As the name implies, Hebrews is addressed to Jews. As such it assumes a familiarity with the TANAK that is not present in Paul's letters which are addressed to gentiles. The style in Hebrews is simply to cite Scripture and then assert that the citation proves that something is true of Y'shua. This style can lead to misunderstandings among readers who are not intimately familiar with TANAK and with the Jewish style of exposition.

This study attempts to read the book with 'Hebrew eyes' and explain what it probably meant from the perspective of a first century Jew.

This study is being published as quickly as it is recorded during our Bible study sessions.

• Hebrews 1, Messiah is the Heir of God

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  Written to the Jews, Hebrews proves from the Old Testament that Y'shua is the Messiah of Israel. In this first chapter He is presented as God's heir and superior to the angels. The chapter ends by introducing the heirs of salvation to whom angels are sent to minister.

• Hebrews 2, Man was Given Dominion

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  At the creation, God gave mankind dominion over the earth and all of its creatures. That dominion was not revoked when we ate of the forbidden fruit. Thus, for Messiah to be king over all the earth, he must be a man. This chapter of Hebrews makes that point.

• Hebrews 3-4, Entering His Rest

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  Moses delivered the Gospel to the generation that he led out of Egypt. It did not profit them, however, because they did not mix the Word with faith. Because of that lack of faith, God did not allow them to enter His Sabbath rest, and so they died in the wilderness.

• Hebrews 4-6, An Understanding Priest

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  Priests are chosen to represent men to God. In this office it is essential that they have the temperament and experience to understand our nature and our weaknesses so that they can represent us sympathetically. Y'shua meets these criteria.

• Hebrews 6-7, A Priest Like Melchizedek

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  Melchizedek is unique among major Biblical characters in that he has no genealogy and no record of his death. Hebrews makes use of this point to show that he, conceptually, is an eternal priest. As such, he serves as a prototype for a priestly order separate from that of Aaron. That Y'shua is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek is established by Psalm 110. Hence, Y'shua is a priest forever.

• Hebrews 8, The New Covenant

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  The words of the Torah are eternal, the medium upon which they are written is not. They were meant to be written on hearts of flesh not on tablets of stone. The New Covenant will rectify that.

• Hebrews 9, The Blood of the Covenant

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  Covenants are 'cut' which means that the blood of an innocent victim is required for ratification. The New Covenant is no exception. Here we discuss the Tabernacle which is a model of man's relation to God in the present age. We also discuss how Y'shua's sacrifice serves to atone for intentional sin.

• Hebrews 10, Assurance of Forgiveness

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  With the exception of Yom Kipur, he sacrifices under the Torah were not intended to cover intentional sin. The blood of Messiah does cover such sin. Therefore, it supersedes. This assures us that our sins are forgiven and that we may freely approach God.

• Hebrews 11, Faith and Time

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  Faith (or its twin fear) is the human faculty that permits humans to operate in the time stream. Since we cannot see into the future, we must imagine the future we want and then exercise faith to bring it about.

• Hebrews 12-13, Awaiting the Promises

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  The heroes of the faith listed in chapter 11 all died without having realized the full promise of God and His covenants. All lived with the faith that those promises would be fulfilled in His time. We also live in a time when here are promises yet to be fulfilled. Encouraged by their example we too must live in faith as they did.