Category: Hebrews

Hebrews 4:1-16 - Lectionary for Pentecost 22B

10/17/2018

10/17/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our Epistle this week, Hebrews 4:1-16, continues in the theme of warnings. What of those people who have heard the Gospel and have not believed?

God’s Word is powerful. Verses 12-13 proclaim the power of God working through the Word. So why does it not save all who hear? Those who harden their hearts (v. 7) rather than believing (v. 3) will not enter the rest of God. Those who treat God’s words of grace and salvation as if they are cursing and condemnation do not receive grace. God’s Word, which can penetrate our hearts and minds, delivers judgment against those who have rejected the Gospel.

The conclusion of our passage? We find it in verses 14-16. Since Jesus understands our weakness and gives us powerful words of life, we should hold fast to those words, finding God’s grace. It is exactly what we need.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Hebrews 3:12-19 - Lectionary for Pentecost 21B

10/10/2018

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10/10/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our reading in Hebrews 3 this week warns us against having an unbelieving heart. Most Christians would like to agree wholeheartedly, then to add that they are glad they don’t have that fight. After all, they are Christians.

There’s a reason that God warns against unbelief. There’s a reason that we find this particular warning in a text written to people who are identified as Christians who have all the benefits of a Hebrew background. They have known all their lives that God calls them heirs of His promise. So why the warning against unbelief? These people should have confidence.

What do we see in the real world? The people with reason for confidence are exactly those whose faith can be shaken. They know their identity. They know the history. They know God doesn’t change. And they find within themselves a hard heart, like those who rebelled against God in the Exodus. When we start deciding we know best and God’s Word doesn’t matter so much, we are doomed to failure. Like the Israelites, we cannot expect to enter into rest.

Despite these strict words, I’d like to show how this passage brings hope. God would not warn his people against unbelief if He hadn’t made his gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation available in Word and Sacrament. Are you afraid you will have an unbelieving heart? It is a valid fear. So turn to God’s Word. Surround yourself with believers who will encourage you. Believe and live.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Hebrews 2:1-13 - Lectionary for Pentecost 20B

10/3/2018

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10/3/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Hebrews chapter two reminds us that the greatness of our salvation is the motivation to give our attention to the teaching of Scripture. In some ways the passage may seem threatening. The message is binding and there are penalties for those who disobey. It would be easy to get the message that we’d better get with the program or God will come down and smite us.

We are all tuned in to the idea that our obedience to God’s Law will rescue us. And there is a sense in which we really do need to work, and work hard, at faithfulness to God. But our motiviation is quite different from the motivation our Lord gives. The author of Hebrews turns our attention to Psalm 8, where we see that God has visited humanity out of His loving care. He has worked salvation for humanity through a man, Jesus, to whom all is subject. It is Jesus’ perfect obedience to God’s Law which has been applied to all who trust him as the savior.

Does this mean that our obedience doesn’t matter? That isn’t quite the best way to discuss it. Our obedience matters, but simply because it reflects God’s goodness and the positive ways He has made the world to work. Our obedience is good for us and our neighbor. But it is Christ’s obedience which saves us. This is how he presents himself wih all the people God gave him.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Hebrews

7/26/2018

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Thursdays are for the New Testament
7/26/18
Carson, D.A., and Douglas Moo An Introduction to the New Testament - Second Edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. "New Testament Letters" Carson & Moo pp. 331-353
“Hebrews” Carson & Moo pp. 596-618

Hebrews, though on the surface it might appear to be a rather general epistle, seems directed to specific readers dealing with specific problems. The absence of a typical salutation and writer’s name draws attention to the anonymity, yet the familiarity of address suggests that the specific audience who received the letter knew the author. The richness of rhetorical devices has led many to believe the letter is a homily which was adapted into a letter. The theme? Jesus, God’s Son, the supreme master of all. The earliest Christian tradition, particularly in the East, held to Pauline authorship, and the West generally embraced that tradition in the fourth century. However, Hebrews has many features which suggest an author other than Paul. In the time of the Reformation scholars started focusing on those factors and suggesting other authors. Carson and Moo weigh some of the suggestions and finally assert that we do not know who wrote the book.

In the absence of an author, the date, provenance, and destination are difficult to assess. The author does confirm not being an eyewitness of Jesus, which suggests a second generation. The author also writes as if the ceremonies around the temple in Jerusalem are perfectly operational, which suggests a date before about 66. We have no significant information about where the letter was written. While people have suggested numerous destinations, all we really know is that it was addressed to a place where there were many Jewish converts to Christ. Carson and Moo suggest Rome as a likely destination. Yet there are many unknowns.

The text of Hebrews is well established. It seems to be accepted as canonical earlier in the East than in the West, where it was not recognized as part of the canon until at least near the end of the second century.

Major topics of study in Hebrews recently have been the high Christology, the way the author uses the Old Testament, the treatment of the sabbath, and the nature of a covenant. Hebrews also sheds light on the way first century Christians interpreted Scripture. This all combines to make the letter a very fruitful ground for study.

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Hebrews 5:1-10 - Lectionary for Lent 5B

3/14/2018

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3/14/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our passage this week from Hebrews 5:1-10 is a very full reading. It talks about many different concepts. At the center of the passage we find that Jesus is the high priest appointed by God for us.

I’d like to make a few observations about the work of a priest. In general, priests in a wide variety of religions have two jobs. They almost always offer some sort of sacrifice to a deity. This offering is normally intended to please the deity or at least ward off anger, thus providing some safe access to the deity, or at least to life in this world, for the worshiper.

The Bible describes priests from the early days of Israel’s history. In the opening parts of the Bible, the head of a household seems to serve as the priest. That’s the person who we find making offerings. At a point a bit later, the leader of a larger group of people ends up making offerings and, still later, the work of the priesthood is assigned to the descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses.

These priests received their appointment because of their lineage. Because they were descendants of Aaron, they were priests. What is special about Jesus is that he was not a descendant of Aaron. He was appointed as a priest by God, not by law. The author of Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus’ appointment is from God, not of any human lineage or merit, but because of his position as God the Son.

What did Jesus do as a priest? Hebrews 5:1 speaks of the work of the priest to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. In Israel people would sometimes bring offerings indicating their willingness to be in fellowship with God and His people. These were received and distributed as appropriate by the priests. Some of the offerings were grain offerings, of which a portion might be burned as an offering and the rest eaten. The priest was at the center of this work. Without the work of the priest, the worshiper would not be able to approach God in accord with the Law of Moses.

The other job of the priest is to offer sacrifices. This is the means appointed by God to work forgiveness of sins. Since all humans are shown as guilty of sin, everyone needs to make the offerings appointed by God. Without the work of the priest, nobody can be released from sin.

What’s so significant about Jesus’ work in this? When Jesus offers a gift, he offers himself as the redeemer of the world. When Jesus offers a sacrifice for sin, he offers himself as the perfect man, an adequate sacrifice for the sin of the world. Jesus serves both as the priest and as the offering. This is the great good news of the entire book of Hebrews, and especially this chapter. Jesus has given himself for your sin and mine. He is the perfect priest.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Hebrews 1:1-6 - Lectionary for Christmas Day

12/21/2016

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12/21/16
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

In our Epistle for Christmas day we read about Jesus, the very special one, God the Son. Hebrews chapter one calls him the way that God has revealed himself in these last days, one who has surpassed all the angels.

In Greek, more than in English, adjectives of “greatness” tend to show certain types of greatness. Here Jesus is presented as being of greater value and authority than anyone else. He is the one who is worthy of all worship, honor, and praise.

How do we receive this Jesus? Do we think of him as part of the created order or as the one through whom all things are created? Do we think of him as someone who would like to see everything put in order but may be frustrated? Do we see him as he is, the one who who did put everything in order and will restore that order when he comes again?

As we remember the first coming of Jesus, born and laid in a manger, may we also recall that he is the one whose authority is far above all principalities, all powers, and the angels in heaven. This is the kind of Lord who is recognized at Christmas.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Hebrews 13:1-17 - Pentecost 15 C

8/26/2016

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Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our New Testament passage for this week is from Hebrews 13:1-17. Like many other passages in the New Testament we can look for some sort of overall orderly pattern. In this case, the concepts seem to point toward a climax in verses 15-17. Let’s see how it works.

Verse 1 begins a lengthy list of commands. I’ll lay them out in brief.
v. 1 Brotherly love is to continue.
v. 2 Show hospitality.
v. 3 Remember prisoners.
   Remember those mistreated.
v. 4 Honor marriage.
v. 5 Be content - Jesus’ promise is that he will not leave us.
v. 6      Related to the contentment issue - have confidence in the Lord’s presence.
v. 7 Remember your leaders.

In verse 8 there seems to be a change of topic. Maybe it’s a justification for the commands we have just seen. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (ESV). Then there’s another command which seems built on the whole idea of Jesus as the present leader.

v. 9 “Do not be led away” (ESV).

The author goes on to remind the reader that a Christian is well provided for by God. He has God’s very presence in Christ with him all the time. At this point the focus shifts to the work of Jesus.

v. 10 We have an altar - the altar of priests before God, standing as mediators between man and God.
v. 11 There’s a comparison between the holy place (the altar) and an unholy place.
   In the sacrificial system, the sacrificial bodies are disposed of outside the camp. The blood, presented on the altar, is holy.

How does this all tie together?
v. 12 Jesus suffered outside the camp.

So we then find a conclusion.
v. 13 Therefore, we go to Jesus outside the camp. We bear his reproach.

v. 14 has a justification for all of these actions. “We seek the city that is to come” (ESV).

How does that happen?
v. 15 We give praise to God.
v. 16 We do good and share.

This conclusion brings additional force to the commands in verses 1-7. Those commands are not in any way something we do to earn God’s favor. They are something we do because we are living out the future right now. Jesus has prepared an eternal city which is full of good for His people. The Christian life simply brings those future blessings into this day and time.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Hebrews 4:1-16 - Lectionary for Pentecost 22B

Hebrews 3:12-19 - Lectionary for Pentecost 21B

Hebrews 2:1-13 - Lectionary for Pentecost 20B

Hebrews

Hebrews 5:1-10 - Lectionary for Lent 5B

Hebrews 1:1-6 - Lectionary for Christmas Day

Hebrews 13:1-17 - Pentecost 15 C

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