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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Heb_13:20-21
20Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Heb_13:20 "Now the God of peace" This title for God the Father is used only here and in Paul's writings (cf. Rom_15:33; Rom_16:20; 1Co_14:33; 2Co_13:11; Php_4:9; 1Th_5:23; "Lord of Peace" 2Th_3:16).
▣ "who brought up from the dead" The NT normally depicts God the Father as raising Jesus from the dead (cf. Act_2:24; Act_3:15; Act_4:10; Act_5:30; Act_10:40; Act_13:30; Act_13:33-34; Act_13:37; Act_17:31; Rom_6:4; Rom_6:9; Rom_10:9; 1Co_6:14; 2Co_4:14; Gal_1:1; Eph_1:20; Col_2:12; 1Th_1:10). This shows the Father's acceptance of Jesus' life, teachings, and sacrifice. However, there are other texts which assert the agency of the resurrection was the Spirit (cf. Rom_8:11) or the Son Himself (cf. Joh_2:19-22; Joh_10:17-18). Theologically speaking, all three persons of the Trinity are active in all the redemptive acts.
▣ "the great Shepherd" The term "shepherd" is an OT metaphor for
1. YHWH (cf. Gen_49:24; Psa_23:1; Psa_78:52; Psa_80:1; Ecc_12:11; Isa_40:11; Isa_63:11; Jer_31:10; Ezekiel 34)
2. the leadership of His people (cf. Jer_10:21; Jer_50:6-7; Eze_34:2-3; Zec_11:3; Zec_11:5; Zec_11:15; Zec_11:17)
3. the coming Messiah, son of David (cf. Psa_78:70-72; Eze_34:23-24; Eze_37:24; Mic_5:4; Mic_7:14; Zec_13:7; Joh_10:2; Joh_10:11; Joh_10:14; 1Pe_2:25; 1Pe_5:4)
Several times in the OT (cf. Num_27:17; 1Ki_22:17; 2Ch_18:16; Eze_34:5; Zec_10:2) God's people are described as scattered and without a shepherd, but now the Great Shepherd has come. He has delivered us and is with us!
▣ "through the blood" This refers to His life given which inaugurated the new covenant (cf. Zec_9:11; Mar_14:24; 1Co_11:25).
▣ "the eternal covenant" It is difficult to sort out the different "eternal" covenants because, as Hebrews shows, the Mosaic covenant was conditional and because of human weakness, not eternal. The OT records conditional and unconditional covenants (i.e., the Exodus, Gen_15:17-21). The covenant with Abraham, whereby all the nations would be blessed, is unconditional (i.e., everlasting covenant), and thereby, eternal (cf. Gen_17:7; Gen_17:13; Gen_17:19; Psa_105:9-10). The covenant with David, first revealed in 2 Samuel 7, is a foreshadowing of the Messiah, son of David, which is unconditional, and thereby, eternal (cf. Psa_89:3-4). The new covenant is mentioned as a promised new day of righteousness (new age of the Spirit) for God's people (cf. Isa_55:3; Isa_59:21; Isa_61:8; Jer_31:33; Jer_32:40; Jer_50:5; Eze_16:60; Eze_37:26). One can see how the Jews of Jesus' day were shocked at His message. He had always been God's plan of redemption, but the failure of Israel to keep God's law given to Moses showed the need of another way of salvation than human performance (cf. Galatians 3). See hyperlink at Heb_6:2.
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Heb_13:21
NASB "equip you in every good thing"
NKJV "make you complete in every good work"
NRSV "make you complete in everything good"
TEV "provide you with every good thing"
NJB "prepare you. . .in every kind of good action"
This verb (katartizô, a rare aorist active optative, which is an expressed wish or desire) means to make someone or something completely adequate, sufficient, or fully qualified (cf. Luk_6:40; 1Co_1:10; 2Co_13:11; 1Th_3:10; 1Pe_5:10). Theologically this is parallel to Eph_2:10. God's will is that believers are conformed to the image of Jesus (cf. Rom_8:29), resulting in godly living which attracts the lost to Christ.
▣ "to do His will" Jesus did the Father's will in coming as the Suffering Servant (cf. Heb_10:7). Now His followers are called on to also do His will (cf. Heb_10:36).
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▣ "to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen" This phrase, so common in Paul's and Peter's writings, is ambiguous. Sometimes it refers to God the Father (cf. Rom_11:36; Eph_3:21; 1Pe_4:11; 1Pe_5:11; Jud_1:25; Rev_1:6; Rev_7:12), sometimes to Jesus the Son (cf. 2Ti_4:18; 2Pe_3:18) and sometimes to both (cf. Rom_16:27; 1Ti_1:17; Rev_5:13 and here). Often NT authors use the same titles, actions, and phrases to describe both the Father and the Son as a way of asserting the equality and deity of Jesus of Nazareth.
▣ "Amen" The original Hebrew term meant "to be firm." This developed into the metaphorical sense of faithfulness, dependability, and trustworthiness (cf. Hab_2:4). It came to be used in the sense of "I affirm" or "I agree with" a particular statement.
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