In Hebrews 13:2 it says we are to be hospitable because in doing so some have entertained angels unawares. I’m trying to understand if this means there is a possibility we could show kindness to an actual angel (appearing as a human), or if by “entertaining” it is talking about them being entertained (i.e. rejoicing) by what we do to real humans during our lifetime.<\/p>\n\t
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels<\/em>” (Hebrews 13:2).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The command to entertain strangers is given support by noting that some in the past have entertained angels without being aware of who their guests were. For example, Abraham served a meal for angels (Genesis 18). Lot took two angels into his home (Genesis 19). It isn’t that everyone has entertained angels or that this is a common occurrence. The point is that no one ever knows when they might be entertaining an angel, so being hospitable should not be neglected.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: In Hebrews 13:2 it says we are to be hospitable because in doing so some have entertained angels unawares. I’m trying to understand if this means there is a possibility we could show kindness to an actual angel (appearing as a human), or if by “entertaining” it is talking about them being entertained (i.e.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[1502,1149],"class_list":["post-38779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-angels","tag-hospitality"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":18580,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-dont-we-see-angels-today\/","url_meta":{"origin":38779,"position":0},"title":"Why don’t we see angels today?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 18, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Can you tell me why Christians today cannot see angels as the apostles did? I realize that only those baptized with the Holy Spirit (the apostles and those they laid their hands on and Cornelius and his household) were able to perform miracles, but Acts 5:19-20 and Acts 12:7-8\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28243,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/isnt-it-a-miracle-when-a-person-sees-an-angel-or-receives-the-holy-spirit\/","url_meta":{"origin":38779,"position":1},"title":"Isn’t it a miracle when a person sees an angel or receives the Holy Spirit?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 29, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What about people who see angels these days? Is that not a miracle or are you teaching that is of the devil? What about receiving the Holy Spirit is that not a miracle? Answer: Miracles are alterations of natural events. The birth of a baby is a wondrous event,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4211,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/angels-and-other-spiritual-beings\/","url_meta":{"origin":38779,"position":2},"title":"Angels and Other Spiritual Beings","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Daniel 10 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Men have long been fascinated by angels \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There is a bit of mystery involved because not much is written about them \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Yet what we do know leaves us in awe of these beings II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What are angels? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The words for angel in both Hebrew and Greek simply\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":57754,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-angels-eat\/","url_meta":{"origin":38779,"position":3},"title":"How can angels eat?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Brother in Christ, Can you please explain Genesis 18:8 where it says Abraham offered them a calf, curds, and milk and they ate. Thanks. Answer: Before Abraham meets the three strangers, we were told that the Lord appeared to Abraham (Genesis 18:1). As the story progresses, one of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":26916,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-do-angels-look-like\/","url_meta":{"origin":38779,"position":4},"title":"What do angels look like?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 26, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Thank you so much for putting the\u00a0pictures online.\u00a0 I am trying to prepare for a Bible class as a substitute without resources.\u00a0 Many of these pictures are exactly what I need to present the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord to second and third graders; but I have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/top_16-300x203.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3311,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-cherubim-angels\/","url_meta":{"origin":38779,"position":5},"title":"Are cherubim angels?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 17, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Are cherubim angels? Answer: Though traditionally counted among the angels, the Bible does not call cherubim or seraphim angels. The word \"angel\" means \"messenger.\" Seraphim means \"fiery ones\" and cherubim means \"ones who hold fast.\" All are spiritual beings, but since they appear to serve different roles, it would\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38779"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38779\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}