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Heb_13:2. Exhortation to hospitality. Comp. Rom_12:13; 1Pe_4:9; 1Ti_3:2; Tit_1:8. Owing to the hatred of the Jews towards the Christians, and the almost entire absence of public places of entertainment, hospitality towards fellow-Christians on their journeys became, for the Palestinians also, an urgent necessity.
διὰ ταύτης γὰρ ἔκαθόν τινες ξενίσαντες ἀγγέλους ] Enforcement of the command uttered, by calling attention to the high honour[123] which, by the exercise of this virtue, accrued to single remote ancestors of the Jewish people; for by the manifestation of hospitality some have unwittingly entertained angels. The author was certainly, in connection with this statement, thinking specially of Abraham and Lot (Gen_18:19). We have, moreover, to compare the declaration of the Lord, Mat_25:44-45, according to which he who entertains one of His people, entertains the Lord Himself.
The ἜΛΑΘΟΝ , written in accordance with genuine Greek praxis, but not occurring elsewhere in the N. T., forms a paronomasia with ἘΠΙΛΑΝΘΆΝΕΣΘΕ .
[123] Comp. Philo, de Abrah. p. 366 (with Mangey, II. p. 17 f.): Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ αἶδα τίνα ὑπερβολὴν εὐδαιμονίας καὶ μακαριότητος εἶναι φῶ περὶ τὴν οἰκίαν , ἐν ᾖ καταχθῆναι καὶ ξενίων λαχεῖν ὑπίμειναν ἄγγελοι πρὸς ἀνθρώτους , ἱεραὶ καὶ θεῖαι φὑσεις , ὑποδιάκονοι καὶ ὕπαρχοι τοῦ πρώτου Θεοῦ διʼ ὦν σἷα πρισβευτῶν ὅσα ἄν θελήσῃ τῷ γένει ἡμῶν προθεσπίσαι , διαγγέλλει .