Intro to the Book of Hebrews

Hebrews 4:14

Although the Book of Hebrews is one of the longest and most important letters in the NT, many Christians would rather stick with studying the 4 Gospels and the Books of Acts, Romans, Ephesians, 1 and 2 Corinthians. I, too was kind of gun-shy about this Book. It is somewhat mysterious, deep, relatively difficult to understand. It demands our serious time and effort to dig deeper.

It contains a lot of Jewish history, events from the OT, and sacrificial systems with which we are not familiar. A Christian cannot study the LAW without referring to Hebrews.

I promise to you that if you invest your time and energy with me in learning this book, your return on the spiritual investment will be extremely rich and rewarding.

A. Author and timeline•No one knows for sure who wrote it•Biblical Scholars have postulated Clement of Rome (Pope 88-99 AD), Barnabas, Apostle Paul…•Others suggest Luke the Evangelist, Apollos, and even Priscilla•Though no author is named, the original King James Version of the Bible titled the work, “The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews”

A. Author and timeline•Authored around 60-70 AD•Why do we not know the author?•For whatever the reason, the Lord chose not to reveal the author •I believe the reason for the unknown author, is also the theme of the book itself:•The Preeminence of Christ

B. Central Theme of the book…•The absolute superiority of Jesus Christ over anything and everyone•At the same time, the Book warned the first century Christians in Israel to cling to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not fall away from the faith in Him•This brings us, finally, to our Scripture for today, Hebrews 4:14

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”

Hebrews 4:14 (NASB)

C. The Structure…•The style is like a well-crafted speech; scholarly, not simple; eloquent, not elementary– exactly what would appeal to the intelligent Jew, steeped in the OT his entire life•Pharisees!!•Genius-ly written to appeal to them as well•Book can be divided into 3 sections

C. The Structure…

1. Jesus Christ: Superior in His Person•c1-c4, Lord Jesus is above all the OT Prophets, even Moses•Supreme over the angels in Heaven•Even the Priests and the Sabbath Rituals were inferior to Christ

C. The Structure…2. Jesus Christ: Superior as our Priest•c5-c10, The Lord Jesus as our High Priest is better than earthly priesthood•Better than the Mosaic system•Even better than animal sacrifices, and daily offerings•To us this is not as big a deal as to 1st century, recently converted Jews– all they had ever lived were Do’s and Don’ts!

C. The Structure…3. Jesus Christ: Superior for life •c11-c13, His superiority gives us faith to believe in Him; hope to endure trials; love to encourage others•Hebrews is one of the most systematic and doctrinal Books in the NT•It paints a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ as our High Priest and God•For the Hebrew people, this book builds the bridge between the OT and NT

D. Some interesting facts…1. The recipients were persecuted 1st

century Jewish Christians•Practically homeless, after conversion they were excommunicated from their synagogues, ostracized from their trade groups, isolated from family relationships, some even lost their homes

D. Some interesting facts…2. They were facing a serious

temptation to forsake the faith and revert back to Judaism

•Hebrews 10:32-33

“32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.”

Hebrews 10:32-33 (NASB)

D. Some interesting facts…2. They were facing a serious

temptation to forsake the faith and revert back to Judaism

•Hebrews 10:32-33•The author of this Book was pleading with the Hebrew people that they should remain in Christ instead of going back to the bondage of the endless religious rituals of the OT made by their religious rulers, the Pharisees and Sadducees

D. Some interesting facts…3. As I learn more Bible, I’m

convinced we must know the scenes and backgrounds of Scripture, to understand the lessons we are to learn

•When this was written it was a low time for Christians—persecution•In AD 64, Nero burned Rome…

E. Prepare your heart…•Now put yourself into the position of those early Christians in Jerusalem•Persecuted by Rome as well as their own people…•Hebrews 11:32-38

“32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they

might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.”

Hebrews 11:32-38 (NASB)

E. Prepare your heart…

•Now put yourself into the position of those early Christians in Jerusalem•Persecuted by Rome as well as their own people…•Hebrews 11:32-38•I wonder how many of us would stay true to the end for the Lord?

Take Home!!

•Encouragement– Let me encourage you, and provoke you to encourage others…

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb,Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

Proverbs 16:24 (NASB)

Take Home!!

•Encouragement– Let me encourage you, and provoke you to encourage others…•Persistence– when you feel like throwing your hands in the air and quitting, that is when God maybe just about to BLESS…

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb,Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

Proverbs 16:24 (NASB)

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:14 (NASB)