• Hebrews 5 – He told them they were not spiritually mature enough to process the thoughts on Melchizedek.
• He dealt with milk and meat in Hebrews 6.

THE GREATNESS OF MELCHIZEDEK
HEBREWS 7
1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High,

• Melchizedek was both king and priest, as was Jesus.
• This never occurred in Aaron’s Priesthood.
• Salem – is Jerusalem according to:

Psalm 76:2 God is known in Judah; His name is great in Israel. 2 His tent is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion. [1]

• Melchizedek was priest to the Most High God.
• God over all nations.
• Melchizedek was priest to God and all Nations.
• Aaron was just priest to the nation of Israel.
• If Melchizedek’s priesthood is a shadow of Jesus’ priesthood, then Jesus can minister to all nations.

met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.

• Story of Abraham is found in Genesis 14.
• Abraham defeats the kings and rescues Lot then gives Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils.
• Melchizedek blessed Abraham.
• Melchizedek is greater than Abraham.

First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace.

• Melchizedek was king over Jerusalem.

3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

• Scripture does not record his genealogy.
• He still had a father and mother, we just can’t trace his lineage.
• There is no record of birth of death so his priesthood is perpetual. No breaks.
• No record of death insinuates that it is eternal.
• Jesus’s priesthood is eternal.
• Melchizedek resembles Christ… he is not Christ.
• Where is this high priest now?
• In you… you resemble Christ now.

4 Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him. 5 The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham. 6 But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.

• Aaron received tithes from the sons of Abraham.
• Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek.
• Who is greater?

8 In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. 9 And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, 10 for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

• Men who will die – mortal man
• Scripture never records Melchizedek’s death.
• Levi, of the Levitical Priesthood, was just a “gene” in Abraham when Abraham met Melchizedek.
• Who is greater?

 
A SUPERIOR PRIESTHOOD
11 Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?

• The Levitical Priesthood was established under the Mosaic Law.
• There would have been no need for another priesthood if the Levitcal Priesthood made one perfect.
• The Law made no one perfect… in fact, it showed our imperfection.
• Jesus came along as one who had perfected the Law and was from the order of Melchizedek.

12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well.

• With the establishment of the new priesthood came a new system for living.
• God established the Mosaic Law in which He knew no one could perfect.
• He then had to establish a system, the Levitical Law, to atone/cover our imperfections.
• These laws and system did not remove imperfections… they only made us more aware of our imperfections and a need for a Savior.
• The Law became obsolete.
• The order of Melchizedek was established before the Mosaic & Levital Laws.
• The priesthood of Melchizedek can function without the Law.

13 For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. 14 Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

• Jesus came from the lineage of Judah and King David.
• Aaron came from the tribe of Levi.
• High priests were only Levites.
• Levites who were not priests served as ministers.

15 And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it has been testified:
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.

• Psalm 110:4 – This is a quote… proving that David was not only a King but also prophet.
• Another priest – Jesus
• Not an additional priest.
• The old priesthood was established by fulfilling a legal command “law”.
• This represents death.
• The sacrifices in the old priesthood just died.
• The new priesthood was established by an indestructible life.
• Jesus died, was buried and rose from the dead.
• This represents life.
• Never dying… for eternity… forever!

18 So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable

• The Law has been set aside for the believer.
• 10 commandments in the court house… not in the Church.
• We are no longer under the Law but under grace
• Romans 6:14 - For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace.[2]

19 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

• Under the old system, only the High Priest could approach the presence of God once a year (for atonement).
• Under the new covenant, the throne is always accessible to all believers.
• We now have the ability to have a relationship with God, through Jesus our High Priest, and become intimate with Him.
• Knowing this truth makes it hard for me to celebrate what He has done for me just a couple days out of the year.

20 None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him:
The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever.”,
22 Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

• God made an oath that He will not break with Jesus.
• Aaron’s Priesthood was never guaranteed.
• Aaron’s Priesthood could end at any time… and it did at the cross.
• The veil was torn so that we could have access to God.

23 Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. 24 But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently.

• Jesus will not be succeeded by another priest.

25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.

• always = completely
• Our salvation is not partially done… it is complete.
• Jesus is the one who saves and is responsible for keeping us saved.
• It is not by our works but by His gift and grace.
• For us to lose our salvation, Jesus would have to cease to exist.
• We are secure in Jesus.
• Jesus is always interceding for us.

26 For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

• Jesus differed than the Levitical Priests.
• Jesus was perfect in behavior.
• Levite Priests were sinners.
• Jesus is even separated from sinners by being in heaven.

27 He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself.

• Jesus never had to made a sacrifice for His own sin.
• He took care of the WHOLE sin issue on the cross.

28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.[3]

• Levitical priests were because they died as well as sinned.
• Jesus was resurrected after the Law came and has perfected it forever.

It is Jesus, our High Priest, who makes us perfect.

[1] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Ps 76:1–2). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Ro 6:14). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 7:1–28). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

Hebrews is a book about Jesus:

• Who He is and what He has done, and is presently doing, for those who have accepted Him as Savior.
• The book of Hebrews is about Jesus the Son who became our High Priest and then became king when he sat upon the throne of God in fulfillment of Ps 110:1, 4.[1]
• Hebrews confirms the supremacy of Christ to all created things, be they angels, Moses or even the Levitical priesthood.
• Hebrews will help explain the purpose of the Old Covenant sacrificial system, as well as the regulations associated with worship in both the tabernacle and the temple.
• The word better is used thirteen times in this book as the writer shows the superiority of Jesus Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion.
• Another word that is repeated in this book is perfect; in the original Greek it is used fourteen times.
• It means a perfect standing before God.
• This perfection could never be accomplished by the levitical priesthood (Heb. 7:11) or by the Law (Heb. 7:19), nor could the blood of animal sacrifices achieve it (Heb. 10:1).
• Jesus Christ gave Himself as one offering for sin, and by this He has “perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:14).[2]

 
Who wrote Hebrews?

• We do not know.
• It is the only truly anonymous letter in the New Testament.[3]
• We do know the author had a great knowledge of the Law and the Levitical priesthood that he was most likely of Jewish decent.
• According to 2:3 - It was first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. The author heard the Gospel from those who had walked with Christ.
• Therefore he probably lived outside of Jerusalem since he himself did not hear this from Jesus.

 
Who was Hebrews written to?

• Hebrew Christians of Judea living outside of Jerusalem
• They were being persecuted by the non-Christian Jews (Hebrews 12:3-4 - For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up. 4 In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.[4])
• No one outside of Jerusalem had died yet because of their practices/beliefs. But Steven (62 AD) & James had already been killed in Jerusalem to persecution.
• The author also says they helped the needy. The church in Jerusalem was too poor to help.

 
When was Hebrews written?

• Hebrews 13:23 - Be aware that our brother Timothy has been released.[5]
• Timothy became a believer around 50 AD.
• Hebrews makes reference to the existing sacrificial system at the Temple which was destroyed in 70 AD.
• Pompey, a Roman General, seized Jerusalem in 63 AD.
• Revolt of the Jews began in 64 AD and full out war with the Romans developed in 66 AD.
• The non-Christian Jews were successful in their initial revolts and regulated what took place in and around Jerusalem.
• The Pharisees were insisting that Temple practices of sacrifices were to continue, and each was to live according to the Law.
• If no one lost their life for the cause, then most likely they scattered between these two dates.
• Hebrews 3 refers to the Jews’ 40 years in the wilderness and how this was very similar in time.
• They are approaching 40 years after the church was established in Acts 2. (70 AD)
• These Christian Jews were facing a dilemma of either disassociating themselves from temple sacrifices and accepting persecution from non-Christian Jews or…
•  Place themselves under the sacrificial system in Jerusalem… Denounce Christ and then later reunite after the persecution ended.
• This decision would ultimately mean a physical death.
• NOTE: They couldn’t have lost their salvation, but they would be judged with the destruction.
• Destruction came in 70 AD at the hands of Titus who picked up where his father, Vespasian, left off in 69 AD.
• Historian Josephus records that 97,000 prisoners were taken during the war.
• 1.1 million, mostly non-Christian Jews died.
• Over 100,000 Christian Jews escaped beyond the Jordan River and remained there until after the war ceased.

 

• Context, context, context.

 
THE NATURE OF THE SON
HEBREWS 1
1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways.

• The audience believed that God was a speaking God.
• Moses – Genesis – Deuteronomy
• David – Psalms – testified of a Savior to come
• Isaiah – Malachi
• The author is confirming the OT is absolute truth and God’s Word.
• New Covenant believers spend a lot of time doing that.
• In the OT, God spoke through prophetic speech (Hos 12:10), visions (Gen 46:2; Deut 13:1; Ezek 1:1), human mediated speech (Exod 33:11; Num 7:89; 12:8; Deut 34:10), appearance of God experiences (Exod 19:17–25), and a still small voice (1 Kgs 19:11–12).

 
2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.

• That phrase ‘in these last days’ is shorthand for the whole era of grace in which we live, between the first and second comings.
• Everything the Jews knew about God in the OT was now being changed through His Son.
• Everything the prophets had foretold was now being made known through the life of Jesus.
• God went from multiple messengers to one, His Son.
• The Truth from Jesus was to prevail that of the OT prophets. He is superior to previous agents.
• Therefore, the New Covenant, established by Jesus, supersedes the Old Covenant, established by Moses.
• God is saying everything is Jesus’ and some day He will rule over all that He already owns.
• John 12:31 - now the ruler of this world will be cast out (Satan)
• “Made the universe through Him” – John 1:1 – Since Jesus is the Word of God and God spoke all things into existence, then Jesus created all things.

 
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

• Jesus is the exact representation of His Father’s nature.
• John 14:9 – Phillip hung out with Jesus for 3 years and asked to see the Father.
• Jesus’ reply was if you have seen me then you have seen the Father.
• We don’t do anything apart.
• We think alike.
• He works through Me.
• GLORY!!! The same Glory!!!!

 

• Jesus sat down… Why shouldn’t He sit down if His sacrifice was made perfect… finished.
• Romans 8:34 - Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.[6] 
• Jesus, who came to earth and suffered as a physical man, tempted as we are tempted, sits now at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.

 
4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.[7]

• The Jews believed that Moses received the Law through angels. (Acts 7)
• Some Jews carried it further and worshipped angels.
• They thought angels completely controlled the universe.
• Our society has the concept of angels.
• God established and ordained the Church to carry the Gospel to the world.
• Many worship the Church instead of Christ who established the Church.
• Some even worship the messenger of the Church more than they do Jesus.
• Lord, let the name of Jesus be spoken more than the name of Rusty.
• Jesus is ranked higher than angels.
• Even the name of Jesus is more superior.
• The writer of Hebrews knows the readers of this letter need more proof than these first 4 verses so He finishes this chapter and into the next convincing them of Jesus’ superiority.
• I rest from trying to convince you… go read!!!

[1] Allen, D. L. (2010). Hebrews (p. 11). B & H Publishing Group.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 276). Victor Books.
[3] Allen, D. L. (2010). Hebrews (pp. 23–24). B & H Publishing Group.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 12:3–4). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 13:23). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Ro 8:34). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 1:1–4). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

Old Covenant vs New covenant
 - New makes old obsolete
KNOWING CHRIST
PHILIPPIANS 3
1 In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.

• We are prone to forget who Jesus is and what He has done in our lives.
• Keep waving the banner.
• Paul’s tone changes… very loving man… speaks of joy… he is happy… through suffering.
• There is a conflict he has been involved with for many years.
• There were other religious people who continually undermining Paul’s ministry.
• Critics, enemies & opposition from pastors and elders of the church
• Paul rebuked religious people who led people astray.

2 Watch out for the dogs (Religious people), watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh (happy knife-cutters). 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh--

• “Evil workers.” These men taught that the sinner was saved by faith plus good works, especially the works of the Law.
• But Paul states that their “good works” are really evil works because they are performed by the flesh (old nature) and not the Spirit, and they glorify the workers and not Jesus Christ.[1]
• There is a difference between Christians and religious people… understanding, joy and humility
• Dogs – violent, mean, bark, bite and scary. Not domesticated at the time.
• God hates religion!
• Religious people believe that Jesus helps us but that He needs us to help Him.
• Jesus plus anything ruins everything
• Circumcision plus salvation nullifies the cross (Gen 17 – Circumcision was a seal of the covenant that God made with Abraham)
• Temple, priests, sacrifices not needed today
• What are some examples of us adding to our faith to make it a “religion”?
• Richard Halverson writes, “When the Greeks got the Gospel, they turned it into philosophy; When the Romans got it, they turned it into a government; when the Europeans got it, they turned it into a culture; when the Americans got it, they turned it into a business.”
• The DNA of the church produces certain identifiable features:
     - The centrality of Jesus Christ
     - The innate desire to form deep-seated relationships that are centered in Christ
     - Authentic community
     - Familial love and devotion of its members to one another
     - The native instinct to gather without static ritual
     - The internal drive for open-participatory gatherings
     - The loving impulse to display Jesus to a fallen world.

4 although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee;

• Most rule keeping devoted religious people of their day…
• Jesus pointed out they even tithed from their spice racks

6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.

• (OT has more than 600 laws and Paul was blameless).

7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ.

• Paul was auditing his own life… and realized that he had been bankrupt all along.

8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung,

• Garbage, refuse, filth, dung, dog dung, turds…
• Isaiah 64:6 - and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.
• I started cleaning out my office at home yesterday.
• Things that I considered valuable (ad cost me much) are now considered just junk… trash.

 
so that I may gain Christ

• Paul literally had to “lose his religion” so that he could “find salvation”.
• Religion is about what “I do”… The Gospel is about what “Jesus has done”.
• Religion trusts in “my works”… The Gospel teaches us to rest in Jesus’ works.
• Religious people confuse justification and sanctification.
• Religious people hate to repent because it reflects their wrongdoing. (You are taking away their goodness!)
• Religion lends an uncertainty to your fate in the end.
• Religion leads to pride or despair. (I can do it or I can’t do it).
• Christianity leads to humbleness and joy which makes us happy!
  
  
• Hard Religion
     - Religion tells you to “clean up your act!”
     - Religious people take things out of the Bible and add their own rules to them and beat people with self-righteous rules and restrict their joy that Jesus intended.
  
  
• Soft Religion
     - Vote, Golden rule, be nice to animals, do things for others, fight poverty…
  
  
• Everyone has religion and is building their resumes.
• Everyone wants to be righteous.
• Will you pursue it through religion or through Jesus.
• All Religions tell us how to become righteous…
  - Buddhism – To be righteous… you cease all desires
  - Confucianism – You pursue education, reflection and lead a moral life.
  - Hinduism – You detach yourself from your ego and live in unity with the divine.
  - Judaism – You obey God’s Law.
  - New Age – You should see yourself as connected with the Oneness and live in perfect harmony with the creation.
  - Taoism – You should line yourself with the Tao and go with the flow
  - Islam – You should live a moral life, do good deeds, and stand before Allah in the end and if your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds and Allah so wills it, you shall be declared righteous.
• Every single religion… both hard and soft… tells us that on our resume should be listed all the things we have done to be declared righteous.
• Paul is saying that it has nothing to do with what we have done but purely what Jesus has done.

Grace vs works
A lady was arguing with her pastor about this matter of faith and works. “I think that getting to heaven is like rowing a boat,” she said. “One oar is faith, and the other is works. If you use both, you get there. If you use only one, you go around in circles.”
‘’There is only one thing wrong with your illustration,” replied the pastor. “Nobody is going to heaven in a rowboat!”[2]
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.
Justification…

• God demands perfection and there is only one way we can become perfect. Through Christ!
• Two words on my resume… Jesus Christ.
• I have been declared righteous because of my faith in Jesus!
• Gift righteousness!

10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.[3]
Sanctification…

• Everything changes. It has changed and continues to change!
• New nature, new desires, new power, new passion… a life that results in passion, purpose and JOY!
• Religion cannot compare to this!

It’s tax season and you are collecting your forms.
 - You will do your own personal financial audit.
 - What if you audit the things you do this week?
 - Is it your strength or His strength?

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 84–85). Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 85). Victor Books.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Php 3:1–11). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

LIVING LETTERS
2 CORINTHIANS
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are Christ’s letter, delivered by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God—not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

• Paul is saying that “Really, even though it sounds like I’m starting to commend myself to you again, we really don’t need that, and you don’t need letters of recommendation to me or from me.
• We don’t need you to validate my ministry.
• You know why? Because you are our letter. You are our letter of recommendation.”
• “Look. What has been written on your hearts in the gospel is all the validation I need for my ministry.”[1]

 
PAUL’S COMPETENCE
4 Such is the confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God. 6 He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

• The false teachers were actually coming, and they were standing up publicly and saying, “Look how competent we are; look how qualified we are. We are great speakers; we are powerful leaders.”
• And Paul says, “Look, we’re not competent in ourselves as if anything is coming from us.
• Our competence comes from God, who made us competent as ministers of the new covenant.
• And it’s not of the letter, but it is of the Spirit.”
• Paul says that “my ministry is validated by the powerful work of the Spirit in your lives.”
• Paul is saying [that] when you look at Christian ministers, you can tell authentic Christian ministers by the impact that they have had on the lives of people.[2]

 
NEW COVENANT MINISTRY

• The purpose of this passage is for Paul to contrast his form of new covenant ministry to another type of ministry, and we might call it the “ministry of the glowing face,” where you have the leader who has been in the presence of God, and he is the focus.
• But Paul is not contrasting new covenant over against old covenant here as the primary thing he’s doing.
• He’s contrasting new covenant ministry—his type of ministry—to another type of ministry, so that’s the purpose of what he’s doing.[3]

7 Now if the ministry that brought death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to gaze steadily at Moses’s face because of its glory, which was set aside, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry that brought condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness overflows with even more glory. 10 In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was set aside was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.

• In secular Greek, the idea of glory could communicate fame or esteem or honor [or] even talk about a person’s reputation.[4]
• Exodus 34:29-35 - As Moses descended from Mount Sinai—with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands as he descended the mountain—he did not realize that the skin of his face shone as a result of his speaking with the Lord., 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called out to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community returned to him, and Moses spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he commanded them to do everything the Lord had told him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever Moses went before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. After he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 and the Israelites would see that Moses’s face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went to speak with the Lord. [5]

 

• katargeō. (cot-ar-geh-o) - This word, in the ancient world, could be translated as “to use up,” “to exhaust,” “to make ineffective,” “to invalidate,” [or] “to call something to be abolished or set aside.”
• Paul uses this word pretty extensively to mean something like “to be canceled” or “to be made inoperative.”
• Now, it’s been popular in recent years to render this word in certain English translations as “fade”—that it was a fading glory.
• But recently, scholars have shown that there’s no case in the ancient world where this word means for something to fade.
• It means that it has been made inoperative—the switch has been turned off; it’s been nullified—and that’s the way that I’ve translated the passage here.
  - In this passage, he’s using an argument from lesser to greater.
• This was a common rabbinic technique in which the rabbi would say, “If something was true in a lesser situation, it certainly is true in a greater situation and has greater implications.”
• So that is the type of argument Paul is giving here.
• He is saying that in that OT context in Exodus 34, Moses’ face was glowing, but the people of Israel didn’t get to keep looking at his face because he kept covering it up.
• He is saying, if that was the situation where God’s presence was manifested through glory there, (verse 8) “how could the ministry of the Spirit not be attended by glory to a greater degree?”
• In other words, if you had that in the old covenant, how could the glory of God not be manifested to a much greater degree in the new covenant?
• “For if the ministry characterized by condemnation [had] glory, to a much greater degree the ministry characterized by righteousness overflows with glory.”
• Well, what’s he talking about?
• Well, you had glory under the old covenant; it was just the face of Moses that was glowing.
• But under the new covenant, think about the fact that all believers manifest the presence of God.
• He’s saying that every believer under the new covenant knows the presence of God and manifests the glory of God.
• Manifest - clear or obvious to the eye or mind.
• So, whereas you had one person manifesting the presence and the glory of God under the old covenant situation, now you have glory to a much greater degree because all of us manifest the glory of God in the new covenant.
• Paul is saying here that under the new covenant, the glory of God is so much greater because it’s manifested among all the people of God.[6]

12 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness. 13 We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from gazing steadily until the end of the glory of what was being set aside, 14 but their minds were hardened. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ.

• He says, “but their minds were hardened. For, to this day, when the old covenant is read, that same veil remains unmoved, because it can only be made inoperative by Christ.”
• Christ makes the veil over people’s hearts inoperative.
• He snuffs the glory snuffer, if you will;
• He takes that veil and rips it from people’s hearts so that they can have this open-face relationship with God and know the glory of God.
• He says it can only be made inoperative by Christ.[7]

15 Yet still today, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at, the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.[8]

• What Paul is contrasting in the big picture here is that type of new covenant ministry to the false ministry of the false teachers in Corinth who are all about the leader of the glowing face.
• Real Christian ministry is about being transformed by the presence of Christ in a way that you then manifest the glory of Christ in the world.[9]

 

• It’s not “One day… when the glory comes”
• The Glory is here… here in this very room.

[1] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ex 34:29–35). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[7] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 3:1–18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Menorah – Middle light, Ner Elohim, the Westernmost Lamp, the Lamp of God, the Servant Lamp –Specially prized.

• The Ner Elohim Lamp quit burning in 30 AD.
• From the Talmud: During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot [‘For the Lord’] did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-colored strap become white; nor did the westernmost light shine. (Yoma 39b)

 

• Genesis 1:3-5 - Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day. [1]
• Light was created the first day.

 

• Genesis 1:14-19 - 14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for seasons and for days and years. 15 They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night—as well as the stars. 17 God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth, 18 to rule the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 Evening came and then morning: the fourth day. [2]
• The sun was created on the fourth day.
• Menorah- Picture
• How many days were in the Creation?
  - 7 Days
  - 1-3 – 4 – 5-7 Days

 

• From Josephus (an unredeemed Jew who was an historian):

Over against this table, near the southern wall, was set a candlestick of cast gold, hollow within, being of the weight of one hundred pounds… It was made with its knops, and lilies, and pomegranates, and bowls (which ornaments amounted to seventy in all); by which means the shaft elevated itself on high from a single base, and spread itself into as many branches as there are planets, including the sun among them. It terminated in seven heads, in one row, all standing parallel to one another; and these branches carried seven lamps, one by one, in imitation of the number of the planets. These lamps looked to the east and to the south, the candlestick being situate obliquely. (Antiquities, Book III, Chapter VI, Paragraph 7)

• Josephus realized that the sun, located at the center of our solar system, was providing light for the planets visible to early man.
• Mercury, Venus, Earth (or moon), Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
• It seems therefore, that he concluded the sun served as the middle lamp (Servant Lamp) of our universe.
• If this is so, the sun is a picture of “the Son” who is the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5)
• “The Son” that Josephus failed to recognize as Savior!

 
The Legend of Azazel

• Day of Atonement – All sin would be atoned for one day of the year.
• Hebrews 9:6-7 – With these things prepared like this, the priests enter the first room repeatedly, performing their ministry. 7 But the high priest alone enters the second room, and he does that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.[3]
• What is the difference between atonement and forgiveness?
  - Covered but not removed
• High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies twice.
  - 1st time with the blood of a bull to cover his own sin.
  - Then two goats were brought to the High Priest, lots were cast and one of the goats was sacrificed.
   - The High Priest would then take the blood of the sacrificed goat into the Holy of Holies and offer it as sacrifice for the rest of the Jews sins… to be covered.

 

• Leviticus 16:8-10 - After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other for an uninhabitable place (Scapegoat or Azazel), A, (Lit for Azazel) B, (Perhaps a term that means “for the goat that departs,” or “for removal,” or “for a rough, difficult place,” or “for a goat demon”)[4] 9 he is to present the goat chosen by lot for the Lord and sacrifice it as a sin offering. 10 But the goat chosen by lot for an uninhabitable place is to be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement with it by sending it into the wilderness for an uninhabitable place. [5]

 

• From the Talmud:
  If you assume it was Rabbai Johannan ben Zaccai [who made the rule], was there in the days of Rabbai Johannan Zaccai a thread of scarlet [which turned white]? Has it not been taught: Rabbai Johannan Zaccai lived altogether a hundred and twenty years. For forty years he was in business, forty years he studied, and forty years he taught’, and it has further been taught: ‘For forty years before the destruction of the Temple the thread of scarlet never turned white but it remained red.’ (Rosh HaShana 31b)
• They tied a red ribbon on the scapegoat which turned white as it ran away.
• During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot [‘For the Lord’] did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-colored strap become white. (Yoma 39b)

 

• From the Jewish Encyclopedia:

Day of Atonement – A man was selected, preferably a priest, to take the goat to the precipice in the wilderness; and he was accompanied part of the way by the most eminent men of Jerusalem. Ten booths had been constructed at intervals along the road leading from Jerusalem to the steep mountain. At each one of these the man leading the goat was formally offered food and drink, which he, however, refused. When he reached the tenth booth those who accompanied him proceeded no further, but watched the ceremony from a distance. When he came to the precipice he divided the scarlet thread into two parts, one of which he tied to the rock and the other to the goat’s horns, and then pushed the goat down (Yoma vi. 1-8). The cliff was so high and rugged that before the goat had traversed half the distance to the plain below, its limbs were utterly shattered. Men were stationed at intervals along the way, and as soon as the goat was thrown down the precipice, they signaled to one another by means of kerchiefs or flags, until the information reached the high priest, whereat he proceeded with the other parts of the ritual.
 
The scarlet thread was a symbolic reference to Isaiah 1:18; and the Talmud tells us (ib.39a) that during the forty years that Simon the Just was high priest, the thread actually turned white as soon as the goat was thrown over the precipice; a sign that the sins of the people were forgiven. In later time the change to white was not invariable: a proof of the people’s moral and spiritual deterioration, that was gradually on the increase, until forty years before the destruction of the Second Temple, when the change of the color was no longer observed (i.e. 39b).
 

• Hebrews 10:12 - But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.[6]
• The sacrificial system that had been in effect for years was not obsolete because of Jesus’ blood.
• Mishnah – 220 AD – Oral Law written down
• Talmud – 600 AD – Expanded w/ stories (Tradition written by unredeemed Jews)

 
9 - Lamps
Zechariah – Additional two branches to serve as resource to make sure the other 7 branches remained lit.

• Persians – 400 years of silence between testaments
• Alexander Great and the Greeks defeated the Persians
• Divided into four regions
• Syria - Antiochus Epiphanes defiled the Temple Mount
• Maccabees came in and rededicated the Temple Mount. There was enough oil in one branch to relight the Menorah and it burnt for 8 days.
• Two additional branches were added during the days of the Maccabees restoration and is related now to Hanukah.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ge 1:3–5). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ge 1:14–19). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Heb 9:6–7). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Le 16:8–10). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.\
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Heb 10:12). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.