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In many ways, Hebrews chapter 8 brings us to the focus of the “written sermon” that is the whole book of Hebrews. The foundational principle of this inspired lesson to Jewish Christians is that their conversion from Judaism to Christianity was a oneway move because Jesus had fulfilled everything Moses covenant had foreshadowed (cf. Matthew 5:17). The change in the priesthood that Jesus produced (by becoming THE High Priest for all who believe) stands as a stark contrast to the…

In Hebrews 7, the Holy Spirit presents two basic facts that Jewish Christians who lived before the fall of Jerusalem needed to understand: First, that Jesus is a “better” high priest than any of those priests who had served under the authority of Moses’ law, and second, that His service as a priest definitively marked the end of that law’s authority for the people of Israel. In the Hebrew mind, there was NO ONE who was greater or “nearer” to…

“The impossibility of apostasy” is a manmade doctrine that asserts that a person who has been saved from sin by the grace of God can never, ever, ever, once more become “lost” – separated from fellowship with God – no matter what that person does or believes after being saved.  Hebrews 6:4-6 demonstrates that this doctrine – a “pillar” of John Calvin’s “T-U-L-I-P” summary of his beliefs – is exactly wrong.  (Calvin’s theology is the doctrinal foundation of nearly ALL…

One of the hardest ideas for many people to grasp is that Jesus – God in human form – CAN “relate to,” can “understand” the challenges, trials, and temptations we face every day. We read passages like 2 Corinthians 5:21 (“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”) and can be so overwhelmed by the idea that Jesus never sinned that we assume that He…

In Hebrews 4, verse 11 forms the “backdrop” for verse 12’s description of God’s word (“living and powerful, sharper…a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”). When we recognize the point the Holy Spirit is making in verse 11, then we can appreciate the actual lesson in verse 12: Christians are supposed to “be diligent” (NKJ) about entering the “rest” God has prepared for us! To the Jewish Christians who first read this letter, the word “rest” corresponded…

Among the many titles and descriptions we find for Jesus throughout the scriptures, perhaps none were so vivid to the mind of first-century Jewish Christians as those found in Hebrews 3:1 – the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. The Holy Spirit urges these Christians to contemplate, gaze upon Jesus in these roles. He wants them to focus their attention carefully and seriously, taking in all the significance for them of Jesus, compared to Moses (as persecuted Jewish Christians…

Hebrews 2 presents what is perhaps the most concise explanation and the most vivid illustration of God’s justice and mercy. After reminding us that history (the events mentioned in chapter 1) should motivate us to “pay special attention,” the Holy Spirit defines what justice actually means; “…every transgression and disobedience [receives] a just reward…”. The Greek word for just means “according to what is right” – a “just” reward (for sin) is exactly what is deserved by the sinner. Ezekiel…

As we noted last week, the letter to the Hebrews is unusual because it reads almost like the transcript of a sermon instead of a letter, and the “title” of the sermon would be something like “Remember Why Christianity is Better Than Judaism.” The very first words set the stage for this comparison by noting that the authority of Jesus’ words supersedes that of the old testament’s prophets. The implied contrast between Jesus and the prophets is based on exactly…

The letter to the “Hebrews” is the anonymous book of the new testament – no human writer’s name is referenced anywhere in it. Many bible scholars suppose that the apostle Paul was the inspired penman because of the style of writing and the content of the letter, and this is a reasonable assumption. Others, however, have offered arguments in favor of Christians such as Apollos, Barnabas, Luke, or even James as being the inspired writers of this treatise. One fairly…

Paul could have commanded Philemon to accept Onesimus back into his household, verse 8; he explains why he did not do so in verse 9 – “…for love’s sake.” He had already commended Philemon’s love for the Lord and for his fellow-Christians (vs. 5), and we could suppose Paul is here appealing to that reputation. More likely, however, is that Paul is concentrating Philemon’s attention on the principle of love, in effect saying that “Christian love should motivate you in…

Titus 2:2-7 explains the “how” of verse one’s instruction for Christians to “beautify” or complement sound doctrine. We conform to the beneficial teaching of God’s word when we acknowledge the differences our Creator established between the two genders He created (cf. Genesis 1:27; 2:7 & 18-24). There is some noticeable overlap between the qualities laid out for men and women in Titus 2:2-7 as well as for the aged compared to those who are younger. Sobriety, reverence, and self-control should…

Paul’s very brief, pointed letter to Philemon deals with the relationship between a Christian slaveowner and a runaway slave. This letter is NOT what many modern readers think Paul “should” have written. In the modern passion for social justice, many readers are greatly offended that Paul does not issue a full-throated and explicit condemnation of chattel slavery – and thus miss the fact that the Holy Spirit leads Paul to “dig deeper” than the surface issue of these two men’s…