The Book of Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish Christians whose world was falling apart. Scholars tentatively propose that the letter was written to a small house-church of beleaguered Jewish Christians living in Rome in the mid-sixties before the destruction of the Jewish Temple. Fifteen years after Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome a new persecution looms; the Neronian persecution that would come with the great fire of Rome in AD 64. No one has been killed yet but verse 4 of chapter 12 raises the possibility that martyrdom may come soon. The writer of Hebrews was writing to admonish and encourage his friends, a small group of Jewish Christians who were scared stiff! Some had begun to avoid contact with outsiders. Some had even withdrawn from the worshiping community altogether (10:25). The author feared there might be those who, if arrested, would succumb to the conditions of release – a public denial of Christ (6:6, 10:29). The tiny house-church was asking some hard questions: Did God know what was going on? If so, how could this be happening to them? Did He care? Only God could protect them, but where was He? Why did He not answer? Why the silence of God? The letter arrived and the word was sent out for the congregation to gather. The reader began what has been called the most impressive piece of Greek in the New Testament; verses 1-2a. Through these magnificent words the beleaguered church was brought face to face with the God who speaks – the eloquence of God. God spoke in the past, and He speaks in the present in His Son. And this eloquence, the ultimate eloquence of the final word in God’s Son, would bring them comfort in the midst of life’s troubles.

Even before the prophets of old, the cosmos was filled with God’s eloquence. The vastness and precision of our cosmos declares the necessity of a magnificent God! Noting the order and design of our universe, Kepler – the founder of modern astronomy, discoverer of the “Three Planetary Laws of Motion,” and originator of the term satellite – said, “The undevout astronomer is mad.” The cosmic eloquence of God is deafening, but many will not hear it. And even those who hear, hear partially. As Job said, “Behold, these are but the outskirts of His ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26:14). The eloquence of God is always there for the believer willing to hear it. So often those who have heard it best have heard it when life was darkest – perhaps while persecuted or in prison.

God’s people have always had more than the eloquence of the heavens, for they have had the prophets (v. 1).The emphasis here is on the grand diversity of God’s speech in the Old Testament. God utilized great devices to instruct His prophets. God spoke to Moses at Sinai in thunder and lightning and with the voice of a trumpet. He whispered to Elijah at Horeb in “a still small voice.” Ezekiel was informed by visions and Daniel through dreams. God appeared to Abram in human form and to Jacob as an angel. God declared Himself by Law, by warning, by exhortation, by type, by parable. And when God’s seers prophesied, they utilized nearly every method to communicate their message. The significance of this immensely creative variegated communication is that it dramatically demonstrated God’s loving desire to communicate with His people. Through God’s cosmic and prophetic eloquence men and women rose to live life on the highest plane. But in all of this (its adequacy, its progressiveness, its continuity, its power), God’s eloquence was never complete. As grand as it was, it was nevertheless fragmentary and lacking.

But no more! For in Christ came an astonishing eloquence, the ultimate speech of God (v. 2a).Jesus is the ultimate medium of communication. God has spoken to us in His Son! This amazing eloquence of God is substantially the same as that described in the chain of thought in John 1, which begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Jesus here, of course, is “the Word,” and though much more can be said about this term because of its rich history in Greek literature, its main significance here is that Christ has always sought to reveal Himself. Through the Incarnation God wrote Himself into life – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). He put skin on, so to speak. He made it possible for us to know Him as we never before could. God in the flesh was the height of communication. What was the result of all this eloquence? We meet God the Father! “No one has ever seen God,” says John, but “the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known” (John 1:18). Jesus interpreted God. That is some communication! The astounding eloquence of God!

Hebrews 1:1-2a Reflection Questions:

Have you ever asked yourself the same questions as the tiny house-church did?

Have you discovered the eloquence of God to answer those questions?

How does God speak to you personally? How often do you hear Him?

By way of introduction, I would like you to note three things about this fabulous Book of Hebrews: Its author, its audience, and its argument.

The Author: Debates have raged for almost two thousand years concerning the author of this book. Many scholars believe it to be Luke while others insist the orator Apollos. It could be Apollos or it could be Luke. One thing, however, is certain: Whoever penned this epistle had an intense understanding of theology combined with an immense Greek vocabulary. And these two factors point me personally to the apostle Paul. Not only did Paul’s brilliant mind give him a greater grasp of the Greek language than any other man throughout history, but his understanding of Old Testament theology was unrivaled as well. In a greater sense, though, the question of authorship doesn’t really matter, for truly, God is the author of Hebrews ultimately.

The Audience: The Book of Hebrews was addressed to Jewish believers who were being pulled back into Judaism. Living in Jerusalem, no doubt each time they heard the trumpets sounding from the courtyard of the temple, reminded of their heritage and history, they found themselves drawn back into the religion and rituals of the Levitical system. Jesus came to establish a New Covenant, the New Testament. That is why there are very sober warnings throughout the book.

The Argument: The argument of the Book of Hebrews is that Jesus Christ is superior to the old way of religion. He is superior in His majesty because, as the Son of God, He is superior to angels, to Moses, to Joshua, and the entire Levitical system. And He is superior in ministry because, as the Son of Man, He died for us. He relates to us. He works with us.

I think you are going to be blessed greatly in the study of this book because the theme and message is to point out the sufficiency and beauty of Jesus – always a grand endeavor. Expanding souls encounter an expanding Christ! And this is why I am particularly enthused about this study volume on the Book of Hebrews, for that epistle has a double dose of growth-producing power – first, because it presents the greatness of Christ as no other New Testament writing does, and, second, because it repeatedly demands a response from the reader. Seriously considered, Hebrews will make us grow and find a bigger Christ.

*The material for these studies is from Jon Courson’s Commentary by Thomas Nelson Inc., R. Kent Hughes Preaching the Word series by Crossway, and Warren W. Wiersbe’s Commentary by Chariot Victor Publishing, unless otherwise noted.