Dear Student of the Word,
A few weeks ago, I finished up our study of Second Peter and now it's time to start a new study. Since I only have three New Testament books to do before this blog study is complete, I have chosen to focus on the letter to the Hebrews for the next few months. This is one of my favorite epistles, written anonymously to exhort believing Jews not to 'go back' to a dead religion since they have engaged a living faith in Christ. It is my opinion that Paul was part of a team directing the content of this letter, for if even believing Jews knew that Paul was involved, they would have possibly rejected the letter outright! Yet Paul had a great passion to see his people saved and delivered to Jesus, so he could easily have contributed. Of course, there is not one shred of evidence that this is actually the case and, in reality, it doesn't matter much at all who wrote it. If God has wanted us to know, we would know.
Having said that, I divide each one of these studies into seven parts, to be studied all at once, over seven days or in any other format you choose to follow. I always include one of the seven parts in this cover update for you to see, with the entire seven-day study available to download below. This week I wrote in day one of this seven-day study:
Part One, Day One
1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
1:1&2 – The main message to the Hebrew reader was that the revelation of Christ was God’s most authoritative and final message. This letter was written to Hebrews who were not new to the faith, but who were obviously discouraged and questioning their decision to trust Jesus. The writer was urging them not to return to their former way of life, but to see Jesus as a prophetic revelation from God that was consistent with and superior to past revelations from God.
Jesus was and is the message from God. Everything is from Him and about Him. John wrote:
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:3).
And again John wrote:
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
Jesus is the Word, and a Word is all about communication. So God the Father has spoken through His Son, the Word. The writer was urging the Hebrews not to consider another Word, for Jesus was it. Period. Can you see the relevance of this message for today’s world?
1:3&4 – Since Jesus is in heaven, He is also superior to the angels. No vision or revelation about angels can ever surpass the greatness of His majesty. No angel can radiate the glory of God like Jesus could and does. Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. I will not go into the Greek words used here, but it is clear that Jesus is of the same essence with the Father but a unique Person all the same.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:15-18).
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority (Colossians 2:9-11).
Jesus had a specific purpose in coming to earth and that was to provide purification for sins as the sacrificial Lamb of God. Once He accomplished that, He sat down at the right hand of God, symbolic of His great power and the honor ascribed to Him.
Is Jesus the focal point of your worship and attention? He should and must be. Don’t let any doctrine, movement, fad, vision, denomination or teaching take the place that only Jesus should have in your life. There can be no question that the writer saw Jesus as preeminent over all, deserving of the highest praise and honor. The implication to a Jewish believer would have been clear: How can you consider going back to Judaism in light of this tremendous revelation of Christ? How can you consider dividing your loyalties to any other movement, philosophy or religion? Jesus is Lord!
As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. For additional Bible studies, check out my website archive, which contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse New Testament studies, along with the unpublished daily devotional entitled A Daily Taste of Proverbs. Thank you and I hope you enjoy this study of Hebrews from God's word!
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