1. Hebrews 8:4. Why wouldn’t Jesus be a priest if he were here?

Moses’ priests do what the Law says. Offer sacrifice after sacrifice, in hopes that God will be appeased and that they will be able to change their ways. Jesus could not officiate over a system like that, though He once enjoined it upon His people so they could be tutored in their understanding of their need.

2. Hebrews 8:11. Do all know Jesus today?

The answer is obvious, but I ask it to make all understand that we are not living yet in the day foretold here. Though the Gospel has come to us, it has not been received by all. When unbelievers are moved out of the way, at the coming of Jesus, then shall the saying here come to pass. Everyone left will know Him. You won’t have to go around asking people to “know the Lord.” That knowing of the Lord will be a prerequisite of living in the Kingdom.

Of course, there is a measure of such today. In Israel, it was quite possible for a person not to have a relationship with God. In the true church, this is not possible. Trouble is, who is a part of the true church? Are you sure?

3. Hebrews 10:7. What volume of what book?

The quote is from David, in Psalm 40:7. David and Jesus here are seen inspired by the same Spirit to say the same words.

The issue is sacrifices. God lets His people know that ultimately the blood sacrifices demanded by Moses cannot take away sin. They only point to One Who can. That One is Jesus, and here He proclaims that He will come and do the will of God, give His own life for the redemption of mankind.

But in the spelling out of this desire He mentions that this Sacrifice is recorded in a particular book, and in a scroll of that book.

Actually the death of Jesus is spoken of throughout the Scriptures. From Genesis 3:15 on there are either direct statements or unmistakable pictures of One Who will come and die for the people. This particular reference, say the commentators, is probably to the books of Moses. Since David initiated the words, they would probably pre-date David, and Moses is the most obvious place to find statements of Jesus’ death.

4. Hebrews 10:22. Our bodies washed with pure water. Is this referring to baptism?

Remember that the writer of Hebrews is addressing a very Jewish audience and tries to bring the Christian message in terms they as Jews can understand. The sprinkling of the heart here matches the sprinkling of blood. The washing reminds them of the ritual washings required by all the priests.

Since the blood image translates into a non-material sprinkling of Spirit, so probably does the idea of body-washing. The use of the word “pure” should let us know that the water being referenced is not H20. Here once more is an image of what the Spirit does in a man’s life when he is being regenerated. The conscience is made clean, then the person is made free from sin.

5. Hebrews 10:29. Can a sanctified man lose everything?

Here is a man who has received the knowledge of truth, but ignores it and keeps on sinning. There is no hope for such a man. No other sacrifice has been provided. These people may hang around the church for one reason or another, but at the end of this passage, verse 39, the writer separates himself and all God’s people, from such unbelief by saying, “We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”

So, in the two most frightening verses of Hebrews (chapters 6 and 10), the Hebrews writer distances himself and his hearers from the persons he is describing and affirms the true believers by letting them know that they are not going to fall away!

6. Hebrews 11:11. Where does Genesis say this?

Sarah stumbled for a while. We hear her laughing (Genesis 18:12) as she listens to God making promises about her future child. But where does the text of Genesis turn things around for us, as the writer of Hebrews seems to have discovered?

It does not. We must read between the lines. The product that God wanted, the boy Isaac, came forth. Somewhere along the line, Sarah was convinced that God was speaking the truth.

Was it in subsequent conversations with her believing husband? Was she suddenly brought to see the seriousness of the visitation at her own tent? Did the rebuke of the Lord start the faith moving?

We don’t know. But the writer of Hebrews has it right. Without her faith added to her husband’s, the child would not have come and salvation’s plan would be destroyed. Thank God for the grace He gave her to believe Him. May He give it to us!

7. Hebrews 12:3-11. Should we connect persecution with discipline?

I mean, the writer of Hebrews seems to do so. In verse 3 he is talking about hostility of hearers of the message of Jesus. They are told to be encouraged when this occurs. They are further reminded that they have not had to shed any blood for their faith in Jesus.

That all sounds like a description of the persecuted church, yes? But suddenly he takes a turn and seemingly goes down a different path. Now all of a sudden, he is talking about discipline, our need for it, and how to handle it. More encouragement. More directions about what to do next.

Two separate subjects? Textually, it does not seem to be so. Could it be that God uses the wickedness of men and their resistance to our message to cut us down a notch and give us the refining and purging we so need?

Success in ministry, to any degree, will produce two results, then. It will bring on some angry people. And, it will cause some pride to be formed in our hearts. “Look what I did! People are coming to Christ! My church is growing! Lives are being transformed!”

For the latter, the pride, God produces the former, the persecution?

Paul was rewarded the rest of his days after a spectacular trip to Heaven, with a persistent demonic manifestation. Paul. Now, if he needed cutting back, then so do we.

8. Hebrews 12:13. What is the imagery portrayed in this verse?

Here is a man who has been wounded in his leg. He wants to be well and starts walking on roadways that are jagged and crooked and not conducive to healing. He is advised here to make straight paths for his feet, so that he can soon be walking well.

As for the application, the church is told here to be very careful about the pathway one takes after having suffered God’s discipline. One will be a bit weak, and needs to do things that weak people do, not try to get back to the same level of ministry. Bitterness must be abandoned, forgiveness embraced. A deeper walk with God personally will help prepare for what is coming. Fear must be battled. Failing these things, the wound could get worse…

9. Hebrews 13:8. Why is this statement placed here?

The very next verse speaks of how strange teachings abound and will be introduced among them. But they are to remember that Jesus never changes.

10. Hebrews 13:23. Who do you think wrote this letter?

Not an important consideration but definitely a curiosity through the centuries. This mention of Timothy as “brother” might point away from Paul, the most popular candidate for sure.

On the other hand, “those from Italy greet you” could easily point to Paul, as this is where he spent his later years, mostly in prison. Note though, that he is free from bondage at the present.

Macarthur points out that “the writer includes himself among other people who had received confirmation of Christ’s message from others (2:3).” He says Paul would not say something like that, since he claimed that he received his confirmation directly from God.

You see how this goes? Some say Barnabas, others Silas, or Apollos, Luke, Philip, Priscilla, Aquila, Clement of Rome.