The Message of Hebrews

Lesson 2

The Message of Hebrews

(Hebrews 1, 2, 5 & 8)

Copr. 2022, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

Introduction: Do you have a best friend? Someone who is clearly closer to you than anyone else? The book of Hebrews makes the argument that Jesus is that part of the Godhead who has the closest relationship with humans. He created our universe. He became one of us. He redeemed us. One of His current occupations is pleading on our behalf against the condemnation of our sins. He truly identifies with us. Let’s plunge into our study of Hebrews to see what it has to say about Jesus and us!

1. Jesus is God
   
   1. Read Hebrews 1:5-6. How would you compare Jesus to the angels? (Jesus is superior to them. He is the Son of God. No angel has been told that. Angels worship Jesus.)
      1. How did Satan, an angel, feel about this? (Read Isaiah 14:12-15. Unhappiness with this is the cause of Satan’s rebellion.)
   2. Read Hebrews 1:7. What advantages do angels possess? How was Satan ungrateful? (Angels are God’s “ministers.” They have power - like that of the wind and fire.)
      1. Think about wind and fire a moment. How powerful are they? What kind of power does this describe?
   3. Read Hebrews 1:8. How does Jesus compare to God the Father? (This says that Jesus, the Son, is God. He holds the power of the throne “forever and ever.”)
      1. Notice that verse eight starts out “But of the Son.” What is the purpose of using the word “But?” (The purpose is to inform us that although the angels are powerful, they do not compare to Jesus.)
   4. Read Hebrews 1:10 and look back at Hebrews 1:2. What else do we learn about Jesus? (He created our heavens and the earth.)
      1. There are many who want to dismiss Genesis and the Creation account. Their problem is that the Bible has a consistent claim in both the Old and New Testaments that Jesus is our Creator. Why do you think that Jesus took a special interest in us by creating us?
         
         1. How should we respond to that?
         2. What does accepting the evolutionary theory of origins do to our special relationship with Jesus? (It severs it.)
   5. Read Hebrews 1:11. We have a tremendous philosophical divide over the environment. Should humans or the earth primarily benefit? Should the earth serve humans or humans serve the earth? What does this verse suggest is the correct answer to that question?
      1. One commentary I read said that the “world” is a contraction of “wear old.” Is it inevitable, like our own bodies that the earth deteriorates with time? That the earth naturally gets old and wears out?
   6. Read Hebrews 1:12. When we look at the heavens and the earth, we think of them as substantial and unchanging. To what does Jesus compare them? (Our Creator will roll up the universe like a person rolls up a robe. If you want true substance, look to Jesus.)
      1. Is it desirable to have a best friend who is tremendously powerful? Or, would that cause you to be jealous and deny your friend’s power?
2. Jesus Is Savior
   
   1. Read Hebrews 2:10. Why is it “fitting” that the Creator of the universe should also be the One who brings humans “to glory?”
      1. Why is it logical that Jesus would be our Savior? (Jesus is inextricably linked to us. He is our Creator and our Champion.)
      2. Notice the very odd statement: “Make the Founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Who is making Jesus suffer? (The reference goes back to Jesus. Jesus made Himself suffer.)
         
         1. What is meant by Jesus being made “perfect through suffering?” Does this mean that Jesus did not start our perfect? Was there some sort of flaw in Him? (I think it means at least two things that do not detract from Jesus’ perfection. First, Jesus only became the perfect sacrifice by dying - He suffered greatly in being put to death. Second, Jesus reaches a higher level of perfection in understanding our suffering as a result of His suffering as a human.)
      3. Read Hebrews 2:11. How does it make you feel to have Jesus say He is your “brother?”
      4. Read Hebrews 2:14-15. How does Jesus’ identity with us give Him the power to destroy Satan and death? (Read Romans 5:18-19. The first Adam plunged us into sin. The second Adam (Jesus) saved us from sin. Jesus ended the tyranny of sin.)
      5. Read Hebrews 2:16. Do fallen angels have a chance for redemption? (We do not have enough information to determine whether God gave fallen angels a second chance. But, this tells us that Jesus’ mission was to save us. Jesus became one of us.)
3. Jesus is our Intercessor
   
   1. Read Hebrews 5:1. What is the role of all of the high priests of the past? (They are a link between God and humans to deal with our sins.)
   2. Read Hebrews 5:2. Why are high priests a good idea? (Because they are excellent ambassadors for humans - they understand what it is like to be human and to sin.)
   3. Read Hebrews 5:3. What is the problem with high priests. (They are also sinners. Thus, they are flawed representatives.)
   4. Read Hebrews 5:4-5. Does this text say that Jesus did not choose to have a special relationship with humans? (God chose Jesus. This was a group decision.)
      1. Do you think Aaron wanted to be the High Priest?
      2. If so, what does this say about Jesus wanting to have a special relationship with us?
   5. Read Hebrews 5:9-10 and Hebrews 5:6. How is Melchizedek different from the high priests of Israel? (Read Genesis 14:18-20. Melchizedek was both a priest and a king. Jesus is both our King and High Priest.)
   6. Read Hebrews 8:6-7. What else is different about Jesus’ work as our High Priest? (Jesus is the Mediator of a new covenant.)
      1. What is that new covenant? What is the better “promise?”(Read Hebrews 8:8-10. The new covenant is not a written law, it is a code that we embrace emotionally. It becomes part of who we are.)
   7. Read Hebrews 9:14-15. What part of the new covenant does this describe? (Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice on our behalf! Such amazing and unselfish love!)
   8. Read Hebrews 8:13. When is that part of the new covenant, the emotional part, put in effect? Do you feel that you emotionally embrace the law right now? (The central part of the new covenant is what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus is mediating that new covenant right now. But, this text suggests that our heart change is a gradual thing. If you look at Hebrews 8:11 it seems to refer to when we are in heaven. From this I conclude that the law is fully a part of our emotional make-up when we are in Heaven.)
   1. Friend, Jesus is our Brother. He has a special relationship with us. He has saved us by His sacrifice on our behalf. Will you accept Him today? Will you seek a relationship with Him that changes your heart? Why not ask the Holy Spirit, right now, to guide you to that change?

4. Next week: The Promised Son.