HEBREWS JESUS, OUR EXALTED AND GREAT HIGH PRIEST

Transcription

1 HEBREWS JESUS, OUR EXALTED AND GREAT HIGH PRIEST The human author of Hebrews remains unknown. There are numerous features of this letter that indicate an authorship other than Paul s, but the high quality of its style makes Hebrews one of the distinguished works of the New Testament. The author s purpose is to present the singularity, supremacy, and sufficiency of the Person and Work of our Great High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the face of all that mere religion has to offer. I. JESUS is the Greater Messenger (Chs. 1-2) A. Greater than the Prophets (1:1-2a) B. Greater than the Angels (1:2b-2:18) II. JESUS is the Greater Apostle (3:1-19; 4:1-13) A. Greater than Moses (3:1-19) B. Greater than Joshua (4:1-13) III. JESUS is the Greater High Priest (4:14-10:39) A. From a Greater Line than Aaron (Chs. 5-6) B. From a Greater Order than Levi (Ch. 7) C. With a Greater Covenant than the Law (Ch. 8) D. In a Greater Tabernacle than the Old (Ch. 9:1-11) E. With a Greater Sacrifice than Bulls and Goats (Chs. 9:12-10:39) CONCLUSION: (10:19 to the end). Because of the Superiority of our High Priest, Jesus, we are to go on to A. A full Assurance of Faith in Him (Ch. 11) B. A Steadfast Continuance in Faith in Him (Chs ) Pastor Charles P. Schmitt, teaching 1

2 HEBREWS IS THE ONLY NEW TESTAMENT WRITING THAT PRESENTS JESUS TO US AS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea A Great High Priest whose name is Love Who ever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on His hands My name is written on His heart I know that while in Heav n He stands No tongue can bid me thence depart No tongue can bid me thence depart. When Satan tempts me to despair And tells me of the guilt within Upward I look and see Him there Who made an end to all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died My sinful soul is counted free For God the Just is satisfied To look on Him and pardon me To look on Him and pardon me. Behold Him there the risen Lamb My perfect, spotless righteousness The great unchangeable I AM The King of glory and of grace! One with Himself I cannot die My soul is purchased with His blood My life is hid with Christ on high With Christ, my Savior and my God With Christ, my Savior and my God. Charitie Bancroft 2

3 HEBREWS, CHAPTER BY CHAPTER CHAPTER ONE Jesus, the Messenger: Greater than the Prophets (1:1-3), and Greater than the Angels (1:4-14; 2:1-4) CHAPTER TWO Jesus, the Messenger: Greater than the Angels (Continued; 2:5-17) CHAPTER THREE Jesus, the Apostle: Greater than Moses (3:1-19) CHAPTER FOUR Jesus, the Leader: Greater than Joshua (4:1-13; 14-16) THE GRAND THEME: OUR GREAT [ MEGA, GREEK] HIGH PRIEST (3:17; 4:14-15) CHAPTER FIVE Jesus, the High Priest: Greater than Aaron (3:1; 4:14-16; 5:1-14) in the order of Melchizedek (5:10) CHAPTER SIX Jesus, the High Priest, Forever, in the Order of Melchizedek (6:20) a chapter of admonitions (6:1-3), severe warnings (6:4-8), and encouragements (6:9-20) CHAPTER SEVEN Jesus, the Melchizedek High Priest, Greater than the Order of Levi (7:1-28) CHAPTER EIGHT Jesus, the Mediator of a Greater Covenant (8:1-13) CHAPTER NINE Jesus, the Minister in a Greater Tabernacle (9:1-11), Offering Himself, the Greater Sacrifice (9:12-28) CHAPTER TEN Jesus, Himself, the Greater Sacrifice (10:1-39) that has perfected forever those who are being made holy! PRACTICAL CONCLUSIONS CHAPTER ELEVEN Jesus, the Object of Our Saving Faith (10:21-22) the definition of faith; examples of faith CHAPTER TWELVE Jesus, the Object of our Persevering Faith CHAPTER THIRTEEN Concluding Exhortations to Persevering Faith Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (13:21c) 3

4 HEBREWS, CHAPTER ONE Pastor Charles P. Schmitt, teaching THEME: THE SON SUPERIOR TO ALL OTHER MESSENGERS Superior to the Prophets (the messengers on earth) Superior to the Angels (the messengers from heaven) I. THE SON: SUPERIOR TO THE PROPHETS (1:1-3) A. The Prophets Words were Fragmentary by bits and pieces (1:1) B. The Son s Word is Final! God has spoken to us finally [aorist tense: once for all ] in [His] Son. II. THE SON: SUPERIOR TO THE ANGELS (1:4-14) The Glories of His Power The Glories of His Person A. THE SEVEN-FOLD SUPERIORITY OF THE SON (1:2b-3) 1. He is the Heir: He is the appointed heir of all things (the Firstborn) 2. He is the Creator: Through Him God made the Universe [the ages]. 3. He is the Radiance of God: The Son is the radiance [the outraying, the outshining] of God s glory He is to the Father what the rays of light are to the sun. The Glories of His Perfect Redemption 4

5 B. THE SEVEN-FOLD EXCELLENCY OF THE SON (1:4-14) (BY GOD S SEVEN HOLY DECREES) 1. The Excellent Son in His incarnate Humanity (1:4-6) the Name (John 17:11-12; Matthew 1:21) 1) Psalm 2:7 (1:5a) He is the Incarnate Son today His holy conception day (Luke 1:34-35) 2) 2 Samuel 7:14 (1:5b) He will be His Father s Son THE FIRST SOBER WARNING Hebrews 2:1-4 Therefore = the whole of chapter one A warning against careless, passive, indifferent, negligent DRIFTING! (see 10:25) It is the lack of intense earnestness which is at the root of this feebleness in the Christian life A.M. the message spoken by angels (Acts 7:53) The whole Trinity is involved in this Message! THE CHALLENGE FOR US 5

6 HEBREWS, CHAPTER TWO Pastor Charles P. Schmitt, teaching THEME: JESUS, THE MESSENGER GREATER THAN THE ANGELS continued (2:5-17) In this wonderful chapter two glorious revelations come to light His Name: the name he has inherited is superior to theirs (1:4; 2:9 Jesus ) And the full disclosure of His Priesthood: The merciful and faithful High Priest (1:3b; 2:17). This theme now becomes the main theme of Hebrews! I. THE EXALTATION OF JESUS THE MAN (2:5-9) It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come (2:5) 1. A Double Meaning Psalm 8:4-6 speaks of man but is applied to Messiah, because in Him alone the Psalm finds the fulfillment of what is promised A.M. 2. A Double Vision We do not yet see everything subject to man, but we do see Jesus crowned with glory and honor. II. THE SUFFERINGS OF JESUS THE MAN (2:10-18) It is not angels he helps (2:16) 1. Jesus suffered death the He might taste death for everyone (v. 9). The Savior sufficient (v. 9); the Savior efficient (v. 10) 2. Jesus suffered for His own perfection (maturity, completeness, full orbedness, v. 10). [one holy seed! (v. 11); Jesus our Brother (vss ); Jesus our Father! (vss )] 3. Jesus suffered death to destroy [ render powerless ] Satan who holds the power of death (v. 14) and to free those held in slavery by their fear of death (v. 15) 4. Jesus suffered death that He might make atonement for the sins of the people (v. 17) 5. Jesus suffered when He was tempted, to help [succor] those being tempted (v. 18) THE CHALLENGE FOR US 6

7 HEBREWS, CHAPTER THREE THEME: CONSIDER JESUS, THE APOSTLE: GREATER THAN MOSES (3:1-19) Introduction (3:1) I. THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN JESUS AND MOSES among the greatest of men (3:1-2) A. Jesus and Moses were Both Apostles [Sent Ones] (3:1) 1. Moses was sent (Exodus 3:11) 2. Jesus was sent (John 20:21) B. Jesus and Moses were Both Faithful (3:2) 1. Jesus is faithful (2:17) 2. Moses was faithful (Numbers 12:7) Moses was a type of Christ. In what he suffered from his brethren; in his rejection by his brethren; in his zeal and sacrifice of all for God; in his willingness to die for his people; in his fellowship with God we see the marks of an apostle. And yet it was all only a shadow and a prophecy, a testimony of things to come. from The Holiest of All, Andrew Murray II. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN JESUS AND MOSES (3:3-6) A. Jesus, as the God-Builder is worthy of greater honor than Moses (3:3-4) B. Jesus, as the Son over God s House is worthy of greater honor than Moses, a servant in God s House (3:5-6) If = the perseverance of the saints (3:6) THE SECOND SOBER WARNING Hebrews 4:7-19 A sobering quote from Psalm 95:7-11 (4:7-11) A sobering warning from the author (4:12-15) A sobering recap from the Holy Scriptures (4:16-19) THE CHALLENGE FOR US 7