Hebrews Introduction

(This is for you Cody!   :)

I will blog on Hebrews. I have always loved this book for the way it ties the old testament and the new testament together. I truly feel you cannot fully understand the new covenant Jesus provided unless you understand the old covenant Jesus replaced. The meaning of the new testament is richer to me for studying the old.

The NIV lists possible authors of Hebrews. Maybe Apollos, Barnabas, Clement, Luke, Paul, Phillip, Pricilla or Silas. I thought Gamaliel seemed like a good candidate to consider, too. In Acts 5:33-42, he was the Pharisee, teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people. He defended the apostles by saying, "For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop  these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

Hebrews is divided into six sections in the NIV:
1) Jesus Christ's superiority over the prophets and angels.
2) Jesus Christ's superiority over Moses.
3) Jesus Christ, the superior priest.
4) Jesus Christ's superior covenant and sacrifice.
5) Obedience through faith.
6) Concluding Instructions.

The writer of Hebrews expresses the 'freedom given to all believers, and asserts that with Christ there is no need for the rituals offered by Judaisum'.  Can you imagine how hard it would be to stop doing something you have always done, to stop participating in a tradition you have always kept (like Christmas),  to ignore a festival you have always taken part in?
Think about how hard it would have been for people to change what they were doing; to change a mindset they were taught. There were over 600 laws given by Moses from the Lord. They were doing these rituals, festivals and traditions for the Lord. To change from law to freedom had to be a difficult concept. It still is difficult for people today.

The entire old testament pointed to the ministry of Christ. The 'offerings, feasts, tabernacles and priests were all used to show a better way of Jesus. Hebrews reveals that the new eternal covenant has replaced a temporal one and its price has been paid in full by the blood of Christ.'

A little book I read explained how the old testament points to Christ. It says, 'In the thousands of years of human history, mankind has been able to try every form of self-rule or human government...Human rule has now been shown to be a failure." When people realize this earth is Satan's playground, they understand it is Satan that is a 'miserable failure as a ruler.' The old testament points to a better way--Jesus and the new testament explains the transference of the better way to believers.

Hebrews parallels the old testament and the new covenant through Jesus. My focus will be how the old testament points to Jesus and to help us better understand and appreciate the new covenant by studying the old. I hope you hop along for the ride.   Blessings!