34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.



Ver. 34. For ye had compassion] Gr. Ye sympathized. {See Trapp on "Heb_10:33"}



And took joyfully] The joy of the Lord was their strength, as it was theirs, Act_5:41, who took it for a grace to be disgraced for Christ.



The spoiling of their goods] If a heathen could say when he saw a sudden shipwreck of all his wealth, Well, Fortune, I see thou wouldest not have me to be a philosopher; should not we, when called to give up our treasures, say, Well, I see that God would have me to lay up treasure in heaven, that is subject neither to vanity nor violence



Knowing in yourselves] Not in others, in books, &c., but in your own experience and apprehension, in the workings of your own hearts.



That ye have in heaven] When we lose anything for God, he seals us a bill of exchange of better things, or a double return. He will recompense our losses, as the king of Poland did his noble servant Zelislaus; having lost his hand in his wars, he sent him a golden hand. These Hebrews had lost their goods, but not their God. Here is the dry rod blossoming.