Bible Reading Plan

Category: Hebrews

  • Hebrews 3

    Hebrews 3

    Read Hebrews 3

    Jesus Greater Than Moses

    1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

    Warning Against Unbelief

    7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:

    “Today, if you hear his voice,
    8     do not harden your hearts
    as you did in the rebellion,
        during the time of testing in the wilderness,
    9 where your ancestors tested and tried me,
        though for forty years they saw what I did.
    10 That is why I was angry with that generation;
        I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
        and they have not known my ways.’
    11 So I declared on oath in my anger,
        ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

    12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said:

    “Today, if you hear his voice,
        do not harden your hearts
        as you did in the rebellion.”

    16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

    Go Deeper

    This chapter starts out with a pretty blatant command: “consider Jesus.” Other translations interpret this action step as “fix your eyes on Jesus” or “think about Jesus.” The Hebrews were in the midst of some distressing days and were more than likely being tempted to return to the Levitical system. The author knows that the first step in encouraging these Christians in their faith is to remind them to take their eyes off of their circumstances and consider Jesus. Consider who He is. Consider what He has done for them. Consider what He has promised them. 

    In verse 12, we learn that the reason we need to take this step to set our minds on Jesus is to protect our hearts from unbelief. Sin breeds evil and unbelief in our hearts. Then verse 13 goes on to say that the deceitfulness of sin can literally harden our hearts. We also need to pay attention to the fact that sin is described as deceitful (misleading, fraudulent, tricky), because this may mean that our hearts are becoming hardened and we might not even realize it!

    This may seem like all bad news, but take heart because these warnings come with a solution!  Verse 13 states “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” God knows we need help. We were not meant to bear burdens by ourselves or walk roads alone. God wants us to truly live in community with other believers who will know us so well that they will recognize when our hearts are starting to get calloused. They will not only tell us about it, but they will encourage us away from sin and back to focusing on Jesus.

    We need to be reminded, just as the Hebrews did, that sin is powerful and through lies that can lead to unbelief, sin has the ability to change the state of our hearts. The graciousness of God can be seen and felt by the fact that God doesn’t leave us on our own to let our hearts continue to harden. Instead, He surrounds us with a community of believers who can advise us, encourage us, and admonish us to seek Truth and consider Jesus in all that we do. May we seek to constantly encourage those around us to consider who Jesus is, consider what He has done for us, and consider what He has promised us for our future.

    Questions

    1. How often do you consider Jesus in your day to day affairs?
    2. Would you describe the condition of your heart as soft or hard? Why?
    3. Do you allow others to speak into the state of your heart?

    Did You Know?

    Verses 16-18 are a callback to Israel’s sinfulness resulting in them wandering in the desert for 40 years, causing an entire generation to miss out on the Promised Land.

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  • Hebrews 2

    Hebrews 2

    Read Hebrews 2

    Warning to Pay Attention

    2 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

    Jesus Made Fully Human

    5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified:

    “What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
        a son of man that you care for him?
    7 You made them a little lower than the angels;
        you crowned them with glory and honor
    8     and put everything under their feet.”

    In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

    10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. 12 He says,

    “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
        in the assembly I will sing your praises.”

    13 And again,

    “I will put my trust in him.”

    And again he says,

    “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

    14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanityso that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them,fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

    Go Deeper

    The main idea of Hebrews 2 is a continuation of the first chapter: Jesus is greater than anything or anyone in all creation, and we must not lose sight of what He has done for us. In the midst of the conversation about angels, we read that Jesus Himself was “made lower than the angels for a little while”. The Word of God had the humility to become a human being (v. 9). As believers, we must listen to the author of Hebrews’ opening words and not lose sight of how history-altering Jesus’ life was. We should remind ourselves often that the God of the entire cosmos became a human for 33 years to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). 

    Next, we read that because human beings all share the common experience of a life on earth, Jesus “too shared in [our] humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death” (v. 14). In order for Jesus to be the pioneer of our salvation, He had to wholly share in what it means to be a human. We as people, committed sins against an infinitely good God, which means that humanity owed an infinitely large debt that we could never repay. But because YHWH is loving, merciful, and relentless, He became a human “in every respect” to redeem our lives (Hebrews 2:17). An old Church theologian, Gregory of Nazianzus, said it well: “That which is not assumed is not redeemed.” Jesus had to assume the wholeness of humanity and the wholeness of His divinity to free us from the curse of sin, and we must not forget it. 

    In light of all this, what do we do? The first thing this passage should lead us to is to thank God for all He has done for us. God has done something so beautiful and loving for us, and we should take the time to be grateful for it. Secondly, we should learn humility from our Servant King who ate with sinners and tax collectors, and stepped off His heavenly throne to live among us. Thirdly, we can share the amazing news that God freed us from sin with someone!

    Questions

    1. How can we remind ourselves to say “thank you” to God for all He has done? Try putting a sticky note somewhere in your home, or setting a notification on your phone as a reminder.
    2. When during your day can you practice humility? Could it be by learning to be a better listener, or doing the mundane tasks/chores that no one else wants to do?
    3. Who can we share the Gospel with? Who needs to know that God died on a cross and rose from the dead for their sins so they could spend eternity with their loving Creator?

    Watch This

    If you want to learn more about the angels that this passage mentioned, click here to watch this short video from The Bible Project!

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  • Hebrews 1

    Hebrews 1

    Hebrews Overview

    Hebrews, which is written as a letter (also known as an epistle), is unique among the other letters in the New Testament. There are some things we know and don’t know about the book of Hebrews. For example, we aren’t quite sure who wrote it. Different scholars have different theories as to who wrote it, but regardless who penned this book, we know that the author was inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

    The audience isn’t as specific as some other letters either (for example, the book of Philippians was written specifically to the church at Philippi). It is addressed to both Gentile and Jewish Christians, but it’s loaded with references the Jewish Christians would resonate with (hence the name Hebrews). Throughout the book there are quotations from and references to the Old Testament, specifically Genesis and Exodus. Based on what the author says about Timothy’s release from prison, Hebrews was likely written around 67 AD. 

    The entire book centers around Jesus. This Hebrew audience had a high view of the priests, specifically Moses. Over these 13 chapters, the author wants to drive home the idea that Jesus is supreme. He’s greater than angels. He’s greater than Moses. He offered a greater sacrifice. Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), is the ultimate example for us to follow and this is the whole point of the letter. 

    Over the next two weeks, we’ll learn so much more about the nature of Jesus and what it looks like to be a Christ follower. We’re excited to see how God uses these 13 chapters to change our lives and deepen our understanding of who Jesus really is.

    Read Hebrews 1

    God’s Final Word: His Son

    1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

    The Son Superior to Angels

    5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

    “You are my Son;
        today I have become your Father”?

    Or again,

    “I will be his Father,
        and he will be my Son”?

    6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,

    “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

    7 In speaking of the angels he says,

    “He makes his angels spirits,
        and his servants flames of fire.”

    8 But about the Son he says,

    “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
        a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
    9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
        therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
        by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

    10 He also says,

    “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
        and the heavens are the work of your hands.
    11 They will perish, but you remain;
        they will all wear out like a garment.
    12 You will roll them up like a robe;
        like a garment they will be changed.
    But you remain the same,
        and your years will never end.”

    13 To which of the angels did God ever say,

    “Sit at my right hand
        until I make your enemies
        a footstool for your feet”?

    14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

    Go Deeper

    After our recent study of the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, we now begin the New Testament book of Hebrews. Both books were divinely inspired by God to reveal his love and care for his people. At this time in history, Hebrew Christians had just come to faith. Those who had only known the law and the prophets, were now challenged with the new revelation that Christ was indeed the fulfillment of the law. No longer were rituals and ceremonies required to reconcile with holy God, as Christ had shattered the barriers providing salvation and eternal life for all people. These new believers were steeped in centuries-old traditions, and letting go of them would push them out of their comfort zone. They risked persecution from fellow unbelieving Jews as they stepped into their new faith. As baby Christians, they cautiously approached this new revelation, and returning to their old, traditional ways was a fierce temptation. Was Jesus really the Messiah their people had sought for centuries? 

    The writer/writers of Hebrews present a claim of the sufficiency and superiority of Christ, and then masterfully backs it up. The opening verses reveal that the old and the new covenant are both revealed by God. “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (v. 1-2). Seven distinct descriptors of Christ are presented:

    1. He is the heir of all things. 
    2. He made the universe.
    3. He is the brightness of his Father’s glory.
    4. He exactly represents God to us.
    5. His word can uphold all things.
    6. He purged our sins.
    7. He is seated at the right hand of God.

    Any single trait would be convincing enough, but tying all seven together compellingly defined the superior Savior. 

    All people were created to  worship the Creator, but some Jewish Christians had an imbalanced belief in angels and their God-given role. After all, angels appeared in the Old Testament when something dramatic or meaningful was about to happen. Instead of viewing them as special messengers with God given authority sent to serve and carry out his commands, they tended to revere and worship angels. Hebrews details that Jesus was not an angel but the Savior of the world who deserved our worship. The Hebrew writer then compares Christ’s greatness to the angels:

    1. His name is above all names (v. 4).
    2. Jesus is God’s honored first born son (v. 5). 
    3. God calls his angels to worship his Son (v. 6). 
    4. His righteous throne endures forever and ever (v. 8). 
    5. Christ is anointed over anyone or anything else and his kingdom is forever (v. 9). 
    6. Jesus has authority over all creation (v. 10). 
    7. All things will fade, pass away or perish, yet Christ remains the same and is changeless (v. 11). 
    8. He is honored and seated at the right hand of God (v. 13). 

    The book of Hebrews builds a solid case for all who are struggling to understand biblical truth and believe that Christ is both sufficient and superior. Whether you are new to faith in Christ or a seasoned believer, it is an exhortation to all believers to continue strong in the faith, being careful not to drift away. Let’s be challenged to see things from God’s perspective as this book weaves the old way with a new and better way, through the ultimate fulfillment of the law in Christ.

    Questions

    1. Who/what do you tend to worship instead of God? Write it down and confess it to someone to build accountability into your life.
    2. If you truly believed Christ to be superior, how would it change your mindset and behavior?
    3. What habits are you currently choosing that will grow your understanding of biblical truth?

    Watch This

    The Bible Project gives a compelling overview of the book of Hebrews. Click this link to check it out!

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