"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son ... " Hebrews 1:1-2

Then immediately Jesus is called, in reference to His Father, "the express image of His person."

This is astounding!

The word in Greek for "express image" is spelled "charakter," literally! It obviously is our English word "character." We just borrowed it from them. But what does it mean?

The noun here is derived from a verb, "charasso." And that means "to sharpen to a point." It was a term used to describe a writing instrument. An engraving tool, really. An artist or craftsman would use one of those things to duplicate the exact image of a person or thing onto a piece of metal or other substantial surface. To "scratch" it into place! Again, to "engrave" it! To "cut" its picture into that hard medium!

From just meaning "the writing instrument" itself, "chararakter" came to mean the very picture or likeness or image produced!

We are being told here that Jesus is the exact representation of God the Father!

"A precise impression!"

"An accurate reproduction!"

"A marked likeness!"

Colloquially speaking, Jesus is the very "character" of His Father!

If you see the One, our Lord Jesus, you know how the Other, God the Father, really is!

Now the word picture that "charakter" draws is beautiful, but the Bible adds even more "meat" to this doctrine as well!

Jesus is not just a "likeness" of the Father, He is inexplicably "of" God the Father!

Listen to Him, "I and My Father are One!" John 10:30

Plus, spoken to Philip His Disciple: "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father!" John 14:9

And in Philippians 2:6 Paul says Jesus "is equal with God!"

Wow!

To get a full composite of Who Jesus is ... all these verses and more must be incorporated.

But still, "charakter" is one of the most thrilling metaphors of all!

God the Father!

God the Son!

Ditto!

Yes, Jesus is "the express image" of His Father!

Of God the Father!

And, furthermore, "the express image of His Person," of the Father's Person! Now a new word is employed. It's "hupostasis." It means the "foundation," what really  "stands under" a building or a tower or a statue, anything that gives it stability.

Jesus is the real Essence of God the Father!

He is an accurate, a perfect, expression of all God the Father is!

Truly so!

No hypocrisy here!

If you want to know the character of God, look at Jesus His Son!

Everywhere Jesus went during his earthly ministry, He stamped the very image of God the Father on all!

Men and women were "impressed!"

Jesus, truly, is God come to earth!

Here's how John 1:14 expresses it. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

Now, that's character!

                                                                             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 2, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 14:

The Verse explains WHY Jesus came to earth two thousand years ago. For that reason alone it is priceless.

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, Jesus also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Hebrews 2:14

Yes, Jesus took upon Himself human flesh, born of a Virgin.

For what reason?

"That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil."

Amen.

The verb "might destroy" translates "katargeo," meaning "to make inactive!" To delay a person! To make him idle! Here's another shade of meaning: "to make someone ineffective!"

The Cross of Calvary did not kill the devil.

But It did ruin his plans!

The devil, "unemployed!"

"Inoperative!"

"Nullified!"

Sounds like the devil has lost a lot of his power, even!

Because Jesus died on the Cross!

Because our Lord shed His precious Blood!

"Katargeo" is used 25 times by Paul, alone! Then it's only found two other times in the whole New Testament, Luke 13:7 and here in Hebrews 2:14.

Here the verb is in the subjunctive mood. Jesus ideally would have destroyed the devil, at the Cross!

And our Lord did so, did just that!

He was 100% successful!

The devil now limps and struggles and half achieves his goals!

That's what is being implied, for sure!

"That through death Jesus might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil."

The fact is also being presented that the devil no longer has the power of death!

Because of Jesus!

"Power" here is "kratos," manifested power, visible power. "Kratos" may be related to our word "creator" or "created."

The Lord Jesus conquered death.

Therefore He also conquered the one who had the power of death, Satan himself!

Via the Cross!

And via the empty Tomb!

The preposition "dia" is "through," through death Jesus stripped the devil of all these things.

It means "by means of" death.

"Out of the channel" of Calvary flows the devil's defeat!

Now, for the Believer in Christ anyway, death need not be our greatest fear!

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me." Psalm 23:4

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours." Revelation 14:13

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1st Corinthians 15:55-57

Yes, the devil is still busy.

He's just not getting nearly as much done!

He's been debilitated!

He's a "whipped" Devil!

He's been "destroyed!"

And, manly, that's why Jesus came!

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, Jesus also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Hebrews 2:14

Thank you, Lord!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 3, CHAPTER 3, VERSE 1:

Any study of the Life of Jesus will involve His many Names and Titles, all taken from Scripture.

Today's Verse from Hebrews illustrates what I mean.  "Wherefore, holy brethren, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." Hebrews 3:1

The verb, a stark command, is "consider." In Greek "katanoeo" means "to fix one's mind upon" something or someone. "To ponder" that person! Letting your mind dwell upon him or her.

We are to think a lot about Jesus!

This is similar to the whole Bible concept of meditation, really. "Day and night," reflecting upon Him.

Now to our Lord's specific Names here, "Christ" and "Jesus" are used. In that order. Maybe "Christ" comes first because Jews are Paul's primary "target" in the Book of Hebrews! And, as you know, "Christos" reflects images of the Jewish Messiah, the "anointed" One of God! The verb "chrio" means "to rub with anointing oil."

Psalm 45:7 says that God the Father has anointed Jesus with the "oil of gladness." That's another way of naming the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of joy and gladness!

But here Paul also names our Saviour as "Jesus." The Name really means "deliverer." In Hebrew "yasha" means "to save!" And the "one who saves" is simply a "saviour."

"Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." Hebrews 3:1

Now to the two titles given our Lord. He is an "Apostle." Blending "apo" and "stello," a Greek preposition and verb, we get "one who is sent from the person in authority to set in order any erroneous matters." It means "to arrange things properly!"

This whole "cosmos," this whole "world" is "out of order." Jesus, some day, will align things as God would have them!

Jesus here is also a "High Priest." Our "great High Priest," Paul later says in Hebrews 4:14.

Jesus is the One who sprinkled the Blood of Atonement on the Altar for you and me! He also washed us in His Own Blood! "Unto Him, Jesus Christ, That loved us and washed us from our sins in His Own Blood." Revelation 1:5

That's High Priestly work!

And He prays for us, too!

That's called intercession and is practiced by a priest for his people!

"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25

There's a lot in this fragment of a Verse!

"Wherefore, holy brethren, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." Hebrews 3:1

And truly, I guess the brothers or sisters who really considered these truths would have to be "holy."

"Holy" brethren!

"Holy" sisters!

As a synonym, "saints" of God!

Who else would ever want to think about Jesus anyway?

Someone, at least to the lost world, who lived in a remote land two thousand years ago?

But if you have been saved, if He has "touched" your life, "considering" Him is second nature!

He is, as Song of Solomon 5:16 promises, "altogether lovely!"

And easy to "consider!"

"Wherefore, holy brethren, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." Hebrews 3:1

Let's practice it today.

                                                                              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 4, HEBREWS 4, VERSE 15:

The Verse is about Jesus, of course. He is the Subject of the whole Book of Hebrews, really.

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15

Jesus is that great "High Priest."

One verb, "sumpatheo," is responsible for "be touched with the feeling of." It's our word "sympathy," obviously. Jesus "sympathizes" with us, in all our "infirmities." Literally, He "feels" right along "beside" us! He is "passionate" with us, "alongside" us.

The noun "infirmities" is "astheneia," which means "without" any "strength." Our weaknesses!

Our Lord knows about our weaknesses!

The word "tempted" means "tested." Literally, "gone all the way through!" You might say, "proved from one end to the other!"

Jesus was tempted in every basic area of life during His 33+ years on earth, just like the verse says.

But, and here's the point of today's lesson, our Lord never sinned, not even once!

He was "yet without sin."

In Greek that's written "choris hamartias."

It means "apart from sin."

"No space for sin!"

"Separate from sin!"

"Choris" is derived from the little noun "chora," the smallest possible space between two objects!"

There was absolutely "no room" for sin in Jesus, not at all!

He is the sinless One!

We may look at this verse again in a few days, but Jesus is completely "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." So says Hebrews 7:26.

Had Jesus been sinful, an impossibility I believe, He would have been required to die for His Own iniquity!

But He had no iniquity!

He never did one thing wrong!

He never missed God's mark.

He always brought God His Father great Glory!

He is perfect!

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15

How can we not worship Him?

Like the old song says, "Hallelujah, what a Saviour!"

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 5, HEBREWS 5, VERSE 9:

Hebrews 5:9 contains a precious "slice" of Scripture!

It's talking about Jesus, of course, and says: "He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."

Think of that!

"He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him."

The noun "author" is unique. The word is used only here in all the Bible! The Greek word, I mean. It is spelled "aitios." It means "the Cause of anything!" Jesus is the Source of our very salvation! He is its Starting Place!

Notice too that our salvation is "eternal." This adjective, "aionios," is built on the "aei" root in Greek, meaning "perpetual, incessant, unending!"

Beginning at the day you were saved by the Grace of God, from that moment in time forward ... for evermore ... you will always be "saved!" Your state of being, your salvation, your redemption is absolutely eternal!

That is ... if you have "obeyed" Him, Jesus!

And the verb "obey" here, "hupakouo," is defined as "listening and then responding to a message."

Responding to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit!

Asking God to save you, placing faith in Jesus' Blood and Death on Calvary, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ!

"He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."

I suspect that "obedience" continues long after initial salvation, too!

Once a man or woman is saved, he or she will want to always obey the Lord!

No doubt about that.

Next time you want to worship and praise and thank God for something, use this Verse!

Thank Him that Jesus is the Author, the Origin, the very Cause of our salvation!

Without Him, without our Lord, we would all have died in our sins!

By the way, while using a different word, Hebrews 12:2 says Jesus is not only the "Author" of our faith, but the "Finisher" too!

The Beginning and the End!

He's at the first and the last!

He is our All!

He is our Everything!

Praise His Good Name today!

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 6, HEBREWS 6, VERSE 6:

The statement is inspired of God, being Scripture. But it is almost incidentally placed in its context. Yet it conveys a vital truth.

"They crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Hebrews 6:6

This is said of a group of people, professing Christians too. "Who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come." Hebrews 6:4-5

A pretty good list of traits!

If they "quit" on Jesus.

If they become "apostates."

If they "depart from the faith."

Then it is impossible ... "If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Hebrews 6:6

That's the context!

A person can not be really "saved!"

Then "lose" his salvation!

If so, Jesus would of necessity have to die again!

For them to be a second time washed in the Blood, again an impossibility, Jesus would have to come back to earth, tread the hills of the Holy Land, and be a second time nailed to the Cross!

And that, my friends, is NOT going to happen!

I believe Paul here is teaching us the importance of our eternal salvation!

A salvation that cannot be granted us by the Holy Spirit, then taken away!

If one is saved, he or she is saved and will, to some degree anyway, continue to live for Jesus!

He or she will not return to disbelief or sin or a life of constant rebellion!

And if that could happen, its implications are so vast that it would alter God's very plan of salvation!

Jesus would have to be crucified "afresh!"

So much could be said, and has been for centuries, about this Text. It's one of Hebrews' most discussed passages.

My point today is this.

Jesus' one Death is all that's needed!

He will never be nailed to a Cross again!

It that Death, if that Blood, if that Atonement did not save you and does not keep you ... you are hopeless!

Our verse today also implies that Jesus will never be "shamed" again, either!

"They crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

The verb "put to open shame" means "to put on public display for all to see!" And if Jesus was allowed to die like all of Rome's other victims, He was completely unclothed that day.

Stark naked!

And made that way to expose the person dying, to subject him to public shame and embarrassment.

Our Lord's one and only death did the job!

He will never be shamed like that again!

And if THAT can't saved you ... and keep you faithful ... you are in real trouble!

So says Paul here in Hebrews 6. Or at least that's the way  multitudes of Bible Teachers have seen it through the years.

Jesus, thank you for dying for us!

And thank you that you will never have to do so again!

Oh, the sufficiency of Jesus' Blood!

                                                                         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell 

LESSON 7, HEBREWS 7, VERSE 14:

The phone rang one day this week.

A young preached had a question to ask.

Since Samuel, son of Hannah and Elkanah, was a priest as well as a prophet, not counting his being a judge in Israel too, was he of the tribe of Levi?

Apparently not.

He is of the tribe of Ephraim, related to Joseph.

Yet, "Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod." 1st Samuel 2:18, priestly work!

And, "Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him." 1st Samuel 7:9, again, the duties of a priest!

Samuel, the priest.

Maybe in this sense he is a picure of our dear Lord, in that Jesus was a Priest, for sure!

A "High Priest" we are told.

Our "Great High Priest" according to Hebrews 4:14.

But Jesus also was not from the priestly tribe, not from Levi.

Proof?

"For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood." Hebrews 7:14

This is today's verse, Hebrews 7:14.

Jesus, we learn from Genesis 14 and Hebrews 7, is a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Not after the line of Aaron!

Not a Levite!

I would say today that Jesus is a BETTER High Priest than Aaron could have ever hoped to be!

Hebrews 12:24 calls Him: "Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."

Yes!

But back to our verse, one main word in it anyway!

"For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood." Hebrews 7:14

The adjective "evident" is spelled "prodelos," something "clearly seen, even beforehand." In Greek "delos" means "clear or manifest." The prefix "pro" means "ahead of time."

"Prodelos" is also the first word in the Greek sentence, greatly heightening its grammatical importance in the whole verse.

Don't fail to see this fact, "Our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood."

That's what Paul is saying.

Jesus is of the tribe of "Juda," spelled "Judah" also. The name means "praise!"

Jesus is of the same tribe as David, since our Lord is going to be King in Israel!

He's in that line!

Mary and Joseph both, I believe, have blood relations going all the way back to David, the man after God's own heart!

We are seeing that Jesus is going to be both a King ... and a Priest!

But when it comes to the tribe of Judah, the ruling tribe, not one word is said by Moses concerning any type of priesthood!

"Our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood."

The adverb "nothing" is "oudeis," meaning "not at all." Or, "not even once." Also, "in no respect."

God has created a special, and superior priesthood for Jesus! One after the order of Melchisedec.

But still, I have not arrived at the "word" that arrested my attention several days ago.

Our Lord "sprang" from Judah, amazing!

Here, in our verb, a lot of history is covered!

"Our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood."

It's spelled "anatello."

"Telos," its main root, means "the goal, the end, the termination point." The last member of a series of things! The point of culmination!

The predominant "goal" of four thousand years of history, from Adam in Eden all the way to Mary the Virgin, that "goal" is Jesus' Birth!

His Virgin Birth!

At that moment, Jesus' Birth, He "sprang" from Judah! Mary, as we learned earlier, was of that tribe.

The actual verb itself, "tello," means "to set out for a definite goal or point or target!"

After 4,000 years of planning, no, more than that! Jesus' Virgin Birth had been ordained even "before the foundation of the world!" 1st Peter 1:20 says so.

So, no telling how long in time and eternity, Jesus' Birth was planned!

Designed!

Prophesied!

The first slice of prophecy in the whole Bible tells of it! God is talking to the devil, to the serpent. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." And the woman's SEED was Jesus! Genesis 3:15

For several millennia, Jesus' "springing" from Judah was expected, but not yet realized!

Then one night in Bethlehem, two thousand years ago, it happened!

"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that Mary should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:6-7

That was it!

Jesus "springing" from Judah!

God's "Goal" being realized!

No wonder it was a scheduled event!

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman." In other words, Virgin Born! Galatians 4:4

Right on time!

And why did Jesus so "spring?"

Why was He born?

This may be the best answer, Luke 19:10 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Or 1st John 3:8. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."

Thank God Jesus so "sprang!"

By the way, one day He "sprang" into my heart, too!

That also was a planned event!

A preplanned one!

Wouldn't it be great if Jesus "sprang" into someone's life this very morning?

He very well could.

No doubt, somewhere around the world, He will!

Now maybe that's too much on one single word. I don't know. But it makes me so very glad!

I know that Lord, personally!

The "Goal" of all history!

And He is also the "Goal" of all prophecy!

Come to think of it, He is the "Goal" of my life too!

How about yours?

One can almost summarize the Christian way of living in these few words. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." Hebrews 12:2

Our "Goal!"

Our "Obsession!"

Our very "God!"

He "sprang" from the tribe of Judah.

                                                                  --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Isaiah 7:14 parallels Hebrews 7:14 in some ways! Both accent Jesus' Virgin Birth! But Isaiah 7:14 does so patently, Hebrews 7:14, more latently.

LESSON 8, HEBREWS 8, VERSE 1:

In Hebrews 8:1 we are told several things about Jesus, glorious things too!

"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens."

The "sum" is the "chief point" or the "main point" of the Hebrews context. It is actually the Greek noun "kephale," translated "head" 76 times in the New Testament, a very literal rendering of the word's meaning.

The verb "have" is indicative here, too. "Echo" truthfully means "to have" but in this sense, "to hold on to" Someone!

Enjoy Jesus as your High Priest!

Appropriate His Ministry at the Father's Right Hand!

Remember that He is praying for you!

Don't forget that He is watching over you, too!

All these underlined verbs express, to some small degree, what it means "to hold on to" our great High Priest!

Lay hold of His Great ministry, His heavenly Ministry, on your behalf!

Jesus, the "High Priest" uses one word, "archiereus."

Like we call Michael the "archangel," Jesus here is the arch-priest! "Arche" means "the leader, the ruler." The "original" One! The "beginning" One! The "ancient" One!

The noun "priest," spelled "hiereus," means a "sacred, holy" person who serves God incessantly.

"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens."

The verb "is set" is "kathizo," in the active voice, too! This time Jesus is not pictured as being placed on the Right Hand of God, He just sat down there!

He has earned the right!

He shed His Blood!

He is qualified as great High Priest!

"Hedraios" is anything "stationary" in Greek, "immovable."

Jesus, our High Priest, forever!

The "right hand" symbolizes two things.

It is the place of honor!

God the Father so honors God the Son!

The Saviour!

The resurrected Lamb of God!

The victorious Conqueror!

Secondly, the "right hand" means the place of power!

Jesus possesses that, all power!

Given Him by His Father!

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Matthew 28:18

The "Majesty" in Heaven is God the Father. "Megalosune" means "the "GREAT" One!

There is None like Him!

Yet our Jesus is at His Right Hand!

We have a Friend ... in Heaven!

Jesus, near the very Heart of God!

And He is praying for us today!

Protecting us, too!

Empowering us!

Directing our lives!

Keeping us secure, until we meet Him Face-to-face, some wonderful day!

Let's think about that a while!

"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens."

In this verse we can rejoice!

Wonderful Jesus!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 9, HEBREWS 9, VERSE 12:

Jesus and His Blood!

So often belittled anymore, the Blood of our Lord is essential to the salvation of any lost soul!

John plainly wrote: "And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

I believe this to be true.

Hebrews 9:12 shares a vital fact about Jesus and His Blood. "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

As our Great High Priest, now in Heaven, Jesus has "entered into" the Holy Place there. This is proof that the true Tabernacle exists in Heaven, right now. The one Moses build centuries ago was just a "model" of the Real One.

Jesus, when He first ascended to Heaven as a resurrected Saviour, went into that Tabernacle "by His Blood!"

"By" His Blood translates "dia." It was through the Blood, the Blood being the agent, that our very redemption was obtained!

This Verse is teaching us that, unlike the priests of Old Testament days, Jesus did not sprinkle animals' blood on the altar!

No!

He used "His Own Blood!"

"Idios" means, in Greek, "pertaining to one's self, privately, particular and peculiar to one's person." Jesus' very Own unique Blood!

Our English word "idiosyncrasy" comes from "idios" here.

Blood that only Jesus possessed!

Unlike any other!

His very Own, with all its amazing qualities!

And Jesus did this "once."

"Ephapax" more fully means "once and for all!" And really "hapas" means "whole, entire!"

Jesus once had to offer His Blood!

And that covered the "whole" sin debt of humanity for all time!

He will never have to die again!

"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

The participle "having obtained" does not mean that Jesus was then able to save lost sinners, when He sprinkled the Blood at the altar in Heaven!

"Heurisko" is an aorist participle, the "obtaining" had already been done, even before Jesus ascended back to Heaven!

The moment He uttered the words, from the Cross of Calvary, "It is finished," redemption had been accomplished!

Amen!

The Price has been paid!

That's what "redemption" implies anyway.

We have been "ransomed" from sin!

Jesus placed his Blood on the Altar in Glory, having already discovered and completed our redemption!

That's what it is saying.

Jesus, more than the world's greatest Teacher!

More than a great Preacher, too!

More than a perfect Son to Mary!

More than a gracious Friend to sinners!

Jesus, the Saviour!

Jesus, the Sacrifice!

Jesus, the High Priest!

Jesus, the Redeemer!

Jesus, the Bearer of Blood, His Own Blood!

Using a snippet from Hebrews 12:24, Glory be ... "to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling."

Yes!

Amen!

Praise God and the Lamb forever!

Hebrews 9:12 again, today's verse: "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

There's more here, in the few words of this verse, than we will ever know, until we all get to Heaven!

Until then, I can rejoice in what little of it I do understand!

Washed in the Blood!

Saved!

Redeemed!

Happy in Jesus!

Safe!

Secure!

Wow!

                                                                     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 10, HEBREWS 10, VERSES 19-20:

Jesus and His Blood are given special emphasis in the New Testament Epistle of Hebrews.

For example, Hebrews 10:19-20. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us."

The noun "boldness" is "parresia," a blended word meaning "to say," with the prefix "pas" that means "everything!"

"Boldness" before God means you feel the liberty to tell Him anything!

To share everything with Him, all your burdens and fears and doubts and sins and who knows what else?

Everything!

You probably have very few friends, if any, with whom you can share EVERYTHING!

But Jesus is such a Friend!

How is such "boldness" possible?

"By the Blood of Jesus!"

The preposition "by" is spelled "en," and with the dative case means: "in, on, at, near, before, among, within, with." And of course, "by."

This is a personal relationship with Jesus through His shed Blood!

Wow!

The Blood of Jesus gives you and me the permission, no, the very authority to come before the Lord God Almighty of the Universe! Its Creator and our Redeemer!

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us." 

The verse's opening participle, "having," means that we have been given such assurance and are "to hold on" to it! Grab it and don't let go! Enjoy it, too! It's a gift, a present possession!

The Lord has placed this "boldness" in our hands, to use as a prayer promise too!

The "Holiest" is where Jesus lives, in Heaven. At the Father's Right Hand! The Very Holy of Holies, according to Old Testament terminology!

The Blood is the way to Jesus!

Here it is called "a new and living" way!

Jesus' Blood is not dead!

It is "zao" alive, breathing and working and powerful, after two thousand years even!

And "new," get this, means "freshly slain!" Spelled "prosphatos," it combines "pro" meaning "before" and "sphazo" meaning "slaughtered" or "sacrificed."

Jesus' Blood, while being in heaven for all this time, since Calvary, is still wet and glistening and powerfully saving sinners!

It's "fresh" there, yet today.

God the Father beholds it as having been recently and freshly slain, as if it were offered yesterday!

Look at that!

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us."  

Each of us, when we finish reading here today, should pray!

And, as we pray, for whatever and whomever we pray, recall that we are allowed to do so because of Jesus' Blood!

Blood that in God's Eyes has just been offered!

It's still that very powerful!

I now want to type, "Let's bow our heads and close our eyes."

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us."   

The closing verb, "consecrated" also means "made new." Or "dedicated." Jesus has dedicated His Blood to us! For our help and benefit, even as Christians!

Amen!

Nothing in Heaven, in God's Presence, is ever stale.

Or boring.

It's always new!

Praise the Lord!

                                                                       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 11, HEBREWS 11, VERSE 40:

Hebrews chapter 11 discusses faith, both defining and illustrating that grand Bible concept.

But, as you know, we are looking for verses about Jesus.

And after a massive list of Old Testament people, men and women, the Holy Spirit tells us something amazing! In the very last verse, "God having provided some better thing for us." Hebrews 11:40

As great as they lived their days on earth, those Old Testament saints "all received not the promise." Hebrews 11:39

Yet, we saints who have been born-again since Calvary, since Pentecost, apparently have received the promise! That "better thing!"

That makes a person wonder!

What "better thing" do we have?

Or "better" things?

Than  did Abraham or Moses or the others?

The answer probably is manifold.

But I'll guarantee you this, every "better thing" we enjoy today, no doubt, is a result of the Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

So, even in Hebrews 11, Jesus is the real "Hero!"

"God having provided some better thing for us." Hebrews 11:40

We have the opportunity of knowing that the Lord's Blood has already been shed. That's now a fact of history! They were yet anticipating that earth-shaking Event! Our Salvation is a settled fact!

We also have the indwelling, filling Holy Spirit. Unlike they did, much "better!" But even His Presence is because of Jesus' Death on Calvary! At Pentecost a new Day dawned for followers of Jesus!

We now have a Saviour, sitting in the Heavens by the Father's Right Hand, praying for us day and night! He "ever liveth" to do that! Hebrews 7:25

We now have the completed Word of God! Some of the Hebrews 11 population did not even have the Psalms or the Prophets! A few not even Genesis or Exodus!

We have it all!

"God having provided some better thing for us." Hebrews 11:40 

And, too, we have the Hope of the Second Coming, the very Rapture of the Church! Hebrews 11 looks forward to Jesus' First coming, the Cross!

We long for His Second Coming, the Crown!

Yes, the list could continue, I'm sure.

"Better things!"

All because of Jesus!

A word of thanks, from us to Him, are certainly in order today!

Jesus, Giver of "better things!"

"We praise Thee, O Lord."

                                                                         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 12, HEBREWS 12, VERSE 2:

Hebrews 12 is a dynamic chapter of Scripture.

It is introduced with an enlightening statement about Jesus.

"Jesus ... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." Hebrews 12:2, a part of it anyway.

There are no doubt many reasons Jesus was willing to die on that old rugged Cross. His love for sinners, surely, is near the top! His desire to please his Father, too. His absolute determination to obey the Will of God as ordained before the very creation of earth, as well!

And His hunger to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies, dozens of them, about a suffering Saviour must be placed on our list. Plus, had we time to ponder and type, many more.

But our verse today gives one more view, and a surprising one at that!

"Jesus ... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." Hebrews 12:2

The verb "endured" is "hupomoneo," combining "to remain" (in Greek, "meno") "under" (in Greek, "hupo"). It means getting under that heavy load that's been placed in your life, and carrying it to its destination, all without grumbling!

Jesus did not run from the Cross!

He accepted it as His duty!

And He did not die there until all was "finished!" Until the sin debt had been fully paid!

He successfully "endured" the most tortuous death known to man!

And, according to our verse, along with that kind of death comes "shame."

Much shame!

Almost for sure, 99% so anyway, Jesus hung there on that Tree, absolutely naked. Such a thing was part of the punishment of death on the Cross, Roman Empire style! They wanted to embarrass and humiliate the "criminals" as much as possible. Hence, the added indignity of stark nakedness. Everybody who walked by, "gawking" at the dying person. The noun "shame" implies "disgrace, dishonor, embarrassment."

Jesus, likely the most modest Man Who ever lived, "despised" all that shame. The verb is "kataphroneo," with "phroneo" meaning "to think" and "kata" just meaning "down." Jesus "thought down" on that shame, belittling it, marginalizing it, minimizing it, and in a way, ignoring it.

The shame was just not as important as accomplishing His Goal that day, the salvation of lost souls.

Something far outweighed the humiliation of total nakedness, in a very public place!

No doubt other factors contributed to that shame as well; social contempt, repercussions for His family, the stigma of such a death too. Some are too personal and private even to mention.

But Jesus, regardless of the negative consequences, died for you and me!

"Jesus ... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." Hebrews 12:2 

But why?

Why did He die?

Our verse today gives one reason.

And an important one, I'd say.

"For the joy that was set before Him."

Jesus died because of something that He knew was going to happen ... once He had laid down His precious Life!

He died because of a future "joy" of some kind!

That fact cannot be denied!

It is right here in plain print.

"Jesus ... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame."

The noun "joy" is "chara," meaning "gladness." It's from a verb, "chairo," meaning "to enjoy God's approval, God's blessings, "God speed," in King James Bible terminology. The little Epistle of 2nd John, in both verses 10 and 11 employ "chairo" this way, "God speed."

Jesus died for future JOY!

Maybe it was the Bride, the Church, that one day will be His! Saved folks, we are part of that Bride, too! Weddings are occasions of joy, especially for the Groom and His Bride!

Maybe the sheer smile of His Father, once our resurrected Lord ascended to glory! That would be joy!

Maybe for the eternal honor and respect that He will be rightly given!

Maybe just so sinners could be forgiven and loved with an everlasting love, with God's mercy and grace!

Perhaps for all these reasons and a hundred more!

If so, the sum of it all is "joy!"

The reward, the benefit, the crown, the approval, such indescribable "joy," will be our Lord's for all ages to come!

"Jesus ... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame."

Is Jesus "joyful" today?

You answer that, based on our verse.

YES, He is happy!

Calvary is past!

The devil is defeated!

Souls are being saved!

And some day we shall all be together with Him!

The Father is pleased as well!

Joy!

Joy!

Joy!

In the heart of Jesus!

No wonder the angels sing!

No wonder my heart is warm and excited this morning, aglow I think with the presence of that exuberant Saviour!

"Jesus ... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame."

These things being so, it's probably all right for you to live for future "joy" also!

A joy, Peter says, that cannot be described! "Jesus, Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." 1st Peter 1:8

Wow!

Anybody happy this morning?

Happy, in Jesus!

What awesome joy!

                                                                     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 13, HEBREWS 13, VERSE 8:

To me there was no doubt about today's verse, from Hebrews chapter thirteen!

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Hebrews 13:8

If those few words do not exalt Jesus, none do, anywhere!

He is "Jesus" because He is "Saviour!" That Name means "one who delivers!" It is a Hebrew Name, not Greek!

Has He delivered you?

He is "Christ" because God has "anointed" Him Messiah and King and the greatest Prophet who ever lived! "Christos" means just that, "chrio," meaning "to rub with oil." It implies "handling" and "touching" too.

The pronoun "same" is "autos." It means a person "himself." Or "herself." It is thought to be derived from a little verb that means "to breathe." In other words, "the real living, breathing person," He "Himself!"

It's Jesus Christ Who is ... three things, time related things.

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

The noun "yesterday" is "chthes," and its background is "foggy" at best! It is only used 3 times in all the New Testament, as this particular word. It is "the adverb of time, the immediate past."

Then "to day" is "semeron," blending "ho" and "hemera" it is believed. Thus it means "this very day," the one we are now living! "The current day."

And "for ever" utilizes two little words, a preposition and a noun. "Eis aion," in Greek, it means "into the ages!" For all the "future," Jesus will never change!

He is good today, has been good for all eternity past, and will remain the same without any end!

The same is true of all His other traits, attributes the preachers call them.

The God Who saved you, however many years ago that's been, is the God Who will "keep" you through all eternity!

He never wakes up in a bad "mood!"

He never "forgets" or "fails" on a promise He has made!

He never lays one of us aside, for another "friend!"

His love is "everlasting!"

We will ceaselessly be "in His favor!"

The very thought makes me want to praise the Lord! "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Hebrews 13:8

Will you join me today?

Hebrews 13:8 here reminds me of something Moses said one day. "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath thee are the everlasting arms." Deuteronomy 33:27

That's Him!

Deuteronomy says He is "eternal." Or "everlasting!"

Hebrews says He is "The same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

And we can only say, "Thank You dear Lord!"

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell