It’s called apostasy, and the book of Hebrews is written to keep its readers from it. It’s not a warm and fuzzy message. The warnings of Hebrews (2:1-4; 6:4-8; 10:26-31; 12:25-29) are intended to scare the hell out of its readers, or, rather, to scare them out of hell. Unfortunately, preachers commonly avoid these warnings, opting to focus on the book’s lofty teaching about Jesus (e.g. Heb 1:1-4), or on the heroes and heroines who have been inducted into God’s Hall of Faithfulness (Heb 11). Cherry-picking these elements loses sight of the real message of Hebrews, resulting in potential spiritual catastrophe.
Another problem with preaching Hebrews is its lonnnnnnnggggggg, dense argument, which ranges from 1:5 all the way to 12:29. It’s easy to get lost in the details and, as the old saying goes, miss the forest for the trees. Many Christians today, influenced by various media, have short attention spans, and they’re not very familiar with the Old Testament events, characters, and institutions the writer expounds. Many of us simply don’t know that much about Israel’s wilderness wanderings, or its lawgiver Moses, or its levitical priesthood. As we stressed in our previous post, Hebrews alludes to all of these Old Testament features in order to point us to Jesus, who perfectly modeled faithfulness to God, all the way to the cross..
I think the best way to preach Hebrews is to preach it the way Hebrews preaches, by explaining how the Old Testament teaches us about faithfulness, encouraging people to take these lessons to heart, warning them of the eternal consequences of turning away from Jesus, and reassuring them of God’s loving faithfulness.
Preaching like Hebrews preaches begins with understanding rhetoric in general and the rhetorical pattern of Hebrews in particular.
Hebrews and Rhetoric
Very broadly speaking, Plato distinguished rhetoric, the art of persuasion, from philosophy, the pursuit of truth. Aristotle viewed rhetoric as a matter of discerning the potential persuasiveness of various ingredients of speech. Persuasion could be achieved by the speaker’s credibility, by appealing to the hearers’ emotions, or by the power of the speaker’s ideas and argument. We’re concerned here with this final means of persuasion, and how the unknown author of Hebrews (AH) persuades the audience by telling them the truth about Jesus, God’s final revelation.
Although it’s often called a letter, Hebrews doesn’t fit the typical pattern of ancient letters. It reads more like a sermon or homily. AH himself/herself calls it a “word of exhortation,” perhaps linking it to the sort of speech Paul was asked to give to the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia (compare Heb 13:22 to Acts 13:15). The book reads like a homily or sermon; maybe it was written to be circulated and read to local congregations in Italy (Heb 13:24). Its readers were people who were familiar with the Old Testament and the history of Israel, most likely Jews and Gentile God-fearers who had become followers of Jesus (Acts 10:1-2; 13:16; 16:14; 17:4, 17; 18:4, 7; 19:10).
Many scholars have carefully analyzed the rhetoric of the book of Hebrews. You can get in touch with the details by looking at this summary by Ben Witherington. In this post we’re looking at the overall pattern of AH’s rhetoric so that we can see how Hebrews fits together. Here it is:
Exposition —> Exhortation —> Warning —> Reassurance
- Exposition: AH is a teacher who consistently builds the message of Jesus’ greatness on the foundation of the Old Testament.
- Exhortation: AH is an encourager who urges the readers to stop being sluggish and persevere in faithfulness to Jesus.
- Warning: AH is a watchman, admonishing the readers that turning away from Jesus leads to even greater peril than their ancestors faced when they turned away from Moses (Ezekiel 3:16-21; 33:1-9; Acts 20:26-27).
- Reassurance: AH is a comforter, compassionately reminding the readers of God’s loving faithfulness to his people Israel.
AH repeats this rhetorical pattern in five movements, omitting the final step of reassurance in the first and last movements. The table below helps us visualize these movements, giving us a helicopter fly-over view of Hebrews:
So, how does the rhetorical pattern of Hebrews impact our preaching?
The pulpit is now housed at the Bridwell Library, Southern Methodist University.
Preaching like Hebrews Preaches
Granted, Hebrews was written to be preached, not to teach us how to preach. That shouldn’t keep us from using it as a sound model of persuasive preaching. Preaching Hebrews means preaching like AH preaches. Modeling our preaching on the pattern of Hebrews will help us teach the whole counsel of God with accuracy and unction from above. It will guard us from preaching only what the “amen corner” wants to hear. It will keep us from focusing on our own idiosyncracies. It will enable us to lead God’s sheep into the green pastures of wholesome spiritual nourishment.
Preaching like AH preaches means (1) we expound the biblical text, (2) we exhort our hearers to obey it, (2) we warn them of the consequences of disobedience, and (4) we reassure them of God’s grace, lest they lose heart. As the Spirit leads, we avoid one-sided preaching by blending these four rhetorical strategies to meet the needs of individual congregations.
- Exposition without exhortation simply rehearses obscure ancient details, as if preaching were only about providing information to the curious. This leads to a church that is biblically literate, yet disengaged from the mission of God in the world. This is mere intellectualism.
- Exhortation without exposition turns preaching into a powerless motivational pep talk. It produces a shallow church that is not equipped to engage the world. This is hollow emotionalism.
- Warning without reassurance only leads people into deeper despair. This sort of preaching results in a pessimistic church, one so preoccupied with its own weakness that it is impotent in outreach. This is spiritual negativism.
- Reassurance without warning provides counterfeit comfort, helping people think warm fuzzy thoughts on their way to hell. “Don’t worry—be happy” preaching deceives the church and numbs it to the needs of the world. This is antinomianism.
Though the cultural pressures are different, Christians today are just as prone to walk away from Jesus as the ancient Hebrews were. The issues may be different, but the danger remains the same. God’s flock desperately needs faithful shepherds. May the Spirit of God guide us, and help us provide wholesome preaching that will guide the church that Jesus is building, equipping it for mission for the glory of God alone!
May all who come behind us find us faithful.
• • • • • • •
I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation. (Heb 13:22 NLT)
Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures, and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope. (Rom 15:4 NIV)
These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. (1 Cor 10:11 NLT)
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work . . . . I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Tim 3:16-17; 4:1-2 NLT)
It sometimes seems as the debate on the relationship of the Old Testament to the New Testament overlooks the fact that the New Testament builds upon the Old Testament. It would seem that Hebrews should be instructive in this regard.
This is a great point! Why does the NT constantly refer to the OT if there’s not a fundamental continuity in God’s plan and unity between Israel and the church!
Romans 11 and Ephesians 2! Preach!
David
Great to read your piece on the logical teaching (rhetoric) in Hebrews. Exposition, exhortation, warning and reassurance are all important for us as Christians to grow in faith.
Excellent article
What a wonderful post . . . And so, so helpful to pastors.
For years . . . Almost since seminary. . . I’ve been working on Hebrews. I’ve disciplined myself to create a Hebrews glossary. So as a pastor, when I’m preaching on Hebrews, what are all the terms people need to know to follow the flow of the book: from covenant to Levi to Melchizedek . . . There is a lot of material for people without a knowledge of the Word.
Pastors often get too concerned about fitting Hebrews into their systematic theology —- and in so doing, perhaps, miss the force of the argument . . .
Thank you for posting.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments Chris. Many of us were reared on the Pauline letters as the main proof-text source for theology. Hebrews along with the Gospels get lost in that shuffle. Our departed friend and teacher Carl B. Hoch Jr. was great at banging the drum of Hebrews to alert us to this problem.
Many on the other hand use Hebrews and the Gospels to confuse and rob believers of their freedom and security in Christ. Hebrews, much like the Gospels, is an exhortation and warning to unbelieving and unsaved Jews.
Thanks for the comment John. No doubt the warnings of Hebrews can be misused. The one and only time I taught Hebrews at GRTS, I had a student from a Wesleyan holiness background whose sister had been told, based on Hebrews, that she “lost her salvation” when she became pregnant out of wedlock. The student had been trying for years to unteach that error and love her sister back to Christ.
That said, I would disagree with your view that the audience of the Gospels and Hebrews was non-messianic Jews. I think a fair reading of these books indicated that they were written to churches, some of them churches with majority Jewish congregations. Within those churches there were folks, just like today, who were wavering in their faith. The exhortations and warnings are the means God uses to shepherd them back into the fold with full confidence in Jesus.
It seems best to view the warnings in Hebrews, particularly 6:4-8, as forward looking rather than backward looking. That is, the pastor and preacher writes not so much to tell us whether one was saved (looking back), but writes to encourage the readers to hold fast to Christ (looking forward). In doing so, he seeks to motivate them to stop drifting so they do not fall away from Christ but instead hold fast to Christ and persevere to the end. Thus, the warnings are God\’s means to motivate his people to persevere in faith to the end. This was the angle I took when preaching Hebrews 6:4-8 a couple of weeks ago and received many comments that it was the clearest and most helpful message they had heard on the passage.
Too many so called Christians only quote the old testament and all its many laws and restrictions. They constantly ignore what Jesus said in the 4 gospels. For example they conveniently ignore the teachings of Jesus against divorce and wealth and point to some of the few passages in the old testament against homosexuality. Their Christianity becomes the prosperity gospel or the gospel of hatred of anyone who is not them. Now days so many haters call themselves Christians. I never say anymore that I am one but only that I try to follow the words of Christ.
I also am dismayed by those that you are saved by grace so you don’t have to help anyone. That is why I like the book of James. One needs faith and works together.
Thanks for the comment Leslie. I’m totally on board with your concern about the haters, but honestly I don’t find that many people who are doing what you are talking about. I’m sure they’re out there, but there are a lot more folks who are just trying to walk humbly with the Lord.
There are people who think they are “Christians” whom Jesus won’t acknowledge on Judgment Day: “I never knew you” (Matt 7:21-23). The Lord’s harshest words were reserved for hypocrites.
Jesus and Paul join with James in teaching us that genuine faith leads to works of love. And they quote the Old Testament in doing so!
Go to chapel-pointe.org/live to livestream positive services that worship God and equip people to love and serve others.
Good posts on Hebrews! You reference Ben Witherinton’s book. Are there other exegetical/expositional commentaries you have found helpful?
Thanks Doug, glad it was helpful. I’m not up on Hebrews commentaries. The few that come to mind are William Lane’s 2 vol’s. in the Word Biblical Commentary. It’s a bit technical but still has lots of input for preaching. Lane has a shorter book that synthesizes the message entitled A Call to Commitment. P E Hughes is another one I’ve used with profit, along with F F Bruce. George Guthrie in the NIV Application Commentary is also good.
Here’s a couple links:
“The top five . . .” https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/top-5-commentaries-hebrews
A top three followed by extensive list: https://www.bestcommentaries.com/hebrews/
Great post, love the structural analysis. I am on a yearly study break and was looking for help as I prepare to preach through Hebrews. I still hear Hoche’s voice as I meditate on the AH’s sermon from sitting in his class on Hebrews. He was so helpful to help me think about the relationship between the OT and NT, particularly for someone who had been a Christian for only a couple of years! I am grateful for my years at GRBS, GRS! I regularly thank the Lord for those who have influenced my life and thinking over the years, including yours. Grace and Peace.