It doesn t get better than this!

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1 21 4. HEBREWS AND US Moses may not be the great religious hero of our time as he was in Israel, however Hebrews 3:1 6 is about more than just the contrast between Jesus and Moses. The author draws connections between them as well: their faithfulness in carrying out the tasks assigned to them by God (v2), and the fact (v5) that the one (Moses) prepared the way for the other (Jesus). What do these connections tell you about God s work in history and his revelation across Old and New Testaments? How can recognising these things be an encouragement to you? BIBLE STUDY MINISTRIES That being said, Hebrews 3:1 6 is certainly about the surpassing greatness of Jesus that he was far greater even than the greatest of all God s prophets. Knowing that Jesus is so great, why do we struggle to speak of him with our friends, let alone boast about him (v6)? What can we do to help overcome our reticence? It doesn t get better than this! Studies 1-4 Turning to Hebrews 3:7 19, the ancient Israelites had certainly seen their fair share of miraculous and wonderful divine rescue. Yet in the end it did them no good. How seriously should we take the warnings here to persevere? How regularly should we be taking steps to ensure that we and our Christian brothers and sisters don t fall away? What practical steps can we be taking? Hebrews July 2014

2 20 Was that ultimately any help to that generation of Israelites? Why/why not (see Hebrews 3:19)? 3. CONFIDENCE TO THE END Read Hebrews 4:1 2 Chapter 4 begins with the important word, therefore, which introduces the author s conclusion to this particular exposition of Psalm 95 (as we continue reading chapter 4 in the next study, we will see that he picks up his exposition of Psalm 95 once again). The ESV translation captures well the sense of urgency in the author s voice: Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. What is his conclusion? Who should his readers be concerned for? What should those who had heard the gospel message ensure they do (verse 2)? Why? Back in Hebrews 3:6, the writer had indicated what should be the upshot of his readers knowing that Jesus is greater than Moses namely, that they should hold on to their courage and hope. According to Hebrews 3:14, what should be the upshot of their reflecting on the negative example of Israel? Why stress till the end? How does this relate to his conclusion of Hebrews 4:1 2?

3 19 Why bring up these negative examples from Israel s history? How does the author of Hebrews link Israel s experience with his readers thoughts of abandoning the gospel in favour of Old Testament religion (see especially verses 12 13)? Contents Introduction... 1 Study 1 Hebrews 1: Does the writer of Hebrews consider the warning of Psalm 95 only to have been valid for ancient Israel? Which word from Psalm 95 does he stress in verse 13 to emphasise this point? Study 2 Hebrews 1:5 2: Study 3 Hebrews 2: Study 4 Hebrews 3:1 4: Compare verses with the following passages. Which key words from these Old Testament passages does the author of Hebrews select as he summarises Israel s experience? Psalm 95:7b Numbers 14:9a Psalm 95:10a Numbers 14:32 Psalm 95:11 Numbers 14:11 In between the events of Exodus 17 and Numbers 14 only one thing of significance happened to Israel. What was that? (If you need a hint, glance briefly at Exodus ) Note that the word translated disobeyed in verse 18 is a very strong word. It has the sense of being unreceptive to persuasion, that is, refusing to believe (see Acts 14:2; 19:9; Rom 10:21).

4 OVERVIEW 1 INTRODUCTION Hebrews is a word of encouragement (Heb 13:22). It was written to encourage Christians to persevere in their confidence in Christ. Evidently, the recipients of this letter were seriously considering either abandoning their Christian faith entirely, or at least compromising it, by adopting an Old Testament form of religious belief and practice. This included obedience to the Law of Moses, observing the rules about the Sabbath, adhering to the levitical order of priesthood, and participating in the temple sacrifices. It amounted to a denial of the comprehensiveness and finality of Christ s sacrifice on the cross and a rejection of their confidence in him. This was a very serious situation the writer to the Hebrews was addressing! To abandon Jesus in this way would mean to abandon the salvation he had won for them, and to bring themselves under God s judgment. And so he writes them a word of encouragement an urgent and impassioned word of encouragement. But why were these Christians so close to abandoning their faith? It seems that the biggest impetus for them to consider doing this was their experience of ongoing, painful persecution. In the Roman Empire, there was very little official tolerance towards religious variety. Everyone was required to participate in the religious forms that were laid down by the state; anyone who refused to do so could be severely punished. However, the Jews were given exceptional status; they were not forced into pagan worship, but were allowed to observe their own religious traditions. In its earliest stages, Christianity was viewed as a sect within Judaism. This meant that Christians benefitted from the protection from persecution guaranteed to the Jews. However, as Christianity began to be distinguished from Judaism (by both Christians and Jews), so Christians began to lose this protection. It s no wonder, therefore, that, faced with ongoing suffering for the sake of Christ, Christians might be tempted to adopt a much more Jewish looking form of religion. However the author of Hebrews warns 18 What is his assessment of Jesus? Use the following verses to explain how Jesus compares to Moses: verse 2 verses 3 4 verses 5 6 What does the writer of Hebrews say that Moses service of God s house involved (verse 5)? What does this have to do with Jesus? (Have a quick look also at what Jesus said about himself and Moses in John 5:46.) What is the upshot of all of this for the reader s of Hebrews (verses 1 & 6b)? How does this relate to their crisis of faith at that time? 2. THE NEGATIVE EXAMPLE OF ISRAEL Read Hebrews 3:7 19 BACKGROUND NOTE Verses 7 11 and 15 are quotes taken from Psalm 95, which was itself a reflection on two very disappointing events from Israel s history. The first was in Exodus 17, very soon after God had miraculously delivered Israel through the Red Sea, when they grumbled against God because they were thirsty, so he provided water from a rock. The second was in Numbers 14, when they had reached the Promised Land and their spies had returned from scouting the land to report that the inhabitants were too strong for them. The people then rebelled against God, demanding to be taken back to Egypt. God wanted to destroy them on the spot, but Moses interceded, so God relented. Instead, he swore that none of that generation of adults would enter the Promised Land, but that they would wander in the desert for 40 years until they had died out.

5 FOR STARTERS 17 STUDY 4 HEBREWS 3:1 4:2 Can Christians fall away? This is a question that can both fascinate and terrify us. Of course, it s not the theory that s ultimately important here, but the practical reality. How would you advise a young Christian who came to you with that question? 1. JESUS, GREATER THAN MOSES Read Hebrews 3:1 6 Moses was the greatest figure of the Old Testament, and therefore the most deeply admired man in Judaism. Read the following passages to find out what made Moses so great. Exodus 14:26 31 Numbers 12:1 8 Deuteronomy 34: his readers that doing so would have much more severe consequences than simply being persecuted for their faith; it would result in them forfeiting their salvation entirely. So the author compares, in this word of encouragement, Jesus Christ and everything he has accomplished, with Old Testament religion and everything it has failed to accomplish. His conclusion is to say that in Christ we already possess everything that Old Testament religion tries (but always fails) to achieve. Christ is our true priest and sufficient sacrifice; through faith in him we are able to enter God s holy presence and are guaranteed the blessing of eternal rest with him. Trusting him now may bring pain and hardship for a short time, but the pay off for eternity is certainly worth it! HEBREWS AND THE OLD TESTAMENT Hebrews is written as a series of sermons on Bible texts. In this way, it s not dissimilar from what we hear in church week by week. The author has selected, as the basis for his encouragement, a number of Old Testament passages, which he expounds for his readers and applies to their situation. The Old Testament book he most often goes to is the Psalms, giving significant expositions of Psalms 8, 40, 95 and 110. As well as the Psalms, he expounds at length the new covenant passage of Jeremiah 31:31 34, and also the experience of Israel at Mt. Sinai, in particular the sacrificial system as outlined in Leviticus, and Israel s experience of God s presence on the mountain (Exodus 19). But it s not all expository preaching; one whole chapter (chapter 11) is devoted to what we would call today Biblical theology tracing a theme as it develops through the whole Bible. Back to Hebrews, what is the author s assessment of Moses? Is it positive or negative (verses 2 & 5)? READING THE DIFFICULT BITS One of the things Hebrews is (in)famous for is its very difficult passages about Christians who fall away. Some Christians are very troubled by passages like Hebrews 6:4 6 and Hebrews 10:26 31, wondering if they have used up their last chance with God. So how should we read these difficult bits?

6 3 We will, of course, look at those passages more closely when we come to them in our sermons and Bible studies, however for starters it s worth remembering two points I ve already made above. First, Hebrews is a word of encouragement. It wasn t written to drive Christians to despair, but to encourage them to continue to hold onto their hope in Jesus (read the paragraphs following the difficult bits, and you ll see the notes of warning turned into encouragement). The second thing to remember is that Hebrews is a set of sermons. Hebrews is not an abstract theological treatise written by an academic in the quiet of his university study; it s a spoken word (see how many times the author tells his readers what he s speaking about, rather than what he has written) which is designed to persuade its hearers of the error of their ways, and to urge them towards a different course of action. The author uses warnings, threats, encouragements, reminders, explanations, etc., not because he wants to teach doctrinal theory, but in order to exhort his hearers to correct their dangerous backsliding; to motivate them to continue in their faith in Christ. If you think motivational talk rather than doctoral thesis, you ll be much closer to the mood and intent of the letter, and you ll hear its message more easily and clearly. BACKGROUND ISSUES Finally, what about the normal background questions we re accustomed to ask when we begin reading any part of the Bible? Who wrote Hebrews? Who was he writing to? Where? When? Unfortunately, there is really very little we can say with confidence to any of these questions. We have no idea who wrote it people throughout history have suggested that it might have been someone like Barnabas or Apollos, but that s just speculation. I think the only thing we can say with any real certainty is that Paul didn t write it. The author of Hebrews identifies himself as a second generation Christian one who received the gospel from the eyewitnesses of Jesus (Heb 2:3). Paul, however, always insisted that he was an eye witness of the Lord (Gal 1:11 12; 1 Cor 15:8), having met him face to face on the road to Damascus. 16 Chapter 1 presented us with a very exalted picture of Jesus equal with God himself; the exact and final revelation of the Father. Chapter 2 gives us a very different perspective on Jesus a real human being, sharing our flesh and blood, made like us in every way, suffering as our compatriot. Why is it vital that we recognise both of these realities about Jesus? The original recipients of Hebrews were being tempted to abandon Christ and his gospel. What reasons did the author give them for persevering with Jesus in Hebrews 1:1 2:4? What does Hebrews 2:5 18 now add to those earlier reasons and encouragements he gave them? 3. HEBREWS AND US Hebrews 2:5 9 says that we humans have failed abysmally to fulfil the role God gave us when he created the world, but that Jesus has now accomplished what we were unable to do: he alone exercises humanity s rule over the creation. However, verse 10 says that, having been glorified, Jesus is now bringing us to glory as well. How should these truths change the way you think about yourself and your identity as a human being? Have you ever thought of Jesus in the terms Hebrews 2:10 18 uses: your brother/compatriot ; the trailblazer of your salvation; your sympathetic helper in temptation? How might it help and encourage you amidst the particular challenges you confront in life to think of Jesus in those ways? If all believers are Jesus compatriots, what does that imply for how we should relate to each other, especially at those times when some of us are being pressured to abandon Jesus?

7 15 In verses 11 13, what does the fact that Jesus died for us and brought us to glory (i.e., that he made us holy) tell us about his relationship to us? In what way is Jesus relationship to us so much better than the relationship of the angels to us (verses 16 17; see also Heb 1:14)? What is another great benefit to us that Jesus shared our humanity (v18)? TWO TRANSLATIONAL COMMENTS FROM VERSE AUTHOR (some Bibles use source, founder, pioneer ). The idea of this word is of a leader or a commander in chief. He is the one to lead the family through life, or to lead the troops into battle (the word literally means the first one leading out ). To change imagery, you could think of him as a trailblazer the trailblazer of our salvation ; the one who beats a path through the jungle of death and opens up the way to salvation (or, who fights his way through the armies of death to lead us to salvation). 2. PERFECT. Perfection in the NT, and especially in Hebrews, doesn t refer to moral purity, but to completion. So, for Jesus to be made perfect (v10) doesn t mean that he became morally pure (he was always that!), but that his purpose in life was brought to completion he reached the goal of what he came to do. It s another way of saying that he was crowned with glory and honour (v9). Verse 10 says that it was fitting (that is, right and proper) that the author of our salvation should be made perfect through suffering. Why is this the case? How do verses help us to understand why it was so appropriate that Jesus should blaze a trail to glory through suffering? 4 Without any certain idea of who wrote it, of course we can t know for certainty who it was written to, nor when. Some time had obviously passed since the letter s recipients had become Christians (see Heb 10:32), but not an inordinate amount of time, because Timothy was still alive (Heb 13:23). There is a suggestion that Hebrews could have been written before the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD, because Hebrews 10:1 4 seems to imply that the temple sacrifices were still being performed at the time of writing. However, this is not conclusive. We can assert that the absolute latest it could have been written was before 96 AD, because a letter written in about that year contains the earliest extra biblical references we have to Hebrews. In other words, we have a possible period spanning the mid 60s to the mid 90s AD. All we can say for the letter s recipients is that they were, like Hebrews author, second generation believers (Heb 2:3), and that they were either converted Jews, or Gentile believers who had come under the strong influence of Judaism. They were not Italians, since the letter was written to them from Italy (Heb 13:24), but their connection with Timothy suggests a location somewhere in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey; Timothy was sent by Paul to care for the church in Ephesus). This lack of information especially the lack of a direct connection to one of the Apostles is, in fact, a great encouragement to us, because it confirms for us that the gospel is its own authority. From very early on in church history, Christians universally saw in Hebrews a profound and faithful witness to the gospel which they recognised as the word of God. Hebrews didn t need the imprimatur of an Apostle before it could be accepted as divine revelation, because, after all, Jesus Christ (and not any human follower of his) is Lord of his own gospel (see Gal 1:6 9). May the Lord therefore encourage and strengthen your hope in him as you read and study Hebrews this year.

8 FOR STARTERS 5 STUDY 1 HEBREWS 1:1 14 Our society constantly pressures us into thinking that believing the Bible and following Jesus are a foolish waste of time. When or in what contexts do you feel this pressure most strongly? 14 What did Jesus do to deserve being crowned with glory and honour? How does this relate to the rest of the human race? Pulling everything together so far from verses 5 9, why was Jesus made a little lower than the angels? How is that significant for Christians who were tempted to abandon Jesus in favour of Old Testament religion? 1. THEN AND NOW Read Hebrews 1:1 4 (Below is the NIV (2011) divided into clauses so that it s easier to follow my complicated verse numbering in the questions to follow.) 1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2a but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, 2b whom he appointed heir of all things, 2c and through whom also he made the universe. 3a The Son is the radiance of God s glory and the exact representation of his being, 3b sustaining all things by his powerful word. 3c After he had provided purification for sins, 3d he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. In verses 1 2a, the author begins his letter by contrasting two different acts of God s revelation. What contrasts can you find between v 1 & v 2a? v v v v 2. JESUS, OUR BROTHER Read Hebrews 2:10 18 TWO TRANSLATIONAL COMMENTS FROM VERSES SONS (the 2011 NIV translates this as sons and daughters ). In this context this refers to the sons of Israel both male and female and not to the male biological offspring of a mother and father (compare verse 14, where these same sons are called children, and verse 16, where they re called Abraham s descendents ). Offspring, descendents or progeny would probably be better words to convey what the author has in mind. 2. BROTHERS (the 2011 NIV translates this as brothers and sisters ). When used in a context like Psalm 22:22 (quoted in Heb 2:12), brothers refers to a group of people sharing close affinity, whether male or female. Brothers don t have to be immediately related to each other biologically, but the word can even be used as a synonym for a whole nation of people (e.g., Lev 10:6; Dt 3:18). In our Western context, therefore, brothers and sisters is too narrow a concept to convey what is intended. Something like kinsfolk or compatriots would better capture the idea. In verse 9 we saw that Jesus has been crowned with glory and honour because of his death in our place. However, apart from paying for our sin what else does Jesus glorification achieve for us (verse 10)?

9 FOR STARTERS 13 STUDY 3 HEBREWS 2:5 18 Everyone wants to live an authentic, fulfilling life. What do you think are the most important elements in creating such a life? 6 Summarise in your own words what the author is saying about these two acts of God s revelation: One is The other is 1. JESUS, OUR RULER Read Hebrews 2:5 9 In chapter 1, the author went to great lengths to prove Jesus superiority to the angels, even claiming he is equal with God (1:2b 3a). Now he compares Jesus to the angels again. But what is the comparison this time (verse 7a)? Verses 6 8 are a quote from Psalm 8. Read Psalm 8 and Genesis 1: What do both Psalm 8 and Genesis 1 say is the role God gave to the human race in the beginning? From verse 2b, the author picks up on the last part of his contrast the revelation of God by a son rather than just by a prophet and he describes in more detail just why this Son is so great. What seven things does he say about this Son (express them in your own words)? verse 2b: verse 2c: verse 3a: verse 3b: verse 3c: Do the angels have any role in ruling the world (verses 5 & 8b)? verse 3d: verse 4: The last sentence of verse 8 makes a sombre assessment of the human race. What is it? What does this mean? Why have things turned out this way? How do these descriptions of the Son emphasise the superiority of God s revelation in these last days? What is the contrast between verses 8 & 9? What does this say about Jesus? What does verse 3d in particular add to the contrasts the author identified in verses 1 2a? That is, what does sitting down imply about the work the Son was given to do?

10 7 What was the work the Son was given to do (verse 3c)? How does that relate to what the old, inferior revelation tried to achieve? How does Hebrews 1:1 4 bring the big issue its readers were confronted with to the fore? (Read the introduction to these studies, if you haven t already done so.) What do these verses say to that issue? 3. HEBREWS AND US 12 There could be many triggers which entice Christians to doubt their faith and drift away from Christ, for example, persecution (as was the case with the original readers of Hebrews), bad experiences of church, serious illness, etc. But keeping in mind the antidote to drifting away that Hebrews directs us to (Heb 2:1), what is the most serious danger to our faith that we always need to be alert to? 2. JESUS OR ANGELS? Read Hebrews 1:5 14 When the author compares Jesus to the angels in verse 4, he has a particular purpose in doing so. Read Acts 7:51 53 and Galatians 3:19. What role do these passages say that the angels had? Considering the world you live in, in an average week, what are the messages you hear most clearly and most frequently? In what direction do these messages push you: towards Jesus and his gospel, or away from him? How does this relate to the issue Hebrews 1:1 4 addresses? Why, then, does the author turn to such an extended comparison between Jesus and the angels in verses 5 14? How can you counteract the pressure to drift away? What practical steps can you take so that you are paying more careful attention to the message of the gospel? What follows in verses 5 14 is a long list of proof texts from the Old Testament which demonstrate that the Son is superior to the angels. Why is it important for the author to prove this point from the Old Testament? In addition, what can you do to enhance the opportunities you already have for paying close attention to the message of the gospel? These Old Testament verses all come from contexts which talk about God s promises concerning his anointed ruler (his Messiah), or his commitment to saving his people and exercising his sovereign authority over the world. At home, you might like to read these passages in their Old Testament contexts. (The references are in your Bible s footnotes.)

11 11 c. Reason 2 (positive v3b 4) The author actually gives a set of three connected positive reasons why his readers should pay more careful attention to the message of the gospel: 3b This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, 3c was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. Compare v3b with v2a. Why is the gospel message better than the old covenant message? Who is the Lord? What is significant about those who transmitted the gospel message from Jesus to the readers of Hebrews (v3c)? How does that fact enhance the author s conclusion in v1? 8 How do these Old Testament quotes enhance the seven descriptions of the Son from verses 2b 4 particularly verses 2b, 2c, 3b, 3d & 4? Pulling everything together so far: who is the Son through whom God has revealed himself? That is, what does Hebrews say about who Jesus is, what he is like and what he has achieved? Verse 14 makes one final comment about the angels. How do they compare with Jesus? What would the letter s readers be missing out on if they shifted their allegiance from Jesus to Old Testament religion? Read Joel 2: What event did the Old Testament associate with wonders and the distribution of the Holy Spirit? Therefore, why else should the readers of Hebrews pay more careful attention to the message of the gospel? 3. HEBREWS AND US How is the picture of Jesus that we find in Hebrews 1 different from what our non Christian friends think about him? How has Hebrews 1 challenged your own picture of Jesus? Drawing together everything you ve been thinking about in sections a, b and c above, summarise in your own words what the author of Hebrews is telling his readers to do and why. The main focus of Hebrews 1 is not just on Jesus, but on the revelation of God in Jesus. What does this chapter tell us about the gospel and its importance, and about what the gospel gives us? The expression gifts of the Spirit could be misleading. Christians often think of spiritual gifts in terms of abilities they have for serving the church. However, that s not what Hebrews has in mind. Literally it says, and by apportionings of the Holy Spirit according to his will. In other words, it is not gifts that are given, but it is the Holy Spirit himself who is distributed (or apportioned ). When you feel tempted to distance yourself from Jesus and his gospel, how can Hebrews 1 help you to stay strong?

12 FOR STARTERS 9 STUDY 2 HEBREWS 1:5 2:4 Most Christians have gone through periods of doubting their faith. What things have caused you (or are causing you right now!) to doubt Jesus? 1. RECAP In our first study we stopped at the end of chapter 1, before the author s great therefore his big conclusion to his argument. So this study completes the work you did last time. But first a quick recap Read Hebrews 1:1 14 Summarise the contrast Hebrews draws in verses 1 2a between God s Old Testament revelation and his gospel revelation in Jesus. 2. THE BIG CONCLUSION 10 Read Hebrews 2:1 4 These verses lay out in very logical fashion the consequences of all the author has said in chapter 1. First he draws his conclusion (v1), then he outlines his reasons for that conclusion: first negatively (v2 3a) and then positively (v3b 4). a. Conclusion (v1) What is the author referring to by the expression what we have heard? What danger were the readers of Hebrews flirting with? What corrective to that danger does the author of Hebrews give them? From verses 2b 14, what is it about Jesus that makes God s gospel revelation so much better than the old revelation? b. Reason 1 (negative v2 3a) What is the message spoken by angels? Compare the last clause of verse 3 (i.e., verse 3d) with verse 13. What is significant about the Son sitting down at God s right hand? Leviticus, which outlines many of the sacrifices and other rituals the old covenant people of God were to perform, finishes with a description of the consequences of either obeying or disobeying God s law. Read Leviticus 26: What were the consequences for disobedience? How serious were they? What does verse 14 tell us about the relationship between the Old Testament and the gospel? According to Hebrews 2:2 3a, what will be the consequences of turning away from the gospel? Why?