Hebrews is written to Jewish believers who are persecuted and tempted to ‘hide back in Judaism’. The author shows them that Jesus is the fulfillment of everything in Judaism; to deny Jesus is to lose everything.

The author of Hebrews is unknown. Many suggestions have been made as to who wrote it: Paul, Barnabas, Apollos, Priscilla etc. but it remains a mystery. Yet nobody who reads Hebrews can deny the authority, the understanding and the passion of the author.
Hebrews is written to Jewish believers who have already undergone persecution once (Heb 11:32) and are currently facing a very severe persecution again. This is most likely Nero’s persecution of the Roman Christians from 64 to 67 AD. Nero’s persecution targeted only Christians, so the Jewish believers are in tremendous temptation to hide themselves behind Judaism, to become ‘Jews only’ in order to escape the devastating persecution (Heb 12:4). The author admonishes and sorely warns the readers that to give up Jesus means to lose all, even Judaism.
In order to prove this point the author embarks on a ten chapter comparison between Jesus and many people, things or institutions that the Jews revered. Each time he proves Jesus to be far superior to the other person or thing in question.
Jesus is superior to the Jewish prophets: they spoke the word of God but Jesus as Son not only speaks the words of God but is himself the representative of the Father (Heb 1:1-4).
Jesus is superior to angels: Angels are obedient servants of God, but Jesus is made to sit at the right hand of God on high and is crowned with glory and honor (Heb 1:5-2:13), far beyond an angel’s position.
Jesus is superior to Moses, who was faithful in God’s house as a servant, but Jesus is faithful over God’s house as a son (Heb 3:1-6).
Jesus is superior to the promised land: Joshua gave people rest in the promised land, but a far superior and more lasting rest is promised and achieved through Jesus: salvation (Heb 4:1-11).
Jesus is superior to the High priest. The Aaronitic priesthood was sinful and mortal. The priest had to sacrifice continually in a hand-made sanctuary, sacrificing for himself and others, and was replaced by priests after him. In contrast to that Jesus is sinless and once and for all sacrificed the one sacrifice that ever took away sin and achieved forgiveness: he sacrificed himself on the cross. Jesus is not from the line of Aaron, but he is the priest according to the order of Melchisedek, which is the earlier and superior order than that of Aaron (Gen 14:17-21, Ps 110:5). Jesus is thus the mediator of the superior covenant.
The author therefore proves that Jesus is the fulfillment of everything in Judaism – and that to reject Jesus means to empty Judaisms of all its meaning. To lose Jesus means to lose Judaism as well, only empty shells remain.
The author passionately admonishes his readers to stand firm, to “hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23). He goes on to motivate them by showing them many people in the Old Testament who had faith, who held on to God’s promises in very difficult circumstances, who were faithful and by endurance inherited the promises.
He also challenges his readers to pay the price: to meet together with the Gentile believers (Heb 10:25), to visit those in prison, to remember those who are being tortured (Heb 13:3), to extend hospitality to strangers, probably especially thinking of fugitives (Heb 13:1). All these things would have put the readers further at risk, drawing the eyes of the hostile government on them. The author encourages them to remember the leaders who have died as martyrs before them and to imitate their faith (Heb 13:7).

The author of Hebrews

The author of the letter to the Hebrews doesn’t state his name nor give us a clue as to who he is. Also there is no clear witness from church history. Hebrews is therefore the only writing in the New Testament who’s author is truly unknown.
Yet nobody who reads Hebrews doubts this letter’s authority, its authenticity and its power. It is core-gospel, a powerful, concentrated piece of doctrine, unparalleled in the New Testament, other than maybe Romans.

By reading the text of Hebrews some things about the author’s identity can be gleaned:

• He is not an eyewitness to Jesus, but one who has heard directly from the original eyewitnesses (Heb 1:1).
• He knows Timothy and travels with him (Heb 13:23).
• He is a Jewish believer with a vast and deep knowledge of the Old Testament.
• He is male, for in Heb 11:32 the author used the male participle when saying “I”.
• He writes excellent, stylish Greek. Hebrews is the best Greek in all of the New Testament.

There are many suggestions as to who the author is: Barnabas, Paul, Apollos, Aquila and many more. Apollos is a good option. He is a Jewish believer from Alexandria, who is a highly skilled and passionate teacher. How Judaism is fulfilled in Jesus is one of his major topics (Acts 18:27-28).

The readers of Hebrews and their situation

The title ‘to the Hebrews’ now commonly used is our printed Bibles is not part of the oldest manuscripts, but was added later. Yet it is clear that the letter is addressed to a church of Jewish believers, for the letter is loaded with Old Testament quotes, with Jewish history and all the Jews hold dear.
The church is not exactly new: In Heb 5:12 the author rebukes them: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food.”
Where exactly is this Jewish believer church found? Definitely not in the Jewish regions of Judea, Galilee or Palestine for Heb 2:3 assumes that the readers are not eyewitnesses of Jesus. Also such highly polished, stylish Greek would be misplaced for a Jewish audience in Jewish lands.
The readers are clearly under great pressure and temptation to deny Jesus and to turn ‘Jewish only’ again. They are facing of a major persecution now.
Also the readers have undergone a persecution before and did well that time. The author describes this in Heb 10:32-34: “But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion for those who were in prison, and you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions.”
What church underwent two waves of persecution? One church we know of that matches this scenario is the church in Rome.
In 49 AD emperor Claudius makes an edict evicting all Jews from Rome and Italy because of rioting over a figure called ‘Chrestus’, likely local Jews threatening Christians. Due to Claudius’ edict Jews have to depart Italy, likely losing their possessions and livelihoods and being forced to migrate elsewhere. When Claudius dies in 54 AD, this edict is no longer enforced and Jews drift back to Italy and Rome. That is the earlier persecution the readers faced.
But when Nero makes the Christians into the scapegoat for his burning of the city of Rome in 64 AD, a major persecution breaks out, resulting in the death of Peter, Paul and another one thousand believers.
It is known from Romans chapter 16 that the church in Rome is spread out and many house churches exist. It seems that our readers are such a house church, one that happens to be entirely Jewish. Imagine the temptation for them to hide behind their Jewishness, flee back into Judaism, for in this persecution it is not Jews that are targeted but Christians.
Church history also gives evidence that this letter was written to Rome: For example the letter of Hebrews was first known in Rome and it was first quoted by a Roman church father (Clement of Rome 96 AD). The Roman church also knew Timothy.

Many passages in Hebrews take on a powerful meaning when seen in the context of a smaller Jewish church trying to hide away from the persecuted Gentile church: The author challenges the readers “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:25). This is far more than a command to go to church regularly, but a challenge not to withdraw oneself from the persecuted church in order to stay safe! The author further commands “Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured” (Heb 13:3). Again a call for identification and for brotherly love, even if it means exposing oneself in the service of those who suffer.
We know from history that during this persecution believers as a public spectacle were sewn into skins of wild beasts and ripped apart by dogs in the Circus Maximus. When the author lists the heroes of faith he gives this description: “they were stoned to death, they were sown in two, they were killed by the sword (Paul!), they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy” (Heb 11: 37-38). It seems that at the time of writing of Hebrews Peter and Paul had already been executed. Heb 13:7 says: “Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” This is a challenge to the readers to be willing to lose their lives for Jesus, just as the leaders have modeled before their eyes.
Some people object to the author’s sore admonition for the readers on the grounds that the author is not among them suffering this horrendous persecution and therefore has no right to ‘send the readers to their deaths’.
Heb 13:23 has the answer “Timothy… will be with me when I see you”. This means the author will shortly come to Rome, and Timothy also, to join this church in dire straits. Not really a great time for a visit!
But even if the author may not die, or may not die this time (most of the apostles and gospel workers died unnatural deaths), Jesus is still worth of the sacrifice, even though it might not be asked of all people, and not of all people at the same time.

Hebrews writing style: Syncrisis

The author proves to his readers that there can be no ‘going back to Judaism’. He will show that everything in the Jewish religion is a picture pointing towards Jesus and is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.
He states powerfully that if they deny Jesus and want to go back to Judaism, they end up with ’empty shells’ only: everything in Judaism points to Jesus and is fulfilled in him.
He embarks on a ten chapter long comparison between Jesus and many people, things or institutions that the Jews revered. Each time he proves Jesus to be far superior. This writing style is called syncrisis, see the illustration on the right.

Jesus is superior to the Jewish prophets: they spoke the word of God but Jesus as “Son” not only speaks the words of God but is the representative of the Father (Heb 1:1-4).
Jesus is superior to angels: they are obedient servants of God, but Jesus is made to sit at the right hand of God on high and is crowned with glory and honor (Heb 1:5-2:13), a position no angel can claim.
Jesus is superior to Moses, who was faithful in God’s house as a servant, but Jesus is faithful over God’s house as a son (Heb 3:1-6).
Jesus is superior to the promised land: Joshua gave people rest in the promised land, but a far superior and more lasting rest is promised and then achieved through Jesus: salvation (Heb 4:1-11).
The author goes on to declare Jesus as superior to the Aaronitic High priest. Jesus is the true high priest. A claim like this would draw an immediate objection from any Jew. Every Jew knows that only those of the family of Aaron of the tribe of Levi can ever become priests. Yet Jesus is of the line of David of the tribe of Judah (see Illustration on the right). How does the author explain this discrepancy?
He argues that there is another kind of priesthood in the Old Testament than Aaron’s, one older and superior, the priesthood of Melchizedek. He is a figure, popping up in Genesis in only four verses (Gen 14:17-20). Melchisedek is described as king, king of Salem who brings out bread and wine to Abraham. He is called a “priest of God Most High”, he blesses Abraham in the name of the Creator and Abraham responds by giving Melchisedek his tithe. In this way Abraham acknowledges Melchisedek as his spiritual leader.
The author of Hebrews interprets this in the following way (Heb 7:1-4): “His name Melchisedek means “king of righteousness”. He is also the king of Salem (the earlier name of Jerusalem), which means he is the “king of peace”. He is without father or mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he remains a priest forever”. He is recognized as superior to himself by Abraham, on whom all promises rest.
Then he quotes Psa 110:4 “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” and implies this to be fulfilled in Jesus. He shows that Melchisedek’s priesthood existed before Aaron’s priesthood ever did. Not only did it exist before, but it is the greater priesthood than that of Aaron, because Abraham (and with him Aaron) submitted to it and received its blessing. Jesus’ high priesthood is of this other, earlier and superior kind.
He shows that the Aaronitic priesthood is sinful, mortal and temporary. The priests have to sacrifice continually in a hand-made sanctuary, sacrificing first for themselves and then for others. Also the priests are mortal, and after their death they will be replaced by new priests.
In contrast to that Jesus is sinless – he doesn’t have to sacrifice for himself first. Jesus never dies, his priesthood is permanent. He once and for all sacrificed the one sacrifice that ever took away sin and achieved forgiveness: He sacrificed himself on the cross. Jesus is the high priest. Jesus is the sacrifice.
Jesus is the high priest who is merciful and has sympathy with the sinner (Heb 2:17); he truly represents the sinner, because he himself is tempted in every way, yet without sin (Heb 4:15). He had to learn obedience through suffering (Heb 2:10, 5:8), like the believers also do. He is also tested by suffering, therefore he can help the believers (Heb 2:18). He has gone before us.

What then does God want?
Throughout this long syncrisis theology argument, the author again and again calls the readers to not drift away from what they have heard (Heb 2:1), to not neglect this great salvation (Heb 2:3), to not turn away from the living God (Heb 3:12), to hold fast to our confession (Heb 4:14) and to be like a faithful field that produces a harvest (Heb 6:7). He compliments the readers on their past endurance (Heb 10:32-34) and on their work and service for the saints (Heb 6:9). He challenges them to become imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Heb 6:12).
The author for one long chapter (Heb 11) gives them many examples of people in the Old Testament who had faith, and who so inherited the promises, starting with Abraham and leading right through to the prophets. None of these people were perfect, but they held onto God and his promises. Some experienced great victories (the faith that conquers, Heb 11:33-35a), some experienced great suffering (the faith that remains faithful, Heb 11:35b-38). Both types of faith honor God.
He describes faith as “an assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). Faith is to believe that God exists and that he is good (Heb 11:6).
He summarizes his plea in Heb 10:22-23: “Let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith… Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.”
The author also gives several very sore warnings not to forsake God: “How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace?” (Heb 10:29). “See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven!… indeed our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:25-29).
He challenges them to accept God’s discipline as a son: “for the Lord disciplines whom he loves and chastises every child he accepts” (Heb 12:6) and “Endure trials for the sake of discipline, God is treating you as children… what child is there that is not disciplined?” (Heb 12:7).
He also draws a lot of practical points: the need for godly living, the need for showing love (Heb 13:1), the need to stay in fellowship with the persecuted believers (Heb 10:25), the need to remember those in prison and those who are being tortured (Heb 13:3), the need to extend hospitality at a time when many are fugitives (Heb 13:2).

He ends on a note of hope: Timothy has just been released (Heb 13:23). This probably wasn’t Rome, but yet still: the persecution will not endure forever.

Color coding suggestions

• Who … though only names, peoples, no pronouns … Jesus, angels
• When, Where
• Comparisons, Contrasts
• Quotations
• Interchange of teaching / addressing audience during the teaching part … praise / reminders / challenge / warning
• In these passages look for emotion, emphatic statements, warnings

Repeated Themes

• Power, authority, subjection, rule …
• Faith, unbelief, assurance, confidence, confirmation
• Promise
• Rest
• Sin, evil, rebellion, hard heart, judgment
• Repentance, forgiveness, restoration, salvation, purification, perfection
• Priest, high priest, Levitical priesthood, Levites
• tithes, gifts, sacrifices, offerings, sanctuary, tent
• Suffering, persecution, shame, struggle, loss of property…
• discipline

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Who wrote the letter of Hebrews?

• Heb 1:1       “It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him” … > no eyewitness of Jesus, but got it straight from an eyewitness (only book in NT besides Luke)
• Heb 13:23  “I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been set free; and if he comes in time, he will be with me when I see you” … > The author knows Timothy (many do), will visit readers soon
• Hebrews     deep knowledge of the readers and their history > knows Rome, knows the situation in Rome
• Hebrews     deep knowledge of Judaism and OT > Jewish background believer
• Hebrews     quotes Septuagint (Greek Translation of OT) > probably hellenistic Jewish believers
• frequent switch from “I” “me” to “we”, “us” > some think indicative of husband-wife
• Heb 11:32 … “I” > male participle used, suggesting a man
• description fits several people … suggested: Paul, Barnabas (encouragement), Apollos, Aquila, Priscilla (female authorship could be a reason for the absence of the author’s name, but counter point Heb 11:32)
• I think: Apollos, Alexandrinian Jewish believer, highly able and passionate teacher, majors on “Judaism fulfilled in Jesus” according to Acts 18:27-28
• Even though authorship has been debated all through the centuries, nobody who reads Hebrews doubts that it is authentic, it is “core-gospel”, it is authoritative, it is canon
• Hebrews is powerful, it’s the most concentrated piece of doctrine teaching in the NT, besides Romans, and it’s sound, solid, foundational gospel truth.

The Readers and their situation … what can we know?

• “Hebrews” as a word is not stated once in the text, also not in Heb 1:1 … the title is a later addition
• But no doubt > it is meant for Jewish believers … loaded with Jewish history, concepts, OT quotes, temple stuff … also the major admonition being not to go back to Judaism, a temptation Gentiles wouldn’t face
• Yet highly polished Greek (best Greek in the New Testament!) … > not Jews in Judea or Galilee, but Hellenistic Jews in some city in the Roman Empire.
• The church is not a young church: Heb 5:12 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food”
• Jews in Palestine? … unlikely, for such a polished Greek would be misplaced, also Heb 2:3 assumes that the readers are not eyewitnesses either, and in an older church (Heb 5:12) in Palestine many would have been eyewitnesses. Also: the writer talks about the tabernacle, not the temple (which preoccupied the minds of the Jews of Palestine).
• Another thing we know, is that they have gone though a time of persecution before, and did very well at that time … Heb 10:32-34 … “But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion for those who were in prison, and you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions”
• What persecution could this refer to? Which church we know of does this match? … > Rome.
• 49 AD … Claudius chasing away the Jews, them loosing property.
• 64 AD …Nero’s persecution, focusing not on Jews but on believers … > temptation for the Jewish believers to hide behind their Jewishness, flee back into Judaism, isn’t it the same after all? … not according to our writer
• Heb 13:24 “Those from Italy send you greetings” … those from Italy? why those especially? It seems there were some Italians around the author, sending special greetings to their Italian friends back home. Illustration: your cousin is in London, writing to you in Dhaka, saying “the Bengalis here send you greetings” > suggests Italy for the readers.
• From church history we have evidence, that the letter of Hebrews was most likely written to believers in the city of Rome. It was first known in Rome, the first quoting of Hebrews is by a Roman church father (Clement of Rome 96 AD). Also Rome was the last to eventually bow to the idea that Hebrews was written by Paul, probably because they had once had the positive knowledge, who had written it and so longest resisted the notion of Pauline authorship.
• The Roman church knew Timothy … Timothy had been there with Paul during at least some time during the light imprisonment 60-62 AD, being mentioned as co-author to three of the four prison epistles (Philippians, Colossians, Philemon).
• The Roman church had several house churches, see Romans 16 the greetings.
• The term used for “your leaders” in Heb 13:7, 13:17 and 13:24 is in Greek “hoi hegoumenoi” is used nowhere else in the New Testament, and was therefore probably a local term. The other person using this same term is Clement of Rome in his epistles, and other writers from Rome, indicating that this was a Roman local term.
• The reference to ceremonial foods in Heb 9:10 and Heb 13:9 would also fit the Roman context, as this issue is also addressed by Paul in Romans 14.
• The generosity of the readers mentioned in Heb 6:10 and Heb 10:32-34 is also attested by some early documents to the Roman church.

When was Hebrews written?

• Probably during Nero’s persecution 64-67 AD
• Possibly not at the very beginning, because Heb 13:7 seems to refer to already killed leaders (probably Paul, Peter)

Where is Hebrews written from?

• Unknown. Probably from outside of Italy (Heb 13:24).

Historical context: Nero’s persecution

• The growing church in Rome is increasingly disliked by the Roman Gentiles. The Christians were considered dangerous because they were
  • atheists (having no idols they worshiped and therefore provoking the gods’ anger)
  • cannibals, eating human flesh and drinking human blood (communion)
  • an immoral brotherhood (brotherly love)
  • that they burned Rome to fulfill their teaching about the impending doom of the world (Jesus’ 2nd coming)
• 64 AD the Emperor Nero, who was famous for his increasingly wild lifestyle and extravaganzas, secretly put his own capital city Rome on fire in order to gain space for more elaborate buildings, palaces and parks. The fire was started on the night of the 18th to the 19th July 64 AD and raged for 3 days, leaving tremendous destruction. When rumors rose, that Nero had started the fire, he chose a scapegoat to blame for the fire: the unpopular Christians.
• The Roman historian Tacitus, who hated the Christians wrote about that time: “Therefore, to scotch the rumor, Nero substituted as culprits, and punished with the utmost refinements of cruelty, a class of men, loathed for their vices, whom the crowd styled Christians. … First of all, those who confessed were arrested; then, on their information, a huge multitude was convicted, not so much on the ground of laying the fire as for hatred of the human race. Their execution was made a matter of sport; some were sewn up in skins of wild beasts and savaged to death by dogs … others were fastened to crosses as living torches, to serve as lights when daylight failed. Nero made his gardens available for the show and held games in the Circus … Hence, although the victims were criminals deserving the severest punishment, pity began to be felt for them because is seemed that they were being sacrificed to gratify one man’s lust for cruelty rather than for the public well”
• Can you fathom the temptation for the Jewish believers to hide back into “Judaism”, just be a normal Jew for a while, maybe I can stick to my Jewish home group for now, maybe right now to attend church with Gentile believers is unwise, actually all associating is unwise, especially those who are already in prison?
• Listen to Heb 10:25 … “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” … Pastors always quote this Scriptures to tell people to come to church regularly … fair enough, but the real meaning of this Scripture is much, much heavier … do not withdraw from those persecuted!
• Listen to Heb 13:3 … “Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured”
• And to Christian who are sewn into skins of wild beasts and ripped apart by dogs in the Circus Maximus as a public spectacle … listen! Heb 11: 37-38 the heroes of faith “they were stoned to death, they were sown in two, they were killed by the sword (Paul!), they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy”
• It seems at the time of writing of “Hebrews” that Peter and Paul were already executed and dead: Heb 13:7 … “Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith”… be willing to loose your life Jesus, just as those who have gone before have done.
• Another question: How can the author, who is not with the Romans, who is not under this persecution, tell people to loose their lives, while he sits somewhere in safety? … Heb 13:23 “he will be with me when I see you”
• Well, he’ll come to Rome shortly, not only him, Timothy also, to encourage this church in dire straits … But even if the author might not die, or might not die this time (most of the apostles and gospel workers died unnatural deaths), Jesus is still worth the sacrifice, even though it might not be asked of all people, and not of all people at the same time.

History of the church of Rome

• 30 AD          Jews from Rome hear the gospel at Pentecost (Acts 2:10)
• 30-49 AD   Church established, not known by whom. The Church has Jewish believers as well as Gentile believers
• 49 AD         Roman historian Suetonius records Jewish riots in Rome over a person called “Chrestos”. This most likely are Jews rioting against believers (Jewish & Gentile), as elsewhere in Acts.
• Emperor Claudius (not really understanding the conflict) expels all Jews from Rome and Italy. Jews as well as Jewish believers have to leave (like Priscilla and Aquila, Acts 18:2). This is the earlier persecution mentioned in Heb 10:32-34.
• 49-54 AD   What remains in Rome is an entirely Gentile church.
• 54 AD         Emperor Claudius dies. Slowly Jews start moving back to Italy and Rome. The church in Rome becomes Jew and Gentile again. Tensions between the two groups appear.
• 55 AD         Paul writes the “letter to the Romans”, addressing this Jew Gentile tension. Even though Paul hasn’t been to Rome, he knows and has co-worked with many Roman believers (Rom 16). The Roman church is large, spread out and has several home churches.
• 64 AD        Nero’s persecution in Rome. This time it is confessing Christians that are killed, Jew or Gentile. An entirely Jewish believers’ home church would not attract persecution, if they presented themselves as ‘normal Jews’.
• 65-67 AD  The “letter to the Hebrews” seems to be written to just such a Jewish house church, tempted to disassociate itself from the church and hide in Judaism to escape persecution.

Strengths of the Roman church

• Heb 3:1              believers, holy partners in a heavenly calling
• Heb 6:9-10       love, work, serving the saints, give reason for confidence
• Heb 10:32-35  compassion, joyfully accepted persecution, knowledge, confidence
• and everything Jesus is, is their strength

Weaknesses of the Roman church

• Heb 2:1          In danger of drifting away
• Heb 3:8         today, do not harden your heart
• Heb 5:12       by this time should be teachers, but you need someone to teach you again, you need milk, not solid food
• Heb 5:13       still infant, unskilled in word of righteousness, not mature (faculties trained to distinguish good and evil)
• Heb 6:7-8     not fruitful
• Heb 10:25    do not neglect meeting together
• Heb 12:7       endure trials
• Heb 12:12    drooping hands, weak knees, lame
• Heb 12:14    pursue peace
• Heb 13:1      neglecting hospitality to strangers
• Heb 13:2       remember those in prison / tortured
• Heb 13:3-4  sexual immorality?
• Heb 13:5      love of money

Literary style

• Literary style mostly prose > literal interpretation
• some poetry (mostly Old Testament quotes) > figurative interpretation

Structure

• It’s a letter, but not Greek style, though greetings at the end
• Hebrews is written in absolutely polished, elegant Greek … some say the best or among the best Greek ever written (including Homer’s Odyssee / Illias / Aristotle / Plato / Greek theater / poetry …)
• The best Greek in the New Testament … educated Paul’s Greek is not this refined
• > Hellenistic Jewish believer author, accommodating Hellenistic Jewish believer readership.

Composition

• Theology > Application
• Problem > Solution
• Interchange: teaching <=> warning, encouragement
• Syncrisis = comparing object with others and proving its superiority > spiral up
  many quotes from the Septuagint (Greek Translation of the Old Testament), loosely quoted

Main Ideas or topics

• Jesus =God =superior to all that is crucial in Jewish faith (prophets, angels, Moses, promised land, Levites, High priest
• Jesus is the true and ultimate fulfillment of all OT concepts / pictures / types / promises
• if you deny Jesus, you have nothing left, not even Judaism
• Encouragement and challenge to stand firm, to hold fast the confession of Jesus, to accept God’s discipline, to relate to other Christians, to lead holy lives

Main Reasons or goals

• To encourage and challenge the readers to not deny Christ, to not hide Judaism, not to disassociate from other Christians in order to escape Nero’s persecution … to continue in faith
• To give them confidence that Jesus is indeed all Judaism ever meant, he is God, he is supreme and he is worthy of our lives and death
• To challenge them to live godly lives at this difficult time, associating with believes, visiting those in prison, willing to suffer, moral, wholehearted, no bitterness

SYNCRISIS: PROVING JESUS’ SUPREMACY

• What are the main themes of Hebrews? … make a list.
• In another sense we can say that Hebrews has exactly one topic, and that is JESUS, the fulfillment and core of everything there ever was and ever will be.
• If you are ever struggling in a situation,  go through Hebrews verse for verse and write out a list. “Jesus is …”
• Heb 1:1-3 … Jesus is God’s word … Jesus is God’s final word … Jesus is appointed heir of all things … though Jesus the worlds were created … Jesus is the reflection of God’s glory … Jesus is the exact imprint of God’s very being … Jesus sustains all things by his powerful word … Jesus made purification for all sins … Jesus sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high …

Comparison of Jesus with prophets                   chapter 1 & 2

• Heb 1:1-2 “long ago … in various ways through prophets … but in these last days … by a son”
• Remember Jesus’ parable of the vineyard and the like? First God sends prophets, finally his son

Comparison of Jesus with Angels                       chapter 1 & 2

• Heb 1:5-14        comparison of Jesus and angels
• Heb 2:5-9, 16   comparison of humans and angels, and showing Jesus’ becoming a human

Jesus                                                           Angels
Heb 1:5 Son of God                                  Heb 1:7 servants of God, servants of humans
Heb 1:5 Begotten of God
Heb 1:6 Firstborn
Heb 1:6 Receives the angels worship  Heb 1:6 commanded to worship Jesus
                                                                    Heb 1:7 wind, flames of fire
Heb 1:8 enthroned forever                    Heb 1:14 servants to the ruler
Heb 1:9 righteousness                            Heb 1:5 not commanded to rule
Heb 1:10-12 Co-creator
Heb 1:5 years will never end, eternal  Heb 1:14 serving believers
                                                                    Heb 2:5 coming world not subject to them
                                                                                   Messengers

Comparison angels and humans / Jesus’ identification with humans chapter 2:5-9, 16
Heb 2:6 humans don’t deserve the mindfulness they get from God, not worthy in themselves, but God set his love on them
Heb 2:7 For a little while humans are made lower than angels, but this is temporal
Heb 2:7 even so you have crowned humans with glory and honor
Heb 2:8 you are subjecting all things to their feet … a creation echo Gen 1:28, but more so a future restoration Rom 8:18-25, 1 Cor 6:3 as it says in Heb 2:8, we don’t see it yet.
Heb 2:9 Jesus – as human – is made (for a while) lower than the angels, now crowned with glory & honor … he before us!

• Why does he go into this long comparison with angels? It seems, people at that time were fascinated with angels, or supernatural appearances, or spirits or whatever. This probably particularly true of those of animist / idolatrous backgrounds, but also the Jews had a long angel tradition, further nurtured by writings like Daniel … also still today, popular miracles. If one can show a miracle, he must be right, right? … this is actually ‘Christian’ existentialism
• Remember in Gal 1:8 where Paul says: even if an angel from heaven would preach to you a different gospel, do not believe it.
• What does the Bible teach about angels? Michael (Daniel) as warrior, Gabriel (gospels) as messenger, Jesus refers to the angels of children having direct access to the Father, Colossians warns against worship of angels Col 2:18, … and Hebrews 1-2, seemingly more than all other Scriptures put together. Quotes, though
• Clearly the Bible is not majoring on explaining angels to us, and also Hebrews, though being the most comprehensive text about angels, clearly intends not to focus our eyes on angels, but on Jesus.
• How does the author address this fascination? By Bible basics, solid facts or biblical worldview:
• Jesus is Creator, Angels are simply creatures, like us humans, though spirit only. They did not exist before creation.
• Angels are “more powerful” in the sense that their bodies can do things humans can’t. Also that is temporal, and will change once Jesus comes back … possibly was different also before the fall.
• Angels are like humans as they also have the choice of obeying God or disobeying God … > demons. No option of repentance for fallen angels, though, as far as written.
• While Jesus is in human form, Jesus accepts these limitations of a human body, but that is not who he is and not who he will be in all eternity, and us neither
• Angels are servants of God, messengers of God, executing God’s will, helping humans at God’s commands.
• Jesus is of a completely different nature, himself God, himself almighty, himself choosing to become man.
• So: angels are fine (the ones obedient to God), but they are simply co-creatures, and not what we should focus on …
• Giving out-of-proportion value to something invites trouble, even though the thing itself might be fine. True generally.
• Example: Getting Satan / angel / hell questions … total over-focus … God doesn’t focus that way
• Bible study: Satan mentioned in 18-55 Old Testament verses in 48 New Testament verses … Evil spirits in 29 Old Testament verses and 135 New Testament verses
• Satan mentioned in max. 103 verses, which is 3 ½ pages (if leaving away King of Tyre and Babylon less than 2 pages)
• Evil spirits are mentioned in 164 verses, which is 5 ½ pages …
• So all included and counted less than 9 pages in the entire Bible! … what on earth is in the remaining 1000 pages about??? … I suggest we start finding out. I suggest: human choice.
• Application: Angel appearance yesterday night in this class room … the typical pathway: faith > importance on side issues > superstition > deception … though things themselves might be legitimate, true and harmless, if they take a place of too great prominence, they are dangerous
• Application: how do I battle if there is an out of balance focus on something? If something gets and over focus?
• Do not deny this issue’s relevance or relative importance … to  forbid something or to deny the importance of this issue is contra-productive, the others will conclude that you are not an initiate, and for initiate knowledge, they need to go elsewhere. Also it is simply not true: this issue may well be of God, and truly does have its proper place and use.
• Do not swing into the other extreme, denying its importance and legitimacy. To go for the completely opposite is an equally unbalanced view … also you do loose truth, which will create a lack, a tilted-ness, which will eventually produce another swing in the opposite direction if the thing is rightfully recovered.
• Do teach accurately, properly, balanced-ly, informed-ly … give each thing its proper value, respect, legitimacy, use, place … but do not let it eat up all other things … balance it out by upholding the importance of other things.

Jesus’ identification with humans chapter 2:12-15

• Heb 2:10 Jesus, though Maker of all things, Pioneer of our salvation was made perfect through suffering … like humans he suffered … some things are only attainable through suffering, even for Jesus, or for us … the most valuable things … a depth, an endurance, a wisdom, an ability to identify, ability to comfort,
• Heb 2:11 Jesus sanctifies us. He and we who are sanctified have one Father … not ashamed to call us brothers
• Heb 2:13 here I am and the children God has given me
• Heb 2:14 Jesus shared flesh& blood with us humans … so destroyed death and Satan, who held us in fear of death
  life is sacred … so we must love life, defend life always … but: death is not the final reality … comfort by knowing the greater reality of heaven / resurrection … resurrection is the defeat of death
• Heb 2:17 Jesus has become like us in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest … to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people
• Heb 2:18 He was tested like us by what he suffered, he is able to help us who suffer
• 1 Cor 10:13 no temptation beyond our strength
• Heb 4:15 Jesus was tempted, tested in every respect as we are … also sexually, homo-sexually, violence …
  So temptation is not sin … temptation is common to us all … this should teach me honesty and humility … but do not give in, this is possible … do take help by sharing, by asking for prayer … suffering something gives me the ability and authority to help others

2.2 Comparison with Moses chapter 3:1-6

• Why the comparison with Moses?
• Moses is one of the greatest “Jewish Heroes”, their greatest historical figure, the only ones coming close are Abraham, David, or Elijah.
• He is the deliverer from slavery in Egypt, he is the founder of the nation, he is the Writer of the Constitution, a first Prime minister … stands before God … is a leader spiritually & politically … Writer of history … Conqueror of part of the promised land.
• He sort-of is what Bangabandhu is to Bangladesh, or more accurately: what Gandhi is to India … a spiritual and political figure of immense importance and appeal
• Moses is the leading figures in a Jewish mind.

Moses
Heb 3:2 faithful in all God’s house
Heb 3:3 Moses compared to the house > one glory / honor
Heb 3:5 Moses faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things spoken later

Jesus
Heb 3:1 Jesus, apostle and high priest of our confession
Heb 3:2 faithful to the one who appointed him
Heb 3:3 Jesus compared to builder of the house > more glory / honor
Heb 3:4 God (also Jesus) = builder of the house (3:6 church = house)
Heb 3:6 Jesus faithful over God’s house as a son

• so: Moses is fine, he was exactly what God wanted him to be, but Jesus position is entirely different …
• just as the angels were fine, they are exactly what God wanted them to be
• Again: valuing, understanding, respecting, taking the good … but not deifying, we have a tendency to do this in Asia

2.3 Comparison with Joshua’s Rest chapter 3:16-19, 4:1-11
Promised Land History

• Another big thing is Jewish minds was the Promised Land.
• First promised to Abraham (and his descendants), though Abraham only sojourns in it, as does his son Isaac, as does his son Jacob … then they more to Egypt (Joseph’s story)
• Roughly 400 years later Israel has grown into a numerous people, still in an increasingly hostile Egypt, the last 80 years seriously enslaved.
• Under Moses the Israelites leave Egypt and move north to conquer the promised land, but they were afraid after the spies’ report and because of their unbelief had to wander in the desert for 40 years.
• The next generation of Israelites then conquered the land under Joshua around 1405 BC.
• So they get their promised land, though they do not conquer as much as is promised.
• They go through 400 years of judges, then about 400 years of kings, but to the degree they become disobedient to God, they loose chunk after chunk to the surrounding nations.
• The kingdom falls apart into North and South (Israel and Juda), and eventually Israel is conquered by Assyria, and finally Judah is conquered by Babylon and exiled.
• After 70 years a handful of Jews return under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah, and rebuild the temple and the city wall, but they never again become an independent kingdom like before.
• The name of the foreign power changes, from Babylon to Medo-Persia to Greece to Rome, but always they are dependent … till Jesus time … in a sense the Jews never felt, that the exile had really ended.

Interpretation

• God promised the people of Israel to enter into his rest.
• Heb 3:17 … they fail to enter the physical land because of unbelief first
• Eventually they conquer the land
• They enter this “rest” physically, at least for a time, but something is missing, God would not have spoken of another day, if all had been accomplished (Heb 4:8) … Israel’s history: continued disobedience, idolatry … eventually loosing the land
• God (through David) speaks of “another rest”, which God will give in Heb 4:9
• This “other rest” cannot refer to the physical Promised land, it refers to taking care of the basic problem: the evil human heart. This is the confusion of the Jews in the New Testament: the Messiah coming to take care of the deeper problem: The problem is not the Romans or the circumstances, but my heart.
• The rest in Jesus (Heb 4:10-11): forgiveness of sins, complete access to the father, adoption as sons, being seated in heavenly places (Eph 1:3-4).

2.4 Comparison with the High Priest chapter 5:1-10

Levitical High priest (first part)
Heb 5:1       chosen from among mortals, put in charge by them
Heb 5:1       offers sacrifices on behalf of people he represents
Heb 5:2      able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward for himself is subject to weakness
Heb 5:3      must offer sacrifices for own sin, and for sins of people
Heb 5:4      honor, must be called by God like Aaron

Jesus
Heb 5:5     Jesus was appointed by God, did not glorify himself
Heb 5:6     you are a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek
Heb 5:7     Jesus praying in Gethsemane … was heard because of his reverent submission
Heb 5:8     learned obedience (if he, so do we!) through suffering, though God’s son
Heb 5:9     perfected > source of eternal salvation for all who obey
Heb 5:10  designated high priest after the order of Melchizedek

Certainty of God’s promise                                                                       chapter 6:13-20
Heb 6:13-14  God’s promise of blessing and multiplication to Abraham
Heb 6:13        God swearing by himself
Heb 6:15        Abraham by patient endurance obtains the promises … we also get them this way!
Heb 6:16-18  God swears by himself (there is no one higher), by his word and his oath (by two unchangeable things) > surety that God will not prove false … promises of God or words of God, not own projections
Heb 6:18        so we are strongly encouraged to seize the hope
Heb 6:19        this hope = sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, anchored in the Holy of holies, where Jesus has
entered, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchisedek

2.5 Jesus, High Priest according to the Order of Melchisedek    chapter 7

• The author has claimed that Jesus is the true High priest. In a Jewish mind one question would arise if something like this is claimed, which would make them doubt everything and that is the following:
• God chose and called Aaron, of the tribe of Levi, brother of Moses to be the High priest.
• All following High priests were direct descendants of Aaron, son of son of son. Nobody could ever become High priest unless he was a direct descendant of Aaron.
• The problem with declaring Jesus the High priest is, that Jesus is not a descendant of Aaron, he is not even of the same tribe (Levi), he is of the tribe of Judah.
• How then can God break his own law and make somebody not from Aaron a High priest? That’s the question the author is addressing.
• He argues that there is another kind of High priesthood in the OT, one other than Aaron, the obvious one.
• He shows that this other high priesthood, was not only existing, but existing before Aaron’s high priesthood. Not only before, but it is the greater High priesthood that that of Aaron. And he shows that Jesus’ High priesthood is of that other, earlier, superior kind.
• Now who is this mysterious earlier priest? > Melchizedek
• Gen 14:17-20 describes Melchizedek as a king, king of Salem, who brings out bread and wine. He is a priest of God Most High, blesses Abraham in the name of the Creator. Abraham gives him tithe.
• Heb 7:1-4     Melchisedek = King of righteousness. King of Salem = king of peace. Salem will later be called Jerusalem. He is without father or mother, eternal, a priest forever like son of God. He is recognized as superior by Abraham, to whom all promises belong. The author quotes Psa 110:5 … what was David thinking when he wrote this??
• Melchisedek’s Priesthood is superior to Levitical Priesthood, it is older and Abraham (an in him Levi) submits to it, gives tithes, receives blessings

2.6 Comparisons of the Covenants                                                      chapter 7-10

Interpreting the syncrisis passages

• Jesus is the promise of Abraham. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. Jesus is the tabernacle. Jesus is the High priest. Jesus is the one and only sacrifice that ever took away sin.
• The writer shows
  • that Jesus is superior to all things in Judaism
  • that Jesus is the fulfillment of all things, pictures, object lessons, rituals and types in the Old Testament
  • that going back to Judaism (throwing away Jesus) is impossible, there is nothing left, it’s just an empty shell. Illustration: a bride-to-be favoring the photo of her husband to be over him when he arrives
  • that they cannot play games with confessing Jesus … they cannot just assume that we’ll reconvert once the pressure is over
  • that they need to confess, need to persevere, need to relate to the other Christians, even if this means death
  • Heb 8:13 “What is obsolete and growing old will soon disappear / pass away” … fulfilled in 70 AD with the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem, the ending of the sacrifice, the rendering ‘jobless’ of the priests, the heart taken out.
  • > Zionism is not really an option
  • > Religions claiming later fulfillment are not really an option: according to Hebrews, what is left to do after Jesus is done?

3 FAITH – THE ONE THING GOD WANTS                                                    chapter 11

God requires faith
Heb 11:6     “without faith it is impossible to please God.”
Heb 11:2     “by faith our ancestors received approval.”

• Faith is what pleases God. Faith is one of the chief things we wants. Faith and humility.

What faith is not

• The heroes of faith are very human humans … some of them we are happy to see as heroes alright, but some of them, if you read their stories, you would be surprised they figure here as heroes of faith.
• Abraham used Hagar hoping to get a child, denied being married to Sarah, …
• Sarah laughed at the promise of a son, and then denied having laughed.
• Jacob cheated his way into the birthright and the blessing, and then got cheated himself. Fought with God.
• Jephtah sacrificed his own daughter after a rash oath …
• Samson ruined his calling on the sweet love of a pretty prostitute …
• So clearly this is not a list of the “perfect”, not a list of the “above doubts”, not a list of the “never sinned” … it’s the list of the people who somehow managed to hold on anyway … comfort and hope for the struggling Hebrews! … comfort and hope for us!

What is faith then?

• Heb 11:1    “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” … holding on to them
• Faith is being convinced of an invisible reality
• Faith is not closing your eyes to reality, it is seeing another reality as well, seeing an invisible reality, knowing the reality of this other unseen world.
• Faith is to order my life, to make my decisions according to God, who is invisible, but real
• Faith is to be selfless, though selfishness seems to be more effective
• Faith is to forgo privileges, to give up rights, to not be lead by ‘good life’, to not be guided by money …
• And others will call us stupid for it … and so it will seem for a time
• Faith is being reasonably convinced … faith is to put 2 and 2 together.
• The unbelief of Israel in the wilderness was precisely because they refused to put 2 and 2 together …
• They eat manna every morning, but God can’t provide … they are walking in the shade of a supernatural cloud but they doubt God’s existence … they see the cloud hover on Mount Sinai but they conclude Moses is gone and a bull god has brought them out of Egypt …
• At any moment you can see your life either with eyes of faith or eyes of unbelief
• Unbelief says: Egypt was better after all. God led us into the wilderness to kill us. Who knows about this Moses?
• Faith says: “The God has proven himself powerful in Egypt. He has done everything he said. Everyday we have eaten, he will give us the promised land.”
• Unbelief says: “my life didn’t turn out like I wanted it to, I made sacrifices, trusted God, but it’s still not working out … I was a fool, others are having big jobs now, everybody is established by now, I’ve been cheated, I’ve been disappointed, nothing is working out for me …”
• Faith says: “God has been with me every step of the way. However alone I felt, he has comforted me. However difficult the situation has become, I have come through. I may not have a big degree or much behind my name, but God has invested in me, in my character. God has given me a voice, God has given me the trust of people.
• Heb 6:12     imitators of those who by faith and patience inherit the promises … faith needs patience, patience needs faith … holding on, trusting, not letting go
• Heb 11:6     without faith it is impossible to please God … God requires, wants, desires and is pleased with faith
• Heb 11:6     without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him … only limited requirements: believe in God’s existence and goodness.
• Faith is not “trying hard to create a feeling of confidence in your heart” …
• You don’t need to feel any faith at all, actually, as long as you act on his word, act in faith, you behave / decide / order your life according to God … “as if God existed” … “as if he did what he said”.
• Faith is “agreeing with God as to what is real … what is good and bad … what is desirable and undesirable”.
• Heb 11:13   all these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance saw and greeted them …
• Heb 11:14   considered themselves strangers, “not arrived” ones, still looking / searching / moving ones
• Heb 11:16   eyes on a different, heavenly country, another reality … God is not ashamed to be called their God.

Two Lists – two aspects of faith

• Heb 11:33-35a    heroes who get what they want, do what is needed
• Heb 11:35b           heroes who get tortured, killed, beaten, destitute, persecuted … who don’t get what they want, who can’t do what is needed … they are both God’s heroes.
• Heb 11:38            “of whom the world was not worthy”, though God is worthy of them. Remember Heb 11:16? “God is not ashamed to be called their God”
• Heb 11:39            “all of them did not receive the ultimate promise” – to see God’s salvation – “so that they would not, apart from us be made perfect”. This is God’s greater plan, the greater dimension we could not have foreseen. Faith is an appropriate response to this God!.
• There are people who conquer by faith … and there are people who are tortured by faith
• There are people who achieve their goals by faith … there are people who die by faith
• There is faith that moves mountains. But more often: faith that refuses to budge, claws into the ground and a refusal to give up on a God who seems to play cruel jokes.
• There is the faith that wants, envisions, believes in and brings about change … there is the faith that accepts circumstances, that takes what is given, that calls good what God has chosen, …
• There is the faith that expresses itself by wanting change. And there is faith that expresses itself by acceptance of what is.
• Example: a person diagnosed with cancer. The difficulty is to know what God has spoken, what to do, stand in faith for a healing? or prepare well for death?
• Faith is to trust God’s word, whether it’s a promise of healing, or whether it’s an acceptance of a death
• Faith is to trust God’s word, to trust that he means well, to trust that he knows better than me
• Faith is accepting what God gives as good. “you have chosen well for me!”, “you are good!”, “you do suffice”

4 Suffering – Repeated theme all throughout Hebrews

• Heb 2:9     “Jesus … now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death” … > glory
• Heb 2:10   “It was fitting that God should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings” > perfection
• Heb 2:17    Jesus suffering to be human > able to be a merciful, faithful high priest > identification, help, salvation
• Heb 2:18    “he himself was tested by what he suffered” > “able to help those who are being tested” > identification, helping others
• Heb 5:8     “although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered” … > learning obedience
• Heb 6:12    “that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit promises” > patience inherits the promises
• Heb 6:15   “Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise” > patient endurance obtains promises
• Heb 11:26 “Moses considered abuse suffered for Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt” “fleeting pleasures of sin” > of more value than temporary stuff
• Heb 11:37-38 “of whom the world was not worthy” > exceeding witness honoring God
• Heb 12:7    “endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline?” > sign of son-ship, needed for maturity
• The author shows a completely different view of suffering … suffering is not tough luck, it’s not what happens when God falls of the throne, it is not a punishment, it is not an arbitrary, senseless, useless evil
• Suffering is having vital functions, it achieves things nothing else can achieve, it has sense, it accomplishes vital tasks, it gains something most valuable and precious which is not to be bought.
• Suffering is not the enemy. It is not a tool in the enemy’s hands. Even if he tries to use it, it is deeply contra productive. Suffering can become most precious, if embraced as of God.
• Suffering is not something I have to create,  wish, bring on myself, but if God allows or brings it, I need to see it with God’s eyes.

5 Encouragement and Confidence – Challenge and Warning

• Heb 2:1-4 “Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the message declared through angels was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was at declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, 4 while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”
• Metaphor of “drifting away”? drifting means, slowly, un-noticedly, not through conscious effort, but still warning means to raise awareness, wake up call, explain danger, show consequences, motivate to come back.
• Heb 3:12-19  “Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said, today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.16 Now who where they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was is not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? 17 But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? 19 So we wee that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”
• What is this stress on “today”? … “today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts …”
• Often we dwell in the past: I wish that never happened. I wish I had never done this … There is no point in being remorseful, for the past cannot be changed.
• C.S. Lewis: the past is past. The future is determined by m choice now. So now choose well!
• Or even if it was positive: I wish it still was like back then … if it’s not anymore, wishful thinking doesn’t help the now
• Or we dwell on the future, often fearfully, anxiously, maybe expectantly … but the future is not here now.
• God tells us to live in the today. To live in the now. Today hear his voice. Now as he prompts you respond / confess / ask forgiveness / let go / give thanks …
• God is in the now. Now is the time to respond. Now is the time to decide differently. Now is the time to rejoice. Now is the time to let go. Now is the time to step up.
• Don’t be lost in past remorse, don’t be lost in future daydreams or worries … be faithful now. Be thankful now. Obey now.
• J.R.R. Tolkien, Gandalf’s advice to Theoden: “To cast aside regret and fear. To do the deed at hand.”
• Heb 4:12-13  “Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions fo the heart. 13 And before him no creatures is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render and account.”
• Heb 4:14-16  “Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are , yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
• What a picture of God is behind these verses? Jesus, who became one of us, who was tempted in every way, who knows every human weakness and challenge, he knows how hard it is
• Therefore: approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that you may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need … Do go! Do ask! Do cry out at the time of need!
• Heb 5:11-14   “About this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become dull in understanding. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; 13 for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.”
• The more you respond to God, the more obedient you are, the sharper your understanding of good and evil, of what is helpful and not helpful will become.
• Already now you may sometimes hear your own friends say things and be confused about things that to you are very clear … this is not a reason for pride, but for thankfulness. And:
• The more obedient I am, the sharper I will see, and the more embarrassing it becomes … Illustration: brighter light
• Jesus says in Jn 8:31-32 … If you are truly my disciples, you will know the truth … truth is increasingly revealed to the disciple, to the obedient … theoretical knowledge is not enough (and will be confused) … it’s to the willing heart that truth comes. Which is also why it does not depend on your brain whether you learn much or not, it depends on your attitude. That’s why uneducated people can have wisdom that stuns the smart.
• Heb 6:1-8 … “Therefore let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God, 2 instruction about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And we will do this, if God permits. 4 For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, since on their won they are crucifying again the Son of God and are holding him up to contempt. 7 Ground that drinks up the rain falling on it repeatedly, and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and on the verge of being cursed, its end is to be burned over.”
• Ground must be fruitful … seed must yield plants and harvest … God demands growth … growth is a sign of health … unless you become giving and multiplying, you are not healthy

Sore challenge to not fall away

• This passage is the fear-base of the back-slidden … it is a stern warning, indeed. Do not play around with whether or not to obey, with thoughts of rejoining later when it’s more convenient … do not count on a death-bed conversion.
• But the message is not: You can’t return! The message is: don’t leave! God is very gracious to any willing heart. But do not play cold games with your heart!
• Heb 6:9-12 … “Even though we speak in this way, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust, he will not overlook your work, and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, 12 so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
• Affirmation, praise for past obedience, the heart of the author. Be diligent! Fully realize! Hold on to hope! Though faith and patience inherit the promises!
• Heb 10:19 … “Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from and evil consicence and out bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 14 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
• Looking to Jesus, seeing who he is and his love … “let us” … The motivation for holding on is Jesus.
• Approach! Hold fast! Love one another … mutual support is especially needed in times of crisis
• By whose power? “for he who has promised is faithful”
• Heb 10:26-31  “For if we willfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who have violated the law of Moses dies without mercy “on the testimony of two of three witnesses.” 29 How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the one who said “vengeance is mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
• Another sore warning. It seems (similar to Galatians) that the Roman Jewish believers did not see their hiding in Judaism as a full denial of Jesus … the writer tells them in no unclear terms that it is.
• Heb 10:38-39    “My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back. 39 But we are not among those who shrink back, and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.”
• Heb 12:18-25     “You have not come…”
• Heb 12:25-29    “See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, “yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” 27 This phrase, “yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken – that is, created things – so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God and acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29 for indeed our God is a consuming fire.”
• Illustration: Truth isa road with fences both sides … Bible contains serious warnings to the light-hearted / no-so-aware (Hebrews) … but also gracious inclusive words (Ephesians / Colossians) for the fearful.
• My observation: more people are on the ‘forever unsure’ side … but there may well also be a need for a fence on the other side.

6 Application: Therefore …

• Heb 12:1-3    Jesus’ supremacy > imitate your God
• Heb 12:1-3    Jesus’ example, that should inspire us to do likewise
• “Cloud of witnesses” … if referring to believers: ones that have gone before, have run their race, have done well > encouragement to persevere like them. If referring to unbelievers: ones that are watching our lives, for which our testimony makes all the difference
• Heb 12:1     realistic picture of how a life on earth is: requiring perseverance and patience, sin ever entangles and is never far away
• Heb 12:2-3   Two commands: Look to Jesus! Consider Jesus! … it’s by realizing who he is and what he did for me, that I start valuing the valuable, that my life starts aligning as it should
• Heb 12:2      Jesus, who for the joy that was set before him, despised the shame, endured the cross …
• What is this joy set before him? Going back to the Father? being exalted? … he could have never left that.
• Rather: “the joy set before him” is what the cross would accomplish: make salvation for mankind, restore us back to relationship with God, getting you back …
• In other words: You are “the joy set before him”, for which he despised the shame and endured the cross
• Now knowing how much he loved you and what a stunning example he lived for us in life and death, imitate him, run with perseverance like him, knowing the eternal glory this will accomplish

Heb 12:4-11 Accept God’s discipline as a son

• Heb 12:4     “you have not yet resisted sin to the point of shedding your blood”
• Heb 12:5      “do not regard lightly the discipline of God”
• Heb 12:6     “for the Lord disciplines whom he loves and chastises every child he accepts”
• Heb 12:7-10 “endure trials for the sake of discipline, God is treating you as children … what child is there that is not disciplined?”
• No teaching about family primarily, but still an important principle: Parents must discipline children.
• To not discipline means to not value,  to give the child up,  to ‘leave it alone’, to abandon it to itself.
• To not discipline means to rather give in and have a bit of peace than considering the effect on the child / the future of the child … Do not ‘for peace sake’ just put up with everything a child does and wants … always covering. First of all there will be less peace in total if you do that.
• Do not abandon important long-term goals for current relief. It is much easier to pick up something yourself than to teach a child to do it, but in the long run, what is your result?
• Long-term importance versus Short-term comfort … this is actually a recurring theme, we will find it again shortly
• Parents should discipline, and they try their best, often fail, but that’s okay … and we need to respect them for that
• God’s discipline is much more specific, just, needed, efficient, … God is not an irritated parent, he is justice & mercy
• But justice and mercy disciplines. Can we learn to see this positively?
• To be ‘left alone’, to be ‘left to myself’, to remain where I am, no change, only ‘more of the same’ is not a grace, it’s fearful and hopeless
• Love wants the improvement, the growth, the perfection of the object of love … how can I leave it in sin and destructive behavior?
• God is love, he is committed to love you, to improve you, to make you grow, to develop you, to make you more holy … you wanted a loving God? you have one! fiercely, passionately, relentlessly
• Let us learn to see correction, conscience as a grace … if nothing pulls me the right direction, how great is that?
• Let us learn to be thankful for people who love us enough to correct us, to speak into our lives, to help us change
• Heb 12:11    “Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time … say: Amen! … but later is yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
• Again: learn to be wise enough to embrace the unpleasant now, for an important future result

Challenge

• Heb 12:12-13   challenge: “lift your drooping hands, strengthen your week knees … so that what is lame may not be put our of joint, but rather be healed.”
• These are medical metaphors … and actually accurate. Drooping, improper use due to slackness actually weakens further. Wrong use damages.
• To not use also damages, it leads to atrophy, finally lameness. Part of the cure to weakness is not ‘rest / not use’ but use consistently, and properly. Example: contracture on hospitalized TB patient.
• Muscles are a living thing … if they are used properly, they strengthen, if not used or used improperly, they atrophy or are damaged.
• Importance of discipline and exercise. Example: people lifting a box … I don’t do it because I’m stronger, I’m stronger because I do it.

Practical outworking: godly life

• Heb 12:14   pursue peace, pursue holiness … a challenge always needed (all letters have this). But often in times of turmoil, suffering, people think they can reduce the standard because they are suffering in another level. Example: sick people, becoming despotic in their requiring care

Bitterness

• Heb 12:15  “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble”
• Bitterness is not described as a fruit, but as a “root”.
• Metaphor “root”? something deep, invisible, no awareness, slowly growing, slowly developing, nobody seeing it, gripping deep, powerful, tough, then a sudden reality, resistant to pulling out, producing shoots, yielding fruit continually, even in cut from above, unless fully removed will surface again … a network of things you weren’t aware was connected. Example: Nut-grass.
• bitterness is surfacing in sudden, very negative thoughts, words, behavior (harsh comment, a tearing-down word, a hope and respect less interpretation) … you think: “Wow, where did that just come from?” you can tell, this just came from ‘two stories below’.
• What causes bitterness? … hurt, injustice … which probably really did happen … but if not released and forgiven, keeps working poison into our minds.
• What feeds bitterness? … not releasing, not forgiving, endless mind arguments, dwelling on the injustice committed
• Fruits of bitterness? … anger, envy, not liking the good, no ‘generosity’, no intercession, secretly joy and satisfaction at bad, no joy, paralysis, heaviness
• Bitterness is very very negative and very hurtful for those around … see Heb 12:15 “it causes trouble and many are defiled” … Bitter people drain your energy, your very sap, one cannot stay around them long
• Psychological truth: You become like a person you resent.
• For those of you who have not yet battled bitterness seriously: be glad, but also do not surprised when this is coming
• For those who have had first tastes of bitterness sprung up: you know what I mean.
• Bitterness is slowly born out of hurt and disappointment. It is also born out of legalism, I did so much, I thought I would get that, why is God not giving me this, why am I in this bad situation … it is ‘rights injured, it’s wishes denied, it’s hopes not fulfilled’ …
• For some, bitterness has a very clear outward focus on a person or persons to be blamed … a parent, a leader, a person in church (How many people left the Christian faith because of hurts by a Christian?) … or a situation. But lastly bitterness is always against God, the God who allowed this, the God who didn’t prevent this.
• Bitterness is always holding God to something, itt is claiming rights, it is bargaining, it is meriting by sacrifice, and now God is not giving me this.
• How do I fight bitterness? Cutting the leaves off the tree doesn’t really do it, we need to get rid of the root, dig up the roots, the reasons, get counseling, get healing.
• What brings healing? … it was right in this verse: see to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God … Picture: umbrella, shielding crippled plant from grace
• When I really receive grace I am being healed. When I really receive grace my ‘injured rights’ dissolve into dust, my bargaining stops, my demanding is shamed. When I really receive grace I become a child, and cease to be a slave … and grace then enables me to forgive, to let go the other person, to relinquish my right … > release, freedom, the hurt no longer defines me or runs my life.
• Illustration: Unforgiveness is the prison where the door is open but the person refuses to leave.

Value the valuable … forgo short time satisfaction for long term satisfaction

• Heb 12:16 … “do not become like Esau. Esau described as immortal, godless, sold birth rigth for single meal … later rejected, had no chance to repent even though he sought the blessing with tears” … probably it was more remorse than repentance. He kept on annoying his parents with his marriages.
• Value the valuable! choosing the valuable over pleasure! … choosing the lasting over the momentary … choosing the long run over the quick fix.
• If you rate your current pleasure more important than God’s will, you will ruin your life, and you will have less pleasure in the long run, compared to if you did the will of God.
• This is true in all areas: financially (spending above means, consumer loans), nutrition / eating, exercise / body care, it’s true for relationships, for sexuality
• Satan tempts with pleasure, but he only gives pleasure till he has snared, addicted, ruined, shamed, disinherited … he doesn’t give it, only grudgingly, and only decreasingly.
• God it the author of pleasure, he knows that we ruin ourselves unless we learn to forego pleasure, but he is has made pleasure, and gives pleasure abundantly, lastingly and increasingly. So do not sell your birthright, your conscience, your calling, your future for one stupid limited pleasure!
• Actually if you want a summary of what a godly holy life is, here it is: Learn to value the valuable and to not worry about the less valuable. Learn to value like God does. If you value like he does, everything will get its proper place and value. … Remember Jesus: Who for the joy that was set before him …

Heb 12:18-28 Recapping history

• Retelling the story of Exodus 19-20, Israel at Mount Sinai, God descending on it in cloud and fire … Israel backing off
• Contrast: scary, terrifying, powerful God … versus now: “come to something more friendly”: Heb 12:23-24 … sort of.
• Yet God is still the “consuming fire” (Heb 12:29), the one “shaking heaven and earth” (Heb 12:26-27) … “do not refuse the one speaking” (Heb 12:25).

Heb 13:1-6 Practical commands

• Heb 13:1    “let mutual love continue” … all the more important in times of persecution
• Heb 13:2   “do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” … may also mean to associate / not refuse refugees
• Heb 13:3   “remember those who are in prison” … associate yourself / out yourself / risk for love
• Heb 13:4   “let marriage be held in honor (undefiled)”… rotten Roman society? effect of people disappearing (is my husband still alive?) and being crammed together in hiding (temptation)?
• Heb 13:5   “keep your lives free from the love of money, be content with what you have” … Again: do not give overly much value to what is not that valuable. Do not order your life by what is not God.
• Contentment is a very precious attitude … a husband, a wife that is content is a great blessing, brings much peace. What to look for in a person? this rather than the pretty face with the newest smart dress.
• Heb 13:5-6  He links contentment with faith … discontentment is actually blaming God, unbelief. Contentment is faith
• Heb 13:7     “Remember your leaders, consider the outcome of their way of life, imitate their faith” … cloud of martyrs
• Heb 13:8     famous sentence … why? … because that’s precisely what is does not seem to be in persecution
• Heb 13:9     strange teachings, regulations about food … as in Rom 14, as in “Jewish influence”
• Heb 13:10-12 one more Old Testament teaching! The exact sacrificed animals that give the blood for the High priest to go into the Holy of Holies on the day of atonement, those are burned outside the camp. The author interprets this about Jesus: who went out of the temple and city to be crucified on Golgotha, a hill outside.
• Heb 13:13-14 Challenge to join Jesus outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured … During Nero’s persecution again a call to die, see verse 14
• Heb 13:16    “do good, share what you have” (with the refugees, the ones in prison?)
• Heb 13:17    “obey your leaders, submit to them” (a broken away house church?)
• Heb 13:18, 19, 23 the author is coming soon himself to join … he does not just condemn people to be martyrs from a distance, he walks into a city, rejoining a group of people that are under heavy persecution
• Heb 13:23   Timothy was released, a note of hope, maybe the persecution will abate soon, maybe you will survive it a