LUKE

2. AuthorshipThe author of Hebrews is questionable. There are several possibilities as to who wrote it: LUKE PAUL BARNABAS APOLLOS

3. When Hebrews Was Written As the authorship, the date of the writing of Hebrews is also uncertain. The book’s many references to the Jewish Temple and sacrificial system suggest the writer completed it ________ the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. It was written while Timothy was still alive (13:23), and just before a time of impending doom for Judaism (8:13). It was also probably written after _______ had ascended the throne and the persecution of Jews and Christians had begun. The author consistently uses the Greek present tense when speaking of the Temple and the priestly activities connected with it (see 5:1-3; 7:23,27; 8:3-5; 9:6-9,13,25; 10:1,3-4,8,11; 13:10-11). before Nero Did you know that a 1,300 year-old mosque now sits on the Jerusalem hilltop where Jews was worshipped?

4. Old Testament Quotes To convince Jewish Christians that the Christian faith is both God’s idea and an outgrowth of Judaism, the writer quotes about forty passages and uses about 98 citations of the Old Testament to support his arguments. For example, he says animal sacrifice isn’t what pleased God. Animal sacrifice was simply a means to an end – a way to remind people that sin is wrong. To prove his point, he quotes Psalm 40:6, “Sacrifices and offerings are not what please you.” That passage goes on to reveal that what God really wants is for people to trust and obey Him.

5. What We Now Know of the Author PAUL Apostles destruction Old Greek Jesus’sC Timothy Italy name

6. Purpose and Audience About a generation after the resurrection of Jesus, some Jewish Christians were beginning to __________ the early Christian movement and return to the Jewish faith, perhaps because of persecution. To win back their loyalty, the Book of Hebrews was written. It argues that faith in Christ is ________ than Judaism. The book is addressed to Hebrew Christians to show how the Old Testament Levitical system was fulfilled in Christ, who is a priest forever after the order of _______________ (7:20-21). It was designed as a strong warning against the dangers of falling away from Christian perfection (5:12-6:1) back into Jewish ____________. Also, the writer wished to encourage the readers who had undergone persecution and _____________ for their faith (10:32-34; 12:3-4). abandon better Melchizedek legalism suffering

7. Purpose (cont’d) • The writer makes three main points: • Jesus is superior to Old Testament heroes, including the prophets, Moses, and even the ________. • Jesus is superior to the high _________, who serves as an intermediary between God and humanity. • Jesus is a better ___________ than any animal offered on an altar. angels priest sacrifice The writer of Hebrews compares Jesus to many people and practices revered in Judaism. JESUS ALWAYS COMES OUT THE WINNER!

8. Main Point One: • Jesus is superior to Old Testament heroes, including the prophets, Moses, and even the angels. • Hebrews 1:1-2, 6 (NKJV): God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: • “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” • Hebrews 3:1-6 (CEV): My friends, God has chosen you to be his holy people. So think about Jesus, the one we call our apostle and high priest! 2 Jesus was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in serving all of God’s people. 3 But Jesus deserves more honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves more honor than the house. 4 Of course, every house is built by someone, and God is really the one who built everything. • 5 Moses was a faithful servant and told God’s people what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is the Son in charge of God’s people. And we are those people, if we keep on being brave and don’t lose hope. • Angels _________ Jesus (1:6). __________ are only spokespersons for God; Jesus is God’s Son (1:1-2). _________ told God’s people what the future would be like; ________ is in charge of the future (3:5-6). worship Prophets Moses Jesus

9. Main Point Two: • Jesus is superior to the high priest, who serves as an intermediary between God and humanity. • Hebrews 7:22-28 (CEV): 22 This means that Jesus guarantees us a better agreement with God. 23 There have been a lot of other priests, and all of them have died. 24 But Jesus will never die, and so he will be a priest forever! 25 He is forever able to save the people he leads to God, because he always lives to speak to God for them. 26 Jesus is the high priest we need. He is holy and innocent and faultless, and not at all like us sinners. Jesus is honored above all beings in heaven, 27 and he is better than any other high priest. Jesus doesn’t need to offer sacrifices each day for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He offered a sacrifice once for all, when he gave himself. 28 The Law appoints priests who have weaknesses. But God’s promise, which came later than the Law, appoints his Son. And he is the perfect high priest forever. • Hebrews 4:14-16 (CEV): 14 We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. 15 Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! 16 So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help. • High priests intercede for the people in a ________; Jesus intercedes in ________ (7:23-8:1). High priests have ________; Jesus has not (4:15). temple heaven sinned

10. Main Point Three: • Jesus is a better sacrifice than any animal offered on an altar. • Hebrews 9:25-28 (CEV): 25 Christ did not have to offer himself many times. He wasn’t like a high priest who goes into the most holy place each year to offer the blood of an animal. 26 If he had offered himself every year, he would have suffered many times since the creation of the world. But instead, near the end of time he offered himself once and for all, so that he could be a sacrifice that does away with sin. 27 We die only once, and then we are judged. 28 So Christ died only once to take away the sins of many people. But when he comes again, it will not be to take away sin. He will come to save everyone who is waiting for him. • An animal is usually sacrificed for ______ sin, ______ person; Jesus was sacrificed for _______ the sins of _______ people (9:26). one one ALL ALL

11. From These Three Main Points Come • Three Key Word Studies: BETTER, ETERNAL, and ONCE (for all) • BETTER: • Christ is BETTER than the angels (1:4), • Has given us BETTER things (6:9; 11:40), • Is symbolized by a BETTER person (7:7) • Offers a BETTER hope (7:19), • Has a BETTER covenant (7;22; 8:6a), • With BETTER promises (8:6b), • Offered a BETTER sacrifice (9:23), • Gives us a BETTER possession (9:34), • A BETTER country (11:16), • A BETTER resurrection (11:35), • Based on the shedding of BETTER blood (12:24), the blood of the spotless Lamb of God.

12. ETERNAL: • Christianity provides an ETERNAL salvation (5:9), • Warns of ETERNAL judgment for those who reject it (6:2), • Gives ETERNAL redemption to those who accept it (9:12), • Which is applied by His ETERNAL Spirit (9:14), • Gives to us an ETERNAL inheritance (9:15), • Which comes through an ETERNAL covenant (13:20). • ONCE (for all): • We were ONCE FOR ALL enlightened to salvation (6:4), • Jesus entered ONCE FOR ALL into the holy place to obtain it (9:12), • He ONCE FOR ALL put away our sins (9:26), • We will face ONCE FOR ALL judgment without it (9:27), • He offered Himself ONCE FOR ALL to bear our sins (9:28), • He purged our sins ONCE FOR ALL by it (10:2), • He offered His body ONCE FOR ALL for our sins (10:10).

13. The Finality of Christianity No book in the New Testament (including Romans) stresses the superiority and finality of Christianity better than Hebrews. Names for Christ Jesus, Christ, and Lord are used sixty-eight times, as opposed to Lord Jesus Christ, which is used often in the Pauline Epistles. Theme The theme of Hebrews is: the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as revealer and as mediator of God's grace. Practical applications of this theme are given throughout the book. Readers are told that there can be no turning back to or continuation in the old Jewish system, which has been superseded by the unique priesthood of Christ. God's people must now look only to Him, whose atoning death, resurrection and ascension have opened the way into the true, heavenly sanctuary of God's presence. Another theme, as seen in 6:1, is: “perfection” (maturity in Christ).

14. Outline of Hebrews The Superiority of the Person of Christ (chapters 1 through 8:5) Jesus, Better than the Prophets (1:1-3) Jesus, Better than the Angels (1:4 through 2:18) Jesus, Better than Moses (Chapter 3) Jesus, Better than Joshua (Chapter 4) Jesus, Better than Aaron as Priest (5:1 through 8:5) The Superiority of the New and Better Covenant (chapters 8:6 through 10:18) The New Covenant Better than the Old (8:7-13) The New Covenant Opens a Better Tabernacle (9:1-15) The New Covenant is Sealed by a Better Sacrifice (9:15-28) The New Covenant Settles Forever Our Salvation (10:1-18) The Superiority of the Life in Christ (chapters 10:19-13:25) It Gives Assurance of Faith (10:19-39) It Gives Us a Working Faith (Chapter 11) It Gives Us Patience and Direction (12:1-13) It Gives Us Instruction in Our Walk and Worship (12:14-13:25) Chapters 1-10 are considered DOCTRINAL Chapters 11-13 are considered PRACTICAL

16. How to Respond to Critics Hebrews 2:10 (NKJV) – “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” If Jesus was already perfect, how could he be made perfect through suffering? Problem: The Bible declares that Jesus was absolutely perfect and without sin, even in His human nature (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 Peter 2:21-22; 3:18; 1 John 3:3). But according to this verse, Jesus was made “perfect through sufferings.” And, to be perfect implies that He was not perfect to begin with, which is a contradiction. Solution: Jesus was absolutely unchangeably perfect in His divine nature. God is perfect (Matt. 5:48), and He cannot change (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 6:17-18). But Jesus was also human, and as such was subject to change, though without sin. For example, “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature” (Luke 2:52). If His knowledge as a man increased, then His experience also did. Thus, “He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Heb. 5:8). In this sense He was “made perfect” in that He experienced the perfecting work of suffering in His own sinless life (see Job 23:10; Heb. 12:11; James 1:2-4) That is, He gained all the experiential benefits of suffering without sinning (Heb. 4:15). In this way He can be of real comfort and encouragement to those who suffer.

17. How to Respond to Critics Hebrews 6:4-6 (NKJV) – “4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” Does this passage teach that it is possible for Christians to lose their salvation? Problem: This passage seems to be written for Christians because it contains certain characteristics that would be true only of them, such as “partakers of the Holy Spirit” (v. 4), BUT it declares that if they fall away, it is impossible “to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (v. 6). Does this mean that Christians can lose their salvation? Solution: There are 2 basic interpretations of this passage. Some take it to refer to believers and others to unbelievers. Those who say this refers to unbelievers argue that all of these characteristics could belong to those who merely profess Christianity but who do not really possess the Holy Spirit. They note that they are not depicted in the normal ways of describing a true Christian, such as being “born again” (John 3:3), being “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3), or being “sealed” by the Holy Spirit (4:30). They point to Judas

18. Solution (cont’d): Iscariot as a classic example. He walked with the Lord, was sent out and commissioned by Jesus on missions having “power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease” (matt. 10:1). However, Jesus, in His prayer in John’s Gospel, spoke of Judas as “the son of perdition” (John 17:12). There are several problems with taking this to refer to unbelievers, even for those who hold that a believer can lose his or her salvation (i.e., Wesleyan Arminians). First, the passage declares emphatically that “it is impossible…to renew them again to repentance” (Heb. 6:4-6), but no Wesleyans believe that, once a person has while the description of their spiritual status differs from other ways of expressing it in the New Testament, some of the phrases are very difficult to take any other way than that the person was saved. For example, 1: those spoken of had experienced “repentance” (v. 6), which is the condition of salvation (Acts 17:30); 2: they were “enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift” (Heb. 6:4); 3: they were “partakers of the Holy Spirit” (v. 4); 4: they had “tasted the good word of God” (v.5); and 5: they have tasted the “powers of the age to come” (v. 5). Of course, if they were believers, then the question arises as to their status after they had “fallen away” (v. 6). Here interpretations differ along theological lines. Classical Arminians argue that these people actually lose their salvation, but only for the sin of apostasy. However, the text indicates that they cannot be saved again, something even Wesleyan Arminians reject. On the other hand, those who hold a Calvanistic point of view point to several facts: 1: The word for “fall away” (parapipto) does not

19. Solution (cont’d): indicate a one-way action. Rather, it is the word for “drift,” indicating that the status of the individuals is not hopeless. 2: The fact that it is “impossible” for them to repent again indicates the one-for-all nature of repentance. In other words, they don’t need to repent again since they did it once and that is all that is necessary for “eternal redemption” (9:12). 3: The text seems to indicate that there is no more need for “drifters” (backsliders) to repent again and get saved all over any more than there is for Christ to die again on the cross (6:6). 4: The writer of Hebrews calls those he is warning “beloved,” a term hardly appropriate for unbelievers.

20. How to Respond to Critics Hebrews 8:1 (NKJV) – “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,” Is Jesus our priest or our sacrifice? Problem: Christ is presented here as the “High Priest” of believers (7:21). However, later Jesus is depicted as the “sacrifice” for our sins (9:26, 28; 10:10). Which is He? Solution: Jesus is represented correctly by both figures. He is our priest in that He speaks to God on behalf of man. Yet, He is our sacrifice, since He offered Himself on the cross for our sins. He is the offerer and the offered, both sacrificer and sacrificed. “He offered up Himself.” (7:27).

21. How to Respond to Critics Hebrews 12:17 (NKJV) – “For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” Why couldn’t Esau repent if he sought it with tears? Problem: The Bible informs us here that Esau “was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” But why wouldn’t God accept his sincere repentance, when he commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30) and is patiently waiting for people to repent (2 Peter 3:9)? Solution: There are two important things to observe about this passage. First, the statement “no place for repentance” may refer to his father’s inability to chance his mind about giving the inheritance to Jacob, and not to Esau’s change of mind. As any rate, the circumstances did not afford Esau the opportunity to reverse the situation and get the blessing. Second, tears are not a sure sign that a person has genuinely repented. One can have tears of regret and remorse that fall short of true repentance or change of mind (for example Judas in Matt. 27:3). Finally, this text is not talking about spiritual blessing (salvation), but earthly blessing (inheritance). God always honors the sincere repentance of sinners and grants them salvation (Acts 10:35; Heb. 11:6).