The author of Hebrews continues to cite examples of “heroes” of faith in the Old Testament to encourage the people to hold unswervingly to their faith and hope (10:23) and not to shrink back (10:39):
(1) Hero of faith #5—Isaac (v. 20)—we seldom identify Isaac as a hero of faith.
a. Which incident does the author cite to highlight his faith? (see Gen. 27:27-29)
b. What were the contents of that blessing? (see also Gen. 27:37-40)
c. Did his blessing on Jacob come to pass?
d. Since Isaac made no attempt to revoke his blessing on Jacob, even though Jacob got his blessing out of trickery, how did this express the “faith” by which Isaac pronounced his blessing? (see God’s promise to Isaac which he now passed on to Jacob in Gen. 26:2ff)
e. Did his submission on Mount Moriah in Genesis 22 also show his faith? Why or why not?
(2) Hero of faith #6—Jacob (v. 21)
a. What did Jacob do with the promise from God through the blessing he received from Isaac? (see Gen. 48:14, 19)
b. How did this demonstrate Jacob’s faith?
(3) Hero of faith #7—Joseph (v. 22)
a. Which part of Joseph’s life, in your opinion, demonstrated his faith most notably? (see how Ps. 105:17-19 speaks of Joseph)
b. Which incident in Joseph’s life does the author cite to highlight his faith? (see Gen. 50:24-25)
c. What was the significance of his last words and how did this demonstrate his faith?
(4) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.” (Heb. 11:22)
It is interesting to note that even Isaac and Jacob are included as examples of faith by the author of Hebrews. At the same time, Joseph is mentioned as a hero of faith not because of his many incidents of faith and trust in God during his remarkable life (like his time in prison and his elevation to the power under Pharaoh). The reason is that the author of Hebrews wishes to distinguish faith in the temporal and faith in the eternal.
While Isaac and Jacob might not have exhibited faith and trust the way Joseph had, they truly believed and took seriously the promise of God passed on to them through Abraham, the promise not only of land but the promise that “all nations on earth will be blessed” (Gen. 26:4). As a result, as they were drawing near to their death, they, by faith, passed on that promise to the next generation through their pronouncement of blessings on them based on this very promise of God..
While Joseph certainly demonstrated his trust in God and received his rewards unparalleled in the history of the people of God being elevated to the second-in-command in the nation of Egypt, it was really the fruit of faith in the temporal. Like his forefathers of faith, he knew there was more to the promise of God than success and prosperity in this life. As a result, he demonstrated where his faith ultimately laid and so, “By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones” (Heb. 11:22). Indeed, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph did not “receive the things promised, but only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth…looking for a country of their own…a better country—a heavenly one.” (Heb. 11:13-16).
I wonder if our faith today is focused more on the temporal or on the eternal city that God has prepared for us. (Heb. 11:17)
(1) Hero of faith #8—Moses’ parents (v. 23)
a. How did the parents of Moses demonstrate their faith when they hid Moses for three months?
b. How significant was their action in terms of securing the continuation of God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
c. What do you think is meant by “because he (Moses) was no ordinary child”? (see Note 1 below)
(2) Hero of faith #9—Moses—The following incidents of faith are highlighted by the author of Hebrews (It is helpful to use Stephen’s sermon on Moses in Acts 7:20ff to follow the arguments in Hebrews.)
a. By faith, he refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (vv. 24-26).
- Who saved baby Moses? Should he not be grateful to his life-saver? (Acts 7:20-21)
- What was he able to enjoy as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter” (v. 25; see Acts 7:22)
- Why does the Bible say that those pleasures are “pleasures of sin”?
- Why then did Moses refuse to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter?
- What price did he pay for choosing to be mistreated along with his people?
- Why is his identification with his people called a “disgrace for the sake of Christ”? (See Note 2 below)
- What kind of faith did he demonstrate in the process? (v. 26)
b. He left Egypt by faith (v. 27)
- What kind of risk did he take in leading his people out of Egypt?
- How could he persevere?
c. He kept the Passover by faith (v. 28)
- What was the purpose of sprinkling the blood on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the house? (Exod. 12:7)
- What was the result of their act of obedience and faith?
d. The people too, by faith, passed through the Red Sea as on dry land (v. 29)
- How were the people rewarded for their faith?
e. The faith of Moses:
- How is the faith of Moses related to the faith of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph?
- What kind of reward was he looking ahead to? (v. 26)
(3) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note 1:
“Calvin…says that it was not the external beauty of the child that moved them, since faith, like God Himself, does not look on the outward appearance but on the heart (cf. 1 Sam. 16:7), rather ‘there was some mark, as it were, of future excellency imprinted on the child, which gave promise of something out of the ordinary'.” (NICNT, Hebrews, 309)
Note 2:
“The identification of Christ with His people is noteworthy. The words that the God of Israel put in Moses’
mouth when he went to Pharaoh to demand his people release: ‘Israel is my son,
my firstborn’ (Exod. 4:22), are as applicable to Jesus personally as they are
to Israel corporately. The Messiah is
one with the messianic people, bone of their bone, and flesh of their
flesh. ‘In all their affliction, He was
afflicted’ (Isa. 63:9) and in the fullness of time He too, like His people
before Him, was called out of Egypt and had His exodus to accomplish (Lk.
9:31)."
(NICNT, Hebrews, 311)
“He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for short time.” (Heb. 11:25)
“The privilege and advantages which are attached to high rank and political power are not sinful in themselves; they can indeed be used very effectively to promote the well-being of others and to help the underprivileged. Moses might have argued to himself that he could do much more for the Israelites by remaining in Pharaoh’s court and using his influence there on their behalf than by renouncing his Egyptian citizenship and becoming a member of a depressed group with no political rights. But for Moses to do this, when once he had seen the path of duty clear before him, would have been sin—the crowning sin of apostasy, against which the recipients of this letter (the letter of Hebrews) needed so insistently to be warned. Even if (as some have imagined) the crown of Egypt was within Moses’ reach had he remained where he was and his name had been perpetuated in history as the greatest and wisest of the rulers of that land, he would never have attained such a reputation as he did by making the great refusal. But when Moses made that refusal he did not foresee the reputation which he was going to establish for himself; he had nothing to look forward to but privation, danger, scorn and suffering—with Israel’s liberation, please God. To have remained at Pharaoh’s court would have been lasting dishonor, and that dishonor would be a price too high to pay for material advantages which at best would be but short-lived.”
(NICNT, Hebrews, 310-1)
(1) Hero of faith #10—Joshua (v. 30)—The battle of Jericho was the first battle under Joshua as he led God’s people into the Promised Land (Jos. 6).
a. How special was the strategy used in this battle?
b. What did God wish to demonstrate to His people?
c. What if this battle ended in defeat? What would it do to the promise of God through Abraham and the forefathers?
(2) Hero of faith #11—Rahab (v. 31)
a. Why did Rahab choose to welcome and hide the spies from Israel? (see Jos. 2: 8-14)
b. How different was Rahab from all the heroes of faith mentioned before? (v. 31)
c. What significant role was played by Rahab in the ultimate realization of the Abrahamic covenant in the person of Jesus Christ? (see Matt. 1:1, 5)
(3) The heroes of faith (vv. 32-39)—the author goes on to highlight many heroes of faith from the OT, some well-known and others lesser-known or unknown.
a. The well-known characters include the following: Reflect on the life of say, three of them and see what can you learn from their faith:
- Gideon (Jdg. 7)
- Barak (Jdg. 4:1-10)
- Samson (Jdg. 15:14-20)
- Jephthah (Jdg. 11:29-33)
- David—like his faith in the killing of Goliath (1 Sam. 17:41-49)
- Samuel and the prophets—like Elijah in 1 Kings 19
b. Whether well-known or unknown, the author lists their acts of faith. See if you can recall, say five biblical characters that the author might be describing and see how they are examples of faith ( I have suggested some references below; you may recall others):
- Conquered kingdoms
- Administered justice (1 Ki. 3:16ff)
- Gained what was promised
- Shut the mouths of lions (Dan. 6)
- Quenched the fury of flames (Dan. 3)
- Escaped the edge of the swords (Jer. 36:19, 26)
- Weakness turned into strength (Est. 4:13-17)
- Became powerful in battle, routed foreign armies (2 Chr. 20:15ff)
- Women received back their dead who were raised to life again (1 Ki. 17:17-24)
- Tortured and refused to be released to gain a better resurrection (see Note below)
- Faced jeers and flogging (2 Ki. 2:23)
- Chained and put in prison (Jer. 20:2)
- Stoned (1 Ki. 21:13)
- Sawed into two (Jewish tradition believed that the prophet Isaiah was sawed into two during Manasseh’s reign)
- Put to death by sword (Jer. 26:20-23)
- Went about in sheepskins
- Destitute, persecuted and mistreated
- Wandered in deserts, mountains, caves and holes in the ground.
c. Have you ever experienced any of the above due to your faith in Christ?
d. Which of these heroes of faith might you admire most? Why?
e. What is the comment on them by the author of Hebrews? (v. 38)
f. Why had they not received what had been promised to them? (vv. 39-40)
g. How does this serve as an encouragement to you?
(4) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
“This was
precisely the punishment meted out to Eleazar, one of the noble confessors of
Maccabean days (who) goes willingly and unhesitatingly to the rack…rather than
taste unlawful food. In 4 Maccabees it
is on the wheels…that Eleazar and the seven young men are tortured in a manner
reminiscent of the medieval penalty of breaking on the wheels.”
(NICNT, Hebrew, 325)
“God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Heb. 11:40)
As the author of Hebrews names one by one those heroes of faith in the OT, we cannot help but see both how little our faith is and how trivial are the trials of faith we have faced in light of what they had suffered and endured. True, some of them had seen specific promises honored by God in their life time, like conquering kingdoms, and receiving their dead who were raised to life (Heb. 11:33), but the author is quick to list many who had not seen their promises come to pass, like those who were tortured and refused to be released and some who were even sawn into two (Heb. 11:35-38). However, even for the former, “none of them received what had been promised” (Heb. 11:39) which points to the ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant—the consummation of the salvation in Jesus Christ, the “better resurrection” (Heb. 11:35) upon the return of Jesus Christ.
So, the author reminds us how privileged we are compared to these OT heroes of faith in that, “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Heb. 11:40) We have to confess that the faith of these heroes in the OT is far more precious than ours in that they, at best, had a very vague idea of the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise through Abraham, and yet they all persevered till the end. As a result, we who are not only beneficiaries of the ultimate promise of God in Jesus Christ, but have also come to understand and witness the totality of God’s love in the sacrifice of His Son on the cross, should all the more hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (10:23) and together with them, these heroes of faith, be made perfect in our faith as we follow their footsteps and those of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Exhortation to persevere:
(1) Cloud of witnesses (v. 1)
a. How meaningful is it to use “cloud of witnesses” to refer to those heroes of faith in the OT?
b. The author urges us to run our race marked out for us:
- What race is he talking about given the examples of chapter 11?
- What does it mean to you that your race has been “marked out” for you?
c. How we should run our race:
- With perseverance — What might be the thing(s) that could make you lose heart?
- That we need to throw off?
d. Everything that hinders —What might be the things that hinder your race? How can you throw them off?
e. Sin that so easily entangles —What might be the sins that could easily entangle you? How can you throw them off?
(2) Christ is the supreme example (vv. 2-3)
a. Jesus is the perfector of our faith: What does it mean?
b. What did He have to endure? (vv. 2-3)
c. How was He able to endure His hardship?
d. What was the result of His endurance?
e. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus:
- What does it mean?
- What if we do? (v. 3)
- What if we don’t?
(3) Hardship and Discipline (vv. 4-15)
a. What proof is there that their struggles against sin have not reached the level of bloodshed? (v. 4)
b. The preceding examples are about struggles against other sinners. Given the following exhortation about discipline (quoting from Proverbs 3:11-12), whose sins do you think the author is now talking about? (vv. 5-6) Why?
c. What does the receiving of discipline prove about our relationship with God? (vv. 7-8)
d. According to most customs, including those of the OT, what do legitimate children have that illegitimate children do not?
e. What might be the difference(s) between the discipline of earthly fathers from that of our Heavenly Father? (vv. 9-10)
f. Reflect on a recent “discipline” you have received from Father God (v. 11).
- How did you feel at the time?
- Did it produce “a harvest of righteousness and peace” and “holiness”?
- Why or why not?
g. The admonition to be strong (vv. 12-15)
- What then should we do since we have become weak in the face of hardship? (v. 12)
- What will our strengthening do to those who are also weak around us? (v. 13)
- What are the two important things about community life that the author urges us live out? (v. 14)
- Since God’s grace is available to all believers:
a. What does it mean by missing the grace of God?
b. What is one of the things that would cause someone to “miss the grace of God”? (v. 15)
c. How destructive is it?
(4) What is the message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“..let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Heb. 12:1)
As we read the examples of the heroes of faith in chapter 11 of Hebrews, we may be a bit intimated by their extraordinary faith and wonder whether we, under circumstances similar to their, could endure the hardship and exhibit the faith that they had.
I think it is helpful to understand that, as great as their faith was, the Bible makes it clear that faith comes from God; it is a gift from the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Cor. 12:9). Just as we have begun our journey in Christ through faith enabled by the Holy Spirit, we shall press on this journey which Hebrews 12:1 calls “the race marked out for us” through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:1ff).
And since each one of us has our own race marked out by God for us, my race is different from yours and yours is different from those heroes of faith in Hebrews, and the Apostle Paul also reminds that God will not give trials beyond what we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13). However, the author of Hebrews points out that there are things we have to avoid, in order that we may persevere like these heroes of faith:
- Throw off everything that hinders: This is an analogy of an athlete who is in training, and he needs to get rid of all the “weights” (the original meaning of the Greek) so that he may run as fast as he can. And in a spiritual sense, things that may become a weight will drag us in our faith journey; these include worries that distract us from setting our sight on our goal (which is the Lord Jesus), pursuits of this world that compete for our love for the Lord and fear of losses or of sufferings that serve to even tempt us to drop out of the race.
- Throw off sin that so easily entangles: I like the NIV translation in that it conveys a picture of our legs being entangled by sin which in essence would prevent us from even starting to run at all. Indeed, the author of Hebrews will go on to say that “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (12:14). Sin prevents us from even coming into the presence of the Lord, the source of our power to run the race. Again, the sin that entangles me is different from yours, and yours is different from those of the heroes of faith. But just the same, we all need to spend time before the Lord to examine what might the sin be that entangles us, without which we may end with the fate of Samson (Jdg. 16:23 ff).
After cautioning his readers that enduring hardship is a discipline and encouraging them with the fatherly heart of God, the author now appears to resume his warning against the sin of apostasy:
(1) The example of Esau (vv. 16-17)
a. Why does the author cite Esau’s selling of his birthright (Gen. 25:29ff) as a prime example of godlessness? (v. 16)
b. What was the dire result of his decision? (v. 17; Gen. 27:38)
c. What kind of a warning does this serve to his readers?
(2) Approaching God under the Old Covenant—The giving of the Law in Mount Sinai (vv. 18-21; retold by Moses in Deut. 4:11ff)
a. What does the author seek to convey by saying that it was a mountain “that can be touched”? (v. 18)
b. What was God’s appearance accompanied by? (v. 19)
c. What was the restriction imposed by God as they sought to approach Him? (v. 20) Why?
d. What did that terrifying scene do to the people and Moses? (vv. 19, 20, 21)
(3) Approaching God under the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus (vv. 22-24)
a. Under the New Covenant, what does the author call the place where God can be approached? (v. 22)
b. How different is the atmosphere of this place from Mount Sinai? (v. 23)
c. When we come to this heavenly Jerusalem, the author says we have also come to
- The church of the firstborn
a. Who are they? (see Rev. 21:27)
b. Are you part of it?
- God the Judge of all men
a. Should we not come in fear, just as those who came to Mount Sinai?
b. Why or why not?
- The spirits of righteous men (likely referring to “believers of pre-Christian days”—Bruce, 360)
a. What happens to them under this New Covenant?
b. How are they made perfect?
- Jesus
a. Who is Jesus in the New Covenant?
b. Why does the author say Jesus’ blood speaks a better word than Abel’s blood? (see Gen. 4:10)
(4) The warning (vv. 25-29)
a. When God spoke to His people on Mount Sinai, what happened? (v. 26; Exod. 19:18)
b. Did the people obey the law He gave at Mount Sinai?
c. What happened to that generation and those that followed? (v. 25)
d. Because of the disobedience of God’s people, how has God promised to speak in the end time? (v. 26; Hag. 2:6)
e. What is the author’s interpretation of this prophecy? (v. 27; see Rev. 20:11; 21:1)
f. In view of the grace of receiving an unshakable kingdom, what shall we do? (v. 28)
g. In view of the fact that God is a consuming fire, how shall we worship God? (v. 28)
(5) What is the main message to you today, and how may you apply it to your life?
“…so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:28b-29)
It is quite fashionable in today’s Evangelical world to downplay the clear teachings in the Bible about the transitory nature of our earth, especially in our zeal to embrace our rightful responsibility in protecting the environment. However, the author of Hebrews is crystal clear about the transitory nature of this physical earth we live in. Allow me to quote from F.F. Bruce:
“In the current debate whether the created world was eternal or not, our author stands right within the Hebrew tradition. He has already quoted with approval the passage in Ps. 102:25ff which emphasizes the transitoriness of all created things:
These shall pass away; but Thou endurest;
Like clothes they shall grow old;
Thou shall fold them like a cloak;
Yes, they shall be changed like any garment. (NEB)"Philo tries, rather awkwardly, to mediate between biblical doctrine and the Platonic doctrine of the eternity of the world, but our author is quite forthright. Earlier he has emphasized the transitoriness of the world in order to set in contrast the eternity of the Son of God; now he emphasizes it again in order to set in contrast the eternity of that new order into which the Son of God has brought His people.
" ‘Let’s be thankful’ he says, ‘that the kingdom which we receive is unshakable; and in the spirit of thankfulness let us offer acceptable worship to God.’ To the grace of God the proper response is a grateful heart, and the words and actions which flow from a grateful heart are the sacrifices in which God takes delight (13:15).
"At the same time, such sacrificial worship must be offered with a due sense of majesty and holiness of God with whom we have to do; not only thankfulness, but humble reverence and awe must mark His people’s approach to Him; ‘for our God is a consuming fire’. He who descended on Mount Sinai in fire and spoke to His people from the midst of that fire still consumes in the white heat of His purity everything that is unworthy of Himself…This is an aspect of the character of God as revealed in the Bible that plays little part in much present-day thinking about Him; but if we are to be completely ‘honest to God,’ we dare not ignore it. Reverence and awe before His holiness are not incompatible with grateful trust and love in response to His mercy.” (NICNT, Hebrews, 364-6)
Having systematically exhausted his warning, he now ends his letter with ethical exhortations.
(1) On love (v. 1):
a. How shall we express our love for one another in the faith community?
b. What does it mean?
(2) On hospitality (v. 2):
a. What encouragement does the author give in this respect? (see Gen. 18:1-33)
b. Should this be the only reason for us to be hospitable to strangers? Why or why not?
(3) Concerning prisoners (v. 3):
a. Why does the author tie prisoners to mistreatment in his time?
b. How should we remember them? (Matt. 25:36)
(4) On marriage (v. 4):
a. Should co-habitation be considered a “marriage”? Why or why not?
b. What is the warning given by the author?
(5) On love of money (vv. 5-6):
a. What is the best way of living free from the love of money? (v. 5)
b. What has God promised His people even from days of old? (see Deut. 31:6, 8)
c. What example does the psalmist set for us? (see Ps. 118:6,7)
d. Can you say the same as the psalmist does? Why or why not?
(6) Concerning (former) leaders: (vv. 7-8)
a. How should we remember those (former) spiritual leaders of ours?
b. How is v. 8 related to v. 7?
(7) Against strange teachings of sacrifice (vv. 9-14)
a. What appears to be the strange teaching? (v. 9)
b. The heavenly altar versus the earthly altar:
- Why do the priests under the Old Covenant “have no right to eat” from the heavenly altar?
- Since Christ has been sacrificed (like the sacrificial animals at the old altar) outside of the earthly city of Jerusalem,
a. What does it mean to go outside of the camp? (“the camp” signifies the old order under the law)
b. Why would going outside the camp (leaving the old order) necessarily bring disgrace? (v. 14 points to the ineffectiveness of the old altar in the earthly city of Jerusalem)
c. How does this comparison show the folly of the strange teaching?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” (Heb. 13:4)
In a discussion group of a seminary, a student challenged the need to have a formal wedding ceremony and opined that co-habitation was not necessarily against the will of God. The command to honor “marriage” by the author of Hebrews (13:4) should once-for-all settle this challenge, because
- The word “marriage” (gamos) used by the author of Hebrews was used to denote a “wedding celebration” by early classical poets; a “wedding banquet” in both secular and biblical literatures; or a “wedding hall” in Matthew 22:10. In other words, a marriage is always a public and official affair (Walter Bauer, 151).
- Even the first marriage between Adam and Eve was not only arranged by God, but involved a vow witnessed by God (and in the absence of any other human being, likely by other creatures in God’s presence. See Gen. 2).
- Needless to say, it is the custom of basically all cultures throughout human history.
The notion put forward by that seminary student reflects the individualistic mindset of western culture, void of a willingness to make any public, lasting commitment, and a refusal to accept that God has ordained marriage not just as an affair between two individuals, but as an important part of the community life of His people which involves accountability not only between the couple, but to God through His community.
Practical exhortation of life together in Christ (Cont.):
(1) Since the sacrifice in the old altar has no value (vv. 15-16),
a. What are the sacrifices with which God is pleased?
b. Are these the sacrifices that you offer continually?
(2) Obey your leaders (v. 17)
a. Why should the author make it a command?
b. What reasons does the author give in commanding us to obey the leaders in the church?
(3) Asking for intercession (vv. 18-19)
a. Why does the author have to assert how they live?
b. What does v. 19 indicate concerning their relationship?
(4) Benediction (vv. 20-21)
a. How does the author address God and what He has done through Christ?
b. Who is Christ to us? (v. 20)
c. Two wishes are expressed in this benediction:
- To equip them with everything good for doing God’s will
a. What does it mean?
b. Why is it his prayer for the church?
- That God may work in them what is pleasing to Him
a. What does it mean?
b. What does it mean to you?
(5) Final words (vv. 22-25)
a. What does the author mean by a “short letter”?
b. What additional information does the author give us concerning Timothy?
c. Where was the author at the time of his writing?
(6) Let’s pause and reflect on the main messages of the book to you. Go through your notes and jot them down and see how you may apply it to your life.
“In the past, God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son...” (Heb. 1:1-2)
As we come to the close of the Book of Hebrews, allow me to share the summary thoughts of F.F. Bruce on the book as follows:
“Christians are Christians by virtue of certain acts of God which took place at a definite time in the past, but these acts of God have released a dynamic force which will never allow Christians to stick fast at any point short of that divine rest which in this life is always a goal to be aimed at and never a stage which has been reached. The faith once for all delivered to the saints is not something which can be caught and tamed; it continually leads the saints forth to new ventures in the cause of Christ, as God calls afresh. It was Abraham’s firm faith in the unchanging God that made him so ready to go forth at God’s bidding, not knowing whither he might be led. To stay at the point to which some revered teacher of the past has brought us, out of a mistaken sense of loyalty to him, or to continue to follow a certain pattern of religious activity or attitude just because it was good enough for our fathers and grandfathers—these and the like are temptations which make the message of Hebrews a necessary and salutary one for us to listen to. Every fresh movement of the Spirit of God tends to become stereotyped in the next generation, and what we have heard with our ears, what our fathers have told us, becomes a tenacious tradition encroaching on the allegiance which ought to be accorded on to the living and active word of God.
"As Christians survey the world today, they see very much land waiting to be possessed in the name of Christ; but to take possession of it calls for a generous measure of that forward looking faith which is so earnestly urged upon the readers of this epistle. The first readers were living at a time when the old, cherished order was breaking up. Attachment to venerable traditions could avail them nothing in this situation; only attachment to the unchanging and onward-moving Christ could carry them forward and enable them to face a new order with confidence and power.
"So in a day when everything that can be shaken is being shaken before our eyes and even beneath our feet, let us in our turn give thanks for the unshakable kingdom which we have inherited, which endures forever when everything else to which men and women may pin their hopes disappears not a wrack behind."
(NICNT. Hebrews, 392)