Letter to the Hebrews

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 21, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 40.

Letter to the Hebrews.

HEBREWS 2:17; 3:1-12.

(Lesson 5, November 2, 1889.)

1. WHEREIN was Jesus made like unto his brethren? "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Heb. 2:17. See verse 14.

2. For what reason was he made like his brethren? "To make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." Verse 17, last part, and verse 18.

3. How does the priesthood of Christ relate to things pertaining to God? Heb. 2:17. See also 9:15. In making reconciliation for sins he vindicates the law of the Father. Pardon recognizes the authority of law, and the justice of the condemnation.

4. What strong assurance have tempted sufferers that Jesus can sympathize with them and help them? Heb. 2:18.

5. Because of these things what are we exhorted to do? "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." Heb. 3:1.

6. Why is Jesus called an apostle? John 17:3, 8, etc. See Webster. Apostle means "one sent."

7. Than whom was he counted worthy of more glory? and why? "For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house." Heb. 3:3.

8. Who built all things? "For every house is builded by some man; but he that hath built all things is God." Verse 4.

9. What bearing has this fact on the glory of Christ? Compare Heb. 1:2; John 1:1-3.

10. In what capacity did Moses act over his house? "And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after." Heb. 3:5.

11. What purpose of God did he fulfill? See note.

12. Over whose house does the Son preside? "But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." Verse 6.

13. What is Christ's house?—Ib.

14. On what condition are we Christ's house?—Ib.

15. Is not our faith, our conversation, sufficient evidence that we are the house of Christ? Compare Matt. 24:14; Rom. 2:7; 1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Peter 1:10.

16. From what scripture does the apostle quote in Heb. 3:7-11?

17. To whom does he apply the warning? "Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day if ye will hear his voice." "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." Verses 7, 12.

18. What is the character of an unbelieving heart? Verse 12.

19. Who wrote the psalm which is here quoted? "Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To-day, after so long a time; as it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." Heb. 4:7.

20. Whose words did David write? Heb. 3:7.

21. What other apostle spoke of David as a prophet? "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne." Acts 2:29, 30.

22. What did Christ say concerning the psalms? "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me." Luke 24:44.

23. How, then, should we regard the book of Psalms?

NOTE.

MOSES was a servant, as a testimony of those things to be spoken after. That is, Moses, in his official capacity, was a type of Christ. See Deut. 18:15. And, of course, his house, the house of Israel, bore the same relation to the household of faith that he bore to Christ. This is the second point in the apostle's argument on the Hebrew Scriptures concerning the dignity of Christ. First, he proves by the prophets that the Messiah is above the angels; that they are commanded to worship him; he is the Son of God, by whom all things were made. Secondly, being a Son, he is superior to Moses, who was but a servant. As the one by

whom the worlds were made, he must have more honor than the creatures he has made. It will be seen, as we proceed, that the writer constructs his argument on the main points of the Scriptures which they knew and believed, so as to settle and establish them in the faith of the gospel; for it was to Hebrew converts to Christianity, to the brethren, that he was writing.

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

FOR an explanation of the nature of Christ, as referred to in Heb. 2:14-18, see the article on that subject on page 630.

THE Revised Version, margin, reads on verse 18, question 2: "For wherein he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." In order to help one, we must know his condition. Man's sinful tendencies and weaknesses were taken by our Saviour that he might help us. He bore them all, that he might know the temptations of all. And the text teaches that only in this way could he help us. Wherein he was tempted, or in those things wherein he was tempted, he was able to help others. It is, therefore, necessarily implied that wherein he was not tempted, he is not able to help us. But as he is able to help to the uttermost all who come unto God by him (Heb. 7:25), and as he helps in those things in which he has been himself tempted, the conclusion is irresistible that he was tempted in all points even as we are. "For in that he hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." Heb. 2:18. If tempted does not mean the same in one case as the other, there is no force in the apostle's statement. What a gracious, sympathizing Redeemer!

JESUS is called an "apostle" because he was "one sent forth" (which the word means) of God. Jesus says of God, "I am from him, and he hath sent me." John 7:29. He is called "the apostle" because he was the one over all others sent forth of God. God sent forth his fullness in his Son; that Son was the truth manifested to men. See John 3:34; 6:29, 57; 10:36; 18:37. As Christ was chief Shepherd, so was he also chief Apostle; and he is also chief Angel, or Archangel, in the sense of being a messenger; for "angel" means "messenger." He was the "messenger of the covenant" (Mal. 3:1), and the chief Commander of all the heavenly hosts. But in nature, and power, and position of Christ, there is no comparison between him and the angels.

THE "house" of Christ (Heb. 3:6) is the same as "the household of God" in Eph. 2:19, and "the temple of God" in 1 Cor. 3:16, 9, and many other texts. The stones are now being gathered for that heavenly temple, and Christ is both foundation and builder. 1 Cor. 3:10, 11; Zech. 6:13. Whoever assumes the position or title of our Lord is antichrist. 2 Thess. 2:4. The quarrying and fitting and polishing of the stones are here; the eternal beauty of each and all will be seen when the temple is complete in the kingdom of God. If we hold fast the confidence and hope, if we submit to the cutting and planing and polishing, we will remain a part of his house here and hereafter.

AN unbelieving heart is an evil heart; and an evil heart is an unbelieving heart. Unbelief comes because of the love of evil, or sin. Says Jesus to the Jews, who had all the mighty evidences of the Messiahship and rejected them; "How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?" John 5:4. It was simply impossible for them to believe just as long as they sought their own honor. Selfishness filled their heart, and faith cannot dwell with selfishness. The man who will utterly renounce sin and yield to God will believe. The man who will not, cannot believe. An evil heart will turn him aside. Isa. 44:20; Rom. 1:21, 22. And unbelief will lead to more sin. In fact, unbelief is always an evidence of sin cherished. He who will believe God as regards what is righteousness and sin and duty, will also believe God's promises.

DAVID wrote the words of the Holy Spirit. So it is expressly stated. Heb. 3:7. "Which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake." Acts 1:16. "The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word was in my tongue." 2 Sam. 23:2. "The word of the Lord" came to Isaiah (chap. 38:4); to Jeremiah (chap. 35:2); to Ezekiel (chap. 7:1), to all the prophets. Paul says: "But we speak the wisdom of God" "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth." 1 Cor. 2:7, 13. Of course this pertains to the original tongue in which the words were written. But there are so many photographs of that original, in the shape of translations, that there can be no doubt of the identity. The words were the words of the Spirit of God; they were the words of man. They were the words of Isaiah, of Hosea, of Jeremiah, of each and all who wrote the Bible; they were also the words of the Holy Spirit. As the Living Word was manifest in the flesh, so the literal word comes to us in the same way. There is as much danger in rejecting the latter as the former, because it hath no form or comeliness pleasing to man.