Just like the author of the book of
Hebrews the exact recipients are not actually known; so all we can do is
speculate and attempt to make intelligent guesses. Cockerill acknowledges that,
“The members of the congregation to which Hebrews is addressed were obviously
well versed in the OT and had been followers of Jesus for some time (2:1-4;
5:11-14).”[1] When
paying close attention to the text we realize that the recipients of Hebrews
were becoming very weary in their daily living due to the persecution that they
were experiencing. Pretty much every commentator believes that this work is
written not to a large church, but to a small home church possibly located in
Rome[2].
There are some who feel that it may be written still to a home church but in
Palestine, Ephesus or even Corinth.
We have no clear way of knowing if
those in the congregation were Jewish Christians or Gentile believers. Either
way they were still facing some pretty harsh troubles. According to George
Guthrie, “…Nero’s rising threat to the church accounts for the feat of death and
the waning of commitment indicated in Hebrews.”[3]
Not only were these believers facing all of these things from the Roman
government they also had to deal with consistently public harassment, imprisonment, and the confiscation
of property, but not to the point of being martyred.[4]
The letter exhorts them to trust in the great High Priest whom they have in heaven
in the form of Jesus Christ.
The basic worldview of the letter to
the Hebrews is one the is Christocentric, meaning that the way they see the
world should ultimately be through Christ and what has been accomplished for
us. Just as the recipients of Hebrews were becoming anxious and growing weary
we have to remember that there is no trial we cannot face with Christ on our
side. Cockerill adds, “This High Priest is also the “Pioneer” (12:2) through
whom they can be certain of entering God’s future promised “rest,” the eternal “City”
that has always been the destiny of the people of God (11:8-10, 13-16;
12:22-24).”[5]
We can apply this to our lives by understanding that we have someone who stands
before the Father to plead on our behalf; while knowing that Jesus was the ultimate
sacrifice and by being such should be honored by us as his people living
honorable and sacrificial lives.
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