Sunday, December 2, 2007

Introduction to the Epistle to the Hebrews

   We've just completed our study of Exodus which took us over a year (Genesis did too). I'm going to Hebrews before going into Leviticus because it will give us a much better understanding of Leviticus - plus, I don't want to be away from the New Testament part of the Bible for so long.


   I always emphasize that a book of the Bible should be approached with the journalists' "Who", "What", "When", "Where" and "Why" before beginning an in depth study. By not clearly understanding to whom a book is addressed, much confusion and error can occur. Additionally, we should be alert to key words and phrases that an author uses to emphasize the importance of a concept. Key words and phrases to watch for in Hebrews are:



  • better

  • blood - 22 times

  • draw near

  • eternal (including for ever)

  • greater

  • heaven, heavens, heavenly

  • inheritance

  • let us

  • perfection

  • salvation

  • sanctify

  • tempted (tried)


WHO?


   Hebrews was written anonymously but there's been speculation as to its authorship for most of the Church's history. The earliest recorded suggestion, in 200 AD, was that Barnabas, a learned Jew from the tribe of Levi and one of Paul's associates, wrote it. From 400 to 1600, it was universally assumed that Paul was the letter's author. After the reformation, Apollos became the leading candidate, probably because Martin Luther had proposed him as being the letter's most likely author. I personally believe that Paul is the author. He had both the strong motivation to write it, having a passionate desire to see his brothers accept their Messiah, and to remain anonymous, since he was considered a turncoat by the Jewish leadership. But while even the mention of his name would incite them to anger, Paul said that he would agree to be cursed and cut off from Christ himself if it meant that salvation would come to those of his own race. (Romans 9:3) One reason, I believe that the epistle is anonymous is that Paul himself said that he was the apostle to the Gentiles while Peter was the apostle to the Jews. Another reason is that Paul wrote 7 epistles after the conclusion of Acts - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon. We know for certain that he wrote 6 during the Acts period: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians and 1 & 2 Thessalonians. It would make perfect sense and a balance of Paul actually wrote 7 epistles during the Acts period - giving Paul as the author of 7 during and 7 after the Acts period. That would leave seven remaining epistles not written by Paul (3 x 7 total): 1 & 2 Peter, James 1 & 2 & 3 John and Jude. Also, we know that Paul wrote a letter to the Jews because Peter mentions it in 2 Peter 3:15 where Peter says And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him - speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. Another reason is that the letter speaks of Timothy, Paul's spiritual son to whom he wrote two epistles, as "brother" (13:23). Additionally, Hebrews was often included with Galatians in many early church collections leading some scholars to believe that Hebrews was the cover letter for Galatians and that, therefore, Hebrews didn't need to mention the author again. Additionally, the earliest complete copy of Hebrews is situated squarely within the Pauline corpus, immediately after Romans. Paul was at Jerusalem for the Council meeting in 51 AD when the very subjects of Hebrews had been bitterly discussed (Acts 15:5-7). Shortly thereafter, he wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians both of which contain references to "shameful treatment" at the hands of his own people. The style and Greek used in Hebrews is very different from Paul's epistles. One theory is that this is actually a sermon Paul gave and was transcribed into elegant Greek by Luke or someone else.


   The other part of the "who" is -TO WHOM was this letter written. As you read the letter, it is immediately obvious that Hebrews was written to the Jews who had accepted Jesus as their Messiah, but they were in danger of slipping back into the traditions of Judaism.


WHEN?


   While no date is given, Hebrews had to have been written between 35 and 70 AD since there's no mention of the Temple's destruction. In fact, it's referred to in the present tense several times.


WHY?


   The letter's purpose was to document the absolute sufficiency of the Lord's death as payment in full for man's sins to the large community of Jewish believers in Israel, many of whom had been priests in the Temple when it happened. Considerable pressure was being exerted upon them to revert to Judaism or at least maintain some sort of hybrid status, blending adherence to the Levitical system with the belief in Jesus as Israel's Messiah. This attempt to “Judaize” the Gospel was by no means confined to either Jerusalem or the first century. From the time Jesus went to the cross to this very day, man has tried to add his own effort to the salvation equation in a misguided attempt to either complete or maintain what he thinks the Lord only partially accomplished. In doing so He has relegated the Lord's death to the same status as that of a bull or a goat, insufficient to the task. But from the beginning the letter offers persuasive evidence of the Lord's deity, another issue that's still unresolved in the minds of some, making any thoughts of insufficiency even more ridiculous.


   The Epistle of Hebrews answers questions the Jewish believers struggled with in the first century. They needed to understand the relationship between the Old and the New Covenants. Why Jesus was superior to Moses? Why did Jesus’ death eliminate the need for the Levitical system? What is the relationship between the Tabernacle and the Temple and Jesus? Is there another way to attain salvation? Can you lose your salvation? Hebrews was written so that one fact would be in the mind of the Hebrews as they finished reading this letter. This one fact is: Christ alone can qualify to provide perfect salvation.


WHAT?


   The theme of Hebrews, quite simply, is the absolute supremacy of Christ—a supremacy which allows no challenge, whether from human or angelic beings. The writer's purpose is to show that Jesus Christ is superior to the Old Testament prophets, He is the Great Revelation of God, He is the creator and upholder of the universe, He has always existed, He is greater than the creation, He is the Image of God, He is equal to God, He is the Son of God, He is the Redeemer of men, He is unchanging, He is superior to the angels and we are to worship Him.



   So the message of Hebrews is that God became man to accomplish for man what man could never accomplish for himself. All that's left for us to do, indeed all we can do, is to accept this by faith and enter in to a lifelong rest from the work of our salvation. Everything in Hebrews has to be considered from this perspective. The conflict between Law and Grace will make itself evident in nearly every chapter, as will the necessity of choosing grace. Clearly Hebrews has as much to say to us now as it did to them then. Remember our study before on this subject of Law versus Grace: exodus-study.blogspot.com/2007/03/exodus-20-law-versus-grace.html.


KEY VERSE:


   The key verse is 1:3: The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.



Outline (adapted from The Five Warnings of Hebrews www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=50 ):



  • Christ Alone Qualifies In His Person to Attempt Salvation, (1:1–4:13)

    The Son: (Eternal, 1:1-3) …Christ … Prophet


    • Greater than the Prophets (1:1-3)

    • Greater than the Angels (1:4–2:18)

    • Greater than Moses (Chapter 3)

    • Greater than Joshua (4:1-13)


  • Christ Alone Qualifies In His Work to Provide Salvation (4:14–10:18)

    The Savior: (Perfect, 7:24-28) … Jesus … Priest


    • The High Priest (4:14–7:28) THE SERVICE: “After the order of Melchisedek”

    • The Tabernacle (8:1–9:11) THE SANCTUARY: “Not made with hands”

    • The Sacrifice (9:12–10:18): “Once for all”


  • Christ Alone Qualifies In His Position to Effect Salvation (10:19–13:25)

    The Shepherd (Great): (13:20) … The Lord … King

    Here is the believer’s walk, “by a new and living way” in relation to Christ’s position:


    • Faith (10:19–11:40)

    • Hope (Chapter 12)

    • Love (Chapter 13)




On-Line Sources:



Off-Line Sources:


Posted by at