by Paul Apple | Aug 24, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ONLY A LIFE OF FAITH PLEASES GOD – HISTORICAL EXAMPLES OF THE FAITH OF THE PATRIARCHS THAT LOOKED FORWARD TO GOD’S PROMISES FOR THE FUTUREINTRODUCTION:The previous examples of faith predated the establishment of the nation of Israel. Now the author moves on...
by Paul Apple | Aug 24, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ONLY A LIFE OF FAITH PLEASES GOD – HISTORICAL EXAMPLES OF ABEL, ENOCH AND NOAHINTRODUCTION:The fundamental principle being illustrated by these key OT historical figures is that the righteous must live by faith if they want to please God. The essence of...
by Paul Apple | Aug 22, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FAITH IS THE MEANS:- TO FOCUS ON THE FUTURE,- TO REALIZE UNSEEN REALITIES,- TO GAIN GOD’S GRACE AND- TO COMPREHEND CREATIONINTRODUCTION:I don’t want to confuse you here. I am not talking about “the fundamentals of the faith” – that would be all of the great...
by Paul Apple | Aug 21, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PERSEVERE IN LOVE, HOPE AND FAITH CONSISTENT WITH YOUR EARLY CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCEINTRODUCTION:This passage tracks nicely with vv.22-25 in terms of working through the triad of love, hope and faith from the orientation of perseverance. The author also works...
by Paul Apple | Aug 20, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PERSISTENT DELIBERATE SIN SHOWS CONTEMPT FOR CHRIST AND HIS SACRIFICE AND WILL BE JUDGED WITHOUT MERCY AS APOSTASYINTRODUCTION:The warning passages in Chapter 6 and here in Chapter 10 are especially difficult because the language seems to describe genuine...
by Paul Apple | Aug 20, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE REALITY OF THE SUPERIOR PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST IMPACTS BOTH OUR STANDING BEFORE GOD AND OUR STEADFASTNESS IN FAITH, HOPE AND LOVEINTRODUCTION:Here we begin the final section of the Book of Hebrews. The great lofty truths of the superiority of Jesus Christ...
by Paul Apple | Aug 19, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE ONCE-FOR-ALL SACRIFICE OF CHRIST PROVIDES THE ULTIMATE CLEANSING AND FORGIVENESS THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE UNDER THE OLD COVENANTINTRODUCTION:This section completes the author’s doctrinal presentation before he launches into practical applications beginning in...
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...
