Bible Study HF196 - Hebrews 13 (#20 - The Eternal Covenant)
To: Hebraic-Foundations@YahooGroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date: Saturday, June 28, 2008
Subject: Bible Study HF196 - Hebrews 13 (#20 - The Eternal Covenant)
Hebraics,
This is our final study on the book of Hebrews. And while the apostolic
writer does not sign his name, we know that he is associated with Timothy.
Some believe the author was Paul. This may be the case but that has never
been fully determined. There are pluses and negatives that have to be dealt
with. But the key isn't who wrote Hebrews. The key is in understanding its
divine origin. Let's continue on.
This is Bible Study HF196 - Hebrews 13 (#20 - The Eternal Covenant)
Heb 13:1-3 - "Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show
hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without
knowing it. Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those
who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body."
It should go without saying that 'love of the brethren' is a hallmark of
Biblical Christianity. Jesus said this particular love sing would be the
unique sign of the new people of God. He said, "By this all men will know
that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (Jn13:35)
It is important to distinguish what kind of love Jesus is speaking of. The
Greek agape' originally spoke of a love that was nonhuman. It was only found
in divinity. That thought is carried over into the new covenant. Paul speaks
of this; "Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to
write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love [agapao] one
another." (1Th4:9)
At the very beginning of Hebrews we are told of angels who are sent forth to
minister to the heirs of salvation. That refrain is picked up at the closing
of the book. Of course this isn't a carte blanche call to take in just
anyone. Discernment must be in place. There are also evil emissaries who
would portray themselves as servants of Christ. (Cf. 2Co12:12-15)
As for the prisoners, this reflects on the persecutions that the early
Christians suffered, and not always at the hands of unbelieving Jews.
Christians were being thrown to the lions in Rome. (Which is where the
letter is coming from.)
-- Even today we must never forget that we have brothers and sisters who are
suffering in the world for the cause of Christ. May the Lord help us in
knowing how to pray and in knowing what else we can do in helping those who
are in sufferings --
Heb 13:4 - "Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed
is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge."
The literal can read, "Let marriage be treated as honorable." What adds
interest to this is that the Greek word for marriage here speaks of
a wedding feast. This is how it is normally used in the New Testament. The
issue is that weddings and marriages are always to be held in the highest
honor.
It was a prevailing attitude among the Jews of that time, which was already
in full bloom among pagans, to treat marriage in disrespect. What is being
said is not about God's forgiveness for adultery or fornication. He forgives
all our sins. What was at stake was a sinful attitude that the Jewish
believers were not to take up. God considers the marriage to be an act of
holiness. The Hebrew word for marriage and for holiness is one and the same.
(kiddushin.)
Heb 13:5-6 - "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money,
being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never
desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,' so that we confidently say, 'The
Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?'"
Isn't it amazing at what can be heard from certain puppeteers today, and
especially from some television preachers. We are told not to set our
affections on the things of the world or on the uncertainty of riches. (Cf.
Col3:1; 1Tm6:17.) These puppeteers are teaching just the opposite. God's
people need to recognize the grave danger of being led astray by reaching
out for the gold dust of this world. Our faith must rest entirely in the
Lord Jesus, and in His watchful care for our lives.
Heb 13:7 - "Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you;
and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith."
This injunction here is towards their former leaders. The Amplified Bible
speaks clearly to this:
*"Remember your leaders and superiors in authority [for it was they] who
brought to you the Word of God. Observe attentively and consider their
manner of living (the outcome of their well-spent lives) and imitate their
faith (their conviction that God exists as is the Creator and Ruler of all
things, the Provider and Bestower of eternal salvation through Christ, and
their leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and
confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness).*
Heb 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
It is easy to miss what is being stated here. This comes out of the Yahweh
or the 'I Am' background for God in the former testament. The term 'the
same' was a form of Jewish writing that spoke of the eternal God. The
Psalmist wrote, "But You are* the same*, and Your years will not come to and
end." (Ps102:27) Jesus is being accounted as the eternal God, that was He
was in all eternity, He will always be.
Heb 13:9-13 - "Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for
it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through
which those who were so occupied were not benefited. We have an altar from
which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of
those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest
as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also,
that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside
the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach."
Something that needs to be seen here is this idea of being 'outside the
camp.' Most likely this is a subtle warning to Jewish believers in Jerusalem
to be prepared to leave the city. Their altar was a heavenly altar and not
the sacrificial altar in the temple complex. That altar of the earth was
soon to disappear with all that related to it, and all the strange teachings
that were made a part of it. Our altar is eternal in the heavens.
Heb 13:14-16 - "For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking
the city which is to come. Through Him then, let us continually offer up a
sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to
His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such
sacrifices God is pleased."
The earthly city of Jerusalem is soon to become a burning furnace.
Everything will be destroyed except for one retaining wall of the temple
area. That wall can be seen to this day and is considered to be the holiest
'synagogue' in all Judaism. Orthodox Jews teach that the Shekinah is in that
wall. But how misled can a person be. That wall speaks of deadness and of
judgment. (I've been there and laid my hand on the wall. It is no more than
a testimony to the rejection of Jesus Christ. It has no life to offer.)
Heb 13:17-19 - "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch
over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy
and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Pray for us, for
we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves
honorably in all things. And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I
may be restored to you the sooner."
It is an awesome thing to have accountability for those placed in your care.
This admonition can be carried to an extreme today, but at that time is was
crucial for the safe keeping of the early believers. Times were perilous.
The early Christians were facing persecutions that we know little to nothing
about. The safety of the flock depended largely on their closing in together
in spiritual unity. Paying attention to those in leadership had to do with
listening to those who were mature in the faith and had been placed in the
flock as overseers.
Peter also speaks to this in telling the elders what kind of leaders they
were to be. So this is not one sided. Leaders do not have the right to
demand loyalty to them regardless. Listen:
*"Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as our fellow elder and witness
of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be
revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not
under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for
sordid gain, but with eagerness; not yet as lording it over those allotted
to our charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief
Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger
men, likewise be subject to your elders; and all of you clothe yourselves
with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives
grace to the humble."* (1 Peter 5:1-5)
Heb 13:20,21 - "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great
Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus
our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that
which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory
forever and ever. Amen."
These two verses carry the very essence of the new covenant. Not only is the
new covenant an eternal covenant that gives us eternal life, but Jesus is
the heart and soul of the covenant. It is His life that we live. This means
that the life that we live is under tutorship of the Spirit of Christ. Paul
explains this very well when he says, *"I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is not longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which
I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave Himself up for me.*" (Gal2:20)
Heb 13:22-25 - "But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of
exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. Take notice that our brother
Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you.
Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.
Grace be with you all."
As we finish this book we come back to the question of who actually wrote
it. No one knows for certain. What seems obvious, however, is that the
writer was very well acquainted with the apostolic times. The writer was
likely a companion of the apostles and very like a companion of the apostle
Paul.
If the letter was written just prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, then
both Paul and Peter had not long before been martyred. Note that the letter
calls attention to Timothy having just been released from prison. In any
event whoever wrote the letter was well-known to the recipients.
Perhaps certain suppositions could be made as to the author. There was a
companion to Paul that would likely write in a similar manner as did Paul,
and that would be Barnabas. Barnabas was well educated, well known, and well
beloved by the Jewish believers.
Then you have another companion of Paul who did write an early letter to the
Corinthians not so long after the death of Paul and Peter. His name was
Clement. (Php 4:3)
Well, perhaps we shouldn't be concerned with the earthly author and leave
things as they should be. Thank God for the letter of Hebrews. God has to be
its author.
The study is open.
Buddy
--
Lawrence "Buddy" Martin
"How beautiful upon the mountains..." Isa 52:7
Web: http://ChristianChallenge.Org <http://christianchallenge.org/>
blog: http://www.buddymartin.net/blog/
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)