5: Being Steadfast in Christ (Heb 3:1-19)

The Basics

Setting

In our last study, we learned that Jesus became our perfect Redeemer and High Priest through His sufferings and death. This lesson follows up on that thought and calls us to act upon what we have learned. The author asks us to “consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,” and he urges us to hold fast our confidence to the end in order to become partakers of Christ.

Key Verse

“For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end” (3:14).

Did You Know…?

1.         Apostle (3:1) means “one who is sent.”

2.         “So I swore in My wrath…” (3:11): This is in reference to the historical event recorded in Numbers 14.

Observation

Outline

(3:1-6)

(3:7-15)

(3:16-19)

Key Words/Phrases

Segment Analysis

3:1-6

1a.        What does the author command us to do? Elaborate on the meaning of this command based on this paragraph.

1b.        The word “therefore” indicates that the reason(s) for the command is found in the previous passage. What is (are) the reason(s)?

2.         What does the term “partaker of the heavenly calling” mean to you? Do you view yourself as a partaker of the heavenly calling?

3.         What does it mean that Jesus is the Apostle of our confession?

4a.        How was Jesus like Moses?

4b.        In what two ways was Jesus greater than Moses?

5a.        What does “the house” refer to?

5b.        How is Christ “a Son over His own house” (6)?

5c.        How does the fact that Christ is the Son over His house apply to us? In other words, what is the author’s message to us?

6a.        What is the condition for being the house of God?

6b.        Explain the meaning of this condition.

3:7-15

7.         What are the commands in this paragraph?

8.         What does it mean to test God? How did the Israelites test and try God?

9a.        What was the root of the problem with the Israelites?

9b.        What was their consequence?

10a.      What does it mean to depart from the living God (12)?

10b.      What may make a believer eventually depart from the living God?

10c.      How can we prevent ourselves from going down that path?

11.        Why does the author add “while it is called “Today” in verse 13? What does it teach us?

3:16-19

12a.      According to this paragraph, how did the Israelites show their unbelief?

12b.      What does this teach you about what it means to be a b