Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Bible and the final book of the Pentateuch, traditionally attributed to Moses. It serves as a series of speeches by Moses to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Here’s a brief summary:
 
Reiteration of the Law (Chapters 1-11):
DEUTERONOMY 1:3
3 In the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, Moses told the Israelites everything the Lord had commanded him to say to them.[1]

• Moses begins by recounting the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land.

DEUTERONOMY 1:12-18
12 But how can I bear your troubles, burdens, and disputes by myself? 13 Appoint for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will make them your leaders.
14 “You replied to me, ‘What you propose to do is good.’
15 “So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and set them over you as leaders: commanders for thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and officers for your tribes. 16 I commanded your judges at that time: Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge rightly between a man and his brother or his resident alien. 17 Do not show partiality when deciding a case; listen to small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it. 18 At that time I commanded you about all the things you were to do.[2]

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DEUTERONOMY 1:22-28
22 “Then all of you approached me and said, ‘Let’s send men ahead of us, so that they may explore the land for us and bring us back a report about the route we should go up and the cities we will come to.’ 23 The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one man for each tribe. 24 They left and went up into the hill country and came to Eshcol Valley, scouting the land. 25 They took some of the fruit from the land in their hands, carried it down to us, and brought us back a report: ‘The land the Lord our God is giving us is good.’
26 “But you were not willing to go up. You rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. 27 You grumbled in your tents and said, ‘The Lord brought us out of the land of Egypt to hand us over to the Amorites in order to destroy us, because he hates us. 28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart, saying: The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, fortified to the heavens. We also saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’ [3]

• Moses then reminds the Israelites about their wandering in the wilderness and all the battles they had to endure.

DEUTERONOMY 3:23-29
23 “At that time I begged the Lord: 24 Lord God, you have begun to show your greatness and your strong hand to your servant, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours? 25 Please let me cross over and see the beautiful land on the other side of the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.
26 “But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. The Lord said to me, ‘That’s enough! Do not speak to me again about this matter. 27 Go to the top of Pisgah and look to the west, north, south, and east, and see it with your own eyes, for you will not cross the Jordan. 28 But commission Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for he will cross over ahead of the people and enable them to inherit this land that you will see.’ 29 So we stayed in the valley facing Beth-peor. [4]
 

• He emphasizes the importance of obedience to God’s commandments and reminds the people of their covenant relationship with God.

DEUTERONOMY 4:1-2
1 “Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live, enter, and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, so that you may keep the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you.[5]
 
DEUTERONOMY 4:9-14
9 “Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you don’t forget the things your eyes have seen and so that they don’t slip from your mind as long as you live. Teach them to your children and your grandchildren. 10 The day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, ‘Assemble the people before me, and I will let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days they live on the earth and may instruct their children.’ 11 You came near and stood at the base of the mountain, a mountain blazing with fire into the heavens and enveloped in a totally black cloud. 12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the fire. You kept hearing the sound of the words, but didn’t see a form; there was only a voice. 13 He declared his covenant to you. He commanded you to follow the Ten Commandments, which he wrote on two stone tablets. 14 At that time the Lord commanded me to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to follow in the land you are about to cross into and possess. [6]
 
DEUTERONOMY 4:29-31 (God will not leave you)
29 But from there, you will search for the Lord your God, and you will find him when you seek him with all your heart and all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, in the future you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. 31 He will not leave you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your ancestors that he swore to them by oath, because the Lord your God is a compassionate God.[7]
 

• This section includes the Shema, a central declaration of faith in Judaism:

DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9
4 “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one., 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.[8]
 
Deuteronomy 8:2-3 (through the wilderness)
2 Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these forty years in the wilderness, so that he might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your ancestors had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.[9]
 
DEUTERONOMY 11:26-28 (Blessings & Curses)
26 “Look, today I set before you a blessing and a curse: 27 there will be a blessing, if you obey the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you today, 28 and a curse, if you do not obey the commands of the Lord your God and you turn aside from the path I command you today by following other gods you have not known.[10]
 
Detailed Laws and Regulations (Chapters 12-26):

• Moses restates and expands upon the laws given at Mount Sinai.
• Eat meat
• No idols – Beware of false prophets
• These laws cover various aspects of life, including worship, civil and social regulations, and guidelines for leadership.
• The focus is on living as a holy and distinct people in the land they are about to enter.

DEUTERONOMY 14:22-26 (tithe)
22 “Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields. 23 You are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and fresh oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, in the presence of the Lord your God at the place where he chooses to have his name dwell, so that you will always learn to fear the Lord your God. 24 But if the distance is too great for you to carry it, since the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his name is too far away from you and since the Lord your God has blessed you, 25 then exchange it for silver, take the silver in your hand, and go to the place the Lord your God chooses. 26 You may spend the silver on anything you want: cattle, sheep, goats, wine, beer, or anything you desire. You are to feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice with your family.[11]

• Chapter 16:
• Festival of Passover
• Festival of Weeks
• Festival of Shelters (Booths/Tabernacles)

DEUTERONOMY 18:21-22 (Identifying false prophets)
21 You may say to yourself, ‘How can we recognize a message the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 When a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name, and the message does not come true or is not fulfilled, that is a message the Lord has not spoken.[12]
 
DEUTERONOMY 23:12-14 (Must remain holy)
12 You are to have a place outside the camp and go there to relieve yourself. 13 You are to have a digging tool in your equipment; when you relieve yourself, dig a hole with it and cover up your excrement. 14 For the Lord your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you; so your encampments must be holy. He must not see anything indecent among you or he will turn away from you. [13]
 
DEUTERONOMY 26:16-19 (Covenant summary)
16 “The Lord your God is commanding you this day to follow these statutes and ordinances. Follow them carefully with all your heart and all your soul. 17 Today you have affirmed that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commands, and ordinances, and obey him. 18 And today the Lord has affirmed that you are his own possession as he promised you, that you are to keep all his commands, 19 that he will elevate you to praise, fame, and glory above all the nations he has made, and that you will be a holy people to the Lord your God as he promised.” [14]
 
Blessings and Curses (Chapters 27-30):
DEUTERONOMY 27:1-8 (Posting of commandments)
1 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, “Keep every command I am giving you today. 2 When you cross the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up large stones and cover them with plaster. 3 Write all the words of this law on the stones after you cross to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. 4 When you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to cover them with plaster. 5 Build an altar of stones there to the Lord your God—do not use any iron tool on them. 6 Use uncut stones to build the altar of the Lord your God and offer burnt offerings to the Lord your God on it. 7 There you are to sacrifice fellowship offerings, eat, and rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God. 8 Write clearly all the words of this law on the plastered stones.” [15]

• Louisiana schools posting of 10 Commandments
• Moses outlines the blessings that will come from obedience to God’s laws and the curses that will result from disobedience.
• He calls the people to choose life by loving and obeying God, emphasizing the consequences of their choices.

DEUTERONOMY 30:6
6 The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live.[16]
 
DEUTERONOMY 30:16, 19-20
16 For I am commanding you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and multiply, and the Lord your God may bless you in the land you are entering to possess.[17]
 
19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20 love the Lord your God, obey him, and remain faithful to him. For he is your life, and he will prolong your days as you live in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.[18]
 
Final Words and Transition of Leadership (Chapters 31-34):
DEUTERONOMY 31:1-3, 6
Then Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel, 2 saying, “I am now 120 years old; I can no longer act as your leader. The Lord has told me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan. 3 The Lord your God is the one who will cross ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will drive them out. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, as the Lord has said.[19]

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6 Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.”[20]
 
DEUTERONOMY 31:14-23
14 The Lord said to Moses, “The time of your death is now approaching. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting so that I may commission him.” When Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting, 15 the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood at the entrance to the tent.
16 The Lord said to Moses, “You are about to rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will abandon me and break the covenant I have made with them. 17 My anger will burn against them on that day; I will abandon them and hide my face from them so that they will become easy prey. Many troubles and afflictions will come to them. On that day they will say, ‘Haven’t these troubles come to us because our God is no longer with us?’ 18 I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all the evil they have done by turning to other gods. 19 Therefore write down this song for yourselves and teach it to the Israelites; have them sing it, so that this song may be a witness for me against the Israelites. 20 When I bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey, they will eat their fill and prosper. They will turn to other gods and worship them, despising me and breaking my covenant. 21 And when many troubles and afflictions come to them, this song will testify against them, because their descendants will not have forgotten it. For I know what they are prone to do, even before I bring them into the land I swore to give them.” 22 So Moses wrote down this song on that day and taught it to the Israelites.
23 The Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun, “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I swore to them, and I will be with you.”[21]
 

• Moses appoints Joshua as his successor and delivers his final words to the Israelites.
• He writes down the law and instructs the Levites to read it to the people every seven years.
• The book concludes with the Song of Moses, a blessing for the tribes, and the account of Moses’ death.

DEUTERONOMY 34:1-12
1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which faces Jericho, and the Lord showed him all the land: Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, 3 the Negev, and the plain in the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 The Lord then said to him, “This is the land I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will not cross into it.”
5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the Lord’s word. 6 He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab facing Beth-peor, and no one to this day knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not left him. 8 The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.
9 Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. 10 No prophet has arisen again in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. 11 He was unparalleled for all the signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do against the land of Egypt—to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to all his land— 12 and for all the mighty acts of power and terrifying deeds that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.[22]
 
Deuteronomy serves as a reminder of God’s faithfulness and the importance of covenant loyalty.

• It calls the Israelites to love and serve God wholeheartedly as they prepare to enter the land promised to their ancestors.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 1:3.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 1:12–18.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 1:22–28.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 3:23–29.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 4:1–2.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 4:9–14.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 4:29–31.
[8] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 6:4–9.
[9] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 8:1–3.
[10] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 11:26–28.
[11] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 14:22–26.
[12] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 18:21–22.
[13] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 23:12–14.
[14] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 26:16–19.
[15] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 27:1–8.
[16] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 30:6.
[17] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 30:16.
[18] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 30:19–20.
[19] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 31:1–3.
[20] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 31:6.
[21] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 31:14–23.
[22] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Dt 34:1–12.

Leviticus is the third book of the Bible and is part of the Torah, also known as the Pentateuch.

• It primarily focuses on the laws and regulations given by God to the Israelites through Moses.
• These laws were intended to guide the Israelites in their worship and daily living, setting them apart as God's holy people.

Sacrificial System:

• Leviticus begins with detailed instructions on various offerings and sacrifices, including burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings (Leviticus 1-7).
• These sacrifices were a way for the Israelites to maintain their relationship with God and atone for their sins.

LEVITICUS 1:1-9
1 Then the Lord summoned Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any of you brings an offering to the Lord from the livestock, you may bring your offering from the herd or the flock.
3 “If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to bring an unblemished male. He will bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting so that he may be accepted by the Lord. 4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.

• Substitute Sacrifice
• God accepts a substitute sacrifice on behalf of the one He loves.
• The precedent has been set.

5 He is to slaughter the bull before the Lord; Aaron’s sons the priests are to present the blood and splatter it on all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6 Then he is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. 7 The sons of Aaron the priest will prepare a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 Aaron’s sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, the head, and the fat on top of the burning wood on the altar. 9 The offerer is to wash its entrails and legs with water. Then the priest will burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.[1]
 
Priestly Duties:

• The book outlines the roles and responsibilities of the priests, particularly those from the tribe of Levi.
• It includes the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests and the regulations they must follow in their service (Leviticus 8-10).

 
Purity Laws:

• Leviticus contains laws concerning ritual purity, including dietary restrictions, laws about clean and unclean animals, and regulations for dealing with skin diseases and bodily discharges (Leviticus 11-15).
• These laws were meant to teach the Israelites about holiness and separation from impurity.

LEVITICUS 11:1-8
1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 2 “Tell the Israelites: You may eat all these kinds of land animals. 3 You may eat any animal with divided hooves and that chews the cud. 4 But among the ones that chew the cud or have divided hooves you are not to eat these:
camels, though they chew the cud,
do not have divided hooves—they are unclean for you;
5 hyraxes, though they chew the cud,
do not have hooves—they are unclean for you;
6 hares, though they chew the cud,
do not have hooves—they are unclean for you;
7 pigs, though they have divided hooves,
do not chew the cud—they are unclean for you.
8 Do not eat any of their meat or touch their carcasses—they are unclean for you.[2]
Day of Atonement:

• One of the central events in Leviticus is the Day of Atonement, a yearly observance where the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16).
• This foreshadows the ultimate atonement made by Jesus Christ.

LEVITICUS 16:17-19
17 No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the most holy place until he leaves after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel. 18 Then he will go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on the horns on all sides of the altar. 19 He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse and set it apart from the Israelites’ impurities. [3]
 
Moral and Ethical Laws:

• The book includes various moral and ethical laws, such as those concerning sexual conduct, social justice, and interpersonal relationships (Leviticus 17-20).
• These laws emphasize the importance of living a life that reflects God's holiness.

LEVITICUS 17:10-12
10 “Anyone from the house of Israel or from the aliens who reside among them who eats any blood, I will turn against that person who eats blood and cut him off from his people. 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement. 12 Therefore I say to the Israelites: None of you and no alien who resides among you may eat blood.[4]
 
Festivals and Sabbaths:

• Leviticus outlines the religious festivals and Sabbaths that the Israelites were to observe, including Passover, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23-25).

LEVITICUS 23:1-3
23 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: These are my appointed times, the times of the Lord that you will proclaim as sacred assemblies.
3 “Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there is to be a Sabbath of complete rest, a sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; it is a Sabbath to the Lord wherever you live. [5]
 
Blessings and Curses:
The book concludes with a section on the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience, highlighting the covenant relationship between God and His people (Leviticus 26).
LEVITICUS 27:34
34 These are the commands the Lord gave Moses for the Israelites on Mount Sinai. [6]
Leviticus, while often seen as a book of laws, ultimately points to the holiness of God and the need for atonement and reconciliation.

• Themes that are fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus Christ.

 
There is often confusion about the role of the Old Testament Law and how it relates to Christians today.

• I believe the Levitical laws were just for the Jewish people.
• Others say they apply to everyone who would worship God.

 
First, let’s clarify some terms.

• The Levites were the descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s twelve sons.
• Moses was of the tribe of Levi, and when God delivered the Law to him on Mount Sinai, He marked the Levites as the tribe responsible for the primary religious duties in the nation.
• They were made priests, singers, and caretakers in the worship of God.
• In calling it the Levitical Law, we acknowledge that God revealed the Law through Moses, a Levite, and that God appointed the Levites as the religious leaders of Israel.
• The same Law is sometimes called “Mosaic” because it was given through Moses, and it is also referred to as the “Old Covenant,” because it is part of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants.

To discover God’s purpose in the Law, we must first look at its inception, and the things God said to Moses about it.

• When Moses and the people arrived at Mount Sinai, God said,

EXODUS 19:5-6
5 Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, 6 and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.” [7]

• The first mention of the Law to the nation was as a covenant—a legal agreement between God and the people He chose.
• The Israelites were required to obey it fully if they were to receive its benefits.

 
God began His introduction to the Law with the Ten Commandments, but the entire Law encompasses 613 commandments, as detailed in the rest of the books of Moses.

• Jesus summarized the Law as having two emphases: love for God and love for neighbors (Matthew 22:37–39).
• These emphases can be easily seen in the Ten Commandments: the first four commands focus on our relation to God, and the remainder focus on interpersonal relations.
• If we think that is the whole purpose of the Law, though, we miss an important element. Many of the individual commands give detailed instruction on how God was to be worshiped and how the people were to live their lives.
• It is in those fine details that love was either shown or withheld.

 
For hundreds of years, the Israelites lived under the Levitical Law, sometimes obeying it but more often failing to follow God’s commands.

• Much of Old Testament history deals with the punishments Israel received for their disobedience.
• When Jesus Christ came, He said that He did not “come to abolish the Law or the Prophets . . . but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).
• In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus took the Law to a higher level, applying it to the thoughts and intents of the heart.
• This perspective significantly diminishes our ability to keep the Law.

 
The apostle Paul gives us insight into God’s purpose for the Law in his letter to the Galatians.

• In Galatians 3:10 he says, “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’”
• The fine details show up again—if we don’t keep every command perfectly, we are condemned (see James 2:10).

GALATIANS 3:19-26
19 Why, then, was the law given? It was added for the sake of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not just for one person alone, but God is one. 21 Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if the law had been granted with the ability to give life, then righteousness would certainly be on the basis of the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin’s power,, so that the promise might be given on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe. 23 Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. 24 The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. 25 But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus.[8]

• The Law pointed out our sinfulness, proved our inability to keep our end of the covenant, made us prisoners in our guilt, and showed our need of a Savior.
• The purpose of the Law is also revealed:

ROMANS 3:20
20 For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.[9]

The Levitical Law did its job well, pointing out the sinfulness of mankind and condemning us for it.
HEBREWS 7:18-19
18 So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable 19 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.[10]

• (for the law made nothing perfect).”
• The Law had no way of changing our sinful nature.
• We needed something better to accomplish that.

HEBREWS 10:1-4
1 Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the reality itself of those things, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year. 2 Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, purified once and for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in the sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. [11]
 
God’s desire has always been to have fellowship with mankind, but our sin prevented that.

• He gave the Law to set a standard of holiness—and, at the same time, to show that we could never meet that standard on our own.
• That’s why Jesus Christ had to come—to fulfill all the righteous requirements of the Law on our behalf, and then to take the punishment of our violating that same Law.

HEBREWS10:11-14
11 Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. 12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God., 13 He is now waiting until his enemies are made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.[12]

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 1:1–9.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 11:1–8.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 16:17–19.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 17:10–12.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 23:1–3.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 27:34.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 19:4–6.
[8] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ga 3:19–26.
[9] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ro 3:20.
[10] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Heb 7:18–19.
[11] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Heb 10:1–4.
[12] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Heb 10:11–14.

Review:

• Timeline & Maps

 
EXODUS 13
1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Consecrate every firstborn male to me, the firstborn from every womb among the Israelites, both man and domestic animal; it is mine.”[1]
 
6 For seven days you must eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to the Lord.[2]
 
18 So he led the people around toward the Red Sea along the road of the wilderness. And the Israelites left the land of Egypt in battle formation.
19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear a solemn oath, saying, “God will certainly come to your aid; then you must take my bones with you from this place.”
20 They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21 The Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way during the day and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel day or night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night never left its place in front of the people.[3]
 
EXODUS 14
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you must camp in front of Baal-zephon, facing it by the sea. 3 Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in. 4 I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. Then I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this.
 
THE EGYPTIAN PURSUIT
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said, “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.” 6 So he got his chariot ready and took his troops with him; 7 he took six hundred of the best chariots and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in each one. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out defiantly., 9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his horsemen, and his army—chased after them and caught up with them as they camped by the sea beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and there were the Egyptians coming after them! The Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help. 11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Isn’t this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
13 But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that he will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you must be quiet.”
 
ESCAPE THROUGH THE RED SEA
15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to break camp. 16 As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 As for me, I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh, all his army, and his chariots and horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
19 Then the angel of God, who was going in front of the Israelite forces, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them. 20 It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. There was cloud and darkness, it lit up the night, and neither group came near the other all night long.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left.
23 The Egyptians set out in pursuit—all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen—and went into the sea after them. 24 During the morning watch, the Lord looked down at the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire and cloud, and threw the Egyptian forces into confusion. 25 He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and made them drive with difficulty. “Let’s get away from Israel,” the Egyptians said, “because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the water may come back on the Egyptians, on their chariots and horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were trying to escape from it, the Lord threw them into the sea. 28 The water came back and covered the chariots and horsemen, plus the entire army of Pharaoh that had gone after them into the sea. Not even one of them survived.
29 But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left. 30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 When Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and believed in him and in his servant Moses. [4]
 
EXODUS 15

• Isreal’s Song

25 The Lord made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah, and he tested them there. 26 He said, “If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to his commands, and keep all his statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.[5]
 
EXODUS 16

• 2.5 months upon leaving 430 years of slavery in Egypt the Israelites began talking about how much better they had it in Egypt.
• Imagine if they had FB… all the grumbling (entire Israelites)

6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “This evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the Lord’s glory because he has heard your complaints about him. For who are we that you complain about us?” 8 Moses continued, “The Lord will give you meat to eat this evening and all the bread you want in the morning, for he has heard the complaints that you are raising against him.[6]
 
13 So at evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew evaporated, there were fine flakes on the desert surface, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” because they didn’t know what it was.
Moses told them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each person needs to eat. You may take two quarts per individual, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’ ”[7]
 
31 The house of Israel named the substance manna. It resembled coriander seed, was white, and tasted like wafers made with honey.[8]
 
35 The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate manna until they reached the border of the land of Canaan.[9]

• The provision of mannah for 40 years.
• 2 quarts a day… maggots and rotten
• 8 cups = 64 oz = 2 quarts = 1/2 gallon
• Day 7… not available
• Preserve 2 quarts for remembering

 
EXODUS 17

• Repeat of 16 except they wanted water this time.
• Moses told them again… you are complaining against God.
• Moses put staff in a rock at Horeb and water was provided.
• Then Joshua was told to battle Amalek
• Moses used the name Amalek to represent the Amalekites, as he often used the name Israel for the Israelites.
• The Amalekites were a tribe of Semites.
• They were descendants of Esau (Gen. 36:12), and had moved into the part of Sinai that the Israelites now occupied.
• They would win as long as Moses held up his hands.
• Aaron & Hur helped him hold up his arms.

 
EXODUS 18

• Jethro (Moses’ Father-in-Law) came to check on Moses (also brought his wife, Zipporah and kids)
• Jethro assessed how God provided for Israelites
• He also assessed what Moses was doing as he dealt with all the problems of the people.

21 But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating dishonest profit. Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 22 They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear it with you. 23 If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.[10]
 
EXODUS 19

• God heard the Israelites and told Moses the plan to meet with him on Mt. Sinai.

3 Moses went up the mountain to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: “This is what you must say to the house of Jacob and explain to the Israelites: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, 6 and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.” [11]

• Moses consecrated the people and told them to stay away from the holy mountain.

16 On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast from a trumpet, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.[12]
 
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
EXODUS 20
1 Then God spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. 3 Do not have other gods besides me. 4 Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. 5 Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, 6 but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands.
7 Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses his name.
8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: 9 You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. 11 For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.
12 Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13 Do not murder.
14 Do not commit adultery.
15 Do not steal.
16 Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
 
THE PEOPLE’S REACTION
18 All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 “You speak to us, and we will listen,” they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.”
20 Moses responded to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear him and will not sin.” 21 And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the total darkness where God was. [13]

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 13.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 13:6.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 13:18–22.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 14:3–31.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 15:25–26.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 16:6–8.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 16:13–16.
[8] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 16:31.
[9] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 16:35.
[10] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 18:21–23.
[11] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 19:3–6.
[12] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 19:16–19.
[13] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 20:1–21.

CHRISTIAN LIVING AMONG OUTSIDERS
TITUS 3
1 Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities,

• Paul’s words can be hard to understand and even embrace, especially for those who live in democratic nations.
• His point is not that we ought to blindly follow the governing authorities even if they lead us into error.
• But rather believers ought to recognize their position with humility and be subject to their implementation of laws.
• He doesn’t want believers to have a reputation for illegal activities.
• Christianity is not meant to be a movement built on force and the overthrow of governments.
• Instead, it is designed to permeate and transcend every circumstance.
• The Gospel does not call for violent revolutionaries but rather peaceful ambassadors of God’ grace.

to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people.

• Christians were often looked on with suspicion in the Roman Empire because their conduct was so different, and they met in private meetings for worship (see 1 Peter 2:11–25; 3:13–4:5).[1]
• The Greek word used here, blasphēmeō, describes speaking against someone with the purpose of harming his or her reputation.
• Believers will ruin their own reputation if they seek to ruin the reputation of others.[2]
• This is a hard bit of instruction, but government officials, employers, and any other persons of authority should be the recipients of our every good work.[3]
• Paul encourages Christians to love and respect the inherent value within all people.
• Christians are not to stir up discontent with people but rather to love and express the fruit of Christ in a hurting world.
• God has consideration for all people and therefore wants His children to share the same love.

3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.

• Paul wanted this reality to encourage humility and compassion in believers towards others.
• As ugly as this world is we must remember that we too were once enslaved to the world system.
• But when we believed we were set free from sin.
• We can now see the errors of the world system in a way that we could not when we were spiritually dead.
• Now that believers are no longer enslaved, we can live free from the constraints of sin.
• Believers are often tempted to look down their noses at unbelievers—forgetting that they too were once lost.[4]

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

• The love of God appeared in Jesus.
• The two are one and the same.
• Jesus is the love of God made flesh.
• This love of God was expressed perfectly in Christ’s sacrificial work for salvation.
• This salvation is not based on our deeds but the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.
• For Paul, regeneration occurs at faith in Jesus not prior to it.
• Faith, therefore, does not arise because of regeneration but precedes it.

6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.

• Justification is often viewed as a position for Christians that is somehow disconnected from the fact of regeneration.
• In other words, we are justified even though we aren’t truly righteous to the core.
• However, such a concept is missing from Pauline theology.
• Justification is synonymous with the inner righteousness of regeneration.
• Justification is the gracious act of God whereby He declares a believing sinner righteous because of the finished work of Christ on the cross.
• God puts to our account the righteousness of His Son, so that we can be condemned no more.
• Not only does He forget our sins, but He forgets that we were even sinners![5]
• This is the message that Paul wanted the believers to be adamant about in the midst of their ministry to the world.

8 This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone.

• Paul connects the message of regeneration to engaging in good works.
• The good works flow out of our new nature.
• These good deeds impact the world and hopefully win people over to the Gospel.

9 But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless.

• Few things drive away seekers like church infighting.
• Satan loves to encourage selfish strife and division among church members.[6]
• Paul is blatant in his insistence that disputes about the law are worthless.
• This is because of Paul’s overall perspective on the differences between the Old Covenant and New Covenant but also because he was writing to Greeks, non-Jews, who never had the law.
• Therefore, arguing about the law was pointless for them.
• These arguments were also pointless because all who believe in Jesus are participating in a New Covenant, not the Old Covenant.
• Such admonition would be encouraging for the Greek believers as they combatted the false teachers who were mixing law and Gospel.

10 Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning. 11 For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned.

• Notice that Paul believed the false teachers to be condemned, not by God, but buy their own performance under the law.
• The law condemns all people because it can be kept by nobody.
• God, however, is not condemning.
• He wants to save all people through Christ.

 
FINAL INSTRUCTIONS AND CLOSING
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there.

• We know nothing about Artemas; Tychicus we met in Acts 20:4.
• He was with Paul in his first Roman imprisonment and carried the epistles from Paul to the Ephesians (Eph. 6:21), the Colossians (Col. 4:7–8), and to Philemon (cf. Col. 4:7–9 with Phile. 10).[7]
• Map of Nicopolis.

13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey, so that they will lack nothing.

• It is possible that Zenas and Apollos (see Acts 18:24ff) carried this letter to Titus.
• Paul had sent them on a mission and Titus was to aid them all he could.[8]

14 Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works for pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.

• Paul reminded Titus of the main theme of the letter: Insist that God’s people devote them to good works for pressing needs…[9]
• For the Christian productiveness is fun because it arises out of our new natures.
• We do not produce good works to maintain or earn the righteousness which only comes from the regeneration of God.[10]

15 All those who are with me send you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.[11]

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 267). Victor Books.
[2] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Tt 3:2). Lexham Press.
[3] Evans, T. (2019). The Tony Evans Study Bible (p. 1447). Holman Bible.
[4] Evans, T. (2019). The Tony Evans Study Bible (pp. 1447–1448). Holman Bible.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 267–268). Victor Books.
[6] Evans, T. (2019). The Tony Evans Study Bible (p. 1448). Holman Bible.
[7] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 268). Victor Books.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 268). Victor Books.
[9] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 268). Victor Books.
[10] Farley, Andrew. www.BibleCommentary.com. Titus 2.
[11] Christian Standard Bible (Tt 3:1–15). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

• Paul is responding to Titus based upon the word he had received while in Macedonia.

SOUND TEACHING AND CHRISTIAN LIVING
TITUS 2
1 But you are to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching.

• The sound doctrine of which Paul was a minister is the Gospel of grace.
• The New Covenant is our foundation (2 Corinthians 3:6-7).
• Anything that violates this is not sound doctrine no matter how popular the teaching.

2 Older men are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance.

• Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. [1]Paul seems to be equating older age with Christian maturity assuming that sound doctrine is held as one ages.
• Older men - In Paul’s first-century ad context, this refers to men over age 50.[2]
• This is why he encourages older men to behave in a loving manner.
• NASB – “Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.” [3]
• Sober, sober-minded.
• Old men with time on their hands could linger too long over the cup.
• The older men should know what they believe, and their doctrinal convictions should accord with God’s Word.[4]
• Titus was young and Paul was encouraging Titus to not overlook the older men and women in discipling the younger generation.
• Youth Ministers come to a point where they realize the impact of parents is greater than their own ministry.

3 In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered.

• The Christian home was a totally new thing, and young women saved out of paganism would have to get accustomed to a whole new set of priorities and privileges.
• Those who had unsaved husbands would need special encouragement.[5]
• Similarly, older women are to be examples for younger women of how to love their husbands and children.
• Christ breeds love in His children.
• The greatest priority in a home should be love.
• If a wife loved her husband and her children, she was well on the way to making the marriage and the home a success.
• In our Western society, a man and a woman fall in love and then get married; but in the East, marriages were less romantic.
• Often the two got married and then had to learn to love each other.[6]
• The more we know sound doctrine, the more we will see this love come forth.
• Also, important to note: According to this verse women were teaching in the early church.
• They are teaching younger women about godliness.
• So, evidently, Paul assumed that women were fully capable of teaching in the ministry context.
• Paul consistently encourages husbands and wives to submit to one another (See also Ephesians 5:21).
• Here the wife is in focus.
• The wife shows love to her husband by submitting to his needs and desires.
• This prevents the dishonoring of the word of God, or the Gospel, in a public atmosphere.
• People can see Christians living in unity with one another and consequently being attracted to the Gospel.
• So, the marriage is not to be a place of oppression for women or men. Rather, a place of submissive love and servitude.

6 In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled 7 in everything.

• Just as older men and women are to be of sound doctrine and love, so also are young men and women.
• Paul does not allow age to discount someone’s value and effectiveness in God’s kingdom.
• He is more concerned with spiritual maturity than age.

Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching.

• Good deeds are not synonymous with legalistic practices.
• Good deeds, or good works, always arise out of our new identity in Christ.
• Good deeds are Christ’s work within His children.
• As we allow Him to express fruit through us, we produce good works in the world.
• This is Paul’s consistent message to his readers.

8 Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us.

• Paul encourages Titus to instruct people to live at peace with one another while maintaining pure doctrine.
• This puts to shame those who are antagonistic to Christians and the Gospel message.  

9 Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, and to be well-pleasing, not talking back 10 or stealing,

• Paul likely has the employee in mind.
• In Greek culture slaves referred to those who were manual laborers, tutors, and other jobs often held for a family or individual.
• Paul does not have in mind an oppressive system of slavery.

but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.

• The good works being encouraged by Paul are decorating sound doctrine.
• As we express Christ to people light is shined on the sound doctrine of the Gospel.
• People will see the fragrant aroma of Christ amongst Christians and inquire about the source of their joy.
• Christ’s life within us is attractive to the world.

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

• God, through Jesus, did not die for some people or a select group.
• Jesus died for the whole world because He wants all people to believe.

12 instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,

• God’s grace teaches people to live godly lives.
• This, in contrast, to the Old Covenant law which is a ministry of condemnation and death.
• So, Paul’s point is that grace saves us and teaches us.
• As we rest in grace, we will see Christ’s life shine through our own lives in beautiful ways.

13 while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

• Paul has an incredible optimistic view of Christ’s Second Coming.
• There is no room in Paul’s theology for the believer’s fear at Christ’s return.
• There is no movie of our bad works to be played. Instead, we will step into the full reality of our salvation.

14 He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.

• “redeem” - The Greek word used here, lytroō, (lay-troe-o) means “to release” or “set free,” especially from slavery.[7]
• “lawlessness” - In our unsaved condition, we were rebels against God’s law; but now all of that has been changed.[8]
• Because Christians have a new heart, they are eager for good deeds.
• These good deeds are the fruit of the Spirit produced within us and through us.
• Christians are eager and zealous to live righteously.
• This is reality regardless of what we feel or experience.

15 Proclaim these things; encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.[9]

• Paul is not speaking of being combative with people but rather standing confidently in the Gospel of grace.
• He wanted Titus to bolster the church in their identity so that they would be confident during persecution and rejection.[10]

Be confident in who you are what you know… you have been entrusted with the Gospel… the Good News!

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Tt 2:2). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.
[2] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Tt 2:2). Lexham Press.
[3] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Tt 2:2). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 264). Victor Books.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 265). Victor Books.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 265). Victor Books.
[7] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Tt 2:14). Lexham Press.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 266). Victor Books.
[9] Christian Standard Bible (Tt 2:1–15). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[10]  Farley, Andrew. www.BibleCommentary.com. Titus 2.

The Neronian Persecution
Spring 65 - Nero’s massacre of the Christians begins.

• Over the next three years, Nero will brutalize the Christians in such unspeakable ways that the Romans themselves have sympathy for them.
• He will have some sewn up in the skins of wild beasts to be preyed upon by dogs until they expire.
• Others he will dress up in shirts of stiff wax, fix them to the trees in his garden, and light them up as human torches.
• The church in Rome has dwindled due to the killings.
• Priscilla and Aquila move to Ephesus to help Timothy care for the church.
• The persecution of the Christians spreads throughout the entire Roman Empire and lasts until A.D. 68, when Nero is banished from Rome and commits suicide.
• Crisis in Crete Paul is still in Macedonia, and Apollos and a lawyer named Zenas visit him there.
• Paul gets word from Titus in Crete that the churches on the island are still in crisis.
• The influence of the false teachers is growing. They are spreading the same heresy that Timothy is combating in Ephesus.
• Some of them are also encouraging rebellion and an immoral lifestyle. (The Cretans as a culture are noted for lying, engaging in wild parties, and gluttony.)
• A number of families are being disrupted as a result.
• Specifically, both the old and young men in the church are being influenced by the old Cretan lifestyle and are not exercising self-control.
• Some are rebelling against the local authorities.
• Some of the older women are engaging in slander and are abusing wine.
• Paul is burdened to write to Titus and give him further instructions on handling the crisis.[1]

 
PAUL WRITES TITUS

• Year: A.D. 65
• From: Macedonia
• To: Titus who is in Crete
• Provocation: Paul encourages Titus to strengthen the things that remain in the churches at Crete.
• He gives him practical instructions on selecting elders (1:5ff).
• Paul exhorts Titus on how to silence those who are spreading heresy in Crete and how to encourage and remind the believers with the truth that is in Christ (1:10–3:11).
• He closes the letter by asking Titus to meet him in Nicopolis for the winter and promises to send either Tychicus or Artemas to replace him in Crete.
• Paul sends the letter off with Apollos and Zenas the lawyer and asks Titus to care for their needs while they are in Crete.
• Luke scribes the letter.[2]

 
GREETING
TITUS 1
1 Paul, a (bond-)servant of God

• A “bond-servant” is one who has been set free by his master, but chooses to remain with and serve him for life (Exodus 21:5–6; Deuteronomy 15:12–17).
• This was Paul’s perception of his relationship with the Lord. Jesus set Paul free![3]

and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,

• God’s grace leads to godliness.
• When we believe we are made completely righteous to the core.
• This means that grace encourages righteous living.
• This is a central theme of Titus.
• We don’t need to focus on trying to be moral people.
• Our focus is to be on God’s grace in Christ, and to allow this to encourage us to live righteously. 

2 in the hope of eternal life

• Paul is not speaking of hope as a speculation about eternal life.
• For Paul, hope is a reality.
• The hope is something that is unshakeable and unbreakable. 

that God, who cannot lie,

• The New Covenant is founded on God’s promise to humanity.
• God has sworn to Himself that He will save forever all who believe in Jesus (see Hebrews 7:25).

promised before time began. 3 In his own time he has revealed his word in the preaching with which I was entrusted by the command of God our Savior:

• Paul is reminding Christians that their Savior is none other than God Himself.
• The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are responsible for our salvation.
• Before time began it was the entire Trinity who set out the plan of salvation in Christ. 

4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith.
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

• Titus was Gentile who was led to Christ by the apostle Paul.
• Titus ministered on the island of Crete.
• It’s unknown as to whether Titus taught but he evidently had the task of acting as an administrator, setting up the leadership for the church. 
• God is giving us endless grace and peace.
• This is God’s message to the world today regardless of what we may feel or experience because of life’s difficulties.
• In Christ, God has provided an all-sufficient salvation.
• When we believe we become beneficiaries of God’s grace and as a result experience His peace.

 
TITUS’S MINISTRY IN CRETE
5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town.

• Titus seems to have been, primarily, an administrative pastor.
• There is no indication that he taught the congregation though this could have certainly been the case.

6 An elder must be blameless (above reproach), the husband of one wife, with faithful children who are not accused of wildness or rebellion.

• Paul wants Titus to find people who truly know Jesus.
• This relationship will be expressed through righteous living at home as well as in the world.
• This is seen in Paul’s admonition to find someone who is married to one woman and consequently not a polygamist.
• Those who know Jesus will have lives characterized by His fruit and not deeds of the flesh.

7 As an overseer of God’s household, he must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled,

• Hospitable, loving: Love is the single characterizing trait of the Christian. Consequently, elders ought to be examples of how Christ’s love can shine through believers.

9 holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.

• Elders must be well-versed in the New Covenant otherwise confusion will spread in the congregation.
• Those who lead the church need to have a crystal-clear understanding of God’s grace and have good theological boundaries.

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from the circumcision party.

• The number one enemy for the Christian is legalism or adopting a law-based religion.
• During the days of the early church there was a constant battle to not mix the Old and New Covenants.
• Paul was absolutely against such an act.
• Therefore, Paul encouraged the silencing of these teachers who are wreaking havoc on the family.

11 It is necessary to silence them; they are ruining entire households by teaching what they shouldn’t in order to get money dishonestly. 12 One of their very own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

• The false teachers were engaged in racism and bigotry and stereotyping the people of Crete.
• This is a constant affliction for humans.
• We always label people according to the flesh and to what is seen.
• However, Christ is the only real identity for people.
• He brings all people together.

13 This testimony is true. For this reason, rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith 14 and may not pay attention to Jewish myths and the commands of people who reject the truth.

• Paul encouraged reproving of false doctrine ultimately so that the church would be strengthened in their understanding of sound doctrine, and perhaps the false teachers saved through faith in Jesus.

15 To the pure, everything is pure,

• If we have believed in Jesus, we are pure to the core.
• To those who are pure every act, no matter how mundane, is an act of purity because we are in union with Jesus and can express Him in every context.

but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They claim to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.[4]

• They profess to know God: Paul seems to be speaking of those who have mixed law and grace.
• These judaizers were ever present amongst the early church.[5]

[1] Viola, Frank. The Untold Story of the New Testament Church, Destiny Image Publishers, Shippensburg, PA. 2004, PP 162-163.
[2] Viola, Frank. The Untold Story of the New Testament Church, Destiny Image Publishers, Shippensburg, PA. 2004, PP 162-163.
[3] Warren, B. (2013). Romans: The Foundational Truths of Romans 1–8 (p. 7). The Hill Publishing.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Tt 1:1–16). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Farley, Andrew. www.BibleCommentary.com. Titus 1.

• We spent 11 chapters talking about the supremacy of Jesus. Greater than…
• In Chapter 12 we were encouraged to walk in obedience to Jesus.
• Chapter 13 is stating the obvious and discussing behavior as result of what they already know and are.
• Sometimes you just have to state the obvious.
• Remember the circumstances here: This group of believers was separated from the Jews.
• They were entering a period of isolation.

FINAL EXHORTATIONS
HEBREWS 13
1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.

• As Christians, these Hebrew people no doubt had been rejected by their friends and families.
• The deepest kind of fellowship is not based on race or family relationship; it is based on the spiritual life we have in Christ.[1]
• A church fellowship based on anything other than love for Christ and for one another simply will not last.[2]
• Where there is true Christian love, there will also be hospitality.
• This was an important ministry in the early church because persecution drove many believers away from their homes.[3]
• Angels is in reference to Genesis 18 where Abraham hosted 3 angels.

3 Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.

• The imprisoned typically needed someone to provide them with food, water, and clothing.
• Paul relied upon his congregations to care for him while he was in prison [4]
• Our greatest need in the church is for each individual to be capable of identifying with the pain of the other individuals.
• This is how we minister.

4 Marriage is to be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

• The Greek adjective translated “pure” conveys the meaning “undefiled,” “unpolluted,” “untainted.”[5]
• State the obvious…
• This will be in contrast to what we watch on TV, movies or media in general.
• Sex outside of marriage is sinful and destructive.
• Sex within the protective bonds of marriage can be enriching and glorifying to God.[6]
• Notice the identity of those who will be judged.
• Identity of habitual sinners.
• But beyond the obvious… the marriage bed mirrors God’s relationship with His people.

5 Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you. 6 Therefore, we may boldly say,
The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

• Deuteronomy 31:6
• Psalm 118:6
• Paul considered himself to be a wealthy man since true wealth was being content with what you have.
• When we have God, we have all that we need.
• In the midst of this economy… we have to trust that God will provide as He already has.

7 Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.

• He already listed heroes of the faith in Chapter 11.
• The leaders of the church are described here less by their office and more by their function of preaching and teaching the Word of God.[7]
• When you recall that few Christians then had copies of the Scriptures, you can see the importance of this personal ministry of the Word.[8]
• I am OK with being gone. Then the sooner I leave, the sooner you can start depending on the Lord.
• Never build your life on any servant of God.
• Build your life on Jesus Christ. He never changes.[9]

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

• In reference to Jesus’ divine nature.
• In reference to earthly leaders who come and go.

9 Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by food regulations, since those who observe them have not benefited.

• He is being very protective here because most of their lives they were under a different system that had many food regulations (the Law).
• I am very protective about what I want you to hear… and not just from this platform.

10 We have an altar from which those who worship at the tabernacle do not have a right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the most holy place by the high priest as a sin offering are burned outside the camp.

• The Levite Priests were forbidden to eat from the animals sacrificed on the Day of Atonement so they took the remains outside of the Tabernacle and burned them.

12 Therefore, Jesus also suffered outside the gate, so that he might sanctify the people by his own blood.

• Jesus died outside the gates of Jerusalem, confirming that Law must be abandoned to partake of Christ.
• Isn’t it amazing that so many churches teach us to remain under the Law but it clearly shows us here that is not true?

13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing his disgrace.

• Just as Jesus dies outside the camp, he is encouraging the Hebrew Christians to do the same.

14 For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come.

• The current Jerusalem at that time was only temporary.
• They knew there was a New Jerusalem to come.

15 Therefore, through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.

• They were used to offering up animals and now he is telling them their sacrifice is to be praise.

16 Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

• The actions, as a result from knowing who we are, are a sacrifice to God.
• Your obedience is a sacrifice enough.

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, since they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

• What an awesome responsibility.
• How do I that? Trust.
• James 3:1 – Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.[10]
• Judgment comes from those who sit under our leadership… Not from God. (Rom 8:1)
• What brings joy to godly leaders? Watching you mature spiritually.
• How do you measure maturity?
• It sure looks different than numerical growth.

18 Pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything.

• We need prayer.
• Believers who have a guilty conscience lack the ability to tap into the power and authority they have been given.

 
19 And I urge you all the more to pray that I may be restored to you very soon.

• He was writing to them because he was physically away from them but desired to be with them.

 
BENEDICTION AND FAREWELL
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

• “everlasting” – confirming our eternal security in God’s family.
• God is the One who equips me… not myself.

22 Brothers and sisters, I urge you to receive this message of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.

• It’s brief… it only took me 5 months to get through it with you. Ha!

23 Be aware that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon enough, he will be with me when I see you.

• Timothy is released from prison. Not sure where.

24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who are from Italy send you greetings.

• The writer is in Italy or all the people working with the writer are from Italy.

25 Grace be with you all. [11]

• Grace – the desire and power to do God’s will… walk by His Spirit.
• Mediocrity will never allow us to experience life abundantly.
• It never has and never will.

May we walk on in faith and grow in our maturity!

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Heb 13:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Heb 13:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Heb 13:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Heb 10:34). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[5] Allen, D. L. (2010). Hebrews. The New American Commentary (p. 609). Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Heb 13:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[7] Allen, D. L. (2010). Hebrews. The New American Commentary (p. 611). Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Heb 13:7). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[9] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Heb 13:7). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[10] Christian Standard Bible (Jas 3:1). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 13:1–25). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

WARNING AGAINST REJECTING GOD’S GRACE
HEBREWS 12
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.

• This verse is not about identity but about behavior.
• This is how we respond out of knowing our own identity.
• We already have peace (Gal 2:20). We just need to choose it in our relationships.
• If you try to make peace and holiness with everyone without knowing who you are… you will labor and fail.
• Otherwise, it comes very naturally, and it will be obvious to others that you are a believer.
• God’s grace does not fail, but we can fail to take advantage of His grace.[1]

15 Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.

• We are not talking about salvation grace… but daily grace… what we live by each day.
• If you live in the room of good intentions rather than the room of grace… you will fall into bitterness.
• I’d rather be freer with God’s grace than freer with God’s wrath.
• If you reject grace (that comes every moment) you will eventually blame God for your circumstances.
• When you accept grace… your view of circumstances and God changes.
• I might get labeled as “soft on sin” but the door to sharing with more people about their sin issue is much larger!
• Grace allows me to see God’s discipline in my life as a good thing… rather than a bad and causing bitterness to grow.

16 And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal. 17 For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance.

• The author is reminding the Hebrew Christians that their choice of returning to Judaism could cost them much… their lives!
• Esau sold his birthright thinking he could eventually get it back.
• He was sorry for his physical loss rather than the spiritual loss of the blessing therefore wasn’t repentant.
• Esau didn’t lose his salvation, just the physical and spiritual blessings that were rightfully his.
• Esau became bitter because he realized all that he lost.
• Author is warning the Hebrew Christians of this same loss and bitterness.
• Wes Cate: I was always curious why Esau was so despised, and Jacob was loved by God. Jacob is the conniving one, and Esau was just hungry. But looking at the inheritance of the Patriarch's: that inheritance wasn't the wealth of life; it was the Lord who blesses. I think Esau and Jacob both knew that; so, Esau was willing to give up the Lord for a meal and Jacob was willing to lie, cheat and steal to get to God. That would be an interesting lesson on faith vs law in itself!
  
  

It's my opinion that Jacob had watched his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac walk before God, he knew their relationship and wanted it bad. That's why at the end of his life he could pray a beautiful prayer to a life-long friend; to someone he had grown up in--a matured, well-aged relationship: "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil . . . bless the lads."
18 For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, 19 to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them, 20 for they could not bear what was commanded: If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned. 21 The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am trembling with fear.

• In reference to Mt. Sinai that they could physically touch.
• They so feared God they asked Him to stop talking.
• Referring to returning to the Law.
• If they return to what was, the Law, they will experience terror and fear and miss out on the spiritual blessings.
• We sometimes feel comfortable in returning to what we already know.
• Stepping out in faith, allows you to experience additional blessings.

22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels, a festive gathering, 23 to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel.

• Mount Zion (New Jerusalem) – walk by grace.
• Mount Sinai – life of bondage and Law.
• Author refers to OT believers who were perfected at the cross.
• At this new Mount… they are made righteous rather credited with righteousness at the old Mount.
• The blood of Abel only covered sin (atonement).
• Jesus’ blood was poured out on earth and offered in heaven.
• Abel’s blood only offered on earth.

25 See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven.

• It is Jesus’ sacrifice of blood that speaks to the Hebrew Christians.
• Moses warned them at Mount Sinai not to turn from God.
• A whole generation died in the wilderness because they refused to listen.
• Jesus is warning them now (from heaven) not to turn from His message.
• If they don’t return to the message, they will die in the destruction of 70 AD.

26 His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.

• Haggai 2:6

27 This expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what is not shaken might remain.

• Tribulation & Second Coming of Christ.
• Believers will remain.
• Those who trust in daily grace… rather than the Law.

 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.[2]

• Our reverence and awe play out how?
• Attitude of devotion
• Worship
• Praise
• Ever been around a bitter Christian?
• Don’t miss out on what Jesus has already provided.
• It is a great life full of Spiritual blessings!

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Heb 12:14). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 12:1–29). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

• Jesus being the perfect sacrifice and making a way to God was the previous 18 verses… Therefore…

EXHORTATIONS TO GODLINESS
HEBREWS 10
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters (Jewish believers), since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus--20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)--

• Think about the history of the Jew & Old Covenant.
• We have a hard time letting go of the Old Covenant today.
• They memorized and lived it out every day.
• Now it is all changed!
• Where only one man could go… now they all can.
• Jesus’ body is the veil torn open so we could have access to God.
• Jesus’ body was the barrier between God & man.
• Jesus’ blood forgave our sin.
• Jesus’ death allowed our own death (Gal 2:20 & Romans 6:6-7 - For we know that our old self, was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin.[1]
• Our old self, sinful nature, Adamic nature has been eradicated.
• Now they (and we) are capable of speaking to God whenever we like. 24/7

21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God,

• Emphasis on “great”

22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.

• Moses was required to do two things for his sons to act as high priests.
• 1) sprinkle them with the blood of an animal (Lev 8:30)
• Their sins and their bodies had to be purified.
• The difference for the NC believer vs Aaron & Co. was the freeing of the conscious of sins.
• Aaron’s sins were not forgiven… just covered.
• Our sins are completely forgiven and eradicated.
• 2) and wash them in water (Lev 8:6).
• Aaron’s cleansing was on the outward body.
• Our cleansing was on the inside.
• New heart, new spirit, new creation, new man.
• Only mention of “pure” water in the Bible.
• Some interpret that “our bodies washed in pure water” means water baptism is necessary for salvation.
• Nothing pure about the water in the Jordan River… trust me.

23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.

• Hold fast to their salvation. It is secure.
• He is responsible for keeping us saved.

24 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works,

• Love is mentioned before good works.
• Know the Father intimately first.
• Good works for others will follow.

25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

• They had been gathering but were now afraid to due to persecution.
• The day of destruction that was coming in 70 AD.
• Jesus spoke about this day in Matthew 24:2 & Luke 21:6, 20-24.

 
WARNING AGAINST DELIBERATE SIN
26 For if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth,

• They willfully continued to make animal sacrifices knowing that Christ’s offering was all that was needed.
• This is different than sins committed in ignorance.

there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

• Old Covenant sacrifices of animals was no longer necessary.
• Jesus’ sacrificed voided all remaining sacrifices.

27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries.

• If this one verse meant we would lose our salvation then it would contradict everything we have studied so far.
• This is not about eternal judgment.
• If they remained in Jerusalem and sacrificing animals at the Temple, they would lose their life as it was destroyed in 70 AD.
• They all fled before the Romans arrived.

28 Anyone who disregarded the law of Moses died without mercy, based on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

• In Heb 3:1-6, the author compared Moses to Jesus with Jesus being greater. Why wouldn’t the punishment be even greater?

29 How much worse punishment do you think one will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God, who has regarded as profane the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

• 1) “Trampled on the Son of God” – dishonor
• 2) “Regarded as profane the blood of the covenant” – Christ’s blood was no different than any other man… possibly unholy blood?
• 3) “Insulted the Spirit of grace.” – identifying himself (not making) with the generation of Jews who blasphemed the Spirit in Jesus and would perish in 70 AD.
• Under the Old Covenant, God responded to disobedience by bringing on physical death.
• These Hebrew Christians would experience the same if they refused to abandon the idea of returning to temple sacrifices.
• Is there removal from their flesh a sign of grace from God?
• Corinthians man… Ananias & Sapphira?

30 For we know the one who has said,
Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, and again,
The Lord will judge his people.
31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

• The consequences of our sin can be terrifying.
• We are talking about earthly natural consequences not eternal judgment or it would wipe out the results of the cross.
• Remember… Losing our salvation is impossible.

32 Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions (in the public theater), and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. (because you chose to hang out with other believers) 34 For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession.

• These verses confirm this letter was written to believers in Jesus.
• He is reaffirming them in all the things they have already endured.
• Our inheritance is reserved in heaven.
• Greater things are to come.

35 So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised.

• Sometimes we just cruise along in our faith and we become independent.
• No need for God.
• It is when we go through crisis that we seek out God.
• In crisis… we either give up on God or cling to Him.
• “Throw away our confidence” does not mean “throw away our salvation”. This is impossible.
• The quality of the believer’s works in the journey will be rewarded… not the quantity.
• What works are rewarded? Those done in faith… in His strength.
• Why would one want to toss away this confidence?
• They can lose their physical lives.
• They can lose their rewards.
• They can’t lose their salvation.
• We need to accept God’s grace into every moment of our lives.
• We can receive what has already been promised and provided.

37 For yet in a very little while,
the Coming One will come and not delay.
38 But my righteous one will live by faith;
and if he draws back,
I have no pleasure in him.

• Habakkuk 2:3-4
• The same promise He made to Habakkuk He is also making to these Hebrew Christians.
• He wants us to have pleasure that comes from obedience in Jesus.

39 But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.[2]

• This confirms once again their salvation is not in question.
• “destroyed” – perdition means more than the loss of a physical life. It is utter destruction… complete ruin.
• “Faith” comes from God… we just have to claim it.
• “Help me with my unbelief”.
• It is something we already have… open the gift… use it.
• You have enough faith to finish the race.
• It is through our daily faith and grace that we can obtain an incredible life of adventure here on earth… today!

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Ro 6:6–7). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 10:19–39). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

Last week…

• The emphasis as we’ve seen is on God’s initiative, His sovereignty in determining those within the broader group of Israel who would actually become His own true people.[1]
• We are moving from God’s sovereignty in Romans 9 to human responsibility in Romans 10.

 
Romans 9:30-33
ISRAEL’S PRESENT STATE
30 What should we say then? Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness—namely the righteousness that comes from faith.

• “The Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness” – they hadn’t received the Law and did not even try to line their behavior up with the Law.
• The Gentiles received and were made righteous simply because of their belief.
• They didn’t have to do anything but believe.
• This is the same way Abraham was “credited” righteousness in Genesis 15.

31 But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law.

• Romans 3:20 - For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the Law.[2]

32 Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

• “Faith” is not a “work”
• Jesus Christ is the stumbling stone.
• So why was the Law even given? As a snare?
• No! It was given for people to realize they can’t attain the Law in their own strength.
• They need a Savior who it will do it for them.
• The Savior’s blood was poured out as a sacrifice for our sinful nature.
• He becomes the Lord of Life when we rest and allow Him to be the “boss” of our life.
• No one will deny that there are many mysteries connected with divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
• Nowhere does God ask us to choose between these two truths, because they both come from God and are a part of God’s plan.
• They do not compete; they cooperate.
• The fact that we cannot fully understand how they work together does not deny the fact that they do.[3]

33 As it is written,
Look, I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over
and a rock to trip over,
and the one who believes on him will not be put to shame.

• Quoting Isaiah 8 & 28.
• The Jews have been running a race where Christ is the finish line.
• But they have been looking at the Law that was pointing them to the finish line.
• They are so focused on the Law/the track that they never realized they already crossed the finish line.
• They are still running the race.
• That “stumbling block” is the “cornerstone” which is Jesus.
• What God provided as a foundational stone became a stumbling stone.
• We need to remember this truth during seasons when it “seems” as though God has forsaken us.  Yes, those seasons will come.
• They will bear tremendous fruit in the end, however, allowing us to view life from God’s perspective to an ever-increasing degree.[4]

 
RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH ALONE
Romans 10
1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation.

• They didn’t have a need for salvation because they had the Law and could manage it on their own.

2 I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

• The knowledge is based upon “knowing about God” vs “knowing God”
• Since their Babylonian captivity, they had given up on idolatry.
• They had the temple.
• They even doubled down on the Law with their own laws (Mishna).
• It’s not much different today.

3 Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.

• The Jews thought that the Gentiles had to come up to Israel’s level to be saved; when actually the Jews had to go down to the level of the Gentiles to be saved.
• “For there is no difference: for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:22–23).[5]

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes, 5 since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them. (Leviticus 18:5)

• This is the product or outward living.
• It’s backwards from what God intended.

6 But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” (Deuteronomy 30:12-14) that is, to bring Christ down 7 or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.

• Paul is using OT passages to say, you can’t physically bring salvation from heaven or below.
• Christ has already done that.

8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.

• Paul is more concerned about the inward.
• What is in your heart.

This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

• We’ve been taught that we actually have to something similar to this phrase to receive salvation.
• It is our belief alone that saves us and the byproduct is that “Jesus is Lord” comes out of your mouth.

10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

• Outward confession stems from a profound inward conviction.[6]

11 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, (Isaiah 28:16) 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him.

• John 3:16 – For God so love the world…

13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Joel 2:32)[7]
 
Law of Righteousness                     Faith Righteousness
Only for the Jew                                  For “whosoever”
Based on works                                  Comes by faith alone
Self-righteousness                              God’s righteousness
Cannot save                                        Brings salvation
Obey the Lord                                     Call on the Lord
Leads to pride                                     Glorifies God[8]
 
[1] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 3:19–20). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 546). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Bob Warren. (n.d.). Romans 9.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 545). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Mounce, R. H. (1995). Romans (Vol. 27, p. 209). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 9:30–10:13). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 548). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.