HebrewsHebrews

© John Stevenson, 2011

Than the

angels

1-2 3-4 8-9 10

HebrewsHebrews

Than Moses

or Joshua

As a High Priest

Offering a better sacrifice

Jesus is Better…

5-7

Providing a better

Covenant

As a way of Living

11-13

Hold to Jesus…

How tolive as aresult ofholdingto Jesus

MosesMosesMoses was faithful

(3:2)

JesusJesusJesus was faithful

(3:2)

Moses was given honor (3:2) he is

the representative of the House of God

Jesus is given more honor (3:2) He is the Builder of the

House of God

Moses was faithful in the House of God as a servant (3:5)

Jesus was faithful in the House of God as a Son over the

House (3:5)

Jesus is Jesus is GodGod

Hebrews 3:3-4Hebrews 3:3-4For He has been counted worthy of

more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

Jesus built Jesus built God’s God’s HouseHouse

All things All things were built were built by Godby God

Rest Promised in Rest Promised in the Wildernessthe WildernessIsrael had been in bondage in Egypt

Rest Promised Rest Promised TodayToday

You were formerly enslaved to sin

Israel delivered from Egypt by plagues and

Passover

Christ delivered us by becoming our

Passover lamb

Israel was faced with giants in the land

Church faced with persecution

Israel commanded to trust in God

You are commanded to believe in Christ

Example of Example of IsraelIsrael

They heard the word

Application to Application to the Churchthe Church

We have heard the word

Faith was required to enter into the Promised Land

Faith is required to receive eternal life

Israel did not believe and did not

enter in

What will you do?

Hebrews 4:11Hebrews 4:11Therefore let us be diligent to enter

that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

Hebrews 4:12Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and

active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:13Hebrews 4:13And there is no creature hidden

from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Hebrews 4:14Hebrews 4:14Therefore, since we

have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Hebrews 4:15Hebrews 4:15For we do not have a

high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:16Hebrews 4:16Therefore let us draw

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

As people, priests are beset with As people, priests are beset with weakness (5:1-2)weakness (5:1-2)

Priests offer sacrifices for people Priests offer sacrifices for people and for themselves (5:3)and for themselves (5:3)

Priests are appointed by God (5:4)Priests are appointed by God (5:4)Jesus was appointed by God (5:5-6)Jesus was appointed by God (5:5-6)

Jesus offered up prayers and Jesus offered up prayers and petitions for the people (5:7)petitions for the people (5:7)

As a Son, Jesus experienced As a Son, Jesus experienced weakness from the things He weakness from the things He suffered (5:8)suffered (5:8)

Hebrews 5:9-10Hebrews 5:9-10And having been made perfect, He

became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 5:11Hebrews 5:11Concerning him we have much to

say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

Hebrews 5:12Hebrews 5:12For though by this time you ought

to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Hebrews 5:13-14Hebrews 5:13-14For everyone who partakes only of

milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Old Testament Old Testament SymbolsSymbols

You need elementary principles of the

oracles of God (5:12)

Jesus ChristJesus Christ

By this time you ought to be teachers (5:12)

You have come to need mild (5:12)

You are not eating solid food (5:12).

Milk is for babies (5:13)

Solid food is for the mature (5:14)

Elementary teachings about the Christ (6:1)

Press on to maturity (6:1)

Hebrews 6:1-3Hebrews 6:1-3Therefore leaving the elementary

teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits.

Hebrews 6:4-6Hebrews 6:4-6For in the case of those who have

once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

ViewSaved and then Lost

Explanation AdherentPerson was saved, then

becomes lostJacob

Arminius

Non-Christian People were never saved in the first place

John Calvin

Hypothetically Lost

People do not really fall away as per verse 9

Thomas Hewitt

Falling away is a return to

the Law

Impossibility of returning to the Law to find

acceptance before God

Arthur Pink, John

Stevenson

ImpossibleImpossible

PossiblePossible

Hebrews 6:6Hebrews 6:6…it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

Old Covenant Old Covenant method of method of

approaching Godapproaching God

New Covenant New Covenant method of method of

approaching Godapproaching God

Summary:Summary: This is written to Jews who have This is written to Jews who have heard the gospel and have accepted Jesus heard the gospel and have accepted Jesus

as the promised Messiah. They are told that as the promised Messiah. They are told that if they now reject the Messiah and fall away if they now reject the Messiah and fall away from the gospel, it is impossible for them to from the gospel, it is impossible for them to repent and return to the Law and thereby repent and return to the Law and thereby renew their old pre-cross relationship with renew their old pre-cross relationship with God, since to do so would be to crucify to God, since to do so would be to crucify to

themselves the Son of God, and put Him to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.open shame.

Hebrews 6:7-8Hebrews 6:7-8For ground that drinks the rain

which often falls upon it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

IllustrationIllustration

Rain falls from heaven

Truth that is Truth that is IllustratedIllustrated

Truth has been given

Rain lands on everything

Gospel has been given to all men

When rain brings forth vegetation, it results in

a blessing

When gospel brings forth salvation, people

are blessed

When rain brings thorns and thistles,

they are burned

When gospel is not believed, the result is a

curse

Hebrews 6:9-10Hebrews 6:9-10But, beloved, we are convinced of

better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

Hebrews 6:11-12Hebrews 6:11-12And we desire that each one of you

show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:13-15Hebrews 6:13-15For when God made the promise

to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.” 15 And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.

Hebrews 6:16Hebrews 6:16For men swear by one greater than

themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.

Hebrews 6:17-18Hebrews 6:17-18In the same way God, desiring

even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6:19-20Hebrews 6:19-20This hope we have as an anchor of

the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

What are the points of comparison What are the points of comparison between Jesus and Melchizedek?between Jesus and Melchizedek?

• Genesis 14:18-20

• Psalm 110:4

• Hebrews 7