Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• 3. The tabernacle furnishings 25:10-40
  One writer identified three major problems the interpreter faces as he or she seeks to understand God's revelation concerning the tabernacle.4381. What was the length of the cubit, the standard measure of length? This is a pr...
• 4. The tabernacle structure ch. 26
  The tabernacle walls consisted of rigid supports with curtains hung over the boards. These draperies also evidently formed its ceiling. Most commentators believe that the tabernacle was a single structure, but a few believe i...
• Summary of the law of the offerings 7:37-38
  This section closes with a summary. This is a common feature of Leviticus (cf. 11:46-47; 13:59; 14:54-57; 15:32-33)."The sacrificial law, therefore, with the five species of sacrifices which it enjoins, embraces every aspect ...
• Prophets 18:9-22
  The context of this section is significant as usual. Verses 1-8 deal with people who ministered to Yahweh in various ways for the people, and verses 15-22 concern the delivery of God's revelations to His people. Verses 9-14 c...
• 3. The victory of Messiah 110:5-7
  Messiah's victory over His enemies will be great. David saw Messiah presently seated at God the Father's right hand (cf. Heb. 8:1; 10:12). In the future He will get off that throne to wage war (cf. Joel 3:2, 11-14; Rev. 16:16...
• The Servant exalted 52:13-15
  52:13 "Behold, My Servant"marks a new section in the development of Isaiah's argument, but it also calls the reader to fix his or her attention carefully on the Servant (cf. 42:1). The Servant would prosper in the sense of fu...
• The wheels and their movement 1:15-21
  1:15 Ezekiel also saw a prominent wheel standing upright on the ground beside each of the four living creatures.1:16 These wheels appeared to have been skillfully made of some valuable material, the exact identity of which is...
• The method of Israel's restoration 36:22-32
  "The next verses in the chapter are among the most glorious in the entire range of revealed truth on the subject of Israel's restoration to the Lord and national conversion."46536:22-23 Ezekiel was to tell the Israelites that...
• The rooms and implements used for preparing sacrifices 40:38-43
  40:38-41 Ezekiel also saw a room outside each of the three inner gate complexes close to its doorway. There priests would rinse animals brought as burnt offerings.519Within each inner gate complex, in the vestibules, there we...
• Jesus' institution of the Lord's Supper 26:26-30 (cf. Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26)
  26:26 "And"introduces the second thing Matthew recorded that happened as Jesus and His disciples were eating the Passover meal, the first being Jesus' announcement about His betrayer (v. 21). Jesus took bread (Gr. artos, 4:4;...
• Peter's proclamation 2:22-36
  In this part of his speech Peter cited three proofs that Jesus was the Messiah: His miracles (v. 22), His resurrection (vv. 23-32), and His ascension (vv. 33-35). Verse 36 is a summary conclusion.2:22 Peter argued that God ha...
• The example of Epaphroditus 2:25-30
  Another messenger would arrive in Philippi before either Paul or Timothy. Epaphroditus would carry this epistle to its destination. Paul wrote this pericope to prepare for a proper reception of its courier and to draw attenti...
• Historical background
  The writer said that he and those to whom he wrote had come to faith in Jesus Christ through the preaching of others who had heard Jesus (2:3-4). Apparently those preachers had since died (13:7). The original readers had been...
• Outline17
  I. The culminating revelation of God 1:1-2:18A. The agent of God's final revelation 1:1-4B. The superiority of the Son 1:5-14C. The danger of negligence (the first warning) 2:1-4D. The humiliation and glory of God's Son 2:5-9...
• I. The culminating revelation of God 1:1--2:18
  Hebrews is a sermon reduced to writing (cf. 13:22; James). Indications of this fact are the writer's references to speaking and hearing (cf. 2:5; 5:11; 8:1; 9:5; 11:32). His epistle is more typical of speech than of writing.V...
• A. The Agent of God's Final Revelation 1:1-4
  The writer began his epistle with an affirmation of Jesus Christ's greatness to introduce his readers to his subject. This section is one sentence in the Greek text. It contrasts God's old revelation with the new, specificall...
• B. The Superiority of God's Son 1:5-14
  The writer proceeded to explain the exaltation of Jesus Christ to help his readers appreciate the fact that He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy concerning the Son of David. He did this so they would appreciate Him properly an...
• D. The Compassion of the Son 4:15-5:10
  Having explored the concept of Jesus as a faithfulhigh priest (3:1-4:14), the writer proceeded next to develop the idea that Jesus is a mercifulhigh priest in the service of God (cf. 2:17). A high priest must be faithful to G...
• III. The High Priestly Office of the Son 5:11--10:39
  The transition from exposition (4:15-5:10) to exhortation (5:11-6:20) marks the beginning of a new division in this sermon. The structure of this division is as follows.158aPreliminary exhortation (5:11-6:20)AThe priest like ...
• A. The Danger of Immaturity (The Third Warning) 5:11-6:12
  "Dull of hearing"(5:11) and "sluggish"(6:12, Gr. nothroiin both cases) form an inclusiothat frames this pericope and sets it off as a distinct textual segment.159The first two warnings in Hebrews were against drifting (2:1-4)...
• 1. The readers' condition 5:11-14
  5:11 "Him"refers to Melchizedek (v. 10; cf. 6:20-10:18). Evidently the original readers had begun to let their minds wander as they heard the same things repeatedly. Rather than listening carefully, hearing completely, and co...
• C. The Son's High Priestly Ministry 7:1-10:18
  The great resource of Christians when tempted to apostatize is our high priest, Jesus Christ. The writer therefore spent considerable time and space expounding His high priesthood to enable his readers to benefit from their r...
• 2. The work of our high priest chs. 8-9
  The writer developed in this new section of the text topics that he had announced thematically in 7:26-28."The unit introduced in 8:1-2 consists entirely of exposition. Its limits are indicated by an inclusio: corresponding t...
• The new ministry and covenant ch. 8
  The writer's discussion of the new ministry and the New Covenant in chapter 8 introduces his fuller development of those themes in chapter 9. His flow of thought proceeded as follows.A Christ, the ministering priest (8:1-5)1....
• Christ's better ministry 8:1-5
  In this section the writer first stated (vv. 1-2) and then explained (vv. 3-5) Jesus Christ's better ministry. It is superior in three respects. He serves as a seated priest having finished His work of offering a final sacrif...
• The better covenant 8:6-13
  The writer proceeded to explain the superiority of the New Covenant that Jesus Christ ratified with His blood that is better than the Old Mosaic Covenant that He terminated when He died. He first explained the reason for the ...
• The heavenly sanctuary 9:1-10
  In this pericope the writer concentrated on the tabernacle and its provisions for cultic worship.254The word "first"(Gr. prote) links this section with the former one (cf. 8:13). The writer introduced two subjects in the firs...
• The final purging of sin 9:11-28
  The writer now focused on the issue of sacrifice."The argument moves a stage further as the author turns specifically to what Christ has done. The sacrifices of the old covenant were ineffectual. But in strong contrast Christ...
• 3. The accomplishment of our high priest 10:1-18
  This section on the superior high priestly ministry of Christ (7:1-10:18) concludes with this pericope in which the writer emphasized the perfecting effect of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on New Covenant believers. He wrote this ...
• D. The Danger of Willful Sinning (The Fourth Warning) 10:19-39
  From this point on in the epistle the writer made application from the great truths concerning Jesus Christ that he had now finished explaining. He followed his exposition of Jesus Christ's superior high priestly ministry (6:...
• 1. The three-fold admonition 10:19-25
  The writer began with a three-fold admonition, which is all one sentence in the Greek text. The long sentence intensifies the writer's appeal.306"In view of all that has been accomplished for us by Christ, he says, let us con...
• 3. The encouragement to persevere 10:32-39
  The writer concluded his warning by reminding his readers of their former faithfulness when tempted to encourage them to endure their present and future testings (cf. 4:12-16; 6:9-20)."The juxtaposition of 10:26-31 and 32-35 ...
• 1. The example of Jesus 12:1-3
  One writer posited a chiastic structure for verses one and two."Therefore we,[A] having seated around aboutus such a cloud of witnesses,[B] setting asideevery weight and every clinging sin. . .[C] with patient endurance . . ....
• Instructions Regarding Religious Duties 13:7-19
  "Within the structure of 13:7-19, vv 7-9 and vv 17-19 constitute the literary frame for the central unit of explanatory parenesis in vv 10-16."43713:7 The example of our spiritual leaders is one we should follow (cf. 12:1; 13...
• Bibliography
  Andersen, Ward. "The Believer's Rest (Hebrews 4)."Biblical Viewpoint24:1 (April 1990):31-38.Bailey, Mark L., and Thomas L. Constable. The New Testament Explorer. Nashville: Word Publishing Co., 1999.Barclay, William. The Lett...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

• The Enthroned Servant Christ
  We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2. A minister of the sanctuary.'--Heb. 8:1-2.A LITTLE consideration will show that we have in these words two strikingly d...
• The True Ideal
  See (saith He) that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.'--Heb. 8:5.I do not intend to deal with the original bearing of these words, nor with the use made of them by the writer of Hebrew...