How does a letter written to a handful of Jews in the first century have any relevance to a small group of Americans (who are getting ready to read this book together) today? How much would we relate to a letter that refers to Hebrew law, high priests, the temple, angels, and the order of Melchizedek? Honestly, these may sound like reasons to leave this book of the Bible for the history-loving, academic type people. We may be tempted to say something like "let's move on to the books of the Bible that are more applicable to us today."
Don't buy it.
You and I have far more in common with this book and its original readers than many people realize. In particular, if you are a follower of Christ who is enduring trials and is in need encouragement, this book has tremendous relevance and impact on every day life. Frankly, I don't know anyone who wouldn't like to be built up to have greater resolve and encouragement to live in Christ.
We don't know for certain who authored this letter and we don't know the specific circumstance it was written for because the letter itself does not explicitly say. However, the contents of the letter provide significant context that help us understand their story with relative clarity.
Consider with me how this letter would have sounded given the recipients circumstances. Drawing from the clues within the text, imagine the situation and need for hope.
The Arrival of a Letter
A small house church of Jews gathered late one night, avoiding sight and contact with others as they made their way quietly. Each of these people had daringly converted to Christianity during the hight of Christian persecution in Rome, causing them to face the loss of property, privilege, freedom, and potentially life. Now rejected by families, by their tradition, by the temple, and by their government, following Christ has offered no worldly gain but has brought much suffering. The pressure to turn back to their traditions, to renounce Christ, or even to simply bend their convictions about who Jesus is, has reached an unbearable mark. The fatigue from their trials has brought many as far as they could take, causing them to ask some serious questions in recent days.
As they gather together this night, you could see it on their faces: Where is God? Why doesn't he deliver us? Why doesn't he listen? Why doesn't he answer? Is he still there?
But a letter has arrived from a trusted and beloved shepherd. As someone brings the light near, the small crowd's shuffling slows to silence, and the reader begins.
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets..."
Immediately, rich stories fermented in generations of Hebrew tradition race through the listener's hearts and minds of how their Mighty, One True God spoke to their forefathers. A burning bush, thunder and the voice of a trumpet, a still small voice, visions, dreams, angels, in the Law itself... Oh, they knew of God's amazing and widely varying ways God spoke so powerfully in the past.
At this point, these words only serve to further aggravate their desire to hear from God, "God speak to us now! Let us know you have not left us!" The reader continued:
"...but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power."
Here begins the author's bull's-eye response to their questions. He starts the process of explaining that God has spoken to them more eloquently, more completely, more exacting, and more lovingly than had ever happened in the past. God has communicated in the person of Jesus Christ, and they have the privilege of knowing God like has never been possible before. God is so near, and he deeply desires to communicate more than they had imagined.
These opening statements echo and resonate the first words of Gospel of John:
John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made."
Jesus is the very Word, the very communication of God. Not just the communication
from God, Jesus is the "Communication."
John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
The communication these haggard people are looking for,
is Christ.
And for those in this group who have been so tempted to give in to the beckoning of the other Jews, to those who are almost too tired to hold Christ up so high and are beginning to let him slip, to those who are tempted to simply lower Christ a bit in their hearts, to call Jesus something other than the high Son of God, to simply call him an arch angel, or another priest, or just a perfect man... For these tired souls, the author unleashes a graceful flourish of truth drawing from past, present, and future to combat any tendency to make Christ less extravagant and more commonplace.
The author has only one prescribed remedy for serious fatigue, fear, or doubt in the haggard Christian:
Exalt Christ. The answer is to understand the superiority of Jesus above all things.
From the message delivered in this letter, it is clear that if we are not hearing, seeing, experiencing, and knowing God in daily life, then we have let Jesus Christ slip to the levels of something too mundane to daily shake the miry foundations of this beleaguered life. If we are not connected with the Word in flesh daily, we will seem to hear silence from God and feel distant, weak, and unequipped to face the storms and trials that face us.
Does this apply to us? Could such a message also relate to your life?
Absolutely.
I encourage you: read, study, and pray through the book of Hebrews. To say that this may change the entire way you view Christ is not an exaggeration, it is not over-dramatic. That is actually the very purpose for which this letter was written. Come along.
