EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS Study Book EXPERIMENTAL VERSION

Transcription

1 EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS Study Book EXPERIMENTAL VERSION

2 Contents Lesson Title Page How to use this course... 4 Introductory (done in the Introductory Meeting) A Heb. 1:1-3 Jesus Christ is the Supreme Revelation of God B Heb. 1;4-2:4 Jesus Christ is Superior to the Angels A Heb. 2:5-18 Jesus Christ Fulfills God s Plan for Mankind B Heb. 3:1-19 Jesus Christ is Greater than Moses A Heb. 4:1-16 Jesus Christ is Greater than Joshua B Heb. 5:1-10 Jesus Christ is Greater than Aaron A Heb. 4:11-6:20 Warning and Encouragement for the Believers B Heb. 7:1-28 Jesus Christ is a Greater High Priest A Heb. 8:1-13 Jesus Christ Offers a Better Covenant B Heb, 9:1-14 Jesus Christ Offers a Permanent Sanctuary A Heb. 9:15-28 Jesus Christ Offers a Better Sacrifice B Heb. 10:1-18 Jesus Christ Offers Complete Forgiveness A Heb.10:19-39 Jesus Christ Offers a Better Way B Heb. 11:1-12:2 Jesus Christ Offers a Better Aim A Heb. 12:3-17 Jesus Christ Offers Better Correction B Heb.12:18-29 Jesus Christ Offers a Better Mountain A Heb. 13:1-21 Jesus Christ Demands a Greater Consecration B Heb.13:22-25 In Jesus Christ We Have a Greater Blessing Answers to the lessons Tests Supplements Projects Epistle to the Hebrews 3

3 Introductory Lesson (to be done in the meeting) Welcome to our study of the important and intriguing Epistle to the Hebrews. Important, because it is one of the New Testament writings with most doctrinal content. Intriguing, because the text of the epistle doesn t tell us specifically the name of the writer, the date when it was written, nor to whom it was addressed! So in this lesson we will seek to find traces in the text which teach us all that s possible about: A. The writer of the Epistle. B. His readers. C. His purpose in writing. D. His principal subject. A. The Writer of the Epistle!. As has already been mentioned, the text does not give the name of the writer, something always done in the letters written by the Apostles Peter and Paul. An ancient tradition ascribes this epistle to Paul, another to Barnabas, and Martin Luther thought it was written by Apollos. Other candidates favored by commentators are Silas and Luke. However, although there is no certainty about the writer, it has been said: If the name of the writer is uncertain, its inspiration is undeniable for it agrees perfectly with apostolic doctrine and offers a profound interpretation of the spiritual significance of Jewish worship and a decisive demonstration of the superiority of the New Covenant. Let s see what information we can get from the text itself: (2:3b) From whom did the writer hear the Gospel? (It) was confirmed to us by those who 2. (2:3b) So, was he a disciple who had known Jesus in person? 3. (Gal. 1:11-12) In that case, could the writer be the Apostle Paul? 4. (13:23) Although it is unlikely that the writer was the Apostle Paul, it seems that he did have close connections with him. What Bible person does the writer name? 5. (1 Tim. 1:2) What relationship did this person have with the Apostle Paul? 6. (13:24) From where is it probable that the writer was sending his final greetings? Epistle to the Hebrews 5

4 Introductory Lesson 7. (2 Tim. 1:17) Where did the Apostle Paul spend his last years? 8. (9:6 & 25) In what tense are the verbs in this passage? 9. This last detail is significant, as we know that the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in the year 70 A.D. thus ending the continual sacrifices. That is to say, we can conclude that the Epistle to the Hebrews was written BEFORE/AFTER the destruction of the Temple. 10. All this suggests to us that, although it is improbable that the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews was, he had colleagues in common and was in Rome at a date near to the time that the Apostle was there. 11. Whoever the writer was, the text makes it clear that he had ample knowledge of the Bible, especially the Old Testament, and, according to the experts, a good, fluent knowledge of the Greek language. How many quotations from the Old Testament are there in Chapter 1? 12. What place is described in detail in Chapter 9:1-10? 13. How many Old Testament persons are mentioned in Chapter 11? 14. In view of this knowledge of the Old Testament, what is likely to be the origin and religion of the writer? B. The Recipients of the Epistle 15. The epistle does not mention directly to whom it is addressed nor where they lived. Although neither their names nor the place are mentioned, we can learn a lot about their spiritual state and see certain details that reveal who they were. Let s see: (10:32) What happened to them at the beginning of their life as Christians? 16. (10;33) They were exposed to and 17. (10:34) They had accepted joyfully the confiscation of their 18. (6:9-11) They had served both God and the brethren well, as here they are exhorted to continue with the same to the 19. (5:11,12) What problems did they have? a) They were to b) They needed to return to the truths of God s c) (10:25) Some had given up 6 SEAN International

5 Introductory Lesson 20. Read the first words of the following verses: 13:1,2,3,5,7,9,17. What do these verses imply with respect to the authority of the writer over his readers? 21. (13:23) What did the writer plan to do, if Timothy returned? 22. This last detail implies that the readers were a definite/indefinite community, living in a definite/indefinite place. 23. As we shall see during the study, there are many reasons to indicate that this epistle was written to Christians of Jewish origin and for this reason it is known as the Epistle to the. C. The Purpose of the Epistle 24. It s evident that the writer had a genuine pastoral concern for his readers, and he is writing to them to call them to order and to stimulate their faith. In fact in Hebrews 13:22 he calls his Epistle a word of. 25. Complete the following exhortations, which show this purpose of stimulating the readers faith: a) (4:14) Let us hold firmly b) (4:16) Let us then approach the of grace with c) (6:1) Let us go to d) (10:22) let us draw near with e) (10:23) Let us hold to the we profess f) (10:24) And let us consider how we may one another on towards and g) (12:1) let us t everything that and the that so easily entangles, and let us run with the race marked out for us h) (12:28) let us be, and so God with and Epistle to the Hebrews 7

6 Introductory Lesson D. The Main Subject of the Epistle 26. But this epistle is not just haranguing discouraged Christians. The writer puts it to his readers powerfully that to turn back is crazy, since Jesus is the fulfillment of everything that is presented in the Old Testament. He is the Son of God, his Apostle, and above all in this epistle is God s High Priest. So the words BETTER and GREATER are the key words in this epistle. They are applied to Jesus and to his salvation at least eight times. a) (1:4) the he has inherited is superior to theirs (that of the angels) b) (7:17-19) a better is introduced, by which we draw near to God! c) (7:20-22) Jesus has become the guarantee of a better d) (8:6) the Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the of which he is mediator is superior to the, and it is founded on better e) (10:34) you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting f) (11:14-16) they were longing for a better, a one g) (12:24) the sprinkled (of Christ) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel So this epistle is a powerful doctrinal presentation which exhorts the readers to trust in Jesus Christ above everything else, for there is nothing and no one better than him. JESUS CHRIST IS THE GREATEST! 8 SEAN International

7 LESSON 1A Jesus Christ is the Supreme Revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1-3) To start the lesson: 1. Have a time of silence and prayer. 2. Go over the answers to the Introductory Test. 3. Now try to put yourself in the writer s place and meditate briefly on his aim to encourage his readers with the wonderful truths of the Gospel. How can it be done in a convincing way? 4. Now read Hebrews 1:1-3 two or three times in order to get the sense of the words. I don t know about you, but the simplicity, profundity and majesty of the prose awaken in me emotion and wonder. The Holy Spirit isn t with us for nothing! In fact verses 1 to 3 of Hebrews chapter one are not only an introduction to the epistle as a whole but also the cornerstone on which the writer builds all his arguments. 1. What do each of the following passages agree on? Matthew 17:5, 1 Peter 2:4-7 and Hebrews 1:1-3. Important: Always follow the order given below: a) Read the content of each point. b) Write your answer on the respective line. c) If in doubt, compare your answer with the Answers from page 92 onwards. d If you don t understand a question or can t answer it, mark it with an x in the margin. 2. It is very important to notice in this introduction to the book that the subject of the first two verses is GOD. What God has done is that he HAS SPOKEN in the past and in these last days. a) (1:1) How often did he speak in the past? b) (1:1) How did he speak? c) (1:1) To whom did he speak? d) (1:1) Through whom did he speak? e) (2 Peter 1:21) How did these prophets speak? Continued Epistle to the Hebrews 9

8 Jesus Christ is the Supreme Revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1-3) 2. Continued. f) (1:2) BUT, through whom did God finally speak? g) (1:2) When has he spoken? h) (1:2) To whom does he speak now? 3. All that God has said is important, and there is no attempt to exalt one part of his revelation over another, but it is important to understand here that God s revelation is progressive. In other words, the message is the same in essence, but it goes on getting clearer over time, culminating in the final message of the Son of God for us who live in these days. When the Son came, the old covenant was fulfilled and the new began, which in its time will culminate when God restores everything (Acts 3:21). 4. The second thing we must notice is the big difference between the messengers. Who were the prophets (Elijah, for example) according to James 5:17? 5. Compare this with Jesus Christ s credentials. Write them in the order they appear in verses 2b and 3. a) whom he appointed b) through whom he c) The Son is d) and the exact of his e) by f) After he had for g) He is now seated Is it possible to miss the truth here? This passage establishes the total superiority of the new covenant over the old one. The prophets, who were mortal, weak humans, do not have the authority or the dignity of the Son. So the message of the Law and the Prophets is only an anticipation of what is fulfilled completely in the Gospel. In verses 2b and 3 the greatness of the Son is illustrated in his relation: to God to the universe to human beings 10 SEAN International

9 Lesson 1A 6. Let us look at his relation to God: a) He is the S, a unique relationship from eternity to eternity. b) As eternal Son, he is of all things. This expresses God s eternal purpose for creation: it was created so that the Son should be its sovereign Lord. c) It is through him that God the. In other words the Son is the agent of God s creation. We find this explained in more detail in John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16. Have you read these verses? d) He is the of his glory. The glory of God is his majestic nature manifested to the world (Isaiah 6:1-4 and 40:5). Just as the rays of the sun send out its resplendent light, the Son irradiates the glory of God to the world. e) He is the exact of his. Representation is what shows us what another is like, and being is the very self of a person. The human mind cannot fathom the mystery of the doctrine of the Trinity, but: f) John 1:18 says: No one has ever, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him. g) And Jesus, in John 14:9 makes this representation so absolute by saying: anyone who has me has the. 7. With regard to the relation of the Son to the universe, we have already seen that it is his eternal inheritance, his creation, and he rules over it. In verse 3b we see that it is also the Son who is a) all things by his b). 8. Finally, let s see his wonderful relationship to human beings, because Jesus is not just Divine by nature (John 1:18), he is also totally human and one with us. This is why in verse 3b we see that it is the Son who has provided a) for b). In other words the Son is the Priest of God who by his sacrifice of himself brought about the purification of our sins. Something which neither the Law nor the Levitical Sacrifices could achieve. As John the Baptist said of Jesus in John 1:29, Look, the c) of d), who takes away the e) of the f). 9. The Son did not only achieve our salvation, but v.3 tells of the culmination of his present work: he has sat down at the a) of the b) in c). In other words, Jesus has passed from the cross to his heavenly throne. Epistle to the Hebrews 11