Sunday Class Notes: May 26

Introduction to Hebrews

NOTE: Apologies for some of the spacing and outline formatting issues. Funny things happen here when you insert text from Word, even using the utility provided by WordPress, particularly when the original has a chart or an outline structure; I can’t figure out how to fix them!

I. Author: Unknown

II. Time of Writing: Probably between 64 AD and 70 AD

III. To Whom Written: Jewish Christians in Rome (most likely)

IV. Purpose: To encourage them to maintain their faith, and persevere under serious persecution (by Nero).

Evidence: Note the aggressive nature of the following passages:

Passage	Exhortation	End in View
2:1	We must pay more careful attention… to what we have heard	So that we do not drift away
3:1	Fix your thoughts on Jesus
3:6	Hold on to our courage and to the hope of which we boast
3:12	See to it… that none of you has a …heart that turns away from the living God
3:13	Encourage one another daily	So that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness
3:14	…if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at first	We have come to share in Christ…
4:1	Let us be careful	That none of you be found to have fallen short of it (rest)
4:11	Let us… make every effort to enter that rest	So that no one will fall
4:14	Let us hold firmly to the faith we profess
6:11	Show this same diligence to the very end	In order to make your hope sure
10:23	Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess
10:35	So do not throw away your confidence	It will be richly rewarded
10:36	You need to persevere	So that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised
12:1	Let us run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us
12:2	Let us fix our eyes on Jesus
12:3	Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men	So that you will not grow weary and lose heart

Conclusion: Hebrews proves the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant.

Form and Structure:

Hebrews has a persuasive structure and provides a call to action. The action is to encourage one and all to remain firm in their faith in spite of severe persecution.
This is done through the use of Old Testament quotation. If we follow the quotes, the following picture emerges:

Remove the introduction and the conclusion to reveal the body of the Book.
The New Covenant (Ch. 8) is crucial, and ties together the Priesthood (Ch. 5-7) and the Sacrifice (Ch. 9-10).
This is prepared for by offers of rescue (Ch.2) and Rest (Ch. 3-4)
What follows is the response of faith (Ch. 11) and the endurance of discipline (Ch. 12) which are expected.

Therefore:

Jesus the Superior Priest brings a Superior Sacrifice to God. This is the core of the New Covenant.
By this, Jesus can offer to us rescue from sin and rest.
In return, God expects our faith and endurance.