Grace - Hebrews: Consider Jesus, Part 1

Hi Everyone,

Below is an excerpt from Oliver Greene in his commentary on the book of Hebrews.  Enjoy!

Grace=Peace,

Jeremy


"The Hebrews were under the New Covenant, the 'better covenant' brought about through the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God; but they were slow to lay aside the Mosaic Law and the provisions of the Old Covenant.

"However, those who were truly born again by faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ could not find peace and happiness in the old forms of worship.  They were holding fast to their profession in the faith once delivered to the saints, but they were becoming discouraged.  They were constantly criticized by the Judaizers, they were always under suspicion, and often were persecuted even by their own families.  Their trials and tribulations were great, and under such a burden some of them were becoming extremely despondent and discouraged.  But Paul exhorted them, 'Let us go on!' and the only way for believers to advance and grow is to keep their eyes upon the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that in Him we are complete and in Him we find our sufficiency.  It is Paul's purpose in this epistle to lead immature Christians to a deeper, fuller Christian life.  'Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection...' (Heb 6:1).

"Paul admonished the Hebrew Christians to put away the 'good things' of Judaism for the 'better things' of Christianity; to put away the earthly sanctuary for the heavenly building not made with hands.  The heavenly is better than the earthly, and the believers who had come to know that they were justified by faith were also to live by faith.  They were to learn that the Lord Jesus Christ is not only the author of our faith, but also the finisher of our faith.  He is the beginning and the ending of our faith, but He is also all that we need between the beginning and the ending.

"The Hebrew believers had not learned this, and Paul was attempting to drive home this truth.  (The Hebrew believers were not the last to need such admonition.  There are many today who trust Jesus to save them--but they are not willing to live by faith.  They believe that sinners are saved by grace through faith--but they are not willing to accept 'the just shall LIVE by faith...faith is the victory that overcomes the world...and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.')"