Hebrews Part 2: Selfish Christianityਨਮੂਨਾ

Getting to Know the Bible Like a Friend

The best way to get to know someone is simply to spend some time in conversation with them. The best way to get to know a book of the Bible is the same – spend time with God reading it for yourself and stopping to pray about whatever the Holy Spirit prompts you to discuss with God.

Sometimes, we make things too complicated. Thankfully, God has made Bible study rather simple. Here are several things you can do to benefit from simply reading the book of the Bible called Hebrews for yourself.

One, you can either read it for yourself or have it read to you in places like the YouVersion Bible app. Because this book of the Bible was most likely a sermon that was transcribed and written down to be delivered to local churches and then read aloud, it is helpful to not only read it but also hear it. This may include you and your spouse taking turns reading portions of Hebrews aloud to each other if you are married. A Bible scholar says,

“Hebrews was written to be read aloud to a specific local congregation. The title ‘To the Hebrews’ is attached to the document in our earliest manuscripts and was probably an early effort to identify an anonymous text from its themes as one written to Jewish Christians. This traditional view was held until the nineteenth century, when some claimed that the recipients were Gentile Christians, or perhaps a mixed group. All agree that the book was written for Christians, who are urged to maintain their confession (Heb. 3:6, 14; 4:14; 10:23). Their ethnic background, however, is more disputed.”(1)

Two, before you read, stop and invite the Holy Spirit to help you understand. The Bible is truly a special and supernatural book, as the divine Author will meet with you as you read it to help you understand it for yourself. As you read Hebrews, stop to prayerfully discuss with God whatever you need and ask for wisdom in the parts you want to understand or obey. Scripture is the primary way that God speaks to you, and prayer is the primary way that you speak to God. Reading the Bible this way is literally having a conversation with God based on His Word.

As you spend time in God’s Word this week, be intentional about praying and inviting the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you’re reading.

(1) Peter T. O’Brien, The Letter to the Hebrews, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010), 9.