<p>13:13 <em>Let us therefore go to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach</em>- We recall Simon carrying the Lord's cross in the sad procession which went outside the camp of Jerusalem to Golgotha; and he becomes a type of us. See on Mt. 27:32; Jn. 8:56.</p><p>When Heb. 13:13 speaks of <em>us</em> going forth outside the camp, perhaps there is a reference to Joshua who dwelt with Moses outside the camp- thus making Joshua symbolic of us all.<br />We are to go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach, his &lsquo;having it cast in the teeth&rsquo; (Gk.; Heb. 13:13). <em>We</em> may boldly say that we will <em>not</em> be fearful, as Joshua was, because God has addressed to <em>us</em> the very words which He did to Joshua: &ldquo;I will never leave thee nor forsake thee&rdquo; (Heb. 13:5,6). In this especially, Joshua is our example.</p><p>The call to even now go to Him outside the camp speaks as if He is still there, outside the city gates, and we shoulder our crosses and His reproach as He walked the Via Dolorosa, and go out to be crucified next to Him, as we endure being fools for Christ&rsquo;s sake in our worldly decisions. It's a rather strange idea, at first consideration. But His sufferings are ongoing. The cross is still there- wherever we go, and however far we fall away from Him. And the implication appears to be that the Hebrews had already returned within the camp of the temple system, and were being asked to come out from it, to Golgotha.</p><p>&quot;Without the camp&quot; is full of Old Testament allusion. The cross convicts of sin, for we are impelled by it to follow Christ in going forth &ldquo;without the camp&quot;, following the path of the leper who had to go forth without the camp (Lev. 13:46).</p><p>We&rsquo;d sooner skip over the words of Deuteronomy 23:12-13 than analyze them closely: &ldquo;Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: and thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith&rdquo;. Yet there can be no doubt that this is one of the source passages for the words of Hebrews 13:13: &ldquo;Let us go forth therefore unto him (Jesus) without the camp, bearing his reproach&rdquo;. When the Israelite soldier had a call of nature, he went forth &ldquo;without the camp&rdquo;, doubtless with a sense of sheepishness as he carried his spear-cum-spade with him. Everyone knew what he was doing. This commonplace incident is picked up by the Spirit and made relevant to the Jewish Christians going forth from the camp of Israel, carrying with them the obvious reproach of the cross of Christ.&nbsp;</p>