HEBREWS- 2015- VIDEO LINKS
INCLUDED
HEBREWS 1-3 The next few weeks I’ll be teaching from an old commentary
I wrote a few years back [2007-8]- The notes at the bottom of the chapters- and
post- are new [as well as the videos].
NEW NOTE- In the study of the bible- there are debates about who wrote
the letters of the New Testament.
In the field of higher criticism- it gets a bit silly at times.
I just finished an on line course from a respected scholar out of Yale
university.
He taught from the higher criticism perspective- I enjoyed the course-
though I did not agree with lots of his conclusions.
At one point he questioned whether Paul wrote the middle chapter of one
of the letters attributed to Paul.
Yet he did believe the first- and last chapters were by Paul.
For the most part- we believe that the letters in the bible- that say
in them ‘written by Paul’ are from Paul [or Peter, James, Etc.].
But- Hebrews leaves the authors name out- so some debate who wrote it.
Tertullian- an early church father [2/3rd century]
attributed it to Barnabus- Paul’s companion that we read about in the book of
Acts-
For about 1500 years- till the time of the Reformation- most Christian
scholars attributed it to Paul.
Hebrews is written in a high form of Greek [which is another way we
determine who wrote the letters- tough this is not always accurate.
Many say John the apostle did not write Revelation- because the form of
Greek used is much lower than the other writings of John- yet- there is
internal witness that John [the apostle] wrote it.
In John’s writings [gospel- 1st, 2nd and 3rd
John] he speaks about Jesus as the Word [Logos] and this theme is seen in
Revelation too].
So- while we don’t know for sure- I personally stick with the
authorship of Paul the apostle.
INTRODUCTION:
I have been wanting to overview this book for
a long time. I believe there are a lot of misconceptions from Hebrews. Often
time’s modern translations take older books of the Bible and want to make them
relevant for our day. This can be both good and bad.
I like the message Bible, but for in depth
study it doesn’t really work. There are certain things that must be interpreted
in context of the time and place when
the book was written. Hebrews is one of the most important New Testament books
to ‘read in context’. I wont go over every verse in this short commentary, I
will hit the high points of various chapters and try to show you what I mean by
‘reading it in context’.
I believe it is possible that this book was
Paul’s ‘open letter’ to the first century Jewish community, this is quite
possibly why it goes unsigned. The ‘Judaizers’ had so polluted the minds of
their fellow Jews against Paul ‘he speaks against Moses and our law’ type
thing, that if Paul signed this letter, there would be little chance that the
intended audience would read it!
If you read a
book on auto mechanics, and tried to make it relevant for the human body, it
wouldn’t work. For instance if you spoke on the engine of a car, and then tried
to ‘translate’ that and equate it with the human heart, you would have
problems. But if you left it in context and then applied the concept of
maintenance and the need for clean fuel lines, and then applied it to the human
need for clean arteries, well then that would be OK.
So I believe when we read Hebrews, and don’t
try to make it ‘fit’ Gentile believers, then it works. You still get great
principles from the ‘manual’, but you understand that it is not speaking
directly to the Gentile church. God bless you guys, I hope you get something
from it. John.
CHAPTER 1:
NEW NOTES AT END OF CHAPTER-
LOGOS.
SEATED.
‘God, who at sundry times and in diverse
manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the Prophets, hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by
whom also he made the worlds. Many years ago when I was going to a fundamental
Baptist Church, they would interpret this passage in a ‘cessationist’ way. They
would say because God says in the past he spoke by prophets, but now by his
Son. That this means he doesn’t speak thru Prophets any more. The Prophets here
are Old Testament voices. In Ephesians it says after Jesus ascended up on high
he gave gifts unto men, some Apostles, some Prophets, etc. The fact that Jesus
made Prophets after the ascension teaches us that there were to be a whole new
class of New Testament Prophets that were different from the old. I find it
strange to believe that Jesus would create a whole new class of gifts, and then
take them away as soon as the Bible is complete. Why would Paul give
instruction in the New Testament on how Prophets would operate [Corinthians]
and then to say ‘as soon as this letter is canonized with the others, all this
instruction will be useless’ it just doesn’t seem right.
The reason Paul is saying in the past God used
Prophets, but today his Son. Paul is showing that the Jewish Old testament was
a real communication from God to man. But in this dispensation of Grace, God is
speaking the realities that the Prophets were looking to. Paul is saying ‘thank
God for the Old Jewish books and law, they point to something, his name is
Jesus’! The Prophets [Old Testament] served a purpose; they brought us from the
shadows to the present time [1st century] now lets move on into the
reality. Now you must see and hear the Son in these last days. ‘Who being the
brightness of his glory and the express image of his person…when he by himself
purged our sins SAT DOWN on the right hand of the majesty on high’ here we are
at the beginning stages of themes that we will see later in the letter. The
significance of Jesus ‘sitting down’ will be contrasted with the Old testament
priests ‘standing up’. Paul [for the record I think Paul wrote this letter,
from here on I will probably just refer to the writer as Paul] will teach that
the ‘standing up’ of the Levitical Priests represented an ‘incomplete
priesthood’ the reason Jesus sat down was because there would be no more
sacrifice, and no more priesthood made up of many priests who would die year
after year. This doesn’t mean there would be no more New Testament priests as
believers, but that there would be no more Old Testament system. Paul will find
spiritual truths like this all thru out the Old Testament.
Some theologians feel that Paul is a little
too loose with these free comparisons that he seems to ‘pull out of the hat’,
for the believer who holds to the canon of scripture, it is the Word of God.
‘Being made so much better than the angels…but unto the Son he saith “thy
throne O God is forever and ever, a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of
thy Kingdom”. Here Paul introduces another theme that will be seen thru out
this letter. The superiority of Jesus over angels. Why is this important? Most
believers know that Jesus is greater than angels, don’t they? Here we see why
context is important to understand this letter. In Jewish tradition it is
believed that the law was given to Moses by God thru the mediation of angels.
Some say ‘well, we don’t use Jewish tradition, we use scripture’. First, Paul
used anything he could to win the argument. Second, if we believe Hebrews is an
inspired book, then when we read later on that the law given thru angels
received a recompense if broken, then right here you have scripture [Hebrews]
testifying that God did use angels to ‘transmit’ the law to some degree. Now,
why is it important for gentiles to see this? Well it really isn’t! But it is
vital for a first century Jew to see it. If Paul can show that Jesus is greater
than the angels, then he is beginning to make the argument that the New
Covenant is greater than the Old.
Here is the context.
Moses law is highly revered in the first century Jewish community, so here Paul
says ‘how much better is the law/word given to us from Gods Son’. Since Jesus
is much better than the angels, therefore pay closer attention to the words
spoken thru Gods Son, he is greater than the angels! ‘But to which of the
angels said he “sit at my right hand until I make thy enemies thy footstool” we
end chapter one with the theme of Jesus being better than the angels, yet in
chapter 2 something funny happens, Paul will make the argument of Jesus being
“a little lower than the angels” lets see what this means.
NEW NOTES-
4-2015
LOGOS.
We see God
having created all things thru Christ ‘the express image of his person- by whom
also he made the worlds’.
Jesus is called
the WORD of God in scripture- the Greek word- for ‘word’ is Logos.
We read in the
bible that God made all things- but also that Christ made all things-
Is this a
contradiction?
No-
For the first
3-4 centuries of Christianity- as you study the early church councils-
The early church
struggled over how to view the relationships between God and Jesus
These debates
raged- and at times each side viewed the other as Heretics.
I think it was a
mistake to be so quick to judge those as heretics- who were having difficulty
in expressing in finite words- the great mystery of God and Christ.
In Genesis we
read that God spoke all things into existence- so- here we see God’s Word-
Logos [Christ] as being the instrumental cause of creation.
In John chapter
one we read that Jesus was the Word- in the beginning- who was with God- and
was God.
I’ll try and
simplify it [not an easy task to say the least].
God- who is
Spirit- spoke- and this expression of God- his Word- is also referred to as
Christ-
Christ/Jesus is
the Word of God made flesh- and it is thru his humanity [incarnation] that we
do indeed see God in ‘the flesh’-
Yes- by Him- all
things were made.
SEATED.
We see a theme
in chapter 1- that will run thru the whole letter-
HE SAT DOWN- In
Hebrews we are seeing the superiority of the New Covenant over the old- and
there will be many comparisons to show how the Old Covenant- priests-
sacrifices- the law itself- was less than what we get in the New Covenant-
And the reality
that Jesus sat down at the right hand of God- shows us that he was the last-
and final High Priest- and the whole system of Priests under the law are now
done.
We will read
that the Old Testament priests stood [signifying that there work was ongoing-
meaning they would have to keep offering sacrifices that could never put away
sin].
But Jesus- after
he offered himself- sat down.
All thru this
letter we will see these comparisons-
LOTS OF QUOTES-
We also see a lot of quotes from the Psalms in this letter- just like we saw in
the Romans study.
There is a
debate over whether or not Paul wrote the letter- I think he did.
One of the
reasons is the author of Hebrews does the same thing as Paul in the other
letters- lots of cross references from the Old Testament books- and it just
seems to me to have the same flavor as Paul’s other letters.
Psalms 2, 104,
45, etc.
CHAPTER 2:
NEW NOTES AT BOTTOM
.HOW SHOULD WE INTERPRET
SCRIPTURE?
.PSLAMS, ISAIAH ‘REVEALED’ THRU
CHRIST
‘Therefore we ought to give the more earnest
heed to the things which we have heard, lest at anytime we should let them
slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression
received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so
great salvation that was first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by
them that heard him’. Now, we see the contrast. If the word spoken ‘by angels’
[law] was so strict in judgment, then how much more will God hold responsible
those who reject the word spoken by the Son [gospel], being he is so much
better than the angels? This is the theme taught in chapter one. That’s why
chapter 2 starts with ‘therefore’ he is saying because of all this truth of the
superiority of Jesus to angels, don’t reject the word of the Son! Also now we
begin to see context. The ‘not neglecting so great salvation’ is really
speaking to Israel [Hebrews]. It is not telling believers not to neglect
salvation or they will be lost, it is telling first century Israel if you
reject/neglect this true gospel of Jesus as Messiah, then YOU will be lost.
Many of the verses thru out this study will
begin to make a lot of sense when taken in context. We will do much more of
this in the coming chapters. ‘Thou madest him a little lower than the angels,
thou crownest him with glory’ ‘thou hast put all things under his feet’ ‘we see
Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honor, that he by
the grace of God should taste death for every man’. Now we see the doctrine of
Jesus being made lower than the angels. Does this contradict chapter one? No!
He was first made ‘lower’ [became a man and humbled himself more than any other
man-Philippians] and for this reason God gave him the highest position at his
right hand. He was made lower so he could ‘taste death for every man’ here Paul
gets right into the central message of the gospel, that he will spend the rest
of this letter explaining. He realizes that 1st century Israel must
transition into the death and resurrection of Jesus. He doesn’t take the common
evangelical approach to Israel, which seems to defend and extol her on a
regular basis. Paul sees her ‘lost ness’ and makes every effort to bring her
into the gospel. Jesus died for EVERY man, Israel, so you too must transition
into this one new man that he desires to create.
‘For as much than as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood, he also likewise took part of the same, that thru
death he might DESTROY him who had the power of death, that is the devil: and
deliver them who thru fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage’
did you know that Jesus already destroyed the devil? The greatest act of
deliverance and redemption that will ever take place, already took place!
Evangelicals can be notorious for looking to the 2nd coming as an
‘escape hatch’. Sometimes the 2nd coming is looked to as the event
that ‘destroys the devil’ sorry, but he has already been destroyed. Now there
definitely will be a future aspect to his final judgment, but its inevitability
is sealed by the fact of the death and resurrection of the Son of God!
These verses
also say that Jesus delivered us from him who had the power of death, that is
the devil. Jesus taught in the gospels that God had the power to take life or
spare it. Fear God. Then how can the devil have ‘the power of death’. The devil
has used death as a ‘sword of Damocles’ over the heads of people. He works thru
intimidation. How many people live their whole lives in fear of getting cancer,
or some other disease? They often go to extreme lengths to do all they can to
avoid death. This type of self survival can be obsessive. People will run back
and forth on hopes of escaping some sickness. The devil often accuses people
‘you have this sickness’ or ‘you might get it’. He had ‘power’ thru deception.
He knew man did sin, and one of the prices for sin was death. So the enemy
constantly accuses the saints. And one of his main weapons is ‘you will die
because of what you did’. Jesus dealt with this ultimate fear thru tasting
death himself and coming thru the other side. This is why Peter was so eager to
go thru death after he saw Jesus do it. Peter was such a chicken before, that
he would deny he even knew Jesus, to a girl, just to save his skin. After the
resurrection, it was all over! They were convinced that death had no more power
over them. They would die someday, but it wasn’t the final curtain.
‘Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be
made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high
priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the
people, for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to help
them that are tempted’ One of the other reasons why Jesus took on flesh was so
he could empathize with man. Paul wrote the Corinthians and told them that the
things that they suffered were for a purpose. The purpose was that after they
went thru stuff, God would show them comfort. They then would be able to
comfort others with the same comfort that God showed them. Later in Hebrews we
also read that every priest taken from men had infirmity. Therefore he could
identify with man.
We will also read that Jesus was in all points
tempted like us. So here we see that Jesus incarnation allowed him to identify
with man and to be faithful to have compassion and understanding with mans
weakness. Often times in Christianity you will have well meaning ministers give
up on the addict. A lot of times you hear ‘well, if they were serious about God
they would do right’ or ‘if they only made a quality decision at the altar’ and
things of this nature. Often times those who have not been thru addiction
cannot really understand the life of a person who will steal from his own
family, go to prison, lose everything he has ever earned. And then get out
after 10 years and do it all again! Jesus had compassion because he walked in
our shoes. He knew the terrible draw of sin and temptation, and he asks us to
come to him for help because he knows what the struggles are like.
NEW NOTES-
Psalms 8, 22.
Isaiah 8- Notice how the author freely quotes from Psalms and Isaiah- just like
we saw in the book of Romans-
Notice how the
writer applies the quotes to Jesus himself ‘I will sing praises to you in the
midst of the congregation’ ‘made a little lower than the angels’ etc.
I just finished
another course- by a Yale university scholar-
He taught from
the ‘historical criticism’ view of scripture.
This type of
reading of the bible arose out of the German universities in the late19th-
early 20th centuries.
It had some good
aspects to it- but in many ways it was an unfair criticism [taking apart] of
the biblical authors.
I mention that
to say when we see the New Testament writers interpreting these Old Testament
scriptures in this way- Those of us who believe the bible to be the inspired
Word of God.
Then we don’t
see it as a ‘miss-reading’. For instance- critics say that some of these verses
are not speaking of Christ- now- that may be true in the general sense- when
the Jews first read these verses from the Old Testament.
But we- Christians-
see it as God revealing the true fulfillment of these prophecies- in Psalms and
Isaiah.
So- the critics
will note that these verses applied in a general way- and not to Christ.
But the believer
sees it as God using the writers of the New Testament- under inspiration- as
revealing to us how the Old Testament is now being fully revealed thru Christ.
Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son
of man, that thou visitest him?
Psalm 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels,
and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Psalm 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy
hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Psalm
22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the
congregation will I praise thee.
Isaiah
8:18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and
for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
CHAPTER 3:
END NOTES-
PSLAMS 95.
TRUE SABBATH REST.
‘Wherefore HOLY BRETHREN, partakers of the
heavenly calling’ I want to submit to you that these terms found thru out
Hebrews are really speaking of the privileged position of the 1st
century Jew before his final rejection of Messiah as a nation. Most times we
read these verses and debate whether it is speaking of someone who is ‘saved’
or not. Later we will see this in chapter 6 ‘those who were once enlightened
and partakers of the Holy Ghost’ all these terms can apply to Israel as Gods
peculiar people and chosen nation. I feel Paul is still addressing them this
way because they are still in a transition stage in the 1st century.
There is still hope that they will receive Messiah as a nation. All these terms
are referring to Israel as being Gods special people who came for a special
purpose. Ultimately they will not live up to this calling [yet!] because they
will reject Jesus as a nation, though there will be a remnant of Jews who will
believe. So as we read thru out Hebrews we will look at all these privileged
expressions as speaking of Israel as Gods special nation.
This will clear
up the arguments that many believers have over portions of this letter.
‘Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus…and Moses
was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things
that would come later…but Christ as a Son over his own house WHO’S HOUSE ARE WE
if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of hope firm unto the end’ a main
theme from Paul is to compare Moses and Jesus. Paul will take lots of Old
testament verses and quote them in this letter. I believe more than any other
New Testament letter. He quotes them freely, not even giving the chapter and
verse, he says ‘somewhere it is said’ and then goes right into it. Sort of like
what I do on my blog! The point is Paul is seeing so many shadows of the Old
Testament fulfilled thru Christ that his mind is exploding in revelation. It is
almost like he can’t stop proving this point. Jesus is seen all thru out the
Old Testament and Paul is obsessed with showing this to the first century Jew,
his own cultural family. He says in Romans that he would be cursed himself if
he knew it would open the eyes of his nation. Paul also reveals that Israel can
become this house, if she ‘holds on to the end’. We will read stuff like this a
lot in Hebrews. This causes some to read the letter as in if Paul were writing
Christians.
Jesus taught in
John 15 that the branches would be cut off that would not bring fruit. Paul
also said that Israel, the natural branches, were cut off so we [gentiles]
would be grafted in. These terms of ‘holding on, staying steadfast’ can be
applied to Israel in the sense that Paul is pleading ‘you have a few thousand
year history with God. God has sent you prophets and anointed your kings with
his Spirit [by the way this is why in chapter 6 it will say those who were once
enlightened by the Spirit and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost- no other
nation on earth had the Spirit of God actively administrating their government
like Israel- the argument isn’t whether it’s talking about people who were
‘truly saved’ or not!] you, Israel, have been walking with him for a long time,
DON’T FALL AWAY NOW!’ So in context the ‘holding on’ can describe the
transition stage. Don’t fall away after all these years of waiting for Messiah
as a national hope and promise. You will see Paul use this argument in Acts
when he says ‘you guys are accusing me of heresy, and I am just preaching the
fulfillment of the promise that our fathers have been waiting for, for over
thousands of years’.
‘Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost says, today if
you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, the day
of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me and saw my works
FORTY YEARS… so I sware in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest’ Now, a
common theme is to teach that Christians cant get the promised land because
they don’t have faith. It is taught that Israel in the wilderness are a type of
believers and to get the promise you must believe. While all this can be true,
this is not the context in Hebrews. Paul is trying to get Israel to BELIEVE in
Christ for righteousness, as opposed to her trying to work for it [Romans
9-10].
Paul sees the
story of Israel not entering into the Promised Land as an example of the danger
of not entering into the new covenant by failing to believe in Jesus and be
justified by faith. He will later do this in chapter 11, the great faith
chapter. He will show Israel how all of her Patriarchs received A GOOD REPORT
[justified] by faith. I will explain it when I get there. So keep in mind that
Israel in the wilderness is a type of Israel in the first century, and Paul is
trying to tell them ‘just like our fore fathers couldn’t get into the promised
land because of UNBELIEF, so too you are in danger of stumbling over the
righteousness of God which is by faith, not of works!’ I also find it
interesting that Paul includes the 40 year period of judgment. It was around 40
years after the crucifixion of Jesus until the destruction of the temple in AD
70.
It was a
prophetic sign, a sort of probationary period for Israel as a nation. It was
like God said ‘40 years are now up, the temple is going to be destroyed just
like my Son said, those who haven’t moved on and made the transition into the
‘new temple’ are now being judged’. Israel hasn’t had true temple worship
since! ‘Wherefore the Holy Ghost saith, today if you will hear his voice harden
not your hearts [as opposed to the voice of Moses which is the law] as in the
provocation, the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted
me, proved me and saw my works FORTY years…so I sware in my wrath they shall
not enter into my rest, take heed brethren [fellow Jews] lest there be in any
of you AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF IN DEPARTING FROM THE LIVING GOD’ We are going
to enter a theme that speaks of Israel not entering Gods true rest because of
unbelief, not because of a lack of works [law].
The apostle will begin to use the story of
Joshua entering into the Promised Land as a story of Jesus [which the Old
Testament translation of Joshua means Jesus] and his offering true rest [grace]
to 1st century Israel. The fact is the only ones who entered in were
the ones who believed. The unbelievers [all the adults except for Joshua and
Caleb] all died out over a 40 year period in the wilderness. Just like many of
the first century Jews would reject Messiah for 40 years until the destruction
of their temple. Jesus said we must become like little children to inherit Gods
Kingdom. The children of the older generation entered into the Promised Land,
the parents died. Why did they die Paul? Was it because they didn’t have the
law or do ‘works’? NO! They died because of unbelief. Paul is stressing that
the 1st century Jew is also in danger of ‘not entering into rest
[grace] because of unbelief’. We often read these verses applying them to
Christians, which is OK. But when you read them in context, then you see the
real meaning. This will help later when we read others passages. We wont argue
over Arminian or Calvinistic interpretations of stuff, we will see that neither
one is right as it pertains to certain portions of this letter. ‘And to whom
sware he that they should not enter into rest, but to them THAT BELIEVED NOT,
SO WE SEE THAT THEY COULD NOT ENETR IN BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF’ Do you see the
significance of this argument? Brilliant Paul is using all of these well known
Old Testament stories to convince Israel that they must believe [justification
by faith] in order to ‘inherit the land’ [the promise of eternal life]. This is
the whole context of Hebrews. That’s why when modern preachers use all these
verses to say you must believe to get material things, that they are way off
the mark. It is true that faith does obtain things. And when we believe God for
healing and finances and answers to prayer that it is vital to believe. But so
many modern teachers have taught these promises as getting stuff, while in
context you begin to see the true meaning.
PSLAMS 95-
Once again we
the writer freely quoting- and ‘interpreting’ this passage from Psalms- and
showing that the sin that prevented Israel form obtaining rest- was UNBELIEF.
Why is this so
important?
If you remember
the Romans teaching I did last- Paul stresses that the righteousness of God
comes by faith- not of works ‘lest any man should boast’.
So- this letter
to the Hebrews [Jewish people] is intended to show them the superiority of the
New Covenant over the Old.
And the way you
obtain the benefits of the New Covenant [redemption] is thru faith.
The passage from
Psalms recounts the history of the Jewish people- and those who did not ‘get
in’ [Promised Land] were those who did not have faith.
We also read how
Paul teaches that the Promised Land spoken of was still a future event/place-
Paul uses Psalms
again and says ‘If Joshua gave them the rest [Canaan- book of Joshua] then God
would not have spoken of another day’.
Here Paul says
the true day ‘of rest’ also referred to as the true Sabbath day [age of grace-
not an actual day] is fulfilled in the coming of the Messiah- and just like God
‘rested the 7th day from all his works’- so we too can rest from our
works [the law] and also enter into rest- thru the ‘new Joshua’ [Jesus].
Psalm 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his
pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
Psalm 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in
the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Psalm 95:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my
work.
Psalm 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation,
and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my
ways:
Psalm 95:11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not
enter into my rest.
HEBREWS 4-6 [Just made the video- so today you get ‘real time’-
P.S.- to my kids- the carnival looks good- maybe we will go today? Text me-
dad.]
CHAPTER 4:
NEW NOTES BELOW-
.SABBATH REST
‘Let us therefore fear [Jews in the first
century, not Christians in the 21st century! At least in this
context] lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest [now defined as
the New Covenant rest. Paul is telling Israel God has left you a promise of
rest in Messiah, where you will cease from your own works [law], beware Israel,
our forefathers missed out on the promise because of unbelief, don’t do the
same!] any of you should come short of it, for unto us was the gospel preached
[1st century Israel] as well as unto them [Israel at the edge of
entering the promised land had the gospel [good news] preached to them by
Joshua and Caleb, they gave the ‘good report’ that the land was great and it
was there for the taking, of course they didn’t believe and therefore couldn’t
take it] but the word did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them
that heard it.
For WE WHICH HAVE BELEIVED [the remnant of
Jews who were believing in the first century were entering into the rest of the
New Covenant of grace, they left off trying to be made righteous by the law,
they ceased from their own works] do enter into rest…for he spake in a certain
place of the 7th day on this wise, and God did rest the 7th
day from all his works, and again, if they shall enter into my rest. Seeing
therefore it still remains that some must enter therein, and they to whom it
was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: again he limits a
certain day in David [Psalms] today if you will HEAR HIS VOICE [as opposed to
the voice of the law/Moses] harden not your hearts. For if Joshua [my king
James says ‘Jesus’ this is because the translation is the same] had given them
rest then he would not have spoken of another day, there remaineth therefore a
rest TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD! [Jewish people ‘of God’ not gentile converts!].
Well, we covered a lot here. Paul takes the creation account, the verses that
will later speak of a future rest for Gods people, and then a verse from Psalms
where David prophesies that there still remains a future rest. He puts them all
together to show Israel that God has ordained a future ‘7th day’ for
his people to enter into. He uses the 7th day as a symbol of Gods
‘day of Grace and rest’.
He then shows Israel that it really wasn’t
speaking of the rest of the Promised Land after all, because eventually Israel
did inherit it, but yet David still spoke of it in the future tense. So Paul
concludes that the future rest of the 7th day that ‘Gods people’
[Jews] still must enter is the offer of grace to the 1st century
Jew. Wow! This is why some theologians feel Paul was a little too loose with
the scriptures. I think this stuff is great! Paul basically was using all of
his understanding as a first century theologian [Pharisee] and was absolutely
proving Christ to Israel in a way that none of the other Apostles could do. He
was the only Pharisee out of all the Apostles, one born out of due time. This
is obviously why Jesus chose him. It is so important to see the connections
that Paul is making here. If Israel were following the timeline that Paul is
giving, they will see that their own Old Testament scriptures testify that
there was a future ‘place of rest’ that would be offered to them as a nation.
And Paul also shows that in history, Israel
had a pattern of not entering into ‘this rest’ because of unbelief. And then he
says ‘but the rest that Joshua finally did give them [the promised land] wasn’t
really the true rest after all, because David still spoke of it in a future
tense’ then he says ‘see, there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of
God’. Seeing this in context clears up many wrong interpretations of these
passages. You can still read Hebrews as a Christian and get wonderful principles,
but you must see it in context to truly understand what its saying. ‘For he
that hath entered into rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did
from his’ amazing, Paul says just like God ceased from creative activity on the
‘7th day’ so likewise when we enter into the covenant of grace, we
too will cease from the works of the law. This is so significant to the Jewish
community whom Paul is addressing. He is showing them, in their language [Old
Testament] the same things he writes to the gentiles in Galatians and Romans.
He is using the story of Genesis to show the
truth of grace. Out of all the Apostles, Paul is unique in his ability to see
Jesus in all of these Old Testament stories. No one could have made a better
apologetic for the Christian faith than Paul. ‘Let us labor therefore to enter
into that rest, lest any man fall into the same example of unbelief’ Now, I
have heard it taught that this is telling Christians to ‘work for your rest’.
This would be a complete contradiction to this entire letter. But if you see
this in context, that the recipients of this letter are 1st century
Jews who are already under the bondage of the law, then you read this as ‘those
of you Jews who are always working to try and make yourselves righteous, you need
to stop working for this, but instead let all your labors and struggles end up
at the Cross’ in essence ‘labor [struggle] to see these things I am showing
you, and if you do you will find rest’ in the New Covenant of grace! ‘Seeing
then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession, for we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all
points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need.’ This of course applies to all of us. Paul and other New
Testament writers saw redemption in a way that naturally included everybody. It
was only those who rejected it thru unbelief that were missing out. This is why
you will see statements made like ‘Jesus is the savior of all men, specially of
those that believe’ there was a real sense in the early church that Jesus
really redeemed everybody.
They were not preaching universal salvation in
the sense that everybody will be saved. But the gospel was presented in a way
that simply included everybody. So here Paul says ‘we have a high priest’ he is
including Israel in the ‘we’. I also like to apply these verses to all of us.
How many times do we feel intimidated to come before Gods throne? We feel
unworthy and God seems unapproachable. Sort of like Saint John of the Cross who
experienced the ‘dark night of the soul’ as well as Mother Theresa. There are
times where believers feel separated from God's real presence. It is during
these times when God says ‘come boldly, I too have experienced weakness and
separation thru the incarnation. I know what it is like. Come to me, I can see
what you feel like, I can feel your feelings of weakness and inadequacy, come
to me for help my child’. In the next chapter we will read this in depth. Jesus
and all the high priests of the law were able to identify with man because they
were at one time in mans shoes. This is one of the great realities of the
incarnation.
NEW NOTES-
.SABBATH REST
Remember
context- in this chapter the writer is appealing to his Jewish brothers.
And he reminds
them of their own history- he says ‘just like our forefathers died in the
wilderness- because they did not BELIEVE’-
So beware- if
you now reject this new offer of REST- it will be because of UNBELIEF.
The writer is
making an argument for Justification by Faith here.
He spiritualizes
the promise of the Promised Land- and the story of Creation and Sabbath Day.
He says ‘ok- God
RESTED himself on the 7th Day of Creation’.
This REST [a
type of rest found in Christ and the New Covenant- based on Faith/Grace- NOT
WORKS -The law].
Was not the Rest
promised to Israel when they entered the Promised Land.
Why?
Because King
David says many years later- in Psalms 95- that a Rest is still in the future.
What Rest?
The 1st
century offer of Grace- thru Faith- not works.
See how
important context is?
So- when he says
‘there still remains a REST TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD’- He is not talking to
Christians- as this verse is often seen.
No- in the
letter of Hebrews- the People of God are the Jewish nation- who now must
‘labor- work- strive’ to believe the Promise of Messiah- and enter into rest.
These verses
only make sense in this context.
Preachers often
teach the verse ‘strive to enter into rest- people of God’.
And apply that
to Christians- who are already ‘in rest’.
No- that’s the
wrong setting for these verses.
But- to the 1st
century Jew- under the law- then it makes sense.
They were at a
transition stage- they were still under the law [works] and they had to beware-
because this present promise of grace- just like the Old Testament Promise of
entering into the Promised Land- is based on faith.
So- when the
writer says ‘if you strive- and hear this Gospel of Grace- you can enter into
the Sabbath Day Rest’ [a symbol of the covenant of Grace].
And have Rest.
See?
NOTE- It’s not
an ‘accident’ that the writer quotes from Psalms 95- written by Kind David.
Jesus is
identified as ‘The Son of David’ so it’s thru the Davidic line that the promise
of Rest would ultimately be fulfilled.
In a sense the
writer is saying ‘The Joshua that lead our Fathers into the Promised Land was
not the Real One- but the Joshua of the New Testament [Jesus and Joshua are the
same word in the Hebrew/Greek English translation] has now come thru the Line
of David- and he will lead us into the True Rest- if you Believe’
Psalm 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel
before the LORD our maker.
Psalm 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his
pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
Psalm 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in
the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Psalm 95:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my
work.
Psalm 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation,
and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my
ways:
Psalm 95:11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not
enter into my rest.
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all
the host of them.
Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had
made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Genesis 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it:
because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us
of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto
them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in
them that heard it.
Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he
said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although
the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on
this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Hebrews 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my
rest.
Hebrews 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter
therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of
unbelief:
Hebrews 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To
day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
Hebrews 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not
afterward have spoken of another day.
Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Hebrews 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath
ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest
any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
.
CHAPTER 5:
NEW NOTES BELOW-
HIGH PRIEST.
TIME TO MOVE ON.
‘For every high priest taken from among
men…who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are OUT OF THE WAY
, for that he himself is compassed about with infirmity’ God once again
emphasizes the reality of calling men with faults and weaknesses into
leadership. Why? Because according to the law men who themselves have
weaknesses could then have compassion and not judge others who are ‘out of the
way’. I spent the day yesterday with some homeless friends, a lot of them are
‘out of the way’. They never seemed to transition into the normal routines of
life. Many of them will eventually share their experiences of being rejected as
kids by their parents. Others have had an abusive childhood. For different
reasons they are ‘out of the way’. They also are used to being treated badly by
society. One of the guys is a true believer. He is even ordained as a deacon
for a homeless church, he reads and teaches the word. Really stands out as a
follower of Christ. He is homeless. He told me how sometimes he will go and
just sit on church property so he can sense God and spend time praying apart
from the other hangouts where guys are drinking and doing drugs. Sometimes the
church will call the cops and tell him to move. Now I know the church doesn’t
realize he is truly a believer, but it shows you how society treats those who
are ‘out of the way’.
God chose you,
fully knowing your weaknesses and faults, you might think that your faults
disqualify you for service, God says they are part of the requirement to be a
priest! ‘Christ glorified not himself to be made a priest… thou art a priest
forever after the order of Melchisedec’ once again Paul will use his great
knowledge of the Old Testament to teach something new. He goes to the story of
Melchisedec in the Old Testament. This person was a real priest who Abraham
paid tithes to. Later we will read that this means the priesthood of Jesus is
superior to that of the law. Many use this verse to justify tithing for
gentiles, but it really is showing the superiority of grace over law. Now Paul
also finds a prophetic Old Testament verse that says Jesus is a priest from
this order. What order? Well there have only ever been 2 priests in this
‘class’ and that was Melchisedec and Jesus. In essence Melchisedec was simply a
real person who functioned as a priest before the Levitical priesthood was
established. The fact that Paul finds this obscure verse showing that Jesus
came from this ‘line’ of priests as opposed to Levi shows that Christ’s
priesthood is outside of the law. This is the main reason for Melchisedec’s
historical existence. Some teach that he was a preincarnate appearance of
Christ because we will read he had no beginning of days or end of life. I kind
of lean towards this meaning there is no record in scripture of him having a
birth or death. I don’t see Melchisedec as a preincarnate appearance of Christ.
I do find it interesting how God raised up a man, before Christ, for the sole
purpose of later saying of Jesus ‘you are a priest forever after this order’.
In my mind God did it for this sole reason.
We know Jesus was slain before the foundation
of the world. So basically God raised this priest up just so Jesus could be
traced thru his lineage as opposed to Levi. The significance is great in the
mind of Paul, because once again this makes the case for Israel to come out of
the old system of law [Levi] and come to a priesthood that cannot trace its
roots back to the law. This is solely a grace argument; it is not some strange
teaching that shows a preincarnate Christ who walked the earth forever. ‘Called
of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec, of whom we have many
things to say [I just said some of them!] and hard to be uttered, seeing ye [1st
century Israel, NOT CHRISTIANS!] are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye
ought to be teachers [God raised Israel up to be a ‘teaching nation’ in the
midst of a pagan world. The purpose of God for them as a nation was to
influence all the nations around them with the true God. This is why God
ordained ways for ‘proselytes’ to come and become partakers of Gods blessings
on Israel. This is very important to see here, because as we go into chapter 6
this will be the context to clear up many wrong views of this letter] you have
need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of
God’.
As we go into chapter six I will show you how
‘the first principles of the Word of God’ are all the elementary teachings of
the law, not the message of the Cross! Paul is rebuking Israel because they had
a long time to fully get grounded in the law, it was now time for them to move
on from these ‘basic teachings’ and into Christ. Paul says they need to be ‘re
taught’ the basics again because they are unable to see the pictures that Paul
has been painting for them thru this ‘old testament canvas’. So in context,
Paul is not telling Christians to ‘move on from the Cross’ as many teach. But
he is telling Israel ‘move on from the elementary principles of the law’ unto
Christ. This is why it is so important to read this letter in context.
NEW NOTES
[4-2015]
HIGH PRIEST.
TIME TO MOVE ON.
‘High priest-
after the order of Melchizedek’-
Once again we
see the writer quoting from Psalms [2, 110].
The point the
writer is making- about Melchizedek- is that Jesus comes in a symbolic way- not
thru Levi- the priestly tribe of the law.
But thru another
line [Judah too].
Melchizedek was
indeed a real person- a priest talked about in the bible- and we will read
later that he had no ‘father or mother’- but a type of Christ- without
beginning or end.
Most see this as
meaning there is no record of a father or mother- so he fits the type.
Others think
this man was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ-
Either way- the
point is Jesus is not a ‘law’ priest- but outside the law.
Showing the
readers [Jews] that they too need to move on from the base principles of the
old covenant- and receive Jesus as the final high priest.
Now- context- he
says ‘the time has come that you should be teachers- but have need to be taught
again’.
Ok- I don’t see
this as speaking to Christians- but talking to the 1st century
Jewish people- the ‘time has come’-
We read in
Galatians ‘in the Fullness of time’.
Israel was
supposed to move on in the reality of Jesus as the Messiah- and enter the
fullness of the Kingdom.
Then as Gods
completed people- they would ‘teach the nations’ of the glory of God [in
Christ].
Much like what
the early disciples did-
But- if Israel
rejects Christ- as a nation- then they will forfeit this special calling they
had.
We will read
later that they needed to ‘move on from the elementary principles’-
Once again- not
telling Christians to ‘move on’ [which makes no sense].
But all the
elements of the ‘doctrine of Christ’ were indeed contained in the law.
These ‘base
elements’ are now fulfilled in Christ.
Hebrews 5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an
high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten
thee.
Hebrews 5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest
for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 5:10 Called of God an high priest after the order of
Melchisedec.
Hebrews 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be
uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye
have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles
of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Psalm 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Psalm 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of
Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Psalm 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,
in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of
thy youth.
Psalm 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a
priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
CHAPTER 6:
NEW NOTES-
CAN CHRISTIANS BE FORGIVEN- IF
THEY FALL?
CAN THEY CRUCIFY CHRICT- AGAIN?
WHO ARE THE LAPSY?
‘Therefore leaving the principles of the
doctrine of Christ [in Colossians Paul teaches that the ‘principles/ elementary
teachings’ are the law. The law contained all the elementary doctrines of
Christ, it held all the ‘shadows’ but not the reality! Here the principles are
not Christian doctrine, but law], let us go on unto perfection’ Now, it is
commonly taught that Paul is exhorting believers to move on to maturity. While
it is true that Paul teaches this elsewhere, here he is not teaching it. Here
he is telling Israel ‘leave the basics of the law and move on to Christ’. Why
is this important to see? Because if you don’t see it this way, then you will
have a doctrine that says to believers ‘you must move on from the Cross’ many
well meaning preachers have done this, this is why context is so important.
When you see it in context, Paul is not saying ‘move on FROM the Cross’ but
‘move on INTO the Cross’!
‘Not laying again the foundation of repentance
from dead works [law], and of faith towards God, of the doctrine of baptisms
[washings- Israel had all types of doctrines of baptisms [plural] this is why
when John the Baptist came baptizing people in the Jordan, they didn’t say
‘what in the world is this guy doing’ they had the ‘doctrine of baptisms’
engrained in their law! The whole sacrificial system and the tabernacle had all
types of lavers {wash basins} and things] ‘and of the laying on of hands [Moses
‘ordained’ 70, you had the ‘laying on of hands’ taught in the law] and of the
resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment’ Now, all these verses without a
doubt describe the law. It is easy to read these verses as applying to the New
Covenant, but they really aren’t. In context why would Paul be telling young
believers [who these are not! They are Jews on the verge of transition] to
leave all the fundamental teachings of Christianity? But he is telling Israel
to move on from the basic elements of the law into the reality of what the law
was foreshadowing. That is Christ! ‘For it is IMPOSSIBLE for those who were
once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers
of the Holy Ghost’ Israel had Gods Spirit anointing her Kings for thousands of
years before the Spirit ever came on the day of Pentecost. They had ‘exclusive
rights’ to the things of God pre-Cross. They were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost! They were enlightened in a way that no other nation was, they had
prophets and priests administrating the things of God all thru out their
history.
In context Paul is saying ‘if you Jews, who
have had this favorable position all thru out your history, if you ‘fall away’
from God at this point by not continuing with his revelation of Messiah, then
it is impossible to renew you AGAIN unto repentance’ Part of their system of
law was repentance. All the animal sacrifices and works of humility were for
this purpose. Paul is warning Israel ‘if you miss this opportunity to believe,
don’t think that you can keep bringing your animal sacrifices of repentance
anymore, it is impossible to renew that’ Now do you see? No more arguments over
whether these are Christians who lose their salvation, or whether these were
those who professed but didn’t possess, that’s silly! In context you now know
what this means. That’s why I said in the introduction of this commentary that
you can’t read a book on mechanics and apply it directly to the human body. But
you can glean principles from it that will benefit you. So we see here the
great finality of the sacrifice of Jesus. We see its sufficiency to cover and REMOVE
all our sins. We see the great doctrine of redemption thru the offering of
Jesus. What we don’t see is Christians losing their salvation and being told
‘you can never re dedicate [renew] yourself back again!’ ‘And have tasted the
good word of God [Israel was reading scripture thousands of years before
Gentiles even knew their was scripture!], and the powers of the world to come,
if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they
CRUCIFY UNTO THEMSELVES THE SON OF GOD AFRESH, and put him to an open shame’
Here it is real important to understand context. How many believers who have
struggled with sin have been told ‘you are crucifying Jesus afresh’? Paul never
dealt with believers using this language. He told the Corinthians that because
they were God’s dwelling place, and the Spirit of God lived in them, that God
would judge those who were in unrepentant sin. But he never used this type of
language. So why use it here?
If Israel rejects Messiah and continues to
‘keep open’ the sacrificial system post Cross, in essence she would be saying
‘we want the sacrifice to continue’ or ‘let’s keep crucifying the Son of God
afresh’. In Israel’s mind this would be what they were saying. Paul says ‘don’t
do this’ in essence this is an argument, once again, to move on from the law
and its sacrifices unto Christ. ‘For the earth that drinketh in the rain that
cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is
dressed, recieveth blessing from God, but that which beareth thorns and briers
is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned’ In the
parables one of the main themes is Israel not bringing forth fruit to God. The
parable of the vineyard, the cursing of the fig tree.
In John 15 the branches not bearing fruit are
cut off and burned. In all of this imagery Jesus is saying to Israel ‘the time
has come for you to produce fruit, the only way a branch can do it is if it is
connected to the vine[Jesus], if you reject me you will never produce fruit and
your ultimate destiny is judgment’ Paul reiterates that theme here! ‘But we are
persuaded better things of you, that which speaks of salvation… for God will
not forget your work and labor of love that you have showed towards believers’
Many of the recipients of this letter were those who Paul had preached to in
various cities. He would often preach to the Jews on a Sabbath day. After his
departure some believed, others were in transition. They still treated the
believers well and sort of shared a common fellowship. To these who were not
fully converted yet, Paul says ‘God won’t forget how you treated his children,
I am persuaded that you will go all the way and show fruits of salvation in
Messiah’. ‘Be followers of those who thru faith and patience inherited the promises’
Paul will go thru the rest of this chapter showing how Abraham received
promises from God and after many years of waiting he would get the promise.
Paul is telling Israel ‘you have waited many
years for the promise [Messiah] do like the fathers did, inherit it thru faith
and patience’ Paul is showing Israel that the patient waiting for their Messiah
was part of the plan. When the promise shows up all you have to do is recognize
the time and believe in the promise. Israel was at a dangerous transition time,
she could [and did] miss the fulfillment of the promise! ‘Which hope we have as
an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that
within the veil: wither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an
high priest forever after the order of Melchisedek’ we are going to get into
Melchisedek again in chapter 7. Paul lays the groundwork, he is telling Israel
‘we have a great high priest who has entered into Gods presence for us, he is
from another tribe [Judah] and therefore you must come out from the ‘law tribe’
[Levi] and into the grace tribe [Judah] and you must leave the Aronic
priesthood [law] and enter in to the Melchisedek priesthood [New Covenant].
Everything Paul points to is for the purpose of getting his Jewish brothers to
embrace Messiah and the New Covenant, Paul sees everything thru this lens. He
is persuaded that Jesus is the only way!
NEW NOTES-
In this study
I’m trying to make the case that the writer is appealing to the 1st
century Jew- and when we read ‘there remains a rest to THE PEOPLE OF GOD’ OR
‘those who were once enlightened- and tasted of the heavenly gift and were
partakers of the Holy Spirit’- that in context- these are indeed references to
the Jewish person- in the 1st century.
How can that be?
Because all of
these covenant blessings- were indeed aspects of the 1st covenant
[law] and were unique to Israel.
Then- when we
read things like ‘if these shall fall away- repentance is impossible’-
Why?
If the Jewish
person- at the time of Christ in the 1st century ‘falls away’-
meaning he does not continue in the covenant promises of God- thru the law and
prophets- which find fulfillment in Christ-Then yes- he ‘fell away’.
Then- if he
continues in the old sacrificial system of the law- he in a way ‘crucifies
Christ again’.
How?
The animal
sacrifices were a type/symbol of Christ to come.
And if you
reject Christ as the Messiah- the last and final sacrifice- then in a
theological way- you ‘crucify Christ again’.
In Hebrews this
is a theme- we read things like ‘there is no future repentance’.
The church has
struggled over these verses for centuries- in the early days of Christianity
there were those who ‘re-lapsed’ [called the Lapsy].
They denied the
faith- in order to save themselves from death.
Then later- the
question was asked ‘can they be received back into the church’.
Well- these
verses in Hebrews- were an obstacle- because they seemed to say there was no
future repentance for those who ‘fell away’.
Yet- that seems
to contradict the concept of Grace and Mercy- which are indeed part of the new
Covenant.
We read of the
Apostle Peters’ denial of Christ- and yet Jesus did forgive him.
So- does the
bible contradict?
No- not if you
read it in the context I’m showing you.
In the New
Testament-there is no ‘repentance’ for those who reject Christ- who ‘blaspheme
the Holy Spirit’-
Meaning they
resist the revelation of God [the Spirts witness] about his Son.
And yes- that
indeed is the only sin that cannot be forgiven- because it rejects the only
solution to sin- which is the final sacrifice of Christ.
See?
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of
Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of
repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Hebrews 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of
hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Hebrews 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of
the Holy Ghost,
Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers
of the world to come,
Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put
him to an open shame.
HEBREWS 7-9
[note- some of the posts are too long to post
on facebook-so if you just see the video- you can go to the blog and read the
post- thanks].
END NOTES OF POST BELOW-
WHAT ARE THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS?
OCTAVIAN- A GOD?
CICERO- MARK ANTONY [or Anthony
if you like].
WHO WERE THE ESSENES?
DID THE CHURCH ENGAGE IN A GRAND
CONSPIRACY?
NOTE- On the video I said that
Herod the Great had 4 sons who ruled areas at the time of Christ- actually
there were 3.
Archelaus- Ethnarch of Judea.
Antipas- tetrarch of Galilee [I did get this right] and Philip- tetrarch of
regions east of the Jordan.
CHAPTER 7:
NEW NOTES-
MELCHIZEDEK/JESUS NEVER DIES.
NEW PRIEST- NEW LAW.
‘For this Melchisedek, king of Salem
[Jerusalem], priest of the most high God…to whom Abraham gave a tent part of
all…without father or mother [no record in scripture!] having neither beginning
of days nor end of life [no record of his death or birth] but made like unto
the Son of God, abideth a priest continually’ first, Paul is showing the
superiority of the New covenant over the Old. These verses are often used to
teach tithing to gentile believers, they really teach the opposite! In context
they are showing that the New Covenant is greater than the law, therefore the
law [represented as Levi being in the loins of Abraham] submitted to Grace [The
priesthood of Melchisedek/Jesus] and showing how grace is better than law.
Paul’s point is to once again use the Melchisedek figure as a type of Christ.
Jesus is called a high priest forever after this order, Paul says in essence
‘this order has priests who have no beginning of days or end of life, the
priests in this order have a forever priesthood’. It really is amazing how Paul
gets all this from the few verses of scripture that speak of Melchisedek. Many
theologians today question even the most obvious truths. Some good ones will
say there isn’t enough evidence for certain doctrines. Even though the evidence
is 100 times more than what Paul used in his teaching on Melchisedek! I find it
interesting how Paul continually sees Jesus thru every story! The man was a
true ‘Jesus freak’.
‘Now consider how great this man was, unto
whom Abraham gave the tenth…they that are of the sons of Levi have a
commandment to TAKE TITHES OF THE PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THE LAW’ Lets settle this
once and for all. To all my friends who teach tithing is for Christians today,
many of them justify it by saying ‘tithing was before the law [true] in the law
and after the law’ I have tried to explain this many times before. This verse
shows tithing to be part of the law, specifically, not just ‘during it’. Also,
the whole point of the argument here is that Grace and the New Covenant are
better than the law. The tithe here is mentioned in a way that shows the
superiority of the new covenant over the Old. ‘Levi also paid tithes in
Abraham, for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedek met him, if
THEREFORE perfection were under the Levitical priesthood, what further need was
there that a priest should rise after the order of Melchisedek, and not after
Aaron? FOR THE PRIESTHOOD BEING CHANGED, THERE IS A NECESSITY FOR A CHANGE OF
THE LAW’.
The ‘therefore’s’ are real important. They
show you the main reason for the argument. If Paul can prove that God raised up
Jesus from another priesthood, then there must also be ‘another covenant’. For
this reason [therefore] you [Jew] should move on from the Old one and into the
New! ‘For it is evident that out Lord sprang [root out of dry ground!]out of
Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood…who is made not
after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life,
for he says “thou art a priest FOREVER after the order of Melchisedek”. Again
Paul gets all he can from the ‘Melchisedek verse’. Because this single text of
scripture says ‘Jesus is a priest forever’ therefore God knew all along that he
would raise up a priest with an endless life. Wow, Paul even gets the
resurrection from this verse!
As Paul was learning all these things in a new
way after his conversion, it was blowing his mind. He saw all these ‘hidden’
nuggets of wisdom that Israel had all along in hidden form contained in their
law. Paul is doing his best to present his case from their own ‘bible’ if you
will... ‘For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope
did; by which we draw nigh unto God…and they truly were many priests, because
they were not permitted to continue by reason of death: but this man, because
he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. WHEREFORE he is able to
save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him’. Now, we usually read
this ‘the guttermost’ but it means something a little different. It means
because Jesus has an endless life, he is ‘always’ interceding on our behalf.
His very presence continually before the throne is what ‘keeps saving us
continually all the time’. It is more along the lines of ‘Jesus never will die;
therefore we will continually be saved’.
Paul compares this to the insufficiency of the
priesthood of the law. Those priest’s ‘meant well’ but the poor brothers kept
dying! This showed the total inability of those priests to effectively stand in
on our behalf, even though they did all they could do. Jesus, on the other
hand, will never die. Who would you prefer to have on your prayer team? Someone
who will forget to pray for you down the road, who will last so long? Or
someone who will pray for you forever? I know this is a crude way to look at it,
but for our gentile minds it gets the point across. ‘For such an high priest
became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made
higher than the heavens’ Paul describes the character of Jesus as ‘harmless’ as
someone who would never ‘get even’ who is always pure, the perfect intercessor!
There are times
in our lives, as well as all ‘natural priests’ that we are not pure, holy or
harmless. During these days our prayers can’t get thru. If people are depending
on us for true intercession, we let them down. There is never a day where our
‘chief intercessor’ lets us down. There are days when we feel useless, we have
failed. Our own agendas get in the way. Days when we are not ‘harmless’. Thank
God that our ‘prayer warrior’ is always on the job on our behalf. This is
what it means when it says ‘he is able
to save to the uttermost that come to God by him’. All you have to do on those
down days is ‘come’.
‘Who needeth not daily to offer for sins… he
did this once and for all when he offered up himself’ Jesus is the ultimate
sacrifice, there will never be another! ‘For the law maketh men high priests
which have infirmity, but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh
the Son, who is consecrated forevermore’ Paul takes the verse again where it
says ‘thou art a priest forever’ and compares it to the law. He says ‘the oath
that God swore when he made Jesus a priest forever, came after the giving of
the law. Therefore it supersedes the law. The law made priests that were failing,
the oath made a priest who would last forever’ it really is amazing how much
use Paul gets from this one verse. He in essence is saying ‘because Jesus was
made a priest by this later oath, therefore the former making of priests is no
longer in operation. You must leave the Levitical priesthood [law] and enter
into the new one made by the oath’ [New Covenant] all the arguments that Paul
makes in this letter are always pointing to Jesus as the final word from God. A
better covenant with better promises. This is the whole context of Hebrews, for
the people to come out of the law and into Christ!
NEW NOTES-
MELCHIZEDEK/JESUS
NEVER DIES.
NEW PRIEST- NEW
LAW.
Ok- we see the
Melchizedek figure a bit more here-
The writer is
saying ‘look- my Jewish brothers- in Psalms 110- King David- a prophet- spoke
about another Priesthood.
This priesthood
is not from the tribe that priests from the law come from [Levi].
But the
promise/oath made about this priest [Jesus] says ‘you are a priest FOREVER’.
How can this be?
The writer says
this must mean that David was talking about some future priest- who would have
an endless life-
How else could
anyone be a priest FOREVER?
So- David spoke
about another priesthood- outside of the law.
And this priest
is superior to the ‘law’ priests- because those guys died- but this one lives.
He also says
‘there must then be a change of the law [Old Covenant] too- because if we have
a new priest- then there must be a new TESTAMENT/COVENANT as well’.
The whole
argument is showing the superiority of what Jesus has done for us- versus the
requirements of the Old Law.
The writer says
‘see- Abraham our forefather paid tithes to him- and Abraham had the tribe of
Levi ‘still in him’ [Abraham was the father of Isaac- Isaac was the father of
Jacob [named Israel] and he was the father of the 12 tribes].
Levi being one
of those sons/tribes.
The point being
that this example of Abraham paying tithes to Melchisedek- shows that he [and
the priestly line that would follow- Jesus] was superior to the old law/priesthood-
because Abraham was blessed by him- and truly ‘the lesser is blessed by the
greater’.
Once again- this
whole argument only makes sense to the 1st century Jew in
transition- it has no real relevance to a new- first century- gentile church.
Notice how much
the writer is ‘getting’ out of this obscure reference in the book of Psalms-
We really don’t
have a whole lot of stuff in the bible about Melchizedek- but what we do have-
is enough.
Hebrews
7:1 For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met
Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;Hebrews 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Hebrews 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Hebrews 7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
Hebrews 7:6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Hebrews 7:7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
Hebrews 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
Hebrews 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
Hebrews 7:10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Hebrews 7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Hebrews 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Hebrews 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
Hebrews 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Hebrews 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Hebrews 7:20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
Hebrews 7:21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Hebrews 7:23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
Hebrews 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Hebrews 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Genesis 14:17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his
return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him,
at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread
and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Genesis 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of
the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath
delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
CHAPTER 8:
NEW NOTES-
NEW LAW.
NEW PRIEST.
NEW COVENANT.
‘Now of the things which we have spoken this
is the sum: we have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the
throne of the majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary and of the
true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man’ Now, to be fair, I have
done a lot of teaching on how the Church [people of God] are the place where
God ‘tabernacles’. But in Hebrews when Paul speaks of Gods tabernacle he is
speaking of heaven itself. Why the difference? Is this a contradiction? The
best way I can explain it is when Paul is writing the gentile believers, he is showing
them the truth that they are the Body of Christ. When he is writing to Israel
in transition, he is not going to address them as ‘the Body of Christ’ because
he is still trying to persuade them to ‘come into this Body!’. Is this a
contradiction? How can he write the gentiles who believe and tell them God is
in you, and then write the Jews and tell them ‘God is in heaven’? Because these
are both true! The reality of God dwelling in the church does not mean that God
doesn’t also dwell in heaven. He is ‘omni present’. So in Hebrews Paul sticks
with the theme as heaven itself being the true tabernacle, as opposed to the
earthly one that Moses built.
‘Who serve unto the example and shadow of
heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the
tabernacle: for see, saith he, that thou make all things after the pattern
showed thee in the mount’ Moses was seeing a pattern that God revealed to him
‘on the mountain’. God shows us things in the Spirit first, and then we build.
Jesus said he did/said only what he saw the Father doing first. I feel much of
modern ministry comes from an insecurity to want to act/do something for God.
We all fall into this at times. We want to see action, which is a noble thing,
but then because we are impatient we go out and produce an Ishmael! It’s not
like Abraham wasn’t believing God at all when he did this. He kind of thought
that maybe this was Gods way of fulfilling the promise.
I heard a Prophet testify of how he prophesied
that a woman was to have a child. She was barren at the time. Years later as
they were sharing how it came to pass, they shared how they eventually went and
adopted a child. This was a well known Prophet on a national level. I think he
might have just missed it! The point is we at times try our best to make Gods
word come to pass, we need to wait on the mountain [in his presence] and let
him ‘download’ the pattern in his time. After you ‘see’ what God wants, then
run with the vision and make it plain upon tables, but wait until he shows you
the pattern! ‘For if that covenant had been faultless, then should no place
have been sought for the 2nd. For finding fault WITH THEM he saith,
behold the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I
made with them when I took them out of Egypt’.
Now, God says thru Jeremiah that he would make
a new covenant with Israel. Paul starts to tread on dangerous ground with his
Jewish readers. He has been accused and slandered as someone who disdains the
law of Moses and wants to do away with all Jewish tradition. These were the
accusations that Paul had to fight thru out his ministry. Paul taught in his
other letters that the law was good, but man was sinful, therefore the law
failed as a means to make man righteous [just]. Now Paul clearly teaches
[Galatians/Romans] that the law actually had a tendency to bring out mans
sinful nature. If you tell a kid ‘don’t touch this wet paint’ sure enough the
suggestion itself will cause the kid to think about it and do it. Now Paul
taught that the purpose of the law was simply to bring to the surface mans
sinful nature. It’s not that the law is unrighteous [Romans] it’s that men are
sinful. I have heard preachers teach that the law plays a role in restraining
sin In believers. No it doesn’t! It does play a role in society to keep anarchy
from overrunning earthly governments, but it does not ‘harness’ the sinful
nature of man. So Paul is telling Israel that God all along planned on bringing
them into a new covenant [not a ‘completed’ Jew. Only in the sense that the
‘completion’ is that Israel would leave the old covenant and enter into the
foretold new one. More of a transition into fullness than a continuation of
something old. Jesus said his blood was the blood of the ‘new covenant’ not the
fulfilling of an old one. I share this because a lot of believers teach a
doctrine of the ‘Abrahamic covenant’ being fulfilled in us. There is a sense
where you can teach this, but some do not see what I just showed you!] So Paul
is telling Israel ‘leave the old shadows[covenant] behind, the Prophets
[Jeremiah] said you were to come into a new one, so COME!’
‘For this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws
into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God,
and they shall be to me a people…for I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. In that
he saith a new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth
and waxeth old is ready to VANISH AWAY!’ This new covenant is one where God
writes his word [law] on the hearts and minds of people. No longer will they
strive to keep outward observances, but by nature will fulfill the intent of
the law [Romans]. Once again Paul is not telling Israel that they can keep
their old covenant [this is what some in ‘New Perspective’ theology teach] but
he is telling them the old covenant is decaying and getting ready to pass from
the scene. So enter into this new one! Also it says ‘they will have no need to
teach every man the law, for all shall know me’.
I find it interesting that I will run into
Christians who have been homeless for years. Many of them never really had the
same advantages of study and research like myself [thru the net, libraries and
all types of stuff] and yet many of them have come to the same conclusions and
understanding of scripture as I have. God’s Spirit has a way of getting truth
to his people in a way that no ‘outward law’ could ever accomplish. In essence
Paul is teaching that the New Law will be built into mans nature at the New
Birth and God will become his primary instructor [1st John ‘you have
no need that any man teach you, but the Spirit in you will guide you into all
truth’ This doesn’t mean God has no teachers in the church, because that would
contradict Paul’s letters. But it means Gods Spirit is the final authority, he
is the one resident in the earthly teachers who is doing the instruction.
Teachers are ‘gifts’ made/given by the Spirit to the church]. ‘Their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more’ Paul will use this to teach the finality of
the one sacrifice of Christ. He will say ‘if God doesn’t remember your sins any
more, then there is no more need for sacrifice!’ So he sees the Cross in the
simple phrase ‘God will not remember your sins any more’ once again Paul sees
Jesus everywhere!
NEW NOTES-
NEW LAW.
NEW PRIEST.
NEW COVENANT.
We see Jesus as
the high priest- of a greater tabernacle- a heavenly one.
Moses and the
law- and the Levitical priests- were all earthly symbols of the true heavenly
kingdom.
Jesus is a heavenly
priest [at the right hand of God] and he now serves in a heavenly sanctuary
[heaven- also can be seen as the kingdom of heaven/God- he is with us as our
high priest- we are the city ‘coming down from God out of heaven’ [Revelation]
- we are the Bride of Christ- we are the ‘new Jerusalem’ Galatians].
Once again- we
see the contrast.
The New
Covenant- has a new- and final high priest- Jesus.
It has a better-
heavenly tabernacle [heaven- as opposed to the tent of Moses].
And it has a
‘better law’- that is it’s a covenant based on grace- where the law of God is
written on the minds and hearts of those who believe.
The writer
quotes Jeremiah 31- which is a prophecy of a coming time [here now] where God
would regenerate his people- they would be born anew- and the outward covenant-
written on tablets of stone-
Will now be
‘written’ upon the heart and mind.
We read that the
first covenant was unable to really change the heart- ‘God found fault with it-
them’.
Some manuscripts
say it this way- meaning the law was perfect- holy- good [Paul teaches this is
Romans and Galatians]but the problem was ‘he found fault with them/us.
Meaning man was
unable to live up to the standard- because he has a sinful nature.
And we read in
the other letters of Paul that the law only revealed our sin to us- it had no
power to change the inner man.
So Jesus is at
the right hand of God- he intercedes for us- and his Spirit is within us.
Jeremiah spoke
of this coming day- and it was the real ‘promised land’ that Israel was waiting
for- it’s now here- in Christ.
Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the
sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of
the Majesty in the heavens;
Hebrews 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true
tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Hebrews 8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest,
seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly
things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the
tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the
pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Hebrews 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by
how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established
upon better promises.
Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then
should no place have been sought for the second.
Hebrews 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days
come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah:
Hebrews 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their
fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of
Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not,
saith the Lord.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their
mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they
shall be to me a people:
Hebrews
8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that
which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
CHAPTER 9:
END NOTES [chapter 9]
2 ROOMS.
THE BRANCH THAT
BUDDED.
WHEN DOES A WILL
HAVE POWER?
‘Then verily the first covenant had also
ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary’ Let me stop here and
cover some stuff. Some ‘old time’ churches [high church model] feel the future
of the church is ‘liturgical’. One of my favorite Catholic theologians is Scott
Hahn. He believes and teaches that God’s purpose for all these Old Testament
symbols was for the purpose of MORE
SYMBOLS! A lot of these brothers mean well, but I take Paul’s position. Here
Paul states that the first covenant [notice, he calls the Old Law the ‘FIRST’
covenant, and the New covenant the second [or last]. This refutes
dispensational theology which sees the law as the 2nd or 3rd
covenant after Abraham and Noah. Paul and Jesus refer to only 2 main covenants.
The Old and New] had a ‘worldly sanctuary’ but the second one doesn’t! The
second covenant has Jesus in heaven at the real sanctuary in Gods presence. So
you see right away Paul showing that all the earthly ‘liturgical symbols’
played a role in Gods purpose, but they were simply pointing to a future
reality [Christ] that would be the fulfillment of the shadows. So the future of
the church is not ‘liturgical’ in as much as it is ‘reality’.
We are living under an open heaven right now.
Jesus is really at Gods right hand advocating for us! ‘For there was a
tabernacle made, the first [first room]wherein was candlestick, the table and
the shewbread..after the second veil the holiest of all…now when these things were
thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle [room]..but
into the second room the high priest went alone once every year, with blood,
which he offered for himself and the sins of the people: the Holy Ghost
signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not made manifest while the
first tabernacle was yet standing’ There is a lot here. Some commentaries
confuse the ‘2 tabernacles’ as 2 different structures. What it is speaking
about is one structure, with 2 different rooms. Now the fact that the ‘first
room’ had daily access by the priest, but the 2nd room had annual
access only by the high priest once a year was in itself a symbol of grace in
Paul’s mind. Paul says ‘the fact that the first room [first covenant] stood in
the way of the second room [a type of the 2nd covenant] was a
picture of the 2 covenants. And the first one ‘blocked’ free entrance into the
second one, so likewise today [1st century] the first room [old
covenant] is standing in the way of the second room [new covenant]’. Wow! Paul
really did do a lot of ‘reading into’ scripture. Hey, I like this stuff!
‘Which was a figure FOR THE TIME THEN PRESENT,
in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that
did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in
meats and drinks, and DIVERS WASHINGS
[remember what we said in chapter 6? ‘baptisms’ can be translated ‘washings’]
and carnal ordinances [liturgy!] imposed on them UNTIL THE TIME OF REFORMATION
[the 1st century coming of Messiah]’ All the symbols were only given for a
time. God always intended for there to be a day when his people would leave the
symbols behind and move into the reality. This is not to say that Christians
have no reminders or ‘ordinances/sacraments’ in the sense that Jesus told us to
‘do this in remembrance of me’ at the last supper. So God does have ways for us
to remember the work of the Cross, but the overall ‘carnal ordinances’ of the
law were only for a temporary period of time, when that which is perfect has
come [Jesus] then that which is in part passes away!
‘But Christ being come an high priest of good
things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands…
neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in
once into the holy place [heaven in this context] having obtained eternal
redemption for us…how much more shall the blood of Christ, who thru the eternal
Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead
works [law, remember chapter 6 verse 1?] to serve the living God?’ Paul
includes all 3 aspects of the Trinity here. Paul is telling the most
fundamental reality of the New Covenant. We are redeemed by the Blood of the
Lamb! To the Jew who was inundated with legalistic sacrifices his whole life,
for him to be told that Gods own Son offered up himself once and for all for
all the sins of man, was an unbelievable freedom. Its like if you were brought
up in a legalistic church [there are many of them!] and were taught from a
young boy that you had to pray for 3 hours a day, read 25 chapters of
scripture, wear long pants and suits all day [even in summer!] and you lived
under this bondage of a never ending strain to please God. Then one day God
reveals to you that you don’t have to do any of it anymore, Jesus did it all!
You would be relieved, you would still pray and read scripture, but not out of
a sense of obligation, but more from a sense of thanksgiving [you would
probably also burn all those suits as a sign of no more sacrifices!] So to the
Jewish readers of this letter, it is absolutely too good to be true to be told
NO MORE SACRIFICES just rest in grace!
‘And for this cause he is the mediator of the
New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of transgressions
under the FIRST [not 3rd!] testament… for a testament is of force
after men are dead’ Paul teaches that the death of Christ was for the purpose
of redeeming those who had ‘built up’ a record of sin and transgression under
the first testament. He shows that the law and its sacrifices were a temporary
fix that simply looked forward to Christ. In Peter’s epistle you also see the
idea that those who were under the law were in a waiting stage[in death] until
the time of true redemption in Christ. These ideas were crucial for the 1st
century Jew to understand that God allowed them to continue for many years
under the Old Covenant, but it was for the future purpose of Christ. Many times
in theological discussions you will find believers saying ‘we have believed and
done things a certain way for so long, how can you now come along and shake up
the apple cart’? The point is God often allows his people to function in
limited paradigms until the time of reformation and change. The fact that he
allowed you to continue for a long time in a limited understanding, does not
justify never moving on into maturity! Paul is telling Israel ‘God allowed you
to build up a ‘record’ [deposit] of past sin and transgression, and he knew all
along that a day was coming when Christ would ransom all those who were in this
limited system’.
‘Whereupon
neither the first testament was dedicated without blood…saying this is the
blood of the testament…he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of
ministry…it was necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be
purified, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices. For Christ
is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the
true, but into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us’ Paul
says that just like the blood of the Old Covenant cleansed both the tabernacle
and the vessels, so Jesus blood cleansed ‘heaven’ as well as ‘all the vessels
of ministry’[us!] This speaks of themes found in Romans where scripture speaks
of all creation yearning for redemption. There is a sense where the curse has
affected all creation, therefore the benefits of redemption will affect it as
well. In these verses we are taught that the blood of Christ has already had a
redemptive effect on ‘the heavens’.
‘Nor yet that he should offer himself often,
as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year…but now once in the
end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. So
Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for
him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation’. Here we see
the completeness of Christ's sacrifice. Once and for all! While the Old
Testament made temporary provision for mans sin, Jesus, as the mediator of a
new and better covenant, makes complete redemption and atonement for mans sin.
The proof of this is the fact that Jesus sacrifice only happened once in history,
therefore God must have accepted it as sufficient for all time!
END NOTES
[chapter 9]
2 ROOMS.
THE BRANCH THAT
BUDDED.
WHEN DOES A WILL
HAVE POWER?
The writer
compares the earthly tabernacle- with the heavenly one [not meaning an actual
tabernacle- like the earthly one- but heaven itself].
Under the law-
the priests went daily into the first room [the tabernacle had 2 rooms-
separated by a veil].
The high priest
went into the back room [called the holy of holies] once a year.
In this room the
ark of the covenant rest- the ark was the ‘box’ that held the 10 commandments.
It also had
Manna- and the branch of Arron the priest- that budded [this was a sign when
God chose which tribe would be for priests- they took a branch from each tribe-
and the one that supernaturally budded- would be the tribe. This was a
sign/symbol of Christ- who was a ‘root out of a dry ground’- also called ‘the
man whose name is the branch’]-
These prophecies
speak about Christ rising from the dead- and also being born from the Virgin Mary.
The writer says
that these Old Testament signs showed us that ‘perfection’ did not come from
the law.
Because those
priests had to keep doing those things- year after year.
And if their
service was really effective- it would have come to an end- because once the
offering was made- then that would put an end to the guilt of the people.
Jesus offered
himself once- showing that his sacrifice for the sins of men was the final one.
The King James
version says that the sacrifice of Christ frees the people from DEAD WORKS.
Some
translations simply say works of sin- which can be true.
But I think- in
this case- ‘dead works’ is better- because it can actually be speaking of the
works of the law- meaning the sacrifice of Christ has freed us [them- 1st
century Jew] from these DEAD WORKS of the law- and they can now move on in the
Cross of Christ.
We also see that
Jesus sealed this New Testament in his Blood- because it is only after the
death of a person that the will has power.
So Jesus died
for our sins- thus giving power to the covenant.
Hebrews 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of
divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
Hebrews 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein
was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the
sanctuary.
Hebrews 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is
called the Holiest of all;
Hebrews 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the
covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had
manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Hebrews 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the
mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Hebrews 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests
went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
Hebrews 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once
every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors
of the people:
Hebrews 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the
holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet
standing:
Hebrews 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which
were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the
service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Hebrews 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers
washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things
to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is
to say, not of this building;
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his
own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us.
Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes
of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new
testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions
that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the
promise of eternal inheritance.
Hebrews 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of
necessity be the death of the testator.
Hebrews 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead:
otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Hebrews 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated
without blood.
Hebrews 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the
people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with
water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the
people,
Hebrews 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God
hath enjoined unto you.
Hebrews 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle,
and all the vessels of the ministry.
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with
blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Hebrews 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of
things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to
appear in the presence of God for us:
Hebrews 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the
high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Hebrews 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the
foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared
to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but
after this the judgment:
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;
and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin
unto salvation.
Exodus 24:6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in
basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Exodus 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the
audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do,
and be obedient.
Exodus 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the
people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made
with you concerning all these words.
END NOTES OF POST-
WHAT ARE THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS?
OCTAVIAN- A GOD?
CICERO- MARK ANTONY [or Anthony
if you like].
WHO WERE THE ESSENES?
DID THE CHURCH ENGAGE IN A GRAND
CONSPIRACY?
END NOTES [I posted the video for
this portion a few days ago- it goes along with Hebrews 7-9 video/post] The
past few weeks I had a few friends ask me about the Dead Sea Scrolls- and a few
other questions about the ‘lost books of the bible’ and some other common- and
mistaken ideas [like the original sin being Eve had sex with the serpent].
So- I figured I would cover a
little Jewish history- which would help in this study of Hebrews-
And also hit on a few of these
subjects.
As we read Hebrews- it helps to
also understand some of the history that we don’t have in our bibles [though
the Catholic bibles do have some of it in the Apocrypha].
Ok- the ruling empire at the time
of Christ was Rome- just prior to the appearance of Jesus- the Roman Emperor-
Caesar Augustus- consolidated the Roman Empire under his rule-
Rome was ruled by a senate- some
famous names from history were in it- Cicero being one.
Caesar Augustus was the nephew of
Julius Caesar- his real name was Octavian [Octavius].
After the death of Julius Caesar-
there were some power struggles that took place- between some other famous
people.
Marc Antony being one of them
[Cleopatra too- he was in love with the girl for sure].
Now- we read about Augustus in
the New Testament- and we read in the book of Revelation about the Mark of the
Beast- and that those who don't worship- give homage to the Beast- they will be
killed.
So- Many Christians would be
killed because they would refuse to give homage to Caesar Augustus [meaning son
of the Divine].
‘Wow- how did he get a name like
that’ [there was more than one Caesar by the way- as well as more than one
Herod- who did play a part in these power struggles- it can get confusing- even
to me].
When Octavian defeated Marc
Antony at Actium [32 BC].
Herod [The Great] had a problem-
he had previously sided with Antony and found himself on the losing side.
Yet he was smart- did some ‘brown
nosing’ as we say-and patched things up.
Herod had 3 sons- who would
eventually take positions of authority in the Roman government at the time of
Christ.
Herod Antipas was over the region
that we read about in the New Testament where Jesus did most of his ministry-
Galilee.
Ok- Octavian claimed deity
because of a heavenly sign associated with his rise to power- and this is how
he became called ‘Caesar Augustus’.
He sort of saw himself as a ‘re-incarnate’- of his great uncle Julius
Caesar.
‘John- what in the heck does this
have to do with the Dead Sea Scrolls’.
Ok- good question.
The Jews had various responses to
the empires that ruled over them during various times.
Alexander the Great instituted
Hellenization- a sort of cultural compromise over the people he conquered.
They could keep their
religious/cultural roots- but would be subservient to Alexander and Greek rule.
Some Jewish people rejected any
compromise- we call them the Essenes- they moved out of town- so to speak, and
lived in what we refer to as the Qumran community.
This was a few centuries before
the time of Christ- and this was where the Dead Seas Scrolls were found in the
20th century.
A Bedouin boy was looking for his
goats- threw a rock in a cave right off the Dead Sea- and that’s how we found
the scrolls.
The scrolls might have been
hidden there by the Essenes-
Now- when my friends asked me
about them- I told them that it’s been a while since I read up on any of this-
but to the best of my memory the thing that made them significant was the fact
that they were very old manuscripts- from the bible- and they backed up what we
had had all along.
I did read up this week- and
basically had it right.
The earliest Hebrew manuscripts
of the Old Testament we had previously dated back to around 900- 1000 A.D.
These manuscripts went back about
1000 years earlier- and they contained portions from almost every book of the
Old testament- and some complete books.
The only book missing was Esther.
So- this was indeed a very
significant find for scholars.
But the Scrolls also contain some
of the writings from the Essenes themselves- things we never had before- so
this too was significant.
There were Jews at the time of
the first century who tried to ‘get along’ with Rome- and with the person in
charge of their region [one of the sons of Herod the Great at the time of
Christ].
These are referred to as
Herodian’s in the bible.
Some wanted a revolution to rid
Rome from Jerusalem- these were the Zealots [one of Jesus disciples was in this
group].
Some thought if they returned to
a legalistic obeisance of the law- that this would bring in a deliverer- like
the stories we read about in the Old testament- these were the Pharisees.
And some took more of a political
compromise- these were the Sadducees.
Eventually a war with Rome would
be fought [By the way- Josephus- the famous 1st century historian- fought on
the side of the Jews in the war- and after Jerusalem was sacked in A.D. 70- he
went to Rome and wrote his great works- thinking he would make a case for the
Jewish people with the Romans. This is why we have his works today- which are
very valuable to scholars].
NOTE- In time I’ll try and cover
how we ‘got our bibles’ [called the Canon- meaning Rule/ Measurement].
Frankly- there is a lot of
confusion in the general public about conspiracies [like the Catholic Church
had some type of plot to keep certain books out].
Or stories about how the Church
taught Mary Magdalene was a prostitute so they could discredit her.
Actually- we read in the gospels
that Jesus cast out ‘spirits’ from a woman who was probably living this type of
life-
And Jesus had a ministry to the
down and out- it is indeed possible that Mary was one of these women-
And if true- it would not demean
her in any way-
That’s how this tradition more
than likely developed- But- we don’t know for sure.
So a few years back the Church
officially said ‘we don’t know’.
Ok- Plot?
No- just being careful.
So there are other misguided
beliefs like this- that sincere people have- and over time I hope to get to
them.
I’ll do one more in keeping with
this post.
I mentioned above that Caesar
Augustus did indeed take the title of ‘son of God’.
And some critics of the Church
say ‘see- there were all types of religions that had Sons of God’.
I watched one show a few years
back- and it stated that these religions had ’12 disciples- a leader named Lord
and Savior- and he healed and claimed to be God’s Son- and rose from the dead’.
Ok- that show was ‘fibbing’ to
put it lightly- they went too far [historically speaking] in trying to diminish
the Christians claim of Christ by doing this.
Now- is there some truth to this
at all?
Yes- like I just mentioned above-
Octavian did indeed claim deity- a ‘son of god’.
So- how do we explain this?
In the book of Galatians the
bible says ‘in the FULLNESS of times God sent forth his Son’.
Jesus came at a set time in
history- in fulfilment of the Jewish Prophets- to be who he was- and to do what
he did.
Now- this is not special pleading
here- but I find it a masterpiece that God’s Son came at a time when the Roman
Empire had one sitting on the throne- who too claimed deity.
Yet Jesus was in a region of the
lower class- his men were not highly educated- and his followers were people
under oppression.
Augustus lived in the wealthy and
influential capital of ‘the world’- he had all you could ever ask for- he was
worshiped as a god.
Yet in 3 short centuries- one of
the heirs of the empire- Constantine- would have an experience – not with a
former Caesar- but with a vison of a Cross-
He would convert to Christianity-
and declare Christianity to be the religion of the realm.
He would then ‘convert’ the pagan
temples- into churches for these followers of Christ.
So I don’t see the fact that
Augustus claimed to be a son of god right before Christ- as some type of
discredit to the claims of Christ.
No- I see it as God’s way of
pulling the rug out from the oppressor- see? [Oh- by the way- only one of them
rose from the dead- can you guess?]
Psalm 109:1 Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
Psalm 109:2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the
deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
Psalm 109:3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and
fought against me without a cause.
Psalm 109:4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself
unto prayer.
Psalm 109:5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for
my love.
Psalm 109:6 Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at
his right hand.
Psalm 109:7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let
his prayer become sin.
Psalm 109:8 Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
Psalm 109:9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
Psalm 109:10 Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg:
let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.
Psalm 109:11 Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let
the strangers spoil his labour.
Psalm 109:12 Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither
let there be any to favour his fatherless children.
Psalm 109:13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation
following let their name be blotted out.
Psalm 109:14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with
the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
Psalm 109:15 Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may
cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Psalm 109:16 Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but
persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
Psalm 109:17 As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he
delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.
Psalm 109:18 As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his
garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his
bones.
Psalm 109:19 Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him,
and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
Psalm 109:20 Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the
LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.
Psalm 109:21 But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's
sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.
Psalm 109:22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded
within me.
Psalm 109:23 I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am
tossed up and down as the locust.
Psalm 109:24 My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh
faileth of fatness.
Psalm 109:25 I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked
upon me they shaked their heads.
Psalm 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy
mercy:
Psalm 109:27 That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou,
LORD, hast done it.
Psalm 109:28 Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let
them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
Psalm 109:29 Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let
them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
Psalm 109:30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I
will praise him among the multitude.
Psalm 109:31 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to
save him from those that condemn his soul.
Psalm 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Psalm 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of
Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Psalm 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,
in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of
thy youth.
Psalm 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a
priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Psalm 110:5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings
in the day of his wrath.
Psalm 110:6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the
places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
Psalm 110:7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore
shall he lift up the head.
Psalm 111:1 Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my
whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
Psalm 111:2 The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all
them that have pleasure therein.
Psalm 111:3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his
righteousness endureth for ever.
Psalm 111:4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the
LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
Psalm 111:5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will
ever be mindful of his covenant.
Psalm 111:6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that
he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
Psalm 111:7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all
his commandments are sure.
Psalm 111:8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in
truth and uprightness.
Psalm 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded
his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a
good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth
for ever.
HEBREWS 10-13
END NOTES OF POST-
Masada.
Hadrian.
Judaism in transition.
Did they ‘move on’ ?
Who was Elazar ben Yair?
End notes of chapter-
IS THERE MEANING TO THE ACTUAL ORDER OF BIBLE VERSES?
HOW DID THE SPIRIT ‘TESTIFY’ TO THE FINAL SACRIFICE?
WHY DOES THE WRITER CONTINUE TO SAY THE NEW COVENANT IS HARSHER?
CHAPTER 10:
‘For the law having a SHADOW of good things to
come, AND NOT the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices
which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshipers
once purged should have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices
there is a remembrance again made of sins every year’. Paul shows how the
simple fact of ongoing sacrifices in and of itself testifies of the insufficiency
of the law. The on going sacrifices were a reminder that the peoples sins were
still there. If the sacrifices really worked, then why do it over and over
again every year? He will contrast this with the singular sacrifice of Christ.
The fact that Jesus did it once shows the superiority of his sacrifice over the
law.
‘Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he
saith, sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared
me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. THEN
SAID HE, lo, I come to do thy will O God. ABOVE WHEN HE SAID sacrifice and
offering…THEN HE SAID, lo, I come to do thy will O God. He taketh away the
first that he may establish the second’ Here Paul uses the actual order of the
verses in Psalms to prove that the Old law will pass away and a New covenant
will replace it. The fact that David [Psalms] says ‘sacrifice and offering thou
wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared for me’ in this order shows that
God always planned on taking away the sacrificial system and replacing it with
Christ [or fulfilling it!] So even in the simple prophetic order of these
statements Paul sees the Old law passing away and a new one being instituted.
Wow again!
‘By the which will we are sanctified thru the
offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every high priest
STANDETH daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which
can never take away sins: but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for
sins forever, SAT DOWN on the right hand of God’ The comparison here is that
the priests under the law stood, showing their sacrifices were never
sufficient, they could never say ‘it is finished’. The fact that they stood
while offering sacrifices showed the incompleteness of the system. Jesus sat
down. This showed that his sacrifice was once and for all. Now, no where does
scripture teach this concept between ‘sitting and standing’. Where does Paul
get this stuff from? From ‘revelation’, that is God is supernaturally showing
this stuff to Paul as he writes. This is the prophetic element of scripture.
While we don’t ‘write scripture’ any more today, there are still lots of hidden
meanings that we don’t fully see yet. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to
‘bring to our remembrance all the things that Jesus taught us’ [also all the
things about Jesus!] So when you read the Old Testament, look for Jesus! He is
there in more ways than you realize.
‘For by ONE offering he hath perfected for
ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us
[of what? Of the singularity of Christ’s offering. The fact that the Holy
Spirit thru Jeremiah prophesied that God would never remember our sins any more
speaks to the truth of the one offering of Christ, we will read ‘if there is no
more remembrance, then there is no more sacrifice’] this is the covenant that I
will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into
their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is
no more offering for sin’. Do you see the point Paul is making? It is common
for preachers and Christians to read these letters and to simply glean
practical truths from them. That’s OK. But like I said in the introduction,
when you see these things in context, then you can still make practical
application, plus you are seeing the relevance behind the teaching. The
practical part of this is ‘wow, God will not bring my sins back up into
remembrance before his face!’ Now that’s practical!
‘Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the holiest [true holy place, that is Gods presence in the throne room] by
the BLOOD OF JESUS, by a new and living way[ the early Christians were at times
called ‘the way’] which he hath consecrated for us, thru the veil, that is to
say his flesh’ We now have total access to the Father thru the Son. This is the
ONLY WAY man can have this access! It is common today to teach a type of
pluralism that says ‘all religions will eventually lead us to God’ some will
lead straight to hell! Sorry. The only way to the Father is thru the Son. God
ordained it to be so. Don’t fight over it, God says ‘come freely’ those who
don’t come, they will never GET THERE! Jesus flesh is called the ‘veil’. During
the crucifixion the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the
bottom. Most believers know the significance of this. I would submit to you
that when the scripture says ‘the veil was ripped’ that it was not only
speaking of the actual veil that was in the temple on that day, but it was also
prophetically speaking of the true veil, Jesus Body, that was being torn apart
on the Cross.
The veil of the
temple not only restricted access for man coming to God, but it also separated
God from the true community of people. The tearing of the veil [Jesus body] not
only allowed man to have access to Gods presence in heaven, but it also opened
the door for the Spirit of God to tabernacle with men on the day of Pentecost.
After the tearing of Jesus flesh [which Jesus is also called the door] it is
like a door opened, both letting man into the presence of God, as well as
‘letting’ God tabernacle with men [note- Jesus ‘Emmanuel’ was ‘God with us’ so
in a sense God was already tabernacling among men thru Christ, but at Pentecost
God ‘spread’ this ‘tabernacling’ to a community with worldwide potential, as
Christians would increase thru out the ages, so would Gods presence increase as
he dwells in men. Thus the Kingdom starts small, like a little leaven, and
before you know it the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord. It
culminates at the second coming of Christ].
‘And having an high priest over the house of
God [remember, even though in Hebrews Paul speaks of heaven itself as the tabernacle,
yet he also told the Jews ‘who’s house are we, if we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast unto the end’] let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water [baptism]. Let us hold fast the profession of
our faith without wavering [for he is faithful that promised] and let us
provoke one another to love and good works: not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another…’
A few things here. First, Paul is exhorting
them to ‘get washed in pure water’ [baptism]. Remember, some of the recipients
of this letter were believing in the message as Paul preached it as he traveled
thru their cities, others were still on the edge. In this chapter it seems as
if he is saying ‘some of you who have heard and seen all of these things, it’s
time to make the decision to go all the way. Others have made a good
profession, you too need to stick with the message’. Now, to those who would
‘revert’ back to the law, after they ‘received’ the truth, Paul says there is
only judgment down the road. Even though they heard and the message reached
them. Even though Paul presents the gospel in a way that says ‘you are all
sanctified’ yet there was always the danger of apostasy. Those who believe you
can lose your salvation [Arminians] take these verses and say ‘see, those who
were once sanctified, if they sin, they face judgment’. I have actually viewed
this chapter in different ways in the past. I never saw it as the Arminians,
but I have debated over whether or not Paul was saying ‘now that you are
believers, don’t think you can get away with sin, remember there is only one
sacrifice, if you keep sinning God will judge you’ [not hell, but chastening].
But I have come to view it more along the lines of ‘those of you who are still
in transition, you have made a good profession, Jesus blood has sanctified
everyone [in a sense] so if you continue to sin [go back to the old system that
taught that continual sin was part of the plan. Remember, the law made
provision for continual sinning. This worldview of sin and judgment was unique
to the Jewish community of the day.
It really should
have been easier to convert Israel, they already had a ‘Jewish’ world view. But
one of the dangers of this world view was they had provision for ongoing sin.
The idea of ‘continuing to sin’ was engrained in their culture. Paul is warning
them that in Christ the fact that there is only one sacrifice means you cant
still live with the worldview of ‘I will continue to sin’] In essence Paul
seems to be saying ‘if you continue to sin, and think that the Cross is like
the old system, then you are fooling yourselves. The fact that the Cross happened
only once means that it is sufficient to truly cleanse you once and for all
from your sin’ to those who wanted to keep sinning, because it was fun, Paul
says ‘watch out, judgment awaits’. So in keeping with what I showed you in
chapter 6, I see this chapter continuing to appeal to Jews, some who have even
made an initial profession, but he still had to warn them about going back to
their old way of continuing to sin. Remember, there were many who were
preaching that the law was still necessary for salvation, Paul is telling them
it isn’t.
‘For if we sin
willfully [something that was expected under the law, that’s why they had all
the sacrifices!] after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there
remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of
judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. He that
despised Moses law died without mercy under 2 or 3 witnesses: of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot
the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was
sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?’
Once again Paul contrasts the severity of the law to the New Covenant. Remember
how earlier Paul showed that those who ‘neglect so great a salvation’ have more
to worry about than those who rejected ‘the word of angels’ [law] Here Paul
again says ‘Those who disrespected the old system died without mercy, how much
worse shall it be for those who disrespect the blood of the everlasting
covenant’ I see this being directed at those who never fully convert to Christ.
While Gods discipline is also harsh on
believers who continue to live in rebellion [Corinthians] this language is
never used of believers. So Paul is saying ‘beware, if you decide to walk away
from all that has been presented to you, you will bear a much harsher
punishment than those who sinned under the law’. What was the punishment of
those who sinned under law? They died. What is the punishment of those who
reject so great salvation? Eternal judgment. Let me add a note about ‘not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together’. It is common to use this verse
to defend ‘Sunday church’ a lot of times it is used in this way to fight
against the house church movement. What is the context here? The Jews already
met together regularly before they believed in Christ. They had both temple and
synagogue. Paul is simply saying ‘after you convert, keep getting together’
this is not a verse for defending Sunday church! [It is OK to go to church on Sunday]. ‘For we know him
that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto me…the Lord shall judge his people’ In
context, remember how I already showed you that ‘his people’ and ‘holy
brethren’ and other terms like this in Hebrews can be speaking of 1st
century Israel in transition? They were still considered ‘his people’ at the time
the gospel was presented to them. Ultimately when they rejected Christ they
would lose that designation, but many of the terms in this letter speak to Israel this
way. So ‘his people’ can most definitely describe believers. But in context in
this letter it more than likely is saying ‘don’t forget Israel , God
does judge his people. So don’t think that your natural heritage of ‘being his
people’ will get you out of the crunch this time!’
The Jews were
always appealing to their privileged position with God ‘we have Abraham as our
father’ they would always appeal to their ‘pure’ orthodox heritage, here Paul
says ‘God will judge all of us based on what we do with his Son, even ‘his
people’! ‘For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling
of your goods’ many of the Jews who were embracing Paul’s message did suffer
persecution. Historically we know many of them were plundered. They lost their
goods! It’s funny, Paul doesn’t say ‘get back what the enemy stole from you’
[though you can!] but he says ‘don’t worry about the loss of your wealth and
stuff, you have a better inheritance of eternal things in heaven’. Most modern
preaching doesn’t even think about this. We are so consumed with preaching a
gospel that says ‘come to Jesus and you will be rich’ that we never even give a
second thought to these verses. We will read in the next chapter how Moses
‘forsook the pleasures of Egypt
so he could bear reproach with Gods people’. Now I know that when they fled God
gave ‘the treasures back’ but the point was Moses went thru a period of leaving
all of it behind for a higher calling. Don’t always tell people [to you
preachers!] that the wealth of the world is waiting at your doorstep if you
receive Christ. They might be on the verge of ‘getting their goods spoiled’ for
a season knowing that in heaven they have a better and enduring substance.
‘NOW THE JUST
SHALL LIVE BY FAITH, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure
in him’. In the original bible you didn’t have chapter divisions. Sometimes the
divisions interfere with the meaning of the text. It is important to see that
right before Hebrews 11, Paul makes this famous statement on justification by
faith! He will go into chapter 11 with this theme in mind. We often read
chapter 11 as believers and see the great stories in it of the heroes of the
faith, but this is not the primary reason for the chapter. The main reason is
for Paul to make the case of law versus grace. He has just spent 10 chapters
explaining the superiority of grace over law. Now he will show Israel that all
of the great heroes of the faith PLEASED GOD BY FAITH! He will be laying out a
grand overview of the great Old Testament figures and be saying THEY ALL
RECEIVED A GOOD REPORT [JUSTIFIED] BY
FAITH.
It is real important for you to see this as we
head into the chapter. When you read it with this in mind, then you begin to
focus in on the statements of faith in a different way. While chapter 11 will
give all believers a great boost in faith, the primary reason behind it is to
say to Israel
‘look, all of our great forefathers [and fore mothers!] pleased God by faith,
not the works of the law. Some of them were even law breakers! [Rahab, Samson]
yet they were JUSTIFED [pleased God] by faith!’ Well, lets get into the chapter
before I preach the whole thing right here.
END NOTES-
IS THERE MEANING TO THE ACTUAL ORDER OF BIBLE VERSES?
HOW DID THE SPIRIT ‘TESTIFY’ TO THE FINAL SACRIFICE?
WHY DOES THE WRITER CONTINUE TO SAY THE NEW COVENANT IS HARSHER?
If the
sacrifices under the law were sufficient- then why did the priests keep
offering them?
The writer says
that’s proof they ‘didn’t really work’.
But Jesus
offered himself once- for all- and that shows us that his death was the final
one.
He quotes Psalms
40- and once again- like we saw earlier- he sees the actual order of the verses
in this Psalm as having meaning.
‘Sacrifice and
offering you do not want’ first
‘But a body you
have prepared for me’ second.
He then says
‘see- God took away the first’ [meaning the Old Law covenant is ending]
‘Then- he
established the 2nd’ [meaning the Body of Christ being offered].
He then says
‘the Holy Spirit also testifies to this”
How?
He quotes
Jeremiah 31-
‘I will make a
new deal with the people- not like the old one- in this deal [covenant] I will
not REMEMBER their sins any more’-
See?
If God had some
new covenant- in which HE would not remember the sins of the people- that shows
that in the new deal- there would be no more sacrifices.
Now- he exhorts
the reader ‘let us have faith- draw near to God with a clear conscience- having
our bodies WASHED WITH PURE WATER’.
Huh?
See- this is an
exhortation to COME INTO this covenant- he’s saying ‘believe- and be baptized’.
This letter is
not speaking to ALREADY BAPTIZED PERSONS.
We also see- once
again- the writer saying that this New Covenant is MUCH HARSHER than the Old.
‘If those under
the law disobeyed- and died under 2 or 3 witnesses- how much worse will it be
for those who have the light [thru their Old Law- Christ was indeed in there- thru
types and images] and reject it.’
‘for if we/you
continue to sin- after having these truths revealed- there is no more sacrifice
left- but a fearful waiting for judgment’.
In time I’ll
develop this more- but in the New Testament letters- written to the Gentile
churches- you don’t read stuff like this.
You do see God
judging his people [in those letters- meaning Christians].
But you don’t
see the New Covenant compared to the Old Covenant in this way- saying ‘it’s
much harsher than the old’.
But- to those
outside of the covenant- to the ‘unbaptized- unbeliever’ then yes- this warning
holds true.
The theme thru
out Hebrews is ‘if the first century Jew does not BELIEVE in Christ as the
Messiah- then he in effect does disgrace to the Blood of Jesus’-
He will not find
repentance any more [under the old system]-
And he will face
a stricter punishment then those who rebelled under the law-
[They died
physically- but in this new covenant- if you reject Christ- you suffer
spiritual death- and the ultimate judgment of God].
One last note-
as we study the letters of the New Testament down the road- we see a theme-
yes- about how we should view earthly riches/wealth.
Here we read
‘you suffered the loss of your earthly goods- knowing that in heaven you have a
more enduring substance’.
The theme is
never ‘claim your covenant rights to wealth’.
But ‘the things
in this life- material wealth- are nothing to be compared to the spiritual
riches we have in Christ’.
And yes- this is
true.
Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears
hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Psalm 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it
is written of me,
Psalm 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is
within my heart.
Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will
make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jeremiah 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with
their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the
land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto
them, saith the LORD:
Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law
in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and
they shall be my people.
Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all
know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for
I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
CHAPTER 11: [see commentary on
Acts 21]
END NOTES-
JUSTIFIED BY
FAITH.
TORTURED- BY
FAITH?
REJECTED MONEY-
BY FAITH?
THEY ALL WAITED
FOR THE CITY- THE CHURCH.
‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen, FOR BY IT THE ELDERS OBTAINED A GOOD
REPORT [JUSTIFIED]’ This is the key verse to the chapter. Paul will go on to
prove that all the Old Testament figures that ‘pleased God’ did it by faith,
and not by works! ‘Through faith WE UNDERSTAND that the worlds were framed by
the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do
appear’ Faith is not ‘blind’. It informs and gives understanding. This
understanding is real! Let me show you what I mean. All of the universe and
creation had a beginning point. Science did not always know or believe this.
Today science teaches this. It is called ‘the point of singularity/density’.
Science has traced back the origins of all things and has found scientific
evidence to prove that all things had a ‘beginning point’. Now if you were to
ask science ‘what did you have right before the beginning point’? They are stumped.
Some of course believe in God and will boldly proclaim him at this point. To
the others they can not answer this question. Why? Because they realize, thru
science, that matter is not infinite.
Some have
theorized that either all things always existed [which science has now
disproved] or that at one point nothing existed [which science also teaches
that if this were true then you would have nothing today. You can not get
something from nothing!] So all true science has gone back to this ‘point of singularity’
and can not see what is right before ‘the point’. The Christian ‘sees’ God at
this point! He ‘understands’ that by necessity there has to have been something
that existed before creation, science teaches this. This something can not have
been created also, because then where did the ‘being’ who created ‘it’ come
from? So science teaches us that whoever got the ball rolling [Saint Thomas
Aquinas calls this the ‘prime mover’] had to have been preexistent/ self
existent in order to have done it. And we know that creation couldn’t have done
it by itself, so therefore all reasoning and understanding leave us at the
philosophical point of ‘there had to have been something/someone who existed
forever in order for anything to be
today’. So now you see how ‘by faith we understand that all things that now
exist were brought into existence by someone who we can not see’. FAITH
UNDERSTANDS!
As we go thru the rest of this chapter I want
you to focus in on all the references of justification by faith. You will be
surprised [I think?] on how many examples Paul gives to Israel from
their own history [his too!] on God justifying people by faith. I will also try
and show you [if I remember] how this chapter links the division between Paul’s
epistles to the gentiles [Romans, Galatians] with James letter to the Jews.
James was one of the lead Apostles at Jerusalem
[Acts 15] and the Judaizers who were always accusing Paul of preaching grace in
a way that justified sin, they came out of Jerusalem . James and Paul were rivals in a
sense. James had the difficult job of overseeing the Church at Jerusalem , who had all the Pharisees who
believed, while Paul was preaching this radical message of grace. This is why
James’s letter [book of James] focused so much on faith and works. James was
seeing the Genesis 22 account of Abraham’s justification when he offered Isaac
on the altar. James will say ‘see how Abraham was justified by his works’.
While in Paul’s letters he focuses on the Genesis 15 account of Abraham
believing God and being made righteous. James was not contradicting Paul; he
was showing the actual outcome of the life of a person who was previously
justified by faith. James was saying ‘When God made Abraham righteous [Gen 15]
he later actually became what God made him!’ [Gen. 22].
Now when Abraham would later do righteous
things, he only did them because he previously had faith in Gods promise. But
the fact still remains that when Abraham did a righteous act, God still
justified him [in a sense, God has the prerogative to say ‘good job son, I am
pleased with you’ so this can be described as an act/function of
justification]. Well, now that I already showed you all this, I guess I wont
have to remember telling it to you later. The point is in this chapter Paul
will go down and show all these examples of Jewish leaders acting by faith and
doing righteous deeds. This sort of bridges the gap between the strong emphasis
on faith in Paul’s letters, with the strong emphasis on works in James letter.
Paul is telling Israel
‘yes, all the old saints did do good works that pleased God, but they did them
by faith!’ ‘Faith without works is dead’ [James]. So in a sense this single
chapter bridges one of the key divisions in the early church between Jerusalem and Antioch [Acts 13 and 15].
Note; I believe all the chapter references above are correct, I write all this
from memory so you might want to go back and double check the references. I
know all the stories are right.
‘By FAITH Able offered …by which he obtained
witness that he was RIGHTEOUS…by FAITH Enoch was translated…he had this
testimony that he PLEASED GOD…without FAITH it is impossible to PLEASE HIM [all
these ‘please him’ references are like saying ‘being justified’ when a person
is justified by God, God sees him as acceptable, pleasing. ‘Thou art my beloved
son in whom I am well PLEASED’ God to Jesus!] By faith Noah… prepared an ark to
the SAVING of his house…and became heir to the RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS BY FAITH
[wow, he makes this one real plain] By faith Abraham…went out into a strange
land…and sojourned’ interesting, both the aspect of ‘going out to a new land’
and ‘staying in it when you get there’ are both functions of faith. Let me
throw in some practical stuff here. Over the years of ‘doing ministry’ I have
seen and been a partaker of both of these experiences. Sometimes it takes an
act of faith to uproot us from familiar territory and move on to the next
level. And do you know what can happen next? The enemy will try to intimidate
you once you get in the land of promise, and tell you ‘you cant stay here, look
at all the people who hate you. Look at all the mistakes you made’ and it often
takes an act of faith to STAY IN THE LAND. Don’t leave the land of your
destiny; all true leaders will go thru both of these dealings.
‘For he looked
for a city which hath foundations [Jesus is the foundation of this city!] whose
builder and maker is God’ All of these great heroes of the faith were looking
forward towards a future promise of being in Gods true church, the ‘City of God’
the Bride, the Lambs wife. Paul shows Israel that this 1st
century appearing of Messiah was for the purpose of Israel coming into the ‘new land’
the Body of Christ. It is important to see this. There are many preachers today
who are treating natural Israel
as in if everything is just fine. It isn’t! They need Christ as much as the
Muslim does. God was telling Israel
‘come into this new city ’
[New Jerusalem versus Old Jerusalem] he wasn’t appealing for them to stay in
‘old Jerusalem ’
and be a ‘completed Jew’. [I know this sounds harsh, but I want to emphasize to
all my evangelical friends that Jews need Jesus, they play a special role in
Gods plan, but ultimately they need Christ!]
‘Through faith also Sara herself received
strength to conceive seed’ it takes faith to produce spiritual offspring! It
might look impossible, but with God all things are possible. ‘Therefore sprang
there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky and
the sand by the shore’ sometimes God will allow you to bring forth one ‘seed’
[person or act of ministry] and you will be surprised how much fruit can come
forth from this singular effort. This is why it’s so important to simply hear
and obey God. Often times in ministry we do tons of ‘leg work’ which is OK. But
when God gives you an idea or mode of function that you weren’t even thinking
of, go with it. These are usually the ‘little seeds’ that produce the great
harvest! ‘THESE ALL DIED IN FAITH, NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE PROMISES’ I want to
emphasize here that it is possible to live your whole life in faith without
actually seeing the fulfillment of all that God has told you.
Now faith does obtain promises [verse 33] but
sometimes we also see things many years down the road and we must realize that
the measurement of faith is not whether or not you are currently getting the
actual promise. In the above [and below] verse’s we see Abraham and Sara being
told that their offspring would number in the millions. They believed these
promises, but it is obvious that they didn’t live to see it fulfilled, but they
sure knew that after they were gone it would come to pass. So I want to exhort
you to believe to see certain things fulfilled in your life time, but have some
greater goals that you initiate while here on earth, knowing that after you
depart they will be fulfilled. ‘And truly if they had been MINDFUL of the
country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have
returned’ what is Paul saying here? The greatest threat to the gospel taking
root in the Hebrew community was the desire to go back to old law and culture.
How many believers ‘revert’ back to an older form of church simply because they
missed the old culture and ‘feelings’ that they had when they were younger?
Many of the Jews would not go all the way with the gospel because they were
‘mindful’ of the good old days of law and sacrifice.
I just watched a show the other day that told
how even some gentile believers began celebrating certain feasts of Israel with
their Jewish neighbors. While it is good to understand and see the significance
of the feasts, yet we know Paul wrote the early believers and said ‘you observe
days and times and feasts, and I am concerned about it’. So when we [or 1st
century Israel] are ‘mindful’ of the ‘good old days’ then there is always a
danger of going back! ‘By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac…of
whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Accounting that God was
able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a
figure’ Abraham exhibited characteristics of the Father [God] as well as Isaac
being a type of the Son [Jesus]. It’s interesting that these verses show that
Abraham knew for a fact that God was going to give Isaac millions of children,
Abraham also knew the voice of God so well that when he ‘thought’ he heard God
say ‘offer up this boy’ that in the mind of Abraham, the only way these 2
things could be reconciled, is he came to the conclusion ‘I guess God will have
to raise him up, being he has told me this boy will have millions of children,
plus he is telling me to kill him’. Most of us would not have come to this
conclusion! We would have doubted either the original promise, or said ‘surely
this can’t be God telling me to offer Isaac’ [most likely we would have doubted
the latter!].
There is a real
important reason for Abraham to have been a real man of faith. God wanted this
‘picture’ of the offering up of Isaac for a type of the Cross and Resurrection.
The only way he could have shown this example was to have had someone so
radically filled with faith, that he would have come to this conclusion of
‘well, I guess God will just raise him’. It was necessary for the figure to
have been truly fulfilled. It took Abraham many years of hearing and believing
God before he would get to this stage. The part of Abraham’s mind that said
‘God will just have to raise him up’ was important for the figure to truly
work. God knew he could only bring someone to this conclusion by arranging the
whole scenario around a person of faith. It truly took a real person of faith
to have come to the conclusion of resurrection as being inevitable! [For
Abraham to fulfill the type of God, he had to have been convinced beyond all
doubt that after he offered up his son, that he would be raised again. This is
exactly what the Father [God] believed and knew about his own Sons death. So
not only did Isaac fulfill the type of Jesus in this story, but Abraham also
fulfilled a type of God!] [NOTE; Today is September 22, 2007 . Israel’s Day of Atonement. I
just heard a brother preach on the feasts of the Lord [I have done this also]
but he preached it in a way that said ‘because God said you were to observe
these feasts perpetually, therefore all gentile believers need to start
observing these days’ he added ‘I know Paul taught the law passed and all, but
these feasts are supposed to be forever because God said so’.
How are the feasts ‘perpetual’? Thru the
fulfilling of them in Christ! Paul makes this plain all thru the New Testament
[as well as this letter!] I was surprised to hear the brother preach that the
first 2 feasts [out of the 3 main ones] were fulfilled and memorialized, but
the 3rd one [Atonement/tabernacles] has yet to be fulfilled! What?
Jesus fulfilled Passover and Pentecost for sure, and they are still being
‘fulfilled’ God is still bringing people in thru the blood of Christ and the
Spirit is continually being poured out on people, and of course the ultimate
reality of our atonement thru our high priest is a daily reality [he ever lives
to make intercession] that is ‘fulfilled’ all the time[ I understand what the
brother meant, that both Passover and Pentecost were fulfilled at the Cross and
the day of Pentecost, and Tabernacles still has a future fulfillment. That
Jesus will ‘ingather’ all peoples to himself at the end. The way he said it was
in a way that he said Atonement, the beginning of Tabernacles/booths, still has
to be fulfilled. It really came out badly!] I just thought it worth noting that
today is natural Israel ’s
feast day, and we hold this feast in reality 24/7!]
‘By faith Moses,
when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of pharaohs daughter;
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches
than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the
reward…by faith the harlot Rahab perished not…’ I want you to see that faith in
Moses situation caused him to forsake great riches and leave a successful
future. This is in keeping with all the times Jesus called people in the
Gospels ‘forsake all and follow me’ mentality. We too often equate the
‘treasures of Egypt ’
with following Jesus; the scripture puts a different spin on it! Also Rahab
‘perished not’ because she ‘believed’. Paul teaches in Corinthians that those
who believe are ‘being saved’ and those who don’t believe are ‘perishing’. I
want you to see that Paul is really making a theological argument for ‘being
saved by faith’ in this chapter. Even a harlot can be saved! Wow. The law
seemed to have no mercy on someone like that!
‘Who thru faith subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, stopped the mouths of lions…women received their dead raised to
life…others were TORTURED not accepting deliverance…others had mocking and
scourging and bonds and imprisonment, they were stoned, cut in half, were slain
with the sword… being destitute, afflicted, tormented…they wandered in deserts
and mountains and dens and caves of the earth, ALL THESE [both the ones who
shut the mouths of lions as well as the one’s who were tortured without
deliverance] OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT THRU FAITH, AND RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE’
Faith does not always cause you to be better off in this life. I am very
familiar with all the verses of God blessing us and providing for us ‘the
blessing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow to it’. I believe
and claim these verses just like the next guy. I also don’t want to tell people
‘give your life to Christ and all will go well’ did it go well for the ones who
were tortured not getting delivered? Sure did. It went well the moment they saw
the face of God. The same for those who were cut in half. It also went well for
the women who received their dead raised to life. The point is ‘going well’ is
not always defined by your outward circumstance.
We must see the
overall biblical worldview of all things here being temporary, while all true
spiritual riches are eternal. Moses actually was ‘less rich’ by the choice to
follow Christ. But he was ‘more rich’ in that he fulfilled Gods purpose. It is
important to see that many of these great heroes of the faith died without
fully seeing the promise in this life. Now the last verse does say ‘that they
without us should not be made perfect’ and this does show that the promise is
now fulfilled thru Christ. We have all become recipients of eternal salvation
thru Christ. The Old Testament patriarchs have ‘found that city’ in that we are
all now members of the great ‘City that comes down from God out of heaven’ we
are all in Christ today, even our Old Testament brothers who had faith. The
point is don’t always measure a persons faith by their outward wealth and
condition. James rebuked this idea in his epistle, he taught us not to show
partiality to people who were rich while despising the poor.
When believers see faith only from the
standpoint of outward things, they are missing the true riches. Jesus taught
that all these outward things were not the true riches; I am surprised how many
believers spend so much time hoarding and storing things that will all pass
away some day. Let’s close this chapter on a good note. Paul has offered Israel all of
their Old Testament heroes as an example of being justified by faith. He is
saying ‘look, all the great fathers of the faith pleased God, just like you
have said and taught for ages. I am declaring unto you they were all
‘justified/pleasing to God’ by faith, not law’. Therefore if you want to follow
the example of Abraham and Moses and all the other wonderful fathers, then you
too MUST BELIEVE!
END NOTES-
JUSTIFIED BY
FAITH.
TORTURED- BY
FAITH?
REJECTED MONEY-
BY FAITH?
THEY ALL WAITED
FOR THE CITY- THE CHURCH.
This chapter is
loaded with the history of the Jewish people-
I could teach on
each story- but that would be a bit much-
So I pasted the
verses below to show that the writer is saying ‘see- all of our forefathers
were justified- received a GOOD REPORT- by faith’.
Wait a minute-
they DID THINGS- in these stories-
Isn’t that
WORKS?
If you read the
letter of James- and the letters of Paul- some scholars says there is a
disagreement-
Paul says a man
is justified by faith- and not by works.
James says ‘see
how a man is justified by works- and not faith only’.
If this letter
[Hebrews] was written by Paul- then it’s a true masterpiece- because he is
combining the examples that James uses [Rahab- and Abrahams Genesis 22
experience- which James uses to say ‘see how works justifies’].
So- to me- Paul
would be saying ‘no- I’m not contradicting James- we both believe/teach the
same thing’.
If the letter
was written by Barnabus- then it also is a masterpiece- because Barnabus might
be trying to bridge the gap between Paul and James.
We read about
this tension in Acts chapters 13 and 15.
This chapter is
certainly not showing us how to obtain stuff [money- etc.] thru faith- because
look at the examples- ‘Moses chose to suffer- and reject the wealth of Egypt-
BY FAITH’-
‘SOME WERE
TORTURED- SUFFERED- CUT IN HALF- by faith’- ‘CHOOSING TO not be delivered-
because they had faith’.
We also see the
heavenly city- as the goal of the patriarchs- they were all waiting for THE
CHURCH- the city that the apostle John spoke about in the book of revelation.
The writer says
‘if they were mindful of the city they came out of [a reference to the law
covenant- meaning if the Jews kept clinging to the law- the ‘city they came out
from’- they will have a hard time moving on- into the New Covenant revelation
of Messiah].
I didn’t quote
verse 2- but we could teach modern physics from that one [the bible says all
things were made from something invisible- modern physics has come to that reality
in the 20th century- yet this verse was penned 2 millennia ago]!
By faith we
understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen
was not made out of what was visible.
So yeah- lots of
good stuff in this chapter- but the main point is these ancients were justified
by faith- the example of Noah and Abraham actually use that very language-
salvation/righteousness [it’s a bit clearer in the King James Version- the
above verses are from the NIV].
Yes- the writer
is saying ‘everything is based on faith- and even our ancestors were justified
by faith- they did all these things because they believed God- and God saw
their faith- in action- and they too were made righteous- by faith’.
By faith Abel
brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as
righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still
speaks, even though he is dead.
By faith Noah,
when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his
family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the
righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
All these
people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the
things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting
that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People
who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they
had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity
to return. 16 Instead,
they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them
By faith
Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s
daughter. 25 He chose
to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting
pleasures of sin. 26 He
regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures
of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
By faith the
prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who
were disobedient.
And what more shall I say?
I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about
David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and
gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the
sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle
and routed foreign armies.35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were
others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an
even better resurrection. 36 Some
faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning;[e] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went
about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and
mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them
received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only
together with us would they be made perfect.
CHAPTER 12:
END NOTES-
A HEAVENLY CITY.
DON’T BE SAD,
HE’S TREATING YOU LIKE A SON.
NO REPENTANCE-
OUTSIDE OF CHRIST THAT IS.
CULTURE SHOCK IS
HARD ON US ALL.
‘Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with
so great a cloud of witnesses [all the heroes of the last chapter!] let us lay
aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that is set before us’ a few practical things. Paul
compares the journey to a marathon, not a sprint! The patient runner who paces
himself will receive a reward. The sprinter will look good at the start, but
you never see him again! I have been blessed by so many gifted people over the
years. Some who were on radio, or were doing some type of ministry for the
Lord. The gifts and callings were truly on these people. A few years would go
by and they were no where to be found. Where did they go? Some of them jumped
on the latest ‘Christian movement’ [I am not against movements from God, I just
feel we get enamored by them and give up on the main thing the Lord has called
us to] some walked away from the Lord.
I have come to realize that God will put
certain things in you from the early days, things that he predestined for you
to fulfill before you were born. These are the things that you should be
faithful to. Don’t abandon the original calling, it’s still there! You can
spend your whole life leaving one ‘track’ and ‘sprinting’ in another. But God
wants you to stay on the original course and run it with patience. It might not
seem as glamorous or exciting as the newest race in town, but at the end you
will receive a reward. ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before him ENDURED the cross, despising the shame
and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that
ENDURED such contradiction of sinners…and ye have forgotten the exhortation
that speaketh to you as children [remember what we said about this type of
privileged language in Hebrews? It is speaking to Israel ] my son, despise not thou
the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art REBUKED of him: for whom
the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If
you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons’.
Now, for many years I read this just like you.
That God was telling Christians that he disciplines them. True enough. But in
context what is Paul saying here? He spent 11 chapters ‘reproving’ Israel . He told
them that all the sacrifices and wonderful holidays and family traditions are
no more. That Messiah has fulfilled it and you can’t keep doing it. Now, how
would you feel if some know it all preacher came along and totally dismantled
your whole way of worship? And you knew in your heart he was right! You would
take offence. You would feel like you just got ‘chastened’ up and down and all
over. Your initial reaction would be ‘this is too much correction in one letter,
I am tired of reading it!’ so Paul is telling Israel ‘Don’t take all this
reproof the wrong way, Gods intent is to get you to move on with the program.
He loves you guys; don’t forget that scripture [Old Testament] says ‘who God
loves he chastens’ hey, God is just dealing with you as children who he loves’
get it? ‘We have had fathers of the flesh that corrected us…shall we not much
rather be in subjection to the father of spirits and live?’ Paul is saying ‘you
guys want to live [eternal life] then you need to submit to the correction the
father is giving you’.
‘For they verily for a few days chastened us
after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of
his holiness’ Now, God does chasten believers for the purpose of holiness.
Scripture says ‘those who have suffered in the flesh have ceased from sin, that
they should no longer spend the rest of their days in the flesh pursuing the
desires of the flesh, but the will of God’ ‘before I was afflicted I went
astray, but after I kept thy word’ ‘thou in faithfulness hath afflicted me’
‘though he were a son yet learned he obedience from the things he suffered’
‘the captain of our salvation was made perfect thru suffering’ [the last 2 are
in this letter, the others are some where in scripture, I just quoted them off
the top of my head. As you can see I have some familiarity with this subject!
Ouch] In context Paul is saying to Israel ‘you have tried to attain holiness
thru legalistic means, by keeping the law [Romans 9-the last few verses] but
until you submit to Gods chastening, and have faith in God, you will not truly
have his ‘holiness’ [righteousness].
So God is disciplining them thru this letter
so they will ‘believe and become righteous’ as opposed to staying in the old
system of law. ‘Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but
grievous [old brother Paul, he sure knew how to understate things!]
nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of RIGHTEOUSNESS to them
that are exercised [or exorcised! Just kidding, but it can feel like this at
times] thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down…and make straight
paths for your feet, lest that which is lame [broken] be turned out of the way,
but let it rather be healed’ David said ‘restore to me the joy of your
salvation that the bones which YOU HAVE BROKEN may rejoice’ The danger of
chastening [both for Christians and Israel] is that we get so broken that we
never fully recover. Paul is telling Israel ‘I know it’s been hard on
you guys to hear so much rebuke. Don’t walk away totally discouraged. There is
a danger that you might respond to Gods correction the wrong way. Lift up your
hands, shake off the depression, and let yourselves be healed. God wants to
restore you!’
‘Lest there be any fornicator, or profane
person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For you know
how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected:
for HE FOUND NO PLACE OF REPENTANCE though he sought it carefully with tears’.
This is another reason why reading Hebrews in context is important. One of the
themes of this letter is ‘if you miss out on it now, you can’t repent
later!’[Chapter 6]. We know that Pauls other letters to the churches leave open
future repentance for those who have sinned. In Paul’s letters to the
Corinthians we see this being done. But in Hebrews the idea is ‘if you pass on
the Cross, you can not find repentance thru any other means. There is no other
place for repentance’. So this is the reason why Hebrews has this theme of ‘no
future repentance’ thru out the letter. Paul is certainly not telling Israel that if
they decide to repent and accept Christ at a future date, they can’t! But he is
saying ‘if you pass over this sacrifice of Christ, all the other ‘sacrifices’
and means of repentance that are contained in the law will have no future
effect, remember Esau!’
‘For ye are not come unto the mount that might
be touched…but ye are come to Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem [the church]…and to the blood of sprinkling that
speaketh better things than that of Able’ Here Paul comes back to a ‘scarlet
thread’ that runs thru out this letter. He says ‘hey, you think the first
covenant was a fearful thing, watch out! If you disregard this covenant [Jesus
blood] then you have gone against something that is much greater than the law’.
Also the ‘blood of Able’ cried out from the ground for vengeance, the blood of
Jesus cries out from heaven for mercy and forgiveness! It ‘speaks’ better things
than that of Able! ‘See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they
escaped not who refused him that spake on earth [Moses and the law] much more
shall not we escape, if we turn away from him which speaketh from heaven’ again
Paul repeats themes he hit on earlier in this letter. He says ‘Moses spoke Gods
Word [law] to you from an earthly mountain and place, you are come to a
heavenly mountain [Sion-spiritual Jerusalem ]
and Jesus is speaking to you from heaven. This is much more strict than he who
spoke from earth’.
‘Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that can not
be moved, let us HAVE GRACE, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence
and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire’ Though Paul doesn’t say it [I
think he should have!] but this alludes to the ‘God’ of Moses day, who did not
consume the burning bush, compared to the ‘God’ of today [new covenant] who
will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire! This fits in with the theme of a
harsher punishment for those who reject the covenant of grace as opposed to
those who rejected the covenant of law. I know these themes are not popular,
but this is clearly the way Paul is presenting them. I also am not saying the
‘God’ of the Old Testament is different from the ‘God’ of the new [this is the
heresy of Marcion! I think that was his name. He was an early Christian heretic
who comprised the first canon of scripture for a ‘new testament’ it included
basically Paul’s letters, and he taught that The God of the new testament was
different from the God in the old] but Paul is presenting the new covenant in a
way that says ‘don’t neglect this new way of salvation, those who do will
receive a harsher judgment than those who rejected the law’.
END NOTES-
A HEAVENLY CITY.
DON’T BE SAD,
HE’S TREATING YOU LIKE A SON.
NO REPENTANCE-
OUTSIDE OF CHRIST THAT IS.
CULTURE SHOCK IS
HARD ON US ALL.
Once again we see the contrast between ‘he that spoke from earth’ [Moses-
the law]- and he that ‘speaks from heaven’ [Jesus covenant is more strict- to
those outside of it and reject it- because he has heavenly authority- Moses had
earthly].
Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not
who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn
away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth
every son whom he receiveth.
Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with
sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are
partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Remember this-
though the message of grace and Jesus as the Messiah is wonderful- especially
to us Gentile believers-
Yet- it was
indeed a cultural shock to the 1st century Jew-
Why?
Even though
Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophets- yet in order for the Jewish person
to accept this [Like the apostle Paul]
He had to accept
a real cultural change in the religion he practiced from his youth-
He was being
asked to stop the animal sacrifices- to ‘move on’ from the Law covenant- and to
embrace Christ.
Now- in reality-
it would be the fulfillment of all that was contained in the law- but it’s
often hard for anyone to ‘move on’ from former religious practices that are
embedded in his culture.
So- in context
‘Don’t be sad- God is disciplining you- showing you new stuff- and it’s tough
for sure- but he does this with all the sons he receives’.
We also see the promise of the heavenly city- As
opposed to the earthly one.
Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Hebrews 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn,
which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of
just men made perfect,
The writer is
speaking about the church- and how both Jew and Gentile are part of this spiritual
community coming down from God out of heaven.
And again we see
the warning- of no repentance- for those who keep sinning.
I stress that
this is never taught to the Gentile churches- as a matter of fact the Apostle
Paul wrote the Corinthians- about a sinning brother- sleeping with his father’s
wife [his step mom].
And In the 2nd
letter- this brother repented- and Paul exhorted the church to receive him back
into fellowship.
But to the 1st century Jew- still not fully in the covenant- he
says ‘Hebrews
12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the
blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he
sought it carefully with tears.
In keeping with
the theme of the letter- Jesus is now the only acceptable means of repentance-
and if you reject him as the Messiah- and continue in sin- then yes- there is
no repentance.
Revelation
21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation
21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and
shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from
God,
Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit
unto the Father.
Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles
and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Ephesians 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together
groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Ephesians 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit.
Galatians
4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
CHAPTER 13:
Once again we will see an image in this
chapter that Paul will take from the Old Testament and use to describe the
sacrifice of Christ. It might even be the best image yet! But let’s start with
some basics. ‘Let brotherly love continue’ the other day I was shopping at Wal
Mart and saw some Cowboys shirts. I have a homeless friend who I have known for
15 years who loves the Cowboys [The football team!] So I bought him a 13 dollar
shirt [they had a nicer Jersey for around 40
dollars, but I am not that spiritual yet]. So I bought him the cheaper one.
Sure enough he’s been wearing it ever since! Sometimes it’s the little things,
the ‘brotherly love’ stuff that we need to do. We are so obsessed with doing
‘religious stuff’ and attending ‘religious meetings’ and ‘tithing’ that we
really do not see the underlying reality of going out of our way for others. We
will read in this chapter the 3 sacrifices God does want from us, after all the
teaching Paul does on ‘no more sacrifices’ he will give us the spiritual
sacrifices that God requires of us. They don’t even touch what we think is
important!
‘Remember them
that are in bonds, as bound with them’ a regular part of my prayer life
includes praying for our fellow brothers and sisters ‘in bonds’. A few years
ago a brother from our area got sent to jail for stealing money from a famous
Christian mission that he worked for. I met him a few times over the years. He
used to go to the church I attended. I really didn’t like him to be honest with
you. I loved him as a brother, but a little to ‘I am a Christian, cant you see’
type thing. I don’t want to judge him, but this was how I felt. Well many years
later when he got sent to jail he became the talk of the town. I started regularly
praying for him and haven’t stopped since. This has been around 5 years or so.
I also recently included some other Christians who also did some public crimes
and were sent to prison, a girl who was found guilty of murdering her foster
child. I also pray for those around the world who are in prison for the faith.
True persecution. I want to exhort you to pray for those in bonds. Paul knew
how hard it was, he was in jail often. ‘Marriage is honorable in all… but
whoremongers and adulterers God will judge’ Paul made it clear in all his
letters that he was not preaching a gospel of grace that condoned sin. He will
say this time and again thru out his writings. He was accused of preaching a
sinful gospel, but he wanted to make it clear that in all of his preaching
about the law and sacrifices passing away, that in Christ people by nature will
do what is right [Romans]. At the end of this great treatise to the Hebrews he
makes it clear ‘don’t go on sinning’.
‘Let your
conversation [lifestyle] be without covetousness; and be content with such
things as you have: for he hath said ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee’ Paul once again deals with avoiding a materialistic mindset. He isn’t
urging them to believe God for millions of dollars, or to set a goal of what
you want and then to use scripture to get it. He tells them ‘you have Jesus, so
be happy. Don’t be always trying to find fulfillment in things, they pass
away’. You will find this mindset all thru out scripture [read 1st
Timothy 6!] so many Christians today think that this mindset is ‘tradition’.
But it is in scripture!
‘Remember THEM which have the rule over you’
to be fair, I have done a lot of teaching in the past against the authoritarian
one man rule over believers. I want to submit to you that both here, and in
every other New Testament letter that leadership is always plural. It is ‘them’
not ‘him’. Also there are a few other passages that use the term ‘rule’ you
could also interpret these as ‘those who
watch over you, have care for you’ and use more amicable terms. There are
actual reasons why the stronger language is used, I don’t really want to get
into the whole thing here, but some feel it had to do with the time that the
English bibles were being translated. The kings of the time [England] wanted to
maintain a strong hierarchy within their ‘nation states’ as they broke away
from the Papacy of Rome, and the translators made a conscious decision to use
the more authoritarian terms to keep the people under authority. A whole book
has been written on this dynamic. But for now I simply want you to see that
Paul is addressing a community of people and saying ‘submit to the eldership of
your area, they have responsibility for your spiritual growth, they will give
an account to God. So listen to them’ this is not a verse to be used to justify
the present office of the singular Pastor in the Protestant church!
‘Be not carried about with diverse and strange
doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not
with meats, which have not profited them which have been occupied therein’ I
like this verse. It summarizes so much of the Christian life. The whole point
of this letter is to establish people in grace. To see that in Christ we have
been accepted with God. Our main message isn’t all the interesting doctrines
and stuff that we like to argue about. It really is Christ and Gods grace being
freely given to us thru him. A lot of the reproving I do is not for the purpose
[I hope not!] of just arguing about things that don’t matter, but it is for the
purpose of bringing Gods people back to a platform of grace. I teach ‘you are
not under the tithe [law] but give all you can in love [grace]’ we are all
living our lives openly before the face of God, we shouldn’t be running around
trying to ‘one up’ the next guy. Or showing everybody how smart or spiritual we
are. We are all here to become more like Jesus and to simply see our
requirement as living a thankful life and doing good deeds and sharing our
goods with others [the 3 sacrifices that we will see later in this chapter!] I
like this verse a lot!
‘We have an altar [the Cross] whereof they
have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle [those under the tabernacle
system, the law!] For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into
the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp [the main
area where the tabernacle and all the holy things of God were located].
Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood,
suffered without the gate [right outside the City of Jerusalem at the hill of Golgotha]. Let us go
forth therefore unto him [leave the Old Covenant and all of its sacrifices, and
move on unto perfection found only in Christ] without the camp [outside of the
rules and regulations of the law and all of its shadows], bearing his reproach
[those who left their Jewish heritage for Christ suffered extreme reproach and
ridicule from their friends and family. It was a very unpopular thing to do for
the 1st century Jew] for here we have no continuing city [natural Jerusalem ], but we seek
one to come [spiritual Jerusalem ]’
Paul sees significance in the fact that the bodies of the animals whose blood
was used for atonement were burned outside the camp. There were different types
of sacrifices that took place around the system of the tabernacle. Some were
totally burnt [burnt offering] others were eaten [Passover] and for the one
whose blood alone was used, these bodies were taken to a place outside of the
camp and were disposed of by burning. It was purely a utilitarian purpose. They
had to get rid of the bodies and they burnt them. Now Paul sees this as a
prophetic symbol of Christ. Paul says ‘remember that place where those bodies
were burnt? It is a type of Jesus who suffered outside of the city. It was
showing that there would be a day where a sacrifice would be made, outside of
the law system, that would sanctify all the people’! Amazing, once again Paul
sees things in scripture that no body else is seeing, until now! Paul’s mind
was consumed with seeing Jesus in everything. He sees hidden shadows of Gods
preplanned coming of Messiah and how God all along would require people to
‘leave the camp’ and come unto Christ. In essence Paul is saying ‘even in the
tabernacle system God prefigured a once for all sacrifice that would take place
outside of the law’ Bravo!
Also you will notice how Paul says ‘here we
have no continuing city’ [Jerusalem ]
but we seek one to come [The heavenly city, the bride the Lambs wife, the
church!] Paul does not do what many modern Evangelicals do. He does not exalt Israel ’s natural
heritage. Interesting that a first century Jewish believer [Paul] writing to a
1st century Jewish audience, downplays their ‘holy land’. If you go
back and review everything in this commentary, you will see that there are no
references to the prophetic significance to the land of Israel
as a geographical ‘holy place’. As a matter of fact the main theme is ‘leave
your dependence and cultural pride that comes from your natural heritage, and
come into this ‘new city ’
that all of our fore fathers were looking for’ there is this amazing lack of
exalting the natural city of Jerusalem
[which the New Testament calls ‘Sodom ’
in a spiritual sense! Revelation] and a plea for all nations, including natural
Israel, to come unto Christ.
‘By him
therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the
fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate
forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased’ Paul gives us 3 main
sacrifices that the New Covenant priest/believer can bring. Praise, doing good
and giving of your goods and money to meet the needs of those around you
[communicate means this here]. ‘Obey THEM that have the rule over you and
submit yourselves’ again we see leadership in plurality. Every city has
spiritual leadership, they are responsible before God for how they lead the
people in their area. They are also responsible to bring the people to maturity
and independence. A place where people are not co dependant upon leadership. I
believe much of the modern system has failed in this respect. The modern system
has actually taken these types of verses and used them to tell people ‘your
main role is to come to church on Sunday and passively listen’ we have built
this audience/ spectator mindset into people, and we have failed in this
respect. ‘Pray for us’ I have found this simple request to be one of the most
important things you can ask others to do for you. Enlist prayer support. Pray
for me! Ask people to pray for you! We all need this desperately!
‘Now the God of peace, that brought again from
the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of
the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will,
working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ;
to whom be glory forever and ever amen’ What a great way to end this letter! It
is thru the blood of Jesus Christ that we are accepted and perfected in every
way. We can only live and function because of the blood! We have true
forgiveness for all of our sins because of what Christ has done for us. Paul
has penned 13 chapters of revelation showing us the great significance of
Christ's sacrifice. He has urged his fellow country men ‘come out from trying
to make yourselves holy and acceptable, and receive the once and for all
sacrifice of Christ’ he has trumpeted this theme all thru out this letter. I
want to exhort you guys to see the sufficiency of the Cross. We get so caught
up in what we are doing that there is a tendency to rely on ourselves and our
own ability to change things [even us!] we need to re-focus on the biblical
priority and necessity of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He truly is the way,
the truth and the life. No man can come to the Father but by him! God bless you
guys,
John.
Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Hebrews 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
[Try and do this- I have this verse painted on a sign in my yard- I have a consistent prayer time- early in the morning- it includes nations- world issues- many subjects that God is concerned with. During this prayer pattern- which I have done for 30 years now- I also pray for the prisoners- and this verse asks us to do just that. I have friends- even Pastors- who simply do not pray- regularly.
I would encourage all of you- learn a routine pattern of prayer- not a selfish time where you focus on yourself and your needs [though that can be a small part of it]- but a prayer time that consistently covers the issues that scripture teaches us to be concerned with].
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
[This past year- I have talked to my friends about this issue- sleeping around. Many of these friends- are still friends- but I felt my associations with them- sort of ‘overlooking’ this very issue- made them feel like ‘well- John will have to learn to live with it’- meaning they felt like I could still do ministry stuff with them- still hang out- all the things I have done for many years. But time is rolling on- and I fear that these friends- yes- even Christians- think this issue of adultery is a minor thing. The scripture makes it VERY CLEAR- that those who do these things cannot I inherit the kingdom of God.
I am not trying to be mean to these guys [and gals] but this issue must be dealt with in this life- not the next.
And I want my friends to get this issue dealt with- and that’s one of the reasons I have stopped ministry activity with some of the guys].
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
[Over the years I have heard it taught that if you are content with what you have- you are in sin. Because you must believe God for increased wealth- to fund ministry projects. Many of the people who preach this are good men- but I fear the do not see it is a violation of scripture. This is just one- of many verses in the New Testament that warns against a wealth building mindset. The writer is saying when God meets our basic needs- and we show the world that our joy does not come from the things of this world- then that itself is a witness for God].
Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Hebrews 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
[The altar ‘we have’ is the Cross- he is saying that if the Jewish brothers stay in ‘the tabernacle’- meaning the law covenant- then they can’t partake of the benefits of the final sacrifice of Christ- this verse is not talking about church buildings- as some have said].
Hebrews 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
Hebrews 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
[The references to ‘without the camp/gate’ refer to the whole theme of this letter ‘you must go forth- move on from the Old Covenant mindset- and suffer the reproach of being a follower of the Messiah’- it was difficult for the early Jewish believers to embrace Christ. It brought scorn on them from family and friends- it was a price that many of us in the modern day don’t experience. So at the end of this letter the writer exhorts them to bear the reproach- become a believer in the Messiah- it will be worth it in the end].
Hebrews 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
[He is speaking about the church here- I already pasted some of the verses in this post that show us this].
Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
Hebrews 13:19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. [Frankly- this sounds just like the apostle Paul- these are reasons why I still lean towards Paul being the writer of this letter].
Hebrews 13:24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.
Hebrews 13:25 Grace be with you all. Amen.
Masada.
Hadrian.
Judaism in transition.
Did they ‘move on’ ?
Who was Elazar ben
Yair?
In the last
video I spoke about what happened to the Jews after the letter to the Hebrews
was written.
In a way- the
Jewish people made a transition- though forcibly- into some of the exhortations
we read about in this letter-
They no longer
offered animal sacrifices- why?
The Jews saw the
destruction of their city and temple in AD 70 under the Roman leader Titus-
Some continued
to resist Rome- they took over the fortress of Masada- a great fortress built
by the late King Herod- Herod the Great.
They held the
fort for around 3 years- until the Romans built a rampart to invade it.
The fortress was
built high on a cliff by the Dead Sea-
The only way to
get to it was from a narrow road- called the snake.
It had no ‘hand
rails’ or walls to protect you- it was built this way on purpose.
So when the
Roman soldiers tried to capture the Jews in the fortress- a small group could
easily fight back- and hold the fort.
So the Romans
built this rampart- it took about 2 years- and right before they reached the
fort- the Jews holed up inside killed themselves.
They chose 10
men by lot- who would kill all inside the fort [women and kids too].
Out of the 10-
they drew lots for one of them to kill the other 9- then he killed himself.
Elazar ben Yair
was the leader of the Jewish resistance- we read the account in the writings of
Josephus Flavius- the great historian who too fought against the Romans.
Here’s a quote
from Elazar ben Yair "Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to
the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself, Who alone is the true and
just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that
resolution true in practice ...We were the very first that revolted, and we are
the last to fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor that God
has granted us, that it is still in our power to die bravely, and in a state of
freedom."
Falvius wrote 4
great works [we read about this account in Jewish Wars] - after the rebellion
was over- Josephus was brought to Rome- and he began writing his historical
works in order to show the Romans that the Jewish people were a great people-
with a great history.
Many scholars
refer to Josephus works [mostly Antiquities] because they give us history that
we don’t find in the bible- it sort of fills in the gaps- and gives us
historical context.
The Bar Kokhba
Revolt-
The Jews had
their last revolt against Rome around 130-132 AD-
Under the
leadership of Shimon Bar Kokhba they resisted Rome- Emperor Hadrian would
eventually prevail- and ban the Jews from their land- and make laws outlawing
Jewish religious practice.
Over time the
Jewish people learned/adapted to practice their religion- without Temple/Priest
or sacrifice.
The Seder meal
became the memorial of Gods deliverance from Egypt- they use the bone of a
lamb- but they do not actually have the Passover sacrifice [which the letter to
the Hebrews exhorts them to do- to not practice animal sacrifices any more].
The priests were
no more- but the people had Rabbis- one in particular tried to help the people
transition after such a cultural loss.
He taught them
that the ‘new way’ of sacrifice and worship would be thru acts of charity- and
prayer ‘sacrifice and offering I do not want’ a quote from the Old testament
Prophets.
So- in a way-
the Jewish people did ‘move on’ from the Old sacrificial system- and embraced a
‘more Christian’ view of religion.
Of course there
are Jews today who fully embrace Jesus as the messiah- but over all- as a
people- their Old Law system was done away-
Today you have various forms of Judaism-
ranking form the most strict- to the most liberal [we see this in Christianity
as well].
But none of them
practice ritual sacrifice any more-
Some Christians
[and Jews] actually believe the Temple will be restored- and at that time the
sacrifices will be re-instituted.
I actually do
not hold to this end time view-
But for now-
that system has been done away with [or put on hold- if that’s your view].
And the ‘new
works’ of religion- are charity and prayer and Mercy-
The same theme
we read in this letter to the Hebrews-
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he
saith , Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared
me: Hebrews 10:5
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is , the
fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15
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Note- Do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post
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