The Book of Hebrews

1
The Book of Hebrews

• John Oakes,
• APLA Manila
• January, 2011

2
Introduction

• Audience Christians in general, but especially
  those who are of Jewish descent
• Second generation disciples who are tempted to
  lose heart in light of coming persecutions.
• Remember those earlier days Hebrews 1032
• A hint Those who are from Italy greet you.
  Hebrews 1324
• Date of writing AD 60-70, probably closer to AD
  70.

3
Roman Emperor Nero AD
54-68 Christian Persecutions AD 64
Roman Emperor Titus AD 79-81 Destroyed
Jerusalem AD 70
4
The Roman Empire at the time of Hebrews ca. AD 68
5
By calling this covenant new, he has made the
first one obsolete and what is obsolete and
aging will soon disappear. Hebrews 813
6
Introduction cont.

• Author of Hebrews
• Paul? Barnabus? Apollos? Aquila? Origen Only
  God knows
• Style of Hebrews
• Not a letter
• Transcript of a sermon?
• Very elegant Greek
• 30 direct quotes from OT. At least 70 other
  references to OT.
• Oscillates between theology and exhortation
• History of the text
• Not in the earliest canonical lists
• First quoted by Clement of Rome AD 96
• Origen and Clement of Alexandria inspired but
  controversial

7
Ancient Ephesus
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Introduction cont.

• Purpose To give heart to Christians who have
  endured but are being tempted to waver in their
  faith.
• Warnings against falling away.
• Theme The preeminence of Jesus Christ!!!
• His deity
• The greatness of his ministry
• The greatness of his sacrifice
• The greatness of his covenant

9
Outline of Hebrews

• 11-218 Jesus is greater than the angels
  Therefore let us pay attention.
• 31-413 Jesus is greater than Moses Therefore
  let us persevere.
• 414-612 The priesthood of Jesus is greater
  than the priesthood of Aaron Therefore let us
  move on to maturity.
• 613-728 Jesus is the Great High Priest in the
  order of Melchizedek.
• 81-1039 Jesus is the author of a better
  covenant than that of Moses Therefore let us
  persevere to the end.
• 111-1229 A practical example of endurance
  The faithful cloud of witnesses Therefore
  accept Gods discipline in your life.
• 131-25 Summary and final advice.

10
Things to look for in Hebrews(Think about the
purpose and the theme)

• Things about Jesus which make him awesome.
• better 13 times, perfect (teleon)15 times.
• Let us exhortations.
• Hebrews 41 let us be careful
• Hebrews 411 let us, therefore, make every
  effort
• Hebrews 414 let us hold firmly to the faith we
  profess
• Etc. Hebrews 416, 61, 1022,23,24,25 121,2
  1228
• 1313, 15

11
Things to look for in Hebrews cont.

• The use of types, foreshadows and prefigures.
• Virtually everything familiar to the Jews (laws,
  priests, festivals, tabernacle, covenant) is a
  foreshadow/prophecy of what we have in Jesus
  Christ.
• Examples Hebrews 96-10 Hebrews 923-26
• Warnings about losing our salvation
• Hebrews 312-14, 64-12, 1026-31, 35-39 and many
  more.
• Eschatology In these last days Heb 12 Be
  prepared.
• Assurance of salvation Heb 69-20, etc.

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Lets Start!

• Prologue Hebrews 11-4
• In the past, God spoke through the prophets
• But now, he speaks to us by his son!!!
• Jesus is greater than the prophets.
• The last days
• Acts 215, 1 Pet 120, 1 Cor 1011, 2 Tim 31
• Eschatology The branch of theology which deals
  with end times, resurrection, judgment, etc.

13
Heb 12,3 The Greatness of Gods Songreat,
amazing, excellent, unique, overpowering,
beautiful, impressive, beyond imagination,
mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, spectacular,

• He will inherit everything (Col 115, Romans
  817)
• Our inheritance is through his inheritance.
• The universe was made through (and for) Him.
  (John 13)
• He is the radiance of the glory of God. (John
  812)
• Apaugasma effulgence, shining forth
• He is the image of God (John 118)
• Character wax seal, exact representation. God
  revealed himself.
• He sustains all things
• beginning (Creator) middle (Sustainer) end
  (Inheritor) of all.
• He provided purification for sin
• He mediates for us at Gods right hand

14
14-14 Jesus is greater than the angels

• Angel messenger, mediator Greek aggeloi
  Hebrew malakim
• Archangels Michael (Daniel 1021) Gabriel
  (Daniel 816, Luke 119)
• Evil angels who controlled Greece and Persia
  (Daniel 1020)
• An angel destroys Jerusalem (2 Sam 24)
• Cherubim (Ezekiel 10, Genesis 324)
• Seraphim (Isaiah 66)
• Guardian angels (Matthew 1810)
• Satan is a fallen angel?
• Myriads upon myriads (Daniel 710)
• Jewish ideas

15
Why is Jesus greater than the angels?

• v. 5,6 A greater name (position, rank) Gods
  SON
• v. 7-11 Angels are temporary, changing (winds and
  fires), but Jesus is unchanging and eternal.
• v. 12,13 Angels are ministering spirits. Jesus
  is the one ministered to. Why worship a
  worshipper?
• Application Do not admire the messenger, admire
  the sender of the message Jesus Christ.

16
21-18 Exhortation 1 Pay careful attention!

• pay attention prosechein to fix, moor a
  ship.
• drift away pararrein to slip away, as with
  the tides, by careless inattention.
• violation parabasis outright rebellion
• disobedience parakoe careless hearing or
  unwillingness to hear
• The point If the Jews had to pay attention to a
  Law delivered by angels, and if they faced
  capital punishment for not listening, how much
  more ought we to pay attention to Jesus, and how
  much more great a punishment if we do not.
• LISTEN UP!!!

17
Question

• How might we ignore (neglect) such a great
  salvation?

18
Hebrews 25-19 A difficult little passage.

• v. 7 God made us humans a little lower than
  himself elohim
• Gods intent was that we have greatness and
  dominion!
• him throughout this section is us.
• v. 8,9 But unfortunately, that is not the case
  right now. Our sin messed up everything.
• v. 9,10 Jesus came so that, through his death,
  we can be restored to the glory God had in mind
  in the first place.

19
Because Jesus Became Like Us

• v.10 Because he suffered like us we are saved
• v. 11 Because he came here, we are of the same
  family.
• v. 14 Because he shared our humanity, we are no
  longer slaves
• v. 16 Because he is like us, he is a merciful
  high priest.
• v. 17 Because he suffered, he can relate and
  help those who are tempted.

20
210-18 The importance of Jesus humanity and
his suffering.

• Archegos Jesus is author, founder, pioneer,
  source, origin the one who goes first both to
  make and to point the way for us.
• Teleios Jesus is the perfecter, the completer.
  He is the one who points the way, but he is also
  the one who completes the journey toward
  perfection. He is our perfecter through
  suffering.
• In becoming human, Jesus forged a way for us into
  the presence of God.
• The Point Jesus is both the initiator and the
  completer of our salvation. Everything depends
  on Jesus, not us.

21
Jesus is Greater Than Moses

• Hebrews 11-3 Jesus greater than all the
  prophets before him.
• Hebrews 14-14 Jesus is greater than the
  angels.
• Hebrews 31-5 Jesus is greater than Moses.

22
Parallels Between Moses and Jesus  
23
Jesus a new and better Moses

• Moses a household servant (v.5) Jesus owns the
  house (v. 6)
• Moses faithful in Gods house Jesus faithful
  over Gods house
• Moses received the Law Jesus is the
  Law
• Moses gave them bread Jesus is the
  bread

24
Exhortation 2

• Do not harden your hearts. (Hebrews 38)
• Do not turn away. (Hebrews 312)
• Do not let your bodies fall in the desert.
  (Hebrews 317)
• Do not fall short. (Hebrews 41)
• Make every effort to enter (do not rest).
  (Hebrews 411)

25
  Historical type/antitype in the
Exodus
 
26
Our Goal

• A Sabbath rest with God. katapausis
• Sabbath-rest with God in heaven
• The point You will rest in heaven. Do not
  start resting now!

27
Question In what ways are you tempted to rest
now, rather than in heaven?
28
What is at stake? Everything!

• They shall never enter my rest 311, 45
• We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly
  to the end the confidence we had at first. 314
• They were not able to enter because of their
  unbelief 319
• Some did not go in because of their obedience
  46
• So that no one will fall by following their
  example of disobedience 411
• Do you get the point?

29
How can we make our entrance more sure?

• Give and receive encouragement (Heb 312-14)
• Give yourself no rest. (Isaiah 621,6-7)
• Fear this! Fear of falling short (Heb 41)
• Let the Word of God do its work (Heb 412-13)

30
IV Jesus the Great High Priest

• Like a High priest
• Can relate to us (Heb 415)
• Makes intercession before God for us (Heb 416)
• Offer gifts (fragrant offerings) and sacrifices
  (sin, guilt offering) (Heb 51)
• Selected by God from men (Heb 51,4-5)
• Represents man to God (Heb 51)
• Greater than any High Priest
• Serves in the Heavenly Tabernacle, not the
  earthly one. (Heb 414)
• Tempted, yet was without sin. (Heb 415)
• Did not need to offer sacrifices for his own sin.
  (Heb 53)
• A priest forever (Heb 56)
• A priest from the order of Melchizedek (Heb 56)
• Brings us into the real inner sanctuary. (Heb
  416)

31
A wonderful word

• metriopatheia Heb 52
• Empathy, Sympathetic feeling,
• Bear with people without becoming angry
• Completely unlike the Greek concept of God
• God cannot possibly feel anything or he is weak.

32
Exhortation 3

• Grow up!
• Move on to maturity.
• Mature in life and docrine (1 Timothy 416)
• Do not be nothros (slow-moving in mind, torpid,
  witlessly forgetful, dull of hearing)
• Are you on a diet of milk?
• Grow up both in the knowledge (v. 12) and the
  practice (v. 14) of holiness.

33
The Basics

• a. repentance
• b. faith
• c. baptism
• d. the Holy Spirit
• e. Resurrection
• f. Judgment

34
Hebrews 64-6 Who is he talking to?

• a. been enlightened (NT church enlightened
  baptized)
• b. tasted the heavenly gift (salvation?)
• c. shared in the Holy Spirit
• d. tasted the goodness of the word
• e. tasted the coming age (saved)
• Yes, you can fall away! Conclusion You had
  better move on toward maturity in Christ.

35
Hebrews 64-8

• It is impossible if they fall away, to be
  brought back to repentance.
• They are crucifying the Son of God all over
  again.
• Land that produces thorns will be burned.

36
Falling Away

• Crucifying the Son of God all over again.
• Subjecting Jesus to public disgrace
• Trampling the Son of God under foot. (Heb 1029)
• Insulted the Holy Spirit (Heb 1029)
• Blasphemed (spoken against) the Holy Spirit (Matt
  1232)
• Committed the unforgivable sin (1 John 516)
• What is the unforgivable sin? To willfully,
  deliberately continue in sin. (Hebrews 1026)

37
Q What are the things which accompany
salvation? (Heb 69)
38
The solution

• Grow. Move on to maturity. (511-64)
• Persevere in your faith. (69-620)

Hebrews 69-20 Gods Assurance
Two unchangeable things Gods Word Gods Oath
(Genesis 2216-18) Jesus, your anchor, is behind
the veil with the Father
39
Four things which are impossible for God to do

• Bring us to renewed repentance once we have
  fallen away. (Hebrews 64)
• For him to lie. (Hebrews 618)
• For the blood of bulls and goats to forgive sins
  (Hebrews 104)
• For us to please God without faith (Hebrews 116)

40
V. The Priesthood of Jesus is greater than the
Levitical/Aaronic Priesthood.

• I Jesus is greater than all the prophets
• II Jesus is greater than the angels
• III Jesus is greater than Moses
• IV Jesus the great High Priest
• V The Priesthood of Melchizedek is greater than
  the Priesthood of Aaron
• VI (and Jesus is greater than Abraham)

41
Melchizedek An interesting guy!

• Without genealogy, without descendents. (Hebrews
  73)
• Without beginning of days or end of life
  (Hebrews 73)
• A priest forever. (Hebrews 73, Psalm 1104)
• The King of Salem (Jerusalem) (Genesis 1418)
• A priest, but not of the family of Levi. (Heb
  76)
• He blessed Abraham. (Genesis 1419)
• Abraham offered him a tithe/sacrifice (Genesis
  1420).
• A priest forever (Heb 73, Psalm 1104)

42
Melchizedek Prefigure of Christ

• Melchizedek means King of Righteousness.
• King of Salem means King (prince?) of Peace.
• The King of physical Jerusalem.
• Without beginning or end of days.
• Without descendants.
• High Priest because of his character, not by
  descent.
• Greater than Abraham (Heb 74, John 853-58).
• Gave Abraham bread and wine (last supper, Lords
  Supper)
• Not a Levite (not even a Jew!)
• A priest for everyone not just for the Jews.
• A priest and a king.

43
What is a Priest?

• A Pontifex Literally, a bridge-builder. A
  mediator. An advocate. A representative.
  One who give access.
• The bridge before Jesus
• The Law
• The Priest and the Sacrificial System
• But they did not work, and that is the point of
  Hebrews 7-9

44
The Argument of the Hebrew Writer

• Abraham offered him a tithe/sacrifice The lesser
  priesthood (Abraham, Levi) offers to the greater
  (Melchizedek, Jesus). Hebrews 75-9.
• This prefigures the fact that a new priesthood
  and a new law was required. Hebrews 711-16
• Why? The old priests died (v. 23-25), and they
  were not perfect (v. 26-28).
• Melchizedek a priest forever by an oath from God
  (remember Hebrews 617-18) Hebrews 721-22.

45
Conclusion

• Hebrews 728 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.
• Hebrews 722 Jesus has become the guarantee of
  a better covenant.

46
The Greatness of Jesus

• I Jesus is greater than all the prophets
• II Jesus is greater than the angels
• III Jesus is greater than Moses
• IV Jesus the great High Priest
• V The Priesthood of Melchizedek (and therefore
  of Jesus) is superior to the Priesthood of Aaron
• VI Jesus is greater than Abraham
• VII The New Covenant (in and through Jesus) is
  superior to the Old Covenant (through Moses)
• VIII The heavenly Tabernacle is greater than the
  earthly Tabernacle.
• IX The sacrifice of Jesus is of far greater
  worth than the OT sacrifices

47
Exhortations In Hebrews

• Exhortation 1 Pay attention Heb 21-18
• Exhortation 2 Do not turn back. Persevere
  Heb 36-413
• Exhortation 3 Grow up. Become mature Heb
  511-620
• Exhortation 4 Summary exhortation. Hebrews
  1019-1229

48
Chapter 8 9 From Shadow to RealityHebrews 101

• We have already seen that the Aaronic priesthood
  was a foreshadow of Jesus priesthood.
  
• Therefore
• The First Covenant was a foreshadow of the New
  Covenant (ch 8).
• The Jewish Tabernacle was a foreshadow of the
  Heavenly Tabernacle (Hebrews 91-11).
• Old Covenant sacrifices were a foreshadow of New
  Covenant sacrifice The blood of Jesus. (Hebrews
  912-1018)

49
Type and Antitype in the First and Second
Covenants    
 
50
Hebrews 8 A Better Covenant

• 85 A copy (hupodeigma sketch-plan, diorama) and
  a shadow (skia shadow, reflection silhouette)
• 83 Better gifts and better sacrifices
• 85 Follow the exact pattern.
• 86-12 A better covenant
• 813 The old covenant is about to disapear (AD
  70)

51
Type/Antitype Relationships in the Tabernacle  
Hebrews 914
Titus 35
John 648-51
Psalm 1327,8
The angels in heaven
Ezekiel 1015-22
 
52
Model of The Jewish Tabernacle
53
Hebrews 91-11 A Better Tabernacle

• Holy Place, table, menorah, incense altar,
  curtain, ark, mercy seat, cherubim, etc
• These are only physical things.
• 97 Only for sins committed in ignorance.
• 911 Jesus Christ is in a much better
  tabernacleone in heaven!

54
Coming Into the Presence of God

• The Jewish men could only come up to the gate.
• The Levites could only come into the courtyard.
• The Priests could enter the Holy Place.
• The High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies
  one day a year, for just a few minutes, after
  sprinkling blood all over the Holy Place and into
  the Holy of Holies for his own sin.
• Us Hebrews 1019

55
First Covenant Festivals as Types
56
Passover/Pesach (Exodus 1224-28)

• Under a death sentence
• Pure, undefiled Passover lamb (1 Cor 57-8)
• Blood sprinkled on the wooden beam above the
  door.
• A remembrance of salvation from death
• A remembrance of salvation from slavery
• No bone broken
• Remove all the leaven (1 Cor 57)
• The third cup the cup of redemption.

57
Feast of Trumpets Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah

• A foreshadow of the Return of Jesus.
• Matt 2530-31, I Thess 413-14 Trumpet call.
• A foreshadow of Judgment Day
• Rabbis Stay awake all night so you will be
  prepared.

58
The Day of Atonement Yom Kippur
Sacrificial goat and scape goat. Sins laid on
sacrificial goat, killed outside the
camp. Prefigure of the salvation of Jesus.
59
Feast of Firstfruits

• A harvest festival when there was no harvest.
• A promise of a future harvest.
• A foreshadow of the final resurrection.
• A prefigure of the resurrection of Jesus.
• Coll 118 The first born from among the dead.

60
Q Were the Jews saved by observing the commands
given to Moses?

• Hebrews 104 It is impossible for the blood of
  bulls and goats to take away sins.
• Hebrews 1011 the same sacrifices which can
  never take away sins
• Rev 138 From Gods perspective, Jesus was
  slain from the creation of the world.
• Answer yes. and no..

61
Sacrificial Type and Antitype
 
62
Hebrews 912-1018 A better sacrifice

• 912 The blood of bulls and goats Yom Kippur
• 912 ashes of a heifer The Red Heifer
  Sacrifice
• These things never worked to remove sin. They
  were only a matter of ceremonial cleanness.
• The Day of Atonement was only a shadow. The real
  Day of Atonement was when Jesus died on the cross
  and when we accept that sacrifice by being
  baptized.
• 916 diatheke (will) vs suntheke contract
• 922 Without the shedding of blood, there is no
  forgiveness
• 925 An eternal sacrifice. It does not need to
  be repeated.

63
The Red Heifer Sacrifice as a Prefigure
The Red Heifer Sacrifice The Sacrifice of Jesus
A very rare red heifer A unique son
Sacrificed outside the camp (on the Mount of Olives) Sacrificed outside the camp (on the Mount of Olives)
To purify both Jews and Gentiles To purify both Jews and Gentiles
A sacrifice without blemish (not even one black hair!) A sacrifice without blemish
Never been yoked (voluntary, not sinned) A voluntary sacrifice, without sin
Scarlet wool and wood Blood on wood
Hyssop (purification from infection) Purifies from the infection of sin
Combines ashes from sacrifice with water for purification. Combine the blood of Jesus with baptism for purification
64
A Better SacrificeHebrews 923 It was
necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly
things to be purified with these sacrifices, but
the heavenly things with better sacrifices than
these
The lesser sacrifice (bulls, goats, ashes of heifer) The better sacrifice (Jesus)
Outward (appearance) Inward (spiritual)
Temporary (repeated many times) Eternal (only done once)
Ceremonial Real
Not voluntary Voluntary
Mechanical Spontaneous
Unaware Rational, aware
65
The Greatness of Jesus

• I Jesus is greater than all the prophets
• II Jesus is greater than the angels
• III Jesus is greater than Moses
• IV Jesus the great High Priest
• V The Priesthood of Melchizedek is superior to
  the Priesthood of Aaron
• VI Jesus is greater than Abraham
• VII The New Covenant (in and through Jesus) is
  superior to the Old Covenant (through Moses)
• VIII The heavenly Tabernacle is greater than the
  earthly Tabernacle.
• IX The sacrifice of Jesus is of far greater
  worth than the OT sacrifices

66
Exhortation 4 A Summary Exhortation

• Exhortation 1 Pay attention Heb 21-18
• Exhortation 2 Do not turn back. Persevere
  Heb 36-413
• Exhortation 3 Grow up. Become mature Heb
  511-620
• Exhortation 4 Summary exhortation. Hebrews
  1019-1229

67
Salad time!

• 1022 Let us draw near to God
• 1023 Let us hold to our confession of hope
  without wavering
• 1024 Let us be concerned about one another and
  encourage one another toward love and good deeds
• 1025 Let us not stop meeting together.
• 1025 Let us encourage one another.

68
Hebrews 1026-31 The Horror of Sin

• hekousis deliberate, habitual, willful
• Deuteronomy 172-7 How much more we.
• Deuteronomy 3235 Vengeance of God
• Romans 1219 Vengeance on our part?

69
Falling Away Hebrews 1026-31

• Crucifying the Son of God all over again.
• Subjecting Jesus to public disgrace
• Trampling the Son of God under foot. (Heb 1029)
• Insulted the Holy Spirit (Heb 1029)
• Blasphemed (spoken against) the Holy Spirit (Matt
  1232)
• Committed the unforgivable sin (1 John 516 )
• What is the unforgivable sin? To willfully,
  deliberately continue in sin. (Hebrews 1026)

70
Hebrews 11 Heroes of the FaithThe key to
perseverence is faith

• Hebrews 111, 116 Definition of faith
• Faith is believing the facts of the Bible.
• Faith is trusting the promises of the Bible.
• Faith is obeying the commands in the Bible.
• Heb 111 Faith is being certain of what we do
  not see.
• It requires that we deny our senses.

71
Why were these men and women commended by God?

• They refused what the world calls greatness and
  staked everything on God.
• They chose what is unseen rather than what is
  seen.
• Lesson In many ways, our worst enemy is success
  and prosperity. What the world seeks is what
  will destroy everything that is important.
• Example Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego Daniel
  Ch. 3

72
By Faith.

• By faith Abel gave a better sacrifice.
• By faith Enoch pleased God.
• By faith Noah built the ark, condemned the world
  and saved his family.
• By faith Abraham left everything behind.
• By faith Abraham became the father of many
  nations.
• By faith Abraham offered up his one and only son.
• By faith Moses gave up worldly success and
  fortune.
• By faith Moses saved Israel.
• By faith the walls of Jericho fell.
• By faith ordinary people did great things for God.

73
Those of whom the world was not worthy

• Hebrews 1113 Still living by faith (not by
  sight) when they died.
• xenoi foriegners, aliens, strangers, refugees
  in this world.
• parepidemos sojourners, temporary residents,
  green card holders, people who do not put down
  roots.
• Lived by faith despite never seeing the promise
  fulfilled.
• Therefore, God is not ashamed to call them his.

74
More Men and Women of Faith

• Shut the mouths of lions Daniel.
• Quenched the fury of the flames Shadrach,
  Meshach and Abednego
• Escaped the edge of the sword Elijah
• Women received back their dead Elijah (1 Kings
  1717) and Elisha (2 Kings 48
• Stoned Zechariah (2 Chron 2420-22)
• Sawn in two Isaiah (Jewish legend)
• Put to death by the sword (1 and 2 Maccabees)
• None of them received what was promised in their
  lifetimes. None!!!

75
Hebrews Ch. 12 If They Can Do It, So Can We

• Throw off what hinders sin! (v. 1)
• What are you unwilling ot throw off?
• Run with perseverence (v. 1)
• Keep your eyes on the goal in heaven with Jesus.
  (v. 2)
• Look at Jesus (and the cloud of faithful
  witnesses) (v. 2-3)
• The pioneer, trail blazer, archegos.
• The perfector, completer, race-finisher, teleios.
• Despise the shame of the cross (v. 4)
• Accept hardship as discipline from a loving
  father/God. (v. 5-11)
• Live at peace with all men, and do not let
  bitterness take root in your life. (v. 14-17).
• Do not harbor any sineven a small one. Be
  holy (v. 14)

76
Attitudes Toward Discipline are Important

• Accept it with resignation.
• Accept it and get it over with as soon as
  possible.
• Accept it with a woe is me attitude.
• Accept it but think of it as punishment.
• Accept it as it is discipline given reluctantly
  by a loving Father who cares about you.

77
Esau A prefigure of Those Who Sell Out to the
World

• Genesis 2527-33.
• Esau sold his birthright (as first son) for a
  bowl of lentil stew.
• What will you sell your birthright for? Is it
  worth it?
• Later, Esau could not repent, even though he
  wanted to.
• A stern warning against falling away.

78
The Mountain of the LordA Summary of the Whole
Argument

• Blazing fire, darkness, gloom, blast of a
  trumpet. Do not touch the mountain. (Hebrews
  1218-21)
• Terror!
• Exodus 19. The giving of the Law to Moses at Mt.
  Sinai
• Not for us!
• For us Mt. Zion. The heavenly Jerusalem. The
  assembly of the first-born (Jacob, not Esau).
  God. Jesus. The New Covenant. Heb 1222-24)
• We have come to a kingdom which cannot be shaken
  (1225-27)

79
Heb 1228 Summary of the summary.

• Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that
  cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so
  worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
  for our God is a consuming fire.

80
Hebrews 13 Final Exhortations

• Brotherly love Heb 131
• 2. Hospitality Heb 132
• 3. Sympathy for those in trouble. Heb 133
• 4. Sexual purity Heb 13 4
• 5. Christian contentment. Heb 135-6
• 6. Respect for spiritual leaders and the mature.
  Heb 137-8, 17
• -Golden Rule Membership Judges 51

81

• Julian the apostate. (332-363)
• Atheism (i.e. Christian faith) has been
  specially advanced through the loving service
  rendered to strangers, and through their care for
  the burial of the dead. It is a scandal that
  there is not a single Jew who is a beggar, and
  that the godless Galileans care not only for
  their own poor but for ours as well while those
  who belong to us look in vain for the help that
  we should render them.

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Hebrews, Perseverence and Predestination

• Hebrews and Falling Away.
• Scriptures which point toward Perseverence/Once
  Saved Always Saved.
• History of the doctrine of Predestination.
• Arguments for Predestination.
• The biblical doctrine of Predestination.
• Assurance of Salvation in Hebrews.

84
Hebrews and Falling Away

• They shall never enter my rest 311, 45
• We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly
  to the end the confidence we had at first. 314
• They were not able to enter because of their
  unbelief 319
• Be careful not to be found to have fallen short
  of it. 41
• Some did not go in because of their obedience
  46
• Let us make every effort to enter that rest so
  that no one will fall by following their example
  of disobedience 411
• Do you get the point?

85
Hebrews 64-6 Who is he talking to?

• a. been enlightened (NT church enlightened
  baptized)
• b. tasted the heavenly gift (salvation?)
• c. shared in the Holy Spirit
• d. tasted the goodness of the word
• e. tasted the coming age (saved)
• Yes, you can fall away! Conclusion You had
  better move on toward maturity in Christ.

86
Hebrews 64-8

• It is impossible if they fall away, to be
  brought back to repentance.
• They are crucifying the Son of God all over
  again.
• Land that produces thorns will be burned.

87
Falling Away Hebrews 1026-31

• Crucifying the Son of God all over again.
• Subjecting Jesus to public disgrace
• Trampling the Son of God under foot. (Heb 1029)
• Insulted the Holy Spirit (Heb 1029)
• Blasphemed (spoken against) the Holy Spirit (Matt
  1232)
• Committed the unforgivable sin (1 John 516 )
• What is the unforgivable sin? To willfully,
  deliberately continue in sin. (Hebrews 1026)

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Falling Away

• Crucifying the Son of God all over again.
• Subjecting Jesus to public disgrace
• Trampling the Son of God under foot. (Heb 1029)
• Insulted the Holy Spirit (Heb 1029)
• Blasphemed (spoken against) the Holy Spirit (Matt
  1232)
• Committed the unforgivable sin (1 John 516)
• What is the unforgivable sin? To willfully,
  deliberately continue in sin. (Hebrews 1026)

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Question Do you believe in Predestination?
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History of the doctrine of predestination.

• Augustine of Hippo AD 354-430 The City of God
• Martin Luther (1483-1546) an Augustinian monk.
• Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) Reformed Churches.
• John Calvin (1509-1564) Institutes of the
  Christian Religion
• A profound belief in the sovereignty of God
• Double Predestination and TULIP

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Sin, Redemption, Salvation

• Augustine!!!!!
• The City of God Soveriegnty
• Total depravity
• Monoergism (only God)
• Predestination
• Original Sin
• Infant baptism required for salvation
• Sacramentalism
• Transubstantiation
• City and State
• Opposed Donatists

Augustine of Hippo (from 6th century)
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Augustine Evil and Free Will

• About Augustine Evil arises from the
  corruption of a nature which is essentially good.
  What is called evil is good corrupted if it
  were not corrupted it would be wholly good but
  even when it is corrupted, it is good in so far
  as it remains a natural thing, and bad only in so
  far as it is corrupted.
• A mans free will avails for nothing except to
  sin.

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Pelagius AD c. 354-430
Works Salvation? Affirmed the existence of free
will. Evil is not born with us, and we are
procreated without fault. Rejected infant
baptism. Taught that we become holy through our
own effort? More troubling Since perfection is
possible for man, it is obligatory.
94
Julian of Eclanum

• You ie. Augustine think that your Lord is
  capable of committing a crime against justice
  such as is hardly conceivable even among the
  barbarians.

95

• Q What is the nature of the Fall of mankind?
  What happened in the garden?
• Puritans In Adams fall we sinned all.
• Romans 512-19 What death is this in v. 12

96
Thomas Aquinas 1225-1274 Aristotle Revelation by
reason Scholasticism Arguments for existence of
God Natural Theology Summa Theologica
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Thomas Aquinas God, therefore, is the first
cause, who moves causes both natural and
voluntary. And just as by moving natural causes
He does not prevent their actions from being
natural, so by moving voluntary causes He does
not deprive their actions of being voluntary but
rather is He the cause of this very thing in
them, for He operates in each thing according to
his own nature. In other words, Aquinas
believed in free will and not a strict monergism.
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Martin Luther 1483-1541 Augustinian Monk Faith
Alone Grace Alone Scripture Alone Predestination
99
Martin Luther Away with James His authority is
not great enough to cause me to abandon the
doctrine of faith alone and to deviate from the
authority of the other apostles and the entire
Scripture. St. James epistle is really an
epistle of straw, compared to these others
(Romans, Galatians, John) for it has nothing of
the nature of the gospel about it.
100
Ulrich Zwingli 1484-1531 Opposed baptismal
regeneration Double Predestination Reformed
Theology Those individuals who end up damned
forever in hell are also eternally determined by
God for that fate.
101
John Calvin 1509-1564 Institutes of Christian
Religion His emphasis the sovereignty of
God TULIP
102
TULIP

• Total depravity
• Unconditional election
• Limited atonement
• Irresistable grace
• Perseverence of the saint (once saved, always
  saved)

103
Jacob Arminius (1560-1609) Opposed Reformed
idea of predestination. Are we Arminians?
104
Jonathan Edwards A Sinner in the Hands of an
Angry God. How do we know we are of the elect?
105
1800s America Predestination LightOnce Saved,
Always Saved

• Preservation of the Saints
• Believers Prayer.
• Once God saves you, in is impossible to lose your
  salvation, no matter what.

106

• Q Scriptures which appear to support the
  doctrine of predestination?
• Is a believer in this false doctrine lost?
• Q Scriptures which prove free will and refute
  predestination?

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Predestination?

• Romans 828-30
• Romans 831-39 Nothing can separate us (except
  we ourselves because we
• 
  have free will)
• John 1027-29 No one can snatch them out of my
  hands
• Romans 910-21 (read v. 14-18)

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The Biblical Doctrine of Predestination

• First of all, man had free will!!!
• It is Gods sovereign will that we have free will
  because he loves us.
• Deut 3019-20
• Joshua 2415
• Ezekiel 1819-20
• All of Hebrews.
• God predestined all of us to be saved (but he
  does not force anyone)
• Very rarely, God intervenes in history to bring
  about his will, but even then, he does not,
  ultimately steal anyones free will.

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Gods Assurance Hebrews 69-20
Two unchangeable things Gods Word Gods Oath
(Genesis 2216-18) Jesus, your anchor, is behind
the veil with the Father
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Gods Assurance Hebrews 1019-23
We have confidence to enter the Most Holy
Place Let us draw near to God in full assurance
of faith. For he who promised is
faithful. Hebrews 1035-36 Do not throw away
your confidence it will be richly rewarded. You
will receive what he has promised.