Hebrews 13:13
Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.
Let us go
This phrase is an invitation to action, urging believers to make a conscious decision to move forward in their faith journey. The Greek word used here is "ἐξερχώμεθα" (exerchometha), which implies a deliberate departure or going out. This reflects the call to leave behind the old ways and comforts of the world, much like the Israelites leaving Egypt, and to embrace a new life in Christ. It is a call to active participation in the Christian faith, not merely a passive belief.

to Him
The focus of this movement is towards Christ. The Greek "πρὸς αὐτόν" (pros auton) indicates a direction or orientation towards Jesus. This signifies a personal relationship and communion with Christ, emphasizing that our journey is not just about leaving something behind but moving towards someone—our Savior. It is a reminder that the Christian life is centered on Christ, and our ultimate goal is to be with Him.

outside the camp
This phrase has rich historical and theological significance. In the context of the Israelites, the camp was a place of safety and community, but also of ritual and tradition. To go "outside the camp" (Greek: "ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς," exo tes paremboles) meant to leave behind the established religious system and societal norms. For early Christians, this was a call to separate from the old covenant and embrace the new covenant in Christ, even if it meant facing rejection and persecution. It is a call to be set apart, to live a life that may be counter-cultural and challenging.

bearing His reproach
The Greek word for "reproach" is "ὀνειδισμὸν" (oneidismon), which means disgrace or insult. This phrase acknowledges the cost of discipleship. Just as Christ suffered outside the city gates, believers are called to endure shame and persecution for His sake. It is a reminder of the suffering that comes with following Jesus, but also of the honor in sharing in His sufferings. This is a call to embrace the cross, understanding that true discipleship involves sacrifice and sometimes enduring the scorn of the world.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
Central to this verse, Jesus is the one who suffered "outside the camp," symbolizing His crucifixion outside the city walls of Jerusalem. His suffering and disgrace are what believers are called to share.

2. The Camp
In the context of ancient Israel, the camp refers to the community of God's people. Spiritually, it represents the established religious and social systems from which Jesus was excluded.

3. The Cross
The ultimate symbol of disgrace and suffering in the Roman world, representing the shame and rejection Jesus endured.

4. The Early Christian Community
The recipients of the letter to the Hebrews, who were encouraged to identify with Christ's suffering and rejection.

5. Jerusalem
The city where Jesus was crucified, symbolizing the religious establishment that rejected Him.
Teaching Points
Embrace the Reproach of Christ
As believers, we are called to willingly accept the disgrace associated with following Jesus, recognizing that our identity is in Him, not in societal acceptance.

Separation from Worldly Systems
Just as Jesus was outside the camp, Christians are called to live distinct from worldly values and systems that oppose God's kingdom.

Solidarity with Christ
Our willingness to bear His disgrace is a testament to our union with Him, reflecting our commitment to His mission and values.

Eternal Perspective
Bearing disgrace for Christ is temporary and pales in comparison to the eternal glory that awaits us. This perspective helps us endure trials and rejection.

Community Support
Encourage one another in the faith, recognizing that we are not alone in bearing the reproach of Christ. The church community is vital for support and encouragement.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does it mean to "go to Him outside the camp" in your daily life, and how can you practically live this out?

2. How does understanding the historical context of Jesus' crucifixion outside Jerusalem enhance your appreciation of this verse?

3. In what ways can you identify with the disgrace Jesus bore, and how does this impact your witness to others?

4. How do other scriptures, such as Philippians 3 and 1 Peter 4, reinforce the message of Hebrews 13:13?

5. What are some practical steps you can take to support fellow believers who are bearing the reproach of Christ in their lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 16
The Day of Atonement rituals, where the scapegoat is sent outside the camp, prefigures Christ's suffering outside the city.

Matthew 27
Describes Jesus' crucifixion outside Jerusalem, fulfilling the imagery of being "outside the camp."

Philippians 3
Paul speaks of counting all things as loss for the sake of Christ, paralleling the call to bear His disgrace.

1 Peter 4
Encourages believers to rejoice in sharing Christ's sufferings, reinforcing the theme of enduring disgrace for His sake.
Bearing Christ's ReproachHebrews 13:11-13
Christ's ReproachW. Gouge.Hebrews 13:11-13
Coming Forth to ChristG. Lawson.Hebrews 13:11-13
Exhortation to Decision and Earnestness in ReligionE. Cooper, M. A.Hebrews 13:11-13
Going Forth to ChristJohn Thomson.Hebrews 13:11-13
Jesus Suffering Without the GateC. Bradley, M. A.Hebrews 13:11-13
Let Us Go ForthC. H. Spurgeon.Hebrews 13:11-13
Prizing the CrossE. P. Thwing.Hebrews 13:11-13
Reproach Incurred by ChristiansR. Hall, M. A.Hebrews 13:11-13
The Renouncing Spirit of ChristianityJohn Owen, D. D.Hebrews 13:11-13
People
Christians, Hebrews, Italians, Timotheus, Timothy
Places
Italy, Jerusalem
Topics
Abuse, Bear, Bearing, Bore, Camp, Circle, Directed, Disgrace, Endured, Forth, Insults, Ourselves, Outside, Reproach, Shame, Sharing, Taking, Tents
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Hebrews 13:13

     5281   crucifixion
     5836   disgrace
     8796   persecution, forms of

Hebrews 13:11-13

     2306   Christ, high priest

Hebrews 13:12-13

     5893   insults
     7797   teaching

Library
The Unchangeable Christ
Eversley. 1845. Hebrews xiii. 8. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." Let me first briefly remind you, as the truth upon which my whole explanation of this text is built, that man is not meant either for solitude or independence. He is meant to live WITH his fellow-men, to live BY them, and to live FOR them. He is healthy and godly, only when he knows all men for his brothers; and himself, in some way or other, as the servant of all, and bound in ties of love and
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

February 26. "Make You Perfect in Every Good Work" (Heb. xiii. 21).
"Make you perfect in every good work" (Heb. xiii. 21). In that beautiful prayer at the close of the Epistle to the Hebrews, "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will," the phrase, "make you perfect in every good work," literally means, it is said, "adjust you in every good work." It is a great thing to be adjusted, adjusted to our
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

September 16. "I Will Never Leave Thee nor Forsake Thee" (Heb. xiii. 5).
"I will never leave Thee nor forsake Thee" (Heb. xiii. 5). It is most cheering thus to know that although we err and bring upon ourselves many troubles that might have been easily averted, yet God does not forsake even His mistaken child, but on his humble repentance and supplication is ever really both to pardon and deliver. Let us not give up our faith because we have perhaps stepped out of the path in which He would have led us. The Israelites did not follow when He called them into the Land of
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The Doctrine of Arbitrary Scriptural Accommodation Considered.
"But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise,--Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) or, Who shall descend into the deep?' (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth; and in thine heart:' that is, the word of Faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from
John William Burgon—Inspiration and Interpretation

The Character and Supports of Widows Indeed.
"Now she that is a Widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day." * * Preached at the house of one made a widow by her husband's desertion; who left her in straitened circumstances to provide for a young family. Timothy was ordained a bishop of the church at Ephesus; and this epistle was written to him by St. Paul, his spiritual father, to teach him "how to behave himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God." The former
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Blood of the Covenant
The subject of the Epistle to the Hebrews is deep, for it passes on from the superficial rudiments to those underlying truths which are more mysterious and profound. It is a book for the higher classes in Christ's school; and hence this prayer is not for babes, but for men of understanding. We could not say to all the saints, "after this manner pray ye," for they would not know what they were asking; they have need to begin with something simpler, such as that sweet "Our Father, which art in heaven,"
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 20: 1874

The Immutability of Christ
But greater things have changed than we; for kingdoms have trembled in the balances. We have seen a peninsula deluged with blood, and mutiny raising its bloody war whoop. Nay, the whole world hath changed; earth hath doffed its green, and put on its somber garment of Autumn, and soon expects to wear its ermine robe of snow. All things have changed. We believe that not only in appearance but in reality, the world is growing old. The sun itself must soon grow dim with age; the folding up of the worn-out
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

The Unchangeable Christ
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."--Hebrews 13:8. LET me read to you the verse that comes before our text. It is a good habit always to look at texts in their connection. It is wrong, I think, to lay hold of small portions of God's Word, and take them out of their connection as you might pluck feathers from a bird; it is an injury to the Word; and, sometimes, a passage of Scripture loses much of its beauty, its true teaching, and its real meaning, by being taken from the
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 40: 1894

The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant
I. First of all, then, I have to speak this morning of THE COVENANT mentioned in the text; and I observe that we can readily discover at first sight what the covenant is not. We see at once that this is not the covenant of works, for the simple reason that this is an everlasting covenant. Now the covenant of works was not everlasting in any sense whatever. It was not eternal; it was first made in the garden of Eden. It had a beginning, it has been broken; it will be violated continually and will
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

A New Year's Benediction
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."--Hebrews 13:5. OBSERVE the way in which the apostles were accustomed to incite believers in Christ to the performance of their duties. They did not tell them, "You must do this or that, or you will be punished; you must do this, and then you shall obtain a reward for it." They never cracked the whip of the law in the ears of the child of God. They
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 60: 1914

Never! Never! Never! Never! Never!
Hence, let us learn, my brethren, the extreme value of searching the Scriptures. There may be a promise in the Word which would exactly fit your case, but you may not know of it, and therefore miss its comfort. You are like prisoners in a dungeon, and there may be one key in the bunch which would unlock the door, and you might be free; but if you will not look for it you may remain a prisoner still, though liberty is near at hand. There may be a potent medicine in the great pharmacopia of Scripture,
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 8: 1863

Twenty-Second Day for all who are in Suffering
WHAT TO PRAY.--For all who are in Suffering "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are evil entreated, as being yourselves in the body."--HEB. xiii. 3. What a world of suffering we live in! How Jesus sacrificed all and identified Himself with it! Let us in our measure do so too. The persecuted Stundists and Armenians and Jews, the famine-stricken millions of India, the hidden slavery of Africa, the poverty and wretchedness of our great cities--and so much more: what suffering
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Calvin -- Enduring Persecution for Christ
John Calvin was born in 1509, at Noyon, France. He has been called the greatest of Protestant commentators and theologians, and the inspirer of the Puritan exodus. He often preached every day for weeks in succession. He possest two of the greatest elements in successful pulpit oratory, self-reliance and authority. It was said of him, as it was afterward said of Webster, that "every word weighed a pound." His style was simple, direct, and convincing. He made men think. His splendid contributions to
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Volume I

The Action of Jesus Christ in the Souls of Men.
The divine action continues to write in the hearts of men the work begun by the holy Scriptures, but the characters made use of in this writing will not be visible till the day of judgment. "Jesus Christ yesterday, to-day, and for ever" (Heb. xiii, 8), says the Apostle. From the beginning of the world He was, as God, the first cause of the existence of souls. He has participated as man from the first instant of His incarnation, in this prerogative of His divinity. During the whole course of our life
Jean-Pierre de Caussade—Abandonment to Divine Providence

Paul and his Requests for Prayer (Continued)
We announce the law of prayer as follows: A Christian's prayer is a joint agreement of the will and his cabinet, the emotions, the conscience, the intellect, working in harmony at white heat, while the body co-operates under certain hygienic conditions to make the prayer long enough sustained at high voltage to insure tremendous results, supernatural and unearthly.--Rev. Homer W. Hodge We come to the request of Paul made to the Church at Ephesus, found in the latter part of Ephes. 6 of the Epistle
Edward M. Bounds—Prayer and Praying Men

Carey's College
1761-1785 The Heart of England--The Weaver Carey who became a Peer, and the weaver who was father of William Carey--Early training in Paulerspury--Impressions made by him on his sister--On his companions and the villagers--His experience as son of the parish clerk--Apprenticed to a shoemaker of Hackleton--Poverty--Famous shoemakers from Annianus and Crispin to Hans Sachs and Whittier--From Pharisaism to Christ--The last shall be first--The dissenting preacher in the parish clerk's home--He studies
George Smith—The Life of William Carey

The Never Changing One.
"JESUS Christ the same yesterday, and to-day and forever" (Heb. xiii:8). Blessed truth and precious assurance for us poor, weak creatures, yea, among all His creatures the most changing; He changeth not. "For I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal. iii:6). "Of old hast Thou laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall all perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea all of them shall wax old like a garment, as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed;
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
The duty of Covenanting is founded on the law of nature; but it also stands among the arrangements of Divine mercy made from everlasting. The promulgation of the law, enjoining it on man in innocence as a duty, was due to God's necessary dominion over the creatures of his power. The revelation of it as a service obligatory on men in a state of sin, arose from his unmerited grace. In the one display, we contemplate the authority of the righteous moral Governor of the universe; in the other, we see
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Meditations to Stir us up to Morning Prayer.
1. If, when thou art about to pray, Satan shall suggest that thy prayers are too long, and that therefore it were better either to omit prayers, or else to cut them shorter, meditate that prayer is thy spiritual sacrifice, wherewith God is well pleased (Heb. xiii. 15, 16;) and therefore it is so displeasing to the devil, and so irksome to the flesh. Bend therefore thy affections (will they, nill they) to so holy an exercise; assuring thyself, that it doth by so much the more please God, by how much
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Two Covenants: the Transition
"Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, in the blood of the everlasting covenant, even our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ."--HEB. xiii. 20, 21. THE transition from the Old Covenant to the New was not slow or gradual, but by a tremendous crisis. Nothing less than the death of Christ was the close of the Old. Nothing less than His resurrection
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

Discourse viii. The Help of Religion.
THE HELP OF RELIGION. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.--HEBREWS xiii, 14. There are a good many people who, apparently, are never troubled by any speculations arising out of a comprehensive view of things. They are keenly alive to all objects within their sphere; but their eyes are close to the surface, and their experience comes in shocks of sensation, and shreds of perception. They know the superficial features of the world and its conventional expressions; are conversant
E. H. Chapin—Humanity in the City

Kallihirua the Esquimaux.
Kallihirua, notwithstanding the disadvantages of person (for he was plain, and short of stature, and looked what he was,--an Esquimaux), excited a feeling of interest and regard in those who were acquainted with his history, and who knew his docile mind, and the sweetness of his disposition. Compliance with the precept in the Old Testament, "Love ye the stranger[1]," becomes a delight as well as a duty in such an instance as that about to be recorded, especially when we consider the affecting injunction
Thomas Boyles Murray—Kalli, the Esquimaux Christian,

"Honorable," Therefore, "Is Marriage in All, and the Bed Undefiled. ...
8. "Honorable," therefore, "is marriage in all, and the bed undefiled." [1954] And this we do not so call a good, as that it is a good in comparison of fornication: otherwise there will be two evils, of which the second is worse: or fornication will also be a good, because adultery is worse: for it is worse to violate the marriage of another, than to cleave unto an harlot: and adultery will be a good, because incest is worse; for it is worse to lie with a mother than with the wife of another: and,
St. Augustine—On the Good of Marriage

Memorandum. --On Other Letters Ascribed to Athanasius.
The above Collection of Letters is complete upon the principle stated in the Introduction (supr., p. 495). But one or two fragments have been excluded which may be specified here. (1.) Fragment of a letter to Eupsychius;' probably the Nicene Father referred to Ep. Æg. 8, (cf. D.C.B. ii. 299 (4)). The Greek is given by Montf. in Ath. Opp. 1. p. 1293 (Latin, ib. p. 1287). It was cited in Conc. Nic. II. Act vi., but although it has affinities with Orat. ii. 8 (high-priestly dress'), it has the
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

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