What is hospitality according to the Bible? Is it just enjoying good times with friends or is it caring for people with needs? How important is it? Who is responsible to do it: individual Christians or the local church? What principles should guide our hospitality?
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Introduction:
Romans 12:13 says Christians should be “given to hospitality.”
It seems that people are generally not as hospitable as they used to be. Older people can probably remember when people had guests in their homes far more frequently than today.
In this study we intend to examine the Bible teaching about hospitality.
What Does Hospitality Involve?
Helping with Physical Needs
Some people think hospitality means having their friends over to enjoy pleasant visits: fun and games. Biblical hospitality involves using our homes to help people with needs.
Show hospitality to strangers
Hebrews 13:2 – Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. “Entertain” today sounds like fun and games. But this word, like others, is used differently today from the Bible usage. Let the Scriptures show what it means. “Entertaining” angels refers to Abraham and Lot in Genesis 18,19.
Genesis 18:1-8 – Visitors came to Abraham’s tent. He met their needs for food, water, etc. The “men” turned out to be angels in the form of men.
Genesis 19:1-3 – Later Lot offered food and lodging for the night for two travelers (angels). Otherwise they would have had to spend the night in the streets.
The stories of Abraham and Lot teach us to view people as representatives of God, so we treat them as we would treat Jesus (as in Matthew 25).
Travel in that society was difficult. Inns were rare. If a stranger passed your house at evening or mealtime and you did not offer food or lodging, he may need to sleep in the street or go hungry (compare Job 31:32). So using one’s home to offer food or lodging, especially for someone not known well, was meeting a need. (Compare Job 31:32; Genesis 24:15-23; Judges 19:13-21.)
Other passages
Matthew 25:35 – Jesus describes good deeds we must do to be accepted at judgment. The list includes taking in strangers (hospitality).
1 Timothy 5:10 – A widow indeed should have lodged strangers and washed the saints’ feet, along with meeting other needs.
Luke 14:12-14 – When you give a feast, do not ask friends, brothers, relatives, or rich neighbors, lest they invite you back and repay you. But invite the poor, maimed, lame, or blind who cannot repay you; you shall be blessed and repaid at the resurrection.
This is a “not … but” expression. It does not forbid inviting friends for a good time. It means God does not reward this as a good deed. He rewards hospitality that helps meet needs.
Applications today
Bible hospitality is not having friends over for a good time. Hospitality is not for pleasure but to help people with needs: helping a stranger who has a genuine need, or using our homes to help others.
But what people need today may differ from other ages and societies. Some folks may need a meal or a place to stay a while. Taking widows or orphans into our home would be using our homes to help the needy.
Helping Preachers
Sometimes God’s servants must leave home to preach or even to flee from persecution. Hospitable people can show a real service by providing for the needs of such.
1 Kings 17:8-16 – The widow of Zarephath provided lodging for Elijah.
2 Kings 4:8-10 – The Shunnamite woman provided a place for Elisha.
Luke 10:5-8 – In the limited commission, Jesus told the apostles to stay in the homes of people they taught. So today visiting preachers may need meals, a place to stay, or transportation.
Acts 9:43; 10:6,32 – Peter lodged in the house of Simon the Tanner.
Acts 16:15 – Lydia urged Paul and Silas to lodge at her house.
3 John 5-8 – Gaius cared for traveling preachers “setting them forth” as they traveled for Jesus’ sake. If we help such, we become fellow-workers for the truth. By encouraging preachers, we help them accomplish their work, and God gives us a blessing too.
Many, who cannot preach publicly, can still share in the work of preaching. And doing so is usually spiritually informative and uplifting.
In many of these cases, traveling preachers stayed in people’s homes! Today, as more women are not at home, it becomes harder to get volunteers. Sometimes a preacher is sent to a motel to stay. If the reason is that no one is willing to keep the preacher, where is our hospitality?
(Galatians 6:6; 2 Timothy 1:16; Titus 3:13)
Hospitality as an Aid to Teaching
Hospitality and teaching often go hand-in-hand.
Luke 5:27-32 – Levi (Matthew) made a feast and invited Jesus. As a former publican, he invited other publicans. Jesus said He attended to have an opportunity to call people to repentance. Matthew’s hospitality gave his friends an opportunity to be taught. (Luke 19:7-10)
Acts 10:24,33 – Cornelius used his house as a meeting place for a Bible study. He called Peter to come and teach, then he called his friends and relatives to hear the message. One of the best circumstances to conduct a religious discussion with someone is in your home.
People who teach diligently will find many opportunities to use their homes in their teaching.
Greeting visitors at assemblies
James 2:1-9 – Jesus cares about how we treat people who attend our assemblies. Hospitality to strangers surely includes being friendly and welcoming visitors. Visiting with them may reveal some need they have that we can meet in a more personal way.
Remember, hospitality does not mean just visiting with a few members we know well and feel close to. It means getting to know strangers and newcomers.
Learning to greet visitors may feel uncomfortable for a while, but anything worthwhile takes effort to learn. Let us make a point that no visitor or new member will be ignored before or after a congregational meeting.
Friendliness of itself will not save souls. Only Jesus’ blood saves souls. But practicing hospitality may lead to opportunities to help people be saved. Let us show a personal interest and encourage visitors to return.
Individual vs. Local Church Responsibility
Hospitality for People in General Is an Individual Responsibility.
Teaching regarding hospitality is primarily addressed to individuals.
Every example we have studied involved individual activity: Abraham, Lot, the widow indeed, individuals at judgment (Matthew 25), the widow of Zarephath, the Shunnamite woman, people caring for the apostles in the limited commission, Simon the Tanner, Lydia, Gaius.
1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:7,8 – Elders must be hospitable, but this refers to the individual qualities of each man (“a bishop must be”). He must also be “the husband of one wife” and “rule his own house well, having his children in subjection.” These are individual acts.
1 Peter 4:9 – Be hospitable to “one another” without grumbling. Verse 10 shows “one another” refers to “each one” ministering his God-given gifts as a good steward.
Romans 12:13 – “Given to hospitality” – The context shows Paul is describing individual characteristics: “present your bodies” (verse 1), “your mind” (verse 2), “everyone … each one” (verse 3), “he who” (5 times – verses 7,8), “your mind … your own opinion” (verse 16).
Hospitality involves giving things that individuals may provide for people in general.
Genesis 18:1-8 – Abraham provided food and a place to prepare and eat the food.
Genesis 19:2,3; Matthew 25:35,36; 1 Timothy 5:9,10 – Many examples involved providing lodging.
Genesis 18:4; 19:2; 1 Timothy 5:9,10 – Hospitality in Bible times often involved washing people’s feet. Is foot washing an authorized church work?
Scriptural hospitality involves providing food, lodging, and other needs for people in general. Individuals should provide these, but we will see that the local church does not provide them for people in general, not even for members in general.
The Church’s Role in Hospitality Is Limited.
The role of the local church in caring for physical needs is limited.
Remember, hospitality is about meeting needs.
The church provides for needy members who have no relatives to care for them.
Every verse about church benevolence shows the church should care for members.
Acts 2:44,45 – “all that believed”
Acts 4:32-5:11 – “them that believed” (4:32)
Acts 6:1-6 – “number of the disciples (verse 1)
Acts 11:27-30 – “unto the brethren” (verse 29)
Romans 15:25-27 – “unto the saints…saints”
1 Corinthians 16:1-4 – “for the saints”
2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1,12 – “to the saints”
1 Timothy 5:16 – “widows indeed” (who trust in God and pray daily – verses 5,9,10).
Note that the church does not even care for members who have relatives to care for them.
The church provides for support of preachers.
Philippians 4:14-18 – Churches supported material needs of preachers. This might include providing meals, lodging, or other physical needs. (2 Corinthians 11:8,9)
So the local church has a role in arranging hospitality to care for the needs of preachers or certain needy members. But no passage authorizes the church to provide for physical needs of people in general, not even members in general. The church’s role in such matters is very limited.
The local church limits physical works to focus on its spiritual responsibilities.
John 18:36 – Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world. The kingdom’s work fits its spiritual nature.
1 Peter 2:5,9 – We are a spiritual house. So we offer spiritual sacrifices. The work we do is spiritual, because the nature of the church is spiritual.
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 – Paul rebuked Corinth for losing the spiritual focus of the Lord’s Supper. He taught that physical activities should be done as individuals, not as the local church.
Today many local churches practice unauthorized works that emphasize satisfying physical, fleshly desires instead of the spiritual work God authorized.
Church-arranged hospitality programs become a backdoor way to involve the church in unauthorized activities.
Scripture allows Individuals to participate in social activities, entertainment, or recreation, but the church has no authority to coordinate or arrange such for people in general. But regardless of intent, some misuse hospitality to justify local church involvement in such activities.
First, they say hospitality involves social activities, entertainment, and recreation: fun and games. Then they say the church is authorized to coordinate hospitality. So, they establish programs for the church to coordinate “hospitality” for members (or people) in general – including social activities, entertainment, and recreation. Presto! The church is involved in social activities, entertainment, recreation, etc.
But we have learned that Biblical hospitality emphasizes meeting needs. And hospitality for people in general is individual work, not church work. This confirms, rather than contradicting, the conclusion that the local church must not coordinate or arrange social activities, etc., for people in general.
Guiding Principles Regarding Hospitality
Scripture gives guidance that should be respected regarding hospitality.
Hospitality Should Be Shown without Respect of Persons.
James 2:1-4,8,9 – Some show partiality in their treatment of people who visit assemblies. Visitors of a certain class are openly welcomed. But less friendly greetings are given visitors who are poor, of another race or nationality, not well educated, etc.
Galatians 6:10 – As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. We should show preference for other Christians in meeting their needs. Otherwise we help people without partiality. Hospitality is shown on the basis of opportunity and need, not race, social status, etc.
(Luke 10:25ff; 1 Peter 4:8,9; Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:1,2)
Hospitality Should Be Practiced Willingly, Not Grudgingly.
1 Peter 4:9 – Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. Other translations say: “without grudging,” “without murmuring,” “without complaint.”
What are some reasons why people are not willing to be hospitable?
Because our house is “too nice.”
People may not say this, but some don’t invite people over because they are afraid people or kids will mess up their nice home or furniture.
Matthew 6:33 – Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Physical things should not keep us from doing what God says. If we can’t share our nice things, maybe God should take them away and give us cheaper things that we are willing to share. Sooner or later we will lose our nice things anyway. Serving God is more important.
Because “we just don’t have time.”
Some people neglect hospitality because they are too busy with social activities, working for money, or enjoying recreational and personal pleasures. They don’t have other people visit in their home because they themselves are rarely home!
1 Timothy 5 shows that the wife is the focal point of family hospitality. Women often wonder what work they should do. One work specifically listed for women to emphasize is hospitality.
But it takes time and effort to have the house and meals ready for guests. One major reason hospitality is neglected today is often that women don’t spend enough time at home to do it!
Some activities are not inherently sinful, but we do them just because we choose to. But hospitality is a command of God. Is it right to pursue other activities we simply choose to do to such an extent that we don’t have time to obey a command from God?
Because we think “Let Sis. so-and-so do it.”
In many congregations members seem to expect other people to take care of the hospitality. They want it to be done, but they won’t do it themselves. Some have just committed themselves to other activities, so they say, “I’m not available.” They think they are excused and someone else should do it.
Often there are 2 or 3 women who do far more than their share, and other women just take this for granted. But remember hospitality is a command of God just as surely as Bible study, giving, teaching, and prayer. Different people may have different abilities and opportunities, but all Christians should learn to be faithful willingly and diligently.
Conclusion
Every congregation needs members who are diligent in hospitality. All of us can improve. Brothers and sisters, let us be “given to hospitality.”
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 1974, 1991, 2009, 2026,; gospelway.com
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