PREFACE
The book of Hebrews is challenging, and I look forward to studying it. There are a number of controversies surrounding the book among commentators regarding the author of the Book, whether it was written by Paul or not, and about when the Book was written, and whether or not it should be in the Cannon of Scripture. I will not even try to settle these arguments, for one thing I am not that interested, because I know it is divinely inspired, and that God is the Author, and it makes very little difference who God used to write the Book. However, I do believe that the internal evidence of the Book supplies sufficient proof that it was written by Paul. I want to remind you that these are my personal studies for my wife and myself, and for anyone else who is interested enough to read them. These studies prove that if anyone wants to learn Bible doctrine, and will put in the time and effort to study the Word of God, they will learn. I don't claim to be a gifted teacher; I am a simple man with an appetite to know "the fellowship of the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the power of His resurrection." I pray that you will receive a blessing from the Lord as you study along with me, and may God richly bless you with His wonderful grace.
INTRODUCTION
Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews from Rome, after his imprisonment. I believe he sent it to the churches in Jerusalem, intended for the Jewish believers, in order to help them understand that Christianity is based in the grace of God and not in the traditions of Judaism. Paul's purpose in writing this letter is to show that the Old Testament Scriptures presented the grace of God in types, and that now that Christ has come and finished His work on the cross, the types are now fulfilled, that is, a greater High Priest than the ones of old has come. If the Jews had believed the Old Testament Scriptures, without all their additions from the rabbis, they would have accepted Christ when He came. Isaiah for one gave them all they needed to know, in order for them to accept Christ as they're promised Messiah.
Albert Barnes has a enlightening paragraph on the Jewish rites:
"In short, whatever there was of dignity and honor in the Jewish faith had more than its counterpart in the Christian religion; and while the Christian religion was permanent, that was fading. The rites of the Jewish system, magnificent as they were, were designed to be temporary. They were types and shadows of things to come. They had their fulfillment in Christianity, that had an Author more exalted in rank than the author of the Jewish system [Barnes of course is referring to Moses, while the fact is, God is the Author of both; they simply had two different dispensations to work them out]; it had a High Priest more elevated and enduring; it had rites which brought men nearer to God; it was the substance what in the temple service was type and shadow. By considerations such as these the author of this epistle endeavors to preserve them from apostasy. Why should they go back? Why should they return to a less perfect system? Why go back from the substance to the shadow? Why turn away from the true Sacrifice to the type and emblem? Why linger around the earthly tabernacle, and contemplate the high priest there, while they had a more perfect and glorious High Priest, who had entered into the heavens? And why should they turn away from the only perfect Sacrifice - the great offering made for transgression - and go back to the bloody rites, which were to be renewed every day? And why forsake the perfect system - the system that was to endure forever - for that which was soon to vanish away? The author of this epistle is very careful to assure them that if they thus apostatized, there could be no hope for them. If they now rejected the sacrifice of the Son of God, there was no other sacrifice for sin. That was the great sacrifice for the sins of men. It was designed to close all bloody offerings. It was not to be repeated. If that was rejected, there was no other. The Jewish rites were soon to pass away; and even if they were not, they could not cleanse the conscience from sin. Persecuted then though they might be; reviled, ridiculed, opposed, yet they should not abandon their Christian hope, for it was their all; they should not neglect Him who spake to them from heaven, for in dignity, rank, and authority, He far surpassed all who in former times had made known the will of God to men."
One of the outstanding features of this letter that makes me think it is from the hand of Paul is that it is doctrinal; for Paul is the apostle that has given the church its doctrine. I believe that as we continue on in our study we will be more and more convinced of this fact.
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