Hebrews is the first book of the eight general epistles. Missing is pauls customary salutation common to his other works. A summary, synopsis or recap is a shortened version of the original. The old testament foreshadowed the new, and hebrews is the place to go if we wish to understand this as we should. Select one or two insights that had spiritual potential. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in jesus christ. As weve just suggested, the author of hebrews wrote to exhort his audience. Hebrews shows us that the bible is not a collection of unrelated stories, but is rather one unified storythe story of redemption through jesus christ. I think hebrews is like a new testament epistle in that it was written down and was sent, but it was sent as a speech, as a sermon to be delivered, to be heard. The central thought of the entire epistle is the doctrine of the person of christ and his role as.
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of god, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. This son, who is identified with the person known as jesus of nazareth, is said to be greater than moses or any of the prophets. Easyenglish is a system of simple english designed by wycliffe associates uk. The jewish system would say that christ is not the atonement, whereas the christian system would say that christ is the atonement. This, in essence, is what the book of hebrews is all about. Each video is one lecture on the book of hebrews from dr. See more ideas about book of hebrews, bible verses and word of god. The writer exalts the superiority of christ to angels, to moses and joshua, and to the levitical highpriesthood. The intended readers once had a vivid sense of gods presence and later showed bold support for others during an outburst of persecution. Bible study series on the book of hebrews chapter by chapter. The epistle to the hebrews, or letter to the hebrews, or in the greek manuscripts, simply to the. This is a source of great confusion among many christians. Hebrews author unknown, though jerome and augustine thought it was by paul.
The entire book is about jesus and how he is the guarantee of a new and better covenant. Hebrews 4 niv bible therefore, since the promise of. The book of hebrews is a long list of reasons to cling to jesus. Jul 14, 2015 this is why the book of hebrews makes a unique contribution to the canon of scripture. Hebrews chapter seven study guide these postcross hebrews still had the priesthood ingrained in their lives. Aug 31, 2016 the book of hebrews is a long list of reasons to cling to jesus. A summary of the book of hebrews limerick reformed fellowship. However, paul warned the church against entertaining a false hope, for he knew they were misguided with their beliefs.
The book of hebrews is an exhortation to jewish christians to hold fast to their faith in christ. God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his son 2. These covenants are completely different and yet many christians approach god on the basis of old testament law instead of new testament faith. The writer of this letter does not identify himself, but he was obviously well known to the original recipients. The destruction of jerusalem was impending and many of the believers believed the end of the world was near.
The author of hebrews wrote to exhort his audience to reject local jewish teachings and to remain faithful to jesus. In a logical argument, the author demonstrates christs superiority, then adds practical instructions for following jesus. Hebrews is one of the three new testament commentaries on a single old. The author of the letter to the hebrews remains shrouded in mystery. These folks knew about angels, the old testament heroes, the devil, and moses tabernacle, but someone thought they needed to know a little more. We may sum up the theme of the entire book of hebrews. An exposition encountering biblical studies donald a.
The background and purpose of hebrews 2 for videos, study guides and other resources, visit third millennium ministries at. A few verses toward the end sum up this letter and give us the word of. The text does not mention the name of its author, but was traditionally attributed to paul the apostle. We can become more godly because god became one with us.
Jesus is portrayed throughout as the perfect revelation of god and superior to angels, moses, melchizedek or the priesthood. Hebrews summary we have detailed a brief summary of the book of hebrews for bible study or sunday school lessons. The referred letter sends a message encouraging christians to persevere through their struggle between christianity and judaism. Simply put, the book of hebrews helps us unlock the glorious tapestry of gods progressive revelation. And finally, the book of hebrews takes up the last two words, by faith, and it shows us how to lay hold of the life by which we are justified. The book of hebrews teaches that jesus was not an angel a servant of god from heaven hebrews 1. Barry joslin well, the question of who wrote hebrews is probably the question that i get asked most often. The writer to the hebrews constantly compares the inadequacies of the old testament sacrificial system to the perfection and completion in christ.
God is not called father of the believers hebrews 12. Hebrews differs in some respect with the other epistles of the nt. Even early in the churchs history, a christian as learned as origen had to admit his ignorance of the true author of hebrews. Yet we should not give up just because it is difficult. The writer of hebrews proclaims jesus solidarity with men through the images of. A friend and i recently read out loud through the book of hebrews using the books of the bible i can definitely recommend this way of experiencing the bible. It is deep and full of sometimes difficult to understand terms and theology. And as we look at hebrews, and others have noted this that a lot of the characteristics of a homily show up in hebrews. The hebrews are warned of the sin and danger of unbelief.
Although the book of hebrews is not exactly what most of us would regard as a userfriendly book. The author is anonymous, although either paul or barnabas was traditionally accepted as the author. The primary purpose of the letter to the hebrews is to exhort jews and christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The epistle to the hebrews, or letter to the hebrews, or in the greek manuscripts, simply to the hebrews. The book of hebrews which is really a letter written to believers in jesus christ has an unknown author. Intro to hebrews biblica the international bible society.
And hebrews presents christ and his service in the heavens as antitype and fulfilment of the old testament instructions of service. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation. An understanding of this should help our walk with god. Apr 11, 2009 hebrews is one of the most significant books in the new testament for understanding the relationship between the old and new covenants. An o verview of the key events and bible people found in hebrews together with the famous bible stories and brief summary of the book of hebrews from the bible. I summarised the bible on twitter between aug 2010 and nov 20 one tweet per chapter, one chapter per day. Hebrews was written for christians who had been in the church for a while. And of necessity of faith in christ, and of stedfastly following him. The superior worth and dignity of christ above moses is shown.
The letter is written to hebrew christians, that is, those who have converted to christ from judaism, and who are under pressure to depart from christ. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did. Your introduction says that the recipients of this letter seem to have lived in italy. Significantly, the book makes no reference to the destruction of the temple at jerusalem in ad 70, and the author wrote as if the sacrificial system were still in existence hebrews 10. The book of hebrews also makes a contrast between the tabernacle and its sacrifices and the. So its not coincidental that every chapter that weve read so. These two statements, each from one of the two main sections of the book. Jack simonds, phd the epistle to the hebrews reveals jesus as the center and circumference, beginning, ending and entirety of the gospel. From the letter itself it is clear that the writer must have had authority in the apostolic church and was an intellectual hebrew christian well versed in the ot. John ritenbaugh reflects that the book of hebrews is perhaps the least understood, most complex and most scholarly of all the books in the new testament. It seems that one reason that this book was named hebrews was due to. Book of hebrews hebrews chapter 1 hebrews chapter 2 hebrews chapter 3.
Short summary of hebrews the bible stories of hebrews taken from the scriptures a short summary of the bible stories of hebrews taken from the scriptures. Hebrews 11 new international version niv faith in action. A word list at the end explains words with a star by them. It was a pretty sweet deal, but things werent working out so well. Contrary to pauls usual practice, the author of hebrews nowhere identifies himself in the letter except to indicate that he was a man see note on 11. Martyn mcgeown the letter is written to hebrew christians, that is, those who have converted to christ from judaism, and who are under pressure to depart from christ. Hebrews chapter 1 kjv king james version we all go through the process of birth, lifes journey and death. The book of hebrews boldly proclaims the superiority of jesus christ and christianity over other religions, including judaism. The supremacy of gods son, jesus christsuperior to all the angels and to all things created. Use these popular bible verses from hebrews for a better understanding. They are included in the body of the text so the reader can see them as he reads the book without having to page over to a separate outline. Hebrews begins with the statement that god, who in ancient times revealed himself through the prophets, has in these last days revealed himself through the life and teachings of a son. We may sum up our authors christology negatively by saying that he has nothing to do with the older hebrew. The book of hebrews helps us to understand the relationship between jewish and gentile believers, and between israel.
The believers are seen as men on earth having free entrance to. Deep in the soul of every person on earth is a lon. The main purpose of the epistle is to establish christianity as being superior to the law. And finally, the book of hebrews takes up the last two words, by faith, and it shows us how. Every chapter of the bible in 140 characters or less. Throughout the epistle, the author stresses the continuity and flow between the old testament revelation and the new faith in christ, while emphasizing the superiority of both christ and his new covenant, using such words as better, perfect and. Study guide for hebrews by chuck smith blue letter bible. With its myriad references to hebrew customs and the old testament, the book was likely sent to a jewish christian community, possibly in rome.
The book of hebrews solves this problem by arguing that the hebrew scriptures also foretold that the messiah. It is the book of hebrews that takes up this theme and explains it in greater detail see hebrews 8. The book of hebrews compares and contrasts jesus to key historical people and events from the old testament. The book of hebrews is an important book that teaches many lessons about the bible. Hebrews 1, new american standard bible nasb the bible app. After the lord jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat.
But i hope you know that faith is derived, not from anything in itself, but from its object. However, in terms of spiritual insight, it is a pivotal book, whose function is to bridge the purposes. Basically, god created the world and then made an agreement with the people living in it. Perhaps nowhere in the new testament does the old testament come into focus more than in the book of hebrews, which has as its foundation the levitical priesthood. Hail then the lord said to moses, rise up early in the morning and present yourself before pharaoh and say to him, thus says the lord, the god of the hebrews, let my people go, that they may serve me. Oct 30, 2015 the excellency of jesus christ, the mediator of a better covenant a summary of the book of hebrews. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 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. This description of the authors purpose helps orient us to the main ideas found in the book of hebrews. He is greater than angels, the torah, moses, the promised land, priests, melchizedek, sacrifices, and the covenant. For centuries, church fathers and biblical scholars have sought to identify the author of hebrews. The book of hebrews was written primarily to jews who had converted to christianity, but were now perhaps a little unsure as to the person of christ. A bible study in easyenglish 2800 word vocabulary on the book of hebrews. Although some include the book of hebrews among the apostle paul s writings, the certain identity of the author remains an enigma.
Seeing the glory of christ in his person and priesthood will strengthen us to endure. The book of hebrews elevates jesus above historical people. If we sum up the contents of these texts we get the following picture. The book of hebrews presents jesus christ and his superiority. White on bible study chapter 6 of the book of hebrews steadfastness in the faiththe covenant oath additional notes. Humble, cautious fear is urged, lest any should come short of the promised rest, through unbelief. The book of hebrews is a general epistle apostolic letter. Hebrews was written before the destruction of the temple which took place in 70 ad. The book of hebrews is a fascinating document of eternal truth and an. The message of hebrews for the global church is that jesus is better than every other thing believers are tempted to fall back into, such as their formers ways of sin, culturally comfortable patterns of thinking or living, or nonchristian ethical codes. An easyenglish commentary 2800 word vocabulary on the letter to the hebrews.
The book of hebrews, chapter 11 king james version. Hebrews with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. The book of hebrews brings a word of encouragement to discouraged christians. Reflections from hebrews deity and humanity the living. Unlike his other epistles, nowhere in the book of hebrews does paul assert or.
It speaks to those as to why and how to follow christ. The book of hebrews is about jesus and how he guarantees a new and. For some particular reasons, the writer of the book of hebrews did not pen his name on the book. But as we read through hebrews, it seemed to us that it was addressing instead a pre70 a. Identify one or two new pieces of information that seemed important to you for understanding and appreciating the book of hebrews. The old testament patriarchs are held up as examples of the life of faith and. Several theories regarding the authors identity have been proposed over the years, but all of them contain significant problems. Voice bible studies, the book of hebrews, introduction, lesson 1. Jesus is greater, so hold fast to him overviewbible. The book of hebrews is the bridge that connects the old testament and the new. There are a number of helpful commentaries on the book of hebrews, and the following are five of the best. Watch our overview video on the book of hebrews, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. A summary of the book of hebrews limerick reformed.
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. An o verview of the key events and bible people found in hebrews together with the famous bible stories and brief summary of the book of hebrews. Hebrews 3 new international version niv jesus greater than moses. Carsons spring 20 acts, pauline, and general epistles course at our deerfield campus. No name is mentioned in regards to who wrote or authored this letter. The authorship of hebrews one can not be dogmatic or conclusive regarding the human author of the book of hebrews. There is no disharmony between the teaching of hebrews and that of pauls letters, but the specific emphases and writing styles are markedly different. Some believe that paul wrote this letter, but this perception has long since been viewed as unsubstantial. The book of hebrews appeared during a critical time in the history of the early church. Chapter 3 of the book of hebrews christ and moses chapter 4 of the book of hebrews the sabbath additional notes the rest of god chapter 5 of the book of hebrews christs qualifications as high priest additional notes mrs. Jesus serves in the true tabernacle set up by the lord hebrews. In this second installment of the teds lecture series, we are pleased to bring you four video lectures by d. The translated bible text has been through advanced checking.
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