“trust puts God in God’s place and it puts us in our place”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 11:1-7
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I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

A Shift in Style

Moving from Hebrews 10 into chapter 11 marks a distinct change in the pastor’s approach. The first nine and a half chapters have been a continual blending of sermon styles: exposition and explanation, exhortation and encouragement, caution and warning, comfort and reassurance.  (See a suggested outline that illustrates this pattern.)  The end of chapter 10 reads like a summary of those categories:

• • ¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence… (Exposition)
  • ²² let us draw near…hold fast…consider how to stimulate… (Exhortation)
  • ²⁶ For if we go on sinning willfully… (Warning)
  • ³² But remember the former days… (Reassurance)

In chapter 11, the style shifts.  Continue reading →

“The trouble started with their ‘forsaking the assembling together”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 10:18-39
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

Putting It Together

Our discussion this week drew together passages from the last three weeks.  The richness and theological density of this section was far too much to tackle in its entirety in one week.  Earlier, we spent a week on each of the three clear logical divisions.  The pastor moved from confident hope to alarming harshness to joyful reminder.  Now it was time to put those seemingly disparate pieces together. Continue reading →

“endurance based on a Person, not on circumstances”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 10:25-39 
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

A Stick and A Carrot

When we began our discussion, someone pointed out that this passage contains the same language as earlier in Hebrews.  Like the pastor’s pattern in chapter 6, this passage follows a stern warning with comforting encouragement.  The “stick” of warning (Hebrews 6:4-8 and 10:26-31) paves the way for the “carrot” of reassurance (Hebrews 6:9-12 and 10:32-39).  This was a good example of the value of studying a biblical book in its entirety, even over the course of several months.  Seeing that kind of repeated pattern gives us a clear idea of what was foremost on the writer’s mind. Continue reading →

“…there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins…”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 10:18-31
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

A Change of Tone

The writer abruptly changes from inspiring words (“stimulate” and “encourage” one another) to an ominous “terrifying expectation of judgment.”  Why does his tone change?  Who does he have in mind? What does he mean by “sinning willfully?”  A challenging passage provoked significant discussion. Continue reading →

“Meeting was unhealthy for your life, not meeting was unhealthy for your soul.”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 10:14-25
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

A Way Through the Veil

Our discussion started with questions about the veil in verse 20, and, more particularly, the connection between the veil and the flesh of Jesus.  The writer to the Hebrews had mentioned the veil before, introducing the idea that Jesus had entered as our forerunner (6:19-20), and later to clarify that the veil separated the holiest area of the tabernacle from all else (9:3).  How was Jesus’ flesh a veil? Continue reading →

“the priest never sat down”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 10:3-18
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

A Curious Quotation

Early in our discussion one person raised an awkward question.  Comparing Hebrews 10:5b with the Old Testament passage being quoted (Psalm 40:6) is a bit puzzling at best.

Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened
(Psalm 40:6a)
Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me (Hebrews 10:5b)

What are we to make of that difference?  The quotation in Hebrews is quite different from the text in Psalms.  Does this shake our confidence in the inspiration of Scripture?  Should it?  Is it better just to ignore the problem and move on? Continue reading →

“my approach to my flesh was fleshly”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 10:3-18
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

This opening paragraph usually encourages you to “look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.”  That is always good advice, but this entry is a bit different.  Our group never actually discussed the Hebrews passage in our usual excruciating detail.  But our dialog was particularly relevant to the study of Hebrews and especially as we approach the remainder of chapter 10.

Conversations that Matter

We usually begin our group with a short time of worship, then we may have some (or much) general conversation about how we are doing.  Then we move to a discussion of the biblical passage.  One member commented on the reality of a lack of progress in the Christian life. Continue reading →

“Sin as defilement is infectious”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 9:18-10:4
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

One way to form a preliminary idea of the writer’s intention in a passage of Scripture is to look for repeated words (the Observation that should begin every study).  What was on the author’s mind?  What words or ideas keep coming up as he wrote?

Our group found several words that seemed to form the core of the writer’s thinking.

• • Blood – 9:18, 19, 20, 21, 22 (twice), 25; 10:4
  • Sin – 9:26, 28 (twice); 10:1, 2, 3, 4
  • Law – 9:19, 22; 10:1
  • Cleansed – 9:22, 23; 10:2

Those four words would seem to be a good starting point for understanding this section. Continue reading →

“steps toward God keep us turned away from sin”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 9:11-22
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

[I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.]

Our discussion of this passage was more spontaneous (and a bit shorter) than some of our other conversations.  We met for dinner and the conversation led to taking a look at the text in Hebrews.

Cleansing The Conscience

Our focus was almost entirely on the idea of a cleansed conscience in verse 14.  What does it mean to have a “cleansed” conscience? Continue reading →

“relating to God on the basis of His grace alone”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 8:13-9:12

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

In our normal routine, our group spent ten to fifteen minutes looking at the passage individually before we began our discussion.  The silence was marked by an unusual number of non-verbal “Huh!” noises from various members. Continue reading →