APRIL 23rd, 2023 PASTOR DON PIEPER
5 Jewels From Hebrews HEBREWS 1:1-5; 1:6-2:4
“MYSTERIOUS YET MARVELOUS”
With a title you'd expect to find it in the Old Testament, which was actually written in Hebrew, the Book of Hebrews seems out of place. It's author unknown, it's original audience an enigma, it's cloaked in mystery! But that's part of what I love about it. Who doesn't like a good mystery? From Sherlock Holmes to Agatha Christie's Detective Perot, from Columbo to Nancy Drew – we love a good mystery. (Knives Out) One of my favorites is a spoof on the genre that I saw on stage in Kansas City. It's a radio style comedy, featuring the exploits of a sleuth by the name of Nick Danger...
Los Angle-less, city of missing angles... He walks again by night.... (humming) Out of the fog, into the smog, (coughs), relentlessly, ruthlessly, (I wonder where Ruth is?), doggedly (dog barks)..., he's on his way to his weekly meeting with the unknown...
At Fourth and Waggedly, he turns left. At Waggedly and Fourth, he turns right. He crosses McCarthur Park and walks into a great sandstone building. (Clunk – “Ow! My nose!”) Opening the door....(creaking SFX), he steps inside, and climbs the thirteen steps to his office...(walking SFX).
He walks in. He's ready for mystery. He's ready for excitement. He's ready for anything!
He's..... (answering phone)... Nick Danger, Third Eye!
“Uh, I want to order a supreme pizza to go, with no anchovies!”
No anchovies? You've got the wrong man! I spell my name, 'Danger!' (Hangs up)
“What?” (a knock on the door)
Yes? Come in! (pauses) Hello....?
'Let me introduce myself. I am Detective Nick Danger.”
No, let me introduce myself. I am Detective Nick Danger.
“If you're so clever, why don't you pick up your cues faster?”
Are those my cues?
“Yes, and you shouldn't leave them lying around. Someone might trip over them.”
And so begins tonight's mystery – Nick Danger and the case of the missing cue stick!
It could also be entitled, the case of the clueless clue finder, as that's what Nick Danger was. And then there's the mystery of the Book of Hebrews. The mystery goes beyond it's name and odd placement deep in the New Testament. There's also the question of its authorship. The truth of the matter is, we simply don't know with any certainty who wrote it – or for whom, for that matter.
From around 400 – 1600 AD it was assumed to be an epistle of the apostle, Paul, but when Luther began translating from the original Greek texts, he realized it couldn't be Paul's. Not only were the themes and content completely different from Paul's other letters, but so was its syntax and vocabulary. There's also no greeting. Luther concluded it must be the work of Apollos, a protege of Paul's, as Apollos was Jewish convert. Others attributed it to Priscilla, Paul's partner in Ephesus.
He must've been a second-generation leader of the church, and not an eye-witness of Jesus, as the author concedes in chapter two: “This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who actually heard him.” (Hebrews 2:3) Clearly the author had neither been with Jesus personally nor received special revelation from him as Paul had.
Personally, I'd throw my hat in with Barnabas. The earliest reference to the author is found in Tertullian's writings around the year 200 in which he quotes from “an epistle to the Hebrews under the name of Barnabas.” It's clear that the writer had authority in the apostolic church, was an intellectual Jewish Christian, and was well versed in the Old Testament, all consistent with Barnabas....
But nowhere in the book itself does the author identify himself, and so it remains a mystery. The audience, too, is never clearly articulated and unlike's Paul's letters, no specific individuals are mentioned outside of a solitary reference to Timothy at the letter's conclusion, if we can even call it a letter, per se, as there is no opening greeting as was customary in the letters of antiquity.
It's all truly, one great mystery! But it's more than that! It's also incredibly marvelous as there's one precious jewel after another of biblical insight and inspiration. Consider the prologue.
Straight out of the block, the author declares Jesus’ centrality in history, and for salvation itself, but does so in a way that echoes the witness of other biblical authors. He writes: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, God's heir, through whom He also made the universe.”
(Hebrews 1:1-2)
The wording, “in these last days”, echoes Peter's Pentecost sermon referencing the words of the prophet Joel: “In the last days, God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit on all people.'”
(Joel 2:28/Acts 2:17)
His declaration that the universe was made through the Son also echoes Paul's teaching as in his letter to the church in Colossae: “Through him, all things were created...” (Colossians 1:16) And again: “There is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came into being...”
(1 Corinthians 8:6)
In this, the author of Hebrews reinforces the writings of Paul as well as the prophets, only to go on to quote no less than seven Old Testament passages, five of which come from the Book of Psalms.
The author's point is clear – all of scripture ultimately points to Christ and his supremacy as the culmination and clarity of all that God has created and revealed down through the ages.
To further underscore his point the rest of chapter one is a series of comparisons, contrasting God's Son with God's messengers, the angels. The author doesn't diminish the significance of God's celestial messengers but rather elevates God's son, Jesus, by showing how far superior he is to them.
After all, the author concludes, “To which of the angels did God ever say, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? (Psalm 110:1/Hebrews 1:13)
It's the same text that Peter quotes in his Pentecost sermon, in which he identifies Psalm 110 as being another example of King David writing prophetically of his future heir, the messiah.
Two truths spring out of the author's comparisons with the angels. One, we learn some things about the angels themselves: “God makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.” (Hebrews 1:7/Psalm 104:4)
Contrary to what Hollywood movies may convey, we do not become angels when we die and arrive in heaven. We may be escorted there by them. We may be protected from harm by them. We may even have a life-changing message delivered by one, as did Mary, but we do not become one. They are spirits and flames of fire and as such, distinctly different creature from us.
The second truth, the primary one for Hebrews purposes, is that as powerful as they may be, as vital a role as they play not only in ancient times, but in Jesus' ministry, foretelling of Jesus' birth and declaring his resurrection, “they are sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.”
(Hebrews 1:14)
Their purpose is to minister to God's people and are thus, by nature, subservient to the will and person of God's Son. They are mentioned here in Hebrews as one of many examples of the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as revealer and mediator of God's grace. As the author notes: “The Son became as much superior to the angels as his name is superior to theirs!”
(Hebrews 1:4)
Hebrews then could be called, “The Book of Better Things”. After all, the Greek words that are translated 'better' or 'superior' appear some 15 times throughout the book. Whatever is competing for the focus or ambition of your life, the author of Hebrews is clear, Jesus is immeasurably better!
The author assumes his audience is familiar with Old Testament scripture. Most of them must have been early Jewish-based Christians at risk of backsliding into their old ways of thinking and moralizing and as such in need of clarity and encouragement. In a season of diversity and adversity we are subject to spiritual confusion and backsliding as well. We, like them, are inclined to drift away.
With them, we are offered three insights at the close of this opening section. The first is this: “We must listen carefully to the truth we have heard, then, or we may drift away from it.”
(Hebrews 2:1)
Listen carefully he urges us. Why? Because we're inclined to listen selectively. We all do that. When I was child, the words “clean your room” somehow didn't come through, but the words, “there's ice cream” always seemed to connect. Strange that. Like his first disciples, we're inclined to hear what we want to hear but dismiss the rest. When we tune out, we tend to drift away. We separate ourselves from the community of Christ wary that their presence we'll remind us that faith in Jesus requires a commitment to continually offer him not only our heart, but our ears, and our feet and our hands.
Our author goes on: “So what makes us think that we can escape (punishment) if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then passed on to us by those who heard him speak?” (Hebrews 2:3) It’s a warning about ignoring Jesus' voice in our midst.
The statement reminds me of a popular gesture and statement many make today when told something potentially convicting or inconvenient. In response they lift up a hand and say, “talk to the hand”. Meaning, I'm tuning you out. Or as one girl told her brother: “I'm ignoring you, Stanley. I'm giving you the Big Egg – as in ignore! I've got other things to think about!”
Our author is clear – there is nothing better or more important that you can think about than how much better Jesus is and the eternal perspective he offers, giving your life such a sense of purpose as to reveal that nothing else you can pursue, or think about, can possibly compare.
So don't ignore what he has said, and is saying, but listen carefully. And third? Pursue those ways that God is confirming the truth of what Jesus conveyed and embodied.
“For God confirmed (Jesus') message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever (and wherever) he chose!” (Hebrews 2:4)
This past week I was blessed to spend time with my eldest brother, Steve. A friend from church recently told him that he could see that Steve has the spiritual gift of edification, that he shined best when he's encouraging others. As a result, Steve decided to put himself out there more, to get his gift increased air time in a more deliberate, focused way. He's been getting quite the response...! Some of you shine in similar ways thru acts of service, making guests welcome, loving on kids....
It's in sync with Paul's letter to the church in Corinth: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord... A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” (1 Cor 12:4-7)
Warning us that we're at risk of drifting off, like a boat without a rudder, we're urged to tune in to Jesus and give our spiritual gifts more air time. Whatever is competing for the focus or ambition of your life, the author of Hebrews is clear, Jesus is immeasurably better! There are so many good and wonderful things to enjoy or pursue in life, so many worthy causes to undertake, but there is only one that far surpasses them all! “The things of this world will perish, but (he) will remain forever. While the world around us is ever changing, he remains the same!” (Psalm 102:26-27/Hebrews 1:11-12)