Hebrews introduction

Two topics leapt to mind on our opening day of Hebrews.  First, there was the example of God’s redemptive story that was played before us.  I discussed this with our fearless leader afterwards and would embellish upon it now.  Second, there is the issue of redemptive history and its conclusion in the Apocalypse.  Some system of eschatological organization should be agreed upon.  Otherwise, the discussion of eschatology in the New Testament can be easily diverted to various distractions.  Therefore, in this post we will tackle the former issue, and in the next post we will address the latter issue.

In Hebrews 1:1-4, several assumptions are made by the author.  He can make these assumptions because he is writing to a mature church, but one that probably consisted primarily of converted Jews.  The writer’s main theme as we move through the book will be one of endurance and perseverance in Christ.  Therefore, he will assume much of the Gospel is known.  These assumptions are manifest in these first four verses as we saw our leader flesh this out on Tuesday. 

These verses are the beginning of a lengthy argument concerning the person of Jesus.  Starting with verses 1-2, we have the declaration that there has been a change in the manner of God’s revelation of redemptive history.  There has been a sentinel event from which historical accounts will be measured.  History is divided between Long Ago and these Last Days (note to Mormons: Last Days, not latter days).  The implication is clear: these Last Days will lead up to a Second sentinel event about which we will converse in the next post.  Also, there is a declaration of who Jesus is, consistent with the first chapter of the Gospel of John.

The next two verses tell us more about Jesus; particularly that He is of the same nature as God, an exact imprint in fact.  Jesus upholds the universe by the word of His power.  This language is consistent with Isaiah as well as John, and it sets the stage for the whole book in which the writer will be making many references to the Old Testament with which he will assume that his readers are familiar.  But in this post, I want to spend time focusing on verse 3b.  In this short phrase, the writer summarizes all of Christ’s redeeming work on the Cross.  This is the assumed to be known reference to the Propitiation, Romans 3:25, given to us through the meritorious work of Jesus on the Cross.

In the example that we staged in the room, I would modify the drama in these ways in order to introduce the missing player.  In this passage of Hebrews, the focus is squarely upon Jesus.  In our Bible study drama, we added God the Father.  I would like to include the third person of the Trinity as well.  Let’s proceed with our drama, then.

Humanity was arrayed in a circle around God.  This is a good image with God in the center of our world and lives.  However, after the fall, we all turn our backs on God.  Picture everyone in the room spinning their chairs around and facing away from the center, away from God.  Now, we are all enemies of God.  If we make a move, it will be away from God.  From God’s perspective, all He sees now are dead people, doomed people.  The gap that sin has created between us and God is huge and we cannot bridge it, because we are facing away from God; we are His enemies.  Therefore, God does something remarkable.  While we were still enemies of God, He sends His Son to intervene.  His son takes the sin of the believers upon Himself, and places His coat of perfect righteousness upon His flock.  Next, He sends the Holy Spirit into the world.  The Holy Spirit goes and turns some of the chairs back around to face God.  Then, the Holy Spirit points the way to Jesus, who bridges the gap to God.  All whom the Holy Spirit turned will receive a white robe of righteousness from Jesus that will cover them so that God sees us through the perfect righteousness of Jesus.  God is now pleased with us, and He grants us the inheritance in Jesus. 

All three Imputations are represented in this drama.  The imputation of sin upon all of us by Adam turned all of us away from God.  The imputation of the sin of the believer is taken back by Jesus.  Finally, the imputation of righteousness from Jesus to the believer is also portrayed.  All three persons of the Trinity are portrayed.  Jesus is now next to God, and the Holy Spirit moves the elect to face the creator.  All persons of the Trinity are of the same substance, “the exact imprint of His nature.” Jesus is also fully human, so that He can be that bridge for the believer back to God.

And finally, as I said during Bible study, all of the verb tenses in the first paragraph are perfect tense.  All of the action is complete.  The only exception is verse 3a, which is the declaration of the Divinity of Christ that I just quoted.  That declaration is an eternal truth rather than an action.  The events that justify the believer, to which the writer refers in verse 3b, are all completed actions.  Again, this dovetails with John 19:30, in which Jesus says, “It is finished.”

This concludes the discussion of the dramatic demonstration.  In verse 4, the writer will launch into his first example of Jesus being much more than something else, in the first case, angels.  In my next post, we will discuss various views of the whole study of redemptive history, eschatology.

--Troll--