Search The Scriptures —Study 7— Hebrews 6:9-20

Study 7 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 6:9-20

1.   Verses 9-12. What gives the writer confidence concerning his readers’ final salvation?  In what ways does he desire to see improvement in their Christian living? Examine yourself to see in which of these characteristics you are strong or weak.

2.   Verses 13-20. If we have made Christ our refuge, what three unshakable grounds of assurance have we that our confidence and hope will not disappoint us? In what ways is Jesus Himself like an anchor? What benefits does He guarantee?

Notes

1.   Verses 10-12. Note the mention of love, hope and faith. Cf. 1 Thes. 1:3; 5:8

2.   Verse 12. ‘Sluggish’: 5:11 the same Greek adjective is translated ‘dull’. Other renderings are ‘lazy’ or ‘slothful’.

3.   Verse 11, 12. ‘Until the end’; … and patience.’ This is an emphasis typical of this letter. Cf. 3:14; 6:15; 10:35, 36.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 6—Hebrews 5:11 – 6:8

Warning Against Falling Away

Study 6 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 5:11 – 6:8

1.     5:11-14. What is he writer’s complaint about his readers? What does he imply are the conditions of spiritual growth? By these standards, considering how long I have been a Christian, by this time what ought I to be?

2.   6:1-8.  What teaching constitutes the foundation of the gospel? See Acts 2:38; 20:21; 26:18. What reason is given here for not laying this foundation again?  What were the only possibilities now open to such people?

Notes

1.   5:11. As the writer is about to begin his exposition of the Melchizedek priesthood of Christ, he is arrested by a sense of the difficulty of expounding it to those who have become spiritually so dull of hearing.

2.   5:14. Note the practical evidence of maturity.  Cf. Is. 7:16.

3.   6:4-8.  To understand these verses, compare the writer’s earlier reference to the Israelites in the wilderness.  It was impossible for Moses to take them back into Egypt, and to bring them out through the Passover and the Red Sea a second time.  Either they must go on with God and enter in, or come under God’s judgment, and be finally shut out. See 3:10-12.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 5— Hebrews 4:14 – 5:10

Study 5 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 4:14 – 5:10

1.   4:14-16.  What truths concerning our Christian High Priest are we here exhorted to confess, and what consequents privileges open to our enjoyment are we here exhorted fully to possess?

2.   5:1-10.  What qualifications for high priesthood are set forth in verses 1:4?  How are these possessed by Christ as a higher level and a fuller way than could ever be true of a Levitical priest? What benefit can He consequently make ours, and on what condition?

Notes

1.   The order of treatment in 5:1-4 is reversed in 5:5-10.  The three points dealt with are (a) function, (b) understanding sympathy, (c) appointment to office.

2.   5:3. Every Jewish high priest was ‘bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins’.  Contrast 4:15. Jesus was sinless.

3.   5:7-9.  These verses give an amazing insight into our Lord’s true humanity and earthly humility.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 4 — Hebrews 3:7 – 4:13

    

Study 4 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 3:7 – 4:13

1.    3:7-4:2. What is the danger against which we are here warned?  Why were the Israelites overtaken by it in the wilderness? How may we avoid similar disaster?

2.    4:1-13. In what ways does God use His Word in His dealing with us? What promise of His still stands open for our enjoyment? What are the conditions of obtaining its fulfilment in our experience? Can any avoid having dealing with Him? 

Note. 3:12, 13; 4:1.  In each of these verses an exhortation is addressed in the plural to the many, exhorting them all to take care lest any single one of their number fall away.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 3 — Hebrews 3:1-6

Study 3 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 3:1-6

1.    Verses 1, 6.  Christians are here described as those who confess Christ and respond to His call.  If these activities are to be fully meaningful, we must ‘consider Jesus’s as our apostle and high priest. What, then can Christ do for us, and what does He demand from us as (a) our Apostle, and (b) our High Priest?

2.    Verses 2-5.  Find three ways in these verses in which Christ is said to excel Moses.

Notes

1.    Verse 1. As ‘Apostle’ Jesus was sent from God to men to revel; as ‘High Priest” He offered Himself for men to God to redeem and to reconcile. C.f. 1:1, 2a, 3b; 2:3, 17; 4:14; 5:1; 8:1.

2.    Verses 2-6. ‘God’s house’: this refers to God’s people or household, not to the Tabernacle or Temple.  Now it is we Christians who are God’s house. Our heavenly calling makes us ‘holy brethren’ in God’s family (verse 1).

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Search The Scriptures —Study 2— Hebrews 2

Study 2 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 2

1.    Verses 1-4.  Why ought we to ‘pay the closer attention to what we have heard’ (verse 1)?  Sort out the reasons here stated. Against what practical dangers is this warning directed?

2.    What, according to the Scriptures (e.g., Ps. 8), is man’s divinely intended destiny? How do we here see God’s purpose for man being brought to its fulfilment? What path did the Son of God have to tread to make it possible for sinful men to share in this fulfilment? What, in consequence, can He now do for us?

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Search The Scriptures —Study 1— Hebrews 1

Study 1 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 1 

1.    Verses 1:4. List the statements made about Christ in verses 2 and what ways is He greater than prophets and angels

2.    How do the scriptures quoted in verses 5:14 confirm the statement of verse 4?  Define for yourself the ways in which what God says of Christ is different from what He says of angels.

Notes

1.    The emphasis laid upon Christ’s superiority to angels, which to us seems obvious, is explained by the fact that, to the Jews, one of the chief glories of the Old Testament revelation was that it was given through angels.  See 2:2.

2.    Verse 7.  Angels are created beings; they are God’s servants; and their form and appearance suffer change and transformation at God’s pleasure.  Contrast the royal dominion and unchanging being of the Son (verses 8-12).

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