HebrewsSample

Day One: Hebrews—The Ultimate Sermon on Why You Shouldn’t Leave Jesus

Welcome to the book of Hebrews—my favorite book in the entire Bible. Think of it as Scripture’s greatest hits album. It’s a microcosm of the entire Bible. If you understand Hebrews, you’re going to understand the whole Bible.

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. The author of Hebrews. The author didn’t sign their name, which has kept theologians up at night for centuries. A lot of clues point to the Apostle Paul’s influence. Origen, an early church father, famously said the thoughts are Paul’s, but the writing wasn’t. It’s more technical, leading some to believe that Luke, possibly taking Paul’s Hebrew thoughts and translating them into Greek, could be the hand behind it.

Other church greats Tertullian and Luther throw out names like Barnabas and Apollos as potential authors. But most early church leaders were pretty convinced that Paul was behind it—at least in spirit. The Greek in Hebrews is super sophisticated, the most technical in the New Testament, which makes sense if someone highly educated, like Luke, penned it. Regardless, the theology screams Paul, so don’t be surprised if I casually refer to the author as Paul.

Now, let’s talk about when this was written. The letter likely dates before 70 AD because it references ongoing temple rituals, which means the temple was still standing. If the temple had already been destroyed, the author would’ve used that as the ultimate dig against returning to Judaism. But since that’s not mentioned, we’re looking at a pre-70 AD date, which lines up with Paul’s timeline and influence.

So, who was Hebrews written to? Jewish Christians who were feeling the heat—severe social and economic persecution, making them think about ditching Jesus and going back to Judaism. The letter is basically one long sermon, urging them not to bail. The author goes to town, dismantling every argument for reverting to Judaism, showing that Jesus is way superior to angels, the temple, and the sacrificial system. It’s a theological beatdown on why Jesus is better than what anything else has to offer.

And guess what? Hebrews isn’t just ancient history; it’s wildly relevant today. It tackles four big issues: Jesus as the only way to God, the Scriptures as primary for doctrine, solid interpretive methods, and clear guidelines for marriage and sexuality. These aren’t just first century concerns—they’re as relevant now as ever.

So buckle up. Hebrews isn’t just a letter; it’s a sermon, a passionate plea, and a theological tour de force designed to keep you anchored in Christ.