Hebrews 6:13-15

A COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS; CHAPTER 6:13 to CHAPTER 9:28 Copyright Hunter Irvine
All Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® NIV®.  Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society.  Used by permission of Zondervan.  All rights reserved.
   When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."  And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised" (Hebrews 6:13-15 NIV).

   Hebrews; how exciting!  Being a unique commentary focused on a specific section of Hebrews, in the future I encourage you to read an additional commentary on Hebrews, since, for starters, there is a huge question regarding the author of Hebrews.  I briefly state here the summary of that topic: no one knows for sure.  Regarding authorship of this Epistle, it is a rare occasion when I agree with modern scholars instead of a vast number of historical views.  The historical views often include Paul as a possible author.  Most modern scholars do not think Paul wrote Hebrews, and I agree.  (I even add based on a response by a wonderful and bright minister, that there is even the slight possibility that there was a woman author for Hebrews, because the names of Priscilla and Aquila are among the many other names suggested as authors.)  Authors of New Testament books are important, because authorship supports legitimacy since Scriptures had an apostolic authorship or an apostolic connection.  And the credibility of the author impacts the credibility of the book.  The subject of authorship is one that I take more seriously than most.  Yet ironically, I find the authorship mystery a fun fact about Hebrews, probably moreso since once you start reading it, whoever the humble author was seems to matter no longer.  In reading this Scripture, it is like reading a sermon from an author of incredible literary eloquence, but even more importantly, an author who clearly explains the doctrine of atonement.  Yet I add Hebrews was not thrown in the Scripture canon based solely on literary style.  Dr. Neil Lightfoot, whom I will discuss next week since he wrote a special commentary on Hebrews, gives much evidence Hebrews was used by Clement of Rome in the late first century, and talks of how Hebrews had a certain authority early on.  Dr. Lightfoot considers the possibility that Hebrews was rejected by some many years later when some Christians questioned whether Hebrews belonged in the canon due to the lack of a known author (1).  I add that my theory is that there may have been some ethnic discrimination in later centuries, which is tragically displayed in Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History.  One thing is for sure: Hebrews is Scripture!  Listen for God to speak to you through Hebrews, and He will.
   As an introduction to this section commentary, I remark how once I studied the book of the prophet Zechariah with the assistance of a commentary by Coleman Luck.  That Jewish prophet gave a message that the Messiah was to be a Priest and a King.  Since Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, and in the lineage of David, He had the potential to be a Jewish king. (Israelites did not have kings in Judea 2000 years ago, yet Jewish people were longing for a king to replace the Roman rule.)  Yet from a Mosaic Law standpoint, Jesus could not be a Priest.  In order to be a priest, you had to be not only from the tribe of Levi, but you also had to be of the lineage of Aaron.  So how could Jesus be a Priest?  The author of Hebrews addresses this question, probably in the situation of having many Israelites, originally called Hebrews, and today called Jewish people, question the legitimacy of Jesus being the Messiah.  The synopsis: the High Priesthood of the Messiah is a spiritual position of the New Covenant, relying on the foreshadowing by God all the way back to the time of Abraham, involving a priest named Melchizedek.  And the High Priesthood of the Messiah is also relying on the power of God, as noted by Dr. Neil Lightfoot (2).  The High Priesthood of the Messiah does not rely on the physical requirements of the Mosaic Law.  The Mosaic Law continued to foreshadow the Messiah and to prepare people for the Messiah; yet the reality of the Messiah would be so much more.
   Starting this examination here in the middle of Hebrews chapter six, remembering that these chapter designations were not in the original texts, rather they were added later on, we are reminded that God made promises to Abraham.  Many of those promises are recorded in Genesis chapter 15.  And those promises were carried out.  Abraham's offspring did become like the stars in the sky.  Abraham's offspring were delivered by God after being enslaved in Egypt.  Abraham's offspring did inherit the promised land.  God was faithful.  And He continued with His promises to the nation of Israel and to all humankind.
   I add we need to examine this text in the context of modern day language.  Many people think of only one definition when it comes to swearing, which is the definition of someone saying bad words when he or she is mad. Swearing here means to seal a promise, which is often based on an authority.  Some Christians advocate a person should not take oaths based on the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount to not swear, rather to simply make it a way of life to tell the truth, and I respect that.  Yet even signing an official document is an oath of sorts.  If you sign a receipt at a store where you have used a credit card, you are making an oath in a sense that you will pay that money.  I think the context of Jesus' teaching here, where verse 33 has the phrase "oaths you have made to the Lord" is to not bargain with God, the One who is perfect, rather to be faithful in the Lord in all things, and honest to all.
  And yes, this passage has a phrase which makes a normal human being cringe: "waiting patiently."  Personally, I know of only one way to be patient.  Plead to God for help to be patient.
   I am going to do something unique for a "commentary."  I am going to do an application here.  Think of something now that was a request you put before God, which you were blessed with at a later date.  If you think of something, give thanks to God for it.
Hunter Irvine
(1) Neil R. Lightfoot, Jesus Christ Today: A Commentary on the Book of Hebrews (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1976), 30.
(2) Neil R. Lightfoot, Jesus Christ Today: A Commentary on the Book of Hebrews (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1976), 143.

What kind of Christian am I?

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent" (John 6:29 NIV).

  I have a ten year old friend who is like a niece as her family are dear friends.  Those friends are committed Presbyterians, and the ten year old is likewise committed to her church community.  She and I were talking about her Presbyterian church in past months, and my ten year old friend, who knows I do not normally worship at a Presbyterian church, asked me, "What kind of Christian are you?"  I tried to explain to her I am not in a specific denomination, and that I chose my church based more on the merit and blessings of the church as an individual church.  My explanation was probably not clear enough, and my persistent friend asked again a few months later, "What kind of Christian are you?"  I really tried to explain how I am "non-denominational."  Then last evening, I called my friends since it was Easter.  When I talked with my super ten year old friend, I told her that I had worshiped at a Presbyterian church on Thursday evening.  Her response: "Did you like it better than whatever church it is that you go to?"

   Something tells me it is going to be a serious conversation when she is old enough for us to discuss why I am all for the doctrine of penal substitution which John Calvin advocated, yet why I am completely against his doctrine of predestination and limited atonement.  My loving friend will hold her own.

   I add that when it comes to my friends, I work to maintain genuine respect for his or her church commitment, even if I disagree with their doctrinal convictions.  In fact, I try to rely on God to respect the church attendance of anyone.  Yet if a person is willing to talk, I always am willing to share my doctrinal convictions, in love.

   Back to my ten year old friend, if she becomes a pastor, I will not be surprised!

   I am searching right now for a youth pastor job, and a discouraging aspect is realizing there are such intense divisions between so many Christian churches.  Certain issues, praise be to God, are steadfast among many Christian churches of various denominations and non-denominational, such as:

+ The Triune nature God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

+ The nature of Jesus in the world, fully God and fully human.

+ The identity of Jesus as the Anointed One.

(The Hebrew word is Messiah, and the Greek word is Christ.)

+ The atonement of Jesus on the Cross.

+ The resurrection of Jesus.

    Indeed yesterday many Christian churches throughout the world proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus!

   On the flip side, disagreement continues among many Christian churches on issues such as:

* How the atonement of Christ on the cross is received.

* Free-will versus "predestination."

* The authority of the Bible.

* The proper manner to carry out baptism.

* The nature of the Lord's supper.

* The appropriate church government.

* The nature of hell.

   These are a few issues in which various Christians, and various Christian church communities, have various convictions and practices based on their Biblical interpretations.

   Taking "The History of Christianity" at CCU under the incredible teaching of Dr. Megan DeVore, I learned of the historical reasons for various denominational convictions, which helps me to understand why certain practices are so engrained in certain communities, even when they drastically differ with other Christian communities.

  I think Christians benefit when they learn more about Christian history, accurate Christian history taught by such an expert as Dr. DeVore.

   Even more so, Christians benefit when they study theological issues.  I recall John Stott saying once, paraphrased, that Christian faith is not "blind faith," rather it is faith rooted in the reality of what God has done.  I think many problems in churches are a result of people following practices of which they have not even considered the conviction behind the practice.  So where do we Christians turn to study theology?  The sacred Scriptures.

   When I was a student at Virginia Tech, I had a "History of Communications" class my sophomore year with a professor who had studied at Ohio State.  In the midst of a lecture one class, he made the statement that the Bible is the most published book in history, yet that it is the least read book in history.  As someone who was not a Christian, yet who had a private belief in the existence of God, I was curious as to why there would be such a dichotomy.  We Christians need to commit to studying the Bible, because it contains revelations from God, and the center of revelation is that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ.

   Here on this Monday after Easter, I give thanks to God that we who believe in Jesus can truly celebrate Easter every day.  And if you are not a Christian, please know that Jesus invites you to join Him, the One who paid a debt we people could not pay.  That debt: Jesus endured death, physical and spiritual, in the place of us people who would have all spiritually died because of our wrongdoings.  He was the atoning sacrifice!  Then Jesus was resurrected.  If you believe in Jesus, you will have eternal life.
Happy Easter, Hunter

The family of God

   Teaching in Appalachia, as I did as a "missionary" for seven months was intense.  It felt like I was in a Bible decathlon.  Yet I gave it my all!  My cultural background was so much different than their background.  However, in the family of God in this world, there are people with different interests, different convictions, different personalities, and many other things that are different.  Yet the unity in the family of God is that we all love Jesus, and we are all people.

   Deep down, my students in Appalachia were the same as the students I have had in Denver: they are simple young people.  And I loved them.

   Of all I taught, which involved many lectures and discussions, and even some activities, one of the most memorable lessons for me was when I taught about John 13:1-17.  I read the passage, which was unique since usually I have students read the passages, and then I stated that, unlike the Lord's Supper, Jesus did not wash the feet of the disciples as a message that Christians should start going around and washing everyone's feet.  The message is not about dirty feet.  The message of Jesus is that we need to serve people.  Having said that, I then told the class I was giving the offer for me to wash the feet of anyone who wanted to have his or her feet washed.  A few students quickly jumped at the opportunity to have their feet washed, and a few students, though hesitant, slowly decided to have their feet washed.  It was special for me, because after it was over, I realized there are not many students in America who have had their feet washed by their teacher.  How interesting I felt as though I had been privileged to do so.  I love the students in Appalachia.  And being their teacher, though it was only for a season, was a unique dream which came true for me.  I pray they will continue to grow in the love and knowledge of Jesus!

Mr. Irvine

My favorite Christian "performance" songs

My favorite Christian "performance" songs:

11.)       "Be Still My Soul"                Selah
10.)      "Restore"                                Sherri Youngward
9.)        "The Best Thing in Life"        Big Tent Revival
8.)        "Jesus Freak"                            DC Talk
7.)        "God With Us"                            MercyMe
6.)        "Revelation Song"                        Kari Jobe
5.)        "The Warrior is A Child"                Twila Paris
4.)        "God So Loved the World"                Jackie Velasquez
3.)        "Remember"                                        Wes King
2.)        "Peace"                                                    Rebecca St. James
1.)        "My Redeemer Lives"                                Nicole Mullins

My favorite Christian "performance" albums
Pray                                        Rebecca St. James
Common Creed                        Wes King

My favorite out of the norm Christian song:
"Surfer Girl Replies"                     Plumb

My favorite Christian concerts
Rebecca St. James    I attended three of her concerts, and they were all the best!
Phil Keaggy                I saw him in concert six times, and he is a blessing!
The Newsboys                I saw them four times, and they equal secular rock

                                            greats in musical presentation, and they excel

                                                in commitment to Jesus!