John Brown, Hebrews Quote 10

Hebrews by John Brown  p. 181

“Exhort one another,” says he, “daily, while it is still called To-day.”  The food of faith is truth and its evidence.  All that man can do to produce faith, and maintain faith, is just to place these before the mind.  It is the duty of every Christian, knowing that there is in him “an evil heart of unbelief,” often to turn his own mind to a serious consideration of the truth and its evidence, as contained in the Volume of Inspiration; and it is his duty, too, knowing that in every fellow-Christian there is also “an evil heart of unbelief,” and especially if he perceives this evil heart manifesting itself in anything like a tendency to apostasy, to bring before his mind the truth and its evidence, that he may continue “stedfast and unmovable,” rooted, and grounded, and stablished in the faith wherein he has been taught.  This is, I apprehend, the mutual exhortation to which the Apostle refers.

    It deserves notice that the word rendered exhort is the same word which is often translated ‘comfort;’ and it is very probably used to suggest the idea, that nothing is better fitted to prevent apostasy than bringing before the mind the truth as to the “exceeding great and precious promises,” made to those who “hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.”  It is the good news –the consolatory message of a free and full salvation through Christ Jesus—it is this, believed, which binds the heart to the Saviour and to His law.  It is quite right to imitate the Apostle in placing before the mind of the backslider the awful results of apostasy; but such statements alone will produce but little effect.  The voice of a reconciled God behind him, proclaiming, “Return to Me, thou backsliding child, for I have redeemed thee,” when heard, will do more to prevent apostasy, and induce him to turn his feet to God’s testimonies, than all the terrors of the tenfold damnation which awaits the apostate, though presented to the mind in the most striking and alarming form.

    The duty of public exhortation forms an important part of the duty of Christian pastors; but it is plain from the passage before us that it is the duty of all Christians, as they have opportunity, privately to exhort and admonish one another, lest they be “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”  It is too much the practice of professors of Christianity in our times, when they perceive in one of their brethren a tendency, as they think, to “depart from the living God,” to speak of it to every person rather than to the one to whom alone in the first instance it ought to be spoken of—to lament over it in the presence of others, instead of endeavoring to remove the evil by friendly exhortation to the individual himself, and earnest prayer to God to render the use of the means prescribed by Himself effectual for the purpose for which He has appointed it.

    This mutual exhortation the Apostle enjoins to be engaged in “daily, while it is still called To-day.”  They were to exhort one another daily, i.e., frequently, and without delay.  Whenever we observe in brethren what appears to us an indication of departure from the path of Christian truth and duty, we are to use the means prescribed by the inspired writer for bringing them back.  Every step they take in the downward path makes their recovery more difficult; and yet a little while, and they will be removed beyond the reach of our exertions.  If any of us have a friend whom we think in danger of that greatest of all evils, the loss of the soul, let us be speedy, diligent, earnest, whether by instruction, admonition or prayer.

John Brown, Hebrews Quote 9

From Hebrews by John Brown  p. 178

    To “depart from the living God” is just an expression for apostasy from Christianity,--in the case   of those whom the Apostle was addressing, the renouncing the profession of the faith of Christ and returning to Judaism.  Those who did so, no doubt, flattered themselves that they were not departing from, but returning to God; but the Apostle presses on them this truth, that they could not abandon Christ without abandoning God.  There is but one God, --He is “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,”—He is “God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself;” and, of course, he who renounces Christ abandons God.

    The appellation living God is emphatic.  Some have supposed it just equivalent to the true God; as if the Apostle had said, ‘In apostatizing from Christianity to Judaism, you as really depart from the living God as if you were becoming the worshippers of idols.’  I am rather disposed to think that the expression “living” is intended to convey the idea of power.  ‘Dead’ is often equivalent to powerless; ‘living,’ to powerful.  This is remarkably the case in two passages in this Epistle:  “The word of God is quick (living) and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of the soul and spirit.”  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”  It is quite safe to depart from dead gods.  No spiritual advantage can be obtained by adhering to them; no danger is incurred in abandoning them; they cannot punish the apostate.  But it is otherwise with him who apostatizes from the living God.  He departs from Him “with whom is the fountain of life,” and who alone can make him happy; He departs from Him who can execute all the threatenings which He has denounced against those who forsake Him.

    There is need of constant watchfulness on the part of the professors of Christianity, lest under the influence of unbelief they “depart from the living God.”  “Take heed,” says the Apostle.  There is nothing, I am persuaded, in regard to which professors of Christianity fall into more dangerous practical mistakes than this.  They suspect everything sooner than the soundness and firmness of their belief.  There are many who are supposing themselves believers who have no true faith at all,--and so it would be proved were the hour of trial, which is perhaps nearer than they are aware, to arrive; and almost all who have faith suppose they have it in greater measure than they really have it.  There is no prayer that a Christian needs more frequently to present than, “Lord, increase my faith;” “deliver me from an evil heart of unbelief.”  All apostasy from God, whether partial or total, originates in unbelief.  To have his faith increased—to have more extended, and accurate, and impressive views of “the truth as it is in Jesus”—ought to be the object of the Christian’s most earnest desire and unremitting exertion.  Just in the degree in which we obtain deliverance from the “evil heart of unbelief” are we enabled to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart, to follow Him fully, and, in opposition to all the temptations to abandon His cause, to “walk in all His commandments and ordinances blameless.”

John Brown, Hebrews Quote 8

Hebrews by John Brown  p. 168

This figurative view of the state of believers in Christ Jesus as the family of God, under the management of His Son, suggests many very important truths in reference to the relation in which they stand—to God, to Jesus Christ, and to one another—to the privileges which they enjoy, and to the duties which are incumbent on them.  The idea which the words of the Apostle seem intended to bring before the mind, is the honour and happiness of the situation of the believing Hebrews as members of this family of God.  God is their Father; the incarnate Son is their Elder Brother; angels are their ministers; the heavenly Canaan is their inheritance.  They are “heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus.”  This is the truth in reference to all genuine believers, of every country, in every age; but it is the truth only in reference to genuine believers; and the only permanently satisfactory evidence of the genuineness of their faith, is their continuing to manifest by their conduct that they are under the influence of this faith.  Accordingly, the Apostle adds, We are the family of God, “if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.”

These words are not intended to suggest the sentiment, that persons may belong to the family of God under the government of His Son—in other words, may be the children of God through faith in Christ Jesus—and yet not “hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope stedfast unto the end;” for this is plainly inconsistent with many plain declarations of Scripture.  While their inheritance is “reserved for them in heaven,” they are “kept to it by the mighty power of God through faith.”  But it is intended to teach us this important truth, that none but those who “hold firm to the end the confidence and rejoicing of their hope,” really belong to the family of God which is entrusted to the care of His Son Jesus Christ.

The hope here spoken of is what by way of eminence may be called the Christian hope—the expectation of everlasting happiness through Christ Jesus.  This is the hope which has been brought to us in “the word of the truth of the Gospel,” and which is awakened in every heart into which the faith of the Gospel enters.

But what are we to understand by the “confidence of this hope,” and “the rejoicing of this hope?”  The primary and ordinary meaning of the word rendered “confidence,” is freedom and boldness of speech, as expressive of full conviction and the absence of fear—opposed to silence and hesitation, as expressive of doubt and timidity.  The force of the word is illustrated by the following passages in which it occurs:--John vii. 26, xviii.20; Acts iv.13; 2 Cor. iii.12. vii.4; Phil. i.20; 1 Tim. iii.13.  Open , unhesitating, fearless profession of the Christian hope, seems to be the Apostle’s idea.  The Apostle Peter exhorts Christians to be “always ready to give an answer to every one who asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them.”

This constant readiness to state and defend those truths and their evidences on which rests our hope, is what is here termed “the confidence of the hope,” the free and fearless profession of the hope.  This was indeed dangerous in the primitive times, and the Hebrew Christians were exposed to very strong temptations to desist from it; but it is absolutely necessary to the continuance and progress of the Gospel in the world, and it is very plainly enjoyed by our Lord, Matt. x. 32, 33.
   

John Brown, Hebrews Quote 7

Hebrews by John Brown  p. 156

    It now only remains that we inquire into the import of the exhortation, “Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.”  The phraseology is peculiar.  The usual order of the names, Jesus Christ, is reversed.  Michaelis is probably right in thinking this was intended to bring out this thought:  ‘Consider the Apostle and High Priest whom we acknowledge—the Messiah, Jesus.’  Some have supposed that the exhortation here is just equivalent to that in the beginning of the second chapter.  To “consider the Apostle of our profession,” and to “give heed to the things spoken by Him,” if not the same, are very closely allied; but to “consider the High Priest of our profession,” is obviously a very different thing from “taking heed to the things spoken by Him,” though it is only by taking heed to the things spoken by Him that we can consider Him as our High Priest, as He alone, by His Spirit, has revealed the truth respecting His priestly office and functions.  To “consider” our Lord as “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession,” is just to make the truth revealed to us in His word respecting Him, as the Great Prophet and the only High Priest whom we acknowledge, the subject of deep habitual thought, that we may understand it and believe it, and be led into a corresponding course of affection and conduct in reference to Him.

    This is a duty of radical importance to Christians.  It is because we think so little, and to so little purpose, on Christ, that we know so little about Him, that we love Him so little, trust in Him so little, so often neglect our duty, are so much influenced by “things seen and temporal,” and so little by “things unseen and eternal.”  If the Apostle could but get the Hebrew Christians to “consider the Apostle and High Priest of their profession,” his object of keeping them steady in their attachment to Him was gained.  It is because men do not know Christ that they do not love Him; it is because they know Him so imperfectly that they love Him so imperfectly.  The truth about Him as the Great Prophet and the Great High Priest well deserves consideration—it is “the manifold wisdom of God.”  It requires it; it cannot be understood by a careless, occasional glance.  Angels feel that even their faculties are overmatched with this subject.  They are but “desiring to look into” it, as they do not yet fully understand it. It is only by “considering” the truth about Jesus Christ as “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession” that we can personally enjoy the benefits of His teaching as a Prophet, and of His expiation and intercession as a High Priest.  We cannot be too deeply impressed with a conviction of this, that all spiritual blessings come to us through the faith of the truth respecting the Apostle and High Priest of our profession.  Truth must be understood in order to its being believed, and it must be considered in order to its being understood.  The consideration of Jesus Christ is not only necessary to the production of faith, but to its continued existence, and to its gradual improvement.  An inconsiderate man is never likely to succeed in life.  An inconsiderate Christian is necessarily a very unsteady and a very uncomfortable one.  The grand radical duty of the Christian is “looking to Jesus;” and the sum and substance of the message which the ministers of Christ have to deliver is, ‘Behold Him, behold Him.’

    We all acknowledge Jesus Christ as “the Apostle and High Priest.”  Let us treat Him accordingly.  Believe nothing but on His authority.  On His authority believe everything that He reveals.  In religion acknowledge no other ultimate authority but His.  Expect pardon and salvation in no other way but through His atonement and intercession; and confidently expect them through this medium.  You equally do Him dishonor when you trust to anything but His sacrifice, and when you refuse to trust implicitly and unsuspectingly to that sacrifice.  In the New Economy, Jesus Christ is “all in all”—Prophet, Priest, King,Saviour, Lord.  Let us then seek all from Him; let us receive all that He is appointed to bestow—knowledge, pardon, sanctification, eternal life; and let us cheerfully ascribe to Him all the glory.

John Brown, Hebrews Quote 6

Hebrews by John Brown   p. 134

    The Apostle’s assertion is, that it “behoved” the Divine Saviour “to be made like unto His brethren in all things.”  The expression, “in all things,” though in itself universal, is plainly to be limited.  It is to be limited, plainly, to the whole of those things necessary to the end in view.  And even with regard to these the conformity is not necessarily a complete and perfect conformity.  It plainly was not necessary that He should be conformed to His brethren in personal guilt or depravity.  This, so far from conducing to the gaining of the object in view, would have completely obstructed it.  The conformity referred to includes a conformity of nature.  They were men; and it was necessary that He should be a man, possessed of a body capable of suffering death, and a soul endowed with all the faculties and affections of human nature.  But the conformity was not complete.  His human nature was formed in a miraculous manner, and did not subsist by itself, but in union with the divine.  These particular differences were as necessary as the general conformity in nature was to the great end of His being a successful Saviour.  He was conformed to His people not only in nature, but in condition.  They are in a suffering condition; and He, when on earth, was in a suffering condition—exposed to the same kind of sufferings as those to which they were exposed; though these sufferings produced very different effects on His innocent and all-perfect mind from what they do on the minds of guilty, depraved men.

        This conformity both of nature and condition was becoming and necessary.  “It behoved Him.”  On the supposition of His being divinely appointed to save men as a high priest, this conformity was absolutely necessary.  He could not have made “reconciliation for the sins of His people”—He could not in the same degree have executed the duties of a Saviour—had He not been “in all things made like unto His brethren.”
The language here, as well as in the preceding context, seems intentionally so fashioned as to convey the idea that our Saviour was not originally conformed to His brethren:  “It behoved  Him to be made like” to them.

    The great object to the gaining of which this conformity of Christ to His brethren is necessary, is His being “a faithful and merciful high priest,” “to make reconciliation for the sins of His people.”  The object is twofold:  that as a high priest He might “make reconciliation for the sins of the people;” and that, in the discharge of His duties as high priest, He might show Himself at once “faithful and merciful.”  We have already seen that His conformity to His brethren implied two things—participation of their nature, and fellowship with them in their state of suffering.  The first of these was necessary to His being a high priest, and “making reconciliation for the sins of the people;” the second was necessary to His being “a merciful and faithful high priest,” in the way and degree in which His people stood in need of mercy and faithfulness.

John Brown, Hebrews Quote 5

From Hebrews by John Brown  p. 136

Every high priest for men must be “taken from among men.”  Expiation is not a work for angels, nor even for God, merely as God.  The duty which He had to perform as the Great High Priest, who was to “give Himself a sacrifice, the Just One in the room of the unjust,” made it necessary that He should be conformed to His brethren by assuming their nature.

    And as He could not have been a high priest at all, as He could not have made reconciliation, without being conformed to His brethren as to nature, so He could not, in the degree and manner in which they required mercy and fidelity, have been “a merciful and faithful high priest,” if He had not been conformed to His brethren in His condition.  It is finely observed by Dr. Owen, “that in a perfectly holy human nature He should exactly discharge the will of God, was all that was required in order to His being a high priest.  But this was not all that the estate and condition of the brethren required.  Their sorrows, tenderness, weakness, miseries, disconsolations were such, that if there be not a cotempering of His sublime holiness and absolute perfection in fulfilling all righteousness, with some qualifications inclining Him to condescension, pity, and compassion, and tender sense of their condition, whatever might be the issue of their safety in the life to come, their comforts in this life would be in continual hazard.”

    To be a “merciful high priest,” is to be a tender-hearted, compassionate manager of all our religious interests—to be ever ready, under the influence  of a tender sympathy, to support, and comfort, and deliver.  To be a “faithful high priest,” does not, I apprehend, mean, as some interpret it, a true, a legitimate high priest; nor, as others, a high priest who is generally faithful to God and man both in the discharge of his duties; but a high priest who is trustworthy, exact, constant, and careful in attending to his people amid all their varied temptations and sufferings.

    To be such “a merciful and faithful high priest,” it behoved the Divine Saviour not only to be conformed in nature, but in condition, to the brethren.  There is a kind and degree of compassion and fidelity in giving comfort and relief which nothing but fellowship in suffering can teach.  Suppose two friends, equally benevolent in their temper, equally attached to you; the one, a person who had never suffered under the afflictions to which you are exposed; the other, one who had experienced the same, or at least a very similar course of trials; would there not be a tenderness, a suitableness, and a minuteness of appropriate attentions and consolations experienced from the latter, which, in the very nature of things, it is impossible that the former, however kindly disposed , should yield?  Who is not struck with astonishment and delight at observing in the plan of salvation such an intimate knowledge of all the peculiarities of our nature, and such a benevolent use made of this intimate knowledge, in securing for man not only the great substantial blessings of salvation, but their being conferred on him in the way best fitted to soothe and comfort him amid the remaining evils of the present state?

    This idea of the capacity of the Saviour to sympathize with and relieve His people under their trials, in consequence of His having Himself been tried, is very beautifully amplified in the verse with which this division of the Epistle closes.  18.  “For in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.”

John Brown, Hebrews Quote 4

John Brown quote from Hebrews  p. 107-109

To secure that the “many sons” shall be brought “to glory” under this “Captain of their salvation,” God saw meet to “make Him perfect through suffering.”  Interpreters are by no means agreed as to the significance of the word rendered by our translators, make perfect.  It is plain that, in the sense which the English term most naturally suggests, it is not applicable to Jesus Christ.  The character of Jesus Christ was perfect; He did not stand in need, as good men do, of a course of discipline to cure them of their faults, and to improve their virtues.  It is indeed said, that “He learned obedience by the things which He suffered;” but the meaning of that expression is not that He learned to obey, but that He learned by experience what obedience is.  To avoid this difficulty, some have represented the word as signifying ‘to consecrate, to set apart to.’  There can be little doubt that the word is employed in this way, as the consecration of a priest was an intimation that he was fully possessed of the qualifications the law required in those who filled that office, and in that sense perfected, accomplished for the discharge of its functions.  Others consider it as signifying ‘to glorify, to bring glory, to crown with glory and honour, to render perfectly happy and glorious.’  I am rather disposed to understand the word as equivalent to ‘to accomplish—completely to fit or qualify for the discharge of His office as the Captain of salvation.’  This is a common use of the term: Heb. vii. 19, ix. 9, x. 1, 14.

To perform the office of a Saviour of lost men, three things were necessary—merit, power, and sympathy.  It pleased the Father that the incarnate Son should, as the Saviour of men, obtain all these by suffering.  The Saviour of men must deserve so well of the Moral Governor of the world, as that He, in consistency with the perfections of His character and the principles of His government, may on the Saviour’s account reverse the sentence of condemnation passed on those in whose behalf He has interposed, and bestow on them blessings to which on their own account they have no claim.  The Saviour of men must be possessed of “all power in heaven and earth”—He must have the command of those divine influences which are necessary to make ignorant, foolish, depraved, miserable men, wise, good and happy; He must, too, have the control of all events which, directly or indirectly, bear upon their interest.  And, still further, the Saviour of men must, to fit Him for the discharge of His office, be able to enter into the feelings of those whom He is to deliver.

All these accomplishments are necessary to His being a perfect Saviour; and all these accomplishments were obtained by our Lord Jesus “through suffering.”  It was the patient, cheerful endurance of those penal evils which the law of God had denounced against sinners by the incarnate only begotten of God, that “magnified the divine law and made it honourable,” and made it not merely consistent with, but gloriously illustrative of, the righteousness as well as the mercy of God, to pardon and save the guiltiest of the guilty believing in Jesus.  The power and authority bestowed on Jesus Christ as Mediator are uniformly represented as the meritorious reward of His voluntary obedience unto the death.  “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief; when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.  He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied:  by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.  Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death:  and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”—“And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name.”  The power and disposition to sympathize with His people were obtained, and indeed could be obtained, in no other way but suffering.  If our High Priest can be “touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” it is because “He was in all things tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”  Without suffering, sin could not have been expiated; without the expiation of sin, the Saviour could not have obtained all power to give eternal life to men; and, from the very nature of the case, without suffering He would have been very imperfectly capable of sympathizing with the sufferers.  But by suffering He expiated sin; by suffering He obtained for Himself the control both of that inward influence and that physical power which are necessary to the salvation of His people, and He also acquired that experimental acquaintance with trial which peculiarly fits Him to succour them who are tried.

John Brown, Hebrews Quote 3

Hebrews  by John Brown  p. 105

    Let us examine this interesting passage somewhat more particularly.   Ver. 10.  “For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect though sufferings.”
    The first thing to which our attention is naturally called, on looking at this verse, is the appellation here given to the Supreme Being.  He is styled, He, “for whom are all things, and by whom are all things.”  The expression, all things, is one as comprehensive as language can furnish.  It includes all beings and all events.  All beings and all events are for God; i.e., the ultimate reason why the one exist and the other occur, is the manifestation of the glories of His character.  All beings and all events are by God; i.e. the one exist, and the other occur, in consequence of His will—they all originate in His appointment and in His agency.  His glory is the end, His will is the law, of the universe.

There is a beautiful appropriateness in the descriptive appellations given to God in the inspired writings.  They have almost uniformly a peculiar reference to the statement in the course of which they occur.  When the Apostle prays that the Roman Christians may be “likeminded one towards another,” he addresses the prayer to “the God of all patience and consolation;”  when he speaks of spiritual illumination, he describes God as “Him who commanded the light to shine out of darkness.”  We see the same appropriateness in the appellation here given to the Divinity, as will appear more distinctly when we come to show how the dispensation here referred to had a congruity with the character of God as “Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things.”

    This glorious Being, in the exercise of His high sovereignty, had formed a purpose of mercy with respect to a large portion of the human race, all of whom had by sin forfeited every claim on His kind regard, and rendered themselves the fit objects of His judicial displeasure and moral disapprobation.  It was His determination to “bring many sons to glory.”    He “predestined them to the adoption of children,” having “chosen them before the foundation of the world.”  Though in any past age of the church they have formed a very small minority of mankind, yet, considered collectively, they are “a multitude which no man can number, out of every kindred, and people, and tongue and nation.”
    

John Brown, Hebrews Quote 2

Ver. 16  “For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels;  but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.”
The meaning of these words, as they stand in our English version, is sufficiently obvious:  ‘The Son of God assumed into connection with His divine nature, not the nature of angels, but the nature of man;  and He did so by becoming a descendant of Abraham.’  This is an important truth, but it does not appear to me to be the truth intended by the inspired writer.  A careful reader will notice that our translators have inserted a very important word—the nature—in the first clause of the verse, to bring out the sense;  which, indeed, would have been required to be repeated in the second clause--‘but He took on Him the nature  of the seed of Abraham,’ as the expression ‘seed of Abraham’ never in Scripture means anything but the descendants, either natural or spiritual, of that patriarch;  and, in strict accuracy, perhaps the words on HIm should have been marked as a supplement also.

The words as they stand in the original are:  “For verily He took not angels, but He took the seed of Abraham.”  The word rendered “took” never, in either sacred or profane writers, is used to signify, ‘to assume, or to put on;’  the ordinary and primary signification is, ‘to lay hold of.’  The sense given in our version, though conveying an important truth, does not well suit the context.  The words seem a reason assigned for the statement made in the 14th and 15th verses.  The leading statement there is, “Inasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also took part of the same.”  Now, surely the Apostle would never assign as the reason of this,  “For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels, but that of man;”—that were just to say ‘He became incarnate, for He became incarnate.’  It is not in this way that the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews reasons, though his translators and interpreters have sometimes made him appear to reason so inconclusively.  (see note at bottom)
The real connection is:  ‘He assumed human nature, not angelic  nature;  for He is the Saviour not of angels, but of men.’  The word properly signifies ‘to lay hold of, to lay the hand on a person or thing.’  I may lay hold of a person for different and even opposite purposes.  I may lay hold of him to punish him.  I may lay hold of him to help him or deliver him.  The word in itself merely denotes ‘to lay hold of;’—the purpose must be gathered from the context.  There is no difficulty in the passage before us.  Salvation, deliverance, is the subject spoken of, and the word is to be understood in reference to that subject.  “He laid not hold on angels”—i.e., to save them—“but He laid hold on the seed of Abraham,” to save them.  Understood in this way, there is a close and important connection between these words and the preceding statement.  He became a partaker of “flesh and blood,” for His object was to save not angels but men.  It deserves notice, also, that the word is not in the past, but in the present time:  ‘He lays not hold on angels, but He lays hold.’  The assumption of human nature is a past event, but the salvation of His people is the constant employment of the Saviour.

Note:  Frommann (Opusc. P. 274) very justly remarks,  “If this interpretation stands, Paul must be said to have repeated one and the selfsame thought three times;  for this would be the thread of his utterance:  ‘For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same:  for He took not the nature of angels but of the seed of Abraham.  Wherefore it behoved Him in all things to be made like His brethren.’  What would this mean but—‘Christ became a partaker of true human nature:  for He became a partaker, not of the nature of angels, but of human nature.  Wherefore it behoved Him to become a partaker of human nature.’  Who, now, would think such stuff tolerable in the utterance, I will not say of a divine writer, but of a mere human writer?  ‘Christ is the deliver not of angels, but of men.’

John Brown, Hebrews Quote 1

From  Hebrews  by John Brown

    The revelation made by Jesus Christ consists of doctrines and precepts.  In order to take heed to one of the doctrines of Christ,--for example, the doctrine of the atonement,--the first thing is to endeavor to obtain distinct ideas of this doctrine, as stated by Christ—to apprehend clearly the meaning of the declarations in the Christian revelation on this subject.  We cannot properly give heed to anything, till we have distinctly ascertained what it is.  This is the radical part of the duty of consideration; and if we go wrong here, we are giving heed, not to the things we have heard of Christ, but, it may be, to the things we have heard of men only, or to the unauthorized suggestions of our own mind.  Distinct apprehensions of the meaning of Christian truth, are plainly, then, of primary importance.

    Having ascertained the meaning of a doctrine, we should “take heed” to its evidence, satisfying ourselves as to the divine origin of the statement which contains it.  This is obviously necessary, as its claims on our faith depend on this, and as it is only as believed that the doctrine will be effectual for the purposes it is intended to serve.
    Having ascertained the meaning and evidence of a doctrine, we ought to “give heed” to its importance—view it in its various relations to the perfections of the divine character, the principles of the divine government, the constitution and circumstances, the duties and interests, of mankind.

    And then as to the duties enjoined in the Christian revelation—to “give heed” to them, is first to attend to the terms in which the injunction is given, that we may clearly understand what is required of us, and then to attend to the motives which urge us to comply with the requisition, especially those which rise out of the character of God, and our relation to Him, as in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.  Such is the duty recommended by the Apostle, and such the manner in which we ought to discharge it.

    But we ought not only to give heed to the things which we have heard of the Lord, but we ought to “give the more earnest heed.”  The qualifying words “more earnest,” convey one of two ideas closely connected,--that Jesus Christ has a stronger claim on our attention than any angel or divine messenger; or, that the consideration of the essential and official glories of Jesus Christ, which are altogether unrivalled, should lead us to give a greater degree of attention to the statements He makes, than we would have been disposed to yield in other circumstances.  The general idea is, that the personal and mediatorial  excellences of Christ suggest strong additional motives to a diligent study of the revelation He has made.  ‘We ought; it is reasonable and right, seeing He is so much better than the angels, that we give the closest attention our minds are capable of to a revelation coming from so high a source, and through so dignified a medium.’

Sunday School Lessons: Acts 2 Pt. 2

 

 Lesson 4

Acts 2:14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!

Who was with Peter?
To whom was Peter speaking?

These were all Jews; the church was made up of all Jews on the day of Pentecost.  (Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, ends of the earth—eventually the church would expand to include Gentile believers)

Acts 2: 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

He is saying “this is LIKE what was spoken by Joel.  How do we know this?

Acts 2: 17" 'In the last days, God says,
      I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
   Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
      your young men will see visions,
      your old men will dream dreams.
 18Even on my servants, both men and women,
      I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
      and they will prophesy.
 19I will show wonders in the heaven above
      and signs on the earth below,
      blood and fire and billows of smoke.
 20The sun will be turned to darkness
      and the moon to blood
      before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
 21And everyone who calls
      on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

Peter is quoting this as a reminder that the pouring out of the Holy Spirit was foretold.  The men were mocking the Apostles, suggesting they were drunk.  In this way, Peter is letting them know that this is nothing strange—they should have been expecting it!  We know that this isn’t a complete fulfillment of the Joel passage, though, because not everything that Joel predicted happened on that particular day.

Acts 2:22"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

After Peter has just told them that what happened that day should not be surprising, he goes on to say two important things.

1. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection was not a surprise to God, nor did it happen outside of His control.  He determined it and He knew it would happen just the way it did.

    2.  Even though He planned it, that did not take the responsibility away from those who were responsible for bringing it about historically.

Who was responsible for bringing it about?
    Religious rulers
    Crowds
    Judas
    Roman government
    All of us, because of our sin

We needed a Savior!  Jesus went to the cross “for the joy that was set before Him (He) endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

The people that Peter was speaking to may have been part of the crowd that cried, “Crucify Him!” 

The theme of the first sermon preached in the newly formed church was about Christ—His life, His death, His burial, His resurrection!  Peter was telling them the Good News—the Gospel!

Acts 2:25David said about him:
   " 'I saw the Lord always before me.
      Because he is at my right hand,
      I will not be shaken.
 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
      my body also will live in hope,
 27because you will not abandon me to the grave,
      nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
 28You have made known to me the paths of life;
      you will fill me with joy in your presence.'

Peter is quoting Psalm 16, where David is speaking about the resurrection of Christ.  It was a prophecy that has now been fulfilled:

29"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
   " 'The Lord said to my Lord:
      "Sit at my right hand
 35until I make your enemies
      a footstool for your feet." '
 36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Peter was reminding them that David could not have been talking about himself because he had died and they all knew where his grave was!  And in vs. 32, he reminds them that they were ALL witnesses of the resurrection.
Peter quotes Psalm 110 to let them know where Jesus is now and what He is doing.  He is in heaven, seated at the right Hand of the Father, and He is both Lord and Savior. 

37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

This message convicted them of their sin.  They wanted to know what they should do.  Notice, these men are no longer mocking the Apostles, they are calling them “brothers.”

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
 40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
 42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Peter tells them they must repent and be baptized.
 
Review the Great Commission. 

Jesus had told the Apostles to wait for the Holy Spirit to come and now He is here.  He will be given to all believers—those present that day and every believer that God adds to the church—all whom the Lord our God will call.

Salvation belongs to God!

Peter continued to preach and warned them against going back to their old ways.
The hearers believed Peter and were baptized that day.  Three thousand!   
These new believers’ lives were changed!  They “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread (communion) and to prayer. 

What else did they do?

How did all this change effect their lives?

Who did the signs and wonders?

Who added to the church?

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students.  You can find lessons for previous chapters here.

Sunday School Lessons: Acts 2 Pt. 1

Acts 2:  Pentecost
Acts 2:1-13                        Acts 2:14-47
The Coming of the Holy Spirit            The First Sermon

2:1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.

Jewish Feasts
Passover—Represents the Death of Jesus
First Fruits—Represents the Resurrection
Pentecost—represents the Church
    Types, shadows, signs
When the day of Pentecost was “fully come” or fulfilled.
They were all together in one place
    Who? Where?  What were they doing?  Why were they doing it?

Acts 2:2-3  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

    The coming of the Holy Spirit wasn’t the wind but it sounded like a mighty rushing wind.  There were tongues “as of fire” but it wasn’t fire. 
It got their attention; they knew something unique was happening!

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Jesus told them this would happen (Read Acts 1:4-5)

What does it mean to be “filled with the Holy Spirit?”

Three things have to happen first:

Regeneration (born again) John 3:5
Indwelt by the Spirit (Romans 8:9)
Sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14
This filling, or baptism, placed the believers into the church.  (1 Corinthians 12:13)
Our baptism is a sign, too; it signifies something.  It is a sign of God’s placing the individual into the Church.

“They spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance”
   
    These are not unknown tongues.
    Jews from all over were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost

All men were required to come for three of the Feasts, some did not speak Hebrew.
The Apostles were from Galilee; they spoke Hebrew and Aramaic.  They did not know how to speak some of the languages that were represented by the men present that day.  The Holy Spirit helped them to speak in the languages of those who were there.

Just like Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, the day of Pentecost happened on a single day in history.  Its miracle does not have to be repeated over and over.  The Holy Spirit came on that day just as Jesus had said, and is here now.  The Holy Spirit is in the world today and His job is to glorify Jesus (Jn. 16:14)

Acts 2:5-6 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

This drew a crowd.  Every one heard them speak in his own language.  The Gospel, the Good News of the mighty acts of God, was being preached and the people could understand it.

Acts 2: 7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God."

There were people from three continents present, both Jews and proselytes (converts)

Acts 2: 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?"

They were amazed and confused.  “What is going on???”

Acts 2: 13 But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."

Some didn’t believe it was from God. They thought they were drunk. 

Review:  So, what just happened?

The Holy Spirit called out a body of believers to form the Church. This was the fulfillment of the OT Feast of Pentecost

Remember, the Feast of Firstfruits pointed to Christ’s Resurrection.
Christ stayed with the believers for 40 days before He ascended.
The Feast of Pentecost happened 50 days after the Firstfruits, so that means the believers waited for 10 days for the coming of the Spirit.

From the Resurrection to the Ascension was 40 days
From the Resurrection to Pentecost was 50 days
 

Sunday School Lessons: Acts 1 Pt. 2

 

Lesson 3 

The Ascension and the Promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:9-11)

9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
 10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

Vs. 9:  “cloud hid him from their sight”
    The people watched Him go.  They “saw”
Vs. 10:  While they were watching 2 angels appeared.
    Angels are God’s messengers.
Vs. 11  Their Message
    This same Jesus
        Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever
    “who has been taken from you into heaven”
        Jesus went to Heaven.  He is alive there with His body
    “will come back”
        Jesus is going to return to this earth someday
    “in the same way you have seen him go into heaven”
This same Jesus will return from heaven to earth at the same place in the same way. 

(Zech 14:4) On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. (Acts 1:12 tells us that Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives.)

1 Thessalonians 4:13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Waiting for the Spirit:  Acts 1:12-15

12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. 13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
 15In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)

Vs. 12:  They returned to Jerusalem (review Acts 1:8)
    A Sabbath’s journey was about 1 mile.
Vs. 13  Who was there? A list of some of the believers who went into the upper room to wait for the Spirit.    
Peter
    John
    James
    Andrew
    Philip
    Thomas
    Bartholomew
    Matthew
    James
    Simon
    Judas
    Mary
    Other women
    Jesus’ brothers
 

What were they doing?
They were praying together.  They were in one accord.  The women were meeting together with the men.
Disciples-learners (120)  these are believers
Apostles-representatives/leaders (12) these are leaders, chosen and sent by Jesus.
Vs.15 Peter stood up
    Peter was the spokesman.
Apostles Appointed (Acts 1:16-26)

"Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus— 17he was one of our number and shared in this ministry."
 18(With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
 20"For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms,
   " 'May his place be deserted;
      let there be no one to dwell in it,' and,
   " 'May another take his place of leadership.' 21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."
 23So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." 26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

 Vs. 16- 18(With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.
    Re: Judas the Betrayer
    Judas’ role as the betrayer was foretold and fore-ordained
God is Sovereign, even in the betrayal of Jesus.  We’ll talk more about this in the next chapter.
Vs. 19-20  more about Judas
    He was to be replaced by another
Vs. 21-22    2 men nominated
    Qualifications
        They were with Jesus and the disciples for the entire time
        They witnessed His ascension
Vs. 23-26  Joseph and Matthias
    They prayed
    They cast lots
    Matthias was chosen
Matthias is never mentioned in scripture again.  Paul is considered the 12th apostle and the one who replaced Judas.  How do we know this?

Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead

Review conclusions of Gospels:
    Matthew—resurrection
    Mark—ascension
    Luke—promis of the Holy Spirit
    John—promise of His second coming.
All these are present in the first chapter of the book of Acts—a bridge from the Gospels to the Church.

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students.  You can find lessons for previous chapters here.

Sunday School Lessons: Acts 1 Pt. 1

Lesson Two:
Section One:  Jerusalem

Jesus Christ at Work by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles in Jerusalem

OUTLINE Chapter 1  
The Coming of the Spirit
        1.  Intro 1:1-2
        2.  Post resurrection ministry of Jesus (40 days) 1:3-8
        3.  Ascension and Promised return 1:9-11
        4.  Waiting for the Spirit 1:12-15
        5.  Appointment of an Apostle 1:16-26

Review:

Who wrote the Book of Acts:
What is it about?
How is the book divided according to Acts 1:8:

    But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Read Acts 1:1-2 (Intro)

1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Vs 1.    “the first account” is the Gospel of Luke
    Theophilus is also mentioned in the introduction of Luke’s Gospel
    “all that Jesus began to do and teach”—that is the Gospel!
        Jesus is still doing and teaching!

Vs. 2 just because he was taken up into heaven doesn’t mean he stopped “doing and teaching.”  Now he works through the Holy Spirit.  Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father—the seat of authority.  (Prophet, Priest, King)

40 day ministry of Jesus (1:3-8)
 Read:

3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  (that’s our key verse!)

Vs. 3  “he presented Himself alive”
There are 10 recorded appearances of Jesus between His resurrection and His ascension.  This was important to those living during this period of time in history.

This is important to us today—we have a living Savior (He ever lives to make intercession for us)

Vs. 4-5 the believers are gathered together and commanded by Jesus to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Father.  The promise of the Father was that they would receive the Holy Spirit that Jesus had told them about.

This is a spiritual baptism and an important part of the birth of the church.

Vs. 6 “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
    This was not a foolish question.  They were looking for the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament who would establish and everlasting kingdom. (vs. 3—kingdom of God).  Jesus had just been talking to them about “things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Vs. 7 He lets them know that they will not have all the answers.  Neither will we.  This was not what Jesus was talking to them about at this time.  It is not up to us to know the future.  It is our responsibility to obey what is clearly taught in the Bible.  Jesus is giving them a commission—a job to do.  (Review from last week)

Vs: 8 This is a command to the church as a whole and to individual believers.  The church is a body made up of individuals.  We will see and understand this more and more as we go on in the study of the book of Acts.

So, what is the command?

To be a “witness of me” means to tell people about who Jesus is and what he has done and is doing.  That is the Gospel!

We are to share what we are learning so that others can learn and know Christ!  

We need power from the Holy Spirit
        To understand the Gospel
        To tell others about Jesus
        To obey His commands

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students.  You can find lessons for previous chapters here.

Sunday School Lessons: Introduction to Acts

Lesson One:
Intro to the Book of Acts

Written by Dr. Luke
    Luke was a physician and historian:
As a doctor, he was used to paying close attention to details.  The same skills that made him a great doctor made him a great historian.

The Book of Acts is a bridge between the Gospels and the letters (epistles)

Each Gospel ends in a different fact about Jesus:

Matthew ended in His resurrection
Matthew 28:18

Mark ended with His ascension (going back to heaven)
Mark 16:16

Luke ended with the Promise of the Holy Spirit
Luke 24:49

John ended with the Promise of the Second Coming of Christ
John 21:22

Each one of these facts about Jesus is mentioned in the first chapter of Acts.

The Great Commission appears in all 4 Gospels and is confirmed in Acts 1.
(Matt 28:18, Mark 13:10 and 16:15, Luke 24:47, and John 17:18 and 20:21)

Acts is the history of the church; its birth and early development.

The Key verse is Acts 1:8:

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The book divides into sections according to this verse:

Chapter One—the Holy Spirit comes upon the church
Chapters 1-7—the church in Jerusalem
Chapters 8-12—the church in Judea and Samaria
Chapters 12-end—the church in “the ends of the earth”

Acts has no proper ending.  Why?  Because the story continues!

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students.  You can find lessons for subsequent chapters here.

Catching Up On Books Read II

Has it really been JULY since I updated this blog?

 **blush**

 I hope you don't think I've given up reading since then!

 I have been reading--alot.

 Let's see; I've read or re-read all the Harry Potter Books.  I've read Faithfulness and Holiness by J.I. Packer (the book is divided into two sections.  The first is a bio of J.C. Ryle by J.I. Packer and the second part is "Holiness" by J.C. Ryle.)

I've also read:

The Creed of Presbyterians by Egbert Watson Smith

Hebrews by Richard Phillips (haven't quite finished it yet!) 

Calvin's Commentary on Hebrews (great free resource!)

The Inklings, by Humphrey Carpenter

I read parts of Little Women (my favorite parts from childhood) 

Oh, I know there are others but I these are the ones I can think of!

I've also been reading copiously in Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology. 

Studies in the Person And Work of Jesus Christ: The Crucifixion of Christ

For our lesson this Thursday, we will all read the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion.

Matthew 26:17-27:61; Mark 14:12-15:47;Luke 22:7-23:56; John 13:1-19:42.  

Each member has been assigned one of the Gospels in particular and is encouraged to concentrate most of her study in that one book, however, comparing it to the others.

In addition to the reading of the Gospel accounts, I will be researching crucifixion in its historical context as well as the medical and physical aspects of the death of Christ and will share that material.  

Each member will share a little bit about her assigned Gospel account; what she learned, how she felt as she read it, questions that came to mind during her study, observations about Christ’s apparent physical, spiritual, emotional condition, considering all in the context of what we have learned so far about His Person—two natures, One Person—and His Work, both His passive and active obedience.  Also, we will take the time to observe the reactions of those around him during this period of time and  really follow the movements of the narrative—there were a lot of people and places involved in this relatively short period of time.

I suspect that this will be a difficult lesson emotionally, and one which we will want to spend some time just talking about on a more personal level.

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Studies in the Person And Work of Jesus Christ: The Humanity of Christ

On Thursday, we will work our way through Michael Bremmer's article on The Incarnation of Christ.

It begins with a discussion the incarnation and the virgin birth followed by scripture references.  We've already covered this material previously, so we will concentrate on the following:

The Humanity of Jesus

The Sinlessness of Jesus Christ

The Hypostatical Union

The Implications of Christ's Humanity

WILL UPDATE NOTES IF THERE IS TIME 

Studies in the Person And Work of Jesus Christ: The Divinity of Christ

Today we will be discussing "The Divinity of Christ" by J. Ligon Duncan.

Who is Jesus? Is He divine? Such questions have exercised the minds of thoughtful inquirers for nigh unto two thousand years since Jesus of Nazareth completed his earthly ministry. His disciples, by their own admission, had wrestled with his identity during the years of their training. But after the ascension and Pentecost they never evidenced the slightest doubt as to the right answer. We Christians, as believers in and witnesses to Christ, must be firmly grounded in our understanding of and commitment to the deity of our Lord-not only that we might testify of Him to others, but also for His glory and our spiritual welfare. 

 Using Westminster Larger Catechism Question 38 as a jumping off point, Duncan gives us eight theological reasons for the indispensability of the deity of our Lord.

Question 38: "Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?"

     A38:  It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death;[1] give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession;[2] and to satisfy God's justice,[3] procure his favor,[4] purchase a peculiar people,[5] give his Spirit to them,[6] conquer all their enemies,[7] and bring them to everlasting salvation.[8]

1.  Acts. 2:24-25; Rom. 1:4; 4:25; Heb. 9:14
2.  Acts 20:28; Heb. 7:25-28; 9:14
3.  Rom. 3:24-26
4.  Eph. 1:6; Matt. 3:17
5.  Titus. 2:13-14
6.  Gal. 4:6
7.  Luke 1:68-69, 71, 74
8.  Heb. 5:8-9; 9:11-15

Eight Theological Reasons for the indispensability of the deity of our Lord:

(1) Christ's divinity was necessary to bear the force of the atonement. The weight of the wrath of God, for the sins of the world, is so great that no mere mortal could have borne it. It was Christ's lot to drink that cup to its bitter dregs. Only a divine Savior could have survived it.

    (2) Christ's divinity was necessary to imbue his mediatorial labors with limitless value. An almost infinite satisfaction was due God in view of the sins of humanity. No finite being could pay such a price and thus answer the full requirements of strict covenantal justice.

    (3) Christ's divinity was necessary to quit God's punitive wrath. The covenant of works required perfect and personal obedience, upon penalty of death. The consequent defection of Adam and Eve from their covenantal obligation plunged the whole race into an age-long rebellion against God. Only the Father's costly sacrifice of his beloved only begotten Son was adequate to fulfill the just sentence due us all from the Almighty.

    (4) Christ's divinity was necessary to secure the Father's favor. Not because God had to be forced or coaxed to love his people. Not at all. Indeed, the atonement did not "make" God love us, but rather is the expression of his love and indispensable condition of his covenantal favor towards us. Nevertheless, once God set his love on us to redeem us, and infinite penalty and positive righteousness was required to secure his eternal benediction. Such an accomplishment required the divine Savior.

    (5) Christ's divinity was necessary to redeem a people for himself. The divine Christ literally purchased his people Christ earned our salvation. We are saved by works: his works! Only a divine savior could have paid the costly purchase price for redeeming us from our bondage to sin and death.

    (6) Christ's divinity was necessary for the pouring out of the Spirit on his people. It was essential that our salvation be both accomplished and applied. Christ told his disciples that it was necessary that he ascend to the right hand of the Father in order to send the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:7). Only the eternal God-man holds the right to send the Spirit where he will, that his salvation might be applied to all his people.

    (7) Christ's divinity was necessary for the conquest of all his people's enemies. Our Lord, the Captain of our Salvation, not only made satisfaction for the condemning power of sin, but also decisively destroyed the might of Satan, the world, and death. This destructive work of redemption required the infinite capacities of the divine Captain of the Hosts of the Lord.

    (8) Christ's divinity was necessary to accomplish our everlasting salvation. Our eternal blessedness essentially consists in the enjoyment of our Savior. He is not only the author of our redemption, he is the matter of it. He is not merely the means of our salvation, he is the goal of it. In glory we are not only made happy by him, but in him. Only a divine savior could serve as the great fountain of blessedness for all redeemed humanity.

We will also briefly discuss current historic challenges to the Divinity of Christ.

 Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?"  As Duncan puts it, "Suffice it to say, from any perspective, this question is not only worth asking and studying, it is one we had better answer carefully."

Matthew 16:13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

20x Books

Just finished 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Hebrews this morning.

In case anyone wants to know, I am using Faith Comes By Hearing Tapes (NKJV) [ISBN 1-57449-067-2]

You can listen to samples of the dramatized vs. non dramatized.  I prefer the NON dramatized.

I think I'll do Revelation next.