HF184 - Hebrews 4:12-16 (The Word of God)

To:  Hebraic-Foundations@YahooGroups.com
From:  "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2008
Subject: Bible Study HF184 - Hebrews 4:12-16 (The Word of God)

Hebraics,

In the new covenant when you see the term 'the Word of God,' this expression speaks directly to the belief system of the Hebrews during the time of Jesus. They had been taught that the Word of the Lord, or the Word of God was a special expression of God. Let's look at it.

This is Bible Study HF184 - Hebrews 4:12-16 (The Word of God)

Heb 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

The Word of God is Christ. It seems that the Lord had prepared the hearts of the people for Jesus by granting them insights into some of the mysteries of Deity beforehand. The term 'Word of God' or 'the Word of the Lord' are classic examples.

The term 'the Word of the Lord' is used about 600 times in the Targums, as well as by Philo, and in other writings before Christ. When Philo wished to explain Judaism to the Greeks, he spoke of the "Logos" of God, as His "Reason", His "Word." He wrote that the Word of God acted as God's ambassador to the earth and was an actually expression of the unseen God.

Philo also used other terms to describe the role of the Word of God, such as, King, High Priest, and Firstborn Son. (Re. John Lightfoot)

The point is that both Jesus and the apostolic writers spoke right into the belief system of the Jews. This is one reason it can be said than when an Orthodox Jew reads the New Testament, he hears a Jewish voice.

v13 - "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."

No creature hidden from His sight is not a negative aspect of God's Word. Jesus is the Lord God omniscient. This is another way of saying that Jesus Christ knows the hearts of all men and that He is able to deal with the total of our lives in ways that are too wonderful to tell.

Again the Hebrews are directed to who Jesus really is. He is the Word of God become flesh, the firstborn and high priest of all creation, and of the new creation in particular. He became God's visible expression in the earth. Paul calls Jesus 'the image of the invisible God.'

v14 - "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession."

We will see this encouragement time after time, "Let us hold fast our confession." We saw earlier that Jesus is the high priest of our confession, and that when we confess Jesus Christ as Lord on the earth, He in turn confesses us before His Father and the holy angels. It is this confession of faith in Jesus that is the bulwark of our salvation.

v15 - "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin."

Our high priest has a heart of love and compassion. He never overlooks our human frailties or our struggles with temptation. In fact Jesus is deeply moved by our feelings and struggles. He went through the same thing, yet without sin on his part.

This is why it is so important for believers to understand the finished work of the cross. God took our lives and hid them in Christ. The work of redemption was finished in Christ. In view of this we are instructed to hold fast our confession of faith in Jesus.

v16 - "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Here again we will find the book of Hebrews filled with strong encouragements along with strong warnings. And here again we need to keep in mind the purpose of the book. The destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple looms in the near future.

The study is open.

Blessings,

Buddy
---
Lawrence "Buddy" Martin
 email: Bro.Buddy <at> ChristianChallenge.Org
 Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
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