Search The Scriptures —Study 17 — Hebrews 12:1-17

Study 17 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 12:1-17

1.      Verses 1-4. What quality does the Christian race particularly demand?  What conditions must be fulfilled if it is to be run successfully? How may I gain the help I need to finish my course?

2.     Verses 5-11. For what purpose does God in His providence order some of the earthly experiences to His children?  What goal has He in view for us? Upon what kind of response from us foes our full enjoyment of benefit depend?

3.     Verses 12-17.  What dangers beset those who are spiritually slack and careless? How may a whole group be affected by one renegade? What practical steps to avoid these dangers are here (either explicitly or implicitly) given?

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Search The Scriptures —Study 16 —Hebrews 11:23-40

Study 16 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 11:23-40

1.      Verses 23-28. Note how Moses’ faith gave him the twofold awareness and assurance emphasized in verse 1.  What choices did such faith lead him to make (a) concerning the world in which he had grown up, and (b) concerning the cost of siding with the Israelites? How ought similar faith to affect my attitude towards the interests to which I choose to devote my life?

2.     Verses 28-31. What different steps and stages of faith and its expression are illustrated by these four instances? What kind of faith did the capture of Jericho demand? Cf. 3:14; 6:11, 12; 10:35, 36. Is my faith at all weak in this last quality?

3.     Verse 32-40.  These verses give a summary of the achievements and the sufferings of the men and women of faith. Note that the victories are of all kinds; and that the most outstanding witness is given by the ‘martyrs’ who suffered and died rather than deny their faith.  In what ways am I more privileged than they? Would I be ready to follow their example, or does their faith put mine to shame?

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Search The Scriptures —Study 15 —Hebrews 11:1-22

Study 15 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 11:1-22

1.      Faith deals with things unseen and things future, and, in particular, with the living God and His faithful doing (verses 1, 6). It is sure of the present reality of the one, and of the coming fulfilment of the other. Notice in detail how these characteristics of faith were exhibited in the lives of the individuals here mentioned.  What does this teach me I need to covet if my life is to please God?

2.     Verses 7-16.  To what should faith in God take heed, and what does its full expression involve? Where is the crowning fulfilment of its hopes to be enjoyed? How should such awareness affect my present outlook, action, and attitude to life?

3.     Verses 17-19. What apparent contradiction was involved (as Abraham at first saw it) between God’s promise and God’s command concerning Isaac? How did Abraham’s faith in God triumph over this test, and what new hope did Abraham have in God?

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Search The Scriptures —Study 14 — Hebrews 10:19-39

Study 14 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 10:19-39

Having finished his doctrinal exposition, the writer proceeds to give practical counsel for the life we are to live under the new covenant.

1.      Verses 19-25.  How are we here exhorted to give expression to our faith, hope and love?  Seek in your own life to discern ways in which these exhortations demand your obedience.

2.     Verses 26-39.  For those who have God-given light concerning the way of salvation, what is the only alternative to going on with God? Why are its consequences so serious? On what grounds does the writer here expect, and appeal for, the best from his readers?

Notes

1.      Verse 22. As the high priest and his sons at their consecration for service in the earthly sanctuary were washed with water and sprinkled with the blood of sacrifice (Ex. 29: 4, 21), so we in  ‘heart’ and ‘body’ (that is, inwardly and outwardly, in our whole being) have been  ‘sanctified’ by Christ’s sacrifice.

2.     Verses 26, 29.  The writer has in mind deliberate and persistent apostasy—self-chosen denial and defiance of both the Son of God and the Spirit of grace. The closing words of verse 26 mean that no second atoning sacrifice is provided for those who reject the sacrifice of Christ and His sanctifying blood.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 13 —Hebrews 10:1-18

Study 13 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 10:1-18

1.      Write down as many contrasts as you can find between the sacrifices of the Tabernacle and the sacrifice offered by Christ. Why did the latter succeed where the former failed?

2.     What consequences of Christ’s sacrifice (a) are enjoyed by Him, and (b) can be enjoyed by us?

3.     To what truths does the Holy Spirit bear witness in the Old Testament passages which are here quoted?

Notes

1.      Verses 5-9. The truth emphasized here is that a moral act of personal obedience has superseded ritual ceremonies, which in themselves had no inherent worth.  They were only ‘a shadow of the good things to come’ (verse 1).

2.     Verses 1, 10, 14. ‘Perfected’ and ‘sanctified’:  the meaning is that by Christ’s one sacrifice we are brought for ever into a perfect, unalterable relationship of acceptance with God and consecration to His service. No further offering for sin is necessary (verse 18).

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Search The Scriptures —Study 12 — Hebrews 9:15-28

Study 12 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 9:15-28  

1.      Verses 15-23.  What are the reasons why Christ’s death was necessary? Of what benefits can we be sure because it has occurred?

2.     Verses 24-28. What differences are here indicated between what the Jewish high priest did an what Christ has done? What are the consequences of Christ’s one sacrifice of Himself? How can it affect what happens to us when this life is over?

Note. Verses 15-22.  According to ancient practice covenants were sealed in blood, by the symbolic introduction of the death of the parties making it.  Also, once a transgression of a covenant obligation had been committed, death became necessary for a second reason, to pay the penalty of such failure.  So, ‘without the shedding of blood there is not forgiveness of sins’.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 11 —Hebrews 9:1-15

Study 11 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 9:1-15

1.      Verses 1-10. In what respects did the earthly sanctuary and its ceremonies come short, and for what reasons?

2.     Verses 11-15. In what ways is the ministry which Christ fulfilled superior to, and more effective than, the Levitical ceremonies?  List its far-reaching consequences.

Notes

1.      Verse 9.  “Perfect the conscience’: i.e free it from guilt and defilement, or ‘purify’ it (verse 14).

2.      Verse 12. The Greek does not say that Christ took blood into God’s presence, like the Levitical high priest took blood into the inner shrine (verse 6). Rather He entered ‘through’ His own blood, i.e., on the ground of His death or shed blood.  For by this the veil had been rent which shut men out.  Cf. Mk. 15: 37, 38; Heb. 10:19-22

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Search The Scriptures —Study 10 —Hebrews 8

Study 10 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 8

1.      Verses 1-6.  Jews were used to seeing Levitical priests fulfil their ministry in an earthly sanctuary.  As Christian they needed to appreciate that Christ’s ministry in different and ‘much more excellent’ (verse 6). In what ways is this true? What is the significance of His being already seated at the right hand of God’s throne (verse 1)?  Cf. 10:10-14; 4:14-16; Eph. 4:8.

2.     Verses 7-13.  Why did the first covenant fail? Was there anything wrong with it? In contrast to it, in what ways does the new covenant meet our need, give us ‘better promises’ (verse 6), and make success certain?

Note.  Verse 10-12.  Experimental progress into the enjoyment of the blessings of the new covenant is best appreciated from the bottom to the top as (a) forgiveness of sins, (b) personal knowledge of the Lord, (C) covenant relation to Him, (d) the indwelling Spirit turning the external restraint of the law into an internal constraint to do God’s will.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 9 — Hebrews 7:15-28

Study 9 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 7:15-28

1.      Verses 15-25.  What are the distinctive differences between the Levitical and

the Melchizedek order of priesthood – in qualification for office, in continuance in office and in efficacy? In relations to Christ’s office what is added by God’s oath?

2.     Verses 23-28. How do these verses show that in Jesus we have a Perfect High Priest, and that He perfectly meets the sinner’s need? In What ways is He unique both in Person and work?

Note.  Verse 25. ‘For all time’: the Greek phrase means ‘to the uttermost’ both of time and of degree: ‘completely’.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 8—Hebrews 7:1-14

Study 8 From The Book of Hebrews Is: Hebrews 7:1-14

1.   Verses 1:10. On what grounds is Melchizedek said to be greater than Abraham and consequently superior to the Levitical priesthood? By what the scriptural record both does and does not tell us about him, in what ways is Melchizedek made to resemble the Son of God?

2.   Verses 11-14. Why could not Jesus possibly be a priest after the order of Aaron? What does the promise in the Old Testament of a new order of priesthood (see Ps. 110:4) imply concerning the existing Levitical priesthood? If the priesthood is changed, what must inevitably be changed as well?

Notes

1.   Verse 1. ‘This Melchizedek, king…priest’: among the Israelites these two offices were never held by the same person.

2.   Verse 2 ‘First…righteousness, and then … peace’: Is. 32:17.

3.   Verses 12.  The priesthood was so fundamental to the old covenant between God and His people, that any change in the order of priesthood must of necessity involve a change in the whole constitution; i.e., it implies nothing less than an accompanying new, and indeed better, covenant. See 7:22.

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