Hebrews and Me Session 3 Hebrews 4:14-6:11

Transcription

1 Hebrews and Me Session 3 Hebrews 4:14-6:11 Our Great High Priest Let us then approach God s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Paul Dorosh Friends and Fellowship McLean Bible Church November 4, 2018

2 Hebrews Series Outline 10/ The Son, Prophets, Angels and Me 11/04 3:1-4:13 Entering God s Rest 11/11 4:14-6:11 Our Great High Priest; Beware! 11/18 6:12-7:29 God s Promises, Melchizedek & Me 11/ The New Covenant and Me 12/02 10 Shadow & Reality; Persevere! 12/09 11 Examples of Faith 12/ Discipline, Warning & Conclusion

3 Outline: Our Great High Priest Hebrews 4:14-6:11 Jesus, the great high priest (Heb. 4:14-5:10) Tempted like us, but without sin A priest in the order of Melchizedek Warning Against Falling Away (Heb. 5:11-6:10) It is impossible (Heb. 6:4-6) Interpreting difficult passages praying for wisdom, context, insights from clear passages Discussion 3

4 Hebrews 4: Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 4

5 Hebrews 5:1-4 1 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5

6 Hebrews 5:5-7 5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, You are my Son; today I have become your Father. a 6 And he says in another place, You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. b 7 During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. a Psalm 2:7. b Psalm 110:4. 6

7 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered Hebrews 5: and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. 7

8 Our Great High Priest How is Jesus described in these verses? (See especially 4:14-15; 5:5-10) Then Melchizedek, king of Salem [Jerusalem] brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:18-19a, 20b How are we described? What are the commands in these verses? 8

9 Hebrews 5: We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. 9

10 Hebrews 6:1-3 1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. 10

11 Hebrews 6:4-6 Beware! 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, a to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. a Or age, 6 if they fall 11

12 Hebrews 6:7-9 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. 9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case the things that have to do with salvation. 12

13 Hebrews 6: God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. 13

14 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened 6 if they fall, to be brought back to repentance. Possible interpretations: Hebrews 6:4-6 It is impossible 1. Christians can lose their salvation and it is impossible to be saved a second time. 2. These verses refer to people who profess to be believers, not genuine believers. 3. The verses describe a hypothetical situation. If it were possible to fall away and reject the faith, it would not be possible to repent. 14

15 Guidelines for Interpretation Ask God for wisdom in interpreting the passage (James 1:5). Examine and understand the immediate context of the verses (i.e. what is being said in the other verses of the chapter or book). Check other translations of the passage. Although Scripture as originally written is without error, all translations are not completely accurate. Interpret unclear passages in the light of the clear. Whatever the unclear passage may mean, it cannot contradict other clear passages of Scripture. 15

16 Hebrews 6:1-12 Interpreting the Passage (1) Note the change in pronouns used: verses 6:1-3 ( us and we ) verses 6:4-6 ( those and they ) verses 6:9-12 ( you and your ). Who are we in verses 1-3? Who are they in verses 4-6? Are they different from we? Does this switch from we to they give any clues to the meaning of the passage? 16

17 Hebrews 6:1-12 Interpreting the Passage (2) What phrases are used to describe the they group in verses in 4 and 5? Doe these phrases indicate that these people are genuine born-again believers? Why or why not? Does this switch from we to they give any clues to the meaning of the passage? What does fallen away mean? Can a true believer fall away from salvation? Consider other passages. 17

18 John 6: All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 18

19 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all a ; no one can snatch them out of my Father s hand. 30 I and the Father are one. John 10: a John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all. 19

20 Romans 8: What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 20

21 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died more than that, who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: Romans 8:34-36 For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. a a Psalm 44:22. 21

22 Romans 8: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, a neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. a v. 38. Or nor heavenly rule. 22

23 Discussion: Our Response What is the intent of the writer of Hebrews in giving the warnings in 6:4-8? What do these verses say about God? What are the recipients of the letter supposed to do? How is the teaching about Jesus as our great high priest helpful as we apply this passage? (See especially Hebrews 4:14-16.) 23

24 Let us then approach God s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Resource Rhodes, Ron A life-changing encounter with God s Word from the book of Hebrews. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Navpress. 24