Quote:
Originally Posted by Apostolic1ness
Back to Hebrews the writer is telling the Hebrew church to follow the faith of the ones who have the "rule"over them. You mention these are rulers of the Jews like Nicodemus was. Is it your opinion that at this time the word of God spoken to the Hebrews was only OT temple reading of Judaism or was it New Covenant teaching or was it mixed? Also they were to follow the faith of "them which have the rule over" them, so is it not more probable that the "them" would have been Church Leaders?
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This is a great question brother. It is most likely a better question than the answer that you will get from me. However you asked, and I will give you my best answer. It is going to be a rambling answer and probably too long, but I don't think I'm going to be able to do otherwise.
The reason I like this question and consider it such a good one is that it says to me that you have an awareness that the Old Covenant did not cease to be when the Holy Ghost was poured out on the day of Pentecost. Changing from following and observing the Old Covenant to the New (better) Covenant is really what the book of Hebrews is all about. Even though Paul (in Romans) said that the partition that separated Jews from Gentiles was no more, that really was the case only where God was concerned. The people were another matter altogether.
Can you imagine following the law religiously, and believing in it for your salvation, thinking that sacrificing animals was your ticket to being justified before God, for thousands of years as a people, and then being told that you were to cease from that covenant with God, and proceed with a new better way?
That is exactly what happened to the Jewish Christians. And it worked out probably about as well as if it happened to a church of Apostolic believers today. We get all worked up if a new song is not just like we think it should be. We take unholy pride in being old fashioned Pentecost (which means mostly we do it like they did it fifty years ago). Imagine if our traditions were thousands of years old.
That"s what happened to Jewish Christians. And as might be expected, some of them handled it better than others. Some, no doubt wanted to return to the old ways, when the new wore off, much like some today flame out. Some, no doubt never looked back.
So I've said all that to say this. An answer can be an answer that really leaves you not knowing any more than you did before you asked the question.
You asked: Is it your opinion that at this time the word of God spoken to the Hebrews was
only OT temple reading of Judaism or was it New Covenant teaching or
was it mixed?
Three questions, and the answer to each of these is yes. It was OT teaching, it was new covenant teaching and it was mixed. That is what I believe. And there is at least some scripture to back it up.
I realize that this is a rambling answer, but the truth is, there is so much MORE to be said. If it's more than you bargained for I understand.
I'll send the ball back to your court. Any comments or questions?
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