THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

INTRODUCTIONTHE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS

AUTHOR: Uncertain DATE: 64-68

Authorship Many suggestions have been made for the author of this anonymous book – Paul, Barnabas, Apollos, Silas, Aquila and Priscilla, and Clement of Rome. There are both resemblances and dissimilarities to the theology and style of Paul, but Paul frequently appeals to his own apostolic authority in his letters, while this writer appeals to others who were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry (2:3). It is safest to say, as did the theologian Origen in the third century, that only God knows who wrote Hebrews.

Readership Three questions are involved in determining the readership of this letter. (1) What was the racial background of these readers? Although some have held that they were Gentiles, all evidence points to their Jewish background – the title of the book, “to the Hebrews,” the references to the prophets and angels ministering to Israel, and the citations concerning the Levitical worship. (2) Where did they live? Palestine or Italy have been the answers most often given. The preference seems to be Italy, for these readers were no poor (and the saints in Palestine were, 6:10; 10:34; Rom 15:26); the Septuagint is used exclusively for quotations from the Old Testament (one would not expect this if the readers were Palestinian); and “those from Italy greet you” (13:24) sounds as though Italians outside of Italy are sending greetings back home. (3) What was their spiritual condition? Most were believers (3:1), though, as in every church group, there were doubtless some who merely professed Christianity. The author calls this letter a “word of exhortation” (13:22) necessitated by the fact that some were in danger of abandoning their faith in Christ and reverting to Judaism. The readers were being persecuted, though not to the point of being martyrs (10:32-34; 12:4), and in the face of this, some were running the risk of becoming apostate. The letter is a stirring apologetic for the superiority of Christ and Christianity over Judaism in Terms of priesthood and sacrifice.

Date Various dates have been suggested for the writing of Hebrews, from the 60s to the 90s. However, its use in the book of 1 Clement, which was written in 95, requires a date some time before that. The lack in the book of any reference to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem as the divine proof that the Old Testament sacrificial system was finished argues strongly for a date before 70. In addition, the mention of Timothy’s recent release (13:23), if it was in connection with his ministry to Paul in Rome, requires a date in the late 60s.

Style The author displays outstanding literary and rhetorical skill. His style is a model of Hellenistic prose. Both the author and his readers are very familiar with the Old Testament in the Greek translation (the Septuagint). There are twenty-nine direct quotations from the Old Testament plus fifty-three clear allusions to various other passages. These are used to demonstrate both the finality of the Christian revelation and its superiority to the old covenant.

Contents The theme of the book is the superiority of Christ and thus of Christianity. The words “better,” “perfect,” and “heavenly” appear frequently. The outline shows how the theme is developed by proving that Christ is superior both in His person and His priesthood. Favorite passages include 2:3 (so great a salvation), 4:12 (the living Word of God), 4:16 (the throne of grace), 7:25 (the intercession of Christ), 11:1 (the description of faith), 11:4-40 (the heroes of faith, 12:1-2 (the Christian race), and 13:20-21 (a great benediction).

Theme “The supremacy of Christ over OT antecedent figures and other intermediaries Key Verses: 12:1–2 “(J. Brian Tucker)

OUTLINE OF HEBREWS

THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST

I. The Superiority of the Person of Christ, 1:1-4:16

A. God’s Supreme Revelation: Christ Is Superior to the Prophets, 1:1-4

1. God has Spoken to Us through His Son

B. Christ Is Superior to the Angels, 1:5-2:181. In His divine person 1.1 The Son Exalted Above Angels (NKJV), 1:5-14

2. In His saving proclamation 2.1 Warning: Do not Neglect Salvation (NKJV), 2:1-4

3. In His delivering purpose, 2:5-183.1 The Son made lower than angels, 5-9 (NKJV)

3.2 Bringing Many Sons to glory, 10-18 (NKJV)a. Jesus Became One of Us to Help Us, 11-18 (GW)

C. Christ Is Superior to Moses, 3:1-6

D. Christ Is the Supreme Object of Faith, 3:7-4:161. The catastrophe of unbelief, 3:7-19 Warning against unbelief, 7-19 (HCSB)1.1 Be faithful, 7-15 (NKJV)1.2 Failure of the wilderness wanderers, 16-19 (NKJV)

The Believer’s Rest2. The Promise of Rest 2.1 A Rest of the People of God, 4:1-10 (NKJV) (esv)

3. The cure for unbelief, 4:11-163.1 The Word discovers our condition, 11-13 (NKJV)

3.2 Our Compassionate High Priest, 14-16 (NKJV)

II. The Superiority of the Priesthood of Christ, 5:1-10:39

The Perfect High Priest

A. Christ Is Superior in His Qualifications, 5:1-101. The Messiah, a High Priest: A Priest Forever (NKJV) (HCSB)

B. Parenthetical Warning: Don’t Degenerate from Christ, 5:11-6:20

1. Warning against apostasy, 5:11 – 6:12 (ESV)1.1 The Problem of Immaturity: You Need someone to teach you, 5:11-14 (GW) (HCSB)

a. Re-crucifying Jesus, 11-14 (MSG)

1.2 Warning against regression, 6:1-12 (HCSB)

1.3 God gave His Word: Inheriting the Promise, 13-20 (MSG)a. God Will Not Forget You 6:9-20 (GW)

C. Christ Is Superior in the Order of His Priesthood, 7:1-8:13

1. The King of Righteousness (NKJV): The Priestly Order of Melchizedek, 7:1-10 (ESV)

2. Jesus Compared to Melchizedek, 7:11-28 (ESV)2.1 Need for a New Priesthood, 11-19 (NKJV)2.2 Greatness of the New Priest, 20-28 (NKJV)

A New Plan with Israel, 8:1-13

(MSG)

3. Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant: He ís Mediator of a New and Better Covenant (LEB), 8:1-13 (ESV)3.1 Therefore, “Jesus’ Priestly Work is Superior to other Priests’ Work”, 1-13 (GW)

a. The New Priestly Service (NKJV): A better ministry, 1-6 (NASB)b. A New Covenant, 8:7-13 (NASB)

Christ Offered a Superior Sacrifice, 9:1-28

(GW)

D. Christ Is Superior to His Priestly Ministry, 9:1-10:18

1. The Earthly Ministry of the Old Covenant 1-10: Worship in the earthly tabernacle (LEB) (NIV)1.1 The Earthly Sanctuary, 9:1-5 (NKJV)

1.2 Limitations of the Earthly Service, 9:6-10 (NKJV)

2. The Heavenly Ministry of the New Covenant: Christ’s Priesthood - The Blood of Christ, 9:11-28 (NIV) (LEB) 2.1 The Heavenly Sanctuary, 9:11-15 (NKJV)

2.2 The Mediator’s Death Necessary, 9:16-22 (NKJV)

2.3 Greatness of Christ’s sacrifice: Christ offered a superior sacrifice, 9:23-28 (NKJV) (GW)

The Sacrifice of Jesus, 10:1-18 (MSG)

2.4 Christ’s Sacrifice once for All, 10:1-182.4.1 Animal sacrifices insufficient, 10:1-4 (NKJV)

2.4.2 Christ’s death fulfills God’s will: , 10:5-10 (NKJV)

2.4.3 Christ’s death perfects the sanctified, 10:11-18 (NKJV)

E. The Full assurance of faith: A Call to Persevere in Faith, 10:19-39 (NIV)(ESV)

1. A New and Living Way, 19-29 (NASB)1.1 We can enter the most Holy Place because of Christ’s Superior work (GW)

a. Hold fast your confession (NKJV)b. Encourage each other (GW)

2. Christ or Judgment, 26-39 (NASB)2.1 The just live by faith, 26-39 (NKJV)

III. The Superiority of the Power of Christ, 11:1-13:19

Faith Directed People’s Lives, 11:1-40 (GW)

A. The Power of Faith in Christ: Examples of Faith in Action, 11:1-40 (LEB)

1. The description of Faith, 11:1-3

2. Great Examples of Faith, 11:4-40 (NLT)

2.1 Faith at the dawn of history, 4-7 (NKJV)

2.2 Faithful Abraham, 8-12 (NKJV)

2.3 The heavenly hope, 13-16 (NKJV)

2.4 The faith of the patriarchs, 17-22 (NKJV)

2.5 The faith of Moses, 23-29 (NKJV)

2.6 By Faith they overcame, 30-40 (NKJV)

Faith Directs Our Lives, 12:1-29 (GW)

B. The Power of Hope in Christ, 12:1-29

1. The Example of Jesus’ Suffering, 1-11 (LEB)

1.1 The Debatable things of Life: The Call to Endurance (HCSB)a. Jesus, founder and perfect of our faith, 1-2 (NKJV) (ESV)

1.2 The Discipline of life: Fatherly discipline, 3-11 (HCSB)

2. A Serious Warning against refusing God, 12-29 (LEB)2.1 The Direction of life: A exhortation to peace and purity, 12-17

AN UNSHAKABLE KINGDOM, 12:18-29 (MSG)

2.2 The Drive of Life, 12:18-24

2.2.1 The Glorious Companya. Contrast of Sinai and Zion, 18-24: The mountain of fear and the mountain of joy (NIV), 18-24 (NKJV)

2.3 The Duty of Life, 12:25-29

2.3.1 Hear the heavenly voice, 25-29 (NKJV)

Jesus Doesn’t Change, 13:1-25(MSG)

C. The Power of the Love of Christ, 13:1-19

1. In Relation to Social Duties, 13:1-6

2. In Relation to Spiritual Duties, 13:7-19

2.1 Prayer Requested, 18,19

IV. Concluding Benedictions - Final Exhortations, 13:20-25

A. Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell, 20-25 (NKJV)

Source: The RYRIE Study Bible – New International Version by Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Th.D., Ph.D., New King James Version – (NKJV), Holman Christian Standard Bible – (HCSB), New Living Translation – (NLT); New American Standard Bible – (NASB), English Standard Version – (ESV), Lexham English Bible – (LEB); New Century Version – (NCV) and GOD’S WORD Translation – (GW) and The Message (MSG.

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2. Commentaries

2.1 Matthew Henry Complete Bible Commentary

Hebrews

01. Hebrews 1 02. Hebrews 2 03. Hebrews 3 04. Hebrews 4

05. Hebrews 5 06. Hebrews 6 07. Hebrews 7 08. Hebrews 8

09. Hebrews 9 10. Hebrews 10 11. Hebrews 11 12. Hebrews 12

13. Hebrews 13

2.2 The Wiersbe Bible Commentary

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