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Hebrews Chapter 1
Hebrews Chapter 1
Argument to Pauline Authorship:
Argument to Pauline Authorship:
It is what the early church believed for over 1500 years. Why buck it when there were people who had a close hand relationship with Paul, and the tradition held that it is his writings.
The argument against Paul many times involves Clement of Rome, by the date it was written does not line up with that, and it is very unlikely that Clement would have written it without signing it, and it is hard to imagine there would not have been some sort of evidence in Rome that he wrote it.
Even Pantaenus, who was the head of the Alexandrian school of catechetes, place Paul as the writer. He stated that Paul wrote this in Hebrew, and did not sign his name because he was generally known as the Apostle to the Gentiles. While Peter was known as the Apostle to the Hebrews. Paul was hated by many Jews, so having his name on it would not bear fruit. It would be like Adam Hamilton writing theology to those of us who are conservative in the Wesleyan tradition.
Also the oldest test of Hebrews is found in Papyrus 46 which holds it chronologically right after Romans, which then strongly points to Paul as the author.
The only real “ church father” who placed authorship with someone else was Origen and he got more wrong then he did right.
Schedule for the class:
Schedule for the class:
Week 1: Intro Chapter 1-
Week 2: Chapters 2-4
Week 3 Chapters 5-6
Week 4 Chapters 7-8
Week 5 Chapter 9-10
Week 6 Chapters 11
Week 7 Chapters 12-13
Major themes in Hebrews.
Major themes in Hebrews.
Christology:
The Doctrine of the Trinity:
Jesus is the Messiah:
The Works of Salvation:
Humanities Relationship with God:
The book was originally written in Hebrew, and then translated to Greek.
One of the really interesting things about the book of Hebrews, and one of the reasons that there has been a push to say that Paul is not the Author is the fact that it doesn't have an introduction.
Hebrews 1:1 (NIV)
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
I think that two things are really important in the way this sentence is laid out. The adverb for at many times is polumeros, The adverb for in various ways is polutropos, What is interesting is they basically mean the same thing. So I think it is interesting that Paul is saying, that the mode by which God communicated with people, and the people God used are basically the same. There was nothing really special about them, and they all lead up to Jesus, being the final word.
The next thing is the idea of successive acts, another way of translating Polomeros is a systematic succession of acts. None of what God did, with the prophets was an accident, or even a reaction to human sin. This I think builds a strong Christology throughout all of scripture, and really gives a light to the historical argument about the incarnation.
Hebrews 1:2–4 (NIV)
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
Talk through the story of Moses and the radiance of God that he saw when God passed him by.
And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.
When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.
But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them.
Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.
When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.
But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded,
A couple things here. The first one is that really has a strong connection back to John chapter 1. Int the beginning was the word. This is where we get the foundation for the doctrine of the Trinity:
If you remember from the Satan sermon both Jesus and Satan are called the morning star. Satan is called that in Isaiah 14:12.
Satan called the mornings star:
Isaiah 14:12 NIV
How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
Jesus called the Bright Morning Star
Revelation 22:6 NIV
The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
We are going to get a lot of conversation around how Jesus is greater than the Angels as the 1/3 of the Trinity. But that as a human He is a little lower than the angles. We will also see His dual nation. Fully Human, fully God.
After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Was Jesus incarnated as a response to sin, and the need for redemption?
Or was it God’s ultimate act of love, which allows us to experience God more fully than anyone in history ever had?
I think that the later is true, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we have more access to God, than the prophets did, even someone like Moses.
So I don’t think this is just splitting hair, for the sake of academic study. Here is why. In verse 3 it shows the actions of Jesus, and God’s plan for humanity.
Jesus is the Son of God:
He provides ultimate access to God, and as a part of that access He takes away our sins.
Not only does He take away our sins, but provides for a way, by which we are made pure. I think this is a really important theological truth, through the history of humanity, any prior purification of sins was temporal, through Jesus it is permanent.
Here is what i think needs to be explored more, It is not through an action that we have eternal, or perpetual purification, it is through revelation brought about by the Son of the Father. Because the Son, is not just a measure of the glory of the father, but the full radiance of that glory.
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?
And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.”
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Paul quoting Psalms 2: 27.
Then He begins a series of arguments proving Jesus’ superiority over angels.
Angels are spiritual beings created by God and are under his authority
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
They help carry out God’s work on earth by bringing God’s messages to people Talk through what Angles are.
Other popular Jewish teachings during New Testament times said that angels brought people’s requests to God and interceded for them. Because of all these beliefs about angels, the Jews honored them highly.
However, Hebrews emphasizes that Christ and his work far surpass angels and their work. Jesus created the world, sustains the world, reveals God’s glory, makes God known, and provides the perfect sacrifice for sins. No angel can accomplish any of these things.
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.
You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.”
To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Its this beautiful explanation, and defense about Jesus being the Son of God.
The idea of Angels worshiping God’s first born builds off of the Hymn of moses found in Deuteronomy 32-43.
Verse 7.
He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.
Verses 8-9 have some of the richest Messianic themes.
Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.
Building off of the David promise of eternal kingship. This once again utilizes Psalms 45: 6-7. But one of the really interesting historic facts about this psalm is that it would be sung during at the wedding ceremony of a king.
This is a beautiful connection to the Church being the Bride of Christ. Which is found in Ephesians 5: 25-27 which I think strengthens the argument that Paul wrote Hebrews.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
verses 10-12
Are a quote from Psalm102.
In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.
But you remain the same, and your years will never end.
Just a couple things that are interesting about that.
There is no authorship attributed to Psalm 102 it leaves some interesting questions especially with Paul quoting this as it pertains to Jesus.
Is this a Messianic Prophetic psalm in the light of the Trinitarian statement found in Genesis 1?
Does this connect Jesus 1 with John 1?.
With the strong Christology found in the entire book of Hebrews I am very inclined to think this is a reality.
Verse 13
The power behind this image is so important. Let look at the idea of sitting instead of standing.
Paul gives us this vision of God’s holy presence, or a glimpse into Heaven.
Angles are brought before God, and stand in His presence.
The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.
All of this to say, that there is this image of being lower than God, and standing in His presence.
But Jesus is Seated at the right hand of the father.
Jesus makes this statement about himself during His crucifixion trial in Luke 22: 69
But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”
With this statement in verse 13 being a direct quote from Psalm 110 which is most certainly a Messianic Psalm the image is just powerful.
Verse 14
Angels care for creation
Jesus saves creation
For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,
I cannot imagine how hard it must have been for the average Jewish person one Jesus came on the scene. Everything they knew had been turned upside down. No longer did they need to do sacrifices, their acceptance by God was no longer connected to the Law, and how good they were. It had to be stunning to believe in Jesus.
the connection to the Angels giving Moses the law, and Jesus giving salvation is really interesting as well.
how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
Hebrews (2) Exhortation (2:1–4)
we shall in no way escape.”125 The word ameleō (“ignore”), which can also be translated “neglect,” occurs again in Heb 8:9 as part of a quotation of Jer 31:31–34: “because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.” Jesus used the term in a parable describing those who “paid no attention” to the invitation to the marriage supper (Matt 22:5).
This is such an active statement, and I cannot for the life of me understand how a Calvinist could argue against this. The idea of salvation being active debunks predestination completely.
God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
The meaning is “to bear witness at the same time together with,” and in this context it means that God joins the witness of the early preachers to confirm the truth of their witness by performing attendant miracles concomitant with their preaching of the gospel. Four words are used to describe God’s joint witness. Sēmeiois (“signs”) indicates a miracle but with the focus not on the miracle but on the meaning of the miracle. Terasin (“wonders”) indicates a miracle that cannot be explained by natural means and that generates astonishment. These first two nouns are joined by te kai (“both … and”), which serves to join the two words more closely and probably indicates that both words refer to the same kind of miracles. Semeia kai terata became a stock phrase for the exodus, which served to identify God’s working among his people with miracles. The combination is found in the Synoptic Gospels, John, Paul, and most frequently in Acts (eight times in chaps. 1–15). Dunamēsin (“miracles”) indicates a mighty deed, an act of power. Here the focus is that miracles are a demonstration of God’s power
It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking.
But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him?
You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor
and put everything under their feet.”, In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.
But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Paul quotes Psalms 8: 4-6
what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:
and Matthew 22:44
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’
Chapter 5
Hebrews 5:1–3 (NIV)
Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.
I think it is interesting here. it seems like a more accurate translation is “those who go astray through their ignorance.” I think there is an interesting connection here between intentional sinful lifestyle, and making a mistake.
I think there is an interesting connection between “ordinary everyday sins and the intentional life of sin.”Hebrews 5: 4-6
This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.
There are two things that are evident from this passage, two qualifications to being a high priest.
The priest has to understand sin, and sympathize with the people. This does not mean the priest has to sin. But the priest has to have the ability to feel the great distress the sins of the community, or the sins of the person bring upon them.
This is really important- the phrase “to deal gently” could be translated as “curb his emotions” this explains that the priest’s role was not to judge the sin, or to get upset with the person because of their sin. It was not a teaching role, it was a role of atonement; regardless of their feelings the priest was to intercede for the person with God!
The office of the priest is appointed by God! Human nature may cause us to seek out something. But being a High Priest is a sacrificial calling, that only God has the right to appoint. However God uses people to do that!
Hebrews Theological Implications
” The language of the verse is “deliberately general and comprehensive.”68 In the Greek text, the prepositional phrase “from among men,” signifying source, is emphatic by word order since it occurs prior to the present passive participle “is selected.” This participle may be construed as descriptive of the high priest;69 as indicating a reason for appointing the high priest in the sense “every high priest, since he is chosen from among men, is appointed;70 or as parallel with the following verb “appointed.”71 The high priest is “appointed,” present passive, on behalf of men, rendered by the NIV as “appointed to represent them.” The two uses of the passive voice are important here, pointing out that no man may appoint himself to this position, but the decision and action are God’s alone.
I also think its really important to understand the role of the High Priest. His entire role was to stand in the gap, and offer sacrifices for sins. He was not a Rabbi, or teacher like most of the Sadducees.
Hebrews 5:4–6 (NIV)
And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.
Hebrews Theological Implications
The priesthood is a divine vocation, not merely a human institution. The office of high priest began with Aaron himself being appointed by God (Exodus 28 and Leviticus 8). Even those like Samuel (1 Sam 7:3–17) who were not of Aaronic descent served in the high priestly capacity by direct call from God. Historically, one can see the violation of this principle prior to and during the Hasmonean period, under Herod the Great in the later part of the first century BC, under Roman governors as well as members of the Herodian family up to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70.99 However, Jesus himself, especially in John’s Gospel, constantly makes reference to the Father “who sent him
In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest.
Hebrews Theological Implications
Verse 5 begins the second section of the overall paragraph with houtōs, translated “so” by the NIV, but with the meaning “thus” or “in this way.”101 This conjunction has been interpreted in at least three ways: (1) as indicating the conclusion of the superiority of Christ’s priesthood;102 (2) as introducing the comparison of Christ to Aaron in 5:4;103 and (3) as semantically connecting the section of the epistle up to this point, which focused upon Christ’s sonship with the section that will follow in chap. 7–10 emphasizing Christ’s priesthood
Its also really important to not that Paul uses the title Christ here (which means the anointed one), instead of the name Jesus.
But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”
And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.
The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 5:7–14 (NIV)
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
This is a great example of Jesus’ humanity.
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered
it is really interesting that Jesus had to learn how to be our priest. His humanity meant that God had to train Him. There are a couple things here that are really important.
unlike any other human His training came completely from God. His mother and father did not have the means to train Him, and if He would have been taught by some Rabbi, the Bible would have mentioned it.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Secondly in order to be able to undergo everything Jesus went through, and to hear so clearly from the Holy Spirit He had to be in a state of constant submission to God. The ultimate act of the submission was His death on the Cross.
and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him
Jesus did not start out perfect, just sinless. But he could have chose to sin. His submission to God meant He never sinned.
Hebrews Theological Implications
Several views have been expressed as to the meaning of Jesus having been “once made perfect”:158 (1) he was brought to the goal of learning and suffering through his death;159 (2) he suffered in completing the atonement on the cross;160 (3) he completed the qualifications for his high priesthood though his sufferings;161 (4) by his obedience, death, resurrection and glorification, Jesus completed the qualifications for becoming high priest;162 (5) it refers to his resurrection and glorification;163 (6) it refers to Jesus’ moral development that made it possible for him to offer a perfect sacrifice;164 (7) it means not that Jesus was “made perfect” but that he was “sanctified
The word for perfect is teleiōtheis. which can also mean complete.
the thing is that it is really tough to understand what this means. But what is completely accurate is that without this perfection Jesus could not have brought about salvation.
and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand.
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.