Hebrews has much to tell us about the new kind of priesthood which Christ embodies, but for it’s first readers (and perhaps for us) there is something which will make it hard for us to grasp – the sluggishness of our faith. And so Hebrews 5:11-6:20 constitutes an aside in which he calls us to…
C. S. Lewis wrote, Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is Mere Christianity Which means that no-one knows more completely how strong temptation is, than the only man who never gave in to it – Jesus Christ. And it is that which makes him able to sympathise with those who…
Christ’s Olivet Discourse provides us with two clear elements of a Christian’s response to war:
Hebrews 3:6-4:13 issues a solemn warning, do not harden your hearts Hebrews 3:8 But, like all good warnings, it’s intent is not to fill us with anxiety, but to ensure that we are safe.
Hebrews 2:5-3:6 introduce us to God’s solution to a problem of our making, the problem of why the world is as it is, of why – although God put everything under our feet – we have become the victims, instead of the masters, of creation.
Hebrews begins by addressing an issue whereby, in the minds of its recipients, the angels had become so important that they threatened to displace Christ. It is a particular example of a more general danger, that of allowing a true but secondary matter to mean more to them than Jesus did. When that happens, no…
Broadly speaking the book of Hebrews presents us with two major themes:
Mission is not an optional extra for ‘advanced Christians’, nor is it simply a department of the Church, it is much more important than that. To fully understand the part of the local church in missions we need to ask:
Hear his voice – “the crowds were amazed at his teaching” (v 28) Make it real – “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man” (v 24)
Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ emphasised how we can trust our heavenly Father, for he knows how to give good gifts to his children. Now, as we approach the end of chapter 7, he makes clear that we must trust him, even if it seems impossible, because all other alternatives lead to…