Hebrews 26-31 Summary

Hebrews 10:26-31 The book of Hebrews is a confirmation of the validity of the Gospel message, and the legitimacy of Christ as the Son of God. This is done in a way that expresses the superiority of Christ over all beings, the preeminence of His teachings regarding the Mosaic Law, and defines what applications should be made pertaining to Mosaic Law in light of His teachings. The author then validates the trials Christians would face by assuring the glories of the kingdom to come. Hebrews was written in approximately 67 AD to post-Judaic believers who had since converted to Christianity. The author, unknown (yet assumed to be Paul or Barnabas), writes this book as encouragement to believers and assurance of the authenticity of Christianity
At the time, the specific group of believers to which the author writes had been experiencing tremendous persecution for not only their current beliefs, but also for their forsaking of Judaism on the path to conversion. Due to this oppression, many were considering returning to Judaism; it is for this reason that the author writes the book. The author’s underlying message is the eternal reward that believers will receive upon Christ’s return, which he conveys through his affirmation of Jesus as the Son of God, and His mission for all people. This is displayed through three major points, as outlined in The Letter to the Hebrews: Jesus is Superior to Angelic Beings, Jesus is Superior to the Mosaic Law, and Call to Faith and Endurance. Hebrews 10:26-31 is included in the third point, Call to Faith and Endurance. This section, Hebrews 10:19 – 12:29, pleads a full assurance of faith, encourages the audience to live a life by faith, and spurs on endurance till the coming of God’s Kingdom. Hebrews 10:26-31 is about full assurance of faith, but more specifically, the dangers of falling away from Christ with the full knowledge of His merit as the Son of God. The author urges believes not to fall away, for abandoning Christ leaves the believer
Verse 28 sets the tone, alluding to the seriousness of apostasy in regards to the Law of Moses, and then verse 29 poses a rhetorical question, saying that apostatizing the New Covenant is an even greater sin than the apostatizing of the Law of Moses. This is such a significant verse because it explains the severity of violating the New Covenant. The verse can be broken down into three parts: the trampling of Christ underfoot, defiling the holy blood of Jesus that was shed for those that shame it, and the insulting of the Holy Spirit that led them to salvation in the first place. The trampling of the Son of God is significant for three reasons, which James A. Fowler describes by saying, “First, it means bringing the One who is Highest to the lowest position, whereby you “walk on Him,” and “grind Him in the dirt.” With deliberate disdain, contempt, and scorn, such an individual, who had confessed Jesus as the Messianic Savior, now treats the Deity as dirt!” (Fowler, 316) The trampling of Christ brings him from his place on High, at the right hand of God, to the lowest point possible. During biblical times, the main mode of transportation was by foot, and so feet would often be extremely dirty due to the dirt, feces, and water on the roads. Because of this, feet were considered the dirtiest part of the body, and so placing Christ “underfoot” was bringing him as low as one could possibly be; it