Hebrews 13:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Notice how often he speaks of chastity. Earlier he said, “Pursue peace with all, and holiness,” and again, “lest there be among you any fornicator or profane person” (Heb 12:14, 16). Now he says, “but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Everywhere he joins the prohibition to the threat of punishment. And observe here how he does this. “Pursue,” he says, “peace with all, and holiness,” and he adds, “without which no one will see the Lord.” Here he says, “but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” First he said, “Let marriage be honorable among all, and the bed undefiled.” Then he added the threat of punishment, showing that he justly made the further addition. For if wedlock is permitted, then the fornicator is justly punished, and the adulterer is justly subjected to torment.

“Let marriage be honorable among all, and the bed undefiled.” See how often he speaks of chastity. Earlier, when mentioning the holiness of marriage (Heb 12:14), he spoke of this chastity, and afterward he again speaks of adulterers and fornicators. Or else, he means in every circumstance and at every time. Not only in distress, and not only in peaceful times. It is not honorable in one respect and not in another, but let it be wholly honorable. Here the heretics who slander marriage are put to shame. For it is called honorable precisely because it is preserved in chastity. “But fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Here again the prohibition of fornication is joined to the threat of punishment. For “God will judge” means He will condemn. And this is natural. For if marriage is permitted, then the fornicator and adulterer are justly subject to punishment.

Let us not treat this wound with contempt. First of all, we must point out to the man living in such sin the wounding knowledge of conscience that this sin is mortal. I do not know by what distortion those who commit it judge it lightly. Nor do I know where they invent empty and worthless arguments in their own defense, claiming that God does not care about sins of the flesh. And what did we hear about this today? “But fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Let everyone who struggles with this sickness heed these words. Listen to what God says. Do not be indulgent toward the words of prejudice that panders to the sins of your soul. Nor listen to a friend bound by the same chains of unrighteousness, who above all is an enemy to you and to himself.

"Marriage is honorable, and the marriage bed undefiled." From this you may be assured of the truth of what was said above, that they were devoted to what was worldly and under the law. For they considered even sanctified cohabitation, which existed according to the Law of Moses, to be sinful.

Married women also have their dignity: honorable marriage and an undefiled bed.

One is lawful, and the other utterly lawless. God established the one in the beginning, for He said, "Let us make him a helper fit for him" (Gen 2:18). And when He had created her, He brought her, joined them, and gave the marriage blessing, saying, "Increase and multiply, and fill the earth" (Gen 1:28). But an unrestrained thought introduced adultery and fornication.

“Marriage is honorable among all.” It is worthy of honor both because of the divine institution at the very beginning of the human race and because of Christ’s presence at the wedding in Cana of Galilee (Jn 2:2). “Among all” means among all people. By “marriage” he means lawful wedlock. Thus virgins remain virgins not to dishonor marriage, but because from two honorable states they choose the more honorable. “And the bed undefiled.” The marriage bed is pure, since it has been sanctioned by God. “But fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” See how forcefully he speaks about chastity. Indeed, earlier, while instilling the thought of purity and holiness (Heb 12:14), he added, “without which no one will see the Lord.” Now, speaking of fornication and adultery, he mentions judgment.

Let us grant honorable marriage the praises that belong to it, since it was instituted by God and is honored among men. Yet let it not enter into rivalry with virginity, but remain within its own bounds. Wishing to adorn and magnify it beyond what is fitting, you say that heaven has communion with earth by means of rain. You say that the sun illumines the moon, and rivers merge with the sea. You say that every race of animals, those living on land, flying in the air, and dwelling in the sea, is preserved in succession under the governance of marriage. Yet marriage yields the victory over itself when it is compared with the life of angels. For them marriage is superfluous and unattractive, and there is no need of it.

From Christian brotherly communion the Apostle turns to the basic relations of earthly life. He exhorts them to honor the holiness of marriage and to guard against love of money. When the readers think of the plundering of their possessions (Heb 10:36), which they may lose again, they should remember that God is their helper. Without God's permission, men can do them no evil.

According to the laws of the New Covenant, childbearing is by no means forbidden, but the ordinances are similar to those preserved by the ancient men of God. The word of God says that a bishop should be the husband of one wife (1 Tim 3:2). Yet it is better if those who serve as priests and are occupied in the ministry of God abstain from marital union after their ordination. To those who have not taken upon themselves this sacred ministry, Scripture grants almost everything, saying: "Let marriage be honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge."