Hebrews Study

[purgedconscience]

I've been going back and forth in my mind pretty much all day about something and I've been unsure if I should say something about it or not and if so, then where. It's totally unrelated to this study, but I guess that I feel most comfortable saying it here. I have a great uneasiness in my spirit as if God wants to talk to me about something or as if I've missed Him somewhere so I'm going to stay away from this forum for at least a few days and devote whatever free time that I have to prayer. If you people wouldn't mind, could you please just say a prayer for me that God makes known to me whatever it is that I need to know? I just can't shake this feeling that I've missed God somewhere and I'm quite certain that it's not just Satan messing with me. I'm not in any open (or closed) sin that I'm aware of, but something just isn't right. If you could just say a prayer for me, then that would be great. I expect that I'll come back to this study eventually. Right now, I really feel the need to pray. Thank you.

 

[oldhermit]

​

Chapter Three
​

I. Jesus is Compared to Moses, 1-6.A.
These comparisons are important because they illustrate the superiority of the anti-type over the type, the reality over the shadow. The Hebrew writer holds up all of the shadowy types of the Old Testament and one-by-one he shows their inferiority to the reality. These things are shadow but, Jesus is the substance.

1. In chapter one, Jesus is not compared, he is contrasted to:

a. Angels
b. Earthly potentates
c. Creation
These things are not type since he has nothing in common with these.

2. In chapter three, he is compared to Moses.
3. In chapters five and seven, he is compared to Melchizedek.
4. In chapter seven he is compared to Aaron
But, in looking at these comparisons, what he learn is that Jesus is never held in comparison to these men. What is compared is not the men but, their appointed functions. Jesus is not compared to Aaron for example. What is compared is the function of high priest these two hold. Notice other comparisons found in Hebrews.
5. Kingdoms, thrones and scepters in chapter one
6. Rests in chapters three and four
7. Priesthoods in chapters five, seven, and eight
8. Covenants and Laws in chapter nine
9. Tabernacles, holy places, and sacrifices in chapters nine and ten.
10. Zion in chapter twelve.

B. “Therefore” - This is a precursor to an apologetic. It is a defense of Jesus as Apostle and High Priest.
C. “Consider” - This calls for an examination of the facts, a weighing if the evidence.

1. The validity of Jesus apostleship is rooted in the eternal. He is one sent by God for the purpose of redemption. Ἀπόστολον – meaning one sent out is used many times in the New Testament as in the case of John 1:6.
2. Jesus was faithful to his appointment, John 17:4. What is the function of the High Priest?

a. To make atonement for the people.
b. To show compassion for he people. He understands what it is like to be tempted.
c. To mediate between the offenders and the one offended.

3. Moses' faithfulness as a type of Christ.

a. As a savior he delivered Israel out of bondage – Baptism into Moses, 1Corinthians 10:1-4.
b. As priest - Exodus 29
c. As a prophet - Numbers 12:6-8
d. As a mediator - Numerous times Moses stood between life and death for Israel.
e. Life of consecration – Only two things recorded that are held against Moses. That is a better record than I have.

* His failure to circumcise his sons, Exodus 4:25.
* The striking of the rock in the wilderness of Zin, Numbers 20:12.
As high and as venerated as Moses was in the mind of the Jew, he is still only a servant IN the house of God.

D. Jesus is greater than Moses, 6. Jesus is a Son OVER God's house. We, along with Moses, are merely servants in the house. We, the heirs of the promise ARE that house. We are the house built by God. The house is the dwelling place of Jehovah. Our place in this privileged status is conditional. “If we hear his voice,” 7. "Hear" relates to conformity. We must conform to what he have heard from him.
II. “Today” and the Hardness of the Heart, 7-11. To what time does the 'today' refer?

A. This is a quote from Psalms 95:8. Though the writer of the quote is David, David is not the source. The Holy Spirit is the source – “Just as the Holy Spirit says.” David uses this plea in his time to encourage Israel to listen to the words of the Lord and he draws from the example of Israel in the wilderness who refused to “hear his voice.” So, for David 'today' was the time of decision for those whom he ruled regarding their response to the Word of God.
B. The Hebrew writer quotes from the Psalm and charges his readers in his time saying, “Today, if you will hear his voice....”
C. Now, we read the words of David and the Hebrew writer telling us, “Today, if you will hear his voice.” The admonition is as strong for our hearing as it was for those in the wilderness, those in the time of David, and those in the first century.

1. Any day we encounter the words of the Lord it is called 'today'.
2. Any day of the “hearing of his voice” is the day of decision on the part of the hearer. The response of Israel in the wilderness is given in the negative. “Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness.” The acceptable time of salvation is always in the now. 2Corinthians 6:2, Isaiah 49:8.

E. Rebellion provokes the wrath and anger of Jehovah, 8-11. Examples of Israel's rebellions in the wilderness:

1. At the Red Sea – Exodus 14:11-12
2. The manna – Exodus 16:3-4
3. At Rephidim – Exodus17:3-4
4. At Kibroth – Numbers 11
5. At the banks of the Jordan – Numbers 14 – In this instance the anger of the Lord is kindled and Moses intercedes.
6. At Kadesh – Numbers 20
7. Between Mt. Hor and Edom – Numbers 21 “We loath this miserable food.”

a. This time God had had enough. He was through meeting the whining demands of and ungrateful people. This time God punishes without giving Moses the opportunity to intervene.
b. Israel pleaded for God to take away the serpents but God was through meeting their ungrateful demands.
c. God instructs Moses regarding the bronze serpent.
d. The serpent is lifted up.
e. The means of salvation is provided.
f. Repentance is made.
g. Forgiveness is supplied.
h. Israel then gets on with God's business.

8. Lessens learned from Israel rebellious experiences in the wilderness.

a. Rebellion comes from the heart and shows itself in one's actions of disobedience.
b. Rebellion is the result of failing to learn the ways of God, 2Thesselonians 2:10-12.
c. God will not allow the rebellious to share in his blessings, “They will not enter my rest.”
d. Trust God for every need and demand nothing of God.
e. Be ever thankful.
f. Never complain about what God has not yet provided.
g. Expect and accept God's punishment for sin then get up and get on with God's business.

 

[Crustyone]

I hesitated to post this because I wasn't sure how to do so without sounding like a jerk and insulting anyone, but here I go. I am obviously not as educated as most of you in this thread so I have had to look up words like exegesis and also because this is hitting some really fine points I find it hard to follow. I am happy that God has given you the desire for deep knowledge in of His word, but in your depth I am getting both lost and bored. I am most likely getting lost because some of the concepts are foreign to me and bored because most of the time when I figure out the concepts and read the ones that I do understand it seems like I already understood the concept, but never attempted to put it into words. As I think on it I don't think I could put them into words as well as you posters are, so I have to assume that it is just me. As a lost soul in the words, but not in the faith, I can only say that I am sorry that I can not stay with you. I will have to look for a less involved thread. Thanks for trying.

 

[MarcR]

In either case, it does seem rather obvious that the writer of this epistle quoted from the Septuagint at times. One of the more striking examples would be the following:

Hebrews chapter 10 verse 5

Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

This is a direct citation from Psalm 40 verse 6 and here is how it reads in the Masoretic Text which underlies the King James Bible and many other English translations:

Psalm 40 verse 6

Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

There is quite a bit of difference between but a body hast thou prepared for me and mine ears hast thou opened and the author's intended point simply wouldn't come across if the Septuagint rendering wasn't used. I've read the Bible numerous times, but I've never read the Septuagint translation. I'm seriously wondering if I should.

Of course, the possibility that the Hebrews writer was quoting from Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 43 only exists if the author was using the Septuagint as well. In other words, that reading simply isn't found in the Masoretic Text either.

It seems reasonable that the NT writers would quote the LXX rather than re-translate the Hebrew; since they were writing in Greek; and the LXX was already in Greek and familiar to their intended audience.

 

[just-me]

From what I understand, neither original Hebrew or Greek was used in the original writings of Paul. They were probably written in Aramaic, and sent by courier to the synagogues throughout Greece and what is now Turkey, and translated into divers languages for understanding as soon as they arrived in the church, and then read to the congregation at a later time then when they arrived.

All of Paul's epistles (with the possible exception of Philemon since it was sent through a Roman contact, then to the assembly) were sent to synagogues that contained Jewish and Gentile believers whose legal faith practices were governed by James the Just head of the Jerusalem assembly. This is why in Acts 9 and 15 James writes letters in Aramaic (about circumcision and other matters) for individuals like Paul to deliver. Once delivered, targumist would translate the letters into Greek for Greek speaking members. There is plenty of evidence indicating inconsistency of Greek translation quality of Paul’s original Aramaic letters.

Paul states that he has a poor scribal hand/training in Galatians 6:11. He also admits in a variety of places that he has both co-writers and co-translators into Greek, as well as those who help him speak wherever he goes. We read in 2 Peter 3:15 and 16 where Peter states that Paul’s letters are “difficult to understand” and those who are “ignorant and unstable pervert” what he writes as well as the “other scripture”. Paul’s letters were not considered as “Scripture.” The Scripture was and is the Torah, Prophets, and Writings (Tanakh) and evidently the “theologians” that Peter talks about did not have a foundation in Tanakh; plus, they most likely bungled Paul’s writings because of it. However, we also see that both letters to the Thessalonians are from “Paul, Silas and Timothy.” That is also why the scribe Tertius writes his own name at the end of Romans (16:22) and why John Mark’s absence at Pamphylia results in Paul needing to travel with Luke and others instead. Put simply, Paul goes nowhere outside of Israel without a Greek translator like Barnabbas, John-Mark, Luke, etc.

 

[oldhermit]

From what I understand, neither original Hebrew or Greek was used in the original writings of Paul. They were probably written in Aramaic, and sent by courier to the synagogues throughout Greece and what is now Turkey, and translated into divers languages for understanding as soon as they arrived in the church, and then read to the congregation at a later time then when they arrived.

All of Paul's epistles (with the possible exception of Philemon since it was sent through a Roman contact, then to the assembly) were sent to synagogues that contained Jewish and Gentile believers whose legal faith practices were governed by James the Just head of the Jerusalem assembly. This is why in Acts 9 and 15 James writes letters in Aramaic (about circumcision and other matters) for individuals like Paul to deliver. Once delivered, targumist would translate the letters into Greek for Greek speaking members. There is plenty of evidence indicating inconsistency of Greek translation quality of Paul’s original Aramaic letters.

Paul states that he has a poor scribal hand/training in Galatians 6:11. He also admits in a variety of places that he has both co-writers and co-translators into Greek, as well as those who help him speak wherever he goes. We read in 2 Peter 3:15 and 16 where Peter states that Paul’s letters are “difficult to understand” and those who are “ignorant and unstable pervert” what he writes as well as the “other scripture”. Paul’s letters were not considered as “Scripture.” The Scripture was and is the Torah, Prophets, and Writings (Tanakh) and evidently the “theologians” that Peter talks about did not have a foundation in Tanakh; plus, they most likely bungled Paul’s writings because of it. However, we also see that both letters to the Thessalonians are from “Paul, Silas and Timothy.” That is also why the scribe Tertius writes his own name at the end of Romans (16:22) and why John Mark’s absence at Pamphylia results in Paul needing to travel with Luke and others instead. Put simply, Paul goes nowhere outside of Israel without a Greek translator like Barnabbas, John-Mark, Luke, etc.

Then you understand incorrectly. None of this is true. What does any of this have to do with our Hebrews study?

 

[MarcR]

From what I understand, neither original Hebrew or Greek was used in the original writings of Paul. They were probably written in Aramaic, and sent by courier to the synagogues throughout Greece and what is now Turkey, and translated into divers languages for understanding as soon as they arrived in the church, and then read to the congregation at a later time then when they arrived.

All of Paul's epistles (with the possible exception of Philemon since it was sent through a Roman contact, then to the assembly) were sent to synagogues that contained Jewish and Gentile believers whose legal faith practices were governed by James the Just head of the Jerusalem assembly. This is why in Acts 9 and 15 James writes letters in Aramaic (about circumcision and other matters) for individuals like Paul to deliver. Once delivered, targumist would translate the letters into Greek for Greek speaking members. There is plenty of evidence indicating inconsistency of Greek translation quality of Paul’s original Aramaic letters.

Paul states that he has a poor scribal hand/training in Galatians 6:11. He also admits in a variety of places that he has both co-writers and co-translators into Greek, as well as those who help him speak wherever he goes. We read in 2 Peter 3:15 and 16 where Peter states that Paul’s letters are “difficult to understand” and those who are “ignorant and unstable pervert” what he writes as well as the “other scripture”. Paul’s letters were not considered as “Scripture.” The Scripture was and is the Torah, Prophets, and Writings (Tanakh) and evidently the “theologians” that Peter talks about did not have a foundation in Tanakh; plus, they most likely bungled Paul’s writings because of it. However, we also see that both letters to the Thessalonians are from “Paul, Silas and Timothy.” That is also why the scribe Tertius writes his own name at the end of Romans (16:22) and why John Mark’s absence at Pamphylia results in Paul needing to travel with Luke and others instead. Put simply, Paul goes nowhere outside of Israel without a Greek translator like Barnabbas, John-Mark, Luke, etc.

Paul Described himself as Acts 21:39
39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
KJV


As a citizin of Tarsus, Paul would have been fluent in Greek.

The reason Paul used an emmanuensis (scribe) is probably eyesight problems:

Gal 6:11
11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
ESV

 

[oldhermit]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]III. Israel's Example, 7-11. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The contagion of apostasy did not die in the wilderness with that generation. We are all susceptible to falling into this same kind of behavior. This warrants a cautious examination of ourselves. For this caution to carry any weight, one must first recognize the danger. [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]We must first recognize just exactly what Israel's sin was if we wish to avoid falling into the same pattern of unbelief.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

A. It begins with the hardening of the heart. This is a condition of the mind that has closed itself hard against the influences of revelation. How does revelation work?[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
B. The revelation continuum – A continuum is a series of parts that cannot be broken off or separately discerned. It is a continuous whole or series of connected elements. [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

The revelation of God always begins in the mind of God. The revelation is then pushed into the material dimension of man and it must find a connecting point. The intended point of connection is of course the mind of man. The mind of man must then allow the Word of God to influence and entrain the mind. This creates a set of representations about one's material circumstances. Man must then learn to bring the Word of God to bear upon his experiences. Never bring experiences to bear upon the Word of God. This changes one's perception of human experience. This in turn shows up in one's thought, speech, and behavior. These are then connected to the natural world. This is called faith. The will of God then forces the material world to respond to the needs of his People. [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

Israel never seemed to learn this fundamental lesson. God attributes this failure to an impenetrable mind, a hardened heart. This in turn produced a behavior of rebellion. This is the visible manifestation of a hardened mind. This escalates into resistance – “They tested Me.” They were unwilling to properly reify divine involvement in the natural world. Although “They proved Me and saw My works for forty years,” they refused to believe. This frustrated the patience of God – “They ALWAYS go astray.” Because their minds were never changed, their behavior remained unchanged. They refused to hear the words of God. This was a decision of the will. Consequently, judgment was imposed by God upon them. “They shall not enter My rest.”[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
C. What must we learn from their example of failure? We MUST:[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

1. Learn to open our minds to the word of God.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
2. Allow the Word of God its exalted position to influence and entrain our minds.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
3. Learn to restructure the way we think, speak, and behave to conform to the will of God and the word of God..[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
4. Learn to adopt a subordinate position to the Word of God – Cease our resistance against it.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
5. Learn that God's involvement in human circumstances is as real as the circumstance.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
6. Take care not to frustrate the patience of God toward us – “Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart...”[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

IV. Apostasy – There is a legitimate cause for concern. This constitutes a very real danger, 12-19.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

A. The word ἀποστῆναι (apostanai) is derived from two words – ἀπο (apo), meaning away from and στῆσας (stasas), meaning to stand. Thus, it always signifies motion and direction. It is a standing away from or a departure from God. It is a separation of fellowship that is self-determined by the individual. [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
B. Departure is a progressive state of deterioration and the end product of an evil heart, 12.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

1. “Beware” –This is an intellectual exercise that requires:[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

a. An appreciation of our relationship with God. It must be:[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

* Cherished[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
* Guarded[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
* Protected[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
* Honored[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

b. A realization of the benefits of that relationship.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
c. A knowledge of the fact that I am not immune to the possibility of falling. “Let he who stands take heed lest he fall.” 1Corinthians 10:12.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
d. An honest introspection of ourselves. We must never allow ourselves to engage in the practice of rationalizing our behavior that stands contrary to the Word of God.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
e. An analysis of our heart.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
f. A standard by which the contents of the heart can be measured. We must know the Word of God.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

2. Unbelief –This is an epistemological shift. A shifting of the platform or base for knowledge. Our epistemological base is the foundation by which we determine what is true. Apostasy then, is a shifting of our belief structure away from the word of God.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

a. Departure from God is an intellectual shift in what we believe to be true. [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
b. Departure is a challenge to the validity of the words of God. [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
c. Departure is a reassignment of faith. Faith is moved away from revelation to something else.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

C. The remedial action is corporate – “Exhort one another.”[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
D. Hardness of the heart is the result of a sinful lifestyle. This is a process of progressive deterioration. Time is a relative factor, Romans 7:7-14 – Seven causes of sin.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

1. The fact of sin, 7 – God, not man, determines what this is.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
2. The divisiveness of sin, 8[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
3. The power of sin, 9[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
4. The nature of sin, 11[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
5. The effect of sin, 11[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
6. The depravity of sin, 13[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
7. The bondage of sin, 14[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

E. Our relationship with God is conditional – We must “hold fast out confidence...” ὑποστάσεως(hupostaseos) - meaning to stand upon or foundation. Our foundation is the Word of God. This is the linguistic structure upon which our faith stands. Faith comes hearing the Word of God. Therefore, “Today, if you will hear his voice...”[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
F. How does unbelief manifest itself?[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

1. The way we think which is reflected in [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
2. The way we speak and [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
3. The way we behave.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

G. We must not think that God will allow this to go unchallenged, 17.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

1. God was angry.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
2. God responded.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

H. Consequences are catastrophic, 17-18.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

1. He will deny us our relationship with him.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
2. He will deny us any participation in the blessings of God.[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
3. Death[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
4. Disobedience = unbelief, 19 [/FONT]

 

[MarcR]

IV. Apostasy – There is a legitimate cause for concern. This constitutes a very real danger, 12-19.

A large body of text with which I have no disagreement has been cut away in the interest of brevity.


2. Unbelief –This is an epistemological shift. A shifting of the platform or base for knowledge. Our epistemological base is the foundation by which we determine what is true. Apostasy then, is a shifting of our belief structure away from the word of God.


A large body of text with which I have no disagreement has been cut away in the interest of brevity.

E. Our relationship with God is conditional – We must “hold fast out confidence...” ὑποστάσεως(hupostaseos) - meaning to stand upon or foundation. Our foundation is the Word of God. This is the linguistic structure upon which our faith stands. Faith comes hearing the Word of God. Therefore, “Today, if you will hear his voice...”

Our relationship with God is conditional Without any desire to derail this study with OSAS support; I want to say that the effect of Eph 2:8-10; and Rom 8:1-15, IMO suggest that our relationship with God may indeed be unconditional.

 

[oldhermit]

A large body of text with which I have no disagreement has been cut away in the interest of brevity.


2. Unbelief –This is an epistemological shift. A shifting of the platform or base for knowledge. Our epistemological base is the foundation by which we determine what is true. Apostasy then, is a shifting of our belief structure away from the word of God.


A large body of text with which I have no disagreement has been cut away in the interest of brevity.

E. Our relationship with God is conditional – We must “hold fast out confidence...” ὑποστάσεως(hupostaseos) - meaning to stand upon or foundation. Our foundation is the Word of God. This is the linguistic structure upon which our faith stands. Faith comes hearing the Word of God. Therefore, “Today, if you will hear his voice...”

Our relationship with God is conditional Without any desire to derail this study with OSAS support; I want to say that the effect of Eph 2:8-10; and Rom 8:1-15, IMO suggest that our relationship with God may indeed be unconditional.

Eph 2:8-10 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Obedience and works are not the same thing. One can perform all the good works one may wish but to do this and refuse to obey the word of God is meaningless. Obedience to the word of God is and always has been requisite to fellowship with God. This will be emphasized in the following text from Romans.

Rom 8:1-15. "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

This text says precisely what I was explaining in my outline. Paul lays down very clear conditions which I have bolded. The setting of the mind on either the things of the Spirit or of the flesh represent an epistemological shift. A shifting of the platform or base for knowledge and behavior. Apostasy then is walking according to the flesh. It is a shifting of our belief structure away from the word of God. This was always Israel's sin and this is the warning that the Hebrew writer extends to us which is emphasized by Paul in saying, "we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.The Hebrew writer echoes this same sentiment by saying, “Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” And “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart...” And, “Let he who stands take heed lest he fall.” If we do these things we will live. If we do them not we will die. These things were written to Christians, not unbelievers.

 

[MarcR]

Eph 2:8-10 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Obedience and works are not the same thing. One can perform all the good works one may wish but to do this and refuse to obey the word of God is meaningless. Obedience to the word of God is and always has been requisite to fellowship with God. This will be emphasized in the following text from Romans.

Rom 8:1-15. "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

This text says precisely what I was explaining in my outline. Paul lays down very clear conditions which I have bolded. The setting of the mind on either the things of the Spirit or of the flesh represent an epistemological shift. A shifting of the platform or base for knowledge and behavior. Apostasy then is walking according to the flesh. It is a shifting of our belief structure away from the word of God. This was always Israel's sin and this is the warning that the Hebrew writer extends to us which is emphasized by Paul in saying, "we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.The Hebrew writer echoes this same sentiment by saying, “Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” And “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart...” And, “Let he who stands take heed lest he fall.” If we do these things we will live. If we do them not we will die. These things were written to Christians, not unbelievers.

Phil 2:12-13
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
KJV


Titus 3:5-7
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
KJV

Jer 31:31-34
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
KJV

Obedience is indeed both expected and required; but God, in His mercy, has taken upon Himself to give us both desire and ability to obey.

 

[oldhermit]

Phil 2:12-13
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
KJV


Titus 3:5-7
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
KJV

Jer 31:31-34
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
KJV

Obedience is indeed both expected and required; but God, in His mercy, has taken upon Himself to give us both desire and ability to obey.

I quite agree. The critical element in this equation is our willingness to listen to the words of God. “Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” The reality is that we can close our minds to the will of God and refuse to hear. This is exactly the problem the Hebrew will address in chapter six. This admonition is a warning to us lest we “depart from the living God.” This departure is a deliberate choice on our part. We cannot depart from where we have never been.

 

[MarcR]

I quite agree. The critical element in this equation is our willingness to listen to the words of God. “Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” The reality is that we can close our minds to the will of God and refuse to hear. This is exactly the problem the Hebrew will address in chapter six. This admonition is a warning to us lest we “depart from the living God.” This departure is a deliberate choice on our part. We cannot depart from where we have never been.

Whatever reservations I may have I will save for another thread.

 

[slave]

So what I am getting out of Hebrews 3 is we see Jesus is the great High priest. What does that mean exactly? This is an idea to which the writer to the Hebrews returns again and again. Just now we only set down the fundamental basis of what he means. The Latin for a priest is "Pontifex," which means "Bridge-builder." the priest is a person then who builds a bridge between man and God. To do that he must know both man and God. He must be able to speak to God for men and to speak to men for God. Jesus is the perfect High Priest because He is perfectly man and perfectly God; He can represent man to God and God to man.He is the one person thru whom man comes to God and God comes to man.

The writer to the Hebrews has just been striving to prove the unique supremacy of Jesus and now he leaves argument for exhortation. He presses upon his hearers the inevitable consequence of His unique supremacy. If Jesus is so uniquely great, it follows that complete trust and complete obedience must be given to Him. If they harden their hearts and refuse to give Him their obedient trust the consequences are bound to be terrible.

 

[psychomom]

OH, i have another dumb question

was there a specific apostasy these Hebrews were in danger of falling into?
in what we've looked at so far, with the OT references and all the talk of Moses and the children of Isreal
do you think there was a warning to not go back to offer temple sacrifice?

thank you.

 

[oldhermit]

OH, i have another dumb question

was there a specific apostasy these Hebrews were in danger of falling into?
in what we've looked at so far, with the OT references and all the talk of Moses and the children of Isreal
do you think there was a warning to not go back to offer temple sacrifice?

thank you.

Yes, I this that was part of it. This was what had happened to those Christians in Chapter six. They had abandoned their Messiah and returned to the Law largely because of the pressures of persecution. We will spend some time looking at this when we get to chapter six.

 

[slave]

OH, i have another dumb question

was there a specific apostasy these Hebrews were in danger of falling into?
in what we've looked at so far, with the OT references and all the talk of Moses and the children of Isreal
do you think there was a warning to not go back to offer temple sacrifice?

thank you.

Remember: There is no such thing as a dumb question, just dumb answers smile.

 

[slave]

OH, i have another dumb question

was there a specific apostasy these Hebrews were in danger of falling into?
in what we've looked at so far, with the OT references and all the talk of Moses and the children of Isreal
do you think there was a warning to not go back to offer temple sacrifice?

thank you.

Ok, look away those in ch. 3 smile, this is a cheat just for Psychomom: In Heb. 6 there is a porthole into one of the most terrible passages in scripture. It starts out with a kind of privileges of the Christian life list and then at the end of it there comes a sudden knell, a description of those who become apostates. An apostate, by the way is a person who has said no to God and yes to sin. In sin it has a destiny, the end game is death, but at the edge of death is the ultimate place of complete callousness to God's ways. And a delight in sins purposes.

We start in Hebrews with the beauty of a Christian as a sharer in the Holy Spirit. He has in his life a new directive and a new power. He has discovered the presence of a power that can both tell him what to do and enable him to do it.Even in the bowels of time he has a foretaste of eternity.

So from a shining catalogue of Christian blessedness we now look at this deep despair. What does he mean when he says that it is impossible that those who have become apostates can ever be renewed to repentance? Many thinker's have tried to find a way around this word impossible. But when we read this passage we must remember that-- it was written in a day of persecution: and in any such age of persecution a man can save his life by denying Christ; but every person who does so aims a body-blow at the church, for it means that he counted his life and comfort dearer to him than Jesus Christ.

This is the condemnation of the man who loved life more than he loved Christ. It was never meant to be erected into a doctrine, however, that says there is no forgiveness for post-baptismal sin. Who is any man to say that any other man is beyond the forgiveness of God?

What it is meant to show is the terrible seriousness of choosing existence instead of loyalty to Christ, the writer of Hebrews goes on to say a tremendous thing....those who fall away crucify Christ again.

Sin does not only break God's law; it breaks God's heart. Thus, it is true, then, that when we all fall away, we crucify Christ again. I hope this helps, we can archive this until we get there later smile but you had asked. Remember too that ch. 6 goes on to the beauty seen on the brighter side yet to be engulfed in this study.

 

[oldhermit]

Ok, look away those in ch. 3 smile, this is a cheat just for Psychomom: In Heb. 6 there is a porthole into one of the most terrible passages in scripture. It starts out with a kind of privileges of the Christian life list and then at the end of it there comes a sudden knell, a description of those who become apostates. An apostate, by the way is a person who has said no to God and yes to sin. In sin it has a destiny, the end game is death, but at the edge of death is the ultimate place of complete callousness to God's ways. And a delight in sins purposes.

I am curious. In what way do you mean, "In Heb. 6 there is a porthole into one of the most terrible passages in scripture."

 

[Galahad]

I am curious. In what way do you mean, "In Heb. 6 there is a porthole into one of the most terrible passages in scripture."

Yes. I myself don't understand. Hope it gets clarified.