1: Intro to Hebrews (Jesus is Better) - SRI Devotion

As a young community college student living at home I remember coming home to find our TV Cable box laying on the ground instead of on the shelf by the TV. The VCR was missing, but it had been needing repair - had Dad taken it - on a Sunday - to have it looked at?

I went into my bedroom and saw that my close drawers were open - and there were some valuables missing - like the watch I had inherited from my Grandfather who had passed away a couple of years before.

I still wasn’t sure exactly what had happened, so I started walking through the house and my fears were realized - drapes blowing in the wind - a window open. I walked into my parents bedroom and discovered the back door open and my mother’s jewelry cabinet - open and a bunch of it missing.

While the items themselves were valuable, they were more valuable to us because of WHO THEY CAME FROM - a watch from my Grandfather - Jewelry my Dad had given to my precious Momma.

While that robbery rocked us for a little while, we soon realized that taking away those valuable items didn’t take away what they really pointed to - my family’s love for one another - something that could never be stolen.

Regardless of the beauty or the memories of the stolen items, they were only a reminder of the relationships that most mattered.

So too, the Hebrew people had long appreciated the images God had given that pointed to His love for them and their relationship to Him.

The Temple was one of those images, a physical reminder of God’s Presence and purity, but it wasn’t where God really lived. How could it be? King Solomon got it right long ago when he built the 1st Temple:

2 Chronicles 6:18 (NLT)

But will God really live on earth among people? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain You. How much less this Temple I have built!

The Temple was the physical image that the One True God was in their midst.

Then there were the Priests - mediators between God and His people, speaking to/for God on their behalf, and offering sacrifices of thankfulness and sacrifices for sin on behalf of the people. But priests were people too, men who sinned and men who died. As such, no priest served forever and all priests were replaced over the course of many generations.

Then the were the Sacrifices for sin, continual reminders that while God wanted to cover and forgive sin, the need for ongoing sacrifices proved the blood of animals was never enough to pay the price for their sin once and for all.

Now, imagine being a good Hebrew who has been brought up with the mystery and purity of the Temple, the recognition of rituals and priests, and the imagery of animals being sacrificed.

Now imagine hearing the Hebrew disciples of Jesus say that those religious icons - the Temple, priests, and sacrifices - were only SHADOWS that had long pointed to and now been FULFILLED by the SAVIOR - Jesus.

If we weren’t convinced by their claims, we would feel like these men were trying to strip away our long-held traditions, rituals, & images - precious practices that had become so dear to us. And that would likely make us fightin’ mad!

Are there we find the struggle that the disciples of Jesus faced - longing to show their own people that all those things - the Temple, priests, and sacrifices - were just SYMBOLS that pointed to Jesus.

They were claiming what this writing we call HEBREWS is claiming - that...

Jesus is Better

Jesus is better than the beautiful Temple that stood in Jerusalem and represented the Presence of God. Jesus IS God - the Presence of God with skin who stood in their midst!

Jesus is better than the thousands of human priests who had served faithfully in the past.

They were sinners who needed a Savior. He IS that Savior!

They were temporary mediators between God and people, but Jesus IS the permanent mediator, the bridge between God and people.

And Jesus is better than the thousands of sacrificial animals that had been slaughtered for the sins of the Hebrew people. Thousands slaughtered year after year, again and again versus Jesus - one sacrifice for all people for all of time!

And there’s much, much more that we will discover as we study through the writing we call “Hebrews”.

This study is a vast undertaking because, although Hebrews is a New Covenant writing, it continually points to the Old Covenant (Testament) writings.

(* the Latin Vulgate translates “Covenant” as testamentum hence our English term “Testament” * Easton’s Bible Dictionary)

Hebrews builds the bridge to show how Jesus is the New Covenant fulfillment of the Old Covenant images, as they were really pointing to Him.

That’s why Hebrews quotes from the Old Testament far more often than any other writing in the New Testament.

DATE & AUTHOR

Let’s start with the Date.

Hebrews seems to be written before A.D. 70, as the author often uses imagery of the priests working in the Temple. If this is written after A.D. 70 - when the Temple was totally destroyed - then why doesn’t the writer mention it or use this historical marker to demonstrate that God is done with the Temple, priests, and sacrifices? The answer seems to be because it was penned before the Temple’s destruction in A.D. 70.

Who is the author of Hebrews? No one knows, although early church fathers through contemporary scholars guess at some of these names: Paul, Barnabas, Apollos, Luke, & Clement.

Someone might say, “My Bible says this is written by Paul”. Although the KJV cites Paul as the author, there is no name attached to the Greek text in the early manuscripts and no clear conclusion on who wrote it. This information was added later.

Further, if Paul wrote this, why is it so different than the rest of his writings? For example, Paul ALWAYS begins with his name as the 1st word in his letters.Here are some examples:

1 Corinthians 1:1a (CSB) Paul, called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will...

Philippians 1:1a (CSB) Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus...

Ephesians 1:1a (CSB) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will...

Colossians 1:1a (CSB) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will...

Yet, in this writing we call Hebrews, Paul’s name is never mentioned.

The Human Author is unknown.

I appreciate what John MacArthur says about that:

Hebrews: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Authorship

As to the exact human authorship, I stand with one of the great teachers of the early church by the name of Origen, who said simply, “No one knows.” How fitting, since the book’s purpose is to exalt Christ.

In other words, the purpose of this writing we call Hebrews has nothing to do with WHO wrote it, but has everything to do with WHO it was written about, that...

Jesus is Better than everything and everyone that came before Him.

AUDIENCE

Like all the other New Testament writings, this one didn’t come with the Title attached. So it wasn’t originally called “Hebrews”. As in other writings, we get that title based on the audience it was written to.

The letter to the Philippians was later called “Philippians”.

The letter to the Colossians was later called “Colossians”.

The letter we are about to study - “Hebrews” - doesn’t name a particular audience who lived in one city, but it is obviously written to a Hebrew (aka Jewish) audience.

The term “Jews” came from Hebrews who lived in Judah. If I use Hebrews and Jews interchangeably, you’ll know I’m speaking of the same group of people.

Most scholars believe this letter was written to Hebrew Christians due to the heavy use of Old Testament quotations and terms that they would appreciate while a Gentile audience might not (e.g. tabernacle, priesthood, sacrificial system, and many Hebrew heroes).

Some say it is written to Jewish Christians around Rome

while others think it might be written to persecuted Jewish Christians in Israel.

Some scholars say this letter was tailored to Hebrew priests in Israel - which, according to Josephus (1st century Jewish historian) could have numbered around 20,000 men.*

*David L. Allen, Hebrews, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2010), 66.

Out of those, Dr. Joachim Jeremias writes that there were 7,200 priests who were assigned to work in the Jerusalem temple.*

*Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, 198–207.

It is intriguing to note what Acts 6:7 says :

Acts 6:7 (NLT) So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

The title “To the Hebrews” was first attached to this letter in the late 2nd century - pointing the reader to the original audience. * David L. Allen, Hebrews, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2010), 62.

Pulling this all together:

Hebrews is a sermon written to persecuted Hebrew Christians in danger of turning back to the Old Covenant - penned by an author unknown to us, but known to them.

THEMES

The ultimate theme of this writing is made clear by the title of this series - JESUS IS BETTER. So today, let’s take a brief look inside this incredible writing and dig into chapter 1 next week.

Jesus is a Better Priest & Better Sacrifice. This claim was very difficult for Jewish people to trust since the Temple was still standing and the priestly sacrifices were still occurring (until the destruction of the temple in AD 70). If the disciples of Jesus were correct, then the SUBSTITUTE priests & sacrifices were now unnecessary since Jesus - the Perfect Priest and Perfect Sacrifice - now fulfilled those roles for all time.

Jesus is a Better Future Hope (Heb 11) beyond the current persecution they were facing. Running the race would be difficult, but just think of WHO is awaiting us at the finish line!

Here’s what this writing has to say about Jesus being the BETTER Priest and Sacrifice:

Hebrews 10:1 (NLT)

The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.

Hebrews 10:2-4 (NLT)

If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

This is a REAL PROBLEM. If it is impossible for the blood of animals to take away sins, then our sin is still held to our account.

Further, since the Temple is now destroyed and there are NO SACRIFICES being offered today, how could sin be atoned for?

This is a question I asked a Jewish lady. Her response was typical “prayer and fasting”. I asked her to point me to where the TaNaKh (Hebrew writings we call the “Old Testament”) said that. She couldn’t. So I shared with her, “Then you are STILL in your SIN! You have no payment left for your sin…unless Jesus IS your payment for all time!”

Hebrews 10:10–11 (NLT)

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins.

The same sacrifices over and over again showed that

God could forgive sin,

it would cost the physical life of a substitute (animals),

but this was not yet a full or final payment.

If you’ve ever been paying on a long loan, there are those times when you think, “Is this EVER going to be over? How much more until this debt is paid for?”

I can’t help but think how many Jewish people thought the same thing, “How many more sacrifices? I guess I’ll be offering bloody sacrifices for the rest of my life!”

The priests continued to offer sacrifices for others, but they have to offer sacrifices for themselves as well (Hebrews 5:3).

But not so with Jesus, because Jesus is better.

Hebrews 10:12-14 (NLT)

But our High Priest offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There He waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering He forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

Have you ever received the title to your vehicle or house? After paying for years, it finally says, “Paid in full!” That’s a wonderful day, but it’s also a day one could take pride in their consistent payment. And that’s where the illustration breaks down.

You see, Jesus paid a debt you could NEVER repay. Same for me.

When my wife’s battle with cancer began, we had no insurance to cover her medical needs (we do now). God SO BLESSED US through individuals who gave!

TMH also was so kind.

Over the course of Tonya’s chemo and radiation treatments we would receive multiple bills like this from TMH.

And this particular letter is one of many that also said this:

“The balance on the account listed above has been adjusted and you are no longer responsible for repayment.”

Several hundred thousand dollars of chemo and radiation treatments that we could have never repaid that in a timely manner were PAID IN FULL!

So too, you and I have a debt that we can never repay, but a debt that has been paid in full! And those who recognize that Jesus is Better and respond to His call to follow Him, I have GOOD NEWS for you!

“You are no longer responsible for repayment.”

Sadly, many Hebrews, rather than trust that Jesus was Better, continued to chase the SHADOWS and settle for SUBSTITUTES rather than TRUST the ONE all those priests & sacrifices pointed to - the Lord Jesus.

Running after shadows. Imagine several of us were walking down the beach together as the shadows were cast long. We heard my wife’s voice behind us. As her shadow began to be cast just beyond our feet it was obvious to you that she was getting closer. Finally, you could see the majority of her shadow beyond us and suddenly I take off after her shadow. You watch me attempting to hug and tickle her. What would you think? Jackie is either being silly - which I never am - OR “Jackie has lost it!”

The shadow was the real deal, it just let us know the real deal - my beautiful bride - was near!

Many Hebrews did the same thing, chasing shadows rather than the real deal. Satisfied with SUBSTITUTES.

I’m glad WE never do that! (sarcasm)

Of course we do.

Jesus offers a real relationship with Him and others, relationships based on purity and truth. Many of us are satisfied with SUBSTITUTES - relationships full of impurity and lies.

Jesus offers eternal purpose and eternal rewards, while we chase the SHADOWS of earthly popularity and earthly possessions.

Jesus offers Himself as the payment for your sin when we humble ourselves , while we settle for the SUBSTITUTE of good works and take pride in ourselves.

Are you chasing shadows/settling for substitutes? OR…will you humble yourself and recognize that...

JESUS IS BETTER.

If you want to talk further about this please reach out to another Christian who lives their faith out well.

You are welcome to contact me at 850-673-1582

PRAY