THE EPISTLE TO THE
Hebrews
Many Jewish believers who moved from Judaism into Christianity soon found themselves persecuted by their countrymen. Some of them wanted to reverse course in order to escape suffering for their identification with Christ. The writer of Hebrews responds by declaring, “let us hold fast our confession” (4:14) and exhorts his readers to “go on to perfection” (6:1).
The writer makes his appeal based on the superiority of Christ over the old Judaic system. Christ is better than the angels, for they worship Him. He is better than Moses, for He built the house in which Moses served. He is better than the Aaronic priesthood, for He ministers forever, and He once for all offered the infinitely valuable sacrifice of Himself. He is better than the law, for He mediates a better covenant. In short, there is far more to be gained by embracing Christ than might be lost by holding on to Judaism. Pressing on in Christ produces tested faith, self-discipline, visible love seen in good works, and divine rewards worth far more than the effort required to receive them.
The book reminds us of the best way to persevere in the faith: “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith .… For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb. 12:2, 3 ).
No early manuscript evidence names the author in the title, although tradition assigns authorship to the apostle Paul. The oldest and most reliable title is simply, Pros Ebraious, “To the Hebrews.”
Theme: Since Jesus Christ is superior in every way to the old covenant, it only makes sense to persevere in Him and so reap the amazing rewards God offers faithful believers.
Authors: Unknown. Some say that significant stylistic and thematic differences with the known letters of the apostle Paul make it unlikely that he wrote the book. Many scholars believe Luke, Barnabas, and Apollos are the leading candidates.
Date: Likely sometime before a.d. 70, since if the temple had been destroyed by the time of its writing, it seems the author would surely have noted this (see 8:3, 4).
Structure: The book has three primary sections. In the first section (chapters 1–10), Christ is portrayed as better than the elements of the old covenant. The second section (chapters 11, 12) features a plea for believers to persevere in their Christian faith. The final section (chapter 13 ) concludes the book and gives some final exhortations.
As you read Hebrews, watch for several life principles that play an important role in this book: 3. God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm. See Hebrews 4:12, 13. 6. You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow. See Hebrews 6:12; 10:35. 28. No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith. See Hebrews 10:24, 25. 9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees. See Hebrews 11:8–16. |
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