HEBREWS: Lesson 2 - Jesus Is Better

VIDEO REVIEW

JESUS is better...

I divided the entire book of Hebrews into three sections (see slide 2):

Section 1: Chapter 1:1-3 - A brief introduction

Section 2: Chapters 1 thru 10

Section 3: Chapters 11-13 - Faith, Endurance, and Spiritual Truths

I further divided the ten chapters in section two into four parts (see slide 2):

Part 1: Chapters 1-2 - Angels

Part 2: Chapters 3-4 - Moses

Part 3: Chapters 5-7 - Priests

Part 4: Chapters 8-10 - Sacrifices

The author of Hebrews is writing primarily to Hellenistic Jewish believers (Grecian Jews) that are scattered in the Diaspora, a region of ten Greek cities outside of Jerusalem. The Diaspora are communities of Greek people living outside the traditional Greek homelands.

These believers were typically more liberal in views and practice and desired to integrate into the secular Greek culture. They were heavily influenced by false teachers and Judaizers who traveled from place to place countering Paul's teaching with their own false theology.

The author of Hebrews quotes exclusively from the Septuagint version of the OT (Hebrew Bible translated into Greek) and aimed his teaching at correcting liberal Jewish thinking common among Hellenistic Jews. The author disputes Jewish folklore and myth, he reorients their understanding of Jewish history and scripture, and reminds them of the serious nature of their own salvation and the coming judgment.

In many ways, this letter was a response to the same kinds of spiritual immaturity that runs rampant in the Western, Gentile church today. For example, the inappropriate and unhealthy emphasis on angels; hearing the Gospel without actually embracing it; making the false assumption that the association with believers and attending church makes one a Christian; and giving in to the temptation to sin and choosing to live an unsanctified life.

Sadly, sinful lifestyles have become the norm among many circles within our modern churches. It is not uncommon for believers to spend more time rationalizing their fleshly desires rather than submitting to the authority of God's word and to the Holy Spirit. It is not uncommon that believers in our modern churches find compromise with premarital sex, unforgiving attitudes, hateful gossip, drunkenness, and the continuous consumption of TV shows and movies that glamorize and minimize ungodly behavior. "I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless." (Psalms 101:2-3) "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." (James 4:17)

The writer warned believers not to live in a perpetual state of spiritual immaturity oblivious to the coming judgment.

In the opening verses of Hebrews the author is making a strong emphasis on the superiority and supremacy of Jesus. He does this by structuring his arguments by using contrast. He contrast what God has done in the past with what God has done through His Son. While the old things were good in their way, Christ is far better. The writer's point is to elevate Christ above all things.

In his initial contrast the author looks at the way God delivered revelation to His people in days past as compared to the way He has revealed Himself to men today. "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son..."

In the past, God used Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Jeremiah, the Minor Prophets, etc. He used prophesy, dreams, miracles, His spoken words, and even a burning bush. All of these things were done "in part" or "in portions" and in "many ways". None of these men heard everything from God, but each one presented one piece to the puzzle. It was a progressive revelation.

The writer then says, "but in these last days" to emphasize that all of the earlier revelation has now reached its intended purpose. We have now received the full measure of God's revelation in the Person and Words of Jesus Christ. There is no more revelation to come, no greater prophet, no greater portion waiting to be revealed.

In verse 2, the author points out that Christ was in the beginning, "...through whom also He created the world." God created the world through Jesus. "He [Jesus] was in the beginning with God." (John 1:2) "All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." (John 1:3) Therefore, the only Person in the Godhead Who has entered into and become a part of the physical creation is Jesus.

In verse 3, the author says that "He [Christ] is the radiance of the Father's glory and the exact imprint of His nature."

How do we know the sun has risen? We can see the beams of light that emanate from it. Those rays of light are the radiance of the sun. Likewise, the Son of God is the radiance of the Father's glory.

In Greek, the word "exact imprint" is the same word for character. Jesus is an exact imprint of the character of the Father. So when we learn about the character of Jesus, we are learning about the character of God. "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." (John 14:7) "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." (Colossians 1:15) So to know the Son by His Word is to know the Father.

"...and He upholds the universe by the word of His power."

It is through Jesus' Word and power that all things continue to exist. He created all things and He sustains all things.

When God the Father determined to reveal Himself to a Creation through His son, He began that revelation with His Son as the Creator speaking it into existence. Now that Jesus has appeared in physical form, He has given us the final, complete and full revelation of Who God the Father is.

Next week we will look at how Jesus is better than the angels and the warning given to the Hebrew Christians (Chapter 1 and 2).