Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction**
Gessius Florus, was the last Roman procurator (governor) of Judea from 64 to 66 AD.
He was notorious for his cruelty and generally hated by the Jews.
He had no love for them, either.
When tax revenues were low, he seized money from the temple, which didn't help matters.
And as the uproar against him grew, he sent troops into Jerusalem and there was a massacre of 3,000 Jews.
And
That was in 66 AD.
This stirred up the first Jewish revolt, which began and then ended at Masada, a fortress stronghold near the Dead Sea.
Soon, all Judea joined in the revolt and after that Galilee.
A relatively small Roman force of 20,000 soldiers moved from Syria to Jerusalem where they besieged the city.
That lasted about 6 months and ultimately failed.
The siege failed and 6,000 Roman soldiers were killed … leaving the Israelites with Roman weapons.
The Emperor Nero then sent General Vespasian to take care of the rebellion.
Vespasian took down opposition in Galilee, and elsewhere and then moved in to circle Jerusalem.
But at this same time, Nero died and Vespasian assumed the throne.
He sent his son, Titus, to crush the revolt.
In the meantime, the Jews, who were once united in revolt, became fractured into various groups who couldn't agree on how to defend the city.
As the city was besieged once again, people began to die from starvation and plague.
The Romans pounded the city and it's walls with Catapults and Battering Rams.
During the day the Jews fought and at night they tried to rebuild the walls.
When the Romans broke through the walls surrounding the city, those Jews who could ran to the Temple.
But they eventually were taken or killed and the Temple was burned.
The stones of the temple were overturned and cast down to get to the melted gold and other treasures.
The destruction of the Temple put an immediate end to the sacrificial system.
But it was no longer needed.
40 years before, the Lamb of God, Jesus had been sacrificed on the Cross, fulfilling the sacrificial system by appeasing the wrath of God and reconciling to God all who believe on Christ.
The only way for God’s wrath against sinful man to be appeased and for us to be reconciled to God is through Jesus Christ.
There is no other way.
Seeing that Christ, "is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world" it would make no sense For Christians Especially to return in any way to the sacrificial and temple system.
Do not read below:
The letter to the Hebrews was written prior to the destruction of the Temple.
And it was written to Jewish believers who were being tempted to return to the old system.
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Last week we wrapped up chapter 5 and so today we move into chapter 6 of Hebrews.
Now, since chapter 1 … in fact, immediately in chapter 1 without any introduction, the author started putting forth his argument that Jesus is better.
He's better than the forefathers.
He's better than the prophets.
He's better than the angels.
He's better than Moses.
He's better than Aaron.
He's better than any of the High Priests.
But starting with verse 12 of chapter 5, the author took a detour.
He had just started talking about the better High-Priesthood of Jesus when he suddenly says, "Concerning this we have much to say and it is difficult to explain since you have become sluggish of hearing."
Do not read below:
Hebrews 5
(I used the Lexham English Bible because it gives a better translation of this verse, using "which"instead of "whom"as the NKJV does.)
He then went on to explain that while they should have been mature and knowledgable enough to teach others, they have instead reverted back to immaturity.
After saying this, the author then went on to explain that while they should have been mature and knowledgable enough to teach others, they have instead reverted back to immaturity.
They were not progressing beyond the "elementary principles of Christ"… in fact, they needed someone to re-teach them those "basic"things.
At the root of the issue is their lack of response to theological instruction.
We know that they had heard the elementary things and had progressed to deeper things, but had slid backwards.
In fact, they had not regressed just to the basics … but according to what the author said in verse 12, they needed to be taught the basics again!
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The enemy of regression is perseverance.
Hebrews 5:12
The enemy of regression is perseverance.
Perseverance in theological truth prevents drifting away.
The original audience of this letter were believing Jews who were drifting backward into the things that Christ fulfilled.
They were getting back into the sacrificial system and the temple system.
Because they were clinging to the shadow, they were unable to mature in theological truth.
Your theology will always direct your doxology.
If your theology takes you back to the law, then your doxology will reflect it … hence they were being drawn back to the system Christ fulfilled.
And thus they were turning back to the wilderness … that is works … instead of entering into the rest that Christ's satisfaction of the law gives us from works.
Theology that is based on Christ's fulfillment of the law produces a greater doxology because by grace that veil of separation was torn.
They were distracted by the shadow and missing the substance.
The former things … the sacrificial system, the Tabernacle and it's implements, the Priesthood … were shadows.
The substance is of Christ … He fulfilled these things.
Do not read below:
Colossians
In fact, Paul wrote that we have, "Died with Christ from the basic principles of the world."
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Colossians 2:20
The immature can only handle the milk … the basics.
Colossians
The mature, however, are able to handle the "solid food"… that is, the advanced teachings of the faith.
In regards to what the author is presenting in this letter, the milk would be the basics … what Jesus Christ did on earth … His birth, teaching, death, burial, and resurrection.
So then, the “meat” of the Word is the teaching about our Lord’s ministry now in heaven as our High Priest.
The author will continue along those lines in chapters 7-10.
We grow in the Christian life on the basis of His ongoing work in heaven.
For now, though, the author moves on to challenge them to make a course correction and move on to maturity.
The author wishes to challenge his hearers with this image of maturity that they might wade with him into the deeper waters of the following chapters.
His hope is that they will repent of their spiritual immaturity, grasp hold of the deeper matters of the faith, and, ultimately, endure in the face of persecution.
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We might wonder, though, that if they are so immature … and as a result unable to handle such advanced teaching, … why doesn't he stop now and school them?
The author wishes to challenge his hearers with this image of maturity that they might wade with him into the deeper waters of the following chapters.
His hope is that they will repent of their spiritual immaturity, grasp hold of the deeper matters of the faith, and, ultimately, endure in the face of persecution.
Instead, as we'll see, he begins by saying, "Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ."
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Instead of stooping down to them, he lifts them up to move them on to maturity.
Taking them back to what they already know but have regressed from is not going to move them forward to maturity.
In fact, we might be surprised for the author to say, ἀφίημι aphiēmi … leave … abandon the discussion of these elementary truths of the faith.
ἀφίημι aphiēmi: leave; abandon
This doesn't mean the basics are dispensable … that they aren't important.
The ABC's are necessary to move beyond kindergarten.
Instead, he's confronting their indifference to the weightier matters and their need to move to a new level of commitment.
We all start as babies.
And we all love babies.
But as parents we all expect our babies to grow up and mature so that they can enjoy life as a mature adult.
God has the same desire for His children, and that is why He calls us to "Go on to maturity."
So, with all that being said, let’s pray and move on into Hebrews chapter 6.
Prayer: Lord, as we embark to study your Word, we ask that our hearts would be open to receive all that You have to say to us.
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