Transcript The Letter to the Hebrews - Fairfax Church of Christ

The Letter to the
Hebrews
Chapter 10
Jan-Apr 2014 FXCC
Hebrews 9 and before
• Jesus is greater than
– Angels
– Moses
– Prophets
– Levitical Priesthood
– Jewish High Priest
• Jesus is the perfect sacrifice
Hebrews 10
• Warnings and reasons to rejoice
• Jesus is greater than any other sacrifice
• Jesus is the Perfect sacrifice
Hebrews 10
• Quotes from
– Psalm 40:6-8 (vss 5-7)
– Jer 31:33 & 34 (vss 16, 17)
– Deut 32:35-36 (vs 30)
– Isa 26:20 (vs 37)
– Hab 2:3-4 (vss 37-38)
• Alludes to
– Psalm 110:1 (vs 12, 13), Zeph 1:18 (vs 27), Isa
26:11 (vs 27), Deut 17:6 (vs 28)
Hebrews 10:1-4
•
1
For the law possesses a shadow of the good things
to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore
completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered
continually, year after year, to perfect those who
come to worship. 2 For otherwise would they not
have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers
would have been purified once for all and so have no
further consciousness of sin? 3 But in those sacrifices
there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4 For the
blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.
Hebrews 10:1-4
• The Law of Moses was never intended to save
people!
• The proof?
• The sacrifices required by the Law HAD to be
offered again and again and …
• The author’s summary – the blood of bulls
and goats cannot take away sin
Hebrews 10:1-4
• The priests and sacrifices of the Mosaic Law
were inadequate
• Inadequate when compared to Jesus and His
sacrifice
Hebrews 10:1-4
• In vs 1 “continually”, is the same word used in
vss 12 and 14, but translated/meaning “for all
time”
– Greek διηνεκὲ
– “…the same sacrifices offered continually, year
after year,…”
– “…offered one sacrifice for sins for all time,…”
– “…has perfected for all time those who are made
holy…”
Hebrews 10:1-4
• The continual sacrifices reminded us of our
sins (vs 2, consciousness of sin)
– This is not saying those sins weren’t forgiven
• The one time sacrifice of Jesus has perfected
us forever
Hebrews 10:1-4
• Are we ever tempted to think that some good
work on our part will cancel out some bad
thing we’ve done?
Hebrews 10:5-10
•
5
So when he came into the world, he said, “Sacrifice
and offering you did not desire, but a body you
prepared for me. 6 “Whole burnt offerings and sinofferings you took no delight in. 7 “Then I said, ‘Here
I am: I have come – it is written of me in the scroll of
the book – to do your will, O God.’” 8 When he says
above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt
offerings and sin-offerings you did not desire nor
did you take delight in them” (which are offered
according to the law),
Hebrews 10:5-10
•
9 then
he says, “Here I am: I have come to do your
will.” He does away with the first to establish the
second. 10 By his will we have been made holy
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all.
Hebrews 10:5-10
• Jesus became the perfect sacrifice
– The quote from Psalm 40 is applied to Jesus and
our situation
– Burnt offerings of animals, in the end, did not cut
it (were not adequate to accomplish the necessary
goal)
– Thus a “body/person” was needed
• Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, because He
and only He did the Father’s will (vs 7)
Hebrews 10:5-10
• Psalm 40 is a prayer for deliverance (40:11 and
40:14)
– The Psalm notes that God is most interested in
transformed lives (hearts of obedience)
– See also I Sam 15:22 “…obedience is better than
sacrifice, and paying attention (to harken) is better
than the fat of rams.”
• Is God truly not interested in sacrifices?
Hebrews 10:11-14
•
11
And every priest stands day after day serving and
offering the same sacrifices again and again –
sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when
this priest had offered one sacrifice for sins for all
time, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 where
he is now waiting until his enemies are made a
footstool for his feet. 14 For by one offering he has
perfected for all time those who are made holy.
Hebrews 10:11-14
• The Levitical priests stood to do their religious
work
• Their work was NEVER done
• Thus they NEVER got to sit down
• Jesus offered His ONE sacrifice
• And now Jesus is SITTING at God’s right hand
Hebrews 10:11-14
• In these verses the concept of “holy” is
grammatically a present passive
– Indicating a process of transformation
• Have been made holy (vs 10), but are also in
the process of being made holy (vs 14)
– Both/and not either/or
Hebrews 10:11-14
• We are saints, but yet in the process of being
sanctified
• We are cleansed, but in the process of
transformation
• We are forgiven, but yet in the process of
learning obedience
Hebrews 10:15-18
•
15
And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after
saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will establish
with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put
my laws on their hearts and I will inscribe them on
their minds,” 17 then he says, “Their sins and their
lawless deeds I will remember no longer.” 18 Now
where there is forgiveness of these, there is no
longer any offering for sin.
Hebrews 10:15-18
• We have already looked at Jeremiah 31 (back
in Heb 8)
• Another perspective, way to understand it
– The new covenant is internalized
– It is not what we do, but who we are (new
creations in Christ)
– No more a king and his subjects, but a father and
his children
Hebrews 10:15-18
• Here the author emphasizes 2 parts of Jer 31
– Under the new covenant our new life is
transformed by the presence of God’s Spirit in us
– Our cleansing is decisive, i.e. God no longer
remembers our sins!
• Since God no longer remembers them, we need not
remember them
• Sin is gone, we are transformed
Hebrews 10:19-25
•
19
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have
confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of
Jesus, 20 by the fresh and living way that he
inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is,
through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest
over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a
sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings,
because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from
an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure
water.
Hebrews 10:19-25
•
23 And
let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we
confess, for the one who made the promise is
trustworthy. 24 And let us take thought of how to
spur one another on to love and good works, 25 not
abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the
habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even
more so because you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:19-25
• Because Jesus (the creator of the universe)
died for them/us and in our place
– We/they can confidently draw near to God (enter
the sanctuary)
– “Draw near” a term meaning come into the
presence of God
– Before only the High Priest could do this (enter
the Most Holy Place, the Holy of Holies)
Hebrews 10:19-25
• Because Jesus (the creator of the universe)
died for them/us and in our place
– We/they should hold unswervingly to our hope
– Depend on Jesus’ promise
– Don’t give up
Hebrews 10:19-25
• Because Jesus (the creator of the universe)
died for them/us and in our place
– We/they must consider how to spur/urge each
other on to love and good works
– Remain a community
– Hold together
– Remember they were apathetic, feeling neglected,
discouraged
Hebrews 10:19-25
• Because Jesus (the creator of the universe)
died for them/us and in our place
– We/they should continue to meet together
– This is more concerned with continual failure to
assemble, than being used as a “hammer” when
someone misses one worship service
– Forsake is the idea of not coming at all
• In II Chron “forsake” is used for apostasy 15 times
• In Heb 13:5 we read God will not forsake (abandon) His
people
Hebrews 10:19-25
• Why meet together?
– Failing to assemble is shown here as a “bad habit”
• What is the assembly supposed to accomplish
per these verses?
– Encourage each other (vs 25)
– Encourage to what? (vs 24)
• Love
• Good works
Hebrews 10:19-25
• Vss 22-24
– Vs 22, “…in the assurance that faith brings…”
– Vs 23, “…hold unwaveringly to the hope…”
– Vs 24, “…spur one another on to love…”
• We draw near with faith
• Persevere with hope
• Encourage with love
Hebrews 10:26-31
•
26
For if we deliberately keep on sinning after
receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further
sacrifice for sins is left for us, 27 but only a certain
fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire
that will consume God’s enemies. 28 Someone who
rejected the law of Moses was put to death without
mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29
How much greater punishment do you think that
person deserves who has contempt for the Son of
God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that
made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace?
Hebrews 10:26-31
•
30 For
we know the one who said, “Vengeance is
mine, I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his
people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands
of the living God.
Hebrews 10:26-31
• This warning is
– STRONG
– SEVERE
– SCARY
• Deliberate sin
– Telling God, “I don’t care what You
say/want/command”
– This is not a ONE time rebellion, but a way of life
Numbers 15:22-31
•
22
“‘If you sin unintentionally and do not observe all
these commandments that the Lord has spoken to
Moses – 23 all that the Lord has commanded you … –
24 then if anything is done unintentionally without
the knowledge of the community… 25 And the priest
is to make atonement for the whole community of
the Israelites, and they will be forgiven, because it
was unintentional and they have brought their
offering, … , for their unintentional offense. …
Numbers 15:22-31
•
30 “‘But
the person who acts defiantly, …, insults the
Lord. That person must be cut off from among his
people. 31 Because he has despised the word of the
Lord and has broken his commandment, that person
must be completely cut off. His iniquity will be on
him.’”
Hebrews 10:26-31
• God does see a difference in sins
– Unintentional
– Deliberate
• When Israel turned from God to idols and
refused to come back, that was DELIBERATE
• When a Christian renounces Christ and
doesn’t come back, that is DELIBERATE
Hebrews 10:26-31
• Deliberate sin
– Shows contempt for the Son of God (KJV –
trampled the Son of God underfoot)
– Profanes the blood of the covenant (KJV –
considers the blood to be unholy, trivial)
– Insults the Spirit of grace
• This warning appears right after the verse on
assembly
Hebrews 10:26-31
• This warning appears right after the verse on
assembly
– Again not one sinful act
– Persistent habit of sin
– Due to rejecting Jesus as God’s Son, our Savior
• If you reject Jesus, THEN there is NO OTHER
sacrifice, there is NO HOPE
Hebrews 10:26-31
• Heb 13:5 is from Deut 31:6
• Deut 31:6 promises God will not
abandon/forsake His people
• BUT Deut 32:35-36 also clearly declares that
God will judge and punish His people
• Those who forsake God will be forsaken by
God
Hebrews 10:32-39
•
32
But remember the former days when you endured
a harsh conflict of suffering after you were
enlightened. 33 At times you were publicly exposed to
abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to
share with others who were treated in that way. 34
For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in
prison, and you accepted the confiscation of your
belongings with joy, because you knew that you
certainly had a better and lasting possession.
Hebrews 10:32-39
•
35 So
do not throw away your confidence, because it
has great reward. 36 For you need endurance in order
to do God’s will and so receive what is promised. 37
For just a little longer and he who is coming will
arrive and not delay. 38 But my righteous one will
live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I take no
pleasure in him. 39 But we are not among those who
shrink back and thus perish, but are among those
who have faith and preserve their souls.
Hebrews 10:32-39
• The readers had experienced persecution
– Publicly exposed to abuse and affliction (insult
and persecution)
– Stood side-by-side with (supported/shared) the ill
treatment others had endured
• Compassion (com=with, passion=suffer, i.e. suffer with)
– Suffered with those in prison
– Had their possessions confiscated (notice
accepted this with joy!)
Hebrews 10:32-39
• The readers had experienced persecution and
had already persevered
• Back at that time they endured joyfully
• Their were secure in their faith and hope
• Don’t forget your past experience with God
• Don’t forget how God has worked in the past
Hebrews 10:32-39
• The quote from Habakkuk admonishes and
warns
– Hang in there “…he who is coming will arrive…”
– Suffering for God’s people is not a new thing
– “Live by faith…”
– But if you “shrink back”
• “I will take no pleasure…”
Hebrews 10:32-39
• Habakkuk and his readers/hearers were told,
by God, to wait
• The time is coming when God will step in
again
• So when you are feeling down, ready to give
up…
• LOOK BACK to see what God has done (His
faithfulness)
Hebrews 10:32-39
• The chapter ends on a positive/encouraging
note
– “We are not among those who shrink back…”
– “…but are among those who have faith”
– “and preserve their souls”
• LOOK FORWARD to the 2nd coming and God’s
future work
References
• F.F. Bruce, “The Epistle to the Hebrews”, The
New International Commentary on the New
Testament, Eerdmans, 1967
• Edward Fudge, “Our Man in Heaven: An
Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews”,,
Baker, 1974
– Available on-line for free
– http://www.edwardfudge.com/written/omihtext.
html
References
• Edward Fudge, “Hebrews: Ancient
Encouragement for Believers Today”,
Leafwood Publishers, 2009
• John Mark Hicks, Hebrews, Word Doc
– http://johnmarkhicks.com/wpcontent/uploads/sites/10/2009/03/hebrewsedited.doc
References
• Referenced in John Mark Hicks, Hebrews, Word Doc
are the sites for a sermon series (Strength for the
Journey) by Rubel Shelly and John York on Hebrews
– http://www.rubelshelly.com/content.asp?lShow=20&ListS
G=316&Start=121&SortAlpha=
– http://www.rubelshelly.com/content.asp?lShow=20&ListS
G=316&Start=101&SortAlpha=
– http://www.johnyork.org/content.asp?lShow=20&ListSG=2
60&Start=161
– http://www.johnyork.org/content.asp?lShow=20&ListSG=2
60&Start=141
References
• Bobby Valentine’s “Stoned-Campbell Disciple”
blog
– http://stonedcampbelldisciple.com/2013/08/20/p
aul-and-the-unquestioned-authority-of-the-oldtestament/