To Hebrews

[Book of Jeremiah]

Although the King James Version uses the title " The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews" - there is no early manuscript evidence to support that title. The oldest and most reliable title of the book of Hebrews is called, "To Hebrews" so that is how the title of the thread reads. This book was written to the Jewish believers in the early church and in this book they are exhorted to go on to perfection. I am typing out each chapter so there are no links or references other than that I will be using the New International Version because it is easier to understand for some readers. Enjoy!

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

The Superiority of Christ over the Prophets

Hebrews 1: 1 - 3

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things, by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Christ is Superior Because of His Deity

Hebrews 1: 4 - 14

So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say,

Today you are my Son, today I have become your Father?

Or again,

I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son?

and again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,

"Let all God's angels worship him."

In speaking of the angels he says,

"He makes his angels winds,
his servants flames of fire."

But about the Son he says,

"Your throne, O God, will last for
every and ever, and righteousness
will be the scepter of your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness,
therefore, God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.

He also says,

"In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you remain, they will all wear out like a garment.

You will roll them up like a robe,
like a garment they will be changed.

But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.

To which of the angels did God ever say,

Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?

Are not all the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Warning to Pay Attention

Hebrews 2: 1 - 4

We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?


This salvation which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Jesus Made Like His Brothers

Hebrews 2: 5 - 18

It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified:

What is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the angels,
you crowned him with glory and honor
and put everything under his feet.

In putting everything under him, God left nothing that was not subject to him.

Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one that makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says,

I will declare your name to my brothers,
in the presence of the congregation, I will sing your praises.

And again,

I will put my trust in him.

And again he says,

Here am I, and the children God has given me.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants.

For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Jesus Greater Than Moses

Hebrews 3: 1 - 6

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house.

Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of the house has greater honor than the house itself.

For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.

Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Warning Against Unbelief

Hebrews 3: 7 - 19

So, as the Holy Spirit says:

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.

That is why I was angry with that generation and I said, "Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways."

So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest."

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it be called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

As has just been said:

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."

Who were they who heard and rebelled?

Were they not all those who Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years?

Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?

So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

A Sabbath - Rest for the People of God

Hebrews 4: 1 -13

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did, but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

"So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest."

And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words:

"And on the seventh day God rested from all his work."

And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."

It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.

Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke to David, as was said before:

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath - rest for the people of God, for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall short by following their example of disobedience.


For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double - edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and the attitudes of the heart.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Jesus the Great High Priest

Hebrews 4: 14 - 5: 10

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

{Beginning chapter 5 }

Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as the sins of the people.

No one takes this honor upon himself, he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

"You are my Son, today I have become your Father."

And he says in another place,

"You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Warning Against Falling Away

Hebrews 5 : 11 - 6: 12

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn.

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again.

You need, milk, not solid food!

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

{ beginning Chap 6 }

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instructions about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment . And God permitting we will do so.

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted of the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall way, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Land that drinks in rain often falling on it, and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessings of God.

But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Even though we speak like that, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case - things that accompany salvation.

God is not unjust, he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Exhortation to Maturity

Hebrews 6: 13 - 20

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, " I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all arguement. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Melchizedek the Priest

Hebrews 7: 1 - 10

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He he met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness", then also "king of Salem means "king of peace." Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.

Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!

Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people - that is, their brothers - even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without a doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die, but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.

One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Jesus Like Melchizedek

Hebrews 7: 11 - 28

If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood ( for on the basis of it the law was given to the people ), why was there still need for another priest to come - one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?

For when there is a change of priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.

For it is clear our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared:

You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.

The former regulation is set aaside because it was weak and useless ( for the law made nothing perfect ) and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever."

Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Such a high priest meets our need - one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people.

He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

The High Priest of a New Covenant

Hebrews 8: 1 - 13

The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.

Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If he were on earth he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.

This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle:

"See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

But the ministry Jesus had received is superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.
But God found fault with the people and said:

"The time is coming, declares the LORD,when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah."

It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain
faithful to my covenant and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord.

This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.

I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God, and they will be my people.

No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, "Know the Lord,"
because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will forgive them their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Old Covenant Sanctuary

Hebrews 9: 1 - 5

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up.

In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread, this was called the Holy Place.

Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden atlar of incense and the gold covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

Hebrews 9: 1 - 5

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Old Covenant Sanctuary - according to King James Version

Hebrews 9: 1 - 5

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

For there was a tabernacle made. The first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread, which is called th sanctuary.

And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all.
Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.

And over it the cherubims of glory, shadowing the mercyseat, of which we cannot now speak particularly.


( Both NIV & KJV - versions posted of Hebrews 9: 1-5 to make sure the word mercy seat was noted )

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Old Covenant Sacrifices

Hebrews 9: 6 - 10

When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.

They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings - external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

The Blood of Jesus Christ - New Covenant Sanctuary

Hebrews 9:11

When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man made, that is to say, not a part of this creation.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

The Blood of Jesus Christ - New Covenant Sacrifice

Hebrews 9: 12 - 28

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the Most High Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our conscience from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died, it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.

This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.

He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep."

In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with the blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one, he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people, and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

 

[theword]

The Superiority of Christ over the Prophets

Hebrews 1: 1 - 3

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things, by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

The Son of God, Christ, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Jacob, Light, Eternal Life, Zion, Book of Life, Breath of Life, Tree of Life, Holy Spirit, etc. all mean the same exact thing, which is energy that vibrates in harmony that was spoken into existence through the Word of God, which is the invisible Voice of God.