that, just as the people must obey, so the priest must keep unceasing care over the people. He will have to give account for their sins.

"That they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that is unprofitable for you." If you submit, he says, and please your leader, you lighten for him the burden of care for you, since he rejoices in your obedience.

But if you act shamelessly, then even in that case he will care for your soul. Yet unless you wipe away your disobedience, he will groan for you before God, and this is unprofitable for you.

See that he allows the leader no other defense than groaning. Though this imperceptibly implants in the leader a spirit of meekness, it kindles against the uncorrected sinner the dread fire of punishment from God, the stern Avenger.

Therefore, you who disobey your leader must not despise him because he groans. Rather, you must fear all the more, because he delivers you over to God.

"For they keep watch over your souls, as those who must give account." If they keep watch over you as those who must answer for negligence before Him Who entrusted you to them, then they perform their work with care.

Let those in authority also hear this. As those subject to them must be obedient, so those in authority must be sober and watchful.

"That they may do this with joy," that is, their vigilance and care for your benefit and salvation. "And not with groaning." When neglected by you, they lose courage and only lament, seeing your destruction through disobedience.

For this belongs to good and child-loving shepherds, just as it belongs to humane physicians to grieve compassionately at the disobedience of the sick.

"For that is unprofitable for you." This lament of your leaders over you is not profitable for you. In a certain manner their groaning calls the Master Himself to judgment and moves Him to wrathful punishment.

"They keep watch over your souls, as those who must give account." If they must give account, then something has been entrusted to them. Compare the account of the stewardship of the house in Lk 16:2.

Certainly nothing else has been entrusted to them than the salvation of souls, or the guidance of the sheep of Christ's flock to the pasture of eternal life.

If the flock is submissive to the shepherds, then the latter bear their labors "with joy." With the same joy they will one day render account, as those who have not labored in vain and who have gathered fruit for eternal life (Phil 2:17; Jn 4:36).

But if the faithful show disobedience and insubordination to Church authorities, then the labor of ruling becomes doubly grievous. The day of account is awaited "with groaning."

Yet insubordination is not profitable for the insubordinate themselves. It does not bring them the benefit which subjects usually expect from freedom and independence. "For this is unprofitable for you," says the Apostle.

After his blessed repose he does not cease to keep watch over our souls. By the power of his prayers he raises our feeble prayers to the heavenly throne of grace, and gives grace-filled help to those who hasten to him with faith and love.

But by pointing in the apostolic word to the vigilance of teachers as their real property and distinction, the Church by the same word reminds teachers of their duty to keep watch over souls.

It also reminds the whole people of the faithful of their duty to obey their teachers. "Obey your teachers and submit to them."

Thanks be to Mother Church for this reminder. Worthy teachers, in humility, would not wish insistently to demand obedience for themselves. For us, who feel our insufficiency and unworthiness, this feeling might close our mouths.

But here are reminders of duty who have perfect authority to remind, and just as full a right to require active attention to their reminder. Saint Paul and the holy Church cry out to you at every memorial of holy teachers: "Obey your teachers and submit to them."

Are proofs and persuasions needed so that this commandment may be received as necessary to fulfill? Is it not enough that the Apostle Paul wrote it in one of the Epistles?

In these Epistles, together with the saving truths of faith, he set forth saving rules of life and laws of ecclesiastical good order.

No society can be well ordered, nor can it even exist, without leaders or teachers. Leaders and teachers cannot order society well without the obedience of those subject to them and taught by them.

According to the word of Christ (Jn 17:3), eternal life, or eternal blessedness, consists in knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent.

According to the apostolic word, "he who comes to God must believe" (Heb 11:6). But God is incomprehensible, and Christ is "the mystery hidden from ages and generations in God, but now revealed to His saints" (Col 1:26).

This was not revealed in the flickering of natural reason, but in the light of grace-filled revelation. From this necessarily arises the Apostle’s question: "How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom 10:14).

A preacher of the truth of God is needed, a teacher in the faith, a steward of the mysteries of grace.

For faith to be saving, it requires life according to faith. "Faith without works is dead" (Jas 2:26), and therefore is incapable of bringing man to eternal life.

To live according to faith and to do good works, one must know the commandments of God. One must conform the understanding and fulfillment of them to the spirit of faith, and apply them rightly to the varied circumstances of life.

Only a man inattentive to himself, or self-reliant, can say that he is sufficient for this by himself and has no need of a teacher or counselor.

The word of God says, and experience shows, that man is born infected by ancestral sin. Holy Baptism regenerates him into a new life, but does not immediately destroy the life of the old man.

For the all-working grace of God gives place to the action of faith and to man’s struggle, so that mercy may not be without righteousness, and so that we may receive salvation voluntarily.

Thus even the regenerated man was not ashamed to confess: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves" (1 Jn 1:8). Therefore we must constantly be in struggle against sin that already lives and acts in us more or less.

At other times we must be on guard against sin that is ready to tempt, delude, enslave, and kill us. How shall we be strengthened in this struggle?

How shall we not fall asleep on this watch? How shall we conquer the habit of sin? How shall we stand against the delusion of sin? How shall we arouse hatred of sin in ourselves?

How shall we expose and repel sin when it approaches under the plausible mask of innocent amusements and accepted customs? How shall we cleanse the heart from sinful desires and the mind from sinful thoughts?

How shall we put off the old man and clothe ourselves in the new? How shall we guard even the virtues, so that the secret admixture of sin may not defile them?

Will anyone dare say that all this is very simple, and that for this there is no need to seek a teacher "who has his senses trained by long practice to discern good and evil" (Heb 5:14)?

But do we diligently seek spiritual teachers? Do we willingly follow their counsels? In the lofty and deep matters of belief, do not many content themselves only with their own reasoning, or with a few superficial notions acquired in childhood?

Do they not remain carelessly in ignorance of God and Christ? In their manner of life, instead of the law of God and the commandments of Christ, do they not follow customs and examples that are not better, but only more conspicuous?

Do they not consider spiritual vigilance over their deeds and thoughts, mortification of the flesh, and the struggles of inner self-correction to be an exaggeration of devotion?

Do they not live in moral slackness, with a dream about their own worthiness and their right to eternal reward, merely because they have not committed openly dishonorable and lawless deeds?

Those who hear this perhaps think, and are ready to say: Give us teachers like Saint Paul and Saint Alexius, and we would wish to obey and submit to such teachers.

I accept the rebuke, and turn to myself and to others upon whom, by the judgments of God, the lot has fallen to watch over souls.

Truly, brethren and fellow ministers, with fear and extreme concern we must consider whether we are such as our ministry requires.

I do not ask whether you are clothed with special signs of grace, like Saint Paul or Saint Alexius. The Holy Spirit distributes special and extraordinary gifts of grace as He wills, and they were never the object of a general demand.

But do we strive enough to acquire spiritual enlightenment for ourselves, so that we may instruct others soundly and convincingly? Do we order our life so well that it can teach without words, even more than words?

Do we watch over souls? How shall we instruct others if we are not zealous for instructing ourselves? How shall we guide others to spiritual life if our own life is entangled in worldly vanity?

How shall we awaken others to diligent and unceasing prayer, if in our celebration of the Church’s prayer they can observe insufficient reverent attention and exactness in fulfilling the rite handed down by the Fathers?

The rational sheep, unlike irrational ones, can themselves distinguish safe pasture from a dangerous thicket. Therefore they themselves will be guilty if they become prey to the wolf.

But will the shepherd not be guilty if he sleeps when he ought to stop and gather the scattered sheep? Let us attend to ourselves and to our ministry.

May the terrible word of the Lord, spoken against the shepherds of Israel, not thunder also against us: "The shepherds fed themselves, and did not feed My sheep. Behold, I am against the shepherds" (Ezek 34:8, 10).

Let us return the word to those being taught, who are insufficiently disposed to receive instruction. You think that you would obey teachers completely if you had excellent teachers. This is doubtful.

When Jesus Christ Himself chose and sent His Apostles to preach the Kingdom of heaven, He Himself gave them instructions on how they should teach others.

He granted them power to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Were these not excellent teachers? Yet in His instructions to them the Lord said: "Whoever will not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet" (Mt 10:14).

That is, He foresaw that houses and whole cities would be found that would not wish to hear these excellent teachers.

The humble man who sincerely desires salvation listens attentively even to an ordinary teacher, and makes progress in the good. But one who through self-reliance or distraction despises an ordinary teacher will hardly profit from an excellent one.

Sincerely desire instruction unto salvation. Dispose yourselves to receive it with faith. God, who desires all to be saved, is powerful and faithful.

Even through an unworthy teacher He can give you perfect instruction, and through an unwise one He can bring understanding to those who think themselves wise.

So once "a dumb beast of burden, speaking with a man’s voice, restrained the madness of the prophet" (2 Pet 2:16).

Some, striving not so much to correct their negligent life, which does not conform to the teaching of Christ, as to justify it, think they find justification in the fact that some teachers do not live as well as they teach.

No, self-appointed judges of your teachers, you will not find your justification in our condemnation. We shall be condemned if we live unworthily of the teaching we give.

But you also will be condemned: both because you judge your neighbor contrary to the prohibition of Jesus Christ Himself, and because you do not follow holy teaching.

It does not cease to be holy because it passes through sinful lips. Christ the Savior, the true Judge of the world, strictly condemned the life and deeds of the Pharisees.

Yet He commanded that the teaching of the law of God delivered by them be respected and fulfilled: "Whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do; but do not do according to their works, for they say and do not do" (Mt 23:3).

If, brethren, you are disposed in these moments to heed a certain special instruction, be attentive not to what we might devise for you, but to what the present time says to us.

A cloud has gathered in the distant sky, and thunder has already been heard. Glory to the Lord of hosts! The thunder of victory has more than once struck our enemies.

But to obtain victory, blood dear to us has also been shed. Our brethren stand armed against the enemy, in hourly expectation of renewed battle.

The father of the fatherland keeps watch in a double struggle: care for the preservation of peace, and care for prudent preparation for battle.

Is it timely now, if indeed it is ever timely, for children of the fatherland and children of the Church to surrender childishly and unrestrainedly to vanity, sensual pleasures, and the enchantment of spectacles?

These are offensive sometimes to pious feeling, and sometimes to moral feeling. Is it not time to think more solidly and act more gravely?

Must we not now especially turn our eyes away from vanity, lift up our eyes to Him Who dwells in heaven, and seek the life-giving looks of His good will and mercy?

Ask your reason, your conscience, and your pious feeling for an answer to this. Then follow not the advice of an outside teacher, but the counsel of your reason, your conscience, and your pious feeling. Amen.