THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE HEBREWS: THE PRE-EMINENCE AND SUPREMACY OF CHRIST

HEBREWS CHAPTER 8 – CHRIST’S NEW COVENANT MINISTRY IS GREATER AND MORE EXCELLENT THAN MOSES’ OLD COVENANT MINISTRY

{The Ministry of Jesus Christ is more excellent than the Aaronic priests. His new covenant ministry is better and established on better promises. Key Verses 6, 7.}

8 (a) Hebrews 8:1-2 – RECAPITULATION

V1- This chapter is a recapitulation of chapters 1-7. What a Divinely designed point to re-commence our study!
Our own High Priest is not an earthly one but One enthroned with a magnificent authority exercised at the right hand of God the Father.
V2 – He ministers in the Holiest Sanctuary in the one true Tabernacle pitched by God Himself

8 (b) Hebrews 8:3-5 – CHRIST OFFERED SELF SACRIFICE

V3 – The calling of every High Priest is to offer sacrifices and Jesus Christ is no exception. He sacrificed Himself for us
V4 – But if Christ were to be limited to the earth he wouldn’t be a priest because there were / are many Levites anyway to do perform the sacrifices demanded by the Law.
V5 -These Aaronic priests serve (minister) in an earthly copy of the Heavenly Sanctuary, which copy nevertheless was constructed following this strict instruction unto Moses who caught a glimpse of the Heavenly original : “ You must precisely follow the Pattern which was revealed to you on the Mountain (Sinai)”

8 (c) Hebrews 8:6-9 – EXCELLENT MINISTRY, COVENANT AND PROMISES

V6- But our Saviour and Redeemer High Priest has obtained a far greater and superior and excellent priestly priestly ministry by the measure of the excellence of the New Covenant upon which His own ministry is based; a Covenant for which Himself is the intermediary and guarantor! Christ’s ministry of the New Covenant is greater than the Old Covenant ministry of the earthly priests, because it is based on better promises.
V7 – If the first Covenant had been faultless, then there would have been no necessity or need to seek another one.
V8 – But because He found fault with the old, He promised the houses of Israel and Judah a New Covenant, which will be entirely different from the first.
V9 – This Covenant will not be according to the old one made in the wilderness after exodus from Egypt, which they could not and failed to keep, for which reason God rejected them.

8 (d) Hebrews 8:10-13 – COVENANT SEALED IN THE SPIRIT

V10 – This is a millennial Promise to Israel: this New Covenant by the time it is enacted for Israel, it will be chiselled into their minds and written like carvings on the tables of their hearts. They will again be God’s people and God will be their God.
V11 – Everyone will know Yahweh in their inner man, so that no one will need the book titled, “Seven steps to knowing God”
V12 – God will be merciful to their unrighteousness and forget (make atonement for) their iniquities.
The establishment of this New Covenant makes the first obsolete. Now that which is out of date and worn out is useless and ready to be put aside, out of sight.

WORKSHOP – 8

Why is it wrong to base a ministry or spiritual work in the New Testament period, on Old Testament ritual principles?
What is it that made the MINISTRY of Jesus Christ unique?
Define MINISTRY. Can you identify when your ministry leaves the premise of the New Covenant and lurches back into the shadows of the Old obsolete covenant?

HEBREWS CHAPTER 9 – JESUS IS GREATER THAN ANY RELIGIOUS STRUCTURE

(THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS IS GREATER THAN AND SUPERIOR TO RITUAL WORSHIP IN THE EARTHLY TABERNACLE)

{The ministry in Holiest place of Moses’ Tabernacle was far inferior and a mere shadow in comparison to Christ’s ministry in the Heavenly inner Sanctuary. The sacrifice He offered to God in the Heavenly innermost Sanctuary was Himself and so once and for all gave a final solution for sin. Key Verses 8, 11, 12, 26.}

9 (a) Hebrews 9:1-10 – THE OLD PATTERN OF RITUAL WORSHIP IN THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY (THE EARTHLY SHADOWS)

V1– The first Covenant had its ordinances (rules and regulations) of worship as well as a specially designed earthly place of worship.
V2-5 – The outer court had a door, altar, laver, a curtain leads into the Holy place where you find the candlestick and the table of shewbread (fellowship). Finally this takes you into the Holiest of the Holies whet the golden altar of Incense and ark of covenant with its Mercy Seat and two Cherubs were. The ark contains the golden pot of manna, Aaron’s Rod that budded and the tables of the Covenant.
V6,7 – The priests the sons of Aaron had access to the holy place while only the high priest after atoning first for himself enters once a year.
V 8 – The yearly albeit reluctant admittance of the Aaronic high priest shows that the way into the Holy Place was still veiled off from mankind. No other man is admitted.
V9-10 Reason was that the carnal ordinances (external rules) and symbolic sacrifices were only illustrative pointers to the way of perfection because they did little to help the OT worshippers who offered them.

9 (b) Hebrews 9:11-15 – THE HEAVENLY PATTERN OF CHRIST’S DIVINE WORSHIP IN THE HOLIEST PLACE (THE HEAVENLY REALITIES)

V11– Jesus is the High Priest (the Head) of the perfect Temple (His Ecclesia, His Body) whose builder is God.
V12-14 – The blood of sacrificial animals are useless, they are only symbolic and only purifies the flesh (i.e. some matters of religion and behaviour); but The Blood of Jesus purifies us inside out. It purges our conscience from dead works, so that we are able to serve the living God acceptably.
V15 – He is the mediator of the New Testament, a role he performed by being the sacrificial Lamb for the atonement of the transgressions of those of us who are called.

9 (c) Hebrews 9:16-28 – CHRIST’S GREAT MEDIATING SACRIFICE

V16-21- The Testament is only of effect after the death of the testator. Even the OT was sealed with the animal sacrifices’ “blood of the testament”,
V22 – Everything under the Law is was purified by blood. This is because without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.
V23 – All the above are shadows pointing to Heavenly reality. That is why the Heavenly Sanctuary needs purification so mankind can ever have access.
V24 – So in contrast with the earthly shadows, Christ appeared in the Presence of God on our behalf….. different from the earthly Sanctuary which is used for an annual ritual.
V25-26 – And unlike the annual ritual of the Aaronic high priest, (which would have been the case if Christ was to minister in an earthly sanctuary) Christ once and for all did it, by the sacrifices of Himself offered a final solution to the tyranny of sin over mankind.
V27-28 – Once and for all because that is the principle of human transition. After the death of a man, that man faces Judgement.

-Similarly did Jesus die once and Divine dividend of this will not be to come on His second advent to deal with sins again but greet those waiting to meet Him with salvation!

WORKSHOP – 9

V8 – The way to the Holiest of Holies was blocked against mankind in the Old Tabernacle (only the Aaronic high priest had an annual flash-visit after intricate blood cleansing rituals). Jesus constructed an express way to God’s Presence in the Holiest for us. Discuss.
V11 -Jesus is the High Priest (the Head) of the perfect Temple (His Ecclesia, His Body) whose builder is God.
V14,15 – Why is Jesus’ sacrifice greater and superior to the daily and annual ritual sacrifices of the Old Covenant?
V 26 – What sacrifice did Jesus offer to grant access to our Father’s Presence?
Does this chapter give us an insight into THE WORK OF GOD as acceptable to Him and the reality of HIS HOLY TEMPLE.

HEBREWS CHAPTER 10 – THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS GREATER AND SUPERIOR TO SACRIFICES OFFERED UNDER THE LAW

{God takes no pleasure in the blood of bulls and birds offered as sacrifices. Neither do they purify any man’s heart. Jesus offered Himself according to what is written a perfect Sacrifice which satisfies God’s Justice and redeemed mankind in perfection. Key Verses 8 –10, 21.}

10 (a) Hebrews 10:1-18 – THE PERFECT SACRIFICE OF OUR ETERNAL PASCHAL LAMB

V1-2 – The endless sacrifices offered under the Law were only shadows of a Reality. This is because these sacrifices as prescribed by the Law was patently ineffectual in perfection of the beneficiaries and incapable of eliminating their sin guilt and purging their conscience, thus the subjects have to offers these ritual sacrifices continually.
Vs 3-4: Instead of freedom from burden of sin the constant flow of daily and annual sacrifices continually reminds them of their sins and wound their consciences because the blood of animal sacrifices can never purify from sin.
Vs 5-9 – Therefore Jesus offered Himself a sacrifice for sin once and for all seeing that animal sacrifices gave God no pleasure (V6,8).
V5 -He knew the purpose of the body with which He was clothed
V7 – He searched the volume of the Book for His own Divine purpose on the earth. Have you discovered what is written concerning you in the volume of the Scriptures?
V9 – He carried out God’s Will at His own expense seeing this is the only way to please God.
That is how the New Covenant displaces the old plan. Have you found your own Divine purpose in the volume of the Book?
Vs 10-13 Unlike the ancient unprofitable priests’ ritual sacrifices, His own sacrifice is once and for all; now seated on the right hand of Majesty until His enemies are made His footstool.
Vs14-18 – By this one single sacrifice He purchased our redemption from sin (V 17,18); our sanctification and perfection (V14) and the witness of the Holy Ghost who is the pledge of the Covenant inside our hearts.

10 (b) Hebrews 10:19-25 – BOLD ACCESS INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES AND BODY OF CHRIST

V19, 20 – Having completed the work of our redemption and sanctification – V14, (by the Blood of His Cross) and obtained victory over sin for us; His “Blood of sprinkling” grants us access to the Holiest of Holies ushering into the Presence of El-Shaddai.
The veil of Flesh which kept us out of Divine Presence was rent into two when He cried “it is finished” on the Cross of Calvary; where His body was broken for our redemption.
Vs 21-25 – The purpose of our regeneration complete restoration and therefore access to our Father is to now use all Divine resources so provided to Build the Body of Christ.
V21 – This unveiling of the Shekinah Glory by our High Priest grants us, access into this new and Living way; not life limited by the law of carnal commandments.
V22 – Now we need two things to walk with God: full assurance of faith in CHRIST and his sacrifice and a heart void of evil conscience of guilt in unbelief. The value and validity which God puts on the Blood is the premise of our faith to approach the Throne. The Word of God sanctifies us and maintains our access. Guilt after this can only be a result of evil conscience in unbelief!
V23-25 The result of application of the Blood and Water which flowed from his side after being pierced with a spear was redemption of the individual but also it’s logical conclusion must be building of His Body. “I will build my Church …”

10 (c) Hebrews 10:26-31- A CAVEAT AGAINST WILFUL SIN

V26 -31 – God’s final sacrifice for human sin has been offered. After this wilful sin attracts punishment, along with God’s adversaries in the Lake of Fire.
Our God is a consuming Fire

10 (d) Hebrews 10:32-39 – HE WHO WILL COME WILL COME

V32-34 – God is mindful of the sacrifices and persecutions suffered by believers and missionaries serving Him in a hostile world, in those days their properties were confiscated and they were ostracised from society …….
V35- But through the faith of Christ, we must lose our confidence in God, so that we will enter into His Promise
V36, 37- Step 1: Find and do the will of God
Step 2: Have patience
Step 3: Receive the Promise : He that will come, will come on time!
V 38,39- The just shall live by faith.

WORKSHOP – 10

V5-9 – What is written concerning you in the volume of the Scriptures? (Read Psalm 139:13,14; Eph 2:10 (AMPC))
Vs 19,24,25 – What is the single entity Jesus and His Father seek to gain from His sacrifice. (Eph 2:5-7, 19-22)
V 26-31- What are the consequences of wilful sin for a Christian?
V35-37 – When inviting the Lord Jesus Christ into a situation: whether personal or corporate in the Church: what are the steps to take?

HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 – FAITH OF CHRIST PROVIDES FOR BETTER THINGS………

{Drawing from Ch 10 for Christ to come into our various situations demand faith. Faith is the assurance, the confirmation, the title deed, the reality of things hoped for which are not yet seen. Gal 2:20 defines this as the Faith of JESUS CHRIST. They who were heroes of faith all saw the invisible. They all like Abraham saw His Day and were glad. Key Verses 1,6,10,15,16,27.}

Importance of reading the letter to the Hebrews as a letter not compartmentalised into chapters and verses .

– The point of this chapter then is to show various persons in different circumstances over different epochs of time, what brought Him, the supernatural One, who is the personalisation of Miracle of God; what brought Him who will come to come is Faith.

11 (a) Hebrews 11:1-6 – THE ESSENCE OF FAITH

V1 – “NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].” (Hebrews 11:1 AMPC)
V2-3 – Success with God and good report is possible only by faith.
V 4-5 – Abel & Enoch
V6 – Our Faith defines our relationship with God: his existential essence and faithfulness. Unbelief questions both.
V7 – Noah
V8-10 – Abraham sojourned in temporary tents all his days, so did Isaac and Jacob. But they saw a City whose architect and maker is God and they laboured looking forward to touching its reality …. Vision of New Jerusalem, the City of God and the Bride of Christ.
V11-12: Sarah received strength to conceive seed aged 90
V13-16 – These all died in faith, not physically handling or touching what they were promised but they have seen it with their spirit eye (a heavenly country); but yet lived their lives as if in the reality of it.
V17-19 – Abraham pleased God when tried with sacrificing Isaac.
V20 – Note all that Isaac did by faith: prayed for his progeny. Can you too? With certainty that all you pronounce will come to pass? That comes by faith!
V21- Jacob blessed the twelve patriarchs by faith – Gen 49 (it all came to pass…); just as Isaac did.
V22- Joseph believed the promised land will be theirs in the course of time.
V23-30 – Moses left Egypt and led Israel through the wilderness by faith.

– V27- Because Moses saw Him who is invisible!

V31 – Rachab the harlot by faith in the God of Israel hid the spies and subsequently left her own country and followed the people not knowing where to.
V32 -38 – Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel etc., all LIVED BY FAITH.
V39,40 They all lived awaiting the promise but they all obtain good report by Faith. They will however be perfected “in”, “by” or “through” us, the Church. What a privilege ours is!
This Church is the object here.

WORKSHOP – 11

V1, 6, 10, 15, 16, 27- Did you notice the essence of seeing the invisible and labouring for it. Also living in the reality of the unseen as if it were already there.
Belief says it will be done. Faith says it had been done and completed perfectly (hence use of past perfect tense). Discuss and give instances from other parts of the Bible.
V20,21 – Evidence of Living by Faith can be as simple as prayers of faith. Prayer of faith has its characteristics. Discuss.

HEBREWS CHAPTER 12 – JESUS IS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH:

GREATER THAN ALL OUR HEROES OF FAITH

(CHRIST’S ZION IS GREATER THAN MOSES SINAI)

{JESUS is the Author and Finisher of our Faith: Jesus is greater than all our Heroes of Faith. Therefore, we should “Get rid of any arrow tip in us” and prevent easily besetting sins weighing us down, endure chastening when given and don’t sit on your hands or drag your feet. March on to Mount Zion, greater and more glorious experience!. Our admittance to Zion is by the Blood of JESUS which speaks better things than that of Abel. This chapter deals with anti-thesis to faith, which must avoid. Key Verses 1-2, 5, 12, 18, 22-24}

12 (a) Hebrews 12:1-13 – THE GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES: NO EXCUSES

V1 – If the heroes in the previous chapter kept faith while living with shadows, and looking forward for the reality; we have no excuse to allow arrow tip wounds of the past or sins we easily fall into, weigh us down. Most of the time the arrows are fired from within the household of faith, it still does not matter.
Vs 2-5 – Jesus is the greatest example of Faith in God – indeed He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith: JESUS is greater than all our heroes of faith in chapter 11.

-Though sinless, Jesus obeyed the Father into the death of the Cross: he resisted sin unto death. We must therefore subject ourselves to Divine chastisement too.

Divine chastisement is a discipline to produce a life of holiness in us. Therefore stop “sitting on your hands or dragging your feet (MSG)”.

12 (b) Hebrews 12:14-17 – HOLINESS WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHSLL SEE THE LORD

V14 – The way into the holiest is open by the Blood of Jesus, God has also provided means of getting us there through Divine discipline in discipleship; holiness of life is the result and that is our ticket into the Holiest place, the place of His presence.
V-15 Watch over each other’s lives diligently. Let us watch over each other’s life in love. Root of bitterness defiles the heart and distracts it from holiness. You are bitter only when you believe that you have lost something which you value (more than Christ). But, what will a man give in exchange for His sown soul? Bitterness is soul destroying!
V16-17 – Now our righteousness is of Christ. This was the Divine inheritance which Esau despised. Esau wanted to be independent in all his achievements in life; hence he went hunting instead of shepherding. There was no family history of game hunting. He couldn’t care less about the inheritance… and ended up a profane person, a wastrel ….

12 (c) Hebrews 12:18-24 – CHRIST’S ZION IS GREATER THAN MOSES’ SINAI: THE BLOOD OF JESUS SPEAKS BETTER THINGS

V18-21 – With this cloud of witnesses, we dare not walk careless in unholy, unbelief. See the fearsome traumatic experience of Moses in order to approach and fellowship with God at Sinai.
V22-24 – Compare with the splendour of Zion which you and I are now called into!
All these because of the Blood of Jesus which is sprinkled on the Mercy Seat and pleads forgiveness for us instead of justice.

12 (d) Hebrews 12:25-29 – GOD IS BENT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF ZION

V25-26 – If those to whom He spoke to at Sinai did not escape judgement for violation of His Word, how much more those of us He is speaking to from and inviting to Heavenly Zion.
V27-29 – The Kingdom of God on the earth which is the Church, representative of Zion, which we have received, cannot be moved.
That which cannot be shaken is that which is Zion both in Heaven and on Earth.
The present shaking which we are going through: is there a lesson here in this passage for us?

WORKSHOP – 12

V1,2 – What is faith?
Read Gal 2:20 (KJV) and Hebrews 12:2 (KJV). Where does “my faith” by which I live and do everything else is originate from?
V 5,12,16,18 – What are the antitheses in opposition to Faith and Faith Life as defined in Hebrews chapter 12.
V 22-24 – Where are we located spiritually now? (Eph 2:6; Hebrews 12:22-24)

-Why is God passionately in the process of house cleaning: shaking away the “shake-ables”?

-What are the “un-shake-able” things that will remain?

HEBREWS CHAPTER 13 – JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY & FOREVER

(IN HIM WE FULFIL THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW: KINGDOM LIFE PATTERN)

{As in all and every epistle, the Holy Spirit concludes with instructions for the evidence of our redemption, which is: edifying (building) the Body of Christ. This chapter is about how to live the Kingdom Life Pattern. And this is the only expression of the crucified life. Key Verses 1-3, 8.}

From 12:15, the focus is on the Church. That is the pattern of Paulian epistles.
While our personal interest is in the personal Christ, God’s desire and priority is in the corporate Christ: the Body of Christ, The Bride of Christ, the Church of the Living God.
Remember the Romans 16 “meet and greet” exhortation to the saints at Rome by Paul the apostle?

13 (a) Hebrews 13:1 – KINGDOM LIFE PATTERN – 1

V1-3 Simply says: the reason we have gone through the study of the supremacy of CHRIST over all other creation, religion or religious structure is to see the peerless supremacy of His sacrifice for our redemption.
We have also been given a glimpse of the Heavenly Mount Zion, the New Jerusalem before it will descend on to the New Earth; God forbid that any of us will behave like Esau!
The reason for our redemption is to form a Body with CHRIST as the Head. We individually need the personal Christ, but what God desires is the corporate Christ: The Mystery Body of Christ.
V1 – “No matter what, make room in your heart to love every believer.” (Hebrews 13:1 TPT)
V2 – Entertain believers especially even when you don’t know them. That was the spirit of meet and greet, which we learnt in Romans 16. Jewish Diaspora, other naturalised immigrants and native Italian Christians meeting in different houses in cosmopolitan Rome, were encouraged to pay inter-house visits and salutations for fellowship.
V3 – Be one Body in spiritual physiology.
V4 – Honour the institution of marriage. See Ephesians 5:21-33
V5-6 – Love gives: more blessed to give than to covet
V7- Remember those who lead you: Submission to authority so that you can end well
V8-15 – The unchanging CHRIST: The same yesterday, today and for-ever.
V9- The doctrine of Christ is perpetually eternal. Differentiate between the doctrine of Christ and its human applications. Don’t be carried away with human personal application which done people turn to doctrine.

– V10-15 We are called to be like Jesus: living a demonstrable crucified life which is dead to gain, fame or shame

V14-16 – Our life by definition is a life lived by His Faith: Faith based on seeing the invisible: that is where the grace to live a sacrificial life comes from: SEEING……
V7,17-19 – In the Kingdom Life Pattern submission to Christ’s delegated authority is equal in every respect to submitting to Christ Himself. Authority and authorisation flow from the Head. The fingers have no right to disobey the forearm which takes authority from the head.
V18 – However, there is a reciprocity: the evidence of this same in the lives of the leadership:

“For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; as also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our’s in the day of the Lord Jesus.”

2 Corinthians 1:12-14 KJV

V20-21 – Doxology: All of what will do through us will be through the in-working of Christ
V22-25 – Parting words:
V22- Obey the word of God
V23 – Timothy has just been released from prison where he has been because of the word of God.
V24 -Salute your leaders and all the saints: the Body of Christ
-Grace! Grace and grace upon grace.

WORKSHOP – 13

V1-3 – It is a recurring pattern in the epistles of Paul the Apostle to preach the Gospel of Christ and Him crucified and end the epistle with emphasis on the Kingdom life pattern for the Body of Christ. Why?
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever” is a popular evangelistic theme and rightly so. But what is the context of this phrase as we discovered in Hebrews 13?
Submission to authority in the Church is Kingdom Life principle. Discuss.

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