Come and Go Sunday School Lesson with Dr.
Frank Carver and Dr. Herb Prince – San Diego First Church of the Nazarene –
Sunday, 1 December 2013 – Long Ago God Spoke![i]
Part 5: Listen!
Hebrews 2: Warning to Pay Attention
2 Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so
that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the message declared through angels
was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, 3
how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first
through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, 4 while God
added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of
the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will.
What does it mean for you
to listen to me and for me to listen to you? So very much![ii]
Mark 4: 9 And he said, “Let anyone
with ears to hear listen!”(NRSV)
Mark 4: 9 “Are you listening to
this? Really listening?”(The Message)
The word of God at the ear
is a whisper; at the mouth it is a shout.[iii]
Introduction
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. The
season celebrates the birth of Jesus the Christ and the anticipation of the
return of Christ the King, in His Second Advent. Advent is far more than simply
marking a 2,000 year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God,
the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to
God (Colossians 1:20). This is a process in which we now participate, and the
consummation of which we anticipate. Themes of accountability for faithfulness at
his coming, and the hope of eternal life are to appear during the season. In
this double-sided focus on past and future, Advent symbolizes the spiritual
journey of individuals and our local congregation, as we affirm together that
Christ has come, that he is present in the world today, and that he will come
again in power. The acknowledgment provides a basis doe holy living arising
from a profound sense that we live “between the times” and are called to be
faithful stewards of what is entrusted to us as God’s people.
The Christian calendar celebrates the
Incarnation and anticipates a future Consummation for which all creation groans
as it awaits its redemption (Romans 6:22). In doing so the church confesses its
own responsibility as a people commissioned to “love the Lord your God will all
your heart” and to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Advent, then, is marked by
a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is
a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by
Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is
the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under
the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who heard the
cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance!
Warning: Pay Attention
It is in the context of yearning and
expectations that we approach this morning’s text from the Book of Hebrews. The
writer is quite clear on where he stands. The primacy of the Son as superior to
angels has been established by Biblical support from Psalms and elsewhere (e.g.
Hebrews 1:5-8).
The Son Is Superior to Angels
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”?
6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7 Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his servants flames of
fire.”
8 But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is[a] forever and ever,
and the righteous scepter is
the scepter of your[b] kingdom.
Footnotes:
Hebrews 1:8 Or God is your throne
Hebrews 1:8 Other ancient authorities read his
The author has his starting point!
More than one commentator characterizes
the Book of Hebrews as a sermon or homily. If so, then the writer/preacher has
approached his assignment with readers/listeners in mind.[iv]
For Fred Craddock, a well-known homiletic author,
Listeners participate in the sermon before it is born. The listeners
speak to the preacher before the speaker speaks to them; the minister listens
before saying anything.[v]
Various clues suggest what the preacher,
the writer of Hebrews has heard. Perhaps this is a house church since no church
or city is designated as he exhorts listeners to “greet all their leaders”
(13:24) and to be concerned for “all the saints” (10:25).[vi]
The recipients are thought to be in danger of compromising their faith in
Christ. They suffer from lassitude and from a tendency to neglect the gospel
that they had received (2:1-4). Evidently they have been slow in grasping the
full significant of what Christ had done and of his continuing relevance as
all-sufficient Savior (5:11-6:8).
In fact the recipients of Hebrews are in
danger of reverting to a spiritual immaturity inappropriate for experienced
believers. They may even have been intimidated by the disdain that they have
suffered as a result of their loyalty to Christ (10:32-34; 11:1-40; 12:1-11).
They had encountered the gospel from those who “heard” Christ and had become
believers long enough to survive an earlier time of persecution (10:32-34).
Opposition to them included public harassment, imprisonment and the taking of
property but these actions had failed to sway them from their commitment.
Fortunately martyrdom had not occurred (12:4). Now however in their discouraged
state they are marginalized and possibly disappointed that Christ has not
returned (1:14; 10:36-39), so much so that some are neglecting to attend times
of worship (10:24-25).
Thus given the circumstances the Hebrews
writer is concerned that they persevere in a life of faith and obedience. His
desire is for them to live as if God’s promise for the future is certain and
that God’s power for the present is real (11:1-6). But to do so requires that
they raise their sight onto a High Priest who is also the “pioneer” and “perfecter”
of their faith (12:2). Through him they can be certain of entering God’s
promised rest, the eternal City that has always been the destiny of the people
of God (11:8-10, 13-16; 12:22-24).
This morning’s text then is of crucial
importance for the author of Hebrews. It is the first of several “red flags” or
warnings to get his listeners turned around and set on a more substantial
course of faithful living. Paul Ellingworth observes the care with which it is
done: “God’s speaking is the basis for the writer’s own word of exhortation.”[vii]
Thus 2:1-4 combines rare or distinctive expressions in verses 1, 2 and 4 with
LXX (Septuagint) or traditional Christian language appearing in verse 4.
Familiar ideas and expressions add weight to what he writes. Along a different
line and more informally stated, can series of warnings that make up the Book
of Hebrews get the author’s message across and the job done?
Hebrews 2: Warning to Pay
Attention
2 Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so
that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the message declared through angels
was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, 3
how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first
through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, 4 while God
added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of
the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will.
Not so obvious in English is the fact
that the text begins with a carefully constructed sentence rich in rhetorical
style and vocabulary, in verse 1. Verses 2-4 are one long sentence (in Greek)
as were the first four verses opening the book in chapter 1. Here in 2:2-4 (in
Greek) in an explanatory sentence are parallelism of sound and sense,
alliteration and rhythm, again reflecting the sophistication of the author’s
use of language.[viii]
At the same time 2:1-4 marks a logical transition from the witness of the Old
Testament (1:5-13) through the witness of the early Christian tradition (2:3-4)
to the author’s special concern to protect his readers from loss of faith
(2:1). In other words the author correlates the Old and New Testaments as the
word of God, each being understood in the light of the other.
More obvious, the text presupposes
previous material since the opening word “therefore,” is a conclusion
indicator.[ix]
The Greek term translated here as “therefore,” while common in the Gospels and
in Pauline literature, is not common is Hebrews.[x]
“Therefore” can be a deduction made from a statement to be made (as in 9:15) or
from previous statements, as in the present case. To assume that the conclusion
follows from verse 14 (angels are ministering spirits) would make little sense.
Moreover, the form here (Greek, dia touto) is emphatic so the conclusion must
be drawn from the entire first chapter. As Kevin Anderson points (76).
Clearly, 2:1-4 constitutes the interpretative point of everything that
precedes it. The author does not switch from exposition and argument (1:1-14)
to exhortation (2:1-4) in order merely to insert a homiletical digression. No,
this warning is the destination toward which the introduction has been heading
all along.
So stated it is
evident that the author has a goal of getting the attention of his listeners
immediately. Earlier revelation (say, of the law) may have even come from
angels but God’s final revelation was given in no less than God’s own Son! The
message demands even more attention than any word delivered by lesser beings.
The Hebrews writer is sure of this for consequences that follow.
We must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not
drift away from it. (verse1).
This forceful exhortation (“We must pay .
. .”) when coupled with the negative purpose clause (“do not drift away”) draws
out the consequences if the superiority of the Son is left unrecognized for daily
living. That there has been some awareness of what he is stating is implied
since “greater attention” is called for rather than expressing it as a new
insight. None the less the author identifies with the recipients to strengthen
what he says (“we”), bringing a sense of warmth but also urgency in his word of
warning. By listening to the words of 1:5-13 being read, the recipients were
privileged to hear God address God’s Son. The grandeur of this heavenly scene
is now confronted by the real possibility of drift and neglect on the
recipients’ part. Like a boat that slowly drifts from its mooring, they are in
danger of a minute but steady decline, perhaps even unthinking movement away
from the faith. But now all, including the author, are being confronted with
the word of God! “We,” as it were, ‘must keep holding fast to what we have
heard” (Peter O’Brien). Personal salvation is at stake (2:3).
Verses 2-4 then present a comparison
between the word brought by angels and that brought by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Commentators agree that reference to the law as given by Moses is behind verse
2. A notable feature of verse 2 is the accumulation of legal expressions. Peter
O’Brien writes (85).
The first of these is applied to the “word” delivered by angels (i.e.,
the law): it was legally valid and binding—because
it had been “spoken” by God—and thus it entailed serious obligations. The
implications of the validity are made explicit in the following statement that
every violation and disobedience will be punished. . . The former (violation)
signified an act of deviating from an established boundary or norm. . . . while
the latter noun (disobedience) is especially appropriate in a context where the
law is presented as God’s speech (“word”), for the term originally signified a
failure or refusal to hear.
If disregard for the law brought serious
sanctions, then how much more so to neglect the salvation proclaimed by the
Lord! Reinforcement of the necessity of paying close attention to the message
of the gospel which the recipients have heard occurs here.
It follows then that the second part of
the comparison between the message given by angels and the Lord is given in
verses 3-4.
3 how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was
declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who
heard him, 4 while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various
miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will.
The rhetorical question introduced
carries the force of a strong negative and expects a response as such. In O’Brien’s
words, “We cannot escape, it is impossible for us.” The particulars of what
that may entail are not noted but warning is apparent. Later in Hebrews the
writer speaks of judgment in terms of burning in a field (6:4-8). It will fall
on the unrepentant (10:26-31) and no one will escape when God shakes the
universe (12:25-27). These “punishments” will come to those who hear the Son’s
message but neglect it. However there is no necessity here, there is an “if”
present; that is, judgment comes if one neglects this glorious salvation.
Again, what this “so great a salvation” may be is not mentioned. Later the hope
of salvation is stated in terms of the hope of being delivered from final
judgment (6:8-9).
For the moment it is the reliability of
the message of salvation that is stressed. As the author says, “It was declared
at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him.”
Referencing the Lord not only brings attention back to the beginning of the
book (“spoke to us by a Son”) but also implies if not affirms that Jesus’
ministry marks the first phase of God’s final revelation. Most probably this is
a shorthand way of speaking of the total life, death, resurrection, and
exaltation of the Lord (So suggests Peter O’Brien, 88). This Jesus, though not
personally seen or heard from the lips of Jesus was validated “by those who
heard him.” The legal term (validated) supports the reliability of those who
heard.
In addition “God added his testimony by
signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit,
distributed according to his will”(2:4). The witness was confirmed by signs,
wonders and mighty works together with the works of the Holy Spirit. However
unlike the legal framework apparent in previous verses, now the account
reflects aspects of workings found in the ministry of Jesus (Acts 2:22) as well
as in the Apostles from Pentecost onwards. “Signs and wonders” was a traditional
way of speaking of the Exodus account (Exodus 7:3,9; 11:9-10). These terms also
appear in the Old Testament with respect to true prophecy (Isaiah 8:18; 20:3).
In other words, the author is assuring his listeners that “what had been done
in their midst was part and parcel of God’s gracious redemptive activity, an
activity that has been effected through Moses at the Exodus, the prophets, and
the saving ministry of Jesus and His Apostles” (O’Brien, 96). And all was done
in accordance with God’s Will.
Whisper or a Shout
The Biblical text focuses on listening.
Listening can be a difficult assignment. For one thing, the initiative rests
with the one who begins a conversation or discussion. The listener adjusts to
that the listener encounters has not come about accidently. Western culture has
long favored speaking over listening. Consider the term first used by ancient
Greeks to depict the uniqueness of what it is that makes a human being. The
Greek word is logos, known to most of
us when translated as “word,” “reason,” or “speech.” First formally employed by
Heraclitus in a generalized sense over two thousand years ago, subsequent usage
by Greek philosophers and its increasing importance down to today has had
enormous influence on western thought and practice. Just consider all the terms
and academic disciplines that end in --logy,
as in theology, biology, psychology, and so on. We have been conditioned to
speak, to say a word, and not to listen.
Interest in listening is not new and a
number of famous examples come to mind. Was it not a school child’s words
overheard by Augustine (354-430) that figured prominently in Augustine’s
conversion? “Take up and read, take up and read,” so Augustine took up his
Bible and Romans 13:13,14 and was subsequently converted. Perhaps the most
famous citation from the works of John Wesley (1703-1791) is his journal entry
of how his heart was “strangely warmed” while listening to Luther’s Preface to
the Book of Romans. The result: “I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for
salvation, and an assurance was given me that He had taken my sins, even mine and
saved me from the law of sin and
death.” (Italics are Wesley’s). Was it not Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) who
confessed that one of the most important days in his life occurred while he was
listening to a grandfather speak to his grandson on the loss of the child’s
parents? Inwardness became a pivotal category for SK thereafter, providing a
way for distinguishing between authentic Christianity and its opposite. In each
case there occurred an “overhearing” or listening to what was being spoken. In each
example “listening” carried life-long remembrances and convictions.
We are privileged
this morning to listen in on a sermon text “preached” almost two thousand years
ago. Hebrews 2:1-4 may come across as a whisper or a shout. Either way the
message is clear: Jesus is the exalted Lord and Savior. “Therefore we must pay
greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.”
This is a good word to not only hear but to listen and give heed to on the
First Sunday of Advent.
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First Church of the Nazarene
3901 Lomaland Drive
San Diego, CA 92104
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[i] The title serves as an overall heading for lessons on the Book of
Hebrews.
[ii] Earl Koile, Listening as a Way
of Becoming, (Regency Books, 1977), 13.
[iii] Fred B. Craddock, Preaching(Abingdon
Press, 1986), 60.
[iv][iv] Hereafter references with respect to the recipients of the Book of
Hebrews will be in terms of “listeners” rather than more cumbersome but no
doubt more accurate overall “reader/listener” or “reader/bearer.” Listening describes
an intentional activity. When a person listens, the person is actively trying
to hear something. In contrast, hearing
is something that happens without any intentional effort. You can hear
something even when you do not want to hear it and don’t even try to hear it.
Read somewhere: Most people tend to be “hard of listening” rather than “hard of
hearing.”
[v] Fred B. Craddock, Preaching(Abingdon
Press, 1986), 25.
[vi] Suggested by Gareth Lee Cockerill, The Epistle to the Hebrews, The New International Commentary on The
New Testament (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012), 16. For what
follows the material is indebted to Cockerill’s reading and interpretation of
the first century situation.
[vii][vii] Paul Ellingworth, The Epistle
to the Hebrews. New International Greek New Testament Commentary (William
B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), 134.
[viii] Kevin Anderson writes, “The Book of Hebrews stands as a shining
example of how an educated human being can be used by God for the proclamation
of the gospel through winsome language,
ordered and logical thinking, and persuasive argumentation.” See Anderson, Hebrews: A Commentary in the Wesleyan
Tradition, New Beacon Bible Commentary (Beacon Hill Press, 2013), 80.
[ix] An outline is a good reminder of what has been covered and provides
context for today’s text. See Kevin Anderson (5-6):
Hearing
the Apostle and High Priest of Our Confession: Hebrews 1:1—4:13.
Hearing God’s Word in These Last Days:
Jesus the Merciful and Faithful High Priest (1:1—2:18).
We Must heed God’s Definitive Revelation
in the Son (1:1—2:4).
a.God’s definitive Action in the Son
(1:1-4).
b.Scriptural Arguments for the Son’s
Majesty over Angels (1:5-14).
c.Heed What Was Spoken in the Son
(2:1-4).
[x] Paul Ellingworth, The Epistle
to the Hebrews, New International Greek Testament Commentary (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), 135.
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[1] The title serves as an overall heading for lessons on the Book of
Hebrews.
[1] Earl Koile, Listening as a Way
of Becoming, (Regency Books, 1977), 13.
[1] Fred B. Craddock, Preaching(Abingdon
Press, 1986), 60.
[1][1] Hereafter references with respect to the recipients of the Book of
Hebrews will be in terms of “listeners” rather than more cumbersome but no
doubt more accurate overall “reader/listener” or “reader/bearer.” Listening describes
an intentional activity. When a person listens, the person is actively trying
to hear something. In contrast, hearing
is something that happens without any intentional effort. You can hear
something even when you do not want to hear it and don’t even try to hear it.
Read somewhere: Most people tend to be “hard of listening” rather than “hard of
hearing.”
[1] Fred B. Craddock, Preaching(Abingdon
Press, 1986), 25.
[1] Suggested by Gareth Lee Cockerill, The Epistle to the Hebrews, The New International Commentary on The
New Testament (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012), 16. For what
follows the material is indebted to Cockerill’s reading and interpretation of
the first century situation.
[1][1] Paul Ellingworth, The Epistle
to the Hebrews. New International Greek New Testament Commentary (William
B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), 134.
[1] Kevin Anderson writes, “The Book of Hebrews stands as a shining
example of how an educated human being can be used by God for the proclamation
of the gospel through winsome language,
ordered and logical thinking, and persuasive argumentation.” See Anderson, Hebrews: A Commentary in the Wesleyan
Tradition, New Beacon Bible Commentary (Beacon Hill Press, 2013), 80.
[1] An outline is a good reminder of what has been covered and provides
context for today’s text. See Kevin Anderson (5-6):
Hearing
the Apostle and High Priest of Our Confession: Hebrews 1:1—4:13.
Hearing God’s Word in These Last Days:
Jesus the Merciful and Faithful High Priest (1:1—2:18).
We Must heed God’s Definitive Revelation
in the Son (1:1—2:4).
a.God’s definitive Action in the Son
(1:1-4).
b.Scriptural Arguments for the Son’s
Majesty over Angels (1:5-14).
c.Heed What Was Spoken in the Son
(2:1-4).
[1] Paul Ellingworth, The Epistle
to the Hebrews, New International Greek Testament Commentary (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), 135.
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