Bible Overview: Hebrews
Notes
Transcript
Hebrews is in my top 5 favorite books of the Bible along with Genesis, Psalms, and John. It ties together so many themes from both testaments in a beautiful and compelling way.
Author: Unknown
Author: Unknown
Paul?
Paul always begins his letters with his name, so that makes it seem unlikely he’s the author; the language, style, and theme seem different as well from Paul’s letters.
Barnabas, Apollos, Luke?
Any one of these men or perhaps someone else who knew the apostles may have written it. The author and the audience knew Timothy, but we have little other information about the author other than that.
23 Be aware that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.
Apollos: most likely candidate? I came to this conclusion before ever reading about different theories. Ultimately whether he wrote it or someone else did, it is clearly inspired Scripture consistent with the teaching of the Apostles.
23 After Paul had spent some time in Antioch, he traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures.
25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in spirit. He spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him in and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
27 When Apollos resolved to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.
28 For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
The author was almost certainly Jewish, and the audience likely was primarily Jewish as well. Yet the author was also very skilled and eloquent in his use of the Greek as well, as his grammar and vocabulary show.
The author was probably converted / discipled by the apostles
3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
Origen, a third century Church father said,
“Who wrote the epistle, in truth, God knows.”
Audience: Unknown
Audience: Unknown
Because of the vast amount of OT references in the book, it seems very likely that the audience written to was mostly Jewish, or at least very familiar with the OT books, especially the Law (Torah) of Moses.
The references to Abraham, Moses, David, Joshua, Melchizedek, and many others presupposes a thorough knowledge of the OT.
The original recipients apparently were suffering ongoing persecution, which may have been part of the occasion of the letter.
32 Remember the early days that you were in the light. In those days, you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering.
33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated.
34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.
This may indicate that these were believers in Rome or some other place that experienced severe persecution of Christians from the Romans or even from the Jewish people. These believers were being tempted to abandon their profession of faith in Christ and go back to the Jewish faith because of the persecution, so the author warns them against this and encourages them to persevere.
Date: before A.D. 70
Date: before A.D. 70
What happened in A.D. 70?
4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer gifts according to the law.
5 The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
“There are already priests who offer gifts” (v. 4) and “The place where they serve” (v. 5) both in present tense indicate the current sacrificial system is still in place. This was not the case after the Temple’s destruction in A.D. 70.
Purpose: To exhort believers to remain faithful to Jesus Christ because He is superior.
Themes and Key Passages
Themes and Key Passages
Jesus is Superior
He is the superior Word of God
1 On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets.
2 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.
He is superior to angels
4 So He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs.
5 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”?
He is superior to Moses
3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.
4 And every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
5 Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be spoken later.
6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
He is superior to the Mosaic Law
2 For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every transgression and disobedience received its just punishment,
3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
He is superior to the Promised Land
6 Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience,
7 God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
10 For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.
He is superior to the Old Covenant
22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
6 Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been without fault, no place would have been sought for a second.
8 But God found fault with the people and said: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
He is superior to the priests
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
23 Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.
24 But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood.
25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
26 Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
27 Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself.
28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
He is superior to the tabernacle / temple
Hebrews
He is superior to the sacrificial system
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation.
12 He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
Perseverance in Faith
1 We must pay closer attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.
6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.
11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
12 Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
35 So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
36 You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Time will fail me …
Hebrews 11:32 (BSB)
32 And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of …
22 I urge you, brothers, to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have only written to you briefly.
Application
Believers must persevere in faith and obedience by focusing on Jesus Christ.