Hebrews

Monday, 22 October 2018

…of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:2

From the idea of the foundation, which is repentance from dead work and faith toward God of the previous verse, the author now moves into that “of the doctrine of baptisms.” Here the regular verb, “baptize,” is not used. Instead, it is a plural noun, “baptisms.” It is found in this plural form elsewhere, but only in Mark 7:4 & 7:8 and also in Hebrews 9:10. The noun form in the singular is found in Colossians 2:12. Because of the rarity of the word, and its use in the plural, it is highly debated what is being referred to. However, understanding the audience, and the surrounding context, makes it clear.

First, the audience is the Hebrew people. Secondly, the context is a post-resurrection scenario. This is evident from the previous verse which refers to faith towards God, meaning in the completed work of Christ. It is also evident from the contents of this verse which speaks of the resurrection. It would make no sense for the author to speak of such things before and after mentioning baptisms, and then speak of something which was solely referring to Jewish traditions during the time of the law.

Therefore, the “doctrine of baptisms” may still be referring to baptisms which the Hebrews had encountered under the law – rituals for purification known as the mikveh, and the washing of items, hands, and the like – all of which are no longer applicable. It may further be referring to the baptisms which were mentioned in the gospels – that of John’s baptism of repentance, and Christ’s baptism by fire. And thirdly, it could include referring to the baptism of water as a symbol of what Christ has done, and which includes the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the “doctrine of baptisms,” is an all-inclusive statement about what applies and what does not.

Those washings under the old no longer apply. They were external rites which only looked to the purification found in Christ. The baptism of John was one of repentance, and which was to lead to Christ as well, preparing the people for His work (see Acts 1:5, 11:16; & 19:4). Then, there is the baptism of the Holy Spirit (the “fire” that John spoke of) which comes upon faith in Christ. And finally, there is the baptism of water as an outward profession of the faith professed in Christ (Matthew 28:19).

This then would be the “doctrine of baptisms.” It is an instruction which comes at an early stage of one’s Christian walk, and it is 1) to show the contrast between the Old and the New Covenant symbolism, 2) to explain what occurs in the believer concerning the Holy Spirit; and 3) to show the command of the Lord for those who have so received the Holy Spirit to make the outward profession through water baptism. It is then in line with the command of the Lord to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Those two ordinances were given for those who are a part of the body, and they are commemorative, not salvific, in nature.

After this, the author mentions the doctrine “of laying on of hands.” There are three different uses for the laying on of hands as this Hebrew audience would understand it. First is for healing. That is noted in Acts 9:17 & 28:8. The next is the ordaining of someone to a particular office, such as in 1 Timothy 4:14. The third is that of for imparting gifts of the Spirit, such as in Acts 8 & 19. There were laying on of hands for various reasons in the Old Covenant, and this Hebrew audience had been instructed on what the difference between the Old and the New now was. It should be noted that the laying on of hands was (and is) not a guarantee of either healing or the imparting of gifts. There are instances where associates of the apostles were not healed. Further, gifts are given in accord with the wisdom of God, not on any claim by man. Therefore, these layings on of hands are as much a petition for God’s attention as they are for the imparting that may occur.

The author then moves to the doctrine “of the resurrection from the dead.” Different sects of Jews under the old system believed differently about the resurrection. For example, the Sadducees said there was no resurrection. In order to ensure that those in Christ knew what it meant to be “in Christ,” the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead would have been carefully laid out. What would happen to those saints before the coming of Christ? What would happen to those who died in Christ, or those who did not accept Christ? What would happen to those who were alive when Christ returned? Each of these was something that would have been explained to this audience right at the beginning. They are basic tenets of doctrine, and each was answered concerning the resurrection in relation to Christ Jesus.

Within the same general framework of the resurrection from the dead would have been the final area of doctrine, that “of eternal judgment.” Those under the Old Covenant had ideas about judgment which stemmed from the writings of the prophets. For example, Daniel 12:2 speaks of the resurrection and of judgment. Such examples were incomplete in what they taught because there was no understanding of Christ’s coming, followed by His ascension, and then a second coming. Further, there is still the issue of the millennial kingdom which had not yet come in. All of these things had to be explained to understand the timeline of what would occur, and how the various categories of people would fit into God’s judgment on humanity.

But more specifically concerning the word “eternal,” Vincent’s Word Studies says, “…eternal certainly cannot here signify everlasting. It expresses rather a judgment which shall transcend all temporal judgments; which shall be conducted on principles different from those of earthly tribunals, and the decisions of which shall be according to the standards of the economy of a world beyond time.” This appears both logical and correct. The doctrine of future judgment is a core tenet of what the young believer was instructed on, as well as the understanding that it is a judgment which is based on God’s eternal standards.

Life application: The doctrines mentioned in this verse are basic doctrines which each young believer should be aware of and feel secure in. Though there are debates about the nuances of these doctrines, there should be an understanding that the practices in the New Covenant are not always the same as those under the Old. To reapply Old Testament practices to our time, after Christ’s fulfillment of the Old Covenant, can only lead to unsound ideas about these core doctrines.

Lord, help us to follow Your word alone and not the “traditions of men” when teaching and receiving instruction. And help us to keep our doctrine in proper context, not mixing Old and New Covenants, which can only diminish the glory of what Christ has done for us. May our doctrine be pure so that at Your coming we will be found acceptable in what our lips have uttered. To Your glory alone O God! Amen!

Sunday, 21 October 2018

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, Hebrews 6:1

The word, “Therefore,” begins Chapter 6, asking the reader to consider what was just presented. In verses 5:12, 13 concerning “the first principles of the oracles of God,” he noted that his audience ought to be teachers by now, and yet, they remained “unskilled in the word of righteousness.” They had so far devolved in their thinking that they had abandoned the concept of salvation by grace through faith. They had shunned the truth that this had replaced works of the law, and they had fallen back on observances which only shadowed the coming work of Christ. Now he implores them to get back on the right page and to move ahead in Christ. And so he next says, “leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ.”

The Greek says, “the word of the beginning.” It is not the same word used in verse 5:12, translated as “first principles.” What he is doing is saying that the “first principles” of 5:12 were the replacement of the law with that of a New Covenant built on faith-based righteousness. The law was a mere shadow pointing to Christ. Contained within this New Covenant are teachings that came right at the beginning which anyone should immediately learn concerning this new faith. He calls these “the word of the beginning.” With this understanding, he then goes on to name what this involves by first stating, “let us go on to perfection.” The word signifies “completeness,” as if arriving at the end of a thing. It includes the idea of either moral or mental attainment of a thing.

What he is doing is preparing his reader for understanding the end goal of doctrine concerning faith-based righteousness in Christ. Now, in order to accomplish this, he names the basic doctrines within that system. These are the early truths of the faith, which should come along with faith (which is that upon which all else rests). But he will only name them, not go through any explanation of them. Because they come along with early faith, they are almost a part of it. Anyone who has believed should know them. When he says, “not laying again the foundation,” he is speaking of the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith.

The thought then is that, in verse 5:12, he mentioned the “first principles” of the oracles of God. These are those principles which speak of the understanding of the righteousness which comes by faith in Christ. When that is understood and accepted, there are certain doctrines associated with that foundational faith. These will now be listed, but not explained. What would be the point? Now that he has reintroduced to them the purpose of the “first principles of the oracles of God,” they should also remember these other doctrines which follow immediately along with that faith.

And so he says first, “of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” This is the sum of the “first principles of the oracles of God” mentioned in 5:12. The “dead works” are works of the law which can never save. The “faith toward God” is the understanding that if works cannot save, then faith in Christ to come (and who has, indeed, come) is how righteousness is attained.

Again, the clause, “of the repentance from dead works and faith toward God,” is not a part of the list found in the next verse. Rather, it is the sum thought of the “first principles of the oracles of God.” Along with that faith then come the rudimentary doctrines which any should know and understand.

Life application: Verse 6:1 is a bit confusing, and scholars tend to mix “the first principles of the oracles of God” of verse 5:12 with the “elementary principles of Christ” together as if they are speaking of the same thing. Once it is understood that they are different things, the author’s intent clears up. In the end, the important thing is to understand that a person is not saved – in any way, shape, or form – by works of the law. They are saved by grace through faith. That is the foundation. From there we begin to grow (hopefully) in doctrine until we come to the consummation of knowledge concerning the magnitude of what God has done for us in the Person and work of Christ.

Lord Jesus – Your word implores us to move on from basic teachings to those things which are deeper and which lead us to a fuller understanding of You, Your plan for us, and the glory displayed in this plan. Give us wisdom to use our time rightly so that we will have our priorities properly laid out in order to achieve this goal. Thank You for Your guidance in this petition. Amen.

Saturday, 20 October 2018

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:14

The word “But” is given as a contrast to what was said in the previous verse –

“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.”

As noted, “the word of righteousness” is that of Scripture interpreted through faith in Christ. It is a reliance on Christ as the fulfillment of those types and shadows found in the Old Testament Scriptures. Those who are unskilled in such things partake of only milk. In other words, they are not living by faith, but are rather relying on those types and shadows as their means of walking properly before the Lord. Unfortunately, one cannot walk properly before the Lord while trying to fulfill that which is already annulled in Christ through His accomplishment of those things.

The author now contrasts such immaturity of partaking only of milk by saying, “solid food belongs to those who are of full age.” The Greek word, translated as “full age,” is teleios. It signifies “perfect,” but in the sense of having attained the proper age. They have “consummated,” as having gone through the necessary stages to reach the end goal of something.

As noted, “solid food” is being equated to “the word of righteousness,” meaning interpreting the word in light of faith in Christ’s work, and all it implies, of the previous verse. Those who are mature will put away things which they can see and actively do in an external way. Instead, they will demonstrate faith in what they have not seen, and they will do it in an internal way. By faith in Christ, we move from being children to being full sons with all the rights and privileges of sonship. Paul explains this, in great detail, in Galatians 3 and 4. In Galatians 4:1-5 he says –

“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, ² but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. ³ Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. ⁴ But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

There is a maturity in coming to Christ which did not exist in previous times. Those under the law, which only anticipated Christ, are equated to children who are kept by a tutor. The same general analogy is seen here in the contrast between milk and solid food. As he says, “solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

The “good and evil” here is not speaking of that which is morally good or evil, but that which is related to doctrine. Is it sound or is it unsound? Is it wholesome or is it corrupt? It is what Paul refers to in Ephesians 4:14 –

“…that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.”

As is the case there in Ephesians, the author of Hebrews now is speaking of maturity. The audience is implored to have their senses excited to maturity through a habitual study of God’s word. In so doing, it will be seen that Christ is the fulfillment of what was anticipated, and that He “is the end of those things for righteousness for everyone who believes in Him” (Romans 10:4).

The dietary restrictions, for example, are a part of the law. Those still affected by such restrictions are considered “weak” by Paul in Romans 14. Again, it is a state of immaturity which is equated to “milk” here. To understand that the dietary restrictions no longer apply in Christ is to move to “solid food,” which is equated to maturity. The same theme runs constantly through Paul’s epistles using different metaphors. The author of Hebrews is asking his Hebrew audience to grow up, study the word, trust in Christ alone for their spiritual walk, and to put away the weak and beggarly elements (Galatians 4:9) of the law.

Life application: The same theme is used again and again (and again!) in the New Testament epistles in order to wake up those who have come to Christ. Stop relying on yourself! Stop relying on deeds of the law! Trust in Christ, rest in Christ, and exalt God because of the magnificent and perfectly accomplished work of Jesus Christ. This attitude is what is pleasing to God.

O glorious God! Help me to move to spiritual maturity by constantly thinking on, and training myself in, your word so that I may be able to distinguish good from evil, especially in regards to doctrine. By doing so, may my life be a living sacrifice to You and to Your glory. I pray this in the awesome name of Jesus my Lord. Amen!

Friday, 19 October 2018

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. Hebrews 5:13

In the previous verse, the author said to his audience that “you have come to need milk and not solid food.” Building on that now, he says, “For everyone who partakes only of milk…” He said that they needed milk and not solid food, and now he says that there is a consequence of partaking only in milk. As noted in the content of verse 5:12, the “milk” being referred to is instruction on how the law only points to Christ. There were, for example, feast days, sabbaths, and the like. Each was a shadow, but the substance is found in Christ. Indeed, all of the Old Testament Scriptures merely pointed to Christ as Jesus said in John 5:39, 40 –

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. ⁴⁰ But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

What the audience of Hebrews was doing was falling back on the Law of Moses in observing the things required there (such as feast days, temple rites, or whatever) instead of simply trusting in Jesus’ fulfillment of these things. This does not mean they were not true believers, saved by Christ, but that they had reverted to the milk of the Old Testament instead of the meat of the New. The author says of this that such a one who does this “is unskilled in the word of righteousness.”

The “word of righteousness” is that of Scripture interpreted through faith. It is a reliance on Christ as the fulfillment of those types and shadows. One who fails to rely on Christ as the fulfillment of them will be unskilled in handling Scripture properly. Paul states this in Romans 1:17 –

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’”

And again, Paul speaks of this in Romans 9, showing that the Gentiles had progressed to the meat while the Jews had gone back to the milk –

“What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; ³¹ but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. ³² Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.”

It is this very same concept which the author of Hebrews is now explaining to his Hebrew audience. Instead of being adult in their theology and dining on the meat found in Christ’s fulfilled work, they had become babes once again. As he says of any such person, “for he is a babe.” Instead of seeing Christ as the Lamb, they went to the temple to sacrifice a lamb. Instead of seeing Christ as the Atonement for sins, they observed the Day of Atonement according to the law, which only pointed to Him. On and on, they had stopped maturing in Christ through faith, and they had gone back to a lesser form of food, mere milk, found in the law.

Life application: What part of the Law of Moses are you secretly holding to? Are you living solely by faith in Christ and giving to your church out of a grateful heart, or are you trying to merit God’s favor by giving tithes to your church according to the law? Are you living out your rest in Christ, or are you observing a Sabbath according to the law? The list of the law’s requirements is long and burdensome. Holding to the fulfillment of them, as is found in Christ, is a light and easy yoke. The choice is yours. Are you a babe in need of milk, or are you ready for a diet of meat and potatoes?

Lord God – let us not squander the time You have given us, even from the moment we first believed in Jesus. Instead, prompt our hearts onward to an increase in the knowledge of who You are and how You have worked in human history to restore us to You through our Lord Jesus Christ. May You be the one who is glorified as we eagerly pursue You! Amen.

Thursday, 18 October 2018

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. Hebrews 5:12

The verse begins with “For” in order to build upon the previous words which said, “…since you have become dull of hearing.” Due to their lethargy in paying heed to the things of God, they had failed to mature. And so as a rebuke of their shoddiness in attending to their theological knowledge, he says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers…” In other words, “Because of the amount of time you have been around, you should be so familiar with the matters we have been discussing that you yourselves should have a deep enough understanding of them that you should be teaching them.” But instead, he continues, “you need someone to teach you again the first principles.”

Actually, the word, “Again,” is in the emphatic position. And so it should be connected to “you need,” not “to teach you.” Therefore, it should read, “You need, again, someone to teach you the first principles.” He is stressing the absolute dull nature of their spiritual walk. Not only were they not teachers, but they were so lacking in paying heed to the things of God, that once again they needed to be taught the very basics (first principles).

Just what these “first principles” are is debated. Some look at them as being explained in verse 6:1, speaking of the “elementary principles of Christ.” Others, however, see them as the basics of the Old Testament Scriptures which point to Christ. As his discussion so far has been of how the Old points to the New, the latter is likely the case. The same Greek term, stoicheion, is used by Paul when speaking of the Old Testament rudiments in Galatians 4:3 & 4:9, and in Colossians 2:8 & 2:20. In all of these cases, Paul shows the lesser nature of these elements (first principles) in relation to the surpassing knowledge of the work of Christ. In Galatians 4:9, he even calls them “weak and beggarly.” It is a term similar to what the author will call the Law of Moses in Hebrews 7:18.

As we can see, so far and in particular, he has been speaking of the duties of the high priest of Israel and then those of Jesus being on a different order, that of Melchizedek. And so surely he is referring to these “first principles” as the body of Old Testament writing. This is more certain because they are fully termed by the author, “the first principles of the oracles of God.”

The term, “oracles,” is used in Acts 7:38, Romans 3:2, and 1 Peter 4:11. In the first two instances, it is referring only to the body of Old Testament Scriptures, inclusive of the law, the writings, and the prophets. In 1 Peter 4:11, Peter uses the term as a comparison to the utterances of God, but he most fully is referring to the body of Scripture known as the Old Testament, along with any prophetic revelation since then. When the author comes to the elementary principles of Christ in verse 6:1, he will be using the term in how those things are established in Christ as the fulfillment of these Old Testament oracles. This then seems the likely interpretation based on the next words of this verse, and how they tie into the final two verses of the chapter.

Understanding this, the author continues his rebuke of his audience with the words, “and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” The words, “and you have come,” shows a change in the audience. They were in one state and progressing well in it, and then they moved to another state and are now reduced to a lower level; there is a degeneracy in their theology. The obvious explanation is that they had been progressing in applying, to their lives, the knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures and how they pointed to Christ. However, the believing Hebrews had suddenly gone off course and started to look at the Old Testament Scriptures again as a means to an end in and of themselves. It is thus representative of Paul’s words to the Galatians, rebuking them for going back from sound theological development in Christ and turning again to the Old Testament by adhering to the Law of Moses. This is confirmed in the term, “you have come to need milk and not solid food.”

Milk is for babies, not adults. One must develop from one to the other. Once developed, it would make no sense to fall back to the lesser category. It is reflective of Paul’s words to the Corinthians –

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. ² I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; ³ for you are still carnal.” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

The author is equating the first principles of the oracles of God, meaning the truths of the Old Testament in how they point to Christ, to mere milk. He is then showing that the deeper theology which is found in Christ is the true solid food which those who are mature will dine on. However, as noted above, they had regressed in their theology by once again applying Old Testament theology to their lives. They had gone from faith alone in Christ to adherence to law. The coming two verses will more fully reveal this.

Life application: The book of Hebrews, like the letters of Paul, warns against devolving in one’s theology from the supremacy of trusting in the finished work of Christ to instead going back to adherence to the Old Testament. Unfortunately, this same problem, warned against over 2000 years ago, has greatly increased in the world again today. Those who follow the Hebrew Roots Movement are doing exactly what is warned against in Hebrews. The author will continue to explain this, in great detail, in the chapters ahead.

Lord God! How blessed are we to have the full revelation of Your plan of redemption in the pages of Scripture. We have what the ancients longed for. In the coming of Jesus, the first principles of theology found in the Old Testament are fulfilled. Now, we can move onto solid food by understanding what He has done. May we pursue the beauty of the finished work of Christ all our days! And to You, we shall give all of our praise. Amen.