Review and Class by Jim Pounders

                                                            Study of Hebrews  Highlights from the writer of Hebrews thus far: 1.  Jesus is superior to any heavenly being and is, in fact, God.  Hebrews 1 2.  Message of Jesus is superior.  Hebrews 2:1-4

            a.  First, announced by the Lord

            b.  Second, confirmed by those who heard him

            c.  Third, testified to by God through:

                        1) Signs, wonders, miracles

                        2) Gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will

                                    Hebrews 2:4: I Cor. 12:11; Romans 12:6; Ephe. 3:14-21 

3.  Jesus made to be family/perfect

            a.  Shared their humanity

            b.  Suffered temptation

            c.  Suffered death

            d.  In order that he might become the faithful high priest.  Heb. 2:10-18 

4.  Hold firm (be faithful) to the end–not like those who hardened their hearts. 

            Heb. 3:13-18 5.  Sabbath rest for the people of God.  Hebrews 4 6.  All this leads to Jesus becoming our faithful high priest.  Heb. 4:14-5:10

            a.  Tempted in all points (and far above what we are)

            b.  Appointed by God

            c.  Being made complet–author of eternal salvation to all who obey him.

                                                                            Hebrews Study I.  Looking at Hebrews 5:11 through Hebrews 6:12. 

            A.  Hebrews 5:11-14

 

                        1.  Similar to the writer Paul in I Cor. 3:1-3.  Analogy of milk and solid

                                    food often used by Greek writers and biblical writers to denote

                                    weakness and strength, infancy and adulthood (spiritually).

 

                        2.  A lot of time has elapsed since they became Christians.  By now, many

                                    should have become teachers.  Similar to Israel.  Hebrews 4:2

                                    “…but the message they heard was of no value to them, because

                                    those who heard did not combine it with faith.”

 

                        3.  Need someone again to teach the elementary truths (first principles);

                                    their grasp of these things has become so inadequate that they

                                    need to learn them again.

                                    a.  It is impossible to stand still with regard to God’s word.

                                                “If the dark things do not become plain, then the

                                                plain things will become dark.”  Tyndale

                                    b.  Illus:  Atrophy–because muscles are not used, they can become

                                                smaller and less useful.

                                   

                        4.  Distinction between the infant (nerios) and the mature (teleios).

                                    a.  Infant Christian is immature and has not grown past first

                                                principles.  Illus:  Some Christians want only a diet of

                                                first principle lessons–not more mature Bible studies.

                                    b.  Mature Christians want and need more.  They want to be

                                                “trained” (gumnazo)–Greek word used for the

                                                training of athletes–self-discipline, exercise, practice

                                                in order to develop themselves for the real game!

                                    c.  In verse 13, the phrase “not acquainted with” can be

                                                translated “without experience” or “untried”, and

                                                without being “tried” or having “experience”, he is

                                                hard pressed to deal with the real world or the real

                                                Satan.

             B.  Hebrews 6:1-3  The need to go on–having benefited from first principles,                           the need to move on to solid food. 

                        1.  Irony:  Chapter 5:11-14 says that they need to be taught elementary or

                                    first principle truths again, but chapter 6:1-3 says that they need

                                    to leave these teachings and move on to solid food.

                                   

 

                                    a.  They should be quick studies of the first things.

                                    b.  The great benefits of solid food.

                                                Illus:  how an infant quickly grows and matures with

                                                solid food.

 

                        2.  Six pairs of “first principles” listed.

                                    a.  Repentance and faith–central to the early teaching of John the                                                 Baptist, Jesus, and the early church.

                                    b.  Baptism and the laying on of hands–often coupled as in

                                                Acts 8:16,17 and Acts 19:5-6.

                                                1) Baptism usually in the singular (baptisma); rarely in the

                                                            plural (baptismos); used here;  in Mark 7:4

                                    Pharisees use of ceremonial washings of cups,

pitchers, kettles); and in Hebrews 9:10 about

ceremonial washings of the priests.  Was he

speaking of this?                    

                                                2) Or was he speaking of water baptism and baptism of

                                                            the Holy Spirit.

                                                3) Or was he speaking of the baptism of John unto

                                                            repentance or the baptism of Christ to receive

                                                            the Holy Spirit?

                                                4) Laying on of hands in O.T. for appointing (Numbers

                                                            27:18,25; Deut. 34:9) or for sacrifice (Ex. 29:10;

                                                            Lev. 1:4).  In the N.T. for appointing (Acts 13:3);

                                                            imparting gifts (Acts 8:18; II Tim. 1:6).+

                                    c.  Resurrection and judgement

                                                1)  Believers also raised.  I Cor. 15:20

                                                2) Judgement coupled with resurrection.  Acts 17:31;

                                                            Heb. 9:27

 

            C.  Hebrews 6:4-6.   Is it possible to fall from grace?

 

                        1.  I am a strong advocate of the assurance that Christians have of

                                    forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  See I John–the letter.

 

                        2.  Having said that, is it possible for a person to so scorn the new birth

                                    and the promises of forgiveness and eternal life that he, by his

                                    own actions, dooms himself to death?  In other words:  is “once

                                    saved, always saved” a true doctrine?

 

                        3.  Notice the change in pronoun from “we” and “us” to “they” and “those”

 

                        4.  Three possibilities about Hebrews 6:4-6.

                                    a.  He is talking about non-Christians.  Calvin and others suggest

                                                that it is possible for a person to possess and experience

                                                much of what is Christian without actually being a new

                                                creature.

                                                1) Seed which fell on rocky soil

                                                2) No mention of the new birth in this passage

           

                                    b.  He is talking hypothetically about something that can never

                                                happen.  Dealing with supposition rather than fact, in

                                                order to correct wrong idea.  I find this to be highly

                                                unlikely if not impossible.  Why on such a serious matter

                                                would this writer suggest that such a thing was possible if

                                                in fact it is impossible?  He loses credibility and risks great

                                                confusion–which is not–the style of this writer.

                                    c.  He is actually talking about Christians being saved or lost.

                                                (Demas, having loved this present world, has gone to

                                                Thessalonica.  II Timothy 4:10)

                                                1) There is the argument that this denies the security of

                                                            those who put their trust in Jesus for eternal security

                                                            (John 5:24; John 6:37; John  10:28-30; Rom. 8:1;

                                                            Hebrews 8:12; I John 2:12; I John 2:25, 5:13).  But

                                                            notice:  this is what God promises to the faithful; it

                                                            does not presume how the unfaithful will respond.

                                                2)  Here are the other passages to consider.  (I John 2:24,25

                                                            I John 1:5-7; Matthew 24:13; Mark 3:29; Luke 9:62

                                                            Heb. 10:26-29; II Peter 3:17; II Peter 2:4-22;

                                                            Rev. 2:10)

                                                3)  There is a difference between being adrift and willfully

                                                            deciding to be opposed, or to ignore the truth.

                                                            Illus:  Do you know anyone like this?

                                   

                        5.  Notice verse 6:  “to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all

                                    over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”  See Numbers

                                    25:4).

 

                        6.  Purpose of the paragraph:  to encourage steadfastness.

             D.  Hebrews 6:7-8.  An illustration by using a contrast between two types of                         land. 

                        1.  Reminds you of Jesus’ parable of the different kinds of soils.

                                    Matt. 13:3-9

 

                        2.  One soil is porous and able to receive rain (thus is able to change its

                                    ability to produce fruit).

 

                        3.  The other is not receptive and produces only waste product.

              E.  Hebrews 6:9-12.  Confidence expressed in the Hebrew Christians that

                        they will be faithful and not make the mistakes leading to destruction.

 

                        1.  Does not feel his readers have committed apostasy.

 

                        2.  Encourages them to be diligent to the very end and to imitate the

                                    faith of those who already have their inheritance (Heb. 11).

 

            F.  Hebrews 6:13-20  The assurance of God’s promise.