Breakdown of Books Series: Hebrews Pt 1

  

   Hey guys!! I hope everyone is having a great summer and is staying cool! Today we are going to break down Hebrews. I know that Hebrews is not next chronologically but I thought it would be good to mix it up a bit. I also will be splitting this book up into 2 posts because Hebrews has a lot that I would like to unpack. That being said, let's get started!

    Hebrews is a letter written to Jewish Christians to encourage them to keep their faith despite all the persecution going on at the time. The author is unknown but many believe the author could've been Paul. It was written around A.D 70. It is the first of the eight general letters included in the Bible (others include: James, First Peter, Second Peter, First John, Second John, Third John, and Jude).  The book mainly discusses how Jesus is supreme over all. 

    The letter begins by saying that God spoke through Jesus by sending him to Earth. Jesus is God and God is Jesus. So how Jesus acts and speaks and treats His people is how God would be on this Earth. How crazy is that?! God put a living, walking, breathing, example of himself on Earth to show us His glory. When Jesus died on the cross for the purification of ALL our sins, He sat at the right hand of God. This makes Him so much more supreme than angels because He has received a much greater name than them. This is the reason we do not worship angels or saints because Jesus is supreme. In the following verse (5), it says that God never once said to angels that they are His son. Angels do not represent God and all He is. The rest of the chapter gives scripture evidence of how God sees Jesus versus how He sees angels. Jesus is King and Angels are just servants. 

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    Chapter 2 goes into why we must hold onto the word tightly and to all it says. We will not get off the hook if we completely neglect salvation because we are given a just penalty for sin. Since we are sinners then we must accept salvation to live. God has given us signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts to confirm His power and grace so that we may fully accept Him and all His goodness. Later in chapter 2, the letter reminds us that God gave man earth to rule over and that God did not give angels the earth. God gave us power to rule over the earth because of his goodness and grace.  And also because of His grace Jesus tasted death for all so that man may be brought to heaven through His suffering. In verse 11, it shows the biblical evidence that we are brethren with Jesus. "For both He who sanctifies (purifies) and those who are sanctified (purified). are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." In the following verses the letter provides biblical evidence of Jesus calling us "brethren". Since we are flesh and blood, Jesus was made in the same way so that by death on the cross He renders the devil powerless and frees us from slavery in sin. Jesus was made like man so that He would be merciful and know our pains and temptations. 

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    In chapter 3, the letter states that Jesus is supreme even over Moses which was a well known faithful man. Now we look back and think "well of course Jesus is supreme over Moses" but if you lived in the time of Moses or shortly after and have heard of all the miracles he performed it would be easy to idolize him over Jesus. Even now, I'm sure you can think of someone you look up to that you think never sins and you idolize. They are your "Moses". The letter continues by using a metaphor. A builder of a house has more honor than a house and every house is built by someone but the builder of all things is God. These two verses alone are enough to destroy the Big Bang Theory. It goes on to say that while Moses was a good and faithful servant to His house, Jesus was faithful over His house which is us (humanity) if we hold confidence and hope. Beginning in verse 12, the letter warns of the consequences of unbelief. It instructs us to take care so that we may not develop an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from God. We must encourage each other day after day so that no one will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. You cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven if you do not believe (19). 

    Chapter 4 delves further into the rest that is promised for the believer. If we want to make it to heaven listening to the good news (the word) is not good enough. It must be accompanied by faith. You must listen and obey to enter and not deliberately rebel but repent and God's grace will save you. His grace is not excuse to sin. This chapter also explains the Sabbath rest day. Since we are in Christ and died to sin with Him upon baptism we also rest as God also rested on the 7th day. Cling to the word so you will not fall to disobedience because the word is living and active and sharper than a 2 edged sword and can judge the heart (12). Nothing is hidden from God, He sees and judges all. Beginning in verse 14, the letter says that Jesus is the great high priest who sympathizes with us in our weaknesses and has been tempted in all things but has not sinned. There is no high priest on earth like that so He is the great high priest. Because of this draw near with CONFIDENCE to God's throne of grace so we may receive grace and mercy when we fall short. 

    Chapter 5 compares earthly priests with Jesus and shows Jesus as supreme over earthly priests. While on earth, Jesus did not glorify Himself but instead cried and prayed during His life on earth. Later in the chapter, the letter states that Jesus is the source of eternal salvation for those who obey Him. Now we might be thinking "well we already know this" but keep in mind that this is a letter written to Jewish Christians beginning to stray from their faith. In verse 11, the author basically says that the recipients of the letter are dull of hearing and need to go back to elementary principles so that they may become teachers of the word. The author says they have much more to say but it to hard to explain since the people are needing milk instead of solid food. Solid food is for the mature who have their senses trained to discern good and evil. 

    Chapter 6 says that elementary principles include: repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, instructions about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement.  The author uses another metaphor of soil taking in water and growing crops compared to taking in water and growing thistles. The water is the gift of the Holy Spirt, grace, and the word. The crops that yield fruit is useful to others and receives a blessing from God. But the thistles would be like receiving the Holy Spirit, grace, and the word and turning away from God which puts Jesus to open shame. Verse 9- 20, is encouragement to the people to not lose their faith. God sees the work we do for His kingdom and remembers it. We should hold onto full assurance of hope till the end and imitate those who inherit the promises of God. God promised Abraham that He would bless and multiply his descendants as an example to others that God keeps His promises and that He will keep His promises to us if we are faithful. By making that promise to Abraham, He shows that He is a God who never lies and that we can hold to His promises as encouragement to keep our faith. The hope from this acts as an anchor of our soul. 

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    That's all for this post! I will be creating a second post with the rest of the chapters of Hebrews later on. Please comment with any thoughts or questions you have! I hope this helped you to understand Hebrews and how Jesus is supreme! Thank you for reading!

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