John macarthur takes readers through the book of hebrews, exploring the writers contrast between the old and new covenants and his teachings on how christ is higher than any old testament character, priest, ritual, or sacrifice. From the letter itself it is clear that the writer must have had authority in the apostolic church and was an intellectual hebrew christian well versed in the ot. Sanctuary, priesthood, sacrifice, and covenant in the book of. This epistle is more than a doctrinal treatise, however. Spiritual sacrifice continual praise to god hebrews. Each guide incorporates extensive commentary, detailed observations on. Oct 20, 2012 the jewish readers of hebrews would have approached the letter understanding this truth and revering god because of it. In a logical argument, the author demonstrates christs superiority, then adds practical instructions for following jesus. Hebrews and the atonement of christ alpha and omega ministries. Book of hebrews overview insight for living ministries. But the proper things in heaven need better sacrifices than that to make them clean and right.
Some think that paul wrote it but the style and vocabulary are very different from pauls other letters. Hebrews english standard version esv sacrifices pleasing to god. Hebrews is trying to get them to stop looking at the cult and look at jesus christ, the final sacrifice. No biblical document outside of the four gospels focuses as totally and forcefully on the person and redemptive achievement of jesus. Hebrews 10 nkjv animal sacrifices insufficient for bible gateway. Covenant contrasts in the book of hebrews bible charts. Hebrews 10 christs sacrifice once for all the bible. The epistle to the hebrews, or letter to the hebrews, or in the greek manuscripts, simply to the hebrews.
The complete text is included from the new king james version of the bible. Jesus is greater, so hold fast to him overviewbible. Covenant contrasts in the book of hebrews barnes bible charts 8. Hebrews differs in some respect with the other epistles of the nt. The text does not mention the name of its author, but was traditionally attributed to paul the apostle. The book of hebrews is a general epistle apostolic letter. Although some include the book of hebrews among the apostle pauls writings, the certain identity of the author remains an enigma. Hebrews and the atonement of christ alpha and omega. Christs sacrifice for our sins was perfect and complete.
Because of jesus life, death, and resurrection, he. Jun 02, 2003 hebrews in context for many the book of hebrews is a strange, somewhat difficult book. It expresses the very heart of the book donald hagner, encountering the book of hebrews baker, p. Hebrews 10 niv christs sacrifice once for all the bible gateway. Hebrews, the nineteenth book of the new testament, provides the answer to these and many other very intriguing questions regarding christs sacrifice and our salvation. God is not called father of the believers hebrews 12. Significantly, the book makes no reference to the destruction of the temple at jerusalem in ad 70, and the author wrote as if the sacrificial system were still in existence hebrews 10. We looked at this great epistle this morning and i want us to go back to it again tonigh. Maybe my church has a better understanding of the argument of hebrews than his first readers might have had. Just my two cents, not to be confused with your two. New living translation for gods will was for us to be. Though the author of hebrews is unknown many suspect it was paul, the.
The book of hebrews and the eucharist now we have already examined the fact that the book of hebrews puts much stress on the believers to remain in covenant with the father and the necessity of endurance in holiness to ensure salvation. A believers body, presented to god is a spiritual sacrifice romans 12. Did you know that the book of hebrews is the secondmost doctrineheavy book of the new testament. Hebrews is trying to get us to stop thinking in terms of the cultic repetitions.
The book of hebrews boldly proclaims the superiority of jesus christ and christianity over other religions, including judaism. Missing is pauls customary salutation common to his other works. The book of hebrews contrasts the old and new covenant and brilliantly reveals that christ is higher than any old testament character, priest, ritual, or sacrificeour own high priestgiving all believers unfettered access to god. Biblical studies from the book of hebrews lesson 1 general introduction overview oftentimes, while watching t. May 15, 2018 a study of chapter 10 of the bibles new testament book of hebrews by ty gibson and james rafferty of light bearers ministry. Salvation and sacrifice in the book of hebrews blogger. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of jesus christ once for all. A striking feature of this presentation of the gospel is the unique manner in which the author employs expositions of eight specific passages of the ot scriptures. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Jephthahs sacrifice of his daughter stands in stark contrast to the binding of isaac in the book of genesis, in which abraham was about to perform a divinelyordered sacrifice of his son, when an angel of god directly intervened and stopped the sacrifice.
Christs sacrifice once for all the law is only a shadow of the good things that are. Sanctuary, priesthood, sacrifice, and covenant in the book. Then said i, lo, i come in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy. The writer to the hebrews constantly compares the inadequacies of the old testament sacrificial system to the perfection and completion in christ. Believers in jesus christ, as gods perfect sacrifice for sin, have the perfect highpriest through whose ministry everything is new and better than under the covenant of law.
But jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the. We now come to the central topic in the letter to the hebrews the offering of christs own life, flesh, and blood. This section concludes the main argument of the book of hebrews. Books of the book hebrews chapter 10 a better sacrifice. When you consider the wide agreement among biblical scholars about who wrote every other book of the new testament, its a little mysterious that we dont know who wrote hebrews.
Jesus christ recapitulates all of salvation history in his person and work cf. Hebrews pictures jesus as better than the angels, as bringing better lives to humanity through salvation, as offering a better hope than the mosaic law could promise, as a better sacrifice for our sins than a bull or a goat, and as providing a better inheritance in heaven for those who place their faith in him hebrews 1. The author claims that any discussion of the heavenly sanctuary must include a discussion of hebrews, the new testament book that deals most extensively. The book of hebrews and jesus as the eternal high priest. Because of jesus life, death, and resurrection, he is the perfect sacrifice and our own high priest. The epistle is more than a doctrinal treatise, however. The theological epicenter of the epistle to the hebrews may be summed up in one word. The author claims that any discussion of the heavenly sanctuary must include a discussion of hebrews, the new testament book that deals most extensively with the concept. The unknown author of hebrews sought to address this problem by contrasting the old and new covenants, brilliantly showing that christ is higher than any old testament character, priest, ritual, or sacrifice.
A study of chapter 10 of the bibles new testament book of hebrews by ty gibson and james rafferty of light bearers ministry. The book of hebrews contrasts the old and new covenant and brilliantly reveals that christ is higher than any old testament character, priest, ritual, or sacrifice our own high priestgiving all believers unfettered access to god. However, doubt on pauline authorship in the roman church is reported by eusebius. As we prepare for our time together in communion, i want you to return tonight with me to the book of hebrews. Hebrews, theology of bakers evangelical dictionary of. What does it mean that jesus learned obedience by the things he suffered hebrews 5. Hebrews with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Even so, this epistle is, i believe, one of gods greatest gifts to his church. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. The book of hebrews elevates jesus above historical people. The book of hebrews, therefore, makes it very clear that we now have a better sacrifice, a better temple, a better priesthood with a better covenant, something that takes place of the old. In this section of the book he is upheld as the final sacrifice. The macarthur bible studies provide intriguing examinations of the whole of scripture.
Before diving immediately into the epistle to the hebrews, we must first examine the idea of sacrifice more broadly so we have something with which to compare it. The author is anonymous, although either paul or barnabas was traditionally accepted as the author. Jan 02, 2020 book of hebrews bible survey who wrote the book of hebrews. The book of hebrews may briefly be summarized in this way. Aug 31, 2016 even so, this epistle is, i believe, one of gods greatest gifts to his church. The book of hebrews compares and contrasts jesus to key historical people and events from the old testament. They would have known why a blood sacrifice was necessary and thus could better understand the link with christs work on the cross. Hebrews 10 new international version niv christs sacrifice once for all 10 the law is only a shadow of the good things that are comingnot the realities themselves. Jesus the perfect sacrifice studies in hebrews simply bible. The impossibility of renewal in view of their spiritual position and privileges in the event a lapse could occur for the reasons stated they must go on 1. The reason why it is not at the top of the favorites list for most modern christian readers is easy to discover. Christs death is a better sacrifice easyenglish bible. Jephthahs sacrifice of his daughter stands in stark contrast to the binding of isaac in the book of genesis, in which abraham was about to perform a divinelyordered sacrifice of his son, when an angel of god directly intervened and stopped the sacrifice some writers have observed that the israelites of the time were decidedly barbarous.
The book of hebrews was, of course, written to the hebrew people. Before diving into hebrews, however, it is important to understand what the jewish audience of the first century. The question that we are looking to answer is, what does the death of jesus christ mean. In the tenth episode of books of the book hebrews, ty and james. Hebrews chapter 1 kjv king james version jesus christ, his name is abused by so many, calling upon him in anger and frustrstion, not for salvation. An initial glance at the book of hebrews will show a comprehensive use of sacrificial metaphors with regard to the death of jesus, which leads scholars like ekkehard and wolfgang stegemann to highlight this imagery as an attempt to develop a theology of christs death and saving work. Book of hebrews bible survey who wrote the book of hebrews. The unknown author of hebrews sought to address this problem by contrasting the old and new covenants, brilliantly showing that christ is higher than any. The doctrinal center of the book of hebrews david j. Hebrews in context for many the book of hebrews is a strange, somewhat difficult book. As i said last week, the author of hebrews uses repetition to drive his point home.
In addition, the suggestion that the writer of this epistle relied upon knowledge and information provided by others who were actual eyewitnesses of christ jesus 2. Salvation and sacrifice in the book of hebrews chapter 1. They were copies of the true and proper things that are in heaven. Before diving into hebrews, however, it is important to understand what the jewish audience of the first century would have already known when they opened this complex and enlightening letter. But in christ, every believer has free access to gods presence because christs onceandforall sacrifice of himself provides perfect standing with god. With its myriad references to hebrew customs and the old testament, the book was likely sent to a jewish christian community, possibly in rome. Hebrews esv sacrifices pleasing to god let bible gateway. And hebrews presents christ and his service in the heavens as antitype and fulfilment of the old testament instructions of service. What does it mean that jesus was a little lower than the angels psalm 8. Perhaps nowhere in the new testament does the old testament come into focus more than in the book of hebrews, which has as its foundation the levitical priesthood. Sanctuary, priesthood, sacrifice, and covenant in the book of hebrews.
The mac arthur study guide series provides a twelve week, versebyverse examination of the books of the new testament. The authorship of the book of hebrews is, at best, uncertain. The son of god is better than angels, priests, old testament leaders. This is interesting and could be a symbolic reference to wine and its frequent carnal consequences. A study of hebrews gene taylor2an introduction to the book of hebrews i. As we noted, much of the book of hebrews does stress the need for this endurance. Donald hagner, encountering the book of hebrews baker, p. Macleod dean of the graduate program emmaus bible college, dubuque, iowa the question of emphasis or the doctrinal center of hebrews, is a vital one. Introduces perspectives on the author, audience, date and purpose of the book of hebrews that can help us interpret the original meaning and apply this book to our modern world.
There is nothing in the letter to tell us who wrote it nor is there a strong tradition to associate an author with the book. Study the book of hebrews in 12 lessons with john macarthurs comments and notes on the text. He is greater than angels, the torah, moses, the promised land, priests, melchizedek, sacrifices, and the covenant. The makers of this product emphasize all the favorite features.
Hebrews could be called the book of better things since the two greek words for better and superior occur 15 times in the letter. If you have any questions or comments regarding any or our videos, please contact us through our w. He has already told us the bulk of what he tells us here again. An initial glance at the book of hebrews will show a comprehensive use of sacrificial metaphors with regard to the death of jesus, which leads scholars like. Themes in the book of hebrews jesus christ is superior. Questions for individual reflection and group discussion are based on the weekly reading. Lets talk about the book of hebrews biblical families. They were thinking in terms of the legal sacrifices. Hebrews 10 new international version niv christs sacrifice once for all. He was a gentile while the author was most definitely a hebrew.
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