BIBLE STUDY MINISTRIES It doesn’t get better than this! Studies 5-8 Hebrews August 2014 17 Summarise what you’ve discovered from Hebrews 7. What makes Jesus the perfect high priest for us? Why is he the only possible way to God? 5. HEBREWS AND US Hebrews 7 has an impressive list of attributes of Jesus: “holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (verse 26), serving in “the power of an indestructible life” (verse 16), “made perfect forever” (verse 28). In what ways has Hebrews 7 broadened or deepened your appreciation of Jesus and/or encouraged you as you trust him? What do you think of the suggestion that ‘all religions are basically the same’? In verse 27 we’re told that one difference between Jesus and all the rest is that he didn’t need any sacrifice for sins, but that instead he sacrificed for everyone else’s sins once and for all when he offered himself. Why is it important to understand that Jesus was without sin? In what ways is the sacrifice that Jesus offered different from the sacrifices other priests offer? The Reformer, John Calvin, wrote this about Jesus’ high priestly ministry in heaven: [Jesus] appears before the Father’s face as our constant advocate and intercessor … Thus he turns the Father’s eyes to his own righteousness to avert his gaze from our sins … He fills with grace and kindness the throne that for miserable sinners would otherwise have been filled with dread. When we think of what Jesus has done for us, we usually think about his death and resurrection in the past; we much more rarely think about what he is doing for us right now. How can remembering Jesus’ high priestly ministry in heaven encourage you day by day? 16 Since a new and better priest has now appeared, what does that mean for Contents the old law and the old structure of the physical nation of Israel (verses 12‐ 14, 18‐19)? Why? Study 5 – Hebrews 4:1‐13 .............................................................................. 2 Study 6 – Hebrews 4:14‐5:10 ......................................................................... 6 What does all of that mean for those who are considering turning back to Judaism? Study 7 – Hebrews 5:11‐6:20 ....................................................................... 10 Study 8 – Hebrews 7:1‐28 ............................................................................ 14 4. THE PERFECT PRIEST SAVES PERFECTLY The author of Hebrews has identified one of the key features of the priesthood of Melchizedek by combining two facts: 1) the lack of any mention in Genesis of Melchizedek’s death (verse 3), and 2) the assertion in Psalm 110:4 that a priest in Melchizedek’s order is a priest “forever” (verse 17). His conclusion, in verse 16, is that entry into this greater priesthood is through “the power of an indestructible life”. This is the point he picks up on from verse 23. Read Hebrews 7:23‐28 What does Jesus’ resurrection tell us about his priesthood (verses 23‐24)? What function does Jesus, as eternal priest, carry out in heaven (verse 25)? What is it about his character and majesty that makes Jesus the best possible high priest for us (verses 26‐27a)? What has Jesus the high priest done in the past that enables him to “save completely those who come to God through him” (verse 27b)? 2 15 STUDY 5 – HEBREWS 4:1‐13 2. MELCHIZEDEK GREATER THAN LEVI FOR STARTERS Read Hebrews 7:4‐10 With our significantly increased life‐expectancy over previous generations, In these verses the author brings together a number of points to “retirement” has become very big business indeed! Should Christians think demonstrate that Melchizedek was greater than Levi. What things can you any differently about retirement than the rest of society? find in the following verses to build up a picture of Melchizedek’s superiority to the Levites? ‐ 4 1. LOOK FORWARD, NOT BACK! ‐ 5‐6 In Hebrews 3:7‐19, the readers were exhorted to look back to the past and to be warned by the negative example of Israel they saw ‐ 6b‐7 there. Hebrews 4:1‐13, however, is the flip‐side. The author now turns his readers’ attention to the future, to look to what lies ahead of them. ‐ 8 Read Hebrews 4:1‐11 ‐ 9‐10 In these verses, the author weaves together a number of themes. Compare the following sets of verses to see what word, phrase or idea is 3. NEW PRIESTHOOD, NEW LAW, NEW HOPE common to each set. Read Hebrews 7:11‐22 1, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11 __________________________________________ We saw in study 3 that ‘perfection’ has the idea of completeness or of reaching an intended goal. What was the purpose of the law, and what 2, 6, 7, 11 __________________________________________ does Hebrews mean when it says that it was on the basis of the Levitical 1, 6, 9 __________________________________________ priesthood that the law was given to the people (verse 11)? 3, 4, 9, 10 __________________________________________ These four themes are key to understanding verses 1‐11. Behind Was the law able to achieve its purpose (verses 11, 18‐19)? Why/why not? them lie three events in history – two in the past and one in the future – and they also speak of the response to those events God requires. We will take the themes in reverse order. We have already seen numerous ways in which Melchizedek was superior to the Levites. In what ways, then, is the priesthood of Melchizedek a. What event in past history is common to verses 3, 4, 9 and 10? (Note: superior to the Levitical priesthood (verses 15‐17, 20‐22)? the word “Sabbath” is derived from the Hebrew word for “rest”, and the first time “rest” is mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis 2:2.) 14 3 STUDY 8 – HEBREWS 7:1‐28 When the author speaks in this passage about “rest”, what “rest” does he primarily have in mind? FOR STARTERS ‘Jesus is just one of many ways to God.’ What do you think of that claim? b. What do verses 1, 6 and 9 add to this theme of “rest”? Where should the readers of Hebrews be looking for this “rest” – in the past or in the future? 1. MYSTERIOUS MELCHIZEDEK Melchizedek was an obscure character in the Old Testament, c. What event in past history (and what response on the part of Israel) is appearing only twice, very briefly – for 3 verses in Genesis 14, and for 1 common to verses 2, 6, 7 and 11? (Hint: remember Hebrews 3:7‐19; see verse in Psalm 110. And yet the author of Hebrews devotes a whole also Numbers 14:26‐35.) chapter (and other references beside) to this mysterious king‐priest. Why? He does it to show his readers another dimension to the promised Messiah which they hadn’t appreciated – a dimension hinted at in Psalm 110:4, but only fully understood in the revelation of Jesus. Moving forward 40 years after Numbers 14, read Joshua 21:43‐45. What does the word “rest” refer to in Joshua? According to Joshua, Read Hebrews 7:1‐3 have the Israelites entered into God’s rest? These verses are a summary (with added explanation) of the first Old Testament passage in which Melchizedek appears. Read Genesis 14:18‐20. This passage in Genesis contains the sum total of everything we know about Melchizedek’s personal history. What point does the author of In Hebrews 4:8, what is the author’s view of all this? Did Joshua give the Hebrews draw out of this paucity of biographical information (Heb 7:3)? people “rest” or not? The author of Hebrews also translates the meanings of Melchizedek’s From verses 9‐10, on what basis can the author of Hebrews so brazenly name and title.‡ What do they mean? contradict the Old Testament? What is the evidence he provides that the “rest” Joshua achieved was not the true “rest” God ultimately had in mind? What picture of Melchizedek is the author building up in verses 1‐3? From verses 6, 7 and 11, then, how would God view the readers’ intention to return to Judaism? ‡ ‘Salem’ was a city that was later renamed ‘Jeru‐salem’. ‘Salem’ comes from the same root word as ‘Shalom’ = ‘peace’. 4 13 d. Drawing all this together so far, in verses 1, 3, 6, 10 and 11, what is the What were “the two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God conclusion the author gives his readers? to lie” that God did (Hebrews 6:13‐17)? Why did God do two things, and not just one (verse 18)? Where do we find God’s true “rest”? Who can enter it, and on what basis (verses 3 and 11)? What does Jesus have to do with this promise and oath given to Abraham so long ago (verses 19‐20)? Re‐read Hebrews 4:1‐11 and summarise what the author is saying in your own words. What will it mean, therefore, for the readers of Hebrews if they want to be true “heirs of what was promised”? What is the best way they can follow Abraham’s example (see verses 12, 15, 18‐20)? 2. THE DIVINE SCALPEL Read Hebrews 4:12‐13 These verses can seem, at first glance, to be unrelated to what we’ve 5. HEBREWS AND US just been reading. However, there are two very important connections to According to the author of Hebrews, there are two kinds of Christians: the notice. The first is the word, “for”, which begins verse 12. This indicates mature (5:14‐6:1) and the lazy (5:11‡ & 6:12).