Hebrews 3

Hebrews 3

 v1. We are holy because of verse 11 in the last chapter. We have finished his proof that Jesus is superior to angels and His relationship to us is so much superior than that of angels. He didn't just bring us a message. He lived with us, like us, to become the complete sacrifice and perfect intercessor. Suffering made that possible. Dropping into the world filled with sin means even though He committed no sin, He had to deal daily with the pain caused by the sin in others.

We have a unique individual calling on our life but we also share a heavenly calling. It is to be like Him. It is the Romans 8:29 calling. To be sons and daughters of God through eternity! NOW since you are made holy and have this awesome calling...Fix your thought on Jesus. The same word Jesus used in Luke 12:24, "consider". Look at to learn a lesson. This requires a desire, concentration, discipline, and time. We need to cultivate these things in our daily life. Our life should be about considering Jesus.

Did you ever think of Jesus as an apostle? Official representative of a Kingdom. High priest is a theme we encounter many times in Hebrews (12 references) and unique to this book. Priest in Latin is pontifix - bridge builder, a way for God and man to meet. In Jacob's vision Jesus was the ladder. He can represent God to us and us to God. He has been on both sides. 

v2-5. Quoting scripture again, Numbers 12:7, the writer is using familiar ground to the readers. House in Greek is building and family just as it is in Hebrew and English. Moses is a part of the house 1Peter 2:5 but Jesus built the house! The writer is beginning now to establish Jesus superiority to Moses. He was greatly revered as the hero of Israel for leading them out of bondage and more than that for bringing them the Law, being a mediator between God and man. He is seen as the greatest prophet, unparalleled in power, communicated directly with God, their great historian, and yet the most humble man to have lived.

v6. See how he is saying in verse 2 faithful IN the house and now the Son is faithful OVER the house. You are part of the household  (Romans 8:15-17)

In Exodus 35-40 there are 22 references to Moses faithfulness. But one of his great acts of faithfulness was predicting the coming Messiah. Moses faithfulness was just a shadow of the faithfulness to come in the Messiah. Can you name some ways in which Moses foreshadowed Jesus? Jesus was faithful to fulfill all the prophecies and be free of sin and die in our place, conquer death and hell and ever lives to intercede on our behalf.

 IF (what is that word doing in there!) Calvinists would argue that if they don’t persevere they were never saved in the first place. Armenians would say, “See, you have to endure.” 

HOLD ON  another nautical term is used in Acts 27:40   To hold your course. Isn't this like Jesus in Luke 9:51? Consider Him. To take up your cross and follow Him is to look as He did to the joy that is set before us and get our affections off this world.  We set our course with courage and hope.  Courage for here and now, hope for eternity! Romans 8:22-25 What is your destination?

v7. Leviticus 26:14 The Jews used this phrase weekly as a call to worship. God has always sought for us to listen. If we will hear with our heart we will want to obey because He speaks for our good. It's not someday that He is waiting for us to turn our ear to Him -- it is TODAY. We will see the importance of listening later in Hebrews. Refusal to listen was one of the main indictments against Israel in the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 7:13

The author is focused on helping this house church see why we must endure. A good beginning is not enough. Few have had as great a beginning as Israel. Recount those first few promising days. But what happened to them? Some always look back to their testimony of salvation, but what is happening in your life today? Are you growing closer or drifting?

v8&9. Provocation/Day of Temptation  =  Massah & Meribah   Exodus 17:1-7 and Numbers 20:1- 13  The lessons God offers and leads us through. We must be brought to a place of need to learn faith in God. Trust and Obey!  There is a time limit.  

v10. Watch your heart Colossians 3:1&2  Recognize God's ways Psalm 103:7   

v11. Psalm 95:7-11, 20-23

v12. Here is the problem with man - with the family of God - sinful and unbelieving hearts!  Can you have one? Were you delivered from Egypt? Has God done miracles in your life?  Are we any different from the Children of Israel? Now when He says, "Enter into my rest and cease from your own works" will you? When the report of the Promised Land comes back a mixed message will you trust God? How can we avoid a sinful unbelieving heart? (next verse) Here is the destructive cycle of an unbelieving heart, negativism, grumbling, quarreling and finally disobedience.

v13. Did you encourage someone today? Do you know some brother that is down? Don't kick him,(which is man's nature) lift him up. Write a note, take them to dinner and remind them of the things God has done through them. Remind them of what God has done for them and the plans He has for them. Help each other finish strong.

v14&15. Here is the pesky little 'if' again.  What does it mean to “share in Christ”? That confidence is the same confidence you had when you became a believer.

v16-18. 3 Question sets. That is, all except Caleb and Joshua. 1Corinthians 10:1-6

v19. The context here is a warning not to go back to Judaism but to remain a partaker of Christ. It speaks to all who would yield to unbelief because of fear. That fear is a lack of faith in who God is to us and His heart for us. It says, "I know better and God can't be trusted". There are two interpretations for the Promised Land in this context. One is in this life, walking in the fullness of the Spirit, with abiding joy and peace in heart and mind.  The other is Heaven.  One could argue (as does McGee) that the promise land still had battles and area to take.  The other point is they would not have had to if they had obeyed and trusted the first time as God promised to drive them out before them with hornets. Eternity is at stake in our interpretation. Let's play it safe and listen and believe! Then you do not need to worry about the “ifs”. Listen out of love for Him – that’s the appropriate response for all He has done for you.

Hebrews 2B

Hebrews 2

v 1. Secure yourself firmly to the Word and doctrine so that you don't miss your destination - wasting time , causing loss. The words are a picture of the sailing ships of the day. Are my knots to the Word tied in such a way so that as the winds would push me away they actually tighten or am I about to come loose or drifting? A pilot had to adjust for wind and current around him to make harbor. If he missed it may mean going on to the next one, crashing, or at least loss of time coming back around.

v2. We have just seen how Christ is infinitely superior to angels, Creator/creation Eternal/temporal The Son/sons  It is believed that the Law originally came by the ministry of angelic beings. Ps 68:17, Acts 7:53, Gal 3:19

v3. If the Law was to be strictly enforced that came by angels, what then of the hand of mercy and grace stretched toward us in the incarnation? Those who heard Him experienced it's reality. What if we ignore that?

v4. The Kingdom of Heaven invaded and overpowered the darkness to show us the reality of the message, and gave us gifts to work as the body of Christ in the world. How could we be any more certain!

v5. Heb 6:5, 2Peter 3:13, The next age is ruled by us.

v6. Psalm 8:4-8 It's a good question to ask ourselves. What does God see in us we do not see in others? Why does He care so for us?

v7. The NIV note makes it fit (for a little while) lower than angels.

v8. As we are the body of Christ, all things will be put under our feet. We will rule and reign with Him Rev 20:6. Sin is still rampant. What a wonderful age to come where all is submissive to the love of Christ!

v9. He died for all! Here is the same "little while"

v10. Made the perfect sacrifice. To understand this difficult passage you must know that perfect meant without blemish, mature, fully able. If Christ did not experience all the ravages of sin, that is all the painful consequences of sin in others lives, all it's assaults on our minds, how could He be an intercessor that was fully able (perfectly) to represent us? see 17,18

author/captain is archegos- the trail blazer - one usage is the one who jumps from a grounded ship with a line to make a safe way to shore. We could not swim it! You and I would be swept away. He had to come because no human was able to secure that way..

v11. Drop to your knees! He alone makes us holy! It is so complete so real that he is not ashamed to call me his brother. How can that be? You are Jesus the Christ's brother or sister. You are holy as He is- 2Co 5:21 when you are in him.

v12. Brothers - you and me, the family of God. Who leads us in worship? You thought Mark did! No way it is the Son of God. Ps 22:22

v13,14 We are carnal physical beings and to break the hold of the enemy in our life, God made himself like us to show and become the Way.

1Co 15:58f By delivering us from the power of sin He delivered us from the power of death.

v15. Without Christ we should fear death. Deathbed stories of atheists are enough to put the fear of God in you. We know deep inside that there is judgement. We are only free when we realize the judgement is settled.

v16. Gal 3:29 The descendants of the Father of faith.

v17,18 vs 10,  made our perfect sacrifice, intercessor, priest, guide, and example. How could we relate if He didn't experience humanity? He suffered every temptation without sin so that you could have a successful example!

Hebrews Chapter Two

                                                                                                                            

Previously, we read chapter one and that awesome verse 3.  We read that Jesus is superior to the prophets and above the angels (messengers).  There is much in the Hebrew culture about angels and their role as messengers between God and man. The writer is showing Jesus as the one perfect mediator. Some of the quotes he chose were unusual. 2 Samuel 7:14 was about Solomon. Psalm 102:26&27 references God the Father (Eli).  Do you remember why these references applicable?

2:1-4 Since Jesus is in this unique God given role, then this chapter should be our response. We should proschein=pay attention to  AND not parrarrein=flowing or slipping past

Both could be used as nautical terms:  to moor a ship   AND   to err and miss a harbor.  What is it that we are mooring to?  Reword verse one using those implications. Don't let your life drift.  It takes a heads-up attitude to make it to our harbor and inattentiveness can mean missing our place of safety. We could end up smashed into the rocks on the shore where there is a lion waiting to devour survivors. 1Peter 5:8

In verse 2, violation is Parabasis = transgression or stepping across a line.

Disobedience is parakoe = imperfect hearing/unwillingness to hear.

Christian revelation is unique in: 1. Origin  -Word made flesh (Though some religions had gods becoming man for a short time, not a lifetime, that incarnation was not the revelation) 2. Transmission through eye witness accounts. (Most prophets write there own revelation – Jesus relied on the Apostles to convey His life.) 3. Effectiveness - gifts of the Spirit manifest especially in the Apostles who recorded the record, and to some extent in all who believe the message.

The point of this summation is that if the Jews were dealt with for not following the Word conveyed by angels, why should we think we can get by with not obeying the word that came through the incarnate Word of God?

2:5-9   Psalm 8:4-6 is about man and the ultimate man.  It sings the glory God gave to man. Man is meant to have dominion but does not and is not what he is intended to be. Jesus steps in to restore man to what God meant for him. The actual is changed to the ideal through Christ.

2:10 archegos = captain, trail-blazer. teleioun= perfect,  spotless lamb, mature scholar, made fully able.  In other words his suffering made Him fully able to make a way to God, fully able to relate to our need and so intercede for us. Suffering identified Him with man, unlike the Greek gods who were detached. Jesus sympathizes with man.  He alone can give us the help we need. OUR perfect intercessor! When we realize what He went through to be that perfect intercessor, our hearts should be held in the grip of his love.

2:11-13 Why do we have any right to be called “holy”? It almost sounds absurd, and yet, the Holy One is making us holy. He did it through His shed blood for us, and He does it daily as He disciplines and corrects us. You would think He would be ashamed to call us brothers. He sees the finished work and so should we. The writer again backs his case with Scripture, Psalm 22:22 and Isaiah 8:18. Compare with Romans 8:29

2:14-15 Since God has chosen to call us “children”, He took on our humanity to make that possible. I can’t imagine living as a Muslim, wondering if I were good enough to make into heaven, or not quite and end up in eternal torment. That would cause you to be a slave of fear. But we know our Lord has conquered the one who had the power of death. How?

Christians need never fear death!

2:16 The author is pointing out that making Jesus just an angel is saying He is our servant. He helps us, but doesn’t serve us! We serve Him!

2:17 By experiencing what it is to walk in this world as a human, we can see that He fully understands and can be merciful and faithful as our High Priest. By becoming a sinless man, He could die in sinful man’s place, turning God’s just wrath from us to Him.

2:18 He endured every temptation you face and was victorious. That is why He can be your perfect counselor. No other human counselor has been 100% victorious.  Why would you go to man first?

Wow! What a packed chapter, full of the awesome wonder of the incarnation and what it means to us.

What did it mean to the Hebrews then?

What does it say to the church throughout time?

Is drifting a problem today?

What does it mean to you right this minute?

Does that call for some response and if so what will you do?

Hebrews 1

Hebrews Chapter One

Make sure you get last week’s intro to Hebrews.  In what ways are we like the Hebrews? ____________________   __________________

unlike ? ________________   ________________  __________________

vs 1.  In the past God spoke ... through the prophets...   What was the role of the Old Testament prophet?  Luke16:16  How is it different from that of the New Testament prophet? 

Can you recall some of the many times and various ways?

vs 2. What are the last days?     spoke through prophets   has spoken in Son

Here is the first great contrast.  It doesn't downplay the prophets but contrasts the fullness in Son. It's not a break from the old but a consummation of the old.  The lack of an article before Son points to his character.  It is not through him but all that He is, did, said that God gave us the final revelation of Himself.  John 14:9

Heir of all: Ps 2:8; instrument of creation - Colossians 1:16,17 in and through!

We cannot translate ‘poieo’ into one word (made), it includes: produce, build, bring about, operate and to arrange in order.

vs3.  radiance  outshining of a luminous body. Vincent says, "The Son is the out-raying of the divine glory, exhibiting in Himself the glory and majesty of the divine Being."  Weis explains, "God lets His glory issue from Himself, so that there arises thereby a light-being like Himself."

exact representation  ‘Charakter’ coin mint, branding iron, impress, (it makes an exact image of the original) The Greeks used it as an idiom for a person's look alike features.

sustaining all things by his powerful word  From galaxies to subatomic particles, all space and time is held together in Christ. (Colossians 1:17)

after he had provided purification for sins,  he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  The real mind bender is the incarnation.  Once you can accept that, this follows as a matter of course.  His life and mission on earth were completed when He provided purification (aorist tense meaning a once and for all act) for sin. He sits (it is finished! As opposed to the priests who stood to minister) there now, in a body that paid our penalty in full declaring us to be rightful brothers and heirs. 

In this passage, we are given eight reasons Jesus is superior to the prophets 1.heir of all 2.creating agent of time and history 3. outshining of God's glory 4. exactly represents God to us 5.all we see is because his word keeps it so 6. the One who alone frees from sin 7. absolute Sovereign 8. our intercessor

Why would anyone want to go back to the office of a prophet when we have Messiah?

Son Superior to Angels

Angels have at least 4 functions: 1 They continually worship and serve God. (Job 38:7; Psalm 103:20; Revelation 5:9-12) 2 They communicate God’s message to man. (Daniel 10:10-15; Matthew 1:19-24; Luke 2:9-12; Acts 7:38, 53) 3 They minister to believers Psalm 34:7, including  jail breaks Acts 5:19, rejoicing over their salvation Luke 15:10, and present in the Church 1Corinthians 11:10, watching us with interest 1Corinthians 4:9, and escorting us home after this life Luke 16:22. 4 They help in the resurrection of the saints and in executing God’s wrath Matthew 24:31; 1Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 13:39-42; Revelation 19:17-18; 20:1-3. (Read quote from CS Lewis’ Screwtape’s toast.)

vs 4. But Jesus is infinitely superior to them because the name He inherited is superior to theirs. Colossians 2:18, Revelation 22:8,9  angel simply means messenger, mediators of the Law, between God and man. Philippians 2:6-8 but the Son has rights and privileges. The name was announced at His birth (Luke 1:32) at His baptism (Mark 1:11) at the transfiguration (Luke 9:35) and in resurrection (Romans1:4)

vs5. Son Psalm 2:7, angels as sons Job 1:6, Ps 89:6, collectively but not individually.   2Samuel 7:13-14

vs6. Deuteronomy 32:43  LXX  includes the phrase (and let all the angels worship Him) Revelation 19:10; 22:9  If they worship him he must be vastly superior!

'begotten' is not birth but rank or position Psalm 89:27 1:4 Clark translates the 'again' as the Second Coming. Refer back to Romans 1:4

vs 7. Psalm 104:4 LXX  makes his angels winds, flames (variable nature to fit assigned task) Remember the story of Manoah? Judges 13:20

vs 8,9  Psalm 45:6,7   In Psalm 45 the Messiah is designated as God.  The joy came through suffering  - 12:2 as often does ours  12:3-11  Get a new picture of Jesus, He is more joyful than any one you've ever met. Do you think of Him that way?

vs10-12  Psalm 102:25-27  Creation is subject to change and decay but not the Creator!  Angels are creation; Jesus is the unchanging Creator.

vs 13-14  Psalm110:1  Be sitting  a permanent place. (from) my right hand - exercising power and authority with God.  Angels serve heirs of salvation, Jesus’ brothers and sisters. 

How does this chapter relate to our world today?  Hebrews 13:2

To you personally?

Do you know a story of angelic intervention? 

Why does he quote so many Old Testament passages?

Why is our world so wrapped up with angel encounters?

What should our focus be?