1 Peter 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
The heartfelt prayers of believers in Jesus Christ are powerful for good. They arrive at the very throne of the mercy and grace of God. His ways are so far above ours that we may or may not see the results in our lifetime but we can rest assured that He hears and He acts in our behalf. Jesus is the word of God made flesh.
Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
Jesus is our Compassionate High Priest. Carla
Hebrews 4:12-16 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The word of God refers to God’s speech, His word(s)—specifically those referred to in the previous context (Psalm 95:7–11). The Word of God recalls the description of God in Hebrews. The word of God is able to examine and judge those who hear it. It will accomplish its purpose (Isaiah 55:11).
Prayer is a weapon of warfare.
The word of God can penetrate the immaterial and the material—meaning the whole person. The idea here is that all things are open to examination by God. Exposure to the word of God means exposure to God Himself. The rare Greek expression laid bare used here could be synonymous with the previous term, or it might have the complementary sense of being helpless. We must give our account refers to giving a general account for one’s life. A person is judged for everything that they have done and God knows whether they are telling the truth, but believers need not fear judgment for their past sins (Hebrews 9:28).
Sounding a theme that continues throughout the rest of Hebrews, this passage portrays Jesus as the great high priest who identifies with sinful humanity yet remains without sin (verse 15).
Gone through the heavens refers to Jesus’ exaltation (Philippians 2:9–11). Because Jesus already has ascended into heaven and entered into God’s rest, believers can be confident that they, too, will have a share in God’s rest.
Because Jesus established His role as high priest by becoming like us (2:17–18), He can understand human struggles. Our weaknesses refers to sickness, imprisonment, and ostracism (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus faced the same temptations as people (Matthew 4:3, 6). Suffering believers can look to Jesus, who not only pioneered their faith but endured the cross—the cost of obedience to God (Hebrews 12:2; Isaiah 53:9).
Jesus remained faithful to the one who appointed Him (Hebrews 3:2). Unlike other priests, Jesus didn’t need to offer sacrifices for His own sins; instead, He offered Himself unblemished to God (7:27; 9:14).
Believers should pray persistently because Jesus empathizes with human weakness (verse 15). He continues to make intercession for those who draw near to God (7:25).
In the Jerusalem temple, only the high priest could enter the most holy place—and only once per year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16; Hebrews 9:7). By offering Himself once for all, Jesus made a way for believers to draw near to God (Isaiah 53:10). The place of God’s presence, the throne of grace, is where grace emanates to His people. God’s throne sits in the heavenly temple—the counterpart of the earthly temple (Hebrews 8:1; Isaiah 6:1; 66:1; Exodus 25:17–22).
Christ is the merciful high priest who mediates on our behalf (2:17). Because of His work, God grants mercy to believers when they sin (Hebrews 8:12). God strengthens His people when they undergo temptation or endure any type of hardship (2:18).Faithlife Study Bible
The word of God is the measuring stick Christ will use at the judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10). God’s message is alive and active, penetrating the innermost parts of a person. It distinguishes what is natural and what is spiritual, as well as the thoughts (reflections) and intents (insights) of a person.
The word of God exposes the natural and spiritual motivations of a believer’s heart (verses 7; 3:8, 10, 12, 15; 8:10; 10:16, 22; 13:9).
Naked and open suggests complete exposure and defenselessness before God. All believers must give account to the all-seeing, all-knowing God (Romans 14:10–12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Then refers back to the subject of the High Priesthood of Christ (2:17–3:6). We have indicates possession.
In the Old Testament the high priest of Israel passed through the courts and veils into the Most Holy Place. Our High Priest has passed through the heavens to the very presence of God, where He sits at God’s right hand (1:3).
Sympathize means “to suffer with” and expresses the feeling of one who has entered into suffering. In all points tempted means Jesus experienced every degree of temptation (2:18).
Come is the same Greek word translated draw near in 10:22. This command strongly contrasts with God’s command at Mt. Sinai: “Do not go up to the mountain or touch its base (Exodus 19:12). Because of Christ’s priestly work, believers can approach God’s presence. The writer of Hebrews is expressing the openness of God’s call in Christ, “Come” (Revelation 22:17).
Boldly is the same word that is rendered confidence in 3:6 (10:19) and means “plainness of speech,” “fearlessness,” or “courage.” Believers should courageously approach God in prayer because His is a throne of grace, and our High Priest sits at His right hand interceding for us. The NKJV Study Bible
Hebrews 2:17–3:1 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted…
Psalm 33:13–15
The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth…
1 Corinthians 14:24–25 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
Today, another one of my favorites—one of my grounding songs—kindled hope in my heart and spirit. Kris Kristofferson’s “Here comes that rainbow again”.
I see choices today—highlighted by the news—public displays of intolerance, meanness, domination and cruelty. And I wonder, “Is there any hope? And where do the seeds of kindness and gentleness and mercy grow?”
I gratefully hummed the song—Here comes that rainbow again—through the day and repeated the lyrics. The affirmation did my heart good.
It is a wonderful story that highlights the moments of kindness and small acts of generosity that brighten up ordinary lives, symbolized by the recurring rainbow—a metaphor for hope that emerges even in difficult circumstances, with a good splash of positivity. And a reminder that this is everything we’d like to believe about humanity, our capacity for both making mistakes, and being uplifted by simple acts of generosity, and our capability for making amends. “Sabbath Moments” Terry Hershey
Paul urged Titus to give multiple reminders to the Christians in Crete so they might live as good citizens and neighbors in the Greco-Roman world.
First of all, in Titus 3:1, he reminded believers to yield to authorities, which included avoiding civil misconduct or insurrection.
Many of Jesus' followers had expected Him to lead an insurrection against Rome; however, His purpose was not to rise up against the power of an earthly empire but against the power of sin on earth. Jesus respected Roman law and taught that the Jews should pay their taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:21).
Paul likely penned his letter reminding Titus "to be submissive to rulers and authorities" (Titus 3:1) sometime in the early A. D. 60s, during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero. Even at this time, though many Christians were persecuted after Nero blamed them for the Great Fire of Rome, Paul encouraged believers to respect their magistrates and comply with the law without compromising their faith.
However, two decades later, Emperor Domitian demanded that Christians worship him as a god. Under Domitian's rule, Roman law stood in direct conflict with the Christian faith: Believers could not worship the emperor without breaking God's command to worship Him alone (Exodus 20:3).
In response, many first-century Christians refused to worship the image of Domitian, and they faced legal ramifications. They understood, as should we, that living obedient to rulers is good, but living obedient to God is necessary. While the Bible encourages obedience to governing authorities, we know our first allegiance is to God (Daniel 3:16-18; Daniel 6:7-10; Acts 5:29). First5
No comments:
Post a Comment