Sermon 2
Hebrews the “New Testament Leviticus”
As we discussed in our introduction, the author of Hebrews is a Hebrew of Hebrews and is speaking primarily to Christian Jews, who were educated in Judaism, bathed in Old Testament Scripture, and particularly Levitical, writings, the ordinances, the rituals, and the requirements of the Law, the Temple, the Priesthood, and the sacrifices.
They were not new, but had been in the faith long enough to be mature (Chapter 5:11-12)
Heb 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
and had suffered immense persecution (Chapter 10:32-33)
Heb 10:32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:
Heb 10:33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated;
Hebrews is considered the “New Testament Leviticus” and for good reason.
This book uniquely unfolds Christ’s Royal Priesthood, and contrasts His office to that of the Aaronic priesthood, and sets forth the superiority of Christ’s ministry above all things.
Seven Major Ideas of the Book
- It advocates that the Jewish reader leave the shadows (similitudes) behind and exchange them for the substance.
- The writer argues that the things which make up Judaism were instituted as a foreshadowing of things to come. They were just shadows of things to come, and that which they were foreshadowing has now come. So exchange the shadows for the substance.
- It suggests exchanging the types, or models, that were prefigured, for the reality, now that the reality is here.
- It suggests an exchange of the good things of Judaism for the better things of Christ. It constantly makes that kind of idea, and the word “better” is one of the key words throughout the book. It is not disparaging the past; it is building upon it, or superseding it in a sense.
- It suggests the incompleteness of the Law versus the perfection of the New Covenant.
- It exchanges the cardinal ordinances that had a temporary purpose with eternal, spiritual truths that had a complete revelation. It contrasts the earthly sanctuary and temporary passing ceremonies with abiding realities that are eternal.
- It contrasts the conditional promises of the past with the unconditional promises of the New Covenant.
Although primarily written to Jewish believers (Hebrews) it is applicable to ALL believers! (He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches…)
Last week we began reading vs 1-2
What we didn’t discuss, is that the first 3 verses give a sweeping summary of the entire book!
Heb 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 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;
Heb 1:3 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.
Last week we discussed how this book is full of comparisons. The first comparison is the comparison of the prophets to His Son.
The prophets all ministered in part, as the Lord gave them utterance. None of them were self-sufficient. None knew the entire counsel of God. All were sinful men, keenly aware of their need for salvation.
1 Peter 1:10-12 confirms that the prophets did not write from a position of complete understanding, but from Divine inspiration.
The prophets were fragmented, each getting a part, but not the whole, and were empowered by the Holy Spirit intermittently!
By comparison, the Son came complete!
He did not prophesy in part, He spoke from a position of complete understanding.
The Spirit was not with Him intermittently, or partially, but completely and fully!
He did not come to discuss bits and pieces of God’s Word- HE IS GOD’S WORD!
The prophets gave bits of information which all pointed to one singularity: THE GLORIOUS PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.
Disneyland metaphor…
Another distinctive of Hebrews is that it quotes a tremendous amount of Scripture. It’s not alone in that, but what makes it unique is that all quoted Scripture is credited to God, and not whichever writer He chose to put pen to paper.
In so many NT places the Spirit says things like “to fulfill the work spoken by the prophet….” but not in Hebrews.
That should get our attention!
Different books have different emphases;
Matthew portrays Jesus as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Messiah of Israel.
Mark portrays Jesus as the Suffering Servant who would die for the sins of mankind.
Luke portrays Jesus as the Son of Man, the substitutionary sacrifice.
John portrays Jesus as the Son of God, perfect in all His ways, timeless, sinless, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords who will judge the living and the dead.
- Matthew- The Grand Entrance!
- Mark- The Great Work.
- Luke- The Last Adam!
- John- The Eternal King!
What makes Hebrews unique?
Leviticus is the Holy of Holies of the OT.
Hebrews is the Leviticus of the NT, making it the Holy of Holies of the New Covenant. Nothing contained in the New Covenant is man-made, man-performed, man-directed, or man supervised!
Jesus is shown here in the singular role that He, and ONLY He occupies- The Propitiation for our sin.
Heb 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
Heb 1:2 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;
John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Heb 1:2 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;
Psalms 2…
Col 1:13-20 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Dan 7:13-14 "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.
Matthew 28:18-20
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 21:23-46
Heb 1:2 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;
“Worlds”- aion- perpetuity….”time worlds”
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Heb 1:3 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,
who being the “brightness”- apaugasma- an off flash, effulgence-
SEE:
- John 1:3-14 The true Light
- John 8:12-20- Light of the World
- Shown literally at the Transfiguration:
- Matthew 16:27-17:8
- Mark 9:1-8
- Luke 9:26-36
2 Peter 1:16-18 references this…
2Pe 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
2Pe 1:17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
2Pe 1:18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
2Pe 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
Heb 1:3 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,
G5481 -χαρακτήρ: charaktēr (khar-ak-tar’)
From the same as G5482; a graver (the tool or the person), that is, (by implication) engraving ([“character”], the figure stamped, that is, an exact copy or [figuratively] representation): – express image.
of His “person” G5287 ὑπόστασις: hupostasis – (hoop-os’-tas-is)
From a compound of G5259 and G2476; a setting under (support), that is, (figuratively) concretely essence, or abstractly assurance (objectively or subjectively): – confidence, confident, person, substance.
Jesus said to Phillip “If you have seen me you have seen the Father”. Jesus is not a copy or an imitator of the Father, He is the express essence of the Father.
Nor does He simply reflect the glory of God the Father- HE IS glory itself from before time began!
See John 17:5 & 24
Glory is ascribed in Scriptures to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
Mat_16:27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
Luk_9:26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.
1Pe_4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
Jesus IS God, and as such, His glory is eternal. We’ll build on this a bit when we get to verse 4 and beyond…
Heb 1:3 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,
Luk 10:22 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
Acts 17:28
Act 17:28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Col 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Not just keeping all things together, but orchestrating and guiding all things towards the end outcome God has ordained.
NOT PASSIVE!
Heb 1:3 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,
“When He had, by Himself purged our sins..”
Act 4:10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
Act 4:11 This is the ‘STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED BY YOU BUILDERS, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.’
Act 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
“purged our sins…”
SEE John 1:29
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Heb 1:3 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,
- Position of Power
- Position of Authority
- Position of Subordination
- Position of Rest
Psa 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
Mat 20:20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
Mat 20:21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
Mat 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.”
Mat 20:23 So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
1Pe 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
1Pe 3:22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
See Romans 8:34
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
1Co 15:27 For “HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is accepted.
1Co 15:28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
Microcosm of the entire plan of creation and salvation:
Heb 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 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;
Heb 1:3 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,
David as a similitude…
