featured scripture-block
In a previous time God spoke to man through the prophets, but now (“these last days”) He has spoken through His son, Jesus Christ. Additionally, God appointed Him heir of all things and through Him created the world.
Opening to the letter of Hebrews, written to Jews that had believed and obeyed the gospel. The writer is beginning his argument and evidence for why everything is better in Jesus by pointing to the prophets (and angels) that had, in times past, delivered God’s message.
the bible truth on Jesus
Jesus made three direct statements about His mission on earth (which was God’s mission13). First, He said He came to “seek and to save the lost”3. This is possibly the most well-known fact about His mission. He was the remedy for sin1215, culminating in His death, burial, and resurrection10. The salvation aspect of His mission is repeated and reiterated several times in Scripture in various ways2[no matches]6, including Jesus’ own analogy of Himself to a door and a shepherd11.
Second, Jesus said that He came to “bear witness to the truth”1. Specifically, He ushered in the gospel of the kingdom of God9. The words He spoke were from the Father16. He embodied12 them by becoming flesh (John 1:1, 14). This is highlighted when Jesus says He came not to bring peace but a sword4 and when Paul says the Old Law was nailed to the cross7. It was fulfilling all that had been communicated by God to that point14 and freeing us from fleshly sin to live in/with His Spirit12.
Third, Jesus said He came “for judgment”8…which links to the first two. Jesus came to judge all mankind8 against the truth19 of God’s word16. Those who accept/believe Him (e.g. enter through “the door”11) receive eternal salvation23810.
Jesus was asked this exact question by His disciples1 and we have a rare instance in which Jesus gives a direct answer to a direct question. He doesn’t say that it was an “effective teaching method,” or that it would make it “memorable” or “easy to understand.” In fact it was just the opposite14. The disciples needed to ask what the parables meant27 and later, Jesus would actually contrast the practice with speaking “plainly about the Father”3.
The message of the kingdom is hidden159 for those who are not truly listening2 for it (or, as other Scripture puts it, seeking it). Teaching in parables (or figures of speech3) was Jesus’ practice7 as a prophet of God6 in order to distinguish those who were truly seeking truth4. This was consistent with how God spoke through His prophets of old8, and even how God’s word is heard/received today9.
The words of Scripture are the words of God – all of them – regardless of who spoke them124678912. Jesus (or the apostles8) were not speaking or teaching something different from person to person. They all were united in, and messengers of the “all truth” of, God the Father91112. It was the same with Moses10 and the prophets7 who spoke God’s literal word.
getting to the truth on Jesus is pretty important
don’t you agree?
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