1-2. (a) What was the situation in Judea when the apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Hebrews? (b) How did this inspired letter prove timely?

 HEBREW Christians living in Jerusalem and Judea went through hard times in the years following Jesus’ death. Soon after the Christian congregation was formed, intense persecution arose against it. (Acts 8:1) Then some 20 years later, Christ’s followers faced serious economic hardships, possibly caused by a famine that had previously afflicted the land. (Acts 11:27-30) However, about 61 C.E., Christians were experiencing a time of relative peace compared with what was to come. During that period, they received an inspired letter from the apostle Paul​—a letter that would prove to be very timely.

² The letter to the Hebrews was timely because the peace that the Christians were experiencing would not last. Paul provided practical counsel that would help those Christians to endure the tribulation that they would soon face. The destruction of the Jewish system of things, which Jesus had foretold, was approaching. (Luke 21:20) Of course, neither Paul nor the Christians in Judea knew exactly when that destruction would occur. Nevertheless, those Christians could use the time remaining to prepare themselves by building up such qualities as faith and endurance.​—Heb. 10:25; 12:1, 2.

3. Why is the book of Hebrews of particular interest to Christians today?

³ We are about to face a tribulation far greater than the one experienced by the Hebrew Christians. (Matt. 24:21; Rev. 16:14, 16) So let us consider some of the practical counsel that Jehovah provided for those Christians that can benefit us too.

“PRESS ON TO MATURITY”

4. What challenges did Jewish Christians face? (See also picture.)

⁴ Christians of a Jewish background faced a big challenge. At one time, the Jews had been Jehovah’s chosen people. Jerusalem was the earthly seat of God’s Kingdom, and the temple was the center of pure worship. All faithful Jews followed the Mosaic Law as explained by their religious leaders. Those teachings governed their diet, their view of circumcision, and even their association with Gentiles. However, Jehovah no longer accepted the Jewish sacrifices after Jesus’ death. That presented a challenge for Jewish Christians who were used to following the Law. (Heb. 10:1, 4, 10) Even mature Christians, such as the apostle Peter, struggled to adapt to some of these changes. (Acts 10:9-14; Gal. 2:11-14) Because of their new beliefs, those Christians became a target of the Jewish religious leaders.

5. What did Christians need to guard against?

⁵ The Hebrew Christians were challenged by opposers on two fronts. For one thing, there were the Jewish religious leaders who were treating them like apostates. In addition, some professed Christians were insisting that followers of Christ continue practicing various aspects of the Mosaic Law, perhaps to avoid persecution. (Gal. 6:12) What would help faithful Christians to stick to the truth?

6. What did Paul encourage his fellow believers to do? (Hebrews 5:14–6:1)

⁶ In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul encouraged his fellow believers to dig deeper into God’s Word. (Read Hebrews 5:14–6:1.) Using the Hebrew Scriptures, Paul reasoned with his brothers on the superiority of the Christian way of worship over Judaism. a Paul knew that increased knowledge and a deeper understanding of the truth would equip those Christians to identify and reject false reasonings so that they would not be led astray.

7. What challenges do we face today?

⁷ Like the Hebrew Christians, we are confronted by information and reasonings that go against Jehovah’s righteous standards. Opposers often attack our Bible-based beliefs on morality, claiming that we are intolerant and cruel. The attitudes and opinions of the world are becoming ever more distant from God’s perfect view of matters. (Prov. 17:15) We, therefore, must strengthen our ability to identify and reject ideas that opposers use in an attempt to discourage us or even to lead us astray.​—Heb. 13:9.

8. How can we make advancement to spiritual maturity?

⁸ We do well to take to heart the counsel Paul gave the Hebrew Christians, to press on to spiritual maturity. That includes acquiring a deep knowledge of the truth and adopting Jehovah’s way of thinking. This process continues even after dedication and baptism. No matter how long we have been in the truth, all of us must regularly read and study God’s Word. (Ps. 1:2) A good routine of personal study will help us to strengthen a quality that Paul emphasized in his letter to the Hebrews: faith.​—Heb. 11:1, 6.

“HAVE FAITH FOR THE PRESERVING OF OUR LIVES”

9. Why was strong faith vital for the Hebrew Christians?

⁹ The Hebrew Christians would need strong faith to survive the approaching tribulation in Judea. (Heb. 10:37-39) Jesus had warned his followers that when they saw Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, they should flee to the mountains. His counsel applied to all Christians, whether they lived in that city or in the open countryside. (Luke 21:20-24) People back then who were threatened by an invading army would normally seek protection in a walled city like Jerusalem. Fleeing to the mountains would have seemed illogical and would have taken great faith.

10. What would strong faith move Christians to do? (Hebrews 13:17)

¹⁰ The Hebrew Christians would also need to trust those whom Jesus was using to direct the congregation. Those taking the lead likely gave specific instructions to help all in the congregation to follow Jesus’ direction at the right time and in an orderly manner. (Read Hebrews 13:17.) The Greek word used at Hebrews 13:17 for “be obedient” implies that someone is persuaded to obey because he trusts the person who is giving the direction. That involves more than simply obeying him because he is authorized to give direction. So the Hebrew Christians needed to build trust in those taking the lead before the tribulation came. If during times of peace Christians obediently followed the instructions of those taking the lead, it would be much easier for them to do so in times of crisis.

11. Why is having strong faith essential for Christians today?

¹¹ Today we need faith as did those who first received Paul’s letter. We live at a time when most people reject​—and even ridicule—​the Bible’s warning about the end of this system of things. (2 Pet. 3:3, 4) Additionally, although the Bible reveals a number of details about how the great tribulation will unfold, there are many things that we do not know. We need to have strong faith that the end of this system of things will come right on time and that Jehovah will care for us.​—Hab. 2:3.

12. What will help us to survive the great tribulation?

¹² We must also strengthen our faith in the channel Jehovah is using today to guide us​—“the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matt. 24:45) When the great tribulation begins, we may receive specific lifesaving instructions, as the Hebrew Christians may have received when the Romans came. Now is the time to strengthen our trust and confidence in the direction we receive from those taking the lead in Jehovah’s organization. We cannot expect to follow their direction confidently during the great tribulation if we struggle to follow it now.

13. Why was the counsel recorded at Hebrews 13:5 appropriate?

¹³ While they waited for the signal to flee, the Hebrew Christians also needed to keep a simple life, rejecting “the love of money.” (Read Hebrews 13:5.) Some of them had been through times of famine and poverty. (Heb. 10:32-34) Even though they were once willing to endure hardship for the sake of the good news, some might have begun to see wealth as indispensable for their protection. But no amount of money would protect them from the coming destruction. (Jas. 5:3) In fact, any who loved material things would likely find it more difficult to flee, leaving behind their homes and possessions.

14. How can strong faith affect our decisions now regarding material things?

¹⁴ We will be motivated to reject materialism if we have strong faith that the end of the present system of things is imminent. People will, in effect, “throw their silver into the streets” because they will realize that “neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them in the day of Jehovah’s fury.” (Ezek. 7:19) Rather than focus on accumulating as much money as we can, we need to make decisions that help us to live simple yet balanced lives. That includes resisting the temptation to take on unnecessary debt or to get bogged down caring for many material things. We will also carefully avoid becoming overly attached to the possessions we already have. (Matt. 6:19, 24) Our faith may be tested with regard to material things and other matters as we wait for the end of this system to come.

“YOU NEED ENDURANCE”

15. Why did the Hebrew Christians especially need endurance?

¹⁵ Hebrew Christians would have to endure tests of their faith as conditions in Judea deteriorated. (Heb. 10:36) Although some Hebrew Christians had faced intense persecution, many had accepted Christianity during a period of relative peace. Paul mentioned that although they had endured difficult tests of faith, they had not thus far suffered as Jesus did, that is, to the point of death. (Heb. 12:4) With the spread of Christianity, however, the Jewish opposers were becoming increasingly bitter and fanatical. Just a few years earlier, Paul’s appearance in Jerusalem stirred up a riot. More than 40 Jews “bound themselves with a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.” (Acts 22:22; 23:12-14) Despite such a climate of religious fanaticism and hatred, those Christians would still need to meet for worship, preach the good news, and keep themselves strong in the faith.

16. How can the letter to the Hebrews help us to have the right view of persecution? (Hebrews 12:7)

¹⁶ What would help the Hebrew Christians to endure the opposition they faced? Paul knew that they needed to have the right view of their trials. He thus explained that God may allow tests of faith as part of a Christian’s training. (Read Hebrews 12:7.) Such training can help one to cultivate and refine vital Christian qualities. By focusing on the end result of such trials, those Hebrew Christians would find it easier to endure.​—Heb. 12:11.

17. What had Paul learned about enduring persecution?

¹⁷ Paul urged the Hebrew Christians to endure trials with greater determination. He was in a good position to write to them about this. As a former persecutor of Christians, he knew what they were up against. He also knew how to endure persecution. After all, he experienced various forms of opposition after becoming a Christian. (2 Cor. 11:23-25) So Paul could speak with conviction about what it takes to endure. He reminded those Christians that when enduring trials, they needed to rely not on themselves but on Jehovah. Paul could say with courage: “Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid.”​—Heb. 13:6.

18. Knowing what about the future can help us to endure persecution?

¹⁸ Some of our brothers are enduring persecution right now. We can loyally support them by means of our prayers and, at times, in practical ways. (Heb. 10:33) The Bible clearly says, however, that “all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.” (2 Tim. 3:12) For that reason, all of us need to prepare for what lies ahead. Let us continue to trust fully in Jehovah, confident that he will help us to endure any trial that may come our way. In due time, he will bring relief to all his faithful worshippers.​—2 Thess. 1:7, 8.

19. Taking what practical steps can help us to prepare for the great tribulation? (See also picture.)

¹⁹ No doubt Paul’s letter to the Hebrews helped first-century Christians to prepare for the tribulation that they would face. Paul urged his brothers to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures. Doing so would equip them to identify and reject teachings that would undermine their faith. He encouraged them to strengthen their faith so that they would promptly follow the direction of Jesus and of those taking the lead in the congregation. And he helped Christians to build endurance by having the right view of trials and seeing the trials as an opportunity to be trained by their loving Father. May we too apply this inspired counsel. We will then be able to endure faithfully down to the end.​—Heb. 3:14.