Why study the Bible Therefore we must pay
Why study the Bible?
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. Hebrews 2: 1
Women’s Small Groups
ABC Women’s Small Groups • Purpose: Study God’s Word in an intimate group in order to apply Truth to an individual member’s life.
ABC Women’s Small Groups • Study: Each member prepares before the study using the inductive method. Members actively participate in leader facilitated group discussions.
ABC Women’s Small Groups • Intimacy: Members strive to honestly and specifically apply truth to their daily lives which facilitates personal and practical application. The environment of intimacy built during the year creates trust which allows for greater accountability among the members of the group.
ABC Women’s Small Groups • Accountability: Members share honestly and deeply building spiritually accountable relationships. They welcome encouragement and admonition from other members of the group.
ABC Women’s Small Groups How? • • Commit to attend group each week unless you are sick or out of town. Commit to prepare each week to study together. Commit to be honest with each other. Commit to be careful and loving with each other. (Groups are formed by the elders so visitors are not permitted. )
AUTHORSHIP Who wrote Hebrews?
AUTHORSHIP: A Profile Hebrews 11: 32 (ESV) 32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell διηγούμενον (diēgoumenon) of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— Conclusion: The author is likely a man.
AUTHORSHIP: A Profile Hebrews 13: 19 (ESV) 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. Conclusion: The author was likely known to his audience.
AUTHORSHIP: A Profile Hebrews 13: 23 (ESV) 23 You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. Conclusion: The author knew the Apostolic band.
AUTHORSHIP: A Profile Hebrews 2: 3– 4 (ESV) 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. Conclusion: The writer was a second generation disciple.
AUTHORSHIP: A Profile Galatians 1: 11– 12 (ESV) 11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Conclusion: Paul is not the author of Hebrews.
AUTHORSHIP: A Profile Summing up: • • • Not Paul He was a he Knew his audience Knew and known by the Apostolic band Not an “eyewitness, ” but learned from them
Where was Hebrews written?
PROVENANCE & DESTINATION Hebrews 13: 24 (ESV) 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings.
PROVENANCE & DESTINATION Persecution and Rome Hebrews 10: 32– 35 (ESV) 32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
Who was Hebrews written to?
AUDIENCE A congregation of Jew and Gentile believers: Hebrews 2: 1 (ESV) 1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. Hebrews 3: 12 (ESV) 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
AUDIENCE A congregation of immature Jew and Gentile believers: Hebrews 5: 11– 6: 3 (ESV) 11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
AUDIENCE Hebrews 5: 11– 6: 3 (ESV) continued 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. 1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.
AUDIENCE Summing up: • Likely written from somewhere outside of Rome • Possibly to a congregation in Rome • made up of Jews and Gentiles who were • immature, • dull, and • in need of spiritual growth.
AUTHORSHIP When was Hebrews written?
DATE Internal Evidence Hebrews 10: 32 (ESV) 32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, Hebrews 12: 4 (ESV) 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
DATE Summary • Hebrews was probably written in the early to mid-60 s, but not after 65 AD.
GENRE What is Hebrews?
GENRE Hebrews 13: 22 (ESV) 22 I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.
GENRE: Epistle of Exhortation The author does not simply admonish his addressees and encourage them to a firmer commitment. He also attempts to secure that commitment through a deepened understanding of the person and work of the one who makes faith possible. Harold W. Attridge, “Hebrews, Epistle to the, ” ed. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 100.
GENRE: Epistle of Exhortation Hebrews 4: 1 (ESV) 1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. Hebrews 4: 11 (ESV) 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
GENRE: Epistle of Exhortation Hebrews 4: 14 (ESV) 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Hebrews 4: 16 (ESV) 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
GENRE: Epistle of Exhortation Hebrews 6: 1 (ESV) 1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, Hebrews 10: 22 (ESV) 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
GENRE: Epistle of Exhortation Hebrews 10: 23 (ESV) 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10: 24 (ESV) 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
GENRE: Epistle of Exhortation Hebrews 12: 1 (ESV) 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12: 28 (ESV) 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
OCCASION What led the author to write Hebrews?
OCCASION Hebrews 3: 13 (ESV) 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today, ” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
OCCASION Hebrews 6: 12 (ESV) 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
OCCASION Hebrews 12: 12 (ESV) 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
OCCASION The exhortation sections of Hebrews, therefore, reveal a community of Christian believers, some of whom were wavering in their devotion to Christ. Their experience of persecution and an increasingly blurred picture of Jesus and the Christian faith had led to a further drifting from right thinking and right living. They were in need of perseverance in the things of God so that they might experience the full measure of his promises. This is our author’s challenge: to encourage a group of discouraged believers drifting from real Christianity by bolstering their commitment to draw near to God and to endure in commitment to Christ. George Guthrie, Hebrews, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998), 21– 22.
CONCLUSION Hebrews 13: 8 (ESV) 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
How are we going to study the book of Hebrews?
Stay on the Line! Legalism – adding to God’s Word The Bible License – subtracting to God’s Word
Observation To properly observe the passage demands concentration. We often see but do not really observe. To observe a passage of Scripture you need to become like a newspaper reporter, unearthing all the relevant facts. The key to unearthing these facts is to be able to ask the correct questions. Questions about the context and structure of the passage are key. CONTEXT Is there a reference to a person, place, object or story from the OT? Do I understand the reference? Is there a quotation from an OT book? What does it mean in its own context? Is there a word to define or explain? Is there a metaphor or use of imagery to understand? Is this a repetition of or contrast to a previously stated idea or argument? STRUCTURE What type of passage is this? (For example: exposition (explanation), exhortation (command), encouragement, persuasion, warning, or some combination? ) Are there any key words? (For example: therefore, for, and, but, since, let us, now, so then, so also, indeed, thus, if, then) Are there repeated words, phrases or ideas? Is there a comparison or contrast? Would a diagram of the sentences, paragraphs or grammatical structure be helpful? (note subjects, verbs, adverbs, direct objects, connecting words, tenses, etc. ) A good bottom-line observation question is “What does the passage say about God, man, and me? ”
Interpretation The aim of interpretation is to discover the meaning of the passage for the people to whom it was written. Your role now changes from one of reporter to detective. Your role is to place together the clues to find the central meaning (or emphasis) of the passage. The emphasis is the “Big Idea” the author is trying to communicate to his audience. The structure of the passage will naturally lead to an emphasis. Summarize the author’s emphasis in one sentence. Look for: What is the significance of the OT person, place, object or story for the Hebrews? How does the OT quote fill in the text? Why is it used here? What does it mean? How does the metaphor and imagery illustrate the truth here? Why did the author use this particular literary device here? How does it relate to his specific audience? What is explained through comparisons/contrasts? How do they illustrate the truth? Why is this repeated word, idea, or section here? What does the repetition emphasize? Indicate? Noting the kind of passage, what kind of response is the author looking to get? Why? On what grounds does he seek that response? What does diagram or grammatical analysis tell me? A good bottom line interpretation question is “From this passage, what do I learn about God, man, and me?
Application All of Scripture points to Jesus and the Gospel (Luke 24: 25 -27 & 44 -49). The book of Hebrews is designed to help us understand how many Old Testament people and objects point to Christ and then challenges us to live in light of Gospel. Many commands of how to live are prefaced by the key words “let us”. After determining the emphasis in the interpretation process, you want to decide what the implications of that truth are for you today. You should also be mindful of how, as a member of the body of Christ, you should encourage the church body to apply the truths learned. The following questions may be helpful: Is there a principle for me to apply? Is there a truth I need to believe? Is there a command to obey? Is there a promise to claim? Is there an example to follow? Is there a sin to avoid or confess? Is there a reason to praise or thank God? A good bottom line application question is “How should I respond to what I’ve learned about God, man, and me? ” and “How should we, as the church body, reflect the truth found in this passage? ”
Conclusion “But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. ” James 1: 25 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13: 8
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