528. What is Valentine’s Day? 14 February Every Year

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

Unfortunately, we do not know after whom Valentine’s Day was named. There are at least three possibilities, one of them being a Bishop who was martyred for his faith. However, research has not actually found who Valentine was. St Valentine’s Day is included in the Church of England Book of Common Prayer as being on 14th February in “The Calendar with the Table of Lessons” under “Martyred at Rome c.269.” It is no longer in more recent Calendars in other Anglican churches.

It has become a day when lovers express their affection for one another by sending cards or giving gifts. It appears that Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century. It was in the 18th century in England that greeting cards known as “valentines”  were sent to loved ones.

In “Gammer Gurton’s Garland. The Nursery Parnassus” by Joseph Ritson,”  there is an example of the type of simple affectionate message that appeared on such cards. It read,

“The rose is red, the violet’s blue, The honey’s sweet, and so are you.

Thou art my love and I am thine; I drew thee to my Valentine:

The lot was cast and then I drew, And Fortune said it shou’d be you.” [NOTE 1].

Expressions of love need to be appropriate. But love can be complicated. There are many words used in English to describe the various types of love. One of the best guides to understanding the different types of love is in the writings of CS Lewis, the late English Professor whose writings have become known around the world. He wrote a book with the title “The Four Loves.” He described them as affection [storge], friendship [philia], romantic [eros] and charity [agape]. [NOTE 2].

1].        Affection, [Storge].

“It’s the familiarity of the people with whom you are thrown together in the family, the college, the mess, the ship, the religious house,” says Lewis. “The affection for the people always around us, in the normal day-to-day of life, is the majority of the love we experience, even if we don’t label it.”  It is found in family love such as the affection children have for their parents and siblings and the affection parents have for their children and grandchildren.

2].        Friendship.[Philia].

Lewis wrote “friendship likely has closest resemblance to Heaven where we will be intertwined in our relationships. We develop a kinship over something in common and that longing for camaraderie makes friendship all the more wanted. … Think about it too. Friendships have begun faith movements, developed entire areas of thought, and contributed to many projects from art to business.”

In some ways, it is based on the attractiveness of the other person in our sight. It may be their character or the attractiveness of their wanting to create friendships. 

3].         Romantic love.  [Eros].

Lewis wrote, “Different than friendship, lovers, ‘are always talking to one another about their love’ and ‘are normally face to face, absorbed in each other.’” He adds, ‘The event of falling in love is of such a nature that we are right to reject as intolerable the idea that it should be transitory.’’’

Also “When we discover afresh that romance is more deeply set than the drivel served up by our culture, than we will more rightly hold our spouse in the model of unconditional love.”

4].        Charity. [Agape.]

Lewis wrote, ”This is our chief aim, the unconditional love of the Father given to us through his Son. Affection, friendship and romantic love are each the training ground for charity to grow. It’s also a rival to the three.” It is not based on the outward attractiveness of the other person but on an inward desire to seek the other person’s best interests.   

Reaching out to the other person can bring the pain of rejection or misunderstanding when they are conditioned by life’s experiences to treat any form of perceived kindness as a threat. It is painful when we make the effort to make the life of another person more comfortable or meaningful, to be rejected. But  true agape love takes that risk. As CS Lewis wrote, “If we think that perhaps love is not worth the sorrow and pain, then we are more pagan than Christian. Though the fall has invited such selfishness to linger heavy in our culture, ours is the Gospel charge – to go to the nth degree to love those who are broken, not for some vague humanitarian effort, but to make disciples of all nations, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Is it possible for us to go to the nth degree in seeking to love the other person with agape love?

It is, when we understand that such love is a gift imparted to believers by the Holy Spirit. Our Christian hope enables us to receive the Lord’s blessings, “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5. Such love is beyond our human resources but it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit who comes to live in us when we open our hearts to the Lord, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23.   

St Paul described agape love in this passage, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5  or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8  Love never ends.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. That means that all the other loves can be appropriate when they are subsumed in the agape love of God, for God is love as we read in 1John 4:16. “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”  

So on Valentine’s Day as on every other day, “Let all that you do be done in [agape] love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14. It is love when we try to make other people feel better about themselves. It is not love when we act towards others so we can feel better about ourselves. It is not love when we act towards others to make them feel better about us or  like us more. True agape love is focussed on meeting the needs of the other, not on meeting one’s own needs.

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[NOTE 1]. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/34601/34601-h/34601-h.htm This has songs and verses for children written by John Ritson in “Gammer Gurton’s Garland. The Nursery Parnassus” in 1873.

NOTE 2]. https://www.cslewis.com/four-types-of-love/  by CS Lewis.

Blog No.528. Posted on Tuesday 13 February 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

527. What Is The Origin And Significance Of Ash Wednesday?

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

It is certainly true that the words “Ash Wednesday” do not appear in the Bible. So why do Christians throughout the world celebrate it as a day of religious significance? The name “Ash Wednesday” is derived from the custom of placing ashes on believers’ foreheads in the shape of a cross. The ashes come from the burning of Palm crosses which were distributed to worshippers on Palm Sunday, the previous year.  Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent in many churches throughout the world, and services held on that day have the theme of repentance and absolution.

In these services worshippers are urged to reflect on their own mortality and their failure to perfectly obey God’s commandments, and to come humbly before Him, confessing their sins and asking Him for His forgiveness. 

For example, the Anglican Church in Australia has a suggested service in which the following words are used. [NOTE 1]

THE RECEIVING OF ASHES

The ashes are placed on the Lord’s Table, and the priest says

Blessed are you, God of all creation.

You are eternal,

we are mortal,

formed from the dust of the earth.

As we receive these ashes, make them a sign for us of repentance and returning to you.

Breathe into us again the breath of life.

Blessed be God for ever.

Come, receive the sign of ashes

The ashes are placed on each person’s forehead in silence, or with the words

Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.

and/or

Repent and believe the gospel.

and/or

Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.

Each person may answer Amen

The reference to dust [or ashes] comes from God’s declaration to humans when they had disobeyed His commandment not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. His declaration was, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19.

A little later in the service, an Absolution is pronounced by the priest,

The priest pronounces the absolution

With our hearts turned to God in repentance, with the knowledge of our sins

laid bare before the cross of Jesus Christ,

in the name of the living God,

your sins are forgiven.

Receive God’s mercy,

take hold of your forgiveness,

and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, walk in the light of Christ. Amen.

Ash Wednesday has been traditionally observed in churches since the 11th century and begins the season of Lent. It has often been suggested as a time for penitence or reflecting on our failures and coming before God to seek His forgiveness. 

Praise God for His faithfulness and mercy towards those who come to Him in humility and repentance, as Micah wrote, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:18-19

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[NOTE 1.] On this link https://anglican.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Ash-Wednesday.pdf

Blog No.527 posted on Tuesday 13 February 2024

Posted in Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, Mini Reflections, Prayer, Questions and Answers, Salvation, Sanctification, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

526. What Is “Shrove Tuesday?” Its Meaning And Purpose

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

The word “shrove” comes from an English word “shrive,” which means to give absolution for someone’s sins by way of Confession and doing penance. Thus “Shrove Tuesday” was named after the custom of Christians to be “shriven” or seeking to be absolved of their sins before the start of Lent on the following day, Ash Wednesday.

The custom of having pancakes to eat derived from the idea that because Lent was to be observed as a time of reflection and self-discipline, there could be a more joyous time beforehand when people could use up the available food materials, such as flour, eggs and fats, to make pancakes as a celebration. The custom has been observed for hundreds of years around the world. The day is often described as “Pancake Day.”

Praise God for His mercy as this verse affirms, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John1:9.

Blog No.526 posted on Monday 12 February 2024

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525. Hebrews chapter 9.  Jesus As The Great High Priest Of A New Covenant Secured An Eternal Redemption

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

In chapter 8 the writer concluded that Jesus had established a new covenant which was much superior to the old covenant. Now in this chapter that truth is described in more detail. We see that Jesus offered a “better” sacrifice in establishing a “better” covenant with “better” promises. 

1].        Sacrifices Offered By High Priests On Earth Could Not Take Away Sin. 1-10.

In verses 1 to 5, there is a description of the Holy Place and also the Most Holy Place. In the latter, the High Priest could enter only once a year but had to take blood to offer for his own sins as well as for the sins of the people.  The writer added, “By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9  (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10  but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.” 9:8-10. The old covenant sacrifices could never take away sin, as seen in the fact they had to be offered every year.  

2].        Jesus’ Sacrifice Of Himself In Heaven Secured An Eternal Redemption Through His Blood. 11-14

There came a change when Jesus came to earth and offered Himself as the sacrifice to take away sins forever. However, this happened not in the earthly temple but in a heavenly tent. And it happened only once, for that single sacrifice secured an eternal redemption, “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12  he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” 9:11-12. 

The contrast is also made between the offering of the blood of bulls and goats and the offering of the blood of Jesus, “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14  how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” 9:13-14.  The blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer did make the worshipper ceremonially or outwardly pure before God to be able to offer their sacrifices. However, the offering of Jesus was effectual in inwardly cleansing human consciences to enable worshippers to turn from dead works [of no value to God] to actually serve God with consciences that were sensitive to God and to His will.

3].        Jesus Is The Mediator Of A New Covenant. 15-23

The writer now contrasts the new covenant [which is so much superior] to the old one and says that Jesus is the mediator of this new covenant., “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16  For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17  For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18  Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19  For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20  saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” Hebrews 9:15-20.

The benefits of the new covenant the writer describes as 

  • Those who responded to God’s call, receive the promised eternal inheritance. 
  • They are redeemed from transgressions committed under the first covenant.
  • The blood offered under the old covenant was that of bulls and goats which we have seen can never take away sin. But Jesus’ blood [shed in His death] established the new covenant which redeemed the people of God.

4].        Jesus Has Entered Heaven To Appear On Our Behalf To Put Away Sin. 24-28

Under the old covenant, the high priest in the temple purified everything with blood for “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” 9:22. But these sacrifices were copies of the real sacrifice that Jesus had to offer, “Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24  For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” 9:23-24. 

The Better Sacrifice Which Jesus Offered

We see now the contrast between the sacrifice Jesus offered and those offered by a succession of high priests. 

The succession of different high priests entered the holy place in the temple every year with blood not their own. 

However Jesus entered the heavenly place just once, shedding His own blood, “Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26  for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” 9:25-26. 

His single offering of Himself made forgiveness available to those who trusted in Him and secured for them an eternal redemption.

The Better Sacrifice Which Jesus Offered Means No Judgment And Future Salvation

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28  so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” 9:27-28.

Every human must eventually die and face judgment. However, for those who trust in Jesus, their sins have been borne by Jesus and so they will not face judgment for their sins. Jesus will return again, not as judge, but as the Saviour of those who trust in Him.

SUMMING UP CHAPTER 9

The writer has described the new covenant introduced in the previous chapter and shown it to be superior to the old covenant. The priests under the old covenant “serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” Hebrews 8:5. “Shadow” is from [skia; σκιά] a shadow, a foreshadowing. 

The whole sacrificial system of the old covenant foreshadowed the sacrifice Jesus was to offer to secure an eternal redemption for the people of God. 

It would be a single sacrifice of Himself as the perfect offering for sin and those who trusted in Him would receive forgiveness of all their sins and would experience salvation when He returned again. 

Blog No.525 posted on Sunday 11 February 2024.

Posted in Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEBREWS. A study of the Epistle, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

524. The Privilege Of Marriage. A Blessing From The Lord. Proverbs 31

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

We may sometimes wonder if representatives of the male species really appreciate the privilege of having a female of the species to love and by whom to be loved. A true marriage partner is really a gift from God. So we should see our marriage as being a wonderful privilege that God has bestowed on us. To realise that another person deliberately chooses to make you the centre of their universe [after God of course] is nothing less than the grace of God touching your life. 

The writer of Proverbs wrote these words, “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12  She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.” Proverbs 31:10-12.  What a privilege it is to have found an excellent wife. When one looks around at the number of marriages that end up in separation or divorce, one realises the extent of the privilege we have been given in life to have found an excellent wife. She is indeed worth far more than all the jewels one could amass in a lifetime. The jewels might be precious and beautiful but they offer no warmth or love.  The excellent wife does her husband good and not harm, all the days of her life.

Well, praise God I did find an excellent wife, named Carole. One whom God chose for me especially. She may have been born in Kharagpur in India, thousands of kilometres from I was born in Gympie in Queensland but the Lord overruled so that both our families moved to the same area in Ipswich. The Lord brought us to Himself about the same time and led us to the same church. I knew about her before I met her for she was an outstanding athlete, swimmer, basketballer and hockey player, as well as winning prizes in art of speech competitions at Eisteddfods. I heard her speak on the local radio station on Saturday mornings when they featured junior singing and speaking talent.  Then I met her as she finished Grammar School when she became a member of the youth group I was leading. Just 4 years later I proposed and 18 months after that we were married. 

God was so good to us. We both secured jobs that were satisfying and later came the gift of three great children. We lived together for 3 years in Melbourne, 10 years in Brisbane, 10 years in Armidale NSW, 18 years in Sydney, and retired to Port Macquarie in 2006 when we both retired. The Lord took her home in October 2019 after a long bout with cancer but not before we had enjoyed a wonderful retirement for over 13 years. When the nursing staff rang me to tell me that Carole had just passed away, the words that immediately popped into my mind were these, “Absent from the body. Present with the Lord.” So I know she is at bliss in the presence of the Lord.  

Tomorrow 7th February would have been Carole’s 81st birthday so I felt like writing something about her as I have on many other occasions on this blog site. One of the last memories of our time together was of an incident just a couple of days before I drove her to the hospital for the last time. I was helping her move from one place in our home to her favourite chair. As we passed through the dining room she suddenly stopped and with her lovely brown eyes looked up into my face and said, “Darling, thank you for loving me. Thank you for caring for me.” She obviously knew that her life was coming to an end and so she summed up our almost 54 years together with those simple words. I’m not sure how I replied but I could have said, “I did it because I love you. It was my privilege to love you and to care for you. Thank you for loving me!” 

The privilege of marriage to “an excellent wife!”  A privilege coming from the grace and love of our Heavenly Father who “works all things together for good for those who love Him.” Romans 8:28.

Blog No.524 posted on Tuesday 06 February 2024

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Coping With Personal Grief, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, TOPICS, Tributes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

523. Healings That Impact The World. A Man Healed Of Lou Gehrig’s Disease. [A.L.S.   Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]

Posted on February 4, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

This disease is known in Australia as Motor Neurone Disease. I remember when I first joined the staff of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, there used to be an annual service for those with Motor Neurone disease and their carers. I got the impression that those afflicted with the disease had only months or a couple of years to live. It seemed to be incurable. The Dean of the Cathedral Lance Shilton would give a message about the Christian hope. Otherwise it was a sad service. 

A few years later we had the joy of having some American folk from Florida and Alabama coming to learn more about the healing ministry at our Healing Ministry Centre in Sydney. They were a lovely group and very open to learn. My wife Carole and a Florida lady Sarah Jaeger formed a deep friendship and perhaps as a result in 1999 we were invited to do a short time of teaching in Wisconsin, Birmingham [Alabama] and Winter Park in Florida. Sarah’s husband Don had been miraculously healed of Lou Gehrig’s disease [A.L.S.] after a healing service at the Cathedral in Orlando led by my predecessor Canon Jim Glennon, and was keen to begin a healing ministry in All Saints Episcopal Parish in Winter Park in Florida. 

Carole and I were invited back every year for a month to minister in Winter Park from 2001 to 2008 and again in 2012. It was a wonderful parish where the Rector was a decorated war hero and his wife was from a leading family in Latvia from where she had escaped during World War 2, David and Katrina Wilson. They led a wonderful parish where Christ was central and the Bible was taken as the basis of faith. The Healing Ministry grew under Don’s enthusiastic leadership and soon ministry was being offered every day for those who needed help. Carole and I would return to Sydney quite refreshed after a busy time of ministry because of the love and support shown to us by parishioners. 

But today is one of those Sad/Happy days as I heard that Don Jaeger had just passed away into the presence of the Lord. So sad for his family and friends, but so happy for Don as He is now in bliss with Jesus. His testimony of his healing has touched the lives of thousands of people around the world and especially those facing seemingly impossible situations in their lives. To be told in 1992 that you will soon die, for your medical diagnosis confirms you have Lou Gehrig’s Disease, but to be able to live praising the Lord to 2024 is a wonderful story of God’s love and power touching human lives. 

Those facing seemingly impossible situations in their lives today would be greatly helped by reading more of Don’s story and especially hearing Don’s testimony of his healing. I will put links to those sources below but before that, I will share one of his sayings that will be forever in my memory. When he was told that no medical help could cure him and that imminent death awaited him, he resolved “to delegate my healing to Jesus.” As a businessman he was used to delegating responsibilities to those he knew could be trusted, and when he was told that his medical condition was beyond human help of any kind, he simply delegated his healing to Jesus and served Him as the Lord and Master of his life. Jesus was, is and always will be worthy of our trust!

I wrote about Don and his healing in one of my early blog articles which is No.041 on this link www.jimholbeck.blog or on https://jimholbeck.blog/2011/09/18/041-healing-of-lou-gehrig’s-disease-als-see-note1-motor-neuron-disease/

You can see and hear his humble testimony on You Tube on this link

Praising the Lord for His faithfulness and thanking Him for what He has done in the lives of those who, like Don, delegate their healing to Him.

Blog No.524 posted on Sunday 04 February 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Mental Health, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, TOPICS, Tributes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

522. Hebrews chapter 8. “The New Covenant is Much Better Than The Old.” 

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

The previous chapter ended with the truth that Jesus was unlike other high priests because He sacrificed for sins once for all when He offered himself to take away sin. The writer now goes on to explain the significance of Jesus as the great High Priest of the new and better covenant.

1]. Jesus, The High Priest Who Offered A Better Sacrifice. 8:1-5

Hebrews chapter 8 begins with, “Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2  a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.” 8:1-2. The words ‘The point” is from [kephalaion; κεφάλαιον] meaning a sum total, or the crowning point in a discussion. The whole epistle centres on Jesus Christ as the High Priest of God already seated at the right hand of God. That aligns with how the writer introduced Jesus in the first chapter of this epistle,  “…  After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:3. His ministry as a high priest of offering the one perfect sacrifice for sin had been accomplished and so He was able to sit at the right hand of God. 

Jesus is also described here as “a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.” The sacrifice He offered was in a heavenly temple, a real temple unlike the temple on earth which was simply a copy of the heavenly temple.  8:3-5. 

Jesus was the true high priest. All the other high priests offered gifts and sacrifices but they were serving copies or shadows of heavenly things. The true substance, the perfect sacrifice, was offered by Christ in the heavenly temple, “For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4  Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5  They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” Hebrews 8:3-5.

2]. Jesus Mediated A Better Covenant Enacted On Better Promises. 8:6-9

The writer continued describing the superiority of the ministry of Jesus as the great High Priest by showing that it was associated with a better covenant based on better promises. Heb 8:6,  “But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. The word for “better” is from [kreittōn; κρείττων] meaning superior or more valuable. It is used 6 times in Hebrews out of a total of 19 times in the whole of the New Testament. The writer describes why that is so in verses 7 to 9. The first covenant God made was with Israel at the time of the Exodus but His people did not continue in it. So a new covenant was necessary and God established that in the ministry of Jesus,  7 “For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. 8  For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9  not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.”

3]. The New Covenant Established By God For People To Become His People. 8:10-13.

Heb 8:10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11  And they shall not teach, each one his neighbour and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12  For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13  In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

The new covenant had the following advantages:-

  • God would put His laws into their minds.
  • He would write His laws on their hearts.
  • He would initiate an intimate relationship with His people, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
  • This intimate relationship would mean that all His people would know Him personally and would not need to be taught about Him by others.
  • He would be merciful concerning their iniquities and would not remember their sins any more. 

The writer concludes the chapter with an important declaration, 13 “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

The focus of the Hebrew readers was to be on Jesus who had established a new covenant they were to live under, through His death and resurrection. The high priests of the old covenant and the sacrifices they offered were just a copy or shadow of the one true sacrifice that  Jesus that offered, as the great High Priest, on the cross.

Blog No.522 posted on Saturday 03 February 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEBREWS. A study of the Epistle, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

521. Hebrews chapter 7. “Jesus The Greatest High Priest Secured An Eternal Redemption For His People.”

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

The writer introduced the concept of Jesus as a high priest in 2:17, “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Then the writer added to that concept in 5:10 and 6:20 that Jesus became a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Chapter 7 then shows how Jesus is indeed a high priest after the order of Melchizedek and the significance of that role for human salvation. It also shows how Jesus introduced a better hope and established a better covenant. 

1]. What Is The Priestly Order of Melchizedek? 7:1-3

Heb 7:1 “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2  and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3  He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.”

Melchizedek is a mysterious character who suddenly appears in the history of Israel. He is described as a priest of the Most High God, Yahweh. There is no record of his birth or his death or any genealogy. Yet resembling the Son of God he continues as a priest forever. 

2]. How The Priestly Order of Melchizedek Is Greater Than That Of Aaron and Levi. 7:4-10. 

“See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5  And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6  But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7  It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8  In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9  One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10  for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.” Hebrews 7:4-10.

The superiority of the order of Melchizedek is shown in the following ways. 

  • Abraham as the inheritor of the promises of God gave tithes to Melchizedek. 
  • Because the superior blesses the inferior it meant that Abraham saw Melchizedek as his superior. 
  • Melchizedek blessed Abraham, again showing the superiority of Melchizedek.
  • Even Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek [as he was in the loins of Abraham.]

3]. The Need For A New Priesthood. Comparison Of Jesus With Melchizedek. 7:11-19

Heb 7:11  “Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12  For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13  For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14  For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15  This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16  who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17  For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 18  For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19  (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.”

Though the Aaronic priesthood was established by God it wasn’t a perfect priesthood. 

  • That was seen in the fact that generations of priests who owed their lineage to Aaron and Levi kept on making sacrifices that could never take away sin and they all died.
  • There needed to be another order of priesthood that could actually take away sin and could last forever.
  • The requirement for that priesthood was not that of a legal requirement regarding lineage. Rather it was established by an oath from God Himself, ”For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7:17.  Jesus had become the High Priest “by the power of an indestructible life.” 7:16.
  • Thus a better hope was introduced by Jesus through which we can draw near to God. 7:19

4]. The Superiority Of The High Priesthood Of Jesus. 7:20-28.

i]. Jesus was made High Priest by a direct oath from God. 7:20-21

Heb 7:20-21, “And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21  but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’”

ii]. Jesus became the guarantor of a better covenant.7:22

“This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.”

“Guarantor” is from [engyos; ἔγγυος] meaning a pledge, security, sponsor. 

The eternal priesthood of Jesus who was appointed a High Priest by an oath of God is the guarantee that all God’s promises will be fulfilled in Him.

iii]. Jesus’ Priesthood Lasts For Ever. 7:22-23 

“The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24  but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25  Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost [pantelēs; παντελής throughout all time] those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

  • There was a weakness in the lineage of Aaronic high priests. They could only offer sacrifices during their lifetimes. But being mortal, they all died and could not continue in office. 
  • Jesus, being alive forever, can continue to make intercession [entynchano; ἐντυγχάνω = entreat, to plead the cause of anyone] for His people.
  • Because He is eternal, His priesthood is eternal and He can save all those who draw near to God through Him.

iv]. Jesus was appointed a High Priest By An Oath Of God. 7:26-28

Heb 7:26  “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27  He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.   28  For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

  • The former high priests had to offer daily sacrifices for their own sins as they were not perfect. But Jesus was perfect and offered a single sacrifice for sins, [once for all] when He offered Himself. 
  • “Once for all” is from  [ephapax; ἐφάπαξ meaning on one occasion for all people.]

It is also found in Heb 9:12 “he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” And in Heb 10:10 “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

  • Jesus’ single sacrifice of Himself on the cross 

  Saved those who draw near to God through Him. Heb 7:25.

  Secured an eternal redemption for those who trust in Him. 9:12 

  Sanctified His people [Set them apart to belong to the people of God] according to the will of God.  10:10.

Summing up

As I wrote at the beginning of this article, this chapter shows how Jesus introduced a better hope and established a better covenant. It is a better hope as in 7:19, “a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” 

And it is a better covenant in that Jesus’ eternal priesthood means that “Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.” Heb 7:22. The covenant promises will never cease.

As St Paul wrote, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” Eph 1:7. 

Blog No.521 posted on Wednesday 31 January 2024

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEBREWS. A study of the Epistle, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Questions and Answers, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

520. TEACHING VIDEOS ON HEALING BY JIM HOLBECK ON YOU TUBE

Posted on January 29, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

A church member from another town asked me if he could visit me and get some thoughts on how to begin a Healing Service in his parish. As I thought about that my mind went to material I had online that could be helpful for him. So I compiled a list of teaching videos I knew were on You Tube that had a lot of teaching on various topics related to healing that he and others might access. 

Then I thought, why not publish the list so that anyone in the world could access the material online. So here is the list with the links you can click on to open any particular video teaching. If you felt that a friend might be helped by the material in any video [especially on forgiveness] then you could eMail them the link. 

Overcoming Stress. Christian Enemy No 1. The World. Jim Holbeck

Overcoming Stress. Christian Enemy No.2. The Flesh

Overcoming stress. Christian Enemy No.3. The Devil. The enemy against us

Forgiveness  

Who We Are As Believers

Spiritual Warfare

How To Hang In for Your Healing and Blessing

What sort of healing can we expect from God

The Blessings of Belonging to God

What is the value of prayer in a Healing Ministry

Ministering with others

Jesus The Creator

Jesus The Saviour

Jesus the Lord   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYTFg4FDT3s&t=5s

Jesus The Judge   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYzs2G9CG_Q

Blog No.520 posted on Monday 29 January 2024

Posted in Forgiveness | Leave a comment

519. Hebrews Chapter 6.  A WarningAgainst Falling Away From Christ.

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

The previous chapter ended with the writer warning the readers that they needed to become mature in the faith and might need to be taught again the elementary truths of God’s word. They needed to be taken forward to maturity and the writer expresses confidence that it could happen, Heb 6:3 “And this we will do if God permits.”

However, they had to realise that they could not be restored to repentance and were in danger of falling away.  But the chapter ends with the writer’s confidence of “better things in your case” because of the work they had done and the love they had shown towards the Lord.

1].       An Encouragement To Go On To Maturity. 6:1-3

Heb 6:1  “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3  And this we will do if God permits.”

The important thing to realise in these verses is that the writer is hopeful they will mature.

2].       The Third Warning In The Epistle [About The Failure To Mature.] 6:4-8

These are very powerful words. I once saw personally how the Holy Spirit of God transformed a hardened atheist into a very committed believer as he read these words. You can read what happened to my work-mate William on this link. https://jimholbeck.blog/2011/08/08/030-forgiveness-abundant-pardon-isaiah-556-7/

The warning which follows has been interpreted in different ways. These verses describe believers who have come to Christ in the following ways.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible, in the case of those 

  • who have once been enlightened. Christian conversion is being brought from darkness into the light of Christ. My friend William was soundly converted. It was obvious to many that he had come from darkness into the light of Christ  
  • who have tasted the heavenly gift. This could be the gift of Jesus Christ whom God “gave” to a sinful world, or it could be the gift of salvation in Christ.
  • and have shared in the Holy Spirit. “Shared” is from [metochos; μέτοχος] which means being a partaker of the Holy Spirit who had brought them from darkness into light.
  • Heb 6:5  and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come. “Tasted” is from [geuomai; γεύομαι] meaning to taste or experience. They had experienced the goodness of the word of God as they heard it and responded to it and had also experienced the powers [dunamis; δύναμις] mighty works or miracles of God’s kingdom.

Heb 6:6  and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. “Fallen away” is not the word for apostasy [apostasia; ἀποστασία] but is from [parapiptō; παραπίπτω] meaning to fall by the side of; to fall off or away from. It means lapses or deviations rather than an outright denial of Christ. 

“Restore” is from [anakainizō; ἀνακαινίζω] meaning to renovate or renew. We need to note here that it is not to restore to salvation, but to repentance. If they have experienced the blessings in verses 4 and 5 but hardened their hearts against Christ, then it shows that their repentance was incomplete. 

“Repentance” is from [metanoia; μετάνοια] meaning a change of mind or of thinking patterns. True repentance should be accompanied by a change in behaviour. It appears that many believers had not completely surrendered to Christ and were thus disregarding the significance of Christ’s death for them. Their attitude brought contempt towards Christ rather than leading people to Him.

An Illustration From Nature Of The Need To Be Responsive To God. 6:6-7.

Heb 6:7 “For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8  But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.” The writer encourages the readers to be responsive to the word of God to become fruitful and to be blessed by Him. 

3].       There Was Hope For Believers. 6:9-12

The writer here addresses the readers personally, “Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.” 6:9-10. In any group of believers there will be a variety of responses to the gospel message. Everyone needs to be encouraged and this is what the writer attempts to do as these words indicate, “in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.”

“Better” here is from [kreittōn; κρείττων] meaning superior or more useful and occurs 13 times in Hebrews out of the 18 occurrences in the New Testament. Everything concerned with Christ is superior, so their faith in Him as Saviour and the obedience stemming from that is superior in every way. They are on the right track as shown by their work and the love they have shown in serving the saints. They just need to continue as they have been doing but be open to a growing maturity.

The message becomes more personal in verses 11 and 12 as the writer uses “each one of you” to address individuals. They were to “show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” The word “earnestness” is from [spoudē; σπουδή] a noun but the verb has already been used in 4:11, “Let us therefore strive [spoudazō  σπουδάζω] to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.” To strive or be earnest was the opposite of being sluggish [nōthros; νωθρός] a word used only in Hebrews here and in 5:11 “dull of hearing.” The believers needed to be quick to hear and obey!

4].       The Certainty of God’s Promise. 6:13-15

The writer turns to the certainty of God’s promises and the need to remain patient in receiving them. Heb 6:13 “For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14  saying, ‘Surely I will bless you and multiply you.’ 15  And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.” God promised Abraham that He would bless and multiply him and Abraham waited patiently for the fulfilment of the promise.

5].       The Promise To Abraham Was Guaranteed By Two Unchangeable Things. 6:16-18

The two immutable things are God’s promise and God’s oath. It is impossible for God not to fulfil his promises, “For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17  So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18  so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.” 6:16-18.

God’s promises are always true because He never changes. The “unchangeable character of his purpose” is due to His unchanging nature. When God makes a promise it will surely come to pass. Those who have turned to Him for refuge can be certain that their hope is secure.

6].       The Certainty Of The Fulfilment Of The Promise Of God. 6:19-20

Heb 6:19  “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20  where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” The Christian hope is anchored in the promise of God and is unchanging. Christ is our hope [Colossians 1:27] and is described as “a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.” This is linked to His work as High Priest. The high priest could only enter the holy place as a representative of the people. No one else could enter. But Jesus entered as a “forerunner” [prodromos; πρόδρομος] meaning “one who comes in advance to a place where the rest are to follow.” [Vincent] Because He offered the perfect sacrifice for sins, it means His people who trust in Him may enter as well. Their hope is fixed like an anchor in the bed of the sea floor and they have entered into the presence of God as followers of their forerunner, Jesus. 

The final phrase in verse 20, “having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” is a reminder that the high priesthood of Jesus is better or superior to all the high priests in Israelite history. The writer goes on in the next chapter to explain why that is so.

Blog No.519 posted on Friday 26 January 2024. [Australia Day.]

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEBREWS. A study of the Epistle, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment