Hebrews (written)

Sunday, 2 September 2018

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, Hebrews 3:1

The word “Therefore” is a summary of all of the contents of Chapter 2. The words expressed here have their basis in the various thoughts which were put forth there. And so the author next states, “holy brethren.” The term “brethren,” in this sense, speaks of those who are united by faith in Christ. The only time that the word “holy” is affixed to “brethren,” other than here, is in 1 Thessalonians 5:27, but even that is not included in all manuscripts as it is here. The word “brethren” speaks of the unity of those in Christ as sons. This was seen in verse 2:10 where Christ brought “many sons to glory.” The word “holy” is affixed to it because of the sanctification of Christ seen in verse 2:11.

The term “holy brethren” is then being applied to those who are the called out of the Lord. As Israel was called out in the Old Testament and set apart as holy (e.g. Exodus 19:6), so the church was called out as holy because of Christ. It needs to be remembered that the author here is writing to Hebrews. The Gentiles (as in 1 Thessalonians 5:27) have been called out in Christ, and the Jews have likewise been called out in Him. It is He who has sanctified this body of believers.

The author then says, “partakers of the heavenly calling.” This idea was first stated in verse 2:10 in the term “bringing many sons to glory.” Glory is the heavenly calling that is possessed because of Christ. The “partaking” of that calling is based on Christ’s having “partaken of flesh and blood” as noted in verse 2:14. He first partook of our human nature, so that we could then partake of His heavenly state. The calling is from heaven, but it is based on His earthly work. In His triumphing over the flesh, He has imputed His righteousness and given to us the assured glory of heaven.

Based on this, we are asked to “consider.” The Greek word denotes to fix one’s thinking on a matter and to consider it fully, even to a definite and clear understanding of it. The NIV says, “fix your thoughts on Jesus.” Though the order doesn’t reflect the Greek of the verse, it is a well-stated translation nonetheless. We are to fix our thoughts on Him, mull over what He has done, pay heed to what it means in our lives, and so on.

Combined with the idea of “consider,” the author first states the descriptive title, “the Apostle.” The word signifies, “to send forth.” It focuses back on the position and authority of the sender. In this case, God sent Him. This goes back to verse 2:4 where it says, “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders.” These were accomplished through Christ by the full authority of God. It then goes to verse 2:9 where it says that Christ Jesus was sent, “that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” Jesus Christ is the grace of God, sent unto men. He was sent with a commission which included taking on our nature, and dying in that state. Thus, He is the Apostle par excellence.

The author next says, “and High Priest.” This refers back to verse 2:17 where it says, based on His incarnation and fulfilled work, that “He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

The idea of being an Apostle signifies the mission that Christ was sent on. He was sent by God to accomplish the work of God. The idea of being a High Priest is one of the position He now fills based on His accomplishment of the mission in establishing a New Covenant. He was not a high priest of the Old Covenant, nor could He be. That will be explained in Chapter 7. Rather, He was sent on His mission under the Old Covenant in order to establish the New Covenant, being now the High Priest of a far superior covenant.

The author’s words, “of our confession,” refer to our acknowledgment of Christ Jesus as Lord, having received Him as such, and embraced Him as the Messiah of the Jews and the Christ of the nations. The same applies to both Jews and Gentiles, but the context continues to be the author writing to a Jewish audience.

The author finishes the thought by stating who the Apostle and High Priest is, “Christ Jesus.” It is to be noted that some manuscripts (and thus some translations) do not include the word “Christ.” In them, it simply says, “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus.” That would be more in line with verse 2:9 which said, “But we see Jesus…” It is Jesus who is the Person, and who did the things referred to, in Chapter 2. The author sums up all of that chapter in this one verse, and his pen then points to that Name above every name, Jesus.

Life application: If you are in a church which refers to the object of the faith as “Yehovah,” “Jehovah,” “Yahweh,” “YHVH,” or whatever name from the Old Testament that applies to the Lord, you have missed the point of what the New Testament is telling you. The Lord of the Old is Christ Jesus. They are One. God has determined that the name Yeshua, or Jesus, is the name which we are to speak, pray through, adore, follow, pursue, contemplate, and fix our thoughts on. To do otherwise fails to acknowledge the complete and finished work of what He has done in Messiah (Christ). Get your terminology straight, and set your eyes and heart on Jesus.

Lord God, the Name which is above every name is that of Jesus our Lord. You have slowly and steadily worked out Your plan of redemption in human history, culminating in what You did through Him. Help us to never trivialize this. Instead, may we exalt and glorify that magnificent name, JESUS, all the days of our lives. To Your glory. Amen.

Saturday, 1 September 2018

For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Hebrews 2:18

The word “For” is based on the explanation given in the preceding verse. Christ “had to be made like his brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

In being made like His brethren, He endured suffering. As the author states, “in that He Himself has suffered.” It isn’t a matter of logical, but speculative, analogy such as, “Jesus came as a man; men suffer; therefore, Christ must have suffered.” Rather, the gospels bear out that He, in fact, suffered. And His suffering was in both small ways and in a great way. He did not exempt Himself from the trials, pains, and deprivations of life. He got sleepy and went without sleep. He got hungry and had to eat. He mourned and wept. The things common to man were shared in by Christ.

Further, He also endured even that which was beyond what men suffer. He was judged as a sinner when He had no sin. He was punished though there was no iniquity found in Him. And He died a torturous death, not for His own wrongdoing, but the wrongdoing of others.

In all of these ways, He was tempted, because suffering leads to temptation. The stress is on the temptation, not the suffering. In fact, the NAS – in accord with the analysis of Vincent’s Word Studies – phrases the verse as, “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” When He suffered from sleep deprivation, he was tempted to get cranky and sin. When He suffered hunger, He was tempted to get “hangry” and sin. Moreover, He was tempted both passively, and actively. His passive temptations (such as being hungry) could have led to wrongdoing, but He also was actively tempted by the devil as is noted in the gospels. This also could have led to wrongdoing.

In each way that He suffered, He could have fallen into sin through being tempted (Hebrews 4:15). Understanding this, the word “tempt” itself needs to be explained. It signifies “a test,” or “a trial.” Christ was tested through the temptations of suffering, and He remained without sin, having passed the test of perfection demanded by God’s holiness. The author then explains the importance of that for His people (His brethren) by saying, “He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

The idea here is one of empathy. It cannot be said that Christ is unable to empathize with us in our own temptations, afflictions, sufferings, and the like. He shared in our common humanity. He felt the pains we feel and endured the losses we endured. He was belittled by others, and was mocked openly, wrongfully accused throughout His ministry, and so forth. In this, He possesses the knowledge of what it is like to be so tempted, and He can thus give us aid and succor in our own lives as we face similar tests of our resolve and of our faith.

Life application: It is not uncommon to hear people complain that God must have no idea what they are going through. They will also call God unfair for the plight they face. First, God owes us nothing. There is nothing we can accuse God of, nor is there anything we can challenge God over. But even more, He was willing to participate in our humanity in order to understand the very weaknesses we face. Those who reject what the Son has done have rejected the greatest demonstration of God’s tender mercies. He didn’t send Jesus to show how bad we are in comparison to Him. He sent Jesus to reveal how much He cares for us.

Wonderfully loving God! You sent Jesus to participate in humanity and to show us how much You truly care for us. In His trials and tests, He has shown that He truly can empathize with our own times of trial and testing. Thus, He stands as a faithful High Priest who has earned the right to mediate between us. There is nothing we endure that He has not also faced. What a comfort it is to know that You have gone to such great lengths for us. Thank You for our faithful High Priest, Jesus. Amen.

Friday, 31 August 2018

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17

The word “Therefore” asks the reader to go back and review what brought about the coming statement. The words certainly cover everything back to verse 2:10 at least. There it spoke of bringing many sons to glory. Immediately after that it said, “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one.” The thought of Christ sharing in humanity continued right up until verse 16. There, in verse 16, it spoke of giving aid to the seed of Abraham.

Understanding the context, the author says, “in all things.” There is a like for like comparison being made. It is not that the two will be somewhat alike, but that they are alike in all ways. This is confirmed by the next words, “He had to be made like His brethren.” If Christ were made like an angel (verse 2:7), He would not be “like man” in all ways. If He were exempt from a body which could suffer (verse 2:10), He would not be “like” us in all ways. If He were not able to be tempted (verse 4:15), He would not be like us in all ways. And so on.

The verse also directly refers to the final thought before this verse which mentioned “the seed of Abraham.” Christ was made like the seed of Abraham in all ways as well. Vincent’s Word Studies goes so far as to say, “Likeness is asserted without qualification. There was a complete and real likeness to humanity, a likeness which was closest just where the traces of the curse of sin were most apparent – in poverty, temptation, and violent and unmerited death.” This is correct. This closeness, to where the traces of the curse of sin are, was necessary in order “that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest.”

The high priest was selected from among the people of Israel. He shared in their family line, he shared in their culture, and he shared in their plight in all ways. He was, therefore, able to empathize with his people in the execution of his duties under the covenant that the Lord made with the people. The same is true with Christ in His ministry. Likewise, it was necessary for Him to be like those He ministered to as well, if He were to initiate a new covenant. The introduction of the role of Christ as High Priest at this point takes the reader back to the very opening words of the epistle. In verse 1:3 it said, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

The thought of the purging of sin is that which pertains to priestly duties. The author has spent all of the past two chapters leading the reader to this point. It is a point which will be referred to from this point on as well. If there is to be a new covenant, there must be a High Priest to administer it. But if there was already a covenant in existence, there must be a valid reason why it needed to be set aside. The author’s words are preparing us for understanding these things by first showing that Christ is suitable to the role. After that, he will then address the how’s and why’s of the introduction of the New Covenant.

In being like His brethren in all ways, Christ is able to be the merciful and faithful High Priest that is needed. Without being able to empathize with His people, there would be a lack of mercy needed to properly conduct His duties. Without facing trials similar to His people, He could not faithfully represent them in their own petition for strength, or for mercy and forgiveness. But Christ can because He did.

He first lived the life necessary, and then He became our High Priest “in things pertaining to God.” This is referring to the system in which the High Priest conducts His duties. There is a need for One to act between God and the people; a Mediator. This job fell to Aaron and his sons under the Old Covenant. In the establishment of a new covenant, there would likewise be this need. The system of sacrifices necessary to appease God, the conveyance of prayers on behalf of the people, the communication of the will of God, the judgment in accord with the covenant’s laws, and so forth, all needed to be accomplished by a suitable mediator. Christ was set to fill this role in the coming of the New Covenant.

To complete the verse, the author then says, “to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” The Greek word chosen here, and translated as “propitiation,” is only found elsewhere in Luke 18:13 –

“And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’”

How could the High Priest truly Mediate in such a way as to petition God for mercy for such a wretched soul unless He had first been made “like His brethren” in all ways? The verb used for “make propitiation for” is akin to the cognate noun which signifies that which is the propitiation – the atoning sacrifice. It is what accomplishes the action which removes the wrath of God, allowing Him to be merciful. That noun is used by John twice – in 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10. In both uses, it is speaking of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus for our sins. In the giving of His life, He is able to make that propitiation which is necessary for God to be merciful. He is the very focal point of God’s mercy, and therefore His ministry is perfectly sufficient to accomplish the obtaining of that mercy for His people.

Life application: How can God demonstrate infinite mercy upon His finite and fallen creatures? He can do it through His perfect Sacrifice, Jesus. In the giving of His Son, the void is bridged, the gap is crossed, and the wound of separation is healed. Christ Jesus is the very focus of God’s mercy to His creatures. We don’t just have a hope in eternal life, in Christ Jesus we have the absolute assurance of it. The enmity is ended, and reconciliation is realized because propitiation has been made.

Glorious, gracious, and merciful God… Thank You for Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Thursday, 30 August 2018

For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Hebrews 2:16

“For” is given to build upon what has been stated. The author has been speaking of the bondage and fear of death that men face and how Christ came, partaking in our same nature in order to free us from this bondage. Understanding this, he continues with “…indeed He does not give aid to the angels.”

Angels do not die; they are aeviternal beings. This means they have a beginning but no end. They are also not redeemable. They are either angels which serve in God’s heavenly hosts, or they are fallen and will be cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity (see Matthew 25:41). No aid is given to angels because of this. However, man can be redeemed, and so Christ came in order to “take hold of” him (as the Greek reads) and to lead him by the hand to freedom from bondage. The word used is essentially a metaphor signifying rescue from peril. For the Lord to take hold of someone means exactly this, and this is what Christ came to do.

After this, he then says, “but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham.” As first, it seems curious that he says this, rather than “to the seed of Adam.” However, there are several reasons for using Abraham. The first is obvious, based on who is being addressed in this epistle – the Hebrews. Jesus entered into humanity through the line of the Hebrew people. Abraham was the first noted as a Hebrew in Genesis 14:13. He is also considered the father of their faith. The author is not excluding Gentiles here, but rather is identifying Christ with the people of faith as the psalmist does in Psalm 105:6 –

“O seed of Abraham His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!”

In the Song of Mary in Luke 1:55, the same idea is expressed there. Mary was certainly only thinking of her people, Israel, when she said this. However, a father may have five children, loving them equally, but he may focus on one at a given time and another at a different time.

Secondly, though Paul uses the term “seed of Abraham” as indicating actual genealogy back to Abraham in Romans and 2 Corinthians, he also uses it as a genealogy established by faith in Galatians 3:26-29 –

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Thus, despite certainly talking about a literal genealogy back to Abraham here (as Matthew does in his genealogical record of Matthew 1), the author is not excluding the possibility of those not of the literal genealogy of Abraham from being included. Though it is not the intent of his words now, and it would be out of place to address all who are of the faith of Abraham (meaning Jew and Gentile) as being the seed of Abraham, it is still true that Abraham descended from someone who was not a Hebrew. He was further promised to be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4). And so despite addressing the Hebrew people specifically, and making a point about helping them, Scripture also shows that the help provided to them implicitly (and even explicitly at times) applies to all who are willing to come to God through faith in Jesus.

Life application: It is important to remember who is being addressed in a particular book, or even a section of a book. Paul addresses the Jews at times in the book of Romans, and then he addresses Gentiles at other times. In Hebrews, the addressee is the Hebrew people, and it is from this perspective that the letter is being written. However, this does not negate inclusion of the Gentiles in what is being said. We need to be careful to ensure that what is said to the main addressee is understood, but we can also determine when Gentiles are included in the address – or at least when they are not excluded from the truth which is presented.

What a marvelous story of love and attention is found in Your word, O God. You have looked upon the people of the world and determined that we are worth saving, if we will just come to You on Your terms. We are to come not by deeds of our doing, but by faith in what You have done. By simple belief, confessing Jesus as Lord and believing that You raised Him from the dead, we have peace with You. How simple, and yet how difficult! Help us to put aside our pride and to trust only in what You have done. Amen.

Wednesday, 29 August 2018

…and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:15

This verse is a part of a whole thought which started in verse 14. Together they say –

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

As is seen then, the author notes in the immediate context that the purpose of Christ taking on human flesh had two aspects to it, one following after the other. First, it was to make void (note commentary on previous verse) the power of the effective working of the devil. In accomplishing this, it would then “release those.” The word translated as “release” is a rare one, having been seen only once in Luke and once in Acts. This is its third and final use. It gives the sense of delivery or removal. Next, he identifies the previous state of those who have been released. It was those who had a “fear of death.”

What he is conveying is that humanity has always been afraid of death. We may ignore it, we may forcibly push it out of our minds, we may deny it, but the lingering fear of death is always there. And this fear is not only for ourselves, but it is also there for those we love. Further, the fear is there in various degrees, such as that of a long, painful, and lingering death. The reasons for fearing death are many. It means the end of the things we enjoy. It normally includes pain. It means that the body we have cared for and cherished will corrupt, putrefy, and breakdown. It means entering either into oblivion or into the presence of God. Either way, it means something completely different than that which we can now associate with. For these and other reasons, humans have a fear of death throughout “all their lifetime.”

From our earliest days, and throughout our entire lives, we are subject to this fear. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown goes so far as to say of this state that “Such a life can hardly be called life.” Man who is destined for death does not have true life. Our existence is vanity personified. The book of Ecclesiastes deals with this minutely.

The author then explains what this fear of death throughout our lives mean. He says by it we are “subject to bondage.” The Greek reads more literally, “subjects of bondage.” In other words, we are not simply liable to slavery, but rather we are completely captivated by it. This is the type of bondage we are in, a bondage which is completely captive to death. It guides everything we do in a very real sense. We look where we walk, we watch what we eat, we avoid certain places, and so on. Though it may not be at the forefront of our minds, it is always there in us because we are captive to it. But this is what Christ came to free us from. It is explained by Paul in Romans. First, it is a freedom from death itself; a granting of eternal life. Secondly, it is a freedom from fear of death, because death has no power over us (see 1 Corinthians 15:50-58).

Death is considered an entity. It is not the simple act of dying, but the fear which accompanies it, which is removed. This is how Paul states it in Romans –

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:15-17

Life application: Unless the rapture comes and we are immediately translated to glory, we are all going to die physically. However, the death that we will face does not stand in victory over us. Instead, we stand in victory over it. Even in the act of physical death, we triumph. With our very last breath, we can still raise our hands to the Lord and cry out, “Victory!” Christ has prevailed; our physical death is merely a step into the eternal life He has secured for us.

Heavenly Father, life is one of bondage to the fear of death. It is an all-consuming and lifelong type of slavery. But in Christ, the bonds are broken and we are set free. We have victory over the foe, and we have the absolute assurance of life which is full, glorious, and eternal. Thank God for Jesus who has broken through and gone ahead of us, showing us the way back to You! Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.