Half of my Bib Faith paper
The Book of Hebrews is an important discourse to the church of that day regarding the superiority and validity of Christianity. The theme carried throughout is a struggle of power, with the new overcoming, and therefore fulfilling, the old. Hebrews begins by describing the way in which God chooses to speak. In the past it was through angels, but it is now through Jesus, who has superiority over the angels. The Old Testament attests to this, and its prophecies are fulfilled through Jesus. Therefore one should pay greater attention to the works and teachings of Jesus because he was greater than what the Jews had followed before. There is a warning against unbelief and hardening your hearts, and then the writer speaks of the promised rest in God, and encourages the church of that day to enter into that rest. Next the issue of God’s appointment of priests is explained. The laws of priesthood are described and Jesus is called “a priest forever in the order of Mechizedek,” for just as Melchizedek, who was not a descendant of Levi, was appointed by God as a priest, Jesus was also appointed, not by an earthly right, but by God to be high priest forever. The old priesthood was flawed, but God’s appointment of a new High Priest was perfect. And with the change in priesthood, there was also brought a change in covenant. The first covenant had faults, but it was made obsolete by the new covenant of which Jesus is the mediator. Then earthly sanctuaries are described, as are the sacrificed that took place in them as a part of the first covenant. However, Christ’s sacrifice once and for all takes away sin and makes the old sanctuary and sacrifices obsolete. Because of Christ’s great love, the writer then calls the reader to persevere in faith. The faith of the great Israelites of the past is listed, to encourage and to build up to the ultimate example of Jesus, which makes all other’s faith pale in comparison. Therefore in view of God’s mercy and grace, the reader is commissioned to live a life of service, peace, hospitality, and love.
The book of Hebrews is important to the canon firstly, because it was important to the Jewish-Christian church of that day. In light of persecution, many would have been tempted to return back their old customs and old way of thinking. Hebrews, however, makes it plainly clear that going back is not wise, because the new covenant is greater than the old and does in fact fulfill the old. It simply is not possible to look at the old and deny the superiority of the new, which was in fact, prophesied by the old itself. Secondly, it is important because its teachings and themes are still relevant today, and will remain relevant through the ages to come. It still encompasses the fulfillment of the Old Testament. And the things the church was struggling with then we continue to struggle with today. And the book of Hebrews, like the rest of the canon, continues to provide hope. It is placed appropriately in the canon between Paul’s letters, and James’s letter which all serve to encourage and uplift the church in farther devotion to God and to Christianity. Hebrews has a very important recurrent theme of the superiority of the new over the old. It makes a strong case for Christianity, by drawing connections from a lot of Old Testament prophecy to the life and work of Jesus. Without it, the canon would be missing a strong validation of the need for Jesus and for the new covenant.
The passages about resting in God were very significant to me.
The book of Hebrews is important to the canon firstly, because it was important to the Jewish-Christian church of that day. In light of persecution, many would have been tempted to return back their old customs and old way of thinking. Hebrews, however, makes it plainly clear that going back is not wise, because the new covenant is greater than the old and does in fact fulfill the old. It simply is not possible to look at the old and deny the superiority of the new, which was in fact, prophesied by the old itself. Secondly, it is important because its teachings and themes are still relevant today, and will remain relevant through the ages to come. It still encompasses the fulfillment of the Old Testament. And the things the church was struggling with then we continue to struggle with today. And the book of Hebrews, like the rest of the canon, continues to provide hope. It is placed appropriately in the canon between Paul’s letters, and James’s letter which all serve to encourage and uplift the church in farther devotion to God and to Christianity. Hebrews has a very important recurrent theme of the superiority of the new over the old. It makes a strong case for Christianity, by drawing connections from a lot of Old Testament prophecy to the life and work of Jesus. Without it, the canon would be missing a strong validation of the need for Jesus and for the new covenant.
The passages about resting in God were very significant to me.