For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
The letter has just warned about ground that grows thorns and briars. Now the writer turns to his readers with confidence, because of their record: work, love, and service to God's people that God Himself will not forget.
Comfort After the Warning
The verse begins with "For". One writer shows the warning turning into reassurance:
Samuel RidoutHow the apostle hurries to reassure any trembling soul that had a real conscience toward God. He is not speaking in a way to drive them to despair... Then, instead of thorns and briars, he shows the fruitfulness of a Christian life. The Spirit who lives in the believer produces it in the "good ground" of a heart truly broken and alive to God. Blessed contrast, is it not?
Righteousness, Not Just Kindness
The verse does not say God is too kind to forget. It says He is not unjust. The character that rejects empty profession is the same character that secures the believer.
Leslie M. GrantThe very nature and character of God is such that it is impossible for Him to overlook the evidences of true faith. On the one hand, He is perfectly righteous to reject a profession that shows no faith. On the other hand, His very righteousness demands that He fully recognise every "work and labour of love" shown "toward His Name." Such motives of love can come only from faith in Him personally. And the believer's eternal assurance is bound up with God's perfect righteousness.
The Love Shown "For His Name"
The love was shown to people, yet the verse credits it to God's name. Commentators trace this to the way Christ ties Himself to His own:
Edward DennettIt must be remembered that our blessed Lord fully identifies Himself with His people... whatever is ministered to His own is kindness shown to His name. He Himself has explained it in the ever-memorable words, "As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."... And here also lies the secret of all true service among His people. If they are our object, much as they might benefit by the service, it is not such service as the Lord can commend.
One writer explains what that service was in practice:
The Christian's FriendThese Hebrew believers had been doing good, and "communicating," that is, sharing what they had, with their fellow believers who were in need, for they had understood the truth that with such sacrifices God is well pleased. By caring in this way, with true brotherly love, for the needs of God's people, they were, the apostle says, showing kindness to His name.
Served — And Still Serving
The verse looks at past service and present service together. One writer notes that God keeps a record of such service:
C. E. StuartThere are others mentioned, of whom it can be said, they did what they could. God took notice of their work, and the Spirit has recorded it. For, done to the saints as saints, it was done to Christ, and so was precious in God's sight. The Hebrews had ministered to the saints, and continued to do so... Such service was not, it will not be, forgotten.
Reward Without Making Reward the Object
That God remembers is an encouragement, not a wage. One writer keeps the two apart:
C. KnappGod would have us learn from this that He "is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love." Not that crowns of reward are to be our object. Christ should be our only object. But the Lord would encourage our hearts to true devotion to Himself, as a wise teacher or fond parent might try to encourage diligence in a child by a prize or present.
A Note on the Wording
Older English versions read "work and labour of love" here. One writer explains where those extra words came from:
William KellyThe Received Text adds "labour of," probably from 1 Thess. 1:3. The best authorities are against it.
Summary
- Warning turns to comfort. After the thorns and briars, the writer shows the opposite soil: fruit that the Spirit grows in a heart alive to God.
- Righteousness is the ground. God is not merely kind here; He is just. The character that rejects empty profession also refuses to overlook real fruit.
- The name is the target. Christ identifies with His people. Serve them and He counts it as kindness to His name. But if they, not He, are our object, the Lord cannot commend the service.
- Ordinary and ongoing. They shared what they had with believers in need, then and now. God recorded such service, and He will not forget it.
- Reward, not motive. Crowns encourage us, as a wise parent's prize encourages a child. Still, Christ alone should be our object.