Hebrews
Very helpful in understanding this important book
Every Christian needs to understand Hebrews. If they do not, they will misunderstand the Old Testament and will also fail to fully appreciate what the Lord Jesus Christ has done, what he is doing now, and what he is going to do in the future. As a result, they will remain spiritually stunted.
Over the years, plenty of books have been written to explain Hebrews, but only a few of them have had ordinary Christians in mind. Some of them are so large and so complicated that they appear to be the last word. Experts enjoy books like these, but everybody else is left bewildered.
This book does not pretend to be ‘the last word’ but perhaps, for some, it will prove useful as ‘the first word’. Stuart Olyott explains Hebrews as clearly as the subject matter allows, keeping in mind the advice of Albert Einstein that ‘things should be as simple as possible, but no simpler’. Crystal clear explanation of the text is followed by detailed practical application. Indeed this book contains many applications, some of which are very direct.
Throughout, the aim of the author is to focus our gaze upon Christ so that we might follow him with renewed courage.
Table of Contents:
1 | Before we begin | 1 |
2 | God has spoken—1:1-4 | 9 |
3 | Teaching and warning—1:5-2:4 | 17 |
4 | The man Christ Jesus is greater than the angels—2:5-18 | 25 |
5 | The peril of apostasy—3:1-4:1 | 33 |
6 | The promised rest—4:2-16 | 43 |
7 | Christ’s high priesthood—5:1-10 | 49 |
8 | A rebuke and an exhortation—5:11-6:3 | 55 |
9 | A terrifying warning 6:4-8 | 65 |
10 | Encouragement!—6:9-20 | 75 |
11 | A high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek—7:1-28 | 81 |
12 | The mediator of a better covenant—8:1-13 | 89 |
13 | The priest of a better tabernacle—9:1-14 | 97 |
14 | The offerer of a better sacrifice—9:14-28 | 105 |
15 | Underlining and enforcing—10:1-18 | 115 |
16 | What to do and why—10:19-39 | 123 |
17 | Faith: defined and illustrated11:1-16 | 131 |
18 | Nothing can extinguish true faith—11:17-40 | 139 |
19 | Run the race—looking unto Jesus—12:1-4 | 147 |
20 | Chastisement and encouragement—12:5-17 | 155 |
21 | Higher privileges and greater responsibilities—12:18-29 | 163 |
22 | How to live as a Christian—13:1-6 | 171 |
23 | Authority and spirituality—13:7-8, 17 | 179 |
24 | Concluding exhortations and benedictions—13:9-16, 18-25 | 185 |
Author
Stuart Olyott, minister and missionary from 1967 to 1999, travels widely, helping and encouraging especially young and inexperienced pastors in the UK and Europe. Now semi-retired he continues his work as Pastoral Director of the Evangelical Movement of Wales. He is also an elder at Christ Church in Deeside, North Wales.