Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Five Warnings of Hebrews By David Buck (12/10/2007)

The Five Warnings of Hebrews

The five warnings of Hebrews provide stern warnings and positive encouragement for all Christians to persevere in faith. These warnings are many times misunderstood as warnings of losing salvation or as tests for whether a person is truly saved. These warnings simply explain to the reader that true believers may be challenged in the Christian life and may fall victim to sin as a result.

The Original Audience of Hebrews was composed of Jewish Christians. At the time that this book was written, Jewish converts to Christianity were under persecution from the Roman’s and their families. These Christians were in danger returning to Judaism in order to become accepted by their families and avoid persecution from the Romans. This letter urges these Christians to remember the superiority of Christ and what they would lose by turning back to Judaism.

This report will provide a detailed explanation of all of the warnings of Hebrews in order to give a better understanding as to exactly what these warnings meant and their importance, both then and now. It will also provide and explain the consequences that those who ignore these five warnings will reap. After reading this report you should have a much better understanding of the five warnings that the unknown author of Hebrews presented in his letter to the troubled Hebrew Christians of the early church.

First Warning: Hebrews 2:1-4

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”1

The warning to pay attention. In Hebrews 2:1-4 the writer interrupts his explanation of the superiority of Jesus to angels (which he resumed in 2:5-16) to present his first warning to the Hebrews. The recommendation is to pay attention to the gospel taught to them by their leaders, by the Lord himself, and by the Apostles. An implied danger comes as the writer explains why we should pay more attention so that one should not slip away. Without careful attention to the gospel, Christians may begin to fall away.

In Hebrews 2:2 the implied danger is heightened with the mention of punishment for sin. If angels are not to be ignored without punishment, than how can the gospel? If you ignore the gospel than the possibility of escaping from punishment is unlikely, given the greatness of the salvation offered and the great display of disrespect to God its deliberate rejection would imply. Ignoring the living God is always dangerous.

The function of this first warning is to apply the lessons in chapter 1 concerning the teachings of Jesus, who is greater than the angels, in order to warn the Hebrew believers that if they neglect these teachings, they do it at their own risk.
Second Warning: Hebrews 3:7-4:11

“So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.” And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.”2

The warning against unbelief. As with the first warning, this warning is again concerning Christ’s superiority, this time to Moses (3:1-6). The writer uses Psalm 95to deliver two warnings to the Hebrews. Since the two warnings are delivered from only one passage in the Old Testament (Psalm 95), they are treated here together as one warning.

The mention of Moses in chapter 3:2-6 reminded the writer of the exodus generation. The quotation from Psalm 95 is introduced as a word of the Holy Spirit addressed directly to the Hebrews. God speaks to the readers now through a Psalm from the Old Testament. In chapter 3:12 the readers are warned not to follow the exodus generation by having an evil, unbelieving (hardened) heart.

The greatest danger facing the Hebrews was apostasy or departure from the living God. Hebrews 3:13 urges its recipients to advise one another daily so that no one from among them might be hardened, which was a positive encouragement backed by a negative motivation. This hardening is portrayed as the work of the deceitfulness of sin.

This warning is intended to urge the Hebrews on to faithful endurance, remaining determined in the face of sin’s deceitfulness. In Hebrews 3:15-18 the writer refers to Psalm 95:7-8 and then applies it with three questions to which he supplies the answers. Each of these questions highlights the faithlessness of those who hardened their hearts and as a result failed to enter the Promised Land. Although they had been liberated and begun their pilgrimage they sinned, incurring God’s wrath and their journey came to an end because of their disobedience. The writer therefore closes chapter 3 in verse 19 by emphasizing the danger of faithlessness leading to apostasy.

The second warning based from Psalm 95 begins in Hebrews 4:1 in stating that some may fall short of entering God’s rest. The writer emphasizes that although they started out well and have heard the gospel, that faith is also necessary for the gospel to be effective. Only those who believe enter God’s rest. Disobedience implies failure to enter that rest because disobedience shows a lack of faith. Sabbath rest remains to be entered by faith. In Chapter 4 these warnings against disobedience are mixed with positive recommendations and instruction concerning sabbath rest as it is displayed in verses 1-11.

The major function of the warnings in Hebrews 3:7-4:11 was to apply the warnings of Psalm 95 to the Hebrew Christians of that time, as they too were unfaithful and subject to fall short of the promised goal.

Third Warning: Hebrews 6:4-8

“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.”3

The warning against falling away. The danger is that those who have entered into Christianity may fall away. To fall away is equivalent to apostasy, and would be to re-crucify the Son of God, holding him up to public disgrace and rejecting him as forcefully as those who first crucified him. The writer illustrates this warning with a strong agricultural image found in 6:7-8. Land which, despite much rain, refuses to produce the fruit it was intended for is only fit for burning. The mention of “thorns and thistles” evokes the exact same image in Genesis 3:18 where the earth was cursed following the fall. Once someone receives the gift of salvation it can not be lost, but by falling away you are turning your back on Christ and subjecting him to public disgrace.

The writer does not say that the Hebrews are in this position, but he warns them that sluggishness may lead them there. This warning refers to total separation from the Gospel, not just when a sinner offends God in some one thing, but entirely renounces his grace altogether. In the case of his first readers, he is confident of better things, and encourages them to continue with their present work and love until the end.

The antidote to sluggishness is faith and patience, which the Hebrews are encouraged to display. For this reason; the hint of danger in chapter 6:4-8 is again accompanied by positive recommendations, in order to encourage the readers to pay attention to the following material, based on Psalm 110.

Fourth Warning: Hebrews 10:26-31

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”4

The call to persevere. This warning is directed against ongoing sin which is deliberate. Such sin occurs after receiving the knowledge of the truth, which was a standard way of referring to conversion, and is parallel to the description of Christianity in chapter 6:4-5.

Those who commit deliberate ongoing sin will face a greater punishment than the punishment to those who had rejected the Law of Moses. In Hebrews 10:29 this is equated with the deliberate refusal of Christ and his one perfect sacrifice without which there can be no forgiveness. The sin in mind is therefore clearly seen as willful apostasy, which leads some to leave the Church. The readers of Hebrews were invited to consider the implications for themselves.

As in chapter 6:4-8 there is no way forward for those who commit this most flagrant of sins against the Son of God. The warnings this time are much more explicit and terrifying than any of those previously presented. In chapter 2:1-4 there was only brief mention of just retribution; in chapter 6:4-8 there was the absolute suggestion of punishment for the apostate in the illustration of chapter 6:8; in chapter 3:7-4:13 the thought was of falling short of God’s rest but not of the punishment this would bring upon oneself.

Here in chapter 10:26-31 the note of punishment is predominant and is driven home by the use of the powerful images in chapter 10:27. As the writer elaborates on the gospel more clearly, showing the superiority of Christ and the insufficiency of the Old Covenant, the warnings become more severe. The implications of apostasy become desolate as our understanding of the gospel becomes more mature, and as the writer explains the gospel more and more clearly.

The purpose of the warnings in chapter 10:26-31 were to warn the Hebrews of the implications of rejecting the great high priest who has secured our entry into heaven by his own blood thus inaugurating the new covenant.

Fifth Warning: Hebrews 12:14-29

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears. You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken–that is, created things–so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”5

The warning against refusing God. This warning starts the final section of the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 12:14 starts on a positive note of recommendations which moves immediately into Hebrews 12:15 which first warns the Hebrews to see to it that no one misses the grace of God.

Then second warns against the bitter root. It may begin with just a small root but it leads to the defilement of many.

The third warning focuses on Esau. This warning is more developed than the others. The readers are to make certain that no one becomes immoral or godless like Esau. As an example of Esau’s godlessness, the writer reminds the Hebrews of the episodes described in Genesis Chapter 25:27. In Genesis chapter 25:29-34 Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the sake of a single meal. His immorality is indicated by his marriage to two women in Genesis chapter 26:34-35 which resulted in a bitter life for his parents.

By the first century Esau had become the example of all that was unethical and ungodly to the Jew’s. Esau himself could not be restored after losing his birthright, despite his protest’s (Genesis 27:38). This is a reminder of how impossible it is to be restored to repentance for apostates (Hebrews 6:4). By sharing this story, the writer intended to prevent the Hebrews from losing their heavenly inheritance in the same way that Esau did.

Hebrews 12:18-24 develops a contrast between Sinai and Zion. The readers are reminded of the request, prompted by a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded (12:19). They are also reminded of the blood which speaks better than that of Abel (12:24). It is this motif of God’s speech, prevalent in the earlier chapters of Hebrews, which is picked up by the warning in chapter 12:25. The readers are advised not to refuse the one who is speaking. Then they are warned not to refuse the one who is warning them from heaven. This warning is heard through Scripture and throughout the writer’s own exposition. The contrast is not between speakers (Moses and God) but between the revelation at the earthly mountain and the revelation from heaven, the speaker being God in both instances.

The purpose of these final warnings in chapter 12:14-29 is to again to warn against attitudes and behavior that lead to apostasy. Using Old Testament examples and the contrasts of Sinai-Zion, earth-heaven, the writer warns his readers to listen to God with the same attitude as that recommended in Psalm 95 earlier.

Conclusion

The warnings of the book of Hebrews were presented by the writer in order to prevent the Hebrew Christians from falling away from Christianity and returning to Judaism. These same warnings that were presented to the Hebrews over 1900 years ago can be applied to current day Christians that are weak in their faith. These warnings remind the reader of certain standards that should be upheld and illustrate the warning signs of an individual that is falling away. All Christians should closely review these warnings occasionally in order to evaluate themselves to ensure that they are not in jeopardy of falling away.

BIBLIOGRPHY

Barclay, William. The Letter to the Hebrews. 2nd edition. The Daily Study Bible. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1957.

Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. The Epistle to the Hebrews. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1964.

Gatiss, Lee. The Theologian. Copyright © 2005

Lawrence, John W. The Five Warnings of Hebrews. http://www.bible.org/ page.php?page_id=50. bible.org, 2007.bible.org -- All Rights Reserved

Lea, Thomas D. Hebrews & James. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999.

Slick, Matt. http://www.carm.org/index.html.

_ _ _. Blue Letter Bible. http://blueletterbible.org/index.html.

_ _ _. New Men’s Devotional Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation, 2006. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society


1 _ _ _. New Men’s Devotional Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation, 2006. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society p. 1284

2 _ _ _. New Men’s Devotional Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation, 2006. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society p. 1286

3 _ _ _. New Men’s Devotional Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation, 2006. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society p. 1287

4 _ _ _. New Men’s Devotional Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation, 2006. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society p. 1291

5 _ _ _. New Men’s Devotional Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation, 2006. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society p.1295, 1296

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