Hebrews outline
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COLORADO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
Hebrews Outline
Submitted to Professor David Farnell,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
BIB 534
Biblical Exegesis VI
by
Paul Bock
17 November 2019
Hebrews
I. Introduction
A. The major theme within Hebrews is the superiority of Christ over the major pillars of
Judaism,
1
from which the author provides encouragement for the listeners to remain
steadfast in faith with the coming Kingdom in view (Heb 2:5).
2
B. Christ is preeminent as He enacts a better Covenant with Better promises (Heb 8:6);
therefore, the believer should join Him (13:13), continue to endure in order to receive the
promised reward (10:35-36), and be brought to glory (2:10)
II. To whom is the letter written?
A. While the recipients of the letter are not specified it is the general consensus that the
letter was written to Jewish believers.
3
The primary reason for this belief is the
continuous reference and contrast of Christ to the Levitical Priesthood, the sacrifices, and
the Old Covenant.
4
Throughout the book of Acts, whenever the Messianic claims of
Christ and His fulfillment of the Law are presented and argued in mass from the Old
Testament it is usually with the Jewish People. It also must be noted that the majority
persecution was from the Jewish Community.
1. Jesus and angels (1:4-14)
2. Jesus and Moses (3:1-6)
3. The Wilderness wanderings of the Exodus generation (3:16-19)
4. Jesus and Levitical Priests (4:14-5:10; 7:11-28)
5. Old Covenant (8:7-13)
6. While it is a posited hypothesis that the recipients were Jewish believers, these
few references alone make a good argument as to why they are Jewish Christians.
The gentile communities would most likely not have this depth of knowledge of
the Old Testament on which to draw, nor would the references of Moses, Angels,
the Priesthood, and especially the Old Covenant have a massive impact; therefore,
they would not be a powerful encouragement to press on if they were gentiles
7. The ideas above are the pillars of Judaism, and the writer methodically shows
how Christ is better than each. This is a driving force the writer draws on as will
be seen to encourage the them to continue strong in their faith in order to receive
the promise (10:36).
III.
Christ preeminence over Angels
1
Chuck Missler,
The Book of Hebrews
(Coeur D’Alene, ID: Koinonia House, 2008)
, 6.
2
Terry L. Wilder, J. Daryl Charles, and Kendell H. Easley,
Faithful to the End: an Introduction to Hebrews
through Revelation
(Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2007), 20.
3 R.T. France
, “Commentary of Hebrews
.” In Commentary on Hebrews-Revelation, The Expositor's Bible
Commentary
, ed. Tremper Longman, III and David E. Garland, vol. 13, 13 vols. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008),
Olive Tree Bible Software.
4
Henry H. Halley,
Halley's Bible Handbook
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. House, 1965), 646.
A. While they are not worshipped, angels hold a special place within Judaism as they
were involved in major events within the Old Testament such as the giving of the Law
(Deut 33:2; Ps 68:17; Acts7:53; Gal 3:19; Heb 2:2), Abraham’s guests (Gen 18), rescue of
Lot (Gen 19), Passover Angel (Ex 12), Rebuked Israel (Judg 2:1-4), slaughter of one 185
thousand Assyrians (2 Kg 19:35), etc. The writer of Hebrews shows that Christ is better
than the angels in three primary ways: Deity, Humanity, provision of salvation.
5
There are three primary ways in which the Son is superior to the Angels:, humanity (2:5-
9), and provision of salvation (Heb 2:10-18).
1.
Christ is better due to His deity
. The writer quotes the Old testament to
support (1:4-14)
a.
Superior position (Ps 2:7)
b.
Fulfillment of Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7:14)
c.
Angels worship Him (Ps 97:7)
d.
Angels are His servants (Ps 104:4)
e.
He is called God and has a throne (Ps 45:7-8)
f.
He is creator of all, even angels (Ps 102:25-27)
g.
Seated at the right had of God (Ps 110:1)
2.
Superior due to His Humanity
(Heb 2:5-9)
a.
World to come not given to angels but man (Heb 2:5)
b.
Man given dominion (Ps 8:5-7)
3.
Superior in provision of Salvation (
Heb 2:10-18)
a.
All things are for him and by him (2:10)
b.
Divine grace is manifested (Ps 22:22; Is 8:17-18)
c.
Overcame death and Satan who is an angel (Heb 2:14)
d.
Does not provide aid to angels, but became like man in order to aid
man (2:16-18)
4.
As Christ is above the Angels the Author draws on this in his warning found
in Chapter 2:1-4.
5.
If the obligations of revelation mediated by Angels were not met and thus just
ramifications ensued, how much worse will it be for those who become
apathetic to that which is mediated by the Son. Therefore, the writer
encourages the readers to not become apathetic. The revelation in view is not
their justification, but the coming world in which they will be glorified based
on their sanctification (Heb 2:5).
IV.
Better than Moses
A. Moses held a very high place within Judaism as he could technically “be regarded as
the founder of Israel.”
6
Any attempt to show the superiority of Christ over Judaism would
require an address of Moses and why Jesus ascends the one who led the establishment of
the nation through the covenant and the Law giving.
1.
Jesus was faithful just as Moses was faithful
5
Missler,
Hebrews, 21.
6 France,
Hebrews,
Servant and the Son, Olive Tree Bible Software.
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a.
God considered Moses faithful in all the Lord’s house and spoke with
Him face to face (Numb 12)
2.
Moses was a servant in the house (Heb 3:5)
a.
Moses was a servant who actively partook of the founding of Israel
(the house)
3.
Jesus was the builder and owner of the house (3:3,6)
a.
Jesus is the one who built the House and enlisted Moses as a servant.
Therefore, the builder and owner has more honor than those who
occupy and serve in the house
4.
Jesus is better than Moses as He is the one ultimately whom Moses served.
The warning which follows is then used of the exodus generation which
Moses oversaw. They were disobedient and due to that were unable to enter
into the promised land. As is clearly stated they were forgiven for their
disobedience (Num 14:20); however, their were still consequences. The author
is driving the people to continue looking and living with a coming Kingdom
mindset so that they may enter, inherit, and be a partaker. It is a matter of
being a sovereign in the future kingdom versus being a subject.
5.
As Moses established the nation, he also instituted the priesthood with Aaron.
Thus, the natural flow of thought next deals with Christ having a better
priesthood
V.
Christ Melchizedekian priesthood better than the Aaronic/Levitical
A. The priesthood is tied with the Law, and one of the most significant parts of Judaism.
The author methodically in chapters 5:1-10 and 7-8:6 argues that Jesus’ priesthood is
greater, being after the order of Melchizedek serving in the true tabernacle of heaven,
rather than the Levitical priesthood which served on the earth in a tabernacle which was a
replica of the true.
1.
Priests are appointed in order to offer gifts and sacrifices (Heb 5:1)
a.
Because of sin sacrifice had to be offered.
2.
Aaron was officially called to the priesthood (Ex 28:1; Num 17:8)
a.
Aaron did not pursue the position but was appointed to it
3.
Jesus in the same way is appointed to the priesthood, not seeking it himself
a.
God declared and appointed Christ to his priesthood (Heb 5:6; Ps
110:4)
4.
The Melchizedekian priesthood is greater than the Aaronic
a.
Both King and a Priest, (Heb 7:1), whereas they do not intermix in
Israel.
b.
Melchizedek blessed Abraham and Abraham gave tithes to
Melchizedek (7:2), thus Levi through Abraham gave tithes to
Melchizedek and was bless by him (7:7,9-10).
i.
Jesus priesthood is after Melchizedek, therefore it is recognized
as greater
c.
Levitical Priests required to be descendants of Aaron between ages of
25-50 (Numb 8:24-25).
i.
Melchizedekian is not based genealogy, and not having stated
lineage is and enduring priesthood (Heb 7:3)
d.
Jesus priesthood declared with an oath by God (Heb 7:21; Ps 110:4)
i.
Levitical priesthood based on genealogy (Numb 16-17; Ez 2:6-
63; Neh 7:63-65)
e.
Jesus is a priest forever and capable of saving those who approach God
through Him (7:21)
i.
Levitical priests were men who would die and need replaced
(7:23), and being tied to the law they were unable to truly save
(7:19)
f.
Jesus did not need to offer a sacrifice for his own sins as the priests do,
but offered himself (7:27-28)
5.
Jesus priesthood is better in that it is declared by an oath, is continuous, and
fully able to save completely those who come to God through Him.
6.
Jesus is a high priest who offered a better sacrifice therefore emplacing a
better covenant with better promises as each priesthood is tied to its own
covenant (Heb 8:1-6)
VI.
New and Better Covenant (8-10)
A. As the mediator and high priest of the Covenant the author now states why the New
Covenant is better than the Old by looking to the limitations under the Old Covenant
1.
The New Covenant was promised to be enacted by YHVH and the Law would
be internally written on the hearts of the People (Heb 8:8-12)
a.
The Law was an external practice under the Old. Its problem was the
failure of the people to abide (8:7)
2.
Christ entered the true tabernacle offering a better sacrifice of His own blood
once which obtained eternal redemption (Heb 9:11)
a.
Priests had to repetitively enter the tabernacle on earth and only once a
year the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. This also had to be
done every year yet it could not clear the conscience (9:1-10)
3.
Jesus was a willing sacrifice able to cleanse the conscience (9:14)
a.
The animals were unwilling sacrifices and could only ceremonially
cleanse the flesh (9:13)
4.
Jesus through the sacrifice of his body can take away sin (10:5-13)
a.
Under the Old Covenant sacrifices had to be made repetitively due to
their inability to remove sin (10:1-4)
5.
Christ through his sacrifice has put in place a New Covenant which allows for
the total remission of sins and a clearing of the conscience. The author after
stating this encourages the reader to Hold fast, continue to endure, and not to
forsake the gathering with fellow believers in order to receive the promise
(10:25, 36)
VI. Christ is a great high priest who offered up the proper sacrifice once, which brought in a
better covenant under which sin could be forgiven, and men could approach the Lord. The
importance of this cannot be stressed to the original audience as they were most likely Jewish
Christians under persecution by the Jews and were possibly contemplating a return to practicing
Judaism or removing themselves from the open practice of Christianity and assembling with
fellow believers. The final encouragement by the author is for the reader to join Christ outside
the camp as they seek a city to come, not the Jerusalem which stood at that time.
A. Because Christ is the mediator of a better covenant with better promises, the believers
should abandon that which they have held to and join Him in order to partake of Him and His
coming Kingdom
B. The Christian today needs to understand the fact that they serve a Jewish Messiah. Though
removed by almost two millennia, the warnings given in the first century are just as true
today as they were then. The Kingdom is still coming, and each believer has an inheritance to
lose. Therefore, they too must go outside of this world to join the coming king, looking to a
city which is to come.
Bibliography
France, R.T.
“Hebrews
.” In Hebrews-Revelation. The Expositor's BibleCommentary.
The
Expositor's Bible Commentary. Edited by Tremper Longman, III and David E. Garland.
Vol. 13. 13vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008. Olive Tree Bible Software.
Halley, Henry H.
Halley’s Bible Handbook.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1965.
Missler, Chuck.
The Books of Hebrews
.
Coeur D’Alene, ID: Koinonia House 2008.
Wilder, Terry L., J. Daryl Charles, and Kendell H. Easley.
Faithful to the End: an Introduction
to Hebrews through Revelation
. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2007.
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