I. Introduction: God’s Final Word to Us in His Son, 1:1-4 and Better than the Prophets

II. Jesus Better than the Angels, and the Ultimate Man, 1:5-2:18
            A. Jesus the Son of God Better than the Angels, 1:5-14
            B. Embedded Warning: Do Not Turn Away from the Word Spoken by God’s Son, 2:1-4
            C. The Son Temporarily Lower than the Angels, 2:5-9
            D. The Son Identifying with and Suffering for the Sons, 2:10-18

III. Jesus Better than Moses, 3:1-6

IV. Jesus and the Sabbath Rest, 3:7-4:13
            A. A Moralizing Reading of Ps 95: Persevere or Perish, 3:7-19
            B. A Typological Reading of Ps 95: Understanding the Ultimate Rest, 4:1-13

(1) The Typological Chain of Events and Their Meaning, 4:1-11
(Jesus Better than Joshua)

(2) The Power of the Word of God, 4:12-13

V. Jesus the Great High Priest, 4:14-7:28

A. Pastoral Implications of Having Such a High Priest, 4:14-16
B. The Son’s Appointment as Unique High Priest, 5:1-7:28

(1) Survey Statement: The Son’s Unique Qualifications, 5:1-10
(2) Embedded Warning: The Danger of Apostasy, 5:11-6:12

(a) Spiritual Immaturity, 5:11-6:3
(b) Stern Warning Regarding Apostasy, 6:4-8
(c) Encouragement to Persevere, 6:9-12

(3) The Stellar Certainty of God’s Promise Our Ground of Hope, 6:13-20
(4) The Place of Melchizedek in Redemptive History, 7:1-10
(5) The Superiority of Jesus as Melchizedekian High Priest, 7:11-28

(Jesus Better than Aaron)

VI. The Superior Ministry of Jesus the Appointed High Priest, 8:1-10:18

A. The Superior Ministry of the Heavenly High Priest, 8:1-6
B. The Superiority of the New Covenant, 8:7-13
C. The Superiority of the New Covenant Offering, 9:1-10:18

(1) A Study in Contrasts, 9:1-14

The Old Covenant Sanctuary, 9:1-5
The Old Covenant Offering, 9:6-7
The Old Covenant Approach, 9:8-10
The New Covenant Place, 9:11
The New Covenant Offering, 9:12
The New Covenant Approach, 9:13-14

(2) Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant, 9:15-22

(3) Christ’s Perfect Sacrifice, 9:23-28
(4) Shadow and Reality, 10:1-4
(5) The Temporary and the Final, 10:5-18

VII. Pastoral Application in the Light of Christ’s Superiority, 10:19-25

A. Let Us Draw Near to God, 10:19-22
B. Let Us Hold Unswervingly to the Hope We Possess, 19:23
C. Let Us Encourage One Another, 19:24-25

Definition of Terms

The book of Hebrews requires knowledge above and beyond the average church member level. It delves deep into the working of the Old Testament in order to understand the working of the New Testament - the two Testaments combine to make the Bible whole. We’ll look at some items briefly now and revisit them, more in-depth, as needed during the study of the book.

The list is in alphabetic order - relationships between these items will fall in place during the study.

ABRAHAM [Abram]

The “Chosen” family line out of Adam, abbreviated, follows: Adam, Seth…, Enoch…, Methuselah…, Noah, Shem…, Terah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah…, David…, [all the Kings of Judah [through Mary] and Israel [through Joseph]..., to Jesus.

Abraham’s father, Terah lived in the Ur of Chaldea - Babylon. When Abraham was the age to get married his father took the family and headed for Canaan, but never got there. It would be my guess that God told Terah to go to Canaan, but Terah was either disobedient or distracted from finishing the journey, but instead settled in Haran, along the headwaters of the Euphrates now near the border of Turkey and Syria.

A True Definition of Faith
At 75 years of age God spoke to Abraham and said, “Go home, pack your stuff, get up early, leave the house on a journey, I’ll tell you where you’re going along the way.” So, Abraham went home, packed his stuff, got up early, left the house on a journey waiting for God to tell him where he was going.”

This characteristic of believing what God said to him would follow him his whole life. When it came time for Abraham to offer his son Isaac upon the altar, he and Isaac got down off their camels [horses, mules, donkeys] he turned to his servants and said, “We will worship and return to you.” Abraham knew his God - He was able, if necessary, to make dead things alive. On the journey up the mountainside to make the altar He said, “God Himself will provide the lamb.”

Genesis 15:6 reports, “Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” [And again Romans 4:3; 4:22; Galatians 3:6-9; James 2:23].

If there’s something you should not miss from this study - it is that FAITH is the product of a believing relationship with God [Father, Son, Holy Spirit] that results in a life of obedience to God’s word. “Abraham, go…” and Abraham went. Believe what God says and follow what He says - and it will be “counted to you as righteousness.”

Because of Abraham’s faith God made promises to him and his son Isaac, and Isaac’s son Jacob. Out of Jacob would come a great nation called the Hebrews. The word Hebrew, in Hebrew, means “ever.” Jewish Rabbinical tradition states that this referred to “ever on the other side.,” where the Hebrews were every other than all the rest of the nation’s peoples. Personally, I see it as a simple statement that the Hebrew people are “ever” His.

Biblical Theology

As we live our lives, we all are called upon to “Draw lines in the sand” over certain issues. Just like our individual stands on politics… religion and the understanding of our theologies call us to “draw lines….”

Understanding the revelation of God can be a difficult adventure. Most of us want some order and discipline in how we see and understand the Bible. If we were to chart where we (those of us in this class) all stand on just where in God’s revelation things are literal or figurative (symbolic) we would find some agreement on some verses, and disagreement on others -- that’s only human nature. These divisions are however important.

There’s a dividing line between to two major interpretations of God’s word that result in two different streams of theological thought. The historical background of these two interpretations goes back to within 200 years of Christ’s life and death. This early division came about because of a great theologian’s understanding of future events. This man was Augustin. In His belief that history would soon come to an end with the return of Christ -- he believed that, for the most part, prophetic elements of the written text of the then received Bible had already taken place. This view was held by many Popes and became the main-line teaching of the Roman Catholic church and a number of the great reformers of the reformation age.

The other point of view, placing their line-in-the-sand to the more literal reading of prophetic scripture believed and understood that the majority of futuristic scripture was intended for future events regardless of how long that future would be.

I will not call either point of view by name -- We’re entering into a largely spiritual discussion and some of us will fall into one or the other viewpoint. I will tell you to which group I belong -- but I won’t be looking for a show of hands concerning which group you may belong.

The group on the LEFT looks at prophetic literature and decides to put their line of discernment concerning literal VS spiritual interpretation more to the LEFT of center. The group on the RIGHT looks at prophetic literature and decides to put their line of discernment concerning literal VS spiritual interpretation more to the RIGHT of center.

On the LEFT - more spiritual/symbolic rendering and understanding. (no Rapture, no Tribulation, no Millennium, etc. - they have already taken place in history; however, they are awaiting the second coming of our Lord). In their vision of the future there is no place for the Nation of Israel in events of the future - itself a form of anti-Semitism. The New Covenant replaces the Old Covenant and the Church replaces Israel.

On the RIGHT - more literal rendering and understanding. (awaiting the Rapture, Tribulation, Millennium, and the return of Jesus Christ). In their vision the future is looking to the Nation of Israel finally, as a believing nation, enter into the blessings of God’s Promises. The New Covenant is written to the believing People and Nation of Israel and believing Peoples of the Gentiles -- both enjoy the benefits and blessings of the New Covenant.

I am part of the group on the RIGHT. I am Bible believing, Fundamental, Evangelical, Pre-millennial, and Pre-Tribulation Bible teacher, and I will be teaching from that point of view.

THE OLD and NEW COVENANT
In the simplest of terms for the two Testaments (covenants) is that the Old Testament details God’s dealings with the nation of Israel, and the New Testament talks about Jesus.

According to the Old Testament the parties of this covenant would be God and the Nation of Israel.

The Promises of the Covenants

God promised many things to the world and specifically the people of Israel under the Old Covenant. The “Old” Covenant is termed “Old” because, as referenced in the New Testament, the establishment of a New Covenant makes the former covenant “old.” While the Word does not express a specific Covenant as the Old Covenant, but it does express God’s terms for being included in it. God’s Word is cumulative as its revelation is progressive. God chose not to reveal His mind or plan all at once, but to reveal them progressively over long periods of time.

The Old Covenant (established at Sinai through Moses and The Law) was a covenant of law, with all its outward institutions and ritualistic services. The outworking of both covenants uncovers two kinds of people. First, are those who truly believe God -- which can be demonstrated through obedience. Second, are those who do not truly believe God -- which can be demonstrated through non-obedience. Back when we studied Abraham, we saw that “being counted as righteous” came through an act of obedience by a person who truly loved God and was obedient to His word. This kind of faith is the basis for salvation regardless of which covenant a person finds themselves in. Ultimately all those whom God deems “righteous in His eyes,” are forgiven on the basis of the life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. He is, after all, God. In the Old Testament, and Old Covenant, (up until Christ’s resurrection), salvation did not include the revelation of Jesus and His work. Simply stated, He had not been born, died, or resurrected yet. They were saved through loving God (Yahweh) and being obedient to His will and word. Members of the New Covenant, post-resurrection of Jesus, are saved through loving God (Yahweh) in Jesus the Christ, through the power of God the Holy Spirit, and being obedient to the call of God in belief.

In germ the New Covenant (or that of grace) existed from the first; with partial exhibitions of it have been given all through the world’s history. It was involved in the promise of recovery at the Fall. The provisions of both the Old and New Covenants were established before time and creation. God’s eternal plan calls for the fulfillment of one covenant and then the other. When studying the story of the Nation of Israel from Abraham to Christ, it would be easy to try to see how the disobedience of Israel as a people, and as a nation, would bring about the end of the first covenant with God. However, God’s word reveals that the New Covenant comes about because of God’s plan to do so, not because of their specific disobedience or the failure of the first covenant.

God’s covenants are contracts. There are two types of covenants, or contracts, whereby God sets down rules, or articles, of the contract. First, there is the unilateral or unconditional contract whereby the agreement is signed and witnessed by a single party. God makes the demands of the contract, signs it, and requires the other parties to abide to it. God says, “I made this contract, I have signed it, it concerns you, but you have no say in its administration, rules of obedience, or judgment for the good or for the bad.

Second, there is the Conditional Covenant. Conditional covenants have requirements that must be met. Sometime they are called the “If - Then” contract. If you will do such-and-such, then I will do such-and-such. If you do not do such-and-such then I will do such-and-such. The conditions of the contract must be met by the second party of the contract or consequences will be required.

It’s important to understand that God’s plan, from the beginning, focuses upon the fulfilment of the New Covenant with the Nation of Israel and the Gentile nations of the world. The New covenant was not developed and put in place upon the failure of the Old covenant - quite the contrary. The salvation of “those who would,” and ushering them into an eternal family relationship with Almighty God, whether Hebrew or Gentile, has been the plan from eternity past.

Here’s a brief summary of the major covenants of the Bible.

1.         The Covenant with Noah - Unconditional

In this covenant God assured Noah that judgment would not again come to men in the form of a flood: and that the recurrence of the seasons and of day and night should not cease (Genesis 9; Jeremiah 33:20)

2.         The Covenant with Abraham - Unconditional

1)   In this covenant God promised three important things.

a)   The Promise of a land (Genesis 12-15; Deuteronomy 30 (includes the Palestinian covenant).

b)   The Promise of Descendants (Genesis 12, 17; 2 Samuel (includes the Davidic covenant)

c)   The Promise of blessing and redemption (Genesis 3, 12, 28; added to in the New Covenant Jeremiah 31; Hebrews 8)

2)   Portions of the Abrahamic covenant were fulfilled in history. Other portions of the covenant remain to be fulfilled in the future.

a)   Israel has yet to possess the totality of Its promised land in the future (Ezekiel 20; 36)

b)   Israel as a nation will be converted to Christ, forgiven, and restored (Romans 11)

c)   Israel will repent and receive the full forgiveness of God, its ultimate fulfillment is with the connection with the return of Messiah (Jesus) to rescue and bless His people Israel. It is through the nation Israel that God promised in Genesis 12:1-3 to bless the nations of the world. That ultimate blessing will issue in the forgiveness of sins and Messiah’s glorious kingdom reign on earth.

3.         The Covenant with Israel at Sinai (Mosaic - The Law) - Conditional and the Establishment of the “Old Covenant.”

At Mt. Sinai the people had intimated their acceptance of the words of the covenant as found in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34 & 24), and promised to keep the same. IF they did, then God promised His constant care, temporal prosperity, victory over enemies, and the pouring out of His Spirit (Exodus 23). It was renewed at different periods of Jewish history (Joshua 24; 2 Chronicles 15, 23, 29, 34; Ezra 10; Nehemiah 9-12). The first purpose of the Law was to reveal to Israel God’s holiness as being the only true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 19:7-11). Second, after God redeemed His people from Egypt. He owned them, and they as His people were to reflect in their lives the character of the God who was their King. Israel was to be holy as God was holy (Leviticus 11:45). The Mosaic Covenant was The King’s Covenant, between Himself and His people. It is significant to note that the Mosaic Covenant was made with a people who were already redeemed, at least physically, and who were already God’s people and possession. In other words, the Law was not given to Israel so they might, by keeping it, become righteous and have fellowship with God -- but the they were God’s people and the Law was given to instruct the people how to maintain fellowship with their holy God. Through the Law they could maintain that fellowship through substitutionary blood sacrifices which covered their sin (atonement) (Leviticus 16). As in all ages, God declares men righteous only on the basis of their faith in His Word as progressively revealed from age to age. Abram believed God’s Word concerning His descendants. In Moses’ day, the person of faith was the one who believed that blessing came from a heart that loved God.

4.     The Palestinian or Deuteronomic Covenant

The Palestinian Covenant was established by God with Israel after the establishment of the Mosaic Covenant, and it was separate from the Mosaic, but as an extension of it.

These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he had made with them at Horeb [Deuteronomy 29:1].

God established the Palestinian Covenant at the end of Israel’s forty years of wilderness wandering, just a short time before the nation was to invade Canaan. The parties of the covenant were God, the new generation of Israelites which was to invade Canaan and succeeding generations of the nation. God made very significant promises to Israel. Moses indicated that these promises will be fulfilled when all the blessings and curses promised in Deuteronomy 28 have been fulfilled and when Israel will genuinely return to God and obey Him.

So it shall become when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the Lord your god has banished you, and you return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I commanded you today, you and your sons [Deuteronomy 30:1-2].

The promises of the Palestinian Covenant will be fulfilled in conjunction with Messiah’s glorious second coming to earth at the end of a yet future final time of great wrath toward the Nation of Israel and the whole unbelieving world. It will be God’s instrument to break Israel’s rebellion and to bring that nation back to Him.

The Covenant with David - Unconditional, an extension of both the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants.

This covenant was largely a clarification of terms of the Abrahamic Covenant. The genealogical line to the Messiah was key to this covenant. The Royal seed was from then on to be in the House of David (2 Samuel 7 & 22). All the promised “good,” first to Israel as a nation, and then to all nations, should be realized through the person of the Messiah Christ - Jesus.

SPECIFIC TO THE NEW COVENANT

The New Covenant is not simply the New Testament. The New Covenant was prophesied in the Old Testament as part of God’s plan for the Nation of Israel (Jeremiah 31:31). The New Testament shows the outworking of the New Covenant inaugurated by Jesus as the Messiah both presently for the Church and also in the future for the Nation of Israel.

The prophets saw that in order for Israel to experience the blessing of God as promise, they needed new hearts. It is only through the work of the Spirit of God that a person can recognize his own need. God has promised that one day He will change Israel’s hearts of stone to hearts that love Him.

Three major writing prophets in Israel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, were intimately concerned with the sin, judgment, and future redemption of Israel. In Hebrews 8:8-12 the author quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34 and explains to his readers that the once-for-all death of Christ is the basis for forgiveness of sins under the New Covenant. In Hebrews 9:15 he writes:

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament (covenant), that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

The Author of the Book of Hebrews, as well as the rest of the New Testament writers, understood that those who look by faith to the substitutionary death of Christ for the forgiveness of sins do so under the provisions of the New Covenant.

How then, is it possible that Gentiles can experience God’s salvation, as promised in the New Covenant through Jesus the Messiah, while Israel repudiates Him? Jesus disciples did not understand what His mission was. When He told them that He was going to be betrayed and killed, they did not understand. They expected Him to redeem Israel at that time. They did not comprehend that Jesus’ death would be the basis of the forgiveness of sins under the New Covenant. Following the Day of Pentecost, the rulers in Jerusalem rejected the message of the apostles, and so the gospel began to spread to Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth -- to Jews and Gentiles alike. The early church recognized the inclusion of the Gentiles into the Gospel and into the New Covenant. Gentiles were welcomed as equal members under the New Covenant without having to be physically circumcised or to obey the external commands of the Mosaic Law. Thus, recognizing that, based on the death of Christ, anyone, Jew or Gentile, could come under the provisions of the New Covenant and receive forgiveness of sins and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.