"The Great Shepherd of the Sheep" -- Hebrews 13:17-25

The Twenty-Fifth and Final in a Series of Sermons on the Epistle to the Hebrews

By the time we come to the last chapter of the Book of Hebrews, we still know very little about the author of this epistle, and we know virtually nothing about the church receiving this remarkable letter.  We don’t even know in what city the church receiving this letter is located–Rome or Alexandria.  In the final chapter, the author implies that he personally knows those who were leading this church, and that he’s familiar enough with the congregation to tell them that he desires to return to see them again.  Although we don’t know much about the details of authorship and location, we do know the primary problem facing this church.  Many of its members had returned (or were considering returning) to Judaism from which they had recently converted to Christianity.  In response, the author skillfully proves to us that Old Testament types and shadows pointed ahead to Jesus Christ who is Israel’s Messiah, an eternal priest after the order of Melchizadek, and the mediator of the new covenant (with its greater promises).  Jesus has none of the human weaknesses of Moses and he secures much better covenant promises.  The author has made a compelling case for the superiority of Jesus Christ, as well as warning this congregation of the danger of neglecting such a great salvation and/or falling away from the savior.  And he now brings this letter to a close.

And so we wrap up our series on the Book of Hebrews.  When we took up the final chapter of this epistle (chapter thirteen), I mentioned that we could either cover the entire chapter in one sermon by rushing through it (which I did not really want to do), or we could cover it in two sermons, even though there was not a good place to break up the chapter.  So I took up the first sixteen verses last time (part one), while we conclude the chapter (part two) by covering verses 17-25.  But with this section of Hebrews completed, we will have finished our study of this epistle–a most powerful and remarkable epistle indeed. 

As we saw in the opening 16 verses of chapter thirteen of the Book of Hebrews, the author shifts from setting out his case for the superiority of Jesus Christ (mostly indicatives–which are a statement of fact, things we are to believe) to issuing a number of imperatives (commands which we are to obey).  These imperatives reflect the fact that those who have been made perfect by the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ should strive to live their lives in a manner consistent with that salvation secured for us by our covenant mediator.  

In the opening verses of this concluding chapter, the author exhorts the congregation to “let brotherly love continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers . . .” to “remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”  To “let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”  And to “keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have.”  All of these things are found throughout the New Testament’s ethical teaching and should characterize those who have believed the gospel and been united to Jesus Christ through faith.

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"The Same Yesterday and Today and Forever" -- Hebrews 13:1-16

The Twenty-Fourth in a Series of Sermons on the Epistle to the Hebrews

The author of Hebrews will now bring his letter to a close.  He is writing to a church going through a very difficult time of trial.  We don’t know where this church was (probably in Rome or possibly in Alexandria).  Nor do we know much about the congregation–which likely was small and met in someone’s home.  But we do know that one pressing issue facing this church was that a number of their members had left the church and returned to Judaism.  So, throughout the first twelve chapters of this epistle the author has made his case for the superiority of Jesus Christ.  The creator of all things, and the redeemer of God’s people, Jesus is far superior to angels, to Moses, and to the priests of Israel.  His is an eternal priesthood after the order of Melchizadek, and Jesus serves as priest in the heavenly temple, of which the earthly temple was a type and shadow.  But as the author wraps up this epistle he issues a number of direct exhortations to those receiving this letter.  These exhortations are well-familiar to readers of the New Testament.  These include the need to love others (especially our brothers and sisters in Christ), to exercise hospitality, to have compassion upon those imprisoned (likely because of their faith in Christ), and that Christians must avoid all forms of sexual immorality.  Yet, as the author goes on to point out, these exhortations only make sense in light of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sins.

We have spent some twenty-four Sundays working our way through this epistle, and we have but several more Sundays to go as we tackle the final chapter of this letter (Hebrews 13).  I faced the option of rushing through the final chapter in one sermon, or else covering chapter 13 in two Sundays when there is not really a good place in the chapter to divide the author’s concluding remarks.  So, I decided to cover the first half of chapter 13 (vv. 1-16) this time, and then, Lord willing, we will conclude our series next time.

As we saw during our study of Hebrews 11, the author gave us a redemptive-historical survey (the so-called “hall of faith”) to make the point that a number of Old Testament figures (some of whom on the list surprise us) were looking ahead to the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise.  That covenant promise is now fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is, as we read in chapter 12, the founder and perfecter of faith.  In light of the fact that God’s gracious covenant promise is fulfilled in Christ, the author exhorts us to run the race (live the Christian life) all the while keeping our gaze fixed upon Jesus Christ at the finish line.  As sons and daughters of God (because of Jesus who is our mediator), we must endure the race, and at the same time grow to appreciate the discipline we receive from our heavenly father who loves us and does what is best for us because we are his adopted children.

As we saw last time when we wrapped up our time in chapter twelve, God’s glory was manifest upon Mount Sinai as he give Israel his law.  Sinai shook and the sky was filled with the signs of God’s holy presence–thunder and lightening.  Because God’s holy presence consecrated the mountain, the people were warned that none dare approach (human or beast).  Terrified, the people pled with Moses to go up on the mountain, listen to the voice of God, and then come back down tell the people what it was that God had revealed.  Apart from a mediator between sinners and a holy God, no one can dare enter the presence of God or withstand his holy voice.  Because we are sinful, we risk being consumed by God’s holy wrath should he approach unless a divinely-appointed mediator turns aside the wrath of God–that mediator is, of course, Jesus Christ.

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"Jesus, the Mediator of a New Covenant" -- Hebrews 12:18-29

The Twenty-Third in a Series of Sermons on the Epistle to the Hebrews

It has been said that the biblical teaching about the covenants lies at the heart of Reformed theology.  No doubt, this is true.  It has also been said that Jesus Christ is the central figure in redemptive history because he is the mediator of the covenant of grace.  This is also true.  Both themes of covenant and Christ’s work as mediator are found in the second half of Hebrews 12.  In fact, as the author of Hebrews points out, apart from the mediator of God’s gracious covenant, we must face a holy God whose very presence will consume us.  In a culture such as our own where seemingly everything is trivialized–including the God of the Bible–it is vital that we take careful account of the God with whom we have to do.  The God of the Bible is not the God of the sinful human imagination.  Although he is loving and gracious toward us in Jesus Christ, he is also a consuming fire whose wrath will destroy us, if not turned aside by the cross of Christ.  As the author of Hebrews begins to wrap up this epistle, he reminds us that God’s people do have a gracious covenant with God because we have a gracious covenant mediator, Jesus Christ.

As we return to our series on the Book of Hebrews, we are making our way through the second half of chapter 12.  Recall that in the opening half of this chapter, the author set forth an exhortation for the persecuted Christians receiving this letter to persevere in the Christian life, all the while keeping their eyes on Jesus Christ, who is the founder and perfecter of faith.  Using an athletic metaphor–the Christian life is like a race–the author reminds God’s people that Jesus Christ fulfilled the demands of God for us and in our place, so that when we grow tired or give up, when we complain and whine about our circumstances, we can take heart knowing that we can look to Jesus (at the finish line), “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Jesus fulfilled his messianic mission, unlike us, who are very prone to quit or fail.

Because of Jesus’ perfect endurance (in fulfilling the demands of God’s law), we are to run the race knowing that God disciplines us because we are his sons and daughters.  Using our earthly fathers as an analogy, the author of Hebrews informs us that God disciplines us because it is for our good (even if we do not like it, nor understand it), and because God loves us.  This fact provides us with a perspective on life that non-Christians can never have–they see whatever happens to them as the result of cruel fate, or a vengeful God who is out to get them.  But as Christians, we see in all our suffering and hardship both the discipline of God and the bloody cross of Jesus Christ, who knows our human weakness and understands our suffering.  It is only when we keep these things in mind that we can run the marathon of life with our eyes trained upon the founder and perfecter of our faith, the Lord Jesus.  The knowledge of what lies ahead enables us to run the race with endurance, and to see the value of the discipline of a loving father in the midst of the trials and tribulations of life.

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"The Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith" -- Hebrews 12:1-17

The Twenty-Second in a Series of Sermons on the Epistle to the Hebrews

Several biblical writers tell us that the Christian life is like a race.  The starting line is our conversion.  The finish line is our death, hopefully after a long and full life, unless our Lord should return prior to our demise.  As we run this race, we are to look ahead to the finish line–that inheritance which is ours in Jesus Christ.  In chapter eleven the author of Hebrews told his readers that the Old Testament saints looked forward to that time when God fulfilled his promise through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In chapter twelve he now directs us to consider the goal which God has set before those of us living in the new covenant era.  As he sets this goal before our eyes, he exhorts us not to hinder our own progress through carelessness, or by rejecting the place of godly discipline.  It is Jesus who perfectly trusted in God’s promise and gave his life for our sins, thereby earning the title of the founder and perfecter of faith.  Jesus not only fulfills God’s promise, he is God’s promise.  Jesus is that one in whom we possess all the blessings promised to us by our gracious God.  It is to him we look as we run the race.

We are continuing our series on the Book of Hebrews, and now we come to chapter 12, in which the author applies the message of chapter 11, the so-called “hall of faith” to the congregation which has just considered the names and exploits mentioned by the author.  In Hebrews 11–one of the best known portions of the New Testament–the author has made the point that there is one covenant promise throughout the course of redemptive history.  All those mentioned in the “hall of faith” believed that promise, though for them, the promise was not yet fulfilled.  But now that Jesus Christ has come, what was promised to those listed in Hebrews 11 is a reality for all those who live in the era of a new and better covenant.  The Old Testament saints trusted God’s promise, and now that Jesus Christ has come, they too have been made perfect, as have all those reading this letter who have placed their faith (trust) in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the creator of all things, and the redeemer of God’s people.

In the first half of chapter 12 (vv. 1-17), the author turns first to Christ’s work on our behalf in fulfilling that promise referred to in chapter 11 by suffering and dying for his people (vv. 1-2).  In verses 3-11, the author takes up the necessity for Christians to endure under the hardship they were facing because they were Christians, and to realize that God disciplines his own because he loves us.  This was an important word of encouragement to those in the original audience who are facing persecution from the civil authorities, and possibly from those whom they left behind in the synagogues.  Then, in verses 12-17, the author exhorts us to persevere in that long and grueling race which is the Christian life.

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"Something Better for Us" -- Hebrews 11:29-40

The Twenty-First in a Series of Sermons on the Epistle to the Hebrews

Throughout Hebrews 11, the author uses the phrase “by faith” in reference to the particular individuals singled out for mention in this well-known chapter of the Bible.  Those mentioned here–who are found throughout the whole of the Old Testament, prior to the dawn of the messianic age–believed that God would keep his covenant promise.  But for everyone on the list, the fulfillment of that promise was still far off in the distant future.  As the author of Hebrews has been pointing out, it was not until the coming of Jesus Christ that the exact nature of God’s covenant promise and the wonderful benefits our Lord secures for us become clear.  That for which these Old Testament saints longed, is for us, a glorious and present reality.  What God had promised to the Old Testament saints, is now fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
   
Last time we took up the closing verses of Hebrews 11, the so-called “hall of faith.”  As we have seen throughout our time in this chapter, the author of Hebrews is making the point that there has always been one covenant promise–“I will be your God and you will be my people”–and that this same covenant promise unfolds throughout the pages of the Old Testament.  In Hebrews 11, the author appeals to a litany of well-known people who believed this promise.  Although the people mentioned here serve as an example to us of sorts, the author’s primary purpose in this chapter is not to present these Old Testament saints as examples for us to emulate.  Rather, his purpose is to remind his Jewish readers that the same promise which these Old Testament saints believed, pointed ahead to the coming of Jesus Christ, in whom the promise has been fulfilled.  Therefore, the author’s emphasis falls on the continuity of the covenant promise (God’s promise does not change across time), not so much on the example these saints set for us–some of whom, as we will see, were not very saintly.

As we have spent time in this chapter, I have divided it into sections based upon the biblical time period in which those mentioned lived.  In verses 1-3, the author defined faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” before mentioning three men who lived before the great flood (Abel, Enoch, and Noah, in verses 4-7).  Next, in verses 8-16, the author takes up a discussion of Abraham and his belief that the land of promise (Canaan) pointed beyond itself “to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”  When seen through the eyes of faith, earthly prosperity and blessing points ahead to eternal and spiritual realities.  In verses 17-22, the author moves from the account of Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, to Joseph–this is the era of the patriarchs.  In verses 23-28, the author turns to Moses and the Passover–Israel’s time of slavery in Egypt and bondage under Pharaoh.  Then, as we saw last time (in verses 29-31), the author takes up the discussion of Israel’s Exodus through the sea–without any mention of Israel’s journey into the wilderness–before taking up Israel’s entrance into Canaan (the so-called Conquest) and the fall of the Canaanite city of Jericho.

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"By Faith the People Crossed" -- Hebrews 11:29-40

The Twentieth in a Series of Sermons on the Epistle to the Hebrews

You would think that if God were going to raise up someone to lead his people to freedom from their bondage under the Pharaoh of Egypt, he would choose someone other than Moses–a man who didn’t speak well in public, and who killed an Egyptian before fleeing across the Red Sea to the Sinai peninsula to go into hiding and remaining there until God summoned him back to Egypt.  You would also think that if you were going to list those people most closely associated with the Exodus and conquest of Canaan whose faith stands out as an example for us to follow, you would probably mention Joshua or Caleb.  Instead, the only name which appears in Hebrews 11 in connection to the Conquest is that of Rahab, a woman who owned a brothel in the city of Jericho.  God does indeed move in mysterious ways, and to accomplish his purposes, he often uses people whom we would never chose nor ever expect him to use.

When we left-off in our series on Hebrews, we were working our way through Hebrews 11, often described as the “hall of faith.”  The chapter has been given this label because, as is often taught, the author lists a number of the great saints from the Old Testament and their exploits so that we might emulate their example.  “Have faith like Abraham had and do what Abraham did.”  But as I have been arguing throughout our time in this chapter, the example these people set for us is secondary to the author’s primary purpose.  As I see it, the author’s emphasis falls not so much on the faith of the individuals mentioned here, but on the continuity of God’s covenant promise which progressively unfolds throughout redemptive history as seen by the presence of believers throughout the whole of biblical history.  These people believed (or trusted) the same thing–God’s gracious covenant promise.  Therefore, the importance of this famous passage is not to be found so much in the example set for us by those listed here, but in the continuity of God’s promise across the ages.  And this means that the same gospel was found throughout the Old Testament which has been revealed by Jesus and taught us by the apostles in the New, which is the primary point of Hebrews 11.

As we take up the last part of this chapter (verses 29-40), it is apparent that the author begins to pick up the pace of his discussion, as though he realizes that his exposition of God’s promise throughout the Old Testament could go on and on for an extended number of pages.  The author’s concern in presenting this survey of those who believed God’s promise is to remind those in the original audience of the consequence of returning to Judaism after having made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ.  This is why his readers/hearers need to be very clear about the fact that God’s covenant promise, which unfolds throughout the pages of the Old Testament, is fulfilled through the person and work of Jesus Christ.  There has only been one promise.  The Old Testament saints believed it.  And those receiving this letter we know as the Book of Hebrews must hold fast to it.  It is the same covenant promise after all, now fulfilled in the doing and dying of Jesus.

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"The Reproach of Christ" -- Hebrews 11:23-28

The Nineteenth in a Series of Sermons on the Epistle to the Hebrews

While all the Old Testament saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 believed the same covenant promise–that God would save them from their sins and grant them eternal life–not all of them believed that promise under the same set of circumstances.  Although a large family who believed in YHWH, the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob–the fathers of Israel) believed God’s covenant promise to grant their descendants the land of Canaan, make them a great nation, and give them so many descendants that they cannot be counted.  Moses, however, came on the redemptive historical stage some four hundred years after God appeared to Abraham, when two of these covenant promises had already come to pass.  Although effectively held captive in Egypt for many generations, the Israelites had become a great nation, and despite the difficult circumstances in which they found themselves, had grown in number well into the hundreds of thousands.  But someone would have to lead the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt, across the Red Sea, through the desert of the Sinai, and then into the promised land of Canaan which was occupied by a number of very fierce Canaanite tribes.  That leader was Moses.

As we return to our series on the Book of Hebrews, we are working our way through Hebrews 11, the so-called “hall of faith.”  Throughout our time in this chapter, I have made the point that the author’s primary purpose is not to give us a list of people to emulate (“have faith like Abraham”).  Rather, his purpose is to remind us that each of these people mentioned in this chapter believed God’s covenant promise to provide a redeemer who would save them from their sins, and who would ensure that all the covenant promises which God makes to his people are fulfilled.  To enable us to devote sufficient attention to each of the people who make the catalogue of those who believed God’s covenant promise, I have divided our study of this chapter into small sections dealing with the individuals who make the catalogue according to the period in redemptive history in which they live.
 
In vv. 1-3, we discussed the author’s definition of faith–“faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  In vv. 4-7, we discussed those men known as the pre-diluvians because they lived before the time of Noah’s flood.  All three of these men Abel, Enoch, and Noah, believed God’s promise, were justified, and then demonstrated their faith in God by living in obedience before him.  Then in verses 8-16 we took up a discussion of Abraham, the man of faith, who believed God’s promise that he would have so many descendants that they could not be counted, despite the fact that Abraham and his wife Sarah were well beyond child-bearing years. 

Last time (when we covered verses 17-22), we discussed Abraham and his immediate descendants, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph (the so-called patriarchs, the fathers of Israel).  As recounted in Genesis 22, when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac–the very one through whom God’s covenant promise would be fulfilled–Abraham obeyed God, took his beloved son Isaac up the mountain and prepared to sacrifice him as a burnt offering.  According to the author of Hebrews’ interpretation of this event, not only did God provide a substitute for Isaac in the form of a ram, but Abraham knew that should he take Isaac’s life, God had the power to raise him from the dead.  In fact, God must raise him if the promise to be fulfilled.

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"God Is Able" -- Hebrews 11:17-22

The Eighteenth in a Series of Sermons on the Book of Hebrews

We’ve all heard people complain that the Bible is boring.  But when we take a look at the events of redemptive history, we find what has to be the most interesting and compelling story in all of human history.  In Genesis 12, God calls a man named Abraham and his wife Sarah to leave their home and move to a new country as yet unseen.  Abraham goes.  God then tells Abraham that he will become the father of a great nation, and will have so many descendants that only God can count them all.  What makes this promise so remarkable is the fact that Abraham and his wife were by now nearly one hundred years old, and it seemed virtually impossible that they would be able to conceive a child.  Yet, despite their physical limitations, Abraham and Sarah believed that God would make good on his promise.  And then when Sarah gives birth to a son (Isaac) through whom the promise would be fulfilled, and after the boy grew to manhood, God appears to Abraham yet again, and this time commands Abraham to take this only son and kill him . . .  How could God command such a thing?  How could God’s promise be fulfilled if the heir is killed?  And what would Abraham do in light of such a command?  This is not only a compelling story and a startling turn of events, it raises a number of questions about the mysterious redemptive purposes of God, one of several questions about the patriarchs addressed in the 11th chapter of Hebrews.

We are working our way through Hebrews 11, the so-called “hall of faith” – that list of Old Testament luminaries who are considered to be examples of people who had great faith under the most trying of times.  As we have seen in previous weeks while covering this chapter, the author of Hebrews’ focus in chapter 11 falls not so much upon the examples these people set for us (although this is certainly a part of what is in view), but on the fact that these people all placed their trust in the same thing–the unshakable and gracious promise of God to provide his people with a Messiah who will redeem them from their sin.

Because this chapter is quite long and refers to so many remarkable and important events in the Old Testament, I have decided to approach Hebrews 11 by dividing it into sections corresponding to the particular period in redemptive history in which the individuals who are mentioned lived.  We have already covered the first three sections.  In the first section (vv. 1-3, in which the author defines faith) we took note of the fact that in verse 1, the author defines of faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Faith (the noun, and the verb “to believe”) is a technical term in the New Testament, in which someone’s trust is directed toward a particular object–usually the person and work of Jesus Christ.  This means that faith–as it is biblically understood–cannot exist apart from the gospel. 

We also saw that in some cases (as here in Hebrews 11), “faith” can mean taking God at his word when God makes promises to his people.  Each of the people mentioned here make the catalogue of those who believed God’s promise, because they did exactly that–they trusted in God’s covenant promise to send a redeemer who would save his people from their sins.  Therefore, instead of seeing this chapter as a list of Old Testament heroes we are to emulate, it is better to see this chapter as a catalogue of those who believed God’s covenant promise throughout the various twists and turns of redemptive history.

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"He Was Looking Forward" -- Hebrews 11:8-16

The Seventeenth in a Series of Sermons on the Epistle to the Hebrews

Three of the world’s great religions (Islam, Judaism, and Christianity) trace their origins back to Abraham.  Yet the Genesis account speaks of Abraham as one who believed God’s covenant promise.  It is said of him, Abraham “believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”  This explains why the account of the life of Abraham in Genesis 11-25 fits perfectly within the “catalogue of believers in God’s covenant promise” in Hebrews 11.  That Abraham was justified by faith is the reason why Christians are considered to be the true children of Abraham–much to the chagrin of Jews, and to the disdain of Muslims.  Abraham is a man who pitched his tent in the land of promise, yet who also knew that dwelling in the land was not all that God had promised to him–God’s promise included eternal life as well.  Therefore, Abraham is regarded as the man of faith, because he believed God’s covenant promise to make him the father of a great nation, and that he would have so many descendants that it would be impossible to count them all–despite the fact that this seemed to be a physical impossibility.  It is to the story of Abraham as summarized in Hebrews 11, that we now turn.

We are continuing our series on the Book of Hebrews and we are working our way through Hebrews 11, the so-called “hall of faith” because so many important Old Testament heroes are mentioned here.   As we saw last time, the primary point being made by the author of Hebrews in this chapter is not that the people mentioned here are setting examples for us to follow (as people who had faith), but that these Old Testament saints all believed the same gracious covenant promise which God made to his people, and which the author of Hebrews has spent ten chapters unpacking.  Rather than speak of Hebrews 11 as the “hall of faith,” it is much better to understand this chapter as a catalogue of justified sinners, sinful people who believed God’s covenant promise to save them from the guilt and power of their sin.

If we read Hebrews 11 as is often done (as a series of examples for us to follow), then we must ignore the critical point which the author of Hebrews is trying to make–that Jesus is superior to angels, Moses, and the priests of Israel.  If the “hall of faith” interpretation is the correct one, then the author of Hebrews is telling those in this church who may be considering returning to Judaism, to “believe” just like your forefathers did.  But that doesn’t get to the heart of the issue–recent converts from Judaism to Christianity, were going back to Judaism when they came under persecution.  That their forefathers believed God is not under dispute.  The issue is “what did their forefathers believe?”  Or better, “in whom did they believe?”

The author’s point then is that everyone mentioned in Hebrews 11 believed God’s gracious covenant promise to save them from their sins.  Therefore, what matters is not the presence of faith–that these famous Old Testament saints believed.  What matters is the object of faith–these people believed the same gracious covenant promise, first issued in Genesis 3:15 when God declared, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”  The nature and character of this promise unfolds throughout the balance of redemptive history in the form of the types and shadows we see in the history of Israel and the old covenant, a subject which the author addressed in Hebrews 7-10.

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"By Faith" -- Hebrews 11:1-7

The Sixteenth in a Series of Sermons on the Book of Hebrews

Faith is one of those words Christians often use without definition.  Since faith is a biblical word, “faith” has the connotation of being a good thing, and therefore something everyone should have.  But this is completely wide of the mark.  The word “faith” has very a technical meaning in the New Testament.  Faith is not some generic term for whatever subjective opinion people may or may not have about God.  Faith is used either as a verb (“to believe”) or as a noun (“faith”), and is always tied to its object (what is believed).  The author of Hebrews carefully defines the term “faith” and then illustrates that definition by describing how the great figures from the Old Testament (Noah, Moses, Abraham, etc.) believed in God’s promise–the same promise which the author of Hebrews has argued was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  Therefore, the Old Testament saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 serve primarily as witnesses to God’s faithfulness in keeping his covenant promises, and only secondarily as examples to us of people who have faith in God’s promise during difficult times.

We now move into a new (and perhaps the best known) section of Hebrews, chapter 11.  Often described as the “hall of faith” because so many Old Testament luminaries are mentioned here, all of those who make the author’s list are included here because they believed the gracious covenant promise which God made to his redeemed people– “I will be your God and you will be my people.”  There is much here in this chapter–the nature and character of faith, as well as a discussion of how the New Testament writers (such as the author of Hebrews) read the Old Testament.  So, we will take our time going through it 

Many of those who preach through this particular section of Hebrews emphasize the exemplary character of the faith of those who make the list.  In taking this approach, the focus falls upon the example these people set for us, and which we should follow.  This approach emphasizes that these were great men, they had faith in YHWH during the most difficult of times, so we should imitate them by striving to have the same kind of faith they had.  But the obvious problem with this approach is that one of those mentioned, Rahab, was a prostitute.  All those mentioned were sinful individuals, and those who lived during the time of the Judges (Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah) were all men whose behavior was less then exemplary.  Nevertheless, these people are numbered among those who had faith in the promise.

Given the fact that these biblical examples are better understood as repentant sinners, justified before God through their faith in that gracious covenant promise God made to his people, I’m going to take a different tact as we go through this passage in the coming weeks.  As I see it, the emphasis in this chapter falls squarely upon God’s faithfulness in keeping his promise.  All of those mentioned in this chapter trusted in the same thing–God’s covenant promise to provide redemption for his people.  All of these people had faith–granted.  The author says that repeatedly.  But to what object was their faith directed?  In what did they trust?  Or better, in whom did they trust?  All of those listed here in Hebrews 11 believed that God would keep his promise, making the object of faith–God’s promise–the central theme of the chapter, and not the presence of “faith” in the hearts and minds of those mentioned. 

When interpreted in this manner, chapter 11 of Hebrews serves the author’s larger purpose of proving the superiority of Jesus Christ to Moses, the priests of Israel, the tabernacle and the temple, and even angels.  The author is not merely saying to those considering returning to Judaism, “imitate” the faith of your fathers.  Rather he is saying “your fathers all trusted the one covenant promise, and that covenant promise (the new covenant) is now fulfilled in Jesus Christ.”  The emphasis is not merely that these people had faith, but that they had faith in the same object–the gracious covenant promise of God, now fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

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