The Letter To Hebews

[Odë:hgöd]

.
● Heb 3:5-6 . . Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what
would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we
are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

A portion of the Jews today are not God's house even though they're Moses' people.
(Hos 1:9) but they can become God's house if they switch from Moses to Jesus and
not drift away.

The "hope" of which we boast isn't a cross-your-fingers hope. The Greek word
pertains to anticipation; defined by Webster's as expectation; which for God's
people means looking forward to resurrection into their homeland free from foreign
domination, and blessed with peace, prosperity, and long life. (Isa 11:1-16, Isa
65:17-25, Heb 11:8-10)

The average Gentile doesn't know what to expect. Most are wishing for the best,
while in the back of their mind dreading the worst, viz: God's people have a solid
future to look forward to, whereas the average Gentile has nothing solid to look
forward to.

● Hos 1:10-11 . .Yet the time will come when Israel will prosper and become a
great nation. In that day its people will be like the sands of the seashore--too many
to count! Then, at the place where they were told: "You are not my people" it will
be said,: "You are children of the living God." Then the people of Judah and Israel
will unite under one leader, and they will return from exile together. What a day
that will be-- the day of Jezreel --when God will again plant his people in his land.

* As we progress farther and farther in the letter to Hebrews, and discover even
more about The Son; warnings for resisting him become ever more severe; for
example:

● Heb 3:7-11 …So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not
harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the
desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.
That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always
going astray, and they have not known my ways.' So I declared on oath in my
anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'"

Whe Moses' people realized their mistake, they changed their minds and decided to
get with the program, but it was too late.

● Heb 3:12-14 ...See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving
heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long
as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
We have come to share in Messiah if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we
had at first.

If the repercussions were serious when the Jews ignored angels, and were serious
when they ignored Moses, then just think how much more serious the repercussions
will be for toughening their resolve and ignoring God's son; especially now that they
have been made aware that The Son is in charge of God's house and of the entire
world of the future.

● Heb 3:15-19 …As has just been said: "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden
your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Who were they who heard and rebelled?
Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was He angry for
forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And
to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who
disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief

From the divine perspective: God didn't ask the people to take a leap of faith, so to
speak. He had proven Himself both capable and reliable by means of a variety of
miracles in Egypt, along with the parting of the Red Sea and the subsequent
drowning of Pharaoh and his army. The people had no sensible reason to doubt
they could conquer Canaan with God on their side.

God promised them the land. It was theirs, and all they had to do was move in and
begin taking it away from the local inhabitants. And He promised them they would
win. But no; they listened to the scouts and balked. They didn't listen to God, nor
did they even listen to Moses when he tried to urge them to saddle up and get
going.

Today, God is making available to His, and their, best religious leader: the prophet,
whom Moses foretold in Deut 18:15-19. If they would but let the Son take charge
and manage their future, they are certain to succeed. But whoever ignores him,
and goes off in some other direction like their ancestors, following someone else
and/or some other ideology; then I'm afraid there's nothing for them to expect but
loss.
_

 

[Eleanor]

duplicate

 

[Eleanor]

.
● Heb 3:5-6 . . Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what
would be said in the future.

What is this testimony of the future? That God would send a prophet like Moses?

But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we
are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
A portion of the Jews today are not God's house even though they're Moses' people.

Moses was a servant. They are Abraham's people.

(Hos 1:9) but they can become God's house if they switch from Moses to Jesus and
not drift away.

The issue here is not "Moses' people," the issue is unbelief.

The "hope" of which we boast isn't a cross-your-fingers hope. The Greek word
pertains to anticipation; defined by Webster's as expectation; which for God's
people means looking forward to resurrection into their homeland free from foreign
domination, and blessed with peace, prosperity, and long life. (Isa 11:1-16, Isa
65:17-25, Heb 11:8-10)

That homeland being the heavenly land (Heb 11:13-16).

The average Gentile doesn't know what to expect. Most are wishing for the best,
while in the back of their mind dreading the worst, viz: God's people have a solid
future to look forward to, whereas the average Gentile has nothing solid to look
forward to.

That solid future being the heavenly land (Heb 11:13-16), not earthly land.

● Hos 1:10-11 . .Yet the time will come when Israel will prosper and become a
great nation. In that day its people will be like the sands of the seashore--too many
to count! Then, at the place where they were told: "You are not my people" it will
be said,: "You are children of the living God." Then the people of Judah and Israel
will unite under one leader, and they will return from exile together. What a day
that will be-- the day of Jezreel --when God will again plant his people in his land.

That promise was fulfilled under Nehemiah and Ezra, when the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt,
the Temple was rebuilt and the people re-dedicated themselves to God with rejoicing that could
be heard afar.

* As we progress farther and farther in the letter to Hebrews, and discover even
more about The Son; warnings for resisting him become ever more severe; for
example:

Those warnings are addressed to those NT Hebrews who were considering a return to Judaism.

● Heb 3:7-11 …So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not
harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the
desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.
That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always
going astray, and they have not known my ways.' So I declared on oath in my
anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'"

A warning to these NT Hebrews not to make the mistake Israel made in Nu 14 when they refused to go
into the promised land because of unbelief, for which they were denied that Canaan rest from their enemies
and died in the wilderness.

Whe Moses' people realized their mistake, they changed their minds and decided to
get with the program, but it was too late.

The price of their rebellion was death in the wilderness.

COLOR=red]●[/COLOR] Heb 3:12-14 ...See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving
heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long
as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
We have come to share in Messiah if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we
had at first.

A warning not to apostasize from the gospel.

If the repercussions were serious when the Jews ignored angels, and were serious
when they ignored Moses, then just think how much more serious the repercussions
will be for toughening their resolve and ignoring God's son; especially now that they
have been made aware that The Son is in charge of God's house and of the entire
world of the future.
● Heb 3:15-19 …As has just been said: "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden
your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Who were they who heard and rebelled?
Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was He angry for
forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And
to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who
disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief

In Nu 14 they were cut off because of unbelief, and if they fail today to enter into
salvation rest in Jesus Christ, rest from their own work to save and in Jesus' work
which saves, they will likewise be cut off again.

From the divine perspective: God didn't ask the people to take a leap of faith, so to
speak. He had proven Himself both capable and reliable by means of a variety of
miracles in Egypt, along with the parting of the Red Sea and the subsequent
drowning of Pharaoh and his army. The people had no sensible reason to doubt
they could conquer Canaan with God on their side.

That is the unbelief that condemned them to die in the wilderness and against which the
writer is warning those NT Hebrews.

God promised them the land. It was theirs, and all they had to do was move in and
begin taking it away from the local inhabitants. And He promised them they would
win. But no; they listened to the scouts and balked. They didn't listen to God, nor
did they even listen to Moses when he tried to urge them to saddle up and get
going.
Today, God is making available to His, and their, best religious leader: the prophet,
whom Moses foretold in Deut 18:15-19. If they would but let the Son take charge
and manage their future, they are certain to succeed.

It's not about a successful earthly future, it's about salvation from the wrath of God on sin.
It's not their physical future that is on the line, it is their eternal destiny that is on the line.

But whoever ignores him, and goes off in some other direction like their ancestors,
following someone else and/or some other ideology;

It's not about ideology, it's about saving faith in Jesus Christ, or eternal damnation.

then I'm afraid there's nothing for them to expect but loss.

And that would be loss of eternal life.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
There's a number of sabbaths in Scripture, e.g. the routine week-end, plus the first
and final days of the seven-day Feast Of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:5-8), Yom
Kippur (Lev 16:29-31) the Feast of Trumpets (Lev 23:23-25) and the first and
eighth day of the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles. (Lev 23:34-36)

The word "sabbath" is sometimes construed to indicate a quantity equal to seven
and/or the numeral 7, but it really only means intermission, i.e. a pause; for
example in music when the performers encounter a rest symbol on the page, it
indicates a specified moment of silence.

Here in the fourth chapter of the letter to Hebrews, two sabbaths are in view; the
Lord's creation rest (Gen 2:1-3) and the Jews' promised-land rest.

● Heb 4:1 …Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be
careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

The promised land was supposed to provide a rest for God's people, but only on
condition that they take it when Moses gave them orders to advance. Had they
acted on Moses' orders right then, in a timely manner, then they would've entered
into a rest that God had prepared for them, which apparently was off the table
when Joshua was in command. (Heb 4:8)

What we're getting at here is a window of opportunity that Jews should not take for
granted will always be available to them if and/or whenever they choose-- on their
own terms --to take advantage of it.

● Heb 4:2 . . For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but
the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not
combine it with faith.

That's a little misleading. In the phrase "the gospel preached" the article the isn't in
the Greek text but was inserted by editors because they thought it might improve
readability. It actually reads nearer to this: "For we also have had gospel preached
to us, just as they did."

We can enhance it even more by rendering the literal meaning of the Greek in that
whole phrase so that it reads this way: "For we are having good news preached [to
us], even as those also."

The good news that Moses preached to his people concerned the original Israel;
which was once described as a land of milk and honey: apparently a figure of
speech in that day depicting regions of very high quality in matters related to
agriculture, fresh water, weather, and forest products. It was to be the Jews'
homeland in very favorable conditions that they have yet to experience due to the
fact that their degree of confidence in both God and Moses was unsatisfactory.

Today, in our time, they are again hearing a gospel message pertaining to the
promised land, but again, it is of no value to many of them because their degree of
confidence in God and His son Jesus is unsatisfactory; so of course they are in
danger of missing the boat all over again just as their ancestors did. In other
words; the land of milk and honey is still an option for them, but for a limited time
only. In other words: this is an opportunity that they have to take while it's on the
table, instead of wanting to take when it's off the table.

NOTE: Were I to pick one of the four New Testament gospels just for the Jews, it
wold be Matthew's because so much in it pertains to them and their homeland.
_

 

[Eleanor]

There's a number of sabbaths in Scripture, e.g. the routine week-end, plus the first
and final days of the seven-day Feast Of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:5-8), Yom
Kippur (Lev 16:29-31) the Feast of Trumpets (Lev 23:23-25) and the first and
eighth day of the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles. (Lev 23:34-36)
The word "sabbath" is sometimes construed to indicate a quantity equal to seven
and/or the numeral 7, but it really only means intermission, i.e. a pause; for
example in music when the performers encounter a rest symbol on the page, it
indicates a specified moment of silence.

Here in the fourth chapter of the letter to Hebrews, two sabbaths are in view; the
Lord's creation rest (Gen 2:1-3) and the Jews' promised-land rest.

A third Sabbath of the NT is also presented.

● Heb 4:1 …Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be
careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

The promised land was supposed to provide a rest for God's people, but only on
condition that they take it when Moses gave them orders to advance. Had they
acted on Moses' orders right then, in a timely manner, then they would've entered
into a rest that God had prepared for them, which apparently was off the table
when Joshua was in command. (Heb 4:8)

What we're getting at here is a window of opportunity that Jews should not take for
granted will always be available to them if and/or whenever they choose-- on their
own terms --to take advantage of it.

What we're getting at is the second of five warnings (the first being 2:1-4) in regard to these NT Hebrews
considering an apostasy from the gospel, a warning to not fail in entering into the NT salvation rest in Jesus
Christ, rest from their own works to save, and in Jesus' work which saves.

● Heb 4:2 . . For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but
the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not
combine it with faith.

That's a little misleading. In the phrase "the gospel preached" the article the isn't in
the Greek text but was inserted by editors because they thought it might improve
readability. It actually reads nearer to this: "For we also have had gospel preached
to us, just as they did."

The point being that these NT Hebrews have had the gospel preached to them just as
the OT Hebrews did, but who failed to believe God's promise regarding the land and rebelled
against going into the rest of the promised land because of unbelief.

We can enhance it even more by rendering the literal meaning of the Greek in that
whole phrase so that it reads this way: "For we are having good news preached [to
us], even as those also."

The good news that Moses preached to his people concerned the original Israel;
which was once described as a land of milk and honey: apparently a figure of
speech in that day depicting regions of very high quality in matters related to
agriculture, fresh water, weather, and forest products. It was to be the Jews'
homeland in very favorable conditions that they have yet to experience due to the
fact that their degree of confidence in both God and Moses was unsatisfactory.

What a euphemism!

The OT Hebrews refused to believe God's promise regarding the land and refused to
go in; i.e., rebellion, sin, disobedience (4:16-18), for which God in his anger shut the doors
of Canaan to that whole generation, and they died in the wilderness,

Today, in our time,

"Today" is apostolic times of the new church.

they are again hearing a gospel message pertaining to the
promised land, but again, it is of no value to many of them because their degree of
confidence in God and His son Jesus is unsatisfactory;

More euphemism.

They are again hearing the gospel message of God's promised rest in salvation in Jesus
Christ, and are in danger of being shut out of salvation rest because of unbelief as their
ancestors were shut out of Canaan for unbelief.

so of course they are in danger of missing the boat all over again just as their ancestors did.

And the "boat they are missing" is salvation in Jesus Christ.

In other words; the land of milk and honey is still an option for them, but for a limited time
only. In other words: this is an opportunity that they have to take while it's on the
table, instead of wanting to take when it's off the table.

NOTE: Were I to pick one of the four New Testament gospels just for the Jews, it
wold be Matthew's because so much in it pertains to them and their homeland.
_

The book of Matthew is not about the homeland of the Jews. It is about Jesus' ministry in Galilee and Judea.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
● Heb 4:3-6 …Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So
I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" And yet his work
has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken
about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all
his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my
rest." It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had
[good news] preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.

Seeing as how God has never yet picked up where He left off on the sixth day, then
I think it safe to assume that had Moses' people gone into the promised land when
he and God wanted them to, then their occupation of that land would've been
permanent, i.e. never would they be evicted from it and never would a foreign
power take control of it.

● Heb 4:7-9 …Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long
time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his
voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would
not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for
the people of God;

That particular sabbath rest is relative to the seventh day of the creation story.
Well; for sure the Jews' history has well-proven that Joshua didn't lead them into
the promised land under circumstances similar to God's perpetual rest. They've
been invaded, conquered, and displaced on more than one occasion. The land itself
has undergone cycles of drought and famine. And even today, much of Israel is
unproductive badlands. In other words: that area is in need of some serious
restoration in order to make it bountiful once again. And the people need relief from
the constant fear of war and economic disaster.

● Heb 4:10-11 . . for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work,
just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so
that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Well; the Jews of today are very busy doing their level best to restore Israel to its
former glory, but thus far their efforts haven't produced results anywhere near
equal to what God has in mind for them because it's their own work instead of His.

The smart Jews are joining up with Y'shua because they sincerely believe his
administration will succeed where others have failed. The Old Testament tells of a
future theocratic kingdom in Israel wherein a tremendous amount of peace and
prosperity will be established.

● Heb 4:12-13 . . For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is
hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of
him to whom we must give account.

I think we're being told that the word of God is not only very thorough, but also
very serious about what it says. And that the Jews would be mistaken to assume
it's just more of the same idle rhetoric to which they're accustomed that has no
honest intention of fulfillment.
_

 

[Eleanor]

.
● Heb 4:3-6 …Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So
I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" And yet his work
has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken
about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all
his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my
rest." It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had
[good news] preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.

According to Ps 95:7-8, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God after Meriba.

Seeing as how God has never yet picked up where He left off on the sixth day, then
I think it safe to assume that had Moses' people gone into the promised land when
he and God wanted them to, then their occupation of that land would've been
permanent, i.e. never would they be evicted from it and never would a foreign
power take control of it.

Assumption.
The generation that rebelled suffered the judgment for their disobedience;
i.e., death in the wilderness. Those that did not disobey would not have been punished
for the disobedience of their ancestors. They were not evicted for the sin of their fathers.
They were evicted for their own sin of idolatry.

● Heb 4:7-9 …Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long
time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his
voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would
not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for
the people of God;

Which is the NT Sabbath rest in Jesus Christ, from their own works to save, and in
Jesus' completed work which saves.

That particular sabbath rest is relative to the seventh day of the creation story.
Well; for sure the Jews' history has well-proven that Joshua didn't lead them into
the promised land under circumstances similar to God's perpetual rest. They've
been invaded, conquered, and displaced on more than one occasion. The land itself
has undergone cycles of drought and famine. And even today, much of Israel is
unproductive badlands. In other words: that area is in need of some serious
restoration in order to make it bountiful once again. And the people need relief from
the constant fear of war and economic disaster.

● Heb 4:10-11 . . for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work,
just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so
that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Warning to those NT Hebrews not to fail to enter into gospel rest and fall by disobedience
to the gospel as their ancestors fell by disobedience to enter Canaan rest.

Well; the Jews of today are very busy doing their level best to restore Israel to its
former glory, but thus far their efforts haven't produced results anywhere near
equal to what God has in mind for them because it's their own work instead of His.

The smart Jews are joining up with Y'shua because they sincerely believe his
administration will succeed where others have failed. The Old Testament tells of a
future theocratic kingdom in Israel wherein a tremendous amount of peace and
prosperity will be established.

The rest being dealt with here is not that of an earthly kingdom. It is the gospel rest in
Jesus Christ, from our own works to save, and in his completed work which saves.

● Heb 4:12-13 . . For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is
hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of
him to whom we must give account.

Two powerful motives not to fail to enter salvation rest in Jesus Christ:
1) not to make the mistake of their ancestors, and
2) from the help and power of the word of God to strengthen their faith and enable them to obey God in
their gospel salvation.

I think we're being told that the word of God is not only very thorough, but also
very serious about what it says. And that the Jews would be mistaken to assume
it's just more of the same idle rhetoric to which they're accustomed that has no
honest intention of fulfillment.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
● Heb 4:14-16 . .Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we
profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--
yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with frankness, so
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

For going on 2,000 years now the Jews haven't had a high priest on earth to
represent them before God-- and the so-called Wailing Wall is a very poor
substitute. However; there is one in Heaven standing by --so to speak --to hear
their prayers and speak for them directly to God.

Now the thing is: the Jews' high priest in Heaven despises rote. So they would be
wise to put their prayer books away in storage and voice their concerns from the
heart with free, candid, forthright, and sincere expression because frankness
stresses lack of shyness or secretiveness or of evasiveness from considerations of
tact or expedience; ergo: frankness implies transparency, i.e. unbridled freedom of
speech and the liberty to speak your mind without fear of ridicule, shame, disgrace,
retribution, or retaliation, viz: with Messiah on the job, the Jews may speak to
Heaven just as we'd speak with their wives and/or their best friends, like this:

"Come now, let us argue this out-- says The Lord. No matter how deep the stain of
your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if
you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool." (Isa 1:18)

That promise is just as good today as it was back in Isaiah's day due to Messiah's
unselfish handling of his countrymen's sins.

"He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are
healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;
and The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa 53:5-6)

● Heb 5:1 . . Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to
represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

The high priest's function is primarily to represent mankind's best interests in
matters related to God, especially in the arena of reconciliation. And he must be a
human being. No angels are allowed to hold that job because they cannot relate to
human beings any more than human beings can relate to an oak tree or a
dandelion.

● Heb 5:2-3 . . He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going
astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer
sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

The Aaronic priesthood is/was staffed by mortal flesh and blood men who struggled
with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune the same as everybody else. That
helped to make them approachable instead of untouchable, i.e. they could "feel"
their fellow Jews, so to speak.
_

 

[Eleanor]

.
● Heb 4:14-16 . .Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we
profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--
yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with frankness, so
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

For going on 2,000 years now the Jews haven't had a high priest on earth to
represent them before God-- and the so-called Wailing Wall is a very poor
substitute. However; there is one in Heaven standing by --so to speak --to hear
their prayers and speak for them directly to God.

Jesus is neither High Priest nor Mediator for anyone who does not believe in him.

Now the thing is: the Jews' high priest in Heaven despises rote. So they would be
wise to put their prayer books away in storage and voice their concerns from the
heart with free, candid, forthright, and sincere expression because frankness
stresses lack of shyness or secretiveness or of evasiveness from considerations of
tact or expedience; ergo: frankness implies transparency, i.e. unbridled freedom of
speech and the liberty to speak your mind without fear of ridicule, shame, disgrace,
retribution, or retaliation, viz: with Messiah on the job, the Jews may speak to
Heaven just as we'd speak with their wives and/or their best friends,

According to NT apostolic teaching, neither unbelieving Gentiles nor unbelieving Jews have
a High Priest in heaven.
However, both believing Gentiles and believing Jews do have a High Priest in heaven.

like this:
"Come now, let us argue this out-- says The Lord. No matter how deep the stain of
your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if
you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool." (Isa 1:18)

According to NT apostolic teaching, the time for removal of the stain of sin ends with physical death.
There is no removal of the penalty for sin for unbelieving Jews of the last 2,000 years, just as
there is no removal of the penalty for the sin of unbelieving Gentiles for the last 2,000 years.
All are on the same footing with God in the NT. Salvation is only by faith in Jesus Christ.

That promise is just as good today as it was back in Isaiah's day due to Messiah's
unselfish handling of his countrymen's sins.

According to NT apostolic teaching, his deceased unbelieving countrymen's sins of the last
2,000 years were not paid for and God's condemnation remains on them for all eternity, just
as it does on the unbelieving Gentiles of the same time period.

"He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are
healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;
and The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa 53:5-6)

None of which is available to any who do not believe in and trust on Jesus Christ, whether they
be Gentile or Jew.

● Heb 5:1 . . Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to
represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

That is, for the sins of faithful believers, not for the sins of unbelievers, either Gentile or Jew.

The high priest's function is primarily to represent mankind's best interests in
matters related to God, especially in the arena of reconciliation. And he must be a
human being. No angels are allowed to hold that job because they cannot relate to
human beings any more than human beings can relate to an oak tree or a
dandelion.

He must be a human being to atone for the sin of his brethren.
And the HIgh Priest's function is to represent the people of God, not all mankind, before God.

● Heb 5:2-3 . . He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going
astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer
sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

The Aaronic priesthood is/was staffed by mortal flesh and blood men who struggled
with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune the same as everybody else. That
helped to make them approachable instead of untouchable, i.e. they could "feel"
their fellow Jews, so to speak._

Lots of contra-new covenant teaching in your presentation.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
● Heb 5:4 . . No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just
as Aaron was.

That is extremely important to note. The office of high priest isn't a career choice.
It's a closely regulated appointment personally supervised by Almighty God himself.
This is one of His pet projects and heaven forbid that any man should pursue a
personal ambition to become a high priest merely because he decides to go for it.
The office of high priest is staffed by draftees, not by volunteers. The candidate
must be recruited-- handpicked by the Almighty Himself.

● Heb 5:5-6 . . So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a
high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your
Father." And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek.

The Greek word translated "order" pertains to succession, but not particularly by
means of genealogy, i.e. the position isn't inherited from father to son.

For example; the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God specifies that
Israel's high priests have to be one of Aaron's biological descendants; no
exceptions.

"You shall make Aaron and his sons responsible for observing their priestly duties;
and any outsider who encroaches shall be put to death." (Num 3:10)

Not so with Melchizedek. He was a nondescript Gentile from the land of Canaan,
viz: his position was neither tribal nor was it inherited.

● Heb 5:7-8 . . During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and
petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and
he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he
learned obedience from what he suffered.

Although Jesus is a son by birth-- i.e. his filial relationship to God is intrinsic rather
than either bestowed or granted --his position as a son in the priesthood was a gift.
In other words; priests are sons of God in a different way than a son of God via
posterity. (e.g. Psalm 82).

The wording of the passage suggests Jesus was disobedient until such a time as he
learned to be obedient. That's a bit misleading since the Bible clearly says he never
disobeyed God (John 8:29, Heb 4:15, Heb 7:26-28, 1Pet 2:22). No; what God's son
learned, from first-hand experience, is what everybody else has known all along
even from the days of Adam-- it is very difficult to be faithful to God as a human
being.

That's what makes God's son such a good high priest. He didn't live a sheltered life
up in heaven's gardens, nor come down here as an angel-- aloof, insulated, and
indifferent to the plight of mortals. No, he came down here, not only among the
Jews, but as one of the Jews, and got a good taste of the world from his personal
experiences as a Jewish man.

● Heb 5:9 . . and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for
all who obey him. . .

Wasn't Jesus perfect already? Yes, his piety was flawless; but he wasn't perfectly
suitable for the position of a high priest without he first went around the block a
time or two, so to speak.

● Heb 5:10 . . Called of God an high priest; after the order of Melchizedek.

The Greek word translated "called" pertains to addressing folk. In this case,
addressing them in a manner that includes their title in an official capacity, e.g.
judge, counselor, president, senator, chief, district attorney, principal, etc. In other
words "high priest" is Jesus' official God-given title in his capacity as mediator
between God and Man.

* We must never forget that Jesus is a high priest similar to Melchizedek so as not
to make the mistake of thinking he's picking up where Aaron's left off. In point of
fact, Aaron's line still has quite a bit of time left on its clock. (Jer 33:17-18, Mal
3:2-4)
_

 

[Eleanor]

● Heb 5:4 . . No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just
as Aaron was.
That is extremely important to note. The office of high priest isn't a career choice.
It's a closely regulated appointment personally supervised by Almighty God himself.
This is one of His pet projects and heaven forbid that any man should pursue a
personal ambition to become a high priest merely because he decides to go for it.
The office of high priest is staffed by draftees, not by volunteers. The candidate
must be recruited-- handpicked by the Almighty Himself.
● Heb 5:5-6 . . So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a
high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your
Father." And he says in another place, "You are a priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek.
The Greek word translated "order" pertains to succession, but not particularly by
means of genealogy, i.e. the position isn't inherited from father to son.
For example; the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God specifies that
Israel's high priests have to be one of Aaron's biological descendants; no
exceptions.
"You shall make Aaron and his sons responsible for observing their priestly duties;
and any outsider who encroaches shall be put to death." (Num 3:10)

Not so with Melchizedek. He was a nondescript Gentile from the land of Canaan,
viz: his position was neither tribal nor was it inherited.

Melchizedek was both king and priest, as is Jesus.

● Heb 5:7-8 . . During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and
petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and
he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he
learned obedience from what he suffered.

His humanity was made complete, perfect in suffering and on the basis of that perfection,
he could become the source of eternal salvation.

Although Jesus is a son by birth-- i.e. his filial relationship to God is intrinsic rather
than either bestowed or granted --his position as a son in the priesthood was a gift.
In other words; priests are sons of God in a different way than a son of God via
posterity. (e.g. Psalm 82).

Judges and rulers are appointed by God and are called Sons of God.

The wording of the passage suggests Jesus was disobedient until such a time as he
learned to be obedient. That's a bit misleading since the Bible clearly says he never
disobeyed God (John 8:29, Heb 4:15, Heb 7:26-28, 1Pet 2:22). No; what God's son
learned, from first-hand experience, is what everybody else has known all along
even from the days of Adam-- it is very difficult to be faithful to God as a human
being.

That's what makes God's son such a good high priest. He didn't live a sheltered life
up in heaven's gardens, nor come down here as an angel-- aloof, insulated, and
indifferent to the plight of mortals. No, he came down here, not only among the
Jews, but as one of the Jews, and got a good taste of the world from his personal
experiences as a Jewish man.

● Heb 5:9 . . and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for
all who obey him. . .

Wasn't Jesus perfect already? Yes, his piety was flawless; but he wasn't perfectly
suitable for the position of a high priest without he first went around the block a
time or two, so to speak.

He was perfected, completed as a human through suffering.

● Heb 5:10 . . Called of God an high priest; after the order of Melchizedek.

The Greek word translated "called" pertains to addressing folk. In this case,
addressing them in a manner that includes their title in an official capacity, e.g.
judge, counselor, president, senator, chief, district attorney, principal, etc. In other
words "high priest" is Jesus' official God-given title in his capacity as mediator
between God and Man.

* We must never forget that Jesus is a high priest similar to Melchizedek so as not
to make the mistake of thinking he's picking up where Aaron's left off. In point of
fact, Aaron's line still has quite a bit of time left on its clock. (Jer 33:17-18, Mal
3:2-4)_

The Mosaic law and Aaronic priesthood of the Old Covenant are all obsolete as is the
Old Covenant (Heb 8:13), they having fulfilled their purpose as shadows of the NT.

 

[EarlyActs]

.
● Heb 2:16 . . For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants.

We Gentiles should never, ever forget that the Son came into the world primarily
for Messiah's countrymen-- not for us. We are very fortunate to be allowed to tag
along and beg for handouts. Fortunately, God decreed that Messiah would benefit
us too.

● Isa 49:6 ...For He has said: “It is too little that you should be My servant in that I
raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the survivors of Israel: I will also make you
a light of nations, that My salvation may reach the ends of the earth.”

In that is fulfilled God's promise to Abraham per Gen 12:2-3, wherein is said:

"All peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

● Heb 2:17-18 . . For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way,
in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God,
and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself
suffered when he was tempted, he is competent to assist those who are being
tempted.

A high priest who lives a sheltered life, wouldn't be inclined to be sympathetic
towards the problems of everyday living encountered by his constituents. His
experience would be so limited that he couldn't identify with their struggles and
failures and certainly wouldn't be much of a shoulder to cry on.

Jesus wasn't like that. He lived on this planet in an insignificant town in the land of
Israel for +/- 30 years, right in the grit of real life and worked for a living with his
own hands in a blue collar trade. He wasn't insulated, secluded, and provided for in
some monastery, nor hidden away in the inner sanctum of a forbidden city.

Jesus knows what it's like to be depressed, to be low-income, to be unattractive,
and to be ignored and marginalized.

● Isa 53:2-3 . . He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his
appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a
man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their
faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

● Isa 53:4 . . Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we
considered him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.

Additionally, Jesus knows what it's like to live in a world of prejudice where much of
the globe would be quite pleased if every Jew on earth were exterminated.

The Jews just can't go wrong with a mediator standing in for them with God like
Jesus of Nazareth. The captain of their salvation is a Jewish man sensitive to their
weaknesses, and sympathizes with their lot in life. Not only that but he has even
taken upon himself the guilt of their sins and trespasses: and all with nary a
complaint or a protest.

● Isa 53:5-6 . . He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds
we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his
own way; and The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

● Isa 53:7 . . He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he
was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
_

I don’t accept the unequal status you just put on Gentiles. This is not in the NT. I think you are referring to the mission-launching phase , but even then the alien woman’s faith included her.

In the Seed, all the nations would be blessed is the banner line of the Bible.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
● Heb 5:11 . . of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have
become dull of hearing

Though the author of the letter to Hebrews was no doubt duty-bound and inspired
by God to write it, I can sense reluctance in his tone-- not because his audience
lacked enough IQ to keep up. No, nothing like that. The Greek word for "dull"
primarily means sluggish, i.e. lazy, slow, and/or indifferent, i.e. a lack of interest.
In other words, he knew that the recipients of his letter would likely be bored to
tears by this discussion of their Messiah's priesthood relative to Melchizedek's, and
would resist making an honest effort to understand it.

● Heb 5:12a . . In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need
someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again.

Less than 10% of the world's Jews today are Orthodox. The overwhelming majority
are secular, even in the country of Israel. That is tragic indeed. The Jews were
given the privilege of sacred guardians of the knowledge of God, and of being the
source of that knowledge to the Gentiles. But of late, Gentiles are actually doing a
much better job of disseminating that knowledge than Jews.

The author's Jewish audience actually had a very poor grasp of their own
Scriptures-- a.k.a. the Tanakh --if any grasp at all. They were old enough that they
should have been capable of teaching Gentiles but couldn't pull it off because they
just didn't know the Tanakh well enough themselves to do it. That condition
persists, so that this letter to the Hebrews is just as pertinent now as when the
author penned it.

● Heb 5:12b . .You need milk, not solid food!

Nobody starts out in life with tee-bone steaks and corn on the cob. It's a pretty
level playing field in that respect. Little children, the baby ones, don't have teeth,
so their diets consist mainly of liquid and/or mushy foods. But toothless babies are
not the end-all. It's a totally abnormal child who stays an infant and never grows
up.

● Heb 5:13-14 . . Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted
with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by
constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

In this case, distinguishing good from evil doesn't concern moral issues. No, it's the
experience we gain as growing children to know which foods are good for us and
which are not so good; e.g. adults are fully aware that it's not wise to attempt to
live on a diet consisting of only Doritos and French Fries. That could lead to serious
deficiencies; and put one's health at risk.

If kids were left to themselves, no doubt many of them would live on Animal
Crackers, Pop Corn, and Gummy Bears; and think nothing of it; plus kids don't read
labels. They only care how good something tastes rather than its ingredients.

The author's Jewish audience was just like kids in respect to knowing what foods
are good for them and what foods are not so good for them. Thus, their knowledge
of the Scriptures was so poor and inadequate as to be stunting their spiritual
growth like a malnourished child; and rendering them unable and/or unwilling to
work at understanding concepts appropriate for their age.

● Heb 6:1-3 . .Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go
on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to
death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the
resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.

The author's audience was no doubt already familiar with the basics; so any more
talk about that would just be re-inventing the wheel, so to speak, and serve no
useful purpose.

● Heb 6:3 . . And God permitting, we will do so.

Progress from this point on depends upon "God permitting" and with Jews; this
can't be taken for granted; for example:

"Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: You have seen all that The Lord did
before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his
land; the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders.
Yet to this day The Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor
ears to hear." (Deut 29:2-4)
_

 

[Eleanor]

● Heb 5:11 . . of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have
become dull of hearing

Though the author of the letter to Hebrews was no doubt duty-bound and inspired
by God to write it, I can sense reluctance in his tone-- not because his audience
lacked enough IQ to keep up. No, nothing like that. The Greek word for "dull"
primarily means sluggish, i.e. lazy, slow, and/or indifferent, i.e. a lack of interest.
In other words, he knew that the recipients of his letter would likely be bored to
tears by this discussion of their Messiah's priesthood relative to Melchizedek's, and
would resist making an honest effort to understand it.

Actually, this is the third warning against falling away to those Hebrew Christians who
were considering a return to Judaism.
The author had much to say about Christ's eternal priesthood "in the order of Melchizedek (v. 10),
but instead of progressing in the Christian life, the readers had become spiritually sluggish and
mentally lazy (6:12).

● Heb 5:12a . . In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need
someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again.

They were not recent converts. Having taken the first steps toward becoming mature
Christians, they had slipped back to where they started.

Less than 10% of the world's Jews today are Orthodox.

Orthodox Jews reject Jesus Christ.

The overwhelming majority are secular, even in the country of Israel. That is tragic indeed.

The tragedy is not that they are not Orthodox, who reject Jesus Christ.
The tragedy is that they are not Christian.

The Jews were given the privilege of sacred guardians of the knowledge of God, and of being the
source of that knowledge to the Gentiles. But of late, Gentiles are actually doing a much better job
of disseminating that knowledge than Jews.

It's not about knowledge of God, it's about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The author's Jewish audience actually had a very poor grasp of their own
Scriptures-- a.k.a. the Tanakh --if any grasp at all.

As is the case with you in grasping this epistle.

They were old enough that they should have been capable of teaching Gentiles but couldn't
pull it off because they just didn't know the Tanakh well enough themselves to do it. That condition
persists, so that this letter to the Hebrews is just as pertinent now as when the author penned it.

This NT epistle is not about the Tanakh, it is about the gospel!
What a misrepresentation of the text!

● Heb 5:12b . .You need milk, not solid food!

Solid food as in advanced teaching given in chp 7.

Nobody starts out in life with tee-bone steaks and corn on the cob. It's a pretty
level playing field in that respect. Little children, the baby ones, don't have teeth,
so their diets consist mainly of liquid and/or mushy foods. But toothless babies are
not the end-all. It's a totally abnormal child who stays an infant and never grows
up.
● Heb 5:13-14 . . Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted
with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by
constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

The mature are those who had progressed in spiritual life and had become Christians
of sound judgment and discernment, distinguishing good from evil, something neither
physical nor spiritual infants can do.

In this case, distinguishing good from evil doesn't concern moral issues. No, it's the
experience we gain as growing children to know which foods are good for us and
which are not so good; e.g. adults are fully aware that it's not wise to attempt to
live on a diet consisting of only Doritos and French Fries. That could lead to serious
deficiencies; and put one's health at risk.
If kids were left to themselves, no doubt many of them would live on Animal
Crackers, Pop Corn, and Gummy Bears; and think nothing of it; plus kids don't read
labels. They only care how good something tastes rather than its ingredients.
The author's Jewish audience was just like kids in respect to knowing what foods
are good for them and what foods are not so good for them. Thus, their knowledge
of the Scriptures was so poor and inadequate as to be stunting their spiritual
growth like a malnourished child; and rendering them unable and/or unwilling to
work at understanding concepts appropriate for their age.

Such as Christ's eternal priesthood "in the order of Melchizedek."

● Heb 6:1-3 . .Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go
on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to
death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the
resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.

Elementary teachings of Christ in 6:1-2, six fundamental doctrines.

The author's audience was no doubt already familiar with the basics; so any more
talk about that would just be re-inventing the wheel, so to speak, and serve no
useful purpose.
● Heb 6:3 . . And God permitting, we will do so.

A common expression of dependence on the will of God (1 Co 16:7). Only the Lord can
open minds and hearts and bring spiritual maturity.

Progress from this point on depends upon "God permitting" and with Jews; this
can't be taken for granted; for example:
"Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: You have seen all that The Lord did
before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his
land; the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders.
Yet to this day The Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor
ears to hear." (Deut 29:2-4)
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
● Heb 6:4-6 . . For it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who
have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted
the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall
away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying
the Son of God afresh and subjecting him to public disgrace.

We know that with God nothing is impossible. So, I think we have to acquiesce that
the impossibility spoken of here is so because God has made it His mission in life,
so to speak, to assure that folks blessed with the level of advantages spoken of are
never to be given an opportunity to reconsider-- ever!

● Heb 6:7-8a . . Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a
crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land
that produces thorns and thistles is worthless.

Perfectly good soil goes to waste no matter how much it's irrigated when farmers
fail to cultivate and seed it with useful crops like cereals, vegetables, and hays.
Noxious weeds and plants will soon take it over. That's just the course of nature;
and the will of God.

"Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the
days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you" (Gen 3:17-18)

Jews are potentially good soil; but if not careful, can become wild soil (Jer 4:3-4);
and the knowledge of God will fail to produced something useful in them. (cf. (Matt
13:3-9)

● Heb 6:8b . . and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Nothing grown on cursed soil is kept; it's all to be incinerated like so much yard
debris, i.e. a total loss. Instead of growing a field of dreams, that soil has grown a
field of disappointments. Jews in that condition are in very real danger of becoming
scorched earth.

● Heb 6:9 . . Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of
better things in your case-- things that accompany salvation.

The Greek word translated "salvation" basically means rescue and/or safety.
Salvation then, by definition, involves assistance seeing as how people in need of a
rescue are unable to pull themselves up off the ground by their own bootstraps, so
to speak.

A savior then, can be defined as one who rescues. We've all seen examples--
lifeguards, firemen, cops, emergency medical services, Coast Guard units, snow
patrols, and mountaineering teams. Rescue workers typically save people in
distress who are facing imminent death and/or grave danger and utterly helpless to
do anything about it.

There were saviors (a.k.a. deliverers) in the Old Testament that rescued the Jews
from a variety of dire straits (Neh 9:27) but Jesus Christ's ordeal on the cross is the
ultimate lifeline, so to speak, that God is all set to throw to anyone and everyone
for whom destiny in Hell is a foregone conclusion if only they have the good sense
to plead guilty and throw themselves on the mercy of the court by a simple, naive
prayer something like this one:

"God, I know I'm a sinner. I would like to take advantage of your son's death."

Does Jesus' Father honor those kinds of prayers? Well if His son's story of the tax
collector at Luke 18:9-14, and the account of the malefactor crucified along with
Jesus at Luke 23:38-43 are truthful indicators; then I can honestly, and confidently,
attest that He does, and He will.

NOTE: Just about everybody who's ever heard anything about Christianity is aware
that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, but what is often unknown is that it
was personal; as Isaiah 53:6 says: The Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall
on him.

In other words: the iniquity of each of us fell on him, i.e. any name we might pull
out of a hat-- including our own name --that one name is an individual for whom
Christ endured the cross; there are no exceptions.

"better things" likely refers to performance, viz: reacting to the knowledge of God
in ways that He can approve; thus avoiding the production of noxious weeds which
are subsequently put to the torch rather than harvested for food.
_

 

[Eleanor]

.
● Heb 6:4-6 . . For it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who
have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted
the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall
away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying
the Son of God afresh and subjecting him to public disgrace.

And here we have the fourth warning against apostasy to these new Hebrew Christians.
It's impossible to return because there will be no more enabling grace from God to do so.
And if they apostasize, they show they had never been regenerated in the first place (10:26-31).

We know that with God nothing is impossible. So, I think we have to acquiesce that
the impossibility spoken of here is so because God has made it His mission in life,
so to speak, to assure that folks blessed with the level of advantages spoken of are
never to be given an opportunity to reconsider-- ever!

● Heb 6:7-8a . . Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a
crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land
that produces thorns and thistles is worthless.

A short parable illustrating the warning just given (Jn 15:5-6, 2 Pe 2:20-22, 1 Jn 5:16).

Perfectly good soil goes to waste no matter how much it's irrigated when farmers
fail to cultivate and seed it with useful crops like cereals, vegetables, and hays.
Noxious weeds and plants will soon take it over. That's just the course of nature;
and the will of God.

"Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the
days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you" (Gen 3:17-18)

Jews are potentially good soil; but if not careful, can become wild soil (Jer 4:3-4);
and the knowledge of God will fail to produced something useful in them. (cf. (Matt
13:3-9)

● Heb 6:8b . . and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Nothing grown on cursed soil is kept; it's all to be incinerated like so much yard
debris, i.e. a total loss. Instead of growing a field of dreams, that soil has grown a
field of disappointments. Jews in that condition are in very real danger of becoming
scorched earth.

● Heb 6:9 . . Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of
better things in your case-- things that accompany salvation.

Although they may still be unsaved, God has been at work among them. Their
changed lives and works of love (v. 10) showed that some were regenerated and
saved.

The Greek word translated "salvation" basically means rescue and/or safety.
Salvation then, by definition, involves assistance seeing as how people in need of a
rescue are unable to pull themselves up off the ground by their own bootstraps, so
to speak.

A savior then, can be defined as one who rescues. We've all seen examples--
lifeguards, firemen, cops, emergency medical services, Coast Guard units, snow
patrols, and mountaineering teams. Rescue workers typically save people in
distress who are facing imminent death and/or grave danger and utterly helpless to
do anything about it.

There were saviors (a.k.a. deliverers) in the Old Testament that rescued the Jews
from a variety of dire straits (Neh 9:27) but Jesus Christ's ordeal on the cross is the
ultimate lifeline, so to speak, that God is all set to throw to anyone and everyone
for whom destiny in Hell is a foregone conclusion if only they have the good sense
to plead guilty and throw themselves on the mercy of the court by a simple, naive
prayer something like this one:

"God, I know I'm a sinner. I would like to take advantage of your son's death."

Does Jesus' Father honor those kinds of prayers? Well if His son's story of the tax
collector at Luke 18:9-14, and the account of the malefactor crucified along with
Jesus at Luke 23:38-43 are truthful indicators; then I can honestly, and confidently,
attest that He does, and He will.

NOTE: Just about everybody who's ever heard anything about Christianity is aware
that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, but what is often unknown is that it
was personal; as Isaiah 53:6 says: The Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall
on him.

In other words: the iniquity of each of us fell on him, i.e. any name we might pull
out of a hat-- including our own name --that one name is an individual for whom
Christ endured the cross; there are no exceptions.

"better things" likely refers to performance, viz: reacting to the knowledge of God
in ways that He can approve; thus avoiding the production of noxious weeds which
are subsequently put to the torch rather than harvested for food.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
● Heb 6:10 . . God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have
shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.

In some cities, many of the Jews in local synagogues were very hostile towards
Jesus and his Jewish followers-- far from inclined to be hospitable-- even actively
seeking their apprehension and execution.

The recipients of this letter to Hebrews were apparently very tolerant, and quite
accommodating. Maybe they didn't buy into Jesus themselves, but that wasn't
enough to make them cruel with their fellow Jews who did. God took notice of that;
and their kindness influenced His own attitude towards them.

● Heb 6:11-12 . .We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end,
in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to
imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

That word "lazy" is actually from the very same Greek word that was used back in
5:11 for "dull of hearing" (indifferent).

● Heb 6:13-15 . .When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one
greater for Him to swear by, He swore by Himself, saying, "I will surely bless you
and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received
what was promised.

The above incident took place in the 22nd chapter of Genesis wherein an event
called The Akedah (a.k.a. the offering of Isaac) took place.

Now, exactly who those "many descendants" would be is somewhat of a mystery
because it was thru Isaac that Abraham's holy progeny was produced. That being
the case, then Abraham never actually saw those many descendants in his lifetime;
and I really don't think he expected to.

However, that didn't prevent Abraham from resting assured that he would get those
descendants; which is a pretty good illustration of hope-- best defined not as
crossing one's fingers, rather, as anticipation, i.e. a looking forward to something
pleasant that you are confident is coming your way.

For example: the Bible speaks of resurrection. (Dan 12:2, Rom 8:23-25) I rest
assured that day is coming. I look forward to that day, and fully expect it.

* No doubt by now, quite a percentage of Abraham's many descendants have
joined him in the afterlife. So he may not have seen them during his lifetime, but
he's sure enough seeing them now.

● Heb 6:16 . . Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath
confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.

I wouldn't recommend doing business like that in America unless the oath was
notarized and signed. At least with an official oath, and a notarized signature, you
can hold people accountable for what they say.

Anyway, God's oath, witnessed by Abraham and his son Isaac, was recorded and
today is on public display in the 22nd chapter of Genesis for all the world to review;
and reads like this:

"The angel of The Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said: I
swear by myself-- declares The Lord --that because you have done this and have
not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.
Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through
your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

"All nations on earth" consists of a worldwide aggregate of both Jews and Gentiles.
_

 

[Eleanor]

● Heb 6:10 . . God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have
shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.
In some cities, many of the Jews in local synagogues were very hostile towards
Jesus and his Jewish followers-- far from inclined to be hospitable-- even actively
seeking their apprehension and execution.
The recipients of this letter to Hebrews were apparently very tolerant, and quite
accommodating. Maybe they didn't buy into Jesus themselves, but that wasn't
enough to make them cruel with their fellow Jews who did. God took notice of that;
and their kindness influenced His own attitude towards them.

● Heb 6:11-12 . .We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end,
in order to make your hope sure.

Perseverance in faith is an evidence of salvation.

We do not want you to become lazy, but to
imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

As seen in chp 11.

That word "lazy" is actually from the very same Greek word that was used back in
5:11 for "dull of hearing" (indifferent).

● Heb 6:13-15 . .When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one
greater for Him to swear by, He swore by Himself, saying, "I will surely bless you
and give you many descendants."

The promise was made with an oath to emphasize its unchangeability.

And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

It was 25 years before Abraham received the promised birth of his son.

The above incident took place in the 22nd chapter of Genesis wherein an event
called The Akedah (a.k.a. the offering of Isaac) took place.
Now, exactly who those "many descendants" would be is somewhat of a mystery
because it was thru Isaac that Abraham's holy progeny was produced. That being
the case, then Abraham never actually saw those many descendants in his lifetime;
and I really don't think he expected to.

However, that didn't prevent Abraham from resting assured that he would get those
descendants; which is a pretty good illustration of hope-- best defined not as
crossing one's fingers, rather, as anticipation, i.e. a looking forward to something
pleasant that you are confident is coming your way.

For example: the Bible speaks of resurrection. (Dan 12:2, Rom 8:23-25) I rest
assured that day is coming. I look forward to that day, and fully expect it.

* No doubt by now, quite a percentage of Abraham's many descendants have
joined him in the afterlife. So he may not have seen them during his lifetime, but
he's sure enough seeing them now.

● Heb 6:16 . . Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath
confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.

I wouldn't recommend doing business like that in America unless the oath was
notarized and signed. At least with an official oath, and a notarized signature, you
can hold people accountable for what they say.

Anyway, God's oath, witnessed by Abraham and his son Isaac, was recorded and
today is on public display in the 22nd chapter of Genesis for all the world to review;
and reads like this:

"The angel of The Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said: I
swear by myself-- declares The Lord --that because you have done this and have
not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.
Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through
your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

"All nations on earth" consists of a worldwide aggregate of both Jews and Gentiles.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
● Heb 6:17-18 . . Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his
purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an
oath.God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for
God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly
encouraged.

The oath wasn't only for Abraham's sake, but also all nations on earth that would
be blessed thru his offspring. They all, both Jew and Gentile alike, can rest assured
that the oath will be, and is being, fully implemented.

● Heb 6:19-20 . .We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It
enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us,
has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek.

Aaron's official garments included two onyx stones, one on each shoulder engraved
with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; six tribes on each stone (Ex 28:9-12).
Those stones, in essence, were the people of Israel. So, in effect then, Aaron's
constituents came inside the holy place with him every time he went beyond the
curtain.

In that vein, the Jews and Gentiles blessed by God's oath are represented before
Him in the person of Messiah; who is currently seated at God's right hand whereas
Moses' people, in the person of Aaron, weren't permitted to sit down. They were
allowed beyond the curtain for no longer than his priesthood's rituals required.

The difference in quality between Messiah's Melchizedekian priesthood, and Aaron's
Levitical priesthood, is really significant. The one allows its constituents only a brief
moment with God, whereas the other takes them into association with Him
permanently.

Most Christians readily attest that Jesus (a.k.a. Y'shua) is both God and Man, but
typically without knowing why he's God, nor knowing how he obtained divine
status. Well; the thing is; Jesus could not be a high priest seated at the right hand
of God in Heaven without divinity; so that had to be addressed.

● Heb 7:1-3 . .This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He
met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham
gave him a tenth of everything. . . .Without father or mother, without genealogy,
without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest
forever.

From a certain point of view, Mel is a self-existent eternal being, viz: there's no
record of his birth and there's no record of his death; indicating that priests
patterned after Melchizedek have to be men who were never born, and who have
yet to die.

Jesus is often claimed to be a self-existent eternal being right from his mother's
womb, but no, he wasn't. From the information we have to work with; Jesus was a
normal Jewish man whose blood was David's and Abraham's, i.e. Jesus wasn't some
sort of divine hominid. The Bible has his genealogy, plus a record of his birth, and a
record of his death. However; Jesus is no longer reckoned a mere mortal in Heaven
due to a very strange administrative procedure.

As compensation for his exceptional service to both God and fellow men; Isa 52:13
and Phil 2:6-11 reveal that God bestowed upon Jesus Christ the name that is above
every name that can be named either in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
That name is Jehovah, a.k.a. Yahweh. (Isa 42:8)

So; Jesus is now officially authorized to be respected, to be identified, to be spoken
of, to be spoken to, and to speak for himself, by the name of God, i.e. The
Almighty. (Ps 45:1-7, Rev 1:8)

Ergo: as far as the Bible is concerned, Jesus is a self-existent eternal being because
his identity by the name of God affords him all the attributes of God: the whole ball
of wax, so to speak.

Cont.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
Continued From No.39

OBJECTION: The Bible says God doesn't share His divinity. (Isa 42:8)

REPLY: That passage speaks of pagans and their religions: it doesn't preclude the
possibility of God sharing divinity with His only begotten son within the walls of His
own home.

Bottom line: Jesus easily qualifies for the position of a high priest seated at the
right hand of God in Heaven because as Jehovah he had neither father nor mother,
nor is there a record of his birth or of his death. In other words; it is perfectly
legitimate for Jesus to claim to be the I AM of Ex 3:14.

Messiah's path to divinity may seem a tad ridiculous-- maybe even fraudulent --but
it's the path chosen for him so we have to work with it.

OBJECTION: Your explanation can't possibly be right; not when Deut 6:4 says;
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, The Lord is one." You Christians have two acting
as Jehovah, whereas the Law allows for only one.

REPLY: Jesus' identity as Jehovah is an administrative credential which can be
roughly compared to the purpose of the signature ring that Pharaoh lent Joseph.
(Gen 41:39-44)

* Jesus' credential was promised to his ancestor Zerubbabel by Haggai 2:21-23
_