Introduction to Paul's Epistle to the
Hebrews
Introduction to Paul's
Epistle to the
Hebrews
Dear Friends –
The Holy Bible is the Word of God. That is what people of THE Faith Believe and what makes them BELIEVERS. If our faith will stand it must be based upon the INTEGRITY of the God who can NOT LIE, the God who IS Truth, who IS Love. Jesus Christ IS Come in the flesh. The word of God is to, and for, all people. Yet, there is one book in the Holy Bible, though appreciated by all believers, which was specifically written to Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS. All BELIEVERS would know that book simply to be called Hebrews.
To Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS the book of Hebrews may be the most important book in the bible in these last days of strong delusion. For this is the time of which Yeshua warned us there shall arise false Christs, which means they would claim to be specially anointed, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
This is why it should surprise no one that Messianic Non-Believers, heretics, and wolves, hate this book specifically given by inspiration of God, to protect and encourage Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS in their faith in the REAL Yeshua, and the true Gospel. In this antichrist world today, just as in the first century, Messianic Jewish converts to Faith IN Messiah Yeshua, can have need of special encouragement to Cleave to the Lord. Not only are they persecuted by the antichrist world as all REAL BELIEVERS; but, there is a Jewish cultural pull away from THE Faith as long as the veil (2 Cor 3:12-16) remains upon the Jewish nation as a whole. We all should encourage Messianic Jewish converts that we have every reason to believe that veil will be coming off any day now, from the Jewish nation as a whole. Just as in the first century, Messianic Jewish converts have a constant pull from friends and family to return to Judaism. There is also a pull from Messianic gentiles with religious spirits, wanting to appear more Jewish, and who would attach too much importance to ceremonial observances of the oral law, rabbinic additions, and extra biblical traditions, which were nailed to the cross. To Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS, the Book of Hebrews TODAY, may be the most important book in the bible to protect them from the Messianic wolves who shall deceive the VERY elect if it were possible.
The general subject of the epistle to the Hebrews is that Messiah Ben Joseph, spoken of by the Old Testament, MUST suffer as Incarnate Man. AND that Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem, did come and return to the Father, the prophesied ONE whose goings forth have been from of old, from EVERLASTING. No other book should be greater encouragement to the Messianic Jewish BELIEVER, that Yeshua is THE ONE and ONLY Messiah. The book is addressed to Real Messianic Jewish Believers, Hebrews, True (Rom 2:28-29) Jews, God Pleasers, circumcised in heart, in fact, and faith. It is to Hebrew BELIEVERS in Israel and the Diaspora. However, though outwardly addressed to Hebrew BELIEVERS (3:1, 6:9, 10:34), the book’s purpose is to strengthen those Hebrew BELIEVERS who were wavering in THE Faith (4:14, 10:23 & 32). The book is ALSO perhaps the biggest problem to the Hebrew OPPOSERS and ENEMIES of THE Faith, and THE Gospel (6:8, 12:15-16, 13:10). It is the book of Hebrews, which EXPLICITLY affirms there was no problem with the covenant given to Moses or any of God’s covenants. God is a covenant keeping God. Though all God’s covenants are perfect, though all are still fully in effect, BECAUSE OF THE FAULT FOUND WITH THE HEART OF THE PEOPLE, God would have even BETTER things for His people IN and THROUGH Messiah Yeshua, and His blood of the new testament.
The new covenant prophesied by Jeremiah would be brought in and ratified by the Lamb of God, which Abraham prophesied, that God would provide Himself, a Lamb. We do know that without the shedding of blood there is no remission. Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. This new covenant ratified by Yeshua’s blood of the new testament brings the Messianic Jewish BELIEVER many BETTER things:
Better Revelation 1:1-4 The AlephTav of Gen 1:1 and capital “P” Prophet of Deut 18, God the Son the Creator & Redeemer.
Better Priesthood 7:20-28 the Melchisedec is Better than Levi
Better Covenant 8:6
Better Promises 8:6
Better Sacrifices 9:23
Better Certainty of the Inheritance 11:16
Better Resurrection 11:35
Have you ever noticed how scholars without the Holy Ghost can study something for years, always THINKING they know something and in fact, in truth, never really KNOW? It is a joy to see how simple children with the Holy Ghost, can KNOW things so quickly, and so solidly, that the scholars without the Holy Ghost can only think they know, and never really KNOW. The truth verified by the internal and external evidence, and the Spirit of Truth, proves Paul the Apostle, wrote the epistle to the Hebrews.
To the scholar who would say PROVE IT – just say first, how BELIEVERS prove things. Believers prove things by KNOWING God Said So, in the More Sure Word written in the KJV Holy Bible. Believers KNOW God promised the perfect bible, purified seven times. (Ps 12:6-7) Regardless of how the heretic so-called church fathers may have tried to prevent it, BELIEVERS do KNOW that God did provide that Promised Seventh Purification of His More Sure Word written in the KJV Holy Bible. BELIEVERS KNOW that God can NOT lie, and GOD KEEPS ALL of His promises including Ps 12:6-7.
Believers can KNOW that God said Paul wrote a specific epistle to the Hebrew Believers, from the More Sure Word Written by Peter, the Apostle to the Hebrews. So the job of the scholar coming against what the BELIEVER KNOWS, would have to be to produce that epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, which Peter said Paul wrote to the Hebrews. Strictly interpreted, the God inspired testimony of Peter in 2 Pet 3:15-16 PROVES Paul the apostle wrote an epistle to the Hebrews. So if the book called Hebrews in the KJV Holy Bible is not it, then the onus of proof is upon the doubter to produce such a document. They CAN NOT. And for the BELIEVER that would be the ONLY way to prove it is not the one in the KJV Holy Bible. THEY CAN’T and they know they can’t. Such proof does not exist of ANY other epistle of Paul to the Hebrews to which Peter testified in the KJV Holy Bible. There simply is NO OTHER. That truth and fact the scholar does KNOW or else he is not a scholar, or he is a liar.
As far as Paul’s name not being on it, Peter, the Apostle to the Hebrews answered that one too, until the faithless scholar can produce the OTHER letter Paul wrote to the Hebrews. Peter gave the necessary EXTERNAL evidence of Paul being the writer. The thoughts and reasonings are Paul’s regardless of style. All of Paul’s other epistles were written to mainly Gentile churches, and one would expect style differences; but, consistent thought and reasoning, which is exactly what the BELIEVER does find. It really is silly that some would argue that if Paul wrote Hebrews the style would be the same his other epistles to the Gentile churches.
Why Paul did not sign it is obvious. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. When Paul would write to the Hebrews BELIEVERS KNOW it would go FIRST to the Apostle of the Hebrews, Peter. One may also KNOW from Acts 21:21, 2 Cor 11:24, Phil 3:2, I Thes 2:15 and many other references, why. Paul’s signature on such an important and vital message to Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS, at the time it was written, would have caused a great loss of value to the Messianic Jewish believers in the First Century. At that time Paul was regarded as a renegade by the Jews in general, and a persecutor by many Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS.
There were Judaisers then just like the revival of Judaisers which we see in these last days. We will talk more about Judazing but for now we just do all KNOW Paul was plagued by Judaisers during his ministry. For Paul to have signed his letter to the Hebrews rather than simply sending it through Peter’s apostolic leadership to the Messanic Jewish congregations was essential. Otherwise the Judaisers would have been most certain to rail against the epistle regardless if Peter himself had read it to the congregation. That Paul did not sign it is good proof Hebrews is the letter from Paul to the Messianic Jewish congregations that Peter, as inspired by God, did reference. There obviously was great suspicion against Paul from many directions within the Messianic Congregations. We should also expect style differences as much as one would expect Paul not to sign it. When writing to the Hebrews Paul would write as Yeshua taught, BIBLICALLY observant, and NOT RABINICALLY observant Pharisee of the Pharisees.
Within the church TODAY there is much misunderstanding
of the biblical context of the term Judaizing. What is Judaizing? As the Word of
God defines it: Judaizing is the view that unless you are circumcised according
to the custom of Moses you cannot be saved. (Acts 15:1) However, PLEASE
UNDERSTAND, that Judaizing would also hold that following the call to be a Jew
places an individual on a HIGHER SPIRITUAL PLAIN with God, which is otherwise
unobtainable. YES, THAT IS JUDAIZING TOO!
When it comes to a correct understanding of biblical Judaizing it is good to
understand what Judaizing is NOT. Judaizing is not a term to be applied to
believing Jews who maintain their practice, heritage, and IRREVOCABLE CALL, to
be part of the nation of Israel. Neither does Judaizing refer to non-Jews who
have an appreciation for Jewish things. Classical Biblical Judaizing teaches
that following the call to be a Jew places an individual on a HIGHER SPIRITUAL
PLAIN with God, which is otherwise unobtainable. YES, THAT IS JUDAIZING TOO!
The Good News of the Gospel of Yeshua Messiah is a message of salvation by
grace through REPENTANCE and FAITH in Yeshua THE Messiah. No human work can be
an ingredient in that salvation. It cannot be said that any human work is
necessary to fulfill that salvation. However, the BELIEVER never forgets
that Yeshua said, if you love me KEEP my commandments. The Messianic Jewish
BELIEVER knows it was Yeshua’s finger writing in stone for Moses, and on our
circumcised hearts by His Spirit. The BELIEVER knows the only way to prove the
love of Yeshua to HIMSELF is by keeping the commandments which Yeshua gave to
Moses and magnified in the sermon on the Mount (Matt chapters 5-7).
The purpose of Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews mainly was to STRENGTHEN the Messianic Jewish believers who were wavering. At the time Paul wrote his epistle to the Hebrews, many Messianic Jewish believers did not know what to think of Paul. However, Peter gives us the last word of the right way Messianic BELIEVERS should think of Paul. As for as when it was written the best scholarship of BELIEVERS would suggest 54-55AD. Some non believing scholars have suggested not only that Paul did not write it but that it was written against the Messianic Jewish believers in the second to as late the fourth century. The clear reference regarding Timothy in 13:23 with the Know Ye, in the imperative or indicative present tense, being set at liberty indicating either being released or sent on some special mission is again strong first century internal evidence. The majority of BELIEVING scholars place it before the destruction of the second temple. There is hard physical external evidence of it being first century by the quote of the epistle to the Hebrews by Clement in about 95AD to the church in Corinth.
However, there are some non believing scholars who would say it had to be after because Paul said we could not speak particularly about the ark of the covenant. However, this ignores the FACT that there NEVER was an ark in the second temple. Jeremiah and the faithful priest kept certain things from getting the detailed inventory of what did go into Nebuchadnezer’s war trophies. This would ignore the FACT that God ripped the temple veil of the holy of holies with the EARTHQUAKE when Yeshua said IT IS FINISHED. Yes, only God could rip that veil and everyone and anyone could look and see that NO ONE not even the high priest could speak particularly about the ark of the covenant until it was discovered by Ron Wyatt.
The first hearers of this letter from Paul to the Hebrews passed to them by way of Peter, were Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS who were facing PERSECUTION. This should tell us why this book is so IMPORTANT to Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS today. It should also tell us why the wolves in sheep’s clothing HATE it so much.
Many Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS facing persecution were being tempted to compromise their FAITH and return to the protection of Judaism for the protection of that larger Jewish community. The apostle warns against treating Messianic Jewish Faith in Messiah Yeshua as an offshoot of Judaism and encourages them to persevere and endure to the end. The epistle to the Hebrews encourages ALL BELIEVERS in persecution to CLEVE to their faith in Messiah even if it means knowing up close and personal the fellowship of the suffering with and for the glory of Messiah Yeshua. Few passages in all of scripture so firmly establish Messiah Yeshua as God the Son, The I AM, the Creator, more EXPLICITLY than Hebrews chapter 1.
It is easy to see why not only Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS but ALL believers facing persecution and tribulation so love this epistle to the Hebrews. At the same time we should understand why the wolves would attack it. What is perhaps most astonishing is when Hebrews is attacked by Messianic Jewish rabbis. Even though the Apostle to the Hebrews, inspired by God, EXPLICITLY tells Messianic BELIEVERS there are many things in Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews that are hard to understand. The Apostle to the Messianic Jews, Peter, under the inspiration of God said:
2 Pet 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 Pet 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2 Pet 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
I will make a prediction that if Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS can avoid this and all commentaries on the epistle specially written to them – and read this epistle in the KJV Holy Bible listening to the Holy Ghost – that the Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS will appreciate it more than the Messianic Jewish NON BELIEVERS will disparage it.
The fact of Paul writing an Epistle to the Hebrews, externally evident, in the Word of God in Second Peter, and Clement quoting the Epistle to the Hebrews in 95 AD to the Church in Corinth, is more than enough for the Messianic Jewish BELIEVER. The Holy Ghost empowers BELIEVERS to KNOW from the abundant internal evidence, that it is Paul who was the penman of the Holy Ghost in the epistle to the Hebrews. Such Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS will KNOW the truth by the Spirit of Truth regardless of what any attacker of the epistle written specially to Messianic Jewish BELIEVERS would try to say otherwise. Read Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews in the KJV Holy Bible, with the Holy Ghost as your Teacher. You will see how very special is Paul’s only epistle to the Messianic Jewish Believers is to EVERY BELIEVER in the Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia Yeshua.
Shalom & Simcha,
Jim Searcy