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Introduction
to Hebrews
This summary of the book of Hebrews provides information about the
title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a
brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Hebrews.
The writer of this letter does not identify himself, but he was
obviously well known to the original recipients. Though for some 1,200 years
(from c. a.d. 400 to 1600) the book was commonly called "The Epistle of
Paul to the Hebrews," there was no agreement in the earliest centuries
regarding its authorship. Since the Reformation it has been widely recognized
that Paul could not have been the writer. There is no disharmony between the
teaching of Hebrews and that of Paul's letters, but the specific emphases and
writing styles are markedly different. Contrary to Paul's usual practice, the
author of Hebrews nowhere identifies himself in the letter -- except to
indicate that he was a man (see note on 11:32). Moreover, the statement "This
salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those
who heard him" (2:3), indicates that the author had neither been
with Jesus during his earthly ministry nor received special revelation directly
from the risen Lord, as had Paul (Gal 1:11-12).
The earliest suggestion of authorship is found in Tertullian's De Pudicitia, 20 (c. 200),
in which he quotes from "an epistle to the Hebrews under the name of
Barnabas." From the letter itself it is clear that the writer must have
had authority in the apostolic church and was an intellectual Hebrew Christian
well versed in the OT. Barnabas meets these requirements. He was a Jew of the
priestly tribe of Levi (Ac 4:36) who became a close friend of Paul after
the latter's conversion. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the church at
Antioch commissioned Barnabas and Paul for the work of evangelism and sent them
off on the first missionary journey (Ac 13:1-4).
The other leading candidate for authorship is Apollos, whose name
was first suggested by Martin Luther and who is favored by many interpreters
today. Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, was also a Jewish Christian with
notable intellectual and oratorical abilities. Luke tells us that "he was
a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures" (Ac
18:24). We also know that Apollos was associated with Paul in the
early years of the church in Corinth (1Co 1:12; 3:4-6,22).
One thing is evident: The author was a master of the Greek language
of his day, and he was thoroughly acquainted with the pre-Christian Greek
translation of the OT (the Septuagint), which he regularly quotes.
Hebrews must have been written before the destruction of Jerusalem
and the temple in a.d. 70 because: (1) If it had been written after this date,
the author surely would have mentioned the temple's destruction and the end of
the Jewish sacrificial system; and (2) the author consistently uses the Greek
present tense when speaking of the temple and the priestly activities connected
with it (see 5:1-3; 7:23,27; 8:3-5; 9:6-9,13,25; 10:1,3-4,8,11; 13:10-11).
The letter was addressed primarily to Jewish converts who were
familiar with the OT and who were being tempted to revert to Judaism or to
Judaize the gospel (cf. Gal 2:14). Some have suggested that these
professing Jewish Christians were thinking of merging with a Jewish sect, such
as the one at Qumran near the Dead Sea. It has also been suggested that the
recipients were from the "large number of priests who became obedient to
the faith" (Ac 6:7).
The theme of Hebrews is the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of
Jesus Christ as revealer and as mediator of God's grace. The prologue (1:1-4) presents Christ as God's full and final
revelation, far surpassing the revelation given in the OT. The prophecies and
promises of the OT are fulfilled in the "new covenant" (or "new
testament"), of which Christ is the mediator. From the OT itself, Christ
is shown to be superior to the ancient prophets, to angels, to Moses (the
mediator of the former covenant) and to Aaron and the priestly succession
descended from him. Hebrews could be called "the book of better
things" since the two Greek words for "better" and
"superior" occur 15 times in the letter. A striking feature of this
presentation of the gospel is the unique manner in which the author employs
expositions of eight specific passages of the OT Scriptures:
Practical applications of this theme are given throughout the
book. The readers are told that there can be no turning back to or continuation
in the old Jewish system, which has been superseded by the unique priesthood of
Christ. God's people must now look only to him, whose atoning death,
resurrection and ascension have opened the way into the true, heavenly
sanctuary of God's presence. To "ignore such a great salvation" (2:3)
or to give up the pursuit of holiness (12:10,14) is to face the anger of the
"living God" (10:31). Five times the author weaves into his
presentation of the gospel stern warnings (see note on 2:1-4) and reminds his readers of the divine
judgment that came on the rebellious generation of Israelites in the desert.
Hebrews is commonly referred to as a letter, though it does not
have the typical form of a letter. It ends like a letter (13:22-25) but begins more like an essay or
sermon (1:1-4). The author does not identify himself or
those addressed, which letter writers normally did. And he offers no manner of
greeting, such as is usually found at the beginning of ancient letters. Rather,
he begins with a magnificent statement about Jesus Christ. He calls his work a "word
of exhortation" (13:22), the conventional designation given a
sermon in a synagogue service (see Ac
13:15, where "message of encouragement" translates the
same Greek words as "word of exhortation"). Like a sermon, Hebrews is
full of encouragement, exhortations and stern warnings. It is likely that the
author used sermonic materials and sent them out in a modified letter form.
I.
Prologue: The Superiority of God's New Revelation (1:1-4)
III. The Superior
Sacrificial Work of Our High Priest (8:1;10:18)
IV.
A Call to Follow Jesus Faithfully and with Perseverance (10:19;12:29)
V.
Conclusion (ch.
13)
──《New
International Version》
Introduction to Hebrews
This epistle shows Christ as the end,
foundation, body, and truth of the figures of the law, which of themselves were
no virtue for the soul. The great truth set forth in this epistle is that Jesus
of Nazareth is the true God. The unconverted Jews used many arguments to draw
their converted brethren from the Christian faith. They represented the law of
Moses as superior to the Christian dispensation, and spoke against every thing
connected with the Saviour. The apostle, therefore, shows the superiority of
Jesus of Nazareth, as the Son of God, and the benefits from his sufferings and
death as the sacrifice for sin, so that the Christian religion is much more
excellent and perfect than that of Moses. And the principal design seems to be,
to bring the converted Hebrews forward in the knowledge of the gospel, and thus
to establish them in the Christian faith, and to prevent their turning from it,
against which they are earnestly warned. But while it contains many things
suitable to the Hebrews of early times, it also contains many which can never
cease to interest the church of God; for the knowledge of Jesus Christ is the
very marrow and kernel of all the Scriptures. The ceremonial law is full of
Christ, and all the gospel is full of Christ; the blessed lines of both
Testaments meet in Him; and how they both agree and sweetly unite in Jesus
Christ, is the chief object of the epistle to the Hebrews to discover.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Hebrews》
Hebrews General Review
INTRODUCTION
1. The Epistle to the Hebrews is a unique book in the New Testament... a. It begins as an "essay" - He 1:1-2 b. It progresses as a "sermon" - He 2:1-4 c. It ends as a "letter" - He 13:23-25 2. Its contents are deep and challenging... a. Many Christians find it difficult b. Some equate its difficulty with the book of Revelation 3. But for Christians who are willing to take the time to read and reflect upon it... a. They are REMINDED of how blessed they are to have trusted in Christ b. They are IMPRESSED with the superiority of Christ and His New Covenant over Moses and the Old Covenant c. They are WARNED of the danger of apostasy and the need for steadfastness in their faith 4. With this lesson, I wish to begin a series of expository sermons based upon this epistle... a. Yet just as one should not begin a journey without some idea of where they are going b. So it is beneficial to begin with a preview of this epistle, that we might have an idea... 1) Of where we are headed 2) And what we can expect to find [Such a "preview" or introduction would naturally include some information on...] I. THE BACKGROUND TO THE EPISTLE
A. THE AUTHOR... 1. The author does not identify himself 2. Many believe it to be the apostle Paul (e.g., Clement of Alexandria a. This seems unlikely in view of the author's statement: "...was confirmed to us by those who heard Him," - He 2:3 b. For Paul declared that he had not received the gospel from or through men - Ga 1:11-12 c. Yet there are many arguments which favor Paul as the author (cf. New Testament Commentary on Hebrews, Robert Milligan, pp. 5-19) 3. Other names have been proposed over the years: a. Barnabas (suggested by Tertullian) b. Apollos (suggested by Luther) c. Priscilla (suggested by Harnack) -- In the end, we can only say with Origen, "But who wrote the epistle, to be sure, only God knows."
B. THE RECIPIENTS... 1. The general consensus is that this letter was written to Jewish Christians 2. But there is uncertainty as to where they and the author were at the time of composition a. Most believe the recipients were in Palestine author in Rome b. Others suggest the readers were in Rome elsewhere, based upon a possible implication in He 13:24 -- In any case, they were Jewish Christians whom the author knew personally - cf. He 10:34; 13:19 C. THE DATE OF WRITING... 1. We know it was prior to 96 A .D., for Clement of Rome quotes from Hebrews in his letter written at that time 2. There are certainly strong implications that it was written prior to 70 A .D. a. There is no mention of the destruction of Jerusalem temple b. The author writes as though priests were still offering sacrifices - He 8:4; 10:11 3. If the Jewish Christians were in Palestine before or at the beginning of the Jewish Wars (ca.66-70 A .D.), in light of He 12:4 -- The time frame of 63-65 A .D. is often suggested D. THE PURPOSE OF THIS EPISTLE... 1. To prevent his readers from abandoning their faith in Christ - cf. He 2:1-4 2. To encourage his Jewish brethren not to go back to the Old Law a. By showing the superiority of Christ and His Covenant - cf. He 8:1-2,6 b. A key word found throughout the epistle is "better" 1) Christ is "better than the angels" - He 1:4 2) We enjoy "the bringing in of a better hope" - He 7:19 3) Jesus has become "the surety of a better covenant" - He 7:22 4) He is also "the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises" - He 8:6 5) The heavenly things benefit from "better sacrifices" - He 9:23 -- Indeed, the purpose of this epistle was to exhort his readers - He 13:22 [With this background to the epistle, let's continue our brief surveyof the book by noticing...] II. THE MAIN DIVISIONS OF THE EPISTLE
A. THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST - He 1:1-8:6 1. Better than the prophets, as a much better Spokesman - He 1:1-3
2. Better than the angels, by virtue of His Deity and humanity - He 1:4-2:18 3. Better than Moses, for He is the Son who provides a heavenly rest - He 3:1-4:13 4. Better than Aaron, as His priesthood is a superior one - He4:16-8:6
B. THE SUPERIORITY OF THE NEW COVENANT - He 8:7-10:18 1. For it is based upon better promises - He 8:7-13 2. For it is based upon a better sanctuary - He 9:1-28 3. For it is based upon a better sacrifice - He 10:1-18 C. EXHORTATIONS DRAWN FROM THIS SUPERIORITY - He 10:19-13:25 1. To draw near to God and hold fast - He 10:19-39 2. To run the race of faith with endurance - He 11:1-12:29 3. Miscellaneous exhortations - He 13:1-25 [A unique feature of "The Epistle To The Hebrews" are the warningsthroughout the book. As we conclude this introduction, perhaps it maybe profitable to summarize...] III. THE KEY WARNINGS IN THE EPISTLE
A. THE WARNING AGAINST DRIFTING - He 2:1-4 1. Through neglect we can easily drift away 2. The solution is to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard B. THE WARNING AGAINST DEPARTING - He 3:12-15 1. Through sin's deceitfulness we can become hardened and develop a lack of faith by which we can depart from the living God 2. The solution is exhort one another daily and remain steadfast C. THE WARNING AGAINST DISOBEDIENCE - He 4:11-13 1. Like Israel through disobedience 2. The solution is diligence and heeding the Word of God D. THE WARNING AGAINST DULLNESS - He 5:11-6:6 1. Dullness of hearing can make it difficult for us to appreciate the extent of our blessings in Christ, and even falling away to the point of crucifying the Son of God afresh! 2. The solution is grasping the first principles of the oracles of God, and then pressing on to spiritual maturity and perfection E. THE WARNING AGAINST DESPISING - He 10:26-39 1. It is possible to so despise God's grace as to no longer have a sacrifice for sins, but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment 2. The solution is to hold unto our confidence in Christ, and believe with endurance F. THE WARNING AGAINST DEFYING - He 12:14-29 1. It is possible to refuse to listen to the One who now speaks from heaven! 2. The solution is to look diligently to the grace of God, receiving it in such a way so we may serve Him acceptably with reverence and godly fear CONCLUSION
1. With such warnings, this book is indeed a "word of exhortation"! - He 13:22 2. As we proceed through the book in the coming lessons, it will be my intent... a. To REMIND you of how blessed we are to have trusted in Christ b. To IMPRESS you with the superiority of Christ and His New Covenant over Moses and the Old Covenant c. To WARN you of the real danger of apostasy and the need for steadfastness in our faith My task will be easy if I am faithful in letting the book speak for itself. That is my hope and prayer...
－－《Executable
Outlines》
OUTLINE
I. The culminating revelation of
God chs. 1—2
A.
The agent of God's final revelation 一1~4
B.
The superiority of the Son 一5~14
C.
The danger of negligence (the first warning) 二1~4
D.
The humiliation and glory of God's Son 二5~9
E.
The Son's solidarity with humanity 二10~18
II. The high priestly character of
the Son 三1—五10
A.
The faithfulness of the Son 三1~6
B.
The danger of disbelief (the second warning) 三7~19
C.
The possibility of rest for God's people 四1~14
D.
The compassion of the Son 四15—五10
III. The high priestly office of
the Son 五11—十39
A.
The danger of immaturity (the third warning) 五11—六12
1.
The readers' condition 五11~14
2.
The needed remedy 六1~3
3.
The dreadful alternative 六4~8
4.
The encouraging prospect 六9~12
B.
The basis for confidence and steadfastness 六13~20
C.
The Son's high priestly ministry 七1—十18
1.
The person of our high priest ch. 7
2.
The work of our high priest chs. 8—9
3.
The accomplishment of our high priest 十1~18
D.
The danger of willful sinning (the fourth warning) 十19~39
1.
The threefold admonition 十19~25
2.
The warning of judgment 十26~31
3.
The encouragement to persevere 十32~39
IV. The proper response 1一1—1二13
A.
Perseverance in faith ch. 11
1.
Faith in the antediluvian era 1一1~7
2.
Faith in the patriarchal era 1一8~22
3.
Faith in the Mosaic era 1一23~31
4.
Faith in subsequent eras 1一32~40
B.
Demonstrating necessary endurance 1二1~13
1.
The example of Jesus 1二1~3
2.
The proper view of trials 1二4~11
3.
The need for greater strength 1二12~13
V. Life in a hostile world 1二14—1三25
A.
The danger of unresponsiveness (the fifth warning) 1二14~29
1.
The goal of peace 1二14~17
2.
The superiority of the New Covenant 1二18~24
3.
The consequences of apostasy 1二25~29
B.
Life within the church ch. 13
1.
Pastoral reminders 1三1~21
2.
Personal explanations 1三22~25
── Dr. Thomas L. Constable《Notes on Hebrews》