Drinking in the RainHebrews 5:7 – 6:3

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Where We’ve Been

Hebrews written to Jewish Christians“Therefore holy brothers who share in the heavenly

calling…” Hebrews 3:1

Warnings against return to Judaism Perhaps because of persecution Struggle even for the apostles (Galatians 2)

Emphasizes the Superiority of Christ, especially to those steeped in Jewish history and tradition

Communicates lofty themes, and then…

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son…”

Hebrews 1:1

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Roadmap for a Detour

Melchizedek “It is hard to explain…”

“you have become dull of hearing” “you ought to be teachers” “you … need milk and not solid food” “solid food is for the mature”

Grow up! Don’t be deceived; are you sure you’re

saved? “We are convinced of better things

concerning you” Melchizedek

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Lost Along the Way – Diligent Study

“You should diligently learn the Word of God and by no means imagine that you know it. ... The devil is a greater rascal than you think he is. You do as yet not know what sort of fellow he is and what a desperate rogue you are. His definite design is to get you tired of the Word and in this way to draw you away from

it. This is his aim.”

“Holy Scripture is neglected as though there were no need of it. Those who condescend to read it want to absorb everything at once. There has never been an art or a book on earth that

everyone has so quickly mastered as the Holy Scriptures. But its words are not, as some think, mere literature (Lesewort);

they are words of life (Lebewort), intended not for speculation and fancy

but for life and action.”

Martin Luther

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Why Study?

Guard against false teaching Lead astray

"There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.“ – 2 Peter 2:1-2

Control “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the

laying on of the apostles hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’” - Acts 8:18-19

Bring judgment "I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these

nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him… Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.“ – Jeremiah 28:14-15

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Why Study?

Grow “Bear in mind that our Lords patience means salvation,

just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” – 2 Peter 3:10

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16

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Why Study?

Teach “…you ought to be teachers” – Hebrews 5:12 “Don't have anything to do with foolish and

stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.” – 2 Timothy 2:23-24

Our duty “Be diligent [study] to present yourself

approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling [rightly dividing] the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15

“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” – Philippians 2:12

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Skim Milk

Slothfulness (5:11, 6:12) Nothros – dull, slothful “Backsliding” – everything is dull

Lack of growth, inability to share and help others grow

Subjectivism Eisogesis, not exegesis One interpretation, many applications Rom 8:28, Phi 4:13, Rev 3:20

Biblical Radiesthesia “Bible dowsing”, “Luckydipping”

Superstition Existentialism

“Concerning Him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For

though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary

principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.”

Hebrews 5:12-13

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Whole Milk

Basics of the faith Communicated in pairs, couplets

Repentance and faith Baptisms and the Holy Spirit Resurrection and Judgment A necessary foundation for weaning,

growth, and teaching Karl Barth – “Jesus loves me”

“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation

of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the

resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.”

Hebrews 6:1-2

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White Meat - Principles

Practical and practiced tools for study Hermeneutics

Hermes – Conveying a message that can be understood

Many principles, methods, and rules for interpretation

“Analogy of Faith” – Scripture interprets scripture No conflicts Example, “no rhema” interpretations of Rev 22:18

“Sensus literalus” – Take it literally History, poetry, law, prophecy, parable

“But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

Hebrews 5:14

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Principles (continued)

Genre analysis Hyperbole

“Everyone is looking for you!” – Mark 1:37 Personification

"...the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” – Isaiah 55:12

“Balaam ... was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey - a beast without speech - who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet’s madness” – 2 Peter 2:16

Metaphor “I am the vine; you are the branches” – John 15:5 “Take and eat; this is my body” – Matt 26:26

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Principles (continued)

Grammatico-historical Look at grammatical constructs and historical

context “In the beginning was the Word and the Word

was toward the God and God was the Word” – John 1:1 (transliteration)

“Source criticism” Synoptic Gospels, but different priorities,

audiences, and concerns Authorship and dating

Understand the setting for prophecy, events, and language

“In the year that King Uzziah died…”, “He was pierced for our transgressions…” – Isaiah 6,53

Rules of interpretation…

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Practical Rules for Interpretation

Interpret historical events by the didactic For example, the Epistles interpret the

Gospels, not the other way around Interpret the implicit by the explicit Determine carefully the meaning of words Note parallelisms Distinquish Proverb from Law

Spirit vs. letter Practical guideline vs. moral absolute

Be careful with parables Be careful with predictive prophecy Examine the cultural setting Carefully (and prayerfully) discern principle

vs. custom

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Homework and URLs

Hebrews 6:4-6

www.FreeBibleSoftware.comwww.MemLok.com

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Red Meat

Discernment "But solid food is for the mature, who by

constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (5:14)

Desire to teach carefully “…you ought to be teachers...” (5:12) “…we who teach will be judged more

strictly.” – James 3:1

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so

that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:11-12

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Red Meat

Faith and patience “Even though we speak like this, dear friends,

we are confident of better things in your case - things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (6:9-12)

Bearing fruit “Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it

- and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed - receives the blessing of God.” – (6:7)

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Our Charge

“Come, let us return to the Lord.For He has torn us, but He will heal us;

He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.He will revive us after two days;

He will raise us up on the third day,That we may live before Him.

So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.His going forth is as certain as the dawn;

And He will come to us like the rain,Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

Hosea 6:1-3

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