Playlist: Hebrews (1987) (Bible study series)

John W. Ritenbaugh

listen:

Hebrews (Part One)

Introduction

In terms of spiritual insight, Hebrews is a pivotal book, whose function is to bridge the purposes and themes of the Old and New Testaments.

Hebrews (Part Two)

Hebrews 2:1-13

Hebrews is addressed to a people living at the end of an era, who were drifting away, had lost their devotion, and were no longer motivated by zeal.

Hebrews (Part Three)

Hebrews 2:14 - 3:6

Jesus blazed a trail, giving a pattern for qualifying (through suffering and resisting sin) for our responsibility as priests, reconnecting man and God.

Hebrews (Part Four)

Hebrews 3:7 - 4:2

We must emulate Christ, who learned through suffering, preparing Himself for His role as High Priest. Giving in alienates us from the fellowship with God.

Hebrews (Part Five)

Hebrews 4:3 - 5:8

The ancient Israelites resisted the gospel, refusing to mix it with actual obedience. What they heard never became a part of their lives; Egypt never left them.

Hebrews (Part Six)

Hebrews 4:14 - 6:8

Jesus experienced the same temptations and suffering we do, qualifying Him for the role of High Priest, the bridge-builder between man and God.

Hebrews (Part Seven)

Hebrews 6:9 - 7:10

With godly hope, we need to envision the successful accomplishment of God's purpose for us, realizing that God has bound that promise with an oath.

Hebrews (Part Eight)

Hebrews 7:1 - 8:6

Jesus Christ's priesthood is superior to the Aaronic priesthood because Christ tenure is eternal rather than temporal, guaranteeing both continuity and quality.

Hebrews (Part Nine)

A Superior Covenant

After the change from the Aaronic to the Melchizedek priesthood, it was also necessary to change the Covenant. The flaw was not the law, but the heart.

Hebrews (Part Ten)

Hebrews 8:1 - 9:15

Everything about the Priesthood of Christ is superior to the Levitical system, which only served as a type of the access to God that Jesus would fulfill.

Hebrews (Part Eleven)

Hebrews 9:16 - 10:25

Hebrews emphasizes the infinite superiority of Christ's priesthood and one-time sacrifice as contrasted to the repetitive Aaronic sacrifices.

Hebrews (Part Twelve)

Hebrews 10:26 - 11:3

Hebrews 11 provides examples to bolster faith. The faith described is not blind, but is carefully developed from systematic analysis of available evidence.

Hebrews (Part Thirteen)

Hebrews 11:4-28

Abraham, the father of the faithful, did not have a blind faith; it was based upon observation of God's proven track record of faithfulness.

Hebrews (Part Fourteen)

Hebrews 11:29 - 12:14

Like Jesus and other heroes of faith, we need to look beyond the present to the long term effects of the trials and tests we go though, seeing their value.

Hebrews (Part Fifteen)

Hebrews 12:15 - end

We dare not allow a root of bitterness to spring up in us as a result of trials - those burdens intended by God to strengthen us and perfect us.