Persevere in Jesus LESSON II

REVIEW Survey – I Clement – the Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians—AD 95, cites Hebrews in a Scriptural manner – AND, there is no mention of the Fall of Jerusalem

REVIEW Hebrews 1:1-3 NKJ Hebrews 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

REVIEW Vv. 1-3 Most recently, God reveals Himself to us, – not by a the scattered witness of the Prophets – but by the fullness of His Son – Who is Alpha and Omega, through Whom all was created Who is heir of all things – Who is the wisdom and Word of God – Who is radiance of His glory – Who represents Him perfectly – Who sustains all things – Who atones for sins – Who is honored at the Right Hand of Majesty

Hebrews 1: having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You"? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"? 6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him." 7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire." 8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions." 10 And: "You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail." 13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

Summary vv.4-9 Angels are messengers and have done great things throughout salvific history – God has spoken through them – They have performed great works – They are ministers – They worship God – They are, in one sense, higher creations than mankind. But the Son is greater still – He is “begotten not made” (not a creation). – He will be worshipped in the Judgment – He is the maker, angels attend him, are at his disposal – He reigns, the eternal king – He is very God

10 And: "You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail." 13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

Psalm 102 Balances the distress of the Psalmist, with the supremacy and infinitude of God. – Among other thigns, the Psalmist even suffers the wrath of God Himself, YET solidly places his hope in HIM. This is, of course, Christological in the moment of the Cross, where Christ suffers God’s wrath for our sake. The Writer to Hebrews is specifically comparing God’s Eternality and Uncreatedness, to created angels who have a beginning. – But these other elements in the Psalm resonate with the writer’s point in 1:3 about Christ Jesus paying for transgressions In fact ALL the references which the Psalmist uses to indicate Jesus so far have pointed back to the first four verses of the introduction, while simultaneously contrasting Him from the angels. Lastly about Psalm 102: the overall sense of it—the dire need for salvation— points forward what the Writer will begin to do in verse 14 & 2:1, wind his work into application for our lives.

Psalm 110 The Writer indicated the Son’s honor and inheritance in vv. 1:2-3, – and also references the Son’s eschatological victory in the context of contrasting the angels in 1:6 Psalm 110 is among the most exalted Old Testament expressions of the ultimate victory of the Son of David. – It is the 7 th and final OT reference in this series in Hebrews. (Exalted positing) Again, both the ideas of sacrifice and Sacrificer are eluded to here. – volunteers – Melchizedek All the terror that we see around us in the world, will find its just judgment in Jesus Christ, the Son of David – And we are boot camp to become volunteers or freewill offerings.

Hebrews 1:14 - 2:1 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? NKJ Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. Even though Angels are higher up on the creation-ladder than we are, they are commanded to minister to us—to all the faithful. – This reminds us of the Writer’s reference in 1:7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.“(Ps 104). Suddenly, the contrast between Christ and Angels opens wider and we find ourselves, as with all the faithful, fitted in between. – The Angels heed Him – The Angels minister to us, who from Him will also inherit salvation. We, therefore, must also heed Him! – become His army – worship Him – Read His word – Do His commands – Immitate His character Trusting in His ability to make us fit to do all these things!

Homework Read Chapter 2 at least a 2-4 times. Also re-read chapter 1. Check a couple different translations if you can