Hebrews Session 1 - Introduction - Is Anybody Listening?

The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is doing a study through the New Testament book of Hebrews. The word better is used thirteen times in the book of Hebrews as the writer shows the superiority of Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion.  Another word that is repeated in this book is perfect; in the original Greek it is used fourteen times. It means a perfect standing before God. Eternal is a third word that is important to the message of Hebrews. When you combine these three words, you discover that Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because these blessings are eternal and they give us perfect standing before God.  This study is not a diet for “spiritual babes” who want to be spoon-fed and coddled. In this letter you will find “strong meat” that demands some chewing and enjoying.

These are the notes to Session 1.

Who wrote this book?

The author of this book does not tell us his name. There is nothing in the book to say who wrote it. For centuries the church thought that the author was the apostle Paul. But Paul always begins his letters with his name. The way that the author uses Greek words is unlike the way Paul uses them. There have been many suggestions, but nobody knows who wrote this book. All that we know is that *Timothy was a friend of both the writer and the readers. 

2 Who were the first readers of this book?

The first readers were probably Christian Jews. The author did not write for all Jews. He wrote to a group, whom he knew well, that had become Christian. The book shows that they were not strong in their belief. They were in danger of going back to their old religion. The writer argues from the Old Testament to keep them trusting in Jesus.

3 Where did the writer send the book?

From early times the church believed that the readers lived in Jerusalem. The title, the letter to the Hebrews, could show that they were Jews in Israel who spoke Hebrew.  Many Jews who did not live in Israel spoke Greek. Another suggestion is that the readers lived in Rome. There is in fact so little evidence in the book itself that we have to say that we do not know where the readers were living.

4 When did the author write the book?

From what is in the book we could argue that the Jews were still carrying on the temple ceremonies in Jerusalem. We know that the Romans destroyed the temple in AD 70. If the date of writing was later, the author would have noted that event. So the date of the letter was probably before AD 70. 

5 Why did the author write the book?

These Christian Jews had to make a choice. They could not continue in Judaism and be Christians. They must decide which way to go. It was either to go back to being Jews or to go on to be Christians. It seems that their nation had now turned against Christians. They could not now go to the  temple as the Jews would not let them. The writer tries to show his readers that the right choice was to continue to trust in Jesus. That was much better than all the ceremonies of their former religion, which Jesus had replaced.

6 What sort of book has the author written?

The way the author has written the book is not like any other book in the New Testament. We call it a letter, but it does not start like one. It does finish like a letter, but the author does not give us his name. The writer knows the readers and is eager to see them again (13:19, 23). He thinks well of them (6:9), but they should by now have been able to teach (5:12). He knows all about their past and their needs.

The way he writes is almost like a speech or a lesson. He cares about his friends and wants to advise them in the choices they have to make.

A Much-Needed Shake-Up

The epistle of Hebrews was written at a time when the ages were colliding and when everything in society seemed to be shaking. It was written to Christians who were wondering what was going on and what they could do about it.

One of the major themes of Hebrews is: Be confident! God is shaking things up so that you may learn to live by faith and not by sight.

Looking Ahead

The focus in Hebrews is ultimately on the future. The writer informs us that he is speaking about “the world to come,” a time when believers will reign with Christ. You and I as God’s children have been promised a future reward. As with Abraham and Moses of old, the decisions we make today will determine the rewards tomorrow.

It Is a Book of Evaluation

Three Important Words

The word better is used thirteen times in the book of Hebrews as the writer shows the superiority of Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion.  Christ is “better than the angels” (Heb. 1:4). He brought in “a better hope” (Heb. 7:19) because He is the mediator of “a better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (Heb. 8:6).

Another word that is repeated in this book is perfect; in the original Greek it is used fourteen times. It means a perfect standing before God. 

This perfection could never be accomplished by the Levitical priesthood (Heb. 7:11) or by the law (Heb. 7:19), nor could the blood of animal sacrifices achieve it (Heb. 10:1). Jesus Christ gave Himself as one offering for sin, and by this He has “perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:14).

So the writer was contrasting the Old Testament system of law with the New Testament ministry of grace. He was making it clear that the Jewish religious system was temporary and that it could not bring in the eternal “better things” that are found in Jesus Christ.

Eternal is a third word that is important to the message of Hebrews. Christ is the “author of eternal salvation” (Heb. 5:9). Through His death, He “obtained eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:12), and He shares with believers “the promise of eternal inheritance” (Heb. 9:15). His throne is forever (Heb. 1:8) and He is a priest forever (Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:17, 21). “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

When you combine these three words, you discover that Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because these blessings are eternal and they give us perfect standing before God.  The religious system under the Mosaic law was imperfect because it could not accomplish a once-for-all redemption that was eternal.

Faith for Tough Times

So why did the writer of Hebrews ask his readers to evaluate their faith? Because they were going through difficult times and were being tempted to go back to the Jewish religion. The temple was still standing when this book was written and all the priestly ceremonies were still being carried on daily. 

These people were “second-generation believers,” having been won to Christ by those who had known Jesus during His ministry on earth. They were true believers who had been persecuted because of their faith. But they were being seduced by teachers of false doctrine and were in danger of forgetting the true Word that their first leaders, now dead, had taught them.

Hebrews is a book of evaluation, proving that Jesus Christ is better than anything the law of Moses has to offer.  The book of Hebrews exalts the person and the work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When you realize all that you have in and through Him, you have no desire for anyone else or anything else!

It Is a Book of Exhortation

The writer called this epistle “the word of exhortation” (Heb. 13:22). The Greek word translated “exhortation” simply means “encouragement.”

The epistle to the Hebrews was not written to frighten people, but to encourage people.  Hebrews encourages its readers to not 

Neglect  the Word—2:1–4  

Doubt the Word—3:7—4:13 

Become sluggish toward the Word or dull of hearing—5:11—6:20 

Don’t Despise the Word to the point that we willfully disobey the Word—10:26–39 

Not to Defy or refuse to hear the Word—12:14–29 (refusing to hear)

These five exhortations are addressed to people who are truly born again. Their purpose is to get the readers to pay close attention to God’s Word.

It Is a Book of Examination

As you study this book, you will find yourself asking: “What am I really trusting? Am I trusting the Word of God, or am I trusting the things of this world that are shaking and ready to fall away?”

This letter was written to believers at a strategic time in history. The temple was still standing and the sacrifices were still being offered. But in a few years, both the city and the temple would be destroyed. The Jewish nation would be scattered, and this would include Jewish believers in Jesus Christ. The ages were colliding! God was “shaking” the order of things (Heb. 12:25–29). He wanted His people to have their feet on the solid foundation of faith; He did not want them to trust in things that would vanish.

The church today is living in similar circumstances. Everything around us is shaking and changing. People are discovering that they have been depending on the “scaffolding” and not on the solid foundation. Even God’s people have gotten so caught up in this world’s system that their confidence is not in the Lord, but in money, buildings, programs, and other passing material things. As God continues to “shake” society, the scaffolding will fall away, and God’s people will discover that their only confidence must be in the Word of God.

I fear there are many people who have a false faith, who have not really heard and heeded God’s Word. Sometimes they are so busy telling everybody else what to do that they fail to examine their own situations. The epistle to the Hebrews is a book of examination: it helps you discover where your faith really is.

The story about the conductor who got on the train, began to take tickets, and told the first passenger whose ticket he took, “Sir, you’re on the wrong train.” When he looked at the next ticket, he told that passenger the same thing.

“But the brakeman told me to get on this train,” the passenger protested.

“I’ll double-check,” said the conductor. He did and discovered that he was on the wrong train!

It Is a Book of Expectation

The focus in this book is on the future. The writer informs us that he is speaking about “the world to come” (Heb. 2:5), a time when believers will reign with Christ. 

This does not mean that we become so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good. Rather it means that we “hang loose” as far as this world is concerned, and start living for the eternal values of the world to come.  the decisions we make today will determine the rewards tomorrow. More than this, our decisions should be motivated by the expectation of receiving rewards. Abraham obeyed God because “he looked for a city” (Heb. 11:10). Moses forsook the treasures and the pleasures of Egypt because “he had respect unto the recompense of the reward” (Heb. 11:26). These great men and women (Heb. 11:31, 35) of faith “lived in the future tense” and thus were able to overcome the temptations of the world and the flesh.

This letter is not a diet for “spiritual babes” who want to be spoon-fed and coddled (Heb. 5:11–14). In this letter you will find “strong meat” that demands some “spiritual molars” for chewing and enjoying. The emphasis in Hebrews is not on what Christ did on the earth (the “milk”), but what He is now doing in heaven (the “meat” of the Word). He is the Great High Priest who enables us by giving us grace (Heb. 4:14–16). He is also the Great Shepherd of the sheep who equips us to do His will (Heb. 13:20–21). He is working in us to accomplish His purposes. What a thrill it is for us to be a part of such a marvelous ministry!

It Is a Book of Exaltation

The epistle to the Hebrews exalts the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first three verses set this high and holy theme, which is maintained throughout the entire book. Their immediate purpose is to prove that Jesus Christ is superior to the prophets, men who were held in the highest esteem by the Jewish people.

Hebrews 1:1‭-‬3 NLT Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

To begin with, He is the very Son of God and not merely a man called by God. The author makes it clear that Jesus Christ is God (Heb. 1:3), for his description could never be applied to mortal man. “Brightness of his glory” refers to the shekinah glory of God that dwelt in the tabernacle and temple. (See Ex. 40:34–38 and 1 Kings 8:10. The word Shekinah is a transliteration of a Hebrew word that means “to dwell.”) Christ is to the Father what the rays of the sun are to the sun. He is the radiance of God’s glory. As it is impossible to separate the rays from the sun, it is also impossible to separate Christ’s glory from the nature of God.

“Express image” (Heb. 1:3) carries the idea of “the exact imprint.” Our English word character comes from the Greek word translated “image.” Literally, Jesus Christ is “the exact representation of the very substance of God” (see Col. 2:9). Only Jesus could honestly say, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). When you see Christ, you see the glory of God (John 1:14).

In His work, Christ is also superior to the prophets. To begin with, He is the Creator of the universe, for by Him, God “made the worlds” (Heb. 1:2). Not only did Christ create all things by His Word (John 1:1–5), but He also upholds all things by that same powerful Word (Heb. 1:3). “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist [hold together]” (Col. 1:17).

Of course, both the Old Testament and the gospel revelation came from God, but Jesus Christ was God’s “last word” as far as revelation is concerned. Christ is the source, center, and end of everything that God has to say.

But Jesus Christ has a ministry as Priest, and this reveals His greatness. By Himself He “purged our sins” (Heb. 1:3). This aspect of His ministry will be explained in detail in Hebrews 7—10.

Finally, Jesus Christ reigns as King (Heb. 1:3). He has sat down, for His work is finished, and He has sat down “on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” the place of honor. This proves that He is equal with God the Father, for no mere created being could ever sit at God’s right hand.