"OVERVIEW OF HEBREWS"
Notes
Transcript
The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept (Introducing Hebrews)
If that is how you feel, the book of Hebrews may come as a shock to you. The book of Hebrews in the New Testament is, as it were, a religious Consumer Reports magazine. The author lays out the person of Jesus Christ and what he has done, and then sets him against the Old Testament religious system that was native to most of his audience and to which some were feeling tempted to return.
Background info –
Author – Unknown (We do know that it is inspired by God)
Talk thru the Bible (Author)
Tertullian referred to Barnabas as the author of Hebrews, but it is unlikely that this resident of Jerusalem (Acts 4:36–37) would include himself as one of those who relied on others for eyewitness testimony about Jesus (2:3). Other suggestions include Luke, Clement of Rome, Apollos, Silvanus (Silas), Philip, and even Priscilla. Some of these are possibilities, but we must agree with the third-century theologian Origen who wrote: “Who it was that really wrote the Epistle, God only knows.”
Date – 64-68 AD
Talk thru the Bible (Date and Setting)
The place of writing is unknown, but a reasonable estimate of the date can be made. Hebrews was quoted in A.D. 95 by Clement of Rome, but its failure to mention the ending of the Old Testament sacrificial system with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 indicates that it was written prior to that date. Timothy was still alive (13:23), persecution was mounting, and the old Jewish system was about to be removed (12:26–27). All this suggests a date between A.D. 64 and 68.
Talk thru the Bible (Date and Setting)
Many places have been suggested for the locality of the readers, but this letter’s destination cannot be determined with any certainty. In the past, Jerusalem was most frequently suggested, but this view is hindered by four problems: (1) It is unlikely that a book addressed to Palestineans would quote exclusively from the Septuagint rather than the Hebrew Old Testament. (2) Palestinean believers were poor (Rom. 15:26), but these readers were able to financially assist other Christians (6:10). (3) Residents of Jerusalem would not be characterized by the description in chapter 2, verse 3, because some would have been eyewitnesses of the ministry of Christ. (4) “You have not yet resisted to bloodshed” (12:4) does not fit the situation in Jerusalem. The majority view today is that the recipients of Hebrews probably lived in Rome. The statement “Those from Italy greet you” seems to suggest that Italians away from Italy are sending their greetings home (13:24).
Audience – Jewish Audience (Includes believers, and unbelievers)
Talk thru the Bible (Date and Setting)
The recipients of this letter were believers (3:1) who had come to faith through the testimony of eyewitnesses of Christ (2:3). They were not novices (5:12), and they had successfully endured hardships because of their stand for the gospel (10:32–34). Unfortunately, they had become “dull of hearing” (5:11) and were in danger of drifting away (2:1; 3:12).
Theme – “The Superiority of Christ”
Talk Thru The Bible – “Many Jewish believers, having stepped out of Judaism into Christianity, want to reverse their course in order to escape persecution by their countrymen. The writer of Hebrews exhorts them to “go on to perfection” (6:1). His appeal is based on the superiority of Christ over the Judaic system. Christ is better than the angels, for they worship Him. He is better than Moses, for He created him. He is better than the Law, for He mediates a better covenant. In short, there is more to be gained in Christ than to be lost in Judaism. Pressing on in Christ produces tested faith, self-disciplined, and a visible love seen in good works.”
Talk thru the Bible (Theme and Purpose)
The basic theme of Hebrews is found in the use of the word “better” (1:4; 6:9; 7:7,19,22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16,35,40; 12:24). The words “perfect” and “heavenly” are also prominent in describing the superiority of Christ in His person and work. He offers a better revelation, position, priesthood, covenant, sacrifice, and power. The writer develops this theme to prevent the readers from giving up the substance for the shadow by abandoning Christianity and retreating into the old Judaic system. This epistle was also written to exhort them to become mature in Christ and put away their spiritual dullness and degeneration. Thus, it places heavy stress on doctrine, concentrating on christology and soteriology (salvation).
Key Word - “Superiority of Christ”
Key Verses -
9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
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.
1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Chapters - 13
Verses - 303
Words - 4,935
Talk thru the Bible (Keys to Hebrews)
Key Chapter (11)—The Hall of Fame of the Scriptures is located in chapter 11 and records those who willingly took God at His word even when there was nothing to cling to but His promise. Inherent to all those listed is the recognition that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).
Proposition - As we look at the book of Hebrews will ask and answer three questions; 1) who is Christ?, 2) what has Christ done?, and 3) who is Christ over?
Interrogative question - Where do you find your comfort?
1. Who is Christ?
1. Who is Christ?
The Son of God -
1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
In the past God spoke through Prophets -
In the last days He spoke through His Son -
Heir of all things (Acquired/obtained)
He created the world
Radiance of the Glory of God – “Perfectly reflects the majesty of God” Exact Imprint – He (Christ) is God
He upholds the universe by His power
The point is twofold –
He is the Son of God
He is God
He is Eternal “unbroken age, perpetuity of time”
23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Former priests – “ones who offer sacrifices for sin”
They eventually pass on – Why do they die? (5:1-3)
Christ holds a permanent priesthood – “Eternal”
He is Perfect – “Without Defect”
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.
High Priest is referring to Christ
Christ can sympathize with our weaknesses b/c He was tempted in all things yet without sin.
Without sin – “Perfection”
Hebrews declares Christ to be the Eternal Son of God without Sin. Now these truths are not only taught in the book of Hebrews rather, they are taught throughout the entirety of Scripture.
2. What has Christ done?
2. What has Christ done?
It is essential that we understand the role of a priest.
What did a priest do?
1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
They offered bulls and goats repeatedly to cover sin
They were repeated b/c imperfect priest can only offer imperfect sacrifices. (Quote from Dever)
- Permanent Sacrifice
26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.
Holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners Perfection therefore, no need to offer repeatedly
Once for all – this is a onetime event and it did not cover the sins of humans. Rather it atoned for our sins.
- Effective Sacrifice
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
This is a onetime event and it did not cover the sins of humans. Rather it atoned for our sins securing eternal redemption.
Animal sacrifices purify the flesh Christ‘s work on the cross purifies our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Jesus has given Himself as a permanent and effective sacrifice for us as believers in Christ. This is seen throughout the book of Hebrews as well as throughout Scripture as a whole.
Let us understand what the Jewish Audience is going through at the time Hebrews was written –
MacArthur – “The High Priest Ananias was especially hard and unrelenting. He had all Christian Jews automatically banished from the holy places. That was tough. All their lives they had had access to these sacred places. Now they could have no part in the God-ordained services. They were now considered unclean. They could not go to the synagogue, much less the Temple; they could not offer any sacrifices; they could not communicate with the priests. They could have nothing to do with their own people. They were cut off from their own society. For clinging to the Jesus as the Messiah, they were banished from almost every sacred thing they had ever known.”
The Jewish believers are having a hard time staying faithful to the Lord b/c of the persecution that they are encountering. They are contemplating apostasy. That is forsaking what they believe in and following something else. That is the issue that is addressed in the book of Hebrews.
The theme of Hebrews is the Superiority of Christ.
We see that Christ is superior over three specific things let’s look at each one very quickly.
3. Who is Christ over?
3. Who is Christ over?
Superior to Angels –
4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
7 And of the angels He says, “Who makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of fire.” 8 But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. 9 “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.”
The point that the author of Hebrews is making is that Jesus is better than Angels. That is He is over angelic beings.
Superior to Moses –
1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; 2 He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. 3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.
Faithful in God’s house as a servant
Testified about things that would be spoken later
About Christ –
As you embrace Christ you are part of a heavenly calling
Jesus was an apostle and priest of our confession
Jesus is faithful to God
Counted worthy of more glory than Moses
Christ is faithful over God’s house as a Son
You are part of God’s house if you embrace Christ
Again the point that the Author of Hebrews making is that Christ is better than Moses.
Superior to the Priesthood of Aaron –
Priesthood of Aaron –
1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4 And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was.
Aaron was appointed priest by God
He offered sacrifices to cover the people’s sin as well as his own
I believe the point that the author is making is that the sacrifices of Aaron only covered sins it did not atone for sin.
Priesthood of Christ –
5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”; 6 just as He says also in another passage, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Christ did not make Himself a priest; He was appointed one by His Father.
The phrase you are a priest forever indicates two things –
1. Christ was a permanent Sacrifice
2. Christ was an effective Sacrifice
The point is that the priesthood of Christ is over the priesthood of Aaron.
The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept (Ceasing to Grow)
Many people have the idea that someone can be a “baby Christian”; that somehow a Christian can persist for years and decades in a state of spiritual immaturity. Is that real? There are people I might be tempted to describe that way. But is it a biblical category? You will be hard pressed to find it in the Bible. Rather, severe warnings are given in Scripture to anyone who has heard and claims to believe but who has then stopped and not pressed on. By analogy, we know we are physically alive because we are living, aging, and even growing until our very last breath. The idea that something can be alive even though it has stopped growing is a curious idea, and I am not sure the New Testament is familiar with it.
SO WHAT?
The question is how can we apply all of this to our lives?
The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept (Not Persevering in Holiness)
Deliberate and repetitious sin in the Christian’s life is very scary.
Be encouraged with two things –
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who is without sin.
Jesus’ work on the cross was both permanent and effective.
Where do you find your comfort?
The Jewish believers are contemplating seeking comfort from something other than Christ. The point of the book is that nothing is better than Christ.
Do you realize that nothing is better than knowing Christ as your Lord and Savior?
The MacArthur Study Bible (Historical and Theological Themes)
Exhortations designed to stir the readers into action are found throughout the text. Those exhortations are given in the form of 6 warnings:
Warning against drifting from “the things we have heard” (2:1–4)
Warning against disbelieving the “voice” of God (3:7–14)
Warning against degenerating from “the elementary principles of Christ” (5:11–6:20)
Warning against despising “the knowledge of the truth” (10:26–39)
Warning against devaluing “the grace of God” (12:15–17)
Warning against departing from Him “who speaks” (12:25–29)
