David Pawson - Hebrews

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THOUGHTFUL THOUGHTS 20.3.26 BY JOHN DUNNING.

PERSECUTION LEADING TO BACKSLIDING - HEBREWS, Part 1

BACK STORY…

The background to the letter to the “Hebrews” was literally a matter of life and death. Tacitus, a Roman historian, wrote that Nero set fire to Rome in 64 AD. The people were so angry that they were about to overthrow him. So, he looked around for someone else to blame and pointed his finger at Christians, which started Nero’s notorious persecutions. The public believed Nero’s story. Nero rounded up Christians and killed them in terrible ways, inventing deaths as a public spectacle, charging the public to watch for entertainment. Nero literally became insane. Christians were set on fire to light up his palace garden, as human torches. It was a horror show, in real-life. These historical events were so notable, they were written up in records of the time, which helps us to date the book of Hebrews.

Nero’s reign ended in 68 AD, giving us an upper limit of when “Hebrews” was written, of 68 AD. Further detective work led scholars to say Hebrews was written about 67AD-ish.

It is believed that Paul was beheaded about 65 AD, so scholars had to revise who they said wrote “Hebrews”. Scholars had once naughtily added to the King James Bible that Paul wrote Hebrews. It has been pointed out that Paul had already been beheaded when it was written. Knowing that Paul had been beheaded for his faith, shows us that the persecutions had reached martyrdom level. 

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SPIRITUAL WARFARE

After Nero set fire to Rome he lied regarding who set fire to Rome, by pointing the finger at Christians, so they were arrested and suffered a terrible death. As following Jesus was a matter of life and death, they were in real trouble. The writer of Hebrews is writing mainly to Jewish believers in Jesus as they were able to return to the safety of their synagogue, because Judaism was a legal religion. But there was a condition… they were required to deny Jesus in front of the whole congregation. The author is saying that they could end up losing their salvation. Remember, Jesus had said, “No-one can come to the Father, except through Me”. (John 14:6). That verse I once quoted to a Messianic Jew at Bible College who was still worshipping at the local synagogue, to which there was no answer.

The story behind the book of Hebrews is that many Messianic Jewish believers were running back to the Synagogue to escape martyrdom. They were able to escape persecution in that way as Judaism was a legal religion. However, the problem with that was, that Orthodox Jewish leaders required the backsliders to deny that Jesus was the Messiah in front of the whole Jewish congregation, before they were allowed to return to a synagogue. That is the backdrop for the book of Hebrews.

CONTENT…

The first half of the book of Hebrews is an appeal saying; “Don’t go back”.

The second half of the book encourages believers saying, “Do go on”. (Think of Canada geese, which “honk” as they fly to encourage the leader, who is on point duty.)

So why does Hebrews teach believers facing persecution, “Don’t go back but do go on”?

This is a carrot-and-stick argument to counter the fear that they had of a mad emperor, who was murdering disciples of Jesus.

Fortunately, Nero didn’t live much longer after he persecuted believers, meantime, to encourage Christians, Hebrews 11 lists some of God’s faithful people who had stayed the course. They had passed on the “baton” in spite of being persecuted.

If chapter 11 were being written today, they might remember the martyrs since the Bible was written. In the prayer section of our weekly devotional page, we provide a link to the prayer link for the persecuted Christians of today.

APPLICATION… 

Hebrews is still relevant because Christians continue having to make choices between obeying God or man – either to go back or to go on… Peter said, (Acts 5:29); “We must obey God rather than man”, (and he ended up being crucified upside down). 

Jesus warns us in Revelation 22:19 that He can remove names from the Book of Life. “And if anyone takes anything away from the words in the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree of Life and the holy city, as described in this book.”

EPILOGUE…

So read the first half of Hebrews this week, where the focus is on “Don’t go back”. Hebrews is still relevant as Christians need to hear the appeal to remain faithful.

Next week, in part 2, we look at the second half of the message, urging us to “keep on keeping on”. Joshua said to Israel, “Choose this day whom you will serve… As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.

Hebrews shows us the link between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The New is rooted in the Old Covenant.  The New shows the fulfillment of the Old. 

Repentance is just the beginning of the journey with Jesus. 

We should become like a tree planted by the water, as David puts it in Psalm 1. The picture of that means withstanding pressure and becoming a strength to others. The message of Hebrews is for us to ‘make progress:- “don’t go back – but do go on”.

So with these notes, Hebrews should help us to make more sense. 

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Do share this study with your friends…

This is John Dunning signing off from “Thoughtful Thoughts” for another week.

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