Why is the Background of the Book of Hebrews Important to Understanding This Book?

  Of all the epistles Paul wrote, Hebrews is the only one not written to a church or a believer.  But what is a Hebrew?  Have you ever thought about that?   In chapter 1 of the Life-Study of Hebrews Witness Lee shares that the first time the word Hebrew was used was in Genesis 14:13  where Abram [Later God changed his name to Abraham] was called "the Hebrew." He said that the root of this word means "to pass over." 

     Stephen gives a fascinating account of Abraham's experience of leaving his country in Acts 7:1-5.  When Abraham was in Ur a city full of idolatry, the book of Acts tells us that the God of glory appeared to him.  God told him to leave Ur and go to a land that He would show him.  Step by step Abraham followed God across the Euphrates River and into the land of Canaan.  

   This background about Abraham is important because the writer wanted to impress upon these early Jewish believers that they were at a spiritual junction, and they needed to cross the river and come out of their religion.  The background information on page 10 helped me understand what was happening with these early Jewish believers:

In A.D. 63 Ananias, one of the high priests in the Jewish religion in Jerusalem, rose up with the Sadduccees and Pharisees to persecute the Hebrews.  At that time those dear Hebrews appreciated the Lord Jesus, but they were unwilling to forsake their old religion. Eventually the Lord sovereignly raised up a 

circumstance which forced them out of it….Perhaps the high priest said, "If you want to remain here with us, you must be like us. Don't be such a Christian--be a Jew. Be a typical Jew. If you want to be a Christian, get out!"....The Epistle to the Hebrews was written for the purpose of confirming to the staggering Hebrew believers the genuine Christian faith and to warn them not to deviate from it. They had to forsake their Jewish religion (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Hebrews. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1975, Print).

In this chapter brother Lee also points out that the persecution the Hebrews were going through was not coming from the Romans or heathens but from Jewish officials (Hebrews

10:39). That was probably a hard pill for them to swallow, and this chapter brings out that it actually made them doubt the stand they were taking as believers in Christ. 

      The book of Hebrews was written to strengthen these Jewish believers to follow Jesus, the Captain of their salvation.  It helped me to see that the reason the writer of Hebrews continually contrasted Christ and the Jewish religion was to motivate them to cross over. He closed this chapter by saying that sometimes we may find ourselves at places in our own Christian journey where Christ is calling us to be a river crosser, too.

You can  also listen to live excerpts from these messages on Hebrews on The Life-Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.  You will enjoy listening to both  the excerpts  from these spoken messages and the helpful and enlightening commentary of the radio hosts.

Other Posts on the Life-Study of Hebrews:

Why is the Background of the Book of Hebrews Important to Understanding This Book?
What Does God's Speaking Show us In Hebrews 1:1-2?
What Does Hebrews 2:10 Say About Christ?
How Does the Lord Sanctify Us In Hebrews 2:11?
The High Priest in Hebrews 2:17 Makes Me Think of the Poem Footprints
Why is the Sabbath Rest Mentioned in Hebrews 4:9?
Why is Unbelief in Hebrews 3:12 the Biggest Offense to God?
How Do We Come Forward in Hebrews 4:16?
What Does Hebrews 6:1 Say About Christian Maturity?
What Does Hebrews 8 Tell Us About the Differences Between the Old & New Testaments?
What Does It Mean to Gain our Soul in Hebrews 10:39?
Have You Seen God's Silence in Hebrews 11?
How Do You Run the Christian Race in Hebrews 12?
What is the Birthright About in Hebrews 12:16?
From the Life-Study of Hebrews - What is the Central Concept of the Bible?
What's the Focus of the Book of Hebrews?