From Judaism to Christianity
Hebrews. It has been debated whether "Hebrew" is to be traced to Eber, the father of Peleg and Joktan (Genesis 10: 24, 25; 11: 12-16) or is derived from the Hebrew root "to pass over" and has reference to "a land on the other side." One must reckon, however, with the possibility that in Old Testament times the names "Hebrews," "Habiru," "Khapiru," "Apiru," and "Pr" were forms of the same word, a designation without national significance. Rather, they indicated wandering peoples greatly restricted as regards financial means and without citizenship and social status.
However the possible equating of the Hebrews and Habiru might suggest that the Hebrews were "those who crossed over" in the sense of trespassing, i.e. "trespassers." And with this in mind let's look at the book of Hebrews.
First, can you imagine what the church world would be like if the book of Hebrews would have been named "The Crossing Over."? The whole epistle would bring a different outlook on present day religion. In reality this book was written to Jewish Christians who were being pressured to espouse the cause of the Jewish nationalism and religionism that claimed Jehovah God as the proprietary God of the Jews, instead of recognizing Jesus Christ as the priest of the universal and absolute God of the universe.
This little Pharisaic Jewish Lawyer (Paul) was meticulous in crafting his case. This entire epistle to the Hebrew Christians in Jerusalem reads like a "legal brief" wherein Paul carefully documents his arguments that Jesus is greater than and better than the angels, how we have a greater salvation, that Jesus is better than Moses and that Moses represents the law and Jesus represents grace, how we have a priesthood better than Levi (a new priesthood after Melchisedec,) how we have a better hope in Jesus and that the priesthood of Jesus Christ is superior to the entire Judaic priesthood. Paul was trained in the rabbinic legal and scriptural interpretive techniques of his time, and he employs them masterfully, even though contemporary hermeneutic scholars might question Paul's rational.
I believe that his best arguments came in this epistle. That is why we need to see that Paul is helping Jewish Christians in the "crossing over" from Judaism to Christianity, from the law to liberty we have in Christ Jesus. In chapter 7 verse 11 Paul begins by denying that the Aaronic and Levitical priesthoods as they were could achieve God's ultimate and eternal intent to mankind to be redeemed and restored to function as intended. "If indeed perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for the people had been given it on the basis of Law,) why was there yet a need for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not designated according to the order of Aaron." Paul is not questioning whether the system of the Levitical priesthood was a perfect system, or whether it achieved the purpose that God intended for it. Instead, Paul is noting that "if the perfection of humanity could have been achieved so that mankind could have been restored to their created end-objective via the Levitical priesthood and the old covenant Mosaic Law to which it was integrally connected, there would have been no need of an effectual and eternal priest 'according to the order of Melchizedek', in accordance with Psalm 110:4. The Judaic priesthood and the old covenant Mosaic Law could not make mankind function in the perfection of the end-objective that God intended. The Mosaic Law and the Judaic priesthood were insufficient and inadequate to achieve God's objective of the restoration of human function to the glory of God, for such required the sacrifice of the God-man in order to allow for the grace-provision of deity within humanity.
Verse 12 says, "For the priesthood being changed, out of necessity becomes a change of Law also." The priesthood and the Law each necessitate the other, and are dependent on the other. Since the priesthood is being altered and exchanged from the Aaronic and Levitical priesthood to the Melchizedekan priesthood of Jesus Christ, Paul argues that the entire Judaic and Mosaic Law is also exchanged from a system of "legal performance" to the grace-dynamic of God's Law "written on the hearts and minds" of Christian people.
The Law was impotent; it provided no strength, no power, or vitality to the people of God in order to implement God's objectives. Its commands for conformity by external performance (works) without any divine dynamic to affect the demands, made it useless, unhelpful, and ineffectual of no profit, benefit or advantage. The Law did not need to be adjusted. The only solution was that it be "put away", set aside, nullified, annulled, and cancelled. Paul said in verse 19, '(for the Law perfected nothing)". The Law made man aware of his frustrating inability to perform in accordance with God's expectations and character, but only the "Son, made perfect forever" could provide the fulfillment of His own divine resurrection-life in order to perfect mankind unto the functional end that God intended.
Now we have a better hope, in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:27). It's not in the length of our hair, or in the clothes we wear. It's not in the Sabbath days or the feast days. It's not in what we do to "earn" God's righteousness or holiness. It's not in how long we fast to be anointed, it's all in the "Anointed One" that is resident inside of each and every believer. God's people are no longer caught up into legalism and works, but are caught up into Jesus. He finished the work we could not and cannot do. When He said on the cross, "It is finished," that's what He had done. Let's move up into the better way that has been provided for us by the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God.
I only wonder why that most of the church world is caught up with Jewish people in their efforts to rebuild the temple, in their training of priest and temple sacrifices. Why are they looking for another sacrifice when Jesus became the sacrifice for all? There is no more sacrifice for sin. That is what Paul was talking about in chapter 6 verses 4 to 6. Once they have tasted the sacrifice of Jesus and became a part of it, then, turn away and look for another sacrifice (the altar sacrifices of goats and bulls). This has nothing to do with what we have always heard about backsliding. This is talking about tasting the heavenly gift (Jesus). Jesus will not be sacrificed again.
In closing I want to leave you with this thought....."For then must he often have suffered since the foundations of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Hebrews 9:26
David Peoples