Hebrews 13:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore let us not drive it away. It depends on us whether it remains with us or departs. The first happens when we care for heavenly things. The latter happens when we care for earthly things.

“The Spirit of truth,” says the Lord, “whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him” (Jn 14:17). By “the world” He means a corrupt and shameful life. Do you see that a soul surrendered to the world cannot have the Spirit?

Much zeal is needed on our part, so that He may remain with us, order all our affairs, and preserve us in safety and perfect peace.

A ship sailing with a favorable wind meets no hindrance and is not sunk, so long as it enjoys a favorable and steady wind. After the voyage it also gains glory among helmsmen and travelers.

To the former it has given rest and freed them from the hard labor of rowing. The latter it has delivered from every fear. By its very course it has provided them with a most pleasant sight.

So also the soul guided by the divine Spirit stands above all the storms of earthly life. It passes along the path leading to heaven more swiftly than any ship.

Its sails are pure and are filled not by the wind, but by the Comforter Himself. It casts away from its thoughts everything weakening and destructive.

As wind striking a slack sail cannot act upon it, so the Spirit cannot abide in a slack soul. He requires great tension and effort.

Therefore we must have a mind aflame, and always perform our actions with strength and tension. For example, when we pray, we must do so with great diligence, stretching the soul toward heaven, not by ropes, but by strong zeal.

Likewise, when we perform works of mercy, we must act with tension. Neither care for the household, nor concern for children, nor pleasing a wife, nor fear of falling into poverty should slacken our sail.

If we stretch this sail from every side by hope in the good things to come, it will receive well the action of the Spirit. Nothing corruptible and quickly passing will enter it.

Even if something enters, it will not harm it in the least. It will at once be repelled by its firmness and cast away.

Thus we need great tension, because we too are crossing a great and wide sea. It is full of many beasts and many rocks. It presents us with many storms, and even in fair weather raises up a most violent tempest.

Therefore, if we want to sail successfully and safely, we must stretch our sails, that is, our free will. This alone is sufficient for us.

Abraham also stretched his devotion toward God and presented his perfect will. Did he need anything else? Nothing at all. “He believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6).

Faith comes from a sincere intention. He brought his son, and though he did not slay him, he received the reward as one who had slain him. Though the deed was not completed, the reward was granted.

Let our sails be pure and new, not old. For whatever is “becoming old and aging is near destruction” (Heb 8:13). Let them not be torn, so that they may retain the action of the Spirit.

“The natural man,” it is said, “does not receive the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:14). As a cobweb cannot hold the breath of the wind, so a soul surrendered to the world, and the natural man, can never receive the grace of the Spirit.

Our judgments differ in no way from this cobweb. They display only an apparent coherence, but in reality they are deprived of all strength.

But our judgments will not be such if we are watchful. Then, whatever happens, a man will bear everything, stand above everything, and be stronger than any whirlwind.

The spiritual man is not shaken, even if countless misfortunes attack him. He is not caught by any one of them.

But what am I saying? Let poverty, sickness, insults, slanders, calumnies, wounds, every kind of punishment, every kind of mockery, reproaches, and offenses attack him.

Since he lives outside the world and is free from bodily passions, he will laugh at them all.

That these words are not boasting, I can even now present many examples, namely among those who have withdrawn into the deserts.

But you will say this is not at all remarkable. Then I will say that such men are also in cities, though you do not suspect their existence. If you wish, I can point to some among the ancients.

To convince yourself of this, remember Paul. What calamity did he not experience? What did he not undergo? Yet he endured everything courageously.

Let us also imitate him. In this way we can both please God and reach the calm harbor with great gain.

Let us direct our mind toward heaven, be filled with this longing, clothe ourselves in spiritual fire, and fortify ourselves with this flame.

The one who carries flame with him does not fear what he meets, whether beast, man, or a multitude of snares. So long as he is surrounded by flame, everything yields to him, and everything withdraws from him.

This flame is unbearable. This fire is unendurable and all-consuming. Let us clothe ourselves in this fire, and send up glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.

With Him, to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

He says that God brought Him out of the realm of the dead, as before He brought Moses out of the sea. God raised Jesus because He shed His Blood for the founding of the New Covenant (vv. 20-21).

The expression αί’ματί is equivalent to the expression in Zech 9:11, bedam beritech. There this expression signifies the basis by virtue of which deliverance from captivity is promised to the Hebrew people.