Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Quote

ESV Expository Commentary

Having instilled in his hearers a fear of rebelling against God’s voice and thus failing to enter God’s rest, our pastor turns to the only theme that can assuage a guilty and terrified conscience: the high priestly ministry of Jesus.

The author’s pastoral strategy is to motivate his hearers’ perseverance by issuing terrifying warnings about the dire consequences of unbelief (Heb.

6:4–8; 10:26–31) and then offering encouragements grounded in God’s grace (6:9–12; 10:32–39).

With warnings he prods Christians out of complacency.

With encouragements he safeguards them from misgivings about God’s gracious disposition toward those who, despite their weakness and sin, nonetheless approach him through Jesus.

Scripture

Outline

Hebrews 1-2 - Jesus is Greater Than the Angels

Hebrews 1:1-4 - God has Spoken

Hebrews 1:5-14 - The Son is Superior to the Angels

Hebrews 2:1-4 - A Warning

Hebrews 2:5-9 - Lowliness to Crowning Glory

Hebrews 2:10-18 - Jesus has Delivered His Brothers

Hebrews 3:1-4:13 - Jesus is a Greater Rest

Hebrews 3:1-6 - Jesus is Worthy of More Glory Than Moses

Hebrews 3:7-19 - Disobedience After the Exodus

Hebrews 4:1-13 - A Sabbath Rest for God’s People

Hebrews 4:14-7:26 - Jesus is Greater than Melchizedek

Hebrews 4:14-16 - Jesus is the Great High Priest

Hebrews 4:14 - Hold Fast Your Confession

Hebrews 4:15 - Our Sympathetic, Sinless High Priest

Hebrews 4:16 - Drawing Near to the Throne with Confidence

Purpose of Book

Christ, who has accomplished salvation through His atoning sacrifice, is greater than all things; therefore, persevere in true faith and encourage others to do likewise

Main Point

Jesus, the Son of God, is our sympathetic, sinless great high priest.

Since He is our high priest, we can draw near to the throne in confidence

Hebrews 4:14 - Hold Fast Your Confession

Since then we have

Since… we have

Indicates a personal/familial relationship with someone

Then/Therefore

Connection that reaches back to...

We have a great high priest

High priest

The office was established with Aaron

The high priest acted as the representative and mediator between Yahweh and His people.

He was to direct the hearts of Yahweh’s people toward Yahweh and call them to be faithful to the covenant

Now Christ serves as the great high priest

Christ is the mediator between God and man in his role as the great high priest

Who has passed through the heavens,

Has passed through

The language reveals that this is a continual reality.

Access to the Father is a present and continuing reality

Through the heavens

The heavenly realm

Jesus passed through the heavens into the presence of the Father’s presence

Jesus, the Son of God,

Jesus

Son of God

Let us hold fast our confession.

Let us hold fast

Committed firmly to something

Confession

② statement of allegiance, as content of an action, confession, acknowledgment that one makes

Hebrews 4:15 - Our Sympathetic, Sinless High Priest

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,

Sympathize with our weaknesses

MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Hebrews

Jesus not only had all the feelings of love, concern, disappointment, grief, and frustration that we have, but He had much greater love, infinitely more sensitive concerns, infinitely higher standards of righteousness, and perfect awareness of the evil and dangers of sin.

Contrary, therefore, to what we are inclined to think, His divinity made His temptations and trials immeasurably harder for Him to endure than ours are for us.

Weaknesses

General human weakness that could result in sin

But one who in every respect has been tempted as we are,

Every respect

Tempted

Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament

to be tested — to be put to the test in order to ascertain the nature of someone, including imperfections, faults, or other qualities.

Jesus was tempted in every aspect of this personal life just as we are

The temptation, though includes the 40 days in the wilderness, is meant to show that Jesus was tempted his whole life

Yet without sin.

Sin

Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament

sin (act) — an act or feeling that transgresses something forbidden or ignores something required by God’s law or character; whether in thought, feeling, speech, or action.

Jesus also felt the weight of sin, but never gave in to the temptations

Hebrews 4:16 - Drawing Near to the Throne with Confidence

Let us then with confidence

Then

In confidence - logical conclusion outflow of vss.

14-15

Confidence

boldness — the trait of being willing to undertake activities that involve risk or danger; especially that involve being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech.

Draw near to the throne of grace,

Draw near (Let us)

BDAG

ⓑ of approach to or entry into a deity’s presence

Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament

to approach (with request) — to make advances to someone; usually with a proposal, question, or suggestion.

Throne of grace

Grace

Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament

grace — goodwill freely disseminated (by God); especially to the benefit of the recipient regardless of the benefit accrued to the disseminator.

Unlike kings of old, we are able to draw near to the throne of grace.

We have a personal relationship with God because of the work of Jesus

That we may receive mercy

May receive

We may receive - God gives -> we receive

and find grace