In-Depth Studies Blog

I left Phoenix on Thursday morning, March 6 and arrived in Minsk, Belarus on Friday at about 1:00 pm. This portion of the trip I was not accompanied by anyone. I haven’t traveled alone overseas for quite some time. The weekend of my arrival was greeted with unusually warm weather, but then it turned to its customary cold ways. On Saturday afternoon I met with Slava Viazovsky and we had lunch together and talked about his ideas for a Doctoral Dissertation at a school in Scotland where he hopes to work on his degree. In the evening I went to the New Covenant Reformed Baptist Church in Gatava (about 30 minutes south of Minsk) to teach the youth of the church. It was a full house and we discussed the new heart. Oleg leads the group and he is in his early 20’s and definitely has a new heart.

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Category : Author: Geoff Volker, Misc

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Those with appetite for “solid food” are brought to understanding via in-depth study beginning with the last half of Hebrews 6 that “hope [is] like a sure and firm anchor of the soul” [v. 19 (HCSB)] if it rests in the “high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek” (v. 20) — Jesus — and that hope is illusory if it rests in other than Him, the Priest-King.  As Dr. John MacArthur advocated via Hard To Believe:  The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus, the wide gate and broad road that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13) is prevalently marked “Jesus”; alas, it’s not Jesus the Priest-King which interests the unregenerate.  Astonishingly, even among the regenerate elect, Truth regarding the Priest-King is quenched; evisceration of the church via concomitant woeful beliefs and practices has been and continues to be the result.

At Hebrews 5:6, remember, the Writer quoted Psalm 110:4:  “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek”.  At 5:12, the Writer lamented:  “You need milk, not solid food”.  At 6:4 – 8, the Writer solemnly warns those satisfied with “milk” of their inevitable curse and burning; faith without appetite is dead (assuming mental capacity).

[Then], the author [] related his readers’ condition to the purpose of God, as evidenced especially in his dealings with Abraham.  In [6:20], the author completes his careful preparaton for the ‘teaching difficult to explain’ (5:11).  He does this by a skilful combination of motifs:  (1) traditional teaching about the resurrection or exaltation of Christ is re-expressed in terms of the entry of a high priest into the inner sanctuary; and (2) the contrast between Jesus’ ministry and that of the OT priesthood is expressed by use of the Melchizedek motif.  This comparison and contrast, both based on exegesis of OT texts, will prove to be the heart of the epistle.

Paul Ellingworth, The New International Greek Testament Commentary ~ The Epistle to the Hebrews, pp. 347 – 348 (link previously provided).  The “heart of the epistle” is, indeed, the expostion of its central theme:  The New Covenant.  The Writer

argues powerfully that a new priesthood signals a new covenant.  You cannot graft Christ’s high-priesthood onto that of the Mosaic order.  Nor can the Mosaic priesthood survive under the ‘better covenant’ established in Christ’s atoning blood.  There is a new covenant and a new priesthood, and former things have passed away.

Edgar Andrews, A Glorious High Throne, p. 189 (emphasis sic) (link previously provided).  John MacArthur astutely observed:

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Category : Author: Jim McDermott, The Book of Hebrews

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For the promise to Abraham or to his decendants that he would inherit the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith [Romans 4:13 (HCSB)].

Was (were) Abraham(‘s decendants) promised that (t)he(y) would “inherit the world”?!  Yes … according to the Holy Spirit (!).  Romans 4:13 is the source of such information; nowhere within the Old Covenant Scriptures is any such indication to be found.  Despite progressive revelation, multitudes today confine the promises by YHVH [to Abraham (and his seed)] to the physical land of Canaan [disregarding, of course, Joshua 21:43 (“So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it”)].  Jesus’ declaration that “[y]our father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day; he saw it, and rejoiced[]” is relegated to a “hard saying of Jesus”.

The Holy Spirit, again via Paul (via his letter to the churches of Galatia), informs us — unequivocally — as to the identity of the beneficiaries of the promises by YHVH [to Abraham (and his seed)]; to wit:

Just as Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, so understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons.  Now the Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and foretold the good news to Abraham, saying ‘All the nations will be blessed in you’.  So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith [Galatians 3:6 – 9 (HCSB)].

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.  He does not say ‘and to his seeds,’  as though referring to many, but ‘and to your seed,’ referring to one, who is Christ (v. 16).

And if you are Christ’s, then your are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise (v. 29).

Lamentably, multitudes today insist that we “make God a liar”, simply/ironically because we believe Him (!); their system-driven theology blinds them to crucial Truth.  Their Israel-centered hermeneutic has wrought/wreaks church-eviscerating doctrines which Dr. John MacArthur rightly recognized as woeful error and, concomitantly, wrote (decades ago) The Gospel According to Jesus.  In response, classical dispensationalists (Dr. Charles Ryrie led the charge), rightly recognizing that doctines such as Jesus’ Lordship are antithetical to dispensationalism, besieged Dr. MacArthur, who then wrote Faith Works/The Gospel According to the Apostles, and proclaimed himself a “leaky dispensationalist”.  Dr. MacArthur, of course, adhered and adheres to the Israel-centered hermeneutic — satisfied to be “leaky” — and is today a champion of those who insist that we “make God a liar”.  Discouraged but undeterred, we pursue Truth.

We’ve seen that the Writer of Hebrews “sets the table” for the “solid food” (5:12) about to be fed to those with appetite for “solid food” {those upon whom the warning (6:4 – 8 ) is not operative [such warning being operative upon those self-satisfied with “milk” (5:12)]} with “God[‘s … ] promise to Abraham” (v. 13).  We’ve also seen that we’re to be “imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance[]” and that the key to that clause — which ends the sentence which comprises v v. 11 – 12 — is “the promises”. (more…)

Category : Author: Jim McDermott, The Book of Hebrews

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“Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see my day; he saw it, and rejoiced”.  John 8:56 (HCSB).

“For when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by himself”.  Hebrews 6:13 (HCSB).

[The Writer] is saying, ‘Not only can you look around you at the true believers as examples; even Abraham, who lived a thousand years before Christ came to earth, is a model for your trusting in Him.  Look back in your own history and see a man who totally trusted God.’

The MacArthur New Testament Commentary ~ Hebrews at 161.

We’ll “see” next week (Deo volente) how Hebrews 6:13 ff. transitions from table-setting to the “solid food”.  First, though, we must briefly consider the preceding few verses, for they give rise to some crucial considerations.

Hebrews 6:10 is “tailor-made” for Thank You cards and the like given to Christians.  Of course, it’s only the regenerate elect whose past and ongoing service TO THE SAINTS is “remembered” by God; He is no one’s debtor!  Furthermore, such service is “remembered” only when the labor of love is for His name (His merits, His glory, and advancement of His kingdom).  Verse 10 is, of course, compatible with Galatians 6:10; that is, ministry to those outside “the household of faith” is indeed encouraged, but, such is not contemplated via Hebrews 6:10. (more…)

Category : Author: Jim McDermott, The Book of Hebrews

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Here is the critical basis for understanding the epistle [to the Hebrews]; and here is where people often get mixed up, especialy in interpreting chapters 6 and 10.  * * *  The key to interpreting any part of Hebrews is to understand which group is being addressed.  If we do not understand that, we are bound to confuse the issues.  … .  We must always understand what group it is to whom He speaks .  … .  The primary message is addressed to believers.  Periodically, there are interspersed warnings to the [ ] unbelieving groups.  In a masterful way, in a way that could only be divine, the Holy Spirit speaks to all [ ].  He meets every one of their particular needs and their specific questions in this one supernatural masterpiece.

None other than Dr. John F. MacArthur, Jr., wrote what you’ve just read [The MacArthur New Testament Commentary ~ Hebrews (pp. xi, xv)]! (more…)

Category : Author: Jim McDermott, The Book of Hebrews

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The fact that Hebrews 6:7 – 8 is an agrarian metaphor gives Tyndale’s “plowboy” no advantage in understanding the meaning of those verses.  Knowledge of Old Covenant Scriptures and/or access to commentaries, though, gives rise to such understanding.  Before pursuing such understanding, though, a brief consideration of two more familiar agrarian metaphors is warranted.  Jesus’ parables regarding soils and wheat and tares are familiar, to be sure; as is all too often true, however, familiarity in no way ensures understanding. (more…)

Category : Author: Jim McDermott, The Book of Hebrews

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I am no spring chicken and as the grey hairs have multiplied I am becoming ever increasingly convinced that one of the greatest hindrances to true fellowship is the refusal to talk to another believer about something that is bothering you about them. In this matter Silence is NOT golden and this silence will fracture the body as it undermines true biblical fellowship. For silence is the cancer that destroys the relationship. (more…)

Category : Author: Geoff Volker, Theology Applied

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D. James Kennedy employed an arresting illustration which is pertinent to my (sub)thesis [that the context of Hebrews as a whole and, in particular, 1:1 through 6:8, indicates that the warning which ends at 6:8 is operative upon those who are satisfied with “milk” and, concomitantly, have no appetite for “solid food” (the “solid food” is the primary issue!)]. Dr. Kennedy, in his inimitable fashion, told of a young woman who talked much about her love for a soldier overseas. She spoke so convincingly that she seemed to truly believe that she did indeed love him. At home, however, was a stack of unopened letters she’d received from him. “DON’T TELL ME YOU LOVE HIM“, Dr. Kennedy bellowed. Instantaneous conviction; no need to connect the dots. (more…)

Category : Author: Jim McDermott, The Book of Hebrews

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My premise is this: If you love your Lord then this will naturally work itself out in your love for those around you. 

Dear Friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 

As I am well into the grey hair years one thing is becoming increasingly clear to me. Relationships are what it is all about and it is relationships that provide the richness in the Christian life.  It is quite true that our life as a believer can be distilled down to the truth that we have a personal relationship with the living God. We are an incurable God-lover and this is the result of the work of the Spirit in our lives that every believer experiences (Romans 8:5-14, 1 Peter 1:8, Romans 6:17-18). This work of the Spirit will cause us to love those around us. Relationships in the Lord become for the believer that which makes life rich.

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Category : Author: Geoff Volker, Theology Applied

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William Tyndale gave his life — figuratively, then literally — to his dream that every plowboy in England could read the Bible in English (Tyndale translated from Greek; Wycliffe translated the Latin translation of the Greek into English). Indeed, many of our most beloved verses are Tyndale’s words. How tragic, by-the-way, that Tyndale’s valuation of availability of Scripture to the “laity” is inversely reflected today in the devaluation of Scripture by countless professing Christians. (more…)

Category : Author: Jim McDermott, The Book of Hebrews

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