Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hebrew 13:9
Verse 9. Be not carried about] mh periferesqe? Be not whirled about. But ABCD, and almost every other MS. of importance, with the Syriac, Coptic, Arabic, Vulgate, and several of the Greek fathers, have mh paraferesqe, be not carried away, which is undoubtedly the true reading, and signifies here, do not apostatize; permit not yourselves to be carried off from Christ and his doctrine.
Divers and strange doctrines.] didacaiv, poikilaiv? Variegated doctrines; those that blended the law and the Gospel, and brought in the Levitical sacrifices and institutions in order to perfect the Christian system. Remember the old covenant is abolished; the new alone is in force.
Strange doctrines, didacaiv xenaiv, foreign doctrines; such as have no apostolical authority to recommend them.
That the heart be established with grace] It is well to have the heart, the mind, and conscience, fully satisfied with the truth and efficacy of the Gospel; for so the word cariv should be understood here, which is put in opposition to brwmasin, meats, signifying here the Levitical institutions, and especially its sacrifices, these being emphatically termed meats, because the offerers were permitted to feast upon them after the blood had been poured out before the Lord. See Lev. vii. 15; Deut. xii. 6, 7.
Which have not profited them] Because they neither took away guilt, cleansed the heart, nor gave power over sin.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines , etc..] The word divers may denote the variety and multitude of other doctrines; referring either to the various rites and ceremonies of the law, or to the traditions of the elders, or to the several doctrines of men, whether Jews or Gentiles; whereas the doctrine of the Scriptures, of Christ, and his apostles, is but one; it is uniform, and all of a piece; and so may likewise denote the disagreement of other doctrines with the perfections of God, the person and offices of Christ, the Scriptures of truth, the analogy of faith, and even with themselves: and strange doctrines may design such as were never taught by God, nor are agreeable to the voice of Christ, nor to be found in the word of God; and which are new, and unheard of, by the apostles and churches of Christ; and appear in a foreign dress and habit: wherefore the apostle exhorts the believing Hebrews not to be carried about with them; as light clouds and meteors in the air, by every wind: for so to be, is to be like children; and discovers great ignorance, credulity, levity, inconstancy, uncertainty, fluctuation, and inconsistency: for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace ; with the doctrine of grace, which is food for faith, and does not leave men at uncertainties about things; but establishes the heart, with respect to the love and favour of God, and builds souls upon the foundation, Christ; so that they are not at a loss about the expiation of sin, justification, and salvation; but firmly look for, and expect eternal happiness by Christ, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God: not with meats ; referring to the distinction of meats among the Jews; or the sacrifices ate both by the priests and by the people; or the whole ceremonial law which stood in divers meats and drinks: which have not profited them that have been occupied therein ; they were only profitable to the body; and could be of no other use to the soul, when they were in force, than as they led to Christ, and were regarded by believers; for they were of no advantage to hypocrites and carnal men; they could not sanctify, nor justify, nor cheer the spirits, nor establish the heart; and are of no manner of service at all, since the death of Christ, whereby the whole ceremonial law is abolished.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-15 - The instructions and examples of ministers, who honourably an comfortably closed their testimony, should be particularly remembere by survivors. And though their ministers were some dead, others dying yet the great Head and High Priest of the church, the Bishop of their souls, ever lives, and is ever the same. Christ is the same in the Ol Testament day. as in the gospel day, and will be so to his people for ever, equally merciful, powerful, and all-sufficient. Still he fill the hungry, encourages the trembling, and welcomes repenting sinners still he rejects the proud and self-righteous, abhors mere profession and teaches all whom he saves, to love righteousness, and to hat iniquity. Believers should seek to have their hearts established in simple dependence on free grace, by the Holy Spirit, which woul comfort their hearts, and render them proof against delusion. Christ is both our Altar and our Sacrifice; he sanctifies the gift. The Lord' supper is the feast of the gospel passover. Having showed that keepin to the Levitical law would, according to its own rules, keep men from the Christian altar, the apostle adds, Let us go forth therefore unt him without the camp; go forth from the ceremonial law, from sin, from the world, and from ourselves. Living by faith in Christ, set apart to God through his blood, let us willingly separate from this evil world Sin, sinners, nor death, will not suffer us to continue long here therefore let us go forth now by faith and seek in Christ the rest an peace which this world cannot afford us. Let us bring our sacrifices to this altar, and to this our High Priest, and offer them up by him. The sacrifice of praise to God, we should offer always. In this are worshi and prayer, as well as thanksgiving.
Greek Textus Receptus
διδαχαις 1322 ποικιλαις 4164 και 2532 ξεναις 3581 μη 3361 περιφερεσθε 4064 5744 καλον 2570 γαρ 1063 χαριτι 5485 βεβαιουσθαι 950 5745 την 3588 καρδιαν 2588 ου 3756 βρωμασιν 1033 εν 1722 οις 3739 ουκ 3756 ωφεληθησαν 5623 5681 οι 3588 περιπατησαντες 4043 5660
Vincent's NT Word Studies
9. Be not carried about (mh paraferesqe). A.V. follows T.R. periferesqe. Rend. "carried away." The present tense indicates a present and active danger.
With divers and strange doctrines (didacaiv poikilaiv kai xenaiv). For "doctrines" rend. "teachings." These teachings represent various phases of one radical error - the denial of Jesus's messiahship and of his messianic economy as superseding Judaism and all other means of salvation. Among them the writer's mind would naturally turn to the prescriptions concerning clean and unclean meats and sacrificial festivals. See next clause. These teachings were various as contrasted with the one teaching of the gospel; they were strange as they differed from that teaching. Comp. Gal. i. 6-9. For poikilaiv see on 2 Tim. iii. 16. That the heart be established (bebaiousqai thn kardian). There is an emphasis on heart as well as on grace. These strange teachings all emphasized externalism, in contrast with Christianity, which insisted upon the purification of the heart and conscience. The contrast is strongly stated in ch. ix. 9, 14, and the Epistle constantly directs the readers to the heart as the true point of contact with God, and the source of all departures from him. See ch. iii. 8, 10, 12, 15; iv. 7, 12; viii. 10; especially x. 22. Hence, the writer says, "it is good that the solid basis of your assurance before God be in the heart, purged from an evil conscience, so that you can draw near to God with a firmly-established confidence, with a true heart, in full assurance of faith": ch. x. 22; comp. 1 Thessalonians iii. 13; 2 Tim. ii. 22.
With grace, not with meats ( cariti ou brwmasin). The heart is the proper seat of the work of grace. Free grace is the motive-power of Christ's sacrifice (2 Cor. viii. 9; Gal. i. 15); it is behind the blood of the new covenant, and is the energetic principle of its saving operation. See Rom. v. 2, 15; 1 Cor. xv. 10; Eph. ii. 5, 7, 8; 2 Thessalonians ii. 16; Heb. ii. 9; iv. 16; x. 29. With meats stands for the whole system of ceremonial observances, in contrast with grace, working on the heart. See ch. ix. 10. This ceremonial system yielded no permanent benefit to those who lived under it. See ch. vii. 25; ix. 9, 13, 14; x. 1, 2, 4. Which have not profited them that have been occupied therein ( en oiv ouk wfelhqhsan oi peripatountev). Lit. in the which they who walked were not profited. Peripatein to walk about is often used to express habitual practice or general conduct of life. See Rom. vi. 4; 2 Corinthians x. 3; Eph. ii. 10; Col. iii. 7; iv. 5.
