The main message here is that God is not far away separating himself from us as if we were untouchables, that is the way the world works. God is acknowledging his Son Jesus Christ as our high priest, the one that can offer sacrifice for our sin, but even more than this, we are invited behind the veil, where he is. In Hebrews 6:1-6 he reminds us of the elementary message, and it is this message that we heard that brought us into the kingdom. We “tasted the heavenly gift” and “tasted the good word of God” and experienced “the powers of the coming age”. Then we have a bit of a parable, when the rain falls, the ground produces fruit, and we should produce fruit for God’s kingdom in our lives.
Let Us Approach With Confidence To The Throne
Hebrews 4:14–16
Many think of God as being far away, out of reach, disconnected from our lives and circumstance. And it says in Hebrews 4:14 “we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God” 但, as it says in
Hebrews 4:15 (LEB) For we do not have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but who has been tempted in all things in the same way, without sin.
God, and His Son Jesus are not holding us off, they are not far away and separate. They are inviting us and in Hebrews 4:16 it says “let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace”.
You Are A Priest Forever
Hebrews 5:1–10
It says in
Hebrews 5:1 (LEB) For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in the things relating to God, in order that he can offer both gifts and sacrifices on behalf of sins,
So it is the high priest that is able to bring the sacrifice for sin. But the high priest among men, in Hebrews 5:3 “is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins for himself also, as well as for the people”.
But, as it says in Hebrews 5:4 “someone does not take for himself the honor, but is called by God” and Jesus is called in Hebrews 5:5-10 “You are priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” and in vs. 9 “the source of eternal salvation to all that obey him”.
We Have Much to Say
Hebrews 5:11-14
The message changes here, and some say that “Since Hebrews is not structured like a typical letter, it may have originally been a sermon that circulated among churches in the Roman Empire”.1
If this was originally a sermon, it makes sense that the presenter might have sensed the disconnect after the introduction of Jesus as our high priest and changed direction because of it. Whatever the reason, the writer felt the need to back up and make sure everyone was on track with the basics. Here in Hebrews 5:11 he says “we have much to say” as if there is more to the high priestly message or there is another important principle to be shared, but they “have become sluggish in hearing”.
And in Hebrews 5:12 we hear the lament of a teacher for their students saying “you ought to be teachers by this time”. I think every teacher has moments when they feel this way about their students. Even Jesus had his moments:
Matthew 17:17 (LEB) And Jesus answered and* said, “O unbelieving and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!“
John 14:9 (LEB) Jesus said to him, “Am I with you so long a time and you have not known me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father! How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
There is though, here in Hebrews 5:13-14, an important statement for those of us who “are acquainted with the message of righteousness” and that is “the mature” “have trained their faculties for the distinguishing of both good and evil”. What this means is, we are born with natural senses and we naturally react to them for self preservation but as we understand good and evil, we can accept the input from our senses and choose how we react. 例如,
Ephesians 4:26-27 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, 27 nor give place to the devil.
Taste The Good Word of God
Hebrews 6:1-6
The elementary message of Christ is laid out for us to see in Hebrews 6:1-2 as repentance, 信仰, baptisms (yes, that is plural, water and Holy Spirit), laying on of hands, resurrection, and judgement. This is the message we heard that brought us into the kingdom and, as it says in Hebrews 6:4 “have tasted the heavenly gift” and in Hebrews 6:5 “have tasted the good word of God”. And did you get this last bit in vs. 5 “and the powers of the coming age”. If we, or anyone, has known all of this and fallen away, in Hebrews 6:6 he says, “they have crucified again for themselves the Son of God and held him up to contempt”.
Psalm 34:8 (LEB) Taste and see that Yahweh is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Inherit the Promises Through Faith and Patience
Hebrews 6:7-12
Few of us grow our own food, so we might not quite get this reference. He is saying in Hebrews 6:7 that when the rain falls, plants grow and we get the fruit, “a blessing from God”. Then in Hebrews 6:8 he compares what we expect to have happen, an abundance of fruit, with ground that is covered with weeds, thorns, thistles. It produces, but nothing that we can use “near to a curse” except maybe as fuel for a fire. Then in Hebrews 7:9-12 he explains that we are the ground, that we, when watered by the Holy Spirit, ought to produce the fruit of thanksgiving to God. As it says in Hebrews 6:12 “those who inherit the promises through faith and patience”. (See 2 Peter 1:2-7)
Guaranteed With An Oath
Hebrews 6:13–20
God made a promise to Abraham in Hebrews 6:13-14 “when God made a promise to Abraham … he (God) swore by himself,
Hebrews 6:14 話 “Surely I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply you.”
and do you see what vs 17 and 18 are saying? God spoke a promise and He never breaks His word. But for us, to show us how important this was, He also swore an oath “that through two unchangeable things … 我們 … may … hold fast to the hope set before us”. We have, in Hebrews 6:19-20 “an anchor of the soul … and entering into the inside of the curtain, where Jesus … entered … high priest forever”.
We often are perplexed by a problem, worrying about the outcome. But we have a promise from God through Jesus Christ. Have faith in God, meditate on God’s promises and :
Hebrews 4:16 (LEB) Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Study Verses
- Hebrews 4:14–16
- Hebrews 6:1-6
- Hebrews 6:7-12
Today’s Reading
- Hebrews 4:14-16
- Hebrews 5:1-14
- Hebrews 6:1-20
References
- 1. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, ð. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, ð. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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