The book of Hebrews – Terry Gilpin

THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

INTRODUCTION

a) A Difficult Book
Hebrews is full of O.T. pictures and shadows, and corresponds closely to Leviticus. Just as an understanding of Leviticus with its sacrifices and ceremonies is essential in understanding God’s ways and workings in the O.T., so a grasp of Hebrews will help us understand that to which all those O.T. “signposts” were pointing. Leviticus was full of shadows. Hebrews presents the substance.

b) A Delightful Book
Hebrews was never meant to be a cold analytical study, but rather a warm, living exhortation to people under intense pressure. A plea to “run…looking unto Jesus” (12:1,2)

BACKGROUND

a) Who Was The Author?
Some think Paul, or perhaps Peter. But we don’t know.

b) When Was It Written?
It was written at time of approaching crisis for both Judaism and Christianity, likely A.D. 60-70. We know:

* The Temple was still standing, i.e. before AD 70
* The early days of evangelism were past (2:3,4)
* There had been time for a period of spiritual growth to have taken place (5:12)

c) To Whom Was It Written?
(i) To Jews. The book has no reference to Gentiles. Numerous O.T. photographs of Moses, Joshua, Aaron, priests, sacrifices, etc. All familiar to Jews.

(ii) To Christian Jews. The Gospel had come with tremendous power. They had believed as God had worked amongst them with “signs and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost” (2:4)

(iii) To Persecuted Christian Jews. Conversion had been costly. Intense pressure had followed – “a great fight of afflictions” (10:32). Some had had to stand by as
their goods were spoiled and leaders imprisoned.

d) Why Was It Written?
The Hebrews had been brought up in the grandest religion on earth. It had come directly from God. Their spiritual heritage included such giants as Abraham, Moses, David, and Solomon.

Then Jesus had come claiming to be the Messiah, and the nation as a whole had firmly rejected Him. However, in the resurrection and Pentecost God had reversed that decision, and exalted Him to His own right hand. The nation could not have been more wrong.

In confirmation, the Holy Spirit had come doing miracles. Many had repented of the murder of God’s Son, confessed Him as Messiah, and were baptized. The early Jewish Christians explained that the O.T. had predicted that Messiah would suffer. As they preached, more were converted.

In those early heady days the believers gladly confessed Christ in spite of persecution. They had everything to live for. They believed huge changes promised in the O.T. were about to take place:

* Christ’s return was just around the corner
* He would deliver them from the Romans
* Israel would become the head of the nations
* The whole nation would be converted.

But….things were not working out as anticipated. Jesus had not come back. The nation was hardening in its attitude against Christ. Things were becoming very difficult and heading up to a crisis.

A Deepening Crisis
Two things began to erode their faith:

a) Persecution
It was becoming increasingly costly to be a Christian. In AD 63 the High Priest Ananias banned all Christians from the Temple. They were considered unclean and worse than Gentiles.

b) Tradition
Everything that they had ever believed in had come from God. Now they were being asked to exchange all the ritual and ceremony of their God-given tradition for faith in a person Who was no longer even present.

As never before it was clear that a choice must be made between Christianity and Judaism. It was to be EITHER Judaism, the Temple, and all its ceremony OR Jesus and His once-for-all sacrifice. There could be no middle path.

Growing Doubts
As opposition grew, so doubt crept in. The reality of the miracles began to fade into the background. What if it were not all true? Was Jesus REALLY the Christ, the Son of God?

The writer was acutely aware of their doubts and fears, and sets out to reassure them that Jesus was just Who He claimed to be, the Son of God. As long as they had confidence in this, their faith would be constant and virile. Hence he addresses the prime issue right at the beginning. Jesus is God!

The writer knows that becoming a Christian meant leaving all they had ever lived for and trusted in; Angels, Moses, Joshua, the Priesthood, the Tabernacle, etc. But he insists that Jesus is BETTER than anything or anyone they are asked to leave.

KEY WORDS AND IDEAS

a) “Better”.
Christ is better than …
* Angels (chapters 1-2)
* Moses (chapters 3)
* Joshua (chapters 4)
* Aaron (chapters 5-7)

In Christ we have…
* a Better Covenant (8:6)
* based on Better Promises (8:6)
* opening up a Better Sanctuary (9:11)
* and sealed by a Better Sacrifice (9:23)

Thus He calls us to faith that fixes in…
* a Better Substance in heaven (10:34)
* and looks for a Better Country (11:16)
* and a Better Resurrection (11:35)
* and inherits God’s Better Things (11:40)

b) “Once”
Note the recurrent emphasis on the once-for-all finality of Christ’s work. “So Christ was ONCE offered to bear the sin of many” (9:28) See also 6:4; 7:27; 9:12,26,28; 10:2,10; 12:26. The work of Christ was total, final, and complete.

c) “Let us…”
The Book of Hebrews is a call to positive action. It is more than doctrine, it is a warm practical exhortation to move forward in the Christian life.

Hence repeated exhortation “Let us….” e.g. “Let us fear” (4:1); “labour” (4:11); “hold fast” ( 4:14); “come boldly” (4:16); “go on” (6:1); “draw near” (10:22); “hold fast” 10:23; “consider” (10:24); “lay aside” (12:1); “run” (12:1); “go forth” (13:13).

BE WARNED!
Some of the strongest warnings in the Bible are found in Hebrews. e.g.
6:4-6: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened…and made partakers of the Holy Ghost…if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

10:26: “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”

10:29: “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy things, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

12:17: “For ye know how that afterward, when he (Esau) would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

What do these dark passages tell us? That we can “fall away” after we have been saved? They need to be interpreted in the context of the message of the whole book.

CHAPTER 1

Right at the beginning of the book the writer comes straight to the point. God has spoken through One Who is “better” than anyone and anything else they had known.

Chapter 1 was written to establish:
A) His Identity (1:1-3)
B) His Superiority (1:4-14)

1. HIS IDENTITY (1:1-3)
Where did the message of Christianity come from? A new philosopher with a new philosophy? Who brought it?

The writer insists, not just that the message came from God, but that the Messenger WAS God!

a) God Spoke In The Past (1:1)
“God…spake in times past.” Reminds us that the O.T. is God’s voice. The God of philosophy is a silent God, without life or affection.

How awful if our God were like that. Deity is not dumb. He loves to reveal Himself in Creation, History, the Scriptures, and in His Son. How often we read “And God said…”

How Did God Speak?

(i) In Different Portions. “at sundry times.” Word “times” better translated “portions”. i.e. the 39 books of the O.T.

(ii) In Different Ways. “divers manners.” Sometimes by visions, or parables, or directly in the heart. But it was always God who spoke. O.T. full of history, prophecy, law, poetry, etc, but always it is GOD speaking.

(iii) At Different Times. “In time past.” The O.T. was written over period of 1500 years by 40 writers. What was said and written prepared the way for the most complete revelation of all.

(iv) To Different People. “unto the fathers.” Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, etc. Natural and spiritual ancestors.

(v) By Different Prophets. “by the prophets.” These men often stamped their own personalities on what they wrote, but the message they transmitted was from God. “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21).

More than 40 writers over 1500 years! None gave a complete message, and often did not even understand what he was writing. Yet each was a FINGER POST pointing forward to something bigger and better. Note too how God’s revelation progressed through the O.T.:-

* To Adam was revealed a Saviour would come through the “seed of the woman”, i.e. the Human Race.
* To Abraham was revealed the Nation.
* To Jacob “ “ “ Tribe
* To David “ “ “ Family
* To Micah “ “ “ Town
* Daniel “ “ “ Time
* To Malachi “ “ “ Forerunner

All came together in Christ!

b) God Spoke In The Present (1:2)
“In time past” God spoke incompletely. Now “in these last days” He has spoke finally and completely.

Look now at His mouthpiece – “His SON.” In time past He spoke through mere men – “the prophets”. But now He speaks through One Who is God. The whole contrast between the Old of 1:1 and the New of 1:2 is summarized in one word – “SON”.

The Prophets were… The Son is…
Many One
Servants Lord
Temporary Abides for ever
Imperfect Perfect, even as Father is perfect
Impure Pure, & able to
Pointed forward Points to Himself – “I am the way…”
“Thus saith the Lord” “I say unto you…”

But Who is this “Son”? In time past God spake through men. Now He speaks through One who is in his essential nature GOD. The writer is not asking them to follow a prophet. He is asking them to listen to God’s word spoken by Deity itself.

To prove the point he gives a seven-fold presentation of His excellencies:

a) He Is Heir Of All Things
“Whom He hath appointed heir of all things.” History is not “bunk”! It looks forward to the time when all things will be headed up in Christ. Col 1:16: “All things were created by Him and for Him.” Ps 2:6: “Ask of me and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance.”

“All things” includes the human race, the natural creation, heaven. Even death and hell are His. Everything!

b) He is Creator Of All Things
“By whom also He made the worlds.” He Who stands as Omega at the end of all things, stood as Alpha at the beginning.

We can “make” things, but only God can “create”. No room here for a “Big Bang” theory! Everything came from Him. Note the word for “worlds” = “aiones.” It includes time, energy, matter, force, as well as the physical world. Everything!

c) He Is The Brightness Of His Glory
“Who being the brightness of His glory.” Just as the warmth and radiance of the sun is its brightness, its outshining, so Christ is the outshining of God. He is the same nature. We would never know the sun by looking at it. We can’t look at it without being blinded. But from its rays we get light and heat and all the benefits it gives. So Christ reveals God’s glory to us. Jn 14:9: “He that hath seen me hath seen the father.”

Moses absorbed, reflected, and re-radiated this glory when he came down from the mount (Ex 34). But Christ is different. He IS that glory!

d) He Is The Express Image Of His Person
“The express image of His person.”

The word “image” is Greek word “charakter”, used for an impression made by a wax seal. Christ is the exact reproduction of God. The illustration breaks down, as the image and reproduction are not the same thing. But Christ IS God.

The word “person” is literally “essence”. The thought is not so much a reproduction of the Godhead which is implied, as identity with it.

e) He Is The Sustainer Of All Things
“and upholding all things by the word of His power.” The word “upholding” means “maintaining” or “supporting”. It is in the present tense, implying continuous action.

(i) He sustains the physical world. He keeps all natural laws in place. Col 1:17: “By Him all things consists.”
This is why we have a Cosmos, not Chaos. This is the secret behind the uniformity of natural laws over time and space.

(ii) He sustains the life of the believer. Phil 1:6: “He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Christ.” Jude 24: “Unto Him that is able to keep you from falling…” “the word of His power.” The same word that creates also sustains.

f) He Provides Purification For Sins
“When He had by Himself purged our sins.” The past, present, and future see Him as Creator, sustainer, and Inheritor of all things. But a greater work is the purging of man’s sins.

Man’s age-old religious quest has always been for purification for sins. He had his own ideas how this could be done, and developed schemes to reform, wash, and improve himself. But the work of Christ is much more radical. It removes the sin altogether. It was personal (“by Himself”), total, and final – “for ever”!

The manner and power of this purification form the subject of the whole epistle.

g) He Sat Down On The Right Hand Of The Majesty On High
“Sat Down.” This as in contrast to everything that the O.T. priesthood stood for. There were no seats in the O.T. sanctuary, as the priests’ work was never finished.

Note:-
(i) Why He sat down. The work was completed.

(ii) Where He sat down. “The right hand…” That is the position of honour, authority, rest, intercession, and intimacy.

2. HIS SUPERIORITY (1:4-14)
The writer is now going to show the whole subject of the Son and His character was predicted in the O.T. In chapter 1 he presents His DEITY, and shows His superiority over heavenly beings – the angels. In chapter 2 he shows his superiority over men – Moses and the priests.

The Jews had a high view of angels (Acts 7:51-53; Gal 3:19). Christ, bearer of the New Covenant, is better than angels, mediators of the Old Covenant.

Note five ways in which Christ is better than angels:

a) His Name (1:4,5)
“A more excellent name.” What’s in a name? Names were means of saying something about people. He has a name “above every name”, including angels (Phil 2:9). This “excellent name” is “Son”.

To emphasize this, he quotes two O.T. passages:
Psalm 2:7 and 2 Sam 7:14. For all their exalted position, angels were merely messengers. In contrast Christ is God’s Son

b) His Worship (1:6)
“Let all the angels of God worship Him.” Jews would be aghast at any suggestion of worshipping anyone apart from God, even and angel. The writer here quotes Psalm 97:7 to show from their own Scriptures that Christ is Someone more than angels. He is God Himself!

Note two things about this worship:

(i) The Person: “The firstbegotten.” This is the Greek word “protokos” meaning “the Chief One.” It has to do with his position, not the fact that he was born before others. Compare Col 1:15.

(ii) The Time: “and again, when He bringeth…” Note the order of the Greek text: “When He again bringeth…” Refers to His coming again in glory, when full angelic worship will be presented. Note that the theme of Psalm 97 is “The Lord reigneth” (Ps 97:1).

c) His Nature (1:7-9)
Here we have the basic difference between angels and the Son.

(i) The Nature Of Angels (1:7). “Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire” (Psalm 104:4). This O.T. quotation tells us that angels are:

 created. “who maketh…” Literally “createth.” The “Who” is Christ.
 belong to Christ. “Who maketh HIS angels…HIS ministers.”
 spirits. Literally, they are “winds”. Invisible, powerful, rapid.
 agents of judgement. “flame of fire.”

(ii) The Nature of The Son(1:8,9)
– DEITY. “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” (Psalm 45:6,7) Here is emphatic proof of the Son’s Deity!

– ROYALTY. “Thy throne…sceptre… kingdom.” Note that the this Throne is:-
* God’s – “Thy throne, O God…”
* Eternal – “For ever and ever”
* Righteous – “A sceptre of righteousness”
* Pure. “Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity.” He does not only do righteous things, but loves righteousness itself.

d) His Eternity (1:10-12)
The writer quotes Psalm 102:25-27 to show the Son is both the Beginning and Ending of eternity.

(i) Beginning. “And Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth.” To create “in the beginning”, Christ must have been there before the beginning!

(ii) Ending. “They shall perish, but thou remainest…thou are the same and thy years shall not fail.”

Note also:-
* The Temporal Nature Of Earth. “They shall perish …they shall all wax old…as a vesture shalt thou fold them up.” Like an old garment the world is decaying, and one day will be rolled up and discarded.
b) The Eternal Nature Of The Son. “Thy years shall not fail.” i.e. shall not be ended. Disease, death and decay have no claim over Him.

e) His Destiny (1:13-14)
(i) Servants (Angels). “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” Angels fight and serve, but never sit . Their work is never done. How much we owe to these faithful servants of God who constantly minister to us!

(ii) Sovereign (Son). “Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” In contrast, Psalm 110:1 is quoted to remind the Hebrews that the Son’s destiny is to be Sovereign over everything and everyone. True, the Son became a Servant for a few years (Phil 2:7). But even then He never ceased to be Sovereign.

CHAPTER 2

Just as chapter 1 dealt emphatically with the deity of the Lord Jesus, so chapter 2 deals with His humanity.

* Chapter 1 presents Him as God, higher than angels, revealing God to man.
* Chapter 2 presents Him as Man. lower than angels, representing man to God.

Background
The early Christians had read their O.T. and understood that Messiah should suffer. They had also read about his future kingdom and believed He would soon return in glory. The nation would be converted! Everything would be all right.

But He had not returned. The nation was not getting converted. Persecution was intensifying. Doubt was beginning to erode their faith, and they were beginning to wonder if, after all, Jesus really was God’s Son, the Messiah.

The writer buttresses their faith by reminding them of:
a) Who He is (chapter 1). He is God Himself, in spite of suffering

b) What He has done. Messiah would only reach His full glory and destiny by means of suffering. Messiah’s sufferings were not an unfortunate mistake. They were a deliberately mapped-out path by which He would restore God’s purpose for fallen humanity.

The chapter has 3 main themes:
a) Danger (2:1-4)
b) Destiny (2:5-9)
c) Deliverance (2:10-18)

1. DANGER (2:1-4)
Having revealed the glories of Christ over angels in chapter 1, the writer pauses to issue a warning. Revelation always demands a response. Failure to respond has eternal consequences.

a) A Great Salvation
(i) The Old Message brought Condemnation. This was all it could do. There was nothing wrong with it. Indeed, it was “stedfast and…just” (2:2), all that good laws should be. But it could only cover sin

(ii) The New Message brought Salvation. It was a “so great salvation.” It had power to liberate a man from the power and penalty of his sin, and do away with it for ever. It is “so great” because of:-
a) The Person Who brought it. “the Lord…” (2:3). Importance of a message related to person bringing it.
b) The Proofs which established it. “God also bearing them witness…” (2:4). The proofs of the Gospel not seen in statistical analysis, but in the “signs and wonders and miracles” seen in the lives of believers.
c) The Price which was paid for it. “the suffering of death” (2:9)
d) The Privileges it brought. “sons… brethren…a High Priest” (2:11,18)

b) A Great Danger
“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (2:1). Note The Nautical Significance

(i) “give the more earnest heed” (2:1). Word means “to moor a ship.”

(ii) “let them slip” (2:1). This term can be used of a ship carelessly allowed to drift past the harbour because of neglect. Men do not dive into hell; they drift into it. They just slip past the harbour of salvation and are lost on the rocks of eternity.

“O come, when the Saviour in mercy is calling,
And steer for the harbour light.
For how do you know that your soul may be drifting
Over the deadline tonight?”

c) A Great Impossibility
An orator at Speakers’ Corner, Hyde Park, accepted all questions. But failed when asked “How shall we escape….?”

Man in Johannesburg saw a paper in gutter “Reward – 5000 pounds!” Offered for anyone who could answer the question “How shall we escape…?”

2. DESTINY (2:5-9)
Here we see Man’s destiny revealed, restricted, and restored.

a) Man’s Destiny Revealed (2:5-8)
Great and all as angels were, God had an even greater destiny for His people. He takes his readers back to when Adam was created, and reminds them of God’s initial plan for him. David summed this up in Psalm 8 when he spoke of man’s privilege, position, and power.

(i) Man’s Privilege. “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” (2:6) Gazing up into the stars of the Judean night sky, David was overwhelmed by the greatness of His God and the insignificance of man. What had man done that God should show His love to him.

“What is man…?”
– Physically, a mere 15 rands worth
– Mentally, knows very little
– Morally, spiralling downwards
– Spiritually, “dead in trespasses & sins”

(ii) Man’s Position. “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels” (2:7)
– A Lower Position. He was “made lower” in the sense that angels are spiritual, man is physical. Angels are heavenly, angels are earthly.
– A Limited Period. “a little lower.” Literally, “ for a little while.” From the beginning, God had big designs for man’s ultimate destiny. The being “lower” was only temporary.

(iii) Man’s Power. “thou hast put all things under his feet.” Not only was man “crowned with glory and honour”, but he was given absolute power over creation. He really was King!

b) Man’s Destiny Restricted (2:8,9)
“But now we see not yet all things put under Him.” What tragedy! Man lost his crown, with the result…

(i) Earth Rules Man. Man became a slave to sin. First chapters of Genesis are full of murder, hate, polygamy, etc. Instead of ruling earth, earth rules him. He has had to battle against disease, earthquakes, typhoons.

(ii) Satan Rules Earth. Who is King of the Earth? Satan. He is “the Prince of this world” (John 14:30).

c) Man’s Destiny Restored (2:9)
“But we see Jesus.” This is the heart of the chapter! God’s original plan for man has been restored by Christ. This recovery path involved:-

(i) Incarnation: “who was made a little lower than the angels.” As the perfect Man He was born, grew up, and walked as God had intended man should walk. He demonstrated His authority over demons, disease, and even death.

(ii) Crucifixion: “for the suffering of death.” The Cross was no accident. It was God’s deliberate strategy to recover in Christ what had been lost by Adam.

(iii) Resurrection & Ascension: “crowned with glory and honour.” For a short while “He humbled Himself”. Now God has given Him a Name which is above every name (Phil 2:9,10)

3. DELIVERANCE (v10-18)
Because of Christ’s tasting death for every man, He has become the “Captain of their salvation” (v10), and has won for us a position of tremendous privilege.

a) Family (v10-13)
The pressurized and doubting Hebrews were beginning to be ashamed of Christ. He thus reminds them of just who they are in Christ. In the eyes of the world they were unwanted and unloved. Yet to God they were “family”. They belong to Him. They were:-

(i) So Close that he calls them “sons” (2:10), “brethren” (2:11,12), and “children” (2:13).

(ii) So Holy that he can say “both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one” (2:11)

(iii) So Loved that Christ “is not ashamed to call them brethren” (2:11)

“Captain of their salvation” God could have dealt with the problem of man’s sin and failure by clicking His omnipotent fingers and destroying him. But He loved man, and so designed a plan which “became Him” (2:10), i.e. was in keeping with His character. But the only possible plan in keeping with His character demanded that “He by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (2:10).

So He sent Him on a path which no one else has trod. He became the “Captain of their salvation”. This is the word for “pioneer”, the one who opens up the way. So Christ became the first person ever to open up a path of perfect obedience, absolute holiness, and total submission. This path led Him into death and back to God.

But He does not go back alone. He rejoices “in bringing many sons unto glory,” because His death opened the way back to relationship with God. Now He can look round about Him, and says “My brothers!” He is not ashamed of them. And they should surely not be ashamed of Him.

b) Victory (2:14,15)
Because of His death, two things took place:-

(i) Destruction of Satan. “Through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (2:14). The word “destroy” means “loss of well-being.” Satan has not been annihilated, but his power has been broken over:
– Spiritual Death. Can no longer hold a person who trusts in Christ and has everlasting life.
– Physical Death. “Because I live, ye shall live also.”

(ii) Deliverance of the Saints. “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (2:15). Man spends his days in the shadow of his grave. It was not just that he had to die, but the prospect of it spoiled their time of living and took away its enjoyment. Because Christ became man, faced death, and annulled him that had the power of death, death has no sting for the believer. It simply releases us into God’s presence.

c) Sympathy (2:16-18)
“That He might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (2:17)

Because He was “made like unto His brethren” (2:17), He is now qualified to be a sympathetic High Priest. As such he is:-

(i) Merciful – because of His experience as man, He understands our feelings and failings. Such feelings of mercy and compassion were absent from the O.T. priesthood. God blamed the priests for their lack of mercy and compassion. In the N.T. the priests are portrayed as unfeeling and cruel.

(ii) Faithful – with God and with us in the matter of our sins.

(iii) Able – He is able:
– To Save. “To make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (2:17). “Reconciliation” is literally “propitiation”, taking the readers back to Leviticus 16 and the Day of Atonement. It is the thought of the “mercy seat.”
– To Succour. “For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted” (2:18). He knows the voice of Satan, and the pressure of every temptation. The word “tempted” has a double meaning. It means persuasion to do evil, and also pressures which put to the test. Christ was “tempted” in both ways. He thus understands, not merely because of His omniscience as God, but because of His experience as Man.

CHAPTER 3

A Dangerous Parallel
Chapters 3 and 4 together contain the longest of the “warnings” in Hebrews. The writer draws lessons from the example of the Children of Israel in the wilderness, resulting in their failure to enter the Promised Land. He then applies an exhortation directly treaders, seeing a dangerous similarity in the two situations.
For ourselves, this is no mere history lesson. We ignore at our peril this vigorous statement of vital principles. The chapter is both an example and an exhortation.

a) The Example
Moses had led the Children of Israel out of Egypt. They were baptized unto him in the cloud and in the sea, and, as the Captain of their Salvation, he led them right up to the borders of the Promised Land. They almost “made it.” But something drastic went wrong. They didn’t go in. Instead of entering and enjoying all that God had planned for them, they turned back and perished in the wilderness.

What happened? The writer sums the cause of the disaster up in one word “Unbelief.” Not so much an intellectual inability to understand; rather a deliberate decision to ignore the evidence, and turn back to Egypt. In turning their faces towards Egypt, they turned their backs on God and His invitation to blessing. It was not the Difficulty of Unbelief which kept them out. Rather it was a Decision to Disobey.

b) The Exhortation
The Hebrew readers could see themselves clearly mirrored in this Old Testament example. The Captain of their Salvation was not Moses, great and all as he was. He was Someone infinitely superior, as verses 1-6 prove.

Just as Moses came to lead His people out of Egypt and bring them into the Promised Land, so Christ came to deliver His people from this present evil world, and bring them into His rest.

The writer warns of the danger of following the example of Moses’ day, of claiming to be redeemed and professing to follow Christ, yet turning back at last, thus failing to “enter in” because of unbelief. Those who do not believe are unbelievers, and unbelievers do not enter into all that God has planned for His people. This is the thrust of the warning. Such behaviour makes it clear that they had never believed in the first place.

So the call to the Hebrews is “Watch out!” Turning back at this stage may be evidence that you never have really believed.

On the other hand, the writer is aware of the pressures which make them waver. He understands the intensifying persecution, the relentless religious opposition. This is why this long warning of chapters 3 & 4 is bracketed by beautiful references to Christ as our High Priest. He knows and feels the pressure of every circumstance, the heat of every flame. Because of this, the section opens with an appeal to “Consider Jesus” (3:1), and closes in 4:16 with a warm invitation to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Chapter 3 has two main sections:
1. The Superiority of Christ (3:1-6)
2. The Solemnity of Unbelief (3:7-19)

1. THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST (3:1-6)
The Lord Jesus has already been presented as superior to the Prophets (1:1-3), and Angels (chaps 2 & 3). He is now presented as superior to Moses. Who was Moses? We need to understand just who Moses was. He was the most highly regarded figure in Jewish history. It was Moses who led them out of the Egypt and through the wilderness. It was Moses who gave them the law. God spoke to him face to face (Ex 33:11). He saw God’s glory (Ex 33:18-23) and reflected it (Ex 34:30)

But great and all as Moses was, the Holy Spirit does not say “Consider Moses”, but “Consider Jesus” (3:1). This is because Jesus is greater than Moses.

a) A Consideration (3:1)
“Consider the High Priest and Apostle of our profession, Christ Jesus.” Note:-

(i) How He Refers To His Readers
* “Holy brethren,” i.e. set apart for God. They are a family set apart for Him.
* “partakers of the heavenly calling,” i.e. called by God. The Children of Israel had an earthly calling and destiny. The Church has a heavenly calling and destiny. We have a heavenly citizenship (Phil 3:20) and home (Eph 1:3). We are only strangers and pilgrims here (1 Pe 2:11). We are in the world, but not of it (John 17:11,16).

(ii) How He Refers To Christ
* “the Apostle”. One who is sent on a commission with credentials. An ambassador who represents all the authority of the one sending. So Jesus represents all the power, justice, grace, and love of God.
* “and High Priest”. A Priest functions in the opposite direction from an apostle. The apostle, like a prophet, comes from God to man with a message. A priest goes in to God for man.
In the Lord Jesus we have an “Apostle” who came from God. And we have a “High Priest” Who has gone back into God’s presence – the Man “Jesus.”

b) A Comparison (3:2-6)
(i) More Faithful Than Moses (3:2,5). “Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house” (3:2). This takes us back to Numbers 12, where Moses was commended for his faithfulness. In spite of all their insults and grumbling, he remained faithful to the task to which God had appointed him. But Moses broke down at last. He lost patience with his people, and it cost him his entry into the Promised Land. In spite of his faithfulness, he had to be set aside.

Now consider Jesus. God has appointed Him as the Captain of our Salvation to see us through the desert. He shall never fail or lose patience. Instead He shall fulfill His God-appointed task to the end. He shall save to the uttermost all who come to God by Him.

(ii) More Glory Than Moses (3:3). “For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses” (3:3). Moses had seen God’s glory, and reflected it to those around. He knew more about God’s glory than any person in the Old Testament. But just as his faithfulness was deficient, so also was his glory. It faded through time, and at best it was only a reflection of God’s glory. Moses had no inherent glory of his own.

(iii) More Honour Than Moses (3:5,6). “Moses was faithful…as a servant; but Christ as a Son.”
* “a Servant”. Moses had high dignity as a Servant. The word “thereupon” refers to a dignified position. Used of a physician’s care of the sick (“therapy”). It indicates the high dignity of Moses and the close relationship between Himself and God. But for all that, he was merely a servant.
* “a Son”. Christ’s dignity and relationship to God was infinitely higher than that of Moses. Unlike Moses, Christ was not merely a Servant in another man’s “house”. He was a “Son over his own house, whose house are we.” What is Christ’s house? 1 Tim 3:15: “…the house of God, which is the church of the living God.”

c) A Challenge (3:6)
“If we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” The “hold fast” is not a condition for their being part of the house. It is an evidence of their being so. This introduces us to the next section of the chapter.

2. THE SOLEMNITY OF UNBELIEF (3:7-19)
“IF we hold fast…” – What does it mean? “…IF we hold fast the confidence…” (3:6). “…IF we hold the beginning of our confidence…” (3:14). See also chap 4:1 and 4:11. And what about chapter 6 where we read about those who “IF they shall fall away”, and chapter 10 where we are warned “IF we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” (10:26)?

What do these verses teach? Does a person cease to be a Christian if he fails to “hold fast”? To illustrate, the writer firstly appeals to their own history, and then drives home the point by applying it to his readers.

a) An Appeal to History (3:7-11)
The writer quotes Psalm 95, which is a commentary on Israel’s wilderness experience. Israel had come out of Egypt, redeemed from slavery, baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They were headed for the Promised Land, but they never got there! Instead things went very sour. They so provoked the Lord that He swore in His anger they would never enter His rest (3:11,18). What went wrong?

(i) At Rephidim (Ex 17:1-7). No sooner were they out of Egypt than they challenged God, asking “Is God among us or not?” Instead of trusting God, they tempted Him, demanding He demonstrate His presence amongst them.

(ii) At Kadesh (Num 14:22,23). God had desperately wanted to bring them into the Promised Land. They had all the evidence needed to trust Him. Yet they turned away from Him, and for 40 years wandered round the wilderness until they died.

b) An Application to the Hebrews (3:12-14)
The writer sees a dangerous parallel, and is concerned that what happened before may happen again. The Hebrew believers, too, had started well. They also professed to be redeemed. They had been baptized, and made as though they were going to their “rest”, i.e. what God had in store for them.

But they were in danger of not getting there! See 3:12: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God.”

The Basic Issue. “Unbelief.” It was not worldliness, or immorality, which was likely to keep them out. It was sheer unbelief. A person who does not believe is an unbeliever, and unbelievers do not go to heaven! This leads the writer to v 13 where he is concerned “lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

What Sin? The Lord Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit came He would “convict the world…of sin because they believe not on me” (John 16:9). Their sin was that, in spite of all the evidence, they did not believe on Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus warned that when the Holy Spirit came, He would convict the world of this sin, and show just how wrong it was.

And so it happened. Chapter 2 reminds us that the Holy Spirit came. Many were convicted of the sin of unbelief which led to the crucifixion of Christ. The evidence was now irrefutable. To disbelieve now in spite of the full evidence of Pentecost was simply “an evil heart of unbelief” (3:12).

To disbelieve in such circumstance would line them up with the Children of Israel who turned back at the borders of the Promised Land and were lost in the wilderness. But Isn’t That Too Hard? After all, they did have problems! And those giants! Is it fair to blame them for being overwhelmed by unbelief in the face of such enormous odds? And as for the Hebrew readers of this letter, things were pretty tough! After all, not everyone has strong faith. Many may have had genuine difficulty in believing.

Disbelief or Disobedience? Actually, the real problem was not disbelief. It was disobedience. See 3:18: “they should not enter in…that disobeyed.” It implies that one can listen to the claims of Jesus, feel the power of the Holy Spirit, yet fail to be convinced, and turn one’s back on the evidence.

This is still part of the Gospel message. The Lord Jesus said in John 3:36: “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal live. He that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on Him.” It is thus clear:-

* To be Saved – one has only to believe
* To be Lost – one has only to disobey

The Dangers of Disobedience. Three dangers are associated with this warning to the Hebrews:-

(i) Delay. “Today if you will hear…” Repeated 3 times (3:7,13,15). Emphasizes the urgency of trusting Christ NOW!

(ii) Departure. “… in departing from the living God” (3:12). Indicates a free will decision to turn one’s back on God and the evidence. “Today if you WILL hear His voice…” (3:7). It is a matter of the will.

(iii) Deceitfulness. “lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (3:13). We become “hardened” without realizing it. The word for “deceitfulness” is “strategy”. This phrase lets us see how Satan works, and how easily we are gradually hardened.

CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4 continues the warning which began in chapter 3:7. The writer exhorts his readers to make sure they have believed “the Gospel” (4:2) and have entered into “the rest” which God has prepared for them.

He concludes the warning with a reminder that God not only knows everything, but understands everything as well. Even their “infirmities.” The chapter closes with a warm invitation to understand the ministry of their Great High Priest, and come boldly to him in time of need.

The key thoughts of the chapter are:
1. Exhortation to Rest (4:1-11)
2. Examination by the Word (4:12-13)
3. Invitation to the Throne (4:14-16)

1. EXHORTATION TO REST (4:1-11)

a) Two Records
(i) The Children of Israel. The O.T. records how they had been redeemed out of Egypt, baptized unto Moses in the sea and in the cloud, and had come all the way to the borders of the Promised Land. Yet they turned back at the last, and perished in the wilderness.

(ii) The Hebrew Readers. They, too, had professed to be redeemed, had doubtless been baptized, and had apparently made progress on the way to God’s “Promised Land.”

b) Two Results
(i) Those Who Entered In. Almost none!

(ii) Those Who Failed To Enter. Hardly any of the Children of Israel who came out of Egypt entered Canaan, their “rest”. Almost a whole generation perished in the wilderness.
The chapter revolves round the writer’s concern lest his readers, too, fail to achieve their “rest.”

c) Two Reasons.
The crucial issue was their response to the Gospel. 4:2: “for unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them.”There were:

(i) Those Who Believed It

(ii) Those Who Did Not Believe It. “The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (4:2). They failed to enter Canaan because they failed to believe the Gospel.

What Is The Gospel?
Moses was sent to tell the people he was to deliver them from Egypt, and take them to the Promised Land. His main concern was not to deliver them from Egypt, but to bring them to Canaan. The people said they believed this “gospel”, and started well. But when they got in sight of the Promised Land they turned round and said “We are not going in!”

But that was the Gospel. It was not just about coming out of Egypt, it was far more about going in to Canaan. Their refusal to believe at this point indicated that they had never really believed “the gospel’ at all.

For us the lesson is clear. The Gospel is not just that Christ died to deliver us from this present evil world. That is but part of it. The full Gospel tells us that He is determined to take us into His rest, and have us enjoy all He has promised for us. But like the Children of Israel, we show by our behaviour in the wilderness whether or not we have really believed.

d) Two Rests
(i) Israel’s Rest – Canaan. Sadly, because of unbelief and disobedience, they failed to enter in and enjoy it. Eventually they did enter in under Joshua, but it was only a faint shadow of what God calls “My rest” (4:5)

(ii) God’s Rest.
* What Is It? It is what God has promised to those who believe His Gospel and obey it. To illustrate, the writer reminds them of how and why God rested after creation. “And God did rest the seventh day from all His works” (4:4). Why did God rest? Was He tired? He rested because the work was complete. It was the rest of completion, and satisfaction.
* How Do We Enter It? v10: “He that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.” This is the basis of God’s salvation. It is a matter of faith and obedience. It is for those who “have believed” (4:3) It depends on a past experience, a time of deliberately ceasing from our works, and entering into rest.
* When Can We Have It?
– Peter says it is reserved in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4).
– Paul says we already have it here and now. We are already seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph 2:6). See 4:3: “For we which have believed do enter into rest.” “All the way to heaven is heaven!”

2. EXAMINATION BY THE WORD (4:12-13)
Note the connection – “FOR the Word of God…” The writer is cementing together his argument. He has been speaking about 2 classes of people. Outwardly they are all the same, yet there were fundamental differences. Some has already entered into God’s rest through obedience to the Gospel. Others professed to believe, but deep down in their hearts they knew they had never really believed.

How can we tell the difference? We do not have X-ray eyes! But the sharp penetrating Word sees and exposes all.

a) The Power Of The Word
4:12: “For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.” Note that it is:

(i) Living. The Word intrinsically possesses life. It is the living word which “liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23). As the Written Word, it is inseparable from His Person – the Incarnate Word.

(ii) Powerful. The Greek word is “energes”, or “energy.” It is powerful and effective in every aspect of life.
– conviction
– salvation (1 Peter 1:23: “Being born again, not of…”)
– growth (1 Peter 2:2: “as newborn babes desire the sincere mild of the word…”
– daily food, as Manna
– guidance (“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet…)

(iii) Sharp. “sharper than any two-edged sword.” The word for “sword” is “dagger”. A sharp knife which can be accurately inserted. For preachers this sword has a sharp double edge. It cuts towards our listeners, but cuts back towards the speaker!

b) The Penetration Of The Word

(i) It Pierces. It enters the most basic and fundamental recesses of a person’s life. It divides between:-
* “the soul and spirit.” i.e. right dow to level of what a person basically is. The “soul” is the emotional part of a person, the “spirit” is the God-conscious part.
* “the joints and marrow.” The picture is that of slaughtered beast. The bones and joints are seen, but not the hidden marrow inside. Yet marrow is where life is developed. The Word penetrates to differentiate between the outward form and the hidden essence.

(ii) It Discerns. “a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
* “discerner” = “kritikos”, the origin of “critic.” Today there are many critics of the Word of God. But the Word itself is a critic, and exposes the very people who criticize it.
* “the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Bible does not deal primarily with acts. It touches the nitty-gritty of what is in our hearts, and lays bare the soul. How often the Lord Jesus “perceived their thoughts” (Luke 5:22). Psalm 139:23: “Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts.”

(iii) It Exposes. “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” The word “opened.” comes from the Greek trachelizo. It is used in two contexts:
– A wrestler who seizes his opponent by the throat, so he cannot move. So the Word of God grasps us, and forces us to come face to face with Him.
– A criminal on trial. A dagger would be strapped under his throat, forcing him to look up and face the court. So God’s Word forces us to face God and our own sinfulness.

3. INVITATION TO THE THRONE (4:14-16)
The writer has just been warning his readers of the danger of falling short of God’s plans for them. He reminded them of the penetrating power of God’s Word. Was the standard too high? Did these warnings put doubt and fear into their minds?

He closes this section with a magnificent reassurance. We need not fear. We have a Great High Priest Who fully understands our doubts and fears. In spite of our failure, we are invited to come boldly. We deserve judgement, but He offers mercy for all past mistakes, and grace to bring us through every difficulty.

So Christ is here presented in His perfections as our Great High Priest. He has a…

a) Perfect Priesthood (4:14)
4:14: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” See here:

(i) The Identity Of The Priest. “Jesus the Son of God.” Here is the same combination of humanity (“Jesus”), and deity (“the Son of God”) seen so often in the Book.

(ii) The Superiority Of The Priest. “Seeing that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens.”
* His Status. “A Great High Priest.” He has already been shown to be greater than the prophets, angels, Moses, & Joshua. He is about to be shown to be also greater than Aaron and His priesthood.
* His Station. “passed into the heavens.” This answers to “Sit thou on my right hand…” and “crowned with glory and honour.”

b) Perfect Person (4:15)
4:14: “For we have not such an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

(i) Sinless Humanity. As man, He was tempted in “all points.” His whole life was one long temptation. We have our breaking points, and will never be subjected beyond what we are able to bear. Not so the Lord Jesus. “Infirmities” does not relate to sin, since He never sinned. The word refers to weakness or feebleness, all the natural limitations of humanity.

(ii) Sympathetic Deity. The God of the universe is not only big enough to create, but also to care! “Touched” is the Greek word sunpatheo, from which comes the English “sympathy”. Literally means “to suffer with…” He enters into the experience and feels the heartache. It is much more than a knowledge of human infirmity. It implies the very feeling of it, and sharing in it.

“Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth and song;
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long.

Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed
To resist some temptation strong;
When for my deep grief I find no relief,
Tho’ my tears flow all the night long?

Does Jesus care when I’ve said “Good-bye”
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks –
Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

O yes, He cares; I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know my Saviour cares.

c) Perfect Provision (4:16)
v16: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Here we have:

(i) Confidence. “Let us therefore come boldly.” Aaron had only minimal entry into God’s presence. We come boldly!

(ii) Control. “the throne of grace.” A throne speaks of authority, and control of every circumstance. His throne is one of grace, not judgement.

(iii) Consolation. “that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” He offers:-
* “mercy” for all past failures
* “grace” for every future need

CHAPTER 5

We have seen that Hebrews was written to converted Jews under intense pressure. Persecution had eroded their faith, and some were tempted to follow the example of the Children of Israel who arrived at the very borders of the Promised Land, and then decided to turn back to Egypt.

The writer’s answer to such faltering faith is found in the delightful presentation of Christ which is the basis of the book. He insists that He is superior than all the rituals and heroes of history. He is better than angels (chaps 1 & 2), better than Moses (chap 3), and better than Joshua (chap 4).

BETTER THAN AARON
Now in this chapter he shows that as our Great High Priest He is also superior to Aaron. The writer knows that we not only need a Saviour as a Sacrifice for our sins, but we also need a sympathetic High Priest who is able to save to the uttermost.

At the beginning of our path we realized that His sacrifice had dealt with our sins. But the things which supports us day be day in the wilderness is, not merely that our guilt has been removed, but that we have a High Priest who ministers for us and succours us in every situation.

Unfortunately, the writer cannot get too far before he finds he has to stop and explain certain things. He is really setting out to speak about their High Priest, but has to digress from 5:11-6:22 because of their immaturity. Their spiritual digestion is unable to cope with the solid food with which he wishes to feed them and which should have strengthened them.

The chapter thus divides into two sections
a) The Importance of the Priesthood
b) The Immaturity of the Believers

1. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PRIESTHOOD

Christ’s priesthood is better than Aaron’s both in its “order” (“after the order of Melchizedek” – His Person), and in its ability to deal with sin – His work.

In Christ, God stepped out of Eternity into Time to learn and experience at first hand what it was like to be human. There is not a single path of human experience which He has not trodden. Because of this He can totally identify with His people, and is thoroughly qualified to be our High Priest. He had all Aaron’s qualifications, without his limiting weaknesses.

a) His Identity
The readers were familiar with the idea of Aaron as the High Priest. But the idea of “Jesus the Son of God” (5:14) as High Priest was quite new. They were familiar with the idea of Messiah as King, and Prophet. But not High Priest! He was not even of Aaron’s family, and when here on earth did not even have access to the Temple to function as a priest.
In the Old Testament, only those from “the order of Aaron”, i.e. from the tribe of Levi and Aaron’s family, could be appointed as High Priest. In contrast, Christ was not of Aaron’s order or tribe. Where was the authority for such an irregular appointment? Christ’ appointment came directly from God Who said “Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek” (5:6).

As High Priest Christ compares with Aaron in that:
* He was taken from among men
* He had a sacrifice to offer
* He was specifically appointed for the task
* He could identify with the feelings and weaknesses of the people
* He could patiently bear with His people

But the contrasts with Aaron are just as marked:
* Although “taken from among men”, He was God (5:5)
* He did not have to offer sins for Himself
* His priesthood was of a different and vastly superior order; “after the order of Melchizedek” (5:6). The most important feature of this order is that it is unchanging.

b) His Duty
“To offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins” (5:1). The O.T. priest had two duties. He had to offer:

(i) “Sacrifices for sins”. These repeated animal sacrifices dealt with the sins of the people. In contrast, Christ’s single once-for-all sacrifice of Himself dealt for ever with the question of sin.

(ii) “gifts”. These were sacrifices presented to God in gratitude for what He had done. So Christ presented Himself as a sacrifice to God. We should not forget that His death not only dealt with the problem of our sins, but was a presentation of Himself as a “gift” to God.

c) His Sympathy
Apart from being appointed, He must have the necessary experience of humanity. To prove that He does have this experience, the writer takes his readers back to “the days of His flesh”, and reminds them of Gethsemane where the experience of His humanity was so real it brought Him to “strong crying and tears” (5:7).

(i) The Agony. “strong crying and tears”. Here are some of the most amazing tears in the Bible. On two other occasions we read that He wept:
* At Lazarus’ grave (John 11)
* Over Jerusalem (Luke 19)_
But here in Gethsemane the tears are associated with an agony that made Him pray more earnestly, “and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). “The strong cryings” of submission to His Father are summed up in His prayer “O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).

Deep were Thy sorrows, Lord, when heaven frowned Gethsemane!
Blood-like Thy sweat, Lord, falling to the ground
So heavily;
Dark was the night, but heaven was darker still,
O Christ my God! – is this the Father’s will?”
– Edward C. Quine

(ii) The Anticipation. His prayer was offered “unto Him that was able to save Him from death” (5:7). In the depths of His sorrow in the Garden He anticipated the resurrection. He knew He would be saved “out of death”. He did not ask to be saved from death, for He knew it was God’s will for Him to go through death.

(iii) The Answer. “and was heard in that He feared”. His godly submission ensured that God saved Him from a seemingly impossible situation. He proved that God always honours faith and submission to Him.

(iv) The Application. “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered” (5:8). The omniscient God knew what obedience was, but He never experienced it till He became incarnate in human flesh. He would later minister to others who were called to a life of obedience. But first He must know Himself what it cost to obey. Many of the readers had lost everything, jobs, family, possessions. Obedience to Christ had brought them to tears. But it brought Him to tears first!

It is nothing to ashamed of if the path be so hard that at times all we can do is weep before God. That is what Christ did.

d) His Authority.
“And being made perfect, He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him” (5:9). Note:

(i) The Condition: “them that obey Him”. The demands of Christianity call for obedience, not mere intellectual belief.

(ii) The Duration: “Eternal salvation”. There is no insecurity or doubt in this. But it demands a total submission.

2. THE IMMATURITY OF THE BELIEVERS
Unfortunately, instead of proceeding with the subject of Christ as their High Priest, the writer finds that their spiritual immaturity does not allow them to appreciate the “meat” of Melchizedek’s priesthood and prevented them from appreciating the very things which would have helped them.

We too grow lax, and only drink “milk”, with the result that when in a situation of trial when we need meat, we are unable to take it. We need to store our hearts full of God’s Word, so that in “the evil day” we may remain strong, feeding on its solid food.

See the contrast between stunted believers and strong believers.

a) Stunted Believers.
(i) No Energy. “ye are dull of hearing”.
– The Greek word is a combination of “no” and “push” = “no push”, slow, sluggish.
– “ye are” is better “ye have become”. They were once keen and spiritually sharp, but due to neglect had become lethargic. Meetings become a big yawn. They did not want to hear anything to difficult to understand. Might get indigestion.

(ii) No Growth. “for when for the time ye ought to be teachers”.
– “for the time”. This gives the backdrop to these verses. They had enough time to grow. They should have been teachers. But not only were they not teaching the Word, they did not even understand it.
– “ought”. The word indicates an obligation. It was expected of them . The propagating of Christianity depends on the ability of teachers to teach. It is serious when this is neglected because the teachers are immature.

(iii) No Learning. “ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God.” This word “principles” means, “that which comes first”. It is used of the elementary letters of an alphabet. But these are the first principles, the very beginning, the basic ABC of the faith.

(iv) No Skills. “Every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness”. “Unskilful” means “untried”, “inexperienced.” Clumsiness due only to lack of practice. Instead of maturing they were slipping back into spiritual infancy. Note that they “have become such as have need of milk”. There had been better times previously. Now they had slipped. How many older Christians are still going around saying “Goo, goo, goo”!

b) Strong Believers
(i) Diet. “meat” or “solid food”. Food which babies cannot handle, indicates development.

(ii) Habit. “those who by reason of use”. The word indicates habit of body and mind. As we habitually digest God’s Word, so we show development. Our spiritual senses become sharp and healthy.

CHAPTER 6

We now come to one of the most exciting passages in the New Testament. But it is also one of the most difficult, and for many it casts a large question mark over the subject of Eternal Security. We cannot avoid these passages, and need to examine them head-on. What do they teach?

Two things will help us understand the chapter:

a) No Middle Path.
The Hebrews had left Judaism to embrace Christianity. However, because of pressure they were developing a dangerous tendency to drift back again. They wanted to walk down the middle of the road. But the writer insists there is no middle path. They must either go on or go back.

b) The Anchor of the Soul.
This same chapter, far from teaching “falling away”, teaches Eternal Security. We are presented with “an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil” (5:19). An anchor gripping the bedrock of heaven’s sanctuary! Could anything be more secure?

1. THE PRINCIPLES OF FAITH (6:1-3)
Chap 5:11-14 has told us that they were “dull,” and had not progressed past the fundamental “principles”, the A-B-C of Christian experience. The “foundation” of faith had been laid, the same foundation as had been laid in Acts. They were sound regarding such Gospel basics as:

a) “repentance from dead works”
b) “faith towards God”
c) “baptisms”
d) “laying on of hands”
e) “resurrection of the dead”
f) “eternal judgement”

The “foundation” was there, but building operations were at a standstill!

These verses contain both a challenge and a cure

a) A Challenge
“Let us go on…” (6:1) The writer is anxious that they stop paddling in the shallows of Christian experience. He knows that failure to “go on” means failure to be helped by those truths which should mean to much to them (like what he has to say about Melchizedek). Worse still, absence of growth may mean absence of life!

b) A Cure
“and this will we do if God permit” (6:3). The cure for spiritual dullness is to “permit” God to work in our lives through His Holy Spirit. Even the exhortation “let us go on” is passive, and has the idea of allowing a passive influence to work on us.

How much progress are we making?

Some of us stay at the Cross,
Some of us wait at the tomb –
Quickened and raised together with Christ
Yet lingering still in the gloom.

But the way of the Cross never stops at the Cross,
And the way of the tomb leads on
To the victorious grace in the heavenly place
Where the risen Lord has gone.”
– Annie Johnson Flint

2. THE PERILS OF APOSTASY (6:4-6)
These are some of the strongest verses in the Bible. To whom do they refer? To backslidden believers? Their situation seems to be hopeless. Even repentance seems an impossibility. Whoever they are, they cannot be believers. As believers we have been “renewed unto repentance” many times, thanks to the High Priestly work of Christ. Thus these verses cannot refer to genuine believers.

The Hebrews had professed to believe all the fundamental principles of v1 & 2, but their failure to “go on” cast doubts on the reality of their profession. Because of this failure, the writer is concerned about them. He sees the awful peril of coming into contact with the Gospel – yet not really accepting it.

Note what the text says. It describes a number of impossibilities for those referred to:

a) “those who were once enlightened” (6:4)
At Calvary the Jews put the Lord Jesus to death “in ignorance”. Then came Pentecost and the Holy Spirit, and their eyes were opened to see their mistake. But in the face of such enlightenment, many closed their eyes in unbelief.

“enlightened” means “to come to an intellectual perception of the truth”. Matt 4:16 “The people who sat in darkness saw a great light.” Jesus fulfilled this prophecy of Is 42:6,7. They were not all saved, but were “enlightened” by Christ and His miracles. It is possible to be enlightened but not saved. Indeed it is better to remain in the dark than to see the light and finally walk away from it.

b) “and have tasted of the heavenly gift”
Christ, God’s “unspeakable gift” (2 Cor 9:15), and salvation, “the gift of God” (Eph 2:8), are both referred to as gifts in the N.T. These people had “tasted” of God’s salvation through Christ. “Tasting” is merely sampling a small portion to decide whether or not to take it. It is one thing to TASTE a gift; quite another to TAKE it!

The Holy Spirit enables person to have a taste of the blessings of salvation. He will not force us take them, but will give us a taste. So today, many have seen the transforming power of Christ. They have “tasted” God’s gift, yet refuse to drink deeply of the living water. We need to beware lest we become like the Israelites at Kadesh who tasted the fruits of the Promised Land, yet turned back.

c) “and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost.” (6:4)
“partakers” means “to have association with”. They were around when the Holy Spirit was at work. “Partakers” does not mean “possessors”. This is quite different from being sealed, baptised, born, and indwelt by the Spirit.

d) “and have tasted the good word of God” (6:5)
As with the heavenly gift, they had “tasted” without actually responding to its demands. Like Herod Antipas who liked to sample John’s messages. “He heard him gladly”, but balked at obeying.

e) “and the power of the world to come” (6:5)
The phrase “the world (age) to come” would have been familiar to any Jew who had read of the Golden Age of Messiah prophesied in the O.T. Tears would be wiped away, the lame would leap, the dead would be raised, and God’s power exhibited in a wonderful way.

In those early days after Pentecost there were on earth powers of the age to come. The very same power which will be seen in the Millennium shook Jerusalem as the lame walked and the dead were raised.

f) “If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (6:6)
Some had for a while professed to believe, but had “fallen away” and slipped back to Judaism. The nation had once publicly crucified Him and denied that He was the Son of God. “We will not have this man to reign over us.”

Now the writer is concerned that these Hebrews, in full possession of all the facts and in the light of the Holy Spirit’s revelation, would align themselves with those who had crucified Him. In doing so they would deliberately take on themselves the responsibility for crucifying the Son of God afresh, and putting Him to an open shame.

How unspeakably tragic! To taste God’s gift, to feel the pressure of God’s Spirit at work in one’s life, to come to the very door of heaven – and yet turn back. Such would take their place with Judas who walked and talked with God incarnate, yet finally rejected Him.

Hence the warning
“Impossible…to renew them again unto repentance.” The only power that can bring a person to repentance is the Holy Spirit. Once this has been rejected no other power in the universe can reach him.

3. THE PROOF OF REALITY (6:7-12)
To illustrate, the writer takes an agricultural example. The same rain falls on two plots of land (6:7,8). As a result one plot produces “herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed”, while the other plot “beareth thorns and briers”. The Holy Spirit comes to some hearts and softens them as the Seed of the Word of God falls into them. The result is fruit. But the Holy Spirit comes to other hearts, and the more He pleads, the more they bring forth thorns and thistles.

Even though, because of his concern for them, the writer has been speaking as though they were not saved, he has seen evidence in their lives, “things that accompany salvation,” and has concluded they are saved. He thus turns to encouragement, and hastens to assure his readers that he knows the solemn warnings of the earlier verses do not apply to them.

“Things that accompany salvation” (6:9)
The writer says he cannot look into their hearts, but he can read their lives and sees evidence of salvation.

What “things” does God look for? He looks for a “work of love” (6:10) such as “ministering to the saints”. Genuine love for God is expressed in love to other believers. “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Feed my sheep.” Here were people whose lives were governed by a genuine love for “His name”, and this love was expressed in service one for the other.

We cannot all be heroes and thrill a hemisphere
With some great daring venture, some deeds that mock at fear;
But we can fill a lifetime with kindly acts and true;
There’s always noble service for noble hearts to do.

4. PROMISE AND PATIENCE (6:13-15)
In 6:12 the readers are encouraged to follow in the footsteps of “them who through faith and patience inherit the promises”. The writer illustrates by taking the example of Abraham. God in Genesis 13 had promised to make Abraham’s seed as the dust of the earth. Abraham professed to believe this, but God wanted to know the reality of his faith. Of course, in His omniscience God knew what was in Abraham’s heart, but he wanted to know at the level of experience as well. He wanted evidence to prove his faith was genuine.

This is why God tested Abraham in Gen 22. In asking for Isaac God was asking him to cut himself loose from all he could see and feel, and trust Him only, even though Abraham’s future was apparently wrapped up in Isaac. In giving his all, Abraham expressed his total trust in God, and God was able to conclude “Now I know that thou fearest God”. Abraham thus justified his profession by his works.

The Hebrews believers, too, were being called upon to patiently endure severe testing. Did they really trust God and His promises? It could mean the loss of everything. Yet God was looking for evidence that their faith was genuine. So also with ourselves. God asks for evidence that we really do trust and love Him. He looks for “things that accompany salvation.”

5. THE PERMANENT POSSESSION (6:16-20)
It is all very well to talk about patiently trusting God in such situations, but can we trust Him? Abraham did, and behind the example of Abraham lies the theme of the person and character of God. These verses give four unchanging guarantees on why we can trust God. We can trust Him because of:-

a) His Person (6:13-15)
“because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself.” No one is greater than God (6:13), and God’s guarantee that we can trust Him is rooted in the fact of His Person.

It was this that made Abraham to “patiently endure”. He knew God could be trusted, even though 46 long years were to elapse between God’s first promise of Gen 13:15,16 and His second promise of Gen 22:17, when He confirmed it with an oath.

Faith is never a blind leap in the dark. As we get to know God, we get to know He can be trusted. We believe and trust Him because of what we know of Him.

b) His Purpose (6:14)
Abraham was secure, not just because of God’s Person, but also because of His Purpose. God was not playing with Abraham. He had purposes for Him that were to run out into history. “Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.”
When life seems tough and God apples the pressure, we should remember He does it to say “Surely blessing I will bless thee.”

c) His Pledge (6:16-18)
It was common in N.T. times for a man to make an oath on something or someone greater than himself and “swear by the greater” (16). Hence men usually swore by the altar, the High Priest, or even God. Once such an oath was made the argument was over; the one who made it was shown to be fully determined to keep it.

But God does not need to make such an oath. His word is as good without an oath (as ours should be. Matt 5:34-37 “Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: nor by earth…but let your communication be, Yea, Yea; Nay, Nay”). But to accommodate man’s weak faith God swore His promise to Abraham by Himself, and “confirmed it by an oath”. These were the “two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie.” This extra pledge did not make His promise any more secure, but He gave it nonetheless to those who are slow to believe, even though His Word by itself is adequate.

Because of this we have a “strong consolation, who have fled for refuge” (18). This is a reference to the O.T. Cities of Refuge. We will never know if God can hold us until we run to refuge in Him.

d) His Priest (6:19,20)
When Jesus entered within the veil as our High Priest He did not (like Aaron) come out. Rather He sat down (1:3) and remains there for ever as the guardian of our souls. Thus not only are our souls anchored within the impregnable heavenly sanctuary, but He stands guard over them as well. This is Eternal Security!

This security provided us with an unshakable hope which serves “as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast”. An “anchor” is as ship’s security, and is as secure as the sea bed in which it is embedded. Our hope, “which hope we have as an anchor of the soul”, is as certain to our souls as the anchor is to a ship. Our anchor is embedded in heaven itself.

That Hope:
(i) Is based on a Solemn Confirmation: “An oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife” (6:16).
(ii) Brings a Strong Consolation: “we might have a strong consolation” (6:18)
(iii) Establishes a Sure Communication: “…within the veil”.

CHAPTER 7

In the earlier chapters the writer has been anxious that his readers understand the majesty and ministry of their Great High Priest. But sadly he has discovered that they were not mature enough not understand the very truths that would have been such a blessing to them.

Hence in chap 5 there is a note of rebuke that they have not progressed further, followed by the reassurance of chap 6. Now in chapters 7 to 10 he seeks to win the faith, love, and allegiance of his readers solely for Jesus as their High Priest.

He shows…
– His Priesthood is better than Aaron’s (chapter 7)
– His Covenant is better (chapter 8)
– His Sanctuary is better (chapter 9)
– His Sacrifice is better (chapter 10)

A Better Priesthood
In chapter 7 the writer introduces the Lord Jesus as a better priest that Aaron. This is radical thinking, and he knows only too well the high esteem in which the High Priest’s office was held by every Jew. His problem is to transfer this awe and reverence to the Lord Jesus.

To do this he must first prove that what he is teaching is Bible based. Hence he appeals to two O.T. Scriptures;

a) Genesis 14:17-24 where an important meeting between Abraham and Melchizedek took place.
b) Psalm 110:4 where a new order of priest is prophesied.

Modern Application
For us this is not cold doctrine. It highlights:

a) An Awareness…
… that the whole subject of Christ’s priesthood is vital to us. We know He died to save us. That is His PAST ministry. But we need to realise also He lives to bless us. This is His PRESENT ministry, every bit as important as His past ministry. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10).

b) A Warning.
Christianity has shown a recurrent tendency to forsake the great freedoms we have in Christ, and model itself on ancient Judaism. So we find beautiful, awe-inspiring buildings, many with “sanctuaries” and altars into which only specially dressed and qualified persons may enter. Ordinary people have no access. This was the O.T. situation. So, instead of reminding people about their security and freedom to enter God’s presence, they are taught to “stand afar off”, and feel that no one can know if he is saved.

1. THE MYSTERY OF MELCHIZEDEK (7:1-10)
See the overall Argument. In spite of its impressive ritual and beauty, Aaron’s priesthood was basically defective e.g.

a) It merely did “repair jobs” for sin, which required to be repeated over and over again.
b) The priests were sinners who had trouble sorting themselves out, let alone anyone else.
c) It dealt with the physical and external, but failed to come to grips with the spiritual and internal.

But the O.T. clearly shows God had in mind something bigger and better, a priesthood that would be more powerful and permanent. We read of this in Ps 110:4 “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” Melchizedek? Who is Melchizedek? To find out we must turn back to Genesis 14 and the narrative of Abraham’s interview with him.

These verses bring before us the superiority of Melchizedek and the inferiority of Abraham

a) The Superiority Of Melchizedek (7:1-3)
Abraham is brought before us as a pilgrim in a strange land, surrounded by enemies, subjected to temptation, yet living for God (unlike Lot in Sodom). To such an one Melchizedek, called a priest of the Most High God, appears and ministers. This interview refreshes him after his battle with the nine kings, and strengthens him for the temptation which, unknown to Abraham, lay ahead.

The writer insists that his readers understand Melchizedek’ superiority. He says “Consider how great this man was” (7:4). The greatness of Melchizedek reflects accurately the greatness of Christ. He is the perfect prototype. He was greater because:

(i) He Was Both King And Priest. “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God” (7:1). No Hebrew could hold these two offices. The only one who tried to do so was struck with leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:1-21).

– Kings were from the house of David, – Priests were from the house of Aaron,

Melchizedek was a King-Priest:
– As King he had power with men.
– As Priest he had power with God.

(ii) Melchizedek blessed Abraham. “He met Abraham…and blessed him” (7:1). The King of Sodom was coming with a Satanic proposal. He was representative of carnal luxury in a world that lies “in the evil one”. Melchizedek’s blessing did two things:
* It strengthened Abraham, enabling him to resist the temptation of the King of Sodom
* It indicated the superiority of Melchizedek, as “the less is blessed of the greater” (7:7).

(iii) Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek. “To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all” (7:2). At this time Abraham was at the zenith of his power. His name rang through the whole Middle East. Yet he recognized in Melchizedek a greater person and power, and at once acknowledged this by giving tithes to him.

(iv) He was King of Righteousness & King of Peace. “first being by interpretation King of righteousness, after that also King of Salem, which is, King of Peace” (7:2)
*“King of Righteousness”. This is the meaning of the name Melchizedek. As “King of righteousness” Christ is righteous:
– is His character (in contrast with past Jewish kings).
– in His dealings with others, especially in the matter of sin, when He suffered “the just for the unjust.”
* “King of Peace”. O.T. kings were men of war. In contrast Christ “made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col 1:20).

(v) He had no beginning nor ending. “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God” (7:3). Melchizedek is introduced suddenly and startlingly into the Genesis narrative, and is removed with equal mystery and significance.
* “Without father, without mother”. There is no record of his genealogy. This is most significant in a book which is full of pedigrees.
* “without descent.” There is no record of his death.

Symbolically he had “neither beginning of days, nor end of life”. He just walked onto the pages of Scripture from nowhere, and then walked off again. Why? Because he was to be a type of the Lord Jesus in His priesthood.

Melchizedek’s Ministry To Abraham
The ministry of Melchizedek the High Priest to Abraham in Genesis 14 teaches us much about our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ and His ministry to us today. The writer would have his readers stand where Abraham stood:

– They, too, were pilgrims, God just like Abraham
– They, too, were in conflict with spiritual enemies
– They, too, had available to them the ministry of a High Priest who was of the same order as Melchizedek.

a) It Widened His Vision
Abraham came to know God in a new way. He had known Him as Elohim, and Jehovah, but he now comes to know Him as El-Elyon, the Most High God. “Any blessing that is lasting is a blessing contained in some new discovery of God.” Is our vision broadening? Do interviews with our High Priest result in our knowing more of God than before.

b) It Increased His Vigour
– It refreshed him after his battle with the nine kings
– It strengthened him for temptation which lay ahead

c) It Adjusted His Values
Abraham had just been victorious and was returning home. The King of Sodom went out to meet him, but before he can say his piece, Abraham spends time with Melchizedek, basking in his blessing and enjoying the bread and wine provided by him.

Then comes the interview with the King of Sodom, and the invitation “give me the souls and take the goods to thyself” (14:21). Here was a direct temptation to choose the material over the spiritual.

But time spent with Melchizedek had adjusted his values. “I have lift up my hand unto the Lord, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou should say, I have made Abraham rich” (14:32).

Bread & Wine.
Melchizedek “brought forth bread and wine” (14:18). This is the first mention of bread and wine together in the Bible is highly significant.

Melchizedek and Abraham celebrated the Lord’s Supper together 2000 years before the Lord came. So we look back 2000 years and experience the same blessing that Abraham received.

b) The Inferiority Of Abraham (7:4-10)
Abraham was not acting as a private individual. He was already the founder of a great nation, and head of all those such as Moses, Aaron, etc, who would spring from him. When he acknowledged the greatness of Melchizedek, he did so on behalf of his descendants, Aaron and his line of High Priests included.

The writer is not denying the greatness of Aaron’s priesthood. He is simply saying that Melchizedek’s was greater. And as Christ’s priesthood was “after the order of Melchizedek”, so Christ was greater than Aaron. Why, then, cling to a second rate priesthood , when every believer has the right to a High Priest of a supreme order?

This kind of reasoning would appeal to Jewish readers, for they emphasised the solidarity of the Jewish race. The whole Jewish law and priesthood were all regarded as potentially in Abraham. In it all the writer is relentlessly pursuing his goal of forcing his readers to see how much more they have in Christ, than ever they had in Judaism and the Levitical ritual.

2. THE MAJESTY OF THE MAN CHRIST JESUS (7:11-8:1)
These verses emphasize the weakness of the old order, and the wonder of the new order

a) The Weakness Of The Old Order
The Hebrews would have liked to cling to Christ’s priesthood in heaven – AND Aaron’s priesthood on earth. Life would have been easier, the break with Judaism not so severe.

But writer says it can’t be done because:

(i) The Inadequacy of the Levitical priesthood. The appointment of Messiah as a priest highlighted the “weakness and unprofitableness” of the Levitical system (7:18). For all Aaron’s good intentions, he never brought a person into contact with God. The people could not even approach Mount Sinai, let alone enter God’s presence.

“The law made nothing perfect”. It was quite inadequate. So it had to be set aside, and a better hope introduced “by the which we draw nigh to God” (7:19).

(II) The Impossibility of the Old and New existing together. The Levitical priesthood and Christ’s priesthood are totally incompatible. Two High Priests just could not exist at the same time. When God announced in Psalm 110 He was going to appoint Messiah of the tribe of Judah as High Priest and spiritual head of His people, it implied that the earlier law would have to be cancelled.

Application to the Church
In Christendom some have argued that although our Lord’s priesthood was outside the Levitical order, it is O.K. for the church to copy it in its services and church government here on earth. Hence we get divisions into “clergy” and “laity” – the priests and the people.

But God has set it aside because it was “weak and useless” (7:18). If we disobey God and reintroduce this weak and useless system into the church, it will have the same effect as it had on Judaism. It will once more put people at a distance from God, whilst higher ranks of intermediaries come in between them and the Saviour.

b) The Wonder Of The New Order (7:20-8:1)
The total superiority and wonder of the new order is seen in:

(i) Christ’s Appointment. A distinguishing feature of the Lord’s appointment as priest was that it was accompanied by an oath. “The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek “ (7:21).

This oath makes Jesus the guarantee of a better covenant. “By so much more was Jesus made the surety of a better testament” (7:22). The provisions of this covenant (chapter 8) promise absolute peace with God, and real, permanent change of heart. They are so magnificent that we want to know how we can be sure they will, in fact, be carried out. The answer is that Jesus Himself is the guarantee. He is personally responsible to ensure that all the terms of the covenant are carried out:
– by His DEATH He paid the cost of forgiveness promised by the covenant.
– by His LIFE, as He lives for ever to see to it that God’s laws are written on our hearts.

Hence the oath gives us an eternal guarantee. Under the old system the people were the security, since they had to ensure they worked out the provision to get the blessing. It depended on THEM. Under the new covenant Jesus is the security. It depends on HIM.

(ii) Christ’s Ability. Our High Priest is perfectly ABLE, in stark contrast to the O.T. priests. Half way through attending to our need a priest might need attention himself. And at the end of the day he could not guarantee a safe passage or accompany us. We would be on our own then! How weak they were!

How different is Christ. He knows no weakness, His eyes never slumber, He never grows weary. And when we come to die we shall not be on our own. Our High Priest has already entered heaven, so that for us to be absent from the body will be to be with the Lord where He is seated at “the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens” (8:1).

The end of this chapter tells us WHY He is able to minister to us. The beginning of chapter 8 tells us WHERE He is able to minister to us. He is able to minister for us because:

* He is a Continuing Priest. “and they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood” (7:24,25). In a world of change, how good to know that while “I change, He changes not!”

* He is a Competent Priest. “Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (7:25). Thank God we do not have to put our affairs into the hands of an incompetent priest. What a disaster is an incompetent doctor, lawyer, or accountant. What if we had to trust our soul’s salvation to a careless and incompetent priest! But our High Priest is capable “to the uttermost” (7:25). This word in Greek has a double thought of “all” and “the end”. We have a two-dimensional salvation. He saves “all” – body, soul, and spirit. And He saves to “the end” – forever!
* He is a Consecrated Priest. He proved it in both His life and His death
– In His LIFE. “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (7:27). See the perfections of His Person.
– Godward, He was “holy”, fully satisfying all the righteous demands of a holy God.
– Manward, He was “harmless”, free from all malice and guile. A clever lawyer can “get us off”. But He gets us off because He has dealt with the penalty of our sin.
– Selfward, He was “undefiled”, without any sin. His whole life was consecrated to the ministry for which He came into the world, and for which He has now ascended “higher than the heavens”. Although He mingled with them, He was “separate from sinners”.
– In His DEATH. “Who needed not daily as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once when He offered up Himself” (7:28). “This He did once…” This strikes at the root of the Mass. The Lord’s death on the Cross is of such eternal significance that, although He intercedes daily, He never has to renew the sacrifice.
– In ETERNITY. “For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore” (7:28). The Lord Jesus is “consecrated for evermore”, i.e. “perfected”.

He has been made perfect by reason of all the experiences of obedience, suffering and sorrow through which He passed, and by reason of His resurrection and exaltation. The endless ages of eternity will come and go, and He will still be there, the Son, our Priest. That is why He is able to minister for us so superbly well.

CHAPTER 8

Chapter 8 brings us to the centre of the epistle. The writer has reached a place where he can pause and sum up what he has been saying thus far about our High Priest.

In chapter 7 he has shown that He is superior to the Old Testament High Priests because of:

a) His Appointment (7:21):
“With an oath” and “after the order of Melchizedek”

b) His Ability (7:25):
“He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.”

The writer now turns to consider His ministry as High Priest, and in the next few chapters will show that as High Priest He has superior ministry with respect to:

* The covenant which He mediates (chapter 8)
* The place where He ministers (chapter 9)
* The sacrifice which He offers (chapter 10)

It is vital for us to understand this ministry. It is not mere cold theology, but a living truth.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
Telling of evil yet within,
Upward I look and see Him there,
Who made an end of all my sin.

Outline of chapter 8
Chapter 8 will deal with the better covenant which He mediates, but He first briefly refers to both the sanctuary in which He minsters, and the sacrifice which He offered.

• The Sanctuary in which He ministers (8:1-2)
• The Sacrifice which He offered (8:3-5)
• The Covenant which He mediates (8:6-13)

1. HIS SANCTUARY (8:1-2)
The Hebrews were being asked to leave their magnificent temple with all its sacredness and its most Holy Place. So holy that the priest could only enter once per year. This was the centre of attraction for world Jewry, and for Jews living abroad it was life’s crowning experience to visit the temple. What sanctuary could be more holy? What could possibly replace it?

The Sanctuary in which our High Priest now ministers is better because it is:

a) A Place of Majesty (8:1)
“We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” “We do have such an High Priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven” (NIV).

What an astonishing statement! Only a Jew could grasp its significance. Such was the sanctity of the Holy of Holies, that only once per year was the High Priest permitted to come before it for a few fleeting moments. Here rested the Ark, symbol of God’s glory and His throne. Never in his wildest dreams would he have dreamt of sitting on it!

But this verse states that Christ actually sat down! Not at the right hand of some earthly symbol of God’s throne, but at the right hand of the actual throne itself.

b) A Place of Ministry (8:2)
“A minister of the true sanctuary” (8:2). “…and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle” (NIV). The writer will later show that, not only is our Lord set down at the right hand of God’s throne, but He invites us to join Him as He minister for us there (10:21-22)!

2. HIS SACRIFICE (8:3-5)
“…it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer” (8:3).

Aaron, on the Day of Atonement, having offered the sacrifice on the altar, entered with the blood into the Holiest with the incense which he put on the fire before the Lord, so that the cloud of incense might cover the Mercy Seat.

What did the Lord Jesus have to offer? Himself. The Lord Jesus offered Himself on the cross as a sacrifice, and after the resurrection entered into the heavenly sanctuary to present in all the fragrance of His perfect earthly life the memorial of His atoning death.

Because the sinless Saviour died
My sinful soul is counted free,
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him, and pardon me.

3. HIS COVENANT (8:6-13)
“But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also is he the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (8:6). Not only are the Sanctuary where He ministers and the Sacrifice which He offers superior, He is also “the mediator of a better covenant” (8:6).

What is a “Covenant”? In Moses’ day a king would draw up a treaty with his subjects reminding them of:
– what conduct he expected from them
– what benefits he conferred on them
– what punishments could be expected from him

i.e. It spelled out the relationship between a sovereign and his subjects. Such a treaty was called a “covenant”.

The Bible is basically about two covenants; and Old Covenant and a New Covenant. The Old covenant is detailed in the Old Testament. The New Covenant is detailed in the New Testament. It IS the New Testament. “Testament” is another word for “Covenant”.

a) The Old Covenant.
In the Old Testament God made a “treaty” or “covenant” with His people, Israel. This “Old Covenant” defined the relationship between Him as sovereign, and His people as subjects. It specified:
– the conduct He expected from them (summarized in the 10 commandments)
– the blessings they could expect if they obeyed
– the punishments which would follow disobedience.

This was a two-party contract. God signed His part of the contract: “If ye will obey my voice indeed.” Israel also signed it: “All that the Lord hath said will we do” (Ex 24:7). Both God and Israel had their part to play and conditions to fulfill. Failure of either side to keep the terms of the treaty would ruin the relationship and cancel its conditions. The problem was that, while God unfailingly kept His part of the contract, Israel repeatedly broke their’s: “they continued not in my covenant” (8:9).

It was obvious that the Old Covenant just could not work. Man is too foolish to rely on a two-sided covenant to get to heaven. Yet how many struggle to get to heaven by doing their best. Like Israel they will fail!

b) The New Covenant
As long ago as Jeremiah’s time God announced He would scrap the old two-party treaty, and replace it with a new, radically different covenant, “not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers” (8:9). The fact that a new treaty was necessary showed there was something deficient with the old. “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second” (8:7).

This New Covenant is detailed in the New Testament. Indeed, it IS the New Testament. “Testament” is another word for “Covenant”.

Features of the New Covenant
a) What It Depends On – God’s Faithfulness
Israel’s constant failure clearly showed a two-party covenant would not work. The New Covenant would be a one-party covenant depending solely on God. See v10-12, where there is nothing the people are required to do. The terms of the covenant simply announce what God will do.
– “I WILL put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts”
– “I WILL be to them a God…”
– “I WILL be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their iniquities will I remember no more”

The Old Covenant depended on the people saying “We will”. The New Covenant characterized by God saying “I will”. It depends only on Him.

b) What It Delights In – God’s Law
“I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts” (8:10). The conditions of the Old Covenant, the 10 commandments, were hard, external laws, written on tables of stone. They said nothing to a man’s heart, and did nothing for his conscience. Under this system a man had little to delight in. It told a person what to do, but failed to give him the power to do it.

It was clear that man needed a new heart, a new nature, and a new power. Hence in the very first clause of the New Covenant God undertakes to write it upon our hearts and minds. This is far more than just memorizing it. It means the implantation of a new nature, the very nature of God. See 2 Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” This involves the implantation of a new nature, and is brought about by nothing less than a new birth.

Note the radical change which takes place. It affects:
(i) The “mind” – “I will put my laws in their mind” This affects a person’s understanding.
(ii) The “heart” – “I will…write them in their hearts” (8:10). It also touches a person’s affections.

c) What It Declares – that we can actually know God!
All shall know me, from the least to the greatest” (8:11). Not just knowing there is a God or knowing about Him. The verb “know” indicates an intimate personal knowledge, and is used of the marriage relationship. A girl may be introduced to her husband-to-be. Friends may help to introduce one to the other. But the friends eventually step aside, and the relationship is on a strictly a personal one-to-one basis.

How do we get this “knowledge” of God? Not by working at it, but by accepting a gift. It is effected through the Holy Spirit in the heart of one who trusts Christ. Of the true believer Christ says “I am the good Shepherd, I know my sheep, and am known of mine” (John 10:14). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (10:27).

Note what the Bible says about the dangers of not knowing God! The Lord warned that one day He would rise and close the door, saying, “Depart…I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). It is not that they did not know about Him or that He existed, but they never had any direct dealings with Him. Christ warns that their ability to quote evidence of how religious they were will not be of any use.

d) What It Deals With – Sin
“for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (8:12). Here is man’s basic problem dealt with. Note the “For…”. The unconditional blessings of v10 can be enjoyed because the fundamental problem of sin has been dealt with.

Under the Old Covenant there was a remembrance made of sins every year. But the New Covenant so thoroughly deals with the past that it is just not any longer there to be remembered!

Illustration. Brownlow North was a young man in the 19th Century, heir to a noble title, but he lived a life of debauchery. Then one day after an evening of revelry his friend dropped dead. This led to his conversion., and through time became a noted preacher.

One day when just about to preach in Inverness a note was put into his hand. “You hypocrite! Don’t you remember what happened on such a date, and again at…, and again,…” Full details of all that happened were included. Letter concluded by saying “You know every word of that letter is true. How dare you go into that pulpit and preach what you call the Gospel?”

He went into pulpit, and spread the letter before the congregation, telling them of its contents. “There are three things I have to say about this letter. FIRST, it is all true! I cannot deny it. SECOND, it is all forgiven. THIRD, if God can forgive such a sinner as Brownlow North, there is not a sinner in Scotland too great for God to forgive him all his sins.

CHAPTER 9

The this chapter the writer continues to highlight the privileges and blessings the believer enjoys because of the High Priestly ministry of Christ. His purpose is to show that it is superior in every respect to that of Aaron.

Chapter 8 showed that His ministry is superior because of the better Covenant which He introduced. Chapter 9 now shows that His ministry is superior because the Sanctuary in which He ministers and the Sacrifice which He offered are better than anything the old ever knew.

To wean his readers from their constant attraction to the old Jewish ceremonies and rituals, the writer shows we have:

a) A Better Sanctuary (9:1-12)
The Earthly Tabernacle (9:1-10)
The Heavenly Tabernacle (9:11-12)
b) A Better Sacrifice (9:13-10:39)
The Old Transgressions Removed For Ever (9:13-14)
The New Testament Ratified For Ever (9:15-28)

1. A BETTER SANCTUARY (9:1-11)
The writer compares and contrasts the human, earthly tabernacle with the heavenly.

a) The Human Tabernacle (9:1-10)
The Tabernacle and all the Levitical ceremonies were God-given and absolutely unique. Yet for all their glory they were seriously defective, and failed to achieve those things which really matter: Access to God, and the Assurance that can settle a troubled conscience.

These verses show that both the sanctuary (9:1-5) and the service (9:6-10) associated with it failed to meet man’s real need.

(i) The Sanctuary (9:1-5). The Tabernacle was a very special building, the only one ever designed by God as “a worldly (i.e. earthly) sanctuary” (9:1).

The writer lists the main features of:

* Its Structure
– the “tabernacle…the first” (9:2)
– the “Holiest of all” (9:3)
* Its Contents
– the Candlestick, the Table and the Shewbread (9:2)
– the Golden Censer, the Ark of the Covenant with its Mercy Seat and Cherubim (9:4,5)

(ii) The Service (9:6-10). For all its glory and God-given design, the Tabernacle and it’s service had glaring limitations. It did not allow a man to approach his God. True, the priests could serve in the Holy Place (9:6), but there was no way a man could enter beyond the Veil into God’s presence and live. Only on one day per year was one person allowed into the Holiest. “Into the second went the High Priest alone once every year” (9:7)

The whole structure was a parable designed by the Holy Spirit: “The Holy Ghost thus signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing” (9:8). The point of the picture was that as long as the Veil sealed off the Holy of Holies, man had neither access to God, nor assurance for his conscience.
* No Access. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and that once per year (9:7). The ordinary person had no access. Even the regular priests were barred from God’s presence. The Veil was God’s “No Entry” sign.
* No Assurance. Each time an offerer brought his sacrifices and confessed his sin he was forgiven. But the next moment he sinned it all had to be repeated. His conscience lacked any assurance that the question of sin had been dealt with. It “could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience” (9:9).
Many who profess to be Christians are still like that today! They regularly confess their sins, and hope that God will forgive them, but the most they feel entitled to is to think they are forgiven up to that moment. They would regard it as wildly presumptuous to suggest that it is possible to know that our all sins have been forgiven! Such have never understood what Christianity teaches regarding entry into God’s presence.

b) The Heavenly Tabernacle (9:11-12)
It is better because:

(i) It Is Served By A Greater Priest . “But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come” (9:11). As a Candle fades into insignificance in the full blaze of the noonday sun, so the O.T. priesthood fades into nothing before that of Christ.

(ii) It Is Situated In A Greater Place. Israel`s sanctuary was on earth, in the wilderness. It was made with human hands. In contrast, ours is “greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building” (9:11)

No temple made with hands,
His place of service is,
In heaven itself He stands,
A royal priesthood His.
In Him the shadows of the Law
Are all fulfilled, and now withdraw.”

(iii) It Is Secured By A Greater Price. “by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (9:12). Israel’s High Priest entered the Sanctuary and came out as soon as possible. Then the whole process had to be repeated next year. In contrast, Christ entered the presence of God once and for all! The redemption which He obtained is “eternal”, and there is thus no need to go out and return again some other time. So He remains there in God’s presence as our representative.

2. A BETTER SACRIFICE (9:13-28)
The Levitical system rested squarely on sacrifice. Every day countless animals were slain to maintain the order, each one pointing to that greater sacrifice to be made at Calvary. It was all a shadow. With the death of Christ, the entire O.T. system became obsolete. This is basic, and the Hebrews must grasp it at all costs.

a) Old Transgressions Removed For Ever (9:13-14)
Israel left Egypt a redeemed people, but sin is a pernicious and persistent thing, so the Israelite, although redeemed, was nonetheless a sinner, ever liable to fall. Indeed, he could contact defilement through just being in a house in which a corpse lay.

(i) The Limited Value Of the Law’s Offerings (9:13). “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an unclean heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh.” Defilement was a common occurrence, and it was for this reason that God provided the unique sacrifice of the Red Heifer described in Numbers 19. This ceremony drove home to the people that sin is defiling and leads to death. But it could never address the real and deeper problem of a man’s defiled conscience.

Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain
Could give the guilty conscience peace,
Or cleanse away one stain.

(ii) The Unlimited Value of the Lord’s Offering (9:14). What a contrast! “HOW MUCH MORE shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot unto God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (9:14). The whole point is that Christ’s once and for all sacrifice did what all the other sacrifices could never do. – It Purges the Conscience. “…purge your conscience from dead works…” Nothing else can give the guilty conscience peace, or the inner assurance that the heart is right with God. What do we do when we who have been born again find our minds and consciences defiled by the influence of the world’s corruption? We must confess it, and allow the Holy Spirit by His Word to apply to our hearts, minds, and consciences the value of His precious blood.
– It Prepares for Service. “to SERVE the living God.” The point of the cleansing is that it allows us to come as a worshipper before God. Christ’s blood cleanses our conscience, and brings us to a life of service which springs from inner devotion.

b) The New Testament Ratified For Ever (9:15-28)
In these verses the writer continues to speak about God’s Covenant, but look at it from a different viewpoint, comparing it to a Will. To our legal minds a “will” is quite different from a “covenant”, but in the Greek the same word can be applied to both a covenant and a will.

The writer compares Christ’s “Will” and the benefits it brings, with the Old Covenant made under Moses. He is showing that benefits of immense value accrue to the believer because of the death of his Benefactor.

(i) Our Benefits (9:15). “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (9:15).
– Our Insolvency Cancelled. The “first testament” had merely plunged us into spiritual insolvency, and efforts to extricate ourselves only put us deeper into it. Ruin stared us in the face. But “by means of death” Christ left us as His heirs all the immense resources of goodness and grace that were His alone. Our debt of sin is gone!
– Our Inheritance Confirmed. “…they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (9:15). The world’s richest material inheritance can never be compared to the riches of spiritual blessing bequeathed to us in the death of Christ.
(ii) Our Benefactor (9:18-22).
– Our Inheritance Is Conveyed By His Death. “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator” (9:16). Like any other inheritance, it is conveyed to us by the death of the Testator. Since Christ has died, His will is in force; eternal life and all its accompanying blessings are ours. In 9:18-22 the writer digresses to look at Christ’s death in the light of what was done when the Old covenant was introduced. See:
– What Moses Did: “For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people” (9:19). In so doing, Moses emphasized the need for death if the Covenant was to be effective.
– What Moses Declared: “This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you” (9:20). Moses declared that the blood was an essential part of the covenant.
– What Moses Demonstrated: “Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission” (9:21,22).

The emphasis in these verses is on the fact that everything bears the mark of blood and death. “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission” (9:22). This is the axiom of the O.T. The hymn writer was right when he said “there is power in the blood!” Death was the only means of life. Some find the emphasis on the blood abhorrent. But they do not understand God’s holiness of the nature of sin.

– Our Inheritance Is Controlled By His Life A clever lawyer may annul the intentions of a testator as declared in his will. To ensure that the terms of a will are carried out to the letter, the ideal thing would be for the testator himself to come back and execute his own will! This is exactly what Christ has done. These remaining verses show how our inheritance is now being controlled for us by our benefactor, Who, living in the power of an endless life on the resurrection side of the grave, makes quite sure that His intentions are carried out.

The Three Appearings
This section sets before us three appearings of the Lord Jesus. The O.T. High Priest appeared three times on the Day of Atonement, and this Day of Atonement parable vividly helps our minds grasp the significance of the Lord’s three “appearings”.

a) The O.T. High Priest
(i) His First Appearing. He first “appeared” at the altar of sacrifice in full view of the people and killed a goat as a Sin Offering to put away sin.

(ii) His Second Appearing. He then took the blood in a basin, and passed through the Holy Place, drew aside the veil, and entered the Holy of Holies to appear before the Ark in the immediate presence of God on behalf of the people who continued to wait outside. He was their representative. Inside the Ark was the Law condemning him and the people, and in recognition of this he took the blood and sprinkled it before and on the Mercy Seat.

(iii) His Third Appearing. He then came out to appear again before the people for a second time. He took another goat, confessed the nation’s sin over it’s head, and had the goat driven out into the wilderness as a symbolic expression that the people’s sin had been forgiven.

b) Our Great High Priest
(i) His Past Appearing on Earth. “…once in the end of the world (age) hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (9:26). He appeared out of heaven on our planet, and in full view of heaven and hell, angels and God, offered Himself as the one great and only sacrifice for our sins.

Unlike the High Priest “He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages”. The High Priest had to repeat this year by year. If our Lord’s sacrifice had been like that He would have had to die every year from the creation of the world to the end of time (9:25,26).

(ii) His Present Appearing in Heaven. Christ is entered “into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (9:24). Some people have difficulty accepting the idea of a single once-for-all sacrifice. They are happy with the thought of sin requiring sacrifice, and sacrifice bringing forgiveness. But they feel that more sin requires more sacrifices to obtain more forgiveness. They have trouble grasping the fact that Calvary covers it all.

To answer this problem the writer says that man is destined to die only once, and all his sins are then dealt with at the one judgment session, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (9:27). Now Christ’s once for all sacrifice has for believers already paid the penalty of every sin that could possible raised at that judgment.

But how can we be sure of that? The answer is in what Christ is doing for us now. He has entered heaven itself, and is appearing in the immediate presence of God “for us” (9:24). He is there as our Representative – “for us”, and He appears there for us, just as the O.T. High Priest represented the people as He appeared in the presence of God for them as they waited outside. On the Day of Atonement if the High Priest was accepted it meant that the people were also accepted. If he was rejected, so were they.

So with us. If our Representative has been accepted, so have we. So the big question is Has God accepted Him? Yes! He has never been told to come back and repeat His sacrifice. This means that all believers can know now that they are already accepted and will ever remain so at the highest level in God’s heaven.

(iii) His Future Appearing in the Clouds. “unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (9:28). Just as the High Priest appeared before the waiting people for the second time, so Christ will one day appear a second time at his Second Coming.

When Israel’s High Priest appeared before the people the second time he had to offer another Sin Offering. Christ will not have to do that. His “appearing’ then will have nothing to do with the sin question. Instead it will be to save those that wait for him (1 Thes 1:10). He will complete their salvation by saving their bodies. The dead will be raised incorruptible, and the living shall be changed. Every believer will be given a body like unto His glorious body (Phil 3:21). He will take all His waiting people home to His Father’s house. Not to some earthly temple, but to the eternal dwelling of God.

Days quickly pass, too soon alas!
Stormy or bright, how swift their flight
From morn to night – ETERNITY

Eternity! What will it be,
For you and me, when o’er life’s sea
Our barque shall be?

When wrath foretold all lands enfold,
When rocks shall rend, when time shall end:
Where will you spend ETERNITY?

With Christ to reign, His bliss to gain?
Or – endless pain from sin’s deep stain
With sad refrain – ETERNITY!

CHAPTER 10

Chapter 9 told of the great contrasts between the Old and New Covenants. The Old Covenant failed to give either access to God, or assurance to the troubled conscience. The New Covenant permitted a man to enter God’s presence at any time, and assured him of the freedom that comes from a cleansed conscience.

To the average Jew this was incredible! He remembered how King Uzziah was struck with leprosy for daring to enter God’s presence. Yet this is the glorious truth of the Gospel, that “now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:13)Chapter 10 continues to emphasise the benefits of Christ’s perfect sacrifice, and draws a number of soul-searching practical conclusions.

1. EXPLANATION OF DOCTRINE (10:1-18)

a) Old Testament. Shadows (10:1-4)
All Israel’s offerings and ritual were merely “a shadow of good things to come” (10:1). Whilst they may have been instructive and illustrative, they were totally ineffective to deal with the question of a man’s sin before God. After all, the shadow of a key cannot open a door, and the shadow of a meal will hardly satisfy a hungry man!

The O.T. sacrifices were like a man who goes to his banker and asks for a loan. He explains why he wants the money, and how he hopes to repay the debt. A wealthy friend agrees to endorse the note and repay the debt should the venture fail. After a year the business has not succeeded, so he goes back to the banker and asks for further credit. A new promissory note is drawn up, adding the new indebtedness to the old, and the accumulated debt is carried forward for another year. Every year the loan gets larger, and the business man gets deeper into debt. Each year there is a remembrance made of his former indebtedness and new liabilities. The only thing that keeps him afloat is the endorsement of his friend.

So in the Old Testament the animal sacrifices were so many promissory notes. Every year they were remembered. Each sacrifice carried with it the endorsement of the Son of God, who guaranteed that He would fully repay all the liabilities acknowledged by the sinner. This is what He did at Calvary when He shed HIS blood. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin” (10:4),

Where sins are not removed by the blood of Christ, their guilt and liability remain as the sinner’s personal responsibility. By rejecting Christ, the Hebrew repudiated the Endorser of his note, so to speak.

b) New Testament Substance (10:5-18)
The Hebrews had two problems which made it difficult for them to accept the New Testament:

(i) Their Sacrifices were God-given. To abandon them would seem like abandoning the O.T. Scriptures. However, the writer uses the O.T. to show how God clearly foretold that Christ would come and take “away the first that he may establish the second” (10:9). He quotes Psalm 40:6-8, which tells of:
– a Body. “Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me” (10:5). The Incarnation was prophesied as far back as David’s time.
– a Book. “…in the volume of the book it is written of me” (10:7). The Book of the O.T. spelt out the facts of the birth, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.

(ii) Man Has An Inborn Urge To Pay For His Sin (10:11-18). Man feels better if only he can “do something” to pay for his sin. But nothing could be further from God’s truth! To emphasize this the writer points to
– A Seated Priest. “And every priest standeth daily ministering…but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, SAT DOWN on the right hand of God” (10:11,12). Only one priest in the O.T. sat down, Eli, whose personal, parental and priestly life were one sad failure. Christ’s sitting down as a priest emphasizes the absolute completion of His work.
– A Perfected Believer. “For by one offering he hath perfected FOR EVER them that are sanctified” (10:14). The dark Hebrews warning passages are often misunderstood as assailing the believer’s security. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are “perfected for ever.”
– A Witnessing Spirit. “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us” (10:15). This is one of the three witnesses of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the N.T. He witnesses TO us (Hebrews 10:15), IN us (1 John 5:10), and WITH us (Romans 8:6). Here the Holy Spirit witnesses to us of our security in Christ.
– A New Covenant. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord” (10:16). Note the order in which the Holy Spirit has arranged the terms of the Covenant:
* “I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them” (10:16). This happens at conversion. But what if we sin? Do we not need to offer another sacrifice? No, because of the last clause of the Covenant.
* “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (10:17). God guarantees He will not remember their sins. The penalty has already been paid.

The Punch Line. “Now where remission of sins is, there is no more offering for sin” (10:18). This brings the writer’s argument to a climax. There is no need to go on taking medicines after a cure has been effected.

2. EXHORTATION TO PRACTICE (10:19-39)
Three great themes occupy this closing section of the chapter.

a) A Word Of Welcome (10:19–25)
This assures us of an access to God greater than anything the O.T. Israelite ever knew.

b) A Word of Warning (10:26-31)
The seeker who has come this far must be aware of the terrible dangers of rejecting Christ and drifting back into a dead Judaism.

c) A Word of Wisdom (10:32-39)
The believers are encouraged to lift up their eyes, to polish their spiritual spectacles, to live by faith with eyes fixed on a soon-coming Christ.

a) A Word Of Welcome (10:19-25)
(i) A Great Reality (10:19-21). Direct access to God! Under the Old Covenant only once a year could one person enter God’s presence.
– The Place Of Access. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest” (10:19). It is understandable that Christ should enter into the Holiest in heaven. But the great reality is that this welcome is extended to all believers.
– The Price Of Access. “by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (10:19,20). This takes us back to Calvary. “Through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” The veil in the Tabernacle is used as a picture of our Lord’s human body. It hid the presence of God from the priests. They could come right up to it, and touch it, and its glory gave some idea of the kind of God who dwelt behind it. In that sense Christ’s body was a veil. In Him dwelt all the fullness of God. Yet sinners could walk with Him and touch Him, and catch glimpses of the God who dwelt in that body. But we now come even closer. Christ’s body no longer acts as a veil. He has risen and His body has gone into heaven. We are invited to follow Him right into God’s presence. In that sense there is no longer any veil for us.- The Proof Of Access. “And having an high priest over the house of God” (10:21). Because He is there we can be there. He does what no other priest ever dared to do. He takes others with him into the Holy of Holies. This is the great reality of the Christian faith.

(ii) A Great Responsibility (10:22-25). Our great Reality is matched by an equally great Responsibility. Three times the writer says “Let us…”
– “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our heats sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (10:22). This is our responsibility Godward, and is the great truth of priesthood. We have both access to God and assurance of faith. Here is FAITH.
– “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (10:23). This is our responsibility selfward. “Faith” here is really “hope”. It is a forward-looking word. The Hebrews were in constant danger of “letting go” because of pressures of persecution and tradition. But now with the reality of access to God though our Great High Priest there can be no question of wavering or going back. Here is HOPE.
– “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (10:24). This is our responsibility manward. We need each other. Christians are in trouble when they try to “go it alone”. We are to “provoke” each other. This is from Greek word paroxusmos, from which we get paroxysm. We are to excite each other, and stir up one another’s affections. Here is LOVE.
* A Great Imperative. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (10:25). With life’s pressures all around, we need each other’s fellowship. All sorts of pressures, business, professional, family, etc, all act to ensure we forsake the assembling of ourselves together. It is significant that this is the first symptom of spiritual ill-health mentioned by the writer.
* A Great Incentive. “and so much the more as ye see the day approaching” (10:25). Our eyes are directed towards a soon-coming Saviour.

b) A Word Of Warning (10:26-31)
What will it mean if someone who once professed to believe deliberately goes back to Judaism? These dark verses refer to those who, in the full light of the evidence deliberately turn their backs on Christ and reject Him. They were never saved in the first place.

They verses do NOT mean that “if we deliberately keep on sinning” (NIV), eventually the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice will run out. Such thinking is wrong because:
– believers do not “keep on sinning” (1 John 3:6)
– the sin in question here is deliberately denying the deity of Christ (10:29).

(i) The Warning Expressed (10:26,27)
– The Characteristics of this “sin” (10:26)
* Deliberate. “If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth.” The “truth” has been received, but not Christ.
* Damning. “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” To reject the sacrifice of Christ is to be left without any sacrifice. There is no other place to go for salvation.
– The Consequences of this “sin” (10:27). A Christ rejector can anticipate nothing but “a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” This is not a question of backsliding or failure in the life of a believer. It is a deliberate rejection of the Gospel.

(ii) The Warning Explained (10:28-31). The writer now explains in fuller detail what is involved in this warning. He remembers that under the O.T. law a person guilty of apostasy “died without mercy under two or three witnesses” (10:28). No compassion was shown to those who deliberately chose other Gods.
– The Seriousness Of The Crime (10:29). This verse contains one of the Bible’s most solemn statements. Note what is involved:
* “who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God.” The verb carries the thought of contempt, and the implication is that of total, wilful, and contemptuous rejection of Christ!
* “and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing.” The one who has been “sanctified” has been influenced, but turned his back on the truth. Compare 1 Cor 7:14, where the unbelieving wife is sanctified by her husband. “Sanctified” here does not mean “saved”.
* “and done despite unto the Spirit of grace.” To deliberately reject the drawing power of the Holy Spirit is to insult Him.

– The Solemnity Of The Consequences (10:30,31). “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (10:31). Issues concerning God’s Son, God’s salvation, and God’s Spirit are not to be trifled with or despised. A person rejects them at his peril. In Ezra 7:9 we read of God’s hand being upon the people for good. But it will also come upon the Christ rejector for judgement.

c) A Word Of Wisdom (10:32-39)
While he insists that retreat to Judaism is forever cut off, the writer fully understands the pressures the Hebrew believers have endured since confessing Jesus as Messiah. He exhorts and reassures them of his confidence in them.

(i) Past Pressures (10”Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions” (10:32). Darkness hates the light, and the early church in “former days” had suffered severely for its faith. Many has been “made a gazingstock”, a public spectacle of ridicule, whilst others had lost everything. Their steadfastness under such conditions had proved the reality of their faith. So with us, God looks for evidence of reality in our faith. “If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

(ii) Present Patience (10:35,36). “Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompense of reward” (10:35). In the face of such wearing pressures, we are exhorted to boldly hold on to our confidence. Satan’s most successful tactic is to wear us out. The antidote is “patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (10:36). He is about to summon up a whole army of O.T. saints who dared to believe God’s promises, in spite of pressurizing circumstances, and who triumphed gloriously.

(iii) Future Prospect (10:37-39). “For yet a little while and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (10:37). 2000 years may seem a long time, but what a “little while” it is in the light of eternity! The secret of boldness and patience is to live in the light of the coming again of Christ. It is this hope that has sustained many a persecuted believer who has whispered, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”

A FINAL WORD
In the meantime we are exhorted to “live by faith” (10:38).

a) It is faith which draws the line between the true believer and the non-believer.

b) It is faith which makes a man look up with eyes fixed on the better realities of God’s promises. One needs no faith when eyes are fixed on the material and visible things of earth.

c) It is faith which enables a man to remain patient and confident under the most frightening pressures.
CHAPTER 11

This great challenging “Faith chapter” of the Bible is a backward look at the lives of men and women of all ages who were so convinced of the truth and accuracy of God’s promises that they willingly traded all that earth could give for unseen and unfelt spiritual realities. Such heroes of faith surround us like a great cloud of witnesses, and challenge us to follow their in their footsteps.

The challenge climaxes in chapter 12:1-3, where the Lord Jesus is presented as the ultimate example, “the author and finisher of faith”. So convinced was He of “the joy that was set before him”, that he endured the rejection and shame of the cross. The way forward for wavering believers then and now is to “consider him…”

Faith: True or False?
The great need of the Hebrews was faith. The writer had already pointed out in chapter 4 how that their ancestors failed to enter the Promised Land because of unbelief. When the test came they went back and perished. True faith had never actually been present.

For the Hebrew believers, too, it was a question of EITHER ….going on, patiently waiting for the Lord to come and living by faith (10:37,38), OR ….drawing back, and abandoning their profession (10:39). Those who did so stood on dangerous ground indicating that the profession of faith was false from the beginning. True saving faith had never been present in the first place.

The writer insists that faith is not a static one-off entity that is limited to saving us. Genuine “saving faith” inevitably flows out to become the kind of “living faith” so dynamically illustrated in chapter 11.

The Object Of Faith
The Muslim puts his faith in the Koran, the humanist in himself, the materialist in his possessions, and the religious man in his own works. But the object of faith in each case is wrong.

The object of “saving faith” is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit soul, insists that we personally put our trust and faith in Him. “Neither is there salvation in any other…” (Acts 4:13).

The Hebrews knew this, and claimed to have trusted Christ. But persecution, doubt, and disappointment had crept in, and their eyes turned back to the visible things they had known since childhood; the Temple, the rituals, the sacrifices, etc. Here were things they could see, smell, and touch. Here was belief that did not require faith!

1. THE DEFINITION OF FAITH
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (11:1). What is faith? It is the assurance and conviction that enables us to take hold of realities in the unseen world, and bring them into the realm of experience. Faith so convicts us that they are “for real”, that we base our lives on them.

Just as the eye takes hold of unseen light waves, and the ear takes hold of unseen sound waves and makes them real, so faith reaches out into spiritual dimensions and takes hold of invisible and spiritual realities in such a way that the soul can appreciate them and live in the enjoyment of them. Like Moses who said “No” to all the vast treasure and pleasure of Egypt simply because faith’s eye had seen “him who is invisible” (11:27).

Is faith a leap in the dark? No, because it is based on solid convincing evidence:

a) “…the substance of things hoped for” (11:1). The Greek word for “substance” has the thought of a foundation, the ground on which we build a hope.

b) “the evidence of things not seen”. “Evidence” is a legal term, referring to evidence used for a conviction in court.

True faith is never a gamble. It is a weighing up of solid convincing evidence, and a decision to base one’s life on what is known to be true, even though it may not be actually seen.

When the missionary John G. Paton was translating the Scriptures, he searched long for a word for “Faith”. The people had no word for “Believe”. One day, while working on his translation, a native entered his room and, exhausted, flung himself on a chair, resting his feet on another chair and remarking how good it was to “lean his whole weight” on the chairs. Dr Paton noted the word he used for “lean his whole weight”. He had his word for “believe”.

A small blind boy was flying a kite along with others of his own age. A passer-by, teasing him, said “Where is your kite? You don’t know if it is in the air or on the ground!” Oh yes,” said the blind lad, “I do know. It is now a fair height up.” “How do you know that?” asked the friend, “you can’t see it.” “No!” replied the boy, “I can’t see it, it is true, but I can feel the tug of the string.” He had the evidence of what he could not see.

2. THE LOGIC OF FAITH
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (11:3).
Creation is presented as one gigantic object lesson for faith. We stand on earth surrounded by angible things. Fear grips us as we consider letting them go for things spiritual and unseen. But where did all the solid things come from? Nothing!

The world had a spiritual origin. And if we do not believe that, we can at least accept that at the core of all material things we find nothing but sheer energy. Thus the whole basis for materialism collapses. It is thus totally illogical to allow the material world seem more real than the spiritual. It isn’t.

3. THE EXAMPLES OF FAITH
The Hebrew believers were being called to a life of faith based on realities which they could not see. But this was not new. Hebrews 11 is a long list of O.T. believers, many of them simple men and women, who triumphed through faith as they listened, believed, and acted on what God said. e.g.

* Noah had never seen a flood, but he listened to what God said, believed His Word, and acted by building an ark.
* Abraham had never seen the Promised Land, but he listened to what God said, he believed His Word, and acted by leaving the solid civilization of Ur to reach out for a city which he could not even see, but about which he was totally convinced.

How do we get such faith? The same powerful principles of faith run right the through examples of the chapter. For them and ourselves the features of true faith are that it:

a) Listens to God’s Word. Real faith always begins
here. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:7)
b) Believes what He says
c) Acts on the basis of that belief.

a) The Way Of Faith
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (11:4).

This first example of faith takes us right back to the beginning and the story of Cain and Abel. Both sought to approach God and brought offerings, yet only one was accepted. Why? What made Abel’s sacrifice more acceptable?

Abel’s acceptance had nothing to do with his works, but everything to do with his faith. “By FAITH Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice.” To do something by faith is to do it in response to a word from God. Thus Abel had:

(i) Listened. God had told both Cain and Abel how to approach Him. Both had listened.

(ii) Believed. Only Abel believed what God had said.

(iii) Acted. Abel’s faith was demonstrated by action in response to God’s word. Cain’s unbelief was demonstrated by acting in independence of God. That resulted in rejection of his offering, and ultimately of Cain himself.

b) The Walk Of Faith
“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (11:5).

One day God bodily removed Enoch from earth to heaven. How did this happen? Before Enoch was removed it was said of him that he walked with God and that he pleased God. (Note that the phrase “he pleased God” is used interchangeably with the phrase “he walked with God” in the Septuagint.)

Verse 6 says “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” Enoch lived in a godless society, yet spent his life pleasing God. He must have had tremendous faith in Him. He had:

(i) Listened. As he walked with God, God spoke to him. Enoch listened carefully as He told him of coming judgement on an ungodly world (Jude 14,15), and of the rewards of those that diligently seek him (11:6).

(ii) Believed. God’s Word sank deep into Enoch’s heart. He could see neither the coming reward nor the coming judgement but he believed what God had said.

(iii) Acted. What Enoch heard and believed changed the whole direction of his life. After that nothing was more important than walking with God and pleasing Him.

The lesson is clear. The Lord’s coming draws ever nearer. If we are to follow Enoch’s example and be caught up to meet him in the air, we, too, must be genuine believers. How shall we show that we are? By following in the footsteps of Enoch, daily pleasing and walking with Him.

c) The Witness Of Faith
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (11:7).

God had told Noah of something both invisible and impossible. He told him of “things not seen as yet”, that he would destroy the world with a flood of judgement. How did Noah handle this revelation? What difference did it make to him?

It is clear that he:

(i) Listened. “Noah, being warned of God.” Noah recognized that God was speaking to him and listened carefully.

(ii) Believed. The invisibility and impossibility of what God had said did not matter. All that was important was the God had spoken and it must be believed.

(iii) Acted. “Noah…moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house.” His faith was no static entity, but a dynamic reality that flowed out into active obedience and altered the whole direction of his life.

Noah’s obedience “condemned the world”. The people had every opportunity to believe. They listened daily as God’s Word was preached through Noah, and were challenged to belief and action. They perished simply and only because they would not believe and act.

Times have not changed. The Lord’s coming, like Noah’s flood, will deluge the world in judgement. As never before God’s Word sounds out on radio, in literature, and by preaching. People hear, but God looks for those who will listen, believe and act.

d) The Pilgrimage Of Faith
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (11:8).

One day in response to God’s call, Abraham left the brilliant civilization and culture of the ancient Chaldean world, to become a pilgrim of no fixed abode. He left for two basic reasons: He Was Called. “The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham” (Acts 7:2). After that nothing could content him till he reached his heavenly goal. He Was Convinced. “He looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (11:10). He was convinced of the inadequate and unsatisfactory foundations of Ur.

Verses 8 to 16 tell us of some of the foremost features of Abraham’s fruitful life. See verse 8:

(i) He listened. “…when he was called.” One day the God of glory revealed Himself to Abraham (Acts 7:2). Abraham paid attention and listened carefully.

(ii) He believed. “By faith…” God had spoken, and Abraham could not doubt the God of glory. It was enough to believe and go.

(iii) He acted. “Abraham…obeyed.” Abraham’s faith expressed itself in action, as he moved away from Ur to commence a pilgrim pathway that would eventually take him to a better, heavenly country, and “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (11:10). For Abraham nothing on this temporary earth could ever again be his main goal. His sights were fixed on his ultimate goal, the eternal city.

Faith’s Compensation. Abraham and the patriarchs were life-long and consistent pilgrims. But they were adequately rewarded.

a) God was not disappointed in Abraham. “God is not ashamed to be called their God.” God was not ashamed to be called after people like that, and to be known as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

b) Abraham was not disappointed in God. God was fully aware of the sacrifice and cost to Abraham. But He also knows the city which He has prepared is worth it all. He knows, too, that Abraham will not be disappointed in his God.

e) The Test Of Faith
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac…accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead” (11:17-19).

Abraham’s response to God’s strange and demanding request was not emotional, but totally logical! The word “accounting” is “logizomai”, from which comes our word “logic”.

God had promised Abraham many descendants through Isaac. But Isaac had as yet no children. Abraham calculated that if He was asking that Isaac be slain, God could logically only mean one thing. He would have to raise him from the dead. The logic was simple, but breathtaking! Abraham knew that if God made a promise, He would keep it, in spite of delays and difficulties. His faith was soundly based on what he knew of the character of his God.

(i) He listened as God promised all the blessings that would come through Isaac.

(ii) He believed. Abraham had never seen or known of a resurrection. But he stood fast upon the promises of God’s Word, and with simple, breathtaking logic believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead.

(iii) He acted. All Abraham’s dreams and future were wrapped up in Isaac. He had waited long for him, and he was his most precious possession. Yet trusting only in God, he moved forward in response to His word. He would leave the future with Him, and fix his eye on the invisible promises of an invisible, but totally trustworthy God.

For ourselves, faith should surely come much easier! All the evidence of history and the facts of a glorious resurrection stand before us. In His desire to test our faith and to know that it is genuine, God occasionally applies a little pressure to our lives. Faith’s logic does not argue that God must save us from difficulty, disease, or death. It argues that nothing can separate us from Him, or the fulfilment of His promises. How He must delight to see us grasp hold of the promises of His Word, and continue to trust Him, even in the face of human impossibility.

f) The Victory Of Faith
“By faith Jacob, when he was a dying…By faith Joseph, when he died….” (11:21,22).

All the dreams of Jacob and Joseph were unrealized, yet even in death faith triumphed, and they died victoriously.

(i) Jacob. At the end of his life Jacob looked back to the time when he had listened carefully to God’s promises so many years before at Bethel. He had believed God then, and throughout his roller-coaster life he never lost his grasp on those promises, even though he never saw them. He could have died a bitter, disappointed man. But Jacob knew better. Now, at the end of his life, with death staring him in the face, he acts. His blessing of the sons of Joseph is a clear statement of faith. The future of God’s people was secure in God’s promises.

(ii) Joseph. As a young boy Joseph had listened carefully as God explained to him that His promises and programme were to be centred in Israel, not in Egypt. Joseph so believed what God said in these promises that his whole future was to be wrapped up in instructions related to them. Joseph lived and worked in Egypt. He was immersed in the culture and spoke the language. But his deepest longings and ambitions were not Egyptian, and this is proved by his last act, as he”gave commandment concerning his bones” (11:22). Even in death he wanted to be remembered, not as a famous Prime Minister, but as one link in the long chain of the fulfilment of God’s purposes through His people.

Victory in the face of death Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph all believed God in the face of death. Their dreams were unrealized, yet even in death their faith soared victoriously. That is the acid test of a man’s faith. How does it hold up in the face of death? People fear death because of what will happen to them. But the Christian need not fear. His faith is a telescope that focuses on God’s distant promises, and lifts him directly into God’s presence.

g) The Choice Of Faith
“By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (11:24,25).

Although reared in luxurious and privileged circumstances, Moses made a deliberate decision that radically altered the whole course of his life. Moses had weighed up the values of what he saw about him, and compared them directly with the promises of God.

What had formed Moses’ values? For the first 12 years of his life he listened as his mother filled his mind with God’s Word. She told him about God and His promises to Abraham of a great people and the possession of a land. She taught him about the Messianic hope. As he listened, Moses challenged all Egypt’s fundamental values.
Against all the visible material splendour of Egypt Moses chose to believe in the invisible Christ. That reality of that belief was evidenced by the action of a life of total trust in God.

Moses said “No” to:
(i) Position. He “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.” For 40 years this high position lay in front of him. Yet he weighed it in the balance of eternity, and chose to refuse it.

(ii) Pleasure. He refused “to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” The real and powerful pleasures of Egypt were his for the asking, yet Moses chose against them.

(iii) Possessions. At his disposal were “all the treasures in Egypt.” The enormous treasures unearthed from Egyptian tombs indicate the wealth that Moses rejected. Here was treasure beyond dreams. Like Thutenkhamen’s treasures, “gold everywhere”.

Instead he said “Yes” to:
(i) The Reproach of Christ. How could he suffer the reproach of Christ before Christ was even born? It does not say “reproach FOR Christ”, but “reproach OF Christ”. This was the same rejection which Christ experienced as He “endured the cross, despising the shame” (12:2).

(ii) The Riches of Christ. Moses had learned that only in Christ are found lasting treasures. By faith he set his heart on them. What “unsearchable riches” of mercy, love, and forgiveness are to be found in Christ!

(iii) The Recompense of the Reward. The word “had respect unto…” carries the thought of fixing one’s gaze and looking off unto a distant object. Moses fixed his gaze on the future, confident that his reward was safe in the hands of One who could not disappoint him.

Moses “chose” and “esteemed.” These words are in the aorist tense, each indicating a single act. The time came for definite decision. Was his life to be lived for time, or for eternity? Would he take the world with all its position, pleasures, and possessions, or would he say:

Take the world, but give me Jesus,
All its joys are but a name.
For His love abideth ever,
Through eternal years the same

When John in his Epistle describes the “world”, he sums up “all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” These are exactly the same elements which Moses rejected in favour of Christ.

How did Moses do it? What enabled him to make such a radical choice? Verse 27 says “he endured, as seeing him who is invisible”. Moses was so totally convinced about the reality of God that he decided to spend his life reaching out for the spiritual realities of eternity, instead of the material things of time.

h) The Deliverance Of Faith
“By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (11:31).

For 40 years word had filtered through to the inhabitants of Jericho what God had done in the wilderness through the Children of Israel. Rahab said so (Joshua 2:9-11). The evidence stared them in the face. Yet only one person in the whole city was delivered. Why? What made Rahab so different from all the others?

(i) She Listened. She was the only person in the city willing to sit down and listen to the evidence. Others had heard, but only Rahab listened.

(ii) She Believed, and consequently “perished not with them that believed not.” The word “believed not” is better translated “disobedient.” The other inhabitants of Jericho had heard what she had heard. She knew nothing more than they. The only difference was that she recognized the call of God’s voice in what she heard. She believed, and decided to obey.

(iii) She Acted. As belief flowed out into action, she turned from the visible Jericho around her, and trusted herself and her future to a God she had never even seen. The living evidence of the reality of her faith was that “she received the spies in peace”. The spies were her only link with the living God, and through them she reached out for a deliverance that was, ultimately, in Christ Jesus. This action resulted in a salvation and transformation so radical that she was actually placed in the Messianic line that led eventually to Christ. Amazing grace!

i) The Patience Of Faith
“Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, Yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment” (11:36).

Not all of those mentioned in chapter 11 were well known and victorious. “Others” suffered defeat and disaster, and died having “received not the promise”.

What kept them going in the midst of such totally adverse circumstances? They lived and died with faith fixed on God’s unfailing promise. What was “the promise”? It was the promise of a Redeemer and Messiah, the promise of a Covenant that could bring perfection, and a salvation that could bring men into the very presence of God.

In essence they had listened to God’s promises, and believed what they heard. This led to action, and radical redirection of their lives.

This “great cloud of witnesses” from the pages of the O.T. surrounds and challenges us to go on for God. In the midst of the most daunting circumstances they listened to God, believed, and staked their lives on His unseen promises. Can we, who stand on the resurrection side of Calvary, with the God’s Spirit in our hearts and His Word in our hands, do less?

j) The Object Of Faith
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:2).

The writer climaxes his appeal to the Hebrews with a call to “Consider Him…” Christ is faith’s ultimate example. He is the “Author”, i.e. the leader, or pattern of faith. He is also the “Finisher”, the One who carries it through to completion.

Man with his sense of material values reckoned His life a waste and a failure. What was there to prove otherwise? After all, He ended it on a cross, despised and rejected of men. But the One Who went to the Cross has risen and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

What is the lesson here? Christ did not live for time, but for eternity. He lived with His vision firmly fixed on the “joy that was set before Him.” It was this that enabled Him to “endure such contradiction of sinners against Himself” (12:3).

Now the call is to “Consider Him.” The way forward for the persecuted and wavering Hebrews was to lift their eyes above their circumstances, and look again unto Jesus. It is the same for ourselves. As our vision is filled with Him, wearied and faint hearts will be refreshed, and minds fixed on the joy and promises set before us.

C.H. Spurgeon used the illustration of a child trapped in the upper storey of a burning house. A huge strong man stands one the ground beneath the window , and calls “Jump! Drop into my arms.” “It is part of faith,” Spurgeon would say, “to know that there is a man there; still another part of faith to believe him to be a strong man; but the essence of faith lies in trusting him fully and dropping into his arms.”

CHAPTER 12

The great theme of Hebrews 12 is vital, dynamic hope based on eternal realities that God places before His children. That they are his children is evident because of the way in which He uses even the most discouraging and evil circumstances to train and discipline them. He wants them to patiently endure present trials and testings, and to see behind it the hand of a loving heavenly Father who is determined to strengthen their faith and bring out the character of divine life in His children.

They are also being prepared to be part of God’s unshakable kingdom which will remain long after the apparently solid and permanent things of heaven and earth have passed away.

1. TRAINING THROUGH TRIALS (12:1-17)
To the hard-pressed Hebrew believers the writer presents twin thoughts to lift their minds above their doubt-provoking and discouraging circumstances:-

a) The Christian’s Race (12:1-3)
The beginning of chapter 12 has close links with chapter 11, where the writer challenges his readers by reminding them of numerous O.T. heroes of faith. His message climaxes in verses 1-3, with a presentation of Christ Himself as faith’s ultimate example and the winning post of life’s race. The Hebrew believers are encouraged to run life’s race, surrounded by the examples of the past, and with eyes fixed firmly on faith’s finishing point.

But if the race is to be won and our hope realized, spiritual discipline and training are essential. The Hebrew believers had professed to have entered the race, but had not moved forward. Some, seeing the difficulties and length of the course were about to withdraw. All such are reminded of three things:-

(i) The Stadium. The grandstand is packed with O.T. spectators, each one an overcomer who has run and triumphed. Together they stand as “so great a cloud of witnesses” and from the past look at us as we stand on the starting line.

(ii) The Struggle. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” All impediments must go, even legitimate weights are laid aside. The race is serious. Before us lies a marathon with a long winding course, and only long-term determination and endurance will see us through.

(iii) The Strategy. “Looking unto Jesus…” He is our incentive. The word “looking” means “looking away from all else”, “fixing one’s gaze on an object”. Our eyes are directed to three things:-
* His Person. He is the “author and finisher of our faith.”
– As “author” He is our leader, pattern, and captain, reminding us that there is not an inch of the course which He has not already run.
– As “finisher” He is the Perfecter who carried faith to its ultimate completion.
* His Passion. “…endured the cross, despising the shame.” Is our way difficult? Do we tend to “be wearied and faint in your minds”? Let us remember His passion and patient endurance. The word “endured” corresponds to the word “patience” in verse 1.
* His Position. “…and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Christ, faith’s great incentive and example, was rewarded, and so shall we, if we endure. Looking unto Him will enable us to resist the evil tendencies within and the opposition from without.

Thus as we enter the race we “consider him…” The word is “analogizomai”, “to reckon up”. The things arrayed against us are petty compared with what was against Him. Keeping Him in focus and following in His steps will keep us from discouragement.

“Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin” (12:4). What sin? It may be the “besetting sin” of verse 1, or the temptation to throw in the sponge and give up the race altogether. This also sets the stage for what follows. In the final analysis it was a matter of submitting to the chastening hand of God, and being proved to be His child, or of refusing the chastening and being shown to be outside the family altogether. b) The Christian’s Relationship (12:4-17)
It is important that his readers understand why God allows such difficulties to enter their lives. It is because they have a Father – son relationship with Him. He wants them to know that behind all the opposition stands God. The enemy uses opposition to destroy faith. God takes the same opposition and uses it to train and strengthen His children, so that they grow up to be a credit to their Father.

To us the word “chastisement” has the thought of correction and punishment, but it really refers to general spiritual education, and all that is involved in bringing up a child, including corrective measures which will eliminate evil and promote good. The word for “chasten” is “paideia”, used for the training and education of children. How grateful we should be that God is prepared to use every means to educate us. Even the difficulties caused by sin.

Earthly fathers inevitably make mistakes as they chastise their children and do it “for their own pleasure”, i.e. as they think best. How different is our heavenly Father who makes no mistakes, and whose only motive is “for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness” (12:10). This is fellowship with Him, and likeness to Him. We cannot have it part from training.

See what these verses teach about a heavenly Father’s training programme:

(i) Its Source. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (12:6). To weary believers, wilting in the heat of persecution, it must have seemed as though they were the objects of Satanic attacks, and that God was either uninterested or unable to alter the situation. But the whole thrust of the passage is that our loving heavenly Father uses the heat of persecution, misunderstanding, and rejection which they were suffering as a tool to train and discipline His children.

We need to remember that He holds the rod, and applies it in love, not anger. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” (12:6). In fact, absence of discipline may indicate absence of relationship; “then are ye bastards, and not sons” (12:8).

(ii) Its Purpose. Our own fathers trained and disciplined us in order to help us cope with life better. At the time we rebelled against it, but as we look back we are thankful for it.Those early nursery days of spiritual infancy were great fun! Then the tears came when we had to go to school. There were lessons to be learned and wills to be bent so that we might learn to live life to its fullest. At the time we rebelled against it, but as we look back we are thankful for it. Who now wants to go back to the nursery?

Of course, “no chastening form the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous” (12:11). God does give us rich spiritual enjoyment. Yet He allows difficulties to cross our path, and uses them “for our profit” (12:10) so that we get more out of spiritual life.

And not only here; God has eternity in mind! It is “that we might be partakers of his holiness” (12:10). He wants to see us “Like Father – Like Son”! He wants to have us share his holiness and to behave as He behaves. How short life is to prepare for eternity! Should we not submit to Him and trust His wisdom?

(iii) Its Results. “Afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (12:11). Trials are meant for training, and the effect of the trial will depend on our reaction to it. We can react to discipline in one of four ways:-
* We can “despise” it. “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord…” (12:5). This means treating it lightly, or growing hard and cynical under God’s disciplining hand, thus ignoring the lessons to be learned from it.
* We can “faint” under it. “…nor faint when thou art rebuked of him” (12:5). How easy it is to wilt under the pressure of God’s training, or be overcome by self pity, and thus miss lessons we might have learned.
* We can “endure” it (12:7). Some people just accept it, grit their teeth and passively put up with it, but never attempt to find the purpose behind it.
* We can be “exercised thereby.” “Nevertheless afterward it yieldeth up the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (12:11). This word “exercised” was used in connection with an athlete exercising for the games. Such exercises made him strong and resilient, fitting him for the race. So we should look behind the trial, attempting to see God’s purpose in it, and allowing Him to develop His purposes, described as “the peaceable fruit of righteousness” (12:11). “peaceable” here is that which produces happiness, and “righteousness” refers to that which is right, in right relationship between God and man.

An Exhortation and an Example. The writer follows up his explanation of discipline with an exhortation and an example:-

a) An Exhortation:
(i) Be Strong! “Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees” (12:12). The word “lift up” means “to set aright”, and is used of the restoration of ruins. Fallen stones are fitted back into the walls, and the building is restored to its original plan and purpose. This is what training is meant to accomplish, to make us strong, setting things aright.

(ii) Be Straight! “And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed” (12:13). Many aspects of our Christian lives involve relationships with others. Here we are called to a straight path that sets an example to fellow believers, so that those with a tendency to stumble will not be turned out of the way.

(iii) Be Peaceful! “Follow peace with all men…” (12:14). Good training should enable us to interact well in society, and follow the example of the Lord Jesus who was a perfect Gentleman, gracious, thoughtful, and tactful, even though firm in His attitude towards sin.

(iv) Be Holy! “…and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (12:14). The writer has already described the believers as “holy brethren” (3:1). This is the unassailable position of every child of God. Each one is a “saint”. But we are also to “Follow…holiness.” This means deliberately choosing those things which make for godliness. Pursuing practical sanctification is the proof that we possess positional sanctification.

b) An Example
The easy way out of all this is to hope for a third option that allows the best of both worlds! But God’s grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness, and anyone who thinks it teaches otherwise will “fail of the grace of God” (12:15). He does not know or understand God’s grace, and has failed altogether.

Even in Moses’ day there were those who paid lip-service to Lord, yet turned away to serve other gods (Deut 29:18). Such apostasy is proof of unbelief. But the writer is concerned for the effect it will have on others who may be trouble and defiled. Like a “root of bitterness springing up” (12:15) it will have disastrous effects. Like the farmer/pastor who put letters of instruction to his farm manager and church elders in the wrong envelopes. The letter received by the elders said: “Keep down the weeds; keep up the fences; and keep a sharp look out for the old black bull!”

Esau is presented as a solemn example of a man who opted for a non-existent third alternative. “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright” (12:16). Esau had many good points, but he tragically failed of the grace of God for two reasons:

(i) He was a “fornicator”. This word for us has a purely moral connotation, but the original meaning is broader. It means he lived in the realm of the tangible and physical. Esau lived on the same plane as an intelligent animal.

(ii) He was “profane”. The origin of this word is “pro” which means “in front of”, and “fane”, which means “temple”. It refers to the unfenced parcel of ground outside of and in front of the temple. So Esau lived outside the temple. His soul was a galloping ground for any passion.

By God’s grace Esau held the birthright, the most valuable thing it was possible for him to possess. But it meant nothing to him. He “despised” it. The birthright related to the future, and he was unprepared to put up with the pangs of hunger for a few moments for the sake of a few promises. He lived for the present only. The “afterward” meant nothing to him.

Too late he realized the value of what he had thrown away. But the dye had been cast, and there was “no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (12:17). Isaac had given the blessing to Jacob, and could not reverse it.

2. TRIUMPH THROUGH TRUSTING (18-29)
It all boils down to the question of faith and trust. Like Esau we can choose the tangible, and refuse to trust the invisible. But to do so means to reject God’s blessing and privileges. The stark alternatives facing the readers lead the writer to present them with a choice, a challenge, and a charge.

a) A Choice: Sinai or Zion?
The mention of Esau and his rejection leads the writer to speak of the judgements of the first covenant, and to compare them with the blessings of the second.

In previous chapters the writer has presented Christ as superior in His person and work to all the Fathers, rituals, sacrifices, and covenant of the old Jewish religion. The two just cannot go together. They cannot have Christ and the Old covenant. It must be one or the other, not both. God does not give His people an alternative choice.

The symbol of this first covenant is Sinai. The symbol of the second is Zion. The straight choice, then, is between Sinai and Zion:-

(i) The Symbol Of Sinai (12:18-21). Verses 18-21 remind of the fearful circumstances that accompanied the giving of the Law. The first covenant was dominated by materialistic concepts. Seven details regarding the terror of the events at Sinai are mentioned:

* The mountain “could be touched.” It was tangible.
* It “burned with fire.”
* “blackness” – describes the thick
cloud on the mountain (Exodus 19:9,16)
* “darkness” – “Moses drew near to the
thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 19:21)
* “tempest”. Denotes God’s awesome power.
* “the sound of a trumpet”. Exodus 19:16 says it “sounded long and waxed louder and louder.”
* “the voice of words”. The ten commandments were spoken by God when Moses was with the people, and not on the mountain Exodus (19:25; 20:1). They were given verbally under these awesome circumstances, and written down afterwards. The people stood afar off asking that God’s voice be no more heard directly.

All these sights and sounds associated with Sinai were designed to impress on the people God’s absolute holiness. So terrible was the sight that even Moses trembled (12:21). No believer could wish to return to such a system. Yet the Hebrews were adhering to a system that was based on this law and on the fearful events of Sinai.

(ii) The Symbol Of Zion (12:22-24). Instead of returning to mount Sinai and its terrors, the readers are urged to continue their approach to mount Zion, where God dwells and reigns. Eight triumphs to which the Christian has come are identified:

* “But ye are come unto mount Sion.” Mount Zion was David’s stronghold in Jerusalem. But it stands for great spiritual truths. It was known as the mountain of the Lord, and the place where He would dwell forever (Psalm 68:16; 132:13-14). For the believer it speaks of the ascension position of Christ (Psalm 68:18).

* “and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” O.T. Jerusalem was known as the centre of worship and government. But the N.T. vision is that of a “heavenly Jerusalem”. Note what the Bible teaches about this city:
* Its Position – settled in heaven
* Its People – the home of the redeemed
* Its Purpose – it exists to make life rich and glorious for God’s people through all eternity. John uses a whole chapter to describe it. Note that the redeemed are so completely saved that the have already come to it. “But ye have come unto mount Zion” (12:22). Their citizenship is already there. They remain in the world only as visitors, pilgrims, and ambassadors! We may not have a street number, but our address is in heaven. This is what we have come to!

* “to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly.” (The words “general assembly” refer to the angels, not “the church.”) Angels are introduced here as they are the usual accompaniments of God’s glory, and ministers of His will. They were present at the giving of the Law, but their presence only added terror to the scene. Christ’s death and resurrection changed all that. They are now “ministering spirits” constantly being sent forth from the general assembly where they are gathered. Instead of the manifestations of awesome power, there “is joy in the presence of the angels of God” (Luke 15:10) because the sons of men are being redeemed. Here we are brought into their company and unite with them in their joy and purpose.

* “the church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven.” In the O.T. the names of the Children of Israel were written on the breastplate of the High Priest and taken into the Holy Place. But the names of believers are written in a higher place, in heaven, and in the Book of Life. The church is already complete in the counsels of God. “The firstborn” (plural) refers to men and women of new birth brought into spiritual relationship with Christ. In the O.T. Israel was God’s “firstborn” (Exodus 4:22). Because of this their names are enrolled in the Book of Life.

* “and to God the Judge of all.” Under law God was Judge, instilling fear into the hearts of men who lived under that law. Under grace a radical change has taken place! We now live in the presence of our Judge. God has already judged us at the cross. Not the slightest stain of sin remains. So perfect is our justification that we can bask in the presence of Him from whose face heaven and earth will one day flee away.

* “and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” This especially refers to those of chapter 11, who through faith had been justified, and are now perfected in their spiritual state. Until Christ ascended they were in sheol, but now they are in His immediate presence. They are “made perfect” even though they are still spirits, awaiting resurrection.

* “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.” We have come to all these blessing because of Christ. There He is in heaven, His hands upraised, mediating that covenant that banishes all distance, engaged in what has been called “His unfinished work” at God’s right hand.

* “and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance. Christ’s blood speaks of vengeance already past. It tells of mercy and pardon, and of justice satisfied fully and forever.

b) A Challenge (12:25-27)
“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh” (12:25). The epistle began by saying “God…hath…spoken.” We had better listen. The higher a person’s rank and dignity, the more weight we should attach to his words.

The writer pinpoints two dangers:-

(i) The Danger of Insulting God’s Person (12:25). In O.T. times there was no escape for those who refused to listen. “they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth.” Any person present at the giving of the law, who pressed forward onto the mount when expressly commanded to stand back, was summarily executed. There was no escape from the full weight of the penalty of God’s wrath.

“Much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.” We can afford to ignore a child’s meaningless prattle, but to reject a sovereign speaking in grace from a seat of power would be to invite disaster. How much more serious it is to turn one’s back upon God when He speaks in grace and offers the highest of all possible positions and privileges. It is an offence of the most serious kind.

(ii) The Danger of Ignoring God’s Power (12:26,27). Again a comparison is made between O.T. and N.T. times. At the giving of the Law the very earth trembled when God spoke, for it heard and recognized the voice of its Maker. If dumb, inaminate creation trembled, how much more should sinful men.?

The writer then warns of what God is still going to do. “Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven” (12:26). We need to have a good look at some of our tall buildings, because they may not be here tomorrow! In a coming day, all that has been created will be demolished. The day is coming when this world will see such a demonstration of God’s power as will leave nothing standing at all, except what is founded on His grace.

But there are some things which are unshakable:

* “He that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (1 John 2:17)
* “The word of the Lord endureth forever” (1 Peter 1:25)
* “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (13:8) * “a kingdom which cannot be moved” (12:28)

Jesus Christ is the Rock which cannot be shaken. Do we want security today? Men today want to make the world safe from disease, accidents, pollution, etc. But no legislation or organization can make it safe. We cannot even walk down the street after dark! But one day God will make it safe, and in order to do that He is going to shake everything.

What a tragedy to build our lives, hopes, affections, and ambitions on those “things which are made” (12:27), and which are going to be shaken!

c) A Charge (12:28,29)

“Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire “ (12:29,30).

The application is clear. True believers cannot remain silent and passive. Instead they should be moved by:-

(i) A Glorious Fact (12:28). They have received “a kingdom which cannot be moved.” Judaism was but a temporary thing. It has served its purpose and has been shaken to its very foundation. In contrast believers have a place in God’s ultimate kingdom, a kingdom which cannot be shaken.

There is one amid all changes
Who stands forever fast,
One who covers all the future,
The present, and the past;
It is Christ, the Rock of Ages,
And He is first, and He is last.”

(ii) God’s Gracious Favour (12:28). “Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably.” This is not the O.T. service of tabernacle and temple. We serve out of a deep sense of the favour bestowed upon us by God, and give it back in joyful service.

(iii) Godly Fear (12:28,29). We should serve “with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.” Grace gives us no licence to forget God’s holiness. The holiness of God was more visible in the O.T., as God put a distance between the Ark of the covenant and the rank and file of the people even when the camp was on the march. The distance has been removed, but the burning holiness remains.
CHAPTER 13

Just as chapter 11 brought before us the way of FAITH, and chapter 12 the way of HOPE, so this final chapter brings before us the way of LOVE. It is fitting that is should be so because:-

a) Love has been the motivating force behind all the majestic truths expounded in earlier chapters.

b) The great truths of the epistle are not sterile doctrinal facts, but dynamic principles to be worked out in the ordinary practical details of everyday life as God’s people relate to each other in love.

1. CALL TO CONTINUE (13:1-16)
A number of practical exhortations flow out of the great doctrinal truths taught earlier in the epistle.

a) Call to Compassion (13:1-3)
The writer has already noted in chapter 10:25 the dangerous tendency to stop meeting together. The writer knows that bonds of Christian fellowship are vitally important and need maintaining.

Christian love is to be shown to:

(i) Saints. “Let brotherly love continue” (13:1), “Keep on loving each other as brothers” (NIV). One hallmark of true conversion is brotherly love. John wrote “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14).
Note that the word “brother” (“adelphos”) means “from the same womb”. The basis of our Christian fellowship and fondness for each other is that we are brothers and sisters with one Father in a heavenly family.

(ii) Strangers. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (13:2), “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (NIV). True Christian compassion reaches out beyond the boundaries of the local fellowship to touch and support strangers in need. In showing compassion to such strangers there may well be greater reward than might be expected. Certainly this was Abraham’s experience, as he unwittingly entertained three strangers who turned out to be two angels and the Son of God Himself. The Lord’s teaching in Matthew 25:40 is thoroughly relevant, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

(iii) Sufferers. “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body,” (13:3) “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering” (NIV). Three thoughts are presented here:
* Adversity. “…them which suffer adversity,” “those who are mistreated” (NIV). Many had suffered imprisonment for the sake of Christ, and had their liberties restricted. (Today, also, many suffer “imprisonment” by disease or other difficulties, and are just as much in need of our love and care).
* Sympathy. “…as bound with them,” “as if you were their fellow prisoners” (NIV). We have seen in previous chapters how our High Priest so successfully sympathizes with us in our infirmities. So we should be sympathetically touched with the feeling of the infirmities of our suffering brethren.
* Unity. “…as being yourselves also in the body,” “as if you yourselves were suffering” (NIV). The church is a body, and when one suffers, we all suffer. What about lonely, depressed, and oppressed saints? Fellowship is more than chorus singing and the social chat after meetings. It is sharing a brother’s burden and easing his load.

b) Call to Chastity (13:4)
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge,” “Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” (NIV). Permissiveness is today’s rule. Suggestive soap operas and popular magazines glamorize sex, and unconsciously pull down our defences. Instead of being something pure given to us to enjoy, sex becomes a controlling monster threatening to destroy us.

God’s laws have not changed. The marriage bond and its special relationship are sacred, and deviations from these standards brings us into the shadow of God’s judgement.

Leaving all with Jesus, striving to be pure;
Strong in Him enduring, though the world allure
Trusting, yet hard striving wrong thoughts to subdue,
Through Him overcoming all that is not true.

c) Call to Contentment (13:5)
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me,” “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (NIV). There are four lessons here relating to:

(i) Covetousness. This is literally “love of money.” We live in a grabbing world which is ruled by the delusion that the achievement of riches brings contentment. It constantly demands more, and believers find themselves willingly pushed into its mould. Yet the Lord spoke of the “deceitfulness of riches” and Paul warned that desiring to be rich leads a man into a “temptation and a snare.”

(ii) Contentment. In contrast, the believer is exhorted to be “content with such things as ye have.”

* “content” means more than just being satisfied. It is the ability of a Christian to be dependant on the Holy Spirit rather than on his circumstances. * “such things as ye have” is literally “the things around you”, i.e. one’s circumstances.

Lord Congleton once overheard the cook exclaim, “Oh, if only I had £5, I would be content!” Anxious to see at least one woman satisfied, he handed her a £5 note. She thanked him profusely. He paused outside the door to hear what she would say. As soon as he was gone, she cried out, “Why didn’t I ask for ten?”

(iii) Consolation. “For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” Christian contentment is based on our relationship to God, and the promise of His presence. He has pledged Himself to look after us, and can never fail.

(iv) Courage. “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me,” “So we can say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (NIV). This quotation from Psalm 118:6 teaches that true spiritual boldness is born of faith, hope, and love anchored in an ever deepening relationship with our sovereign Lord.

d) Call to Consideration (13:7)
“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation,” “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (NIV).

In this reminder of Godly elders who had led them in earlier days the writer makes three points:-

(i) Inspiration. “Remember them which have the rule over you,” “Remember your leaders” (NIV). The memory of these godly men who had guided them in earlier days and had now passed on was an inspiration.

(ii) Instruction. “…who have spoken unto you the word of God,” “…who spoke the word of God to you” (NIV). Such men had handled the Word of God well, and had laid a firm foundation of truth.

(iii) Imitation. “…whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation,” “Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (NIV). “Follow” is literally “imitate”. We do not follow such men for their gift or ability, but for their FAITH.

e) Call to Confidence (13:8)
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever,” “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (NIV). This is one of the sweetest texts and greatest declarations in the Bible.

Note that this verse follows on from the exhortation to remember their former leaders. Their God was the “God of Abraham…Isaac…Jacob.” He made Himself known to each generation as required. Past generations worked wonders in His name, and we sometimes wish we could have those worthies back. Perhaps things would be different!

But the point is that we still have the source of all power with us today. He is “Jesus Christ is the same…” In what way is He “the same”?

(i) In His Person. The Incarnation did not rob Him of His deity. All His attributes were His when here in “weakness”.

(ii) In His Purpose – to accomplish our full redemption. This was what was in His mind from eternity past. His purpose took him beyond Calvary, the Garden, and Olivet, and looks forward to the time “when all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more.”
Men are fickle and changing. “Change and decay in all around I see.” Chapter 1 says “Thy shall perish, but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail” (1:11,12).

• Yesterday – He hung on a cross.
• Today – He sits at God’s right hand to make intercession for us.
• For ever – He will return in glory and reign with His saints forever.

Our world may change; our home may change; our life may change: but Christ is the solid unchanging Rock. One day we will stand with a redeemed multitude of just men made perfect, clothed in garments of salvation. We will have the same testimony to give: Jesus Christ is always the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

When from my life the old time joys have vanished –
Treasures, once mine, I may no longer claim –
This truth may feed my hungry soul and famished:-
Lord, Thou remainest! Thou art still the same!

When strength hath failed, and feet, now worn and weary,
On gladsome errands may no longer go –
Why should I sigh, or let the days be dreary?
Lord, Thou remainest! Could’st Thou more bestow?”
– J. Danson Smith

f) Call to Conviction (13:9)
“Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace,” “do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings” (NIV).

The reference here is primarily to Judaism and its attractions for the Hebrews. Believers are to appreciate God’s grace, and be convicted about the great truths of the faith, particularly as they have such an unchanging Christ. An appreciation of God’s grace strengthens their hearts, and is a much more powerful principle than Law, with all its “meats”, ceremonies and sacrifices.

g) Call to Communion (13:10-14)
Communion and fellowship with Christ are vital aspects of the Christian life. Three things about communion are emphasized:

(i) The Principle of Communion. The O.T. sacrifices clearly foreshadowed the Cross of Christ, the principle on which all communion with God is based. There were two kinds of O.T. sacrifices and offerings:

* Peace or Fellowship Offerings. Having served their purpose on the altar, these O.T. sacrifices became the basis for a communion feast. But, says verse 10, the cross did away with all that. Instead “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle” (13:10), “We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat” (NIV). We now feast on Christ and our communion is with Him. But one cannot feed on Christ if one also feeds on O.T. rituals. The two testaments are mutually exclusive.

* Pardon and Forgiveness Offerings. These were the Sin Offerings, and are referred to in verses 11 and 12: “For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate” (13:11,12). “The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood” (NIV).

There were thus two kinds of O.T. offerings:-
– Sweet-savour offerings, especially the Peace Offering, which became food for the priests, as in verse 10.
– Sin offerings. These were not eaten. They were burned outside the camp.

As the antitype the Lord Jesus is:
– Our Peace Offering upon which we feed.
– Our Sin Off. As such establishes the principle upon which communion rests. The sin offering was always burnt outside the camp. What the camp was to the Israelite in the wilderness, Jerusalem was to the Jew of Jesus’ day. He was slain on a hill of shame outside the city’s walls. There He became a sin offering for our sin. All our communion is based upon this fact.

(ii) The Place of Communion. “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach” (13:13), “Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore” (NIV). The Jews had rejected Christ and cast Him “outside the camp.” Since Christ was outside the whole thing, there could be no communion with Him inside the Jewish system. The place of the Hebrew believer was with Christ, outside all that Judaism stood for. To go back to Judaism would be tantamount to forsaking Him and giving the right hand of fellowship to the system that had cast Him out.

True, to share his place “outside the camp” would be to share His rejection, but nothing else was possible.

I cannot give it up, the little world I know,
The innocent delights of youth, the things I cherish so!
‘Tis true I love my Lord, and want to do His will,
And oh! I may enjoy the world and be a Christian still!

And yet – “outside the camp” – ’twas where my Saviour died:
It was the world that cast Him forth, and saw Him crucified.
Can I take part with those who nailed Him to the tree?
And where His name is never praised; is that the place for me?

Lord Jesus! let me dwell “outside the camp” with Thee!
Since Thou art here, then there alone is peace and home for me.
Thy dear reproach to bear I’ll count my highest gain,
Till Thou return, the banished King, to take Thy power and reign.

(iii) The Prospect of Communion. “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (13:14), “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come” (NIV). All our prospects are heavenward, not earthward. Christ is the sum and centre of our communion. Hence the readers are urged to look beyond the boundaries of time into eternity, and see all the prospects laid up for them there.

h) Call to Consecration (13:15,16)
The previous verses have reminded us of the benefits which come to us from Christ’s sacrifice. In return we are invited to offer to God sacrifices for His pleasure. Here are two sacrifices we are invited to offer to Him:

(i) The Sacrifice of Worship. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name” (13:15), “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of our lips that confess his name” (NIV).

What is the “sacrifice of praise”? It is not the singing of happy choruses when things going well! It is the outpouring of the heart to God in appreciation of what He has done.

(ii) The Sacrifice of Works. “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (13:16), Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (NIV).

Praise is practical! Good works are the response of a heart filled with praise and gratitude to God for what He has done. The sacrifices in this verse involve:

* Serving. “But to do good…” Here is Christian service at its best, following in the steps of the Master who went about “doing good”.
* Sharing. “…and communicate/share” the word means “to share” or “be a partner”. As Christian we have
the privilege of sharing and being a partner in someone else’s need and even poverty.

Three basic characteristics applied to all Bible sacrifices:

* They are costly. David refused to offer unto the Lord of that which cost him nothing.
* They are brought in clean vessels. “Bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord” (Isaiah 66:20).
* They speak of Christ. “We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ” (2 Cor 2:15).

i) Call to Concern (13:17)
The writer rounds off this section with a word on the responsibilities governing the relationship between elders and the assembly. He brings before his readers:

(i) The Elder’s Rule. “Obey them that have the rule over you” (13:17), “Obey your leaders” (NIV). The assembly is not a democracy (where the majority rules), or an anarchy (where everyone does as he likes). It is a theocracy over which God rules through elders. Note that our relationship with our elders will depend on our attitudes – “Obey…submit”. Spiritual attitudes will have no problem with spiritual directives.

(ii) The Elder’s Responsibility. “They watch for your souls, as they that must give account,” (13:17) “They keep watch over you as men who must give an account” (NIV). Here is a description of genuine elders. They are:

* Awake. The word watch means “to be awake”. They know the needs of the flock. How to succour, how to feed, how to guide. How thankful we should be for those raised up by God to have a shepherd care for His people.
* Aware. An elder’s ministry is undertaken with one eye fixed on the judgement seat of Christ, before which they will give an account.

(iii) The Elder’s Reaction. “…that they may do it with joy, and not with grief,” (13:17) “Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden” (NIV). Two kinds of reaction are presented:
* Joy. The elder will have joy when his “children walk in truth” (3 John 4), obedient to God’s Word and the elders who have sought to guide them in paths of righteousness.
* Grief. He will have grief when those he has shepherded and cared for have turned back, and he appears at the judgement seat empty handed. No wonder he says “that is unprofitable for you,” “that would be of no advantage to you” (NIV).

2. CONCLUSION (13:18-25)
Here is the final paragraph of the letter. He has ranged through the O.T. to support his pleadings and warnings with illustrations, examples, and quotations. He has appealed to the conscience, the intellect, the emotions, and the will. What can he more say?

Now in his concluding remarks the writer draws a few of the threads together.

a) A Prayer Request (13:18,19)
These verses highlight three things about prayer:

(i) The Request for Prayer. “Pray for us” (13:18). If a man of the writer’s stature needed prayer, how much more do we!

(ii) The Requirements for Prayer. “…for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly,” (13:18) “We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honourably in every way” (NIV). The writer knew that two requirements needed to be fulfilled:

* Good conscience. i.e. inwardly before the Lord he had no unconfessed sin. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18).
* Good conduct. i.e. outwardly before the world.

How many have stunted prayer lives because of problems in the realms of conscience and conduct.

(iii) The Reality of Prayer. “But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner,” (13:19) “I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon” (NIV). The writer was confident in the ability of prayer to change his circumstances. We should never be weary in “everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).

b) A Praise Request (13:20,21)
The writer gives praise to God for four things:

(i) His Person. “The God of peace.” Only God through Christ can give the troubled heart peace with God.

(ii) His Provision. He is the God “that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,” (13:20) “Who through the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep” (NIV). Here is a great Shepherd and a great shelter! Our security is based on His blood, His resurrection, and His ministry as our “great Shepherd.”

(iii) His Power. “Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Christ Jesus,” (13:21) “Equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ” (NIV). Power is promised to enable us to live lives pleasing to God.
(iv) His Praise. “To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” The Hebrews had been tempted towards the glory of the earthly temple. Little did they realise that inside a few years it would be all reduced to a pile of rubble.

They were being challenged to give this up for a place with Christ “outside the camp”. More than anything else they needed to look up and see the reality of the glory of Christ. All glory belongs to Him. So we need to get our eyes off the passing glory of man and the his monumental achievements. It is all due to be wrapped up. The only real and permanent glory is to be found in Christ.

c) Personal Requests (13:23-25)
These final remarks bring before the readers:-

(i) Supplication (13:23). “And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words,” (13:23) “Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter” (NIV). The writer pleads for a fair hearing in view of the basic importance of his letter. Much more could be said. The letter is short, but the theme is extensive.

(ii) Information (13:24). “Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you,” (13:24) “I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you” (NIV). Timothy was obviously well known to them – “our brother Timothy.” Perhaps they had prayed for him in prison, and now that he was released they would be encouraged.

(iii) Salutation (13:24,25). “Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you,” “Greet all your leaders, and all God’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings” (NIV). How faith in Christ enlarges our horizons. It gives us a world-wide interest in Christ’s work and workers. What a wonder is God’s family, united in bonds of real affection that range across the world and span the centuries.

Outside the camp unto Thy dear name,
This in Thy Word I see;
Unto that name – and to share in His shame,
Privileged place to be.
Feasting on Christ, His reproach to share,
Tempt not my soul away:
Nought can compare with the blessedness there –
Outside the camp to stay.

Outside the camp unto Thy dear name,
Lord, may I there be found,
Weaned from the world with its pomp and its fame,
Resting on holy ground.
Outside the camp, in Thy company till
Earth’s little day is o’er,
Then, face to face, all Thy mercies to trace –
Inside the veil evermore!”