Introduction to Hebrews
Introduction to Hebrews
A Much-Needed Shake-Up
The epistle of Hebrews was written at a time when the ages were colliding and when everything in society seemed to be shaking. It was written to Christians who were wondering what was going on and what they could do about it.
One of the major themes of Hebrews is: Be confident! God is shaking things up so that you may learn to live by faith and not by sight.
Three Important Words
The word better is used thirteen times in the book of Hebrews as the writer shows the superiority of Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion. Another word that is repeated in this book is perfect; in the original Greek it is used fourteen times. It means a perfect standing before God. Eternal is a third word that is important to the message of Hebrews. When you combine these three words, you discover that Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because these blessings are eternal and they give us perfect standing before God.
Faith for Tough Times
So why did the writer of Hebrews ask his readers to evaluate their faith? Because they were going through difficult times and were being tempted to go back to the Jewish religion. The temple was still standing when this book was written and all the priestly ceremonies were still being carried on daily.
These people were “second-generation believers,” having been won to Christ by those who had known Jesus during His ministry on earth. They were true believers who had been persecuted because of their faith. But they were being seduced by teachers of false doctrine and were in danger of forgetting the true Word that their first leaders, now dead, had taught them.
Hebrews is a book of evaluation, proving that Jesus Christ is better than anything the law of Moses has to offer.
Looking Ahead
The focus in Hebrews is ultimately on the future. The writer informs us that he is speaking about “the world to come,” a time when believers will reign with Christ. You and I as God’s children have been promised a future reward. As with Abraham and Moses of old, the decisions we make today will determine the rewards tomorrow. Dr. A. W. Tozer used to remind us, “Every man must choose his world.” True believers have “tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world [age] to come” (Heb. 6:5 kjv); this should mean we have no interest in or appetite for the present sinful world system.
Our Purpose
Hebrews is a book packed with theology. But as we study this letter, we must keep in mind that our purpose is not to get lost in curious doctrinal details. Nor is our purpose to attack or defend some pet doctrine. Our purpose is to hear God speak in Jesus Christ, and to heed that Word. If our purpose is to know Christ better and exalt Him more, then whatever differences we may have in our understanding of the book will be forgotten in our worship of Him.
—Warren W. Wiersbe