Posts: Hebrews

Hebrews

Jewish Christians in the first century were well versed in the Law and the Prophets, so they understood the many things God had done in Israelite history, often using angels to get things done. The letter to the Hebrews starts by outlining how much more exciting was Jesus than angels and the prophets of old. Jesus had been the agent of creation. On earth, He demonstrated how godly character works in a broken world plus paying off everyone’s debt to justice (Hebrews 1:1 – 4). The grandeur of the message should stimulate allegiance, not fear.

Although angels had been described in glowing terms in the Psalms and the Prophets, Jesus is at a whole new and exciting level (Hebrews 1:5 – 13). The angels worship Him. He was anointed with the “oil of gladness” more than all others. He is unchanging. The message is one of confidence, not anxiety. The modern message should be equally exciting, that victory is certain for the throne of God, an exhilarating and joyful prospect.

The purpose of angels is to serve faithful people (Hebrews 1:14). Even when God sent an angel or two to cause some disaster, the objective was the good of the faithful. Serving is not an inferior position. Jesus called Himself a servant (Luke 22:27). This promise about angels is both exciting and encouraging. God has not left us to fend for ourselves, but rather provides powerful workers to get things done. Rather than guessing what they might be up to, the faithful should just trust God’s promise and be comfortable not knowing.

After Jesus returned to heaven, the excitement about His time on earth could easily fade. The Law and the Prophets resulted in 39 books. Jesus wrote nothing. The New Testament would not be completed until about 70 AD and not compiled until abound 100 AD. The Eternal Kingdom had no earthly territory and its citizens were poor and politically powerless. Faithful people still died. So, Hebrews 2 addresses why the faithful should be excited that Jesus lived on earth as a poor person. Our leader is like us, neither distant nor inaccessible, but like family.

Many philosophies have been presented, often by very intelligent people. Ordinary people have trouble figuring out whom to trust, whose advice to follow. God’s ideas could easily be lost in the noise except for the evidence God has provided (Hebrews 2:1 – 4). No other religion or philosophy has evidence, so this unique characteristic should be exciting because it anchors the ideas in something we can measure. Somewhere in history, the church lost its focus on this unique evidence. The modern church needs to bring it back to the forefront.

Our mortality is not a weakness, neither is it something to be feared. Unfortunately, the vast majority have not made the transition to thinking as a spirit, so see death as something to be feared and avoided or delayed at all costs. Jesus demonstrated how to overcome death, submitting to the suffering with confidence in the outcome: glory, a parade of godly character traits. The faithful are promised the same victory parade and have Jesus’ example of how to handle death (Hebrews 2:9 – 10).

Be excited that, as faithful people, we are the brothers of Jesus (Hebrews 2:11 – 18). One of the reasons Jesus came to earth was to demonstrate to people that He understands their fears, struggles, and temptations. The faithful are better able to comprehend that God is not far off and out of touch, but has experienced the problems and discomforts and unfairness of life on earth. The fact that He reacted well to all these challenges does not make Him aloof, but compassionate, and provides a template for how to defeat a broken world.

Moses served God by orchestrating the creation of the nation of Israel. As such, Moses holds an important place in the history of God’s interactions with people. However, the nation had its ups and downs both during and after the time of Moses. The faithful should be excited that they are the building blocks of an even greater kingdom, one built and governed by Jesus, as much more important as a Son is over a servant. This realization causes the faithful to “hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of hope.” (Hebrews 3:2 – 6)

The history of Israel documents what happens when people refuse to trust God despite seeing the evidence of His actions every day (Hebrews 3:7 – 19). Unfortunately, that is how people are. To push this common failure aside, the faithful need to exhort one another daily, not just weekly or occasionally. The understanding that the faithful are promised to be partakers of the divine nature, to develop Jesus’ character, yields confidence that God can handle life’s disasters.

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.” (Hebrews 4:1) Fear? But in the previous chapter, confidence was a big theme (3:6, 14). Reading the whole context leads to the conclusion that this fear is not uncertainty about oneself, but fear for others who may be deceived or become calloused or just get tired. The faithful, as they are transformed by the indwelling Spirit, become selfless, so their fears cease turning inward, but instead look outward, focusing on rescuing others.

“The works were finished from the foundation of the world.” (Hebrews 4:3) In the discussion about the Promised Rest, the author reminded his readers of a basic fact: God stopped creating after the sixth day. So, the Promised Rest was built before that work stoppage. Of course, there is a heaven in which God dwells now along with the good angels and the spirits of the faithful. Interestingly, all faithful spirits will not spend eternity there, but in a “new heaven and new earth,” which must be already prepared and waiting. God is a really good planner.

The Bible contains accounts of both successes and failures. Those who failed certainly were not trying to fail. Like people today, they thought they were choosing the right path based on the information they had and the principles they had been taught. So, rather than ridiculing the missteps of Israel in its sad history, and the misunderstanding of the early church, the faithful should try to understand how their thinking went wrong. How does one see manna six days a week, quail once a week, and water out of rocks and decide to doubt God? (Hebrews 4:10 – 11)

One of the primary tools for figuring out how to trust God in all parts of life is “the Word,” the body of thought concerning God. A major part of that has been conveniently compiled and printed as the Bible. Hebrews 4:12, with some literary elegance, reminds the reader that this message is much more than a history book or a rule book, but akin to a living thing in its ability to meet people at their innermost thoughts. So, we need to read it that way, as a means of seeing the real me.

Children often are surprised when their parents already know what they did. People treat God the same way, as though He won’t know the bad choices they have made if they just keep it concealed. Hebrews 4:13 reminds the reader that such an attitude is foolishness; God sees all we do, and we will be called to account. So, arriving at the end, hoping that we got away with it, is a plan destined for failure. The faithful take a more realistic path, being open about all things to everyone, apologizing for defective choices, and getting back to living in reality.

Some successful people have the character flaw of not understanding why others cannot perform at their level and therefore look down on them or are impatient or judgmental. Jesus successfully completed a difficult earthly life flawlessly. Yet, His character is such that this experience made Him sympathetic and patient and helpful toward us. Therefore, we can approach Him boldly to ask for character development so that we will mesh well with the present and eternal family of God. (Hebrews 4:15 – 16)

The function of a High Priest was well known in ancient times, but not so much in modern Western culture. Most have claimed such titles for themselves, but the Bible records at least three appointed by God: Jethro, Melchizedek, and those under the Law of Moses in its 1500-year tenure. So, the concept of Jesus being appoint a High Priest forever upon His return to heaven is a bit foreign to most (Hebrews 5:1 – 10). His credentials are His difficulties with life on earth and His learning from that experience. We can trust Him to mediate for us in good times and in bad.

The faithful are expected to grow in wisdom and knowledge. Those who do not are likened to weeds in a garden, “whose end is to be burned.” (Hebrews 5:11 – 6:8) All the faithful are expected to develop into teachers. Whether intentionally or due to a lack of expectation, those who remain at a simplistic level are likely candidates for deception or being overwhelmed by the difficulties of life. Because the evidence of the power of God failed to work for them once, they are unlikely to try it twice. Therefore, growth is essential for the faithful.

Successful faith on earth was designed by God to be readily achievable. God is not looking for an excuse to squash people. God is looking for diligence, not accomplishment; confidence in the promises of God, not disappointment in oneself. (Hebrews 6:9 – 20) An essential key is knowing what God has promised for the faithful who still are negotiating their way through earthly life and its inherent difficulties. Most of those promises have to do with character development by the indwelling Spirit which transforms us into the image of Jesus.

Over the tenure of the Law of Moses, many High Priests served. Of those for whom we have history, only a few executed the task well; a great number were corrupt. Hebrews 7:1 – 9 compares Jesus with Melchizedek, a High Priest from long before the Law of Moses. When one becomes a High Priest by character, not by inheritance, that priesthood endures for all time, not passed to another. We should be excited that our High Priest was appointed by His character and that He remains able to be our intermediary in heaven, not to be replaced due to death.

The Law of Moses was not a failure. Its purposes were to hold the Israelites together until the Messiah could be brought into the world, also to act out a number of symbolisms to be brought to reality by the Messiah, and to provide a platform of predictions upon which the Messiah would stand. With this foundation, the Messiah would introduce a kingdom and a priesthood that promised cures for the flaws of people rather than symbolism, an enduring and flawless High Priest rather than someone doing the best he could. (Hebrews 7:10 – 28).

The Law of Moses and the nation of Israel were important to bringing about the Messiah. But the faithful since the time of Jesus should be excited that they no longer serve symbols but reality. (Hebrews 8) Jesus serves in the tabernacle in heaven, not the copy that was on earth. In Israel, composed of a vast majority unfaithful, the few faithful were constantly having to remind the others, whereas in the present new system, the kingdom is composed of only the faithful. The Law was about physical stuff; the new covenant addresses the heart.

The tabernacle (and, later, the Temple) were symbolic of realities brought to fruition by Jesus in the tabernacle in heaven (Hebrews 9:1 – 15). The illustrations no longer are repeated because the reality has been accomplished. Real redemption, once for all, has been completed. The faithful are not excited for themselves, since they already have the faith required for acceptance, but for outsiders, whose debt to justice also has been paid. Now the message can be about reality (evidence), trust, and responding to the goodness of God.

Why was the death of Jesus necessary? As described in Hebrews 9:16 – 28, the New Testament was like a will. Wills are not executed until the author dies. The faithful are not servants who are paid for service, but family who inherit. Further, Jesus’ blood was sprinkled in the tabernacle in heaven to purify all things. Unlike things on earth that just get messed up again, those in heaven were cleansed once for all time. Jesus was offered once for everyone, bearing the sins of all. So, we can focus on developing His character in gratitude for this rescue.

Repetition of rituals implies that the lessons were not learned. The faithful understand that the sacrifice of Jesus was once for all, so they move beyond the constant reminder of past failures into a lifestyle of being reserved for godly purposes: sanctified. (Hebrews 10:1 – 18) The focus becomes about the heart and mind, not performance. An exciting part of Christianity is this emphasis on progress, the goal of becoming consistent between heart and hands, leaving the past behind.

Because Jesus paid everyone’s debt to justice, the faithful have the confidence lto approach God without fear. (Hebrews 10:19 – 23) The consciences of the faithful have been cleaned as well, so they have no baggage to disrupt the relationship. Their hope in the promises of God is unwavering based on God’s impeccable historical record of accomplishing what He has said He would do.

The faithful gather together not for themselves, but for the others. Theoretically, each faithful person could succeed independently. But, God set up the practice of meeting together so that each one could be encouraged and exhorted by the others. (Hebrews 10:24 – 25) These meetings were not designed as ritual or a performance witnessed by an audience. Rather, each one encourages others to greater love and to practical applications for each one’s developing divine nature. Christianity is a group effort in which each one plays an essential role.

People have a tendency to develop a talent for self-deception, which is the reason for the “bad lists” in the New Testament. Because I am not likely to see my own self-deceptions, one of the functions of the other faithful people is to lead me out of such traps by positive methods (Hebrews 10:24 – 27) The “fear” mentioned in that paragraph is not fear for me because fear is incompatible with love (1 John 4:18), but fear for the self-deceived if I do not encourage them.

“Trampled the Son of God underfoot.” (Hebrews 10:29) How could a faithful person fall into that description? As amply illustrated in Galatians, legalism insults the spirit of grace (Galatians 3:2) and counts the blood of the covenant a common thing (Galatians 3:13). And this line from Hebrews appears again in Galatians 2:21. Further, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31) But, reading the context, this fear is not for myself but for the self-deceived. These reminders should spur the faithful to evangelism.

“Do not cast away your confidence.” (Hebrews 10:35 – 39) Remember the physical distresses you have overcome, and the hard choices you have made. “Consider one another” and help others through the same difficulties to a “great reward.” Remind others of the need for endurance to overcome physical trials. The author’s example is Habakkuk 2:3 – 4, which encouraged faithful Israelites although they were faced with a spiritually bankrupt leadership and impending destruction by the Babylonians. If they had confidence in God, so can we.

Hebrews 11 contains references to the Old Testament histories of several people of faith who were acceptable to God not due to their accomplishments but due to their faith. In those histories, we find that many of them had serious flaws, emphasizing that these were real people, not mythological fantasies. These examples illustrate that the essential quality required to be acceptable is a fundamental trust in the promises of God resulting in acting on them. They overcame themselves and their difficulties through their confidence in God.

Accepting that God created is a hallmark of faith (Hebrews 11:3). God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made (Romans 1:20). Creation has purpose; it is not the playing out of random events (Ephesians 3:9 – 12). God laid out His plan before creation; He is managing, not reacting (Hebrews 4:3 – 4). Bottom line, God wants a big family that will last. The necessary characteristics for each family member are mutual trust and selfless concern. Our existence has meaning if we participate in the plan.

God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but rejected Cain’s (Genesis 4:2 – 7, Hebrews 11:4) because Cain’s works were evil and his brother’s righteous (1 John 3:12). From this, the faithful of all ages learn that, to be acceptable, what one presents to God must arise from the right character. God cannot be bribed. Fortunately for the modern faithful, God provides the indwelling Spirit whose primary job is character development, transforming those of faith into the character of Jesus – if we trust those promises and let it happen.

All that is known of Enoch is in Genesis 5:21 – 24, Hebrews 11:5, and Jude 14 – 15. The supposed “Book of Enoch” is a fake. The lesson to be learned from these scanty references is that God goes to extremes for the faithful, unlike the Deists who suppose that, after creation, God has no more than a passing interest, letting the world play out without intervention. Certainly, God cannot infringe upon free will without ruining His own objective for creation, but the Bible records many times when God did special things for special people. So, be special.

The history of Noah fills several pages in Genesis. Hebrews 11:7 points out specific characteristics of the faith that made him special to God. He was “moved by godly fear;” he feared for the fate of the rest of humanity so he preached about righteousness (2 Peter 2:5) and prepared a big boat for his family so they could survive an incomprehensible flood. Despite being the last remaining family leader with faith, he did what needed to be done, including starting over. Although groups of faithful people are nice, we need to be prepared to do it alone.

The history of Abraham extends across 15 chapters in Genesis. Hebrews 11:8 – 10 and 17 – 19 point out some of the choices he made that illustrated why God used his faith as the benchmark for the rest of humanity. Abraham left the most advanced civilization of the day to live as a nomad, setting out not knowing his destination. Finally having a son with Sarah well after the child-bearing years, Abraham immediately set out to sacrifice that son as requested by God despite the impossibility of the situation. Faith includes acting on God’s promises.

Hebrews 11:13 – 16 outlines several characteristics of the faithful of ancient times: they died before seeing completion of what God had promised them; they saw themselves as passing through earthly life on the way to a better home; and they declined to go back to that earth-bound mentality. The author’s point is that the modern faithful need the same attitudes so that “God is not ashamed to be called their God.”

The history of Joseph (Genesis 25 – 50) includes many disappointments and injustices, even though he eventually rose to high position. Yet, he never lost sight of the promises of God made more than a century earlier to Abraham, the reality of which would not occur for another three centuries. He made arrangements for his bones to be taken with the Israelites leaving Egypt for the Promised Land (Hebrews 11:22). The modern faithful need to have similar confidence and plan not only for their own Promised Rest, but also that of their descendants.

Although the Bible clearly teaches that the faithful should obey whatever government was in control at the time, Moses’ parents hid him for three months in violation of the order of the king (Exodus 2:1 – 10), not because God had predicted that he would be a great leader, but just because he was a beautiful baby (Hebrews 11:23). Sometimes, the faithful need to do what they think is right, not fearing the potential governmental consequences. The faithful are not above the law; they are just willing to accept responsibility for the repercussions.

Moses could have remained in the royal household with its privileges, but he identified with the promises God had made concerning his people, so he chose their affliction rather than the comfort and security of wealth (Hebrews 11:24 – 26). The modern faithful in Western culture face the same choices.

Moses’ misguided attempt to identify with and support his own people resulted in him murdering an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. Prudence dictated that he leave the country before the Pharaoh could arrest, try, and execute him (Exodus 2:11 – 15). Hebrews 11:27 provides insight into Moses’ attitude. He was not afraid of justice. Rather, he wanted to see the fruition of what God had promised concerning his people. The modern faithful make similar catastrophically bad choices. Don’t give up. God promises to make it work out.

Joshua 6 records one of the strangest sieges of a walled city of all time. Hebrews 11:30 makes a brief reference to the faith of those Israelites. Imagine being a part of that Israelite army. Typically, sieges lasted for years. Tactics were varied but well known. God ordered them to march around the city for a week, a short time each day. Then, on the seventh day, to charge the wall, which fell before they reached it. The lesson for the faithful is that following God’s unlikely promises leads to the humanly impossible being accomplished.

Rahab, a woman of dubious occupation, had heard the stories of the exploits of the Israelites in the Sinai wilderness and of their victories over the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan. She understood that only the true God could make such things happen, so she was willing to risk everything to be a part of it (Joshua 2 and 6:22 – 26). Also worthy of note is that she married into the tribe of Judah and is an ancestor of Jesus. God uses the faithful, no matter what their backgrounds.

Those who are interested in the heroes of the Old Testament often feel inadequate by comparison. However, the modern faithful actually are in a better position (Hebrews 11:39 – 40), having those examples plus that of Jesus, and a more complete picture of the purpose of God in creation.

The world is a messy place. Some people are more comfortable than others, but everyone experiences many setbacks, failures, and problems. So, life on earth can appear discouraging. The faithful, however, should have a certain excitement about mimicking the faithful of the past, both the heroes of the Old Testament and the example of Jesus (Hebrews 12:1 – 4). Jesus, “for the joy set before Him, endured the cross.” The objective of all the faithful is joy, not just endurance for its own sake.

Punishment looks backward. Discipline looks forward. The hardships of the faithful are described as discipline, that by which they are trained (Hebrews 12:5 – 11). All good families are designed that way. Although children often do not understand the goals of that discipline, but rather interpret it as punishment, the results make the difficulties worthwhile. Undisciplined children generally are much less happy and achieve far less. The same is true for the faithful.

The faithful are to be excited about the team concept of the kingdom of God (Hebrews 12:12 – 17). The “lame” in the family need strengthening; they are not to be cut from the roster. Those who are stronger make “straight paths;” they make the paths simple and direct so that even the weak can walk them. Team members are to “pursue peace,” not permitting divisiveness or bitterness. All the faithful must take the health of the team and each member seriously.

The Old Testament contains many displays of power that were designed to put fear in the hearts of the Israelites. Because only a small fraction of Israelites were faithful, God needed to be heavy handed. In the New Covenant, the approach is different because the church is composed only of the faithful, who should be excited that they have a relationship with God founded on only grand and positive images (Hebrews 12:18 – 29). The only fear that should be in the faithful is for those who are on the outside.

Both Abraham and Lot invited strangers into their homes, later to discover that those visitors were actually angels (Genesis 18 – 19). Hebrews 13:2 recalls those events as an encouragement to hospitality by the faithful. Having the extended family to your house for a holiday meal is nice, but these were strangers, not family. Angels still have the task of serving faithful humans (Hebrews 1:14). Most of the time they look just like ordinary strangers. The point is not to see angels, but that angels may be served by our random acts of kindness.

In the first century, people could be imprisoned on the whims of those in power. And, prisoners were not fed. Those without family nearby would starve. So, Hebrews 13:3 encourages the faithful to be that family for those faithful who were incarcerated, because the faithful are family. Although Western culture has improved on the plight of prisoners, in many places, that is not the case. The faithful are one big family who are responsible for one another.

Contentment and ambition co-exist in a godly life. Laziness and greed are the ditches on the two sides of the road. The key to finding the right balance is found in Psalms 27:1 and Hebrews 13:5 – 6, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Leadership in the New Testament church is not described as authority but as hegemony: following someone because it makes good sense to do so (Hebrews 13:7 – 13, 17, and 24). Those “hegemones” are identified by the quality of the faith they portray. Those with mature faith all have an unquenchable focus on the needs of others, so they serve and build up, developing the faith and gracious natures of others. Each faithful person has liberty, including the liberty to select their own role-models.

Hebrews 1:1 – 2, “In many portions and in various ways, long ago, God, having spoken to the fathers in the prophets, upon these last days has spoken to us in the Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things…” Although the Old Testament contains the platform of evidence upon which Jesus stands along with many valuable lessons and examples about God, the communication that should govern the lives of the faithful is the New Testament. Further, God has shifted the nature of His desired relationship from “I Am” to “Son.”

Hebrews 1:3, [Jesus] “being the brightness of glory and the express image of His person, and conducting all things by the exposing of His power, when He had cleansed sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Jesus, when on earth, demonstrated how godly character (glory) works in a broken world. Further, Jesus demonstrated great power in His healings and His resurrection, proving his mastery of life and the universe. Having paid off the justice system, He then sat down to conduct the business of His kingdom: growing faith.

Hebrews 1:14, “Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits, being sent forth into service for the sake of those intending to inherit salvation?” Angels serve the faithful. But which works they perform should not be guessed or inferred. Physical evidence is necessary to claim rightly that God caused this or that. In truth, the faithful do not need to know. Rather, the faithful trust that God will execute His promises in the best way; He does not need our approval that He chose well. The angels have jobs and learn from our faith (1 Peter 1:12).

Hebrews 2:3 – 4, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed into us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” The message to which the faithful give heed is from Jesus, although He Himself did not write any of it. Rather, what Jesus taught was collected and preserved by a group of specially appointed and empowered people. But all of it was only His.

Hebrews 2:11, “Both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all out of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Sanctified means “reserved for godly purposes.” One might think that Jesus would be ashamed to be seen with humans, He having navigated earthly life without sin whereas we having significantly less success. But, the important part of each of use was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26 – 27). So, without embarrassment, the faithful He calls His siblings.

Hebrews 2:14 – 15, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetimes subject to bondage.” Evil uses fear to maintain control of people, in this case, the fear of death. Jesus did not do away with death, but rather the fear of it. Jesus paid the debts to justice of all people. The faithful recognize the liberty that brings. The rest still cower before a toothless enemy.

Hebrews 2:18, “In that in Himself has suffered, being tempted, He was able to aid those who are tempted.” Jesus was tempted many times while on earth, yet did not succumb. So, He is qualified to lend assistance to those are experiencing the same. The faithful trust His advice concerning how to navigate this broken world because He has been here and experienced earthly life. Some might expect Him to be less empathetic, since He succeeded where we are failing. However, His compassion makes Him ready to help rather than ready to condemn.

Hebrews 3:19, “So we see that they [the adult Israelites who left Egypt in the Exodus] could not enter [the Promised Rest] because of unbelief.” Those who died is the wilderness had failed to trust the promises God had made to them. So God waited as a new and more faithful generation had grown up and the old and faithless had died off. The same scenario will continue until the end. As the comparison concludes, “Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” (4:11)

Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” As this follows immediately the admonition not to do as the Israelites did, this prescription reminds the reader that God knows the true intentions of the heart and cannot be fooled. Faith must be absolute trust in His promises.

Hebrews 4:15, “We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Parallel with 2:18, we may wonder if Jesus’ success against every temptation would make Him sympathetic or judgmental. But His nature is to desire our success. Because of this, He has sent the indwelling Spirit to repair the damaged characters of the faithful and promised that the faithful would not face any temptation they were not able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” The faithful come to God boldly, not fearfully. God’s integrated and consistent nature (grace) implies that the faithful will be met with God’s overwhelming desire to fix what ails us (mercy).

Hebrews 5:12, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” The goal of every faithful person is to teach others the gospel. The goal is not to be a college professor, but rather someone who can explain in a very simple way the facts of the matter. Even in the first century, many were failing to develop, which is a requirement to make a claim to Biblical faith.

Hebrews 6:1 – 2, “Leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to consistency, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” What percentage of the sermons that you hear are on these elementary topics? Even in the first century, both speakers and hearers were reluctant to move on, perhaps due to a “good enough” mentality rather than a “having the faith of Jesus” mentality.

Hebrews 6:4 – 6, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew themselves again to repentance…” When we choose to trust God, we do not lose the ability to make bad choices, so we retain the option of departing. Those who make that choice poison themselves. God has already used His best appeal. God has nothing greater to pull them back.

Hebrews 6:9, “But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.” The inspired writer had chastised his audience for their lack of development and their potential for falling away, but then immediately encouraged them that the author had positive expectations for his readers. Such is the methodology of gospel teaching. Disaster is briefly described to set the contrast, but confident expectation always fills the majority of the time.

Hebrews 6:19, “This [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered in behalf of us, Jesus…” In the era of the Law of Moses, Israelites could not interact with God directly, but rather needed the mediation of a priest. In addition, only the High Priest, once each year, could enter the Most Holy Place, “behind the veil.” The confident expectation of the faithful now is that they may interact with God personally and individually without an intermediary, because of Jesus.

Hebrews 7:18 – 19, “On the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitability, for the Law made nothing consistent; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” The Law of Moses began in approximately 1446 BC at Mount Sinai. God put a definitive end to it in 70 AD in the predicted destruction of the Temple by the Roman army. The new covenant, the “better hope,” gives the faithful the tools and the right to draw near to God.

Hebrews 9:11 – 12, “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things that have come, with the greater and consistent tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Jesus paid the debt to justice once for all, not repeatedly as debts were incurred. He paid off the right-and-wrong system, which would include the debts of the faithful and the unfaithful (1 John 2:2). Now the criterion is “faith or not.”

Hebrews 9:23 – 24, “Therefore, it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens [the tabernacle on earth] should be purified with these [sprinkled blood], but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered the holy place made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” Jesus purified the tabernacle in heaven with His own blood. Why would it need purifying? Because Satan and His angels had access to heaven until then.

Hebrews 9:25 – 26, “Not that He should offer Himself often, as the High Priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with the blood of another – He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once, at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Interestingly, the transition from Old Covenant to New is called the end of the ages. Further, Jesus is not sacrificed for each individual, but once, to pay off the right-and-wrong system for all.

Hebrews 9:27 – 28, “As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the Judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many…” Several of the religions of the world include reincarnation in their teachings. The Bible says that humans die once. Because of that fact, Jesus died once, and not just for the faithful, but for the whole world (1 John 2:2). The performance scale has been paid off for all so that they can be eligible to be judged according to their trust in the promises of God.

Hebrews 10:9, “He [Jesus] takes away the first that He may establish the second.” Shortly after Hebrews was written, Jesus came as promised and physically ended the performance of the Law of Moses through the predicted destruction of the Temple by the Roman legions in 70 AD. Certainly, the church began in Acts 2, but the transition took nearly 40 years to complete as the gospel was spread to the whole world. The Law was given only to the Israelites; the gospel is for all. Law if for the lawless; the gospel is for those who trust God.

Hebrews 10:19 – 20, “Having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh…” Under the Law, only the High Priest could enter the ‘Holiest,’ and that only once per year. Now, the faithful can enter the presence of God confidently because of the trail blazed by Jesus through the veil, that which prevented the commoner from seeing the place to meet God. Observing Jesus’ physical life allows the faithful to see God. Because of His blood, the faithful have the right to enter God’s presence.

Hebrews 10:22, “Let us [the faithful] 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.” Under the Law, blood was sprinkled on things and people to purify them. The image is of our consciences being relieved of the guilt and fear that cause us to make excuses and deceive ourselves. Further, we announce to God our acceptance of that and other promises when we are immersed. As a result, we approach God confidently.

Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” The faithful publicly announce their confident expectation of acceptability, character development, and direct access to God. The brokenness of the world can make inroads into that confidence. But such hope is not based on the personal ability to succeed, but on the demonstrated trustworthiness of God.

Hebrews 10:24, “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” The faithful focus on one another rather than themselves for the purpose of reviving the energy of both to do what is best for others regardless of the effect on themselves, and to continue to do good things for those who often do not appreciate the help. Acting out the personality of a family member of God can be daunting in this broken world, which is one of the major reasons the faithful meet regularly.

Hebrews 10:26, “If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” The problem is not that God never will take us back if we stray, but that God has presented His best evidence and demonstration of love; He has nothing better with which to draw us back. If, after responding to and accepting God’s offer of family, we consciously suppress that appeal and count it as worthless, we have cut ourselves off from the only path.

Hebrews 10:34 – 35, “You had compassion on the prisoners and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and enduring possession for yourselves. Therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.” Bad times can cause the faithful to turn inward, opposite to the outward focus of both faith and love. Loosing everything, particularly through injustice, is difficult to comprehend or overcome. The faithful use the promises of eternal life and eternal family as a means to endure this world.

Hebrews 10:39, “We are not of those who draw back into destruction, but of those who believe into the saving of the soul.” Trusting God (faith) can be difficult, since spirits cannot be observed directly. Those who do not cling to God’s physical evidence and track record can destroy their eternal selves through doubts born of poor research. That trust is the foundation for God’s extended family.

Hebrews 11:1 “Faith gives substance to confident expectation; evidence gives substance to faith.” Unlike all other religions, Biblical faith is based on physical evidence, not wishful thinking. Mutual trust is the basis for long-term relationships. When we trust God, we call it faith. When God trusts us, we call it forgiveness.

Hebrews 11:3, “By faith we understand that the eons were framed by the utterance of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” The fact that God spoke the universe into existence (Genesis 1) is built upon the evidence of God’s interactions with humans over the millennia. If the universe had always been here, no Creator would exist to provide that evidence. God’s documented interactions validate not only God’s existence, but also that He has a purpose for His creation.

Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Trusting the evidence provided by God and the promises made by God gains us the one quality necessary for acceptance into His family. Eternity with God is founded on mutual trust between one another and with God. Without it, heaven will become just like earth, only longer.

Hebrews 11:13, “These [Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob] all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Such people of old are to be examples for us of what God means by faith: a trust that governs all the decisions of life. Such people are migrant farmers, growing the most precious commodity in the universe: faith.

Hebrews 11:17 – 19, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promise offered up his only begotten, to whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” The instructions of God were humanly impossible. Abraham followed anyway, confident that God had an impossible answer. The nature of Biblical faith must be that radical.

Hebrews 11:22, “By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.” In Joseph’s day, the mummies of wealthy and powerful people were entombed in mammoth permanent structures. Joseph made arrangements that his remains be made portable so he could accompany his people to the promised land centuries later. The legacy of the faithful is the demonstration of their faith.

Hebrews 11:24 – 26, “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” Many rationalize that they can do much more good by retaining their wealth and position. Moses did not follow that line of thinking. He overreacted, then fled, and finally lost an argument with a bush. Then he got it.

Hebrews 11:29, “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.” Imagine a dry gap more than a mile wide in which the sea floor, albeit dry, still dropped alarmingly, with the waters piled up mountainously on both sides. Such is a metaphor for life. The faithful make the trip, arduous but safe, whereas the others are overwhelmed. Faith can be scary. Trust the humanly impossible promises of God.

Hebrews 11:30, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.” Sieges in those days lasted two to five years. The objective was to force the inhabitants, when they ran out of food or water, to come out and fight a larger foe in the open field. Joshua’s plan must have seemed crazy: no siege engines, no battering rams, not even ladders. Charging a fortified city was suicide. But, they followed God’s instructions and the walls fell outward (confirmed archeologically) on schedule.

Hebrews 12:1 – 2, “…let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking into Jesus, the founder and finisher of faith…” Self-deception rationalizes what we, in our clearer moments, know to be less than optimal. The cure is to understand the Jesus depicted in the gospels who demonstrated how godly character works in a broken world. The faithful are promised the development of that same character.

Hebrews 12:3, “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” Jesus made all the right choices, yet was hounded by His detractors and finally executed brutally. The faithful can get tired of trying to help those who don’t see their hopelessness, and begin to doubt when life is unjust. Remember the promised joy for this life and how to access it. Remember the character development that arises from overcoming myself through the indwelling Spirit.

Hebrews 12:7, “It is for discipline you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not discipline.” Punishment looks back; discipline looks forward. A child often mistakes a parent’s rules and orders as punishment when the goal is really to instill good character. This creation is an incubator for faith. Our difficulties help us develop the faith that makes the eternal family work, much as sports training develops skills and strength necessary for the game. Training should be hard and make you sore.

Hebrews 12:12 – 13, “Strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.” Every faithful person has the responsibility to build up the others, as well as expose outsiders to the good news. The paths presented to them should be easy, not arduous; simple, not complex; a safe haven, not a battle. What may be perceived as difficult if not overwhelming actually is just a different way of seeing life and what is important.

Hebrews 12:14 – 15, “Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” God provides the faithful with the tools and the skills to attain to the integrated and consistent character traits of God (grace). But many are taught that they will be forever failing, which gives rise to bitterness in which they settle for the humanly possible instead of the promises of God.

Hebrews 12:18 – 19, “For you have not come to that which may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.” The Israelites panicked at the display and dangers at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:18 – 21). But, God was dealing with a huge majority of faithless people who are best controlled with negative reinforcement. God deals with the faithful through positive reinforcement.

Hebrews 12:22 – 24, “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made consistent.” As in Hebrew poverty, the inspired writer used parallelism, illustrating different facets of the same idea in multiple ways. Interestingly, the church includes the faithful angels, along with humans who have been declared righteous and are transformed into consistency.

Hebrews 13:2, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” The author was referring to when both Abraham and Lot invited passing strangers to a meal, later to learn that they were angels (Genesis 18 – 19). The author suggests that such visits may still be expected. If our hospitality extends only to family and friends whom we are already certain are not angels, we could miss out on some memorable occasions.

Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will neither leave you nor forsake you.’” Working hard and taking advantage of opportunities has both good and bad facets. Of course, we are responsible for seeing to the earthly well-being of both physical and church family. But that pursuit can become a goal in itself, supplanting devotion to God. Financial gain for the sake of financial gain is empty and destroys contentment. Keep the faithfulness of Jesus in view.

Hebrews 13:6, “We are confident to say, ‘ The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” History teaches that people can and will do terrible things to one another. The inspired writer’s point is that other people cannot take away what is most important: being part of a big family that will last. For the faithful, physical death at the hands of evil is just an early out. Even prolonged discomfort is, in Paul’s words, “momentary light affliction” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Rather, the faithful have joy and peace on earth, with even better later.

Hebrews 13:7, “Remember those whom you follow, who have spoken the Word of God to you; imitate the faith, considering the outcome of their way of life.” Leadership in the church is described as hegemony, each follower selecting whom to follow because it makes sense to the follower to do so. Three benchmarks are to be considered: does this person teach the Word, display superhuman faith, and have a remarkably content and joyful life? Choose to follow the successes of faith, since we do not have time to make all the mistakes individually.

Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. In what way is this true? Certainly not in physical life on earth, but rather in character. From before creation until the universe is no more, that character always is composed of all the positive traits, integrated and consistent, selfless and trustworthy.

Hebrews 13:13 – 14, “Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.” Jesus did what was right and spoke what was true, yet was rejected, tortured, and executed. Similarly, the faithful do not consider acceptance by their various cultures to be important, instead expecting opposition from those who peg their self-worth to those systems. The faithful no longer fit in the cultures from which they arose, but rather seek what is true always and for all.

Hebrews 13:15 – 16, “By Him, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips, declaring His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Pagan sacrifice is giving up something, a form of manipulation. Biblical sacrifice is a celebration of forgiveness with family and friends in the presence of God. The faithful celebrate being forgiven (being trusted again despite repeated moral bankruptcies) by announcing the character of God, doing good things, and sharing what they have.