The purpose of this lesson: To emphasize that God has a special, wonderful experience awaiting those who refuse to abandon Jesus Christ. (Consider 1 John 3:1, 2.)
The problems that have plagued humans from the moment of rebellion against God are that God’s purposes are not (a) what we desire or (b) what we understand. Because God’s purposes transcend physical desires and understandings, we are continually disappointed with the outcome of service to God. According to us as we are surrounded by temptations, the rewards of service to God should be immediate and visible.
We are so confident that we know what is best for us that we question that God really knows what is best for humanity. We are confident that we know the real problem and the real solution.
The book of Hebrews was likely written to Hebrew Christians to encourage them. These Jewish Christians were convinced that Jesus was the Christ that God promised. That decision was popular in Acts 2:47 when only Jews and proselytes were Christians. Seemingly at this time Christianity was considered to be a needed reform movement among the Jewish people (consider Matthew 3:2 and 4:17 with the emphasis both by John and Jesus on repentance). However, that view markedly changed in Acts 10 when gentiles became Christians. Acts 15:1, 5, 6 verify that the focus of Christianity was a major contention among the Jewish people. The majority of devout Jewish people were not opposed to proselytism (the conversion of gentiles to Judaism), but they did oppose the concept that forgiveness (salvation) apart from proselytism was available to anyone.
When Christianity became a people movement rather than a Jewish movement, Christianity faced increasing Jewish opposition. As long as Christianity was (1) a Jewish movement containing only people born Jews and proselytes (2) stressing the need for repentance in the Jewish nation, it was considered a good influence by the “grass roots” Jewish people.
The result was that it was increasingly difficult and costly for Jewish people to be devout Christians. Galatians 2:11-13 verifies that a fearful Peter and the Barnabas who preached to gentiles were not immune to the intense Jewish pressure. In the beginning of Christianity it was acceptable to be a part of the Christian community and a part of the Jewish community at the same time. As the church became increasing gentile, that situation became impossible. When Christianity contained more gentile persons than Jewish persons, Jewish Christians were subjected to enormous pressure to choose between Christianity and life in the Jewish community. If a Jewish person chose Christianity, he (she) paid enormous prices.
As Christianity increasingly contained gentile converts who were not proselytized, the opposition of Judaism (the Jewish religion) to Christianity grew. Look at Acts l5:1, 5, 21, and Galatians 2:11-13 in context to see the growing Jewish concern. At first it was possible to be a part of both the Jewish community and the Christian community. However, with increasing Christian conversion of gentiles after Acts 10, such grew to be an impossibility.
The Jewish Christians to whom Hebrews was written had been strong Christians. They had suffered, they had been publicly humiliated, they were not ashamed of Christians arrested for their faith in Jesus, and they had endured the confiscation of property (Hebrews 10:32-34). However their hardships wore them down. They no longer associated with other Christians when they met (Hebrews 10:23-25).
Hebrews was NOT written to people who had a history of being those who struggled as Christians—the opposite was true! However (like many people) they grew weary of opposition. The “what is the use” mentality set in to the extent that they were withdrawing from the Christian community.
The writer of Hebrews encouraged them. They were not yet outside the fellowship of Christians. They should not abandon faith in Christ—Hebrews 10:35-39 urged them to realize they had too much to lose.
One of the huge lessons is to be seen in the attitude of the author toward struggling Christians. The author sought to encourage them, not to crush them or express extreme disappointment in them.
Seemingly, their reasoning followed this line: “We are not abandoning God. We are not abandoning righteous living. We are abandoning Jesus as the Christ so we can end our horrible opposition.”
Note that all people can justify their decisions—even Christians! Justification of what we do is quite common. Rarely do people say, “I was wrong,” or, “I was mistaken.” We all seem dedicated to avoiding opposition.
The entire book of Hebrews declared that abandoning Jesus but remaining with God was not an option. Jesus was God’s plan, not an accident. God achieved things in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that God accomplished in nothing else. In fact, all that happened in Judaism was just a foretaste of what God would do through Jesus. Thus, abandoning Jesus was abandoning God. If Jesus was the culmination of God’s purposes to bring salvation to all people, rejecting Jesus was also rejecting God.
It is urgent for Christians to understand that Jesus Christ was God’s plan—from at least the promises to Abraham in Genesis 12:3—instead of Jesus Christ being God’s accident or God’s convenience. Human salvation exists because of determined, intentional acts of God.
The writer’s argument in Hebrews 4 follows this presentation: (Remember, we are discussing the Jewish mindset 2000 years ago.) [1] When God created on six days, He rested on the seventh. [2] God promised Israel (who had been slaves) they would enter God’s rest when they entered Canaan. [3] They did not enter that rest because they were a hard-hearted people who resisted God. [4] The promise of the rest remains for those who place their trust in God. [5] That rest remains for those who have confidence in what God did through Jesus Christ. [6] Their need is not fulfilled in abandoning Jesus, but in drawing closer to Jesus.
A reason for Jewish Christians enduring hardship and suffering in the first century of Christianity was the understanding that God was still preparing a “rest” with Him if they continued their confidence in Jesus. Their experiences of hardship and suffering did not destroy the “rest” or God’s promise of the “rest.” The argument was based on Jewish history and would have had significant meaning to those people. To those who struggle, the prospect of “rest” is powerful!
Their hardships and pain did not prove the rest did not exist. In fact, Jesus was their helper. Jesus was their sympathetic high priest. He endured their experiences. He understood what it was to be tempted. Because of Jesus, they could come confidently to God’s throne of grace. They could expect to receive mercy when they were struggling.
They were urged to see Jesus as God’s aid who assisted them in entering the “rest.” Note and stress how sympathetic God the Father and Jesus the Son are to the struggling Christian. God the Father is distinctly different from idolatrous gods who were disinterested in human struggles and had to be encouraged to get interested and help.
The writer confirmed God does NOT want the defeat of the struggling Christian. He confirmed God has given help to the struggling Christian. He confirmed that the struggling Christian should expect God’s mercy and grace through Jesus.
The declaration of divine help through grace and mercy to the struggling Christian must not be overlooked. Because a Christian struggles does not mean that Christian is discarded by God.
Struggles do not prove the absence of God’s presence or concern. At the foundation level, struggles exist because Satan opposes God’s purposes.
God DOES NOT only have interest in those mythical Christians who are strong and need no help. Read 1 Corinthians 8 again and especially note verses 1, 2, 5-9.
FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION
1. Give two reasons for problems plaguing humans from the moment of rebellion against God.
(a) God’s purposes do not match our desires. (b) God’s purposes commonly do not coincide with our understandings.
2. People think the rewards of service to God should be what?
People often think God’s rewards should be immediate and visible.
3. The book of Hebrews was likely written to whom? Why?
The book of Hebrews was likely written to Hebrew Christians. It was written to encourage them.
4. When was the decision to be a Jewish Christian popular among the Jews?
That was a popular decision in the Jewish nation at the beginning of Christianity in the period between Acts 2:47 and Acts 10.
5. When did the decision to be a Jewish Christian become unpopular among the Jews?
The decision became increasingly unpopular after Acts 10 as gentiles who had not been a part of Jewish proselytism increasingly became a part of the Christian community.
6. What increasingly was the result?
It became difficult and costly for Jewish people to decide to be Christian people.
7. What does Galatians 2:11-13 verify?
It verifies that even Jewish Christian leaders such as Peter and Barnabas were not immune to the intense Jewish pressure.
8. The Jewish Christians to whom Hebrews was written had been what?
They had been strong Christians who made significant sacrifices.
9. What wore them down?
Their hardships wore them down.
10. What did the writer of Hebrews do? How?
He encouraged them. He encouraged them by declaring they were not out of the Christian fellowship.
11. What was likely the reasoning of the recipients of Hebrews?
“We are not abandoning God. We are not abandoning righteous living. We are abandoning Jesus to bring an end to our horrible opposition.”
12. Give the writer’s argument in Hebrews 4. (What did the writer say about the rest?)
The writer said abandoning Jesus but remaining with God was not an option because Jesus was God’s plan and God’s intended accomplishment.
a. God created for six days, then He rested on the seventh day.
b. God promised Israel they would enter His rest when they entered Canaan.
c.They did not enter God’s rest because they were hard-hearted people who resisted God.
d.The promise of the rest remained for those who trusted in God.
e. The rest remains for those who place confidence in Jesus Christ.
f. Their need is not fulfilled in abandoning Jesus, but in drawing closer to Jesus.
13. Because of Jesus, struggling Christians could come how to God’s throne expecting what?
They could come to God’s throne confidently expecting to receive grace and mercy.
14. What three things did the writer confirm about God?
The writer confirmed (a) God does not want the defeat of struggling Christians; (b) God will give help to struggling Christians; and (c) struggling Christians should expect to receive God’s grace and mercy through Jesus.
Link to Student Guide Lesson 12