Some Thoughts...

I think there are few books in recent times that have garnered quite the response as Rob Bell’s: Love Wins. This is of course because he is asking profound questions about the doctrine of Hell. The most interesting part of all this however would have to be the response of people several weeks before the release of the book, seeming to know everything about the book from a 5 minute trailer for the book. It released today finally and so here it is: My review of Love Wins after actually reading the book.

Well it starts of as most books by Bell do: with questions. “Does God punish people for thousands of years with infinite, eternal torment for things they did in their few finite years of life?” “Why them? Why you? Why me? Why not him or her or them?” “How does a person end up being one of the few?” The first chapter is spent trying to wrap our heads around the idea of what we are really talking about in this discussion of Heaven and Hell.

The Second chapter is about Heaven. It begins with a Kingdom mentality of Heaven. That is to say that Heaven is not about escaping earth, but the Kingdom of God coming to reside with us. “If you believe that you’re going to leave and evacuate to somewhere else, then why do anything about this world? A proper view of heaven leads not to escape from the world, but to full engagement with it, all with the anticipation of a coming day when things are on earth as they currently are in heaven.”

This is the chapter where things start to get confusing as far as what Bell is really trying to get at. Statements like: “Jesus brings the man hope, but that hope bears within it judgment.” (referring to the rich man in Matthew 19 - “What must I do to get eternal life?” “Sell all your possessions…”) are at odds with later chapters. This first statement sounds pretty orthodox to me: Christ’s salvation also brought with it judgment; a la John 3:16-21 or even John 9:39. But we shall see in the next few chapters where it gets a bit muddier.

The third chapter is where he begins to truly talk about hell. Bell describes hell in terms of suffering on earth. He describes seeing children in africa with limbs missing because of the genocide going on in that region. He states: “Do I believe in a literal hell? Of course. Those aren’t metaphorical missing arms and legs.” This is where we begin to get a de-railing of the idea of an afterlife hell. He goes on to discuss other horrible things that go on in this world and explains them as such:

“I tell these stories because it is absolutely vital that we acknowledge that love, grace, and humanity can be rejected. From the most subtle rollin of the eyes to the most violent degradation of another human, we are terrifyingly free to do as we please.

God gives us what we want, and if that’s hell, we can have it.

We have that kind of freedom, that kind of choice. We are that free. We can use machetes if we want to.

So when people say they don’t believe in hell and they don’t like the word ‘sin’ my first response is to ask, ‘Have you sat and talked with a family who just found out their child has been molested? Repeatedly? Over a number of years? By a relative?’

Some words are strong for a reason. We need those words to be that intense, loaded, complex, and offensive, because they need to reflect the realities they describe.”

Hell in this sense is merely equated with human suffering; specifically here on earth. Not a punishment for anything at all, but rather a reality put on us by others. The molested child is “in Hell” but this has nothing to do with the child. They did nothing for this, it happened to them. This is the direction the book is moving: Away from the idea of Hell as anything like a classical understanding of a punishment after death, and to a messed up place on earth.

Then he backtrack a bit to talking about a more classical understanding of hell with Jesus’ story of Lazarus and the Rich man (Luke 16).

“We see in Jesus’ story about the rich man and Lazarus is an affirmation that there are all kinds of hells, because there are all kinds of ways to resist and reject all that is good and true and beautiful and human now, in this life, and so we can only assume we can do the same in the next.

There are individual hells,

and communal, society-wide hells,

and Jesus teaches us to take both seriously.

There is hell now,

and there is hell later,

and Jesus teaches us to take both seriously.”

As this chapter moves on though Bell’s doctrine of hell moves farther and farther from what we would normally understand. He begins to say that Jesus refers to hell and judgments as “very real and prescient warnings about judgment then out of context, making them about someday, somewhere else. That wasn’t what he was talking about.” This is a VERY big leap. I have not taken the time to properly study the scriptural passages that he is referring to here, so as to be able to say with certainty that he is outright mistaken about this, but from a cursory look: he is. (and this is why I have attached a link to a very thorough and very well crafted review of the book by Kevin DeYoung).

Later in the chapter Rob tries to point hell back at the religious people proclaiming it on others (which I believe often needs to be done to those yelling at others that they are going to hell). This portion again seems to be in line with orthodoxy.

“Jesus did not use hell to try and compel ‘heathens’ and ‘pagans’ to believe in God, so they wouldn’t burn when they die. He talked about hell to very religious people to warn them about the consequences of straying from their God-given calling and identity to show the world God’s love.

This is not to say that hell is not a pointed, urgent warning or that it isn’t ultimately connected with what we actually do believe, but simply to point out that Jesus talked about hell to the people who considered themselves ‘in’ warning them that their hearts were putting their ‘in-ness’ at risk, reminding them that whatever ‘chosen-ness’ or ‘election’ meant, whatever special standing they believed they had with God was always, only, ever about their being the kind of transformed, generous, loving people through whom God could show the world what God’s love looks like in flesh and blood”

Again, all of that sounds good, but we are slowly but surely taking the edge off of the truth of hell.

Soon after this is where we see a huge list of scriptures that according to bell lead us to see that God never intends judgment to be forever. This is however completely and totally horrible awful terrible exegesis on his part. I don’t have even close to the time to go through them but I will give the general failing of it and refer you to the linked review by Kevin DeYoung who dis-assembles many of these. In general Rob takes passages referring to Israel’s rebellion and eventual return to mean that all punishment by god will relent. For example he quotes Jeremiah 5 “You crushed them, but they refused correction.” he says “That’s the point, according to the prophet, of the crushing. To bring about correction.” This is in part true, but there are several issues here. First continue reading and it gets real crazy. God is all kinds of mad at ISRAEL here. That is the huge distinction however. All of this is referring to God’s chosen people. He is about to strike them down to bring back Israel as a whole. God is not referring to individual people here. He is saying that the branches need to be taken off, but the root will remain: “Go up through her vine rows and destroy, but make not a full end; strip away her branches for they are not the LORD’s.” I’m sorry but what Bell is trying to do here is bring a wholly post-modern, western idea of individualism and God speaking only to individuals here and trying to apply that idea to scripture that is referring to a group. We are not individually the bride of Christ, we are the Church, the collective bride of Christ. This passage has nothing to do with individuals other than God is proclaiming destruction upon individuals to restore the collective. (Read DeYoung’s review for a much better teaching on this).

At the end of the chapter he summarizes with:

“To summarize, then we need a loaded, volatile, adequately violent, dramatic, serious word to describe the very real consequences we experience when we reject the good and true and beautiful life that God has for us. We need a word that refers to the big, wide, terrible evil that comes from the secrets hidden deep within our hearts all the way to the massive, society-wide collapse and chaos that comes when we fail to live in God’s world God’s way.

And for that,

the word ‘hell’ works quite well.

Let’s keep it.”

The next chapter is a very frustrating one for me because it is a complete mis-understanding of God’s will. He basically states that if all people are not saved then God is not really great, but rather “A little great.” He mis-understand the different kinds of Godly volition. The first is the will (or decree) of God. If God wills it, it will be. Period. The second is a desire of God. This is where God’s desire for all to be saved comes in. Of course God wants all of his creation to come to Him, but we have free will because of God. If we have the capacity to love, we also have the capacity to choose. Love demands a choice or it is not love. So in order for us to love God, we have to be able to not love God. He wants us to all come to Him, but we must be compelled by love to do so. Bell completely takes all of this out of context for a whole chapter proclaiming that we serve a small God, if in the end we are not saved. This is simply not true.

He even brings passages like Philippians 2: “Every knee should bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.” This is absolutely true, but that says nothing of a saving belief. Bell even admits in the book that there is a difference between acknowledging Jesus is LORD (just as the demons recognize) and truly believing or trusting in Christ.

As the book moves on when we get to chapter 6 Bell begins talking about all the other possibilities of people being saved outside of someone telling them the gospel. I though he was going to talk about when missionaries would go into a place where the gospel had not been heard and talk to people about the Jesus they would say something like: We have known this Jesus, just not by that name. Or others who were visited in dreams and shown Christ without ever being told by another human. He did touch on these, but then he moved so incredibly dangerously close to Universalism that I read parts of this chapter several times to make sure I had not mis-understood.

He even quotes John 14: “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He says: “This is as wide and expansive a claim as a person can make. What he doesn’t say is how, or when, or in what manner the mechanism functions that gets people to God through him. He doesn’t even state that those coming to the father through him will even know that they are coming exclusively through him. He simply claims that whatever God is doing in the world to know and redeem and love and rest the world is happening through him.” What!?!? Really?..Rob?..Seriously?…I believe Jesus very much said how they will come to the Father…through Him! Acts 4:12 also has a lot to say about this: “And there is salvation is no one else, for THERE IS NO OTHER NAME under heaven given among men BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED.” That’s pretty clear to me.

The rest of the chapter kind of heads in more and more ambiguous directions from there. So I must move on because this review is getting more and more in-cohesive and long as I continue.

The final chapter is so amazingly close to being absolutely awesome that it started to physically hurt as I moved through it. He starts the chapter by telling his own salvation story. He talks of the importance of this and the life-changing nature of his conversion. Then he moves away from that idea and basically says: You should come to salvation today because that’s best, but if not, you’ll get another chance, and another chance, and another chance, until eventually everyone will be saved.

Ok this is the point of it all. This is what he’s saying: It’s good to come to salvation now, but you’ll have plenty of chances later, things just might not be as fun. Now I hope that I am completely wrong about how this all works. I think it would be amazing if everyone would be saved. I am not so callused as to believe as those sadistic idiots at churches like Westboro who rejoice at the destruction of “the wicked.” That is absolutely wrong (Ezekiel 18:23). BUT (and this is a really important but.) if we deny a reality that is there we risk people not coming to repentance. I would much rather have a proper (not a crazy overemphasis though) understanding of the reality of hell and in the end, God say, guess what? I’m going to save everyone. I would rather be wrong in this way, than lead people to not think about the afterlife at all and never come to God only to discover they were wrong and must now be punished. Hell can be portrayed in many incorrect ways…but it is an important part of our theology. Not as something to scare people into salvation, but as something to help us understand our depravity first, then the unbelievable love that God shows to us in his sacrifice for us when we were still his enemies. God pursues us in ways we will not fathom until the end of times. So let’s share that love with all so that people will see that Love truly does Win.

Here is the review by Kevin DeYoung: I highly recommend it. He is much more refined and spent a great deal more time on his review than did I.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/03/14/rob-bell-love-wins-review/

I have been listening to a local radio DJ for a few days and I have been quite disturbed.  He has been talking about relationships with callers for a few days now.  He is one of the most jaded people I have ever listened to.  The first night, he was talking about marriage.  He began to talk about how he believes that marriage will virtually disappear within 100 years.  Basically he was saying that people can just date and live together and that will basically just be it, and he is in support of this.  What was really scary is that the caller was agreeing with it.  They started talking about how not only marriage but also religion would disappear.  Now that’s a totally different issue altogether, and not what I want to focus on today.  

Where it got really depressing was the reasoning behind it.  He began his polemic at this point.  He started by saying, “I’m not saying that you can’t go through a lifetime with one person.”  Well that’s a good thing.  He believes monogamy…Then he just destroys everything he just said, “But what if in 30 years you decide that it’s not working.  A divorce is messy and expensive.  If there wasn’t marriage, it would be a breakup instead of a divorce.”  Wow…Thanks for the commitment.  Again, the worst part was that the caller was agreeing fully with this.  Relationships are throwaway.  ”Til death do us part” is now “Til I get tired of it do us part.”  I was so upset.

Now it’s a new day and it gets really disturbing…I’m listening to the same station with the same DJ and he’s talking about relationships again.  This time he’s asked a question: “Which type of relationship carries the least risks: Friends with benefits? or a serious relationship?”  This time the caller said Serious relationships.  So I was glad of that.  But then he piped in with his answer…”It’s definitely friends with benefits.  Especially as far as STD’s go.”  So the caller disagrees and says that a serious relationship is better on that front because you have a little more control of who they are sleeping with.  Again our brilliant DJ comes back and says: “I don’t think that’s true.  What if they cheat on you?”  They go back and forth for a few minutes, but I want to highlight the subtext of this conversation just in case you didn’t catch it…Ok so he is saying that you can have more control over what STD’s you get if you are sleeping with your friends (again…wow there’s a lot deeper problems with that, but that’s not for this post…) rather than being in a serious relationship.  So the subtext of what he is saying is that you will know more about your friend (that you are sleeping with) than the boyfriend or girlfriend that you are sleeping with.  Do you see where this is going?  You sleep with someone even before you know them.  

Right now my mind is blown by how jaded he is by relationships.  It hurts me to see the state of relationships, commitment, and marriage (at least in the minds of some).  We need to look at our relationships with true commitment.  In all honesty our whole view of dating is broken.  With our current model of dating, we are setting ourselves up for divorce.  Our relationships are set up in a way that we date someone, are committed to them, then when it gets difficult, we ditch.  Why do you think that later on in life so many people get divorced because of trivial things.  Now this is not to say that certain divorces are not at least partially warranted.  And I’m not saying that if you have been divorced you are immoral.  There are certain situations where there are true irreconcilable differences and that is a tragic thing, but it happens.  The problem is the idea that divorce is an option from day 1.  We need to take our commitments seriously, especially with our romantic relationships.

These are just my thoughts…

Hebrews 7:1-9:28

The Change

This is the primary argument in the book of Hebrews.  This goes back to what we stated on the first day.  The temple has been destroyed, so what are these gentile converts to Christian Judaism to think?  Why would this God they serve allow his house to be destroyed?  This is where our author points out what we take for Granted today: God doesn’t live in that temple anymore.  God came to earth, and offered us, not a new salvation, but the one that he has been alluding to the whole time.

The section we are looking at today can be broken into 3 main sections: 7 - A change of Law, 8 - A Change of Covenant, 9 - A Change of Sanctuary.

Chapter 7 - A Change of Law

7:1-10 - Melchizedek > than Abraham, transitive property: > Levitical Priests

We talked about this a bit when we first explored Melchizedek.  Abraham paid tithes and was blessed by Melchizedek.  And just as the author points out in this passage. : Obviously the Greater blesses the lesser. So, because Melchizedek was greater than Abraham and through Abraham: Levi, then through Levi: Moses and Aaron, and through Aaron: the Levitical priesthood= Melchizedekan priesthood is greater than the Levitical Priesthood.

7:11-14 - Further implications regarding: The Law

The Text

11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

What does it mean?

The first thing here is that Jerry (the author) points out  that the implications of a new priest are first that the original priesthood was in some way insufficient.  Something about the law (including the sacrifices) was insufficient for “perfection.”

The second part of the passage is pointing out that There must be a change of Law, because the Law says that priests come only from the line of Levi.  So if there is a change in the priesthood, there must also be a change in the Law.  Jesus was descended from the line of Judah, so there must be a change of law.  If not, Jesus was not a good high priest because he would not be seen by God’s law as a high priest.  That would put us in a very sticky situation with our salvation.

What the first 14 verses of this chapter are saying is:  “Since God’s ultimate goal of establishing an eternal relationship between himself and people could not be attained through the Levitical priesthood, there was still a need for a priesthood to arrive that could bring that perfection.” (George Guthrie)

7:15-22 - The guarantor of a better covenant.

15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.17 For it is witnessed of him, You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.  18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.  20 And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,21 but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, You are a priest forever.  22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

This section further corroborates the previous one.  It affirms Christ’s legitimate priesthood.

Jerry starts with the fact that Christ was not a priest on the basis of legal requirement, but by “the power of indestructible life.”  He refers to Psalm 110 agin for this.  Jesus is “a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”  The only way to be a priest forever: to live forever.

Now the author makes a fairly strong statement: “a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect).”

This statement is not saying that the Old covenant is bad, but that it was ineffective to fully save us.

The Final statement in this section is the whole point:  The covenant that Jesus is bringing, is a better one.  And his blood guarantees it.

7:23-28

23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.  26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever

Jerry first points out here that there were many priests in the past because of a physical limitation.  They died.  So the forgiveness they offered (though it was not them, but God doing the offering of forgiveness) was only temporary.  They always had to be replaced by the next priest.

Jesus however in contrast holds the position forever.  He is high priest for all eternity.  This gives him the authority to “save us to the uttermost.”  The forgiveness that he offers is much greater and permanent than the priests in the past.

This is the huge difference.  The old priests offered temporary deliverance from sin, but Christ perfects those who come to God through him for all time.  He is continually there to fight for us.  THis brings to mind Romans 8:31-34 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Our high priest is different than any other because he is sinless.  He needs no sacrifice, he is the sacrifice, once, for all time.

Chapter 8

8:1-6

1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain. 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

Starting off this section we see a big difference between the old priests and Jesus’ ministry.  they ministered on earth, he ministers in heaven.

He speaks of the “true tent that the Lord has set up.”  This is a reference to the tabernacle.  The author is again setting the contrast between the earthly ministry of the priests and the heavenly ministry of Jesus.  This is a much more powerful ministry, and therefore sacrifice.

Verse 5 is where we begin to see the argument that will become very important in a few chapters:  The priests and sacrifices on earth are merely a “shadow of the heavenly things.”  The author points out that God told Moses to build the tabernacle according to the pattern that was shown him on the mountain.  Jerry is suggesting that what Moses actually saw on the mountain was the heavenly tabernacle.  So the tabernacle was just a copy of the true tabernacle.

It is perishable just like all of the created realm, so it therefore cannot be the true place of repentance.

8:7-13

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. 8 For he finds fault with them when he says: Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.  12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The opening verse in this could be the one of the main points of this whole sermon: If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no reason to look for a second.

Verse 8-12 is a quotation of Jeremiah 31:31-34.  It demonstrates that even in the Old Testament God was telling the people that the law He gave was not the final word.

Verse 13 demonstrates that if God refers to one covenant as New then He is making the Old one obsolete.

Jesus - fulfilled=filled the law.  That isn’t the opposite of abolish.

Chapter 9

9:1-10

1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.  2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place.  3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 5 Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.  6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.  8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

This starts out by describing the tabernacle of the Old Testament.

Verse 6 he gets to the point.  The high priest could only enter the Most holy place once per year.  And then he had to offer sacrifices to cleanse himself to go in there.

He then makes a very interesting statement that with the first section was in a way a barrier to the second.

During the Old Covenant era there existed no means of entrance into the presence of God.  The tabernacle and the temple was access to God, but also a barrier.  The people could not access God themselves.

9:11-22

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you. 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

This section begins that Christ’s Sanctuary is better because it was not built by the hands of men, and his sacrifice is greater because it is not bulls and goats, but his own blood.

His sacrifice secures our eternal redemption.

If the blood of animals can cover sins, how much more will the blood of Christ, the perfect and blameless lamb?

One of the best parts of this new covenant is that we get to accompany Christ into the Holy Places, whereas before we could not.  We now have access to God.

9:23-28

23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

The first verse speaks of the purification of the tabernacle itself.  The tabernacle had to be purified because the Israelites understood that their breaking of a commandment affected not only the sinner but also to adversely affect the innermost sanctum.  Some scholars have referred to this as the “Priestly Picture of Dorian Gray.”  While sin may not scar the face of the sinner, it does scar the face of the sanctuary.

He is setting us up to see that the sanctuary Christ ministers in is incorruptible.  Thus making it a far superior sacrifice and covenant.

We can see from all this that the covenant we have under Christ is far superior to the Old one.  It stops the bloodshed of the Old Covenant, and it makes our purification once and for all.

Let me tell you about my Grandpa…My grandpa has almost never gone to church.  He was very against God.  In fact he said that all preachers wanted to do was take your money.  (Well that’s because he never went to church and only saw preachers on TV, and TV preachers do in fact only want money….but that’s beside the point.)  So this grandpa has had many health problems.  During his most recent stint at the hospital, he had a strange experience.  He woke up one day and called for my dad.  This was strange because my grandpa is not the kind of father/grandfather that needs anyone.  Don’t get me wrong, he is a great grandfather, but he is not very explicit with his feelings.  So when he called for my dad, he knew that something was up, and he went to the hospital.  Not long after my dad was there, my grandpa called for me.  Again, very strange, so I dropped what I was doing (watching LOST by the way so you know this was important.)  and headed to the hospital.  Right before I came in the Chaplain talked to my Grandpa.  When she came out of the room she was saying how nice of a man my grandpa was.  This also caught me off guard.  Again, I love my grandpa, but he can be a bit ornery.   SO we entered the room and my grandpa was a new person.

Apparently he had prayed with the chaplain and had; according to her, “made peace with God.”  Now I am a bit cynical when it comes to things like this.  Especially when the wording is so vague like that.  So we started talking him through it.  My Grandpa then began to tell us about his experience.  After a bit we began to see that he had in fact asked Christ for forgiveness and was truly changed.

Now things started to get really crazy from here.  After a bit, my grandpa wanted my dad and I to call his other sons so that they would come to the hospital to see him.  So their response was much like my dad’s so they all came.  When they get there my grandpa then begins to ask if everyone “has decided to go to heaven?”  He is in his Christian infancy witnessing to my whole family.  So after a long night at the hospital it gets better still.

SO a few days later after he gets home he gets an idea.  He tells my grandma that he wants the whole family to go to church together.  The rest of my extended family on this side isn’t too keen on church either.  But when my grandpa asked them they all decided to come to church.  So this weekend most of my dad’s family came to my church.  It was awesome to witness the power that the Holy Spirit was working in my family.

My immediate family and my Grandma have been trying to reach the rest of the family for years.  My grandpa accepts Christ for a week and has already gotten all of them to the church.

The other day I go to take communion with my grandpa.  It was his first time, and it was such a cool experience.  God has his sights on my family and I am so excited to see what he has in store for the future.

I just wanted to share that.  God is pretty awesome.

Grace and Peace

Hebrews 5:11-6:20, 10:10-39, 12:1-29

5:11-6:20

11
About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 6   1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. 9
Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,14 saying, Surely I will bless you and multiply you.15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation.17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

10:10-39

10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”  17 Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”18 And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”  31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.  34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For in just a very little while,
“He who is coming will come and will not delay.  38 But my righteous one will live by faith.
And if he shrinks back,
I will not be pleased with him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

12:1-29

Hebrews 12 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. 7
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. 18
For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.20 For they could not endure the order that was given, If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, I tremble with fear.22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.27 This phrase, Yet once more, indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Whoah…

Hebrews 6

So the first statement seems to be saying: A- You can lose your salvation. B- You can’t get it back.  Now this is not ok with most of our Theology.  Calvinist Theology usually states (actually it is the P in TULIP) that you cannot lose your salvation.  On the other side, Wesleyan/Arminian Theology says that you can lose your salvation, but you can get it back again.  So we have a bit of a problem here.  Both Theologies have huge problems with this statement.  So now we have to either append our Theology, or perhaps there is something that we are not seeing in the scriptures.

Some Possible Interpretations

Some will deny that the individuals in question were fully Christians before their fall.  Wayne Grudem (great modern Reformed Theologian) says that they have just tasted it, not swallowed.  That presents a problem though because the book of Hebrews also says that Christ “tasted” death (2:9).  That would put us in a sticky Theological mess.  I think the problem here is that it seems Jerry has taken pains to make sure the people in question are identified as believers.  He identifies them as: those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come.  As much as I would like to use this interpretation, I don’t think it’s ok.  The things said here are definitely the marks of a true believer.

Some say that this is just a hypothetical situation that could never really happen.  That would fit in with the Calvinist theology, but I think the author went to a lot of trouble here for a hypothetical situation.  We will look at this again

Some emphasize the present tense of words like “coming anew” to repentance and “crucifying” the Son of God suggesting that there might still be hope to return to Christ in the future.  For this one we need to look at the second passage in Hebrews 12.  Esau wanted to find a place of repentance but could not find one.

So what do I think?

One of the main themes of the book of Hebrews is encouragement to keep going.  To endure to the end.  This passage is surrounded by exhortations.  Right before we get to the “naughty verses” we see the author telling the audience that they should be teachers by now, but they are just satisfied with “spiritual milk.”  It’s for babies.

So he says, let us leave the elementary teachings, then he gives some real meat.  This passage is real meat.  It brings the words of Christ and puts teeth on them.  In Matthew 7 Jesus says “Not all who say to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom, only those who do the will of my father.”  This is the same point that the author here is making.  He is saying that the people are stuck in mediocrity, and this will not do.  It first should not be satisfying: milk vs meat.  Second it is not sufficient.

Right after these verses we see the author saying: But I do not think this is you.  He is holding a big stick over their heads and saying, don’t cross this line.  There are grave consequences.  This is not merely a scare tactic-I don’t think it would be here if it were an empty threat, but I believe it is meant to put some fear of God in the listeners.

We are to no live in mediocrity.  This is not just a suggestion, it is a command.  Jesus was a radical, and if we are going to follow Him we must radically follow Him.  We cannot dabble in Jesus, we must be fully committed.

Isaac D’Israeli said in 1834: “It is a wretched taste to be gratified with mediocrity when the excellent lies before us.”

Hebrews 10

This is probably the strongest worded passage in the whole Bible.  If you sin deliberately, you trample on Christ on the Cross.

Some possible interpretations

This is closely related to Hebrews 12.

The view here seems to be not mere sin, but apostasy.  Spurning the saving grace of God.

So what do I think?

I believe that this definitely has apostasy in view.  Right after these verses the author brings up their past.  They were holding strong against great persecution.

The idea of trampling on Christ and His blood definitely lead us to a view of apostasy

This is all not to say that sinning after conversion is ok.  We have cheapened Grace these days.  We no longer believe in Holiness (for the most part).  We have decided that we are sinners, and going to sin, but that does not seem to be the position here.

The verses speak of God no longer remembering our sins.  There is forgiveness for true repentance, but it is not to be abused as the sacrificial system that has been in view throughout this whole book.

The people lived as they wanted because they could sacrifice a bull and be forgiven.  The author is saying that this is not true.  When we do this we trample on Christ and the cross.

There is forgiveness, but it is only through true repentance and a desire and true striving for holiness.  Standing unswerving under pressure.

Hebrews 12

The third text says not only that we can lose salvation, but that just as Esau searched for his birthright with tears, he did not find it.

Some Possible Interpretations

Face value: It means what it says.

Some have said that Esau was seeking the blessing, but not necessarily repentance (he sought the blessing, couldn’t find repentance)

So what do I think?

Well his passage is preceded by the race imagery.  It is all about endurance.

This passage is dealing with finishing the race, so I think that apostasy is definitely in view here.  This would be the full rejection of God.  Straight up saying that you no longer believe in the saving blood of Christ.

This can be seen in the view of “The Root of bitterness.”  This first shows up in Deuteronomy 29 where the people of Israel are being tempted with idolatry.

It is also in the nature of what Esau was giving up.  He gave up his birthright.  Our birthright as children of God is our salvation.  Do not sell this for a momentary pleasure.  This could be seen recanting Christ under persecution.  To save yourself from pain and forsake Christ.

To this we can look to Peter, who sought not the birthright, but repentance when he recanted Christ.

I think the thing to come away with from this section is that we face very serious consequences for giving up our birthright.  The beauty of it all is that our King is not just Righteous, but He is Just.  I don’t see room in the Character of God for the spurning of the truly repentant on this earth.

Some Thoughts from John Piper on Assurance of salvation

John Piper - How Can I Know if my Repentance is Genuine? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljAqm3Hjfc0)

What we need to take away from all of this.

God is not to be trifled with.

There are real consequences for not finishing the race.

These verses can be explained away by a number of the interpretations that I have presented.  This is not what I want to do at all. These are very strong warnings, and they are true.  These are meant to put fear in your hearts.  Stay strong to the end.

BUT, there are real rewards for finishing strong.

Max Lucado writes in his book The Applause of Heaven:  “You may not have noticed it, but you are closer to home than ever before.  Each moment is a step taken.  Each breath is a page turned.  Each day is a mile marked, a mountain climbed.  You are closer to home than you’ve ever been.                                                                                                                                                  Before you know it, your appointed arrival time will come, you’ll descend the ramp and enter the City.  You’ll see faces that are waiting for you.  You’ll hear your name spoken by those who love you.  And, maybe, just maybe-in the back, behind the crowds-the One who would rather die than live without you will remove His pierced hands from His heavenly robe and…applaud”

A new and Great High Priest

Chapters 1-3

The Beginning of the book of Hebrews is all about Jesus and who he is.  Actually the whole book is pretty much about that.  The first 3 chapters lay out several things.

Announcing God’s Solution

Chapters 1 and 2 are a grand enunciation of Christ.  It spells out that he is God, Greater than the angels, but became less than the angels, for us.

Greater than Moses?

Chapter 3 explains how Jesus is greater than even Moses.

Remember that this is a “Christian Jew” audience.  They would revere Moses greatly.  He was considered the greatest of all Hebrew people.

Jerry then calls the people to stay faithful.  When Moses was leading the people out of the desert, they fell away.

Staying faithful is a theme we will see throughout the whole book of Hebrews as we stated on the first day.

The greatest part of all of this is that the author does not bash Moses.  Instead he build him up, then brings Christ into view.  How much greater is Christ?  So then what the author is saying is that Jesus is the greatest.

Do not fall away because enduring to the end you will make it into God’s rest.

Is it today?

There is a great little verse here that is easy to miss but so good

3:13 Tells the listeners of this sermon to encourage each other “as long as it is today” to not fall  away.  He was being a little ironic and saying: Wake up every morning and ask: What day is it? Oh it’s today.  Time to encourage others in hope.

Be an encourager, every day.  Exhort others in the hope of Christ.  Ask yourself if you live like that or not.

4:14-5:10 - The Great High Priest

The High Priest

What is the high priest?

According to Jerry (5:1-3): “Every High priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.  He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.  This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.”

The high Priest was the main counsel from God.  He would inquire of God, what his will was for the people.

The High Priest would offer meat sacrifices twice daily to purify his own sins.

The High priest would offer the sacrifices of the people on the Sabbath and Holy days.

The high priest would offer the sacrifice for all the people on the day of atonement where he would get to enter into the Holy of Holies to be in the very presence of God

It was a lifetime position, as long as you are alive, you are the high priest.

Jesus as High Priest

Jesus (just as the original high priests) could understand the weaknesses and failings of the people, but with a key difference: He overcame.  He was sinless, though tempted.

Because of this fact, we can draw near to the throne with confidence.  Jesus understands our struggles.

Jesus’ Resume

No one takes the role of High Priest upon themselves, it is a title bestowed upon them.

5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by Him who said to Him, You are my Son, today I have begotten you; 6
as he says also in another place, You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus was appointed directly by God, called His Son, and made Priest forever.

Melchizedek

More later in the Book, but we will address this here

What we know from Scripture

Genesis 14:17-20

17After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh that is, the King’s Valley. 18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High. 19And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”  And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Melchizedek is the King of Salem - Possibly Jerusalem, or maybe another city, or perhaps “King of Peace”

Melchizedek was Priest of the God most High - This is strange because God’s Kings are not allowed to be priests…

He blessed Abram - This means that of He is doing the blessing, then he is greater than Abram.  And therefore greater than his descendants and their Priesthood (Aaron and the Levitical priesthood)

Abram gave a tithe.  Again the lesser party pays the tithe to the greater party.

Psalm 110:4

The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

A priest forever - Priesthood was for a lifetime.  So this priest would never die.

Hebrews 5:6,10

Basically just quotations of this verse

Hebrews 6:19-20

19We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Again, priest forever in the order of Melchizedek…

Hebrews 7:1-3

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

King of Righteousnesss- מלכי־צדק MLK - king  tSDK - Righteousness

King of Peace - Shalom, the author is saying that it is meant to be King of Shalom

Without father or mother - It is never mentioned in scripture that Melchizedek had a father or mother.  So according to a rabbinic interpretation method called: Non in Thora, non in Mundo. If it’s not in the Tora, it doesn’t exist.  Since there is no mention of genealogy for him, he doesn’t have one.

Also, Jerry is saying that since there is never mention of his death, he never died.  Hence: priest forever.

Hebrews 7:10-12

10 for he [Aaron] was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. 11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.

He is just mentioned here.  We will get into the Changes that he necessitated in a few weeks when we get to this part of the book.

Hebrews 7:14-17

14For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.  15This (the greatness of Melchizedekan priests over Levitical priests) becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.

So again, Melchizedek = Greater than Aaron

Ok so who was Melchizedek?

Some Scholars say it was actually Jesus.

Some Scholars say he is an angel or similar heavenly being.

Some Scholars say he is a just a man (Priest and King of Salem)

I say: I don’t know.  I probably hover between Jesus and The actual Priest/King of Salem.

I don’t think he’s and angel because the author would have pointed out that Christ is greater than Melchizedek when he was already saying this about the angels

Is it important?  Not really.  The important things are the qualities that we see in Him.  when they are translated onto Jesus, they have great meaning for our salvation.

So what do we need to remember about Christ the Melchizedekan High Priest?

He atones for sins

He directs the people in God’s will

Greater than Levitical priests

He is high priest forever

Deeper Class: Hebrews

The Importance of the book of Hebrews

The book of Hebrews is one of the most important book in the New Testament and arguably in the whole Bible

Theological Importance

Much of our understanding of how salvation truly works comes mostly from 2 places.  Paul (especially Romans) and Hebrews.

Biblical Importance

The book of Hebrews synthesizes the Old Testament Law and statements like Jesus’ “Do not think I came to abolish the law or the prophets, but to fulfill it.” Matthew 5:17

It’s Encouraging

The book of Hebrews has some of the most beloved sections and verses in the whole bible.

Hebrews 1:3

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Hebrews 1:8

But of the Son he says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

Hebrews 4:16

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 7:25

Therefore he is able, once and forever, to saves those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

Hebrews 8:12

And I will forgive their wickedness,
and I will never again remember their sins.

Hebrews 12:2

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Hall of Faith

Chapter 10 is often called the hall of faith, or the Heroes of Faith.  It chronicles many of the great people of faith in the Old Testament.

It’s just plain fascinating to read

Hebrews is brimming with theology, and story.  There is poetry and so many other incredible facets to it.

Hebrews has what one of my Bible professors in college called “Naughty Verses”.  These are verses that are difficult to interpret or cause problems for one school of theology or another.  and in one case, all if them.

Author

I want to test your faith a little bit here.

How much do you believe God was working through the biblical councils that decided upon the biblical cannon?

Who took Julie’s Theology class?  Do you remember what the first lesson about Bibliology?

I would assume that she went over how the books were chosen.  What are some of the criteria?

Apostolicity, Acceptance, Theological Coherence, Circulation

The book of Hebrews was debated for a long time.  It almost didn’t make it into the cannon.  The final thing that pushed it through was that it was written by Paul.  So that settles it right?

The only thing we know about the author of Hebrews is that it was not Paul.

Anybody taken aback there?

Was God working through the councils that decided which books were in the Bible, or was this a mistake?

If it was a mistake, you guys should get up and walk away right now because I am about to teach you this book as the absolute word of God

Revelation 22 states pretty strongly that adding to the Word of God is not a good idea: “and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”

Why Not Paul?

Scholars argue about everything, it’s what we like to do.  But this is virtually unanimous among all biblical scholars.

Hebrews uses a finer greek style than Paul’s letters

For that matter Hebrews is a sermon and not a letter

Different Theology

Not conflicting theology, but different Theology

Every Pastor/Teacher has a schtick…

Francis Chan - Are you IN LOVE with Jesus?

John Piper - God is most Glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.

Shane Claiborne - We were made for community, and we must look after the widows and the poor.

Me: The redemption story God has been writing about you since the beginning of creation.

Theology of the Law

Paul refers to the Law in reference to the food laws and circumcision

The Author of Hebrews refers to the Law in reference to the sacrificial cultus

Dualism

You will see an element of dualism in Hebrews that is not often seen in Paul’s writings.  (This comes from a more greek understanding of Philosophy)

Christ as High Priest

Paul refers to Christ as priest, but never High Priest

Hebrews 2:3

…how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him speak.

The author of Hebrews here is saying that he was not a 1st source.  The Gospel was preached to him, by those who were first witnesses.

Paul over and over reminds people that he is as much an apostle as any.  Christ appeared to him on the Damascus road and preached to Paul the Gospel.

So, what can we say…?

A man

Hebrews 11:32 - “to tell about”

Masculine singular reference to the author

Educated Greek Speaker

The greek is very refined

Second Generation Christian

Hebrews 2:3

Maybe part of Pauline Circle?

The theology, though distinct from Paul’s other writings, is similar in many ways.

Apollos?, Barnabas?

Audience

Our best Guess is Rome…

Heb 13:24 - “Those from Italy greet you.”

The Italians Greet you. (Priscilla & Aquilla?)

Those here in Italy greet you?

Those with me away from Italy greet you?

Probably this one.

The verb seems to point to this.

Second Generation Christians

Hebrews 2:3

They have been Christians for some time

Hebrews 5:12 “You should be teachers by now…”

Previously endured suffering (Hebrews 10:32-34)

32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.s Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

Jews or Gentiles?

My professor for this class said Gentile.  Many or even most (anglo-american) scholars say Jews.

The ideas of Light and Darkenss (being “enlightened”) are very Greek ideas.

6:1-2 These are basics for a greek becoming a Christian Jew, not for Jews converting to Christian Judaism.

Gentiles saw themselves as converting to [Christian] Judaism, not to something separate to Judaism.

Most American Commentators say Jewish

The whole book is pretty much a quotation of the Old Testament.

Where do I stand?

I guess I lean a little towards what my professor said.

It’s not a huge deal for our purposes though.

The most important points are that they have been christian for some time, second generation, and they previously endured suffering.

Date

2 Basic Choices - Pre 70 AD/Post 70 AD

70 AD was the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple - Roman Emperor Vespasian

Pre 70 AD

“the same sacrifices that they offer continually are never able to perfect the worshipper, since otherwise they would have ceased offering them…”

David deSilva - “would they not have ceased being offered?” implies that they have not ceased.

Luke Timothy Johnson - If the Jerusalem temple were already destroyed at the time of writing, “one would think that some reference would naturally be made, not a covenant growing obsolescent and a cult proven to be broken and a cult demonstrated by God’s action as a thing of the past.”

Post 70 AD

Josephus and Clement - also referred to the sacrificial cultus in the present tense during the 90’s (20+Years after the destruction of the temple)

13:14 - “we do not have here a city that remains but we seek one that is to come.” (could be a reference to Jerusalem’s destruction)

11:14 - “For those who say such things make it clear that they seek a homeland…” (maybe?)

Second Generation Christians - seems to push us toward a later date.

Past persecution would fit 64-65 persecution under Nero.

Gentiles are included with Jews as “seed of Abraham without argument (2:16)

I like Post 70 because it really aids in the cohesion of the book - It makes sense…

I fall on Post 70

Situation

Key Ehortations

4:14 - “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the son of God, let us hold on to the confession.”

10:19-25 - “With Boldness to enter into the Holiest place by the blood of Jesus…let us hold fast our confession of hope…”

The views of Hebrews are not negative toward Levitical laws, rather positive toward Christ.

5:11-6:8 - Audience’s confidence is wavering.  Seems to have something to do with Atonement.

Traditional Speculation - a group of Jewish believers tempted to return to mainstream Judaism for atonement (This would require an early date)

The one I follow…

Hebrews reads better as a sermon meant to console the audience in the absence of a temple, than as a polemic against the temple.

Nowhere does the author tell the audience not to rely on the temple.

It’s argument is reflective and theoretical, as we would expect after the temple’s destruction.

What if some Christians at that time had not yet realized the full sufficiency of Christ’s death yet?

Jewish traditions would lead Jews to see Christ’s death as hitting the reset button on God’s relationship with Israel.

No other part of the New Testament argues for the universal, absolute atonement of Christ’s death. (Implied but not stated in Paul)

It is a mistaken assumption to think that Gentile converts to Christian Judaism would not have a similar investment in the atonement of the temple…

…an investment they would have transferred to the Jewish temple when they believed.

The restoration of Israel, after all, was likely a significant part of early Christian belief.

We also should not underestimate the humiliation and shame such believers would have experiences in Rome in the wake of Jerusalem’s destruction.

Summary:

A group of Gentile converts to Christian Judaism…

…find their faith shaken when the Jewish God lets his temple be destroyed by the Romans…

…and Christ does not return.

The author tells them to “buck up.”

Christ is the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

*much of this material is taken from the writings and lectures of Dr. Kenneth Schenck

I will post my notes from the “Deeper Class” I am teaching to our high school group on Sunday Nights.  I just had an epiphany that I can include the audio recorded on my phone.  So starting with the third class, the audio will be included afterwards.  So I will now upload my notes…hope you enjoy them and don’t think I have committed too much heresy…