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CHAPTER 58 – Hebrews: Approx. 63 A.D.

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews is the fifty-eighth book of the Bible. The title of the book in Greek is Pros Hebraious meaning “To the Hebrews.” The title in many English Bibles is “The Epistle to the Hebrews.”

Authorship

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, is the author of the book, The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews. It was probably written about 63 A.D.

Summary and Analysis

The book of Hebrews is actually a letter (epistle) that was written by the apostle Paul apparently to Jewish Christians. It was probably written in approximately 63 A.D. during Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome.

The book opens by Paul stating that, in the past, God had spoken to the ancestors of the Jews by the prophets, but now God speaks to them through His Son, Jesus Christ, who is equal with God. Furthermore, Christ is better than the angels because they are commanded by God to worship Him. In addition, Jesus, who is righteous, has a throne that will last forever, and the angels are called by God to minister to humanity, the heirs of salvation.

Paul then warns against neglecting so great salvation which Christ preached, and which those that heard Christ also preached. Next, Paul declares that God has put all things in subjection under the feet of Christ, who as a human being God made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. So that, Christ, by His death, might destroy the devil (Satan) and deliver humanity, from a lifetime of bondage to Satan because of the fear of death.

After this, Paul says that Christ is superior to Moses, for Moses was faithful as a servant of God, but Christ was faithful as God Himself. Paul then warns the Jews against having unbelief like ancient Israel. That is, if the Jews hear God’s voice today, they are not to harden their hearts. For one generation in ancient Israel always erred in their hearts, and therefore, God swore in His anger that that generation in ancient Israel with whom God was grieved for 40 years would not enter into literal rest in the Promised Land, Canaan.

Next, Paul says we should fear, if by any means, we should fail to enter into the spiritual rest which God has promised humanity. For though the gospel was preached to ancient Israel, it did not profit them. And God rested the seventh day from all His works as a symbol of spiritual rest but ancient Israel did not obtain spiritual rest because of their unbelief.

So, hundreds of years later, God spoke to ancient Israel, this time through king David. And God said that if today they heard God’s voice, they were not to harden their hearts, for the nation of Israel had not obtained spiritual rest. Thus, there remains to be obtained a spiritual rest for Israel. Therefore, the Jews are to labour, to enter into God’s spiritual rest and not be unbelieving.

Paul then declares that the word of God is living and powerful and able to reveal the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no human mind is concealed from God to whom all humanity has to give an account of their lives. Therefore, Paul says, hold securely to your faith in Christ, who Himself was tempted in all points just like humanity is, yet He, Christ, never sinned. Humanity then is to come boldly to Christ’s throne of grace to obtain mercy and receive grace to help in their struggle with sin.

After this, Paul says that Christ has been appointed High Priest by God. He rebukes the Jews for being slow to understand, for instead of being teachers of these things, they are in need of spiritual milk like babies as they are unskillful in the word of God. The solid food of the word of God, Paul says, is for those who from experience can discern the difference between good and evil.

Paul then says that the Jews are to become holy. For, if after being sanctified (made holy by God), the Jews again turn to evil ways, it will be impossible for them to repent and, hence, God will reject them. But, Paul says, he does not believe this will happen to them, for God has accepted the Jewish Christians’ labour of love in ministering to the saints (to the justified) and, so, they themselves and the saints will inherit God’s promises. They need not doubt this because God, by both His unchangeable counsel and by an oath, has confirmed His promises.

Next, Paul states that the Levitical priesthood of Aaron and his successors was changed, in that, Christ who was born out of the tribe of Judah is a priest by God’s oath. Why? Because, although the Ceremonial Law preached the gospel of Christ, faith in whom alone could save them, the Jews put their hope of salvation in the Ceremonial Law itself. But Christ, as a sinless priest who lives forever, is a better hope, since Christ has secured salvation for all humanity by His death, which none of the previous priests as mortal, sinful men could do. Therefore, the Jews are come to Christ, who through His intercession (His prayers) to God on their behalf, is able to save them from eternal death (annihilation).

The sum of all this, Paul says, is that Christ is our High Priest ministering in the heavenly sanctuary of which the earthly sanctuary was only a copy. And Christ is the Mediator of a better covenant which was established on the better promises of Christ. For the Jews had failed to keep the first covenant in which they had promised God they would obey Him, thus, the need for the second covenant, which is called the new covenant, to replace the first covenant.

Paul then says that the first covenant had daily and yearly services associated with an earthly sanctuary, which were a symbol (type) of Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. For Christ ministers not by the blood of goats and calves, but by the better sacrifices of His own blood which was shed for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life to those who meet God’s requirements. Furthermore, Christ need not offer Himself often as the high priests on earth offered blood every year in the earthly sanctuary, but Christ has died once for the sins of the world. And for those who await Him, Christ will appear the second time for their salvation.

Next, Paul urges the Jews to draw near to God with a true heart, to hold securely their faith in Christ without wavering, and to stir up each other to love and to do good works. He then warns the Jewish Christians against deliberate sin and reminds them of their former afflictions and the plundering of their goods, which they had endured, knowing that in heaven they have better possessions. He entreats them to have patience and to persevere in their faith and not to draw away from God to their own loss of eternal life.

Paul then mentions those who, in the past, were noteworthy examples of faith in Christ, namely, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and his parents, Joshua and Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and many others, Paul says.

After this, Paul encourages the Jews to set aside all sin and to run the Christian race with patience, keeping their eyes on Christ and his victory over sin. They are not to rebel against the disciplining of God, for God only disciplines those He loves. Also, they are to seek to live in peace with all others, seek holiness, and beware of any bitterness springing up in their hearts to pollute them with sin. Neither are they to be like Esau who sold the blessings of God for a meal. Paul then contrasts Mount Sinai with Mount Zion (the heavenly Jerusalem), and warns them of the danger of refusing God’s entreaties.

Next, Paul commands them to continue in love, not to dishonour their marriage vows, nor be covetous, but pay attention to the godly who rule over them. Neither are they to be led about by various false teachings, nor pin their hopes of salvation on the earthly Jerusalem, but instead they are to seek the heavenly Jerusalem which is to come down to the earth from heaven. Therefore, the Jews are to praise God and give thanks to Him, and please God by not forgetting to do good and to share what they have with others.

Paul closes his letter by asking the Jews to pray for him, he blesses them, informs them that Timothy has been released from his imprisonment, promises to visit them shortly, and sends his own greetings as well as greetings from the Christians in Italy.

Themes

• The old and new covenants.
• The earthly and the heavenly sanctuaries.
• The earthly and the heavenly priesthoods.
• The earthly and the heavenly ministrations on behalf of sinners.
• Warnings of dangers to avoid and duties in the Christian walk.
• Salvation through Christ and not through the Ceremonial Law.
• Persons who in the past were noteworthy for their faith in Christ.

God as Revealed in the Book

• Christ equal with God.
• Christ better than the angels and Moses.
• Christ who lived a sinless life on earth.
• Christ who by His death sealed the coming death of Satan.
• Christ who delivered humanity from the fear of death.
• God who gives spiritual rest.
• Christ who intercedes for humanity as High Priest in heaven.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

God said to Moses, “According to all that I [God] shew [show] thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it [the earthly sanctuary].” Exodus 25:9. “Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD [God] commanded him, so did he. And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared [raised] up.” Exodus 40:16, 17. “And he reared [raised] up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work [for the earthly sanctuary].” Exodus 40:33.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Do not neglect the salvation which God has provided.
• When tempted to sin, pray expecting help from God and put forth your best effort not to sin.
• Graduate from the spiritual milk of the Bible to its solid food.
• Do not draw back from God and so lose eternal life.
• Know that God accepts your labour of love in Christian ministry.
• Understand the difference between the old and new covenants.
• Understand both the earthly and the heavenly sanctuaries.
• Understand both the earthly and the heavenly priesthoods.
• Understand both the earthly and the heavenly ministry on behalf of sinners.
• Avoid the dangers and do the duties pointed out in the book of Hebrews.
• Know that salvation is from Christ and not from the Ceremonial Law.

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