JESUS, THE TRUE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST
Hebrews 3:1 – 4:16
Key verse 3:1
* Fix Your Thoughts On Jesus (3:1-19)
How does the author call and urge the readers for this letter (1; 2:11)? How does he describe Jesus and what does it mean that we fix our thoughts on Jesus? What is our heavenly calling? (1Ti 3:15,1Pe2:9, Mt 5:13,14; Mk 3:13,14) How and why is Jesus worthy of greater honor than Moses? (2-6a) What does “God’s house” refer to? (6b,1Tim 3:15; 1Pe 2:5) Why is it important to hold firmly to our confidence and hope? (6; Eph 4:12)
What warning does the author give in quoting Psalm 95:7-11? (7-11) How does the author encourage God’s house through the example of the Israelites in the desert? (12-15) What does the word “Today” imply (13; 2Cor 6:2) Why does the author raise some questions regarding their turning away from God? (16-18) Why is it important to know which serious consequence the unbelief has caused? (19)
* Christ, The Rest Of God (4:1-16)
What does the author encourage us and the Jewish Christians to do? (1) Why does God let the promise of entering his rest still stand even after the failure of the Israelites? (2-6) What did God promise through David later? (7-10) How do creation, redemption, and entering his kingdom stand in relation to each other? (3b-5; Gen 2:2; Mt 11:28,29; Rev 14:13) How can we enter God’s rest? (1-3, 11) What does it mean to “make every effort”? (2:1; 3:1,6,14; 4:2-3)
What insight must we have before the word of God and before God regarding entering God’s rest? (12,13) On what basis may we approach God’s throne of grace with confidence? (14-16) What kind of great high priest is Jesus? (14,15; 1:2,3,5; 2:17; 3:1,6) How does Jesus, the great high priest, help us? (16)