Hebrews Simplified

Author & Audience

The Letter is Anonymous

Though the 1st Century Audience Knew Who it was, We Don’t

For Many Centuries, People Believed it was Paul

But There are Many Reasons to Believe that Isn’t the Case

One of Which is What We Read in Hebrews 2:3

Hebrews 2:3 (NASB95)

3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,

The Author Says He and His Audience had the Gospel of Jesus…

Confirmed to Them By Those Who Heard Jesus (Apostles & Original Disciples)

But Paul Claimed to Receive the Gospel From Jesus Through Revelation

Galatians 1:11–12 (NASB95)

11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Author was a 2nd Generation Christian

The Author was a Man Because He Mentions Himself with Masculine Participles

He Knew the Recipients (Hebrews 13:19)

He and His Recipients Knew Timothy (Hebrews 13:23)

He was Likely in Italy When Writing this Letter (Hebrews 13:24)

He was Highly Familiar with Both the Hebrew Scriptures and the Greek Language

The Whole Letter Dives Deeply into the OT Scriptures

When He Quotes From the OT, He Uses the Septuagint (Greek OT)

He Uses 169 Greek Words that Occur Nowhere Else in the NT

And He Uses Another 100 Greek Words that Occur Only One Other Time in the NT

I Speculated at the Beginning of Our Hebrews Study on Wednesday Nights…

That I Believe Hebrews was Originally a Sermon that was Copied Down

And I Also Speculated that it Timothy Could have Been the Original Preacher of this Sermon

And the Author was an Anonymous Person Who Copied and Down…

And Distributed it as a Letter

Timothy Meet All of the Things We Know About the Author

But Someone Like Apollos or Barnabas Could as Well

We Ultimately Don’t Know Who the Author is

And that’s Okay

As for the Audience, We can Infer that They Were Hellenistic Jewish Christians

They, Like the Author, Were Also Second-Generation Christians

And They had Been Christians for Quite Some Time

Hebrews 5:12 (NASB)

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Purpose

The Reason this Book was Written was to:

Encourage 1st Century Hebrew Christians to Stay Faithful to Jesus

When They First Placed Their Faith in Jesus, They Were Strong in the Faith

Hebrews 10:32–35 (NASB95)

32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

But Now Their Faith is Growing Weak From All the Persecutions They’re Facing

Temptations are Attacking Them From Every Angle:

Temptation to Sin

Hardships Brought On By the Jewish Community They Left for Jesus

Persecution From Authorities

Imprisonment

Lack of Spiritual Growth Due to Laziness and/or Lack of Endurance

They Needed to Be Reminded that Jesus is Far Superior in Every Way…

To the Old Covenant System They Were Once a Part of

They have Not Walked Away From God to Join Jesus

They are Drawing Nearer to God By Joining Jesus

Only Through Jesus can They Receive All the Promised Blessings of God

Not Only Should They Stay Faithful to Jesus Because He is Superior

But Also Because the Punishment of Forsaking Jesus is Far Worse

Hebrews 10:26–31 (NASB95)

26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Purpose: Encourage the Hebrew Christians to Endure and Stay Faithful to Jesus

Key Passage

One of the Primary Arguments of the Book is the High Priesthood of Jesus

He, Like the OT High Priest, has Entered the Most Holy Place of God on Our Behalf

He Offered a Perfect Sacrifice for Our Sins

And He Remains There to this Day to Continue Interceding for Us Before God

We can have Absolute Confidence in Our Salvation From Sin and its Effects…

And the Hope of All Blessings that God has Promised to His People…

Because Jesus is Our High Priest in Heaven

This is Exactly What the Author was Saying in What I Believe is a Key Passage of this Book

Hebrews 4:14–16 (NASB95)

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We are Able to Draw Near/Approach God Almighty…

Something No One has Ever Been Able to Do…

And Expect to Receive Grace and Mercy From Him

How?

Because We have Jesus, Our Great High Priest, in Heaven

A High Priest Who Knows Exactly What it is Like to Feel Weakness and Temptation

The Thought of Approaching God is Scary

He is All Powerful

Nothing can Make Him Feel Weak Like I Often Feel

He is All Knowing

Nothing can Surprise Him, Deceive Him, or Persuade Him to Make the Wrong Choices…

Like What Often Happens to Me

He is Incapable of Being Tempted to Sin

But I’m Tormented with Temptation Everyday

Approaching Him as My Judge is Terrifying

But His Son, Jesus, is Right By His Side

And Every Weakness of Mind, Body, and Spirit…

He Knows All Too Well

And Every Temptation that Constantly Eats at Me…

He has Experienced as Well

And as I Approach God with My Troubles, My Sufferings, My Sadness, and My Sin…

I Know that My Priest, My Advocate, My Friend, My Lord, and My Brother…

Is Right There to Intercede for Me

Through His High Priestly Work and Sacrifice…

He Offers Me a New and Living Way to God

He Enables Me to Draw Near with Confidence

“Confidence” = a Use of Speech that Conceals Nothing and Passes Over Nothing, Outspokenness, Frankness, Plainness

I can Approach God and Be Completely Open and Honest

I Don’t have to Feel Afraid or that I Need to Hide the Ugly Parts of Who I Am

I can Approach God with All My Failures Open Wide…

And Know that He is Going to Show Me Grace and Mercy

That’s What You Give Up if You Give Up Your Confession of Allegiance to Jesus

If You Walk Away From Him, You Walk Away From the Grace and Mercy of God

Jesus is Our High Priest

And Because of that, We can have Confidence in Our Salvation