The Epistle To The Hebrews - Executable Outlines

INTRODUCTION
The Epistle To The Hebrews
Introduction To The Epistle
1. The Epistle to the Hebrews is a unique book in the New Testament...
a. It begins as an essay - He 1:1-2
b. It progresses as a sermon - He 2:1-4
c. It ends as a letter - He 13:23-25
2. Its contents are deep and challenging...
a. Many Christians find it difficult
b. Some equate its difficulty with the book of Revelation
Mark A. Copeland
3. But for Christians who are willing to take the time to read and reflect upon it...
a. They are reminded of how blessed they are to have trusted in Christ
b. They are impressed with the superiority of Christ and His New Covenant over Moses and the
Old Covenant
c. They are warned of the danger of apostasy and the need for steadfastness in their faith
4. With this lesson, I wish to begin a series of expository sermons based upon this epistle...
a. Yet just as one should not begin a journey without some idea of where they are going
b. So it is beneficial to begin with a preview of this epistle, that we might have an idea...
1) Of where we are headed
2) And what we can expect to find
[Such a “preview” or introduction would naturally include some information on...]
I. THE BACKGROUND TO THIS EPISTLE
A. THE AUTHOR...
1. The author does not identify himself
2. Many believe it to be the apostle Paul (e.g., Clement of Alexandria)
a. This seems unlikely in view of the author’s statement: “...was confirmed to us by those
who heard Him,” - He 2:3
b. For Paul declared that he had not received the gospel from or through men - Ga 1:
11-12
c. Yet there are many arguments which favor Paul as the author (cf. New Testament
Commentary on Hebrews, Robert Milligan, pp. 5-19)
3. Other names have been proposed over the years:
a. Barnabas (suggested by Tertullian)
b. Apollos (suggested by Luther)
c. Priscilla (suggested by Harnack)
-- Perhaps Origen says it best, “But who wrote the epistle, to be sure, only God knows.”
B. THE RECIPIENTS...
1. The general consensus is that this letter was written to Jewish Christians
Sermons From Hebrews 3