This week we wrap up the book of Hebrews and read through Paul’s pastoral letters to two young pastors (Timothy and Titus). Whenever I read the book of Hebrews, I’m reminded of that verse in Luke 24:27 which describes Jesus’ words to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” One of the big picture things going on in Hebrews is putting the glory of the Mosaic Law under the brighter light of Christ. There are some a pieces of art that once put under a black light the variegated colors become more vibrant and the whole painting comes alive in a way that it doesn’t under normal light. Hebrews is like that with the Law of Moses. It takes all those OT patriarchs, sacrifices, and types and shines the light of Christ upon them exposing that, all along, they were all intended to show forth His glory.
In Paul’s pastoral letters we see a profound picture of what it looks like to hand off the faith. He tells Timothy to “guard the deposit entrusted to you (1 Tim. 6:20).” In Titus 2, Paul commissions Titus to make sure that older women are teaching younger women to godly women, and for young men to be exhorted by older men to be godly men. In 2 Timothy 2:2 he instructs Timothy to commit the Gospel “to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” In essence, the sin of covenant presumption which often was the bane of the Israelites, must be hunted down and expelled from the Christian church. Notice in that last verse that Paul is telling Timothy to raise up men who can then raise up other men to be faithful to proclaim and teach the Gospel; that’s four generations of discipleship.
Finally, as we wrap up the Summer Bible Reading challenge over the next two weeks, remember Paul’s words and, by God’s grace, emulate them, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7).” The best way to show forth Christ and impart Him to the next generation is to fight a good fight.
