i speak from the spirit though only can be heard from the spirit. i wonder being that god is a jealous of other images...is that why men grow jealous wjen we see our women look upon other men with fresh eyes do we grow weary...
You're far too kind brother for that compliment. I think we all have some insight to give, as we have studied the Word with the help of the Holy Spirit, sharing some aspect of a verse or chapter that will help us to understand & appreciate what God is speaking to us through it. Each one of us have added something, even a little, that will ultimately help our growth in the Word & our faith. As for the Hebrew's writer, I believe that those who've done a textual examination of the letter, believe that its wording is inconsistent with that of Paul's other letters. But that would be far beyond my scope of study & judgement.
Every blessing to you too Jesse & keep your much valued comments coming in please.
Not a problem my brother. I'm glad I can share something of value here and there. This means a lot coming from you, and you have helped me more than you know with the vast wealth of knowledge you share with all of us here. I doubt it was Paul for the very reason I spoke of. But I also cannot stand against anyone who wants to say Paul wrote it because we just don't know! I really can't say yes or no. I do think that (if) it was Paul, he would have put his inscription at the beginning, as he did with the other 13 letters that he penned!
Blessings to you and thank you so much for all you share here!!!
Thanks for that brother Jesse. I had missed Hebrews 2:3, as far as noting that the certainty of Paul being the writer was made weaker by this verse: "confirmed unto us by them that heard Him." Whoever the writer was, certainly was led of the Spirit to be able to pen such great Truths & give a clear defence of the faith, from all the Scripture given.
The author of Hebrews is unknown. There are several people who have been named as possible authors. Paul is the most common one but we have nothing to prove that it was Paul.
It would seem odd that it would be Paul because we know for sure that Paul wrote 13 letters (Romans through Philemon), because Paul put his inscription at the beginning of every one of those letters. It would seem odd that he would not do the same if he wrote Hebrews.
Here's something that causes me to think it was not Paul. Whoever wrote the letter to the Hebrews was a second generation Christian and did not hear from the Lord directly, which Paul did.
It says in Hebrews 2:3, "how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him."
So whoever wrote Hebrews did not hear the Lord directly, nor did he receive from the Lord directly (which Paul did), but received and was confirmed and established for us (the writer being one of them) by those that heard Him.
Paul is a possibility but doubtful. Others who have been named as possible writers are Barnabas, Luke, or Apollos.
So if someone wants to believe it was Paul, any of the other possibilities, we can neither confirm nor deny because we just don't know and we cannot prove one way or another.
Hi Mark. My understanding of Matthew 1:18-23, is that the angel, in a dream, told Joseph that he should take Mary to be his wife and the child that will be born from her is to be named "Jesus". So, the angel didn't give the name 'Emmanuel' to Joseph.
Then Matthew confirms that this would happen because of the prophecy that went before Jesus (i.e. in Isaiah 7:14), that His Name will be called, Immanuel. So, it seems that Matthew is giving further proof from prophecy that what the Holy Spirit was about to do was entirely from God and not man - i.e. Jesus would be Immanuel, God with us. So, Jesus is His Name, but Immanuel explains His Origin and Coming to the World.
Matthew 1:23 is a quote from Isaiah 7:14 a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. In Matthew 1:25 we see Joseph named Him JESUS. The Hebrew name is Yehoshua the shorter Yeshua, a Greek form of Joshua a derivative of the word Hoshea meaning Yahweh saves.
His name became Iesous in Greek because of the Greek alphabet and from there to Latin, so the modern name Jesus comes from the Latin word Iesus which does not mean hail Zeus. If we call and pray in the name of the English word Jesus, I think God understands what we are saying. I am sure in all the other languages in the world there are many names for our savior.
Some things have entered into traditions and interpretations, but this is not one of them.
Why was Emmanuel's' name changed to "Jesus"? When Joseph was told by an angel that his virgin wife would give birth to a child, and that child would be called "Emmanuel", meaning "God with us". It is my understanding that the name "Jesus" is just another form of the name 'Zeus' --a Greek pagan God. Thanks
The inscription added to this letter in the 2nd century was "The Letter to the Hebrews." This letter was written to Hebrew Christians. We know this because of the emphasis on the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices, and an absence of any reference to Gentiles.
The purpose of the letter was to warn against apostasy during persecution. It's when believers suffer that believers consider stop following Christ, or consider compromising in their walk with the Lord when things get tough. The Hebrew people would suffer severe persecution for identifying with Christ as the Messiah. Instead of surrendering their lives to Christ, many of them were turning away and going back into Judaism because life was so much easier for them that way. Nothing in the book of Hebrews speaks about losing salvation.
In order to understand the various passages and the various sections of Hebrews, we have to understand that there are three separate groups to whom it was written:
1) To Hebrew believers.
2) To Hebrews who have an intellectual understanding of Christ but have not been saved, and they are considering going back to the religious system of Judaism because of the persecution for identifying with Hebrew believers. ( Hebrews 6:4-6). So these are Hebrews who understand what's being taught, and they intellectually agree with it, but they have never received Christ. ( Hebrews 10:26).
3) There were also Hebrew unbelievers. These were those who were at these meetings, those who were in the crowd that just did not believe.
So by understanding these three groups, we can better understand some of the scriptures that are being presented, and why some of these Hebrew people were turning away and going back into Judaism. There are sections of scriptures to each one of these three groups in the book of Hebrews.
The author of Hebrews is unknown. We do know from Hebrews 13:23 that whoever wrote the letter knew Timothy. Some believe that Paul wrote Hebrews, but in all of Paul's other epistles, he begins by introducing himself as the author. One of the problems I have in believing Paul wrote it is because of what it says in Hebrews 2:3 which says "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by (them) that heard Him."
This tells me that whoever wrote Hebrews was a second generation Christian. So whoever wrote Hebrews did not hear the Lord directly (As Paul did), nor did he receive from the Lord directly, but received and was confirmed and established for us, he being one of them, by those that heard Him.
One of the other theories was that it was Barnabas, because the letter appears to have been written by a Levite from the tribe of Levi. They were those who worked the temple. They were the priests, and they are the ones who took care of the temple.
The letter appears to have been written by a Levite because of the familiarity with the temple functions and rituals. According to Acts 4:36, Barnabas was a Levite. So some people theorize that Barnabas wrote it.
Barnabas means "Son of Encouragement." That's what his name means. And in Hebrews, the writer states in Hebrews 13:22 that he encourages them to endure the word of encouragement.
I have also heard Luke and Apollos being mentioned as possible writer. But the bottom line is we do not know who wrote Hebrews.
As for Hebrews 8:11 applying to Gentiles, here is my understanding of that verse. When Christ comes and sets up His kingdom, and brings the fulfillment of the last parts of the New Covenant, everybody will know the Lord.
We won't have a need for pastors. There won't be a need to teach others about the Lord. Everybody's going to know, when He comes and sets up His kingdom!
Hi Nsemeke. I share the following to help you understand this Book of Philemon when you read it, rather than do a verse-by-verse exposition. I hope the following will help you.
This Book is the most personal of all of Apostle Paul's letters. Like the other Prison letters that we have in the Bible, this too was written by Paul when he was confined in a Roman prison at the first. Onesimus is one of millions of slaves that were used & often badly treated in the Roman Empire, but sadly Onesimus did great wrong & stole from his master, Philemon, & to make matters worse, he ran away knowing what could happen to him. Eventually he made his way to Rome where he crossed paths with Paul & Paul led him to faith in Christ (v10).
Now, as a Christian, Onesimus had a new problem: he had to do his Christian duty & return to his master. And since death was mandatory for such a crime (don't know whether Christian masters carried this out), Paul took the initiative to write this deeply personal letter, interceding on Onesimus' behalf. And this is also an important letter to other Christians who had slaves (more like bond-servants) concerning their relationship to their slave-brothers in Christ, if they had any. In Colossians 4:1 we see another instance of employing slaves by Christians.
Paul didn't want to deny Philemon's rights over Onesimus, but wanted him to deal with him as a brother in Christ (v16). So sincere was Paul, that he even offered to pay back what Onesimus had stolen (vv18,19). We don't know the outcome, but it's possible that Philemon did give Onesimus his freedom & sent him back to Paul (v14 is how this verse is translated). Ignatius of Antioch, in his letter to the Ephesians, mentions that Onesimus later became a minister & then a bishop (a leading elder) of the Church at Ephesus. He was an outstanding example to them in his love & Christian qualities. All this showing us, how wonderfully God can change even the vilest of us into mighty tools in His Hands.
I will comment on this book, the author I believe is the Apostle Paul, there are various reasons why I state this as truth, found in the writings are the doctrine of hope, this is a Pauline doctrine for the salvation of the soul and body, as in all other Pauline epistles on that subject. The one who wrote this book was Timothy 13:25 and the one who created the book had rule over Timothy, to send him to the churches 13:23 This book is a contrast between the Old Testament and the New Testament, the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant, and the difference between the priesthood of Levi and the Melchizedek priesthood.
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
Matthew 24:31
"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
Matthew 24:40
"Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left."
Matthew 24:41
"Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left."
Matthew 24:42
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."
Matthew 24:43
"But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up."
Matthew 24:44
"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
I dreamed that the sky was raining feathers it was so many that the sky was white I never see so many feathers in my life then a piece of a wing came down and I caught it and it was moving in my hand and I began screaming out to everyone that I had a piece of a wing and showing it to them and all of a sudden there I seem something coming from the sky with large wings as they got closer Lord and be whole they were Angels, they picked some up and left some of us behind, I saw the body and large wings but I couldn't see their face. Can you tell me what the LORD IS TELLING ME PLEASE
Amen, Precious Thomas! Here is Further Scriptural 'Confirmation' for The Body Of CHRIST, "Departure Truth" with CONFIDENCE, dead or alive:
"Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, Who also hath given unto us The Earnest of The Spirit. Therefore we are always Confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from The LORD: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are Confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present With The LORD!" ( 2 Co 5:5-8)
Paul further teaches: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die IS GAIN!" (Phi 1:21)
"For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to DEPART, And To Be WITH CHRIST; which IS FAR BETTER!" (Phi 1:23) {critics' sleep/UNconscious/cease to exist are NOT "FAR BETTER!"} OR:
IF He Comes while we're alive:
"Then we which are alive and remain Shall Be Caught Up together with them in the clouds, to meet The LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with The LORD!" ( 1 Th 4:17):
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory...But thanks be to God, Which Giveth us the victory through our LORD JESUS CHRIST!" ( 1 Co 15:51-57)
For all who MAY NOT HAVE this CONFIDENCE about "Departure," God's Simple Will:
A) Believe The GRACE Gospel ( 1 Co 15:3-4; Eph 2:8-9; Rom 3-5)
B) LOVE neighbor, fulfil ALL The Law ( Gal 5:14; Rom 13:8-10)
C) Study, "Approved Unto God" ( 2 Ti 2:15; Rom 16:25; Eph 1:3-9 Grace/Mystery 'fellowship,' today!) Also: Link
Have you considered: Daniel 12:2, Job 14:12, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ?
While a comforting thought, that repeated phrase doesn't appear that way in the Bible. Paul didn't say that 100% of the time, when 100% of all people die, that instantly you are absent from the body and 100% of the time immediately with the Lord. Paul said he would 'rather' be present with the Lord. That doesn't mean everyone goes to be with the Lord and that doesn't mean that everyone is absent from their body upon death and won't wait for Jesus to return, and won't face any judgment. Matthew 12:36, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:11-15 - People are all judged on the same day. God bless...
Covid is very dangerous --drowning to death on your fluids is not a pleasant way to die--I agree with you ivermectin is a miracle drug for covid Big Pharma has blood on their hands.
Stop lying saying the vaccine is saving people. Why would doctors and nurses quit their job if the vaccine is safe? Get real people. Almost Everybody that gets blood clots end up on ventilators and most of them die. Non vaccinated people knows they can use Theraflu to get rid of Covid and Ivermectin. Repent all.
Every blessing to you too Jesse & keep your much valued comments coming in please.
Not a problem my brother. I'm glad I can share something of value here and there. This means a lot coming from you, and you have helped me more than you know with the vast wealth of knowledge you share with all of us here. I doubt it was Paul for the very reason I spoke of. But I also cannot stand against anyone who wants to say Paul wrote it because we just don't know! I really can't say yes or no. I do think that (if) it was Paul, he would have put his inscription at the beginning, as he did with the other 13 letters that he penned!
Blessings to you and thank you so much for all you share here!!!
The author of Hebrews is unknown. There are several people who have been named as possible authors. Paul is the most common one but we have nothing to prove that it was Paul.
It would seem odd that it would be Paul because we know for sure that Paul wrote 13 letters (Romans through Philemon), because Paul put his inscription at the beginning of every one of those letters. It would seem odd that he would not do the same if he wrote Hebrews.
Here's something that causes me to think it was not Paul. Whoever wrote the letter to the Hebrews was a second generation Christian and did not hear from the Lord directly, which Paul did.
It says in Hebrews 2:3, "how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him."
So whoever wrote Hebrews did not hear the Lord directly, nor did he receive from the Lord directly (which Paul did), but received and was confirmed and established for us (the writer being one of them) by those that heard Him.
Paul is a possibility but doubtful. Others who have been named as possible writers are Barnabas, Luke, or Apollos.
So if someone wants to believe it was Paul, any of the other possibilities, we can neither confirm nor deny because we just don't know and we cannot prove one way or another.
Then Matthew confirms that this would happen because of the prophecy that went before Jesus (i.e. in Isaiah 7:14), that His Name will be called, Immanuel. So, it seems that Matthew is giving further proof from prophecy that what the Holy Spirit was about to do was entirely from God and not man - i.e. Jesus would be Immanuel, God with us. So, Jesus is His Name, but Immanuel explains His Origin and Coming to the World.
Matthew 1:23 is a quote from Isaiah 7:14 a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. In Matthew 1:25 we see Joseph named Him JESUS. The Hebrew name is Yehoshua the shorter Yeshua, a Greek form of Joshua a derivative of the word Hoshea meaning Yahweh saves.
His name became Iesous in Greek because of the Greek alphabet and from there to Latin, so the modern name Jesus comes from the Latin word Iesus which does not mean hail Zeus. If we call and pray in the name of the English word Jesus, I think God understands what we are saying. I am sure in all the other languages in the world there are many names for our savior.
Some things have entered into traditions and interpretations, but this is not one of them.
Hope this helps.
God bless,
RLW
I meant to place Hebrews 10:26 in the third category, not the second. Sorry about that!
The inscription added to this letter in the 2nd century was "The Letter to the Hebrews." This letter was written to Hebrew Christians. We know this because of the emphasis on the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices, and an absence of any reference to Gentiles.
The purpose of the letter was to warn against apostasy during persecution. It's when believers suffer that believers consider stop following Christ, or consider compromising in their walk with the Lord when things get tough. The Hebrew people would suffer severe persecution for identifying with Christ as the Messiah. Instead of surrendering their lives to Christ, many of them were turning away and going back into Judaism because life was so much easier for them that way. Nothing in the book of Hebrews speaks about losing salvation.
In order to understand the various passages and the various sections of Hebrews, we have to understand that there are three separate groups to whom it was written:
1) To Hebrew believers.
2) To Hebrews who have an intellectual understanding of Christ but have not been saved, and they are considering going back to the religious system of Judaism because of the persecution for identifying with Hebrew believers. ( Hebrews 6:4-6). So these are Hebrews who understand what's being taught, and they intellectually agree with it, but they have never received Christ. ( Hebrews 10:26).
3) There were also Hebrew unbelievers. These were those who were at these meetings, those who were in the crowd that just did not believe.
So by understanding these three groups, we can better understand some of the scriptures that are being presented, and why some of these Hebrew people were turning away and going back into Judaism. There are sections of scriptures to each one of these three groups in the book of Hebrews.
1 Corinthians 10:11
Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
The author of Hebrews is unknown. We do know from Hebrews 13:23 that whoever wrote the letter knew Timothy. Some believe that Paul wrote Hebrews, but in all of Paul's other epistles, he begins by introducing himself as the author. One of the problems I have in believing Paul wrote it is because of what it says in Hebrews 2:3 which says "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by (them) that heard Him."
This tells me that whoever wrote Hebrews was a second generation Christian. So whoever wrote Hebrews did not hear the Lord directly (As Paul did), nor did he receive from the Lord directly, but received and was confirmed and established for us, he being one of them, by those that heard Him.
One of the other theories was that it was Barnabas, because the letter appears to have been written by a Levite from the tribe of Levi. They were those who worked the temple. They were the priests, and they are the ones who took care of the temple.
The letter appears to have been written by a Levite because of the familiarity with the temple functions and rituals. According to Acts 4:36, Barnabas was a Levite. So some people theorize that Barnabas wrote it.
Barnabas means "Son of Encouragement." That's what his name means. And in Hebrews, the writer states in Hebrews 13:22 that he encourages them to endure the word of encouragement.
I have also heard Luke and Apollos being mentioned as possible writer. But the bottom line is we do not know who wrote Hebrews.
As for Hebrews 8:11 applying to Gentiles, here is my understanding of that verse. When Christ comes and sets up His kingdom, and brings the fulfillment of the last parts of the New Covenant, everybody will know the Lord.
We won't have a need for pastors. There won't be a need to teach others about the Lord. Everybody's going to know, when He comes and sets up His kingdom!
This Book is the most personal of all of Apostle Paul's letters. Like the other Prison letters that we have in the Bible, this too was written by Paul when he was confined in a Roman prison at the first. Onesimus is one of millions of slaves that were used & often badly treated in the Roman Empire, but sadly Onesimus did great wrong & stole from his master, Philemon, & to make matters worse, he ran away knowing what could happen to him. Eventually he made his way to Rome where he crossed paths with Paul & Paul led him to faith in Christ (v10).
Now, as a Christian, Onesimus had a new problem: he had to do his Christian duty & return to his master. And since death was mandatory for such a crime (don't know whether Christian masters carried this out), Paul took the initiative to write this deeply personal letter, interceding on Onesimus' behalf. And this is also an important letter to other Christians who had slaves (more like bond-servants) concerning their relationship to their slave-brothers in Christ, if they had any. In Colossians 4:1 we see another instance of employing slaves by Christians.
Paul didn't want to deny Philemon's rights over Onesimus, but wanted him to deal with him as a brother in Christ (v16). So sincere was Paul, that he even offered to pay back what Onesimus had stolen (vv18,19). We don't know the outcome, but it's possible that Philemon did give Onesimus his freedom & sent him back to Paul (v14 is how this verse is translated). Ignatius of Antioch, in his letter to the Ephesians, mentions that Onesimus later became a minister & then a bishop (a leading elder) of the Church at Ephesus. He was an outstanding example to them in his love & Christian qualities. All this showing us, how wonderfully God can change even the vilest of us into mighty tools in His Hands.
Matthew 24:30
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
Matthew 24:31
"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
Matthew 24:40
"Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left."
Matthew 24:41
"Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left."
Matthew 24:42
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."
Matthew 24:43
"But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up."
Matthew 24:44
"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
"Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, Who also hath given unto us The Earnest of The Spirit. Therefore we are always Confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from The LORD: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are Confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present With The LORD!" ( 2 Co 5:5-8)
Paul further teaches: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die IS GAIN!" (Phi 1:21)
"For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to DEPART, And To Be WITH CHRIST; which IS FAR BETTER!" (Phi 1:23) {critics' sleep/UNconscious/cease to exist are NOT "FAR BETTER!"} OR:
IF He Comes while we're alive:
"Then we which are alive and remain Shall Be Caught Up together with them in the clouds, to meet The LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with The LORD!" ( 1 Th 4:17):
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory...But thanks be to God, Which Giveth us the victory through our LORD JESUS CHRIST!" ( 1 Co 15:51-57)
For all who MAY NOT HAVE this CONFIDENCE about "Departure," God's Simple Will:
A) Believe The GRACE Gospel ( 1 Co 15:3-4; Eph 2:8-9; Rom 3-5)
B) LOVE neighbor, fulfil ALL The Law ( Gal 5:14; Rom 13:8-10)
C) Study, "Approved Unto God" ( 2 Ti 2:15; Rom 16:25; Eph 1:3-9 Grace/Mystery 'fellowship,' today!) Also: Link
While a comforting thought, that repeated phrase doesn't appear that way in the Bible. Paul didn't say that 100% of the time, when 100% of all people die, that instantly you are absent from the body and 100% of the time immediately with the Lord. Paul said he would 'rather' be present with the Lord. That doesn't mean everyone goes to be with the Lord and that doesn't mean that everyone is absent from their body upon death and won't wait for Jesus to return, and won't face any judgment. Matthew 12:36, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:11-15 - People are all judged on the same day. God bless...