 Welcome everyone to please class in the New Testament survey with someone open as in prayer please before we begin. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we once again thank you for this time of study, Father. We pray that as we get into your word, Lord, your Holy Spirit will minister to us, Father, and whatever we learn, Father, we will be able to retain the same and apply it in our lives. We pray for a blessing upon our entire faculty and upon all the students here in the Bible college. In Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you. So I just wanted to tell you all once again that the video was posted for Titus and Philemon. You don't necessarily have to have watched it before today's class because we finished both those books in that video. But I've posted that and I'm sorry, I know I was supposed to post on Friday but I had some technical issues and so it only went up yesterday. Also at the end of last week's class, I think we were discussing something from Psalm 119 and I had posted in class after that but just to kind of say it in class as well. So Aleph to Tav is the Hebrew alphabet and alpha to gamma is the Greek alphabet. So in Psalm 119, we see the writer using Aleph to Tav and using that in poetry. Sorry, that was in our, was it in our interpreting scripture class? Yeah, I think that was in interpreting scripture that we were discussing that. So I want to just bring that up as well when we were talking about literary styles, poetry. Okay, so let's just go into the book of Hebrews. We'll look at that today and I think we should be able to finish this one book today and we'll go on from there on Thursday. Okay, so we begin with a little bit of background on the book of Hebrews. So we see throughout this book that the writer is talking about falling away from the faith or returning to the law. And that is because it's written to a persecuted church. Now the persecution may have been from the Jews or from Gentiles. We are not sure that there are a lot of things about this letter that are not for certain the author and the recipients are not for certain. So there are some things we can conclude from how the book is written, but we don't know exactly where the recipients were. So we don't know whether the persecution was coming from Jews or Gentiles. From the Jews, it was because people were being thrown out of synagogue. So people who had chosen to follow Christ were no longer welcome in the synagogue. So from that angle of persecution, there may have been a temptation among many of these believers to return to Judaism so that they could return to that community they had been a part of. So that's one aspect of the persecution. On the other hand, persecution of the Gentiles came in the form of people in government because Judaism was recognized as a valid religious faith. So the Jews worshipped only a single God, whereas Greeks had multiple gods. And so they were willing to accept the Jewish faith because it had been around for so long. But now with Christianity coming in, it seemed like a faith that was a sect of the Jews. And so there was not as much acceptance within the Roman world for the Christian faith. And so there was a lot of persecution coming in from that aspect that it was not a recognized religion of faith. Because Jews were rejecting faith in the emperor and faith in all of these Greek gods. But because it had been around for so long, it was recognized as something that was acceptable, but Christianity was not. So these were the two possible sources of persecution. So we see the writer both warning the audience. So he's talking a lot about how the Israelites had turned away from faith in God and so had faced judgment. And so he's warning this group of believers that he's writing to not follow the same things that the Israelites had done to not turn away from God. On the other hand, he's also writing to encourage them. So as we look through the book, we'll see that he is talking about how this new covenant in Christ is so much greater and has so much more glory, so much more promise, so much more security than the old covenant. So he's encouraging them not to be tempted to go back to the old covenant just for the sake of convenience, just to escape persecution. Instead, he's saying this covenant is so much greater and the glory that we have to look forward to is so much greater. So don't give up on your faith. So there's both the aspect of warning and encouragement in the letter. So the reformers used this book of Hebrews to come up with three major principles. So the first was no sacrifice by but Calvary. So this is what Hebrews talks about that Christ is the only valid sacrifice for the sins of people. Comparing to the sacrifices of the Old Testament where animals had to be sacrificed daily for the sins of people and for the priests themselves. Christ was once and for all sufficient sacrifice and is the only acceptable sacrifice for our sins. So this was one thing that the reformers taught. No priest but Christ. So in comparison to the Old Testament priesthood, Christ is the only priest who is sinless and who has entered into the presence, very presence of God. Whereas the high priest could only enter the Holy of Holies. Christ has gone to the throne room of God and through Christ, we are welcomed into that same throne room. And so no priest but Christ and the last one, no confessional but the throne of grace. And this is where we see two aspects. The throne meaning that Jesus is in a place of authority. And so we as his followers share in that authority and we can come to that place of authority to Christ's authority and have confidence that the things we ask for will be accomplished. Not only because he has authority but he's also because there is grace in that place of authority. There's grace for our weakness. There's grace for our sin when we repent. And so we can come with confidence to the throne of grace with our prayers and believe that those prayers will be answered. So these were the three things that the reformers taught about based on the book of Hebrews. So like we said, we don't know for sure who the author of the book is. There have been various suggestions about who the possible author is. But some things that we do know is that whoever the author was was quite educated because the Greek that's used in Hebrews is a very sophisticated level of Greek compared to the other books in the New Testament. So the only other books that use the same level of Greek are Luke acts and some of the general epistles that were written. But the rest of the books use a much more common person kind of like the everyday language Greek, not the high level literary Greek that is used in Hebrews. It is also someone who was trained in rhetoric. So rhetoric was a very important skill that was expected of people who were teachers, people who spoke publicly. And so we can see that kind of skill coming in the writing in Hebrews and also a Hellenistic Jew. So a lot of the writing we see in Hebrews is influenced by Greek thought. And so we know that this Jew was somebody who was influenced by the Greek culture, someone outside of the main part of Israel and of Syria and Palestine. So not from Jerusalem, but someone who was in the Greek parts of the world at that time of the New Testament times. But it was definitely a Jew because they're talking a lot about Old Testament, comparing the Old Testament covenant with the New Covenant in Christ. So the suggestions for authors have been Paul, Apollos, Barnabas, Luke, Priscilla, Silas, lots of different authors. Most probably not Paul, but Luke, Barnabas, Silas, but also in terms of style it's quite different from Luke's writing. So Barnabas and Silas seem to be some one or the other could have possibly been the writer. So Origen writes, whoever wrote the letter, God only knows with certainty. So our focus is not on the author, but these are just some attempts to figure out who the author could have been when this was written. So most probably it was written before the destruction of the temple because we see in this book that there's a lot of mention of sacrifices that were continuing. So because we're comparing it to the Old Testament, the New Covenant to the Old Covenant, he talks about the sacrifices of the priests and he says the priests are doing this. He's not saying the priests were doing this. And he also doesn't mention anything about the temple being destroyed and we know that the temple was destroyed in AD 70. So this was written sometime before AD 70, but not much earlier because we have an account here of Luke being released from prison. And it's thought that Luke was put in prison during the time of Nero, which was between 64 to 68 AD. So this is sometime after 68 AD, but before 70 AD that the book was written. Okay, so the location of writing is most probably Italy. So if someone can just read for us Hebrews 13, 24, 13, 24, yeah. Hebrews chapter 13 verse 24. Read all those who rule over you and all the saints those from Italy greet you. Okay, so here we see that the greetings are coming from those in Italy. And so it's most probably written from Italy. So the writer was there at the time of writing the recipients. So we know that Jewish Christians because there's so much mention of the Old Testament and no attempt on the writer's part to explain any of those things. It seems to be that he's writing to people who are very familiar with Old Testament practices. But it's to Jewish Christians, not in general Jewish Christians in a specific place because we see in Hebrews 13 that there's a mention of their life. There's a mention of their leaders that is repeated throughout that book. So it seems to be some group of leaders who are leading a certain group of Jewish Christians. They were known by the writer personally. So whoever was writing this knew the people that he was talking to. He's not just writing to a general church audience because he there's correction that he's bringing in with a lot of authority. He's talking about the struggles that they face, the persecution that they faced when they came to Christ. And he's also talking about their present struggles against sin. So he knows what they are experiencing as believers and he's writing to their specific context. He's someone who's known by them, who knows them personally and who's also respected by them. So we don't know the exact locality of where these believers were. It may be in Palestine because there's so much talk of temple worship that is included. This spiritual condition like we talked about there was persecution. So they may have been tempted to go back to their previous faith in so to follow Judaism. Judaism rather than to continue following Christ. So the main theme in Hebrews is Jesus Christ, the great high priest. And let's just read that key verse, Hebrews 4, 14, if someone can read that for us. So some key words here that we see throughout the book in Hebrews is the great high priest. Jesus is a great high priest. Jesus has ascended into heaven. Jesus is the Son of God and hold firmly to the faith. So four important things that this verse contains that Hebrews talks a lot about. So what are some unique features of this book? It quotes about 100 times from the Old Testament. So we see that the Old Testament is very, very central to this book. And it quotes from the Septuagint. So the Septuagint was the Greek translation of the Old Testament. So it's quoting from the Septuagint. And Hebrews is actually a very prominent book in using of typology. So like we talked about in our interpreting scripture class, that use of types is seen a lot in Hebrews. And it's a good example of how typology works from Old Testament to fulfillment in the New Testament. This is also God's final message to Israel before the destruction of the temple because it's written right before that. We see five warning passages that are included in this book. And they're related to abandoning the gospel and returning to the law. So let's see if we have, okay, we may not be able to read all of them. Let's just read chapter two verses one to four. Can I read sister? Yes, please. Therefore, we must give the more honest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away for if the word spoken through angels proves steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward. If we reject so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also bearing witness both with signs and wonder with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will. Okay, so in this first warning, we see that the covenant is being compared to the law that was given by angels. So as per Jewish tradition, the law had come through angels that God had sent to Moses. And this law was binding on the people of Israel, right? So if they seemed against it, there was severe judgment that they faced. So it's saying how much greater is this new covenant that has come through one who is greater than the angels whom the angels serve, right? And it's come through Christ. So the consequences of turning away from this new covenant will be that much greater than the consequences of turning away from the old covenant. I think this project is okay. We'll also just look at chapter three versus seven to four if someone can read that for us. Chapter three, seven to four. Sorry, chapter three. Okay, that's a bit of a long passage. Okay, let's not read it. I'll just tell you what that talks about. So chapter three versus seven to chapter four versus 13 talks about believing and obeying God's word. That is essential in order for us to enter into the rest that was promised. So comparing this to the Israelites in the wilderness who disobeyed God and were not faithful to God and therefore did not enter the promised land. Okay, so he's telling them if you do not walk in obedience to Christ, you also will not enter into this rest that is promised into the eternal rest that is promised in the presence of God. So basically saying that you are going to fall away from the faith, you will not receive eternal life if you continue to disobey God. Then 511 to 620 encourages them to persevere in faith because God is a God who fulfills his promises and uses the example of Abraham. So whenever we see these warnings, what is happening is it's giving them some warning or some encouragement and then comparing it to a story from the Old Testament. So the first one we saw was the covenant that came from the Old Covenant came through angels. The New Covenant has come through Christ who is greater than the angels. The second one is the encouragement to stay obedient to the word of God and not fall away like the Israelites fell away in the wilderness. None of them entered the promised land that first generation of Israelites who left Egypt. The third one is to persevere in faith in the face of persecution because we believe in the promises of God. We believe that he's a God who is faithful to his promises and the encouragement is to follow Abraham's example. Abraham was one who believed and saw the promises of God fulfilled in his life. Then the fourth one is chapter 10 verses 19 to 39. It talks about walking in holiness that you cannot continue in sin if you proclaim that you have faith in Christ. In the Old Testament, those who did not walk in obedience to the law were put to death by the witness of two to three witnesses. So two to three witnesses gave testimony and they were put to death. How much more will be the judgment of people who do not walk in obedience to Christ in the New Covenant? Because if you are continuing in sin, so this is talking about continuing in sin, not committing a single sin. But being people who are consistently walking in disobedience to Christ, you are trampling over the body and blood of Christ. That is you are treating Christ's sacrifice as worthless. And so the judgment for such kind of sin will be so much more severe than sin under the Old Covenant. Chapter 12 verses 14 to 39 is a warning not to reject the gospel because there is greater glory and there is a greater promise of eternal presence with God Himself. And those who refuse that will have greater consequences than those who refuse the Old Covenant or those who reject the Old Covenant. So the loss is much greater for people who reject the New Covenant. In Hebrews 11 we see the whole list of people of faith. So that is another unique feature of the book of Hebrews. We also see that there are 13 statements in Hebrews that are key themes and they all begin with let us. So let's just read that these 13 statements, so maybe our in-person students can read the first 11 and then the last two online students can read. So we have these 13 let us statements in Hebrews that kind of highlight the key themes of Hebrews. So we'll just start with our in-person students reading. I think there are 11 of us here. So the first 11 and then online if two of you can read one each. You can see these 13 statements. Oh, this is not working. So it's Hebrews, Hebrews 4-1, Hebrews 4-1, Hebrews 4-11, Hebrews 4-14, 4-16, 6-1, 10-22. So you have the list with you. If you have your textbook you can follow it from there as well. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 1. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come sort of it. Thank you. Hebrews 4-11, let us therefore strive to enter at rest so that no one may fail by the same sort of disobedience. Thank you. Hebrews 4-14. Can I read, sister? Sure, sister. Saying then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heaven Jesus, the son of God. Let us hold fast our contention. Thank you. Let us therefore come wholly to the throne of grace that we may obtain, may see and find grace to help in the time of need. Okay. Hebrews 6-1. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God. Hebrews 10-22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having a heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10-23. Let us hold fast on the confession of our hope without varying for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10-24. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. Hebrews 12-1. Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12-28. Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken and first let us offer the God acceptable worship with revering and away. 13-13. Hebrews 13-13. Therefore, let us go to him outside to come, pressing his reproach. And Hebrews 13-15. Therefore, by him, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Okay, so reading through these, we see these 13 statements as encouragement to this church. So what are some of the main themes we see? Holding on to the promises of God, so as to enter his rest. Coming boldly to the throne of God. Holding on, growing in maturity of understanding. Holding tightly to the hope that we have. Encouraging one another in the faith. Running with endurance in the face of persecution. Continuing to worship God, continuing to share in his suffering. And then to remove all sin from our lives that will hinder our growth in reaching the goal that God has set before us. So we'll just do a little bit of an overview of what Hebrews talks about. Since we've read so many of the verses already, we won't go into too many verses in the outline. But the main things that we'll see throughout the book of Hebrews is that Christ is being elevated over other aspects of the Old Testament. So it begins with Christ is better than the prophets. In the introduction to the book of Hebrews, it says, until now God had spoken to us through the prophets, but now God has spoken to us through his own son. So to say that all of the prophets were pointing to Jesus Christ and now Jesus Christ himself, the Son of God has come and he has spoken to us. And so he is greater than all of the prophets that the Old Testament has or all of the prophets that had written in the Old Testament. The second part is Christ is better. When it says better, we are talking about Christ being greater, so greater in power, greater in authority than the angels. It talks about Christ being above the angels, that is the angels as servants of Christ in his divine nature. And in his human nature for a little while, he became lower than the angels only to be elevated back to this place of authority. And so the angels are subservient to Christ himself. So let's if someone can just read chapter 2 verses 9, the beginning of that verse, chapter 2 verse 9. Chapter 2 verse 9, but we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor. That he by the grace of God might taste death for everyone bringing many sons to glory. So in his human nature, Jesus was made a little lower than the angels, but now has returned to a place of authority over the angels. And so this covenant that comes to him is greater than the Old Covenant. In the third section, Christ is greater than Moses, right? So comparing the glory of Moses to Christ himself, let's just read chapter 3 verses 5 to 6, the beginning of verse 6. Hebrews chapter 3 verses 5 to 6. And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward. But Christ as a son or his own house whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope, firm to the end. Okay, so we see here Moses is described as a servant, whereas Christ is a son. Okay, and so for the Jews, Moses was their greatest prophet, the one who received that whole covenant that established them as the people of God. And here the writer is saying Christ is much greater than Moses. Okay, so all of that reverence that you have for Moses should be very, very small in comparison to the reverence you have for Christ. And then he also compares it to the rest. So we talked about that the rest that is offered to the Israelites was the promised land. But in the new covenant, our rest is in Christ himself and Christ offers a greater rest than the rest that was given to them in the Old Testament. Because this is a place of eternal rest in Christ. In the next part Christ is compared to Aaron and the Levitical priesthood. So Christ is the better high priest. He's in a place of better position. He's a high priest who's entered into the heavenly tabernacle versus the earthly tabernacle that we see in the Old Testament. So that was just a copy of what is in heaven. Christ has entered into the presence of God himself. And he serves as a high priest. A better order. So whereas in the Old Testament, the Levitical priesthood was based on ancestry. So only if you fell into this tribe of Levites and you were part of that ancestry could you become a priest. But Christ's priesthood is not based on his ancestry. What is it based on? What is Christ's priesthood based on? What's that? Melchizedek. So Melchizedek was outside of the Levitical priesthood. He was a priest who was before the Levitical priesthood was established. And so like Melchizedek Christ was appointed by God himself. Not based on his ancestry but based on a promise that God had given that you will be my son and you will serve as a priest for all people. Then we also see a comparison in Covenant. Let's just read chapter 8 verse 10. Someone can read that for us. It was said, For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days says the Lord, I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people. Thank you. So here there is a comparison of the New Covenant with the Old Covenant. Whereas the Old Covenant was a written law. The New Covenant is something that transforms the hearts and minds of people. That all people will know God and therefore will follow him. So they're not going to follow just a list of rules and laws. They're going to have a personal relationship with God and be transformed by that relationship and then walk in obedience to the will of God. There's also a comparison of the sanctuary like we talked about. So one is made with human hands and the other is the heavenly sanctuary that Christ serves in. There's also a comparison of the sacrifice whereas in the Old Testament it's an animal that is sacrificed daily. In this New Covenant Christ was sacrificed as the perfect lamb of God and was a once and for all sacrifice that was accepted by God for the sins of all people for all time. So from here after presenting all of this he says therefore let's do all of these things. Because we know that this New Covenant is so much greater than the Old Covenant. The promises, the hope, the glory, all of that is so much greater than the Old Covenant. This is how we are to live as a result of that. And so he talks about being faithful to God, enduring and continuing to have faith in God even in the midst of persecution. He talks about then in chapter 11 the list of all those who were examples of faith. And then he closes with the section on persecution or suffering, being a way of God allowing his children to experience that for the sake of their own growth. So he talks about the fatherhood of God and his discipline of his children. So even through this suffering there is a way of us growing in God as his children. And then chapter 13 closes with a list of certain obligations. Social relationships, spiritual obligations, specifically talking about submission to leaders and then personal obligations and also closing with personal greetings. So that's a summary of the book of Hebrews. We will close with that and continue from there on Thursday. So we'll go into the book of James and we'll see how much of first and second Peter, if we can cover all of that on Thursday. We'll look into that. Thank you all for being here. See you on Thursday. Thank you, sister. Thank you.