Hebrews 13:2 “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
In context, those who “Let brotherly love continue.” are “not forgetful to entertain strangers”; that is, to be kind and gracious and helpful to “strangers”. In Biblical times there were no fast-food establishments nor motels on every corner. Furthermore, “strangers” were usually unfamiliar with what might be available near them. But “brotherly love” (Hebrews 13:1) is always ready to help “strangers”. Many years ago, during a military tour of duty in Germany, I was traveling across the country and got lost. I pulled over and was studying my map when a man in a business suit stopped behind me, he spoke very little English, and I spoke very little German. So, I held up my map and shrugged my shoulders, he knew what that meant. We both laughed and spread the map on the hood, I spoke the German name of the place where I needed to go, and he pointed to it on the map, then pointed to where we were, and then with his finger traced the best route to travel. Still laughing about it, I was able to tell him “thank you” in German. We exchanged a friendly handshake, and I went on my way without any further trouble. To this day, I am humbled by such kindness. Everyone does not have that kind of “brotherly love”, I was once in a very large city (I’ll not name the country) and was trying to order a meal and the waitress refused to help me (I knew she could speak English). So, I ordered the best I could and suffered through what was brought out to me. The Lord’s example of the “certain Samaritan” (Luke 10:30-37) is a word picture of “brotherly love” in action and entertaining “strangers”. When we are not “forgetful to entertain strangers” with “brotherly love”, we reveal the God-given spirit within us, and we are drawn together with others who have the same spirit abiding within them. I suspect that many are first attracted to our Lord’s Church by such acts of “brotherly love”.