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 | | From: | Melchizedek | | Subject: | The Preeminence of Christ | | Date: | Sun, 09 Jan 2005 22:34:39 GMT |
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 | The Preeminence of Christ
The Book of Hebrews
MP3 Commentary
ftp://\in:out@65.13.76.157/=DRIVE=bibleweb-drive/=CD-R=hebrews/index.html
The Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the two greatest theological treatises of
the New Testament.
This letter is, in a real way, the "Leviticus" of the New Testament, detailing how the
Lord Jesus Christ is both the fulfillment and the successor to all that had gone on before.
"God . . . has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through
whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact
representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.
When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the
Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:1-3).
Christ is superior to everyone and everything.
The book of Hebrews was addressed to an audience composed of Jewish Christians,
Jewish non-Christians who were intellectually convinced about Jesus but hadn't
yet committed themselves to Him, and Jewish non-Christians who didn't believe
the gospel at all.
The author's goal was to demonstrate Christ's superiority over everyone and
everything that had preceded Him, whether Old Testament persons, institutions,
rituals, or sacrifices. He specifically contrasted Christ with angels, Moses,
Joshua, Aaron and his priesthood, the Old Covenant, and the sacrificial system.
The Jewish believers needed this focus on Christ's superiority because most
of them were suffering some form of persecution because of their Christian
testimony. Some were in danger of confusing the gospel with Jewish ceremonies
and legalism, and drifting back into their former practices.
Those who were intellectually convinced but spiritually uncommitted needed to
be warned not to stop at that point, but to go all the way to saving faith.
They were in danger of committing the greatest sin any person can commit:
rejecting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Those who didn't believe in Christ at all needed to see that Jesus was in fact
who He claimed to be. To such people the author explains the unique priesthood
of Christ, and the urgency of turning to Him in faith.
Within your circle of friends and associates, you probably have Christians who
are weak in faith and need your encouragement and instruction. Be available to
minister to them whenever possible.
Undoubtedly you also know people who are intellectually convinced that Jesus
is who He claimed to be, but aren't willing to embrace Him as their Lord. Don't
be shy about urging them to move on to salvation.
To those who reject Christ outright, boldly proclaim the gospel and trust the
Holy Spirit to convict their hearts.
More at: http://bibleweb.info/
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