Hebrews 5
1. Write a job description for the Jewish high priest. How did Jesus meet the
qualifications? In what way did he surpass them??
Hebrews gives us a good picture of some of the qualification for being a Jewish
High Priest. In Hebrews 5:1-4 it lists some of the important duties of the position: For
every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation
to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and
wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to
offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes
this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
Jesus was able to not only meet these requirements by being the Son of God, but
He was also able to far surpass them. He had no need to make sacrifices for His sins
because He was fully without sin and blameless. He also had no need to deliver any
sacrificial elements into the temple because He Himself was the full and complete
sacrifice. His sacrifice became the full redemption for humanity acceptable to the
Creator.
2. What high priestly functions does Jesus perform for you now? Where would you be
if Jesus did not function as high priest?
He is being the continual representation before God of the required sacrificial
atonement for my depraved condition. Much like His days lived with humanity where He
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prayed to the Father and God heard [Him] because of his reverence, Christ continues
those prayers for me to this day from His throne at the right hand of the Father.
If Christ was not my high priest, I would exist in a state of humanity that would
have no hope of being rescued from my depravity. In so doing, I would be destined to an eternity
forever separated from my Creator and the light of His salvation.
3. Are you teaching others the basic truths of the faith? Why? Why not?
The blessing of sharing the truths of what I myself have experienced grows
exponentially as I dedicate my life to such sharing. I enjoy sharing the source of
redemption through Christ. Hebrews 5:9 reminds us that Jesus in being made perfect,
became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. There is great confidence that
comes from not only knowing but fully believing in the Hope of the world.
4. What warnings does this passage set forth before your life? How do you respond?
Hebrews 5:11 explains that the truth of Christ as our High Priest can be hard to
explain, since [people] have become dull of hearing. When we neglect our opportunities
to become skilled in the Word of Righteousness (Heb. 5:13), we become stalled in
developing the powers of discernment (Heb 5:14). Without these powers being properly
developed, we will struggle in distinguishing good from evil (Heb 5:14).
We should be diligent to not only learn the basic principles of the oracles of God
(Heb 5:12), but also to lean into instruction that offers “solid food” that leads to spiritual
maturity.
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Hebrews 6
1. What elementary teachings do you and your church repeatedly discuss without
advancing to the deeper things of the gospel? How do the warnings of Hebrews 6
apply to you??
I have been attending my current church for about 6 months and as such it would
be difficult to make a broad assessment of what may be consistently repeated in reference
to elementary teachings. Our current pastor is not being reappointed and so I would say
that most of what is being taught currently is more general (perhaps elementary) in
nature. It is an older church and have a desire for revitalization. I believe some would
characterize it similar to Hebrews 6:7-8: For land that has drunk the rain that often falls
on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a
blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being
cursed, and its end is to be burned. I should be careful not to fall into such apathy. In so
doing I may be guilty of crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and
holding him up to contempt. (Heb 6:6)
2. What Do you agree with this writer’s description of the original audience of
Hebrews? How would you modify or change the description? Does that description
fit you and your church? How??
I personally feel that “modifying” the writer’s (or any writer of the Bible for that
matter) is a slippery slope that puts me in danger of changing the word to fit opinion. I
also feel that, due to the limited amount of time at my current church, there hasn’t been
enough time to fully understand if the description fits the church currently. I do however
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hope that we can be described, perhaps in the near future as being enlightened, who have
tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness
of the word of God and the powers of the age to come. (Heb 6:4-5)
3. Describe your hope in Christ. How can that hope be strengthened? How does a
strong hope affect your life him?
Since He has never failed, nor has He never not kept a promise, I can find hope in
a Savior who desires to not only make me a promise but also fulfill such a promise. In
fact Hebrews 6:17-18 has this to say about God keeping His promises: when God desired
to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his
purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which
it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong
encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
4. What is required before a person reaches the state of not being able to be brought
back to repentance? Can you know if a person has reached this state.
My belief is that the inability for a person to confess his sins, turn from his sinful
nature, and give his life fully surrendered to the Savior cannot be brought to repentance.
This can come about through a hard heart, mental incapacity, and/or death. It is a
sobering thought that one can become forever held captive in that state. Especially seeing
as they can find deliverance through Christ. He is a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul,
a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where [He] has gone as a
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