Hebrews: Session 1 – God’s Message is Jesus

Notes:

God’s Message Is Jesus – Hebrews 1:1-2:4    See Session Slides Here

  • Author: Not Paul – compare Heb. 2:3 and Gal.1:12.
  • Date: Prior to A.D.70; probably A.D.64-65.

 Recipients: Hebrews was written to a particular Jewish Christian community, (Heb. 13:19&23) having difficulty in making the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant.

  • Within this group individuals were at different stages: some had fully embraced Christ; whilst others were examining the gospel and considering putting their trust in Him.
  • Because of this, both sections of this group were persecuted by the Romans. They were also blacklisted by their fellow countrymen.
  • Those who were not born again were at the point of rejecting Christ and going back into the rituals and ceremonies of their religion, which were only types and shadows of Christ.
  • And those who were born again had become discouraged and came to a standstill concerning their faith. They even considered returning to Judaism as an easier option.
  • The author takes two approaches to discourage them from going back: 1) Five warning passages outlining the severity of trampling the precious blood of Christ underfoot; 2) Teaching the superiority of Christ over everything offered under the old covenant. Hebrews is ‘the letter of the better.’ (13 times)

Heb. 1:1-3. Christ Is Superior To The Prophets

There are seven reasons for the Son’s superiority to the Old Testament prophets:

  • God has appointed Him “heir to all things” (Heb. 1:2). Everything is going to end up with Jesus.
  • Through the Son, God made the whole created universe of time and space, (Heb. 1:2; Jn.1:3; Col.1:16). Jesus is the Beginning and the End. All things are made through Him and for Him.
  • The Son is the brightness of God’s glory, (Heb. 1:3). “Glory” = the sum total of God’s attributes collectively, (Jn.1:14).
  • He is the very image of the Father’s Person, (Heb. 1:3). Christ fully revealed the Father. To see Christ is to see the Father.
  • He upholds all things by the word of His power, (Heb. 1:3). Without Him we would be fried, poisoned, pelted with meteors or drift out into space.
  • He purged our sins, (Heb. 1:3). The author moves from the cosmic Son of God to Jesus the personal Saviour. In Christ, God has dealt with the sin problem once for all. The putting away of the sins of His people was an even greater work than making and upholding the worlds.
  • He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Heb. 1:3). This is His work in heaven as our Great High Priest. No other book in the New Testament deals with the priesthood of Jesus.

Heb. 1:4&1:14. Christ Is Superior To Angels

  • The law was mediated by angels. Some of the Jews ended up worshipping them, (Col.2:18).
  • Angels serve; the Son rules, (Heb.1:7). They are around the throne of God; but the Lamb is on the throne.
  • This exalted position is an inheritance that Jesus, the God-man, obtained by His obedience.

 First Warning Passage (Hebrews 2:1-4)

  • Heb. 2:1-4. Our salvation has been provided by the Father, purchased by the Son and borne witness to by the Holy Spirit, (Heb. 2:4).
  • We need to give heed to the gospel, lest it drifts away. How shall we escape if we neglect it? We won’t.



# Answers to this quiz are found in the notes above. Click on quiz to commence. Only correct spelling is recognised. A minimum 70%  correct is required to advance to the next session.