Hebrews 1

How can I get to heaven?

Hebrews

Ian Mackervoy

Contents

About the letter to the Hebrews

Shape of the letter to the Hebrews

Notes to explain the letter to the Hebrews

Word List

Book List

About the letter to the Hebrews

1 Who wrote this book?

2 Who were the first readers of this book?

3 Where did the writer send the book?

4 When did the author write the book?

5 Why did the author write the book?

6 What sort of book has the author written?

1 Who wrote this book?

The author of this book does not tell us his name. There is nothing in the book to say who wrote it. For centuries the church thought that the author was the *apostle Paul. But Paul always begins his letters with his name. The way that the author uses *Greek words is unlike the way Paul uses them. There have been many suggestions, but nobody knows who wrote this book. All that we know is that *Timothy was a friend of both the writer and the readers (13:23).

2 Who were the first readers of this book?

The first readers were probably Christian *Jews. The author did not write for all *Jews. He wrote to a group, whom he knew well, that had become Christian. The book shows that they were not strong in their *belief. They were in danger of going back to their old religion. The writer argues from the Old Testament to keep them trusting in Jesus.

3 Where did the writer send the book?

From early times the church believed that the readers lived in *Jerusalem. The title, the letter to the Hebrews, could show that they were *Jews in *Israel who spoke *Hebrew. Many *Jews who did not live in *Israel spoke *Greek. Another *suggestion is that the readers lived in *Rome. There is in fact so little evidence in the book itself that we have to say that we do not know where the readers were living.

4 When did the author write the book?

A bishop of *Rome named *Clement knew this letter and used it in his own writing. He wrote in about AD 96. The author of the letter to the Hebrews wrote his letter before then. From what is in the book we could argue that the *Jews were still carrying on the *temple ceremonies in *Jerusalem. We know that the *Romans destroyed the *temple in AD 70. If the date of writing was later, the author would have noted that event. So the date of the letter was probably before AD 70. (The ceremonies that he speaks about did not take place in fact from the *temple. They refer to the special tent that was in use before the *Jews built the *temple).

5 Why did the author write the book?

These Christian *Jews had to make a choice. They could not continue in *Judaism and be Christians. They must decide which way to go. It was either to go back to being *Jews or to go on to be Christians. It seems that their nation had now turned against Christians. They could not now go to the *temple as the *Jews would not let them. The writer tries to show his readers that the right choice was to continue to trust in Jesus. That was much better than all the ceremonies of their former religion, which Jesus had replaced.

6 What sort of book has the author written?

The way the author has written the book is not like any other book in the New Testament. We call it a letter, but it does not start like one. It does finish like a letter, but the author does not give us his name. The writer knows the readers and is eager to see them again (13:19,). He thinks well of them (Hebrews 6:9), but they should by now have been able to teach (Hebrews 5:12). He knows all about their past and their needs.

The way he writes is almost like a speech or a lesson. He cares about his friends and wants to advise them in the choices they have to make.

Shape of the letter to the Hebrews

1 Jesus, son of God, greater than all Hebrews 1:1-Hebrews 2:18

The greatness of the Song of Solomon 1:1-3

Jesus is superior to *angels in his person 1:4-

Jesus is superior to *angels in his message 2:1-

Jesus is superior to *angels as a *human being 2:5-

2 The superior *apostle Hebrews 3:1-Hebrews 4:13

Jesus is superior to Moses 3:1-

Warning to obey Hebrews 3:7-Hebrews 4:2

Warning not to miss God’s promised rest 4:3-

3 The greatest chief priest Hebrews 4:14-Hebrews 7:28

Jesus is superior to Aaron Hebrews 4:14-Hebrews 5:14

Jesus is superior in promises 6:1-

Jesus is superior to Melchizedek 7:1-

4 Jesus is the better *mediator Hebrews 8:1-Hebrews 10:39

A new and better agreement 8:1-

A new way to praise God 9:1-

A new *sacrifice and way to life 10:1-

5 The better way Hebrews 11:1-Hebrews 13:25

The way of trust and hope 11:1-

The right way to live 12:1-

The way of love and doing what God wants 13:1-

Chapter 1

Notes to explain the letter to the Hebrews

1 Jesus, son of God, greater than all Hebrews 1:1-Hebrews 2:18

The greatness of the son 1:1-

v1 In the past God spoke to our *ancestors. He did this through the *prophets at many times and in various ways. v2 But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. He appointed his Son to be the owner of all things. It was by him that God created everything in space and time. v3 From the Son the honour of God shines like a bright light. He is really God and he shows us what God is like. It is the Son who maintains all things in their proper place by his powerful word. The Son gave his own life to make us clean from all our *sins. After this he sat down at the right hand of God in heaven.

Verse 1 From the start of this letter, the writer shows that God is real and active. God often spoke to the Hebrews in the past. He spoke to them in different ways. God gave them dreams, sent *angels to bring his words and used events to teach his people. He gave them his laws and taught them by the *prophets. He spoke through all kinds of men and women. For example, God called Moses from a burning bush (Exodus 3). Elijah the *prophet, who ran away from an angry queen, heard God in a whisper (1 Kings 19:12). Isaiah heard God’s voice when he saw him sitting high above all as king (Isaiah 6:1-8). God did not speak all the time and he did not show what he was really like at any one time. He chose certain men and women to show them something of himself to pass on to us. God spoke to these people a long time ago and what he showed to them is in the Old Testament. The last book in the Old Testament dates from about 400 years before Christ.

Verse 2 The phrase ‘in the last days’ often meant the time of the *Messiah. The writer uses it here to show that the *Messiah has come. The Hebrews were always expecting this person to come. He will bring a new age to them. He will be their king and he will overcome all their enemies. The Hebrews did not understand the real nature of the *Messiah. He is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The time had come for Jesus to do his work on earth. In the past God told people something about himself. But now he has spoken in Jesus. He shows us what God is really like. God’s Son Jesus became a *human being to show God to us. Jesus is just like God and so we can know God. What God had shown in the past prepared the way for Jesus and what he would say and do.

The writer gives 7 facts to show how great God’s Son Jesus is:

1. God appointed his Son to own everything.

2. God created all that there is in space and time by his Son.

3. The Son shines with God’s light.

4. The Son shows us what God is like. When we come to know Jesus, then we also come to know God. Jesus said, ‘Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father’ (John 14:19), and ‘I and my Father are one’ (John 10:30). God is the Father.

5. The Son Jesus maintains all things (Colossians 1:17). Having made the worlds and all things, Jesus Christ is still in control of them. His word of power maintains all things in their proper place. He has control of time and directs the future. He will cause all things to complete his plan. He made all things and he owns all things in heaven and on earth.

6. The Son Jesus gave his life to make us clean from all *sin. All men and women have done wrong. There is not one person who is right in God's sight (Romans 3:23). God is so holy that nothing that is wrong can live with him. This means that no person can live with God. Jesus the Son of God came and was a perfect *human being. At the same time he was God in a human body. Jesus had two purposes in coming into this world as a *human being. The first was to show us what God is like. The second was to take away all our *sins (that is, all wrong doing in our lives). He took away all our *sins and accepted the punishment for them by dying on the cross. Jesus proved that he has done this by coming back to life from the dead. Now, if we believe in him, he will make us clean from all wrong. In that way Jesus makes us fit to live with God.

7. Jesus the Son is now at God’s right hand. After Jesus had made the way for us to be clean from *sin, he went back to heaven. He sat down at the right hand of God. The right hand is a picture of the place of greatest honour. Now Jesus is the ruler over all of *creation.

Jesus is superior to *angels in his person 1:4-14

Jesus the Son of God 1:4-5

v4 By what he has done, the Son of God is much greater than the *angels. God has also given to him a name that is greater than theirs. v5 God did not tell any of the *angels, ‘You are my Son; today I have given you the honour that belongs to someone with that name’ (Psalms 2:7). Again, he did not say about any *angel, ‘I will be his father, and he will be my son’ (2 Samuel 7:14).

Verse 4 To the Hebrews *angels were very important. *Angels are powerful agents of God. It was by them that God spoke of himself in the old times. The Hebrews believe that the law from God came by *angels. When Jesus came into this world, he became for a little time lower than the *angels. As a *human being, Jesus was the Son of God. God gave his name great honour when he raised him from the dead. In this, Jesus is superior to the *angels. They have never become sons of God. They could not show us God as Jesus has done. They could not take our *sins away and make us clean as Jesus did. God gave Jesus a better name than he has given to *angels. Jesus alone was the Son of God.

Verse 5 The readers of this letter know that Jesus is the *Messiah. He is the person whom they were expecting to come. So the author shows that Jesus is superior to *angels by using 7 verses from the Old Testament. God did not call any *angel his son. In Psalms 2, God tells the *Messiah, ‘You are my son’. He adds, ‘Today I have given you the honour that belongs to someone with that name’. Some people think that the word ‘today’ in this verse means ‘before God made the worlds’. That would show that Jesus was always the Son of God. Some people understand it to be the day when John baptised Jesus. This shows that Jesus as a man was the Son of God. He was already God's Son before he came into this world as a *human being. Some people believe it to be the day when God raised him from the dead. In the letter to the Romans (1:4), it says that by raising him from the dead the Holy Spirit called him the Son of God. The clear teaching of the Bible is that Jesus is and always has been the Son of God.

Then there is another text from the Old Testament which says, ‘I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me.’ God spoke these words about king David's son Solomon (1 Chronicles 17:13-14). To the Hebrews, Solomon was a picture of the special king who was coming one day. This special king would be from the family of David. He would always be king. So the Hebrews took these words to mean that God will be the Father of the *Messiah. Jesus came as the *Messiah and God is his Father. God never said that he would be the Father of an *angel. As Jesus is the Son of God, he is superior to the *angels.

Jesus is superior to *angels 1:6-9

v6 Again, when God brings his *firstborn Son into the world, he says ‘Let all the *angels of God *worship him’ (Deuteronomy 32:43). v7 He says about the *angels, ‘He makes his *angels winds, and his servants flames of fire’ (Psalms 104:4). v8 About the Son he says, ‘Your *throne, O God, will last for all time and always. You will rule your *kingdom in ways that are always right. v9 You have loved what is right and hated what is evil. That is why God, your God, has chosen you. He has given to you more joy than he has given to anyone else ‘ (Psalms 45:6-7).

Verse 6 The meaning of this verse depends on the use of the word ‘again’. In the *Greek language that the author used, there is a close connection between ‘again’ and ‘he brings’. This gives two possible meanings for ‘again’.

• The time when Jesus will come again to the earth. Then he will set up his government in the world.

• The time when God made Jesus king after he brought him back alive from the dead.

Jesus is God’s *firstborn because he is God’s only Son and because he was first to come alive again from the dead. When God brings his *firstborn into the world, he tells all his *angels to honour and praise Jesus. This shows that Jesus is as much superior to the *angels as God is.

Verses 7-8 God then speaks about the *angels. He says that he created his *angels to be like winds and flames. They are quick and powerful to do what God sends them to do. But God did not create Jesus. When the Father is speaking about his Son Jesus, he calls him God. He says that his *throne is forever. God is saying that Jesus is the same as he is.

Jesus will rule his *kingdom in ways that are always right and good.

Verse 9 Jesus loves what is right. He hates all that is evil. In his life on the earth he always did what was right. He taught what was right. He told of the punishment that is coming on all that is evil. That is why God chose him and made him to be *Lord over all. God has given him great joy and made him glad.

Jesus is the same forever 1:10-12

v10 He also says about the Son, ‘*Lord, you made the earth in the beginning. The skies are the work of your hands. v11 The skies and the earth will come to an end, but you live forever. They will all wear out like clothes. v12 You will roll them up like a coat and change them like clothes. But you remain the same, and your life will never end’ (Psalms 102:25-27).

Verses 10-12. The author now uses another part of the Old Testament (Psalms 102:25-27). The writer of the Psalm was speaking to God. The writer to the Hebrews uses those verses as speaking of Jesus, because he is God. There are here 3 statements about Jesus the Son of God.

The Son of God makes all things. He made the heavens and the earth.

He is the ruler of all things. He will cause things to change. One day he will bring them to an end.

He will remain the same. He will never be any different from what he is now. All else will change, but Jesus Christ will always be the same.

Jesus sits at God’s side 1:13-14

v13 God never said to any of the *angels, ‘Sit at my right hand. Sit there until I make your enemies a place to rest your feet‘ (Psalms 110:1). v14 All the *angels are *spirits who work for God. He sends them to help those to whom he will give *salvation.

Verse 13 God the Father has said to God the Son, ‘Sit at my right hand’. He goes on to say, ‘while I make all your enemies a place to rest your feet’ (Psalms 110:1). God did not say these things to any *angel. *Angels stand before God as his servants. Jesus now sits with God, and so is much greater than the *angels. This means that Jesus is equal with God. He always was equal with God before he came to earth. Now as a *human being he again sits in his place next to God. That is the most powerful place that there is. Jesus still has lots of enemies, but with God he will overcome them all. In the old days the soldier who won a battle put his feet on the neck of the defeated king (Joshua 10:24). This is the picture of the enemies as a place to rest his feet. Jesus will be the master of all.

Verse 14 What is the role of *angels? *Angels do not rule. Their task is to serve. They are servants of God. God also sends them to help the people who trust in Jesus. *Believers are those who accept *salvation. They will one day live in heaven with God.

apostle ~ one whom God sends; especially one of the 12 that Jesus chose to be his helpers.
Greek ~ the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament.
Timothy ~ a friend of the apostle Paul. He was a leader in the church at that time. There are 2 letters to him, from Paul, in the New Testament
apostle ~ one whom God sends; especially one of the 12 that Jesus chose to be his helpers.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
belief ~ what we accept as true... see faith.
faith ~ to trust someone or something; belief and trust in God and in Jesus his Son; belief that the Bible is true.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel; the temple of God was there.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. The Jews had one in Jerusalem for the worship of the true God.
worship ~ to give honour to God with praise, thanks and respect.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
Hebrew ~ a Jewish or Israelite person. The language of the Jewish people.
suggestion ~ something that someone suggests.
Rome ~ the capital city of the rulers at that time. They were the Romans.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. The Jews had one in Jerusalem for the worship of the true God.
worship ~ to give honour to God with praise, thanks and respect.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel; the temple of God was there.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
Judaism ~ the religion of the Jews.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
angel ~ a spirit person made by God to serve him and take his messages. There are angels who sinned and now serve the Devil.
spirit ~ that part of a person which we cannot see but which can speak to other spirits or to the soul; there are other spirits which can be good or evil.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see that is in us during our life and lives after we die; it is our inner life (not the body); it is that part of people that God speaks to through their spirits.'human being ~ a human person.
mediator ~ the agent who makes peace between persons. Jesus is the mediator between God and humanity. As mediator he made the new agreement with God for humanity.

human(s)/humanity ~ human person(s).
sacrifice ~ an offering to God, often an animal or bird, by the Jews to ask God to forgive their sins. Jesus gave himself to die as a sacrifice for our sins.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
ancestors ~ any persons from whom the families of your father or mother come.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
Messiah ~ the special servant of God, the name God chose for Jesus Christ. The person that God sent to save his people from their sins. God promised the Jews that Messiah would come. Jesus is that Messiah but the Jews still do not believe it.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
creation ~ the act of God in making the world and everything there is: everything that God has made.
angel ~ a spirit person made by God to serve him and take his messages. There are angels who sinned and now serve the Devil.
spirit ~ that part of a person which we cannot see but which can speak to other spirits or to the soul; there are other spirits which can be good or evil.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see that is in us during our life and lives after we die; it is our inner life (not the body); it is that part of people that God speaks to through their spirits.
firstborn ~ a title of Jesus as the first to rise from the dead. Then Christians are referred to as firstborn ones.
worship ~ to give honour to God with praise, thanks and respect.
throne ~ the special chair for the king.
kingdom ~ the place or territory where a king rules.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all.
spirit ~ that part of a person which we cannot see but which can speak to other spirits or to the soul; there are other spirits which can be good or evil.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see that is in us during our life and lives after we die; it is our inner life (not the body); it is that part of people that God speaks to through their spirits.
salvation ~ when God saves us from the result and punishment of our sin; the rescue from sin, as God forgives us and gives us new life in Christ.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
believers ~ those who know and accept Christ.