Hebrews - The Superiority of Jesus - Pt 1

While I wait for something classicly funny to occur to me to write, I thought I would post some of my studies on various books of the Bible.  If you don't like them, please standby for the comedy

First things First:

Hermeneutics: The science that provides the true principles of Biblical Interpretation.

Basic Principles:

1.    The Bible is authoritative.  (Inerrant in the original manuscripts)

2.    The Bible contains its own hermeneutical laws that are capable of giving meaning, and sufficient when properly understood and followed.  (The Bible is the best commentary on the Bible)

3.    The primary aim of interpretation is the apprehension of the meaning of the author.  (What did he mean when he wrote it?)

4.    Language is capable of communicating spiritual truth.

5.    The literal rather than the allegorical interpretation is the correct approach to the Bible.  (The Bible means what it says, unless it says something else)

6.    No Scripture can have more than one meaning. (Lot’s of applications but only one true meaning)

Four basic steps in the study of Scripture:

Observation:  “What do I see?”  Student approaches the text as a detective.  No detail is unimportant.

Interpretation:  “What does it mean?”  Primarily to the people the author wrote to.

Application:  “What does it mean to me?”  This is the student’s ultimate goal of observation and interpretation.  Observation, interpretation without application is meaningless.  Revelation by its nature demands a response.

Correlation:  “How does this contribute to the mainstream of biblical revelation?”  The goal of any study is the development of an accurate biblical theology that results in a vital Christian life.  The student accomplishes this by coordinating his/her findings in studied passages with other studied passages.

HERMENEUTICS IS THE SCIENCE THAT ESTABLISHES THE GROUND RULES FOR THESE FOUR STEPS

General Principles

1.    The interpreter works from the presupposition that the Bible is authoritative.

2.    The Bible is its own interpreter.  Scripture explains Scripture.

3.    The Scriptures can only be properly understood and interpreted by saving faith and the Holy Spirit.

4.    Experience must be interpreted in light of Scripture and not Scripture in light of experience.

5.    Scriptural examples are not authoritative unless supported by a command.

6.    The Scriptures are given primarily not to increase knowledge but to change lives.

7.    Every individual has the right and responsibility to investigate and interpret the Word of God for himself.

8.    Church history is essential but not decisive in the interpretation of Scripture.

9.    The promises of God throughout the Bible are available to all the Holy Spirit for the believers of every generation.

Grammatical Principles

1.    Scripture has but a single meaning and is, therefore, to be considered literal and subject to a scientific investigation.

2.    Words should be interpreted in harmony with their meaning in the time of the author.

3.    A word should be interpreted in the light of its sentence and context.

4.    A passage should be interpreted in the light of its context.

Historical Principles

1.    Scripture originated in an historical way and can be understood only in the light of biblical history.

2.    Though God’s special revelation in the Scriptures is progressive, both the Old and New Testaments for essential parts of this revelation and constitute a unit.

3.    Historical facts or events may serve as symbols of spiritual truth only if the Scriptures use them as such

Theological Principles

1.    The Scriptures must be understood grammatically before they can be understood theologically.

2.    A doctrine cannot be considered biblical until it sums up and includes all that the Scriptures say about it.

3.    A statement may be considered figurative if an inanimate object is used to describe an animate being.

4.    A statement may be considered figurative if its expression is out of character with the thing described.

5.    The principle parts and figures of a parable designate realities that correspond to these figures, and only the principle parts should be taken into account when drawing conclusions.

6.    The words of the prophets should be interpreted in their usual literal and historical sense, unless the context or manner in which are fulfilled clearly indicates that they have a symbolic meaning.  Their fulfillment may be by installments – each fulfillment being a pledge of that which is to follow.

7.    When Scripture leads to the establishment of two doctrines that appear contradictory, both doctrines should be accepted as scriptural in the confident belief that they resolve themselves into a higher unity.

8.    Implied teachings of Scripture may be considered biblical when the deduction made from a comparison of related passages supports the same implied teaching.

WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know that this is a lot to take in.  But by setting down all of these principles, it will help us to resolve and understand verses and questions that we are going to have, a whole lot easier, faster and better.

With all of this said, let me say one more thing.  I tend to believe that God can do whatever he wants.  I believe that there is nothing in the Bible that is there by accident.  I believe that salvation and the Christian Life is basically simple.  It has to be.  God would not make it complicated. He knows what idiots we can be.  So this leads me to the following statement:

SIMPLE RULES

INTRODUCTION

A. Who wrote it?

Not known for sure (Paul, Apollos, Barnabas, Silas)

1.  Writer and reader known to each other (6:9; 13:18,19, 23)

2.  Writer and readers both know Timothy (13:23)

3.  Because of the subject of the book, writer was very well aquatinted with the Levitical Ritual system.

4.  Writer received the gospel second hand, not from the Lord Jesus himself (2:3)

B. Who was it written to?

1.  Title means toward or to the Hebrews (From the original Greek Manuscripts) pros hebraious

2.  First readers should have been mature enough to be teachers by now (5:11 - 6:3)

3.  Continuing on this thought, because of the authors intent on proving the superiority of Jesus to every aspect of the Levitical system the readers of necessity would have to know or would be expected to understand the subtleties of such proof. (4:7-9; 5:1-4; 5:8-10; etc........)

4.  Because of 2 and 3 above it has been suggested that the book of Hebrews was written first of all to a group of unbelieving, leaning towards believing, priests such as mentioned in Acts 6:7

5.  This group of people seems to be assembled in Rome (13:24) hoi apo tes Italias "Christians from Italy who living outside of Italy, send greetings to their friends in Italy".

6.  Hebrews as the epistle of Romans addresses erroneous teachings on food laws (Heb 13:9, Rom 14:14)

7.  First traces of Book were found in the work of Clement of Rome in AD 96.                   

8.  History of Church in Rome matches the background of church in Hebrews 6:10; 10:32-34 .

C.  When was it written?

1.  Used by Clement of Rome in AD 96

2.  Present tense verbs used throughout to indicate that the Levitical system was still in use in the temple of Jerusalem.  Temple was destroyed in 68, 69 AD by Titus of Rome.  Note: even if the tense of the verbs is unimportant, surely the author would have mentioned the destruction of the Temple since it helps prove his point of it just being a type. (5:1-3; 7:23,27; 8:3-5; 9:6-9, 13, 25; 10:1, 3, 4, 8, 11; 13:10-11)

3.  Written after ascension of Lord around 33 AD (1:3)

4.  Readers are second generation and some of their leaders were already dead (2:3; 13:7)

5.  If readers are the Roman church or a group of Jewish leaders at this church the dates and patterns match.

      A.  Heb 10:32-34, 12:4.  Roman Emperor Claudius ordered extradition of Christians and repossession of property in 49 A. D.

      B.  Nero's persecution 66 -68 A. D. actual martyrdom of Christians.

A date of around 65 A. D. would be sufficiently removed from 49 AD to make sense of the author saying "former days" and 65 AD would also put it before the destruction of the temple and Nerodian persecution.

D. What is its purpose? (Purposes influenced by circumstances and spiritual condition)

1.  To encourage growth (5:11,12)

                                    a. Blinded to the trued nature and value of Christianity

2.  To encourage a break from Judaism

3.  To encourage them through their tribulations 13:7 – 13:25

The End is Hear!!! Last Post on Eschatology

Last post (re: Eschatology)

So what is the point?  I hope that I have left you with an appreciation on how God has dealt with man through time.  God has shown man in every age that left to his own devices; man does nothing but botch and booger things up. (That’s right I used the word booger)

Also, as to timing; The Rapture, the great taking away of the Restrainer (Holy Spirit) and the removal of Jesus’ Church from this age could happen at any time.  There are things which must take place after, as was discussed, but there is nothing that is preventing this event from happening now.

www.el-church.com/movie.html

The above is a presentation I did a few years ago on the immanent return of Jesus.  Use the pause button on the video to slow it down when you want to read somethng.  It takes a few minutes for the video to load, so be patient.

There are a lot of books that I have read that generated what I believe.  My favorite are books written by Hal Lindsey.  I know he gets a bad rap sometimes, but I love the simple way he explains things.  His tv show that is on cable is a great place to keep up to date with events that are even now taking place.  His website is also very helpful.

Please e-mail me or comment on any questions that you may still have.

Thanks again.

The End is Near!!!! (right??) Second to last episode (15)

First a little review: (From Week One)

For the last century or so, different overall eschatological perspectives have usually been classified according to their viewpoint regarding the Millennium. The Millennium (from the Latin mille, meaning "a thousand") refers to the 1,000 year reign of Christ and His saints described in Revelation 20:4-6.

Revelation 20:4-6 (NIV)    I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years

            Within the Christian community there are three different views of this time period.  Along with the three, each different view tends to have characteristics that define the people who hold to it.  That is in order to believe one of these views; it of necessity defines your own personal theology.  With each view we will list some of the characteristics.  It is also important to note that some of the lines that separate each view are smudged.

Premillennialism

Premillennialists hold that Jesus will return at the beginning or before ("pre-") He establishes a Millennial Kingdom on this earth. This return will be necessary because forces hostile to God will be governing the world, and Christ must conquer them before He can rule. Towards the end of the millennium evil will again arise, and it will have to be defeated once more before God's cosmic rule is perfected.

 

Characteristics:        1. Believes in a literal interpretation of scripture and prophecy.

2. View is popular among Fundamentalists and Conservative Evangelicals. 

3. Teaches that only Jesus’ literal return can conquer evil.

4. Usually holds to a form of teaching called Dispensationalism.

Postmillennialism

Whereas Premillennialists hold that Jesus will return before the millennium, postmillennialists maintain that He will return after ("post-") an earthly kingdom is established. This means, however, that the millennium will be simultaneous with an era of ordinary human history. This viewpoint was first comprehensively articulated by Augustine (354-430), who regarded the establishment of the church since about Constantine's time as the rule of Christ with His saints. Postmillennialism has often been the general perspective of Roman Catholic, Reformed, and other socially established churches. Postmillennialism serves as a label for any eschatology that expects religious and social activity to play a large role in establishing God's kingdom. They hold that history and society in general have been and will be brought increasingly under Christ's rule and that the kingdom's advance is closely related to that of certain social and religious forces.

Characteristics:        1. Generally consider prophesy about Jesus' return and the final resurrection symbolic.

2.  Belief in man's inherent good and ability of the Church to overcome the evil of the world.

Amillennialism

By adding the prefix "a-" (meaning "not"), amillennialists express their conviction that no historical period called the millennium does or will exist. In general sense, amillennialism can refer to everyone who interprets all language about a final, earthly realm of peace in a spiritual manner. Amillennialism tends to be individualistic, concentrating on the heavenly destiny of each person rather than on the future of this earth. During the nineteenth century, however, "amillennialism" was applied increasingly to a more specific eschatology. Like postmillennialists, these amillennialists believed that Christ was already reigning with His saints. They argued that He was doing so, however, in heaven with departed Christians, and not through specific movements. Like premillennialists, these amillennialists expected Jesus to return, to conquer His enemies and to rule over a transformed earth. His perfected rule, however, would be established immediately, and not preceded by an interim called the millennium.

Characteristics:        1. Completely spiritualizes prophecy about the millennium  and most end times events.

2.  Mostly emphasizes the individual destiny rather than what finally happens to the earth.

A Very Short History Lesson

Until the fourth century, the early church was generally premillennial. This perspective, which placed the church in sharp conflict with the Roman Empire, declined rapidly after Constantine made Christianity the Empire's favored religion.

 In subsequent centuries radical groups at odds with state-supported religion often held a premillennial view.

Those who hold the general expectation that Jesus will return before establishing an earthly millennium are called "historic premillennialists."

Now a little review: (From Week Two)

Before we get started with sequencing the events that make up the total picture of the "last days" it will help us to try to give them some general definitions and list some of God’s purposes and plans behind these events.  These definitions are drawn from the Word using our chosen “Literal or Plain” hermeneutic.

There have been many before us who have spent their entire lives studying and sequencing these events.  Even so, there is tremendous disagreement between these people who have studied the same Word and drawn drastically different conclusions.  This is mostly due to their chosen hermeneutic.

THE RAPTURE

            The rapture is defined as the “catching up” of believers by Christ at the time of His return. The word came into use by way of the Latin rapio used to translate the Greek term of 1 Thessalonians 4:17, harpagesometha.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NIV)  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

             Living believers are "caught up" to meet the Lord at His coming. Those of varying millennial views about end time events all hold firmly to the biblical truth of such a rapture. However, it is within the premillennial view that the teaching of the rapture finds major emphasis.

            This view sees a tribulation period immediately before the Second Coming of Christ. Pre-tribulationists see the rapture occurring prior to the tribulation. This approach places the church in heaven during the time of tribulation on earth.

            Mid-tribulationists place the rapture at the mid-point of a seven-year tribulation period. The church remains on earth for the first half of the tribulation, but escapes the last half that is seen to be the time of intense or great tribulation. This view, along with the previous one, sees the second coming of Christ in two phases. The first phase will be a secret coming in clouds to rapture the church. The second will be His return with the church to reign on earth.

            Post-tribulationists hold the church will remain on earth during the tribulation period. While that time will be one of wrath upon the world system, the church will be protected from divine wrath although experiencing tribulation. This view avoids dividing the return of Christ into two phases

Now more:

            The biggest area of disagreement involves the timing of the Rapture itself.  There are three major portions of scripture that have to do with events in the Rapture; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; and John 14:1-3. If we list the events that occur in these passages and keep in mind the discussions of the above three Rapture timings, I think it will help clear some things up.

First the passages:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV) Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.  According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 (NIV)  Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

John 14:1-3 (NIV) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

A listing of the Rapture Events:

1. The Lord Himself will descend from His Father’s house, where He is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-3 and 1 Thess 4:16) 
2. He will come again to receive us the Himself (John 14:1-3)
3. He will resurrect those who have fallen asleep in Him (deceased believers whom we will not precede, 1 Thess 4:14-15)
4. The Lord will shout as He descends (“loud command,” 1 Thess 4:14-15)
5. We will hear the voice of the archangel (perhaps to lead Israel during the seven years of Tribulation as he did in the Old Testament, 1 Thess 4:16)
6. We will also hear the trumpet call of God (1 Thess 4:16), His last trumpet for the Church
7. The dead in Christ will rise first. (The corruptible remnants and ashes of their dead bodies are made incorruptible and joined together with their spirit, which Jesus brings with Him, 1 Thess 4:16-17).
8. Then we who are alive and remain will be changed (made incorruptible by having our bodies made “immortal,” 1 Cor 15:51, 53
9. Then we will be caught up [raptured] together (1 Thess 4:17)
10. With them in the clouds (where we assume the dead and living believers will have a monumental reunion, 1 Thess 4:17.
11. To meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess 4:17)
12. Jesus said He will do this to “receive you to Myself.”  Jesus will take us to the Father’s house “that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3)
13. “And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess 4:17)

Some additional events:

The judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10):

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

This verse teaches that at the call of Christ for believers, He will judge all things.  Christians will stand before the judgment seat of Christ   This will apparently take place in “the Father’s House”

Romans 14:10 (NIV)  You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (NIV)  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,  his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

These judgments prepare the believer for:

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

            Just prior to Christ’s coming to the earth in power and great glory, which we call the glorious appearing, Christ will meet with His Bride, the church, and the wedding and Marriage Supper will take place.  In the meantime, after the church is raptured, the world will suffer the unprecedented time of the wrath of God, which our Lord called the Great Tribulation.

Revelation 19:7-9 (NIV)  Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

THE RAPTURE IS NOT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

IT IS THE “BLESSED HOPE” NOT THE “GLORIOUS APPEARING”

We will have more on this later when we discuss the event of the Second Coming, but for now:

In the Second Coming:

v  Christ descends with the hosts of heaven to earth riding a white horse (Rev 19:11-14)

v  He makes war with the inhabitants of earth (Rev 19:11)

v  The armies of the world gather against Him and He makes war with them (Rev 19:18-21)

v  The Beast and the False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev 19:20)

v  Satan is bound in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Rev 20:2-3)

Back to the timing of the Rapture.  Only a pre-tribulation and a mid-tribulation view separate the Rapture from the Second Coming.  If a post-tribulation view is true than there is no time for the judgment seat of Christ, there is no time for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and there is no need for the houses that Jesus has been working on for the last 2000 years.  We will discover later that there is also no body to populate the millennial kingdom if you synchronize the Rapture with the Second Coming.  Why?  Because at the Rapture if all believers are taken to be with Jesus in Heaven then there is nobody left on earth to populate the Kingdom.  If sinners cannot enter the Kingdom and Matt 22:30 says that the resurrected “neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven.”  Then who has the children that are born during the Kingdom that at the end of the 1000 years ultimately rebel one last time?

Next time, last post.