by Paul Apple | Aug 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: AS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT, CHRIST’S SACRIFICE IS CLEARLY SUPERIORINTRODUCTION:By this point the subject matter becomes repetitive as the author hammers home his indisputable arguments regarding the superiority of the New Covenant. His focus is on...
by Paul Apple | Aug 16, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ONLY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST UNDER THE NEW COVENANT CAN CLEANSE THE CONSCIENCE AND OBTAIN ETERNAL REDEMPTIONINTRODUCTION:Having clearly set forth the limitations of the Old Covenant, the author of Hebrews is now prepared to turn our attention back to the...
by Paul Apple | Aug 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE OLD COVENANT WORSHIP SYSTEM WITH ITS EXTERNAL FOCUS ON THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY AND PRIESTLY SERVICE MUST BE VIEWED AS INADEQUATE AND TEMPORARYINTRODUCTION:Since the Old Covenant system had become obsolete and was now replaced with the New Covenant, how...
by Paul Apple | Aug 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE NEW COVENANT WITH ITS BETTER PROMISES NECESSITATES THE ABANDONMENT OF THE INADEQUATE OLD COVENANTINTRODUCTION:[We covered verse 6 in the last section … but it is the perfect transition and must be included in this second half of the chapter as well.]As...
by Paul Apple | Aug 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CHRIST’S MINISTRY IS SUPERIOR BECAUSE HE MINISTERS IN A BETTER SANCTUARY AND MEDIATES A BETTER COVENANTINTRODUCTION:This section provides a transition from focusing on the superiority of the priesthood of Jesus Christ to the superiority of His New Covenant...
by Paul Apple | Aug 12, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE SUPERIORITY OF CHRIST’S PRIESTHOOD BRINGS NEW COVENANT ACCESS TO GODINTRODUCTION:This passage represents a monumental transition in God’s dealings with mankind. Because of the intrinsic connection between the priesthood system and the corresponding...
by Paul Apple | Aug 11, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE GREATNESS OF MELCHIZEDEK TYPIFIES THE SUPERIOR PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST – KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACEINTRODUCTION:Here we have the extended introduction to the mysterious person of Melchizedek. He has already been mentioned, but now we have the...
by Paul Apple | Aug 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: KEEP PRESSING TOWARDS THE GOAL BECAUSE THE CERTAIN HOPE OF OBTAINING GOD’S PROMISES IS ANCHORED IN GOD’S OWN GUARANTEEINTRODUCTION:The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints might be seen as unsettling. How can I really know that my faith is genuine and...
by Paul Apple | Aug 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FAILURE TO PROGRESS TO GENUINE CHRISTIANITY DOOMS ONE TO THE FRUITLESS LIFE OF IRREVERSIBLE APOSTASYINTRODUCTION:There are certain basic transitional truths that build upon Old Covenant doctrine and prepare the new Jewish convert to embrace the teachings of...
by Paul Apple | Aug 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: 4 MARKS OF SPIRITUAL DELINQUENTS – IT’S TIME TO GROW UPINTRODUCTION:Definition of Delinquent: “failure in or neglect of duty or obligation”The author of Hebrews feels the need to take a timeout in his presentation of the superiority of the priesthood of...
by Paul Apple | Aug 5, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE QUALIFICATIONS AND DIVINE APPOINTMENT OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE HIGH PRIESTLY ROLE ARE LINKED TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEKINTRODUCTION:In light of what the Jews understood about the role of the high priest from the Levitical system in the OT, how could Jesus...
by Paul Apple | Aug 4, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: 3 PASTORAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE SUPERIORITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF JESUS CHRISTINTRODUCTION:This is a perfect transitional paragraph that bridges the gap between what we have already learned of the superiority of Christ and our new section that will focus on...
by Paul Apple | Aug 3, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: AVOID HARDNESS OF HEART AND UNBELIEF SO YOU DON’T MISS OUT ON PERSEVERING IN FAITH AND REALIZING GOD’S RESTINTRODUCTION:The confusing aspect of this topic of entering into God’s rest is that there are so many different levels of how the term “Rest” can be...
by Paul Apple | Aug 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: AVOID HARDNESS OF HEART AND UNBELIEF BY RESPONDING IN FAITH AND ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER TO PERSEVEREINTRODUCTION:The history of the Jewish nation documents the failure of the people in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses to obey God and trust His...
by Paul Apple | Jul 31, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PERSEVERE IN THE FAITH BY CONSIDERING JESUS AS SUPERIOR TO MOSESINTRODUCTION:Moses was the most revered spiritual leader in all of Judaism. Without disparaging the honor or faithful service of this Jewish icon, the author of Hebrews in a few short verses...
by Paul Apple | Jul 30, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CHRIST’S SUPERIORITY OVER ANGELS NOT COMPROMISED BY HIS HUMANITYINTRODUCTION:Throughout the gospel accounts we witnessed the disciples of Christ struggling to wrap their minds around the apparent incongruity of a Suffering Savior. It was difficult enough to...
by Paul Apple | Jul 29, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: IN LIGHT OF THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST, PAY ATTENTION TO THE AUTHENTICATED GOSPEL MESSAGE LEST YOU DRIFT AWAY AND SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCESINTRODUCTION:This parenthetical warning is directed towards some group of professing Jewish converts who were under severe...
by Paul Apple | Jul 28, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: SERIES OF 7 OT MESSIANIC QUOTATIONS PROVE THE SUPERIORITY OF JESUS CHRIST OVER ANGELSINTRODUCTION:The Superiority of Jesus Christ over angels is not just a doctrinal exercise. It lies at the heart of the sufficiency of Christ to be an adequate Savior who can...
by Paul Apple | Jul 28, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: NT REVELATION IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST TO ALL MANKIND IS FAR SUPERIOR TO OT REVELATION THROUGH THE PROPHETS TO THE JEWISH PATRIARCHSINTRODUCTION:What does the phrase “Progressive Revelation” mean to you? The unspecified author of this book to Jewish...
by Paul Apple | Jul 24, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: TRANSFORMED DISCIPLES, NOW CONFIDENT OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION AND WITNESSES TO HIS ASCENSION, REJOICE AS THEY AWAIT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO EMPOWER THEIR TESTIMONYINTRODUCTION:Jesus presents Himself as “The Truth.” We have seen in the Gospel of John the...