Our Peculiar Obligation-1

OUR PECULIAR OBLIGATION-I—Hebrews 10:19-25

Attention:

Meeting the New Neighbors

My quiet Saturday morning ended abruptly when my 12-year-old son, Billy, and one of his friends burst through the door.

"Hey Dad, announced Billy, "have you met the new neighbors?"

"No."

"Come on Dad, you have to meet them."

"Some other time; I’m busy."

"Dad, you have to meet them now."

From the urgency in Billy’s voice, I assumed the neighbors were waiting outside. I set aside my project and went to the front of the house. No one was there.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"Well, Dad," he explained, "we haven’t met them yet either, but our baseball is in their living room!"

The Dad had a Peculiar Obligation to meet his neighbors!

Need:

I’m afraid to die. I don’t seem to have the confidence about my future that a lot of people in the church have.

I don’t enjoy Sunday School or worship. I only attend. There are other things I would rather do.

I don’t think church stuff is so important...but people get flustered & act like I’ve done something horrible if I don’t show. Or when I miss a Sunday or Wednesday or special event they act like they really missed me when I return.

The author exhorted his audience to join him in living out/confirming the obligations peculiar to their faith.

Given their benefits(from Christ’s ministry), Christians are under peculiar obligation.

What obligations are peculiar to the Christian?

3 obligations peculiar to the Christian.

1—An obligation peculiar to the Christian is...

A BOLD ENTRANCE(:19-22)

Explanation: (:19-22)

:19—“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,”

The writer is addressing his brothers(Jews receptive to Christianity &/or Jewish Christians).

The author has demonstrated decisively to his audience that Jesus’ High Priesthood(4:14—5:11 & 6:19—10:18) has granted them a fearless & confident security(“boldness”) in approaching God.

We can enter the “Holiest”[place] only by means of “the blood of Jesus” because He is the true(7:28; 8:6; 9:11, 23-24) & eternal(6:19-20; 7:16-17, 21, 24-25; 9:14) High Priest.

His “blood” being Divine, it alone is able to cleanse our consciences from “dead works”(9:14), thereby ensuring our ability “to enter the Holiest.”

Since the audience has such a confidence at their disposal, in entering the Most Holy Place(9:1-28), & since they have a great High Priest, they are encouraged toward( “Therefore”) the actions specified in :22-25.

But believers are also blessed with other securities(:20-21) which grant them a further motivation toward the actions to follow.

“Boldness/Confidence”—parrhsia—1) Freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech—1a) Openly, frankly, i.e without concealment, 1b) Without ambiguity or circumlocution; 1c) Without the use of figures & comparisons; 2) Free & fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance; 3) The deportment by which one becomes conspicuous or secures publicity. Strong—All out-spokenness, i.e. Frankness, bluntness, publicity; by implication, Assurance.

From—rew—To utter, i.e. Speak or say.

“Enter”—eisodov—N. f.—(Lit.—boldness for [an] entrance into)1) An entrance—1a) The place or way leading into a place (as a gate), 1b) The act of entering. Strong—An entrance (literally or figuratively). Used 5X.

“Holiest/holy place/Most Holy Place”—agion—Adj.—1) Reverend, worthy of veneration—1a) Of things which on account of some connection with God possess a certain distinction & claim to reverence, as places sacred to God which are not to be profaned, 1b) Of persons whose services God employs, for example, apostles; 2) Set apart for God, to be as it were, exclusively his; 3) Services & offerings—3a) Prepared for God with solemn rite, pure, clean; 4) in a moral sense, Pure sinless upright holy. Strong—A sacred thing (i.e. spot).

:20—“by a new & living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,”

The “boldness” of the audience to enter into the “Holiest” is by a “new way.” This “new way” speaks in direct opposition to the ceremonial sacrificial guilt-multiplying & non-salvific events of the ‘old way’(implied).

Another aspect of this “new way” is that it is also a “living”(continual/never-ending) “way.” The fact that it is “living” contrasts with a ‘dead,’ discontinuous or incomplete way, as that found in the Mosaic Law. Given that it is living means its atonement/payment/effect always stands accomplishing its intent continuously for time & eternity.

Jesus initiated/inaugurated this new & living “way” “thru the veil.” The veil references the curtain which separated the Holiest Place from the Holy Place. Upon Jesus’ death the veil was torn into from top to bottom(Mat. 27:50-51; Mk. 15:38; Lk. 23:44-46).

“The veil” is used by the author to represent Jesus’ flesh. Jesus took on human flesh(Php. 2:6-8), & thru such a “veil”(stumbling block), secured our entrance thru His volitional(:5-10) sacrifice.

“New”—prosfatov—1) Lately slaughtered, freshly killed; 2) Recently made, new. Strong—Previously (recently) slain (fresh), i.e. (figuratively) lately made. Used 1X.

“Living”—zaw—V.—1) To live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead); 2) To enjoy real life; 3) To live i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living & acting; 4) Living water, having vital power in itself & exerting the same upon the soul; 5) metaph. To be in full vigor. Strong—To live (literally or figuratively).