Reference: Hebrews, The Epistle to the
Fausets
Canonicity. - Clement of Rome (1st century A.D.) refers to it oftener than any other canonical New Testament book, adopting its words as on a level with the rest of the New Testament. As the writer of this epistle claims authority Clement virtually sanctions it, and this in the apostolic age. Westcott (Canon, 22) observes, it seems transfused into Clement's mind. Justin Martyr quotes its authority for applying the titles "apostle" and "angel" to the Son of God. Clement of Alexandria refers it to Paul, on the authority of Pantaenus of Alexandria (in the middle of the second century) saying that as Jesus is called the "apostle" to the Hebrew, Paul does not in it call himself so, being apostle to the Gentiles; also that Paul prudently omitted his name at the beginning, because the Hebrew were prejudiced against him; that it was originally written in Hebrew for the Hebrew, and that Luke translated it into Greek for the Greeks, whence the style resembles that of Acts.
He however quotes the Greek epistle as Paul's, so also Origen; but in his Homilies he regards the style as more Grecian than Paul's but the thoughts as his. "The ancients who handed down the tradition of its Pauline authorship must have had good reason for doing so, though God alone knows the certainty who was the actual writer," i.e. probably the transcriber or else interpreter of Paul's thoughts. The Peshito old Syriac version has it. Tertullian in the beginning of the third century, in the African church, ascribes it to Barnabas. Irenaeus in Eusebius quotes it. About the same time Caius the presbyter of Rome mentions only 13 epistles of Paul, whereas if epistle to Hebrew were included there would be 14.
The Canon fragment of Muratori omits it, in the beginning of the third century. (See CANON.) The Latin church did not recognize it as Paul's for a long time subsequently. So Victorinus, Novatian of Rome, and Cyprian of Carthage. But in the fourth century Hilary of Poitiers (A.D. 368), Lucifer of Cagliari (A.D. 371), Ambrose of Milan (A.D. 397), and other Latins quote it as Paul's; the fifth council of Carthage (A.D. 419) formally recognizes it among his 14 epistles.
Style. - The partial resemblance of Luke's style to it is probably due to his having been companion of Paul: "each imitated his teacher; Luke imitated Paul flowing along with more than river fullness; Mark imitated Peter who studied brevity" (Chrysostom). But more familiarity with Jewish feeling, and with the peculiarities of their schools, appears in this epistle than in Luke's writings. The Alexandrian phraseology does not prove Apollos' authorship (Alford's theory). The Alexandrian church would not have so undoubtingly asserted Paul's authorship if Apollos their own countryman had really been the author. Paul, from his education in Hebrew at Jerusalem, and in Hellenistic at Tarsus, was familiar with Philo's modes of thought. At Jerusalem there was an Alexandrian synagogue (Ac 6:9).
Paul knew well how to adapt himself to his readers; to the Greek Corinthians who idolized rhetoric his style is unadorned, that their attention might be fixed on the gospel alone; to the Hebrew who were in no such danger he writes to win them (1Co 9:20) in a style attractive to those imbued with Philo's Alexandrian conceptions and accustomed to the combination of Alexandrian Greek philosophy and ornament with Judaism. All the Old Testament quotations except two (Heb 10:30; 13:5) are from the Septuagint, which was framed at Alexandria. The interweaving of the Septuagint peculiarities into the argument proves that the Greek epistle is an original, not a translation. The Hebrew Old Testament would have been quoted, had the original epistle been Hebrew
Pauline authorship. - This is further favored by internal evidence. The superiority of Christianity to Judaism in that the reality exceeds the type is a favorite topic of Paul. Compare this epistle with 2Co 3:6-18; Ga 3:23-25; 4:1-9,21-31. Herein allegorical interpretation, which the Alexandrians strained unduly, is legitimately under divine guidance employed. The divine Son is represented as the image of God; compare Heb 1:3, etc., with Paul's undoubted epistles, Php 2:6; Col 1:15-20; His lowering Himself for man's sake (Heb 2:9) with 2Co 8:9; Php 2:7-8; His final exaltation (Heb 2:8; 10:13; 12:2) with 1Co 15:25-27; His "mediator" (unique to Paul) office (Heb 8:6) with Ga 3:19-20; His sacrifice for sin prefigured by the Jewish sacrifices (Hebrews 7-10) with Ro 3:22-26; 1Co 5:7. "God of peace" is a phrase unique to Paul (Heb 13:20 with Ro 15:33; 1Th 5:23).
So "distributed gifts of the Holy Spirit" (Heb 2:4) with (Greek) "divisions of gifts ... the same Spirit" (1Co 12:4); "righteousness by faith" (Heb 10:38; 11:7) with the same quotation (Hab 2:4); Ro 1:17; 4:22; 5:1; Ga 3:11; Php 3:9. "The word of God ... the sword of the Spirit" (Heb 4:12) with Eph 6:17. Inexperienced Christians are "children needing milk," i.e. elementary teaching; riper Christians, as full grown men, require strong meat (Heb 5:12-13; 6:1 with 1Co 3:1-2; 14:20; Ga 4:9; Eph 4:13). Believers have "boldness of access to God by Christ" (Heb 10:19 with Ro 5:2; Eph 2:18; 3:12). Afflictions are a fight (Heb 10:32 with Php 1:30; Col 2:1).
The Christian life is a race (Heb 12:1 with 1Co 9:24; Php 3:12-14). The Jewish ritual is a service (Heb 9:1-6 with Ro 9:4); a "bondage," as not freeing us from consciousness of sin and fear of death (Heb 2:15 with Ga 5:1). Paul's characteristic "going off at a word" into a long parenthesis, playing upon like sounding words, and repeating favorite words, quotations from the Old Testament linked by "and again" (Heb 1:5; 2:12-13, with Ro 15:9-12; 2:8 with 1Co 15:27; Eph 1:22; 6:24 with Ro 12:19).
Reception in the East before the West. - No Greek father ascribes the epistle to any but Paul, for it was to the Hebrew of Alexandria and Palestine it was mainly addressed; but in the western and Latin churches of N. Africa and Rome, which it did not reach for some time, it was long doubted owing to its anonymous form, not opening as other epistles though closing like them; its Jewish argument; and its less distinctively Pauline style. Insufficient evidence for it, not positive evidence against it, led these for the first three centuries not to accept it. The fall of Jerusalem previous to the full growth of Christianity in N. Africa curtailed: contact between its churches and those Jews to whom this epistle is undressed. The epistle was, owing to distance, little known to the Latin churches. Muratori's Canon does not notice it.
When in the fourth century at last they found it was received as Pauline and canonical (the Alexandrians only doubted its authorship, not its authority) on good grounds in the Greek churches, they universally accepted it. The churches of the East and Jerusalem their center, the quarter to which the epistle was first sent, received it as Paul's, according to Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem (A.D. 349). Jerome, though bringing from Rome the Latin prejudice against this epistle, aggravated by its apparent sanction of the Novatian heresy (Heb 6:4-6), was constrained by the almost unanimous testimony of the Greek churches from the first to receive it as Paul's; after him Rome corrected its past error of rejecting it. Augustine too held its canonicity. What gives especial weight to the testimony for it of the Alexandrian church is, that church was founded by Mark, who was with Paul at Rome in his first confinement, when probably this epistle was written (Col 4:10), and possibly bore it to Jerusalem where his mother resided, visiting Colosse on the way, and from Jerusalem to Alexandria.
Peter also (2Pe 3:15-16), the apostle of the circumcision, in addressing the Hebrew Christians of the dispersion in the East, says, "as our beloved brother Paul ... hath written unto you," i.e. to the Hebrew. By adding "as also in all his epistles" he distinguishes the epistle to the Hebrew from the rest; and by classing it with the "other Scriptures" he asserts at once its Pauline authorship and divine inspiration. A generous testimony of Christian love to one who formerly rebuked him (Ga 2:7-14).
The apostle of the circumcisio
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And so they continued to sell their property and goods and to distribute the money to all, as anyone had special need.
For none of them was in want, for as many of them as were owners of farms or houses proceeded to sell them, one by one, and continued to bring the money received for the things sold
But members of the synagogue known as that of the Libyans, Cyreneans, and Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia, got to debating with Stephen,
So the disciples decided to send a contribution, each in proportion to his prosperity, to help the brothers who lived in Judea.
Paul fixed his eyes upon the council and said, "Brothers, with a clear conscience I have done my duty to God up to this very day."
So I am always striving to have a conscience that is clear before God and men.
For in the good news God's Way of man's right standing with Him is uncovered, the Way of faith that leads to greater faith, just as the Scripture says, "The upright man must live by faith."
but wrath and fury, crushing suffering and awful anguish, to the self-willed who are always resisting the right and yielding to the wrong,
God's own way of giving men right standing with Himself is through faith in Jesus Christ. It is for everybody who has faith, for no distinction at all is made. For everybody has sinned and everybody continues to come short of God's glory, read more. but anybody may have right standing with God as a free gift of His undeserved favor, through the ransom provided in Christ Jesus. For God once publicly offered Him in His death as a sacrifice of reconciliation through faith, to demonstrate His own justice (for in His forbearance God had passed over men's former sins); yes, to demonstrate His justice at the present time, to prove that He is right Himself, and that He considers right with Himself the man who has faith in Jesus.
Therefore, his faith was credited to him as right standing with God.
Since we have been given right standing with God through faith, then let us continue enjoying peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have an introduction through faith into this state of God's favor, in which we safely stand; and let us continue exulting in the hope of enjoying the glorious presence of God.
For they are Israelites; to them belong the privileges of sonship, God's glorious presence, the special covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, the promises,
If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and yet you, although you were wild olive suckers, have been grafted in among the native branches, and been made to share the rich sap of the native olive's root, read more. you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock?
Your love must be true. You must always turn in horror from what is wrong, but keep on holding to what is right.
Stop taking revenge on one another, beloved, but leave a place for God's anger, for the Scripture says, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay them back, says the Lord."
Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and put a stop to gratifying the evil desires that lurk in your lower nature.
and for the heathen peoples to praise God for His mercy, as the Scripture says: "For this I will give thanks to you among the heathen, and will sing praises to your name." And again: "Rejoice, you heathen peoples, with His people!" read more. And again: "All you heathen peoples, praise the Lord, yea, let all peoples sing His praise." And again Isaiah says: "The noted Son of Jesse will come, even He who rises to rule the heathen; on Him the heathen will set their hope."
For Macedonia and Greece were delighted to make a contribution to the poor among God's people in Jerusalem.
The peace-giving God be with you all! Amen.
So I myself, brothers, could not deal with you as spiritual persons, but as creatures of human clay, as merely baby Christians. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you could not take it. Why, you cannot take it even now,
To the Jews I have become like a Jew for the winning of Jews; to men under the law, like one under the law, though I am not under the law myself, to win the men under the law;
Do you not know that in a race the runners all run, but only one can get the prize? You must run in such a way that you can get the prize.
There are varieties of gifts, but the Spirit is the same in all;
Brothers, stop being children in intelligence, but as to evil keep on being babies; and yet as to intelligence be men of maturity.
for He must continue to be king until He puts all His enemies under His feet. Death is the last enemy to be stopped, read more. for He has put everything in subjection under His feet. But when He says that everything has been put in subjection to Him, He Himself is evidently excepted who put it all in subjection to Him.
for He has put everything in subjection under His feet. But when He says that everything has been put in subjection to Him, He Himself is evidently excepted who put it all in subjection to Him.
The final greeting is mine -- Paul's -- with my own hand. A curse upon anyone who does not love the Lord! Our Lord is coming. read more. The spiritual blessing of the Lord Jesus be with you!
He has qualified even me as a minister of the new covenant, which is not a written but a spiritual covenant. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the old religious service which resulted in death, although its law was carved in letters of stone, was introduced with a splendor so great that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on Moses' face because of the splendor that was fading from it, read more. why should not this spiritual service be attended with much greater splendor? For if the service connected with condemnation had such splendor, the service resulting in right standing with God will surely far surpass it in splendor. For on account of its surpassing splendor, what was once so splendid has now no splendor at all. For if what passed away was introduced with splendor, with how much greater splendor must what is permanent be attended? So, as I have such a hope, I speak with the greatest boldness, not as Moses did, who used to wear a veil over his face, to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was passing away. Besides, their minds were made dull; for to this day that same veil remains unlifted, whenever they read the Old Covenant; because it is only through union with Christ that it is removed. Indeed, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil hangs over their hearts, but whenever anybody turns to the Lord, the veil is removed, Now the Lord means the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with faces uncovered, because we continue to reflect like mirrors the splendor of the Lord, are being transformed into likeness to Him, from one degree of splendor to another, since it comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
For by experience you know the unmerited favor shown by our Lord Jesus Christ; that although He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, in order that by His poverty you might become rich.
On the contrary, because they saw that I had been entrusted with the good news for the heathen, just as Peter had been entrusted with it for the Jews -- for He who had been at work in Peter for his apostleship to the Jews had been at work in me too for the apostleship to the heathen -- read more. and because they recognized the favor God had shown me, James, Cephas, and John, the so-called pillar apostles, gave Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, with the understanding that we should go to the heathen and they to the Jews. Only they wanted us to remember the poor; the very thing that I was eager to do. Now when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before the coming of certain people from James, he was in the habit of eating with heathen Christians, but after they came, he began to draw back and hold aloof from them, because he was afraid of the circumcision party. The rest of the Jewish Christians, too, joined him in this pretense so that even Barnabas was influenced to join them in their pretense. But when I saw that they were not living up to the truth of the good news, I said to Cephas, and that before them all, "If you are living like a heathen and not like a Jew, although you are a Jew yourself, why do you try to make the heathen live like Jews?"
Now it is evident that through the law no man is brought into right standing with God, for "The man in right standing with God will live by faith,"
Then what about the law? It was added later on to increase transgressions, until the descendant to whom the promise was made should come, enacted through the agency of angels in the person of an intermediary. Though an intermediary implies more than one party, yet God is only one.
But before this faith came, we were kept locked up under the law, in preparation for the faith which was to be unveiled. So the law has been our attendant to lead us to Christ, so that we might through faith obtain right standing with God. read more. But now that this faith has come, we are no longer in the charge of the attendant.
I mean this: As long as the heir is under age he is not a whit better off than a slave, although he is heir of all the property, but he is under guardians and trustees until the time fixed by the father. read more. So when we were spiritually under age, we were slaves to the world's crude notions, but when the proper time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born subject to law, to ransom those who were subject to law, so that we might be adopted as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba," that is, "Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir by God's own act. But at that former time, as you did not know the true God, you were slaves to gods that do not really exist, but now, since you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by Him, how can you turn back to your own crude notions, so weak and worthless, and wish to become slaves to them again?
but now, since you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by Him, how can you turn back to your own crude notions, so weak and worthless, and wish to become slaves to them again?
Tell me, you who want to be subject to law, will you not listen to what the law says? For the Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave girl, the other by a free woman. read more. But the child of the slave girl was born in the ordinary course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born to fulfill the promise. This is spoken as an allegory. For these women are two covenants, one coming from Mount Sinai, bearing children that are to be slaves; that is, Hagar (and Hagar means Mount Sinai, in Arabia) and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for Jerusalem is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. For the Scripture says: "Rejoice, you childless woman, who never bore a child; break forth into shouting, you who feel no birth pangs; for the desolate woman has many children, even more than the married one." Now we, brothers, like Isaac, are children born to fulfill the promise. But just as then the child born in the ordinary course of nature persecuted the one born by the power of the Spirit, so it is today. But what does the Scripture say? "Drive off the slave girl and her son, for the slave girl's son shall never share the inheritance with the son of the free woman." So, brothers, we are children, not of a slave girl but of a free woman.
This is the freedom with which Christ has made us free. So keep on standing in it, and stop letting your necks be fastened in the yoke of slavery again.
And so He has put all things under His feet and made Him the supreme Head of the church,
for it is by Him through one Spirit that both of us now have an introduction to the Father.
By union with Him and through faith in Him we have a free and confidential introduction to God.
until we all attain to unity in faith and to perfect knowledge of the Son of God, namely, to a mature manhood and to a perfect measure of Christ's moral stature;
take the helmet salvation provides, and take the sword the Spirit wields, which is the word of God.
Spiritual blessing be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
since you are having the same struggle that you once saw me have and which you hear that I am still having.
Though He was existing in the nature of God, He did not think His being on an equality with God a thing to be selfishly grasped, but He laid it aside as He took on the nature of a slave and became like other men. read more. Because He was recognized as a man, in reality as well as in outward form, He finally humiliated Himself in obedience so as to die, even to die on a cross.
circumcised when I was a week old; a descendant of Israel; a member of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew, a son of Hebrews. Measured by the law, I was a Pharisee;
and be actually in union with Him, not having a supposed right standing with God which depends on my doing what the law commands, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the real right standing with God which originates from Him and rests on faith.
It is not a fact that I have already secured it or already reached perfection, but I am pressing on to see if I can capture it, the ideal for which I was captured by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not think that I have captured it yet, but here is my one aspiration, so forgetting what is behind me and reaching out for what is ahead of me, read more. I am pressing onward toward the goal, to win the prize to which God through Jesus Christ is calling us upward.
and you will always be thanking the Father who has qualified you to share the lot of His people in the realm of light.
Yes, He is the exact likeness of the unseen God, His first-born Son who existed before any created thing, for it was through Him that everything was created in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. read more. So He existed before all things, and through Him all things are held together. Yes, He is the Head of the church as His body. For He is the beginning, the first-born among the dead, so that He alone should stand first in everything. It is so because it was the divine choice that all the divine fullness should dwell in Him, and that through Him He might reconcile to Himself all things on earth or in heaven, making this peace through the blood He shed On His cross.
I want you to know what a battle I am fighting for you and for those in Laodicea, yes, for all who have never known me personally,
You must persevere in prayer and by this means stay wide awake when you give thanks.
Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner, wishes to be remembered to you; and so does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas; if he comes to see you, give him a hearty welcome.
This farewell greeting is in my own hand, from Paul. Remember that I am still a prisoner. Spiritual blessing be with you.
This greeting is in my own hand, Paul's; it is the mark in every letter of mine. This is my handwriting. The spiritual blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
but at the proper time made known as His message through the message that I preach with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Saviour;
He is the reflection of God's glory and the perfect representation of His being, and continues to uphold the universe by His mighty word. After He had procured man's purification from sins, He took His seat at the right hand of God's majesty,
For to what angel did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have become your Father"?
while God continued to confirm their testimony with signs, marvels, and various sorts of wonder-works, and with gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed in accordance with His will.
You have put all things under His feet!" Now when He gave Him authority over everything, He did not leave a single thing that was not put under His authority. But as yet we do not see everything actually under His authority, but we do see Jesus, who was made inferior to the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by God's favor He might experience death for every human being.
when He says: "I will announce your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise"; and again, "I too will put my trust in God"; and again, "Here I am and the children God has given me."
and set at liberty those who all their lifetime had been subject to slavery because of their dread of death.
Therefore He had to be made like His brothers, so that He could be a sympathetic High Priest, as well as a faithful one, in things relating to God, in order to atone for the people's sins.
So a sabbath of rest is still awaiting God's people.
For God's message is alive and full of power in action, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the depths of soul and spirit, to the dividing of joints and marrow, and passing judgment on the thoughts and purposes of the heart.
Since then we have in Jesus, the Son of God, a great High Priest who has gone right up to heaven itself, let us continue to keep a firm hold on our profession of faith in Him. For we do not have a High Priest who is incapable of sympathizing with us in our weaknesses, but we have One who was tempted in every respect as we are, and yet without committing any sin. read more. So let us continue coming with courage to the throne of God's unmerited favor to obtain His mercy and to find His spiritual strength to help us when we need it.
For although you ought to be teachers of others because you have been Christians so long, you actually need someone to teach you over and over again the very elements of the truths that God has given us, and you have gotten into such a state that you are in constant need of milk instead of solid food. For everyone who uses milk alone is inexperienced in the message of right-doing; he is only an infant.
So then let us once for all quit the elementary teaching about Christ and continue progressing toward maturity; let us stop relaying a foundation of repentance from works that mean only death, and of faith in God,
For it is impossible for those who have once for all been enlightened and have experienced the gift from heaven, who have been made sharers of the Holy Spirit and have experienced how good God's message is and the mighty powers of the age to come, read more. and then have fallen by the wayside -- it is impossible, I say, to keep on restoring them to their first repentance, since they continue to crucify the Son of God to their detriment and hold Him up to contempt.
But if it continues to yield thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless and in danger of being cursed, and its final fate is burning.
But if it continues to yield thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless and in danger of being cursed, and its final fate is burning.
For God is not so unjust as to forget the work you have done and the love you have shown His name in the service you have rendered for your fellow-Christians, and still are doing.
For this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was coming back from the defeat of the kings, and put his blessing on him, to whom Abraham contributed a tenth of all his spoils, who first of all, in accordance with the meaning of his name, is king of righteousness, and then king of Salem, which means king of peace; read more. with no father, no mother, no ancestry; no beginning to his days, no end to his life, but, like the Son of God, as priest continues on and on with no successor. Now see how great this man must have been that even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of his spoils. And those of the descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood are authorized by the law to collect a tenth from the people; that is, from their own brothers, though they have sprung from Abraham. But in this case, the man whose ancestry is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham, and put his blessing on the man who had the promises from God. Now beyond any contradiction, it is always the inferior that is blessed by the superior. In the one case, mortal men collect the tenth, in the other, one who, as the witness states, lives on. And I might almost say, Levi too, who now collects the tenth, through Abraham paid the tenth, for he was a vital part of his forefather though yet unborn, when Melchizedek met him.
However, if He were still on earth, He would not be a priest at all, because there are those who officiate in accordance with the law in offering the gifts; and yet they officiate in a sanctuary that is a mere copy and shadow of the heavenly one, as Moses, when he was about to make the tent of worship, was warned, for, said He, "See to it that you make it all just like the pattern shown you on the mountain." read more. But, as the case with Him now stands, He has entered upon a priestly service as much superior to theirs as the covenant of which He is the Mediator is superior to theirs, superior because it has been enacted upon superior promises.
In speaking of a new covenant He makes the first one obsolete; and whatever is obsolete and antiquated is on the verge of vanishing.
So indeed the first covenant had its regulations for worship and its earthly sanctuary. For the first or outer part of the tent, which is called the holy place, was equipped with the lamp and table and the presentation bread. read more. But behind the second curtain is the tent that is called the holy of holies, with its golden incense-altar and the chest for the covenant, completely covered with gold, and in it a golden jar which held the manna, Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets on which the covenant was written; and above the chest were the winged creatures, the symbols of God's glorious presence, overshadowing the mercy seat, of which I cannot now speak in detail. With these arrangements completed in this way, the priests in conducting their official services regularly go into the outer part of the tent of worship;
With these arrangements completed in this way, the priests in conducting their official services regularly go into the outer part of the tent of worship; but into the second or inner part nobody but the high priest may go, and he only once a year, and never without blood which he offers for himself and for the sins committed in ignorance by the people.
For if the blood of bulls and goats and a heifer's ashes sprinkling those who are ceremonially unclean purifies them with physical cleansing, how much more surely will the blood of Christ, who with an eternal Spirit gave Himself a spotless offering to God, purify your consciences from works that mean mere death, to serve the ever living God? read more. And this is why He is the Mediator of a new covenant, in order that, after He had suffered death for securing redemption from the offenses committed under the first covenant, those who had been invited to share it might obtain the eternal inheritance promised them. For when a will is made, it is necessary that the death of him who makes it be proved. For a will is valid only after a man is dead, since it has no force whatever while the one who made it is alive. So not even the first covenant was ratified without the use of blood. For after every regulation in the law had been spoken by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, crimson wool, and a bunch of hyssop, and sprinkled the book containing the law and all the people, saying, "This is the blood that ratifies the covenant which God commanded me to make with you." In the same way he sprinkled with blood the tent and all the utensils of the priestly service. In fact, under the law, almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood no forgiveness is granted. So, on the one hand, the copies of the original things in heaven had to be purified with such sacrifices; but on the other hand, the original things themselves in heaven with better sacrifices than these. For it was not a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, that Christ entered, but it was into heaven itself that He went, in order now to appear for us in the very presence of God. And He does not enter to offer Himself over and over again, as the high priest enters the sanctuary year after year with blood that is not his own; for, if that had been the case, He would have had to suffer over and over again, ever since the creation of the world. But, as it is, once at the close of the ages He has appeared, to put away sin by His sacrifice. Indeed, just as men must die but once and after that be judged, so Christ was offered once for all to take away the sins of many, but again He will appear, without having anything to do with sin, to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him to bring them final salvation.
For since the law cast only a shadow of the blessings to come and did not possess the reality itself of those blessings, the priests with the same sacrifices that are perpetually offered year after year cannot make perfect those who come to worship. Otherwise, would they not have ceased offering them, because those who offered them, having once been purified, would have had no further consciousness of sins? read more. On the other hand, through these sacrifices there is given a real reminder of their sins, for the blood of bulls and goats is unable to take away sins. So, when Christ was coming into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not wish, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings you never took delight. Then I said, 'See, I have come, just as the Scripture writes about me in the book, O God, to do your will.'" Although at first He said, "You never wished or took delight in sacrifices and offerings, burnt-offerings and sin-offerings" -- all of which are repeatedly offered in accordance with the law -- He afterward said, "See, I have come to do your will." He is taking away the first to let the second take its place. It is by this will of God that we are consecrated through the offering of Jesus' body once for all. Every other priest stands officiating day after day and over and over again offering the same sacrifices, although they are unable to take away our sins. But this One offered up once for all and for all time one sacrifice for sins, and once for all took His seat at God's right hand, from that time waiting till His enemies should be made the footstool of His feet.
from that time waiting till His enemies should be made the footstool of His feet. For by that one sacrifice He has made perfect for all time those who are consecrated to Him. read more. Now the Holy Spirit, too, gives us the testimony, for after saying: "'This is the covenant that I will make with them: In those last days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws into their hearts, and write them on their minds,'" He continues to say: "I will never, never any more recall their sins and deeds of wrong." For when these are forgiven, there is no more need of an offering for sin. Since then, my brothers, we have free access to the real sanctuary through the blood of Jesus,
Since then, my brothers, we have free access to the real sanctuary through the blood of Jesus,
let us continue to draw near to God with sincere hearts and perfect faith; with our hearts cleansed from the sense of sin, and our bodies bathed in clean water; let us, without ever wavering, keep on holding to the hope that we profess, for He is to be trusted who has made the promise,
Let us stop neglecting our meeting together, as some do, but let us continue to encourage one another, and all the more because you see that the great day is drawing near.
For we know who it was that said, "Vengeance belongs to me, I will pay back!" and again, "The Lord will be His people's judge."
But you must continue to remember those earlier days when first you received the light and then endured so great a struggle with persecution,
For you showed sympathy with those who were in prison and cheerfully submitted to the violent seizure of your property, for you knew that you had in yourselves and in heaven one that was lasting.
For you showed sympathy with those who were in prison and cheerfully submitted to the violent seizure of your property, for you knew that you had in yourselves and in heaven one that was lasting.
"In just a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay; Meantime, my righteous servant will live by faith. But if a man draws back, my soul has no delight in him."
By faith Noah, on being divinely warned about things not seen as yet, in reverence prepared an ark for saving his family, and by his faith condemned the world and became possessor of the uprightness that results from faith.
Therefore, as we have so vast a crowd of spectators in the grandstands, let us throw off every impediment and the sin that easily entangles our feet, and run with endurance the race for which we are entered, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the perfect leader and example of faith, who, instead of the joy which lay before Him, endured the cross with no regard for its shame, and since has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
For you have not come to a blazing fire that can be touched, to gloom and darkness, storm and trumpet-blast, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not a word more should be added; read more. for they did not try to bear the order, "Even if a wild animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death," and so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I am terrified and terror-stricken!" But you have come to Mount Zion, even to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless hosts of angels, to the festal gathering and assembly of God's firstborn sons enrolled as citizens in heaven, to a Judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of upright men who have attained perfection,
but now His promise is, "Once more I will make not only the earth but heaven itself tremble." Now that expression, "Once more," signifies the final removal of the things that can be shaken, to let remain the things that cannot be shaken.
Continue to remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and those who are being ill-treated, since you, too, are liable to similar physical punishment.
You must have a turn of mind that is free from avarice; you must be content with what you have, for God Himself has said, "I will never fail you, I will never forsake you."
You must have a turn of mind that is free from avarice; you must be content with what you have, for God Himself has said, "I will never fail you, I will never forsake you."
You must not forget your former leaders, for it was they who brought you the message of God. Consider how they closed their lives; imitate their faith.
You must not forget your former leaders, for it was they who brought you the message of God. Consider how they closed their lives; imitate their faith.
We Christians have an altar at which the ministers of the Jewish tent of worship have no right to eat.
So Jesus, too, in order to purify the people by His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Let us, therefore, go to Him outside the camp, enduring the reproach that He endured; read more. for we have no permanent city here, but we are searching for that city which is to be ours.
Continue to obey and to be submissive to your leaders, for they are ever watching in defense of your souls, as men who will have to give account of their trust. Treat them in this way, so that they may work with joy and not with grief.
And more especially do I beg you to do so, that I may very soon be brought back to you. May God, who gives us peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, who through the blood by which He ratified the everlasting covenant, is now the Great Shepherd of the sheep,
I beg you, brothers, to listen patiently to this message, for I have written you only a short letter. You must know that our brother Timothy has been released from prison. If he comes soon, he and I will see you together. read more. Remember us to all your leaders and to all the Christians. The Christians from Italy wish to be remembered to you.
Remember us to all your leaders and to all the Christians. The Christians from Italy wish to be remembered to you.
Always think of our Lord's patience as salvation, just as our dearly beloved brother Paul, with the wisdom granted him, wrote you to do, speaking of it as he does in all his letters. In them are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsteady twist to their ruin, as they do the rest of the Scriptures.