October 16, 2022
Evening Service

1. The author.— There has been a wide difference of opinion respecting the authorship of this Epistle. For many years Paul was considered the author; others think it may have been Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos. Much of the theology and the language are similar to Paul's, but the authorship of the Epistle ia still disputed.

2. To whom written. — The Epistle was probably addressed to the Jews in Jerusalem and Palestine. The argument of the Epistle is such as could he used, with most effect, to a church consisting exclusively of Jews by birth, personally familiar with, and attached to, the Temple service.

3. Date. — It was evidently written before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, probably about A.D. 62-64.

4. Place. — It was probably written in Italy, while Paul was a prisoner at Rome.

5. Contents. — With respect to the scope of the Epistle, it should be recollected that, while the numerous Christian churches scattered throughout Judea, Act_9:31; Gal_1:22, were continually exposed to persecution from the Jews, 1Th_2:14, there was, in Jerusalem, one additional weapon in the hands of the predominant oppressors of the Christians. The magnificent national temple might be put against the Hebrew Christian; and even if this affliction were not often laid upon him, yet there was a secret burden which he bore within him, the knowledge that the end of all the beauty and awfulness of Zion was rapidly approaching.

The writer of this Epistle meets the Hebrew Christians on their own ground, showing that the new faith gave them Christ, the Son of God, more prevailing than the high priest as an intercessor; that his Sabbath awaited them, his covenant, his atonement, his city heavenly not made with hands. Having him, believe in him with all your heart, with a faith in the unseen future strong as that of the saints of old, patient under present and prepared for coming woe, full of energy and hope and holiness and love. Such was the teaching of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

When we ask ourselves “why do I believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah, the very Son of God?”

I personally was called by the Holy Spirit in a service where He manifested Himself in a wonderful exciting way.  Then He led me to seek the truth about a Savior that I had just accepted into my life.  Now, I believe because

I have read the Bible, and believe that it is the inspired word of God.  Rom 10:17  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  So, as I read the Bible it builds my faith in whatever it says. Peter said, “2Pe 1:3  as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,”.

We today accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God, infallible.  But it took awhile to get all the writings together, and to consider which ones should be considered inspired.  This was done under God’s will.

On Easter Sunday of the year 367 CE Athanasius of Alexandria, Bishop of the church in Alexandria Egypt, presented his church with an Easter letter. In this letter he listed the books now found in the New Testament and argued that these should be the ones used in Christian churches. This is the oldest list which agrees totally with the list of books Christians use today.

Studying the history of the Scriptures is very rewarding, and interesting, but we must always remember that no matter when we started our walk with God we had the Bible to read.  The early church did not have it in what we consider to be the completed version.

We find that the printing press was first used in China then later in Germany.

In 1452, Gutenberg produced the one book to come out of his shop: a Bible. It’s estimated he printed 180 copies of the 1,300-paged Gutenberg Bible, as many as 60 of them on vellum.

Martin Luther is where the Bible began to be in the common mans hands. Martin Luther lived from the years (1483-1547).  It would do you good to read of how he came to be a monk.

His fellow monks gave him a Latin Bible that he diligently searched for truth. He came to be convinced that “salvation was a new relationship to God based not on any work of merit on man’s part, but on absolute trust in the divine promises.”

 

So we can see that the Bible did not come to the common people until around the year 1517, this is when he put up his 95 thesis on the church door of Wittenberg Germany, of what was wrong with the Catholic church.  They sentenced him to die, but had promised him if he left he could live so he went into hiding, and after this he put together his Bible that began to be available to the common people.  And this is what started the protestant movement.  From there many left the corruption of the Catholic church.

 

So here we are today some 700 years later accepting for our salvation our Bible as the infallible Word of God.  We read about these wonderful promises that God, the great Spirit, the Holy Ghost, Allah, Jehovah, so many names for this One divine Spirit, and He is revealed to us through this wonderful book, as Jesus of Nazareth.

Paul said, 1Ti 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

Then Jesus told Philip, Joh 14:9  Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

And Thomas said, “Joh 20:28  And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

 

So as we begin the study of this very enlightening book let’s think of this Scripture; Mat 17:1-8  Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;  (2)  and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  (3)  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  (4)  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  (5)  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"  (6)  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  (7)  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  (8)  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

 

This builds my faith that the Eternal Spirit, the Holy Ghost, who was the Father of Jesus, Matt. 1:18, gave all authority to His only begotten Son to speak, and act in His name.   (ICor. 15)  Explains it all.

And as we begin the study of Hebrews right off the bat we read this; Heb 1:1-3  God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,  (2)  has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;  (3)  who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”.  Confirming the authority of Jesus of Nazareth.

The author of Hebrews is unknown. He knew Timothy (13:23). He was not an eyewitness of Jesus (see 2:1, 3). The letter was probably written before A.D. 70. Early manuscripts bear the title “To the Hebrews,” which reflects the ancient assumption that it was written to Jewish Christians as well as Gentile Christians who previously had been drawn to the Jewish religion. The author knew his readers and wanted to see them again (13:19).

 

To close out our study this evening listen to John; in the book of Revelation, Rev 1:8  "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

And again; Rev 22:12-13  "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.  (13)  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."

Rev 22:20-21  He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!  (21)  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

 

Prayer:  Oh Lord, we know it won’t be long before You come back for Your church, help us to be watchful, and ready for Your return.  In Jesus name.