Monday, February 16, 2009

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-3).

IDEA: Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith.

PURPOSE: To help listeners appreciate that Christianity is Christ.

What does someone mean when saying that a person has everything "from soup to nuts"?
Or that a program covers everything "from A to Z"?
What do we mean that Jesus is "the Alpha and the Omega"?

I. What do you think that the writer of the letter to the Hebrews meant when he said, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith"?

Different translations translate the Greek word for author in different ways: as "pioneer and perfector" (RSV), or as "leader."

How would someone decide which translation of the particular Greek word (arkagos) best fit Hebrews 12?

If translations disagree, what might you suspect?

A concordance or cross-reference might show you other places that the word appears in the New Testament.

The Greek word is used only three other times in the New Testament:

Hebrews 2:9, 10—The author of their salvation (NKJV)

Acts 3:15, the word is translated prince of life (NKJV) or author (NIV).

Acts 5:31 translates the word prince in almost Bible translations

How do you decide what the word means in Hebrews 12? Does it make much difference?

No serious difference, but the different words paint different pictures for us.

II. If Jesus is the author of faith, what does that picture for you?

What does an author do in writing a play? How is he/she the "beginning" of the play?

What did the "author" of Hebrews do in writing this letter?

What would "author" say about Jesus and the life of faith?